#I could wake ETD

[thebibliosphere]

Clawed my way upright with this migraine to post the podcast links over on @theayesphere, telling myself my reward would be to make myself some food. Except there's no food in the pantry or freezer I can eat that doesn't require 40+ mins of prep, and I don't think I can stand that long.

I suppose I could make some eggs, except I really struggle with the texture of eggs without something else to eat them with, but I also know if I don't eat, this migraine is going to get exponentially worse...

This is Hell. This executive function meets chronic illness Hell.

[t4tbruharvey]

3, 6 and 40?

3 - if you were any historic trope, what would you be? (i.e., the knight, the town baker, the witch of the forest, etd.)

baker’s son? is that a trope? the person who wants more than the life they have (like belle bc I'm basic like that)

6 - name five iconic quotes that make you feel things

im not really a quotes guy, but i can try with quotes in general! (heads up these are LONG)

‘I feel as if I have betrayed her somehow, and I never return to the class. (If you are reading this story out loud, force a listener to reveal a secret, then open the nearest window to the street and scream it as loudly as you are able.)’ - the husband stitch

‘The house on Minetta Lane is no longer pink. Someone has taken the lantern down, and painted the building white.’ - Does the Woman in the Painting Have a Secret?

‘Everyone is foreverplaguing me to speak further. Why? What good is it to tell you you are in my every thoughtfrom the time I wake? What good can come from my saying I sometimes cannot think clearly, or do my work properly?                     What gain can rise from my telling youthe only time I feel fear as others do is when I think of you in harm?’ - The Village

‘I am no knight whose foeman dies, no cuirass glistens on my bosom’s swell’ - ‘To –––––’ by Keats

‘The best moments in reading are when you come across something – a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things – which you had thought special and particular to you. Now here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out and taken yours.’ - The History Boys

40 - if you could live any fairy tale, which one would you?

the version of beauty and the beast i have a copy of! it’s so beautifully illustrated and the palace looks wonderful and also the beast has a cool design

[bytheangell]

3, 6, 31, 40?

3. if you were any historic trope, what would you be? (i.e., the knight, the town baker, the witch of the forest, etd.)This is actually really difficult, hmmmmm. I’d probably be the person who hears about That Forbidden Thing someone comes into town to warn everyone about and immediately goes to see it, despite the danger and forbidden-ness. not sure if that counts but that person in the town who doesn’t have enough self-preservation to ignore their curiosity, that’s me. 

6. name five iconic quotes that make you feel things.Not so sure about ‘iconic’, but: “And every time I write, every time I open my eyesI’m cutting out parts of myself simply to hand them over to youSo shake the dustAnd take me with you when you do" -  Anis Mojgani - ‘Shake the Dust’ “I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart. I am, I am, I am.” Sylvia Plath - ‘The Bell Jar’ “Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.” -Stephen King, ‘The Shining’ “Then she looks up at the buildingAnd says she's thinking of jumpingShe says she's tired of lifeShe must be tired of something” - Counting Crows, ‘Around Here’ “We are stories still going” - Jamie Tworkowski 

31. splashing around in a river with mermaids or flying through the sky with harpies?F L Y I N G. I know I love the water and all but I’m a sucker for any universe where I could have wings and fly. I mean, to an extent I can swim and splash around as it is, so. Definitely gotta side with the flying option when I can. 

40. if you could live any fairy tale, which one would you?Ohhhhh. Maybe… Sleeping Beauty? I mean, you get to sleep for a really long time and not worry about work and life and responsibilities, and then you casually wake up to true love and a happily ever after? I’m sold. 

(send me romanticized asks) 

[carleencl]

Carleen Goes to Taiwan: Day 1 (Taichung)

Taiwan – the first country to explore this 2019! It is the country known for tourist spots’ such as the 91-floor Taipei 101, different memorial halls and parks, shopping districts, night markets, and more. It is also the origin of everyone’s favorite drink - Milk Tea!

My travel experience in Taiwan will be divided per day with our itinerary and expenses. At the end of each post will be my vlog. My blog and vlog will go hand in hand since some information and visuals will be on my blog but not on my vlog and vice versa. So I recommend for you to read my blog and watch my vlog to know my adventures in Taiwan.

Our flight to Taipei, Taiwan was last May 22, 2019 via Cebu Pacific and was originally scheduled at 10:35pm. It was delayed by an hour and we boarded at around 11:30pm. We arrived at Taipei at around 01:30 in the morning.

After landing, we went to the immigration, grab our luggage and claimed our sim card. We bought our sim card via Klook which costs PHP 377 each. (Tip: Double check if the claiming counters are open 24 hours especially if you have an early morning flight. Some options in Klook have counters open from 7am – 11pm only).

Since we arrived in early morning, we rode a taxi going to our hotel in Ximen named, Diary of Ximen Hotel. The taxi fare was NT$ 1,100 (PHP 1,870) good for 4 people with 4 luggage. It was an hour travel time from Taoyuan International Airport to our hotel and we arrived at around 03:30am.

Diary of Ximen Hotel is situated near Exit 6 of MRT Ximen Station which was a very good location. Also, the hotel is located in a building with other hotels too. We really did like the hotel since it was very near the Ximending night market, staff were very accommodation and nice, and bottled waters were given daily. There was also free flowing juice, tea, and coffee on the hotel’s reception. We booked our hotel via Agoda and no breakfast was included. If you would like to avail their breakfast buffet, it will be NT$ 100 (PHP 170) per person.

DAY 1 MAY 23, 2019

First day in Taiwan and we were greeted by the drizzling rain.

1st day’s itinerary was to go to the province of Taichung, Taiwan. We went there by riding the MRT first from Ximen Station to Taipei Main Station then transferred from MRT Taipei Main Station to HSR Taichung Station.

We preferred to ride their High Speed Rail (HSR) since it will only take 45 minutes to 1 hour from Taipei to Taichung. Other cheaper options were the bus  with 3-4 hours travel time, and the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) with 1-2 hours travel time. However, during that time, Klook has a promo of Buy One, Get One for HSR going from Taipei to other locations that costs PHP 945 (PHP 472.50/each). For our way back, we also chose the HSR but got the original price of PHP 886 each via Klook also.

Riding the HSR was actually comfortable. There were toilets, and vending machines in the train. WiFi was also available and each seat has a fold able tables similar to airplanes.

Upon arriving at HSR Taichung Station, we decided to grab a taxi going to Rainbow Village. Our taxi driver was very nice and friendly and suggested if we would want to avail his service to drive us around Taichung for NT$ 3500 (PHP 5,950) for 8 hours. At first we were hesitant but we compared prices in Uber and it was indeed cheaper to avail his service. We compared and saw that one way going to Rainbow Village is almost NT$900, which we computed with the other destination we would be paying either the same price or higher.

RAINBOW VILLAGE

Seeing Rainbow Village was literally colorful like the rainbow. There was no charge upon entering the site.

Rainbow Village is located at 408, Nantun District, Taichung City, Taiwan is open daily from 8am - 6pm.

The village was originally for demolition however, Rainbow Grandpa painted the houses and saved it from being demolished. The village was originally the place soldiers stayed at before. Neighboring houses were sold but Rainbow Grandpa remained.

At the end of the village is a room about its history and some information about Rainbow Grandpa.

I actually felt happy being in Rainbow Village. The colorful artworks brings so much joy.

ZHONGSHE FLOWER MARKET

Zhongshe Flower Market was next on our itinerary. This is widely popular because of the beautiful flowers you will be surrounded at.

It is located at No. 333, Section 5, Sanfeng Road, Houli District, Taichung City, Taiwan.

The Flower Market is open daily from 8am to 6pm and there is an entrance fee of NT$120 (PHP 204) for adults and NT$60 (PHP 102) for children.

