Wedding Anniversary

This week is our week…as husband and wife, that is. Initially planned to be celebrated as a road trip going farther north of the country but due to unforeseen factors from work and the weather, I welcomed the cancellation with less resistance. So goodbye SCTEX drive-by. Goodbye Cagayan.  Goodbye Ilocos. Goodbye Pagudpud. Welcome Dasmarinas – just where we actually live.

The series of events at work added with the fact that majority of us are trying to make every bit of last celebration worthwhile made me finally give in to my wife’s request to allow her to have their area’s summer outing fall on the exact date of our wedding anniversary. And so instead of driving hundreds of kilometers north I find myself driving just around ten kilometers south from our home to the resort of their choice.

By 8 AM, June 26, we were both already at Qubo Qabana resort which is a just few minutes’ drive.  We actually scouted this place just a couple of days prior and it was a bit of surprise finding it better than expected. The area has good facilities. There’s a pool for both kids and adult. There’s an activity area readily available for large group of people and event. More importantly their rate is affordable. So it’s no wonder that it immediately got everyone’s approval just by looking at the pictures I took. Besides, it is just halfway along the way to work and settled strategically near Magdaragat (sea foods restaurants) and Quinta Court motel.  It’s so easy to spot that one won’t need Google Earth to find it.

Most of the group arrived later but by then those who came earlier were already very busy preparing the food which seems to be overwhelming the grilling area and the people in it. Being a bad cook, I was helping out in keeping the charcoal aglow and it kept me occupied for hours. There were enormous squids, tahong (sea shells), fishes, chickens and hot dogs queuing to be cooked that even Bobby Flay could have been busy with it.

Thankfully by noon most of her team had arrived already and all foods have been prepared. Other than the grilled meats, there were also a variety of menu contributed by the rest of the group which made lunch time a feast. On the table are chicken curry, shanghai rolls, salads and one of my favorites – bicol express. Too bad the alcoholic drinks came later in the afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the heavy meal, everyone picked their own activity. Some played cards. Some played bingo. Others opted to check the pool out – I was one of them.

The pool’s design is good but at first glance the flooring appears to be a disappointment because it was made only of white concrete. Surprisingly, upon closer inspection it is not mossy, it is not slippery, and it is clean. An improvement on safety may be needed though by posting a depth guide as it has deep part at the center that could have caught novice swimmers unguarded.

Before 6 PM came, some of the attendees had already left and those who remained - – both sober and drunk - were already starting to pack up.  From the looks of it, everyone seems to have enjoyed the picnic. And obviously at the end of the day my wife and I were neither in a resort in Ilocos nor in a nice beach somewhere in Pagudgud; nevertheless, we both enjoyed our 9^th anniversary by celebrating it somewhere near together  with friends and colleagues – next year, I’m sure it will just be us or probably with another set of colleagues.

 

 

 

 

Something Looks Familiar

This afternoon I was once again in the waves of ennui and surfing the internet trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my Sunday while feeling guilty of having to skip mass again and while also waiting for my wife to come home.

Emails checked. Multiply.com updates checked. Friendster.com scanned – not much friends in friendster (isn’t that an irony?). Favorites list scanned back and forth. Lurked forums done. Emails rechecked again for the nth time in just a couple of hours. Thankfully I’m free from mouse to keyboard ratio recording or I could be sending red signals to the ergonomics guru of our company.

Not really knowing how to bail out of my PC’s chair which is getting claustrophobic and butt-hot while I move the mouse aimlessly, I suddenly realized I was looking at Formula1.com’s interview with the recent winner of the Canadian grand prix, Robert Kubica. Having watched this last race’s replay (I was at work when it was shown live), I must admit that it was one of the most exciting I’ve seen so far this year. It was one for the books of fame and for the books of unfortunate events, which by the way F1 races will always be – even the famous Michael Schumacher has its own share of fame and shame.  This is the race wherein Lewis Hamilton rear-ended Kimi while on their way out of the pit lane - which brings the conspiracy theorists like me raise an eyebrow out of suspicion.  Hmmm.

Robert Kubica of course wasn’t one hypocrite not to accept the fact that he felt more hope when these two leading drivers crashed. It was not only his day to win but it was his day to lead the drivers’ championship with 42 points. After all, his consistency during the past races eventually paid off and June 08, 2008 became the day for him to be in the middle of the two drivers in the podium for the first time. It was the day BMW claimed the most coveted win of every races. It’s the day their sponsors have been waiting for…and wait, something looks familiar in the picture. Ahhhh…our company’s logo.

I’ve got used to seeing Mclarens and Ferraris (Renault, of course included) exchanging top positions for years that it took me until now to realize that right beside BMW’s logo is Intel’s. It may have something to do with the fact that Intel’s Philippine site is closing this year that I forgot to cheer my heart out when the whole BMW team was cheering and savoring the huge champagne during the awarding ceremony.

