Balut The Slapsoil Wanderer

The past weeks has been crazy busy due to complex activities both from kids and us parents.  The housekeeping that I skip doing the previous weeks piled up and are now screaming for my attention.  Blogging that coincides with me hosting a giveaway.  Then culminated to a Sunday out of town run on hubby’s birthday.  My of my! To my dear readers who habitually read my “Sunday Quote and Photograph” post, please forgive me if there was no post last Sunday.  We were on the road by 3:00AM to catch hubby’s half marathon gun start at 4:30AM in Sta. Rosa Laguna (we’re coming from Manila). Probably some of you are wincing why we are doing this to ourselves.  The answer is “we don’t know and we are always like this". LOL.  Let;s just say that this is why this blog is tag with the word "hustle and bustle". Actually we were so stressed out the whole week that we consider backing out from the run, but… who are we kidding?  We knew better too that we are not the kind who back out on

We all enjoyed my previous guessing game fun here even without prices at stake and I really thank you all for that!  You are all truly awesome.  Now it's time to move to another level of fun and this time there will be prices at stake!  Welcome to my first ever giveaway hosting, please join the fun and excitement! Summer or not we definitely need that daily eye protection.  I’m sure everyone is continuously looking for that comfortable, fashionable but affordable pair of sunglasses.  You need not look further because right here is your chance to win one perfect pair of sunglasses that you are looking for! The world’s most popular online eyeglass store, Firmoo.com together with my two blogs, Balut Manila and Run! and Keep on Running is giving away TEN (10) eyeglasses! Yep you read it right TEN it is! Before we go to the mechanic details let me give you a gist as to where your prices will be coming from.  My awesome sponsor, Firmoo.com is the emerging global online optic

This is one of those moments where I am crammed up with the daily “going-ons” and yet blessed enough that I am able to deal one task at a time.  To relieve some stress, clear some mind webs and as a preparation as well to my run this coming weekend, I did what I usually do – I run.  Good thing it’s a great weather out there, not too sunny or windy just some little drizzle.  By the time that I am done with my regular 6K run, it looks like it’s about to rain. And speaking of  “looks like about to rain” the same thing is happening here in my blog.  One of the reason of this random post is I am so excited to give you this heads-up - I am hosting my FIRST ever GIVEAWAY soon! Yey true!  It’s gonna rain with GIVEAWAY here soon so keep hanging on folks!

“There were six penalties and I went the right way all the time, and saved three, so I was well prepared”. Petr Cech – Chelsea FC Goalkeeper   Photo Credits: Lawrence Griffiths/Getty Images (bleacherreport.com) Blogger Balut is a big football fan thus today’s quote and photograph, but not actually a fan of Chelsea FC but of Manchester United and Liverpool. Photo is from the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final game between FC Bayern Munchen and Chelsea FC.  Cech saved a penalty in extra time, and two penalties in the subsequent penalty shootout resulting in the first UEFA Champions League win for Chelsea (Chelsea win the UEFA Champions League 4-3 on penalties).

I call it the “church in the woods”. Our Lady of Victory Chapel in Malabon City, Philippines - the first church I visited during my Vicita Iglesia for this year (2012).  I promised to make a separate post for each beautiful churches that I visited so here's the first installment to start with.  It was a real BIG surprise finding this church in the heart of one of metro’s busiest city.  The perfect adjective to describe the place and the church is “serene”.   The view of the church with the belfry partly hidden by the thick green plants and trees.  This shot is taken diagonally across from left.   Closer shot of the belfry.  Unlike old churches where the belfry is usually built as an extension part of the main church and in tower-like structure, this belfry is built separately and is rooted from the grounds.     Green vines , an old-fashioned designed lamp post and a tree intertwined together, created a beautiful arc in the pathway leading to the church main en

