HIS NAME IS BUSTER JOHNSON! / JUNE 25,2008 =D

With our second anniversary coming up in about three weeks, Hubby Sweet and I had to decide on what we were going to do for Anniversary Year 2.

Should we take another trip somewhere?

With us having bought a bigger, more family-sized unit recently (which will only be available in October next year), and with the Baby Project hanging over our heads, however, we knew that all plans for an out-of-the-country trip would have to be deferred. (Goodbye, Beijing Olympics! Waaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!).

It would be pretty tough, however, to top the recent butanding experience with another local trip so I thought we'd give travel a rest (FOR NOW =)).

"We should get a dog," I texted the hubby, off the top of my head, "A small one so he won't feel cramped inside the unit."

"Let's name him Johnson," he replied. Haha! 'D (Family joke. Long story. =))

We did not even have a discussion about whether we should get one or not. The Hubby has been bugging me for a dog since last year when they started allowing pets in House Pioneer. (Prior to this, his first ever Christmas gift to me would have been a beagle. At that time, we weren't even BF/GF yet and he did not know that pets were not allowed at my place. Before he could deliver it to me, his best friend Riki, who lived in the other tower, told him that I will not be allowed to keep it. And so it came to past that on that year, Then-Suitor-Pa-Lang-Sweet went home to his provincial ancestral home with beagle in tow--now repositioned as a Christmas gift to his parents. Haha! 'D)


Discussion #1: I wanted a small dog. Hubby Sweet kept telling me to look at pictures of Golden Retrievers, Great Danes, Labradors and, goodness, French Mastiffs! "They're friendly," he said. "Yes," I countered, "They're also bigger than our house."

Discussion #2: I wanted a small dog. Maybe a shih tzu or a pekingese. I grew up with 2 pekingeses who believed they had the same birth right as I did in House Better. Haha! Being royal dogs, pekingeses can be spoiled brats, but they can also be adorable-to-the-max. When Benji and Sugar died (not at the same time of course), we all found ourselves in extreme mourning. Having a pet die in House Better is like having a real member of the family pass away. (There is actually a corner in the garden that we used to call the "Sacred Ground". Every November 1, as kids, we also lit candles for all our dogs who passed away. Haha! 'D) In High School, my friends and classmates would actually laugh because in the middle of class, tears would start streaming down my cheeks. "What's wrong?" they would ask. "Namatay aso ko," I would reply, at which point, they would all guffaw. They just didn't get it.


After Benji and Sugar died, Mother decided she wanted a shih tzu. Her name was Princess and she gave birth to Pattie, Scud, Patriot and Pancho. (They were born during the Gulf war, =)). Pattie got traded off for Trendy (who also answers to Friendly or any other name that ends in "y", haha!). Pattie was a Princess black-&-white carbon-copy; Trendy was brown and white like her mom--who belonged to the same breeder as Pattie's dad. Mother intended to sell off the pups, but only managed to sell one. In the end, she decided she couldn't sell the rest. She loved them too much. Scud was "given as a gift" to my cousin J (who was Mother's inaanak). Pancho was "sold" to our next door neighbors in House Loyola (where I stayed during my college years). They begged (!) to have him, even mounting a "party" on the day we gave Pancho to them. A few months later saw me asking Ate Inday to bring P10,000 back to our neighbors in exchange for getting Pancho back. The novelty of a new pup has gone, and they were not treating him right, and if they will not hold their end of the bargain to treat him like family, they can shove their money up their stupid, mean @*#. Lech. >:\ They accepted the money; we got our dog back. By that time, Pancho had turned from a sweet, adorable pup into a broken, angry, bitter dog. It took some time before we could "heal" the anger out of him. Weeks and months of nurturing eventually made him believe he can "trust" people again. He actually reverted back to his sweet nature, but you just know he was never really the same. To the very end, he was sweet only to us, but no longer to those he considered as non-family or strangers. Hay.... =(

In between the pekingeses and the shih tzus were the mongrels (among them JInky! =)), a japanese spitz (Snowball, of course! haha) and Buttons (who was part shih tzu, part maltese, "purong aso" hahaha). We loved them all like family. (Sorry, couldn't post pics of the rest. The pics are in House Better and I haven't scanned them yet!)

Did I digress? =D Anyway!

I wanted small dog, but the Hubby did not want a pekingese nor a shih tzu. He suspected (quite correctly) that he would end up walking the dog more often than I would, and he did not want to walk around with a "frou-frou" kind of dog at the end of his leash. Hahaha! 'D O, sya, sya. =D After researching online, we finally chanced upon the one dog that seemed perfect for our situation. A mini schnauzer. Yes, we decided, we will get a mini-schnauzer. =) (Click on the link if you want to know why we decided on it. =))

Everyone, meet BUSTER JOHNSON!!! =D

We found Buster online through a link in Pet Finder. =) We did not want to get a dog from a pet shop, believing that dogs raised by breeders are not only of better quality, they would also tend to be more loved. We found Chico-Poms, and among all the rest, I was most impressed by the fact that before they answer your queries about the dog you want to purchase, they actually ask you a series of questions about the conditions under which you will be raising the dog you intend to buy. They wanted to make sure that their puppies will only go to good homes, they said. "Soul mates!", I thought. Haha!

