I think this year we're aiming to break some world record, because here we are, packing our bags (again), with our 2-yr-old and 6-month-old, on our way to Cancun, Mexico!
Well, we do have an excuse -- it's our anniversary (happy 6th, sweetheart!), and in lieu of gifts, we always treat ourselves to a mini-vacation. So despite the looming weather storm forecast, we headed for the sandy beaches of Cancun. And we are so glad we did! We were greeted with sunny weather and enjoyed our time relaxing on the beach in our private cabana, swimming with the dolphins, touring Isla Mujeres on a rickety golf cart and visiting the ancient ruins of Chichen Itza!
It wasn't always sunny though. There were about 3-4 pockets of rain that we encountered (lasting 5 minutes at most), then on the last day, as we prepared to go to the airport, it poured! Guess it's time to head back home!
Click on the image below to view our full Cancun album on Facebook:
Here's a video of our adventures in Cancun. Enjoy!
Dad was about to turn a very young 80 years old, so what better way to celebrate than for his 4 grown kids to come back home? Of course, Mom and Tito Gus would never pass a chance to party... And so it was -- one big family reunion in the Philippines!
We arrived on different days, but we all converged in the island paradise of Boracay! It's sorta bad way to start our vacay, because really, how can you top it off?!! Powder-fine white sand, massages on the beach (for less than 2 Starbucks coffees!), water sports for a quarter of what you'd pay in the U.S., mango shakes to cool you off after a day under the sun -- need I go on? It almost makes me forget about my "Bora 911" episode (Note: stay away from oysters!)
We celebrated Dad's 80th birthday in full Limjoco tradition -- a big fiesta at Mama Quit's ancestral home in Novaliches. It was sweltering hot that day, but the kids were okay since they were treated to the traditional "pila", where the titos and titas handed out moolah to the huge line of kids waiting eagerly. There were no fireworks, but Dad made up for it with his mini-concert a la Frank Sinatra!
I also got the chance to see some good old friends from high school, buddies from our old neighborhood and our relatives on both sides. We may be a few pounds heavier (okay, a lot more than that!) and with our growing brood, but we still share the same laughter and memories.
Then it was off to Bicol! We were welcomed by the majestic Mayon Volcano before heading to Sorsogon to see our relatives. Some of us (no names!) experienced a bit of a culture shock, in what I'd like to call "Survivor: Bicol", but it all worked out in the end, especially when everyone realized how refreshing it is to take a dip at Vera Maris beach and how beautiful it is to zipline with the Mayon as your backdrop.
We were having such a good time that we decided to extend a few days more (thanks to Ninang Kat for scoring a hard-to-get flight change!) We spent a couple of days with the Chua Family in Batangas, where the kids had the Pico de Loro resort all to themselves! It was so unusually deserted we had to drive way back to the main city to get dinner, but it's all part of the adventure!
With all the amenities, perks and services (thank you, Yaya, for helping us with the kids -- we really wish we could bring you back to SF with us!), it was tough to get back on the plane home. Alas, money doesn't fall from the sky, and it was time to get back to work and earn our way to our next vacation. We miss you already, Philippines!
Click on the image below to view our full Philippines album on Facebook:
I had one month left of maternity leave, and I wasn't going to spend it idly! So we packed our bags (again!) and flew to Hong Kong, where we spent 5 exciting days exploring the city with the Chua Family.
We went shopping (of course!), ate a lot (dimsum at its best!) and went to both Ocean Park and Disneyland HK. Dylan was at home here (well, he blends right in!), and he ate noodles and fried rice to his heart's content! But more so, he just loved spending time with Beanne, his puppy love (awwww!). They are just so cute together!
We flew to the Philippines (more on that in my next blog entry), then on our way back to SF, we spent a day in Taipei. We hired a limo that drove us to the city's main sights before catching our flight home.
Isn't this picture a classic? Definitely illustrates what we've been doing this past couple of months, with kids in tow! Click on it to view our full HK/Taipei album:
Just had to add this adorable pic of the two lovebirds on their honeymoon in Disneyland!
It's been 5 years since we last went to Niagara Falls, and that was for our wedding! We finally found our way back, and it looks a wee bit different than we remembered. Since it was the kids first time there, we decided to take them on a trip down memory lane, to where it all began...
