Puerto Galera

My first time, and probably, the last..?!?! Let's hope not.. :)


It's an experience I surely won't forget for the rest of my life. It's summer 2011, month of April, anong klaseng weather ang ie-expect ko but sunny.. Little did we know na may paparating pala na bagyo. At sureball na dadaan sa Galera. Scary? Yes..


Pero kahit na bumagyo, the day before, we had the chance naman to enjoy the sand, sun and sea.. Activities like beach volleyball, banana boat ride, henna tattoo at syempre, more na more na pictures. Di rin pinalampas ang pagtikim sa famous na Mindoro sling. 


Ang sakit pala maglakad sa buhanginan, may tsinelas man o wala. Para sa isang gala na tulad ko na di pinalampas lakarin ang buong baybayin ng Galera sa paghahanap ng magandang location para sa photoshoot namin ng friend ko, isang malaking dusa ito! Maganda ang tanawin, malamig ang hangin sa balat kahit ang tindi ng sikat ng araw, ang sarap lumusong sa dagat (ngunit sa kasawiang palad, di naman ako marunong lumangoy, hanggang lubog lang.. ) Ang dami ding tourist spot (tourist spot: cutiebells) pero mostly, beki naman. Hmp! 


Never had a dull moment kasi ang daming kainan, shops at sa gabi, may mga entertainers pa. Manood, kumain, mamili at uminom. Kulang ang oras. So nasa ganung tagpo kami ng bigla na lang umambon, hanggang napalakas ang ambon at naging ulan. Di pa kami tapos uminom pero pinilit naming ubusin ang Mindoro sling (sayang!) At habang lumalakas ang ulan, siksikan kaming nakisilong sa isang tent at nakiparty kami sa mga ibang nakasilong dun. Adik lang. Since wala nang pag-asang mahintay na titigil ang ulan (at wala namang may dalang payong sa amin), nagpakabasa na lang kami habang binabaybay ang papuntang bahay..


The next day, ganun pa din ang scenario: umuulan. At biglang nag-announce na hanggang 9am na lang ang last trip. Whatta.. Bihis agad (malas yung mga di nakaligo dahil kakagising lang), impake (bahala na maghalo ang basa at tuyong damit), at mabilisang pagkain ng pancit canton. Useless ang payong dahil liliparin lang sya sa lakas ng hangin kaya swerte ng mga di nakaligo, dahil nakaligo naman sila sa ulan.. :p


Daig ko pa ang susuray-suray na lasing habang inaakyat ang bangka. At habang binabagtas nag karagatan, sige ako sa pagdasal ng rosaryo. At natapos ko ang Glorious mystery. :p Safe naman kami nakarating sa pier. 


Dahil sa bagyong Bebeng, di tuloy ako nakabili ng mga pasalubong. Lalo na ang ref magnet (isa akong kolektor) Ang bus na sinakyan namin parang evacuation center, ginawang sampayan ang upuan ng mga twalya at mga basang damit. 


Kahit na naistorbo ang maganda naming bakasyon sa Galera, malamang na uulit pa ako. Pero dapat wala munang bagyo.

Finale..

After 4 years, I finally bid farewell to my second home..

You might ask me, What made me leave them? Let's be practical, in this time of the year where even the first world countries suffer from recession, we all need moolahs to live. I love my friends, i love the company and it's environment but I have other things to consider, things that needs to be prioritized the most.

For a single-powered, career-driven woman like me, I don't only have myself to support but my family, their needs and my tons of travel plans.. :) I need to save more for the rainy days. I must have an investment. I must be financially-equipped especially when the financial-related needs arise. Proximity also matters. What's the logic of earning much when most of it goes to transportation allowance, even on food. What is there to save?

I have thought as well of adding something to my learnings. A new career, a new account with loads of new faces, new sets of rules and new feel of the environment. I must say I've learned enough when it comes to dealing with financial-savvy customers and I want to take it to a higher level. The process may take so long and difficult, but I will face it with my head held up high.

I'm not being selfish here. And I can understand what some people has to say. They may take my decision negatively or positively, but whatever it is that they're thinking from me, I'll take it whole-heartedly. I know my friends understand me so much. And they have my assurance that they will never be forgotten. Distance may separate us but our hearts will forever bind us. :)

And so the big day has come. I'm anticipating surprises from my friends and it didn't fail me. But the surprises are far from what I've expected. So much thanks to the people behind it.

notes from every agents  ='(

this is a shirt, gift from Apple, David and Sam

Zipline at MoA

This is my second time to try zipline. Sa lagay na 'to, may fear of heights pa ako nyan! 

