The Philippines is not call the Pearl of the Orient for nothing. Ours is a country blessed with beautiful locales, rich heritage and hospitable people. And don't even let me get started on food...Yum! I come from the heart of the nation, from an island called Panay, believed to be the landing place of the 10 Bornean datus, along with their balangay, looking for a better place to settle in. They made a trade with Datu Marikudo, the head honcho of the Aetas, or the aborigine people. Eventually, the island was divided into 4 provinces and that's where my journey began.
I love the fact that I was born and raised in Iloilo. It is a proud province comprised of poor farmers and rich scions of the Spanish families in Jaro alike. It boasts of beautiful beaches, historic churches and abundant natural resources. Farming is the primary trade, while those by the coastline make a living by fishing. I live in a town endowed with many waterfalls, exotic animals (think white spotted deers, hornbills, cloud rats and wild boars -hi Pumba)! Our food varies just as the produce varies. I always delight whenever I go visit Museo Iloilo for it feels like going back in time and looking forward to the future - in equal measures!
Antique and Capiz are very much like Iloilo - friendly people, awesome vistas and delectable cuisine. Roxas City is not seafood capital for nothing, you know! Crossing the Iloilo Strait to go to Bacolod was exciting for the first time. While part of the region, Bacolod breathes money, maybe the residual from the lucrative sugar industry that made the city and the province rich. Aside from making lifelong friends there, I could never forget their chicken inasal, dunked in a combination of soy sauce, calamansi and sinamak (cane vinegar with very small hot peppers) or the piyaya!
My first time going to Manila was in 1988, en route to Cavite. It was an interesting 16hour boat ride. Then experiencing the fast-paced, busy life in the nation's capital, I was suddenly lost. No longer was I in my sleepy, lazy locale anymore. I graduated to the big leagues - woohoo! My most favorite memory of that experience was putting ketchup in my hard boiled egg for breakfast, paired with horse ham - yes, you read it right - horse ham! Going back to Iloilo marked my first trip by plane.
Then it was time to visit the south - Mindanao! We also took the boat, for about the same time it took us to get to Manila but it was all non-stop fun, especially hanging out with my intelligent friends on our way to competing against each other in the national secondary schools press conference! I loved Cagayan de Oro - it was something unexplainable but alas we were not staying there! We went on to visit Malaybalay, Bukidnon and negotiating the narrow roads alongside the steep cliffs was not an easy feat for such a big bus! I was so fascinated how those roads were made like hairpins on the side of the mountains. And then there was the Del Monte factory! Actually, it was the whole town, Camp Philips, composed of workers of the company and their families! It was pineapples after pineapples, for as far as your eyes can see.
When I graduated in high school, I spent my summer vacation in Cebu! I also love Cebu - it is a big metropolis but unlike Manila, it has retained it's small town feel! And the intermarriage amongst the Cebuanos and Spaniards was very evident in their good-looking people. It was in Cebu where I experience history in its profoundest - visited the Magellan's cross, beside the Sto. Nino Basilica (an undying testament of the Catholicism the Spaniards brought to the Philippines) and the Lapu-lapu monument (he who was believed to have killed Ferdinand Magellan, therefore hailed as the very first Filipino hero!) It was also in Cebu where I experienced eating Su-Tu-Kil (su for sugba or grill; tu for tula or soup; kil for kilaw or ceviche).
My college years were dedicated to studying and making it to the honor list - my mission in life, it seemed like so not so much traveling happened then. It was just restricted to a 15 minute boat ride to reach Guimaras, particularly Balaan Bukid and the Trappist Monastery to lift up our petitions for our studies and the future. When it was time for me to take the CGFNS (an exam necessary for nurses to pass in order to work in the US, aside from the boards), though, I chose CDO. We didn't have so much time spent to enjoy the city because our main focus was to take the exams and do good since it will determine a part of our future, but we still had a great time.
My brother's entry to the Philippine Military Academy opened new doors for me, as well - Baguio, the summer capital of the Philippines. After the stomach turning experience going through the zigzag road, we reached the land of strawberries! Needless to say, I was excited. We stayed there for 3 days and we had the exclusive access to even the restricted areas in the PMA. We were living with a Colonel, that's why! I only wanted to see the Kissing Rock, among all things! And of course, the fancy drills, just like the one I saw in A Few Good Men! And yes, we hung out at Burham Park, too!
When I passed the CGFNS, it only meant one thing - I'm bound for the United States! Yay! I first set foot in San Francisco. Half expecting to see the Golden Gate Bridge while airborne, I was kinda disappointed. Oh well, I appeased myself with the thought that I was going to Chicago and will be seeing the Sears Tower, the tallest structure in the world since I drew it in my Architectural drafting class in high school until my entry to the US. I was at a loss for words the very first time I set eyes on the Sears Tower. It was so unexplainable! I remembered straining my neck looking back at it even though we were already so far away!
