COME SOUTH, CAM SUR! / OCTOBER 12-14,2007

I grew up WITHOUT a province. My parents were classmates in Grade School; they lived five blocks away from each other. Everytime people ask what my province is, I would always half-laughingly reply, "Makati." Hahaha. Yup, I think part of the reason why I have such an over-active imagination is that while my classmates wrote about visits to lolas and lolos in the province for their annual "What I Did During My Summer Vacation" essay, I invented mine. HAHAHA!!! 'p True, my childhood years were priceless and ultra-fun, spent with cousins from both sides of the family, but in my young mind, taking a 15-minute trip to Makati from our Paranaque home did not seem to count as a "real vacation" worthy of an essay. HAHAHA!!! Fool. =)

In any case, both work, family and barkada gimmicks have brought me to different parts of the Philippines, and it is now official. If I were to choose to adopt a province, I would choose Camarines Sur. Hands down. Any day of the week. Twice on Sundays. No questions asked. Haha!

I will explain anyway. =)

Wakeboarding being Hubby Sweet's most recent passion, we reserved the first available long weekend for a trip to the Camarines Sur Watersports Complex (to be hereby referred to as CWC). Having personally watched a feature on it once in one of the sports channels, and with Hubby Sweet checking out the CWC website every, single night (!), expectations were admittedly running quite high.

The CWC did NOT disappoint. Considering the lofty expectations, I was actually surprised it did not disappoint! Haha. =)

We arrived in Naga at 5:30 a.m. on board the Penafrancia. It was an overnight trip, having left Manila at 9:00 p.m. The ride wasn't too bad. Truth be told, we could have flown via Air Philippines, but aside from the obvious difference in rates, I was actually looking forward to experiencing an overnight trip aboard a bus with Lazy-Boy seats and an actual, working restroom. =) I mean, I've flown countless times before, but riding a bus overnight in the Philippines? Now that's a new experience! Hahaha.

I suppose I was soooooooooooo tired from all the goings-on at the office, I was snoozing soon after the bus drove off the Araneta Center terminal, and woke up only when we were about 20 minutes from Naga. I think I actually woke up only because Hubby Sweet kept fidgeting, checking out the window for any sign that we were already there. He claimed that he did NOT sleep a wink. I think it was more out of excitement and anticipation though, rather than discomfort. Hahaha! =)

A shuttle picked us up from the Central Bus Terminal. Driver Joel told us we were the first he was scheduled to pick up that day, but we were definitely not the last. It was still dark when we arrived. After driving through the streets of Naga, we reached the Capitol Building. I thought it odd that the driver was giving us a tour of the capitol at that time of the morning--until I saw a sign. The CWC was apparently at the back of the capitol compound. It sits on 6-hectares of what used to be raw land.

What used to be raw land is now acknowledged as the best wakeboarding complex in Asia.

Now, to make something out of nothing takes vision and doggone determination. I was already in awe--and I haven't even seen the darn thing yet! Hahaha! 'p

Driver Joel dropped us off at the registration office. Both Hubby Sweet and I had wanted to stay at one of the container vans. We wanted to experience how it is to live in a container! Hahaha. Ang babaw. It was not meant to be. Fully booked. Apparently, the container vans are always the first to go. Not only were they the cheapest among the different housing facilities at the CWC, apparently, everyone wants to experience living in a steel box! Hahaha! 'p

We had to stay in one of the cabanas--which is really a quaint hut, good for two people. P1,500 per person. That already covers 2-night stay, 2-days worth of wakeboarding and a 2-day P120 per day per person breakfast tab. Yes, all for P1,500 per person!!!! WOW!!!! Did we just die and go to heaven?! Hahaha! 'p Not really. Hubby Sweet, however, looked like he did. Then again, he was in wakeboarding heaven. Haha! 'p

Cabana #15 was assigned to us. It was going to be home for 3 days. (The extra day cost us P1,250. Haha.) It was simple and functional, yes, but it was also rather charming. I suppose because the CWC was built not just to entice locals to learn wakeboarding as a sport, but also to attract foreigners, the facilities were built with the primary intention of being more than decent. =) Considering the CWC is a government facility makes it even more impressive. It's a government facility run like a world-class complex! Did I already say, WOW?! I did? Let me say it again. WOW! =)