We got a quick reply from K soon after I submitted our forms. We went to see our pup on the same day we got the reply. We brought him home that same night.

After a quick trip to Tiendesitas for a few essentials (and quite a few non-essentials, haha), we finally arrived in House Pioneer for Buster's first night in his new home. YEY! =)

By the time we got him, however, he was already 4 months old and already knew his name to be Buster. Johnson would therefore have to be relegated to his second name. BUSTER JOHNSON. Parang goon. Haha! 'D

He was shy at first, but eventually warmed up, walking around the unit, probably wondering about what strange place he has found himself in. His nails clicked on the wood laminate all night as he alternately walked around, stopped, and run around playing with the Hubby's old tennis balls. Not used to having another living thing in House Pioneer other than each other, the all-night clicking on the floors kept Hubby Sweet and I up all night. Hay....It was like having a little baby, except that this one did not cry. =) I was practically a zombie at work the following day. It did not help that everyone kept on asking me, "Puyat ka?" HAHAHA! Ack. =)

During our visit to the OB last week, our OB told us NOT to get a dog before we have a child. She said there was no scientific evidence for it, but she suspects couples get distracted too much by the dog, they forget about getting down to the business of having a child. Haha! After the first night, I would have to consider this as practice. Man! How could I not?! =D

Early the following day, I heard from Hubby Sweet the one thing I have also once heard from Sister Pusjing and Cousin Tiririt about their respective husbands, G-Genius and cousin-in-law V.

"Tweet," he said, looking confused, apologetic and hopeful all at the same time, "uh.....nag-poop sya."

I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth at the time. "So? Pick it up," I said, not really understanding what the big deal was.

"I don't know how to pick up poop."

Yeah, right! HAHAHA!

Hay!

Men....! =D

MEDALS & HONORS / JUNE 14,2008 =D

There are a million and one things to write about. I definitely won't miss writing about this. The Hubby is a silver surfer. Haha. OK, technically, he did not surf. he wakeboarded his way to second place in the Men's Intermediate Division of the Lago de Oro Perpetual Cup 2008. WOOOOHHHOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

Being the stupid wife that I am, I tried to capture his run on video, only to find out much later that I did not have enough back-up memory. ARGH!!! Darn. >:\

In any case, I suppose the run would just have to live on in everyone else's memory--with the run including the single most daring intermediate move made on the "wall" that day. As the wakeboarders would say after an awesome maneuver, that was TOTALLY SICK! Haha. =D

So never mind the gold. I've always been a staunch advocate of the "Tin Cup" mentality. (Tin Cup, you know? As in Kevin-Costner-Renee-Russo-Tin-Cup? Haha! 'D) Years later, very few would remember who won which medal, but that move on the wall will be remembered for years to come.

Congratulations, Sweetie!!! Here's to the Men's Open next year!

WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! =D

THE MARRY MONTH OF JUNE =D

This being the last week of June, I thought I'd sneak in this bit. I once read that the "June Bride" is actually a myth in the Philippines. They say that while the June bit applies in the northern hemisphere (it being summer and all there), most weddings in Manila actually happen in the months of December and January, with a smattering of weddings leading up to Valentine's. Kase daw, at least kung may mga kamag-anak na uuwi from abroad, pwede na isama ang Christmas and New Year sa mga dahilan ng pag-uwi. Hahaha! 'D

Still, in the month of June in the year 2008, no truer words could have been phrased as far as I was concerned. Dalawang bandila ng Bataan ang bumagsak! Hahaha! 'D And, no, I was not referring to the brides. =)

Cut to May 29. I received an unusual text from Mao, my HS BF (best friend, silly, not boyfriend!), asking me for my office landline. As soon as I picked up the phone, I knew something was up. I thought he was calling to tell me that he was already leaving for Canada. Earlier on in the year, he told me that he will be following his fiancee to the land of maple leaves and that they will get married there, although at that time, the date was not set yet. I told him to give me advance notice as I would have to file a leave from the office (and these days, my leave forms have to be approved and signed by the president, no less, ACK!).

"Aalis ka na?" I asked as soon as I picked up the phone.

"Nope. Not yet. Change in plans," he reverted.

"Di ka na ikakasal?" I asked, confused.

"Gagu!" he replied, "Change in plans, meaning we're getting married before I fly to Canada!" He then launched into a long-winding explanation as to why they would have to tie the knot before they process his papers.

"Oh, I see," I said, getting increasingly giddy at the thought of my best friend FINALLY getting married!

"When are you getting married?" I asked.

"Sa Tuesday. June 3," he said, matter-of-factly, "Can you make it?"

