June 30, 2006

Eating In Manila

by , in
Dear Me,

Let me share this article by the author himself. It's food-tripping from the eyes of a foreigner. =)


January 16, 2004
TED LERNER

As the sun set over Manila Bay, I extracted a snail from its shell
with a plastic toothpick and popped the slug-like morsel into my
mouth. At first it didn't seem so bad, but then a strange and bitter
aftertaste kicked in. I lunged for my bottle of San Miguel beer,
that great soother of injured and tortured palates, and took a long
restorative swallow. I'd gone out for drinks with three Filipino
friends, who'd insisted we order some bar snacks as well. Hence the
snails.

We ate while sitting on the pier of the Harborview Restaurant, which
pokes out into the bay like an exclamation mark. From my seat I
could see ranks of container ships anchored offshore, and towering
clouds on the horizon turning pink with the setting sun. Celso, one
of my Filipino friends, skewered a snail and examined it carefully.
Like me, he'd never tried one before. He chewed slowly with a grave
__expression similar to some medieval king's food taster. Will I keel
over? he seemed to be asking himself. In the end Celso didn't keel,
but he didn't eat another snail either.

As for me, I ate a few more snails, confirmed I wasn't a snail-
eating kind of guy, and then let Joma and Oka polish off the plate.
Meanwhile, Celso and I ordered more beer. Behind me I could hear the
muted roar of Manila, a city of unlimited culinary opportunities.
The roar called me like a dinner bell, for if I'd come to Manila for
anything, I'd come to Manila to eat.


Hands-on Eating Experience

Dining in Manila offered me a hands-on experience in Filipino
cuisine. Literally. At the Kamayan Restaurant, which translates
roughly as the "Using Your Hands Restaurant," I dispensed with
cutlery and ate the traditional way. This meant a plate of bamboo
leaf, my hands, and nothing else except mass quantities of food.

After a round of San Miguel beer, Joma, Oka, Celso and I scrubbed up
like surgeons before a lengthy operation. Conveniently, an entire
wall of the restaurant had been devoted to hand-washing. A long row
of clay water jugs with spigots stood mounted above a tiled water
trough, with soap-dispensers spaced strategically between each jug.
When we'd washed our hands as clean as silverware run through an
industrial-strength dishwasher, we returned to our table to eat.
First came papaya slices, which we dipped into bagoong, a sort of
fermented salty shrimp sauce. Steamed white rice and seafood chowder
followed-the waiter issued us spoons for the latter like a
quartermaster issuing special weapons to his troops before a
particularly tough mission. Next came curry soup and a plate of
impressively large crabs.

At this point a troupe of blind musicians appeared and began to
serenade us with a rendition of "Hotel California," and I busted
open crab legs so ineptly that bits of white meat and shell exploded
across the table. Next came an entire grilled pampano that looked
as if it had been caught just minutes earlier. We squeezed kalamansi
lime juice on the fish, whose tender flesh flaked gently from the
bone. Glutted on seafood, we turned to meat in the form of lechon-
roast suckling pig with crisp skin and tender meat that literally
melted in my mouth. "Cholesterol," said Joma blissfully through a
mouthful of pork. I'd made an unholy mess with my hands, but nobody
seemed to notice. The blind musicians couldn't tell, of course, and
my friends were too absorbed in their eating. My friends, in fact,
ate like an army on the march. This, I soon came to learn, could be
said of the entire country.


Patron Saint of Manila

I hadn't come to Manila just to sample the food, of course. I'd come
to sample the beer as well, particularly San Miguel. Like a Guinness
aficionado who heads to Ireland to sample his favorite suds, I
wanted to sip San Miguel at the source. I'd drank San Miguel in
Hong Kong and Indonesia and various points in between; now I wanted
to drink it in Manila, where it dominates the local market. San
Miguel dominates the national market as well, and has become the
Budweiser of the Philippines. Fortunately San Mig tastes better than
Bud, an assessment shared by its fans across Asia. San Miguel, in
fact, is probably the only Philippine brand name widely recognized
throughout the region, where it is brewed under license in a number
of countries.

I actually jumped the gun by having a San Mig with lunch during my
flight from Hong Kong to the Philippines. Upon landing I continued
my research and quickly discovered that Manila ranks among the best
cities in Asia for beer drinking. I reserve the top honors for
Hanoi, with its fifteen-cent draft beer joints that sprawl out on
the sidewalks of the city's historic old quarter. Manila, however,
comes in a close second. To put it simply, Manila offers good beer
cheap.

Though Carlsberg and other brands can be found in Manila, most
drinkers stick to San Miguel. I preferred the traditional pilsner
myself, though Joma, Oka and Celso opted for the slightly blander
but much more trendy San Miguel Light. A refreshing beer reminiscent
of European pilsners, San Miguel comes in sturdy old-fashioned brown
bottles with labels enameled in white paint. Corner shops sell
bottles for about fifteen pesos (thirty US cents); prices vary at
restaurants but are in general quite cheap when compared to other
Asian countries. As Joma proclaimed at the Harborview, a glass of
San Mig in one hand and a toothpick-skewered snail in the other,
beer drinking is a national pastime integral to eating, another
national pastime. San Miguel, goes the joke, is Manila's patron
saint.


Manila Munchies

My Filipino friends viewed eating as a more or less continual
occupation. Like a herd of cows grazing its way across a pasture on
the way to the feeding trough, we moved through Manila purchasing
various snacks en route to various restaurants. We ate ice creams
and drank Cokes; we munched on roasted cashews and watermelon seeds.
We stopped in at the ubiquitous 7-11 convenience stores, whose motto
is "The neighbor you can count on." From these ever-reliable
neighbors I bought Kit-Kat chocolate bars, cheese balls, Keebler
chocolate-chip cookies, Ritz cheese-sandwich crackers, Snyder's
pretzels, and all manner of American junk-food.

I discovered my favorite Philippine snack at the Baclaran flea
market, however, which despite its name doesn't specialize in
secondhand goods. Instead vendors offer a variety of clothing and
other items, including a wide array of edibles. In a neat
juxtaposition of traditional and modern food, a man stood in front
of a Dunkin' Donuts delivery truck selling bite-sized spotted quails
eggs. I'd never tried quail's eggs before, so we bought a bag to
sustain us on the ride to lunch. I mangled the first egg I tried to
peel and wound up with a mushy pulp of egg-white mixed with crushed
shell. Embarrassed, I chucked the whole mess and started in on a new
egg. Under Joma's tutelage, fortunately, I soon got the hang of
things and began peeling like a local. The quail's eggs tasted like
miniature hard-boiled chicken eggs; with salt they became nothing
short of delicious. Give me a couple quail's eggs and a can of Coke
and I've found the perfect snack.


Dampa Wet Market

My Filipino friends loved seafood, and the fresher the better, so
one morning we headed out to the Dampa Wet Market near the airport.
Advertisements for Colt .45 malt liquor adorned the outside of the
market building; inside the market dozens of stalls offered a
variety of seafood, from fish-heads to squid tentacles. Standing
beneath the bare bulbs that dangled from the crossbeams, the women
minding the stalls clamored for our business with the gusto of
sports fans at a playoff game. After extended bargaining we left
the market with bulging bags of raw seafood-but no Colt .45-and then
strolled over to one of the adjacent restaurants that maintain a
symbiotic relationship with the market.