We were accompanied by Nanay, Ninong Rani and Ninang Danica, who was visiting Canada for the first time as well. Everyone had a blast!
Click on the image below to view our full "Niagara Falls" album on Facebook.
As soon as we got Ree's birth certificate, we applied for her passport and she was off to Toronto at 4 weeks old! With Lola Daisy's help, Mom, Dylan and Ree got to Toronto safely and spent a month and a half chillin' with family and friends from T.O. Dad enjoyed his time off, but was all too eager to follow us coz he was missing the kids (and Mom too!).
Click on the images below to view our "Month in Toronto" album on Facebook!
We've been sooo busy the past 6 months that we decided -- the heck with it, it's time for a break! So we packed our bags, jumped on a plane and spent three glorious weeks in Europe! Ninang Daphne joined us on our wild ride through Germany, Holland, Belgium, Spain and France. Click on the link below to view our photobook and journal of our adventures in Europe:
For the July 4th holidays, we flew out to Toronto for a week to spend time with family and friends. We had a very hectic week filled with parties, lakwatsa and fun! Dylan enjoyed spending quality time with his lolos and lolas, titos and titas, cousins and buddies!
The highlight of the week was visiting the African Lion Safari near Niagara Falls. Dylan went on a safari tour around the animal reserve, where he saw lions, baboons, giraffes, ostriches, deer and so many more! To top the day off, he got to see the elephant show and even got to ride on one! Click on the links and videos below and see how much fun the little rascal had in T.O.!
Our adventure in Europe continued on to Turkey, with our first stop in Izmir, the gateway to Ephesus. We had already been to Ephesus last year, so we decided to explore Izmir's Old City instead. We took a cab to Konak Pier and walked to Kemeralti Square, where Dylan enjoyed chasing pigeons with his friends. We then took a local bus up to the Kadafikeli Fort and hiked up the steep ramparts to see the sweeping views of the Izmir skyline.
On Day 12 of our cruise, our ship crossed the Sea of Marmara into the Bosphorus Strait, where we were greeted by amazing views of the beautiful city of Istanbul. While our ship waited to dock, we were stuck in the middle of the strait, which was the best place to be to see both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul. As we gazed at the Dolmabahce Palace, the Bosphorus Bridge and the Old City in the horizon, we were speechless. Istanbul was a world of its own -- historic and modern, mysterious and open, Christian and Muslim, European and Asian -- it's a city full of character and life, and everyone who visits always leaves enchanted by it.
We took our time enjoying the views from the ship, before deciding to take the tender to shore and explore Istanbul on foot. It was sunset as we approached the pier, and it was one of the most magical sights to see -- the glow of dusk illuminating the Sultanahmet district, the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus. Nighttime fell by the time we reached the old city centre, and it added an even more magical aura to the three major sites of the historic city -- Topkapi Palace, Haghia Sophia and Blue Mosque. We walked around the plaza and sat by the fountain to take in the moment before returning back to our ship for the final night of our cruise.
After saying goodbye to our friends and stewards on the cruise ship the next day, we returned to the Sultanahmet district and checked into our hotel, the cozy Hotel Sapphire near Topkapi Palace. We were welcomed with champagne, Turkish delight and a big warm smile by the friendly staff and the chirpy parrot at the front desk. We walked to Topkapi Palace to visit the famed residence of the mighty rulers of the Ottoman Empire. The palace is a huge complex of sprawling gardens and buildings that housed important displays of Ottoman treasures, but Ron was particularly excited to take a trip back to the time of Sultans and their harems!
Oh, and we just have to mention that everywhere we go in Turkey, Dylan is like a rock star! Everyone just wants to touch his feet, pinch his cheeks and rub his tummy! Some people even stop us on the road and ask us if they could take a picture of him! There were a few times when we were surrounded by a bunch of school kids just trying to get a good look at him. Here he is with some new friends that he met in Istanbul...
We woke up the next morning to a lavish Turkish breakfast served at our hotel. After stuffing ourselves with food to last the entire day, we walked to Haghia Sophia, which was originally a Byzantine church, then was converted to a mosque by the Ottomans, but now serves as a museum. We marvelled at the mosaics and relics that survived the centuries at this epitome of Byzantine architecture before continuing on to the other jewel of Istanbul, the Blue Mosque.
