Yuletide Greeting

Merry Christmas!

From our family, to yours :)

Boastfuls

This is my favorite photo of my super med friends to date:

Kulang lang ng dalawa, Rap and Cess. Next time na lang. :)

Twenty Six Awesome Years

Nothing beats celebrating your special day with those people who are close to your heart.

I turned 26 last December 21 and I was so happy because my parents went to Manila just to spend time with me on my birthday. Although my brother, sister and cousin were with me in our unit, I wanted us to be complete because it's the first time in years that Daddy was home for Christmas. Not to mention, I may be spending my birthday away from them in the next years to come so I had to grab the chance that I can still celebrate it with my family. 

On duty, I prepared a little something for my group mates and the Surgery residents. 

Photo from Khat's Instagram

Photo from Bebs' Instagram

From Doc Diego

When I was asked by the residents about how old I am, I proudly say that I'm already 26 years old. Before, I used to be shy about my age because I have issues about my extended adolescence. Now, it's just a matter of understanding that that's how life in med school goes and that every year added to your age is a blessing. I'm lucky that I get to see the sun rise day after day while there are some people who would do anything for that. Not only that, an added year means another 365 days of learning that can mold you to be a better person. Being proud of my age affirms that I am truly blessed and that I'm thankful to be alive.

Looking forward to more years of awesomeness!

Brain of a Backpacker

I saw this photo at Hostelbookers.com's Facebook Page:

This is one of the many things I found in the internet after reading so much about backpacking. I have never backpacked before but I would like to try it (if things turn out fine), before internship starts. My family and friends know that I'm always up for a little adventure so they weren't surprised when I told them about my plan.

I usually hear people rambling about how they should've travelled more when they had the chance. Personally, I had those regrets too. So now, with my newfound wanderlust, I think whatever that was illustrated in the photo is slowly rubbing off on me. Except for the "Bafflement at anyone working 9-5" because I get baffled at my own working hours. Lol.

So now, I'm planning to go locally, explore nearby provinces because I'm still a noob. As my med friend Tracy told me, "...just go with it.wag mo nalang isipin yung mga sinasabi ng mga tao. Hop on a bus, and leave the city."

I think I will do just that when I finally have the chance. :)

Christmas Time at Roxas Boulevard

Despite the sad stories about Roxas Boulevard, there were some things I saw that cheered me up. Being a December baby, Christmas is one of my favorite holidays so I have a penchant for Christmas-y stuff. Like these lights:

Greetings from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

I also love how the Cultural Center of the Philippines decorated their building with different designs of star lanterns. 

The combination of the Christmas lights of the Bangko Sentral, Manila street lights and the CCP Fountain is just so charming. 

Despite the succession of bad things that happened to me this year, the gravity of the all the blessings I have received makes up for it. I have a lot of things to be thankful for but it'd probably bore you if I list those down. Hrhr. For me, these lights signify hope and all the good things that's in store for us in the coming days.

What do these lights mean to you?

Annoying Vehicles and the Sad Story of the Steel Family

One night, my sister, Charmaine and I decided to jog along Roxas Boulevard. Traffic was hellish and there were a lot of motorcycles passing along what should've been a pedestrian area.

While we were jogging, a van zoomed past by me ON THE PEDESTRIAN AREA and it was close enough to hit me. The driver didn't even bother to honk his stupid horn to warn the pedestrians. Feeling annoyed and all, we still managed to jog up to the CCP Complex. 

But what really broke my heart is how the following sculptures were dilapidated.

Notice how the arms of the "Steel Family" were broken off

Steel Dad's arms were gone

Steel Mom's arms were broken off too...

Steel Boy's forearms were broken off while
what was left of Steel Girl is her shoe

Steel Dog's tail and one front leg was taken off.

I've got to hand it to the local government for trying to improve Roxas Boulevard but if the people will not learn how to respect public property and disobey the rules, wala rin. I just hope that the people will learn to take care of public property and follow the rules so that everyone can enjoy hanging out at Roxas Boulevard. 

