My LAKBAYAN Grade

I have recently added traveling all of the 82 provinces of the Philippines to my bucket list, (well, hopefully before I turn 30)! It's cool that there is this website that helps me keep track of places where I've set my foot on already. I've gotten a B- so far. I have no idea though what it actually stands for, but definitely means more traveling needed I think. 


Here's to more travels soon! :D





My Lakbayan grade is B-!How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!
Created by Eugene Villar.

Sagada Adventure 2014

February has been an awesome month of travel and surprises for me. In an earlier post, I talked about the anniversary weekend surprise that Rafi prepared for me. The following Valentine weekend, we went up to Baguio with his parents on a tour. And on the week following that, we went to a trip to Sagada with my sister and some of her friends.

I am sharing in this blog the details of that cool adventure we had in that part of the Mountain Province.

Day 0

Our trip starts at 10pm of Wednesday at Victory Liner in Cubao. We decided to take the Manila-Baguio-Sagada route since Florida Bus has been suspended several weeks ago due to the tragic crash of one of their buses.

Day 1

The trip to Baguio took about 6 hours. It was smooth and uneventful and we were able to snatch a few hours of sleep along the way. We got off at the Victory Liner terminal in Baguio minutes before 4am. Knowing how busy the station would be on Sunday,  the day of our return to Manila, we decided to book our trip back in advance. Then headed to Dangwa Terminal where the Lizardo bus going to Sagada is stationed.

When we arrived, the ticket booth was still closed and only opened around 15 minutes after 5. Since it was still early, we decided to take our breakfast in a nearby restaurant.

The bus that will bring us to Sagada arrived before 6am. We hop on, although we encountered some problems with the seating arrangement as there were two elderly couples who sat in one of the seats that was assigned to us. But it was settled nevertheless and so our trip began.

There were two bus stops on this trip and I calculated it happens every 2 hours. The sights going to Sagada are breathtaking. However, if you are afraid of heights you may opt to sit on the driver side since the opposite side is on the cliff side..

The trip to Sagada took us another 6 more hours of uneventful and smooth ride (except for when we already reached Sagada, as there were road construction going on).

We went off at the terminal and pulled out my phone to see the map to the Sagada Residential Lodge where we were booked. Rafi read it since I am bad at map orientation.

Ate Angel, one of the caretakers of the lodge, showed us to our room at the basement. We took some rest before going out to eat.

That afternoon, around 3pm, we decided to start touring the place. We hired their van and kuya xxxx of Saggas was our guide.

Echo Valley

We went to the echo valley first – called so because the valley echoes your scream. But on the way up here there were some interesting sights that you could see:

Church of St. Mary the Virgin

Public Cemetery

Hanging Coffins

There was also a team offering rock climbing sessions. I thought that it was a bit pricey though so I did not attempt it.

Lumiang Cave

We also visited the Lumiang Cave – but only up to the mouth, where more coffins could be found. We were told that this is the entrance for the Cave Connection, which is the longer and more difficult type. But since we were tired from the trip, we opted to take the easier one.

Sumaguing Cave

The real highlight of this day was this one. I don’t remember how long this spelunking took us – probably more than two hours. We had to go down steep and slippery path, climb rocks, cross the other side using a rope and endure the cold temperature and water inside the cave. Tiring indeed, but it was worth the thrill and fun that we felt while doing it.

Kuya preparing the light for our tour inside the cave.

Start of the trek inside the cave.

Pic stop. Kakulay ang cave. :))

Day 2

We were supposed to see the sun rise on this day but we were so tired we didn’t want to wake up early. So instead, we decided to just see the Bomod-ok falls on this day.

We started past 9 since we had breakfast a bit late. 

Ate Shiela was our guide. She was very energetic and shared us stories about the culture and tradition of people in Sagada.

She was also gracious in letting us take pictures every now and then and also helped take photos of us. Some proof:

The Fidelisan Rice Terraces

Jump shot that caused the rice field to break. :P

The Bomod-ok Falls from afar :)

We all felt accomplished after reaching this point. :))

It was actually a record trek time. We did it in almost 5 hours, which was the slowest. Hahaha! Well, we did take our time trekking, enjoying the view and the falls. I never mind being slow on this one. :)

Day 3

We were already able to wake up early at 5am this day because we are scheduled to join the sun rise viewing at Kiltepan. So sad though that it was too foggy we were not able to see the sun.

 This was the spot where the sun was supposed to be seen. But a sea of fog covered the area. 

