*and a Happy New Year!* * *
*To return the favor of yours truly sister’s Aida and her husband Ron who came to visit him twice within a span of only three months<http://sameby2016.com/Ephemeral%20Realization%20and%20Progress%20Report.htm> *, he is now enjoying their company for the Christmas holiday and is presently staying at the **Americas Best Value Inn Hayward, **2460 Whipple Road, Hayward, CA 94544*<http://map.yahoo.com/#mvt=m&lat=37.63408&lon=-122.063769&zoom=13&q1=Americas%20Best%20Value%20Inn%20Hayward%2C%202460%20Whipple%20Road%2C%20Hayward%2C%20CA%2094544> . He went ahead with his original plan to take the trains, but did not bring the electric bicycle because the train stretches Los Angeles - Santa Barbara and San Jose - Hayward are connected by a *bus link between Santa Barbara and San Jose<http://map.yahoo.com/#mvt=m&lat=35.90471&lon=-120.844305&zoom=8&q1=US-101%2C%20Santa%20Barbara%2C%20CA%2093101%2C%20United%20States&q2=US-101%2C%20San%20Jose%2C%20CA%2095110%2C%20United%20States> * which did not have a bicycle rack. The train rides, the Metroliner from San Bernardino to Los Angeles then Amtrak to Santa Barbara, on December 21, 2011 were super complete with wifi and snacks. He has to ride on the lower level because of his very heavy luggage: a backpack with the laptop and some reading material; and a suitcase. But the bus ride was horrible let alone the fact that it was the longest from 10 P.M. to 4 A.M. (six hours!), with a lot of stops (reminiscent of the New York City Subway local), no wifi, and no snack! We were all so hungry that practically everybody went out of the bus at one of the last few stops where there was a McDonald still open at around 3 in the morning; It was freezing cold while they, including the bus driver, were waiting in line to be served by the solitary personnel! The fresh salad, however, was exquisitely heaven sent! After a long wait at a train station in Hayward, completely open with no walls and the wind making it much colder, his sister and her husband finally came. It was insanely cold here that morning. Brrrrr! A short lukewarm porridge (with chicken) snack at their house made this trip started the sentiment and significance of this journey. Then they gave him a ride to his *hotel. So to set aside temporarily our extremely difficult and complex journey, the mission of our online camaraderie, in addition to the holidays songs offered in a previous essay, he is serenading all of you with *Moonlight Serenade*<http://www.sameby2016.com/Music/Jess%20Ragaza/Moonlight%20Serenade.mp3> *Aspetta Te (I Wait for You), Adagio*<http://sameby2016.com/Music/Jess%20Ragaza/Adagio.wma> *Buhat* <http://www.sameby2016.com/Music/Jess%20Ragaza/Buhat.mp3>(Filipino, *Since ... my first glimpse of you)* *Reiterating his respect for the passing of a friend in Union City, check * *http://sameby2016.com/Ephemeral%20Realization%20and%20Progress%20Report.htm *<http://sameby2016.com/Ephemeral%20Realization%20and%20Progress%20Report.htm> *), but now to change the mood to start** appropriately **the coming holiday season – *** * * *THE LORD'S PRAYER*<http://sameby2016.com/Music/Jess%20Ragaza/THE%20LORD'S%20PRAYER.wma> ** * * *December 25, 2011* *Jess Ragaza* <http://www.sameby2016.com/jess_curr_vita.htm> http://www.sameby2016.com/jess_curr_vita.htm
