GRATITUDE JOURNAL

Sydney Hop On Hop Off

2012-05-31T21:58:00.000+08:00

I was told the weather was gloomy the past days, but for some reason, the clouds cleared during the only day Jerry had some free time. We had a limited window before he needed to leave for the cocktail event that night. Thus, we had to cram some sightseeing as much as we could and bought tickets for the combined Sydney-Bondi hop-on hop-off tour.

*Tourist-mode / Paparazzi-mode on*

We're getting better at this jump shot thingie, don't you think?

A First Timer Down Under

2012-05-31T21:15:00.003+08:00

By some stroke of luck, I was given a chance to go on a trip down under to join my husband who was to attend the CeBIT in Australia, in place of D. Although time was tight (as we were coming in from Siargao on May 18 and the flight to Sydney was on May 20th), we made adjustments to accommodate the last minute travel plans. It was to be a first trip to Australia for the two of us... yey! And... there were no kids in tow. LOL.

The flight was about 8 hours from Manila via PAL. And since it was the start of winter in that part of the globe, I worried whether I packed enough.

We got to Sydney at almost 7pm and the arrival area was crowded. The airport was okay and not far from how our own NAIA2 looks, IMO. There was no queue by the taxi terminal so we were on our way to Ibis Hotel in no time. The lady at the front desk graciously greeted us and said they gave Jerry a room facing the Darling Harbour.

Nice!

Jerry went down to buy something from Oporto (if I remember right) near our hotel and when he came back, he brought some salad. It was not a big portion but we shared nonetheless. Ah yes! I realized I was already hungry after the irregular meal times inflight. "How much is this?", I asked (my brain on peso default started to convert), and I almost choked on the lettuce when I heard "10 AUD".

--------

The view of Darling Harbour from the hotel room window...

...at sunset...

...at night...

...and during the day...

Not Quite Ready To Go

2012-05-30T04:40:00.000+08:00

On our remaining days in Siargao, we opted to stay put and have our own family photoshoot. Our venues were the town plaza which they call "boulevard", Mama Sol's (my maternal aunt) beach house and of course at Junnie's beachfront.

We had several cameras on hand which is why it was more difficult to have everyone in one shot. Luckily, we had Lolong who gladly took our shots at the boulevard. As for the beach, the timer doesn't help much when you have the sand and sea making your run to your post quite a challenge. So we settled by taking turns being the paparazzi.

Here are the choice pics of the bunch:

Pa and Ma, looking good together at 70 and 73 years old :)

And though we were not too keen to go, this post closes our Siargao sojourn for now. We have lots of happy memories, hard and digital copies of great times that will fill our family conversations until our next adventure.

Magpupungko - Beach, Tide Pool or Rock Formation?

2012-05-28T17:47:00.000+08:00

It's actually all of three.

Magpupungko is in the municipality of Pilar, a good hour's drive from General Luna. There is a P50 entrance fee that is a very small price to pay for a fantastic view of the beach, the rock formations and the tidal or rock pools that appear only during low tide.

Wearing beach shoes is advisable as the area leading to the rock pools is rough. These pools vary in depth and can be as deep as 18 feet. It is safer for kids to stay near the fringes where it is shallow and more suited for wading / swimming. The view under is lovely. It is best to have snorkels and goggles because there are colorful schools of fish and corals similar to what can be seen when diving or snorkeling.

It started cloudy that day with a light drizzle, but as soon as we got to Magpupungko, the weather got better and was a treat. Being there was one of the highlights of our trip. We all had fun swimming and taking in the beauty of the scenery up until the tide began to come in - our cue that it was time for the rock pools to disappear again...

While on the road to Magpupungko, we chanced upon a jeepney on its way to another town. Overcrowded is an understatement for this jeep

Some parts of the road are being improved...

And another jeepney filled to the rafters...

Family pic by the rock pools and the rock formation

With the extended family

Pics do not justify the beauty of the place

A closer look at the smiling faces...

