My Weekend Journal

We may be distressed by what we see. We may be wracked in pain as we pray for insight to understand. God may grant us that wisdom. But how much better it is to have faith from the very beginning, to be confident in things we cannot see! We must recognize that God’s grace and justice are not absent because we cannot see it. Faith does not end our distress, nor does it abolish our prayers for wisdom and understanding; but it places a firm foundation under our knees as we pray those prayers. It gives us shelter while we pray for the rain to stop. It gives us strength in our times of weakness, comfort in times of distress, and hope for joy in times of great sadness. [A spiritual insight from Rev. Ken Collins]

Our first visit at D' Family Park It has been more than a year since we last visited D' Family Park in Talamban. It is the first park of its kind in Cebu. It offers an alternative and wholesome recreation site within the city while promoting the protection and regeneration of plants and animals. One can find swimming pools - for kids and for adults, a picnic camp site that is great for holiday camps and the likes, a vast children's playground with play things like swings, see-saws, slides, tykes play stations and more, a wildlife sanctuary, a mini-zoo and botanical research garden with a nursery, a multi-function club house and pavilion designed to suit one's needs for any social activities. The 20-hectare area is nature-friendly. Trees surround the whole complex. Lying nearby is a one-hectare lagoon with colorful school of fish. Park goers are provided with ample parking spaces for a minimal fee. The park has a large stage, equipped with an up-to-date sound syste...

We do have a company summer outing annually. Most of the summer outings were held on beach resorts with lovely wide swimming pools and enticing blue seas. Most beach resorts require proper swimming attires so you could enjoy the pools. Conservatives wear shorts and spaghettis, others wear one-piece swimsuit and the more confident ones wear beautiful two-piece bikinis. Oh, well, I do sometimes imagine myself wearing two-piece bikinis and always end up with a big laugh. With those stretch marks and "baby" fats caused by three pregnancies, I would make a hilarious picture. I know science could make some miracles on those sites but since I could not afford yet professional services like Dr. Dulin 's, I'll just wear suits that could hide those unsightly marks. Last year's summer outing was great, they say. Sadly, I was not able to attend because I was confined in the hospital celebrating another "motherhood" stage - giving birth to my third child. This...

I did not have the chance to visit Obong Spring in Dalaguete when we visited Alcoy last month. When we went back to celebrate the annual fiesta in Guiwang, I made it sure to spend time to not only visit the place but also experience the relaxing cold water. It was a low tide when we went there so the water inside the nature's pool came only from the spring. Out of curiosity, I tasted the water to see if it really is pure spring water. The water was a little bit salty. It may be because of the underground seawater. We have to cross the water to get to the cottage. The water on the other side is just knee-high and walking there is not a problem. The water was soooo cold, I wished I brought a jacket with me. I was only half-submerged but I am already trembling. I had double thoughts whether to take the plunge or not. I never thought the water could be cold as ice, hahaha! You don't have to bring ice to keep your drinks cold. You have the biggest pool of ice cold water ...

Goosebumps were all over me while I was watching a TV news report last Sunday about a tragic vehicular accident in the town of Balamban, Cebu. A J&D tourist bus plunged down into a 30-foot ravine in barangay Cansamoroy before noon last Sunday. It killed 21 people, including 20 Iranian nationals and the Filipino driver who also owns the bus; and injured 24. Police Regional Office-7 Chief Supt. Lani-O Nerez said among those injured were three Pakistanis. The injured were confined at the Cebu Doctors Hospital (CDH) except for Dr. Raminco Aleriza, a resident ophthalmologist at the Cebu Velez Hospital who was treated at Velez; and received proper medical care while the remains of the fatalities would be brought home to Iran as soon as possible. Initial investigation revealed that the bus suffered brake malfunction while maneuvering a curvy downward slope. Accidents like this do happen and nobody knows when. The event of their untimely death brings so much pain to their families. On...

Tingko Beach has changed since we last visited the place. There are a few renovations done on the place. The store is under renovation and there are four new cottages under construction. Tingko Beach has improved. I could say, it's better than before. A new private resort is putting up four cottages on top of the big rocks beside the beach. About eleven years ago, there were cottages on top of these very same rocks but they were all gone when we went in 2000. I'm glad they are building not only one but four cottages! However, price range for the new cottages are Php1,000 to 1,500. These are the Antig Cottages and they are still serving the beach goers. They also made some improvements to their place, which made the place even more attractive and spacious. Room rates for cottages owned by Jack Antig Php 900.00 to 1,000.00 per room/cottage = good for 6 persons You may contact Jack at phone #483-9298 for room inquiries and possible price adjustments. Below is the bar...

