This is ME.

After almost 3 years of not playing Badminton at all, I finally...

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:31:13 +0800

After almost 3 years of not playing Badminton at all, I finally gave in and accepted the invitation to play with my colleagues…

I am rusty. :|

Hahaha! It’s all good though, there’s always a next time to redeem my varsity skills and get back my reflexes. I think. ^^

Can’t wait to see the beach again. ♥

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:17:50 +0800

Can’t wait to see the beach again. ♥

Of roadtrips and palm trees.

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:15:38 +0800

Of roadtrips and palm trees.

What a quaint coffee shop. ♡ One of my favorite places in my...

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:16:18 +0800

What a quaint coffee shop. ♡ One of my favorite places in my city. :)

Sunset outside of Tacloban City Hall. Blessed to be part of a...

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:33:16 +0800

Sunset outside of Tacloban City Hall. Blessed to be part of a local government that loves and serves its constituents with passion, dedication, and efficiency. Here’s to 3 more years! :)

I’ve never been prouder to be a Taclobanon. Good will...

Wed, 15 May 2013 00:15:52 +0800

I’ve never been prouder to be a Taclobanon. Good will always triumph against evil. :) Congratulations to everyone in Team Romualdez! We did great guys! :)

It’ll be you and me, up in the trees, and the forest will...

Sat, 11 May 2013 19:54:34 +0800

It’ll be you and me, up in the trees, and the forest will give us the answers. ♥

A secret garden of serenity right outside my office building....

Sat, 11 May 2013 08:45:43 +0800

A secret garden of serenity right outside my office building. Lovely. ♥

Frisbee action shots during the GK Volunteers Team Building in...

Thu, 09 May 2013 23:32:22 +0800

Frisbee action shots during the GK Volunteers Team Building in Abuyog!

I will definitely suck at this sport because I wouldn’t see the disc until it’s 5 inches away from my face. Hahaha.

Solitude is bliss. :) I need another vacation. Hays.

Tue, 07 May 2013 09:53:44 +0800

Solitude is bliss. :)

I need another vacation. Hays.

The view outside the van on my way back to Tacloban from my...

Sun, 05 May 2013 21:56:30 +0800

The view outside the van on my way back to Tacloban from my visit to my sister in Cebu.

We never run out of rice fields in the Philippines. :)

I’d like to think that this is a secret rendezvous of some...

Thu, 02 May 2013 21:28:09 +0800

I’d like to think that this is a secret rendezvous of some sort. Lol. Yes, I think of random things to fight boredom when I’m doing field work. ;)

The scenic views in Abuyog, Leyte, an hour and a half drive from...

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:37:35 +0800

Coachella-ish palm trees!

The shoreline.

Lovely sunrise.

Waking up early.

Mother Nature never fails.

The scenic views in Abuyog, Leyte, an hour and a half drive from Tacloban City. I am in awe of how different each sunrise is in different parts of the world, yet all so equally beautiful. :)

It’s horrible and it’s vile but I don’t really...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:09:02 +0800

It’s horrible and it’s vile but I don’t really give a fuck these days. It keeps me sane and helps me deal with the stress. Sue me.

The view from the airplane ride I wish I never had to take....

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 03:51:57 +0800

The view from the airplane ride I wish I never had to take. Please pray for my sister, she’s in the ICU now after her brain surgery.

The Tomato - Eggplant Salad Experiment

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:00:14 +0800

Preparation:

1. Toast bell peppers (1 green and 1 red) for about ten minutes. After, set aside and let cool, then peel skin and chop into squares.

2. Cut an X at the bottom of the tomatoes (about 7 pieces) and boil in water for one minute. Cool in water, then peel skin and chop to squares.

3. Cut two eggplants into strips and crush one clove garlic.

Cooking:

Sauté eggplants first in extra virgin olive oil and add garlic when eggplants turn brown. Add bell peppers and tomatoes after. Put tomato paste (about 1/4 cup) in the mixture. Put black ground pepper, cayenne pepper, and basil leaves. Simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes. Serve. :)

I think it is one of my yummy yummy yummiest experiments yet!!! I love being a vegetarian. ^_^

The Cathedral in Maasin, Southern Leyte. Going to old churches...

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 11:04:09 +0800

The Cathedral in Maasin, Southern Leyte.

Going to old churches in every town I visit is one of my favorite things to do. I am not deeply religious (if you base it on my Mom’s definition of religious) but I do love the serenity and calmness that comes with places like this. And the cobblestone walls and faded paint, adds a certain charm. Don’t you think?

Travel hanging shot in Limasawa! :)

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 21:05:24 +0800

Travel hanging shot in Limasawa! :)

Paraisong Pambata weekend spent in I Love Tacloban Village GK...

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 10:30:13 +0800

Paraisong Pambata weekend spent in I Love Tacloban Village GK Palanog! :) Games and snacks galore!!! (I think most of us who gave food were too excited, thus the overflow. Haha.)

It is always a joy to be with children because they remind us how to value little things, and find happiness in them. :) Indeed, I am blessed.

Limasawa Island: A Historical Tour

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:30:00 +0800

I’ve only read about Ferdinand Magellan and his expeditions in history books. After 25 years of existence, I had the chance to come face to face with the First Cross planted in Philippine soil, by Magellan himself.This was one of the main reasons why I wanted to visit Limasawa. Aside from the beautiful beach and the crazy awesome natural resources, I wanted to get in touch with history. On our second day, we headed to Brgy. Magallanes to climb the island’s highest hill. The welcome / warning sign at the bottom of the hill.The never ending steps, or so it seemed, while we were climbing. (And I was wearing long sleeves!) I had to change into my running attire halfway through the climb just to stop the sweating. Lol.Finally! The first cross planted in Philippine soil. As to the first mass, it is still highly disputed between another island in Butuan. (I’m not sure how they can settle that since everyone involved is already, uhm, dead. Hihi.)Just past the cross, is a hill overlooking the ocean and the whole island. BEST. SIGHT. EVER.

More of this beautiful, picturesque island after the jump.

See? Blue ocean, and the never ending horizon. It was so hard to capture everything because the photos could never do justice to the real thing. When we went down, I dropped by the wishing well and made 3 wishes. (Yes, I’m still a kid that way. Hehe. And no, I won’t tell you what I wished for. :p)Inside the mini-museum built to recreate the “first mass’ in Limasawa. I was super sweaty by then but no muscle pains. (Nyahahaha, runners ftw!!) We took a little break before finally heading to the port to catch our ride back to Padre Burgos. Here’s my parting shot. :pHere we are saying Goodbye to Limasawa and the experiences we had there. Thanks again Sly for going with me! Til our next random adventure! :)

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The Municipality of Limasawa is located in Southern Leyte. From Tacloban, ride a van to Maasin (P220), go down at the terminal and ride a bus to Padre Burgos (P30) from the port, you can ride a pump boat for P50-P100 depending on your arrangement with the boat driver. The trip takes 45 - 50 minutes depending on the weather. For reservations in Dak Dak resort you can contact Debbie at + 63 906 730 9609.