Wendy’s reply?

“Ayoko na Mama. I’m already TOOOOO old to be a flower girl!!!” [emphasis on the too]

Sniff sniff!

So soon? Girl, you’re only nine! If I had my way, I’d still be a flower girl!

I turn nostalgic when I see these pictures. After all, aren’t we moms proud when our little girls walk the aisle wearing those cute dresses and carrying bouquets of flowers?

Probably Wendy’s last appearance as a flower girl: at my sister’s wedding last June 20, 2009

In reality, Wendy isn’t really into those flower girl stuff (she considers herself more boyish than girlish). She is actually living out my dream, after all I’ve been a flower girl only twice in my entire life! Yung isa pa doon sa yaya ko, and I fell out of a chair pa! Not one of my fondest memories. So I take my joy in watching Wendy being a flower girl. She’s been a flower girl more than a dozen times, half of which I forced her. He he! But she sometimes admits she enjoys being a flower girl too, especially if she knows her co-flower girls.

But now, an era has ended. Such a sad day indeed.

While foreign tourists would most likely put the Philippines way down their list of places to go to [because of the hostage taking], I think it’s about time we locals help out and explore our own country.

I’m taking this to heart. I will travel to as many place in the Philippines as I can.

Since I was on office arrest [my boss told me not to take long trips until the end of the year], all I could do were weekend getaways or day trips. I decided to go with a day trip for the meantime.

Planning this day trip was not easy for me, especially at this time of the year. Choosing a place was hard. First, I wanted to go where I haven’t been to before. I wanted to go somewhere new to me. Second, anything with water and banca/boat rides have to be scraped off because of the unpredictable weather [there goes Corregidor]. And of course, it has to be somewhere near, with minimal money involved.

Villa Escudero was a late choice. I didn’t even think of it. Although we would pass by it many times, I’ve always thought that there’s nothing to see there. At the end of our trip, though, I realized how wrong I was.

We made our trip one fine Sunday, which was ideal because there was no traffic. It took us two hours to reach Villa Escudero, located after the San Pablo marker when you’re coming from Manila.

Just by seeing Villa Escudero from the outside and from its entrance, I could immediately tell that I was going to love the place. The front view provides a glimpse of what Villa Escudero, for me, was all about: nature and the Filipino culture combined.

*****

Upon entering the “lobby”, you will be met by Filipinas offering refreshments. The receptionists were very nice and accommodating. And the building itself was so Filipino, so native. Much in the room was an art in itself.

Day-trip entrance costs PhP1250 (PhP1150 on weekdays) for adults and PhP625 (PhP550) for children. For the overnight rates, I would suggest you take a look at their Web site. At first, I felt these rates were too steep, but it turns out they are not, as the fee includes the museum, lunch buffet, use of the amenities, and a cultural show.

You would immediately feel at home as you enter the “lobby” of Villa Escudero. It’s so Filipino! Just look at the chandelier!

This boy playing the banduria serves more than an ornament: Kids have to be shorter or as tall as this boy to get the 50% discount. Wendy was a few centimeters taller, but she did get the discount!

*****

Walking distance from the entrance is the Villa Escudero Museum. The first floor carries mostly religious items such as carozas, sacred images, and paintings; preserved animals; and paintings and costumes of Filipino tribes. The second floor shows a more diverse collection such as money [Philippines and of other countries], pots and vases, miniature things, classic Filipino houses, and many more!

The facade of the Villa Escudero Museum looks more of a church than a museum.

Picture taking was not allowed inside. Sayang, there were so many interesting things pa naman, like the animals and a real human head the size of a fist, all preserved.

*****

All the other amenities were a distance away from the museum. To go there, you would have to ride this “kalabaw kalesa.” They look like mini shuttles that are pulled by kalabaws.

Kahit sa ride, Pilipinong Pilipino ang dating! The kalesa was adorned with coconut leaves and the seats were made of kawayan.

These rides abound in Villa Escudero; they come and go. Actually, there are tickets for these rides [included in the entrance fee], one for going in and one going out. But they do not collect the tickets and these can become hop-on-hop-off rides. Also, some employees ride these shuttles and sing Filipino folk songs.

