Eighty Seven

Mommy would have been 87 years old today, May 30.

Even though 3 years have passed since she left us.

We still celebrate her birthday.

I'd say her 'earthly' birthday because I see some people would post on social media
greeting their dearly departed relatives with 'happy birthday in heaven'.

For me, I don't really know if they still celebrate birthdays in heaven.

Or if they are even in heaven.

No one knows really.

All I know is that I miss her and Dad terribly.

D and I visited their graves at Loyola in Sucat, Paranaque then we ate at Little Quiapo which is a quaint restaurant in the BF Homes area. An eatery famous for tasty pancit palabok and halo halo. Since I am watching my sugar intake, we did not order any desserts.

Comida China - plate combo of fried rice, lumpiang shanghai, pancit canton
and fried chicken

Mommy loved eating pancit of any variety and she would cook really delicious pancit bihon with minimal ingredients yet it was very flavorful.

I have tried a couple of times to cook her style of pancit bihon but there was always something amiss. Either it was too bland or it was too salty. But I will keep trying, if only to keep her memory alive.

A few months before she died, she was bedridden, with loads of painkillers in her system. She would talk but it was gibberish as the brain tumor affected her speech. Out of the blue, she sang in a clear voice the song "You are my sunshine".  I now associate this song with her. I still cry sometimes when I hear it on Youtube or the radio. Lately though, it serves as a sign that she is watching over us. 

It is the lil things such as a sudden breeze when I am all sweaty during my walks. Or I would find a 500 pesos bill in one of my pockets when I am cash strapped. Or I would add an ingredient while I was cooking that I suddenly remembered she would use on the dish I was cooking. 

It is difficult to explain really but I firmly believe and feel her presence is always with me, in everything I do. 

Love and miss you, Ma. 

Jewel Rain Vortex @ Changi Airport, Singapore

The moment we landed at Changi Airport in Singapore, we headed to the Jewel Rain Vortex. Yet when we reached the waterfalls section on the 4th floor, it was under maintenance pala. Since it was close to lunch time, we decided to try one of the restaurants there. 

We picked Paradise Classic, mainly because they have hor fun on their menu. When we lived in Singapore in the 1990s, one of my favorite dishes was the seafood hor fun. It is a dish made with wide flat rice noodles, delicious gravy silky sauce topped with veggies and thin slices of beef or with seafood like prawns and cuttlefish. It was delicious and brought back fond memories of my days in Singapore.

Braised big prawn hor fun with prawn broth is one of the best
hor fun dishes I've tasted in my life.

A few days later, we returned to the airport via a long bus ride from our hotel to catch the Light and Music showcase of the Jewel Rain Vortex at 8 P.M. The world's largest indoor waterfall which cascades down 7 storeys at the heart of the Jewel section of the airport. It flows 40 meters all the way from the ceiling down to the basement. It is a wonderful sight to behold.

Changi Airport itself is an major attraction. It has evolved into a very large but well connected travel hub with many dining options, duty free shops and activities guaranteed to cater to all sorts of travelers. It is a great way to welcome travel weary visitors from all over the world. Asian hospitality at its best. No wonder it has been voted one of the best airports in the world. Truly amazing.

This is the view of the Rain Vortex at the basement of Jewel Changi

We ended the long day with dinner at Song Fa restaurant located at the basement of Jewel Changi. This eatery is known for its bak kut teh which is my sister's favorite Singapore dish. It is basically pork ribs soup which is cooked in a broth of herb and spices for hours. Me, I don't really like bak kut teh because the broth has a distinct herbal, garlicky taste but the pork ribs are really tender. 

Bak kut teh - pork ribs soup

Since I don't like bak kut teh, I ordered some braised pork bits
with some special sauce that had loads of ginger and a garlicky taste.

Spectacles

I've been wearing eye glasses since I was 8 years old.  Maybe it is genetics because both my late parents wore them. But among the four of us, I am the one with the highest grade. 

When I was in high school here na in the Philippines at a Catholic school in San Juan, I had really thick eye glasses. I guess back in the 1980s the ultra thin lenses technology wasn't invented yet. During my university days at UST, same look. Nerdy with bushy hair and thick eye glasses. I remember feeling really scared during my volleyball P.E. classes that my glasses would break if and when the ball would hit my face. Without glasses, I won't be able to play any physical activities or sports. 

