2 days to go and we’re off to Padre Burgos, Quezon!!! woohoo!!!
but before anything else, lez ze blog first!
ok, the plan for this Quezon trip is: Day 1 – camp out in borawan or dampalitan island. Day 2 to 4 – check-in to The Tamarind Tree..
i have to be honest that its been a while since i last experience a “camp out.” last was when i was still in highschool. my good ‘ole camping & hiking days (mejo naging busy when i was in college so had to stop going on travels).
what to expect when you’re camping out in the wilderness??? Marami. Actually, you should expect that everything will come your way so better be prepared. mosquitoes? yes and plenty of it. be not surprised if you’ll wake up inside the mosquito lair! :)) seriously, there are a lot of mosquitoes outdoors and lots of other bugs too! so better stuff your bag with repellents. no comfort rooms? of course! ano to? hotel? when you camp out, don’t expect the luxuries of a comfort room. just do your thing there, but make sure not to spoil the water source alright! sun too hot to handle? yes, especially at noon, it’ll be scorching hot i tell you. there’ll be no fans there, just the breeze of summer air. and if you run out of luck, there’ll be rain: yes, that’s one of the misfortune of living in the tropics, weather’s too unpredictable so be ready to get wet, the tent may not hold off the water if its a major pour down. no mobile phone signal, a possibility? oh yes, especially if you’re going to far-flung places, it is a possibility. no electricity?? yeah that too is definite. bawal din po ang MAGINARTE.. whine & complain, you’ll be thrown out of the boat and into the middle of ze pacific! haha! :))
camping out is like going back to basics, less every little known comfort that we have in our urbanized world. but that’s the beauty and adventure of it! now, if you can’t live without these comforts, i tell you, camping is ain’t for you buddy… *wink*
Philippine Team AZKALS was defeated by the Mongolian Blue Wolves in the 2nd leg of the pre-qualifier game held at Ulan Bator, Mongolia.. team said they have the hardest time adjusting to the cold weather conditions in Mongolia.. gettin’ cold.. cold..
but what the heck, what else can we do.. so let’s just forget about the lost game and let’s all move forward..
and now back to regular programming…
and because i got so depressed yesterday and was extremely disappointed on how the AZKAL game turned out, i decided to hang out with friends to discuss the things we need to settle for the Quezon Trip.. we’ve settled some bills for the resort accomodation and did a checking of the budget we alloted for the trip. and just to make sure that everything is settled, we discussed the things that we’ll bring, everyone’s given a list of the things s/he would bring. here’s the list:
BITBITIN
JANNET
-First aid kit
-nylon string (panali ng tent baka hanginin just in case)
-lamp / rechargeable light
-sanitizer
-lutuan – small kaldero
BONG
-sound sys.
-nylon string (panali ng tent baka hanginin just in case)
-swiss knife
-Flashlight
-Duyan
CHELLAY
-Garbage bag
-Panghugas ng mga kaldero/sponge/dishwashing ekek
-posporo/lighter
-flashlight
GERRY
-swiss knife
-flashlight
-ipod (touch yan ha!)
————-
CHIP iN STuff
– sun block – chip in and bili malaki – bong na bibili
————
tents good for 3 or persons – Tentative
umbrella / raincoat – Optional
——-
THINGS TO BRING NG KANYA KANYA
– clothes for 4 days / Swim wear
– goggles
– camera
-CHaRGERS
– malong / sleeping bag
– personal stuff ( toothbrush, tooth paste, shampoo, soap,)- –
-Plastic pang basa ng kung anoano at proteksyon sa basa
– shades
– insect repellant
– utensils (spoon and fork)
– Water bottlesa
– swiss knife – gerry and bong
among the four of us, i’m the one who got a long list of things to bring and i don’t have any idea why.. :))
after this Quezon Trip, I’ll post a blog about the place coz really, articles are scarce, you can’t even find a decent one to take on as a reference.. just wait for the post, i promise that it’ll be as detailed as doing a thesis or something.. =)
9 days to go and we’re off to Quezon Province!!! =) definitely can’t wait..
(Ok, since I didn’t have any get-away-to-a-vacation article yet, I’ll start with my very first sports article today! Woot! This will also serve as a practice for my future part-time job of contributing to a sports column… So please be kind to animals and here goes nothing folks! Brace yourselves and enjoy the wild ride!)