Posing Kitty

Hello, meet my baby boy:

Chiyo!

Alright, I have a lot of nicknames for our pets. You can say I'm a crazy cat lady but I really don't mind. Kthxbye.

Photo courtesy of Ate Richie. 

Four Months More

All I need is a mile-long patience, lots of prayers and loads of perseverance and this photo wouldn't go to waste:

Just hold on, KC. You'll get there.

If You're Not Really On A Budget...

...you could try Mr Punch Restaurant and Winebar in the Mint Museum of Toys at Seah Street, behind the Raffles Hotel.

My Ate Richie and Kuya Joseph had their solemnization (wedding) here and I really don't know the cost. It looks sharp in here so I guess it kind of falls into the not-so-light-on-the-pocket category. But whatevs, the food is great and I think their contact person (whose name I forgot...again!) did a wonderful job in organizing and coordinating the staff. In short, sulit ang bayad. That's why I had to like their Facebook page and share it to you guys! :)

Friar's at Universal Studios Singapore

Spending S$12 (Php330) for a chicken wrap, crisscut potato fries and drinks seems ridiculous for me so I had to categorize this here. However, you will not regret buying it when your teeth sinks into the soft dough that holds the crunchy veggies and the flavorful chicken inside it. I underestimated the power of the chicken wrap. My cousin, Gomer does not eat vegetables but when he tasted the wrap, he did not mind the greens inside it. Auntie Guritte said that it's that good if Gomer ate the veggies. Not only it's delicious, it's also a heavy but healthy lunch that's enough to keep you filled until your next meal.

Edit: For a not-so-light-on-the-pocket-but-totally-worth-it pasalubong, go for Garrett Popcorn. I already made a review here in one of my previous entries. Prices range from S$4 (Php134) for a small bag to a whopping S$320 (Php10,7970) for a 6.5 gallon can. We usually buy the 1 or 2 gallon tin can to take home to the PH because the popcorn can stay crunchy for up to a month when unopened and can last for 1 week after it's opened. They had a promo for S$25 (Php843) wherein there are two small tin cans were sold along with the popcorn.

These are my top two recommendations. Let me also direct you to a tea party at TWG, steak feast at CUT by Wolfgang Puck, sossy dinner at Capella para ubos ang pera. Loljk. These are just the most popular fine dining restaurants in Singapore that's worthy to mention since it has high reviews among the travel blogs and travel websites.

Eating in Singapore...On A Budget

In relation to the "Hopefully I'll be able to whip out and entry or two" post, here are some of my recommendations about the best places to eat when in Singapore in a budget. This post is also in response to a couple of emails I got from Pam and Sandy. I already reviewed IKEA Restaurant so here goes the new batch of recommendations:

Maxwell Food Center

This is located in Chinatown, near the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum. After checking out all of the souvenir shops and splurged almost all of your Singapore Dollars, Maxwell Food Centre is the place to be. There are lots of food to choose from over a hundred stalls. This is the biggest hawker center I've been to. Food prices depend on the serving size but from the food that we ordered, it only ranges from S$2-10 (Php67-337). The drinks do not go higher than S$5. Must try dishes are the Hainanese Chicken Rice, Kuay Teow, Chicken Satay and Oyster Cake. Mind you, the servings are huge enough for sharing. Before ordering, ask the Uncle or Auntie that's manning the store about the serving sizes so you won't load up that much.

This place is also famous because Anthony Bourdain of the "No Reservations" fame visited this place. Among the stalls he visited is the Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cake and the Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice. These stalls are among the most popular so when you drop by to visit, just be patient with the queue.

