Foot and Fire

    I managed to finish watching one short and two full-length films over the weekend though my wifi connection is so erratic (Hello PLDT!). The featured films are for free via the myfrenchfestival.com. One just needs to create an account with the site and films can be rented and viewed for free via many platforms if one is in the Philippines. I have one month to enjoy all the french films with subtitles.   I watched The Braves and I was happy that it is finally a good film to recommend to others. It is about the friendship of two young women and their dream to become actresses. They are young, so full of life, and ambitions and they were on their road to their dream when a tragedy struck. This is a story of friendship, and sisterhood.    I just could not relate a bit why the play featured in the film is about an immigrant in New York. It could be much more interesting if it features an immigrant in France. Maybe, the play is just the parallel of the two ...

Chocolat By Joanne Harris Fiction Softbound, 320 pages A happy read. Especially on this Lenten season. If one has seen the movie first before reading the book or vice verse, I must say that it does not matter. Both versions are justice to each other. But in my case, I saw the movie first and then read the book in years apart, mind you!  Set in an obscure town in France, this novel with magical realism genre is all about spirituality, no mere religion, about the essence of doing good to our fellowmen that showing off goodness, about acceptance of our human weaknesses and surviving it. I expected some concoction along the way but I failed. I wished there are incorporated recipes on chocolate or some sprinkles of academic facts on chocolate but it did not. What it has is an engaging story told through the eyes gypsy-like Vianne who struggles to find a home, an acceptance by giving people their little sweet indulgence and Fr. Francis Reynaud who struggles about h...

Because some of the girls were able to go to Genting Highlands, a popular go-to place in Malaysia, we all opted for Colmar Tropicale of Berjaya Hills located in Bukit Tinggi, a 45-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur. According to the resort's website , opened in year 2000, Colmar Tropicale was modelled after 16th century Colmar town, north east of Alsace, France, also incorporating architectural designs and elements from ancient surrounding villages of Riquewihr, Turckheim and Kaysersberg. The realization of this French themed village derived from the wish list of the Malaysia's fourth Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, who upon his visit to the region of Alsace were so impressed, that it inspired Tan Sri Vincent Tan, the founder of Berjaya Corporation Berhad to replicate the actual Colmar town in Malaysia. The resort comprised of 235 rooms and suites, offers 8 food & beverage outlets / lounges with food variety ranging from local & international cuisine ...

Evidently, Philippines and Malaysia are neighbors because of some of the common flowers that are showcased in the Berjaya Hills Botanical Garden. Given the high altitude, the coolness of the forest is enticing and it feels good to be lost in the lush green environment. *** *** *** This is the plant used as tea. *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** The world's first Japanese Tea House in the Tropical Forest. *** *** ***