Turn Back the Time

It seems time is so getting fast. There are times you want to stop for a while and look back from your past and reminisce them. I had been longing to do this for quite some time and its only now that I had the chance to do this. Although there are some bitter moments and experiences from my past, I considered them as part of the process of growing and learning. Good and unforgettable moments will be there to remember. It will be an inspiration for me as years goes by. As I celebrate my third year of blogging, I want to share with you photos of my younger years, when I was 1-1/2 and 4 years old then. It was such a delight that my mother had kept these pictures for a long time. Whenever I look back to these photos, I cannot hide the happiness and joy within me. I wish I could be a child again, innocent, playful, and free of worries. Turning back the time is sometimes a theraphy to ease the ever fast, and changing world.

A Picture Paints A Thousand Words - More Vacation Photos

My Living Room

My Beloved Mother

Religious Articles at Kamay ni Jesus Church

Fresh and Bloom

Robinsons Vineyard, Dasmarinas, Cavite

Ricefields along Lucban, Quezon


Kamay ni Hesus Church, Lucban, Quezon
atop the hill is huge statue of Jesus Christ

My Visit To Our Lady of Manaoag Shrine

Our Lady of Manaoag

The Altar of Our Lady of Manaoag

Welcome Signboard going to Our Lady of Manaoag Shrine

In front of the altar

Facade of Our Lady of Manaoag Church

It was a dream come true on our trip to Our Lady of Manaoag Church in Pangasinan last January 30, 2010. I was longing to visit the Shrine since my last vacation on 2008. Unfortunately the plan during that time did not push through. This year on my vacation, I had promised to visit the Church come rain or shine. Me and a friend leave my house at 5 am from Imus, Cavite and reached the Pasay City terminal of Five Star Bus at 5:45 am. We ride one of the bus going to Dagupan City and asked the bus conductor if he can bring and drop us at Our Lady of Manaoag Church at Pangasinan. He willingly obliged to drop us at Urdaneta City and instructed us to take a tricycle ride (around 20 minutes) going to Manaoag Church with a fare of 100 pesos. The trip going to North Luzon Expressway was exciting for me since this is the first time I will see the changes that has been done through many years with regards to the road and other infrastructure that has been built on the area. I did not sleep in the bus because I don't want to missed anything I can see on our way to the Northern provinces along McArthur Highway. We had a 20 minute stopover at Mabalacat, Pampanga to relieve ourselves and buy some snacks. The trip was painstankingly long because it took us more than 5 hours to reach Manaoag. Nevertheless, it was joy and happiness that I felt upon reaching the Church. We were not able to catched the last mass in the morning of 11 o'clock because upon reaching the church, the priest was already blessing religious articles in front of the altar. Anyway, me and my friend prayed for our own intentions that lasted for several minutes and took some pictures for souvenir around the Church. Many people visiting the Church are taking pictures and the security personnel are not that strict. We were able to visit behind the altar of the Virgin a mini-chapel where visitors go to touch the image's mantle. Her mantle is visible and can be touched only through a small partition, small enough for hands to fit. Upon touching the mantle I offered a short prayer and thank her for the blessings of God that we were able to reached the shrine safely. I was able to drop my petition prayers (for good health of my father and mother and the whole family, more blessings, peace and love for the whole world) at the petition box. It was a wonderful trip for me to the Holy Shrine, a dream come true that I visited it for the first time. I felt the peace and holiness inside me and I unabashedly cried during my prayers. I will again visit the Church on my next vacation and will make sure to catch an earlier trip so I can attend and hear the earlier mass.

