Company Outing In Batangas

The Outing at the Palm Beach Resort in Batangas

April 2008: I arrived from the States on a Friday and on Saturday our company had a 2 day outing in Batangas at the beach. Quite an affair... I did find it unusual to participate in an overnite company-wide event... We left Ortigas around 9 in the morning headed for Batangas...


Between the employees and their family members, we filled 2 buses...

Typical Philippine Countryside

After a 4 hour journey, we arrived at the resort, Palm Beach Resort... It sure is a beautiful spot and it looks like a good time for everyone...

Here are the Casitas that we partied in... The attendant staff would bring drinks, place settings, whatever your requirements were, they were happy to see to them....

Room assignments were next.... This is the building that I stayed in...The rooms are well maintained, and nice. With usual amenities like refrigerator, televisions, etc. Verandas in all rooms and a good view of the beach while relaxing and reading your favorite book. I was on the 2nd floor... The comfort rooms (bathrooms) are clean with hot and cold showers.
After checking in and eating lunch, everyone relaxed...

We even had a small rainbow (look closely, I said it was small... LOL...).....

The grills were started and we all enjoyed fresh grilled seafood for appetizers...

Green Mussels (tahong) on the grill.... Mmmmmmmm good....

Check out those teeth.... Sure glad I am the one doing the eating.....!!

After dinner, the party started in earnest and ended around 5am...

Fortunately, I had just arrived from the States and my sleep pattern dictated that I make an early departure from the evenings festivities (jet lag)...

.....so I awoke Sunday morning feeling refreshed and ready to go....

I spent the morning snorkeling and then it was time for our 6 hour adventure to get home...!!!

Sunday afternoons traveling north to Manila is a guaranteed traffic jam...

WE finally made it back to Ortigas, ready to head to work the next morning.

An April Visit to California

Well, it has been a long time since I attended to my blog. My daughter has done such a good job keeping me "informed" of all the comings and goings of my family, that I feel guilty for not keeping up..!! Herewith is the latest update for your edification and delight..... Hehehe....

I had spent almost 6 months here in Manila before my first visit back to the States. I was missing my family, a good Cali-burger and a cold draft beer..... So on April 2nd, I headed to Oakland (by way of Taipei).


In Taipei, while waiting for my flight to SFO, I bought some very fresh mackeral sushi.... Now for all you sushi eaters out there, mackeral is definitely an acquired taste, but believe me, this stuff was good.... I was VERY surprised at how good it was....


When I landed in San Francisco, I was promptly directed to "Area C" of customs... This was the complete baggage search area... I guess they though I was due an "extra looksee" because I had been out of the country for 6 months... So after a half hour of having everything searched, I wandered out to the pickup area to be greeted by Liz and 3 smiling grandchildren..... I was in Grandpa heaven....


I spent the next 2 weeks traveling all over California (Monterrey, Los Angeles, etc) with my family. Adam and Lauren came for a week from New Hampshire.

Adam's Birthday

We celebrated Adam's birthday in Monterrey with a Cowboy theme....


A few Cowboys ready to RIP IT UP..!!!


A couple of tuff lookin' Hombres.....

We spent some time in Santa Monica...

Liz and Matchie on the beach in Santa Monica


Liz and Joon


Hanging on the Beach


Ewwwwww Sand on my Hands..!!!


Brother and Sister


Swinging in Santa Monica


Mother and Daughter


Matchie at the Beach

Celebration in Koreatown in LA

The Kim Family at Abigail's First Year Celebration


Mom and her two boys - All dressed up


Liz and 'Cile


Lucile and Abby (the Birthday Girl)

We went to Traintown

Waiting for the Train


Enjoying the Traintown Rides

And we hung around in Oakland

Adam and Lauren Relaxin'


Rubber Duckies


Pool Time


Doesn't everyone play Guitar Hero..??



Who Loves Her Grandpa


It is tough to pull up those pants..!!


Staying in touch with work...


Here I am "Up on the Roof"


Lucile just loves to brush her teeth (or just eat the toothpaste)...


All worn out....

It was grand and then it was over and time to return to Manila.

A nice flight considering that it takes 2 calendar days to get to Manila (the International date line and all that).... And Precy and her son met me at the airport. Back home again...!!!