Philippines Vacation 2007

Hello Everyone! Mabuhay!

We’re back from our wonderful month-long vacation from my fabulous homeland, the Philippines!

We came back last Friday, August 9th. I have been dying to tell you all about our blissful vacation but I got sick the day before our flight back (cough and asthma). Now that I am back in the world of the living, let me give you the full coverage.

Our blissful vacation started July 9th when we left from San Francisco via Philippine Airlines.

First Week - At the Condo

We experienced a slight impediment upon arrival in our condo unit at The Galleria Regency. We failed to bring our keys! We called a locksmith to rescue us from this minor hurdle. The wait seemed much longer than it really was as the hot weather began taking toll on our jetlagged state.

Once inside our home sweet home in this side of the world, we scrambled to look for the A/C remote. Then I was in cleaning mode despite my jetlagged state. The refrigerator and bathrooms were first on my cleaning list. I can't believe my dear mom did not call anyone to come and help us this time around.

The first week was spent meeting relatives, paperwork needed for the condo, banking, and just simply enjoying the condo i.e. swimming, fitness, cleaning, decorating, and shopping for furnishings included in the simple pleasures.

Second Week - "Beautification"

Second week was used for “beautification” i.e. hair, nails and body. We searched for and found a cosmetic surgeon for my mom’s long awaited eye bag removal. We also visited the Mall of Asia where the kids enjoyed some ice skating.

Third Week - Quezon Province

Russ and Immanuel arrived Friday, July 27th and we were off for some “roughing it”. We went to a vacation home in the Quezon Province that Saturday. Russ experienced shopping in a “real market” provincial style. We enjoyed eating fish fresh off the boat and coconuts straight from the tree. Immanuel caught a bad stomach bug on their first day and was miserable most of the trip in Quezon. We headed back to the condo on Monday.

We had one day of rest at the condo before we left for Aklan, my mom's birthplace.

We departed to Kalibo via PAL on Wednesday. We visited my aunt and cousins in Altavas where we stayed for one night. Talk about roughing it. Adaptable Russ adjusted very well as expected. He even asked my cousin to go out to a karaoke bar. He had a blast as my cousin's husband bragged that he’s from the group Air Supply.

Fourth and Last Week - Boracay

We woke up very early the following day to wait for the bus that will take us for a two hour trip to Caticlan, gateway to Boracay. I was not surprised to see Koreans on the bus. It seems to me like there are more Koreans in Boracay than Filipinos. Russ and Belle enjoyed the rugged and rough bus ride, likening it to a roller coaster ride. After the “roller coaster ride”, we were off to a boat ride, then a taxi van that took us to our hotel, Boracay Regency.

We had two rooms, a family room and a superior room in their newly constructed garden section.

We enjoyed four blissful days in this breathtaking island of white sand and the ever so blue and warm water of the pacific ocean.

Boating

Snorkeling



Side trip to....


Sampaguita Gardens

We had a change of plans on our last day in the province of Aklan that resulted in a very pleasurable side trip. Our change of plans took us to a very pleasant and unique resort in Kalibo called the Sampaguita Gardens. The resort is owned by Sam Butcher, the creator of precious moments.

Everyday is Christmas at Sampaguita Gardens. Their Jojo’s Christmas Cottage is the first all-year round Christmas store in the Philippines.

Sampaguita Gardens’ Butterfly Farm is the first in Western Visayas

And we were off to Kalibo airport the following day back to Manila.

Pre-Departure

I got sick upon arrival in Manila (cough and asthma) and I forced myself to go shopping the next day for the kids' shoes and other stuff. The kids went ice skating at Mega Mall while Russ and I went shopping. Russ managed to go on another night of karaoke bar escapade. Phil and Immanuel accompanied him in this adventure as I was too sick to go out at that point. Russ and Immanuel left the next day and I was sick in bed.

Departure Day

The following day, the day of our departure, I forced myself to go out for last minute “beautification” i.e. hair, nails and massage. The massage helped my ailment a bit enough to endure the short trip to the airport and the lengthy check in process. I took a potent cough medicine with codein in fear of being quarantined due to my nasty coughing spells. The medicine was so potent that I forgot to pack and bring some important things...things we shopped for, food and presents, my video camera, belle’s glasses and other little stuff were left behind.

Well, that's all of what I can recall. I had to take a vacation from our vacation:)

Now I'm refreshed and ready to take on the next school year. Immanuel is moving with us to Pismo and will be attending Cuesta College.