25th Wedding Anniversary of Ninong Butch and Ninang Ida!

I've only been married for 2 and a half years but I can't wait to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary too! :D All because I was very inspired by today's celebration of my aunt and my uncle's silver wedding anniversary and renewal of vows. In my honoring for them, I thought I should share it in my blog and hopefully my readers will be as inspired as I was. 

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 

-Romans 12:9-18

These are the verses that best represent the secret of their 25 years of marriage.

•      My family has been living under their roof for 6 years now and we’ve witnessed with our very eyes the genuine love they have for each other all these years.

•      We’ve seen their kindheartedness in doing good not only to the family but also to other people outside the family and it’s all by the grace of God.

•       My uncle never fails to surprise my aunt especially on important occasions like this. He can be so cheap on himself but when it comes to my aunt, he can be so generous. Like my husband, he’s also a member of the “happy wife happy life club” ;)

•      My aunt’s love for my uncle is relentless like her fervent love for the Lord. She’s been supportive and proud of him in everything he does and she values his decisions as the head of the household.

•      We’ve seen how faithful they both are to the Lord by serving Him through our CFC community and through our church.

•      We hardly see them in arguments or raising their voice at each other, but when they get into one, they are quick to forgive one another.  

•      We are beyond thankful and grateful to them for their warm hospitality in providing shelter for us and for their selfless love.

All these and more are what makes their marriage a testimony of a marriage designed by the Lord.

And what God binded together, let no man separate.  –Mark 10:9

Alan and I are inspired by your love for one another. My mom, my sisters and I are blessed to be part of this family. May your marriage persevere until the very end and may you keep touching other people’s lives. We love you!  

Happy 25^th wedding anniversary! 

xoxo,

Joselle

Woke up early to help style the reception venue. Everything was DIY! (Do-it-youself)

We arranged the flowers the night before.

St. Benedict's Taylor lodge.

My pretty mom :)

Honored to be the chauffeur! 

Beautiful bride. Make up by Jovy (my sister), accessories by me.

Pleasure hosting the program for free. For future events and emcee job, let us talk about my rate! lol

We sang in the choir but first we took a selfie!

The most talented and creative groom who was behind everything!

Happy couple!

With their unico hijo who was also celebrating his birthday on the same day. 

Wedding entourage

Our family!

Photo-butch :)

Fernandezes in Japan: Osaka

The last city we visited was Osaka! Right after we returned our kimonos at the shop in Kyoto, we made our way by train to Dotonbori, Osaka to meet a family friend for dinner. 

The Mitamura family treated us for dinner at Oreno French (My French). It was the best French food I've had! They said that this chain is quite popular in Japan and it truly is. When we got there, there was a long queue and people were willing to wait to get in. Thankfully, Tita Beth and Lizette got there first and lined up for us so we didn't have to wait too long. This restaurant was different out of all the places I've been to. This is the kind of restaurant where you stand up while you eat. In this way, customers can leave right away as soon as they're done eating to give way to the next person in line. People really line up in here because the food not only has the taste of you're like in a luxurious restaurant but they are very affordable. We were told that the Japanese chefs used to work in France and decided to come home and bring the exquisite cuisine they mastered to their country men. Every bite was bursting with delightful flavors. All we could say were, mmmmmmmmmmmm, wow, OMG, oishiiiiiii! We had to ask for bread to help us clean our plate and make sure we scoop every savory drop left :)  

If you've been reading my travel blogs for quite sometime, more than the culture, scenery, and people, food is really one of the reasons why I like to go places and travel. This experience made me want to go to Paris all the more... someday :) 

Thank you Mitamura family for this lovely treat and the warm hospitality! We appreciate it so much and it was an honor to meet you. 

After that tasty dinner, we walked around Dotonbori and posed in front of the neon billboards and copied Glico running man.  

For our last night (huhuhu) we stayed at Water Hotel. We stayed at hotels where tourists wouldn't know about. Some of them were automated like a vending machine! LOL. You go in, choose your room on a screen by the entrance and when you get to the room, you insert your credit card or cash in a automated machine and voila, you're checked in! There are personnel in the hotel that can help you but they don't speak english well so I'm very glad my husband knew how to work around it like a local Japanese. Hotels in Japan are quite expensive so we pretty much saved a good amount of money because my hubby did his research. Thank you love!

