New Year Blast!

Remember that I wrote about my Christmas 2010? Yes, I wrote about one of my Christmas wish that came true. And probably will blab about what I did with my new year 2011. After travelling from the North of Mindanao, I went sailing home to Bohol with my friend Ritchille (Te Tata) so she could spend New Year to a new place also for the first time away with her family. Now here’s the situation, both of us had been planning to spend Christmas away from home in any place, but eventually changed our mind. She spend Christmas with her family and I will spend Christmas with my home away from home in Cantillan. The two of us volt in for our trip to my homeland Bohol where we will spend New Year at my hometown in Lila (comes from the flower lily) together with my siblings, father (because mom is at home in Texas), nephews and cousins.

December 29, 2010

We sailed on a fastcraft boat via Camiguin-Jagna where we payed eight (8) hundred pesos for the ticket that will traverse the sea for five hours. What a fast way to go home to Bohol with this trip, of course I have been one of their patrons since last year. The boat provided us with an entertainment of which I already memorized as it was played over and over again during my previous trips. And mind you, I can’t talk with Ate Tata while we are travelling because she had to close her eyes and sleep because she is seasick, so I had to close my eyes too and before we knew it were in Jagna already. We have two options either to take a bus and pay Php 50 or van with aircon and pay Php 80, we took the latter. We barely notice while talking that my hometown is just few kilometers away, and there’s our stop. Actually, this was not Ritchille’s second time here in our place but probably her first time spending New Year with us. Here we have two options again, either to sleep at our old house or with my sister’s family and again we choose the latter. The one thing I enjoyed going home is seeing my two grown sweet nephews who were so glad seeing me their auntie/yaya/tutor/mommy. And what made their smile so bright is when I gave their pasalubong s like their favorite chicharon and some chocolate stuff. But what amazes me is that Janssen (nephew) asked me “mommy P where is my Christmas gift”, I did not buy any because I want to ask them what they want as a gift. I answered Janssen “I don’t’ have a gift for you baby Jans”. You can see his gloomy face. But the his Kuya Marek, suddenly blurted to his brother, “Jans why is it that you have a hole in your Jerseys shorts”. It is there that I told the two of them, that I will buy Jersey shorts as my gift. They smiled and continue with their watching cartoons on tv. My sister is super glad to have us around and prepared food for our lunch. We just sit down after lunch and chatted for a while while fixing our stuff in the room. Then came dinner and we plan on going to the groceries the next day, to prepare for our New Year Feast. I plan to cook ube jam and spaghetti, ate Raydine wants to try the blueberry cheesecake and her delicious leche flan and that’s just for dessert.

Comes the next day (December 30), we went to the Tagbilaran City to buy all the stuff we need making sure we listed everything before going there so as not to forget anything. We usually but stuff at the ICM-Dao and there people from different parts of the land busied and hurried themselves pushing their carts to any direction to make it to the counter first. I enjoyed seeing familiar people and friends and exchanging greetings, hugging and laughing their heart out. “Okay let us go back to shopping”, we had to bring to carts as we have to double time so we check on the lists and started picking up goods to fill in the cart. Making sure that we got all the things in the checklist, headed to the counter and pay. Before I forget, I had to buy the gift I promised to my nephews so i had to squeeze in the time from the grocery to the department store and was glad I found it with Ate Tata’s help. Done with the groceries, we had to buy things at the wet market as it was cheaper to buy spices and other stuffs. All done, and we are ready to go home and prepare for the big day tomorrow.

December 31, 2010

After brewing our favorite blend of Coffee and a breakfast with family, we are all ready to get on with our specific menu for the day. With the help of my two nephews and Ate Tata, we successfully made the Ube jam first, and my sister experimented with the blueberry while busying herself with the Leche flan. My brother was assigned to do the grilled pork with my brother-in-law and my father was his favorite “balbacua” (cooked from the skin of cow). All done and the table is set for that wonderful buffet dinner for everyone. But first we have to extend our thanksgiving for adding another year to laugh with family and friends amidst trials and aspirations during the celebration of the mass.

