Joepster Blog Goodness

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It's Friday once again and it's that time of week when my favorite radio station (Jam 88.3) plays music from my college years. This week's top song and artist: Yeah Whatever by Splender

*Sorry no official MTV available*

Acoustic Version:

Here are a few more songs from Splender:
The Loneliest Person I know

I Think God Can Explain

"It's alright I'm OK, I think God can explain…"

Hope you have a steady weekend. As for me, time to satisfy the urge to submerge! Anilao, here I come.

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This is the second "I'd Appreciate It If…" blog.
This was inspired by last weekend's travel experience.
This goes out to those who are clueless about personal space and travel etiquette.

I'd appreciate it if you bring your own headphones instead of a jack and mini speakers connected to your mini laptop. I understand sharing the fun. But not everyone is your friend. Especially if you're sharing a video of your company's awarding ceremony.

I'd appreciate it if you pay more attention to when you can and cannot recline your seat. I'd also appreciate it if you don't recline AND keep moving at the same time. I know it's everyone's right to recline, but please don't be annoying to the person behind you. They lack space too, just like you.

I'd appreciate it if you check in your HUGE "carry-on" luggage that went along with your full size purse, duty free bag, box of cookies, laptop bag, belt bag and bulky jacket. Traveling light has it's merits, you know. This is not the time to prove you've been lifting weights in the gym. Leave space for the others who also have laptop bags that need to be stowed.

I'd appreciate it you bring down the chit chat to normal level. This is not a restaurant or a bar with a live band. You CAN actually hear the person talking. If you think you're going deaf, chew gum. That's just the pressure in your ears. Relax and don't shout.

I'd appreciate it if you don't bang on the toilet door if it says "Occupied." Did your momma ever teach you green means go and red means stop? Don't rattle the door and force it open. You don't really want to see what's going on inside if it's occupied unless you're a perv. In which case, get off the plane or go flush yourself.

I'd appreciate it if you chew gum or gargle or eat mint leaves or drink coffee or eat the damn free peanuts if you're going to talk me up. First impressions last – bad breath is hard to erase from memory. I'm quite a talker myself and I'd rather make a new friend smile than faint.

I'd appreciate it if you watch where you put your luggage. I know my feet are big, but they are not as big as the pushcart or the conveyor belt. Also, this is not footy or rugby or football or soccer or wrestling or basketball. No one has to be elbowed, boxed out, pushed and have their face shoved to the smelly carpet that has had 10 million smelly feet on it. You'll get your chance to pick your stuff up. There are security guards watching. No one will have the guts to steal your things.

I'd appreciate it if you keep yourself from leaning over the conveyor belt and straining your neck as you play cuckoo (as in Sound of Music) with the person in front of you when claiming luggage. Everyone's bag will be there, if it's not there seek assistance from the airport personnel. I guarantee you though, leaning over the conveyor belt doesn't make it come out faster – only Priority Stickers and Business Class can guarantee that.

Lastly, I'd appreciate it if you don't stand in line when you're not in actually in queue. I know there's a general lack of queuing skills in Asia (ie: the Me First mindset), but don't be part of the new statistic of the clueless in queuing part two: "I'm in line and I didn't even know it." Be mindful of your surroundings and pay attention to signage.

I hope I was able to leave some good traveling tips for you and your friends.
Just remember: Be nice, be respectful, and do something your travel companions would appreciate.
Keeping my fingers crossed for more pleasant journeys for you and me!

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This was a year in the making for me! I had planned on going to this event in 2009, but my love for diving took priority at that time. So this year, I finally got to go (and I was actually going to go on my own if I had to! ) Good thing I saw my friend, Adora the Explorah's status on facebook, and saw that she was going too! Yay! We eventually ended up as a group of 6: Brennen and Kats – a Lumix and G10 couple, Vera and Toti – soon to be mum and Mr. new to the Photography world, and Adora and Me – two bouncing Kaladkarin Explorers!