After the trip to Kiltepan, we went back to the lodge to prepare for our trip back to Baguio that afternoon. We went to buy pasalubong before checking out. Our plan was to buy tickets for the 11am trip and have our brunch while waiting. However, when we arrived at 10am, the bus for the 11am trip was already full so we had to wait for the 1pm trip. Got to Baguio in the evening of that day. 

Where to eat when in Sagada?

Yogurt House

My favorite place to eat in all of the places we tried in Sagada. Their yogurt is one of a kind – not like the commercial ones sold in Metro Manila. I even teased Rafi that he should bring me here back again for a food trip. They also serve other delicious meals and is open from breakfast until dinner.

Lemon Pie House

This is Rafi’s favorite. They serve really big servings of meals for very reasonsable prices. We ordered the spicy chicken something and we got two pieces of large chicken meat. I gave my other one to Rafi and he was so happy. Perfect if you’re really starving from your tiresome adventure during the day. :)

Kusina Ysagada

This is my next favorite place. The restaurant had a homey feel, the interior was simple but comfortable. The servers were warm and accommodating and the food was also good. It was here were we learned that there is orange marmalade in Sagada.

Salt and Pepper

The food was good but the interior was not so welcoming. The room was quite dim when we ate here.

Strawberry Café

The worst of all the places we tried in Sagada. The waitresses were so unaccommodating and snob. The food was not really that delicious. Don’t eat here. There are better places to try in Sagada.

St. Joseph’s

We decided to take our last meal in Sagada at St. Joseph's restaurant since it is nearer the bus terminal. The food was okay and the servers were nice, a lot better than Strawberry Cafe.

Note: Photos are not mine. Credits to Joseph Biteng and Cristina Amistad for capturing those moments beautifully. :)

Travel period was February 20-22, 2014. :)

14 Things That Made Our 7^th Anniversary Awesome

Rafi and I celebrated our 7^th anniversary last February 7 weekend. For posterity’s sake, I am listing down the 14 things that made our celebration awesome. J


1.       Birthday salubong for KC with Low-Cal

Our anniversary coincides with KC’s birthday so it is often the case that we are with the gang whenever we celebrate our anniversary. 

2.       Dinner at Lombardi

On the night of our anniversary, we went for a simple dinner at Lombardi. We wanted to try Green Pastures because Rachelle, my qual teammate, said it is good. However, the waiting line is too long so we opted to try Lombardi instead, which is just across it. I didn’t enjoy the food so much though. I think Green Tomato serves even more delicious pasta and pizza. Their gelato seems overpriced as well. But regardless, my date made up for the lack of good food.

3.       The Lego Movie

My boyfriend is a big Lego fan. From the first time we saw the trailer of The Lego Movie, we swore to watch it. It was quite timely because it opened the night before our anniversary. So we chose it as our anniversary movie. It was a fun movie and the song just effectively brainwashes you. Hahahah! 

4.       Elorde Boxing Gym Date

The next day, we went to the boxing gym together. It was his first time to do it. It was also like the first time again for me since the last time I did it was like two months ago, before the Christmas break. All our abs and limb muscles were aching after the work out, but I think he enjoyed it. And so we will be going back again for more.  

5.       Discovery Suites staycation

He managed to pull a surprise staycation for us. He told me weeks back that he was planning a surprise trip for us. He wouldn’t tell me where we were going. I had a mixed feeling about this – my control freak side wanted to know every detail because I want it to be perfect; the romantic side of me wanted to keep myself as clueless as possible because I want it to be a perfect surprise. I was also not so used to him preparing everything by himself because we’ve always planned our trips and dates together. But I had to give him a big salute on this one because he prepared it so well. He told me it is going to be a three hour trip and that we will be leaving at 2:45pm. I must bring a swimsuit. No need for towels but we must bring our own toiletries. He’s not sure if we can cook, but we can bring some food. He told me there is going to be an activity in the morning, but only for one of us. I decided to wear shorts and t-shirt knowing that it is going to be trip. I would have also worn a trekking sandals but he persuaded me that my regular flat shoes is fine. So we waited in Starbucks Podium until 2:45pm.  By that time, he started wearing his polo and started to count from 1 to 20. I was confused. He walked just enough to be facing the opposite building. It was only then that I realized what he was meaning to say. And I wanted the earth to eat me because I was dressed only in shorts and shirt. 

