Have Some Photo Fun

Hey guys, I got directed to this site from a blog. Check it out. You can make real funny pictures from a template set, just browse for the design you want then upload your chosen picture and the web site will do the rest, here's a sample:



No, she's not a hippie lost in time who just got arrested for smoking Mary Janes, she's actually a relative who's gonna kill me once she's found out I've morphed her pic and posted it here.

For anyone who knows French and translate this for me, you just might get a free ad posting here for your product or anything you want my readers to see.

Happy morphing.

P.S. Makes you wonder whether photographs should have their evidentiary value revisited. Just a thought. :-)

A List of Favorite Christmas Goodies to GIve Away

They say 'tis always better to give and receive and in the Season of Yuletide many Filipinos take this to heart which is why despite the economic crunch and subprime crisis in the States whose effects that has been felt all over the world, they still come up with their Christmas list stretching budgets to buy gifts for their loved ones. In the days running to D-day (Christmas day), malls are so filled with people making their last minute shopping that you think, "crisis? what crisis?". Oh well, didn't I read somewhere that shops make more on Christmas than the rest of the year combined?

Yet with all the choices available, a few still stand out as good 'ol favorites as perfect Christmas giveaways. Let me name some of them which owe their making it to this list their being timeless, popular, convenient and no-fuss wrapping and of course, with these tight time, cheap.

1. Without a doubt, the ubuquitous fruit cake. A favorite for its longevity, this cake has had the unearned (and unfair) rep of being recycled gifts. I beg to disagree, a good one lasts no more than two days on our Christmas table. I like the nuts, raisins inside and the bittersweet taste of the brandy.



2. Sweetened or Honey-Glazed Pork ham. "The star of the Noche Buena Feast" goes the tag line of a best selling brand. This has been one of my usual gifts for friends and in-laws and, tagline notwithstanding, a Noche Buena in my home is never complete without it.



3. Bakugan. Another one of those Japanese toy creations that has got our kids hooked. Its actually a ball that when rolled transforms into a robot. You get many imitations from sidewalk stores that run from P45.00 to P75.00 but the real and good ones sell for P220.00 up.



4. Vaccum-packed noche buena grocery items. These gift packs contain items that you can use for your holiday feast like fruit cocktail, cream, condensed milk, can of mushroom, spaghetti noodles and perfect no-fuss give aways as it is already beautifully packaged.



5. Novellino wines. I really like their wines, most especially the fruit-flavored ones. Its cheap and comes in lovely bottles. Help the economy and buy one as its maker is a genuine Filipino company and the wines are proudly Philippine-made.



6. Gift Certificates. Actually the most practical gifts as it gives the recipient the choice to buy what they want.

7. A year's subscription of Good Housekeeping magazine. With its practical tips and insightful articles (they were wise enough to include one of mine, hehehe) ), its the perfect reading companion for the married woman with kids; and

8. A lot of loving and goodwill which is free, abundant and enviroment-friendly.

To be HUC or not

Today, registered voters of Tacloban City will decide whether they would want to be part of that elite group called highly urbanized cities. The ratification of the people in today's plebiscite by voting "Yes" to HUC-hood is the final act that would finally sever our ties with the province of Leyte and proclaim our independence as a highly urbanized city fit and ready to stand on our own.

A Loooooooong Christmas Season...

From the tolling of the church bells in the wee hour of 3:30 in the morning of December 16 which signals the start of the Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo to the "Day of Three Kings" which falls on the first Sunday of January of the following year, it is one long Christmas season in the only pre-dominantly Roman Catholic country in Asia. You might say this long Yuletide season is retailers' heaven but in the Philippines it is much, much more than just endless shopping for gifts on every one's favored Christmas lists. It is a time for much-awaited family gatherings and reunions. Relatives from abroad look forward to coming home to savor the unique Filipino Christmas experience which everyone who has left attest is like no other. (For those who can't be here, I hope am not adding to your homesickness.)

Where else could you find the fervent devotion and celebratory mood of our countrymen in the "Simbang Gabi" wherein you wake up even before the roosters signal the crack of dawn to hear the novena mass at 4:30 in the morning? You then come home to a breakfast of puto, bibingka and other native delicacies. You do this for nine days straight until the morning of the day before Christmas. Onli in da Philippines.

Come Christmas Eve, families hear Mass and then gather for a Noche Buena feast. On Christmas day, children then go around houses with Christmas greetings in exchange for candies and other goodies. Not quite unlike the Western "trick or treating" on Halloween.

Yes, nowhere is the birth of Christ more celebrated than here in Pinoy country.

My First Ever Christmas Wishlist

Its only nine days to go before Christmas and already the papers, the Internet, tv and radio are chock-full of the wish lists of writers, columnists and celebrities (along with the mad dash by companies to have their products included in such lists) and while I may not get the freebies (ooops, I'm not sure, just a lucky guess) that all of the above gets from grateful businessmen and owners of the a-listed products, I do want to post here some of the things I hope to get from Santa this Christmas. It's not just a "me" list but one that includes all that I hope for my family, my friends, my country and this world and we sure need most of that, HOPE, for the difficult times ahead. So here goes:

1. Sony VAIOS laptop to replace my NEO antiquated one (although me and my NEO has shared so many things together it pains me sometimes to let it go);

2. Canon 10 megapixel digital camera in lieau of the Olympus that got "cooked" by my daughter;

3. At least a size 8 body for me to fit into the many "Banana Republic" slacks that my clueless sister bought from the States (who's unaware that post-natal figures expands exponentially according to the number of children had);

