Relishing the Antiquities

On our first day, we went to Fort Santiago at Intramuros and traced the steps of Rizal leading to Luneta. Afterwards, we went to Luneta to experience the lights, sounds and sculptural show regarding the last few hours of Rizal's life. Now this is Rizal stuff. haha




Rizal's foot steps.
Hello again, Luneta! The flag pole by the way is the tallest in the country and the money spent reconstructing it after a pole somewhere in Subic (I think) bypassed it height, would have been used for some other meaningful purposes.

I did not appreciate the show that because some tour guide ruined the moment for us (I am not going to exaggerate on this but I wish I could cut his hair short for revenge's sake).

 On our last day of the fieldtrip and possibly the most packed with people. We went to the Aguinaldo Shrine (now, this doesn't have anything to do with Rizal, isn't it?) only to find out during our way there that there are more than 20 busses scheduled to tour the place. Luckily, we were the first bus from our tour to arrive. There were already many people by that time and the number blew out of proportions before we left. There were just so many people lining up outside the Aguinaldo Shrine, waiting to have a glimpse of the house of the country’s first president.

 The house was majestic. It was something considered big and spacious in today’s generation. You can call it a mansion, fit for rich people. Considering the times, I just can imagine how rich the Aguinaldo family was in the old times. Their house would probably be something in the level of a palace during those times. I was more amazed when we were told that it was designed by Emilio Aguinaldo himself, without any architectural backgrounds and that it was built through the bayanihan of the people of Cavite.  I just couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw that they had their own bowling alley, which made me think that they are really that rich.





The declaration of independence and the flag was first waved in the balcony of this house. I was told that it was actually just from the window, since the house had no balcony during that time.

The house contained some secret tunnels and we only saw a few. We only toured the two floors and the experience would have been complete had we seen the entire 7 or 6.5 storeys of the house. Our teacher was lucky enough to tour the entire house. She made us wait for I can't remember how long, even when we were instructed to only stay for just 15 minutes. Talk about not being pasaway, eh? Then she had the guts to show some air and brag about her experience (Oh common, just shut up!). And she was mad for us for enjoying the movie in the bus, and whose fault was it that we were enjoying a movie while someone was playing the VIP trick? 

PI 100 Fieldtrip: The Museum Tour

My last year in college just couldn't get any more expensive! It all started with the OJT in Makati, then the Ilahas Fieldtrip in Cebu, then the graduation expenses, then the payment for the board review and then this! My teacher in PI 100 announced that we would be having a field trip in Manila which by the way makes up for 25% of our grade. Did I mention that she didn't mention anything about a field trip ever since we started having class? She just told us about this 'fun' thingy barely 2 or 3 weeks before the scheduled field trip. She was basically insisting that we join the field trip instead of doing a paper work for an alternative, I might add.

Why am I making a big fuss out of this? My reasoning is rather simple, I might say. I paid P10,100 for a field trip that in my opinion have very little to do with Rizal, who happened to be the central topic of PI100. And the services? Oh, don't get me started with it! I don't think that the services and sorts did not match up to the amount I paid for. First, they let us eat at Jollibee and Chowking (not that I have any thing against these fast food chains). Seriously, we paid that much and we are only supposed to eat at a fast food? Second, the buffet sucks. I'm not demanding for something popular. All I wanted was somewhere nice to eat where the type of food lives up to the price we are paying. I am not posting anything food related regarding about the field trip because there just wasn't anything worthy to post, to start with. Third, was that really a hotel we were staying? With around 200 people, they can get a huge discount to some decent hotel but they let us settle for something I would classify as a motel. Lastly, do you call strolling half a day at MOA a field trip? Like, what the heck is wrong with you? There were so many items in the itinerary that we haven't been to. I would have appreciated it if they haven't written down those items in the itinerary. It was just so disappointing. If I were to choose between that Ilahas field trip and this, oh, my answer would be clearer than a cloudless sky. I would definitely choose Ilahas. The services, food, & hotel were way better. There weren't problems while we were on the trip, unlike this one.  Also, we weren't given ample time to enjoy the stops in this field trip. I felt like we were always running after time, catching our breaths, instead of enjoying the moment.If there was anything nice about this whole tour, it would have to be the Corregidor part and our tour guide and coach captain who were very nice. You really can't blame us if we enjoyed watching movies at our bus more, instead of going out, don't you? :)

The first day was all about museums. I have nothing against museums personally, but what do they have to do with Rizal? Ok, so some have items related to Rizal, but they don't make up the whole museum. We are taking Rizal, not History, for chrisakes!

THE UST MUSEUM
It's not my first time to be in UST but it was my first time to visit the UST Museum which was closed the last time we went there. It is said to be the oldest museum in the country and I really like how they separated the sculptures, paintings and relics from one another. 





Me with St. Dominic. 