Even though it as muddy during that day, we actually enjoyed having photos with the lovely flowers. Below were the photos from the flower market:

LUNCH AT WEST DISTRICT

We asked our driver to bring us to Chun Shui Tang since it is a well known milk tea place in Taichung. We were dropped at the West District if I’m not mistaken.

Before trying the milk tea, we looked for a place first where we could have lunch.

We saw a small restaurant and tried it. Name of the restaurant is in Chinese and that explains why I didn’t include the name here. 😅

The staff only speaks Chinese thus, we had a little difficulty ordering. However, there was a very nice customer of theirs that knows how to speak English. I think she noticed we had trouble ordering and helped us. The customer was the one translating, for us to order. We didn’t got her name, but to the lady who was in this restaurant last May 23, 2019 around 1-2pm, thank you for helping for us! 🤗

It was passed lunch time and the only choices they have were Chicken Curry Rice and Pork Noodle Soup. I’m not a fan of curry, so I ordered their Pork Noodle Soup which costs NT$ 100 (PHP 170).

CHUN SHUI TANG

Our first milk tea in Taiwan!

Serving was so large that one glass is good for 1-2 people. The glass is bigger than my hand and same size as my face! 😂

Both the original pearl milk tea and oreo milk tea tastes good! However, when the milk tea is compared here in Manila, our is way way sweeter even at 50% sugar. It seems that milk tea from Taiwan is not that sweet.

A medium Pearl Milk Tea costs NT$130 (PHP 221), and medium Oreo Milk Tea costs NT$ 120 (PHP 204).

FENGJIA NIGHT MARKET

I wasn’t able to have photo from the night  market in Taichung. However, I had some videos of it on my vlog. 😊

Fengjia Night Market is similar with Ximending Night Market. Both has shops for clothes and skin care. They also have street foods left and right.

I was able to try the Fried Chicken from Angel’s that costs NT$ 70 (PHP 119). I really do like the fried chicken since it was not dry and very tasty!

Afterwards, we actually went home already since our 8-hour trip with our driver is almost ending. We bought extra food before heading back to out hotel at Ximending Night Market

So that’s day 1 of our Taiwan trip. Next Taiwan posts, soon!

__________

To see more of what we saw in Taichung, you may watch my vlog below:

__________

Below was our itinerary and expenses. Hope this will help you to be able to plan your travels to Taiwan.

ITINERARY

DAY 1 Part 1: May 22-23, 2019 (Wed/Thurs) 07:00 pm - Meet-up at NAIA Terminal 3 10:35 pm - ETD from Manila 12:55 am - ETA to Taipei (Taoyuan International Airport, Terminal 1) 01:00 am - Immigration, Get Luggage & Sim Card 02:00 am - Go to the hotel 03:00 am - Check-in at Diary of Ximen Hotel

DAY 1 Part 2: May 23, 2019 (Thursday) 07:00 am - Wake-Up 08:00 am - BREAKFAST 09:00 am - Leave for Taichung 09:15 am - ETD:  MRT Ximen Station to Taipei Main Station 09:20 am - ETA:  MRT Taipei Main Station 09:30 am - Taipei to Taichung via High Speed Rail 10:30 am - Arrival Taichung Station 10:45 am - To Rainbow Village 11:15 pm - ETA:  Rainbow Village (Caihongjuan Village) 12:15 pm - Leave for Zhongshe Flower Market 12:30 pm - Zhongshe Flower Market 02:00 pm - LUNCH 04:00 pm - Fengjia Night Market 06:00 pm - Go back to Taipei Main Station 07:30 pm - Ximending Night Market 08:30 pm - Back to hotel

EXPENSES

SIM Card (Klook) - PHP 377 Taxi (Airport to Hotel) - NT$1, 100 (PHP 1, 870; PHP467.50/ea) Breakfast at 7/11

Chicken Teriyaki Rice Meal - NT$89 (PHP 151.30)

HSR Taipei to Taichung (Klook) - PHP 945 (Buy one get one; PHP 472.50/ea) HSR Taichung to Taipei (Klook) - PHP 886/ea Taxi in Taichung (8 hours) - NT$3, 500 (PHP 5, 950; PHP1, 487.50/ea) Rainbow Village: Free Flower Market: - NT$120 (PHP 204) LUNCH

Pork Noodle Soup - NT$100 (PHP 170)

Milk Tea at Chun Shui Tang (PHP106.25/ea)

Original Pearl Milk Tea (Medium) - NT$130 (PHP221)

Oreo Milk Tea (Medium) - NT$120 (PHP204)

Fengjia Night Market: Chicken - NT$70 (PHP119) Ximending Night Market

Fried Chicken - NT$120 (PHP204; PHP51/ea)

Family Mart (Bulgogi) - NT$65 (PHP 110.50)

Family Mart (Milk tea) - NT$28 (PHP47.60)

Total: PHP4, 650.15

*Items from Klook were paid in advanced

*Conversion of NT$ to PHP are rounded and used NT$ 1 = PHP 1.70

Other blog post related to Taiwan below: 🔗 TAIWAN DAY 2 BLOG POST

[soysaucevictim]

Poofed again.

-

Mar 2:

I’ve been up since about 7:11 AM.

I’ve mostly spent my day watching/listening to YouTube vids and gaming. :P

So I got my exercise in a bit later than ideal, but I got it done.

First, yesterday’s DD. 2′ butt kicks with EC. Rain-checked on this because my energy levels was really only up for my main workout's cardio. Was contemplating on breaking this up, even now, but glad I pressed on. Counted 249 reps, but heels stopped making consistent contact in the last ~20-50 reps. Oof. :U

Second, today’s DD. 60 scissors with EC. Got a smidge distracted today, but at least it's done on the due date. Pffft! Anyways, I like "crunch" variations where I can keep my head on the floor. :,D

Third, Day 18 of the FCP. Strength training. This was just manageable, relatively anaerobic so I didn’t feel quite as harried as yesterday. Tried to be more mindful about my squatting form - since I’ve noticed a few instances of knee complaints the last few times of ‘em. I think my knees were happier with me. Punches were fun as always~

Last, Day 18 of the TYTC. Simple and fun. Did get a bit of a head rush on the way up from the toe touch - probably a bit dehydrated or something (I did probably have too much sugar and salt for the day).

-

Mar 3:

Woke up ~11AM. And I spent most of the day watching YouTube and playing some games. Did also play some cards with family and made dinner.

Only exercise I managed to get done was the DD. 60 bicep extensions with EC. This was a fun way to wake up today! Nice to have a breezier DD at times. :D

Did attempt Day 19 of the FCP... I’ll just copy the tweets I made about it:

HHHHh- I hate holding elbow planks for longer than like a minute. Was only able to will myself through one set of this before going "Fuck it. I'm doing this one tomorrow. I just don't have the energy rn."

Midway into Set 2 I dropped my knees a few times but just kinda stopped at that point. My head just wasn't in the game. (While I'm glad this was going to be only 3 sets - I just yeah. Gdi, man. But I'm not abt to give up on this program, so help me.) :/

Part of why I feel not so great abt this kinda exercise was that time I tried to do the 5' [elbow] Plank Challenge. A bit >2' IS my failure point / PB. Where I can just feel myself pushing way too damn hard. So doing 3 sets of that with little rest is toeing the line of NOEP.

The whole ETD thing ALSO doesn't help me feel too comfortable with the idea of forcing me past that wall, too. I just need to remind myself - counting this day, there's only 2 more plank days in the program. If I can get through them - I'll be ok.

-

Mar 4:

Was up proper at around 10AM (got up a bit earlier but was too tired/sleepy to stay up). Almost same story as the day prior. Gaming, YouTube, showered, and did some laundry. So I was a little more productive.

