Bagong Gising

Umagang kayganda.

Wala, naaaliw pa lng ako dito sa mobile blogging. Teka, magkano kaya singil nito? Hehe. Sana cost lang talaga ng mms message. Malalalaman natin pagdating ng bill! :-)

Mom's Gift Giving

St. Joseph Church
Bigaa, Cabuyao, Laguna
December 22, 2007

My mom amazes me sometimes. Especially these days, she seems to be devoting a lot of time to charity and social work. For three years now, she's been going to this church in Cabuyao, Laguna, to feed and give gifts to the catechism students that she sponsors in that parish. And to think...I didn't even notice that she was doing this before! Wow, galing talaga ng nanay. :)

This year, naghanda sila ng spaghetti + fried chicken + embutido, lahat lutong bahay, enough to feed 86 kids. Except, around 126 yung dumating, so kulang pa rin, hehe. Amazing talaga, may dance number pa yung mga kids! And lahat yun to give thanks to my mother? I'm really thankful to have been blessed with such good parents. Thanks thanks! Sana, maging mabuting ina rin ako kay Zoe, kahit kalahati lang ng kabaitan ng aking ina. :)

Merry Christmas!

The Rest of the Grand Tour

The rest of the Grand Tour temples - East Mebon with its elephants and pointy-butt guard lions, Ta Som with its big-rooted-tree-trunks, Neak Pean which is basically a dried out man-made lake to honor sacred elephants, and Preah Khan, which I remember to be a bit creepy.

It was almost dusk when we were at Preah Khan, and out of the blue a policeman became our impromptu tour guide. Well, without him we wouldn't know that there used to be a grand dance hall for Cambodian/Khmer royalty, that Shiva's linga was the largest, and that the walls were studded with gems back then. Ang gara diba? Pero nung nabigyan na namin sya ng tip, pag lingon namin, bigla na lang nawala! Nuninuninoo......

...up next: the famous Angkor Wat plus sunrise and sunset photos....

Zoe's crib

Shot using SE K610i

Bantay Srei

It was my first day at Siem Reap, and Jao's 3rd day. Best friends na nga sila ng tuktuk driver, si Ozone. :) After a refreshing shower, sabak agad ako sa Grand Tour...Bantay Srei, East Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean and Preah Khan.

If you don't remember all the names, don't worry. I didn't either -- especially since I stayed only two days. Consequently, at the end of the day, it was a blur of temples -- everything awesome, but still, I couldn't quite connect the names to the places. Hehe.

And because medyo busy ngayong Christmas season, hindi ko pa masyadong na-edit/nabawasan itong mga pictures....so I'll just do the albums by temples.

...up next...Jao and her umbrella...ella...ella...

PYROS Medical Mission

December 15, 2007
Celodonio Salvador School, Paco Manila

It was PYROS's 3rd Annual Medical & Dental Mission. This year, we moved away from the families at the Bay, and with the help of the Office of the Manila Vice Mayor (may SWAT team pang kasama!), held the Med & Dental Mission at Celodonio Salvador School, Merced Street/Quirino Ave. Extension, Paco, Manila.

Thanks to Borgz, Micky, Kap Roel, Perl, the rest of the PYROS family, and all the doctors, dentists and nurses who helped out that day. =)

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

December 7 - 8, 2007

Sometimes it's better to start the story at the end.

So we'll start with Phnom Penh -- famous for the Killing Fields and Pol Pot's brutal revolution. That part of Cambodia's history is still fresh, but the Cambodians (Khmers) are seemingly making sure that their historic Khmer heritage is also acknowledged.

So we spent 2 days in Phnom Penh -- actually more like one afternoon, one night, and one morning. We spent some time visiting the Killing Fields and the S-21 Genocide museum. But we did take some time to enjoy a nice dinner at Sissowath Quay, their by-the-river area filled with restos. The next day, we visited the National Museum, and we trotted over to the Silver Pagoda and the Royal Palace -- except we weren't able to catch it open, because the Royal Palace closes at 11AM!