We all agreed to meet up the night before so we can get to Clark Airbase in Pampanga by 3:30 am. Adora was there last year and she said that arriving at 6am is already a little too late. So we left Manila at 2am and got there at 3:30am. Good thing we were there by that time because in a matter of minutes, the cars started streaming into the parking lot and the spots nearest the gate was filled up fast as you could say "Dude where's my car?" The line to the ticket booth was also formed in a flash. Bottom line – be there early, and if you can, get your tickets to the event ahead of time. There's a separate line for folks with and without tickets. But both queues were pretty fast so it's not too big of a deal. I couldn't help but laugh at a Japanese guy trying to bribe a teenage local behind me in the queue to buy him tickets. The girl totally did not understand and was getting the money as his payment for the ticket and not as a bribe – or maybe she was trying to be nice. Either way, I didn't see the point of rushing madly inside as the balloons weren't up yet.

When we got in though, I realized why there was such a rush. People wanted to be by the fence so they can see the balloons being set up in the field. And if you were going to photograph the show, you need to be in front or in that field to max out the opportunity. I was three people-rows behind, so it wasn't so bad – but I wish I was in that field!

It was pretty exciting to see them set up after an hour and a half of waiting under the stars (yes, the stars were still out when we got there!) When the first few 4×4's started entering the field carrying the balloon baskets, you can start hearing people buzz with excitement. It's actually quite infectious! Then when the first burst of light from one of the balloon baskets broke the darkness, I had to make sure I stood my ground as people started standing up from their picnic set ups and started pushing to the front. Good thing, it wasn't a mad push to be there, but still, you had to secure your spot or you'll find yourself lost amongst the crowd. But again,unless you're photographing, no matter where you stand in that area, you can see the balloons from afar, so you can still enjoy the show.

By 6am, the balloons were all up and ready to go. People were excited with all the parachute-gliders flying, drums beating and hot air giants up and awake.

It was all over by around 7am – people were happy to have seen the show, and now ready to either go home or get some real food (there were only hotdogs and a few fastfood stuff being sold in the area!) I personally hoped to eat at the famous C's Italian resto, but it was closed. So we decided to meet up with my friend Louis and his family, Alynne and Little Luisa and have some famous Aling Lucing's Sisig. I was getting a little impatient with the traffic getting out of the parking lot. I wonder who was the smart guy who planned it and only had ONE exit (and one make shift exit) in that area?!

Sisig-filled and memory-card filled, I drove myself back to Manila happy with my morning.
So for those planning to go, just plan ahead and be there early! Bring little stools if you can or anything to sit on, and keep your fingers crossed for better weather (my experience was a little gray, but I still enjoyed it Hope you do too!

 

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I realized I didn't hold true to my blow by blow account of the Sinulog event. So I'll try to make it up by doing a summary of tips for a fantastic Sinulog experience!

1) Book ahead of time! Airline tickets and hotel accommodations will continue with their tradition of either jacking up their prices. The other situation you might find yourself in is not having a place to stay that's near the action, or no place at all because it's all fully booked!

2) Book a hotel that is near the action! There are so many little places around that is walking distance to the Osmena circle. Look it up online and book MONTHS ahead! (Meaning October-November – start booking!) I also recommend booking near the action because transportation is hard to come by on the day of the grand parade! I got lost trying to find my way back and it was impossible to get a cab anywhere! Casa Osmena, Paragon Suites, and the Crown Regency Tower are good options.

3) Get a street map and get familiar with the area you are in. Cebu isn't too big and you will eventually find yourself on a big street, but you can easily find yourself in an area that may seem a little dodgy as well. I don't recommend you walk around on your own unless you know the area or you know a bit of the local dialect. I was lost for an hour (and I grew up there!!!) Good thing I bumped into my cousin and she pointed me to the general direction I was supposed to go. She kept laughing because I walked a huge circle and wound up back to where I started getting lost! Hmm, you really do go around in circles when you're lost!

4) Bring some Emergency Essentials: If you are going to be photographing, know what kind of lens you are going to be using, if wide, bring a monopod so you can raise your camera up and get fantastic wide shots of the dancing parade, bring extra battery, memory cards/film, and bring plastic in case it rains so you can cover your gear. For yourself, bring water, a cap, sunblock, an extra shirt, alcohol, and a little money to buy some water and food. Wear comfortable clothing and sneaks or rubber shoes so your feet do not get all muddy if it rains (you can get both rain and shine – which is what happened that day. Amazing I did not get sick with all that heat and rain alternating! Check out the sunburned look:

5) If you're going to be at the stadium, watch out for the track and field area. It melts in the sun. I found myself glued to it for a few moments and almost left my Nike's stuck there! This was taken in the stadium where they had the stage for the group to do their final dance:

6) Get yourself a pass for the parade! You have to be IN it if you want to take great shots! I loved the fact that I was able to walk freely in there. So great to see things up close!
Plus you wouldn't want to be a part of that crowd behind the fence. Too many folks pressing against each other. There are some restaurants that set up bleachers of sorts, but I think it takes a lot to get a spot.

