I’ve been, and I still am, a Nokia phone user. The Acer Ferrari Special Edition is not a new substitute for my aged Nokia 6610i. Not because I’m loyal to Nokia, but I was used to Nokia’s features since the birth of Nokia 5110.

I’ll soon set my hands in this smartphone. And I can smell another smartphone in the house.

I was nearby the Public Plaza, on both days, but wasn’t able to get a good position for the photoshoot. Either the dancers would walk hurriedly to catch up for the delayed time or more people would move further to where the dancers were, blocking my camera’s view.

Luckily, I saw my good friend Ison’s photo album in Facebook. He gladly allowed me to share some of the photos he took yesterday which was the Barangay Category.

It was the first time that the dancers use their own live music. I like it better than the full blast sound from the giant speakers they set up along the street that’s very unpleasant to the ears.

Here are the winners from yesterday’s category followed by the other participants.

Brgy. Banago – Champion

Brgy. 17 – 1st Runner Up

Brgy. Tangub – 2nd Runner Up

Brgy. 23 – 3rd Runner Up

Brgy. Alijis – 4th Runner Up

Special thanks to Ison for his generosity. Ganda ng kuha mo, baka ma discover ka.

There are different figures positioned on coloful boats. These boats remind me of the paper boats kids would fold and let them float on the water.

All six of these 3D floating figures are sailing at the fountain area. Hmm.. Actually, they just stood fixed at the fountain area.

The display officially opened on 12th. With the colorful masks and costumes of different participants from the school and the barangay categories, this year’s MassKara Festival Mask and Costume Display is another attraction for the city.

The street dance competition for school category will start tomorrow afternoon followed by the barangay category on Sunday.

Hope the weather cooperates tomorrow.

]]> http://wanderlandia.wordpress.com/2011/10/15/masskara-festival-mask-and-costume-display/feed/ 0 DSC09144 isay DSC09147 DSC09143 DSC09150 DSC09153 http://wanderlandia.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/15th-masskara-village-officially-opens/ http://wanderlandia.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/15th-masskara-village-officially-opens/#comments Tue, 04 Oct 2011 16:19:52 +0000 isay http://wanderlandia.wordpress.com/?p=3877 ]]> Each October, aside from the street dance parade during the MassKara Festival, one of Bacolod’s attraction is the MassKara Village in Robinson’s Place. For this year’s 15th MassKara Village, the artists used different designs and materials to showcase their talents in mask-making.

Here are some of the masks being displayed. I like the first two masks below — the first one because of its unique design and the second one because it has my favorite color.

There are 68 participating artists and only three winners will be chosen. And I agree with everyone that this year’s artists are more creative and classy even though the masks are made from recyclable materials.

You can find all 68 masks in TV Patrol Negros Facebook fan page.

That would be good.  It means it will be quick to finish my transaction.

I waited for my turn behind the old lady when something written on a cardboard caught my attention.

“Government Fee………P100 /document”

I reread from the top to make sure I wasn’t mistaken.  ”DFA Authentication” was written in bold on top of this notice.  And there were the types of documents like NSO Birth Certificate, NSO Marriage Certificate, etc.  What got my curiosity was the following:

Government Fee……….P100/document
Freight ……………………P265
VAT………………………..12%

You may wonder, “what’s the big deal about it?”

Before working in Kuwait, documents like NSO copy of birth certificate or certified true copy of PRC ID requires authentication from DFA, which is commonly called red ribbon.  I haven’t processed for DFA authentication before so I have no idea about it.

I was surprised to learn that the fee was just less than Php 500 if you processed it through DHL and delivered to your local address.  I processed the authentication through a travel agency and the fee was a whopping Php 2500/document for authentication and Php 3300/document for stamping in Kuwait Embassy!  And that was the biggest wow I cried inside my head.

Pano was right to suggest processing in DHL.  He was able to process for the red ribbon before through DHL.  Only that DHL moved to a new location and I didn’t know their new address.

