May 4 has always been a wonderful day in the universe. And I think, this is because of the force? Yes it is, thanks to the force. Happy Rebellion Day for all Star Wars fans all over the galaxy! To all Obi-Wan Kenobi, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, and Han Solo wannabees like me, may the fourth be with you. Cuz really, it works. Especially today! There is this inexplicably positive energy magnetizing all over the space whenever this day comes. Be it today, last year, or any year before, I remember every fourth of Mayo beyond blessed; filled with so much joy and overflowing love. Yet you know what added more fun to this day? Bruno Mars' 24K Magic concert! Yup, the force granted the Filipino Hooligans’ hearts! And we, we are definitely happy to the moon (Mars) and back! His day two performing in Manila got dated May 4th and geez, I can't wait to tell ya everythinggggg~ Although a Communication major, I gotta admit that I have little interest in show business. Unless, such stuff really struck a big impact on me. Say High School Musical. And, I only have a few favorite international celebrities. Actually, just Vanessa Hudgens. With that being mentioned, I just wanna say that I'm not a pureblood Hooligan. It is my best friend, Rov, who is. Also my mother. Yup, really! Qt, huh? Hihihi. While I love hearing Bruno Mars' eargasm songs to boost my mood up, but not yet to the point where I can call myself an "ultra-mega-numero uno fan." Have not reached that fangirling stage where I want to buy all his CDs, clear all his merchs, or use all the things he endorses. But even if I don't do those kinds of things, I know that deep down in my heart, I support this amazing soul sent by the heavens here on earth. And so I told myself, attending his third concert in the Philippines -- especially with Mama -- might be a very good idea. So what happened? Well... During the first day of ticket selling, Rov and I talked about some strategies on how to enter the portal. Plot twist this SM Tickets eh, it has a time limit regarding your stay on their website. At the last-minute chat we had, we came up with a condition that whoever between the two of us logged in the system first should reserve four seats for me and my mom, Rov and his friend, Kuya Jastyn. We almost made it! But the page didn't refresh to the check-out. We were still trying until the management announced that all tix were already sold out. Like what, for almost or less than an hour?!? Our hearts shattered at that time. However, the force seems cooking something for us! The agency released an announcement later on saying there would be a second-day concert in Manila due to public demand. So then, the fight was on again! And same as the first, Rov and I developed the same conditions. But then, we had the same results as well. I have cooled down my injured heart when some days after, Rov texted me that she got us tickets!!! Geez, my bestie didn't really back down for her first love! And of course, heart-eyed emoji when I read this because this would be a superb surprise for my Mama. Rov told me that for some reasons, she just liked to visit the ticketing website, as if someone whispered to her to do so, and so, she did. Lucky Rov! She saw available seats in VIP, Upper Box, and General Admission. She tried Upper Box but lost it after clicking. While VIP would be too much. Therefore? Gen Ad! She was already in the payment when she texted me. She asked to pray about it because the page was lagging. I then called out all the angels and saints, gods and goddesses, and all powerful forces in the whole wide world hundred of times to ask help for this and dundununun... It proceeded to check-out! Yuh-uh, the group got the tickets! OMG, asdfghjkl! Every Filipino Hooligan felt excited for the coming of Bruno Mars in the country. But a week or two before the 24K Magic, Kuya Jastyn backed out. He suggested selling his ticket to our another friend, Ivana instead. It was a blessing in disguise because it became a gig night for the three marias then! Plus mom, of course. But gets? Kami nanamang tatlo eh! It must be great to hang out with Kuya Jastyn because he seems nice and funny when I met him. However, it even got greater having to spend these moments with my closest girls! Ahhh, my heart! Been a while since Mama and I bonded too that is why this was really a special day. I wanted to spend this concert night with her just like the good old Disney On Ice days. But this time, it is me giving back. She is a true fan guys, and this was a great treat for her. Having to support me with my stans to HSM, Baby V, and Robi D, and of course, everything? She deserves this. Liit nga lang nito? I love you, Ma! 