7) Be there for the whole week if you can. If not, make sure you get to see the last two days which are the height of the entire festival. I have yet to do this in next year's celebration.

There are many places to eat! So don't worry about getting hungry. But if you're traveling to the Philippines for the first time and you're not sure about your tummy situation, make sure you have some food with you if street food isn't your thing – but let's see if you can resist the smell of the grilled goodies being sold and all the folks eating with their hands — They give you free plastic glove things instead of spoons and forks which is smarter and better for the experience I think!

9) Be nice and don't let the heat and crowd get you riled up. Psyche yourself for it. It's a parade, it's a festival, be ready for a little discomfort. You can't be a princess in these things, but don't let yourself be taken advantage of either. Keep your wits about you. Sadly, these things bring out the best of a place and it's worst too. In line with this, I think it would help if you bring a companion or a group with you, but make sure you know how to coordinate your whereabouts and where to find each other if you get split up. It is easy to get split up as you get distracted with the majestic sights and sounds around you.

10) Just enjoy the show! – Let the sights and sounds sink in! Watch people's faces and reactions – look from crowd to dancer to musician to coordinator to photographer and vendor. What you will see is priceless. Enjoy it!

PIT SENYOR!

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HONEY BEE

DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME

I AM ME ONCE MORE

SOMEONE YOU USED TO KNOW

SMILE – CHARLIE CHAPLIN

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Sun rays come down as seen when they hit the ground,
Children spinning around till they fall down down down.
I wait for you: it's been two hours now,
You're still somewhere in town,
Your dinners getting cold.
I rest my case you are always this late,
And you know how much I hate waiting around 'round 'round,
Bitter heart, bitter heart tries to keep it all inside,
Bitter heart, bitter heart shadows will help you try to hide,
Bitter heart, my bitter heart is gettin' just a little fragile,
Bitter heart, bitter heart of mine.
And then you come and tell me the same reason as you did yesterday,
So tell me whats her name.
Doo doo da dum, doo doo da dum, doo doo doo doo doo doo da da dum dum, da da da da dum, da da da da dum, da da da da dum.
Bitter heart, bitter heart tries to keep it all inside
Bitter heart, bitter heart shadows will help you try to hide,
Bitter heart, my bitter heart is just getting a little fragile,
Bitter heart, bitter heart of mine, of mine, of mine, of mine, of mine, of mine.

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This is going to be a series of blogs and photos for Sinulog 2010.

So Joepi is now in Cebu to join in again on the fun and immerse herself in the sights and sounds of Sinulog as it celebrates it's 30th anniversary. I didn't know until I arrived that the festival was created the same year I was born. Pretty cool!

So here's how the trip started…

First I stopped to have breakfast at a cafe called Chaikofi. Chaaaay! In gay-linggo that's what you call a friend. It wasn't the friendliest place in the world, but the gay waiter and cashier were both friendly enough and they had wifi. So I was happy. What was weird was the color of the cafe. It was all yellow – as in SUNFLOWER yellow and black. I think I know now how a bee feels like when in a honeycomb and all you see are those colors. I hadn't had much to eat for the past 12 hours so I got myself a frankfurter sandwich. I thought it would be good and filling. I was disappointed. For $3 I got a thin sandwich with mostly onions and 8 puny slices of the damn sausage. I paid my bill. Thank you for the sandwich that went with the wifi. :-p

I went on my way to the gate as the time for boarding was nearing. Lo and behold I have a celebrity on my plane. Childstar turned Rapper Billy Crawford was there in his red leather cap. His presence just reminded me of the pageantry and pomp I was about to witness for the weekend.