Our kalabaw was named Pogi. He made poo-poo when we were on our way. He! He! In Villa Escudero, for the kutcheros, if your kalabaw makes poo-poo, you have to clean after it.

*****

One of the things I enjoyed most in Villa Escudero was the lunch at the falls. Yes, it’s a manmade falls. But what the heck! Eating while water is flowing at your feet is something I don’t get to experience often!

So here is a tip: When going to Villa Escudero, wear sandals or slippers, especially that many of the amenities are water based!

The sound and feel of the water from the falls made the lunch memorable for me.

The buffet table was also on the waters, and you had to be careful when getting food.

There was nothing special about the food, pero masarap ang pagkaluto and they were familiar to us Filipinos:  inihaw, caldereta, lechon kawali, friend chicken, lumpia, turon.

For the dessert, gata and sago were available, which you had to put on a bao.

Wendy enjoyed getting food. I guess the setting was different for her. She tells me later on that the waterfall lunch was one of her favorite.

Rows and rows of tables were set up. Since we came early, were able to choose our table and sat at the one nearest the falls. [Disclaimer: Hindi po ako yang naka black. he he. Sorry to whoever she is.]

Servers also walked around barefoot in the water. They come a little bit slower since walking on water is not that easy! You have to be extra careful!

The feel of water felt soooo good, so refreshing! Leave your slippers at the entrance, mahirap nang matangay ag sandals/slippers mo!

What is it about kids and water? Para bang wherever there is water, kids will surely enjoy. Here, kids and adults alike squealed with delight at the falls.

*****

There are also a multitude of things to do in Villa Escudero, especially if you are a nature lover.

You can test your patience by fishing. You may bring your own rod or buy from them [PhP100].

Rafting is also one of the activities. You may also fish while rafting. The rafts usually hold up to two persons, while a third perhaps can sit in the middle. Be prepared to paddle if you want to raft.

There are also big swimming pools for those who want to take a dip in the waters and take a refreshing swim.

There are many other activities like bird watching, cycling, billiards, ping pong, tennis, and a rural village tour, among others. I wasn’t able to take pictures of these because my camera went off before the end of the day! Bad! Bad! Di kasi nag charge!

*****

One of the things you absolutely shouldn’t miss is the cultural show. When I am in other countries and catch a glimpse of the culture of that country, I can’t help but wonder why we don’t have these kinds of shows. It turns out that we do, and the one here is amazing.

The cultural show at Villa Escudero runs for about an hour. Performances showcase the culture of the different parts of the Philippines in the form of dance, music, and costumes. At the end of the show, you will somehow get an idea of our culture.

The performers are from the different departments of the Villa Escudero, such as the front desk, the maintenance, the museum, the kutcheros, the waterfall restaurant, and others. Some of the kids who perform are the children or grandchildren of the employees!

The cultural show is one that the Villa Escudero management and employees should be proud of. It was one amazing show that left me proud to be a Filipino after watching. If you have foreigner friends who want to know more about the culture of the Philippines, have them watch this show. Even the Chinese people were all praises and claps after watching [and this was after the hostage-taking incident!].

The cultural show runs Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays at 2:00 pm. Do not miss it.

*****

Spending a day at Villa Escudero was one great day trip. It left me refreshed and at the same time proud that there is such a place that is Pinoy na Pinoy. It was a fusion of two of my favorite things: nature and the Philippine culture.

Villa Escudero

San Pablo, Laguna

Manila nos.:

(02) 521-0830

(02) 523-0392

(02) 523-2994

vespar@pldtdsl.net

Surprising, considering that I do not have a Facebook account.

A friend wants to show me some pictures…she tells me she uploaded it on Facebook and I should just view them there.

On the other hand, a friend wants to get some pictures from me, and I plan to email it to her. She tells me, “Masyado madami yan. Ipost mo na lang sa Facebook.” I tell her I don’t have Facebook, she tells me to post it in Wendy’s Facebook. Gosh! Why didn’t I think of that? Duh!

I need to chat with someone…and although we have always used Yahoo, she informs me that she is now always online through Facebook. I tell her let’s just use Yahoo, she tells me, no, I now use Facebook! I inform her sternly that I don’t have a Facebook account, and she tells me, “Friends kami ni Wendy. Gamitin mo yung account nya!”

