Day Trip to Lake Sebu

Yesterday June 14, 2012, I went on a day trip to Lake Sebu with the Mary Mediatrix Ladies Circle of Cotabato City. We were a big contingent of around 50 persons under the able tour group leadership of our parish priest, the reverend Monsignor Antonio Pueyo, DCC. He used to head the Notre Dame College of Tacurong in Sultan Kudarat for more than 12 years and knew the vicinity well. The group was divided and accommodated into 4 transport vehicles. I joined in with the bus contingent. The outing was well planned and well organized. Kudos to Monsignor Pueyo and Celia Te, president of the MMLC.

 Inside the bus

 Father Pueyo giving pre-departure instructions to the driver.

 At Notre Dame of Tacurong convento with the Rector, Rev. Fr. Bong Fuentes DCC

My sister Jeannette and I with our able parish priest Monsignor Antonio Pueyo DCC

 at the Tacurong convento

We were served snacks. I loved their banana turon most specially. Ate two pieces of them.

 Road side scenery on our way to Lake Sebu.

 Arriving Lake Cebu at Punta Isla Resort, I took a picture with the Tiboli dance family.

They welcomed us with Tiboli songs and dance.

" Hi, I'm in Lake Sebu. "

 Juliet and Precy's miniature size propped up the grand view. Hehe..

Group picture with President Celia Te in blue top.
 

 Our buffet lunch

Chicharon tilapia and others

 On our way back to Cotabato.... Tributaries of Allah River looked like they were almost over flowing.

We left Cotabato City at 8 AM, took lunch at Lake Sebu at noon, left for Cotabato around 2PM and arrived home few minutes after 5. Thank God for a safe and pleasant trip.

Shopping

I am not a compulsive shopper, but I enjoy shopping and sometimes window shopping. In Cotabato, I buy only what is necessary, but when I am in Manila, I love looking at the latest fashion and accessories. How I wish I were that slim to fit into those dresses. The next best thing I do is buy clothes for my daughters because they belong to those extra small and small sizes. But when it comes to spending for my own self, I choose things pretty quickly. I am not very meticulous and I am easy to please. Often times, I am up to date in my get up but I am sure nobody really pays much attention to how I look.
Some years ago, when ladies of the houses in Cotabato City went crazy with Chinese ornamental jars, I stayed put. I actually thought those gigantic vases were some kind of a cheap imitation. One day, I bought a small Ching dynasty antique saucer. (there were excavation sites of buried porcelain in Dulawan). I bought the antiquated piece from a local Chinese dealer and displayed it on the shelf.....but alas my maids soon broke it into pieces. That's the end of my mocked up porcelain acquisition.
Shopping is mostly done during Christmas time but I rather give baked goodies to friends rather than buy trifle things that nobody really want. Sometimes though, I am possessed by Mrs. Jolly Good Christmas Spirit and splurge on nicer gift items. It makes me happy to be a little generous during the yuletide season.
Whenever I go abroad, I spend more on food than shopping. My luggage allocation never gets over weight. But woe, each time I reach home, I don't have enough presents to give everybody.
Shopping for clothes sometime is a bit tedious. Obviously because I don't have the figure for good suitability. However few days ago, I went shopping with my children at the greenbelt area and I was just so happy to finally find the right place to buy short length but oversize pants. They were just the right fit for me and no need for alteration. One pair was a little bit costly though. No matter, for now I know where to find the store for my proper fit. I also bought one dress for my daughter and I was really happy to spend my time and money shopping with them.

Class '68 Tagaytay Outing 2013

My high school classmate Rita Cua Uy came to the Philippines from Canada to visit her parents in Cotabato. Taking the opportunity of her short stay in Manila, CCI batch 1968 arranged for a mini overnight reunion at Tagaytay on June first. Sixteen of us former classmates responded to attend the outing. Namely: Imelda Bugayong, Corazon Taeza, Herminigilda Chew, Anita Go, Remedios Fornillos, Robert Atienza, Ricky Lim, Robert Tan, Quan Minton, Manny Hao, Pablo Lu, Ramon Yee Fon, John Co, Pepe Chio, Rita and I.