The beach when the rock pools disappear during high tide

A Piece of Heaven

2012-05-28T15:46:00.002+08:00

This is just a piece of heaven which we experienced while in Siargao, May 2012.

by Junnie

Pansukian Island

2012-05-26T20:39:00.000+08:00

It was formerly called Pansukian Island. Now it is more commonly referred to as "Naked Island" by the locals and visitors. Wikipedia describes Pansukian as: "Off to the right, well within the massive coastal reef, lies a shining white sand bar, (Pansukian, or Naked island) some 200 meters long. The tide of Siargao is diurnal with tidal curves typically present, especially on the east coast of the island.

The Island's Pacific-facing reefs are situated on the edge of the Philippine Trench, and the extremely deep offshore waters assure the ocean swells have undiluted power when they encounter the many coral and rock reefs."

Getting to Pansukian by boat from General Luna, Siargao takes about 15 minutes. From Dako Island, which is nearer to the former, it took us shorter than that. It was our last stop for the day to complete our island hopping trip. And because we wanted to get back to General Luna before sunset, we wasted no time. After the short play and swim session, we took photos like the day wouldn't be complete without it.

Approaching Pansukian Island / Naked Island

The hardworking bangkero...

Guyam appears like a small dot in the middle of the 2 islands. Dako Island is on the right...

The approximate length of the entire sandbar

Photo op: Ready....

... 1 ...

... 2 ...

... 3! ... (Nilipad! LOL)

Dako Island

2012-05-21T20:58:00.003+08:00

I was excited but was also mumbling prayers while our boat cruised from Guyam Island to our next stop: Dako Island. It really didn't help knowing that we were out in the open sea near the Philippine Deep. Haha! Scaredy-cat!

Dako Island is bigger than Guyam. Thus, the former's name literally means "big" in the dialect. One side of it has sudden drops with depths not safe for frolicking kids.

On our way from this side of Dako... (tiny Guyam in the background)

... to this side which is just awesome! Powdery fine white sand...

The boys enjoyed their dip

...while Pa did business on the phone. Yes, Globe reaches Dako Island. :)

A little fun with seaweeds after the business call

And here we are (okay okay, just me) looking "dako" too. LOL

Next stop: Naked Island
Photo credits: Junnie, Mitzi, Matt and Pa(parazzi)

Guyam Island

2012-05-21T18:37:00.001+08:00

After attending a town fiesta in Siargao where we had lunch, we went island hopping. Following are pictures and commentaries:

The boys eagerly wait for the rest of our group to board

Here is part of the group fronting our cousin's place while making our way to the boat. My Pa is the one with the red towel. For some reason I was scared of treading on the boardwalk... visions of me tripping and falling off into the deep kept flashing through my mind (*shudder*). Look at how I was clutching Jerry's shoulder to his amusement. Ha-ha!

This is where we were headed - Guyam Island. It is an uninhabited tropical island with pristine white sandy beach surrounding some coconut trees. It is about 5-10 minutes away from Gen. Luna depending on the boat speed.

I love seeing nice beaches, but I am not too fond of riding a (small) boat to get there. What a worrywart I'm turning into. Tsk!

Despite the fretting (lol), I wouldn't exchange the beautiful scenery and being with my favorite boys, and spending time with other loved ones, for anything.

With my son, brother and nephew here

Next stop: Dako Island
Photo credits: Junnie, Mitzi, Matt and Pa(parazzi)

Gen. Luna - A Reacquaintance

2012-05-17T16:25:00.000+08:00

My mother is from an island in the northeastern tip of Mindanao, called Siargao Island, from a town called Gen. Luna. The last time we've been to the place was a long time ago in 1997. And I was curious to see how much it has changed since then. So when my brother planned on visiting, my family and I decided to go as well. I booked tickets online with Cebu Pacific way in advance as the flights easily get full (small plane).

