I was walking along Guangzhou streets with my friend when we came across this amazing man. He had no hands and yet he can easily create such beautiful images. It was admirable. It was also a humbling experience. I was watching him work and I felt shame washing over me. Here’s a person with missing limbs but this didn’t stop him from a life with great purpose. Despite his handicap, he manages to share beauty and spread wonder to the world. I realized that sometimes, it’s so easy to get bogged down with some petty personal issues but in reality, others have it worse. And yet they live a great life. A wonderful, inspiring life.
More than a street artist, I saw a miracle. And for a moment there, I felt truly enlightened. #truestory
“20 years from now you will be disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
~Mark Twain
Last Saturday, my friends and I planned to go to Binondo, changed our minds and headed to Bulacan but ended up in Tarlac, where Isdaan is located. Talk about a spontaneous joy ride. I had no idea what the place was about but apparently, it has already been featured a lot in both print and TV. It’s a seemingly Bali-inspired theme park/restaurant with floating bamboo cottages surrounded by man-made ponds and various statues. One of its attractions is the Tacsyapo wall, where one can pay for and smash dishes and other objects to vent or release anger, frustrations, annoyance or what-have you. There’s even a television worth Php 2,500 ready to be hurled. I wonder if anyone would be mad enough to spend that much and smash it to the wall. Tacsyapo, is supposedly a local expression equivalent to a curse. A writing on the wall cautions smashers to refrain from other vulgar words though.
Pick your target.
Another attraction is San Kilo Bridge challenge, where one can win a kilo of free fish if one can successfully cross a narrow bridge back and forth while carrying a pail of water and overcoming obstacles along the way. Although it’s a shallow pond, there are life vests available for challengers.
A Very Slender Bridge
There’s also a Buddha statue 2 flight of stairs worth of climb, where one can make a wish and ring the bell joyously – as instructed. My friend’s birthday was coming up so she gladly obliged and solemnly made her wish.
There’s also this perennial fiesta ambiance to the place. A drum and bugle team donned in Igorot costumes will keep parading/performing for visitors and patrons. An in-house band will even serenade you while having a meal. But the best attraction of course, is the different kind of dining experience one can get from Isdaan. The gimmicks add to the appeal but having the illusion of floating in a beach and surrounded by nature while enjoying a meal with friends or loved ones is simply one-of-a-kind.
It wasn’t too long ago when I attended my friend’s firstborn’s Christening and then just last Saturday, February 4, that kid has already turned a year old. Jeez, I wish they stop growing up too fast. Makes me feel old. Haha!
I was honestly surprised when my friend requested my amateur photographic skills for her son’s birthday party. I warned her but she still insisted. Unfortunately, the camera that I bought didn’t cooperate that day. I was supposed to bring a different one but my brother didn’t feel well enough to lend me his so I struggled with my sister’s (who’s the real photographer) Canon DSLR. The event was only 2-hour long and the cramped space posed a challenge but I still managed a few good shots. I know they could have been better though.
I’ve left too many people behind. I tend to come and go as I please. Perhaps this is because I’m inclined to embrace change and believe that it’s essential for growth. Or maybe I just have major commitment issues. Haha. Either way, Jose Mari Chan sang it so eloquently:
“We’re on the road We move from place to place And oftentimes when I’m about to call it home We’d have to move along Life is a constant change…”
Life is indeed a constant change. It’s inevitable. Nothing is permanent. Everything always changes. It’s just how it is. That’s simply how the way life rolls.
I remember leaving my first job. Or at least the first group of colleagues I had the pleasure of officially working with (“officially” because we got paid for actual work). It was an emotional parting. I remembered hugging each one on our last day and crying so much. I can still vividly recall the pain. My throat hurt and my chest felt like it was going to explode. I guess, it’s a testament to the quality of friendship or that kind of relationship we developed along the way. Or maybe I was just too naive and soft back then. Fast forward to present, there are only about two or three people from that group that I have contact with. And we haven’t even spoken for ages now. Life moves on.
Since then, I’ve met and made new friends from other jobs I had. Sometimes, I’m the one left behind. Other times, I get to leave them. And it’s not always easy. When you spend day in and day out with people that you work with, you tend to get attached somehow – even with those you don’t even like that much in the beginning. They start off as mere strangers and then they become a part of your daily routine. They become a comfort zone, a familiar turf that gives every day a sense of normalcy and regularity. However, this regular routine eventually pushes you to go on autopilot. Things become so predictable that you almost want to do them with your eyes closed. And then you find yourself actually sleeping most of the time. You’ve been sleepwalking for quite sometime you don’t know what’s a dreamland and what’s not anymore. It’s scary. You badly want to wake up to reality. And then you do.
