SINULOG On The Streets!

January 29, 2012

When, the cats are done doing their Sinulog Street Parade, then the mouses will play.

From the long streets of Baseline area was where all the people were for the Sinulog Street Party was going on! Let the Party get Started!

We were just heading toward the place but I can already see a lot of people with their shirts full of paint, wet and not-so-human look. The Reason? Sinulog Street Party!

Before we could even find our seats, people came crashing with a paint on his hand and boom! Un-Artistically, they painted our faces and whew, my henna and yup my shirt that until now I could not take the dirt off.

Ika nga hindi mahulugan ng karayom was the crowd that time. But the beer can when a couple of people in their craziest minds who threw beers and keep showering it to the crowd. Urgh! I can't take the smell of it and the more if it stuck on our shirt.

Facepaint

The Walking to Ayala Center

I have googled of how long we had taken to walk going to Ayala. I found some mathematical data like a total of 2.4km of about 6 minutes walk. That was amazing but other than that whole day was really about walking. The transportation could not any more enter the streets due to parade neither afterwards due to the crowd.

Well, the reason was just to watch fireworks. So what if it was just all about that. The day was about to end, we would like to see something spectacular just like fireworks.



The above pic shows our route but I think not because it says that if taken a transpo. I think we went the streets in the middle like the "Elizabeth Pond". I remember we passed by Redemptorist.

So that's it. I have a video still to be uploaded at youtube. Watch for the fireworks.

Sincerely,

SINULOG: Stepping on Cebu Soil!

January 29, 2012

Finally, I waited not even a single second of delay to go out and finally be with my hometown again and celebrate the biggest celebration of Sinulog. But the truth is my friend and I were able to go out late lunch due to expected tiring and lazy attitude after the whole night trip.

The first day was fully booked from noon time down to lunch even until midnight.(but that part was not worth anymore sharing here.hihi)

1. Sto. Niño Church

I'll start with Sto. Niño of course. As they say, the Lord first before everything else.

Although, I had gone here months before, I still forgot the specific number of the jeepneys in going to the Colon. But at least their signage were visible enough that we need not any more ask if it passes Sto. Niño.

However, when we get near the church already, it just stopped suddenly because they can't get through due to traffic. Well, then let's get this on and start walking. No matter how huge the crowd is, for Sto. Niño, we went through them.

Discovery: I should not be amazed with this already since this is my hometown but what I noticed... The crowd was always waving toward the church. And when Arjay and I got near by them, one suddenly raised her hand and waved like a "goodbye". Funny for both of us, but we looked at the direction she was waving and realized it was the statue of Sto. Niño she and everyone else are waving. So, we followed to show our "pananampalataya" as well.

Below is the colorful bandaritas but apart from it, Sto. Niño.



2. Light A Candle For Sto. Niño

I already had my list to pray for Sto. Niño. And believe it or not half or mostly have been already granted right at this day. Well, to mention those, I prayed for my boyfriend's successful career and mine as well in regards with RN Heals 3. My bf already got the job while I qualified for the interview. And of course I also prayed for everyone else health and happiness, family and life.



3. Magellan's Cross

As if I have not gone here yet but yes I took pictures as well just like other tourists.



4. Pier One IT Park

For a multiple choice question, this must be the choice that should be eliminated. The above three pictures are religious while this is a bit opposite. I only included this because I think the view is worth sharing, right?

The happenings here were seemed fast. The drinking especially the money and I can't even remember mostly. Then you must already have an idea of how *&+nk we were here.



Well, those were the pictures. Keep posted. I still have more to say about my Sinulog getaway.

Sincerely,

SINULOG: Prepping my Travel Gears

The hardest part during travels is the process itself turning fashion accessories into travel gears and also because I just love wearing fashionable outfits, it makes everything worst. So, honestly it is the outfit which is the real hard part whether on how I am going to show it off into the crowd.

Then, what’s more, I can’t afford to bring any fashionable bag to please the eyes of the “pickpockets.” I can just imagine the huge crowd and them (the pickpockets) having a percentage of 30-40% of the overall crowd. So, I guess I’ll exchange fashion accessories with travel gears anyway.

As a travel starter, I should embrace these facts as early as now, right?

I’ll start with the gadgets, the most important thing. I am not born with a silver spoon so obviously, I am not equipped with the expensive, high-tech ones. But I did manage to buy the practical ones enough to be called as travel gears.

So, after taking note of the stuffs, situations and others especially in SINULOG festival, I am trying to bring stuffs that are of utmost importance to prevent accidents. Well, at least I am not the person who brings the whole wardrobe in her bag so it’s not a big deal.

The daily things I bring are below:

1. Kikay kit
2. Umbrella
3. Big wallet
4. Coin purse
5. Shades
6. Cellphone
7. Camera (occasionally)

To eliminate the not-so-important ones:

1. Kikay kit (only comb)
2. Umbrella
3. Big wallet (3 & 4 are merged into one)
4. Coin purse
5. Shades
6. Cellphone
7. Camera (occasionally)

I was thinking of not bringing the umbrella anymore, but I might regret it after last year’s hard rain festival, so still part of the list.

Then, for my travel gears to sound like a pro traveller, (haha) I bought a travel mini bag for those to fit in. Look below.