Best tour guide, tiga bitbit ng bag, masseur, photographer, and husband ever! :)

The next day, we had some Takoyaki for brunch at Kukuru still in Dotonbori. One of Osaka's specialty is Takoyaki. They are made of wheat flour batter shaped in balls filled with diced octopus cooked in a takoyaki pan. Yummy!

For lunch, we met with a sweet Japanese newly wed who was a Filipino major, Yuri-chan. She also stayed as a border at Alan's house in the Philippines like Junki, Hiro and Taku. We had some Kushikatsu (deep fried kebabs). They fry any meat and even vegetables. As courtesy to the others, you deep your skewer only one time for sanitary reason. 

Speaking of courtesy, I love Japan's courtesy rules like when I went inside Uniqlo's fitting room, there was a sign that stated, "please remove your shoes before entering". Same with some of the bathrooms where you need to remove your shoes and wear their slippers on. Another one is standing on the right side (or left depends on where you are) of the escalator to give way to the people who wants to walk their way up. Also lining up when entering the train. They also don't give tips here. In the US, it is a courtesy to give gratuities for a good service you've received but here in Japan, it is rude. However, they pour their hearts out in serving you without anything in return which I'm absolutely impressed. There was one time when we took a cab (that automatically opens!) and when it's time for us to pay, I wanted to tell the driver to keep the change but I was reminded of what Alan told me that it is rude to tip so I kept my mouth shut and took our change. I'm sure there are a lot more courtesy rules that's why Japan is an organized country because people follow common courtesy. So if you're a tourist, you better study some of their courtesy rules to avoid getting into any trouble. 

Back with our friend Yuri, after lunch, she joined us and helped me shop for some beauty products in Shinsaibashi! hehehe. I'm fascinated with Japanese porcelain skin and hers is spotless! Parang walang pores, nakakainis! LOL. She recommended some products that she uses like Japanese facial masks, cc cream, even lip glosses, and eyeliners. Thank you very much Yuri! :) 

After shopping for some pasalubongs, we headed straight to Kansai airport. 

Me posing in the Tomare sign, which means STOP... right now, thank you very much. (Spice girls baby!) LOL. This is the end of my travel to Japan posts. Thank you very much for reading my blog. O diba parang nag-Japan na rin kayo. hehehe. I hope you find this helpful for when you travel to Japan. Gambatte and Sayonara! 

xoxo,

Joselle

Fernandezes in Japan: Kyoto

Before hopping in the train to Kyoto, I took one last look and marveled at Tokyo's modernity and the dynamic group of people. I found myself entertained just sitting by the train station. The fashion is quite interesting especially for the women. For men, not so much. hehe. I am flabbergasted on how these women can effortlessly walk so fast in their 4-5 inches heels. I wish I could too but my bunion definitely won't be in favor of it. hehe.

Off we whisk to Kyoto via Shinkansen which took us less than 3 hours. As soon as we arrived, we checked in at Grand Bach hotel near the station. It was newly opened so the rate was not too high. 

We asked for a list of restaurants around the area from the front desk and we found Tsujikawa, a restaurant that serves Beef Wagyu! Alan said, wagyu is a kind of meat that comes from cows that are stimulated to drink sake or beer for their fat becomes soft by doing so. I had to try it for myself and it was really soft and tender! We also got Menchi Katsu which was a different kind of Tonkatsu. It was deep fried breaded ground pork or sometimes beef. It was good but I like the one in Yabu Philippines better! hehehe. The room capacity and crew was limited so the service was very intimate. I believe there's only one chef and a server so the food came out as soon as it was cooked, hot and fresh. I remembered there was a party of more than 10 people who wanted to go in but they weren't welcomed unfortunately cos the chef couldn't accommodate them all. That's another thing I liked about the Japanese, they like quality vs. quantity. They wouldn't allow their workmanship to suffer just to earn money. They are perfectionists and they like to master their work really well. Even street food tastes so good!

After our nice dinner, we had a romantic stroll in downtown Kyoto and decided to grab some sweets and tea while talking about our plans for the future. I loved Japan's green tea latte of any kind so I drunk it whenever there's a chance. Then went back to our hotel and was delighted to find out that they serve free midnight snack. Kain na naman! lol. The hotel prepared ochazuke and drinks.

