We woke up at around 5am as we prepared for our Canjet flight that was at 7:20am. It was quite an early morning and to our disappointment, the Tim Hortons shop in the airport was not opened yet. The flight itself took around 6 hours, but it wasn’t too boring because my sister and I fell asleep for most of it. We landed around 3:00pm and were picked up by a bus that drove us to the hotel.

The hotel that we chose to stay at was the Ocean Coral and Turquesa. My sister and I did some extensive research on many hotels around the Mayan Riviera and decided to go with this one mainly because of the overall value it provided. It did not disappoint because the facility was gorgeous.

Yours truly outside the Hotel’s lobby

There were four pools – one for the kids, one as an activity pool, one as the pool bar (very busy all the time), and one as the quiet pool. My favorite feature in the pools were the jets on the underwater pool beds. It felt so relaxing and soothing, and it was nice to be able to sip on your favorite drink while enjoying your time on the pools.

The Hotel’s Lobby – Big, Cozy, Majestic

The hotel room was pretty nice, although it did have a musty smell.

With regards to the food, it was enjoyable overall. My biggest tip would be to go early, especially for the ala carte restaurants. Since there are not a lot of tables available, seats fill up quickly and you could wait hours to have dinner. If you are a foodie, I would not expect too much. The very important thing to remember when eating at an all inclusive resort is to go on the a la carte restaurants early to avoid  disappointment. Our order of ranking for the hotel food are as follows:

1) Mexican – You can’t go wrong with this restaurant. All the meals we ordered (fajitas, nachos, tacos) were prepared nicely and it was very delicious. (4.5/5)

2) Italian – The food was not great but not that bad as well. My sister’s osso bucco meal was good, while my mussel pasta did not taste particularly great because the mussels weren’t fresh. (3/5)

3) Dessert – The hotel had a dessert restaurant which served savory and sweet crepes. This was a great place to go to because it was an outdoor restaurant (good ambience at night) with decent dessert. (4/5)

3) Japanese – Since I am from Vancouver, a place full of delicious Japanese food, I was not too impressed. Basically, they had the same kind of sauce for all of the meat (shrimp, chicken, beef, veggie). (2/5)

4) International – The international buffet was pretty good and had nightly food themes (French, Mexican, International, etc). They also had omelette stations in the morning and grill stations in the evening which served delectable seafood and steak. The breakfast buffet was pretty much the same everyday which made it less appealing especially towards the end of the trip. (3.5/5)

An interesting experience that my sister and I had in the hotel was the “H10 Premium” promotion. This is their codename for their VIP Timeshare program. The only reason why we chose to do this was because of the $80 credit (for any tour or excursion) that the hotel would give us if we attended the 2 hour information session. My sister and I said yes because we wanted to use it for 2-hour snorkeling tour. The meeting went by rather smoothly, but after touring you around the VIP facilities, they bring you into a nice air-conditioned room filled with tables of sales agents talking to clients. At that moment, we instantly knew that this is “negotiation” time. They basically laid out all their timeshare plans and the payment options that were available. Although they were pretty attractive, my sister and I do not travel a lot and would definitely not afford it. When we decided to tell our sales agent that we were not interested, they brought in a Canadian sales agent who was more persuasive. After half an hour of talking and discussion, we firmly declined their offer and got our $80 tour credit. In the end, it was painful but worth it.

Overall, my sister and I both had an excellent experience at the Ocean Coral & Turquesa. I was actually quite surprised with some of the negative online reviews that I have found because most of the staff were hospitable. Some even went the extra mile and asked us multiple times for drinks. I also thought the hotel’s facilities were spectacular and clean. Another plus was the free WiFi internet available in the lobby (although very slow) as well as the chocolate fondue buffet on Sundays (very good!)

Stay tuned as I have a lot more to share about my Mayan Riviera trip. I’d love to hear your own experiences in the Mayan Riviera! Please share through the comments section.

