There and Back Again
Book in Hand: The Romanov Prophecy by Steve Barry
Song in Mind: As I Lay Me Down to Sleep
SO TOTALLY TIRED.
Anyway. My real story is that I just got back from a very long business trip which turned out to be 90% leisure for me. Not that it wasn't serious work, it was just that I enjoyed it too much even if it was flat dead exhausting. Armed with a camera, took some pics and some of them turned out okay. Most of the best pics though came from other people's camera because, shemps, kasama ako pag sila ang kumukuha! :)
Me fiddling with the camera. Eman taking the shot.
FIRST AIRPLANE RIDE
I was pretty sure that I wasn't the type to get dizzy in a plane. But at least I'm really very sure about it now. :) It was loads of fun! Like riding a super cool bus that takes you up and above and through the clouds. I swear, it's like a whole new world up there. All puffy shapes and blurry colors... nothing of the harshness we oft see down here. Wished I could stay up there longer.
Yes, we were the rowdy kind to have actually stopped to take a picture before boarding the plane.
METRO CEBU
Nothing special. I'm sorry to all Cebuanos out there, but Cebu failed to charm my socks off. Given that I only saw the city, which for all appearances is just like METRO MANILA, nothing out there grabbed, squeezed and captured my heart. We went to a myriad of cooperatives, hoping we could pattern one of our programs after one of them. Tiring to the bones. The hotel we stayed in was just barely decent so there was no real rest there either. The one thing buoying our spirits up were the company we kept.
LRO Team, the best. :)
FERRY RIDE CEBU TO TAGBILARAN CITY, BOHOL
Wwe rode on the view deck area by sheer luck. It was the best thing about Cebu -- leaving it behind. And of course, coasting the open sea. On board, the team disregarded any form of decorum or politeness and sang our lungs out with Paparudz acting as head guitar man and Sir Robby as the "promotor".
PapaRudz, the guitar man, and the LRO choir.
Peekaboo Tertz and her faithful sidekick, Moon-Faced Olly.
BOHOL
Happiness at first sight!
You can feel the air, there were trees! Oh joy!
After two sticky hours on the ferry, we were amazed to see the coaster the Bohol ARM Program team rented for us. No more jampacked vans, no more alternating butts -- here, ladies and gentlemen -- is a real traveling vehicle.
Cooling off with one of those bottomless bukos... swear, wala siyang kinalamang pagkaubos!
Everyone showed off their snobbish side when asked to pose ala-model. And I'm the only dolt looking at the camera.
Back to our usual selves --- CHEESE!
That ain't no bat --- it's a real, true-to-goodness tarsier I fondly named Tumay.
And can I say that even shopping is way better in Bohol! Things were less pricier and more unique. Fell in love with that place talaga. After a long day, we ate at Jo's Chicken Inato and then proceeded to our hotel for the night at Panglao Beach!! :) Coolness!
PANGLAO BEACH
Once, Norman commented that I wasn't a beach-person. I agreed. Because I don't like crowded beaches, and dirty sand and itchy crotches because of the dirty sea water. But I had never been in Panglao either, so I don't even regret taking back my words. If every beach was like that (they say Samal Island and Boracay is even better), then I would gladly be a beach bum for all of my life.
Seashore dotted with seashells... beachcomber's delight!
Pretty Spot On the Sand Under the Sun
Woke up very early the next day to read Harry Potter 6 by the shore. Then I proceeded to comb the beach for shells and pretty stones (got loads!). Then I had a quick dip in the ocean. I thought that was it, and I would've gone home happy. But Ian insisted that we go snorkeling as well. I was a bit hesitant because it seemed and awful lot of bother and time was kinda short already. We had to check out by 1:00 and be at the airport by 4 pm. We went ahead anyway.
Outside our cottage, we girls took a final picture --- minsan lang 'to!
Last week, I told you about the big waves I met in Camarines Sur. The waves we surfed through going to Balicasag Island were larger still. For a second or two, I was definitely scared. But when we reached the snorkeling area, I realized it was well worth it : it was my first time to snorkel and to actually see the bottom of the ocean. Such pretty corals and colorful fish! Tama si Gilda -- ang galing talaga ni GOD!
On the way to Balicasag Island --- note that my life vest just won't fit.
Out to sea and pretty as you please (from l-r: Barely There Ian, Post-sneeze Eman, Rapunzel-Medusa Hybrid Livia, Aye-aye Captain Sir Robby, Tiny Tim Jing, and Wet Wet Wet Tertz)
OO NA! Mahangin Talaga sa Dagat!
Going back, I didn't mind the huge waves anymore. Unfortunately, we didn't have an underwater cam. But I believe I could've died happy anyway. Ang ganda talaga!
HOME AGAIN
When it was finally time to go home, I cannot help but feel remorseful. SHOOT! I want to stay here forever! But since I have no handy fairy godmother at my behest, I had to get back on the plane and go back to Manila.
There was something there though, when I saw the city lights of Manila as we were landing. I felt a tug at my heart which I was surprised to learn was joy as well. After all the traveling, the excitement and adventure --- nothing feels better than being home.
The swelling, smog-encased, filthy city that is Manila still proves to be where my heart belongs. I think because I don't know how to love any other place I've never grown up in.
After all's been said and done ---- I'm home.
And I'm glad.
Burnt and Beaming
Song in Mind: As I Lay Me Down to Sleep
SO TOTALLY TIRED.
