INVADING ILOCOS

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What comes after a wedding?

Did I hear someone say honeymoon? Hmmm.. lemesi. A honeymoon is only for the groom and the bride. I'm thinking more of something for the wedding guests.

Packing and going home? Nah, not us. I'm thinking more of having fun, of invasion. Because that is what we did. The day after Manz and Sheryll's wedding, we launched our invasion campaign... and had lots of fun at Pagudpod, Burgos, Bangui, Batac, Pinili, Currimao, Paoay and Vigan. That is, after invading Laoag, the bride's hometown.

Christmas break 2006

This week marks the end of my hectic schedule, as far as my studies are concerned. No, make that as far as attending classes is concerned. For while it’s true that my professors in all of my subjects decided to give us an early break, they gave us loads of assignment, all to be submitted on the first week of classes next month. Talk about starting the New Year with a bang.

And how about ending 2006 with a loud thump, too? It seems like my professors are in on a conspiracy to make our temporary separation as eventful as possible. How? By giving surprise examinations. My head is still spinning from the tests I went through last week, all of which unannounced. My head would have been empty by now, I having unloaded tons of my precious thoughts and logic onto my test papers, if only I could afford to be empty headed even just for a while. But as it is, I have to save some of my “brain matters” for our magazine pages, which I would be more than happy not to see for a while.

But either I have been a bad girl, or Santa isn’t real, that my simple wish of having a break — I mean, a real break — from both my studies and the magazine is not to be granted. This Christmas break, while I am writing the first chapter of my research in EDRE 231; my critique of Jean Jacques Rousseau’s “The Philosophy of Education” for EDFD 201; and my annotated bibliography, critique on three articles on language education, written report, and 250-item questions for EDL 251; I will also be editing and writing articles for the magazine, and figuring out how I can possibly make our February issue come out on time, despite the long vacation.

So it seems I won't be having any break this Christmas. That is, unless they have changed the definition of the word without me knowing it. Let me go and check.

Learning to splash! (almost too late)

I think I may now add a new hobby to my rather short list — swimming.

You figured it right. I used not to swim; or rather, I used not to know how to swim. And that explains why I am (was) not easily tempted by the sight of pools and beaches to strip down to my swim suit. (Come to think of it, I don’t even own a single piece of swimsuit! That may change soon. Haha!)

I had not really thought of learning how to swim. But our brief excursion to Laguna last weekend (Chie, Manong Ricco, Ellen, Jing, Ryan and myself) included swimming in the itinerary. And Chie, a very good swimmer (she swims so well and loves the waters so much that we call her Sirena), was annoyingly persuasive that she got Ellen, also a non-swimmer, and me into the pool. And still not happy with our gliding nor impressed with my try-hard "ballet"-on-water performance, she persuaded us to learn how to swim properly (not like Manong Ricco and Ryan who can swim but can’t really swim, if you know what I mean). She was so persuasive, and deep within me I had also wished I could swim, so I relented. So did Ellen.

I had had several close calls during beach outings in my much-younger days, that’s why I was not so keen to learn to swim. Plus, I’ve always feared I’d simply frustrate my trainer, because I had thought I had low aptitude in the kinesthetic department. But apparently, I had underestimated myself too much. Two one-hour sessions (first was in Laguna, and second was at the Hyatt Casino and Hotel last night) and I learned! I can’t help being pleased with myself. How can I not? I’m twenty-eight years old and I just learned how to swim. Kaloka, di ba? Now, I sort of feel I’ve missed out on some things. Like swimming.

I was so excited last night that getting an apartment with a pool had crossed my mind, but finances are low, so that’s already out of the question. But then, I sometimes get invitations from hotels to try out their facilities and, according to Chie, we can use our boss’ membership in one or two of the hotels nearby, so may be I’ll be able to have more practice. Of course, another option is our (the gang) plan to have outings at least once a month, preferably after every mag issue. This we had thought of doing, when we realized during our excursion that a one-day outing can de-stress us effectively.

So there are a lot of avenues for practice there. But first, I'll have to see if I can show off my “swimming prowess” in Palawan (I’ll be there on the 13th through 18th). I’m sure Celestine will be shocked at what she’ll see.

Hah!

Metamorphosis

Butterfly becomes me...



/Photo taken at the Hill Spa, Laguna.

That inconspicuous place...

... I call home

For those who do not have a province to go home to, as well as those who have but: 1) can't go home yet or 2) no longer have any reason to go home (either because of bad memories or because there are no more loved ones there to go home to), let me give you a peek of that little known but very lovely place I call home: Nueva Vizcaya.

Both photos show parts of Abinganan, Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya (my father's home barrio). It is here where my grandparents lived; and where my brothers, cousins and I spent our summers together — swimming in fish ponds and rivers, chasing butterflies and spiders, climbing trees, and doing other things only true-blue barrio-raised kids can relate to.

A tour to remember (Part 1)

It wasn’t in our plans. In fact, it was for something else — a book launching cum poetry reading — that we were at La Salle Taft last Saturday. But we arrived very late for the event so we decided to go elsewhere after lunch and tête á tête with the author (para naman hindi sayang ang lakad at porma namin, hehe).