Thank God that my friends are Wendy’s friends, and yes, I just use her account. In fact, I have been logging in and out of Wendy’s account a number of times now that Wendy tells me, “Mama, why don’t you just create your own account?”

Hmmm…why not nga naman? I can reconnect with old friends, know what’s going on with my friends’ lives, see if some “likes” my pictures, tell the world how I’m feeling and what I’m doing, and view the pictures of friends! Sounds cool!

I know Facebook has a lot of features, and although most of my friends are in it, none of Facebook’s features really attract me [I'm weird in that way!]. Facebook has no appeal for me. First, I don’t know if I have enough friends. Kakahiya naman kung may Facebook account ako tapos 10 lang friends ko! He he! Second, I don’t really want to know what’s happening to everybody all the time, and I don’t want to stay connected all the time! Third, some stuff written in Facebook are too personal for my liking. [I'm old-fashioned in that I believe that some things should be left said privately to family and close friends.] Meaning, to avoid all these, I will refrain from logging in, and this would make setting a Facebook account sort of useless right? I guess Facebook is not really my cup of tea…I am not a hater, just a holdout.

In any case, if there’s something I want to “shout” to the world, or if there are some experiences or thoughts I want to share, I have my beloved, lovable bahay ni kumareng grace.

PS: Charing lang yan lahat. The truth is, takot ako ma-addict! He he!

We took the bus from LA to Las Vegas. Our first choice was to drive, but I think my mother wanted to try every mode of transportation there is in the US! He he! I booked our trip via GotoBus, which offers really low fares! Imagine, our bus ride cost only $30 per person!

Going from LA to Las Vegas was like going from one end of the pole to another. One minute, all we saw were buildings. Then after a while, all we saw were deserts!

The bus ride took approximately 5 hours, with one stop. It was like 2 hours of buildings and people and then 3 hours of desert and cactuses. The desert seemed to go on and on and on and on! Ang lawak ng US!

Finally, after what seemed like endless desert, we saw some indication of buildings and finally arrived in Las Vegas. My first thought was, how could a place like this exist in the middle of the desert? Well, I guess that the fact that it was located in the center of nowhere makes it a more attractive destination. Here are some facts proving that Las Vegas is one of the favorite spots of tourists:

• Hotel room occupancy rates average 91% annually.
• Southern Nevada (including Primm, Mesquite, and Laughlin, Nevada) has over 142,000 hotel rooms and is growing almost daily. Vegas accounts for 124,000 alone, with nine of the ten largest hotels in the world.
• 851 flights a day deliver over 2.4 million city visitors each month through McCarran Airport, making it the eighth busiest airport in the world.
• Vegas is the fifth most popular foreign travel vacation destination in the world. It’s also the top summer destination in the United States and the top gambling destination in the whole world!
• Over 30 million people visit here annually. Almost one in five are “forced” to come for a convention. Around 100,000 Vegas weddings were held last year!
• There are nearly 1000 taxis, 330 limos & 32 bus routes in the city.
• Over 1.41 million residents call Las Vegas home! (source)

*****

Have you ever been to a place that is dead in the morning but so alive in the evening? Las Vegas is one of these places. It is quiet in the mornings [well, if people aren't out, they're inside casinos]…come nighttime, it seems everyone is out. And I know Paris is known as the City of Lights, but Las Vegas can come in a close second! Grabe ang lights! The whole Strip seems to be glowing with neon lights!

The strip is a 6,.2-km stretch that houses hotel-casinos, shops, and restaurants, as well as people! So alive every evening!

Well, what better to do than to explore the hotel-casinos, which abound in Las Vegas? There are so many hotel-casinos that I can’t imagine how each thrives in Las Vegas. Well, I guess it’s simply that there are so many tourists in Vegas.

Wendy gives the thumb-up sign. She was excited to enter a casino. When we were in Macau, she wasn’t allowed to enter one. Dito, pwede sya pumasok.

But we found out she wasn’t allowed for a certain distance from the slot machines. Ayun, simangot na.

Iba sa Vegas! Bawat liko may casino…and not just a casino, grand casino ha!

