Random pictures

Sun and Moon (UP Lantern Parade)

Basilica Minore del Santo Nino de Cebu (right) during week of Sinulog Festival

People hearing morning Mass during Sinulog Festival

Dan posing in front of Ati-Atihan souvenirs

Coal painted face

The full weekend and my newly acquired books

Been away from digital life for a while because I was (1) busy finishing my work deliverables (2) traveling over the weekend (3) too cash strapped to buy smart load for my internet stick.

Add to that, I am closely managing my domestic chores now because of my impending relocation to Manila by early February. Yeah, my Cebu adventure is coming to a close I need to plan ahead about shipping, packing and all the nitty-gritty business involve in moving out. My Cebu farewell write-up will be up soon, hopefully by next week.

So last weekend, I made a major decision. Instead of celebrating Sinulog with the jolly people of Cebu, I was convinced to fly to Kalibo and celebrate Ati-Atihan. Well, actually Kalibo was planned months before I got the Cebu contract so yeah, it will be best to honor that decision.

Ati-Atihan is a crowd celebration. Every minute, a marching band, consisting of mainly of drums plus lires, some have trumpets, will push you to dance to their beat. Add to that the colorful costumes of children and adults participating in the parade. They all painted their body and face with coals. Nice. In Ati-Atihan nobody is a stranger, because when you dance to the beat, you are dancing with the whole community. You are one with the rhythm of the tribes, of the streets and of the city.

It is my first time to celebrate it. And it was amazing. Full of colors and drum beats. You cannot block the marching of the people, one must either seek the safety of sidewalk or you dance with them. Participants have bottles of beer in their pockets to quench their thirst when they finish drumming to a song. These people are impossible. They start playing and marching as early as 5am up until 12 midnight for 5 days with small periods of rest.

I remember in my Anthro class, my professor said the first to enter the state of trance are the drummers. They get lost to the beating of drums, they repeat the rhythm until they reach the building climax, release. Tapos meron pang alcohol, wow, todo-trance!

Aside from trance, dancing and costumes, my stay in Kalibo was made worthwhile by their yummy pizza places: Zabroso and Jads. Although exploring these places during Ati-Atihan is not so comfortable because volumes of people who flock the city to celebrate end up ordering their lunch/dinner in these pizza parlors too. So you have to count extra minutes before you get your hands to a pizza slice.

My flight back to Cebu was also tense. I was beating the check-in deadline when I arrived at the airport 30 minutes before my boarding time. The long lines of people waiting to enter the airport was enough to make me lose my faith in catching my flight. But luckily, I was permitted by the guard to enter right away (since I made an online check-in) only to find out that my flight is one and half hour late. Big relief.

Whew.

So am happy that although the plane arrived 2 hours later, at least I am inside the airport, writing my weekend adventures.

Now back in office in Cebu City, I am very intrigued by my new book acquisition:
A history of mourning by Richard Devey
Ruins of Ancient Cities vols I and II
A journal from Japan
Brave New World
Study in Emerald

Excited to read.

But I will work first. So Dr Who season 2 has to wait because I have to read my books first before watching the doctor.

O-well, eight days to go

Am turning 27 in eight days. But bahumbug, universe you have been very keen on letting me know about the adventures and misadventures that life has to offer. Maybe you need to cut some slack? ^^

But as I have been enjoying loving my vacations lately, it makes more sense if I maximize all my precious minutes in these provinces that I visit. 

Well, my stars gave me one big surprise early this month and guess what, the compass points north!

***Yes sweet swans, I will be busy packing again and travelling again***

Road trip up north. Weeeheee!!

So before I go pack my travelling bag (I am getting better at it weekend after weekend) I should make a list! These bullet points are not only about my north adventures, but also I will include some random dreams (achievable or not), some advocacy, some personal accomplishments, some pretty little facts about myself as I reached my 27th mark in this big universe. So guys here:

Ready, here we go with lists again!

That 1km zip line at Hannah's Resort in Pagudpud, I shall conquer you! 

(but how does one ride a zip line ba? it would be my first time, just now I am getting the cold feet! 

I must research ^^)

Packing my travelling bag

Lentils soup

Mediterranean Cuisine

Photography (sheesh, this term i dug up from back in the good olden days of freshie college)

Walking along beach, waves touching my feet as the sun rises up

Colored pens on planners

Vegetarian kare-kare

Sale seat tickets

Weekend getaway

Porgy and Dexter

Meditation

Bombay bicycle club and Daughter

Volunteer

Sky gazing

Odie and Allie

Century Old Houses in Vigan

Postcards and stamps

Mango bravo

gourmet garden

MA papers

french indochina

single life

career

emails, blogs, instragram and twitter

Opera mobile browser, two thumbs up

dirty ice cream at sunken

yogurt and mangoes and muesli

blueberry jam and butter and focaccia

spinach quiche

blueberry cheesecake

lemongrass ginger cucumber cooler

full moon over the beach horizon

permaculture

spica and aldebaran and regulus

panda 

jogging and biking

flying

Parent's house

pallas athena, hermes morpheus and hermes thaddeus

lovelovelove

Of living alone and procrastination

Oh well here it's Christmas again, done with all the holiday shopping, endured the heavy traffic and survived long lines at the mall. And these experiences are all blown away by my immediate issue -- trying to live alone. My thoughts stray towards independence. Just how hard will it be if I just choose to live alone? Far from the familiar surroundings of every day existence? From the usual jeepney route? Maybe difficult at first but am sure its doable.