Like yesterday, all I could make myself do was the DD again. 2′ side splits with EC. This was a fun one! Legs did start trembling near the end, but doing a few half jacks as warmup was very helpful and enjoyable too!

Ran into the same wall with FCP, today. I expanded on my thoughts/feelings about it on Twitter again.

Tried yesterday's workout again. STILL hit the same wall. I just. I'm legitimately upset. I'm tempted to table this program entirely. I just. Can't make myself do this. Maybe in the future? But not rn. Almost a third of the way left and it hurts emotionally.

Especially given how very MANAGEABLE the rest of this damn program is and has been. I wish I could find SOME way to frame this elbow plank shit in a way that helps sustainably. I'm angry, mostly at myself, I really don't want to give up again.

I'm trying to tell myself, failure is a learning opportunity and not the end of the world (which is actually too hyperbolic a sentiment in this case). But shit like me somehow scraping through the first plank day makes me go "how the fuck did I do that." soysaucevictim.tumblr.com/post/182889402… Reading that makes me wonder if I should just modify this day's workout in some way. Just to get through the damn thing with some credit. I know DAREBEE is all about accessibility and they don't hold it against you if you do need to modify. I've done it before.

Question remains, how would I go about it. Do I... - Allow knees to drop occasionally - Make some of the planks full planks (arms straight) - Or extend the rest periods out (tho FC's structure is about active rest - not sure how sustainable even slow jacks are gonna be)

Wound up spending time after those tweets just putting away laundry and getting notes together for my appointment tomorrow.

-

Mar 5:

Been up since almost 8AM. Was busy today... and super exhausted after everything.

Was picked up to get to my doctor appointment this morning. Voiced various concerns. Got a prescription [or really a recommendation, since it was OTC] for some earwax clearing solution, since it turns out there was some notable buildup and it probably contributed to ETD and tinnitus symptoms. (Amongst a few other things, but this helped to give me some clarity.)

Got to the facility... and experienced a panic episode over almost losing my Miniday Log to Excel crashing and unsuccessfully recovering it on it’s own. Couldn’t find it in the directory and noticed a few TMP files (with random strings of letters and numbers as filenames) in it’s place (date modified clued me into what I was actually looking at). Telling Excel to Open & Repair managed to be the fix. I was so relieved to’ve figured it out.

Doing the DD afterwards did help to calm my nerves a good deal (as well as Jewel Quest & socializing). 2′ leg extensions with EC (”donkey kicks”). Doing this DD also helped me feel a bit less restless afterwards. I counted exactly 100 reps, this time. A few false starts because I needed to cushion my knees, one being bruised from previous injuries. But yeah, I did enjoy doing this one.

Next, went to my psychiatrist appointment. Which went well enough, especially after some clarity from previous doctor’s appointment. As a  few of my concerns for both overlapped a bit. We decided to stay the course.

Got home a bit late, got hella distracted by the usual, and determined that I was too damn exhausted to workout. (Used the ear drops a couple times, spaced out. That was fucking weird in the sensory department - but I felt it helpful!)

-

Mar 6:

Been up since about 2PM (did get up some hours earlier, but decided I was too tired to stay up, esp after meds and breakfast.)

I spent almost my entire day playing games and watching YouTube. But I was goaded into playing some cards and I did get in my exercise for the day.

First, today’s DD. 20 supermen with EC. Rather late. I just wound up getting distracted by games... but got this one done without any issue.

Second, Day 19 of the FCP. The dreaded plank work. I decided I would allow myself to be okay with dropping my knees if I felt I had to. Did better than the past few attempts, got about halfway into the last set before I had to do that. I think too, that the ear drops helped. Acceptable performance. :P

Third, Day 20 of the FCP. Tendon strength work. Honestly the only tough part was the frontal holds, as opposed to the lateral ones. But as usual, I greatly enjoy this type of workout! :D

Last, Days 19+20 of the TYTC. Breezy fun, as usual. I like doing this challenge a bunch! =w=

I don’t feel like wrestling with my phone (yesterday it shut down constantly) to meditate tonight. Will be winding down soon.

[dannycaing]

OVERVIEW

OVERVIEW by Danny Caing Date Written: March 8, 2019

CHAPTER 1

Heathrow Airport, London December 7, 1994, 7:30 PM

Daniel and Carol were at the departure area waiting for their flight schedule to New York City at 8:32 PM ETD. It was snowing outside and windy. Carol was a famous musician/songwriter of the band called NYZINEG and while Daniel was a celebrated photographer. They were going to New York City to attend Carol's bandmate, Azel's14th death anniversary. Daniel noticed a young lady on the coffee shop staring at him with a gesture. As he glanced at the escalator in front of him, he saw again the young lady smiling at him while coming down the steps. The young lady resembled Madonna of Leonardo da Vinci's painting.

While they were fastening their seat belts inside the plane, Daniel saw the young lady Madonna passed along the aisles. Right after buckling his seat belts, he saw again Madonna passed along the aisles. So, Daniel decided to close his eyes for a moment hoping they were not happening. When he opened his eyes, he saw the young lady Madonna passed along the aisles. He called the attention to his wife Carol seated beside him.

DANIEL:  Darling, I think I am seeing something unusual tonight.

CAROL:  What is it, dear?

DANIEL:  I'm seeing this young lady passing along the aisles one after another for three times. And also at the departure area, I saw her twice in a different spot at the same time.

CAROL:  Is it a ghost of Azel?

DANIEL:  No! It's not a ghost!

CAROL: Then, what is it? Here dear, take this pill and go to sleep. Soon we'll be at Kennedy Airport.

DANIEL:  She looks so real like Madonna.

CAROL:  Oh! Is she with us on this flight, dear?

DANIEL:  No! Not her. I mean, the Madonna painting.

Twenty minutes after the plane took off, Daniel went to the comfort room. He washes his face and takes a pill. When he went back to his seat, he was surprised to see the three young Madonnas were seating right behind them. Daniel grins with contentment, so they were identical triplet sisters. He leaned back on his seat and went to sleep.

The sudden turbulence of the plane awakened Daniel and he managed to walk straight to the restroom. He was shocked to see the stewardess, passengers, and his wife Carol have the same face as the young lady Madonna when he went back to his seat. Everyone was staring at him vaguely.

CAROL:  Daniel! My dear! Wake up. For god sake! Everyone's moving out.

DANIEL:   Huh! What's going on? Where am I?

CAROL:  We just arrived at Kennedy Airport. Are you all right?

As Daniel stood up and he saw two young couples and a kid at the backseat. He could not find the three Madonnas among the passengers and not even in the Baggage Area at the airport. The triplet sisters suddenly just disappeared from his sight. Good!

CHAPTER 2

New York Central Park December 8, 1994, 8:32 AM

There were so many people in the park that day who were attending the 14th Death Anniversary celebration of Azel Nosnuh, a famous rock star who was gang-raped and stabbed 48 times to death at the same park. Daniel took many pictures using the Nikon camera during the ceremony and concert.

CHAPTER 3

After three days, Daniel was in the darkroom developing the pictures taken at the New York Central Park. When the images came to view, Daniel was amazed when he saw the photographs, all the faces in the crowds and audiences at the park were of the young lady Madonna.

Background Music: "Overview" by Danny Caing https://soundcloud.com/genizyn/overview-by-danny-caing

All Rights Reserved Wonderful Stories Limited Copyrighted @ 2019

[makinoemii]

Proclamation No. 227 s. 1988 providing for the observance of the Month of March as Women’s Role in History Month.

Chasing Summits, Empowering women thru outdoor activities. Women’s History Month is an annual declared month that highlights the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. (source)

What an amazing day.  Our climbing troop had our meet up at the south bus terminal. It was my pleasure to be invited to climb one of the exciting trails in the southern part of Cebu. Who would have thought that I will reach Mt. Lanaya because of Ej, one of my companions during my first major climb located in Negros Oriental.

