40 Days Vacation: Day 2

Sunday- November 20, 2011

We visited SM Megamall last Sunday basically for one purpose- attend a Sunday mass. It was a surprise to my fiancee when she learned that the priest to conduct the 12:30pm mass is Father Mario. The same priest who is viewed online via TFC.

After the mass, we headed to Goldilocks and bought a cake as our birthday present to my lovable niece- Jia Alexandria.

While waiting in line inside the store, I randomly took photos of the different varieties of cakes and here are those random photos.

The cake we bought for Jia

We went out of the mall and tripped to take some photos in front of the mall and here's the attraction in between the entrance alley.

 

And the influx of people that's going to and fro in this mall whose famed in the late 90's as one of the biggest, if not the biggest mall.

We headed to Carmona, Cavite- the place of my ate to join the simple celebration of my niece birthday. What we bought for her was a cake. Here's some photos:

My Ate's family: Nikko, Ate, Jia (the birthday girl), Kuya & John Howard

It was a simple celebration that truly worth treasuring since we're almost complete in the family. My nanay and tatay, my ate and her family. The only two people missing in the scene are our youngest who happens to be twins. Jorlan in KSA and Jordan in UAE.

A Musician's Dream

Yesterday was a day so blessed.

I was with my family in Festival Supermall in Alabang basically to fulfill a promise neither anyone of 'em had it known. A random act of kindness indeed.

I went with them to treat them for a shopping spree at my expense. Some of them were wond'rin but most were like in high heavens for their dreams were made realized.

And one of these excited people in my family is my nephew who had been dying to own a new guitar. A dream that he'd started working on saving some pennies just to buy 'em at the appropriate time. Only to find out that what he got as of the moment wasn't enough to pay for the entire amount the guitar had cost. So, the Santa in me ran for a rescue. Who won't it's yuletide season and what's more satisfying than having someone's ultimate desire be realized.

With that and to his surprise, I led him to "Lazer Music Store" in the upper ( I guess 3rd floor) part of the mall. And there, I had him choose which electric guitar does he want.

I can see the smiling aura in him as he started to check out the guitars hung for sale. And here's what he had gotten.


A Samick Electric Guitar

A smile of a fulfilled person

A realized random act of kindness

Ready to rock on!

I don't have photos for others since I forgot my camera in my fiancee's condo unit and these photos were taken after the shopping and mall strolling.

One down baby! 20 more to go and it's gettin' more and more exciting.

Thanks God for making me realized this plan.

Randoms @ Khobar

As part of our tradition, whenever someone from the group goes for vacation, it is our custom (though at some occasion we tend to miss) to honor him as a send-off gesture from us. And tonight is my lucky night. Hmmm...am I really lucky? (ako ang taya..waahhh)

Since Satty McScotty has his car, he's used to fetching us up from our respective location, some from the office while other from their flats. We finally completed at around 8pm. From Dammam we drove through the traffic-free highways of Dammam heading to Khobar at a speed that only consumed us thirty minutes.

FIRST STOP:

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Since I need to claim my plane ticket from Ted (youngest brother of my fiancee) in Hail Center in a nearby Rakkah. It was the first stop of our so called race. A race of fun, bonding and food tripping. We reached the place and luckily I didn't find it hard to locate where exactly Ted parked his car. So after a short chit-chat, we headed to another location and it's our second stop of the night

SECOND STOP:

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We need to drop by at Jarir Bookstore. For what reason? Well, I need to return a D5100 Nikon Camera manual since when I bought the camera last October 21 two Arabic language manual was mistakenly inserted in the box. And so I need to ask for an English manual since my Arabic know-how is far from an ace grade in college. And it was both funny and irritating since I need to exchange few hard words to a Filipino salesman due to his suspicion that maybe I'm just fooling him over. And I told him, how come I would really pay a visit to their store if my intention wasn't pure. I understand his predicament since a month had past before I came back to had the manual exchange. In response, I told him that I find it hard to visit due to my hectic office schedule plus the fact that I'm miles away from the Jarir Store where I bought the said item. Eventually, he gave in and handed me over the English manual. After that quite heated scene we left the bookstore and proceed to our third stop.

