"December" Christmas Song

I learned this Christmas song entitled "December" when I was in grade three, taught by my teacher Miss Dahlia Padua. I don't know if anybody still sing this song. May I share it......

December

The month that comes through the changing year,

And I love them all, they are kind and dear,

Some pleasant things it is sure to bring, 

But the best of all is December.

Then together you can see,

Fruits as many fruits can be,

Blossom to you and for me,

On December magic Christmas tree.

Merry Christmas everyone!!! God bless us all!

Kandaya, Daan Bantayan, Cebu

My children gifted their parents an early Christmas present in the form of a superlative family get away vacation at Kandaya Resort, Daan Bantayan, Cebu.

Superb is the word! The view from the swimming pool to the sea is most captivating. One look and you'll think you are in a beach paradise. The entire beach resort is extremely well kept and well attended. Kandaya is beautiful and gorgeous, best in amenities and service. I do not even care or mind when later, I find out that the resort is almost entirely man made. I love the place and enjoy my vacation to the fullest. Personnel are so courteous and helpful. The hotel attendants, etc, do not have those expectant looks that crave for gratuities or constantly accounting for lost towels, hehehe. The vacation is so relaxing, indeed an idyllic resort anyone will like to go back to.

Going to Kandaya, we are fetched from our hotel in Cebu City. Inside the van, they provide us with cold bottles of water and juices, also dainty basketfuls of cookies and cakes for the long drive. We are served welcome drinks at the lobby and is met by the hotel manager upon arrival. The regular room in Kandaya is big and spacious, just like a suite. It has first class imported amenities. On the coffee table is a boat of well arranged apples and grapes to welcome our stay. On the lounge table infront of the wide screen tv, are magazines for reading. At the back of the room is a spacious veranda that sits next to a beautiful koi pond. In the late afternoon, housekeeping comes to pull down the shades and puts a jar of delicious cookies for tea. Two beach towels are provided inside the closet. Brown beach towels are rolled inside a handy twined bag, where you can also place your lotion, eyeglasses and personal items to carry. It is very convenient and nice. We eat all our meals at the hotel restaurant. The servers are extra attentive to our beckoning. The food are delicious, well prepared by a Thai chef. In three days, we almost order everything out from their menu. Hahaha. The resort is very hotel-guest friendly!!! It is quite  awesome!

Thank you Roy, Tomas, Emil, Martha and Marion for the great family vacation!!! Your papa and I love you all. God bless you always.
(Pictures to follow later.)

Pictures from Kandaya

The resort hotel

Most captivating!

With Dylan, Yuri, Angel and Emil

At dusk

Yoga at sundown

Marion texting

At the hotel restaurant

A happy father and one happy family on vacation at Kandaya Resort, Daan Batayan, Cebu, Philippines.

Family Pictorial Day

Unofficial copies:

1730 Jesuit House in Cebu City

While in Cebu City, My son Tomas brought us to see the most unique museum I ever visited called the Jesuit House, located inside an existing hardware bodega, owned and operated by Mr. Jimmy See, a Chinese Filipino businessman. The old house was built in 1730 at the Cebu Parian where businesses flourished during the Spanish era. It went through historical intrigues, fires, wars, transferred ownerships; yet despite its age, the structure stood strong and firm. Visibly, you can see the posts were made from sturdy molave wood and the walls from sea coral bricks. When Jimmy See went to Ateneo, he discovered the historical value of his old house. And upon the encouragement of the Jesuit's priests, he made restorations to the place and the rest became the museum we saw in Cebu today.

To add more story to the narrative: Just very recently this year, during the pre APEC meeting held in Cebu, some delegates were bought to see the old Jesuit House. One of the Japanese delegates was awed by its uniqueness, he told Mr. Jimmy See not to even relocate the working family warehouse. Indeed, the hardware anterior and interior, the steels and bars, and the barrels and bales of stocks, plus the working personnel inside and everything else; rightly added more charm and uniqueness to the historical find.

 

 

The oldest recorded house in the Philippines.

 Carved inside the house. Previous owners did not take notice of its significance.

Mini replica of the old parian

The inner house is the now standing museum

The molave post, the intricate painted ceiling and the dragon tail beam.

Lucas and Marion posing inside the museo en-capsuled inside an existing warehouse.

In Cebu City

The family flew to Cebu City to reunite with Tom, Angel and the kids:

Angkong and the grandkids

Tom. Roy, Emil and Dylan and Yuri

Marion and Martha and their nephews

Having lunch together

The family all together in Cebu

Welcome Home Party

The family tendered a welcome home party for Roy. Relatives from both the Tan and the Ledesma families came - a happy homecoming gathering.

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The Ledesmas

The Tans

The young ones

With Boy and Ollie at the buffet table.

More food to partake

The lechon was everybody's favorite. Oh so yummy!