ON THE WAY TO CONCEPCION, ILOILO

Sixteen out of 7,107 islands are found in Concepcion, Iloilo.  The town of Concepcion is the capital of the sub-povince of Nothern Iloilo in the year 1872 to 1899, comprising the town of Banate, Barotac Viejo, Ajuy, Sara, San Dionisio, Estancia, Balasan and Carles.  Banate was the farthest town I've been in the Northen part of Panay for the past years.  I wanted to explore farther so the next destination I planned to explore is Concepcion after the ITR filing this year.  I marked it on my own imaginary calendar.  (wink)

I searched Concepcion online and I've read good and more reviews about the Sandbar Resort in Bolobadiangan Island.  Reviews online or blog posts about the place is the number one and best way to trust with.  It gives confidence and would convince people to go to that particular place too.  Iba kasi ang experience kesa sabi-sabi lang. 

I shared the idea to my office mates and they liked to join.  It gave me the feeling of excitement...much!  The more the merrier and the expense-sharing is mas mababa.  I had the initial plan but it was Ng Carmen who initiated the one night-two day vacation.  I texted the mobile number of Sandbar resort that I found online pero walang reply.  Kaya pinasya ni Ng Carmen na tawagan.  Unfortunately, fully booked yung resort on the specific dates na gusto namin  (May 14-15).  They only have three cottages.  May iba pa naman sigurong resort di ba?  With the help of the phone directly, Ern contacted the office of the municipal mayor.  Ayun, the secretary gave the numbers of the newly opened resort in Concepcion, Iloilo- the ECO-PARK and the BAT-OS island-camping resort.  Actually ang Bat-os ay re-open at re-develop.  Kinontak ni Ng Carmen and the first who responded ang yung sa BAT-OS.  To make it short, we finally decided na sa BAT-OS mag-stay. BAT-OS, BAT-OS!  We availed the 9 to 12 pax without meals of 6,500 php.  We were 9 plus the D John who made us secured and our trip safe.  D is for the driver.

Everything was prepared (not for the Judgment day) and everyone is excited.  Lahat ready na, todo na 'to.

Food-checked  etc.-checked

Ng Carmen:  Ako madala pospro, asin, kamatis etc.
Rod:  Kaldero pa.  Roce may emergency light ka?
Roce:  Ano pa?  Ako maluto (pasensiya ka na mga upod mo di kabalo gid ah. lol.)

Morning of May 14

May nag-text....
Micai:  Gurl, diin na kamu?
Ng Carmen:  Sa Gen. Luna.  Ari lapit na kami sa St paul's hospital
Harry:  Ari nako Atrium sulod Mc Do kay may AC.  Alas-siete man bala.
Ern:  Wala man kamu di gurl sa Atrium.
John:  Ari lang ko di ma-wait sa BIR Zarraga.
Rod:  Roce, dira lng madiretso sa inyo si Laila?

Here we are!

 Si Roce ho...gapiyong pero gayuhum.  Excited ka ne?  On the right:  The Mother and Daughter (Ng Carmen & Chen-Chen

Check attendance:
First row:  D John and Erns
Second row:  Rocelyn, Ng Carmen, Chen-Chen
Third row:  Laila and Micai
Last row:  John, Moi, Harry

Excited?

Nice view on the way.  Green na green.  It's Imee's favorite color.  She missed to join :-( 

 It was raining when we reached Ajuy.  (Me:  Sa diin na ang map?)

Harry:  Chaka, gaulan!

Ms. Roxanne, the proprietress kept on texting us, asking kung saan na kami.  Indi na kami dapat magpa-Sara.  May short-cut na daan pa-Concepcion.

Maganda ang weather sa Concepcion pagdating namin.  

At gaya sa mga awards' night, pictorial muna.  Go, Chen Go :-)

 Welcome to Concepcion

Next:  Joyce errr Harry

 the last three Marias

 the Concepcion port

Nag-text si Ms Roxanne na may susundo sa amin.  Rodel ang pangalan with his team.