NATIONAL HISTORICAL INSTITUTE
This museum had lots of items about the heroes, whether named or not, the presidents and the rest of our history. They've got quite a handful of items about Rizal including the lamp with which he hid the Mi Ultimo Adios. I like how the OIC explained and described to us the items in the museum. It was a good thing he switched places with the girl who was letting our teacher do all the talking instead of doing her job.





Say hello to these awesome presidential cars!
NATIONAL MUSEUM
The National Museum had to buildings. One for the Museum of the Filipino People and the other for the National Art Gallery. I was really looking forward for the National Art Gallery but unfortunately, we were only able to tour the ground floor. And it's not even a full tour of the said floor because we were not allowed to enter the sculptures room that was full of white sculptures (perhaps they think that due to our number, we might cause some damage). 






Some items in the Rizal Collection. The photo in the upper left is A Mother's Revenge while the one at the lower left is a comparison of Rizal's work and two other replicas.
My favorite part of the musuem! I just love the concept and the effect! :)
The Spolarium was so huge and the meaning behind it was just so deep. I never really bothered before about what the story might be behind the infamous painting.


Credits: Thank you Elmark, Lecza and Jessel for some of the photos :

Mga Mumunting Hinanaing

Wala akong masyadong alam tungkol sa ‘fashion’ kaya marahil wala akong karapatan manghusga kung anong maganda o bagay sa isang tao. Pero siguro naman kahit isang ordinaryong tao na walang kamuang-muang sa mga jeggings, DIY at ootd, alam naman siguro ang limitasyon sa pagdadamit at pagmake-up.

Patok ngayon ang mga shorts. May mga short shorts na, meron pang pekpek shorts at kung ano pang tawag sa mga shorts na yan. At dahil sunod sa uso ang karamihan, halos saan ka man tumingin lahat nakashorts. Wala naman talaga akong problema kung sa gusto lang talaga nila ipakita ang magaganda at makikinis nilang hita at legs. Ang sa akin lang naman, ilagay naman sana nila sa lugar. Nakakainis lang kasi makakita ng mga babae na gustong irespeto pero ni hindi man lang nag-aalinlangan magsuot ng maong na panty. Iyon bang tipong halos lahat na makita sa kanila tapos sila pa itong may ganang magreklamo ng pambabastos. Naku naman! Ayaw mong mabastos? Magdagdag ka kasi ng kahit na kapirangot na saplot sa katawan mo. Kung siguro nalaman ng mga ninuno natin habang tumatagal, paikli at paikli ang mga suot ng mga kababaihan, malamang pinahabaan pa nila ang suot ni Maria Clara. Baka nga naging kasinghaba pa ng mga traje de boda ang mga kasuotan noon.

Wala akong pakialam kung gusto ng iba ang magmake-up araw-araw. Panahon at pagod naman nila yun, hindi akin. Pero may ilan na sobra sobra na talaga. Yung bang tipo na alam mo na mayaman sila sa make up, na para bang ilang marka lang ang itinaas ng mukha nila kung ikukumpara sa drawing ng isang kindergarten. Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ba ako o magagalit o maawa. Malamang na hindi sila nakaharap sa salamin bago lumabas ng bahay. O baka tulog pa iyong utak nila nang magmake up sila. Meron pang iba na kung makaasta akala mo kung sinong maganda na sila, na porket nakamake-up na sila maganda na sila at may karapatan na silang manlait ng iba. Oo maganda ang pagkakamake-up niyo. Ba’t hindi niyo kaya subukan tanggalin? Malamang, hindi kagandahang asal lang maiiwan sa inyo. Pasensya na, pero talagang mas gusto ko lang ang mga maganda na walang kaartehan sa katawan, yung bang maganda pero hindi ipinagsisigawan na maganda sila.


Marahil may kasakitan ang mga nasabi ko. Marahil may natamaan, may napaisip, may nagalit, may nagkibit balikat. Ang gusto ko lang naman ay mailahad ang aking mga kaunting saloobin tungkol sa mga bagay bagay, gaano man ito kaliit o walang kwenta. Sana sa susunod na lumabas kayo ng bahay, tumingin muna kayo sa salamin kung mukha ba kayong desente, kung makakalakad ka ba sa harap ng maraming tao ng taas noo, kung hindi ka ba malalait o mababastos. Sana man lang, kahit papaano ay napaisip ka tungkol sa mga hinaing ko.

Hello 2014!

It’s probably too impulsive to say but I think 2014 just isn’t going to be my year. If it’s any indication, I had the worst New Year’s Eve celebration ever, not that I could really call it a celebration. The mood was not even close to what one would consider festive. Though fireworks lit the sky and bangs and booms from firecrackers filled the air, all I could really concentrate my mind on was the heavy pouring rain which seemed never to stop and my mother who have been sick after the end of the Christmas celebration. I spend the rest of the first day of 2014 in the hospital, crossing my fingers, hoping that nothing was seriously wrong with my mom. Guess my lucky stars ain’t cruising that night as I got a direct blow to my chest with the doctor telling us that a 15cm ovarian mass has been taking shelter in my mother’s remaining ovary. Somehow it made me question why her doctor didn't remove both of her ovaries when she had an operation ten years ago because if she did, I would have enjoyed the last vacation I will get in college, considering my last semestral break had been nothing but winds and rains and chaos and darkness and Yolanda.

