Sunday, December 30, 2007

South Lake Tahoe trip

December 27-30, 2007

the food...












the fun...












the friendship...


































the sights...



















and the bumps...










...all these made our year-ender trip a super memorable one!

and by the way, it was my first time to see and experience SNOW. congratulations to me! i'm no longer a snow virgin :-)

Monday, December 24, 2007

christmas & baby shower party

We had another super fun christmas party last night. It was the most organized yet chaotic christmas party i've ever been to, with 8 families in attendance!

And the surprise baby shower was a real shock to me and Fil. Thanks to all of you guys for organizing it and participating in the baby games. We appreciate the gifts...now we're even more excited to have the baby!

Merry, Merry Christmas!

Thursday, December 20, 2007

blue box

Big things do come in small packages. I got a tiffany blue box last night! My reward for being both naughty and nice ha, ha, ha!

Thank you ga...advance merry christmas! tsup, tsup, tsup!

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

a year older

Happy, happy birthday
to my one and only
palangga!

Love you ga! :-*

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Golden Gate Bridge


December 9, 2007
finally, naka-agi na jud ko!

leaving San Francisco...




entering San Francisco...


Sunday, December 2, 2007

party peeps!

Still fresh from our fun thanksgiving party, our group had another party last Friday. I refer to them as our "bisaya" friends because yes, we are all proudly bisaya! I am one of the newest additions to this growing group, the latest is Sarah Jane's one week old baby. From the little history i've gathered so far, this group started as a barkada of engineers in Cebu and later grew into an extended family that now includes their respective spouses and kids + their friends and co-workers (and their spouses & kids, too!) here in the US. They met Fil here years ago and adopted him so I earned my automatic membership when I married Fil last October. Ang saya-saya! hehehe

Our excuse for the party? Andrew's birthday! We didn't have lechon this time but still had lots of food and twice the noise and fun. Of course, dili mawala ang mahjong, guitar hero and wii!

Check these out...(thanks to Juan & Shelle for the photos)


Saturday, November 24, 2007

a lot to be thankful for...

Last November 22 was Thanksgiving Day. It was my first taste of the much-celebrated American holiday and though i may not know the story behind the turkey dinner nor understand why stores go on sale as early as 4am the following day, I embraced the celebration because hey, i've got so much to be thankful for!











That day, Fil and i joined our friends for a whole-day of thanksgiving lunch, merienda, dinner and fun in Milpitas. We had a blast! We snobbed the traditional turkey and had lechon instead...da best! It was also my introduction to guitar hero and wii. grabe, nung kabataan ko game and watch lang hahaha... Big thanks to the host family Juan, Amor & Ysa and to everybody for contributing to our potluck party. Another party this Friday? why not?! :)

Day after thanksgiving (Black Friday), we tried our luck at Fry's to grab that 22-inch LCD monitor for our desktop computer but instead found ourselves lost in a maze of people lining up for the cashier. Not to mention we had difficulty looking for a parking space (sigh...) So anyway, we lasted only 10 minutes inside the store and left empty-handed then headed for San Francisco to checkout the 50th International Auto Show. Lamborghini, Bentley, Masserati, Ferrari, Mustang (i am really attracted to this car, don't know why...), next-generation hybrid cars...name it, they have it! Libre ang mangarap...

We dropped by Jollibee after the auto show then watched Enchanted at Century Theatre. Fil met a co-worker after the movie who told him about the christmas tree lighting at Union Square so we walked the short distance and waited in front of Macy's. It was fun being around a diverse group of people waiting for that one big tree to light up. At 6:30pm it finally did and the crowd dispersed after clicking a few pictures. As we made our way out of the sea of people, we passed by a KRON4 reporter interviewing some tourists and Fil gamely joined the usiseros for a few seconds of TV exposure hahaha. Later when we called Fil's aunt on our way to join them for a belated thanksgiving dinner, she excitedly told us they saw him on TV! hihihi....

