Newark, New Jersey

After months and months of planning, we had three days to execute it. Three days that were so worth it. The reunion of BSN batch 1990 of San Pedro College was a success. Call it team effort: we didn't even have the services of an events organizer. Despite our hectic lives, many just took part in this effort that culminated in this wonderful meeting after 18 long years!

This was my first time to attend a college reunion. The first thought that came to my mind when I heard the plan last year was am I really this old? I think of reunions with the dread that we are seeing long lost comrades for the first time whose absence are always counted in years. And when one counts in years, couldn't physical changes be far behind? At the back of my mind, I was wondering if I'll see former classmates/batchmates as thinner or bigger or sexier.

gala dinner at the Marriott in Newark, New Jersey (Aug. 9)picnic with the group at Warinanco Park, New Jersey (Aug. 10)
at the Statue of Liberty during our New York city tour (Aug. 11)
I realize after the initial encounter in this reunion that it's not the physical changes that matter. In ways more meaningful, it's actually what has not changed that matter: the kakulitan, the kakwelahan, some traits that have really defied ageing. This reminds me of our college years, of our surging hormones of youth. When I look at my batchmates now, I see them exactly as who they were back then. And that's exactly the part of this reunion that I find most memorable.

Even more poignant for our group is the fact that we actually have a reunion outside of the Philippines. Our search for that proverbial greener pasture have led us to become global Pinoys: we work and live elsewhere but deep in our hearts, we know we have not forgotten where we came from. We certainly know our roots and are very proud of it.

After 18 years, we're counting for some more. Hmmm....20 in 2010?

click below for more photos:
BSN Batch 1990 Reunion

San Pedro College, Davao City

To my former classmates in San Pedro College, here's something to remind you of those days when we were young and dreaming that one day, we'll get to where we are right now. Whatever we've achieved in our lives, we all look back to that one place where those dreams were nurtured. And wherever we are in this planet, we all look back to that place because for four long years, San Pedro College was our HOME. (music from the album "Songs Rediscovered" by Jed Madela)

Governor's Island, New York City

It's summer and many of us are making that great escape to the beach on an island somewhere. Not all islands though need to be a destination to show off bikinis and six-pack abs. In New York City, there's an island getting its dose of visitors - both locals and tourists - looking for some other form of fun and activity.

No, it's not the Statue of Liberty and the Ellis Island though both are more popular destination islands in New York. I'm talking about Governor's Island, a former military outpost and a National Historic Landmark filled with 18th century fortifications. Since the U.S. government transferred ownership of the island back to the city, this 172-acre piece of real estate just off the southern tip of Manhattan is abuzz with people and events. For this season, 22 acres of the Governor's Island National Monument is open to the public until October 12.
What's in store? The free ferry ride to the island affords a different perspective of New York's latest temporary attraction: the art installation The New York City Waterfalls by Olafur Eliasson, a series of man-made falls spread out in 4 locations with one right at Governor's Island itself. I know this isn't a Niagara or an Iguassu but this project is still massive and even costly.Activities on the island are varied. To start, no cars are allowed so you either walk around or bring your own bike or in my case, rent one with Bike And Roll. This Saturday, paddlers and boaters congregated for City Of Water Day - there were free kayaking lessons as well as trips within the coast of the island. On the western promenade, fishing aficionados and the curious ones joined for a free catch and release sessions - even equipment and bait were provided for! As part of the Folks On The Island concert series in July, Eric Bibb sang with his guitar promoting his "new world blues" kind of music.More activities and events are upcoming and I'm excited that this little piece of island is getting the attention it deserves since it opened to the public in 2003.

Intercourse, Pennsylvania

Don't let the name fool you. Intercourse is a village in Lancaster county in Pennsylvania. Before I got here, I wasn't even aware there's a place with such an "interesting" name. But this, along with other villages like Bird-In-Hand, Paradise and Strasburg, is home to the Amish in what's collectively known as the Amish Country - the very reason of my visit.

