We dropped by the Cheonggyecheon Stream last weekend to check the lantern displays. It was the the Lotus Lantern Festival and the famous Cheonggyecheon Stream had its annual lantern displays. I wanted to check the Lantern Parade but well… we opted to just check out the stream.

They were a lot of people but not as much as I expected:-).

cool welcome

Hubby, the boys and I walked the whole stretch of the stream. Considering how the stream was three or four decades ago, one would delight in thinking how this stream was transformed to become one of the busiest tourist attractions in Seoul… for free. Aside from the lantern displays, there was entertainment from a street singer with his own band the afternoon we were there. You could also see murals in one part of the Stream:

And there are several of these stone bridges:

My kids enjoyed taking on those bridges that we transferred sides several times.

As for me, I was fascinated with the waters.

Too fascinated.

I tried to get my camera on for the dreamy effect of cascading waters:

Darkness came on our way back. We were treated with the lighted lanterns and these are just two of them:

The end of our weekend walk was capped by this:

Fascinating!

ASAP 18 had a live show from the Iloilo Sports Complex during the Dinagyang Festival here in Iloilo. Of course, the television screens reflected a jam-packed venue:-). Sorry to disappoint but it wasn’t as filled up as it appeared:-). This one was a close shot, nearer to the stage.

What made this afternoon interesting for me was not the celebrity sightings but the people in the venue:

anything and any way to impress his girl

Isn’t she lucky? She has her man ready to give in to her whims so she could see the celebrities on stage. Well, at some point in our lives we go through this little bit of craziness:-).

For those who do not have partners, they content themselves with these piled blocks:

There were several of these piled blocks there which some spectators used to elevate themselves to be able to see the entertainment and the entertainers. I did use one pile left by someone else hehehe…

And since this was in the Iloilo Sports Complex, one group of youngsters used the balance beam:

A security marshal asked the youngsters to go down and not use the balance beam to prevent any accident. They politely obeyed… of course! And when the marshal was out of sight, they promptly went up again… lol.

There were those who can’t stand the heat and all the standing but apparently, they still wanted to be part of the crowd:

But, of course, amidst these crowd is a group of volunteers who are always on standby, just in case. In the meantime, they allow themselves to relax:-):

And among all those present, here’s my hero for the day:

Cheers!

What can you really expect of a night life with the kiddos?

Dinner and playtime!!! But, of course!

Some friends tell me that it’s good to have some time off from the kids. I would totally agree! So, I get away from them for an hour or two while they are in school… lol! My gym and tennis times (which are temporarily put on hold because of my injury) are some of those times, too:-)… an hour of coffee or a couple of hours of dinner when there are friends available are some of my “ME” time, too.

But, I am my most comfortable self when I am with these kiddos who turn my world upside down, day and night!

So, Dinagyang was a good time for us to have some night life… if, indeed, you could call those “night life”.

We started early last Saturday and met with their playmates at… where else but… SM! There was a food festival at the carpark and kiosks were more than ready to do business…

especially with a stage constructed for guest celebrities. When the celebrities were not yet due, local dancers and games entertained the crowd that gathered in the carpark.

And when the celebrities started coming in, the crowd became even bigger. This was how it looked like from the backstage just after the Indio (Bong Revilla, Rhian Ramos and Jennylyn Mercado) stars left:

Kiddos cannot thrive in this crowd… so we went to Smallville and had a  restless dinner at Afriques with the restless kids:-)… They needed to release their energy and they just had to do it together:

Yeah, they all looked so adorable holding and looking out for each other amidst the night time gimikeros. Smallville was crowded with people and with cars!

For the sake of the kids we opted to stay in the quiter part of Smallville, farther from the bands and the loud music. We were not alone. There were people who also liked to have a night out but preferred to stay away from the loudness of it all. My friend and I were treated with our kids’ laughter and with the calmness of this scenery:

It’s hard to imagine by looking at the picture above that not far away Ilonggos are dancing the night away, very festive with the Dinagyang fever in the air. Everyone is infected with it. Look, this security guard is enjoying his night shift, too:

Kiddos had a good rest on the day of the highlight of the festival (Sunday). We were supposed to hit the streets and join in the revelry but they were not up to it so they waited for me until I got back. We had dinner at Moon Cafe at SM Southpoint and checked Plazuela for dessert. Plazuela was in a total party mode!

It was fun to see so many people in high spirits. The kids were able to feel some excitement here in Iloilo… a big break from the idea that Iloilo is just a place for their Kindergarten studies. Anyway, it was good to see the kiddos enjoying themselves. A few more years… a few more years… and they wouldn’t even want to be be seen on a night out with their mom…. waaaaaaaaa!!!!!! LOL!!!

The annual revelry that rocks Iloilo every fourth week of January is over. Kiddos and I are lucky to have witnessed the fiesta that was. Kiddos even had some nights out… one thing I’ve realized though, my little boys were still not ready for the  kind of street revelry that the Dinagyang offered. Nevertheless, they went to some active spots at their own time and their own convenience:-).