THIRD STOP:

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All are in a very flashy smile mood since they started imagining the food that we're gonna eat. Satty suggested to dine in at Herfy but I refused since the original plan was "Thai Restaurant". And so we headed to the latter near my former place. I used to be staying in Khobar for two consecutive years before I went home and joined back to another company where Dammam is the location. We walked upstairs right through the family section in the second floor of the restaurant. I tended our order and asked them if I could leave for a while to meet up with my "suking barbero". I badly need a haircut since I guess it's been ages when I last had scissor run through my thinning hair. After the haircut session I quickly got back to the restaurant. We had our prayer of thanks and we devour aromatic indulgence. The funny thing was we need to hurry up since the resto was scheduled to close @10pm and we've just started savoring the sumptuous dinner I treated. We had to finish the meal for like 15-20 minutes. Plus we're the last customer of the night. Though a bit agitated about the time, we still managed to enjoy the food. I have been loving Thai cuisines as it really fits my taste buds. Here are random photos we took 

ME and bro. Roel - an HH member.

Feasting on food

Say cheese!

What we had on our table are: Pad Thai Noodles with cashew and "togue", Fried Rice Thai style, Mixed Seafood soup, Deep Fry Lapulapu in Thai style and Bottomless Iced Tea. We have been fully loaded. Whapakk!

FOURTH STOP:

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After the palatable and truly savory dinner meal at Thai Resto, we headed to a mall famed to be the melting pot of lots of pinoys-- Al Rhamaniyah Mall. We decided to stop by just to kill the time and to have the food inside our tummies digest in. We had our window shopping, though bro. Roel can't really resist a Nike shoes being sold at a sale price so he grabbed the chance to buy one at a discounted rate. I guess almost half the price. And while some of us were busy doing some annoying stuff inside the boutique we tripped to take random photos and here's what we've got.

Dammam Boys strike a pose

Doning a Pacquiao- Marquez pose

Teach me how to boobsie...LoL!

Camera shy

And here the main course of the evening. LoL! A Satty McScotty's parody of being a mannequin as he tried to pose in every corner and see if he's fit to be one. And it seems he passed my verdict. His towering height of 6" flat can convince bystanders and by passers to mistaken him as one of them. LoL.hahaha! Look at the photos below for full proof.

Wannabe mannequin

Serious Satty

Now that's a crap! LoL

This one looks real

Is that teach me how to doggie Rob?

Jabawokees minus the mask?

Finally, we got out of the mall and dropped by at a nearby Filipino bakery "Queens Bakery" to buy few breads. And we went straight home at around 11pm.

The Fish Experience

We trooped down to the wet market last November 4 – that was Friday afternoon at the Dammam Fish Market. And these are the random photos I took while walking along inside. Some locals won't allow me to take photos but I insisted. The "makulet" side of me worked. And it ended that some of them even requested me to give them a shot at the camera. Sorry I didn't post it here. Next time nalang. So here are the different varieties of fishes:

Lapu-Lapu

Di ko alam kung anong klaseng isda 'to. Pero edible daw! LoL

Pati eto di ko rin alam lahat

Eto pa..

Pating-patingan..LoL..Pating talaga yan!

Malalaking Hipon 

Lobster (di ko alam sa tagalog)

What we bought are the following: Yellow Fin Tuna, Bigger Bangus, Tambakul, at Hipon. You can't find some from here kasi tinamad na akong mag-upload. Sobrang dami kasi eh.

I was with bro. Satt, Robert, & Herman. I was thinkin’ of taking photos of the different fish varieties including sea foods so I decided to goof around with fish vendors. I begun clicking my phone camera and here's what I had. 

Satty busy sipping his hot "chai tea"

Rob was trying to figure out which one to choose.

