The Roving, Ronin Hare

What a beautiful country. Where everything was organized. Where everything was curated for comfort and convenience. Where everyone was courteous without sacrificing warmth and authenticity. That is Japan. While Europe's beauty is magnified by grandiosity and drama, Japan's is defined by simplicity, uniformity, convenience, and comfort. Everything was designed for easy living and easy traveling. I am usually drawn to fantastic architecture so Japan was definitely outside my bucket list. It was edged out by Thailand and Indonesia because of this. Regardless, I enjoyed our tour to Japan. Thanks to my sister, brother, and sister-in-law, our trip was filled with so many wonderful and happy memories. But a heartfelt gratitude, most of all, to our father who sponsored the plane tickets and hotel accommodations. It was, after all, supposed to be his birthday celebration if not for his sudden ailment a few days before the trip began. We visited several destinations in Japan. You can rea...

  It's always nice to look back and reminisce one's fondest memories. Seeing old pictures evokes many emotions, mostly good, sometimes bad but somehow still gives you peace (reminding you of how you managed to get out of the rut). Good pictures are always good, no matter what was actually going on. After all, a sad movie can still be a masterpiece. In 2024, I learned so many valuable lessons that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Though I didn't really venture out of Bicol Region this year, I was still able to enjoy and have fun. In 2023, we went to Europe and, even here in the Philippines, I saw many masterpieces with strong foreign elements.  This year, on the other hand, the things I saw were mostly native and local (with little to no foreign element). Nonetheless, they're not any less superior. Coming home and enjoying home gave 2024 its own vibe and zeitgeist. All in all, 2024 has been a decent year so far... January 1: Happy Fam 2024 started on a high note. ...