Philippine Beaches: Anawangin, Nagsasa and Subic

I've just been to the beach last month and here I am, again, wanting to dip myself into one. El Nido could have halted this strong longing but last year a beach is no where in sight! So, on that note, I am now reminiscing the beaches I've  been to for the last 5 years.

First off, the beaches of Zambales.

Anawangin Cove

San Antonio, Zambales facing South China Sea

Anawangin was then a secret place for mountaineers, like me. After traversing Mt. Anawangin from Pundaquit, we can soak up the sun lying on a beautiful beach with almost nobody in sight! But today this cove is no secret.

Serene

Pine tree lined beach

Beautiful

Nearby breakwater

At sundown

Photos taken in 2008. Credits to Welmar Rugas and MJ Cahandig.

Nagsasa Cove

San Antonio, Zambales facing South China Sea

Another secluded beach in San Antonio Zambales. When Anawangin cove became famous as a weekend getaway, people who wants much less swarmed beaches moved further southwards. An almost total replica of Anawangin.

Blue is the color of peace

The contrast and depth is amazing

Sun-dried fishes are the best

Rockies

Chillin', sa aking duyan

Photos taken in 2009.

Subic
Subic Bay, Zambales

An industrialized beach I may say. As a former US Naval Base, the bay has grown to have that Americanized commercial feel. American expatriates, locals and tourists alike enjoys the beach's nightlife.

The Marina lighthouse

I wonder what are those for?

The Marina

Scorching hot!

Photos taken in 2010.

'12 Christmas Wishlist!

Here I am, again, wishing for finer things in life. Gadgets are still among the top of this year's Christmas Wishlist. Last year, I asked for an iPhone 4s, a MacBook Air and a micro-four-third's camera. The 4s came, the wanted cam was replaced by a Canon Kiss and I almost got an HP notebook.

This year, I wanted to bring it up a notch, and explore the world of connectivity and home networks. I'm engrossed with the cool features of these devices and their versatility. Portability, Beauty, Convenience, Eminence and Coolness are the qualities that defines these selected devices which makes up the top five of my Christmas Wishlist! Sounds like I'm going to announce the top five Miss Universe contestants! Anyways here's the list and I'd bet these are on yours as well.

1. MacBook Air - Portability

So long have I been wanting to have a portable computer. Tablet's and smartphone's versatility almost killed this wanting, but one thing that keeps me on eyeing a notebook, that little cursor. I wanna do a lot of things  on a computer while on bed or in a shower. With all these file transfers, picture editing, music sampling, downloading and video presentation making, a powerful device is really needed! It is really convenient that you'll just have close the lid of the MacBook when you want to sleep, and as soon as you wake up, just like a guardian angel that watches over you on your sleep, open the lid and it is already up and running. Thanks to its flash drive technology.

MacBook Air 13-inch 128GB starts at PHP 50,000.

2. Sony BRAVIA HDTV - Beauty

Yes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but an ugly picture seems beautiful as your eyes celebrates the bursting colors of an HDTV. Who could resist not looking at these large monitors as you walk by an appliance center in a mall. I for one stopped in front of a large screen, nothing on the screen playing that would interest me, just a bird, flying. I was mesmerized by the colors of the picture and fluidity of the motion. Can't wait to get my hand on this big and sleek Sony HDTV and watch my 1080p and 720p movies. 

Sony 40-inch EX430 Series BRAVIA TV starts at PHP 50,000

3. Bose SoundLink Air - Convenience

Wanting to play your music from your iPhone loud, without losing the sound quality? Tired of docking your iPhone and undocking it when you receive a phone call?  Dreamed of exploring the AirPlay technology introduced by Apple? Check, check, check! I do! Bose is Bose, you know you'll get your money's worth because of sound quality and good looks. And the integration of the Airplay technology is just so sweet! I just love it!

Bose SoundLink Air starts at PHP 14,400

4. iPhone 5 - Eminence

I only wrote iPhone 5 because there is no iPhone 5s nor a 6 yet. That is what I want, the upgrade of Apple's much talked about smartphone of 2012. Pitted against the Samsung Galaxy S3, I still have no love for big smartphones. A clean, simple and elegant looking smartphone that is recognizable and with high market value  definitely are that qualities that sets iPhones apart from these Androids and Windows phones. Truly, the eminent one.