Anyway. My real story is that I just got back from a very long business trip which turned out to be 90% leisure for me. Not that it wasn't serious work, it was just that I enjoyed it too much even if it was flat dead exhausting. Armed with a camera, took some pics and some of them turned out okay. Most of the best pics though came from other people's camera because, shemps, kasama ako pag sila ang kumukuha! :)
Me fiddling with the camera. Eman taking the shot.
FIRST AIRPLANE RIDE
I was pretty sure that I wasn't the type to get dizzy in a plane. But at least I'm really very sure about it now. :) It was loads of fun! Like riding a super cool bus that takes you up and above and through the clouds. I swear, it's like a whole new world up there. All puffy shapes and blurry colors... nothing of the harshness we oft see down here. Wished I could stay up there longer.
Yes, we were the rowdy kind to have actually stopped to take a picture before boarding the plane.
METRO CEBU
Nothing special. I'm sorry to all Cebuanos out there, but Cebu failed to charm my socks off. Given that I only saw the city, which for all appearances is just like METRO MANILA, nothing out there grabbed, squeezed and captured my heart. We went to a myriad of cooperatives, hoping we could pattern one of our programs after one of them. Tiring to the bones. The hotel we stayed in was just barely decent so there was no real rest there either. The one thing buoying our spirits up were the company we kept.
LRO Team, the best. :)
FERRY RIDE CEBU TO TAGBILARAN CITY, BOHOL
Wwe rode on the view deck area by sheer luck. It was the best thing about Cebu -- leaving it behind. And of course, coasting the open sea. On board, the team disregarded any form of decorum or politeness and sang our lungs out with Paparudz acting as head guitar man and Sir Robby as the "promotor".
PapaRudz, the guitar man, and the LRO choir.
Peekaboo Tertz and her faithful sidekick, Moon-Faced Olly.
BOHOL
Happiness at first sight!
You can feel the air, there were trees! Oh joy!
After two sticky hours on the ferry, we were amazed to see the coaster the Bohol ARM Program team rented for us. No more jampacked vans, no more alternating butts -- here, ladies and gentlemen -- is a real traveling vehicle.
Cooling off with one of those bottomless bukos... swear, wala siyang kinalamang pagkaubos!
The men in our unit pretending they're the Pinoy Fantastic Five (from l-r: the Amazing Sleeveless Robby, LastikEman, The Tank, Long-Haired Gelly and the Dark Side of the Sun-Ian.
We rode all the way to Carmen, and the only thing I can say is that --- Bohol is infinitely lovelier than Cebu. On the way, we passed the Blood Compact Marker, the oldest stone Church in the Philippines and ---- hooray! --- the Chocolate Hills. We even had our lunch there. And I, the blob that I am, pushed my way up the two hundred steps to the viewing point just to get these pictures!Everyone showed off their snobbish side when asked to pose ala-model. And I'm the only dolt looking at the camera.
Back to our usual selves --- CHEESE!
That ain't no bat --- it's a real, true-to-goodness tarsier I fondly named Tumay.
And can I say that even shopping is way better in Bohol! Things were less pricier and more unique. Fell in love with that place talaga. After a long day, we ate at Jo's Chicken Inato and then proceeded to our hotel for the night at Panglao Beach!! :) Coolness!
PANGLAO BEACH
Once, Norman commented that I wasn't a beach-person. I agreed. Because I don't like crowded beaches, and dirty sand and itchy crotches because of the dirty sea water. But I had never been in Panglao either, so I don't even regret taking back my words. If every beach was like that (they say Samal Island and Boracay is even better), then I would gladly be a beach bum for all of my life.
Seashore dotted with seashells... beachcomber's delight!
Pretty Spot On the Sand Under the Sun
Woke up very early the next day to read Harry Potter 6 by the shore. Then I proceeded to comb the beach for shells and pretty stones (got loads!). Then I had a quick dip in the ocean. I thought that was it, and I would've gone home happy. But Ian insisted that we go snorkeling as well. I was a bit hesitant because it seemed and awful lot of bother and time was kinda short already. We had to check out by 1:00 and be at the airport by 4 pm. We went ahead anyway.
Outside our cottage, we girls took a final picture --- minsan lang 'to!
Last week, I told you about the big waves I met in Camarines Sur. The waves we surfed through going to Balicasag Island were larger still. For a second or two, I was definitely scared. But when we reached the snorkeling area, I realized it was well worth it : it was my first time to snorkel and to actually see the bottom of the ocean. Such pretty corals and colorful fish! Tama si Gilda -- ang galing talaga ni GOD!
On the way to Balicasag Island --- note that my life vest just won't fit.
Out to sea and pretty as you please (from l-r: Barely There Ian, Post-sneeze Eman, Rapunzel-Medusa Hybrid Livia, Aye-aye Captain Sir Robby, Tiny Tim Jing, and Wet Wet Wet Tertz)
OO NA! Mahangin Talaga sa Dagat!
Going back, I didn't mind the huge waves anymore. Unfortunately, we didn't have an underwater cam. But I believe I could've died happy anyway. Ang ganda talaga!
HOME AGAIN
When it was finally time to go home, I cannot help but feel remorseful. SHOOT! I want to stay here forever! But since I have no handy fairy godmother at my behest, I had to get back on the plane and go back to Manila.
There was something there though, when I saw the city lights of Manila as we were landing. I felt a tug at my heart which I was surprised to learn was joy as well. After all the traveling, the excitement and adventure --- nothing feels better than being home.
The swelling, smog-encased, filthy city that is Manila still proves to be where my heart belongs. I think because I don't know how to love any other place I've never grown up in.
After all's been said and done ---- I'm home.
And I'm glad.
Burnt and Beaming
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