While Rich and I were walking around Watson's, she spotted this. She told me that this is a "safe" soap to use (she supports organic products only) because of its lack of cancerous ingredients.
Trying it out now.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Joan Gave Me This
I do not understand this junk food from Japan. But I love it.
It was an innocent-looking bag.
It took me a while to discover that each treat inside was accounted for...
and labeled accordingly.
Oh, how I adore Japanese food presentation.
Eats
Frutti di Mare from Pasto
Crab Salad + Japchae + appetizers from Kogi Bulgogi
All Meat Barbecue Panizza from Uncle Cheffy
Nasi Lemak from Banana Leaf
Look, Mom! I Survived!
Here we are. The final leg of my May-Hem Weekend Getaways. And I saved the best for last.
If you are maarte and sheltered and klutzy like me, try pushing yourself to the edge of sanity (or reason) and you will find yourself pondering about what you have let your life become. Sagada, our last stop for our three-weekender, opened my eyes to what I am capable of doing. Despite the cuts, bruises, near-death experiences and tears (yes, I cried/broke down/went hysterical a lot at some point), I found out that I was brave after all. My willpower (Kirky fighting with me plus encouragement from Paulo, Kirk, Tito Rex and Bimby) held me together through the most challenging, craziest, most fulfilling trip I have ever been to.
As usual, this trip was organized by Tito Rex (who is responsible also for some of the photos below) so we shelled out cash, hopped on the 1:00 AM Victory Liner trip to Baguio City and the rest was history. I do not want to even attempt educating you with tourist-y facts on Sagada (what to do, where to eat, how not to die while spelunking), because the best person to ask is Kirky Awingan, our guide and new-found friend.
Finally a photo in Session Road. Good morning, Baguio!
Bimb | Kirk | Tito Rex
I melt. <3
We caught the second trip to Sagada via Lizardo Trans
(from the bus station across the palengke in Baguio City)
Sweeping views aboard the non-airconditioned 6-hour bus ride to Sagada
Iphone-photography-while-praying-that-the-old-rickety-bus-doesn't-fall-off-a-cliff. More fun in the Philippines.
Lunch is served.
I would have stuffed all these muffins in my cheeks to-go.
Ok, here's what went down.
6-hour trip from Manila to Baguio + 6-hour trip from Baguio to Sagada = 12 super ngarag hours.
We dropped our bags off at the hotel, freshened up and found ourselves at the cave's entrance. #wowlang.
This is Tito Rex. Those are coffins behind him.
Mario and Mandy joined our group.
This is for all non-believers.
After another 6 hours, we finally finished THE Cave Connection.
From my danger scale of 1-10, it is definitely an 11. I never (ever, ever) thought that I can do half the things I was required to do (to survive). It was exhilarating and liberating. And I did it.
The day after.
My muscles did not allow me to leave my bed to get up and catch the sunrise.
They didn't shower for this. Haha.
They picked me up from the hotel because they said we were going to the falls.
No one told me that it would take HOURS walking barefoot (at one point, I actually slipped and got my entire foot drenched in mud up to my ankles) to get to Pongas Falls, but it was ok. I was Jungle Girl after all.
We weren't even halfway to the falls but I already almost drowned because I slipped (I hate stepping on rough surfaces because they hurt my feet so I happened to choose a smooth rock and fell in the water). Kirky never let my hand go.
A lot happened before this photo. Yes, that was the part where I cried (and cried and cried) because of my utmost fear of raging waters. But between tears, I was trying to catch my breath not because I was going hysterical, but because of THE view that's in front of me.
I understood why Kirky took me there.
I conquered Pongas Falls. I was triumphant.
And yes, I was escorted by 4 tour guides down the falls (kakahiya, but if you know me, this is totally acceptable).
After they swam (and after my panic attack)
Walking back, they no longer had to skip from one rock to another. We passed through the irrigation.
The views were spectacular.
We ate here for lunch. They went to the Porn Cave (didn't grab photos for that) after and I chose to sleep back at the hotel.
They got back soon after and we all attended our makeshift graduation ceremony.
Kirky had nice things to say about each of them (because mine were the best). Haha.
