I love myself, I wanna marry me...

Election 2013: The Heirs to The Throne

2013-05-12T12:31:00.002-07:00

While most people are rallying for the candidates they want to vote in the polls in the next few hours, the “non-registered/non-voting pessimist” in me would like to advocate the reasons why if given the chance I will not vote for some of the senatorial candidates running in the 2013 election.

Nancy Binay - Most people bash her for color and lack of physical appeal (I just did...), but Nancy’s only claim to qualify for the job is her unpaid “OJT” service to her parents as assistant for 20 years. I guess; that experience only qualifies her to be promoted to become a “full time paid assistant” now.
Jack Enrile – Research show he has served four terms as Congressman for Cagayan and is a top absentee in Congress as reported by Rappler. I have never heard of him previously until his ads in the local channel started airing capitalizing on his Senator dad and famous last name.
JV Ejercito – Another possible heir to the seat of his failed president father. I am reminded of the Lannisters and their effort to keep the Iron Throne. I recommend a reptile for the family’s sigil.
Loren Legarda – I don’t eat BALIMBING.
Grace Poe – Daenerys Stormborn is trying to avenge and claim the seat which they believe rightfully belonged to her father. With a little help from the dragons she hatched while seated for two years at the MTRCB, she is on her way to the Senate, po!
Migs Zubiri – I hope he doesn’t cheat again like he did in the 2007 election.
Eddie Villanueva – Mag pray nalang po kayo for our country.

I am about to sleep and voting will probably be over by the time I wake up. I am saying a little prayer for my dear country and my fellow citizens who are voting later today and deciding for our future. May the odds be ever in our favor.

Pink Beach, Sta Cruz Island, Zamboanga

2012-04-22T13:54:00.000-07:00

Not even the existing terrorist threats can stop us from enjoying the Pink Beach of Sta Cruz Island in Zamboanga.

The pink sand is supposed to caused by the red coral sediments mixed with the white sand.

Definitely breathtaking, it was a good decision to kick off summer in this island.

My bestfriend's sister acted as a chaperone and our military escort ensure everyone was safe while having fun.

Adding a little spice to our visit were the Balikatan officers who spent a day from their camp to relax in the Pink Beach. They played football, tug of war, wrestled and were totally nice to everyone.

And of course, thank you Donald for taking us around Zamboanga. My visits have always been memorable... Will definitely come back within the year.

Sweet Life!

2012-03-23T19:46:00.001-07:00

When in Zamboanga, satisfy your sweet cravings at Myrna's Bake House.

This is my second time here and so far I am loving everything I have tried.

Today I ordered four kinds of desserts. I had Chocolate Premium Moist, Strawberry Yogurt Cream Pie, Brazo de Mercedes and their Blackforest Cake.

The runaway winner??? The Brazo de Mercedes.

Im not sure how this entry will come out as i am blogging from my Iphone using Instagram pictures.

Better Late than Never

2012-03-23T11:37:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I haven't been posting lately. Business has been good and we've had more bookings than we expected for the last two months. I have also been travelling, in fact for the last two months, I flew in and out Cebu around 5 times and flew out of the country for my birthday last month.

Previously:
In my entire travelling history, I have only missed one flight, this was last month, when I decided to sleep on my domestic flight to Dumaguete and ended up taking the bus so I can catch the birthday dinner my friends put together for me home.

Just yesterday:
To officially start summer, my friend Kent and I booked tickets to Zamboanga to visit the famous Sta Cruz Island (been hearing a lot about the pink sand). I gave the hard copy of the airline ticket to Kent two days before the actual departure date. I never looked at that ticket after I printed it for more than 30 seconds. I just handed it to Kent for safekeeping.

Fast forward, 3PM we started heading to the airport still not looking at the ticket with the assumption that we were scheduled to fly out 4:55PM.

We went through usual airport scanning stuff and we didn't see any check in counter for Zamboanga when we arrived.

I still didn't feel alarmed. I told Kent, check in counter may open an hour before the flight.

We sat on the nearest bench and Kent took out the ticket and that was when we realized the ETD was 0455.
Kent looked at me and folded the ticket again, as if he didn't see it. We looked at each other and screamed, "It's in the morning!!!!!".

We hurriedly left the check in area to the nearest airline ticketing office to book the next flight to Zamboanga which is a day after (airline flies to Zamboanga once a day).

Today:
I'm leaving in two hours and yes, I got it right this time. See you in a few Zamboanga...

Back at last...

