Boracay

A big thanks to online promotional airfares, traveling inside and outside of the country has become more accessible and more affordable. Everyone loves traveling for a number of reasons. To some, it’s their way of recharging for work; to some it serves as an inspiration or even a motivation to even work harder while to some it’s just their way of releasing stress. Whatever reasons there are, I am of those who always look forward to my next trip. Just recently, I had the pleasure of going to Boracay with my family. A friend of mine, Allan, and I have booked the tickets 10 months prior to the actual trip. It’s our first time to travel out of town with the kiddos.

We stayed in Boracay from October 06, 2012 to 09ctober 09, 2012 and it’s their off-peak or low season. Yes, you heard it right. Boracay has 3 seasons: Low season (June 1 to December 15), High Season (December 16 to May 31) and the Super Peak season (December 26 to January 02). We’ve decided to go there during the off-peak season to avoid the hassles of booking hotel reservations online, the long lines and the sudden rise of population in Boracay. A lot of people don’t normally go during the low season as it’s also the peak of the rainy season but with the bipolar weather these days, it could rain during the sunny season and shine during the rainy season.

We left Manila and took AirPhil Express. It took us around more than an hour to reach the Kalibo airport. The moment we reached Kalibo, a lot of locals were offering us with package deals of both the travel from Kalibo to Caticlan which is via van and from Caticlan to Boracay which via boat. I can say that we had a good deal. After 2 hours from the airport we’ve finally reached the white sands of Boracay.

Boracay is a small island of the Philippines located approximately 315 km (196 mi) south of Manila and 2 km off the northwest tip of Panay Island in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. Boracay Island and its beaches have received awards from numerous travel publications and agencies. The island comprises the barangays of Manoc-Manoc, Balabag, and Yapak municipality of Malay, province of Aklan. Administered by Philippine Tourism Authority and the provincial government of Aklan.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boracay

So tempting. So enticing.

We stayed in the lovely Alice in Wonderland because for parents like us we really liked the security the place provided. And it has its own pool! ♥

Without going outside, you can enjoy by simply dipping in the pool!

Right after we’ve settled in the hotel we took a quick nap had shower and we excitedly went to look for yummy restaurants we could dine in. our hotel is located in Station 2. It’s a 5-min walk from the beachfront which isn’t too bad and right at every corner there’s a place for pigging-out. They say that for singles or those who go to Boracay with friends, Station 1 is more suggested as it offers a lot of gimmick spots. Station 2 has more of the “family vibe’ while Station 3 has to be the most subtle out of the 3 stations. There weren’t a lot of Filipinos at the time we went there but there were a lot of Koreans, Americans and Europeans. Here are some of the pictures we’ve taken from Station 2. 

Late lunch, early dinner.

Nature at its best. This is Boracay staying true to what it’s famously known for- pure white sand.

The day went by and it was time to rest and recharge for the following day. That’s everything we did during our 3-day stay in Boracay; eat, sleep, swim and stroll. We were not able to try any activity as we had kids with us although for those interested, here are some of the thrills you can try once in Boracay.  (Photos courtesy of Google)

Banana Boat- Banana boats, as the name implies, is a long orange colored inflatable raft that is shaped just like a regular banana. The banana boat can carry a maximum of around eight to ten adults and there are safety grips to keep the riders on the boat while it is pulled from a motorboat at high speeds. There are several sizes for the banana boat but most beaches in Boracay have the long version. Hardly can one find the junior size or "kiddie" banana boat. The long banana boat can easily fit the entire family so that no one is left out.

Helmet Diving- All you have to do is to climb down a ladder until the water is at shoulder height, once in this position a helmet that has clear glass plates is placed over your head. Just climb down the ladder even further down until you are standing on the ocean floor (around 10 ft. below the surface). Walk along Boracay's sea bed accompanied by a guide. This is a wonderful excursion and a close-up view of underwater life.

Paraw Sailboat Sunset Sailing- Sail on around the island or just for front seat view in this traditional Philippine double outrigger boat (images below).

Island Hopping. 

Henna Tattoos/ Hair Braiding

If you’re up to all these activities and more then it’ll sure be a lot of fun!!! And when you get tired, fret not, as mouth-watering smoothies and sumptuous meals are also being offered for everyone’s delight. We spent most of our money in FOOD! We’ve tried dining in the fanciest of restaurants, we’ve tried the street foods, and we’ve also eaten from the fast food stalls that we also have in Manila but my most favorite would be the dinner we’ve had by the beach.

Help yourselves with some grilled oysters and a variety of Filipino dishes.