***Phnom Penh is accessible by plane, bus or ferry. We took the 6-hour bus ride from Siem Reap.***

ATG QA Cutover

Start:	Dec 16, '07 11:00a
End:	Dec 16, '07 5:00p

TODA Christmas Party!

Start:	Dec 15, '07 5:00p
End:	Dec 16, '07
Location:	Zoe's Crib

Pyros Medical Mission

Start:	Dec 15, '07 06:00a
End:	Dec 15, '07 12:00p
Location:	Quirino Ave. Extension, Manila

Annual Medical Mission conducted by PYROS

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Three Months

Ang bilis...dati ang liit liit lang ni Zoe, ngayon, isa na syang dambuhalang 3 month old! And yet, everyday, mas nae-excite ako na lumaki sya. Nakakatuwa pag may bagong development.

Ngayon, mas mabigat na sya, mas mabilog. Malakas sumipa. Parating hinihila pataas ang kanyang damit. Medyo nakakalbo kasi parating nakahiga sa unan, pero hopefully pag umuupo upo na sya, hindi na sya makakalbo. Malikot na rin syang matulog...paggising namin minsan, naka-ikot na ang katawan nya.

As usual, madaldal pa rin sya. Nakakatuwa nga eh. Pag kinausap mo, kakausapin ka rin.

Lately, nagdo-drool na rin sya. Tulo laway and nagba-bubbles. And natutunan na nyang isipsip ng husto ang kanyang hinlalaki!

Nakakatuwa.

Sana lumaki syang malusog at maligaya. Sana mabait sya. Sana marami pa kaming mga adventures and happy memories. Sana parati nyang maramdaman na minamahal namin sya. Sana maging mabuting magulang kami sa kanya.

Mwah.

Zoe's Tagaytay Outing

On a slightly rainy Saturday morning, we had Zoe's first road trip to Tagaytay. Daddy was really excited. Zoe? Well, Zoe sort of slept her way through the whole thing. Hehe.

We had breakfast at Breakfast at Antonio's, where the view is still great, and where Cely tried to order the 1K Steak and Eggs deal. Ang masasabi lang namin ay....whaat? But overall, natutuwa pa rin ako sa place. :)

Then we went to Tagaytay Picnic Grove. Entrance fee was 25 pesos per person, plus an additional 25 pesos for the parking fee. Wala, nag people watching lang kami dun at kumain ng Kirei at Clover. Haha. Walang kamalay-malay si Zoe sa mga pangyayari :)

B. and Me

South Park-ish avatars courtesy of Papa Doie

We Live on Avenue Q...

Once again, Atlantis Productions brings to Manila one of the best musicals to hit Broadway - 2004 Tony Award winner "Avenue Q".

And the verdict is -- it's cute! With tunes that stick in your head -- among others: "The Internet is for Porn", "It Sucks to be Me", "For Now", and my personal favorite, "If You Were Gay". Of course there's also the senti song that goes "...there's a fine fine line between love and a waste of time..." that should strike a chord with us senti heartbroken Pinoys. :)

Described as a cross between Rent (with its gritty reality and catchy songs) and Sesame Street (maybe because of the puppets?), the show actually stands on its own. It's the story of Princeton, a 23-year old college graduate, and his neighbors living in Avenue Q (which is presumed to be a long way off from the upscale Avenue A). Just like most everyone, Princeton is living his life while discovering love and trying to find his purpose in life.

There may be puppets, but this is not a show for actual kids! First off, there is a puppet pumping scene, and the life lessons that Princeton learns are not really the ones that would be taught in an episode of Sesame Street. The puppets do evoke some Sesame Street characters -- Trekkie Monster is who Cookie Monster would be if he were addicted to porn, while roommates Nicky and Rod remind us of Bert and Ernie, and their ambiguous "relationship". Overall, it's a fun fun show, and even someone who normally wouldn't like Broadway musicals (i.e., B.) would find the tunes fun and catchy.

