Family Day at Las Olas 2012

Five of my six children (my eldest son is in Mindanao), 4 grandchildren, one nephew and one son-in-law joined with us in our one-day family outing today at Las Olas beach resort, San Enrique, Negros Occidental.

This is our usual family day activity during New Year's day. Since this year's new year falls on Sunday and we have to go to Church and attend our Sunday services on that day, so we spent it the following day, Monday. It's good that there's no classes on this day.

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Las Olas beach resort is situated in a more or less 2-hectare of land along the seashore. The Swiss national, Frederick Harkness owns the Las Olas. Cottages, Nipa huts, conference hall, big canteen are avaiable for the excursionists, transient visitors for a day or two outings to free themselves of the boredom of their day-to-day jobs.

The rentals are ranging from Php600 per cottage, Php800 per nipa hut, and Php 1,500 for conference/function hall. Entrance fee: adult, Php10 and child, Php7.

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We brought along our foods for our lunch and snacks. Almon, my son-in-law grilled the "gusao", a kind of a fish, which he bought from the fresh catch of the fishermen who just fished them along the seashore. It's so satisfying to eat them directly cooked from the grill, while it's still hot!

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Las Olas beach resort is one of the good beaches here in Negros Occidental. It could be one of your good options to find one to have a relaxation with your family, outing with some friends, and a conference venue for your business partners and associates. Eighty to ninety persons could be accommodated in their function/conference native hall. Rooms for 3 to 4 persons are also available for transients to occupy for overnight. Water and light facilities are available. For entertainment, videoke bar is also available. There's also a canteen for short-order foods.

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We've a great fun and a happy, enjoyable family reunion. We went home past five in the afternoon. All of our grandchildren were exhausted, fatigue for a whole day playing at the seashore. All their faces turned red. We've some fun at the beach once in every year as a family by tradition. And it's also our grand family reunion.

We do believe that "families could be together forever."

Watch Out for a Big Bang!

 Though it is too risky, selling of firecrackers is one of the lucrative small business to venture with, according to one of the vendors I happened to talk two days before New Year's revelry.

As a tradition, Filipinos used to have a "big bang" to "drive away evil spirits" and happily welcome the following year with enthusiasm and excitement as a properous and a happy one.

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When I was a kid, what I knew that "firing" a reventador (a tiny firecracker) is just for fun. The more "paputok" (several sets of fireworks) you "burned", the more you're idolized by others as a "sikat" (celebrity).

I got a traumatic experience when I was eight years old then. I noticed some of my friends dared to hold a piece of tiny firecracker with their two fingers and let it fire without hurting or damaging their fingers. I was curious and did it secretly for myself. "Bang!" the "explosive" burst on my finger before I knew it. My fingers hurt, but luckily they're not cut off! That's the first and the last firecracker I ever dared to hold!

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This new year I spent it watching our neighbors enjoying their fireworks and eating our midnight snacks with my children, grandchildren, and with my beloved wife, who is the best chef cook of all time. We pray together and implore our Divine Providence to grant us more blessings and happiness as we faithfully follow His commandments and help our brothers and sisters who have less in life.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Memorable Tour To 'The Ruins' Before 2011 Ends!

The "ruiners" from La Carlota City led by by this blogger, Gil Camporazo paid a half-day morning tour to the ruins of mansion of Italianate architecture of the sugar baron, Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson (1865-1948) in Talisay City today, December 31, 2011 before the year ends.

Ricalyn Camporazo (blogger's granddaughter) and Glenn Salas, the newly wed couple; Nidabel with her daughter Ara, Marzon Oceña, Bebing (blogger's nephew), Gingging (blogger's 2nd eldest daughter), and Grace Nicor eagerly, curiously, ocularly inspected the historical remnant of the building which was considered as the Taj Mahal of the Philippines in Negros Occidental.

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The mansion was built in 1911 after the death of Don Mariano's wife, Maria Braga, Portuguese from Macau as his loving memory of their enduring love affair.

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In 1942, during the World Ward II, the guerilla fighters burned the mansion. The fire gutted the said mansion, that lasted for 3 days. Now what had left was the architectural structure of the building as a reminder of Don Mariano's glorious past of his love for his beloved wife, Maria.


It was told that the USAFFE (United States Armed Forces in the Far East), then guerilla fighters in the Philippines, that burnt the mansion to prevent the Japanese forces from utilizing it as their headquarters. It took days of inferno to bring down the roof and the two-inch wooden floors. As of this writing, the 903-square-meter structure still stands tall amidst sugar plantation and amazes both local and foreign tourists. for her magnificent view especially at sunset and nighttime when all lights are on...