Day 1 - Cebu to Tagbilaran City (September 24)

The first day of our trip was pretty uneventful since we spent it traveling. After an hour flight to Cebu from Manila, we had our lunch at the Pier One ferry terminal. 2pm we boarded the Ocean Jet ferry bound for Tagbilaran City, the capital of Bohol. The ride lasted for 2 hours in air conditioned comfort. Some choppy waters made the boat shudder a few times interrupting my desperate need to take a nap. Not that you can really sleep because they were showing the Lord of the Rings movie with the volume blasting out loud. Plus the seats had this stale odor (amoy umok) which made my stomach churn so I just listened to my mp3 player to relieve my boredom.



We reached Tagbilaran City at 4 pm, our van was waiting to hie us off to our hotel, the MetroCentre. An inconspicuous business hotel located right in the bustling city which has a population of roughly 1.3 million inhabitants. We unpacked then explored the area, a street crowded with tricycles, pedestrians, cars and whathaveyous. You had pharmacies, schools, gasoline stations, all sorts of shops selling different items all located on that very busy street. We entered the BQ mall, had an early dinner at Pizza Hut then bought our supply of mineral water bottles at the supermarket. Then we needed to check our emails to confirm our hotel booking at Cebu City. Fortunately on the 5th floor of the mall, there was an Internet cafe. It had this innovative device near the monitor (it resembles a small vending machine) wherein you simply slot in 5 peso coins and voila you were connected online. 5 pesos will give you 20 minutes online. It was the first time I saw a coin operated Internet cafe so I was impressed that a little town in Bohol would have such a facility. Then we were back at our tiny but cosy room to retire for the day so that we could be up early for our city tour, the next day.

My reality

I got back from Cebu last night at around 9pm. It was a nature enhanced holiday highlighted by skin rashes, peanut kisses, historically filled endeavours and thank God surprisingly clear, warm weather (except on the last day) in both Bohol and Cebu.
Now I'm back in a typhoon soaked Metro Manila with its traffic, smog, flooded streets and inconsequential Senate hearings! I'm back to blogging online using my noisy CPU after getting spoiled with a five star hotel broadband connection. I'm back sleeping in my small bed without the Egyptian cotton sheets, the fancy duvet and soft fluffy cotton pillows. I'm back in my tiny loft after being pampered in a luxurious Shangri-la Mactan suite!

Yes I'm back to my reality. But!
There is nowhere else I rather be. I'm home embraced by my nurturing family and my loving honey. =) I know you are dying to see my pictures and read tales of my adventures (yes I'm being very presumptuous) but you guys will have to wait for it. I got a date with someone whose birthday deserves to be celebrated (albeit belatedly) simply for being the great guy that he is!

Peek a boo!

Missed me?
If your answer is yes, well thanks.
If your answer is no, whatever I don't care!
So anyhow, here's a new template to signal my comeback from my hibernation!
I will keep this short because:
1) I got a date with D this afternoon.
2) I need to pack for our trip (my sister and me) to Cebu and Bohol on Monday. Probably do it tomorrow, last minute as usual! But yay, I'm so excited! =)

So aside from gloating about my trip next week, I just want to announce that Friday, September 28 is D's birthday. A day I wish I was in town to celebrate with him but alas I'll be in Cebu. I planned for this trip way before he became a significant part of my life.

Advanced Happy Birthday my honey bunch, I love you very much! =)

He doesn't read my blog nor does he know of its existence. I figure he would disown me for this very public (blogging) display of saccharine affection so let's just play safe and keep this love.letter.disguised.as.a.blog among ourselves. Ok!

See you all when I get back from Cebu.

Hibernation

In February of this year I went on a hiatus.
In April I said:

I'm back
OK so I had my Lenten blogging hiatus.
Was it worth it?
You bet it was.
Would I do it again?
Yes, in a heart beat I would.

This week, I received an Esep Esep award from blogger Toe (thanks!) who wrote in her blog: (I'm too lazy to translate)

Mahilig siya sa sining at kultura, magbiyahe sa malalayo at mga misteryosong mga bansa, mga malalalim na banyagang pelikula, at mga aklat na makakapal at maliliit ang sulat. Ngunit dahil kung kelan lang ay tinamaan siya ng pana ni Kupido, siya ay naging parang isang bungisngis na teen-ager na nasaniban ng kaligayan at pag-ibig. Nagantimpalaan na rin siya ng award na ito na kanyang pinasa sa akin. Ngunit ngayon, ito ay binabalik ko sa kanya. Daphne, ikaw ay wagi!

I believe it is time to take another blogging break for no specific reason at all. How's that? But, in case you are wondering.
No, I am not having relationship problems.
Although I admit there are some daunting challenges.
No, I am not going to elope.
No, Toe don't worry your post didn't trigger my sudden need to go silent. I've been toying with the idea for some time now. I realize I've lost focus on what is really important. Now if you ask me what that is. Well it remains a mystery. So kindly respect my wishes to go off blogging for some time. I know you probably don't have any choice in the matter. Now if you really miss me well I'm just an email away. I reply promptly too! =)

A bientot!

