GRATITUDE JOURNAL

Kyle in Wonderland

2012-02-01T02:01:00.010+08:00

It's hard to imagine... Is there a slow-mo or pause button somewhere? How did our second son Kyle who used to be like this...

turn out to be like THIS...

...in what seemed like a blur?

Here he is with 15 year old buddies during their Junior-Senior Prom at the Waterfront Hotel last Jan 29...

No, I wasn't a tag-along-mom. This pic of Kyle with his date was swiped from Mr. Suralta's album here.

Here are two more swiped pics of Kyle dancing (their rehearsed cha-cha. hehe)...

Two years ago, I wrote about my thoughts during our elder son Matt's prom... click here. I hope I'm getting better at this "letting go" thing. *sigh*

Midnight Surprise

2012-01-29T15:01:00.002+08:00

It happened minutes before midnight last January 18. From Toronto to Manila for a meeting, my brother made a 36-hour side trip to Cebu for a short (really really short!) visit. Our parents, who are now staying with my family, didn't have a clue that my brother was arriving that night.

I unlocked their bedroom door and Junnie snuck inside and lay down next to our Ma. She thought it was one of her grandkids so she gave more space but continued to sleep. Pa stood up and wobbly walked to the door and headed for the comfort room. I momentarily blocked his way.

"Ma, sino yan sa tabi nyo? (Ma, who's that next to you?)", I asked to pave the way for the reveal. Both she and Pa squealed upon seeing it was Junnie. LOL. Hilarious!

I love hearing them belly laugh like that! Props to Junnie for making that moment possible.

Straight from a delayed flight, younger brother Junnie with Ma and Pa

Role Reversal

2012-01-25T07:32:00.006+08:00

I learned to drive when I was in high school after Pa taught me one summer. He might have gotten tired of me pestering him about it. Yeah, I could be persistent like that. Pretty soon, Pa would let me drive our red hatchback to the grocery store, the church or a relative's house, on weekends. Getting behind the wheel then was exhilarating and felt like new-found freedom.

However, when the mishaps became often... like when I hit a parked Nova, a (parked!) motorcycle, our gate, and when I drove around the small village with the handbrake on... Pa decided to just send me to take formal lessons. Then I learned more about safe driving and road courtesy. Looking back, it's hard to imagine it was almost 30 years ago!

Pa has always owned a stick-shift vehicle. Now that he gets occasional debilitating gout attacks (blame bad diet), he wants to replace his old one with a car with automatic transmission. So yesterday, I invited him to test drive our car and went around IT Park.

30 years after I learned to drive, I find it amusing seeing Pa on the wheel and taking pointers from me. Hehe... I guess life just came full circle.

"Look to the left, then to the right"... Pa behind the wheel...

Backtrack - The Annual Assembly I Always Look Forward To

2012-01-22T00:02:00.003+08:00

Mid-year of 2011 brought about major changes on the home front. Some were planned and eagerly awaited, while some of the changes were not as welcome. Anyway...

The annual school assembly for parents and honor students of the previous academic year gather every June of the succeeding schoolyear for recognition. This assembly is something I jokingly tell my sons that I would want to keep attending every year. Haha! Pressure!

Last June 2011, our second son, Kyle, received his silver medal for his academic performance during the preceding schoolyear (when he was in 2nd year high school). It was a validation of all his hard work and a proud moment for all of us.

He is now in 3rd year high school and his grades are teetering between high and not so high. Hmm... Would he be going up the stage again for a medal come June 2012? I'm hoping and praying (because I'm certainly of no help) while he is currently battling it out in Chemistry and Geometry.

*breathe in-breathe out*

with proud maternal grannies

Backtrack - Why We Passed Up On Travel Plans in 2011

2012-01-21T07:57:00.010+08:00

It may not be much to some but for a family like ours who lived for 7.5 years with my in-laws, the next 7.5 years in our condo (a first acquisition back in 2000), and the next 4 years in a townhouse (after selling the condo), moving in to a modest house is surely an upgrade of sorts. Where before we only had 2 bedrooms, a tiny plot of garden and a single car garage, now we have more rooms and storage and slightly bigger spaces to move around and tend.

