First Stop: Puerto Princesa, Palawan

Travel By Air

PRICE:
Air Fare: Php 1,412 for a two-way ticket from(to) Manila to(from) Palawan via Cebu Pacific
Package Tour: Php 5,000 c/o Seablitz Travel & Tours

ITINERARY:
DAY 1 Check In, Grocery, Dinner at Kalui
DAY 2 Underground River with Buffet Lunch
DAY 3 Honda Bay Island Hopping with Buffet Lunch; Dinner at Balinsasayaw
DAY 4 City Tour


Our departure flight was in the afternoon, so when we arrived at the Palawan airport at around 5p.m., we went straight to our lodging. We lodged at the Fran Pension House. It seemed like a secluded area so I found the place good because it was quiet and peaceful, a real rest on a vaccation trip. The only disadvantage, though was since it was far away, tricycle drivers charged us a higher rate whenever we need to go to or from the city.
Having left only a few hours til bed time, we decided to go to the city to buy some groceries for our stay so we went with our travel agent, Bles, to the NCCC mall - the biggest mall in Palawan, but still small if you compare it to the small malls in Manila.



That night, we had our dinner at Kalui. It was a weird (in a good sense) experience. They ask you to removce your footwear and go barefoot inside the restaurant. The floor was made of wood ( I'm not sure it were bamboos) The place was dimly lit with dim lights and candles. The decorations were a little absurd as well (again in a good sense). We had the seafood platter at Php 375, which includes salabat soup, seaweed appetizer, grilled fish (which I'm not sure if it was Blue Marlin, Adobong Pusit, Lobster, rice, and mixed vegetables (don't know what it's called but it's not chop suey). This was already good for two! Plus, shakes were also available for as low as Php 50. Can you imagine that?

On our second day, we went to the Underground River. The travel time from the city to the beach (where we had our buffet lunch) was roughly 2 hours. From that point, you still need to take a boat to get to the other island, where the underground river is specifically located. But the travel was all worth it! As in! It was really amazing!!! Until now, I keep on wondering how such stalactite and stalagmite formations can be formed. We only traveled as far as 1.5kms (taking us aroung 45 minutes back and forth), which is the usual package included in the tour but the river is about 4.5 kms long, and you can actually get a trip as far as that though you will have to spend a little more cash and allot a little more time. It was pretty awesome - Jesus’ face, the Holy Trinity, a market of fruits and veggies, different animals including Nemo - all and more in rock formations. The cave was also inhabitted by bats - not just one kind but different species of bats and you can clearly see them. Also inside the cave are swallow birds, which I didn't really see but only heard. It's no wonder this qualified to be on the New 7 Wonders of the World! :)

Our third day day was spent island hopping. This is what they call the Honda Bay Island in the package tour. Our first stop was the floating house at Pambato Reef. We got under water and did some snorkeling there. There were tons of corals, it was beautiful! And unlike my snorkeling trip in Bauan and Puerto Galera, we had a tour guide snorkeling with us. He was pointing the different corals like the table coral, mushroom corals, branching corals ( all without further explanation necessary as the name depicts what it looks like). There were also tons of fish. Our next stop was the Snake Island, where we did fish feeding. It was a very close encounter with fishes, one fish even tried to bite me, not the bread I was feeding him! :) We also had our buffet lunch here (yumyum!) and did some picture taking! Our last stop should have been in Pandan Island, unfortunately the waves were really big that time and our tour guide feared we might not be able to handle the waves anymore, so we just stopped at Starfish Island, where starfishes are supposed to be found, though we only saw one - looking much the same like the one I saw in Grande Island. On the way, we also had a view of Luli island (or as explained by our tour guide - the Lulubog, Lilitaw Island)

We had our dinner at Balinsasayaw this time. We ordered for Garlic Crab, Litson Kawali and Bird’s nest soup. It wasn't great but it wasn't bad either. Shakes were priced even lower at Php 39. Our total bill for this dinner was at Php 650, good for 2-3 persons.



