Escape to Santa Magdalena

Day Two of our Sorsogon escapade initially didn’t look promising. Because of the typhoon brewing hundreds of miles out in the Philippine Sea (which also induced the thunderstorms of the previous day) we decided to give up our expedition to Tikling and Calintaan Islands, and opted for a jaunt in the beaches of Santa Magdalena instead. From among the many beaches in the town, we chose Olango Beach in Brgy. San Rafael.

After a butt-numbing 1-hr tricycle trip from Bulan to Santa Magdalena, we arrived at the beach just before lunch. We promptly feasted on our baon of inihaw na buraw (grilled mackerel..told you we couldn’t get enough of this. haha), sugpo (large shrimps) simmered in Sprite and garlic and ensaladang talong at kamatis (Eggplant and Tomato Salad) - both cooked by the harlequin vampire. Although we were all eating with bare hands while crouched on the sand under an abandoned cottage, it was a lunch fit for a king!
Olango beach is like a two-tone paradise - the sand is a mixture of golden and black, and the water is a blend of green and aquamarine. Because of the storm, large waves crashed relentlessly on the sandy shores, the force of which easily caught us off-guard and rolled us around like rag-dolls. We had a great time just rollicking in the sand and bobbing up and down with the waves while perched on a toy flotation device. The water was clean and crystal-clear. The clarity actually made it look deceptively shallow, but it was in fact a good 10-15 feet deep just a few meters off the shore.

We tried going to the off-shore reef to view the corals and probably ‘harvest’ some latô or edible seaweeds but the current was strong and it was getting late in the afternoon. Besides, because Santa Magdalena is quite far, we had to do an ‘Amazing Race’ run to the port of nearby Matnog town– the southernmost tip of Luzon - to catch the Samar-Manila bus that will get us back home. I guess Talie must have been thinking about us at that very minute because, whaddyaknow, up came a pink bus to take us home. Haha.
Even though we weren’t able to reach our goal of stepping foot on Tikling and Calintaan, our short but sweet Sorsogon escapade was well worth the time and aching muscles. I can’t wait to go back.

Check out some more snapshots from Olango:

To the ‘Moon’ and Back

I have always loved getting on the road and discovering new places away from the monotony of the familiar. That’s why I try to seize every chance that comes my way to go to places I’ve never been to. Often, even in the least well-known of destinations, there awaits a wealth of experiences. Last Saturday, our gang of misfits (Yona, Leonel, Peach, BT and Lyn) literally went to the ‘moon’.

Nope, not Earth’s satellite but the town of Bulan in Sorsogon (the Bicolano word for the moon is bulan). The trip almost didn’t push through because of last-minute hitches but our gung-ho group could not be stopped. With the goal of venturing into the treacherous San Bernardino Strait and on to the unspoiled Tikling and Calintaan Islands in Matnog, we journeyed on to Bulan, our first stop, even as a thunderstorm threatened. We arrived at Bulan early Saturday evening and trooped right away to the ancestral house of Yona’s mom.

Bulan is a surprisingly charming town with wide, well-lighted streets laid out in an orderly grid pattern. The place is very clean and tidy -- no wonder Bulan was feted as one of the cleanest and greenest local government units. The town feels like it is in the threshold of urbanization but still holds on to the leisurely and unhurried pace of provincial life. There’s even a quaint seaside park complete with hole-in-the-wall restos, promenades and cottages.

But what is definitely memorable about Bulan is the food. Because it is a coastal town facing the teeming fishing grounds of the Ticao Pass, Bulan is rich in marine products especially fresh seafood. At dinner, we couldn’t get enough of the huge steamed kasag (crabs) and inihaw na buraw (grilled mackerel) that Yona’s aunt prepared for us. The seafood was so good that the bulalo and chop suey (with shrimps) were all but ignored. We must have eaten too much kasag and buraw because we were pretty much stoned for the rest of the night. Haha.

We capped the night with a few beers and calamares at Sabang Resort, Bulan’s seaside park and a round of videoke back at Yona’s place. We all had a great time in Bulan and I definitely want to go back even if only for the seafood! :-)

Here are some more snapshots from Bulan:

3D Model: Beach House with Infinity Pool

The sweltering summer heat inspired me to create a new 3D Sketchup Model. This time, a modern Beach House complete with beachfront, garden and infinity pool. Like my other 3D models, I made this beach house without any clear vision in mind. Every detail came from scratch and just flowed naturally as I played around with Sketchup's myriad features. So please, be gentle to the newbie. :-s

The house is a two-story structure with an interesting interplay of geometric figures. I used stone and wood materials that give the house a solid but homey look. Since it's a beach house, I put in wide windows to let in the expansive views of the sea. I also used a lot of glass to take in as much natural light as possible. There's a wide multi-faceted bay window at the back to take advantage of the excellent beachfront location.

