SaGaDaGaNG...

4000 steps going to and 4000 steps again going back...

these numbers may numb your senses when thinking about having to literally do them but me and my friends had the challenge of our lives when we actually had to take these steps when we went on an adventure trip last weekend to SAGADA!

Yes, we did take those steps as we went to the popular Bomod Ok falls of Sagada, or what they usually call the "big falls", and what a big waterfall it was. To get there, we had to hike at the side of several mountains and rice terraces amounting to more or less 4000 steps. But going there was the easy part cuz all those steps were going down. The hard part was going up again. My limb literally were shaking like a pair of maracas grinding to a mambo beat. I even thought I wouldn't make it. But with great willpower and mental force, I made it back. Thank goodness!

But still all of it was worth it. Just to see the breathtaking waterfalls and feel the greatness of its power as the water hit the rock bottom, it was as if nature was saying, "kneel to the powers that be."

It was a spectacular view indeed.

But that's not all. We did some caving adventures at the Sumaging Caves, a cave with such spectacular rock formation and freezing water. brrr....that was one adventure i would like to take again. I never realized how beautiful it can be underground. wow!

Aside from these, we also went sight seeing around the area. We went to Kiltepan Tower, one of the highest peeks in Sagada and took some snapshots at the cliff. Me, having fear of heights, had my knees trembling tremendously before a picture of mine was taken. whew! glad that was over.

We also went to the echo valley, a cliff where you literally can hear your echo bounce of mountain cliffs and rock formation. That was nice. We even had a picnic there. A picnic at a cliff, imagine that?

Overall the sagada trip was a worthwhile adventure. Tiring as it may be, it was worth all the sweat and body aches. Seeing these sites made me realize how beautiful our country is and how lucky we are to have these things right at the palm of our hands if we just choose to take a peek and try their wonders.

Will I do this again? Yes I will..but honestly, I will think first about going through that 4000 steps first. I hope by the time I wish to go back to sagada, a cable car is already available to take passengers to the splendor of the waterfalls.

A scrumptious feast of singang et al

It was a Sunday, June 5, 2005 and the weather was unpredictable. Although that was the case, nothing came close to holding me back from getting my share of fun and leisure after a week of excruciating office hours and sleepless afternoons...

And so the adventure begins...

After logging out from the office, I find myself tagging along some officemates to a house in Vista Verde near Robinsons East. But before we got there, we spent at least an hour going in circles around that subdivision in the hopes that the next stop will take us to phase 8. "Ayan! Phase 6 na! 2 na lang!" "Uy dito tayo liliko! hindi, galing na tayo kanina diyan. dead end iyan!" "Hindi! Trust me!)"Sabi na nga ba dead end eh!" I think you get the picture. When we finally reached the house, we began to cook our pasta, then we watched DVD and had a bit of Videoke fun with a cool DVD/videoke machine contraption that has a list of songs just like the ones we see in the expensive videoke bars in the metro. Nice!

We spent the whole afternoon exchanging jokes, throwing insults at one another etc. To top it all off, we watched closely as Kris Aquino asked permission on live TV and to the whole country, that she is to marry Basketball star James Yap. Wow! Now, can anything top that? hehehe

Anyway, that night, me and some of my offciemates continued to another officemates house in Project 6 for a sort of team building gimmick. There we filled our bellies with a scrumptious feast of singang na baka, inihaw na liempo, inihaw na tilapia and fried chicken. And I must say, Tony, nothing beats your perfect sinigang na baka! You have to teach me that recipe.

But of course, this day can't end without emptying beer bottles. And so beer flowed from out of the refrigirator and into our bellies, alongside Myke's corny jokes and headlines, Pao's trivia challenges and a mix of reggae and incognito music courtesy of George. Here are some tidbits, "Aso nasagasaan! Garapata duguan!" Just imagine the agony! "Komedyante tinawanan! Nagalit!" haaay! Need I say more...

But with everything that transpired, I had a great day! Times like these, you learn to appreciate the small and corny things you usually don't mind during regular days. Here you are able to throw away your worries in the office and try to spend a simple day laughing with friends, exchanging corny jokes and sharing a scrumptious feast of singang et al.

and then there was GaNTeR!

And then... I appeared.

Wow! This is actually a new thing for me. For the longest time, I have been viewing a lot of blogspots of people I know and don't know. I enjoyed it actually. It's nice to know that I finally had the chance and time to create one for myself.
Honestly, it actually feels strange. It's like I'm opening myself to someone for the very first time. I'm letting other people into my life. A bubble has been burst. I'm exposed. I'm...this is ridiculous. I think I went overboard with that one.

Well, what the heck! Since I'm already here and I already signed up for this, might as well make the most out of it.
So to all of you who are reading this, Welcome! Welcome to my simple and pathetic existence!
Ciao!

ttfn...