Warsaw, Poland: Series 2 (part 2)

Separated by war, Iza’s grandparents struggle to survive each day with the hope of finding each other again… alive. This post continues their fascinating story through World War II.

read part one


Iza’s grandfather decided to join the ranks of the British SAS as a fighter pilot. If he was never to see his family again, he might was well fight in their honor.


Years passed and her grandfather survived mission after mission, taking down Axis planes and bombing strategic targets. Through the horrors of battle, his wife and children were never far from his mind.


He was staying alive for them.



1945 Germany surrenders. At this point, Poland was obliterated. Millions upon millions of Polish Jews were executed during the holocaust.


But the end of the war also meant that her grandfather can finally go back home. Back to that remote town in Poland, back to his family. Something he had been looking forward to for six long years.

…if his family ever survived at all.


Upon reaching the old town where they used to live, he searched tirelessly until he saw what looked like his children. After six gruesome years of fighting, his children struggled to recognize him.

He was taken to their new home, and there he finally saw his wife.


It was their first time to meet after being separated for six long years.


For Iza’s grandfather, nothing has changed. But for her grandmother, life had moved on. She had married someone else for she thought that her husband was killed at sea.


Her grandfather went back to England and settled there. Perhaps seeing his family alive was well enough, even if he could no longer live them.


Poland should and always be an inspiration to all the countries who have been or are currently oppressed. The lessons that we learn from its history should never ever be forgotten.

In these photos:
I chanced a photo exhibit called "Warsaw from Above" that featured never-seen-before aerial reconnaissance photographs of Poland during World War II. These Allied planes served as witness to the utter devastation of Warsaw, you will even notice some of its buildings continue to spew out smoke as it burned to the ground.


Garandee mode:
It's such a sad story po...
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Warsaw, Poland: Series 2 (part 1)

Poland’s history was nothing short of heartbreaking after being devastated by the Third Reich during World War II and enduring the hard life brought about the Soviet Communist regime. But it’s through these grueling times you will find stories of hope, courage and faith.


I want to share one of the most amazing World War II stories I’ve ever heard, told by my good friend, Iza.


Iza’s grandparents lived in a diverse town a few miles from Warsaw, where people of different nationalities lived together with the Polish in harmony.


Her grandfather was a fisherman and was out at sea when news broke out that the German Nazis had invaded Poland.


As the Nazi’s pushed deeper into their country, Iza’s grandmother had no choice but to flee the town. Not knowing the state of her husband made the already dire situation even more agonizing.


Luckily, their German neighbors who were almost like family to them, took her and her children as they relocated somewhere they thought would be safe:


Right in the middle of Nazi occupied territory.



Iza’s family posed as house servants to their German neighbors, earning them the necessary permits to prevent them from being thrown into the ghettos.


Each day they lived in fear, not knowing how long their permit will last, or if civilian spies would soon blow their cover.


Iza’s grandfather feared for his family’s safety, but sailing back home would mean certain death for him and his crew.


Fuel and supplies were running low, he made a painful decision to turn back and sail to the nearest country that has not yet been occupied by the Germans.


Iza’s grandparents had no clue that they will be separated on that fateful day. Each day as both struggled to survive, hope diminished that they would ever see each other again… But this is only half the story.


In these photos:
- Surviving Ghettos now serve as monuments dedicated to the Jewish people who died during the holocaust.
- A parade of residents in costume representing the Polish, British, Russian battalions, and a Jewish family to commemorate both the heroes and victims of World War II.

to be continued....


Garandee mode:
Do, what happened next? TELL ME!!
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Baby, You Can Drive My Car

Garandee: "Garando, did you already ask about the requirements for getting a drivers' license for foreigners?"

Garando: "Uh, not yet... I was very busy."

Garandee: "Ikaw! I already reminded you so many times! Please get the requirements already. The sooner I can drive, the better!"

Wow, what a sudden change of heart. I remember she said she will NEVER drive in Manila. Anybody who's seen the state of traffic around here will immediately understand why.

Garando: "Ok, before you REALLY start driving, you'll need to graduate from Garando's Defensive Driving for Dummies."

Garandee: "Ok po. We have car insurance di ba?"

Garando: "Yes, I got that all covered."

Later at the office...

Garando: "Hello. Malayan Insurance?"

Insurance Agent: "Yes, may I help you?"

Garando: "My wife's about to start driving. How much do I pay extra for Act Of God coverage?"


Garando mode:
Maybe I should only let her drive during Sundays... Read More......

It's Cheap and Expensive!

I can iron my own shirt.

I'm fully domesticated and I'm actually pretty good at it. (after over 10 years of intensive self-training and about a dozen burnt garbs, I better be!)

Last Friday I was ironing the shirt I'm planning to wear for our family's post-new year dinner party when Garandee asked me if I can also do her blouse while I'm at it.

Garando: "You mean this white one? Ok sure..."

Garandee: "Please be careful. Check to make sure that the iron's clean to prevent stains, carefully check the heat to avoid burning the fabric."

Garando: "Ok! No worries, you're looking at an expert."

Garandee: "Be very careful! That's very expensive!!"

Now hold on a second... How come whenever we'd go shopping then I'll see her with a shopping bag, before I can even say anything she's quick to tell me, "Wow! it's so cheap, it's such a bargain!!"

Now I'm about to iron it, it's suddenly "very expensive"?

I'm confuzed...

Garandee: "Because when I put it on it becomes very expensive! ...di ba?"

Garando: " ... " (slaps forehead)


Garando mode:
This is me in the office tomorrow.... Read More......

My precioussssss.......

Garando: "....???!.... Since when did you start wearing a ring on your toe?"

Garandee: " ...... "

Garando: "wait a minute, is that my wedding ring?"

Garandee: " ...... "

Garando: "IT IS my wedding ring! How did that end up there? That's so YAK!!"

Garandee: "You left it in the toilet... again!"

Garando: "Oh! yeah, I keep forgetting... that's because I always take it off before using the tabo."

Garandee: "Excuse again!"

Garando: "Ok, hand it over please..."

Garandee: "Alright... don't lose it, OK?"

Garando: "Shempre! it's my precioussssssssssss.......*slither* *slither*"

Garandee: "You're so YAK...."


Garando mode:
Another long weekend! Read More......

Manila Cashiers & Star Wars

Garandee: "Garando, why do the cashiers in Manila always ask me for more money even if I gave them more than enough cash??"

Garando: "You'd better give them what their asking for dear, or you'll regret it. They're actually doing you a favor."

Garandee: "I already gave them more than enough and they ask me for 3 Pesos more."

Garando: "I was asked for 1 Peso once, because the chocolates cost Php 51. Sucks for me because I didn't have a single coin in my pocket. When I told her I didn't have any, she put her P50 bill back in the register and gave me 8 pcs of 5 Peso coins and 9 Pcs of 1 peso coins.

Can you imagine how heavy that is?? Being stuck with those coins for the entire day was agonizing... what made it worse is that it was one of those days when I forgot to use a belt. I had to balance the coins on each pocket because if I put them all in one pocket my trousers would droop so low on one leg it looked like I had polio!"

Garandee: "I see... Japan is more simple."

Garando: "By the way, did you also notice that cashiers around here are big fans of Star Wars?"

Garandee: "Star Wars?"

Garando: "They do Yoda talk:
- P300, YOUR CHANGE.
- SIR, SM ADVANTAGE CARD YOU HAVE?"

Garandee: "Who's Yoda?"

Garando: "Never mind...."

Garando mode:
Just had a nice Shiatsu massage! Read More......