4. Another published article to inspire me to keep on writing even when writer's block rears it's ugly head sometimes;

5. LCD television set in time for our newly-built house;

6. A happy Christmas gathering with my sisters and parents together with my daughter and hubby;

7. More readers for this blog and the other one I have over Friendster;

8. Coach handbag;

9. A truly effective concealer for my dark circles so I look my best for the countless Christmas parties ahead (mmm, they say M.A.C.'s got a good one);

10. This wonderful pair of South Sea pearl earrings I saw over at Trinoma;

11. Knock on the noggin on our good congressmen for them to bring their Cha-cha moves from the halls of congress to the dance floor (really now, much urgent things needs their attention and not this ill-timed efforts to change the basic law of the land);

12. Good health for my family;

13. Self-control and discipline to stay on my nth diet despite all the Holiday foodie temptations coming my way;

14. A beautiful wooden living room set for my living room-in-the-making (still is , after four months, sigh...);

15. Family photos/portrait taken by professional photographer in his uber-professional, state-of-the-art studio (now, if I can only convince my very shy hubby to make that pose);

16. Sinfully delicious Red Ribbon Chocolate Fondue Cake without all the guilt (mmmm...);

17. Iphone, or then again a Nokia E series navigator would be better;

18. Less green house gases; and of course

19. For hope, love and prosperity to abound .... Merry Christmas to one and all!!!!

Beautiful Baguio, Part two

The last time I visited Baguio was in 2000, and just like the first time I went there which was way back in 1995, it also fell on a summer. So when I learned that I was going to the Philippines famed city of pines, I was a bit excited as it was scheduled in December. You might wonder why I was so worked up on a December Baguio trip when the place is also known as the "summer capital" of the country. It because on all my previous trips, the only time I really felt like donning a heavy sweater was in the late afternoons and evenings. Ergo, Baguio was not that cold in the day and what's the point of going there if the weather is just like here in the lowlands? I was curious to experience real cold weather, to feel an almost western hemispher coolness which could only be experienced there in December.

Apart from the temperate weather, I was also eager to see again the beautiful flowers that could only abound in low temperatures. Poinsettas by the roadside as well as sunflowers jutting out from crevices in the concrete was a common sight as my bus weaved its way up the mountains. At some point in our ascent, everything was covered in heavy fog and you could not see anything below the road, not the houses, trees or any vegetation. Truly, this is how it feels like to be up in the clouds.

More than just the fine weather and tourist spots such as the Grotto, the Mansion, Camp John Hay, Wright Park, Philippine Military Academy (the biggest military school in the country whose graduates have gone on to become leaders in the military), and Mines View Park, Baguio City is a place full of warm and friendly people where everyone is literally a trained tourist guide. Everyone I asked for directions were always most helpful and added tidbits or two that would help us in our stay (e.g. the best time to shop at the ukay-ukay stalls). Speaking of ukay-ukay, the city's claim to being the secondhand goods capital of the Philippines is well-deserved. As with all bargain hunts, you just have to be patient and perservering as you wade through clothes, shoes, and bags lumped in heaps or hung by hangers in the different stalls in coming upon valuable finds that look almost brand new and belong to world renowned labels like Gap, Nike, and Burberry. After going through so many stall and exiting empty handed, we soon came upon a corner one and hit pay dirt. The ukay shop had just replenished its stocks and it was full of really fine items. I found so many blouses and long sleeved polos that hardly had any hint of being used and would have taken them all had they fit me. Sadly, only two of the blouses I really liked felt comfortable enough to wear which I immediately bought. At Php150.00 apiece, it truly was a bargain.

Unfortunately for my group, the seminar ended quite late in the afternoon, so we were only able to visit a few of the sights in Baguio. We went by the Grotto where we prayed before the image of Jesus and the Virgin Mary. We also bought pasalubong at the Strawberry Farm. After that it was back to the hotel to prepare for an early morning trip back to Manila the following day.

"Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Baguio"

Words of one truly proud and enamoured of his city. I'm talking about no less than the mayor of Baguio City. In his welcome speech during my seminar in his city last week, he never failed to punctuate his sentences with the word "beautiful", the adjective ever present as if its the only word left in the English vocabulary to describe the city of pines. Redundant is an understatement but I guess the good mayor just got carried away in his zeal to promote of what to him is the best city in the country. While I'm not totally in agreement, I do say it is one place worth staying and visiting. For one thing, I just love their taxis and those behind its wheels. When I arrived and asked about where I could find my hotel, an obviously proud local, sensing my apprehension when I learned it was far off from the downtown proper, assured me that the taxi drivers of Bguio City are honest and that they would bring you to your destination he fastest way possible without tampering with the meter as was my usual experience in Manila (I know, I know, this revelation about Manila is not good publicity). I soon found out that his was not an empty boast. In all my commutes on Baguio's taxis, not once did I feel that I was being "taken for a ride" and my fare never went above a hundred pesos even though the distance and traffic made such rides a long one. Indeed, the people are doing its best to make their place as tourist-friendly as possible.

Going back to the place that is the closest in experiencing Western weather, I soon found some most welcome and unwelcome of changes. More on that when I get home. For now, I have to do some late minute shopping. Till then...

Bahandi Website

In keeping with the promise of this blog (see profile) I would like to invite you to visit the recently launched website of the Bahandi Producers Association of Eastern Visayas. It still has to fine-tune some of its features and make it more user and Internet surfer-friendly but at least it is now more accessible to the world via the web. Here you will find the establishments that produced some of the delicacies and crafts I've been blogging about here in previous posts. I urge those who visit to their site leave their comments so the webmaster can have valuable feedback that could in turn lead to improvements. Why so gaga over local producers? Well, because we here in Leyte and Samar have a lot to offer and its time the world get a taste of it.

Gone for a while...

I know I've been so silent have not posted for quite some time. It seems mundane matters have taken over my mind these days allowing no room for anything else, writing or blogging included. Am I experiencing some writer's block?

