Rean here…I’ll be your blogger while Tes is working on a project.

Ambivalence has floated around me in the past few days, as I learned at least 3 families close to us are moving.  My brother-in-law and his bunch are off to Canada while our dear friend from Davao is embarking on a family exodus to Alabama.   To top it off, our neighbors are now setting their sights on California.  It’s not one of those Branson vacation packages but rather a more permanent arrangement.   While I’m glad for the improvements in these families’ lives and  wish them all the best in their new homes, the chats and visits will surely be missed. Hopefully we can visit them in the near future

Bumped off! I just learned today that we can’t renew our passports on June 30, it being declared a holiday. Ugh! DH got an email today from the DFA saying that our scheduled appointment will not push through. They did give us alternative schedules, though. I haven’t really set my mind on traveling because of the oh so many things I have to fit in my day. I’m not in “travel mode” yet so I haven’t really had time to check out good deals on Branson tickets, in case we do want to go to Missouri (Missou-ruh?). I was looking forward to learning how the E-passport renewal system works for myself so that I could give specific answers to those questions  people ask me about renewing passports (in another post). Anyway, we still have to renew regardless of what appointment schedule we get so I will post the outcome here on my blog. So hang in there, mga kababayan who have passport woes. I’ll keep you posted on the latest passport procedures as soon as we have ours.

Later, folks!

We arrived a few days ago from our unexpected extended Christmas holiday in Davao. Our little girl was confined for 6 days due to a severe asthma attack and bronchopneumonia. That’s a whole other story that I might post later on when I’ve gathered my thoughts on it but for now, I’d like to share some of our pig-out adventures in the ultimate adventurer’s eco-tourist mecca down south – Davao. Some might like to talk about online life insurance, but we love to travel and dine. Ü

I am not an expert food critic so these are just my opinions about the places we’ve eaten at this year.

The Food Scene:

1. Tsuru’s – One of the favorite Japanese Restaurants my in-laws frequent in Davao. You can find it right in front of People’s Park. We had a little incident where the waitress (she was new) didn’t write down a couple of our orders and thus didn’t inform the kitchen. I had asked the husband if she repeated the orders and he said she did only to find out later that she really didn’t write it down. So we ended up waiting for something that wasn’t really going to come. Unfortunately, it was the order of our Australian guest. How embarrassing! Muy disgusto! The maitre ‘d however saved the day. She was quick to soothe our ruffled hungry tummies. She told the kitchen to serve the forgotten orders and told us that it was complements of the house.  Whew! For that quick response, I’d still recommend this place. Tsuru’s is located right in front of the People’s Park in Davao. It also has a sister restaurant serving Vietnamese cuisine called Hanoi.
2. Bistro Rosario – This is an all-time favorite. Owned by Lola Charito, Bistro Rosario is part of a chain of restaurants in Davao which include Harana, Sarungbanggi and Peter Pan Bakeshop.  We were in search of the famous Wagyu beef so we dropped by Harana to sample it out. Wagyu beef is Japanese beef well-known for its juiciness and tenderness due to the intense marbling of unsaturated fat throughout the meat. Unfortunately, we arrived too late for the lunch hour so we transferred to Bistro Rosario since they serve Wagyu as well. While there, we sampled the clam chowder soup, the fresh lumpia, the sinfully delicious buko pandan dessert and of course the surprisingly, affordable Wagyu beef! Everything was delicious and the beef was worth the wait.  We also had a chance to chat with owner, Lola Charito. She told us the story behind her restaurants. She has been operating her business for more than 40 years and it was really inspiring to listen to her. If you want to try affordable Wagyu beef you can order them at Harana, Sarungbanggi or Bistro Rosario along Torres Street in Davao.
3. Chippens Garden – Owned and managed by the Chippens restaurant, this one is located just outside the gate of my in-laws house. It’s usually booked for special functions and occasions and is neatly tucked away right in front of the house in Davao.
4. Piccobello - a Ristorante Italiano found in the old Gaisano mall. I am a pasta girl and so when we eat out I prefer to have my pesto pasta fix and this is one place I’d like to come back to. They have an authentic wood burning oven where they cook their pizza (which is also good, btw). The pesto was great and so was the carbonara. yum!
5. Bigby’s – was a pleasant surprise. I liked the interiors because there were old world maps on the walls and we had fun guessing the names of the countries while waiting for the food. I also noticed the ceiling lamps were done using old magazine clippings and newspaper articles-really creative way to recycle stuff. The husband and I ordered steak and the portion was just right. My in-laws split a baby-back ribs rack and the kids had chicken in a basket while our Australian friends had pasta. It was definitely a nice meal altogether plus the service was definitely good. They have a unique little buzzer that you press if you need anything else. I’ve seen other restaurants have their own little signals to call the waiters, this was my first time to see something like this. Check them out.