Wuerstelstand

Also in Chinatown, stands "The Last Sausage Kiosk Before The Equator" wherein they serve authentic German sausages that's made by an Austrian chef named, Erich Sollbock. For as low as S$1.50 (Php50), you can have a frankfurter that goes heavy in your stomach. Not only that, they also sell Austrian style bread. I forgot how much it costs but I liked the onion bread because it's soft and tasty. You can find it at Trengganu Street, corner Sago Street. If you are in doubt, go look for a place that has a lot of Austrians and you'll know you're in the right place. May araw na medyo masungit si Chef pero keri lang naman, magpakabait ka na lang. Haha. To know more, check out Chef Sollbock's blog.

Liek Wew

NOTE: Title is read as LIKE WOW. Pauso ko lang yan. Kunwari lang na slang. :P

I started to discover the joys of travelling in 2010 when we went to Boracay for the first time. Although I liked to go on out of town trips even before, that's the time when I realized that the world is such a beautiful place and it'd be a shame not to see just even a small part of it. I'm now working towards it. I started locally (which isn't finished, BTW) then I'm slowly creeping out into Southeast Asia. I can't afford any Oriental or Western trips but I'll get there someday.

I'm not even an authority on travelling but I write about my little trips in order to share my experience and insights about the place. In a way, it is my contribution to the world of blogging because it's where I usually get my information and some insider's tip on a certain destination that I wanted to go to. I think that if we continue to add on to the information, the cycle goes on and more people will benefit from it. And that's coming from someone who thinks that her blog is just an insignificant speck in cyberspace. Lol.

So I'm really surprised to have some good feedback from some readers who just stumbled upon my blog through the good old Google Search. I'm really sorry that I only opened comments for those with an Open ID because I don't like anonymous comments since I have no means of getting back to them. My email address is available in my profile so feel free to send your questions in if you do not have an Open ID. I'll get back to you as soon as I have free time. I'm changing rotations and hospitals for this month so I won't be blogging as much as I used to when I was starting this blog.

Thanks to some feedback, I realized that I have no decent travelogue about Singapore. Hrhr. Hopefully I'll be able to whip out an entry or two. I'll try my best to make my entries more informative. Thanks for dropping by! :)

Inside Paco Park

When I was a kid, Paco Park is one of the places usually mentioned in History class because that's where our National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal was buried right after his execution in 1896. Fast forward to present times, I've been living in the Manila area for quite some time now and I still haven't been to this place. To add insult, it's just a few blocks away from the place I live.

So one day, my sister, Charmaine and I grabbed the camera and decided to head off to Paco Park. From our place, we just walked a few blocks to get to the park. 

Historical marker outside the park

Paco Park is originally a cemetery that was built by the Dominicans in 1814. It is popularly known as the burial site for those who died during the cholera epidemic that hounded the city in 1820. Interment was stopped in 1913 and most of the niches were emptied. In 1966, it was declared as a National Park by President Diosdado Macapagal.

My sister, Cha, standing in front of the arch leading to the inner cemetery

Analog Lives!

Clockwise from L-R: Canon Prima; Kodak  circa 1945;
Minolta XG-1 and; Argus C5Fx

The world may have gone digital but nothing beats old school analog photography.

FREE BLOGGER SIGN UP: PALAWAN’S HIDDEN HILLS GIVEAWAY

The owner of Hidden Hills Private Resort in the lush province of beautiful Puerto Princesa in Palawan is happy to give 2 nights/3 days free accommodation for 2 persons to ONE LUCKY WINNER!

The Travel Bug is happy to host the Palawan's Hidden Hills Getaway Giveaway which is scheduled to run from Jan. 15 to Feb. 15, 2013. This is open WORLD-WIDE!

This travel incentive promo will surely increase your stats. So, come and join this fantastic getaway giveaway by signing up.

Here are the important info about the giveaway:

Only 1 winner will be chosen for the Palawan's Hidden Hills Getaway Giveaway and the offer is valid for one year upon winning.

Prize:

2 nights/3 days accommodation with basic freebies granted by the sponsor.

Below are the specific freebies included in the prize.

