One day before I culminate my one-month long vacation, I felt so bored at home in Malate. I was itching to have some more escapades to add more pictures on my wide array of online albums and so be it. I just wanted to top my vacation with a stroll in Tagaytay, Batangas.
It's a cunning idea to hire a taxi back and forth to just see the famous volcano at the center of the lake amidst my concern about my chipped molar which I accidentally hurt when I was eating pork rinds two days ago.
In the morning I went to Robinson's Mall in Manila and inquired about how much it cost for me to have my chipped left front molar to be filled. Apparently, they told me about the price (which to me was cheaper and reasonable) but they scheduled me to be back at 2 pm so instead I told them to put me down on the schedule the next day at 10 am.
When I left the mall I definitely decided impulsively to go to Tagaytay with Rika hiring a taxi for 3000 PHP (back and forth) which to me was a very reasonable price. Heck.... I don't care if it's expensive to somebody, as long as I enjoyed it, it's okay to me. I am very excited to had finished my vacation with a big-bang so I think Tagaytay is the best place to visit judging it's near proximity from Manila (an almost two hours drive).
We left Manila at 3 pm because I have to wait for Rika to come home from school. When she got home we immediately took off without a lot of fuss. The drive was smooth at the SLEX and there were sporadic traffic along the way but overall it's not that congested. We got to Tagaytay at exactly 4:30 pm.
First adventure was to look for the People's Park. Our driver was a Batangueno so we have confidence for him to show us around because he knows the place.
We drove more south to look for the People's Park. Along the way we saw the lake at the bottom of the hill and the mouth of the volcano was been visible from the road as we drove up high the hills going to People's Park.
Tagaytay is a very nice place with a cool weather in the afternoons. During that time the temperature had dropped down I think to 55 degrees Fahrenheit considering that summer weather in the cities was setting in. It seems that summer it's not even imminent in this part of the country.
As we drove along the long and winding road to the top of the hill, we saw the People's Park perched on top of the hill at a distance. We trekked the winding road going there until we reached it successfully. We were excited once we got there.
After we paid the 15 PHP individual entrance fee we then walked up the hill eagerly like small children shouting and yelling at each other and saw the beauty of the whole Tagaytay 360 degrees from atop the hill. Me and Rika had continuously snapped pictures of the whole panoramic picturesque with extra caution because it's getting bleak and grey during that time while the dusk sets in.
After were done at the People's Park our driver drove us to inquire for the boat ride but apparently the fee was very expensive for the two of us plus the fact that we don't have time already because it's getting dark already. So we discarded and ignored the plan for the boat ride.
We then planned to eat steak at the Tagaytay Highlands as what Rika had recommended. She was told by one of her affluent classmate about the rumored high-end steaks at the hotel but we don't have an idea where to find it.
So we asked people we met on the road then we headed there as instructed. We took the road we took when were headed for the People's Park. We then took the road on the right that had forked near the park but when got to the entrance the guard had intercepted us and told us that we cannot go down the road unless we have somebody to sponsor us from the club residents.
We never knew we have to have some conections in order to eat the rumored steaks at Tagaytay Highlands, so again we dropped the whole idea. Damn.... that was so frustrating! They just had forfeited a very good paying customer. Hehehe.
So we turned to the opposite side of the town and had end up at Gerry's Grill to order and eat for our dinner. The food was also great and we had enjoyed it despite our dreamy state of almost ordering and eating that high-end steak they rumored of.
Gerry's Restaurant was also near the mouth of the lake and the volcano so while waiting for our order to come out and be delivered at our table we went down the patio and snapped more pictures of the lake and the volcano.
After the dinner it was already dark so we decided to go back to Manila. We passed by the fruit stands or kiosks along the way and bought sweet finger bananas, the local and famous Tagaytay pineapples, ripe-sweet-yellow mangos, striped seedless watermelons, sweet and orange soft papaya, and my ever favorite sweet-sandy chicos which I haven't eaten for almost twenty years.
The drive home was very congested. Our driver decided to take the other route near the inhabited areas because he told us that the SLEX was so dark and risky to drive during this time. When we got to Dasmarinas, Cavite the traffic was very very tough and congested and I noticed our driver was also irritated of his decision of taking the route.
In the middle of the drive our driver had miscalculated the traffic and had beaten a red light which was caught by the traffic enforcer. After the long chase we got pulled over the road and our driver got the ticket for beating the red light and wreckless driving. It was horrible to have gotten that odd citation! I just have to comfort and console our driver to drive us back to Manila safely.
We got to Manila at 9 pm and me and Rika were been awed and mesmerized with our short trip and visit to Tagaytay. Rika thanked me for the little escapade and I recognized her extreme gratitude. She even hugged me tightly for being so generous to her and to everybody.
I paid the driver his dues when we arrived at our Malate apartment then we went inside and start munching some sweet pineapples and the sweet sandy chicos. It was so good that I just can't stop indulging myself for I know it will be quite a time when I will eat them again.
Our trip to Tagaytay was just an escape of the hustle-and-bustle of the busy streets of Manila and the humid temperature which always kill me compared to the cold and breezy temperature of Tagaytay.
It was a nice way to unwind at least! And what a nice way to end my vacation with a bing bang! I was so happy to have done it and I am positive that this vacation was full of unforgettable memories I won't forget.
I love having to unwind in a rustic place and commune with the beauty of nature. It was a very interesting idea and not apalling at all. I felt so blessed that I can do it despite of the time constraints and the economic situation of the country.
I am so thankful finding beautiful and understanding friends along the way and this is the most poignant part of my whole month vacation because friendship is the best thing I can add in my trinket of memories. Luv u all guys for everything you have shared. Thank you! Thank you!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
A Retrospection Of My Sojourn
It seems that my vacation will commence in a few days and as I got near to the end of it my stay here in Manila gets more boring because I have no places to go and see anymore.
Nah.... I'll take that back. Actually, there's still a lot to see and explore but it's just boring to have gone there by myself without even having somebody to talk to or yack at. I know I am always used to being alone but traveling to a certain place indeed needs something to talk with and share information with each other so that the vacation will be more interesting.
My vacation in totality was a very long one.... imagine spending one month, traveling everywhere.... even in some parts of Asia like Singapore and Hongkong. But as I culminate my vacation soon, I left this unforgettable memories I've experienced all through those very hectic thirty days in my subconscious mind as well as documented it through beautiful and candid pictures I've snapped in my portable camera.
I also had spent some precious quality time with my families, friends, and high school classmates when I went home in my hometown. A time to be with them and enjoy their precious company was very fulfilling and had completed my journey. It was an icebreaker from the gruelling flights I've made and the panicked situations I've experienced on each eve of the flights.
Yet.... I was so blessed to have done it despite of my demanding work and hectic schedules. It's always best to escape work amidst the piles of paperworks and undone reports and grade sheets. Hehehe. Such a perfect timing!
But my vacation had to continue thereby freezing some of my needed paperworks is just appropriate. Now I can foresee what's been waiting for me when I will be back in Los Angeles. I know there will be a lot of things to be taken cared of when my foot starts to land in Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
I can't wait to download all the pictures I have taken during my month long travels and sojourn in the Philippines. I just can't wait to share them to a lot of my friends and families online which I've maintained a wide array of correspondence with them online especially through my Facebook account.