And this was our market escapade. Ang daming isda at ang mura. Tapos ang linis pa ng wet market compared sa atin.

The River Under

I've been thrilled and fascinated when I've heard and read from the news that our very own natural wonder made it to the provisional New Seven Wonders of Nature.


Ever since I can remember I have always been dreaming of arranging a getaway in the last frontier of the South - PALAWAN. This nature lover side of me has always been comfortable communing with nature. Well, the fact that it brings a soothing and relaxing treat when air caresses you. Aside from the fact that it's pure and clean, free from the irritating pollution of the metropolis. The sight of the sea and the wonder of nature itself is what enthralls me to wander and be lost in a paradise of our own.


The size of the video won't fit in so I'll just provide you the link: New Seven Wonders of Nature - Underground River in Palawan. 


Another pride, another honor. 

The Entrance to the Under Ground River Cave

The Wonderment of Stalactites and Stalagmites 

The Wonder is Inside 

A Testament of it's growing tourists visit

Indeed, truly world class - a sight to sigh and behold! Our own, a gift from God. A wonder of nature carefully sculpted through time.

And Still ................

The Trilogy Saga Has Just Ended

It's really a problem for people with emphasis to many of our countrymen and even to the world. They have high expectations set for themselves from Manny. Never did they imagine nor realize that Pacquiao, at some point, wouldn't gave them a fight the way they wanted or simply Pacquiao didn't deliver that much as they have highly expected.

They should realize as well the it's freakin' hard to stand up there, fight, receive painful jabs, carry the nation's flag and discounting the will to give up just for his country. Even if he is regarded as the P4P King, he's still subject to vulnerability. A vulnerability that could even lead to a loss should he not too careful with his opponent.

And tonight's fight was a classic example that Pacquiao is still human and isn't an invincible creature as touted by some if not many. If some losses their beliefs in the fighting ability of Manny, it's your loss and not him. 

For me, I still firmly believe in Manny and will never change or be lost should a loss lands on his face.  

Plus, these bunch of irksome and cynical craps acted as if they were the official judges scoring the match. When clearly, judges score cards didn't even favor Marquez for once. All that he has is a draw from one of them.

Who says he was robbed of the win? A loser would always claim he was robbed of winning just to compensate his hurting pride and  listens to the sympathy of lots of cynical nincompoops pretentious to know more of boxing rules when clearly they are just bunch of skeptic morons whose knowledge in boxing is insufficient.

So for me, the clear winner...AND STILL the defending champion "The People's Champ" Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao.

No one else, nothing more, nothing less!

The trilogy saga has been officially ended. The question is: "Will there be a fourth one? I hope so, it would be another exciting, equally furious & controversial ring meet-up.

A Song For Her

Indeed, God gave me you. And I'm thanking high heaven for a worthy gift of a lifetime.

This awesome and heart-melting song is lovingly dedicated to my fiancee- Milwida Domingo

In 30 days you'll officially be my wife and I am thankful to God for you.

I have been listening to this song by Brian White for the nth times. I just can't get over. It's like my breakfast, lunch, and dinner rolled into one.

It all summed up how our roller coaster kind of romance and love has been, is,  and will be. And ours isn't a smooth one. I'm not even a perfect boyfriend she had and never will be perfect. But through my imperfection, she learned to love me more as she accepted all in me.  She had seen the worst in me for the nth times as well. 

And now, it's time to give her what she's worth. It's time to show 'em the best that I've got.  And only after our wedding will it be realized.

Like the few lines in the lyrics of the songs which says:

For all the times I wore my self pity

Like a favorite shirt

All wrapped in that hurt

For every glass I saw

I saw half empty

Now it overflows like a river into my soul

For every doubt I had I'm finally free

Now I truly believe

God gave me you to show me what's real

There's more to life than just how I feel

And all that I'm worth is right before my eye

To both of us, may God continue to guide us in every step we take and every decision we make. And amidst all misunderstandings that we had and we'll still have, we claim that God will always find ways to lead us back into each other's caring arms.

