Return

I'm back from Japan! And I brought with me a lot of extra baggage. Around 10 pounds. Unfortunately, it's not in loot....


It's tummy fat!!! Japanese food is yummy and the servings are big. 10 pounds in 2 weeks.....


Time to diet. Wish me luck.

Highly Placed = Highly Valued

I've recently heard a talk regarding drugs in the Philippines -of the illegal kind. The speaker used the scare into compliance tactic in his speech: Apparently, there is a zero tolerance policy towards drugs; if you are found with 1. drug paraphernalia or 2. in a place where a raid occurred, you can pretty much be assured off a spot in jail.


In the Philippines, it is a LITERAL spot as you'd be very lucky to get even enough SPACE to sleep in.


It's good that this person, this agency, is taking their/its job seriously. However, what if somebody drops (1) in your bag while you aren't looking or you just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?


Clearly the phrase "innocent until proven guilty" does not apply in this case. It does, however, apply to money laundering when involving high profile politicians.


Is this a good or a bad thing? It's good if you're guilty, bad if you're not. And this person stated without apology that, in effect, it would be regretful if you were innocent but if you were there on the wrong time, then you are going to jail. It is your fault for being somewhere shady in the first place. And you will
lose a chunk of your life while experiencing all of the wonderful experiences of Filipino prisons.


Remember that in the Philippines, aid from the government is usually only for the wealthy and the powerful.


Say no to things that are bad for you, whether it be physical or legal.


What is worse? Taking illegal drugs or robbing a country?

Starbucks Mocha Cookie Crumble + Whoopie Pie

Have you tried the new Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappucino in Starbucks? It's a cup of sugar-sourced calories. I liked how gritty it was, especially when I grinding my teeth, compared to the traditional Mocha Frappucino in Starbucks. Also, that they used a different color for the whipped cream.

Mocha Frappucino (left) Whoopie Pie (center), Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappucino (right)

Starbucks suggested pairing it with a Whoopie Pie, so I did. There's something strangely fun about eating something that resembles Cookie Monster while drinking something with the word "cookie" in it. Especially if you're sharing it with friends and giving it Cookie Monster's voice...






Buy Again?


Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappucino: Maybe in a few months. While it tasted good, it really isn't something I could see myself drinking regularly (I prefer my drinks smooth in general). I'd rather go buy a traditional Mocha Frappucino and save my money and possible fat for something else.


Also, beware of food particles sticking to your teeth. Not very attractive to find something brown stuck there while you're talking to another person.


Whoopie Pie: Maybe in a few months. Again, though it was yummy, I can honestly say that the best thing about it for me was the eyes.




For all Starbucks Philippines Planner holders (me!), note that you have a BOGO coupon for a frappucino this may. On that note, time is running out on the Monday Starbucks promo. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Experience: Getting a Japanese Visa

This is my experience in getting a visa to Japan using Reli Tours Travel Company.