I can see and predict that my wall will be bombarded again with millions of well wishes and funny comments especially for some of those unguarded moments where I took the pictures. I just can't wait to have them downloaded!
I am contemplating now, alone in an Internet Cafe at Farmer's Market in Cubao about what to write here. I know two days from now I will leave Manila and will miss it again in quite some time. I made some stupid decisions along my month long travel and I hope I won't have to regret it someday.
During this vacay I have met several people which will be added to my wide array of online and email friends and I am so blessed to have met them along the way. I am still in search of myself here but I think I can manage myself to find it alone. Good luck to me!
At least my goal of getting home for my plans to close the loans of my two condominiums were been successful and productive so I can breathe easy now and have to spend and used some of my remaining time productively and accumulate more experiences to experience.
The setback though during this vacation was the erratic weather which had given a toll on my fragile health. The humidity and the excessive sweating had lowered my resistance I think and now I have this nasty nagging cough which always gave me a hard time to breathe. I hope it will go away before I leave the country. Aaaaah........ may be I needed rest now... in short it tells me to slow down now.
I also had enjoyed the company of my best friend Jessie Cordero for a long time before she left for Romania yesterday for a job there. At least we had spend a lot of quality and funny times although I think, the funny times were just overflowing and very abundant. It was never been a dull moment everytime I am with Jessie!
My stay in Malate at my best friend's apartment (Manang Nina) was also unforgettable and memorable. I think I have imprinted and left a lot of indelible memories in that apartment. Living in that four-cornered-wall two-storey-building will bring a lot of poignant experiences and stories to me.
My closeness with Rika, who's unexplainable beauty and innocence had titallated me once but the friendship and the close relationship was more filial. She is an adoring, intelligent (smart), and pretty young lady.
My times with the maid, Inday, who always pampered me with my early morning coffee and had washed my laundry clothes and made them smell good will not be forgotten either. For sure I will miss the early morning coffee when I go back to Los Angeles. Enough for the pampering!
And to all the friends I've meet during this whole month sojourn, I will surely miss all your company, laughters, and thoughts. I am very indebted and overwhelmed with all your individual and unselfish support and love. I will miss you all guys!
I just don't want to be teary-eyed before I close this blog so to all of you who was been a great part of this very productive vacation, thank you all for all your precious time! I will surely miss everyone and everybody!
Now I know the harsh reality of work will be waiting for me when I go back to Los Angeles. Waaah...... another two years to get busy before I'll go back here again. I know Philippines will never be the same again when I come back so I hope to be back here again pretty much soon.
But to me this vacation is not an end of my life but a new beginning for me at work when I come back in Los Angeles. It's always a cycle and we have to get used to the continuity of everything we do. Hakuna matata!
Nah.... I'll take that back. Actually, there's still a lot to see and explore but it's just boring to have gone there by myself without even having somebody to talk to or yack at. I know I am always used to being alone but traveling to a certain place indeed needs something to talk with and share information with each other so that the vacation will be more interesting.
My vacation in totality was a very long one.... imagine spending one month, traveling everywhere.... even in some parts of Asia like Singapore and Hongkong. But as I culminate my vacation soon, I left this unforgettable memories I've experienced all through those very hectic thirty days in my subconscious mind as well as documented it through beautiful and candid pictures I've snapped in my portable camera.
I also had spent some precious quality time with my families, friends, and high school classmates when I went home in my hometown. A time to be with them and enjoy their precious company was very fulfilling and had completed my journey. It was an icebreaker from the gruelling flights I've made and the panicked situations I've experienced on each eve of the flights.
Yet.... I was so blessed to have done it despite of my demanding work and hectic schedules. It's always best to escape work amidst the piles of paperworks and undone reports and grade sheets. Hehehe. Such a perfect timing!
But my vacation had to continue thereby freezing some of my needed paperworks is just appropriate. Now I can foresee what's been waiting for me when I will be back in Los Angeles. I know there will be a lot of things to be taken cared of when my foot starts to land in Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
I can't wait to download all the pictures I have taken during my month long travels and sojourn in the Philippines. I just can't wait to share them to a lot of my friends and families online which I've maintained a wide array of correspondence with them online especially through my Facebook account.
I can see and predict that my wall will be bombarded again with millions of well wishes and funny comments especially for some of those unguarded moments where I took the pictures. I just can't wait to have them downloaded!
I am contemplating now, alone in an Internet Cafe at Farmer's Market in Cubao about what to write here. I know two days from now I will leave Manila and will miss it again in quite some time. I made some stupid decisions along my month long travel and I hope I won't have to regret it someday.
During this vacay I have met several people which will be added to my wide array of online and email friends and I am so blessed to have met them along the way. I am still in search of myself here but I think I can manage myself to find it alone. Good luck to me!
At least my goal of getting home for my plans to close the loans of my two condominiums were been successful and productive so I can breathe easy now and have to spend and used some of my remaining time productively and accumulate more experiences to experience.
The setback though during this vacation was the erratic weather which had given a toll on my fragile health. The humidity and the excessive sweating had lowered my resistance I think and now I have this nasty nagging cough which always gave me a hard time to breathe. I hope it will go away before I leave the country. Aaaaah........ may be I needed rest now... in short it tells me to slow down now.
I also had enjoyed the company of my best friend Jessie Cordero for a long time before she left for Romania yesterday for a job there. At least we had spend a lot of quality and funny times although I think, the funny times were just overflowing and very abundant. It was never been a dull moment everytime I am with Jessie!
My stay in Malate at my best friend's apartment (Manang Nina) was also unforgettable and memorable. I think I have imprinted and left a lot of indelible memories in that apartment. Living in that four-cornered-wall two-storey-building will bring a lot of poignant experiences and stories to me.
My closeness with Rika, who's unexplainable beauty and innocence had titallated me once but the friendship and the close relationship was more filial. She is an adoring, intelligent (smart), and pretty young lady.
My times with the maid, Inday, who always pampered me with my early morning coffee and had washed my laundry clothes and made them smell good will not be forgotten either. For sure I will miss the early morning coffee when I go back to Los Angeles. Enough for the pampering!
And to all the friends I've meet during this whole month sojourn, I will surely miss all your company, laughters, and thoughts. I am very indebted and overwhelmed with all your individual and unselfish support and love. I will miss you all guys!
I just don't want to be teary-eyed before I close this blog so to all of you who was been a great part of this very productive vacation, thank you all for all your precious time! I will surely miss everyone and everybody!
Now I know the harsh reality of work will be waiting for me when I go back to Los Angeles. Waaah...... another two years to get busy before I'll go back here again. I know Philippines will never be the same again when I come back so I hope to be back here again pretty much soon.
But to me this vacation is not an end of my life but a new beginning for me at work when I come back in Los Angeles. It's always a cycle and we have to get used to the continuity of everything we do. Hakuna matata!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Never Enough
As I was winding up amidst my busy transactions in the Philippines closing up my loans from the bank for the two condos I am buying I still have time to read paperbacks which is one of my notorious hobby.
When I went to Hongkong to visit my big sister, she gave me this true story paperback as a present and as a peace offering. Well, she knows my weakness and I humbly accepted the book although I haven't started to read it yet.