Ayan si Mr.  Rodel, todo alalay kay John

 Hindi lang isa, dalawa ang nag-alalay sa kanya.  Jabongga!

 All set, all were sitting....ready to go...  start!

Todo ang service hanggang pictorial.

 boat racing?

That's Mt. Pan de Azucar.  The second highest peak in Panay and the landmark of the municipality of Concepcion.  It can be found in Brgy. Tambaliza.

After 30 minutes, here we come.   Welcome BAT-OS.  Todo alalay pa rin sila.  (Micai:  hinay-hinay.  sa next nga pagdungka ka pa madagdag di ba?  Peace!)

Ayan na naman si John.  We love you Iloy!

 WELCOME TO BAT-OS!

Up next:  THE BAT-OS ISLAND-CAMPING RESORT.  The newly best place to stay in CONCEPCION, ILOILO.  

P.S.  I grabbed some photos from Chen-Chen.  Thanks Chen for allowing me to.

I ENJOYED THE BECKINESS

My best of everything friend and I scheduled to watch this year's Mr. Guimaras.  I watched last year for the first time and I liked the show that's why.  So in a hot Saturday afternoon I packed my bag and I was ready to go to Guimaras.  Harry aka Joyce (kung gab-i) was already there rehearsing for he is one of the committee of the Mr. Guimaras Charity, Inc. and the makeup artist at the same time.  Jabongga!

I arrived in the hotel passed 5 pm.

I always travel with two separate bags:  the sling bag for important things like wallet, charger, camera whatever and the big one for my clothes, grooming kit and medicine kit.  I just traveled away from home for only one night kaya tama lang ang kini-keri kong gamit. 

I welcomed myself again in Shirven hotel.

That's RJ, one of the contestants in this year's Mr Guimaras.  He was actually the bet of the staff and the committee but the result was surprisingly turned upside down.  He wasn't even included in the top 5.  Well, thre is a so called panel of judges.  Despite of all negative comments, the show was a success again.  Congratulations to Dr. Tomas Saiton Jr. and the people behind this search for a cause.  I was in the backstage and witnessed again how the show runs.  Being the founder and the organizer at the same time, he shoulder the big responsibility and pressured much on him. Yet, he don't forget to smile.  And I admired him for that.  BTW, KC kakainggit ang full bangs mo.

There was an ongoing FOOD Festival that night so we decided to roam around the plaza. We went back to the hotel to take a rest.  After we washed up, we went to the municipality plaza to eat dinner and joined the jamming session.

Meet Wilma :-)  Na-shocked ako paglabas niya ng cr sa ganyang ayos.  Kinabog si Tessa Prieto sa headdress!  I requested him to pose for a picture before we went to the plaza.

Patalbugan ng outfit.  Kabog!

the paspas Guimaras jeepney for tourists.  Libre, sakay na!

Oh well, we went to the hotel to take a rest @ 3am.  My friends had fun dancing and  I enjoyed watching them :-)

I set my alarm clock @ 5:30 am.  I always love to watch the sunrise or sunset wherever I go.  Ayan na siya!  I love the feeling it gives na rin while I am watching it.  Nakaka-fresh sa mind. 

Lumabas na si Haring araw.

I roamed around the hotel to discover what's new.  Ganun pa rin.  Andiyan pa rin yung mga bulaklak na gaya ng pagsikat ng araw, sila nag-umpisa ring bumuka.  Tama.  Parang kanta ng hot babes dati. 

Parang kaming dalawa ni Harry ang dalawang bulaklak na 'to.

Galing bud yung friendship namin

It grew like this

Mahaba ang samahan namin since high school hanggang ngayon

at nag-bloom

at naging ganito kagandang mga bulaklak :-P

We are meeting other flowers along the way

may white

may peach

meron lavender

parehong puti pero malaki

may maliit

magkaiba ang hugis

pero magkapuso at parang iisang pamilya kung magkasama, lalong masaya.  Happy together, ika nga.