After a few months in the states, we had the opportunity to visit the nation's capital, Washington DC! Of course, it meant knowing more about the United States through the National Mall but it moreso meant hanging out with my cousins who live in the area. I was at awe when I saw the capitol and the White House, as well as all the monuments. So, this is what DC looks like!
The following year, we visited LA. Actually, it started in San Francisco, for an SFC conference in Berkeley. Then down to LA where there was glitz and glamor but above all, it meant Universal Studios and Disneyland - the happiest place on earth! One unexpected twist was the visit to JPL, my uncle's workplace. It's only there where they make the jets for the spaceships that the astronauts use, for JPL means Jet Propulsion Lab.
The following year, we ventured to the East Coast - NYC, to be exact! We visited Broadway, saw the Twin Towers and paid homage to Lady Liberty. I wasn't too crazy driving through the Holland Tunnel, though, which we had to do since we were staying in Jersey City with cousins! From there, we drove down again to Maryland and had our fill of blue crabs, yum, amidst the recollection of our memories especially when we were still younger! And thus started my almost yearly sojourn to the DC area for my cousins' weddings. We also went to Baltimore's Inner Harbor but missed visiting Johns Hopkins!
The next year marked the journey back to California again, this time a little north of LA. We went there for a conference and then drove down to Orange County as home base. We went again to the requisites: Hollywood sign, Universal Studios, and another day spent in the Happiest Place on Earth. And this was when my love for El Pollo Loco started :) Of course, not to be outdone was our drive to find Filipino fast food restos which we all craved for.
The millenium marked my coming back to DC for yet another wedding and the great thing about always coming back is that we were not in a hurry to see everything all at once. We hit DC on foot and feasted on yet another bushel of blue crabs!
When Ranie and I went on our first out of town vacation, the verdict was California. So to Sta. Ana, we flew. Home base was still Laguna Niguel and explored the neighboring areas - Laguna Beach, San Diego and almost to the border of Mexico. As if they haven't had their fill of Filipino food, we frequented Max's Restaurant and Jollibee - and they were far apart! This was when we were en route to the nth time in visiting Disneyland!
So aside from enjoying all the rides in Disneyland and Universal Studios, it was also enjoying it with comfort food from the Mother Land!
Later in the year, we went on a mission trip to Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon. It was a surprisingly non-rainy day when we visited. I rate it as nature as its best kind of vacation. The highlight of it? Getting up the Seattle Space Needle, of course!
2002 was our wedding year and while I really wanted to go on a Disney cruise, I had to content myself with another visit to the Happiest Place on Earth - this time, in Disney World. There was so much to do in Orlando. Aside from hitting the theme parks, we went around International Drive to food trip. We found this teppanyaki restaurant, Kobe, we so love, with a cocktail enough to fill a small pail. And we even afforded to have a whirlwind trip to Miami, just so we can have a late lunch in South Beach!
Later in the year, we went back to DC for another wedding but what was different this time was that since we had a few extra days of vacation time, we planned for exploring the highlights of East Coast. Our first order of business was seeing his friend in Long Island, NY, then drove to Newport, Rhode Island. We had our fill of affluence by seeing the mansions of the gilded ages in Newport. It was the place to be back in the days.
As for our first anniversary, we went back to the West Coast - Orange County once again. Little did we know that we will embark on a trip of a lifetime, as far as driving was concerned. We started in LA, drove up to San Francisco where we visited all the touristy places: Fisherman's Wharf (clam chowder in a Boudin sourdough bread bowl), Pier 39, Alcatraz, Lombard Street (the crookedest street in the world), and of course, finally, I saw the Golden Gate Bridge, up close and personal.
Then we started driving south along Highway 1. The most romantic drive we've ever been to, so far, that is! We stopped by Monterey and then continued on to Big Sur, en route to San Simeon to see yet another grand mansion - Hearst Castle!
Continuing south, we passed by Solvang to see how the Dutch people lived and while I saw windmills there, I still secretly hoped to see the big ones, alongside rows and rows of tulips in Holland. A girl can dream, can't she?
Anyway, the next day, we drove to Sin City - Las Vegas! We were so awed by all that we saw - lights, shows...the dancing fountains of Bellagio! Wow! But since we were always on the go, we still opted to drive south to the Grand Canyon in Arizona to see how amazing this God's creation is! Words were not enough to describe what we saw! It was truly worth the drive!
The following year, we went back to visit Mickey and Minnie in Orlando. Aside from hitting the parks, we also went to NASA's Kennedy Space Center and even met a real life astronaut. Just how cool is that?
Another year, another trip to San Francisco, this time to attend a wedding in Napa Valley - the wine region of California. Even if we didn't have enough time to do some wine tasting, we were able to visit more of San Francisco.
Life is a continuous journey and so there are still places to visit and things to learn! Til next post!
