Seventy Odd Years
We recall the early years
And thank God for these blessings
Such a delight this life
With triumphs and a few fights.
Ten years of separation and a whole ocean apart
Love spans many miles and travels over ebbs and tides,Sisters at birth; joined at the hearts
Survivors, from the same bodily hurts.
What’s there to celebrate at 70?
God’s precious gifts of love & lifeFamily & Friends
Come, help us celebrate!
Harbour Bridge at 6am
Harbour Bridge at 11am
Harbour Bridge at 12mn
Room With A View
The Hotel
Sushiro Japanese Fusion Resto
Nice Touch.
SUSHIRO
Green Tea Ice Cream
Thanks for this photo, Lin & Greg!
A Weekend In Lake Conjola
Holiday Home In Lake Conjola
It’s a small town with less than 400 people in the region of Ulladulla along the South Coast of New South Wales. We could have reached it in slightly over 2 hours from Sydney but we didn’t fail to drop in on some must-see destinations along the way. We prepared for a chilly weekend of kayaking, beach bumming, picnics, birdwatching or kangaroo-watching. No fishing. Not much time nor patience, I guess.
The first stop was the charming town of Berry. But that deserves a separate blog. So allow me to skip that and instead dwell on beach and lake destinations. The marina in Jervis Bay tells a story. Boats for hire for dolphin-watching adventures. Fishing as a gentleman’s sport. Oysters clustered around rocks. No picnic tables, but grassy grounds inviting a neatly laid-out mat and a basket of goodies. Just wish for sunny spells and clear days, and do mind the birds. If you’re not into fishing nor dolphin watching, beach walking is a great way to spend a lazy afternoon. The youngest member of the family (Latte, the dog) had a blast running around. For lunch, we had a picnic of oysters, roast chicken, shrimps, fries and chips bought from the neighborhood cafe. Still warm from the oven, we munched through lunch and slurped the oysters with glee.
Much hype over the finest, whitest sands in the whole world. And all that hype is supported by such a record in the Guinness Book held by this small town situated on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia. I used to say “sugar-fine sand”. The sand here is NOT just that. It is as fine and as white as FLOUR. Yes, flour. Latte seemed invisible in the white sands of Hyams. We were simply too happy to find this beach sans the typical tourist crowds. What a gem! Amazing how this beach has remained under the tourist radar for so long. When we got here, there were only a few couples with rolled-up pants and even fewer swimsuit-clad girls enjoying the sand and surf. I wonder how crowded this place could be in friendlier temps. With the wind blowing and this late in autumn, the sun and sand may not be inviting enough. A romantic stroll just before sunset easily comes to mind. But be sure to wrap up!
As soon as we arrived, I strolled right down to the lip of the lake. So quiet. So tranquil. A lonely dinghy sits by the edge. The setting sun mirrored on the face of the lake. I waited. Twilight is my favorite time of day. I could hear the chirping of the birds nearby. Looking around, I envied the house by the lake edge with a sprawling yard. The owners can literally roll from the staircase towards the lake. Seriously.
The holiday home is just perfect for my family. All of 4 bedrooms and 2 baths plus a cozy living room welcoming guests to prop up their feet to watch movies on the teevee. We claimed our spots, wine glass in hand. And relaxed, while the meat was boiling to render it tender. The aroma perks up our appetite. The wind breezes through the slight opening from the kitchen window. The tender meat is ready. The noodles al dente. The chopped veggies ready to be thrown in. Purrfect……
Before long, we were feasting on hot noodle soups and roasted pork for dinner. We planned on kayaking and just beach bumming the next day. If we are lucky, maybe we’d chance upon a couple of kangaroos. We could have talked on and on, as the children never seemed to tire going up and down the double decker bed. We could have unscrewed another bottle of shiraz but it was a long day. The beds and the warm duvets are waiting to enfold us for some needed Zzzzzzzzzzzzz’s. Holiday people we were 😉
The following day, we drove to the beach area. Too cold for swimming but the more placid and nearby lake made kayaking the younger members’ main event for the day. The novelty and the joy justified having to lug around all those inflatables on the car’s racks. For sure, it was one afternoon those young ones won’t forget. Who cares if they got their butts wet on this chilly afternoon? Who gives a hoot if their arms ached from all that rowing? We watched them as they rowed to the sandbar where pelicans bigger than our family dogs and other birds rested in peace. I watched as I ate chips with sand. The cold wind pulled down the temps just as it threw sand into our bags of nachos and chips. But really, who cares? Truly, LIFE IS A BEACH! (Thank you, Rookie and Vanie for this most wonderful weekend)
Oh, btw, we got lucky. See if you can spot the 2 kangaroos in these photos.
Call it a conspiracy. Everyone knew but her. Believe it or not, even the family dog seemed to be in on it, except her. Turning 70 is a milestone and we’re not leaving any stone unturned just to pull this big surprise.
