A ‘VACATION’ IN SINGAPORE

After roughly a week, a relative returned after staying in Singapore to try to look for ‘work’…it turns out that the kind of work she entered into was something she couldn’t stomach so she decided to leave and return instead to the country. It was her best friend who enticed her to go there with her, she knew very well that her job entailed waitressing in a bar…but she hoped it ended there – but it turns out it did not since most of the customers there ‘expect’ the waitresses to be ‘taken out’ so during the nights that she worked there she had to fend off the numerous advances of her male customers no matter how cute they may be. Add to that the fact that the old Singaporean who owns the apartment unit she shares with her friend is not as harmless as he seems and had a ‘huge crush’ on her…one time that she was alone in the house with only her best friend's children accompanying her(because her friend went to work in the bar) the guy almost molested her…but her quick thinking and the kids presence saved her. So when her friend went back to the country with her kids, she opted to go home too than be left behind at the mercies of lions. She figures she’d have other chances to work abroad anyway - now is not just her time…I am just thankful that she did not end up in the hands of prostitution syndicates and that she got back home to us safely.

DAVAO: THE PREMIERE CITY OF THE SOUTH

This working trip to Davao is my first out-of-town travel for the year… you see part of the reason why I have been remiss in posting regularly in this blog last year 2007 was because our office has been quite busy – arranging media engagements for THE BOSS almost every month. What’s even more exciting is that the work brings us to different provinces of the country. It started in Mindanao (Cagayan de Oro) and I was lucky to have been part of the first leg of the so-called ‘provincial tour’ sometime in July. But since there was just four of us in the office, it couldn’t be possible that I will get to join the provincial sorties every single time since someone had to be left behind to man the ship, so to speak. So during the next sortie which was held in Bohol (around August), I wasn’t able to join them. For October, the group went to Butuan and I was once again not chosen to join. On November, there were two trips: Leyte and Laguna and I was lucky to have gone to both. I specifically chose Leyte since I figured it would be near Samar where a cousin and I may get to visit another cousin but it wasn’t meant to be… Before the month ended, we headed off to nearby Laguna while Masbate became our last trip of the year (December). I declined joining the Masbate leg because I already visited Legaspi when the hubby's unit had an outing in 2006 to visit butandings in Donsol.

So when the year started, I was lucky once again to have made it to the list of employees who will be going to Davao. This is another of my dream destinations – not because of the numerous places that can be considered tourist spots (although they also have many notable ones!) It is rather because Davao, a known premiere city of the South is truly a must-see in the Mindanao region. It is also a shopping mecca for batik malongs, colorful bags, hats, trinkets and much more… Besides, during these ‘working trips’, we never really expect to be able to make the rounds of tourist destinations because ‘our bosses’ keep telling us – we’re here for work, not act as tourists!?! But there were some instances when the governors or even the province mayors are generous enough to take the group/secretariat to some popular sights. This happened in Bohol (where they rode a tour bus to visit Chocolate hills, the tarsiers, Loboc church and Panglao beach). Then again in Leyte, where the city government even provided us a tour guide for the city tour to visit some museums, the Palo Leyte landing site and finally the San Juanico bridge. The others – CDO, Butuan, Laguna and Masbate were purely working affairs and didn’t include any tours in the itinerary.

January was a month for rest and for a while we thought that the provincial gigs were suspended (due to lack of budget!) but it seems not because by the first week of February, the office was once again abuzz with activity and for only the second time (after Cagayan and six other provincial trips) my husband and I were finally together in a trip (hurrah, hurrah!) Our actual venue was in Tagum City but since there were no direct flights there we were able to savor what Davao had to offer (even if it’s only for a day and after all our work was done!!!)

Our PAL plane reached Davao City on the 6th of February and we all enjoyed a buffet breakfast at 7 am at a restaurant at Victoria Mall…sorry I forgot the name of the resto but suffice it to say the food was good since there was so many to choose from and we were already quite hungry that I forgot to take pictures (he,he,he) Besides, we had to wake up at such an ungodly hour at 2 am just to reach the airport and catch the first flight at 6am so I guess I could be forgiven for forgetting such teensy-weensy details. After our breakfast, we rode in rented vans for an hour-long ride to Tagum City. For the first day, we got busy with the preparations of the venue, the media center, the invitations/co-ordinations with media and local PIA, etc. We only took a short break to hear mass since it was Ash Wednesday and we visited Tagum's church - the Christ the King cathedral. Too bad that it was already dark by the time we got out so we weren't able to see the huge rosary.

