Post outreach event (day after)

Starting the day right with breakfast!

We then start exploring Baguio as early as we can. We did try you know. Stepping outside.. Mr. Sunshine is already in tow looking like we're going to have fun even before we started the tour-thing.

Our first stop was in Tam-Awan Village. This looked more different from when I visited it over the past year or so. Changes might be brought by the not so nice weather before. =( But the flowers and greens were still intact and looking pretty as ever before. Entrance fee now was around 50 pesos without the guide. I do believe children's entrance fee is cheaper not sure how much though, I wasn't able to check it out.

 Fertility statue touched by Marisue. Yes, she would like to have another baby after her son. We're praying with her now.

Mirrored path and lots of mirrors by the trees. I'm sorry it slipped my mind to ask what it was for.

Mossy is posing for one with all the reds. He loves red A LOT!

And few of the lovely flowers.

I caught our guide is posing.... on the way to the other side! or I did not caught him? In fact, he posed for my camera and I did not fool anybody. toink!

Walking around some more and checking out the huts where the natives used to live. Actually, it can be rented by tourists. It has an available rates if you'd like to experience it yourself. It looks safe to me, it's just that I am not cut out for that sort. And the city girl reigns! ugh!

And our last stop in Tam-awan Village was a short dance show by the Igorot people and a mini photo ops with our guide who was also one of those who performed the traditional Igorot dance few minutes before.

blurry snapshot of the dance

 Gwiyomi pose! lol

We spent most of the morning in Tam-awan and now we're heading to Mines View Park for... hmm.. some view and some food too. Food again! lol

spotted! grilled corn for snack 

Mine View Park.. we covered the view. 

After agreeing to skip lunch, I'm not sure why we're on our way to Star Café for more food after a little bit of shopping in Baguio's famous Good Shepherd. Star Café is a Chinese restaurant located in one of the busiest roads of Baguio, Session road. After eating, I can't really blame the loyal customers of the restaurant.

Lumpiang Shanghai, pancit and rice.. solve!

Full from another meal, we walked our way to the public market nearby to shop for a cheaper version of strawberry preserves, peanut brittle and the likes.

Mer also bought some vegetables and look at what I found introduced by Mer.

Fresh pinipig for snack. This was being sold by an elderly woman along with varieties of sticky rice concoctions. She even added some more to my purchase for free because she said I am pretty. Really, I love grannies! =D

After everybody's settled, we're on our way to eat again, merienda this time. Hot chocolate for a cloudy day, just perfect.

If you are not looking properly, you might really miss it! The place was lovely surrounded by all the greens and sorts of flowers. Choco-laté de Batirol is a must visit place in Baguio I must say. Hot chocolate is always a must on a cozy and cold weather. And with a serene place like this one, you can truly relax while feeding yourself with some traditional sweet treats.

bibingka, suman, turon 

 Mossy is so cute here posing with the food. It was a candid shot. I intended to take pictures of the food but instead I caught Mossy making this snobby face. =P

Raziel, I, Jing and our official Photographer, Beedee Oh

We did some cam-whoring around the café since we'll be going back to Hale Opua for them to pack their things and head back to Manila. I am staying until Sunday, ALONE which worries the parents a loooot. *stubborn me*

i love this scene ♥

 Caught in action! 

Onin doing the pose

Onin and Raziel

And then some of our decent photos together. Thanks Bee dee!!

MVC - bonding night

After a whole day of rough roads, long drives, trekking.. time for some "me" time for us. I enjoyed the company of the kids earlier regardless of the strained atmosphere between the two groups but somehow I am longing for some hot shower.

Arriving in Hale Opua we excitedly hurried to our room. The place feels like home since it is really a house with a couple of rooms for rent. I like that it feels so homey and in addition to that Ate Belinda, the caretaker, were really nice with the kid Justine it feels like I'll enjoy my short time here.

We lined up to take turns in the shower before we head out for supper. Merf was talking about this place Ketchup Food Community that people raves about back in the city, so we opted to try it out for tonight.

