Ginataang Labong and Takway

My mother grow up in a rural place most of her life. She is very well verse with the life of a poor family and we are very blessed with that. Even in our most down times(financially), she can manage to feed us with delicious and nutritious food. One thing that contributes to minimal ways of our living is her Ilocano linage, where they are known to come up with a delicious menu out from weird, wild and unusual ingredients.

Now, the recipe I'm sharing is compose of three main ingredients. Labong or bamboo shoots, Takway or gabi/taro shoots and Gata or coco milk. The ginataan or ginataang term is derive from gata or coco milk, if a recipe has gata its mostly called as Ginataan. So for the recipe I'm sharing its referred to also as labong and takway with coco milk. And so, lets get on with the procedures and other ingredients.

Wella's Graduation Day

After spending 2 years in tertiary level, 6 years in elementary level, 4 years in high school and 4 years in collage level my younger sister Wella has finally graduated! It is a very big relief for my father who is working hard for our education. Now, we will have some extra income to invest in some business to have more income. YEHEY!

My sister took Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in University of Southeastern Philippines where I also finished my bachelors degree. The commencement ceremony took place at Central Bank Convention Center last April 15, 2011. Around 8 am that day, my father arrived from a 22 hours of travel via bus from a remote area somewhere in Zamboanga Peninsula. Even if he was very tired and his body ached he still manage to escort my sister to the graduation ceremony.  

we put hair dye on my father's hair when he arrived coz
his hair were mostly white.. preparation for sis graduation 

Outside the reception area

Wella and my father(the escort)

Sand and Sea Shell by the Sea Shore

Here are some of the sand and shell shots I have during our Island hopping. Some of the photos already appeared on my slideshow banner.

Harden

Beach

She'll See

My Birthday on Holy Thursday

Today happen to be my birthday. I am 23 years old now. A year older from yesterday. Today is suppose to be a party-party day. But this year my birthday falls on Holy Thursday so there's no party or celebration.

If you happen to be a non Christian pipz, you will ask about Holy Thursday and why we can't have a party or celebration in this day or time. According to Wikipedia, Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Great and Holy Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries, is the Christian feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles as described in the Canonical gospels. This day or this week is sacred to us Christians. This is the time we offer prayers, sacrifices in forms of fasting and other abstaining, visit churches and remembering the things that happen to our Lord Jesus Christ when he suffered on the cross and saved us from our sins.

Now, one thing I love about having my birthday falling on Holy Week is no expenses or if there is, it would be less. Hahahah. No party, no celebration equals less expenses, plus peaceful time with my family during these holidays! One way also of abstaining, and serves the purpose of Holy Week.

Zipline Adventure at Yellow Gate Davao

Zipline adventure was the main reason I went with my friends to Yellow Gate Adventure Resort. When we arrived and entered the resort, the first thing I noticed was the zipline platform. It was like a balcony with two cables connecting something to somewhere on the other hill. After a few minutes of chatting near the entrance and taking photos of the green, swinging and solemn scene we proceed to the rest house's living room for registration or autograph signing something.

Zipline Platform/Balcony	Safety Gears
After gearing up and autograph	On our way to the balcony

While some of us were busy signing the autograph or waiver, there were also some who were starting to geared up for the zipline. Of course, we have to wore some safety gears as an SOP(sure, okay pal) since we were from the city unlike Tarzan. Hehehe. So we wore a short like harness, which reminded me of the feeling of wearing an adult diaper when I was hospitalized years ago. Hehehe. Also a helmet, which I really do not understand its purpose because we were suspended for about hundred meters and I don't know if that would help us if we fell down or something. Hehehe.

Yellow Gate Adventure Resort

There are lots of nice resorts here and near Davao City. Beautiful beaches, pools, nature parks and adventure sites. Since we always go to the beach and pools, last month we decided to go out to an adventure resort located in the middle of nowhere. Just kidding! We went to Yellow Gate Adventure Resort.

Yellow Gate Adventure Resort is owned independently by the Babao Estate Development Corporation. It is a 28 hectares mountain resort of a forested hills located in Marilog District of Davao City.

This mountain adventure resort has a rest house. The house has a fire place, best for warming purposes because of the cold foggy climate and the house is also equipped with other basic necessities for the visitors. Also they are currently constructing a pool which will be a heated one so visitors will enjoy more the cool windy foggy climate.

Wi-Fi Hotspot on the Spot

Our house is now a Wi-Fi hotspot after a four months of planning and budgeting. I was suppose to have one last December but other things came up and got in the way. But last month, I finally bought a Wi-Fi router with a help from a friend named Darian. He also bought same router as mine, after he purchased it, weeks after I also bought one for me. Thanks to Darian, I had an instant tech support on call. Hehehe. 

We bought EDIMAX's BR-6428nS wireless router for PHP 1,650.00. The product includes the router itself, installation guide, CD, ethernet cable, power adapter and some accessory kit (stickers and screws, i don't consider them as accessories..lol). It is a 300Mbps wireless broadband router, as what the box and manuals said but I actually doesn't know what that means. lol. All I'm concern of is that it would work if i'll use it at home with my units. Now since Darian helped me buy the router, he got the chance to configure it first before it was handed to me. When I brought it home, everything was all set.

Lonely Shots

Heart Break

Blue

Regret

Lost

Mamy's Photo + PhotoScape's Objects = Funny Pic

I've been watching some PhotoScape video tutorials from Youtube last night and encountered a howto that involves rain, water droplets and a shivering effect. I was scanning my photo collections on my drive and I was not able to find something similar with on what the video had. So I decided to look for some faces instead. Something looking straight in front and the whole face was displayed. I was suppose to use April's photo from my older post that would be too much publicity for her so I have to look for another one. Now I found a photo of mine, all the requirements were deliberately met but since since I will be making a bit fun of the pic its a bad idea cause I'd be making fun of myself (EVIL LAUGH >:D). And after that I saw my Mamy's cute photo and used it. I followed the tutorial and added my own touch on it. The result is still a cute photo of my Mamy but my mother find it funny that's why I added "funny pic" on the title. heheh.

No PhotoScape Objects....Yet

Ninja on the Beach

After we unload our belongings from the boat and place them to the cottage we rented in Babusanta Beach Resort, some of my friend decided to look for some fishermen where we can buy some fresh fishes and other produce they could sell to us. We manage to find one boat and as it arrive on the shore and the fisherman in front of the boat stand up, I got this photo of him. With his hand positioned firmly on his paddle and with his old torn sleeve which looks alike of a ninja, I named the photo as Ninja on the Beach. I'm a fan of Naruto and the position like that is a stand to summon a creature(Kuchiyose no Jutsu or Summoning Jutsu). From the look of it, he manage to summon some big and tasty squids for our lunch. LOL.