I was craving for some chocolate today so I decided to make some fudgy chocolate brownies based on Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook. The recipe has been tweaked slightly because I like the brownies to be not as sweet. I also added some chopped walnuts and semisweet chocolate chips to make it extra crunchy and chocolate-y! It is a very easy and simple recipe. Try it out!

Fudgy Chocolate Brownies (makes 16)

Ingredients:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) of unsalted butter, plus more for pan
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup walnut halves
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan or heatproof glass dish. Line pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on 2 sides. Set aside. Place butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water; stir frequently until chocolate and butter are melted, about 7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat; let cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Stir sugar into cooled chocolate mixture until combined. Whisk in eggs one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Gently fold in flour and salt – do not over mix. Add in the walnut halves and the semisweet chips into the brownie mixture.

Before baking – make sure it is evenly distributed

3. Pour batter into prepared pan, and smooth top with an offset spatula. Bake until cake tester inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Run a knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pan. Using parchment, lift brownies out of pan and onto the rack. Transfer to a cutting board; cut into 2-inch squares. Brownies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

I have finally risen back after a three month hiatus. I didn’t just want to go back without changing something on the site; this was why I decided to have a layout change but still keep the same color scheme for the blog. I’m actually very excited with how this design came about and I’m looking forward to share through writing (once again) of the experiences I’ve had over the past few months.

The past three months have been a great learning experience for me. I’ve been on my first solo trip with my sister to the Mayan Riviera and had a wonderful time. For the meantime, I’d love to share some pictures and I look forward to sharing more about the trip in the coming days.

In two days time, Filipinos will be heading to the precincts in their local communities to make a decision that will truly impact the lives of more than 90 million Filipinos in a nation living under poverty and extensive corruption. The right to vote is now our only chance to change the direction of this country – let us not waste this valuable opportunity. Whoever’s name you choose to shade on that ballot, ensure that you know why you are voting them.

Are you voting based on platform and record – or are you voting simply because of empty promises and your favorite celebrity endorsed your candidate? Vote for what you believe in and know what they believe in. Don’t be easily swayed by misleading advertisements or by the candidate’s charm. Let’s make an informed decision because this is the future of the country that we are talking about.

If I were in the Philippines, I would be voting for:

President – Richard “Dick” Gordon : I believe that Gordon has both the executive and legislative experience, having the credibility and experience to lead our country. We saw how he changed Subic – and I believe that he can do it for the Philippines. I especially also like the fact that he focuses on education and has a feasible plan on how to make education for all a reality. However, I am not fond of the fact that he is involved in a series of controversial scandals, including the one with Payumo. He also seems to have a slim chance in winning the election because he has a small presence in Mindanao.  Thus, a candidate that came to a close second for me was former Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro. His charisma and eloquence in speaking first amazed me because I really felt that he connected to the people. He also did not have empty promises, but had an implementation plan when talking about the country’s most important issues. My one issue with him is that he is affiliated with the administration party, Lakas-Kampi-CMD. Even if he is not corrupt, the many people around him have a corrupt record.

For Vice-President (this was a hard one), I chose Jejomar Binay because of his executive experience and for the simple reason that he is real. I believe we need more politicians like Binay who admit that they have done mistakes, just like we, as individuals do.

My senatorial slate:
- Miriam Defensor-Santiago
- Franklin Drilon
- Jinggoy Estrada
- Ruffy Biazon
- Sonia Roco
- Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel
- Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos
- Teofisto Guingona III
- Sergio Osmena II
- Pia Cayetano
- Vicente “Tito” Sotto III
- Susan Ople

This election campaign season was characterized by controversy, drama, and so much in between. Let’s pray and hope for a peaceful 2010 elections on May 10th.

