Cebu & Tagaytay

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Sorry I didn't get a chance to ge on the internet in the past few days. It's been quite a hectic trip!

The night we got home from boracay we all just relaxed. We were all a bit tired from the crazy boat trip (or at least I was). Millie trated me to a manicure and pedicure (round 3) at the parlor around the corner from my Tita Mila's it was a whopping P120 (thats $2 and some change). And that included tip. I will be back in that salon before I leave. My cousins said "When you wake up in the morning and don't like your color just walk over there and have it changed!" When they were living there they said they would go every other day - why not, it's so cheap!

We packed the next morning and flew out to Cebu that evening. Remind me never to fly on Philippine Airlines (PAL aka Plane Always Late) again. To make a long story short, they over booked the flight so half of the people booked on that flight go bumped to a later flight. We got into cebu around 6:30 that night (we were supposed to be in at 4:00). We checked into the hotel around 7:00ish and decided to have dinner with my dads friends (Tito Ramon & Tita Baby, and his other friend Tito Orly) at a native restuarant. I had Adobong Manok (chicken adobo). It was pretty good. And I have eaten so much garlic rice I can't believe I haven't gained a thousand pounds (garlic rice is fantastic). After dinner we were pretty tired so we just went to bed.

The next morning (yesterday) Mom, Dad and I visted Mount Carmel to visit the Sisters there (it's a convent). My Lola (dad's mom) would visit there everyday when she was still alive. It was nice. The sisters know more about my Lola than I do - thats because I was on the other side of the world when she was alive. Dad gave the sisters the family picture from Christmas so now all the sisters know who were are and I suspect they would all like us to visit them when we are in Cebu (although i would have to learn Cebuano to talk to them). It was a very pretty church. Mom and I took pictures.

After having lunch at the hotel we headed over to the house where my dad grew up. The whole family was going to be there to visit with us. Oh my I couldn't believe how big the family was! We had to take two pictures because we all couldn't fit in one. There are so many kids even my cousins here in Manila can't even keep them straight so I don't feel so bad not knowing who any of them are. It's wierd because some of them who are my age are my cousins and then the others are my neicies and nephews. Dad took picutres with his camera so I won't have them until he gets back. We stayed there for a few hours and did a little shopping afterwards.

There was a mall right behind our hotel so it was pretty easy to go shopping there. My Tito Ramon & Tita Baby picked us up that afternoon to take us around the city and see the sights. Next week is the Sinulog (SIN-OO-LOOG) which is comparable to Mardi Gra in the states. It's the celebration on the Santa Nino or Baby Jesus. We decided to swing by the Stanto Nino church to see the shrine - and boy that was a mistake! Of course the day we decided to pass by was a Sunday so everyone was going to church. The St. Nino church began offering masses 2 weeks ago everyhour from 5:00am to 10:00:pm becuase of the Sinulog. It was crazy! It took us about 45 minutes to drive in front of the church (which is about a block and a half). There were so many people attending mass and so many people in the street trying to hear the mass. There were people everywhere. I took pictures from the car so you can see how crazy it was. My tito ramon was telling us that during the Sinulog the Mayro of Cebu has all the pick pockters and criminals placed on an island until the Sinulog is over. I really thaought he was joking but he wasn't. They really place criminals with a history in pick pocketing on some random island for the celebrations. While we won't be there to see the parade (although Dad will) we did get to see some of the fabulous costunes and hear som of the drum core play. There was a contest between the high schools and they were just practicing on the street. It looks like the parade with be fun (but that's only if you want to brave the crowds). I expect that the crowds there are going to be 10x worse than going to see the fireworks on the lakefront on the 3rd of July.

We toured the rest of cebu by car and we went up into the mountains to see a view of the city (it was night so my pictures didn't come out so well). Most of cebu is mountians. There is only about 5 miles from the shore that is flat the rest of it is Mountains. We ate at another native restaurant that night - I can't rember the name - but it was really good. We turned in for an early night.

The next morning mom, dad and I had breakfast at the hotel and shortly after mom and I went shopping at the mall. We met up with my dad's cousins to have lunch and we ate at another native restaurant called Cafe Laguna. I really could not eat anymore - from the second we got into cebu to the time we left all we did was eat! I just had a simple cucmber salad. After saying our farwells we went upstairs to pack.

We checked out of the hotel around 2:00pm and Tito Ramon & Tita Baby picked us up. We had a couple hours before Mom & my flight left so they took us over to see the Shangri La Hotel and Resort - it was very nice. The property was huge! It had a golf course, huge swimming pool, a chapel, a massage building, tennis courts, etc. I couldn't believe how big it was. The hotel lobby was beautiful too. Although very nice it was also very secluded (I would rather spend my time in Boracay). After hanging out there for a little while. Mom and I were off to the Airport. My dad will be staying in Cebu for a few more weeks so I won't see him until he gets back to the states (March).

Mom and I had a pleasant flight back to Manila. We saw the sun set from the sky it was quite nice (and I of course took pictures). My Tito Max picked us up from the airport and then guess waht we did....we went and ate! We met the rest of the family at this restaurant Dad's which is a Japanese and Chinese buffett. Tita Violi & Uncle Noly, Tita Dani, Tita Luz, Mark and Norman ate dinner with us. I can'tget over how much my Unlce Noly looks like my dad (a younger version of my dad). The food was good but after that meal I pledged never to eat again (not really but I really can't eat anymore)!

We spent the evening and the next morning with them (they are my dad's side of the family). Tita Mila picked us up later that mrning and we took off for Tagaytay. It was a really pretty ride but we were swerving all aroudn the mountain. On our way up we could see the Taal Volcano which is one of the last active volcanos in the Philippines I believe. I can't remember when it eruppted but it left a huge crater in the volcano. ONce we got to the top we had lunch at Sonya's Garden. Krisitina and Steve you would have loved it. It is all organinc the food we ate was mostly picked from her back yard and everything was made fresh. It was a nice change from all the fried food we have been eating. Her salad even had rose petals in it. The restaurant has become so popular that you have to have a reservation to eat there.

Lunch took about 2 hours by the time we left tagaytay it was already 3:00pm. We were supposed to swing by Los Banos for the hot springs but by the time we got there it would have been too late already. So we decided to do ao little shopping in Makati (business district of Manila). I was so tired that I slept all the way there and even when were shopping I was like a walking zombie. It really has been non-stop since I got here. Thankfully today we will just rest and I am going to work on packing. We couln't take the car out today because on Wednesday's if your plate ends in 5 or 6 you can't drive (and you will get a ticket). That's how bad the traffic is here.

So today will just be a day of relaxing. Tita Mila's reflexologist is here - I think I am going to skip out on the massage and have my last manicure and pedicure at the parlor around the corner. Tonight my cousin Ann (Ann-Ann) is going to take me out with a few of her friends. Should be pretty interesting.

I will be home sooner than later (sadly). So this will be one of the last installments of my blog. I will see you all very soon!

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