The 7th Manila Surfers' Cup: sunshine, surf and free ice cream!

The Point at Urbiztondo, San Juan, La Union was peeling 3 foot rights as the 7th Manila Surfers' Cup: Para Sa'yo 'To Kid (This One's For You Kid) kicked off over the weekend.

The Manila Surfers' Association, Aloha Boardsports and LUSC present: the 7th Manila Surfers' Cup: Para Sa'yo 'To Kid! Co-presented with Vans "Off the Wall" and Antonov Vodka (Vodka on the Go).

66 participants paddled out, divided into 10 divisions, all with one thing in mind: the top spot. Several familiar faces were the obvious top bets for the spectators who came down to the beach to watch. Longboarding sisters Nicola and Carla Sebastian along with shortboarder Takamura Ishikawa were among the surfers expected to do well. But, as the heats progressed, it became clear that some newcomers were emerging as dark horses in the competition. Among them were Nicky Ancheta of the Men's Longboard Open and shortboarder Jasher Villaruel, who moved on to the semis of their respective divisions as the day closed.

DJ Ameline kept the beats going

Keeping the crowd entertained was DJ Ameline, who set up her station right on the beach and kept the beats fresh. And keeping the beach supplied with free scoops of ice cream was Fruits In Ice Cream whose "Ice Cream Machine" had been driven up to La Union from Manila. The truck was parked on the beach, providing the heated crowd with a variety of their ice cream flavors for both days of the event.

Free ice cream from FIC!

A raffle was also held during the evening's beach party. The proceeds went directly to the second MSA Medical Mission, scheduled on April 21st in Urbiztondo, La Union for children between the ages of 1-13. Among the items up for grabs were loot bags from Banana Boat/Schick/The Body Shop, 3 MyPhone mobile phones, gift certificates from Vans and one Contour Camera.

Sunday morning saw more excitement as the semi-finals of all divisions got underway. Also a big draw for the Sunday crowd was the FCS Manila Surfers' Invitational divisions where handpicked Manila surfers - mostly past champions - would be competing in four winner-take-all divisions. Among those invited were Paolo Soler, Bjorn Pabon, Lor Lapus and Nikki dela Paz.

Nikki dela Paz, FCS Manila Surfers' Invitational: Wahine Shortboard

When asked about his take on the event, Lemon Dines, La Union local and previous president of the La Union Surf Club, said "Natutuwa ako na madaming bago. Tsaka na gumagaling ang mga taga Manila (I am happy to see many new faces and that the Manila surfers are getting better)."

The swell picked up, with the occasional overhead set coming through, just in time for the specially requested Technical Team Expression Session. The judges, marshals, flagmen, hosts and runners of the La Union Surf Club paddled out for a much-needed 20 minute session before resuming the competition.

Masuno Naito, FCS Manila Surfers Invitational: Men's Shortboard

As with the previous day, dark horses Nicky Ancheta and Kathryn Esguerra outsurfed their competitors to secure spots in their finals heats. Shortboard finalist Tin Terible, found herself a slot in the Wahine Longboard Open as well.

The finals heats were quite close, showcasing the increased level of surfing of the Manila surfers and giving the judges quite a headache. And as the final scores were tabulated, the beach was given another treat from the Manila Surfers' Association - the annual Costume Surf Session.

The Circle Hostel's Ziggie Gonzales in costume in front of the FIC Ice Cream Machine

The brainchild of former MSA officer Kage Gozun, the Costume Surf Session has evolved to become an FIC-sponsored event where online voters have a say for best surfer in costume. Past participants have included surfers dressed as Dora the Explorer, Shrek, and Manny Pacquiao. This year's notable entries were a cross-dressed Marilyn Monroe, Adam & Eve and a family dressed up as space-age skiers.

Results from the Costume Surf Session will be announced at the post-event party in a few weeks' time.

When asked how he felt about his first event as MSA's newest President, Tonet Jose said "I am stoked to hear nothing but positive remarks about the comp. I am thankful to everyone who made the event a success."

RESULTS:

Wahine Novice: Gene Villapando, Lor de Jesus, Michelle Romano and Kathryn Esguerra!
Men's Novice: Benj Pacia, Terence Concepcion, Jeff Ortega and Melf Kuhl.
Wahine SB Open: Lalai Catipon, Carla Sebastian, Camille Post Santiago and Tin Terible
Men's SB Open: Takamura Ishikawa, Sadri Dulay, Ejay Ventura and Jasher Villaruel.
Men's LB Open: Sadri Dulay, Ejay Ventura, Dodong Korea and Nicky Ancheta.
Wahine LB Open: Rozie Laurel Delgado, Tamara Benitez, Tin Terible and Nicola Sebastian.