You see, usually I would be brimming with ideas on what to place here but lately everytime I sit down and open this blog, the words that previously were swirling in my head would suddenly do a disappearing act. Try as I might I cannot start the flow that should have begun once I open my laptop. I guess it happens to all of us. So let me take a break, rather let me stay on my break till somehow I have found my muse again...

OTOP Visayan Islands Fair

Hey, just wanted to invite you all to a fair showcasing the best of the Visayan Islands running this week at the Atrium, SM Cebu, Cebu City starting November 12. Here's the brochure which I wish to share with you...For anyone near, hope to see you there.

Our very own, Leyte and Samar with the San Juanico Bridge as backdrop

Loved the way they played on each region's unique and famous tourist destination interspersed with their local products: the white sands of Boracay in Western Visayas; the San Juanico Bridge in Waray-waray country; and the Chocolate Hills of Bohol in Central Visayas.

For the information of all, OTOP stands for One-Town-One-Product, a flagship project of GMA.

"Ma Laki Tian"- this one's good for the tummy

There is a small hole-in-the-corner restaurant with a witty name that is the waray equivalent for the phrase, "big stomach" which has tweaked "Waray in the City"s interest. Ma La Ki Tian is a cozy place ideal for dates and small groups who wishes to dine out on comfortable budget. It is pricier than your regular fastfood joints yet affordable enough for the student wishing to indulge a week's worth of allowances for a fine dining experience.

The first and last time I went to Ma La Ki Tian prior to yesterday was during my birthday on a dinner out with my family. At that time I was too busy with my then months old baby to take note of the food. All I could remember then was that the servings were quite small. We had to make double orders as single ones could not be enough for the family that had healthy appetites.

Fast track to today (uhmm, rather yesterday). My friends and I decided to try out the place since it was just a walking distance from our usual coffee haunt at Bo's. Recalling my experience, I mentioned that the place was just ideal with its small portions as we were still full from all that frappuccino's we had earlier. Much to my surprise, the place had truly changed, at least when it came to apportioning its food. The servings were bigger this time and we had some left over when our meal was done. And I must say, the dishes were tasty. The lechon kawali was cooked to just the right amount of crispiness and retained a hardly noticeable sweetness which I really liked. As for the sisig, it was good enough to ask for a second helping. The drinks were priced reasonably and did not follow the formula of some joints that tag it at ridiculous prices to jack up your bill. The bottomless iced tea could be had at P50.00 and there were no admonitions against sharing.

I dare say, Ma La Ki Tian is indeed worth a second visit.

Ma La Ki Tian is located at Del Pilar St., right across St. Paul's Hospital.

A Trip Down Samar Country

I adore new places, ergo, I love to travel, with a catch...it has to be someplace which can be reached by plane or if not, by land not exceeding a travel time of one hour and a half (just the distance from work to the hubby's place). Blame it on the nausea that grips me when I'm on a moving vehicle for more than two hours. Yet despite puke bags and Bonamine becoming must-haves on my travelling bag, I managed to go to places that had me sitting on a van for hours on end all for the love of travel...and work. It was for the latter that I crossed the San Juanico bridge for the nth time to deliver a lecture about aged citizens and their rights down in Borongan City, capital of the Estehanons province.

I travelled alone and without any distractions which is why when the bus I was riding crossed the San Juanico bridge, I was able to fully appreciate the beauty of this magnificent steel structure. It remains to be one of the Imeldific's finest contribution to the islands of Leyte and Samar, something that has been greatly overshadowed by her world famous shoe collection. Said to be the longest in the Philippines, the bridge was constructed in 1969 during the Marcos regime and was finished in 1973. It connected the islands of Leyte and Samar cutting travel time to both significantly and built a gateway to Waray country for inter-island travel. I clicked away at the beautiful sights with my Nokia N70, my digital camera having been sidelined when my daughter decided to "cook" it for her teddy bear adding her Papa's cologne for spice and destroying the LCD in the process (aren't three year olds just cute?).

This bridge has seen stunts (an actor is said to have jumped from one of its steels posts), been home to urban legends (children were rumored to have been sacrificed to assuage the spirits of the seas angry from the intrusion) and has even become a favorite shooting spot for wedding albums. Together with the islets that dot the seascape, the San Juanico is indeed one picturesque view, one that makes me proud to be Waray.

By the way, saw some great pictures of this famous Waray landmark on a fellow blogger's site. You may visit it for more clearer shots of the famed bridge.

My Nokia can only do so much.

Handicrafts, atbp.

Hey guys, there's a cool new site on Bloggers of Noteq that's ideal for the one with "gifted hands", ergo, those who can make beautiful things with their bare hands while being green at the same time. An enviromental handicraft site. Click here for some fun ideas.

America's Race for the Presidency

I guess I might as well jump in on the bandwagon. Everyone from Tokyo to London, to Africa and from all places that can be reached by the Internet and all forms of media are contributing their two cents worth on the race that is the American Presidential Elections. While Waray in the City maybe thousands of miles away from the center of all the action in Uncle Sam's country, she is well aware that the decisions of whoever gets to sit in that house on Pennsylvania Avenue is sure to affect her dear old Philippines and the rest of the world for that matter. So in the midst of trying to compose a post about a recent trip down Samar country, let me get political and tell you why I 'm for Barack Obama.

Obama is young, he's dynamic and he represents change from the Bush-conomics and war policies that has contributed to America's financial crisis. John McCain is a chip off the old Republican block and not only does he look like the Bush father-and-son tandem but he is sure to to follow their views despite claims to the contrary. Obama may be black (really, just half-Black), however, that does not dictate how well he shall serve as president. Really, I thought we were way past this "color" thing, yet his skin tone remains to be one of the hottest issues raised against him. I've seen him talk and I've seen his record and both are telling me to bet on his horses. Now, let's see if the majority of Americans think the same way. Answers on November 5 or 6. Unlike here, results are immediate and does not last until the next century.

