Neo @ Manila Zoo

Ever since I heard the news that they are proposing to transfer Mali, the lone elephant at Manila Zoo, to Subic I’ve been dying to bring Neo na to meet him (or her ba).  But due to the Holiday rush last year and the measles outbreak, I don’t want to travel to Manila muna.

When Leo and I decided to spend the Chinese New Year at Binondo, I squeezed in a visit to Manila Zoo. 

Manila Zoo rates:

I’ll photoblog Neo’s interaction with the animals.

Mama and Neo with Mali at the background.

Papa and Neo with the crocodile as background.

Papa and Neo with the Zebra and sheep.

Neo with the Lioness looking at the picture.

Feeding the goats.

Manila Zoo is also the house of a Zorse or Hebra (I am not sure what it’s called.  Basta the offspring of Zebra and Horse).  We saw it but wasn’t able to take a decent picture since its inside its kwadra.  It’s like a brown Zebra.

Manila Zoo has a big playground – which honestly is the main attraction.  Kids and parents are just playing around and having some picnic.  Manila Zoo kasi don’t house too much animals L

They also have areas where you can do picture taking with animals like parrots, pythons, and crocodile.  Cost Php100 per shot.  The number of prints differ lang by the size.  Anyway, I am amenable taking photos together with the parrots and pythons eh, because parrots are not harmful and pythons don’t bite, they constrict – and I think people around will help you when the python try to constrict you.  But with the crocodile, that is something different.  What if maisipan nyang manakmal and kagatin ako?  Nakakaloka.

Manila Zoo is no longer the happy place I used to know when I was a child.  Before kasi, Manila Zoo was a very nice attraction.  Now that there are lots of zoos competing with it, I think, they could do better with more activities, more animals, and cleaner place.

Let me end this blog with a nice family photo.

Kung Hei Fat Choi 2014!

I moved to the normal working hours shift last year – and since then has enjoyed Philippine declared holidays so much J  One of these holidays is the Chinese New Year.  This 2014, it landed on a Friday, which means – loooong weekend for me!!! J

So where did the Familia Nunag go last Chinese New Year?  Where else, the oldest Chinatown in the world: BINONDO!

How did we get there?  Easy.  We used the car and park it in my office then use the ever reliable LRT.  Neo rode the LRT last year when we went to Ongpin too, but is not yet a fan of trains.  So now that he is, I was very excited to let him ride it.  He enjoyed the ride but keeps on hugging my legs – he’s scared of the train hahaha :D

Binondo is swarming with people.  There are some dragon and lion dancers.  But the dancers that are causing too much crowd and noise are the Filipinos dancing in ati-atihan costume and asking for donations!  Nakakaloka!  The Chineses must be revolted by this but they can’t do anything eh.  Free for all ang area na yun.

Lion and Dragon dancers.

Also, Binondo is full of lucky charms.  Look to the left, the right, in front, backwards, even 90 degrees slant, there are lucky charms being sold.  Take note, it’s not just crystals and beads, even fruits!

We also passed by the old Binondo Church.

According to people, food tripping is very nice in Binondo.  But don’t do food trips during Chinese New Year.  The line is unbearable.  We ate lunch at 3pm, somewhere in Pasay pa.

Also, stay away from the middle of Ongpin St. at 12PM.  That is the time they start their firecrackers.  We were going back and forth that area since we were looking for a place to eat.  We experience their firecrackers full-blown.  Suffocation to the highest level ang usok L

We had so much fun going back and forth Binondo last Chinese New Year.  Kung Hei Fat Choi from Mama and Neo (Papa acted as our photographer). 

Lung Leavin’ Day

Two days ago I received an email from Cameron Von St. James – one of the authors of http://www.mesothelioma.com/.  What is mesothelioma? 

Mesothelioma (or, more precisely, malignant mesothelioma) is a rare form of cancer that develops from cells of the mesothelium, the protective lining that covers many of the internal organs of the body. Mesothelioma is most commonly caused by exposure to asbestos. The most common anatomical site for mesothelioma is the pleura (the outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), but it can also arise in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), the pericardium (the sac that surrounds the heart), or the tunica vaginalis (a sac that surrounds the testis).

(from Wikipedia)

It’s a cancer.  Every time we hear the word cancer, we cringed.  Because, correct me if I’m wrong, but cancer (whatever type it is) has no known cure yet.  You only get remission (the time cancer is no longer detectable in your body or is still detectable but is no longer growing in size).   

Cameron’s wife, Heather, was diagnosed with Mesothelioma, 8 years ago,  shortly after giving birth to their daughter Lily.  Here's part of the email that Cameron sent me, the story that changed their lives forever:

"In November 2005, just three months after giving birth to our daughter Lily Rose, Heather was diagnosed with malignant pleuralmesothelioma.  After several biopsies and other tests, Heather was a candidate for a surgery called an extrapleural pnemonectomy.  This massive surgery involves the removal of the affected lung.  We embarked on a journey to find the best mesothelioma treatment available which led us to Dr. David Sugarbaker, a renowned mesothelioma surgeon at the Boston based Brigham and Women’s hospital.

On February 2, 2006 Heather had her left lung removed.  Heather’s sister and I decided that we needed to make a celebration of this day.  Usually people don’t celebrate a surgery but this surgery changed our lives forever.  We decided to name it LungLeavin’ Day, the day Heather’s lung left her.  The following year, we came up with the idea of writing our biggest fears on a plate and smashing them into the bonfire in our backyard.  Since then, our celebration has grown to include over 75 friends and family who come to celebrate life with us.  We all have a fear to overcome, and what better way to take control of it by smashing it into a fire!

On February 2, 2014 we will celebrate Lung Leavin' Day and Heather being an eight-year mesothelioma cancer survivor! We have made it our mission to help other mesothelioma victims by spreading awareness, in hopes that someday no one else will have to."

They celebrate Lung Leavin’ Day yearly, every February 2nd.  Family and friends gather around their backyard and they write all their fears in a plate and smash them into the fire.

You too can join them in their Lung Leavin’ Day.  Just go to this interactive website:  www.mesothelioma.com/heather/lungleavinday.

Thank you, Cameron and Family, for sharing this information with us and for giving us hope through your story.

Please share this to everyone you know J