happy fiesta!

highlight of today's celebration is the parade of inasal. based from the program they sent me, they only have about 20 floats of lechon baboy for this year. a friend, who is joining, said he would put only one lechon in his float and fill the rest of his huge truck with lechon bread. lol

i hope the weather would be good the whole day today.

and i hope it's not all about the parade of lechon.

happy fiesta! :)

new blog

i will have a new blog.

it's gonna be all about travels and places. and cebu, yeah. or i dunno. it's just an idea that occured to me tonight while playing 13 days in hell. i kind of like though.

so hopefully, i'll have my new travel blog with cool layout next week or before 2009 ends. and i'm gonna make money from it. lots! LOL

by the way, this one will stay. this will then exclusively host my stupid notes, ugly pictures, and other things that the world don't really bother seeing. but i'm posting them anyway. like you care if i do, or not.

so that's right, enough of this. i'll be back soon to post the link of the newest and coolest blog on earth. till then!

to my number one

it was early morning of June 5, a friday, when i got two text messages from my brother telling me that our lola just died. even before i got to read them, i already knew they carried the message, as the night before, i was several miles away, my mother had already informed me, through text messages, that my bedridden lola was looking for me.

i did not know what to feel at that moment. i love her very much. she was close to me. she raised me, guided me on my first times, while my own mother was busy with work. when i was in college, i'd always pray that she'd not go yet. bec if it had happened, i doubt if i would be whole again. i even wished then she'd outlive me, just so i would not feel the pain of losing her. she was my number one.

and she's gone.

it was a different situation now though. she was 88, and so frail. i did not even want to see much of her during the last few months of her life, bec i'd rather remember her as that chubby lola who would tell us WWII and ghost stories every night when my cousins and i were kids. i always insisted the ghost stories be told first, though.

after the stories, she would then set up the mosquito net in her room, so that i could sleep already. but she also knew that i would not sleep alone, and would rather wait for her at the top of the stairs while she rejoined my uncle, her son, downstairs for their nightly drinking session of "tuba."

yep, i shared a room with her. until i started high school.

she was still there even if i was already a grownup. cooked my breakfast and my lunch and dinner. the reason why i never really got to learn cooking bec there was always she who would do all the cooking for me. until we moved out from her house. still, the family came to see her every weekend.

she was also tough. my lolo died of a kidney malfunction in 1972, leaving her all 6 children in her care. and me, bec i always wanted to be with her.

it just upset me big time that i wasn't there in her deathbed when she finally left. she asked for me, but i was miles away. i still feel bad about it.

shortly after i got the news, i felt like flying from bohol to cebu to get home quick. 3 hours later, i was already looking at my lola's face. amazingly, i was seeing only the good years in it, the happy memories. yes, i was so glad that her face did not register a sad expression. she seemed happy to see me. i was happy to see her, too.

at 4pm of june 7, a sunday, we buried her. i stayed longer than the others so she would still have company even for a few minutes more. i did not want her to be alone.

but i had to leave, too. i dont memorize the verses in the bible, but i know, it was just her body that we buried. the moment that she slipped from this world, she has actually rejoined her husband and her drinking buddy, my uncle, who died in 2007, and the rest of her family who have gone ahead.

it was actually not a lonely journey for her. she is sure back in her tiptop shape, eager to see the people she also loves. that thought made the situation easy to bear.

and while she is reunited with her other loved ones in another world, those she left behind have also been brought back together, by her death. she should be smiling now.

for that, and for the love and care, and everything, i have no other words to say to you, my number one, but to THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

and, I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU.

i love you.

Sagada Vol. 2

Surviving Sumaging Cave
By LGC
May 30, 2009

CEBU, Philippines - Sagada is not only about hanging coffins and burial caves. Favored by nature with high mountains and many caves, this sleepy town of Mt. Province has also quickly become a favorite place for mountaineers and spelunkers.

My friends and I were among those lured by the attractions of Sagada. We were there last Holy Week.

Initially, our itinerary only consisted of visits to the hanging coffins in the Echo Valley, the rice terraces in Kiltepan, the big falls, among a few others. But when the tour guide we contacted through e-mail suggested we should not miss Sumaging Cave, we included it, without actually knowing what we were in for.

