Alchemy: 2011

November 21, 2011

The Foos about Foosball

Foosball... I never took interest on this game when I first saw it. I never thought that I would get addicted on this game and would get serious in playing it.

The first time I saw a foosball was on a TV series (I’ve forgotten on what TV series I saw it) with the main character and his friends playing with it on a bar. Foosball is not a popular game here in the Philippines. It is usually seen in bars and some companies usually BPO and call centers.

A foosball is usually a table with eight rods and a ball. There is a goal at each end and a place to serve on each side in the middle. The objective of the game is to shoot the ball on your opponent’s goal while preventing the ball from going into your own goal. You serve it; you pass and try to score. Just remember that you have to shoot on the right side.

Foosball can be played by two or four players or it depends on how large and how many are the rods of the table. The most common table is the one with eight rods and can be played by a maximum of four players. A player will choose if he will be a goalie (more on defense) or the attacker (the scorer). The role of the goalie is to prevent the opponent from scoring and passing the ball to the attacker. The attacker is the player responsible for scoring.

The basic rule of foosball is one, if a ball goes into the goal legally it is considered as a point no matter who hit it and second, no spinning of the rods. Some rules include 1) serving the ball through the hole, 2) ball off the table is given to the team last scored upon, 3) you cannot reach into the table for the ball while it is in play. There are other rules used in foosball but these are the basic rules.

Popular shot on foosball is the pull shot and Rollover or Monkey. Below is the detailed description of each shot:

Pull shot - You set the ball up next to the middle man far away from you and slightly behind the rod. You pull the ball towards you and snap it into the goal.

Rollover or Monkey - The ball starts under the front toe, you place your WRIST on the handle and you move the ball to one side or another then pull up on your wrist, this causes the ball to shoot into the goal.

Tic Tack Shot: Bounce the ball back and forth between your men on the 3-bar at random then "slap" the ball into the goal.

Aside from shooting, an important skill to learn in playing foosball is passing the ball to your teammate. Focus is important in passing the ball. Once you have the ball, the idea is to pass it to the 3-bar so that it improves your chances of hitting a goal. Passing helps to prevent your opponent from placing the ball on his favourable position to hit a goal. It also gives you a more control and has a better possession of the ball.

Well, these are some of the basic ideas of Foosball. You’ll understand the game better once you’ve actually tried it.

Why do I play foosball? First, it’s a good pastime game. It does not use much of a time. There is excitement and adrenaline rush even if it does not require you to run or jump. Second, it’s with foosball that I’ve met new friends and discover new skills. These friends help me realize my potentials and how fun it is to move out from your comfort zone.

November 4, 2011

Thoughtful Thinking

There are words never spoken

There are cries that was never heard

Moments that will simply pass by

Chances that simply slips away

There are roads that won’t be taken

Dreams that won’t take sail

There are steps that will not be traced

Or actions that will not be repeated

Between the distance of now and a minute back

A life was changed and continuously changing

In a brief silence of the world

A prayer is being answered

A comforting hug is shared to someone

Another road of opportunity is being paved away

And a dream is slowly being built

In every fall and lost steps

In every mistakes and failures

Hope still flickers

Determination is strengthened

A free spirit will fly

Laughter will conquer the tears

A broken heart will continue to love

And a person will fight to live

August 5, 2011

Sagada Adventure

When its summer most people go to the beach to relax and enjoy the sun. For people who are not fond with the beach they prefer to go to much cooler places. Famous places in the Philippines with a cooler temperature during summer are Baguio and Tagaytay. Aside from these two famous places, a much cooler destination for summer would be Sagada.

Sagada, which is located at the Mountain Province can offer a different summer experience.Sagada is the 5^th town in the municipality of Mountain Province. It is located on the upper part of the region. Since it is surrounded by mountains, expect that the place has a much colder temperature compared to Baguio or Tagaytay. Sagada is most famous of its hanging coffins, which was part of the burial traditions of our ancestors.