Finally, we're going back to Alcoy! No, we're not going there for a summer vacation. We'll be there to participate in the 2010 election and cast our votes. Since the election is on Monday, we still have time to explore the beauty of Alcoy particularly Tingko Beach. It's been a while since I've done some travels. This would be my first long trip after giving birth. We'll be bringing baby so we have to choose a very comfortable mode of public travel since we don't own a car yet. We do plan to buy one if we hit that elusive lotto lucky number, lol! Hope we could still find some seats in an air-conditioned bus so we could comfortably travel and we'll just imagine then that we're riding a Chevrolet Silverado . We'll, dreams are free! In every travel, safety is the most important thing to keep in mind. There's a winding road before reaching Poblacion Alcoy. On one side is a hill and on the other is a dangerous cliff overlooking the sea. Any veh...

This is hubby's new sea travel adventure to Camotes Island. I was not able to go because I have to take care of baby. It was full of fun, fear and adventure! Oh, how I envy them. Hubby and his teammates went early so they could catch the 6:30am roro vessel for Camotes Island in Danao port. Unfortunately, when it's their turn to get the tickets, the teller cut them because they already reached the maximum number of passengers. They further advised them to wait for the 11:00am schedule because the 8:00am schedule was fully booked. Because all were so excited to reach Camotes Island and could not wait for the next trip, they rented two small bangka (native sailboat) without even thinking of the great risk they put themselves into because of the big waves considering the distance from Danao port to Camotes Island. In the middle of the trip, the big waves came that almost capsized the boat they were riding. Hubby and his friends feared for their lives. They were all thinking of...

Have you imagined yourself driving a car like this? The Ford Explorer is Ford's midsize SUV that debuted in 1990 as a 1991 model and became the best-selling SUV for 15. Ford redesigned it for 2006 with more power, cleaner emissions and advanced safety technologies. The 2010 Ford Explorer adds standard trailer sway control and a next-generation navigation system with SIRIUS Travel Link. A common problem with Ford is coolant leaks. Running the vehicle when its coolant is low, or when there has been a cooling system failure, can cause overheating. Allowing the engine to overheat may cause damage to the cylinder head gasket . Early signs of a failing head gasket include rough running engine when you first start the vehicle after sitting overnight. The rough running generally lasts 5-15 seconds. Get a cooling system pressure test from a reliable mechanic to check for possible head gasket problem. You may check this list of top rated Los Angeles auto repair shops and mechanics and...

I missed the fun last Saturday. The group went to Hidden Paradise for a weekend escapade. I really would love to go and see why they call the place Hidden Paradise but I have to stay home and take care of my four-month-old baby. Hubby joined the party together with our two kids. I am glad hubby took our kids. I do not want them to miss the experience. From the look on their faces when they came home, I figured they had lots of fun. Though they look tired, they were still in for a story marathon. What they did not like on the place was the rough side of the swimming pools that left scratches on their feet. Hidden Paradise Escapade Welcome to Hidden Paradise! LOVERS IN PAR ad I S e Nine years of being married to hubby did not give me a hint that he also loves guys! LOL! Hidden Paradise S¢anda£ Glad you came safe traveling on a broom in a broad daylight. Were you from a nearby town? Hhhmmm ..... Tongue-Tied? Going Down the Monkey Walk Weeeeeeeee ...

The family's favorite spot is the Tingko Beach! It is just a short tricycle ride from Guiwang, my husband's place. The clear blue sea and the white sands are free! There is no entrance or exit fee! (lol) We could bring our own food or even grill barbecue and enjoy the day eating, swimming and catching small fish! The children love it! Tingko Beach is a popular getaway located in Daan Lungsod, Alcoy in Cebu, Philippines. It is in a small but deep lagoon across a coral island called Mabad-on Reef that completely submerge during high tide and expose during low tide. Only a very narrow channel from the mainland separates it. Tingko Beach is an extensive stretch of curved shoreline with very white sand and clear water fringed with coconut palm grooves and limestone cliffs. A few feet from the shore, the sea floor gradually plunges down to a depth of several feet below the surface. The beach can be crowded during weekends where locals and city folks, and occasionally, foreigners,...