ReDiscovering Baguio. A Cold Experience.
After about 12 years, I came back to what was dubbed as the summer capital of the Philippines. I remember quite vaguely the details of how it looked like in the past but what lingered in my memory was how me and my friends enjoyed the city of beautiful tress, flowers, and American architecture.
I love traveling but I hate sitting in the bus for long hours. I usually sleep in my travels so I won’t feel the nausea. When we reached the foot of Baguio though, I reached for my camera and we opened the window to savor the cool air breeze. Baguio… I often thought Baguio is the place for me because I easily sweat. It would be so cool to have an all-day and citywide airconditioning system.
Uphill, I saw the mountains and trees and I felt very excited. I eagerly took shots of the lush green in front of us but halted at the sight of familiar balding mountains… I asked myself: “Is this Baguio or Montalban?” The hell with quarrying, these were not the mountains I used to drool over when going up to Baguio in the past.
Living Less but Paying More
I again hit the ceiling last night. When I went home, my nanay told me we ran out of rice and she had to buy some for P40.00 per kilo. My husband also arrived telling me the gas shot up at P61.00 per liter which almost wiped his weekly budget. Whew!
I again realized how much I wanted to watch the latest movie of Will Smith, Hancock, and how sad we do not have the budget for it. No wonder my brother-in-law, an OFW who’s only here in the Philippines supposedly for his vacation, uses his time here in the country searching for better overseas opportunities.
He was telling me about a job offer from Negril, Jamaica. Right now, He works in the Saudi Arabia and he was tempted with this offer from another land.
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Wordless Wednesday: Don’t You Just Love To Eat?
Makes me wanna buy kakanin and other native food from the Philippines. This was taken from our trip to Sariaya, Quezon. Yummy!
Marikina Peek: Riverpark at Night from Jabey’s Lens
This is the most beautiful shot of the Marikina Riverpark I saw. Thanks so much Jabey for allowing me the use of this photo. Jabey is a fellow member of the Marikina Valley forum.
Mardi Gras in Marikina
Barangay Calumpang of Marikina celebrated their Fiesta last Friday, June 13. My family were lucky to be invited by our friends, Ate Gemma and Kuya Lito, to their household where we feasted on delicious food. They prepared kare-kare, sugpo, lechon kawali, menudo, and many more, For desserts, we had salad and creamy gelatins. My husband and I went home stuffed and happy. 
My friend from Marikina Valley forum, sir rands (a.k.a. Randyblu) is also from Calumpang. He is also a very good photographer and he was able to take pictures of the Gay Mardi Gras in Calumpang. Let’s take a look at these photos and marvel at how creative gays really are –
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Scouting for the Best Home in the World? See the Best Countries to Live this 2008.
My attention snapped when I saw this yahoo headliner for the World’s Best Places to Live in this 2008. I was silently praying that just maybe, Marikina would be included in the list. I know though that I was like hoping for a miracle especially with the ZTE and other corruption-related scandals in the government, the oil and rice price increase, the Meralco billing outage… blah… blah… and more blahs…
Anyway, here it is — the result of the Mercer Consulting’s annual roundup of the global cities with the best quality of life. (From the Business Week and Yahoo Finance)
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Marikina Peek: A Photo from the Past by Cesar Mariano
Cesar Mariano, a fellow Marikenyo, sent this old photo of the faculty staff of Marikina Elementary School in the ’20s. Thank you Cesar for sharing with us this photo from your collection.
Marikina Peek. Photo of the Old Marikina River.
Marikina has gone a long way, it has transformed dramatically since 1992. Curious to see how it looked like in the past? Think no more, see this photo of the old Marikina River and marvel how possible it is to revive an unsightly, biologically dead river.
Photo Source: MCDA and Marikina PIO
Photographer: Unknown
See the Marikina River at present here.
Read about the Marikina River Development Program here.
Marikina Peek. Photos from the Past.
There will be a new section at Marikenya.com — the MARIKINA PEEK. This page will contain photos taken from Marikina, by the author or by other Marikeños or even non-Marikeños wishing to share to the world the beauty of Marikina City.
The first Marikina Peek Entry. PHOTOS FROM THE PAST.
Source: Marikina City Development Authority
Photographer; Unknown
The CowGirl in Me
When I was a teen, among my favorite hobby was reading books, collecting books, and trading books. I have always been the hopeless romantic type even in my youth and among my favorite reading were selections from Sweet Dreams, Sweet Valley and Mills and Boons Paperbacks.