"Two"

Dear Hon,

Since I'm a date obsessed person, I pointed out to you that yesterday, August 11 was our 2nd month together as a couple. But honestly it feels like 2 years already and you wholeheartedly agreed with my statement.
How appropriate that we would watch a movie with the word "2" in it at the CineManila. Specifically "2 Jours en Paris" which translates to "2 Days in Paris", my favorite city in the world. The insightful French rom-com (romantic comedy) starring, written and directed by Julie Delpy of "Before Sunset" fame. I loved the film. But what I love more is the fact that you enjoyed it as well. In fact when we were discussing the movie over dinner at Teriyaki Boy, your acute observations about certain aspects of the film were right on the dot. Wow Hon, you can critique films too but ah just stick to your day job, ok? Movie reviewing is my category! Yes, that's me being territorial. But really I was pleasantly surprised at your keen eye to notice the hidden meaning behind certain scenes. Bravo!
By the way, thanks for going through the trouble of picking me up from home then accompanying me through the maze of link ways connecting the Cubao MRT station to the Gateway Mall. I'm such a spoiled brat (at least I admit it), I haven't ridden the MRT in ages. But yehey I got to our destination in one piece. Of course, I was ably guided by your protective arm the entire time.
As I knelt down in prayer during the anticipated Mass at Edsa Shrine, I once again thanked God for blessing me with your presence in my life. Here's to more anniversaries to celebrate together. Hey, next time let's have balloons. That was really really hilarious. Yes I'm naughty! But hey you were naughty too. While we are strolling at the mall, each time you saw balloons, you'd poke me in the ribs, wink then start giggling. Awww the readers have no idea what I am babbling about. I guess they have to watch the film to get the joke, no? Enuff said!

Je t'aime,
Daphs

If there is a laptop, there will be a blog entry. Well not exactly my own laptop but you know what I mean

I'm glad this heavy downpour from "Chedeng" will somehow minimally increase our dwindling water supply at the dams but seriously it ruins my planned dates with D. Since most of you who commented in my previous entry don't mind me continuously yapping about my dates, here it goes.
Our or rather my original plan for today, Wednesday (D's day off) was for us to watch a foreign film at Cinemanila which opens today at the Gateway Cineplex. But lo and behold, the heavens above seem to have other plans which supersedes my clever idea to drag my beau to read subtitles. You know a guy loves you when he is willing to sit in a freezing cold movie theater to watch a film in a language he doesn't comprehend. Thus he will be forced to read tiny, fast moving subtitles to grasp the film.
So boo hoo here I am using my sister's brand new Acer laptop ranting about my canceled postponed date. Although there is nothing more romantic than snuggling together under a small umbrella (I do have big parasol type of umbrellas but I expressly use small ones!) when it rains, the mere thought(s) I would get stranded without any public transport, stuck in horrendous traffic or worse in knee high or even waist high bubonic plague infested flood waters doesn't appeal to me, at all.

So rain rain go away, D & D want to play oops I meant D & D want to date. =)

This blog is becoming predictable

I blog only about the following things:
1. my dates with D
2. my travels
3. my PC acting up

Today it is the 3rd option yet again, rather unfortunate!
I'm getting tired of my PC acting up like a brat! But I am still paying for half of my sister's laptop so I'm too broke to buy myself a new one. So I will fester for a while, try to amuse myself without my Internet connection. Probably catch up on my reading, I have books gathering dust on my side table. Ergo if I don't blog for a while, you know why!

A bientot!

Highlights of my date with D

Dear Hon,
I guess we have to thank President GMA for declaring today a holiday for high school and college students. You got the day off. Yay! I sensed you were in a sad mood regarding that matter we discussed over the phone last night, so I decided to cheer you up. What better way than to spend the day with me? Teehee! Yes I know, that's lame.
I can count 4 highlights of our date.

Ist - you heard First Friday Mass with me and my parents.

2nd - we chanced upon your cousin and cousin in law at Starbucks while we were strolling along the mall. I almost died of embarrassment when she said "Hey D, I didn't know you got married already, you ha you didn't invite us to your wedding!" after she made beso beso to me! It's good you clarified the real status of our relationship. But aha I found out something about you! When your cousin in law mentioned this grand family reunion two years ago, you blurted you were with a different woman that time. It's fine really. I know all about your past relationships. The key word is "past"!
3rd - we got hounded by that pesky sales person who wanted to sign us up for a new credit card. His in.your.face approach of "You must be a married couple with many expenses" caught me by surprise the second time, today. Does this mean that we already look/act like a married couple? Not sure that is a good thing, really. I want us to still project this girlfriend, boyfriend aura. Oh I don't know, maybe it's just me ... being silly.

The last highlight oh wait hmmm did I say four? This is a PG rated blog so let's leave it at that! Besides just spending the entire day with you is in itself a big highlight for me. =)

Many kisses,
Daphs

P.S.
I agree "License to Wed" the movie with Robin Williams was a huge disappointment!