Painting Tips from New Zealand

I got a response from my friend down in New Zealand country on my help please post. He gave me a website to browse through for all my painting needs. Its a fun and interactive site that I'm sure would be of great help to you as it was for me. Happing surfing...

Help Please...

We are in the process of painting our house and I would really, really appreciate some tips on sites to click on to get the perfect color. So, if anyone's watching, do drop me a line on my comments section and tell me where to go.

A Personal Note

A biking contest organized by the group


San Juanico biking

I would like to take this occasion...Now,now, that sounds like the introductory speech for a speaker. Let me do it again...To all the guys who have taken the pain and the time of checking on this blog, I just wanted to let you all know that d hubby's group, the OneWay Bike Club is celebrating its two-year anniversary tomorrow. Eavesdropping on hubby's conversations, I've learned that they will be marking the milestone with a bang, a small bang in a beach somewhere in San Jose. So tomorrow, if suddenly you miss them in their usual haunt right by Magsaysay Bouevard after a morning's biking, you know why.

From here the wifey of a true-blue and fanatic member who have come to accept that most Saturday mornings have been permanently robbed of quality family time (joke, joke, joke, am not being sarcastic, really, d hubby's good health and waistline has been worth it), happy anniversary! May your tribe increase and your pedaling legs stronger.


Embracing a worthy cause, ahem...

(photos courtesy of M.N.A.)

Gerry's Grill now in Tacloban

I got my first taste of Gerry's Grill's smoking menu back in 2001 at the original Tomas Morato branch, a stone's throw away from the ABS-CBN compound, when I was in the middle of my struggles to have a door-opening prefix and all the privileges it entails attached to my name. It was a time of stretched budgets and an an even more stretched schedule of cramming everything I have learned in four years in a five-month time frame.

Going to Gerry's then was a treat my board mates and I gave ourselves after a grueling week of review with our minds demanding a rest from all that legal gobblydegook that was starting to sound like a foreign language. So before any of us suffered a total mental meltdown (of course I exaggerate, no four-letter prefix is worth a visit to the sanitarium, with due apologies for those whose emotional make-up just couldn't take the wringer that is the B__), we decided to give our brains a rest and our mouths and stomachs a respite from the fare at "Lutong Bahay"(that small carenderia in UP Diliman that has customers eating as if they're in an assembly line). The group unanimously chose the restaurant owing to a tidbit we got that its the frequent haunt of ABS-CBN stars, thus, the best place for star-gazing for us probinsyanas. While there were a few howls of protests, the idea of bumping into Jericho Rosales overrode all objections to Gerry's being a bit pricey for our shoestring budgets .


The bar at Gerry's Grill Tacloban branch

Well, we were not disappointed as the guy himself was seated just a few tables from us looking even more cuter than he was on tv. No, of course we didn't fall all over ourselves getting his autograph. We acted like everyone else in the restaurant, real cool, pretending like we didn't know an artista was in our midst, with a few surreptious side glances when we thought knowing was looking. But pretenses aside, the food was great and the sizzling sisig we ordered was worth the dent it made on our relatively shallow pockets then.

So it was with much anticipation that I awaited the opening of this cool grilled place in Tacloban once I got wind of news that a local businessman had gotten a franchise. My friend and I went for dinner on a Wednesday weeks after its soft opening. As if wanting to dash too-high exepctations for a dining place that carried a nationally-known name, notices that went: "this is just our soft-opening, please bear with us as we are still on dry-run" or words to that effect was plastered on all its air-conditioners prompting me to be as gentle as possible in making this post-cum-wannabe restaurant review. Doing so required me to hold my punches, so to speak, on things that didn't quite satisfy me as far as what I would expect a fine-dining haunt should be. Having said that, let me then talk about the good points.

The staff are ever so friendly, smiling and at your beck and call at the snap of a finger. The interiors are well done and in keeping with all Gerry's Grill branches, has a stone and mortar look dominated by the colors orange and red. The comfort rooms are clean and supplied with all the necessary toilet room needs (e.g. toilet paper, hand santizing liquid, air fresheners, etc.). As for the food, all items were reasonably-priced which came as a surprise considering that the place was a franchise. We tried the chopsuey and the sizzling sisig, a star item as far as the Tomas Morato branch was concerned. Well, the fare did not have us singing endless allleluias but it was not so bad either. The vegetables in the chopsuey was cooked just right and the serving was hefty enough for three people to share. It was good enough for, yes, a dry run but still has a lot of catching up to do in order to come at par with its Manila cousin.

The Tomas Morato Gerry's had that hard to define "f" (f as in foodie) factor that makes you want to return and savor more of its food again, and yet again. Up to now when the many choices of places to eat in Manila confounds me, Gerry's is the dependable resto I go to and I never come away disappointed. I actually have a theory of why what works and what makes a foodie haunt click. Taken from a voracious eater's point of view of course and not a chef or cook. Ask my hubby and he will tell you just how good I am in the kitchen, (hahaha, if you have a taste for roasted, a.k.a. burnt, adobo cooked ala carte style). You see, I totally agree that cooking is an art and just like any art takes passion and skill to make one excel at it. You may have everything right, the exact amount of ingredients, fresh and picked straight from the garden, cooking temperatures followed to the letter and a place with an ambiance thats not gonna send Erap saying: "Ambiance, thats very expensive, i haven't ordered any ambiance" yet if the cooking does not come from the heart, it will eventually show and patrons can always tell the subtle difference.