I brought the book back to the Philippines and started to read it while on the plane and from there I never dropped it down. It was a page turner and I just can't stop reading it until I finished it in one sitting.
The novel was written by the famous Joe McGinniss who authored the best-selling novel "True Crime" and he had creatively weaved this true story into an interesting and readable piece of literary writing. I was so hooked up and totally hypnotized with the story as an eager gossiper willing to know the root of the crime. It was very informative, educational, sequential, and was told in simple words yet intricately woven into a piece of literary art.
The story told me about greed, money, betrayal, pain, divorce, hate and love, family, friendship, stock market, finance, even excerpts of SARS outbreak in a sequential order, murder, crime investigations, courtroom drama, forbidden love, unfaithfulness, wills, inheritance, insurance, travels, geography, everything woven in a literary artistic fashion that could be understood by a commoner like me.
The gist of the story revolved on two families but it mainly focused the life of a very successful international banker Rob Kissel and his wife Nancy who got married when they were young after they met in an exclusive nudist camp at the Carribean.
Rob was a very ambitious person, a workaholic who was gifted in manipulating and acquiring distressed funds from all over the world. Hired by Goldman Sachs and had established his own mark in the financial market, Rob just couldn't stop going up the ladder. Until he got the opportunity to become bigger he gave up his job at Goldman Sachs and accepted the lucrative and challenging job at Merryl Lynch as a director in their Asian Branch in Hongkong.
Rob and his family flew to Hongkong and had lived there successfully. He and Nancy had made three beautiful children in Hongkong and had lived there as royalty. Their lives had a lot of ups and downs yet Nancy had caused a lot of problems and strains with their relationship. Nancy was never been the same again after the birth of their third child. She was thought to have postpartum psychosis after the birth.
Having no medical involvement after the presumed diagnosis Nancy kept throwing fits and complained about her life as an expat wife. In retaliation to her husband having no time with the family she started spending a lot of money while her husband worked more than 80 hours a week hauling lots of money to their savings account.
The story was been spiced with the unfaithfulness of Nancy when she went back to Vermont and had met this hunky young guy who had installed the stereo components at her new mansion who she had designed and interiored out of Rob's knowing. She had an illicit affair with the stereo guy while her husband had bugged the house and her computer viciously watching and knowing what she was doing behind his back. He even hired a surveillance detective to follow Nancy and document was she was been doing.
Their marriage was on the rocks and Nancy's psychosis was still untreated and had kept escalating at times throwing fits and tantrums any time she needed attention. She was never been the same again.
When Rob told her to return to Hongkong after she got caught and was told about her illicit affair she even got worst and slowly planned to kill his husband like the one in the movie "Unfaithful" which was her favorite movie. They had submitted themselves for counseling but that did not work either. They were on a verge of divorce and Rob was planning to tell her of the plan but Nancy had killed him before he did it.
She had obtained five different sleeping pills and found a chance to slipped it in one of Rob's drink. When Rob was been knocked out with the drink she had the opportunity to hit his head with a family heirloom she got from her grandmother and had blown Rob's head five times which had killed him on the spot.
She fabricated a story that Rob had forced her and raped her and that they had a big fight then Rob had broke her ribs and took off. She never knew where he went.
Secretly, she rolled up Rob's dead body in a carpet and had sent it down to their storage down the building where they lived. The servants had tipped her best friend in San Francisco and Bryna had called all the exclusive hotels in Hongkong to check if Rob had checked in there after the huge fight with Nancy (which Nancy had told her) but to no avail.
After confirming with the servants about the odorous thing inside the rolled carpet at the storage, Bryna called the Hongkong police to have checked it out which was confirmed eventually as Rob's body. The body was found after three days that Rob was been missing.
News had spread all over Hongkong about Rob's (the famous expat and financial banker at Merryl Lynch)that had put Nancy's face at the headline news. The trial was been publicized and dramatized on television and it also made headlines internationally.
Nancy was confined in the maximum prison in Hongkong and she was eventually sentenced to a life in prison for killing Rob brutally with a blunt object on the head five times.
In between the trial she was also communicating to her lover in the United States. All her affairs with the guy was been placed in detail on the book and I don't like to expound it here. I just wanted to write the whole gist of the story.
The book also contained the life of Andrew, Rob's older brother who also got successful in real estate but got tried for embezzling a lot of money from his company and made fraudulent acts like forging signatures and issuing non-funded checks. Andrew was mysteriously murdered a year later at his house underground after Rob's death. It was believed he was killed by the people he had wronged.
The Kissels three children ended up with Rob's sister's custody. They inherited Rob's 20 million trust estate and had lived a beautiful life with their aunt and her family in California.
The book was very interesting, riveting, and full of page turner events which made me finished it for only one sitting. I know life has a lot of temptations and it's up to us to weave our own destiny.
Rob was been lucky to belong to the upper echelon of the human race but some of his decisions were been wrong which had eventually lead to his tragic death. Had he sent Nancy to get treated with her obvious psychosis they would probably end up to be a beautiful and lovable family.
Well, tempted and obscured by the will to amass more wealth and money Rob had neglected his family as well as himself. Sometimes we tend to get engrossed of going up to the top without even minding that we already stepped others as well as neglected to take care of ourselves. But life needed to be balanced in order to get to the summit of our ambitions.
The book had taught me about the need to look back and recollect about our progress in life and never to get tempted with the drive to go up the easy way. I know we are all gifted at our own capacity but we have to use our talents in the right way then we can achieve eternal bliss.
When I went to Hongkong to visit my big sister, she gave me this true story paperback as a present and as a peace offering. Well, she knows my weakness and I humbly accepted the book although I haven't started to read it yet.
I brought the book back to the Philippines and started to read it while on the plane and from there I never dropped it down. It was a page turner and I just can't stop reading it until I finished it in one sitting.
The novel was written by the famous Joe McGinniss who authored the best-selling novel "True Crime" and he had creatively weaved this true story into an interesting and readable piece of literary writing. I was so hooked up and totally hypnotized with the story as an eager gossiper willing to know the root of the crime. It was very informative, educational, sequential, and was told in simple words yet intricately woven into a piece of literary art.
The story told me about greed, money, betrayal, pain, divorce, hate and love, family, friendship, stock market, finance, even excerpts of SARS outbreak in a sequential order, murder, crime investigations, courtroom drama, forbidden love, unfaithfulness, wills, inheritance, insurance, travels, geography, everything woven in a literary artistic fashion that could be understood by a commoner like me.
The gist of the story revolved on two families but it mainly focused the life of a very successful international banker Rob Kissel and his wife Nancy who got married when they were young after they met in an exclusive nudist camp at the Carribean.
Rob was a very ambitious person, a workaholic who was gifted in manipulating and acquiring distressed funds from all over the world. Hired by Goldman Sachs and had established his own mark in the financial market, Rob just couldn't stop going up the ladder. Until he got the opportunity to become bigger he gave up his job at Goldman Sachs and accepted the lucrative and challenging job at Merryl Lynch as a director in their Asian Branch in Hongkong.
Rob and his family flew to Hongkong and had lived there successfully. He and Nancy had made three beautiful children in Hongkong and had lived there as royalty. Their lives had a lot of ups and downs yet Nancy had caused a lot of problems and strains with their relationship. Nancy was never been the same again after the birth of their third child. She was thought to have postpartum psychosis after the birth.
