The Old Gang

I had a great Friday night - an impromptu dinner with high school friends! It’s been a while since what’s left of our original barkada were complete for a meal outside of a special occasion. I was just supposed to meet with Trina to sign something, then it turned out that Anna, Rebs and Claudes could make it. Trina’s husband followed, and Rebs brought along her new boyfriend. It was a fun evening filled with laughter and stories old and new.

We had dinner at Burgoo at The Podium. Nothing beats a great Friday evening with some of my oldest friends. Since we all share a common passion for traveling, a Baguio travel plan was immediately hatched, complete with seat plan, taking less than 10 minutes. We’re taking 5 kids with us (aged 8-4 months), with only 1 yaya. I can just imagine what a chaotic, happy bunch we’ll be. We’ll just be using 2 big vehicles and we’re staying in 1 house. Fun! I hope we’ll really get to go on the date we planned. If not, we’ll just have to keep postponing until we finally get to go! Baguio or bust. When I told my dad about it, he laughed and said he was so amused that I’m already doing that kind of stuff. He said he and my mom were veterans at such kind of trips. Indeed, they were! I still remember all those Baguio trips of my childhood.

Anyway, here are the pics:

WordPress-lovin’ and Photobloggin’

I’m really loving the move to WordPress. More than a year ago, this blog was on another host, but I moved over to WordPress primarily because of its nicer themes. I didn’t really review all the features before I moved. Now, I’m really enjoying blogging here. And now they have this great new theme - Monotone. It’s best for photo blogs because it analyzes the uploaded photo and creates a background complementary to the color scheme of the image. It’s a chameleon theme, so there’s a different background for every page! The archives are also presented in a different manner - like a photo album, with thumbnails of the uploaded images. You’ll only get the full effect of this template on a photo blog. And so…

I’ve created a photo blog! I can’t really let this cool template go to waste now, can I?  It’s still a work in progress, and I’ll write about it again when I’ve fixed everything.

Confirmations of Faith

There are just days when, even if you never doubted God’s existence, you are presented with conclusive evidence of His existence and power.  Like seeing the sun rising behind the hills, its rays reflecting on the ocean.  Or when an unexpected solution to a problem arrives at exactly the right time!  In my case, it’s always been a combination of both, but lately, it’s been the latter.

Blog Update

In keeping with the season, I’ve changed my template…again!  It’s also a tribute to one of my all-time favorite drinks.  I’ve also created a new page.   It’s a post about my major in College - Organizational Communication - which I wrote more than a year ago.  It has somehow generated a number of quality comments, making that part of the post seem like a mini-discussion board, and I thought it would be helpful for other site visitors who would like to know more about Orcom.  It’s also nice how fellow UP Manila Orcom alumni/current students have come together through that post.  As I wrote on the page, I’ll be updating it each time a new comment comes in.

Up from the sick bed

I’ve never been that sick since high school! I didn’t go to work from Monday to Friday last week. I had the flu and bronchitis…with the added complication of eyesight problem!  So I’ll be wearing glasses starting tonight.  No more denial.  My vision is now 100/100, and I’m still a bit dizzy, so it’s on with the glasses for me.  Contact lenses are not yet an option since I think it’s even more of a hassle than glasses.

That being said, I’m really glad to be back on my feet again.  I’m going to Negros in less than a month so I really need to get my strength back…and not miss work again until then!

Ta-ta for now.  Not much to say since I’ve been off my game for a week.

“Sliding Doors” Moment

Do you remember the 1998 movie, “Sliding Doors” starring Gwyneth Paltrow?  It was one of her lesser known movies but one of her best, in my opinion.  I liked the premise of the movie - the vastly differing turn of events that result from two alternative situations.  One part of the movie depicted events after Gywneth’s character was able to enter the train before the doors closed.  A parallel story ran, which showed what would have happened instead if she had missed the train by a split-second.  Nice movie; watch it.