Our stay in Boracay is beyond words. The beauty of this heavenly paradise can be hardy expressed in just words. Allow the pictures to speak for itself... 

Some lovely souvenirs to bring back home.

 with my lovely friend Iya and her cute lil kid, Auzy

the love of my life, my baby boy 

err... uhhmm.. 

with my boys, can u see daddy's abs? :D

I can say that my over-all experience gave me confidence and a positive belief that there is really such a thing as an incredible beauty. The incomparable beauty of nature, its peace, its calmness... these are just probably few of those things that make us drawn to traveling even more. My trip strengthened our bonding as a family. When I got back in Manila, it gave me motivation to even work harder and to save for my next trip. Who knows? Maybe my next trip could still be in Manila or it could be elsewhere. One thing’s for sure, it’ll be inside the country because it’s more fun in the Philippines! :)

Self Acceptance

It's funny how these days a lot of girls look almost the same. It makes me think if there is a "certain look" that has become the standard look for the young girls of today. What look exactly am I referring to? It's the meztisa, long hair, super slim, big boobs, almost china-doll kind of look. Okay fine, maybe I am exaggerating but I guess my point is not how these girls chose to look like but the process they had to go through in order to look that way.

First off, I have nothing against make-up. I actually have high respect to those professional make-up artists who do well in their expertise. Make-up, in my opinion is used to enhance the physical attributes of a woman or even a man in some cases. Say for instance, I think I have nice eyes so in order to enhance 'em, I would put a light application of mascara. Not too much as to not look like a clown but just enough to still make it look au naturel. Same thing goes with my nose, in special occasions, to make my nose look more camera-ready, I'd add a not too obvious nose line just to make it look a bit presentable in pictures. So to me, a nose line is fine but not a nose job. So I guess, I'm starting to make my point more apparent.

To enhance what we have is okay but to actually change it? Sad.

When I went to India for a 3-month vacation in 2008, I was surprised by how the marketing strategy in the cosmetics and beauty products business is. Since in India, they practice mostly natural methods in beautifying themselves, the products that are being offered are made of "natural ingredients". Garnier is actually BIG in India and when you check the ingredients, it'll tell you that it's made of sunflower seeds, this and that, which are all natural. Garnier is under Loreal, as we all know. On the other hand, whenever I would receive items from the US either from a friend or a relative, I noticed how most of their skin products are intended for tanning or darkening purposes. So you probably know where I am heading right? Loreal, who offers products in India and in the States base it on what the consumer need. So no wonder why Loreal and all the other companies when it comes to targeting the Filipino consumers focus on whitening or skin lightening products. So on and so forth.

This post will not focus on the "whitening issues" that Filipinos have. It's just one of the little things that are concerning and if not, alarming. Whenever I go outside, I would see billboards of Belo or Calayan with really sexy celebrities promoting slimming services that they have. At first look, it's pretty much convincing and even tempting, well at least to those who can afford it but to those who can't, it can be depressing. Little do people know the amount of airbrush or the skills of Adobe that were used to make that billboard a success. It is nothing but deceiving and it doesn't even promote self- acceptance or it doesn't even give a push to people's confidence.

Sorry for being a meanie but with just a few reasons stated above, I wouldn't be surprised if there are news of teenies asking their moms for a plastic surgery and stupid moms agreeing to it. Ok, so you like your daughter to feel good about herself but you are encouraging her to ALTER what's already beautiful. You think that will really make her feel good about herself? At the end of the day, when she's all alone in her room, all the material things and worldly matters won't fill up the emptiness that only self-acceptance can.

Why not instead of changing what we already have, ACCEPT it. I actually had a hard time with this self-acceptance thing. It took me a long process, a lot of tears, a lot of self-doubts, a lot of questioning... but with true friends, my family and faith in God, I was able to set aside my insecurities and let go of all my physical issues such as my color, my really huge thighs and my stretch marks. HAHAHA but trust me, it feels a LOT better now that I have accepted my flaws and identified my assets.