January 1, 2011

The mass started when the clock strikes at 11:45 and in time for the Alleluiah part when the clock strikes at 12 midnight where you can hear the fireworks outside the church with all the churchgoers greeting each one Happy New Year. The mass was celebrated joyfully with inspiring message for all of us that New Year is about thanksgiving and for reconciliation. As we marched outside the portals of our Holy Rosary Parish Church built in 1925 with paintings on its ceilings that never cease to amaze me since I was still little up until now. I was told that the painter was a talented locale from Dimiao, Bohol. Yes, he was indeed super talented and the painting is the witness of them all. After greeting some friends and relatives outside the church, we are ready to blast our table for all that has been prepared. We took pictures to be posted in my Facebook account where my mom and siblings could see our celebration and will feel that they are with us even though they are far away from home. Now, what will I eat first, Oh! I should eat my Ube jam (made from Bohol’s pride the Kinampay na Ube), and its superbly tasty. Yes, it is delicious not because I made it but I enjoyed eating it with my family, next on my plate will be the leche flan, and the blueberry cheesecake and the rest is history. After eating I had to declare a toast to my family for making this New Year Celebration truly a time for Family. Now it is time to rest because there are many tables that awaits us in the morning.

January 3, 2011

I had to fast-forward some events to let you peak into our side trip to the “Queen City of the South”, Cebu City before we go back to Cagayan de Oro City. I truly miss this place because I used to walk around the City back when I was a college student and confident that I won’t be lost in the City that seems not to sleep. So we took a fast craft to take us to Cebu via Ocean Jet that offers “balik sakay promo” for Php500 though we only need to ride once but it’s faster compared to the slow boat, it will only take us 2 ½ hours to Cebu with no sweat. Our first stop in Cebu is the coffee shop “Josh and Matthews” owned by of our former colleague just near pier 1, what I love there is the unique taste of their “Sweet blend iced tea” and of course their coffee is superb. Second stop, is to HTS lodge just across my former boarding house along R.Landon-Junquera Extension Street (not the red district street) where we payed only Php600 for one night stay. We left the lodge and stroll along Ramos Street until we reached the Crown Regency Hotel and Towers along Fuente Osmena Street to experience the thrill of the Philippine First SKYWALK and their Edge Coaster Ride. We paid Php750 for the two rides, packed with snacks and free shirt, we took an elevator ride to the 36th floor for the Edge Coaster Ride and we were given instruction but cannot hear what the instructor was saying except that I mistake the down button as up and otherwise. As our belt where safely tightened we (me and Ate Tata) we were ready to face our challenge and all I could hear was Ate Tata shouting and telling me not to tilt the coaster, it is there I remembered that I can actually manipulate the degree of the tilt, so I adjusted the tilt and again readjusted it. It was totally fun and exciting and was amazed with the tilt of 55 degrees as we can clearly see how high we already from the ground level. The Edge coaster took a turn and when we reached the corner portion I could hear my stomach crumbling as I could imagine that the bolt is changing its gear from another angle. But Ate Tata could not see it in my face that I was a bit of anxious especially when we reached the corners of the building until we reached the end, where her screams were the only sound I can hear. And now it is time to disembark, and guess what she told me “Can we take it again, where I will not scream and unafraid?”, I answered, “next time we will ride again but first we have to go to the 37th floor for our skywalk”. We only have one photo in this event because each photo costs Php350 (and we only need one souvenir), after that we took the stairs that will lead us to the 37th floor, we showed our ticket and bought socks for the shoes provided. We have our safety guide to tour us around and ensure our safety. This time, we were no longer afraid as we are like walking along the beach of Opol only that we are at the peak of the building wearing Skywalk Suits with harness attached to our body. Here, it is like walking around the City with strong winds blowing your body only this time you can see the City of Cebu at a glimpse with beautiful lights surrounding it. We enjoyed the picture taking and the funny safety guide both from local and across the Philippines. After that skywalking adventure we went to the souvenir areas and arranged that our pictures be saved in a CD where we only have to pay Php500 for 12 photos (it is a bit expensive for photos) we are also told that the management will not be responsible for reimbursement in case the photos won’t worked in our computer. But to make sure that it will worked in my laptop, I asked the souvenir guy the exact program that he used in copying our photos because I ain’t getting that expensive CD with photos for nothing. And guess what?, it worked in my computer so I hurriedly downloaded all the photos I have for the day to my facebook account where I can store it for a little while. After that knee crackling ride we had our free snacks and off we go to the formal dinner. We met with my cousin Daisy and took us to The Walk (this is a place previously known as the Village ) we could see a lot of stores here, from fast food stores, restaurants and all sorts of stuff, after that walk, we went to see MR A located in the Upper portion of Lahug, Cebu City, where we can see the whole of Cebu just like the Tops. They also have restaurants to provide the needs of hungry visitors and a bar for those who love to drink and because the night is still young, we went back to the Walk and ate delicious Pizza at the Mamma Maria Pizzeria. It all happened in one night and I cannot forget it truly a New Year Blast for me.