Road Mishap - Ten Wheeler Truck Overturned

We are on our way home last night from my wife’s place when something went wrong on the road 20 kilometers away from our place in Dammam. I’m with my brother-in-law and his wife

We passed the “check point” phase smoothly and drove fast when suddenly we need to lower down our speed because the vehicles ahead of us did so. We were wondering what happened far ahead of us that caused the traffic congestion.

It’s quite absurd to think that when you’re in a slight hurry to reach home something unlikely would happen that would test your patience. So we patiently waited while our speed is like a turtle-paced.

About Tourist Spots, Fun in the Sun, Exotic Foods to Exciting Local Destinations: Top 10 Places I Want To Visit In "The Philippines "

Took this photo when we visited Coron last December 2011

I've been hyped-up with the current AVP of DOT posted in YT as their attempt to strengthen and boost at par our country's tourism campaign. When I saw the video last night, I feel like booking a ticket, direct flight going back home and getaway to all the amazing destinations I haven't reached yet in our country. Sobrang dami pala talaga. Ako man ay namangha sa nakita ko. Presented in HD resolution, no one would be left not awed of these amazing sights and sites our country is bountiful to have been endowed. 

About Tourism Campaign, Exciting Places & People: It's More Fun in The Philippines - New Campaign Video

I plan to write about this last night pero di na kinaya ng antok ko para tumipa pa sa laptop (bangag lang). Ikaw ba naman ang maging baby sitter ng almost 2-months old na cute boy (i-claim nang cute, walang kokontra), siguradong paglapat palang ng likod mo sa bed tiyak na ang “snoring session” niyan.

In short, my fight to stay awake didn’t win last night. Pero kahit puyat man, may malaking ngiti naman sa mga labi kasi bukod sa masaya ako to be with my son and wife every weekend, may isang bagay pa na nagpangiti sa akin kagabi habang binabaybay ko ang kahabaan ng daan patungong Dammam. Galing kasi ako ng Al Ahsa where my wife and son stays. My work is stationed in Dammam kaya weekend lang kami nagkikita-kita.

About Dream Destinations, Historical & Modern Places, and Fascinating Countries: 15 World Places I Want To Visit

The reader in me brought me to the different countries of the world. 

It was when I was second year HS when I read the "World History" authored by Gregorio F. Zaide. It's the favorite book I always borrow from our librarian everytime I happen to sit in the library. Since then I love history class and excelled in it. Though during my HS, two of my favorite subjects were Science (Physics and Chemistry in particular) and Math. I'm not an ace student per say, my being in the honor's list was due to my consistent study habit. I just read in advance and study lesson in advance to cope up with the stress of being a high schooler.

Anyway, that's not the main topic, let's go back to what I'm about to reveal to all of you. Perhaps, most of you, if not all, have your dream places or countries you want to visit. Or if given the chance, you want to permanently settle in. And I must say, most of you are working your butt off just to save some money to experience a cruise or a flight to the destination of your choice. Right isn't it?

Well, here's the list of the top fifteen destinations, historical or modern places my feet would love to step in and enjoy the moment of being there.

TEASER - 2nd Blogversary Contest

Calendar check? Oh! Nalalapit na pala ang 2^nd Blogversary ko. Siguro mas mainam kung may konting “isprikitik” akong gagawin – hahaha! Anong isprikitik kaya eto. Hulaan mo? Hulaan ko? Maghulaan tayo hahaha!

It’s very timely to celebrate my second year in blogging world with a purposeful idea. Wow! purposeful daw LoLs! I am making my entry light and with a twist of humor para di naman laging seryoso ang mga usapan sa blog ko. May napapaiyak na nga ako sa mga iilan kong makabagbag damdaming entry haha.  Kaya medyo cool lang ang gagamitin kung mga wordings dito at ita-Taglish ko lang. Pasintabi po muna sa mga “forengers” ah este “foreigners” readers ko. Gamitan nyo nalang po ng google translate.

Teka eh ano kaya kung sa native vernacular ko dalihin ang ibang mga salita dito. LoLs. Di kaya magalit naman ang mga kababayan kong di nakakapagsalita ng aking diyalekto? Hmmm…siguro may kaibigan naman silang marunong magsalita ng diyalekto ko kaya anong ginagawa ng precision translation services ng mga friendly friends nila. LoLs.