Having no medical involvement after the presumed diagnosis Nancy kept throwing fits and complained about her life as an expat wife. In retaliation to her husband having no time with the family she started spending a lot of money while her husband worked more than 80 hours a week hauling lots of money to their savings account.
The story was been spiced with the unfaithfulness of Nancy when she went back to Vermont and had met this hunky young guy who had installed the stereo components at her new mansion who she had designed and interiored out of Rob's knowing. She had an illicit affair with the stereo guy while her husband had bugged the house and her computer viciously watching and knowing what she was doing behind his back. He even hired a surveillance detective to follow Nancy and document was she was been doing.
Their marriage was on the rocks and Nancy's psychosis was still untreated and had kept escalating at times throwing fits and tantrums any time she needed attention. She was never been the same again.
When Rob told her to return to Hongkong after she got caught and was told about her illicit affair she even got worst and slowly planned to kill his husband like the one in the movie "Unfaithful" which was her favorite movie. They had submitted themselves for counseling but that did not work either. They were on a verge of divorce and Rob was planning to tell her of the plan but Nancy had killed him before he did it.
She had obtained five different sleeping pills and found a chance to slipped it in one of Rob's drink. When Rob was been knocked out with the drink she had the opportunity to hit his head with a family heirloom she got from her grandmother and had blown Rob's head five times which had killed him on the spot.
She fabricated a story that Rob had forced her and raped her and that they had a big fight then Rob had broke her ribs and took off. She never knew where he went.
Secretly, she rolled up Rob's dead body in a carpet and had sent it down to their storage down the building where they lived. The servants had tipped her best friend in San Francisco and Bryna had called all the exclusive hotels in Hongkong to check if Rob had checked in there after the huge fight with Nancy (which Nancy had told her) but to no avail.
After confirming with the servants about the odorous thing inside the rolled carpet at the storage, Bryna called the Hongkong police to have checked it out which was confirmed eventually as Rob's body. The body was found after three days that Rob was been missing.
News had spread all over Hongkong about Rob's (the famous expat and financial banker at Merryl Lynch)that had put Nancy's face at the headline news. The trial was been publicized and dramatized on television and it also made headlines internationally.
Nancy was confined in the maximum prison in Hongkong and she was eventually sentenced to a life in prison for killing Rob brutally with a blunt object on the head five times.
In between the trial she was also communicating to her lover in the United States. All her affairs with the guy was been placed in detail on the book and I don't like to expound it here. I just wanted to write the whole gist of the story.
The book also contained the life of Andrew, Rob's older brother who also got successful in real estate but got tried for embezzling a lot of money from his company and made fraudulent acts like forging signatures and issuing non-funded checks. Andrew was mysteriously murdered a year later at his house underground after Rob's death. It was believed he was killed by the people he had wronged.
The Kissels three children ended up with Rob's sister's custody. They inherited Rob's 20 million trust estate and had lived a beautiful life with their aunt and her family in California.
The book was very interesting, riveting, and full of page turner events which made me finished it for only one sitting. I know life has a lot of temptations and it's up to us to weave our own destiny.
Rob was been lucky to belong to the upper echelon of the human race but some of his decisions were been wrong which had eventually lead to his tragic death. Had he sent Nancy to get treated with her obvious psychosis they would probably end up to be a beautiful and lovable family.
Well, tempted and obscured by the will to amass more wealth and money Rob had neglected his family as well as himself. Sometimes we tend to get engrossed of going up to the top without even minding that we already stepped others as well as neglected to take care of ourselves. But life needed to be balanced in order to get to the summit of our ambitions.
The book had taught me about the need to look back and recollect about our progress in life and never to get tempted with the drive to go up the easy way. I know we are all gifted at our own capacity but we have to use our talents in the right way then we can achieve eternal bliss.
The Rigors Of Buying A Condo In The Philippines
Well, buying a property in the Philippines had given me a lot nagging headache. I never know there were loopholes and empty promises within it. I was duped totally but I can't go back now and just left all the money I have invested. I have to continue and think of the best way out of it.
I started to write this blog to warn potential alien or foreign buyer's in buying any kind of property in the Philippines. This is my own personal testament or experience and I am attesting to it to the best of my capacities and abilities that everything I wrote here were true and not creatively fabricated.
Two years back, I was an eager balikbayan coming back to my homeland sadly because my mom was slowly deteriorating and on a verge of dying. I was lucky enough to have seen her alive and had took care of her before she gave up her last breath and went to heaven and be with our great Creator. I was glad she did not suffer that much.
After, the funeral I went back to Manila to wind up from my grief and was offered to peruse a showroom of a pre-saled condominium intended to be built at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City near Makati and Roxas Blvd. Now the place was a sprawling commercial area and the demands for an investment was quite high.
Judging the progress of the city's construction developments I was lured to sign the reservation form and had downed 50,000 PHP with the promise that my agent will loyalty stick with me until the end of acquiring the property from processing the loans until the turn-over year. I was wrong and I was duped.
I got hooked with the empty promise (which I naively neglected to consider) and I can't stop my excitement and was tempted to buy another property in Cubao which is more cheaper than the first one I got so I started to sign another reservation form and had downed 15,000 PHP with another agent which my best friend had introduced to me.
After my vacation I went back to the States and religiously paying my monthly amortizations for both properties on time without any history of lapse or arrears. Then after 18 months, I recently came back to the Philippines to process my mortgage loans for both properties from Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI).
Now the problem is, I neglected to read all the fine lines two years ago before I had signed both contracts which says that; "the buyer will be the one to transact the loan with the bank" and for me this added another toll on me because I don't have any idea at all where to start. That was my grave mistake plus the fact that I was assured that the agent will stick to me until the end, I did not know that was the catch!
After 18 months I was so ignorant to know that I got lured with the promise of being assisted until I acquired the loan and now almost two years had passed I don't even know where to start or where to contact the right people. I tried to call the first agent but to no avail. She doesn't even returned or responded to all my distressed calls and messages.
Good thing the agent from the Cubao property which my friend had introduced to me two years ago had showed up and helped me with all the paperworks to be submitted to the bank as well as assisted me on what to prepare for both properties despite she was my agent for the property in Cubao. Had she not assisted me to get the both loans may be my dream houses will be left floating on the dust.
I successfully got approved with my loans for the two condominiums eventually with the aid of the second agent and she told me that the first agent had already cashed out her commission after I paid the first six months amortizations. And now when I called her and even messaged her through Facebook she didn't even responded to all my calls and messages.
I was so lucky enough that my friend's agent had stuck with me until I got the loan. I thanked her very intently and sincerely and I treated her with royalty with a nice banquet.
So to all potential buyers who wished to buy a condominium in the Philippines, be careful in what you were signing. Always read the fine lines first before branding your precious signature on the paper or you will regret in once you finished paying your amortization and you can't even turn your back.
Though time is of the essence always be sure to take time reading what you are signing for. Be prudent enough and don't get fooled with empty promises. Better to have everything in writing rather than in verbal agreement.
I had another dilemma with the property I bought at Fort Bonifacio because I didn't know that the pay up for the amortization was 36 months. I thought it was only 26 months. Despite the loan was been approved ahead of time (almost 12 months ahead) I still have to reinstate it once the turn over time will be near. That's another 18 months and for sure more money will be involved. It was mind bending!
