Blogalag

GOOD MORNING BANTAYAN!

Happy New Year everyone!

Can you believe it?  It's already 2009!

I am thanking God for letting me experience life's beauty last 2008.
I am thanking God for giving my family the gift of good health last 2008.
I am thanking God for bestowing me great friends last 2008.
I am thanking God for letting me form wonderful relationships with wonderful people last 2008.
I am thanking God for always guiding and protecting my family, relatives and friends last 2008.
I am thanking God for giving me a 2008 filled with blessings.

And I am thanking God because I believe that He will continue to give all of us another fantastic and blessed 2009!

Speaking of blessings, I felt His presence when the beautiful early morning of Bantayan Island greeted me.

KOTA BEACH ANYONE?

After...

...20 minutes of travel by airport taxi to North Bus Terminal for Php375.00
...3 hours of non-airconditioned bus ride to Hagnaya Port for Php80.00/each
...1 hour of ferry ride via Super Shuttle to the town of Sta. Fe for Php70.00/each
...another 20 minutes of travel by car for free...

I arrived at Kota Beach.

Let the relaxing holiday begin.

IT'S TIME EVERYONE FLY

Whew.  Thank heavens for WIFI!

Finally, I can tell you about my still on-going lagalags.

I can tell you about my very first time to step inside Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 while struggling to keep awake at 3:00am.

I can tell you about my very early breakfast in Delifrance and how I've enjoyed a cup of Hot Chocolate and Four Cheese Baguette.

MY CBTL CHRISTMAS

The Holidays caught up with me resulting in my inability to post right after Christmas.  Speaking of Christmas, I had a simple celebration of the mentioned day.

After playing Santa Claus to my relatives, I went to Greenbelt 3 to end my day with a nice and light dinner in one of my favorite places on the planet, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.

I had been consuming festive food for the past few days and I know that my body was yearning for some greens.  That's when I succumbed and ordered CBTL's version of Greek Salad.  My friend, who met up with me in GB3, got the Tomato and Basil Linguine.

Tomato and Basil Linguine- Php168.00

Greek Salad- Php168.00

NOCHE BUENA 2008

Happy Christmas friends!

I'd like to thank all of you who greeted me a Merry Christmas.  I know that everyone's having a lovely Christmas holiday.

Speaking of Christmas holiday, let me share with you our Noche Buena.

Noche Buena or "Good Night" is a Spanish word referring to the night of Christmas Eve.  It has been a tradition in every Filipino family to gather around on the evening of December 24 to share a feast, to welcome Christmas Day and to celebrate the birth of our Lord.

Since La Familia is in Canada this year, I decided to celebrate my Christmas Eve with Jeddokun's family.

For the Noche Buena, we planned what we're going to have weeks before and we were both excited to cook for his family.  For this 2008, we served Slow-roasted Pork Ribs in Red Wine and Greek Salad.

For the ribs, we bought 2 slabs and marinated it overnight in red wine, rosemary, thyme, garlic, paprika, tomato ketchup, salt and pepper.  By 7 o' clock last night, we got the marinated pork and threw them in the turbo broiler to slowly cook.  We flavored the broiler with more red wine, red onions, garlic and rosemary to incorporate more of the flavors into the ribs.