I flew into Sydney with the 2 “elves” (grandkids). Took PAL thinking our flight’s ETD was 10:45pm. Surprise, Surprise! It was actually 9:10pm. Flight skeds changed without notice? Did we miss it? Naaahhh. We were at the airport thinking we were way too early. Took a pee break at 8pm, grabbed a drink, and trooped back to our gate only to find we were the last 3 to board! Ran for it and finally put on our seatbelts almost out of breath.
So we made it…. and landed 3 hours early in Sydney. My niece jumped out of bed at 7am when I messaged her that the “package has arrived”. By the time we reached the doorstep, all surprise plans went haywire. Lack of sleep and stressful departures do that to you. Just the same, we pulled off the surprise sans a video 😦
Two days after, a niece arrived. That’s surprise #4 (the first 3 being moí+the 2 elves). The following week my dear couple friends arrived. I’ve rested well enough by then and didn’t fail to document the whole surprise scene.
All set for the party now. April 27. Six surprise packages. Great Gatsby theme. Black, White, Silver and Gold. Only the 70 year old dons RED. Surprised? Yes. Happy? Yes. We did it! Friends and family all here to celebrate a milestone in my sister’s life. Life is a celebration!
An Autumn Glow
A YABU LUNCH
Just a day short. Waiting to pick up my elves today and then, just one more day. Tired from a week of exams, but giddy with excitement over the summer break. The chapel in school is where I wait for them. A good spot under the trees which by now seem to have an “autumn glow” after a couple of hours of rain. Kids even had fun standing under one tree as it sheds off its tiny orange-y flowers as the wind blows.
Summer beckons. What’s the plan, the elves ask? Well……
Been here. Done that. Posted photos here and there.
When friends called to ask who arranged our trip, or that they didn’t know you can swim (in the pool) and go bamboo-rafting in Villa Escudero, I began to realize that many go there just for the lunch by the falls and the cultural performance. Some didn’t even bother to do the museum tour where one finds centuries-old carrozas (floats), religious icons, family memorabilias (Escudero family), the Filipino alphabet, currency and doll collections from all over the world, and so many other antique collections of the Escuderos.
Kundiman Singing+ Carabao Ride in Villa Escudero
Narrow Bamboo Rafts. Great for rowing! Villa Escudero.
In my earlier blog on Villa Escudero, I highly recommended this trip to balikbayans, foreign guests, or simply to families longing to show their young children how life was in earlier times. It’s both a nostalgic and educational trip for the young and adults. The statues to be found there may not look so appealing but they showcase many Filipino traditions and lifestyles. Here’s where you can recount those stories of your younger days to the little ones or those born and grown in foreign lands who only read about them. The statues leave better memories. They complement the stories!
Physical (Rowing) and Soothing at the same time. Villa Escudero.
Lunch is served! By the falls. Villa Escudero.
The highways make these trips a breeze. You can leave as late as 8:30am, driving through SLEX and ACTEX till you reach the boundary of Laguna and Quezon. Soon after you pass the boundary marked by a Welcome Arch, turn left towards Villa Escudero. You register and pay P1,400 for a day tour which includes a Museum Tour, lunch by the falls, carabao rides, use of facilities like swimming pool and bamboo rafts. Senior citizens get a hefty discount and pay only P1,000!
Cultural show at 2pm. Villa Escudero
Performers are ALL employees and their kin. Villa Escudero
Arriving way before lunch, we did the Museum tour then took the carabao ride to bring us to the lunch area by the falls. Lunch was platefuls of grilled fish, chicken and pork belly, caldereta (beef), salad and banana cues! After lunch and while waiting for the 2pm cultural performance, you can take a dip by the pool and/or take one of the narrow bamboo rafts and exercise those arm muscles amidst a grand view of the cottages and trees by the water. Soothing yet physical, the activity renders you longing for a glass of halo halo or young coconut juice to savor while watching the dancers perform on stage.
Villa Escudero dancers.
Cultural show’s choreography by national artist Obusan, no less!
The cultural show ends at 3pm. Early enough to drive a few more minutes from Villa Escudero to visit Ugu Bigyan’s Pottery Workshop. Getting here was a challenge. The only landmark from the Maharlika Highway driving further past Villa Escudero was the Petron Gas Station and Iglesia ni Kristo on your right. Soon after passing them, take a left and look for Alvarez Village. Ugu’s workshop, gardens cum dining place is on your left. No signs, but easy to spot the red brick one-story house with a sprawling garden as soon as you enter the village.
Ugu Bigyan Pottery workshop. Tiaong. Quezon.
