real deal...

... real steel

Mine in approximately 30 working days (I hope...)

things to do

Somehow I have been uneasy lately. And I realized it was because I felt I was being left behind and that I wasn't "living my life", so to speak.

So I made a list of the things I wanted to do in the next 6 months (this seems to be a time for lists :P). In no particular order:

1. Travel - I want/need to travel to another country for some time. And I'm not talking about vacation wise, I'm talking about an on-site assignment for a project. 3 months or more should do just fine.

2. Get a new job - It may be with SPL/Oracle or another company I do not care. As long as it's a better (paying) job and the company provides better opportunities for its employees.

3. Climb a mountain - Nothing in the Everest level though. A simple climb to one of the mountains in Batangas to leave the worries of the Metro behind.

4. Shoot a gun - Man, I miss the smell of gunpowder.

5. Play airsoft - Last call for SPL WarGroup? Join another team? Whatever!

6. Get that ripped body - almost there though ;)

break contact!

Nearly 2 months since my last post... pathetic. Too busy to blog stuff that's been happening. Still too busy though so here's just a very quick recap:

1. My girlfriend came back home
2. Went to Iloilo/Boracay with friends
3. Held the 2nd SPLWarGroup FTX
4. Extremely busy with work
5. SPL WorldGroup has been acquired by Oracle
6. Posted this entry in another blog hehe

That's all I remember for now. Will post something more profound next time.

passing time

Why is it that the last 1 hour always seem longer?

road rage

Those who have ridden with me in a car knows how I get worked up against stupid-ass drivers on the streets. Even as a passenger I get pissed off at the other driver's who think they own the road and that they're the only ones driving along. Although I don't get into actual fights in these occassions, I do let the other party know I'm pissed through a variety of ways.

I found out last Thursday that I didn't need a car to have a reason to lash out at other drivers...

Commuting is always a hassle, especially if you are raring to get some rest after work and gym. As I crossed Quezon Ave. I scouted for which jeepney on the queue I was going to ride home. After deciding, as I walked in between two jeepneys to get on I noticed one of the jeepneys started to move forward. I figured he was going to stop before he hit the jeepney in front, as most normal jeepneys do. Then I felt some pressure on my knee as the jeepney kept moving. I was actually stuck in between two jeepneys!

Ok, I figured the driver made a mistake and was going to back up immediately so I looked at him to see any reactions. I was half expecting him to apologize, but instead I got this challenging look as if saying "Wacha gonna do about that bitch?". He messed with the wrong guy.
I balled up my fist, hit the hood of the jeepney and shouted "Iatras mo! naiipit ako!".

I don't think he reversed his ride but I got loose as the other jeepney moved forward a bit. I was about to let it go at that, but somehow through my earphones I heard him say something. I couldn't remember what it was, but it sounded taunting. Wrong move fucker. Furious, I shouted back "PUTANGINA MO!". I got the last word and got on another jeepney for my ride home.

I was still reeling from anger until I got home, all that testosterone and adrenaline coursing through my veins. I knew I could've beaten the guy to a pulp. He was in a confined area, and I could punch him in the face without him putting much of a fight. UFC moves went through my head, using fists and elbows to bring this asshole down. Tactical analysis showede I had the upper hand in that situation.

Fucker. If I wasn't in a hurry to get home or if I wasn't bringing a bag or had my cellphone in a belt clip he would've regretted hitting me and being an ass about it. Fuckin' asshole.

bought and sold

Sold "Irene" (my pistol) yesterday. I posted it on an airsoft board a few days ago and someone bought her last night.

I initially asked, 5K for it but to cut the long story short... I got 3.5K for her. Not bad given that she had a broken slide and that I bought it 2nd hand. But she was a steal for 3.5K... bought her at 5.5K way back when... complete with box, manual, tools and an extra mag... and I never really had a chance to use it in a game.

I did feel kinda bad when I got home. But such is life, you win some... you lose some. Now what can I buy next? hehehe...

I want!!!

http://chrislagman.com/blog/2006/08/25/watch-skydiving/

PSHS alumnus... military personnel... skydiving...

one out of 3 isn't bad is it? demmit, I wanna go skydiving!!!!

to or not to...

