My travel to Cebu

Last April I went with my son to Cebu for our long planned summer trip.  I search for hotels in Tripadvisor and Agoda. I decided to book with Cebu Business Hotel because they have discount during weekends and also near seven eleven and the port to Bohol.  I also book with Cebutrip tours for a guided tour inclusive with transportation.  We went there last April 13 and decided to have the guided tour the next day.  We went to Magellans Shrine, Lapu lapu monument, Alegre guitar factory, Taoist Temple, Cebu Heritage Monument, YapSandiego Ancestral’ House, Magellan’s cross and Basilica Minore del Sto Nino.

On the first day that we arrived in Cebu we went to Ayala Mall

Our spacious room in Cebu Business Hotel, We stayed there for three days and two nights for only 1,900 pesos all in, with our choice of breakfast for two persons. The room also has aircon, cable TV and Hot Shower. There is also free wifi but with a weak signal. It was a cozy place to sleep although I notice that it was rather nosy (music) the first night we were there, cause it is a Saturday and there was some kind of an event there.

In the Hotel lobby while we wait for our day tour in the Queen of the South, Cebu City

At Alegre Guitar factory, where I buy souvenirs.  The quality guitars here are handmade and exported globally

At Magellan Shrine, our guide said that this is the spot where Ferdinand Magellan died

At Lapu lapu monument, in honor of the first Filipino Hero

 We had our free lunch in Joven's Grill, It was a buffet eat all you can lunch.  I ate a raw octopus that was seasoned with vinegar and coconut milk.  I really regretted doing so 'cause I developed an itchy skin allergy that lasted for a month.

We went to Taoist Temple, our guide told us that the original monks here were Chinese and they modeled this from the great wall of china.  The landscape was really picturesque.

This is the Yap Sandiego Ancestral House, believed to be the oldest house still standing in Cebu City and estimated to be three hundred years old. This is the bedroom and it really gives me the creeps, it's like a scene from a horror film but it never stops me from striking a pose.

It was really a sunny day during our visit to Basilica Minore del Sto Nino. (Sto Nino Church) There were so many people attending mass there (It was Sunday) and so many foreigners as well. Inside the church is the oldest black Sto Nino ( a replica of the baby Jesus) believed to be miraculous. As a Catholic I also prayed there and pay my respects to baby Jesus.  At the back there is a store full of statue and images of Sto Nino, of course, I bought two statues for my mother and me.  The Catholic church was first built in 1565 as you can see in the picture below.

This is a picture of Ferdinand Magellan's Cross, He brought this with him during his expedition to the Philippines.  The real cross was encased in an outer cross to preserve it. In the past the faithful Catholics believed that the wood from the cross is miraculous and chip a bit from the cross to bring it with them. 

It was really fun in Cebu and I intend to go there again in the future.  I think the cab/taxis there are much safer than in Manila City.

I don’t believe in fairy tales anymore.

Gone were the days when I would read novels or fairy tales.  I just don’t believe in that stuff anymore.  It is just a product of the author’s optimism in love. I happen to know that sense and sensibilities’ author was a spinster who vowed that all her stories will end in a happy ever after so unlike her real life love story.

The irony is that in reality so many of us are just in love with the idea of love.   When it wears off, we just move on to another relationship believing that Mr. Perfect has not yet crossed our path.  In reality there is no such thing as Mr. Perfect, only acceptance that this person is okay for you.  A person has two faces the bad and the good.  If you can live with the bad side of that person it could be that you accepted him/her but it does not necessarily mean that you love him/her. There are many reasons why people stay in a relationship even if it soured not just love.  If you are in an abusive relationship would you still stay because you love the person? Or you just stay because you are afraid to be alone?

 Abusive relationship means not just the physical aspect but also the emotional one which hurts the most. One example of an emotional one is when you are married to an unfaithful partner.  The person knows that his/her partner is hurting but continued on with numerous affairs even to the extent of being caught.  Can you stop that kind of person from doing what he/she does? Sadly, no you just can’t decide for her/him but you can decide for yourself.  Love yourself, this is just the answer and if you do that you can live a blissful life. What my mother teaches me every day is to love myself more than anyone else. Never let anybody hurt you.  She always told me that whatever life brings to my marriage I have to bear it but if my husband is a womanizer this must not be tolerated. Life is just too short to waste it with someone who just isn't worth it. 

Honestly, if you are going to have a relationship, you have to bear in mind that people have two faces. If you can put up with his/her bad side then continue on with your happily ever after.  As for me, I think fairy tales are only in the books.

Reminiscing our wedding day

 

It was this day, in the year 2005 that we have exchanged our vows.  I could not explain in exact words how I felt that day but I realized that it was through our marriage that my eyes were opened to the realities of life.   How it really means to say the vows and really live it. Truly experience is a great teacher.  You cannot really be prepared for just mere theories about life; you just have to live it in order to learn.   It is just like learning to swim, you cannot learn by just listening what to do, you have to plunge in water in order to learn how to swim.  All I know that time was I am truly passionately in love with you and I prayed to God that he would make you my husband.  I was never really been away from my parents for so long before but I would leave them just for you.  To live my life, hand in hand with you.

I thank God for having you in my life because I became tougher.  The experiences we had made me strong and that strength had equipped me well in dealing with life today.   Our love entered so many tests, some of it we passed but still in some areas we failed.  Our marriage was not perfect; it brought me tears, heartache and failed expectations.   Despite all of this I had no regrets. I do believe that in life there are no accidents, all of these things happen for a reason. When you are stubborn and strong-willed you learn the hard way. 

I could honestly say, at age 27, I was an unprepared mother.  Frankly, I don’t like children so I don’t have the skill to deal with them. It is only through motherhood that I learn how to love them.  I am forever grateful to you for giving me two beautiful children. They are my inspiration and the reason why I smile every day.