2012-02-23T20:40:00.000-08:00

The current month has been the busiest for me. It is my big 3-0 month and came with that are a couple of get together with friends, some of town trips and an out of the country trip to watch WICKED.

Sharing with you memories of my big 30 celebration...

Dinner with friends in Dumaguete on my birthday!

Dinner with Cebu friends. Sorry for not being able to invite everyone. This was a surprise from a friend from work.

I decided to visit Singapore. It has been a decade since my last visit and the overnight trip I scheduled was barely enough time to check out everything new in SG.

PLANKING at the Universal Studios

Thanks AJ for coming along and for the gift. *wink

Sci-fi City's new Transformer ride is a must try.

And finally I watched WICKED. The experience is beyond words. I simply loved it. And yes, I sang along with the cast. You don't get fined in Singapore for singing out of tune.

Thank you everyone for being a part of my life. It has been one turbulent ride, but who cares? Let us all keep rocking...

#RESIST Globe Tattoo 4G Launch... Sinulog's Biggest Party

2012-01-16T20:51:00.000-08:00

There couldn’t be a more appropriate time for Globe to launch its latest and fastest broadband stick in Cebu, the Globe Tattoo 4g, than during the Grand Sinulog 2012. It was also an opportunity for the Cebuanos and tourists to meet and party with Globe Broadband’s newest endorser, Georgina Wilson.

Simultaneously held in two key cities, Manila and Cebu partied the same time under the theme of Globe Tattoo 4G’s slogan, “RESIST”.

#RESIST at The Penthouse 12.14.2012

Crowd goes wild as dancers and Georgina enter the stage.

With other Cebu bloggers at the event.

#RESIST at The Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu, Sinulog 12.15.2012

Georgina Up Close...

Georgina candidly answers questions from bloggers and local media. She says lechon is her favorite Cebu delicacy.

A pocket press conference was held during the launch at The Terraces in Ayala where bloggers and local media got the chance to have a brief chat with Georgina Wilson. Having considered Georgina to be one of the prettier celebs around, this was one chance for me to see the brains behind looks... and yes, she was impressive. The whole Globe Tattoo Campaign speaks about resistance. The need to stand and speak up for what one believes in. I asked Georgina if there was anything in particular that she is passionate about or any part of the status quo socially/politically that she is resistant of. She candidly, yet intelligently answers that she has always been passionate about education and starts talking about how everyone should have access to it. She continues to say that it is different when a person is educated and that is a fundamental right that everyone, regardless of who they are should be entitled to. She wraps up in coherence to the slogan saying, “I resist ignorance...”

The Globe Tattoo Commercial which started airing a few days ago has been earning a lot of positive reviews from viewers. When asked about how she felt about the first of the series of commercials which will air up to February, Georgina said she was pleased to have worked with such a great team and is very proud of how the commercials came out.

See the first of the series below:

With the release of the Globe campaign, I asked her what is next for her and if we should expect more visibility from her in local showbiz. “Definitely for Globe,” says Georgina. She adds though that she wants shy away from the local artista stereotype and wants to give media a different but relevant approach. You can follow her in twitter @iloveGEORGINA and find out more about the new face of Globe Broadband.

GLOBE-POWERED TATTOO UNLEASHES THE NEW FACES OF GLOBAL RESISTANCE

2012-01-16T20:03:00.000-08:00

The resistance begins now. Globe-powered Tattoo starts a new revolution as it becomes faster, bolder and more powerful than ever. Armed with topnotch innovation, Tattoo revolts against uniformity, fights against mediocrity and breaks through limitations all with stronger bandwidth, better devices, wider reach and faster speeds at unbeatable value.

As the #1 most preferred broadband in the country, Tattoo breaks barriers and overcomes limits. Impossibilities are set aside as Tattoo gives every user an out-of-the-box experience – Resisting the tired and traditional broadband model. With a new and empowered broadband that packs a punch in a super sleek and stylish package, Tattoo reveals the new and progressive face of internet technology.

Pushing the bounds of connectivity, Tattoo has taken on the challenge that continues to make Filipinos more mobile, powerful, global and consequentially, revolutionary. Get ready for a new domination in your broadband - with three reasons to resist the slow and unreliable broadband internet that plagues the market. With an empowered prepaid and postpaid portfolio Tattoo outdoes competition yet again in etching a permanent mark in the minds of the young, mobile, and techno-savvy. More to these, it is their new brand ambassadors, it seems, that causes the most buzz in the beeline.