BMW and Intel’s win may have been late to be fully relished especially for us working for the latter, but as they always say, “A win is a win”. Now I don’t know if I’d be celebrating next time if BMW takes the 1-2 position once again. Hopefully yes.

Go BMW. Go Intel. Greetings coming from a Ferrari fan.

***

Frankly speaking, i never thought the BMW guys behind have any chances of winning a 1-2. Now, I stand corrected. Taken on April 2007 in Suria KLCC.

A Gold Fish and An Iron Man

The recent gas price hike didn’t keep us inside our house on a weekend.  It’s not that we’re rich (but I WISH we really are) or never really cared if a liter will cost us around Php 50.00 (>USD 1.00), it’s just that we craved for Indian foods since the start of last week. And Sunday was like a much awaited day and when it finally arrived, we were so raring to go.  In fact, I was so excited that I once again met up with Hana and had my red collared shirt pressed.

Originally we were headed for Bollywood restaurant in Greenbelt 3 Makati. After attending mass however in the Shrine of Jesus church, we decided that maybe the giant Mall of Asia (MOA) will have some Indian foods to offer. And after less than 10 minutes (which most of it was from cueing at the exit and letting some pedestrians pass) of driving from one parking lot to another, we were already inside the mall.

Just like any visit we had in MOA, the mixed feeling of excitement and confusion enters my mind as soon as we came in. The mall is so huge that it has a dizzying effect especially if you don’t exactly have a plan in mind to where your destination may be. Or maybe I’m just not the window shopping expert yet that relaxes at the sight and thought of the numerous stores ahead.

And since it was already lunch time then, we immediately checked the stores locator. Bingo! We spotted an obvious Bollywood replacement . The name itself shouts I’m an Indian food restaurant. The place is Prince of Jaipur. I likewise noted Fish & Co.’s location. I got hungrier with anticipation.

Disappointingly, when we reached our first choice, the place was deserted.  It was as if a police caution tape has been placed around it that only the surrounding restaurants had flocks of patrons whom some are even eating al fresco (by choice or not). For whatever reasons, none were inside Jaipur’s and in the food business the mutual rule, “eat where there is a long queue” is a surefire rule of getting good food. Although my wife and I are the type who willingly try any food around, the emptiness inside the Indian restaurant on a lunch time is not a good sign. Maybe our second choice is good.

Fish & Co.’s place was enticing. Once we got inside the restaurant, the smell of the place tells me, this one is a hit. The place is almost packed and by the look at the tables, it looks like everyone is enjoying their meal. Happy customers mean good food. And just as we got seated the menu was promptly laid in front of us. And that’s when I smell something fishy when I glanced on the price list. But since my mind was conditioned to have anything Indian, the word curry convinced me to order the Seafood curry. My wife picked the Prawn Fettuccini.  

 

Gladly, the foods were served in no time. The presentation was just like in the menu book. So far my two senses – smell and sight – agree that I got the right stuff. But just as the two are feasting on what’s on the table, my taste buds tell me that I’ve been robbed. So as not to be judgmental on the first bite, I kept on eating. I even tried if my wife got better pasta than she ever had. Unfortunately, the ummmhs and the ahhhs never came. Both foods didn’t deserve a round of applause. And by the way, the clam chowder is a shame compared to Don Henrico’s (theirs is the best so far). We’ve been robbed indeed. I can’t say, “Curry $14, Pasta $10, having Sunday lunch at Fish & Co. priceless”. This commercial tagline just doesn’t fit in.  The food is overpriced, period.

Next time, we’re eyeing MOA’s Sakae Sushi. Doesn’t buffet ring a bell?

 

 

 

***

Good thing we got our ticket for the 1:20 PM showing of the Iron Man at Centerstage – at least we got a reason to scram out of Fish & Co. (and I’m never buying anything from there, if you ask me).

As I’m never an avid reader of marvel comics, I’m just going to give my pros and cons of this movie just the way I see it.

Pros:

·         I dozed off at the first part of the movie…errr, this must be in Cons.

·         Setting aside Mythbusters , I find the effects such as the transformation and Iron Man’s flight great (I’m a sucker for anything that flies – except flies).  We never knew if such technology will someday come to reality and to quote “it’s all funded by the military”. Amen.

·         The sound effects are overwhelming. Hearing the Jericho blast out of the missile pod made me smile. The sonic boom Iron Man created is just as remarkable.

·         Gadget’s and cars galore!

·         The humor lines are perfectly delivered.

Cons:

·         Story is a bit dragging at first plus the fact that someone invited something sophisticated inside the cave is just lame.