Lately I've been contemplating on a few things:

1. Paint Michelle - she's got some battle scars and she's getting more each time I play. I don't mind battle scars much anymore, I've grown accustomed to see my gun look like it's seen a lot of action and getting tango's left, right and center. However, she's getting a bit too much of it and I'm afraid all that none of the paint would be left. Sooo... either I repaint her flat black or paint her camo. There are a lot of pros and cons in painting her camo... perhaps I will list them down next time.

2. Sell Irene - she's got a broken slide and a faulty hop up rubber. Should I decide to buy replacement parts, its probably gonna cost me 4K bucks. I could get a replacement pistol brand-spanking-new for around 7K I think. But then again, I do need to get a metal slide for it which will cost me another 4K.

3. buy another gun - M249, M14, another M4, an Mp5, or a G36C... the options are endless...

Oh boy....

getting inked up

A chat over lunch with Christian and Joel brought out my desires to have a tatoo once again. I just don't know what to get and where to put it.

Joel has a great idea of a shoulder-arm tattoo that shows just a bit after the sleeves of a shirt. I have always been fascinated by the structure of the upper back and how a tattoo goes well with the curves. Then I saw this website -> http://www.tattoo-world.ru/index.php/ru/. Huge tatoos that traverse the body with unique art... not them sissy generic tribal tattoos.

I'm not in a hurry though, things like this needs time and preparation. One day...

airsoft devils and angels

I found an airsoft shop here in Makati that was on my way home and fortunately it had the primary item I was looking for, a new motor for Michelle. I had also been looking for decent kneepads and a face mask so it was a good opportunity to scout the place as well.

As soon as I got there, I took a quick look at some of the accessories they had. I didn't want to look too much as I knew my imagination would start churning and the airsoft devil tempting me to want to have some of the items. I got the motor without much fuss (luckily they had one last in stock) but I felt something was lacking, until my eye caught the "gear rack". I finally found the kneepads I wanted! So I took them off the rack and placed them beside the motor. Then I saw a face mask... luckily(?) I didn't have enough cash. But I did buy a bag of BBs in preparation for Sunday's game.

All in all I ended up buying nearly 3000 bucks worth of stuff. Waging war ain't cheap you know. But at least I'm happy with what I got, the motor rocks and the kneepads are exactly what I wanted.

in sickness and in health

Disclaimer: To all you guys who might be thinking something else, hold that train of thought and read through the blog entry first

Almost a month ago, I got sick. Some kind of throat infection. I was bed ridden for a week and the inflammation was so bad, it was getting hard to swallow. Even drinking water and taking soup was becoming painful. Luckily, after a few days of bombarding my body with anti-biotics and an anti-inflammatory mouthwash I was ready to head back out into the world.

But then I realized that my clothes started to feel loose. And when I weighted myself, my worst fears where confirmed.... I lost a massive 10 lbs. People in the office noticed the change immediately. After getting sick for a week and not eating much, it doesn't come as a surprise. But I did feel bad losing all the weight I worked hard for.

Until yesterday.

I weighted in again at 150lbs. That means I shouldv'e been 160lbs by now and should be on my way to getting that ripped Greek god of war physique (hehehe, sorry imagination running wild). But it's no use crying over spilled milk, so I'm just looking forward to putting on more mass before getting the 'cuts' I desire. I'm wondering if I can reach 170lbs before then though...

07-01-06 FTX After Action Report

After weeks of planning, numerous setbacks and rescheduling, the fist ever SPL WarGroup Inc.* Field Training Exercises pushed through. Eleven elite troops, together with three Special Forces soldiers spent an entire day going through simulated battle scenarios with the aim of developing skills in small unit movement and tactics.

The sun bore down the heat early on during the day, but the men (and women) soldiered on. After a few sessions in urban battle, the group moved on to jungle warfare for the rest of the day. The thick brush and the sounds of the jungle was a complete step back from the urban setting, but everyone got into grips with jungle warfare pretty quickly.

