Viva La Vida

Phuket

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:55:00 +0000

It has been quite a while since I updated this blog. In a span of six months, many things have changed. For one, I moved to Singapore with my boyfriend last April and have been working in an American multi-national company.

I am enjoying my job and loving my stay here in Singapore. :)

Aside from the big move to Singapore, I also got to visit Phuket, Thailand (the main topic for this post) for my birthday. I've always wanted to experience and see for myself the world-renowned beach in Phuket.

I heard a lot of great things about Phuket. Aside from the beach, I am simply amazed at the Thai culture. Thailand was never colonized by any Western power. This explains the country's rich, colorful, and very unique culture.

Another reason that made me want to visit Phuket was the food. I am a fan of Thai food! To prove my love for Thai food, I learned to cook the TomYum soup a few months ago. I would love to learn more about Thai cuisine if I have time.

Remember Leonardo DiCaprio's The Beach? Can you still recall the white sand beach and the crystal blue waters in the movie? The beach scenes from the movie convinced me even more to visit Phuket.

On a Saturday afternoon, my friends, boyfriend, and I boarded a flight from Singapore to Phuket. Our destination is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes away. FYI, Phuket is an hour behind from Singapore time.

Days before the trip, I checked Agoda for the recommended hotels or guesthouses where we can stay. Since all of us wanted to have a glimpse of the night life, I chose Patong Beach. Phuket's a big island with a lot of beaches and places to stay. I personally chose Patong because of the night life scene. And it's not that far from the airport.

I saw good reviews about the Loveli Guesthouse in Patong Beach, so I decided to book a family room (good for 4) for 3 days and 2 nights. Andrew from the Lovel i Guesthouse also gave me a good price for the tours - Phi Phi Island Tour and FantaSea Dinner and Show. He made my life easier. All I needed to do was inform my travel buddies how much we were going to pay and let them know about our itinerary.

We arrived at 7pm in Phuket. Andrew arranged a car that would pick us from the airport for 600 Baht. The lady driver held a paper with my name on it, so it was easier to recognize her. Since she only spoke a bit of English, we weren't able to ask her a lot of things. She wasn't also the talkative type. But I understand, she was driving and maybe she wanted to focus her attention on the road.

The airport was 45 minutes away from Patong Beach. On our way to Loveli, we noticed that the streets in Phuket are nicer than in Cebu. We were impressed that this island has good roads, working traffic lights, and "light to moderate" traffic. It was also the first time that we saw a counter for the traffic light. Drivers would know how many seconds left for the green or the red light to display.

When we arrived at Loveli, we were greeted with warm smiles from Andrew and Neil. Before we went up to our room, they gave us tips and maps on how to go around the town. They told us where to go, which restaurant to try, and the pick-up times for our tours. Neil also provided us with complimentary welcome drinks and bottled water.

When we reached our room, we were so happy that it was clean and well-maintained. We didn't even pay for an expensive room, but we felt that it was great for the price. Each of us has his/her own single bed. The room also had a TV, minibar, and hot-and-cold shower.

After a few minutes of resting, we headed to Bangla Street. It is where you can find all the bars and restaurants in Patong Beach. We were in awe at the night life in Phuket. Their tourism industry is so booming. No wonder, Thailand is richer than the Philippines. I can't really find the exact words, but I hope the pictures below can give you an idea of the scene there.

We finally found a good Thai seafood restaurant across the beach for dinner. The place was popular among tourists. The food was really great especially the TomYum soup!!! I just wished that the service was better. Anyway, after dinner, we went back to the bars to get a glimpse of the fun.

The next morning, we woke up at 6am because the pick-up time for our Phi phi Island Tour was 730am. Since Loveli was a few meters away from McDonald's, we bought breakfast meals to keep us active during the whole day adventure. A van picked us up 10 minutes before the time and we got so giddy that finally we will get to ride a speedboat for the first time ever!

At exactly 9am, the tourist guides provided a brief introduction of the tour as well as tips and medicines for a great journey. Our tour guide, Patty, was articulate and very friendly. We were about 40 people in one speedboat, yet Patty managed to made us feel at home. She was also very attentive to our needs.

Our tour included visits to the following sites: Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Ley of Maya Bay, Monkey Beach, Viking Cave, and Khai Nok Island. I really enjoyed the snorkeling in Phi Phi Don. A lot of fish swam near us. It seemed like they weren't afraid of the humans. Since I brought my underwater camera, I took photos of them…

I now agree with Leonardo when he said that he was captivated with Maya Bay. Who wouldn't like that place? Phi Phi Ley of Maya Bay has got to be the best beach I've been to! I have been to the beaches in Boracay, Palawan, Camiguin Island, Bohol, and Cebu, but not one of them can beat Phi Phi Ley! I am a proud Filipino, but I have to be honest about my experience. While we were swimming in Phi Phi Ley, I imagined Leonardo running towards the water and playing ball on the sand. The sand was powdery! It was so fine and perfect!

Included in the tour was a buffet lunch. We stopped at Khai Nok Island for lunch. As usual, the food did not disappoint!

There was also this Viking cave where pirates used to lived in. According to Patty, the pirates used the cave as their shelter in waiting for cargo ships to pass by. My boyfriend, Jan, enjoyed the water a lot. He was in the water most of the time and even joined some other European tourists perform some diving tricks.

We spent an entire day in the water. It was tiring, but the day wasn't over yet. We hurriedly went back to the hotel because we didn't want to be late for the FantaSea show and dinner.

Our van picked us for a short drive to Kamala Beach. When we arrived at FantaS ea, we were simply fascinated at the theme park. It was indeed fantastic! Their staff welcomed us with smiles and the Wai. Since the show was scheduled to start at 9pm. We headed to the buffet restaurant first to eat the sumptuous dinner.

We loved the dinner! There were a lot of choices from appetizers, salads, main courses, and desserts. The ambience of the restaurant was very imperial and classy.

After dinner, we immediately proceeded to the watch the show. Cameras and camera phones weren't allowed inside the theater. Thus, we didn't have pictures of the show, the elephants, tiger cubs, etc inside the theater. We weren't also able to take pictures of the performance.

The FantaSea show highlighted some magic and the colorful culture of the Thai. The show featured folk dancers, aerial dancers, magicians, elephants, roosters, birds, goats, etc. The stage was huge and all areas of the theater were used. Some performers came in from the sides of the theater, the aisles, and even the ceilings. The show also used effects such as smoke, laser, and rain.

The FantaSea show was grand, extravagant, impressive, and entertaining. No wonder, tourists ranked it as the biggest and best show in the island!

After the show which lasted for more than an hour, we went back to the hotel. We planned of going to a spa for a massage, but we were so tired and only wanted to sleep.