After all that eating, I think I’m going to look for the best fat burner out there. LOL  We’ve eaten at many other places before that are not in this list but I will update this one as soon as I have time. Meanwhile, if you are in Davao check out these places to dine and discover for yourself the many flavors of Durian country.

It’s been just three days here in Davao and we are stuffed to our ears. The eating has been non-stop. The parties and festivities go on and on every day and the kids have been eating to their hearts’ content. Of course, this only happens once a year during Christmas with the grandparents. The rest of the year, they make do with what the husband and I can dish out which is nothing compared to what they have right now. Thank God it’s only once a year though because if it was like this everyday, we might be needing an implant dentist Plano en punto! There’s still a lot more eating ahead of us and a little adventure as well. I’m looking forward to doing that zip cord thing in Kapatagan in a few days. I’ve seen it in Sports Unlimited on TV so I hope I’m brave enough to try it. LOL

Merry Christmas everyone!

We usually spend Christmas with the kids’ grandparents every year but this year, home for the holidays will be a little late. The recent typhoons have affected school holiday schedules so instead of being two weeks early for Christmas with them, we leave Manila on December 24 because the husband still has classes till December 23. We’ve never traveled one day before Christmas ever since I can remember, so I really don’t know what it’s like to be in the airport on Christmas Eve.

Because of our shortened holiday, I guess, I don’t really have to pack so much. I think the kids’ stuff will fit in their Sammie, the ladybug Samsonite luggage set we got on sale years ago. I’m also thinking if all our stuff (the husband’s and mine) will fit in our carry-on luggage as well so we can just use the express check-in. My siblings and I did that a few months ago when we traveled together to Cebu. Absolutely less hassle. It’s still approximately 7 weeks away. That gives me a little more time to fix things around our house before we leave. I’m sure the kids can’t wait to see the tree house and the little house in the woods.

Speaking of L.A., I remember years ago when the husband and I drove from Arizona all the way to L.A. I remember the first time we did that… I was pregnant with our son and I don’t know what we were thinking back then but all we had for a map was an itty bitty map at the back of a slim pocket planner. OMG, talk about crazy. We didn’t really plan well – no cellphones, no emergency numbers, no first aid kit… NADA! It was just us and our rented Chevy Malibu with cruise control (although an rv would have been much better, I think) with a pack of grapes, some sandwiches, our Aquafino water bottles  and our trusty rest-area coupon clippings hahaha. And all along I thought the husband knew what he was doing!

Of course, we got lost, missed a few exits, arrived at around midnight after more than 8 hours of driving. Oh, we did stop by a gas station to get ourselves a real map but that was only afte we reached L.A. Prior to that we relied on the maps that were in the rest area coupon booklets.  Que horror! For me, driving through L.A. is like a horror movie especially if you are used to the grid-like streets of AZ – the L.A. freeway is a nightmare! But in the end, it makes for good memories. I hope someday we can do it again… but this time I know now what I need to bring.

