We had our rainy Boracay stint last September, and we really had fun despite the b**chy weather. We managed to make the best of what the island can offer the Flip’n Travelers way. CLICK HERE to see our 2009 Bora adventure.

Now Imagine this: Flying with no less than the country’s flag carrier. Being taken care of, including all meals throughout the entire trip, plus covering the island activities with PhP5,000 pocket money, and it will run for 5 Days while staying in 5 Star Luxury Resort.

Now wake-up! You can make this dream paradise shenanigan into reality, check out  http://www.boracay-packages.com on how to join.

Win a Free Boracay Vacation Package by WOW Philippines Travel Agency

Win a Free Boracay Vacation Package by WOW Philippines Travel Agency
WOW Philippines Travel Agency, Inc. is celebrating it’s 5th year in business during July of 2010, and we would like you to have a chance to celebrate with us, so we have decided to give-away a FREE Boracay Package complete with 5 Star accommodations at the luxurious Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel on Boracay Island. The lucky winner will win the following Boracay vacation package.

Vacation Package Inclusions:

Le Soleil de Boracay Resort 5 Star Accommodations

The Le Soleil de Boracay hotel is located on the best part of Boracay beach, station 2, also known as Boracay central. Here you will find exciting activities, shopping areas, highly favored restaurants and the best beachfront on Boracay Island. WOW Philippines Travel Agency, Inc. choose the Le Soleil de Boracay resort in Boracay not only for its prime location, but also for there excellent service, great food and superb rooms that overlook the swimming pool. We have no doubt that you will thoroughly enjoy your stay at Le Soleil de Boracay Beach Resort.

Flights to Boracay Island via Caticlan Airport

Boracay Flights will be provided by Philippines Airlines, leaving Manila Domestic Airport and flying directly to Caticlan Airport on Panay Island. Once you arrive at the Caticlan airport you will be taken by currier to the jetty port where you will board a banca boat for a 15 to 20 minute ride to the jetty port on Boracay Island located at Cagban beach.

Inter-Island Land & Sea Transfers by Southwest

All land and sea transfers to and from Boracay, Caticlan and Manila will be provided for by WOW Philippines Travel Agency, Inc.

(3) Three Meals Daily for (5) Five Days

All meals will be provided for, three set meals, with soft drinks only will be provided for each day, there will be a set buffet breakfast, set lunch and a set dinner buffet, all meals will be received at the Le Soleil Boracay Restaurant, at the beachfront.

Boracay Activities (Horseback Riding, Island Hopping, Glass Bottom Boat)

Included in your Free Boracay Package will be three activities, starting on your second day your first activity will be a 1 hour horseback riding event, your third day will consist of Island hopping to other near by Islands, this also includes snorkeling and your forth day will include a ride on the Glass bottom boat including snacks and soft drinks.

PLUS – php5,000 peso Spending Cash per couple

As an additional bonus WOW Philippines Travel Agency, Inc. will also include (5) five thousand peso of spending cash, use this on souvenirs or anything you like, to remember you Boracay vacation.

January 1 is Brit milah:
The Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord

While our Jewish brothers are celebrating this biblical feast, I thought of sharing my personal story of crossing the bridge to manhood:

(WARNING: MAY BE TOO GRAPHIC FOR WEAK STOMACHS)

TRIVIA: Majority of filipinos are circumcised. It is a Filipino tradition to conduct this operation between the months of March to April. It is socio-cultural norm to be circumcised before a man reached adulthood.

1990…

Out of peer pressure,
childhood friends dragged me to go to the dreaded Mang Sipyo

THE MANUNULI!
(a non-medical person who performs circumcision without anesthesia and formal training)

I was in grade 5 then
in an attempt to prove a premature machismo,
I brought with me my dads puruntong (a huge bermuda pants in the late 80’s), and joined the gang in a kilometer march to ilaya, where Mang Sipyo conducts the operation.

I swear it was the longest walk ever.