Our hotel has a public bath amenity so we decided to make use of it after eating. Public baths are aplenty in Japan and is a part of their culture so I was curious and wanted to go and experience it. Gosh tt was uncomfortable! hahaha. After 5 mins in the hot pool with nude women, I went back to our room and decided to shower privately instead. hehehe. 

The next day, we woke up early and went to see another world heritage, the Kinkakuji or Golden Pavilion. It was so breath taking! 

Then we met with 2 other couples in a Kimono rental shop called Yumeyakata by Gojo station. So happy to be reunited with my sister in-law Risa-chan and meet her boyfriend, Yuki-kun for the first time. Also, I was so glad to see Junki-kun again and meet her girlfriend Tomoyo-chan. It was a fun triple date!

It is a must to try out a kimono in Japan. Kimono is their national costume and most of the time worn on special occasions. The silk garments and the designs are gorgeous! However, it is heavy and uncomfortable. It is too hard to wear the kimono by yourself cos there were just too many layers so there were women who helped us wear them and they were serious in tying the strings on you and wrapping up the Obi (belt) tightly to make you look skinny. hahaha. I couldn't breathe. lol. However, it enhanced our posture so we walked the streets of Kyoto very much lady-like. hehe.

They allow you to wear the Kimono outside the shop for 6 hours so off we went to Gion for photo op in the shrines and had lunch. 

xoxo,
Joselle

Fernandezes in Japan: Tokyo Day 2 Part 2

In Akihabara, also known as the "electric town", we found another pirakura and this time, I was satisfied with how our photos came out. Kawaii! (cute)

We parted ways with Hiro-kun in Akihabara as he needed to go to his class that afternoon. He goes to a university in Tokyo and went to the Philippines for his study abroad program. That's where he met Alan. Thank you so much Hiro for spending time with us and for touring us around Tokyo. One of the nicest guys I've met. 

Like Hiro, there was also another friend of ours who studied in the Philippines that wanted to meet us and his name was Taku. He asked us to meet up with him in Shibuya after work. Shibuya is one of the busiest districts in Tokyo also known as one of the fashion centers particularly for young people, and as a major nightlife area. Before seeing him, we went to the famous shopping mall, Shibuya 109 and killed some time.hehehe. There, I found a beige trench coat with a reasonable price. I don't know what's the deal with most women wearing beige trench coat in Tokyo during spring time but they looked so chic. Thankfully, there was this store who had it on sale and my super amazing husband bought it for me as he promised. Thank you love!

Posing in one of Shibuya 109's cute store.

After shopping, we met with Taku in the most popular meeting spot in Shibuya, Hachiko Square. Hachiko is the loyal dog who waited on his master at Shibuya Station each day from 1923 to 1935 thus the reason behind this legendary statue by the station. 

For dinner, Taku-kun treated us and brought us to one of his favorite places to eat in Shibuya. I forgot the name of the restaurant (my memory is not as good as Alan. so sorry hehehe) but he let us try one of his favorite Japanese food, the Ochazuke. It's rice with tea! I like to drink tea but I've never tried it  with rice so I found it very interesting. You pour the tea and submerge the rice with the rest of the toppings on it like pouring milk on your cereal. As a Filipino, this was not new to me as I like eating my rice with sabaw like lugaw. hehehe. One simple tip I'd like to share with you when you travel, don't be afraid to try different kinds of local food. Immerse yourself in the culture and one way to do that is by being adventurous with food. It's great to be LIVING LA VIDA LOCAL! :P

Right after dinner, we went to a karaoke bar and sung our hearts out. Karaoke originated in Japan and is a common social activity. It's funny cos Alan and I share the same passion which is singing and our love blossomed in spending time in singing karaoke. :)

Soon after we checked out from the karaoke bar, Taku brought us to one his favorite ramen places and had midnight snack. Thank you Taku-kun for a great time and it was nice meeting you!