Oh, yes, there's the minor glitch. It wouldn't be a glitch if we were prepared for it, but we weren't. Since it is a government facility, future visitors be warned. The CWC does not take credit cards. All payments have to be done in cash. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!! No biggie, though. We just requested for a shuttle to take us to the nearest ATM. I rather enjoyed the trip. I got to see downtown Naga. Haha. =) Driving down Magsaysay Ave., I was rather impressed by the new structures and the presence of upscale coffee shops, restaurants and bars. It didn't used to be that way, driver Joel said. People started opening restaurants and bars when the foreigners and the local tourists started pouring in after the CWC was put up. He referred to Magsaysay Ave. as a mini-Malate. Pwede...but I think I would much rather compare it to Timog and its row of multi-faceted restaurants that come alive at night. The fact that the CWC brought something more to Naga beyond the confines of the cable park impressed me even more.

With the cable park opening only at 8:30 a.m., there was actually enough time to either freshen up or rest. I plopped down automatically on the bed to rest. Hubby Sweet automatically started rummaging through the bags for his wakeboarding DVD's. Susko! "Just as well," I thought. Each cabana has its own TV and DVD player, but the only faint signal one can get from the TV was ABS-CBN. There goes another tip, I suppose. Bring your DVD collection in case you're the type who needs to wind down watching TV before you hit the sack at night. =) I say that only for winding-down purposes. Truth be told, you wouldn't even miss TV with everything that you can do within the park during the day!

By 7:00 a.m., Hubby Sweet was itching to rush out the door. "We might as well take our breakfast," he insisted, "Para matunawan tayo." Yeah, yeah. Still blurry, I ambled along after him. "How can he be this cheery?!" I thought, "Weren't we together on the overnight bus ride here?! I want to sleep!!!"

I was blubbering my fool head off as we walked through the pathway, past the villas where the "sosy" guests stay. Still not a bad deal when you think about it. For P5,000 a night, you get to stay in a gated area with your own pool. Haha! Yes, apparently, even at the CWC, there is such a thing as socio-economic classification. And, yes, for the record, even at the CWC, we were effectively classified as...uh..."B". OK, OK! Maybe ...uh...C+. Hahaha!' p

Hubby Sweet was growing impatient with my blubbering by the minute. I could sense that he was holding on to every bit of sanity as he tried to keep his cool amidst my spewing. The lack of sleep did me in. "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah," I seemed to go on and on, until I saw what lay before me.

The view was enough to silence the crankiest of human beings. Having been used to Lago de Oro these past few months, I was not prepared for the beauty that stood before me as we reached the cable park. Set at the foot of Mt. Isarog, the majestic mountain seemed more to me like some ancient god watching over his domain. In the stillness of the morning, the experience almost seemed spiritual.

"Magandang umaga po, Amang Bathala," kept turning in my head as I savored the landscape.

Did I already say WOW?!

I did?

Let me say it again.

WOW!!! =)

Kiko stood in awe. Truth be told, I think he would have knelt down and kissed the sand if the beauty that lay before him did not shock him into silence.

GOD, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US HERE!!! =)

After our momentary pagpupunyagi, hahaha, we made our way to the dock. Although there is a real restaurant area, the waiters cater to the guests' whims as to where they would want their food to be served. We chose a table on the dock, right next to the lagoon. It was a good spot. Later on that day--having laid claim to the table =)--we got to watch the action as we eat.

When we saw the menu, we almost fell off our seats. Having been used to the Lago de Oro rates where one mediocre burger will set you back by at least P350, we were ecstatic to find that most meals at the CWC were within the P100-150 range! Mostly P120. Fine, there was a smattering of dishes at P200, but they were baby-back ribs, bulalo, etc., etc. Man! For P120, you can have chicken BBQ with rice, a decent Philly Cheese Steak sandwich for P110, etc., etc.! The menu was quite extensive with Filipino, Mexican, Italian, Japanese and American dishes--obviously developed with the foreign tourists in mind. All for the cool price range of P100-200. Man! Did we just die and go to heaven?! Haha. Not quite, but with every single second, Hubby Sweet seemed closer and closer to Nirvana. Hahaha!