To my soon to be wife, thank you for the unconditional love you've shown me. 

Game of Words

It's scrabble time.....

I, together with my SFC buddies, Satty McScotty, Rob Cabalsa, Jefferson Alfaro spent our time playing scrabble on Thursday night. Good thing it's Friday the next day and we are all on a rest day.


Below were our recorded scores. Happy to have won in three separate games. But I lost in Game 5 with a score of 75 due to my inattentiveness. I was busy watching you tube videos of Billy Crawford during his stint in France. We all knew that Billy was famous then in all of Europe popularizing the hit songs "Keep on Trackin' and "Bright Lights". It also reminded me of my once presence in his major concert in the Philippines way back in 2006. To know more about Billy, please click this link Billy Crawford

I don't know if this will have a succession. I mean, if we'll still have a round two and so on. I hope so to at least be challenged and maintain my rank. LoL. hahaha! I've always been competitive in any of the sports game or mental exercises I've competed into. I still have this kind of attitude with me due to my stint in quiz bees in my college life.


We finished at around 3am since Rob was a bit tipsy already. Jeff and Rob had their share of  the famous "sadike"--a formulated but not regulated nor underwent quality inspection liquor here. As we all know, liquors are banned here in the kingdom. And if caught in the act, a severe punishment of I guess 50 lashes plus the reality of immediate deportation confronts the offender.


So, for the record, I never tried it and have no plan in the future. Good night guys! Oh sorry, it's good mornight na pala!


Keep safe you all. God bless -:)

Torture

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Dito sa loob sa kabila ng dingding

Sa likod ng pinto sa gitna ng dilim

Lumakad, tumayo, humiga, umupo

Isip lumilipad sa malayong-malayo

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Wala doon, wala dito

Wala sa kanya kundi na sa iyo

Ang umaga, ang tanghali, ang gabi, ang hapon

At ang bawat sandali ng bawat panahon

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Dito sa silid sa sulok sa gilid

Sa taas ng sahig, sa ibabaw ng banig

Bumiling biling, pumikit' dumilat

Diwa'y gising at kalat-kalat

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Hindi bangungot hindi panaginip

Hindi guni-guni o gawa ng isip

Sulyap sa saloobin ng isang hapo

Kapiraso ng pangarap na malabong malabo

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Dito sa ngayon, sa harap ng kasalukuyan

Sa likod ng kahapon, ikatlo sa kinabukasan

Nakaupo, nag-iisip sa gitna ng dilim

Naghahanap ng matulis na patalim

Wala doon, wala dito, walang makita ni kahit anino.

An Act of Silence

"I think a man who lives right and is right has more power in his silence than another man has by his words." - Phillip Brooks


And so I set the record straight. I'll pay more attention to silence. Silence will be my company for now. And as the title would speak I'll let it act on its own time. If you'd ask me how long will it take me, the answer is "uncertain". I just let things the way it is now and will just focus on all the highly important elements in my life now.


I am slowly disintegrating myself to what I consider less important. I'm detaching from it. I'm putting myself in isolation. More so like a solitary confinement. 


Indeed, time has flown so fast and like a water in a stream noisily running down through so fast, I can't bring back the time I've lost. The time where I could have said "I could have done this and done that". But, as they say, God has His reason for any single thing we experience. All I could do is to just see the wisdom in all of those things and learn from it. Capture it, hold it, and move on.


And I am moving on. And part of this journey is detaching myself from all the less important elements in me. Part of it is to create separate ways, moving on a separate path.


I'll create another world for me. I'll embark on new friendship. And yeah, I have started already and will nurture what is constantly blossoming.


This is my solid attempt to break out from the monotony of my life. I feel the need to and I will do it. Much has been said, words has its own sour bites in me.


All I can do is to take on a challenge which I will set for myself. A challenge not motivated by the prodding words of people around me. But it's more of a self-cry to change, more of an inner need to face the revolution within me.


And so the silent battle is on.

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