My Lakbayan grade is B-!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

For the past three years, I've only been home for a total of three weeks so I thought it would be great if this time my brothers and I could hangout somewhere outside the country and just chill. Can't complain about the sunshine and beaches in Cebu but 42 degrees is just insane. I'll trade this for snowstorms anytime of day. 

I've never really explored HK, the longest I've stayed there was when I had a 12 hour layover for a connecting flight. I figured it's time to pay a visit to the land of of the laser lights, and who knows, maybe see Disneyland. But of course, my two burly brothers were not the least bit interested to see Mickey Mouse so instead we bought octopus train cards at the airport and went on to chart the best course to see the city.

At first we joined a tour group that took us to all the shopping places we didn't really want to go to, so we bailed out on that, took the MTR and double deck buses, and explored the city on our own. I must admit, a map is important in this type of quest, but the only map I got was the train stops for the red line. Fortunately, we met someone who used to work in the city some years back. She decided to go back and revisit HK now that she has enough money saved. Among other things, she showed us where Jollibee was =) now, we know where to score all the chicken joy.

After a visit to the massive building where they sell all the electronics stuff, we walked down Nathan road to the Avenue of the Stars so we could watch the symphony of lights show, but before that we decided to stop by a restaurant that serves BBQ duck. Twas great that the menu came with pictures, coz the guy at the counter didn't speak any English and we knew no Chinese. I sincerely hope that was duck we ordered ^_^, it looked like it.

The trek to Victoria Peak is probably the highlight of the trip. Although it was drizzling and foggy, we did manage to get a good view of the downtown Hong Kong skyline, Kowloon, and Victoria Harbour. Kuya was also able to buy some souvenirs to take back home.

We spent two nights in HK then proceeded to Shenzhen via train. The bus tour guide asked us if we were picky about food and if we eat anything. Some people said they eat everything and the guide warned us that we shouldn't order hot dog in that city, because that meant real dog, eww! I think that was when we decided to stick to McDonald's and KFC for this leg of the trip =)

There was really not much to see here, it was also the same time when the flash floods were happening and it was all over the news - so there was an overcast of gloom on the city. We did see the Windows of the World and more night markets, jewelry shops and car factories - I guess those tour buses are shopping traps in disguise. Good thing we weren't really into buying stuff, but more into eating so that's where all our HKD and RMB went to.

The whole adventure was a great opportunity to bond with my brothers. It was their first passport stamp, their first trip outside the country, and I'm glad we survived it despite our constant petty quarrels. We laugh when people say that we look like we get along really well ^_^ Hopefully we can do this again next year.

Last Friday I got an email asking me for hotel recommendations in Cebu and as I was typing my reply, I also outlined a sample itinerary: ShangriLa, check. Waterfront, check. Olango Island hopping, check. Kawasan waterfalls, check. Moalboal, check. Bantayan Island, check. Hmmm, what else? Bohol? Boracay? Palawan?

While I was browsing over the places to see in the island, I realized that it's been a while since we last went to the falls. Ever since I first visited the site back in 1997, it's been a yearly event to just go to Badian, rent a cottage at La Playa or Kawasan then trek to the top of the waterfalls. So that evening I packed my stuff and invited the fam to escape the city's sweltering 35 degrees.

We left for Matutinao at 6AM the next morning, it was a three-hour drive along winding roads that overlook the sea and the mountains. Good thing there were vacant rooms at the resort and the rate was $20 per night, we got the second-floor suite with a balcony that looks out to the coastline. After a quick trip to the public market to buy food for lunch, we proceeded to hike up the falls. Entrance fee was $2.5.

Going up there brought back lots of memories for my older brother and I teased him about the songs he used to sing way back when.. He said he loved too much then and he won't be as stupid this time around. When we finally reached the top, we sat and watched as throngs of people dove into the cold clear blue waters. Somehow the magic of the place has been broken for me, it doesn't remind me of people or feelings anymore, it was like an empty exercise that one does to commemorate a long forgotten ideal.

On the way down, rain greeted our every stride as we navigated through the slippery stone footholds. I wonder how many pairs of sneakers and flip flops have gone through these same leaf-covered steps before mine did, and I wonder how many more will pass this way after I do. 

Back at comforts of our room, we watched the sunset from the veranda and listened as the waves broke the shore. After everything's been said and done, this is still one of my favorite nooks, a place where one can just hide away from the world. Next year I'll be back here again.

So we finally decided to try this famous Balamban liempo - roasted herb-encrusted pork that comes from this mountain town in the northern part of Cebu - talk about food trip! We drove two hours to the mountain tops just to visit this place where they make this special dish.

We took the Transcentral highway and the view going there was amazing, a true photographer's haven, we even saw a couple having their prenuptial photos taken at this wooden bridge connecting two tall cliffs overlooking the ocean - I wanted to stop and take photos too but we were in a bit of a hurry so that we'll reach the place before the fog comes down.

After a dozen more twists and turns and more magnificent views, we finally reached our destination and had lunch at the only place that serves food in that small town. I must say their roasted pork is indeed worth the long drive, but man, two hours?! I'd be hungry again by the time we head back home.