Here are a few pics during our move-in...

for luck right before moving in...

the first items we brought in...

minor finishing touches ongoing

no need for gates in this neighborhood

the kitchen was modified and made slightly bigger than the contractor's design

floor-to-ceiling cabinetry in the kitchen area because one could never have enough storage...

the ex-powder room, now toilet and bath

maple-colored closets in the blue room instead of having a huge dark piece of fixture

the living room, dining area, guest/tv room

This was a major project in 2011. And with it came more expenses too - amortizations, real property tax, insurance, maintenance and higher utility costs like power, water, etc. We all consciously remind ourselves to delay gratification and just live within a reasonable level. Not that we are the type to splurge but no outrageous expenses like designer bags, expensive trips or other doodads here for the time being. :)

Backtrack - Dinner with the Yus, Lims, Shrimskis and Rapeses

2012-01-20T22:56:00.004+08:00

The packed holiday schedule rendered us unable to join my in-laws (on my SIL's invitation) for dinner last December 29. I usually say yes to opportunities to bond with family and relatives like this one, (especially if it's dinner at Tin Gow! Haha!), but that was the same night we were at Marco Polo with 2 other families (the Khos and Villaruels) for an overnight stay...

When my SIL invited us again for dinner a few days later at Ginza, schedules were perfect and we made sure to go. Everyone was there and I could see Mommy enjoying the sight of her kids and grandkids (my Jake being the youngest... AND the most talkative in the bunch)... :)

Jake pretending to be a chef

one of 2 big tables for the clan :)

Mommy and my SILs and BIL

With my other SILs

my Jake and hubby

About a week prior to this night, we were invited to dinner at the Shrimskis' residence. And luckily, schedules were open for all parties to meet up.

Dinner was just perfect. Food was superb as everything was prepared by BIL, the now famous Chef Steve of Cebu. :) I think I had more than I should have. Tsk. That night, any resolve to eat in small portions just went out the window. :)

here with the Shrimskis...

Same Wavelength

2012-01-19T23:49:00.005+08:00

She's one of my BFFs and luckily for me, she understands my quirks pretty much as if she's family. I guess she is, in a parallel universe... My question is... because we are always on the same wavelength, must we also have the same fashion preference???

Here we are in one of our afternoon meet-ups dressed (coincidentally) in almost identical tops...

Turning a New Leaf

2012-01-15T01:11:00.004+08:00

It was a long drawn out plan. When our Pa underwent his quadruple bypass in 2002, Junnie and I, being the elder of 3 siblings, wanted to care for our parents as soon as possible. The plan was for Pa and Ma to start taking it easy given their age, to leave Manila (bid goodbye to pollution and traffic) and to just spend their time (if they so wish) shuttling between Canada and Cebu where my brother and I are based, respectively.

I guess Pa didn't want to do any major changes because he couldn't see himself leaving his brokerage business. It was (and continues to be) his comfort zone. We let him be but not without constantly worrying about them health-wise because of the effects of stress in business aggravated by uncontrolled diet...

So when Pa underwent an angioplasty, another heart procedure, in 2010, we all took it more seriously this time. We started the transition for their move to Cebu. A lot of things have happened from then until now but the short of it is, they're finally here with me.

Today being their first day at home, we took them out for an early dinner. We went around the city to see where the Sinulog festivities were. Our last stop for the night was at Radisson Blu where we shared pizza and watched the fireworks competition that could be seen from the nearby mall. I could tell from Pa and Ma's excited chatter (Ma's more particularly, hehe) that they are actually happy about this new chapter in their lives. Whatever reluctance they had with the move, is no longer apparent (I'd like to believe) so much so that Ma even wants to bring her piano to our home!

It wouldn't be easy getting along especially with our extreme personalities. There would be clashes as usual but for sure the good times would outnumber the bickerings. Crossing my fingers now. Haha!

As I peeked into the other room while they slept soundly and cuddled around each other like newlyweds, I could only think of one thing... what a blessing to be given this precious time to be with them! I wish everyone is given the same with his/her own. :)

a fitting welcome, fireworks to mark a new chapter :)

test

2012-01-12T00:47:00.001+08:00

testing iphone app...

School: Day 1 Casualty

2012-01-04T15:42:00.009+08:00

As a routine, I check Jake's school bag the moment I see him during dismissal. Today as in other days, I made sure he did not forget anything under his desk in his classroom. I looked for his assignment notebook specifically, because yes, he forgets sometimes... :)

I leafed thru his assignment notebook and found the result of his Q3 tests. I was elated when I saw he got good grades. As his immediate reward, he was allowed playtime for extra 20 minutes.

