DavaoBase: Your Jump Point To The City

“What, no injuries?”

That’s probably what neighboring towns and cities are asking Davao City residents after seven years of implementing the “Firecracker Ban” ordinance. It makes me proud to live in a city free from impending injuries during the turnover of the New Year.

Sure, the ordinance seems to be too severe for some, especially for those who grew up influenced by Chinese beliefs. But hey, we’re reaping the benefits here!

I’ve even read about some public officials vying for the same ban to be implemented in their respective cities. That goes to show that they’re recognizing Davao’s gallant efforts to preserve the health (and fingers) of its locals.

Kudos to Mayor Rody Duterte for keeping this ban “sacred” for seven years, and hopefully in the years to come.

Cutting their wedding cake

With makulit friends

Could life offer a sweeter gift than your heart’s one true love?

As your hearts have finally found home, we wish you a life that overflows with blessings, a union that rests on understanding and a love that knows no ending.

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Ramos!

—

We wish to offer this entry to our good friends, Weng and Vannie, who exchanged marital vows in the Mother of Perpetual Help Church (Redemptorist Church). The photo above was taken during the reception at the Davao Convention Center.

A few hours to go and we bid goodbye to 2008. Everyone is busy preparing for the new year, although the last day of the year 2008 is cold around here. It rained all day.

Socks seem to be the best companion in cold days like this. Personally, I love wearing socks. Although I often hear my friends comment on how unusual it is for me to wear socks even if it’s warm, I still love to have them on. From the wide range of socks to choose from, I find cashmere socks (64% Wool, 20% Nylon and 16% Cashmere) perfect in providing warmth to my feet. It feels just right.

I remember one of my neigbors used to call me ‘Sailor Moon’ every time he sees me with my pink knee-high socks. I was in High School then — it was alright to wear pink socks!

I also wear socks when sleeping. I know of some people who need the lights off (or on) to be able to sleep. Some want music and others need to be lightly tapped. Let us just say that this is how it works for me — I need to wear socks so I can have a restful night.

Glomark, Daryl and Hubby

When we were walking the streets of Singapore early this month, we met old friend and College classmate Glomark Tan! Of all the places to reunite, who would expect it to be in the streets of another country? We had a short chat and we introduced him to our friend Daryl Versola, who played host for us in Singapore.

Let me continue with how Daryl is related to us to further prove that it is indeed a small world. Daryl is one of my closest friends in Grade School. She attended high school in Pisay (or the Philippine Science High School), where she became really good friends with Hubby.

I’m now thinking how the Six Degrees of Separation, the idea exploring how we are all interconnected, applies to me and Patrick Dempsey.

I noticed that one of the more popular themes in parties for kids and teens nowadays is anime. Just two weeks ago, I saw a couple of kids wearing anime costumes on their way to their Christmas party. Apart from the fact that they look really cute with their costumes on, it is very enlightening to see the pride and happiness evident on the kids’ faces while they become their favorite anime heroes even just for a short time.

What started as a blockbuster hit in Japan is now a worldwide force. Bleach, Naruto, Dragonball Z, Pokemon and Death Note are now not only stars of anime series, video games, toy models, wallpapers and even clothing designs, but are also common household terms. Am I right, moms and dads out there?

I remember our nephews and nieces discussing over dinner their favorite anime series and how they wanted to attend the huge anime party in Manila early this month. It would have been really fun, although also really expensive (plane fare, accommodation, allowance, costumes)!

To still be able to unite with fellow anime fans, Anime Chat rooms have been made available. Through this, anime fans from all over the world can discuss all they want on their favorite topic — the anime. It’s also way cheaper than attending the anime convention in Manila. Lol..

Just crashing in on my wife’s blog again.

After my wife’s slightly harrowing experience in the cable car ride to Sentosa Island, she expressed hesitation to hitch a ride with another high flyer.

Two days after our Sentosa visit, I convinced her to hop aboard the Singapore Flyer, a ferris wheel type of contraption that would take us to the highest point of the country.

My wife aboard the Singapore Flyer

Miraculously, she enjoyed the experience. She was even daring enough to take pictures and peek through the capsule that we were riding on.

My wife is now a brave soul. If only I can pull her into the cable car ride again…

I’m not necessarily a night person, because frankly I am afraid of the dark. In fact, most of my activities are done during the day, so that I’ll be at home by nighfall. Don’t get me wrong: Davao City is a very safe place to wander around even at night. Darkness just isn’t my thing.

Fortunately, the Web can offer a lot of opportunities for people awake late in the evening — these “creatures of the night” — to socialize. Fanatics of Dracula and Van Helsing, for instance, can enjoy talking with each other through a Vampire Chat Room and share their deepest, darkest secrets.

For vampire lovers who are afraid of getting into dark places, I believe that joining vampire chat communities is the best way to enjoy a piece of the action.

This post is brought to you by Vampire Chat City.

is, hands down, the seafood dinner in No Signboard Seafood Restaurant in Geylang.

Hubby’s favorite is the Cereal Prawn while mine is the Chili Crab. We also had fish, but the Cereal Prawn and the Chili Crab took all the limelight that we can’t remember how the fish was cooked.

The place did not look very special, but the food was so yummy that we didn’t mind paying the S$120 bill after. It somehow reminded us of Ahfat Seafood Plaza in Victoria Plaza Carpark, Davao City — noisy and expensive, but serves great food.