The Real Me

The Best things in Life are free.. Last Sunday August 21, 2011, my friends and i had a chance to attend mass in Antipolo , at the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage . It was our first time to hear the mass together. It was really an enjoyable and fun trip..

The Antipolo Cathedral is home of Antipolo's renowned miraculous icon, the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (Nuestra Se'ora de la Paz Y Buenviaje). Located at the center of the City's Poblacion, the church is the perfect place to pray for a safe journey.

In front of the church is the marker placed in 1937 by the Historical Research and Markers Committee. The marker gives us a brief history of the Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buen Viaje.

The statue of Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buen Viaje was brought from Mexico to Manila by Governor Juan Nino de Tavora in 1626 and at his death in 1632 was turned over to the Jesuits for the Church of Antipolo. Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buen Viaje was proclaimed Patroness of the Galleons. The statue crossed the Pacific, and returned, eight times on board the galleons of Acapulco: in 1641, 1643, 1645-46 on the San Luis; 1648-1649 on the Encarnacion; in 1650 on the San Diego; in 1851-1853 on the San Javier; in 1859-1662 on the San Jose and in 1746-1748 on the Nuestra Senora del Pilar. The statue of Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buen Viaje was canonically crowned on November 26, 1926, by the Most Rev. Michael J. O’Doherty, Archbishop of Manila, on the Luneta, Manila, in the presence of at least one hundred thousand people.

Every month of May, the legendary town of Antipolo becomes a beehive of activity and vibrancy as thousands, from all walks of life, flock to this lovely place amongst the hills. To the lilting tune of native songs, people come to this town, primarily to pay homage to the miraculous Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage and, secondly, to take a breather from the heat and dust of the summer months amidst Antipolo's refreshing mountain air, rippling streams and springs.

As what i can still remember my uncle Totie's family, has this tradition to get together every first sunday of may to go to Antipolo and hear the mass and then to pansol Laguna , and that was how i was able to set my foot in Antipolo church .

As for my friends, we decided to go to different churches that we have here in manila, or as far as where we can go...as well as to try their foods...

In antipolo, we tried their suman, wrapped in yellow leaves, it was so soft and Yummy!! :D, it cost us P 50.00 for 3 tali. You just have to ask first for their prices, cause different stall has different prices.. My friends and i were so happy for the free taste, we tried all those stalls who gave us free taste for the suman, free taste pa lng busog na,,, hahaha ... Besides their famous Suman, they also have Kasoy or Cashew nuts ...

After buying Pasalubong, we ate at a Kubol with lots of viands to choose from.... From kare kare, paksiw na pata, they also have their sotanghon with egg,, and a native dish cooked with chicken intestine and small egss... foods were good and it cost us P 90.00 for each meal, viands are also good for two persons.

How to get there..

From shaw Parklea : ride a to Jeep Antipolo simbahn cost P 25.00

What to bring: Fan (pamay may)
300.00 for pasalubong

photo credits to my friend Melanie Haber and Ministry to Filipinos (site)

It's been months and i haven't posted my pictures from my trip in Mindanao.We went to Ozamis Occidental, Mindanao last June 17-20, 2010. It was really an adventure and was so fun.. We were only 8 yet we really had fun.. From Cavite to the airport, it only took us 1 hour drive, then an hour and fifty five minutes from manila to Ozamis.

From Ozamis airport,we headed to the house of Engr, Susan Lagrimas Bernad, a fifteen minute drive from the airport. Fetched by the brother of Engr. Susan, named Kuya Rey, who also served as our tour guide and driver during our vacation.

It was around 10:00 am when we reached the house, so we decided to take a nap. Then afterwards, we had our first tour. We went to the Plaza of Ozamis, at the bay, then lit a candle at the " Miraculous Mama Mary" as what they have told us. Then we went to Gaisano Mall to buy foods.

We reached the house by lunchtime and the relatives of Engr. Susan were already there.. foods were served and to our delight, there was a Lechon,, , so delicious,,, hmmm yummy, there Lechon is different here in Luzon,, you don't have to dip it in mang tomas sauce coz it is so tasty..

After lunch, we headed to the farm of Vice Mayor Kaloy Bernad, he is the cousin of Engr. Susan who lend us his L-300 Pick up, so that we can use it for our stay there. Sir Kaloy said that it is his wife's farm, that's why most of the plant that are planted there are flowers. We really enjoyed taking pictures in every site. We were also amazed at the solar light they had at the pathway. As a guest, they showed us how really accommodating they are, they obliged us to eat dinner with them, the wife of Sir Kaloy cooked the sumptuous foods.. there were chopsuey, fresh from their garden, chicharon bulaklak, Porkchops, Sisig and their famous barbecue, which they bought at the plaza for 1 peso each stick,, it was so tasty and tender and very affordable.. The night did not just ended there, by 9:30 pm we headed to the ancestral house of Engr. Susan, and surprisingly, her sister and brother are waiting , because they rented a videoke for us.. hahahaha,and because of kahiyaan, we stayed there for until 11:30 pm. Everytime we were supposed to tell that were going, Engr's sister always have a next song to enter for us to sing,,hahaha ;p

For our second day, we woke up early for our travel in Dakak, it was raining hard in Dapitan and we were wet soaked at the back of the Pick- up, it took us 3 hours drive to reach the famous white Beach resort.. For 200 peso entrance we also had a welcome merienda treats. And thank God, it wasn't raining at the beach ;p.. well for me, Dakak was a paradise, for those who wanted to relax away from the hassle and bustle of city life, this is a great place, less people, and so quiet and a very relaxing ambience.

By 4 pm, we headed back on our way to dapitan to look for a place to stay because it was fully booked in Dakak due to San Miguel Corp.'s convention. Back and forth for 3 times, and we have not find a place yet, and so we decided to go to Gloria's Fantasy Land . Then Luckily afterwards, we found an Inn.

On our Third day, we went to Jose Rizal's house in Dapitan,, took some photos and then headed again to Ozamis..

Marang, Galletas de patatas, Lechon, Barbecue, saging na saba roasted which cost 1.50 each are just a few of the things that i will not forget during my trip in Mindanao,andmost of all, the very accommodating people of the Bernad Clan who let us feel there very warmth welcome on the first day till the last day of our stay.. It was really an adventurous experience for me, knowing it was Mindanao, Zamboanga, known for Abu Sayyaf hehehehe,,, ;p

Oooops,, i forgot to tell that this trip was the cheapest trip i had from my other travels, the amount i spent were just around 3,500 - 4000 and my airline ticket was just 1,105 roundtrip ;p

Travel Tips: Dont forget to bring:

1. Camera / with stand if you're just travelling alone or with your hubby
2. Extra battery
3. Sunglasses
4. Umbrella
5. Chewing gum (on the plane)
6. Medicine like Bonamine -for those who have travel sickness

Reducing travel sickness

Sit in the center of a boat or near the wing of a plane.
Sit near an open window, preferably one that opens.
Close your eyes, or better still try to sleep
Avoid looking at screens or reading, although children engrossed in a movie sometime feel less sick
Keep the eyes on distant objects rather than nearby objects such a waves
Heavy meals and spicey food may make motion sickness worse, as does alcoholWhere possible take breaks in journeys

on our way to Dakak

Dipolog shopping center

at the Farm

videoke night ;p

flower beds

@ the airport with ate fe

sabi nila, nag mimiracle daw ang kamay ni papa jesus, minsan dw lumalaki ito..

after dinner with sir kaloy and family

Munisipyo named after Engr. Susan's Great grandpa

Photo credits to Ms. Fe Mojica ;p