March 30, 2011

Polillo: You’ll always be beautiful in my eyes

Far from civilization, Polillo has retained its natural charm and bio-diverse life.




Daluro Beach

Isla Polillo Resort

with Tita Pines


San Francisco Beach



Polillo can be reached via three-hour boat ride from Ungos Port, Real, Quezon.

Acknowledgments:
Tita Pines of Isla Polillo Resort for being maalaga sobra. She’s Polillo’s Ms. Congeniality. With beautiful ocean view, the resort is so far the best in the island. Ate Lani of Casa Escarlata for treating us warmly as if we were her children. If you want to stay in the town proper, her place is definitely the most decent and highly recommended. Miss ko na tuloy ang kanyang home-cooked baconsilog. And Harley of Polillo Municipal Hall for organizing our official activities in the island.

March 15, 2011

Earth Cafe and Pinto Art Gallery, Antipolo, Rizal

“But I love your feet only because they walked upon the earth
 and upon the wind and upon the waters, until they found me.”
- Pablo Neruda














Feel like dining amidst stirring art works and comforting earth elements?

March 12, 2011

Tell me who your friends are...


This re-post is lovingly dedicated to all of my friends

May iba’t-ibang klase ng kaibigan:

childhood friend. Ang nakakakilala sa iyo noong uhugin ka pa. Ang kasama mo maligo sa ulan, sa ilog, sa drum. Ang niyayaya mong pumapak ng Milo, Nido o Maggie Noodles in its raw form. Ang taong nakaaway mo man, pero the next minute, friends na uli kayo. In short sya yung living repository ng earliest life history mo.

barkada. Usually composed of more than two members, a barkada could be your batchmates, schoolmates, neighbors, o kainuman sa kanto. Sila ang mga taong for life na ang inyong samahan, dahil marami na kayong pinagdaanan sa buhay in good and bad times. Sila ang gusto mo kasama pag gigimik, pag mag wi-window shopping, o gagawa ng kabalastugan. Ang takbuhan mo pag-nababad-trip ka sa bahay o sa buhay. Kumbaga your barkada is your second family, your kindred souls.

special-interest friend. Regardless of your status in life, friends kayo dahil you share the same interest, hobby or passion. Halimbawa your tennis or dota friends.

friend of a friend. When you become a friend to someone, sometimes you also end up being friends with some of his or her loved ones. Ang boyfriend or girlfriend nya, kailangan isama mo na rin sa iyong circle of friends, like it’s mandatory or pakitang tao lang.

accidental friend. Sila yung naging kaibigan mo by chance, accident or serendipity. Like one day may makikilala kang kapangalang-kapangalan mo. E di instant bonding kayo kaagad.

bine-friend. Minsan sa buhay nakakagawa ka ng medyo di kaaya-aya. Dahil medyo malapit sya sa mailap mong crush, gagawa ka ng paraan para maging kaibigan sya. Hoping maging tulay. Bine-friend mo kasi meron kang motibo.

weather-weather friend. Kung sunny ang weather, friends kayo. Pero kung bagyo na, break na kayo. Siya yung kaibigan mo lang sa oras ng kasiyahan.

friend with benefits. Medyo may masamang connotation ito dahil kaibigan mo sya because his or her friendship comes with perks and benefits like free lunch, free car ride, free anything. Basically, it’s a kind of friendship that sprouted out of selfish reasons.

seasonal friend. Eto yung naging friend mo dahil nagsama kayo ng isang semester sa klase, sa isang dormitory or boarding house, sa isang month-long na training, o sa isang project or assignment. Naging magkaibigan lang kayo for a certain season in your life.

two-face. Akala mo kaibigan mo siya. Pag-kaharap lang pala. Behind your back sinasaksak ka nya.

cyber friend. Frustrated ka with life. Nasa weltanschauung phase ka ng iyong buhay. Nag-log-in ka sa world wide web. Nagkaroon ka ng chatmate, ewan pero marami kang friend requests from strangers, may blogger kang fina-follow everyday… sila ang iyong cyber friends. Kasama rin dito ang mga first time mo lang na-meet through Friendster, Facebook, Twitter, Multiply, Blogger, Flixster, Flickr, Wordpress, Hi5 at kung anu-ano pang social networking sites.

pen pal/ phone pal/ text mate. Naging friend mo dahil good mood or bored ka nung mga sandaling naka-receive ka ng isang anonymous (or pretending to be anonymous) call, text, or letter from someone (which could be a stranger or stalker) wishing na maging kaibigan ka. Buti na lang mapagbigay ka.

special friend. Ang favouritism hindi lang uso sa bahay… pati sa pagkakaibigan nangyayari rin yan. Kung ang friendship ay maihahambing sa halo-halo, karamihan dyan regular… at more or less may isa dyang mako-consider mong special. May ice cream at cherry topping.

confidante. Ang sumbungan mo ng iyong angsts, fears, and dreams. Ang iyong adviser sa buhay. Sya lang ang pinagkakatiwalaan mong humawak ng susi sa mga di- kaaya-aya at top secrets mo in life. He or she could be anyone but not necessarily your bestfriend, kasi minsan pag-nag-away kayo ng best friend mo, sa confidante mo lang ikaw tatakbo, mag-ngangangawa, mag-papa-comfort, at hihingi ng payo.

best friend. Ang taong laging kadikit mo. Partner in crime. Could be your soulmate. Could be your total opposite. Para mo na ring kapatid. Ang nakakatampuhan ng matagal. Ang taong nakakapagtiyaga sa ugali mo at kayang sakyan ang trip mo. Ang natatawagan mo dis-oras ng gabi. At kahit malayo man kayo sa isa’t-isa, kahit kailan hindi nag-didiminish ang love nyo sa isa’t-isa. It’s like you have your own world na kayong dalawa lang ang tao. The one who has the courage to point out all your mistakes and faults. The one who sits by your side in times of happiness and sadness. The one who truly accepts and loves you for everything that you are and you are not. Practically the person who knows, if not all, then almost everything about you. The best friend is your mirror… and may be the little bit of all the kinds of friends that you have. At higit sa lahat, ang natatanging taong pag-aalayan mo lang ng kantang “If I had only one friend left, I’d want it to be you.”

Masaya magkaroon ng kaibigan. Mas masarap mabuhay kung alam mong hindi ka nag-iisa sa iyong paglalakbay. At some point in my life, natagpuan ko halos lahat ng klase ng mga kaibigang ito. Ikaw… masaya ako at natagpuan kita.

March 9, 2011

You and me and never us


Sometimes, we come into a person's life
not to make them love us but to let them
feel that they're so much worth loving for.

March 7, 2011

Vieux Chalet Swiss Restaurant

Vieux Chalet - your home Swiss home in the Philippines.



Berne platte

Raclette


Rosti


Osso buco


Swiss choco cake



Vieux Chalet Swiss Restaurant
Taktak Rd., Antipolo City, Rizal
Tel. No.: 697-0396

March 1, 2011

My South Korea winter adventure

Welcome to the Land of Morning Calm!






















Or shall I say the true home of Koreanovela.