We told the waitress how we wanted our seafood prepared, and she
whisked the bags outside to a cook standing before a large charcoal
grill. We watched as he went to work with an off-handed expertise.
Or rather, I watched. Everyone else in the restaurant watched a
local TV program called "Feeling Sexy." As near as I could work out,
only moderately heavy women were allowed to compete for prizes in
this beauty contest/game show complete with a cheering studio
audience. As a prelude to the hot food, we started with two
whopping platters of tuna sashimi, dipping the pink squares into a
soy-sauce and wasabi mix as airliners roared low overhead. By the
time we'd polished off this unusually good platter of raw fish, our
waitress had arrived with a bowl of sinigang.

A common dish, sinigang is a sour soup that never quite contains the
same thing twice. In our case, we got radishes, onions, tomatoes,
greens, and entire jumbo prawns. By this point I'd begun to lose my
momentum like an overloaded truck laboring up a steep grade, but
we'd barely started. I still had a long gastronomic road ahead,
including steamed rice and an entire fish prepared in the inihaw
(grilled) style. Since I'd selected the fish in the market, my
friends insisted I eat the largest portion of it. After the first
bite I knew this wouldn't be a problem, though I also knew I'd have
absolutely no room left for the late-arriving bowl of oysters. I
leaned back in my chair and gave up long before my companions, who
managed to consume just about everything on the table. The total
price of this feast? Roughly $24, or six dollars each. I thought
surely we couldn't beat this price, and then we went to Chinatown.


Chinatown Cheap

The next day the four of us walked down Ongpin Street, which runs
through Manila's thriving Chinatown like a main artery. As is true
of streets in Chinatowns everywhere, much of Ongpin remained devoted
to food. Chinese groceries, bakeries and restaurants abounded. The
street flowed with a swirl of Tsinoys-as Filipinos of Chinese
descent are known-laden with bags of fresh fruit and vegetables,
packages of noodles and boxes of tea.

We crossed a bridge over a fetid canal, passed under a Chinese arch,
turned right and entered a narrow covered terrace that ran like an
alleyway alongside the muck-clogged canal. This alleyway housed a
half-dozen outdoor kitchens, each competing against the rest for a
share of the lunch crowd. Women shoved competing menus at us with a
flurry of "please sirs" as they tried to get us to sit at their
tables. Eventually we settled for a private room equipped with a
wheezing air-conditioner, where we ordered somewhat haphazardly and
then cooled down from the blazing heat outside. The waitress brought
our food with a relentless efficiency. Black bamboo clams. Viscous
soup laced with bits and pieces of various seafoods. Sweet and sour
pork. Lumpia-fried spring rolls that are a national dish. White
rice. Greens with oyster sauce.

So much food arrived that we needed a second table just to hold the
various bowls and platters. I surrendered first, as usual, and
pushed my plate away. We'd barely cracked twelve noon, and I'd
already eaten enough for the entire day. My friends soldiered on
until the table resembled an after-action battlefield, with broken-
open clam shells, orange spatters of sweet and sour sauce, bits of
rice, and crumpled napkins littering the table. For a while we just
sat, stunned, until Joma finally mustered the energy to summon the
bill. "Do you know what all this cost?" he asked as he examined the
bill. "Just eight dollars."


The American Legacy

Though I never would have thought it possible, I'd actually begun to
tire of seafood. The sheer mass of fish, crab and shellfish had
simply worn me out. I needed a break; I needed something with bread
and cheese. And so one night I walked over to the shopping mall near
my hotel, where I encountered a man with a very large pump-action
shotgun. "Table for one, sir?" he asked cheerfully as he opened the
door to Pizza Hut. After being seated by this dual host/security
guard, a waitress named Chona immediately appeared and asked in
perfect American-accented English if I was ready to order. I perused
the English-Tagalog menu, then ordered a small pepperoni and onion
with the obligatory San Miguel. I almost felt like I'd teleported
back to America somehow, since this Pizza Hut mirrored those in the
States so exactly.

America has profoundly influenced the Philippines in many ways, most
obviously in the proliferation of fast-food. Manilenos have taken to
fast-food with a vengeance. Aside from Pizza Hut, I could have
ordered a pizza at Shakey's, Dominoes, or California Pizza Kitchen.
If I'd wanted burgers, I could have opted for McDonald's, Burger
King, or Wendy's. Other possibilities included Subway, Sizzler, Mr.
Donut, Dunkin' Donuts, Kentucky Fried Chicken, TGIF, Sbarro, and
Orange Julius. Jollibee, a local chain serving Filipino fast-food,
bravely does battle with this American invasion. Pressing its home-
court advantage, Jollibee more than holds its own. With 384
restaurants, Jollibee's red and white bumblebee gives Ronald
McDonald, that multinational heavyweight of fast-food, some very
painful stings. The two dueling restaurants often occupy the same
block, and along with 7-11 convenience stores, comprise an integral
part of Manila's urban landscape.

Though not all fast-food restaurants boast armed security guards,
they all do offer extremely affordable prices. My bill at Pizza Hut
came to two dollars, for example. Another hallmark of fast-food
restaurants is attentive service by an English-speaking staff. In
yet another example of American influence in this former US colony,
English is spoken widely, fluently and enthusiastically by
Manilenos. In fact, I know of no other city in Asia where you can
reliably find English, fast-food and shotguns on just about every
street corner.


Bulalo and the LA Lakers

Only one thing can distract a Filipino from his food, and that thing
is NBA basketball. I discovered this when the four of us drove up
to Tagaytay, a city close to Manila known for its volcanic mountain
lake. We made our first stop at the People's Park in the Sky, site
of a half-finished mountain-top mansion for Ferdinand and Imelda
Marcos. On a ridge running below the park the tradition of private
retreats for the elite continued in the form of a planned community
called Tagaytay Highlands, complete with golf course and perimeter
fence. No one gets in without an invitation, said my friends, and
not many invitations are given.

Far beyond and below Tagaytay Highlands we could see Lake Taal, a
huge crater lake with an island in the center. This island featured
its own smaller crater lake with an active volcano in the
middle. "An island within a lake within an island in a lake on an
island in an ocean," said Celso as he described the scene below.
Then he pushed back his black "Do the Dew" baseball hat and handed
me an ice-cream cone. We all stood eating our ice creams and
enjoying the view, an experience marred somewhat by a booming
karaoke machine-the bane of modern Asia-and the boyish croon of a
man singing Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight." Not long after
finishing our ice creams my friends began rubbing their stomachs and
talking about lunch, though we'd barely cracked eleven o'clock. We
drove down into Tagaytay City to a diner-the many American terms
used in the Philippines never failed to surprise me-serving the
local specialties of bulalo and tawilis.

A live game involving the LA Lakers played on the diner's TV. Nobody
sat at the tables far from the action; instead everyone crowded
around the tables close to the TV. Every pair of eyes in the place
focused intently on the TV screen, while mouths, teeth and hands
worked on autopilot. I'm not much of a basketball fan, so I focused
on my meal. I had to choose carefully what to eat, since I'd not yet
digested breakfast and like an already full ship, could only take on
so much more cargo before I headed for the bottom. I feasted on
tawilis, small fried fish from Lake Taal about twice the size of
smelt. I doused them in vinegar and salt and ate them whole. Head,
tails, fins, bones-the whole package. In between crunchy mouthfuls
of tawilis, I worked on a plate of spring rolls. My companions left
me to the tawilis and split their attention between the Lakers,
lechon kawali-fried pork fat-and the bulalo. A carnivore's delight,
bulalo is a beef broth served up in a huge bowl. It has many
interpretations, but in our case the entire socket-bone of a cow's
leg joint sat dead center of our bowl. Joma went into overdrive,
lifted the softball-sized joint from the bowl and started gnawing
like a starved caveman. "The ligaments are the best," he opined
between mouthfuls.