On the way back, we took the SRP road, I like the tunnels and ocean view here, it looks like that race track from need for speed, they say some people do midnight drag races there. Looks a lot has changed in this city since I was last here six years ago. Well, greater things are yet to come here =)

After spending the night at a friend's place, we caught the first plane out to Naga, which has now become a major tourist spot because of the development of the CamSur Wakeboarding Complex (CWC). We rented a cabana and waited in line under the scorching sun just to try wakeboarding. The good thing about this sport compared to snowboarding is you fall on water, so it's always soft landing. The bad thing is you get pulled by a line, so your arms get overstretched and its a totally different thing to balance on a board while holding on to a moving thing.

I like the facilities at CWC, the shuttle gives visitors rides to and from the mall, airport and bus depots, which is very convenient for people in transit. It would be better though if they have lots of bikes for rent so people don't have to wait for the vans before they can move around the compound. Everything is walking distance but that heat is unbearable.

The next morning, we checked out at 4AM and proceeded to Sabang port. It was a two-hour van ride from the terminal. From the port, we took the boat to Caramoan. Because the tide was low, the boat couldn't dock on the port, actually, I don't even remember if there was a port there. I just saw porters lifting passengers on their shoulders so they wouldn't get wet as they board the boat. Drei and I decided to walk instead, it wasn't that bad, the water was only four feet deep.

The boat ride took another two hours, and we were greeted by the staff of WestPen when we got there. I just found this accommodation on the web, and it is by far the most expensive leg of the trip. It set us back a total of $350 for three days and two nights, including board, lodging and boat tours.

The villa itself is nestled on a secluded private compound with evenly spaced nipa huts on the sides and a pool table and outdoors seating in the middle. Since they didn't have any formal website, I offered to develop one for them. After a quick shower and a game of pool, we grabbed a quick lunch and headed back to the pier to start our first island hopping trip.

We met some people from the boat who joined the tour with us and offered to split the cost. First stop was a beach where we could go snorkeling. According to the travel agent who was with us, it also had a spring at the top but it was hard to get to so we skipped the hike and just went swimming. We passed by Gota and checked out the other beachfront developments on the next island. After more snorkeling and island hopping, we headed back home and played another round of pool before dinner.

The next day we woke up early to go on yet another boat ride to the grotto. It was like a quarter of the grouse grind but the view was spectacular. It was drizzling when our boat docked on the island so the hike up was a bit slippery, but it was better than being burnt and baked while walking.

After the grotto, we proceeded to another island to have a picnic lunch. I like the concept of the tables and chairs setup a few meters from the shore and almost half submerged in water. That was probably the best part of that trip, aside from the time when we had to walk over a line of fishing boats just to get to our ride - reminded me of the obstacle courses at Takeshi's castle.

We went to more islands than I could name, hiked around, swam a bit then headed back to the villa. We had crabs and laing for dinner, which was the best meal yet, except for the allergies that came after it. 

Recently popularized by the Survivor French Edition, Caramoan Islands, especially Gota village is a bit overpriced, but then if you know how to get around, it would be cheaper to skip all the tour packages and just go there, rent a room at the dorms near the pier then hire a fishing boat to take you to the islands. There's also a market and food stalls that you can ask to cook for you. We could have probably saved half of what we spent at WestPen if we had taken that route but it was our first time so we didn't know how to get around. As a consolation, Gota Village rates were twice as expensive as what we paid for at WestPen, so we got the mid-range budget package.

On our last morning, we took the boat back to Sabang and had to be carried off the vessel because the water was almost six foot deep and we didn't want to be soaking wet while on a two hour bus ride to Naga. This is the worst part of this trip, we lost a day traveling and I couldn't bring myself to sit on another van again.

To get to this historic town in Ilocos Sur, we had to take two bus rides - a two-hour commute from Pagudpud to Laoag, a trike ride from one terminal to the next and finally a two-hour bus ride from Laoag to Vigan. According to one of the signs painted on a building, the city got its name from the Bigaa plant which thrives abundantly in that region.

We arrived at around 5pm and checked in at Grandpa's Inn, we got two fan-cooled rooms, one with tv, private bath and complimentary breakfast for $23 and another one with a common bath, no tv and no breakfast for $18. The best thing about this place was the wireless Internet connectivity albeit a little flaky.

After a quick shower, we went out to buy souvenir shirts and walk along the famous brick roads of Calle Crisologo. Vigan has more than a hundred ancestral houses and historical landmarks making it a UNESCO heritage site. The gas lights, sliding capiz windows and azoteas were like a scene right out of Rizal's novels, they bring you back to the 17th century colonial era. Our stroll ended up at Plaza Burgos, a landmark dedicated to Padre Jose Burgos, a Catholic priest native to the place, who was accused of sedition and executed by Spanish authorities in 1872. Currently, the plaza sits next to a church and has a massive park with palyground and picnic area. Beside it, there are dozens of stalls selling empanada and okoy, a well-known snack in the area. We ordered one of each and decided that it would be our dinner. On the way back to the hotel, we saw the charming Cafe Uno right beside our inn and opted to try their tea, however, when we skimmed through their menu, we ordered bagnet instead and had a second dinner.