6.       Framed photo of our Pinatubo Climb by the bedside


And so we checked in. They made us wait first at the Lounge while they are preparing the finishing touches to the room. We had our welcome drinks first. Then a staff approached us, informing us that our room was ready. So we went to the 20^th floor and we’re happy to see our junior suite. The first thing I noticed was our picture by the bedside table. 

7.       Happy 7^th Anniversary banner by the window

They also prepared this Happy 7^th Anniversary banner for us.  

8.       Happy anniversary cakes

Then there was a bell on the door – someone delivered this yummy cakes to make our celebration even sweeter.  

9.       Dinner at Mad Mark’s

Rafi insisted that we have our dinner at 6 pm, so we need to leave by 5:30. I found it weird because that was too early for dinner for me. I usually have dinner at 7 or 8 or even later. I thought he was planning something and so I heeded. We had dinner again at Mad Mark’s. It is beginning to be one of our favorite places to eat because of their affordable yet good tasting steak plus super delicious artisanal ice cream.   

10.   Swan towels and a rose

After dinner, we went back to the hotel. This is what greeted us. 

11.   Rose petals in the bath tub

Then Rafi said he will go to the toilet first, which I didn’t find unusual because we just had dinner and Rafi really tend to have fast bowel activity hahahah. But then, he suddenly changed his mind and told me I should go first, which I heeded. And there was yet again another surprise. Nagkalat sila sa CR at bath tub. Rafi is such a naughty boy!

12.   Cocktails at 22 Prime

I wanted to have wine but he only has vouchers for cocktails. So to the 22^nd floor we went.  

13.   Breakfast Buffet

Breakfast was on buffet. Not wanting to miss this chance, we stayed for an hour and tried almost everything they had on the table. 

14.   Swimming
We capped the day swimming by the pool. I am happy I can now swim a lap but I still got to improve on my form though. J

Next time I hope staycation naman in Club Paradise Coron or Discovery Shores Boracay. :P

Here's to more years together and wedding bells soon, hopefully. 

Summing Up (2013) and Moving Forward (2014)

In my line of work, the consummation of a project is typically marked by the completion of final report which includes the description of the research study, highlighting the key findings of the research (which should be telling a story), and finally summing it up and giving some recommended moving forward steps for the client. And so I thought, why not do this as well - to sum up my 2013 and make a list of how I intend to move forward this 2014.

Summing up 2013

My 2013 definitely has its share of highs and lows, but more highs I think than lows, thankfully!

A Year Filled with Travel

Ever since I have been earning my own money, I make it a point to travel wherever my feet and my budget could take me. But I was blessed the past year to have enough dough to keep my wanderlust satisfied. I have been to different places with the people I love and care about.

• ü  Blessed to have seen Cebu and Bohol early last year in all its beauty and glory prior to the devastating earthquake that hit it late last year. Praying that they recover and bring back a hundred-fold whatever they have lost in that tragedy.

• ü  Rode the waves of Balerrrr and explore the other beautiful sites that it offers!

•     Visited the beautiful historic island of Corregidor, not just once, but twice. Next to Caleruega, this is where I want my wedding to take place. Hope to have a very huge windfall this year or the next. :P

• 
  
• ü  Had our first out of the country trip together. It was kind of unorthodox for us since we did KL-SG-KL when all the other bloggers were suggesting SG-KL-SG. It turned out awesome for us so I don’t mind being different at all. I wonder where our next out of the country trip would be.

• ü  Was finally able to put a tick mark on one of the travel destinations on my list when we got to see Caramoan. It’s disguised a sleepy island but you’ll be surprised at the many wonders it could offer. And yes, we did a bit of our own Survivor stunt with that spelunking.

• ü  Work does sometimes require us to travel but only for a day or two and without any other time to spare to go out of our hotel most of the time. My last out-of-town fieldwork was different however because we got to stay for three days and had the last of it to ourselves. So we planned a clandestine day trip to Samal Island, at the same day when typhoon Haiyan made a landfall in Samar. That didn’t get in the way of us enjoying the trip, which somehow made me feel guilty at the end.

• ü  Mini-trips to Tagaytay towards the end of the year to celebrate my birthday and Low-Cal’s Christmas party. Tagaytay never gets old!
• 
  
• ü  We treated the family to a short getaway in Antipolo. Except for my brother, I think the gang enjoyed the trip. This is a leveled up version already since our previous trips were just daytrip in nearby parks like Luneta or EcoPark. Hoping that 2014 would be a better one.