Avenue Q runs from September 7 til September 23 at the RCBC Auditorium, with the following cast:

• Rachel Alejandro - Kate Monster / Lucy the Slut
  
• Felix Rivera - Princeton / Rod
  
• Joel Trinidad - Nicky / Trekkie Monster / Bad Idea Bear
  
• Aiza Seguerra - Gary Coleman
  
• Frenchie Dy - Christmas Eve
  
• Rycharde Everley – Brian
  
• Teenee Chan - Mrs. Thistletwat, Bad Idea Bear, others
  

My personal favorite was the bald Joel Trinidad as Trekkie Monster...bald men rule! Hahaha.

For more info on the songs, go to the Avenue Q website. Tickets available at Ticketworld and through Atlantis Productions.

Monsoon Madness 2007

And this is what B. will be doing for the next few Sundays. I miss running! But I guess at this moment, I miss my sleep more. :)

Davao Ultimate 2007

More info here.

Zoe Ysabelle

Here's our little angel.... =)

She'll be a month-old tomorrow. My mother-in-law and sister-in-law are staying at our place so they can cook some birthday pancit for little Zoe. :)

Happy One-Month Zoe!

Zoe Ysabelle

"Every parent thinks he has the most beautiful baby in the world. Evolution, it seems, has molded our brains so that if you stare at your own baby's face day after day after day, it starts to look beautiful. When other people's children have food clotted on their faces, it looks disgusting; with your own kid, it's somehow endearing."

-- From "Freakonomics", by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

So here's our beautiful little girl...

(L-R) At the Hospital, First Day at Home, Lazing Around in the Sala

Zoe and Dad

Candid Shots

Zoe Today

"When a child is born, a parent is born..."

-- From a billboard at EDSA

"Ang pagibig ko, parang korupsyon sa gobyerno...hindi magbabago..."

-- From Carlo Maceda's love letter to Aleck Bovick, as read in an episode of the TV show Boy & Kris

Tomorrow...

"The sun will come out...tomorrow..."

So now, it's tomorrow. Internet is still slow. We still have no DSL. I've postponed some scheduled tasks I wanted to finish, because we had to go to the doctor today. I have been informed that it's possible to have labor induced tomorrow...not really for any urgent medical condition, but mainly for the peace of mind of B. and perhaps everyone else. There were some concerns that maybe the baby wasn't moving as much as it should...although the non-stress test (NST) conducted today didn't really show anything wrong. But just so nobody worries...and tomorrow seems to be a good date...

But frankly, I am a bit worried. I don't really want to rush things...I wanted to let nature take its course. Plus all those worrying things I've been reading about the risks of induced labor...at sayang naman yung childbirth classes! Haha. The drugs required to induce labor really bothers me though...I have to admit that so far, I've never had an IV injected into me ever before. But then again, it seems in Manila, having your perineum cut and an IV stuck to you is considered the norm. So when I learned that I sort of had no choice in the matter...it did depress me for a few days. But I've accepted it now. Choices, choices, choices. And my choice was to accept that. (Note that you can opt not to go for this choice -- you just have to find an OB and hospital that will cooperate with your preference.)

So far, I'm not sure about the induced labor yet.

Waiting Game

We just moved house a week ago. Truth is, everything's expensive...and I haven't even given birth yet! Yeah yeah, I should quit complaining, we're getting by anyway. So let me shut my mouth and just list down the things I'm currently waiting for:

1. waiting for baby
   
2. waiting for PLDT to put up additional DSL ports in our area (sometimes I get the feeling PLDT does not really want additional subscribers)
   
3. waiting for the tubero (uhm...friendly neighborhood water expert?) to fix our plumbing
   
4. waiting for the electrician to come and fix some of our cable and wirings
   
5. waiting for my energy to come back so I can sort through some stuff that needs sorting
   
6. waiting for the baby to come
   
7. waiting for payday
   
8. waiting for my credit card bills to arrive so I can freely have a heart attack
   
9. waiting for my slow prepaid dial-up internet connection to load web pages
   
10. waiting for the drought to end, so we don't have to collect water in case of a water shortage
    
11. waiting for a more efficient government
    
12. waiting for the contractions to start...really start
13. waiting for tomorrow

so we keep waiting
waiting on the world to change
we keep on waiting
waiting on the world to change

-- John Mayer, Waiting on the World to Change

Under the Influence and Over the BS

You can like the life you're living
You can live the life you like...