Legaspi Multipurpose Barangay Hall. Landmark drop off, and meet up for our guide.

Before we hit the trail, we need to drop by at the barangay hall to meet our guide and have ourselves registered to make sure that the local leaders have records for those who will go camping.

We went hiking on Mount. Lanaya. It was especially a hot afternoon when we arrived. We found ourselves looking for something to drink, be it water or a bottle of soda.  As our organizer busies himself while dealing with the local officials, concluding and refining our schedule making sure that all names had been taken down and verified for safety reasons.

I found myself nearby the shoreline.  Surprisingly the comforting calm water of the ocean shivers my soul as I am looking beyond its horizon.  Amazingly. I find myself whipping out my iPhone. To my surprise I felt compelled to take photos and a short video of the place before I head back and bought some chips and an extra bottle of water for tomorrow.  I love it when I get emotionally inspired to feel at one with the earth and I just need to take photos.

The barangay captain conducted a short breifing before we had the registration.

The trail was pretty easy.   we walk towards the concrete road before we reach the first level of the mountain. The weather this day was stiflingly hot. This caused a lot of us to be easily winded and short of breath. Rest periods happened often.

Now we’re all set and ready to hit the trail. But wait, its too freaking hot and my loads were too heavy lol.

Legaspi trail is very photogenic and popular with hikers. The sunsets are unforgettable and spectacular. Some would say astounding.  especially when you view Tañon Strait. The Mountain called Lanaya’s is 700 metres above sea level. Mount  Lanaya’s  stands almost at stark contrast to the surrounding mountain ranges near it. The mountain is defined by forest-covered, knife-edge slopes facing the west, on to the Tañon Strait., along the national highway.  You can already see its summit composed of a rock formation the locals call Kalo-kalo Peak.

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As we started our group trek along the trail pass, our group come upon a truly delightful backdrop.  This was a perfect place to take some selfies and group photos together.  As all adventurers find themselves overwhelmed with the beauty of the land and we spent to much time taking photos.  Right then we realized we needed to move out in double time if we had a chance to get to our campsite before sunset.

I want to give a great shout out to my friend Maria. The reason is she is an exceptional photographer that is happy to share her natural ability with me. Maria has a talent of making technical jargon simple and easy to understand.  So, the next time I have an opportunity such as this, I will be able to increase my own knowledge and improve my own photos. This was the golden hour for photography.

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Favorite part, thanks a lot to my companion for this wonderful photo.

We then set up base camp number one.  If we had hastened ourselves earlier, we would have been able to set up at base camp two, that’s right on the summit.  Our group celebrated that night to their own detriment.  Yep hangovers where prominent in the camp. Only 5 resolute people got up at 4.30am to hit the sum it assault.  This is a gruelling and climb.  However, it’s my own favourite and I would not miss it at all.

Let’s dance the night away. Thanks to JD for this awesome group photo.

We stopped after an hour and made a small rest camp. It was not far to go now. This was a perfect time to remove my jacket because I was boiling inside of it.  I continued on and with a surprised gasp I saw a spectacular view.  Both the landscape looking out as well as looking up to some massive boulders that looked astonishing.   I asked the guide to take a video for me as I climbed up and perusal the world around me.  I found this an extraordinary spiritual moment.  Looking over the majestic ocean and back over the path I had travelled.  I found true calmness and tranquillity. This can get very addictive to one’s soul, I think. I can not really say much more than come and see it yourself and decide.

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Reaching Mt. Lanaya’s Summit

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Chasing Summits: The event was posted on their Facebook page on March 5, 2019, details are the following.

Day 1 – Sunday, Mar 10

0900 – Meet up at South Bus Terminal 0930 – ETD for Alegria 1230 – ETA at Alegria. Register at barangay hall 1300 – Start of trek 1700 – ETA at campsite/set up camp 1800 – Prepare for dinner 1900 – Dinner and socials 2200 – Lights off

Day 2 – Monday, Mar 11

0430 – Wake up call. Trek to summit. 0530 – Arrival at summit. Watch sunrise. 0600 – Trek back to campsite 0700 – ETA at campsite. Prepare breakfast. 0800 – Break camp 0830 – (Optional) Trek to Mainit Hot Spring 1100 – Lunch 1200 – Take bus back to city 1500 – ETA at south bus terminal

Expenses

Food- P150 (each)

Fare- P350 (roundtrip)

Guide Fee- P500 good for 5 people per day (additional P50 on the next day)

Entrance fee- P50 (each)

  Mt. Lanaya’s Official Guide, Kuya Noel. You can contact him thru this #09977929342.

At the conclusion of our expedition after we reach the summit. We prepared breakfast, bacon, ham, luncheon meat,noodle, dried fish and rice. Then we broke camp. Our next port of call is in Malabuyoc and it took 1/half hours to arrive there.

We arrive in Malabuyoc and we spent some time at Mainit hot spring. Eight of us decided to continue to the waterfall which is about 10 minutes away from the Geothermal springs.

We we’re three minutes away from the waterfall and the cave. As we approach I had a better view of the entrance of the cave and we can hear the water plunging down. At this time I was feeling inspired to run, because I was very excited.

The thermal condition were changing because of the waterfall spray. You can a refreshing shower underneath the waterfall and someone could a photo or video of you. At  this time my battery was running low and I put it away and I just the ambiance of these waterfalls and mountain.

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Until I see you again, Mt.Lanaya. 

            Mt. Lanaya : Women Empowerment Climb (Chasing Summits Event) Proclamation No. 227 s. 1988 providing for the observance of the Month of March as Women’s Role in History Month.

[travelbugs-blog1]

Maniwaya, Marinduque

Since we have the same birth month and our birthdays are just 2 days apart; It has been our tradition to go on a trip to celebrate our birthdays and the love month altogether. For this year we decided to go to Marinduque. All thanks to our friend Ranier who helped us with the logistics since Marinduque happened to be his province!

For this trip; we went all around Marinduque. We practically went from North to South and East to West but the major areas we have spent most of our time were at Maniwaya island (Northern part) and at Torrijos (Eastern South). We have decided to make separate entries for the two beaches because each beach is so unique and beautiful! 

For this entry, we will show to you Maniwaya:

I had so much fun taking pictures because we have been graced by beautiful sunlight during the trip making the pictures come to life at any time of the day.

Morning light:

Midday:

Golden hour:

Sunset in its full pinkish glory. No Filter hashtag worthy!

Even at the crack of dawn (5:30 AM - 7 AM) and again No Filter hashtag worthy!

See our Marinduque video (Click HD):

Now, this is the time you gotta take notes because here is the itinerary and budget if you are going to Maniwaya ONLY:

Day 0 11:00 PM: ETD at Jac Liner Buendia to Lucena - Dalahican port (4 hour bus ride) 

Day 1 03:00 AM - 03:20 AM: ETA at Dalahican port (buy tickets, go through baggage scanning, restroom break, ride ferry) then depart for Balanacan port, Marinduque (Our boat ride took 3 hours long)

 6:20 AM: ETA at Balanacan port then ride a van to Buyabod port where you will again ride a boat which will finally bring you to Maniwaya. (Van ride took an hour)

7:20 AM: ETA to Maniwaya! Destination reached! start pitching your tent if you will camp out or start checking in if you prefer to book a room. The rest will be free time, free time, and free time! Just don't forget to catch the golden hour! :) P.S Sleep early because Day 2 is coming... ho ho!

Day 2

5:00 AM: wake up time to catch the sunrise 

5:30 AM: ETD for Palad sand bar

6:30 AM: ETA at Palad sand bar (swim and take pictures. I think 1-2 hours is enough, yeah?)