·         Surgery and implants inside a crude environment - cave. I just wonder if anyone will survive for days. I could be wrong though, I’m no medical expert.

·         Stupid villains are a thing of the past. And by the way, somewhere in the Middle East, an anti-Iron Man movie sentiments is brewing, I’m sure.

·         Gwyneth Paltrow’s character is pathetic…hmmm, must be the talent fee that convinced her to still do it.

Overall, this movie is great if watched with a couple of friends over a bottle of beer (paging cinema owners) just to kill time. And remember, always forget about the Mythbusters prior to watching the movie.

 

Photo credits:

Fish & Co website

Iron Man - Yahoo movie site

Fishing

I was out fishing with several of my friends again. If my memory serves me right, this is the 4^th time for this year and it was at the same place in succession. My friend Mike influenced me in this activity. And after telling some fishing stories and coaxing, my wife sensed that I’m already hooked (pun intended) to this hobby. So two years ago she bought me a Shimano fishing rod and reel as my birthday gift. Nice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, my fishing sessions since then haven’t been as often as I want to. The timing this year though has been on my favor after my fishing buddy resigned from our work which enabled him to adapt to my day-off and set our fishing trips – which in my part is just a 10-kilometer drive from home.  The place is Fishers’ Farm Resort, a quite decent place for an outing in the heart of Dasmariñas, Cavite. In here, the resort offers swimming, horseback riding, and of course my favorite – fishing. Although, we’ve had days (most days, actually) when fishes doesn’t seem to take the bait, we still prefer hanging out in this place as bringing in of foods and drinks – esp. liquor – is allowed and the fees here are very affordable.

 

And so today we’ve got all the reasons to go fishing: Roman came back from Canada for a couple of weeks vacation, Mike will be leaving for the US sometime next month, Manny’s birthday tomorrow, and lastly, Manny, Jhun and I are just taking time to relax and clear our heads from the looming closure of our company.

 

The fishermen. Don’t worry NO airsoft guns were used to catch fish.

***

 

Still related to fishing, my uncle who’s also into this activity passed away just this week. Other than the fact that I was saddened by his sudden death, I was also shocked as I’ve been actually considering going back to his place sometime this year for a change of fishing experience – on a bangka (small wooden boat) and in the middle of the sea.

 

His death made me think that we are like fishes in the sea while God is the fisherman. Only he knows when he’ll take us while we spend our time wiggling our tails and fins and innocently taking the bait. A sudden snap, then we’re gone – hanging by the hook, twitching helplessly in resistance and then facing the inevitable death.

 

 And sometimes he may have to catch and release if he sees we are not yet fit to be taken – that’s being given the second chance.

 

***

 

Finally, fishing may be a metaphor. The day will come when I’ll be fishing for jobs. I’m crossing my fingers that when the time comes for me to cast the bait, some company/employer will find it alluring to catch it. And hopefully, I’ll be fit and quick enough to reel it in.

 

That’s life. 

 

Life is a Beach

It’s been years since my wife and I have been planning to hit the beach to savor the sea, sand and sun. The last one we had was way back in 2006 when I tagged along with her as she was one of the top employees of the year. They were treated for free in Boracay – love ones included. It was one of the memories we will have with our company that is worth remembering. So on April 2, just April Fools ’ Day in the US, we embarked on another road trip down south.

That trip was a trip full of mixed emotions. It was a trip taken with anticipation of fun and excitement in spite of the impending uncertainty and anxiety. The trip is the farthest we’ve both ever had going south. The driving alone was fun as we passed good roads and sceneries; luckily, we also located the La Luz beach with ease with the aid of the directions I jotted down from the internet. Only the last 4 kilometer stretch came as hurdle due to the rough and dusty road with a couple of hill climbs as a finale to our destination.

 

One of the old houses we saw on our way to La Luz.

Somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Last stretch of rough road to the beach.

4X4 preferred. One of the hill climb going to the beach.

 

Although we’re a bit disappointed when we learned that the resort is already fully booked that time, we decided to settle in one of the local’s rental place – a nipa hut managed by Aling Ely – instead of going back and looking for another resort. Besides I’ve been curious what if feels like to sleep, even just overnight, in one of those rooms. Sadly, as soon as we got settled, it was in that small room when we learned thru SMS from a colleague that the long standing rumor is now confirmed. The company’s top bosses flew in from the US that same day and have already break the news to all Cavite employees that they’re pulling the manufacturing operations out of the country in 6-9 months. An April Fools’ day joke? A thousand Filipino employees for sure wished it was, but unfortunately, it was not.

 

Aling Ely’s nipa hut

Our rented room. Take note how the bed’s size is relative to the room’s area. Small but comfortable enough for a good night sleep.