FCS MSA Men's SB Invitational Champ: Bjorn Dizon Pabon
FCS MSA Wahine SB Invitational Champ: Nikki Arce Dela Paz
FCS MSA Men's LB Invitational Champ: Buji Libarnes
FCS MSA Wahine LB Invitational Champ: Nikki dela Paz

- Photos by Kage Gozun

For more stock images of surf, travel and lifestyle please check out: Kage's Online Portfolio

The Donavon Weekend. Sanuk's Opening Act.

Incredi-weekend. Glassy 3-4 foot right-handers, solid morning sessions, non-stop sunshine, the Donavon show on the beach, cold beer, random laughter, photos galore... good vibes all around. Love these trips where I not only get to hang out with old friends but meet new ones as well. ♥

It started on a Thursday afternoon when - through the kindness of Vangie and Ruby - I was given one-on-one time to interview Donavon Frankenreiter. See, I have been a fan of both his music and his philosophies on surfing/life since before I even learned to make the drop. So that afternoon? A good 10 years in the making. Brought Elaine with me so she could interview as well and we could maximize exposure for Sanuk. :) A few hours later, Donavon and Matt played at Gweilo's where good vibes and smiles were aplenty... and I won a pair of Sanuks! :D Just in time for my baby bro's birthday too!

Then it was off to El Yu at midnight on Friday. Left at midnight, arrived at 430am. Slept at 5, was putting sunblock on at 6:30. In the water by 7:30. Suffice it to say that it was three hours of super stoke -- friends in the line-up, 4 foot glassy peelers, sunshine, no jellyfish. The afternoon was filled with the costume surf contest, a lot of hanging out and prepping for the evening's concert... which by the way was likely the most amazing thing to happen for many a sexy surf beastie in the country.

Sunday: three hours at the Point, then got hit by the lazy stick and just hung out most of the afternoon with various peeps, using Kahuna's wifi to live Tweet photos.

On the road by 10pm and in Manila by 4am.

Too tired to paddle, too stoked to stop

One of the best all around sessions ever, ever, ever.

The Point was 6 foot on the face and kinda scary so we (Manang Mi, Roxy, JP Ong, Moro and I) opted for the milder waves at Bacnotan. 3-4 foot sets breaking both left and right. The left was sometimes giving 4-5 foot sets but those were closing out. The right (the one near the pier) was smaller but peeling. Waves barely had any juice but the walls were clean, the line-up was composed of friends and there was music blasting from the shore due to an ongoing competition.

Mia had a new (old) 8'1 balsa that is what I like to call a fun gun (okay, so I'm inventing my own terms). I was on Alexa Jazz, my 6'0 kite/hovercraft/fish. She and I swapped boards for a bit... and fell in love with each others' boards. So yes, we are board swingers! Haha.

I was out from 11am to 3pm... then back again from 4pm to sunset. And, like Vic said, I'm usually never that masipag. Unless I really, really like the conditions. (I'm kind of picky in that sense). I also have ZERO photos from that day. Hahaha.

It was one of those sessions where you catch a fun ride and, as you paddle back out filled with stoke, you watch your friend make the drop on yet another really fun wave... and you just know how stoked your friend is... so that adds to your own personal stockpile of stoke... and it just keeps going on like that until sunset. Too tired to paddle, too stoked to stop. Then you all pile in, drive back to San Juan and almost fall asleep while eating popcorn cos you're just that exhausted. And you know your body is going to be mean to you in the morning but you dont mind. It'll hurt... but it's the good kind of hurt. Those twinges in your back and shoulders that silently remind you of the session from the day before.

Good times.

Philippines Yearbook 2008: San Juan, La Union

This is an intro to the article I did for the Philippines Yearbook 2008 whose theme for the year is Travel and Adventure. Filled with informative activities throughout this awesome archipelago, supported by excellent photography from some of the country's best, the book as a whole is an excellent addition to any bookshelf. It makes a great gift as well.

