Caliraya, Laguna 0321222014

Because our December Ilocos roadtrip plan was cancelled and we were having great difficulty how to proceed with our travel plans, my officemates and I just decided to go fishing in Laguna. One day an officemate who lives in Laguna province asked me if I wanted to go fishing. I was more than happy because I've never done it before. When I was a kid, my family went to Caliraya Lake and they were all able to fish, except for me who was left at home because according to them, I was deep in sleep no matter how they tried to wake me up. That time, I made a mental note to myself to one day experience fishing. [It's just so weird that my siblings and I have very different experiences. I'm the only one among us who hasn't been to Enchanted Kingdom, too.]

We made last-minute plans, only two days lead time to prepare everything. So on March 21, the four of us had half-day leave and left the office at 2PM, picking up stuffs and doing last minute shopping along the way.

We arrived at Lago Fishing Village in Cavinti at around 7:30PM. We stayed at a casita, its location perfect since it is a bit isolated and the view was impeccable.

Hungry and cold (the temperature was significantly lower than in Metro Manila and we hadn't expected it), we immediately got to work. My officemates set up the tent while I cooked penne in corned beef and tomato sauce. The pasta didn't turn out well because I forgot to add salt. Also, I forgot to bring some herbs. For dessert we shared salt caramel cookies which I had bought earlier from Miss Matamis in Greenbelt 1. After that, us girls slept inside the tent while the boys slept inside the room but because it eventually rained hard, we were forced to join the two inside the casita.

The following day, the sky was a shade of gloomy grey. We had soup, leftover pasta, and bread for breakfast. We waited a long time for our order of fish food which is called masa, a ball of clayey stuff which smells salty. Then it was fishing time! I was the first one among us three amateurs to catch two fish, both of them small so we returned them to the lake. But my luck easily ran out and in the end, I slept in my favorite spot, the bamboo raft which is just across the enchanting tree. The cool wind was just so refreshing that I was instantly lured to sleep.

At 11AM, we cooked lunch. I cooked rice and chopped tomatoes, onions, and garlic for our sawsawan while my officemates grilled the fish. Boy, were they resourceful! Before I separated from them, we gathered twigs and other whatnot to start a little bonfire and wait for the charcoals to catch fire.

Because we were tired from all the fishing and cooking, we slept after lunch. [Hello, digestion problems!!!] Then we cleaned up fast to prepare to go home.

We had a little stopover at Japanese Garden. The place was built to commemorate Japanese soldiers who died in World War 2. [I don't know how this was allowed considering the Philippines was one of those who suffered a lot when Japanese Imperialists were in power.] The place is very big and one can get a pretty nice view of Caliraya Lake from the top. Also, I  found the garden well-kept, different from the parks in Metro Manila. Thoughts of having a photoshoot were in my mind while I was there.

And then we were dropped at HM Transport bus terminal in Biñan, Laguna for our trip back to Manila.

It was my first time to go on a trip with these officemates of mine. The three of them are from the same team so initially I was having second thoughts in joining them because I might feel out of place. But they turned out to be friendly and really cool people. I hope we get to go on another fishing trip soon.

March Reads

A few days to go until we say goodbye to March. Some plans were cancelled, DELIBERATELY cancelled and forgottten most especially those related to cleaning up our room. This month I went back to buying books because... I simply can't resist the wonderful finds in Booksale. I'm afraid I am guilty of 積ん読, that weird habit of amassing books without reading them. Well I do read a few pages while in the bookstore to see if the book is worth my hard-earned money and most of the time they are so the next thing I know I am walking out of the store with a lot of books on my hands. 

This month I'm happy to have finished reading one wonderful book related to FOOD. It's the first time that I read such a book. John Mariani's How Italian Food Conquered the World is a deliciously written history of Italian food en bref. It narrates how the food was in Roman times, how before there was no such thing as Italian cuisine, only regional cookings which were diverse and very different from each other. Mariani traced the evolution of the so-called Italian cuisine from its humble beginnings in trattorias to how it eventually replaced French cuisine as an epitome of fine dining as the social elite began patronizing it and dining at fancy restaurants became the IT thing. It is interesting to see how the lives of various Italians change as Italian cooking slowly gained its place in America, and as the title of the book says, how Italian food conquered not just America but the world.