Okay, so his pencils were complete, his books and 10 notebooks too... Except for the food that he wiped out, his lunch bag still had everything in it, thankyouverymuch. The only thing out of the ordinary inside his bag was... his (now) bent METAL ruler. :P

And how is that even possible?

2012 - Off to a Great Start

2012-01-01T23:30:00.048+08:00

It was an eventful year. Like everyone, we / I have gone through so much. And thankfully, the good (always) prevailed, unless you are the type to look at the proverbial glass half-empty rather than half-full.

I have no resolutions written down (was never fond of doing that anyway), nor grand plans, but it is always my goal to be better (than I was in the past year). That alone gives me a lot to do, improve on, learn about for the next 364 days.

(To name a few, reviving my reading plan of the Bible is one of my to-dos. I have no problem with the New Testament. The challenge is in reading the Old Testament. I need to get past Leviticus (hehe) so I could complete reading from cover to cover. Another example, writing a blog post (on the first day of the new year and hopefully on a daily basis after a long hiatus) is one of the things I want to revive as well. Pressure! LOL)

2011 is now in the past. I bring with me all the lessons learned, new experiences and insights gained, and new (and reconnected) relationships made as I move forward to 2012.

And so far, day 1 has been good!

___

And what could be better than spending the first day of the year with family? Here are photos with the Rapes, Arreza, Matugas, Lim (my side and Jerry's) and Parrenas families...

the waiter / photog directed us to do a wacky pose

Mr. & Mrs. Parrenas with Mr. & Mrs. Arreza

here with my MIL, SILs and nephew

at my cousin's house

No Trips So Far

2011-09-21T09:52:00.000+08:00

Unlike last year when we visited several foreign destinations, 2011 proved to be a different one for me in terms of travel. This year, Jerry had business trips to Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia and (a forthcoming one for) USA, while I stayed put. Save for our short vacation spent locally in another city, I was mostly a homebody.

It was by choice that we had to forego spending for trips. We had a bigger expense to prepare for... worth more than touring the world as a family, if you ask me. Hehe. Like I've mentioned in a previous post, we just moved in to our new home. And nothing beats having a nice cozy place to come home to... at least for me... That's where part of our savings went.

Europe, USA, or neighboring Asian countries could wait... Next year perhaps?

Drive to SRP

2011-08-06T13:45:00.007+08:00

We had a short window to plan for a family vacation last summer. Matt, the eldest, only had mid-April up to May for school break while Kyle, the middle son, was in Xiamen from March up to May. That left us with barely a week to be complete as a family and enjoy each other's company before the start of school. With a few days before Matt flies back to Manila, we made sure to spend the limited time being together even if it meant simply sharing home-cooked meals or just driving around town.

One such place we drove to was the SRP (South Road Properties) in Cebu. Right now, it looks empty and massive, but it gives you an unobstructed view of the sea on one side and the mountains on the other side. Jerry once told me that Kawit Point used to be a small island but is now connected to mainland Cebu because of the SRP. Click here for "then and now" images. Hmm... I have mixed feelings about that. Anyway... SRP will soon be the site of the new SM, UP campus, Bigfoot, Citta di Mare residential area, to name a few.

We found a place to park and shoot some pictures. It was a clear and breezy day, just perfect for hamming it up with the cam.

coastal road

there is a place to have post-nup pics :) hehe...

... to sit and to enjoy the view

... or to watch boats sail by

... or to talk

... or in my boys' case, to just be crazy!

... or to get serious for a bit

And here's a pic of the whole gang, 4/5 of which will be missing Matt until his next Cebu trip.

Lemon Grass or Lemongrass?

2011-08-05T11:21:00.001+08:00

Googling it confuses me more as I see it written both ways. Anyway, the restaurant's name is Lemon Grass and it's where we were invited for dinner to celebrate our good friends Forden and Dahlia's birthdays last May (catch up entry #2 after almost 3 months!). I used to think their serving size was on the small side but after that night, I had a change of heart. The Vietnamese-Asian fusion dinner we had was actually filling and delicious.

