It is early morning and I can hear loud cheers from outside in the streets, people are dancing for sure, carrying leaves and flowers to the tune of novelty and pop songs.

You have all known that I am living in the province, in a very rural town that my chemistry teacher friend jokingly calls ‘barriotic‘, because this place is your typical agriculture-fishing town.

However, there are some things that I won’t change from this place, no matter how much time passes by. I have always been yakking about the fact that Hollywood has practically depicted the culture of much of Southeast Asia except for the Philippines, and it bugs me so much, but of course I know the reason – the cultural heritage of Filipinos are kind of vague to the world, unlike that of India, China, or Japan where once you see a single icon, you know for sure that it came from their country, unlike in RP, where colonizer after colonizer, vandalized a culture that is uniquely Filipino. And that is where my barriotic place comes in – we protect traditional Filipino practices that somehow shapes our view of our culture.

Last night, FairyGodMommy Fe hosted Santa Cruzan here. Santa Cruzan is a tradition here, every summer, a part of the Flores de Mayo festival. It actually celebrates the finding of the cross by Sta. Elena, so Santa Cruzan is catholic in nature.

The cross is the focus of the Santa Cruzan tradition

You might’ve seen it on TV, when stars usually join big ones in the metropolis. However, what we have here in our  place is quite different.

The attention of the people is usually on the Reyna Elena

Fairy Princess Time for kids

Looks like this girl found out it's hard to be a princess

Sure you have your lovely girls wearing their princess gowns and crowns but there is also the presence of young girls, performing some kind of abaniko [fan] dance, and they are singing – not just any song, but telling the story of how Sta.Elena found the cross and other religious musings, accompanied by a brass band.

Santa Cruzan is very popular here in our place. Every night, each baranggay [community] conducts their own, and whichever family accepts the cross of Santa Cruzan feeds the community – it is kind of costly really, but as FairyGodMommy Fe puts it, ‘the sense of tradition that comes with it, we must not let die, even if it costs quite much’.

Lots of people come out to watch and join this special parade. People usually come to the streets to see it even late at night.

After some weeks of doing it every night, there is a culmination that is called piging [feast] which is conducted in the morning and at night, and what I described above, with the people dancing and cheering with leaves, that is piging. It is a much bigger event and with more people.

There are many times I have wished I did not live from where I am, because it is very far from the city and other random hassles, but it is things like Santa Cruzan – and all the sense of culture and tradition that come with it – that makes me glad that I am from this place.

I was out for most of last week because I had a sudden burst of things to do that I really did not see coming, as was always the case with me.

The thing is this: everybody please welcome back Ma’am PM! LOL

Let me give you an advice, the next time you pray, or say anything, mean it because the Big Cat up in the sky might be very well eavesdropping. His whiskers are kind you know, so you might get what you are asking for easily.

When my Babe and I were having his birthday lunch, and it was a good lunch btw, I suddenly had the urge to say, “Sana makapagturo na ko ulit agad [I wish I could teacg again soon]. I like myself better when I am teaching.”

Would you believe, the next day early morning, I was called to a new college to teach! I was so struck by the speed of light response to my statement the other day. In fact, I felt it was so soon that I was unprepared for it!

I was being asked to teach organic and inorganic chemistry. I thought for awhile, “Hmm… I had good grades in chemistry in college.” But I wondred also if I still remembered them now because that was what, four years ago?

But I thought, if I backed down now from this, I am pretty sure I will back down from other offers like this in the future. ‘Like this’ meaning subjects, or challenges in general, that will require double effort and has a single shot of anxiety to boot that will come my way.

So I did not say no. In fact I accepted it and was already in class in the last two days of last week. I have not started teaching though, regular classes start today.

What I thought about was this: in my professional life as a teacher, there will be a lot of instances when I will be asked to do things I do not know or things that I do not perfectly know. In this case, I continually remind myself that there is no need to freak out and quit, because the right thing to do is to exert the effort to know it, work hard, and at the end of the day i am sure before  I teach it, I will already know it. I must never stop in finding ways.

***

Last Saturday, my Man and I, together with our good friend Deer and my siblings went to the mountains to snatch a good time from the days of vacation slipping away, in a wonderful, wonderful place in the mountains here owned by my FairyAuntMother Fe and Chief Daddy.

I will not do much talking but allow the photos to shout out at you.

Lunch is served (on banana leaves of course)! These are my sisters Kulot and Ched, and niece, I think, Chi-Chi

This hanging bridge was built by ChiefDaddy.

It was so quiet up here! Loved it!

This is my sister Ched with an Aeta native.

The mangoes were great there. You pick them yourself!

The mangoes and pineapple stand next to each other. Where to look?!

These are wild berries. They are actually good, and sweet.

I say it is going to be a golden harvest.

All I can say is that I am really a blessed girl. If it is not the beach, it is the mountains. How lucky can you get?

If you have been to walongbote’s place, you might’ve known by now that the oath taking ceremony for new Philippine registered nurses took place last Monday of lent. I was there though we didn’t see each other. Mon was also there but I was so running late we failed to be seated together. I only saw him at MOA, of course beside SMX where the tedious oath taking ceremony took place.