Right now I'm alternating between E.D. Hirsch's The Schools We Need and Why We Don't Have Them and Ben Kiernan's The Pol Pot Regime. The first is written in a very academic way and the ideas presented are a bit shocking since the author attacks the views of the Romanticists (whom I admire) with regards to education. The second is a heartbreaking account of what happened during that terrible era in Cambodian history when many innocents were killed in the name of a twisted ideology. That and from time to time browsing some French books lest I forget my French. (I came across two old French men in Bohol and they were surprised when I replied to them in their language LOL. I just love seeing the look on Westerners' faces when they see an East Asian-looking girl speak European languages. PRICELESS!)

And I have yet to start Game of Thrones season 3. My friends are all telling me to watch it already since season 4 will be aired next month. I only wish there were 30 hours a day instead of 24. Tsk. 引き籠もり on the horizon and I am more than tempted to file a one-week leave just to do the things I want need to do.

Okay... I will try to at least arrange my books this month...

Siem Reap, Cambodia 0112172014

We arrived at Siem Reap around 5AM, still sleepy despite the comfortable bus ride we had with Giant Ibis. We went straight to Hak's House where we had booked 5 nights. The hotel was small and there were mosquitoes about due to the place's proximity to an almost dried up canal, but we had a pleasant stay there. The owner Hak was accommodating and very approachable. Did I say that I love their version of French bread with tomatoes and cheese? And to think I'm not even a sandwich person.

That same day, we headed to Apsara Angkor Hotel to register. There were already a lot of people. Due to lack of sleep, I dozed off a number of times during the plenary, which was sad because the speakers talked of the development of Cambodian archaeology. From the explorations by Westerners (French mostly) to the abrupt halt in archaeological endeavors in the Pol Pot regime, to the revisions in curriculum in archaeology, the plenary session was very informative for me since I don't remember including Cambodian archaeology in our class discussions.

The next four days saw us attending different sessions based on our research interests. There are of course boring lectures but I was lucky to have attended really really interesting lectures on archaeometry and cultural heritage management. I especially loved the presentations by Japanese and Chinese scholars and I realized that their contributions in archaeology are largely overshadowed by Western achievements primarily because of language barriers. Most of the presenters couldn't speak English very well, but looking at the flow of their research methodology, one can say that they are at par, if not better than most Westerners.

I was also fortunate to have conversed with some Chinese professors. When I asked them if they were going to present a paper, they said yes and invited me to their session. I was elated to hear that their session focused on scientific analyses of artifacts, something I have taken a liking to. The use of the latest technology to analyze artifacts is just appealing to me who loves doing lab work so much. (At that point, I wondered again why I didn't pursue a science course... Sigh! I could have dabbled in many experiments!)

Wednesday was reserved for a whole day tour in the Angkor Wat Complex. The intricately detailed carvings are just super awesome that they left me speechless.Many questions formed in my mind, like how many people built the magnificent structures, how they knew which material to use, which technology was available at that time, what led the rulers to commission the construction of such a massive temple complex. I also wonder how the laborers fared in the whole project. Were they slaves subjected to cruel whips or were they highly skilled craftsmen who join together under a ruler, or a mixture of both?

It was in Angkor Wat where a friend and I met a Chinese American girl who was travelling Mainland Southeast Asia all alone. We chatted a bit and afterwards, decided to meet up for dinner somewhere in Pub Street. We had a five-meat dinner composed of chicken, pork, beef, squid, and crocodile. I didn't know they also eat crocodile meat here. The first time I heard of crocodile meat was last year when I went to Palawan, and boy do I love the sisig version!

The last day of the conference was for me the best. It was when I saw the presentations of Chinese scholars and they were really brilliant! While at the session, all I thought about was how to grab a scholarship and be under the tutelage of expert scientists in China.

The last day I also got to chat with an Australian professor who remembered me. She was ever a lovely woman, very chatty and very nice. She lectured of geochemical characterization last year at ASP and she remembered me as the girl who "was good with computers" because I ran xPRF tests in rapid succession hoping to get the most of their visit because we don't have that ultra cool portable machine. She asked me if I also did GIS and I answered no. GIS is something I'd really love to learn given the opportunity to go back to school since I am fond of maps and mapping. Then again, it sucks not to have much funds for schooling. Tsk... SIGH!

