The Coron Playlist

We'll be heading to Coron  tomorrow. It's not going to be a long flight  but I really  need to kill the time somehow. I always enjoy listening to upbeat,catchy music when going to the beach because when you listen to them you're pretty much forget the time, and when it ends, suddenly, 30 minutes are gone-you know what I mean. Here's my sand-in-your-toes playlist,

1. Kings of Leon - Radioactive
2. Third Eye Blind - Semi-Charmed Life
3. Mike Posner - Please Don't Go
4. Peryodiko - Bakasyon
5. Plain White T's -  Rhythm of Love
6. Katy Perry - Firework
7. Free - Donavon Frankenreiter and Jack Johnson
8. You and Your Heart - Jack Johnson
9. Hold Me Now - Wayne Wonder
10. Sunshine - Li'l Flip
11. Jack's Mannequin - Dark Blue
12. Find Your Love - Drake
13. Delays - Unsung
14. A-Punk - Vampire Weekend
15. Le Soleil - Filthy Youth
16. Franco - This Gathering
17. Urbandub -  Life is Easy
18. Hallucinations -  Angels and Airwaves
19. Runaway - Kanye West feat Pusha T.
20. Much Has Been Said - Bamboo
21. Young Forever - Jay-Z feat Mr. Hudson
22. Something Beautiful - Newsboys
23. Float Away -Up Dharma Down
24. New Perspective - Panic at the Disco!
25. Mother We Just Can't Get Enough - New Radicals

VLC Media Player now available for iPhone and iPod touch

I have been using VLC as my default player whenever I watched my downloaded TV series and movies. Compare to other media player VLC allows you to play different video format without the hassle of installing codecs.I was pleased that the cool people over at VLC release it for the iPhone and iPod platform and what's great about it,is it's free. 

The Usual Suspects

 So far I uploaded different file format (.avi,  .mkv, .flv and .divx ) to play  and to my surprise the resolution looks very smooth. Some of it's features for the iPhone and iPod platform is its playback (option can be in portrait or landscape mode) and deleting files straight from the application. Overall, the VLC for the iPhone and iPod touch isn’t perfect as you'll experience delay for high quality videos but there’s no reason not to download it.

Boston vs Miami - NBA Opening Night

Nuffnang and PLDT myDSL Special Screening

Nuffnang and PLDT myDSL will be having a special screening for The Social Network Movie on October 19, 2010, 6:25PM at Greenbelt 3 Cinema 1. This is exclusive for all Nuffnangers only.


“The Social Network is to Facebook, as PLDT myDSL modem+wifi is to BLOGGING!”

Here are some of the features of PLDT myDSL.

With 25 meters of  WiFi and simultaneous connection,  I can just blog about anything, around the house- no need to be stuck in just one room.  Remote troubleshooting also minimize internet downtime and save me from the hassles of waiting for a technician. It is also so easy to use, just plug it in and its good to go.

The New Trail of Mount Batulao



 We've been planning a fun climb to Mt. Batulao for the last 2 weeks but can't find the time to do so. Good thing President Noynoy issued Proclamation 26 which declared September 10, 2010 as a regular non-working holiday.

ABOUT MOUNT BATULAO
Mount Batulao is located in Nasugbu,Batangas which is about 2-3hrs drive from Manila. The splendid view of Batulaocan be seen when you are on your way to Batangas via Tagaytay. It's tree-less peak covered with cogon grass makes it  look more like a snow-capped mountain.

Based on research, the name Batulao was derived from an annual phenomenon observe by the locals. Every year between December 22 and 28  when the sun sets right between Batulao’s two peaks it creates a scene describe as "Bato sa Ilao" (Illuminated Rocks) from which derived the the term  Batulao.

FUN CLIMB

Mt. Batulao New Trail

We arrived at Evercrest around 0900H and hopped in a tricycle to take us to the start of the trail. Going to the jump-off point  is around 15 minutes as you will passed by up and down slopes,houses and nipa huts offering  buko juice and cold drinks. We stopped by the first nipa hut and decided that we take the New Trail since we have a first timer with us. There are ten wooden markers in the new trail, Peak 1-8 being the easiest and Peak 9-10 can be considered the difficult to climb. Around 1030H, ominous dark clouds seems to stopped us from reaching the summit as we arrived in the registration camp. We decided to eat our packed lunch while waiting for the drizzle to stop. We pushed through with going to the summit when the sun shows up, by 1200H we're already reached the summit.