Once he'd gnawed the socket to a clean white knob, he began scooping
marrow from the bone with his finger. His __expression matched that
of a kid stealing batter from the cake bowl. By meal's end my
stomach had begun to protest all the fried food that I'd consumed,
so I self-medicated with another bottle of San Miguel pilsner. San
Miguel cuts grease like a sharp knife cuts lechon. In fact, I
discovered that San Miguel works like a curative tonic for just
about any kind of stomach complaint, from indigestion to gas. Their
stomachs undisturbed but certainly distended, my companions rounded
out the meal with Sprites and Marlboro Lights, attention still
locked on the basketball game. In the Philippines, it seems, only
the NBA takes precedence over eating.


Coffee Trumps Tea

My last meal in Manila wasn't really a meal at all. It was a
beverage. A coffee in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport
departure lounge, to be exact. I thought this an appropriate ending
to my culinary exploration of Manila, where java reigns supreme.
Unlike most Asians, the Filipinos prefer coffee over tea. This can
be ascribed to the colonial influence of Spain and America, two
nations that love their coffee. As an American I certainly regret my
country's colonial experiment in the Philippines, which suppressed
Filipino independence for some fifty years at great cost in life,
but if any good came of the colonial era, it was this legacy of
coffee. I wholeheartedly approve of the Filipino love of the black
stuff, for though I've drank gallons of tea in my Asian travels,
I've never come to love the leaf the way I love the bean.

Foreign colonization continues in Manila in the form of Starbucks
and Seattle's Best, not to mention Japan's UCC, but local
competitors like Figaro and Brew's Buddies more than hold their own.
Perhaps some day a Filipino coffee-house chain will be as well known
across Asia as San Miguel beer. As for my coffee at the airport, it
came from a no-name lunch counter. As I stood at this counter
dumping sugar into my styrofoam cup, I got to thinking about the new
culinary habits I'd acquired during my gastronomic tour of Manila.

Most obviously, though I'd always drank my coffee black back in the
States, I'd started loading my coffee up with high-octane sugar
loads while in the Philippines. This reflected local taste. I'd also
acquired a peculiar lust for quail's eggs and Kit-Kat chocolate
bars, neither of which I eat back home. My dining habits had
changed, too, for I'd begun eating early and eating constantly.
With that last thought in mind, I finished my sugary coffee, then
glanced at my watch. It read 10:30, and I thought, just about time
for lunch.
June 29, 2006

Thursday Thirteen #5

by , in
Dear Me,

It's Thursday, so here's my Thursday habit. Unfortunately, I cannot think of any apt title for my T13.



Random 13s


  1. I watched the premiere showing of Superman Returns last Tuesday night at Robinson's Galleria. I wasn't really fond of DC comics turned big screen shows. But I sort of liked this one. Sorry, I will not divulge spoilers but there's a twist in the Superman tale. =)


    And by the way, I want to thank Ada for giving me 2 premiere tickets and to April, for handing me the tickets. =)

  2. It was 28 days ago when I was informed that I won a webphone as a prize. Last night, I was able to claim it in their Alabang office. Now, I can utilize my Skype account.


  3. Cebu Pacific Air is having another promo sale. Introducing the PhP99 Seat Sale! Selected domestic destinations for this flight fare sale are from Manila to Laoag, Butuan, Cotabato, Dipolog, Roxas, Zamboanga or from Cebu to Davao and vice versa. This is available from June 28 to July 6, 2006 only! Travel period is from July 15 to October 21, 2006.

  4. I have this old classmate from way back. He is engaged in the same activity as I am. He contacted me. I am thinking whether to even give him the idea that I am interested. Well, I know that there's another batchmate whom he can hook up with (about that activity). Problem is, that other guy is so arrogant & irritating. In fact, that other guy sealed my decision not to participate in a weekend activity. Goodness. Thinking about him makes me want to strangle him. Grrr...

  5. Office situation is so depressing. We have been requesting for the longest time to have a substantial increase in salary but to no avail. Minimum of 7.2%? Lucky if someone can even get 8%. Even our snack & dinner allowance (given when you render overtime) only increased by PhP20. So much for wasting time talking to them.

  6. Why does it happen all the time? One moment, I am very happy and laughing like a hyena and the next, I will be feeling sorry for myself, get insecure and pick a fight. I know that it's getting tiresome but I just cannot help myself.

  7. Yahoo! I will be claiming my converted mileages-to-free-flight-ticket from PAL tomorrow. This coming December, I am planning to visit Iloilo. I've never been there and it will be such a good, exciting experience. I started researching about this destination yesterday, right after booking my flight. In a month or two, I will be booking my return flight to Manila. Now, I am so excited. =)

  8. Bon voyage and good luck to our now-former-directors M & Y. M recently flew back to his country to take a new post after ending his 3-years term in the Philippines. Y, on the other end, bid the entire office goodbye a few hours ago. He will be flying back to his country at 2:00 in the afternoon today. Y resigned to take a new job in a private firm at his hometown. Both directors had been very nice and I wish them the best. =)


  9. Honestly, I sort of feel bad (for the 2nd time) for being accused of doing something which I had no intention of doing. I was merely trying to generate opinions and gathering facts so as to clarify and understand the matter at hand. Once and for all, I issued a general statement of what I had in mind. It was clarified and apology was thrown my way. Well, I understood him and I knew that during "these times", emotions run high...and wild. I felt slighted but I'm fine now.

  10. I'm enthusiastic about my activities this coming weekend. Except for doing the laundry, I am looking forward to sleeping in my old room. That means, I have to "re-design" the fixtures there to accommodate my old bed. =) Obviously, this "moving" up and about entails a lot of muscle and energy.

    This morning, my mom asked me to accompany her to Baywalk this coming Saturday. I told her that it's easy to go there. She insisted that I come with her since she has to be at their meeting place as early as 5:30 in the morning. Goodness! That means we have to leave the house even before the roosters start to crow. Anyway, I'll just jog around CCP while she does her thing there.

    If ever I finish everything and I still have a few hours before the weekend comes to a close, I am looking forward to visiting a zoo. Well, I can take my pick among the 3 known animal zoos in the metro.

  11. Belated happy birthday to Granny Jane and welcome to my Tita Neth (who just came back a mere 2 weeks ago from overseas). As usual, we had a family gathering wherein most of the attendees are Papa's siblings. I was able to see my cousins including their kids. I just realized that those kids are growing fast enough that by the time I have my own (if I will ever have one), they will be teen-agers already. Hehehe.


  12. I already finished watching both Season 3s of the US tv episode series, The OC and NCIS. In the OC, all 4 teeners will graduate and enjoy the last year of their student life at Newport.

    I thought Ryan will be dragged back to his old life when he joined Volchek in stealing that car. Seth? I wonder what's gonna happen to him in Season 4? In this season, I began to love Summer and she isn't that dumb, you know. She was able to show more of her character in this season, too. Marissa? This girl is a complete wreck, more like chronic I think. One time, she will be totally ok and the next, she is bringing everyone down with her. The season ended with a scene where Marissa is supposed to die. Will she really meet her tragic end in the Season 3 of the OC? Hmm.


