A Successful Friday

Things that are unplanned sometimes turned out to be a good one. Today, we have a spontaneous decision to drive to market market to view a motor show and auto expo featuring the latest car models in town. I noticed that most of the new cars have automatic transmission. The prices of brand new cars ranges from 400 thousand pesos to 3 million and this car caught my attention- complete with entertainment inside the car.




We then browsed around market market and chanced upon a big sale at abensons appliance center. We saw a double side door LG refrigerator at half the price, so we decided to buy it.

We then enjoyed our lunch at Gerry's Grill and even ordered leche plan and buko pandan as dessert. At last, we also found the company selling digital map of manila somewhere in makati area. On the way back, dirk was surprised of the road and traffic condition using skyway enroute to Alabang where we go to home depot to order three hanging toilet bowls. It is indeed a very productive and wonderful day,


By the way, HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY to everyone especially to my readers in USA. We should not forget to thank GOD for his unconditional love and to all his wonderful blessings he had showered on us and to our loved ones who's always with us in the ups and downs of our life.

Christmas Bazaar

Shoppers looking for innovative and affordable products or gift ideas flock to different bazaars in the Philippines. Southforbes had its first christmas bazaar last sunday held at the villas clubhouse. The great thing about shopping in most of these bazaars is that you'll find a number of clothes, toys, knick knacks and other gift items at affordable prices.

We just browsed on the stalls and i found some items really nice. It's good that my sickness, shoppingitis did not attack coz i'm saving it to a grand shopping spree at Tutuban mall. We should not be caught in a mad christmas rush and remember, shop early and wisely.

Nature in the City

We have an adventurous day today. After playing golf, we drive along santa rosa city towards binan, carmona, general mariano alvarez then dasmarinas, cavite. The reason why we drive there is the factory sale of kolin, a home appliance manufacturer. There is a 50-75% off on all household items but the quality of the appliances don't meet dirk's requirements.


On the way back we browsed around SM Dasmarinas where we bought a chinese decor with buddha and waterfalls. I also bought a christmas CD and my favorite mary higgins clark pocketbook.





I took pictures of some interesting sights along the way. Dirk was surprised that there's a lot of greens and even ricefield in the city.



And for our dinner we tried Fina's barbeque and dirk liked it very much.

Life's Fear and Challenges

Today, my two daughters had another round of driving lessons from their uncle dirk. I really have lots of fear knowing that they're really not yet good on the wheels. Our safety is at stake here because the one in control is inexperienced.

Dirk said that the only way to overcome fear is to try it. So, he let rosebelle drive from southforbes to SM Santa Rosa. While she's driving my stomach is very much upset and i'm also doing the breaking at the backseat. But of course we put a STUDENT DRIVER sign on the back of the car but its not a guarantee knowing the filipino drivers way of hell driving.

Thanks God that we arrived safely at SM Santa Rosa and my daughter overcome one of the biggest challenge in her life and its only the beginning.

Tropical Fruits

The Philippines is blessed with an abundance of rain and sunshine thats why it is a virtual orchard of the sweetest tropical fruits. Since we arrived here three weeks ago, dirk loved to eat some of our fruits. His day is not complete without eating his favorite pineapple and papaya. He also tried pomelo and the expensive mangosteen. It's good that we have several fruit stalls just near our rented house. Fruits are essential part of filipino diet either to satisfy our sweet tooth or provide natural thirst quenchers.

Manila Ocean Park Adventure

Together with my four grandchildren and two daughters, today we visited the oceanarium located behind the quirino grandstand at the rizal park and near the manila hotel.

One of the section had rainforest motif complete with tanks of freshwater fishes. It also featured corals, different kinds/sizes/types of fishes and other marine species found in the deepest part of philippine waters.



It also had a variety of stingrays fly over while you're under this unique overhang tank. It's main attraction is the 25 meter long glass walkway tunnel with 220 degree curved acrylic walls similar to the ocean part in hongkong, singapore and other underwater world.


The biggest aquarium also had lots of restaurants, funtion rooms, souvenir shops, kids corner/playground and a fish spa where doctors fishes massage and cleanse your foot. We also enjoyed our lunch at Pancake house also located inside the ocean park.

It's really a nice adventure for my family and its a must-see when you're in Manila.As usual, the traffic is a nightmare so better choose the right road with less traffic. My only comments is that the entrance fee of 400 pesos for adults and 350 for kids is quite high but it's understandable that they spend millions on this and the high cost of maintenance, but how about the less privileged????

My grandkids enjoyed it very much as well as the face painting done by artists outside the park.

Men and Animal At Work

Today is Astrid's turn for a driving lesson from our super driving instructor Dirk. He had lots of patience and my daughter likes it a lot driving around southforbes. After playing golf, we then have lunch in an intalian restaurant at paseo de santa rosa and this time he is more than satisfied with the food, buffet of italian pasta and salads.

We also visited the construction site and the workers are already in the digging phase. Its not only the men are working, we chanced upon an animal at work selling different native products near our rented house.

Now its rest time

For our workers too!!

Car Coding and Cabalen

Our car had coding today which means we're not allowed to drive around metro manila because our plate number ends in 7. I like the idea because it somehow decrease the number of vehicles but i think traffic is one of the worst problem here in metro manila. Yesterday, it took us 1 1/2 hours to go to southforbes which is just 11 kilometers from our house. There are really more vehicles but not enough roads.

Today, my daughter rosebelle had another driving lessons from dirk. He had lots of patience and he's really a good driving instructor. We then have our lunch at cabalen, an eat all you can restaurant with more than 50 filipino dishes to choose from and native delicacies for dessert. Dirk is not satisfied but at least we tried.

Pictures of Interest

Dirk played 18-hole today with Brian, a british pensioner and Otto, a german guy who owned a leather company in China. As always, i stayed with the golfclub girls and read my mary higgins clark pocketbook. I don't want to be photographed at the moment because of my black spots caused by wart removal. Instead, i'm posting some pictures of interests.

Mall's breastfeeding point

Computer freak Pinoys in the mall

words with impact

Dirk at Eat Street

I'm Online Again

I was not able to blog yesterday because there's a problem with our internet connection. But now i'm back in the blogosphere. Yesterday was a busy day, we started our day by driving to Alabang home depot and wilcon builders searching for reasonable tile, kitchen and solar heater offers. So far, it yields positive results and feedback from suppliers.



We then have our lunch at Super Bowl, a chinese restaurant in Festival Mall. The food was great with a matching bottomless pepsi diet and iced tea. We then drive to southforbes where the workers are starting to make their makeshift resthouse. Today, i have my wart removed thats why i looked like a dalmatian. For me, its better to endure the pain than to be sorry later.