Proof that Tattoo packs a punch in providing value for money for the best deals, the “Filipino Flash” Nonito Donaire raises his fist in resisting mediocrity with the tired old broadband we all have been accustomed to. The current World Bantamweight Champion has risen from jaggedness and aims for prominence. And putting up the same stance for the country’s #1 most preferred broadband, Tattoo promises internet service that is uninterrupted, with strong and powerful signals at unbeatable speeds.

With his perma-lined eyes, black swept hair, and his melodic howl, vocalist Miggy Chavez has raised a strong following for a religion he calls Chicosci. Armed with hypnotic guitar riffs, surreal lyrics, and, Chavez’s addicting vocal styling, Chicosci has reared a legion of head-banging cronies for their “Vampire Social Club”, a historic hit for Philippine rock. And with Tattoo on his side, Miggy Chavez can take his ‘vampiric’ social network following to virally fanatic proportions, with reliable bandwidths designed for instant updates, super-sonic uploads and downloads, and unlimited interaction. Backed up by Tattoo, Miggy breaks through limitations caused by slow, unreliable internet access, as he puts his rock-cult status in the burning spotlight and paves the way to musical innovations that would bring the Pinoy sound to the international arena.

Model marvel Georgina Wilson on the other hand, with her multi-faceted persona has invaded the international fashion consciousness and left an indelible mark all her own. From the face that launched a thousand billboards, to her display of Filipina beauty in the global stream of America’s Next Top Model, Georgina has proved, time and again, that the Pinay supermodel is more than just a pretty face. Above all, professionalism, personality, and panache transcend a model into an invading icon.

And this resistance against Uniformity of modeling stereotypes has transformed Wilson into a global household name, her tweets instantly becoming the first words on anything from fashion, social graces, to the elusive pursuits of the finer things in life. Her @iloveGeorgina Twitter account has caused quite a social network traffic this holiday season when Georgina asked her followers “What will you RESIST this 2012?” And judging from the amount of replies she received, her words fronted by a pretty picture will always be irresistible. With Grace, Glamour, intelligible Grasp, and a Gorgeous face, Georgina Wilson displays the 4G that could launch a thousand hits, likes, and followings, and that is exactly what Tattoo does with its new generation Superstick, that outfits 4G in a super sleek and stylish package.

Tattoo challenges you to RESIST all your old notions of what your broadband can be. It is time to RESIST the undependable, and start living your connected lives without limits, as it takes you to the new generation of global broadband domination.

Join the resistance and choose your weapon, visit www.tattoo.globe.com.ph

Butanding / Whale Interaction in Oslob...

2012-01-13T19:05:00.000-08:00

Sharing with you pictures taken from my trip to Oslob last week to experience the much publicized Whale Interaction Attraction in the town.

This is about how close anyone can get to the sharks, right next to it.

This is me about to dive to the water as one of the sharks swim beside our banca.

Feeding them with "uyap" (Shrimp Paste). Not only is this practice being debated about because of its "domestication" impact on the whales, I have seen how the whales mouths are actually wounded from what must have been incidents on bumping on the bancas when attempting to eat what is being fed to them.
See related article on domestication from Cebu Daily News:
http://www.cdn.ph/news_details.php?id=12207

Swimming with the shark. Side by Side.

The shark right next to me. I actually got to swim with it side by side and at some point it was underneath me. That was quite an experience.

This is how the actual feeding looks like.

This is how the actual interaction in the waters look like. Bancas swarming around the sharks which are being feed by running bancas.

A gentle giant up close.

While the whole experience was breathtaking and memorable, I cannot help but feel for the sharks. Yes, legislation has been created on the fees involved to view the sharks, but I am wondering if the have made any resolution to strictly enforce protection on these gentle giants. On the same day, I can see people actually touching the sharks. Some fisherman, rowing too close to a point bumping the different parts of the sharks. It looks like we are more interested in making money out of these sharks, instead of ensuring their safety. Or at least that's what it seems....

See related article from Cebu Daily News about the wounded sharks: http://cdn.ph/news_details.php?id=12197

Note: All photos from this post are from Kent Subong.

The year in review....

2012-01-13T18:11:00.000-08:00

Less the drama, which I am sparing you all from; this was how 2011 looked like for me...

January – Sinulog with friends.

February – my birthday month. Took some time out of Cebu and met up with my bestfriend who is a designer in Zamboanga for a much needed reunion and vacation. I love this guy like family.

March – this was the month I started biking... I must say that it was fun while it lasted... I have a love affair with a lot of things and in most cases, they are whirlwind and brief.

April – went home to Dumsville for Lent. Explored Balamban towards the end of the month.