Getting to Sagada

The mountains going to Sagada

There are two routes that I know to get to Sagada. The first route is the Baguio-Bontoc-Sagada route and the second is the Banaue-Bontoc-Sagda route. There are no easy routes going to Sagada, for both routes have roads with sharp curves and are on the sides of the mountains. It is not advisable to drive and bring your own vehicle especially you are not familiar with the road; it is much safer to commute.

From Manila, you can take a coaster bus going to Bontoc or directly to Sagada. The terminal of the coaster bus is located near St. Luke’s, Quezon City, beside Trinity College. It usually takes 9-10 hours to reach Banaue and another 5-6 hours to reach Bontoc. The roads going to Bontoc are usually besides the mountains.

The view going to Bontoc is very spectacular since you are going up of the mountain. It’s like you are on the very top and you can already see the clouds covering the summit of the mountains. You will know that you are already near Bontoc when you are already going down and when you see the Chico River. The climate also is a bit warmer since Bontoc is a low land area. Bontoc is a small town with rice fields surrounded by mountains. From Bontoc, there is a jeep going to Sagada. It will take 1-2 hours to reach Sagada.

Sagada

The first thing to do when you reach Sagada is to register at the town’s municipal hall. This is their way of ensuring that all travellers are duly accounted for. They will also give you advice on how your itinerary should be. They will also let you choose or assign someone to be your guide during your stay on the place. A guide is given to every five person. If you are seven in the group you will have two guides. The guides are usually for travellers who have planned to do cave spelunking and go to Bomod-Ok falls. These two places are the most visited and are bit prone to accidents.

Places to Stay

There are a lot of transient houses, inns and hotels in Sagada. They are usually located near the market and municipal hall. There are inns that only costs P200 – P500 depending on how large and how near they are on the town proper. Some of the inn are ordinary houses that were converted as inns hence they are a lot cheaper than the usual. These transient houses welcomes overnight stay on their place unlike other inns.

Places to Go

There are a lot of places to go to Sagada. A three days two nights stay would not be sufficient if you want to really take a look at the whole town. Below are some of the most popular places to see:

Sumaging Cave - this is the large cave where most people go. You need a guide to enter the cave. They prohibit travellers going alone inside the cave to prevent accidents. It is best to went there earlier because the rocks are not yet that slippery and you get to have the whole place on your own. The place easily gets crowded since this is one of the favorite places to see. Sumaging Cave is very famous because its different rock formations. Its best to wear light clothing because there are part of the cave that you need to climb, slip yourself between the rock sand pass through waters.

Lumiang Cave - this is a much smaller cave than Sumaging. Travellers who wants to do the cave connection enters at Lumiang cave and exits at Sumaging cave. Just like Sumaging cave it is not advisable to enter the it without a guide.

Bomod-Ok Falls

Bomod-ok Falls - there are two famous falls in Sagada. The Bokong Falls and Bomod-ok Falls. Bokong Falls is a small falls while Bomod-ok is the large falls. You don't neccessary need a guide going to Bomod-ok Falls but just to be safe it would be better to have one. It will take you about an two hours of trekking to get to the falls. The guide is to assist you in taking the fastest and safest route. You will hve to go down the mountain, pass some village and rice terraces to reach Bomod-ok Falls. The rice terraces is a magnificent view going to the falls. There are some part of the trail going to the falls that are slippery.

Bokong Falls - This is a small falls which have a view of rice terraces. Unlike Bomod-ok Falls, Bokong Falls is much easier to find and is just near the town proper.

Echo Valley - First thing to do when you get into hte place is shout your name and then you will know why it's called Echo Valley. It will take about 15-30 mins walk going to the place from the drop-off point. You will have to pass the town's cemetery going to Echo Valley. This is also the same route going to the hanging coffins. The trail is quite dangerous because it is narrow and a bit slippery.

Lake Danum - Looking at a photo of Lake Danum would make everyone think that its just an ordinary lake. Yes, it is a usual lake that is located on the mountains. This is a great place to watch the sunset.