Back in the day, we had to fly to Surigao City and then take about 2 hours of ferry ride to Siargao Island. Now it is more convenient. The flight is short and flies directly to the island's airport.

The airport...

This lunch spread greeted us upon arrival

This made me want to eat with my bare hands

Our first stop after the delicious home-cooked lunch was Ma's ancestral house which is a short drive away from where my aunt and brother's beach properties are. My aunt has converted it to a day care but the house still retains its aged charm.

At the azotea

All 12 of us by the steps leading to the dining room

And because summer days are long and time seems slower in the province, we went to see the world-famous Cloud 9, reputed to be "the best surf break (a barrelling right-hander) in the Philippines".

Homeward-bound...

A Not So Secret Destination

2012-05-17T11:14:00.000+08:00

I love summer breaks. It's the biggest block of free time in a year when we get to see places with family without eating up school time.

After our Hongkong / Macau trip and a few days stopover in Manila, which I chronicled here...

After Two Years
Wasting No Time
Day 2: Hollywood Hotel
Day 2: Checking Out Toy Story Land
What Remained of Day 2
Shopping and Xiao Long Bao
Macau Sightseeing
Manila Stopover

... we were off to another trip, this time, to my mother's province in Mindanao.

boardwalk made by our cousins' family fronting the property

rural life...

The boys at Guyam Island

Guyam Island

This place is called Dako Island... Ha! It could very well be a description too of ME after days of eating fresh and yummy food

This is just the intro... More on the lovely places of General Luna, Cloud 9, Guyam Island, Dako Island, Naked Island and Magpupungko on my succeeding posts. :)

Happy Mothers On Their Special Day

2012-05-16T13:49:00.001+08:00

This mom, with her precious boys, was extra happy on Mothers' Day...

... because there were 3 other special moms celebrating with her. Junnie and his family and parents-in-law flew in to Cebu on Mothers' Day weekend. We celebrated in advance at Tides in Shangrila, Mactan using previously bought buffet dinner coupons. :D

Manila Stopover

2012-05-15T21:14:00.001+08:00

We had a few days to spend in Manila after our HK-Macau trip. It was the best time to cool down, see places we haven't been to and meet up with relatives before flying back to Cebu.

Perfect timing, as well, that Junnie and his family just arrived from Toronto for a vacation. So here we were on the day we were all in one place... after quite some time of being in different parts of the world.

Macau Sightseeing

2012-05-14T17:59:00.000+08:00

Before bidding Kowloon Island adieu, we had one more breakfast at Cafe de Coral. As usual, the food didn't disappoint and Jerry was the happiest camper of all. LOL. No wonder this is a favorite resto of many. We were filled enough for another day of sightseeing.

After a short cab ride with all our bags in tow, we were at the Cotai Jet terminal, ready for 1.5 hours of ferry ride to Macau.

Soon enough, we arrived at our destination. The boys were impressed at the sight of the Venetian bus that we took to the hotel for free. Their eyes glowed even brighter when they stepped inside the Venetian Hotel itself. Seeing them ogle at the sight as first-timers, amused me. The rest of the afternoon was spent on a do-it-yourself tour (via cab rides) of the Temple, Macau Tower, St. Paul ruins and Largo de Senado...

Shopping and Xiao Long Bao

2012-05-10T14:06:00.004+08:00

I realized you can't rely on web pics if you're looking for a hotel accommodation. I should have checked out alternative sites that offered vacation rentals or Airbnb. Though it didn't detract from having a memorable adventure, it was a lesson learned. If there's anything positive about the hotel we were staying at (looking at our proverbial glass half full), it is its proximity to the shopping area. Day 3 was reserved for a little bit of shopping and xiao long bao.

After a relaxed breakfast at Cafe de Coral, which was a few steps away from our hotel, we walked to Harbour City. We spent most of the afternoon there doing our thing. The boys were on a hunt for a nice pair of shoes. Jake and I were at Starbucks where he spent the time playing with Lego while I checked out the nearby displays for novelty and gift items.