I shouldn’t feel guilty because it was my brother’s idea to have it processed through a travel agency recommended by his friend.  I didn’t insist so as not to cause more problems and inconvenience.

But I felt bad for him and his wife on spending a lot for four documents.  He could have saved more than Php 10,000 including the stamping.  Wow! (again!)

Had we searched for the new DHL office, we could have saved a lot of money.

Too late.  All it needed was to spend on jeepney fares to save Php 10,000.

*Special thanks to my friend Darl for the Hello Kitty coin bank photo used in this post.

I was hanging out with my girl friends Aubrey, Lyn and Darlene because it was Aubrey’s birthday.  It has been years since the last time we spent time with Au.  Not long after we drained our glasses, we called it a night and let Au take a taxi cab first before we headed home.

The next day, I readied myself to do an errand for my brother before meeting another friend, Karen, at lunch.  I left my friends’ condo unit at half past 9 in the morning to have an ample time window shopping at Glorietta Malls before my lunch date.

As I neared the elevator, I noticed that I wasn’t wearing my wrist watch.  If I go back, I had to key in three different locks.  Perhaps, I could survive a day in Manila without my wrist watch.  However, I overcame my laziness because I was going to meet Karen who only had an hour lunch break and I hated it if she waited for me.

I went back only to spend almost an hour rummaging through my stuff looking for my wrist watch.  Uh oh!  Where could it be?

On the morning of July 11, I couldn’t find my watch before heading out the condo only to find it inside a pocket of my bag.  Was it already a sign that I would be losing my watch that night?  :(

I kept racking my brain for the exact things I did the night before.  I was sure I still wore my wrist watch when we were in Starbucks.  What I usually do upon arriving home was to take off my watch and wash my hands.  I washed my hands that night except that I couldn’t remember if I still had it or not.  I searched the places where I would place my watch but I couldn’t find it.

I hurriedly left the condo to finish my errand and met up with Karen then went straight back to the condo to look for my watch again.  I texted Lyn and Darl if they happened to find my watch that morning.  With the design of its bracelet, it’s impossible for my watch to fall off while we were inside the taxi.

My friends helped me look for my watch all over the condo — under the couch, inside my luggage, under the bed, on the dresser, you name it.  And I even scooped out each trash in the waste bin to the garbage bag before throwing out the garbage.  Eewww!

I should find my watch.  It was my Uncle’s wedding gift for us.  Val and I have the same exact design.  He has the male version while I have the female one…  Sort of a couple watch.  Just like our wedding rings.

Until I went back to Bacolod, I didn’t cease to search for my precious watch.  My friends promised me to inform me as soon as they find it.  If it was just an ordinary watch I bought in Quiapo or Divisoria, I wouldn’t be affected of its loss.

Just last night, I stumbled upon a photo posted by Quennie.  I was carrying Gab and there was my wrist watch.  The last memory of my watch.

Should I quit thinking about that watch?

Earlier this afternoon, Val joked about my missing watch again.  How I kept reminding him to take care of his watch because it was Uncle’s wedding gift only to lose my own watch.  From the two of us, he’s the one who always misplaces his things.  But God knows how I always take extra care of my stuff.

The joke about my watch subsided.  I proceeded to tidy my stuff.  I folded a small plastic and returned it in the front pocket of my “kikay kit” that I kept inside my drawer since I got back from Manila.  As I opened the front pocket to insert the plastic, I saw something.  Guess what I found?  My wrist watch!  It was inside there all along.

From the photo with Gab to Val’s joke, I don’t know if these are signs that my watch will resurface but I’m so happy to have my watch again.

These two watches are together again!  Yey!

Thank you, Lord!!!

It was only this year that Val decided to join fun run events.  His first 5K run was in Guimaras during the province’s Manggahan Festival last April.

I was hired as a PA by takbo.ph in the said event and was happy to have Val participate in the event, too.