Built by Sultan Ahmed to compete with the Haghia Sophia, the Blue Mosque is one of the most impressive monuments in the world with its great cascade of domes and 6 minarets that rivalled that of Mecca. We arrived right in the middle of prayertime, so we just walked around the grounds that bordered the Byzantine Hippodrome, and marvelled at the architecture of the mosque, which dominated Istanbul's skyline.
After a full morning of sightseeing, we decided to spend the rest of the day shopping. Of course, we had to go to the granddaddy of bazaars, Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, and we were overwhelmed with the maze of over 4000 stores selling everything from jewelry, rugs, clothes, souvenirs, houseware, electronics and food. We got tired of haggling with the merchants, so we took the cable car to Zeytinburnu to visit the shops where locals go to. Then we rode the cable car back to Eminonu Pier, where we got a good view of the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus Strait and the many ships that pass through each day.
We walked to the Egyptian Spice Bazaar, which quickly became our favorite place to shop in Turkey. The hagglers where a little less aggressive, and the wares where a little less expensive. And just perusing the shops abounding with colorful spices from around the world was a perfect way to end a full day. We walked back to our hotel and had dinner at a trendy restaurant nearby, then discovered we had a Turkish bath and a heated pool in our hotel so we donned our swimwear and took a dip before retiring.
For the final day of our trip, we decided to take it easy and just enjoy Istanbul. We spent the morning on the other side of the Golden Horn and hiked up to the Galata Tower, where we were rewarded with amazing views of the city. We then crossed the bridge back to Eminonu Pier, where we had lunch with locals at a fish sandwich stand by the harbor. Then we embarked on an afternoon tour of the Bosphorus aboard one of the local boats.
The boat tour was a fitting farewell to our short but sweet visit in Istanbul. We gazed at the waterfront palaces and condos, the tiny parks and plazas that lined the Bosphorus on both the European and Asian sides, and promised ourselves that we will return. And to cap our day, we went back to the Egyptian Spice Bazaar and bought a traditional Turkish bukhara rug as a souvenir. We bumped into some friends from the cruise and exchanged contact information, then went back to our hotel to prepare for our long trip home. Goodbye, beautiful Istanbul -- we'll be back soon!
And with that, our whirlwind trip to the Mediterranean with the Dygmeister was over! It was a crazy but fun ride, and the memories we've made will truly last a lifetime... (End of blog series... See related links: Part 1 - Dyg's birthday, Part 2 - Greece, Part 3 - Egypt, Part 4 - Greece)
After our hectic visit to Egypt, a day at sea was just what we needed. Dylan had a blast wading in the kiddie pool and playing deck curling with Mom and Dad. He also made several friends, like Leon from Barcelona and Tyler from Boston. The highlight of the day was the Halloween costume party, where Dylan, dressed as the fearless little lion, won first place! He was definitely popular on the ship and was then known to passengers and crew alike as "Dylan the lion" wherever we go.
We arrived in Heraklion, Crete on Day 7 of our cruise. Don't let the mysterious name fool you, because Crete is one of the busiest hubs in Greece. We rented a car, skipped the crowded downtown area and headed for the countryside, where we visited the ruins of the Palace of Knossos, known for Minoan art and artifacts like the Minotaur. For lunch, we visited the quaint town of Arhanes, where we went out on a limb and ordered local delicacies like braised rabbit and was rewarded with a scrumptuous meal. Then we spent a couple of hours lazing around as Dylan played kick-the-empty-water-bottle around a quiet plaza with some village kids.
We woke up early the next morning to watch as our ship arrived at the beautiful island of Santorini. It was just as magical as the first time we visited it last year, which just makes us want to come back every year if we could! We hiked up the cobblestone paths of Fira Town, then we ventured out and drove around the island with some friends we met on the ship. We went to a couple of Greek vineyards, then to the Akrotiri excavation site (which was closed, unfortunately), then chanced upon Red Rock Beach, which as the name suggests, is a secluded beach bordered by a cliff of ruby-hued rocks.
