Update on the Ukay-Ukay

We'd like to thank the generous parishioners who donated their gym equipment, clothes, shoes, books, bags, etc. to the garage sale a.k.a. "ukay-ukay" organized by Youth Alive at the Parish of St. Benedict, Don Antonio Heights, Q.C.

The sale is ongoing. Remaining dates are May 12, 13, 19, and 20.

The Knights of the Altar, together with the Angelus Choir and the Junior Choir, have been really active in the pricing and selling of goods. We're hoping to send their representatives to the next World Youth Day, in Sydney '08.

If you live near the area, do visit the parish grounds on the above dates, Saturdays 1-6 p.m. and Sundays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (except while 10-11 a.m. mass is ongoing).

Thanks and God bless!

Ukay-Ukay for World Youth Day

The next World Youth Day will be held in July 2008 in Sydney, Australia.

The Youth Ministry of the Parish of St. Benedict is planning to send delegates from among the Junior Choir, the Knights of the Altar, and the members of Youth Alive!.

To help raise funds for this, the members of Youth Alive!, Don Antonio Chapter, will be doing a “white elephant” sale or an “ukay-ukay”.

In view of this, we would like to request for donations of just anything you have at home that you want to dispose of. These may be old clothes, shoes, etc., which can still be used.

You may drop them off at the parish office or if you want them picked up, please call 932-6521.

Thank you.

Kababayan Trekking Packages!

Good news! DiscoverPH offers friendly rates for our kababayan:

1. Taal Volcano Trek - May 2, 2007 -

• In partnership with GALA Unlimited Professional Tour Services Company
• Includes car hire, boat ride to Taal Volcano, tourism fee, trek guide and lunch.
• P9,000 for 1 pax; P6,000 each for 2 pax.

2. Banaue Trekking Tour - May 3-6, 2007

• Join our Travel Expert Felix Baguilat (DiscoverPH Expedition Guide who hails from Kiangan, Ifugao) for a Banaue Trekking Tour
• For only Php15,000 (1 person) or P10,000 each for 2 pax
• Includes ALL fees, transpo, food and lodging.
• Route barangays: Pula, Cambulo, Batad, and Banaue
• All pristine terraces villages and treks galore.

This is a special Pinoy discounted rate. Confirm now! Deadline is Friday, April 27, 2007.
Text Ella 0917-5204832. Or email me at ella.delrosario@discoverph.com.

Thanks!

Youth Alive Summer Program (YASP)

April 23, 2007

Dear Sir/ Madam:

Happy Easter! We are pleased to inform you that this summer, the youth have a worthwhile program to attend in the Parish of St. Benedict, Don Antonio Heights, Quezon City. We are currently conducting the Youth Alive Summer Program (Y.A.S.P.).

Youth Alive! is the youth ministry of the Missionaries of God's Love and is headed by Fr. Brian Steele, mgl, also the youth chaplain of our parish. Fr. Steve Tynan, mgl, our parish priest, and Fr. Geoffrey Coombe, mgl, our assistant parish priest, are resource speakers, along with young volunteers from different communities and ministries in and around the parish.

Each session is packed with songs, presentations, movies, and discussions. We cover topics for Christian youth such as God's love, Jesus Christ's life and mission, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the new life that He brings. We teach the youth to pray, dance, sing, and thus enjoy their Christian faith. We also have picnics, games, and outings lined up.

We are inviting everyone from ages 14 to 25 who reside near Don Antonio Heights to join us. So far we have registered 70 85 participants in just three days! We have sessions every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The sessions started last April 17, 2007 and will end on May 31.

We serve refreshments every session. It is in this light that we seek your support. We are looking for generous sponsors to donate in cash or in kind to cover snacks for approximately 60-80 people. Some people have extended help already, but so far we still need to provide for 11 sessions.

You may get in touch with Nitz at the parish office at 9316521 should you decide to make a contribution to this worthwhile endeavor. You may also visit us during our sessions. Please pray that this program would transform young hearts and minds into passionate, committed followers of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ.

May the Risen Lord be a source of hope for you and your family. Thank you.

Yours in Christ,

(Sgd.) Ella C.H. del Rosario
Youth Alive Core Team

Noted by:

(Sgd.) Fr. Brian Steele, mgl

Youth Chaplain, St. Benedict's

Summer Trekking Packages!

Summer is the best time to discover the beauty and wonder of our own islands.

DiscoverPH is pleased to announce two package tours. Grab them now, limited slots only!

