The bridge over happy waters!

Marcelo H. Fernan Bridge in Mactan Island, Cebu, Philippines!

(Note: Photo courtesy by this blogger)

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

Can't Stop Loving You Romantic Video

'just love it!

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

CORREGIDOR: The checker

Last month, i visited a place, a special place: CORREGIDOR- which means: The Checker (one who checks) It is also called: "The Rock" as it is solid hard rock to its entirety. Corregidor is now one of the great tourism attractions outside the city of Manila. You need to book your overnight trip way ahead and the fee is quite high (including the boat ride) but for me, no greater place to be than seeing and experiencing jhow it is on war times- first hand! It was an awesome sight to behold!

It was called such coz it is a rocky island. The site was so sacred, one could feel the anguish, the pain, the strength and valor of each soldier as we embarked our way to the entire island. Huge canons lay flat to their bases, as if always about to be fired upon, anytime now! It was trully a very special trip, for the reason that our great forefathers fought their mightiest to save our dear country against the Japanese.

We went into a tunnel called "Malinta" and heard the cries of war during the attack when series of audio recordings were played back loudly, echoing around the tunnel walls. It was where i saw some grueling sights and heard pure silence on every tunnellete (small tunnell-like extensions) inside, as if i was experiencing the war right there!
This tiny island sits afront Manila Bay ,the biggest among the seven(7) islands and shaped like a 'tadpole', guards the bay from its invaders. We witnessed the sad but gallant deed of the filipino soldiers with the aid of the American forces led by Gen. Mac Arthur, who then was hunted but aimlessly, and uttered these very promising words of wisdom: I SHALL RETURN, which he trully did!
Huge canons can be seen side by side with each other, measuring tons and tons of metal, the biggest of which takes three days to complete a full 360 degree turn. Each was fired with huge metal balls 800 meters away! (purposely to fend off the enemies early. I can still feel and even smell how deadly the last war in our country was .
However, on the brighter side- a beautiful two-storey lodging house (Corregidor Inn) is always ready to serve the visitors anytime of the day. A garden full of different variety of flowers dominate the entire surroundings. There is even a petite swimming pool to cool off the hot sun on our shoulders.

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

DECK OF CARDS

Plain interpretation but witty!

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

The Historian...

"The historian should be fearless and incorruptible; a man of independence, loving frankness and truth; one who, as the poets says, calls a fig a fig and a spade a spade. He should yield to neither hatred nor affection, not should be unsparing and unpitying. He should be neither shy nor deprecating, but an impartial judge, giving each side all it deserves but no more. He should know in his writing no country and no city; he should bow to no authority and acknowledge no king. He should never consider what this or that man will think, but should state the facts as they really occurred."

Lucian (A.D. 120-200)

I remember this quote when i had my Masters in History in our very own University of San Carlos (USC) here in Cebu. And it should be what every historian should uphold in their quest for the truth. I carry this words always as i embark every step of the way. Would you consider it too?

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

Lessons To Be Learned... the song

Barbra Streisand

They say there's a universal plan

For every woman, for every man

I do believe there's a higher power

But in our darkest hour it's hard to understand

So we start to question, start to doubt

We lose faith in what life's all about.

Why did the right road take the wrong turn

Why did our heart break, why'd we get burned

Just like the seasons there are reasons for the path we take

There are no mistakes

Just lessons to be learned

Don't give up, keep on looking deep inside

Let your heartbeat be your guide

Cause there's a gift, for those who keep believing

You'll find what you've been needing is right before your eyes

You'll hold the answer in your hands

Then you'll know, you'll finally understand

Why did the right road take a wrong turn

Why did our heart break, why'd we get burned

Just like the seasons there are reasons for the path we take

There are no mistakes Just lessons to be learned

No matter how many times you stumble or fall

The greatest lesson is loving yourself through it all

Why did the right road take a wrong turn

Why did our heart break, why'd we get burned

Just like the seasons, there are reasons for the path we take

There are no mistakes

Just lessons Lessons to be learned.