    In NCIS, I felt bad that Special Agent Jethro Gibbs has given up his badge and post to Anthony Dinozzo. Not that I am against Tony taking the post, it's more like different when it's Gibbs doing the head-slapping and the popular Gibbs-stare. By the way, I am beginning to dislike Director Jenny Shepard's actions where Gibbs is concerned. Of course, they shared a romantic past but must their scenes be totally laden with verbal & gesture (sex)insunuations? It is not cute anymore and becoming irritating. Siva? The Mossad officer has captured my heart. She is admirable in her own way. I can't help it since the likes of her are the icons I mold myself into. =)


    Anyway, I am looking forward to the release of Season 4 of these 2 tv series.

  13. I need to tidy up all the "clutter" in my physical surroundings, the things around me and the thoughts inside my head.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
  1. wrigley
  2. tess
  3. kailani
  4. janet
  5. auntiem
  6. sherri
  7. happy mama to three
  8. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)



Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!



June 27, 2006

Death Penalty

by , in
Dear Me,

Her Excellency recently signed into law a bill abolishing the death penalty in the country. RA 9346 or the Act Prohibiting the Imposition of Death Penalty in the Philippines, was signed last Saturday. This law is meant to commute death sentences down to reclusion perpetua or life sentences.

With the implementation of the death penalty law abolished, does this mean that criminals will once again roam free and wreak fear amongst us? Does this also mean that these criminals, in one way or another, be able to bend the rules of law and have court verdicts lean in their favor? Not that I don't believe in the power of our justice system, I do. But it's more like how these hard-core criminals, spoiled rich brats are able to get away with the law.

I used to remember how in favor I was when the death penalty was proposed. Who could blame me? During that time, heinous crimes plagued the streets everywhere (even the remotest barangay). Committing such inhumane acts had made everyone, every family paranoid of their surroundings. Cold shivers, cold death.

But then, I came to realize the innocents who were charged of these crimes. I realized how hard & painful for a family to have one of them be sent to the wolves and later on, to die for something they never commit. As hard it is to admit, our justice system is far from perfect. Ours is slow and there is tendency for some of our magistrates to bend the law, from the right to the wrong one. It's an opinion and not an outright accusation.

Legally speaking, in this country, it is every human being's right to live. It's in the law, in our Bill of Rights. How can we say that we uphold human rights when we have this death penalty law? Once again, one law contradicts another.

I also realize that no one has the power to take one's life other than the omnipotent being above. Why take away a criminal's life just to repay an innocent's life he took? Is it really the answer to have justice served? Be it an innocent or not, only God has the right to take away the life He has given to anyone. I'm not preaching here, just stating something which I believe in.

So, I think that I am now one of the people who believe that life is to be celebrated, not to be taketh away.
June 26, 2006

Nicole

by , in
Dear Me,

I love dogs, especially the cute, little ones we call puppies. I really, really love them. If asked to choose between living with human beings and these cute creatures, I am bound to stick with those adorable canines. It brings me great joy just to sit down & cuddle them.

I was browsing
Me.Find.Home when I saw this cute pup. She reminded me of the dogs I had since I was little. I fell in love all over again. =)



Her name is
Nicole. She is around 3-4 months old.

Nicole is a broken-hearted pup. Broken-hearted because Nicole has an enlarged heart.

I want to take Nicole with me, adopt her as my own. But I can't. With her condition, I cannot guarantee the best care I can provide for her. When everybody is out of the house, only Sakura (our dog) can keep her company.

Nicole is very fragile right now and taking her away from the protective care of
PARC [PAWS (Philippine Animal Welfare Society) Animal Rehabilitation Center] will be very selfish and cruel of me. I want her to live longer.

If anyone is willing to take good care of Nicole, please call (02) 475-1688 or email Sherwin: find.home@yahoo.co.uk.

You may also call up the Marikina Veterinary Clinic at (02) 997-0759 and ask about Nicole, the pup from PAWS with an enlarged heart. Ask for Dr. May.


***************

PS. If you're looking forward to having your own pet, why don't you visit the site? Please? =)


Me.Find.Home is a "photo-blog dedicated to all the abandoned and neglected animals rescued and cared for by the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and its volunteers. It is seeking to reach out to all the animal-loving, blog-reading internet folks out there and perhaps move them into doing their part in the efforts to bring these beautiful yet often misunderstood creatures home at last."
June 24, 2006

Manalansan (Partial Result)

by , in
Dear Me,

Out of the blue, I thought of Googling my last name.

My last name is sort of unique compared to other people's last names. It is not very common such as that of Santos, Reyes, etc.

As far as I know, the surname Manalansan is particular only in the province of Pampanga. I can trace my father's roots from the town of Lubao which is also the hometown of the 2nd lady president of the Philippines. Although, now I know that they are scattered all over Pampanga and some of them had migrated elsewhere, locally or overseas.


Google yielded the following names as results to my name search:

  • Martin F. Manalansan IV - he is a sociocultural anthropologist teaching at the University of Illinois in the US. He wrote his first book, Global Divas: Filipino Gay Men in the Diaspora, a critical ethnography of Filipino gay immigrants living in New York City. He took his undergraduate degree in the University of the Philippines.

  • Felix Manalansan - He is a boxer, rated bantamweight. Based on my searches, he resides (or resided) in Mexico City, Pampanga. Web records show that he fought last December 2003 and lost in the bout. As featherweight, he boxed in February 2004 in Makati City.

  • B. Manalansan - Not much info but I found his/her name through a couple of reviews he/she made on certain electronic products sold at Amazon.com. I guess he/she is residing in California, USA.

  • Cathy Manalansan - she works as an administration assistant (office coordinator) at the Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center (GEST) located at the University of Maryland Baltimore in US.

  • Carlos G. Manalansan - He is another accomplished professional; this time, in the field of law. He is an associate in the Wolff & Samson PC law firm. They have offices in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, USA.

  • Dolores S. Manalansan (deceased) - Dolores "Loleng" Samonte Manalansan, 75 years old died in July 1997 in Virginia, USA. She was a food service attendant at the Eastern Virginia Medical School. She was a native of Pampanga.

  • Martin V. Manalansan III - a CPA, a graduate of San Beda College and a mango grower with a 5 hectare farm in Brgy. San Vicente, Lubao, Pampanga. I just wonder how is he related to the accomplished Martin Manalansan from Illinois, USA.

  • Felicisimo H. Manalansan - He writes for Ibon Foundation, an independent research think-tank in the Philippines.

  • Felicisimo S. Manalansan - I guess the person mentioned above is different from this one since they have a different middle initial; unless, it is plain typo error. I found out that he is/was a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines since 1965 from an unknown chapter.

  • Ruby Manalansan - She is a 16 years old model based in LA, California. Her ethnicity states Latin-American.

  • Terrylan Manalansan - a web creator based in Imus, Cavite in the Philippines. Managers AllHomePages Web Design Services, a web company offering various web solutions.

  • Bibiana Manalansan - She is a lay minister in the St. Isidore Parish at Yuba City, California.

  • Ely Manalansan - writes for Bulatlat.com; works as an information officer at the Center for Environmental Concerns located at Quezon City, Philippines.

  • Benedicto Manalansan - I think this person is also the B. Manalansan I have previously mentioned. Mr. Benedicto also made another electronic product review at AudioCubes.

  • Leonardo Manalansan - He was convicted and sentenced for a crime of possessing and selling narcotics in the late 1980s. During that time, he was residing in Baguio City.