The following morning, we hired calesas and went on a city tour aboard horse-drawn carriages. The rate for the tour was $8 per hour and included several area attractions. It was pre-arranged by one of the inn attendants and was promptly waiting for us by 8AM.

The first stop was the famous belfry at St. Paul's Church. It's the site of this local TV show about a blacksmith turned reluctant hero during the Spanish era. After climbing the rickety wooden stairs to where the bell sits, we took pictures and proceeded to our next stop.

The Crisoogo Mansion is the house of a famed political family, which was now converted into a private museum. They have an interesting collection of antique cars, old photographs, clothes, memorabilla and hats from different islands in the country. That's where I got to see the pig system toilet, eww!

The next destination was the Pagburnayan, where jars made from clay are made by hand using the potter's wheel. Pottery making was introduced in the city by early Chinese settlers and has been a well-known industry in Vigan because of its abundance in good quality clay that are used to make earthen jars.

Armed with a collection of ref magnets and other souvenirs that we bought from the pagburnayan, we proceeded to the Hidden Garden, a landscaped showroom of plants that has an onsite restaurant where we ordered halo halo and bibingka for snacks. They have this cool washroom that has a one way mirror overlooking a garden with a pond.

The higlight of this tour was the visit to Baluarte, a zoo owned by a politician that is open to the public for free. The place was huge, there was a bird and butterfly sanctuary, an ostrich farm, a horse ranch, several reptiles and a collection of tigers. For $4 we got to go up close to take pictures and sit with the tiger.

Before heading to the final stop, which was Calle Crisologo, we bought bagnet and longganisa, another present that we will be taking to Romblon. We plan to buy some native delicacy from each place we visit and bring them to our grandma.

Calle Crisologo looks different in the morning, it was more enchanting at night, but it exudes the same colonial town feel especially when you're traversing it on a calesa. We went back to our inn and checked out, I was not too happy about the late check-out fee per hour, of which we were not informed about earlier, I will definitely opt for other lodging places next time I drop by for a visit.

We took a trike to the bus station, had lunch of local cuisine at the nearby carenderia and proceeded to wait at the station for a bus to La Union. I was planning to go surfing and already reserved a room at Surfer's Inn but we missed two buses because of the ill organized system that they have in that terminal. No lineups, no posted bus schedules, just throngs of masses suddenly converging and running towards the bus once it enters the terminal, definitely not my style. Some people got squished, some kids were crying, some got pushed back and stepped on, wow, is this how they do stuff in this part of town or is Partas just the worst bus service ever? Anyway, such is the life of public commuters.

Finally, a bus to Manila came by and I was pushed inside by the excited people waiting to get home. I stood on the middle aisle of the bus for more than an hour, which is probably is good for my back but not for my varicose veins. Annoyed at the whole commuter experience, I decided to cancel the La Union leg of the trip and headed back to my friend's place in Greenhills.

Someday I will be able to buy my own ride and I'll visit all 7,107 islands while on it.

Pagudpud is on the northwest part of the Philippines facing the South China Sea and a 12-hour bus ride from Manila. Known for its big waves and strong winds that cater to both local and international surfing and sailboarding communities, this town is lined up with beach resorts that offer ample and relatively affordable accommodations. Peak season is from March to June so we got off peak rates when we visited.

We arrived at Jun and Carol's beach resort at 5 AM, it was a coin toss between this and Polaris but the latter took much longer to respond to my SMS so I opted for JCBC. We were assigned a room on the second floor. it had air conditioning, two double beds, a cable TV and a huge bathroom that's like half the size of the room; the rate was $35 for four persons.

After an hour of trying to sleep, we decided to go out and explore the city. We took the tricycle and checked out the market in the hopes of having a breakfast of local cuisine. Wednesday is market day at this place, we saw live curacha and other sea creatures.

We hired the same trike to take us on a city tour and our first stop was the lighthouse at Cape Bojeador in Burgos. Built in 1892, Faro Cabo is still fully operational and sits on the top of the Vigia de Nagparitan hill, 530 feet off the ground. One of the rooms has been converted into a mini museum which reminded me of the lighthouses that we visited at Oregon coast two years ago. The caretaker was kind enough to unlock the bolted gates of the lighthouse so we could go up the rust covered steel stairs to the creeky wooden platform where the light and mirrors sit. The top offered a 360 degree view of Ilocos Norte and the surrounding sea.

Next stop was the Bangui Wind Farm, a lineup of 15 wind mills facing the sea that supplies the town's electricity. The view here was spectacular, we walked on the fine sand and met the waves crushing the shore as we took photos of the area. We also bought Bugnay wine from a local seller by the beach, a present for our grandma in Romblon.

