Another Despedida
I'm going to miss a friend.
It's her last day today in the office. She would be a stay-home mom so that she can spend more time with her kids. To her, time is too short that she may not realize that her kids have grown. Thus, the decision.
Wetzel's Pretzels. (30May2005) 
For
despedida, we went to TGI Friday's at Glorietta to treat her for lunch. (I had Jack Daniel's pork chop, broccoli soup and watermelon shake.) She even lent us her "gold card" so that we can get a 20% discount for the food we ordered. Now, isn't that sweet?
There's a lot of things to describe her.
She even bested me from being the "
Taray Queen" in one of our gimmick for our Christmas Party... hehehe! Which she refuses to accept since, according to her, I manage to be "sweet" when I am actually "
mataray". The truth, I don't see anything wrong with being
mataray if being
mataray means being able to voice out your opinion, exert your right, able to parry retorts with witty remarks...
Like me, she loves food... chocolates, specially. Oh! She also like Frito Lay and Starbuck's Chocolate Frappe Creme. She also introduced me to Wetzel's Pretzels' Wetzel's Bits with cheese dip.
Haayyy... We're sure going to miss her around the office...
La Visa Loca
Dropped by the office today. Should have been there since after lunch. But my officemate, who was supposed to be there until lunchtime, stayed until 5PM; thus, took my turn when she left.
La Visa Loca. (29May2005)
As I promised myself, I will watch
La Visa Loca after going to the office on a Sunday. And, boy, did I enjoy the movie!
Mark Meily (the director) was able to competently present scenes in the film, with the
pasion ensamble singing poker-faced in the background, coming together as a comedic situation. I liked watching Robin Padilla movies if they are of the comedy genre. (Robin is the "Bad Boy of Philippine movies", an action star.) In this movie, Robin is Jess Huson, a driver for hire, who dreams of going to the U.S.--a dream of most, of going to a "greener pasture". He goes to great lengths to help a foreigner host of a travel show to take the latter to places and sources for his stories. All this with the hope of the host recommending him to his brother-in-law who owns and manages a retirement facility at Florida. Whether he gets or not his much-awaited Visa, just watch the movie... c",)
It was rated "A" by the Cinema Evaluation Board.
Mac Unleashed
That would be three movies for this week, that is, if I'll not be reporting for work tomorrow. If I have to go to the office tomorrow, it would mean I'll be passing by the moviehouse to watch
La Visa Loca... (Am no movie addict, believe me!)
Actually, it was a choice between Jet Li and Robin Padilla. I chose Jet Li. c",)
The movie
Unleashed is about an Asian orphan, Danny, who was raised like a dog by a heartless London profiteer. When his collar is removed (unleashed), he fights, hit by hit, blow by blow, without let-up. Until he meets a blind man and his stepdaughter who took him under their wings when he was able to escape his "uncle". That's when Danny discovered his human side. The movie is drama, with a sprinkle of fight scenes. What I like best is the last scene wherein a tear flowed from Danny's eye. Rather touching...
Mac-Mac Cardona. (28May2005)
After the movie, attended an anticipated Mass. Then, had dinner at
Super Bowl. Just when we were leaving the restaurant, that's when I saw my niece's crush waiting to be seated. Just had to take his picture (via my mobile phone) and send it to her. As expected, my niece was excited. She sent me an SMS asking that I take his picture (with a real camera) and that I approach Mac-Mac Cardona and tell him that according to my niece, although they lost today, he performed well on the (basketball) court.
Hellooooo?! As if I'm going to do that! What I did instead is call her up to further "tease" her... hehehe! c",)
House of Kelvin
The day went the same pattern as last Monday... took a half-day off from office... went to Glorietta to watch a movie... proceeded to Astoria Plaza to attend the last of the two sessions on photography courtesy of Canon and dpi Photography Center.
The movie is
House of Wax. The story is about friends who went on a road trip to watch a football game. They stopped in a place where they can camp for the night before proceeding to their destination. This is where they are hunted by a mysterious killer who wanted to add them in his collection of all-too-realistic wax figures. That's it! Nothing much can be expected. Moviegoers are treated with gruesome scenes, guessing who will be the survivor... And for the mysterious killer? Not really that mysterious. c",)
From http://www.3drender.com/glossary/colortemp.htm
For the second session on digital photography, as expected, it is much more interesting than the first session. Learned about color temperature (this is to understand white balance), know the basic guidelines of taking better pictures (i.e. have a subject or theme, focus on the theme, and simplify), reinforced the concepts of good composition, and post-process the images photographed.