  • Benito Manalansan & Ines Vitug Manalansan - husband and wife from Guagua, Pampanga. Mrs. Ines Vitug Manalansan died 1980. Both were involved in a legal case with a certain Dominador Danan. Children: Elsa, Gil, Anita, Jesus, Luz and Martin.

  • Benito Manalansan - I am not sure if the person above is the same person as this one. Mr. Benito (considered as one of the acclaimed sons of the town of Lubao, Pampanga in the field of government service) was a successful lawyer who became General Manager of the National Rice Corporation (NARIC) of the Philippines.

  • Conrado Manalansan - (also regarded as one of the honored sons of the town of Lubao in government service) He was a well-known sugar and rice planter who was appointed to head the Sugar Quota Administration.

  • Conrado R. Manalansan - I'm not sure if the person above is the same person as this one. He is/was a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines since 1938, Makati City chapter.

  • Mario F. Manalansan - He is/was also a member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines since 1960, Nueva Ecija chapter.

  • Jose Manalili Manalansan - Another member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines since 1955, Pampanga chapter.

  • Ursino Manalansan - part of the roster of rice & sugar magnates in Lubao, Pampanga who made a major contribution in the modern rice and sugar growing technology.

  • Teresita Manalansan Zuniga now known as Teresita Zuniga Camiling - together with her husband named Andro Camiling, Teresita is a researcher of Kapampangan history, language and culture. The Camiling couple had co-authored a number of books relating to the Kapampangans. Teresita, who hailed from the town of Lubao, Pampanga, Philippines is a public school teacher in Pasadena, California.

  • Jeffrey Manalansan - He is my my brother's namesake.

  • Shella Mary Lo (Manalansan) - studied at Marisyl School (Class 1920) at Valenzuela City, Philippines.

  • Cecilia Lo (Manalansan) - probably related to Shella Mary since they attended the same school but Cecilia Lo belonged to Class 1995.

  • Darwin Manalansan - He is currently the Mayor of the town of Floridablanca, Pampanga.

  • Alexa Manalansan - joined as one of the individual student and a team member student participant in the 9th Annual Junior High Academic Decathlon (winner would represent the Archdiocese of San Francisco in a statewide competition in May 7) last March 5, 2005 at Notre Dame High School in Belmont, USA. Her school, Our Lady of Mercy of Daly City, placed third overall in the said competition. She competed individually under the Logic subject category and placed 3rd.

  • Edward G. Manalansan - No other info except that he joined a forum thread inquiring about stuff like tomcat.apache or something like that. ;)

  • Edward Manalansan - I wonder if they are one and the same. But this Edward guy was working at Archirodon Construction Company in Abu Dhabi in November 2005. He was part of a basketball team that won in the Inter-Company category of the Philippine National School (PNS)/Pinoy Ekspat Inter-faith Basketball League (PEIBL) at Al Jazira Club.

  • Earl F. Manalansan - found him in an alumni association; a high school graduate (batch 1984) of Lourdes School in Quezon City, Philippines.

  • Johanna Garcia Manalansan - graduated from George Mason University in May 1997 with a bachelor's degree in decision sciences and management information systems. She represented her native country, the Philippines, as a princess in the 1997 Cherry Blossom Festival.

  • Noel Manalansan, Rose Manalansan, Marirose Manalansan - all three (3) are actively involved in the Sunbeam Bible Baptist Church located at Olongapo City, Zambales, Philippines.

  • Bella Manalansan Boyte - found her name at Names Database. Apparently, she graduated from St. Agustine Academy in Floridablanca, Pampanga, Class 1976.

  • Jimmy Manalansan - same info as Bella Manalansan-Boyte except that Jimmy belonged to Class 1990.

  • Joan Manalansan - also same info as Bella and Jimmy but Joan belonged to Class 1998.

  • Khristine Joy Manalansan Tamanio - same info as Bella, Jimmy and Joan except that Khristine Joy belonged to Class 1999.

  • Elvie Manalansan - She was the one in-charge of disaster and rescue management for NASSA (National Secretariat for Social Action of the Bishops' Conference of the Philippines) during the rescue operation in the Philippines when four (4) typhoons struck the country in late 2004.

  • Aireen Manalansan - served as Executive Secretary of the Net Impact of the University of Hawaii College of Business Administration during year 2003 and 2004.

  • Mark Manalansan - He was the make-up designer of MAC award-winning Tommy Femia in the title role as Bette Davis in the musical play, A Very Bette Christmas in November 2005.

  • Tracie & Kim Manalansan - both played in the Callaway Junior World Gold Championships in 1996, under the Girls 13-14 age category; 1994, under the Girls 11-12 age category.

  • Melanie Suing Manalansan - hails from Lubao, Pampanga but was based in Brunei as of March 2004. Her name was listed in the Certified List of Overseas Absentee Voters by COMELEC.

  • Ponciano Amio Manalansan, Jr. - same informations as Ms. Melanie Suing Manalansan

  • Anne Manalansan - functions as a Secretary-General of the Philippine Cable Television Association, Inc. (PCTA) based in Pasig City, Philippines. Her company recently organized the 14th Philippine International Cable Convention (annual conference and exhibit) last March 29-31, 2006 at the World Trade Center in Manila.

  • Venerable J. Manalansan - currently works as a Manager (MIS-EDP) of the Philippine Estates Authority.

    PS. This entry is only a partial result of my (re)search. I will be posting the final output sometime next week.
  • June 23, 2006

    Bo's Coffee Club

    by , in
    Dear Me,

    My romantic affiliation for coffee began during my university days, err, nights.

    But I only get to realize that caffeine passion while I was sitting all alone in the airport, waiting for a very much delayed weekend flight to Cebu (I had to wait for 2 and a half hours). I usually bring a book anywhere I go so as to pass up time. Unfortunately, time had quickly flipped off the pages of the book faster than a booming voice announcing my plane's arrival. I had nothing else to do. I wandered inside the airport, read any fliers and wall ads I could see, scanned the books in the mini-bookstore (I thought of buying but the prices were too exorbitant for my pocket), searched for a nice souvenir (even though I hadn't flown yet) and chatted with this cute flight attendant (he was also waiting for my plane, este, our plane).

    That was how bored I was.

    This quaint coffee shop in the far corner caught my attention. It sort of charmed me with its interior and got me enchanted with its aroma the moment I pushed the glass doors open. My senses collided with the fusion aroma of brewed coffee, latte, frappes.

    I thought I would feel so alone in that place but I didn't. I could still remember everything - the first time. An old man in his sporty white get-up sitting in a corner, reading through the afternoon papers; yuppie guy in a blue suit, in serious thought as he stared blank at his laptop; a middle-aged lady attending to her 5-year old daughter; a husband and wife deep in conversation; a group of boys & girls my age, laughing about a certain comedy movie; two businessmen engaging in the pros & cons of free-market economy. It was like I was in a world where I was alone and yet I was not. There was this unknown, surreal bond amongst us inside that coffee shop.

    It is really hard to explain that feeling in words. I just felt it.

    I patronize
    Starbucks and Figaro. Then, I discovered Bo's Coffee Club.

    Bo's Coffee Club is Cebu's homegrown gourmet coffee chain. Owned by entrepreneur Steve Benitez, Bo's Coffee Club has already established its hold amongst coffee drinkers. It already has more than 20 branches in Metro Manila, Davao, CDO, Iloilo, Bacolod, Tagbilaran & Tacloban.