LONGBOARDING IN LA UNION
Text and photos: Kage Gozun

San Juan, La Union is in the Ilocos Region. La Union itself is considered to be one of the gateway provinces that connect Southern Luzon to the Northern provinces. It is bordered to the north by Ilocos Sur and to the south by Pangasinan. Its eastern border is Benguent province and to the west is the South China Sea.

Surfing came relatively early to San Juan and in the last decade alone, a growing surf industry has been witnessed along the stretch beach in the town of Urbiztondo, San Juan, La Union. Most, if not all, of the residents living along this short strip of beach are part of the local surf community. Each household will have at least one member who surfs, teaches surfing or is a good friend of a surfer.

The laidback vibe has also attracted its fair share of foreigners, mostly of Japanese and Australian persuasion. Some have been living in town for over two decades and are considered as locals in the community.

A combination of an established surf industry and its accessibility from Manila has created one of the most tourist-friendly surf spots in Northern Luzon. Most would-be surfers choose travel to Urbiztondo simply because of the ready availability of boards, specifically longboards, for rent and instructors for hire. Beginners hooked on the sport but have no personal boards can easily rent one for the weekend.

The influx of beginners and students has also allowed for a longboarding culture to sprout in the water. Most of the local La Union surfers are equally adept at handling longboards as well as shortboards. It is not uncommon to find an equal amount of longboards and shortboards being ridden on any given day. Longboarding is in fact more commonly seen in La Union when compared to the other breaks nearby. In fact, the local La Union surfers have sort of a reputation for dominating longboard-related competitions and contests. And come the weekend, as more Manila longboarders pour out of cars and buses, expect to see more longboards sitting outside in the line-up.

Throughout the season, surf competitions are often held for both longboarders and shortboarders. But it is the annual international longboarding contest held town at the start of year that is the longest-running. . Run by long-term foreign residents in cooperation with the La Union Surf Club, the year 2008 will mark its tenth year in existence. The event is open to all people and has attracted its fair share of loyal followers who arrive each year to join the friendly competition.

For the rest of this... you'll have to buy the book.
For the rest of this, please go out and get yourself a copy of the yearbook. National Bookstore retails the yearbook for around Php1,800. Support your local travel writers and photographers!

A birthday in three parts

Part 1: The traditional salubong with the Crew. This year's venue: La Maison. This year's unexpected theme: Playing with Frames (aka Chino! Stop it na!) As usual walang photos ng food cos we were all playing catch up... and picking on Jen kasi sabi ni Chino masungit daw sya that night.

Part 2: The traditional early morning wakey wakey then, much later on, family dinner. Not a lot of photos from part 2 cos we were eating like 90% of the time. You must try Hula Hula in Shang Mall. It's the best! It is also owned by Red Crab so they have that menu plus a lot of new items. I love, love, love the Lemongrass & Coconut seafood soup. Every sip was a bit of heaven. And they also have their own version of Nasi Goreng that goes perfectly with my personal version of culinary heaven: Crabs Lillian (steamed crab in a coconut and chili sauce) Yum! Then we spent the weekend in La Union with Mama, Ton, Sug, Moro, Gigi and Jason. I didn't surf much over the weekend but I also didn't mind much.

Part 3: OMG!!! Super thanks to Moro, Dom and Aya for planning a surprise party for me! I was totally oblivious to their planning... and even when I arrived earlier than all the guests, I still didnt have a single clue. Hahahaha. This is the first time anyone has thrown a surprise party for me and I was super duper stoked.

For photos: http://kagey.multiply.com/photos/album/332/A_Birthday_in_Three_Parts

F- You Curfew!

Moro and I were just about to start a super yummy meal at Bellini's when they announced curfew on the news. (Curfew?! Gago ba sila?) So instead of savoring the dinner, we scarfed it down so we could meet up with Isa, Aids and Terence and hightail it out of the curfew zone. Our goal? Be out of Tarlac before midnight.

Aids was The Man, getting us past the last checkpoint at exactly 11:51pm. Nine minutes to spare! We tried to take a photo of the clock but it came out blurry so you'll just have to believe us.

Friday morning session -- you know how sometimes you feel switched off? I felt switched off. Couldn't seem to get my game on. Managed one ride that I was really stoked about but that seemed to be it. The afternoon session was so much better... I felt reconnected to my board and not as bummed as I was in the morning.