Things to do

Cave Spelunking - Trip to Sagada would not be complete without discovering its caves. This is very thrilling for people who loves to seek adventure. Aside from the limestones formation, the caves become also popular because of the death-defying experience when exploring its interior. There are part of the cave that you have to crawl, squeeze yourself between the rocks and climb smooth rocks by just using your bare hands.

Trekking - Most of the trip to Sagada is done by long walks. Locals always say that you have to feel the Earth by your bare foot. Since the place has a cool temperature its really nice to walk and savor every moment of it.

Eat at Yoghurt's House - This is one of the famous places to eat at Sagada. The place usually gets full during peak season and one must wait for a long line of customers waiting to be seated. Of course, their best sellers are their yoghurt. However they also serve regular meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Swimming - Who says that there's no swimming adventure at Sagada? Bomod-Ok Falls and Bokong Falls are just the perfect place to take a cool splash of water. After a long walk going to these famous destination, you can reward yourself by diving to its cold water.

There are a lot of places to visit at Sagada. Its serene and peaceful surrounding is what make the place a must tourist destination. And since the place is not that accessible it has maintain its unspoiled beauty.

June 3, 2011

Portulano

Batangas has very rich marine life making it one of the famous diving spot in the country. Portulano, a dive resort situated on the footside of a mountain facing the sea offers an easy access to a new beach experience.

The breeze of the sea welcomes travellers going to Portulano. The cool splash of the water is refreshing as the boat reaches the place.

Warm greetings awaits the visitors arriving at Portulano. The caretaker of the resort meets the guest on the dock. After ensuring all the guests are fine the caretaker leads them to the lobby where refreshing drinks are already prepared.

All the rooms of the resort have a magnificent view of the sea. From the room, one can feel the breeze of the sea and hear the sounds of the waves. The rooms at the ground and at the second floor has veranda facing the sea. It has wooden chairs and tables wherein you just sit, relax and enjoy the beautiful view of the sea. The rooms have different designs but all matches the relaxing ambiance.

The kitchen and dining area are located on the second floor. Aside from the dining area, the second floor serves as a place for recreation. There are boardgames, magazines and books. Some interesting insights about the place can also be found in there. At the right side of the dining area is an open space with benches and a small hut where there are tables, chairs and hammocks.

The third floor also has rooms but what makes it more enjoyable is the view deck. The view deck has woven mat and pillows. It can be most enjoyed by reading a book or listening to your favorite music.

The resort has scuba diving and snorkeling equipment that can be rented. They also have scuba diving lessons. Aside from these they have kayak boats that can be used for free. Even if its low tide, visitors can still wade on the waters. The resort has a small pool beside the nipa hut.

Portulano is a perfect place for weddings, birthday celebration and company events.

The owner of the place promotes protection of marine life. They have different activities that helps in keeping the sea clean and conserving marine life.

May 11, 2011

An Island Called Potipot

In the off shore of Candelaria, is an island called Potipot. Its pristine white sand and calm water is a true beauty.

Potipot is slowly gaining its popularity as a summer getaway in Zambales. Only few resorts are located near the island. It will only take a 10-minute boat ride to get to the island from the resorts surrounding it. Most of the resorts offer boat ride going to the island. They usually just drop-off visitors on the island and will just return on the agreed time.

There are no accommodations on the island however there are cottages or nipa huts that can be rented. There are also benches that are free of charge. There are a lot of trees in the island that gives nice shade. Most of the trees are low lying and it's shade reaches even to the shore.

The beach of Potipot may not be white and fine compare to Boracay however its sands still feel soft on your feet. Its water is clear blue and is not so deep that even children can play on it. The beach also has driftwoods that gives a more dramatic effect. Seashells are scattered on the shore of the island. The seashells serve as a home for hermit crabs that are very common on the island.

Aside from the beach of Potipot, the island has a beautiful landscape with lush grassland. You can feel the wind blowing while exploring the island. Since the island is just small you can tour the whole place in less than an hour.

Another nice thing about the place is the beautiful sunset. The sunset is a must see when going to Potipot. The sun is in its perfect circle shape surrounded by dark red and yellow. Its glow is like a painting on the sky.