We arrived in the food place just in time for supper and the place was pooling of people and every restaurant in the lot was full. =( Well, I asked them to spot the other restaurant and that it's alright for me to wait up in Canto for our table while they made the rounds and check out the other restaurants. Luckily, one of the tables were almost available. Yey! Ribs for tonight and live music. The place was celebrating it's anniversary and we're a lucky bunch to be there.

The place is busy-buzzing and space were so limited. It was not a cheap dining place but servings was so worth the price! The place is cozy and comfortable not so strained with formalities. It was buzzing with friendly faces and happy customers so I conclude it was indeed a great place to dine.

best seller

artist relative of the owner.. sorry, i forgot the name

an awesome girl!! I like her!
song writer / artist who does her gigs in Katips at night and a pre-school teacher by day

 After having a fill of our food, we headed to Starbucks in Camp John Hay since Mossy sworn and checked-in in Facebook there.

They are a happy bunch indeed!! I am happy I'm stuck with them until tomorrow.

Onin, I, Mer, Merf, Kai, Juvy, Jing, Mossy, Marisue, Raziel

Finally! they got my name right. ^_^

Our little tattle-telling ended at around midnight. With no ride home, it was quite an experience and a struggle. It was drizzling outside and we need to be home for tomorrow's whole day exploring. We walked a bit and hailed every cab that crosses our path. I together with Beedee and Jing were among the last one left. And they can see supernatural things, you know.. stuff like ghosts, etc. And I'm trying not to freak out! Anyhow, we were able to find a cab after a while of walking in the not-so-lighted-roads. It was an unpleasant cab ride because of the rude driver and all his "I don't know the way", who is he fooling??? eh? Thank goodness we were in group and finally we arrived in Hale Opua after almost an hour.

To sum it up, the day was incredible and I have newly found friends.. Bonne nuit! ♥

MVC outreach event 2013

Trying to be active and sociable I signed up to join MVC's outreach event this year. It was a scary thought since I don't know anybody in the group and I am so thankful for Mossy whom I've known only through exchange of emails regarding the activities and schedule.

I am trying to learn the backpacking ways this time and arrived in the bus terminal a little early. When Mossy arrived with a couple of people with him, I was a bit shy to approach. My first impression of him? One of those straightforward kind of the third sex. And just when he started talking to me I like him already, sociable, friendly but talks straight to the point. He introduced me with most of the people in our group. Some with Mossy, I'll got stuck with until Saturday. Now I'm excited!

The schedule entailed the night bus ride to Baguio at 11 pm on June 6, Thursday arriving at around 5 or 6 in the morning in Baguio. Then a couple of hours ride again to Benguet where we headed to Kapangan Town Hall for breakfast prepared by the locals. The meal was so generous and delicious too bad I don't eat a lot of vegetables I was stuck with chicken and rice. =P

fresh air, warm sun... all greens! 

Mossy posing his red umbrella while some of us do some toilet breaks

and I get to use my running shoes.. for more than a second time now! lol

MVC people

The activity schedule was altered a bit. The original plan was to hold the event simultaneously given that we were divided in two groups but one of the leading people aside from Mossy strongly suggested that we might as well visit both sites together.

It was a bit of a struggle for us who were not used to trekking and did I mention that the other group was the mountaineering sort of club! 

It was more than 30 minutes of walking the trail and climbing the stairs up where the school was located. It was warm and we're now exhausted from walking and the long bus ride from the city as well. And once we arrived on top... 

They prepared lunch for us. The people are warm and the kids are running around since their classes were interrupted today by our arrival. We then prepared for the distribution of school supplies for each kid after eating lunch.

Juvy, Kai, Mossy, Onin

Jing

 The school prepared a mini program for us. It was really nice and touching, the kids even prepared a dance number for us. I've recorded a bit of it, click link below.

Kids of Gadang Elementary School

snapshot of the dance presentation

After the program, we headed on our way to the other school. It was late in the afternoon and rain is threatening to fall. We felt bad that the kids on the other school was stuck waiting for us and this was one of the that infuriated Mossy aside from the fact that we trek and the schedule was changed.