7:30 AM: ETD from Palad sand bar to Ungab rock formation

8:30 AM: ETA at Ungab rock formation (swim and take pictures again. Again a good 1-2 hours could be enough, well at least it was for us)

9:45 AM: ETD from Ungab rock formation to Maniwaya island and get ready for lunch and breaking camp

12:00 PM: LUNCH

1:30 PM: ETD from Maniwaya to Buyabod port

2:30 PM: ETA Buyabod port and ETD for Balanacan port

3:30 PM: ETA at Balanacan port

7:30 PM: ETD from Balancan port to Dalahican port

10:30 PM: ETA to Dalahican port then ride bus bound for Manila

2:30 AM: ETA Buendia

Budget:

Bus fare from Jac Liner Buendia to Dalahican port = 219 Pesos

Ferry fare from Dalahican port to Balancan port will depend on your current status: Regular = 260 Pesos | Senior citizen = 186 Pesos | Student = 221| Half fare (3-7yrs old) = 130

Van ride from Balanacan port to Buyabod port = 180 Pesos

Boat from Buyabod port to Maniwaya would depend on how many pax and the size of the boat. We were 5 grown-ups with a child. The deal with the boat man were the following: ride to Maniwaya island, island hop the next day to Palad sand bar and Ungab rock formation, ride back to Maniwaya island for lunch and to get ready to go home, and the ride back for Buyabod port to go back to Manila. Our bill was 3,500 Pesos

QUESTIONS: - Why is the schedule for Palad sand bar too early? It's because the low tide only lasts until 7AM and the sand bar is quite far from Maniwaya island. If you come later than what is suggested above you may not fully appreciate the sand bar cos there will be no sand bar anymore!

- Your ETA at Balanacan port for Day 2 is at 3:30 PM; why do we have to wait for 7:30 PM to ride the ferry bound for Dalahican? It's because there are not too many trips from Dalahican to Marinduque and vise-versa. Here is the updated ferry trip schedule:

Dalahican to Marinduque 2:30 AM | 3:30 AM | 7:30 AM | 10:30 AM | 11:30 AM |  3:30 PM | 9:30 PM | 11:30 PM

Marinduque to Dalahican

5:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 11:30 AM| 12:00 PM | 2:30 PM | 3:30 PM | 7:30 PM 

Source: Marinduque News Where can we stay at Maniwaya?- If you are the type who prefers a room over tent then you may inquire at Wawie's Resort for their rates. They also cater to beach campers by the way. However, we are the type of campers who really want to enjoy nature and it's quietness and simplicity, so we did not choose Wawie's because just beside Wawie's is the welcoming, homey, and really probinsya feels that is the lot of Mang Teroy. If we have the same preference when it comes to beach camping then I recommend Mang Teroy. He is very helpful, accommodating, and is always there to tend to your needs. He also has a cousin with a boat you can rent! So you might as well also contact his cousin if you wish to be picked up from Buyabod port. Here is the contact number for Mang Teroy: 09502772308 or at 09551894051

Is there a comfort room?- Yes, Mang Teroy has one.

Is there a water source?- Yes. Igib method sa poso, guys.

Is there any store for when you forget to bring shampoo or when you want junk food and even soft drinks?- Yes

Are there mosquitos?- I did not encounter any bites

Pwede magpa-luto?- Well, if you’re staying at Mang Teroy’s, you can ask other nearby resorts to cook for you. 

Budget?- I spent 3,000 Pesos for 2 nights with foods included. We were 5 pax, ergo your budget might still get cheaper or higher depending on the number of your pax. Of course, you always carry an extra cash in case of emergency!

There you go folks! I hope this has been helpful and encouraging for you to visit Maniwaya. If you have any questions, just shoot us a comment. 

And oh, just a friendly reminder: CLEAN AS YOU GO. We love nature but sometimes we trash the nature, and when you trash it can you still call that love? Please let us keep Maniwaya clean and healthy so we can still bask in its beauty 50 years or so from now. :)

If you are planning on staying at Marinduque’s main island for another night or so to see and explore the rest of Marinduque’s gems, TravelBook will get you covered! They have rooms available for your stay! :) 

Stay tuned for Torrijos beach! 

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[thebibliosphere]

Very kind of my migraine to wait for @mothman-etd's birthday dinner to be over to start setting in. (It's probably a histamine reaction, tbh. Those lemons really fucked me up.)

Genuinely, I don't think I could have handled being around my niece and nephew like this. I love them and I'd kill for them, but everything is So Much right now, even without small children running around.

Anyway, I know I'm late, but everyone go wish @mothman-etd a happy birthday. He'll be so confused to wake up and see umpteen unread messages in his inbox. 🤭

[jovelynbmateo]

Burdeos Quezon and Its Majestic Islands | A Soul Vacation

Do you ever want to escape? Like, go somewhere far from everything? To find a place so serene, and where you will find peace of mind. Let me take you on a trip, a soul vacation.

Burdeos Quezon and its majestic islands are the perfect places to chill and loosen up. It is located on the shoreline of Polillo in the province of Quezon.

My friends and I decided to explore Burdeos for our 2018 summer getaway. We spent three days and two nights at Luming beach, Anilon Island. An Isolated, beautiful Island where you will fall in love. A place that will make you want to stay, despite the difficulty and hassle of reaching the area, the moment that you arrive there and witness the breathtaking view of the Island all your exhaustion and worries will disappear.  

The blistering sun, the breeze from the ocean's tide, and to feel the grainy sand on your toes are one of the most satisfying feelings in the world. The beach will always be a happy place.

Just a precaution, they have a weak cell signal in the Island. We weren’t able to use our phones for calls, texting, and socials during our stay in Burdeos/Anilon Island. They also have limited water resources since they only have post and water well where they usually get the water for taking a bath and other stuff.

6 Beautiful and Unspoiled Islands of Burdeos

Anilon Island ft Anilon Sandbar

You will find Luming Beach in Anilon Island, and they offer accommodations. You can message their page here for inquiries and reservations.  

Anilon Cave

A glimpse of an undiscovered paradise. One of the must-visit spots in Burdeos. You need to cross the beach to be able to reach the cave. Once you enter the cave, there is a pathway going to the top part of it where you will see the view of the endless waters.

The astonishing view from the top of Anilon Cave.

Next destination.....

Malaguinoan Island

It’s about 40 hectares in area. Several white sand beaches are located along its coast, and there is a newly open resort that’s still under construction. They offer an array of exciting beach resort activities.

(Smaller Malaguinoan Island)  

Anawan Island

Its land area is about 18 hectares, and it has beautiful rock formations.

Kabalu Sandbar

You will spot lots of starfish or sea stars while crossing the water heading to the sandbar.

Binumbunan Island

After exploring the majestic islands of Burdeos, we went back to luming beach to enjoy the rest of the day,

The astonishing sunset at Anilon Island. 

One of the best moment in our lives is witnessing the sun as it falls behind the horizon, painting the sky shades of pink and red — a beautiful creation of God.

Luming Beach, in Anilon Island is also an excellent spot to stargaze. You will witness the stars glittered like diamonds around 3:30 AM.

The stars were sparkling over me, and it feels like I am in another universe. It’s like a vast portrait, a beautiful work of art. I could stare at this view forever.

Vanlakwatsero hosted our trip to Burdeos. They offer different packages.

For more information, you can check their Facebook page or send them a message. 

HOW TO GET TO BURDEOS

You can reach Burdeos via Mauban, Quezon or Real / Infanta, Quezon. Take the bus to Infanta, Quezon at the Legarda Sta Mesa bus terminal. Buy a Barangay Ungos Real ticket with a drop off at Real Port, Ungos.

Take the Antipolo - Tanay - Famy road from Metro Manila, when you reach Famy, Laguna, turn left at the intersection and drive to Real Quezon. Go directly to Ungos, Real Port, where there are boats bound to Burdeos for "Lantsa."

