F.B. & I had our Tagaytay Trip on Wednesday (12-31-06). The way up to Tagaytay is about 2 hours, it's up in the mountains. Saw tonnnns of palm trees, and tons of pineapple fields, they are so neat looking, spikey plants growing out of the ground, with little baby pineapples growing off the plants. We were up in Tagaytay from the 27th-29th.

We stayed at the Taal Vista Hotel. It wasn't quite at nice as the Best Western in Makati City, even though it was more expensive. The hotel in Tagaytay was more like a campus. The check in and reception halls weren't even attached to the rest of the hotel. The room part was kinda across the parking lot. F.B. & I had trouble finding our room at first, he asked someone and they were like, "I don't know." Our room was a little smaller than the Best Western, but still nice. The bathroom was bigger, but the shower was more narrow and slippery, bruised my leg up good, haha. And when we left the 'Make up room' sign on the door, and we came back later I said, "Hey we got clean towels!" But it turned out they just folded up the wet towels we had already used?!

We took lot's of pretty pictures of Lake Taal & the Taal Volcano. It was quite windy up in the mountains and much colder at night time. F & I drove around Tagaytay, up into the mountains... wayyyy up into the mountains. It looked foggy, but it was only because we were so high up it was like we were in the clouds. We were on this little narrow winding road, where there were no buildings or anything, and you could see down the mountain side. There's this sky park, where you can take a shuttle up into the mountains, but the road was really steep... and I was scared, hah, so we just drove around instead. Not so much to do up around in Tagaytay though. It's a smaller city. Lot's of places to eat around there though. We had lunch & dinner out in Tagaytay.

I came down with a sipon (cold) while we were there though. My throat was a bit scratchy before we left for Tagaytay but the next morning my throat was all sore & swollen and my nose was stuffy and runny.F.B. & I found a drugstore and got me some medicine. I'm still a bit sick, so we'll have to pick up some more at the drugstore tomorrow. We just kinda hung around at the hotel.

Tomorrow is F.B's mom's wedding anniversary, so I am taking, his mom, sister & him out to this Japanese Buffet place at one of the malls. And if we have time we may stop at a mall close to his house, so I can visit this clothing store & souvenir shop I like.

Here's some photo's from our Tagaytay trip. On the way up to Tagaytay & The hotel:

F.B. & I out back of the hotel where you can see Lake Taal & the Volcano:

F could have pushed me over the wall... but he didn't... aren't I lucky? Tee hee...

More of us:

It was kinda sunny out and we were squinting, haha:

Lake Taal & Taal Volcano:

At the hotel:

In the car (F says I looks Lasing... (drunk...) lol! It's the sun I swear!) & out to eat... and look... they have Banana Ketchup... it's pretty good, they just color it red, haha:

12-31-2006: Today F & I stopped at the mall earlier today & then later in the evening, we took his family out for dinner. It was his mom's wedding anniversary. We went Saisaki, a Japanese Buffet at one of the malls. I had some sushi there, haha. My favorite kind without raw fish, but then some with raw salmon. And other food..I tried quail eggs too... haha. They were like tiny hard boiled eggs. F & I only had two plates each though, and we were full, haha. I only have two pictures. One was at F's house. And the other his sister took of us at the buffet place. They gave away these goofy little stuffed dogs when someone ordered iced tea, so I got F's, haha. He was a purple dog.



F.B. got me a pair of jeans at my favorite store 'Kamiseta' at the mall here in the Philippines. They have rhinestones on the back pockets. I love that store, I'm a small in jeans there, hehe. Tomorrow (Er... today, it's 1am.) is New Years Eve. We're going to church around 9pm, and then having a little dinner thing back at the house here for New Years. F said it's going to sound like a war zone, with all the firecrackers and stuff. It will be 2007 here at 12am- when it's only 11am on New Years Eve Day at home.... and still 2006... weird... haha.

F.B. got a sign on his door now and we took a picture, heehee:

Christmas in the Philippines 2006:

Been in the Philippines almost 2 weeks now. On Christmas Eve, F's family has the Filipino tradition of 'Noche Buena'. Where at 12 midnight they have a Christmas dinner and exchange gifts. We went to the church, but there were so many people we were outside- it's an open kinda church so you could hear stuff, but we got tired standing for awhile and sat in the car with the windows rolled down, we could still kinda hear stuff. Then when we got back to F.B.'s house we exchanged gifts and took pictures. And then we had dinner.

Christmas we went to the Mall of Asia again and had lunch with his family. But F & I went home after lunch, we've been to the Mall of Asia 3 times now. We hung out here at his house and watched Titanic & Back to the Future, and had dinner.

Tomorrow I'm taking F out to lunch at Friday's, and then we are going to do some shopping at the supermarket & get some snacks to take to the hotel with us up in Tagaytay- we were having midnight "picnic's" when we were at the hotel in Makati City. So, Wednesday we will be heading up to the hotel in Tagaytay and coming home on the 29th. It's F.B.'s mom's anniversary on the 30th so I'm taking his family out for a buffet dinner.

