I "heart" Mt. Rainier!

He instantly captivated me. I stood there, stupefied by his alluring charm. I could not help but sigh in utter admiration as I gazed upon his imposing presence. He was haunting me, taunting me to answer his beck and call.

Nope, I was not alluding to another man. I was referring to the regal Mt. Rainier found in Washington State, USA.

When my childhood friend Nerissa told me we were going up Mt. Rainer during my visit to Washington, my heart leap with joy and anticipation. I have always considered myself a mountain person. The sight of earth’s elevation covered with its dark green foliage gives me a natural high.

I have always fantasized climbing a mountain – seeing myself like Sir Edmund Hillary when he conquered Mt. Everest. He was asked why he did it. His famous answer, “Because it’s there.” If I lived in Washington, I’d probably be scaling its heights too. However, for this short vacation, it was enough for me to see Mt. Rainier up close and personal.

It caught my attention when I was touring Seattle in the summer of 2008. As the highest mountain in the state of Washington and the third tallest peak in the US, this dormant volcano is visible in any part of the city in a clear day. It is considered one of America’s most beautiful, unique and pristine natural wonder.

I love Mt. Rainier!!

I was fortunate to have the company of Nerissa and her friends who accompanied me for this alpine experience. They were the loving couple, Enrico and Tess David, who happened to be celebrating their wedding anniversary during our day trip; and Dion Franada, an amiable and entertaining lady. I have only known them for less than a day, yet I felt like I knew them for a lifetime. They were fun and enjoyable to be with.

Enrico and Tess David: Celebrating their wedding anniversary in Mt. Rainier

With Nerissa and her friends, Dion and Tess

Nerissa and Dion enjoying the summer snow

At the Paradise Visitors Center

On the way there, we meandered over gently rolling hills and through rural farmlands dotted with old barns. I enjoyed the diverse terrain, wild natural areas, quaint towns and stunning views all within the bounds of the scenic byways. We even stopped by a raspberry farm and picked the produce straight from the vine.

Picking raspberry in Washington!

Showing off what we picked!

Upon reaching Mt. Rainier National Park, I noticed nature at its finest – summer snow blanketing the summit, wildflowers randomly scattered among the rocks, tall, alpine trees covering the mountains, and wildlife wondering about. We stopped at Paradise Visitor Center and took a leisurely stroll around the area. I played with snow, an activity someone like me from a tropical country would greatly enjoy. And of course, I took that favorable time for lots of photo opportunities to capture that moment!

Nerissa and I: Best friends forever!

Let it snow! Let it snow!

Breathless in Seattle

Coffee… Microsoft… Tom Hanks… and Nerissa! Those were the first things that came to my mind when I decided to visit Seattle in 2008.

My husband went back home ahead of me after less than two weeks break in the US. I thought of staying a week more to visit one of my best friends forever, Nerissa. She had been my frequent travel companion every time I visited the US sans my husband. The first time I was there in 2000, she joined me in San Francisco. We were together in Los Angeles and New York in separate occasions. I’ve never been to her home state, Washington, so I took the opportunity of paying her a visit.

Jude and Nerissa Ong: At home in Seattle

It was a joy seeing her and her husband Jude. We grew up together in Manila with my other “bff,” Junette and Jacqui. Young and restless, the three of them chose to migrate to other lands while I stayed behind in the land of my birth. Junette and Jacqui settled in Sydney while Nerissa moved to Seattle.

Nerissa is as colorful and exciting as Seattle’s waterfront and picturesque mountains. We had a great time reminiscing about our childhood days while going around Seattle’s tourist spots. Vibrant and loquacious, Nerissa entertained me with her life dramas and funny anecdotes.

She and Jude took me around the interesting parts of the Emerald City. My idea of Seattle came from the Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan movie, Sleepless in Seattle. But now, I guess, Seattle is more famous as the home of Microsoft, Starbucks, and Amazon.com.

