Hair mask

We had a girls pampering night when I was in Finland, where we went to the sauna and all, and I thought it could me a good idea to make a hair-mask, since my hair is as dry as hay. So I remembered reading something on one of my favorite blogs; Emily Salomon, about a home made hair mask, that should do the trick. So I made a blend of 4 avocados, 3 bananas, 3 tbsp honey, 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp almond oil, 3 tbsp rosewater and some fresh rosemary. We were 4 people with all short thin hair, so there was enough to use as facials as well :) I don't have any pictures of  us being green and alien like, so you'll only get photos of the hair smoothie itself.

The best part with it was (if you use organic rosewater), it was totally eatable! And it actually tasted good!

My hair was delightfully moist after that, so definitely not the last time I make it!

Julie tests

Eyelash perm + coloring.

One of the christmas presents that I got this year was a gift certificate to a Beauty Salon, where I could choose from either a lash extension or a lash perm (=curling) and coloring. I chose the perm and the coloring, coz I am a mascara girl all the way, and you can't really wear mascara on the extensions.

I had it done on friday, before I had an massage and went to the hairdresser. I took an before picture and and after picture, so you get the picture of what I'm talking about.

Before picture. I have bent my eyelashes in the morning, coz I can't take looking at myself in the mirror if I don't. I'm not keen on looking like I just got out of the grave... Anyways, I have a little color left from the last time I colored them. That was over a month ago, and I color them myself with a brown color.

The after picture: I took this one today, because I didn't realize  the one I took right after had my eyes all bloodshot, because I got some of the coloring cream in my eyes. 

(Hello oily skin!)

Well I also colored my eyebrows yesterday, so you also can see the difference in the colors. My lashes are colored with a dark blue-black color.

I must say I am very pleased with the result so far, even though the lashes are a bit too curly. But they will start to "fall down" soon, so I guess it doesn't matter. The perm and color usually lasts 1-2 months.

Thanx mom!!!

What do you think?

My friend also had her lashes done, but chose the extensions instead. Here is a before and after of the extensions, for those who are interested.

Before. No makeup and no flash on the camera.

How it's done. All lashes are glued on separately.

After. With makeup and flash.

Puerto Princesa part 1 - The town

Time for some more photos from the land of flipflops;

Puerto Princesa - the main street.

Happy Philippinos waiting for christmas.

Local street. First evidence of rain...

Instead of names on the doors, they all had a big sign with all the names of the people living on the street. And they were written in the same way throughout the philippines...What a job; sign-writer...?!

Street kitchen, located in almost every house (that is if they didn't have a mini kiosk there already).

How we got around; on tricycles.

The most common animal life found there. (And man, they did not shut up!!)

As I mentioned; a house with attached kiosk AND a street kitchen.

+ Pant-less babyboy.

View from the harbor. Looks nice from far away, but when you really see the houses it aint such a pretty sight.

The local beach, with karaoke-loving bingo-playing philippinos, spending their days in the beach "huts" doing, well, bingo and karaoke.

Find the crab.

Beach view.

Land fish...?

A banka (the boats they use there).

Mr. Crab feat. toes.

First touch with water.

Local fashionista. Head to toe modeling. Snap.

All the kids always wanted to know our names and where we came from. And when we established that we didn't have any money, they always wanted to have their pictures taken. In groups and and in singles. Cute.

Kalui seafood Restaurant. Some of the best food we ate there.

What we ate. Yum.

Kinabuch barcrew. The day before christmas. 

Flowers.

The infamous tricycle.

View from our garden at Casa Linda Inn.

Our hotelroom, decorated in the most exclusive philippino interior deco.

Well in that case!

Picture perfect

Love these photos of Columbine!

Where it all started

Helsinki-Beijing-Manila
20.12.10-22.12.10

 

The 2 hour drive to Helsinki airport. Our trip started from -15 degrees to +28 in Manila.

