Category: Escapades

Apr 28

Wacky Anilao Weekend

March 21-22, 2009

It’s been a long time since I last went to Anilao, Batangas. I texted my good friend Che and teased her, inviting her to go to Anilao. Surprisingly, she said yes and we began planning. She asked me who we’re going with and I asked her to invite her friends and she did. This was my first out-of-town trip with her friends and my second time to be with them. The girls invited me to hitch with them because they were leaving early Saturday morning but I was still shy from them so I told them I’d just ride with Che and Deb. Che had lunch with her family first because it was sister’s birthday and we were able to leave Manila at 6:00 pm already. The ride was fun! We remembered about old days when we used to to Anilao almost every weekend. This time though, we weren’t going to stay at SSJ camp, instead, we’re going to Punto Miguel, a boat ride away from camp.

Che picked me up at around 5:30 pm at Market, Market and we fetched Debbie in Bicutan. We arrived in Anilao at around 9:00 pm. It was San Jose’s town fiesta and it was like all the people were outside the street, first time I saw the place like that. I saw the camp too but it looked like nobody was there so we didn’t drop by anymore. The boat ride was only about 10 minutes and I loved it because the water was calm and the sky was clear so there were a lot of stars in sight. When we got at Punto Miguel, they were all at the shore waiting for us. They set up a table there and there were a lot a of food, including fondues, which one of the boos brought. The food was yummy but I didn’t eat much because we just ate on the way there so I was still full. And then the fun began.

The socials was really fun, I got to know better many of my new friends. We took  lot of photos, including group shots with categories like decades when we were born, bra cup sizes (we were all girls), etc. It was really wacky! We also had a short-lived bonfire. The fire died-down after just a few minutes because we didn’t have enough driftwoods so we just took some photos with us pretending to roast marshmallows. Haha! We were able to actually roast at least one marshmallow each but the fire was too hot and we didn’t have long sticks to stick it to that’s why just gave up on that. We also played charades. We were divided into two groups, the docs were in charge of the games and Che was in charge of the video. The docs altered the game a little. Instead of just one doing the acting, what we did was one guessed the words and the rest of the group did the acting. The docs used Tagalog words and there was one round when I think I only recognized a two words out of the five. LOL! It was pretty hilarious how the words were acted and it was kinda confusing since four people were acting at the same time! The other group was really organized and we were chaotic but we won! Yay! After the photo shoot and the games, we just sat around the table talking, telling each other stories, eating, drinking and listening to music. I think I went to sleep around 5:30 am already.

My roommates were Che, Deb and the two Karens. We all woke up a little after 7:00 am and my roommates and I started talking about last night and looking at the photos from Karen’s that’s why we weren’t able to go back to sleep anymore. We ate breakfast and after that we prepared to go on a boat ride for snorkeling. We went to Dive & Trek and fed the fishes Skyflakes but we didn’t stay long because they said the water was itchy. I didn’t snorkel because I felt too lazy and besides I could see the fish from the boat, there were a lot of fish, including my favorite parrot fish. We tried to look for the place where we used to go snorkeling but didn’t find it so we just back to the resort. We took a swim for awhile and I took some photos of the place too. After that, we took a bath already and then had lunch. Karen treated those of us who were left to some dirty ice cream. Yummy! Then we settled the bills, took a nap for a few minutes then prepared to leave.

I took a ride with the docs and Imee on the way home. We took the re-route too because Che was thinking that there would be heavy traffic in Bauan since it was still daytime. We took the road to Cuenca instead, then Lipa, then Startoll. As always, it was traffic in SLEX because they’re still fixing parts of the highway. We stopped by Total to buy some food then headed home again.

We dropped by Santuario de San Jose in Greenhills to hear mass. I was a little distracted during the mass because there was a boy sitting in front of me who looked like AA’s younger brother when he was little. The boy was really handsome! Haha! And Doc Grace noticed the boy and I had the same attire… yellow polo shirt, khaki shorts and sandals. Haha!

