UnExPLoReD, UnTouched, UnSpoiLed

There are Still other BEAUTIFUL ISLANDS yet to be DISCOVERED in the PHILIPPINES...

To start with..

BUTUAN...

The name "Butuan" is believed to have originated from the sour fruit "Batuan". Other etymology sources say that it comes from a certain "Datu Buntuan", a chieftain who once ruled over Butuan. Butuan was the capital of Agusan del Norte until 2000 when Republic Act 8811 transfered the capital to Cabadbaran City. However many of the provincial government offices are still located there, including the provincial capitol, as are many the Caraga regional offices of the national government agencies.(Source Wikipedia)

Touchdown: @ The Bancasi Airport (BXU)
From the airport, you can hire a taxi or van to take you to the city proper. Once in the city, you have to try or do as the residents do there...to ride the tricycle.

BUTUAN AIRPORT

the usual tricyle here..I have seen tricyle same as this one in Bacolod when I also visit Bacolod..

WHAT TO DO/WHAT TO SEE/WHAT TO EAT:
take a river cruise in the Agusan River, considered the largest river in Mindanao.
Also visit the Banzai CHurch Ruins and if you want to go down on memory lane stop at the National Musuem.

BANZAI RUINS

AGUSAN RIVER

NATIONAL MUSEUM

BUTUAN BEACH FRONT


To complete your dining experience in this city, make sure to try the famous chicken inato at Weegol’s Grill Haus.

“Chicken inato is our own version of grilled chicken. It is a personal favorite and I think, locals and tourists pick it from the menu because of its savory and juicy meat, plus its affordable,” said Weegol’s Grill Haus owner Gerry Calo, who inherited the management from his mother, Mercy Calo.

CHICKEN INATO

On first bite, chicken inato reminds you of a different take on chicken barbeque with its sweet, nutty flavor and crisp, barely charred skin.

What’s more is that a chicken inato meal consisting of a chicken barbeque with a cup and a half of rice, papaya atsara, and a banana muffin only costs P80.

Other favorites include buko-halo and an assortment of home-made cakes, from banana loaf bread to chocolate and chiffon cakes.

You can sleep @ Priscillas's Guest House which offers good rates and comfy bed..

TRIVIA: the oldest boat in the Philippines along with wooden coffins used by tribal people were discovered in BUTUAN, making it a center for archaelogical studies.


Butuan is home to the 500 year-old BITAOG TREE, the official centennial tree.


Next is BACOLOD also knows the " City of Smiles "..

TOUCHDOWN: Arrives in Bacolod Sipalay Airport in Negros, it is 15km. northeast of Bacolod City, or a 30 minute drive if there is no traffic..

I remembered last September 2009, we were here waiting for our delayed flight.

TRIVIA: Character Actor Joel Torre and Director Peque Gallaga are both Bacolod natives..
Bacolod is also known as the " Sugarlandia"

MEANING OF NAME & ENDEARMENT

MOMMY-DADDY OR MAMA-PAPA

Some couples call each other Mama & Papa or Mommy & Daddy out of habit. For others, it may be a sign that they’re letting their role as parents take over their roles as spouses. “Mama or Papa is a functional endearment. It’s very important for couples not to neglect their role as spouses – ever…

If you’re caught in the mama-papa rut, try out other endearment or pet names. Dig up the pet names you used to call each other before you became parents.

DARLING-LOVE

Loving nicknames, while seemingly trivial, act as romance-catalyst. They not only serve as constant reminders of how much one means to the other, but also validate a couple’s level of intimacy.

When a couple say “ I DO, “ they are committing themselves to a lifetime of loving. But soon enough, this commitment sometimes get lost amid the overwhelming task of RAISING KIDS, RUNNING A HOUSEHOLD, and PURSUING A CAREER. It’s not enough for a MAN or a WOMAN to say, “I GOT MARRIED TO YOU, What Further proof of LOVE do you NEED?”. – Your SPOUSE needs to feel LOVED every day.

If your endearment slipping into the land of generics, try new pet names or endearment. Leaved the tired “darling” or “lazy ling “. Use the new and unique nick name.

PEDRO-MARIA

And what about the couples who refuse to call or give each other pet names? It might be the relationship is a flat romance-wise. Or maybe, the partners come from families that are not too demonstrative with their affections. For example, if one hardly sees his parents hold hands or hardly hearing them saying sweet nothings, let alone call each other Darling or Sweetheart, he may find it very awkward to do these things with his partner.

But remember, once your partner stops calling you Sweetie, darling or Honey, Watch out dear!!! It may be a sign that the romance is fading. But it doesn’t always mean that your partner is having an affair. He/she may just need a serious love-boost!!!

TRY THIS OUT….

