Beautiful. Bohol!

Bohol  has  always been one of my dream places of the country. The land of speaking “J”, instead of “Y”, and “H” instead of “K”. E.g. “Siya” will be spoken “Sija” and “Ako” will be “Aho”. (Pardon for the little knowledge......Well, that's what I often heard of my then bol-anon officemates when they talk.)  I remember  how excited I was after days of discussing our plans of going there with few of my officemates in Cebu then, BUT ,never was it realized.  Not until six years, six looong years (haha!) after, unexpected opportunities came. I get to take a trip there for free!!!!! 

First stop. Baclayon Church.

One of the old churches in the Philippines. Inside has life-size statue of Mary, Joseph, Fr. Pio, Pieta, and other religious symbols. The convent beside is now made into a museum. The stones and walls, evident of how strong it is because they were made of coral stones and eggwhites. Yes, eggwhites! Wonderful!.... Proper attire is observed inside the church.

Gift Shop.

Peanut kisses at factory price and more souvenir items to choose.

 Chocolate Hills.

Wow. As in WoW!!!!!  Chocolate hills truly is incomparable and spectacular. They're like GIANT Hershey's  Kisses.. yumyum! I've never seen anything more beautiful like them yet. Not yet.

Loboc River.

I love rivers. I love food  (eat-all-you-can).  I LOVE FLOATING RESTAURANTS!!!!  I love serenades while eating. I love seeing people dance while you eat. I love everything. This is my Most favorite part of the trip, super!

eating, singing and dancing...love, love, love

also, feed your eyes with these beauties

Man-made Mahogany Forest.

You'll be awed with these very tall mahogany trees.

you will have that "para kang nasa States" feeling

 Tarsier.

When you think of Tarsier, you'll think of Bohol. One that Bohol is famous of. I never thought they'll be so small, as small as your fist but have huge eyes. Tarsiers can't be brought as pets since they are suicidal. They'll bang their heads to the wall until they die...tsk tsk tsk.

Beautiful. Wonderful. Grateful.

Photos taken : January 27, 2012

click it! #3

book it! #6 --> Eclipse / stephenie meyer

                  I guess, my top favorite part from the book is... the IMPRINT story of the werewolves.


 Jacob describes it as:

    "It's so hard to describe. It's not like love at first sight, really. It's more like... gravity moves. When you  see her, suddenly it's not the earth holding you here anymore. She does. And nothing matters more than her. And you would do anything for her, be anything for her.... You become whatever she needs you to be, whether that's a protector, or a lover, or a friend, or a brother."  page 176

Imprinting,
     as SAM on ---- > EMILY, his ex-girlfriend's second cousin (Leah)
     as JARED on --- > KIM, a girl he'd sat next to in school everyday, and never looked at twice
     as QUIL on --- > CLAIRE, the two-year old niece of Emily
     as JACOB on --- > ???  - No, not on this book. and Yes, he will meet her finally in Breaking Dawn

from the web

Three books down!!!! Next up, Breaking Dawn!!!!

why do we shout in anger?

Re-posting, from Paulo Coelho's Blog

from the web

A master asked his disciples:
‘Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?’

the disciples thought for a while, and one of them said
‘Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.’

‘But, why to shout when the other person is just next to you? ‘Isn’t it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice? Why do you shout at a person when you’re angry?’
The disciples gave him some other answers but none satisfied the master.

Finally he explained:
‘When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.’

Then the master asked:
‘What happens when two people fall in love? They don’t shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small…’

And he concluded:
‘When they love each other even more, what happens?
‘They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love.

 
‘Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that’s all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.’
 

from the web

i want you!!!



thefancy.com

HOT CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Ozamiz City : COTTA

Fort Santiago or Ozamiz Cotta.

Cotta is one special landmark in Ozamiz City. 



The walls, the stories, the history, the shrine, the park, the beach…. I believe every Ozamiznon has special memories of this place.



Entrance

 My close friends and I used to go here every Sunday afternoon. Our bonding for loud laughters and secret sharings... laughters and more laughters......



the inside

 Inside you see a mini museum, and old arsenal, and a ramp going to up the walltop.



walltop

  I call this, fun-size Ozamiz version of China's Great Wall.... imo.







lighthouse and old canon

view from the top : cotta park

 I also used to wake -up 5 in the morning then meet up with PAL pals and QSC gals for our morning jog around the cotta park......