May – brainstorming for ITS UR DAY EVENTS. One of the best things about 2012 for me.

June – my first styling gig for ITS UR DAY EVENTS. The shoot was for our promo and site pictures.

July – was fun... Kate’s wedding. Planned for Oli and Carly’s birthdays.

August – first destination wedding of ITS UR DAY Events in Boljoon. It was challenging but we did it. Kind of made the rest of the weddings in the year easier in comparison. Went firing for the first time during the last part of the month.

September – ITS UR DAY in full swing. Signed up and met with several clients. And yes, my personal time was spent cheering for Ms. Philippines during the Ms Universe. Lol.

October – took a much needed break and went to Bicol for some fun. Planned for Trina’s birthday towards the end of the month.

November – my first solo out of the country backpacking trip. And yes, I am saving up to do it again soon.

December – After being away from home most of the year, this month was with Mama for the most part. She visited me for a week and we went to Manila for a vacation together. I was also home for a week during the holiday break.

Thank you Lord for 2011. May all of us have a better 2012.

Cebu City Marathon

2012-01-05T19:35:00.000-08:00

It's happening tomorrow. The biggest annual marathon in the South.

I didn't feel healthy this year and I didn't want to run below 21k either. So I broke my own tradition and will not be running on the 3rd year of the Cebu City Marathon.

Taken from the 1st Cebu City Marathon in 2010.

To all the runners, have fun and hope to run with you next year!

Pit Senyor!

Being the better person...

2012-01-03T09:08:00.000-08:00

For 2012, I decided that my new year's resolution would be to keep everything simple. Knowing my love for drama, this will most likely remain a resolution or there will some poorly executed attempts happening here and there. Since I am most likely to fail with my resolution, I listed a few things which in the coming year will try to approach in a mature and calm manner as much as possible. Here are a few things which normally irritate me, but will choose to ignore in the coming year. Yes, I will try to be the better person during encounters with:

1. Immigration Officers who act as if they were trained to be disrespectful to tourists. Either they are underpaid or overworked, I have had several encounters with these people and I will make sure to ignore and smile the next time they do one of their antics.

2. Arrogant Filipino-Chinese who act like they own public places just because they're rich or they happen to own the dependable "botika" where we get our meds. Don't get the wrong idea, I have Chinese friends, and I have seen a lot of decent Chinese people, but there are just some who need lessons on etiquette. Just because your hardware supplies the nails used to put my house together doesn't mean you don't wait for your turn when we are at the spa (no pun intended, this is based on my personal experiences and not on Fil Chi community in general).

3. Cebu Pacific Air - yes, I am a traveller on budget, and while at it, I will ignore them as much as I can. When I am richer, I will just choose not to get their services, but for now, "tiis muna sa kanila".

4. Salesladies - I know I have a tendency to get upset when they come back with the wrong items, they don't pay attention, wear too much make up, they don't do their jobs properly; but I also understand how difficult it is to be doing what they do, and next time, I will definitely keep that into consideration.

5. Drunk Koreans, I am not a racist ok? but I am pretty sure we all had a share of encounters with these Koreans, they either spilled their drink on you, stepped on your toes on the way out of the bar, grabbed you to dance with them. Again, this is not something against all Koreans, just those in our country who drink beyond what they should and act inappropriately.

Happy New Year Everyone! A blessed 2012 to all of us.

Happy Holidays!!!

2011-12-28T01:59:00.000-08:00

From one of the counter's in Gabby's Bistro. The Parol added a very traditional and solemn touch.

This post is created to wish everyone the best of the Holidays. May Peace and Love reign among all of us! Sharing with you the places I have been to, the stuff I have been eating and some other ideas in case you find yourself in Dumaguete where I spent my Christmas break. Be back in two days Dumsville. See you!

Christmas Mass at the Redemptorist. I have been hearing mass here since I was a kid with Mama.

Gabby's Bistro.

Never miss the treats from Sans Rivals. Cravings only satisfied in Dumaguete

Finally a 24 hour coffee shop for locals and tourists in Dumaguete. Kofficcino, not sure how it's spelled but it is across Qualfone.

Source of Joy. Two of the six puppies from my beautiful Labrador Retriever, Quila....

And finally, our department decided to share some love this season. Instead of spending our Christmas Party funds, we will be using it to buy underwears for Sendong victims in Dumaguete.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! Hoping for your love and support in the coming year. The best in life to all of us in 2012.

My Grown Up Christmas List

2011-12-18T07:21:00.000-08:00

Difficult times require hope and resilience.