The Amish people is well known for maintaining a very simple way of living based on their Anabaptist religion. Also called "plain people", the Amish don't use electricity, they don't drive cars and they dress conservatively. With today's skyrocketing oil prices, the Amish might as well be the role model of the green revolution.

For an urbanite, this unique 19th century lifestyle may seem incongruous in high-tech United States. I doubt if Paris Hilton and Britney Spears can survive living austerely even for a day here. We took a buggy ride - a large horse-drawn carriage which is a common form of transport - and drove into the backroads that lead to Amish farms set amidst rolling hills. The view is supremely beautiful and serene!
Farming is the way of life for these people. They plant corn, alfalfa and tobacco and raise livestock. In one farm we passed by, I see young members of the family helping out their parents with the chores, a common practice among them. Amish families are usually large, with 7-9 children. The kids finish their education at 8th grade, learning English and the basics in what is called one-room schools. Men grow beard when they get married and women neatly tuck their long hair into a bun. Their dresses are something else - think of Jayne Eyre characters parading before you.We passed by more Amish homes and knew by now the tell-tale signs that make them unique: the clothesline, the propane gas tanks and the absence of electric wires, satellite dishes, airconditioners and cars in the driveway. This introduction into American rural living is a good way to appreciate what simple life means while our frenzied life in the big city goes on.

Lancaster county is about 3-4 hours by car from Manhattan. Tours by bus are available with Crosby Tours.

Atlantic City, New Jersey

It's hot and humid this weekend in New York so a trip to breezy Atlantic City proved to be a manna from heaven. I was invited to a friend's birthday celebration whose partner has a time share at Wyndham Resorts so what better way to escape the muggy Big Apple than in this city that breathes like Las Vegas, its bigger counterpart in the west coast.

Atlantic City is barely 3 hours away by car from Manhattan. It's proximity has thus made some New Yorkers addicted to the allure of casino gambling. Whatever your calling, be it slot machines, poker, roulette, baccarat, blackjack, it's all available in the many hotels here. All you need is that hard-earned money and much needed luck.

But it's not all about casino in Atlantic City. While Las Vegas boasts impressive shows, Atlantic City in the summer has loads of sun, sand and sea. Everyone who can't make it to South Beach in Miami find themselves contented lazing under the sun or battling the surf.

Meanwhile, shoppers and strollers parade down the Boardwalk - a stretch of several miles past shops, resorts and amusement piers. It's a long long walk but then, if one's arse has been sitting for hours in a casino, that's certainly a good exercise, isn't it?

Buses like Greyhound and Megabus ply the route between New York and Atlantic City everyday. Fares start at $25.

Vancouver, Canada

If I were to move out of New York and live in another city, I'd definitely choose Vancouver. The gorgeous combination of the sea and the mountains make the city very picturesque and thus appealing to me. Where else could I find a major urban area blessed with such natural beauty? Besides, the weather is amiable: it is mild both in winter and summer. With a very good standard of living, I must say Vancouverites are a contented bunch.

It's not surprising therefore to find Vancouver among the most livable cities in the world. In a 2007 survey conducted by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, Vancouver ranked No. 3 behind Zurich and Geneva. Of course, this comes with a price: Vancouver is also ranked the 2nd most expensive Canadian city next to Toronto and 56th among cities all over the world (though better than New York at no. 15).This is my third visit to Vancouver. Jojo, my good friend from our good old days in Jeddah, has always been my gracious host whenever I'm here. He now lives right in the center of the city, still convenient from the airport even as I arrived after 1:00 a.m. on a direct flight via Cathay Pacific from New York.

We actually spent our weekend away from Vancouver - some 125 kms. up north, in the resort town of Whistler. It's not that I'm done with sightseeing in Vancouver. In fact, the moment we got back from Whistler, we decided to walk as what they love doing here. And see more.

As I've discovered during my first visit, the people here are really outdoorsy. They bike, hike, rollerblade or even ski at nearby Grouse Mountain (some even after a 9-5 work!). So it comes natural that I get the itch, well, at least to walk. And walk we did. We started from Gastown to see the Steam Clock, passed by Canada Place where those cruise liners dock, bumped into the shopping crowd at Robson Street and into the restaurant row of Denman Street. From where Denman and Davie Streets intersect, we hit English Bay Beach and strolled the seawall promenade towards the sylvan setting of Stanley Park.