Apple iPhone 5 16GB starts at PHP 31,000

5. GoFlex Home Storage System - Coolness

Yes, coolness! I should have bought this over my current Western Digital HDD! Back then I was not keen about the networking features of an HDD, I just want an extra space for my growing number of movies, music and TV series downloads. I never thought I could share these media files over Wi-Fi home networks and mobile networks. You won't have to connect your tablet, notebook or a handheld device to your PC to get your media, you can stream it directly from the Seagate's GoFlex Home network storage. Told you it's cool! It's a wireless media sharing hub in your home!

Seagate GoFlex Home Network Storage System 1TB starts at PHP 4,600

There you go, that's a total of PHP 150,000. Not bad right? haha. 

Anyways, satisfaction from these things will never amount to the greater gift that the Lord gave us, life. Let's celebrate this season with a grand cheer, sharing and love! Merry Christmas everybody!

Apple Macbook Air, Sony BRAVIA HDTV, Bose SoundLink Air, Apple iPhone 5 and Seagate GoFlex Home.

STATUS: That's When I Knew

Right there
In the middle of a conversation
Wasn't anything special you said
It was just there

Right then
I didn't have time even to overthink it
I loved you and all of a sudden
I was all in

It's like my knees are all weak and the butterflies
They were dancing and taking all of my air
From that moment on it was very clear

That's when I knew I fell in love
That's when I knew you were the one
That's when I knew you stole my heart away from me
That's when I knew that I was sunk
That was the moment that I knew I was in love
That's when I knew
That's when I knew
That's when I knew

That day
I didn't know we were going where the night would end
I didn't know there was something brewing and if it was
I didn't know how much I care

That touch
When you barely held my hand I was overcome
With feelings I don't understand
Not in a million years I didn't think that we'd be here

It's like my knees are all weak and the butterflies
Got me dancing and taking all of my air
From that moment on it was very very very very clear

That's when I knew I fell in love
That's when I knew you were the one
That's when I knew you stole my heart away from me
That's when I knew that I was sunk
That was the moment that I knew I was in love
That's when I knew
That's when I knew
That's when I knew
Don't you know it?
Hey
That's when I knew Baby
That's when I knew
That's when I knew

Baby

You know that you know
You know what you feel
And there's no denying
That love is for real
There is nothing to do
Just let it in
Gotta surrender

That's when I knew I fell in love
That's when I knew you were the one
That's when I knew you stole my heart away from me
That's when I knew that I was sunk
That was the moment that I knew I fell in love
(That's when I knew)
That’s when I knew with that minute
That’s when I knew it was that beautiful
Sometimes you get it, sometimes you get it
That’s when I knew it baby
Yeah, that’s when I knew
That’s when I knew we fell in love.

Sung by: Alicia Keys
Written by: Alicia Keys, Antonio Dixon and Kenneth Edmons.
Album: Girl On Fire (2012)

EU Tour: Milan

Last weekend: Milan/ Milano, Lombardy/ Lombardia, Italy/ Italia

Places of Interest: Piazza del Duomo, Duomo di Milano, Piazza della Scala, Teatro alla Scala and Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle II.

Must Try: Pizza from Luini, gellato from Cioccolati Italiani and the local night-life.

Teatro alla Scala

A fountain, again...

Pizza del Duomo centerpiece

Duomo di Milano

It's a fountain, yes it it!

I wondered, but of course not!

Me and the Duomo

Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle II

The Duomo and the swarm

I never thought that Teatro alla Scala would be this plain

Feeding the pigeons

High-shops inside the GVE II

Amazing floorworks!

Piazza della Scala

Sculptured columns are everywhere

A bank note perhaps?

City of Arts and Fashion

The Alps going to Italy

Oh, welcome to Italia!

Leonardo da Vinci

Milano nightlife

Cioccolati Italiani

Luini's scrumptious pizza, yum!

The Duomo at night

Luini, locals fave.

Next city, hmmm... how i wonder.

EU Tour: Noventa di Piave

Day 22: Noventa di Piave, Venice/ Venezia, Veneto/ Vèneto, Italy/ Italia

Places of Interest: McArthur Glenn's Designer's Outlet

Must Try: Rustichelli and Mangione's pizzas

Burberry and fountain

A Venetian gondola

Me on a gondola

Manila Grace

Heavenly folded pizza, arrrgggh!!!

Shopping is a therapy

Last city to visit, Milano!