The Phoenix

It’s been a while… I’ve been so very busy with travel and work… Glad that I find time to write another long overdue blog. Another long weekend. Another opportunity to go out-of-town and just relax. Only this time is different. It’s just Me and Olive . We met at McDonald’s Imus Branch at 6:00AM. We just bought sausage muffin for each of us and a hashbrown for myself. Then we went to the near-by 711 and bought mineral water and Nestle Pure Milk. We waited for a bus that would take us to Robinsons Dasmari ñ as in front of 711. After around 30 minutes, we are already at the Van Terminal to Batangas Pier. We paid Php160 each and after more than an hour (I think!) of waiting, at last, off we got to the Pier. We reached Batangas Pier a couple of minutes past 9:00AM.We bought a Galerian Liner round-trip ticket to Puerto Galera worth Php450 per person, an environmental fee and terminal fee. Before 9:30AM we are already in front of closed Gate 2B. They opened it at around ...

The organ’s playing The entourage started coming I see him walk I see him smile He is so proud And yes… so in love He stayed in front of the altar Waiting for his lovely bride When she finally came, he held her hand She’s so beautiful So wonderful I know she’s everything he wants She’s the one he loves… It’s now time to recite their vows And so the music was played I have to sing their wedding song And I don’t know why there is pain He hears my voice…. And he stopped for a while He looked at my direction He can’t believe it with his eyes He sees me smiling while I sing He tried to look me in the eye But I looked away from him… ‘Coz I don’t want him to see me weeping I was smiling outside… But crying deep inside… I don’t know if I can bear this any longer I was hurt… my heart’s wounded Then the music fades together with my voice I ran away… ‘coz I have no choice I ran away because I know that I can’t stay I ran away from the...

I was down and out the day you said goodbye My head was spinning My heart stopped beating I was lost…… I died I tried to recover God knows how hard I told myself to forget you I thought I did… I wished I did… A few good men tried to win me But all of them failed Coz I’ve forgotten how to love… I’ve forgotten how it felt… My friends told me I should try to move on And so I tried… But I failed… For a thousand times and more How can I move on when it’s you that I ever wanted? How can I love again when it’s you who stole my heart away? You stole it the day you went away So please… Give it back to me… I want to live again!!! July 7th, 2005 by michellelucero on Friendster

After the long wait… Finally, here’s the second (and probably the last part) of my Banaue-Sagada Adventure. April 23, 2011: Black Saturday – Early morning we had our breakfast and prepared ourselves for the most intense part of our visit to Sagada. We are set to go to the Sumaguing Cave , Lumiang Burial Cave , Sagada Underground River , Echo Valley and the famous Hanging Coffins . First stop is the Sumaguing Cave . I honestly do not know if there is an entrance fee. If so, I do not have an idea how much it is or even how much is the guide’s fee. Reason: This is a partly sponsored tour. Everything has been arranged even before we elope from Manila. All we have to do is to follow the itinerary as strictly as possible. Anyways, before we enter the cave, the guides told us to just leave our belongings in our jeepney. Even the jackets should be left because we will get wet inside. I only have my flashlight in my pocket and nothing else. We had picture takings before we ent...

Hey peeps! Here’s another adventure that I want to share with you following my Ilocos Tour last February. This time, I explored two municipalities in Mountain Province, Philippines. Banaue and Sagada . It was a four days and three nights adventure together with the SPi Mountaineering Club  and Camera Club . But first, here’s a little general information for Banaue and Sagada. Banaue: It is widely known as the site of the UNESCO World Heritage Site . Here is where you will see the Banaue Rice Terraces which was tagged as the “ Eight Wonder of the World ” . The rice terraces were built 2,000 years ago by our Ifugao brothers. It begins at the base of the mountain range and extends several thousand feet upwards. It was once said that the total length of the terraces would encircle half of the globe if put end-to-end. Sagada : Sagada was tagged as a “ Sleepy Town ” . But I tell you, if you really have all the time to explore Sagada and do trekking,...

March 24, 2011 - It's Greyz ' official birthday. And because of that, she was on a Birthday Leave. How Nice! :) But just because she's on leave does not mean that we cannot have a good time and celebrate her most special day. Of course we have plans. With Olive as the " Event " (hahaha!), I'm pretty sure that everything will be okay. Right Olive? ;) March 25, 2011 - Friday: Morning went all fine... All three of us, Greyz, Olive and Myself were able to come to work at 10am. We should be out of the office at 6pm to start the celebration. But wait, am I missing someone here? Oh yes! It's Aisha . The 25% of the Superfriends, as we fondly call our group. Where is she? Hmm... Absent... Well that's okay. I will just call her to meet us by 6pm. I know she will come. She's not going to miss Greyz' birthday for the world. Or so I thought?! I was trying to reach her through text messages and phone calls but I did not receive any response. Not to...

It was a nice Friday night and I really want to go out and sing my heart out at the nearest and cheapest Videoke Bar available. I really missed singing because I haven't been singing for quite sometime now. It's a good thing that my officemates and friends know a place where we could avail of the cheapest private videoke room. Ed have been telling this place to me since last week. And because I really want to hang-out with them at that time, I asked them to come with me into that place. So at 10pm, just after office hours, we went to the Island 21 Family KTV . It is located just outside Multinational Village in Parañaque City. Just a few blocks away from our office. Beside the Dongalo's Best Restaurant. For just 150 pesos per hour per room with no limit on the number of people allowed in a room, you could enjoy each others company while just singing your favorite songs, chatting, drinking, eating and a little kulitan moment. Every moment was remarkable. But one thing...

Tatlong araw na ang lumipas. Hindi pa rin kita kilala. Sino ka ba talaga? Bakit hindi ka nagpakilala? Magbibigay-bigay ka, hindi mo naman lalagyan ng pangalan. Nahihiya ka ba? O baka naman pinagti-tripan mo lang ako. Alam mo bang ngayon lang ako nakatanggap ng ganun mula sa isang tao sa tanang-buhay ko? Tapos nagmula pa sa isang nilalang na walang pangalan na gaya mo. Kung sino ka man, salamat sa regalo mo... Salamat at naalala mo ako... Salamat sa isang pulang rosas na bigay mo... Lanta na ang rosas pero nananatili ka pa ring isang palaisipan. Parang imposible nang malaman ko kung sino ka. Pero sana... isang araw... subukan mong magpakilala...

February 12-14, 2011… That’s the time when I, along with my two friends Olive and Greyz, had a chance to experience the Ilocos Heritage. Before anything else, let me just share to you little facts about Ilocos. There might be some of you who are wondering on what’s the difference between Ilocanos and Ifugaos when both are speaking the same language, Ilocano . Ifugaos live in the high-lands. While Ilocanos live in low-lands. Ilocos, like any other provinces, have Plazas where all the locals usually get together for a special event. But it is very noticeable that whenever you see a Plaza , you will also see a church, a municipal/city hall and a village full of huge houses which usually belong to the well-known families of that place. Why? It’s because during the Spanish era until earlier 1900s, almost all the members of the well-known families who live in the village near the Plaza are working in the Municipal/City Hall. They all go to the church on Sundays. And, they ...