So this is how we celebrated thanksgiving. We had our time together as a couple and time with our friends and family here in the US. But beyond the noise and the holiday cheers, one thing's for sure: I am happy, I am blessed and for that i am extremely thankful...not just today but everyday!

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

baby update

I'm now 25 weeks pregnant and having a wonderful time so far. I have none of those difficult pregnancy symptoms. I feel great! I have no worries, no stress...it's just perfect that Fil and i can finally share this extremely joyful experience.

Fil first felt baby's kicks last October 7, three days after i got here. It was a Sunday morning and i awakened to baby's acrobatics so i instinctively grabbed Fil's hand and placed it lightly on my abdomen. Baby continued kicking to Fil's delight but he paused when Fil and i started talking. Hmmm, maybe baby was familiarizing himself with our voices.

Last week we met with our nurse-midwife who will be assisting my doctor. She reviewed my medical records and we listened to baby's heart rate. Fil was so happy to hear it for the first time...baby's heart was beating so fast like a choo-choo train. I also had some laboratory tests to complement the tests i already had in the Philippines. No abnormality at all. I'm negative for gestational diabetes (thank God!) and my urine and blood tests results are also within normal range.

This morning I had my ultrasound. This is my picture before we left the house for our appointment. Fil, the excited dad, watched baby's moving image on the screen while the sonographer maneuvered the device around the surface of my tummy. It's Fil's first peek at our baby. I myself was surprised to see how much he has grown since the last time i had my ultrasound. He has taken a human form now and weighs 3 times more than last time. Got a cute nose there too! Sana magmana sa ilong ni Fil. You can have my eyes, hands and ears baby (you don't want daddy's big ears, do you?!) but you'd look better if you have daddy's nose and lips. Hahaha.

I wonder what you'll look like baby? Malapit na...we will find out in 3 months. Relax ka na lang muna dyan, ok?

Sunday, October 28, 2007

our wedding day

Fil & Khay
San Mateo County Clerk's Chapel
Redwood City, California
26 October 2007

Monday, October 15, 2007

where am i?

As i've mentioned in my earlier post, i'm now here in Fremont, California. But where exactly is this place?

Fremont is located in the southeast of the San Francisco Bay Area in Alameda County. Nearby cities are Hayward and Union City (in the north) and Milpitas, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and San Jose (in the south). From downtown San Francisco, it takes about 45 minutes to drive.

Our house is conveniently located near the 880 freeway exit and is accessible to malls, theatres and grocery stores. Luckily my friend Lia lives in San Jose. Last Saturday she and her friend Kathy accompanied me to David's Bridal in Milpitas to look for a simple wedding dress that would fit my petite frame and 5-month old pregnant belly. We later had lunch at Cheesecake Factory in Palo Alto and quickly toured Stanford University and its posh university mall.

Fil's got a lot of relatives and Filipino friends here too. I already met some of them last October 6 when we watched Manny Pacquiao's game in Milpitas. They're a nice bunch of happy people...even gave me a welcome balloon. Last Saturday night we had dinner with Fil's cousins in Walnut Creek then last Sunday we visited his aunts in San Francisco and spent a couple of hours driving around the city's steep hilly streets. Busy, busy, busy...busy sa kapapasyal :-)

It's only been 12 days since i got here. The first few days i suffered from jetlag and colds and sore throat due to change of weather but i'm okay now. So far i'm not feeling homesick 'coz i see Filipinos everywhere and everything that has tatak pinoy in it: Jollibee, Chowking, Goldilocks, Gerry's Grill and a filipino grocery store where vegetable leaves like malunggay, kangkong and petchay cost more than the price of chicken or pork.

Will tell more next time...

