Destination Hacienda Escudero

This is about a 4 minute video of the drive. Warning: could be bumpy. There were lots of street vendors and a variety of things - schools, businesses, homes of all sorts and sizes. I feel so lucky to get to see so many different things and so many parts of the country with my kaibigans (friends).

The drive...

You know how sometimes it's as much about the journey as it is the destination - I believe that's true in The Philippines. We drove south - driving where lanes are more guidelines then law and traffic in Seattle seems to have little validity as 'bad traffic' in my book anymore. It's a beautiful landscape - the 'tropical and exotic' are all over. Orchids are blooming and trees have fragrant flowers. Some of the most beautifu things I've ever seen. Drive was interesting. Again, they drive by different standards here. It was fun to listen to the radio and chat with everyone.

The Long Day... Stop 1 - Farmers Market

After work - first thing on Saturday Morning here, I set out with 3 of my favorite people. Carla, Rey, Ryan and I hired a car and a driver for an adventurous day. The car met us at 8 AM at the condo. Carla and I walked to the market that is only on Saturdays. It was pretty neat - got a Christmas present for my mom and my sister. It's a surprise ladies can't tell you! :) We went back to the car and were off.
This is more of an 'upper-end' market.



Here's the view of the tents from the condo.

Also - survived my first Filipino Earthquake

Not very strong - the thunderstorm my first day here was much more dramatic to me!

http://www.nj.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/international-14/1253265149320990.xml&storylist=international

French Pastries at "LA CUISINE"

Noel took the new CCO staff members out to Pastry and Cafe at a French place around the corner from the office. The pastries were delicious - the owner's wife, Michelle came and said hello. She was so friendly - a beautiful little Cafe. From left to right - Me, Carla, Rey, Ryan and Noel.


Peach Cobbler Pie thing...

Pecan and chocolate Pie

Flaky dough with pudding between light layers (nope, don't remember the name but it was good)

Some sort of Tiramisu maybe? - lots of layers - delicous thick chocolate on top

Breakfast of Champions! And lucky travellers...

At Robbie Harding's suggestion ... :) .... Chicken and Pork Adobo - Brought in by Noel from a great place 'Adobo Republic' 'Ang Bahay Ng Pambansang Paborito!'
This was very delicious. Kind of salty and savory.... I need a recipe for this dish to take back with me.

The Filipino Feast!

Lengua - it looked good with mushrooms and onions in a sauce over meat. It was after I ate most of it that Carla asked if I liked it. She said it's usually eaten on a special occasion. Then I learned the meat was tongue. Never did figure out what animal's tongue. Hmmm.

Sinigang na Baboy - a delicious soup with gabi (similar to potato) pork etc. Tasty. This is one of Carla's favorite dishes.

The feast - all of the dishes came with their own serving utensils in their own little trays.

Bibingka or Salty egg - with shaved coconut - a sweet cakey treat. With egg. And Salt.

Puto bongbong - this was a huge treat. Carla says she usually eats it at Christmas. These purple rolls were very chewy and delicious - I liked them with the Coconut - also served with dark brown sugar. We were too full to eat it all so we have leftovers for later.

An adventurours fancy Filipina meal.

Also - learned that it's silly to call a business between 12 and 1:30 - businesses close for lunch. Good for them!

Video - Riding On the Jeepney!

We rode to a mall that was really 5 malls all spread out and combined. There are guards everywhere here- it's kind of neat. Glorietta 1, Glorietta 2, Glorietta 3, you get the idea. Everytime you walk through from one section to another - over a skybridge or what not - you get to walk though the guards. They have metal detectors and search inside your bags/purse. We found wandered for awhile up and down hallways - must have been 5 or more stories - past tons of stores and found a great place to eat!

Traveling In Makati

This is my first Jeepney - originally Jeepneys were converted from old American World War II Jeeps left behind. They are a main form of transportation here. Just hop on the open back and pay the conductor inside your coins - 7.50 Piso minimum. It was actually quite effective. They have routes printed on the front.

My first delicious breakfast in Makati

It wasn't so strange to sleep all day yesterday- I was exhausted. There was an amazing thunderstorm that seemed to shake the building. I've never heard such a boom - never such loud thunder as this. It was very cool. It was strange, however, to wake up when it was dark and go to work. Carla is my travel companion :) She's the supervisor here in Makati. She took me to this great Teriyaki restaurant. It was delicious.

The Awesome CSG Call Center in Makati!

My first view of this great team yesterday!

Made it to Japan

Leaving the Pacific Northwest...

Seeing Japan for the first time in my life was pretty neat. On the northernmost point as we were flying in I could spot windmills all up and down the coast. I love windmills. I must have been exhausted because at first I thought the whitecaps on the waves were seagulls/white birds that kept diving into the water... that was why they were disappearing. Ya... I got to see a Japanese Golf Course, Japanese Target, really neat to fly in on a clear sunny day. Again, I must have been exhausted - once I was through security and walking to my gate I saw a neat display of folded paper and thought wow - this reminds me of The Paper Store in Bellevue - it's amazing the neat things that can be made from paper folding. Then about 3 minutes later read the sign and remembered the Oragami that is famous in Japan.
I slept in the airport so I'd have my brains back by the time I got to work in Makati. :)




Our flight took us over the Alaskan Aleutian Islands - beneath the clouds - hard to see in pictures.

The Pacific Northwest is so gorgeous - I've always loved Mt. Baker. I could see it out my window working in Everett... loved viewing it when I lived in Bellingham.... and from a high peak seeing from Mt. Rainier to Mt. Baker... there are not many things that are more lovely.

My Big Boy!

He looks so old! he wanted a blue haircut: Heather at Regis in Woodinville - she is the best! :)

Gavin's Gavinism Today

Mom - I'm (happy) you pick me up. We need Safeway and we need Costco (pronounced kah-ko). We need yogurt. We need strawberry yogurt and we need muffins. We need chocolate muffins at Costco and we need yogurt - the strawberry kind. And we need bananas but we need bananas at Safeway. Three things, Mom. Because I'm three chocolate muffins at costco and at Safeway we need yogurt and bananas. and that's all.

Yes, this was the first thing out of his mouth when we left preschool. That is pretty much word for word how it went down. As I'm nodding and sighing and cracking up.

Thankfully, he settled on going home and playing stickers on the kitchen floor while I did dishes from Monday and made spaghetti. I forgot how hard it is to keep up with housework when working so much.

What movie have we been watching?

Let's see, hints:
Gavin took a broom out to the playground and somehow climbed himself and the broom up - then jumped off. I got to run the the playground to his wails. Thankfully, just some bruises and cuts -nothing broken.
Gavin asks lots of questions all the time - yesterday asked, "Mom, is potion healthy?"

You guessed it - Harry Potter! We learned that Harry Potter can fly but Gavin Gardner cannot - and potion can be healthy or bad depending on how it's mixed. mmm hmmm. (SIGH) :)

And more pics

Franklin Falls More Pics