With my eldest son...

No success for the boys at Harbour City so we went to Causeway Bay to try their luck there. :) And to fuel another round of walking, we had dinner at Crystal Jade... XLB!

The hunt...

They found what they were looking for...

Ready to call it a day...

What Remained of Day 2

2012-05-10T13:02:00.003+08:00

Our day was far from over even after all the activities we had (queueing for rides plus all the walking around) at Disneyland. After taking a cab from Hollywood Hotel to a smaller hotel in Kowloon Island where we stayed for 2 nights, we still had enough time and energy to spare and to see the sights at Kowloon/Hong Kong until nightfall.

Around Kowloon

My eldest son and I managed to just slip into a fresh set of clothes before taking the Star Ferry ride to Hong Kong Island. We wanted to see the Victoria Harbour at daytime.

Last stop, and to cap our day, we walked the length of the Avenue of Stars and watched the Symphony of Lights show.

It was a day well spent. We plopped right onto bed the minute we got back to the hotel. We were exhausted after a lot of walking... exhausted... but happy.

Day 2: Checking Out Toy Story Land

2012-05-06T21:04:00.004+08:00

According to its official website, Hong Kong Disneyland first opened Toy Story Land last November 2011. Perfect timing for Jake... It is relatively new so we planned to check it out first on our second day at the park.

Pics of some of the rides the boys tried. I only did the parachute drop where I think I died a little. Haha. It was like free-falling but slower and more controlled if there's such a thing.

Showing off the cd-r king laptop bag (bought for about P600) which I used to hold stuff plus bottles of water. It miraculously survived the rough handling during the entire day. After the beating, I'm now convinced my laptop and iPad are safe in it. LOL.

Day 2: Hollywood Hotel

2012-05-06T08:59:00.004+08:00

The weather was just perfect for a day of fun... Well, it was warm and dry in Hong Kong in the morning (rainy in the afternoon) so we had enough time to enjoy our breakfast at the hotel diner and to have nice photos taken around Hollywood Hotel before going to the park for Day 2.

Compared with Disneyland Hotel where we stayed, about three years ago, Hollywood Hotel appealed more to young adults because of its Hollywood theme... none of the Victorian elegance and fairy tale look of the former normally preferred by the kiddie set.

Wasting No Time

2012-05-06T00:59:00.004+08:00

Our itinerary remained the same, notwithstanding the 2-hour delayed departure plus the rainy weather upon arrival in Hong Kong. First stop was Disney's Hollywood Hotel where we stayed for day one.

We had less than 3 hours before Disneyland's closing time. After a quick check-in and after packing hoodies to shield us from the drizzle, we were on a shuttle that would take us to the "happiest place on earth" .

To make the most of the little time left, we rode the boat in Adventureland, had dinner at Main Street and saw the fireworks display. And despite the threatening bad weather, we were glad it didn't rain on our parade, pun intended.

After Two Years

2012-05-05T09:17:00.002+08:00

The last trip out of the country we had as a family was back in 2010 when we visited Singapore during the boys' summer break. In 2011, we opted to stay in town for the summer vacation because we were incomplete. The middle son was away to participate in an immersion trip in Xiamen, China.

This year, because the boys are in one place, we embarked on a short trip out of the country. Luckily, we were able to avail of HSBC's promo that allowed all 5 of us to travel for free (base fare only) via Cathay Pacific and Dragonair. As a bonus, we were able to avail too of the perks of Citibank that gave us lounge access even if we were not traveling on business or first class. Sweet!

Although departure time was delayed for 2 hours and Hong Kong's weather was rainy and gloomy when we arrived, this vacation was destined to become another memorable adventure for us.