Yung una, sa may La Mesa EcoPark. Two storey ung height nya at tatawirin mo yung river papunta sa kabilang side. Mejo scary kasi tubig ang babagsakan. Pero hindi naman sya kahabaan.

ako yan, in action!

Then we went to MoA, to try their version of zipline. Di rin sya kahabaan. At di gaano nakakatakot dahil lupa ang babagsakan. Breath-taking nga ang view kasi tanaw ang Manila bay. Mura pa, 150 one-way, 250 one way with picture. (Ang lamang ng EcoPark, two way sya! same price.. ) 

We tried the pahiga version. Wala kasing gaanong thrill yung paupo.. :)  Since mababa lang sya I thought kayang-kaya ko! Saka di naman kahabaan yung ride. Pero nung isasampa na ako ni kuya.. wait! Mahirap pala yung pahiga. Kahit mukhang secured yung nakabalot sa katawan ko at may kakapitan naman, di pa rin secured ang feeling ko!

Buti na lang nagsabay kami ng friend ko, mejo nawala ng konti ang kaba. Pero gumawa naman ako ng eksena! Dahil kinakabit pa lang ni kuya ang strap sa katawan ko, humihiyaw na ako ng pagkalakas-lakas! Dinig yata sa buong parking lot ng MoA, pati yata yung mga nasa nakasakay sa yate sa Manila bay.. Hanggang sa makarating kami sa dulo! whew!

Rio

This is not a movie review. 

The first time I saw the trailer, I told myself, "I've got to see this one.. There's no way that I'll miss this." :)

Start pa lang ng movie, you'll feel like you belong with the birds, joining them as they sing and dance. Very lively and colorful. The story is great. The moral, para sa akin, is simply to face your fear and learn to embrace who you are. It's like getting off from your comfort zone. Culture shock! It's not easy to blame someone na nawalay ng matagal sa kanyang  pinanggalingan at biglaang ibinalik. You've got to unlearn what you've already learned. The process may be slow but it's sure worth waiting.  

And if you're born with an ability to do something, dont let fear sink in but do your best to make your ability be recognized. Believe in yourself, in your inner self, that you can do what it takes that will take you to the best of your ability. Get inspiration from the people and things around you. It is never too late to recognize once ability if you will have the initiative to look for it and enforce it within yourself.

Ang Makabagong Slumbook

Sino ang di dumaan sa kamay ng slumbook? 

May-ari ka man ng slumbook o nakisulat lang, ang slumbook ay isa ng integral na parte ng buhay ng tao, kadalasan mga estudyante ang nakikinabang dito, mula pa elementarya hanggang kolehiyo, di kumukupas ang slumbook.

May scented, spiral, disney princesses-themed, manipis o makapal, mura o mahal, makulay, o kahit composition notebook lang na sinulatan. Yan ang iba't-ibang description ng slumbook.

Sa t'wing magtatapos ang klase, bago maghiwa-hiwalay ang magkakaibigan, kailangan lahat nakasulat na sa slumbook ng bayan. At nakakaaliw basa-basahin ang mga nakasulat, lalo na pag crush mo yung sumulat. Malamang ang una mong titignan, Who is your crush? Ka-disappoint lang pag hindi pangalan mo ang nakasulat dun. Pero okay na din na malaman mo ang iba nyang personal info like yung address nya, birthday at kung ano-ano ang mga paborito nya. At syempre, di papatalo ang last part ng bawat slumbook, ang dedication page! Pagandahan ng mga message, may maikli, may mahaba, merong may kwenta, meron ding wala.

Nung natapos na ako mag-aral at nagsimula ng magtrabaho, unti-unti nang nawala ang atensyon ko sa slumbook. Ang dami ng nagsulputan na pilit tinatabunan ang imahe ng slumbook, tulad ng social networking sites. Andyan ang friendster, multiply, myspace, twitter at facebook. Online slumbook. Di ka na mage-effort magsulat sa papel, ita-type mo na lang ang mga info mo, pwede pa icustomized ang itsura ng profile page lalo na ang profile picture. Kung gusto mo malaman ang info ng crush mo, isearch lang sya sa google at lalabas na ang link nya sa mga networking sites na nabanggit.

Ngunit sa kabila ng lahat ng ito, may mga nagmagandang loob pa rin na muling buhayin ang slumbook. This time, hindi nga lang sya ang typical na slumbook. This one's very unique. At salamat sa bumubuo ng Witty Will Save the World dahil nabuo nila ang tinatawag na: Akala Mo Wala ng Slumbook, Pero Meron, Meron, Meron..

