Presidential Coins

I'm not a hardcore numismatist but I have some that I inherited from my mom and grandfather, plus our state quarters collection. Then I found this special offer in Newsweek magazine (Aug. 13 issue) about the Presidential dollar coins that they're giving away for FREE! Well, you get the first year (4 coins) free if you get the Presidential Money Gallery - the album - which is $8 plus shipping so a total of less than $13.
The coins are special because they are carved with edge lettering and since they are uncirculated, they come in crystal clear display capsules. The album itself is hand made with the great seal in the center.
The other 36 uncirculated coins is worth $162 (-,-) I wonder if Jojo is willing to buy it for me? Hmmm ...

UPDATE: I got my answer ..... sigh (-_-) Oh well.

Restoration

Jojo has some old photos that he wanted scanned and restored so that's what I did today. I'm a virgin at this so please don't compare me to pros but I'm quite pleased with what I've accomplished. There's a few of them but I'm only going to show you these two ... although the other one didn't really need that much work.

Reactrix

We were in Princeton last week and Finn and I went to a mall there. It wasn't a big mall, there wasn't even a play area for kids so we were kinda bored. Good thing there was a Reactrix there so Finn got to, somehow, play. I've seen this in other malls and it's pretty amusing. The projector is on the ceiling and the screen is on the floor. Naturally, you'll cast a shadow on the screen when you step on it and that's what reacts to the display, as opposed to pressure. The display runs through a series of ads and just loops it. Here's two clips of Finn enjoying it very much (^_^)

Protecting Mosquitos?

We were in Tiendesitas one time and we found this in one of the stalls. In the Philippines, we call this katol, an insect repelling incense. I guess most people use citronella candles now but if you still buy katol, I think you should stay away from this brand from Thailand coz instead of driving mosquitos away, it protects them ... bwahahahaha!!!

Sights

Finally, here are photos of the sights we saw while on vacation. Enjoy!

Friends

We met up with various groups of friends also during our vacation. Most of these gatherings were held in Serendra Piazza and fortunately, at different restaurants. We went to Conti's and Xocolate with Rona and Menands, Thai at Silk and Figaro for Jojo's High School classmates, then at Abe's and Larry's for our UP Green League friends Cienna, Kara, Rona and Menands. Jojo also went to see his Headstrong friends and I met up with Karen and Lorie, 2 of my good friends in high school, separately from our Grade School and High School Reunion. Here are some photos of our gatherings.

Tarlac

The 3 of us along with my mom went to Tarlac to visit my dad. We left before 9am of Sunday, July 22 and were in Luisita for lunch. Dad met us there at Max's, then went with us to the hotel. We checked-in and Finn went swimming in the pool. For dinner we bought a bilao (traditionally a rice-winnowing tray - flat basket of woven bamboo) of pancit palabok to share with the family dad's living with.

The next day we went to Gerona, Tarlac to have lunch in Isdaan. Very nice place with good food, unfortunately, they don't accept plastic so you need to have cash. Kids 12 (I think) and below are required to wear life vests because the whole place is surrounded by water with most dining areas floating on rafts. There are also different kinds of bikes in certain stations where the kids can ride them for free. You can also feed the fish there. Plus other activities like the Tacsiyapo wall where you get to throw, for a fee, dishes and other household items - even a tv, at a wall. There's also the Sankilo bridge where you try to walk on a narrow bridge with obstacles while carrying a pail of water. You win a kilo of fish cooked however you like if you're successful. The other one is the spitting and peeing monkeys. Not sure how this works but I think you have to stand on a spot in front of a monkey (they're huge statues of monkeys and there are several of them) and I guess the goal is not to get hit by the water. If you survive them all, you get a kilo of fish as well. You can also make a wish at the Wishing Buddha. A cool place to visit and it's not that far from Manila. For dinner that night, we grilled stuffed squid which I prepared, and dad's liempo (pork belly with a bit of the ribs).

The next day was our last in Tarlac. Finn enjoyed very much dad's videogame, arcade style. He charges P1.00 for 3 mins of play so we had to keep exchanging for coins (^_^) He loved playing the Super Mario game and Pacman. We just stayed at dad's place and had lunch there before we left. The one thing that was really annoying in Tarlac .... was the heat! It was soooo much hotter than Manila. The kind that feels like it's burning you. I wonder why ...

Tagaytay

Tagaytay was our destination for the Bernales family outing. It's my first time to go down 20 km to the base and the road wasn't all paved so that was a little slow going. We took a boat to Volcano Island and rode tiny horses (tiny coz the ponies here are so much bigger than they are) to the top of the crater. Finn rode with me so he was on the sadle and I wasn't ... just blankets on the horse. There was also a guide with us on foot. It got sooo hot in some parts when we were going up, partly I guess because of the sun and the heat from the volcano. So we get up there, bought drinks and just stared out into the view. I was surprised to find out that the famous "Taal Volcano" that we all see in text books and postcards is just one of 3 craters and is not THE Taal Volcano, and it's not the one you go up to. What you will see when you get to the top is, I believe, the largest of the 3. And up there you can see why the line - An island within a lake within an island within a lake - was coined.