Another great memorable day in Vancouver. How I wish I live here!

Whistler, Canada

I won't be able to see the summer Olympics in Beijing but look where I am now, at the venue of the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Whistler, Canada. The big event is still 2 years away in 2010 but I don't mind getting a sneak preview of what this premier mountain resort in North America can offer.

Getting here from Vancouver is two hours by car via a very scenic Highway 99 (or better known as Sea-To-Sky Highway). So much can be seen along the way that it's very tempting to stop and gawk at all those postcard-pretty vistas of the mountains and the sea.

The resort municipality of Whistler is right at the base of Blackcomb and Whistler mountains and surrounded by the other peaks of the Coast Mountain range in British Columbia. At the very heart of this resort town is Whistler Village, consisting mostly of hotels, inns, restaurants and shops designed like chalets.

In preparation for the Winter Olympics, Whistler is already abuzz with construction frenzy - there are more accommodations being built and event sites are being spruced up. Even the Sea-To-Sky Highway is getting a much needed makeover: the widening of the roads mean less hair-raising encounters on those narrow cliff-side portions.

With me on this trip are my friends Jojo and Eric, both Fil-Canadians living in Vancouver. After checking-in at our hotel in the village, we went to explore the pedestrian-only Village Stroll. It didn't take long for me to realize how the village looks like straight out from Switzerland.

Having bought our tickets for the Excalibur Gondola last night, we went after breakfast to the queue for the ride into the upper slopes of Blackcomb mountain. I have heard that hiking down from the mountain was the alternative on the way back but Guest Relations advised us not to try due to snow. Oh well, I should go here in the middle of summer next time.The gondola took us to an elevation of 3,707 feet. On our way up, a black bear appeared on a clearing but it disappeared before I could fire away with my camera *sigh*. We transferred to the Excelerator Chair, an exhilarating ride on a chair lift that move us up just above Glacier Creek (5,069 feet). Up at this level, intermediate skiers and snowboarders do their runs down the mountain and repeating their dose of thrilling fun all day long. Lift tickets start at $52 for one day.
For us who are merely sightseeing, ticket for the gondola/chair lift was $20.99 for a day filled with mountain views. During summer, there's a chance to go up the peak of adjacent Whistler Mountain appropriately called The Peak Adventure for $31.95 plus taxes.

When we got back down at the valley, we saw mountain bikers taking the lift to Whistler mountain via Fitzsimmons Express. Hard-core ones among them come armor clad with contraptions that make them look like robo-cops. Just like the slopes on which skiers/snowboarders run, bike trails have fancy names like Schleyer, Crack Addict, Devil's Club, Original Sin, and No Joke.

This being a weekend thankfully blessed with a sunny spring weather, many visitors tried their hands and feet on other activities available in town. There's rafting, canoeing, ATV riding, fishing, zip-lining and bungee jumping. With all these choices, Whistler is truly an adrenaline junkie's heaven.

The First Emperor

photo by: Sarah Krulwich/The New York Times
Let me be honest, it's hard to resist the temptation of watching The First Emperor when Placido Domingo is in it. As a newcomer to opera, he's one whose name I first heard years ago when he sang with Jose Carreras and the late Luciano Pavarotti. When I saw him for the first time last year conducting Romeo et Juliette at the Metropolitan Opera, I told myself I must see and hear him sing onstage.

Having been to a few classical operas, I also wondered what a "new" opera like The First Emperor would offer to the senses. Tan Dun, the genius behind the Oscar and Grammy winning score of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, is elevating some kind of obscure style of eastern music into the realms of western opera in this work, now being revived at the Met after its premiere in 2006.

As any opera lover knows, what drives the most is the music. Lots of it. In this case, The First Emperor delivers it very differently. Nowhere have I heard instruments being played that sounded alien - talk about employing ceramic instruments and zither and this huge Chinese gong off the stage - with a full orchestra. To someone used to the soaring melodies of an Italian opera, Tan Dun's music is something no one in the audience will probably be able to hum along with. Or remember.