From http://www.digicamhelp.com/advanced-digital-camera-settings/iso.htm
At the end of the session, I was waiting for Mr. Louie Aguinaldo to announce again the selecting of the best 20 photos of the course's participants... for I would readily hand him my CD containing the pictures I have taken! (LOL) Unfortunately, no announcement was made.
The following are the pictures I would have submitted. What do you think?
Smoke
Pahiyas
Blessing
Flower
Lens. Just got my Canon EF-S 17-85mm IS USM lens today... c",)
Revenge of the 350D
Reporting for work one Sunday allowed me to take a half-day off today from the office to offset it. That leaves another half-day off for me. And I'll be taking it this Wednesday. c",)
The reason? I have registered for a free digital photography lesson under Mr. Louie Aguinaldo. It will be held at dpi Photography Center, Astoria Plaza, Jose Maria Escriva Drive Ortigas Center, Pasig City from 7PM to 10PM. I have no idea how to get there; thus, I have to be early... in case I get lost. (hehe!)
For the meantime, went first to Glorietta to watch
Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith. Unlike the first two episodes, the action is relentless. It is understandable that this (action scenes) would be wanting in the first two episodes as they are meant to prepare the groundwork for this episode-- by putting perspective on the characters and the condition of the society at that time.
In this movie, you learn the whys... how Lord Darth Vader came to be. Because of it, you can't help but sympathize with him, for his actions stemmed from love.... (selfish love...?) Compounding it is the fact that he was deceived.
After the movie, it is just the right time to proceed to Astoria Plaza.
It would be the first of the two lessons I would be attending. Mr. Aguinaldo explains clearly. Although, I already know most of the concepts presented, except for the following:
Use of histogram. The histogram graphically shows the distribution of light. The left portion is the shadows, the middle is for the mid-tones and the right portion indicates the highlights.
Histogram
From http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understanding-histograms.shtml
Shutter speed and focal length. The shutter speed should be the same as or bigger than the focal length for a hand-held. For example, a 50mm lens means you can take pictures steadily (without a tripod) at 1/50 shutter speed or faster.
Aside from the concepts, there was also an exchange of experiences. Rather interesting... Can't wait for the second lesson!
Promised EK
I promised a kid that I'll be bringing her to
Enchanted Kingdom (EK). It would be her first time, in any case. It would be nice to see her reaction once she sets foot in the country's theme park.
Enchanted Kingdom. (21May2005)
And, boy! Was she excited. From the time I picked her up at around 9am, it was endless stories. More so when we arrived at EK.
Our first ride that day is the Grand Carousel. Followed by Dodgem and the Roller Skater. The only ride we did not try is the Anchors Away, Jungle Log Jam, Bump 'N Splash, Kart Trak and the Space Shuttle because of height requirements. Another two rides she did not try because she felt not riding is the Rialto and the Bumbling Boulders.
Fireworks. (21May2005)
We tried some rides twice while waiting for the 9pm fireworks display. The fireworks is awesome! You can hear "oooohs" and "aaaahs" from the crowd as the fireworks dances in the sky. Rather a nice highlight of our EK trip.
To cap the day, we again rode the first ride we took that day... the Grand Carousel. c",)
Quezon: Day Two
Like a well-oiled machine, our activities that day started without a hitch.
At 3am, our mobile phones which was set to alarm around that time woke us up. In less than thirty minutes, we (eight of us) were all dressed up in time for our very early breakfast. My aunt, with her househelp, woke up around 2am to prepare our breakfast and some sandwiches to bring along.
At exactly 4am, we are on our way to Lucban via Sariaya and Tayabas.
Lucban Church. (15May2005)
We reached Lucban around 5am. It took us some time to find a parking slot. It has to be on the sidestreets since it was not allowed to park by the main road because of the ongoing festivity. We were able to find one near a
habhab factory.
Our first stop is the Lucban Church. When we arrived at the church, we are able to hear a novena, which was prayed before the first mass that day. Since the youngsters are getting restless, it was decided not to hear the mass.
We then proceeded to the houses adorned with
kiping, farm produce, native products, etc.
Kipings are wafers made of rice. In order to be edible,
kipings are first fried before they can be eaten. Most of the houses use
kiping as a material for their decor for they can use food coloring (orange, red, yellow, pink, green...) to add attractiveness and vibrance to it.
One can't help but be amazed how these townfolks decorated their houses. Their creativity and their passion stood out. If I were the judge, I would be having a hard time to decide which of these houses will go home (hehehe! what a pun...) with the prize.