A flagstone deck connects the main house to the infinity pool with a whirlpool tub or jacuzzi. A balcony at the second floor is a perfect location for lounging around while watching the sun set or breathing in the sea breeze. I also inclued a lush tropical garden with fruit trees and gazebo to the left of the house.

Here are some more screenshots of my 3D Beach House model (click to enlarge):

Overhead view from the back, above the waterfront

View of the house from the beach

Deck and infinity pool

Back view

Right-side view

Left-side view

Next time I'll try to experiment with elevations and probably start doing interiors. This 3D Sketchup Model is available for download here. You can also view my other 3D models here.

My Mobile Phone History

I was browsing through a gadget blog when the idea for this post came to me. Since I've owned only a handful of mobile phones (which means I don't really have to write a very long post) and each mobile phone has a story behind it (no matter how inane, hehe) I figured I'd give it a shot. I'm not really a mobile phone freak. I had my first cellphone when I was already working (the only way to reach me before that was by calling our home phone or texting my Mom. lols), and I don't really change phones to keep up with trends. So, here's my mobile phone history (cue in the music, please lol)

Nokia 3210
Dec. 2003 - mid 2004
Current location: Unknown

My very first mobile phone was the heavy and chunky N3210. Yes, the phone that almost weighs like a brick and can actually double as a weapon. It was a hand-me-down from my brother. No, wait - I think I actually bought the damn thing from him. Haha. Although the phone served me well, I really hated lugging that brick around. Anyway, the phone must have really disliked me too because one rainy night while I was commuting to the office, It quietly slipped from my pocket and left me forever. So far, It's the only phone I lost. RIP.

Nokia 3330
Nov. 2004 - Dec. 2005
Current Incarnation: Ma's other mobile phone

I replaced the ill-fated N3210 with another hand-me-down, a 'pre-loved' Nokia 3330 bought for a princely sum of P1,000. Yeah, I know I'm a cheapskate. Haha. I went through a lot of good and bad times, upheavals and lulls, while I had this phone, all sheathed in black with an electric blue backlight. When I eventually decided to move on with a 'new' phone, my mom claimed it as her own. I still use it sometimes when I 'steal' load credits. *grin*

Motorola C650
Dec. 2005 - Oct. 2006
Current Location: Somewhere in Legazpi

My colleague Mydz (who by the way is the real cell phone aficionado, lols) sold this phone to me back in mid-2006, yet another pre-loved phone. It was my first color phone with camera. The phone was OK except for the stupid joystick that kept breaking. After spending too much for repairs, I just had to get rid of it. I don't remember to whom I had it sold, though.

Nokia 2100
Oct 2006 - Dec. 2006
Current Location: Unknown

I found myself phone-less after I disposed of the C650. With funds running low, I had to settle for a low-key, second-hand Nokia 2100 that my co-worker was selling. This phone is memorable because I had it with me while that deadly typhoon was raging back in Nov. 2006. My brother claimed it when I had a new phone. I don't know where it is now. lols

Nokia 6680
Dec. 2006 - Feb. 2008
Current Location: Somewhere in Greenhills

Mydz (again!) was the middleman when I bought this phone from my colleague's sister, who turned out to be a batchmate back in HS. I know, another second-hand phone. hehe. The N6680 was the most expensive phone I shelled out money for. I had to pay for it in installments though, so it wasn't really that heavy on the pocket. I had fun tinkering with the N6680 with its Symbian 60 OS, 1.3MP dual camera, and 3G-capabilities. The phone also served me well as an MP3 player. My only gripe was the phone's hefty size.

Nokia 5310 XpressMusic
Feb. 2008 - Present
Current Location: Somewhere under my pillow

I didn't really intend to replace the N6680 because it was still working fine. But a quick sidetrip to Greenhills woke the impulse buyer in me (that place is evil, lol). I was immediately attracted to the 5310 with its sleek design. Placing the 6680 and the 5310 side by side convinced me in favor of the latter. So I traded in the old and bulky for the sleek and slim. I'm glad I did because the phone is just perfect for me. It's lightweight and thin but durable and still offering the features I need especially the MP3 player and camera.

So there, you've just wasted a few minutes getting intimate with my mobile phone history. Haha. How about you, what is your mobile phone history?