Too bad I did not know beforehand that you could skip oath taking ceremony.

Of course I have no intention to talk about the oath taking ceremony, so let me tell you another story. Our family mall bonding at MOA, with Kuya and Kuya Nap too.

We had so much fun! However, by the end of lunch, my sinuses were killing me I had to leave. Still, it was so cool to hang out with them. I mean, how many families have such bonding time and actually enjoy it? We didn’t eat oat meal though but delicious stuff from our favorite Mrs. Fields!

The new image model of Mrs. Fields - Don Domeng!

That's Kuya, Mother Goose, and Don Domeng chilling out at MOA's ice skating ring.

When we went around MOA, we saw a photo exhibit of the World’s Heritage – a seven wonders of some sort. The places and photos were magnificent!

Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, USA.

The colors on the photo are created by algae. It changes from time to time depending on the type of algae present. According to the World Heritage description, Yellowstone National Park contains half of of all the world’s geothermal features and the world’s largest concentration of geysers – more than 300 geysers or two thirds of all those on the planet!

This is from Petra in Jordan.

Petra is said to be a Nabataean-caravan city that is half-built, half-carved unto the rock. The hollow you see in the photo is actually a cave.

This is Australia's Great Barrier Reef that piapot likes so much. And that's PM swimming on the frame.

I think Finding Nemo was filmed in this reefs. LOL. The Great Barrier Reef contains the largest colelction of coral reefs and also provides habitat to the dugong [sea cow] and large green turtle.

I sure would want to see these places for real one time or the other very soon!

Summer is here and the sun is getting hotter. See you all soon!

I know I have been blabbing so much about how great my vacation is coming along, how much I go to the beach these days, and how cool the weather is, so I thought maybe you should join in the fun too right?

This is Don Domeng's rainbow. Taken at the shore of his beach resort.

I would like to invite you all to Don Domeng’s Beach Resort called Fajardo’s Beah Resort located here in Pag-asa, Bagac, Bataan. Bataan is the province next to Pampanga and if you are from Manila you can reach it easily via the SCTEX.

You can view the profile and other lovely photos of the resort by keying at your friendster search bar fajardo_domingo@yahoo.com. It is very affordable and I promise you relaxation so much you will think you are dead LOL. Reading your blogs and comments, I just feel so bad that you aren’t getting any vacation! Hell, it is summer and you are supposed to get some downtime people!

Every time I see our guests, families and workers from a company outing alike, I do wonder if one of them is a fellow blogger. Hmm… I think it would be fun to share a word or too when you get there!

The sea is calling you

Imagine the sand on your feet, the sound of the breaking waves, and the magnificence of the huge blue sky above you. Now that’s what I am talking about.

If you live in the city, I am telling you, our sunset is to die for. Plus, if it is any consolation, the GMA 7 soap opera Zorro is being filmed next to our beach resort. *wink*

It is going to be fun!

Now what do you say?

For inquiries and reservations, you may call the resort number +639202198742 and look for the kindest manager in the world, Mrs.  Edna Fajardo.

C’mon, you are not passing this chance right?

I do not remember much of my younger years but the little I do remember sticks with me like spilled paste. One of the fondest I got I remembered during my flight from Manila to Cebu when I was going to Palawan.

It gave me more joy to watch planes fly than actually ride one!

Looking out the window, I remembered telling myself when I was a little kid that when I grow up, I would ride a plane and when it is high up in the sky I would stick my hand out of the window and grab me one fluffy cloud for me to keep.

Clouds look like tasty cotton candy

Thinking about it now made me recall another dream of mine, this one I had when I was in high school. I remember somebody asking me about what I wanted to do with my life and my answer was, “I want to be able to lay on the clouds and just do nothing each day but rest.” Now I think that’s not a bad dream at all.

I'd sure love to own a bed made of clouds

Thinking about all these made me realize that some childhood dreams we do not really reach, and some do change over time, but one way or the other, if we really think about it, our childhood dreams we still have somewhere  inside, and some, without even realizing it, we have already achieved.

At first I thought I’d title this post ‘PM Devirginized’ but I later decided to go against it because it sounded so scandalous – kids read this blog you know? LOL.

I’m back from Palawan everyone, my first travel via an airplane [would you believe I went to Tugegarao last year and rode a 13-hour straight bus ride?]. Thank you for all the love you’ve sent me even when I was not able to visit your sites, especially on heart’s day! Belated Happy Valentine’s everyone! I will be bloghopping soon, hopefully I would get updates on how you spent your heart’s day.

As for me, well, my Man and I were not together last Saturday because my flight got me back at around 11 PM, too bad it was so late, my Man was hoping he could see me that same night but, it’s okay, maybe we would make this week a week-long valentine celebration. LOL. Palawan was the best, but I still love it here at home of course, with my Jin. LOL.

Speaking of Palawan, OMG it was an amazing place – especially the Puerto Princesa Underground Cave or what is called the Subterranean River that finished first place on the first round of voting for the world’s new7wonders of nature. I am defintely campaigning for it so if you haven’t voted yet, please do! Worth it, worth it, worth it!

