Side Trip to Boracay

After the meeting, we had a short visit to the Butcher Mansion. Samuel J. Butcher is the owner of Sampaguita Gardens and the creator of Precious Moments.

Our group of seven then traveled to Caticlan port and boarded the fast craft to Boracay. The winds were strong and the sea was rough but it was only a 15-minute ride. We checked in at Casa Pilar Beach Resort (located in Station 3) at around 7:00 p.m. and immediately ate our packed dinner. Then, we strolled on the beach, taking pictures here and there up to Station 1 then back to the resort to rest our tired legs... and off to sleep.

The following morning, the waves were still strong and there was a coming storm, so we hurriedly packed up and left Boracay. I felt sorry for my friends who were not able to explore the crystal waters and powdery white sands of Boracay. Of course, they brought with them some souvenirs and samples of Boracay sand.

Precious Moments @ Sampaguita Gardens

Sampaguita Gardens is located in New Washington, Aklan which is the Christmas fantasy and seafood capital of the province... And every day is Christmas at Sampaguita Gardens. And what's inside Jojo's Christmas Cottage? And so much more...

Kalibo, Aklan

Kalibo is the capital of Aklan and it's noted for its Ati-atihan festival which is celebrated every third week of January. It is also known for its pina cloth, the queen of Philippine fabrics. On September 10-12, I attended the Mid-Year National RMIS Coordinators' Meeting at the Sampaguita Gardens in New Washington, Aklan. Our group had a chance to visit a couple of places in the area before we started our session.

The Kite Runner

Finally (after too many interruptions), I finished the reading materials Lina lent to me last summer. I scanned the travel magazines first and then read the two books. First was Mao's Last Dancer then this one. The Kite Runner is an international bestseller by Khaled Hosseini. Amir narrates his personal struggles during his childhood days in Afghanistan until he moved to the US. It's a moving story about family, friendship, betrayal, and redemption. For you, a thousand times over.