The original facade of the very first Starbucks coffee shop

We wandered over to Pike Place Market where the first Starbucks store is located. It is fascinating to think how a small coffee shop grew into a multimillion international brand. They retained the original façade of the coffee shop for posterity. The coffee shop was packed inside, maybe by tourists wanting a taste of coffee history. Nerissa bought me a Starbucks mug as a memento of my visit here.

In Pike Place Market, one can find an array of colorful fishes, flowers and crafts. Market vendors, who threw their fish back and forth to each other while singing some tune, entertained us. I got to taste the freshest smoked salmon I ever had. There were assortments of sea creatures up for sale – from Alaskan king crab to monkfish. The market is a haven for cooks and food lovers. Outside the market area, people played music or danced or did some creative stuff to attract attention, which gave Pike Place an interestingly good vibe.

Seattle has one of the most magnificent seaports in the US, if not the world. When I was there, I saw the Norwegian Pearl docked at the Pier. I have never seen such a humongous cruise ship before. I promised myself that I would ride a similar cruise ship when I come back in the future.

Nerissa, Jude and I with the Norwegian Pearl in the background

We then wandered down to their waterfront where the Seattle Aquarium and Odyssey Maritime Discovery Center were located. I got to taste the best “seafood chowder” at Anthony’s and famous “fish and chips” at Ivars.

Seattle’s most famous landmark is the Space Needle. We passed by it several times but decided not to enter. Nerissa instead brought me to a hilltop where I had the best view of Seattle that included the Space Needle and Mt. Rainier. It was absolutely breathtaking!

Such breathtaking sight!

I was very fortunate during my visit because the sun was shining high. Most movies I saw with Seattle as the setting almost always visibly shows silvery clouds passing by. Seattle can have variable weather – from light drizzle to sun to cloud to rainstorm to sun to clouds and finally back to drizzle - all in about two hours. Those few days I was there, the sun was cheery and bright. People were out in the parks, basking under the bashful sun. But on my last day, I got to experience Seattle’s infamous gray clouds. It made me remember some chilly, overcast scenes from the Twilight movie.

Having some girl time in Seattle under the bright, sunny skies

I just had such wonderful time in Seattle. I am so grateful for my bff, Nerissa, for the time she spent showing me around her adopted city. I know there are more interesting places there waiting for me to discover. I promise myself to come back to the Emerald City one day. Hopefully, as part of a launching pad to an Alaskan cruise or Vancouver escapade.

My Quest for a PADI Diving License

I must confess that I got scared. Not for myself but for the one I love so much. What have I gotten him into? I persuaded him to try this adventure sports. He caved in after much prodding. And there we were, my husband and I, almost at the finish line before we get certified as PADI open water scuba divers.

Ervin, Willy, Marlo and Caloy

After a year since we started our confined water dives to get our license as certified divers, we were finally in Aqua Reef Club in Anilao last May 29-30, 2010 for our “check out” in the open sea. We started the morning with a review of the skills we learned in the pool. However, this time we did it 20 feet under the sea. We reacquainted ourselves with the technical aspect of the sport like setting up our scuba gears. We practiced emergency skills like sharing air or replacing scuba mask. It took us two hours practicing all these skills before our instructor, Willy Guevarra, decided we were ready for our open water dive.

Caloy and Ervin setting up our scuba gears

Practicing the "tired buddy" skill

The First Open Water Dive

I was excited for that moment to finally feel like a real diver. At around 3:30 pm, we rode a boat that took us to a dive site nicknamed Koala. We noticed that the water current was strong that afternoon. It was full moon the day before which may have explained the early tide. Nevertheless, we took it in stride feeling exhilarated by the adrenalin rush of a neophyte diver.

Fully geared up, I took a back roll and plunged under water. It was pretty scary at first not knowing what to expect when I finally hit the deep ocean. There were four of us who dove that afternoon – Willy, our instructor; Ervin, a 23 year old handsome gentleman; and my husband and I.

Caloy about to do a back roll

My heart was in my throat when I started to descend. I tried to keep my mind clear so I could remember all what I learned. It was generally a smooth descent until I saw my husband going down so fast. I learned later that his weight belt was too heavy for him that it pulled him faster than normal. In diving class, we learned that one should descend slowly, trying to equalize the air spaces in the body every now and then to avoid that “squeeze” in the ear which could really hurt.