After visiting the Burial Cave, with its wet and fog covered trail, we thought that Sumaging, the next cave to see, would be just another burial cave. But we were wrong.

Upon reaching the site, our guide Daniel, who already had a gas lamp at this juncture, told us to leave all the unnecessary things in the car, except for our cameras. And while he and the other guide named George were lighting their gas lamps at the entrance, I asked what could be waiting for us out there after seeing how big (and dark) the cave was.

Daniel then explained to the group we would be on a spelunking activity for the next two hours or so, depending on how fast we move. Hearing this, some members of our group started complaining. But heck, we were already in Sagada, so we should try what everyone was there for.

Sumaging Cave, which is said to have existed millions of years ago (there are fossilized seashells in its walls that date back to the time before the first men inhabited the earth), was also used as a burial ground by the old people there, however, the coffins were destroyed over the years by the water inside it.

So we went inside the cave with only the two lamps lighting our way. The spelunking is divided into three stages. Stage one is what could be called the “bat territory” and of course, with bats’ shit all over the place. And I mean really all over that our hands (and even hair) were already smudged with them even while still halfway into the fist stage. The trail is very steep and rocky that one has to hold into the nearest rock for support, regardless of the slimy feel and the stink in them.

It was a long and difficult trek down. We were all glad when our guides told us to leave our slippers at some corner for the next stage.

Stage two was a completely different world. If the first part was all rough rocks and bat manure, the next stage was a visual treat: magnificent stalactites and stalagmites all over the cave, plus, running water for the tired feet as bonus. At first, the task ahead looked difficult. The rocks in this part looked slippery, that it took several minutes for those in the frontline to follow the guides. But it was actually easy. Easier than maneuvering the hard rocks in the first stage.

Apart from having to jump 12 or so feet to the ground with only Daniel as our human ladder, the rest of the trail was fun. We got to see the many rock formations all over the place. The light coming from our two lamps added drama to the place, making it more breathtaking. And Daniel always had a story or two about the “queen” and her “king,” which he would ask us to find among the many rock formations.

The second stage was a bit of relief from the first. We got to clean our hands from guano and enjoy the relaxing flow of the cold water on our feet. Because of the abundance of water inside the cave, there are holes there that resemble small swimming pools or what Daniel calls “the mother of all bath tubs,” since there are also smaller “bath tubs” in some corners of the cave.

The final stage was another thing. It was a combination of both stages: hard and fun. What greets (and sometimes discourages some to go through it) is the small opening, which can only accommodate one person, going down feet first, at a time.

Just as we thought, the small opening was just the tip of the iceberg. Our guide George was in charge of this game, armed with only a gas lamp since all other belongings were left in the care of Daniel, who was accompanying our friend Ella, who was already chilling and decided not to join us.

Inside the small opening is a small pool, which is a jump-off to a tunnel-like passage, where ropes are used to get down to another pool of waist-deep water. There are rocks protruding everywhere in this trail. Plus, water here is already surging at high speed that you have to hold on to the rope for dear life for you to reach the water below. Falling would mean hitting the big rocks in the corners. It was more than just rappelling for us. It was a death-defying stunt!

But we managed to get to the last point all soaked and cold and exhausted that we could only giggle at Daniel’s never ending tales of the cave’s “kings” and “queens” and “the dinosaur’s footprints” inside the cave. He would tell his visitors these stories, and although he was corny most of the time, especially when he let us make a small line at the entrance of the cave to get to “another cave,” which turned out to be a tiny hole in a rock near where he was standing, we still enjoyed the way he helped us forget our worries, stupid worries of not coming out of the cave alive.