If you miss the beach a lot, I recommend that you go to Phuket. It is a must-visit destination. I would definitely visit it again for the James Bond Island tour. It was such an awesome and unforgettable birthday adventure! ♥

Bantayan Island

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Wed, 04 May 2011 04:55:00 +0000

Summer is here!

The best way to welcome this season of the year is to hit the beach. Two weeks ago, my friends and I went to Bantayan Island, Cebu to enjoy the crystal blue waters and powdery white sand that the island has to offer.

We met up at the North Bus Terminal at 3am to take the first bus trip to Hagnaya, the drop-off point. Some of us had not slept yet since the previous night, while some had obviously just woke up. But none of us complained about the lack of sleep because we were too excited to get to the island.

We arrived at the Port of Hagnaya at exactly 6am. We rushed to the ticketing booth for our ferry boat tickets. Luckily, we got tickets for the 630am schedule to Bantayan Island. We even had enough time to eat breakfast at the port.

We reached the island at around 730am. The owner of Yooneek Beach Resort picked us up with his van at the Sta. Fe port, the gateway to the island.

Yooneek Beach Resort is a 5-minute drive away from the port. Upon arrival, we were greeted with warm smiles from their staff. Since we made reservations days prior to the trip, our rooms were ready. Even the extra beds that we requested were already waiting for us in our rooms.

Tired from the 4-hour travel (bus and boat trips), we took a nap first and woke up at 11am just in time for lunch. The resort has a restaurant that offers delicious and affordable food and drinks. My favorite was the mango shake, the fried danggit (dried fish), and the fried pusit (dried squid). All of us enjoyed eating lunch by the beach. Who wouldn't love it there? We had good food, great company, and the most amazing view!

After lunch, we decided to tour around the island and rented bikes. All 12 of us, two were left sleeping in their rooms, drove around the island with our bikes and motorcycles. We went to other resorts and some public beaches. The sun was scorching, but we didn't care because biking around the place was so fun.

My friends and I couldn't resist the inviting blue waters of Bantayan, so we parked our bikes and took a dip. The water was so clean, blue, and cold. Below are some photos we took while swimming in the other end of our resort.

Bantayan didn't only offer one of the world's best beaches. It also offered great and affordable food. For dinner, we had barbecue - fish, chicken, and pork. Yummm! After a sumptuous meal, we headed back to our resort where my friends consumed bottles of tequila and beer. They must have enjoyed the beach so much that they went swimming at 1am. Haha!

When I woke up the next day, Meine and I immediately went to the town to buy some dried fish and dried squid. It was a 30-minute drive from Sta. Fe to Bantayan town. Upon reaching the market, the strong smell of dried fish welcomed us. We didn't mind the awful smell, but gladly checked the items sold in the market. We got a good deal from a vendor and purchased a few kilos of dried fish and dried squid.

After lunch, we headed back to Cebu City with great memories and photos of the Bantayan adventure. For those of you who wish to go on a trip this summer, I highly recommend Bantayan Island and even Yooneek Beach Resort!

Happy Summer, everyone!

(Mis)Adventure in Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 11:20:00 +0000

One morning, I got a message on FB regarding an invitation for a short trip to Johor Bahru, Malaysia. It was from Jane, my friend back in high school. Since I didn't have important things to do in Singapore, I said yes and packed my travel documents to go on a trip.

Jane and I met at Bugis junction and ate our lunch before we proceeded to Malaysia. We took a cab for SGD 10 each to Johor Bahru.

It was just a short ride. It probably took us 20 minutes to reach Johor Bahru's terminal. Knowing that Johor Bahru is a Muslim city, we dressed properly and decently. No shorts, sleeveless tops, and skirts! We didn't know where to go or what to do in JB because it was a spur of the moment trip. We asked the tourism officer about the places or museums we can visit. Unfortunately, all museums nearby were closed for renovation.

Jane and I at the Tourism Center

Since shopping in Malaysia is cheaper than in Singapore, we bought a couple of toiletries and souvenirs. It rained that time, so we really couldn't go wherever we wanted to.

Outside the malls in Johor Bahru

By around 5pm, we decided to go back to Singapore. What we thought was just a 20-minute ride, ended up longer than expected!

Jane was sent to the Immigration office due to some issues with her social visit pass. After more than 30 minutes and a few Q&A with the officer, we were allowed to enter Singapore. When we thought our struggle was over, the Customs officer asked Jane to go to the Customs office for bringing in 2 packs of cigarettes.

Since I don't smoke, I didn't know about the law. I got really scared when we were at the Customs office. I read through the notes posted on the wall that first time offenders are asked to pay SGD 200. Oh no!

God must have guided us that day. We received only a lecture from the Customs officer, but we were allowed to enter Singapore if (1) we pay SGD 7 for taxes, or (2) we leave the cigarettes behind. Jane chose the latter.

We arrived safely in Singapore at 7pm. And I thought that it was the longest day in my life. I would never want that to happen. Ever again! Hahaha!

Johor Bahru wasn't really a nice place for tourists. But if you were looking for a little challenge and adventure, maybe you can consider that place.

Singapore for the Second Time Around

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 02:35:00 +0000

I recently got back from a two-week vacation in Singapore (SG). And again, Singapore did not disappoint.

It was my second time to visit the country. The first time was a short trip with friends more than two years ago. This time, I traveled alone. Jan had a problem with his passport renewal and immediately followed a week after. I was supposed to have two other trips in the 1st quarter of this year, but unfortunately, some problems came up such as VISA refusal and invalid passport. Haha!

Since I was really looking for an adventure and wanted to use my vacation leave credits, I booked tickets to Singapore. Of all destinations, why did I choose Singapore?

Well, for starters, I have a couple of friends who are now based there. I thought that it would be really fun to visit and spend time with them. Oh God, I miss these people. We often catch up on Facebook, but it's different when you're together just like old times!

College Buddies - Blandj, Syke, and Droh

Morphsters - Andre and Cris

Second, SG now boasts of the Marina Bay Sands and the Universal Studios Singapore (USS). These two are must-visit places that weren't opened two or three years ago. If you want to see the breath-taking view of the city, the sunset, and the Marina Bay, I suggest you buy a ticket to the Marina Bay Sands Skypark for SGD 20. If you have more dollars to waste, it'll be nice to stay in the luxurious hotel. Hehe! If you want to go back to your childhood days and enjoy rides, buy a ticket to the Universal Studios Singapore for SGD 72. Well, I am certain that I'm going back to SG for the USS. When Jan and I arrived there to buy tickets, it rained hard. The USS crew advised us not to proceed because some of the rides had closed due to the rain and the admission fee may not be worth it. And because Jan and I had some other important appointments, we didn't have the chance to go back there when it was sunny and dry.

