When Christmas Time is over

When Christmas time is over and presents put away.....
Guytingco Reunion!
It was my first time to actually be part of the pila! ha ha! Pila is a Christmas Tradition from 4 generations ago. This is where my great grandmonther would let her grandchildren (my mom's generation) fall in line and each one will be given money. So as it was passed on, all those working will be part of the givers (then again, the givers will also be given.. but i demand a TOR after analyzing i lost more than what i gave!! ha ha) So there's me with my red band of pila initiation care of tita nadine! ha ha. yep everyone has to kiss the giver when they are finally been given their pila money! (that's why we would always look forward for christmas balikbayans and more would actually go to the reunions. sad to say there are more guytingcos all over the world than those present in the photos above. And who is this guy ont he left? That's my favorite boy cousin ben. Ha ha. trying to look at as if a party scene.. oh, gone were the days when we had to perform before getting our pila money. Sad to say, only Kier was young enough to do the annoying dance and tune of "Boom tarattarat" with my aunts and my other grand mother. Oh i miss the days of my childhood Christmas!

Christmas Escapade to Bohol!
december 28 to 31 I quietly escaped from my cafe duties and gave all the power to my ever resposible and cute and lovely supervisor, Armi. I love you mare, pramis!

So we were off, me and my family, to Bohol at 8 in the morning last dec 28 with no idea what to expect in our 4 day trip to the visayas region this year. For one, we had a hotel named "Flushing Meadows" who claims to be a 5 star hotel in their website. We didnt even know how we will be able to go around the town since we dont exactly have our trusty urvan which we always used during these long christmas vacation trips.

day 1 was rest and relaxation. We got to bohol around 930 and were able to check in right Flushing Meadows around an hour after. The resort wasnt bad at all. I'd recommend it to anyone who plans to go to bohol. it had an international tennis court (their name is taken from the US OPEN "flushing meadows" in new york), an infinity pool, a beach and a bath tub with complete amenities (from shampoo to cotton buds!). Who would have thought that in such an island there is such luxury! We spend the early afternoon sleeping since we were all up at 5am. it was the best sleep i had since graduating. ha ha. you know those deep sleeps without thinking of anything to be done. Though we ate out for the night to this fresh seafood (pick your fish and we cook it kind of resto) where the view was the south of cebu and siquijor. BEAUTIFUL!

Tagbilaran is taken from a two sylabic word "tago-bilaan" meaning hiding moros. As we know moros were in hiding especially during the covent era of our philippine history. It was in bohol (formerly BOJOL) that they were escaping from these "kastilas". Our resort was not located in the main island of bohol, it was in panglao island. Panglao takes it's roots from the adjective mapanglao (sad... thinking florante at laura "sa isang madilim, gubat na mapanglao). The island is known for its thick forests.

The second day was our tour bohol day! so we headed of course to the bohol museum where the memorabilias of the late President Carlos P. Garcia is showcased. The late president has its space in our hearts since my lolo was his personal physician even during his term. That's my lola! we saw several photos of my lolo in the albums displayed at the museum. Your could see my lola's delight to see photos she never saw before with the president and my lolo during state visits (china and us) were showcased. it was a great experience to see how close the family was with the former first family and even the "first lady" was a god mother to my tito.


We proceeded to the Loboc River for a lunch cruise after driving thru the blood compact memorial (between datu sikatuna and villalobos..) and several old churches set up by the spaniards. There were several jesuit churches established in bohol. if i am not mistaken, and if i remember my his 165 right, the philippines was also divided by the 7 orders of the church and the bohol region was of the jesuit's.

The Loboc River Cruise was also amazing. Though there was that annoying songers that wouldnt put boom tarat tarat to rest at least for the rest of the cruise. Food was also served and it was a good deal with the fresh air and the clean river where we even saw two foreign lovers taking their dip by the river banks (feeling nila seine river. hahaha).

Of course a trip to bohol will not be complete without seeing tarshiers! o.o! so here are some of the facts i learned about them. They are pre-sapeins. so they are not part of the whole evolution thing. They are 5 animals in 1! a frog for its legs. they only could leap from one place to another. They can also leap 2 meters away. 2, they are are like koalas, since they only hug trees. 3, they are like bats, they are nocturnals. 4, they are like monkeys, and 5, they are like rats since they have tails that help them balance.

to be continued :)