As all exercises do, this day ended sooner than most people would like. At least they have more to look forward to in the next FTX.

no jump tonight

Tomorrow's war is aborted. All troops are on stand-by until further notice. Demmit.

War is hell...

civil affairs

Recently I have received a whole bunch of notifications from friendster. First it was a message from some stranger, then it became friend requests, then more messages AND friend requests! Weird...

Don't get me wrong here, I'm open to meeting new people and interacting with other people but I can't seem to make myself click on the 'Yes' button for their requests. I have nothing against them personally, it's just that they are not my friends. (Don't start with the arguement that meeting friends is the point of friendster. Yes maybe, but I like to keep my list clean of quick acquaintances and people who simply want to increase their "friends count")

Anyhoo, I also realized that there have been a bunch of strangers viewing my profile. So it really got me thinking as to why people are viewing my profile on the same time frame, given the numerous friendster accounts circulating. Good thing one of the messages sent to me actually explained how she got directed to my profile... my main picture was apparently part of friendster's featured photos.

Mystery solved! :P

D-Day minus 15

Last friday, I finally confirmed 20 troops that are ready for deployment in 2 weeks time. After planning this for some time now, I was naturally getting excited with the fact that it will finally push through.

Somehow, I got myself to organizing the stuff I would be bringing on the deployment 2 weeks from now! As I laid down some of my stuff on the floor, I realized I have a shit load of gear, even though I was just sorting my primary items. Of course I had to take a picture hehehe



I am now "good to go!"

run or fight?

In certain cases Special Forces soldiers (SF) either disengage contact or head on full force. They lay down a massive amount of fire to cover their retreat and scramble to a pre-determined rally point (PRP) to regroup and re-asses their situation. Or when push comes to shove... close the distance, take the fight to the other side and hope for the best.

This decision is usually done in a split second and the reason the decision taken is backed up by training and experience. If I where in that situation, I think I would just stand still and weather it out. Which is the wrong decision and means that I'm dead.

Both decisions may look opposing, but in actuality they are the same. You do not sit around and wait for things to happen, you act according to your guts and do something. You get up, push hard and complete your objectives.

letters and words

As I was reading a book given to me by a friend on my birthday, I realized that the list of books I am supposed to read has just gotten longer. Although I do not consider myself a bookworm or even an avid reader, I do have a wishlist on the books that I want to read.

I was currently reading “Patriot Games” by Tom Clancy, and the initial plan was to read all of the Jack Ryan series books in chronological sequence. Although I have read most of the books in the series, including “Patriot Games” (PG), I have not read them in any particular order since I have mostly borrowed the books from friends or from the library (yes, I did go to the library to borrow books). This plan was also an opportunity to have a copy of each of the books and start on my own library. Although I have not been able to read much of PG since I have the hardbound version so it’s a bit cumbersome to read during the busy commute to and from work.

Then last Friday I had a nice surprise and got a book that puts a spin on Sun Tzu’s view of waging war. I started reading a few pages as soon as I got it and was planning to read this and a little pocket sized version of Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War”.

But then again, someone gave me “Immediate Action” by Andy McNab. I am hoping I can finish it quickly so I can continue on with reading all the other stuff I’m supposed to read. It looks to be a good read though so that’s good… but it was written by an English bloke so the humor and the slang are a bit difficult to understand at times hehehe

objective completed

Before the end of last year, a handful of officemates and I made a bet to get ourselves in better shape. Although our targets where as varied as our reasons it was still a good motivator for all of us to get into shape, which was what was important in the first place.

My goal was 150lbs by April (exact date depended on the last person to come back from their respective international assignments). And last night as I stepped on the scale, lo and behold... 150lbs square. I wasn't a pound heavier or lighter. Talk about hitting the nail right on the head!

Despite reaching my objective, I feel that I can still improve on it. I am thinking of going up to 160lbs. Scouring the internet for an ideal body weight for my height, I found that the range I should be shooting for is 154 - 169lbs. Additionally Karl da German sent me a link to the Ideal Grecian Proportion and with a 6.5 inch wrist, I still have a lot of mass to build.

So an additional objective has been set...

a little something

where?