PS. This post is the personal opinion of the blogger. RESPECT

So after a long day, I decided to make myself instant noodles. But I didn’t just want what was in the package. So I made the noodles my own and added a bunch of different things to make it taste better. I added some fresh shiitake mushrooms, seaweed, and scrambled egg. From the package… here is what we get! Although it looks rather unappetizing, it was the comfort food that I needed to wrap up the evening.

Last weekend I was fortunate to be able to get away from town and go on a 3-day retreat in Loon Lake, a UBC educational facility for the Forestry faculty, in the elevated mountains of Maple Ridge. It was a spiritual retreat with a theme that was focused on learning about “Creation Science” – a highly controversial yet very interesting and relevant topic.

There was no cellphone coverage. Very scenic location with a picturesque lake surrounded by trees and beautiful flowers. I’ll let the pictures explain for themselves.

]]> http://0bfuscation.org/?feed=rss2&p=471 3 http://0bfuscation.org/?p=440 http://0bfuscation.org/?p=440#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:22:51 +0000 Kiel http://0bfuscation.org/?p=440 PS: This is the personal opinion of the blogger – respect!

Nowhere else than only in the Philippines are you exposed to such a grandiose, controversial, and dramatic election campaign system. Only amongst the Presidentiables, you see a candidate who has commercials about (literally) taking a bath in sea of garbage, a presidential candidate running for President after being convicted of plunder changes, and a candidate’s sister who’s an actress crying for more than 8 minutes in her show, subtly campaigning for her brother.

Inspired by another blog written at Inquirer.net, I challenge all Filipinos, and anyone who wants to be actively involved in the doings (and wrongdoings) of their government to ask themselves, What would I do if I were the President of my country? As the wild circus formally called The Philippine 2010 Presidential Election is coming up, we should ask ourselves, what do I envision the Philippines to be? More importantly, what methods would be deployed in order to bring forth that change? We often hear many times that prospective Presidents want to eradicate corruption, increase the standard of living of our citizens, or give our citizens jobs. But the bottom line is the fact that we need processes. We need action steps in order to achieve these goals. Otherwise everything that is said would just be a bunch of empty promises.

What are the most important issues affecting Filipinos today? What can be done to solve these problems? What can be done to improve the current state of our country today, and what steps can be taken to restore the country back to its former glory?

If I were President written by Andrea Terran, with some points added by me

(1) I will not only fight, but eradicate, corruption. I will punish those who have and will use the country’s resources to their own ends–past, present, future. I will punish those who have used their power to abuse others. I will punish and punish heftily, that everyone will unlearn this habit. And I will eradicate it, by not making it easy, by not allowing it to be part of our everyday, by refusing to think it our culture. I will expedite government transactions and services, without shortcuts or short-cutting any one, and build a government that is not only happy to serve her people, but knows what an important job it is. I will get rid of all unnecessary procedures and payments, and make sure that everyone who approaches a government office gets served and served well, without having to be passed on to another office, or another person, or on to oblivion.

It is not only that we currently have corrupt officials in our government, but that we have a government that officially encourages corruption. I will speed things up that no one will have to pay extra to get what they deserve, when they need it. And I will pay our public servants well that they will not need you to pay them any more than what is fair and just.

Our current government only makes one thing easy: It makes it easy for us to leave the country. And though I will not refuse anyone who is not a criminal this choice, I will do better and make them want to stay.

I agree to most of the points stated, but in reality, I feel that corruption cannot be fully eradicated. I am sure that corruption exists, even in the developed world. Nonetheless, a clean and corrupt-free record is one of the most important qualities the next President should have. The next President should be a role model that does not support corruption; moreover, the President should promote a corrupt-free society, not only in government but also in commerce and other aspects of our society. No more things like Boss, ito na lang, huwag mo na akong multahan…, instead our government should be firm and strict.

(2) I will make Filipinos want to stay in the Philippines. I will do this not only by giving them jobs, but decent jobs worthy of their education and skills and inclination. I will make it worthy of their time. I will not give them “pwede na yan” jobs, just because the family needs to eat, or the eldest is about to start college, or God knows, because they need pambaon for elementary school tomorrow. And if and when they want to stay, I will give them every reason and opportunity to do so.