At the Marina Bay Sands Skypark

Jan and I at Universal Studios Singapore

Third, aside from the tourist attractions that require you to pay a couple of dollars each visit, there are also free parks and gardens that you can enjoy such as the East Coast Park, the Marina Bay Sands Light and Water show, the Singapore Botanic Gardens, and many more. Since I wanted to visit the attractions which I have not visited during my first travel, I went to those three and had wonderful memories.

The East Coast Park was so huge and scenic. You can spend the whole day there by sun-bathing, swimming, fishing, biking, jogging, or wake boarding. At night time, I suggest you take the train or bus to Marina Bay Sands and watch the Light and Water show for free! If you have watched Hong Kong's Symphony of Lights at Victoria Harbour, you'll like the Light and Water Show even more. It's a bit similar with the Songs of the Sea presentation at Sentosa minus the admission fee. If you like anything with nature, dogs, flowers, or trees, visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens. It's splendid, relaxing, and peaceful. Locals and expats usually bring along their pets for a walk in the garden. For SGD 5, you'll get to see different arrays and variants of orchids in the National Orchid Garden.

At East Coast Park

The Marina Bay Sands Light and Water Show

At the Singapore Botanic Gardens

Fourth, magnificent museums abound Singapore. When I arrived in SG, the first thing that came up to my mind was to visit the museums. I was so lucky to visit the National Museum of Singapore. Though I was alone, I had a great time learning about the history of Singapore through the audio guide. The pictures I took turned out gorgeous too. :-)

At the National Museum of Singapore

My favorite gallery was the Singapore Fashion Gallery. No need to explain why! Haha! I planned to visit the Singapore Art Museum (SAM), but didn't have enough time. Next trip, SAM and the Museum of Toys will top my list of places to visit. Hopefully!

Fifth, I love Singaporean food! Even the food has a taste of their multi-cultural and diverse society. The food has a mixture of Chinese, Malaysian, Thai, and Indian influences. I loved every meal I had in SG. Each trip to the hawker center was an adventure and a pleasure.

The Food in Singapore

Sixth, the shopping in SG was one of a kind! The huge malls and even the Bugis Street offered great bargains, which were so hard to resist. When I was there, an IT show was held. Huge crowds flock Suntec City to check out the bargain prices of gadgets, chocolates, clothes, shoes, designer bags, perfumes, and so on. Everyone who went there brought something home except me. Because I get dizzy when I'm crowded with people, I just sat in the corner and bought some chips for snacks. How lame!

At Suntec City for the IT Show

There are so many good stuff that I can talk about Singapore. I just can't stop loving that country. It felt like home and the locals were so kind to help me navigate through the city. They even went out of their way to tell me which bus to take if I go from one place to another. Some locals thought that I was Malaysian and were kind enough to remind me that I ordered pork. I smiled and told them that I am Filipino, a Catholic, and eat pork. Haha!

The drivers were also courteous. I didn't hear them honk their horns and they would stop at pedestrian lanes to allow people to cross the street. While on the bus or train, younger locals would give up their seats for elder people, pregnant women, people with disability, and women with babies. When you buy something or pay the cab driver, they would always give you the exact change - no matter if it's only 10 cents. How thoughtful!

Singapore is very tourist-friendly. With a map in hand, you'll never get lost in Singapore. The public transportation system, the bus and train, is excellent and efficient. The locals also speak good English, so they can really help when you ask for directions. No wonder, their tourism business is booming and anywhere you go, you'll see a lot of tourists from different countries.

I'd love to visit Singapore again anytime soon. In fact, I'd love to live there for a year or so! Fingers crossed. ;-)

Special thanks to my wonderful friends in Singapore - Blandj, Cris T., Roda, and everyone at Sims Meadows. Thank you too to my former officemates for the delicious dinner - Andre and Cris F. Shout outs to Peter and Syke for the treats. Hugs to Jane for our Malaysian (mis)adventure! :-))

*More photos on Facebook.

Philippines' Last Frontier: Palawan Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 16:52:00 +0000

Our third day in Puerto Princesa started with a sampling of the famous Lamayo. Lamayo refers to a marinated and semi-dried fish. During preparation, the fish is sliced open and de-boned, soaked in vinegar, garlic, and pepper. It is then dried and packed in vacuum-sealed plastic bags. You also need to fry the fish before eating.

Everyone loved the Lamayo. We even planned to bring some home, but we didn't have a container for it. It must be kept frozen to maintain its freshness. And since we had to travel, we might end up having a spoiled Lamayo. Perhaps, it was one of the best breakfast I had for so long.

After breakfast, our tour guide picked us up for our Honda Bay tour. The tour is basically like the island hopping tour that we have in Cebu. Honda Bay is a group of small islands. There were three islands included in the tour - Pambato Reef, Snake Island, and Starfish Island.

We took a 30-minute drive to Barangay Sta. Lourdes Tagbanua, the jump-off point. From there, we took a boat that would take us to the different islands.

Our first stop was the Pambato Reef. There were two floating cottages that you can use in the reef. Before you can reach one of the cottages, you have to cross the improvised bamboo bridge. This was the most challenging adventure I had during the tour. I needed to make sure that I don't fall to the water or else, my camera will get wet. Hahaha!

Having fun at the Pambato Reef

We rented snorkeling gears from the boat for Php 100. We were allowed to swim and view the corals near the floating cottages, but we had to wear our life jackets. No life jackets, no swimming or snorkeling allowed! The reef is known as a mini-Tubbataha. My siblings and dad enjoyed viewing the diverse species of corals and fish in the reef. Too bad that we didn't have an underwater case for my Nikon, so we didn't have any pictures of the corals.

After the reef, we headed to the Starfish Island. With its name alone, the island boasts of giant starfishes that can be found anywhere. Our tour guide told us that we could take the starfish out of the water, but it should be limited to only a minute. Anything more than that, the starfish will die. We all posed with the huge starfishes that we found in the shallow waters. After the picture-taking, we ate our lunch in the island. The lunch was included in our tour package, so we didn't have to worry about food. Lunch included prawns, fish, pork belly, and some veggies.

With the giant starfish and tiny fish of Starfish Island

Our next and last stop was the Snake island. They say it's called as the snake island because it has a snake-like shape. But we didn't really know, maybe there were snakes in that island. Hehe! Among the three stops that we had, the Snake island was my favorite. Why? I loved swimming with the fish and feeding them with bread. We didn't have to go deep just to see the fishes. They were everywhere and colorful too!