I decided on the inihaw na liempo with garlic rice (P120, yey!) for my inaugural breakfast. Never mind the time of day. I was sooooooooo craving for an ice-cold Coke Light. Haha! Hubby Sweet decided on an omelette. Totally surprised me, but he said he didn't want anything too heavy. Butterflies in his stomach, I suppose, from all the anticipation. Haha! =D

While waiting for the food to arrive, I took the chance to go around the complex. With most guests still sleeping, the entire place was still. There was a slight chill in the air. The kind that comes fresh without any hint of pollution. Haha. I wish I could just breathe in enough fresh air to last me a lifetime in Manila. Man, I really wish I could have done so. "This is the life!" I thought as I clicked away, walking down the dock to the cabanas, "This place is soooooooooooo darn beautiful! I can't believe we get to stay here for only P1,500 per person! Haha!!!" 'p

Hubby Sweet seemed content just waiting for the food to arrive, the entire time sipping his hot choco as his feet dangled from the dock. I suppose he was already busy planning his key moves and practice routines.

Those who know me well, however, would know that I cannot sit still for long. Realizing that the food was not yet ready when I got back, I decided to walk further down to where the infinity pool and the cabanas were. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! I wished the rest of our family could see it. It seemed a bit too much to share just between the two of us. Even before the day could really start, I already decided we will somehow find our way back here with the family in tow.

Soon after, Hubby Sweet called out to me. The food had arrived.

The other wakeboarders were also beginning to arise, rubbing sleep off their eyes as they lazily plopped down on the monoblocs set on the dock. Some silently surveyed the menu, not quite sure about what they would be having for breakfast. The others quietly sipped their coffee as they looked out, surveying the lagoon.

This was their time for silence. It was their time for planning.

Soon enough, the entire scene would explode into action!

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ETC!!!

We found out from some of the regulars that, if you book early enough, you can actually get your hands on Air Philippines' "limited-seats" P288++ one-way flights, and get to Naga in less than 30-minutes. That way, you can avoid the risk of riding on a bus with a daredevil driver. Haha! If you're lucky enough to get the promo fare + taxes, the difference between the plane and the bus fare comes out to only about P500. That sooooooooo beats 8 to 9-hour bus trip! I suppose the next time we go there, we will be riding the plane. Enough of the bus ride experience to Naga! Done that. I can cross it off my checklist. Hahaha!

To get to the CWC by bus, however, you can either ride Penafrancia or Isarog. Both have Lazy-Boy Seats, although the jury is still out as to which is more comfy. All that I've talked to, however, seem to agree that Isarog drivers drive much faster. Not necessarily a good thing. Haha. Bus fare to Naga is P750 per person, one-way. You can buy your tickets in advance at the Araneta Center Bus Terminal. (CWC takes care of your trip back to Manila, i.e., if you're staying within the CWC housing facilities.) If ever trips to Naga are fully-booked (as it was in our case since we decided on the trip only at the last minute), you may opt to take the Legaspi bus (for P900 per) and just ask to be dropped off at Naga. If you're staying at the CWC, they will also arrange for your pick-up from the bus terminal. Otherwise, you may take the bus until Pili and ask the driver to drop you off at CWC. From the drop-off point, you can take a 15-minute tricycle ride to the complex.

There are several housing facilities, depending on one's needs and one's budget. The cheapest would be in eco-vill for P 500.00 a night. We didn't stay there though so I wouldn't know if it's OK. Next would be the container vans at P 1,000 per night, good for two people; P2,850 for the bigger container vans, good for a party of 4. We stayed at the Cabanas which normally go for P1,250 a night, except that we availed of the promo. That said, it would be good to ask them about promos and freebie stuff when you reserve. =)

Then there are the Mansion Suites for P2,500 per night and the Villa del Rey Villas for P5,000 per night--both for 2 people. I suppose it's where you stay if you want to live in relative luxury. =)

Sya! That's it for now. More in the next blog! =)

IT WON'T ALWAYS BE LIKE THIS / OCTOBER 10,2007

Bonifacio Global City, June 2007. Brand new management. Brand new office. Fresh start.