1.) Trek to Taal Volcano in Tagaytay - May 2, Day trip. Don't just view Taal Volcano from a distance! Have a guided tour of Taal Lake, take the boat ride, and go on an exciting trek to this interesting volcano, which is not as small as it seems. We've teamed up with GALA Unlimited Professional Tour Services Company for an unforgettable, DiscoverPh experience!

2.) Adventure Trekking to Ifugao Rice Terraces - May 2 (evening) - May 6 (evening). For the active adventurers out there, this is your chance to have a close up and personal guided trek literally through our famous rice terraces. Bring your backpacks and sleeping bags and prepare to rough it up hiking around select indigenous World Heritage Banaue Rice Terraces Towns namely Batad, Cambullo and Pula. En route to the Banaue viewpoint is the market center where cultural crafts, wood carvings and Ifugao garments are on sale. Sunday Mass goers will get a chance to see the local Cathedral at the capitol of the province in Lagawe. There is a modest Tappiyah water falls in Batad terraces (about 100 feet) to cool the summer heat. Get a chance to walk through and touch from different, magnificent angles the UNESCO declared World Heritage Site, locally known as the eighth wonder of the world. You will also have direct contact with the indigenous peoples of the Ifugao communities. No need to bring camping tents as most communities will house the travelers under the native Ifugao House. We've teamed up with the best local mountain guides to ensure an exhilarating yet safe expedition for you.

Rates vary depending on number of people. If you're interested, do e-mail us at info@discoverph.com on or before April 22, 2007.

Thanks,
The DiscoverPH Team

Wonder of the Ancient World

Well, I was laying the predicate in my previous post, for I knew that I was going to Beijing to see the Great Wall of China, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World!










Although they're not all in the same category, I've seen seven wonders of the world already!

I wasn't able to scale the top of the Great Wall (we were brought to the steepest portion) due to the severe heat and my vertigo, but I got close enough to take pictures for that once-in-a-lifetime trip.







I also visited Tian'anmen Square, The Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven, and the Summer Palace while I was in Beijing.

I enjoyed myself thoroughly, with a tour guide all to myself because the couple I shared her with were Chinese and thus familiar with all the trivia she was offering, and the other couple didn't bother to show up because it rained that morning. I paid for a private tour for the price of a public tour. Not a bad deal, huh. I oohed and aahed at the sight of so much jade, silk, and pearl in Beijing.

I wished I had paid more attention to World History class in high school so that I could have an intelligent conversation with my Chinese tour guide. Instead I relied on my vague recollections of names and events from movies and books.

I also tasted the famous Peking Duck together with heavenly scallops and broccoli, aromatic fresh tea, authentic noodles and dimsum, and other culinary delights while I was in China. I had memorable meals at a restaurant serving Singaporean cuisine behind the Shanghai Exhibition Center, for they served the best lunch that we had in our four days there. The other restaurants we tried were disappointing. In Beijing, we went to famous restaurants and hotels so it more than made up for the pathetic meals we had in Shanghai.

Shopping was fabulous at Shanghai, however, and that was our priority more than the dining experience, and we went crazy, what with name brands at knock-down prices (the world is made in China, remember?), souvenirs at friendly, bargainable rates, and shopping areas the length of Commonwealth Avenue (from back home in Quezon City).

My travel partner and I worked hard during the day promoting DiscoverPH, a Philippine travel website, during the World Travel Fair, and scoured the streets of Shanghai for great finds every night. We capped each event with caramel macchiato from Starbucks, which somehow tasted so much creamier and better in spring-cold Shanghai than in summer-humid Manila.

Which reminds me, I found that as a good excuse to go to Starbucks, to compare if the caramel macchiato here also improved its taste. I should go on Easter Week.

Shimmering Shanghai

I'm blogging from Shanghai and there are Chinese characters on my screen. Good thing I've memorized the blogger New Post page that's why I can survive based on symbols alone.

I'm here to attend the World Travel Fair at the Shanghai Exhibition Center. After my friend and I arrived at the hotel, we took an adventure trip around the city and were lost in translation with the taxi driver. We ended up at The New Bund area (definitely not where we asked to be brought, but it was ok). We saw a breath-taking view of the buildings surrounding the Huangpu River. Some call this area "a gallery of world architecture" and count it as one of the Ten Best Scenic Spots in Shanghai.

It was a blessing in disguise that our cab driver did not take us to where we pointed at the map - which was an area within walking distance from our hotel anyway. At least without intending to, we got a glimpse of the crystal lights at the New Bund and its multinational-design buildings. We got to feel the rhythm of the city and got excited at what was in store for us in the coming days. We had a walk at the People's Square and People's Park and took each other's pictures.