Shopping for Cultured pearls and South Sea pearls

In the Snake Island, Badjaos or sea gypsies were selling cultured and South Sea pearls. The pearls in Palawan were sold cheap. Depending on the size, a South Sea pearl was sold for about Php 2, 000 or more while the cultured pearl was sold for about Php 20 or more. We bought pearls and accessories from the vendors. It was a way of helping them meet their needs. My uncle bought a huge South Sea pearl for me. I like it a lot! I even keep it in my wallet and I plan to make it as a stone for a ring or pendant for a necklace. :-)

The Honda Bay tour ended early in the afternoon, which was a good thing, because my youngest brother had a 7pm flight back to Manila. Before he went to the airport, we ate our early dinner at Tiki Resto. As usual like any restaurant in Palawan, they served affordable and good food.

We flew out of Palawan on our fourth day. We were on the 11am flight to Cebu. Before we went to the airport, we visited the Cathedral in Puerto Princesa. I took pictures of the church and made a wish. My mom said that you can make a wish if you visit a church for the first time. Making a wish wouldn't hurt, right?

Puerto Princesa City

My family and I enjoyed our four-day adventure in Palawan. It is no doubt a paradise and a pleasant getaway to relieve stress. I love Palawan and I want to go back there soon and visit Coron and El Nido.

Philippines' Last Frontier: Palawan Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 17:16:00 +0000

We woke up early to eat breakfast and prepare for our trip to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park or commonly known as the Underground River. Our tour guide and driver picked us up at 7:30 am. The seven of us, plus three local tourists from Tuguegarao, and two French tourists enjoyed the two-hour ride to Sabang. Our tour guide made sure to provide us the necessary information and facts before we proceed to the Underground River. She even told the driver to stop at the nearest convenience store, so we can buy bottles of Off lotion to drive off mosquitoes.

On the way to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

Upon arrival, a white sand beach and sumptuous lunch buffet welcomed us in Sabang. Since it would take us another 45 minutes by boat to get to the river, we ate lunch first before hopping on the boat. I loved the lunch at Sabang. It felt like we were on a beach outing.

The beach in Sabang

After lunch, we headed to the Underground River. We had the boat all for ourselves. Its maximum capacity is eight passengers and two boatmen. The local government is very strict when it comes to rules. All passengers must wear life jackets or else, the boatmen will pay Php 1,000 fine. The boat must not also exceed its maximum allowed capacity or else, the boatmen will not be allowed to work for a week.

The boat ride

There are two ways to get to the Underground River - by boat or by feet. If you travel by boat, it will only take you around 45 minutes. If you go there by trekking, it will take you around three hours. We took the boat for obvious reasons. For more than 30 minutes, our boat sailed across the South China Sea. Its waves were huge and rolling. If you're not used to traveling by boat, you'll find it scary. But if you know how to swim and you love the beach, you'll find it as an adventure. When we reached the shore, our tour guide informed us that we needed to wait for our turn for at least an hour. We didn't mind the extreme heat of the sun because the beach was so inviting and the water was crystal blue. If we brought extra clothes, we could have taken a dip in the waters of Sabang.

Breathtaking view outside the Underground River

While we waited for our turn to explore the cave, our tour guide showed us live monitor lizards. Monitor lizards, most commonly known as biawaks, are reptiles that are known to eat fruits. In Sabang, they roam freely in the forest, but tourists are not allowed to touch them because they might attack anytime. According to the tourist guide, there are monkeys in the trees. Unluckily, we didn't see even one monkey.

The Monitor Lizard and the Forest

When it was our turn to explore the cave, we were requested to wear life jackets and helmets for our safety. Our boat guide made sure that we would learn interesting stuff from the tour. He told us stories about the Italian divers who checked if there are crocodiles or other species in the river. He pointed to us stalagmites and stalactites. The stones formed things depending on your imagination.

Ready to explore the Underground River

It was so dark inside the cave. When we entered the cave, I felt something different, something weird. But I think it was just me. The cave was really creepy. If I didn't have company, I wouldn't have the guts to explore that place. I couldn't even take good shots with my camera. My brother held the spotlight, which served as our light inside the cave. For almost an hour, we explored the river. We saw stones formed into fruits and vegetables, a jellyfish, a woman, and what else we could imagine. The cave has a bit of a disgusting smell because bats reside in the cave. In fairness to those bats, they provide the fertilizer for the rich marine life of Palawan through their "poop."

Inside the Underground River

The underground river was creepy, but it was definitely worth the experience and visit. It was a different adventure. Overall, I liked it. Mother Nature has proved its greatness once again by just looking at the stone formations. I was glad that at least in this lifetime I have visited one of the finalists of the 2011 Wonders of Nature. Well, I wish to visit more places soon.

After the underground river tour, we headed back to the resort to enjoy the afternoon swimming in the pool. After a quick swim and rest, we went back to the city proper to eat dinner. This time we ate at Kinabuchs Grill and Bar. When I was making our itinerary, a lot of people suggested Kinabuchs. So we had to see for ourselves if the place and food were great.

Dinner at Kinabuchs

We ordered the Palawan delicacy "tamilok" as our appetizer. Tamilok is a worm-like mussel served raw with vinegar on the side. It tasted so slimy and salty. I didn't chew the tamilok; just swallowed it. Hehe! I didn't really enjoy the tamilok, but at least I know that I was really in Palawan because I tasted their local delicacy. Food in Kinabuchs was superb and inexpensive. The crew were also very friendly. No wonder a lot of tourists eat there. And their place is huge!

Before calling it a night, we shopped for souvenirs at the Tiangge or Marketplace. I bought cultured pearls, keychains, and a shirt for pasalubong to friends. Everytime I travel, I always make sure I have something to share and give to people back home.

To be continued...

Philippines' Last Frontier: Palawan Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 02:36:00 +0000

Palawan is a Philippine island province that lies between the South China Sea and Sulu Sea. It is often referred to as a paradise due to its variety of fauna and flora. Palawan is blessed with great landscapes and rich marine and terrestrial resources.

Palawan's capital is the Puerto Princesa City. It is an hour away from Cebu where I currently live.

I booked plane tickets for the entire family four months before the trip. I've always wanted to go to Palawan because of the awesome pictures and stories I've heard from friends.

A week before our trip, I prepared our travel itinerary and made the hotel and tours reservations. Thank God for friends who made my life easier. They provided me with tips and suggestions on where to stay and eat and which places to visit.

My parents, siblings, uncle, and I took the 11am flight to Puerto Princesa via Cebu Pacific. The plane was full of local and foreign tourists. Looking at everyone's faces, I could tell that we were all excited to explore Palawan.

When we arrived at the Puerto Princesa airport, a lady from the resort greeted us and showed us the van that would take us to the resort. I thought that the resort was far from the airport. Surprise, it only took us less than 5 minutes to get to the resort!

