I assume you were there because of your then-husband's job.We've had it done a few times here and there. It's pretty common in the former USSR countries I remember. Having said that, it's NOT okay. Passports are needed to do so much including for emergencies... just in case.
My brother-in-law had jobs in Singapore and Tokyo. He never attempted to adjust back to our time zone when they return for a visit. It is a really hard adjustment.All told, I don’t think I really got over the jet lag/time difference issue until well into the 2nd week of this trip. From N. America to East Asia is no joke in this department!
That is an absolutely gorgeous suite.Our room was amazing!!! We ended up in a 2-bedroom suite with a huge shower/bath.
Wow! That is a huge transformation. It is stunning!Suffice to say, it was almost mind-blowing the transformation and effort that went into the ceremony and reception areas! I wandered off several times to look over and see the progress. WOWZA!
That is a nice picture of you. And your hair and makeup look extremely natural and becoming. Hairdressers and makeup people want to go a little elaborate sometimes.All gussied up, I asked one of the other guests (no idea who it was) to take a few photos of just me by the pool.
She is beautiful and it was a lovely wedding.I was happy that she did choose to have her dad and I both walk her down the aisle. I felt honored and touched. Mikki, I think was totally overwhelmed at the moment and cried all the way down the aisle. But she was an incredibly beautiful bride.
Wow is all I can say - again and again.The reception ended with fireworks! I NEVER would have guessed that was going to part of this spectacular gala Michaela had planned.
I’ve heard that when virtual working was at its height, “gentle reminders” had to be sent to you k ow… have clothes on.Heh. More weird if they were video calls.
….loke a lot of weddings.That's good. And impressive, actually. It could've easily have been a madhouse.
Definitely a possibility!Maybe she couldn't go, so she wasn't asked?
Admittedly it was a good reason to travel!But you were invited instead to the big bash. I know which one I'd pick.
Lol!!You're lucky they didn't eat you at the reception, then!
Exactly!The money would've concerned me too. I always want to pay my share.
It really was like a movie scene! Just so lovely!Looks like a scene from a movie!! Everything looked just incredible, and I am blown away by all of the flowers. Just wow!!
Thanks, Jackie! I love opportunities to dress up and be fancy!I remember when you posted this one on FB. You look like a celebrity!! Even if it isn't a perfect crisp image, it's definitely beautiful!
They looked so great together! Funny story though… Anara bought hers MONTHS before the wedding and posted it to their group to show the others. Then a few weeks before the wedding, one of the other bridesmaids bought the same one which royally irritated Anara. They still looked lovely but… jeez. Especially when the others knew way beforehand.Such a beautiful wedding! Not going to repeat everyone else's comments, but I loved the different shades of green for the bridesmaid dresses. They coordinated so well!
Wow! I’d live to stay there someday! And back-to-back with a wedding in the other coast! That’s lots!! Sounds like a special kind of busy.I'm sorry that I have been MIA. We had a non-refundable DVC reservation at the BCV Apr 7-12 followed by our niece's wedding in California Apr 13-18. It has been a very crazy two-week period. It is fun to compare the niece's wedding in Thousand Oaks to your daughter's wedding, although there is really no comparison.
Mostly but I also found plenty to do with teaching English, quilting, cooking, homeschooling….I assume you were there because of your then-husband's job.
It’s a tough stretch for sure! It took me better than a week to get even close.My brother-in-law had jobs in Singapore and Tokyo. He never attempted to adjust back to our time zone when they return for a visit. It is a really hard adjustment.
So spacious!!!That is an absolutely gorgeous suite.
The difference from naked beach to a full-blown wedding venue with tables, lights, dance floor… amazing!Wow! That is a huge transformation. It is stunning!
They often do, yes. I told him right off the hop that I wanted it very natural and subdued. I think he did pretty well.That is a nice picture of you. And your hair and makeup look extremely natural and becoming. Hairdressers and makeup people want to go a little elaborate sometimes.
Where’s the fun in that?I’ve heard that when virtual working was at its height, “gentle reminders” had to be sent to you k ow… have clothes on.
Admittedly it was a good reason to travel!
FUN! We watched the Derby yesterday. If I'd put money down, I'd have gotten a 9-2 payout. Poop!Heading out to watch the Belfast marathon runners but I had to nip in here for a quick comment first. Laughing at “The throne of stone” tagline. Now you have definitely become royalty
The treehouse is fabulous and your hosts sound wonderful. Swisskapolka has to happen when your living like the Swiss Family Robinson and my oh my you really are living it up with your own pool!!!