Caloy had a rough time during his first open water dive

According to Caloy, when he noticed he was going down fast, he tried to fight it by trying to ascend. He sort of panicked when his ears started to hurt due to the drastic change in air pressure. He began breathing faster than normal and paddling vigorously. I saw our instructor swimming up towards him. My heart skipped when I saw one of my husband’s flippers slipped out of his foot as he was kicking hard to swim upwards. Willy retrieved the fallen flippers and put it on my husband again underwater. I tried to be stable and calm but attentive to what was happening to him.

Eventually, Caloy found his composure. He started floating along side Ervin and I. Then our instructor Willy had to restrain him again as he was swimming faster than the rest of us. Caloy kept on paddling his flippers, pushing him farther away from me, his dive buddy. The current was strong so it pushed him even farther away from the group. Willy was signaling him to go slow but Caloy didn't seem to understand. Willy signaled Erwin and I to be buddies while he kept an eye on Caloy the rest of the dive. I saw how tired Willy was as soon as we hit the boat. He apparently got exhausted just watching over Caloy!

(Dive) Buddies forever!

It was a 60 feet dive with a bottom time of 27 minutes. What could have been a thrilling and exciting adventure for me turned out to be an unpleasant experience. That evening, as I lay down in bed, I was anxious and worried for the next day’s dive. What if the same thing happened again or worse? Will I ever forgive myself if something wrong happened to my husband? What if it happens to me instead? All those negative scenarios were playing in my mind as I tried to fall asleep. I realized that diving is not one you can take for granted. No wonder one must get certified first by a reputable organization to avoid any of the underwater disasters. That first open water dive was a real learning experience for us. We learned the importance of checking the dive equipment thoroughly prior to making that dip. Like any sports perhaps, it takes practice to gain the necessary confidence.

A Breathtaking Dive

Good thing my husband was confident enough to give it another try. I was very hesitant to continue with the dives and willing to give up that dream of being a certified scuba diver. He overruled my weaker judgment and convinced me to finish off what we have started. So, off we went again for our next dives the following morning.

True to what Willy said that succeeding dives would be better and more pleasant, I had such great time during the next two dives. Caloy had finally settled down calmly and serenely throughout the dives.

For the first dive, we went to Twin Peaks site in Anilao. There I saw the most beautiful and colorful fishes my eyes laid on. As we were admiring the under water surrounding, a school of large, silvery fish (Talakitok or Jack fish) passed our way. They formed a giant silver curtain as thousands of them propelled towards us in synchronicity. Then just below us, I saw a school of yellow fish swirling around and around in circular motion. All of these were a sight to behold! I floated there, awestruck! It was the most breathtaking sight I have ever witnessed. There was also this huge butterfly fish that hovered beside me. It was fascinating how it kept following us wherever we swam. Our guess was that, perhaps, it was waiting to be fed with breadcrumbs. Fascinating!

The butterfly fish that followed me throughout my dive

This butterfly fish was huge!

Our second dive that early morning was equally mesmerizing. However, aside from fishes, we saw beautiful corals spread compactly in a wide bed of sand way 70 feet below. We witnessed it in the dive site called “Cathedral.” It was named as such because of the cross planted there by Fidel Ramos when he was still President. The cross lay in the center of two big domes. As we passed the cross, we swam beside a beautiful reef facing the dark and empty open sea. There I saw colorful corals clinging to the reef and small fishes feeding on it.

We made it!

Whoa! We almost missed that wonderful adventure if I succumbed to my unfounded fears. Diving is really fun! Diving affords you an opportunity to see a world that few can ever witness. Being down there amongst the fish and corals is a spiritual experience. It makes you feel one with all of God’s creation. It is really fascinating and awe-inspiring! I can’t wait again for my next dive, especially now that we are finally PADI certified open water divers!

Finally, am now a certified PADI open water diver!!!! Hurray!!!!

