Caroleen’s Treasures

I am glad Donald got my sister Crislyn to do photo sharing of our Davao escapades this morning so I could blog about it now. It will be photo studded and a quite long post but I will try to make it as short as possible so I won’t bore you guys. I will try…but I cannot promise.

Our trip going to Davao went pretty well because Ella had slept most of the trip. This is what I really wanted so we won’t deal with never-ending nagging of why we need to go there, why do we need to take a bus and why can’t we just ride a motorbike so she won’t feel dizzy. The bus had a lunch stop over at Monkayo, an hour away from Trento. We never tried dining there before since we are always full each time we pass by there but this time we feel we wanted to try their food. All Bachelor Buses stops by that place for breakfast, lunch and dinner and I was curious how the food tastes so we carried the sleeping Ella down the bus who was rubbing her eyes by the time we were inside the place. The food was nice, it justifies the price since they servings are as expensive as the mall’s food court. Like all other eateries, drivers and conductors of PUB’s have free meals but they have their own eating area there. We quickly finished our food and headed out.

As we are about to climb on the bus, Ella asked me to buy her Smarties chocolate in the store. As I was struggling to get myself on my seat with the bags and stuff on my feet, we were flabbergasted when Ella asked, “May melamine ba ito Dy?” referring to the chocolates. (Does it have melamine Daddy?) I tried to take her question seriously so I checked the box since Donald was arranging something in his bag. Then I gave it back to her and told her it is safe because it is not made from China. Donald, in disbelief, he just managed to say, “You are watching too much TV…” and laughed. We were really surprised because we never told her about Melamine, but she watched the news with us. I finally agreed that having getting a TV would bring some positive result.

We had so much fun in Davao since we went to the beach. It was an unplanned escapade and it was very tiring to do the food and other stuff shopping and going to the beach in a day plus Ella was with us. My younger sister Cheche had to go to school that morning so she could not watch Ella. My sister’s PIL’s are not sure if they could come with us because Auntie Carmen (my sister’s MIL) is yet to find a gown for Borski and Nai’s wedding.

First we went to Uyanguren to get some cheap beach shorts. Up in the building where we are suppose to shop happen to be where Kuya Ace’s badminton game was held so we went up to check if he was already playing. We are hoping his game will end earlier so he could make it to the beach in time for the last boat trip. We did some food shopping too and picking the right swim wears for us girls ate most of our time so by the time we are done shopping (cheap snorkels for the boys, floater and beach toys for Ella) we headed back to my sister’s PIL’s place. We hailed a taxi and I asked him if he could wait for us while we get some things in the house then get us back to Sta. Ana Wharf. This time it was actually 2:30pm and the last boat trip is 3pm!!!! We already sent instruction to Cheche to prepare the knives, chopping board and other things we need while we were still in the taxi. Thinking it will save time not to unload the box of food and the shopping bags, we need to get the driver agree and we are glad he did but he gave us only 5 minutes to get all what we need. After the shortest 5 minutes I ever experienced in my entire life, we are packed in the taxi again to the wharf where Kuya Ace was already waiting for us.

We were there just in time only to find out that the last boat will leave at 4:30pm. At least we were already there but we could have been saved from getting our blood pressures high from trying to catch the boat. Anyway we spent an an hour and a half sitting by the wharf, enjoying the heat of the afternoon sun.

I forgot where we went right? We went back to our favorite resort, Isla Reta at Talicud Island. A good one hour boat ride from Davao and Ella and Tito Ace are both tired.

When we arrived there it was already dark. We had ordered food before we arrived but we waited for little while before it was served. We bought a ready-to-cook pork barbeque at the mall and we quickly prepared it. Ella asked to swim right after we have put our stuff in the cottage and I asked Cheche to watch her. The night turned out fine. We ate and talked and let time pass. All night there are loud thunderclaps but it did not rain. Just some light drizzles and cold wind not enough to satisfy Ella so me and Cheche spent the night fanning her.

Early the following morning, Kuya Ace and my sister Crislyn woke up at 4am for sunrise shoot but they are unlucky because the sun didn’t show up.

When Ella woke up, she excitedly ran down the water like she has never been to a beach. I stayed in the floater as I do not want to get wet. We had spent a good amount of time convicing her that she won’t drown in her life vest.

Good that Crislyn had spare batteries for their camera so we have spent the most of our time posing as her subject. This was taken with their DLSR.

The three sisters…..guess who is the eldest and who is pregnant.

Kuya Ace went back to sleep while Donald was playing in the sand, glad that they brought along their tripod.

I forgot I was 13 weeks pregnant here…but not as much as I have totally forgotten when we went to Isla Reta II where big waves are sweeping us to the shore which literally get me almost naked.

While we are swimming, a small boat came to pick up the people on the far side of the resort to visit Isla Reta II. We decided we also wanted to see the other side of the island so we arranged for an island tour after lunch. Instead of going just to Isla Reta II, we decided to tour the whole Talicud Island too so we packed our basket with some junk foods to nibble while we are in the boat which we have not actually eaten because everyone enjoyed the tour.

First we stopped by the Mansod Wall where the best corals so far that I have seen. using Ella goggles which she calles “googles” or “giggles”, I enjoyed the underwater scenery.

Ella stayed in the boat at first but when we arrived at the Coral Garden, she went down the water and was saying, “Walang akong pinagsisihan Mommy…” (I have no regrets Mommy)

The whole tour took us about an hour before we arrived at our destination. Isla Reta II!!!! The view is so breathtaking and as soon as we climbed down the boat, we ran and did some photo shoot for the National Calendar

 

Crislyn was trying to capture the scenic view of the wave hitting the shore and the rocks when and just when she clicked the camera, Ella was trying to get away from the wave. You could have seen how she was so scared of it. She stayed standing by the shore almost the entire time that we were there.

Kuya Ace and Crislyn stayed by the shore too, they tried to join us but they enjoyed taking photos of us more than getting swallowed by the waves.

One last shot before we left Isla Reta II and going back to Isla Reta I. That is me and the tripod.
 

Here’s the little captain of the little boat.

We had so much fun although our camera died earlier than I expected. But that was I thought because all those time that I thought the battery was only 3/4 empty it was actually 3/4 full! Bummer! Glad that my sister and BIL had their mighty camera at hand. It saved the wonderful memories. Ella was asking when will we go back there just when the boat to Davao was leaving the island. Hopefully in December. By that time my belly will be a lot bigger but that won’t stop me from enjoying the beach. Got to check diet supplements before hitting the pillow.