The Never-to-be-Forgotten El Nido

I was asked by Patrick which beach I want to spend my summer at - Palawan or Boracay. I would love to see Bora, but he had been there last 2013. I always want to visit a place where my companion and I are clueless about it. It would make the escape more exciting. Hence, I opted for Palawan.

The original plan was a 3-day stay at El Nido and only a day at Puerto Princesa. We encountered a few problems that we unfortunately had 2 flights separately booked. We asked various agencies and hotels to arrange our itinerary, but we weren't so lucky. We ended up sojourning at El Nido for 4 days.

From Manila, we landed at Puerto Princesa Airport on April 8. The weather was fine.  A van bound for El Nido welcomed us. We got on it right away. Pat and I slept, ate, and chitchatted the whole insipid trip. After 6 hours, we finally reached Four Seasons Hotel which we booked through Agoda. The hotel looked good, but we expected more from it. However, our beach-front room compensated for it. Fair enough.

We had dinner at Art café. Their food was a bit peculiar yet savory. They also had country band playing at one corner.

 

Second day was used up for island hopping. The sun was beautifully glowing. We hopped on and hopped off at 3 islands. Each island has its own beauty to offer. I was amazed how caves formed in limestone mountains. Beautiful, indeed! Coconut Island is my favorite among the islands you would see in there. I will not go into detail. Simply, I said yes.

We initially had no idea what we would do on our 3rd day in this paradise, until a tricycle driver suggested the twin beach and Bulalacao waterfalls. (Local government protects the business of local trike drivers.) Among the spots, Bulalacao waterfalls stood out. We needed to pass the mega dusty road and walk for 15 minutes so as to reach the falls. It was worth it! The water form is surrounded by several tall trees where the beams of sunlight shine through. Perfect way to dip without getting tanned. And hey! I am so proud to say that we had a 25-ft waterfall jump. Yup, I conquered acrophobia at one point in my life. Here, check on the video:

When the sun set, Patrick surprised me with a dinner by the beach. It was the most romantic moment I've had. Nuff with the cheesiness. Haha!

We headed back to Puerto Princess on the fourth day. Another 6-hour trip took place, of course. We flew back to manila afterwards.

I love El Nido. I love its natural beauty and its people's hospitality. It's just the inevitable abundance of sunlight and hot weather lessened my amusement. (No blame intended for it. It's just me.) On the other hand, I hope the local government formulates a plan to fix the roads, so other tourist spots would be accessible for all tourists. It sure would be of help to keep its tourism sustainable and even better.

Lastly, I thank Patrick for this wonderful and unforgettable escape.

 

Let Her Go

"Let Her Go"

by: Passenger
 

Well you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low
Only hate the road when you’re missin' home
Only know you love her when you let her go
And you let her go

Staring at the bottom of your glass
Hoping one day you'll make a dream last
But dreams come slow and they go so fast

You see her when you close your eyes
Maybe one day you'll understand why
Everything you touch surely dies

But you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low
Only hate the road when you're missin' home
Only know you love her when you let her go

Staring at the ceiling in the dark
Same old empty feeling in your heart
'Cause love comes slow and it goes so fast

Well you see her when you fall asleep
But never to touch and never to keep
'Cause you loved her too much
And you dived too deep

Well you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low
Only hate the road when you're missin' home
Only know you love her when you let her go

And you let her go (oh, oh, ooh, oh no)
And you let her go (oh, oh, ooh, oh no)
Will you let her go?

'Cause you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low
Only hate the road when you're missin' home
Only know you love her when you let her go

'Cause you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low
Only hate the road when you're missin' home
Only know you love her when you let her go

And you let her go

Month of Togetherness

Monthsary - The ever threadbare celebration of a couple who has been officially together for a month. I once had it way back in secondary school, but it was like any other typical day. It went by making no significance at all, to the point where I stopped celebrating it. I abandoned it for 7 years. It's just a mere bunk I thought.

Funny to say that I'm learning to rejoice monthsary again. But this time, it is filled with appreciation, warmth, and excitement. How come I get excited for it when I'm already in my 20's? Being childish may be a factor. But for me, I still want us to be like other couples out there who fete monthly - not just to follow what's hip.

What is now my take on this monthsary thing? I am not sure if it only thrills me as I feel like a high school student anew with all these butterflies I get from my boyfriend - that I eventually gave it a significant and weighty meaning. I find monthsary parallel to that of salary we get for our job. We work hard for 30 days to earn a living. Once you get it, the stress and pressure placed on your shoulder melt away. Receiving a salary is as good as celebrating monthsary. In our environment where various temptations and turpitude overflow, keeping your relationship alive after 30 days is no joke. That only deserves a celebration, right?  I don't mean giving gifts or whooping it up. There is a lot of ways to make the day extraordinary. Call it baduy or cheesy - c'mon! There's no harm in celebrating and cherishing, right?

So, whom I am in love with and will celebrate monthsary with... like for ever? Lol! Meet, Patrick! :)

100 Happy Days

My Big Tummy *bow*
(Thought this pic fits the concept. Lol!)