So for you girlies out there, before getting a nose job, think of the ff: that nose that you're wanting to get rid of, you might have gotten it from your mom or your dad who for sure is PROUD that you had their nose, if you choose to change it, who will you get it from? You'll have the same nose everyone else have and that will leave you with 0% originality. Boo! But most importantly, think of GOD. He created us in his own image. We are unique in our own ways. A nose job is not the solution, it will not make you happy and worse it'll hurt God. :( So think about it, your family loves you for who you are and your friends will accept you no matter what so get rid of that thought, love yourself and live happily! :)

Sea Oil/Poker Run 2012

Last March 25, I attended the SeaOil/ PokerRun event held by some of our VW peers in cooperation with NIPS Midnight Crew, Cult Klassics, Flashbacks AutoHaus and the Marikina boys with the event's main sponsor Sea Oil. I went there together with my boys, Armand and Alkie. As I have never mentioned in any of my blogs before, let me quickly give you a glimpse on how I was associated to the VW community. Well, it was through my loving partner who owns a '60 green/white beetle himself which he named Brikbrik. It has been three years now and I couldn't be more thankful to have friends from the VW gang as they are not only a bunch of VW enthusiasts but they're also a group of smart, talented and adventurous people. So going back to the Poker Run event, as we have had a lot of targeted locations in the past, this time around, it was Tayabas, Quezon.

The SeaOil Poker Run was an organized event in which the participating VWs and Mini Coopers had to each stop by five Sea Oil branches/ checkpoints in order to draw five cards in total to which is the basis of the Poker winner and the main highlight of the event. The first stop was the Sea Oil branch in Shaw Blvd. Everyone was provided shirts, caps, as well as car stickers courtesy of the kind sponsor of the event, Sea Oil. And with the way the gas price is heading, just to make the event a success, vouchers of 500php worth of gas were provided to the car owners! Beat that! 

As i mentioned a while ago about the group consisting of talented folks as we have photographers too, here is my favorite shot of the event.

genius! just amazing!

We had a few stop overs as our growling tummys needed it but once we got to Lucena City we were welcomed by the VW Quezon Chapter which made it even more exciting and needless to say, breath-taking. A VW run, honestly, is a must-try for everyone! Just imagine vintage cars, human nature, great company, a few bottles of beer, good food and all the way picture taking. Need I say more?

We then had a sumptuous and mouth-watering lunch at Kamayan sa Palaisdaan where they serve fresh and deliciously cooked sea foods. And the winners of the poker battle were announced. So who had the luckiest poker hand?

It was no other than Glenn Acaylar with a mind-blowing Royal Flush and there next to her is one of the event's main organizers Dindo Razonable. She, alongside her partner during the event, Dino de Jesus, won a voucher of 1500php worth of gas! Cool!

The event ended with a total of 33 participating cars, 5 of which are Mini Coopers and has been nothing but successful. I'm sure everyone enjoyed the event as it reunited different chapters of the VW community and just proved it once more that the MiniCooper and the Volkwagen are truly incomparable! 

 Mini/VW family

the Minis <3

just perfect ♥

hurray for the successful event!

There were hundreds of pictures taken that day. Smiles and stories shared. At the end of the day, it's not about the cars but the car owners as this is a testament of friendship. Thank you to everyone who participated, to the event organizers who made it happen and of course to the ever kind event sponsor, Sea Oil. =)

Special thanks to Rolli Barron and Homer Ninofranco for allowing me to grab 'em photos. =)

Sore Eyes: Blessing in Disguise

The last time that I have been a full-time housewife was when I have just given birth to the love my life, Alkie. For the first two months, I was hands-on with all things Mommy. It was a gratifying experience and I love it that I was able to breastfeed him and take care of him my way but due to financial difficulties, I had to get back to work. For almost 3 straight years of working, it was only this week that I felt for the second time how it is to be a full-time housewife.

April 02 was my first working day of the month and I was ecstatic with my new schedule which is 10am to 7pm. My 1st time in 3 years to be working on a pretty humane and normal schedule. But as unwanted as it is, I was hit with sore eyes. I didn't like it at all since i was using my sick leave credits in vain and the fact that it's Holy Week means it's double pay. But I also realized that it was timely due to the fact that our babysitter/house-help left a week ago.

I'm really not the type to be complaining or whining too much so I thought to myself if I can't be productive at work then better be productive in the kitchen. I started with cooking pasta for my boys and some Filipino beef steak for dinner. I'm glad that my in-laws loved it. Other than that, I was finally able to do some intensive cleaning in our room and organize our closet the way I like it. But most importantly, I'm thankful for being able to spend time with my boys especially my little one.

My little one and I have gone out for an exclusive picnic date and I'm just savoring my every minute with him. I also get to teach him the basics in preparation for his 1st year in school this coming June. This coming Easter Sunday, we will have our crafts day by painting some faux Easter eggs hoping to bring out the creative side in him. And as the week is nearly ending and my sore eyes is almost healing, what I thought would be a long, boring week is now something i wish would not come to an end. 