• Accommodations : Exclusive use of the entire property

• Welcome Drinks
Welcome Pack / Fruit Basket

• Daily Freshly Picked Flowers From the Garden Free

• Unlimited Coffee or Tea
• 
Mineral Drinking Water

• Eat-All-U-Can Fruits & Veggies in season whatever grows in the farm FREE!!!

• FREE FRESHLY PICKED BUKO (YOUNG COCONUT JUICE) ON ARRIVAL.

• Cutleries & beddings / towels/ flip-flops / rain boots / beach mats provided for use

• ONE BOTTLE OF WINE (Seasonal Welcome Compliments)

• Cleaning services (daily)

• Cooking Assistance 

NOT INCLUDED: Transport. The winner will shoulder his/her plane/boat/land fare and if required, visa formalities will have to be the sole responsibility of the winner.

Great prize! And there is more!

Blogger opportunity for this event: 

There is an automatic free link for every blogger who signs up and a paid option for additional links for the price of $2 each link. Please add an extra 0.80 cents if your option of payment is for "services."

Bloggers are also invited to host a page for $12. 

This will be a great way to improve your traffic stat as your blog page will be the landing site for follows and likes group of either Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest.

This hosting page is limited only. So sign up now. Those who made the cut will be contacted and request for payment will be required once you've been notified that you're confirmed to host a page.  Please add an extra 0.80 cents if your option of payment is for "services."

Please click here for the sign-up and announcement form: https://docs.google.com/a/riablahgs.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&formkey=dGpRb1RPT1B4TGVVLTNfdm05UFF6VFE6MQ

And lastly, as a sign of appreciation, The Travel Bug will give a $25 prize to the top referrer for the Blogger sign-up before the giveaway goes live. 

So, what are you waiting for. Sign up now and take part in this fantastic getaway!

PLEASE SAY YOU ARE REFERRED BY KC FROM http://sugar-baroness.blogspot.com/

Laguna - Quezon Road Trip

In a miracle of all miracles, I was able to have a long weekend off, thanks to FCH rotation. In order to make the most out of my free time, I decided to take a little adventure by going someplace we have never been to. We wanted it to be somewhere near so we decided to look for that place in our own province. I read about Bato Springs in Brgy. San Cristobal in San Pablo, Laguna so we decided to go there on November 3, 2012.

We set off at around 6AM in order to avoid traffic and the crowd. We easily found the place because Mommy knows how to get around San Pablo. Bato Springs isn't that popular but I must say that the place is amazing and the view is spectacular. Not to mention, the place is clean and the atmosphere is so serene.

Note the entrance fees

Cottage area by the modern, tiled pool

The tiled swimming pool

The place is perfect for family and barkada outings. As you walk along the area, you'll notice how clean the water is. We were told that the water used in the pool came from a stream that originates from Mt. Banahaw so expect that the water will be really cold. 

One of the biggest cottages in the area

The waterfall that doubles as a massager

Pardon the blurry photos because the camera's lens kept fogging up when it's submerged underwater. Also our hands were trembling because it was cold. 

Casa Roces On A Whim

My med school is just a stone's throw away from Malacanang Palace and I've been hearing about this great place called Casa Roces. I never dared to set foot in it because I heard that it was expensive. However, due to a surge of stress hormones caused by the graduation pictorial last October 24, Ice, Tope and I decided to eat out and try food at this place.

Then again, I don't have a decent camera with me so the pictures I borrowed are properly tagged with respect to their owners.

Photo from the Casa Roces Facebook page c/o Marc Anthony Vitug

The house in itself is historical, having survived the World War II and a lot of typhoons. Just a glimpse at the entrance is enough to take you back in time. I love the portraits and decor in the lobby, especially this one above the piano:

"You are not alone"

It's somewhat creepy in a ghostly sort of way but just think that it's like an affirmation of the old couple's portrait at the left side of the photo.

The Manila Project

I've been based in Manila for quite some time now and it's pretty off that there are lot of places in this city that I've never been to or I have never explored properly. I made up this so-called "Manila Project" so that I will know what the City of Manila has to offer, aside from the commercial and "touristy" places. This project sounds good enough because I get to explore, de-stress and de-noob myself.