Thursday, October 11, 2007

happy and sad birthday











I celebrated my 33rd birthday last october 3 with my family in the Philippines and i was in a happy mood 'coz i have so much to be thankful for: my relationship with Fil, my US visa approval and of course, our upcoming baby boy. But these things that made me happy on my birthday were the very same things that saddened me because to truly realize them, i had to travel thousands of miles and be away from my family and friends, my cat Yna, my little green house...far from the things that i'm so used to having and doing.

During the party, amidst the noise of the videoke machine, i was spacing out - imagining embracing Fil and sharing with him the joys of our life together as a couple. Somebody called my attention for a picture so i stopped daydreaming and joined the fun. Mom and dad were singing the night away but I knew they were masking what they truly feel. They aren't the perfect parents nor am i a perfect daughter but one thing's for sure: we'll miss each other.

Life is bittersweet, so full of choices, can't have it all. So I made a choice: that is to live a life far away from my family but close to the owner of my heart and soul. There was no turning back. Day after my birthday i took the plane that brought me here in Fremont, California. This is my home now.

In one of my previous posts i wrote about me being two women trapped in one physical body:

one craves for all the joy, thrill, adventure and excitement this life could offer;
the other snuggles to life's routines, to the certainty of repetitive work

one rides the roller coaster, feeling trapped yet delights in going up, down and upside down; the other rides the carousel, safe and secure in simply going round and round

one dreams of traveling the world and getting to the very top of the career ladder; the other wishes to stay home, read a book and enjoy the simplicity and comfort of family life...


Now is definitely the time for me to play it safe, take it easy, enjoy life's routines, snuggle to the comfort of family life, stay out of the limelight, forget about accomplishing urgent things and focus on what's important, take care and love someone and savor being taken cared of and loved back.

My life now requires less makeup, no schedule, none of those conference tables, researches and deadlines, no bills to worry about, no Kris Aquino in my living room but still a life full of excitement and adventure in a different kind of way. Wish me luck! :-)

Friday, September 28, 2007

it's a boy!!!

At 19 weeks and 3 days, I underwent fetal survey yesterday to check on baby's development and seek obstetrical clearance to travel to the US next week. I was lying there trying to figure out baby's moving image on the screen when the doctor asked me "alam mo na ba kung ano baby mo?" I said "not yet doc, can you already tell if it's a girl or a boy?" She smiled then pointed on something on the screen and said "ayan o, may pototoy si baby....lalake yan!"

Wow! I'm going to have a baby boy! It's there, sticking out! hahaha. I just couldn't believe how much he has grown since our first ultrasound visit. And he's moving a lot now too!...I started to feel it last week when i entered 18 weeks.

Hello baby...can you hear mommy now? Daddy and mommy are so excited to see you but we have to wait until February. It's ok...mommy waited 33 years of her life to have you so what's 5 months more? We love you baby...

Monday, September 17, 2007

Yna is "ina" no more

No. 1 in my to-do-list before i leave: to bring Yna to the veterinarian and have her spayed. Last Thursday, we brought her to Animal House in Alabang for the pre-surgery kidney, liver and blood tests. The results showed healthy organs and so we proceeded with the surgery the next day. I was teary-eyed when the vet took her away from me and placed her on a table where the other guys were setting up the dextrose, anesthesia and other instruments. I gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and left. The next day she recovered from sedation and we came back in the afternoon to pick her up.

Her ovaries and uterus were removed which means she can no longer have kittens. She has a 2-inch incision and needs to wear a head guard for 10 days to keep her from licking her wound.

For 5 years, Yna has been my baby, my constant companion, my living journal. She knows my secrets but promises to never tell. Hahaha. We share the same bed though she has her own blanket and pillow. When i'm doing the laundry or cleaning the house, she can be found sitting on a rug as if supervising my work. When i'm busy with my laptop, she would either position herself on top of the printer facing me or lie motionless on the bed, lost in a dream. She knows a lot of tricks and she can be sweet or mean depending on her mood. She's a responsible mommy cat too. She has given birth to about 50 kittens and i've seen how much this has taken its toll on her body.