Now I am glad everything was been taken cared of but still I can imagine how much time and money I've been wasted just to get at where I am now. I am so thankful that my friend's agent had helped me until I was done.
Aaah..... have I known how difficult it was to acquire a property in the Philippines I should have declined the offer in the first place. But it's too late to relent now and I am shredding a lot of money on the process already for the two properties.
Hopefully, time will come when I paid both properties fully then I can sell it at a much higher market price and profit exorbitantly from them. I'm crossing my fingers to have that realized.
Hope this will serve as a lesson to me as well as a guide to potential buyers. This was written not to discourage those potential buyers but to warn them on what to ask, do, plan, and decide. Good luck on your future plans guys!
I started to write this blog to warn potential alien or foreign buyer's in buying any kind of property in the Philippines. This is my own personal testament or experience and I am attesting to it to the best of my capacities and abilities that everything I wrote here were true and not creatively fabricated.
Two years back, I was an eager balikbayan coming back to my homeland sadly because my mom was slowly deteriorating and on a verge of dying. I was lucky enough to have seen her alive and had took care of her before she gave up her last breath and went to heaven and be with our great Creator. I was glad she did not suffer that much.
After, the funeral I went back to Manila to wind up from my grief and was offered to peruse a showroom of a pre-saled condominium intended to be built at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City near Makati and Roxas Blvd. Now the place was a sprawling commercial area and the demands for an investment was quite high.
Judging the progress of the city's construction developments I was lured to sign the reservation form and had downed 50,000 PHP with the promise that my agent will loyalty stick with me until the end of acquiring the property from processing the loans until the turn-over year. I was wrong and I was duped.
I got hooked with the empty promise (which I naively neglected to consider) and I can't stop my excitement and was tempted to buy another property in Cubao which is more cheaper than the first one I got so I started to sign another reservation form and had downed 15,000 PHP with another agent which my best friend had introduced to me.
After my vacation I went back to the States and religiously paying my monthly amortizations for both properties on time without any history of lapse or arrears. Then after 18 months, I recently came back to the Philippines to process my mortgage loans for both properties from Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI).
Now the problem is, I neglected to read all the fine lines two years ago before I had signed both contracts which says that; "the buyer will be the one to transact the loan with the bank" and for me this added another toll on me because I don't have any idea at all where to start. That was my grave mistake plus the fact that I was assured that the agent will stick to me until the end, I did not know that was the catch!
After 18 months I was so ignorant to know that I got lured with the promise of being assisted until I acquired the loan and now almost two years had passed I don't even know where to start or where to contact the right people. I tried to call the first agent but to no avail. She doesn't even returned or responded to all my distressed calls and messages.
Good thing the agent from the Cubao property which my friend had introduced to me two years ago had showed up and helped me with all the paperworks to be submitted to the bank as well as assisted me on what to prepare for both properties despite she was my agent for the property in Cubao. Had she not assisted me to get the both loans may be my dream houses will be left floating on the dust.
I successfully got approved with my loans for the two condominiums eventually with the aid of the second agent and she told me that the first agent had already cashed out her commission after I paid the first six months amortizations. And now when I called her and even messaged her through Facebook she didn't even responded to all my calls and messages.
I was so lucky enough that my friend's agent had stuck with me until I got the loan. I thanked her very intently and sincerely and I treated her with royalty with a nice banquet.
So to all potential buyers who wished to buy a condominium in the Philippines, be careful in what you were signing. Always read the fine lines first before branding your precious signature on the paper or you will regret in once you finished paying your amortization and you can't even turn your back.
Though time is of the essence always be sure to take time reading what you are signing for. Be prudent enough and don't get fooled with empty promises. Better to have everything in writing rather than in verbal agreement.
I had another dilemma with the property I bought at Fort Bonifacio because I didn't know that the pay up for the amortization was 36 months. I thought it was only 26 months. Despite the loan was been approved ahead of time (almost 12 months ahead) I still have to reinstate it once the turn over time will be near. That's another 18 months and for sure more money will be involved. It was mind bending!
Now I am glad everything was been taken cared of but still I can imagine how much time and money I've been wasted just to get at where I am now. I am so thankful that my friend's agent had helped me until I was done.
Aaah..... have I known how difficult it was to acquire a property in the Philippines I should have declined the offer in the first place. But it's too late to relent now and I am shredding a lot of money on the process already for the two properties.
Hopefully, time will come when I paid both properties fully then I can sell it at a much higher market price and profit exorbitantly from them. I'm crossing my fingers to have that realized.
Hope this will serve as a lesson to me as well as a guide to potential buyers. This was written not to discourage those potential buyers but to warn them on what to ask, do, plan, and decide. Good luck on your future plans guys!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
A Reminiscence Of My LRT Ride
As I was standing idly at the corner of the LRT train from Quirino station to Doroteo Jose station the hapless scenery of Manila was been laid out in front of me like a cheap magazine which brought some flashes of memories when I was still living in this busy capital after I graduated college.
Seeing the vast sceneries of adjacent and neighboring tall buildings and commercial establishments along Taft Avenue brought me back those bittersweet memories I've had when I was still a struggling nurse in this fast-paced city. It molded me to be independent and taught me how to survive life like a double-edged sword which made me cut corners in order to survive life in this pathetic city.
The length of the trip from Quirino station to Pedro Gil, Vito Cruz, United Nations Avenue, and the sprawling Rizal Park at the heart of the city all brought some nostalgic and poignant flashbacks at the back of my subconscious mind.
When I spotted the Philippine General Hospital along the length of Taft Avenue it reminded me of my first on-the-job training at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit after I graduated college, and also reminded me of the friends I had met when I was still in training there. I was wondering where they are now.
The nearby National Bureau of Investigation reminded me of the endless queue of applicants from the different regions of the country speaking different dialects, with the only goal of getting criminal clearance for their applications abroad. It was a tough moment when I had queued myself for my own criminal clearance. I still remember the happy and excited face I wore after I got my documents.
The nearby Luneta a.k.a. Rizal Park looked more contemporary now compared to what I had known it during the times of my stay here. Now it looked more sophisticated and very captivating to the tourists and the locals alike. There were even more dancing fountains adorned with colorful lights swaying to the beat of classical music. It was very captivating to look at especially at night. They were meant to be placed there to lure more audiences and passersby.
The old clock of the Manila City Hall was still standing tall at the building's tower working excellently well, defying the curse of time. The historic Intramuros was still spotted well with it's well-manicured green lawns and it's strong and molded concrete walls along the Pasig River and the Lawton area.
The nearby Lawton and Binondo as we entered the Quiapo area was been stripped off of it's Hispanic era appearance and were changed with all these ultra modern neon lights and commercial business signs that had made it more crowded and unpleasant to look at.
Even the Pasig River, which divided the central part of the city from the commercial district of Binondo, couldn't escape the wrath of the pollution which wrap the whole city with a thick smog and added to the murky and filthy appearance of the water. Even the rubbish, trashes, and dirts where been spotted floating in decomposing and decaying state on the dirty water. It was a hapless and icky sight to see.