It never came in to my mind to inform my parents about the elective surgery. I felt like throwing-up all the gallons of saliva I swallowed due to anxiety while on queue.

When its already my turn, I surrender my “boy” and placed it on the chopping board.
I told myself:

“THIS IS IT!
TOTOY NO MORE!“

Mang Sipyo handed me a handful of bayabas leaves

“o nguyain mo”
“alam ba ‘to ni Mang Danny (my dad)?”

I nodded.

I chewed the fresh leaves and held my breath with my sternocleidomastoid stretched like it will snap anytime.

FACT: Bayabas (Guava) leaves is used for cleaning and disinfecting wounds by rinsing the afflicted area with a decoction of the leaves. This has been approved by the Philippines’ Department of Health.

Mang Sipyo aimed the chisel-like aparatus to the foreskin and

BHAM!

I felt like I’m floating in a time warp,
flashing right in front of me are scenes from my childhood.
All I can hear is a muffled voice of Mang Sipyo yelling:

“Ibuga mo! Ibuga mo!
AY TANGA! BAKIT MO NILUNOK!”

“spit it out!
WHY DID YOU SWALLOW IT, STUPID!”

The next thing I know, I’m in the hospital bed with my folks around me.
I immediately looked down, and checked if “it’s” still there.
wrapped with operating gauze, It felt numb.

Apparently, I fainted and rushed to a small secondary hospital for proper wound dressing.
Despite the fact that my mom’s gonna kill me once we get home,
and my dad hiding a restrained laugh at my hopeless shrewdness,
I’m exhaling in relief that it’s over, I’m done with the baptism.

And that’s the start of my manhood
as well as the start of putting my boy down there in constant trouble.

The Misa de Gallo, bibingka and puto bumbong

Kris Kringle and unwanted angel figurines

Carolers singing “… teng-kyu teng-kyu ambabaet ninyo! teng-kyu!”

Videoke with old friends and all sorts of parties happening left and right.

Divisoria shopping, congested malls and havaianas’ queue reaching the next floor.

Kids you don’t know showing-up in your doorstep.

Kids you know showing-up in your doorstep, claiming your 13th month pay.

Then you will find yourself the next morning after christmas, staring in to nothingness, with an empty pocket, plotting a kidnapping modus operandi. Afterall kids are then richer than the tax payers.

Nothing beats Christmas in the Philippines!

Maligayang Pasko!

Christmas is here, so what’s the best way to celebrate this joyous season than through love and giving, right?. So here’s our OFFICIAL HOLIDAY 2009 BACKPACKER’S WISH LIST:

hahaha

Ron’s Wish list

1. The perfect Narrow brimmed straw hat. This one may seem easy to find, but I’m telling you, I can’t find the one for me, I want it unembellished, narrow brimmed, soft and a bit ragged. now tell me where to find it.

2. Vacuum storage bags. I want to carry less baggage as much as possible. Who wouldn’t?

3. Victorinox Travel wallet (sling type or waist strap) or LV passport jacket. The first one is a must have. The second is simply oh-so-yummy.

4. The Epson P–6000 Multimedia Storage Viewer. Who wouldn’t want a huge storage where you can view the frames even without a laptop?

5. Garmin Nuvi hand held GPS device or Canon D10 underwater camera. Maps are sooo last decade, and sooo Dora. Underwater point and shoot comes in handy if you’re like me who’s in to spontaneous dips.

Monette’s Wish list

1. 5th Gen iPod Nano . I can lose my communication but never my music.

2. North Face Women’s Vindicator or any North Face hiking/trail/backpacking shoes. Need to have good shoes especially when we walk around for hours.

3. North Face Thermal Underwear. I cannot stand cold weather.

4. Moleskine journal. I might get more creative if my journal is nicer. Oh, and more expensive, haha!

5. A good travel book. I just bought myself Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Short Stories, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Plato’s Republic, Coraline, Dream Catcher by Margaret Salinger and many others I forgot. I need more…

Now, show us your love! hahaha