What's my point? The food in GG Tacloban was more than passable but lacked the zing that makes for one unforgettable dining experience. But lets give it time, there's always room for improvement and for the baby that it still is, Gerry's in Tacloban has enough time to find that zing and its heart, foodie heart that is. Last time I checked the place was still on "dry-run" mode and hopefully is in the process of improving its menu. Maybe by the time we come back, Gerry's Grill Tacloban shall have lived up to its name.

waray in the city gets published

As I've said in my other personal blog, the first is always something and it applies to everything, including getting an editor's nod for your article. You see, last night while I was buying my groceries at the local 24/7 shop, I decided to check this month's issue of the magazine to which I submitted a very short piece of mine, its not much, just your average everday musing. I browsed through it and and saw in quite large print my whole name staring back at me in one of the pages. It's not a lengthy article but seeing your byline on a national glossy for the first time drew a quite heady reaction, at least for me (last time I got a written work published, if you call it that, was way back in highschool, when my feature on graffiti got all of a one- fourth's page space in the school paper). My sister who has had her poems published before was quite amused at my really giddy reaction but I say: be it a few paragraphs, one page or ten pages, the first publication of whatever you have written is a cause for celebration. Someone, somewhere who's supposed to be the expert on this magazine thing, decides that your thoughts are worth printing and sharing to their thousands of readers. Of course, the money that you get paid for submitting the article is a much-welcome bonus (Okay, I'll be honest, the moolah was one of the reasons why I sent the piece in the first place). So indulge me dear readers just this once and take my giddiness with a touch of "gee-she's so excited-she-got-published-I understand totally-cause it's her first time" reaction. Gloating, is not my thing really, but then again, its the no. 1 homestyle magazine in the country (wink,wink, wink).

By the way, I won't be telling you where to look cause I still want to maintain my anonymity, but for those who have an eensi weensie idea already of who I am though they are not really sure, the article is the direct evidence that establishes conclusively my identity (hehehe).

A Sala Set on Wheels

Onli in Da Philippines. A catch phrase that applies to many things uniquely Pinoy. Sometimes it's positive, sometimes its on the other end, but most often than not, the words imply a humorous twist on an otherwise ordinary of way of life for the lowly Filipino who tries to keep his head high while keeping his mind, body and pockets above water in the most trying of times. Stated otherwise, onli in da Philippines is the Pinoy's penchant to make do out of a bad situation in his most innovative way.

Take for instance the "sala" set on wheels. As early back as my grade school years, the jeepneys plying out-of-town routes here in Leyte and even in Samar, have those little benches in between seats, all the better to maximize its capacity never mind if its not allowed under our laws. When the barker can no longer say, "Pito-pito han ito, lima pala an sakay didda" (The seats are good for seven, only five so far, still two places left) deftly ignoring that the seven meant seven people of normal sizes, the five includes three obese ones, and that for two to squeeze in they must be of the extremely malnourished types, then out come the little benches for more passengers. The eensie weenie discomforts of public commute, yet one has to sympathize with the jeepney drivers, out of every liter of gasoline, every peso must be squeezed and packing them in even as tightly as sardines is the only answer. I would want to include here a picture of such a jeepney but I'm not ready yet for the curious stares I'm likely to get should I take one during one of my public rides. Hmmm, perhaps I can bribe the hubby with an "in house second honeymoon" (hehehe) for him to take the shot...Fat chance.

The Accidental Mountaineer - My Mt. Danglay Misadventures

I say "Fear Factor" pales in comparison to what I foolishly did half a lifetime ago. I went mountain climbing, me who has had a fear of height since as far back as I can remember. Well, its not really a mountain, but they call it Mt. Danglay for reasons unknown. You can view it from the port in the city, its peak jutting out amongst shorter cousins and is part of Basey, Samar. Its actually a semi, since its more than a hill. Anyway, mountaineering was all the rage then and I still needed some Physical Education units so I signed myself up to an Outdoor-sort of class in the State University's branch here in Tacloban. An option during the class was to go on a real climb somewhere out of town and the place picked was a Mount_____ (name escapes me now) somewhere in Negros Oriental (or is it Occidental?). It wasn't mandatory considering the risk and expenses involved but not knowing what a real climb entailed, I counted myself in. Before we went on the scheduled climb, the group who decided to join went on a practice climb on Mt. Danglay. Guess who was with them? Yap, I was. There were ten of us including our Business Management Professor who was an enthusiast (he once joined a cigarette brand challenge in the United States).

We set off for Danglay early morning by banca (the local canoe) since the San Juanico Bridge was then in a state of repair. We arrived at the foot of the wannabe mountain after a short walk from shore where we embarked. Up we then went carrying with us all the equipment we would need: ropes, lunchboxes and a stick that we used to latch on the ground in order to steady ourselves. We actually had so much fun, the gang being a merry mix of jokers and comedians. Everything went fine for me, no matter how hard, including thrashing and cutting wild grass as we made our own trail to the summit. I was not so conscious then of high we were going up as the initial part of the climb is not that vertical and the grass camouflaged the drop below. Halfway through the top, we stopped for some lunch and had a short rest. I do remember laughing all the time , that's how funny and outgoing my climbmates were. Nothing indicated the fact that soon I would become the punchline once the climb was over. I can smile about it now, but back then, I was so pikon (piqued) hearing the jokes that I even stopped talking to them for almost a semester. But that's me, kinda sensitive at times but mellowed now a bit by the years.