*****

As we walked along the Strip, we saw so many people of different colors, sizes, characters, and even costumes [I saw a bride in white gown walking!]. Well, we were with my aunt who was a nun, so people must have also thought she was in costume! It was so fun walking along the Strip. There were so many things to see, so many people to meet. Food and souvenir were cheap. Performers were here and there. Even professional “entertainers” were on the streets! We also saw some of the more famous hotels.

MGM Grand

This is where Manny Pacquiao used to stay when he had fights in Vegas.

A lion and some other mythical beings guard MGM.

*****

New York

This area was made up of structures that would make you wonder, am I in New York?

There’s the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building. Would you believe that there is also a roller coaster here?

*****

Paris

Amazing! It was like being in Paris. Even the color of the lights was the same! That’s the Arc de Triomphe at the right and the Louvre [if I'm not mistaken] at the left.

And there was, of course, the Eiffel Tower. With giggles and lots of picture taking, my father and Wendy were blurting, “Oh ayan ha, nakarating na tayo ng Paris!” Ang ganda!

*****

Bellagio

My absolute favorite! The bridge and building reminded me of Venice.

Inside the Bellagio’s botanical garden, which is located inside the hotel.

They had a mini-garden. My favorite was the one full of sunflowers (lower left picture). The mushrooms were amazing too!

My favorite: The fountain shows of Bellagio! Absolutely beautiful! Beautiful! [That's Caesar's Palace to the right.]

They say that a trip to Vegas is never complete without seeing the fountains of Bellagio come to life. We must have watched this six times! Tutal watching is free, and the shows are every 15 minutes! Ang ganda ganda!

*****

Besides the fact that Vegas was so alive and full of people, one more thing I loved about the place was the food. I mean where else can you get a buffet lunch or dinner for only $7? Even our buffets here in Manila are worth more than that. And take note, food was abundant. As in hindi sila nagtitipid. You will go gaga over the choices of food. I guess the competition in Vegas to so high that they have to keep afloat with these cheap buffets. Just go into a hotel and inquire about their buffet. Almost every hotel has this! In fact, even though mahina ako kumain, sobrang dami ko nakain…ang sarap pa ng food! Oh, how I miss their buffet!

*****

Even though I prefer quieter places, I certainly enjoyed the lively and busy Las Vegas. There is certainly something for everybody here!

*****

Related posts:

US diary: part 1: San Francisco, CA

US diary: part 2: Glendale, CA

US diary: part 3: Los Angeles, CA

]]> http://kg.bahay-bahayan.com/?feed=rss2&p=3033 20 http://kg.bahay-bahayan.com/?p=3081 http://kg.bahay-bahayan.com/?p=3081#comments Tue, 17 Aug 2010 03:47:49 +0000 KG http://kg.bahay-bahayan.com/?p=3081 The last time I watched a play was around 10 years ago, when I watched Miss Saigon. I wanted to watch it because, well, it was Miss Saigon.

I recently got the chance to watch another play [slash musical] and watched  Cats, Now and Forever at the CCP.

I wasn’t expecting much, for I am not really fond of musicals. I don’t even know what Cats was about. But right off the bat, Cats got my attention. The stage was a production in itself: an alley where the Jellicle cats convene for an annual tradition. As the play started and a pack of cats came dancing and singing, I was mesmerized.

Honestly, I was not able to follow the story as the play progressed. But what the heck? I was content in watching the great solo and group production numbers of the cast. The choreography was fantastic! The actors acted and moved like real cats do and did this while carrying out the specific personalities of their characters. Take for example my favorite charcter, Rum Tum Tugger, who was, in our terms, mayabang.  The actor was so effective because he had this swagger that he kept throughout the show. Kung baga isang tingin lang, alam mo na na mayabang sya!

And do I have to mention the singing? Everyone sang beautifully! I wonder how they get to sing that beautifully while dancing! I can’t even hear them breathing! The voices were cool to the ears, with fortissimos and pianissimos sang right on the money! The production numbers were simply amazing! Ang galing talaga!

And the finale? Gosh, it was spectacular number that I felt kahit yun lang, sulit ang binayad ko!

Special mention goes, of course, to our kababayan Lea Salonga, playing the outcast Grizabella. She sang Memory so beautifully that my hairs started to rise. It was one performance that will forever be in my “memory.” Grabe ang Lea Salonga, super galing at pang world class talaga!