We survived! Beaten, stinking, and all.


fossilized shells at the walls of the cave. meaning, this cave was an underwater thing millions of years ago. or so said our guide daniel.

the survivors and the guides daniel and george.

part of stage 3. the fun part.

this is how i survived. with a smile. :P

OKAY, IT'S OBVIOUS, I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT. WELL, EXCEPT FOR THE BAT SHITS AND MORE BAT SHITS IN STAGE ONE. THE THING ACTUALLY HIT ME STRAIGHT IN THE FACE. BUT THAT WAS PART OF THE GAME TOO, ACCDG TO DANIEL. PFFT. HEHE...ANYWAY, THIS IS NOT THE LAST POST ABOUT SAGADA. TOLD YOU, I LOVE THE PLACE, I'M THINKING OF MARRYING IT ONE DAY. MORE OF PICTURES OF SAGADA (AND ME!), WHEN I'VE TIME TO LOCATE THEM. THANKS FOR COMING!

notes of a sleepwalker (3)

May 1, 2009
McDo Jones
10:30am

Im having fries and coffee here while waiting for my workmates/friends. We’ll be visiting a sick workmate at a nearby hospital. The agreed time was 11am, I just figured it out I should be here earlier to have breakfast. So anyway, im at the resto’s al fresco, it’s where you can feel the late morning heat and see people from different walks of life. Today, im particularly interested with a group of people just across from where I am.

from my corner, i can see this woman cuddling a baby and opposite her is a thin man, must be her husband. it’s almost lunchtime, the heat’s scorching, it appears that they come to that place, near jollibee’s garbage bin, at this hour everyday to rest.

The woman then produces from a plastic bag a piece of ripe mango. She sniffs it, then gives it to the man, who also sniffs it. It’s like it’s the first time that they’ve actually seen a real mango. It’s cute. And they look happy while repeatedly doing it. they also make the baby sniff the mango. A little while later, while I’m almost halfway with my coffee, the woman peels the mango, and lets the baby sip its juice.

Then an older woman came from nowhere. She’s now handing out packed rice to the small group. She must be doing it regularly, as it seems that the couple is not excited to see her today, with her gift to them. Or I dunno, she’s probably a relative.

So they start eating their rice, and their only mango.

And while they’re at it, my workmates arrived.

next stop

The Ruins, Talisay City, NegOc

notes of a sleepwalker (2)

11:45 of the following night
jollibee mango

after my usual lunch, same thing (i love how the rice is cooked!), i went out of jollibee. then there was this girl again with her sampaguitas, this time she was outside the resto. for the first time, she offered me her goods. so gave her P5 for one of those. but she refused my money saying each was P20. i laughed. are you kidding me?? last time i bought one like that, it was only P5. and that was like a few weeks ago. crisis too??? she insisted it was for P20. and since i didn't have extra cash for that, and i felt like she was playing tricks on me, i just gave her my P5 and walked away. but she followed and gave me one of her sampaguitas instead. and when i still refused to take it, she put it in my pocket. i laughed hard. god, she is an amazing kid. i will miss her.

notes of a sleepwalker

april __, 2009
11:45pm

jollibee mango. im having one of my late lunches here. today, i'm having burger steak with "sagbot" as sidedish. i like the rice a lot. i'll probably have another one tomorrow. he-he.

i'm at a corner, fave spot, nearest to the glass wall. just about a meter from me is a girl. cute one. i always see her when i'm here. 5 years old, or older. i dunno. btw, she's selling sampaguita. i think shes the same girl who sold us, i was with four others, a month ago or so, while we were eating larang (and some other street food) near robi.

anyway, she's clean. so not like the typical kids in the streets. i once saw her, during my other visits at this resto, wearing a pair of clean rubber shoes. today, she is wearing a pair of topsiders, with raffled socks (however you call them) in them. it's already late and shes still there. wherever her mom is..

and oh, she's not begging. she may look at me from time to time. but she never extends a hand to me, to beg. but if she ever does, i'm actually prepared to buy her the same food i'm eating. just 39. i'm nice today. he-he. but she never does. it's almost 12, and i'm out.

Sagada Vol. 1

Sagada: A Place to Behold!
by LGC/Vatski
published last April 26, 2009 here

WARNING: I'm all over here. LOL!!!!

It had been my dream to see Sagada. It was some years back when I first saw a footage in television of the hanging coffins they had there, so I told myself I should see the place before I die. Since then I had been ogling in blogs for photos and accounts of the place. Finally, my turn to see Sagada came.

Since it was a Holy Week, and a Good Friday at that, and we learnt that trips to and from Sagada were limited, so to ensure that we got everything in order, we reserved a van for the visit.