Looks like Jake is the most excited of all :)

I Would If I Could

2012-05-05T08:41:00.004+08:00

It's either something must be in Hong Kong or Macau's air that makes these boys want to jump or they are jumping for joy, too happy to be with family. :)

We're now back from a recent 5D-4N trip to Hong Kong and Macau and I couldn't wait to post the photos. If only I could choose which ones out of the hundreds we took...

It's Springtime!

2012-05-01T06:18:00.001+08:00

by Junnie

Random Affairs

2012-04-29T12:06:00.007+08:00

How do you catch up with cousins who are based in Geneva, Toronto and Doha? How do you meet with friends after not seeing each other for a while due to busy schedules? How do you spend time with relatives based in different cities in the Philippines? Doable but not easy. The amusing thing is, I got to see most of them in one day and saw relatives in another city a plane ride away.

Sometimes, unplanned get-together or chance meetings turn out better than painstakingly organized events. :)

All in good time...

--- At Starbucks Ayala Center Cebu ---

--- At Shi Lin, Alabang Town Center, for lunch ---

these two boys had a funny story (about their orders)... lol!

--- At Cibo, Alabang Town Center, for coffee and desserts ---

Philippine Landmarks Made of Lego

2012-04-29T00:30:00.003+08:00

On display at the Northwing Atrium of the SM City Cebu is a 30 x 20 ft. map of the Philippines made of Lego. And more interesting than the map itself are the famous Philippine landmarks rendered in these colored bricks.

This is a fun way to showcase the beauty of the Philippines which everyone (not just the Lego aficionados) might enjoy seeing. The exhibit runs from April 21 to May 10, 2012.

Paoay Church and Bangui Windmills, Ilocos

Banaue Rice Terraces

Fort Santiago and Luneta

The tarsier and the Chocolate Hills

San Juanico Bridge, Samar and Leyte

Subterranean River, Palawan

The Pearl Farm, Davao

Siargao Island

Sitankai Houses, Tawi-tawi

Plaza Independencia, Sto. Nino Basilica, Magellan's Cross

The Shangri-la Hotel

The Radisson Blu Hotel

And of course, after viewing the miniature Philippine landmarks, we had our afternoon fill of pastries and bread at Leona's :)

20th Anniversary

2012-04-25T18:05:00.022+08:00

My thoughts on our 20th year of union...

Less me...

...more we

“Married couples who love each other
tell each other a thousand things
without talking.”
(Chinese Proverb)

"A great marriage is not when the 'perfect couple' come together.
It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences."
(Dave Meurer)

"Don't marry the person you think you can live with;
marry only the individual you think you can't live without."
(Dr. James C. Dobson)

"Whatever our souls are made of,
his and mine are the same."
(Emily Bronte)

The 20-year couple...

...and there's our youngest "squeezing" himself in the pic

@->---

That was the first installment of pics during our 20th anniversary celebration at the Marco Polo Hotel with the boys...

The celebration continues!

Pushing Our Weight Around - Week 1

2012-04-23T15:36:00.002+08:00

Relenting to the request of my teenage sons to enroll them in a fitness program, my hubby and I decided to join them. We got 1 month unlimited access just to find out if they would be able to sustain it. You see, I was thinking it would just be another flash in the pan and they would eventually get bored with the routine. Also, it would be quite challenging to stay on course while having all kinds of distraction like seeing friends, going on trips, playing online, watching movies etc...

Surprisingly, week 1 was good. We only missed a day to celebrate our 20th anniversary. The rest of the days we were sweating it out on the cardio and toning machines for an hour and a half per visit. When one of us was feeling lazy, there were 3 others who would egg everyone to go. Thankfully, it has worked for us. Plus, it has become a good time to bond with the elder sons.

Truth be told, I'm actually loving this new daily activity. It's something I would like to keep doing with the boys beyond the 1 month access. Whether they like being seen with me in the gym or not, might be a different story though. Ha-ha. For now, on to week 2 of family time and fitness...