Real Port to Burdeos is about 5-7 hours in good weather conditions (First trip starts at 6:30 AM).

Real Port to Polillo Port is 2-3 hours by a motorized bangka.

Polillo to Burdeos proper - when you reach the town of Polillo, a jeepney goes to Burdeos at 10 a.m. You can also rent tricycles or motorcycles. It takes an hour and 15 minutes to get to the town of Burdeos along the road Burdeos - Polillo.

SAMPLE ITINERARY

DAY 00 12:00MN Meet up at Rizal 1:00AM ETD Ungos Port

DAY 01 05:30AM ETA Ungos Port (Breakfast own account) 06:30AM Boat ride to Anilon Island 10:00AM ETA Arrival Anilon Island 11:30AM Lunch hosted 01:00PM Onwards free time to explore the island 07:00PM Dinner hosted Socials 09:00PM Lights off

DAY 02 06:00AM Wake up call, bfast hosted 07:00AM Onwards Start of Island hopping 11:30AM Lunch hosted 12:30PM Continue Island hopping 05:00PM Back to resort 06:00PM Dinner hosted 08:00PM Lights off

DAY 03 06,:00AM Wake up call, breakfast hosted 07:00AM Free time to explore the beach for the last time 08:30AM Wash up 09:00AM Boat ride to Ungos Port 01:00PM ETA Ungos Port Late lunch own account 02:00PM ETD Manila Possible side-trip Pililia Windmills 04:00PM Rizal

Where to go next? 

For recommendations and sample Itinerary, or if you have any suggestions just leave a comment below.

[sugar-free-sweet-life]

Conquering Mt. Hapunang Banoi and Mt. Pamitinan

MT. HAPUNANG BANOI

Rodriguez, Rizal Major jumpoff: Brgy. Wawa, Rodriguez, Rizal LLA: 14°44′25.3′′ N, 121°11′30.4′ 517 MASL (+460m) Days required / Hours to summit: 1 day / 2-3.5 hours Specs: Minor, Difficulty 4/9, Trail class 1-4 with limestone scrambling Features: Limestone formations, scenic views of Sierra Madre and Rizal province

Mt. Hapunang Banoi is situated in Brgy. Wawa in Rodriguez Rizal with estimated elevation of up to 517 Meters above sea level. 

I already contacedt our guide week before our scheduled hike. We have Kuya Arnel, he is very nice and patient as for we our all beginners. Tour guide fee is Php 500/mountain for 5 persons. You have to register first in the Brgy. Php 50/pax and you can start your climb. We started at around 7am, the weather is so relaxing and we enjoy the ambiance while crossing the hanging bridge.

I had done research and made time to read some blogs on what to expect during the climb. The past 30 minutes I had spent during the descent felt like the longest I’ve ever been in a mountain. Kuya Arnel our guide kept telling us we were only 5 minutes away to the junction but he probably have said 5 minutes 20 times and still our destination was nowhere in sight. There are 3 resting place including the so called 7 11 before you reach the junction, it is the resting camp where the trail is broken into 2. The left leads to Hapunang Banoi and the right is to Mt. Pamitinan Summit. Without hesitance, we went on to start the assault to the summit. We were told it was just going to take us another 1hr to reach the summit. Little did I know, the real challenge was yet to reveal itself to us. The assault was along limestone rocks. Some of them have pointed edges. It was grueling and challenging but we are enjoying it. We took photos everywhere. Everything we saw was snap worthy. We reached the summit at around 10:30am we waited for the other groups to finish with their “buwis buhay pose”. We just rest a bit and started descending to the junction to have our lunch. We reach the junction at around 12:00pm, eat lunch, rest and get ready for Mt. Pamitinan.

MT. PAMITINAN

Rodriguez Rizal

Major jump-off: Brgy. Wawa, Rodriguez, Rizal

LLA : 14°43′51.7′′N 121°11′29.2′′ E 426 MASL Days required / Hours to summit: 1 day / 1.5-3 hours  Specs: Minor, Difficulty 3/9/ Trail class 1-4 Features: Limestone formations, scenic views of Sierra Madre and Rizal province

We started ascending at around 1:30pm, Mt. Pamitinan was easier compared to Mt. Hapunang Banoi. It only took us less than an hour to reach the summit from the junction. Unfortunately, the trail in Mt. Pamitinan is rockier. It’s hotter here because it’s the hottest time of the day and because there were less trees. When we reached the first peak we waited for almost an hour to have our time to get pictures, suddenly this one group is very disrespectful they climb to the peak and took their own photos while we are doing our own. Our picture is not that good as we saw in other blogs because they are with us in the picture! We just climb again to the peak 2 to have our last photo op, we want to climb with the rappel but I think the rain will drop any time soon, so we decided to descend to the junction as fast as we can. We start descending at around 4pm when the rain starts to fall, it was very hard and challenging as the trail is very slippery. Around 5 pm we were at the foot of the mountain were we started we go for shower, log out in the Brgy and go home.

  How to get there (from Q.Ave) From Sto. Domingo church ride a jeep going to EDSA and ride a bus to Cubao Farmers. The FX Terminal is in front of Jollibee - Farmers, ride an FX going to Montalban, Rizal. If you are a large group, you can negotiate with the driver and he could drop you off directly to the tourism office in Brgy Wawa. If not, you will have to ride a tricycle from the terminal in Rodriguez to Brgy Wawa.

How to get home?

 From the DENR Office there are tricycles waiting. Then, tell the driver to drop you off at the FX Terminal or if you prefer taking the jeepney back to Cubao, just tell the driver. 

 Our Itinerary for the Dayhike

 3:00 AM Wake up | Prepare things | Travel to Cubao

4:15 AM ETD for Montalban

5:20 AM ETA DENR Office in Bgy. Wawa | Register and pay necessary fees

7:00 AM Start hike at Mt. Hapunang Banoi

10:30 AM ETA Summit | Photo ops

11:00 AM Start descent

12:00 AM Lunch at the so - called 7-11 | Rest |

1:30 PM Start hike at Mt. Pamitinan 

2:20 PM ETA Summit | Photo Op

3:30 PM Start Descent

5:00 PM ETA DENR Office | Freshen up 

7:30 PM ETD for Manila

9:30 PM TRAFFIC Home Sweet Home

  Total Expenses for our Trip: (5 pax)

50 Php - FX to Montalban

60 Php – tricycle to brgy wawa (12/pax)

50 Php – Registration fee

1000 Php - Guide Fee / 200 each plus tip

60 Php – tricycle to Bayan (12/pax)

50 Php- FX to Cubao via Philcoa

--------

Total damage: 324 Php!

Things to bring:

*Packed lunch *1.5 liters of water  *extra clothes *slippers *plastic *tissue *towel *candies/chocolates/junk food/ jellyace *gloves  *cap *sunblock

 It was a fulfilling hike, as it was my first time to climb two mountains in 1 day. I prefer early morning hike, as it is not exhausting. I recommend Kuya Arnel to be your guide you can contact him through 09103871131. Until next hike!

  “It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” -Edmund Hillary

  .

[findngjmo]

On #Landi2012 and moving on

Today is the day before Valentine’s and where was I? I was having dinner with Mr #Landi2012. Yep, that’s how my friends knew him. 

Incidentally, today is also my “Facebook Friendsiversary” with him. Facebook has this way of reminding us of memories we’ve made in the past. These can include places we’ve been to, friends we’ve made, old friends here and there, frenemies, those who aren’t our friends anymore and of course, how can I forget: ex-lovers, and those whom we call “almost lovers but not quite”. For some reason, they just don’t make the cut or you just don’t hit it off well. In an era when supposedly (and as John Mayer puts it) you should be “Friends, lovers or nothing”, I am more often than not, trapped in that twilight zone where I’m always unsure, always at the cusp of being in a relationship or not with someone. 