(sa hiligayon:  ang mga agi mag-upod, tam an kasadya.)

We are sharing same interests and different views. In fact, we slept together, yung dalawang beds, ginawa naming isa. Ang mahalaga, nagkaintindihan. 

We are always enjoying talking everything:   insekto man o tao

Back to the present scenario:  

Nilibot ko na ang buong Shirven, I checked the room, tulog pa rin sila.

Nag-coffee na ako, tulog pa rin sila.

Nag-erña na ako, tulog pa rin sila

Nag-shower na ako, tulog pa rin sila.

So I decided to go to the plaza and took some photos

I bought fancy rice kakanin

matched it with ripe mangoes.  Basta mangga sa Guimaras, matam-is

and a mango shake

Then I went back to the hotel.  While I was walking on the way, I saw a long line of parade.  The province of Guimaras was celebrating its foundation day daw.  Hindi ko alam kung ilang years na.

Pagbalik ko gising na sila.  The real girl in the photo is Ms. Maricel.  The smiling girl on the front desk who is always ready to assist the guests' needs. 

Nan kamu kamu lng permi!  Ako lang permi ang photographer.  Pati ka na, di ko man na mahambal kay basi sabton ko ninyo:  Ngaa ginasugo ka namon picture-ran mo kami?  Well, I just love to take every happy moments with you gays.  Lmao.

Sidetrip to Ambakan Falls again.  Meet KC in sunny dress.  Kabog. 

Ryan aka Shine

and Harry aka Joyce sa gab-i.  lmao

Dali lang, si Ariel kag Wilma, diin na?   Basi labuon 'to sila. JK....Thanks gid sang pagbitibit plastic of foods Yeh!

Like the final question of Mr Guimaras 2011:  "What advice can you give to women of this generation?" And like the answer of Mr. Guimaras 2011 from Brgy Lawi.  I-translate ko ha (like what the host said).  "Indi magpili sang gwapo, may kaya o manggaranon. Dapat pilion ang palangga kag responsable pareho ko."  Ganyan rin sa friendship.  Kaya guys, I am so lucky to meet you. I enjoyed your company much!  Sadya-sadya gid kamu updon. I learned new word "tikla" kag kabalo nako magkutsara.  'Till next time again. 

Picnic na ta!

Ang kalamig sang tubig sa waterfalls pareho man kalamig sa fridge.

We enjoyed swimming and the view

Si Machete sa waterfalls. Dapat umakyat ka raw muna sa puno bago mo siya makilala.  Hindi effective yung line sa "In the name of love" na "Kung lumingon ka, akin ka."  Dapat may effort.

Kaya 'eto ako, trying my luck.  Weehhh!

Our Concepcion escapades next na!

FLOWERS FOR ALL THE MOTHERS OUT THERE

The headache is gone but leaving mouth sore!  I am feeling not so well but am getting feeling fine.  We were busy (yes WE with my co-employees) the whole month of April for the Income Tax deadline and other related taxes like the SEC submission of the FS.  Enough of that, I can feel my headache is coming back.  Kidding!

Somehow online activities like FB and blog make me sane and always make me SMILE.  Real things too.  Like the flowers I see every morning on my way to work  Those yellow flowers give me the feeling of being alive and have to appreciate beautiful things (big and small) around me.  They are still in my mind.  I can still imagine its yellow color and freshness.  I am inspired to draw those flowers. 

Tada!

Timing 'to sa Mother's Day.  Happy mother's day to all mothers in the whole world!  Hindi man 'to fresh pero gawa ito galing sa puso.

OHA!

Last month: Tudo work.Inspired to work parang robot! (kelangan eh!)

This month: Am sick! The running nose na may dalang ubo, medyo hindi makahinga, the teary eyes- those hot sickly feelings! It reminds me that am just human at hindi robot.

I like this kind of feeling though. I missed the feeling of being sick!

Am somewhat excited for the weekend escapades starting next week.   Summer, eto ako humahabol sau!