Back to Taytay Falls in Majayjay!

Time to visit the great outdoors! Last weekend, my office colleagues, good neighbor Roger and daughter, and my wife (yipee!) took to the road and headed straight for Taytay Falls in Majayjay, Laguna!

We left Manila on Saturday morning at 8 and arrived at around 10:30. As expected, there was already quite a number of campers, some of which were there since Friday. So getting a campsite was quite a challenge especially in our case, where there are three tents between us. The bank nearest us was fully occupied, so we had to wade across the river to search some more. Thank goodness we came across this relatively flat and wide camping ground! We set-up tent and enjoyed the rest of this weekend retreat.

[L-R] Harry, Gay, Lorrie, Gen, Sarah, my wife Tina, and me! Not in photo is Roger (who took this) and daughter Nica.
Me and my wife!
Cross the river we go! Some campers helpd out when they heard the shrieks of the ladies. :-)
This is our campsite, photo taken by the river.
Lunch time! We brought along banana leaves to use as plates and we used our hands in eating. Of course food was served with spoon and fork. :-) This is chicken-pork adobo, a concoction made by simmering meat in soy sauce, laurel leaves, black pepper, garlic, and vinegar. Yum yum!
A funny thing happened at lunchtime. We ran out of rice! But we were still so hungry! What to do? Stay put, stare at each other, and wait for the second batch of rice to cook!
Ok! Ok! I admit it! We love to eat!
We visited the falls later in the afternoon.
Evening dinner was sumptious! I had at least four servings of rice! Diet, diet... where art thou, diet?
Later in the night, we had our socials where we cooked hotdogs and marshmallows over biodegradable charcoals.
Later on, we had night visitors. Fireflies hovered about, and -- surprise, surprise -- a walking stick dropped by! I haven't seen one in ages. These harmless creatures were once abundant in Camp John Hay when I was younger.
The next day, we took a dip in the cold river ...
... while the sun occasionally peeked amongst the clouds and trees.
Alas. Time flies when you're having fun. Time to go!

Nanny McPhee and the Sandwich of Horror

Nanny McPhee taught me five valuable lessons. These are:
(1) To go to bed when told,
(2) To get out of bed when told,
(3) To dress up when told,
(4) To listen, and
(5) To do as you are told.

The other kids did eventually learned a lot more things than the five lessons mentioned above. And what a Nanny she is! Asking only for Sunday afternoons off for her term of stay. Her staff, though menacing, is not at all used for flogging naughty kids like them but when she gives a mighty tap on the floor, sparks fly and magic happens.

When there is a domestic problem, especially with kids, Nanny McPhee is sure to be there. Children feigning sickness, beware! For she will surely make you stay in bed. But she taught her charges well. She's fair and knocks on the door before she enters a room.

It was likewise a delight seeing Angela Lansbury of Murder, She Wrote once again!

Nanny McPhee is a wonderful movie, and is a film the family can watch and enjoy. It's currently playing in theaters. Catch it!

[photo credit: Rotten Tomatoes]

***

Speaking of domestic abilities, I would like to share with you today an original recipe. I call it... the Sandwich of Horror! It's quite simple to make, really. All you need are the following:

A loaf of Bread
A medium jar of Mayonnaise
Tuna spread
Raw mangoes
Fish sauce (bagoong) - optional




First, mix the mayo and tuna spread. Set aside.
Peel off the green mango and slice. If you feel adventurous, use the entire mango!
Take a slice of loaf bread. Generously spread the tuna mix on one side.


Put mango slices on top of the tuna mix. Or, you can put the entire mango altogether! Less hassle on peeling and slicing.
Spread a bit of fish sauce (optional).







Top it off with another slice of loaf and your done! Treat your nosey neighbors ... err ... guests with this gastronomic delight and invent a fancy name like "tuna-mango delight"!

Last one to the restroom has a stomach made of lead!

Isn't it ironic, don't you think?

Yesterday, I was at the Evangelista public market looking for cookware and food provisions for our upcoming camping trip. Donned with shirt, shorts, and slippers to look unobtrusive, I courageously bargained for the prices of these items (I'm not the bargaining type but discovered it can be fun when I'm with my wife).

Then this morning, I was at Libertad looking for a simple crib Jo-Lo can use for his stay over the weekend, stall-hopping and bargaining with the shopkeepers.

By lunchtime I was donned in my office attire and heading off to a Power Team meeting in one of the Call Center offices in Makati. And later on I will be in a general meeting for Information Technology vendors, rubbing shoulders with industry movers.

I was in the market one time, then in corporate halls the next. Life can be so colorful sometimes. My boss once said that in our lifetime, we will be wearing many hats. It's a comparative analysis of our roles in life. A father one time, an office employee the next, a trekking enthusiast the next. But we are all of these at the same time.

Have a happy weekend everyone!