One final comment before I go, you know I love all your photos ( if you didn’t you do now) but the sunset photos are absolutely stunning. I know you said they don’t do the scene justice but they blew me away. Simply beautiful
Welcome... back?I'm back... well, at least I'm back to the Kentucky home and trying to settle in and make a new routine for myself.
That's good.I've started my Clinical Rotation #1/3 and so far, it's been far less stressful than I'd thought it might be or could be.
Whoa! You're gonna be one busy sister!I've also landed a job at a Skilled Rehab facility for my weekends that will start June 3rd.
Trust me... don't ask.How have you all been doing the last few weeks? Any fun news? Life happenings? Travel plans? Talk to me!
And apparently, you did!I'm really hoping that I can get an update posted by the weekend's finish.
That tends to happen in seriously luxe sorta places.Waking up in a seriously luxe sorta place was, admittedly, pretty wonderful!
I wonder...But, as they say, all good things must come to an end.
That'd do it.Knowing that equally adventurous and luxurious places weren’t too far off made the leaving a lot less painful.
fruit, yes. Congee?? Never had it and not sure I'd be a fan. I don't care for rice pudding, so... I'd have to try it and see.I never get tired of fresh tropical fruit and congee!
Pretty.
No thanks? I'd be very interested in that. Was it because it was too touristy? And yet... I've seen you visit Venice, (for example)...the top 2 tourist spots in the country. No thanks.
So did the guard call it a "whatever he said" bird or do you just not remember the local name he gave?"Oh! That's the "whatever he said" bird,
Colourful. Big?Sure enough we spotted the Black-naped Oriole that made sure everyone knew it was around.
I can just hear the honking.
I was on a tricycle for the last 15-minute ride to my resort. WHEEEEE!!!!!
Yes, I wanted to play the Swisskapolka and dance! (Please tell me know where that’s from!)
I like it!
Nice view!My view:
The pool (that was aaaaaallll mine for 24 hours):
So that's what it takes to make you fall in love, huh?Brenda, the hostess/onsite manager and person I’d been talking with for months with questions and transportation and meal arrangements, met and welcomed me with a cup of coffee. I was already in love with her!
He's looking at you like "American... I know what you people do in November..."
Wow!
I was going to ask what that was... and I'm still not sure how you fish from that if it's in such shallow water. Surely there are no tides in a lake?
Ah! I watched that video of the stairs/ladders and wondered how you'd manage.The staff (I think there were 3 in the kitchen and a couple of gardeners that I noticed) took my bags up the steep stairway
Nice smile.
Uh oh... no sleeping in.
Beautiful picture, nonetheless.I confess, the warm glow of light over the lake with the greens of the low water of the shore and the fishing stands silhouetted against the sunset and the volcano looming in the distance. The pictures really don’t do the beautiful scene justice at all.
I did read about them later on. Cool!(Crispy fried Taliwis fish- found ONLY in Lake Taal)
prayed I wouldn’t have to climb down more than once during the night to use the potty.
Yes, you read that right: The Throne of Stone
I’ve done a lot of interesting things in my life, but now I can add to the list with having had a Reader’s Digest moment on an artsy loo. I aspire to great things.
Holy smokes. You must've been at least slightly concerned?Here is the audio I took around 2:00AM.
Next time, make it a tomorrow gecko and get some sleep.In case you are wondering what the LOUD creature was that was making all that racket at night was, it’s called Tokay Gecko
Didn't expect it to be so colourful!Here is the Wiki article so you can read up on them
That's really interesting!“The eruption of 1754 also significantly shaped the ecology of the landscape of Taal Volcano. Taal Lake was, prior to the eruption, a saltwater environment, being connected to Balayan Bay through the Pansipit River, which was then a navigable channel. The eruption cut off this connection to the sea, and the Lake and its ecology evolved into a freshwater environment. Two species in particular reflect an evolutionary adaptation to a changing environment – Hydrophis semperi, a rare species of sea snake, and Sardinella tawilis, a species of sardines, are both originally saltwater species that have now evolved, and are only found, in the freshwater environment of Taal Lake.”-
Absolutely fascinating!!
I'm just glad I didn't wipe out and break my neck! But ever so cool!Totally 100% worth every step down to the loo. Love it
From Tucson. I"m back in Bowling Green, KY where my actual mortgaged home is.Welcome... back?
Sigh...yeah.Whoa! You're gonna be one busy sister!
Oh dear... cues forboding music...Trust me... don't ask.
