Day 3: My Little Troopers

The end of vacation is never something anyone looks forward to...in fact, it is dreaded by all! In the Philippines, where Christmas and New Year are the longest holidays of the year, Filipinos always wish the vacation was one day longer.

Well, school resumes today, hence the rush to go back home. I was still contemplating on extending our Cebu vacation 2-3 days longer and am I glad I didn't succumb to the temptation or else we would've been stuck or stranded somewhere due to the nonstop rains and flooding all the way home to Butuan. 

My troop of 3 young ones proved themselves brave and ready for anything. The actual boat ride from Cebu to Surigao was actually a breeze, with all three of them on their best behavior. I'm glad it was a day trip which took only about 6 hours compared to the usual 10-12. It was already raining very hard when we docked at Surigao and we had no choice but to don our hooded jackets and disembark. Only our jackets were soaked when we finally made it on the bus bound for Butuan. The kids were mostly asleep throughout the 2.5 hour bus ride. Heavy rains greeted us at the terminal and we were fortunate to get a tricycle to bring us all the way home. Soaked and hungry, we finally arrived home safe and sound early last night. A quick bath, change of clothes and some leftover "baon" as dinner, we snuggled together in bed basking in the cool, rainy weather. Thank you God for keeping us safe!

Day 136: Nuts over Coconuts

One of the best things I enjoyed during our short vacation in Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte is having my fill of fresh young coconut juice and its flesh every single day. Picked and cracked open right at my side, it was a refreshing way to cool off under the scorching heat of the sun. 

Day 135: Familia Roden's Summer 2010

With a little over a month before a new school year begins, my family and I managed to sneak in a final beach frolic to cap the summer of 2010. Set in the rustic shoreline of Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte, the kids had their fill of sun, sea and stones (there wasn't much sand in the area). It also gave us the opportunity to reconnect with relatives from hubby's paternal side. My children never ran out of playmates as cousins and neighborhood kids always flocked them wherever they went. Refreshing summer breeze, crystal-clear sea water and the company of family and friends, summer in Eastern Visayas proved to be a wonderfully memorable one.