Arriving in Sagubo Elementary school we were already exhausted and the poor kids were still there waiting. Now I felt bad about it because they also prepared some food for us and a mini program too. The food we won't be able to eat anymore but they were kind to wrap some of the Camote fries for us to take on our way back to Baguio City while the kids, we just assist them to fall in line for the distribution of the school supplies.

And in our case this ends our day but for the other group, they'll be staying the night in the school and will be climbing early next morning.. 

Now heading to Hale Opua where we had reservations.

Truly an exhausting day and I want a shower soooo badly... 

catch up and movie date

I met up with the girls last night.

Yey! Finally! movie marathon with them in the cinemas. Movie marathon in movie houses were kind of expensive than doing it at home with rented DVDs or downloaded movies, I know, that's why it was only now that I am watching two consecutive movies with my girlies. We watched Fast and the Furious 6 which is, by the way, really hot and exciting. And next was Hangover Part 3, one of the favorite comedy movie. I love Mr. Chow and his antics need I say more. =D

In between the few minutes gap of the two movies, we bumped into Ms. Tech while buying some fries and sandwiches to bring in with us to the the theater. It was a pleasant surprise, really it was a small world because not a few moments back, a college block mate, who we're trying to ignore because of awkwardness, bumped on us and said hello with his date. Yes, awkward, one because we're not close enough to be inclined to say 'Hi' to each other; and two, well, we don't really like him back then... He and his touchy self! 

Tech labs, Ate Heidz, I
- photo grabbed from Ms. Tech -

Gosh! I loved both the movies and I am half heart broken over Gisele's death in FF6. Hangover3 was indeed the perfect movie for us to end the night. And since we haven't had anything proper to eat for supper we head on to our favorite 'hangover' pizza place. Yellow Cab once more! 

We spent number of hours there until we felt it's safe for us to go home at around 5 in the morning. some excuse it was! =D Still I can't believe we just talked the whole night just after a month of not seeing each other and not ran out with anything to talk about. Indeed a wholesome, awesome night! 

Ciao! 

food for the thoughts... we women!

Why Men Love Bitches by Sherry Argov, I love this book! Maybe I am biased or whatever but it teaches you some things about yourself. I'm not into a relationship and am not seeking for one at the moment. Very much available and yes, I am single since birth but who cares? ;-)

This book was referred by my girlfriend Ralei and it was only now that I had the time to read it. I agree with the book all through out. I do think that sometimes woman goes over the top with things or over analyze things about relationships and guys, the clingy and nagging tendencies, and the controlling streak and the other sort of unlikable stuffs we women do some times unconsciously, even I don't want any of that if I were a man for instance.

I can certainly relate and at some point I can see my lazy self on the description. HAHA Maybe that's the reason why I like the book, it mostly describe the clumsy me and the lazy me with no pretension. Oh in reality that sucks sometimes! (huh! cause I'm single and not trying to impress or needy of anybody!) Times like you can't open a sealed bottle by yourself or too lazy to cook a meal from scratch. Anyhow, I do believe this book is brilliant and can help a lot of women out there. It empowers you with the advantages that you hold over men. Although it points you to the other direction, I do think it doesn't meant for you to change at all. I do think it was written for us girls to realize what we're doing unconsciously that we thought are likable. Simply, it teaches us to be wise if I put it in simple terms. That's how I see it. Reading the book, it can either make or break your self confidence depending on how you see through the words of the author. Then I guess, it all depends on the foresight of the reader with regards to herself and her relationships. Like for instance, I and a friend of mine, Eloi, agrees with the author's point of view, the dumb fox as she called it while my other two girlfriends, Ralei and Ate Heidz, disagree with the book and stopped reading in the middle of it. I don't want to call my friends on that because we have different point of views and personality and I respect their opinion. Nonetheless, it might have been helpful if they finished the book all in all. It gives you another insight other than what you think of how men sees the ladies.

Anyway, it is a must read for the girls out there and I'll certainly refer it to my girlfriends and my sisters and other girls I know.

Inserting excerpt from the book.. one of the things I read that I really love on the book.

Go and buy a copy and soothe yourself!

bookworm for the day.. with lalalalaloooove! ♥A

morning like this

It's a family thing to attend mass together. And I love Sunday mornings with blue sky.