Saturday, September 24, 2016

3-day Vacation at Zamboanga City


Finally had the chance to post a summary of our trip way back March 2016! I know it's very late already but I feel like the pictures and memories are gonna go to waste if I don't put it in a blogpost. So, I'm gonna take the chance to share this with you guys!

Zamboanga is such a very great place, but not very known to most people. I never thought that one day I could visit it. Thanks to my uncle who's in the Navy and is stationed on a naval base in Zamboanga City, he has made this all possible. He invited us to visit him because his retirement's gonna come soon, might as well enjoy his perks with the whole family. Though far from Iligan City, approximately 403.5 km, the 9-hour hot (because we're at the back of pickup truck), bumpy and nauseous ride was definitely worth it for the breathtaking view in Zamboanga City!

Photo screenshot on Google.

I never thought that the journey would take us to the very edge of Mindanao! I can't imagine that I've reached a place that far in my life, on a roadtrip, in a pickup truck where we covered ourselves with blankets to hide away from the sweltering sun, and that moment we felt like we were in an oven, just windy. When I heard the radio inside the truck blasting Zamboanga's local radio station singing their ID, I let out a huge sigh of relief. I was so happy that we finally arrived!!! It was just nearly dusk when we arrived at the naval base, so we still had time to stroll around and explore the place.

The naval base, also called as Camp Navarro, was reaaally huge. Based beside the sea, because of course it's the Navy, it was really majestic. There are marines who warmly welcomed us that made our stay a whole lot easier. They fed us 6 times a day with their not so ordinary menu, and in buffet meals!! And of course, we were flourished with SEAFOOD!! That was the best part!

This was just a three-day vacation so we did our best to enjoy it every minute and we took lots of pictures. It was a nice day at Zamboanga at that time. Even though, we should be tired from the trip and have "jet lags", we have a bar full of energy instead! We played volleyball, jumped to the shots, strolled around the base, and even went to the cinema after dinner! It was a treat from my cousin. She let us watch a Kung Fu Panda 3D movie and let the 'bodyguards' tour us in Zamboanga City at night. 

That time I realized that the place was peaceful contrary to the comments about Zamboanga occasionally having wars and rebel fights and bomb threats. I can't really see a hint of it. Their KCC Mall de Zamboanga is a striking exemplar of the serenity and peace in the place, because who would build a mall that huge when they know that it's going to be bombed someday anyway, right?

Day 2


The whole reason why we were able to go to such place at such time of the year, it's because it was Holy Week and there were no classes. No compromised academics and requirements, and if there was, they all become sacrifices. It was our first time to have Semana Santa on another place other than Iligan City. It was refreshing to know and experience other culture especially on how they celebrate their Holy Week.



One fascinating tradition they have is that during the Station of the Cross, they have reenactments on each station and the 12 disciples (marines who dressed like disciples) led the procession alternately carrying the cross and walk it to the next station.

Day two was focused on visiting some landmarks in Zamboanga City. 

The city, I tell you, was really large. The center of the city, I guess, is just an eighth or maybe sixteenth of the land, and the rest of the area consist of the remaining in 98 baranggays. Each baranggay would really span some kilometers before you reach the next. Indeed, the third largest city in the Philippines, Zamboanga City. We visited the following places. Imagine the roadtrip we had again.


San Ramon Prison


It was my first time to visit a prison. I didn't even have the chance to visit the one in Iligan City. Again, it's really refreshing to have a first again in this place. San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm. We have to go to the second floor to have a view on the whole place. By the time we were upstairs, on the balcony, the sight of shouting and begging prisoners welcomed us. They were displaying their handmade products to the visitors, hoping that they could have a buyer, hoping that they could earn some money and have a living even in jail.

Prison and Penal Farm of San Ramon, Zamboanga City, Philippines.
 I don't know if it was making me happy or sad at that time. Sad because of the thought of being in jail, deprived from most things, being away from their family, the loneliness. But happy because they've been given income generating activities, or temporary jobs, maybe something they don't have while they were outside, in freedom. At least they are productive in the time of their imprisonment.

Fort Pilar


Next place is this Fort Pilar Shrine. It's a famous landmark in Zamboanga City, to which many visitors and tourists take a land on. Unknown to many, Spanish revolution has also reached the civilization in Mindanao, especially in Zamboanga. This military fort was built by the Spaniards in defense from the native sultans of Zamboanga. It's just an astonishing sight for it to be seen standing still for decades (or for a century) amidst the forces of nature trying to age it away. Since then, it has been the symbol of the city's Cultural Heritage.