Six long hours! It was like traveling from Bogo City to Santander. But hey, it was still a fun trip. I was with eight funny people who seemed to enjoy the long journey. It also helped to have a nice driver, Kuya Agustin, who knew when to stop the car for photo ops.

One of the “mandatory” stops is the Philippine Pali, the highest point of the country’s road system being 7,400 feet above sea level. The place is in Cattubo, Atok, Benguet, two hours from Baguio. This stop also allows the driver (and the passengers, too) to stretch some muscles in preparation for the next half of the trip. There are comfort rooms here.



At this peak, there’s a deck provided, where you can view the other side of the mountain and all the breathtaking view below. The scenery we had that day was amazing after a drizzle and a rainbow was out. We only had about 15 minutes to take it all in, then back to the car with a bag full of carrots, considered “rejects” from the last harvest.

It was past 9 in the evening when we finally reached the town of Sagada. I slept for the most part of it though, as it was already too dark, bumpy ride permitting while Benguet and the first part of the Mountain Province have developed roads, Sagada is still unpaved with some on-going developments. Hopefully in a few years, the ride wouldn’t be that rough anymore. I just hope that the government would do something to protect these roads from landslides as on our way home, we actually witnessed a few minor ones. As advised, we traveled during daytime to be able to see the movements of the earth especially during rainy days.

Hungry and exhausted, we finally reached Sagada Guest House, where our two rooms were reduced to one due to an “unexpected” arrival of some important guests. The owner’s daughter spoke in straight English, which was a relief. We were too tired to argue so we settled for that single room, which was supposedly for three people. All nine of us (the driver slept in the car) crammed in that room. Anyway, the owners and the receptionist were very nice, especially when they served us our first full meal of the day, making it a great nightcap.

The following day. The trip was supposed to start at 6 in the morning, but we were too tired to get up that early and there were not enough bathrooms for the nine of us. Besides, it was too cold to go out yet. It was actually freezing cold that we had to bring our jackets with us even if our guide told us that we would only sweat out later on.

Before going on a tour, all visitors should register at the town hall, just a few meters from where we were staying. After paying P20 per pax, we were set to see all what Sagada had to offer. No other fees after this. For our guides, however, (we had two, since one guide is for five people for all spelunking or caving activities), we paid them P400 each (the current rate of the Sagada Genuine Guides Association) for the Sumaging Cave spelunking (on another story). There are cheaper rates for other sights, about P200 per guide for a group of 10 people. For that day, we had Daniel, as our guide.

Our first stop was the Burial Cave. This is just a few minutes away from the municipal hall. We had to trek down the foggy mountain trail to reach this cave. We made it for about 10 minutes or so, since we had to stop every now and then to catch our breath. It was tiring, but, man, the sight was awesome!

(trek from the burial cave. yep, that's fog at my back.)
At the entrance of the cave you can already see the piles and piles of centuries-old coffins. According to Daniel, the number of coffins is now down to 134. The 1990 quake had destroyed some of these treasures, he said. The part where the coffins are stacked is just a few meters from the cliff that leads to the inner crevice of the cave. Because of the movement of the earth during that quake, those coffins nearest to this gap were swallowed by the hole below. The town however tried salvaging what remained of the broken wooden caskets with the bones inside them.



But that was not all. We learned too that the place was once looted. Natives and even visitors plundered some of these treasures for souvenirs. Because of this, Daniel said they had to nail in place the covers of each of the remaining coffins to ensure that nothing of that sort ever happens again. We tried prying open one coffin, it was really shut off.




One sad note too is that these coffins, apart from the common lizard carvings on their cover (lizards to the old Sagada people was believed to help them get to heaven), don’t have identifications in them. Daniel said that this was actually because the ritual practices by their ancestors were part of the old “pagan” tradition.


(Inside Sagada)
Centuries ago, Christianity was still alien to Sagada. According to Daniel, their old people either hid their dead in the caves as part of the burial ritual or hang them at the face of the mountains to be closer to the heavens.

Those in the caves are the ones being frequently pilfered or destroyed by the harshness of the elements, while those hanged in the mountainside, after so many decades of being there, are still in their glorious state.