Our last night in Siem Reap saw me and my friend having a relaxing time with fish spa (2 USD each). It was a bit surprising at first to feel the fish pecking at your feet but eventually it was fun and very relaxing.

I wish to go back to Siem Reap and explore more of their food. Also, we didn't get to explore other places due to lack of time. Of course we wanted to attend as many sessions as we could since we paid 75 USD for it. The price may be too high but it was all worth it. I was more than inspired.

On Friday night, we boarded the night bus to Ho Chih Minh.

Read about our Phnom Penh trip here.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia 0110112014

The 20th Congress of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association (IPPA), held last January 12-18 in Siem Reap, Cambodia, was attended by yours truly with her friends in archaeology. Since late 2013, we had been dutifully saving up for this conference, and had been chatting almost everyday to talk about our itinerary. Of course, listing down places we like to see was easy because of our similar background. We all love museums, old buildings, local architecture designs, and we all have one goal aside from learning from on-going archaeological projects--- see Angkor Wat.

We chose the route Saigon- Phnom Penh- Siem Reap- Saigon because one of our friends who booked earlier, bought round trip tickets from Manila to Saigon, justifying that it's cheaper that way. I told her too late (the booking had been done) that she failed to consider land travel which could eat up one whole day. Because of this, I was hesitant to go, seeing that the trip would cause tempers to fly (mine included). So I told them that if I encounter a cheaper plane ticket, I would go; if not, then the trip was not meant for me. But it's a good thing Cebu Pacific had a promo later on so I got cheaper plane tickets. I initially wanted to do Manila- Saigon then SR-Manila but my friend pleaded that I go back home with her. So there... Though on the brighter side I did get to buy Vietnamese coffee and milk tea right before we went back to Manila.

We stayed at Tan Son Nhat Airport for some hours, resting and trying to sleep. Before 6AM we boarded a taxi to Pham Ngu Lao, had breakfast of their famous pho in a narrow alley, and bought bus tickets to Phnom Penh via PP Sorya Bus (10USD). We slept all the way to Phnom Penh, waking up only when we arrived at the immigration office. It was my first time to cross a national border by bus and it was very inconvenient but since we were on tight budget, we really couldn't complain much.

We arrived at Phnom Penh mid-afternoon and met up with a friend who had just finished her conservation workshop there. She stayed at a flat with two bedrooms for free as part of her scholarship so we also got free accommodation there for one night because her flatmate had already returned to her country. After resting for some time and taking quick baths to freshen up, we went out and visited the National Museum and strolled near the baywalk which reminded me of Roxas Boulevard and Ermita because of the presence of many tourists there. We also spent some time outside the Royal Palace, marveling at the architecture and taking photos as pigeons flew to the plaza grounds.

Royal Palace, facing the baywalk

inside the National Musuem

An unfortunate thing happened as we were in a tuktuk on the way to the National Museum. The Samsung Galaxy tablet of a friend was snatched by two men on a motorbike. It happened so fast and we were all shocked at what happened. So always be mindful and alert. As much as possible, never bring out flashy gadgets and wear simple clothes.

The following day was spent at Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a depressing place, to say the least. During Pol Pot's regime, the school was converted into a prison house and was code named "S-21", was where those suspected of resisting Pol Pot were tortured until they die. What is interesting is that prisoners were documented. Each had his photograph taken and basic information was also recorded.

prison rules in Tuol Sleng

The visit to the genocide museum drained all energy I had. It was unthinkable how the human mind is creative at designing torture techniques aimed at fellow humans. Even more baffling is the cruelty and oppression inflicted on civilians just for the political elite to establish and maintain power, and just for a twisted ideology! It should be noted that despite the evil caused by the Khmer Rouge, it still aimed for the nation to be self-sufficient and to develop fervent nationalism, but at the expense of education. Still, the nationalism it promoted was to the extent that it mirrored Hitler's desire for a pure race, thus resulting in ethnic cleansing and genocide.

After a quick, cheap lunch at an eatery, we headed for Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, also known as The Killing Fields. It is where the Khmer Rouge executed more than one million people during Pol Pot's regime. It is a serene place, perfect for contemplating on the nature of man, as one navigates through the site accompanied by an audio system which details key historical events that happened there. 