Travel Gear 1 (camera sling bag – not sure)

• A very practical one
• This will nicely fit around your neck with the adjustable slings also
• For safety stuff, this is good since it is within your eye level wherever you go
• Just always place it in front of you because if not, you might be wondering as to where your things go

Travel Gear 2 (spiral key chain)

• I added this to secure my camera because I might confidently just hang around and take pictures while someone at the back is already eyeing it for grabs.
• So, in case he’ll grab it, then that includes my bag but since it’s securely hanged around my neck which will also include me.
• That would mean a big fish for a catch. :-)

The overlook for the all the travel gears when worn...hehe

As of the meantime, these are yet the travel gears I have bought. There are more to come as I face different adventures, safety precautions place by place.

Well, I am now geared up for SINULOG Festival. Pickpockets, burglars and whoever you are, with my travel gears you are not a threat any more.


Read on as I take miles away from my place to seek spiritual guidance from Sto. Niño. Travel Premiere’s first ever trip by yours truly Nurse Germz.

Sincerely,

SINULOG: Why I hate E-Ticket!

Since when does e-ticket really start?

I first had it way back in April 2011 bound for Cebu. I bought it at a money exchange office. Since I was claiming money for that trip and noticed that they were also expending travel tickets, so I took advantage to avoid the unnecessary quest and trips to exactly-I-don’t-know-where ticketing offices.

After filling up all the blanks in the form, the saleslady then handed a short bond paper to me. Confused and in question, I gladly accepted it thinking it was another form to fill up. But actually, it was already my ticket or as it was popularly known “e-ticket”. So...

Since when does e-ticket really start?

I take no apology for that and don’t blame me for my “ignorant” scene of e-ticket. (haha) For my four years captive in a University offering nursing course, I know you would understand me. My perfect excuse is I was just too busy being a nursing student.

But that did not end there. Mmmmh. I am thinking of actually telling the whole story but then... that would be too long. So....
The time when I arrived at the Pier, I took confidence as I handed over my e-ticket. But would you believe that they did not accept it because I still need to get the official ticket? OH MY! It was 30 minutes before the departure time and the line was endless. Would I still make it? So, I hurried to their mini office and another OH MY! The same line, crowded plus only one ticketing officer. Now, possibility almost turned into the impossibility if ever I can still make it to the trip.

That’s it. End story of my part I of why I hate E-ticket. The Part II is a while ago while booking my ticket or e-ticket (whatever) for my trip for CEBU Sinulog.

The funny part was because of the phobia I had with e-ticket, specifically the “another” lining up for another ticket; I never avoided again the quest and trips for different ticketing offices because I actually visited each and one by one. Why? Of course to avoid my last experience with it.

The first office I visited, aside from having expensive tickets was also dispensing e-ticket. Then, I learned from my friend who bought a ticket lower than the price. I went to another again. This time, I gave up because of the same price and the same e-ticket issues I was facing.

Well, instead of finding that one ticketing office of handing out the old and official ticket instead of an e-ticket, why wouldn’t I just turn my phobia into a learning phobia. This might make things better like going to the pier earlier or hours earlier?

That’s it. My travel lesson 101, go to the pier hours earlier than the departure time. For sure, I’ll skip the hassle of waiting from a long line to get an official ticket right?

Now I couldn’t wait any longer to finally be on deck, wait for a few hours and witness SINULOG CEBU.

Read on as I take miles away from my place to seek spiritual guidance from Sto. Niño. Travel Premiere’s first ever trip by yours truly Nurse Germz.

Sincerely,

CEBU: Say BOO to me

I must say that I have never been a good spelling student and this I apologize for my unforgiving misspelled CEBU. And then again for the second time, I apologize for from the very start I have been too good to be true for it was a lie. I do good in spelling but there is just something in CEBU that I intentionally misspell it to a "Say Boo". I deserve this actually. A shameful slap I deserve as a true blood Cebuana who had left her hometown and rarely paid a visit.

I now call CEBU as a "Say BOO" to me since for the years I am staying here in Cagayan de Oro, I cannot remember even a single good memory in the place I was born. Though I have pretty valid excuses as being serious with my nursing course but I have reached to a dead end of it and not even an exemption was the right word as to why for the year 2011, I have not gone back there for the Sinulog. And yeah I remember now, I was babysitting that time, still valid right?

So for 2012, hoping that the alleged end of the world will remain as forever an alleged, I am starting listing all the places I need to visit there. Oh I almost forgot, I did go back there months after I became an officially RN, that was Apr 24, 2011 for a job interview and keeping my hopes up in finding a good and a salary-satisfying-job. But I ended back here in Cagayan de Oro. To be honest, it was strange to feel home sick in the real-home-cebu and feel a big relief after I came back in Cagayan. I guess being home is not really about the years of stay after all but to the people that have been closed to you at the present. Makes sense?

Now back to my list, actually I only have a pretty few list like 2 only. Does that even called a list? The top of it is SEE-NU-LOG.

I will forever remain unforgivable by my own self if I will still pass another year not witnessing the epic CEBU Sinulog. I now have a worth-to-be-called-online-job so aside from my needs, I still have extra pennies to keep for CEBU getaway. Then followed by another epic experience "Sky Walk" of the Crown Regency Hotel. I know it is quite freaky and scary walking on one of the highest building there but I am after the experience. Anyway, I'll tag along my ever handy boyfie to serve as my refuge in such deepest-insane-experiences.

It is only a few months from now already and so I am having sleepless nights to that day. The second other thing is the "hikay", going to a residence with lechon served on the table and lots of other food. Well, at least I am confident in that part since I have tons of friends who value the fiesta so I will never ran out of places to go to. The problem is the choosing part since most of them are my friends. You know what I mean.

Sincerely,