Homes

My sister and I got the guts to finally renovate our house because the old one was already giving up on us – dilapidated roofs which would leak every time it rains. By combining our savings and some loans, we now have a better place to stay. It’s all by God’s grace. We’re still not yet done paying the loans but we’ll surely get there soon.

Also, my papa encouraged and helped me get a unit from one of QC’s low-cost housing programs. The image-conscious part of me frowns at the funny address it has, but as they say - beggars cannot be choosers. :P I see it as a blessing and so I am aiming at making it a beautiful home this year.

Health

I gained weight year but was generally healthy. I think I haven’t gone to the doctor except to do APE and twice visited the dentist to take care of my long-ignored teeth. Occasionally, I got to exercise, i.e. when not too busy at work and not lazy to get my ass moving. Lately, I also got into boxing, thanks to my great buddies at work.

Immediate family was generally healthy too, with only episodes of cough, cold, fever getting in the way of our lives.

The sad thing though is that, my lola got weaker this year, no thanks to that freaking accident she gotten herself into. That caused her to become immobilized and thus required greater care and attention. It’s really a painful challenge for everyone that it sometimes gets on the nerves of everyone. But by helping each other, we manage to get by.

Career

The year was not a good one for the company – with some unmet targets, rumored layoffs, and under the table memo of using our earned leave credits or else!!! Busy is an all-year description of how it was, with some respite in between to give us room to breathe. Being here for five years is making me view this as a vicious cycle, a love it-hate it relationship, a kind of slavery where they periodically shine a light at the end of the tunnel in order to make you stay. Nevertheless, I am glad that I have this job and that my team makes it all bearable.  

Moving Forward 2014

I don’t know what 2014 will bring but I hope it would be more awesome than the previous year.

·         More travels

·         Fitter, healthier, stronger version of us

·         Financially-wiser and richer us

·         Spiritually more mature me

I don’t know how this could be done and I don’t have any specific NY resolution. I will just take each day as it comes and hope that I will approach it the best way I know possible.

But yes, I have a specific goal that I am setting for myself this year – to make my tiny house beautiful and livable. Dream on! :)

A day at the archery range

We have finally tried our hands on archery today. And man, it was fun! :) It was also an experience that allowed me to discover something about myself - that is, I cannot wink with my left eye. Poor me. :(


We used a beginner's bow since it was our first time. We wanted to shoot the modern compound bow (it looks more astig!) but it's not available for first-timers. As beginners, we needed an instructor to teach us the basics of shooting arrows. It took quite a bit of time for us (me?) to get used to all the mechanics our instructors were telling us. When he told me I needed to close my left eye and aim with my right eye, I tried but cannot do it. I got worried since that would prevent me from aiming properly. Nevertheless, I still tried. I was getting already frustrated as my arrows kept on hitting the wrong way and often got to load the arrows wrongly. Some of my hits would either fall outside of my target paper or on another one's target paper, which was really disheartening. Some of my shots would fall on the circles and I would feel delighted. But I was determined to hit the yellow so I thought of a way to manage that left-eye dominance. And lo and behold, I was able to hit the yellow mark "dead center" (ika nga ni Colby Donaldson) for the first time. And man, I was the proudest woman in the world. Hahaha.


Rafi was not struggling so much as I was. He had some misses too but he was able to aim better than I did. Inggit ako!


Some pics below. :)

Rafi aiming at his target.

Rafi after he delivered his shot

Rafi with his arrows. He got two on the yellow mark. :)

My turn to shoot. 
Had to improvise a way to aim using my right eye, hence the hanky eye patch for my left eye. Heheh.

Wondering where that hit landed.

Surprise! surprise! My first arrow at the yellow mark.
But look at the upper left corner of the pic, that arrow is my hit too. Dukling at first. 

I am a proud shooter. Hahaha.

Rafi's hits during the last set. 

My last set. See, it was not tsamba. I had two arrows inside the yellow mark.

Gotta do this again next time. I'll make sure to bring an eye patch or make a Kelly Bachand eyeglasses. Hahah.

An Inspirational Message to SRSPCs High School Graduating Batch of 2012

Last March 28, 2012, I was invited by my high school alma mater to share an inspirational message to the high school graduating batch of 2012. It was with great honor and privilege that I accepted the invitation and delivered the speech below which I hope provided even just a little inspiration to the young people who heard it.

