port of galleons

Me in the other side of Puerto Galera

I will never dare to go to a very, very far place on my own because I get sick during long journeys, but who could resist the beautiful paradise called "puerto galera" or port of galleons?  My uncle who works abroad  arrived in the Philippines in the summer of 2005 and decided to go swimming with his friends in Puerto Galera. My older female cousin  (ate Chuckie) wants to tag along so uncle offered us to join them. Ofcourse, I said yes, I will never pass on the chance to see this place even if I do not know how to swim. Getting to Puerto Galera involves a long travel, we had to meet my uncle's friends in Alabang Terminal and from there we had to go to Batangas Port. From the port, we had to ride a boat to get to Puerto Galera. Riding the bus was easy, it was riding the boat that made me sick. One of my embarassing moments happen that time because I could not help but puke on my ate Chuckie's bag because I was so dizzy.  Good thing, I was still young then  so I had the best excuse. When we arrived in the accomodation, I was itching to see the white sand and the blue sea. True enough, it was magnificent. I have never seen a lovely beach with beautiful people. It was very busy as expected but I still recognized a couple of celebrities - Wilma Doesnt and K Brosas. There are a lot of activities to engaged with. Some are swimming, while others are sunbathing. Some prefer to drink while others prefer to eat. There are those who wants to play volleyball and there are some who rides the banana boat. The choice is yours! As for me, it was enough to spend quality time with my uncle and my cousin and  enjoy the scenery of the fartherst place I have been to date, the beautiful port called puerto galera.

Source: youtube/user/claytonwest

Want to know more about Puerto Galera?  Read on...

Much like the province of Oriental Mindoro to which it belongs, Puerto Galera is very rich in history. Literally meaning "Port of Galleons," it became popular among seafarers during the prosperous years of the galleon trade beginning on the 10th century. Owing to its excellent natural harbor - which until now is considered one of the most beautiful and safest in the world - Puerto Galera became a regular stopover for merchant vessels sailing along the important trade routes of the Near East, Indian coast, Indo-Chinese coast, China, Philippines, Sumatra, and Java.

 Source: http://www.puerto-galera-resorts.com/Brief_History_of_Puerto_Galera.php

Puerto Galera is a soothing vision of shimmering seas surrounded by lush mountains. It is considered one of the most beautiful and developed beach resort community in the country. Starting from "backyard tourism" wherein local residents accept local and foreign tourist as stay-in guest, the island’s tourism has flourished. In the course of time, several hotels, resorts, inns and restaurants have mushroomed within the area.

Banana Boat at White Beach	Romantic Getaway at Tukuran River

There are a thousand things one can do here. Landlubbers can pitch tents, light bonfires, play volleyball, toss a Frisbee, go beach-hopping, watch the sunset, gaze at the stars, hike, go rock climbing, carom off on a motorcycle, discover Oriental Mindoro’s other tourist spots or simply live it up.

But water is certainly the main attraction of the island. Crystal clear and shimmering especially during the hot summer months, the sea framing Puerto Galera is ideal for swimming, sailing, surfing, snorkeling and scuba diving. In fact one doesn’t have to go by boat to get to a dive site. Within a kilometer from the coast, schools of Moorish idols, trumpet fish, frog fish, lion fish and leaf fish weave in and out of thriving corals and sea anemones while species of starfish – from the speckled red-and-white to the neon-blue Pacific – rest on the sandy floor.

High Season at White Beach, Puerto Galera	A Castle Resort at Sabang, Puerto Galera

Gradually sloping beaches – with the terrain ranging from powder white sand to grainy dark sand to smooth stones to rough coral rubble – comprise a large chunk of the island’s 25 thousand hectares. And while the Department of Tourism’s last count pegs the number of resorts at 115, pockets of isolated and virtually resortless coves and beaches are tucked between massive rock formations.

Outside of minor glitches, Puerto Galera is a tropical paradise that is both rustic and thriving. By day it echoes with the soft breeze and the pounding waves. At night, it comes to life with heady laughter and the clink of wine and glasses, only to segue once again to the barest whisper of the elements.

Source: text and images by puertogalera.org

tanging yaman

My family with Lola Met

Anyone who knows me well will agree when I say I love my family.  They are my only treasure or "tanging yaman". Though I was not born with a golden spoon in my mouth, I am still lucky to have a loving father and a forgiving mother. I have sisters who are looking up to me and a brother who brings joy to my heart. They serve as my inspiration to be a better sister, daughter and person. This is perhaps why I love the movie "Tanging Yaman". The movie is a Filipino take on the Parable of the Prodigal Son that tackles problems in the family like jealousy, hatred, anger, and greed, but at the same time it also depicts love, faith, forgiveness, and self-offering.