Although there were some boring moments [because everything was sung and, as I have mentioned,  I had a hard time following the story], my Cats experience was truly a wonderful one. I enjoyed the show and am becoming a convert to plays and musicals. Andrew Lloyd Webber is really one musical genius.

Kudos to the Cats, Now and Forever cast! It was one great show!

Of course, I’m thinking of my daughter and the thousands of youth going to school, who are the future of our country. So any initiative to improve education, I’m all for it.

But adding two more years to basic education? I’m not for it.

I am a product of a school with seventh grade, and I can say with all honesty and from experience that it was not at all needed. Yes, it was learning. But our lessons were an integration of what we learned from Grades 1 to 6 and an introduction of first year high school. The former was not needed, whereas the latter can just be added to the first year in high school.

So I am confused. Why add two more years [and burden to parents and students as well] to schooling when it is the quality of education that needs focus? Instead of allotting budget to putting up additional buildings [adding two more years means more classrooms and facilities], hiring more teachers, or buying more books and supplies, why not allot budget for the training of teachers so that they are not left behind by their counterparts abroad in terms of knowledge and skills? Why not allot budget for the wages of teachers so they are not lured by higher offers abroad? Why not focus on the curriculum itself, deleting what is not needed and adding what is essential? Why not allot budget on activities that will increase the quality of education?

This for me is a classic case of quality over quantity. Focus on quality first; adding two years of schooling will be worthless if the same type of education is implemented, if teachers aren’t well equipped, and if the facilities are not conducive to learning [hello! 100 students in one classroom and just 4 hours of school?].

Just thinking out loud….

Oh, and by the way, Wendy is “so totally against” this initiative. Her reactions were more violent than mine.

You want proof?

This is my [only] niece Yshy (Alisha Francine)

*****

“Piglet” flanked by Tigger and Pooh.

*****

No hair yet at 5 months! We’re all waiting for her hair to grow…

*****

“What will I be when I grow up?”

****

Cute! [Oh yes, I'm a girl!]

*****

The star takes a rest.

[Oh the things parents do to their kids! He! He!]

Isn’t she as cute as her aunt [that means me]?

Pagbigyan nyo na ako. He he!

Happy Sunday everyone!

*****

Before you react and think that Richard Gutierrez is out of his mind, this picture was actually cropped from the photo below:

Outside Staples Center, May 27, 2010 (after the Lakers-Phoenix game 5)

With all honesty, I really don’t have the hoots for any of our celebrities here. When somebody points out to me, “uy, si ano oh,” referring to a celebrity, I usually look, then reply with just a shrug. Walang excitement kung baga.

So I don’t know why, when my friend told me that he saw Richard Gutierrez in the souvenir shop of Staples Center when we watched game 5 of the Lakers-Phoenix series, I went gaga and told my friends I had to have my picture taken with him [at all costs!]! And this was with shrieks ha! I patiently waited for him at the exit of the souvenir shop!

I honestly don’t know why I got so excited. I am not a fan of his. I don’t even watch any of his shows! I know him only because he’s a popular star here in the Philippines.

The only logical reason I could think of was that it was so exciting to see a kababayan star in a foreign land. It’s like, wow! Of  all places, sa ibang bansa mo pa sya makikita! I mean, makakita lang ako ng kababayan in other countries, I get excited. What more kung artista pa diba? I remember when we were in Rome, and there was news that Ai Ai de las Alas was there too. Baduy man, but I was always on the lookout for her! He! he!

So jologs na kung jologs, I approached Richard and asked him if I could have a picture taken with him.

Richard was very nice and accommodating. He of course agreed and was all smiles for our photo op. As you can see, me and my two friends were ALL smiles! Parang kinikilig pa! Richard chatted with us for a very short while after ["Ganda ng game ano?"] and smiled and waved at us when he saw us leaving the stadium.

We may not have seen some famous stars in Hollywood, but the NBA night made up for it! At least, I had a small brush with the world of showbiz!

San Francisco from the sky: very organized!

Los Angeles was the next place in our itinerary. I must admit that this one city I could go without visiting, after all, it is too touristy for me. But at the end, I had to admit that I had tons of fun in LA too. Lesson: never judge a place until you’ve been there!