Quite oddly, the story revolves around the emperor's quest for some music - an anthem to signify a unified China. It sounds simple really and one at which Tan Dun probably conveys his message of a marrying the East and West through music. Thankfully, Placido Domingo is in his element as the brutal Emperor Qin - and at 67 years old, it's amazing how this tenor is able to deliver a solid performance despite being accompanied by unconventional music.

What's certainly not unconventional as far as Met productions go are the set and costumes. Set designer Fan Yue filled the entire stage with this massive stairs and stone slabs lowered by ropes which at one point resembled the Great Wall of China. Emi Wada, the Oscar-winner costume designer for Akira Kurosawa's movie Ran, have us all brought back to the time of Qin Dynasty with flowing robes in a riot of colors and an assortment of headdresses. Really eye-catching.

The First Emperor at the Metropolitan Opera has two more performances left for the Met's 2007-2008 season (May 14 & May 17, 2008). Approximate running time: 2 hours and 55 minutes with one intermission.

Tavern On The Green

Nothing beats eating at a fancy New York restaurant when it is free (and during working hours at that!). After all, no one among us at work would have lunch at the Tavern On The Green under normal circumstances and pay for the price of gold. But this restaurant, featured in several movies, is an undisputed New York legend since 1976: over-hyped, overrated and overrun with tourists - how could we possibly say no to such an offer? When the work memo stipulated a choice between joining this lunch or staying at work for a couple more of hours, everyone knew that eating is the best option.

Tavern On The Green is right at the corner of Central Park West, the only fine dining restaurant afforded with such a fine location. There's a gorgeously manicured garden for al fresco dining, one of the seating options in this Victorian Gothic style restaurant. Today, we have reserved tables at the Crystal Room - a cavernous room filled with crystal chandeliers and glass walls overlooking the park. It's one of those Versailles Palace moment where I half-expected Marie Antoinette to appear. Though this display of ostentation is almost gaudy, I didn't expect much from the mostly contemporary American fare on their menu.

We were served by waitstaff that seem in a hurry and at times, clumsy. The food, served for a large group of about 450, came expeditiously without much fanfare: a pasta for starters, a choice of fish or chicken for entree and ice cream for dessert. Sparkling French wine was served. Our lunch was capped with brewed coffee. There's nothing sensational about the food but it wasn't forgettable either - fish was so-so, chicken and pasta were good and ice cream was great. Overall, it's more the visual than the gustatory delights that get the attention.starters: pasta
chicken stuffed with yuca and mashed potatoes
roast Atlantic salmon with arugula and couscous
chocolate ice cream cake with raspberry & vanilla sauce

Flying Into The Sunset

The news this morning of EOS Airlines closing shop sounds like another obituary that both air travelers and airline employees find very disturbing. It shows how delicate the balance between maintaining a costly operation - no thanks to the skyrocketing price of oil - and profitability on which businesses thrive. Prior to EOS, there was ATA, Aloha Airlines, Skybus Airlines, Oasis Hong Kong Airlines and MAXjet Airways that filed for bankruptcy all in a period of 4 months! These airlines represent both no-frills and all-premium carriers mostly based in the U.S. Other struggling companies like Northwest and Delta are now even merging their forces just to survive.

What's the impact to the traveling public? If an airline company is folding-up, a passenger with a paid reservation for a future trip will find the flight already canceled. One can't even get an immediate refund - a ticket paid for with a credit card can only be refunded through the issuing bank while direct payments made to the airline goes through a lengthy process via a bankruptcy court. That certainly makes traveling more stressful especially as one scrambles to find other airlines at the last minute.Perhaps, no one could feel the loss of an airline company more painfully than its employees. I met a woman last week who as recently as last month, was working as an ATA flight attendant for 19 long years. She was passionate about her former job - and now that she's jobless, she's back to school to become a massage therapist. There are others too like her who must be feeling the pinch: the baggage handlers, ticket agents, check-in agents and of course the pilots. These are the people who worked hard to get us from point A to point B. Now they're struggling to find their own direction hoping to find another job.