So goes a song used in one of the commercials repeatedly shown on the ETC Channel.

Lately, the song has been running through my head. Maybe it's because I watch too much late night TV. Or maybe, because (gasp!) I've been really ruminating on something that's been bothering me -- what I really want.

The main word for the past few days (and maybe even the past year), is "influence". Mostly, the lack thereof. Or to put it depressingly, my own seeming lack thereof. Of course, deep down inside, I don't believe that BS. But even deeper down inside, there's the gnawing doubt that hey, maybe Big Brother is right.

The universe conspires to give you what you really want. And I believe that. But the trouble is, sometimes there's this vague struggle on what is it that I really want. I think one of my weaknesses is I'm generally carefree -- the secret of youth -- let life take you where it may. Don't get me wrong, I'm no pushover. If I really want something, I go for it. If I really don't like something, I stand up against it. But (and there's the "but" again), most of the time, I just enjoy life, and I don't really express any strong desire for anything.

Wimp din ako minsan, lalo na when I realize na I've been left behind. Parang batang iniwanan na ng mga kalaro. Tapos magmumukmok sa isang madilim na sulok. Haha.

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. But the world will never listen to what has never been said either. Despite my reluctance to be loud and carry my own torch, if I do not want to be buried and forgotten, eventually I would have to do just that. Sell all my principles to be the next big thing. Hehe. Don't worry. Of course, I'm just joking.

Anyway, the point of this post is, I have to take action. I have to make a choice. Shape up or ship out. Like it or change it. Sulk or do something about it.

Once again, I have to grow up.

And please. Enough BS from other people.

All Around Pinas

Ok, got this from Monna and also Dennis. There's this site where you can check the places around the Philippines that you've been to, and it rates you as a traveller.

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

My Lakbayan grade is B-!

Well, there are a lot of places I haven't been to. But what's surprising is it seems I haven't even set foot on north eastern Luzon! Hmm...more places to visit soon! :)

Baby On The Way

Well, this ultrasound pic was taken last April 14...pero excited na ata kami ngayon. Hehe. Two months to go!

Roxy's birthday gift to us -- our first baby stuff!

We still don't have much baby stuff, and I guess we're gearing ourselves up for a headache since we're also going to move house in the next two months. That means furniture and baby expenses all rolled into one big bang! Bok also has a new toy -- a brand new videocam (thanks BPI Installment Madness!) But, we'll just take things one at a time...well, we have no choice actually, we have to. :)

Good day to all!

Our Deepest Fear

Well, I found this quote in, of all places, a baby magazine (that I got for free from this childbirth class. It turns out the teacher is also a columnist for this magazine).

A quote by inspirational book author Marianne Williamson, from her 1992 book "A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of a Course in Miracle":

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is wihtin us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Manila and the Days Gone By

An article written last year for a travel writing workshop. Yes, I attended a travel writing workshop. Yes, it was fun. And yes, the title probably sucks. :) But anyway, I'm still sharing this article, which has been described at some point as a bit depressing. Read on. :)

“Intramuros is the Philippine’s Angkor Wat,” declared Carlos Celdran, one of Manila’s celebrated walking tour guides.

Wow, I thought. And my friends and I were wondering where to get money to visit the magnificent stone temples of Angkor Wat in far away Cambodia, when all along there exists stone-walled Intramuros in our beloved Manila.

My friend Jao would’ve loved this tour. She who always wonders why backpackers rarely come to Manila, and concludes that one reason is we don’t have enough “culture” to attract them. Now, here was this flamboyant guide Carlos saying Manila abounded in culture – when once upon a time Manila was the first-world city of Asia, thanks to the Americans – except that the spirit of glorious Manila died when the city was bombed and shredded in the aftermath of World War II, also courtesy of the Americans. So what now, is the real Manila still alive or dead?