I'll surely miss my dear kitty. I am happy she is finally spayed so she can live longer and healthier. When I leave, she will be staying with my parents and i hope to see her again when i come back years from now.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

visa in hand...

My visa was delivered today, exactly 211 days since Fil filed the I-129F petition in February this year.

We survived 7 months of being apart from each other while waiting for notices of approvals and monitoring the flow of our documents from the USCIS to the NVC to the US Embassy in Manila. And now that these are all over, i realized the entire process wasn't as difficult as i first thought. It really helped that we read a lot about the procedure and joined online forums and communicated with people from all over the world who were undergoing the same experience. That said, i would like to sincerely thank the wonderful members of www.visajourney.com, especially the Manila thread family, for all the valuable guidance, encouragement and inspiration which made my visa journey a smooth and enjoyable experience.

The only thing that stressed me during the entire process was my self-inflicted OC-ness. Weeks before my final interview, I was endlessly arranging and rearranging photos, labeling some documents and printing too many emails/chats/phone logs, etc. just in case the CO will ask for it. Fil wasn't spared - I kept pestering him about sending me 'this' and 'that' documents and he even sent one document twice because my keen eye didn't miss the wrong entries he made in the first document he sent. Thus, i was overprepared during the final interview and 95% of the 5-kilo bagful of documents i brought to the Embassy were not needed. I sprained my left arm because of that.

So now that i already have my visa i can take time to relax, breathe for some fresh air, before I busy myself again with the tasks ahead: process some personal documents, attend a pre-departure counseling, pay my debts (hmm...wag na lang kaya? hehehe), buy my ticket, shop for clothes and other stuff (better to buy here where its cheaper), pack my things and say goodbye to family, friends and relatives.

Grabe
, totohanan na ito...this is it!

Friday, September 7, 2007

America, here WE come!

I am not going to the US alone. Surprise, surprise!! i'm now 16 weeks pregnant and I will be traveling with my baby! I am so freaking excited! Soon baby and i will be in the loving arms of daddy Fil.

I am having a happy pregnancy so far. It was last June 23, a few weeks after Fil went back to the US, when i had my self-administered pregnancy test which was later confirmed by my doctor. I remember feeling happy and worried at the same time - happy because i've always wanted to have a baby, worried because at that time i wasn't yet scheduled for a visa interview and i was thinking i'd give birth before i get my visa. But trust God on this one, He really had it all planned. We found out our interview schedule last July and i passed the interview last September 5. Baby and i are now set to go to the USA!

I've long been waiting for this day: to be able to shout to the whole world that i'm having a baby. I deliberately postponed the announcement not because i wasn't excited but because i wanted to make sure baby will be safe during the first trimester when the possibility of a miscarriage is high. So now that i'm in my 2nd trimester, i am celebrating and letting everybody know.

During my first prenatal visit (6 weeks), seeing baby's heartbeat blinking on the ultrasound screen was a miracle. I just couldn't believe it! At 10 weeks, I first heard her/his heartbeat. Baby's heart was beating so fast, twice faster than my own.

The first 2 months i was feeling a bit queasy and fatigued and had to force myself to eat. I've been on a diet streak since late last year and am no longer used to "eating." During the 3rd month, i started to feel energetic and when I entered the 2nd trimester, that was the only time when i started to like food. So now my tummy looks more of a pregnant belly and i have in fact outgrown some of my regular clothes. I think i've already felt some fetal movements but being a first-time mom, i couldn't really tell if they are for real or maybe just regular twitches in my digestive tract. It's okay, i am willing to wait for stronger baby kicks. By the time we arrive in the US next month (we're leaving october 4), baby will be very active! hmmm, got to show dad what she/he's got!