Our last day was spent touring Puerto Princesa City, a.k.a. the City Tour. We visited the Iwahig prison, where I had some reservations at first because first, it was a prison (I think we all know what prisons are for), second the prisoners were not behind bars (which is what makes this prison a tourist place). But the tour turned ok, we just visited the souveneir shop where some prisoners approached us to buy from them. We also went to the Crocodile Farm, where I saw the biggest crocodile so far, big enough that I think it could swallow the three of us in one gulp. There was also a small zoo, where we only got to see the Ostritch and the Katala who left a very good souveneir for my friend, a bite! Next stop was at Butterfly Garden – the pupa was cute, and the differently colored butterflies as well. We also went to the little Tagaytay in Palawan, where Mitra's mansion is located. Next was the Baker's Hill, where we did a lot of our picture taking with Looney Tunes characters and others. During the tour, we also passed by Palawan's version of the Baywalk, and the area that looks like Tondo.

It was a very good experience...away from the hustle bustle of the city life. The huge waves served us a pretty good adventure. It was like riding a roller coaster ride with the cool waves spalshing on your face. The sights were amazing. Tour guides were great. The people we were grouped with for the tours were friendly. Foreigners shared their culture as we shared stories from both sides.

One of my observation was how simple life was in this place. We even had a chat with one of the tricycle drivers, and he told us he was from Tondo, Manila but upon setting foot in Palawan, he decided to live there. People work whatever work and they were happy. They don't seem to want more, they're contented. One thing though, electricity wasn't stable in the islands of Palawan yet, as brown outs are experienced on a daily basis. Still, I consider it a good retirement place overall, though the price of land was a little pricey for me (Php 1,200 to Php 5,000 depending on the specific location). Well, it's definitely something worth saving for! :)

Ang Munting Prinsipe

BUOD:
Ang aklat na ito ay tungkol sa isang batang prinsipe na naninirahan sa isang napakaliit na planeta kasama ang tatlong bulkan, mga umuusbong na baobab, at isang bulaklak. Siya ay naglakbay sa iba’t ibang asteroid, kung saan nakilala niya ang hari na wala namang pinaghaharian, ang hambog na wala naman talagang tumitingala, isang lasengero, isang negosyante, isang taga-sindi ng ilaw, at isang heograpo, hanggang mapadpad siya sa Lupa, ang planetang pinaninirahan ng hindi mabilang na hari, hambog, lasenggo, negosyante at heograpo. Ito ang planeta kung saan abalang abala ang mga matatanda sa mga bagay na para sa munting prinsipe ay wala namang importansya. Ito rin ang planeta kung saan siya tumira nang matagal-tagal, at nakakilala ng ahas na magbabalik sa kanya sa planetang kanyang pinanggalingan, daan-daang mga rosas na hindi pumapantay sa ganda ng rosas na nagpaamo sa kanya, at alamid na kanyang pinaamo. Dito niya rin nakilala ang may-akda.

PAGNINILAY:
The Little Prince. Iyan ang unang aklat na aming naging book report sa paaralan. Hindi ko na maalala kung nasa anong baitang ako noon, basta ang alam ko, hindi pa ako tulad ng munting prinsipe nang mga panahong iyon. Sabik sa laro, hindi ko binuklat man lamang ang librong ito. Hinayaan ko na lamang na maikwento ito sa akin ng aking ina. Naikwento man niya, hindi nakuha nito ang aking interes katulad ng mga kwento sa Funny Komiks.

Lumipas ang panahon at dahil sa ilang munting prinsipeng nagdaan sa aking buhay, nahiligan ko ang magtanong at alamin ang kasagutan sa ilan sa mga ito sa pamamagitan ng pagbabasa ng mga libro. Nagdaan ang ilang aklat sa aking mga kamay at ni hindi ko man lamang binalikan ang The Little Prince upang muling mapagnilayan ang siyang nilalaman nito. Ngunit sa munting pakikipag-usap sa isa sa mga Assistant Manager sa aking pinagtatrabahuhan ay nabanggit niya ang librong ito, kaya naman naalala ko ang tungkol dito at siyang hinanap sa pinakamalapit na book store. Laking tuwa ko nang makita ang librong hinahanap sa sariling wika.

Hindi ako nagsisi na muling pag-aksayahan ng panahon ang manipis na aklat na may siyamnaput apat na pahina lamang ngunit maraming leksyon.