    So, why Bo's? Bo is actually the nickname of Benitez. =)

    It was through my curiosity & boredom combined that I learned that Bo's Coffee roasts its own beans. I also discovered that the beans are locally sourced from farmers in the North. Bo's Coffee provides assistance to these farmers by buying straight from them since market price for coffee is sold cheap. With this condition, coffee farmers don't have the desire to farm local coffee beans. Bo's Coffee is taking the initiative by buying from them and that the others will follow their example. Hopefully.

    When I crave for Bo's Coffee, I will either be in any of these malls: Glorietta, Robinson's Galleria, SM North. Recently, I found my way in its newest branch in SM Mall of Asia.


    June 22, 2006

    Thursday Thirteen #4

    by , in
    Dear Me,

    While having dinner at
    Tsoko.Nut last night, I asked Papi to give me topics for my T13. I couldn't think of any and he was kidding me what the fuss was all about. Of course, I explained to him what T13 was. Well, well, he made a list of topics in my PDA.

    The one posted below didn't come from him, though. I just thought of it before I even started thinking how my day will go.





    My Thirteen Rituals
    The Moment I Enter The Office (when I don't have projects)

    1. Swipe my access card to log in my time of arrival.
    2. I put down my bag in my work station & check my desk for any urgent notes, messages or work!
    3. Go to the pantry and make myself a cup of aromatic, steaming coffee.
    4. Go back to my place, settle myself in my swivel chair and browse the morning papers.
    5. Check my corporate inbox (and reply) for any important messages or WORK.
    6. Browse the online news website & draft economic-related news summary.
    7. Check my email accounts, surf a number of websites.
    8. Blog.
    9. Update both my personal & work calendar.
    10. Have another cup of coffee (actually 4 more) & catch up on my work-related readings.
    11. Documentation of accomplished projects.
    12. Tidy up my workstation.
    13. Swipe my access card to log in my time of dismissal.

    Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
    1. patentprincess
    2. chris
    3. lady jane
    4. bar
    5. tracie
    6. amie
    7. janice
    8. yellowrose
    9. kailani
    10. roscoe
    11. wenchy
    12. fatedhearts
    13. kristarella
    14. mandy
    15. nancy
    16. carmen
    17. lynn
    18. k t cat
    19. darla
    20. stephanie
    21. tess
    22. amanda fernandes
    23. lisa
    24. stacy
    25. noi_rocker
    26. wrigley
    27. christine
    28. martina
    29. ~stacy~
    30. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)




    Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

    The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!



    June 20, 2006

    101 Reasons To Climb

    by , in
    Dear Me,

    I was asked (as everyone else) before why I climb, why I even attempt to. There are lots of reason, varied ones. I guess this one sums it all up. =)


    1) To be one with Nature.
    2) To get away from the noisy confusions of life.
    3) To discover myself.
    4) Know how far can I go.
    5) Give myself a little break.
    6) See the world from up above.
    7) Be physically fit.
    8) Enjoy the company of my fellow trekkers and mountaineers.
    9) Experience Nature in a very intimate way.
    10) Travel.
    11) Learn how to be independent.
    12) Learn how to survive in the wild.
    13) Get-away from school/office works.
    14) Achieve inner piece.
    15) Realize that we are indeed dust in the wind.
    16) Experience the power of nature without hurting ourselves.
    17) Open my mind on what faith can do.
    18) Free myself of worries.
    19) To feel life with all its might.
    20) Have another story to tell.
    21) Be a better man.
    22) Have more respect to Nature.
    23) See the sunrise like I have never seen before.
    24) And the sunset too!
    25) See the sea of clouds.
    26) And step on it!
    27) Feel winter and extreme cold during summer.
    28) Prove everything is possible if you got faith.
    29) Feel that I am really part of the universe.
    30) Improve my decision-making skills.
    31) Be disciplined.
    32) Save and conserve.
    33) Survive, every once in a while.
    34) I enjoy it!
    35) Do something other than sleep, eat and work.
    36) Make time a bit slower.
    37) Learn the true meaning of friendship.
    38) Be stronger.
    39) Be on top of the world literally.
    40) Coz I love to prepare my equipments.
    41) Get me into something more productive.
    42) Coz I want to.
    43) Give myself a chance to grow-up.
    44) Express my feelings.
    45) Be free!
    46) Be me!
    47) Be mentally fit.
    48) Conquer my fears.
    49) Meet new friends.
    50) Make my life more difficult to live.
    51) Make the climbing population grow.
    52) Be one of the best.
    53) Feel the intensity of life.
    54) Be able to adjust to different situation.
    55) See what's in store for me.
    56) Satisfy my hanger.
    57) Cleanse my soul.
    58) Hold my breath.
    59) To live life at the edge.
    60) I love challenges.
    61) Have some real fun.
    62) Refresh!
    63) Live life the fullest.
    64) Celebrate life!
    65) Go beyond my limits.
    66) Explore.
    67) Remind myself how precious life is.
    68) Be inspired.
    69) Be one step closer to me.
    70) Unleash my power.
    71) Be a man of honor.
    72) Go to majestic places.
    73) Meet interesting people.
    74) Know how it feels to be the King of the world.
    75) Coz good guys do it.
    76) Have some fresh air.
    77) Breathe new life.
    78) Reach the summit.
    79) Experience the unexplainable feeling on top.
    80) Prove that hard work is really the key to success.
    81) Learn to navigate on unfamiliar places and terrain.
    82) Relax, partially.
    83) Feel the Greatness of GOD!
    84) Sleep not comfortably but peacefully.
    85) Keep my adrenalin pumping.
    86) Keep my feet on the ground.
    87) Beat the odds.
    88) Be unselfish.
    89) Listen to the whisper of the wind.
    90) Build self-confidence.
    91) Get closer to Nature.
    92) "Get-out-of-this-world"
    93) Strive!
    94) Seek!
    95) Find!
    96) Practice my cooking skills.
    97) Take pictures of beautiful sceneries.
    98) Be different.
    99) Perfect my "Walking Ethics".
    100) Attain self-reliance.
    101) See the stars a bit closer.

    PS. Thanks to AI.
    June 17, 2006

    No Time

    by , in
    Dear Me,

    I'll be sleeping in a while. I need to.

    I need to rest my eyes, remove my contact lens. I have a climb tomorrow at
    Mt. Daguldol located at San Juan, Batangas.

    I think I am done packing. Well, almost. I am still charging my digital camera's batteries & my cellphone. I will be leaving my PDA behind since I don't have time to tinker with it. But I'll be bringing a book, as usual.

    Anyway, it's time for me to snooze...

    Goodnight!
    June 15, 2006

    First Time We Met

    by , in
    Dear Me,

    I met him on top of the mountain.

    Wanting to get back in the mountaineering loop, I decided to join a friend and an officemate in an invitational climb. I was supposedly "not able to make it" but I did.

    Since I didn't know a lot of the people who joined, I stuck close with them. I was sort of "not in the mingling, talking, getting-to-know-anyone mood" that time. In fact, I was already getting irritated since we started so late & we got lost in our way to the jump-off.

    I was oblivious of him (I didn't know he was with us) before that accident happened. This guy who was supposed to rest after that accident sat down and made himself comfortable near our tent. My tentmates and I were very sleepy and he just kept on talking and talking. Normally, I would find that very irritating but the guy was talking sense.

    The next day, I presumed that he liked someone - between my 2 tentmates. I was trying to figure out who but he seemed mysterious & I was getting frustrated. So I urged him, promising not to tell. Thus, the friendship began.