Palawan Subterranean Underground Cave Entrance

I have not seen all of the candidates yet but if you have been to the Underground Cave I know you will perfectly agree with me that it is definitely a wonder of nature – it was breathtaking! And when I say something is breathtaking, it truly is because I am not the type of person to go all exaggerated about this things.

Stalactites and stalagmites at the entrance!

The cave is about a two-hour bus ride from the city which is kind of long but definitely worth it. It is amazing how the landscape slowly shifts from commercial establishments into forest lands and huge marble mountains on the way to the cave. After the bus ride, you have to take a boat for about half an hour and that will take you to the shore of the underground cave.

Interestingly, while waiting for our boat ride, I decided to walk along the shores and wet my feet on the cold sea because it was freaking hot. As luck would have it, the stones on the shore were slippery so… PM tripped and landed on her hipbone, wetting her capris and getting them all dirty. LOL. It was not crippling though, thank God.

My mentor and her daughter who made the trip with me

That is an actual tree branch on the shore near the cave. It was so cool since it looked like a swing! From here you will need to walk, maybe a couple of meters or so and the amazing cave entrance will greet you next.

My friends on our way out of the cave

The tour of the cave is via a boat that can carry about 7-10 people and it will take you on a fascinating journey on one of God’s most wonderful creations. It is awfully dark inside the cave but the boat is accompanied by some sort of spot light so you can very well see the beauty of the cave and all the bats and swallows that call it home. The tour closes at around 6 PM because tons and tons and tons of those same bats fly out of there during that time – certainly not a wonderful treat if you are still inside the cave, maybe a good view outside, but inside? Maybe a nightmare.

The cave is completely navigable and has open ends on both sides about 42 kilometers long, claiming to be the world’s longest navigable underground cave, but the tour will only take you to about 1.2 kilometers inside the cave. I have not gotten our pictures inside the cave yet from my friend but I will make sure that I will be able to post it within the week so you will be able to see.

What is amazing about the underground cave apart from the obvious gigantic stalactites and stalagmites are the interesting rock formations inside. They are many but what I find most amazing is the place they call the ‘cathedral’ inside which houses a group of rock formations that takes statuesque form like that of the Nativity, the three Magi of Jerusalem, the Last Supper, the Virgin Mary, and in the middle of all these is a humongous stalagmite that looks like a melting candle. There was also one that resembled the face of Jesus Christ. OMG it was so amazing!

The trip costs around P1500 per person and you can easily avail of it on your hotels; they usually offer tour packages to their guests, but if there is none there are loads of people who will give you flyers on your way out of the airport and you can choose from there whether it be the Monkey Trail, Honda Bay, Tubattaha Reef or the Subterranean River – your choice.

The main commercial place of Palawan is Puerto Princesa City. It is not a big city, the fact I love most. It is quiet but very accesible, plus they have a very beautiful capitol compound that is made of marble from the outside up to the inside!

My friend Lexy and my mentor's daughter Charisse

I seriously think that Palawan is a very rich province, and I predict theirs will be a mega city way down anytime soon like Cebu and Davao. Foreigners frequent it and that line just to see their cave is unbelievable, so I think it’s all the way up for Palawan.

Tons of shiny marble inside the capitol building!

And oh, I almost forgot to tell you, the most interesting part of this trip to Palawan is that… I almost did not make it! LOL. Of course during that time it was no laughing matter because my friends needed to come to Puerto Princesa on the 11th because they were joining a press congress.

First was the fact that we went to the wrong terminal. LOL. We were at NAIA Centennial Terminal and upon checking-in we realized we were supposed to be at the new Terminal 3!

Next mishap was, our flight was booked on 9:40 AM at Philippine Airlines but it turned out that they overbooked! They told us that they are willing to house us at a hotel then they will give us a plane ride the next day. No way that’s going to happen! So my Mentor arranged for us and ‘aggresively negotiated’ with PAL supervisor that ended up with PAL buying us plane tickets in another airline, Cebu Pacific.

We thought it was going to be okay so we rested and waited at the departure lodge only to find out during boarding time that the plane we were about to ride was not going to Palawan but in Cebu! We all panicked because first of all, our luggages are already on that plane! My Mentor ‘more aggresively negotiated’ with PAL, this time with so much pressure since we wanted to fly so badly because we had a time to catch. It turned out that My Mentor, the people of Cebu Pacific, and PAL had a miscommunication. We really were hopping on that plane to Cebu and from there we will get a connecting flight via Cebu-Palawan. So, PM was also able to go to Cebu. LOL.

In Cebu, it was again another comedy of errors. When we arrived, check-in time for the Palawan trip was over and we were again stranded. So another ‘aggressive negotiations’ transpired and we ended up inside that plane to Palawan.

Whew! That was such a headache! By the time we reached Palawan it was already 5 PM, to think we were supossed to be there at around 11 AM! Oh well, thinking about it just made the trip more itneresting, and a memorable first. But the best part was that my friends won on the press congress the attended! Yey!

OMG. After that Palawan trip I am now convinced tha really, you never forget your first time.