Form submitted successfully, thank you.

Error submitting form, please try again.

Category Archives: adventures

A Taste of Chicago

Just had a girls getaway trip to the Second City: Chicago! My travel itch is officially scratched and satisfied for the rest of 2009! Thanks to Rachel, Janine and Vina for an awesome fun-filled long weekend!! It was definitely nice to get away and take an adventure with the girls and all our estrogen!!It was also Rachel’s 26th Birthday!! Here are just a FEW pictures from our trip! We did a Food Tasting Tour, so you can pretty much assume correctly that we did alot of eating!

chi04

What’s Chicago without deep dish pizza?!

chi24

Lake Michigan

chi12

chi15chi14

chi18

chi34

chi36

chi02

chi01

And of course, just had to take a picture with Michael Jordan at the United Center with my favorite pair of J’s: The Cool Grey 4 retros!

Sanctuary

I didn’t take that many pictures in Cancun since it was my 4th time there. Yes, 4th time. There’s something uplifting about this place which therefore makes it my sanctuary. I’ve had alot of great memories here, alot of growing up and also– alot of healing. Although the area is known as a hot spot for spring break college kids, there’s definitely more beauty within this area. And just like comfort food, Cancun will always remain as one of my favorite places to run away to.

Here’s a picture from our room balcony.

can00

A Taste of San Francisco

So I’ve been MIA from the blog world… and it’s mostly because of the fact that I lost all my WordPress blogposts last month (only my old “blogger” blog posts survived). Although I lost a only month’s worth of blog posts, it was my posts from the Philippines which I’ve missed the most.

Anyways, so here I am back in the blog land. I’ll try my best to be better at blogging. But for now, here’s a “Taste of San Francisco” from my trip this past weekend. It was for my little sister Dez’s birthday. It was nice to get away !! Even if it was only for the weekend ;-)

sf14

The 12 of us at Fisherman’s Wharf for lunch! (We left at 2am that morning to get to SF by 830ish)

sf15

sf17

sf11

sf18

sf23

sf00

sf29

I’ll warn you now, I have an obsession with lines!

sf28

sf31

sf27

I wouldn’t be lying if i used the phrase, “don’t try this at home kiddies!” Reason being: the car I was riding didn’t have a sunroof for me to take this image!

sf35

sf40

sf44sf43

Filipino hospitality in an authentic “San Franciscan style” home (Yes we were all in awwwe!). Thanks to Cookie’s parents for hosting lunch for the 12 of us!

sf52

The Back Alley to Haight Street from Cookie’s house

sf47

Twin Peaks!

sf51

Something I never realized… I shoot with my right eye.

Philippines Day 5-7: Subic Bay and Santa Cruzan

On Day 5, Lolo drove us to Subic Bay which houses a U.S. Naval base (my grandfather had served in the US Navy) for some sightseeing, eating and shopping.

pimay57

pimay59

On weekends, Subic Bay is filled with so many people enjoying themselves on the beach and partaking in all the festivities! With tropical weather however, you can’t ever expect when the weather may go bad. Check out the black cloud on the top picture starting to roll in from the right.

pimay60

Here’s more of those black clouds rolling in.

pimay61

Lolo treating out Ron and I to lunch

After eating, sightseeing and shopping, we headed home for some more eating. This time it was merienda which translates into, “the afternoon snack”

Here’s my uncle making us some fresh coconut juice! (buko juice)

pimay69

pimay70

Along with some Halo-Halo which is a Filipino dessert!

pimay73

Ron’s alot braver than I am! Here he is eating BALUT which is a chick embryo! He actually ate two of them cause my uncle bought 2 just for him!

Lolo and Lola’s house has changed alot since my visit last year in 2007. There’s quite of mixture of tungsten and fluorescent lights, as well as electrical outputs for the different voltages.

pimay77

pimay79

pimay80

Although they have a formal dining table, we always ate outside in the “dirty kitchen” just so we could get some fresh air.

pimay81

Lolo and Lola’s room. Just recently, Lolo had that back wall torn down to make “closet space”

pimay87

More rooms…

On the day before we left, Lolo was feeling the urge for some American and Italian food, so he had the cook whip up something special! Although Ron and I were thoroughly enjoying all the Filipino food, french fries and spaghetti were definitely missed!

pimay89

Even Lola was in good spirits that day! This was the first time the whole week that she finished all the food on her plate!

pimay90

pimay91

Here’s Lolo trying to be “cute” with Lola.

Later on that evening, Orion was hosting it’s Santa Cruzan! Basically it’s a parade of each province’s selected young ladies!

pimay88a

The busy streets of Orion, can you imagine having to clear this street for a parade?!

pimay97

The beauty queens of each province

pimay99

and some fun parade festivities!

pimay95

My Lola’s housemaids and her caregiver nurse hiding behind them. They were camera shy!

The following day was a Sunday and also our departure date… Here’s Lolo and Ron reading the morning paper in the dirty kitchen…

pimay105

pimay102

Tito Ermie and Lola in her Sunday best. Members of the church had just stopped by so that Lola could receive communion since she is unable to make the trip to church.

pimay68

And lastly, Lola’s pride and joy… her garden.

Philippines Day 3-4: Orion Bataan & Mt. Samat

Although Orion, Bataan is literally an hour boat ride across Manila Bay from Naic, Cavite, we had to DRIVE around the bay. What could have been a quick few hour drive turned into a 6 hour drive through the insane Manila traffic!

When we got to Orion late… around 7ish-8ishpm and we were greeted with excitement by my Lolo Erning who yelled out, Welcome home girl!!!! and gave me the biggest hug ever! It’s weird to think that my Lolo is notorious for being the town Scrooge. My relatives tell me that alot of people are scared of him in Orion, and that if it weren’t for the kindess and gentle heart of my Lola, he’d probably have way too many enemies. It kind of reminded me of the Disney movie, “UP.”

Anyways, when I saw my Lola Nene, she began crying which of course, made me cry as well. Things were definitely different around the house. Since Lola was now in a wheelchair, everything was transformed to become more wheelchair accessible. Lola even had her own 24 hour caregiver/nurses.

After unpacking our balikbayan boxes, Ron started reading some letters to Lola from some of her grandchildren in America.

pimay36

pimay38

My Ate Ethel even sent her a photo album since she wasn’t able to visit.

pimay32

This “upstairs” room wa also redecorated, and I actually liked what Lolo did with it! He called it the “hotel suite” lol!

Later on that night while in bed… I sensed that something was bothering Ron… when I asked him what was else, he replied, Nothing… I egged him on about it until he finally said, Nothing.. I just wish you met my Lolo&Lola .. I know you’re happy to be here..So, I’m happy that you’re happy…

=)

The next day, Tito Ermie decided to take Ron and I to Mt. Samat shrine (it was once the site of the most vicious battle against the Japanese Imperial Army in 1942 during the Battle of Bataan)

pimay47

Taken by Tito Ermie. Not bad…

Although I’ve been to Mt. Samat a few times, I was never able to go up the cross cause it was always closed for repairs!  This time however was different! And what a treat indeed!

pimay46

Gotta love those lines….

pimay40a

pimay42

pimay44

pimay49

pimay53

pimay50

Later on that night…

pimay75

Here’s my tito ermie reading prayers with Lola before she goes to bed.

pimay76

And me kissing Lola good night!