Climbing Mt. Batulao is indeed one exciting experience. The summit is worth the climb as you will be rewarded with panoramic views of Cavite, Batangas and the nearby mountains like Talamitam,Pico de Loro and Taal Lake. You will be surprised that there is a little stall in the summit that sells the most refreshing Mountain Dew ever. After an hour  staying in the summit we  decided to descend. We made it back at Evercrest around 1600H and very happy that we push through with the climb. Since we're already in Nasugbu we booked an overnight stay in Munting Buhangin Beach Camp for our postclimb feast. Here's the detailed itinerary (thanks Red) of our Mt. Batulao Day Climb,

The Summit

 Going Down

ITI:
700AM Meetup at Mcdo SLEX, Breakfast
800AM Tagaytay Savemore, Last minute shopping for trail water and food
845AM Park outside Evercrest Nasugbu, (just remember to give a little tip to the security)
900AM Call tricycle to jump-off, remember to get the tricycle driver's cellphone number so they can pick you up later (20php per head to jump-off)
A lot of guides are just circling around the area (you can pay 300-400php after the trek is over)
915AM Jump-off
1030AM Registration camp (20php per head), Early lunch (there's a little hut at the reg camp, way better to eat there if you packed lots of food)
1200PM Reach Summit via New Trail, picture2x, nap, eat again
0100PM Start descent
0200PM Rest at registration camp
0245PM A few uphills and downhills later you will reach a hut that sells halo2x and buko for 20php
0400PM End trek, if you got the number of tricycle driver earlier you can be easily fetched in the jump-off
0415PM Reach Evercrest, end trek
0430PM Off to Munting Buhangin Beach Camp

Budget:
210php - groceries and packed lunch
700php - gas for 1 car; divided into 4-5 each car.
100php - parking tip for Evercrest security
300-500php - for guide
40php - tricycle going to and pick up at jump-off
20php - registration fee

**for group of 8 with 2cars that would be around 575php to 615php**

Munting Buhangin Beach Camp

For more detailed info, visit the Mt. Batulao page for more information on the new trail and the latest updates.

Featured Apps: Angry Birds

I rarely download a full version of an app in my iPod (gotta have to wait til November before jailbreakin' it) thinking that I'm  just wasting my money on some worthless crap. Then my friend told me to download  a very addicting game called Angry Birds, I've seen it over the past week as the most downloaded apps in iTunes Store but didn'nt bother to download it until getting some recommendations. Initially I installed the Lite version and true enough I was hooked up with this game. For $0.99, this game is so worth it, with free updates from time time  you'll  never get bored.

Just a little background on the game, you'll be taking control of a flock of birds attempting to retrieve their eggs from a group of evil pigs who have stolen them, thus the name Angry Birds. Enough of the crap, the game is actually a physics puzzle - the objective of the game is to destroy all the pigs in every level through their various makeshift defense. Using a slingshot, the birds are launched at the pigs' structure with the intent of hitting the pigs directly or damaging the structure that will eventually collapse onto the pigs. A new level and type of bird will eventually unlocked as you go on playing the game. Each bird unlocked has special abilities that are activated during the game by simply tapping screen while the bird is catapulted in the slingshot.

  Plan a great strategy to eliminate the evil pigs by destroying

   their makeshift defense.

Red Birds - no special abilities
Blue Birds - quite small compare to the Red Birds -  can be divided into three smaller birds.
Black Birds - bird-bomb that will explode once activated or simply in contact with an object.
White Birds - dropped egg shaped bomb
Green Birds- the boomerang bird
Big Red Birds - upgraded Red Birds with bigger damage 

This game is loaded with challenging levels and time to time updates, you will end up playing this game in elevator, during work and every single day. There are levels that are quite frustrating wherein you can't figure out the specific way to eliminate the pigs. With countless tries, slight adjustment  and just enough luck you''ll eventually past them. Anyway there are a lot of walkthrough and guides in  the net, so don't despair.