Since eating
pancit habhab is also part of the festivity, I had my companions line up while eating the noodles without utensils (
habhab) in order to have a nice group picture. LOL. Boy, if they only noticed that the other people in the area were looking and smiling at them...
We left the town proper around 9am to proceed to the grotto. On the way out, we noticed that a lot of people are walking towards the town. No vehicle is coming in. When we reached the outskirts of the town, the traffic is at a standstill as vehicles are queueing to park. Thanks for the tip, we are not one of them... c",)
Sacred Heart of Jesus image at "Kamay ni Hesus Healing Church" and "Grotto of Healing and Purification". (15May2005)
Grotto of Healing and Purification. (15May2005)
At the grotto, two of my niece begged off and decided to stay in the van. The driver offered to stay with them. That leaves five of us to visit the Grotto of Healing and Purification and the Kamay ni Hesus Healing Church.
Just a few steps away from the front gate, my aunt also begged off as her feet is already aching. Actually, she is already having a hard time walking when we were still viewing the houses in Lucban town proper. That leaves four of us.
At the foot of the grotto, the view is awesome. I don't think pictures can capture the "impact" of this structure. One can be deceived into believing that one can easily reach the top. Thinking and actually doing it is a different matter. In fact, just on the first set of steps, one of us decided to go down and wait for us. She brought down with her our bottles which we filled-up with healing water. This leaves me and my two niece to attempt to climb the rest of the 252-steps grotto, a Lourdes grotto.
Reaching the top is exhilarating. One, because you made it. Second, the view from the top. In fact, one of my niece exclaimed, "When I become a grandmother, I would ask my grandchildren to bring me here."
Going down is a breeze with our strategy of doing "side-step".
We were back in Candelaria within an hour. My two niece updated their grandma and their mom of what we did that morning. They really enjoyed our short trip, one even remarked that it is much better than going to Enchanted Kingdom. (A compliment, really, for the same niece admitted having a grand time when we went to EK.)
Around 1pm, after lunch, we left Candelaria... a nice end to our weekend vacation in Quezon Province.
Quezon: Day One
Have myself invited at my aunt's resthouse in Candelaria, Quezon... hehehe! It is a good weekend to go there as it is only an hour's drive away to Lucban, where the noted Pahiyas Festival is celebrated every May 15. This festival is celebrated in honor of San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers. It is a form of thanksgiving for abundant harvests.
Left the house with five companions (this includes my two niece and the driver) around 7am. Was hoping to arrive at Candelaria around 10am, but due to traffic at the expressway, the three-hour travel time stretched to four.
Candelaria Resthouse. (14May2005)
My aunt and my cousin's family is already at the resthouse since Friday. When we arrived, my two niece "bonded" immediately with my other two niece. A pair went swimming while the other pair played a game of billiards. We have several activities that day... swimming, billiards, videoke, badminton, guesstures, monopoly, cards, and of course, chit-chat! hehehe!
A neighbor of my aunt who visited her learned that we will be going to Lucban for the Pahiyas Festival the following day. She advised that we leave Candelaria on the wee hours of the morning. Otherwise, we have to park our car on the outskirts of the town and walk several miles to reach Lucban. With this in mind, we decided to turn-in early for the night in order to wake up around 3am and be on our way to Lucban by 4am.
Binyagan (a.k.a. Baptism)
I have another godchild today. Hope he "inherits" my wittiness, my smartness and my good voice for singing... (HEHEHE!)
The date of the baptism was done earlier because my new godchild must undergo an operation. Here's praying that the operation is success...
The Christening was done at the Malate Church. Afterwhich, we went to the Emerald Garden Restaurant for lunch.
After lunch, went back home, rested for a while and went out again to go to Glorietta. Spent time window shopping while waiting for the anticipated mass. Dinner is at Pancake. c",)
Wish list. Finally got to scratch off one item in my wish list. I got a Canon EOS 350D with lens kit. Dropped by Canon D-Zone to pick it up when I went to the office on a Sunday, May 8, Mother's Day.
Ilocos: Day Four
Just a few hours away, we would be arriving at Makati City. But first, we have to stop for few minutes at a Petron Gas Station (the gas station before entering the North Luzon Expressway) to allow the driver to have a short shut-eye. He need that much-needed rest as his eyes are already hurting. In spite of several bottles of water and XO coffee candy, he is having a hard time staying awake.