Pangalan pa lang, agaw atensyon na! Ipinagdidiinan nila talaga na may slumbook pa! Lupet.. :)

Ito ang slumbook na hindi ka pine-pressure magbigay ng 1x1 picture mo. Kung kaya mo naman na i-drawing ang sarili mo, why not? Ma-appreciate pa ang artistic talent mo sa drawing!

Hirap ka magdecide kung ano ang favorite body part mo? E di i-drawing mo na lang. Again, another pogi/ganda points sa pagpapakita ng artistic side mo!

At para ma-identify na ikaw nga, at wala ng iba pa, ang nagmamay-ari ng mga sinulat mo, pwede ka mag-iwan ng thumbprint.. Ewan ko na lang kung may mag-claim pa na hindi ito sa 'yo.. :)

Bamboo Organ Tour

If not for my cousin's invitation, I wouldn't have gone as far as Las Pinas. And not be able to see the famous Las Pinas Bamboo Organ. =)

The tour costs 50 pesos. And I don't wanna miss the moment and I don't know kelan pa ako makakabalik sa Las Pinas. Ka-amazing makita na it's still working after several decades. The people were so responsible that they manage to keep this working. Bow!

The following pictures would show you what's inside the museum, normally mga old stuff. Mga first pieces ng bamboo organ, old pictures of the people and places behind bamboo organ.

Just some historical info:

• Fray Diego Cera Dela Virgen Del Carmen was the builder of the Bamboo organ.
• 1816 - Cutting of the bamboo and selection of wood.
• 1821 - Completion of the Bamboo organ, except for the reed stops.
• 1824 - Completion adding of the 122 horizontal reed pipes.
• 1880 - Bamboo organ and church severely damaged by three earthquakes. The Bamboo organ is disassembled and the pipes are placed in the old sacristy.
• 1882 - A typhoon blows up the roof, the chest of the Bamboo organ suffers additional damage.
• 1888 - The church is rebuilt. However, the Bamboo organ remains unplayable for the next decades.
• 1911 - The Bamboo organ is rediscovered by tourist.
• 1917 - Only two stops of the Bamboo organ are repaired.
• 1932 - An electric motor is installed to supply the wind.
• 1943 - Partial repairs are made.
• 1972 - Award of the contract for the restoration of the Bamboo organ to Johannes Klais Orgelbau KG in Bonn, Germany.
• 1973 - The complete bamboo organ is shipped to Bonn, Germany.
• 1975 February - The restored Bamboo organ is played again for the first time at the Klais factory in Bonn, Germany.
• 1975 March - The complete Bamboo organ is flown back to the Philippines via Sabera airlines.
• 1975 May -  Inaugural concert of the Bamboo organ by Wolfgang Oehms (Trier, Germany)

The birth of the Bamboo organ bridges the gap between races, cultures and creeds- by the music it gives. The Bamboo organ is the embodiment of the greatest skill and perseverance of the maker and the people. 

Today, the Bamboo Organ is declared the "National Cultural Treasure."

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Gulp.. Gulp..

Just recently, I got myself involved into drinking. Casual drinking with my friends. Whether there is something to celebrate or there is none, as long as we feel the urge to drink. I don't consider drinking a bad vice as long as you know how to deal with alcohol. I stop whenever I feel dizzy. I don't want to see myself walking in a zigzag pattern. Neither see myself puke elsewhere.. ewww..

Drinking, for some, is a past time. Just to chill. Relax. When drunk, one must stop. And one must never engage himself into heated arguments when drunk, else the worst could happen in a bit of a second.

I had the chance to drink with my fellow office mates and from there, they became one of my closest acquaintances. It all started when one of us felt the stress at work and she felt the need to release it. We headed to the nearby bar, a few walks away from the office. Ordered a few bottles. Shared each one's experiences, views and opinions. The drinks made us loosen up, no inhibitions from us telling what we really feel at that moment. And from there, everyone's giving their own share of advices. Well, I can say we also do this without resorting into drinking. But the drinking we had added a little spice. We shared few drinking moments. Still the same set of people. We've even met few people and made new friends along the session. 

What I'm up to say is that there's a good side when you drink. If you know how to handle it properly. It helps you releases the tension, ending up with laughter and good memories with friends, which will eventually become your drinking buddies. Let's all drink to that! =)

Kampai!