The Extreme Water Slides of White Rock Subic

This will be my last blog post featuring my family’s recent visit in White Rock Resort in Subic, else other people may already think that I am being paid to promote the place. :)

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STRICTLY SPEAKING, White Rock Resort in Subic is not a water theme park (like Splash Island along SLEx in San Pedro/Biñan, Laguna). But it offers a pleasant surprise to people who, not unlike myself, love the thrill of extreme water slides.

It features not one, not two, but three extreme water slides.

First is the Rampage Slide, which is simply a 45-degree slide from a height of approximately 50 feet (about the height of an 8-story building), and ends in a shallow pool.

Next is the Super-Bowl Slide, which starts from the same approximately 8-story platform of the Rampage Slide and goes down a long barrel slide which is about 80-100 feet long. The barrel slide dumps into a huge “bowl” where you continue to slide around a couple of times before getting literally flushed down the middle and into a 5-foot deep pool.

Lastly, there’s the See-Saw Slide which may look deceivingly “easy” to some, but guarantees a big scare with its initial “dead drop.” Continue reading

Some quarter of a century and 50 pounds ago

HERE’S another recent find I made from my pile of old documents and photographs. This one is already in a very bad state. A couple more years and I may not be able to salvage it anymore.

Hey that’s my ever cool Nanay Paz, looking like she was going to the “disco” with that skinny, drug-addict-looking guy beside her.

But wait… that skinny guy is… was… ME!

BELIEVE IT OR NOT! LOL!

 

Revisiting White Rock

OCTOBER 13, 2012 – My family visited White Rock for the 2nd time in about 3 years. The first time was also our first visit to this popular Subic resort.

Generally speaking, not much has changed since our first visit, although a lot of renovations and expansions are presently going on during our second visit, presumably in preparation for the coming tourism peak seasons in December-January and March-May.

I did notice some notable additions.

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Cesar who?

“HOW DO YOU pronounce Cesar’s surname, Daddy?”

Marielle’s question came from nowhere. It’s one of those typical off-tangent questions from our kids that seem to be coming more and more often, challenging our wits and, at times, our sanity.

It was a usual Habagat-soaked morning in August and we were all preparing for the day ahead – the kids to school, their mom to her office in Makati, and I to where I fancy to work that day.

“Cesar who?” I asked absentmindedly, a bit annoyed.

“Cesar, the secretary?” Marielle replied matter-of-factly.

“Secretary?” This exchange was starting to annoy me a bit. Meanwhile, her disinterested mom wouldn’t care to butt in, and I couldn’t blame her. She knew she would be dragged into a potentially impossible conversation.

“Cesar, the Secretary of Finance.” She blurted out incredulously, as if wondering why I was so slow to comprehend such a simple, basic question that any 9-year-old is sure to understand. Continue reading

Stinky Cody – The New Dog in the House

Cody, our stinky, new dog.

Cody is our new pet dog in the house.

Cody is the realization of several months of painful contemplation on whether we will have a second dog or not. We’ve had protracted debates, my xGF and I, on whether to have a second dog or not. Are we responsible enough dog-owners? Can we take care of a second dog? Can we give it the same (or more) love and care we have given Mario, our first dog? Does Mario like to have another dog in the house?

Our primary consideration is Mario. Having been with us for almost three years now, we’ve always wondered how melancholic his days must have been without anyone to play (or even fight) with. My xGF and I see him only in the evenings and on weekends, and even then we can only spend very little time with him. Marielle and Johan, albeit they adore Mario, have become more and more busy with their school works and other enrichment activities. It breaks our heart when we see Mario sad and silent in a corner. So it’s been finally decided. We’ll have a second dog. Continue reading

A chilly day in Pagudpud

Day 2 of our Nov 26-28 Ilocos Norte family vacation.

Pagudpud Family Outing (Day 2)IT was a gloomy day on our first full day in Pagudpud on November 27. It was raining the whole morning and the wind was chilly cold.

By 10am Kuya Mike and I decided to scout around “Blue Lagoon” to find alternative eating places. Having eaten dinner and breakfast in exactly the same corner of the cafeteria/restaurant of Hannah’s Hotel and Resort, we were eager to try something different, more “local,” and less expensive. Continue reading

Destination: Marinduque

Trip to Marinduque

DECEMBER 2, 2011 – For our annual family vacation to celebrate our wedding anniversary this year, my xxGF and I brought Marielle and Johan to a still undisclosed place somewhere in Marinduque (i.e. the kids did not have any idea where exactly we were going until we got there). Continue reading