I know that the Dumaguetenos will see this difficult situation through. A few months from now, we will all look back at Sendong and realize how it made our Christmas more meaningful. Let us continue to help each other and keep praying.

Dumaguete + Sendong + Holidays = Hope and Optimism

2011-12-17T05:03:00.000-08:00

Today, December 17, 2011 is a very challenging day for the City of Gentle People. Typhoon Sendong decided to drop by and left everybody in a very tough situation.

Our once clean, well-maintained boulevard is filled with murky mud water.

No lives should have been sacrificed for the Dumaguete City officials to learn the value of disaster preparedness. while this is nobody's fault, I am looking forward to the results of their discussion and see what they can do for the Dumaguetenos in this very difficult situation. I have always bragged about the peaceful community I came from, but I am not happy about the complacency of the local government and its inability to prepare for extreme situations like this.

Raised like every Dumagueteno, I am about second chances, but this has happened on my birthday on February 7, 2009 and we seem to have not improved but in fact have lost more lives this time around.

To the people in the current provincial and city administration, show us your worth, and try to make this situation as painless as possible for every Gentle Person in Dumaguete. We deserve better!

To my friends from other places, please offer a prayer for my city.

Photos grabbed from :

http://www.facebook.com/luigiborromeo

My Wishlist for Cebu for 2012...

2011-12-14T07:42:00.000-08:00

I was in Manila overnight for a very short Holiday break/shopping with Mama. Given what she wanted to do, I had to make sure I'm able to manage our time so both of us get to do what everything we want by the end of the trip.

Since most of the trip was about going somewhere to buy this and that... Here is a list of things I wish we had in Cebu so I can stop my craving and have more shopping time while in Metro Manila; instead of making sure to include these places in my itinerary to try and get a taste of what they offer.

1. ARISTOCRAT - The barbecue chicken, honey garlic fried chicken, sotanghon guisado; Aristocrat can definitely add more excitement to Cebu's dining experience.

Taken from the Roxas Blvd branch which is open but undergoing renovation after being hit pretty bad by the last storm in Manila.

2. BINONDO - I want a Chinatown in Cebu. Somewhere we can get hopia, and all those other delicious Chinese delicacies.

I was too scared to take pictures in Binondo, I took this photo of the Starbucks Binondo before stepping out of the cab.

3. BON CHON CHICKEN - Thanks Karen for going with me to Glorietta to eat here. Definitely must have in Cebu.

4. DAIRY QUEEN - With Krispy Kreme, Cebuanos have proven they don't really care about weight gain. Someone bring Dairy Queen to Cebu and in IT Park, please?

5. MRS. FIELD'S CAFE - Who doesn't love Mrs. Field's????

6. CINNABON - Thanks for being so conveniently located in NAIA but maybe Cinnabon can put up a stall somewhere in Ayala Center Cebu, I will willingly wait. I promise.

Well, that is more or less my Manila trip. The rest of the time were spent in Divisoria, Tutuban, Greenbelt, Sofitel, MOA, etc... Don't get me wrong, but i love Cebu and I can live with Ayala, Colon, Manalili, SM, Marco Polo, etc... but I do hope seeing some of the things above opening here in 2012, that would make not want to leave CEBU at all...

Musings of a Solo Traveler...(part 3 of 3)

2011-12-12T00:11:00.000-08:00

Well, the rest of the trip is pretty much something other bloggers may have documented before. I went to Macau, went around HK following the same usual tourist routes, and visited Disneyland. Sharing with you some pictures with anecdotal notes of the experience. Enjoy!

For whatever reason, the first restroom I went to had a pair of boxers hanging by the door.

I was next to this mother and son pair in Starbucks, kind of reminded me of me and my mom when I was a kid.

Talk about "Parent Trap", he seemed like my missing brother, we caught each other laughing after looking at each other. I only got a back shot. I was too shy to ask for a side by side pic.

This attendant from Disneyland carried my luggage to the counter. His name is Chin or something like that. He gave me a personalized map, with handwritten instructions on what places to go and what shows to check out. I knew they couldn't eat out with guests, so I skipped on my intent to invite.

And by the way, something happened at The Venetian. I am still thinking if I should blog about it.

Coke Happiness... Family and more reasons to be happy this Season.

2011-12-02T01:29:00.000-08:00

Musings of a Solo Traveler...(part 2)

2011-12-02T01:10:00.000-08:00

Mind. Lost. Hazy. Blurry.

Nathan Road... Take me there...