I reached home around 9 pm. I was dead tired! My sunburn hurt and was starting to itch and I still lacked sleep so I went to bed after a while. I didn’t even unpacked my bags. Haha!

1
comments

Mar 26

Fishballs in Tagaytay

December 30, 2008

We went out today and it felt really nice traveling again with my whole family. It’s been awhile for me to be with all of them together at the same time. We did not go somewhere far, we just went where we usually do when we want some quality time together… Tagaytay.

It was just like the usual. We went to Mahogany market first before going to dinner. The market was full and it took us awhile before we found an empty parking space. My mom and sister did their usual rounds and bought fruits and my dad went to the plants. My nephew and I walked around, taking some pictures, and he tested his new phone’s camera too.

I was so happy because there was a fishball vendor near our parking! My nephew and I ate some fishballs, chicken balls and kikiam. I missed street food! And I was a little excited because the sauce tasted good… it tasted the same like the ones in Malabon, which I also missed. Yummy!

If you’re familiar with the place then you’ll know what it’s like… the overwhelming scent of the raw meat and sometimes seeing the heads of the cows casually strewn on the side streets. It was funny because there was this group and one of them was a foreigner. He was covering his nose with his shirt and his face was all read, obviously he didn’t like the smell. And then his eyes went wide when he saw the cows’ heads. People around him started laughing when they saw his expression. He took a picture of it of course… I did too! Haha!

Anyway, after the market, we went to the soft opening of Gerry’s Grill and had dinner there. The kids were happy as always and they were having fun taking pictures using my Holga and my new phone. Dinner was great… I didn’t know I was craving for Filipino food until then. Then we headed home already as it was getting late and cold.

We stopped by Paseo de Sta. Rosa on our way home and I finally bought myself a new pair of running shoes. And then we walked around a little, just enjoying the cool, fresh air. We also had coffee at Starbucks then finally headed home.

1
comments

Mar 18

Baguio 2003

Where: Baguio, Philippines
When: January 25 - 26, 2003

Back in 1993, my friend Johnny came home from Thailand for a short vacation. We decided to pay Mac a visit in Baguio for he was taking care of his fried rice business there called Macsbox. We left Manila Friday night. We were supposed to ride the bus but the last bus had just left and we didn’t want to wait another hour so we decided to just take an FX taxi going there. We arrived in Baguio early Saturday morning. We did nothing much the whole day except eat and bum around Mac’s house. That’s what we usually do when we go there. Haha! We also went to Macsbox for food trip. You can see the photo below Mac and Cathy cooking fried rice for us. Yummy fried rice in boxes!

After the food trip, we went to the market to buy some food that we took back to Manila and we also bought some bonnets because it was really cold. For dinner, Mac took us to this restaurant and since we didn’t have a car, we took Mac’s delivery truck and we all rode at the back with the doors closed. It was kinda scary at first but it was really fun. We didn’t even have chairs so, we just sat on the floor. It was really dark inside the truck so we started making scary noises and ended up laughing til we reached our destination. We were like freed prisoners when we got out of the truck. It was really funny.

The restaurant we went to was called Brod’s Pit. It’s an ancestral house that the owners turned into a restaurant. The place was really cozy and there was even a fireplace. They serve Filipino food and it was yummy and very affordable. We had the place almost to ourselves so we decided to take some photos. We even asked one of the owners to pose with us and she was really nice.

After dinner, we went back to Mac’s place for the socials. We had beer and brandy and the Macsbox boys joined us.

We weren’t exaggerating about the cold, with all the jackets and bonnets. Haha! They even started a small bonfire so we’d be all a little warmer. Yep, there was a bonfire there somewhere, it just can’t be seen on the photos.

The next day, it was really funny because if you peek inside our room, you won’t see any part of our bodies exposed. We were all wrapped in thick blankets and you wouldn’t even think there were people under the blankets. Haha! It was just an overnight trip so we went back to Manila that day, this time by bus. Mac stayed behind, of course.