Tomorrow we'll be working hard so I'd better get some shuteye. I'll upload photos soon.

Six Out of Seven

I have actually seen only six out of the different lists of Seven World Wonders. These are:

1. The Grand Canyon (U.S.);
2. The Golden Gate Bridge (U.S.);
3. Hoover Dam (U.S.);
4. The Petronas Towers (Malaysia);
5. The Banaue Rice Terraces (Philippines); and
6. Sydney Opera House (Australia).

I have places to go and people to meet. I gotta go!

Kayaking at the Hundred Islands

My friend is organizing this. You may want to confirm early, limited slots only.

Philippine Kayaking Association (PKA)

in coordination with

Hundred Islands Eco Tours Association (HIETA)

Offers You A FULL COURSE IN KAYAKING…

and to explore the gems of the HUNDRED ISLANDS

JOIN US ON MARCH 17-18!

This will be our first trip to offer a well-rounded kayaking course and adventure experience in Hundred Islands. Be among the first to experience our safe and quality trips. This comes complete with lessons conducted by a fully-trained team, kayaks, masks and snorkels, trip leaders and guides, all meals and snacks, and a motorized support boat to tour the remaining islands. Personal accident insurance coverage of P750,000 included.

Our schedule for this trip is as follows:

First Day

7:30 am Assemble and board motorized banca at Lucap Wharf

8:00am Arrive at Governor’s Island/ Breakfast

9:30am Start kayaking lessons

12:00pm Lunch

1:30pm Continue kayaking lessons/ Practice drills and runs

5:00pm Head back to Governor’s Island

5:30pm Wind down with a glass of red wine, cheese and cold cuts

7:00pm Dinner/Camp out on Governor’s Island

Second Day

6:00am Trek to View Deck (optional) to see your kayaking route

7:00am Breakfast

8:30am Continue kayaking lessons

10:00am Head out and do practice runs to different Hundred Island Gems (white sand beaches, caves, giant clams, mangroves, bird watching)

12:00pm Lunch in one of the islands/ Swim and snorkel

2:00pm Graduation run

5:00pm Arrive in Quezon Island/ Prepare to head back to Lucap

5:30pm Leave Quezon Island

6:00pm Arrive in Lucap

Rate per person : P5,000.00

Manila to Alaminos City to Lucap, our jump off point, is a five-hour trip by car. You may opt to take air-conditioned buses (Victory from Cubao) to Alaminos City, where we will meet you for a15-minute jeepney ride to Lucap wharf. You have to leave Manila Friday 11pm.

For Details : Please contact Felix Baguilat 0917-8856299

Balut Factor

I am Filipino and I eat balut.

A balut is a fertilized duck egg with a nearly-developed embryo inside that is boiled and eaten in the shell. It is considered a delicacy in the Philippines and other parts of Asia.

The sight, taste and texture of the embryo could be a challenge to foreigners who do not always take a liking to this Filipino street food that was recently featured on two American shows, Survivor: Palau and Fear Factor, where the contestants were made to eat balut.

I once attended a party in Arizona where a Filipina told her American boyfriend, "If you love me, you will eat this." The poor fellow did as he was told - he knocked the egg on the table, cracked it open, put a pinch of salt inside the small opening, slurped the juice until it dripped off his chin, and ate the entire contents of the shell, with his eyes shut and his shoulders crunched. We Filipinos cheered him on and gave him San Miguel beer as his prize.

A month ago, an Australian friend attended a party where my aunt served balut. He told me that he had tried the delicacy before and he was willing to eat it again. I dutifully plucked a warm balut from the buffet spread and handed it to him. He survived the juice-slurping part; at the mere sight of the duck embryo, however, his face turned absolutely red and he said he had never seen anything like that in his life. He could not finish the balut and apologized profusely for it. I think he was too polite to admit it, but he obviously looked grossed out. Maybe it was penoy that he ate before, which was just boiled duck egg and was nothing like the real thing. Everyone around him was eating balut during that particular party.

Last Sunday, I met two French mathematicians. After a hearty lunch, we gathered for drinks at the tree house that my tito built. They appeared to be an adventurous couple and my family encouraged them to try the balut. We warned them that it could be an unpleasant experience and assured them that we would not be offended if they backed out from the challenge. Our guests gamely watched my brother's balut-eating demonstration and then followed our directions. We clapped as they both finished one balut each. I fetched ice-cold San Mig Light for them to wash it down with.

I have to admit that I'm not a 100% balut-lover. I don't eat the baby chick. I can't. I usually give it to someone or throw it away. I don't tell it to the ones I challenge, however, to inspire them to go for it all the way.