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

Tennis, my kind of game!

Tennis, the best game ever! This has been my kind of game since i got married. You see, back in my teen years, i was an athlete, a softball player, a 100-meter dash sprinter, a table tennis smasher, and what-have-you!

Then i married at an early age of 20, bore our first baby girl and walah, i discovered tennis to be my new hobby!

And since then, i got married to tennis too ha ha ha!

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

Coffee in Panglao !

From the Bee Farm over the sweet island of PANGLAO!

It was too good to be true... and it sure was! We had the best coffee in the island! A few years back i was only dreaming to go to Panglao, but that dream became true when my classmates in my second master's program (M.A. Arch- Urban Design) had our occular inspection for our data gathering affair for our term paper. And surely it was! Panglao Island, an awesome sight! mmm, yummy!

Note: The flower is underneath the glass top

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

A belated greeeting...

Kisses for you dear one

for the time you have spent for me

for every tinny bit of love we have shared

and

for all those cherished moments together!

A kiss for you today... hearts day

and

to all the days of our lives...

as we embark on another new day together

as one in mind...

in soul...

in thoughts...

and

with this promise

comes my devoted true love for you...

FOREVER!

('luv u!)

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

Black Valentine!

Happy Hearts Day!

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

GOLDEN treats for my Golden year!

Two weeks ago (specifically on the 22nd) was the start of my Golden year. Indeed, it feels great to have attained such years of existence here in this complex but amazing world! I owe it trully to HIM-up there. Thanks so much! And thanks to everyone who greeted me! And here are my treats: Golden Green Tea; Golden Choco cake and some of my precious Gems!

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

All about "Landong"

Nalandongan- (visayan dialect) 'shaded'; under the shade.

Nagpalandong - (slang for thinking... of something!)

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

Lovely Panglao Island, Bohol!

@ Dauis convent with Fr. Val

@ Amarela Beach

@ The BEE Farm

It was one-of-a-kind assignment!

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

just this day...

Just for today decide to be KIND...

be cheerful; be agreeable, be understanding, be your best.

Talk softly, look for the bright side of things...

Praise people instead of critizising them.

Just for today, decide to be HAPPY...

To live with what is yours.

If you cannot have what you want

maybe you can like what you have...

Just for today try it...

after all, it's just for a day;

who knows you might like it and do it again...

TOMMOROW!

SMILE and the world smiles with you!

(from a friend- thanks my dear!)

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

...and a Happy New Year!

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

Happy Holidays!

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

My moody self

Sunset eases my being and lets my mind feel calm, cleansed and free...

It empties my thoughts that i may allow fresh new ones...

It soothes my inner self ...

It keeps me warm with memories but sets my cheeks cold with the sea breeze...

Ahhh Yes, My Sunset mood!

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

An evening !

I dont think i need to elaborate on this! To sit beside someone like Jericho Rosales surely made my night kind of : romantic!

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.

3 decades

Time eases pain, it even erases memories. It allows us to forget bad events. It also allows us to remember good ones. Time is powerful in a way. It is forceful in some ways too.

It is truly amazing, how it heals wounds and open up secrets long buried under the realm of imagination. Time is great! It is a gift, a phenomenon, a way of being. Something which can be sensed, longed for, awaited to, let go of, etc. The list is endless.

How fast time flies too! It has been thirty years now since my early college years, and I can still feel the smiles we had when we had our Founder’s Day. A pageant was held then and I was one of the contestants. Oh boy, it was fun! I garnered three awards, one for Miss Friendship,another for First runner- up and one special award for Best in Uniform. Ah! those were great moments!

After three decades, I’m still the same person, but better. I’m still the same girl but more mature. I still carry the same sentiments but stronger. I still cry over sad movies and smiles over cartoons. I am what I was then but nimbler, smarter and more provocative.

Ah yes, because, I am a Filipina! (You can click on the picts to enlarge)

Smile, and the world smiles with you!... Cry and you cry alone.