Posts Tagged ‘Travel’

The past two days has been really busy but exceptionally productive days. In fact, it can be easily said as the most productive days I have had in the past two years! Of course, if you consider having a baby as a very productive, or reproductive, activity, then that one tops the list. I have not done anything else. I gave up my studies, my work, my travels and even my friends to have the baby.

Ryan was in Phuket for a conference and I had to go to a little job interview for a part-time writer job, we asked the in-laws to baby-sit for us. Instead of spending an afternoon to look after Lia, the in-laws thought of getting her to stay with them for a few days – leaving me alone at home to do my own things. I wallowed for an entire day before deciding that that was the best time to do all my pending tasks. Some of them pending for the last two years!

So yesterday I went to my job interview. I was early and they were running late so I did a little banking first because there was a BPI two blocks away from the office. I deposited the downpayment for the Travel Factor Calaguas trip slated for April 17 and 18.

I dropped by my friends’ apartment to leave copies of the “Like Water for Chocolate” film and picked up a few things too, like Lia’s Speedo life jacket.

From there on I went to Columbia Photo in Megamall to leave my Nikon D80 for check-up and cleaning, and from Megamall, I went to the Travel Factor Headquarters in Bloomingdale Plaza in Shaw Boulevard to pick up Leia’s Christmas presents for Lia. What a day!

Oh, more importantly, I got me a Macbook Pro. Yes, I am now officially a Mac user. Hoorah! Hoorah!

I posted here a few months ago about my desire to buy a new laptop. Back then, this HP Touchsmart was the choice. I ended up getting a 13″ Macbook Pro instead! I am ecstatic!

I have cleaned up my IBM Lenovo laptop of all files, transferred it to my Western Digital portable hard disk and is so ready to sell my old laptop. I have installed my Bamboo pen tablet and Canon printer on the new Mac. I am all set!

Ryan was supposed to arrive at seven in the evening (although I thought it was five in the afternoon) from Bangkok but his plane had to turn around thirty minutes into the flight because of engine problem and he was back in Bangkok airport at six in the evening waiting for a replacement flight. He arrived at about eleven in the evening in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and was home after thirty minutes. We had a lot of stories to tell to each other!

Today, I decided that instead of wallowing in my longing for my baby to arrive from her grandparents excursion, I went to my old workplace, St. Paul College Pasig, to work on my clearance. It was due two years ago!

As a side note, I found this while googling for images. An interesting aerial view of the campus, with all of its pre-school, grade school and high school buildings. No, the campus has no college students despite its name.

From St. Paul, I went to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to inquire about getting a student driver’s license.

Lia arrived with her grandparents at about six in the evening and the first thing I said was, “Lia! You lost weight!” I suppose she didn’t get to eat or sleep much or she did a lot of going out.

The past two days has been quite productive and very rewarding over-all. A sense of accomplishment is always a wonderful feeling. I hope to have more of that this year.

We accidentally found Bellini’s Marikina during our last visit to Lia’s pediatrician for her measles vaccine. Actually, our finding it was not really very accidental since we knew Bellini’s is around the area, as was mentioned to us by our good friends Abet and Hash, who had their anniversary dinner same day Bellini’s  celebrated their first anniversary in Marikina. (The original Bellini’s is in one of my favorite places in Metro Manila – Cubao Expo, formerly known as the Marikina Shoe Expo.)

Bellini's Cubao, November 2009

Bellini’s is right across from the nearest and perhaps only available parking space in the area. I must say Marikina is such a nice city because it seems like a bigger and more spacious version of Quiapo. I always make it a point to buy fruits from the market across the clinic where fruits are cheap! This time around, walking from the clinic to the parking space, we also accidentally found a nice store to buy cheap brandless diapers and baby wipes. No need to go to Quiapo! Hoorah for that!

This is what you will see when you get inside. Though this is the view from my table, as you can see the doors on the left side.

It was about eleven in the morning when we got to Bellini’s and it was empty.

A closer look at the painting on the wall.

Upon entering the doors, wall painting on the left, more tables on the right.

Photo wall on the right. Did not get to see a closer look though. Here, Ryan is showing Lia the photos while I eat.

The well-trained staff assisted us with our menu choices. We ended ordering the appetizer, which looked good on the table from where I was sitting.

Little window at the back is the kitchen. The chef was making pizza.

Appetizer (composed of five different kinds of food); P300, small

If you know me, you will not ask me what these are, since I am absolutely stupid when it comes to food. I just eat away and don’t bother to know what I am eating. These appetizers were good though! Real good! I thought to myself, “Maybe next time I go to Bellini’s and just order the appetizers.”

And of course, since this is an Italian eatery, we ordered pizza and seafood pasta.

Lia looks like she is absolutely enjoying the food.

We had a hard time though with their high-chair since it was not ideal for kids of Lia’s age group.

Us wearing our current favorite dresses. Lia is salivating on, either the food or the high chair. Though, literally, she was salivating on the high chair.

While we were eating, an Italian came in, we think Bellini’s son, came knocking at the door. Yeah, he actually knocked. Then he was chatting with the staff and then us. He even ran around my table to pick up the fork I accidentally dropped on the floor and immediately replaced it himself.

When we left, he was standing by the table of an elderly couple who came in about thirty minutes after we did, chatting away.

Our bill was about P1,100. Ryan said afterwards, “I think we’ve found a better Italian restaurant than Cantinetta!”

I shouldn’t even have to say that I love Italian and Mexican food. It might just be worth mentioning too that I do not eat Japanese food at all.

"Yeah! We love this Italian eatery! You should come!" - Lia

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For more on this Italian restaurant, read what this blogger had to say.

Also, read what Anton has. It’s informative and so much better than this post. Hahaha! Not that I’m competing, I am just documenting my otherwise boring life. Haha.

Sunbathing in the early afternoon….

…and contemplating in the early morning light.

Walking by the beach at high noon… with the relentless sun on the hot sand.

Dumaluan Beach… a beautiful quiet beach on a weekday.

Photo by Romulus Rueda, click on image to view original

Pahiram muna ng photo mo cuz, palitan ko na lang ng akin pag balik ko?

This is where we will be staying for our 4D/3N trip to Bohol. (No, not really this beach-front room, though I wish! Hahaha!)

http://www.dumaluanbeach.com

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This trip is made possible by Travel Factor.

A quiet walk in the empty streets of Cubao Expo in broad daylight…

….makes for good introspection…

..of everything and nothing in particular..

…all at once.

Where will I be some years from now?

Will I be the same? Think the same.. feel the same.. react to things the same..

..Will I be stationary as the birds held captive by strings.. always with the same view, flying the same skies.. the same birds…

The same facade…

… but perhaps offering other things, unusual things… shiny and shimmery…

Would I still crave for quiet cups of coffee and conversation with a friend or two?

Will I be showy… but cheap?

As seasons come and go…

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Random shots from February and December.