Family Christmas 2011

Pre-Christmas Getaway at Club Punta Fuego

On December 6, my hubby Terence and I went off to Club Punta Fuego in Nasugbu, Batangas, for an overnight junket. Terence just came back from a month-long ( job related ) trip to New Delhi, India and we thought this was a perfect occasion to go on a pre-Christmas weekday getaway to make up for the lost time….million thanks to our big-hearted, true -blue friends R & E who made it happened.

Really, Club Punta Fuego is too good a destination for R & R. We stayed at the Casita Seaview which was specifically booked for us. The furnished room was simply spacious and dainty. It opens out onto a balcony with table and lounge chairs set that provides a panorama of the South China Sea and awe-inspiring view of the sunset and landscape of the Punta Fuego Peninsula.. And wow ! it has an impressive T & B that features an all-mirrored sliding wall ( floor to the ceiling) on one side and the other side opens into a mini pebble garden. Of course, we made sure that the wall outside is high enough to give us peace of mind that no one would dare climb it and look pryingly to see us in a state of glory ! The intrinsic beauty of the surrounding scenery ; the magnificent sunset , the beach and infinity- edged pool ambience have taken our breath away. How we wish we could stay a little longer. 

Here are some selectel pictures out of loads of shots taken using Nikon SLR D60 and Nikon CoolPix Digital Cameras.

Glimpse of Fabulous Las Vegas

The 5 1/2 hour road trip from LA to Las Vegas was exciting. We drove off to the Entertainment Capital of the World “ with my sister and my very good friend Joy T as our daring and gutsy driver ! Truly, Vegas is a city in the middle of a desert that depicts pizazz and extravagance. As we made the entrance into the city aboard Joy's brand-new white Toyota Corolla Sedan, we caught site of an awesome cityscape and dramatic architecture. As we cruised the stretch of Las Vegas Blvd at night, I could only marvel the frenzied neon mirage everywhere. Las Vegas Blvd which is approximately 6 km. long stretch ( better known as The Strip ) is where all the action is. Walking on foot along The Strip to explore hotels and casinos was quite overwhelming.
And I must admit the stroll might be fascinating yet a bit exhausting for one nearing his/her senior years... a single night stroll is not ample to go through all the major hotels on The Strip to watch and appreciate the crowd drawing night spectacles .Undoubtedly, the night shows , the thousand-watt blinking neon lights lining the huge signages and billboards, swarm of tourists and holidaymakers including the food can stimulate some kind of electricity in the air . Also, the attractions put up by these establishments and all the night life activities are really outstanding and will never fail to amaze one who seeks fleeting pleasures.
 
The trip was not only  fabulous as I got to meet up with long lost high school classmates who were gracious to accommodate me and company into their charming homes and invest time,energy ,utilities and other costs to make our Vegas visit truly special.

Getting Older ,Wiser and At Ease

I always look forward to birthdays because I get perks and exhaustively get pampered for a day with nice stuffs and gratifying messages  making my red- letter day all the more heartwarming , meaningful and special as well. Definitely, these are signs of my family’s and friends’ joy that I am part of their lives.

Yes, I just turned 57 last August 09  and  together with my beloved husband and children quietly celebrated life as an opportunity to thank God for being alive and in the pink of health.  And I want to thank everyone – family, relatives, friends,  schoolmates, colleagues in the medical field, Couples for Christ and Gawad Kalinga brethren  and  APO/KAPPA brothers and sisters  who have conveyed kind and generous wishes and messages through emails, FB, phone calls sent gifts and whatever for my birthday .

So, I have reached another milestone. I‘m excited as I move into a new threshold of my temporal existence. Allow  me to share some of my personal  insights about "getting older and wiser " :

Birthdays keep me childlike - a cause for a celebration and gratitude.These remind me that what is important is not what I do or accomplish, not what I have or who I know, but that I am , here and now.

I’m thankful that God has given me the best gift anyone can hope for : my precious family and friends who see beyond my imperfections and wish only the best for me.

I’m thankful for all the people around me who encourage my merits as well as accept me for what I am even if I failed to acknowledge their goodness and kindness .Thank you all for all the good times.

I’m thankful for my faults and shortcomings . These have enriched me and taught me how to strive harder.
I’m thankful for my trials and tribulations that could be very daunting yet challenging. Throughout my life I've done my share to endure the life-changing personal difficulties that left me breathless.

I’m thankful God allowed me to go through tremendously difficult times. I tried to go with the flow and believed that every cloud has a silver lining . I have done my best to be patient and persevering. It's during these times that I grow and mature. Life is half spent before we know what it is and who we are.

I‘m thankful for the wisdom God has granted me - to be able to fathom that abundance is not what we gather but what we scatter ; not what we keep but what we give away; not what we hold but what we share.Life has its seasons and seasons change. I learned to trust God that He will make all things work out eventually for my good. It’s just a matter of time.

I’m thankful for my family ( immediate and extended  as well) for their staunch support and understanding whenever I failed to demonstrate how much I love and appreciate them for touching my life and being a segment of their lives, too.

I’m thankful I don’t have everything I desire because if I did what would there be to look forward to?. Life is a long lesson in humility.

I'm thankful for all for all the birthday messages and greetings sent by everyone, from everywhere. The gestures have touched me incredibly -  the thoughtfulness knows no bounds  and my appreciation is ever growing. 

My 57 years of earthly life may not be a bed of roses. But one thing for sure, I have much more than I need to be contented and fulfilled ; to have risen beyond the contradictions of life .

To reiterate, I'm grateful for the gift of life. And I can proudly say, I’m fortunate and blessed .

And "I'm not getting old... just getting wiser!"

A Visit To The Big Apple

New York is one of the world’s most lively and vibrant metropolis . It’s a busy and tough place to live – it can drive you crazy with its expensive cost of living, Nonetheless, as a tourist there is so much to see and do . To catch glimpses of Broadway, Times Square, Central Park, Grand Central, Central park, Chinatown , Little Italy, Rockyfeller Center,Empire Estate and Chrysller Bldgs,. Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty, bridges like George Washington,Brooklyn and other tourist spots and attractions are quite overwhelming.

Indeed , it’s the “ city that doesn’t sleep”.

Lower Manhattan skyine panorama 

Yellow cabs in New York

getting a taste of NYC with Katz's Delicatessen. We feasted on its signature hand-sliced pastrami  and other delectable sandwiches courtesy of our gracious host Baby G

Grand Central at night

The George Washington Bridge (known informally as the GW Bridge.It is a suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River connecting Manhattan to New Jersey The bridge has two levels – and here in the pic we are traversing the upper level heading for Manhattan.

Sailboats seen in the Lower Hudson River as seen from Manhattan's Upper West Side 

at the lobby of The Plaza

Times Square at night

In the background is Manhattan cityscape - a truly wonderful sight from the Ferry Boat heading to Ellis and Liberty Islands

aboard the Ferry Boat heading to Ellis Island. In the background in the Manhattan Cityescape

pose across Central Park main entrance

Outside Minskoff  Theatre in Broadway - the  heart of American  Theatre Industry.

The museum exhibits chronicle Ellis Island's role in immigration history and view it in the context of its time and the still broader context of four centuries of immigration to America.

 The Statue of Liberty's face.This is a replica of the statue's face, seen here as part of the exhibit in one of the corridors of the 

 Statue's base.

This is a replica of the statue's foot, seen here as part of the exhibit in one of the corridors of the Statue's base

The Statue of Liberty  (Liberty Enlightening the World) wall pic. The statue has become an icon of freedom and of the United States.