One of the touching stories was about a survivor who recounts that as a child he met a fellow prisoner, an adult, who kept on pleading the guards to let the child go for he is innocent. Later, the boy learned of the death of the adult prisoner who was killed because the guards got annoyed at his constant pleas, and recalls how he was touched at the concern shown to him by a stranger.

I love the ending track where it was commented that the Buddhist stupa, having sacred Hindu and Buddhist symbols, have both garudas and nagas in it. The nagas are said to have fathered the Khmer people and are the enemies of garudas, but when they come together, they are a symbol of peace.

Before we went back to the apartment, we bought some vegetables. That night, I cooked chopsuey, making do with what is readily available in the kitchen. Still turned out to be delicious. After dinner, we proceeded to Giant Ibis bus for our night trip to Siem Reap. It was my first time to experience such a comfortable sleeper bus. Fare from PP to SR was 15USD.

_____________________________
There is a whole lot more to learn about Cambodia. When we talk of crimes against humanity, genocide, and ethnic cleansing, we often discuss Hitler's Nazi regime. In highschool, Asian History was all about memorizing dynasties and names of rulers. I can hardly recall anything from that class. I think maybe if we discussed key important events that contributed to how a nation is shaped at present, students would be more receptive and more appreciative of history and culture. It was only during this trip when I learned of the Cambodian civil war so I made sure to buy at least one book: Ben Kiernan's The Pol Pot Regime: Race, Power, and Genocide in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge, 1975-79 (2nd edition). I always wonder what makes an ideology so powerful that it can influence a large number of people, and how people are persuaded to accept an ideology as it is, without questioning the morality and underlying interests it may hold. I have been reading the book since we were in Cambodia and have yet to read it from cover to cover. It did, nevertheless, make me understand the circumstances Cambodia was in prior to Pol Pot's regime.

Music

When depression looms on the horizon, it has already become a habit to listen to classical and and rock music. But doing so further aggravates the situation as I find myself thrown back to my angry past. Being surrounded by wonderful music by virtuosos and musical geniuses, I eventually wallow in bitter misery, while tides of miserable childhood memories would come washing all over me, wave by wave.

I would remember happy days learning how to play the piano, how I excitedly went home to practice on the electric keyboard which once belonged to my godfather. I remember back then wishing to be able to play theme songs from my favorite animé series and video games. 植松 伸夫 was my foremost inspiration and I hoped to be able to play "Melodies of Life" and "Suteki da ne" all on my own. I often dreamed of playing my favorite songs in front of a large audience, with people shouting "bravissimo" after each piece.

All those stayed as childish fantasies because my parents decided I was to stop with my piano lessons. I never asked for it in the first place. What I wanted before that was to take flute lessons since the instrument is very portable and I could play it anywhere. Still I listened to them when they said piano would be better. And just when I found myself enjoying and loving the piano as well as the exercises, they denied me the joy of continuing my musical education. I begged hard and yet my pleas fell on deaf ears.

When free training of Chinese musical instruments were offered in our school's main branch, my father took my sisters and me to learn new instruments. I thought it was super cool to be able to play Chinese instruments and I was assigned to play the Chinese piano 古箏 and I instantly loved the instrument when my father told me one can either strike the strings (percussion-like) or pluck them (guitar-like). This despite the fact that I was first eyeing the erhu since it resembles the violin despite having only two strings. Then one day my father suddenly wasn’t bringing us to school on Sundays. When I noticed it had been months since our last lesson, I asked him if the training was still on and he replied yes, then went on to explain about how disgusted he was with the politics there so he decided to quit. So that also meant the second sudden disruption of my musical training. I was young then and cared very little about politics. My only thoughts were how was unfair it was to have experienced musical bliss in such a short period of time only to have everything snatched from me in one fell swoop.

I felt like I was denied of happiness. Three things I cannot live without: travels, books, and music. Music is for me mankind’s most awesome, most wonderful creation, an outlet for emotional expressions where words do not suffice. To somehow compensate for the absence of musical training in my life, I turned to listening to various music genres, finding affinity with both classical and rock music thanks mainly to X-Japan and 植松 伸夫. (Discovering rock band personalities with background and initial training in classical music, like 林 佳樹 of X-Japan and Freddie Mercury of Queen got me hooked to classical music so later on I found myself listening attentively to Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, and Chopin.)

