michnavs

It’s Always Fun in the Philippines

We were blessed to have spent the summer abroad. It’s an annual event that we always look forward to as a family. It’s wonderful… it’s amazing…but I say…nothing beats HOME.

I’m counting down the reasons why I always love being back home.

1. THE FOOD

pork adobo is what we craved,

chicken inasal is what we fancied,

Filipino spag is what we desired,

early morning pandesal is what we missed.

I am a pizza, pasta type of girl. But when you’re out of the country for a little while you will surely miss Filipino foods..nothing beats our adobo. nothing even beats chicken inasal. nothing beats surely the sweet Filipino spaghetti- it is only in the Philippines where spaghetti is deliciously sweet…nothing beats the early morning walk to buy pandesal…

2. FRIENDS (and the way they make you smile)

people come, people go,

but a friend will stay, they do.

they make you smile,

they make you crazy for a while.

I am not so sure if my there were people who miss me when I was away ..(sigh…..) but one thing I’m sure though.. I miss a lot when I was out…well, whether they are your good or not so good friends…you will miss the beautiful genuine smile you get even from a strangest Filipino stranger.. and when you’re out of the country…you try to look for that same genuine smile from every stranger you encounter but I guess nothing compares to the smile you see back home.

3. THE FAMILY

its crazy, but amazing;

it’s irritating but loving.

a family dearest,

we always cherish.

I know we all despise the fact that at some point, our relatives can be so annoying and disturbing for always wanting to know every single detail of our own personal and private lives… and at some point, we all want them out of our lives..(i know you do..) but again, having been out for a while, it made me realized that one of the sweetest most magnificent gifts we have from God is the gift of the family….they complete us ..they make us safe… they love us…they adore us…no matter how irritating or annoying they may be.

4. THE “CHAOS”

children screaming,

people laughing,

neighbors fighting,

friends enjoying.

It is only in the Philippines when you walk around and hear people screaming as if wanting to kill each other and yet you see them at the end of the day enjoying an afternoon talk. it is only in the Philippines when neighbors scorn each other and yet you see them passing on a bowl of adobo at lunch. it is only in the Philippines when you can afford to sit down and basically do nothing all and manage to have a good meal. it is only in the Philippines when you get to hear your neighbor’s karaoke moments and never getting irritated for the unwanted noise.

Turi Beach – Batam, Indonesia

Our out of the country annual summer vacation is nearing its end; and what better way to culminate it than spending the weekend in an exclusive resort in Indonesia – Turi Beach Resort. I listed down below five reasons why I should be back or say, why you should visit yourself.

1. NATURE IN ITS GLORIOUS FORM

trees swaying, how do you do?

birds chirping, come and enjoy,

monkeys waving, hello to you,

flowers smiling, welcome too.

a wonderful place to reconnect with nature. …a five-story building underneath the mountain overlooking a seamless view of the ocean-facing Malaysia (if my geography is correct).

2. FOOD IS SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIGOCIOUS

telur tersembunyi is great,

mei goreng is a real treat,

nasi goreng is delectable,

sotong goreng is impeccable.

Indonesian cuisine at its best. You will be greeted by a delicious icy cold ginger juice as a complimentary welcome drink…breakfast is good enough to fill your stomach to cover up even until lunch….dinner might bring your blood pressure high ( the price is quite outrageous..)but you will eventually get over it as you dine and listen to the live performance of the band, with a vocalist whose vocal prowess is really good. The food? it’s worth the price.

3. THE AFTERNOON WALK

water may not be my friend,

but its inviting, you wanna spend

some time alone on the beach,

or even in the pool around your reach.

You will enjoy a relaxing morning or afternoon walk smelling the breath of fresh air…hearing the splashing of the water slowly creeping through the shore…resting your eyes on the view; the sparkling blue water, crystal clear sky, healthy green garden, not to forget the smiles in each guest’s face – a manifestation of a beautiful day that was.

4. SATURDAY BARBECUE BUFFET DINNER

nothing beats chicken satay for dinner,

nor the mouthwatering ikan bakar,

or better yet a table filled with desserts,

you’ll forget you on a diet so feast.

Saturday night dinner is indeed worth the price… there’s just so much food to choose from..and to double the treat, they actually got to pick guests who will win certain prizes from the resort. Some got a one hour spa, dinner for two, an hour recreational activity, one hour KTV, and I can’t forget the scream when one of the guests won an overnight stay in the hotel for two, for free… I didn’t win though, but I almost win after all… I enjoyed the night…

5. LIVE BAND – BATIK BAND

what is dinner without music?

its a live band so don’t panic,

when the price makes you turn back,

just go ahead and be tact.