My life had never been picture perfect. I played it along the safe side, nothing too spectacular or challenging or boring. It has been like these for as long as I can imagine and nothing might have prepared me for something as big as a series of unfortunate events. First came Yolanda, then my mother getting an operation, a strike in my father’s company and then here goes a field trip that will cost a fortune but will save me from the hassle of doing a term paper and my phone just went on a swimming trip.  And oh, next week, the result of the biopsy will be out and this time, I’m praying it will not be cancerous. I just wouldn't know what to do with my life if that happens.

My family from my mother’s side (the issue deserves a separate post) said that me and my brother was sort of chilling’ out while we wait for the operation to be over. Little did they know I have been silently praying, asking God for my mom to be okay. I never for once shed a tear, not they saw me anyway. Nobody knew how choked I am to stop myself from crying. I had to smile and laugh. After all, I’m so good with putting up a mask that it will seem like child’s play. I only allowed myself to breakdown once. It was the time when I got the chance to go home and pack my things. Naturally, nobody was home, except me and the eerie silence and my favorite teddy bear that had dried my tears since I was in high school. It was the only time during the whole ordeal that I let myself be vulnerable. You see, I had to be strong. It wasn't the choice I made. It was something the circumstances dictated.


I don’t know how downhill things could still go from here. I am pretty much convinced that this is the lowest point in my life. It just felt like some nightmare and I badly need to wake up. Some people might say this might not be as hard as life can get, but I say this is just plain hard for me. I don’t think I can hold up for a very long time. I can see myself nearly cracking at the edge. I just can’t imagine how worse things can still get. I don’t think I have enough energy or spirit left to sustain another fatal impact. But for now, I hope things would return to normal. You know, to the not picture perfect but okay life I had always lived. And I am hoping it will happen sooner rather than later. 

Exams, Reunions and Weird Stuffs in Between

So maybe we haven't seen nor talked to each other in a long time. So what?

I've spent half of my life with these people and I suppose that is enough justification why getting them out of my system would kill me. I fooled around, laughed, cried, and dreamed with them for too long a time to simply just ignore or forget them.

After graduating high school, we traveled different paths. Mine brought me to UP, away from my comfort zone. Once in a while we get together and I really enjoy spending time with them. It makes me remember those times we had together. This year I had 2 opportunities to bond with them again. Thank God for the board exams! haha. Recently they took their exams here in Iloilo and we decided to celebrate after finishing their exams.

First came the CPA board exam. We never really got to see each other during their review stint here in the city so out of nowhere we decided to hang out after their exams. We had lunch and believe me, the people in the restaurant were witness to just how noisy we can get. Nica was arguing to three future accountants and an engineer about her change. Haha. And I swear she wouldn't shut her mouth until she got it and we had to explain the same thing to her over and over again. We were technically arguing about it inside the restaurant until we decided to settle it outside.

Then came the nursing board exam. I was a bit in a tight schedule but I just felt like making time for them. Perhaps, I just miss them that much. We had dinner together and I;m not really sure if going to Smallville to drink coffee at Coffeebreak will count as a night out.






When we get together we always seem to have the same topic. A topic I never feel awkward talking with them. Actually I find it weird why talking about it with them seems so natural and easy as to compared to my college friends. Perhaps it was a topic that always pop out in our high school days and now we find discussing it as something normal. haha.

It just amazing how far we can be from each other and how much time had passed by but nothing changed, well except our age or bodies perhaps. Being with them is just so easy and fun. I just hope we won't change especially now that we are in a new era in our lives. I just hope that someday we could all sit down together and laugh about our past and talk about any topic we can think of.

11.08.13

It's exactly month now. It has been one month after Yolanda brought destruction to the country to earn her retirement from PAG-ASA's list of typhoon names. It has been a month and I'm still alive. That's what matters, isn't it?

November 8, 2013. I woke up after a good night's sleep and was thinking that PAG-ASA made another mistake. Little did I know that I was going to experience literally the 'calm before the storm'. It was the longest 2-4 hours of my life. I never thought a day would come that I would come to hate the wind and the rain so much. I've never been more scared in my life than at that moment. All I could do was curse at the wind and rain to stop as I felt completely helpless while Yolanda went  around knocking trees down, ruining houses, taking lives. This is by far the worst and most memorable typhoon I have ever encountered and I never want something like that to happen again, never again.

After Yolanda left, this is how our place looked like. All of a sudden, the place felt foreign, unfamiliar to me. 










Disaster after disaster. A typhoon after an earthquake. An earthquake after a war. It makes me think that  someone up there is really punishing us. Perhaps we're getting a little out of hand so he's sending us something to tell us that we haven't been good lately. Shouldn't we at least thank him for sparing our lives? I think that these disaster aren't just some sort of coincidence but some sort of wake up call to change our ways.
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