a southern experience…

been gone for almost a week, now i am back to reality again – work and more work.

just an update to my mom’s condition. before i left for my Mindanao trip, i visited my mom at St. Lukes, Tuesday last week that is right after her operation. I slept there for a night (thou it was really a sleepless night). Nevertheless, i left early in the morning with a peace of mind knowing that my mom is better now. what’s the real score? she has been diagnosed with a stage 2 breast cancer that is why she was operated to remove the bukol with the cancer cells. she also needs to be treated with chemotheraphy so please continue to pray for her (her healing and recover). we are just entrusting everything to God.

this is my mom, listening to her ipod so she can sleep easily. music heals, i guess. hehe!

thank's ipod!

worry-free, this is the exact words to describe my mom when she got up from her bed ready to bid me goodbye. kaya ayan nakapapicture pa di ba? with the “granada” (drainage for blood) on her tagiliran.

smile lang

so ayan, here’s my another story. this is my trip to Davao and Cotabato.

In Mindanao there are a lot of places to go and I guest I am lucky enough to visti this place. thou hindi kabuuan ng Minda. hehe. nwei, first i noticed that in this place maraming mura, ilan sa mga ito ay:

1. Fruits – grabe if you are a fruit lover mabubuhay ka na sa lugar na ito. pero pagtyagaan niyo nalang dahil kaunti lang pictures ko sa mga fruits.

durian

marang

me w/a marang fruit

2.  Fish, pork atbp – dito lang ako nakakita ng murang pagkain. as in sobrang mura talaga. like the bbq which cost php4 lang per stick.

bbq

ice cold beer w/bbq

menu w/ d 4peso bbq stick

meron pa silang su2kil na tinatawag. choose mo ano gusto mo ipa ihaw. at infairness dito lang ako nakakita ng turo-turo o carinderia na may nagbebenta ng tunaat normal lang sa kanila ang menu na yun. sosyal nels.

su2kil

i have also tried the pastil. this one natikman ko ito sa may cotabato na part. rice siya na may chicken toppings tapos binalot sa dahon ng saging. grabe ang sarap. you can eat it na ganun lang at pwede ka din namang mag ulam.

pastil

3. Art – i have visited also the People’s Park at Davao where you can find sculptures created by Kublai Millan, a UP fine arts graduate.

music instruments

ribbon

4. Crocodile Farm in Davao – here you can see a lot of crocodiles, of course. but aside from that para na rin siyang zoo dahil may ibat ibang hayop ka na ding makikita dito like birds, snakes, etc.

5. Landmarks in Cotabato – wala lang gusto ko lang talaga magpapicture kung saan saan kaya ito naging resulta.

6. Malong, sarong atbp. – near the Cotabato capitol is a bazaar where you can find/buy malong, sarong atbp with the cheapest price. from downtown may mag jeep na pwedeng masakyan ang label eh ORC at dun na, pwede  ka ng bumaba dun.

7. Usapang pamilya – I also got the chance to meet my relatives (father side) in Mindanao, particularly in Midsayap, North Cotabato. Tagal na sila andun mga 1960s pa sila lumipat dun from Ilocos. at infairness sa paglilibot ko sa field andami nga talagang Ilocano dun. the only reason why there are so many Ilocanos in Mindanao is because of the malalawak na lupa which noon daw sinaunang panahon, they can buy these lands sa mga nagmamay aring Muslim na ang katumbas eh isang kabayo or sako ng asin. ayan di ko sure if how sure yan ha… hehe…

8. ATBP – In Cotabato City there is a street where you can see big streamers, na sunod sunod pa, na ang nakalagay ay

i think i dont need to explain why diba? nakita ko rin yung lugar kung saan nangyari yung pagbobomba( last week ba yun?). when i entered the city medyo kinakabahan ako diko ma explain ang feeling pero habang tumatagal nagiging comportable na rin ako sa lugar, ikaw ba naman makakita ng tangke at militar bawat kanto malamang magfifiling secure ka diba? gusto ko nga sanang magpapicture sa mga tangke kaso bawal daw dahil news black out, bawal ang media, bawal mag docu, ah basta bawal.

maliban dun, di ko alam kung sa Mindanao lang to, pero grabe andaming binabahang lugar dito. nasubukan kong lumakad sa baha makapasok lang sa looban upang maisakatuparan ang aking misyon at wala akong nagawa kundi hayaang mabasa ang pantalon ko.

natry ko rin palang pumasok sa isang Casino sa Davao dahil binigyan kami ng 300 peso worth na ticket na pwede namin ibet. ala akong picture sa loob dahil bawal ang camera at ibang electronic devices sa loob. pero dahila dik ako di ko ipinusta ang ticket ginawa ko siyang souvenir. ito na siya

so ayan, to conclude this entry just want to thank everyone for praying for my mom, i believe that prayers are indeed powerful.

join me again sa susunod kong mga gala at bagong experience. 😉