Hands down to iAddict00

 

Nice graphics, challenging gameplay,  fun and addicting game, this is totally worth the download. Until then as I will be striving for the 3-stars of every level.

Avengers Assemble

San Diego Comic-Con 2010 had many highlights over the weekend, the best of which includes the upcoming movies namely Green Lantern, Thor, Captain America and the Avengers. We all loved superheroes growing up and  I have high hopes for the upcoming films.

This Week in the World of Basketball

It's been a very interesting in the world of basketball this week, so much has happened not just in the NBA but also in the local scene.


Local Hoops

• As always the Ateneo-LaSalle turns out to be an exciting game. I was actually surprised by the turnout of the game as I was expecting the Blue Eagles to win, but Marata buried back to back triples late in the game to erase a 9 point Ateneo lead.
• Barako out to relived glory days in the PBA's next season. 
• Coca-Cola management is mulling to change its brand name in the next season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). 
• After finishing fourth in the recently concluded Jones Cup the Smart Gilas Pilipinas back to drawing boards.
• The Philippine Basketball Association's plan of expanding its participants from 10 to 12 might soon become a reality as two teams have signified interest in joining the Asia's pioneering professional league.
• Cyrus Baguio apologize on the slit-throat gesture to the Ginebra bench.
• Last week 20, 000 fans trooped to Araneta to watched the 2 do or die game of the Fiesta Cup Quarter Finals. Eventually Aces survive Kings, 93-91, face Texters in semis. While on the second game Washam erupts for 49, tows Llamados to PBA semis.

NBA

• Chris Paul wants to be traded to the Knicks, Lakers or Magic before the start of the season.
• This week in the recent free-agent signing/s:

          Juwan Howard and Carlos Arroyo signs with Heat.
          Houston agreed to a three-year deal with forward Brad Miller.
          Milwaukee traded forward Darnell Jackson and a 2011 second-round draft pick to  
          Sacramento for forward Jon Brockman.
          Philadelphia signed center Tony Battie.
          Portland signed guard Wesley Matthews.
          San Antonio re-signed guard Richard Jefferson.
          Lakers sign free-agent forward Matt Barnes and Theo Ratcliff.
          Kurt Thomas agrees with Bulls
          Sacramento signed Antoine Wright.

• Expect Kevin Durant to lead Team USA in the upcoming World Basketball Championships in Turkey.

         

• Gotta love the NBA 2K11 wherein the GOAT Michael Jordan will grace the cover of the latest NBA game and he will be a playable character as well. Included in the game is the Jordan Challenge wherein the gamer will be allowed to re-live the 10 legendary moments of his career.

       
     
Till next week.

Nuffnang and HEAVEN Ice Cream invite you to a special screening of ‘SALT’

Divine ice cream pleasure is HEAVEN Ice Cream.

Give in to the richest, smoothest, and creamiest by NESTLÉ Ice Cream. Revel in the exquisite goodness of its four sophisticated flavors—Belgian Chocolate Bliss, Strawberry Dream, Vanilla Almond Secret and Butter Pecan Obsession. HEAVEN Ice Cream is made with only the finest ingredients and contains no artificial food colors. Available in 800mL(Php 175) & 450mL(Php 115) tubs across supermarkets, groceries, and convenience stores nationwide.

Project52

 
After six months of having my own camera, I must say there's more to learn in this hobby. Most of the time I only used my camera on travel or when there's an event. As much as I want to attend basic photography session haven't had the luxury of time to do so. I've been feeling really flat with my photography lately, getting busy with work and among other things, and just can't seem to find inspiration  to take pictures.

I'm currently planning to do a variation of Project365, in which I won't shoot every single day but rather take as many pictures to fill up every single week (thus the name Project52) when I get the chance to go out or think of an interesting subject. I'm a bit hesitant on starting this project because eventually time will come when I get tired of it, and rather than taking pictures to improve I'll  just be contented uploading photos to reach my 52 weeks goal. Another thing is I'm lazy editing  photos. They say the best thing to do is  just take your camera with you every time and eventually  taking opportunities to shot will reveal themselves. Just need more extra effort as this kind of photography project  is definitely worth trying. I’m my own audience but constructive criticism, comments and suggestions are very much welcome. It's time to pick up the camera and start clicking.