One example are the Hanging Coffins in Echo Valley, just a short walk from St. Mary’s Church. Sixteen coffins are still hanging in a mountainside there. Although there are signs of vandalism in the wall, our guide told us it happened some years back and they are keeping the area in tight watch.Although the Sagada people have embraced Christianity a long time ago, there are still some who prefer to follow their ancestors. The newest coffin in this site was hanged in 2007, according to Daniel.

The coffins, which are made of hollowed out trunks of pine trees (reportedly done by the dead themselves, well, before they were about to die), in this site are situated about 15 feet above the ground. Visitors could only watch them from below. It was a tough task for those who actually hung those caskets. Daniel however told us that they had to raise the coffin first, make some braces to hold it, and the body would be placed into it afterwards.

The size of most of the coffins are actually smaller, enough to fit a child. But Daniel said the dead is forced to a sitting position, as was an old Sagada tradition. They also bring with them a chair each strapped to their coffins for them to sit on in the afterlife.

There are actually several burial caves in Sagada, I learned from our guide. Some of them only housed the females, but none was actually exclusively for the rich. He said, during the old times, there was no old or rich in Sagada. It could be true as the coffins are all made of pine trees, had no varnish and had no other accessories, not even a smudge of color.

So, these are treasures of Sagada. I’m actually glad to have seen them. I just wish they would still be there in the next century.

PS: WE ONLY STAYED FOR A NIGHT. GOT THERE AT 9PM OF GOOD FRIDAY, SLEPT TILL 5AM THE NEXT DAY. THEN WE STARTED THE TRIP. WE ONLY HAD ABOUT 8 HOURS TO SEE THE BEAUTIFUL PLACE OF SAGADA. NATURE, NATURE, NATURE, AND COFFINS (ACTUALLY MUMMIES. LOL!). I LOVE THEM ALL. BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, I LOVE(D) SAGADA. HOPE TO BE THERE AGAIN AND "SMEELED" AT THE CAMERAS (HAHAHA..THANKS, SIR DANIEL!). OKAY, ONE OF THESE DAYS. EHEHEHE...

MORE PHOTOS SOON. THANKS FOR COMING...=)

ps2: for more info about the trip, talk to me, i have the numbers of the inns, the guides, etc.

cOminG sOon: hArry poTTer anD tHe HaLF-BlOod PRinCe

set to be released this July 15. (trailer is already out)

this is rated PG. so even if it's action-packed as promised, there are no sex scenes here. lol!

anyway, i can't wait, i've even reserved the best seat at cinema 1 (dolby digital) in sm already. so anybody there who cares to join me? again, this july 15. ^_^

the diplomat hotel

it was a good friday (april 10,'09) when we finally got to this part of baguio city. at my insistence of course. we rented an FX being the most common taxi cab in the area to climb to this part. it's actually on top of the hill, way farther from the Lady of Lourdes Grotto. the grotto is more than 200 steps from the base. but since we did not have the luxury of time, we opted to do the easier way: rode the cab and took the shortcut which leads to the last two flights of stairs to reach the grotto. several miles up from the grotto is the Diplomat Hotel. fast facts: the building was opened to the public in 1915 as a vacation house sanitarium by the Dominican Order priests. they then later turned it into a school the following month, but due to the small enrollment they had to close it down, reverting it to its original use. during the wwII, refugees occupied it. then the Japs took over the place with the refugees still in there, that when the Army Liberation Forces bombed out the building many refugees were actually killed. reconstruction started in 1947. and in 1973, the Diplomat Hotels, Inc. acquired the property and converted it into a 33-bedroom hotel with modern facilities. it however ceased operation in the 80's due to the death of one of its majority stockholders. and for the many years since it has been kept uncared for, rumors have it that the place has become haunted. there are reports of headless priests and ghostly figures caught in cameras. i did try catching one when i was there. that was why i prepared my cam for the visit, had to use a good amount of memory for the vid. there are some "smoky" figures in these 2 vids i got, but i'm not saying they're apparitions of some spirits or whatever. i didn't do editing, fyi, cos i don't know much about that. they were just probably some light effects. just go check for yourself. so anyway, i'm so thankful there was this one brave girl, a korean i think, who decided to check out the place too, since the 6 people i was with that time were too scared to go inside the place, that they even forbid me to go up to the second floor blah blah blah. but who cares? i was there to take it all in. it was my dream. so we did roam the place. i loved every moment of it. it was weird. i'm weird.