Last night, I was able to catch the MRT just as the doors were closing.  In fact, the doors actually closed on me, squashing my body a little!  Darn sensor.  Actually, I had no choice but to really make a go for it since I was with Tricia, and she was already way inside the train.  Anyway, as I finally found my bearing after catching the train, I suddenly remembered “Sliding Doors”.  Hmm…wonder what would’ve happened had I been left behind on the platform?   Would there really be a life-altering sequence of events unbeknownst to me, just like in the movie?  Or what major chain of events could have been set forth caused by my being able to catch the train?  Or am I just being a tad dramatic again?  Yes, I think that last one may just be it.

Baybay Beach

This was one of the first beaches I’ve ever visited. It’s in Roxas City, Capiz, about 5 minutes from the airport, and 20 minutes from our hometown, Pan-ay. The name ‘Baybay Beach’ is actually redundant since ‘Baybay’ also means beach in Ilonggo.

Baybay has grayish black sand that is as powdery as Boracay’s but much easier to brush off from the body. The shoreline is littered with seashells and if you’re lucky, you may also find big Capiz shells. Baybay is also not your typical beach destination like Boracay, Cebu, Bohol or Batangas. It is more like a local, neighborhood beach mostly visited by young families. Every now and then, occasional tourists pop up.

The beach is perfect for a quiet, relaxing time. There is really not much to do but swim and walk the length of the shore. You can’t go island hopping or snorkeling since there are no corals anywhere in the vicinity. There is a tiny, uninhabited island nearby, but there’s really nothing to see or do there. When we were there, Tin and I chanced upon kids playing on the shoreline and we enjoyed watching them and taking pictures.

There are not too many resorts and hotels as compared to the mainstream beaches, and most of them are not located on the beachfront, but along the highway, across the beach. Instead, the beachfront is lined with cottages that can be rented for the day since most locals rarely stay overnight. An average-sized cottage can be rented for P150, while the larger ones can go for as much as P500. Cottages are good if you’re not too squeamish about bathrooms. There are clean, pay public bathrooms. What we usually do is just rinse off and maybe shampoo and soap a little then just take a full-scale bath when we get home. If you’re really very particular, then it’s better to get a room at the more upscale resorts on the highway. Room rates range from P700-P2000. Food is also a lot cheaper but just as or even more delicious (in the case of seafood) than mainstream beach destinations. Your P500 can already go a long way. If you’re staying with relatives or locals, it’s even better to just buy fresh seafood from the market, have it cooked, and bring them with you.

For our Black Saturday outing, Tin and myself shelled out just P500 each, which covered everything - cottage and food for 5 people! My cousin bought fresh crabs, shrimp, squid and fish from the market, cooked it in her house, and brought it to the beach.

On some of my previous sunset visits to Baybay Beach, I usually see fishermen hauling in huge nets containing the last catch of the day. It’s a nice, bucolic scene that I enjoy since I rarely get to see such things, being a city-dweller.

Baybay Beach is great for people looking for an authentic ocean experience, and not the glamorous party, sun-sand-and-surf concept most commonly associated with beaches nowadays.

Pictures! (see more photos in ‘Images from Capiz’, three posts below)

Blanvil

I had lunch today at Blanvil Restaurant on Leviste St., almost in front of the Makati Sports Club, with my officemates JC and Tanya, JC’s sister and her college friend.  Blanvil has an eat-all-you-can buffet for P220.  Not bad, considering I had soup, salad, stuffed chicken, a mixed seafood dish, young bamboo in coconut milk, roast beef, and watermelon with a little milk for dessert.  I skipped the roast pork.  I had no more room for the coffee or tea that was also included in the meal.  I liked everything, except for the bamboo.  There was really nothing wrong with it, except that I really do not like food with coconut milk in it.  I just got some of the bamboo for the sake of tasting it.

I also liked the ambiance of the restaurant.  Perfect for sneaking out for a lunch date, haha!  The lights are dim and warm, and the biggest table is for four people only.  I didn’t feel that it was daytime when we were inside.

Hmm, could this be the start of a new restaurant exploration, this time on Leviste and de la Costa?  On my previous job, it was the Valero restaurant row, and Chili Pepper became my favorite.

Booked!