For our class outing, the batch hired a coaster big enough to shuttle the group. We were picked up at two junctions, one at UCCC Tomas Morato, Quezon City and another one at Cash and Carry, Makati. After everybody was picked up at the two meeting places, we requested a drop-off to get our packed lunch at Manyann, Makati. We then proceeded to Naia terminal 3 to await for the arrival of Rita from Cotabato at 1 PM. When Rita arrived, we were all so joyous to see and welcome her. Losing no more valuable time to go on our trip, we ate our packed lunch inside the coaster. Because of time constraints and because not everybody was capable of climbing steep terrain, our initial activity to cross Taal lake and trek Taal volcano was cancelled. We arrived Tagaytay around 4 PM. Booked and stayed at Tagaytay Vista Lodge. It was an old renovated classic inn considered as having the most ideal panoramic location in town. Instead of doing the trek, we visited the MH family resort at Alfonso to chill out. We took a sumptuous supper at Leslie's Restaurant and went to the Casino at night. Three of our classmates who took chance to play, won!

The next day, on June 2nd which was a Sunday, we leisurely took our buffet breakfast at the hotel, attended mass inside the hotel area, checked out at noon and off to Minton's Batangas farm for late lunch and recreation. For our hungry stomach and thirsty palate, our most gregarious host Minton prepared lechon, grilled tilapia, lechon manok, Indian mango, tinola and young coconut. After lunch, some boys played poker, others catch-up and talked with each others; the girls did karaoke singing and practiced dancing together. We also picked up plants from the farm such as celery, leeks, basil, green mangoes, ripe bananas to bring home to our respective families. Before going home we were served sibut soup to increase our stamina. And off we went back home, exhausted but cheerful, happy and gay, hoping for another class reunion to happen again next year.

To date, this was my fourth trip to Tagaytay since February. It was as enjoyable each time with sets of different companies. For our mini class reunion, the place was nice, the company even better!!!

Below are some pictures taken:

 Imelda and Minton on the bus

Class 68 at the airport welcoming Rita (center green)

 

Cora, Remy, Anita and Hermie at the hotel lobby

 The guys: Ramon, Pablo, Ricky, Robert, Manny, Pepe, John, Minton

 Berto, the only thorn among the roses with Hermie, Cora, Imelda, Heddy, Remy, Rita and Anita

 Class'68 at MH family resort

The girls at the hotel lobby at night

 At Minton Batangas Farm
 

Roses from Robert Tan. He gave a bouquet of roses to all the girls.

Dancing

I love and I enjoy dancing. It is my means of exercise. I easily sway with music and move with rhythm. I hate to boast, although I am not the best but I do dance pretty well.

When I was in my early 20's, I enrolled in Hawaiian dancing with Mrs. Carmen Hoffer. I was one of her early students. I learned easily. In no time at all, I could shake my hips and swayed my grass skirt correctly and gracefully. During my first dance recital at Tocao residence, proudly, I was able to clinch a solo act and some important numbers. Regretfully though, for the grander and much acclaimed second recital that was shown at Cotabato Theater, I was unable to join because I was already married and pregnant with my first child. But up until now, I can say, I still know my Hawaiian and Tahitian steps.

My love affair with dance had not diminished. I continued to dance even after marriage. With disco dancing, I got myself immersed at discotheque with friends and relatives. It had to be a good, classy, reputable place though for I tend to be paranoid in crowded area. When I danced among a good crowd of people, I got entranced moving fluidly (but not scandalously). Loving those dizzy dazzling crazy lights and the very loud music, I could dance nonstop for hours unending in one spot.

My husband, knowing that I love dancing, began to take lessons. Together with his friend James Yap, he would practice with his friend and instructor Mr. Pete Capocao weekly on Saturday night at Mr. Yap's residence. The missis Siolan and I acted as dance aides. It took my husband Lucas two years to learn cha cha and master the pivotal turning of the steps. He persisted though and now both of us can dance in full style. hahaha.

