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Thomas Hardy – The Return of the Native
I have been reading Classic books these months and thankfully have finished Thomas Hardy’s THE RETURN OF THE NATIVE. At times I found this book so boring that I had to skip some words. But my view changed after watching the movie adaptation featuring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Clive Owen. Hmm, shall I read The Return of the Native again? ***
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Church of Saint Sava Belgrade
The Temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade is a Serbian Orthodox Church dedicated to Saint Sava, who is the patron saint and the founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church. It is the largest Orthodox church in the country. It is one of the largest Eastern Orthodox churches and ranks among the largest churches in the world. To me, visiting the Temple of Saint Sava is one of the highlights of my travel to Belgrade. The church beautiful, especially the interior. You can also visit the lower level and the Crypt area which is richly decorated. ***
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My kababayans on a cruise ship
During my recent travel to Greece on a cruise, I did not feel lonely at all especially since there were hundreds of my kababayans working onboard the Celestyal Olympia cruise ship who made me feel at home. They took care of me and even spoilt me throughout my journey. Most of all, especially since I travel solo on this trip, there is nothing like conversing with your fellow countryfolks using your local dialect on foreign land, and in this case, on a foreign sea. Maraming Salamat po sa inyong lahat mga Kabayan. Mabuhay po kayo Thank you Celestyal Olympia for the unforgettable and awesome experience from the time I checked…
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Ichthys or ichthus souvenir from Athens
I got this ichthys or ichthus souvenir during my visit to Athens, Greece. During the time of the Roman Empire, when the early believers were persecuted for being Christians, they adapted a way thru symbolism to identify and communicate with each other. They used the “FISH” as a secret symbol. ἸΧΘΥΣ (IKhThUS) in Koine Greek its acronym translates into English as ‘JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, SAVIOR’. Nowadays it is known colloquially as the “sign of the fish” or the “Jesus fish”. ***
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Areopagus sermon by Apostle Paul
During our stay in Athens, being one of the most important historical sites to visit, we also went to the Acropolis with a prebooked tour guide. While we were there, at some point, I could only imagine the challenging times when Apostle Paul visited the city and when he eventually delivered his message in Areopagus, in the year 51 about the worship of the true God in relation to the many gods and goddesses that were venerated in Athens at that time. Here is the passage from the Bible in the Book of Acts 17:16-34 New International Version (NIV). “In Athens: 16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens,…
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“CIRCE” by Madeline Miller
“A golden cage is still a cage.” CIRCE, a book by Madeline Miller is an enticing tale of Circe, a goddess and a witch where we as mere mortals can empathize with some of her experiences.
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“The Song of Achilles” – Madeline Miller
Book title: The Song of Achilles Author: Madeline Miller Comment: I just love how the tale of Achilles and Patroclus is presented and immortalized in this book. It’s just so touching… There is FOREVER rin pala! Yes, there is true love; they can be found mostly in books and in movies. In this tale, Achilles and Patroclus manifest a rare and true loving relationship. An eternal kind of love that even death failed to separate them. Is it humanly possible? Unfortunately, no. It’s Mythology. xxx
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FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Shelley
FRANKENSTEIN or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley is a novel published in 1818 that presents a menacing ambition as portrayed by Victor Frankenstein. It is a great book that got me hooked to the end. It is actually not that horrific or monstrous as usually portrayed in movie adaptations, and I did not realize the profundity of this book until I read it. It presents the wonderful qualities and the good side of being human. At the same time, it shows the danger and horror of having an unquenchable greed. Watch it out!
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“Atonement” by Ian McEwan
ATONEMENT by IAN McEWAN is the type of book which gives me a hard time understanding and getting myself into it at the start. For me, it was not at all a ‘light read’ book compared to those that I previously read. But I was glad I persevered as I was finally able to grasp the story at the end of the book, I realised that I actually enjoyed it. In retrospect, the story is cleverly written and certainly presents something to ponder upon. Thank you.
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OXFORD – The City of Dreaming Spires
Oxford “The City of Dreaming Spires”. The University of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England is known and believed to have been teaching as early as the year 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world. According to the 2023 Times Higher Education Rankings, the University of Oxford stays as the world’s top university for the seventh straight year. A note to myself: “I wish, hope, and pray that someday I will be able to study in Oxford (or in Cambridge) University. Joan, do not be ashamed to announce to the world and declare your seemingly foolish wishes. Remember, some of them in fact have already come true. Amen” (That’s…
