Saturday, April 28, 2012

GIRLFRIENDS WENT TO A PLACE CALLED PARADISE

That took a lot of coordination and planning.  As any friendship there will always be a drama involve otherwise it will be so boring !  MARY JANE YOUNG that I am proud to call my friend made our trip happenned.   Here are some part of our paradise during a week of togetherness:


WHERE IS PUNTA CANA AND BAVARO LOCATED? located on the beach in Punta Cana's Bavaro Beach neighborhood, close to Palma Real Shopping Village, Cocotal Golf and Country Club, and Dolphin Island. Other points of interest near this all-inclusive resort include Bavaro Beach and Golf de Bavaro.
Bavaro Beach Resort On the seafront of one of the 10 best beaches in the world, Barceló has a 2 km beach, the best in Punta Cana and protected by a coral reef that makes the pristine sea perfectly calm. The Barceló Bávaro Palace Deluxe***** hotel is found in this magical place and is characterised by its incredible levels of comfort and rest. This is made possible due to the new B-Room rooms that combine technology with the best beds on the market as well as raindance showers.

Exterior

It was a unique gourmet experience for us with 11 restaurants throughout the Resort and not counting the bar in every turn (Mattie and I) never missed a turn.  In the daytime you can relax by the ocean or by the pool.  Jane and I opted to explore the city and the jungle.  On our first day we went to Higuey.
Image Detail
This is Higuey Street where we stop for some cultural shopping and every stop we were offered the Mama Juana vitality drink.  I brought home some.  Bought a beautiful Oil Painting only it did not reach home.  I lost it between transferring from hotel to airports.  But I will not forget the beauty of it.  While in Higuey we visited   La Basilica Higuey.
 
 
We experienced the city life, the street vendors, the local bakery and ate with the locals.  We met a very nice couple Isis and Carlos Rodriguez that are honeymooning.   Isis was born and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  She was a great person and a super friendly personality.  We enjoyed their company all day.
 
Went back to Barcelo Bavaro and immediately enjoyed the sun, sand, sea !!!!  Of course with our cocktail and champagne in hand. Image Detail

Time to catch up with Wendy and Mattie for dinner at La Comedie French Restaurant. Image Detail

We were very late and we ended up at Margarita Mexican Restaurant.   and the bar... Image Detail and Disco Dancing
 and CasinoYes it was an exhausting, exhilarating day trip and lively nightlife......  The next morning Jane and I woke up in such a beautiful day and immediately ran to the beach and explore further the other nearby islands.  Before I forgot take a quick look at our room. Yes we got our own jacuzzi!   Huge breakfast and ready to hit the road again.  We did the Safari Tour all day activity.  We went to the Tobacco Museum, Sugarcane Plantation, Cacao Plantation and in the wilderness.  I saw first hand small children waving at us along the rugged mountain road.  Very welcoming and the sweetest smile.  Saw the beautiful wildlife surrounded us freely roaming around not oblivious to the people around them.  The most exciting part is our ZipLining and Horseback Riding.  Jane and I were true troopers.   Lunch we were served the typical local food.  I love the Porkchops and the chicken cooked similar to the Filipino Adobo.   Here are some photos for all to enjoy: Image Detail


Image Detail

Image DetailHorse Back riding  Sugarcane


Image DetailImage DetailThere is no greater experience in all my travels than embracing the life of the local people.   Seeing for myself their way of life and by doing so it gave me an awakening of life in it's simplest form give others contentment and happiness.   It is in appreciating what you have been given in life.   My heart says that and my body still want to go back to the easy way.....  ahhhh! life in many forms!!!!   It is in this content that Jane called me a "brat"!   

Well back to civilization and of course the first order of the day.... my bubbly and Jane's Tequila Sunrise while lying down on the white sand!  and more activities, how about a fisherman walking by the sea and pretend we went fishing with him, photo ops!!!!  and then we caught a real big fish whoaa in a speedo!!!!  Oooop's his partner (also in speedo) was just a step away.... we let him go!  

We are late again for our Teppanyaki Dinner ! ughhh!   Wendy was not a happy camper and Mattie called us in our room.   Well we made it this time at Kyoto.  Image Detail
Image Detail

The food was great, the company was even more greater until we all shared experiences of the incompetent front desk, inefficiency of services and the many unacceptable customer services .
Jane took all personally and felt she failed our expectation  but she did not and mny times we told her
she got nothing to do with that.  Well Mattie retired to bed afterwards and the three of us headed to our nightlife plan.  Meeting Heather at the Club, Casino and Bar hopping.   While at the bar, for some unknown reason I pointed to Jane why she have been in a habit of repeating things.  Reminds me of another friend that told me bhaving kids makes you do that.   Things went sour and the night was cut short.  Jane walked away and left me and Wendy.....  well fun got to continue!  More drinks
and more casino!   I came in the room and Jane apologized but not really!  She was very condensending and totally ignored her!

Another day and Jane did not show up for breakfast.  Hmmm she was really getting to my nerve this time.  I finally confronted her and she cried that totally make me love her again !!!!

Jane got a confirmed seat and able to fly back home as planned.   Wendy, Mattie and myself were left behind.  This time we went to another RESORT  called VIK Arena Blanca. Image Detail where we enjoyed the afternoon and watch the sunset and night time by the ocean. Image Detail
 Our Hotel Lobby Image Detail 
Our room  The Dining Hall Image Detail    Another Day in Paradise Image Detail


Following day Wendy and Mattie bought their tickets home and once again I got bumped!  Although I wanted to stay longer but I also wanted to go home and be with JD nd Einstein.  I finally got a seat
with US Airways and got home very late at night!  Thankful afterall that all of us arrived safe to our families!

Overall it was a great vacation to all of us.  We did not allow anything to ruin the fun except that night with Jane.  That also prevented me to spend time with Heather, Seavonte and Kim.  We move on and we created another chapter, another memory and lifetime of stories to tell.





















Saturday, April 7, 2012

The GREATEST LOVE OF ALL

THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
by:  Carmen Arcilla Daniels

I consider this a true Love Story.   A Father that so dearly love his children and wanted to save them from a life of gloom that  His only son willingly offerred his life that the rest of His children may live a wonderful life.  The brutal pain that both the Father and the Son endured. 

For that it is just right to give thanks to the Father and to the Son not because of our differences but because of our relation,  not because we want to repay them back, we can't anyhow but because of
our devotion.  What they've given us is beyond our understanding, a complete surrender, obedience and the kind of LOVE that none possess except this Father and Son team.

As we celebrated the Resurrection tommorrow let us not forget the life we got now.  Take care of that life,  never take for granted that our lives been purchased by the act of one obedient Son that was brutally murdered.....................
                        
                    A PRAYER

                 I've never known how to pray
                 Somehow without any words utter
                 My mind speaks to you
                 My heart made you feel
                 My action tells you
                 Somehow you know

                          I needed you

                             You rescued me

                                   You make me whole again

                                          And I then know you are listening

                                              Then I know you never forskaen me

                                              And you are ALIVE!

       You gave us LIFE in every form, in our surroundings, in our day to day existence
and the only thing we need to do is not take it for granted.       

OPEN YOUR EYES
                         

God's handiwork in every Spring


God's  Endless Blessings


Renewal and a new Beginning


The birds, the trees, the bloom, the colors, the smell and a never ending landscape of life.
For once, let us pause and be thankful, be gratified, be in love and be happy what surrounds us.
There is no greater joy than joy itself, there is no greater happiness but happiness itself, there is
    no greater love but love itself......  and they are within us, waiting for us to exhale,
    to explore, to enjoy and to share, to give, to feel what is within....................