Oh.. a week is actually not enough for all things fun and creative. I've jotted down some of the things that i want to accomplish before the week ends such as revamping this site which apparently I haven't done or decorating our room and such. I have 3 days left and I surely wanna make the most out of it and I can only do that if I get off this keyboard NOW. <3

The Story of my Life- Part 2

When i got to Romblon, everything changed big time! From living the life to witnessing the simple life my dad, my step-mother whose a total bitch btw and their 4 kids had. I stayed there for 3 miserable years and it was during those years that i felt tormented and really torn emotionally, mentally, physically and socially. It was those 3 years that somehow caused me to have the broken soul that I am now trying to mend.

My life in Romblon was close to hell. It was only my siblings and some true friends who I was clinging to for some glimpse of hope. I felt abandoned by my own dad since i could feel no support from him as he was totally in-love with my whore of a step-mom. I, on the other hand was close to being the house helper with all the daily chores I had to complete.

It was when I was in 3rd year that I just felt so ALONE. It was my birthday and I didn't have any birthday greeting from anyone. It was when I started to question life. It was when i started looking for a mother's love. I was just so down at that point that i got into stuff like smoking and drinking and being too attached to friends. My friends who to me was my only family.

But miracles do happen. In my 4th year in high school, I regained communication with my mom. Then she started supporting me financially. It was my chance to leave Romblon and live my life the way i want it. After graduating from high school I didn't really go to college right away as I had a lot of missing documents. For a year, I traveled to places like Kalibo, Ilo-ilo and Bacolod. It was in 2006-2007 that i went back here in Manila. At the age of 15, I was living by myself and at the age of 18 I started working. Until now, i haven't finished my studies yet since I don't even know who I am or worse what it is that i really want. I wasn't able to establish my identity and my self-esteem. I did and saw things differently. My heart and soul were scarred so bad it's now hard for me trust or even believe people. My past experiences somehow emulated who i am today.

Then 2009, all the empty holes in me were filled by the greatest family I've had. A1 and A2, Alkie and Armand. It is true that all the right things fall into place at God's perfect time. And I couldn't be more thankful and happier. However, going back to the origin of this story, I still need to do a lot of reflection and this Lenten season is just perfect for it. A reflection to help me realize who I am and what I want and I know for a fact that with my boys being there for me, it'll be a lot easier. :)

The Story of my Life- Part 1

All of us, once in our lives go through a phase wherein we just want to take things slow, relax a bit and try to do some soul-searching. That's exactly what I'm going through right now. I'm thirsty for peace of mind and happiness of heart that I have decided to change the pace of my life and just make out of things a day at a time.

Let me tell you the story of my life.

I was born in Sanaa, Yemen. During that time, my parents were required to change their religion to Islam in order to get married, hence the name Samira. After a few years, my dad thought that my name sounded so Muslim-like that he opted to Sweety for my first name and of course my last name as Escarda. My mom whose name is Seema worked as a head nurse who by the way is pure Indian. And my Filipino dad, Elmer, worked as a bartender. Unfortunately their marriage only lasted for less that 5 years. I was told that there were a lot of reasons behind the failure of their marriage. There goes the differences between their culture and my dad's love affair with a Filipina co-worker. 

During the 5 years that my parents were still together, there were instances that I stayed in India. I was even surprised to learn that I studied there for 1 and a half years. But 1993-1994, I went here to the Philippines.

My dad asked my mom to send me here in the Phil. alongside his Filipino friend, my kuya Mike. My mom at that time was probably that young that she somehow agreed to my dad. Now, whenever I ask my mom she would tell me it was out of her love to my dad, she was hoping that sending me here would bring them back together. 

But that wasn't the case. Her decision turned to nightmare which up to this moment she regrets for that was the last time we saw each other.

When i first got here, I was hoping that my dad would take care of me as he promised but he didn't. Instead, I was adopted by my Uncle (my dad's brother) and his wife who as a couple didn't have kids. My mama tita worked in Intel while my papa tito worked as an OFW in Saudi Arabia. My life was normal and I found myself really happy under the care of my mama tita but I guess not everything is permanent. 

I was in 1st year high school when my mama tita and I learned about my papa tito having a second family in Davao and he was addicted to drugs, alcohol and gambling. That incident shattered my mama tita to pieces and ruined her life. It was also when my papa tito turned unsafe to be with since he was showing signs of abusing me that my mom decided for me to leave Makati and go my biological father instead who at that time was living in Romblon. Then the second chapter of my life was born.

33 Ways to Stay Creative =)