 

Setting the expected news aside and having had my “mandatory” siesta, we checked out the beach. The weather that afternoon appeared just as confused as we were. It rained hard but it quickly dissipated just as it had started. The sun beams came out of the dark gray clouds after a brief but hard rainfall.

La luz shore line.

My wife taking a dip.

 

The beach at that time is rather serene which I find unusual as I’m expecting it to be crowded and filled with activity given the fact that it’s summer. The water is fairly clear yet the waves tend to be strong. Some portions underwater are also uneven and may surprise anyone unfamiliar with the area. And one thing I can’t help but notice is that the sand all over the place is quite loose; we kidded it’s where the name La Luz was derived – from being La “Loose”. Ti abi. I can’t think of any other beach I’ve been to that taking just a leisurely walk didn’t come as it should be. A few meters of treading in this beach drained most of my energy. With every step we took, my stomach protested. Hunger eventually sets in.

Kainan Express. Cheap yet worth it.

Taramandu bar.

 

Looking for food was also unexpectedly hard. Other than being not able to get reservations in La Luz’s dining, the surrounding area itself is scarce of bars or restaurants. Although there are some kainan or carinderia (local restos), the choice of food that you expect to eat while in the beach is just not available. I find it ironic that we had a difficult time finding fresh inihaw na isda (grilled fish) in one of those kainan. Thankfully after crisscrossing and thoroughly combing the nearby area like two thin hungry cats, one resort’s bar accommodated us as walk-in customers. But then, they have no choice, because believe it or not we’re the only customers at that time. Weird.

Without the flash coming from my P&S camera, this boat is totally blanketed by the pitch black night time.

Night time at the beach is quieter which of course is a good thing. So with my “to go” San Mig lights beer from Taramandu bar, my wife and I settled in one of the cabanas with the dim incandescent light coming from the distant posts as the only illumination. It was a perfect time to talk about lots of things – our job, for one. It was also a perfect time to do some star gazing which as far I can recall I haven’t done for years without the distraction of honking cars, TV shows, noisy neighbors and interference coming from the innocent street lamp post. The beach that night was almost pitch black. The only star that night…well, are the stars.

We went home the next day after sleeping over at the nipa hut. I had a very good sleep that night even with just having only an electric fan for ventilation. The native materials from roof (nipa) to flooring (bamboo) indeed allowed good ventilation. It was a change from the usual air-conditioned rooms we’re used to as accommodations. Except for the toilet where my wife discovered some friends from Joe’s Apartment (go figure), the overnight stay at Aling Ely’s place was worth the price (Php 1.2K) and the experience.

This trip will be one of the memorable trips I’ve ever had. Indeed, life is a road trip. Life is a beach.

Amazing Pampanga…

They say that watching TV has its subliminal effect.  I may have to agree this time as what we’ve done a day after the Balloon fest is somewhat similar to the recently concluded Amazing Race Asia Season 2. No, there’s no running involved, no Henry-Trinidad-arguments and definitely no clues nor roadblock to beat. But of course there’s money to be budgeted (I always imagine myself saying, “Money is no issue!” kelan kaya?). I can somehow relate to the show though as my 2-weeks of “re-gym” made me somewhat near Marc Nelson’s six-pack abs. I wish.

Flashback. Waking up at Swagman hotel still with the after taste of San Mig lights beer and the flavorful chicken curry my wife shared with me during last night’s dinner, we just did some stretch, a shower of course, then we packed our things immediately. We avoided having breakfast at the resort thinking that the breakfast menu is quite stiff.  Instead, we opted for the nearby McDonald’s and had our hearty late morning meal for just more than P100.

Actually, the reason why I’m trying to control our first meal, both budget and volume, is because we’ve been planning on checking out Everybody’s Café. So after Angeles, we were on our way to San Fernando, where the main restaurant is located.  We got the idea of going to this famous Pampanga restaurant from a TV (see, TV again) show which if I’m not mistaken is from the Food Network channel. The host of the show ate frog legs in this resto and that perk up my appetite to try this exotic food.

We arrived in San Fernando about an hour later. The city is surprisingly good and looks more developed than I expected. The presence of several major car dealerships reaffirms this observation. A couple of minutes after entering the city and spending a few more time asking for directions we eventually located our objective. To my dismay, it’s not the one that we saw on TV. My wife later mentioned that what we’re expecting is actually in Angeles – it’s their branch store. Ti abi. To save the day, and our grumbling stomach we proceeded still.

From the outside, the place looks just like any old residential house. And with only one SUV parked that day, a newcomer wouldn’t even think that inside is a restaurant if not for the large sign just at the right of the entrance. But just after stepping inside, the sight of the food display gave me a hint that we are in the right place. At this point I was already starting to check every food tray for something looking weird, with long legs and webbed feet, and that resembles those we see in ponds – frogs. Unfortunately, there were none. Good thing the old lady at the counter sensed my craving for kapampangan delicacies. She politely offered buro with mustard leaves, fried hito (catfish) and of course to my delight,  fried camaro (crickets).  We also ordered Tapang Kalabaw – this became my instant favorite since I had one in SM Clark’s Cabalen.

