The Post with 2 Titles

In other words, “A Beacon of Light” and “Dancing In the Rain”

Today, I danced in the rain with my brother and – and more importantly – my mum. As I type, my hair is still dripping wet from the warm shower I had immediately taken as soon as I finished dancing, molding my tshirt to my back.

You’re probably wondering how “A Beacon of Light” would serve as an appropriate title here. But I won’t expound further than this:

For now, all I want is to give thanks for all of life’s small mercies; A safe lighthouse in an otherwise vast and stormy sea, for example, or dancing in the rain with your mother in spite of a turbulent relationship.

So today, I give thanks. Thanks to the rain. And thanks to hope.

Rain girl,
Essa

The 2 Seasons

Just 2 days ago, I arrived back home from a recent trip to the tropical Island of Boracay. This oasis has been the highlight of the last few bleak months spent rotting at home, praying for something - anything - to save us all from deteriorating with stress. I stayed for 4 days and 3 nights with Drei, the eldest amongst my siblings, her girlfriend, ate Iyay, ate Jill, the 3rd youngest (and 4th eldest), her boyfriend, Miggy, his mother, tita Marissa, and my brother, kuya Jap, who is a precious year older than I am.

What we did for 5 hours...

The road lay a few bumps ahead for us, only to turn out as blessings in disguise. For one, our flight was delayed for 5 hours -- 5 hours that could have been spent in praise of the sun, in love of the sand, in adoration of the water. Needless to say, we were annoyed. In compensation, we were given a free, one-way, domestic ticket to be used at our liking and consumed within the year. Score? I think so.

Once we reached the island proper, we went our seperate ways - with Miggy, Tita Marissa and ate Jill staying at a different location and Drei, ate Iyay, kuya Jap and myself staying at the 2 seasons hotel/ resort.

The 2 Seasons hotel is highly recommended. It may not have Discovery Boracay's severe popularity, nor Shangri-La Boracay's imposing yet austere prestige, but its modest rooms and quirky persona appeals to the vacationer. Add to that their generous, warm, and hospitable staff, and what you get is a hassle-free vacation both promising and surprising.

The minute we arrived to check-in with reception, we are given free drinks to help us quench our thirst brought on by the scorching sun and humid air. Already, I'm falling in love with this hotel. We are given the key to our room and we immediately go and unburden ourselves off our travel luggage. As I enter the room, I am greeted by a humble, sweet abode. Water and fruits are on the table, complimentary, for us to snack on. We take photos, as we're known to do, before heading out to check the hotel's other amenities. Right outside our hotel room, there is a wading pool, about 4 ft high, available for use once you've grown tired of having sand in your underpants or the night has taken hold, rising the tide, making it impossible to see and easy to fall prey into all sorts of accidents at the poorly lit beach.

The corridoor leading to the hotel's restaurant is plainly adorned with a koi pond full of fat, healthy koi fishes and couches so comfortable, one can easily fall asleep in them. The restaurant itself is wonderful, serving complimentary breakfasts for its guests, offering alcoholic beverages at its bar, and free wi-fi for those of us unable to stay away from the internet. A few steps outside of that, right on top of the sand so beautiful it's almost powder, are nipa huts filled with tables, benches, and pillows, offering a shade-haven. It is the perfect place to drink shakes and catch up on good conversation during the time of day most dreadful to the skin.

At the beach proper itself, numerous sun beds and umbrellas are lain out for the guests, while some of the staff hover and stand nearby, ready to assist you in any way they can. In addition to everything else, the hotel offers a shuttle to be used at any time, taking you anywhere on the island, and saving you the trouble of either walking from station one, where the hotel is located, to wherever or paying the tricycles, who at times seem to charge an ungodly amount of money for a 5 minute ride. Come night fall, a number of masseuses are available to rub your tensions away.

The room itself is spectacular, making it a challenge to venture out of the confines of your home for the entirety of your stay. The hotel offers numerous dvds to be lent, board games, internet service via lan cable, and an iPod dock my brother wanted to take home with him. My favorite part of the room is, of course, the bathroom! Their bathroom is a spacious area with a shower that is TO DIE FOR; giving the illusion of bathing outside, while ensuring your privacy as well.

The mini-pool was well-used during our stay there, especially during the night when the lights were turned on. The staff, whom I now like to think of as my friends, (most notably the gracious Arlene, our receptionist), are well-mannered and accomodating - greeting you every time you walk by and asking if you need help with anything.

Overall, my stay at the 2 Seasons was thoroughly enjoyable! It was luxurious and refreshing, yet sadly, too short. I must come back soon, and I promise you, I will! (As soon as I coerce my older siblings to pay for the room and let me board for free, mind you.)

At Peace,

Essa

P.S. All photos from the trip will be uploaded at my multiply in a day or two.

Another One Bites The Dust.

RIP: Alexis Tioseco and his girlfriend, Nika Bohinc.

Although I can't claim to know Alexis Tioseco personally, he was a professor at my college. I'm sure he was a great man, proven only by the fact that God chose Alexis and his girlfriend to join Him, their maker, sooner than the rest of us, sparing them from witnessing further cruelties and vulgarities that we of the less fortunate will still have to endure. Only the good die young.

How their demise came about was a tragic thing, we can only pray that they hadn't suffered.

All of my thoughts and prayers,

Essa