Crossing the Binondo Bridge going to Avenida and Recto Blvd, and the nearby Carriedo Station near Quiapo was still teeming with illegal vendors selling cheap immitations on the streets luring some customers to buy their stuff in bulk for less. This was still the same sight I've known and seen when I was still living here 20 years ago, albeit it was even more crowded and the traffic was even worst.
I never imagined I would be back here in the Quiapo-Recto area to reminisce my sordid and bitter past. I still feel at home despite of the nagging humidity and the thick pollution as well as the annoying traffic.
When I alighted at the Doroteo Jose station all my memories kept flashing back nonstop like a vacuum in my memory bank. I walked about a half mile along Recto Blvd towards Isetan Mall in Quiapo and walked inside the mall as if looking for the lost pieces of my old past.
The Mall was not the same anymore just like before. There were stalls and kiosks of various gadgetry and it was too crowded already. The elevator is not even working unlike before where it showcased the plushed glass elevator. Now, no more!
Still flashbacks of memories kept coming back and sucking in me. I couldn't help closing my eyes and shudder impishly for the nostalgia it brought back to me. The effect was electrifying! I felt I am whole again and the void that's been there for the past 20 years was been eased down. I can't help crying and trembling inside.
I came out of the mall after a thirty minute stroll and exited towards the Quiapo exit door and started walking towards the Quiapo Church passing the famous Plaza Miranda. Apparently the church was close but I still paid homage outside the well-known edifice.
The streets of Quiapo were still the same, overly crowded, filthy and polluted. The streets were loaded with a lot of muggers and fixers and it still depicted the same picture as what I have known it in the past. It never changed at all!
I went back at the Isetan Mall and went on the third floor playing video games and I meet a cute guy there where we exchange stories and conversations. I invited him for a snack at the nearby Goldilocks restaurant where we kept yacking and telling funny stories for another hour. He was a gullible storyteller.
I left Quaipo at 6:30 pm and took the opposite route of the LRT that I took earlier and I felt that I was sucked up again back to all the memory flashbacks I was doing earlier while I am on my way there.
Now I am back again in my own reality world and it was quite a good feeling to have stand idle in that corner of the LRT train back to where I stayed in Malate in Singalong. The reminiscence of my past twenty years ago was just a good escape of my boring life in Los Angeles. It was totally void and now I felt complete.
I can't believe that my vacation will be over in six days and I just wanted to stop counting the days before it ended because I know my life will not be the same again. How I wish I was just dreaming! How I wish this will not end!
Seeing the vast sceneries of adjacent and neighboring tall buildings and commercial establishments along Taft Avenue brought me back those bittersweet memories I've had when I was still a struggling nurse in this fast-paced city. It molded me to be independent and taught me how to survive life like a double-edged sword which made me cut corners in order to survive life in this pathetic city.
The length of the trip from Quirino station to Pedro Gil, Vito Cruz, United Nations Avenue, and the sprawling Rizal Park at the heart of the city all brought some nostalgic and poignant flashbacks at the back of my subconscious mind.
When I spotted the Philippine General Hospital along the length of Taft Avenue it reminded me of my first on-the-job training at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit after I graduated college, and also reminded me of the friends I had met when I was still in training there. I was wondering where they are now.
The nearby National Bureau of Investigation reminded me of the endless queue of applicants from the different regions of the country speaking different dialects, with the only goal of getting criminal clearance for their applications abroad. It was a tough moment when I had queued myself for my own criminal clearance. I still remember the happy and excited face I wore after I got my documents.
The nearby Luneta a.k.a. Rizal Park looked more contemporary now compared to what I had known it during the times of my stay here. Now it looked more sophisticated and very captivating to the tourists and the locals alike. There were even more dancing fountains adorned with colorful lights swaying to the beat of classical music. It was very captivating to look at especially at night. They were meant to be placed there to lure more audiences and passersby.
The old clock of the Manila City Hall was still standing tall at the building's tower working excellently well, defying the curse of time. The historic Intramuros was still spotted well with it's well-manicured green lawns and it's strong and molded concrete walls along the Pasig River and the Lawton area.
The nearby Lawton and Binondo as we entered the Quiapo area was been stripped off of it's Hispanic era appearance and were changed with all these ultra modern neon lights and commercial business signs that had made it more crowded and unpleasant to look at.
Even the Pasig River, which divided the central part of the city from the commercial district of Binondo, couldn't escape the wrath of the pollution which wrap the whole city with a thick smog and added to the murky and filthy appearance of the water. Even the rubbish, trashes, and dirts where been spotted floating in decomposing and decaying state on the dirty water. It was a hapless and icky sight to see.
Crossing the Binondo Bridge going to Avenida and Recto Blvd, and the nearby Carriedo Station near Quiapo was still teeming with illegal vendors selling cheap immitations on the streets luring some customers to buy their stuff in bulk for less. This was still the same sight I've known and seen when I was still living here 20 years ago, albeit it was even more crowded and the traffic was even worst.
I never imagined I would be back here in the Quiapo-Recto area to reminisce my sordid and bitter past. I still feel at home despite of the nagging humidity and the thick pollution as well as the annoying traffic.
When I alighted at the Doroteo Jose station all my memories kept flashing back nonstop like a vacuum in my memory bank. I walked about a half mile along Recto Blvd towards Isetan Mall in Quiapo and walked inside the mall as if looking for the lost pieces of my old past.
The Mall was not the same anymore just like before. There were stalls and kiosks of various gadgetry and it was too crowded already. The elevator is not even working unlike before where it showcased the plushed glass elevator. Now, no more!
Still flashbacks of memories kept coming back and sucking in me. I couldn't help closing my eyes and shudder impishly for the nostalgia it brought back to me. The effect was electrifying! I felt I am whole again and the void that's been there for the past 20 years was been eased down. I can't help crying and trembling inside.
I came out of the mall after a thirty minute stroll and exited towards the Quiapo exit door and started walking towards the Quiapo Church passing the famous Plaza Miranda. Apparently the church was close but I still paid homage outside the well-known edifice.
The streets of Quiapo were still the same, overly crowded, filthy and polluted. The streets were loaded with a lot of muggers and fixers and it still depicted the same picture as what I have known it in the past. It never changed at all!
I went back at the Isetan Mall and went on the third floor playing video games and I meet a cute guy there where we exchange stories and conversations. I invited him for a snack at the nearby Goldilocks restaurant where we kept yacking and telling funny stories for another hour. He was a gullible storyteller.
I left Quaipo at 6:30 pm and took the opposite route of the LRT that I took earlier and I felt that I was sucked up again back to all the memory flashbacks I was doing earlier while I am on my way there.
Now I am back again in my own reality world and it was quite a good feeling to have stand idle in that corner of the LRT train back to where I stayed in Malate in Singalong. The reminiscence of my past twenty years ago was just a good escape of my boring life in Los Angeles. It was totally void and now I felt complete.
I can't believe that my vacation will be over in six days and I just wanted to stop counting the days before it ended because I know my life will not be the same again. How I wish I was just dreaming! How I wish this will not end!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
The Busy Streets Of Hongkong
It was a very hot Saturday of February 26 when we (me and my little sister) left Manila for Hongkong at 2 pm. The airport was very crowded and the hustle-and-bustle of the people inside was very dizzying to my head.
