Friday, May 20, 2005

Galera

Just a few words about Puerto Galera in May.....HOT HOT HOT aka MAINIT! And fun, thanks to great friends Joy and SteveJoyandsteve....you guys must've made the new baby when Anh and I weren't looking?!

Killerwhale1



.....I didn't know there were killer whales in the Philippine sea?!!! Another word would have to be: AWESOME!

What day is it? And in what month?
This clock never seemed so alive
I can't keep up and I can't back down
I've been losing so much time

Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do
Nothing to lose
And it's you and me and all of the people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you

All of the things that I want to say just aren't coming out right
I'm tripping on words
You've got my head spinning
I don't know where to go from here

Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do
Nothing to prove
And it's you and me and all of the people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you

dance.jpg
There's something about you now
I can't quite figure out
Everything she does is beautiful
Everything she does is right

Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do
Nothing to lose
And it's you and me and all of the people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you
and me and all of the people with nothing to do
Nothing to prove
And it's you and me and all of the people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you

What day is it?
And in what month?
This clock never seemed so alive

I was a Godfather at 13?!

My Goddaughter Kim celebrated her 18th birthday this May 19, 2005. It re-enforced to me the time old adage that "time flies", and reminded me of myKim_debut age.....sunrise..... sunset....sunrise....sunset.....etc.... Her debut was a beautiful event, Fernwood Gardens is stunning, it's one of those hidden gems that Metro Manila is full of....if you know where to look. In the middle of the chaos of a Q.C. subdivision, after maneuvering through what seems like a maze of narrow, busy streets, you'll find this oasis. And despite the heat of a Philippine May evening, it is a perfect venue for such a special occasion. It was an opportunity to reunite with my family in the Philippines who I had not seen in two years. The trip to the Philippines was mainly to attend Kim's debut, to Kimdance_1stand in for her dad who was still in Japan. I didn't realize how many speeches I had to make though! Thank God for all those impromtu speech lessons in grade school! Right before my eyes, a little girl I used to remember has grown up into a lovely young lady... during the party I couldn't help but catch the scent of young love in the air...uuyyy...but geez do I ever feel old.

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Hidden Valley Springs

Somewhere at the foot of the mystical Mt. Makiling is a hidden valley of wat erfalls and hot spring pools nestled within a lush forest. Just a few hours away from the hustle and bustle of Metro Manila, this tranquil paradise is a must to visit! MapOnce you get off the main road, the seemingly endless winding dirt road to the resort gives justice to the name Hidden Valley. When you finally get there, you'll be tempted to jump right in, but you have to do a little walking through the woods first, to get to the pools. With anticipation builing, you'll approach the wooden bridge and from a distance you will hear the sound of rushing water. When you get to the bridge, look to the right and about 20 feet down you will see the piece de resistance, the "warm pool", a series of 3 pools with waterfalls cascading into each other. Warm_poolBefore jumping in though, we decided to take a 15 min hike to find the Hidden Falls. On the way you'll pass by the other pools. There's the soda pools, which apparently tastes like warm mineral water, I didn't want to verify that though. Then in a secluded corner is the lovers' pool....for lovers...uuyyyy....On the way, you'll also pass by a huge-ass Almang tree, Almangit must be centuries old! At the end of the trail, you'll have to climb down into a crevice and there finally is the Hidden Falls. Hidden_fallsCareful, it's slippery, and you can't swim there because the current is storng. After that work-out, jumping into a cool pool would be perfection (hehehe), but you have to trek back first! The warm pools would have to be my favourite. They looks so natural nestled within the vegetation, that you would think God himself put them there. I would have to say, that communing with nature at Hidden Valley can be very soothing for the soul. If you want to stay overnight and commune some more, they have nice cottages too. Unfortunately I got sick and we had to cancel our overnight stay....next time na lang. Angelo de los Angeles


another pic from Hidden Valley

Friday, May 13, 2005

Manila!

Manila, Manila
I keep coming back to Manila
Simply no place like Manila
Manila, I'm coming home

Hinahanap-hanap kita, Manila
Ang ingay mong kay sarap sa tenga
Mga jeepney mong nagliliparan
Mga babaeng mong naggagandahan
Take me back in your arms, Manila
And promise me you'll never let go
Promise me you'll never let go

Manila, Manila
I keep coming back to Manila
Simply no place like Manila
Manila, I'm coming home

Hinahanap-hanap kita, Manila
Ang ingay mong kay sarap sa tenga
Mga jeepney mong nagliliparan
Mga babaeng mong naggagandahan
Take me back in your arms, Manila
And promise me you'll never let go
Promise me you'll never let go

Manila, Manila
Miss you like hell, Manila
No place in the world like Manila
I'm coming home to stay