Puerto Princesa

At the resort, the owner/manager Rose greeted us with welcome drinks. She was up on the roof of one of the cottages with the carpenters to check and fix the leaks.

The House of Rose Resort is owned by Andy, an Australian, and Rose, a Filipina, who made Palawan their home three years ago. I chose the resort because the rates were very affordable plus they offered free WIFI, billiards, and swimming pool.

Though the resort is not conveniently located in the city proper, there were still a lot of foreign tourists who stayed in the resort. The place was peaceful, very relaxing, and clean. The ladies at the resort were also helpful and attentive to our needs. They also served good food.

I scheduled a 3-hour city tour in Palawan on our first day. I wanted to feel the life of the locals, so I didn't book a city tour package. My brothers and I called for tricycle cabs to drive us around the city. For Php 300 per cab, we visited the Crocodile Farm, Baker's Hill, Mitra's Ranch, and Baywalk.

At the Crocodile Farm, you can take pictures of live crocodiles and even hold a live baby crocodile. There was a mini tour inside the facility where you can mostly see bones of crocodiles, live crocodiles in cubicles, and big sleeping crocodiles.

Crocodile Farm

At the Baker's Hill, we were greeted with the smell of freshly-baked hopia. I couldn't resist the good smell, so I bought a box of ube hopia and mongo hopia. Yummm! The trip to the hill was worth it. The area was made into a mini-park where you can find a kalesa, Snow white and the seven dwarfs, Marilyn Monroe, Jack Sparrow, and so on and so forth.

Baker's Hill

We then drove to Mitra's Ranch where the view of Puerto Princesa was breathtaking. We didn't spend a lot of time at the ranch since there weren't a lot of things to see there. We then rushed to Baywalk for a quick visit. There were lights and lamps, street vendors, and carnivals.

Mitra's Ranch and Baywalk

Our first night in Palawan ended with a dinner at the famous Ka Lui Restaurant. It was a good thing that I made reservations a week before. Ka Lui is so popular that it's hard to find a table for walk-in guests. The restaurant has a native style. In order to get in, you need to remove your shoes, slippers, or footwear. They gave us a table which allowed us to sit on the floor. I liked the ambiance at Ka Lui - colorful, fun, very Filipino, and creative. Because of a freakin' migraine, I never got to taste the food at Ka Lui. Boo! I slept while everyone was enjoying the sumptuous meal. The resto even gave us complimentary soup and desserts and I wasn't able to taste all of them. Sigh!

Ka Lui Restaurant

To be continued...

P.S. Thanks Brennan, April, and Kathy for the tips and suggestions.

Angel for a Day

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 07:59:00 +0000

As promised, here's my post about our Halloween Costume Party.

A week before the party, I checked my cabinet and found the white dress that I bought for a friend's wedding. Since I didn't want to spend a lot of money for a costume, I decided to re-use the white dress.

I thought of dressing up as a white lady, but the dress was too chic. An office mate suggested that I should wear an angel costume instead. I liked the idea of becoming an angel for a day! So I went to the nearest mall and bought angel wings and white stockings at the Kids' Department.

This was me...

Do I look angelic or what?!

Melody came as a Japanese Doll...

Melody and I posing for the camera

Meine dressed up as a Goth/Witch...

Meine tried to follow Mel's directions

Gretchen was a Mummy...

The Best in Costume Awardee

Our office invited kids to join us celebrate Halloween and all of 'em dressed up. Here are some photos of the kids:

Adorable kids at the office for the Trick or Treat

And oh, by the way, I won 2nd place in the Best in Costume contest. Not bad! Hope you like the pictures. 'Til next Halloween!

P.S. Thank you Mel for the wig! ;-)

Goodbye, Bash-bash!

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 03:34:00 +0000

It was almost 7pm last Saturday night when I got a call from Dindin, my housemate. After the call, I couldn't help but cry and feel sad.

Bash, our 5-month old Dachshund puppy, died. He accidentally strangled himself.

After days of Bash's death, I still feel sad and sorry. Sad because I will never get to hold him in my arms again. I will never hear him bark at me again. I will never see him jump or play with Nico. I will never be able to walk with him at night.

I feel sorry for Bash because I wasn't around for him. I never had the chance to save him. If I didn't go out on that day, Bash would have not died.

I still can't accept that Bash is gone. I cried for days and until now, tears would fall from my eyes when I think of him. Bash was a good puppy - naughty, sweet, friendly, and very warm.

Bash, I know you're happy in Dogs' Heaven now. Thank you for the moments and the memories that I'll cherish forever.

When I first met Bash

Good bye, Bash-Bash. I miss you.

ILLegally Blonde

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 02:42:00 +0000

In preparation for the Halloween Costume Party tomorrow, I tried out Melody's wig. Hey, I am an ILLegally Blonde for today!

I should be singing Katy Perry's California Gurls while wearing this wig. Hahaha!

Have you ever wished you had a different hair color? Have you ever wanted to be a blonde like Reese Witherspoon, Cameron Diaz, or Marilyn Monroe? Now's the time to be one and dress up this Halloween. You don't have to be scary this season. You just have to find a look that you like.

I am almost ready with my Halloween costume for our annual office party. Maybe next week I can post spooky crazy Halloween pictures from the party. ;-)

Happy Halloween everyone! Have fun!

www.buangathisguy.com

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 06:07:00 +0000

For the Bisaya people who are bored at work or those who badly need a good laugh, you might want to check the BuangathisGuy website.

It's a funny and ridiculous site that aims to provide answers to the world's most difficult questions. Some posts contain sexual content, but other posts are really funny. That's if you understand Bisaya.

Have fun reading BuangathisGuy's posts! Of course, you can also post questions if you have any.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with BuangathisGuy or www.buangathisguy.com. I am just one of those individuals who find some of his posts funny.

Land of the Rising Sun: Japan

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 10:02:00 +0000

A few days ago, I was blessed to visit one of the finest countries in the world - Japan. I had my Visa processed in the last minute due to some problems with my requirements. Three days before my scheduled trip, I finally got my Visa which allowed me to travel to Japan and stay there for 15 days. Since I got it late in the afternoon, they booked me for a flight to Tokyo two days before the trip. And because I didn't expect to get a Visa for the trip, I didn't prepare the stuff that I needed.

Good thing, I have officemates who had traveled to Japan before and helped me on how to get to the hotel from the airport. It was my first time to travel out of the country alone, so I was nervous. Add to the fact that I don't speak, read, and understand Japanese.

