Harness: A Zipline Adventure

I never was an adventurous girl. When I was young (considering that I still am... lol), I was the type who would sit in a corner and keep silent. If I was called then i would respond with a soft voice. But as people grow up, the adventurism in me always kept up with the thirst to earn knowledge and find room for experience. That's why no matter how scared I was of ziplines. I did try it!

I had the adventure in the Treetop Adventure in Subic Zambales. To go through the harness was in tandem. Meaning there should be two of you. I was prodded to try the zipline by Zye then. We waited anxiously for our turn with nerves wrecking. But in the end, it was Zye who did a lot of the screaming and the knees shaking. Sorry, Zye. I had to tell this experience.

But the ziplines are purely addictive, I did another zipline at one of the longest and perhaps highest zipline. It was in Pugad Pugo La Union. I was amazed how they don't have any platforms for the hand and feet like those at treetop back in Subic. It seems that with the air, the body finds balance in itself. But I was quite worried about their safety features. It was technically twice the length of the Subic zipline and twice as high. I was stuck in the middle because of the wind they say. I held up being superwoman. But minutes after, little did I realize that the zipline kept my knees weak. My knees were shaking after the so-called flight.

I hear there are other ziplines around... Cagayan de Oro, Cebu and even Baguio Camp John Hay. For the adventurous type, it's a must. It's the "in" thing nowadays. More than that it's addictive.

If you're asking me if I'll be trying another zipline experience. Maybe, I will! For the experience, there's nothing like feeling like a bird up high. People always wanted to aim for the skies even though the wind may blow.

I'll reach the sky if it needs be and I'll cross the bridge when I get there. In this case, I'll cross the zipline once I get there (lol)!

Hanging from Above: In Tandem with Friend Zye

The Harness: And I am ready to Fly

Spreading My Wings in Violet Jeans (lol)

Afterthoughts: Of Love and Freedom

Love and Freedom... two strong and two powerful words. But as I was sitting at home and watching a movie entitled "Letters from Juliet", I found out there were much powerful words than these - the word "What if..." It said that these two words were simple words but when put together can definitely change a life. It did change the life of two persons in the movie - one an old woman who after 50 years decided to find her love fifteen years ago and another for the writer girl who stopped saying what if's and lived her dreams. They say destiny will lead you. But in the end you always have the freedom to choose. Happiness they say is not a feeling but a choice you have to make everyday.  But in the movie "The Shawshrank Redemption", Morgan Freeman says some birds are meant to be caged for they are more colorful than others so much that even if they flee they will be captured. So is there really freedom and much likely freedom to love and freedom to explore the world? I always thought there is as much as I have the freedom to write. They say you are a writer if you can't think of anything but write. I will always explore the world and their meanings. I am a believer and will find the beauty that there really is to life.

Love: Even in Manila Zoo you can Find the Love Sign

Freedom: Who says beautiful birds are caged?

The Writer: A Believer

Destination: Grotto at Santa, Ilocos Sur

Destinations in every trip are important. Finding a good destination makes every thing worth the wait, the energy and the travel. I've posted this picture in my account at facebook and my friend was asking where it was. Truly, the view was spectacular. It was a grotto among the seas. But you can reach this place by foot. However, the journey may not be that easy. You may trip, fall or slide through rocks. The water you have to pass through is only a knee deep's measure even at high tide. But the rocks may scare you. You may be passing through rocks and water which gives a slippery combination. Removing your slippers might do the trick but then again maybe not. Your feet might ache after journeying through these rocks. You have to settle your feet and your every step between the rocks at the bottom. You may find fishes swimming through your feet which is lovely to see.

Yes, I tripped and almost crawled to my heart's content. My feet was aching but like anyone in the group we were trying to make the destination a goal. I was hesitant at first but they forced me to go on. We had no extra clothes on for swimming because everything that day was not planned. Every decision was as impulsive as a spur of the moment thought. I would joke around that at my pace I would go ten years to reach the destination. Everyone laughed. Someone tripped and had her bag wet. But I forced myself not to laugh. Why? It is because it may happen to me also. Such is my theory of things. Don't do unto others what you don't want others to do unto you.

We were never able to reach the grotto, we were scared of the tides. It was already dark but another group did get to it. They were from that place I think. They reached the destination pretty fast. But we're not giving up on our destination even though we reached only half way towards the grotto. We're coming back and we'll conquer it soon.

Here are our stolen shots of our adventure to the grotto at Santa, Ilocos Sur. From the highway, you won't miss a view of it.

I love my slippers: I was holding them! lol

A Journey Back

Dancing with the Waters???

Rocks, rocks and more rocks!!!

Figuring Out where to Step

Never Give Up Despite Getting Wet

The Sea Breeze, The Rocks and the Gang

More Rocks Coming Back... Hmmm...

Definitely not Sand: Small Rocks and Corals

Crawl if You Must (lol)

Looking for Something Beneath the Waters: Spot me in the picture... lol

We did turn our backs...

And they were Ahead of Us: Who Says I was the Only One Struggling?