Ang aklat ay isang kwento tungkol sa mga bagay na tunay ngang mahalaga, mga kahalagahang malinaw naman sa atin nang mga bata pa tayo ngunit tila ay ating nalilimutan sa ating pagtanda. Isang kwento ito tungkol sa mga iba’t ibang uri ng matatanda at ang mga walang importansyang bagay na kanilang pinahahalagahan tulad ng pansariling kayabangan, kapangyarihan at materyal na kayamanan. Totoo ngang napakalaki sa oras nating matatanda ang naaaksaya sa ganitong mga bagay. At tila yata’y wala na talaga tayong mailaang panahon sa pagtuklas at muling pagtanaw sa tunay na mahahalagang bagay tulad na lamang ng disiplina at tunay na pagmamahal sa iyong ginagawa. Muli rin tayong pinaalalahanan nito tungkol sa pagmamahal at pakikipagkaibigan.

Pinakapaborito ko nga sa aklat na ito ang pag-uusap ng alamid at ng munting prinsipe. Ilan sa mga naibigan kong kataga ay ang mga sumusunod:

“Ang mga pinaamo mo lamang ang kilala mo,…Wala nang panahon ang mga tao para makipagkilala. Bumibili sila ng mga bagay na yari nang lahat sa mga nagtitinda. Pero dahil walang nagtitinda ng mga kaibigan, wala nang kaibigan ang mga tao.”

“Balikan mo at tingnang muli ang mga rosas. Maiintindihan mo ngayon na bukod tangi ang sa ‘yo.”

“Narito ang lihim ko. Napakasimple nito: sa pamamagitan lamang ng puso makakakitang mabuti. Hindi kita ng mata ang pinakapuso ng mga bagay.”

“May panganib na umiyak ang sinuman kung hahayaan niyang paamuin siya…”

Tayong Dalawa

SUMMARY:
The teleserye is a story about two men who’ve become friends after a basketball match: JR, who lived in a poverish area, almost living on a day-to-day survival basis and Dave who’s lived on the safety of the confines of his family’s own mansion for all his life.

The two became close and soon finds out that they are both named David Garcia Jr. Later on, as they went off to study in the PMA, they find out their birthday is celebrated successively one day after the other. Things were going quite well until they find out that they both have the same father, David Garcia Sr., and that the two are actually twin brothers, with JR being the son to Marlene Dionisio, the real legal wife by paper and Dave as his son to Ingrid Gracia, the known legal wife.

Things got more twisted though as they fall for the same woman, Audrey, and thereafter finds out about a past…a past when the three of them have already met as young children.

The story continues to have its twists and turns, as illegal selling of firearms enter the life of Marlene’s other son, JR’s brother, Ramon. Rivalry between the two families and between the two brothers ensues, along with the role of Audrey’s father and grandmother in Dave’s family.

REFLECTION:
It’s a story about money, power, caste, crime, friendship and our all time favorite….LOVE.

It has a wonderful portrayal of love. Unlike the many movies that has been played, often focusing on romantic, lustful love, the story was able to show love in different states, with its different faces, under different angles, in different circumstances. The story depicts a relativist’s idea of love. Each of it is love, no matter how contradictory, each of it is true. There’s no saying one’s idea of love is wrong as the story shows down to the very depth of each character’s feelings.

It doesn’tmean that one of them had not loved. Or that one loved less than the other. They just have different perspectives about love as they reflect each face of this wondrous thing. A love that’s possessive (Ingrid), a love that shares (Marlene), a love that sets free (JR), a love for one’s sibling, a love that’s paternal or maternal, a love for a friend, a love purely on the surface, a love that creates, a love that kills and destroys.

The series was also able to tackle some of the questions that other literary pieces have already raised:
Will love justify going against the law? Is blood thicker than water?
Will you die for love? Will you kill for love?
Would you be willing to sacrifice your everything to save the one you love?
Will you against your morals for love?

A masterpiece indeed, it was beautifully crafted. Last time I saw something as good was with Mara Clara teleseries.

It was a bit disappointing though to find out that there was another son in the end, a possibility of a Book Two, which doesn’t really render most series as interesting since viewers would expect the same or something better than the standard that was set by the first book. Good luck to the writers then! :)

N K K B S K N B T L G?