As I boarded I don't know why I had to pee real bad. For the first time I was a little bit ashamed to have to go against everyone who was boarding as I pushed myself to get to the loo. Too much water and coffee to wash down the damn onions I guess. While the cargo was being loaded, I watched the activity below and saw a lady guard doing a body check on one of the baggage guys and she was cuppy-feeling EVERYTHING and I mean every INCH of the poor guy. I bet she was enjoying. I'm sure he was too. Then I glanced as the last cargo haul pulled up and unloaded at least 7 cages with big bunny rabbits!

As I got to Cebu, I was greeted with raindrops and cool sleepy weather. I'm usually grumpy when I see this kind of weather but for some reason I welcomed it. I guess because I was already feeling sleepy and was welcoming the bed weather, but I was also put in the mood to pay my visit to long time family friends who have lost their beloved grandpa – Papa Genio. As I rode my Php300 cab ride, I looked around at Cebu's wall art and noticed one weird one among an environmental series of murals. It had a huge globe drawn on it cracked in the middle with a band-aid and it said "Heal the World." But what made it weird was the figure in the middle. A man with a black hat, white gloves and posed like Pop King MJ (feet together, one arm out) BUT he was dressed in JC's white loin cloth. Talk about weird. Before I got carried away in analyzing the image, I felt my tummy growl and decided to attend to my human need to eat properly and to have dimsum and "steamed rice" (a fantabulous concoction of rice and toppings and some secret sauce) which always brings me back to my childhood recollections of the Chinese restaurant we frequented here in Cebu as a little girl. After my cup of Steamed rice, 3 Shrimp Balls and 3 Mushroom Shiomais, I was ready to go again and on my second wave. But not after a quick cup of coffee and another weird sight: a girl had her sweater on backwards!

And here's another sight on the road – which depicts my current state:

I was picked up by my mum's youngest brother, Uncle Weng (pronnounced as Wing) and we headed to Rolling Hills Funeral Homes. I was greeted by another funny sight. I saw a wheelchair through the window zipping back and forth. It would have scared me to death but I let out a sigh of relief as I saw that it was my friend's son in the chair having the time of his life wheeling around in the lobby of the funeral home. Sheeesh. As I got inside, all the grandmas were praying and we waited around outside with Mr. Wheely and some wifi. Prayer meeting over, I went in and said hello to my grandma and the rest of the folks. I ended up giving my earrings to my grandma and having a nice little catch up with her from the time at the chapel to all the way to my hotel. I am amazed at how strong she still is and how good her memory is. We were talking about travel, her first experience on a plane (which was in 1949 from Manila to Cebu), her boat experiences (how she went through storms and got absolutely drenched INSIDE the boat), what do I love most about traveling, what food in what country do I enjoy most, and Singapore's clean city and Vietnam's fresh food. I had to cut our convo short as I was already at my hotel. I wish I had more time. I think I will come by again on another weekend and just spend time with her.

I am now in my modest little hotel and absolutely ready for bed! I will be awake when the sun goes down and the party lights switch on! More to come on tonight's activities in Alejandro's where 2 celebs await! Snap snap! More photos to come!

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The maiden finishes and switches off the tap.
He complains about the cold water.
She towels him dry and leaves him.
He soaks up the sun to dry.
He calls for the doors of his master's castle to be opened.
He walks in and sees his Lady.
- – -
She looks at him and sighs.
He looks at me with such adoration.
How can I not love him?
She takes a deep breath and smells the clean scent of soap.
I love the after bath smell.
He looks at her and then casts a glance at the staircase that leads to the bed chamber.
His eyes expecting.
- – -
He watches his Lady and waits for her to beckon.
He will not move until he is summoned.
He casts a glance up the steps.
Please.
Ah! Finally after hours of waiting.
She stands and gathers her skirt and pauses by the staircase.
- – -
Come! The Lady says.
She motions for him to come with her.
He runs ahead of her in a very playful mood.
But he waits at the top.
She scolds him for making her run.
- – -
She looks at the door and opens her bed chambers.
He walks in the dark and waits.
She lights the little stars in her room and walks in to see him waiting.
– - -
She prepares for bed.
He sits and waits.
She gets in to bed and calls for him.
He eagerly jumps on the bed and nestles on her lap.
She strokes his hair and hums a lullaby.
She stops as she sees him close his eyes.
His whiskers moving with every breath.
His cold nose making a little snore.
She cuddles him and places him by the foot of her bed.
They slowly fall asleep.

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