The vocalist sings refreshingly good. It makes you forget the bill your about to get; and to my surprise, she sings English popular songs (i suppose she’s Indonesian)- so it makes her even more likeable and easy to sing and dance along with, giving you a reason to shed off the initial calories you’ve had so you can have another round of sumptuous meal.. its buffet dinner so basically .. eat all you can…

for some spending, the weekend here may cost them a fortune..but well..if you have..of course a fortune why not spend it here… it’s an exclusive resort, making it less crowded and less busy. It gives you time to really relax and enjoy your stay. It’s free from the noise in the city….no fancy coffee shops… no shopping… no towering buildings crowding your mind. it’s just you, your loved ones, nature, the few people…..having a quite wonderful moment altogether. oh, by the way, I love the little nipa hut … it’s a beautiful place to create wonderful memories with your loved ones. I just did…

P.S. I’ve been to different resorts, and hotels for that matter…(i have traveled a lot over the years) …but this one will surely be on my “be back” list…

Nasi Goreng (fae-magazine.com)
Nongsa Resorts, Batam Island, Indonesia is joining ITB Asia 2013 (turibeachresort.wordpress.com)
Destination Nongsa – First Nongsa Lifestyle Festival to Be Held in 2014 (turibeachresort.wordpress.com)
Some Indonesian Specialties You Should Try! 🙂 (clickandseetheworld.wordpress.com)
Travel’s-tagram: My Singapore-Indonesia-Malaysia Escapade (praisejahforever.wordpress.com)
Indonesia beef import cuts seem unlikely (skynews.com.au)
Second Phase of Batam’s Batu Ampar Port Expansion Completed (thejakartaglobe.com)

I Love You

This is not the season of love …but I just don’t know why…for some weird inexplicable reasons I am being compelled to write about …..well…LOVE…

It suddenly made me remember the day I realized I too, was in love…the first time I saw him…the first time we spoke…everything seems just like yesterday because I keep such precious memories constantly alive in my mind…

a strange thing inside;

creeping through outside.

inexplicably bizarre;

truly peculiar.

a yearning to cry;

wanting to try.

humbly keeping;

patiently crawling.

a sentiment so pure;

believing so sure.

beautifully affectionate;

tenderly passionate.

a moment so phenomenal;

amazing and sensational.

wonderfully screaming;

perfectly loving.

P.s.

Love is as beautiful as a peacock when it opens up its tail…..(technically, only males are peacocks, females are peahens and together they are called peafowl…in case you’re not aware..)

The Tale of Don the Peacock (discopantsblog.com)
What Animals Tell Us About Dating [Infographic] (business2community.com)
What a Peahen Really Watches When a Peacock Tries to Impress Her (3quarksdaily.com)

Wedding Vow

One of my college students whom I have never seen for quite a while invited me to be a part of her entourage for her wedding day…

I’ve always been fascinated by weddings and the joy that it brings to two people in love who wanted to spend the rest of their lives together…

It is also a manifestation that we are still leaving in a world where true love reigns…

I do…

I could sing you a song,

I could stay with you for a long…

The melody may not be strong,

But I could be with you in my song.

I could write you a poem so dear,

I could hold you in my arms so near…

The words may not be like that of Shakespeare’s,

But it is what my heart yells so much oh, so dear.

I could create your image so gay,

I could kiss you so long and make your stay…

The picture may not be perfect they will say,

But I know it will make you so happy today.

I could stop the clock for a while,

I could make you hold me with a smile.

The thought may be actually whimsical,

But I know love is all that is magical.

Just the thought that you’ve finally found the one you wish to spend the rest of your life with is something that is so exciting and wonderful. Everything felt so natural. You might even say that you don’t know what it is about that person that drives you closer to each other- it might be the combination of a great sense of humor, charming personality, good looks…whatever it is, you can sense its presence. I could call it chemistry or better yet the possibility that you are on the same wavelength…who knows…

Well, whatever it is really…here’s wishing you all that one day soon you’ll find your one true love. And when you found it never let it go….

We may fall in love many times in our lifetime but we would only have one greatest love…

Keep the love alive!!!!

10 Wedding Traditions You Can Do Without – Project Wedding (projectwedding.com)
My Crazy Wedding (lissaspuzzle.wordpress.com)
6 Ways to Personalize Your Ceremony – Project Wedding (projectwedding.com)

I Miss You

many years had passed

yet thoughts of you linger

your memories, so clear

I can hold you clear.