Saturday - the return of The Colony with two new 'brellas and coolers galore. Super crowded - and kind of dangerous - Bacnotan line-up. Dom's first five waves resulted in her getting hit five times by various boards. Hassle. It got to the point where I sacrificed rides for safety and sat myself at the very shoulder just so I could be away from the board traffic.

It cleared up a little after lunch and we managed to have fun without being afraid for ourselves and our boards.

Sunday was beach break and Point day as the swell had really died down. Crowded everywhere too as the grommets were done with their comp and could now freesurf to their hearts' content. At first I took the longboard out thinking I would have an edge over the groms. No cigar. I spent the rest of that day hanging out and watching the action from the beach.

Then it was time to pack up and head back down to Manila.

Highlights:
- JP Sarmiento's major wipe out at Hacienda
- Marnie turning out to be a rehab center worker
- Tin Terrible and the C-Class
- More apples and coco jam snackage! Spread the love!
- Seeing the Siargao & Baler groms again
- (For once) not minding that we were doing 160 in Tarlac

For photos: http://kagey.multiply.com/photos/album/316

Cover the World with Stoke

Super stoked weekend that more than made up for last weekend. It was firing everywhere! Saturday was all about Bacnorth Shore's wild, wild lefts and crazy impact zone if you went right. Stoked, stoked, stoked from my second wave. Tired from walking out and around and paddling back to the peak. The afternoon sesh lasted only 45 minutes but it was sobrang worth it! All of it was so worth it.

Ride of the day and comp champion? Tin Terible and her superdrop! :) Plus, the sunset colored our world bronze. Miko and I were padding back out when this set came through... first wave went to Marky and Phil... next one to Aston. Once they were past us, we resumed paddling... all of us glowing from that killer sunset.

Sunday began with rain. But the rain begat better swell. Heehee. We split the line-up between the Point, Carille and Bacnorth Shore and everyone came back so filled with stoke that if we could've bottled it and sold it, we'd have enough to buy the Indies Trader II. No kidding.

Bacnorth was unbelievable: wild, wild lefts at the rivermouth (shoulder to head high with overhead sets coming in every 15 minutes... and some paddle or die moments and of course, me & Phil sharing some white wash and laughing as we rode past the impact zone)... mellow rights at the pier (shoulder high and clean). Personal ride of the day? The first wave at the pier, dropping and slotting it in... with a mellow right hander peeling along. Haaaay! So much stoke that I dont know what to do with it. I think I might dance for a bit. Hahaha.

Spoiled by the North Swell (so far)

In the last five weeks we've been enjoying an amazing run with the North swell season.

Joncy's Birthday
We kicked the first of a series of long weekends with "the event of the year." It wasn't an official MSA event. But it was a major event without peer... Joncy's Fabulous Fete! Loads of food, a big-screen projector, a sound system and over 30 cases of booze. Yan ang birthday party!

Also over the weekend: super stoked sessions for everyone at both the Point and Bacnotan (Dom/Aya: I used Alexa all weekend!) ... Olracs' birthday... ice cream sessions on the beach (Pinipig Brazo de Mercedes the best!) ... and the boys all trooping down to vote for Kuya Enteng on Monday.

Best conversation of the long weekend?
Buji: Ang sarap ng alon!
Nica: What?
Buji: The waves were delicious!

We drove home Monday night to spend two days in Manila then packed our bags again to head up for another long weekend in La Union.

Reunion Weekend/Surfing Break 2
This particular weekend was a major reunion for me. In attendance were my first ever surf buddies (Daddy Alex, Rico, Al, Ter, Gab, Bjorn Pabon, Pao, Killer, Lui, Mama Amanda), the new crew (the Sarmientos, Gamboas, ToPhil, Del, Marky, Tin Terible etc) and most of the apartment gang (Earl, Roxy, Joncy, Viva, Doc, Adda, Olracs, Quito), the weekend ampons (Isa, Aids, Jam, BJ, Lib)... plus basically almost everyone else. Note to Aya and Dom: I missed you girls super much but I'm glad that you guys had an excellent week in Baler!

One day of 11am to 6pm and then two days of 9am to 6pm in Bacnotan. Ginawang opisina ang Bacnotan e. Hehe. Coolers and pink umbrellas rock! "The Colony" sharing ice, beer, food and stoke. Two "comps" with no rules... except no stretching. Haha. Super fun sessions on Alexa, who is still running faster than I am. But we're getting there, slowly... but we are.