Why don’t you try praise him or show him you care and appreciate him. “tell him that you love the way he calls you Baby. Tell him that it makes you feel good when he calls you Honey.’’ And when you see something nice about him, don’t just think about it! Tell him you like his new hair style or tell him you like his new shirt. Or that he cooked a really good and delicious Kare-Kare and Spaghetti. These are real turn-ons. Don’t take things for granted rather don’t take your partner for granted. For partners who say that they’re not used to being sweet, well, it’s a matter of making a decision to be sweeter and loving to your partner. If you commit to be sweeter and loving to your partner, then with enough love and will power and creativity, you will be….

Tender nicknames can make couples feel loving and special, and they can work the same way with children.

Giving special nicknames or pet names to children is good as long as they’re positive and true.

FRIENDS DO FALL INLOVE?

What is something about friendship that we’re afraid to risk? Afraid to risk it for greater passion called “LOVE ‘’?

A close friend once asked me, Hindi ba puwedeng maging bestfriend ang taong mahal mo? In his eyes were pain and discontentment, in my heart I felt sadness…

Why can’t it be that every good person on earth share my joy?... Bebe ko, buti na lang Mag best friends tayo!!!

Sometimes friends do fall in love and when they do, you can be assured that it will be the best love ever!!!!

TruE StoRy

This is a true story of a dear friend…My SM…We call each other soul mate friends cause we jive well…I love her and hope her story will inspire all of you…Thanks to you SM, you allowed me to share your story in my blog.

At age 21, she had her eye on someone else then, but ended up pregnant with his husband’s baby. Against her family’s wishes and her love of her life wishes, she marry her husband.

She describes her marriage as blissful but short-lived. After 3 years, Her Husband carried on with another woman, and then another. They reconciled several times, but her husband was unfamiliar with fidelity and my friend because of that fell out of love, in the end she filed for annulment. After a few months, at last she is legally separated or annulled. She could move on with her life.

Melai: Any Topic you can relate with?

SM: I can relate with rejection. I have been rejected several times in my life.

Melai: For example?

SM: If your husband fools around, that’s rejection because he’d rather stay with her than with you.

Melai: How many relationship have you had?

SM: Not a lot. I can still count them with the fingers on my hand.

Melai: What sort of guy do you fall for?

SM: He has to be exciting, playful and intelligent. “ Pag hindi intelligent yung guy, parang boring..’’ I want a guy who knows his own mind, who’s not stunned or awed for who I am. A guy who can treat me special. But it’s hard to find all these qualities in one guy…

Melai: Ever wonder why you keep falling for the wrong men?

SM: When I got married I was 22. I was innocent and naïve. Next thing I knew, I woke up wala na—I lost my bubble and I didn’t even know I did. It was a case of, oops nabuntis ka. I didn’t want to get married. But I worried about my child growing up without a father.

Melai: Describe your first marriage

SM: it was blissful. Every weekend we would go out of town and check into a hotel. I would cook all the meals. I would serve him on hand and foot. I was happy being a housewife until someone came into the picture. “ nahuli ko siyang may ibang babae”. We talked and we tried to work it out for another year but I can’t take it anymore.. I can’t handle it anymore.One night when I confronted him, he shouted on me. I told myself naubos na pasensya ko, I’m going to leave him and I did.

We separated; I filed for annulment on the grounds of psychological incapacity. At that time he had live with that girl and they had already a kid. I won the case.

I’ve had two failed relationship after my annulment. The first one, my friends didn’t like him. He doesn’t have balls to stand by me. The second one couldn’t take my lifestyle, so I had to break up with him.

Melai: What lessons have you learned from your marriage and you’re other failed relationship?

SM: You have to be very careful in choosing your mate. Don’t rush. Marry for the right reasons. I got married because I didn’t want my daughter to grow up without a father.

Melai: How do you feel about being single again?

SM: I miss going to the movies with someone. I haven’t been to a movie in a long time. I miss candlelit dinners. I miss cuddling up when it’s raining or just spooning.

Melai: What don’t you miss?

SM: Arguments, insecure men, possessive and idiot husband..hahaha

Melai: Describe yourself today.

SM: I’m a survivor. I’ve had my share of trials and tribulations, and each time, I’ve managed to pick up the pieces and start fresh. I am not afraid to fall in love again someday.

Melai: what if someday you realize you’re better off by yourself?

SM: I’ve realized long ago that I will never be happy by myself. I cannot live without a man. Because I refuse to be alone in life, I believe that someday the right person will come along....

Yes..it's OMG!!!

Taken @ OMG - overview SM Baguio - me @ my indian sit..