💖 Fast forward to the day of the concert, specifically to the highlights! The three of us talked about going together but, when the day arrived, our plans changed. First, the Grab fare was not practical. Second, it fell on a Friday. Third, so traffic. Instead of meeting in Ortigas, Mama, Rov, and I directly went to SM Mall of Asia. We met Ivana there since she came from work. Me? I filed a half-day leave. Haha! Eating dinner at Burger King was the first agenda because for sure, the food inside are expensive. And yeap, they were! We also had Gong Cha milk tea to refresh us because same as the drinks, it was overpriced too. We got in the dome two hours before; however, we were not bored while waiting for the show to start because we were girl talking. Also, since we were early birds in the concert venue, we roamed around first because tamang gala and tamang trip lang. Even bumped into our high school friend, Jhozel there! Funny also how the three of us run every time we hear sounds coming from the stage. Haha! Just like elementary days, girls? Girls just really wanna have fun, huh. Yeah, we did! 💖 It is not only Bruno Mars who circulates Pinoy blood in the stage. 24K Magic's opening acts include a rising DJ whom I want to say sorry because I was not able to jot it down and I can't find the details online and America's Best Dance Crew 2008 winners, Jabawockees. The DJ said that his wife is a Filipina which I think and might wanna consider that makes him have a heart like ours. And as we all know, some of the Jabas are Pinoys as well. Hashtag Filipino Pride Night! No wonder, our lahi is something we should be proud of. Grabe eh, mga talentado talaga kaya hands down! 💖 The moment the curtains opened, seeing the guy in dominant blue jersey with big bling bling and kinky hair hidden in a cap? Oh, kilig! And when he started voicing his heart out and making rhythm all over his body? Goosebumps! Everyone was enjoying themselves in the concert and it was like a party lead by the six-time Grammy Awards 2018 winner, Bruno Mars! The first song is Finesse, which made the crowd wild. Followed by 24K Magic, Treasure, Perm, and so on, and forth. I love this concert because Bruno Mars played his classic hits and not just the songs from his 24K Magic album. Really danced my feet with That's What I Like and Marry You! But my favorite performance was When I Was Your Man above all else. I can super feel the song tagos in my veins. There were 17 songs all in all but I wish there were more. I was looking out for Too Good to Say Goodbye and Straight Up and Down but these are not included in the setlist. Anyway! Just the Way You Are was supposedly the last song. Yet you know, fans kept screaming the chant, "we want more." And so! The curtains got up, projector on again, and music played for Uptown Funk! I enjoyed watching Bruno and The Hooligans that I want to watch another show next time. I love how he gave his people the spotlight during the show too. They proved that they don't just have the moves, that they are musicians as well! Worth it the two hours. Actually, I thought it would be longer since Bruno changed his clothes almost at the end of the show already. But? Yuh. We had Bruno Mars hangover after the show. All of us went like, miss na kita mahal. That, I shall not spill. Only the ones attended know. That's our thing and we gotta keep it. Sorry. Hehehe. And well, I guess you heard about the news about Bruno Mars asking to take down the gadgets in Manila while he is performing? Yup, that's true. He was disappointed with the sea of phones during the first day so for the second day, pinangunahan niya na yung mga tao. We followed his request. Sadly tho, the VIP area was still pasaway as some still used their phones. Such a shame since they were the ones he was seeing. Ugh, you guys?!? But the feeling in our crowd all throughout? Amazing! We owned it guys -- the gen ad peeps lived and loved the moment with Bruno Mars. *bahala na yung mga hindi sumunod dyan geh* This year's May 4th was totally extra for me! Bruno Mars' 24K Magic concert in Manila Day 2 would always be an unforgettable experience. It feels great because I didn't only enjoy the night, but also learned a lot of stuff throughout this little journey. Remember when we got some slots? It was a shoot in the stars that we had these tickets with our bare hands. Napakasarap sa pakiramdam na makuha yung pangarap ng sariling sikap tapos suportado ka pa ng mga mahal mo sa buhay. I then believed more that everything, really, has its perfect timing. What matters is the combo of waiting patiently plus doing the best you can while in the process. No one knows but maybe, maybe God does see what we deserve. And isn't the second-day schedule better than the first? Attending this concert on a Friday made us welcome the weekend earlier. And even if we went home late, izzokay since there were no classes or work the next day. This is just proof that I need to trust the universe that what happens to me is meant for me. With all these, I realized that whatever it is, I really gotta keep chasing the dream. Yes, I can take a break once in a while. However? Never must I give up. Gotta continue honing the gifts given by the One and work hard in order to make all my dreams come to life. Although it is a long way to go yet, I promise that when that successful day comes, I shall not be selfish -- that I would share myself and everything I have learned to everybody just like the very charismatic and ever-talented, Bruno Mars. Yeah, I will. That day must arrive, too, in time :)