Patis Tito. Formerly Kusina Ni salud of Viajes del sol fame. San Pablo City
From Ugu’s place, we drove back towards San Pablo City to check out Sulyap Cafe. On our way there, we found a sign towards Patis Tito, formerly Kusina ni Salud. Really, finding these Viaje del Sol spots is quite a challenge. We had snacks here of suman (glutinous rice) and another forgettable “kakanin” and sat there watching how unkept the place was. Guess they spruce up the place only for big groups. I hope.
Patis tito. Ex-Kusina Ni Salud
By the time we reached Sulyap Cafe after missing several turns and U-turns, we were tired but still full from the merienda. We visited the art gallery inside before an intended supper there, but found the place too gloomy to spend dinner time there. Dark, gloomy, nearly haunted. Maybe the place is suitable for romantic dates. Not for us. So we chose to simply drive back to Manila instead.
Patis Tito
Patis Tito. Kusina Ni Salud. Viajes del sol.
The entire trip to Villa Escudero with sidetrips to Ugu Bigyan, Kusina ni Salud and Sulyap Cafe & Gallery lasted from 8am to 8:30pm. Not bad. It’s a good roadtrip….. Just arm yourself with a good dose of patience looking for these spots with hardly any markers. Happy driving!
Patis Tito. Resto and garden.
Ugu Bigyan’s Pottery Workshop.
Sulyap Gallery Cafe. San Pablo City. Viajes del Sol.
I’ve long left an 8am to 8pm stressful job to do the things I WANT to do. Not that I didn’t enjoy my banking career. But 27 years is enough, with the last 2 years not as exciting nor enjoyable as the first 25. Besides, I have long planned an early retirement. So I worked like a horse, burned myself out, and decided to quit at 47 years old.
“Married Man’s Trail” in Ketchikan, Alaska. Allegedly, the path taken by men seeking “pleasure” after a visit to the town’s brothel.
Two weeks after my self-imposed retirement, there were offers to tempt me to make a 2nd stab either in the same field or in a career completely different from what I used to do. It wasn’t in the plan. Nor in my destiny. It’s been 13 years now. And I’ve since made journals of my travel adventures, musings and ramblings.
Batanes. The northernmost island province of the P hilippines!
I have travelled. Slept and got off the bed way too late. Enjoyed my breakfasts. Met my friends more leisurely and more frequently. Read more books. And blogged. I like blogging if only so I keep “records” of my adventures. For me, it’s no different from my diaries. Reminders of what I’ve enjoyed and the stuff that rendered me nostalgic. Sentimental, even.
Bromance? Mai Khao Beach. Phuket. Thailand.
You can say blogging allowed me to express myself. Or remind me of the trips I made, the food I ate, the new friends I’ve met. They’d be my reminders when I’ve grown tired of walking mindlessly, seeking adventures or just growing weak on the knees to navigate a few meters. BUT IT IS MORE THAN JUST PRESERVING THE MEMORIES. Cliche that it is, you can say it’s the journey more than the destination.
Corregidor. Philippines. The rock fortress island packed with history and war memories.
Let me explain. I have been writing since I knew how to use a pen. The best childhood gifts for me consisted of diaries, books and fancy stationery. My mother found a penpal for me since I grew tired of playing with my dolls. BUT I NEVER EVER HANDLED A CAMERA, NOR OWNED ONE, TILL I WAS IN MY 40’s. My earlier travels went undocumented. Visually, that is. My family cannot understand how I can visit Europe to spend 6 months there on a borrowed camera. Worse, I scrimped on the shots and only had a few to show. Mostly of landscapes without moí.
Victoria Falls, sandwiched between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
I still don’t take as many shots, especially of myself. Nor do I own any of those humongous DSLRs. But I do enjoy snapping photos now. With pen and camera, I AM NOW MORE APPRECIATIVE OF DETAILS I WOULD HAVE EASILY DISMISSED BEFORE. A rainbow. Children at play. A bubbling brook. An insect. Flower details. I am happy with my amateurish photography skills. Just a bit jealous whenever I find stunning photography especially of places I’ve been to. “Why didn’t i take a shot from that angle?” ….. I ask myself.
Don Salvador Benedicto. DSB for short. Negros Occidental.
I don’t take shots to display any photography skill. My earlier blogs will tell you that. Modesty aside, my more recent blogs have better photos. The “journey” made me pay more attention to details. I enjoy human interest shots best, but I’m too slow to capture many lovely moments. Thank God my iPhone is ever-handy and takes quite decent shots, or I would have missed a lot more. So yeah….. I blog to express myself. To chronicle my “highs”, and to capture those memories too.
The Cotton Castle of Pamukkale. Turkey.
Yellow and Blue Scarves mean “handle with care”. Yellow for the young kittens and Blue for the grumpy ones. Found one with a blue scarf but he wasn’t grumpy at all. Perhaps, the little meow is just feeling unwell. No flash photography lest you startle them. Pay 8,000 won and you’re good to pick your free drink and stay for as long as you like.
