Day 230: Barangay Fatima Chooses Philippines

Places. On my past posts it can be assumed that taking vacation on places abroad is fun. Today, if your really had followed these two posts, you will realize it really is fun!

However, in spending the last days of summer you need not go abroad to experience fun, education, and produce perfect moments. The Philippines in itself is a bounty basket of all these.

Through the iLead (Intentional Leadership) Training & Seminar Year 2 & the Linggo ng Kabataan 2012 our youth displayed jovial thoughts and concepts of travelling the Philippines.

NEED A GETAWAY? Travel here!

During the last night of our iLead² we had made the purok leaders of our barangay who joined the training interpret Angeline Quinto’s “Piliin mo ang Pilipinas” track. We had so much fun!

Last year’s celebration of Linggo ng Kabataan made the promotion more felt in barangay Fatima through a dance competition during the Cultural Night. This video was recorded during the said celebration. I would like to thank Chairman Wawa for sharing this.

For no apparent reason, embedding the video cannot be made possible. To temporarily resolve your viewing inconvenience, I have linked it on the word "video" above.

Update: I finally am able to find a way to insert the video for a more convenient viewing.


The ever cooperative Purok 39.2 bagged the first prize.

Any more words?

Though our Sangguniang Kabaatan Governance program is nearing commencement, we still afford to prepare for iLead³. We are very excited to equip our young people with fresh knowledge and ideas to progress leadership and service to their respective purok.

On my upcoming post, I will share about the iLead.

Day 232: Eiffel Tower, Eiffel Tower, I feel—

The coach parked and our teacher-leader retested the microphone. Oh! that feedback noise piercing the ears. She then proceeded to enumerate the instructions, as we were at the London sites. She wasn’t over yet so I slid my point-and-shoot in its case, and trying to keep my wildly heart in its cage. In a few while she said for the nth time, “Okay? Don’t leave the group!”, and she finally signaled us off.

Guess now it’s official, I’m heading to that tower! Feeling my pockets for things I should not miss, a lump slowly grew in my throat as the cheers that swung here and there inside the coach, all noise, were silenced in my ears. The front seat people rose first. I'm grabbing whichever handle fits my position to lift me afoot. Quite jumpy but with conscious constraint, I raised myself from my seat heading out off the coach. It was still really hard to believe.

Closing the landmark, I was stomped. The tower confronted me singularly with its display of beauty and wonder. A cold tide overcomes me and weighed my jaw down, and open. I know it was hanging for some time until that tender summer gust awakened each weakened muscle. The sounds of people passing, chatting, of cars beeping, cranking, of cameras ticking, started to creep in my ears. Gradually, my acoustics came back from its stripped vitality. “It’s real. I’m here!” My hearing could have been deafened with such outbursts from the inside, and have been numbed from an effort to express calmness on the outside.

I saw crowds, patches of them, gather assuredly below those mighty legs . Some muster around dancing teens, mascots, marionettes, players; other train on food stalls, booths, cafés and restaurants. Yes! under it homes all of these. That is, you will have to walk for minutes straight to go across the grounds, east to west, as I can modestly approximate.

So, our group was on queue for the elevator and stairs. Thick rustic steel supported the base of the structure. I glided my sight around and a boastful air of strength poked my nape. Its overwhelming canopy has long traffics of metals and cables stretching from and to all four sides, soldered with grave pacts of metals, so erected the tower made.

Entering the slanted elevator I opportunely gripped a slate of steel where pegs are punctured and held together the bands and layers. This was my kinder expression of desire, instead of embracing a part of the tower’s base wholly, as large I can, at least. I chided the latter thought. “At least I’ll have reason’s to go back” – and be crazy!

Pulleys cringed and the elevator gave shakes. We are being raised. In every ascent of the elevator a fresher sight is seen. Vast interspersed chicken wire, which can become finger-thick, supported the congregation of races and colors.

Finally we got up to the farthest deck. The view was more than breath-taking. The circuitry of streets and divisions below were thoughtfully orchestrated, given that they seem to all lower themselves in recognition of the preeminence of the landmark, especially on the view facing Champ de Mars.