8
comments

Dec 27

Fireworks Shopping

Firecrackers

Yesterday, we went to Bocaue to buy fireworks. It’s like this… my BIL and nephew always go there secretly before new year’s day. They don’t tell anyone and they usually leave early in the morning. Well, this time I told my nephew to wake me up if they’re going and to tell his dad to let me tag along. I wanted to go because I want to take pictures. They did let me tag along but I wasn’t able to take pictures because we left late afternoon and it was already getting dark and there were too many people and the stores weren’t as I imagined it, it wasn’t inviting and the pile of fireworks didn’t look pretty. So, yeah no pictures. And I didn’t get off the car either, I just stayed there with my sister and the kids. Besides, they went from one store to another and they crossed the street a lot! I’m scared to cross a street when there’s no traffic light or overpass… and I’m telling you, crossing streets here in the Philippines can be a real challenge. Anyways, the stores didn’t look inviting and the place was crowded with people and cars.

The place did remind me of a lot of memories though, too much I guess. When I was in college, a couple of my peers were from Bocaue and we went there A LOT. The place hadn’t changed much except for the new flyover and we didn’t go as far as my friends’ places so I couldn’t tell how much it changed. They’re not there anymore anyways for they both migrated to the US.

Fireworks are more like a tradition here in the Philippines. We adapted it from the Chinese culture where the sound of the firecrackers is thought to scare away evil spirits. My BIL didn’t buy too much noisy firecrackers. He did buy a light of sparklers though. He bought about P5000 (about $100) worth of fireworks and we already tested a couple. Mind you, I haven’t touched a single one for a looooooooooooooong time now (I can’t even remember when the last time was) and I don’t think I will this coming new year, I’ll just be a spectator and enjoy the sight. One of the sparklers was really pretty… you have to throw it on the ground after lighting it and it spins, creating a beautiful moving circle of light. I’ll be taking pictures of each on new year’s day and maybe some videos IF I already have my new phone by that time.

0
comments

Feb 28

Palawan 1999: Day 11

Palawan: Day 11

Day 11 Expenses

May 4, 1999

We’re on our way home.

Dear Ate Bev and Kuya Mike,

Hello! Kamusta na kayong dalawa? Kami, last day na namin ngayon sa Palawan. Kagabi naiinis si JimmyBody sa min ni Carl-O. Eh kase pinipilit niya kaming maligo bago matulog, eh hello? alas tres na kaya ng madaling araw tapos bugbog na katawan namin sa lubak. Kaya siya na lang natulog don sa isang bed tapos tabi na lang kami ni Carl-O.

Kumain ng breakfast sina Carl-O and JimmyBody don sa rooftop ng Puerto Pension habang naliligo ako. Pagkatapos non ay nag-ayos na kami ng gamit at nag-check out na kami. Pero iniwan muna namin yung bag namin don kase pupunta pa kami sa Palawan Museum. Sandali lang din kami don sa museum at pagkatapos non ay nag-long distance call kami sa Manila.

Nag-lunch kami sa Jollibee.. sa Palawan nga lang, hindi sa HongKong. Pagkatapos kumain ay tumingin kami ng souvenirs. Kaya lang nag-suggest sila na don na lang sa airport tumingin kase mas madami don. Binalikan na namin yung mga bags namin at pagkatapos ay tumuloy na kami sa airport. Pagkatapos namin mag-check in sa airport ay lumabas kami ulit para bumili ng souvenirs at pasalubong. Kasabay din namin si Mic sa airport. Siyempre ang kinain namin ulit sa plane ay Whammos. Pagdating ng Manila ay umuwi na kami. Si Carl-O ay sinundo ni Kuya Wey at ako naman ay sumabay na kay JimmyBody. Yun lang, babay. Wish you were all with us. Di bale, next time na lang… sa Coron naman tayo pupunta.

Boogie

2
comments