Negosyo Con Ehersisyo

Here are some of the usual activities I’ve seen so far down Legazpi City Boulevard:

walking   jogging  running  stretching,       

dancing  swimming  laughing   meditating,   

sightseeing and more..

With all these goings-on, one thing is booming as observed –trading

As visitors of Legazpi City Boulevard increase, the early-riser entrepreneurs likewise seem to double in number – and quite rapidly. From fresh seafoods to kakanin vendors, these small business oriented individuals take advantage of the opportunity to augment their livelihood.

For cholesterol-conscious people, seafoods lift their moods. For cleansing and refreshing, buko juice is welcome refreshment. For the hungry and exhausted, delicacies or kakanin satisfies the intestine. For those who are still sleepy and cold, hot coffee strengthens the knee and wakens the slumbering spirit. But wait, I think I haven’t seen a familiar guy... Calling Mister Donut.

Here are some possible business opportunities: bikes for rent, pet keepers (because dogs run faster than owners), photographer with instant printing or saving to USB or directly uploading to Facebook account (this could be novel since Facebook is more popular than Ely’s Studio), umbrella or raincoat for rent (why not), how about ipod… never mind. The list is endless.  But one thing is free… the scenery.

Health is wealth and wealth is health.

Omeo’s Future in Legazpi City's Vision

There is a proposed plan by the City Government of Legazpi to develop the area near the right side of Kapuntukan Hill as a commercial hub: Awakening the Sleeping Lion. It would be an extension of another business district making it a modern icon of commerce as well as a tourist destination for Legazpi City. It could just as well mean the realization of the dream of Mother Nature meeting Mr. Development.

It started with Embarcadero and continued with the recently constructed Legazpi City Boulevard where families, friends and tourists gather themselves to embrace nature in a healthy way.  

I’m so glad to hear this news from Eych as I fervently hope that people would also be interested to look into the proposal to develop my place. It’s been a while since I began narrating myself to you. Eych named me Omeo which means ‘hill’ and Omeoleo is a shortcut for Omeo Legazpeño. Some of you might have already enjoyed viewing my place through available pictures and videos. And with the 180-degree panoramic view, I guarantee it is indeed a rare place to find in Legazpi City. 

In the aerial photos courtesy of Ian Varona and Dex Baldo, the red polygon figure right above Macabalo River is actually my location. You may also notice that the area inside the yellow line within the perimeter is still vacant and is a great place to explore other possibilities. While the adjacent areas are among the best subdivisions in town, the Ridgeview Subdivision is certainly where the affluent reside and unwind.  

In my article, Opportunities and Beyond, some of the possible amenities I mentioned there include  hotel, spa, restaurant, cable cars among others. I also created a story (Mind Travel To Omeo) of how a tourist or vacationer may feel if given a chance to visit the place. The Macabalo River down below can also be developed into a romantic avenue for lovers as described in ‘Riverside-dish’. I would also suggest to the local government to revive the legend of Kapuntukan Hill (hopefully my version) and include it in the Ibalong Festival, or better yet make a separate mini festival as tribute to the coastal icon.  

My vision and ultimate goal is to share to everyone God’s given beauty surrounding me and yes, us. Hopefully in the future this vision together with Legazpi City’s vision will be realized to provide Legazpeños and tourists a premium experience of fun and delight.

Here is the site from different angles taken from Google Earth.

My Vista Is Changing: from Beach to Boulevard

It wasn’t so long ago when the sight of excited children running in the sand and performing antics before taking a plunge in the cold gleaming water greeted me every sunny morning.   These children and their folks are mostly residents of the nearby shore. Not the tourist-destination kind of beach, but just the regular coastline stretching along the southern part of Albay Gulf.

Then slowly but quite steadily, progress and development caught up with the tide and ushered in changes. What was once only a figment of imagination turned into a remarkable reality. It started with Embarcadero de Legazpi. With its construction, also came endless opportunities.  And as the dream continues we see how the once far-flung and remote areas of Southern Legazpi become easily accessible.