the cross at the roofdeck

the best part was everywhere inside it: the corners, everywhere! i think it's because the place is abandoned for too long. it has kept with it, or sort of immortalized what had happened there in the past, and the people that came to live in it. probably why visitors would say they saw ghosts or hear errie sounds. i did hear a giggling sound somewhere in the second floor, not sure though if it was from a ghost, i did not ask. it was from a woman. and there were only two of us in there, and no one was giggling. i didn't giggle. there are more errie photos of this place, i'll be posting them soon. i prioritized the vids because i just want the world to see that i was inside the diplomat already. =) so there, enjoy!

okay, i had troubles uploading the vids, so here, just a few photos instead. vids to follow, if they will. tssk!



this blogger with the ghosts. lol!

earth hour

this is an international campaign against global warming. from 8:30 to 9:30 tonight, let's all switch off our lights.

i think it's cool. =D

next stop: Apo Island

so i was in Apo Island. that was last feb 25 & 26. it was the next stop after dumaguete city.

from sibulan, where i met up with my diver-friends from Talisay, we moved to Malatapay, Zamboangita, NegOR, the jumpoff port to Apo. the travel time is about 30 mins by private car. since there are no public ferries in the area, we rented a boat to get us to the next island. estimated travel time from the port to Apo is 45 mins.

at around 1pm of feb 25, after being mercilessly rocked by the waves, we finally made it to Apo.


this is Liberty's Community Lodge. owned by Kap. Liberty. this is where you can rent a room and dive/snorkeling gear. on the second floor of this building is a resto.


this is at the back of the island, at the marine sanctuary. we dived here at 8am the next day. notice the waves. these are just small ones.

early morning of feb 26, second dive.

i would have loved to take photos of the giant corals or what they call the massive corals, i just didn't have a camera with me. tsk! but anyway, the others have taken time to get these (thanks!!).

here are some of the species seen at the island's sanctuary. =)



up next: Sumilon Island marine sanctuary.

first stop: dumaguete city (feb25,'09)

it was purely work for the first 5 hours we got there. and finally, we were free!

after our early supper (and watching slumdog millionnaire <--to be reviewed soon.), we started the trip. i am no longer an inconsistent environmentalist, so i insisted we just walked around.

it was already nighttime, and drizzling. then it rained for a few minutes. so we stopped at a nearby cakehouse to get something for snacks. i had a small white chocolate cake for myself which i bought for only P55. they also have coffee there. hmmm...i hope they would put up something like that in Talisay, best for latenight getaways.

we were back at the place we were staying before we knew it. and the next morning we were already catching our boat for our next stop: the Apo Island (photos to be posted soon), so we missed the sans rival house. tsk, tsk!

okay, i didn't bring any pasalubong, but above are the photos i took while in the city of happy people: NegOR provincial capitol, a resto and the baywalk.

more photos here.

me the painter ^^

2 hours for sketching and some tips from my "teacher" (that was on the first day i started it), 6 hours to seriously do it (last sat) and another 3 hours for the "finishing touches" (yesterday) that long! but as you can see, 11 hours of hard labor is paying off. or so i think. LOL

im just so proud. i think i can do nudes now. =D

special thanks to PETA for the subject; (yep, thats supposedly yasmin kurdi there, i just turned her into a manananggal); to aldo for the lessons (i need to learn more though); to my neighbors for keeping me up all saturday night bec of the disco (just dont do it everyday, utang buot!); and to myself for believing in myself (hahaha!)

more works to come. hopefully. ^^

4

this blog turns 4 next week, on friday the 13th. 4! with 444 posts already.

i just wish i could do more for (and with) you. more interesting posts (photos and vids of the hanging coffins, for one. can't wait!). and a great layout (with no ATOM thing!).

bertdi, blog! =)

estarbaks ta ig friday. pramis! ;)

City of God (a movie review)

Directors:Fernando Meirelles
Kátia Lund (co-director)

Cast:
Alexandre Rodrigues ... Rocket
Leandro Firmino ... Li'l Zé
Phellipe Haagensen ... Benny
Douglas Silva ... Li'l Dice
Jonathan Haagensen ... Shaggy
Matheus Nachtergaele ... Carrot
Seu Jorge ... Knockout Ned

The Plot: Gangsters killing one another. But this is a no non-sense film, it is even touching at some point.