When ballroom dancing became a craze, the Saturday night session that used to be done in the Yap residence was transferred to my home for want of a bigger space. This time the crowd of enthusiasts grew bigger, composed mostly of older girls and a few gentlemen. I learned the swing, boogie, tango, reggae, rumba, samba from all those Saturday dance sessions at home. I got to love dancing with those skillful dance instructors too (they were mostly gays) who challenged my dancing ability to certain heights.

As a teacher, I taught students to dance and perform for convocations and school presentations. I sought help from younger teachers, I learned new hiphop movements, I further improvised and created dance routines suitable to school children's age and theme. In so doing, I made myself physically flexible despite my size and age too.

And even now that I am retired from teaching, I haven't retired myself from dancing. Upon request, once a week, our store young lady employees come to my house to teach me two popular dance moves: the gangnam style and the Wakawaka (correct spelling?) by Shakira. Hahaha. I am now able to perform with memorization the gangnam craze, and I am also almost finished with Wakawaka. A few more days of practice and most likely, I can do all of them on my own, and teach others as well.

By the way, I also do Tai Chi every Sunday with my husband which we learned from Bobby Ang. For me, doing Tai Chi is like doing a slow-motion martial art dance. I am not the perfect dancer as you might imagine me to be. No, I am not. I just simply love to sway with good rhythmic music. No hard work for me there. Hehehe. It keeps me fit and young at heart :)

Saturday Night Fares at Home

Saturday night dance session.... so I prepare my home for my dancing friends:

 Decorate my house with a few potted plants for a fresher and better look.

Bananas from my backyard plot for healthy snacks in between dances.

More fruits.....

For those who are not satisfied with bananas, I also serve chicken macaroni salad.

And of course water/ bottled water.......

Happy dancing everyone!!!

Books

I used to be a teacher, hence I am supposed to have read a lot of books; yet compared to my children Roy and Emil, I have read less books than they. I have quite a few books on the shelves of which at some point, I thought of reading but never did. Until now, they are still there gathering dust. What a shame! I have committed a grave sin as a teacher by by-passing these classics: Anne of the Green Gable, the Crucible, War and Peace, Garland for Girls, the Grapes of Wrath, Peyton Place, Sense and Sensibility, Catch 22, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Les Miserables etc........

During the 60's and 70's, I was so much into Agatha Christie and Erle Stanley Gardner mystery cases. Back then, I preferred to read detective stories rather than love stories from Mills and Boons. I did not also like very much those popular novels of Harold Robins but I read some.

Then my husband Lucas introduced me to best selling authors, the likes of Irving Wallace, James A Michener, John Grisham, Ken Follet, Leon Uris, Michael Crichton, Stephen King, Tom Clancy etc.

Later,  from trying to catch up with what my voracious children were reading, I read The Little Prince, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Nick Bantock 3 chronicle books of Griffin & Sabine, the Harry Potter complete series, the Catcher in the Rye, Memoirs of a Geisha, Stardusts etc....... I can say my children have good reading habits and good taste too.