  Tapang Kalabaw    

  Camaro!

Once the foods were served, I was a bit surprised that there was little hesitation (esp. from my wife) to dig the foods in front of us. The camaro tasted just like small shrimps if not for the hollow stomach and dark brown color that reminds you otherwise. And the buro and mustard leaf combination reminded me of my late lola’s preparation when taking the nganga (leaves and lime chewed usually by elders). Overall, we enjoyed the weird lunch. Burp. Spent: P500+

 Too much cricket!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upon finishing our kapampangan meal we still had time to check out San Fernando’s malls which we unintentionally discovered when we took the wrong turn while looking for the resto. So with full stomach we find window shopping a good way to burn calories – I’m still wondering if how much calories did the fried crickets deposited in me. I observed that unlike the malls in Manila and Cavite, Robinson Starmills and SM San Fernando are a bit deserted (and sleepy) when we came in.  So after grabbing some items, we decided it’s time we head back to Manila. Spent: P1000+

It was just around 1:30PM when we left San Fernando. Traffic at NLEX was smooth and we only got stuck starting in Cubao and the area before Ayala. We realize we still had time to kill; To the delight of my wife, I agree to drop by Glorietta Center in Makati. And besides, our car badly needs a wash.

Inside the mall, the temporary stalls located at one part of the mall reminded us that a renovation is still on-going to repair the site affected by the December 07 blast. Suddenly I felt like going back outside. However, that feeling was soon forgotten once we got in Glorietta 4. And as if to continue my quest for local foods I decided to take my snack from Taco Ilocano – Ilocano style empanada. My wife got something different too.  Right after the calorie pile-up, we went to watch the movie “The Eye” in one of G4’s cinema. It’s been quite some time since we last watched a film in this mall. Spent: P1500+

By around 6pm we were already on our way back home. And then the thickening traffic flow gave us another reason to make our final stop - we dropped by SM Mall of Asia (MOA).

Once we got out of the elevator from the parking lot, all the food we took a couple of hours ago seemed to just disappear out of our bellies – we are hungry once more. So we combed the area and found ourselves facing the Manila bay at the rear portion of the mall. And there in front of us we saw that something new has been recently built in that vicinity – SM by the Bay.

We excitedly crossed the bridge to check the area; and it was as if all of a sudden we were transported into another place. We kept on reminding ourselves that we are still in the Philippines. Whoever thought of doing this place deserves more than just a pat at the back. It was packed with people, it is clean, it’s enticing, romantic and more importantly, the choice of places to eat is overwhelming.  Almost an hour later of picking which is which, we eventually settled in Aling Tonya’s restaurant. We ordered calamares, sinigang na isda and of course, last but never the least, San Mig lights beer. What a wonderful way to cap the Balloonfest. Spent: P800+.

There goes another trip with my lovely wife, another well deserved outing for the two of us. Until the next road trip, and good food to deal with. And by the way, I need another set of coin banks.

   

Balloon Fest’s Last Day

 

While my wife and I lined up at the event’s entrance gate, I heard over the PA system that there would be some delay in the morning’s program. Ironically, the wind that was supposed to make everything fly was the same wind that forced almost everything that flies grounded, at least for a while. So true enough, as we entered the area people were anxiously looking around and up as they wait for the show to continue.  (I noticed that this year’s attendance is better than last year’s, sadly there were less exhibitions this year.)

Moments later a rewarding sight came – the static line jump went through. The view of rounded gray chutes dropping side by side from a military cargo plane was just awesome. Back in the days, I assume, this view either sent hope or fear depending whose eyesight receives it.

There were several pauses again to wait for a tolerable wind speed and once the signal was given, the view overhead was filled with colorful skydivers’ canopies.  A number of sorties were made that pleased the whole crowd. Most were clapping as each skydiver flaired and landed one by one. Actually, since last year’s event, these skydivers, especially from the military had my respect. It was my perception then that most (my 1^st and last skydive instructor is a Colonel) of the good ones are civilians due to budget constraints on the government side. They proved me wrong however when I learned and saw that they can actually execute long freefalls and some can even perform stacking. I’ve never been so proud of the Philippine military.

What followed next are the aircraft exhibitions.  Seeing a helicopter fly and a couple of small planes speeding past at low altitude and climbing at a dizzying rate in preparation for a nauseating roll is always fascinating. In spite of my basic knowledge of aerodynamics (howstuffworks.com, anyone?), I still can’t help but ask the questions, “What makes it fly? Why and how does it fly?” and “who is the lucky one who flies it?” I’m always green with envy when I shoot this “who” question.