The one and only time I brought out the D-200 was also the one day that the Point looked unphotogenic! Haha. Wild waves for the comp ... as in wild with an h. WHILD. Check my multiply account to gaze at the craziness that was the comp's waves.

Congratulations to the winners of this year's event:
Moro for Men's Open
Kaw Kaw for Expression Session
Bilmar for Grommets

Which brings us to the Back to BacNorth Shore weekend!

Yay! Another surf weekend with good friends, good waves and great vibes!

Scored waves in Bacnotan in between shoot sessions with the Aloha team. Special thanks to Phil, Lemon and Doc Mark, the witnesses of my nice Bacnotan rides. Aya's sexy snap. JP dropping in on Aston thrice in twenty minutes. Bic vs Paddleboard? The paddleboard always wins.

Paddle or die? Paddle! Tired from walking around and paddling back out? Find a longboarder and beg them to tow you for a bit. And never forget to bring your snack box and cooler!

Champion of this weekend's comp: Phil "Switchfoot Ampota" Santiago.

post-script: Nagiinarte ang skin asthma ko at tinatanong na ako sa office kung baket ako mukhang leopard. Halos lahat ng meals namin galing sa de lata kasi sobrang budget na yung weekend namin. Lutang sa opisina ngayon kasi puyat sa biyahe. Pero stoked naman! Woot, woot!

And PLUGGING our surf school: Mayat Ti Daluyon offers surf lessons and board rentals in San Juan, La Union. For more information check out http://tajmoro.multiply.com

From La Maison to La Union

Started the weekend with birthday lunch for my brother at La Maison (got free birthday brownies!!! Woot, woot!) then off to La Union for another weekend of sunshine and surf.

The Point was glassy and big and peeling and perfect. Getting out was the opposite. Wild. One million duck dives plus extra strong current. So... I went to Bacnotan instead. Hahahaha. Same thing for Sunday. It was smaller there but so much easier to get out to the line-up. .

Highlights:
- Akaw Daluyon is now in the hospital :( His deck buckled while Moro was using him at the Point so now he is in the loving hands of Aki Akinaga, the Yoda of LU Surfing.
- Angel made a special batch of turon for dinner. Sobrang sarap!
- Scored three extra stoke rides that I continue to replay in my head
- The standard LU sunset never fails to take my breath away.
- Lunch at Hacienda this weekend came with sinigang! Woohoo! Love sinigang.
- Hangin' out with Paolo Babycakes ni Bjorn Soler again. It's been too long Pao. Glad to see you back in the line-up.
- Moro shredding on his new 7S superfish (no name yet)
- The ride home with only me in the backseat of the Santa Fe = snoozing the whole way down to Manila.

North Swell Na 'To!

First long weekend of the 'ber months! :) Chest high with shoulder high sets at both the beach break and the Point. Clean and glassy. Surprisingly not that crowded. Longboard days (taba nung alon!). Scored a super good ride Friday morning that set the mood for the rest of the weekend. And got some fish time in too on Sunday morning.

Rode home with Joncy and his new surfmobile. Not a lot of photos cos we were in the water A LOT.

Some things that weren't photographed but are worth mentioning:
- A full rainbow during the Saturday afternoon session. One end at Surfmaid, the other at Hacienda :)
- My view of Lemon clapping for me as I made that awesome drop :) Moro on the inside yelling at me to keep charging it. Hihihi.
- Daisy framed by the sunset, sitting on her board in the line-up.
- Super good lunch at Hacienda -- inihaw na manok with adobong bamboo shoots for only P75!
- The new lights in the driveway of Surfers' Inn.
- Carla Sebastian charging the beach break on her fifth time surfing.
- Two seven year olds getting their first tastes of stoke for three whole days.

Check out this album for the snapshots.

Sakit vs Surfing: LU Weekend Sessions

Finally made it back to La Union!

Saturday morning surf check showed blown out beach break with strong current. You'd start paddling in front of surf camp and end up in front of Surf Maid if you werent careful. So... no. Breakfast na lang muna while the big boys paddle out.

After lunch we checked out Carille. Unfortunately it was working. Dammit. I dont like Carille cos the water tends to be hella dirty. Especially after a big rain has just washed debris downriver. Syempre, ulan ng ulan di ba? So ang dumi nga nung tubig. To top it all of I was on the second day of surfing the crimson wave. Hello open cervix!