So your wondering now what happened in that climb more than a decade ago? Guess my fear of heights caught up with me and the mountain suddenly took a 90 degree vertical turn. Nearing the summit, we came upon a sheer face of rock that was virtually 90 degrees from where we stood. Almost like a wall. We had to scale it to get to the top, there was no other way. Believe me, if there was I would have found it, I was that desperate not to have to climb that sheer rock. I was third from the last to go, all the girls were already up there, it was just me and our professor left and another classmate. When it was turn, I really panicked, as in the works, I froze and my fingers refused to tug myself up the rope (they called it rappel). What really got it in for me was I cried for my mama, literally. Yup, there i was, dangling in a rope, on a mountain in Samar, just a year short of my twentieth birthday, and bawling myself out. I said, no, I just couldn't do it. Eventually our enterprising professor found a way to get me up there, what that was, i'd rather keep private. Unfortunately for me, the rest of my climbmates were not of the same mindset. They found it worthwhile to tell the rest of the class back in the low and flat land of what happened and for a time I couldn't hear enough of it during classes. Anyhow, soon we got to the peak, and for all our efforts (including my unwilling comedic act), we stayed a mere five minutes. The trip downhill was a lot easier as it was on the other side, and, no, I didn't anymore slip to any crying fits.

Looking back, I said to myself, what actually got into me that I agreed to go on that climb? Facing my fears? Yah, right, like telling a claustrophobe to go try putting himself inside a coffin.
Nonetheless, for all its worth, the experience was still worth it, and despite the punchlines, am quite mighty proud of having done it.

Bahandi Trade Fair 2008

(graphics and layout by Jet Amago)

"Bahandi" means treasure in the Waray-waray dialect and on September 26-30, a fair of Eastern Visayas treasures will be on display at the 2008 Bahandi Trade Fair. This includes the best of food, handicrafts, wooden furniture, bags, accessorie, household items, and eco-tourist spots that the islands of Samar and Leyte has to offer. This is an annual event of the Bahandi Producers Association of Eastern Visayas (BPAEV) with financial and technical assistance from the Department of Trade and Industry, Regional Office VIII, CITEM and OTOP.

I urge those in the area to visit as prices are most reasonable and way below Metro Manila quotations. The hardwood living room sets are bestsellers and a steal if you compare it with high-end shops with quality on a par if not better...And for those who have been following my other blog, http://everythingwaray.blogspot.com/, you can find in this fair the delicacies I've written about such as the pastillas of Mana Lumen; the moron of Abuyog, and the binagol of Dagami. No need to wait for pasalubong from visiting relatives. Catch it while you can, just drop yourself at the Shaw MRT station and take a walk for some good exercise on your way to SM Mega Mall mega trade hall where the fair will be held.

Waray Goes To Manila

NAIA 3

My family and I were gone to Manila for a week. We arrived there on Thursday and the first thing that greeted us was the spanking new Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3. Stepping out of the airplane tube and into the airport, it was a far cry from the old Manila Domestic Airport with its outdated equipment and peeling infrastructure. Everything is spic and span with toilets clean and working. The NAIA 3 is modern and its a mostly steel and concrete structure. Here, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) personnel do go by their slogan, "We go the extra SMILE" and are friendly and ready always to assist. At a glance, it is comparable to first world airports that I have seen on movies and the tv. There are walkalators for the weary travelers at certain parts of the quite long hallways. A word of advise for those who would like to save on their travels, the "official" taxis are the yellow ones and are found on the taxi waiting line but if you go a little further away, the ordinary taxis are there which have a cheaper flag down and per kilometer rate.

The only mild irritant of our NAIA 3 experience was the "express" counter of one of the local airlines on our trip back. I had to get our e-tickets which we purchased over the internet and we waited for almost an hour and a half in a line that was barely moving. Luckily, I had already adjusted to Manila timelines determined by the traffic gridlocks and set out for the airport five hours before our departure time so we arrived there with a good two and a half hours before boarding time. Nevertheless, waiting this time was not a chore owing to the good airconditioning system and comforable seats that were all over the place.

The NAIA 3 Departure area with the check in counters in the background

Malls

As soon as we unpacked, off to Trinomal Mall we went as it was the nearest one from where we were staying. It is just off North EDSA and right across SM, however, traffic is quite slow as it is on a busy thoroughfare. It has a well-designed common square with landscaped trees and fountains, a trademark of all Ayala malls. You can find all major brands here including foreign ones like Debenhams and the GAP. At the time of our visit there was a sale for "high-end" names for BPI credit card holders and I got a GAP blouse at 5o% discount. My daughter had much fun on the children's rides located on the uppermost floor and the hubby got the record for the heaviest "smash-on-a-hammer" winning us 10 points. Yup, my better half is on the muscular and biggie side, so people hesitate to mess around with me (hehehe).

Php100 WIFI

As I've said earlier, our trip was mall-filled and the gargantuan Mall of Asia was on our itinerary. We went on a Sunday when traffic was lighter (you would have noticed by now, most of our trips are determined by the heaviness or lightness of the traffic, that's how big it figures there). Well, as they say, it indeed is the biggest in Asia and the boast is not an empty one. We confined ourselves to the North wing as the scooters were only available for the aged and the handicapped. Short of feigning illness, there was no way we could get aboard one to go to the other end and walking was out of the question in a place so big. There were so many people and I guessed it was because they wanted to escape the infernal heat. It was here that we went into a Gloria Jeans coffeeshop that charged Php100/hour for access to its wifi internet connection. A highway robbery considering that its even offered for free in other java joints and its only Php20 per hour in Internet cafes and I rightly told the cashier so. But we had no choice as we had to buy our airline tickets over the Internet. But still, the place had one of the best chillers around, try the vanilla caramel chiller, real yummy.