Set in the 60’s in a ghetto of Rio de Janeiro, the film brings you to the lives of those people living in the slum, to their violent world: young armed thuds smashing other people’s properties to steal and their younger siblings watching them like heroes as they do it.

Then these younger fellows grow up to be just like their older brothers, who at this time, are already long dead.

Click here for the full review of this movie.

Special thanks: wengkat for the Ube Espesyal ice cream i had while writing the review. good luck sa diet. >.<


next movie review: Love in the Time of Cholera.

Barack Obama

i was one of those many Filipino people who stayed glued to the tv set the entire night to witness the 44th American President to be sworn in to office. that was actually the first time i watched an inauguration of a foreign leader, along with millions of other non-American citizens all over the world. sometimes, i helps being an insomniac. lol!

studio 23 gave a live coverage of the event, plus factual views and analysis of the historic ceremony from the anchors. well, except for ces drilon. with her stupid commentaries and questions, she was not helping the show at all. glad she left before the real event.

anyway, i already mentioned Obama in my march 2008 post. that was quite a long time ago. now he is the president of the most powerful country in the world.

with this new vigor America has now that it just welcomed its new leader without protest, it is possible change will happen, like Obama promised. that's america.

and this is the Philippines:


the flag above is from a tugboat used during the fluvial procession last saturday, jan17,'09. are we this poor already?

sinulog mardi gras 2009 photos

these are the photos...(alin ang naiba diha. lol!)





pfft! like last year, it rained. but it did not deter the more than 2 million people from the different parts of the world to watch and enjoy the mardi gras. it stopped me from taking more pictures though, which disappointed me big time. anyway, it was still fun to be out there, working and enjoying the moment at the same time. thanks to wengkat for the company and for the food. =)

ps: last photo shows the tatlong itlog sharing the tatlong manok. hihihi

time out

already tired with watching music vids of britney, hilary, beyonce, boyz II men, etc online. now it's time to answer some important questions that may help me become a surgeon someday. haha! copied this from feebee's blog. diara!

What kind of vitamins did you take as a kid?
vitamin c, I can’t recall the brand.

Did you get any compliments today?
nope

Are you friends with your neighbors?
no, we’re just new there. but with the old neighbors (where I grew up…), we are one big happy bingo-playing family there. lol

Favorite color?
blue/white/gray

How long has it been since you've seen the Lion King?
a few months ago, with my friend’s 5-year-old kid.

When was the last time you drove more than 15 minutes?
last sat

Have you ever had a crush on your friend's siblings or sibling's friends?
i don’t remember

Have you ever gone to the beach?
like last sunday

How good is your eye sight?
still 20/20. although i have the tendency to squint a lot. >.<

Whats the longest amount of time you've been on an airplane?
35 minutes—m/l (the travel time from cebu-manila & vv)

Have you ever been out of your country?
not yet. but im going to Egypt soon. he-he

What's the best wedding you've been to?
i don’t remember attending one. really.

Would your parents be mad if you got arrested for fighting?
what a question!

Ever been in love?
i’m also human for goodness’ sake!

Do you have a Honda, Toyota or Nissan?
no, but i once fell in love with a Nissan Sentra.

What did you do this weekend?
played bingo! lol

Do you wear contacts?
no

What do you usually do first in the morning?
check the time

Who was the last person you went to the movies with?
jute, we watched "the day the earth stood still" and got drunk after that. joke!

Do you like where you are right now?
been up since 3am, and now it’s almost 6pm and i want to go home already, yet I cant bec the roads are temporarily closed for the procession. that makes me super happy!

Do you miss someone?
yes, my uncle. the family hasn’t seen him for the last 17 years…after some misunderstanding. the other day, i googled for his name and I got an article about an accident that happened in 2004, his name was among the casualties. now I miss him. im still checking though if that was really him.

Do you believe ex's can be friends?
whats the case?

