Laragway in Hiligaynon (a dialect in our province, the Negros Island) means an image or a figure. These random images of the human faces were photographed by my husband over the course of a few years using a well-loved hand-me-down Canon EOS 1000D.
“When you photograph a face, you photograph the soul behind it.” – Jean Luc-Godard.
This year’s homecoming was all about spending time with our son whom we have witnessed crawl, sit, stand, babble and grow some teeth from afar. LDP, Long Distance Parents, that’s us and it sucks. But this is how our set-up is for now and as adults, we deal with it.
Since this was my husband’s first trip back home, this was also the very first time that he has personally set eyes on and held our son. It was a special and heartwarming moment; I couldn’t explain the overwhelming joy I felt seeing them both in each others arms.
With all that being said, we had no concrete itineraries prepared for our whole stay in our hometown. Only an excited and grateful heart that we’ll be able to bond with our son and somehow make up for all the lost time. So when impromptu trips pop up, they are always pleasantly welcome!
One fine Thursday morning, after giving Joaquin a bath, we headed out for a mini road trip to the mountains.
Our destination was Duyan Cafe located in Sitio Lantawan, Barangay Guimbalaon, Silay City. The coffee shop is a few minutes drive from the New Bacolod-Silay International Airport.
We came from Talisay, a neighboring city, so our drive was a bit longer but only by a few kilometers since we passed by the access road. If you will come from Bacolod, it’ll be a 30 to 40-minute travel.
I was sold on the view and the ambiance. The food will just be a bonus but the native snacks they served did not disappoint either, so it was a perfect combo.
We arrived just before 10 in the morning and we were lucky there was no crowd yet. We got to fully enjoy the view from the balcony, savor the fresh air and inhale the calmness that the mountains bring. Nature truly is the best escape.
We made a few stops along the road to appreciate the lush green scenery Lantawan has to offer and took photos as remembrance of our mini road trip.
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One week prior to this trip, we visited Rooster Cafe & Resto which is also located in Sitio Lantawan.
The place was as refreshing and the food was good but we found the short hike to the cafe quite steep except for Mat. 😅 Gone were the days when heights did not worry me a bit. I used to climb trees for a hobby, a lot, and of any kind but my favorite was the arateris or sarisa (in crisp Hiligaynon accent). This is already off topic so I’ll save this story for another time. Hehe! Nevertheless, we still enjoyed our time at Rooster Cafe.
We had breakfast then looked around and lounged on the hanging chairs while listening to the occasional crowing of the roosters. Yes, there’s a rooster farm just right behind the restaurant, and yes, that’s most likely where it got its name. 🙂
About an hour later, we decided it was time to go home, but Tatay was quite in the mood to drive. Instead of going back the way we came from, we continued driving from Lantawan to Patag then to Silay proper and finally, Talisay.
It was a memorable drive albeit long; Tatay reminisced his growing up years traversing the same path on foot while carrying the Santo Niño going house to house for the Pasticum.
The spontaneous and simplest things are oftentimes the best memories we hold dear.
I love the waters (the pool specifically) and swimming. It always excites me to be able to take a dip and swim a few laps.
Though I’m not a professional swimmer, I did compete in several local meets and age group competitions when I was younger and in the annual sportsfests while in college. Then after that, I took an 8-year hiatus because life happened.
Coming back from a vacation in our hometown, where my love for the sport started, I decided to join in an open water swim race for two reasons; 1) to conquer my fear of swimming in the open sea therefore confronting the scary sea monsters in my head, and 2) to take the first step to getting fit and healthy in my 30s.
I remembered what my father (who also happened to be my coach and trainer back then) used to say, “The depth of the water is immaterial when you know how to swim.”
This stuck with me but somehow couldn’t wrap my mind around it because every time I dip my head in the ocean and swim a few strokes, I freeze and forget that I know how to swim. Also, I am pretty damned scared of the waves and not being able to see a black line leading you to the other end and the many unknown creatures I have formed in my head.
If you have seen me splashing and waddling in the sea seemingly delighted, please know that I really am but a part of me is scared stiff especially when my head is already underwater.
But turning 30 last month gave me the extra courage to be dauntless. Heck, it’s now or never. Forget the fact that I haven’t had training for the last 8 years and had zero exercise —um well, if the squats and walking I did towards the end of my pregnancy last year would count, that’s about it.
Mat and I were going to be in Singapore for only 18 hours, half of which will be spent on sleeping, so we thought the most practical option was to spend the night in a hostel.
I found Campbell Inn Hostel in Little India with a fair review and an affordable price so I did not hesitate to click book right away. Thanks to the ease of using booking.com, you can book without a credit card and pay later when you arrive at the property.
Campbell Inn is conveniently located in Little India, close to the Rochor and Little India MRT Stations and surrounded by several restaurants, hawker stalls, and mini groceries.
Little India was decorated with different lanterns, flowers and lighting ornaments in celebration of the Deepavali Festival or the Festival of Lights which usually runs from mid-October to November.
We arrived around 10:30 in the evening at the hostel; the front desk was already closed but we have already been checked-in, our key card was left at the entrance with the wifi password on it. Neat.
We intentionally chose to have a longer layover on our journey back to Dubai so we could explore the Lion City a bit more. Yes to maximizing vacation leave credits and value for money!
A glimpse of Singapore’s coastline.
21:30 – 01:00
Our flight from Manila was delayed due to some technical difficulties so instead of arriving at 8:20 in the evening in Singapore, we arrived an hour later.
Mathew’s high school classmate and friend fetched us at the airport and accompanied us to our hostel in Little India.
Lanterns and other lighting ornaments decorated Little India in celebration of the Deepavali Festival (Festival of Lights) which usually starts mid-October.
We had a 6-hour layover in Singapore on our flight from Dubai to Manila and we decided to spend it inside Changi Airport. Six hours might seem a long stretch for some but when you are in one of the world’s best airports, time flies.
I prepared an itinerary for the things to see and do in all the terminals but factoring in all our stops and sleep-deprived selves, we only managed to check out some spots in terminals 1, 2 and 3.
Here’s a rundown of our Changi experience.
Terminal 3
Our flight landed at Terminal 3 where the Butterfly Garden is located.
The area has two levels but it isn’t that huge and a good 15-30 minutes would be enough to explore and observe the different species of butterflies. We had to cut short our visit though because someone was already hangry.
When you’re given an opportunity to witness an important and culturally entertaining event at THE Dubai Opera, you do not hesitate. You say yes, and take it with gratitude.
Last Sunday, my husband, I and some friends were at the launch of Hala China, a government initiative led by Meraas and Dubai Holding that aims to boost the number of Chinese tourists in the emirate and improve trade relations between Dubai and China.
Dubai has a flourishing art scene and Dubai Design District (D3) is one perfect venue showcasing how rich the arts and culture is in this part of the world. It’s a melting pot of everything visually appealing.
If you have been to the Sikka Art Fair – where they pay tribute to UAE and GCC-based talents in an Old Dubai setting, D3 is kind of the modern version.
Mundanely Yours 