What trip to Santorini would be complete without a visit to the picturesque town of Oia? With its sweeping views and majestic skylines, it is the scene of many a romantic movie and is popular for its romantic sunsets. Dylan wasn't immune to the romance as he met his first girlfriend, a charming babe named Halena. Despite the tourist establishments that dotted the town, it still retains its quaint charm and is definitely our favorite place in all of Greece.
The next day, we visited the island of Mykonos, known for its beach parties and exciting nightlife. Luckily, the peak season had passed, so we enjoyed a relatively quiet day beach-hopping. We were greeted by the pelican in Hora Town, then walked around the coast to the famous windmills. We've lost count of the beaches we visited, but we did enjoy a picnic lunch at the Super Paradise Beach, where Dylan braved the breeze and played in the sand in his cute little surfsuit. We ended the day watching the sunset from Agios Iannis, with views of Hora Town's white-washed houses and other islands of the Cyclades.
Back on the ship, our friends agreed to take Dylan for a couple of hours so that Mom and Dad could enjoy a quiet formal dinner. It was definitely a much needed rest from the little Dygmeister! Then it was time to prepare for the next leg of our trip, Turkey. (See Part 5 of this blog series.)
Day 5 was the day we've planned this whole trip around -- a sneak peek of Egypt. We arrived on a beautiful morning in the Port of Alexandria, where we met with our private tour guides. After a two and a half hour ride from the port, we finally arrived in Giza. Despite being greeted by bumper-to-bumper traffic and smog, we sat in awe amidst all the craziness as out in the horizon loomed the Great Pyramids of Giza. We had to pinch each other to remind ourselves that we were in close vicinity to where kings and pharaohs of yore once reigned. Up, close and personal, the pyramids may seem mid-size compared to the skyskrapers of today, but considering these were made over 4500 years ago and still stand proud, I think it's mighty impressive.
Our guides first took us to the summit of the hill overlooking the Sahara Desert. From our perch, we could see the three pyramids side by side, with the sprawling modern cities of Giza and Cairo in the backdrop. We stood for a moment to take it all in, before heading out on our next adventure -- a camel ride to the pyramids. This was by far the most memorable moment of our trip (if not our lives) -- Dylan, Mom and Dad atop two camels trudging down the Sahara desert towards the Pyramids of Giza. Priceless.
Thanks to Islam, our friendly guide, we escaped the haggling and got off our camels with our wallets unscarred. We continued on to the Pyramid of Khafre, where we took turns hiking down the long, tight and uncomfortable pathway to get to the heart of the pyramid. We wish we could tell you of what great treasures awaited us once we got there, but all the pirates from the past centuries have already snatched anything of importance so we were left with what seemed like an empty warehouse. But hey, it's a 4500-year-old warehouse. After our hike, we walked down the hill to say hi to the Great Sphinx, which guarded the three pyramids.
Then it was off to Sakkara, once the ancient capital of Memphis, to visit one of the oldest stone structures in the world. It was a 45-minute drive through the countryside of Giza, filled with fields of dates, cabbages and cotton, and reknowned carpet-making schools. The biggest attraction here is the Step Pyramid, built by the famous architect Imhotep, of which all other pyramids are fashioned after. There were many other things to see, but we skipped them as Dylan was having too much fun playing with the very fine sand that surrounded the pyramid since 2700 B.C.
We drove back to Cairo, where we stopped for a short shopping trip at a papyrus-making shop. Then we had to rush downtown to catch our riverboat dinner cruise along the Nile River. The Nile definitely has changed from the days when Moses was found floating in a woven basket. Lining both sides were tall buildings and monuments like the Cairo Tower and the elegant Four Seasons Hotel. We enjoyed our dinner with some traditional Egyptian entertainment, a Sufi dancer (who danced with whirling dervishes) and of course, a belly dancer.
You'd think our day would be over, but we still had one more stop to go -- back to the pyramids to watch the Sound and Light show. We're glad we stayed awake to witness the history of the pyramids unfold before our eyes. It was definitely a fitting end to a busy but memorable day in Giza and Cairo.
