Saying Goodbye to Marikina

We have enjoyed our time in Marikina, and have seen many beautiful things. It has been nice getting to know Tonet’s family better. I’ll miss the many cats that wander the streets here. I’ll miss the wonderful weather and the surprising sights. It’s sad to be leaving the Philippines, and I’ll carry the good memories with me.

Greg & Sally Tree Garden Cafe

For our last day in the Philippines Tonet and I went with her family to Greg & Sally Tree Garden Cafe, a beautiful restaurant near her sister’s home.

The ambiance was great, with trees providing shade, a couple Buddhas around, a jack-o’-lantern in January, a swing by the table and lots of nice little touches.

The food was very good. Mushroom sisig, garlic tumeric rice, gumamela iced tea, kangkong chips, basil oyster mushrooms and vegetable gising gising were all delicious!


A Long Walk in Marikina

Today I took a last long walk through Marikina. We fly out early Sunday morning and likely will have a full day tomorrow, so it was nice to spend a few hours wandering and seeing a few new places before I go.

Highlights included a statue of former mayor Gil Fernando and the looming Disneyified campus of the OLOPSC Preschool.

Crystal Flights II

I continued my play through of Pokémon Crystal on two flights and some long journeys through heavy traffic. The game continued to be engaging and I was able to make my way through Johto, collecting the 8 badges and besting the elite four. I then played through the first two gyms in Kanto. I’ll likely play during my flights home and be done.

Back in Marikina

Last night we arrived back in Marikina and this morning I went out to run and walk around. There are always new side streets and surprising spots to find. I learned there is a House of Unicorns Cafe here!

I had to do some searching, but I did find one more Pokémon straw, this time of Froakie, but I may never have Chespin to be able to slurp through each of the gen 6 starters.

One Last Run in Guiuan

On my last full day in Guiuan, I visited a beach and did some running along it. The view was so beautiful that it was distracting, but it felt so good to be running though lovely scenery. The cliffs and gentle waves made for a refreshing and exhilarating experience.

Pokemon Adventures 02

When it rains and during other down time, I’ve continued reading Pokémon Adventures. The second volume is a lot stronger than the first. The characters are more fleshed out and the story diverges from the games in ways that keep things interesting. The art continues to be a great match for this story, with great expressions and action that is full of energy but easy to follow.

Katican Island

Monday we traveled by boat to Katican Island, also known as Pearl Island. It’s a marine sanctuary and we were able to swim and see some beautiful sea life, including clams, coral, fish and sea urchin. The beach surrounding the small island is a stunning white and is made up entirely of coral.

Creatures in Eastern Samar

During my time in Eastern Samar, I’ve been enjoying spotting life all around. Hermit crabs crept along the beaches and crossed the road ahead of us, lizards scurried along walls catching ants, cats stalked about, farm animals were tied along roads, and there were beautiful fish to see swimming.