Nice Read

A B N K K B S N P L A k o?!
By Bob Ong

Ang aklat ay tungkol sa paglalakbay ni Bob Ong sa mundo ng paaralan. Inilalahad niya ang kanyang mga naging karanasan mula unang baiting hanggang makatuntong siya sa kolehiyo.
Sariwain ang ating karanasan sa paaralan noon ayon sa bawat yugto. Tiyak na makaka-ugnay ka sa ilan sa mga ito kung hindi man lahat. Mga bagong kagamitan tuwing Hunyo, mga gurong namamalo at nambabato, mga bansag natin sa kanila, ang “favorite subject” ng karamihan na Math, mga teacher’s pet, teacher’s enemy, clowns at geeks sa klase, ang School Rules and Regulations, pagbibinata at pagdadalaga, ang SOS at FLAMES.

Ang libro ay isang komedya na nagtatalakay rin ng relihiyon at prinsipyo, edukasyon at maledukasyon, pagtaya, politika at mga politiko, mga tuwid at balikong sistema, ang “national disaster in slow motion”, caste system, trabaho at bokasyon, batayan ng totoong katalinuhan, at ang paborito kong “Mundo na nababalot ng pagmamahalan kung kapaskuhan”
Sa pagbabalik tanaw na ito, marahil ay hindi mo na kukwestiyunin kung bakit tayo nagkakaganito…bakit ganito ang takbo ng buhay nating mga Pilipino.

PAGNINILAY
“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” - Mark Twain

Isang diploma nga ba ang magpapatunay ng lahat ng ating natutunan?

Ako’y isa sa mga hindi naniniwalang ang edukasyon ay nalilimita sa loob ng apat na sulok ng paaralan. Kung iisipin ko nga, higit yatang marami pa akong natutunan sa labas kaysa sa loob ng paaralan. Napakaraming mahahalagang bagay sa buhay ang tila yata nalimutan maisama sa kurikulum ng mga paaralan.
Sa totoo lang, hindi ko na maalala kung paano gumamit ng sangkatutak na functions ng scientific calculator. Hindi na ako marunong magfactor ng quadratic trinomial. Parang hindi naipakilala sa akin sina Whitman at Naismith. At hindi ko na kaya isa-isahin ang life stages of a butterfly at parts of a cell.
Kung bibigyan mo ako ngayon ng isang academic exam, baka mapahiya ang aking mga guro dahil tila yata’y kaunti lang (kung hindi man wala) ang maisasagot ko. Pero, sa isang banda, dapat din nilang ikarangal ang pagkakaturo sa akin dahil kung sino man ako at kung ano man ang naabot ko ay dahil din naman iyon sa kanila, sa bawat isa sa kanila - mga gurong naging paborito ako, kalaban ko, kaibigan, o kaaway.
Sa paaralan ng buhay ko nalaman na sa bawat sitwasyon, maging sa loob man o labas ng silid aralan, nasa sa atin nakadepende kung ano ang ating matututunan.
Tulad na lang kung ikaw ay madadapa, maari mong matutunang tanggapin na may mga bagay talagang hindi nakalaan para sa iyo, o maaari mong matutunang tumayo at muling sumubok na lumaban.
Sa loob ng eskwelahan, maaari mong piliing matutunan ang mga nakasulat na sa libro at mga naisulat mo pa sa iyong kwaderno, o maaari mong piliing matutunan ang mga bagay na tanging sa puso’t isipan mo lang mailalathala.
Sabi nga ni Bob Ong, “para sa lahat ng magaganda at pangit na lesson na wala sa lesson plan at hindi kasama sa binayaran kong tuition fee”. Kung ating babalikan ang bawat hakbang natin sa paaralan, marahil ay hindi naman ang Battle of Tirad Pass, computation of a parabola, o ang kwento ng Ibong Adarna ang ating masusulyapan, kundi ang daan-daang karanasan natin dito– Mabubuti, masasama, magaganda at pangit. Mga memorya ng pagpaparangal at kahihiyan, pagsunod at pagsuway, pagkadapa at pagbangon, pagtalikod at paglaban. Pag-iibigan at pakikipagkaibigan, pakikipag-away at paninidigan, iyakan at tampuhan. Syempre kasama rin ang libo-libong kalokohan…at ang mga di nasusulat na leksyong natutunan at humubog sa atin.
Dahil hindi lang ating isipan ang hinuhubog sa paaralan kundi maging ang pagkatao natin.