The next day, we headed to the next city on our list, Kyoto but before that, we did some shopping for the last time in Tokyo. We went to one of the popular chain stores in Tokyo, the Don Quijote and also to a 100 yen shop. 100 yen shops are like dollar stores but having more cute and weird stuff at the same time. We found ourselves shopping here the most for pasalubongs (gifts) cos they were likely inexpensive here than in other stores. 

xoxo,
Joselle

Fernandezes in Japan: Tokyo Day 2 Part 1

We were pretty tired of walking the streets of Shinjuku the day before so we left our baggage in the coin locker overnight and just went straight to the hotel. Then early morning, I went to get our bags from the locker in the station. 




On my way, I passed by a convenience store and bought katsu sando (tonkatsu sandwich) and calpis for Joselle. Although it was just from the convenience store, she liked the sandwich very much and craved for more. And when I asked her what she wanted to eat in Tsukiji Market she said, Tonkatsu!

And so our food trip began. We met our friend Hiro in Tsukiji market and he acted as our tour guide for half of the day. We were communicating by the Line app and I had told him what we wanted to eat. 

By the way, another tip if you are planning to visit Japan: get a mobile internet SIM card. Internet in Japan is so fast and reliable that it is worth it to pay the 3,500 yen or so for your cellphone or tablet. You can get a communications, map, and information tool wherever you go. My sister got it at http://www.bmobile.ne.jp/english/ while I got mine from Yodobashi Camera in Osaka, Umeda station.




Anyway, Hiro was able to look for a tonkatsu place while we were getting lost in the subways of Tokyo. So when we arrived, we went straight to the restaurant. As expected, the food there was great. The shrimp tempura was so big that it looked like a lobster. The tonkatsu was also juicy and crisp that I wanted to go back for more. Too bad it wasn't eat-all-you-can.

After lunch, we went around Tsukiji market and the outside strip. We ate tamagoyaki or sweet egg rolls, bought tea, and taste test some food that we had never eaten before. I was especially intrigued by the shark meet bacon. I wasn't able to taste it though.



Unfortunately, it was raining again, so after a quick round of the market, we decided to go to a roofed place. And that place we decided to go to was Roppongi Hills, known as the high end mall of Tokyo. Joselle had her eyes on a beige coat as she observed that every so called OL or office lady in Tokyo was wearing it. However, it was too expensive there, so we just window shopped and passed through, promising Joselle that she could buy her coat elsewhere.

(Joselle: I've never seen a wet market this clean and there's no bit of fishy smell I swear! It's even drizzling on the day we went but no marks of mud anywhere. The perishable goods were neatly arranged and the street food were well showcased. There were no signs of flies and rodents also. Only in Japan! My mind was blown once again by this country.) 

On the way back to the subway, we were greeted by the famous spider object. The giant gundam statue from the famous anime used to be there too, but unfortunately it was already taken away. So we decided to go to Akihabara, the mecca of Japanese subculture, to see Gundam in Gundam cafe...

...To be continued in Part 2

~Alan

Fernandezes in Japan: Tokyo Day 1

After a refreshing stay and a bountiful buffet brunch in Sheraton Hiroshima, thanks again to our family friend Tita Beth, we set off to Tokyo via Shin-Osaka by Shinkansen Sakura and changed trains from there.

The reserved car seats for the Sakura train were the best seats we've had yet. Sakura, by the way, is the Japanese name for cherry blossoms. The train just started its service on 2011 and the seats appeared to be still brand new. It was spacious and felt like a green car even though it was just ordinary reserved seating.

We had a pictorial in front of the vending machines in Shin-osaka station while waiting for our train to Tokyo. I think that was when Joselle found her favorite drink in Japan, Calpis. She did not drink it yet at the moment but she showed interest in it and asked me what was it like. I told her it was something like yakult and I thought to myself I'll let her try it later if we found it again. For now we just bought Milk tea which is my favorite.

By the time we reached Tokyo, it was already 4pm and getting dark. We headed to Shinjuku by the JR Chuo line and deposited our bags in a coin locker inside the platform. I remember the locker was so loud and noisy. Anyway, after that we went to the famous photo op site LOVE sign in front of Shinjuku i-land building by foot.

Along the way, we saw a street singer singing at the side of a pedestrian lane in front of Shinjuku station. This was not a rare occurrence but I saw him also getting warned by a nearby guard when we were leaving. He was probably obstructing traffic with the crowd he was making. That is Japan for you, always thinking about the public.