Somebody took my car yesterday. Well, technically it’s my dad’s car… and in recent time’s used by my sister. But for some time in my life it was mine, and now it’s gone… sold to some anonymous buyer.

It has been with us since 1994 and I learned driving with it, when my dad and I would switch seats a few hundred meters away from my high school and I’d drive us in. I eventually was able to take it out on my own, and by the time I was in college it was practically mine.

I would commute to school with it, visit some friends, go out to parties and overnighters (school related or otherwise). It was my constant companion and I always kept it at least half a tank full of petrol, thanks to the free 300 liter my dad gets every month hehehe

I was always willing to give a ride home to friends in far off places like Sucat or Pasay. If anyone wanted a ride and I wasn’t busy, it was never a problem for me. I could always count on that car, I’ve taken it as far as Tagaytay, Antipolo, Batangas and everywhere in between. I may have abused the engine at more than a normal driver would at times (thanks to JM introducing me to some racing concepts) and drove with an intense need for speed on more than one occasion, but she never got me to an accident. Except for 2 spin outs, but that didn’t hurt anyone hehehe

I always thought that someday (a very far off “someday”) when I had a girlfriend, I would be able to have her beside me in that car and go wherever. Have that long drive with your girlfriend beside you and a dependable car in your control was the shit for me. But I guess that will never happen (not with that particular car).I’ve always told my friends that my car was a go-anywhere-car, and I guess it still is… it just went to another person that will take it anywhere they desire.

of measurements

I went back to my gym yesterday and the first thing I did was do a weigh-in. According to the scale I am at 142 lbs. Now I don't know what to think about that since looking at my "records" I previously weighed 141 lbs a few days I arrived in Cyprus and 146 lbs a week before I left. So it would seem like I didn't gain any weight in Cyprus, which is contrary to what people say and what I feel. And simply looking at the numbers would also mean I lost 5 lbs in a week, and that seems highly unlikely.

Going to before I left for Cyprus, I knew my weight to be 137 lbs on the same scale I used before yesterday. This consistency shows that I must have gained around 5 lbs in a span of 2 months, regardless of my pre-departure and current weight. Bottom line is, I gained weight.

Although the gains were not as obvious as before I am glad I am still on the right track... and the fact that I may have lost 3 lbs 2 weeks before coming back due to stress, means that my 150 lbs goal is definitely attainable, especially with the help of my trainer.

Now, I am considering getting up to 160lbs and my trainer even suggested going to 180 lbs. I'm not sure about going 180 lbs but we'll see, one notch in the scale at a time...

dawn of a new day

Written by a sleepless guy at over 30,000 feet above sea level, doing 1,000 km/h... just past the Arabian sea.

I saw my first glimpse of sunrise today… whatever day it is, given the complexities of international travel. The imagery I saw seems befitting what I feel, a streak of soft orange light emerging from the darkness. Dark grays slowly receding from the warmth of the sun.

I can’t seem to remember the last time I have seen and appreciated the sunrise. I usually sleep past it or too groggy to care. But now, despite not having slept in 18 hours I am pondering what lies beyond the horizon. I am captivated by the realization that we are heading straight into the point of sunrise as if trying to reach it but in fact, the final destination is beyond it. Past the horizon, past plains and mountains and the endless sea… to a place where location does not really matter.

Nearly everyone else on the plane is off to dreamland trying to reduce the stress this 8-hour flight will inflict. While I revel on dreams of my own, and damn the jet-lag that may ensue. Even though I will be arriving home just as the sun sets, I feel that my day will just about to start then.

just like that

I've always wanted to dive in Cyprus from the moment I knew I was travelling here. So when I found out that the diving season opens on March 1, 12 days before I leave, I set things in motion to get me 60 feet under water. Even though I knew that the temperature would still be low (lower than what we tropical people are used to), I just had to dive the Mediterranean.

Last sunday, an officemate and I headed to the dive center in Agia Napa. Despite not having my trusty navigator with me, I managed to get to the center without having as much as a wrong turn and we were off preparing our gear in no time. A few minutes drive later we were on our jump off point.