This is really key. Many of the skilled workforce chose to leave and work overheads because there are no opportunities available in the Philippines. From doctors to teachers to lawyers to chefs, everyone is going to “greener pastures” because they wish for a better life.

(3) I will give the best of the Philippines to the Filipinos, and not to the foreigners. I will ensure that the country and its people cater to the Philippines and to the Filipino. I will ensure that if Boracay is the best beach there is, or Sagada the best mountain getaway, then Filipinos can afford to enjoy them if they are so inclined, to their taste and financial capability. The hotel and department stores and all commercial establishments will serve both the local and the foreigner, the native and the foreign. The flight attendants will be kind and efficient to both the domestic helper coming home and the businessman from Hong Kong.

I will make us proud to be Filipinos here and around the world, and I will make the world proud of the Filipino. And I will do this without wanting or pretending to be America, or insisting on America, or asking what America, or any other country, thinks.

And so that the Philippines, in turn, can give her best to her people, (4) I will pass the Reproductive Health Bill. I will pass this bill because we need to control our population, and so much of our problems are rooted in this one problem. And we need to ensure that our natural resources are enough to support our people, now and in the future.

And I refuse to enter into any pro- or anti-life debates regarding this. I will not allow abortion during my rule, and this bill does not allow it either. What it does instead is give the woman control over her body, the option to refuse her husband or lover sex, and provide her the option not to get pregnant should she wish to have sex. Neither does the bill judge her for it. Because what this bill ultimately wants, not just for women but for every single Filipino, is a chance at a fair and equitable share to our country’s natural resources, a beginning of a life of quality.

And to be able to continue to that life of quality, (5) I will provide them with quality health care whether they can afford it or not. I will ensure that PhilHealth works to the advantage of both rich and poor, and is used in both public or private hospitals. I assure the poorest of the poor universal coverage. I will ensure too that our social security systems, whether public or private, work for everyone, that our premiums will result in returns when we need them.

(6) I will provide free and quality basic education, and ensure sources of scholarships and study-now-pay-later schemes for college and post-graduate degrees. I will ensure quality education is available to all Filipinos, whatever their economic class, and that information is available to them, and that it is waiting for them and not the other way around.

To do this I will pay the teachers well, and make sure they deserve it. I will ensure that history books teach them more than just dates and places, science books correct and updated science, that they learn to read well and learn to love to read.

I will incent multinationals to train our workers and make them into world-class assets, in order to build on a high-value economy here that rests on its high-value workforce.

Education is essential to our country’s success. If we do not teach our children to love our country, how do you expect them to do so? We need to ensure that our children and future generations are not ashamed to speak our language. We have to make our education competitive to be on par with other nations. Emphasis on values education, proper training for our teachers, and better infrastructure and educational facilities for students is very important. How? More stringent tax collection. Ensure that all businesses and citizens pay the proper taxes. Increase volunteerism in our nation – because it unites us all – it has proven itself during Ondoy as to how powerful of a force it could be.

(7) I will make this country rich by making our farmers rich, by providing them with the help and support they need, whether it be science or subsidy, or to weather the storm or the world markets. I will make it their option if they want to own their own land, or if land is not enough, the option to work as a collective. I will support their cooperatives, and watch the corporations that employ them.

(8) I will encourage green growth, not only because we need to cut down on greenhouse gases, but because we need to be energy-independent. Nor will I allow the first world to influence our decisions regarding our energy sources, because while climate change is a global problem, excessive green house gas emissions is not. Instead, I will promote energy efficiency, and natural resources management, because my priority is our development, and the quality of life of our people. I will build on the examples of some of our excellent local government units, who have done comprehensive land-use planning, disaster management, community development, and self-sufficiency outside of Metro Manila.