I should give this resto another go soon. :)

Cindy in Cebu

2011-08-05T10:08:00.008+08:00

It took a looong time for me to post this and sadly, I have no excuse except for the "procrastination" bug that hit me. I haven't been actively blogging as of late. And save for the birthday greetings to family and friends to let them know they are in my thoughts on their special day, I haven't been posting as much status updates on my Twitter, FB or Google+ (yes I had the nerve to create yet another one) accounts. Social media burnout? I hope not. :)

After going through hundreds of entries from the very first time I started blogging in Oct. 2002 (that long ago!), I felt energized to up and start again. So here goes catch up entry #1.

Sometime in May, Cindy and her family spent a few days in Cebu. With my Jake and her kids in tow, we spent an afternoon chatting about stuff that covered, well, everything! We talked about family/kids, school, work, R&R, plans, health and errr... gossip. Hehehe. We practically lost track of time. And like always, stories would outlast our tall cups of coffee.

Cindy went to school with me (since Grade 5) at De La Salle Zobel. Although we saw each other in Manila last December 2010 and April 2011, this was one of the few times we talked one on one. Bottom line is, I'm glad all is going great with her.

Nothing beats sharing a hearty laugh and having a grand time with good company. If only her kids weren't excited to go for an afternoon swim at Radisson Blu, and if my Jake didn't run out of PSP power, Cindy and I would have gone chatting on and on and on like energizer bunnies. :P

Cindy and her kids with me and Jake

First Week

2011-06-23T14:00:00.009+08:00

We have moved a few times in the past. This was our 3rd. And each time, we are excited and hopeful that the new place would be better than the last. To those (few blog readers) not in the know, we lived with my mother-in-law for 7.5 years, then bought a condo and stayed there for 7.5 years. We sold the latter for a decent extra and bought a townhouse. Four years and one month later, we moved to this current one, a (condo-sized? :D) house... For how long we'll stay is another story, but we plan to stay put for as long as the space permits. :D

Barely 1 week from the time we moved in, I think I have rearranged the furniture quite a bit I hope I didn't cause any permanent damage to the flooring. :) So far, this is how part of the ground floor looks like...

standing from the main entrance, the living area is on the left, tv room on the right, dining area by the yellow wall, and partly hidden on the right is the kitchen

More pics to follow as soon as I'm done emptying the other boxes. :)

Crazy Happy Week

2011-06-17T08:30:00.004+08:00

We have just moved in to a new address. The house took over a year in the making. And as everyone is familiar with how much work that entails: prior, during and after the move itself, imagine my current state of mind. I still have a lot of sorting to do. Errr where do I even start? And what am I doing tapping this post when my boxes and clothes are a messy mound sitting next to me? Well, I call this a short break... hehe... just a quick "me" time to check out what's new online.

First off, I think I found a really good app to use for my Excel spreadsheet on my iPad. So far so good. Best part is it doesn't cost as much as the other similar apps with limited capabilities. I'm happily porting my finance and budget spreadsheets now and loving it. I will soon find out if its any good handling form 4868 tax extension or if it will meld with popular tax softwares.

For now, I'm going back to sorting my mess, unless I don't mind sleeping on them literally for another night. More posts and pics of the new nest to follow asap.

Goodbye Winter!

2011-06-01T16:00:00.003+08:00

Glory to God for Spring is Here
Toronto, Canada

"Glory To God In The Highest"

Glory to God in the highest, Glory to God in the highest, And peace to His people on earth Lord God, Heavenly King, Almighty God and Father We worship You We give You thanks We praise You for Your glory
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father Lord God, Lamb of God You take away the sins of the world Lord, have mercy on us You are seated at the right hand of the Father Receive our prayer
For You alone are the Holy One For You alone are the Lord For You alone are the Most High Jesus Christ With the Holy Spirit In the glory of God the Father
Amen

Gabby is now officially 3 ft tall! His full winter has allowed him to grow bigger but at the same time become more lovable in his mischievous ways. Since September, he bade goodbye to his 2 sets of lolos and lolas who left for the Philippines before the onset of the cold-er season.

Although Winter wasn't harsh this year, we still had enough snow to be able to sled. We had 4 or 5 major snow storms, the last one last Wednesday but the snow banks never reached more than Gabby's height. :) Now we're ready for Spring!

Expect more outdoor pics as we step out of our cabin fever and enjoy the sun!

