Stranded

Typhoon Maring intensified by Habagat rains forced us to stay an extra night in Caticlan which we paid out of our own pockets. It was so frustrating, seeing almost 80% of flights get cancelled after fervent hopes of weather getting slightly better in Manila.

Our flight, 2P 052, was first to cancel. Many flights followed suit.

How can you not hope when weather is this good in Aklan. Too bad it's the opposite in our destination

But we were still lucky. Most of the stranded passengers in Caticlan airport missed their connecting flights which certainly is more pain in the ass and pocket.

This was the scene in the airport at 6am earlier. Cranky passengers cannot wait to board and get out of there, including us.

Fortunately, we were able to get into the second earliest flight out of Caticlan albeit not without delay still. I know PAL looked after its stranded passengers the best way they can and I appreciate that.

After quite a turbulent ride we finally taxied into NAIA in rainy Manila. I've never been so relieved. At least we didn't get rerouted to Clark (I found out later flights got rerouted to DMIA). I'm just happy we're finally home.

The view outside my window - somewhere in Metro Manila - after we got a clearing.

Apolinario Mabini Hapi Wheelchairs Parade

After the Barney show in Eastwood Mall and 2 carousel rides for my goddaughter Kai Mykonos, we talked Mitch into coming with us to The Mind Museum for the Apolinario Mabini Hapi Wheelchairs Parade, an event to kickstart the National Disability Week. 

We weren't prepared for what we saw. There was a medium-sized crowd hanging and looking around the coolest art wheelchairs I've ever seen in my life! You may wanna read Tita Babeth's article here to learn more about this event.

Below are some of the photos we managed to snap before the program started.

Winged Icarus by Plet Bolipata. Photo courtesy of tita Babeth Lolarga. 

Photo courtesy of tita Babeth Lolarga

Silver Chariot by Robert Alejandro

With Kidlat Tahimik

Winged Chariot by Io Regalado

Ancestral house wheelchair by Ling Quisumbing Ramilo and Pancho Villanueva

All-weather Guardian Angel Salumpuwet by Kidlat Tahimik

Reminds me of Game of Thrones. Art by Leeroy New.

The Anti-Stress Wheelchair by Agnes Arellano

Part of Mark Cosico's carretela wheelchair

Anghel Bulilit by Aba Dalena

If I heard it correctly from the host you can still check these artsy wheelchairs on display at St. Lukes Global City in Taguig.

Thanks for inviting us Tita Babeth!

Edit:

I had to redo some of my captions as apparently some of them were incorrect. Thanks for the info, Tita B!

Spent My 29th Name Day at The Mind Museum

Since I wasn't near anywhere fun on my birthday, I bought one for myself (ano raw? labo!). Hindi na ko nagpatumpik-tumpik pa after seeing/reading about The Mind Museum sale in my email, I immediately bought two tickets for JC and I. Thank you Deal Grocer for that great deal! 

My birthday fell on a Saturday, which was really fitting for a trip to the museum. God knows I love museums. We took the train to Ayala station then walked towards the The Fort bus terminal that would take us to BGC. We bought 2 tickets (12 pesos each) and hopped inside the West-route bus then alighted at the second bus stop, Net One as the driver bellowed. From there we walked a block until we got to the Mind Museum's entrance. I love commuting in The Fort area, it reminds me a lot of Singapore. Parang wala ka sa Pilipinas kasi in order ang lahat hehe.

I totally squealed when we got inside. Ang saya-saya lang! :))

These are some of the first few things that you will see when you get inside.

Then we crossed the bridge of light...

and wowed to what we saw on the other end. I just turned 29 that day but it felt like I was 6. Umm...

The star of the museum though is hands down, none other than, Stan the T-Rex. AMAZING lang talaga. This was the second T-Rex I saw this year but the first one I saw was made of Lego bricks. This one looks really legit.

Of course we had to make these faces. Closest Jurassic Park experience we'll ever get :))

Okay this static ball we kept coming back to was turned off when we got inside. Bubuksan daw muna ng guard pero ang tagal! Nakapanood na kami ng show at nakarating kay Stan the T-Rex tsaka lang sya nagbukas. But in fairness to Ate who took our photos, galing umanggulo at magpa-pose.

Meanwhile on the second floor are more cool things to tinker and ogle.

This is such a classic, JC's competitive side came out in a game of basketball. The kid he was playing against looked like 12-13 years old to me but it didn't stop him to smash the kid and be super proud of it. Unfortunately, the kid won on their second game at hindi nya matanggap ng slight hahahaha.

When we got to the butanding installation, I forgot that Stan the T-Rex was the star of this museum because personally, this one should be the star of the museum! Siguro dahil I came from Sorsogon and have already encountered them in Oslob so may hugot factor sa heart. Tsaka maganda talaga sya guys!!

We just can't get enough.

Here's an installation reminding us of main parts of our brains. Ano ang madalas na pinapagana mo?