But no... ang ganda nung alon!!! Long rides, uncrowded line-up, clean walls. Aaaargh. Double Dammit. It took me an hour to convince myself that one session was not going to be worth the hassle of having to buy meds. So yan... chinika ko na lang lahat ng tao doon while watching enviously as people took off on waves that were not scary. Hay.

Sunday morning we loaded up and decided to do a swell check. Kung saan saan kami umabot. Hanggang Poro Point naghahanap kami ng alon ("mas mura daw babae pag umaga") but no. So we ended up heading to my favorite La Union beach break... also known to forum posters as "Aldrix's backyard."

Sobrang panalo!!! Steady, mellow waves with occassional overhead sets. Clean walls. Easy drops. The tiniest hint of a current. Uncrowded line-up. Lefts AND Rights. CHAMPION.

Even Lor was stoked and temporarily forgot the loss of her bag. Jong was back in the line-up, test driving his shoulder (welcome back Jong, well done). Attorney Ely was cruising on the smaller sets plugged into his tunes. Plus Olracs and I had many Guarana moments (as well as nice long right handers).

It more than made up for my non-session Saturday. No photos cos... well, no photos.

This was the kind of session I had been looking to have for almost a month na. The search for fun waves... yun na yun. Saya man.

Aldrix - Sa uulitin!

Indie Long Weekend in La Union

Where do I even begin? Hmmm...

1. Moved out of the Yeah, Yeah house and across the street to Surfers' Inn
2. Used my new Pentax Optio W30
3. Surfed Bacnotan Saturday and Sunday then scored big time at the "isang spot natin" on Monday.
4. Turned over photog duties to Coy

Lent my Tamron lens to Coy for the long weekend and he was nice enough to shoot us surfing in between his own surf sessions. Next time Coy, take turns tayo para may kuha ka din sa tubig. :)

Memo to self: next time, don't think of Coy shooting! Nakaka-conscious pala... I was more invested in making sure my tummy wasn't sticking out than I was in turning my board. Hahahaha. Next time, next time.

Again... big ups to Coy for shooting these excellent images of stoke in action.

5. Got Mang Bong to finally have a surf lesson!
6. Listened to the Jellyfish song
7. Got sprayed with vinegar in the eye by Phil, then later sprayed with dirty rainwater in the face by Raf.
8. Got to use a 9'1, 9'0 6'6, 6'0 and an 8'4 at different points in the weekend. ;)
9. Pimped Millie's clothes
10. Had an awesome awesome surf trip. Woot, woot!

For photos check out this album

Holy Week in La Union

This year I went up to LU for Holy Week. The weekend before, I rode up with Aya, Philip, JP and Miko. They were there to pick up their longboards, I was there to drop off my Holy Week supplies. There were super baby waves that we kinda surfed but mostly, we were in the water just to keep cool. Until Miko smelled, then spotted, the dead rat floating nearby. Next thing you know, we're all getting showered and clean and heading to CSI for lunch and aircon.

I was back in Manila (and work) for two days, leaving to return to LU with Buji, Nikki, Earl, Migs, Tweet, Heart and Jing late on Tuesday night. Buji drove their refurbished VW Combi. Super cute. Unfortunately it broke down and we were delayed by almost three hours. We finally made it to LU at 9 in the morning.

Mid-week swell led to baby waves followed by the fear of a total flat spell for the weekend. My mom followed on Good Friday with a couple of her friends. I was thinking we'd get her on a board since the waves were super small. But no! She didn't want to try it just yet. Maybe next time daw. She met up with a friend there who took her around and invited her to their beach house. So, at least she wasnt bored di ba?

Easter Sunday we were blessed with 2-3 foot solid waves at The Point! So...

1. nagka-alon and
2. a lot of us had gone home na the night before so
3. I actually surfed The Point
4. with maybe 10-12 other people lang!

First I was using Doc's magic longboard and then after a few rides, I swapped with Joncy and he let me borrow his wonderful fish. (Thankies muchly to Doc and Joncy for the use of the boards). My boards (Pandora, Alex and even the newly named S9 Sage had gone home na ahead of me. Hehe).

In between the surfing: naps in the kubo, episodes of Heroes and Prison Break, nasty jellyfish stings, watching 300 again, cooking at the ancestral apartment of Viva and Doc, adopting Jam in the Yeah, Yeah house, having Mama spend the weekend in LU, the difference between sunblock and suntan, karaoke and jamming with Atty Ely, sushi ala Takahashi and a very steady ride home with Moro, Beej and Perez.