We met a Korean couple who were taking pictures in front of the love sign before us, and we asked them if they could take our pictures too. They were kind enough to comply and even suggested poses for us as well. I asked them if they wanted us to take theirs too, but I don't know if they didn't understand but they refused to give us their camera. They only spoke Korean. I wish I could speak it too.


After the photo shoot, we went ahead to the Tokyo metropolitan office observation deck. It was only a couple of blocks away from the love sign and a good place for a date. The Tokyo lights observed from above could be very romantic. There was still some dusk sunlight when we reached the top of the building but we were able to experience the light fade away and the city lights shine like stars below us. With romantic music coming from the restaurant inside the observation deck, we were able to enjoy the scenery of Tokyo at its finest. 

We then found a purikura or print club booth inside the deck and went in to take our first purikura in Japan, or our very first ever for that matter. It was regular fair for a purikura in Japan but I forgot to mention that there was a time limit to Joselle. I told Joselle that we could go to Akihabara the next day and take another one as she wasn't satisfied at the drawing we made on our purikura within the time limit.

We then headed underground towards the subway to go to our dinner reservation at Alice in fantasy book restaurant. Even though it was still in Shinjuku, we had to take the subway to Shinjuku 3-chome. The restaurant was difficult to find as it was hidden in the underground of a building. The restaurant was kind enough to accommodate us even though we were 1 hour earlier than our reservation. 

Once you enter the restaurant from the lobby, you would feel like you entered a real fantasy book. The main door was shaped like a big book cover and a waitress dressed as the bunny will guide you to your seat. The waitresses are also dressed in Alice's costume. The restaurant itself was not so big, but the mirrors on the walls made it look like it was bigger. Not to mention the gorgeous chandelier and table seats that looked like they came from the mad-hatter's tea party. It was a wonderfully themed restaurant.

The food was very good as well. We were told that we needed to order one drink and one entree per person. Besides that, there was also a 500 yen fee for entrance, but with it comes a free appetizer: crackers that said "eat me" and a choice of your favorite dip. I ordered dum and dee which was a set of 2 non alcoholic cocktails which were glowing blue and red with light bulbs in it. They said I could enjoy them separately or mix them both as I pleased. I liked one of them but the other was too tart for my taste. In the end I mixed both of them and it seemed to balance off a bit. Joselle ordered the Fantasyland carousel for her cocktail which was recommended by our waitress. It was apple flavored and had a rose like scent with a plastic rose sitting in the middle.

The main course was tenderloin mille-feuille shaped like a guard of hearts and cream spaghetti with bacon shaped like a rose. They were both unexpectedly good, as I expected less from a themed restaurant. I thought they only make the food look nice and paid less attention to the taste. I was proved wrong. We also had Alice's handmade chocolate cake with ice cream on top for dessert. It also had a biscuit shaped like Alice as a decoration. I could imagine why there were so many girls eating there as the food was so cutely designed and so intricately decorated. We had our fill and when it was time to go, they gave us strawberry teabags which said "drink me." From the beginning to the end it felt like we were in Alice's wonderland.

That was our first day in Tokyo.

~Alan

Fernandezes in Japan: Hiroshima & Miyajima

Konnichiwa, arigato gozaimasu, sumimasen, kawaii, umai, oishi, matcha, tonkatsu, kushikatsu, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, wagyu, gyudon, soba, ramen, sushi, itadakimasu were some of the few words I learned and could remember on my recent trip to Japan (most of them were food. hahaha). I am so in love with Japanese food. Actually, I loved everything about Japan! It's clean, organized, the people were polite and nice, the culture fascinated me, the cities, old and new, each had it's own charm, and of course the vending machines and toilets! hahaha. I really have a thing about toilets. If I could only buy their hi-tech toilets as a souvenir, I would! lol. 

There were a gazillion things I loved about my first trip to Japan but my most favorite one was to be reunited with my hilaw-Japanese husband.hehehe. My husband speaks Japanese fluently because he lived there for more than a decade. It was his second home. I was so lucky to have my own personal interpreter and tour guide for free! 

Going to Japan, I sort of learned more about my husband's character. Some of his attributes were influenced by Japanese people, perhaps. His being respectful, polite, kind, hard working, and especially, his being on time! lol. He would be so stressed out with me whenever I am late sometimes. :p Anyway, I'm glad he had acquired those good qualities from the Japanese. 