LA for me meant Hollywood. No surprises that on our first day, we went to where the stars are, hoping to see some of the celebrities we only get to see on TV and movies. Yun nga lang, at the end of the day, all we saw were Dr Spock [I don't know his real name] and David Hasselhoff. Pwede na din.

LA = Hollywood. Here is were the famous stars frolic!

*****

Our first stop was the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Would you believe that the Walk of Fame spans 18 blocks? So many stars! So if you want to see each and single star, you would have to allot lots of time, especially that the impulse to have a picture taken with the famous celebrities’ stars is too hard to resist! He he! Picture dito, picture doon! ["OOhh, si Drew Barrymore, picture!" "Si Denzel Washington, picture naman!" "OMG, Julie Andrews! Picture!] If you do not have the luxury of time though, then you must make do with just a few.

We had fun looking at the names of stars on the sidewalk! Amazing that Wendy knew a lot, even the “oldies.” We shrieked when we saw the names of Michael Jackson, Tom Cruise, Nichole Kidman, Jack Nicholson, and a lot more.

*****

Along Hollywood is Grauman’s Chinese Theater. For a popular theater, I had no idea of its existence until this trip. [Perhaps that goes to show how little I know of Hollywood]. They say that “to visit LA and not see the Chinese Theater is like visiting China and not seeing the Great Wall.” Ganun? Buti na lang pala nakita namin sya. This theater has been a cornerstone of Hollywood for 75 years and has been host to lots of shows and premiere nights.

The facade is indeed very Chinese. Kulang na lang ay sound ng mga gong, para ka nang asa China.

But you really won’t get confused whether you’re in China because just in front of the Chinese Theater are the prints of famous Hollywood stars. Here, we tried stepping into the shoes of Harry Potter stars. The hands and feet of Daniel Radcliffe are so big!!

*****

A few steps away from the Chinese Theater is the famous Kodak Theater, known more for its hosting the American Idol and the Academy Awards. The main theater was closed that day [bummer!], and there were no red carpets, but we were able to go inside the theater. Glamorous!

It was a coincidence that when we were there, it was the finals of the American Idol (Crystal Bowersox vs Lee DeWyze). Yun nga lang, umaga kami pumunta.

*****

Mawawala ba naman ang shopping sa Hollywood? He he! Of course not! Wendy and I bought memorabilia of our visit to Hollywood. At least, even though Wendy didn’t get to see Hannah Montana [Wendy told me to catch her if she faints if we see Hannah Montana], she will have a remembrance of this visit.

This is one of the bigger souvenir shops along Hollywood. Grabe ang stuff! Prices ranged from  $5 (key chains) to as much as $50 (clothing).

You may even but an Oscar award! Oh diba? Meron dyan “Best Daughter”, “Best Employee”, “Best Tourist”, and a lot lot more! Wouldn’t it be great to take an Oscar home?

*****

From where the stars hang out, we went to where they live.

Beverly Hills: The home of the rich and famous. Walang binatbat Dasmarinas Village at Forbes Park!

*****

A street away from the Beverly Hills was Rodeo Drive. Yup, THE Rodeo Drive. It was just a stone’s throw away from Beverly Hills. Tipo bang pag naisip ng celebrities na they want to buy something, derecho agad sa Louis Vuitton or Chanel. O diba, bongga [kami SM Bicutan lang ang meron]?

We had no budget for shopping in these high-end stores. But strolling was free. So that’s what we did: we walked along Rodeo Drive and window shopped. I just looked at the stuff, not at the prices. Ayoko himatayin!

Rodeo Drive is not your typical “mall.” It’s like a whole street full expensive brands that celebrities patronize. Although I knew I wouldn’t be able to buy anything, I had fun walking along Rodeo Drive, always on the lookout for celebrities who might be there. Alas, we saw none!

But we did see this very expensive car: A Bugatti. Car aficionados will be thrilled of this very expensive car. I, on the other hand, found nothing special about it, aside from its seemingly threatening engine. I actually had this thought that is was parked there precisely for people to swarm around it.

*****

I guess one of the more defining moments of my LA visit [and the whole US trip for that matter] was watching a live NBA game.