He was one of the top 25 finishers in the 5K race.  He didn’t aim for the top place but to finish the race in his own record time was already an achievement.  Too bad I wasn’t able to take his photo when he started and finished the race.

But I was so happy to see his smile when he approached me.  He enjoyed the run even though at first, he was hesitant to join the race alone.  And here we are with the cute Manggahan mascot when my in-laws arrived straight from Bacolod… after the race.  Hehe…

With his regular jogs and visit to the gym, running a 5-km distance now looks easy which motivated him to attempt a 10-km distance run with Kat2x.

Came another race event in Bacolod last Sunday — The First Negros Run Expo.  Both Val and Kat2x registered for their first 10K event.

This time around, I was their photographer.  I stood near the finish line for an hour since their gun start so as not to miss both of them.  Each time I saw runners approaching, I had to aim my camera and ready it.

After the race, I saw my high school friends, too!

I didn’t run with them but as I stood and watched them reach the finish line wearing a flushed but a happy face, I felt like I ran the 10K race, too.  Kat2x was excited to hold her first 10K finisher medal.

These were Val’s first two races.  And there are more to come.  Val’s next target race is the night fun run this Sunday… if his schedule permits.

It’s almost midnight.  Gotta run… to bed now!

Tinago Mountain Resort, formerly known as Hidden Valley, was a few kilometers from Pataan.  Entrance fee is also 50 pesos per adult.  They also offer day and night cottages and a swimming pool.  The resort has waterfalls, too.

We only stayed for a few minutes to check the place.  We’re grateful that the crew allowed us to tour the place for free.

It was indeed more beautiful than Pataan but the road leading to Tinago was rough.  And it lived up to its name “Tinago” which means “hidden” in our local dialect.

]]> http://wanderlandia.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/tinago-mountain-resort-bago-city/feed/ 3 DSC08236 isay DSC08239 DSC08244 http://wanderlandia.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/pataan-falls-in-bago-city/ http://wanderlandia.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/pataan-falls-in-bago-city/#comments Sun, 12 Jun 2011 11:16:52 +0000 isay http://wanderlandia.wordpress.com/?p=3825 ]]> I’ve been born and raised in Negros and didn’t know I have yet more to explore in my homeland.  Bago City is just a 30-minute ride south of Bacolod City by private car.  Bago is home to Kipot Twin Falls and Pataan Falls.

On the 25th of May, everyone’s common rest day, we packed our bags for a day trip to Pataan Falls. We brought foods and more foods.

Pataan Mountain Resort is situated just along the road after passing Buenos Aires and Kipot Twin Falls.  Owned by a retired police, partnered with one of Negros’ prominent families, the mountain resort has been operating for 10 years.

Entrance fee was 50 pesos per adult.  The resort has a swimming pool, canteen, pavilion and several wooden day cottages.  Most of the wooden cottages were worn out due to termites.

We settled in a new concrete cottage which stood by the bridge.  It was the most decent one among the cheapest cottages we found.  Across it, some workers were constructing a similar cottage.  It shows that the management is converting each wooden cottage into a sturdy concrete one.

Opposite our cottage were several overnight rooms.  There were kids everywhere because it’s summer time.  They would swim and play in a river below our cottage; its water coming from the waterfalls.  Just turn your head up and you’ll see the waterfalls.

You can take a splash in the swimming pool for a fee.  And they require proper swimming attire.

However, you can’t swim at the waterfalls.  Just prepare to get wet and have a water massage… in standing or sitting position.  When taking pictures, use a waterproof camera or don’t get too close the falls because of the mist.

All you can do in Pataan is relax and commune with nature.  Everywhere is green and the cool breeze will lull you to sleep…  just like what we did.  Hehe…

Just a note.  They don’t charge corkage for foods and drinks.  They also offer a menu but it’s not guaranteed that majority of their dishes is available.  And it’s a bit pricey.  A native chicken tinola costs 500 pesos!  Better bring your own foods and drinks if you can help it.