Fort Pilar of Zamboanga City, a military defense fortress


Barter Trade Center


If you're looking for pasalubongs, this trade center is a place to be!! Everywhere you look, all you see are goods, that suit for everyone, and will suit to your liking. You can never go home from this place without having to carry bags of plastics filled with their products. From local clothings and food to imported products from Indonesia and Malaysia and neighboring countries near Zambo, you can all find them there. I guess this is where city people buy their goodies and then sell them in the city with an overwhelming price, where they can have a big profit since they bought it in barter way cheaper. Boxes of wafers, biscuits, noodles, Pepero, canned-goods, etc (other international brands) in varying sizes are available there! Promise, you must not miss this place.

Photos from Google.

DAY 3


It's the last day of our vacation in Zamboanga City so of course, we want it to be the bomb! We visited a hidden paradise on our third day. It's not so popular and famous as Boracay but it's a promising place! 

Las Islas de Sta. Cruz

Perks of having an uncle that's in the Navy, we had used a Naval ship/boat to go to the island. It was really fashionable that we are so proud to have our uncle. It was really cool to be inside the ship! I feel like I want to quit all my acads and then sign up in Navy.

Me and my cousin with the Coast Guards.

Anyway, it was just roughly a 15-minute ride and the scene was really breathtaking. The waters were so clear, that your 20-20 vision is just a shame. Haha, just exaggerating.

That's me. So haggard haha.

It seems to me that the island is a long time secret but just now discovered because I really didn't know this place existed until I got there. Like, why does this beautiful place doesn't get its bragging rights? And guys, it's a pink island!! It should be more famous than it is right now. The place definitely does not deserve the attention its getting, so guys, do visit this place someday! Add this in your bucketlist! :)

I'm gonna have a separate post featuring this island so that I can explain more promising details of the place. We had a blast that day and had lots of food again, celebrating everything. You know that constipation travellers get? Hay, I had that that time. I was so bloated I could have floated in the sea.


That ends my 3 day vacation in Zamboanga City! We were so sad to leave the place early the next day. My heart aches because of nostalgia right now. I just miss the sea outside the house, the sea breeze and the strange calmness it sends to your body and spirit, the seafoods!!, and the relaxing feeling. I just miss them all. I wish we could go back again someday this year and have a proper vacation again from all these stressing schoolworks!

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Top 20 Favorite Songs of Coldplay




Hello guys! I've been hiatus for nearly a month, but anyway, hello September! I owe myself and you guys with a post. This update should've been up 2 weeks ago, when I watched a livestream (sponsored by Globe) of Coldplay's concert in LA, California, which made me inspired to make this. We all have our favorite bands right? And hey, mine's Coldplay!

P.S. It took me some time to finish editing all the lyric art in this post, and the background photos are not mine, and the lyrics belong, of course, to Coldplay.

Twenty years of Coldness

Coldplay (for those who don't know them, saaad) is a British rock band composed of four members: Chris Martin (vocalist), Johnny Buckland (lead guitarist), Guy Berryman (bassist), and Will Champion (drummer). Such band was formed when they were still in college way back 1996!! Guys, 1996! HAPPY 20 YEARS OF COLDPLAY! Imagine how bands nowadays have a very short span of showtime, and Coldplay has maintained their cool for 20 years. Indeed, they had proven that they are worthy of their band name! (iykwim) Below is a list of my top 20 favorite songs of Coldplay, as a tribute to them!

There ain't a problem that a Coldplay song can't fix

The way the following is ranked is just an opinion of mine. I usually am more bias on the sensible meaning of the song than its rhythm or beat, though it still has a big factor. Nevertheless, here it goes! I just want to share their songs to you guys, so badlyy! Sure, you have listened to their classics "The Scientist" and "Yellow", but in here you'll discover more! You can listen to these songs on the Spotify playlist I made, "Coldplay Picks".

20. SHIVER


One of their first songs in their first album "Parachutes". I really like its beat on the first note, I feel like I am swaying to it while listening. This song is about a person (or a guy) who really likes someone who doesn't even give a damn about him, that "always gets her way". The guy clearly is willing to wait for her, no matter what, waiting for her to give in-- waiting for her to shiver.

19. DON'T PANIC



Still one of the first songs of the band, and one of the chillest and coolest. I first heard it on the livestream of their concert, though and what swooned me so much by this song is that a part of it was sang by Johnny Buckland! It's just refreshing to hear other voice than Chris's. This song emphasizes that "we live in a beautiful world" that even though the "bones that we've fought for" are "sinking like stones" (that even if we fail at times after all the effort we had given in), we don't need to panic because after all we have "somebody to lean on".