Two things I learned after our first dive... it was cold, even with double 5mm wetsuits and hood. And it was salty, saltier than normal... I around 15lbs of weight to help me get to the bottom. Now 15lbs is not a big deal when you're underwater, the problem was I had to lug that and all my scuba gear from the water up to our car which was a good 20 feet away.

On our next dive site, we again had to lug the same amount of scuba gear down a series of steep steps. But I guess it was well worth it. As we were slowly working our way up to the surface along the walls of the cliff, the sun shone down on our area illuminating it as if we were in a cathedral. It was just wonderful. Clear water, beautiful sunshine, cliffside walls, and the slow carshing of surface waves. I wanted to stay there and relax but we had to surface as I was running out of air.

Now that was the end of the diving experience... but not of the day.

Another thing I wanted to do in Cyprus was jump off a cliff. I didn't care if it was cold and I that would have to swim back to shore, or worry that I might land incorrectly and hurt myself. I had to jump if I could... no questions asked. Fortunately the last dive spot was also a place where you could jump off a 6 meter drop.

The area had a small chapel in it and I said a quick prayer as we passed by. Near the edge I had a fleeting thought, wondering why the hell would I do this. But I didn't entertain it. I let it go as soon as it entered my mind. After a pre-jump picture, I again had thoughts of 'what-if'. Again I just told myself "dude, you're right there", just a step away. So I got on the very edge, my mind focused on each movement and prepared myself. Breathe in, breathe out... counting 1... 2... 3... and thinking jump. But I was still standing there.

Then it hit me. It's actually that simple. So again I breathed 1... 2... 3... and I just jumped. I closed my eyes and jumped. No frills, no thrills... just jumped. For the few seconds I was in mid-air, I didn't feel as if I wasn't falling... I as just there in that "moment". When I hit the water, it was as if I was being cradled... no pain, no shock to the system, not even relief of making it. Surfacing from the water was pure elation. And not of the fleeting kind either, I was bathed in it even as I got out.

I wanted to dive in Cyprus even though I knew it was cold, and that it would be twice as expensive as back home, and that I would have to drive an hour to get there. I wanted to jump off a cliff, even though I knew I would've been scared to shit when I stepped on the edge. But I wanted to do it... and so I did.

I guess what makes life great is to go out there and do what you want. Despite the fears and the worries and all the variables that concern it... to just take a leap of faith. And damn the consequences.

teaser

inspired

People say they write better when they are inspired. Or when they are depressed. Or whenever that specific feeling pushes their mind into overdrive and the words just start to flow.

Recently, I have not updated my blog as much. And some might think that I lack the environmental stimuli that promotes new blog entries or that I am uninspired. I would say the former is true, but the latter is definitely not.

I am inspired, I have a wave of emotions swirling and crashing within me. But no blog entry. Perhaps it is because I have been swept away and now I float in an endless sea of contentment where no amount of words, mine or otherwise, would express that.

walkin' by

With nothing to do this lazy Saturday afternoon, I decided to head to Ledras Street hoping to find inspiration to keep my mind pre-occupied for the rest of the day. As I walked down the old road lined with shops of all kinds, my mind was debating on either getting some ice cream or lounging at a coffee shop with a good cup of brew. Before I got to the merits of my options, I noticed a couple of haggard looking guys on the side of the road looking as if they where deciding where to go. I noticed one of them was carrying a guitar and I figured they where one of the street performers working for some change (its an image I can easily associate with Europe, don't ask why). Being troubled with my own thoughts, I slightly avoided the two and went on my merry way.

Finally deciding on having a frappuccino, I went to find a nice spot outside the coffee shop. As I settled on my chair, I heard some music coming from across the street... and it was the two haggard looking guys playing! And they were pretty good too, despite them looking like they haven't had a bath since God-knows-when and always wears the same clothes every single day. They where unkept, unshaven and had long bands of dreads.