Papal Travels

For so many years, I only knew of one pope, the late John Paul II. When he first came to the Philippines, my mom brought me with her to the airport in Davao in the wee hours of early morning only to get a distant view of him several hours later. There were thousands of faithful Catholics that converged for the pope's mid-morning mass next to the airport runway. Being a child then, I was as excited about the planes coming in as I was about the person we where there for. Having never been on a plane at the time, my young mind was telling me how lucky the pontiff was to be able to ride in airplanes while he goes to different countries.

In the course of his peripatetic papacy, John Paul II logged more than 600,000 miles of air travel. His successor, Pope Benedict XVI, has shown less tendency as yet in the mileage run across the globe, traveling only to some 6 countries three years since becoming pope. He is currently in the U.S. on a whirlwind 6-day pontifical visit. Today is his last day, wrapping up his trip in New York with a visit to Ground Zero in lower Manhattan this morning and a mass at the Yankee Stadium later in the afternoon. The pontiff marked his 81st birthday as well as his 3rd year anniversary as pope during this trip to the United States.

Selling The Philippines

Fifth Avenue is known for high-end shopping and those among us who can't afford them, well, end up window-shopping on the displays. This morning, I walked along this long shopper's lane and passed by the Philippine Consulate General. The display on the consulate's wide window isn't about shopping of course but I'm glad I see something there that's worth more than what can be stuffed in a shopping bag: The Philippines.The photos on display present only a fraction of what the archipelago can offer but it certainly caught the attention of many passers-by. It caught my attention too, fresh from that heady experience of zip-lining in Camp Sabros and climbing Mt. Apo last month. This proves that displays on the window can be good advertisements without costing too much. Get some great photo from George Tapan and voila, the Philippines in a nutshell gets to be seen in one of the world's most expensive streets. I'm really hoping that there will be more of this eye-catching window displays in the future. Who knows, those curious pair of blue eyes might be planning a visit to the Philippine shores?

St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York

Pope Benedict XVI is coming to town next week. Since he's going to St. Patrick's Cathedral to lead a pontifical mass for priests, deacons and religious leaders, I thought of visiting this massive Neo-Gothic church in Fifth Avenue today. I've just attended the morning mass at my own parish but I wanted to see how the seat of the Archdiocese of New York is preparing the welcome mat for the pope. As all pope visits go, this is one major event not just for Catholics but the entire city.
Talk about that massive police force being put in place along with Secret Service agents and it seem like the pope is getting more protection than George Bush.

By the time I got inside St. Patrick's, a mass being officiated by Cardinal Egan, New York's archbishop, was still underway. The full works are in order: voices from the children's choir wafted through the air along with the stirring music from the pipe organ. Cardinal Egan himself was resplendent in his embroidered vestment and mitre. Meanwhile, security staff at the end of the nave are watching the cordoned-off area and gently reminding tourists not to use the flash when taking photos.

Yes, St. Patrick's Cathedral happens to be one of New York's tourist attractions and not even a Holy Mass can deter them from entering the premises. In hushed silence, tourists - whether Catholic or not - mill around the area just next to this massive bronze doors that opens up to the swanky shops on Fifth Avenue. When the mass is over, everyone is free to roam around all the way to the main altar or the sanctuary.

Geo-Politics in Mt. Apo

During my recent climb in Mt. Apo, I found out how this National Park is subjected to an ongoing turf war among provinces, cities and towns whose boundaries intersect at the top of this mountain. Mt. Apo is supposedly that - a National Park - but the way local officials in Kidapawan, Digos, Bansalan and Sta. Cruz implement their own rules about the mountain, they demarcate it in a way that limits the mountain to their own local park.

Mt. Apo National Park, created in 1936 by Pres. Manuel Quezon, is a 72,000-hectare national patrimony straddling the provinces of North Cotabato and Davao del Sur and the city of Davao. Submission has been made to the UNESCO in 2006 for Mt. Apo's inclusion as a World Heritage Site due to Mt. Apo's outstanding biological diversity.