I've been seeing #100happydays lately on instagram, facebook, and twitter. At first, I was a bit curious but was not interested enough, for me to ask Mr. Google.

I was making my green juice in the kitchen, thinking of my problems, and contemplating a solution a while ago. I have been feeling down of late, and I want to get rid of it. So, I was thinking of a therapy to conquer this and become happy. Suddenly, this trendy 100 Happy Days appeared in my thoughts. I googled it and read what's written on the site. It is pretty cool and thought-provoking. The sole thing to do is to post a picture of what gave a person happiness for hundred days in a row. It could be a thing, a person, an event, or anything that a camera can capture, as long as it brought happiness on the day. Moreover, its objective is promising. 

Here are the given reasons why one has to do it:

People successfully completing the challenge claimed to:

•  - Start noticing what makes them happy every day;
•  - Be in a better mood every day;
•  - Start receiving more compliments from other people;
•  - Realize how lucky they are to have the life they have;
•  - Become more optimistic;
•  - Fall in love during the challenge.

I will do it! Not because I want to be "in", but I think it would be a good therapy for me. And withal, there is nothing wrong and nothing to lose. Starting today, March 26, I will be uploading pictures with HASHTAG 100 DAYS written alongside, on my twitter >here<. I prefer this social site as I only have a few followers, thus, only few will be pestered by my pictures. Lol!

Try it yourself! Visit the site: >here<

Good luck!

Fairy tale - I would like to believe

I am Cinderella when I graciously do household chores. I suddenly become Ariel when water cascades on my skin. I turned into sleeping beauty, Aurora, every night as I bed down. Call me Snow White each time I frolic with my little sister and nephews. Once I sit in my little nook and start turning the pages of a book, I am Belle.

I grew up dreaming of being a princess and of having my own fairy tale. I am a hopeless romantic person, I guess? I wanted to see a knight in shining armor who could make other men seemed blurry beside him. I believed in prince charming whom I would paint the "happily ever after" with, right after we kiss in the midst of a butterfly swarm. I loved to stay beside a man who believes that we are soulmates even if the universe says otherwise.

I encountered a few moments where fairy tale town was so close to me - like 3 more steps and I would reach the castle. I met my prom king like Prince Hans of Frozen who cynically turned into evil in the end. And then there's a man who climbed my tangled hair all the way up to the tower to save me. How magical, right?

One day, things just collapsed. I don't know if I am just stupid, comparing my experience with Disney's legendary stories. Or it could be... fairy tale is possible in this world but I just ruined everything.

I wold like to believe that fairy tale is just a fabricated story found in a book made for children, so I need to wake up as I am already 22. I would like to believe that there are no princes and princesses because men and women tend to be heinous at some point in their lives. I would like to believe that there is no perfect love story as two people in it are full of flaws. I would like to believe that fairy tale is just a bull crap because people are humans who create mistakes and can never create such a perfect fairy-tail-ish record.

I would like to believe these things. I do not want to think that I had the chance to be like Cinderella or Snow White, but I just let the moment slip away for I chose to become a DIRTY wicked witch.

Regrets, go away, please.

Gone

A complainant of life, a heart breaker, and a procrastinator - I have been all of these lately.

This page has become my diary. Aside from wanting to share my experiences and personal opinion about random stuffs with readers (who stomach my own sound judgement), blogging has become a way of expressing myself and releasing emotions. It is an effective source of great solace! But try to scan my recent posts here and you would realize they are all about melancholy and problems. Unfortunately, I turned my page into a very lonesome place.

I miss the old carefree life. I miss sleeping with a buoyant mind at night. I miss blogging about how I luxuriate in happiness. I miss going to college, joining a competition, living a fab life. I miss the old me... See how discontent I am with my life now?

I know it is horrible to be continually discontent with my life, when others suffer from starvation and others lose a loved one. This drama sprang when I wanted to have a stable career. One day, I just found my importunate self with a big pressure instilled in me. I could wait no more.

I feel depressed and frustrated, especially when I know I am doing my part but does not turn out well. It kills happiness. It negatively affects my perspective. Does everything depend upon one's action? Or it solely depends upon one's fate/destiny? Worse, I stopped appreciating life and people beside me.

Where is the girl who joyfully dances while being showered with problems? Where is the girl who never stops aiming high? Where is the girl full of dreams and hope? Where is the girl who works in the morning and exercises at night? Where is the girl who is so in love and would cross a mud hole for her sweetheart?

Here I am now - Squawking about life, throwing away people's love and affection, and drowsing only to skip the blues.

I originally wanted this to end on a hopeful note. But it is hard to do so when you are sick at heart and low-spirited.

I want this to be over.

365 Days of Lies and Butterflies

I'm off duty, which means I do have a lot of time to do whatever I want to do. One of these is to do my traditional "reminiscing-and-blogging-about-the-previous-year". We are on the 3rd week of love month and I have not started it yet, unlike the previous years where sharing it on Facebook is done on its 2nd week. Procrastinating may be the reason. Partly? Partly. But I think the main reason is... I'm off duty yet busy hurting people.

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Exactly 365 days have passed. All is said and done. Farewell.