To our Rector Rev. Fr. Ted Bulawit, Vice Rector Rev. Fr. Ulysses Reyes, our dear principal, Mrs. Ophelia Cabe, our hardworking faculty and staff, to our proud parents, and our graduates, a blessed afternoon to all of us.

Being with you here today brings up so many fond memories of my life here as a Rosarian, particularly this same occasion that I had nine years ago, my high school graduation. It was a day that I would never forget. Hindi lang dahil nakatapos ako na nakatanggap ng pinakamataas na karangalan kundi dahil sa araw na iyon din ay kinailangan kong dumalo na hindi pa magaling sa bulutong. You could just imagine how mixed up my emotions were during that day.

I would like to congratulate all of you who were able to make it through this day. The four years in high school is not an easy task but you all managed to finish it. I know your parents must be all very proud of you.

While this day marks an end to your high school journey, remember that this also signals the beginning of a new chapter in your life. New beginnings can be both exciting and unsettling. My wish for you is to face this new chapter with excitement, similar to just how excited you are during the first day of class every school year where you come in geared up with new school supplies, new uniforms, new shoes. Face this in a similar manner. Face it with excitement. No matter what your next plans could be after your graduation, remember to embrace the fresh start that it offers you. Come in armed with high hopes, high energy and big dreams. Look at this as a chance for further growth, to hone who you are, to shape the kind of life that you would like to have for yourself and for the people you love.

As you enter this new stage in your life, you will have to make important decisions – decisions that will have an impact on how your future will be. My advice for you, fellow Rosarians is to listen to your heart and pursue what it is telling you. Because in the end, this choice will make all the difference.

Let me cite my own life example. I came from a family that only earns enough to subsist. Going to college was a luxury that my parents would not be able to afford but made sure we could have. I was fortunate to be given scholarships that provided me the assurance to pursue my dream of getting a college diploma. And so when I was given the opportunity to go to college, I faced it with high hopes and high dreams. The thing though is that, I had to pursue a field of study that is not what’s closest to my heart. But I was determined not to waste the opportunity and so I still studied hard. Sadly though, despite my great determination and efforts to do well in the field of study that I was in, I still faced disappointments and failures. It was a big blow to my ego. It was hard for me to accept that an honor student in high school like me would be getting low and failing grades in college. Consequently, I had to lose the scholarship that I once earned and was my previous source of hope. It was depressing and disheartening.

It helped that I have a strong support system around me who motivated me to still keep going. They helped me realized that setbacks in life are inevitable spices of life. They even gave me a new perspective on how to face such failures. And so I bounced back stronger. I saw in that failure the opportunity to pursue the field of study closer to my heart. And indeed I pursued it. Since I was already studying the field that I wanted more, learning became lighter and easier for me. I was able to squeeze in time for part time work without neglecting my academics. I began getting good grades again and gotten another scholarship. The journey was not smooth. It was not without delays. But it made it more fruitful and rewarding. In the end, I still graduated with flying colors. Cum Laude po ako na nagtapos ng kolehiyo.

At this particular stage in your life, it is normal to have questions, to have fears, to have apprehensions for the uncertain future that lies ahead of you. But do not let these emotions get the best of you. During this time, it is best to seek the help of the people around you to lighten the fears and apprehensions that you may have – your teachers, your parents as well as your friends. Best of all, pray and ask for guidance from the Lord. He will quell your fears and give you clarity of mind. He is the best companion that you could have during these times.

To the parents, your children will now be heading to another journey where they will need your support even more. It is quite a tricky stage where you must allow your kids to have as much independence that they need while still making sure you guide them through the right path. Do not dictate how they should run their life. Give them enough autonomy. Allow them to make decisions for themselves. It is through this that they will learn and will become more responsible of themselves.

Again, congratulations dear graduates. As you move on to the next journey, do not forget to live the kind of life that our alma mater envisions us to live - a life that reflects our devotion to Christ and Mary our Mother.

The most dangerous feeling in the world is not having the drive to excel and letting yourself slip into the snare of mediocrity.

What to do when this feeling hits you?

* Take a quiet time, preferably alone and just be.

* Take tabs of what you wanted to be, reassess where you are and see where your current place fits in the picture

* Whether you feel lost or confused about your situation, remember that there's a one powerful God you can completely trust to lead you where to go. Learn to trust and let go. Your plans couldn't be more beautiful than the plans He already has devised for you from the beginning.

Teach me Lord to fully trust in You and allow You to direct my life and not rely on myself alone, for I know You make all things beautiful in Your own perfect time.