I'm Totally Back

The huge statue of Jesus Christ atop the hill

Me and my dearest Fe

Overview of the stairs going to the top of the hill (292 steps)

Landmark going to Lucban, Quezon

Whew! It's almost been 2 months I have not written on this blog. I just came from my two months vacation from the Philippines and it so hard for me to continue writing while I'm enjoying my memorable and remarkable vacation. I decided not to post anything so I can enjoy much of my needed rest and recreation. Now I'm back in Saudi Arabia and started to work hard to earn that much needed dollars for my bank account. My January vacation from the Philippines was the most memorable one among the others. It was a great experienced to visit Kamay ni Hesus Shrine at Lucban, Quezon where you can find the huge statue of Jesus Christ atop the hill by 292 hundred steps to reach the pinnacle. Before reaching the top you will be passing the statues of the 14 Stations of the Cross. The view is breathtaking and you can find peace and serenity because of its green landscape, lush greenery, virgin forest, and unpolluted place. From South, we went to North at Our Lady of Manaoag Shrine in Pangasinan, a 5 hours travel by bus. The moment I stepped in front of the church, I felt a sense of holiness, peace, and serenity inside of me. I cried during my prayers and it makes me feel at peace and relieved. I had a grand time and enjoyed our reunion with my college buddies at Gerry's Grill at Mall of Asia, Pasay City. We visited one of my dear friend Ruby who is sicked and wheelchaired at their house in Calamba City, Laguna. Eventually, my bonding with my family is the most important part of my vacation where I spend quality time with them, especially with my mother and father, my sisters and brothers, and my nephews. My vacation will not be worthy at all if I will not share to you some of the pictures I've taken during that period. Above photos are taken at Kamay ni Hesus Shrine.

Merry Christmas

As the sky breaks into a beautiful sunrise, may God open the heavens to shower us lots of love and happiness to make our day a meaningful one. Merry Christmas! Maligayang Pasko! Feliz Navidad! Joyeux Noel! Selamat Natal! Meri Kurisumasu! Sung Tan Chuk Ha! Feliz Natal. Peace on Earth, Goodwill To Men!

Just I Thought It Was Only Me

Today, I feel so bad and blue
Nevertheless life must go on
Just continue to enjoy this life
And cherish it as long as I live.

Just I thought it was only me
Who will share this kind of destiny
And never realize that this will be so lonely
Being left alone in the midst of my solitary.

Never expect life will offer you bed of roses
Ups and downs will give you these challenges
Just be strong and never surrender
Continue to endure and tomorrow will be better.

Ganito Pala Ang Umibig

Sa unang pagkakataon ng aking buhay ay natuto akong umibig. Ganito pala ang pakiramdam. Para kang nasa alapaap. Laging masaya, laging nakangiti, at lagi mo siyang iniisip. Hindi ko minsan maintindihan kung ano itong aking nararamdaman. Kahit malayo kami sa isa't isa ay gusto ko siyang tawagan araw-araw marinig man lang ang kanyang boses. Ang palitan namin ng text na pawang paalala at pagmamahal sa isa't isa ang nilalaman ay mistulang patunay na in love kami pareho. Palagi kong pinaaalala sa kanya na sana ay huwag siyang magbago dahil siya lamang ang taong nakapagpapaligaya sa akin tulad ng kanyang mga tawa.