A Birthday Blog.

January is my birthday month. January 3rd to be specific. It's kind of a big letter month for The Crew since there are four of us who celebrate: me then Peewee on the 4th, then there's a huge break and then Jay and Dicey on the 26th and 28th respectively.


Over the years certain traditions have naturally evolved:

One is that my parents wake me up at 3 in the morning because I was born at around that time. They bring in a cake, with a candle ready for wishing on. There is singing. And, of course, there are hugs and kisses. Once I was still awake so I pretended to be asleep when I heard them coming to my door. Another is that I meet my birthday at midnight accompanied by The Crew and I have a dinner everyone on the 3rd itself.

This year was a small break from these traditions as I had a lot of relatives visiting for the holidays. They were in Boracay til lunchtime of the 3rd so they was no ceremonious waking of the birthday girl. BUT they did all call me anyway during my blended salubong (had dinner with the Crew at Penang Hill and drinks with everyone else at Grilla, reserving my actual birthday for family) ... and there was singing and greeting and virtual hugging.

At Bellini's for the big 3-0.

My cake was served not in the dead of the early morning hours. Instead it came -- warm and fragrant -- at the end of a delicious meal at Bellini's. Cake in the morning or cake at night is all the same to me when it is presented with love that I can feel 24 hours of the day.

But I digress.

The most recent tradition (in that this is only the second year I've ever enacted it) is I take off for a surf trip the weekend closest to my birthday. Last year I went with Zeny and Kathy. This year, I took my cousins for one last beach trip before they left for the States. My brother and his girlfriend followed for the day on Saturday to collect on free surf lessons Moro had promised them as their Christmas gifts. (I know I am going to digress again but I just have to mention that Saturday morning, we arrived at Bacnotan for their lessons to find that, save for two other beginners taking lessons, we were the only people there. Dom and her friends had been there earlier and were just about to head back to Urbiztondo... leaving the beach break to us. Woohoo!)

I wrapped up my birthday week with a visit to Skinworks (owned by my favorite tattoo artist Rikki Sta Ana) where my cousins Mark and Justin got inked. While they waited their turn, I wandered around the pet section of Cartimar, pretending I could afford to buy an adorable black Shar Pei, a chocolate Labrador, another pair of Ringneck Parrots and 50 gallon saltwater tank. (In real life I bought a darling gerbil to keep my other gerbil company. The new gerbil I've named Latte and he is currently co-existing with my other gerbil Macchiatto whose dear friend Espresso passed away before Christmas. Then there were the 8 parakeets for my mom that we haven't tried to name yet.)

Dinner saw us at Leslie's in Tagaytay. But before that, a quick pit stop at the Speedo outlet in Sta Rosa where I scored two new bikini bottoms and one top for a steal and my brother scored reef shoes for P750. At Leslie's, the wind was cold and the fog was deep. Never had their sizzling bulalo and accompanying soup tasted better!

And so ended the birthday week.

For more photos click this

Sunday Sessions in Ter's Front Yard

It was the second day of Rimat Ti Amianan. But since I hadn't surfed all weekend (and some of my friends wanted lessons), Moro and I followed Aya, Philip, Nicola, Ter and the Gabs to a supposedly secret spot.

Well, it's not a super secret but to respect the local boys who call this their "backyard" I am not going to say where we were. Ter calls it the Front Yard. I called it Yeah, Yeah Piggery. Someone else likes to call it Boracay Station 7. What do the locals call it? That's the secret part. ;-)

Suffice it to say we had a great day of sunshine, surf and good vibes. Dont believe me? Check this out then photos

What's On: Expat article

As published in an edition of What's On: Expat (November 2006)

For photos please go to this gallery.

SURFING LA UNION

La Union's Surfing Break, spearheaded by The Dept of Tourism Region 1 Office and The Provincial Government of La Union in cooperation with Power Up and the La Union Surf Club was billed as a four-day pre-Halloween surf camp. On the schedule for the long weekend were surf lessons handled by the local surfers of La Union, frisbee clinics courtesy of the Philippine Ultimate Association and wall-climbing basics brought to the beach by Power Up. Thrown in just for the fun of it was a speed climbing exhibition and an all-locals surf competition. All backed by the ska and reggae tunes of various bands, top-billed by Coffeebreak Island.

