Tag Archives: beach resort

Juggling June

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Ah yes, the title is just fitting to describe what transpired during this month. I’m back here in Manila to oversee repairs at my sister’s condo in preparation for their arrival this coming August.

It looks like it is only when I’m here in Manila that I get to write a lot of longer articles. I think it’s also safe to say that Manila is my “downtime” where I get to do only one task at a time. 😃

A lot has happened during the past 2 months that I was there in my hometown. I hope I won’t bore you with too much details. lol So, I’ll try to summarize everything and just jot down the important ones.

1. Farmville Mode

We made our regular visits to the farm – I was so glad and grateful that somehow most of the plants (flowering trees and forage plants) we planted last year survived. Some thrived such as in the case of the Napier Grass. The goal is to grow at least one plant for each kind, and we were able to grow several of them. It looks like we more or less succeeded. And thank God for taking good care of these plants on our behalf. 🙏

I pray that God will continue to watch over these babies. 🙏
When you’ve been tasked again to flatten the grass using an SUV (???) and you documented it as proof that you accomplished the task even if 90% of your bored self objects to the idea. lol I just love my Dad. He makes me laugh even without trying. 😅
Now, THIS is what I would love to drive. Seriously.
Where there is smoke, there is BBQ. Dyan po namin niluluto ang mga nahuhuli naming nagte-trespassing sa bukid. lol Joke lang. Ang maniwala, sya ang next na isasalang dyan. 😄

2. The Gardener At Work

I also planted Okra, Eggplant, Pechay, Tomato, Spinach, and Mustasa again. Hopefully they are still alive when I get back. I planted them as soon as I got home last May since I am targeting that before I get a full-time job, they’re all grown up and settled in in their own pots so our house help can just water them.

I can’t wait to transplant them to their individual pots.
Meron sanang gustong tumulong sa brainstorming kung anong mga gulay itatanim ko. Nga lang na-hypnotize sya ng aking ballpen. lol
Tapos tinulugan ako ng PA (Polly Assistant) ko. Magpa-plot pa naman sana kami ng mga farming activities and other projects sa calendar of events. Tsk.

3. Farewell, Mama Bon

One of my Aunts (mother side) passed away in her sleep at the age of 80 – it was another heartbreak. But it gave us the opportunity to reunite with relatives whom we haven’t seen for more than a decade.

4. Fence Project

The construction of a fence back home is also ongoing – we need to fortify our defenses against the enemies a.k.a. stray cats, stray dogs, and stray chickens. 😅

5. The Beautiful PENINSULA DANCALAN

We visited my Uncle’s (Dad’s youngest brother) new beach resort in Dancalan, Bulusan – I instantly fell in love with the place. ♥️ Their infinity pool exudes the perfect Santorini vibe. 😍 If you have inquiries re reservations, please do visit Peninsula Dancalan‘s Facebook page and watch out for updates on their grand opening in September. 👍👍

The pool is just – 😍😍😍!!!
The infinity pool at night. 🥰

6. Exploring Sitio Laboy (Matnog, Sorsogon)

We also visited Dad’s property in Sitio Laboy in Matnog, Sorsogon. I love the winding road. It looks like it’s headed straight to Neverland. Lezzzzggggoooo! 😄

Yep, I know, I know. I know you missed my chubby cheeks. lol ☺️

7. New Season, New City

And last but definitely not the least, I finally found a place to stay in Sorsogon City – the newly constructed place exceeded my expectations. Indeed, God makes everything beautiful in His own time exactly like what I have envisioned in this article. It’s like the apartment was built just for me. lol

I got the last unit for a reasonable rental fee, it’s just a block away from Victory Sorsogon, it’s a gated compound w/ provisions for car parking, and it’s located right at the heart of the bustling city – what more can I ask for? 🙏😍

According to one of the owners, some of the tenants also work in “sanggunian.“ It has always been my dream to be a public employee. Is this a sign, Lord? 😅 If there will be an opportunity for me to work as a government employee in Sorsogon City, then I take it that it is His will. But if not, then I’m back to being a remote worker, which will allow me to stay in Bulan for a couple of days during the middle of the week and go back to Sorsogon City on weekends.