Ooooh cells!

There's a museum shop outside and much as I want to buy a souvenir I can't. I really like the kids' shirt we saw! Di bale, dito naman ako nakatira sa Pilipinas and I can always come back kapag may budget na ko for souvenir[s]. (pampalubag-loob).

The park outside can automatically make a kid out of any adults. Kasi ganun ang naramdaman ko! Lahat pinakialaman namin lalo na yung human bubbles (I don't know what it's called though medyo fail sya samin kasi ayaw mabuo-buo!).

And these. I had fun kahit medyo kadiri yung tutubi up close.

In conclusion, isn't it obvious enough how I loved every minute I've spent inside The Mind Museum? Maybe because it was still fairly new or maybe because it's something different from the other museums we have in the metro. It's interactive and we all know what interactions can do to one's brain - it makes it even sharper! 

I can proudly say that The Mind Museum is at par with other international museums I've been to. Kudos to Ayala Property Management Corporation for bringing and maintaining this museum for all Filipinos to enjoy. I hope a few years from now they too will participate in the International Museum Day festivities. That's free entrance to anyone and everyone who wants to get inside para naman those people who can't afford the entrance fee can experience the joy and fun this museum has to offer.

Thanks pardner for spending the day with me, as if you have any other choice. Simpleng birthday lang pero rock :D Thank you Lord for another year, I can't wait to be 30!

Payday Lunch Series: When Size Matters

We found a new burger joint near our workplace which was such a big bonus! 

Here's a sample of their menu.

Like a lot of burger joints that I know of, they also sell various types of beers. They also sell Bundaberg Sarsaparilla (not in photo) which I am yet to taste when I finally get over my kakuriputan (or if a sudden attack of self-indulgence gets to me).

Here's their (I'm betting) home-made iced tea which was actually good! By the way, I suggest that you opt for the combo when you eat in here. To paraphrase baby James, "it's so sulit". :)) Their fries are humongous!!

It's the battle of the sizes.

Here's Roan's pick: The B.S.B. or Beef and Sausage Burger.

Ten's choice - The I.B.J. or Italian Burger Job.

And mine: The B.I.B. or Breakfast in Bed Burger.

I swear you must be absolutely starving when planning in eating here because their burgers are totally heavy in the tummy. It doesn't help too, that the fries - as I've mentioned earlier - are huge (the fatty, not the skinny type).

All in all my friends and I had a good experience eating at Size Matters so much so that we gladly shared the news/experience to other foodie that we knew in the office.

Size Matters Sausage Burgers
G/F 500 Shaw Zentrum, 500 Shaw Blvd
Highway Hills, Mandaluyong
(02) 625-2030

I Found the Droid I'm Looking For!

Well at least the other half of the great droid duo that was Threepio and Artoo. This is one MASSIVE R2D2 made from Lego bricks! Also a combo of my two loves, Lego and Star Wars.

If you can't fathom its enormousness, allow me to be your visual scale (if the lego display kissing the ceiling still ain't convincing you that is!).

Payday Lunch Series: An Afternoon of Indulgence in Mamou

Office friends and I had this eat-out-in-fancy-restaurants-of-our-choice-every-payday rotation ongoing right now. It's actually good cos we get to have that chance in eating at places you wouldn't catch me eating on my own anyway because they can get really expensive yo.

For Roan's turn we had a lunch at Mamou Too in Rockwell Power Plant. Here's a nugget of history that you should know about Mamou.

I'm ready for my lunch!!

Complimentary breads while waiting for our orders.

Here we go. Our orders started arriving one by one. First, Wawa's Prime Rib. Tender enough :)

Kurobuta Mamou-Katsu. I finally had a taste of Kurobuta! The red rice was something new to us (no, it's not really the same rice we have in Cordillera region) so we all ordered that. Mabigat sya sa tiyan!

Beer Battered Fish with Malt Vinegar. Fish is fish!

But the true star of that day was this: Lorenzo's Truffle Cream. Ay caramba you will not stop saying "ang sarap" I tell you because it really is. The flavors are like fireworks in your mouth. The pasta itself may look so simple yet its taste is very defined. 

I thank the gracious waiter who answered to our whims of too many "isa pa" photos. Typical. Haha.

From left to right: Ten, Rox, Me and Roan

We did something in Mamou which I won't tell in details here. Basta, advance happy Birthday Ten!

Complimentary Red Velvet cupcake from Mamou. So sweet! We loved the personal touch of a Happy Birthday greeting printed on card. By the way, that cupcake was HUGE!

The verdict? We loved Mamou if it isn't obvious yet! I would definitely recommend it to friends and I would love to bring the Cheese here someday so he can also have a taste of the heavenly Lorenzo's Truffle Cream. :)

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Mamou
Power Plant Mall
R1/Lvl. Power Plant Mall, Amorsolo Drive
Poblacion, Makati
(02) 822-6218