Our tour guides picked us up the next morning at the luxurios Le Meridien hotel, where we spent a relaxing night with a great view of the pyramids. Our first stop was the Saladin Citadel and Alabaster Mosque, one of the grandest mosques in the world. We then headed to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, which houses Egypt's most prized possession, the remains of the tomb of King Tutankhamen.
Then it was off to lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe along the Nile, where we reminisced our wonderful time in Egypt with our newfound friends. We must spare a few notes on our guides because we owe them our memorable visit to Egypt. We had skipped the shore excursion offered by the cruise ship because riding on a bus with 50 people did not seem too appealing to the Dygmeister. After much research, we found this gem of a company, Nile Blue Tours, who not only offered us our own mini-van with a personal driver, a tour guide and an Egyptologist (a master in Egyptian history), but also 5-star accommodations, food and the dinner cruise on the Nile. Thanks, Nile Blue Tours!
After spending some quality time with family friends in T.O., it was time for our much-awaited trip to the Mediterranean. We started our trip dreading the long international flight from Toronto to Washington to London to Athens -- but Dylan seemed to manage the longer flights better and slept much of the time. Oh, and it might have helped that he charmed the flight attendants into giving us a full row to ourselves so he can stretch out and lounge like a king!
After over 20 hours in-flight, we finally arrived in Athens. It was the peak of rush hour, so we got a taste of Athens traffic on our way to the busy port of Piraeus. At our hotel, we reassessed the major headaches caused by United Airlines Baggage "service" -- more like a "disservice" that left us with a broken and badly damaged car seat and mishandled luggage that left Dylan's powdered formula scattered all over our clothes. Fortunately, we joined our cruise ship the next day, and royal treatment aboard the Norwegian Jade combined with a dose of chocolates and champagne wilted our troubles away! We also got lucky because our cousin, Dinah, worked in the finance department of NCL and managed to score us a room upgrade and complimentary wine -- free booze is always good :)
The next three days were relaxing visits to ports that we've already seen before. Katakolon is the gateway to the ruins of Olympia, which we had already visited last year during our "babymoon" cruise, so we opted for a lazy day on the beach and a bit of shopping at the local shops. Corfu, one of Greece's bigger islands, was as busy as we remembered, but we traveled out of the main hubs and to the hilltop town of Kanoni, where we marveled at views of Mouse Island and Corfu's quaint landscape. Oh, and we just have to mention here that in this town that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, right at the peak is a Starbucks coffee shop. Yes, they are everywhere...
So we got back from vacation almost a month ago, but we are still trying to get our groove back. It's quite hard to think about work when all you could think about is sun, sand and sea. Oh, and camels. And pyramids. And sunsets. Ok, stop. This isn't working. How about we just let you in on what was a busy but memorable month for the Dygmeister?
We knew October was going to be a crazy month. Dylan was turning one and had graduated from walking to running -- which also meant the end of quiet weekends and weeknights. But boy, were we in for a fun ride! We had originally planned out one birthday in California -- a jungle party with Dylan's little buddies. It actually turned out pretty well. We had food catered by our very own Ate Alice, with the help of cousins Danica and Bulon. We had booths, games and play areas managed by Dylan's titos and titas. And we had a mini-zoo with a puppet show and animal petting time where the kids met a king snake, a great owl and an irresistably cute and fuzzy chinchilla. It was a roarrring great party fit for the little king of the jungle :)
But due to popular demand, we celebrated Dylan's first birthday twice! We flew to Toronto the next weekend for our much-needed vacation. On our second day in T.O., we invited family and friends to meet the Dygmeister and celebrate his big birthday. Ninang Daphne had filled the house with balloons and decorations, and Lolo and Lola's house was packed! Being away for over a year or so, it was great to see folks whom we haven't seen in a while. We just wish we had more time to spend with each and every one of them!
We spent the next few days just chillin' at home with family and friends. Dylan enjoyed the company of his cousins, Michelle (4), Trinity (1 and a half) and Daniel (3 months). Mom and Dad were just happy to get some extra zzzzz's.
Then it was time to embark on our 15-day journey to the Greek islands, the pyramids of Egypt and the monuments of Turkey. (See Part 2 of this blog series)
Click here to view pictures from Dylan's first birthday in California
Click here to view pictures from Dylan's birthday in Toronto
Click here to view pictures from Dylan's visit to Toronto