Despite of this, I am more eager to leave the traffic and pollution of Manila and see what's Hongkong has to offer to us. They say Hongkong is a very progressive country famous for it's tall buildings and busy subways. Well, I still don't know what's in store for us there yet I have a feeling that it will be fun.
When we landed at Hongkong International Airport I was so excited to see the beautiful airport and the nice people around. Despite of the SARS epidemic that struck the city ten years ago Hongkong was still standing tall and was very promising.
After we successfully passed and cleared the strict scrutiny of the immigration officers we were so happy that we were warmly welcomed in Hongkong with my big sister's two friends who happened to be my high school batchmate and my little sister's high school batchmate also. What a coincidence!
We took a fifteen-minute bus ride to Wanchai where we had our hotel reservations. We checked-in at the hotel then we took off and started our day. The tall buildings were very scary to look at yet it had helped draped the city with cool breeze because of it's dark shades yet the thick visibility of the smog couldn't be denied.
The traffic was so busy and the buses as well as the trolleys hyperactively roll on the narrow streets and railways yet the pollution was not that imminent compared to in Manila, but it's still obvious because of the thick smog. Hongkong indeed is another thrilling place to discover for me.
We ate at a Chinese restaurant eating dimsum then we headed to Time Square and roam around there perusing the business center of Central Hongkong. When we got tired of roaming Time Square we took the subway going back to Wanchai and our guide was lost and had us walked further and further which had made us tired more and more.
We went back to our hotel very tired and waited for my big sister to come after her work was done. She (my big sister)is working in Hongkong as a domestic helper for a long time and that's the reason why I decided to go to Hongkong to visit her as well as enjoy what's Hongkong has to offer to us.
The next day..... we headed to Disneyland and spend our whole day there acting like litlle children believing in fantasy and having so much fun. Disneyland is the place to make believe and be like a child again. We all had a blast taking the rides, watching the shows, eating and dining, snapping pictures, perusing the whole perimeter, and watching fireworks and light shows. It was a fun yet tiring day but we all had a blast!
After we got out of Disneyland we went to the Tung Jun and met some of my sister's bestfriends at the Bulldogs Bar, sipping hard drinks and eating "pulutan" as well as listen to a live band and chatted with each other on the top of our voices.
After closing time we then headed back to the hotel and rested our fatigue off peacefully so that the next day we will feel refreshed and active again for another round of adventure.
The next day we spent the whole morning shopping at the financial distict at the IFC Mall and also snapped some more pictures of the harbor as seen from the financial center's tower. I had took a lot of beautiful pictures for my online Facebook albums.
Then in the afternoon we went to Oceanpark and spent the whole afternoon roaming around the place, riding cable cars, watching the dolphin shows as well as meet the beautiful pandas, dine at their famous underwater restaurant as well as watched some of the endagered species of fish at their huge underground aquarium.
Wow...... Hongkong was very exciting to visit at and I did enjoyed my three day respite there despite of some inevitable setbacks yet we still able to had fun, sit back, and relaxed peacefully and enjoyably.
Aaaah..... I am so blessed to have visited this sprawling and progressive city. I know I had a very rewarding visit yet a very memorable one. I have to say thanks to my big sister and her best friends for the warm welcome they've shared us. Luv u guys!
Despite of this, I am more eager to leave the traffic and pollution of Manila and see what's Hongkong has to offer to us. They say Hongkong is a very progressive country famous for it's tall buildings and busy subways. Well, I still don't know what's in store for us there yet I have a feeling that it will be fun.
When we landed at Hongkong International Airport I was so excited to see the beautiful airport and the nice people around. Despite of the SARS epidemic that struck the city ten years ago Hongkong was still standing tall and was very promising.
After we successfully passed and cleared the strict scrutiny of the immigration officers we were so happy that we were warmly welcomed in Hongkong with my big sister's two friends who happened to be my high school batchmate and my little sister's high school batchmate also. What a coincidence!
We took a fifteen-minute bus ride to Wanchai where we had our hotel reservations. We checked-in at the hotel then we took off and started our day. The tall buildings were very scary to look at yet it had helped draped the city with cool breeze because of it's dark shades yet the thick visibility of the smog couldn't be denied.
The traffic was so busy and the buses as well as the trolleys hyperactively roll on the narrow streets and railways yet the pollution was not that imminent compared to in Manila, but it's still obvious because of the thick smog. Hongkong indeed is another thrilling place to discover for me.
We ate at a Chinese restaurant eating dimsum then we headed to Time Square and roam around there perusing the business center of Central Hongkong. When we got tired of roaming Time Square we took the subway going back to Wanchai and our guide was lost and had us walked further and further which had made us tired more and more.
We went back to our hotel very tired and waited for my big sister to come after her work was done. She (my big sister)is working in Hongkong as a domestic helper for a long time and that's the reason why I decided to go to Hongkong to visit her as well as enjoy what's Hongkong has to offer to us.
The next day..... we headed to Disneyland and spend our whole day there acting like litlle children believing in fantasy and having so much fun. Disneyland is the place to make believe and be like a child again. We all had a blast taking the rides, watching the shows, eating and dining, snapping pictures, perusing the whole perimeter, and watching fireworks and light shows. It was a fun yet tiring day but we all had a blast!
After we got out of Disneyland we went to the Tung Jun and met some of my sister's bestfriends at the Bulldogs Bar, sipping hard drinks and eating "pulutan" as well as listen to a live band and chatted with each other on the top of our voices.
After closing time we then headed back to the hotel and rested our fatigue off peacefully so that the next day we will feel refreshed and active again for another round of adventure.
The next day we spent the whole morning shopping at the financial distict at the IFC Mall and also snapped some more pictures of the harbor as seen from the financial center's tower. I had took a lot of beautiful pictures for my online Facebook albums.
Then in the afternoon we went to Oceanpark and spent the whole afternoon roaming around the place, riding cable cars, watching the dolphin shows as well as meet the beautiful pandas, dine at their famous underwater restaurant as well as watched some of the endagered species of fish at their huge underground aquarium.
Wow...... Hongkong was very exciting to visit at and I did enjoyed my three day respite there despite of some inevitable setbacks yet we still able to had fun, sit back, and relaxed peacefully and enjoyably.
Aaaah..... I am so blessed to have visited this sprawling and progressive city. I know I had a very rewarding visit yet a very memorable one. I have to say thanks to my big sister and her best friends for the warm welcome they've shared us. Luv u guys!
Awesome Island Of Bohol
It was an impulsive decision to take a day and spent a very relaxing visit to the countryside especially in the remote yet beautiful place like Bohol.
I was probably bored of the busy street of Manila so I decided to purchase three tickets to Bohol thinking to bring some of my close friends to make the adventure more fun. So they say, "The more the merrier."
Leaving Manila on a wee hours of a Thursday morning of February 24, me, my little sister, and my boyfriend took a domestic flight down south of the Philippine islands via a Tagbilaran city flight. It was a direct flight and it was a smooth sailing one. There were a lot of passengers eager to see what Bohol had in store for us that day.
When we landed at the city of Tagbilaran, the sun had greeted us with a warm welcome and the morning fog had kissed the green meadows near the airport. It was a cold morning yet a very promising one. The weather was nice although humid but better than the rainy weather in Manila. It was a perfect day for us to roam around the whole island.