HUUUUUUUWHHHHHAAAAAAAAAATTT????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Crazy! Hahaha! Still, if the date has been set, I have no choice but to rearrange my work calendar. Cancel meetings. Move meetings. Resched cuttings. Ack! Anything for my best friend and his girl. =)

And so it goes that on June 3, my best friend Mao married Lil--the only girl he ever introduced to me!--in civil ceremonies followed by a quick snack in Jollibee, and finally a magnificent lunch with closest family and friends in attendance at the Shang Palace in Makati. YEY!!!!!!! 'D The church wedding will follow, of course, and the Hubby and I intend to be there--wherever and whenever it may be. =D

The following week then saw P&P getting married--ironically on June 12, Independence Day. Hahaha! Unlike Mao's and Lil's, this wedding was 15 years in the making with a slight deviation in between. (Then again, let's not dwell on that minor cut in the timeline, shall we? Haha.) Mao said it all in his "best man" speech during Pierre's wedding. As we were all growing up in good, old CSA, he practically pledged his allegiance to only one girl. Unrequited, of course, but that's beside the point. Haha. The point is he was the type who sticks. The type who loves and sticks. Fast-forward to years later in good, old ADMU where--with the benefit of an expanded horizon, new experiences and new acquaintances--he finally left the old notions behind.

On our senior year in college, he met and fell in love with Pat. We used to kid around that he was just having a "Senior Moment" (you know, senior in college, must have a girlfriend before we graduate). Hahaha! Guess what? That "Senior Moment" has been going on for the last 15 years. Through hell and high water, right through the Filipino-Chinese (mis)connections. It was long overdue when they finally announced that they were getting married, but when it finally happened, it was a beautiful, beautiful wedding. Simple, but one that felt--beyond the shadow of any doubt--absolutely right. =)

So congratulations, Mao and Pierre, and best wishes to Lil and Pat!

As Hubby Sweet would always say in his "best man" speeches, "May your marriage be modern enough to survive the times, and old fashioned enough to last forever!"

Much love,
T&T

SWIMMING WITH SHARKS / MAY 18,2008 =D

We woke up early Sunday morning in preparation for the ride out. By 5:00 a.m., everyone was trying to sneak in their bathroom rituals in order to make it in time for the 6:00 a.m. breakfast. Yes. We needed a full hour because all five of us had to stay in one room. Upon check-in the previous day, we found out that the room assigned to Sister Pusjing and fam had a defective aircon. We told the innkeeper that we have decided to just bunk in one room; we found out that each room actually has two larger-than-double-but-not-quite-queen-sized beds. We also found out that cash was running low (long story, haha) and that if there were no TVs in Donsol, asa pa kami that they will take credit cards! Hahaha! ‘D

We stayed at the Donsol Woodlands Resort. Very basic, but all we needed really was an airconditioned room and a clean bathroom. For P1,700 a night, it was also practically a steal. Not only did we have two big beds, we had a relatively big room (maybe 30 sqm) plus an honest-to-goodness veranda with the usual bamboo resort sala set. There was therefore no need to feel cramped.

We had wanted to get out by 6:30 a.m. Our guide arrived well before that. Unfortunately, the resort kitchen seemed to have only one cook and one stove so our breakfast orders were literally coming out one at a time! Hahaha. Naku! ‘D It was way past 7:00 a.m. by the time we managed to get a move on.

As with the previous day, we took a tricycle ride to the dock. Not too far this time. Everything has also been paid for at the tourism office the day before so there was really nothing left to do but ride the banca and pray for luck. P3,495 per boat plus P300 per person for the equipment. It would be a shame if we did not see any.

The seas were very rough. As I said in previous posts, I am NO water-baby so while I had my life vest on, I was also holding on to the boat and the Hubby for dear life. The Hanging Habagat apparently does more than just drive fireflies away. It brings on GIGANTIC waves. This was a literal, real-life ocean park roller-coaster ride. Hahaha! Ack!

Thankfully, the banca was made of stern stuff and our boatmen were experienced enough to keep the boat from toppling over. Hubby Sweet also reassured me that the chance of us toppling over is slim because the katig (the bamboo extensions) are there to stabilize the boat. Still, it was an experience riding the crest of a wave only to “crash” big time as soon as the crest gave way to the valley of the wave. Susko! “Father will kill us,” Sister Pusjing and I thought, remembering his text message earlier during the trip. Having watched from the news that there was a storm approaching Bicol, he told us NOT to take unnecessary risks. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!

We laughed out loud to ease the tension, thinking that if something happened to us, they would be calling Father and he would probably have only one thing to say, “Mga pinutukan ng lintik na mga anak at manugang ko! Di bale. Kalimutan na sila...Ang gusto ko lang malaman, OK ba si Patita?” HAHAHAHAHA!!! ‘D

Now back to the business of whaleshark watching.....=)

We asked the guide how far we would have to head out to see the butandings. It really depends, they said. On a good day, you don’t have to go too far to encounter them. On bad days, you can go an entire day without seeing any. There are no promises, no guarantees. They cannot, after all, force the whalesharks to show up.