The descent was easier but it got so dusty in some parts I wish I bought a mask. We rested a bit at the base, then took the boat back. This was around noon already and we were getting hungry. Jojo's sister made reservations at Sonya's Garden for 12nn but we got there an hour after. So by then we were famished. The bread was delish, the juice (was it dalandan?) was good, pasta was ok. To me it was a bit pricey but I guess since all organic food is much more expensive, and since the food kept coming, maybe it's alright. After eating we just walked around the "garden". Oh I have to tell you this ... I went to the ladies room in the dining area and when I went in one of the stalls ... It was so "open"! One side was just screened in, no wall to speak of, just a screen and they expect me to sit in the toilet when you can see the garden outside and if someone was there, can see you with your pants down?! Uh-uh. Nevermind, I'll just hold my pee in. Another ladies room I went into was the same until I found one in a sort of function room that was private. That aside, the gardens are beautiful with lots of cozy sitting areas and even beds, some with curtains (~_^) I guess the beauty of the gardens makes up for the price of the food (can you tell I'm not really happy with the cost of our lunch?).

Bohol

Our first trip out of town during our vacation was to Bohol with our college friends Rona and Menands. Our flight was at 8am on July 4 but we had to be at the airport 2 hours before. Travel time was only an hour and when we landed, we were picked up by the hotel shuttle. We stayed in Flushing Meadows Family Resort and Playground in Panglao Island. After checking in, we hung out at the beach before having lunch. There was only one restaurant in the resort and there aren't any nearby restaurants in the area. If you wanted to go out of the resort and rent one of the shuttles, it will set you back P400 one way. So we just ate our meals in the restaurant. It wasn't bad but of course it costs a bit more.

The next day we went on a tour. The tour van picked us up at 8.45am. Luckily, it was only the 5 of us in the van plus of course Cathy the tour guide and Bob our driver from Baclayon Travel and Tours. Our first stop was to see the Tarsiers. They are sooooo cute!!!!! I want to squish them (^_^) But of course they rather not have you touching them. Finn had fun feeding them crickets. Also in that area are flying lemurs and fruit bats.

After that we went through the mahogany man-made forest. Surprisingly, this was protected first before the chocolate hills. The Chocolate Hills was next in our itinerary. You have to walk up 214 steps to get to the viewing deck but there's also a ramp that you can take. It was beautiful up there. Such wonders you just have to see for yourself.

Lunch was another treat since it was a buffet. We were on a floating restaurant that cruised the Loboc River. There was also entertainment on board and at the end of the river, there was another group that performed for us.

After lunch we went to the Blood Compact Commemorative Shrine. Mind you however that this is not the actual site where they made the pact. Next was the Baclayon Church and Museum (you have to say Baclayon fast, otherwise it will mean something else.. hehehe). This building was completed in 1727, imagine that. After going to the museum beside the church, we went to the shop next to the Governor's Mansion. With shopping done, we were back in the hotel before 4pm.

During dinner, something happened that made my blood boil. Before our food arrived, Finn was entertaining us with a name that tune game. He was "drumming" the tune using a spoon and fork. He always plays voltes v, with little variations like tapping the table or glass. The restaurant was an open place with lots of tables. It has 2 levels, the big area where we were and there was a lower level around it. After a while of the name that tune game, the lady sitting on a table on the lower level called to us and told us to make Finn stop. I just told Finn to not play so loud although it wasn't. So Finn continued. After a while a waiter approached us and told us that the other table is asking for Finn to stop. "Why?" I asked. So my nasty side thought it funny to be louder so everytime we laughed, we made sure we LAUGHED. After some time a "guy" approached our table. We call him "baclayon" (this time, say it slow coz that's what he is). He asked again to make Finn stop playing so I asked him "why? what's the matter?" at the same time crossing my arms. He said he's too loud and they want peace and quiet and so we argue a bit until he said to us "Please control your child" WHAT?!?!?! It would have been fine if Finn was running around the place and bothering their table but no, he was just sitting there, not even talking coz he was busy playing the voltes v tune. And it wasn't loud, and it was an open place, and we weren't sitting side by side and there was no sign saying to be quiet and this was a family resort and PLAYGROUND ... So I told him "if you want peace and quiet, go back to your room!" Then Jojo said that he must not have gone through childhood. Know what happened? He left. If he wanted peace and quiet, he and his bf should have gone to an adults only resort. After he left, one waiter told us that that guy is always complaining about something. I guess that's his pasttime then. After that, we never had the "pleasure" of eating with him in the restaurant again.

The following day was our last day. It was raining in the morning so we just stayed in the restaurant after breakfast, just talking. We finished packing then had lunch and left for the airport at 2pm. Flight was at 4.45 and we were in Manila an hour after.

Northwest - Never Again

We're back! And now I have some time to update this. I have to break down my postings so you won't get bored reading through everything at once.