I was the only one who got 2 certificates, by the way.
Top of the class, Batch 2012, Sagada.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Er, Mom? I Went Camping...Again!
Ok, second weekend stop is the most beautiful beach I have been to so far. I know, I know. I am not a frolicking-in-the-sand type of person, but Calaguas stole my heart at first sight. White stretch of very fine sand plus crystal clear water was...well, perfect. Some say Calaguas can kick Boracay's behind over and over again. They are already starting to "urbanize/commercialize" the place because there's electricity (and a mobile bar) in the middle of the island. With my new-found admiration for virgin beaches, I am hoping that they choose to preserve rather than profit.
We (myself, Kirk and Bimb) decided to join the party of 16 (yes, final headcount was 19) the day before the trip. For those of you who didn't know, Calaguas is an island (somewhere in the Pacific Ocean) and a boat (hopefully not a fishing boat, or else you will pray for your life like we did) will take you there from Camarines Norte. Our package cost Php 3,500 which covered transportation, shelter (I couldn't say accommodations because we slept in tents again) and food. Since I am already a self-proclaimed survivalist (thanks to my Nagsasa training), I only needed to brace myself for the looong trip (5-6 hours by rented van, then 2-3 hours by boat).
Anyway, as I am very responsible, these (five) photos are again grabbed from Bimby. (Thanks, Bimb!)
Love
The three musketeers
Half the group
Our five-star rooms
Kirk | Mong | Poosa | Me | Nocs
My favorite part of the trip was watching Emong, Kirk and Bimb amuse themselves with the planktons scattered all over the sand. They moonwalked and danced and drew pretty patterns with their feet.
Oh, you have noticed? First week, we were up north in Zambales and now in Bicol? Yup, we were bitten by the travel bug badly.
Hey Mom, I Went Camping!
Nagsasa, Zambales. This is the first stop out of my three-weekend May getaway (comprising of hopping on and off boats, sleeping in buses and vans, getting wounded, almost drowning and/or falling off of cliffs).
Tito Rex organized this one, so we just shelled out cash, packed our stuff and rode off into the sunrise (we left at 2:00 AM, see). It was about a 5-hour trip from Manila to Pundakit (by rented van) plus a 45-minute boat ride to the island. There is no power supply, toilet and bath are enclosed in bamboo(?) dividers and we slept in tents. Yes, ladies and gentlemen. Believe it or not, I survived.
I spent just one hour packing and I wasn't able to hurl my camera into my bag. All photos were grabbed from Bimby Romasanta (our resident photographer).
Nagsasa is a pebble's throw (when thrown by The Hulk, perhaps) away from Anawangin. It is less populated and more serene.
Happiness after 6 hours of traveling.
Brunching.
Ok, this is LA. We wanted to take a nap after eating. But we weren't smart enough like the people in the next photo.
See, if you are an outdoorsy person, you would know that sleeping inside a tent at high noon will cause brain damage. They. did. not. leave. their. duyans. so. we just. did. what. we. had. to. do.
Played Pusoy Dos. Good thing Kirk brought cards.
See those barbecue sticks? We played made-up pick-up sticks with those.
Ate a ton of marshmallows.
When in Zambales, eat (a lot of) mangoes, ok?
When they finally woke up, we played 1-2-3 pass. Emong was the only one without uling on his face.
That's Josh, Bimb, Kirk and Tito Rex.
They hiked up this hill.
And pointed at something.
We had this for dinner. And liempo, I think.
It was really dark and it started raining. So I forced (using my Paulo-fan) myself to sleep.
This was our boat ride home.
See you again, Nagsasa!
All in all, it was an unforgettable trip because of three things: 1) I survived (mainly because they didn't let me do anything); 2) I was with people dear to my heart; and 3) I still have bug bites all over my body.
-------------------------------------
And now for an open letter:
Dear public officials in charge of Nagsasa cove:
We all know that Nagsasa holds its own in the charm department. But please do something about the trash building up in the water. I saw quite a number of plastic bags and 1 murky battery while I was pretending to swim. Thank you.
Respectfully Yours,
FeelingPrinsesa
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