We proceeded to the Patapat Viaduct, Agua Grande River Park and Paraiso ni Anton, which were all just a few meters away from each other. The road going there was lonely and winding, not a lot of vehicles pass by and if they do, they're like a scene from fast and the furious, everyone ignoring the speed limit.

Constructed to prevent landslides in the area, Patapat Viaduct is an elevated highway with one side overlooking the Pasaleng Bay and the other guarding tall rocky mountains. We sat on the middle of the road and took pictures here.

Owned by Villa Del Mar, Agua Grande is a brook that runs over pebbles and stones to meet the sea and gray sandy beach. right on the front of this  park, there is a grotto facing the street. The El Nino was taking its toll on this part of town when we were there, we were surprised to see the river almost dried up.

We then proceeded to Sitio Gaoa in Balaoi for the Timmangtang Rock and the Bantay Abot Cave, the two are collectively called Lover's Rock by locals.

Timmangtang lies on the seacoast and got its name from its bell-shaped form while Bantay Abot is a few meters away from the shore and literally means a mountain with a hole in the dialect. To get to the cave, we had to go down the side of the street and climb up the slippery rocks to the summit. We went spelunking and took photos from the other side.

The last stop for the day was the crescent shaped cove at Sitio Malingay on the Maira-ira Point, it is more commonly known as the Blue Lagoon. This beach is around three kilometers away from the main road and one has to go through mountain forest paths to get there. It was near Hannah's Beach Resort and Kapuluan, two of the more expensive places to stay in this town. Tired from our hikes and rough road trike ride, we sat on the shore and buried our feet on the sand. The clear blue water and white sands of this place has convinced me that it is the highlight of our trip. Next time I just might try those two resorts so I could be nearer to this part of Pagudpud.

We ended the day with a hearty meal at one of the roadside carinderia and tried the local cuisine that included pinakbet and imbalictad. After dinner, we retired back to our resort to catch the sunset and walk along the beach.

The next morning, we took the same trike and went to Kabigan Falls. I didn't know that we had to cross rice fields and walk across rivers to get to the falls so I wore sneakers. Good thing the store near the place where we had to register our names and give donation to had flip flops for sale. We got a tour guide who led us through the thicket of trees and shrubs.

After coaxing a water buffalo to get out the way, we navigated the first stream, which was rather narrow. The next one had slippery rocks and strong currents, while the third one destroyed my brother's slippers. Finally, we got to the foot of the falls and took some pictures. It was rather disappointing compared to Kawasan, still one of my favorites, but is comparable to Oregon's Multnomah. The hike back seemed shorter and we treated ourselves to a refreshing drink - juice from freshly picked coconuts.

We were debating if we should stay another night at Pagudpud and spend a day swimming but we still had lots of beaches to go to in the next couple of days so we decided to head to the next destination and take the bus to Vigan.

Five years ago, my friends went on a Pagudpud-Vigan trip that I couldn't join because of other responsibilities, they brought me back souvenirs and lots of stories. Today I went to see the place for myself and am happy that despite everything in the background, I'm finally able to enjoy the scenery of my country.

For a lot of people, Thanksgiving is a time for family. After getting an invite to meet up with my cousins in LA and counting my free miles, I decided to skip Vancouver's rain in favor of the desert sun.

Ging picked me up from the Van Nuys fly away and we went straight to Jollibee to sample the chicken joy meal I missed, then to her mom's place for beef sinigang. The vacation was proving to be a gastronomic treat.

The next day, we braved two and a half hours on the freeway to Palm Springs. It almost felt like we were chasing the sun. Palm canyon is a nice getaway equipped with all the distractions to keep any vacation fun. I enjoyed hanging out at the pool and playing hoops at the gym.

Our turkey less thanksgiving dinner was a hit. I missed reconnecting with family, and being surrounded with a rowdy bunch chased my blues away. The morning after, we hiked the calories off and explored the quaint downtown scene. We got lost looking for Cabazon and found ourselves on the Morongo wind mills. It didn't really look like people were hardly hit by recession when we visited the outlet malls to witness the Black Friday madness, the store lineups were crazy long.

Aerial tramway - that was the highlight of the trip. Imagine being on a rotating gondola that was going up to 8000 feet of elevation, 5 towers, and 4 different kinds of climate in 15 minutes - sensory overload for sure. The scene change from desert to snow capped peaks was truly breath taking. At the top, you can do cross country skiing and snow shoeing, there's also a restaurant, and a theater. For 20 bucks, I could do this every week, if only Grouse was that cheap.

Too short - that's what I thought, but then again that's what makes vacations more valuable, something to look forward to. I guess if everyday was like this, we would appreciate it less, that's the tragedy of being human, sooner or later we get bored of utopia and want something new.

For now I am intoxicated by the blur of the past 5 days - I hope the buzz stays..

Weekends are for getaways, and Galiano island was the next dot that had to be pinned. My mom just left and I'm still trying my best to avoid bad habits by hanging out with the right people, so I said yes to this excursion.

The heavens looked dark and impenetrable on the ferry ride but soon a ray of light forced its way through the thick clouds and we saw a hint of blue skies. The cottage where we stayed was very cozy and the rocky beach surrounding it was conducive for soul searching.