18. A SKY FULL OF STARS



A song from Ghost Stories. Truth to be told, I'm not fond of songs that are loud and fast, but this song is an exception. I just can't not be in love with this song especially when it's like reaching out to you, "You're a sky full of stars, and I'm gonna give you my heart". My self-esteem boosts whenever I listen to this song! Imagine how beautiful stars are and then that person gets reminded of you whenever he/she sees them. Awee

17. US AGAINST THE WORLD



Belonged to Mylo Xyloto. This song just gives me so much feels, of melancholy and nostalgia, because of its beat and music. Started with a cool tune, and ended so perfectly. This song tells us that life is so full of hardships "the tightrope that I'm walking just sways and ties" and evil "the devil, as he's talking, with those angel's eyes", but it also tells us that "whatever you do, don't let go". This is Coldplay, giving out hopes since 1996.

16. LIFE IS FOR LIVING


This track, Life is for Living, is a very short song hidden at the end of Parachutes's Everything's Not Lost. Short it may be but it is already meaningful that it really took my attention to listen to it and to wait till the end of it. The song started by someone who's reasoning out that he never meant to do wrong and that if ever he did, he wants to ask for forgiveness. I want all people to hear this song and get the message of it. We must let down all of our pride to have that person back-- we just can't live alone. The line "As my head just aches, when I think of the things that shouldn't have done" is just so sweet. Is it too hard to say you're sorry?

15. INK


I really find the tune of 'Ink' so danceable that I haven't noticed the lyrics much, until I focused onto it while doing the dishes. You think at first that this song is a heartbreak song, but it's totally the opposite. He is so inlove with the girl that he's "dying of thirst" and that he loves her so much his heart hurts from the constriction. This is just so romantic.

14. TRUE LOVE


Tell me I'm not the only one who thought this song is a love song. I was so ready to get all the mushiness from the song, and then tada... The title is such a 'clickbait'! Haha. The first lines will tell us that he even had lost the love he had once, and he still can't get over with the fact that his lover was gone that he's even willing to hear lies. Tell me, he's desperate. If you don't, then lie. Sigh, things you sacrifice for love.

13. AMAZING DAY


I thank God for Coldplay, because even though I (currently) don't have someone that makes my heart beat faster than normal, Coldplay will eventually do it for me. This song makes me imagine all the beautiful things that happen when you're in love or when you're with your loved one-- always an amazing day. "Oh thanks God, must have heard when I prayed, 'cause now I always want to feel this way."

12. CHARLIE BROWN


I admit that I first heard this song just two weeks ago, still while watching the livestream, and I was really disappointed of myself of how could I ever overlooked this beautiful song! The lyrics and the meaning of the song is everythinggg!! The guitar riffs in the intro were perfect! I really liked its tune! I loved that the song is suggesting so much hope, that we should be the ones carrying it, that WE ARE THE HOPE. The first lyrics prove it, "In my scarecrow dreams, when they smash my heart into smithereens, be a bright red rose come bursting the concrete." Be so positive that you could grow a bright red rose out from a concrete, or you can think of it like this: be the best you can be out from your hardships (concrete). Light a fire, a motivation, a purpose, to your heart.

11. EVERY TEARDROP IS A WATERFALL


It seemed like the song title is exaggerating the tiny teardrop to a waterfall but from what I understood is that a thing like a teardrop, which we can relate to something that's saddening or trials, can result to something that's beautiful and majestic as a waterfall. Even if we're "in the black" or "in the gap between two trapezes", there's always light at the end of the tunnel that will tell you that "it's alright". This song gives so much willpower to people that they should never give up.

10. SWALLOWED IN THE SEA


I immediately loved this song the first time I heard it on Spotify, because of its clarity and its blaring stream of calmness-- like the calmness of the sea. But I never thought this song has a sad story; another song with a person left behind by his lover, which is I think because of his shortcomings to his lover. My favorite line (on the lyric art) turned out to be very disheartening, because sometimes it's indeed true, "what good is it to live with nothing left to give", when the one that held everything has left you with nothing, feels like swallowed in the sea.

 9. CLOCKS


This song came off a very jolly tune, and we all love to sing with it but actually I had a hard time decoding this song, of what it really means. One time I even concluded that I can't understand it. But now, here's my theory. The person is running out of time and for him everything seems to go against his way, the lights going out, the tides, the closing walls and ticking clocks. I think he was trying to get his lover back, because for him, she is home and he wants to be at home.