What I love about our new place:

1. The fact that we still have wide-open spaces, and the fact that in the middle of Metro Manila, I can at least pretend that I am breathing fresh air. Haha! =)

2. The fact that I can go to Starbucks and find myself a seat anytime of the day! Every. Single. Day. =)

3. The fact that I have a park just one floor down where I can walk around if I need to clear my head. The fact that in the same park:


- sports enthusiasts of all ages can mill around while waiting for the arrival of some super-gigantic NBA star named after Japanese beef,

- surfer dudes can have an insane weekend of artificial wakeboarding in front of a newly-opened surf shop,

- both lovers and friends can get an occasional free concert--be it from a local upstart or a major international star (Major downside: soundchecks @ 2:30 p.m. can be very distracting, especially when you're having a meeting in the boardroom! Haha! Uh....let's resched. =))

- one can watch a mid-day bartending competition or ogle a few "stars" as they celebrate their kid's birthday party in the restaurant/bar named after the last day of the work week. =)

- kiddies can run around freely, playing with their pups (or run around crazily while chasing after someone else's pups! Haha. =)).

- Etc., etc.!

Oh, yes. The fact that I can just walk across the park to the neighborhood doughnut shop or cross the street to get a cold-rock ice cream fix everytime I need an extra comfort-food boost. =)

4. The fact that there are actually five (yes, five!) coffee shops within walking distance if ever I needed a mid-afternoon caffein shot or an afternoon breather to take a late lunch--which, BTW, seems par for the course these days. I just need to make sure I don't choose the coffee shop that's right outside our boss's window, haha! =)

I've also been told--although I haven't actually tried it--that we can actually bring our trusty laptops to any of these shops and work there the entire afternoon because the office wi-fi signal is strong enough. Imagine being "inside the office" without having to be physically there! Hmmmmnnn.....=)

5. Most of all, I love the fact that within a 1-km radius, there is a gas station, a home depot, a sports camp, a McDo drive-through, a Jollibee drive-through, two supermarkets, several banks, a mega-bookshop, a gazillion new restaurants, and two malls with a gazillion stores. I especially love the fact that I can get to any of these from the office in 10 minutes tops!

A few days ago, I actually drove through McDo for a nuggets meal lunch, drove to the bank to pay off some bills and drove to the neighborhood mega-homecenter to buy halogen bulbs to replace the busted ones at home--and managed to get back to the office by 12:40 p.m. Yey!!! (I think, haha! =)) In any case, that sooooooooooo beats the lunch hour rush/traffic within Makati. =)

Oh, and yes, except for Friday evenings, parking is not yet a problem. 'D

Which leads me to my next point. The fact that finding a parking space Friday evenings is now a problem is a sure sign of things to come. The rest of Metro Manila is beginning to discover our hideaway. What used to be a practical ghost town is now packed with bumper-to-bumper cars waiting for a parking slot during "gimmick days/nights"! Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!



I know the Bonifacio Global City won't always be as I know it now, and heck, for all intents and purposes, it will probably end up being worse than Makati in the next five years--especially once all the "free spaces" (see #1) are filled! Double-waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

For now, however, I will enjoy it to the hilt! =)

WELCOME, JUAN!!! / OCTOBER 6,2007

Dear Juan,

Let me tell you about your mom and how you totally changed her. On August 5,2007 @ exactly 6:04 am, I got a text from her:

After mre dan 12hrs of labor, JUAN arivd via csarian yday aug 4, 10:13pm! =)

YEY!!!

Which is not to say she started changing only after she saw you. Truth be told, I think she started changing when she first learned that she had you.

Flashback to a little over a year ago. Your mom and I were having one of those "catch-up lunches" @ The Old Spaghetti House along Valero. Having been used to almost 10 years of ranting and raving and everything else in between over lunch, dinner and every other time else in between, we found it necessary to touch base every so often after she left the world of tomatoes and pineapples to move to the world of..uh...mouthwash and fever medicine. =) Back then, we inevitably found ourselves talking about the possibility of having kids. Our fears. Our wants. Etc. Etc.

