SI Inggolok at Ang Planeta Pakaskas

Saw this book at Mt. Cloud bookstore while I was in Baguio, suddenly Batibot memories came rushing through. 

I adore Batibot. It's safe to say that people same age (or close) as me grew up with Batibot on their tellies. We didn't have the Sesame Street gang, Dora the Explorer nor Phineas and Ferb. We had Pong Pagong, Kiko Matsing, Kapitan Basa, Sitsiritsit, Alibangbang, Direk, GingGing, NingNing, Ate Sienna, and of course, Kuya Bodjie. Kapitan Basa was sort of my personal favorite and hero. I got my love of reading from him :)

We were so happy and content.

I miss Batibot, singing along to Kapitbahay song and giggling whenever Irma daldal gives Direk a hard time.

Oh the memories a book can trigger.

PS:

Today is the 114th Independence day of my beloved country. Maligayang Araw ng Kasarinlan, Pilipinas kong mahal!

Good Friday Lunch at Camp John Hay Clubhouse

My no-meat-on-lent little sacrifice got instantly dismissed the moment I set foot in Baguio City. The mother of my host friend, Tita Babeth, offered us pandesals, omelettes and tapas for breaksfast. How can you not refuse that?

After a few hours my friend Juraine, who quickly answered after my woe call, came to Green Valley to rescue me amidst the hullaballoo of relatives united by a forthcoming event. I love the Lolargas and the Fernandezes but during that moment, I thought I shouldn't get in the way.

My friend Kimi, the mother of my kyot godchild who just turned one, also came with us. Good thing there's so many people in the house so there's really no shortage of people looking out for the baby and the visitors.

We looked for a place where I can stay for the night since for the first time I won't be staying in Kimi's place. The places we saw are either depressingly expensive or just plainly depressing.

So we decided to eat first. Or rather Kimi and I ate while Juraine took a bath in Camp John Hay Clubhouse (her family's a club member).

Kimi ordered fish and chips while I ordered a sinful Japanese styled baby back ribs. I'm sorry Jesus :(

the menu

Japanese Styled Barbecued Baby Back Ribs

After lunch, we headed back town to again look for my place to crash. We found Upstairs Bed & Bath located at Leonard Wood Road where I took a top bunk bed on their dorm-type room because it was 50 pesos less than when taking a lower bunk bed. 

Upstairs Bed & Bath did it for me not only because it's cheap but because the place was pretty new  (the towels are crisp white and carpet so plush), it's prime location (just behind Barrio Fiesta which is in front of SM, near enough Session Road), hot shower in a squeaky clean bathroom and the friendly and courteous staff . 

I definitely will recommend this place to friends if they ever find themselves looking for a place to stay in Baguio. 

Hanging Out With Kai Mykonos

Got to hang out with this bibi in Burnham Park while her Mamay, Tita Jill and Tita Bianca shop in Tiong San (the store to be in Bagyow!).

Here are some of the many faces the precious bibi gave her overeager and delighted ninang.

<3

SAVE BAGUIO PINE TREES!

"They paved paradise and put up a parking lot..." #SMBaguio

I'm not a native of the north but I consider Baguio a home. I was 22 years late of meeting the country's summer capital but when I set foot naman, BONGGA. Going up to Baguio has always been a treat.

I have wonderful friends residing in Baguio making it more a dear city to me. I just came from Baguio myself during the Holy Week break to attend my godchild's first birthday.

From what I saw, Baguio is so polluted now. Most of it emitted by cars especially during holidays when so many tourists/vacationers troop to the mountains to escape the Manila heat.

But THIS is heartbreaking.

SM (Henry Sy!?!) still pushed through with its plans of cutting down pine trees in order to accommodate more spaces.

Capital gain speaks louder than environmental sustainability.

Say NO to cutting of pine trees.

Wednesday LOVE

Because I just came from Baguio, it is only natural to write about Baguio. LOVE.

I saw Gold!

So this is Balatoc Mines tour in a nutshell. Despite the rough road and a high-possibility-of-concussion-to-happen ride, the trip was great. These are my friends and we take the road less traveled. Bow.

That's gold you punk! At least specks of it.

Enjoying the tram ride. Weeee! But not in total darkness, no. TYVM.

These boots were certainly made for walking! At least in muddy mines they were.

Proud graduates! Heehee.

I love Baguio. Amazing how I never run out of things to do there. :)

Northbound!