They didn't look Greek to me, so I figured they may be some kind of backpackers or something. I didn't understand what they were singing either, but they sang it effortlessly yet passionately I could help but watch and listen. It seemed that they really felt what they where playing, I could see it in their body language and the tone of their voice. The song felt bitter-sweet to my ears, like they were singing about something beautiful yet fleeting, realizing something wonderful when its gone and all that ironic stuff.

rock n' roll boys... rock n' roll...

blanks

I realized that most of my recent posts are bursting with pictures. It may be because of the recent influx of events with a whole lot of photos, most of them blog worthy (based on my own humble criteria). Another reason is that I feel that those pictures embodies whatever I want to convey... leaving it to the viewer to choose their own words to piece the story together.

Maybe words aren't even required, they just feel and understand my point and the reason why I chose the picture. Well at least I hope the pictures I took and chose does all that.

Maybe I was just too tired to think and write about it. It doesn't seem to come to me as naturally as before (if ever it did).

Even now as I write this entry, I find it difficult to describe what I have in my mind. Probably because I do not know what's on my mind. It's like a huge ball of wide open space, with little bits of ideas going back and forth... fading in and out. I stare into space and think of... nothing.

I need some meaningful though to hold on to... again the problem is I can't think of anything. I see this is going in circles, and I feel that I'm already rambling... this entry does not make sense does it?

airborne scuba diver

I just received an email from the dive center informing me that we are good to go diving on the 5th of March. Not only that, they also said that they could also take me to one of the cliffs for a jump! Coolness!

Mediterranean sea, here I come!

bored

alternative to working

strawberry fields

appeal

To my fellow Torpe Brothers:

Let this serve as my appeal letter to the allegations of treason as handed by The High Council of Torpes on the 11th of February, 2006.

Let it be known that I have served the Brotherhood with the utmost dedication. For years on end, I have lived under the guidance of our motto and embodied the true meaning of Torpe. In my years as member of The High Council, I have seen some of our brothers deviating from the path, yet I remain faithful to the Brotherhood and for what it stands. I have always believed that leading by example is the best way to inspire the members of our society.

The Dark Side of the Diego has had a lingering presence since time immemorial, and a number of our brothers have been lured by it since our inception. As seen from the annals of The Great Battles found deep in the Halls of Torpe, our brotherhood has been its prime target. We are all being tested, every single day, by the Dark Side. And I do not deny that I have been enticed by the Dark Side. All of us, not even the Lord High Priest Torpe, are safe from its clutches.

And yes, I do admit I have fallen prey to it, but I still consider myself Torpe. For isn’t that the true meaning of Torpe? To be surrounded by it and yet remain unchanged? Despite other circumstances that may have changed, still remain Torpe?

Hoping for your deep contemplation and consideration.

Brother Allan Vistan
Esteemed Member – The High Council of Torpes

*for background on The High Council of Torpes and the reason for its decision please proceed here and here

the other side

Last weekend, Socs and I planned something entirely different to do. She would go shopping while I try to capture the “essence” of shopping behind the lens of her Canon 300D. Being a guy and not really planning on doing any serious shopping myself, I psyched myself up to not get too bored, try to help her pick out nice stuff and record the events of the day.

As far as planning go during my entire stay here, not everything went as we thought it would. For starters, Tita Eva called us just as we were about to leave the apartment asking us if we were willing to go to the other side. By this I mean the other side of Nicosia… in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, also known as the Turkish occupied territory. More info on that here.

I think Socs was looking forward to going shopping right here in the government controlled Nicosia, but getting a chance to go behind enemy lines was something too inviting to pass up even for a non-war person. And I guess the fact that shopping in the Turkish side is said to be cheaper compared to the Greek side did not miss her mind.

We left Cypriot Nicosia without any hassle (thanks to Tita Eva’s charms and knowledge of the Greek language), walked through the UN buffer zone and into Turkish Nicosia in a span of a few minutes.

I was a bit disappointed not to see any UN troops in and around the buffer zone. Although it was a unique experience to walk in an area that is not occupied by any country. It felt like walking into a warzone, and being in the Greek side up until then I did feel like I was walking straight into the heart of the enemy. I could feel the presence of something. I am not sure if it was all the Turkish flags flying or the occasional Turkish troops walking around or the UN car parked on the side of the street.


what more can a wardude ask for?