My parents are very supportive and excited about their first apo. Mom's been visiting me every other week to make sure i eat the right food and we've been sleeping together on my bed while she recounts her experiences when she was pregnant with me. Now I feel closer to her. If there's one nice thing about getting pregnant before leaving for the US, it is the fact that mom was able to participate in my pregnancy. Dad has been very quiet about it. He never asked me anything even if i know it kinda alarmed him that i got pregnant before I get married. I'm sure any parent would feel the same. He celebrated his 63rd birthday last September 2 and we had a party. I can feel he is happy for me, just a bit concerned that i might have a difficult pregnancy 'coz i'll be 33 when i give birth. But so far, baby and i are doing great.

And have i told you about Fil's parents? We talked on the phone and they are so excited about the visa approval and the baby. It will also be the first time for them to have a grandchild! Wow, baby is one lucky angel. She/he is loved by everybody even before she/he is born.

As for Fil, i just couldn't ask for a better man. He is very supportive even if we're thousands of miles apart and he is more excited than me about baby's development. Soon we can share the experience together, plan together, fantasize about baby together, prepare ourselves together for our very first meeting with our angel.

So many blessings this year. Thank you dear God! My only prayer now is that you continue to keep my baby safe. I know you will...

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

America, here i come!

Yesterday I had my interview at the US Embassy for my K1 (fiancee) visa application. The male Filipino pre-screener was in a good mood while he checked my thick application documents. He asked for my NBI clearance and birth certificate, Fil's notarized affidavit of support with the attached income tax returns and other bank documents, a few recent photos of me and Fil together and a letter signed by Fil stating that he is legally able and willing to marry me within 90 days of my arrival into the US. I offered him all the documents and proofs of relationship i have (more photos, hotel receipts, airline tickets, phone logs, chat logs, e-mails and letters) but he refused. He said I have enough evidence to prove that my relationship with Fil is genuine.

By 11:15 am, my number flashed for the final interview with the Consular Officer and i was assigned at window 29. Inside was a tall white american, (very obvious even if he was seated), maybe in his 50's, with a contagious smile and a friendly voice. He was the first to greet me and after asking me to raise my right hand and swear to tell nothing but the truth, he asked me the usual questions: who is your petitioner? how and when did you meet? when was the first time you saw him? how many times did he visit and how long did he stay each visit? what does he do for a living? was he born in the US or naturalized? has he been married before? does he have any children? have you been married before? do you have any children?

We were talking and laughing the whole time especially when he saw our travel photos (Fil and i were sporting a funny face in one of them). He was surprised to see the Petronas towers (oh, you've been to Malaysia?!) and when he saw our Cambodia pictures, his eyes were glued on the photo of Angkor Wat for a few seconds and he said "wow, i've always wanted to go to Cambodia. I should go there soon."

He didn't miss the photo of my engagement ring and when I showed him my left hand with the diamond, he exclaimed "oh, it's for real!" Hahahaha. He continued flipping the pages of the other documents then finally he said "ok, all is good, i'm going to approve your application blahblahblah..." I didn't hear the rest of what he said 'coz i was so happy and stunned and excited all at the same time. I just couldn't believe the interview would be that fun and easy. If there was no glass barrier between us, i would have literally jumped out of my seat and kissed him!

I left the CO's room with a smile pasted on my face. Outside i waited for the most-coveted "pink slip", paid Delbros for the visa delivery fee and went home. It was past 12noon, the sun was burning and i haven't had lunch but i didn't feel the heat nor the hunger. It was one great day to end my visa journey. God is sooooo good!
_____
My K1 visa timeline

Monday, July 16, 2007

we got the dates!

Just to let everybody know, I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. Nope. Neither have i left the country. Not yet. I'm stuck at home impatiently waiting for judgment day. And finally, the USE acted on our case last July 13. After one loooonnngg month, we got the dates! yipee!!! Friday the 13th turned out to be a lucky day for us.

Such a great feeling...i feel so close i can almost taste it. mmmm....

Saturday, June 9, 2007

NVC to USE


....to
me! i just hope that whoever was assigned to hand it over to me will not take his own sweet time. double your steps, slowpoke!