Indeed Glory to God!

by Junnie

Playtime is Almost Over

2011-06-01T09:48:00.004+08:00

It's the first of June and we're now on the brink of summer vacation, right before school starts. And I just heard the collective groans of my sons, who are now glued to the digibox watching CSI, when they heard me say that. Heh, kids...

We have a long list of activities on the homefront lined up for the succeeding days and that doesn't even include school. A big move is happening and we may appear unflustered by it all but the undercurrent is such that I couldn't even begin to describe. To cut the story short, my parents are moving from Manila to Cebu. Now it's my turn to groan. Haha!

Just kidding on the "groan" part. This has been a long laid out plan we hatched since 2002 when my father underwent a quadruple bypass. They were hesitant to move and be under our care up until last year when Pa had to undergo yet another heart procedure, angioplasty.

Soooo... after a lot of talks and wavering in between, they are finally coming. More on this as the event unfolds.

For now, my boys and I are off to our second "happy" place to enjoy whatever little time remains before another happy chaos.

This coffeshop in the mall is where we hie off for Jake to play with other kids from his school :) while I sit and enjoy a cup of mocha.

His Own Man

2011-05-31T00:21:00.004+08:00

In less than 24 hours, eldest son is flying back to Manila for yet another trimester on his second year in the university. Although not as worrisome for me this time around compared with last year's episode of anxiety attack which lead me to palpitate and be subjected to 24-hours of holter monitoring, I'm now a bit more conditioned (I think... I hope...) and ready to be momentarily separated from him.

What makes me somewhat at ease is the thought that he has shown positive traits he wouldn't have easily learned if he were in Cebu conveniently enjoying the comforts of home and having nannies at his beck and call. Because Jerry and I bit the bullet and sent him off on his own, he has definitely become an independent young man who learned his responsibilities from experience, from the mundane task of keeping his shared condo and personal stuff clean and orderly to the more challenging task of managing his meager monthly allowance, plus grown up stuff he has to deal with on top of maintaining good grades.

Tomorrow, when I send him off, my thoughts won't dwell much on being worried that he'd be away (again), because I know (and I pray) he could take care of himself. Sure, I would miss him badly, but I would be more excited looking forward to his next homecoming.

Matthew, posing as if to say: "Who's hotter?" :)

A Visit Like No Other

2011-05-27T22:11:00.007+08:00

We treated her to dinner for her birthday last December. And because she is not well enough to venture outside the confines of her bedroom, we marked this special day in May by a visit to her place. It's been a long time, it seems, since I saw her last.

Mommy sat quietly as Jerry and our sons told her stories about work, school, our recent vacation in Manila with my side of the family, and other family updates. We showed her pictures as well. Despite the limiting effects of her illness, she would laugh at the stories, occasionally ask questions or contribute to the conversation. I just sat by the edge of her bed and took the whole scene in and savored the moment... It's really been a long time since my last visit to her house. We stayed here during the first seven years of our marriage. This is where 2 of our 3 sons spent their toddler years. And for that, we will forever be indebted to her.

When it was time for us to leave, we greeted her again a happy mothers' day. Jerry and the kids went ahead of me. I bent to hug her and then kissed her cheek. This lady, I do love and respect. The very same who molded Jerry to the person that he is today. She has no mean bone and I have very high regard for her. And before I could turn to leave, she held me lightly and whispered in my ear: "Thank you so much for coming".

After visiting my MIL, we had dinner at Red Kimono to mark the occasion.

From the Same Mold

2011-05-21T02:36:00.003+08:00

In a gathering of relatives, it is common to hear greetings accompanied by: "Ang taba / payat mo ngayon!" ("You look fat / thin"). It is such a prevalent practice especially coming from the elder generation that I fear (but I hope not) it has become part of our Pinoy culture. Sometimes I would nudge my mother after she had remarked something like that. To which she would tell me later on, "I meant that as a compliment!". Probably... but to the recipient of such a comment, it might come off negatively.

Anyway...

Fortunately, I didn't hear any of that when we went to attend a wake for Jerry's maternal uncle. After the customary (re)introduction of our boys, the aunts would say "He is tall / big / handsome!" (said in Fookien which Jerry promptly translated for me). That certainly had a good ring to my ears. There was one comment though that stood out, not because it was negative, but because it was amusing.

Jerry's aunt, upon seeing 7yo Jake, squealed: "Hey look! Jake is like his Papa Jerry when he was that age!" Haha! That was cute. I guess she said it several times as she stared at my boy smilingly. Really? And I've always thought Jake had rounded eyes like mine! Hmmm...