At the airport.
 

After a stopover in Amsterdam, we finally arrived at Beijing airport. 13 hours of flying and 11 more to go...

 Our room in the guesthouse in Manila, where we stayed for one night. It looked like something from the Simpsons, but it was ok non the less.

 In the jeepney on our way to the airport, again.

 After we got our bags checked in we went to check out to the third biggest mall in the world; Mall of Asia. And we spotted the only thing that mattered at that point; Starbucks!

 They have a thing for christmas...

A jeepney.

On the streets of Manila. Most of the city seemed to be one big dump of dirty streets and poor people. I'm glad we didn't spend more time
there.

I'm back

I'm back from one month of traveling in the Philippines, and it's been great! I wish I had more money (or just money!) and time to be able to stay longer, but I guess all good things come to an end, evetually.

The good things are though, I'm back and connected on my Mac, and gosh did I miss my baby! It feels good to work on a computer that works, and that is fast! I appreciate it so much more now:) And now I have a phone again... though not my beloved iPhone, (which I lost tragically to either a poor thief or the waters of Sabang) but a mere Nokia, which will do just fine until I get a new iPhone...(that is IF I get a new one...).

Long story short; I'm glad to be home and reunited with my computer. I'm glad that I can drink tap water again and that milk and rye-bread are on back on the menu! I have somewhat recovered from the long flight, and consider myself no longer jet-lagged. I'm in Finland now, and on Saturday my journey continues to my other home, CPH. So on Monday reality hits again, hard I would imagine, and then it's back to the routines of everyday life.

I loved the Philippines, even though the weather was a bit disappointing, but was nothing that's going to scare me from dreaming about one day returning to explore more!

The grass is always greener on the other side, and the grass in the Philippines was indeed VERY green.

Shoot

 A sneak peak of some pics I shot for this thing...

Happy B-day!

 

Two special people have their birthdays today.

Congratulations to my mom, and to my dear friend Simone! May this year bring you more luck than ever!

Love you both!

Love

Friendships last forever. Lovers fade away.

A mans best friend.

Photos by me.

Update from loco loco Philippines

So a short little update on wazzup here in the humid hell. Well it's not hell, but sometimes the rain makes me go crazy and I get all negative and stuff, but as soon as the sun shows its all loving and warming face, I'm all happy again.

Well yes, I hear it's the whole of Asia that has been turned upside down, weather wise, so no wonder the weather here is not all what I expected. But it's warm, really warm and humid, (not like in Vietnam where they only have like +13...!?), so we still live in flipflops and shorts. 

We where in El Nido for 5 nights, and I guess I would have enjoyed it more if I wouldn't have gotten sick. The woodoo hulabaloo doctor told me it was some very aggressive and eventually quite harmful if not treated- kinda infection ... But I still believe it was just plain-fantastic-always to be counted on-always delightful food poisoning. Because of that I was vomiting all over the place before eight o'clock on new years eve. That pretty much destroyed all the fantastic plans I had imagined for the night, and for the next day and day after that as well. Well let's say the new year was begun with a thorough detoxing, and leave it at that...

Otherwise El Nido was nice, and the scenery in Baicut bay was stunning.
After El Nido we got a minor stroke and decided to fly to Cebu, VIA Manila. But that's how we ended up on Malapascua island north of Cebu. Malapascua, a paradise for divers and sun and sand worshipers, wasn't quite living up to it's potential with the north east monsoon bringing foul weather. So we stayed for only 3 nights, escaping to Puerto Galera, which is were we are now. Very touristy but suites us just fine. We are planning on just relaxing and hopefully enjoying the good weather (among other things). 

We fly home on the 18th, so I guess the next update is going to be from an ass freezing Finland, where I'm planning on slowly and painfully suffocate you with picture overload :)

Have a good week, and talk to you soon!

Much love,

Julie

Later! <3

Art

Water art.

Photos by me.