Primo Viaggio: Dumaguete

Ok.  I officially LOVE Dumaguete!  Not only for its cold springs, which I thoroughly enjoyed, or the smorgasbord of delicious food, pastries and other delicacies that you can find in restaurants and cafes that pepper the streets, or the nice people who love to talk (like me), or the bayside where people hang out and children play, but mostly for the scores of oh-so-cute and well-behaved doggies big and small.  I'll explain later, allow me to share some of the highlights of our trip first.

 

My first trip after a five-year abstinence was such a joy.  I was like a kid in a candy store filled with new and exciting flavors.  I was amazed at how wonderful going to new places can be.  I can't believe how I could've forgotten how truly gratifying it is.  I gushed over the sights and scenery like a schoolgirl.  The best part is, I not only saw new places and met new people, I also learned about the intimate details of my travel buddies' lives… with the added bonus of sharing mine as well.  I had forgotten how fabulous it was to travel with friends and have heart to heart talks along the way.

 

Plus, I took a stab at drinking alcohol (the consumable kind, not the antiseptic).  Hehe.  That was another new experience for me since I've always hated the smell and taste of alcoholic drinks (though I love the smell of rubbing alcohol.  Weird, huh?).  In our case, however, where we had Kahlua mixed with milk and oodles of ice, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.  Yum!  I slept like a baby soon after.  Didn't get tipsy though, I think I wanna try that.  I'm curious what I'll end up doing if I really let go.  I'm such a control freak so there's no telling what will happen if I reach the point of no return.  Might be an exciting ride! :D

 

The real reason why I enjoyed our "tagay" is not the drink itself; it was the soul-baring chitchat that came with it.  It was nice to discover that Tara, Lee and Jun each had a softer side, especially when it comes to the dreaded L-word.  (Pastilan jud ning GUGMA oi).  I was surprised to discover that we all had our own hang-ups and issues when it comes to relationships.  But I was also very pleased with how our whole heart-to-heart talk went down.  It was like our sturdiest walls -- the ones we hide behind when dealing with people every single day -- were temporarily down.  We shared intimate details of our lives… I guess the Kahlua and the dark helped embolden us to spill our secrets.  But what I really loved about the whole experience was the trust that we each offered to the other.  I'm gonna have to stop here because I might inadvertently spill some secret and one of the members of our circle might kill me!

 

I discovered a lot of things during our trip, but mostly, I rediscovered the joys of bonding with friends in another place, leaving everything behind, including worries and heartaches and just having more fun than I could ever imagine.  I wish everyday life could be that simple.  But since it never is, I guess we'll have to get away and grab as much R&R as we can.  All in all, this was the perfect beginning for my five-year travel plan.  Yes, one year is not enough so I'm making a five-year plan and it's gonna be all about seeing the world.  (Ambitious no?  World jud! Hihihi).  Guess I'm gonna have to save up while looking for more travel buddies.

 

And now on to my new friends of the canine variety:

 

Meet Trixie, the poodle with big bug eyes, cuddly little build, fuzzy gray fur and sweet demeanor.  I thought she was for sale and even dared to ask the guy holding her leash if she was for sale but he said no.  I also thought she was just a pup but the owner was quick to correct that assumption saying "nagdadalaga na siya."  It was like he was our guest in show-and-tell cuz he even raised Trixie's front legs and showed us her milk-makers. (Ok, I don't know how else to sugarcoat this for "minors."  Hihihi.)  "Naggatas na gani," he added.  Funny, we talked to the owner for several minutes about Trixie but never got around to asking for his name or introducing ourselves.  (Was that rude?)

Next up is Milo… No, his monicker has got nothing to do with Milo Ventimiglia.  Shimmy called this cute little mutt Milo cuz he looks and behaves exactly like that perky lil pup in the movie "The Mask."  Like Jim Carrey's pet in the movie, our Milo is hyperactive, daring even.  Can you imagine a short-legged pooch crossing a mini-waterfall?  Well, after scouting for the safestt place to walk across, Milo did just that, impressing all of us with his bravado and pizzazz in the process!  I was even hesitant to do that, but this restless new addition to our swim team did it effortlessly.  I honestly thought he was gonna jump in that's why what he did was such a wondrous surprise.  I'm embarrassed to say that I squealed and giggled like a little schoolgirl.  Anyone who's seen me in person would be surprised, confused even, at such a reaction coming from a grown woman.  (I was gonna say big girl but that's already a given, so…)

 

Of course, how could I forget about Kyo, our host's dog.  It took me a while to get the joke but it appears Kyo can also be a short cut for sikyo.  Naghulat na si-Kyo.  Although I wasn't able to really bond with this high-breed cutie, I'm reminded of my first dog ever, Lala.  They're the same breed and even their coats look exactly the same.

 

One more four-legged friend worth mentioning is from the best breed of canine ever -- the Golden Retriever.  I can't remember this royal-blooded dog's name but it was truly an amazing pleasure to finally lay eyes on one member of such a world-renowned breed.  His coat is a light and ultra-sleek silky brown, his eyes are super-friendly, his forehead reflects his elegance and superior intelligence at the same time, but the thing that struck me the most was his size.  I even blurted my question out loud, "Great Dane ni siya?"  Shows you all how ignorant I really am when it comes to purebred dogs.  Askal ra jud kutob ako expertise.  Hihihi.

 

I saved the best for last because of her extremely interesting feature.  I'll get to it in a few.  Meet Hearty (as dubbed by Lee Gurl), a polite, obedient, and well-behaved black pooch who happens to be in the advanced stages her pregnancy.  The first thing about Hearty that struck all of us was her gentle manner.  Jun told her to sit and she did.  Not only that, but she politely posed while our three resident photogs took turns taking her pictures.  It was interesting how she just sat there, patiently waiting for us to finish with the "pictorials."  It was like she had all the time in the world to entertain our desires (and I guess she really does).  It was not until we were in the multicab that I realized Hearty had one very unusual feature.  Lee turned to me and said, "Naa siya heart-shaped spot sa forehead no?"  We all wondered if it was inborn or designed by human hands but I'd like to believe that God made Hearty that way -- as a reminder to all of us that we should not merely have our hearts on our sleeves, but have it firmly planted on our foreheads instead.  That way, we can all see each other's hearts and be comforted by the fact that we are loved.  So I look at our little "Hearty interlude" as a sign… that love is eternal and we can find it in the most unlikely places.