Last Day for More Than You Ever Imagined Sweepstakes

Today's the last day for the Embassy Suites' More Than You Ever Imagined Sweepstakes. Winner will receive Hilton hotel accommodations of the winner's choice, ground transportation and flights up to $45000.  A check of $5000 will also be provided. This also includes a check for $16000 for any tax liabilities. So enter here for a chance to win!

Couple of Fantasy Review (2006)

Drama Rating: ****
Personal Rating: All time favorite!!

Story:
Couple of Fantasy (also known as Couple or Trouble and Fantasy Couple) is a hilarious romantic comedy based on the 1987 movie Overboard about the rich, controlling and difficult to please Anna Jo who happens to lose her memory after falling overboard from her yacht. Jang Chul Soo, a local handyman who happened to have a few spats with her before the incident is left to care for her while her husband Billy is left to deal with the sudden disappearance of his wife.

Free trip to Johannesburg with Emirates Sweepstakes

Emirates is offering a chance to win a pair of tickets to AFAR Experiences: South Africa. The package includes economy flights for two to Johannesburg via Dubai, five nights hotel stay and engaging the locals and visiting various museums. To get more details, a link to the sweepstakes registration is located here.

Triple Your HHonors Sweepstakes

Hilton is running another sweepstakes to have your Hilton HHonors account balance tripled with a minimum of 300k HHonors to be given out!  Check out the details here!

Mezquita - Cathedral of the Lady of the Assumption

The stunning views of the Mezquita continue as you progress into the inner section of the mosque where the Renaissance-styled Cathedral of Cordoba rises out in the middle of the Islamic prayer hall.

Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card

Looks like Citi just launched a new Hilton branded Visa card today here with more competitive features resembling the recent Fairmont card from Chase. With this card however, the complimentary two free nights are restricted to weekend nights (Friday/Saturday/Sunday) so combining your nights with friends/family might not be as easy to do here. However, coming from Citi, this is certainly a highly welcome addition to the party in which Chase has been dominating for the past year.

Two free nights at some of the top-tier aspirational properties can be extremely valuable as regular Category 7 hotels go for 50k points per night, valuing 2 nights at 100k points. Given the terms that the redemptions might be only available at 'select hotels' give me pause as to whether the certificates will be honored at the highest tier Waldorf Astoria hotels and resorts without blackout dates, but if they can, that would give spectacular value at up to 160k worth of points as one resort can go up to 80k per night during high season!

Bloomspot Hawaii Getaway Sweepstakes

Bloomspot is running a Hawaiian getaway sweepstakes including airfare for two, five nights stay at the Four Seasons Maui at Wailea, a dinner and spa day at the Grand Wailea and a Molokini snorkeling excursion. If this sounds up your alley, you can register here.

Coca Cola & AA Sweepstakes

American Airlines and Coca Cola are partnering to give away 250k AA miles as a grand prize with 25k miles for the three first prize winners in a facebook sweepstakes. Looks like you can play a game to get some additional entries by identifying the geographic location of various Coke bottlecaps. I'm not sure if everyone will get the same answers but mine ended up being 'London, UK', 'Beijing, China', and 'Dhaka, Bangladesh'. You can find more details and enter here.

Hot Shot Review (2008)

Drama Rating: **
Personal Rating: Decent

Story:
Li Ying, aka W, a famous coach from the US, returns to Taiwan and volunteers to lead a ragtag group of players including Dong Fang Xiang and Yuan Da Ying. Will her guidance along with Dong Fang Xiang's incredible skill and Yuan Da Ying's huge potential allow their team to reign supreme in the competitive world of basketball?

Otousan Review (2002)

Drama Rating: ****
Personal Rating: Loved it!

Story:
Following the death of his wife, Shindo Shiro is left to care for his four daughters, each of whom is dealing with various issues commonly encountered by others of their age group. Yu, the eldest daughter, is having marriage issues; Akira, the second daughter, doesn't want to continue running the shop; Makoto, the third, wants to live on her own; while Kei, the youngest, wants to quit school. Amidst all of this, Shiro wants to re-marry. Throw this all together and you've got enough fuel to last you a drama!

Kagi no Kakatta Heya Review (2012)

Drama Rating: **
Personal Rating: Enjoyable

Story:
Enomoto Kei works for a security company and takes a strong personal interest in locked rooms. In other words, he is fascinated and obsessed with figuring out how a 'locked' room can be unlocked. His skills come into use when he encounters Serizawa and Aoto, two lawyers he happens to meet one day and who subsequently involve him in a number of 'locked room' cases.

Mezquita - The Great Mosque of Cordoba

The first glimpse you get inside the Mezquita ranks among one of the most stunning views you will ever see (at least for me!). Rows upon rows of double alternating red and white arches made from pieces of the former Roman Temple that stood here gives off a feeling of wonder and awe, especially as it seems to go on endlessly in every direction.

Outside the Mezquita

Having visited Notre Dame of Paris, Strasbourg Cathedral, Barcelona's Sagrada Familia, Basilica di San Marco and many others, I can certainly say that Cordoba's Mezquita ranks as one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Europe. Although the exterior may seem a bit plain, it certainly hides well the surprising eye-opener you'll get when you step inside.

Lunch in Cordoba

After an amazing experience in Granada, the next day was another day trip from Sevilla to Cordoba. This time out focus was the famed Mezquita of Cordoba. Before we got there however, lunch came first!

Good Morning President Review (2009)

Drama Rating: ****
Personal Rating: All time favourite!!

Story:
Good Morning President tells of three different fictional South Korean Presidents faced with some non-political life dilemmas. The first must decide whether or not to report a winning lottery ticket, the second faces the issue of organ donation while the third has to deal with marital issues. Although maintaining its seriousness throughout, the movie pokes fun at the three leaders and examines the human side of the presidency.

Antique Review (2008)

Drama Rating: **
Personal Rating: Enjoyable

Story:
This korean movie adaptation, not to be confused with the japanese drama adaptation starring Tackizawa Hideaki, is based on the same manga Antique Bakery by Fumi Yoshinaga. It tells of Kim Jin Hyuk who opens a cake shop and hires pastry chef Min Seon Woo, a former classmate who had a huge crush on him. Watch on to find out what continually haunts Jin Hyuk and what makes Seon Woo tick.

Alhambra Fortress

After our tour of the palaces of the Alhambra complex, we headed west towards the alcazaba (citadel) at the west end of the palace/fortress. Took a picture of the buildings below:

Alhambra Palace

Although the entire Calat Alhambra fortress and palace complex is open for visitors, the palace section requires a separate ticket to visit which would be best bought far in advance. Entries are timed so that you can only enter at a certain time window so get them early!

The Nasrid Palace & the Gardens of the Alhambra

Granada has a gorgeous landscape as you look over the city from the Alhamba. Cypress trees dot the landscape in between the numerous buildings that cover the city. And with the cool, fresh breeze under beautiful blue skies, it was the perfect day to explore one of the most beautiful historic sites in the world!