Then in the late 1990s, I discovered contact lenses and I dare say it is the greatest invention for both near sighted and far sighted people. No more thick eyeglasses. You do need to buy eye solution to clean and store your contact lenses. Make sure it was clean before putting it directly in your eyes. I still wore thick eyeglasses but only at home. I believe it was merely for vanity's sake, to literally keep up appearances but it gave me so much confidence and boosted my self esteem.

Then lo and behold, the Covid pandemic hit. We had to wear face masks with face shields. Here in the Philippines, we also had to fill up contact tracing forms with our personal details on really small pieces of paper. My dilemma was with contact lenses I could only see far distances. I had separate reading glasses (with lower grade) which I would put on top of my contact lenses so I could read and write. 

Yet with face shields on, I couldn't use my reading glasses. I needed to adapt and went back to wearing eyeglasses. One for distance and a separate one for reading. But with new technology, thankfully the lenses are now thinner, have UV protection and added features for those with astigmatism, like me.

Other than that, my eyes starting bulging when I had uncontrolled hyperthyroidism. It was difficult to wear contact lenses due to the irritability of having dry eyes. Eyedrops only offered temporary relief! Wearing spectacles was the only solution.

Until now with the pandemic behind us but COVID is still a menacing presence so be careful, people! I still haven't gone back to wearing contact lenses again. I prefer to stick to my eyeglasses. Two, one for distance and now for reading which I also wear when I use my laptop. Yes, this gives you an idea, how 'blind' I am. Without any glasses on, I cannot see clearly the screen on my laptop, even the keyboard keys. 

Sometimes, I feel conscious especially when my eyeglasses would fog up because I still wear masks due to my comorbidities. Yet I've also learned that the older I get, the more I develop a I.don't.care.attitude. At 55 years of age, I have nothing else to prove, anymore. Heh!

Gardens by the Bay: Cloud Forest

After enjoying the Flower Dome, we had a quick lunch at SHake SHack where we luckily managed to find a table for two despite it being full.

It was time to hop over to the Cloud Forest enclosure. This great biodome houses the world's largest indoor waterfalls within a vibrant rain forest setting in a fully airconditioned enclosure. Different varieties of plants from all over the world adorn this luscious greenhouse. The winding canopy walk is an excellent way to explore this verdant arboretum.

I suggest you check the Gardens by the Bay website for the maintenance schedule of all the attractions. I recommend exploring both the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest in one single day. It is a much welcome break from the trappings of living in an urban jungle where concrete reigns. Nature is meant to be appreciated in its truest form. =)

Sweet 16

 

Yummy lunch @ Modern Shanghai, Edsa Shangri la Mall

The venue where we got married, 16 years ago.
The Chapel of San Lorenzo Ruiz at the Edsa Shrine.

Main altar of the Edsa Shrine

May 15, 2024 - Today we celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary.

5844 days is how long we have been together as husband and wife.

As the pictures show, it is just the two of us.

We heard mass at the church where we got married.

Specifically, the chapel of San Lorenzo Ruiz at the Edsa Shrine.

As we were taking selfies, Father Anju who said the 12:15 P.M mass passed by
so we asked to be blessed. He uttered a simple prayer and gave us his blessings.

Simple joys.

Ever since my parents died 3 years ago, our celebrations are now "table for two".

We are simple folks. No gift giving. No frills. Nothing fancy.

Just being together is enough.

Since we now live in a rented studio condo unit, we are always in each other's faces.

Not complaining, naman.

I still get my private me time when he is at work.

It is still important for me to be able to be by myself, from time to time.

May the Good Lord through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary continue to protect,
guide and bless our union.

Amen! 

Gardens by the Bay: Flower Dome

I recommend visiting both the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest in one day. Ticket prices are 32.00 SGDollars for both attractions.  

Enclosed in an airconditioned environment so you won't sweat from the tropical, humid weather of Singapore. There are different sections featuring flora from several regions like Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. Their cacti segment was quite engrossing. 

The Flower Dome is a fascinating, enchanting relaxingly fun experience to commune with nature. I really enjoyed this particular attraction at the Gardens by the Bay.