So, despite the indicisive weather, Salve, Tayns and I retraced some periods of Philippine history with only my digi-cam and Tayns’ phone-cam — in our high-heeled shoes (semi for Tayns) — and went home fatigued and with calloused feet, but in high spirits.

The destination? Luneta and its neighboring areas. Yup, that very same place young people (including myself when I was much younger) regard as the place to-be for the jologs; and conversely, the must-avoid place for the cool, young ones.

(Good thing I eventually realized that Luneta (and its neighboring areas) is not at all jologs; that in fact, it is a historical place whose significance had not been diminished through the years.)

Here are some of the places we visited (plus some historical trivia, personal commentary, side-comments and what-evs).


The National Museum
Entrance Fee: P100 (free on Sundays)
Cameras not allowed inside

The National Museum houses artifacts recovered from ship wreckages; among them, the San Diego. The finds at the said shipwreck are said to have provided proofs that before the coming of the Spaniards, there had been an active trade between the Philippines and its neighboring countries.

Also at the national museum are artifacts that serve as proofs that the early Filipinos were seafarers. The theory (that our ancestors might have been seafarers) was made long before physical proofs to support or disprove it were unearthed, and basing mainly on the fact that the country is surrounded by significant bodies of water.

There are a lot more to see at the museum, such as artifacts that give us a glimpse of the life of the early Filipinos (suits, accessories, implements, and so on), and works of art, such as paintings and sculptures.


The Orchidarium
Located within Luneta Park
Entrance fee: P20

“Misnamed” was our first impression of this garden. It was so green, and it even had a falls and climbing wall; but it was colorful orchids we had expected to see. Unluckily, besides the bamboo orchid near the entrance, we did not see any.

Still, the place is worth seeing.


Japanese Garden/Chinese Garden
Located within Luneta park
Entrance fee: P5

The Japanese Garden and the one next to it — The Chinese Garden — have been sitting here for decades, but it seems no one knew of their existence (It was only when our magazine featured them last year that I got to know of them). These places are a perfect respite for tired and weary souls, for despite the fact that a busy road is nearby, thick canopy of old trees muffles the sound of the roaring vehicles.

Japanese symbol. This marker, according to Celestine and Salve, is a symbol that a Japanese temple is nearby (except here, of course). I can easily check out the veracity of their claim, but as they had been sent to Japan to study Japanese language and culture (Salve as exchange student; and Tayns as Japanese embassy scholar), I just have to trust that they are right about it.

A tour to remember (Part 2)

Rizal Monument and more
Kilometer Zero

Dr. Jose Rizal. Call me whatever you like, but it was only last Saturday that I learned why the Rizal shrine is well guarded. Silly me, but I had always thought it is to show respect to the great martyr; until Salve told Tayns and me that it is the three gold stars (which, according to her, stands for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao) engraved on the monument that they are guarding.

La Madre Filipina. This piece of stone is personally significant to me because my Tatang and I spent quite a long time here last summer, trying to interpret it. And it was somewhere between this monument and the one next to it — Binhi ng Kalayaan monument — that I realized I was falling for him. Waaaaa!



The sentinel of freedom (or simply Lapu-lapu) monument. Inaugurated on February 5, 2004, this piece of stone is a recent addition at the park.


Calesa ride. Your tour around the historic city will not be complete if you don’t try the calesa ride. The three of us think that it’s one of the highlights of our impromptu tour.

Intramuros

The walled city. Intramuros served as the political, educational, religious and cultural center of the Spanish government. Today, the historical buildings in the area have been turned into government offices.

Palacio de Governador. The oldest palace in the country.

A tour to remember (Part 3)

Fort Santiago

Named in honor of Spain’s patron saint James, Slayer of Moors (Santiago Matamoros), Fort Santiago served as the military headquarters of our conquerors (Spanish, British, American and Japanese). Hundreds of men and women were jailed, tortured and executed here. It was also at Fort Santiago that Dr. Jose Rizal was imprisoned from November 3 1896 until his execution on December 30 of that year.

Me and Tatang. I mean, me talking to “Tatang” on the phone. Salve aimed the camera at me, and I said to Tatang, “Salve’s gonna take a photo of us. Pose ka ha? Say “cheese!” Hehehe

Losing it (my poise, that is). My sandals got so irritated with me walking on them, they rebelled against me; so I carried them for a change, while Salve and Celestine traced Rizal’s footsteps.

Jose Rizal’s cell. It was here where the national hero stayed until the morning of December 30, 1896 when he was brought out, and made to march to Bagumbayan (Luneta) … towards death. The brass shoeprints trace the path Rizal took when he walked to his execution site.

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P.S. Hey folks! Learn from our mistake. If you intend to visit the areas we’ve toured, I suggest you go to Fort Santiago first. From there, go to Luneta, and watch a light show of Jose Rizal’s execution. We did our tour backwards. Kaloka!