Uh, oh….. =(

Some gambled on going out the previous day despite the slim possibilities, they told us. They had no choice because they were going to go back to Manila that afternoon. They came back to shore not having seen any. Sayang ang P3,495! =( Some Europeans insisted on heading out too, but unlike the regular tourists, they brought along their diving gear. They were luckier, but only because they decided to dive.

“Paano niyo alam kung saan sila hahanapin, Kuya?” we asked, wondering how in this vast ocean they could manage to find these whalesharks.

“Papalaot ka. Nandyan lang naman sila. Makikita mo yung dorsal fins nila,” our guide replied.

“Parang pating? May dorsal fin?”

“Oo, makikita nyo….”

All of a sudden there was pandemonium. As our guide was explaining how to spot a whale shark, the two other boat men stood up excitedly and started shouting simultaneously (screaming actually) in the local dialect. They were excitedly pointing at something, the entire time blubbering continuously in a language we could not understand.

We all turned around in the direction they were pointing to and saw two dorsal fins sticking out from the water. Not one. TWO. The pandemonium continued with our guide and the boatmen shouting instructions back and forth in Bicolano.

“Get ready!” our guide barked, “Pag sinabi kong talon, talon!”

The boatmen shouted something to him in Bicolano.

Our guide hesitated for a moment before he advised, “Malakas daw ang hatak ng dagat. Hanggang dalawa lang muna ang sumama sa akin…”

We all tried to gear up as fast as we could, but by the time the boatmen excitedly shouted out, “Ngayon na, ngayon na!” only G-Genius and I were ready to jump. G-Genius jumped with nary a thought. I hesitated. The gigantic waves were still rolling in. I did not want to jump without the Hubby beside me. Ack! Scaredy cat. =(

And so it goes that only G-Genius got to swim with the first set of whalesharks. The rest of us just watched from the boat in awe as these gentle giants started swimming toward our banca, their dorsal fins sticking out in the air. Both passed under our boat, and I remember thinking, don’t flip us. Don’t flip us! Ack! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Hahaha! We saw a mother butanding and her baby. =) Things were looking up. We had been out to sea no more than 15 minutes at that time and we had already encountered two. YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! ‘D

(Note: The underwater pics of the whale sharks are not mine. I lifted them off the Albay Tourism website because I wanted pics to match my experience, but I obviously did not have a high-tech enough camera. Click here to access the site. =))

As we relived the first experience as soon as G-Genius and our guide got back, I remembered stories I had heard about swimming with the butandings. Kris, one of my dearest friends, once told me that he hesitated to jump because of the sheer size of the creature. It was much bigger than a bus! Their guide reassured him by saying, “Di po kayo makakain ng butanding. Kasinlaki lang ng piso ang lalamunan niya. Di kayo kasya.” To which Kris replied, ”Oo nga, Manong. Pero ayaw ko naman maging chewing gum niya!” HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

At that moment, I understood exactly just how Kris felt right before he jumped. Haha! ‘D

G-Genius couldn’t contain his excitement. I found myself praying that we would get to see at least one more. Despite the terror building up inside me, I WANT TO JUMP IN!

“Sa susunod, lahat na tayo tatalon. Hawak lang kayo dito,” our guide told us as he held up a buoy. I suppose after testing the waters on the first jump, he has confirmed that he can handle having all of us jump in at the same time.

Soon after, the boatmen started jumping up and down again! From a distance, we could see a dorsal fin sticking out. One whaleshark stood there. They stopped the boat from a distance. I suppose they did not want to disturb it nor scare it away. We would have to swim to get nearer, even as it headed toward us. We all jumped into the rough seas and swam as best we could toward the butanding.

“Look down! Look down!” our guide instructed, “NOW!!!”

There was no time to think. I looked down.

May I say that it was the first time ever in my entire life that I was stupid enough to literally SCREAM UNDER WATER! AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! Hahaha! 'D

I had looked down at the precise moment the head of the whale shark was passing by, its mouth FULLY OPEN as it fed itself with the plankton in its path. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!! Imagine, if you could, a fish head that’s bigger than a bus WITH AN OPEN MOUTH. You’d scream too if it were you. HAHAHA! Ayaw ko din maging chewing gum ng butanding ‘no! Hahaha!

I had to come up not only to sputter the sea water out, but to gasp for air. The whale shark is a sight that will literally take your breath away. The entire time my head was above water, I struggled to put my snorkeling mask back on as fast as I could. I did want to miss out on anything.

By the time I looked back down, I realized that the whaleshark was now swimming slightly below us. Stupid me, I SCREAMED AGAIN. Hahaha! This time, I panicked at the thought of its tail hitting me. I could see it swinging from left to right. Granted, it seemed like it was in “slow motion”, but slow-mo or not, its tail was still a pretty big paddle to be hit with. ACK! I, all of a sudden, realized why we had to stay 3-4 meters away from the butanding! While I suppose that was the intention, the rough seas had pushed us nearer to the whale sharks than we intended. Ack!