And I encourage this because (9) I want to move development to other parts of the country, not just in the capital. I will decongest Metro Manila by moving development to the other regions, ensure that most opportunities available in the capital are available elsewhere. And I will spend on the necessary efficient infrastructure that will allow all this.

Lastly, I will do all this without sacrificing what makes us Filipino, and democracy–whether it be in terms of culture or customs, beliefs, religion, region or tribe. If utang na loob is inherent to us, then I will encourage it because we need to help each other, not because help needs to be repaid. If ningas cogon describes our short-lived passions all too well, then we will do everything to fan the fire, and that the fruits trickle down to the bottom of the pyramid. If we have forgotten our Bayanihan culture, then we will teach it to ourselves and our kids again. And if this is trabaho lang like any other job, then let us do good work every single time.

And if we need to do more, when have we ever turned our backs when it is family that asks and needs? We just need to widen our circles a little bit, and slowly widen the scope and capacity of who and how we love.

Let the next six years be temporal and not temporary, our responses to our problems urgent and not hasty. And if it be necessary that the next government act like an ad hoc committee, so be it. If I be judged by these promises, and measured by their fulfillment, bring it on. This is the call, and I will answer, and be answerable.

Through no choice of ours, we were born into this country. And for whatever reason or lack of choice, have remained her citizens. Who else will answer for us? We are the Philippines, we are Filipino. For this. No other.

On the days leading to the 2010 Olympic opening ceremonies, I took some photos around the neighborhood using my iPhone to show how the Olympics are creating a huge impact here in Vancouver and beyond. I also got to see the torch relay in action where I live – which was really cool! To see it first hand with so many people cheering and feeling proud of being Canadian is just so amazing!

Olympic Mascots – which are just so adorable (:

Olympic Torch(es) – Coca Cola had the torches from the previous Olympics on display at the Richmond O-Zone!

Celebrations happening in your local area – in Richmond, be sure to visit the Richmond O-Zone! Free concerts, live shows, and so much more! The next pictures were taken during the Olympic celebrations in Richmond on the 9th of February.

The Holland Heineken House, located in the Richmond O-Zone will be one of the places to be during the Olympics. Bikes are also available to rent for free throughout the duration of the Olympics!

Just look at how much people attended the Olympic celebrations! I was so surprised that so many people were out to see the torch. And lastly: the great sense of pride to be hosting the Olympics. The enthusiasm and energy is just amazing! Everyone’s wearing Canada sweaters, Olympic mittens, and it was a great sight to see that people were proud to be Canadian.

I am wishing everyone a Happy Chinese New Year 恭喜發財 – and happy 추석 to the Koreans! Also, Happy Valentines’ Day!

Recently I just watched the movie Julie and Julia, a movie about the late American chef Julia Child and an ordinary American Julie Powell who attempted to do all 500+ recipes from Julia’s book Mastering the Art of French Cooking. As I was watching the movie, I felt how I really missed cooking and how it is really something that I still want to pursue it not only as a hobby but perhaps even as a career! I find cooking relaxing and enjoyable, something that releases all my stress after a long day. And the happiness and accomplishment you feel after completing the dish is just amazing. More importantly the smiles on everyone’s faces once they try and said that they liked your dish. So that day I decided to cook a Tsinoy delicacy, the Pancit Canton. Although the dish requires intensive preparation, try it out this upcoming Lunar New Year!