Bali Through My Eyes

Bali, at least for me, conjured up images of a tropical paradise with coconut trees swaying in the breeze; terraced rice paddies going way up the sides of the mountains; active volcanoes spewing fiery smoke up in the air; white beach with half-nude maidens bathing under the seething sun; magnificent mountain scenery viewable from narrow, winding roads; and flowering bushes everywhere. I imagined it a peaceful and serene place where one could meditate all day; a refuge for a weary soul waiting to be recharged from the chaos of modern civilization.

I wasn't disappointed when I visited this enchanted island in 2007. It was all I have imagined except for a few misses. There were no half-nude native women any longer. With the myriad of tourists and the onset of modern civilization, the women started putting on clothes to cover their tops. Kuta beach, the famous long stretch of white sand in Bali overlooking the Indian Ocean, was not that white as I imagined. The sands of Boracay is more enticing and alluring. As for peace and order, it is still wanting considering the infamous Bali bombing just few years past.

My parents in front of the Bali Bombing memorial shrine in Denpasar

Denpasar, the capital of Bali, is a bustling town with street vendors hawking their ware everywhere and motorcycles lording it like kings on the narrow roads. The main thoroughfare is lined with boutiques and galleries, all grabbing the attention of tourists. Bali could well be just an ordinary tropical paradise except that it has a unique culture and tradition that fascinates adventure-seekers like me.

The Rituals and Traditions

Most Balinese are Hindus and sacrifices are an important part of their religion. Every Balinese makes at least three times a day sacrifices to honor the spirits. I saw offering baskets of fruits or flowers everywhere: in the streets, inside the hotel, in front of a store; and even in McDonalds. Hindu women and girls, dressed in beautiful sarongs, bring offerings in baskets that they carry on their heads to the temple. Ritual ceremonies are big part of every day life of the Balinese. Aside from the usual birthdays, wedding and cremation ceremonies, they have life cycles ceremonies like seventh month pregnancy rite, 47^th day rite, third month rite, among others. They even have dental filling rite!!!

An offering basket of flowers and fruits

Balinese making offerings to the spirits

I was really fascinated to learn about Balinese culture. It was totally a new paradigm for me. I was told that there still existed a caste system in the island. Hinduism has four castes: Brahmans, the highest caste; Warriors, Merchants and finally Farmers, who are the lowest. Knowing this made me glad I was not born here.

A native garbed in traditional clothes

They also have an interesting way of giving names. In Balinese culture, if you are the first born ( male or female ) you will be called either Putu, Wayan or Nengah. Second born will be called Made or Kadek. Third born Nyoman, Ika or Kamang, fourth born Ketut. If you are #5 you go back to 1. Isn’t that interesting? That takes care of having to remember names! Fascinating!

Balinese men on the way to a ceremony

Our Villa

We arrived in Bali the day after Christmas, which also happened to be my 20th wedding anniversary. I was with my husband and kids, parents, my husband's sister and her family and other special love ones. The adults in our group were billeted in a luxurious garden villa in Jimbaran while the young ones chose to stay in a boutique hotel beside the beach.

What makes Bali enchanting for me are their villas. Ours was patterned after a typical Balinese home made of teak and coconut thatches over the roof. The bedrooms, kitchen, dining room and living room are separate structures within the compound. We had our own pool at the center of the villa surrounded by a lush and well-manicured garden.

And boy did I love the bathrooms! Our garden bathroom was fitted with an oversize bath tub sprinkled with rose petals, an outdoor rain shower, double washbasins and a toilet. It was in a pebbled courtyard planted with green foliage surrounded by walls for total privacy. Awesome!

River Rafting

There are a hundred things to do in Bali. We chose to start with an adrenalin rushing activity - white water rafting! We proceeded to the Ayung River in Ubud where the adventure began. We traversed the river stream overcoming several rapids along our path. We were dazzled by the natural landscape of our surroundings. We even passed a Hindu artwork intricately carved on the rocks along the river bank.

We had a wonderful time water rafting along the Ayung River!