I managed to move away in time, but the tip of the tail managed to lightly graze Patita’s leg. At that, the whale shark dove deeper. It’s true what they say. Despite their size, they are very shy creatures after all.

As the butanding swam away, I can’t help but stare in awe at the way it gently moved. There was apparently peace under the turbulent seas. It was brought about by the sight of a whale shark quietly slicing through water, oblivious to everything else below, beside and above it. I also watched with curiosity as it slowly moved away with a posse of mini-fish (well, mini-only in reference to the butanding, haha) swimming right below it. Those were full-grown janitor fish, our guide, explained as soon as we got back on the boat. They swim under the butanding because they know there will always be food in its path. Oh………..=)

With the butanding gone, I looked up to check for the Hubby only to find him dolphin-kicking away, trying to chase the whale shark! In rough seas! ACK! He kept up with it for a while, but it soon outpaced him. Although the whale sharks move relatively slowly, their sheer size automatically puts them at an advantage over smaller swimmers. Hay!

I struggled to get back to the boat. The seas were getting rougher, and by the time I got back, my energy had been all but spent. Still, all of us couldn’t stop grinning and shouting as soon as we climbed back up. The huge smile and twinkle in everyone’s eyes, especially Patita’s, were priceless. =)

We saw one more whaleshark after that, our sightings spaced out no more than 15 minutes away from each other. We were extremely lucky. With the seas getting rougher, however, we decided to head back. Us adults figured it would not only be the wise thing to do, it would also give all of us enough time to rest and take a shower before we head to the airport.

We found out as soon as we got back just how lucky we were. Only two boats were allowed to go out that day. Ours was one of them; we managed to do so only because we headed out before 8:00 a.m. No one else was allowed to head out after because the waves were getting too big and the sea was becoming too rough. That’s when we realized that the fact that we got out, saw four whale sharks and got back safely really ought to be attributed to more than just luck.

Quite fittingly, let’s attribute it to Divine intervention # 4, shall we? =)

****************************************************************************

All in all, Donsol is worth going to, but for future travelers, I really suggest you go early. February to April would really be best. May used to be considered still a good month to go, but I suppose the unpredictability of the weather has changed all that. It is possible for the showers to come in early, and you don’t really want to travel that far and spend that much to see….uh…nothing. =)

We stayed at Donsol Woodlands. Call 0921-9699544 or 0920-8630191 for reservations. If the line is busy or out of coverage area, just keep on trying. The signal in Donsol is erratic. It may take a bit of patience, but you will eventually get through.

Click on the Albay Tourism website for more details and tips about whale shark watching in Donsol. =)

LAST: In a gesture of supreme gratitude that it did not eat me, I have since resolved to stop eating sharks fin soup and sharks fin siomai. I'm lobbying that you do too. =)

Sya! Happy weekend, everyone! =D

THE TOUR OF THE FIREFLIES / MAY 17,2008 =(

We finally arrived in Donsol to find the tourism office closed. We had wanted to get the “required butanding orientation program” out of the way so we can go out to sea as early as we want Sunday morning, keeping in mind that we had a 1:30 p.m. flight back to Manila to catch. Thankfully, the owner of the resort we were staying in apparently asked its keeper to wait for us at the office and to keep it open until we arrived. Yes, we were deep enough in the provinces to have the tourism office kept open at the mere request of the kapitbahay. Haha. =)

The orientation was really just a 15-minute VCD shown on a small TV. Nothing high-tech, but it did lay the basic ground-rules for interacting with the whale sharks. Stay 3 meters away from any point of the whale shark. Do not block its path. Do not touch it. The whale sharks are apparently very gentle but also very shy creatures. If it senses a threat, it will change its swimming patterns and will likely move to somewhere else where it can feel safer. The people of Donsol would obviously not want that. =)

The video was supposedly developed by the WWF. The environmental conservation group, silly, not the wrestling federation. Haha. Yes, the one with the panda on the logo. =) At some point, the butchering of the whale sharks in Sorsogon apparently came under its radar which then prompted the organization to send a troop to this small fishing village. Through education and communication, they made the natives understand the role the butandings play in the ecosystem and why they must be saved. The WWF was largely responsible for transforming this sleepy fishing village into an eco-tourism destination. It was largely responsible for converting its fishermen who only once cared about hauling fish into staunch protectors of the environment.

The best time to visit Donsol, they say, is between the months of February and April—when the ocean is still relatively warm, before the rain showers of May come in. The rain apparently not only changes the temperature of the water (forcing the butandings to migrate to warmer seas), strong rain apparently also brings in silt from the river, making the sea murky and making it virtually impossible to see anything.

We came in mid-May. Butanding sightings, we were told, are still a possibility, but the chances of going home luhaan (as the oldies would say) was also just as big. 50/50. Darn.

