A Lots of Thanks and Some of That Reminiscing Too

So here we are at the edge of the year 2008, which legally warrants us to reminisce about the good old 365 days that had passed us all. Ah 2008! This year had been a good year. This year had been a bad year.

But before I leave this wondrous year (and be drowned by the memories of my year end reminiscing), let me thank few people that I believe made my 2008 wonderful. I should have thanked them in person, but I prefer to show my gratitude in secret, and this blog is perfect hiding place.

First of all, let me thank my dearest SMS ally Grace. She had been a good friend even though we hadn’t saw her for more than a year. We vowed to be the best of friends and a bestfriend she did become. For a year of our friendship, she shared her joys and tears. She is more of a sister to me and I am glad to have her as a part my personal family.

May I also thank my buddy Mark. Though I don’t treat him a close acquaintance, he had been a valuable ally in the workplace. A wonderful part of a survey crew. Without him, maybe I had gone nuts during our first ever survey. It is good to have a topnotcher in the board to be at your side.

I give thanks to my bank buddies, especially Anjo and Tasha. Thank you for letting me join your circle even though both of you are in a different department than me. Sorry, though, because I left you early. Go strong and I hope to see you both together again maybe in Goldilocks.

And they are not the only bank buddies that I have. I thank another Mark, Annie, Lenin, Raymond and the other whom I forgot the name. Thank you for standing by me during the greatest crisis in life in this year.

Hey Maria Reina, don’t think that I forgotten you. Thanks for being my newfound friend this year. Your SMS messages delight me always. Hope to have a nice talk with you again. If you ever dropped by my blog, just post me comment so that I may know. Enjoy your 2009 mixing paint mademoiselle alchemist.

I also thank my brother. His sudden transformation from an atheist to a devout catholic affected my thinking about God. He brought the Holy Spirit to my heart. May you grow in faith brother. And I am sorry for the lost readings, we failed to track the “magbobote.”

I also thank my other brother my sister, my beloved mother and the great father of mine. Thanks again for being there. Thank you very much for making our home a wonderful place to go home to.

I also thank my college batch mates and friends who accompanied me during the board exam reviews.

I also thank my Beloved. We had not seen each other for more than a year, yet she is still there. I am so glad to have someone to trust and to be trusted in return. I hope to see my beloved this year. May the Lord guide her always.

Finally, I am thanking my Lord God for giving me the blessed 365 days. Although, I betrayed Him for so many times, I know that He is still with me, my merciful and loving God. Thanks for Your patience and love. May You always guide me for another 365 days. I also thank you for coming down to us to conquer death by dying on the cross. May Your kingdom come.

Ha! That’s so few for a whole year and I bet that many people had been left out. I am sorry and I thank you all to anyone who been with this past year. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you all.

So Happy New Year to all and enjoy the festivities. May all of us have a wonderful year 2009. Ingat.

The Beach of Laiya Aplaya in Batangas

Looking for a nice stretch of sand and a relaxing piece of the sea not far away from the Metro? Then Laiya Aplaya in Batangas might be the right destination for you. Laiya Aplaya is just four hours travel away from Manila.
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The beach of Laiya Aplaya
The beach of Laiya Aplaya.

How to Go to Laiya Aplaya

 

If you are like me who do not own a car and do not have friends good enough to take you there, then commuting is to Laiya Aplaya is your best option. Going to that beach is easy and only require at least three transfers of public transport. First is the provincial bus from Manila, a public utility van ride to San Juan then a jeepney ride to the Laiya Aplaya. So, gather all your “streetmartiness” and patience and you will be at the beach in no time.

If you are residing in the Quezon City area, then the Jam Bus Transit is suitable for you. The terminal of this bus company is located along EDSA near the building of GMA Network. Ride a bus that will take you to Lipa City. The bus will travel along South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).

Upon reaching Lipa City, look for the public utility van terminal. Ride the van that is going to the town of San Juan. The travel time is about one and a half hours. So, while traveling, pipe in your MP3 player and enjoy the scenery of farms, mountains, and lots of cows.

The last stretch of your commuting will be a public utility jeepney in San Juan that will take you to Laiya Aplaya. Before you ride the jeepney, I recommend that you go to their public market and buy toiletries, foods, drinks that you want. Things like these will be much more expensive in Laiya Aplaya. The travel time from San Juan to Laiya Aplaya is about 30 minutes.

 

Laiya Aplaya Beach and Amenities

 

Laiya Aplaya was developed to be a top tourist destination in Batangas. Many beach resorts could be found in the area. Our group chose the Triple G Beach Resort. Air-conditioned rooms here costs about 4,500 pesos with a bathroom, a cable TV, and an LPG stove. The room is spacious enough to accommodate up to eight people. In this resort, visitors are allowed to bring their own food and beer.
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Beach volleyball net at Laiaya Aplaya
Beach volley, anyone?

The beach is good as any other developed beach and is shallow that you could still walk fifty meters away from the shore. The sands of the shore are coarse and better than those found in Puerto Galera, which has pebbly shore. The sea bottom is quite rocky and contains some dead sea corals.
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The sea of Laiya Aplaya
Evening is coming to Laiya Aplaya.

The area has no water skiing or banana boat rides. The sea of Laiya Aplaya is well protected to be of any value to avid water surfers. Visitors can snorkel on some of the remaining coral reefs in the open seas. The snorkeling costs for 700 to 900 pesos and lasts for an hour. The snorkeling site is alive with corals and starfishes. However, the coral reefs are no match with the ones I saw in the seas of Davao Oriental.
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Boats on the beach of Laiya Aplaya
Fishing boats on the beach of Laiya Aplaya.
All in all, the Laiya Aplaya can't match Boracay or the beautiful beaches in the Visayas. However, development is still ongoing and it seems that better things will come to Laiya Aplaya.
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Mountains of Laiya Aplaya


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Did you came here to know more about Laiya Aplaya? Just leave a comment if you have any queries regarding this beautiful place.