Why Sorsogon City? I did share in my previous articles some of the advocacies (Bayanihan Knitted Knockers | Breast Cancer ADVOCACY and Not Just An Advocacy, But A Higher Calling) that I felt like God wanted me to pursue according to His timeline. But His first instruction was to connect with a spiritual family in Bicol first.

I was baptized and was born-again in Victory that’s why I want to continue my spiritual journey in this church. And Sorsogon City happened to have one of the Victory churches.

So yes, I am very excited to start my new season in Sorsogon City. But only after the bed is delivered – I still have to wait for 2-3 weeks. 😃

I felt like I had to get a place in the city just in case it is Dad’s turn to be hospitalized. This way, we won’t have a hard time looking for a place to stay just like what happened when Mom was confined at the hospital last year.

We were fortunate enough that Ma’am Roge opened her Sor Ci (the locals’ colloquial abbreviation of Sorsogon City) home to us though it’s technically not available and even if it’s for a short-term lease only. My sincerest gratitude goes out to her as well as to Kuya Soc and Ate Rina for cooking hearty meals for us while we were taking care of Mom at the hospital. Their hospitality and generosity helped us tremendously, especially during that very difficult moment in our lives. ♥️

Traveling from Bulan to Sorsogon City and vice versa is just too exhausting especially if you are taking care of a sick loved one in one of the city’s hospitals. It is also my plan to open the studio apartment albeit small to other family members, relatives, and friends who need a place to stay in the city for a short while (maximum of 2 pax only).

I am also praying that Bulan will have another hospital since it is already being prepped for cityhood. If it is not yet possible, then I am hoping the one hospital we have now will add more health care services, will increase the hospital’s bed capacity, and will hire more medical personnel to accommodate more patients, especially during emergencies. Bulan’s population listed a total of 105,190 residents according to the 2020 census, and it is increasing.

So, it looks like my first article for August will officially document my new season in Sorsogon City. In fact, I already have a title for said article, and it’ll go something like this: “All My “Firsts” In Sorsogon City” – my first worship service, my first Bible study group, my first early Saturday morning walk along the boulevard, and a whole lot more of possible “firsts” in the city. And yet in everything, not my will but let God’s will be done always. 🙏🙂

I believe God intended I write all about my “firsts” in Sor Ci during the month of August – it’ll be Mom’s first year death anniversary, too. ♥️

P.S. The mid-year Prayer and Fasting in church happening on July 3-5, 2024 is just the perfect time for me to pray for God’s will and straighten out my plans in Sorsogon City. Indeed, God is good all the time. Always. 🙏

P.P.S. Because we had a surplus of Kamias and my Dad and 3rd sister were craving for gulay na Kamias/Iba, I made them one. We usually pair this vegetable viand with fried marinated Bangus or any fried fish. 👍 Karaon tabi kita. 😋

Kamias Overload
Mas bet ko ito lutuin nang pinapa-curdle ang gata.
Siram mag-kinamot. 😋
We also serve Lechon Munchkin garnished with tiny sunflowers. 🤣

LAYA 2019: The Arts and Music Festival That Was

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Hello, my beloved readers! My apologies for the long hibernation here on WordPress. I had a lot of things going on lately. But I promised myself I can never miss a post here on my blog. So, for my comeback article, I’ve decided to share a photo essay instead.

Hubby and I weren’t able to celebrate our wedding anniversary nor went out on a summer vacation as a couple last year because we had a lot of constraints. This year, we were given the opportunity to have a summer getaway and I told my husband this will be our advance wedding anniversary, too. lol Do take note though that we were married on August 17. 😀

While I enjoy traveling, the practical me would still want to save money for other (more important) things. It’s a good thing hubby also shares the same sentiments with me. Since we saved up for this vacation, I told my husband that it has to be a collective experience and we’re not just going to have a summer vacation for the sake of Instagram-worthy photos. Because we can do that at any time of the year.