It does...That tends to happen in seriously luxe sorta places.
If only...I wonder...
Who says that? People unlike Bill Gates or Elon Musk or...
Thinking they don't have to stop staying in seriously luxe sorta places.
Only one way to find out.fruit, yes. Congee?? Never had it and not sure I'd be a fan. I don't care for rice pudding, so... I'd have to try it and see.
I got out though fairly quickly. Stayed long enough to fly in and out. But enjoyed what I could while there. Don't get me wrong, I like those places too, but would RATHER be out in the lesser-known destinations.No thanks? I'd be very interested in that. Was it because it was too touristy? And yet... I've seen you visit Venice, (for example)...
I have zero idea what he called it. I took my photo and Googled it and left it at that.So did the guard call it a "whatever he said" bird or do you just not remember the local name he gave?
Maybe 8"?Colourful. Big?
Traffic is no joke there. It's a miracle anyone gets anywhere at all. Ever.I can just hear the honking.
That's me!!
I need a froofy polka dress rescued from a shipwreck!
I'm easy to please.So that's what it takes to make you fall in love, huh?
Mmm, turkey!He's looking at you like "American... I know what you people do in November..."
It's not as shallow as you think. The legs are long and I watched a diver in there the next morning who could swim. So maybe 5 feet there? The weeds make it a bit deceiving.I was going to ask what that was... and I'm still not sure how you fish from that if it's in such shallow water. Surely there are no tides in a lake?
One baby step at a time. And backwards.Ah! I watched that video of the stairs/ladders and wondered how you'd manage.
I was up a lot that night, so .... yeah, a rooster was no big deal.Uh oh... no sleeping in.
And (after watching/listening to the later videos) he sounds like the least of your problems.
Right?! So neat to see what can happen in 300 years!I did read about them later on. Cool!
Mhmm, that's EXACTLY what I thought would happen...
Typically porcelain, butt... okay!
Nah, we'd gotten used to them when we lived in Chiang Mai, Thailand.Holy smokes. You must've been at least slightly concerned?
Aren't they kinda pretty!?Didn't expect it to be so colourful!
Well, welcome back from there to there then.From Tucson. I"m back in Bowling Green, KY where my actual mortgaged home is.
Easy fix. Just win a Powerball lottery. How hard can it be? Just pick some numbers. Easy!If only...
For sure. Hire some fussy kid and see if they like it... then go from there.Only one way to find out.
Road less traveled, huh?I got out though fairly quickly. Stayed long enough to fly in and out. But enjoyed what I could while there. Don't get me wrong, I like those places too, but would RATHER be out in the lesser-known destinations.
Fair size.Maybe 8"?
That's me!!
Dime a dozen!I need a froofy polka dress rescued from a shipwreck!
<orders a coffee>...I'm easy to please.
Oh! I had no idea! I thought it was a couple inches, max.It's not as shallow as you think. The legs are long and I watched a diver in there the next morning who could swim. So maybe 5 feet there? The weeds make it a bit deceiving.
Figured as much.One baby step at a time. And backwards.
Right?! So neat to see what can happen in 300 years!
Be glad that it didn't!Mhmm, that's EXACTLY what I thought would happen...
Aren't they kinda pretty!?
It's surprising to see the high resorts prices in a country like the Philippines. But I guess people will pay for "nicer stuff".The “resorts” that are really nice, are definitely upwards of $200/night. As undeveloped as the Philippines is, prices, including hotels and taxis, are not that cheap. I chose the place for my one night simply because now I can say that I have slept in a REAL treehouse.
The sunset is gorgeous.I wandered the beautiful grounds and took some sunset shots for the next hour or so. I confess, the warm glow of light over the lake with the greens of the low water of the shore and the fishing stands silhouetted against the sunset and the volcano looming in the distance. The pictures really don’t do the beautiful scene justice at all.
Not everyone gets to use a famous stone throne.This was quite possible the most hilarious piece of work I saw on the entire trip. Yes, you read that right: The Throne of Stone. I’ve done a lot of interesting things in my life, but now I can add to the list with having had a Reader’s Digest moment on an artsy loo. I aspire to great things.
I would expect that people who live there would get used to all that noise and learn to ignore it. I would compare it to living near the airport or railroad tracks and not noticing the noise.In case you are wondering what the LOUD creature was that was making all that racket at night was, it’s called Tokay Gecko and are found all throughout Asia and the Pacific Islands. We first heard and saw them when we were living in Thailand and yes, they are always that loud.