Since the advent of mountaineering in the Philippines, more and more people have trekked to the park in the hope of conquering Mt. Apo's peak. Of course, problems arose as irresponsible hikers themselves have taken more than just pictures and certainly left more than their footprints (to paraphrase the mountaineer's creed). This alarmed officials and rules were set up to be strictly implemented. There are permits, checkpoints and briefings needed before a group is allowed up the mountain.This system is fine except that there is no coherence among the local officials in the different towns and provinces involved. The rules are set up to each of his own. If one enters the trail in Kidapawan for example, the hiker pays a permit fee that allows access only within the boundary of Kidapawan and necessitates payment of an extra exit fee if one goes out through Kapatagan in Digos. This rule is vice-versa. In other words, one can only enjoy a certain part of the national park based on where payment is made.

Moreover, things become messier during the Holy Week as every entrance point to the mountain gets a jeepload or a busload of trekkers. If the trail in Kidapawan, Digos, Sta. Cruz, Bansalan and Davao all gets clogged-up with hikers, how do local officials expect the mountain to recover from all that onslaught of foot traffic? My point is, permits to Mt. Apo should be centralized so they can control the number of people up there. This is the system that works well in the Inca Trail in Peru: only 500 people per day are allowed, including porters and guides. The Peruvian government has even a website where trekkers can check availability of permits in real time!

If a system can be in put in place for the benefit of all - and I mean the whole Philippines, then do it. Let's make Mt. Apo a National Park again. This Grandfather of Philippine mountains belong to all Filipinos after all - not just Kidapawan, Digos, Bansalan, Sta. Cruz or Davao - no matter what the boundary says.

Cathay Pacific MNL-HKG-JFK

Cathay Pacific introduced new seats across all classes since last year and having tried its Economy Class seat on the trip to Hong Kong, I was fortunate to get a last minute upgrade to Business Class on the return to New York, thanks largely to my Marco Polo membership with the airline. Travel time is about 14 hours on this leg of the journey from Hong Kong aboard a Boeing 777-300ER, one hour less than it used to be with an Airbus 340-600 on the same route last year.

Check In - As usual, the NAIA in Manila remains congested. There's already a build-up of passengers at the Economy Class check-in counters but getting my boarding pass at the Business Class counter was a breeze.

Lounge - Nothing has changed at Cathay Pacific's Business Class lounge at the NAIA since the last time I visited it: the sofas are tired-looking and the whole interior desperately needs a make-over. I doubt though if Cathay will spend money for refurbishment if ever they will move to the still non-functional NAIA 3. That's the big question. I couldn't wait for the flight announcement so I went down to the main departure gate - again, this is one that packs people like sardines. It resembles more like a waiting area for a bus terminal than a decent airport terminal. C'mon, seating arranged classroom-style?Fast forward to the lounge at Hong Kong's Chep Lap Kok: I have 4 hours of lay-over so I decided to spend a good deal of it in Cathay Pacific's two lounges. My arriving flight from Manila was so close to The Pier that I immediately went there, took a shower and ordered a bowl of wonton noodle soup. I lingered a bit and browsed on magazines, surprised to find even the current issue of The Philippine Daily Inquirer and The Manila Bulletin in the shelves. Got out of The Pier and walk into the wide wide expanse of the terminal until I reached The Wing at the other end. I personally like The Wing as it has gorgeous views of planes taking off or touching down.