Her only wish is to see her youngest daughter march to the high school graduation stage. The youngest one whom she's not able to fully take care of  because she's been sick since she was seven years old. Often times in her sick bed she would talk to her daughter and always reminds her that even without her,  she needs to be okay for the rest of her growing years and for the rest of her life. ---------- The graduation wish did not happen, One cold December night, some few days before Christmas, an angel came to take her Before she took her last breath she looked her youngest in the eyes and asked for assurance that she will be strong and will be okay In the midst of fear and pain while holding her mother in her fourteen year old arm, the daughter promised. ----------- I’m not only strong “Nay” but I’ve been TOUGH.  I’m not only okay but I believe I’ve managed to be my BEST. I love you ‘Nay…  I HELD you till your last breath,  I will LOVE you till my la

This is the second installment from my previous post, Water Parks Within and Nearby Metro Manila, Philippines.   Amana Water park - the venue of my two “Sunday Quote and Photograph” guessing game posts: 1. The Justice League 2. The pool of people – King Kong is at the front end of the pool where the giant waves are coming from. This is the main attraction in Amana Waterpark, the 3,500 sq meters wave-pool that produces the biggest (Diamond) wave.  Claimed to be the biggest wave pool in the Philippines that offers 13 different magnificent gigantic kinds of wave. The other main attraction is the (over 100) life-size characters scattered all over the resort.  They also offer horse back riding, picnic grove, souvenir shop and cottages made from local materials.  Their website says a Zipline is opening soon. If it wasn’t for the great photo opportunity with the different life-size characters, our summer memories at Amana Waterpark will be remembered as a “not so fun” experienc

“Summer is here for sure today. The sun is shining from a clear blue sky, and there is  no wind at all. Summer, after all, is a time when wonderful things can happen to quiet people. for those few months, you’re not required to be who everyone thinks you are, and that cut-grass smell in the air and the chance to dive into the deep end of a pool give you a courage you don’t have the rest of the year. you can be grateful and easy, with no eyes on you, and no past. summer just opens the door and lets you out.” By: Roffe - The Viking from The North   The “phrase” and the photograph are somewhat conflicting I know.  I just feel like sharing the anti-thesis of life.  The phrase about summer is from a Norwegian blogger friend Roffee who talks about summer with much anticipation and yet in a peaceful mode, while the photo taken from a water park here in the Philippines looks chaotic.  Also, just even before I can finish this post, Roffe’s summer is gone.  The snow came too soon and

Two months ago I was so happy announcing that this blog went on Page Rank 1 after seventy one (71) days of blogging.  Today, exactly after one hundred fifty seven (157) days of blogging, I am in high spirits to announce that WE ARE ON PAGE RANK 2! Again this achievement is reached out of pure hard work  - no fancy paid marketing strategies, just pure passionate writing and blogging. THANK YOU to the high and mighty One for this blessing, to my family and friends who have always been supportive to my writing and blogging passion.  Thanks also to Google for the ranking, and most of all THANKS TO YOU my dear readers and followers for patronizing, reading, appreciating and following my blog.  EXTRA THANK YOU to my very supportive blogger friends (you know who you are). I am more driven to blog passionately, entertainingly and responsively. MARAMING SALAMAT  po! For those who want to check your page rank, you can check it from here .

Part two of two from this post . The Kiddie Pool with water falls and fountains. Very safe for kids, the water measures just below the knee. I enjoyed just staying under the mushroom-shaped fountain feeling the water wash over my face while watching the little one having fun with the water falls and play with other kids. The Adult Pool with a giant 3-looped slide This is one thing I always look forward in water parks – SLIDE! I love trying on giant slides.  I tried a lot of water slides and I could say that there is nothing extra ordinary in this one.  My all time favorite is from another water park which is called “Magellan’s Drop”. The Zip Line We didn’t tried the zip line.  We came here to swim so we’re totally not interested in the zip line.  There weren’t many people trying the zip line when we were there. As you can see in the picture, the line is passing over the boating area. The Shaded Pool A relief when the other pool’s water is turning into “lukewarm” tempera