Traffic, traffic, traffic

Daily sight on Taft Avenue, bumper to bumper traffic

While I have been born, raised, and lived in a city, Tacloban, it is nothing compared to the big metropolis that is Metro Manila. Traffic,while a minor irritation and lasting only for 15 to 30 minutes during rush hours and only on Mondays and Fridays here, in Manila it is a horrendous hours long gridlock that people have to live and contend with daily for the whole of the week. It is such that intineraries have to be carefully planned so that you don't waste the day stuck in traffic. Travel from Quezon City to Makati takes two hours to two hours and a half on rush hours so we skipped the latter. We also always looked for streets that escaped it that one time it got us into trouble. We entered a one way road and got cited for a ticket as my sister's pleadings and feigned tears did not get us off.

Honest taxi drivers, "magulang" taxi drivers

What's the difference between an honest taxi driver and an unscrupolous one? Two hundred pesos. That's the fare gap between the taxi we took upon arriving at the airport that took us to my sister's place and the taxi we rode in to get to the airport on our trip home. It was the same route, same non-rush hours yet the first charged us more than Php400.00 while the latter charged us only Php200.00. The good apples are always thrown in with bad ones and its always the latter that gives all of them a bad name. The hubby gave a generous tip to the honest one and a mean stare for the not-so-honest one.

Fine Food

I've always make it a point when I travel to dine in an establishment that has no franchise in where I live, so on this vacation, we ate at a Chinese restaurant and a Japanese place that had no branch in Tacloban. We tried Super Bowl at Asia Mall, a Chinese restaurant. I liked its eggplant stewed in a secret sauce. Delicious. The lemon chicken, however, was too sweet for my taste. We also ate at Teriyaki Boy, for almost authentic Japanes cuisine. I whined about the small servings and in reply my sister gave me a lesson on Japanese eating culture. That's why they are so slim because eating is an art that is savored not only enjoyed and is done in small morsels, so she said. Well, I still say the price of the maki is too big for three small pieces. Again, sis said its because the ingredients are rare and authentic, thus pricey. As for the sashimi, I still have to acquire a taste for it.

Shopping

If for anything else, it's the shopping choices that's so aplenty in Manila that holds the greatest attraction for me. I had to control my shopping urges or else I would have made me and the hubby incur humongous credit card debts and have us eat bulad (dried fish, a poor man's fare)for the rest of our lives (of course I'm joking) to pay up.

There are so many stores and brands to choose from, from clothes, household items, make-up, food and so much more. I stuck to much budget though, and had enough left of my pocket money to put in the bank. Yes, that's how thrifty I am, when everyone would rather spend all their money on a vacation, I like to keep some left for the porcelain piggy. But that did not stop me from buying things on sale. Got some curtains with 20% of the price slashed off, clothes for my daughter, clothes for me, uhhmm, for the hubby, I let him do his own shopping, which he actually prefers (hehehe).

Back from a Break, Manila Airports, Long Queues, Malls, Traffice, No Yaya atbp.

I'm back from a week long vacation. I was supposed to go there for business and pleasure, but due to some kinks, miscommunications, bureaucratic red tape and circuitous processes in the legislative branch of government that does not serve its purpose, the business part was not attained, but thankfully, the pleasure part was. My family got real quality bonding time and I got a crash course in how to mix mama duties with household ones, budgeting and itinerary planning. It was just me, the hubby and my three year old daughter sans yaya-cum-household help and while it was quite tiresome, it felt great to take care of our baby all by our twosome. It was bonding heaven and in a both-parents-working-household, its a rarity that must be treasured and strived for. The hubby took care of the cooking and washing of our daughter's clothes and I was responsible for bathing her and washing the dishes. We stayed at my sister's house in Quezon City that was steaming hot in the afternoons so we took refuge in malls that was nearby. Trinoma Mall was just a fifteen minute commute by taxi and in the week that was we were a regular fixture with our stroller where our baby was comfortably esconced. For more of metro malls, watch out for my coming posts on our Manila trip.

All in all, the vacation was well worth the expense, time away from work and sweat from the sweltering Manila sun.

Off on a Break

Guys, I will be taking a long-awaited vacation with my family, so waray in the city will be quiet for a while. Yah, I know, I can connect anywhere but this time there will be no distractions, just me, d hubby and my baby. Will be back in a week...Ciao

A Funny Felllow Called Pete

I'm now on panic mode. Was lying down last night and happened to look down below. Guess what I saw, just my tummy and nothing else!!!!!! Golly mia, mama mia, am I turning into Pete, the funny guy of my grade years?

For those of you out there who had the lucky break to have your elementary years in this then laboratory school, now university in the city known for its, ahem, quality education, and you had Miss C. as your teacher in Grade One, then you have an inkling as to who Pete is. (Oh,oh, this post is getting warm as to my real identity).

For those in the dark, let me introduce you to Pete...

Pete is a funny fellow.
Pete, who's Pete?
He's a boy so fat that he CAN'T SEE HIS FEET AT ALL
My, he's so fat.
And you know, he eats five meals a day.
Five meals a day???....

For the rest about Pete, view in the comments section from those in the know (calling all you you-know-who-I'm-talking-about, please answer)

Abortion Roads No More

My hubby read my post about flights to Borongan and took exception to my mention of Samar's "abortion" roads. He said, and I quote, "Di na gud duro ka lubak-lubak an kalsada, asphaltado na an kasagaran han tikadto ha Catbalogan"(It's not that pot-holed anymore and most of the road to Catbalogan is already asphalted) end of quote. In fairness, it really is a lot better than a year ago. This pock-marked stretch of the national highway has now undergone a "facial" but if you ask me, what it really needs is a "diamond peel". Its smooth sailing, or should I say driving, all the way from Tacloban City to Paranas, Samar, but from thereon, on certain portions of the road, the motions of the car imitate the undulating waves of the sea (if you get my drift).

The "diamond peel", er construction and rehabilitation, is still ongoing and hopefully by the end of the year (fingers crossed) the infamous roads would have totally erased its "killer" moniker.