Enough is enough. When you can’t take it anymore. When you start and keep thinking, “There must be more to this than this.” When you can no longer drag yourself and force yourself to believe that it’s where you belong or that you’re so lucky to even have something productive to do, get paid for it and have some other perks on the side. When you can no longer fool yourself over and over again. When the lies get old and just make things worse then it’s time to stop and really wake up. Denial can only do so much. You have to finally pull yourself, get it together and come to grips with reality – no matter how harsh it may seem. You can only deny yourself the truth and fool yourself up to a certain point. And then before it’s too late, you have to quit. It’s not because you’re a loser. You do this because it’s for all the right reasons. And they have to be true.
Anyway, it’s not really the end. It’s just another new beginning. A chapter has ended, that’s all. It’s not as if you’ll start all over again. I’m sure the past chapters of your story will come in handy. Just believe and have faith. A friend said it right. How can you truly grow and be happy when you don’t take those leaps of faith?
Embrace the unknown. It will lead us to more beautiful things we never imagined could be possible. Sure, it’s also scary. But then there’s no shame in fear. What matters is how we face it. Courage, after all, isn’t the absence of fear. It’s simply doing what we have to do.
There are things I have to do. But saying goodbye isn’t one of them. I prefer to say, “See you later” or “See you around.” Because I know I will. Someday, somehow, we’ll meet again. It’s a small world and it’s supposedly, round. Our paths are bound to cross again. So, I’ll see you all again. Until then.
I just love watching these videos from Vimeo over and over again – especially the “Eat” part. I wish I could also try all those food from their respective countries. It’s simply amazing how people get smaller in person than on TV but it’s the opposite with places. They get way bigger when seen up close and personal – larger than life, if you would. Traveling is indeed the best way to widen one’s horizon and to learn more than one could ever imagine.
It’s rare that my parents fly together so when they did, we decided to make the most of it and organized a family road trip. Tagaytay was a convenient destination and off we go on a Sunday morning.
First stop was T House. My sister’s colleague recommended this place so we decided to check it out. I called the day before to check their hours of operations and to make a reservation for brunch as well. If you want an outdoorsy ambiance to go with your meals, this is a place you might want to visit. Their 2-storey restaurant is very airy and their kitchen is encased in glass where you can see through chefs busy at work with your orders. Aside from a restaurant, function halls and a nice garden, T House also offers a spa along with bed and breakfast accommodations.
Next, we proceeded to Sonya’s Garden. Since I’ve heard of it, I’ve always wanted to visit this place. I’ve had numerous visits to Tagaytay but for some reason, I couldn’t end up there until last weekend when I vowed never to leave Tagaytay until I see it (that’s just putting it too dramatically, of course. haha). It turns out, it’s no longer part of Tagaytay, just a little farther away from the vicinity though. But it was worth the trip. We’ve just eaten so we decided to explore the place, which was sorrounded by nature. The place wa bursting with color from various plants and flowers, bustling with people and picturesque scenes. We had so much fun going around taking pictures. They also have a bakery famous for its freshly-baked goodies.
Last stop was at Leslie’s and Rowena’s. Leslie’s is famous for its special bulalo but the place was so crowded that we just decided to stop by and take a glimpse of the Taal Lake View instead. Rowena’s, on the other hand, is a must-go for pasalubong. Their buko tart is a bestseller but I decided to try their blueberry cheese tart for a change, which I highly recommend. Definitely yummy pastry.
This is a photo-heavy post so I’ve come up with a slideshow. Enjoy!
I’ve been following Daphne Oseña Paez through her blog and Twitter account lately. I’ve been a big fan since her F! Lifestyle show with Angel Aquino and Cher Calvin back in the days. I really admire her classy style and the fact that she’s not just a pretty face but a brainy beauty as well. And I’ve always considered her to be one of those people who’s way out of my league and totally unreachable. So imagine my amused surprise when she went giddy over Sharon Cuneta recently. A Twitter encounter with the megastar even merited a post from her blog. She’s just like a lot of us after all. Maybe just a tad bit classier.