8. UP&UP


One of the best songs in A Head Full Of Dreams album released last year, 2015. This gives out so much positive vibes and sends out hopes and assurance that life keeps moving on, that you have to stand up whenever you fall down, that you should bring yourself UP even if it is as impossible as "emptying an ocean with a spoon", just don't give up because there is always hope, and second chances and "see each sunrise as a gift."

7. PARADISE


She'd say, oh, ohohohoh I know the sun must set to rise

I can super relate to this song since I can see myself as the girl who closes her eyes during stormy nights. There are just times when you can't handle everything that's going on in your life, problems here and there rocking the boat, that you would badly want to take a break and escape to Paradise.


6. VIVA LA VIDA



This song has been famous ever since it has been conceived! The slash of the first tune by the violin is the start of the story of a king who was victorious at first but became miserable as time went by, and realized that his "castles stand upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand." Sounds familiar? Remember that time in your kindergarten/elementary years, when you used to be the kid who got it all, from ribbons to medals, but you realized when you entered middle school/ college that those victories didn't matter anyway, that the world is a big competition and you find yourself losing? You think of them and you sighed, "That was when I ruled the world" and now I "sweep the streets I used to own." There, there.. It's okay.

5. EVERGLOW



What I wouldn't give for just a moment to hold 
Yeah, I live for this feeling, this everglow 

THIS SONG! I was really hooked to it when I first heard it on Discover Weekly on Spotify. That marked the moment I became a Coldplay fan. I only knew a handful of Coldplay songs, the classics, and this song made me want to discover more. The song meaning is so damn golden! The piano part swoons me real hard and I always feel like crying whenever I listen to it. It is about remembering someone, a loved one, that has died or has left. "They say people come, they say people go", but that person considered that someone as "celestial." It tells us that even though we feel sad and empty and cold from the fact that someone has left, we just need to remember the light that person had given us, let it everglow in you. I discovered this song sometime when my batchmate, Jacob, died last year, such a timing, and this song always reminded me of him.

4. IN MY PLACE



Most people would relate to this song. I don't know why, but the air around me usually gets heavier whenever this song is played, like its tune is forcing you to meditate or to think of it all, your problems, all your regrets, etc.. At the first lyrics, "in my place were the lines I couldn't change", you suddenly realize how a debacle person you are. Whenever I want to be alone, I just plugged in my headphones and just drown with "In My Place."


3.  THE SCIENTIST



Of course, who doesn't know about "The Scientist"? Almost everybody sings with it whenever it is blaring on a speaker somewhere. When the first piano chord was played, it always sends a chill on my place. Like it is a cue of something so phenomenal, and indeed, it is. This is a song of nostalgia, of sorrow, of homesickness, of terrible longing, that's why I always sing and emphasize the part "Nobody said it was easy" with such grief and loneliness. For all the hopeless romantics and brokenhearted people out there, this is for you.

2. FIX YOU



Lights will guide you home,
And ignite your bones,
And I will try to fix you

Funny how Coldplay makes you feel everything with their songs. At one moment, you were engulfing with your sadness by listening to The Scientist, but then the next on your playlist "Fix You" will lift you up again tremendously. Either Coldplay will bring you to the pits or lift you high in spirits, there is no in between!! It's like every line of the song is like staking a knife on your heart but all you can do is nod and cry: "When you try your best, but don't succeed" Ack. Nods. Cries. "When you love someone but it goes to waste." Ack. Nods. Cries. The cycle goes on until the chorus part, the lift-you-high-in-spirits part. Huhuhu I love you Coldplay, you always know what to fix.

1. YELLOW



We're down to the last one! You know the magic word! It's YELLOW. It's not my favorite color but it's my most favorite song. This song never fails to make me fall in love in every line it sings to me. I think this is the 'father' of the song 'a sky full of stars', but not only the loved one is compared to the stars, but he also states all the things he could do to his lover.  He would even bleed himself dry for her, in short he is willing to die for her. How amazing that love is?! (Like Jesus Christ did for us ♥) I hope someday someone could sing this to me. This is a perfect song and I'd like to scream my heart and lungs out to it if it's being played. I hope if ever I could to their concert live, this is really my most awaited part.


There you go! My top 20 songs. I'd actually come up with 25 favorites but I just had to pick 20. Please do checkout their Strawberry Swing, Fun (ft.Tove Lo),  Parachutes, and etc. For all the great songs of Coldplay that aren't in the list, I hope you forgive me, I still all love you though. I'd love to hear from people what they thought of this. Are there other Coldplay fans out there? Do you also have a favorite Coldplay song? Please do tell me, thank you!

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