My manager gave me a few tips for the travel and even lent me his Japanese-English dictionary, which was very useful. He also gave me a list of words that I should memorize such as:

* Arigato Gozaimasu - Thank you very much
* Ohayoo Gozaimasu - Good morning
* Konnichiwa - Good day/Hello
* Konbanwa - Good evening
* Watashi wa Lani desu. - I am Lani.
* Otearai - Restroom
* Onna - Woman

I had to memorize those words and keep a list just in case I forget. The night before my travel I packed my bags with a couple of jackets/coats, leggings, and stockings to keep me warm since it's already Autumn in Japan. So the day came for my travel, I woke up at 5:00am to catch my early morning flight to Manila.

I arrived in Manila around 11:00am just in time for lunch and waited for four hours for my flight to Tokyo. I flew on PAL Boeing 777-300R to Tokyo and guess what, I was a bit disappointed with their service. Their flight attendants were not friendly to the Filipino passengers. It felt like there was a double standard. If you're Filipino, you only get average service. If you're a foreigner, you'll get 100% great service. What's new?!

I finally landed at Narita International Airport at around 8:00pm Japan time. By the way, it's one hour ahead of PH time. After the immigration, I rushed outside to rent a mobile phone. My Globe phone was useless in Japan. I shouldn't have activated my roaming if it had no signal. I also found the booth for the Limousine bus that will take me to the hotel.

Photos taken at the Arrival Area of Narita International Airport

I waited for a few minutes for my bus to arrive and at exactly 8:50pm, I boarded the bus to the hotel. I was really tired, sleepy, hungry, and cold when I arrived in Japan. But when we reached Tokyo, I couldn't stop myself from clicking my camera. The lights in Tokyo were gorgeous. I was so excited and couldn't believe that I was already there.

Tokyo at night

After more than an hour, I reached the hotel and checked in. My American officemate, who arrived the day before, called to check if I was okay. Of course, I was okay and even excited to explore the streets in Tokyo. I told him that we'll just see each other in the morning and not worry about me.

After the call, I immediately went out of my hotel and walked the streets of Shinjuku. I was hungry and most of the Japanese restaurants had closed at that time. The only restaurant familiar and open was McDonald's, so I bought food and started to take pictures. Unfortunately, it rained that evening. I had no choice, but to go back to my room and rest.

Hotel room and McDonald's Tokyo

Tokyo in the morning was all busy. Everyone was in a rush. I met my officemates at the hotel lobby and proceeded to one of our client's data center. We took the train from the Shinjuku train station, which is the busiest train station in the world. It's a huge train station and with lots of people coming in and out. I was amazed because almost everyone wore business clothes - men in business suits and women in fashionable business attire. How chic!

Chic and Fab Japanese in Shibuya

Everything in Tokyo was great - the food, the people, the place, and the weather. The Japanese people are polite, helpful, and generous - the bus drivers, waitresses, company managers, etc. . Though some couldn't speak in perfect English, they tried so hard to help me with directions. I admire their discipline and their love for their country. They prefer to ride on trains and bikes to get to work than cars in order to prevent air pollution. They practice proper garbage disposal. They always wait for their turns - no overtaking in lines.

The food in Japan was superb. I've always loved Japanese food, but when I tasted the authentic Japanese cooking I loved it even more! Even the street food is of high quality. I bought a bento (lunchbox) from a street vendor and it tasted and looked so good! No kidding.

Oishi Food in Japan

You cannot imagine how amazed I was with Tokyo's street fashion. The ladies and men dressed like models who popped out from the fashion magazines. At night, they still wear sunglasses. For them, sunglasses are part of their fashion. So even when it's not sunny, they still wear shades.

Shopping in Tokyo is another story. It's expensive. What can you expect - Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world! I checked out the malls and saw this really pretty bag. I checked the price tag and I almost fainted. It wasn't even popular brand or anything. I walked out of that store with a heavy heart. I wanted to buy that bag so much, but the price was so unreasonable.

After staying in Tokyo for 6 days, I traveled to Chuorinkan alone. Chuorinkan is an hour away from Tokyo. I have college friends who are currently assigned to work at IBM Lenovo in Chuorinkan. I took the 8:00am train to Chuorinkan and prayed hard that I won't get lost. By God's grace and strangers' help, I arrived in Chuorinkan on time. I met my friend at the train station and he showed me his office and his apartment. We then met a couple of our other friends for lunch in the next town. Lunch was great - all-you-can-eat buffet of grilled meat, sushi, japanese cakes and ice cream, etc. The price was worth it!

In Chuorinkan with Friends

After lunch, we took the train to Yokohama, the second largest city in Japan. If Tokyo was beautiful, Yokohama was scenic. I liked the urban feel without the hustles and bustles in Tokyo. We visited the Yokohama Museum of Art where I found a few masterpieces. I wasn't really into arts, but there were a lot of interesting stuff in that museum. After the museum, I finally got the chance to check out the malls in Yokohama. Oh my, I went crazy inside the H&M shop. That shop sells fabulous clothes! I bought a few items and got a bag full of freebies. The sales lady said that the bag is a gift from H&M. Ah, I was all smiles when I received the bag full of freebies.

In Yokohama

We checked one mall to another and I finally decided to buy a transparent umbrella with panda prints. I paid for the umbrella at the cashier and asked the nice lady if that cute stuffed toy hanging near her was for sale. She said that it wasn't. When I gave her a "pa-cute" and sad face, she immediately took the stuffed toy and gave it to me as a gift. Whoah, I couldn't believe it. So I took the toy, bowed, and said, "Arigato Gozaimasu."

I felt so lucky in Japan. I got a basket full of Japanese chocolates from an officemate, a bag with H&M freebies, and a cute stuffed toy. I have never experienced such generosity ever. I am thankful and blessed to have met nice and generous people. May God continue to bless them.

I am sad that my Japan trip was over. I missed Tokyo. I missed the feeling of exploring a strange new place. I missed Japanese food. I missed waking up in the morning with a piece of freshly-baked Krispy Kreme doughnut waiting on the table. I missed watching the cute and stylish Japanese guys on the streets and the pretty Japanese women in their fabulous, fancy clothes, shoes, and bags.

I am back to reality. I am blessed to have been given the chance to visit Japan. I am glad that I had the opportunity to travel alone. I realized that to travel alone in a foreign land is such an enriching, exciting, and fulfilling experience. I got to know more about myself and how I'd deal with circumstances when alone. I realized that in this world there are more kind people than bad ones.

Arigato Gozaimasu, Japan. I'll be back to see the popular and ever so pretty Sakura. Special thanks to my officemates and college friends who made the trip more memorable and fun. :-)

Some facts about Japan:

Taxi drivers wear business suits.
Manhole covers have designs.
There are a lot of English-speaking Japanese in Tokyo.
When traveling for business, make sure to bring business clothes.
There's a recorded flush sound in the ladies' toilet.
Hachiko is more popular to foreigners.
Most Japanese women dye their hair.