Bago ang lahat, gusto kong ikuwento ang aking buhay noon at ngayon. Honestly speaking, I live a very lonely life. Lagi akong nag-iisa at loner. May mga kaibigan ako ngunit hindi ganoon ako ka-close sa kanila. Gumawa ako ng sarili kong mundo. I keep myself busy at pinagtuunan ko ng maigi ang aking trabaho. Nabili ko ang lahat ng aking gusto sa aking pagsisikap. Bahay at lupa, mga bagong damit, mga latest na gadgets tulad ng cellphone, laptop, mga alahas at ginto. Bumili pa ako ng iba pang mga ari-arian tulad ng lupa for future investment. Sa ngayon nakakapagpa-aral ako ng aking pamangkin at tumutulong ako sa aking kapatid at magulang. Nabuhay ako ng nag-iisa, umiiyak sa gabi, nangungulila dahil walang nagmamahal, walang kapiling at yumayakap. May kulang sa aking buhay sabi ko sa aking sarili. Hanggang tinuon ko naman ang aking libangan sa internet. Nag-join ako sa Friendster at Facebook. Nagbabakasakaling may makilala at makabalita sa aking mga kaibigan nuong college days ko. To my surprise, dumami ang aking mga kaibigan sa Friendster at Facebook. Kamustahan, thanks for the add ang mistulang naging national anthem ng bawat isa. Hanggang isang araw sa Friendster, may isang guy na nagsend ng message sa akin. Sana raw maging close friend niya ako, I look decent at professional daw sa aking primary photo. Check ko naman ang profile niya at photos. Actually, impress agad ako sa primary photo niya. The guy is not that handsome pero may dating. Kung baga ay may something x-factor ang kanyang mga ngiti. Nakakahawa ba. Check ko pa ang mga photos niya. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, siya ito dahil sa dami ng albums niya on different places ay siya lamang ang makaka-upload niyon. He took some pictures na nakahubad siya with his walking shorts. Balbon ang guy at maganda ang katawan. May abs pa nga siya. Ang na-notice ko sa kanya ay ang napakasayahin niyang mukha dahil of all pictures niya ay naka-smile siya with his white and complete teeth. After that, nag response ako na its okay for me na maging friend ko siya. The next day, he replied at tinanong niya kung may roaming ako at binigay niya sa akin ang kanyang cellphone number. Nasabi ko sa aking sarili na serious siya sa kanyang intention. So I made the the first move na mag-text sa kanya. To make the long story short, dito nabuo ang aming closeness thru texting at later on ay nagtatawagan na kami. He work in a reputable and big company sa Makati and lives in Calamba, Laguna.

Walang araw na hindi kami nagte-text, every morning, lunch time, and in the evening before we go to sleep we communicate with each other. Hanggang magsabi siya na in-love na raw siya akin. Frankly speaking, naunahan lang niya akong sabihin iyun sa kanya. Pinipigil ko lang ang aking sarili na baka hindi niya ako ma-accept. This made me really happy na hindi ko pa nararamdam sa buong buhay ko. Sinabi ko rin na in-love din ako sa kanya.

Ganito pala ang umibig. Walang puwang ang anumang edad, kasarian at pamantayan ng buhay. Sigurado ako sa aking sarili na mahal ko siya. Dahil maraming nabago sa aking sarili. Napuna ng aking mga kasamahan sa upisina na iba ang aura at glow ng aking hitsura at mga ngiti. Lagi akong masayahin at marinig ko lang ang message tone ng aking cellphone ay lumulundag na sa kasiyahan ang aking puso dahil alam kong siya na ang nag-text. It is a wonderful and unexplainable feelings which I cannot describe. Lalo pang pinasabik ng aking puso ang pagkikita namin sa darating kong bakasyon sa January. It will be an exciting meeting between him and myself. Dito namin mapapatunayan sa aming dalawa kung totoo nga kami sa isa't-isa. Ang alam ko ngayon sa aking sarili ay mahal ko siya at walang sinumang makakahadlang sa aming pagmamahalan. This is a journey that I will cherish and relish for the meantime.

Sabi nga ni Anthony Itebogeng sa kanyang tulang may pamagat na I Love You,

"The distance between us means nothing,

It's our love that means something,

To me you will always be my love,

For delivering you to me,

I want to thank God above,

Darling, I love you."

Sa pag-ibig, darating daw iyun ng kusa kahit di mo hanapin. Walang panahon at walang lugar, ito ay nasa puso na uusbong na lamang.

(Ang nasabing saloobin ay pawang kathang isip lamang)

Cold Morning Walk at Al-Khobar Water Front

A fine and very good morning walk along Al-Khobar Water Front makes my day so bright on the first day of December 2009. The cold morning breeze and air was so relaxing and you can feel the positive forces that engulfs my body during our 2 hours walked. Here are some snapshots I've taken for posterity.