2011 Holy Week Escapade

I haven't blogged in like a week coz I had a crazy schedule. Now I don't know where to begin so let's just see those Holy Week pictures one more time, yes?

Biri Island Trip

6:00-6:15 -Allen to Lavezares (15 mins)
6:15-7:15 – Lavezares to Biri Island (1hr)
7:15-8:00- Breakfast, Hotel Search, Freshen Up
8:00-12:00- Tour and Photo ops
Magasang Rock Formation
Macadlao Rock Formation
12-1:00 pm- LUNCh ( Packed Lunch)
1:00-5:00pm-Biri Island Mangroves
Bil-at (say Bee-lut)
5:00-7:00 pm- Back to Hotel
7:00-8:00 pm- Dinner
8:00-12:00pm- Chill, Inom
12 midnight – lights out

Saturday

5:00 am- wake up call
5:00-6:00- bath time, private time, breakfast
7:00-10:00am- other island tours (solo drifting)
10:15am-10:30am- pack up
10:45-11:45- going to Allen
11:45-12:30- Lunch in Allen
12:30 – 2:30 –Allen to Legazpi, Albay-- Mayon Volcano, Photoshoot
2:30-6:00pm- Matnog to Donsol

6:30-7:30- Dinner and wait for our Original Nita Negrita “Jazzybelle Baustista”

Firefly River Cruise

Day 4:
Butanding-watching

Bon Voyage, Nigra!

It's one less Laagans again as Jazzy leaves the country for a 6-month training in Singapore. Carla will be leaving in two weeks too so that's 2 heads less on my birthday come March 28. It's really sad. I was teary-eyed yesterday when I got Jazzy's farewell text. I realized how long 6 months could be.

Bon Voyage, Nigr... I'm gonna miss you.

Mga Walang Kamatayang Jumpshots

I dont know if it's just me, but everywhere I go, no matter how far I get, jumpshots are always part of my cam-whoring menu. I was looking at some pics of myself from the past 7 years and noticed a lot of jumpshots. And these are just those that I was able to get a hold of, I'm sure there're still a lot more. There has to be a jumpshot. There has to be. Oh god, Im weird. :)

Bohol

Iligan

Argao

Siquijor

Cagayan

Boracay

Ohio


Dumaguete


Kentucky, USA


Coron, Palawan


El Nido, Palawan


Bantayan Island, Cebu



Dumaguete

Smart is the New Sexy

We had our first taste of the Cebu Trivia Nights at Alejandros last night and indeed the rumors were true--- it was amazing. I never imagined trivias were that fun. It's party for the geeks and smarties--- and mind you, I saw a lot of hotties in the crowd I forgot I was there for a bloody quiz bee.


Thank you Alexis for inviting us over--- I have been itching to drop by since June but I must admit, I thought it was gonna be a big bore. I'm seriously wrong. My friends and I had so much fun and we are so going back. We are aiming for a top three spot and we're dead serious :) After last night, I got to prove 3 things: One, that Alejandro's indeed makes the best crispy pata in town. Two, that trivias are fun. And three, that smart is the new sexy and I have a lot of studying to do for next weeks Trivia Nights battle.

By the way, we finished 5th place coz we got zero out of 8 questions in the "poker terms" round. It was a bloody fight to the finish and we did so well. Not bad for a first-timer ey?


Photo courtesy of the Cebu Trivia Night Facebook Fanpage. Go Like :)

It's Not the Climb... It's the Jump After the Climb

Here I am again with my usual Friday habit. I usually skim through old pictures, and today I found these really cute pics from Deo's album. This was taken last summer in Antique, and we kindof got lost on our way home. We stopped by a river that had this huge rock that you had to climb on, and from the top we decided to take a jump. Carla cried :)

The rest of the team were all worried, coz they thought we met some accident along the way. Little did they know that the three of us had such a good time diving and all. hihihi

I need a vacation.

My Inaanak Cahleil's Worst Nightmare

This was taken last Saturday during our outreach program. Cahleil, my inaanak, is 4 years old. She was so scared of the kids in the islands. Watch this clip, it's so cute.

Laagans Outreach Program in the Islands

I had a meaningful weekend with my friends. Last Saturday, we all went to a small island in Mactan to see the poor community of Po-o. It's just a few kilometers away from our piggery and we thought that it would be the perfect spot to do an outreach program. October 9 was Jazzy's birthday, and instead of celebrating it t with the usual birthday party (which we've had for years by the way), we have decided to share the blessings instead to the kids of impoverished communities.

Po-o is a small baranggay in the island of Sta. Rosa. From Lapu-Lapu City, you may take a boat in Angasil. They do not have a decent supply of potable water, and the kids seemed undernourished. I got to talk to one of the parents there who have 6 kids (so far) and she's 7 months preggers. I know, it's just awful and the lives of these people need some serious intervention.