Boarding - The gate for my New York-bound flight is just a few steps away from The Wing so I wasn't really in a hurry mode. By the time I handed my boarding pass, the gate agent changed my seat to Business Class, seat 21D. Of course, it's a welcome change. As this is a night flight leaving at 7 p.m. and arriving in New York the same day at 10:25 p.m., I planned to stay awake so I'll catch up on my regular sleep once I'm back in New York(and help combat jet lag which is worse on flights from east-to-west).The Seat - With the revamp in seating, Cathay Pacific opted for the herring-bone (or diagonal) arrangement for its 58 Business Class seats, giving all passengers an uninterrupted access to the aisle. Seat pitch - lying fully flat - is now a stretchy 78 inches while the width is a bit narrow at 20 inches. There is a high partition between seats, so I practically don't see anyone's head while I'm seated. Some passengers felt too hemmed in by this but for me, that enclosure gives more privacy. There's a 15" personal TV with noise canceling headseats but I find the resolution for watching movies not very optimal. Overall, the new seat is an improvement to their previous angled-flat seating arrangement.
The Flight - We were pushed out of the gate 7 minutes before 7 p.m. and was airborne shortly thereafter. Pre-dinner cocktails were offered once the seatbelt signs were turned off. Aminity kits (featuring Murad products) and the menu were handed out. Like what I do on long-haul flights, I brought my own slippers for use in the cabin - I am always shocked to find others walking to the lavatory only in their socks! Dinner trolley came and for starters, I had Smoked Duck and Cured Italian Ham along with the green salad. My main course was a brilliant Sauteed Sea Bass cooked Chinese style. After being filled with so much food, I politely refused when the flight attendants came with the dessert trolley. There's plenty of movies to watch post-prandial but I ended up snoozing for the next 8 hours - oh well, there goes my plan to sleep once I set foot in New York! I awoke to find hot towels being distributed and another meal service underway. This time, I had fresh fruit for starters and chose the Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Wild Mushrooms for the main course. I fell for the dessert: Chocolate Mascarpone Cream Cake with Mango Coulis. I played with the in-flight entertainment, surfing between video games and TV shows until I got bored.

The Arrival: We got into JFK on time but once we passed by immigration, baggage handlers on the ground took their sweet time delivering our cargo to the carousel. It took half an hour for me to stand there and tap my toes while waiting!

Kisulad, Sta. Maria, Davao del Sur

In an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands, it's easy to find one's self gravitating towards the beach. And it's insane for someone vacationing in the Philippines not to even try - whether it's white, black, brown or pink sand, the islands have a lot of palm-fringed beaches to choose from.
I'm in Davao on holiday and there's certainly no shortage of it here. After climbing the country's highest mountain and not taking a shower for 4 days there, the best treat I could give myself is one at sea level: immersing myself in the warm saline splendor of the Davao Gulf.

Friends told me about this gem further south in Sta. Maria. Off we went in a chartered jeepney that could only bring us as far as another fishing village. It turns out this particular beach in Kisulad is hidden in a cove and the only access to it is by banca or more interestingly, by walking along the wild coast (during low tide).Owned by the Gloria family, the resort is at its best, still rough on the edges. What amounts to a reception desk is actually the sari-sari store of a katiwala (caretaker). Outside, an ambitious master plan is laid out in a painted plywood, depicting a fully developed resort complete with a hotel at the top of the hill directly behind the beach.But I actually like the way that it is rough - I don't even care about a future hotel here. Sure, there are cottages for rent, three even with airconditioning, but I brought my tent because I like to feel roughing it up a bit. The idea of sleeping close to earth - as opposed to being on a mattress - makes me feel truly closer to Nature.

Ok, Inang Kalikasan, bring it on!

Camp Sabros

How about flying - or what approximates to flying - in the mountains with a forest below you and the majestic backdrop of the highest mountain in the Philippines? This is possible now, and one does this by zip-lining at Camp Sabros in Kapatagan, a barrio in Digos, Davao del Sur. This is the highest and longest zip-line in the Philippines today.

looks who's flying, it's meeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Camp Sabros was featured on TV by Sports Unlimited just as I was unpacking my bag during my arrival in the Philippines. Of course I got excited knowing that I'm heading in that direction for my Mt. Apo trek. A climb and a zip-line would be a double whammy treat indeed!

When we got there early morning after the Mt. Apo hike, I was the second person in the queue doing this slide for life. I'm attached by a full body harness using carabiners into this removable pulley that is attached to a steel cable. With one push from the platform, I'm flying out there like Superman, screaming my heart out as I see the world before me like I've never seen it before. I zoom above the forest below me and then I find myself skimming next to pine trees as I got nearer. Before I know it, the ride is over and I'm at the other end. Wow, that literally blew me away!