As the shadows went shorter with the sun climbing higher, I went into multitasking. I acted as Air Traffic controller, Weatherman and Psychologist. I was reading the wind cone, checking the air temperature while reading my wife’s gestures. It seems like there’s a direct link between the first two factors and my wife. She was cowering into the remaining shades and faking a sleep - a tell-tale sign of irritation and boredom. I acted fast - just as any sane husband would, I asked her if she’d like a break from the event. Her answer was clear. Few minutes later we’re at SM Clark’s Cabalen restaurant, eating buffet lunch. Wifey at this point is now full and smiling. I didn’t regret doing so either. The tapang kalabaw is remarkably soft and tasted good.

Past 12 noon, we decided to check the hotel which I booked online. There I realized, that it seems like I have a knack of picking comfortable but nevertheless weird accommodations. This time I booked us in Swagman Resort Hotel for an overnight stay. Good thing we got an upgrade. Instead of the standard room, the hotel clerk gave us the deluxe family room still for Php 1400. Nice. High five.

Waking up after a two-hour siesta in the hotel room, we hurriedly went back to the balloon fest site. As I approached the parking lot, I saw that the balloon bursting contest is on-going. Little did I know that by the time we got settled near at the shady hangar, I won’t be seeing any of it anymore. What I saw outside was to be the last leg of the contest. Grrr. The price I have to pay for a siesta. I also don’t know if we missed the synchronized kite flying & kite surfing too, but what I witnessed once again is Mr. Bill Wright’s aerobatics (not that I don’t like it) and several sets of skydiving exhibition. I’m hoping by the way, that next year, they’ll place a jumbo monitor for the crowd to witness videos of the freefalls.

 

Keeping the disappointment of missing (or expecting to see) some of the shows to myself, I continued shooting videos of what’s going around the exhibition ground. And then I heard an announcement that made me interested once more. An awarding ceremony is going to happen at the event’s control center. And the names that were paged sounded familiar, so I eagerly left my wife at her post to see the ceremony.

And there it was in front of me is Peter (PFSG founder) who won 3^rd place in the balloon bursting competition and Tonet (PFSG supremo). These are the guys I got to know and at least interact with online – Philskies.net (thanks of course to Mark, who by the way was with me last year. He gave me hangar access and I was able to see skydivers pack their canopies in front of us.) Surprisingly I was able to chat with Tonet (and his son, Carlo. Both of which are good pilots and bloggers), who in person is just as articulate as he is in his blog. Frankly speaking, I was star struck. Unknown to him, he is one of those who inspired me to have my own web log.

 

When I got back to my wife on her place in front of the hangar, I was actually thinking how I’m going to explain to her the lull in the exhibitions. No other reason I guess, but just to blame the windy condition. I tried convincing her to pose in front of the gun exhibits but to no avail. So we decided to stay still and entertain ourselves with whatever sight (met some colleagues in the process) is available around us. We can’t just go home yet, not until we see what I missed last year. And what we also missed this morning – the balloon flight and night glow.

Dusk came and the wind somewhat calmed down. One after the other, the hot air balloons inflated. Huge rounded canopies came into life. Around 20 different shapes and colors of balloons covered the horizon in front of us.  It was so massive that the last batch of skydivers and a lone Malaysian paraglider were dwarfed if not sidelined. And as if on cue everyone came near the fence to catch a glimpse of the spectacular sight. Every gadget that can capture pictures – from cell phone cameras to giant DSLRs – came out in unison to grab their own share of the scenic event.

With the feeling of accomplishing what we came here for, we headed back to our hotel together with the rest of the exiting crowd. It’s funny but I even find the sight of a hundred vehicles coming out of the parking lot on a very dusty trail a spectacle by itself.  The way going out of the area is so dusty that at some point there’s zero visibility and the only way to see the road again is to slow down in order to stay away from the vehicle in front of you until the dust settles down. Looking back, I saw a long trail of headlights waiting for their turn to reach the paved road.

Once we reached the hotel, we parked (worriedly) Mary in their weird parking lot and then tried the resort’s restaurant. And just as weird as the parking lot, we find ourselves having dinner in front of women who seemed to be practicing a dance routine. Deep in my mind, they’ll likely be wearing at least a swim suit come past 10 PM to the delight especially of the American customers. But fairly, we find the food great and of course needless to say, the beer is too. Cheers!