I'm getting closer to it. The 'light at the end of the tunnel' is becoming more and more visible.

Thursday, June 7, 2007

i love Tagaytay

I've been to Tagaytay countless times and like a soldier coming from a war, i always find myself going home to it to soak in the healing power of its love.

I went there again last weekend with Fil where we sipped fresh mango shake by the ridge while staring at the quiet beauty of Taal volcano and the lake that cradles it. At night, the waiter ushered us to a dinner table with the best ambiance: no less than the lake below us sparkling under the moonlight. After-dinner coffee was also an experience like no other: the cool crisp mountain air blending with the coffee's delicate aroma made it a journey to the senses.

Aaahh, Tagaytay means romance. Perfect place to spend our last few hours together before we exchange goodbyes at the airport.



<<< Go back to my Travel Page

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

moi-moi

you make me feel so comfortable
so loved and so secure
I know deep in my heart
how much you care...
Sometimes i stop and think
how very empty life would seem,
how changed my world would be
without you there
It makes me want to come to you
and hold you for a while,
to let you know my life has been
so good because of you.
Today is the perfect time
to say with all my heart
I love you very much.
I really do.

natural paradise

Eden Nature Park, Davao City - 29 May 2007

Tired of the city? Wish you could run away and escape to a quiet place to soothe your weary soul?

Davaoenos are sure lucky because they need not go far. Within city limits can be found Eden Nature Park, an ecologically-friendly forest and farm resort where one can breathe in the cool mountain air and meditate in the company of exotic flowers and pine trees.

Located 3,000 feet above sea level, this mountain resort is 95% human-made and provides a magnificent view of Davao City and the Davao Gulf.

paradise island park & beach resort

Fil arrived in Manila early morning of May 25 and by 6:30pm that same day, we were at the Davao International Airport where his brother Frendale, accompanied by Eric & Abner, met us. We all hurriedly took the last boat going to Paradise Island Park & Beach Resort in Samal Island to join the rest of the family in celebrating the 70th birthday of Fil's mom. His parents were not informed about our planned trip (everybody successfully managed to keep it a secret for a month!) so just imagine their surprise when we showed up for dinner! Hayy..nakahilak jud si Tita sa kalipay hehehe :-)

It was a weekend full of FuN! Super-duper bonding talaga...i'm just so happy to be part of this family.

Samal Island, Davao del Norte
25-27 May 2007

Khay & Fil: 9 days only

When Fil left last January after a month-long christmas vacation here in the Philippines, we calculated that it would take at least 8 months before we see each other again. What a sweet surprise when he told me on the phone last April that he's coming over in May for a 9-day stay. Woohoo! He timed it for our 1st year anniversary and his mom's 70th birthday. While we wished for a longer time together, we were still thankful that his office granted him a short leave despite the fact that he already vacationed here 3 times last year.

That 9 days are now part of history. He again left last Sunday. Short but sweet. It won't be long...i know we'll be together again soon.

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

perfect timing

It's as if the universe conspired for us to be in the same place at the right time. Last May 29, Tuesday, i found myself having dinner with college friends Alan, Dante & Grasya at Yahong restaurant in Davao City. They were my orgmates in UP Kutang Bato, an organization of UP Diliman students from the Cotabato Province (north & south) possessing extraordinary intelligence, talent and beauty (hehe walang kokontra!). Fil was there too and he amused himself with the sight of the four of us talking non-stop reminiscing the good old days and at the same time stuffing ourselves with crispy pata, kare-kare, sinuglaw, crispy buntot ng tuna and sinigang na hipon. Sabi ko nga extraordinary talent di ba? kasama na diyan ang talent sa pagkain :-)

Allan was my college bestfriend and remained so a few years after college. My time then was divided between him and my boyfriend. We had so many fun moments together until he decided to leave Manila to work somewhere else. Now he lives in General Santos City but ever the restless soul that he is can sometimes be sighted in Davao, Sarangani, Glan and nearby provinces working to make the world a better place and at the same time hunting for the very elusive "ideal man" hahaha!