Here are some new pictures:

The sign F's mom made for me- that I saw when I was at the airport. It's hanging on his sister's bedroom door for now, since I'm using the room:


F got me this cute pink Adidas bag for Christmas at the Adidas store in Greenbelt in Makati City:


Me in the doorway on Christmas Eve:


F & I exchanging Christmas Gifts:





They made us kiss for the camera... ewwwww! hahahahaha!


F.B. gave me a purty ring for Christmas:


Us on Christmas Eve before church:


MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

*~Sarah~*

This post is 13 hours behind... it's really 2:15 am on 12-26 as I'm writing this... lol!

12-27-2006:

F.B. & I went to Friday's for lunch this afternoon. I treated him, this time. Friday's is my favorite place to eat at home, so I wanted to try it in the Philippines. It's pretty much the same, just a few different menu items. I had some chicken fingers & F had some fish and we shared onion rings & my margarita which made me a bit... hilo... (dizzy.) Then we shared dessert. We ate too much... ackkkk I was so full tonight. Then we stopped at the mall to pick up some stuff for our trip to Tagaytay. We are leaving tomorrow around 11pm or so, because check in up at Taal Vista Hotel is 2pm. We'll be heading back to F's house on the 29th. Here's some newer pictures:

My margarita... it made me a bit dizzy, lol... and they don't even card you at the Friday's in the Philippines:


Our dessert we shared.... yum. haha:


Me in F.B.'s car, while he checked the air in the car tires:


Called my family last night to wish them a Merry Christmas. It was 12pm there on Christmas day & about 1am on the 26th when I called. Mom said "F's a true gentleman." Let's see.... he opens the car door for me... and if I try to get out myself he complains. He buckles my seatbelt for me sometimes. I have to force him to pay for movies or lunch sometimes... bad boy. He cuts my meat for me sometimes, if I can't get it... then we feed each other sometimes too... hehehehehe. He wakes me up in the mornings, though the first morning he turned on the light and blinded me. And he's just my guwapo guwapo silly corny boyfriend.... and I love him.

*~Sarah~*

Philippines & Makati City Vacation 12-21-06

I've been here about a week in the Philippines now... time is going by way too fast.... F.B. & I just got back from our 4 day vacation in Makati City, we stayed in the Best Western hotel & were on the 17th floor. When we got into the room, we were being silly and getting inside the closet & taking pictures. And I made F get into the shower (with his clothes on) lol! Peeking out of the shower curtain. Here's some of our photos:












Our View:


Our midnight picnics:


We visited alot of malls while in Makati. Saw the Mall of Asia, where we could see Manila Bay, went to Greenbelt & I got to visit the Louis Vuitton store, but I can't afford any of the purses there, boo hoo.... got some tourist type gifts for home while at the malls. And we also saw some movies.

Some Pictures from the Mall of Asia & Seeing the Bay:











These are from Greenbelt:









The traffic is a free for all here, and 2 lanes become 3 etc, you'd prolly scream in the car too, they get so close to your car! They have these funny things called U-turn slots also, where you get to drive into the on-coming traffic... and in the city they have these countdown traffic lights, that count down 60 seconds to green or red.

We visited the mall again today. And saw the Nativity Story movie. We had to leave the car at the hotel & took a taxi to the mall area, because in the city certain cars aren't allowed to drive until after 7pm. They go by your license plate number. We had trouble getting a taxi there, but coming back was worse- we couldn't seem to get one, so we just decided to walk the 8-10 blocks back to the hotel, it was faster walking than driving I think, haha cuz you sit in traffic alot in the car. It only took about 20 minutes to get back to the hotel. It was quite an adventure. We also saw the Manila Cathedral & went inside, there was a Filipino wedding going on & people are allowed to watch. And we also saw Luneta Park.

Been eating out alot while we stayed in the city. I had some squid the other day with F.B. and some dish with raw fish that I liked, which surprised both F & I. Went to KFC also, and it's the same except for alot of dishes with rice. Eating lot's of rice here... I'm gonna want to buy some when I get back, haha. F's gonna take me to Popeyes one day, and I wanna go to Friday's also. We ate Japanese in the beginning of the week & I tried to teach F how to eat with Chopsticks, but he gave up and used his spoon, but I almost ate a whole bowl of rice with my chopsticks. I had to force F to let me pay for dinner the one night, but he let me pay for the movies today also.

KFC:





The weather is hot, but I haven't found it too bad. It's just like summer, it can get a little humid at times, but it's fine & I'm staying in F's sister's room, with the aircon.

Pictures of us:








We are going to mail off the postcards & christmas cards tomorrow afternoon. And this weekend is Christmas eve already... and next week are off to Tagaytay for 3 days.... check out my profile for some more pictures of us. That's all for now.

*~Sarah~*

Update 12-22-2006: We went to another mall today. Got some souvenirs at this shop that makes handmade stuff from the Philippines. Mailed the postcards today also. We ate at Popeyes too. And stopped at the supermarket so I could buy some candy & snacks made in the Philippines to take home. We wrapped Christmas gifts today, and will be going to church on Christmas Eve. We took some xmas pictures today. There's also one in our profile:



I think I'm hurting F here:


Oh, work called. I go back to work on January 8th- 7am when I go home. I called them real quick from the Philippines to say I'd be coming back.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

*~Sarah~*