We hiked a lot during the trip, exploring all the nooks, walking along shorelines, climbing mountain tops and checking out the local art scene. It was nature overload in the mornings and lots of sharing and bonding moments in the evenings.

Everything would have been just perfect if not for the mishap on the afternoon when we were supposed to leave. Coming back from Serenity by the Sea to check out some art work, we realized the battery on our car keys died. We tried to open the door manually but the lock was broken - we were trapped in the middle of nowhere. Amidst debates on whether we should break the window or just leave some people with the car while the rest find the way back to the cottage, we decided to go seek shelter from the cold.

We did find serenity by the sea despite the stress brought about by our misadveture. We found things to play with while waiting for someone to slim jim their way into our van. I napped a bit and dreamt the keys were working and when I woke I felt better.

First weekend trip this year with people who speak my language, I've been out of touch with them for so long, it feels different hanging out - but different in a good way - like somehow I belong.

I feel most alive when the road changes and moves beneath me, but I feel most at home when I am flying above the clouds or riding the waves in the middle of the ocean.

Two decades ago, my holy week would have been spent fasting, doing the stations of the cross, going to confession, communion and church. A decade ago, I would have been going home from university for summer vacation, spending time with family, going to memorial to commemorate the last supper on nissan 14.

In between then and now, my disappointment and disillusionment with people and institutions hardened my heart. God does not reside only in the church of the pious but also in the hearts of the lonely and the passionate.

As I stood on the fishing boat watching the waves of the open sea crash onto its sides and almost tip it over, I gazed up at the vast gray clouds and thanked God for lending me this life, for sending his son Jesus Christ to die for my sins so that I may be redeemed, for showering me with blessings and showing me miracles everyday, then I asked for forgiveness for all my trespasses and once again I prayed for Him to take me away.

I felt the raindrops like needle pricks against my face while I held on to the bars to keep myself from falling overboard. It's moments like these that give me clarity - when I feel like I'm a tiny insignificant dot in the universe, that in the blink of an eye I could be gone and would cease to exist. Feels so different compared to sitting in front of the computer in an antiseptic cube.

It reminded me of my childhood spent on small boats and the big waves of Romblon. I have come a long way from home, and when I talked to my family last Wednesday I felt so far away and so lost. Why did I grow up too fast, too soon..

I still feel out of place sometimes, like I just woke up from a dream and I'm suddenly surrounded by all these grown ups, only to realize that I am a grown up myself with no clue on how to proceed. And yet an epiphany came to me as the sea swallowed my uncertainties. I know what to do now.

If only I can keep myself from being sad and restless in between now and that time.. I hope I can survive.

the montreal trip was marked by blind dining at o'noir, tree top adventure, museum of modern art tour, indie film viewings at cinema du parc, long walks at rue st. laurent to rue st. catherine, hike down from mont royal, jazz bar excursions, a visit to basilique notre dame and poutine overdose.

the first two days were sunny but unfortunately my friend had to support some work stuff so i just looked at the city from the window. finally on the third day we met up with her college friends and tried the surprise menu at o'noir. the ad said that senses are heightened and the flavors are enhanced when you're blind dining, but interestingly for me, i thought the food was more bland when i don't actually ssee what i'm eating. oh well.

the tree-top adventure was not as long as the one we did at la fleche in quebec, i wasn't feeling up to it that time and i wasn't even wearing the right shoes but i gave in to peer pressure and just went for it. i'm glad i did, i haven't tried the obstacle course and ziplining in the snow. the only downside was there were no gloves provided and it was so cold but overall it was fun.

the view from mont royal was spectacular, but i heard that the view from cypress is way better, can't really compare though coz i haven't been to the cypress lookout yet, maybe i should stop by sometime. the hike down was not that bad, i did try to call for a taxi but it never came, it reminded me of the time when i walked down from tops - now that was hard work, i couldn't lift my legs to stand up the next day, this one was nothing compared to that, then again we didnt really go up till the top..

among other things, montreal is famous for its jazz bars, so we went to at least three. acid jazz is not really one of my favorites, it's like dadaism on saxophone, but i loved the piano renditions - now if only i can teach myself to play like that, then i'll be set for a career in music =)

the last day of the trip was spent looking for starbucks mugs, i didn't know this was such a hard to find commodity in this city of a hundred coffee shops. eventually we found a store that had stocks, unfortunately for me i wasn't able to get a snow globe to add to my collection, i guess this calls for a next time...

Vancouver weather forecast was snowstorm over the holidays so I knew I had to fly to some warm city or else I'll freeze to death in my apartment while my last memory would be of annoying barking dog in the background. So where's the nearest warm city at this time of the year? San Diego!

