Urduja Was Also in Butuan

I didn't know Butuan was also devastated by typhoon Urduja not until I read the latest from MindaNews. Few nights ago, I got a text from somebody that it was raining cats and dogs there. It didn't immediately dawn on me that some parts of Butuan, especially the downtown, is a flood-prone area. I thought that only Surigao should watch out for the typhoon (as can be read from my previously-posted article in my recently-created blog).

Good thing, my house is in a safe place... and so is my mango tree. :)

Piso Fare

Since I've been posting cebu pacific articles in this blog, let me share with you what i received from my email last saturday, november 21, which i just read this morning.

P1 More Chance! Grab the PISO Fare while you can!

More than 50,000 seats up for grabs

Asia’s third-largest low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific brings back the ‘Go Lite’ PHP 1 seat sale to all international and domestic destinations starting now until November 22, 2009 only, or until more than 50,000 seats have been sold out. Travel period is June 15-September 30, 2010.

32 domestic destinations are up for grabs through this website promo, including Cebu-Siargao, Cebu-Ozamiz, Cebu-Clark, Manila-San Jose, and Manila-Kalibo (Boracay).
We're offering the lowest fare alternative for international flights with our PHP 1 sale, including flights to Taipei, Kota Kinabalu, Pusan (Korea), Osaka and Jakarta.
Passengers with check-in luggage will just add PHP 100 upon booking. The PHP 1 is exclusive of government taxes and administration fees.

Hurry, this is your last chance! Grab the PISO Fare while you can! This promotion is only available via www.cebupacificair.com

Historical Butuan (part 3)

The ancient vessel then was about 15 to 18 meters in length as mentioned in Pigafetta's account in their 1521 voyage when Magellan?s voyage reached the Philippine shores.

In 1977, local Butuan historian Adolfo Busa Sanchez wrote in his book "1521 Limasawa" that the "balanghai" is more of a royal family boat. It is large enough to house the entire family of a datu or rajah.

"It can be converted into a warboat and it has a capacity of from 25 to 30 passengers or warriors. It is a kind of a boat about 15 to 17 meters long, built on its sides like a wine cask, with strips of timber planks fastened by strong wooden dowels. This boat is so constructed that it can be utilized to easily navigate along narrow waterway such as rivers and big stream, and it could also be used as a fishing boat in the open sea during fair weather."

(to be continued)

Historical Butuan (part 2)

(this is a continuation of the article i posted in this blog in february this year. sorry for the delay. anyway, keep on reading :)

By 2011, Voyage Balanghai is expected to reach Micronesian nations and Madagascar as they will continue to navigate the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans by 2012 and hopefully be back in the Philippines by 2013.

"The ancient Balanghai Boat is not only environment-friendly but we can also show to the World the Filipinos and Butuanons' expertise in sea travel even before the Spaniards and Europeans came to our shores", Valdez said.

Used by the Filipino seafarers and traders in sea trading with China then, the Balanghai has definitely debunked the claim that before the coming of the Spaniards, Philippines had no contacts with the outside world.

(to be continued)

I No Longer Have Anything For Rent

I have been so busy that I forgot all about my ads.  I just realized it now after receiving numerous inquiries about my property which i previously posted as available for rent.  Well, here's an update:  my house and my bachelor's pad are no longer available for rent.  But it is STILL UP FOR SALE.
 
for inquiries, please email me at guiamadelo@gmail.com :)

Now I Know!

I just found out that my articles that were scheduled to be posted in my blog were not posted at all! I used LetterMeLater.com for this purpose, but dont get me wrong. LeterMeLater.com has nothing to do with my so-called "lapse of judgment" (still remember that not-so-popular phrase? hehehe)

It turned out I was using the wrong email address for the posting of my articles. I remember Jomar Hilario emphasized "never ever mess up with your email address" in his internet marketing seminar that i attended eons ago. My fault.. :(

Anyway, I hope I could make up for my errors by being active in this blog.. from now on.. :)

there's such thing as free lunch!

one of my fondest memories during my recent vacation was our shopping spree with my family and relatives at gaisano mall in butuan city hours before my flight back to manila. we were about to take the escalator to the second floor of the mall when i noticed a stall where promo girls were offering free taste of a liquid drink. i didn't even bother to check the brand of that choco milk when i grabbed a cupful and gave it to my cousin. she was even more surprised when she saw me starting to distribute those drinks and shouted, "my treat!" to everyone else in the group!

hahahahaha! i was having the time of my life! while my cousin? she did not know what to do - whether to run away from me in embarrassment or just simply disown me. hahahahaha!

as if that was not enough, while we were waiting for our food at a nearby restaurant, i made sure my cousin noticed me when i went out, got another drink, and drank just outside the restaurant for my family and relatives to see. if it were not for the glass wall, they would have had stoned me with meatballs! hehehehee

Indian Mangoes!

Last October, a tenant of my house texted me that the indian mango tree in my front yard was producing so much fruits that he had no choice but to give sacks of those to the neighborhood kids. Knowing how yummy those fruits are, I told him to save some for me. He was amused that I would take the time to go to Butuan just for that. Hehehe...

To cut the long story short, my family and I were able to harvest those mangoes. I even brought my share of about five pieces of mangoes all the way to manila. Afraid that it might rot while enroute to Manila, take note, I handcarried it!

For those of you who are wondering what's with those mangoes, I'll tell you why. It is the only kind of green mango that my mother can eat with so much gusto without having to worry about her sensitive teeth. As she describes it, it's just like almost eating sweet potato but still with the familiar identity and taste of a mango. I absolutely agree!

Want some? :)