2011, you're mine and I know it!
My good friend Sushil and his friend VK recently visited Manila to go diving in Anilao. It was about time Sushil (already an honorary Filipino!) did a better tour of Manila– he’s only mostly in town for business. With 3 whole days to go diving and do a mini-tour of the city, it was a long list of things to do and see, but check, check, check!
1. Diving in Anilao- We were able to do 4 dives in Mainit, Sombrero Island, Cathedral, and Beatrice. I’ve gone to all but Beatrice, but since I haven’t gone diving in a year it was as if I was on a checkout dive again! The highlight of the dive- our boat broke down, so we had to float in the water in our gear for a good hour or more, that’s why my face was scorched!
The sunset in Anilao. WOW.
2. Pancake House brunch! Sushil’s favorite! He just had to get the tacos less the meat. VK is also now a Pancake House and green mango shake convert!
3. Tour of downtown Manila. Unfortunately Carlos Celdran didn’t have any walking tours scheduled that day, but we were able to get by with our funny tour guide Jorge. It’s funny that I didn’t know anything to say about Intramuros except that it was the old Manila, so I had to do research in Wikitravel. Good thing there are available tour guides to take you around in a kalesa.
After Intramuros we went to have dinner at Crisostomo with Angeli in Resorts World. Then it was time to bring them to the airport for their flight home. Nice weekend! :)
VK is an great photographer by the way. Thanks for the photos- and sorry I didn’t post my own :p
https://picasaweb.google.com/111956277310529416991/ManilaPhilippines#
Heard this on the Hed Kandi Beach House 2011 album. And I love it :)
I watched Kylie Minogue’s concert in Araneta last Tuesday with Ian & Aron. We got the Upper Box A reserved seats at 3,700, and even if we bought the tickets a bit late, we still got good seats center right. I almost backed out of this, and I’m so glad I didn’t! (Thank you Ian for convincing me– even for the wrong reasons haha!)
I'm sure the "boys" loved this one
Bongga ka 'day!
The glittery finale
It was mind-blowing, definitely an EXPERIENCE! Kylie is a superb showgirl, the production was nuts! She sang all her famous songs + songs from her new album, Aphrodite. My most favorite part was when she sang “Especially For You”, just for Manila– because she did some research and probably found out that that’s one of the songs we wanted to hear! I love Kylie, I’m still hung over!
This year was different since I had my Dagupan friends to welcome my birthday come June 2– over a bottle of tequila, that deadly submarine (tequila + beer) concoction, more beer, and a one hitter quitter, I was out. Puked right outside our bahay kubo in Peping’s, that the boys had to bring me home! Woke up the next day with a bruise on my right thigh a-la The Hangover. Took a leave on Friday for beauty errands in preparation for my party in Attica the next day.
I loved having everyone who mattered (except for my high school friends, whom I decided to throw a separate party for) all in the same place, having drinks with me. I liked the feeling so much that I’ve decided to throw a party every year moving forward! Attica didn’t charge me corkage for the 4 bottles of Black Label I brought, then we had 3 bottles of tequila & beer. Awesome party, awesome feeling, awesome friends, awesome drunkenness! (I tripped in my heels along Makati Ave in front of Wendy’s because I was sooo wasted!)
My Dagupan friends- along with my Colgate BFF Patti who came all the way from Baguio just to be there :)
Part 2 of the Dagupan crew!
4/7 of the Laos crew! Missing Zig (latecomer!), Giselle & Nic
With the CP/ ex-CP "oldies"! Ann, Biancs, Roan, Jannah (thanks for the eyeshadow!), Ed
With Aira the matchmaker! And Denis (thanks for the book!) & Kiko
The Paramore Group (Paul & Joyce), and my Dagupan buddy Brian
Thanks to my Luzon Direct Trade teammates for coming!
I’m so happy to be surrounded by friends who will support me every step of the way. Though things aren’t working as stellar as I’d like them to be, I really can’t complain about anything. I have a good life, a nice job, and a lot more things I should be thankful for. Indeed the quarter life crisis isn’t supposed to make me question what I don’t have, but rather appreciate what I do have in my life. Things are good, and I’m looking forward to an adventure-filled back half of 2011!
Went to Laos in April with Marvin, Ziggie and his friends Miguel, Giselle, Carol, and Nicole. A trip booked on instinct, Zig’s been planning this for a long time and we just tagged along on the excitement. The adventure included sleeping in the Bangkok airport (and almost missing our connecting flight), going through land borders, and that bumpy 4-hour ride to Vang Vieng. The place felt like Spring Break with the non-stop partying, and our recovery was tubing down the river. We had a day to sight-see around Vientiane, the capital city of Laos before heading home. I loved this trip and it was definitely EPIC!