Among my favorite settings for my love stories are farms with cowboys as leading men. Even in the Philippines, TV commercials painted cowboys as the dream lovers — big and strong, chivalrous, good horse riders… Today, I have overcome reading teeny paperbacks but not watching movies with Rodeo and farm settings and with the advent of internet, I can now go to websites like the National Finals Rodeo. NFR is the premier rodeo event championship in the United States, it is also called the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
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Tintin Rios: Nice article mhel! As always, I am indeed enjoying all the stuff that you are doing. Very honest and very inspiring. Keep it up! :)
Big Brother: Very helpful and enlightening person, always there to lend a hand whenever you’re in need… Keep it up !!! GOD Bless!!!
Zaldy: Very interesting and informative. Lovely as the author.
Kengkay: Ipagpatuloy ang pag blog tungkol sa kagandahan ng pinas… gusto ko ang mga ganitong blogs. nakakataba ng puso :)
Apple Lucero: It's wonderful, and knowledgeable. I love the beauty of marikina, continue blogging, great!
Ed Ebreo: You have a very interesting blog and an even more interesting work. Keep up the great work!
Rino: Thanks for this information. I would never have known about this. Good job and please continue to provide us with more of these…
Eclud: You surprised me mhel!!! This is great.. keep up the good work… (saka parang paganda ka ng paganda..) *From the author: "Aint this the best comment of 'em all?" :D
AnitoKid: Wow! Danda na ng Marikina! It has been a while since I last visited it! I studied at Marist School (Gr 1-6, HS 1-4). Loved your site kabayan! And I kid you not!
MyGlitch: Hi, Mhel. I salute you for promoting Marikina, the only blogger I know who truly loves her municipality.
Alvin Aljecera: Marikina is the Best in TOWN!!!
Lad Madrigal: Nakakatuwa, napaka informative at talagang helpful ang blog mo. Rating: 11 out of 10 haha.
Edelweiza: Hi der! I admire BF, too. I always see him during Cabinet events in the Palace as our office is the one in-charge of them. It’s his strong character and sincere efforts to “urbanize” the metropolis and us city dwellers that keeps me an avid fan. He belongs to a very rare breed of public officials that really walk the talk. I think he deserves all the support he can get from Filipinos. :D
Dennis: I was once a passerby, ngaun mukang magiging regular reader at “avid fan” na din! hahaha!
Ericc: Congrats to this wonderful website! it’s a good advocacy for responsible citizenship and good city governance! all the best to marikina!
Heidelyn A. Camaligan: We are so lucky living here at Marikina, werein lots of educational training are offered.
Islander: Wow! grabe na talaga ang marikina. beyond the legend na kayo. pano pa kami makakahabol nyan? hehe. Alamat!
Reign: I used to pass by Marikina since i’m just 40 minutes drive away from Antipolo but I never thought of these great facts about your lovely place. You’re a sure proud marikeña.
Lotus Flower: Happy Marikina Day to you. Aren’t you glad to be part of this quaint but definitely bustling and progressive city? I am :-)
Meeh: Maituturing na ang marikina ay nakilala sa paggawa ng mga dekalidad na sapatos na nagdala sa ating lugar upang makilala sa ibang panig ng pilipinas at sa ibang bansa…at ipinagmamalaki ko na ako ay isang marikenya…mabuhay!
Tapsiboy: Marikina is my happy and comfort place.
Spinning Lovely Days: I’m so glad there are so many interesting places to check out in our city now. with gas getting so expensive, i’m all for limiting our explorations within marikina. :D as always, thanks for all the wonderful tips.:)
Mera: Ang ganda naman ng lahat ng nakapost dito sa site mong marikenya Ms.Mhel…more of it were very inspirational.interesting and educational…just keep it and godbless u!
Abby: Hi. I'm glad i chanced upon this really interesting blog. i'm from marikina too. we’ve been living here for more than a year now. i'm super excited about your list. you see, hubby and i frequent eating spot in town. we are, still in search for the perfect crispy pata. a lot of my friends say you can find it here.
CallCenterGal: Thanks for the additional tips on improving one’s blog in simple, doable ways.
Sagada Philippines: I like your niche. More power to your blog! =)