just passing through: Back in Cebu City... after 16 years

10 February 2009

Back in Cebu City... after 16 years

Cebu City, Queen City of the South. After 16 years, the city has become more crowded and highly urbanized.

I was back in Cebu City when I attended the Joint RACO-RMIS Coordinators' Meeting on February 5-6, 2009. Doc Teddy and I, RACO and RMIS coordinators of STARRDEC, respectively, flew in the day before the meeting started. After resting for a few hours in our respective rooms at the Cebu Business Hotel, we walked to the site of Magellan's Cross. The landmark is just a few blocks away from our hotel which is located on the oldest street in the Philippines, Colon Street. The historical site is where the original cross, now encased in tindalo wood, was planted by Ferdinand Magellan on April 21, 1521. After the short visit, we walked another few blocks to a market to look for danggit and other dried fish. We might be on the wrong side for we didn't find any so we traced our steps back to where we originally came from... the hotel.

We all agreed to have a taste of what Cebu has to offer so for our first dinner, we all trooped to the City Grill, which is noted for its Sutokil (sugba, tola and kilawin), and ordered our sinugbang seafood. Our group of four savored seaweed salad, grilled talakitok, squids and shrimps, and tasted Doc Teddy's order of grilled liempo and longganisa. Burrp!

The first day was so busy with plenary sessions, workshops, and the simultaneous breakout sessions that we finally ended at past 11 pm. The following day, we had to wake up early and leave at 5:30 am for our walk to the market... danggit bay and all the other stuff Cebu is famous for.

After the closing program, our group rushed to SM Cebu (as if it's different from the other SM malls or maybe, just for some photo ops) then on our way to Magellan's Cross we passed by another landmark so we got off our taxi (again for more photo ops). The Heritage of Cebu Monument, built by renowned artist Eduardo Castrillo, features some of Cebu's important heritage sites and events. The artist is a relative of CvSU's Laya at Diwa creator, Jonnel Castrillo.

Unfortunately, we had no time to explore the other historical landmarks and must-see destinations in Cebu City. Next time?

Sail On

"Life here on earth is a temporary assignment." - Rick Warren

They say that we are just like passing ships. Wherever we go and drop anchor, we learn something that makes our lives never the same again.

Life may have brought us disappointments, failures, discouragements, broken hearts and other negative thoughts and emotions but life goes on.

Along the way, we meet people who touch our lives one way or the other. Some become true friends. Most of them just acquaintances.

We are here in this world temporarily. We are not yet home.

Whatever happens, the Lord will never leave us nor forsake us. He always knows what's best for us.

Everything happens for a reason.

Quotable Quotes

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.
- Winston Churchill

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.
- Albert Einstein

You don't have to know a lot of things for your life to make a lasting difference in the world. But you do have to know the few great things that matter, and then be willing to live for them and die for them.
- John Piper

And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.
- Abraham Lincoln