Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Tayabas, Quezon-Holidays 2019

A day after the annual Give a Gift from the Heart Christmas gift giving event, I decided to stay home to rest before heading to Manila to celebrate Christmas with my side of the family. However, I experienced flu like symptoms and had to delay the trip. Four days have passed (December 26th) and I still don't feel okay to travel so I went to the see the doctor and as expected, I was advised to take antibiotics (co-amoxiclav) for 7 days and another meds for colds. The meds made me feel better along with malunggay soup and I was able to travel to Makati for the visa appointment. 




On January 1st we headed to Makati for our visa appointment at the embassy the next day.
We stayed at the Green Sun Hotel which we booked in Agoda and paid in 7-11.
Green Sun Hotel

New Bistro Deli Pasong Tamo



Starbucks - got ourselves the blueberry cheesecake

I was advised to come back on January 3rd for
another check-up. I had lab tests and I was relieved I was not anemic,my kidneys are okay and my lungs are clear thank God. I had to take another 7-day antibiotics dose because of UTI and scheduled the routine urinalysis and consultation on January 13th. I went hiking (link for Maynuba) on the last day of taking my meds which was a Saturday so I made sure I took them - strictly not on an empty stomach. I tried to eat a rice meal early in the morning after hours of traveling in the van, I tried so hard not to puke everything I've eaten hahaha. 

So the results were okay and I have to maintain what the antibiotics have cleared by eating clean and having less coffee. I have cut down on colas for many years but have not really avoided coffee. But these days I limit myself to one cup a day in the morning from 4 cups a day! I was also given cranberry pills as supplement.

Also, when I look back, I can say that it probably was for the best since we had to review for the APLA NTS final exams set January 10th. So we had plenty of time listening to the recordings of the three-day class and focused on reading Luke and Acts which was a great experience to me.


Anyway, I am planning to visit my family this February.

That sums up our holidays!

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Cayabu, Tanay, Rizal:Mt. Maynoba Day-Hike

This world's not my home
Just a-passing through
Through this life I wander
Treasure stored up yonder
Somewhere beyond the blue
On my way I learn
Through each path I take
Every day I'm growing
On my way I'm knowing
Heaven's worth the wait
-Anchor for the Soul 
by J. Brian Craig

My first day-hike of the year, I'm not really planning on a couple even because age is definitely catching up on me-my right knee hurt after, so I shouldn't forget wearing my knee support next time. There were 11 of us from different departments and I'm just walking behind them with the sweeper following us.

The weather was fair and the trail is dry in most parts. There's no rain even if a few days before that, there were showers so we were kind of hoping for it not to rain and it didn't!

Even with the dry trail, some parts are still slippery because of the small rocks and dry leaves and some of us slipped but imagine if it had rained! The steep cliff is waiting down there-perhaps one will manage to survive it with a few broken bones but then it can be worse-I guess that's the risk but this is supposed to be an easy climb like the ones I have always joined - just fun climbs :) Mt. Nalayag is still the most dangerous for me to date LOL.







crowded spot, let's go to another... 

0230 ETD Open iT Lucena
0530 ETA Cayabu, Rizal
0545 breakfast (small eatery offering adobo, longanisa, hotdogs, chopsuey, rice etc) 
0615 registration and orientation, prayer
0630 trekking approx 2 hrs to summit with some 75 degree hike trails
0745 ETA viewing deck (no sea of clouds at his time) 
0830 ETA Mt. Maynoba Summit 662 ASL
1100 ETA falls #7 (can't remember, that's the last one)
12NN Back to jump off about 15 minutes walk down a few stream crossings
1300 Wash up then lunch at another carinderia (I had betamax, pork chops and half rice)
1430 ETD Cayabu, off to Tanay for Balaw Balaw Restaurant
1630 ETA Balaw Balaw Restaurant, Art Gallery and Museum
1800 ETD from resto, off to Lucena
2200 ETA Office







that's a bunch of crunchy crickets for you! 

good for 6-8 pax of seafood and pink Balaw Balaw rice