Pancit Canton, serves 8
Preparation time: 45 minutes, Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 pieces of small red onions, chopped
• 7 pieces of fresh shiitake mushrooms, cut into strips (if you don’t have the fresh ones, use dried mushrooms instead)
• 4 pieces of carrots, cut into strips (I used very thin carrots in this recipe; ; for this recipe, I used a grater to cut them)
• 1/2 lb of snow peas (make sure the tough stringy part on the sides are removed), sliced
• 2 pieces of chicken legs, boiled and deboned into strips (used to make chicken stock)
• 1/2 can of stewed pork (can be purchased in Asian grocers)
• 2 tsp. soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper
• 1 package pancit canton (can be purchased in supermarkets and Asian grocers)
• 3 cups chicken stock (best if fresh, but can also used store-bought ones)
• 2 stalks of spring onions, chopped

Method:

1. Have all ingredients prepared. The key is ensuring that you have all the ingredients ready before you begin cooking. Prepare the garlic, onions, mushrooms, carrots, snow peas. Debone the chicken legs and roughly cut into small strips.
2. Heat the oil in a wok at medium-high heat (if not, use a frying pan that is deep). Stir in the garlic and onions until golden brown – for about 1 minute. Mix in the shiitake mushroom, carrots, and snowpeas. Cook for a few minutes until the vegetables are crisp and tender.
3. Once fragrant and evenly mixed, add the chicken strips and stewed pork. Add in the soy sauce and white pepper and mix all the ingredients well.



4. Add the package of pancit canton. Be careful in mixing as the noodles are still hard and it might overflow in the wok. Add in the chicken stock and as you are mixing in the noodles, it should start to soften with the help of the chicken stock.



5. Mix the ingredients evenly and ensure flavors are distributed evenly. Serve immediately and top with chopped spring onions. The one thing to remember in cooking the dish is to ensure that you mix it well – it makes everything taste better.

Wondering why there’s not too much seasoning required for the recipe? It’s because of the chicken stock. If you have fresh and flavorful chicken stock, you will have a great-tasting dish. If you find it bland, season to taste. If you guys are interested, take the time and try the dish out! I’m sure you will all enjoy it. And if you did try it out, send me a photo so I can post it up here. Also, for any comments or suggestions, drop me a comment!

Bigla kong naisipang magsulat dito bago ako matulog. Ang dami kasi ang bumabagabag sa akin. Hindi ko ba alam kung bakit nalang ganito ako magisip. Nalilito ako. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako dapat pupunta. Kung ano ba ang gagawin ko at kung ano ba ang plano ko sa buhay. Gusto kong mapaglayo – magbakasyon ika nga, at maintidihan ang sarili ko.

Kanina, pumunta ako ng simbahan. Tugmang-tugma ang sermon ng Pastor – huwag magalala dahil nariyan ang Diyos upang gabayan ka. Alam ko namang nandiyan siya, pero lagi parin akong nalilito. Hindi ko parin alam kung ano ang gusto Niya para sa akin. Itong linggong ito, isa-isa sa lahat ng mga sa paligid ko ay nakakatanggap ng mga magagandang balita. Masaya ako para sa kanila, kasi alam ko naman na pinaghirapan nilang lahat iyon. Kaso tinatanong ko rin ang Diyos, kailan ba dadating yung sa akin – yung oras ko? Ang mas malala pa diyan, hindi ko na alam kung ano ang gusto kong gawin. Ang alam ko lang, gusto kong makatulong sa tao. Makalikha ng positibong pagbabago sa aking kommunidad. Pero yun lang. At ang alam ko, hindi sapat yun ayon sa Diyos.

Kung ano man ang mangyayari sa hinaharap, iniiwan ko na po ang lahat sa Diyos. Pipilitin ko ang sarili ko na huwag masyadong magalala at magbago.  Na huwag malito, huwag matakot. Huwag mawalan ng pag-asa. Kung laging bagsak, kung hindi nakukuha ang minimithi, kumayod ng kumayod, kasi pagnakuha mo na ang gusto mo, mas magiging mas kapanabiknabik ang ligaya at saya na dulot nito. Ang Diyos lang makakatulong sa akin, na mapawi ang pagkalito at pagkainggit. Sana, matuto po akong iiwan ang lahat sa Kanya – na tuloy parin ang laban at kaya ko ito dahil nandito lang Siya sa aking tabi.