Dec 24: arrived at 8pm and practiced aimless wandering at downtown SD. Nothing much to see on a rainy night but strolled along Embacadero and got a glimpse of the bay bridge to Coronado. Watched random strangers as they hurried off to places they needed to be. For a moment I was reminded of things and people I missed like home, family, and friends, but I had to brush the feeling away, or else I would just fall into the black hole. Playing at TGI Friday's while I was passing by: The Middle by Jimmy Eat World

Dec 25: after surviving Christmas eve away from family, I woke up to blue skies and sunny day. Hiked to Balboa Park to check out the museums but they were all closed, so went to the zoo instead to visit Panda, maybe learn some Kung Fu, and a few other Oriental words while I'm at it ;) it started to rain after I said hi to the polar bear so I took the gondola and walked back home in time for my $5 Christmas dinner prepared by the hostel volunteers. It was great, best five bucks spent this month. I expected to be tired from a day of walking, but somehow my brain can't shutdown, so I tried to write myself to sleep once more.

Dec 26: feeling a bit adventurous or stupid or both, decided to take the trolley to San Ysidro, the town next to the Mexican border. People kept saying it was dangerous to go there because of the random acts of violence, but I had nothing to lose so I took my passport, got a day pass and hopped on the Blue Line. There is nothing to see at the border, just an outlet mall and a one way street to Mexico. Wanted to see what's on the other side and go buy me a snow globe but I didn't have a visa so I couldn't cross the line. Just ended up hopping on and off buses and following people around until I got sick of it and all the roads were just a blur of unfamiliar signs. Got off at some forgotten avenue and walked 14 blocks back to temporary home. Before i retired to dreamless sleep at 4am, I felt like a tiny insignificant dot in the mass of humanity.

Dec 27: 3 days has passed and still I haven't seen the beach so bought another day pass and took bus 30 to La Jolla. It has a breakwater where seals starbathe and a cove facing the Pacific ocean. Became a beach bum for a day and walked from end to end, the water was too cold to dip in without a wetsuit. Looking at the big waves I can just imagine that on the other side of that vast ocean is home, and those waves crushing the rocks on my feet will be the same waves touching the shores of my land, if only it can carry me away from here then maybe it will be ok. Watched the sunset atop a large rock formation while the rest of the people used their high powered telephoto lense to immortalize nature's marvel on canvas. I only had my eyes, my memory and my words to capture the colors of dusk swallowing the sky. One loves the sunset when one is sad.

Dec 28: last day in sunny SD, checked out of hostel at 11 then took bus 901 to Coronado, it was a 30 minute ride from 10th and Market. I love the sandy beach in this place, should have gone here from day 1 but it was raining then. Played chess on the beach and walked along the coastline, then all too soon I had to catch the bus back to the airport. My 5 day vacation to sunny city has come to an end. Now I am preparing myself to brave the cold harsh winter of Canada. It was fun while it lasted, just when the place has started to grow on me, it's time to move on again, such is life. I'm just thankful that I have this opportunity to set foot on an uncharted region that used to be just another postcard picture for me. Life is good. The future is friendly. We're growing together. I should keep this thought for the New Year.

it doesn't really take much persuasion for me to hop on a plane and skip town for nothing or anything at all. a tap on my shoulder and i will be all set in 5 minutes. that's how much i prefer to be on the road rather than sitting still inside the same four walls. and so i called my batchmate from university slash ex workmate slash ex roommate slash family friend whom i haven't seen for two years and asked if i could crash at her place, she now lives in brampton with her husband and is expecting a baby. well, if last year was the year of getting hitched for most of my friends, this year seems to be the year for procreating.

and so last tuesday found me on a plane to pearson, leaving raincouver for a glimpse of clear blue skies or hopefully even snow, anything other than grey gloomy rain is good enough for me. i like toronto's unpredictable weather where it's sunny in the morning, then rains at noon and snows at night - i prefer any kind of variation even weather disturbances compared to the constant monotonous downpour. i showed up at our scarborough office and saw the people i used to work with last year. i like consilium better than the boot, running across the buidings to get to the next face to face meeting beats staring at my monitor for netmeeting and bridge telecons where people pretend to be on mute when they're not really listening, swiping cards on the elevators to go to the right floor, junk food on the vending machines, giant flat screen tv's and sprawling couches, walking across the street to get food at the town center, it just feels more alive to be there, i dont know, maybe its just me.

when one is short on the family card, one stacks up on friends. however being socially inept, i only have maybe five friends who are like family to me, they are the ones who know what goes on behind my eyes and what i've gone through, they have sort of "adopted" me into their lives, and will most probably pick me up from the emergency room if i ever wander there, i could always rely on them to not lead me astray. and even as we grow older and move on to building our lives apart from each other, i know i can always count on these friends to let me crash in their couch when i'm homeless, or hold my hand and hug me and pick me up from the abyss when i fall off my ladder. they are the ones who dont need or expect anything from me, who accepts me as i am and dont try to change me. well actually they try to mold me into someone "better", whatever better means, but they still tolerate me even if i dont. they never force me to conform to their truths, they know what's good for me and they take care of me. we can choose friends but not family, and so i choose my friends well and make them family. unfortunately, these friends are now scattered all over the world and it takes at least a 5 hour plane ride to get to the nearest one.