The SHE doesn't HAVE

I go to Baguio as often as I can. Actually Baguio is my 2nd province because I always there. I was able to visit OMG! (Oh My Gulay! Artist Cafe) for the 5th time last month during a vacation trip . It was one interesting place, this spot is totally a tourist spot on its own, in my opinion. I can very well spend my whole day there, if I was given the chance.

If there is one phrase that best describes this outrageous restaurant, owner and renowned independent film director Kidlat Tahimik got it right. Oh My Gulay! (OMG!) is a vegetarian restaurant found on the fifth floor (no elevators here) of the La Azotea Building along upper Session Road in Baguio City.

From the minute you walk through the cave-like entryway into OMG!, the first words that would come to mind would actually be its name. The area opens into an enormous space, and to a first-timer, this newfound world might just make you believe that you can fly. Seeing the eclectic interiors of OMG! will lead you to believe that it came straight out of someone's quirky imagination. OMG!'s décor will definitely remind you of Never Never Land with its odd spaces, old Spanish Galleon, indigenous artworks, a fish pond in the middle of the restaurant, not to mention the striking panoramic view of Baguio City.

To add to this restaurant's breathtaking décor, you will find a superb array of organic dishes. Being a purely vegetarian establishment, not even a small piece of shrimp will find its way to the table.

OMG!'s bestseller, Lumpia Salad, is a glorious mix of fresh lettuce and watercress grown in Benguet, served with an Asian dressing and deep fried lumpia (also known as a spring roll). The lumpia is filled with soft tofu, oyster mushrooms and carrots. On its own, the lumpia is a bit bland, but the mild, sweet, oyster sauce based Asian dressing perfectly accents the delicate taste of this savory roll. As a whole, the flavor of the salad's different ingredients is brought to life by the refreshing dressing. The Lumpia Salad is surprisingly heavy on the stomach, even if it is a purely vegetarian dish.

The Chow2X is OMG!'s version of chow mein. Chow2X is a blend of fresh egg noodles (made in the restaurant to ensure its quality) and incredibly fresh vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, baby corn, bell peppers, etc. The sauce of this stir-fry dish is a mélange of sweet and spicy flavors which, despite its distinctiveness, do not overpower the fresh taste of the vegetables. Interestingly, the Chow 2X is a very light dish and is best consumed with a hot cup of OMG!'s signature coffee blend.

Deviating from the Asian-inspired dishes is the Waldorfesto. This dish is the marriage of a Waldorf salad and pesto. Visualize marble potatoes, apple chunks, nuts and celery tossed in a generous helping of French salad dressing blended with finely chopped basil leaves. Then imagine all these served on a bed of crisp lettuce and topped with egg slices and watercress. The play of the sweet and savory flavors, mixed with the different textures of the ingredients on the tongue, makes this dish a crowd favorite.

That trip up five flights to reach Kidlat Tahimik's own little Never Never Land might seem like quite a feat for some. But rest assured that it's worth it--if not for the outlandish décor or the insanely remarkable view, then for the excellent vegetarian food.


Oh My Gulay! is located on the fifth floor of the La Azotea Building along upper Session Road, Baguio City. If you are facing SM Baguio, the building will be on the right side of the road.

EMO MODE + FOOD TRIP

I am depress..yes..So what makes me happy? by eating cake or ice cream..I went out and bought my favorite cake from red ribbon - mango cake and chocolate mouse..yummy..I have always liked Red Ribbon products so I was super delighted that i was able to bought my 2 favorite flavors..

Mousse is my all-time favorite cake



I love the taste of the chocolate and foam and the light texture of chocolate mouse.


Moist white chiffon layered with light mango cream filling and icing with real mango bits, topped with luscious mango slices. ..Ohh so yummy.. Can't get enough...you will surely ask for more for every bite...deliciouso..


Want some? come and get it...

YES…IT’S TOUGH BEING A WOMAN

When nature calls, men are lucky!!! They don’t have to fuss as much as women do. We all know who comes back first after a toilet break. The Men! And no wonder: they don’t have to fall in line and they are finished in no time. Because they require no “ wiping “ ceremony unlike women after their simple deed is done..

Women have to wipe.. In a public restroom, a woman will go through the trouble of scrounging for tissue, moistening it with water, or even taking a “tabo” of water inside the cubicle with her, just to make sure she can clean up after relieving herself.

Women need to wipe because the vagina is one very delicate place that needs to be kept clean and dry. Because wetness can often lead to odor, itching and irritation.

After urination is not only time we deal with feminine wetness, it’s an everyday ordeal. Women have daily feminine discharge reflective of their natural monthly cycle. This discharge sometimes feels sticky, lumpy and basically unclean. And during menstruation, blood disturbs the natural acidic pH levels of vagina, leaving it vulnerable to germs that cause odor and infections.

YES…It’s really tough to be a Woman!!