For the next couple of days we got busy with our work – Everything was already standard procedure for us (well, after six trips we have already managed to get our jobs down pat) but we didn’t expect the huge number of media who came to witness the event. Even Susan Enriquez was there although she was only one of the three Manila-based reporters who came (because everyone else was caught up with the Jun Lozada expose which erupted at the same time). We got deluged by Davao-based reporters and even from nearby provinces like Cagayan de Oro so that our IDs and press kits ran out. But nonetheless, we were able to cope up and simply made do with what we had.

So on the third day, when our duties were finally over the group decided to just pack our bags and head for Davao City where we were billeted at the Marco Polo Hotel. After checking in our bags and freshening up a little in our rooms, we all left for Jack’s Ridge and for the first time in three days we were finally able to sample Davao cuisine at its finest! Sure, the food during the 2-day workshop was OK because the governor’s caterer was Kapampangan and they sure know how to cook good food. But still you can’t take Pampanga out of them no matter how far and how many oceans they have traveled. They still will taste like fiesta food pretty much like a typical Kapampangan.

So at Jack’s Ridge we gorged ourselves sick with seafood – particularly their inihaw na panga ng tuna, kinilaw na tuna, , sinigang na hipon, and calamares. Of course there was always the staple barbecued chicken and pork and so much more. But while waiting for the food to arrive, we had a great time posing for pictures. Then, after the heavy meal some of the guys went down what seems like a sunken garden to shed off all the food they have eaten but I just watched them because I didn’t feel like I had the strength left to go up so many steps. I stayed behind atop the hill and watched the city of Davao before me – and I’m reminded of the Antipolo overlooking. If what the owner of Jack’s Ridge say is true then the entire city of Davao used to be submerged in water due to evidence of shells and other sea fossils only found underwater that were discovered there on that same hill. After awhile, we all retired for the night since we had an early day tomorrow!

The next day, the hubby and I got up early, took our baths and ate breakfast at their restaurant downstairs. We were literally overwhelmed with the buffet spread that Marco Polo offered and we would have wanted to eat them all and take our sweet little time devouring everything but we couldn’t coz we have to be at the lobby by 8 for our Davao city tour.

Expectedly, the group wasn’t able to leave by 8 because we were so many and we had to wait till each and every one of us had finished with their breakfast, taking their baths, doing their usual toilet routine, and dressing up. Finally, when everyone was ready we left aboard three (or was it four?) rented vans to visit the world-famous Samal Island. We took a short 30-minute ferry ride to Samal Island where our first stop for the day was the Bat caves. The entrance was free although we had to endure a short ten-minute walk from the entrance to the actual cave itself. Once there we were all overwhelmed not just by the sight of millions and millions of bats sticking to the all the cracks and crevices of the cave but also by the smell!!! I never realize until this moment that bat droppings could smell like a public toilet – thus we never ventured any nearer to the mouth of the cave. Also, the guide says there were many snakes living at the cave floors, just waiting for the right moment to snap and catch their next meal.

After awhile, we left the bat caves since it was already almost lunch time and we proceeded to Paradise Resort for our lunch. We were actually hoping to visit the Davao Pearl Farm but there was a bit of trouble with the schedule so they were unable to accommodate us. Well, the resort itself wasn’t at all bad – they had a mini zoo where we had fun looking at the animals while waiting for the food to arrive. Of course, the boys also had their own kinda fun watching all the women in skimpy swim suits. They wanted to stay behind and go for a swim but the bosses didn’t want to stay anymore so after the scrumptious albeit very expensive meal, we all decided to go back to Davao City to continue the city tour.

We visited an Orchidarium, where they sold orchids cheap! (This is another reason why I wanted to go to Davao – because of their flowers!!!) Then we went to a Butterfly farm and the Crocodile Park where we didn’t just see crocodiles but lots of other animals too. It’s just too bad that we had so little time to tour Davao so we were unable to go to the Eden Nature Park and which they say is another amazing place to visit. Neither were we able to visit the Philippine Eagle Foundation. So I guess we’ll just add that up to my already expanding list of places to go back to (if and when I have the time and money for it!)