           

 

(note: pictures in this blog are either intentionally blurred or came out blurred from our point-and-shoot camera)

SNAFU to Clark’s Balloon Fest

“Very nice…High Five…” – Borat Sagdiyev

Having planned a road trip with wifey for quite some time even when we still have our trusty Kia Pride, the 12^th PIHABF (Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta) came as the perfect time and reason. I filed for a 2-day vacation leave from work a month ahead in anticipation of this event. And just like ants preparing for a rainy day, my wife and I went shopping for clothing, food and storage (buying a Coleman cooler justified) a day before we set off.

Feb 10. Past 3 AM. After filling Mary’s boot with the things we need, we excitedly started our trip. The early morning drive went well as expected. Traffic was light from Cavite to the NLEX entrance and in the back of my mind I was already imagining picking a good parking spot and a good vantage point for us to witness the balloon flight before dawn. I fought the urge to floor the pedal so as not to exceed the 100 KPH limit. But at some point I noticed the speedometer pointing at the 120 scale yet the Honda City stayed stable despite it. Realizing the car’s capability, the temptation to go faster became so strong but my sanity and the presence of the speed limit marks along the highway kept me from doing so.

By the middle of the trip we decided to stop by Total gas station in San Simon to fill in some gas. That’s when the most unlikely thing happened. It was as if someone played a bad joke on us. While waiting for the attendant to fill the tank to the brim, my wife and I decided to step out of the car. I grabbed some water in the boot while she picked something in the gas station’s store. Unconsciously, we both locked the doors with the car key still inside. A minute after I shut the boot door and as I was lazily stretching myself I heard the car alarm’s beep followed by the sound of a latching door lock. Damn, for a moment I think I saw myself turned pale. I almost cried out in despair. We are locked out!

After hopelessly trying to wake myself up as if in a bad dream, I started considering some options and eagerly asked help from the gas attendants and other people who also stopped for gas. The inputs ranged from the ridiculous (yet the most direct) shattering of the glass window,  to the tiring and frustrating trip back going to Cavite (a 60 km ride back) to grab the spare key and to the most viable yet costly (Php 1000) option of hiring a locksmith to do the job. Also considered was taking chances if other Honda car keys will match. That one didn’t work, as expected. For the first time I hated Honda’s wave key and alarm feature.

The thought of missing the balloon fest (and ruining our trip) made me decide to seek the locksmith’s –who was referred to us by one of the gas boy - assistance so I called him up. I was greeted by man on the other end of the line sounding a bit irritated (I understand the feeling of being awakened early Sunday morning) yet he was kind enough to encourage me to keep on trying by opening it through the door handle using a stiff wire to reach into the lock. The mixture of desperation, thought of a Hazard Pay’s episode (Discovery TV show), a welding rod wire and persuasion from my wife seemed to work together after that conversation.

And after an hour of trial and error, the lock tab popped. To say I shouted for joy would be an understatement. Upon checking my watch, I learned that we’ve been locked out for almost 2 hours already. So without wasting another minute we continued our trip but only after dropping along their way home the two gas boys who stayed with us until their night shift ended. They were our cheering team during the whole ordeal. My wife and I exchanged congratulations several times on our way to Dau. We kidded ourselves as being able to be in cahoots as carjackers. Honda City owners beware.

We arrived in the Balloon fest area by past 7 AM, tired but glad we still made it. Parking far from the entrance gate didn’t matter anymore. Just being at the site bustling with people from various sex and ages gathered (or forced to, mostly by either husband or kids) with one interest – to watch an event featuring “everything that flies” – is satisfying enough.

continue…Balloon Fest’s Last Day.

1 Week with Mary

It’s been a week since we got Mary and it was one whole week of a new experience.

Day 1. I got Mary after being covert for two days. Just like in the movies or TV shows, now I know how it feels like to show a brand new car key to a wife.

Day 2. Got no choice but to do a dreaded task – do paper works (car documentation) in a government office. This is where one has to endure long queues for almost a day and later on pay a ridiculous amount of tax. I’m tempted to write and question where these taxes go, but to be fair with Trece Marteres municipality it has improved a lot (at least from the outside) since my last visit. Now I was able to park Mary in a well designated parking lot and spent some time waiting on a bench on a brick-paved sidewalk.

Day 3. It rained. Her first acid rain bath. Hehehe. I was supposed to go back to Honda Alabang to give the papers I processed yesterday but Mary had to sidelined - Mas masarap matulog (It’s better sleeping) while it’s gloomy and raining outside.

By afternoon, my wife and I were able to go back to La Salette to attend an anticipated mass. The last time we were there we took the bus and ended having brunch in Tagaytay’s Pancake house. Not bad. But having Mary is better.

Day 4. Mary went to work with me for the 1^st time.

Day 5. I woke up late from last night’s neighbors welcome party.  Do I need to mention I had a “couple” of beers? Anyway, it’s one of the benefits of having a car. At least I was able to make it to work without much ado.