*More photos posted on my Facebook Photos.

Thank you, Reader's Digest Asia!

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 13:34:00 +0000

I was one of the lucky people who won in the Reader's Digest Asia Facebook photo contest.

The theme was "Through the Window" and I submitted this photo.

My winning entry

I was at the Mactan International Airport with my li'l sister when I took this photo. We were waiting to board the plane at the pre-departure area and I took this shot for no reason at all. I never knew I could use this photo for a contest.

Thank you, Reader's Digest Asia. It is an honor. :-)

The Proof

A Prayer for Patience

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 09:15:00 +0000

This is what I need now - a prayer for patience.

"Lord, teach me to be patient - with life, with people,and with myself. I sometimes try to hurry things along too much, and I push for answers before the time is right. Teach me to trust Your sense of timing rather than my own and to surrender my will to Your greater and wiser plan. Help me let life unfold slowly, like the small rosebud whose petals unravel bit by bit, and remind me that in hurrying the bloom along, I destroy the bud and much of the beauty therein.

Instead, let me wait for all to unfold in its own time. Each moment and state of growth contains a loveliness. Teach me to slow down enough to appreciate life and all it holds. Amen."

Source: A Catholic Life

Book and Boyfriends

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:59:00 +0000

I am so excited about the book. It's all sinking in now. I'm going to be a co-author of a book. How cool is that?! Bwahahaha!

Seriously, I'm working on a book with some great writers. I still don't know about the other details yet, but I think I will be dedicating it to my cute boyfriends - Nico and Bash.

Nico is a three-year-old Belgian Malinois dog, while Bash is a three-month-old Dachshund puppy.

Since I don't have the details yet, I won't be telling you what it is about. But it's pretty much related to the stuff I do at work.

I am really excited about this project. When we're ready to publish, I hope I can post the book information here. Some of you might find it interesting.

Payday Friday at the Airport

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 02:43:00 +0000

It's 9:25 pm and I'm still at the airport.

The company I work for sent me to Manila to conduct a product training for the clients. I was supposed to be here for only two days. Then, a few glitches happened and my stay got extended.

So here I am on a payday Friday waiting for my flight back to Cebu. I've been here since 6:00 pm to catch my 8:00 pm flight. When I checked in, Cebu Pacific personnel informed me of a two-hour delay and no reasons were explained.

I wanted to curse at Cebu Pacific Air, but I realized that it doesn't solve anything. Some passengers had left the area and rebooked their tickets. Well, I needed to wait here because I have nowhere to go except Cebu.

I don't know if I should be happy, but at least the airline company gave us food for dinner. Food is cup noodles. There's nothing wrong with cup noodles. In fact, it's my comfort food. But at least, they could have served us with real food like rice and chicken from McDonald's or Jollibee or whatever that's cheap.

My round trip tickets cost more or less Php 5,000 and I'm only getting cup noodles for dinner. Fail! :-(
I feel like my energy has been totally drained. I don't want to feel bad and mad anymore. Given this very inconvenient situation, I'll just think of the happy thoughts and the happy events this week to avoid the heartaches, headaches, and the wrinkles. I should learn to look at the positive side of things. So here goes my list of happy events:

• Watched the DLSU-ADMU game last Saturday. And yes, DLSU won!
• Met Sister Mari and spent a day at Trinoma together. Bought new nice clothes and pink shoes.
• Had dinner with Dan and went shopping for sunglasses.
• Received a new NW bag from the US. Thanks to the sweet brother.
• Got gems from Myanmar. Pasalubong from the brother again!
• Bought accessories from Forever 21.
• Had a very productive training. Big week for me and the team!
• Met new friends at the Ortigas office.
• Had a memorable girls' night out with office friends.

Tick tock. It's now 10:00 pm. I really can't wait to go home and sleep. Cebu Pacific Air, please fly me home now!

My Brother's Hoop Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 09:54:00 +0000

I wonder how it feels like to represent your country in international competitions. I wonder how it feels like to wear a jersey with the Philippine flag on it.

How does Manny Pacquiao feel every time he's on the boxing ring carrying the name of his motherland?

Does Chris Tiu feel proud when he's wearing the flag's colors?

Luckily, I don't have to go above and beyond to find Manny or Chris and ask them these questions. My youngest brother, Dan, has been with the Nokia RP Youth Team for two years now. Last year, he was included in the U-16 roster. This year, he's part of the 15-man U-18 pool.

In the FIBA Asia U-16 2009, Dan and his teammates placed fourth behind China, Iran, and Korea. In this year's SEABA U-18 Championships, they went home with Gold medals. Come September, the team will be traveling to Yemen to represent the country and Southeast Asia in the FIBA Asia U-18 Championships.

I am proud of my brother's achievements. I am even prouder that he has learned to be humble and nationalistic. I am also happy that he is more than willing to sacrifice for a greater cause. Even though the training is tough, he has no plans of backing down. And even if the opponents are way taller than him, going down without a fight is never an option.

For the answers to my questions, here's an excerpt of my youngest brother's interview on Philippine Star:

Dan Sara, 17, De La Salle University

I feel like a hero every time I wear my Nokia Pilipinas U-18 National Youth team jersey. Each of us would wish to represent and fight for our country in our own little way. I am happy that through basketball, I am able to show to the world how proud and honored I am to be a Filipino.

When I was three, my dad used to bring me with him every Sunday to play basketball with his friends. At eight years old, I had the opportunity to play for my school in Cagayan de Oro and my coaches back then provided me with the right training. That’s the reason why my jersey number is 8.

I learn a lot from our travels — not just about basketball but also about other cultures. I get to explore different places, meet new friends, and experience their culture. I also get this rare chance to show to the world that Filipinos can compete in sports especially in basketball.

I’m shy when I’m around people that I don’t know. I tend to be quiet and just sit there. But when my teammates became my friends, I started to treat them like my brothers. We share rooms when we travel. Every time we play for the Nokia Pilipinas U-18 National Youth team, we don’t think of our schools. We put the rivalry behind. We play for the flag. We just play for one team.

Each basketball player wishes to play for the PBA or the even bigger NBA. But I’d like to take one step at a time. Now that we qualified for the FIBA Asia U-18 in Yemen, I dream that in September we can make it to the top three or, better yet, bring home the gold medal.

Chinese New Year in Hong Kong and Day Trip to Macau

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:35:00 +0000

Dear Imaginary Readers,

Did you miss me? Argh, I have been out for quite some time. There are so many things I'd like to share with you, but I'm confused on where to start. Let's just travel back in time and talk about the travel I had back in Q1. Hahaha!

I finally got to celebrate the Chinese New Year in Hong Kong (HK). Jan and I arrived in the city just in time for the grand parade and the holidays. During the holidays, the theme parks and other attractions were crowded with locals and tourists. We needed to wait for a few hours to order food, take photos, or try the rides at the parks.

The Chinese New Year Parade

Some say New Year is not the best time to go there since it's still winter. Coming from a tropical country, we were really freezing when the temperature went down to 5 degrees Celsius. But the cold weather didn't stop us from exploring the streets of HK. I even bought a pair of boots and some winter clothes to keep me warm.

On the streets of HK

What I really love about HK was the fact that the locals dress fashionably. People from all walks of life were strutting on the streets with style. Fashionistas! Haha!

Oh the food in HK was delicious. A friend, who now works in HK, told us that they use olive oil for their food. Wow! I am impressed. It's so expensive to buy a bottle of extra virgin olive oil here in the Philippines. I buy a bottle when I'm at the grocery, but I only use it for salads. Hehe!

Visiting Ocean Park and Disneyland brought out the kid in me. I like dolphins, so I had fun watching the dolphin show at Ocean Park. How can you not like 'em?! Disneyland gave me chocolates for freebies. The princesses were so pretty. Too bad, I didn't have photos with them because of the long queues.

Disneyland Adventure

Ocean Park Adventure

We also went to Macau. It was an hour and a half ferry ride from HK. If it was cold in HK, it was even colder in Macau. LOL. I even didn't want to go out of the Venetian hotel because it felt like the wind was slapping my numb face. While at the hotel, we played the slot machines at the casino. Damn, we lo$t. Haha!

Jan went crazy when he saw a Manchester United shop. Yeah, football! He was at the store for an hour or so because he couldn't decide on which jacket or shirt to buy.

We went to the St. Paul's Ruins and got to taste the famous beef jerky, which is basically similar to the Beef Tapa that we have here in the Philippines. In Macau, I hoarded a lot of chocolates and ate all of them on the way back to the hotel. Haha!

A Glimpse of Macau

The best buy in Hong Kong was probably my pair of red/white Nike sneakers. I love 'em! I always get compliments when I wear these. Hehe! Jan also bought a pair of black/yellow Nike sneakers, but my shoes are definitely CUTER!!! ;-)

The shoes make the outfit.

The 4-day stay in HK didn't disappoint! It was worth it. ;-)

Letting Go

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:29:00 +0000

It is time to let go...

I know it won't be easy, but I have to move forward. I have to do this for myself. There's no backing out this time.

I will let go and let God. Amen.

Must Do

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 03:32:00 +0000

I really need to update this blog! It has been a long time since I last posted an entry here. It's because I'm so busy trying something new... Hahahaha!

Photo Credits: Elmar John Valmores

God bless us all.

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:25:00 +0000

Here comes typhoon Pepeng (international code name: parma) and it's a strong one.

Our Filipino brothers and sisters in Metro Manila and the nearby provinces haven't been healed yet of the trauma brought by typhoon Ondoy (international code name: ketsana) and here comes another one. So sad. There's nothing I can do now but pray for everyone's safety. :-(

If you were one of the lucky people who were spared of Ondoy's onslaught, I request you to share whatever you can. It's never too late. There are still thousands of victims who need our help. Any kind of help will be accepted and appreciated. For more information on how to help or donate, visit this link.

To my fellow Filipinos, there is still hope. We will survive! God bless us all.

M-I-A

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:12:00 +0000

I miss blogging. I've been MIA for a while.

There were so many things that happened these past few months. Ugh. I really don't want to think about the bad experience because until now, I'm still fighting the trauma. But since I'm trying to move forward and accept my fate, I'll share the story. Here it goes...

Last July, a thief broke into my apartment and stole my valuables - laptop, ipod, digicam, wallet, and jewelry. While I was sleeping, he was so busy "shopping" for free. Dang!!! I really don't want to think about the incident anymore. I just want to focus on the positive side. I am so thankful that the thief didn't stab me or shoot me to death while I was asleep. Thank God, I'm alive!!!

A few days after the incident, I transferred to a new apartment with Jan, Ron, Vanz, and Jam. I like the new apartment. It's spacious. The owners are also warm and accommodating. :-)

Last August, I went to Bohol. It was a tiring but exciting trip. I got to visit the famous places in Bohol such as the Chocolate Hills, the Loboc river, Panglao, Balicasag Island, etc. I met the cute Tarsier and Prony the Python. I went dolphin watching and snorkeling. The best thing about the trip was, I met new friends!

Bohol Trip Photos

I also had two trips to Manila. I've been there mostly for business. But these recent trips were all for leisure. I went to Tagaytay for the first time. I like the cold weather in that place. I wasn't happy with the food though. But nevertheless, I had so much fun in Tagaytay. We went horseback riding and even tried the zipline. Hehe!

While in Manila, I watched my brother's NCAA games. I acted like a stage sister. Oh well, I don't get to watch the games often so I needed to make the most out of it. Hahaha! What I enjoyed the most in MNL was shopping. I was shopping to my heart's content. Thanks to my dear sponsor. :-)

Manila-Tagaytay Photos

On my second Manila trip, we drove to Sta. Rosa, Laguna to visit the Enchanted Kingdom (EK). Unfortunately when we arrived there, we found out that EK is CLOSED on Mondays-Wednesdays. Boo! Major Losers! :-)

Despite the terrible Manila traffic, the bad weather, and the crowded MRT, I enjoyed my stay in Manila. As early as now, I am looking forward to go back there and visit Subic! Errr... That won't happen anytime soon because I run out of moolah. Hahahaha!

There'll be another long weekend coming. This time, I'll be off to the beach with my colleagues. Yehey, I can't wait for Saturday!

New Look!!!

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 10:20:00 +0000

I finally did it! After months of pondering, I went to the salon this afternoon and asked the hairdresser to cut my hair short. Voila! I love it...

You Like? :-)

Lee Min Ho

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:42:00 +0000

I am crazy for this guy...

Lee Min Ho ♥

Min Ho,

Ahnyong hasehyo!

I am your biggest fan. I'll follow you 'til you love me. I'm your papa, paparazzi. Kidding! Hehe!

I want to meet you...someday. :-)

*Hope my boyfriend won't be able to read this post. lol!

Addiction

noreply@blogger.com (lani) — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:01:00 +0000

I haven't been blogging lately. It's such a shame (as if I have something so relevant and interesting to share)! :-) I haven't even started writing about the Dumaguete trip. Dang!

I promise to find time. Promise! Fingers crossed.

To give you an idea of what's keeping me busy lately... tttaaadddaaa!!!

Welcome to Hacienda Akasha!

I am busy working at Farm Town. It's an addictive game on Facebook. I am loving it!!!

What's your latest addiction? :-)