Our last stop before we finally boarded the plane back to Manila was – yes, you guessed it right! … shopping at the Aldevinco mall. We were unable to shop at our own sweet pace because the shops were already closing (so early at 7pm???...totally unheard of in Manila!) We also had to hurry to catch our 9pm flight so I didn’t have the luxury of time to browse and browse before finally picking what to buy. Instead, we entered the store – bought malongs and large hankies; entered another store to buy bags and pretty shawls; and still another store for the fans… too bad for me I didn’t get to buy shirts which they said only cost PhP80…maybe next time. Coz there surely will be a next time because this Davao trip is so bitin!!!! I want to come back here with purely leisure as my agenda so I can fully savor everything that Davao had to offer – its magnificent beaches, amazing flora and fauna - nature at its best, freshly-caught and cooked seafood, sweet fruits, unique coffee blends, fab shopping finds and so much more!!!

CHI-CHI’S 7th BIRTHDAY AT MAX’S

We spent the day today having a blast at Chi-chi’s birthday party at Max’s… her motif is ‘prince and princess’ so the kids had to wear gowns and princely costumes to attend the event. Expectedly, Kit didn’t want to take part in such hulla-baloo so he opted to stay home na lang even if it meant passing up on the crunchy fried chicken of Max’s…anyway, so it was only Kaye and I who went and we borrowed a gown from Nicole for Kaye to wear. Nicole had a pretty mermaid gown which won for her the best-dressed award of the party. There were many games and thankfully Kaye joined in some of them but only with a lot of prodding from me and Mama and Anna. Anna’s friend, the actress Kat even made a surprise appearance. There were many people who came and took part in the celebration but I guess it would be more if relations between us would become finally OK...but it's not and we should just be happy for moments like this to spend with family.

Chocolate Kiss Moments

Last month my Mom and I had a little bonding moment… you see we were never really close. She was not that type of mother – the caring, over-protective kind who will fuss over you and ask you how you were or if you have eaten. More often than not, we were left to the care of yayas and she was well… busy with her work. Not that I have any reason to complain – we were all brought up well… all I’m really saying is that we never really got the chance to be with each other often, especially while I was growing up. Hence, our bonding moments as mother and daughter were really few and far between.

Our moment actually started out as still work-related… you see even after she has retired, she has not stopped working. She continues to work part-time as a researcher for AIM to add to her income as a professor and she took me in as one of her researchers for a writing project. And as part of the research, my study was reviewed by a UP professor. She joined me in hearing the comments/ suggestions made by the professor (which were many by the way!) And when it was over, we decided to eat lunch inside the campus. It was her treat – maybe her way of assuaging my prickly pride – what with all the revisions I have to undertake with my study! No but kidding aside I wasn’t really all that hurt with the comments. In fact, it was understandable since it was my first time to take on a research project of that magnitude and I really welcomed the suggestions she made so I can further improve the paper. I guess mama really just wanted to share with me her many blessings and have this chance to spend some time together.

I chose the place where we will eat – at first, I suggested the UPCAS cafeteria but it was lunchtime and expectedly packed. So off we went to Chocolate Kiss since I haven’t eaten there yet but I have already read many good reviews of the place. Mama has eaten there already –many times during her meetings with a former UP Alumni president (because the resto was situated in the 2nd floor of the UP Bahay ng Alumni) and she said the food was good.

The ambiance when we entered was quite charming – a perfect date place, not so quiet but neither boisterous as to disturb the diners. I heard they even play the piano on weekend nights... very nice indeed! As expected, the place was quite full, but we were lucky to get a table for two near the window which offered us a wee bit of privacy. We both ordered pasta – hers was pesto while mine was my all time favorite, carbonara and it tasted great! We also had iced tea which was served with some form of syrup as sweetener or maybe it was honey – I couldn’t really tell. But the coup de grace was their cakes – I wanted to taste them all but the prices were a bit steep so I made mama take her pick. I could not remember the name of the cake, all I can recall was how good it tasted – I think it was walnut something.

While we ate all the great food, we had fun chatting about the goings-on in her life and the house – now that my brother is back home, she had lots to say about his new shenanigans, but she’s not really complaining. She didn't harp all that much and there were less complaints in her stories. Admittedly, her aura seemed much better now.

Still, I am glad when she mentioned that she has ceased to dwell on the negative side of life, thanks to an inspirational CD that helped her a lot. I’m happy that she has found something to help her be happy or even a bit more positive about herself and her life. I’m happy too that she has her friends to always support her. I guess what she needs more right now (is not a new lover!) but to realize that her family, too, will be here for her. So here’s hoping we’ll have more bonding moments like these… just to let her know I’m here if she needs someone to talk to...