   

Looking at a Group that Has Just Come in and reached the Grotto

Bye, bye Grotto!!! Until next time... lol

Ilocos Sur: A Road Trip to Behold

Have you ever been up north? If you are, then take the chance of a lifetime to visit Ilocos Sur. The vast provinces of Ilocos Sur offers scenic spots and beaches. Take a tour at Baluarte which is technically the governor's zoo opened to the public and is much better and cleaner than Manila Zoo. There is a program called Animal Encounter where you can volunteer on stage and touch the animals featured in the show. Find yourself in touch with the heritage city of Vigan bringing you into the "kalesa" days and Spanish era and architecture. Go to Santa for an adventure to the grotto and San Esteban for the many beaches and an almost white sand not too coarse. Most importantly, don't forget to have a taste of kalamay in Candon, sukang iloko in Sta. Maria, Bagnet in Narvacan, Myrna's biko-biko and buko pie in San Esteban and Marsha's delicacies in Bantay and Vigan's empanada. They all taste heavenly! There are a lot of delicious foods to take home or make as "pasalubong". As always, I'm putting those words into images.

Colorful birds at Baluarte

The Tiger

The Gang at Baluarte

It took six persons to carry the albino snake at the Animal Encounter

Me and the Historic View of the Vigan Church

Posing near the Jars at Vigan Plaza

Who Says Kalesa Days are Over

The Grotto Destination

The Journey to the Grotto at Santa Ilocos Sur

A view with Lady-Vi and Reg

Lady-Vi and Reg's Buko eating at San Esteban, Ilocos Sur

More Buko Eating at Myrna's Biko-Biko where they turn those buko into buko pie. Among other things, check out their Biko-biko at San Esteban Ilocos Sur

Look at my Reaction While Eating...lol

Regrets of the Dying: A Guide for Living Life Happily

I received an email today entitled "Regrets of the Dying". The author was a certain person named Bronnie who will soon publish the book having the same title. I don't know if he was a he or a she but the email said that the person worked in a palliative care and had patients who are faced with the fact of living only for a few weeks due to ailments. And one of the many striking points said by patients were: "I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends." True enough, friendships are what make life more happier than we ever thought of.

Birthdays are memorable occasions. And what better way to celebrate it than find yourself in the company of true friends in a memorable beach setting. FYI, it's not my birthday but Normelly's and Dennis' as June celebrators (not celebrant) both working in Manila who had to get to La Union to celebrate. Normelly is a friend from way back high school and Dennis happens to be an acquaintance since elementary days. It was real fun to see them once in a while together with the rest of Japoy's friends. This time we got into one of the sheds in Pagudpud, La Union. Although the party was filled with drinking sprees which I did get to have a taste of Tanduay ice, there was a lot of food that day. From shrimps to "chicharon bulaklak" to "inihaw na liempo and manok". OMG, that was a lot of high cholesterol foods in each meal as well as in between meals (lol)! As always, it was enjoyable making acquaintances among Normelly and Japoy's other friends.

Another thing that I would emphasize in the same email is the relization that said, "I wish that I had let myself be happier". It added that "Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again."

It ended with the words "Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness." Indeed, every decision in our lives could lead to happiness. So I'm choosing happiness and deciding to share with you a glimpse of the happy writer... myself and the friends I have shared the weekend with at La Union!!!

Happy Moments with Friends Norm and CJ: We were floating in the sea sharing our stories

Who says you can't buy Happiness: With a little over a 100 pesos you can have this Fiesta halo-halo at Halo-Halo de Iloko. I know summer is over but it still is hot in here!

Saving Our Philippine Seas: A Plea to All

I am not much of a beach bum... But once i started to see the fishes and the corals of the sea... I learn to conquer my fears one by one... Such is the result of my deep appreciation for beauty of Mother Earth...

I remember that when I was only in Grade 6, I started this advocacy towards defending Camp John Hay from Taiwanese based developers.... Now, Camp John Hay has been developed no matter how hard our plea was then... It has become a place only for the rich.... But I had no regrets, as young as I was then, at least I had my own stand... my own belief... Now, I am making another stand... another belief... And I am hoping that my plea together with the others will be heard... This is to help save our Philippine seas...

I remember a beauty queen being asked how many archipelagos do the Philippines have. She asked in return... "high tide or low tide?"... True enough, the Philippines has a lot of archipelagos... This means also that it is surrounded by the seas and its wonders... I am lucky to have traveled and glimpse a few of them even though diving was never my style... But to have snorkeled through the waters have made me promise that I will go back to places like Coron and Puerto Princesa and will soon find a glimpse of Mindoro reefs and other places... At the same time, I vow to share every experience and every beauty that comes with the seas... So that in turn, we can all preserve what we have left....

A Clown Fish Amongst Corals

A Star Fish in Dos Palmas... We did return it to the Seas After Taking Pictures

A Picturesque of the Sea

God's Artistry: The Colorful Seas

A Clown Fish in Coron

Habitat: Where Finding Nemo can be Found

A View of the Coral Reefs

All About Fishes

Banana Island Creatures: At 2 Feet Deep you can Find these Bio-Diversity

The Sting Ray at Bulog Island: Known as a Good Delicacy it's time to stop bringing them into our palate!!!