And then I came to know a violinist during my last year as a university student. He was a quiet man but the first time I saw him I thought there was something special about him that I couldn't quite get. I sat behind him in a class of more than 200 students and I often stared at him from behind, trying to see what it was that got me so attracted to him, but failed each time because he looked like an average bespectacled geek in shirt and jeans and backpack. I would like to think that sitting so close to him was no mere coincidence, that perhaps our meeting was meant to be. Probably meant to awaken my interest in music since later on I learned that he was much celebrated not just for his amazing violin skills, but also for being highly skilled with computers. When I heard he would be having a concert at Philamlife Auditorium, I attended without a second thought, eager to see him play live, even though at that time I was slaving over my thesis. He played a favorite, Tchaikovsky's Serenade Mélancolique Op. 26, and my heart wanted to weep with joy. Days later though I found myself brooding over my sad past and vowed to one day pick up the violin and play with him (or strive hard to be good at playing the piano as accompaniment to his violin...) but this is just wishful thinking, I know.

 One day I wish to be able to at least perform onstage and climb my way up the ladder of success in the music arena. I don't mean to catch up to him or compete with anyone. All I want is to be good enough to play my favorite pieces. I think it's too late since I am already a quarter of a century old but I guess I must find it in my heart once again to truly deeply madly believe that I am a fast learner. That, and constant practice and the hope that my very short attention span doesn't become a hindrance.

Then one day I hope that whenever I listen to music, I can do so for hours on end without feeling sad and bitter. That in its place will be free-flowing happiness, peace of mind, and calm solitude.

Mt. Pulag 0221232014

Last year, some of my friends and I planned to hike up some mountains starting with those tagged as level 2, then Pico de Loro, then Mt. Pulag. Since we couldn't agree on the dates, the plans were never realized.

So in January this year, when I got an invite from someone I recently met at an org activity (note: I'm not an official member there, just happened to be a day volunteer), I just couldn't say no and pass again the chance to climb Mt. Pulag, said to be the highest peak in Luzon. Said mountain also became quite talked about because of the cold weather the Philippines is experiencing at the onset of the year until the present. Climbers before us talked of how ice formed outside the tents due to the very cold weather and so we were advised to bring extra clothes to keep us warm [and alive].

As the day of departure was approaching, I was already asking myself what on earth did I drag myself into. I wasn't at all prepared and at that time, my body was still recovering from consecutive trips. Laziness was upon me and even brisk walking seemed like a difficult chore. I was thinking of backing out because the weather didn't warm up a bit and I was afraid of the cold. But a voice inside my head was telling me not to run away, to face my fears like a true warrior. Besides, she [the voice within] warned, "you'd be banned from climbing groups this early if you back out at the last minute!!!" Also, I just brought a new camera which is cold-proof and perfect for adventures so this could be the perfect time to test it. And while in a dilemma, stories of how Mt. Pulag earned its nickname as "playground of the gods" sparked my curiosity. I just had to see for myself this fantastic sunrise and sea of clouds Pulag climbers have been talking about.

So I told myself, "okay, let's do this." Never mind what happens. The usual fatalistic "bahala na" saved me from backing out. For consolation and assurance, I kept on repeating to myself that a lot of people had done it and survived Pulag through the Ambangeg trail, said to be the easiest trail. If others can, why can't I?

Turns out that the hike up to the campsite was okay. It got colder as we climbed up the mountain but the gentle slope was something I was very thankful for. It made the three-hour hike seem like a walk in the park. Perfect for someone who's used to walking long distances like me. Along the way though my friend and I were assuring ourselves that we could do it, that "fear cuts deeper than sword", to quote our favorite Game of Thrones character Arya Stark. Also, we adopted House Martell's motto "Unbowed, unbent, unbroken", though we were still extra cautious.

That night we spent at the campsite, everything changed. The weather became colder with each passing hour. I decided to hit the hay and call it a day (they rhyme!) no later than 6PM hoping to sleep through the cold. But boy was I wrong! I couldn't get myself to sleep! So by around 11PM, I lay there inside my sleeping bag, with five layers of clothes, shivering from the freezing cold. All the while, I closed my eyes, wishing so bad for sleep to come. When I realized how futile it was to try to sleep, I just waited for the early morning call for the group to hike all the way up Peak 3.