Cotta Shrine

Photos taken :  Jan. 7, 2012

location : Triunfo, Ozamiz City. Misamis Occidental

untitled016

Courtesy of Minmin2012



Goodbye,
My heart, my love, my fantasy,
Been awhile, you don't quite seem to see.
Assuming. Stubborn. Helpless.
Invisible. Stop. Hopeless.......... Gone!
GOOD-bye!

play it! #2: birthday prayer song

Since 2010, my brother and I have a birthday prayer song which we then present at church, any sunday of April. Prayed that I will be able to choose the right song, and God just answered it, at most 3 weeks before our birthday. Each song sung my prayer for that moment and that made it to be our birthday prayer song for the year.

Immediately, searched for the lyrics, chords, a hundred play-pause-rewind-play-pause-rewind-play's, a few chord inversions for easy, beginner-fingers playing..... a ten thousand practice-practice-practice, finally hit the keyboards, while my masunurin younger brother sings.

2010 - LIVE YOUR LOVE by Katinas

I'm listening to a new song from heaven
I'm wide awake, yet dreaming of You
Though I'm not alone
I'm desperate without You
I see your mercy
Lord You are holy
I want to be more like You


Teach me to live Your love
Help me to give Your love
Show me Your way
Lord I'll obey
Your word and live Your love


I stand in awe, grateful remembrance
Press towards the goal
For the prize I must win
I've got my eyes focused upon You
Show me Your beauty
Cause Lord it's your goodness that makes me more like You


Holy wind, blow fresh
Your fire anew
Come breathe on my soul
Let my heart be for You
I've witnessed the light
And the power of Your might


Teach me to live Your love
Help me to give Your love
Show me Your way
Lord I'll obey
Your word and live Your love

2011- BETTER THAN I  by David Campbell (from Joseph, King of Dreams movie)

I thought I did what’s right
I thought I had the answers
I thought I chose the surest road
But that road brought me here

So I put up a fight
And told You how to help me
Now just when I have given up
The truth is coming clear

You know better than I
You know the way
I’ve let go the need to know why
For You know better than I

If this has been a test
I cannot see the reason
But maybe knowing I don’t know
Is part of getting through

I try to do what’s best
And faith has made it easy
To see the best thing I can do
Is put my trust in You

For You know better than I
You know the way
I’ve let go the need to know why
For You know better than I

I saw one cloud and thought it was a sky
I saw a bird and thought that I could follow
But it was You who taught that bird to fly
If I let You reach me, will You teach me

For You know better than I
You know the way
I’ve let go the need to know why
I’ll take what answers You supply
You know better than I

xoxoxoxoxox

Right now, I'm starting to pray for our birthday prayer song for this year. And maybe by this time, I'll be able to take a video of it.

thank you 2011. it was like a rollercoaster ride..but worth it!......it's the beginning of the year and I'm looking forward for a life full of hope, love and gratitude....




like everybody else, a laddle has also a new year resolution.... mine would be,

MORE BLOGS!!! 

Happy New Year Everyone!! God bless our 2012!!

book it#5 --> The Alchemist / paulo coelho

Re-reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

This is such one of those books you like to read over, and over, and over again. And since this story is an allegory or a fable, I made a little “I think of” game while reading. It’s when I read a person/place/thing/situation from the book, I think of the person/place/thing/situation that first comes to mind........

Here it is,

1. Santiago, the shepherd – I think of .. David , the young shepherd boy from the bible.
2. Santiago, the dreamer – I think of .. Joseph, the dreamer. From the bible also.
3. Melchizedek – I think of .. my three cousins all named ‘Melchisedech’.
4. the old man/King of Salem – I think of .. God. Wonderful, magnificent, all-knowing God.
5. Abraham – I think of .. my brother, Abrahame, a.k.a Bido.
6. the camel driver – I think of .. my father. Our “Pappi”.
7. the desert – I think of .. life. The sands and the oasis.
8. tribal war – I think of .. the obstacles of life. Of fear and uncertainty.
9. Fatima – I think of .. true love. So giving, so pure, so unconditional.
10. the alchemist – I think of .. Jesus. The Master Teacher.
11. the treasure -  I think of .. one’s one great dream.
12. the Pyramids of Egypt – I think of .. a question. “When can a blue, no-ordinary laddle go there?” hehe.

“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure. You’ve got to find the treasure, so that everything you have learned along the way can make sense. "
-Paulo Coelho