Back then, I remember laughing at her seemingly absurd reason for having a child--other than your dad wanting one.

"I'm curious kung ano magiging combination namin ni BJ. Kung sino sa amin ang magiging kamukha. Sana kamukha ni BJ." HAHAHAHAHA!!!

"That's it?! That's your reason for having a child," I blurted out, more as a declaration than as a question, the entire time laughing my fool head off.

Your mom guffawed, probably realizing the absurdity of what she had just said, "Uh...."

"Pano kung kamukha mo?!" I prodded.

"Ibibigay ko sa mommy ko pagkapanganak ko. Di ko alam kung ano gagawin ko sa bata!" HAHAHAHAHA!!!

A few months later, everyone received an ecstatic text announcing that she and your dad are finally pregnant!!! After five long years. The text, I suppose, said it all. It was finally the right time. And heck, it was definitely worth the wait! =)

In the beginning, I think your mom thought she could continue to be who she was (driven career madwoman, haha!), except that she'd have a much bigger belly. No biggie. She has gone through such phases before, haha (admittedly, not from having a baby in her tummy, but from eating way too much. 'P).

I suppose nothing drove home the point more than her OB requiring her to stay at home for a complete bedrest during the precarious first trimester. Your mom being Marts, of course, tried as much as she could to circumvent all of her doctor's orders. It took everyone (from OB to relatives to friends to bosses) to get her to finally accept that the Marketing Department will not collapse just because she took time off from work. Despite the fact that the circumstances were forced, that was probably the first time she bonded with the little dot in her tummy that was then you.

She emerged from the experience changed. =)

Your mom has always been a bit of a tomboy. When she had you, she bloomed. She started wearing girly clothes. She started fixing herself up.

Your mom has always had a bit of an edge. When she had you, she started to round up a bit--figuratively, even as she did so literally. She seemed calmer. She seemed nicer, the blunt words replaced by hushed tones. For all intents and purposes, she seemed happier.

I read somewhere once that the power of a child lies in his ability to transform the lives of the people around him. You managed to do so before you were even born.

The biggest surprise--the best surprise, I suppose--happened a few weeks before you were born. I received a text from your mom, asking that we have one final lunch before she gives birth.

Friday's, Bonifacio High Street.

Over lunch, your mom declared, "Kung pwede lang, ayaw ko na magtrabaho after ko manganak." It's not exactly off-center if you hear it from any other pregnant woman, but hearing if from YOUR MOM, well...such takes on proportions as big as...uh...The Declaration of Independence. Hahaha!

"O, ano nangyari sa'yo?!" I asked, snickering, "Kala ko gusto mo lang makita combination niyo ni BJ tapos iiwan mo na baby mo sa mommy mo."

She laughed, remembering her absurd statement a little over a year ago. "Ewan ko ba," she said, "But after carrying Juan for nine months, we've formed a bond. Parang di ko kayang iwan...."

HAHAHAHAHA!!! Transformation complete. Done! Haha. =)

Last Saturday, at your baptism, I laid eyes on you for the first time. You are a beautiful, wonderful child--smiling, laughing, silently watching the world with those curious eyes.

As I watched your mom parade you around and introduce you to all the other important people in her and your dad's life, and seeing how happy she was, I honestly wanted to cry. Except that I didn't because I will never hear the end of it from your mom. Hahaha. =)

You have made everyone so, so, sooooooooooooooooooo happy. I can only wish you the same level of happiness as the joy you have brought into your mom's and dad's life.

Welcome to the world, Juan! See you again sometime SOON. =)

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Congratulations, Marts & Bij!!! =)

And thanks for inviting us to the celebration last Saturday. To the rest of my blog fans (all five of my family members and the occasional three from DMPI, haha--loko lang. Sana), I will not post any reviews. For documentation purposes though, it was held at Lemuria at the Horseshoe Village. I'll let the pics speak for themselves. (Advance apologies though. As I am no foodstylist, the plate I assembled from the buffet tasted so much better than it looks in the pic. Haha!) =)