I had no idea where I will find an event that’s going to give us a collective summer experience but maybe God heard my prayers because I stumbled upon the LAYA Arts and Music Festival. This was our first ever music beach festival that we attended so I must say that the experience was indeed one for the books in our travel adventures as a couple. Do continue reading and find out why. 😉

LAYA Arts and Music Festival (May 31-June 2, 2019)

Day 1

We left Manila at 6:30 am and arrived in Zambales at 11:00 am exactly under the midday sun, which was perfect for taking photos of the event place. The art booths were also set up but hubby and I decided to take a nap by the beach first and stroll around. I haven’t slept the night before but I guess the excitement just got me going. 😉

 

Came nighttime, there was a short drizzle before the night one concert started. But it didn’t stop the crowd from enjoying the music performed by the awesome lineup of talented artists such as Ben and Ben.

 

For our accommodation, we availed the “Glamping” package at Crystal Beach Resort. The resort’s glamping feature exceeded my expectations. It’s very comfortable set up with a light bulb, a fan, two comfy mattresses, toiletries, blankets, pillows, a locker, a socket, a wet clothes rack, and your own set of benches and a table.

Our tent was also pitched facing the beachfront so it was such an adorable sight for us either at daytime or during nighttime. The resort has quite a number of bathrooms, showers, wash areas, and comfort rooms in every corner of the campsite. Though there were a lot of guests during the event, there’s no need to wait in line and they keep the wash areas clean always.

 

We had buffet breakfasts as part of our event package and if you’re going to buy food from the resort’s restaurant, their serving is good for sharing at an affordable price. But if you prefer a cheaper alternative, the Bamboo Food Strip located just outside the resort offers your regular Pinoy favorites such as ihaw-ihaw, snacks, and lutong bahay.

The resort doesn’t allow any single-use plastic inside the site so this means you will have to surrender all the chips and bottled water or soft drinks you brought with you at the entrance.

This is part of the resort’s effort to keep the beach clean and plastic-free, which is why I totally love Crystal Beach Resort. I believe this is one advocacy that all resorts can adopt to better protect our environment.

This is actually more effective, I think, than doing a beach cleanup every now and then to lessen the plastic waste. As they say, “prevention is better than cure.”

Day 2

For the second day, the activities were jam-packed with a long lineup of fun things to do and hubby and I felt we just had so little time to try them all. What we’re able to try out though are the Drum Circle workshop hosted by Anima Tierra and the Tie-Dye workshop facilitated by Yana Ofrasio.

They are such talented and amazing artists. Brian and I were very excited about how our chosen designs in the tie-dye workshop will turn out. To our surprise, the outcome of my chosen design kind of looked like a Cross (orange and purple). It does look like a Cross, right? 😀

 

Aside from the Drum Circle and Tie-Dye Workshops, the following are the other daytime activities:

– Flow Arts Session
– Sound Bath Session
– Yoga Session
– LAYA Talks on mental health, gender equality, etc.

– Mask-making Workshop

– Watercolor Workshop
– Dream Catcher Workshop

 

For the night two concert, something amazing happened and that I will share in the next article about miracles. Oh, and before that, we had the Sunset Bonfire Jam and it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. 😉

 

Day 3

This was our free time and we can do anything we wish while waiting for our check-out time at 2:00 pm. We just spent it basking under God’s beautiful creations – sea, sun, and nature.

 

***

We would like to thank Travel Factor for arranging everything for us and making sure we enjoyed the LAYA event from Day 1 until Day 3 as well as the freebies! ❤

 

Always enjoying God’s creations may it be the sea or the mountains,

P.S.

Hubby and I availed the round-trip bus transfers from Manila to Zambales and vice versa just to get the summer vibe with fellow campers and festival goers. It was fun but we’ll bring the car next time for a change. 😀

2019-06-10-02-45-50-080

P.S. (2)

Thank God for a hubby who just waits for me patiently all the time. ❤ Indeed, he has a master’s degree in waiting. hahaha Nah, that is why I love my man to pieces. I just assured him that ladies are really like that. It’s part of every husband or boyfriend’s duties to wait for their ladies in anything – long shopping, long time taking a bath, long time dressing up, etc. He posted in his FB Stories the photo below with a written text. 😀