We really had a memorable time and we'd like to share this wonderful experience to you. My husband was so kind to blog about our trip and we hope this will be helpful to some of you who plans to visit Japan someday. 

xoxo, 

Joselle

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Alan wrote:

After an early buffet breakfast in our hotel near Shin-Osaka, we set out for Hiroshima by bullet train or Shinkansen.

It was a little less than 2 hours ride by Shinkansen Hikari to Hiroshima station.

Our first stop in Hiroshima was the A-bomb dome.  We used the street car tramline Hiroden to our destination. The dome was a manifestation of the destruction that the first atom bomb created in Hiroshima during World War 2. The place was serene and peaceful, in contrast to the grim reminder that it represented. We prayed in front of the stone carving memorial made for the victims of this tragedy.

After a round of pictures and video taking, I realized that I had forgotten my iPad in the train. So, we headed back to Hiroshima Station to get it immediately.  Thanks to my wife who put up with me in this misadventure. Fortunately, our train had stopped in Hiroshima and we were able to retrieve it without a problem in the lost and found. Elsewhere, it might have just been picked up by a stranger, but this is Japan. 

Pledging not to leave anything behind again, we went to the Station Square or Ekimae Hiroba which was located on the 6th floor of a building in front of Hiroshima Station. There was a collection of street food restaurants that Hiroshima was known for: the Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki (Japanese pizza).

Okonomiyaki is made out of flour and a lot of cabbage plus anything you want to add. Hiroshima is known for adding noodles in them.  You can choose between soba or udon. Joselle's order was the double cheese okonomiyaki with extra sunnyside-up as a topping. My order had the same name as the restaurant we ate at, which is Denko-Sekka meaning "quick as lightning." I figured since it had the name of the restaurant it must be good. It had 2 eggs with all the toppings that you would expect in an okonomiyaki: squid and pork, plus Oba or beefsteak plant topped by a lot of Japanese leeks on the top. It was really good and probably healthy with all the greens, but I liked Joselle's double cheese better.  Hehe. Joselle was nice enough to share hers with me.  You could probably share one order with someone and be full.

With a more than full stomach, we went on to the ferry boat going to Miyajima, a small island known for its floating torii. Miyajima means "shrine island" housing the Itsukushima shrine which had the floating torii. The floating torii is called such because at high tide, it gets submerged by water and looks like it is floating.

A tip when going to Miyajima: if you buy the JR pass which has access to all JR lines in Japan as well as Shinkansen, you also have free access to their ferry boats going to and from Miyajima.

Unboarding the boat, we were greeted by a deer which was walking amidst people like it doesn't care. We also saw a couple of deer staring in front of a restaurant door, as if they wanted to eat in it. The deer are not afraid of people there since they are not oppressed and they even get fed by people.

Hiroshima is also known for its oysters and there were many food stalls selling them but we didn't mind eating it. I heard that there is a shop where you can eat oysters all you can, and it's much better than what they sell in the streets.

The momiji manju is also a favorite in Miyajima.  This steamed bread with jam or cream inside is shaped like a maple leaf. We saw a shop with a wonderful Japanese garden and had freshly steamed momiji manju with cream and chocolate inside. Unfortunately, it started to rain so we went back to the ferry after buying some momiji manju for our friends.

We were able to check in at the Sheraton Hiroshima, courtesy of our family friend Tita Beth. Thank you so much! We asked the staff where was a good place to eat Ramen for dinner, and they mentioned a restaurant really near to the hotel. When we arrived, the place was still full of people lining up so we tried to look for another place. However, in the end, we still decided to eat at the Ramen place. Fortunately, it was already clear of people when we arrived the second time. Was I glad that we went back to that Ramen place because I think it was the best shoyu ramen stock I ever tasted! You can watch my reaction in our video and it should sum up everything.

Hiroshima was a really peaceful and quiet city. Considering it was already the beginning of golden week which is the longest holiday in Japan, there weren't many people so it may be a good place to visit if you're looking for a not-so-busy-and-crowded city. Although it may get crowded with tourists in Autumn where people watch the beautiful maple leaves fall in Miyajima.

~Alan