Dante is part of our group, laging ka-join sa mga gimik! i don't remember spending time with him alone, we were always together in a group: KB outings, room warming, christening of ivy's baby. When i was taking my Master's in UP, i'd always bump into him: library, canteen, jeepney. He was everywhere, pakalat-kalat, and very popular! He now lives in his beloved Kidapawan City but visits Davao regularly for his hospital duties as aspiring nurse. Goodluck!











Grasya
, a native of Davao, chose to join Kutang Bato instead of Iso-Dabaw, another organization in UP exclusively for students from Davao. I think she is closest to Evelyn because they had time to hang-out even after college and to Ivy because they now both work for PhilHealth. I haven't seen her since 1995, maybe? After she got married, she went back to her hometown which made it even more impossible for us to meet.

But that day, we were all in Davao City. Who would have thought? It was a surprise dinner, literally!

We missed Amy (i saw her last December in GenSan), Evelyn (my current housemate so hindi ko ito nami-miss), Ivy, Cheryl B., Joydads & Reypots. It's ok, we had a grand time gossiping about them. Ang mga wala, ginalibak! LOL

Sunday, June 3, 2007

Trinoma mall

To all mall rats out there, checkout the newest mall in Metro Manila: TriNoma, located at the corner of EDSA and north avenue in Quezon City just beside the MRT station, right in front of SM North EDSA. If i am not mistaken, this is the exact spot peppered with tiangges & jeepney terminals during my UP days.

After lunching at SM Mall of Asia and shopping for pasalubong last Friday, Fil and i went to see this new mall out of curiosity and we were surprised to see something so new yet so familiar. Only about 2 weeks old (it soft-opened last May 16), it has the signature design of an Ayala mall. It is Glorietta and Greenbelt combined, sleek and spacious, with entertaining water fountains and a multi-level park at the center of it. It is definitely not your usual box-type mall but more of like a park where you can also just sit and enjoy a warm cup of coffee which is exactly what we did 'coz after surveying the place, we stopped for some coffee at the Coffee Bean. We also checked out the cinema. Nice comfy chairs they got there but, unlike the old-style cinemas we're used to, there are no comfort rooms inside. You need to go out to do your thing and miss 5-10 minutes of movie time.





















We left after the movie and outside,
we saw the facade of the mall's elegantly-designed grand main entrance which simply says: TriNoma

Which made me ask this question: what does it stand for?
Triangle North Mall because it is situated in the North Triangle of Quezon City?
Triangle North of Makati in reference to the wholly-Ayala-owned commercial centers Glorietta and Greenbelt?

Triangle North of Manila as it says in wikipedia?
Triangle North of Makati/Manila as claimed by other sources not sure of what 'ma' stands for? hmmm, how about Marikina? teeheehee, pwede rin yan!

confusing ha, ano ba talaga? explain niyo sakin pls!

In general i like this mall and i am excited to visit again after its grand opening. The only downside is that while the mall offers a view of Quezon City and its landmarks, one annoyance to that view is, disappointingly, the squatters area in front of the Office of the Ombudsman. What an eyesore, tsk! tsk! I hope something can be done about it.

TriNoma will have its grand opening this December - a convenient place for meet-ups especially for people using the MRT, government employees in QC, TV network employees and a perfect tambayan for UP Diliman students and others. It will house not only fastfood chains and the usual retail shops but also fine dining restaurants and high-end stores. As they say, no need to travel to Makati. Its neighbor, SM City North EDSA, obviously smelling competition, is currently undergoing a major facelift and there's a plan to build an overpass that will connect both malls for the convenience of shoppers.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

joy ride

While everyone was busy with the elections last Monday, i quietly left Metro Manila to accompany my pamangkins back to the province. Our bus left the station at exactly 7am and we reached Bauang, La Union in 5 hours. We had lunch and after saying hellos & goodbyes to my relatives, i again boarded a bus bound for Manila. By 7pm, i was back where i came from 12 hours ago!