on this trip, i got back in touch with the reality that life is not equal to work and that the truth is out there outside clearcase builds and shakedowns. i was updated with what's happening outside provisioning and got reacquainted with food and sleep - those things being social events for me, i actually think i gained 20 pounds in 7 days. i remembered that when i am asked "how's life?", i can't just get away with "life's good", i actually need to bore into the details, coz my friend really wants to squueze me dry and know everything. i re-learned that people really care and are not just being polite when they ask "how are you?", that it's not just a conversation starter before they move on to more interesting things like element adapters and web services.

i was reminded that i can always count on friends to make me feel better about myself when i dont have my family beside me to tell me that i matter. and that they will always be ready to listen to me when i need a sounding board. its so easy to go to the dark side when one is alone and surrounded by gray things. my mom would say i should pray when things bother me, but i still need physical manifestations - people to be exact, to be there for me. now if only i had that here in raincouver then maybe life will be more bearable until i come back home again.

today, back in this gray town, my restless heart and wandering soul has taught me one truth, every place, every landscape, they are all meaningless, after sailing the seas, climbing the mountains, and exploring all the nooks, what's the next frontier? it's the people attached to each city that makes it special. and someday i will find a place where i can sit down and be content.

best thing about being here is i have buddies who love to travel, just like me. we never really waste weekends staring at the ceiling or cleaning our room or doing our laundry. (which reminds me of this pile accumulating at the foot of my bed). chores will still be there tomorrow, no need to hurry and do them. and so after a quick dinner at a taiwanese food place near metrotown, krissy, henrik and i picked up jake and we started our oregon roadtrip part 2. k was designated navigator keeping h awake by asking him about his current love interest. we enjoyed teasing him to pieces haha. at 2am we drove up to the nearest hotel and recharged our batteries. the next morning we explored the beaches of newport and lincoln. we walked along the dunes of yaquina bay and climbed the lighthouses. the waves were big and the water too cold, couldn't last 10 minutes without a wetsuit. we watched the sunset and wrote our names on the sand with our flip flops scattered all over the place. it was the last trip all four of us would ever take together (at least for now) - the jetsetter group is being disbanded, each member going on to pursue different roads. k will be going to australia soon, but will visit florida first and then drive up to north carolina and all the other places in that vicinity, just to see if the geography is any different. jake is going to europe and then who knows where else afterwards. henrik and i are staying in bc, grounded and trying to grow roots. i felt really sad with this realization that i could be stuck in raincouver. j was always the planner, he would just say let's go to this place and i would of course say yes then we would get more people to join us. now that he's leaving, it's like a piece of my wing is torn and i wouldn't be able to fly anymore.

sunday found me waking up at 6am so i could dial into the bridge and vpn to work to check on a project release. helped with some minor glitches that required a recycle, then checked out of the hotel and proceeded to woodburn. the only significant thing i bought in this trip is my monopoly board game that uses no cash only debit cards. wow imagine that! cant wait to play it. somehow we were all shopped out this time, nobody really bought anything for themselves - well except for those polarized oakley shades!, most items were for others who couldn't go and wanted something brought back for them. we had dinner at red lobster.. at last! i've been wanting to eat here for the past 8 months. this is my fave seafood place in toronto that's not in raincouver.

stuffed and content with our food and purchases, we drove back home in silence with me as navigator this time, trying to stay awake and making small conversation. i will miss these people. i will miss these trips. why are they moving on? why am i staying here?

vacation ended too soon, went to kawasan, moalboal, bantayan and panglao. everyday was either a road trip or a boat ride to another island, walked along the shore and swam against the tide and basked in the sun like there was no tomorrow. chased the waterfalls and hiked the hillside and mountain tops, with no need for fleece or a warm jacket when twilight falls and the stars are out.

this is life, the way God intended it to be. no worries about refactoring or singletons or ejb descriptors or missing db tables. just sea and sand and moonlit nights.

poof! and the dream is gone. back to raincouver's hard gray pavement where my steps echo in that empty room with no windows. when i opened the door i saw my things neatly piled up in boxes. i'm being thrown out of the house. good thing i have friends here, who helped me pick up my stuff and find a new place to park my things. i couldn't be more homeless than i am now. my clothes are in my desk at the office and i shower at the gym. on mornings i would walk across the floor from one end to the other to stretch my legs and in the evenings i would talk to the cleaning lady who wonders every day why i work so late. "i live here", that's all i told her.

i will survive, somehow.

ski and snowboard fest was the main event at whistler for the past two weeks and we all drove up just in time to catch some of it last friday. sleet followed us as we escaped the city limits but good thing it stopped when we finally reached the mountains. we stayed at the fairmont and explored the village while the rest of the more athletic and cold resistant people went on their ways to catch a few jumps and drops - probably one of their lasts before winter finally bids goodbye. saturday midnight found me taking the greyhound back to the mainland, just in time for another sunday roadtrip.

it seems like almost every weekend is spent driving south and running away from safety. i can't help it, i feel better when i'm on the road, moving, walking, hiking.. i get nauseated when i'm stuck in one place with the same monotonous background and people around me, i need to find clarity.