    When we got off the mountain and on our way home, he sat beside me, telling funny stories. I wanted to sleep but the guy was so talkative (hahaha).

    From then on, sms, calls kept pouring anytime of the day. It felt great to have this guy as a friend. But I still persisted on knowing who he liked better between those 2 girls. But he never told me at all.

    I flew to Cebu for a business trip and he picked me up from the airport when I got back. I didn't know that he had plans of bringing me to my house. That was a long way and I didn't think anyone would even think of doing that.

    It was a weekend when we were texting that he popped out the "I think I am falling-in-love-with you" stuff. I was so shocked. All this time, it was me. But of course, I didn't believe him.

    The guy persisted in so many ways that I could not say no. We've been together for 3 years (June 14 was the first time we met; June 27 will be our 3rd year together as a couple).

    I cannot imagine for the life of me that this guy has stood by me through all this time. I hope that God will make us a perfect match...forever...=)
    June 15, 2006

    Thursday Thirteen #3

    by , in
    Dear Me,

    Once again, it's Thursday and here's my would-be-usual Thursday blog entry.



    Thirteen Thoughts In My Mind Right Now


    01. What present to give Papa for Father's Day. I won't be around on that day and I have to buy that gift till tomorrow.

    02. I need to start packing my mountaineering stuff tonight so I can have a relaxing evening tomorrow. But knowing myself, I would still be doing this late Friday night or early Saturday morning.

    03. I don't think I can make it to the Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzikal musicale. Bummer. It's my last chance. I hope there will be another re-run.

    04. Re-charge all batteries for my new digicam.

    05. Read the digicam's manual.

    06. Don't forget to take home pp's charger cable tomorrow & charge it. Better bring it than be sorry.

    07. Have bonding moments with my dog. I did something stupid last night and I hope he is okay.

    08. Finish watching CSI episodes & watch a few episodes of The OC & NCIS. I am very much eager to watch them.

    09. Do the weekend laundry since I'll be out during the weekend.

    10. Re-charge my PDA & update my calendar & repligo files.

    11. Check the CD photos against the photo archive in my pc. I hope I still have the original photos. I had the photos in my pc resized and I was told that it's better to keep the originals for printing.

    12. Carefully manage my remaining VLs/SLs from hereon. I only have less than a handful left. I will be missing a lot of fun after that.

    13. Check my blog for neglected things-to-do. Accomplish them beginning tomorrow and Monday will be my deadline.

    Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
    01. martina
    02. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)



    Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

    The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!



    June 14, 2006

    Beachineering @ Maricaban Island

    by , in
    Dear Me,

    I am not really a beach person. I love the waters but I really don't like the beach. For one, I don't know how to swim. Second, I am really having a hard time relieving myself off with the tan to burnt skin color. You see, I wasn't gifted with a fair skin.


    Anyway, the lure of the beach and its surroundings is so irresistible that I was able to disregard (for a while) the effects of the sun.


    Ironic how I love the summer and yet I can't totally allow myself to frolic. But sometimes, there are things worth neglecting, even for a few moments of pleasure and leisure.


    Together with some climbing pals, we headed to Maricaban Island in Batangas.
    Cyril, a friend from MFPI, extended an invitation to our group in his hometown.


    Maricaban Island is located about 5km southwest of the Calumpang Peninsula, Batangas; roughly 30 minutes by boat from Anilao; 3 kms from the famous Sombrero Island. The island stretch from end to end is surrounded by almost crystal clear azure waters and rich with colorful marine life. A perfect diving destination, an avid diver can choose from 24 diving points between the coast of the island and nearby Anilao.

    Below is the itinerary that we used:


    Day 1
    06:00 Assembly time (711 Buendia / Kamias)
    (yun manggagaling ng Cubao pede kayo sa Kamias na sumakay)
    06:30 ETD Buendia / Kamias Station
    09:00 ETA Batangas City Diversion road
    (ALPS Bus Station, dito rin yung sakayan papuntang Anilao Pier)
    09:10 ETD Diversion Road
    (take jeepney going to Mabini Anilao Pier)
    09:40 ETA Anilao pier
    09:40 Buy provisions
    10:30 Assembly of both Buendia and Kamias group
    11:00 ETD Anilao pier
    12:00 ETA Maricaban Island
    12:30 LUNCH
    13:00 Swimming
    15:00 MERIENDA
    16:00 Swimming
    18:00 Prepare Dinner
    20:00 DINNER
    21:00 Socials
    23:59 Lights out

    Day 2
    07:00 Wake-up call / prepare breakfast
    08:00 BREAKFAST
    08:30 Swimming
    10:30 Prepare Lunch
    12:00 LUNCH
    13:00 Break Camp
    14:00 ETD Maricaban Island
    15:00 ETA Anilao Pier
    15:30 ETD Diversion Road Batangas City
    16:00 ETD Batangas City
    18:00 ETA Manila home sweet home


    I guessed that everyone had a great time. There were much laughing, chatting, social drinking, swimming, snorkeling, shooting photos, etc.


    I thought I would get bored the whole time because I really could not find myself dipping in the water in the middle of the day. So, I brought Jessica Zafra's book, read it while lying down in the sand. Well, I fell into a light slumber as expected. I was woken up by this young boy inquiring what I was doing. Goodness. He woke me up. Hehehe. Anyway, the boys were already swimming despite the hot blaze of the sun.


    I had my favorite moments while we were there. Here they are:

  • devouring green mangoes
  • enjoying the barbecue that Francis, Jenard, JR & Joy had grilled
  • listening to kiddie talks of 2 Batman-attired siblings
  • watching & making fun of Dyesebel (that's papi snorkeling)
  • night swimming with papi (teaching me how to float)
  • taking photos of everyone (from the time the sun set till early evening)
  • walking along the mini-Boracay beach front (the sand here is finer compared to where we set camp)
  • looking at the broad horizon and wondering how things can be breathtaking


    The rest of the photos are here: http://ivanulrich.multiply.com/photos
  • June 12, 2006

    Wikipedia

    by , in
    Dear Me,

    I am really having a fun time browsing through
    Wikipedia. It is such an interesting site. Isn't it? It is an online encyclopedia. =)

    Why don't you try this out?


    Go to Wikipedia and put in your birthdate (not the year) and then list 3 events, 2 birthdays and 1 death.

    Here's mine. I chose to list down dates and events which I found interesting (at least for me).


    3 Events:

  • 1999 - In Milan, Italy, after 22 years of restoration work, Leonardo da Vinci's newly-restored masterpiece "The Last Supper" is put back on display.

  • 1961 - Peter Benenson's article "The Forgotten Prisoners" is published in several internationally read newspapers. This will later be thought of as the founding of the human rights organization, Amnesty International.

  • 1937 - The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California, is officially opened by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in Washington, DC, who pushes a button signaling the start of vehicle traffic over the span.

    It is supposed to be three only but I want to add this one:
  • 1503 - James IV of Scotland and Margaret Tudor are married by Pope Alexander VI according to Papal Bull.


    2 Birthdays:

  • 1944 - Rudy Giuliani, Mayor of New York City

  • 1908 - Ian Fleming, English author (d. 1964)


    1 Death:

  • 1916 - Ivan Franko, Ukrainian writer (b. 1856)

    I included a number of links just in case somebody gets curious. =)
  • June 09, 2006

    Broken-Heart

    by , in
    Dear Me,

    A friend from a far away land sent me an email. She's feeling lonely, depressed.

    She got her heart broken.