LSS of the Week: Train - If It's Love

If It's Love is the third single of Train from their album Save Me San Francisco following Hey, Soul Sister and Save Me, San Francisco.

When Love Takes Over - Apo Reef

This is a Travel Factor trip that  happened last February so please bear with me if I can’t remember some of the details.They say Hearts Day should be a day full of love, affection and all the cheesy stuff but I say otherwise. Because some people focus on that side they forget to have fun. Rather than going to some romantic spots in the metro, Valentines Day should be spent on the beach and that's exactly what we did -we booked a flight to San Jose, Mindoro en route to ultimate beach bumming experience in Apo Reef + Pandan Island somewhere in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro.

                                                                       San Jose Airport

Our journey started from Manila, after a 45 min flight from Manila to San Jose,you'll be  expecting 3-4 hours of grueling travel as you will pass by rough and dusty roads from San Jose to Sablayan. Make sure you bring your iPod or better yet sleep so that you won't mind the road inconvenience. So much for the tedious and long travel, we had dinner and spent the night of Day 1 at a resort in Sablayan. We woke up around 4:00 AM of Day 2 since another 3 hours will be spent on a boat ride to Apo Reef. A satisfying breakfast consisting of fried chicken, tocino and scrambled eggs  were  served while we're  in the boat. As time goes by, the weary traveler that we were become ecstatic as we caught sight of an island surrounded by pristine blue water and a distinct white lighthouse. Finally - we're in Apo Reef!

After transferring our bags to the hall we went off to explore the island. Its main attraction is its white sand beach that even that of the more popular and crowded Boracay won't stand a chance when compared to Apo Reef's pristine beach. The waters around the island are shallow  making it ideal for leisurely swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. Just a few steps from the shore you'll see a wide array of colorful fishes swimming in different direction. To truly appreciate the beauty of Apo Reef  it is advisable to go further to view the underwater spectacle - marvelous coral reefs, pawikan,clown fish etc. Most of our time were spent wandering on the shallower water of the beach before we had lunch.

After our siesta time, we started our Apo Reef tour. First stop is the lagoon which was only a brief walk from our camp.The lagoon is surrounded by mangrove forest which serve as a spawning ground for several marine species and sanctuary of birds. I was able to see a baby manta ray while we were waiting for the raft to come. Unfortunately the lagoon raft ride was cut short because there were no available raft that time. Our group just decided to go to the lighthouse instead. At first I was a bit hesitant to go on top of the lighthouse as the ladder are steep and I have fear of heights. Once you're on top, you will be rewarded with a refreshing 360 degree view of the island. So much for the kulitan and random shots we went back to our camp for the most awaited island sunset.

                                                                    The Lagoon

                                                                     

                                                                           The Lighthouse

It was getting dark when we pitched our tent. After dinner the group gathered at the bonfire for the inuman - The Bar lang ang alak that time pero enjoy naman at matindi pa nito Max na  candy lang ang chaser. We all had fun under the moonlight as waves served as our background music besides the Jack Johnson music from Alex. Halos di kami maubusan ng kwento. In the middle of our socials, we were called by a couple of island rangers to witness a pawikan hatching its egg on the beach near our tent. Sobrang sulit ang trip dahil bihira lang  mangyari na mangangak ang isang pawikan sa lifetime nya according to Dive Master. That pretty much capped off our first day in the island.

                                                                          Pawikan

After breaking camp we started our second day in the lagoon and by this time a raft awaits us  in the port. A rope tied at both ends of the lagoon serve as a guide towards the other side of the lagoon. After some random shots we went back to the beach  and we packed our things for our next destination - Pandan Island.