When I was younger, I loved basketball [and the PBA]. The least I could say is that I am not ignorant about basketball. The current players I may not know, but the rules and how to play the game, I certainly know. But more than that, the reason I love basketball is the thrill and fun of watching my favorite team. I guess I could say that basketball will always have a special place in my life.

I am not a Laker fan, but I would never say no to an opportunity to watch a live game. It was Game 5 of the Western finals: Lakers versus Phoenix. My friends and I trooped to Staples Center, hoping we could get tickets. The game was sold out, and our only hope was the scalpers. Bilib ako sa friend ko, isang tingin pa lang, he already knew whether a person was a scalper.

The famous Staples Center, home to the LA Lakers. Grabe ang mga fans dito ha, dibdiban ang pagka-fan! He he!

He approached a person, discretely of course [as scalpers are banned in NBA games]. There were LA police everywhere. This black man brought my friend to a nearby hotel for the negotiations [frightening when you think of it]. But after a few minutes, we had the tickets! Yay!

It was half-time when we went in. But I really didn’t care. All I wanted was to experience watching an NBA game. I was excited as we went in, more so when we found out we were about 10 rows away from the court! Wohoo!

I felt like I was in a dream when I entered the stadium! Parang di totoo! Lalo na when I found out that I was in the same stadium as Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, and Dustin Hoffman…aside from Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash!

I wanted to cheer for Phoenix at that time, but I was afraid of being mobbed by the very enthusiastic Lakers crowd! And who wouldn’t be swayed by their cheering? Grabe! Ang saya!

Honestly, I was too fascinated with the whole thing [and with taking pictures] that I forgot to actually watch the game! He he! Before I knew it, there was just how many minutes, and then seconds, into the game.

In the last few seconds, the score was tied. I was praying for an overtime, for an extension of the wonderful experience. But no, it was not meant to be. At 0.03 seconds [shown in the picture], someone in the LA team scored a basket, securing the win for the Lakers. Grabe ang hiyawan ha, after that basket!

So there, Laker fan or not, I truly enjoyed this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

*****

Another memorable trip was the one to Universal Studios. This was one we decided we should not miss simply because we had never been to Universal Studios. In fact, we could have done without Disneyland, but not this one. Entrance was cheap: around $80, good for 5 days, although I felt you wouldn’t be needing 5 days to go around this one. We got our tickets cheap, at $54, because my cousin is a California resident and got some discount. For most parks in the United States, residents get discounts. So if you have relatives, ask them to buy the tickets for you.

The famous globe of Universal Studios.

Hmmm…which one should we try first? As we had limited time, we had to maximize our stay and see which ones are worth visiting.

We tried Terminator 2 3D, Shrek 4D, and Waterworld…all fantastic shows. My parents, aunt, and Wendy loved everything! Shrek was especially funny because it was in 4D, and when Donkey sneezes, there was water sprayed on us. Of course, it was just water, but the mind tells you otherwise! Yuk! He he!

The best feature of Universal Studios has to be the Studio Tour. Here, you ride a mini train and go around the sets of movies and TV series. You get to see the props and equipment used in shooting. You also get to experience what it feels like to shoot a scene! We got to experience earthquake and explosions in one of their studios. Astig!

Clockwise from top right: banner of famous actors, actresses, movies;  the train that takes the tourists around; our friendly “tourist guide”; set of one of the movies [I forgot!], where water actually floods the place; sets used in movies and series, set in New York; a scene from Psycho is reenacted on the original set; experiencing earthquake and explosions in a subway scene; Jaws set; “Desperate Housewives” set; The Grinch set; airplane used in War of the Worlds; and simulation of how cars fly and explode in movies.

It was truly fun spending a day at Universal Studios. I could actually say it was part educational, with all the simulation and being part of a movie! For me, money well spent.

*****

There you have it, a summary of our stay in LA. There is much more to see and much more to experience, of course, for a bustling city like LA. In addition, there are are beautiful cities beside it (eg, Glendale and Pasadena), so you won’t run out of places to visit.

Next stop: Las Vegas, NV

*****

Related posts:

US diary: part 1: San Francisco, CA

US diary: part 2: Glendale, CA

US diary: part 4: Las Vegas, NV

(only PhP75!)

What a fascinating book!

Now, the million-dollar question is, when am I going to actually be there?

Haaaay, nangarap na naman ng gising. He he!