The first day was reserved for the Firefly River Tour. It was a trip both Sister Pusjing and I were excited about. As children, we both had fond memories of sitting on the front steps of House Better, watching the narra tree on our neighbor’s front lawn “burning” as soon as the sun went down. The tree was literally home to hundreds of fireflies, and we would always sit there in awe, staring at this year-round “Christmas tree”. Every night, right before bedtime, we would catch a few and put them in bottles. We would take them inside and set them on our bedside tables to serve as our night lamps. I would literally fall asleep watching the fireflies flutter around, their tails flickering in the dark, only to wake up the following day to find the fireflies gone. As in gone. Not dead. GONE. It has always been a mystery to me and as a kid (stupid kid, haha), I remember wondering if fireflies evaporated like vampires as soon as the sun went up. I suppose that as an adult (albeit still stupid, haha), I have a more logical explanation. Every night, Mother must have set all of them free as soon as we all fell asleep. =)

That was decades ago when House Better seemed to sit in the middle of nowhere, and when the air in the immediate outskirts of Manila was still relatively pure and clean. A few years ago, Tito Rod had the tree cut down to give way to the expansion and reconstruction of their home, but the fireflies were really long gone before that. They say fireflies thrive only in unpolluted air. Such was no longer the case.

Thus the excitement over the Firefly River Tour.

It was a chance to relive our childhood. It was a chance to give Patita an opportunity to see fireflies first hand as opposed to just reading about them in some science book. I saw a feature on the Firefly River Tour once on the Living Asia channel, and it heightened my excitement even more. So, never mind that I literally wanted to doze off soon after we arrived, tired and grimy from the long trip from the CWC to Donsol. Never mind that the Firefly River Tour cost us a pretty penny (P1,200 per boat if I remember correctly). Never mind that to get to the river, we had to endure a 20-minute P200 tricycle ride on bumpy and rocky provincial roads. Never mind that by the time we got to the “dock”, my back was literally aching and my mind was already wondering if this was all worth it. It had better be! Haha. (If you click on the photo below, you'd have a better idea of just how far we had to travel that day. Camarines Sur to Sorsogon. Ack!)




We boarded the banca and navigated the dark river with nothing but a gas lamp and a flashlight to show us the way. I should have sensed that our guide was already setting us up for major disappointment. We should have come in April when the winds are not as strong, he said. Hanging Habagat daw ng gabing iyon. Malakas ang hangin, pero susubukan na rin namin. Then again, I suppose I was too excited about the possibility of seeing both sides of the river lit up with a million fireflies (as I had seen in the Living Asia feature). We navigated the river, the motor droning. It was practically the only sound you can hear. In the dark, I felt like I was watching one of those movies where something just pops out of the water to snatch one of the people on board. It was the movie playing in my mind. Hahaha. We slowly turned the bend. I eagerly anticipated the sight. They say the beauty of the Firefly River Tour lies in the fact that you see nothing but darkness only to be dazzled by a million flickering lights as soon as you turn the bend.

We turned the bend.

We saw….NOTHING.

Nothing but darkness.

ACK!

Where are the fireflies?! Where are the DARN fireflies?! =(

Dapat po nung Abril kayo nagpunta. Di pa masyado malakas ang hangin. Hanging Habagat ngayon. Malakas ang hangin kaya kokonti ang mga alitaptap, pero subukan na rin natin.

ACK!

A good 10 minutes down the river (which is quite far when you think about it), we finally saw ONE SMALL TREE flickering in the dark. It was home to a hundred fireflies. The excitement has waned for us adults. If any, we were just thankful that we saw this one tree so Patita can get to see how live fireflies really look like. We approached the tree. Initially, I thought we had done so to be able to take a closer look. To our surprise, our guide reached out and shook the tree. The tree burned with more intensity. I suppose when the fireflies are stressed, they burn more brightly. Maybe. I don’t know. =( We moved on further down the river and managed to pass by a slightly bigger tree. We moved closer. This time, we asked the guide NOT to shake the tree. Let the fireflies be. We will just watch.

We decided to turn back soon after. We thought there was no point in going further down the river, and we thought spending more than 15 minutes looking up this puny tree was getting ridiculous. Even Patita was getting bored.

The 20-minute bumpy ride back to the resort was rendered more unbearable by the fact that without the adrenalin shot from having watched a million fireflies in action, all of us were reduced to simple, tired and disappointed tourists. It was like getting yourself worked up to see the World Pyro Competition only to deal with the sad reality of two small baby rockets that barely pierced the night sky before puttering out.

Our guide explained that because of the Hanging Habagat, the fireflies must have gone someplace else. On a good day, we would have found the entire stretch of mangroves fully lit. I couldn’t help but wonder if they moved somewhere else for an entirely different reason.
If your house is always being disturbed by the neighbors, wouldn’t you also decide to up and leave? =(

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The last in this series to follow in the next post! Right now, I have to work.