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I can't remember how all these happened too. One day, Dada just told me that their lab was making some outing plans. And, they thought of inviting the girlfriends again. By that "again," because there was a first time already. The first-ever was an eat-all-you-can feast at The Alley and a movie sesh of Star Wars: The Last Jedi which was definitely a fun and memorable day! But joining Dada's friends once more in this kind of get-together that is out of town? Geez, kaexcite! Since I was really stressed with life, as in overall, I really, really, really looked forward to this exhilarating weekend to come. 💖
ISLAND HOPPING The friends were given one day to roam San Antonio, Zambales. And since it is a favorite island-hopping destination of the province, that became the main activity of this trip. We were already up at 5 AM. Konting kulitan muna until Dada was able to look for our boatmen. We then ate our prepared breakfast quickly and dressed ourselves up so we would not be toasted by the sun. And at eight, we walked to the Pundaquit Beach and saw the waves say hi. Aside from the sea of boats in Pundaquit, it is the grayish and firm sand that welcomes you. This beach makes the tourists excited as to what they would see in the other islands because dito palang, you would know that this is an idyllic place. How much more on Camara, Capones, Nagsasa, and the most popular, Anawangin? *insert us singing Anawangin ko sa habambuhay... Makapiling ka, makasama ka -- yan ang anawangin ko* Camara Island Camara Island was the first island to stop for this voyage. Almost two to three kilometers and just 10 to 15 minutes away from Pundaquit Beach rests a creamy sand beach that is dominated by big rock formations. I think I posted already how much I love rockies so, this island is, of course, a heaven on earth for me. It also has an underground rock formation where you need to crawl in order to reach that hideout. That secret corner made me remember Taylor Swift's Style music video and uttered, wow! Compared to the next islands, this seems smaller. But! This is my most favorite of them all. Every corner seems so peaceful, so calm, so rejuvenating. I don't know? Camara just opened my lungs and breathe. What an amazing way to start the day! Capones Island Second stop? Capones Island! Also known as Isla de Gran Capon and Capon Grande Island. It is popularized because of its two-kilometer bone-shaped island stretch. If Camara is the smallest of the four islands we went to, Capones is the biggest. It also highlights enormous rocky shores and cream-ish sand with rich marine waters, perfect for diving and snorkeling. The Spanish-built lighthouse, Faro de Punta Capones is situated here too. It is an additional go-to for people who visit this island. Similar to other lighthouses, it guides and protects the ships that enter and leave the vicinity (particularly Subic Bay). Sadly, we enjoyed swimming in the turquoise ocean that we were not able to go there. We didn't know too eh. Next time! At least, we have a reason to go back. Anawangin Cove Our third island was the most famous of all, Anawangin Cove. It became the talk of the town because of its unquestionable view-ty. With its blanca sand and sea pine trees, Anawangin is then dubbed as the Boracay-meets-Baguio island of the Philippines. Yup, it is not as privy as before anymore. Actually, it was the most crowded island we ever been to. I guess, this is since what most people know. But good thing, you would not get bored in Anawangin. You can trek and see the crescent-shaped beach or snorkel and greet the fishes if you want. It also has camping sites inside with an entrance fee of PhP 75. We had no plans staying here that long so we just ate a forty-peso halo-halo instead of going in. And by the way, I had the best halo-halo this summer here! I love seeing the old school way of preparing this summer dessert. Ahhh, so much love! Add those random conversations that just feel good inside. Yay, yay, yaaay! Nagsasa Cove And the last but never the least island we visited? Nagsasa Cove! It took us 30 to 45 minutes going here from Anawangin. Uhuh, it is a little far. Yet, worth it! Nagsasa is almost the same as the third island. However, less crowded. I can see that this would be the next pasyalan people would go to next time so, very glad we came here already. After two hours of hopping - around 10:30 AM, I think - the group arrived in this paraiso. Nagsasa Cove offers not just beach bumming but also trekking, snorkeling, and cliff jumping. This paradise even hids secret waterfalls which I would make sure to see on my future visit. And having this as our last stop, we stayed here on this island the longest. Le friends spent almost the whole free time here that is why many things happened in this haven. And for me, it is in Nagsasa Cove where the happiest parts of the day