Fate must be playing a joke on me because the foggy early morning at 3AM made the hike a bit difficult. My flashlight died on me, probably because of the extreme cold. So I relied on my friend's flashlight as we hike. The activity helped my body generate heat so I felt less cold. When we got to the top, it was another story. I would have wanted to shout "the cold never bothered me anyway!!!" (from the Disney animated film Frozen) but it did.

We waited for some time at the peak, seeing nothing around but fog. Fog, fog, fog everywhere!!! Where's the promise of sea of clouds and the magnificent sunrise??? Later on, realizing that it's way past sunrise, we trekked down with a heavy heart. Inside myself, I resolved to keep on climbing Mt. Pulag until I finally see its treasures.

And it's only then that I understood the words of our guides, that the weather in Pulag is very fickle and hard to predict. Sigh! At least, I got to survive my first Pulag climb.

Our group's itinerary:
DAY 00 (Feb. 21, 2014)
06:30pm Assembly [VICTORY LINER CUBAO]
07:45pm ETD to Baguio

DAY 01 (Feb. 22, 2014)
02:00am ETA at Baguio
03:00am ETD Baguio to DENR
06:00am ETA at DENR, Registration and orientationof Participants
08:00am ETD to Ranger Station
10:30am ETA at Ranger Station, arrange guides and porters [option for early lunch]
11:00am Start Trek
02:30pm ETA at Camp 2, set camp, rest [option for late lunch]
05:30pm Early Dinner
08:00PM Lights out

DAY 02 (Feb. 23, 2014)
03:00am Wakeup call
04:00am Start trek to summit
05:30am ETA at summit, sunrise viewing, picture taking
07:00am Trek back to campsite
08:15am ETA at campsite, breakfast, break camp
09:00am Trek back to Ranger Station
11:30am Arrival at Ranger Station, Wash up, Lunch
01:00pm ETD Ranger station to DENR
02:30pm ETA at DENR, logout, get certificates
03:00pm ETD to Baguio
05:00pm ETA at Baguio, Dinner
10:10pm ETD to Manila

Battle Royale 2 (2003)

If you have watched the 2000 film Battle Royale, then you should probably watch its sequel which promises even more brutality and violence, but with disappointingly less suspense.

Battle Royale 2 takes place after the first film. Nanahara Shuya, one of the two survivors of the previous game, is now the leader of a terrorist group named "Wild Seven", said to be the one responsible for the many bombings in Japan in his fight against the corrupt adults. This time the rules of the game have changed. Instead of having the students kill each other with only one lone survivor in the end, the goal now is to kill Nanahara Shuya to end the game.

Delinquent students, including Kitano Shiori, daughter of Kitano Takeshi the teacher in BR 1, woke up inside the bus on a field trip with collars around their necks. The same fear is prevalent as in BR 1 when the students were suddenly thrust into a situation where they have to fight for their own life. That is, until they were informed of the new rule.

The students are forced to wear military uniforms and were later sent to the Wild Seven island base via boats. A lot of students died and only a handful survived and came to face Nanahara Shuya. It was then that they suddenly faced a dilemma on whether to trust this terrorist leader who was responsible for the bombings that killed most of the students' parents. In the end though the remaining students switched to Shuya's side and as the military storms the island, the Wild Seven and the students join hands to fight the military.

Maybe I'm missing out a lot. I don't think I understand very well what's going on in the film or what happened in between BR 1 and 2. There are just too many unanswered questions (and I hope I can find the answers in the manga... Anyone read the whole manga, please let me know.)

