Our internet connection at home has been acting up since last week that’s why I’m not in the mood to blog lately. Being used to the fast internet connection in Prague, it’s very annoying when the internet acts this way – here now, gone in a second; very unpredictable. The Globelines’ technicians already came here yesterday in the afternoon and fixed the problem but later in the evening, we experienced the same erratic connection all over again. Duh!

Today marks the second week of our arrival in the Philippines. We haven’t gone to any beach resorts or any points of interest in the country.  This isn’t a tour-all-around-the-country kind of vacation anyway but more of staying-at-home-to-relax kind of thing, NOT!  Hah!  I wish I get to relax really. Having an energetic toddler makes it impossible.  She has to be watched over more keenly than in Prague coz the house isn’t baby-friendly; there’s a long flight of stairs that she loves to climb, there’s a rock garden which she enjoys picking the stones from and many other things that she’s eyeing to discover and explore.  Thanks to my sis and parents, they sometimes stash little C away to play with her and I get to have a time for myself.  But lately she’s been clingy to me!  Getting a yaya is not an option for me coz I don’t really trust anybody else to take care of little C other than family members.

But, we’ve made several trips to the malls for our Christmas shopping and that’s just about the one deviation activity from my motherhood chores that I get to do. Oops, there’s dining out too whenever we go shopping. Anyway it will be only two weeks more till my other siblings and their family will arrive and it will be a party circus everyday at home with kids running, laughing and playing all over the house.  Little C will have many playmates then!

In the meantime, wherever you go around the city you will be greeted with houses, stores and buildings decked with colorful and bright decors and blinking Christmas lights such as this one:

The Chinatown Square in  Bacolod City.

We celebrated mom’s birthday at Mambukal Resort.  It was a bold and risky wish she had because it has been raining for days, weeks and months!  With storm after storm brewing non-stop, it was almost impossible to have a favorable weather much more a sunny day.

So there we were with some friends. As mom happily related to all, she prayed for a good weather and fortunately, heaven heard her and gifted her with little sun in the morning and a slight drizzle in the afternoon which was just enough for us to stroll on foot around the resort.  We were forbidden to go up to the falls (series of 7 in all) because the rain would have probably made the road slippery and moistened the soil which might cause some landslides. No amount of begging could give us the much sought permission to trek up the falls. We were a bit disappointed coz we had a guest who was flying back to Manila on Sunday.

It was a working day and I bet the rainy days had discouraged people to even plan on going there, so we almost had the resort all to ourselves except for a group of Koreans and a family. It was great coz there are always flock of people and tourists every time we go there especially during summer and christmas seasons. So the atmosphere was serene with all the towering trees, verdant lush vegetation and slight drizzle,  making it a nice moment to be with nature.

Aside from hiking to the 7th falls, other attractions are boating lagoon, wall climbing, dipping pool (in sulfur), swimming pool, bath house, hanging bridge, butterfly garden, vegetable farm and stalls offering a variety of food.

Raging water beside us, a view from our hut.

There was a grilling and washing station very near our hut, so it was convenient to cook there. Don’t you just love grilled foods? We marinated the chicken and pork meat overnight which we plan to grill there but instead we had it fried at home before leaving lest the rain will pour and we’ll have a hard time making fire there.

Hot sulfur spring. You can actually see the smoke!

The boating lagoon.

Let it flow!

That’s about it! While on our way home, that’s the time rain poured like crazy. Indeed it was mom’s birthday wish come true.

While in the mall recently, I chanced upon a garden fair at the lobby. Lo and behold there was one booth selling some herbs in plastic pots.  I chose basil and parsley which are commonly used in cooking.  Then I spotted a mint plant. Oh boy, was I ecstatic? Of course! I have been meaning to cook Nam Tok Moo ( a spicy thai dish of pork) but wouldn’t know where to get mint leaves.  And there it was not just some bunch of leaves but a plant that would give me constant supply of fresh mint leaves, unless of course it will die.

My little herbs in their new abode
(I transferred them in some new pots).

Mint                                          Basil
 
Parsley

I have already snipped off some basil leaves to add to the tomato puree I made for the spaghetti few days ago and it added a distinct flavor to the pasta. Now I’m already anticipating the time I can make the Nam Tok Moo with the mint leaves.  Oh well, somebody at home always has something else in mind what to cook for our meals, so my project has been put off many times already.

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I found this picture of Nam Tok Moo I ate couple of years ago at a Thai restaurant (I forgot the name) in Future Park. It was my Thai friend Chaiyoat who suggested to us the place coz I requested  to eat real Thai food. And I wasn’t discouraged! My face turned red and sweat was popping out from my skin as I was feasting on the spicy foods.

 
Overload of different spices! The pork meat is almost non-existent!