As a resident of Manila, I live on its fringes, and rarely come down to visit Intramuros. Intramuros for me was for field trips, for occasional night outs with girlfriends, visiting the WOW Philippines exhibitions, and the occasional wedding. I used to wonder how it would feel for the people who actually live their lives within the Intramuros walls – surely, students who study in the schools around the area must feel more nationalistic when surrounded with the history of the Intramuros walls?

But such it is that we Filipinos rarely live and breathe history. We bemoan our lot, the lack of progress, the corruption of our officials, and we do our best to survive from day to day. Taking care of culture and history is not one of our primary goals. Even government does not prioritize the propagation of pride in our culture. The city of Manila tore down the historical Mehan Gardens, built by the Spaniards in 1858, to make way for a city college so more Filipinos could go abroad and earn a living.

"Before you can change how Manila looks, you have to change first how you look at Manila." For a few hours, Carlos Celdran takes you on a quick tour of the history of the Philippines, from the nipa huts of the pre-Spanish period, to the arrival of the Spanish, their importation of the stones used to build Intramuros, to the American colonization and to the aftermath of the Japanese occupation and WWII. And throughout that time, safe in the confines of what is now the Philippine’s oldest church, you are treated to a vision of how Manila was in those times. Your view of Manila changes. Yes, Manila has a soul. Yes, Manila has history, and she is alive and well for it.

Pride swells at such a thought. For a few brief moments, I am proud of my city. But at the same time, thinking of Celdran’s description of the ruin of Manila after World War II, I am sad too. It seems we never have risen from that fall, we have never regained our former glory. A few days later, eating at one of the little carinderias lined up along the Intramuros walls, I gather my thoughts. Yes, Intramuros may be steeped in history, but it is a history we choose to forget. Most of Intramuros has been reconstructed (San Agustin Church is the only authentic building still standing), and though we do try to evoke the beauty and mystery of Manila during the Spanish period, we can only look at Manila through rose-colored eyes for a few brief moments at a time. After a while, the intrusions of real life distract you -- from the abandoned warehouses within the fringes of the Intramuros walls, to the poorly maintained roads and the squalor of some of the houses just a few blocks from the grandiosity and romanticism of Manila Cathedral and San Agustin.

I can change the way I look at Manila, but I cannot turn a blind eye towards its other aspects. Manila lives and breathes, at times beautiful, at times frustrating. For what it’s worth, Celdran’s walking tour seeks to open us up to another aspect of Manila, and helps us see the history beneath the city from the vantage point of Intramuros. Intramuros then, is a temple that enshrines the history of what Manila had been. For this view alone, the tour is well worth its price.

*** Take Carlos Celdran's walking tours and see Manila in a different light. Check out his blog at this link.

Manila - Frankenstein but Home

"...Frankenstein explains the city's visual style as well as its strength and resilience...Improvisation and cheerfully making do characterize the Filipino attitude toward poverty.

That poverty may be ubiquitous, but so is the energy. Teeming, corrugated-iron slums surround decaying Art Deco mansions. Lush bougainvilleas peek from behind high stone walls trimmed with barbed wire. Chapels hear confession in the middle of decadent shopping malls, and hand-painted billboards advertising movies like Brazen Women overlook vendors touting T-shirts that read JESUS OF NAZARETH. At stoplights, peddlers tap on your window proffering newspapers and Marlboro Reds, while children wave garish feather dusters and delicate lace handkerchiefs. And wherever you go, there is music, in the endless strips of "videoke" lounges, pouring forth from bars and clubs, and in the broken strains of a busker's ukulele. "

Thus Lara Day describes Manila in her article "The Bold and the Beautiful"*, featured in the May 7 issue of Time Magazine (Asia).

The article evokes mixed emotions for me. Pride, in having Manila featured somewhere. Sadness, disagreement, and yet in some parts, a rapid nodding of the head in concurrence, especially to that part regarding videoke. Heck, you can be in the middle of the remotest barrio in the country and still hear someone singing videoke. But still. The article describes Manila as hard to categorize -- there's no such thing as distinctly "Filipino", unlike Bangkok that has its temples, or Mumbai with its saris and spices. Instead, we have a Manila that is a mix of everything -- Frankenstein as the author describes it. Colorful, bold, but Frankenstein. And the beauty, as the author sees it, is not from that mish-mash of culture, nor from its people, but in the little things she struggles to see.