Upon picking up our luggages and coming out of the airport I immediately look for a ride-to-hire van willing enough to tour us around the island. I eagerly negotiated an amiable guy with a van at a very reasonable price so we immediately took off and started our whole day's sojourn.
We went to see the haven of Tarsiers in Baclayon after we ordered a breakfastr take-out at McDonald's in Tagbilaran, which is the sprawling capital of Bohol.
Tarsiers I believe were nocturnal animals and the smallest primates ever discovered and I've seen with my two naked eyes. I think they were a mix of owls and monkeys combined. These teeny-little creatures were so adorable yet very evasive. We can't even touch them or else they will morph. Our driver had already warne dus in the van not to touch them so I just kept snapping pictures of the tarsiers for my online mementos.
Next stop was the statue which replicated the blood compact done on the shores of Bohol during the Spanish invasion of the Philippines. We also snapped some pictures there then we headed to see and check out the miraculous church of Baclayon famous for it's American era priest calle dPadre Pio who was claimed to appear in some of the nooks of the church. The church was also full of religious artifacts for us to see and untold stories for us to hear and listen.
We then headed to the inner most part of the island and had passed the man-made rainforest and ziplined on the top of the hill. It was super fun to have done all those gut-wrenching activities.
After that we headed to see the global phenomenon and the famous spot that Bohol must be proud of...... the notorious chocolate hills of Bohol.
It was an awesome site to see see the chocolate hills which were sitting side-by-side with each other forming a line of intricate rounds of ground soil. It was very captivating and unbelievable to see the synchronized land formations. I can't stop snapping the best pictures for my online blogs.
After we saw the chocolate hills it was almost noon so we headed back to Tagbilaran and passed by the hanging bridge then went for a lunch on a river tour at Loboc river. The lunch was so cool because we we eating while the raft was floating on the river and along the banks were stationed some of the serenaders for the tourist.
Tourism in Bohol was very organized and I admire their tenacity to present their place to the tourist and the locals. After lunch we tried to buy for our souvenirs and and went to see the Hinagdanan cave then we went to Panglao island to check in at the hotel.
After checking in and resting for a little bit me and my boyfriend peruse the beautiful white sandy beach shore and snapped more pictures for our remembrance of the beautiful beachfront. Then we went back to the hotel and rested for the night.
The next day we started our tour driving around Panglao island and checked the smallest person in the world named Boyoyong. I also took some pictures of him for my online album.
We then went to see the Peacock garden Resort and peruese the multimillion estate as well as ate lunch at there famous restaurant. The estate was very secured and nice. The tour guide had done her best to market the beautiful and plush place to us. We were in awe of the luxurious mansion and the inside antique collectibles hanged on the walls dated wayback the Spanish era.
After we spend so much time at the estate we were ran out of time so we decided to stop by the mall and sippe dsome coffee. We were not able to see the falls told to us by the driver because of the time constraints. Well, I might probably be back there and see it next time.
We went back to Manila very tired but with a big smile on our face because we had spent so much fun in Bohol and never lagged to waste it. Haaay..... how I wish I am free now from the reins of my job and live peacefully in the countryside like Bohol. Hopefully, I will achieve it someday.
Bohol had kept it's promise to us and I will never forget this exciting yet rewarding experience. Thank you people of Bohol from the bottom of my heart.
I was probably bored of the busy street of Manila so I decided to purchase three tickets to Bohol thinking to bring some of my close friends to make the adventure more fun. So they say, "The more the merrier."
Leaving Manila on a wee hours of a Thursday morning of February 24, me, my little sister, and my boyfriend took a domestic flight down south of the Philippine islands via a Tagbilaran city flight. It was a direct flight and it was a smooth sailing one. There were a lot of passengers eager to see what Bohol had in store for us that day.
When we landed at the city of Tagbilaran, the sun had greeted us with a warm welcome and the morning fog had kissed the green meadows near the airport. It was a cold morning yet a very promising one. The weather was nice although humid but better than the rainy weather in Manila. It was a perfect day for us to roam around the whole island.
Upon picking up our luggages and coming out of the airport I immediately look for a ride-to-hire van willing enough to tour us around the island. I eagerly negotiated an amiable guy with a van at a very reasonable price so we immediately took off and started our whole day's sojourn.
We went to see the haven of Tarsiers in Baclayon after we ordered a breakfastr take-out at McDonald's in Tagbilaran, which is the sprawling capital of Bohol.
Tarsiers I believe were nocturnal animals and the smallest primates ever discovered and I've seen with my two naked eyes. I think they were a mix of owls and monkeys combined. These teeny-little creatures were so adorable yet very evasive. We can't even touch them or else they will morph. Our driver had already warne dus in the van not to touch them so I just kept snapping pictures of the tarsiers for my online mementos.
Next stop was the statue which replicated the blood compact done on the shores of Bohol during the Spanish invasion of the Philippines. We also snapped some pictures there then we headed to see and check out the miraculous church of Baclayon famous for it's American era priest calle dPadre Pio who was claimed to appear in some of the nooks of the church. The church was also full of religious artifacts for us to see and untold stories for us to hear and listen.
We then headed to the inner most part of the island and had passed the man-made rainforest and ziplined on the top of the hill. It was super fun to have done all those gut-wrenching activities.
After that we headed to see the global phenomenon and the famous spot that Bohol must be proud of...... the notorious chocolate hills of Bohol.
It was an awesome site to see see the chocolate hills which were sitting side-by-side with each other forming a line of intricate rounds of ground soil. It was very captivating and unbelievable to see the synchronized land formations. I can't stop snapping the best pictures for my online blogs.
After we saw the chocolate hills it was almost noon so we headed back to Tagbilaran and passed by the hanging bridge then went for a lunch on a river tour at Loboc river. The lunch was so cool because we we eating while the raft was floating on the river and along the banks were stationed some of the serenaders for the tourist.
Tourism in Bohol was very organized and I admire their tenacity to present their place to the tourist and the locals. After lunch we tried to buy for our souvenirs and and went to see the Hinagdanan cave then we went to Panglao island to check in at the hotel.
After checking in and resting for a little bit me and my boyfriend peruse the beautiful white sandy beach shore and snapped more pictures for our remembrance of the beautiful beachfront. Then we went back to the hotel and rested for the night.
The next day we started our tour driving around Panglao island and checked the smallest person in the world named Boyoyong. I also took some pictures of him for my online album.
We then went to see the Peacock garden Resort and peruese the multimillion estate as well as ate lunch at there famous restaurant. The estate was very secured and nice. The tour guide had done her best to market the beautiful and plush place to us. We were in awe of the luxurious mansion and the inside antique collectibles hanged on the walls dated wayback the Spanish era.
After we spend so much time at the estate we were ran out of time so we decided to stop by the mall and sippe dsome coffee. We were not able to see the falls told to us by the driver because of the time constraints. Well, I might probably be back there and see it next time.
We went back to Manila very tired but with a big smile on our face because we had spent so much fun in Bohol and never lagged to waste it. Haaay..... how I wish I am free now from the reins of my job and live peacefully in the countryside like Bohol. Hopefully, I will achieve it someday.
Bohol had kept it's promise to us and I will never forget this exciting yet rewarding experience. Thank you people of Bohol from the bottom of my heart.
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