Now it's like when I look at my son, I get a visual of how my hubby looked like back then. And I would tease Jake about it just to humor myself. As a response, he would wrinkle his nose and give me a naughty grin which is very...uhh... Jerry...

clone?

Who's copying who?

Son teaches Pa some tricks for Angry Birds. LOL

Why I Can't Be A Paparazzi

2011-05-16T21:35:00.007+08:00

Paparazzi shot of the paparazzi wannabe

When it comes to photography, it's hit-or-miss for me with the point-and-shoot camera and even more so with the dslr. However, no matter what the outcome is, I still am fond of taking photos especially if they're of travels, family, friends and occasions I want to preserve (digitally). Some enthusiasts I know have chosen their particular niche in photography: fashion, food, landscape, nature, celebrity, etc.... I have actually dabbled in some. And where there is amateurish or not so stellar pic after taking the shot, there is "post-processing" to the rescue. Somehow, I still end up with decent looking photos (for my taste) worthy of a space in my Flickr account and in my blog.

One day at Maxim's while enjoying a tall glass of iced mocha at Cafe Au Lait, I chanced upon a celebrity a few meters away from where I was sitting with my family. My immediate reaction was to reach for my point-and-shoot camera, check the settings and take a shot. I had about a few seconds to do just that, and without hesitation, I aimed at her. Click, click, click.

The pics I took were as good as shooting blanks except for one. At best, you could make out a human form in the pic. Sadly, no amount of post-processing could help you identify who this is... Who would even believe I saw Lea Salonga with her daughter that day?

At least I was able to capture the smiles of my fam at Cafe Au Lait. :)

Maxim's

Here with Matt

Have You Tried Coupon or Voucher Hunting Lately?

2011-05-11T23:48:00.001+08:00

It's not entirely a new thing. Wikipedia says "Coupons first saw widespread use in the United States in 1909". These days, there is a proliferation of companies that sell coupons or vouchers, that entitle the buyer to discounts. Examples are Ensogo, Deal Grocer, Metro Deal, Cash Cash Pinoy, Crazy Deals etc. (This is not a sponsored or paid post, btw).

It's the new marketing medium now as these vouchers market stuff that you normally would patronize. Good for people (like me) who love eating out when schedules or funds permit. Like fish to water, I naturally signed up for these and now get daily email notification about discounted stuff.

I watch out for discounts from restaurants, resorts, and hotels. However, before I buy, I do a bit of research to see if the discounts are the real deal. Some establishments would package an offer like it's value for money when in fact, it's their regular price.

During our recent stay in Manila, we were able to use pre-purchased vouchers from 2 providers: Deal Grocer vouchers which entitled us to 50% discount for a 4-course dinner for 2 at Ilustrado (used 2 for our party of 6), and Ensogo vouchers for Italian lunch at Il Ponticello and Chinese dinner at Henry's Place on Burgos Circle. Both restos gave us to 50% discount as well. Not bad for a peso-pinching Mom like me. It's like happy-hour at Starbucks where they give you 50% off from 12-2pm for a week (which I missed because I preferred to have my frap for free using HSBC's promo... but I digress).

And I just read that Ensogo has introduced Cebu deals just recently. I hope the other companies would soon follow. The more (discounts) the merrier.

Henry's Place by Good Earth

Il Ponticello

*Thumbs-up for the food and service at Henry's Place and Il Ponticello.

Aquatica

2011-05-11T10:22:00.005+08:00

If there's anything that I feel was the highlight of our Manila Ocean Park visit, it was the Aquatica musical fountain show. It was a 25-30 minute spectacular mix of light, water and music/sound, making for an awesome show for the whole family. It costs P250 (weekdays) or 300 (weekends, holidays) per ticket.

At the time of our visit, they had a P99/ticket promo if you signed up at their website - a huge discount if you ask me. It would have cost us quite a sum had it not been for the promo that we were fortunate to take advantage of. Because of that, even the extended family with nephew, niece and nannies were with us to watch. LOL.

For those who have seen Sentosa's Songs of the Sea, Aquatica is very much like it for a fraction of the cost (even without the promo tickets). Or it's like a more animated version of the complimentary Bellagio musical fountain show, but you would have to be in Las Vegas for this. And that's another story.