Not only that, I can write a few details about it in this blog so that I can share the new things I discovered. I will also try to make entries based on my old photos of the places I've been to for maximum de-noobing. Hrhr.

So Malate is my point of origin.

I've already covered San Sebastian Church:

...and more to follow. Stay tuned for updates of my Manila Project.

Ang Kwento ni Mang Abe

Random musings from my April 1, 2007 post. I was angsty during these times but I still hold on to some parts this little belief of mine. :)

Recently, I chanced upon my older sister’s mementos and memorabilia from the past. I laughed my ass of when I saw the flyer for the children’s theatrical play, “Ang Kwento Ni Mang Abe”. See the illustration above...cool! Seeing that brought back so many memories and many other things such as dust bunnies and old notes from way back.

I just wondered why have they stopped producing or funding these kinds of shows? I know that they know that a lot would benefit from these kinds of projects. Great. Just great! Where were these shows when the world needs good manners and early exposure that learning is fun?

Looking back shows like Batibot and Sesame Street has been my own virtual textbook. I learned my ABC’s and my 123’s in these shows. Not only that, I learned other day to day skills such as tying my shoelaces (c/o Robert Jaworski) and cleaning up after my mess (c/o Kuya Bodjie). I strengthened some of my values like saying po and opo to elders. Who can forget the magic words: sorry, thank you, and please?

But now, children has become a little bit of annoying. They don’t even know how to say sorry. Just a little while ago this morning when I attended the Palm Sunday Mass, a kid aged about 6 y/o wearing those annoying skate shoes stepped on my toe. I yelped in pain but the child didn't even bother to say sorry. If that person wasn't a kid, I’d probably turn into a Ms. Hyde. I’d intentionally step (or probably trample) on her foot while saying, “Sorry, jackass!”

(Edit: OKAY. Nowadays I won't intentionally step on other people's toes and say "Sorry, jackass!" HAHA.)

I’m not saying that I’m the epitome of a perfect, polite child. All I am saying is that we should still remember these things because it’d make us better persons. Although it might sound so passé, it really does. Usually, polite people are more pleasant to be with than those who are not.

And as for me, nowadays I’m being polite when the situation calls for it…in situations like when the person in front of me is a polite one.

(Edit: In short, kung magalang ka, igagalang din kita pero kung bastos ka, pwedeng deadmahin lang kita o babarahin kita. Mapagpatol! Haha.)

My Dagupan and Baguio Getaway

Taken from my August 2, 2007 entry. My lame attempt at a travelogue while waiting for the Board Exam results. Eto yung mga panahong ang payat ko pa. Haha. Fcuk.

Ok. So I may be a partial social retard and a part-time bum, but I know how to chill and have fun. To give you the lowdown on what I have been up to, I went to Dagupan with Ate Richie and stayed over at our friend, Odette's place.

That's Odette on the left, Ate Richie on the center, and me on the right side. All green kami at di namin pinag-usapan yan. Fans lang kami ni Migz Zubiri. LOL. Odette’s brother, Popoy volunteered to drive us around since it was not a busy day. Anyway, we first visited Edna's School and Mother Goose School, whom I heard a lot about from my classmate, Maireen. After that, we went to Lingayen and we went to see the fighter planes and army tanks used during the World War 2. Being the shutter freaks that we are, my sister and I took a lot of photos of the park and of ourselves with Odette and Popoy. And holy macro, it rained! So we sought shelter at the Shrine and there we saw more mementos of the Lingayen that was. Imagine, I am now in a place that my textbooks in elementary and high school used to describe. Harhar. Now that's something! Anyway, this was one of the mementos that caught our attention. When I saw that my sister took a photo of it, I was thrilled. Methinks this is a groovy shot:

Anyway, we also visited the Lingayen Gulf and the Provincial Capitol of Pangasinan (as seen on both sides, respectively). Don't you just love the architecture and the happy color of the Capitol? Kaloka naman dahil yung Kapitolyo ng Laguna, di ko pa napupuntahan! The place is closed but the guard kindly allowed us to come in and take photos since they know that we're visitors. Pa-turista effect pa kami ng kapatid ko sa loob ng kapitolyo kasi todo kuha kami ng pictures. Di bale na kung mukhang engot. The place is perfect for an emo shot. Lol. Kidding. And in fairness, the area is sooo clean and well maintained.

