The Year I Skipped

I realized that it's been a year since I posted anything. That somehow tells you how busy that past year has been. 365 days. How can so many things happen in what seems like such a short span of time?

The year I skipped was really rock n' roll. Arnaud and I decided to become friends, and I faced a new "Boracay Season" with a little heart ache. But, as with every new season, the winds and the tides brought in a beginning of sorts, along with new friends, new experiences and new opportunities.

 Aaah the kites up at Bulabog. The view we look forward to every year. 

The island's party folk greeting the sunrise after a mad Halloween party. 

The famous Boracay sunset that steals the show every single day.

Laid back days in the sun, wild Full Moon parties, island drama, more kindred spirits--that season was everything it promised to be. And for me, it was the best one yet. I could specify the many events that happened this past year but I think it's better to mention the most significant one:


I moved to another island.

Wait, what?

I believe I've been hinting at "graduating" from the island in past posts. I guess I was just waiting for an opportunity. I moved to Boracay to get out of my comfort zone, then it turned into a comfort zone. So after 6 priceless years in paradise, it was time for a new adventure. And that's how I ended up here, in Bali. :)

Rice paddies in my neighborhood. 

Me practicing on a scooter--the best way to get around Bali. 

Hanging with the girls after an afternoon with the waves.

Bali. Wow, this is a whole new story. 5 months in this place and I already have a book-load of tales. But we'll save those for another time.

Truth is, Bali doesn't feel very different from Boracay. In fact, it feels like Boracay on a bigger scale. Wider beaches (though mostly dark sand), more parties, more tourists and more groceries! Haha! So although people would consider moving countries a leap, I consider it more of...(you guessed it)a skip. A happy one. The kind you do when you're strolling along to your favorite song. The kind you do when you excitedly want to get to where you're going to. 

Blown Away

I promised myself I would blog more about my adventures in France. Well, I failed. I found it more convenient to snap photos and share them on Instagram than to spend more time in front of my computer as I already do that for work. I've been busy -  shooting photos and videos and enjoying my trip. So to make up for not blogging, here's a compilation of the events I've managed to keep in my little camera.

Maybe you'll understand how this windy little region swept me off my feet and blew me away. Enjoy watching. 


Blown Away from Denise Tolentino on Vimeo.

First Dip

I stood in knee-deep water clutching my shoulders and moved about an inch deeper every 2 minutes. I looked back at the old woman on the beach. She was staring at me with concern, probably because I looked more like someone contemplating suicide than someone about to go for a swim.

I've been in France for more than a week now and I figured it was time to face my fear of "cold" water and just go for it. After all, how could I (pardon the pun), fully immerse myself in this country if I didn't soak up (there I go again) every bit of it... including 18°C water. Okay, I exaggerated, maybe it was around 21°C, I don't know.

I gazed around one last time, at the vast parking lot filled with holiday camper vans, at the senior citizens tanning beside their striped beach parasols, at the sparkling water in front of me with little boats bouncing up and down, and then up, at the clear sky with the sun toasting my skin. It looked like summer. It was summer, but the f*cking water didn't get the memo.

Oh well, here we go. With one deep breath I finally took the plunge, wiggled around the water for a bit and then got out. It wasn't that bad. In fact, it felt really nice. Refreshing and awakening, as proven by all the hairs of my skin standing at attention. 

Like many of my experiences here so far, this was another first time.

You know that famous motivational question: "When was the last time you did something for the first time?" Here, my answer is always: yesterday or just a while ago or just now.

It's been really wonderful seeing, tasting and experiencing things for the first time. Most especially the things that Arnaud only used to tell me about. "One day we'll take my van and drive to the salt area of Guerande and you will see, it's really nice."

It wasn't nice, it was for me, breathtaking. And realizing right then and there that I was experiencing something that I only used to imagine in my head, that was really something. And so, continues (as our friend JonJon says) "Les Aventures de Denise Nicole". To many more firsts and to many more dips for the rest of this trip... I'm ready. :) 

France is full of lovely homes. This one belongs to the equally lovely Reitzer family. 