Something’s keeping me excited.  I was still in Capiz when I got a text message from my friend that they have already booked our plane ticket to Bacolod for our May 16-18 trip.  Sure enough, when I got back, there was our e-ticket sitting on my Gmail inbox.  Well, it was really just a formality since we have already paid the downpayment for our resort cottage way back in February, but at least the ticket is tangible now.  I still haven’t informed my boss about it, but again, moot point.  I got away with a four-day vacation leave, didn’t I? ;)  What’s a single day?  And the weekend after my birthday at that, hehe.

Oh, by the way, we’re going to Sugar Beach in Sipalay, Negros Occidental.  Way off the beaten track - that’s why it’s exciting! :D  Stay tuned…

Reconnecting

As obvious from my previous post, I just spent a week in Capiz - a week which was spent reconnecting with the place and with relatives, as well as seeing it through the eyes of a first-time visitor.  The last one was a first for me since I have always been the one who knows the littlest about the place, never having lived there.  It was the first time that I brought a visitor with me, and I thoroughly enjoyed showing her around and sharing our clan’s Holy Week traditions with her.

I was very happy when it turned out that two other cousins, Dondon and Lala, also planed in from Manila.  In fact, we were on the same flight as Dondon’s fiancee.  However, we haven’t met before, so we couldn’t pick her out of the crowd.  We only got to talk to her when we finally landed at Roxas City.

Upon arriving at our house, we had a late lunch of shrimp and crab, a very yummy ‘welcome home’ tradition.  Afterwards, we attended Mass at the Sta. Monica Church.  Later in the evening, Tintin and I went on a Visita Iglesia with my cousins Dondon, Lala, Ritchelle, their friend JR (who’s studying to become a priest) and Me-Ann, Dondon’s fiancee.  It’s been a long while since I did my last Visita Iglesia.  Actually, the last one was also in Capiz when I was still in college, but that covered even farther places in the province.  Anyway, we went to these 8 churches in the following towns/barangays, respectively: Pontevedra; Bailan; Panitan; Luktugan, Roxas City; Carmelite Monastery in Lawa-an, Roxas City; Shrine of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Roxas City (the former seat of the Bishop); Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Roxas City; and finally back to Sta. Monica Church in Pan-ay.

        

           

We also did the Stations of the Cross (2 stations per church).  Afterwards, we hung out for a while at the patio in front of Sta. Monica Church before going home.  It was a nice bonding time for me and my cousins.  It’s been a while since we’ve all been together like that.  I’m really looking forward to seeing them again at Don’s wedding sometime this year.

On Good Friday, we joined the procession, again my first time in so many years.  Unlike in our Parish here, the procession there starts right after the Adoration of the Cross, at around 5pm.  The main difference of the procession in Pan-ay is the Considerad, which leads the procession.  Little boys hold up decorated poles with items related to Jesus’ passion and death hanging from the top.  Some of the items are nails, a rooster (only a drawing of course), sponge, and crown of thorns.  The boys shout out the significance of the items in Spanish and Ilonggo throughout the procession.  Apparently it’s some sort of a rite of passage for a lot of young boys in our town.  My own dad and most other male relatives are alumni of the Considerad.

Me and Tin, tired but still smiling after the procession (hmm…is it really ok to be smiling after a Good Friday procession?) :

Black Saturday was spent on the beach, but more on that in another post.  The first part of Easter Sunday was spent bringing Tintin to the airport for her flight back to Manila.  Then, we attended the 4pm Mass to celebrate Easter and my cousin’s 25th anniversary in the priesthood.  Afterwards, it was chow time!  And story time with the relatives of course.

The rest of our days were quite uneventful except for another party to celebrate the graduation of a niece (Kindergarten) and a nephew (Grade 6).  Both graduated in the top 3 of their respective classes.

During this trip, I realized that Capiz is becoming more and more like home to me.  It’s slowly transitioning from simply being a vacation place to a second home.  And that ‘can’t-wait-to-go-back-home-to-Manila’ feeling only hit me on the last day.  It has also become easier to come up to my relatives and join in the chatter even though I understand and speak very little of the dialect.   And of course, I never really had complaints about the food from the very beginning.

All I can say right now is that I can’t wait to go back and I can’t wait to see some of them here in Manila.