MAYON / MAY 17,2008 =D

The highlight of the trip back was the side visit to the Cagsawa Ruins, the bell tower that was left standing when Mayon erupted centuries ago. (I say centuries ago because I’m too tamad to research exactly when. *Sheepish grin =D *)In any case, the one fascinating thing about Mayon is that you can apparently see it from any point in Legaspi. It was even supposed to serve as a majestic background to the Legaspi airport runway. I wanted to see its perfect cone first-hand. If we cannot see the “perfect cone”, what’s the point? Quite unfortunately for us, we have only seen Mayon covered with clouds since we arrived. We had therefore been reduced to pointing it out and saying, “Ayun! Ayun ang Mayon! Sana makita natin yung cone….” Waaaaaaaaaaahhhhh…=(

In any case, since we had time to spare on the way back, we decided to veer slightly off the road to go to Cagsawa. We figured we might as well see the bell tower even if we don’t end up getting a full view of the actual mountain. (Hey, well, what do you know. I forgot I took a picture of the “history slab” that seems to be found in most old churches. =) February 1,1814! That’s when it got buried after a major eruption. I was right. It was centuries ago. ;p)

The road to the ruins was paved with volcanic soil and lined with volcanic rocks. On either side of the van, one can see partially-destroyed houses. Most were hit by rocks that were spewed out during some of the more recent eruptions, and we were told that the owners probably did not have enough spare money to rebuild. Niece Patita looked out the window with the rest of us. I, personally, was in awe at how huge these boulders were, and how I would have probably fainted with terror at the sight of one of these falling from the sky. One could wonder why people would choose to live at the base of a volcano, but it’s really because of the soil. Farmlands are apparently most fertile near the mountain, and I suppose, most families have decided that the possibility of a once-in-a-lifetime-eruption is a “work hazard” they would be willing to live with.

I felt a certain sense of reverence as I surveyed the scene outside, still wondering how these people might have felt as volcanic rock and ash rained down on them. Soon, however, the silence was broken. We had reached the ruins, and as soon as the van doors were opened, a multitude of children literally swarmed around us, each peddling their own set of Mayon pictures, each automatically mouthing off the history of the mountain’s eruptions and the story behind the Cagsawa ruins. I suppose it would have been helpful (and quite charming really) to be approached by one child who knew everything there was to know about the mountain, but to be assaulted (yes, it felt like it) by about 10 children, all talking at the same time, all pushing their volcanic pics, is a bit too much. Imagine walking into a room with 10 TVs, each blaring loudly, but each programmed to a different channel, and you’d get a pretty good idea of how grating everything was. As soon as I stepped out of the van, I wanted to get back in and get out. =(

I suppose I cannot fault them. I suppose these kids are just trying to make a living, hoping that some tourist will give them a big tip to augment their parents’ income. I just wish they could talk among themselves and agree to have only one or two approach each van that arrives. That way, the tourists can truly appreciate the history of the place and what everything stands for—as opposed to feeling like they are being attacked by a swarm of bees. =( I’m even going to bet that if they do it this way, they’d be “earning” soooooooooooooooo much more. *Sigh…=(*

We had arrived at the Cagsawa Ruins to find Mayon still covered with clouds. We decided to mill around, despite the chatter of children, desperately trying to tune them out. As a kid, I would look at postcards of the Cagsawa Ruins with Mt. Mayon in the background, and every time I looked at them, I felt a sense of serenity. I had this vision in my head that when I finally get to stand at its base, it was going to be a sight to behold—one that would literally render me silent as I stood before it in awe. I was therefore not prepared for the actual experience. While the mountain was definitely a sight to behold, I had to let go of the serenity part. Hay….waaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!! =( Still, seeing just how big the boulders were put everything into a much more in-depth perspective for me. (The boulders were even bigger than G-Genius and Patita and me!)

After about 15 minutes, we decided it was time to go back on the road to Donsol. Just as we were about to board, our van driver excitedly shouted out that the clouds were clearing.

“Nawawala ang ulap!” he cried out, “Makikita niyo na ang bulkan!”

At his cry, all of us rushed out again and posed like crazy. The clearing of Mt. Mayon would happen only for no more than 3 minutes. Soon, it was covered again by thick clouds.

“Masuwerte po kayo,” our driver explained, “Sabi po nila, sa mga mababait na tao lang nagpapakita ang bulkan.”

Sister Pusjing and I beamed, “Ganun po ba?”

Our pride was pierced by Hubby Sweet’s side comment, “O, over kayo. Si G-Genius yung mabait na sinasabi niya. Di kayo ‘no! Two atribids nga kayo eh…” he teased, referring to his oft-repeated half-meant joke that the sister and I are two atribidas pretending to be saints. Hahahahaha!!! ‘D
Hay, sya! The important thing is we finally saw Mayon in its perfect-coned glory. =) And, let’s officially count that as Divine Intervention #3. =D

THE ROAD TRIP BACK / MAY 17,2008

It was a roller-coaster ride of expectations the entire time we were at CWC. Every time the sun shone intensely, we celebrated. Every time the rain clouds started to move in, we sighed. We did, after all, plan this trip with the whale sharks foremost in our minds. Sister Pusjing and I had more or less accepted the possibility that we may not be able to go. G-Genius refused to give up. Rain be damned, he will see a butanding before he gets on the plane to Manila! For his sake, I did pray that the weather will clear up by Saturday. Otherwise, we would go home to report only one butanding sighting. That butanding’s name would have been Toyang & Tweety. Hahaha! Augh. I really, REALLY (!) must lose weight. Hay….=(

All of Thursday and Friday was generally cloudy, with intermittent drizzles. I called the Donsol tourism desk early Friday morning to check if they were already sending out boats.