My all time favorites though are:
1. Heidi - my first novel ever; I was in first year high school. During that time it was the practice of the school to give freshmen students the privilege of owning a library card. I was so thrilled. I went to the cozy library to borrow a book even though it was not a reading requirement. I chose the book mainly from a title that sounded similar to my name. It turned out to be an awesome read. I finished the book in less than one week, in fact I think 3 days. I soon began to develop the habit and the passion of reading books.
2. The Rosary - It was an old hardbound book given to one of my aunts as gift. But they left Cotabato and also the book behind. My eldest sister Imelda read it and I heard her tell the story to my mom. Curiously I picked it up. I was greatly touched by the romantic plot of the book. I can still remember the story line until now. Although some people may claim it as the most boring book ever, but my heart continues to believe in such an enduring love story.
3. The Empress of China by Pearl S. Buck - It is a historically based novel and I am greatly intrigued by the old grandeur of China and the cunning moves of the girl Tzu Tsi to power. This was a book bought and owned by my brother Jun. I did not know if he was able to read it but my sister Helen did. We lost the book to the 1976 earthquake in Cotabato. I have been looking for a copy of this book ever since. Sadly I never get to find one until now.
4. To Kill a Mockingbird - One summer when I was still in high school, my sister Jeannette came home for a vacation from Manila. She was holding and reading this book entitled To Kill a Mockingbird which became a blockbuster movie starring Gregory Peck but to which I was not able to see. I was however more curious about the book she was carrying from time to time the whole summer through but unable to finish. "Maybe it was extremely boring" I concluded. But after many years, one night for wanting of something to read, I curiously picked it up. Wallah, from the beginning I was transfixed and captured. I did not put the book down until I had finished. I reread this book more than 3 times. I also highly recommended it to my children when I presumed they had already reached a more matured reading age.They all read and loved it too.
5. Dream of the Red Chamber - An ancient forbidden romantic book in olden times but the love story was circulated in every old and/or new Chinese literary household. In the 60's, it was transformed into a Chinese musical movie produced by Run Run Shaw. The big movie hit was played by my then favorite HongKong actress Loh Teh.  One day, I saw this book in English translation when I visited the National Library in Manila. I partially read it. I was taken by the entwining of myth from the start of the narration, so I further followed it up from the main library of the University of Santo Thomas. I read this book more than twice when I found out my sister-in-law Jean had a copy of that English version too. 
6. The Good Earth - This is a book from my husband's collection. Every kid of Chinese descent should read it to relate to the virtues of enduring hardship, love, dignity of labor, hard work, filial love, respect and many others. Somehow, you would feel proud by relating to it as a Chinese.
7. Gone With the Wind - I watched the movie twice and I loved it; I read the book and loved it more!
8. & 9.  Hawaii by James A Michener and QB Seven by Leon Uris. These were the books that my husband read and I love them tremendously!!!
10. Lord of the Rings - My son Roy bought a complete set of hardbound copies. He brought them to Cotabato. The tales were written even before I was born but how come I heard of them only recently. I guessed the book was popularized more by the 21st century nerds. Haha. The book was so exciting. I followed  the stories by intermittently going through the map illustration inside the cover. I was so fearful of  the fates of the heroes. It was even more thrilling than watching the epic movie. 
11. Mama Mary and Her Children ( true stories of real people ) - This is the latest book I am reading, written by the late Father James B. Reuter, S.J. Of late my eyes are not as sharp and strong enough to burn the midnight oil, peering through small texts and heavy books. I resort to light materials instead such as comics and magazines. Sometimes though I am inspired to read a few Catholic publications, so I bought a few during my last visit to Manila. This book I am reading now, I find it so honest and inspiring. It's been a long time since I have stayed awake until past one o'clock in the morning reading a book. Father Reuter is such a good story teller. Kudos to him indeed. I concur with his narrations as I have often times experienced the love and joy and fulfillment of my heart desires from a loving God and the intervention of his Blessed Mother!!!!! Thank you so much!

I hope to continue reading more books............

Election Day

Tomorrow May 13, 2013 is both national and local election day in the Philippines. I have already prepared my list. I sincerely pray for a peaceful and honest and orderly election. I want my hometown to revert back to peace and progress. I hope the people of Cotabato knows whom to vote for, unless they are the bad elements who want the city to plunge into darkness and degeneration. I have advised our store employees not to sell their votes. " If you sell your vote, you're tantamount to selling your soul to the devil " I told them. "What is P1,000.00 in exchanged for 3 years of wayward criminal activities in the city. You don't get rich anyway on a thousand pesos, yet you put your life and the lives of your love ones in constant danger in exchange for it." I hope they get to know what I am driving at. People earning an honest living, really don't need to sell their votes. But sometimes, they are carried away by mass hysteria or the hype of grabbing some freebies. Hey, where are your dignity people?! You have a responsibility towards your beloved hometown. Vote for the those who can make our streets safer and better. Do not vote for those evil and bad influential  politicians.
Oh God, please help the good people of Cotabato do the right thing, that well soon enough we shall get rid of the evil scourge that has been plaguing our place. Please make Cotabato City a better and safer place to stay. Graciously hear our prayers, O God.