We fed around 70-something kids and played games with them. Indeed one of the best emotions in the world is that fleeting feeling of knowing that you made somebody very happy. Just seeing a kid smile is just rewarding beyond words. I have had different kids of adventure in the past, but this one brought a different kind of high. If I have the time and money, I would, without hesitation, do this all over again.

Come March 2011 (my birthday month), I promised to come back and do another one of these outreach programs, but this time I'd like to invite the parents and teens for some sex education and family planning.

If, by any chance, you have planned to do an outreach activity but do not know how to, do not hesitate to call me. The Laagans would be more than glad to show you how.

I Need a Wedding Date

My friend Joy will be getting married on the 21st. It's gonna be one posh wedding coz knowing Joy, she never really went below the "let's economize" line.

This means so much to me and here's why. I have attended hundreds of weddings already, coz you know I am by profession a wedding host or sequencer. This time I will be attending a wedding as a guest. You heard it right--- GUEST. It feels really weird. No. Make it creepy, and I'm excited as hell.

I just have one problem though--- Joy wants me to bring along a special someone. Problem is, I do not have a special someone. I have been single since December 2008.

I need a wedding date. I need it quick.

Help.

And oh--- good friend Atty. Hazel is also getting married on the 23rd. I forgot--- we all--- forgot to book our flights to Siargao and we're super sorry. But then again, congratulations, and the rest of the Laagans wish you the best.

Mohawk

I have been sporting the usual corporate look since 2008 and I got bored watching my usual self in the mirror. Today, I have decided to give my do a little twist.

Bohol Bee Farm Experience

A lot of people have asked regarding the Bohol trip pictures I posted via Facebook three weeks ago. Some have paid close attention to the pictures I had at the Bohol Bee Farm, and personally approached and emailed me on how to go there, and the activities that are in there.

Suddenly my humble blog has become a little booklet of how-to's for people with whom I share the same interests. I'm no travel enthusiast myself, but I'm more than glad to help out if you ask me.


Anyways, The Bohol Bee Farm is both a resort and a restaurant located in Dao, Dauis, Panglao. If you have been to any of those beaches in Panglao, you'll know that the Bee Farm is just around the area. It is dedicated to making and serving organic agricultural products, from food to clothing and ornaments.

We skipped the farm tour coz we directly went to the Buzzz Restaurant just right at the middle of the farm and overlooking the sea. We did some researches prior to the trip and we learned about their unique menu.

Food was a bit pricey, around 120-150 per meal, but then of course you totally defeat the whole purpose of going there if you don’t try out their unique offerings. Here are some pictures of the awesome treats we ordered.

I especially love the spareribs meal, but my curiousity was focused more on the salad. It had flowers, you know the bougainvilla petals, and some others.

The food was yummy, and the flowers tasted like, uhmmm, flowers still (like what was I thinking?). If you are a big fan of eating, uhmmm, flowers, then you will surely enjoy the salad part. I'm not a big fan of eating bougainvillas, but it was a unique and fun dish that I surely will not forget.

The farm also has some really cute shops of everything organic: honey products, cloth and ornaments, wine, etc. I like their icecream shop coz it offered a gazillion Pinoy flavors. You might wanna try out their pandan and ginger icecream combo.

From Tagbilaran, there are many ways to go to Panglao, and specifically to Dauis. You may either take the metered taxi, or rent a van. I suggest the habal-habal ride coz it's way more fun, promise. :) Give it around 100-150 pesos.

If I were to give it some ratings, I'd give the Bohol Bee Farm 4 out of 5 stars for uniqueness and social responsibility.

Lambaklad Fishing

Tibiao Fish Farm

Ripe

I may be one of the most shallow persons you'll ever know, and I delight on even the smallest, most meaningless things you could ever think of.

Remember this picture from last week?

This was taken during one of my trips to a friend's farm in Tibiao, Antique (yup, that's prior to my Boracay escapade). One time during that trip I was right under a mango tree that bore lots of fruits. For a city boy like me, the sight of a real mango tree with gazillion fruits amazed me so much that I asked the guide if I could pick one unripe fruit from a branch that hung low. I decided to keep it as a remembrance.

I had no plans to eat it, in fact, I knew I was just going to throw it away after maybe smelling and poking and tossing it.

I however forgot that I placed it in my bag.

Today, a week after the trip, I noticed that my bag was still unpacked. Typical. My work schedule has been really INSANE this week (~and I'm not complaining coz I LOVE it coz I'm a self-confessed workaholic~) that I never really had time to sort my things out when I arrived home from the long vacation.

There I found my little mango, all yellow and ripe.

Amazing.

I thought if I'd leave it in my bag for one more week, I'd get a mango pie. That would be weird and better. :)

Yeah, you might think I'm beginning to lose my screws. :) You can quit reading now. Hehehehe. I can start eating my mango. Chomp-chomp.