“Hindi pa po. Malabo pa po ang tubig. Umulan kase ulit ng malakas nung isang araw,” she said, “Baka po sa Sabado malinaw na. Baka po pwede na.”

Operative word: BAKA.

With this advisory in mind, Sister Pusjing and I decided to ride back to Donsol only after lunch of Saturday. We can arrive in time for the firefly river tour Saturday evening, then go whale shark watching Sunday morning. We figured that while baka on Saturday, the boats will be allowed to go out, the chances of seeing a butanding would still be relatively slim, and we really did not want to be stuck the entire day in Donsol with nothing to do. Sunday it is then, even if it means going straight to the airport after a quick change (possibly no shower, ack! =D).

Sounded like a plan. Then Friday evening rolled along and over dinner, strong (as in, STRONG!) rain and wind ripped through the CWC. We were all already seated for dinner, except for Hubby Sweet who had just finished wakeboarding and was still in the cabana taking his shower. We were all sighing and shaking our heads, wondering if: (1) we should give up all hope for the butandings, and (2) if our massages will push through because the massage cabanas have been drenched. =(

We were all in a dreary mood when Hubby Sweet ambled along, absolutely dry from the mid-thigh up, but totally drenched from the mid-thigh below. I could have wrung his shorts and it would seem like it just came straight out from the wash.

“What happened to you?” I asked, “How did you get here?!” I all of a sudden remembered that we did not exactly bring an umbrella with us (unlike Sister Pusjing who had turned into Mother who actually packed an umbrella and a raincoat on her summer vacation! Hahaha! ‘D).

“Wala ako makitang payong eh,” he said.

“Yes…….And?????” I asked, already expecting that my maabilidad husband had somehow found another (quite possibly hilarious) way of pulling through.

“Nakita ko yung XL na garbage bag that we packed for the wet clothes,” he explained.

“And?” I asked, “Ginawa mong payong?”

“Hindi. Sinuot ko, tapos binutasan ko sa mata para makakita ako, tapos naglakad na ako papunta dito,” he said, instantly explaining why his upper body was absolutely dry while his lower body was absolutely drenched! Everyone guffawed at the thought of him walking around like a gigantic garbage bag with holes for eyes.

“Ang dami nga tumitingin sa akin habang naglalakad ako eh!” he said. Goodness, you think?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! ‘D

The sun shone brightly early Saturday morning. It was as if the heavens just needed to let all the rain out. The hubby rushed out, excited to get at least half-a-day more of wakeboarding in, only to be disappointed. The park was closed. The cables were hopelessly entangled—obviously from the strong winds the night before. It would take rework and it was not likely that the park will be opened anytime that day.

Which brings me to Divine Intervention #2. =)

Hubby Sweet would never have left CWC willingly and whole-heartedly. The fact that the cablepark was closed with no hope of operations for the day instantly made him excited over the idea of swimming with whalesharks. Hahaha! ‘D Sister Pusjing and I also couldn’t help but marvel that if things had gone as we had planned everything (Firefly Tour: Day 1, Whaleshark Watching: Day 2, CWC: Day 3), we would have arrived at the CWC on that day only to find the cablepark closed. Wow. =D

And so it goes that after a quick lunch, we rode the rented van (P3,750 again back to Donsol). (NOTE: This was NOT our van. Hahaha! It was just an abaca truck that we passed by along the way. ‘Thought I’d include it here because nothing screams Bicol more than a truck full of abaca. =D)

Unlike on the first day when I was asleep for most of the trip, I stayed awake for a good part of the trip. Driving through provincial roads is always a stress relief. Open spaces. Green everywhere. Nothing hi-tech. Take this gasoline station, for example. When was the last time you saw a gas pump that was not digital?! Hahaha! Man, the rolling gas digits of my childhood still exist in the space between Legaspi and Naga. Haha! ‘D

For most of the trip, the entire brood laid asleep. Everyone jumped into action only when we reached the mid-way point and Manong remembered Hubby Sweet’s earlier hirit for a “libreng turon man lang”. During long trips, provincial buses usually have a pitstop. This makeshift hut was apparently the pitstop for a lot of vans making the trip from Legaspi to the CWC and back. The mounds of maruya and turon called out to us. Loudly. Hahaha! So loudly did they call, we ended up with two bags: one of I-don’t-know-how-many-maruyas, the other of I-don’t-know-how-many-turons. We ate like there was no tomorrow. Hahaha! Yum! ^_^

Now, you might think, why the heck am I blogging about maruya and turon?! Surely, there must be so much more exciting things to take note of.

Let's just put it down to learning to appreciate the simple joys in life, shall we? 'p

Yum.

Yum.

Yum! ^_^