* Read the full article here.

utrek-batch2004-recap.mpg

Bantayan Island

After relaxing Malapascua Island, we proceeded to Bantayan Island for the second part of our vacation.

Bantayan is four hours away from Cebu City. The island itself is composed of 3 municipalities -- Sta. Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos on the northern tip. It is supposedly the "Egg Basket" of Cebu since it generates over one and a half million eggs a day to supply the growing demand of eggs for mainland Cebu, Negros, Panay and even Leyte.

Getting There

To get to Bantayan Island, take the bus bound for Hagnaya from Cebu's Northern Bus Terminal. There are also non-stop aircon buses. Buses leave hourly.

In our case, we were travelling from Malapascua (in Cebu Island's northern most tip) to Bantayan. From Malapascua island, one can actually hire a boat straight to Bantayan Island. That costs around P1800-P3000 per boat, depending on the size of the boat.

Since we were only two people, we opted to ride the boat back to the town of Maya, from where we can take the bus back to Hagnaya. But, since the bus at Maya was to leave a lot later then we thought, we rode a habal-habal (for-hire motorcycle) back to the town of Daang Bantayan, where we boarded the Cebu City-bound bus. We asked the bus conductor to drop us off at a place called Don Pedro, where one can either take the tricycle to the Hagnayan Wharf (P20 per head, P100 for the whole tricycle), or wait for the bus bound for Hagnaya Wharf.

At the Hagnaya Wharf, there are fast craft boats and roro ferries that travel to Bantayan Island. Fare is P134.50. Expect to pay around P5 for the terminal fee. And expect to be harassed by ferry barkers.


Accommodations


There are a lot of places you can stay in Bantayan. Some of the most pricey ones are Sta. Fe Beach Club and Ogtong Cave. Most accommodations are cottage-type. We had an aircon cottage. Try Kota Beach Resort or Budyong Resort beside it. Another famous one seems to be Sugar Beach. You can also opt to pitch a tent on the beach.


Things To Do


Like most beach towns, you can hire a boat and go snorkelling. Or you can walk along the whole beach area, from Ogtong Caves to the Bantayan Pier, and maybe even to the Sta. Fe Beach Club. You can try some overpriced seafood dining at White Sand Seafood Restaurant, where the view is nice. It seems though that the wind really picks up at night, so it's a bit hard to sip your sinigang when the wind is blowing the soup all over the place. There are also some species of birds that you don't normally see around Manila.


The sand bars are perfect for some skimboarding. You can fly kites, chase small crabs, play habulan, or just laze around the beach front. The tide usually rises around noon time, so it's actually more fun to swim around then. If you wait till sunset, the sandbars become more prominent, and you can walk for miles in shallow water.


Ride a tricycle or multi-cab (smaller than a jeep) into the town proper of Bantayan to visit the Bantayan Market and the 400+ year old Bantayan Church. You can buy lots of dried squid, fish tocino and dried fish (danggit) in Bantayan Market. This is only around 30 minutes away from the Sta. Fe beaches. If you have more time, you can hop on a multi-cab to the town of Madridejos, and check out their board walk.

*** More pictures here: Multiply***

Bantayan Island, Cebu

After relaxing Malapascua Island, we proceeded to Bantayan Island for part 2 of our vacation.

Nagulat kami, roro pala yung boat papuntang Bantayan. And maraming tao! Lots of families. There were people just strolling along the beach, swimming, skimboarding, kiteflying, even playing frisbee!

Malapascua, Cebu

Five months pregnant, but according to this book I got, it's the perfect time to travel! So travel we did -- to Malapascua Island in Cebu, Philippines. The sand was white. The waters blue. The pace idyllic. A perfect place to slow down and relax.

Malapascua Island

5 months pregnant.