Ok here we go! I’ll try my native dialect. Just for once people..LoLs! Nagtuna ako magblog nang diyes ng Agosto sa tuig nga 2010. Mahilig gid man ako iya magsulat ngani hay tamang tama lang nga nasayuran ko nga may blog gali nga tuyad ini. LoLs! Oh! Readers are you pissed off now? Hope not. Just enjoy every word and try to read between lines. Baka maintindihan nyo rin kay bukon man ton madayum tanan.

The reason for this entry is to plug my upcoming 2^nd Blogversary which will happen on August 10, 2012. Wow, it’s short of two months before Ill reach the second year of enjoyable blogging. 

One of Nature's Perfect Spot - Kayangan Lake

I think I am back!

Have you missed me? I hope so, I sure do missed you too readers and peekers!

I'm really back. 

By the way, this is just a simple entry, just to entice you with photos during my wife's and I adventure last year.

These photos below were taken last December 2011 during our honeymoon island getaway in Coron, Palawan. I fell in love with the place and is thinking of re-visiting it on summer of 2013. Nature has a soft spot in my heart having been raised in a typical country side of Sibuyan island in Romblon. I can well identify to its sensitivity, the tranquil surrounding upon which only nature's sound can be heard and the sweet voices of the many bird species enchanted and serenaded our experience.

The place itself is located in one of the many islands that dot Coron and is reachable from Coron via a short, probably 45 minutes pump-boat ride. Upon reaching the island and an uphill hike and down a hill, you’ll reach a lake that simply takes your breath away.

And please don’t forget to take photos in an area where you can see the sea where you came from. Nature seems to have conveniently placed a large rock to sit and take in the view.

TRAVEL -Tara Na! Sa Paraiso ng SIBUYAN - The Galapagos of Asia

Cresta de Gallo - is a kidney-shaped unexploited islet
 45 minutes off Sibuyan Island. Cresta boasts a dazzling
white sand beach, vast coral reef teeming with colorful
and breath-taking underwater life making it ideal for snorkeling
and scuba diving, unusual volcanic rock formations,and most
of all, serene and paradise-like surroundings thereby making
your stay on the island, no matter how brief, a memorable one.

"Sabi ko sa inyo, dadalhin ko kayo sa paraiso eh! Wow!" --yan ang pambungad na mga salita ng TV Host/Actor Richard Gutierrez sa trailer ng kanyang pinakabagong show sa GMA 7 na pinamagatang "PINOY ADVENTURES".

I feel so proud that he'll be featuring our place - Sibuyan Island- as a pilot episode on May 13, 2012. It's the first time our place will be featured in full length episodes ( I guess, it'll have three episodes) on TV.

Here's the video of the trailer of that upcoming show of Richard Gutierrez. 

10 Things I Love About "The Philippines"

When the sure-fire hit video "20 Things I Dislike About The Philippines" came out I've tried to be objective at most.  After all, the guy who authored it has all the freedom in terms of speech and expressing his opinions. But minutes away after I clicked it, I began to be defensive and a bit annoyed. I personally took it at heart. Maybe patriotism and loyalty took its action in me. 

Admittedly, most if not all of what he'd said were true. Certainly, comments made by him should be taken as constructive criticism if we really want to take positive and sustainable action for change. 

So why am I that offended? When usually I am the type of guy who would take  opinions open-minded. 

I just can't believe when at some course of my random chat conversation to a number of foreigners online and asking them if they know all about my country -The Philippines. I was ecstatically surprised when I guess 80% of them knew little about my country.

As someone who solidly support the tourism ad campaign of our country at present, I felt disrespected more than cheated with this viral video depicting dislikes about our nation. I felt that somehow it is hindering my own "It's More Fun In The Philippines" campaign. And knowing how powerful web and media are, certainly it can ruins our effort in boosting our tourism industry.

And as a solid response, I decided to bring your attention to "Ten Things I Love About The Philippines". Maybe some of you might get caught with the same things I love. And I urge you readers to randomly check fascinating things and facts that made you LOVE THE PHILIPPINES.

FOR THE LOVE OF "Starbucks Mugs"

She has a collection.

She marveled at the sight of it inside their house.

And so I am granting again another wish or shall I say humble request from her.

In one of our chat conversation through Facebook and before we flew in back in the Mid East, these were her wishes and humble requests.

“Jay, don’t forget my mugs from the Mid-East ha!, don’t have any of them yet, plus, the “ref magnet” pahabol at nakangiti niyang sabi. 

Who would resist granting these requests if the favor comes from someone as sweet and bubbly as my good friend Kay? I bet no one would especially if the request comes from her tender voice and disarming smile. Naks, disarming talaga..hahaha!

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:

-----000-----

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:

-----000-----

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 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.