This work of art is engraved in stone along the Ayung River

Ubud

Ubud was my favorite spot in Bali. It is located in the middle of the island. Being the center of art, music and dance, it is an artist's paradise. Here you will find all sorts of tourists - shabby backpackers, new agers, artists, bohemians and curious tourists like us. Ubud to me looks like a typical provincial municipality in my country with its narrow, unpaved roads, rice paddies, tropical trees and nipa houses. Except that, elegant five star hotels and sprawling villas abound. It is surrounded by scenic rice terraces, art galleries, ancient temples, jungle gorges, rivers and small villages. For me, Ubud is the best place to be for nature, adventure, culture and inspiration.

My husband and I purchased a Bali painting

A must do in Ubud is to see a cultural show. We watched the Legong dance performed in the courtyard of the ornately carved Ubud Palace. We caught the show just when the sun set in. Hence, the Palace became even more enchanting as it was lit only by fire. Now I understand where the classic musical South Pacific found the inspiration for the mythical island paradise of Bali Ha'i. Young Balinese dancers in shimmering traditional garb told stories from the Ramayana through their hand and eye movement. Men in demon or monkey costumes dance to the rhythm of the bamboo instruments with passion and vigor. The show was riveting and mesmerizing!

Hindu History

I was told that the whole of Indonesia was Hindu before it became the largest Muslim nation in the world in terms of population. When the Hindu Majapahit Empire in Java was in danger of succumbing to Muslim invasion, their artists, intellectuals, musicians and priest of the royal court all fled to Bali. There they established a colony until it flourished into a vibrant and colorful society that is Bali today.

Phallic symbol of Hindu god Vishu inside the Elephant Cave

We were able to visit a Hindu shrine called Goa Gajah that literally meant Elephant Cave. I was told that the Goa Gajah used to be a monastery for Hindu and Buddhist monks during ancient times. They would enter the cave and meditate for hours. The cave was dark, cold, cramp and creepy inside. The only thing I saw were phallic images which symbolized their god Vishu. I was really fascinated to learn about an entirely different belief system. So interesting!

Our group in front of the Elephant Cave

Batur Volcano

Indonesia is known as an active volcano belt. Hence, it's also a must see to visit one of its many volcanoes. We chose to visit Batur Mount Volcano located in Kintamani District. We went to a restaurant in Penelokan Village for the best view of the Batur Volcano and lake. I read that the volcano erupted several times already, the biggest in 1926 destroying the Batur Village. From our vantage point, the volcano seemed an arms reach away. It was so close to us.

Eat, Pray, Love

I read the book of Elizabeth Gilbert "Eat Pray Love" while on this Bali vacation. Under the chapter on "Pray," the author wrote about her encounter with a Bali medicine man. My niece Kristine persisted that we go visit him. My husband and I decided to have a foot reflexology instead (it was the best I ever had, I swear). My mom, son Andrew, nieces Kristine and Kaye, and sisters-in-law Bebot and Susan, went to see him. His name is Ketut Liyer. From the pictures they took, he was short and stocky, smiling through his ears and wearing an "I love NY" T-shirt. He read their fortunes (which took a fortune, I was told!) and tried to sell them his paintings. I guess he can ask for an enormous sum because he is now famous!

My niece Kristine having her fortune told by Ketut Liyer from "Eat Pray Love."

My mom, sister-in-law Susan, Andrew and Kaye with the Medicine Man

As I boarded my plane back to my homeland, I imagined Bloody Mary waving at me, beckoning me back while singing "Bali Ha'i." At last, I have fulfilled a childhood dream of being a part of this beautiful and enchanted island. I and the rest of my group definitely had the most wonderful and fascinating journey. I owe this trip to my husband's sister Bebot and her most generous husband Jojo. They were the most gracious host who made sure that we will have a most unforgettable vacation.

Our gracious hosts, Jojo and Bebot Marigomen

Drew, Kaye, Kristine, Bebot, Susan and Mama Trellie: Enjoying shopping in Ubud

Caloy with Balinese women

We had sooo much fun!!!