I'll tell you first what happened with Northwest. On the way to the Philippines, everytime they would start boarding, they kept saying that this flight is overbooked and was asking if there were any volunteers in giving up their reservation. Ok, on the way back here (Sunday, July 29), it was the same story. Also, the leg from Japan to Minnesota, the attendants didn't really "attend" to the passengers. We were given the customs and declaration form to fill out but I needed another one so I pushed the call button for an attendant to come. No one came. I think it after about 10 mins, I turned off the call button and pushed it again, thinking maybe they didn't hear it. Nothing again. One attendant passed by and I told her I needed another form. She said that one of the interpreters had that, not her. Fine. I thought maybe she'd tell whoever was in charge of the forms that we needed one. No one came. So Jojo stood and looked for this person to get the form himself. Next incident, I needed ice for Finn's drink. I pushed the call button again. As before, no one came. I turned it off after maybe another 10 mins. This time, Finn said that his lips hurt. I couldn't see anything wrong, no cut or bruise. So I pushed the call button again to ask for some ice. Same thing. One attendant serving tea passed and I told her I needed ice. She said she didn't have ice with her. She didn't even bother asking another attendant to give me ice. I kept turning off and on the call button in hopes of someone coming to serve us. Finally, after like the 4th time, someone came and so I got my ice after maybe half an hour of waiting.

The story doesn't end there. When we get to Minnesota, we were looking for the gate to our connecting flight to Newark. *Gasp* It's cancelled?! We didn't know which gate it was supposed to be on so we went to the ticketing area instead to ask what happened. We get there and they tell us it's because of the weather. But there was a flight before and after ours that wasn't cancelled, how could that be? The ticketing agent said that she can book us on the next day's flight since everything for that day was fully booked. Jojo had to go to work on Monday so he said that we had to get on a flight that day. She said that the best she could do was put him on a later flight and then Finn and I were to go the next day. What?! Jojo was mad now. He asked if they were gonna put us in a hotel and she said she can give us a discount. He said he's not gonna leave a 5 year old to stay in the airport. So off we went to look for the supervisor.

We get there and she said that the flight was cancelled because of the lack of pilots, not the weather. And she said the we were booked on the next day's flight before noon. She gives us 3 discount vouchers and then goes inside to see what she can do about the flight. She comes out and says that she can book us to a flight to Memphis but she can't guarantee the seats. Then the flight from Memphis to Newark on Continental, she put us in First Class. She then retracts her statement and says that out flight was cancelled due to weather and not pilots, and says she can't give us the discount vouchers after all. Fine, so we run to the other side of the airport for the flight to Memphis. Our seats were on 20, 31, and 48. I went to 48 and asked the guy there if he was willing to swap seats coz of Finn. He agreed and then we waited for the other passenger on 48 to come. Good thing she was kind enough to swap with us as well so the 3 of us got to sit together.

So we get to Memphis and went to the gate for the flight to Newark. Lo and behold, it too was cancelled. Noooooo!!!!!!! We've been flying for 24 hours now and still can't get home! This time, they said it's because of the pilots. Seems that NW was being audited for their pilot's flight times and they've been overflying their pilots so they were grounded. Meaning, not enough pilots = cancelled flights. They gave us vouchers for the hotel plus dinner and breakfast. Plus their other coupon vouchers. This was around 6pm on Sunday. We decided to eat dinner first in the airport since we weren't able to eat lunch because we were arguing with the ticketing agent and supervisor in Minnesota. So we ate and were thinking if we should go to the hotel or not. Coz there was this lady who was so pissed at them, saying she got a hotel voucher from them before and it wasn't honored by the hotel. Anyway, we decided to just stay in the airport. Our flight the next day was after 11am. We went first to Gate C14 where our flight to Newark was gonna board. I was able to sleep a little. Then we went to B where the seats didn't have arms so that we can lie down. Jojo and Finn slept longer and a nice gentleman from NW gave us blankets (the first kind act from them) But we had to leave since they were gonna close off the gates at 11.30pm. We moved to the lobby and Finn was still sleeping. I slept a little again here. Then we bought food at Arby's which was open 24 hrs. The other stores are all closed. So it was like that the whole night, we took turns sleeping but I couldn't really sleep well. Good thing an airport staff gave us 2 pillows which made sleeping a little more bearable. At around 3am, we freshened up a little and changed clothes - this is the reason you have to have at least one set of clothes in your carry-on. By 5am, the booths were open so Jojo went to check-in and make sure we had seats on this flight. Then we went through security again and off to gate C14. Jojo bought breakfast and we ate there. The flights on that gate that morning were all going to Houston. Before 9am, they were boarding this flight and then I heard the lady say that it was going to Newark. I checked our boarding pass ... it's not the same flight but we asked anyway. "Sure you can board, this flight is empty." Good thing we asked right away coz she was closing the doors already. Yay!!! Finally, we were on our way home. It was the right decision not to go to the hotel (^_^) We were also lucky we were just sitting there waiting coz this wasn't a scheduled flight. So we landed in Newark before 12nn. Continental flights are in Terminal C so we had to go to Terminal B where Northwest is to get our bags. Luckily, our bags were already there. We were home before 1pm.

Whew! I got tired all over again just telling this story. Now you know why I won't fly Northwest ever again.