our secret garden

so here it is... our stay in la union is winding down. we're outta here on the 25th (or the 26th). we're not sure yet where the next stay will be. some ideas being thrown around are a trip out to indo or thailand for a few weeks before the xmas holidays. we wanted to go to australia since it's closer from here and since i've got family there but the prices are OUTRAGEOUS! so we nixxed that thought.

it's still kinda surreal to me that we've gone on this adventure.... or shall i say life break. we've gotten very comfortable with relaxation. luckily curtis and i aren't sick of each other yet. the swell has been missing the last few weeks so curtis hasn't been surfing and i haven't learned how to surf yet. in its absence we've been playing treasure hunt in tide pools around here. the tide has been very low and all kinds of fun things are exposed on the beach.

i know some of you are thinking .. how can they do this? or i wish i could do that too. or if only we can afford that ... or well.. if we didn't have kids. i know i know i know. but i was on that side of the fence too. heck, i thought the same thing up until 2 days after we got on the plane. i thought we were crazy! but it's the best decision we've made. i'm so glad. and thanks to everyone for supporting us through this. it wasn't an easy decision but i'm telling you, anyone can make this shift. it's about managing priorities more than anything. there are some amazing stories out there of people who have done the same with a lot less.

anyway, i promised to share some pictures of our little hideaway, our secret garden... the garden plage. (landscapes are not really my thing photographically, these pictures don't do the place nearly as much justice as it deserves). thank you so much to tita marilyn, tito nap, lola and the wonderful staff for taking care of us like family. if ever you need a place to stay out here in san juan la union... call tita marilyn 0927.607.5943 they also rent out the place for special occassions such as wedding receptions and parties.

first impressions

we arrived in san juan, la union after a looooooong 170+ mile drive from manila.  we left at 4 in the morning to avoid the usual traffic.  it was a sleepy 5 hour drive for curtis and i who had been up all night drinking and playing pool with my cousins. thank god for mang willie, our driver, who got us there safely and quickly.  for my cali friends and fam.. i know that 5 hours for 170+ miles sounds kinda long.  try to remember that the roads here are not as smooth, wide or accessible as the long stretches of CA freeways.  trust me when i say 5 hours was fast.

we arrived on a saturday morning and despite the beauty of it all, i am embarrassed to say that we spent the next 4 hours in bed fast asleep.  when we got up we hastily put our belongings away and started exploring the new diggs.  it's the weekend, people are in from the city ready to enjoy the scenery and get some surf lessons.  our new home is right on the beach and a few steps away from a string of surf resorts.  we sauntered over to observe the activity and get our bearings.

the series of pictures below gives you a taste of our first week here ...

a jeepney over looks the ocean like a contemplative surfer.

kids are kids no matter which side of the world they are on.  these two are new found acquiantances exploring beach life together.

to the left is a reef diver coming up for air.  on the right is a daylight shot of the moon watching over the surfers down below (taken at about 7am).  hold your surprise... yes, curtis and i have been getting up at 6 am almost every morning to get him into the water and ready to surf.  eat your heart out bobby! :D

creatures large and small, our companions in this new home.  btw... isn't that an interesting mohawk on that caterpillar?  (i'm talking about the yellow thing not curtis).  i've got a video of it too.

an ocean filled with treasures.  our collection of finds.

the beach entrance, the gateway to home.  please note that the 2 pictures below are not photoshopped at all.  the white balance setting on the camera was set to auto.  the yellow tinge on those pictures is what brought us out that afternoon with a camera.  i thought for sure that there was a fire nearby.  the last time i saw the sky this yellow was when the fires were blazing in the california mountains.  as it turns out, the only blaze was the sun setting and the clouds were reflecting all the color around us.

the view from our favorite spot, a hammock in the palapa.  it's the best place to have a nap.  the wind rocks gently and the steady sound of the crashing waves play in the background lulling you to peaceful sleep.

and as the sun begins to set we are thankful for another day and look forward to more fun tomorrow.  oh and we need to decide what's for breakfast.