I mean, in just a span of three years, Nanahara Shuya and Nakagawa Noriko, both high on the wanted list merely for breaking the rule in the previous game, were still alive and apparently have gone somewhere in the Middle East to train under known terrorist groups??? And I also wonder what keeps the military from bombing the island where the Wild Seven stay. They already know that the Wild Seven adopted the island as its main base and yet they had to send a group of innocent teenagers to go out there and confront the terrorists when USA simply had to press a button to release a nuclear missile and finish off Wild Seven without all this drama??? (Well, if that happens then we don't get to see this film...) And here's the thing that bewildered me: all girl students except Shiori were led to a tunnel by the other Wild Seven members which apparently leads to the mainland since how then will they be able to end up in the Middle East in the end? Also, they have to cross many borders and it's such a wonder how they are able to do so and with a vehicle no less. I don't know if maybe I'm just thinking too much but there are many things that are not explained so I'm hoping to see BR 3 soon (if ever they will create a third movie) and I am EXPECTING it to provide the answers to my questions.

Nevertheless, the film is a bold attempt to raise awareness on the evils of USA, how it can wield its power and bomb any nation on earth that defies their wishes. I don't know where Shuya's war against adults fit in the anti-US stance but anyway... I really hope they make another kickass BR 3. And I hope to see more girls in action. Those who are really kickass like Shiori and Saki Sakurai unfortunately died. That's just too sad. Tsk.

Watch the movie HERE.

February

Today is the first day of March. I just came back from Bohol, tired and sleepy but just the same, eager to blog about this trip which I took with an officemate with whom I wasn't really that close but we do exchange jokes and pleasantries when we see each other. However, I'm feeling a bit lazy and can't seem to find in my heart to organize the photos I took, much less to edit them and create collages.

So here I am blogging about February instead. January was well spent travelling and attending lectures related to archaeology. In February, the focus is travel again. The last day of January saw me being absent at home for Chinese New Year and then succeeding days were spent in Catanauan where I was a visiting volunteer. It was my first time to excavate a burial amidst the sands so I made sure to be extra careful and just use wooden sticks. I so miss volunteering in the field full time but I'm afraid I might be fired if I would request for leave of absence for a month. Besides, I need money badly to fund my travel plans so I still don't see myself quitting my job at this point.

took a photo of this wonderful view of clouds being reflected in Caliraya Lake in Laguna while on the road

Last month, aside from Catanauan, I finally was able to climb Mt. Pulag. The trek was okay because of the gentle slope but the FREEZING cold is something that one must really prepare for. My friend and I didn't prepare for the climb physically but we did finish it. Unfortunately, we saw no sunrise nor sea of clouds so I'm thinking of joining another Mt. Pulag climb and won't stop until I see the famed sunrise and sea of clouds with my own eyes.

view upon descent, near parking lot

Also, my trip to Bohol is my second time to go to Visayas  (like what I've said above... I'm getting repetitive, maybe I should just sleep...) Anyway, we didn't go to the usual tourist spots like the famous Chocolate Hills, but just went to visit the churches destroyed by a very strong earthquake late last year. That, and also the beaches since Visayas really have the most beautiful beaches in the Philippines (I think... I can't be sure of this but of all the places I've been to, Palawan and Visayas seem like paradise and perfect for snorkeling.) It was heartbreaking to see some of the churches in their present pulverized state. On the brighter side, I got to explore one cave in Panglao--- the Hinagdanan Cave where one can swim in its cool waters.

aerial view of Bohol, taken form plane

My trip to Bohol allowed me to get on the motorbike. No, I didn't drive (I don't anyway...). But still, since it was my first time to ride as a motorbike passenger, it was very wonderful. I love the speed, the wind, even the noon time sun that scorches everything and burning my skin in the process. At night when the temperature has dropped down significantly, we still hopped on the habal-habal and looked up at the sky full of stars. After the ride, we couldn't help but think how ugly Metro Manila is for its polluted atmosphere thus preventing stargazers from doing what they love most.

So in the coming days I will be posting about my Catanauan trip, my Mt. Pulag experience, and of course, Bohol.

And because of my many travels, I have finally amassed many travel must-haves. I finally bought a four-season tent which can house two persons. I have bought a new compass, a pair of aqua shoes, more carabiners, and a stainless bowl (for camping). Now I can definitely go camping and just eat processed food in tetra packs (ugh! I hate those, really, but if camping I will have no choice.) That is, unless I will be able to buy cooking utensils for camping. I also need to buy outdoor clothes.

Plans for March include going extra thrifty again to prepare for another trip and also to allot some of my money to my savings. (Japan will be a reality soon...) Aside from travelling, I would also like to keep my promise to my sisters to clean our room.