Which brings me to the next point - saving up. I read somewhere that expenses should just be 30% maximum of what one earns, mmm, so there. Oh well I am procrastinating, should be doing my paper right now but I just can't think of what to write yet, argh :(

Oh well after five minutes of staring at the screen, nada . . . and then I see my mom's traditional fruit salad just sitting peacefully inside our crowded ref now I can't help but be the 8-year-old version of myself, weee, Christmas is here ^^

Tita Oset's wedding (25th anniversary renewal of vows)

At Crowne Regency Hotel 

Me and my cousin

Tita Oset and I

Me, Tita Oset and Tita Anabelle (Matron of Honor)

The wedding!

The bride and groom

Let the games begin

The fire of Olympics will burn bright today as the opening ceremonies kick off this much anticipated modern day international sporting event. As of the moment, according to the London2012 Olympics official countdown in this website we are just down to 21H and 33M ^^ Recalling my fondest memories, watching in front of TV, missing a day at the school to watch the artistic production of the host country's Olympic Opening Ceremonies -- mmm, I particularly loved the Greece's spectacular production on Athens2004 Summer Olympics. Also there was Beijing 2008! Splendidly organized by Zhang Yimou (House of Flying Daggers, Hero).

Since attending a class on Classical Greek Civilization, I really marvel at how the Olympics evolved from its beginning in 776 BC in Ancient Greece as fundamentally a religious practice among city-states alongside sporting events and ritual sacrifices to honor the great Olympian God Zeus. Imagining the mighty field-soldiers Spartans fighting against the navy-savvy Athenians! I wonder how different is the opening ceremonies before as compared to the now ^^

Anyways, I flow with the worlds anticipation as the Opening Ceremonies is just hours to go.  

My birthday week recap: Romina and I

Cafe Mary Grace chocolate mousse

Yummy, that's the word for the day when Romina and I met up at Trinoma on Monday (May 14, 2012). She came from a surfing place and I was just recovering from my bacterial infection where my temperature reached 39 degrees celsius (hooooot!) It was a nice chat. Of course we touched base, I told her my experiences at the ER and in turn she showered me with info about surfing life! Waves, waves and more waves and she's learning to ride them, ang galeng diba! Nothing like a best friend to restore my sense of adventure after a week of anti-biotic routine and bed rest. Hay, I wonder where she's up to next?!

Mmm, that was a yummy mousse indeed.

Happy birthday Mom

Happiness!

Tying the knot and the wait for the big Vday

My beautiful friend Chezka got married today with the love of her life. It was romantic and solemn. She is one of the prettiest brides I've ever seen ^^ best wishes my dear friend!

Chezka's lola and the bride, Chezka.

And also the high school barkada was seated at far end corner of the room, and yes we were the noisiest and fun-nest (is there such a word?) And I told myself, it was one wonderful day!

Well, it was a wonderful day but pretty tiring so I'll sleep early to recover. AND tomorrow is a big day for me, after reading the book, it was my dream to watch it performed live and yes tomorrow is the DAY!
Tomorrow, sweet sweet tomorrow, please come sooner. Can barely wait for you.

20120331, Music Museum, 8PM, a dream come true.

Happy birthday dear Romina

Lady getting the clear view.

Christmas is in the air

Taal volcano and the lake.

Sunday afternoon, right after arriving at Dasma, my two cool friends took me away from home to have some burritos, burgers and iced tea to this promise land called Tagaytay. Oh, is it Christmas yet?! It sure feels like it. 

It was a visual treat. Fog was so low that you can touch it and yes, it was soooo cold. Good thing Ronald warned me to bring sweater. So here it is my good friends, a glimpse to my very special Sunday. (Warm hugs to Ronald for providing the pictures used in this blog entry.)

Ronald and Febbie posing while waiting for traffic to move.

Tagaytay has been my escape from the grueling life in the Metro, along with this two high school friends who never tire to pull me out from my rabbit hole. It had been a very tiring week, full of sleep overs, tears, heartaches, confusion and yes, new found freedom and ehem, new intimate connection. With a heavy heart, I bid farewell to the old world, to the past, though it was the solidest reality that I had ever had, I know that it is not going to last that long. And with joyous spirit, I welcome the future. As I was told last night by Masa: Welcome to the new world!!!

Author and Ronald.

Author and Febbie.

Ronald and Febbie.

Author and Ronald.

Author and Febbie.

Lauren, cheers to you my dear friend

Happy birthday dear <3

i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any--lifted from the no
of all nothing--human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

*i thank you God for most this amazing
ee cummings
**her birthday is really last Friday, October 7, 2011

Happy birthday little brother

There is a time when it just feels right to celebrate friendship,

connection, gladness;

that in some magical reason, fate made us all friends,

Romina, the author and Masa (Pipino)

that despite the distance, oceans and mountains, language gaps

we find and recognize the same warmth, genuine care

same sense of humour---------->

Three bears, my gift!

and we whisper wishes at the big blue sky 

and tiny blinking stars, 

that years from now

this celebration will always be remembered with 

smiles in our eyes and spark in our hearts ^_^

CBTL <3

Happy birthday Masa!!!
Your life is an occasion, rise to it -- Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium