2021 Roundup

 

If 2020 was a transition phase for me, 2021 became my adjustment period to the life I chose to change. This basically centered around having to deal with living with my parents again, stripping off certain freedoms that I enjoyed in Manila. This meant not being able to freely come and go as I please without letting them know why I was leaving the house. This also meant that I have a curfew whenever there was no one to open the gate for me. In exchange of reinstating life's constraints, I now have no bills to worry save for my own personal expenses. I don't have to worry about doing the laundry or preparing my food because I am no longer as independent as I was last year. It definitely has its pros and cons, an equal amount of compromise and financial freedom as its bottom line. At times I could feel like my parents had turned into my responsibility especially when it comes to doing errands and reminding them of their lack of focus. In the end, I've learned to live with it...but I times I just wish I can easily fly in and out of Manila to regain some sense of control for my sanity. 

The other thing where my life revolved around this year was the construction and establishment of our glamping business in La Castellana, Doméino. This is where I spent most of my time and energy in 2021. Doméino is basically what defined my 2021. It was where I grew as a person this year, as well as what drove me crazy...that, and getting covid.

All in all, 2021 seemed to have passed faster than 2020. This was mainly due to the fact that I was busy most days. Traveling around Negros was also easier compared to Manila. I even managed to go to Cebu twice by the end of the year...and probably even more places if not for typhoon Odette.

I experienced a couple of high and lows this year. The highs being able to something crazy amazing like constructing and managing a resort. My lows, having to go through a bad case of covid, as well as losing a couple of my close relatives this year. It's hard that I didn't get to enjoy their company as much as I could've wanted because of the pandemic. 

I did as much as I could to gain momentum with my life. Although at times I feel like I'm at a standstill, especially socially and when it comes to experiencing new cultures. But as I sit and reflect on what transpired, it's wasn't that bad at all. 

Parachute Café in Canggu, Bali

 

If there's one place in Bali where I'd stay to chill and wait for the sunset it'll be here at Parachute. The whole vibe of the café screams picturesque and cozy at the same time. The utilization of wood, its variation of grains, tint, and texture create the mood for beautiful mornings, easy afternoons, and sensual evenings. Add to that the sprawling seating choices, from al fresco to indoor nooks, it is absolutely pleasing to the eyes. 

It's one of those cafes that's located right beside a rice field, and the changing of the season transforms the background from a lush green to warm golden hues. If anything, its aesthetics in on point with being a rustic-chic restaurant. The focal center of the café is an actual parachute that drifts along with the breeze. Here you'll find people in intimate groups or alone with a laptop, relaxing in the ambience that the space has created. 

Selloum Café at Talisay

 

Tucked away in the upper part of Talisay, Selloum is a good getaway spot for a quick respite from the city life. There you will be able to take it slow and look at a 180 degrees panoramic view of Silay, with a horizon that reach as far as Panay. On one side you'll find the subalpine peaks of Mt. Silay, and on the other is the flatlands of Silay with the Guimaras strait on its background. On clear days you will find the islands of Pan de Acuzar of Concepncion, and they claim that you can even spot the beach isaland of Lakawon in Cadiz on occasion.

Selloum is a type of Araceae plant that is popularly ornamental with its deep green color and unique leaf shape. That's the leaf you will find on their logo and in their cafe. They describe themselves as wild, tropical, lush, and dramatic. They encourage you to stay for sunsets as it is beautiful...yet try not to stay until dark as the road has little to no light, and is steep. I got a small scare on my way as I was driving a small car not fit for mountain driving, and part of the path is a deep cross of a bridge then immediately a steep climb up, I thought the car was gonna overheat before getting to the cafe. Luckily it didn't. The sights you will see on your drive will be amazing though, with a chance of seeing fog rolling down the mountain. 

Snippets: Ricefields of Ma-ao

 

Taken last April 17, 2021, at barangay Ma-ao in Bago city, Negros Occidental. 

One random afternoon I felt the urge to drive at a spot I've been eyeing to sit and sip a good cup of coffee at the side of the road while staring at the view of the ricefield. It was close to harvest season for some of the paddy fields in that area, which was wonderful. The drive is roughly 30 minutes away from my house. An hour of driving is just the right amount of time wherein I'm still enjoying the drive, exceeding that I'll start to get annoyed and tired. I failed at my attempt to buy a cup of coffee on my way out of the city, but I did manage to arrive at a perfect time. There was no one working at the fields at that time as it was late in the afternoon on a Saturday.

I made a quick stop at this spot to take videos for my story feed on Instagram and to make my city friends envious of the fresh air I'm breathing. I watched in silent amazement, feeling so alive and present. The gentle sound of the irrigation water flowing down the canal was so calming that I can mistake that moment as being somewhere in the rural area of Japan...if not for the nipa huts I could see at a distance. There were even chirping birds and crickets to complete the ambiance. I was in a blissful meditative state, simply listening to nature as it moved in sync with the sight that spread before me. 

After a couple of minutes, I drove on a little farther and took a detour at a narrow road where a village stood in the middle of the ricefield. All of the villagers' eyes were on me as I passed through their houses, probably wondering if I was lost...or whose house I was stopping at. I drove past the village and felt unsure where the road was leading as it seemed to steer into a private property, so turned back in surrender.

I was slowly making my way back home when I noticed people on the streets looking up at the sky, some taking their phones out to take videos at a certain spot. I peeked through my windshield out of naïve curiosity and immediately saw what the fuss was about. There, at a distance, was a huge waterspout that has formed out of the dark clouds. This was the third time in my life I was seeing it, the first one was off the coast of Batangas, the second one was somewhere in Negros Oriental, and this time it was possibly somewhere along the bay of Pulupandan. Watching the force of nature is always fascinating...one that's worth stopping for and taking a bunch of videos to post online. So I did exactly that, driving back to the same spot where I took earlier photos of, only this time it had that huge natural anomaly. If it was a tornado and much closer to where I was, I could have had a different reaction and story altogether...especially when I told my parents I was only going out to check some shower curtains at a nearby store. In the end, I got the feeling I was chasing after, a thrilling calm. Not to mention, photos and videos that were a little more special than intended. Before the day ended I posted a couple of shots on my Instagram with the caption: "Some days are more fascinating than others."

There is so much peace in staring at a ricefield, either in its greenest vibrant tint or its lush golden form. It's a sight of my childhood that triggers memories of travel and home at the same time. I can watch the swaying of its leaves and listen to the rustling of its panicle for hours on end. It was one of the reasons I went to Bali, to fulfill my desire to sit at a cafe right next to the paddy fields. How I wish someone will be able to make that same concept here in Negros. For now, the best way to satisfy that longing is to bring my own cup of coffee and drive to an unpopulated area where hectares of rice plantations stretch then leisurely drink there. 

I'm gonna claim it. This is a post of affirmation to initiate the law of attraction. Universe, one day I'm gonna build a café next to a ricefield. Just like what happened on that day when I took the photo, I told the universe to entertain me because I was bored...and so it did. 

Mandayao Panorama Park at La Castellana

Marked as K73 L11, Mandayao Panorama Park is a fast-developing destination for bike riders and those on short weekend getaways. Located at Barangay Mansalanao in the municipality of La Castellana, it sits out at the highest point of Mandayao Legacy Park. With an elevation that is sandwiched between two spectacular views: the south-west face of Mt. Kanlaon at one side, then parts of the sloping plains of La Castellana, hill ranges of Central Negros, parts of Moises Padilla, the coast of Hinigaran and Binalbagan right down to the Strait of Guimaras on the other. On clear days you should spot the islands of Guimaras and Iloilo where you can witness spectacular sunsets. 

There you will find an array of affordable restaurants that serves a variety of dishes, from the classic Pinoy favorites like batchoy, silog, pancit, inihaw, crispy pata, kare-kare, and even boodle fight meals. If you want to try foreign-inspired dishes some restaurants also serve localized versions of Japanese maki, Taiwanese hot pots, American burgers, Italian pizzas, and gyros. Each restaurant has its own edge, be it from the food that they serve or the ambiance that they set. Almost all of the restaurants are managed and manned by their respective owners, thus making your experience a little better. The laid-back setting tends to match with their service as waiting time can get apparent once their places reach a certain capacity. There will be days when a couple of their menu items won't be available, especially on weekdays...but for the most part, people do tend to go there to unwind more than go on a gastronomical journey. Get a cup of native coffee or open a bottle of beer, then take your time to sip them while gazing at the unobstructed landscape. 

My Covid Experience

You know that moment when you felt something was wrong, and when your fear got validated your whole disposition crumbles?

The moment I received the news that I was covid positive, I closed my eyes and cursed to myself. Where did I go wrong? 

Then the idea of the butterfly effect came to me. Every careless thing I did for the past week led me up to this moment of having to go through with this ordeal. It's not as terrible as some consequences get, but it was enough to put my life and some of the people around me to a halt. Surely, it was from those few instances when I felt like putting my defenses down resulted to this ripple effect. 

