The moment I passed the immigration line at the NAIA Terminal 1 there was no turning back.  To follow Jesus where He leads is a commitment I made when I decided to make Him Lord of my life.  It's been an exciting adventure since I chose to do that at age 13.

A new chapter is once again being written in my life as I together with my family venture into the unknown.  Knowing only that it is He who called us and is faithful to the very end.  May He find the same in me.

On the day of departure 26 Feb 2008 we had to make a decision which I didn't like.  That was for Renz & Nav to stay behind to finish up the clearing of our rented house in Pasig.  We didn't want to leave Mommy Vaisy crying because of the still a lot of things to sort and clean up at the house.  We'd rather her crying because she will miss us ;p  So reluctantly I left Tuesday night.  Thanks to Bro. Jessie & Sis. Choleen Lema who took me to the airport together with dad Pete, ma Vaisy, Renz & Nav.

Much of Saturday was spent at Chatuchak.  BKK's own DV but beter organized.  (Pets in this corner, furnitures there, clothes everywhere...)  To get there, we again took the efficient BTS -Sukhumvit line all the way to  Mo Chit, the last stop, where Chatuchak Market was.  This was an awesome place.  I wish we had a map.  We just followed our feet.  There were aisles that seem to lead to a dead-end then we found ourselves oustside looking at fishes, tanks, feeds...  Other aisles just seem to go forever.  What was once road in the morning, became an ocean of people in the afternoon.  It seemed like a place where you could almost buy anything and at bargain prices, which you could haggle for...

We found comfort in the cool enclaves of JJ Mart (as recommended by Rodel L).  Mostly clothes...  Ate lunch here where we met a 60something guy from Montreal, Canada who wanted to know if our lunch was good.  Apparently he was on a 3-city-Asian tour and found BKK to be the best as compared to HK & HCM or was it PP, anywayz...

Bought lot of stuff, which were mostly for others, pasalubongs (gifts for people back home).  I don't think there's an english equivalent for that word, which seems to be a Pinoy thing.

Met again with Ptr L. in the afternoon.  Then it was off for mugata (don't know about the spelling) Thai BBQ ihaw-ihaw. Our hosts for the night were BBC-school mates who are now working & ministering in this friendly town.  Joan, Julie & Shines knew the places where locals hang out.  It was a buffet-style dinner where you cook the food yourself.  It was mostly youth & young adults who I saw dining in the resto along Petchburi.  It was fun catching up with these ladies and hearing stories of their adventures in the Land of Smiles.

Left Manila at 12mn and arrived at the Summer Place Hotel, Baguio City for the Southern Tagalog District Council's 2007 Annual Convention.

The weather is cool and welcoming.  However, the car fumes which drive up the nasal pipes destroys full appreciation of the place.

Another killjoy factor is my wife and son are not with me to enjoy the cool weather here. :(

5:30am & 5:30pm shots from the Summer Place overlooking Marcos Highway.

My Lakbayan grade is C+!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.Thanks for the link Jen.

Of all the days I can foget to bring my digicam, it had to be Maundy Thursday... Grrrr.... 

Last Wednesday I wasn't sure if our planned family day trip to Laguna was going to push through.  Mon-Tue I was having car trouble.  It would start sometimes then it wouldn't.  When I had it checked:

1st mechanic said - "check battery or alternator"

2nd mechanic said, "problem with alternator, but we can't fix it"

3rd non-mechanic said (my church friend), "it's the starter"

4th mechanic said, "it's the ignition & we can fix it".

Kaloy's car repair shop fixed our 1999 Totyota Revo in 6 hours.  Not bad.

So the day trip did push through.  We invited other members of the extended family with us & Nav a blast!  Dona Jovita's Garden Resort is nice place.  Not too big & the pools are scattered all around the property as opposed to the usual "let's try to fit in as many pools & cottages as possible & as clos to one another as possible so when they all begin to sing videoke they'll end up having a brawl because of noise pollution".

We took the longer route back to Pasig due to heavy traffic from Laguna - Manila.  It was a 4 hour drive on the usual scenic route.  Since it was already 7pm it was just black & the moonlit sky.  Detoured when we hit Antipolo because of the "alay-lakad" (pilgrimage of devout Roman Catholics to the Antipolot church).

So many experiences & sights to capture... & my digi was sitting on the sofa at home...  It was still there when got in at 11pm.

Contact info: www.donajovita.com Tel no: (02)807 0245