Rather than the usual detailed narrative, I will summarize my ten-day vacation in my hometown in snippets because 10 days worth of activities is kinda overwhelming and kinda exhausting to write about.
***Was at the airport before 3am, almost 3 hours before my flight, because I was warned that there would be long lines. Reggie, my housemate, was going on the same flight. Since we both went to straight to airport after packing, without catching a wink of sleep, we both nodded off while waiting for our flight. When we woke up, we waited for our flight to be called. Then a voice announced a last call for us two. Turns out we were the only ones the plane was waiting for. Upon getting to our hometown, I was amazed by all the familiar faces I saw and all the people conversing in Chavacano. The airport seemed like a reunion venue, just then.
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| last call for Reggie and Dee… |
***Spent some quality time with my family and its newest addition – a cute pup named Tristan. Also spent some time with my Mom and my bro’s girlfriend as we watched my younger brother perform in a Church musical play.
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| Dad, Mommy and baby Tristan |
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| Yawning pup – so cute! |
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| My bro and the girlfriend |
***Had lunch with 5 College buddies in new resto, “Ñor Albertos” for the benefit of Chu who was leaving on the 27th. We also had ice cream at Lejan’s before heading to the Sta. Cruz barter to shop for pasalubong.
***Had noche buena with some cousins and nephews. And this is not even half of our clan. On my father’s side alone we are 80+ first cousins.
***Went to Church where everyone said I was fat. Thanx for noticing the bad thing about me, guys. Just for that I’m never going to Church again. Haha. Dropped by La Vista Del Mar beach resort with Cate to join Rona’s family picnic.
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| in Church |
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| La Vista’s vinta sails |
***Dropped by my Alma Mater (for 16 years!), our meeting place for our High School barkada picnic. Actually it’s Flisha’s barkada, but I got adopted over the years. We commuted to Abong-Abong and bathed by the river. The place was fantastic, we couldn’t help but take pics every now and then. Too bad nobody brought a digicam and my cellphone, whose cam had the best pixels, got low batt.
***Had dinner at Alejandras, where I tried what used to be one of my faves – their chicken barbeque. Got disappointed because it had a weird too-salty taste. Joined the videoke reunion of the Balic-Balic people. Had fun taking wacky poses of ourselves.
***Visited my college friends’ offices during lunch time. Helped Rona shop for and wrap prizes and gifts for the PICPA Christmas party that evening. Ended up going to the party as well. Met more College folks as well as Accounting teachers. After the party, Rona’s older sister Roselyn wanted to go ballroom dancing so we rode their pickup truck to Popoy’s, an oldies bar. Had fun dancing despite the fact that we were the only young ones there.
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| With Sir John, our Accounting teacher |
***Tried to work from an internet cafe but wasn’t able to do much help because of the oh-so-slow PC. Got dysmenorrhea and was bedridden for half a day.
***Raquel treated her barkada and the adopted ones (me and Gim, Fli’s bf) to dinner at Antonio’s. Wanting to talk more, we decided to have dessert elsewhere and ended up having knickerbocker (mixed fruits with ice cream on top) at Palmera’s.
***Food trip day! Tupe rode a bus from Pagadian and Zenie crossed the sea from Basilan and the three of us had satti (a spicy muslim delicacy) at Jimmy’s for breakfast. Maya was supposed to come too but she got stuck inside the airplane for 45 minutes because of air pressure problems. After satti we couldn’t wait for after-lunch anymore so we changed skeds and visited Myrna’s bakeshop earlier. For lunch we went to our favorite Manang Terry’s Chicken Inato. This time we were joined by a few more classmates. After filling our tummies Mindpro was up next because of the unbearable heat. After traipsing about a bit (and Maya and I got to drink our fave Chinito’s buko & gulaman), we parted ways, promising to meet again at night for videoke.
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| OPS at Myrna’s |
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| set 1 picture at Manang Terry’s |
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| set 2 picture at Manang Terry’s |
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| The Huggables (less Gay & Apple) |
***Met up at Raquel’s place because she had a car and could take us all to the venue of our High School grand reunion – VJ’s house in Calarian, where we used to have our high school class parties. We were there an hour late yet the others arrived two hours later than us. After a few bites to eat I had to leave for my videoke date, and Gim was kind enough to bring me there on Fli’s motorcycle.
***Met a few more College classmates in Alejandra’s videoke place. We sang and danced and ate the night away.
***Celebrated my dad’s birthday (which falls on New Year’s day) the traditional way – with lots of food and no fireworks (we have been anti-explosives eversince a whistle bomb from the neighbors exploded on my little brother’s foot when we were kids) and lots of visitors.
***Went to the airport early and chatted with VJ while we waited for Cebu Pacific to allow us to check in. Waited for Reggie so we could check in together and have side-by-side seats. We didn’t get last-called this time. At the Manila airport there were so many people it took us forever to get out and get home.
oh wow… it is fun to see you write about myrna’s bakeshop. I find it funny to have wrote something about their mango pie in my blog. it is nice to know that you, too, are from zamboanga city. good luck!<BR/><BR/>eugene salmon, the best tasting thing on land and in the sea.