Batam, Indonesia Side Trip

Taken from my May 14, 2012 entry about our April 4, 2012 trip to Batam. I think I'm in the mood to sing Ingatlah Hari Ini by Indonesian pop group, Project Pop. :)

My sister and I were supposed to go to Bintan, Indonesia but we chose to go to Batam because it is not that expensive. As mentioned previously, we had to maximize our money so we can visit Indonesia and watch Wicked. :) 

Since we do not know anyone who can take us around, Charmaine and I signed up for a tour for only S$69. Not bad actually, you'd be getting a basic tour of the town, you'd get to have free lunch and transportation costs are already shouldered. And really, you couldn't go to another country for only Php 2,336 so I'd consider it as a steal.

Most people wouldn't be interested in this tour because it's more of a cultural thing. Like I said before, you'd only get to truly appreciate a country if you experience it's culture and tradition, so off we went. Lena, our tour guide is a very informative person because she fills us in with all the details about the places we're going. We didn't take too much pictures because we wanted to enjoy the place.

Small details first:

• Batam is an hour behind Singapore. Indonesia rests on 3 different time zones, according to Lena.
• It belongs to a group of islands calles Kepulauan Riau.
• Majority of the population here do not speak English. Bonus points for you if you know Bahasa Melayu, since they have the same words.

Thoughts From A Filtered Photo

No, I don't like OB-GYN. Heh!

It's just that for me, this photo means that even the greatest doctors sometimes need to admit his or her weaknesses and learn to accept that there are some things beyond their control. Not only that, life is the best thing that a person has so it is our duty to protect it and uphold it at all costs. And finally respect for one another is important.

Best Rotation Ever!

East Avenue Medical Center Orthopedics
L-R: Me, Jora, Tina, Bebs, Suzette, Daryl

Best rotation is an understatement. It was made fun by the coolest block mates ever. After rotating only for a week, I'm sold. Orthopedics remains as my top choice for residency. :)

Sorry naman sa pagliyad ko. Masaya lang talaga. Lels.

Zark's Burger Madness

I've seen that Facebook photo in which there is a crazy queue in front of the Archer's Nook Building in Taft Avenue. I asked my brother, Christopher, about it. He then told me about this great burger place called Zark's Burger. With every description of each burger he tried, I grew excited. I can feel the LDLs sticking to my arteries. Hrhr. And it's decided, we're going to try it! And it's a pretty good timing that our sister, Ate Richie is on a holiday.

Just reading the description for each burger already clogs my arteries. Loljk. Here's the menu and see for yourself:

It's divided into the Minor League and Major League Burgers. Simply put, Minor League Burgers do not include fries and drinks while the Major League is inclusive of fries and drinks. 

Shawarma Snack Center

Note: So sorry for the not-so-good quality of the photos. I just used my camera phone which is not really apt for low light conditions. :)

There are a lot of hole-in-the-wall Middle Eastern restaurants around Malate but Shawarma Snack Center definitely stands out. It was my older sister, Richelle, who introduced me to this place. It has two outlets on each side of the road, one is the fancy restaurant on the left side (if you're coming from Robinson's Place Manila) and the other one is the canteen-style restaurant on the right. The fancy restaurant also offers Mediterranean dishes. We always eat on the canteen-style restaurant because of the more laid back atmosphere.

The Fancy Restaurant on the left

The Canteen-Type Restaurant on the right

Some Middle Eastern artifacts on the canteen