Christy and I eat the free breakfast at the condotel's restaurant, choosing the Filipino option, which means garlic rice and longaniza instead of toast and ham. Every chance I get, I will eat this in the Philippines, because preparing garlic rice and longaniza isn't an option everyday in NY. Also, there's something special about the garlic in the Philippines. We walk the short distance to the US embassy and crossing Roxas Boulevard makes Christy slightly nervous. When we approach the first guard at the embassy, we pull out our passports. Beside this initial line are vendors hawking pencils and pens, as [View Full Entry]

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I wake up and can barely contain my excitement. The room we are staying in at the Boulevard Mansion Hotel is your standard Filipino condo/apartment. This was a suprise and bonus, because I love all things Filipino. The smaller chairs and beds, the design of the bathroom to allow water to hit the floor are all reminders of where I am. The elevator and hallway leading to the room has the distinct Filipino aroma. Since windows are open at each end of the hallway, I detect the slight smell of smoke mixed with other street scents that quickly remind me of [View Full Entry]

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My fiancee' and I arrive at Ninoy Aquino International Airport a few minutes before midnight and little did we know those few extra minutes were a miraculous blessing. When applying for our marriage license a few days later, we discover that one "extra" day allowed us to reach the minimum number of days needed to wed in the Philippines. The arrangement to bypass the minimum (10 days I think) never panned out, so we had to abide by the rules. I'm used to traveling alone and know that it is important to rush to the immigration lines to beat the other [View Full Entry]

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Alex and I got on the scooters and tried to ride them down the hill to the beach. It was his first time, so it was pretty interesting. he he. We both did the standard, walk the scooter with your feet on first gear- the telltale sign of a newbie. Some locals gestured to us to put up the kickstand (i forgot. ha ha) We met up with the others beside the Alona Kew, where the path to Alona Beach starts and where all scooters are parked. Melt and Agnes were off at one of the dive shops to compare prices [View Full Entry]

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1st night on Panglao Island After snorkeling we were pretty tired and wanted to rest and freshen up. We retired to our rooms and agreed to meet up in the early evening for dinner. We first stopped at the front desk to make arrangements for massages. Alex and Michelle got first dibs, then Christy and I. I wasn't in the mood to have the massage on the beach, so i opted for the room. The beach massage was set up maybe 20 feet from the water with shade provided. I saw some people getting them, and didn't feel like getting [View Full Entry]

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We arrived at the Tagbilaran docks where we waited in the shade for Christy's cousin. Christy's aunts and uncles were also with us, since they were returning from our wedding. We waited in the shade for roughly 15 minutes, which looked bad on him, because he was running late. Christy's tita kept apologizing, while she texted the cousin. I was burning in the heat and wanted to just grab a cab, but to save face I waited. The cousin finally arrived and we dropped off all of Christy's relatives at the bus terminal before we headed to the mall for some [View Full Entry]

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Leaving CDO City for Bohol After tying the knot in Cagayan de Oro City, we prepared for our overnight voyage to Tagbilaran via Cebu Ferries. Took our final ride with Popet to the CDO docks close to 7 or 8 pm. I warned my cousins, John Paul and Rex, not to go out yet, because we would be swarmed by the porters. Upon hearing this, Popet added a nice final touch to an excellent car service. He said, "Ako ang bahala" (I'll take care of this). The porters knew him well and he told them we didn't need help tonight; we [View Full Entry]

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