With a powerhouse cast that gave outstanding performances, no wonder it was a big hit not just in theater but in award-giving bodies too.  The story is moving and the music score adds up to the beauty of the film. One of my favorite scene is when the matriarch of the family, (played well by veteran actress Gloria Romero), was having her communion and offering herself to God so that her family divided by greed and jealousy will be at peace and become whole again.   That scene reminds me of my grandmother who is willing to  give everything for her children and grandchildren without taking anything in return. Another reason why this movie appeals to me is the close resemblance of  Ms. Romero's character  to my grandmom who also has a  strong commitment to her faith.  A must-watch for everyone who wants to be inspired to change and a strong reminder of what we should really value in life, our family, our tanging yaman.

Here is the short description of the film.

Tanging Yaman is a 2000 Filipino religious-family drama film produced by Star Cinema. Directed by Laurice Guillen, the film garnered several awards, especially at the 2000 Metro Manila Film Festival, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Actress.
The movie's title came from a liturgical composition by Manoling Fransisco, SJ and sung by Carol Banawa.

Plot

Separated by distance both physical and emotional, siblings Danny (Johnny Delgado), Art (Edu Manzano) and Grace (Dina Bonnevie) come together to settle a land dispute while their mother Dolores "Loleng" Rosales (Gloria Romero) succumbs to debilitating disease. Old resentments begin to surface, spilling over to the next generation, as they cope with Loleng's sickness and the tract of land left to them by their deceased father.^[1]

Cast

• Gloria Romero as Lola Loleng
• Hilda Koronel as Celine
• Dina Bonnevie as Grace
• Edu Manzano as Art
• Johnny Delgado as Danny
• Joel Torre as Francis
• Cherry Pie Picache as Nanette
• Marvin Agustin as Boyet
• Jericho Rosales as Rommel
• CJ Ramos as John-John
• Shaina Magdayao as Carina
• John Prats as Andrew
• Carol Banawa as Chona
• Dominic Ochoa as Joel
• Janette McBride as Madeline
• Rolaine Kaye Surposa as Opera

 Source: Text and image by Wikipedia.

For your eyes only. Enjoy while it lasts. Pass the pocorn, please!

mamma mia!

Riz with Mom

I guess one good way of getting to know me is through mamma mia or my mom. There is a myth popular among Filipinos that when a woman is in the early stage of pregnancy, she is always craving for something or what we call "naglilihi" in our native tongue. My mom is no exception. She once told me that before she learnt that she was pregnant with me, she could not understand why she always wanted to eat spaghetti. Poor dad, he has too eat spaghetti with mom at least 3x a day. Obviously, the reason why she loves spaghetti is because she was carrying me.

If the myth is to be believed, I should looked like spaghetti (lol!). I guess it was not true, but my mom's love for spaghetti was definitely passed on to me. I am a big fan of pasta and spaghetti is my favorite. Who would not fall for a plate of long noodles with creamy, sweet and red sauce, and grated cheese on top? It's amazing to note that while we Filipinos love our sweet sauce, the Italians love their tangy sauce.  I do not know how to cook spaghetti, but with the recipe below and the video I found on youtube, 

I'm sure I will learn in no time.    

Video Source: pinoychannel.tv/user/foodtrip28

Filipino Style Spaghetti Recipe

Estimated & preparation & cooking time: 40 minutes.

Spaghetti Ingredients:

• 1 kg. spaghetti noodles
• 1/2 kg. ground beef
• 1/2 kg. ground pork
• 1/4 kg. hotdogs, diagonally sliced
• 1 kg. tomato sauce (or 3/4 kg. tomato sauce and 1/4 kg. banana catsup)
• 3 pieces laurel leaves (bay leaves)
• 1/4 cup brown or white sugar (reduce to 1/8 cup if using banana catsup)
• 2 green bell peppers, diced
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 head garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons of cooking oil
• 1 cup of water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup grated cheese

Spaghetti Cooking Instructions:

• Cook spaghetti noodles according to package instructions.
• In a sauce pan or wok, sauté garlic and onions in cooking oil.
• Add ground beef, ground pork, laurel leaves, bell pepper and a cup of water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add tomato sauce or combination of banana catsup and tomato sauce, salt and pepper to taste then let simmer for another 10 minutes
• Add brown sugar and hotdogs. Continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
• Optional: add hot sauce e.g. Tabasco for more spice if desired.
• Serve with the cooked spaghetti noodles and grated cheese on top.
  Source: http://www.filipinofoodrecipes.net
  
  

  

  Jollibee Spaghetti

I thank mom for her genes and i thank her too for loving spaghetti - magnifico, fabuloso, delicioso!

intro

Good day people! My name is Ramses Yllah P. Amatriam, a first year Computer Secretarial student at Cavite State University. This blog has been created as part of my school requirements but even if it was made for that purpose, I still hope that the entries you will find in here will be of interest and help to you all!