Word of mouth and that TV endorsement definitely caught the fancy of adrenaline junkies that Camp Sabros is seeing a lot of visitors these days. The second time I made it there, this time with my family, there was such a long wait that they ran out of tickets. The only access road leading up to it got so muddy mid-way that our car had to be parked elsewhere and walked the rest of the way. Others took Habal Habal rides and pray they won't fall into the mud.

I met the owner Eric Sacdalan who says Sabros is coined from the words Sacdalan brothers. He bought the property in 1994 and initially thought about the zip-line only for friends and family. But then, everyone heard about it that he officially opened his property to the public on Dec. 25, 2007.

my mom goes on a solo ride:
There are two cables: one is 380 meters long and at least 150 feet high while the longer one at 400 meters offers a steeper and faster ride. Paying visitors have the option of returning via zip-line or through a chair-lift depending on the amount paid. Solo rides start at P200, tandem at P300 and a child on piggy-back P100.

my dad, brother & nephew:
There are cottages (more like log cabins) offered for those who want to stay overnight, starting at P1500 a night. Pitching a tent on their wide campgrounds is cheaper at P100. They now have a restaurant but most daytrippers who go there bring their picnic baskets and mats. Eric says he has plans to offer horseback riding soon and the more thrilling bungee jump in the future.Is zip-lining safe? Eric mentions that the breaking point of the cable is 15 tons which means a person, even a tandem, is hardly 0.5% of that weight. Of course, any ride has associated risks and Eric is aware that zip-lining is not meant for everyone, especially those with fear of heights and heart ailments.

Judging by the number of people who went up Camp Sabros this past Holy Week, it looks like zip-lining is one to fill that "what I did last summer" agenda.

Mt. Apo 3/15-18/08

After two previous climbs and 15 years later, I'm scaling again the peak of this great mountain that looms large in southern Mindanao - or the whole Philippines for that matter. I'm talking about Mt. Apo, the country's highest. Every time I'm on vacation in Davao, I feel seduced again and again, only to be disappointed due to time constraints. This time, no matter what, I'm climbing this King of Philippine mountains again.

For this endeavor, I contacted Rye Glen, a highly experienced mountaineer whom I've met several years ago. Our goal is to hit the trail via the Kapatagan route before the Holy Week madness. Previous climbs brought me through the Kidapawan trail so I'm curious about what I'll see in Kapatagan. Rye's bringing in two other trekkers, Marte Angelo and Ralph "Dugong", both students of Marawi State University. Rye's marking a milestone on this trek: his 50th climb in Mt. Apo.

Day 1, March 15
A multicab brought us from Digos City to Kapatagan, a barrio almost an hour away up there at the foot of Mt. Apo. The road is intermittently paved, zigzagging at times as it went up to an elevation of almost 4,000 feet where the mountains give way to a valley - thus the name Kapatagan, derived from the root word patag which means "flat" in English.

I got my trekking permit at the checkpoint in Sitio Baras but not after a local official gave me the bureaucratic run-around. There's a flowchart showing the steps in getting the permit but it looked so discombobulating that a subway map of the Paris Metro written in French is easier to understand. In the old days, all I did was just fill up an application form and pay the permit fee but now they want a letter of intent, a photo and a medical clearance as well. Getting a permit to hike the Inca Trail in Peru was far less complicated than this certainly. Permit fees vary, foreigners pay P750, locals P500, students P300. There's even an "exit fee" of P200 for those that went up Mt. Apo using a different trail and exiting through Kapatagan.
We got to the trailhead after getting an early lunch at a carenderia. There's a group of 11 people from Manila, the same group we saw at the checkpoint earlier. Rye, Marte, Dugong and I commenced the trek by passing through vegetable farms planted with cabbages, carrots and potatoes - crops that are destined for the big cities. This is what Kapatagan farmers make for a living and so we thread on their soil with the thought that a lot of hard work went into toiling this remote but rich volcanic earth. The trail at this point is still gentle, used a lot by the locals with some astride their horses.