Legazpi City Boulevard was born. For the conservatives, the project is viewed negatively as it seems to alter the course of nature. We all know however that Nature oftentimes alters itself. Change is inevitable and life on Earth is but temporary. I’ve witnessed so many changes in my entire existence from man-made alterations to Nature’s own display of destruction. So I consider these developments as nothing but mere specks from a grand design in a world too old to evolve anew but young enough to adapt.

Yes, I will miss those kids I’ve grown accustomed to seeing every morning by the shore.  But the picture replacing the scene is proving to be much more fascinating.  The sight of people from all ages suddenly embracing a healthy lifestyle is really amazing. Families and friends, tourists and vacationers together with their pets all come together to exercise, jog or simply witness the sun fold and unfold. Legazpi City Boulevard has become a great place to spend the early mornings and the late afternoons, a perfect spot to rejuvenate physically and emotionally and to while away the hours, far from the exhausting landscape of typical highways.

Just a note though, I still see kids occasionally swimming in a small area of the boulevard. I don’t know if it was designed primarily for that purpose. But I do hope the Local Government of Legazpi will designate larger and safer area for kids to mingle and play just like the old days.

The Biggest Creature Ever To Walk In Albay (20x larger than dinosaurs)

The most popular legend in Albay is undoubtedly the story of Mayon Volcano or Mt. Mayon. But we’ve hardly heard of the epic about the mighty guardian of Legazpi. He was the most feared creature ever to walk in Albay. I’ve witnessed how he protected the inhabitants and saved our place from destruction.

Here’s my version of the story. Once upon a time, the whole Albay Province was doomed, as fear and terror cloaked the place. Monsters thrived everywhere. Human inhabitants and domestic animals were almost at the brink of extinction. To salvage the thinning race, people sought refuge in caves and burrows hundreds of feet below. They organized and planned carefully how to defend the place and to search for food. Although they had vegetables and crops that can grow without sunlight, those were not enough. They needed to hunt and look for alternative foods.

Most of the time, however, their efforts were futile. In some instances, someone even had to sacrifice to let a few survive. The leader of the tribe couldn’t take it anymore. Something needs to be done he said. The leader then gathered the group and made his life-to-death announcement. He will try to talk to the gods and beg for their help. It was a risky mission but there was no other choice. He brought with him ten of his best soldiers and headed to the outside world and to face the danger and challenges that await them. They fought, hid and ran until half the men were lost.

There was only one access to the house of gods and that was through a big, long vine extending upward from my back to the clouds. They successfully reached my place, and though exhausted, they never wasted time and instead tried with all their might to climb the vine. After hours of breathtaking ascend, they finally arrived and asked permission from the guards to talk to the gods. Soon after, they were in the presence of the gods. Kneeling and paying homage before them, they showered the gods with gifts and offerings.

The loving gods accepted their pleas, raised their arms and uttered some words. A dark cloud formed above the ocean and a flash of sharp light struck the water with utmost force creating a tremendous sound. As the water calmed down, a huge creature slowly emerged from the water as if waking up from a long slumber. It surveyed the area and made a deafening roar, which shook the whole place.

The monsters, when they learned about it, were not intimidated. Instead, they grouped themselves into hundreds of troops and in a concerted effort, attacked the creature. But the creature was just too big and too strong for them. The battle lasted an hour, after which, less than a quarter of the ones dominating monsters retreated and never looked back.

The crowd cheered as well as the gods. The leader thanked the gods as they prepared to descend. But the gods reminded them that it would be their last face-to-face encounter with humans albeit assurances that the creature will stay long to guard them.

Just after they touched the ground, a strong whirlwind forcefully uprooted the vine and fell down directly beside me creating a long channel people now call, Macabalo River. Peace and joy reigned over the entire town. Even the ferocious dinosaurs were afraid to challenge the creature they call, Untuk.

The presence of Untuk even while asleep drove the enemy away. Because of the absence of threat, Untuk finally has gone into deep sleep for thousands of years up to now. Even to this day we know not when and how Untuk will be back. Maybe someday when threat is imminent, the gods will strike Untuk’s ass once more to wake it up and protect us.