It was all a warzone until we went shopping. And yes I do mean ‘we’. I didn’t intend to buy anything there, but Tita Eva and Socs were a bad influence on me and the fact that the clothes where very nice and very cheap made buying stuff a real pleasure. If I didn’t exercise self-control during that time, I would’ve bought a whole lot of stuff from that one store. I was starting to enjoy shopping a little bit too much. That was on side of me I dread, I tend to splurge on stuff sometimes… scary stuff.

Anyway, we roamed around a bit on the other side… visiting a church/mosque, street shops and going to one of the Turkish markets while I kept taking as much pictures as I could of the place. I would’ve wanted to explore a bit more but we were getting hungry so headed back to the Greek side to call it a day. Perhaps I can go back to the other side… the Turkish side and the shopaholic side.

Some pics.

for one night only

Socs and the Diego live in Nicosia

Bohol Vacation: Part VI

To answer Au’s question, the entire Bohol/Cebu vacation lasted for 9 days so bear with me as this could very well be the last entry.

Our last day in Bohol consisted of having breakfast at the old ancestral home of Novis’ family, a trip to the Peanut Kisses factory (which is distinctly Bohol) and some souvenir shopping. Then off we went… but not back to Manila but to Cebu!


yummey!

We were to meet and stay with a couple of friends who are currently residing in Cebu for the rest of our vacation. Bodie picked us up from the pier and we went to meet up with Bikka for dinner and some coffee. The group split up with me, Nobs and Bodie staying at his place while Ven, Abby and Roy went to stay over at Bikka’s.

Being a group of guys, our group stayed in bed for most of the morning while the girls went around sightseeing after dropping off Roy and Abby at the airport (that was the end of their vacation).

That pretty much sums up our two days in Cebu I think… a trip to the beach, lounge around, eat and enjoy each other’s company. Unfortunately we had to leave all that behind come Sunday morning for our flight back to Manila and the daily routine we are all used to.

We definitely had fun. Bohol was great, the company was wonderful... it's nice to have a little break once in a while.

heading back home

opposing sides

young...

... and old.

the cat's out of the bag...

warmth

I initially wanted to write this entry in prose, or some style other than the narrative. But alas, the creative part of my brain does not work...

Another weekend, another road trip... but this time the road went up and up. Socs and I headed right smack to the middle of Cyprus, the Troodos Mountains. We were actually targeting the village (or town or whatever) of Pano Platres to experience the traditional Cypriot way of life. But in order to get there, we had to go up one of the mountains before going back down to Platres. It wouldn't have been a big thing... if only the car rental company didn't give us a piece of shit car.

We were expecting another Renault Clio, which have been good to us in our last 2 trips, but instead we got a lousy Daihatsu something. We were trudging along the mountain road for most of the trip, but she held up and we finally got to the peak.


On the way there, I just had to stop at one of the picnic areas to get my first encounter with snow. I was so excited, I must have looked like a pathetic little kid with the wide grin on my face. I created my first snowball, throw it at something (I couldn't hit Socs with it otherwise I wouldn't have nice pictures hehehe) and actually hit it hehehe


Upon reaching Platres, we did some exploring and found a nature trail to some waterfall. It kind of reminded me of the jungle environment survival training (JEST) some friends and officemates did last year, who incidentally are back in the jungles of Subic. We on the other hand are up in the mountains on MEST (mountain environment survival training) hehehe.


We never got to the falls though, despite it being just around a kilometer away. The sun was going down soon and it started getting colder, plus I was getting hungry hehehe. Dinner was ok, traditional Cypriot meal (pic here) but I was freezing! Good thing I bought a leather jacket the previous week (hehehe, I just had to put that in) to keep me warm otherwise I would've been part of the landscape of Troodos.


We stopped by Kakopetria on the way back where we had lunch and to experience more of the traditional way of life. All we saw though, was a big-ass rock and small-ass streets.

yeahhhh!!!!

my first encounter with snow

150lbs by April?

no problem!

un-Smart

Goddamn Smart car still isn't available...