I remember crossing a few intersections, entering and coming out of a few subways; and walking a couple of blocks but none of these seem to get me anywhere near Tsim Sha Tsui. The road names have changed as I continued walking and I started to get a little weary when I realized how they remained unfamiliar and not sounding any close to Nathan Rd. or Tsim Sha Tsui.

7/11. I'm so glad to see you...

I know I quit smoking but these two kept me warm and company while lost in Kowloon.

Coke and Coffee... Always does the trick.

Having updated my Facebook status to indicate my intent to head to Kowloon, I was very happy to find a comment from a previous colleague about them being in HK at the same time. And luck seems to start pouring in when I saw a 7-11 store in Austin Road. I started to get some help from my friend who were also then in HK for a vacation via social networking. An hour later after our comment exchanges in facebook, they arrived with a map that will soon be my guide while I am in the Chinese territory. While waiting for them I have managed to smoke a few sticks, chatted with a 7-11 customer, and painfully attempted to get directions from the Chinese lady in 7-11 which really kind of turned out to be a waste of time due to language barrier.

Thanks to roaming access and social networking. Friends are coming to the rescue.

After an hour of briefing on which way to go, which trains and exits to take, they took me to a Mc Café where I spent an hour of cat napping before heading to China Ferry Terminal in Macau. In between I spent my time observing Chinese nationals having their after party meals still dressed in Mc Queen’s and limping in their high stilettos...

Thanks Jelai and Issa for helping me out...

Fast forward... I found myself on the first ferry out of HongKong to Macau at 7AM the same day.

Musings of a Solo Traveler...

2011-11-30T01:30:00.000-08:00

This was my first “solo” out of the country trip; that alone makes it memorable.

Interesting graffitti in one of the posts in Kowloon. These are public announcements on temporary closures, renovation of places in the next few blocks from the said post.

My first out of the country trip was as a chaperoned minor and the rest were accompanied by college friends and colleagues. Needless to say, I had the convenience of companion and everything that came with it in all my previous of out of the country travels. Even my domestic trips had always been in groups, and this Thanksgiving itinerary was definitely an exciting but somehow frightful venture.

Plans, Maps, and Google. With a little help from a friend, I came up with an itinerary with two things in mind: visit as much places and interact with people .I wanted to be away from signature shops as much as possible, my budget in this trip definitely is not within the “Hermes buying people” scale and I didn’t want to waste my time having pictures taken in front of signature stores and monograms. On the contrary, I wanted to be on the streets, wander, ask directions from people, take the cheapest public transport possible and just be spontaneous.

"Charlie", resting in one of the fire hydrants in Austin Road.

Nathan Road. Midnight after Thanksgiving.

I arrived in HongKong a little over midnight the day after Thanksgiving. Between booking a hotel and lounging around the airport cafes until the first ferry to Macau, I chose the latter. Of course, I took spontaneity to the next level and jumped on the first train I saw out of the airport. That gave me around 5 hours of productive time between me and my backpack “Charlie” in the streets of Kowloon without a plan on hand.

Instead of getting out of Exit E in Kowloon, I found myself exiting in a flyover and walking on the highway.

Me. Alone. Subway. Midnight. Lost. Picture.

After almost and hour of walking, going in and out of subways, I found myself getting lost... This is where is the real fun begins... (to be continued... )

Crazy Thoughts...

2011-11-10T00:06:00.000-08:00

In the next few months, I will be moving into another decade of my life which makes me:

1. Thankful for the last 3 decades of happy and relevant existence

2. Excited about what’s in store for me in the next ten years.

Yes, I am turning 30.

That said, I would like to share with you some of the crazy ideas I have on what I hope may happen in my 30’s.

Go back to Hawaii... I want to experience Honolulu again, this time when I am legally allowed to buy liquor and socialize with the surfers. I will definitely make up for what I was restricted to last time, only God knows what I am capable of doing this time around...
Meet the Dalai Lama, life is about balance, I do not only wish to know what it’s like to be broke in the Upper East Side but I want to feel how it is to be in the presence of this inspiring being.
Get a divorce, of course that means getting married before that. I want to fall in love, real hard, so hard that I will eventually want to get out of it.
Be a prostitute. I wonder what it’s like to be paid for what they do. Maybe not, maybe for a night. Maybe....
Disappear for a month. Go somewhere nobody knows me. Pretend to be someone else while in the new place. Come home after a month and never mention or talk about what happened to anyone.
And yes, I want to have my own apartment in NYC. Who knows that may just pave the way for the 1^st 5 items on the list. Right, Carrie???