Today, Legazpeño called him Kapuntukan Hill or what is more popularly known as the Sleeping Lion.

Macabalo River

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime

Riverside Dish

I don’t know if it is already part of the local government’s plan in line with the development of Legazpi City Boulevard within the coastline, to rehabilitate the river across it. In my opinion, there is indeed a potential to develop the riverside commercially, especially within the hillside, without disturbing ecosystem.

If you’ve been to places like Paris, Vienna and other tourist destination, as Mr. Wind had told me, riverside amenities like restaurants are common hangouts for people who wanted to get in touch with nature romantically.

Imagine after engaging in a particularly tiring and sweat-oozing activity, you and your partner now retires to a place where you can chill out and while away from the busy streets and into a romantic place where mellowness is the motif of the night. The bright city lights would be replaced instead by candle lights flickering in tune with jazz music enveloping the peaceful river.

To make this place convenient and accessible, it would be better to build a road along the hillside and upgrade the footbridge connecting the two sides to make it strong enough to accommodate vehicles.

But for now, I have another suggestion. Why not organize a campaign drive to clean up the river like the ‘Run for Pasig River’. It would not only be healthy but environmentally trendy as well. How about ‘Takbo Para Sa Macabalo’. Although, the river is not as polluted as the Pasig River, we can give this river a new brand for ecotourism.

Mind Travel To Omeo

Let’s assume you are a tourist or vacationer who chose to stay at Omeo Hotel where the 180 degrees of panoramic view enticed you to pick this place. From airport to this place, you may have traveled by road. Luckily, you get the best room available overlooking the views, a notch higher than what you’ve expected. You then rest for a while and decide to survey the surrounding area later after a quick nap. Down the hill, you see activities of lovers, families and friends slowing down the time or burning up some fats through walking or jogging. Why not also try some sprinting you may say. Then you see cars dangling above, one descending and the other ascending in two-way lane cables. Within couple of minutes, you now see yourself suspended at hundred feet going down slowly and able to reach the ground in less than 5 minutes, make some warm-ups and there you are ready to zoom.

While jogging, as the sun settles down to the West and call it a day, you see the sky on the far left turn into a masterpiece. Painting the sky with colors of orange, magenta and blue from the brushstrokes of a master impressionist, highlighting the now darker Mt. Mayon. A cool ocean breeze begins to blow giving you a sense of belonging which made you stop, face the endless blue sea, close your eyes and take a long deep breath. You feel the chill and flashes of memories awash your consciousness. It’s good to be back in the presence of Mother Nature once again. Sweat dripping from forehead down after an hour of strides, it’s time to return to your room and have a warm shower. You take the same route back to your hotel via cable car. As you rest for 10 ten minutes in the veranda, Mr. Moon is already peeping from a distant horizon radiating like a big yellow incandescent bulb all set to illuminate the night. 180-degree 

The warm water quite relaxes your muscle still stiff from accumulated stress. Later you learned that they also offer Thai massage and spa. Within minutes, your muscle is dragging you outside in an open session room, a simple nipa hut with beds and accessories overlooking the ocean and the lighted boulevard down below. Mr. Moon is now at 45 degrees above with beams brighter than ever.

The suave pressure on your back from gentle hands is so soothing but what makes it more than satisfying is the background music blended with the natural live sounds of sea waves and noisy crickets as well as the splendid vista. After the session, you’ve never felt so light before. Lightness? Or is it because tummy boy screams a recharge? You remember then that you haven’t taken your snack this afternoon and tummy boy starts to wail.

In the adjacent area, a seafood restaurant awaits you and the delightful aroma only makes the screaming louder with drooling. You ordered grilled squid and ‘kinilaw na ampalaya’ and you eat like there’s no tomorrow. Tummy boy is now full and at peace. After the lavish meal, you ordered hot flavored Lipton tea and bring it up to your room. In your veranda, your hot tea compliments the cool air. For another half an hour, before gravity pulls down your eyelids, you savor the scenery, reflect on yourself and the future and sing aloud your final song for day…how wonderful life is when you’re in the world.