Interesting People to Follow in Twitter in Game 7 of 2010 NBA Finals - Lakers Vs. Celtics

Something tells us Game 7 tomorrow  might be one of the best game we'll ever see. It's not just a Game 7 - this is an NBA Finals and its Lakers against Boston.  The Lakers are clearly the more talented team, and when they all come to play the better team, but Boston has played a tough, physical series and has earned the right to play game seven for the championship. If you won't be able to catch the game live, most likely you'll end up getting updates on your social networking site. So now, without further adieu…here are the list of people you might want to follow for some interesting tidbits and updates of the upcoming winner-take all Game 7.

Caught in the Web: Understand Rap

If you're like me who listens to a lot of rap songs but ends up confused with the hip hop terms used. Try www.understandrap.com which general purpose is to help people understand rap music. People can submit confusing terms (parts of the lyrics) used in rap song for  other people to explain.. Here is a line from Jay-Z's Empire State of Mind,

As you can see user-submitted explanations/interpretations  for confusing terms in rap songs can be rated as well.

First of Summer: Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

Around early this year, we went to Ciudad Real de Acuzar to celebrate my birthday together with the rest of January celebrants. For those who aren't aware about this place, Ciudad Real de Acuzar is a 400 hectares of land in Bagac, Bataan wherein  famous heritage houses in Luzon were restored in this Spanish colonial village. The place is not yet open to public when we went here last January, so props to our friend who invited us here in this historical site.

Travel time to Bataan is around 3-4 hours from Manila depending on how many stop over you'll be having. We arrived in Balanga around 10 AM  to buy some stuff we need for the birthday celebration. I was amazed in the Balanga's public market because their wet market is actually dry compare to other public market and the implementation of the city ordinance as one cannot smoke in public places and put your garbage anywhere.

   Balanga, Bataan

Before going to Bagac we passed by Mount Samat, wherein the site for Dambana ng Kagitingan is located. The Bataan cross served as a dedication to the men who died in the vicious Battle of Bataan. There's an elevator that will take you to the top of the cross where you have a 360 degrees view of the Bataan.Sad thing though, we were not able to view the war museum wherein an array of paintings and armaments are diplayed because there were no electricity that time.

 

The road to Mount Samat

                                                                  View from Mount Samat

                                                                       Bataan Cross


By 3pm we set foot in the Spanish villa, we just keep taking pictures of the old houses and historical architectures we passed by. It's like time traveling to the Spanish era, as cobblestone plaza, old stone houses and mansions can be seen once you're inside the compound. After our excitement subside we decided to put our bags in the house that we're going to spend the night away.                                  

                                                              Real de Acuzar Spanish Villa

                                                                                    The venue for our birthday party

                                                        Some of the old houses in Real de Acuzar

                                          
                                          

                                         
One of the most notable buildings in the village is the original Escuela De Bellas Artes – UP Fine Arts which was taken in Hidalgo St. Quiapo, Manila. There were a lot of paintings displayed inside the UP Fine Arts building. Truly there are some things in the past that are worth preserving as it speaks so much of the value we put to our culture and heritage.

 
What's also about great this place is its location as Real de Acuzar is built facing the dark orange sunset of Bataan Bay. And that caps off the day,probably one of the loveliest scenes captured best from this site is of course the sunset of Bataan.

                                                                       Bagac Sunset

Big thanks to our friend and  Mr. Acuzar of course for allowing us to have a party in their old house. Sobrang saya dahil lahat nalasing. We even get the chance to ride a yatch kinabukasan. Woot! Woot!

This Is War: The NBA Finals 2010: Lakers Vs Celtics

The NBA's most successful franchises meet in the NBA finals again for the second time in three years, and the 12th time overall, starting tomorrow night at Staples Center. Apparently the 2010 NBA Finals won't look anything like the 2008 NBA Finals, just look at Kobe, or Gasol or Boston's Big Four. This  rematch could become  more classic and competitive series that will define the  Lakers-Celtics rivalry. With that in mind allow me to examine the key matchups in the upcoming series.

The Sound of Settling - The Cagbalete Island Experience

If you're tired of the  hustle and bustle of city life - Cagbalete Island is the ideal spot for a perfect getaway. A paradise surrounded by off-white sand, crystal clear waters and a breathtaking view of the sunrise.