North Luzon Expressway Toll. (02May2005)
After that stop, nothing much happened except for one incident already at North Luzon Expressway. Actually, I was wondering if he (the driver) wants to hog both lanes, or go to the first lane or to the second lane or back to the first lane... When the van is finally moving towards the service road, that's when I reacted. That finally kept him awake.
We arrived at the office around 4:30 A.M.
Ilocos: Day Three
Our Day Three would be to visit Ilocos Sur. Before proceeding, we went around Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte to view the site it offers.
Blue Lagoon. (01May2005)
First stop is the Blue Lagoon. It has cool, clear water. The place is not yet that known for it is yet to be developed. But its pristine beauty added to its charm.
Patapat Viaduct. (01May2005)
Next, we drove through Patapat Viaduct. "
The town of Pagudpud offers breathtaking land and sea scapes which include Patapat, a scenic viaduct that hugs the coast and mountains."
Aqua Grande. (01May2005)
At the end of the Patapat Viaduct is the Aqua Grande, where you can find a mini-waterfall.
Windmills. (01May2005)
Cape Bojeador Lighthouse. (01May2005)
From Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, we are on our way to Vigan, Ilogos Sur. On the road, we stopped for a few minutes to take pictures of the windmills at Bangui and Cape Bojeador Lighthouse at Burgos. (We finally located the whereabouts of the "missing" lighthouse. hehehe!)
Paoay Church. (01May2005)
Then, we proceeded to Paoay Church. Normally, this church is closed. But since Imee Marcos was there for a visit, its doors were opened. Lucky for us, we were able to go inside the church. (After visiting the Paoay Church, there was a banter at the van that I called Imee to be at Paoay Church to open the door for us. hehehe!)
The Paoay Church is "
built of coral blocks and stucco-plastered bricks, the architecture is a unique combination of Gothic, Baroque and Oriental. Construction of the church was started in 1704 and completed in 1894. A few meters away is the coralstone belltower which served as observation post of the 'Katipuneros' during the Philippine Revolution. Paoay Church is included in UNESCO's World Heritage List."
Malacanang of the North. (01May2005)
Next is the Malacanang of the North. "
Built as the official residence of then President Marcos in Ilocos Norte, overlooking the legendary Paoay Lake, this imposing structure is now a museum. A minimal entrance fee is collected." The fee collected from us PhP20.00.
Our first stop in Ilocos Sur is the house of our officemate's relative (where we had breakfast the previous day) to pick-up our order of Vigan
longganiza.
Horse Parade at Vigan. (01May2005)
Calle Crisologo. (01May2005)
Finally, we have reached our final destination of our Ilocos tour: Vigan, Ilocos Sur. We arrived just in time to witness a parade, wherein horses were adorned with clothes, flowers, etc.
St. Paul's Metropolitan Cathedral. (01May2005)
The St. Paul's Metropolitan Cathedral, "
the massive structure was built by the Augustinians in the distinctive Ilocano earthquake-baroque architecture. The cathedral is the setting of many religious festivities attended by devotees from outside the province."
Plaza Burgos. (01May2005)
Across the Cathedral is the Plaza Burgos. The plaza is "
in honor of the Ilocano-martyr priest Father Jose Burgos. Nearby are food stalls selling native delicacies such as the 'empanada.'"
From the Plaza, we rode a tricycle to go to their public market where we can buy their famous
bagnet. (BTW, I also bought
chichacorn and
kumot at Vigan.)
The Shrine of Nuestra Senora de la Caridad. (01May2005)
The Shrine's Bell Tower. (01May2005)
Then, we stopped by another church: the Shrine of Nuestra Senora de la Caridad.
On the way to Manila, we stopped at Marsha's Delicacies and at The Sisters to buy the famous Ilocos royal bibingka. We would be having dinner along the way.
Grillo's Diner. (01May2005)
After several hours of travel, we finally found a place to eat dinner... at Candon. It has been a long search for billboards stating a Jollibee or a McDonald's or a Chowking is within a few kilometers away. The trip from Vigan to Candon is a string of trees and bridges and winding roads. (Some of us ate at McDonald's, the others had their dinner at Grillo's Diner, which is beside McDonald's.)
When we were at La Union, it is then that the van's aircon failed. We stopped at a gas station in order for the driver to check what is wrong with the van. Good thing that we are travelling in the evening as we won't be too much bothered with the summer heat.
Just a few minutes away from the gas station, we saw a Pajero that turned-turtle. That triggered us (especially the driver) to be alert and fight drowsiness.