Last relationship and when?
--

Been cheated on?
in reference to the question before this? nopez.

Have you ever been a gymnast or a cheerleader?
seriously???

Has anyone ever told you they want to spend the rest of their life with you?
nope

Has a boy/girl ever called you babe/baby?
nyahahhaha…BLANK

Will you be in a relationship in four months?
i don’t know.

Does anyone hate you?
i don’t know. i don’t care.

Anyone annoy you?
im not easily annoyed.

What is stressing you out most right now?
my insomnia and my back pains. i feel so old already. tsk!

Does anyone love you?
outside the family? i think so.

Are you easily confused?
i don’t get you.


Are you high maintenance?
no.

Are you happy with the way life is going?
life’s okay. but i'll be very happy if i can do MORE.

Do you hate it when people smoke around you?
yes. it's suffocating.

Is any part of your body sore?
my back as always.

How do you feel about public displays of affection?
it’s not fair. joke!

What always makes you feel better when you are upset?
music and happy thoughts. or a company of a favorite friend.

Do you like to take walks?
yep. sa beach!

Will your next kiss be a mistake?
what’s wrong with a kiss?

Do you fight with your grandparents often?
nope. okay, once. but that was a long time ago.

Where is the shirt you are wearing from?
adidas.dah, ukay-ukay! =)

Have you ever been in a car accident?
yeah. a few months back. i hit a bike-riding old man. he sustained minor bruises in the knees and toes. i only had his bike fixed, bec that was only what he wanted. i felt so guilty after that.

What bed did you sleep in last night?
that hard bed in my room.

Would you rather have big or small dogs?
i don’t like pets anymore. but we have a shih tzu and a kitten in the house.

Are you afraid of falling in love?
no.

What are your plans for today?
go home and sleep.

What color do you paint your nails?
i don’t paint my nails.

Have you ever thought about getting your nose pierced?
never

Will you move in a year?
i hope not. ive already had enough of moving.

When was the last time you were told you were cute?
never. bec im not cute. tsk! lol

Have you ever read an entire book in one day?
last time was The Alchemist. that was about a year ago

Last night, did you go to sleep smiling?
nope. bec i was forcing myself to sleep fast.

Do you want to get married?
NOPE. im tired of this kind of question already.

Are you mean?
sometimes…

Do you think relationships are even worth it?
as long as there are no losers in the end...

Do your parents really know you?
i think so.

Would you ever get a tattoo?
never. i hate needles.

Are you stubborn?
and proud.

Would you rather go to Tokyo or Paris?
let me go to sagada first.

Who else is in the room with you?
my workmates

next post: my beauty tips!

the dream job

catmon

so mao ni ang mga hulagway nga nakuha nako sa among pagsuot-suot sa lungsod sa catmon niadtong oct 25-26, 1963.


mainit spring. this is in the uppermost part of brgy duyan. mokatkat pa ka og taas-taas to get here. way bayad nuon. di ko sure, wa man mi pabayri gud. pero murag naa. hahahha (pangutana lang mo didto)



mainit spring up close. trust me, init jud siya. limpyo pa. the source is just somewhere down there, pwede ka magkuha og init tubig didto para kape. yeah, yeah...



to the rapids. gabuot2x ra ko ani. but there are really rapids down there. you have to go down that part there, medyo steep ang agianan pero worth it ang tanan. they have the hidden falls there, and this cave that is almost similar to palawan's underground river. way binuang! wa lang lagi camera, kay di man water proof, di sad ta tantong danghag. next time!



river. river that connects to the falls, caves, etc. strong knees are needed in going to this part, kapoy kayo katkat sa mga bato! i hope naa nay bridge diha ibutang si mayor. or at least maayong dan. hehehe...


lobby. to the hot spring. or to wherever.



aroma mountain resort. this is in barangay macaas already. just a walking distance from bless' place. si bless, mao nang starring kayo sa ubos.



bless and multz. ingun ani pagkaon, the bless way (alkanse lang ang way blog. hahaha)



all-in-one. humba, menudo and rice. wa nay tagdanay!





that's bless. god help me! hahahha

if there's anything else you wanna know about catmon, you can ask me, i've been there several times already. hehehe...thanks for reading. =)