LP-Kandado

Ito ay isa sa pintuan papalabas sa tarmac ng Legazpi Airport sa Albay . Ito ay nakasarado at walang pasaherong makalabas sapagkat ang aming Cebu Pacific flight papuntang Maynila ay nadelay dahil sa masamang panahon. Kami ay naipit sa paliparan ng mahigit sa dalawa o tatlong oras yata sa kasagsagan ng promo ng Cebu Pacific na sila ang airline na “always on time”. Kamuntik na talaga kaming hindi makauwi ng di oras sapagkat pinahinto ang mga eroplanong papalabas ng Maynila. Akala ko ay magiging preso na kami sa airport. Habang naghihintay ay pinagpiyestahang kong kunan na lang ang Mayon na natatabunan ng ulap. Mabuti na lamang at mayroong eroplanong dumating at pinayagang magbiyahe pabalik ng Maynila. Hay salamat! Nakauwi din kaming mag-anak. Baka kung hindi ay gayahin ko si Bonifacio at maglabas na ako ng itak para punitin ang aking sedula, este tiket pala.

Hapi lp mga kapatid!

LP – Dito Lang.

Dito lang sa isla ng Pan-ay matatagpuan ang pinakamalaking kampana sa Asya. Sa sobrang laki nya at sa sobrang kitid din ng kampanaryo ay di ko ito makunan nang buo. Mga bahagi lamang nya at ang mga salitang nakasulat sa bukana ng kampanaryo na nagsasaad na siya nga ang pinakamalaking kampana sa Asya. Ito ay mga kuha ko ng kami ay umuwi sa Capiz (probinsya ng pamilya ng aking kabiyak) noong isang taon.

Simbahan ng Pan-ay

sa harap ng simbahan

sa bukana ng kampanaryo

sideview ng kampana

pansinin nyo ang kalembang kumpara sa kampana sa likod

eto ang  isa pang view.

Makisali na sa mga litratistang Pinoy dito:

LP-Puso

Sa aming paglalayag noong kapaskuhan, binalak naming pumunta sana sa Geothermal Power Plant sa Mt. Apo para ipakita sa aming mga tsikiting ang pangalawang pinakamalaking planta ng alternatibong enerhiyang geothermal sa buong mundo subalit nasa kalahati pa lang kami ng aming biyahe ay di na nakayanan ng aming sasakyan ang biyahe at unti-unti na syang naghingalo at nawalan ng “power” kaya kami ay napilitang huminto sa tabing daan. Kami pala ay napadpad na sa boundary ng Kidapawan, Cotabato at sa aming pagkagulat, mayroon palang magandang pahingahan na pang-turista dito kaya ang aming pagka-unsyami at panghihinayang ay medyo parang nabuhusan na ng malamig na tubig.

Dito ko natagpuan ang kakaibang puno na ito na aking pinagdiskitahan. Labis akong naaliw kasi dahil ang hugis at pagbagsak ng mga dahon nya ay tila hugis puso kaya siya ay talagang aking piniktyuran. Ako ay napangiti sa aking sarili at tunay na namangha – may ‘sense of humor’ din pala ang Dakilang Maylikha. Kahit saan, kahit kailan sa kahit anong paraan puede syang magsalita, magparamdam na lab naman nya kami – kunsuelo de amor kahit kami ay nasiraan ng sasakyan.  :) 

Makigulo sa mga kapusong ka-LP! Tara lets na (iklik ang kamera para makisali):
 

LP-Tsokolate

Kung ikaw ay isa sa mga libo-libong(? pero di ako kasali dun) tao na nakabasa ng aklat na Twilight o dili kaya ay nakapanood ng pelikulang ito baka sakaling makahiligan mo ang lahok ko sa linggong ito. Ito ang mga paniking kulay tsokolate na matatagpuan sa kuweba sa Samal Island. Talaga namang kikiligin ka at hihimatayin sa kakaibang amoy nila – makapigil hininga talaga! Kailangan mong pigilang huminga kasi baka bumaliktad ang iyong sikmura sa sangsang ng amoy nila. Pero sa tutoo lang, ka-kyut naman sila sa malapitan, di ba? Baka isa sa kanila yung bida sa Twilight, no? Papa-kiss ka ba?

Sali na kayo!