LONDON – It doesn’t mean that when it’s winter the right to have fun, or to live for that matter, would diminish in this country or elsewhere where the cold would tend to dampen and bury one’s enthusiasm to go out.

In the midst of winter here in Great Britain, the fun continues and the tourists though understandably lesser in number, still come to watch the musicals and visit the famous travel destinations.

Yes, life goes on even in the dead of winter. Over in St. Paul, Minnesota, an eight-storey winter palace was built to be the crowning glory of America’s biggest winter festival which opened last Thursday. The winter palace is made of 27,000 blocks of ice. It is 250-feet long with five turrets. Ever since 1886, St. Paul has been staging an annual winter festival but has not built an ice palace since l992.

(On our way to London, we stopped over at Dubai in time for the grand opening of the 9th Dubai Shopping Festival. We attended the DSF when it was just on its second year, when we were invited by the Ministry of Information and Culture of Abu Dhabi. It was here where we bought our Raymond Weil watches, a videocam and a Fendi eyewear because everything was sold at half the prices.

(Anyway, the 2004 Dubai Shopping Festival opening, under the patronage of the Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Defence Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, was marked by a spectacular fireworks display and a carnival. Also in attendance were Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Information and Culture, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saed Al Maktoum, president of the Dubai Civil Aviation and chairman of the DSF Higher Organizing Committee; Sheikh Hasher Maktoum, Dubai Director of Information; Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Maktoum, and other dignitaries and officials.

(The opening featured 1,500 local performers, regional Arab performers and troupes from other parts of the world. The show depicted the transformation of Dubai from being the "City of the World" to "Dubai being the World" as General Sheikh Mohammed has said. The event was described as dazzling, with the performers on the background of Dubai’s famous skyline and its lifeline, the Creek.)

And then there’s the popular tourist attractions in London that includes Madame Tussaud’s where we had fun posing with the celebrities: Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt; Mohammad Ali, Madonna, Britney Spears with legs entwined around a pole and body bent that show her breathing hard, Marilyn Monroe, Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz, the Beatles, Jennifer Lopez, Hugh Grant, Mel Gibson, Sylvestre Stallone, Oprah and Whoopi Goldberg, President George Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair and other world leaders including the fallen and disgraced Saddam Hussein, and many others.

One of the Top 5 tourist attractions in UK, Madame Tussaud’s attracts more than two millions of visitors every year. It’s been in existence for over 200 years.

Not to miss when in London is the high class one-block shopping venue Harrods along Brompton Road in Knightsbridge. A fitting addition to Harrods attraction is the Memorial area for Princess of Wales Diana and Dodi Al Fayed who perished in a tragic vehicular mishap in Paris almost seven years ago. The Al Fayed Charitable Foundation was set up in memory of Princess Diana and her lover Dodi to support a new school for traumatized children near Sevenoaks in Kent, England. West Health was Diana’s old board school where a new school will develop and expand the work of Beth Marie Centre, teaching and caring for children whose mainstream education has broken down because of illness or other serious problems.

Another not-to-miss place to visit while in London is the London Eye at the Jubilee Gardens. At 135 meters high, the British Airways Golden Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, is the world’s tallest observation wheel and the fourth tallest structure in London. It offers a panoramic view of the city, extending to around 25 miles.

According to London Tourism, London Eye can carry 800 passengers at any time in its 32 pods. A single revolution of the wheel (and the duration of your ride) takes approximately 30 minutes.

The Millennium Wheel is an impressive feat of engineering, and its erection at the Jubilee Gardens site proved to be far more complex than the engineers had anticipated. The wheel had to be raised from the horizontal position, where it extended out across part of the Thames. The painstakingly slow lifting of the Millennium Wheel to its final vertical position was hampered by cable failures and other technical problems.

Nina

as ambassador

The Center for Pop Music Philippines, Inc. will honor recording star Nina as its Singing Ambassador of Goodwill 2004 in a concert entitled "Fly High Nina!" on Jan. 27, at 6 p.m. at the Baluarte Plano Luneta de Sta. Isabel, Intramuros, Manila and hosted by DoT’s WoW Philippines.

As a singing ambassador of goodwill, Nina will officially represent the Center for Pop Music Philippines in various goodwill functions like performing for the less-fortunate institutions, fund-raising concerts and inspirational talks to students.

Nina took up the training at the Center for Pop Music Philippines in 1994 when at the age of 12 years old. Her training was personally supervised by Butch Albarracin. She is now a successful recording artist from Warner Music Philippines.

Nina was chosen by a selection committee composed of managers, executives, staff and students of Center for Pop based on: maintained good singing and stage performance; interesting career history; an inspirational model for young singing hopefuls; and interest in social and community projects.

Butch Albarracin, president and CEO of the Center for Pop Music Philippines, together with CMPMP managers, executives and staff will present the awards in a concert entitled "Fly High, Nina!"

As a tribute to the 2004 singing ambassador, selected students from 13 branches will sing various songs associated with Nina. In response, Nina will sing her past hits and some songs from her new album "Smile."

Star recording artist King (with hit song "Maybe"), also a product of the Center for Pop Music Philippines, will be the guest performer.

"Fly High, Nina!" is free to the public.

Viva Hotbabes’ "Bulaklak" just turned gold.

The three-track album (CD Lite) is Hotbabes’ first recording after their successful VCD, Videoke Collection and the controversial Hot Stuff Magazine. Aside from the carrier single "Bulaklak" written by Lito Camo, the CD Lite also includes the songs "Oops Ay!" and Hotbabes’, the group’s theme song.

As their way of saying thank you to their numerous supporters, the Viva Hotbabes, composed of Katya Santos, Andrea del Rosario, Gwen Garci, Jen Rosendahl, Kristine Jaca, Hazel Cabrera, Myles Hernandez, Sheree, Asia Agcaoili, Ella V., Jenny and J.C., will be doing another series of mall shows.

Today, the Hotbabes kicks off their tour when they visit Star Mall in Mandaluyong City. It will be followed by a show on Jan. 31 at Robinsons-Cainta, Feb. 6 at Robinsons-Metro East, Feb. 20 at Robinsons Place Manila, Feb. 21 at Robinsons-Lipa, Feb. 22 at Robinsons-Sta. Rosa, Feb. 27 at Robinsons-Dasmariñas and on Feb. 29 at Robinsons-Pampanga.

So if you don’t have a copy yet of the Hotbabes’ "Bulaklak," grab one at your nearest record bars and outlets nationwide. Or better yet, check any of the girls’ mall shows and experience their "ang bango-bangong" Bulaklak.

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