Which that followed were delights and surprises, and a song of praise to the ever living God!

Windows here

The details of the time were well preserved on this personal
cabin of the tower's architect.

Wax figures of Mr. & Mrs. Eiffel and -
guess who was with them :)

Click and know how far the Eiffel Tower from the Philippines.

View from the tower.

On the top deck but certainly not along the lightning rod!

Champ-de-Mars. Breathe in, breathe out. A view so refreshing.

Tower, you'll have a great huge hug when I come back :D

Any more words?

I should have had posted this after the first part but I had commitments that should be finished first. But here it is! Enjoy!

Day 245: Trip to France for FREE!

Travel Paris for FREE this summer! Well at least I wrote of my travel experience for you when I was on Paris with my People to People Ambassadors family. This is just the first part.

Paris is always a good idea.

The usual. I had two crusty croissants, and butter. Well, croissants could have done it but I need some protein source, too, so a scoop juicy omelet concluded my breakfast plate. Milk and juice for the throat, and I said grace.

“Our itinerary,” started our teacher-leader having settled ourselves in the bus. I can’t remember the whole of the presentation. Perhaps of the lait and jus d’orange combo that lingers in my taste buds? Nothing but “…Eiffel Tower…” rings my ears out of everything said. I was more livened.

We were passing lovely architectures and buildings the time we set off the hotel. Every turn was a good surprise. But I find myself leaning down the brick-paved roads at times. You can’t blame me to miss few structures because the road itself was a sight to me, especially along the historical Champs-Elysées. At the end of the street Arc de Triomphe stand in majesty. We even went two rounds so we can savor the details of the monument.

It was quite a ride though the tower was available at your panorama. Heading to the location, I was stoked more and more. When we arrived downtown the streets were getting narrower, but enough to let buses and cars safely flow on both sides.

Driving through the veins of the city, I saw French locals and their daily errands. Some were taking the metro, gathering on a post like around a canteen smoking, and getting started on street side cafés. I thought it would only just be in the movies—“I’m in Paris!”

I felt sparkles in my view, every plant, car, and person has distinct highlight all the way while around my head was the movie Ratatouille. Ratatouille. What a nostalgic movie had it become for me.

On my side of the window, I can no longer see the tower across the skyline but the thought past fast. I felt like jumping off and talk to French people. I felt so bold though my ammunitions are only “Bonjour!” and “Monsieur/Maidmoiselle”, “Au revoir!” It’s not possible to get off the bus though since we visit the place as a group, and where the group is, well, you know better.

More turns and more, turns. I was a foot close to the people on the sidewalks. I think we’re on the capillaries already?! I wanted to grab them by my side of the coach and converse, “Bonjour! Monsieur et maidmoiselle. Au revoir!” After my greetings, return them their French liberty. Silly, it’s not conversation at all! The more, since for seconds I’ll hold them captive just to listen to my pre-fab phrases. My mind was ‘heartily’ playing on thoughts.

I paused. The people on the sidewalks thicken. “I can’t greet them all!” and goes a giggle. In an instant, I felt my throat parched. So, I drank from my water bottle. The combo’s taste is fainting. Another gulp, and it was washed totally. Then my eyes took a scene. They were glary. So I dab a wet tissue over it while noticing the coach having an every-minute stop.

In a little while, my view from the window was being covered with buildings and trees. I’m not as gratified as before. I felt like asking, “Are we there yet? Are we there yet?” the classic children phrase that usually get them places faster. I gazed through the windshield and saw an officer orchestrating the traffic. “Pfff…” I mutely replayed the phrases. 

We went around a street. The coach took a stop again. My eyes were still glary, so I thought it's in the eyeglasses. I took it off. When I was wiping it, in my peripheral I saw l flock of people crossing the street. My eyeglasses were still hamburgered with tissues on my hand when I notice behind the crowd a huge brown offshoot of something. I started to raise my eyes. My heart began to throb.