You see, I never really liked him to begin with. Most girls in the office were drooling over him when I got back from Melbourne and I never really understood why. But somehow, he seemed to take interest in me--the girl who just came back from Melbourne (or at least that’s how I thought it all began). Eventually, I found myself spending Saturdays playing football with him, hanging out with him and office friends to have drinks after work, hiking to Mt Pinatubo with officemates, spending Christmas with him in Sipadan, hiking Mt Kinabalu with friends, diving in Malapascua for the first time, and planning trips together. I remember countless mornings when he’d walked by my desk and he’d spend minutes chatting with me about anything under the sun. He’d randomly send me text messages about the Azkals’ soccer game. I hate to admit it, but he’s one of the reasons why I took up diving in the first place. I mean, I’ve always wanted to learn how to scuba dive and my dad has always wanted me to take lessons, but #Landi2012 gave me a push and said I should get certified before we went diving in Sipadan.

I look back at my travels and I realize that most of my firsts was with him. The first ever night dive I did was in Sipadan & to this day, I think it is the best. We didn’t get to document anything, but I could vividly remember that Nat Geo-worthy moment when a giant cuttlefish ate a lionfish. The first Magnum Ice Cream Bar I ever tasted was from him. He bought one for him and me prior to the Kinabalu climb. The first ever pygmy seahorse and thresher shark I saw was with him in Malapascua.

There were a few instances when I did feel quite special around him. I remember that time in Mt Kinabalu when he stuck with me the whole time during the trek and even took some weight off my backpack just to help me. On our first dive to Monad Shoal to see the threshers, I was too busy taking a photo of a jellyfish that I totally missed out on seeing the sharks. All my friends didn’t want to do the dive again, but he volunteered to come with me, even if it meant waking up again in time for the 330AM ETD to the shoal. When I asked how he would spell pygmy seahorse, he said P-I-C-K-M-E. He went to one of my gigs in QC and brought a few friends to watch me too. Lastly, despite the fact that he thought sending postcards were useless because it’s the era of emails and you’re back home anyway by the time the postcard arrives---he still sent me a postcard from the Vatican because I asked him to!

I could go on writing down all the wonderful things he’s done for me, but at the end of the day, we really were just friends. At the beginning of 2012, a year after I met him, I was falling fast. I even wrote a song about him, actually. Once, I tried to ask him about us by jokingly mentioning that someone in the office was asking about the two of us. But he brushed it off and I took it as sign that maybe he was just not into me.

So finding myself sitting there tonight was quite overwhelming for me, to be honest. Part of me was scared--to realize that I still had feelings because I was a bit sure I was over him. Part of me was pretty cool with it--yeah, we’re just friends catching up! And then a part of me was just really curious about how it would be between him and me. I was excited & giggly like a high school girl. The original plan was to have dinner and drinks with some friends but for some serendipitous reason we ended up having dinner--just the two of us. For the record, I knew we weren’t going on a date, but I wanted to feel confident and beautiful so I blow-dried my hair, wore a dress and ditched my red lipstick on the last minute because I didn’t want to look desperate. LOL

It felt great catching up. At first we talked about me, then him, then gossiped about others, then future plans...It was really, two friends catching up. Throughout the course of the evening, he mentioned that night dive in Sipadan, citing that it wasn’t his best night dive anymore, but also his first. He acknowledged his girlfriend, by mentioning her once, referring to her as “my girlfriend” when I asked about his trip to Petra, Jordan---a place he’s been dying to go too since before. And then it hit me. I guess the real reason why he was just an “almost” was this: while we shared many good memories together, he just never lived up to my expectations as a partner, never said anything outright that he liked me and never really shared my passion for movies, music and theater. I know we don’t have to be too alike, but the fact that he doesn’t know Moana sort of validated the fact that we were too different. I guess my 25 year old self was just excited with the prospect of having this guy by her side--sporty, loves to travel and was fun to be with. One may argue that maybe he was into me but I just didn’t reciprocate. But you see---the vagueness of it all, clearly shows what we were not or what we will never be because of the vagueness: Lovers. 

If anything, tonight’s dinner was a great pre-Valentine treat for me. As I waved goodbye, I couldn’t help but smile. I looked back and saw him walking away & knew that was it. On to Landi2017. On to finding my Valentine.

[thebibliosphere]

So because this is the Internet and we cannot have nice things: no, we did not get our dog Holly on a spontaneous whim.

We’ve actually been looking for and preparing for a dog for over 10 months. Specifically a Shih Tzu because we have experience with the breed and we love them. We actually looked into being a foster home for rescued Shih Tzus, and we may still do that once Holly is better settled and acclimated to her life outside of a 4ft cage.

We’ve been in contact with Holly’s rescue for 8 months. They put us through a rigorous vetting (heh) process that included character references, a home inspection, income assessment etc that eventually placed us on a waiting list for a dog in need that would be a good fit for us, and who we would be a good fit for. If we’d wanted a dog on a whim we could have gone to the pound 10 months ago. But we didn’t. We didn’t even go to a breeder. Instead we submitted ourselves to a vigorous process that required patience and a whole lot of preparation and a willingness to work with severely abused animals.

And Holly is a difficult case. She was abused and neglected by her caretakers for years, starved and deprived of any kindness and goodness knows what else. And speaking personally, I have some midding experience with what some of that is like. It’s no mistake that we adopted a dog with food allergies, teeth issues and a history of neglect. It was in fact a driving factor of me waking my husband up at midnight the night her adoption page went live, begging if we could apply for her.

When I read Holly’s story online I couldn’t not love her. But if the rescue had turned round and told us we weren’t a good match for her needs? I would have accepted that. As I have done with many dogs over the last eight months. But the opposite happened. The rescue, in fact, thought we’d be perfect for her, and the day they brought her to our house to visit confirmed it. She didn’t skitter and cower in corners like she had been doing her whole time in foster care. She didn’t even run from ETD despite being extremely terrified of men. She walked on the leash for us. She let us pet her and after a short half hour, felt safe enough to be held. Several hours later she fell asleep on top of me.

Today her tail wagged for the first time.

We are her people and she knows it.

So please don’t come into my inbox making assumptions and accusing me of doing things for clout. Nothing I do is driven by a desire for strangers on the internet to like me. If you think that then you haven’t followed me long enough to know me. Or that I would never use a living creature for fake internet points. Honestly, this kind of shit might be the most important thing for some of you, but I couldn’t give a fiddlers fuck. I just happen to be a person on the Internet people think is occasionally funny. That’s it.

Holly is our fur baby, and I have waited a very, very long time to love her. And she knows it.

[thebibliosphere]

do you have a backpack you can put the laundry from the laundry basket into? i mean, i know EDS and maybe that's too much strain on shoulders/neck area, but

I don't think I could put that on my shoulders/neck. I could feasibly do it one item at a time, but by the time I get everything in the machine, I don't think my legs would take me back up the stairs. The long-term solution is to move the laundry upstairs. The short is to wake ETD up, but he needs rest too and I'm just gently seething haha. I hate how inaccessible this house is sometimes.

[travelbugs-blog1]

Torrijos, Marinduque

As promised in our previous blog (which we hope you liked), we will showcase another beach that you can try in the Eastern South part of Marinduque which is in Brgy. Dampulan of Torrijos. 

