Boracay 2012 (Day 2)

Breakfast

To make up for Jear’s failed birthday salubong, and my being a granny the night before, I woke up early the next day to take her out for a birthday breakfast. One of my favorite restaurants in Boracay is Tibraz. The dishes are somewhat similar to Café Breton (even the plates are the same), and it has a beach and homey feel to it that I absolutely love. Here, we had a hefty breakfast perfect for the long day ahead.

On our way there, she got a call from her nieces who were absolutely adorable. They were asking her where she was so they could send her a cake. I wonder whether it’s possible to have a cake LBC-ed to Boracay. And if it would still be edible.

Happy Hour, lunch and more happy hours

We hung out at Two Seasons afterwards. I was quite used to hanging out at a cabana, with kuya Chris (our favorite waiter) bring us our usual – margarita, even before we ask for the menu. But as with the entire island, Two Seasons was jampacked. We were actually lucky enough to get a table at their restaurant, where we watched the cabanas like predators to a prey, wondering whether their occupants will eventually move their asses somewhere else. If there’s any consolation, it’s that their margarita is still the best I’ve had so far! And this isn’t an unfounded claim, as I did try margarita almost everywhere in Boracay. After lunch, Nicole, Badet and I sneaked out of Two Seasons supposedly only to take a quick shower. We ended up staying at the hotel ‘til dinner time. I think it must've pissed off Ken and the others as we left them there.

Dinner

Dinner was amazing. And why wouldn’t it be, we had it at Zuzuni. I can't express just how much we love it. Just imagine, our last trip to Boracay was a foodventure of some sorts. Gel, Steph and I decided to try as many restaurants as we can by not repeating a restaurant (except for Two Season's where we spend happy hoursss). BUT, we couldn’t help but eat at Zuzuni thrice. It’s that good! And not only this, but this is also where our search for the best Choco Sin began. Their chocolate sin is as heavenly as all bad things should be. 

guess we were too hungry to take pictures of the food :/

please explain.

Gel's birthday salubong

As it is Gel's birthday salubong, there is no other place to celebrate but Paraw. I hope she doesn't get to read this - she (sort of) dated the dj there. We were supposed to attend the white party before going to Paraw but ended up going straight to Paraw instead, which explains why we're all color coordinated in the pictures below.  It's Gel's 24th birthday. Nicole and I call it her marrying age, but I guess she isn't quite done with partying yet. Aside from the pictures below, the rest are crazy (those involving Clariza, most of all) and a bit embarrassing. Nic had too much to drink, but recovered almost immediately. Weng-weng's a traitor, after all. Twas a fun night, nonetheless.
Although again, I went home earlier than the rest.

Boracay 2012

If not for Gel’s birthday, I wouldn’t drag my fat ass to Boracay during the Labor day weekend.

This is a lie. I would’ve gone to Boracay even during the New Year’s to satisfy my beachlust. But if there’s anything I learned from this trip, it is that Boracay isn’t Boracay all-year round. At least not for me. Boracay in the summer is a battlefield.

If not for the sound of the sea almost out of earshot, drowned by the blaring RnB from events here and there, I would’ve easily mistaken it for divisoria. Not what I imagined my summer vacation to be. Although I’m sure that this is what most people go to Boracay for – events, people, party, sounds. I, on the other hand, imagine myself lying on a hammock drinking margarita in the afternoon, ears plugged with Camera Obscura and with a book in hand. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN. Instead, I found myself preying on cabana’s far too many times to actually enjoy and rest.  As if it wasn’t hassle enough, I had to jostle my way into bars even during happy hour just to be face to face with beautiful people who are in no way human. I remember that during a routine phonecall from my dad, I sadly announced that Manila has probably dried out of beautiful people because they’re all playing frisbee and modeling their skinny legs and perfectly chiseled abs in the seashore. If I didn’t have Ken’s wrath to fear, I would’ve locked myself in the hotel away from the crowded shoreline. I swear on my right foot that a 5-minute walk from Astoria to Two Seasons elicits a string of curses from my insecure belly. And mind you, it wasn’t because Derek Ramsey, Victor Basa and Daniel Matsunaga are in the island, but because everyone’s just too damned gorgeous. The women are mural-material, seriously.

Even I didn’t think I could be this insecure. It’s frightening how shallow I can be. Of course it would be unfair to say that I didn’t enjoy the trip because of these. Spending a few days in Boracay with my favorite people made it less nerve-racking. Celebrating Gel and Jear’s birthday there also made it pretty epic. In the end, maybe its still money well wasted. But, never again will I go to Boracay during the summertime (although the latter parts of May are usually okay).

I realized that this ended up like a long rant of some sort (similar to Neal Cruz' ignorant remarks on the murals under the Edsa flyovers). I apologize for that. I was truly going for an update of how my trip to Boracay went. 

Boracay Countdown

Having a wild imagination, you have no idea what crazy thoughts go into my head whenever I dive my right foot into an ocean bed full of I don’t know what. Perhaps my father thought it a shame that I do not share his love for the sea. But Boracay changed everything. My first trip to Boracay was a long time ago, and I was no more than 10 years old. My next trip was quite monumental. I can’t be parted from the clear bluegreen (almost teal) waters and from the sand of flour-like consistency. In fact, as soon as we got home, we booked another trip to Boracay - this time with Steph. Last year, I went to Boracay twice. Gel went thrice! 

Now, I’m 22 days away from flying to Boracay again. I’ll be there for only 3 nights and 2 full days from April 29 to May 2. Quite short compared to my 7-day trip to Boracay last August, but I don't mind. We’re expecting a full island since it will be labor day weekend. Any chance any of you guys will be there on the same dates? 

Of Airports

Let me start by saying I love airports.

Let me end by saying, I have no inkling why.

Seriously now, I can't pinpoint the exact, or at least the major, reason why. I've listed down all possible reasons why I love airports (I got lost in one, finished reading Allende's Daughter of Fortune in another, visited Japan through one - Narita was one of our stop-overs on our way to Winnipeg years ago, etc etc), and yet none of them seemed reason enough. Every romanticized idea -- which are oftentimes more poetic than they are true -- didn't seem to fit the picture, too. Was it the flying that I love? Perhaps, the idea of vacation that follows a trip to the airport or the idea of returning home after being away so long? Perhaps the fantasy of one day running away? Truth is, I still don't know. Just that I often crave the feeling of being in an airport, so I can read a book in peace; so I can listen to random numbers and letters being called out (sometimes, it's almost like listening to a foreign language). It doesn't make sense, does it? Airports sometimes remind me of Nikko's poem - the sadness of Boarding Pass, or of Love Actually - the happiness of being back in a loved one's arms. It's both sad and happy; foreign and familiar. See, romanticized? I wonder if what I'm feeling for airports is only infatuation. Hah.

Anyway, we're off to Boracay! This marks the start of our (Gel, Steph and I) travels together. One small step for us, one giant leap for Steph. Hahaha! Next stop: Ilocos on October! Laissez les bons temps rouler!