The list may grow... Please note that this is not necessarily a bucket list. I won’t really make an effort to make this happen, what I am saying is, if a similar situation confronts me in the future, you can bet on my direction. Meantime, let me get a day closer to my 30^th. Goodnight!

Bicol Adventure--- The Cebu Pacific Way - where low cost flying is Poor and Cheap Travel

2011-11-06T11:47:00.000-08:00

I admit, my attitude toward's writing and blogging should change. Here I am waking up at 3 in the morning and doing some catching up on entries I was supposed to write a month ago... While these are all over due, I still want to share how I got myself to Bicol despite the challenges of a tropical depression and the poor customer service of a ~~low cost~~ cheap airline ---- yes, Cebu Pacific Air!

The actual departure day from Cebu was all about being out of luck and a couple of misfortunes, most of them I attribute to the airline's lack of customer service. It wasn't poor, there just wasn't any. We were informed via airport PA system that the flight got cancelled due to deteriorating weather condition. The more frustrating part was nobody from the airline came, the next instructions, on where to go, what to do, ~~who to get help from~~ there where really no instructions on who get help from --- was also announced over the PA system.

Nobody from the airline came, everybody had to figure out based on PA System instructions, where customer service area was which turns out to be the boarding counter. As if the the frustration wasn't enough, we arrived to an empty customer service counter. The airline person arrives and starts shouting that everyone should line up so we can get the ~~help~~ attention we needed. If they were there when we arrived, maybe they could have organized the crowd, but of course, you don't really expect that from Cebu Pac. Of course it's not their fault that the weather was bad and they were telling us we can re book within the next 30 days. Another frustrating thing was that rerouting as an option wasn't disclosed until a lot of us asked if we can reroute that day. We were then informed that the only option was to get the last flight out of Cebu to Manila at 11:15PM, earlier flights were not possible, even as chance passengers. This they were firm about. And yes, Mactan Internation Airport Administration, your air condition unit in the departure area was under maintenance that time - for how long already? that I don't know.

So we went spent a few more bucks for airport transfer going home, and decided that while waiting we can call the customer service hotline to ask "AGAIN" if we can take a chance on the earlier flights to Manila that day. And we did get confirmation via phone, that the chance passenger option is possible, this was after being told the opposite earlier in the airport that day.

There is a reason why Cebu Pacific is assigned the letter D in the signage above.

And so we went to the airport and waited, finally got accommodated in the 8:15PM flight, and yes, I had to lie that I had an important wedding to go to in Legazpi to get some attention. Another interesting note that was highlighted to us by the airline people in Cebu was that they cannot guarantee that we won't have to pay for the Terminal Fee in Manila, and that we can try to ask the Manila Team of their airline to help us with it, and they kept saying it over and over --- NO GUARANTEES.

As expected, we arrived to an empty Cebu Pacific Customer Service Counter in NAIA. After a minutes of waiting, two ladies came and confirmed ~~they had no idea~~ they we're not informed that Cebu - Legazpi passengers are rerouting that night due to a flight cancellation, we even told them that the rest of the passengers from our flight are going to be arriving in the next flight at 11:15PM. Of course, the ~~low cost~~ airline doesn't have a passenger lounge we can stay while waiting, they told us to sleep on the benches or even the floor until the check in time at 5:45AM.

Rather than sleeping in the airport benches and floors, I went and met my best friend in The Fort. And moving on to the only good part, I did get to Legazpi at 7 AM most of which was because of my own effort and never the airline. It is also interesting, how when we asked for consideration on many and several things, like checking in our hand-carry luggage during the half day wait in NAIA, we were told that they can't help us because they are a LOW COST Airline.

YES Cebu Pacific, I still have a pending complaint from last year. I booked Cebu-Dumaguete Flights and NOBODY told me they stopped operation/flying to Dumaguete from Cebu for a while already. Everyone acted as if I was expected to find that out on my own. After telling me through email that someone will call me, nobody did. You can check your email for complaint number : GSAS0000645996-11. You will see how many follow up emails I have sent without getting any response. (just in case, this does get to Cebu Pac and they give it some attention, help isn't really in their vocabulary and budget as a LOW COST airline).

CAM SUR...

2011-10-19T01:16:00.000-07:00

Being around a group of professional wakeboarders can be very intimidating. I have always had this "try anything once" attitude, but when I saw how the Pros do it, I must admit, I kinda thought twice.