If I were to look back, it started with the decision in my head, that I was gonna work myself tired after enjoying a night of drinking at home with my girlfriends. I watched the clock tick to 2:30am on a Sunday and I looked at the empty bottles of wine and beer on the table, all I could think about is getting up early in the morning because we had to leave for La Castellana to work on the glamping site. The entire week was dedicated to looking for materials needed for the construction, and this meant tiring myself out almost every day on top of lacking sleep most nights and not taking any vitamins then. By Wednesday I knew I was close to falling ill because I couldn't keep myself up past 10pm. I was exhausted. I managed to recover by the time I woke up and started working again at the glamping site. By Saturday I was able to do more work for our glamping, but by evening I couldn't sleep and I found myself awake until 3am, that I promised myself that right after celebrating Mother's Day at lunch I would sleep all I want from Monday onwards. I just had to finish our family lunch and then allow myself a good long rest for the week ahead. Little did I know that is exactly what will happen. It was the worst feeling to have to drive out to order take-out in a restaurant that took two hours to prepare the food while feeling like I was about to collapse. I had three hours of sleep that day, and I was starting to sneeze repeatedly while hearing the 6am mass. My greatest relief was when I finally sat to eat lunch and think to myself that I was done for the week. That turned out to be a proper rest that would last for more than two weeks. 

A Year After the Lockdown

Three hundred and sixty-five days after, where are we at? Still on "lockdown" or "community quarantine" as declared by the state, but it no longer feels like so. I've grown attuned to the changes. The "new normal" isn't so bad once you get past the grumbling stage wherein you whine about all the precautions that needed to be made. I mean, I still hate wearing face shields and not being able to freely interact with people intimately without both parties having a sense of paranoia. Greeting people with a kiss or a hug I miss the most. But as long as I have enough freedom to go outside the gate without having to pass through checkpoints in between cities and get to dine in at restaurants, I am fine. It was about 361 days ago when the announcement was made, and 364 days when I took the news more seriously. I remember needing to go out and do something at BGC last March 15, 2020...exactly the day of the lockdown. I was there at 9am to purchase some food items, and as I was walking I could feel the eerie silence of the whole place. There was barely anybody there. Most of the shops were closed, no public vehicles on the road...everyone just sort of vanished. I can never forget that moment when I crossed the pedestrian on 5th Ave and I turned to my right to look at the incoming traffic, and all I saw was the vast emptiness of the city. That was the moment it dawned on me that shit just got real. Like a post-apocalyptic movie wherein the population has suddenly gone blank. I remember thinking to myself, "So it's actually happening." 

Mistiming or Unfolding? Part 1 of 3

 Mistiming or Unfolding?

Part 1 of 3

We've reached a point where 

Our relationship is at a standstill

We are the grey

Between black and white

The words have gone dry

And our emotions subdued

Though gladness is still in our eyes

Our hearts no longer flutter

We're back to where we started

We need a reconnection

A lost of feelings

Our timings didn't match

And we both lost ourselves

In an almost answered call

You came in too early

At a moment when I wasn't sure 

I didn't heed your signs

And it was when I was ready

I discretely gave you a go

Unknown to me

You've already given up

This could be a play on fate

A sign that we were never meant to be

Just a sweet passing

That you and me?

I'm still hoping what could be

But at this point I'll sit still

And wait a little longer

Hope a little more

For when things might start again

I already have the answer

The Closer I Get To You by Franco Reyes

 

For the month of love, I'm enjoying listening to Franco Reyes' version of The Closer I Get to You that was originally sung by Roberta Flack (I recommend her song and version of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.) I love his intro about being in the friendzone...because that was harsh, and his sly remark with his grin is annoyingly attractive. Anyway, the one thing I've come to realize last year, with uptrend of the term "5 Love Languages", that my love language is Acts of Service. I wasn't aware of this whole love language until a friend asked me to take the quiz. It's funny how as I was taking the quiz that I was laughing at myself for realizing that maybe I need an assistant more than the lover. I love people doing stuff for me, more than receiving gifts, hearing praises, getting physical touches...but quality time did come in at a close second love language...because there's nothing more comforting than just by feeling my love's presence right next to me. I've been listening to Franco's version of the song since early last year because his voice and the way he was singing it was really hot, but when I started listening to the lyrics the more I was able to connect with the song. Yeah...I get captured when you give me all you've got. XD

The closer I get to you

The more you make me see

By giving me all you got

Your love has captured me

Over and over again

I tried to tell myself that we

Could never be more than friends

And all the while inside I knew it was real

The way you make me feel

The YouTube video is owned by Roxanne Nebres, and I'm sharing the original link of the video itself.

As for the 5 Love Language quiz, you can click the link here: Love Language Quiz