Travel Light

It seems Cebu Pacific Air has taken the phrase "travel light" to a whole new level with its newest "go-lite" promo. This is how it works, you get a P200 slash from your "go" fares if you check in with only a hand-carried luggage. Neat, huh? And to make sure you don't try getting around its "no-bagage-check-in-rule", they will slap you P100 penalty over and above the P200 that you have to pay back in case you try sneaking in the baggage come check-in time.

Now that were on the subject, why not "travel light" indeed without all the excess emotional baggage? Time to unload all past grudges, long-standing insecurities, unresolved fears and needless worries and anxieties. It's just a drag lugging all these around when you can have an "oh-so-light, I-am- free, life-is-good, I-can-do-it " feeling when you don't have that proverbial chip on your shoulder.

So take my advise as you journey down this avenue called life and "go-lite". Make friends with your enemies (if that's not possible, then forgive then in your hearts), kiss and make up with your estranged loved ones, go climb a mountain and overcome your fear of heights, sing in front of the mirror, "I am beautiful, no matter what they say..."(with apologies to Cristina Aguilera), go call that boy/girl that caught your eye, and keep faith, leave to God what is beyond your control (huwag naman kay Batman). Easier said than done? Then repeat after me, "I am beautiful no matter what they say, words can't bring me down..

Good News for Estehanons (Eastern Samarenos)

SeaAir now have flights to Borongan Airport twice a week!!! For all of you who wants a faster way to the eco tourist spots of Samar, flying is now a way to go and you can kiss those "abortion" roads good bye...

Will Still Be Posting in Everything Waray

Guys, I will continue to post in my everything waray blog, so do visit it still just as you do here.

Just came from Samar and inspiration struck as I saw one of those people carrying what is known as an alat, a native basket made of uway, a kind of grass that grows in Samar. Why not a post about them? Tried to interview one of these alat-carrying folks but failed to catch them as I woke up late on Sunday, the town's tabo. They are there only from 5 to 6 in the morning and left by the time I arrived there. I will do my best to wake up early next time on my return trip to Samar so you can get a glimpse of the life "behind an alat".

The Banig of My Childhood

It was no thicker than two cartolinas and measured two by three meters. Yet it was big enough to contain the memories of a languid childhood and siestas in the afternoon.


A colorful banig from Basey, Samar

Many years back when we were still between the ages of nine and thirteen, every afternoon on school breaks, my sisters and I gathered in the sala and set aside the sofas to spread out the banig on the floor. We packed our then still slim bodies across it and tried to catch the sleep that proved to be elusive in the wake of anticipation of the playtime that was to come. So we closed our eyes and pretended to sleep when Mama would come around to check or else forfeit the snack that was to be our reward for taking the afternoon nap.

Then on weekends, my cousins, aunts and uncles on my mother's side would converge at lola's house and the result would be one fun ruckus. We slept on the floor, on banigs rolled out in the sala while the adults played mahjong.

We bought the banig from from the stalls lining the street immediately after the post office building, just below the Gran Hotel that never was. There you would find(and still find) all sorts of banig (sleeping mats) made from the "tikog", a reed plant that thrives in swampy areas. There were the colorful ones which are more expensive and then there were the simple mats which could only be rolled as it was too thick to fold unlike its more colorful sisters. All these mats were sourced from the small coastal town of Basey, Samar, the place where the paraglaras (women weavers) make the banig beneath its cool caves.

The banig we used to sleep on many years back has long been tucked away and is now frayed at the edges. It has since been replaced by the new one I bought, and like in my earlier years, my daughter now sleeps in it for afternoon naps after being lulled to a slumber by the tv and a bottle of "susoy" (milk). The banig of my childhood has now come full circle.

(Photo courtesy of Bimbo Tan of OTOP Phils.)

My Blue Ocean

I am a baby to the world of blogging having discovered the joys of "at-the-click-of-a-button" online publishing just this July. In the beginnng words like "html", "css", "widgets", "templates" were as comprehensible to me as French, meaning none at all. In time I could talk about them with the working knowledge of wannabe techie. I learned by assimilation and I learned by osmosis, visting other blogs and different help groups and fora. I posted my queries and got my answers in nanoseconds (a new kind of time division in the virtual world)

I started with a very personal blog, one that contained mostly musings, ramblings and occasional rantings. Then I made one that had a specific market in mind, a niche, you would call it, catering to people of my hometown who have gone on to search for the veritable greener pastures and have uprooted themselves from the place they called home. But then a technical glitch occured forcing me to make but yet another blog. Just in time as I came upon a discovery in my blog surfing, my niche was not a niche after all. So many blogs were made for the same purpose and contained similar posts that my site was drowning in the ocean of millions of blogs. It was time to create my blue ocean. My blue ocean in a sea of "waray waray" blogsites.

So what is to be expected from this blog? As its title suggests, it shall contain stories uniquely "waray-waray", of what makes him tick and what sets him apart from the rest. A post shall be a story in itself and, if time and inspiration permits, worth retelling. I do not have yet the means of how to achieve this, what I only have now is the vision. But as they say in the movies, "it started with a dream...".

HOme is Now Also Here...

Welcome to my new home... I decided to add this new blog as a technical glitch happened in my earlier blog.

I'll be building everything from scratch and the task is quite daunting. Stay with me as I still have to get my bearings. Just like moving out in real time and in the real world, moving in the virtual world means a lot of adjustments to make.

But I will continue to make posts in everything waray until waray in the city gains enough viewership. Just like a mother hen, the former will still be very much around until her chick, waray in the city, can cluck on her own. Or I might decide to continue maintaining both blogs so do visit both.

To all that have taken the effort to click on the link from everything waray, I'll endeavour to make this a better blog. Hope you return for more. Till my next post...