    To you,

    I wish you well enough to be strong and be able to get through this. It really hurts to lose someone, esp when you have bared your entire emotions with a guy. I had been through that and I know how painful it is. Just let it out and it will really help if you help yourself get through it. You can cry and sulk for how long you want but after that, you better think when enough is enough. You have your own life now and mopping and crying over him will do you no good. Okay lang ang umiyak, one week, 2 weeks, a few months, basta pagkatapos ayusin mo na buhay mo. Kasi kahit gustuhin mong mag-move on kung ayaw naman ng puso at utak mo, wala rin mangyayari. Lolokohin mo lang sarili mo.

    But while doing the wailing and the sulking, make sure that you take care of yourself. Kahit in a day, 2 hours, 4 hours pilitin mo kalimutan sya - work your ass off, go on a foodtrip with your friends or officemate, wander around, shop, get a new hobby, whatever it takes to make you forget for a while. And if you do want to forget for a while, just make sure you won't do something stupid like drink in a bar and get drunk or just go anywhere unsafe or contemplate bad things, you will regret it. It's an advice and I hope you take it. Believe me, I've been there, walked the same road as you do now.

    Sometimes I really wonder why men do that? You know, a woman exert too much effort in trying to win the hearts again of ther bfs. I did that and as much as I felt humiliated for doing that, I still bowed down and begged him to take me back. Well, as you said, they have already made their decision and so be it.

    Pampering yourself, going to the salon, beach, shop, eating sweets, sister, hindi ko naman sinabi na lustayin mo money mo na pinaghirapan mo jan. Just do it for a while. Wag naman always at mahirap kumita ng pera. Kakahinayang. Sige sumama kang mag-beach dun sa friend mo. Kumain ka ng matamis kung yun ang trip mo at the moment, wag mo nga lang gawin everyday at baka tumaba ka. Hehehe. Pakulay buhok? Ask mo na lang yung hair stylist kung anong bagay sa hair kasi di naman tulad dito sa Pinas na basta basta kukulayan yan. Examine muna nila hair mo or better yet, tell the stylist about your worries sa effect nun sa hair mo. They'll understand. Besides, try to be a little different. Tama nga mga tita mo, mag-ayos ka. If you can try to be daring, not the negative type ha, yung adventurous ba. Yung open to new change, etc.

    In a nutshell lowlah, you have to LIVE FOR THE MOMENT. Wag mo muna masyado alalahanin ang future o any worries mo. It doesn't necessarily mean naman that you WILL forget your responsibilities and obligations. It only means that SOMETIMES you have to think about yourself.

    Don't be stiff and try to let go, be loose for a while...It won't hurt, promise.

    If you need to talk about it, I'm just an email away.


    Take care,

    ivan
    June 09, 2006

    Thursday Thirteen #2

    by , in
    Dear Me,

    I know it's Friday already and it's kinda late for Thursday but here's mine. =)



    Thirteen Things TO DO THIS WEEKEND

    01. clean the house
    (what I usually do after having breakfast)

    02. do the pile of laundry
    (better to do it on a Saturday morning, feels light)

    03. withdraw money from atm
    (I have to)

    04. buy a new digital camera
    (reason #1)

    05. pay my credit card bill
    (reason #2 and it's due on the 13th)

    06. purchase some groceries
    (reason #3, I need the essentials)

    07. get my trekking bag from Conquer store
    (I had one repaired)

    08. pack my climbing stuff
    (day-trek on Sunday)

    09. day trek at Mt. Manabu or Mt. Maculot
    (not sure which yet)

    10. tidy up my room
    (I've got to or else those flying yuckies will make my room their home base)

    11. work-out in the gym
    (I really have to be on-track physically, I'm getting insecure about myself)

    12. watch DVD
    (planning a marathon)

    13. blog
    (this is one activity that already has its own permanent stature in my life)

    Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
    01. greekgoddess
    02. nancy
    03. noi_rocker
    04. norma
    05. the_shrone
    06. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)



    Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

    The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!



    June 08, 2006

    Photos, Photos!

    by , in
    Dear Me,

    I have uploaded a number of photos lately. It's actually my online photo album. It includes photos from my past: past gimmicks, past climbs, past travels, past trippings, etc. =)

    Here's the site:
    http://ivanulrich.multiply.com/photos

    If anyone passes by, hope you guys look around and comment what's in your mind. Oke?

    Cheers! =)



    June 08, 2006

    First Philippine Mt. Everest Expedition

    by , in
    Dear Me,

    I am so proud of my dear countrymen who summitted the daunting Mt. Everest. I am glad that they are alive, safe and still kicking. =)

    I missed seeing and taking shots of Leo Oracion, Pastor Emata & the FPMEE during their Makati City motorcade last week (Wednesday).

    I brought papi's digicam and I even skipped lunch. Something came up and I had to forget (for a while) seeing them. Hmp.

    Frustrated, I asked trek pal Ronald of Outdoor Addicts to share me these photos.

    fpmee streamer

    welcome

    pastor & leo

    leo
    promise, crush ko na siya. =)

    pastor
    doesn't he look like Cesar Montano?


    makati tour
    dapat kasama nila ko sa picture na yan eh

    To view more, click this -->
    Congratulations Oracion, Emata & FPMEE!

    PS. I am just wondering why there's less publicity for Romi Garduce. Is it because he is not part of a team OR that he wasn't the first one to finish, I mean before Leo & Pastor did OR I am just moving in circles who are more into ABS-CBN rather than GMA? Which is which? =)
    June 08, 2006

    Music Links

    by , in
    June 07, 2006

    Milk Magic & Me

    by , in
    Dear Me,

    It was early 2003 when some people I know (calling Kiko of PEx BBall) started calling me Meryll, as in Meryll Soriano. I had this short haircut then that resembled me with Willie Revillame's daughter. And of course, Meryll has been endorsing this product Milk Magic and for a while, her billboards were gracing the major freeways in the country.

    It wasn't Mauve or Fran (as I am known amongst my PEx peers). It was Meryll.

    Then I had my hair grown and had it cut again early 2004 or 2005.

    My climbing buddies and I had just finished playing bowling in Coastal Mall. While walking outside the mall, Roy saw this product billboard of Meryll. Nobody from the group knew about this Meryll thing so I was so surprised when this bad boy-turned-good daddy called me Meryll.

    No matter how I looked at her, what angle or pose, I really couldn't find one bit of resemblance between us.

    milk magic model
    For fun, I had this photo taken while buying some groceries. I know, we really don't look alike. I have long hair here.
    June 07, 2006

    Photography Links

    by , in
    Dear Me,

    And because I love the outdoors, I've learned how to appreciate beauty. It's different when you capture beauty in your mind, in your memory. Of course, it will be forever ingrained in your brain's memory. But it will be totally wonderful and even gratifying to see that beauty in its finest form, color and details.



    *******************

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  • June 06, 2006

    Education & School Links

    by , in
    June 05, 2006

    BMC Practicum

    by , in
    Dear Me,

    Two (2) weeks after our BMC lecture, we had a day-trek at Mt. Manalmon as BMC practicum.




    A typical day-trek at
    Mt. Manalmon consists of river-trailing & river-trekking. It's a brief trek that gives the trekker a breathtaking view of the nearby Sierra Madre range.

    Basically, we had hands-on in learning other significant BMC principles. I specifically enjoyed the compass reading part.


    I posted some of the photos that we had during the BMC Mt. Manalmon practicum. I would like to acknowledge our group's photographer
    Ryu for the wonderful shots. :)

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