The whole crew having lunch in Vientiane
The place we stayed at in Vang Vieng- The Spicy Hostel
One shake each, sharing a pizza (GO FIGURE!) and rum coke buckets after, this was how wasted we got...
A buddha in a cave! We climbed so high to get here.
Tubing down the river! Recovery.
Sight-seeing of course. Lots of buddhas!
We shall return in 2012 with much more party-force, Vang Vieng get ready!!!
We went to Osaka in March for our sales convention. Out of the country this time because 2010 was a good year for us, as compared to Mactan & Boracay in the previous years. This was my second visit to Japan (Tokyo & Yokohama back in ’07). We only had 2 days around the city for the arranged tours, but it was a steady trip with colleagues. As always there’s so much to love about Japan- how clean & organized everything is, the cold weather, being a 1st world country, and of the course the food! On a side note– for our sales convention I was nominated in the Best Account Manager category! Quite a surprise, but a feather on my cap nonetheless :)
My first meal in Osaka in this bar called Watami. Salmon donburi, yum!
I don't know which is cuter-- the fish or the baby!
The super city that is Osaka. And it's only the 2nd most progressive in Japan! (Like Cebu!)
The best meal on the trip... bento boxes!
And my finale photo... McDonald's please! (Sorry it's already a ritual for me haha)
I would have enjoyed the trip more if I was with my friends, but since it was a sales convention then it’s mostly business too. I’ve been to Tokyo before, so of course Osaka didn’t fare in comparison. Anyhoo, Japan is still Japan!
I’m so behind on my posts! Not much has significantly changed for the first half of 2011, except that I’ve gone out of the country thrice–
India with Angeli in February, for Sushil (friend from MISE) & Lalitha’s wedding in Bangalore. It was my second non-Filipino wedding (first was Meryl’s in Jakarta back in ’07) to attend, and of course it was an experience! Loved seeing the colorful saris/ kurtas, witnessing Indian wedding rituals, and having the traditional Indian (vegetarian) food. We even got our own kurtas to wear!
After Bangalore we flew to New Delhi to take the Golden Triangle Tour around New Delhi – Jaipur – Agra. Went around Old Delhi in a rickshaw, the Jama Masjid, Gandhi’s tomb, and the India gate. And there started my three-day affair with butter chicken…
From Delhi we took a 6-hour drive to Jaipur, the Pink City of India. Very cultural, very touristy! We got ourselves nice pieces of jewelry as expensive souvenirs!
From Jaipur we took another 6-hour drive to Agra, which was much more provincial. If not for the Taj Mahal, our tour guide said that no one would go there! The Taj though made up for all the chaos in the city, I felt the same when I first saw the Eiffel Tower light up years ago…
I haven’t really identified India as one of the countries on my must-visit list, but now that I’ve gone there, YOU HAVE TO SEE THE TAJ BEFORE YOU DIE! Despite it being just like the Philippines with all the chaos, India has magnificent architectural jewels amidst cities of “trash” (there are a lot on the streets, trust me). And that’s what makes it Incredible (India)! I’m glad we decided to take the trip, and don’t mind having spent a lot on it. It’s off the beaten path for us but was very much worth it!
Oh, and before I forget, here’s my McDonald’s meal in India– had it in Jaipur!
There is only one Chicken Maharaja Mac.
Last week, I went to the famous Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag in Manaoag, Pangasinan. Well because it was lunch and I had time to kill. I don’t have a store in the area, but it was on the way to my store in Pozorrubio. It was my first time there so I said a few prayers… then took my camera out for some test shots (trying hard to be a photographer haha!):
The church facade
Leading to the altar
I wasn’t surprised that the area was already a bit touristy. Leading to the church and on the way back, street vendors and beggars hounded me to buy their goods or give them money. Well, siyempre because people always make a pilgrimage to Manaoag to fervently pray for something, such as passing an examination or if they have a major petition. I’m glad it’s only in my area, about 20-30 minutes away from Dagupan so it’s easy to go anytime :)
I stumbled upon this as I was browsing for photography books (weird connection!) through Amazon, and I want, I want, I want one of these! (No this is not a paid blog entry, I just found this product really interesting.)
Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker (Ice Cream Ball)
The Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker allows you to make your own ice cream anytime, anywhere without electricity. You just need to fill one end of the ball with ice and salt, then fill the other end with ice cream mix. Shake the ball and in 15 minutes you have your own pint of ice cream! This is perfect for camping trips or if you just want to make ice cream in your own home. I wonder if we’ll have this here in Manila soon?