Subic sunset

March 18, 2006

Cebu trip: A reckoning

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), through BSMG Worldwide, invited Chie and me to the Asia Pacific Launching of their anti-rotavirus vaccine. The launch coincided with the 3rd Asia Pacific Convention on Infectious Diseases (March 7-9) at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu. The GSK vaccine is the first anti-rotavirus vaccine made available in the Philippines, although several other vaccines had been launched in other countries late last year. The actual launch lasted only for two hours, but we stayed in Cebu for three days to see much of the place.

5 things I loved about the Cebu trip

1. I experienced three firsts in this trip: first time to fly; first time to set foot in Cebu; and first time to attend a press briefing with international as well as local (Visayan) press
2. Good accommodation (courtesy of Hilton Hotel) and superb pampering (courtesy of GSK’s PR agency, BSMG Worldwide through Ces, Edcel and Jay). These guys (BSMG group) were not only very efficient, they were likewise very friendly and down-to-earth. Everyone was happy with the way they organized our travel. Kudos to them.
3. Sumptuous food
   Whew! BSMG and GSK spared no expense, especially with our food. We got to taste the best that Cebu has to offer.
4. New friends
5. Spectacular view and historical places
   Mactan, Magellan’s cross, beach, Fernan Marcelo Bridge, and a lot more
   

5 Things I hated about the trip

1. I had to share a room (and the matrimonial bed in it) with Chie. I would not have minded it at all had we not been given a two-bedroom suite. I would have enjoyed my own room if only Chie wasn’t so pathetic she wouldn’t let me get out of her sight because she was afraid of ghosts.
2. I had to wait until Chie was done with the bathroom before I could use it. Again, I could have used the one in the other room but she wouldn’t let me. It would have been all right had she been sensitive enough to move fast because someone was waiting for her to finish up. But she wasn’t, I always had to order her out of the bathroom. Hah!
3. I had to play Chie’s timekeeper all the time because she apparently never heard of the phrase, “time management.” Take for example what happened on our second day. We got out of bed at the same time. Because I wanted to play nice, I let her use the bathroom first, but instead of going there straight, she decided to watch TV first, ignoring me when I told her that she should start moving because we had to get down in a little more than an hour to meet the rest of the group. Only when I switched off the TV did she start to move (I had to do it, sorry!). While she was having shower, I made up OUR bed (oh, that sounds so off!) and prepared everything we needed for the coverage. Only when she was done did I get to use the shower. And yet, ten minutes before we had to get down, she still wasn't ready, while I was already fully dressed. Kakainis!
4. I never got a glimpse of Cebu’s sunset and sunrise. Three days and two nights in Cebu but I didn’t get to see sunrise and sunset. Waaahhhh! I woke up early on our third day just to get a glimpse of sunrise, but as fate would have it, it rained. Oh, how depressed I was. I love watching sunrise and sunset very much!
5. I didn’t get to buy necklaces/earrings and other “anik-anik” as pasalubong for my EXTREMELY DEMANDING friends. On our last day (our schedule to buy souvenirs and see more of the place), we decided to delay going out (upon my suggestion) because it was raining, not knowing that where we were going was very far from the hotel. Our travel consumed our time for shopping that the BSMG group decided we had to do our shopping near where we were having lunch instead (while they order and wait for our food), otherwise we wouldn’t be able to catch our flight back to Manila. Problem was, in the mall we went to, there wasn’t anything that was distinctly Cebu-made. All the things I saw, I could buy in Manila. Twenty minutes at the mall and I still hadn’t seen anything worthy to give my friends, I started to get so annoyed with myself and at everything, I was frowning and very quiet, that Chie, who was talking to Ces endlessly, fell silent too. So did Ces. (Good thing Chie knows how to deal with my moods. She must have advised Ces to ignore me while I was having a fit.) Ten minutes past, and I was ok; I started talking again. Chie and Ces must have felt relieved. (Now you know danger looms when I’m quiet. Hehe!)

Disclaimer
Items 1 to 3 in my “hate” list might have made you think I had a really bad time with Chie. Of course, not. I just had to write something to complete my list. Since there’s nothing really bad that went on during our trip besides items 4 and 5, I had to exaggerate my “annoyance” with Chie, and bully her here. Hehehe! But hear this too: I would not have enjoyed my stay there had it not been for her.

I’m guessing too, that if Chie had a blog and she were to write five things she hated about the trip, I would have figured in her list as well. Chances are, she would be writing about how she had to keep my tickets and my hotel keys for me because she was sure I’d lose them; how she had to carry my things (wallet and some documents) because I was willing to carry only my cellphone and digi-cam; and how she had to stay late at night because I felt I had to work even while we were suppose to be on vacation (What can I do? I'm a type A person!).

But then, she doesn’t have a blog and she doesn’t write, so I’m safe. Or am I?

Garden wedding

I always thought a garden wedding is wonderful. And when I say garden wedding, I mean Tagaytay. (Only Tagaytay. In my mind, even Baguio isn’t good enough.)

But that was before yesterday; before I set foot in Fernwood (Sanville Subd. In QC); before our photoshoot with Agot Isidro.

I always liked Agot. I was prepared to be star struck by her. What I was not prepared for was to be awed by the place. Fernwood is simply splendid — a tropical rainforest (complete with swan and waterfalls and fish) enclosed in a skylight dome-roof that lets you party, rain or shine.