Sunday (January 27) was the highlight of the festival where competing tribes performed on specified judging areas around the city. I brought the kids early morning and they were actually excited to see and join the festivities… only to be disappointed because it was too hot and too crowded for them to handle.  These were some of the street scenes that I caught on my camera while kiddos were cringing from the heat and the crowd:

people on the street

spectators eager to take pictures of performers

real Atis participating for the first time

real Atis performed their ancestors way of life

For their own sake and mine, I had to take them back home where they could comfortably play and do the things they wanted to do with the compromise that I could go back to the streets and meet some friends and join the revelry♥.

And so, I went back and met some friends. I haven’t joined our local festival for more than a decade and I was quite eager to enjoy the day and be lost in the crowd:-).

I bought souvenirs for the kids to wear for our night out (later that night, bought souvenirs not pictured). Souvenirs such as these were all over:

Competing tribes don colorful costumes and meticulously-made accessories but these are what make a Champion:

a pretty participant wearing colorful accessories

a very willing subject

Tribu Panayanon emerged as the Champion of this year’s festivities! They have a year to savor this victory while every Ilonggo will have a year to await another boom and grandeur that this festival brings to the city and its people.

Cheers!

There was the opening salvo and other ceremonies that signalled the start of Dinagyang. But, really, it’s the Pyrolympics at SM City that brought out many people from their homes and caused heavy traffic in the city. And filled up restaurants and bars! It’s a festive Iloilo we have in here.

I brought the kiddos at the vacant lot behind Plazuela, SM City and Iloilo Scholastic Academy for a picnic while waiting for the fireworks to begin. Tip: If you want to take good fireworks photos, stay away from the huge crowd. The wide expanse behind SM City is the perfect place… and shoot the higher fireworks so your photos are not overwhelmed with smoke.

Here’s to welcome the festive spirit in Iloilo City:

Cheers for the Dinagyang spirit! The city is in a state of revelry!

New Year has always been very festive! There shouldn’t be any other way:-).

We went to Marquee Mall in Clark, Pampanga to watch the very short fireworks display on December 29 and I got to greet friends with this shot:

Our real celebration proved to be a new experience as we witnessed the fireworks not from the ground but from the top!

After dinner at the new Robinson’s Magnolia, the whole family went up to the roofdeck of our condo where we witnessed amazing firewalks from the Eastwood area, Greenhills, Manila and Makati… this time, we were higher than most of the firewalks!!!

I know the above picture isn’t so amazing but it’s a different feeling when you witness it right down in front of you… also, the photo was taken before the fireworks simultaneously began… surely, hubby won’t allow me to tinker with my camera instead of enjoying the moment with him and the kids:-).

That was one great experience and we welcome the new year with so much anticipation…

There was a time last week when I would always ask my Firstborn what he wants as a Christmas gift from Santa.

Everyday he anwers me with, “It’s all up to Santa”.

He would always explain after I would always try to get an exact answer from him that “Santa knows what’s best for me”.

I’d like to think that my big boy has acquired a huge amount of maturity… this had gradually developed since he became a big brother three years ago. Oftentimes, I would be surprised with his understanding and patience. In fact, I stand corrected as a mom sometimes… when I would be discreetly corrected with the way I handle myself… by the very boy who first introduced me to motherhood.

This is the time of the year when I am again reminded of what I have and I am so grateful. The very existence of my man and my boys is a daily reminder of the gifts of life that I am enjoying, christmas or not.

There’s really nothing to ask for except for the intangible things that greatly matter… good health and stonger love.

But since this is Christmas and the spirit of gift-giving is strongest at this time of the year, I take my cue from my son: Santa knows what’s best for me:-) (wink).

Happy Holidays!

I had a date with a female friend in my house last Valentines Day with 2 kids running around and talking in loud voices.We ended up with this:

How’s that for Valentines? lol.

Hubby was very busy and had to attend to a spoiled company guest but he also made sure to have dinner with us in the house before leaving again later that evening.

Since I am here in Korea, I just have to demand for his time and for chocolates next month. It is a custom here for men to give chocolates to women on March 14. February 14 is for women to give chocolates to men:-). I know, you’d feel displaced when you’re new here especially when all your life you have been conditioned to feel extra special on Valentine’s Day.

When you’re in Rome, do what the Romans do… and when you’re in Seoul on Valentines Day, you have no excuse but to buy chocolates for the men out there because chocolates are EVERYWHERE.

Of course, I had been a good girl for the past year!

And my own Santa Claus just proved it:

Thanks, Santa!

The Hilton Hotel chains annually display the different looks of Santa Claus from various countries and the Hilton Hotel in Seoul is not an exception. They have this in their hotel lobby on display:

I immediately looked for a Filipino Santa Claus. How do you think it looks like?

Well, here’s the Filipino Santa Claus in his Barong Tagalog:

Merry Christmas everyone!