But according to this book I got, it's the perfect time to travel! So travel we did -- to Malapascua Island in Cebu. The sand was white. The waters blue. The pace idyllic. A perfect place to slow down and relax.




Getting There

Malapascua is around 4 hours away from Cebu City. Take the bus bound for the town of Maya in Cebu's Northern Bus Terminal. Buses leave hourly, from 5AM til before lunch. Fare is around P60 for the non-aircon bus. Sit on the driver's side of the bus if you want to avoid the morning sun. Sit on the other side if you want to catch views of the ocean.

Once in Maya, walk past the gas station to the boat docking area. Boat fare is P40 for the almost-1 hour ride. Expect to get your feet wet. The boat will land directly on the beach front of Cocobana Beach Resort.


Accommodations

There are available accommodations, from aircon to fan rooms. Cocobana Beach Resort is owned by this friendly Swiss guy named Freddy. Non-aircon beachfront rooms (with 2 double beds) can cost PHP 1700 a night. On the far left side of the beach lies the Blue Coral resort, where non-aircon rooms cost PHP 500 a night. There are plenty of other accommodations around the island.




Things To Do

Eat. Sleep. Laze around. Island hop. Snorkel. Dive. There are dive shops that organize dive trips and rent out dive gear. Just chill out. Almost all of the resorts have their own restos/bars. Of course, it's not as lively as Boracay, but if you want beer, you can find beer. Take note though that the island runs on electricity only from 6pm-12 midnight. Beyond those hours, generators provide electric comforts. Restos usually close at 10pm.



Try Ging Ging's Eatery and Flower Garden if you're hungry. Prices here are relatively cheaper as compared to food from the other resorts. Ging Ging's can be found somewhere in the back alleys near Cocobana. Also, don't miss dining at La Dolce Vita, an Italian restaurant with a spectacular view of the sunset. There are signs leading to La Doce Vita -- just go near to the end of the beach. There's a shortcut from Blue Water resort. La Dolce Vita is located near the Maldito resort. If you're confused, try this Malapascua map.

You can also visit the barrio/town proper, which is just a short walk away from the beach front. Or if you're really energetic, you can visit the lighthouse near the northern tip of the island. Obviously, Bok was not energetic. Hehe. I had to practically drag him around, and beg him to let me snorkel. (But to be fair, he was only concerned about my health.) Hiring a boat for snorkeling/going around the island can cost P600 a boat. Add around P100 for snorkel gear rental. You can also have a massage/hilot -- a massage can cost P300, and they have "official" masseuses (dressed in yellow shirts) roaming around.


I therefore conclude...



After 3 days and 2 nights in Malapascua, and despite Bok always scowling, we both actually enjoyed our vacation. And what are some things we learned here?

• Buy a tripod. It's really very very hard to take night shots without a tripod or without a table that will act like a tripod.
• Pregnant women float funny.
• Don't take your room key home with you!
• It's great to relax and enjoy the quietness of just being there.

** More pictures at my Multiply site.

The Song of the Moment

Vindicated
I am selfish
I am wrong

So I'm trying to go back to my roots. The operative word here is "try". I am trying to know myself better, to leverage strengths so I can bully someone else. I am trying to be at peace with myself...or rather, I am trying to make peace with who I already am and the expectations of the rest of the world.

I am right
I swear I'm right
Swear I knew it all along

I'm actually tired of self-reflection. I feel no need for it, since I already know who I am. But sometimes the world is shaken like a snow globe and I find myself dragged all around the place. And I am bewildered at where I end up with respect to the rest of the snow globe occupants.

And I am flawed
But I am cleaning up so well
I am seeing in me now
The things you swore you saw yourself

Frankly, I am surprised how truths can be repackaged and bought and sold like it was new. But that's the way the world turns. Even outright lies can be repackaged as half-truths, if everyone believes it enough. There always has to be a spin to things. The spin-master is king.

My hope dangles on a string
Like slow spinning redemption...