For regular La Union weekend warriors, such as myself, it sounded like a circus was about to roll through their favorite surf getaway. Suspicions ran high that there was going to be a crowd. The cordoned-off Tent City set up along the beach may have been the first clue as to how many people had truly shown up to take part of the event. The rare sight of concession stalls selling everything from bikinis to cold beers was likely the second indication. And for the truly dense, the two hundred beginners that had signed up for the first batch of lessons on Saturday sealed the deal.

La Union locals took turns teaching half-hour sessions that covered the basics in board safety, paddling and popping up. Starting on the beach, amped beginners learned about the proper stance and position before heading out to the water to try it out "for real."

As luck would have it, the waves had picked up in size and the current was stronger than usual. But it didn't seem to matter to the students as they got their first taste of surfing's elusive stoke. Meanwhile, beachgoers ran up and down a bordered area set aside specifically for the Frisbee enthusiasts. And further up the shoreline, eye-catching in its 20 foot glory, stood the Power Up climbing wall, already dotted with climbers and would-be climbers alike.

With all this activity going on, it seemed only fit to pop a cold beer, sit on the beach with some friends and let it all buzz around us.

The second day of the event was just as alive as the first. A seemingly endless amount of energy was pouring forth from participants and organizers alike. Beginners were given the beach to themselves as more advanced waveriders took cars and jeeps out to other surf spots. Not even the prospect of the oncoming typhoon could dampen the rising spirits of the crowd.

Forces of nature are stronger than sheer good vibes and along with the darkening Sunday sky came the first signs of rain. The scheduled Battle of the Bands was postponed due to the inclement weather and the Power Up team took down the climbing wall to reduce the risk of having a Milenyo-esque accident happen.

Typhoon Paeng rolled through La Union at about 3am. People woke up to a slate gray, overcast and chilly day. A decision was made to hold off the last of the surf clinics until the weather got better later on in the day. Freed from their coaching duties, the local boys took to the water to get in precious practice time in preparation for their competition the next day. Huddled under hoodies and sipping hot coffee, their students watched in frank admiration of true surfing skill.

After lunch, the first rays of sun began to break though the canopy of clouds. The current calmed down enough to resume the last batch of lessons. Impromptu frisbee teams were created for a fun game and the ever-intrepid wall climbers began re-assembling the Power Up wall.

The high point of the day came when the sun went down… and the bands set up at Sebay Resort for the ska and reggae party. Headlining the night's party was Coffeebreak Island, who played to a crowd of thrumming and thumping bodies all ready to let loose and have fun.

Tuesday was slow in coming. It was as though it knew that it marked the end of the La Union Surfing Break. Come that evening, bags would be packed, cars loaded, buses boarded… all bound for Manila again.

But before the sad business of ending a great surf weekend, there was the spectacle of witnessing great surfing. Grommets on shortboards paddled into head-high waves, all vying for that champion's trophy and bragging right. Next came the big boys and girls of La Union. The Men's Open Longboard and the Wahine Longboard divisions showed the grommets what levels of surfing they should aspire for. Saving the best for last, La Union Surf Club showcased their seeded surfers in both long and shortboard divisions in a friendly expression session.

It was a fitting end for a weekend that was mellow yet slightly frenetic. It was the kind of weekend that leaves you tired but wanting more. A feeling long time surfers have grown accustomed to and one that will soon become familiar to the newly baptized brethren of wave riders.

SIDEBAR:

Where: Urbiztondo, San Juan is the best place to head to for a weekend of surfing.

How: Buses leave for La Union on an almost hourly basis. The most popular of which is Partas. Get on a bus heading towards Laoag and get down at San Fernando, La Union. Alternately, you can cut some time off your travels by telling the conductor to let you off in front of Sebay Resort.

Driving up is another option. With the expansion of the North Luzon Expressway, the trip can be done in 5 hours.

Learn: Lessons can be booked through the various resorts and as well as through the La Union Surf Club. In Manila, boards and lessons can be booked through Fiveforty Surf Company.

Stay: There are several surf camps and resorts that line the stretch in front of Urbiztondo's beach break. Among the most popular are San Juan Surf Resort (Google-able) Hacienda Resort (no reservations, first come, first served) and Surfers Inn (mobile: 09285588265).