After work, the secrecy I’m keeping of what the actual car I got was eventually blown when some of my colleagues coaxed me to take her for a ride. Funny but her first trip with them was going to a wake. Ti abi. A beginning and an End?

How did she perform on the rough asphalt road? Let me answer with what my colleague said, “parang nasa eroplano (just like in an airplane)” – she breezed through the uneven road.

Day 6. I went out of work late because of an unexpected serious discussion with one of my people. The least of my worries this time is missing the bus.

Day 7. My day-off after a tiring week at work and in our village (issues, issues, issues).

After breakfast came my 1^st intimate session with Mary – her first car wash. I just realized that because of her size she’s harder to wash than our previous compact car – wilddog.

Then I went to Honda Alabang to submit the loan papers and to get Mary a remote alarm. While waiting for the installation to get done I was thinking – “What more if I was waiting in Prestige Cars customers lounge?” Don’t push it.

The alarm was fitted after almost 2 hours. It cost me Php 5.7K - a 0.9% cost for security. Not bad?

Before leaving I got a not so good news though - I still won’t have my license plates until at least February. I left Honda a bit depressed that I won’t be able to meet my sis at the airport next Tuesday. It was actually the reason why I chose my license plate number able to travel on Tuesdays. I’m hoping that we will see each other next time. And hopefully not after another sabbatical.

By lunch time I was on my way to Batangas to pick up wifey. Construction of the SLEX has gone until its end in Calamba. Hopefully once it gets done, I can compare it to Kuala Lumpur’s road. I’m keeping my fingers crossed but somewhere in my brain lobes shouts, “asa ka pa (dream on)!”

Well that was our 1 week together. Within that period, I feel like we’ve been through thick or thin already. I’m praying that with the coming days, months and years we’ll have, most of it will be fun. Take note of the words – I’m praying.

I (Still) Don’t Get It

“An empty mind is a devil’s workshop”

Frankly speaking, having without a car made me a bit uneasy especially now that the Christmas season is coming in, and fast! I missed a lot without it.

I missed going to the malls with my wife on our own time and not worrying if we’re going to squeeze our butts in just to get seated in the jeepney for being the last two to get in. I missed the gift buying activity we’ve been regularly doing and not wondering how and where we’d be able to place all the shopping bags. I missed going home late coming from a good (esp. scary) movie. I missed getting stuck in traffic with me on the wheel and not having to think if my nose has clogged due to smog, smoke & dust – whichever comes first or all of it combined.  I missed waking up a bit late and not worrying that I’ll miss the bus to work. I just missed the freedom it gave me.

To shake off this feeling of self pity, I tried keeping my mind busy while being a passenger in one of the buses, jeepneys or cars of friends. And that did me good somehow. My thoughts wandered more (no defensive driving to worry about). I became observant of other things I can’t see or think of while driving. I became keen with what is outside the vehicle’s window.

And those wild brainstorming got me into things that until now make me say, “I don’t get it”.

I don’t get it why charity parties intended to benefit the hungry street children are in lavish settings with abundant overpriced food and attended normally by “botoxed” personalities. Can’t these people just give right away to charity? Or they really need the TV and photo coverage for that?

I don’t get it why a billboard at a sidewalk going to Tagaytay says, “Inteligent Auto Paint Shop”. Hopefully the owner has a good explanation for this, or else, better they forget having customers in there.

I don’t get it why the employees of “Coolmaster Airconditioing Expert” (in front of the car I’m in while on our way to a Christmas party) are out in the open at the back of a wobbly pick-up truck enduring the noontime heat.

I don’t get it why a municipal vehicle with the words “Responsableng Taong Bayan (Responsible people of the community)” is illegally park on one side of Muntinlupa’s road.

I don’t get it why when a majority is anticipating to travel by air during this Christmas season is also the time when Discovery Channel and National Geographic shows programs such as Air Crash Investigation, Air Disasters, etc. Either someone from those shows hate Christmas travel or owns a stock in the shipping industry. And by the way, out of curiosity I tried to search in Wikipedia and I’m glad with the result - December is not the highest among the statistics. At least not among the top three and that’s a relief, well, sort of.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*extracted these data and tabulated using excel’s countif formula.
*sorted from lowest (April) to highest (November).

 

 

Lastly, I don’t get it why the brandy I’ve been drinking (since I bought it) kept me awake instead of falling asleep. I guess it’s about time I check the fine print on its label. I’d be damned if it contains caffeine. But then again my subconscious must be working on something else (and wants me to stay up late). Something I might be thinking about more with Christmas day only 3 days to go. Whatever that is, let it come by…I’d love to write about it soon.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone…especially to you wifey. I really miss you!!

 

(I just noticed the most frequent word I mentioned in my blogs are either wife, beer or liquor. I think it’s about time i change my blog name.hehehe)