happened. Kuyang bangkero let us chose our pick-up time between 1 PM and 4 PM. We think the first was too early so we chose four instead. It is where we had our lunch and where we actually discovered our Survivor skills. Haha! We were able to do all the activities we wanted to do then -- eat, converse, swim, eat, converse, swim, and even played beach volleyball (and eat again, and swim, and converse, and repeat lol) We left Nagsasa Cove at 4 PM. Well... I wish we didn't leave agad. If only we don't have any agenda waiting in Manila... Hayy, nakakabitin eh! Pero ganun talaga. I just cherished the moments in the boat ride instead -- all those big waves rushing, sun shining brightly that added more tan lines in my skin, and every second ticking with my newfound friends. I told myself that I'm so gonna come back to Zambales soon! And I wanna dance with you... With Zambales who loves me! :)))) HANGOVER FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS I love going to new places -- it opens my eyes to the wonders of the world that it makes my soul refreshed and awed. Dada and I have been together for almost seven years already but never have I stepped in his birthplace until these guys invited me to. Qt ‘no, mga kaibigan pa niya una kong nakasama pumunta dito sa Zambales. Hahaha! I was actually weird out why he doesn’t come here often when Zambales is such a beautiful paradise! I'm not kidding, it really is. Zambales possesses treasures that it can compete with Palawan, Boracay, and Siargao. If I were Dada, I would always come back here, summer or not. Because I felt it. There is a magic in Zambales that makes people forget their problems and just live the moment and be happy. There is something about the New Zealand feels of its mountain range that totally gets me. I can’t get enough how amazing the rock formations were formed on the island. Moreover, the white turning black sand made me heart-eyed! I would really love to go again and see the other hidden gems of Zambales. I don’t know but the thought of being in this province makes me smile for no reason. But, uhm... No, yeah, maybe aside from intuition, it was the memories of the people I was with too.
To tell you honestly, I didn’t have any expectations for this Zambales trip. Unlike my usual travel habit, I didn’t buy any new clothes for a pakening OOTD, didn’t took hundreds of photos for my Instagram as well, didn’t even prepare anything and that’s so not me. But you know, this is the most fun weekend I ever had with friends! It exceeded the happiness meter I prayed for. Yes, there were no swimsuits to flaunt and this was the trip where I had the least number of selfies captured, yet, my heart is full to the highest of the highest level! I don’t know but I really feel wonderful every time I’m with these people. Didn’t feel out of place even if I’m not part of their circle. Super enjoyed listening and laughing at nothing with them. Although I haven't help in the preparation of food or what, not a talkative bunny who entertains everyone with stories, plus, bangko sa Volleyball! I’m touched they still joined me on this getaway. I mean, whether I’m here or not, g lang naman eh. But me, I’m really glad I made this decision to be with them. I may not be close to everybody (yet) but they, they are to my heart, to me. Thank you, mga Anawangin Ko Sa Habang Buhay! Indeed, you guys are my anawangin sa habambuhay. Haha! Why? This group made me realize that it is time to withdraw my past trust issues and start believing with humankind again. They are my living proof that I can find people who can support, strengthen, and help colleagues without pulling any dirty competition. Really glad to know there are still good hoomans who exist in this cruel world. Grabe nga eh, brains, character, and looks, nasa kanila na lahat. Plus, the firm foundation of friendship they have. Sila na talaga! This group of friends Dada belongs to is solid. And I hope I find this kind of friendship that grows up to a family who accepts each other wholly. Walang filter, walang plastikan, walang lamangan kahit na hindi naman sila magkakadugo. They are real people -- the realest! The overlapping schedule, since some had classes and agenda, didn't hinder to make this bonding happen. Just to make sure this is not a drawing, these cute guys took a lot of adjustments in order to make sure the whole squad can come. Ganun naman dapat pag magkakaibigan eh. The presence of every individual matters. I always tell Dada he is blessed to have such friends and he must keep them for life. This friendship is rare, eh! And with me seeing all these, I hope someday I can find and surround myself with such kind of peeps too. And that's why... That's why I thank you guys for this hope you gave me. And for this Saturday and Sunday. For everything. 💖 |
THE BLOG-GIRLE L A M A N I L A Ela Mones, a Filipina girl,
is a passionate lifestyle blogger who loves to express her unforgettable life experiences and best moments through words, photos, and videos 💖
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