Brgy. Dampulan beach is so different from Maniwaya because while Maniwaya island boasts of white sand; Dampulan in Torrijos has a stony shore. However, it won’t fail you; 100% enjoyment guaranteed because the water is so clear and you need not walk far from the shore on slimy seagrasses before you can reach a good spot to swim. In fact, If we are to go back to Marinduque, this is the place we will most likely to come back because it’s just THE perfect and ideal spot for both hikers and beach lovers alike because the houses are sandwiched between mount Malindig and the Torrijos shorelines!--- And that’s THE dream! We actually considered relocating at Torrijos for a moment because that kind of setup is so perfect! That is what we actually want---to live where there is a nearby mountain high enough for a good hike then head straight to the quality beach that is Dampulan for a good swim and relaxation after getting tired from the hike. I am literally just blabbering non-stop here already so let me get this entry back on track. Actually, let the pictures do the talking:

This is what I mean when I said houses are nearby mount Malindig and this is what we are coming back for because we need to hike this:

On the way to the shore are these well-lit coconut trees in the morning:

The perfect spot for sunrise watching:

The stony shore:

This one was taken at Balanacan port while waiting for our ferry.

Missed to see our Marinduque video? Well, here it is again! (Don’t forget to click HD) 

Things you need to know about Brgy. Dampulan and our trip:

- There are no hotels or inns yet in this brgy.

-Their barangay is still recovering from Typhoon Mina that hit them last December 2016 meaning some parts are still lacking on power supply.

- It is more convenient if you will bring your own vehicle for this trip via ro-ro and that you book a room somewhere in Sta. Cruz for this is already near Torrijos. Then you can just ask your hotel or inn for a tour.

- We did not have to check in for a room in Dampulan, Torrijos because as I mentioned in the previous post our friend Ranier is from Marinduque and we were offered a homestay by his relatives so the following itinerary will be based on a situation where you will check-in on a hotel or inn.

Ready your pens again cos here comes the itinerary!

Itinerary 1 (If you are going to Dampulan ONLY)

Day 0 11:00 PM: ETD at Jac Liner Buendia to Lucena - Dalahican port (4-hour bus ride)

Day 1 03:00 AM - 03:20 AM: ETA at Dalahican port (buy tickets, go through baggage scanning, restroom break, ride ferry) then depart for Balanacan port, Marinduque (Our boat ride took 3 hours long)

6:20 AM: ETA at Balanacan port. Now this is the part where you’ll head to Sta. Cruz to check-in on your hotel or inn. There are air-conditioned vans and jeepneys available. (Travel time is 1-2 hours)

Itinerary 2 (If you are coming from Maniwaya like what we did)

Day 1

03:00 AM - 03:20 AM: ETA at Dalahican port (buy tickets, go through baggage scanning, restroom break, ride ferry) then depart for Balanacan port, Marinduque (Our boat ride took 3 hours long)

6:20 AM: ETA at Balanacan port then ride a van to Buyabod port where you will again ride a boat which will finally bring you to Maniwaya. (Van ride took an hour)

7:20 AM: ETA to Maniwaya! Destination reached! start pitching your tent if you will camp out or start checking in if you prefer to book a room. The rest will be free time, free time, and free time! Just don’t forget to catch the golden hour! :) P.S Sleep early because Day 2 is coming… ho ho!

Day 2

5:00 AM: wake up time to catch the sunrise

5:30 AM: ETD for Palad sand bar

6:30 AM: ETA at Palad sand bar (swim and take pictures. I think 1-2 hours is enough, yeah?)

7:30 AM: ETD from Palad sand bar to Ungab rock formation

8:30 AM: ETA at Ungab rock formation (swim and take pictures again. Again a good 1-2 hours could be enough, well at least it was for us)

9:45 AM: ETD from Ungab rock formation to Maniwaya island and get ready for lunch and breaking camp

12:00 PM: LUNCH

1:30 PM: ETD from Maniwaya to Buyabod port

2:30 PM: ETA Buyabod port and ETD for the town proper where you can ride a jeepney going to Sta. Cruz (via tricycle)

2:45 PM: ETA to the town proper where you will then head for Sta. Cruz to check-in on your hotel or inn via jeepney. Check-in on your desired stay, relax, enjoy the free time because tomorrow you’ll be heading to Dampulan.

Day 3 - Will depend on you if you like to stay all day in Dampulan or explore other beaches like Poctoy beach which is also a white beach and is also located at Torrijos. Enjoy day 3 then head back to your homestay for a goodnight’s sleep.

Day 4 - Homebound

There are usually Jac Liner buses passing by along the highway. These buses are headed for Balancan port. And if you are commuting you will probably see Jac Liner “ro-ro” buses that are going straight to Cubao. We suggest, that for convenience’s sake, to ride this one because it will save you time and the hassle of buying separate tickets for the ferry ride back home. We also enjoyed this ride because we got to see other parts of Marinduque! It’s like a tour in itself! ;) *wink-wink*

Base your time of ETD bound for Balancan on the following updated ferry trip schedule bound for Dalahican: 5:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 11:30 AM| 12:00 PM | 2:30 PM | 3:30 PM | 7:30 PM 

Source: Marinduque News

Budget:

Bus fare from Jac Liner Buendia to Dalahican port = 219 Pesos

Jac Liner “ro-ro” bus = 880

Ferry fare from Dalahican port to Balancan port will depend on your current status: Regular = 260 Pesos | Senior citizen = 186 Pesos | Student = 221| Half fare (3-7yrs old) = 130 (If you are going for Jac Liner “ro-ro” then this one is not for you.)

Van ride from Balanacan port to Buyabod port = 180 Pesos

Boat from Buyabod port to Maniwaya would depend on how many pax and the size of the boat. We were 5 grown-ups with a child. The deal with the boat man were the following: ride to Maniwaya island, island hop the next day to Palad sand bar and Ungab rock formation, ride back to Maniwaya island for lunch and to get ready to go home, and the ride back for Buyabod port to go back to Manila. Our bill was 3,500 Pesos

Tricycle = 100

Jeep from the town proper = will depend as to where are you heading. If you’re going to Torrijos it is 45 Pesos

Questions:

Are there ATMS? - There are ATMs at the town proper. However, don’t expect to see major banks like BDO and BPI because there’s none.

Is it more advisable to go via “ro-ro”? - Yes. We rode the Jac Liner “ro-ro” on our way home to save time.

Why didn’t you ride the ro-ro coming from Manila? Because we won’t make it to the time of departure. Most of us had work before our departure.

Where can we stay at Maniwaya?- If you are the type who prefers a room over tent then you may inquire at Wawie’s Resort for their rates. They also cater to beach campers by the way. However, we are the type of campers who really want to enjoy nature and it’s quietness and simplicity, so we did not choose Wawie’s because just beside Wawie’s is the welcoming, homey, and really probinsya feels that is the lot of Mang Teroy. If we have the same preference when it comes to beach camping then I recommend Mang Teroy. He is very helpful, accommodating, and is always there to tend to your needs. He also has a cousin with a boat you can rent! So you might as well also contact his cousin if you wish to be picked up from Buyabod port. Here is the contact number for Mang Teroy: 09502772308 or at 09551894051

Is there a comfort room?- Yes, Mang Teroy has one.

Is there a water source?- Yes. Igib method sa poso, guys.

Is there any store for when you forget to bring shampoo or when you want junk food and even soft drinks?- Yes

Are there mosquitos?- I did not encounter any bites

Pwede magpa-luto?- Well, if you’re staying at Mang Teroy’s, you can ask other nearby resorts to cook for you.

Will you go back to Marinduque? - YES!!!!

When is the Moriones festival? - During the Holy Week! First week of April.

Where can we stay on the main island of Marinduque should we decide to stay there after coming to Maniwaya? - TravelBook got you covered!

What else do we need to remember when we visit Marinduque? - Please remember to CLEAN AS YOU GO. We love nature but sometimes we trash the nature, and when you trash it can you still call that love? Please let us keep Marinduque clean and healthy so we can still bask in its beauty 50 years or so from now. :)

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