why this restless heart? to escape boredom? to not fall into the trap and break my walls? i don't want to think too much, all i know is i want to run as far away as i can and never look back.

weekends end too soon, whoever decided that there should be 5 work days and only 2 days for fun and relaxation is a saddist. but hey maybe it was meant to be this way so that we could appreciate it more. some people tend to put more value on things that don't last, that's the law of supply and demand right there. so they cram all activities they can fit in those 48 hours then spend the next hundred and twenty wishing it was shumatsu once again.

tulip town - that was our itinerary for saturday, and we got lost in skagit looking for this quaint place. we were almost on the verge of giving up after going around in circles for the nth time but luckily or rather magically, we found our way and feasted our eyes on the endless rows of petals struggling to come out from the ground. the sun was high up in the sky and people were flying kites, truly spring is in the air. and we don't even have to drive all the way down to washington just to feel it, the sakura that greets me when i disembark at burrard reminds me of hanami at osaka jo, raincouver is actually a nice place to be when it's not all gray and gloomy.

sunday was spent biking along the seawall of stanley park and crusing along english bay. finally after countless weeks in this city, i was able to take off my jacket and shoes and walk barefoot on the sand. it's still blech compared to the beaches i've been to back home but it's all good, every place offers its own gift, sometimes you just have to look for it in other corners.

it's always the beautiful days like these that i fear the most. they kill words, because beauty is a reason unto itself.

- is the magic number. that's how many we were at the lower mainland roadtrip last saturday.

it was 630am, when the 3 mini vans converged at tim horton's, 3 dozen donuts and a dozen coffee orders later, we were all set to conquer the peace arch, aldergrove, cloverdale, lynn valley, burnaby mountain, cleveland dam and stanley park. i've been to most of these places but for me, it's not really the destination that counts but the journey and the people you're with that matters. in this case, i wouldn't want to miss the company of new and old friends shouting at each other over missed stop lights and u turns haha

well, it was definitely worth it, wouldn't miss it for the world.. ahhh, the comfort of friendship, where you expect nothing and nothing is expected of you, where you can leave your scripts at home and just be yourself, what a fresh break from the toxic fumes of everyday living..

maundy thursday found me at yvr waiting for my flight to sacramento. couldn't wait to see the sun again after a month of clouds and rain. when i arrived at smf, gerry was there waiting to tell me about his novel which will be published this year. shing flew in from chicago, bringing with her the stuff that i bought., and that's how our adventure began =)

g's place is an ultimate bachelor's pad, with a pool table, mini bar, wii, ps3, xbox, and home theater to boot. i wouldn't mind staying here for a year ^_^ friday was spent touring the airbase and shopping at downtown sacramento. we tried the burgers at in and out and enjoyed the warm sunshine while driving top down on g's solara, a convertible is a necessity in california, so he says. to cap the day, we had dinner at this sushi place with the revolving tray.

woke up early on saturday to pick up jake and reenact sideways at napa and sonoma ^_^. had lunch at the wine train and went on the cable car to the top of sterling which has a nice view of the whole valley. got lost along the way and blamed it on the the bottle of pinot noir, haha. to cheer up gerry who wanted to get drunk but couldnt. we went to jollibee and red ribbon for peach mango pie and empanada =)

on sunday we drove to muir woods to hug the giant sequioa trees for my mom, apparently this has been one of her childhood dreams. we followed the hillside trail to burn off all the calories we had for the past two days and then proceeded to the golden gate bridge. the scenic view is picture perfect. lunch was at the fisherman's wharf and a boat tour followed afterwards. g bought popcorn and chips to feed the seagulls while s was busy taking snapshots. i was at the other side of the boat looking out to the city skyline and wishing my mom was there to enjoy it with me. we wandered on the streets of san francisco, looking for the magic that people saw in this place, we never really found it.. at dusk, we went back to being children and played our hearts out at dave and buster's.

fenton's ice cream was the last treat we had before real planes came to take us back to the life we left. and that's how i spent my long weekend.

after mike's birthday dinner at red robin last friday, jake, krissy, alvin, jason and i walked to hilton to pick up our rental, the roadtrip to portland has begun. armed only with a gps and a bag of cheetos, we bravely went where no frugal man has ever gone to - oregon - for nature trips, and what else - shopping, (again!?).

ok i didn't really buy much in this trip, i was just in for the company and the travel, to get away from what's familiar and see something new. i get bored when i'm in one place all the time, i always have this need to explore and discover the unknown, even if it will end up to be the same terrain as the one i left; so that was my excuse.

we spent the night in seattle tacoma and woke up bright and early to follow the columbia river gorge. multnomah falls was a sight to behold, it's definitely not niagara but not kawasan either, pagsanjan is definitely much better, but hey, who's comparing right? the trail up to the bridge was good exercise for our cramped feet. after the short homage, we went straight to business - filling the trunk till it can't be closed unless you jump on it. broke and utterly content, we drove back to vancouver to reflect on our splurge ^_^