I was alone during the trip back. I didn't exchange any word with the guy seating beside me who was busy with his iPod. I didn't sleep..i rarely doze when i travel. I always savor every tree, every stranger while i roll through each town. Usually when i'm stuck in a bus and my body is idle, i busy my mind with thoughts of what makes me happy, sad, my worries, plans, fears, immediate concerns, what to do as soon as i step out of the container. There was a time i worried too much that i didn't want the bus to stop. The ride was my easy escape. I wanted to stay there, go anywhere, run away from the world. One time i even wished for the bus to breakdown so i can step out for a while and breathe fresh air, wait for it to be fixed, kill time...postpone life.

It was different last Monday while i ponder on my life in a bus. I have no worries, no fears, no hate for anybody...just thoughts of how contented i am. My parents are healthy, my brother is in love. I'm no longer stuck in an 8-5 oppressive job. I have no deadlines to meet. I can do what i want, I own my time. I believe I've done my part in making other people happy. I have friends who will always be there for me. I'm in love and Fil is crazy about me! teeheehee...

It's a struggle how i got here - a battle between the pros and cons, making choices, stepping out of my comfort zone and facing the consequences, a series of trials and errors, having the firm resolve to say NO to temporal joys. In my past life i was stuck in a situation that is "pwede na" or "ok na kesa wala" but deep inside the molecules of me i knew i deserved to be in a better place. I was stubborn, never satisfied and knew very well what i wanted so when everybody wasn't looking, I shifted gear. My spirit never faltered...until i reached this point: I am totally at peace with myself now. No regrets, definitely. Believe it or not, everything happens for a reason :-)

Of course, I'm still wanting of many things. I want to have my own family, travel more, take pictures, make more money! I also think about my friends who are going through difficult times. I have a cousin currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Some parents i know worry about where to get the money for their kids' enrolment. I still need to lose weight. I have debts to pay. These are issues guaranteed to set me in a bad mood. But NOT NOW. I don't worry about them anymore. For the first time i actually believed it when i said to myself that problems are there to be solved - to make us feel 'alive' - and that things will come and happen at the right time. I am enjoying the moment now believing that the future will take care of itself. Naks, positive thinking ito! hehe :-) My seatmate must have heard me talking to myself 'coz he threw me a quick side-glance. Deadma!

I enjoyed the ride, yes, but i was relieved when we reached the terminal. End of the bus ride, continue with my life. Damn i'm so happy it scares me! hahaha...

Thursday, May 10, 2007

splash island

WE (me, mom, vincent, lourdes & maria) were at Splash Island in Binan, Laguna yesterday when Fil told me the news! Woohoo!!! I just couldn't contain my excitement after we talked on the phone and it's a good thing i was in a place where giant pool slides are abundant which gave me an excuse to scream. Aaaahhhhhhh.....(twists...turns) ...aahhhh...splash!!!

Who would have thought i'm 32? I resembled a 10-year old kid as i screamed my way down the giant twisting slides of the Tausug Trail and the Big Bamboo and got crazy riding the Rio Montanosa family raft ride which i took with lourdes and vincent. Of course, we didn't miss the fun machine-generated big waves of Agos Grandes, the massaging power of the Water Wahoo which attracted both kids and oldies and the Balsa River where we drifted along the gently-flowing water. The kids also tried the Magellan's Drop and the King Pilipit and the lifeguards had to literally pluck them out of the pool after they blew the whistle for the 5:00pm closing time.

What's fun is that Splash Island is just 10 minutes away from my parents' house in Muntinlupa. It's been there since forever and i plead 'guilty' for ignoring it all these years. I'm so happy to have finally experienced it!


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