First time boarders are encouraged to do kneeboarding first, doing it standing can be rather difficult and pretty dangerous. I have done long boarding in Siargao but given the number of people around the 4.5 hectare lagoon, I wanted to do it as recommended. I saw some people who have been doing it for a few days and they cant get past 5 meters from the starting ramp standing. LOL.

There is actually a beginner's lagoon you can go to but I figured it was boring there so I decided to do it where the Pros are. PAK!

The thing about doing it where the Pros are is that the cables drag you so fast. Strong arms and legs really useful in this activity. My running and biking training helped me a lot.

I managed to do a full circle of the 4.5 hectare area on my second try. It is not just boarding around the area, you have to pass through a certain route and navigate your way to make sure you are in between two parallel buoys in certain points of the lagoon. This is where most people fall off the board.

This is my after boarding peg. PAK!

And yes, a can of COKE was waiting for me after a few rounds of boarding...

Some of the rather interesting personalities while I was in CWC.

Food was good. I had this Chinese Pork Adobo for around Php 200.00. It had the Bicolandia taste of Chili and Coconut Milk. I finished the rather big bowl in a few minutes.

I still can't locate the data cables for the camera I used during the trip. All photos here are from Kent.

DIOS MABALOS, Cam Sur!

See you again soon!!!!

The Great Bicol Experience...

2011-10-18T05:12:00.000-07:00

What started out to be a rather distressful trip turned out to be one of my happier and spontaneous expeditions. Yes, my Bicol experience was all about firsts.

My first time to travel without a check in luggage and depend on my dependable "Charlie", that's how I call my backpack to take care of all my needs. This was the most challenging part of the trip. To those who know me, travelling light was never my skill, but this time around, I managed!

It was my first time to go to Cam Sur... I have always wondered what got this place the top tourist destination spot for 2010 and check out the famous Camarines Watersports Complex.

My first time to travel to a destination, without knowing or having connections with any local and of course go, BACKPACKING. Yes, I have always been a safe and comfort traveller. I have always utilized the services of hotel transfers, guided tours and other means to make my travels as convenient as possible. This time, I made use of Google and my charm. From getting my flight rerouted to the next trip possible, to finding my way to the stop point that would take us to Bulusan, this trip was all about the experience of trying to live and travel like a local.

In the next few days, I will be sharing with you that experience, the places to go, the things to do, and the delicious Bicolano dishes to check.

I will try to take you to that great Bicolandia experience in my next posts and show you why I am giving BICOL a “Thumbs-Up”!

Thanks you Kent for the pictures! :)

REAL STEEL...

2011-10-14T03:51:00.000-07:00

Pardon my absence for the last few days, I just got back from a backpacking trip which I promise to blog about in the next few days but meantime I just would like to share my feedback on Dreamworks new film release "REAL STEEL". As usual, Hugh Jackman doesn't disappoint his audience and gives a noteworthy action packed performance.

In the tradition of Artificial Intelligence, and other feel-good-sci-fi movies, I would say this is one of those you shouldn't fail to watch. Dakota Goyo, Hugh Jackman's son in the movie proves he deserves to stay side by side Mr. Jackman in this film.

No Other Woman... Not a movie review.

2011-10-07T02:41:00.000-07:00

The ongoing blockbuster performance of "No Other Woman" spoke a few facts about the Filipinos way of life. Infidelity sells and the mistresses are here to stay.

I'm sure that everyone of us have at some point had a dinner conversation where we spoke about somebody's separation because of another woman. The "Kabit" is a subject always close to home. To the young generation, this is who one of your friends lost her family to when you're Tito decided to go all out with that beautiful gold digger . To the young professionals, this is one of your officemates, rekindling an old flame and trying to reconnect with an ex-boyrfriend to prove that ones first love never dies. Or a tired single woman a few desks away, who decided to stop searching and hit on an unhappily married co-worker. To our parents' crowd, the mistress is the person they will never understand. They may have or know someone who at some point have lost to this woman and their existence still spells fear of losing their marriage, broken families and losing family money that they want them to die by slowly pinching them with a pair of tweezers.

While at some point, it has become acceptable for men to do so, it still is an interesting discussion. And just like the movie, such discussion always bring a nice exchange between the conservative and the open minded. We have seen it happen too many times that we always have something to say. The conservative argues based on labels and morals; while the open minded argues on reason.

I guess what I really have to say is, Marriage is not everything. Some people choose to stick to that decision, while others think they know better. I am all about protecting marriages, but sometimes the only way to make it fair is to be honest and make a choice. And yes, just like a happily married friend always tells me when I get confused, it always helps to Pray.