We made it to Dinadiawan Beach in Aurora Province. The Philippine Sea waves are fierce. The sand is white and fine. The beach is clean. We love the accomodation with many hammocks (duyan) and beautiful public spaces. The kids enjoyed the beach and the waterfall fed pool. We had traditional breakfast which included rice, cured meat and fried egg. For lunch, we ate at Tita Tess in town where she served traditional Filipino food. Great service and food!
We enjoyed the beach and the pool before heading back home to Cauayan City, Isabela. The kids loved relaxing in the hammocks and swimming the pool. On the way back, we drove through Sierra Madre Mountain Range again. When we got to Jones, Mark got an assortment of Filipino cookies. We ate pizza and kare-kare (ox tail with peanut sauce) once we got to Cauayan.
Carter did great on his presentation about Great White Shark in his Filipino school. The renovations are well under way. Unfortunately, the plumbing in our house needs to be updated. The marble floors are also getting a much needed treatment.
Cauayan City has a lot of bakeries. Mark especially loves Sanitary Bakery where there’s a lot of fresh everything coming out of the kitchen. Sanitary Bakery has been around even before I left for the US.
The renovation of the house is still going on. The pipes for the bathroom came in. The marble floors are currently being refinished.
Mark and 8 enjoy going to Triple J and eat their pancit Cabagan for meryenda (snack). I am enjoying blooming Filipino flowers. The hibiscus here are practically trees. Nika enjoys visiting the neighborhood kitty to give her love and feed ger sardines.
It is Friday so we drove to Tuguegarao after the kids got out of school at 1pm. It was a three hour drive before we got to our hotel, Go Hotel by Robinson’s.
Shopping Mall. It was especially great to see Dad and Tita Norma.
I love spending time with my Dad. His mind is sharp, and I am taking advantage of this. I love hearing our family stories. He remembers living near the Japanese garrison in Cauayan during World War II. He still remembers the Japanese songs that were taught in school. He remembers when America liberated the Philippines from the Japanese. After we left, we went to a fellowship, get together and hymn sing in Marabulig 2. We met with the couple we met in Stokke Convention. What a lovely day!
The kids are really having fun having so many friends in Meeting. They play after Meeting. We had Gospel Meeting in Nagrumbuan. The kids, of course, were playing games. We also went to one of the friends’ house. She has a tilapia farm, turkey a, ducks, hours old bunnies, do loves, chickens, dogs, cats and many more.
This week is exam week for the kids. They have been doing a lot of studying. While the kids were at school, we met with the couple we met in Stokke, Norway Convention and friends from Malaysia. After the kids came home, we bought sisiw (chicks) for Nika.
Day 2 of Exam Week for Nika and Carter. The kids have named their sisiw Sprite, Chip, Waffle, and Marshmallow. I got my hair rebonded. The Philippines somehow is an expert at this procedure. Overall, the response from the family was postive.
It is palengke (market) day today. The market is busy and full of vegetables! Mark and I also went out for meryenda (Snack) while the kiss are at school.
The renovations of our house is well under way. The walls outside have been painted. Nika is truly enjoying her sisiws (chicks).
We went to a birthday party of my cousin’s husband. There was so much food. It was a lovely time to be with friends.