**Lyrics from "Vindicated" by Dashboard Confessional

Bok and the Crocodile (A Tale from Davao)

Bok and a baby croc at the Davao Crocodile Farm

I'm actually cleaning up some of the picture files I have on the computer, and it just occurred to me that I haven't shared anything yet from our Davao trip two months ago. Yeah, yeah, I'm a delinquent blogger. :)

So for those of you planning to go to Davao, go! There are a lot of interesting sights to see, from the Davao Crocodile Farm to the Philippine Eagle Farm to the relaxing beaches of Samal Island. You can ride non-aircon taxis around the city without getting bothered by air pollution. The city has top notch restos and coffee houses, and it seems everything is accessible. Don't forget to try the Durian Coffee! And if you have more time, you can even go whitewater rafting!

We spent 3-4 days in Davao, mainly to attend our college friend's wedding. We stayed at We R Inn, just across from the Gaisano Mall.

For pictures, check out these links:
Day 1: Philippine Eagle Farm
Day 2: Davao Crocodile Farm & Butterfly Park (insert whitewater rafting here)
Day 3: Samal Island



And special thanks to Bok's Davao Frisbee Friends :)

Jem & Jerine's By-the-Bay Wedding

March 4th, 2007, Jem & Jerine said their vows at the Shrine of Jesus, the Way the Truth and the Life. Cocktails and the reception followed at 1Esplanade -- a new venue near Mall of Asia with a nice view of the Manila Bay sunset. The guests were serenaded by the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, and the food was catered by Manila Catering Services. A classy wedding for a classy bride and her groom. Congrats and best wishes!

Rhedd's Surprise Bday Party

March 10 at the Viray residence

Luv & Mark's Tagaytay Wedding

The theme was "cool in blue". On March 10, 2007, Mark & Luv wed in picturesque Calaruega. Guests were feted at Villa de Oro in Tagaytay. More pictures at this Sony Imagestation album.

PYROS February Regatta

Feb 11, 2007
Manila Bay

Newly Weds!

Luv & Mark's Tagaytay Wedding

More pictures here.

The day before our own wedding anniversary, Luv & Mark wed in picturesque Caleruega. It was actually our first time to go to Caleruega, this little church near Tagaytay famous for its beautiful gardens and views of the Batulao mountain ranges.

Caleruega is actually located in Nasugbu, Batangas, inside Evercrest Subdivisions, way past some vacant lots with grazing goats and cows. The same subdivision houses Don Bosco's Chapel on the Hill, another church that's a wedding crowd favorite.

Bok and I arrived just in time for the homily, and one of the officiating priests was a high school friend of the couple. (It was a concelebrated mass amongst 3 priests). It turns out Mark, Luv and the priest were highschool classmates, and the priest was pleasantly surprised when he learned about their wedding, since Mark & Luv weren't a "couple" yet in highschool. Yet here they are, several years later, tying the knot. And another not-so-surprise -- Luv was a corps commander in highschool! Astig na pala si Luv, high school pa lang. :)

After lots of photo ops, everyone proceeded to Villa de Oro for the reception, hosted by Borgz. Just check out the pictures in the photo album. Congrats to the newly weds!

One Day at Manila Bay

Angst

Hate is a strong word.

But I really hate Benoy. I hate the person I'm talking to now. Ang labo kausap. Bwisit. Tang ina. Pakshet.

And I am underappreciated, ignored and neglected.

Pakshet kayong lahat.

Kung convenient lang sa akin umalis, naku ang tagal ko na kayo iniwan. Para matuto kayo ng leksyon. Mahirapan kayo sa mga pinagagagawa nyo. Sana puro "pains" na lang ang growing up nyo.

I'm sorry if this is a strong post, but I need to let it out.

One day these boots are gonna walk all over you.

Election na Naman

I haven't been blogging lately. But I just want to say this....election season na naman!

I've been watching local TV for the past hour, and masusuka na ako sa dami ng campaign commercials. Waaa! May magbabago ba pag binoto kayo, ha???

Drugs, Drugs and More Drugs

Team PYROS held their annual medical mission just before Christmas. Some more pictures posted here.

And if you want to know more about the Philippine Youth Rowing Society, click here.

Joan & Abel's Wedding

Davao City
January 8, 2007