Bohol Vacation: Part V

The next on our very busy agenda was to go scuba diving. Our previous search of decent dive rates was a failure, but the powers that be just so happened to be in our favor and we landed ourselves a 50% discount on the dive rates at the Bohol Beach Club (Private).

Bohol is renowned for its dive spots, especially the wall of corals that extended to 100 or so feet down a must see for divers. I was still not feeling 100% during that day and after the first dive, I decided not to go down with the others since my head was hurting quite a bit. If I had gone down with them I ran the risk of getting the bends, in my opinion. I rested as much as I could on the boat after watching them head to the wall from the surface. From my vantage point below the boat I got a glimpse of what I was missing… but I wouldn’t risk my life for it, and there is always the next time.

divers down


They had a ball though, they told me they saw a turtle just as they where about to descend along the wall. They where all smiles when they surfaced, and I was dying of envy. The shitty thing about it was that one of the guys who had an intro dive (no more than 45ft down) saw the turtle as well!

I managed to salvage the day by spending the rest of the afternoon on the lounging at beach, a wonderful sunset and a feast of a dinner.

living the life


ready to set

wrath of Aphrodite

Last weekend, Socs and I decided to head back to Paphos and the Baths of Aphrodite. We were a bit late leaving Nicosia, good thing was that I was getting used to driving on the motorway so we gained a bit of a time. Our first stop was supposedly the Sanctuary of Aphrodite, but we passed by Aphrodite’s Rock on the way there and saw a few people over at the beach. We decided to stop by the tourist center to get some maps (we still had no idea where to go in Paphos) and try to get to the beach and take some pictures.

From the limited knowledge I have of Greek mythology (I haven’t Googled it yet), Aphrodite was supposedly born from the foam of the ocean so naturally I wanted to take a picture of it. My mind raced on how to get that perfect picture in my mind as I went up and down the beach looking for a good spot. I saw a huge rock, which gave me a good vantage point of the forming foam and somewhat protected me from the surge of the ocean. Socs got a great picture of a wave crashing on my spot which almost took my camera out, luckily I only got a few sprinkles of water. I did manage to get a shot of the foam, but I wasn’t completely satisfied.

whoa!


Aphrodite's birth


Then at Aphrodite’s rock itself, I saw more waves crashing through and making lots of sea foam… I couldn’t resist. I went closer, and got close to the ground. This time I wasn’t so lucky. I didn’t think the wave would reach me but it did, and it actually went further than I imagined. I couldn’t do anything, jumping up and down didn’t help… I was ankle deep in sea water… cold sea water.

guess what happens next


Leaving the beach, I took off my socks and shoes to dry them. Fortunately the car came equipped with a heater so I directed the heat towards where my socks where. We arrived at the sanctuary minutes later (with my feet still wet), again taking pictures of the place and visiting the museum showing stuff they dug up during the excavation. It wasn’t as grand as the Temple of Apollo or the Ruins of Kurion, but it wasn’t too bad at all. I was just freezing my toes off that’s all.

as per Socs' request


So off we went again towards Paphos (after taking my shoes and socks off again to dry), to the Tombs of the Kings. This place rivals the Ruins of Kurion in size, with a whole lot of tombs and niches and what have yous. Again, we spent a whole lot of time exploring the place and had no time left to explore the rest of the town.

tombs




life in the midst of death


the only pic in Paphos


We decided to stay over at one of the hotels in Paphos so that we can explore the Baths of Aphrodite the next day. A sumptuous dinner (baked lamb… yummy) and a couple of beers later we threw in the towel and got some sleep.

But again, we woke up later than we initially planned so we rushed towards Polis and the baths. We had brunch near the baths, and we were pretty much satisfied to stay at the restaurant for the rest of the day. Good food and a great view of the crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean… what more can you ask for?

the view


Reluctantly we headed off to see Aphrodite’s bath, which was just a few seconds walk away hehehe. Once we got there, I wanted to take a picture of the water that would make it look like flowing silk. After much playing around with the settings of my camera, I got nothing… except for a scratch on my finger from the rocks by the pool. That’s the second time in that trip I got a “gift” from Aphrodite…

the bath