The “underdogs” in every literal sense of the word… Just imagine: an under-funded and unappreciated football team trying its best to thrive in a basketball-loving and hugging archipelago, comprised of a mix of locals and half Filipinos who grew up overseas and whom haters tagged as the “half breeds” trying desperately to fit in. That’s just how hard a life of an AZKAL can be. Countless unforgivable names were thrown at them but the Philippine National Football Team AZKALS gave nothing less but sheer passion and dedication to the sport and love for their Filipino Heritage. They may not be all pure Filipino by blood, at least half of their lineage are and most importantly, whole by heart. Moved by one vision and fueled by perseverance and determination, the Philippine Football Team AZKALS, as they are more affectionately known, have come from being zero to heroes all in a blink of an eye. The change was brought about by the December 2010 game when Team AZKALS brought the reigning champs Vietnam to their knees with a 2-0 victory at the AFC Suzuki Cup, enabling them to qualify for the semi-finals and the rest, as they say, is history.
They were not able to snag a win in the semi-finals but they sure did win the hearts of their kababayans not only in the Philippines but everywhere in the world. The long and dreary drought of lack of support is over and everybody seems to want to take part and give support to the team in any way they can. Well, until you see the myriads of screaming, giggling, and tumbling fans (you get the picture???) then you’ll understand the impact the group has made in a span of months. You’ll know that the team started something that will stay in all of us for a long time if not forever, the love and appreciation for the sport football. If this is not a “rags to riches” story then tell me what it is. I saw an article/interview with the captain of the team, the 27 year-old center back, Aly Borromeo. He was asked to recount any event that almost had them rethinking about playing under the Philippine Flag and he frankly said “Now, where to start?” then laughed heartily of the mishaps they’ve experience before. He remembered a game in Iloilo where all they’ve got is the plane ticket going to the province and nothing else. Arriving at the airport, the team didn’t know the venue of the game and was quietly thanking God when somebody showed to pick them up. “The driver just left us in the middle of nowhere in Iloilo and we didn’t have the slightest idea where we’ll stay for the duration of the game.” The Captain recalled. Tragic as it may seem but that’s how they’ve earned the moniker “AZKALS” which in Filipino language literally translates to “asong kalye” or a mongrel let loose in the streets. It was a name given to them as an allegory to the team’s then “survive-on-your-own” status.
On a first look, they may seem to be just the typical bunch of players who got famous because of their undeniable good-looks but Team AZKALS proved to be more than just a face (well sometimes we wonder if good looks is a requirement for any individual who wants to get recruited in the team). All players are one mean and lean machine in the football field. Almost all of them, especially the Fil-foreigners, started playing football at the tender age of five and were trained professionally overseas or were even recruited by top football teams in America and Europe. Same is true with the grass root or the home grown players who have been playing the sport all their life.
It is indeed a 360-degrees turn around and these days, aside from seeing them on the field training, you can also catch them in numerous events, or see them on magazines, broadsheets, television and even billboards, advertising a certain product or re-telling the story of the National Football Team. They’re indeed famous and admittedly, they can give John Lloyd Cruz or Derek Ramsey a run for their money as the AZKALS are invading every known medium of communication there is. Thanks again to their dashing and charming good looks and undeniable great skill in football. Fame matched with debonair skill is indeed powerful and anybody may just get caught up with all the hype and mayhem brought about by it. True enough, great power comes with great responsibility. It is now apparent that they’re not just football players; they are now certified public figures and role models to the younger group of the population and to those who wanted to get into football. Good thing though that these gentlemen are way grounded than anybody else, not letting fame and popularity get inside their heads and feed their ego. It is also a blessing that the captain of the team knows how to keep his charges sane amidst all the craziness that the public attention has brought about. He never fails to remind them of their sole mission. In one of his magazine interviews, he said and I quote “I am here to bring Football to the general public. I no longer play for the sake of fun and we players are definitely not playing for ourselves anymore. We are here for all the people that have worked so hard over the years to develop the sport in this country. We are here to inspire future players so that the popularity of the sport does not die with this team. Philippine football has been around for a long time but only now that we are finally getting the attention that we deserve, which will ultimately help further push the sport.”
And with fame also comes controversies. This is something that is inevitable. There ain’t a famous personality I know that hasn’t tackled any controversy in their career. For the heroes of this story, perhaps the biggest controversy in their career would be one, their love life (what, with all the girls wanting to be their girlfriends) and second would be their Filipino lineage. Let’s not delve into the first one to avoid drama. Perhaps the second one will be less likely to attract craziness. It is quite obvious that a large part of Team AZKALS comprises of Fil-Foreigners tapped across all parts of the globe and needless to say it will attract unwanted attention from critics (you cannot please everybody, right?). It has been a subject of many debates since World War 1 (Nah! Just Kidding folks!) if we should allow Fil-Foreigners to play for the National Team. Obviously, these Fil-Foreigners shine more than the home-grown ones. For one, they’ve been trained professionally abroad so naturally, they have this aggression and edge among other players. We cannot also deny the fact that the Philippine Team needed them and their skill to be able to snag a decent place in the international football scene. If we are dreaming of eventually getting into the world cup, then we have to have them, period. But think about this, these Fil-Foreigners are after all still very much a Filipino, well at least half of their lineage is. Let me just quote the words of a famous musician and artist Mr. Jim Paredes of APO Hiking Society; “You don’t have to be in the Philippines for you to be called and considered a Filipino. Being a Filipino is not just by blood, it is but most importantly by heart.” And if these gentlemen chose to love and honor their Filipino lineage, who are we to say that they don’t have the right to represent the country?