Now, where to find them? It is very near our Nine Tree Hotel in Seoul’s busy Myeongdong district. But if you are staying elsewhere, take the metro to Myeongdong. (Bet you’re going anyway, for some shopping) Exit 6 and walk towards Coffee Bean and Pizza Hut along the main street. Take the narrow street on your left and look out for the cat mascot. He’s there most days and nights. Or keep looking up — Cat Cafe is on the 6th floor of the building behind Pizza Hut.
These kitties are simply adorable. Housebroken, clean, and playful except for a few “lazy” ones. I suggest you go after dinner so you limit yourself to the free coffee, tea or chocolate. Order some baked goodies and you may draw more than the desired attention from those feline creatures. Better to order some treats instead, if you are really into cats.
Also, be sure to put your stuff in those plastic bags you’d find where you leave your footware and don house slippers. “Curiosity kills the cat” must have a good basis. One kitten persistently tried to get its head into my bag. Goodness know what caught its interest. Be ready too with cats jumping from the upper shelves into the chair beside you, or right on your table. I’m saying this as a warning lest you scald yourself with your hot beverage.
My nieces went back a second time after our visit. I’m good with just a single visit. But for cat lovers? Playing with cats plus free coffee for 8,000 won ($8) is good therapy after many shopping rounds. Go!
Oh, btw, Myeongdong is such a busy shopping and dining district. Meow Theraphy is highly recommended for serious shoppers. 😉
In 2013, I spent nearly 2 months in Sydney and even slightly longer in Madrid. A good third of 2013. And that excludes those weeklong trips to Mongolia, Phuket and 2 trips to South Korea. I blogged like crazy ….. Just like when I stayed nearly 3 months homebased in Madrid back in 2012. Whenever I get back to Manila, I always long to do a trip to some exotic place. Preferably those sites below the tourist radar. There is a long list. So much to cover and discover in our own backyard. And as always, the local trips draw more hits!
Trek to Mount Pinatubo.
Batanes
I struck off Batanes, Sagada, El Nido, MassKara Festival, Transfiguration Monastery in Bukidnon, Divine Mercy Shrine in Misamis Oriental and a trek to Mount Pinatubo off my bucket list which continues to grow longer. That list has its own life! I made a few “insignificant”, impromptu daytrips just outside Manila to entertain friends. And I’m surprised such trips drew much more attention and appreciation. Perhaps because many, like me, thought they were “insignificant” and were later pleasantly surprised. Maybe because they’re very doable and demands less planning and time. Or it could also be because these out-of-town trips were really good finds — a discovery that many (like me) have initially dismissed as “ordinary”.
Half-Buried In Lahar. Bacolor, Pampanga.
MassKara Festival. Bacolod. 2013.
The travels abroad have acquired a certain “routine”. Sydney and Madrid meant “family time” and homebase for many day and out-of-town trips. Twice doing it in Madrid, yet the 2 experiences can’t be branded or dismissed as “the same”. Because the 2nd time was timed with the Christmas Season, I enjoyed immersing myself in Spanish traditions and culture. In both Sydney and Madrid, my day trips were to such sites below the tourist radar. No crowds. Great sites. Reasonable prices.
Winter in Australia.
Autumn in Korea
My Seasons also got me confused, swinging from summer in the beaches of El Nido and Phuket to Philippine winter version in Batanes, to “end of winter-early spring” in Mongolia to “mild winter” in Sydney back to sweltering summer heat in Bacolod’s MassKara Festival to autumn in Korea down to honest-to-goodness winter in Madrid. You can say I’m done with winter last 2013.
Sydney. Not exactly on travel mode.
Christmas In Madrid
From Traveller to Storyteller. That’s moí. In groups, out with friends, home with family or ALONE. I do enjoy my travels. I realize some of my friends do wonder why I continue to wander. I wanted to say I have not lost my capacity for joy and discoveries. I wanted to share that I continue to believe and trust and enjoy life’s simple joys, appreciating the kindness of strangers, and discovering how “little” I know of the world around me. Good health, joy in solitude paired with the unceasing thrill of meeting “angels” in my solo travels, these are God’s gifts. I appreciate them, and my gratitude expresses itself in the joy I feel. I remember meeting a Brazilian couple in the lovely town of Chinchon. They said nothing happens by accident. We got on the same bus because we were meant to spend the afternoon enjoying the medieval town and the village folks. I couldn’t agree more.
Three Kings Parade. Madrid. 2014.
Football Game at Estadio Bernabeu.
The year 2013 was marked by many firsts. Too many to list here without running the risk of boring you. It is also the same year I turned 60 so maybe, that calls for a separate blog. Like 60 “firsts” as I turned 60. How about it?
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