In the land of pine trees, chilly mornings, foggy afternoons, sweet, sweet corn, strawberries, camote bread and hot cocoa, artsy fartsy stuff, the land where the traditional meets the modern times.

I will see you again!

*Pagoygoy wants to say hello and say that he's excited too!

Some pix from above (ultra-mega late)

Barrio fiesta "peeps" uli. Kutuhan blues naman with Igorots (with Kimi)

Baguio Cathedral on the Background

the great oble in UP Baguio (with flowers pa kamo!)

Strawberry fields are forever (pero lettuce actually yung background!)

eto isa sa paborito kong pichur sa mga barrio fiesta "almost people"

ang researchers at ang saling pusa

Byahe

Nakakahiya mang aminin, aaminin ko na (sabay ganun!haha). Geography major ako pero susme, kung alam nyo lang. di pa rin ako maka-follow ng simpleng direksyon. Ang resulta? isang engot na batang naglalakad sa kahabaan ng buendia! Excuse me lang pero sa mga hindi nakakaalam, mahaba-haba po iyon. Oh well. Bakit ikamo ko nasa Buendia? E ano pa, para maghanap ng trabaho. Walang wala na talaga kasi kong resources e, kaya kailangan na talagang magka-trabaho ASAP. Yung pamasahe ko nga e care of popsie pa e. Hehe. Madaming salamat (pagaling ka na uy!)

Pero seriously speaking, biglang nas-evaporate ang pag-asa ko sa buhay. I sorta reached a very low level in my life. E kamusta naman?Kahit nung mga panahong nag-wo-worry na ko dahil wala na kong matirhan o kesyo wala na kong makain di naman ako umabot sa ganitong point. Medyo onti na lang. hehe. Kasi naman. Bakit nga ba? Paglabas ko sa People Support at sa Export Bank Plaza narealize ko na wala akong mapapala kung ako lang talaga ang aasahan. Kinakain na ko ng nerbyos ko at takot sa mga pormalidad na ganun. Nakakainis kasi alam kong kailangan yun at natural lang ang mga bagay na yun. Grr. Bakit ba kasi hindi ako sinanay ng mga nagpalaki sakin na mag-interact sa ganoong pamamaraan. Sorry talaga, pero kahit nasa UP ako hindi pa rin nadagdagan ang kumpyansa ko sa sarili ko. parang sa UP ako nagsimulang matutong magsalita. So, pano ba yan? Nakakaiyak. Nakakalungkot. I think ito na ang simula ng libo-libong rejection na matatanggap ko sa buhay ko. Hay buhay.


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Hunny! Sana mabasa mo 'to. Sensya na, walang load e. :) Kahit naman nahihiya ako, isasantabi ko na muna yun. hehe. Maraming maraming salamat sainyo ng pamilya mo. Ano ba? Ano bang ginawa ko nung past lifetime ko to deserve you, Ate Grace, Izay, Popsie, Pam, Weng, Kimi, Len...and so on and so on..Andami nyo na nga e, medyo ang haba na ng listahan ko. haha!Pag nakausap mo si ate, kumusta mo na lang ako.di ko sya matext kasi ala nga kong load at ngayon lang uli ako nakapagnet after 10 years!Next net ko most probably ay sa birthday ko na lang. :)

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share ko lang sa mga kaibigan ko: last long weekend (April 29-May 1) ay nagpunta ko ng Baguio. Yup, Baguio. Sandali..lemme explain. Onga wala kong pera (totoo pa rin yun!) so pano ko nakapunta dun? Courtesy na po iyon ng mga kaibigan dun sa itaas ng bundok Baguio at take note: utang pa din yung iba. Kaya nga wala naman talaga kong nabili e. Sobrang excited at tuwa ko lang talaga ksi FIRST time kong umakyat dun sa Pine City. At oh my gulay! maganda dun..lammeegg nga pala talaga. Kaso andaming tao kasi long weekend nga so sinamantala na yata ng lahat ng tao na umakyat sa Baguio, so how's that?Ang mga napuntahan ko: Camp John Hay, lakad-lakad sa may Burnham, sa resto ni Kidlat Tahimik (uber sa ganda!) na nagngangalang 'Oh My Gulay'!, sa strawberry farm, UP Baguio, Walang kamatayang Session Road at bahay nung dalawang kaibigan namin. Ayun lang. Masaya ko nun, kahit sandali nakalimot ng problema sa Maynila. Peechurs? next time na lang. :)