Team AZKALS did more than just representing our country in the football arena. They roused us Filipinos to football consciousness and made us realize that we can actually excel in the sport given the opportunity, proper training and support from the government and the private sector. Their story was way beyond inspiring, it is motivating and setting everybody in motion, especially the young ones to go out there and start learning the sport. And parents, being aware of the sport, are supportive of their kids if they wanted to get into the sport. I can attest to this for I too have been caught up with Football craze. I’ve been talking to my parents (but still convincing them though) expressing my desire to learn and be able to play the sport. Bottom line is, the Philippine Football Team AZKALS has brought so much pride to us Filipinos and they’re definitely a breath fresh air because for the first time in record history, Filipinos were not cheering for another Manny Pacquiao or Nonito Donaire Jr. or perhaps tiring themselves to yet another basketball game (same old, same old) in the big dome. For the first time, we are cheering for a new sport, a new team, another youngblood, a batch of hopefuls, who have nothing but a bag of courage, determination and skill who for sure, will bring countless victories and honor to our country, Philippines.
alright, you caught me red-handed.. i admit that me heart got broken (no, make that shattered into pieces) coz the one AZKAL i adore the most has admitted that he has a girlfriend.. yes, James Younghusband is taken, officially (for the record, many heart-broken girls went beserk and went even farther by attempting to commit suicide) it would have been easier to accept (include forgive & forget) if he went after a celebrity perhaps or an athlete maybe but from what i heard the girl is just like most of us, a fan-girl who’s been trailing the team and buying for a chance to have her picture taken with James (pinagpalit nya ko sa ganun lang! charot! haha! eh nakuha naman pala sa picture)..
truth be told, i made peace with it just today. hehe.. took me two freakin’ days to calm down and get hold of myself (before i even try to hunt her down & kill her with my own hands! gorry-much??? hehe!). it’ll take some gettin used to i have to admit but i’d say i’ll get by just fine (ayan, mona ha, me official statement nako! hehe!). so officially, i’m done with it.. =)
now, moving on to better stuff (something worth my time), i officially embraced summer. i plotted my schedule for Summer 2011 and found out that all my weekends are full, well at least until April. haven’t even have the time to sched a run (goodness!). i totally accepted that football will just be a dream and i geared myself towards a new sport.. these past few days, my feet had been aching like hell and our family doctor said its running taking toll on my foot. so i need to do a sport that is low impact and would allow me to heal & relieve stress on my feet so now i’m going to indulge myself into swimming!!! since i love the beach so much i think its about time to learn how to swim… =) but the lessons will have to wait, i have to go on the planned trips first before anything else.
here’s the sched:
march 26 to 31 – Borawan Escapade with college peeps. We’re heading south this time. Off to Padre Burgos, Quezon (life-long dream realized!)
april 09 – Tito Jun’s birthday bash! We’ll go fishing at Isla Talim in Rizal province. I’m excited since i’ll be learning this very peculiar but interesting sport.
april 15 – La Union Trip with the CMG girls! Excited for this one too! This will be my first time to try surfing! i just hope i survive in one piece.
also, i’ll be getting my first ever DSLR!!! woot-woot!!! we’ll get it next saturday, march 12. I’ll be purchasing a Nikon unit, just not decided yet if i’ll get D5000 or D3100.. hay, my summer is full-packed! happy! happy! =)
oh and one more, meet another dashing dude from the Philippine Football Team. Say hi to John Patrick Hinrichsen! Hi Pat! nice to meet you! he is a versatile attacker who can play both effective midfielder and an aggressive and up-front striker. he’s half filipino, half german, mom is a pinay from Pagadian city while dad is a german. at a very young age, he’s already a professional footballer in Germany before his stint here in the philippines. isn’t he adorable? ^_^
loving the dimples! =)
and found this pic worth laughing at on the internet. i used to be a neil etheridge fan but after hearing that there is a “bromance” going on between him & Simon Greatwich, i bailed out! haha! judge for yourselves ladies… =P
bromance alert!!! lolz!!!
i just couldn’t wish for a better summer than this.. this is the life man, this is it.. it may not be perfect but its something worth living…
23 days to go & i’ll see you in Borawan.. now, i’m outta here! good night!
Life's a Trip! 