Merienda time in their lush garden

First time: raspberry picking (plus other fruits from the Reitzer's garden)

Camper Van Culture in Quiberon - we live in a camper during weekdays too (it belongs to Arnaud's mom)

Sailing in Saint Nazaire

Sun worshippers of Quiberon

The boys at the Marais Salants, Guerande

 After work beer and sunset

Arnaud leading me to the "secret spot"

Finally, overlooking THE secret spot (which I'm not allowed to show here :)

Un Petit Peu de Paris (A Little of Paris)

Un Petit Peu de Paris from Denise Tolentino on Vimeo.

2 Days in Paris

"Did you plan this?" I said in half amazement and half disbelief. 

We were walking down one of the steep and narrow cobble stone streets of Montmartre when I noticed a man playing the accordion, just outside a quaint corner cafe of an 18th century building, when up ahead I spotted a groom carrying his blushing bride in his arms. I fumbled for my camera and almost bumped into a nice old man in a fancy hat and suit walking with his cane. "Yes," Arnaud joked. "I set this up for you!" 

I knew Paris was pretty. But I didn't expect to find myself in the middle of a movie-like scenario - well more specifically in Montmartre. 

I couldn't close my eyes, and I couldn't stop walking. I didn't even give my body time to feel jet lagged. And because of my lack of recognition of a 10:30 pm sunset, we walked around for at least 8 hours and this was straight after my 12 hour flight. 

I had a great time, I enjoyed my first fresh baguette and coffee al fresco, got to see some of the monuments among other things, but in the end, I didn't mind leaving. 

Paris is awesome and there really is so much to do and see, but it's still a city - hurrying pedestrians, short-tempered drivers, scattered trash and all.

Then there's the tourists. I looked at the hoards and hoards of people with raised phones and tablets and thought, this is one element they conveniently leave out of the movies.

I really didn't want to go where there was a line and didn't want to stay where crowds gathered. So Arnaud and I decided to head out earlier than planned. "Let's go somewhere people don't have photos of yet." I told him. So for now pretty old Paris, Au revoir! These two will be by the coast.

It's Happening!

I will see you in a few hours, Paris. ♥

From my mind-mapping notebook to reality. My wish to travel to France is really about to happen. I'm still amazed and also extremely grateful. I'm also a bit anxious about travelling on a looong flight by myself and being in an unfamiliar airport, but it might just be pre-travel jitters (is there such a thing?). 

As I type this, I'm looking at a letter Arnaud wrote to me when he sent me some supporting documents for my visa application. In the last line he wrote: "Soon we will be together again!!!"

Soon. ♥

Photo taken from Pinterest

I Have a Lot of Dreams and Very Little Patience

Déjà vu.

That's what I thought while the visa officer was asking me the same questions he asked me a week before. It wasn't my interview anymore, he was simply releasing the results of my application. Still, he wanted to know who I was visiting, how I knew this person, how long I planned to stay... blablabla.

I answered calmly despite the urge to tell him to just give me the damn results, and the throbbing pain in my throat which by the way started that morning, when I woke up to the very thought of returning to the embassy.

At this point I have been stressed for a week. I've been fighting my negative and paranoid thoughts with positivity and determination. I've also felt stuck, anchoring my work, rent and commitments for the future months on whether I get an approval or not. I couldn't wait any longer.

Finally, I heard the words, "we're giving you a chance..." I'm pretty sure he said it in slow motion with a weird echoing sound. Suddenly the pain in my throat stopped. I nod at his instructions, sign a last piece of paper and floated out the embassy doors.

This déjà vu was turning out to be a nice dream after all! Feeling triumphant, excited and psyched, I continued daydreaming on my train back to Quezon City - that was until I woke up and found myself in Taft. Classic spaced out move on my part. This time I gave myself a headache.

When I told my sister about my train fail later that day, she laughed, "Were you going straight to the airport?"

Haha! I told you, I couldn't wait.

*Photo taken on a train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, 2013

C'est Possible

Louvre-in it! The interiors of the 2Go ferry on the Boracay - Batangas Route

The people at the ferry port recognize me. That's kind of remarkable because there's probably thousands of tourists and residents that pass by everyday. I guess that's how often they've seen me the past month. April has been hectic. I've gone back and forth to Manila to take care of my Schengen visa application on top of a demanding work schedule and a big family event.

It isn't easy putting official papers together and making them convincing enough for judgmental French eyes. First of all, I'm a freelancer; second, I'm single; and third, I unfortunately, am from a third world country where it's almost automatically a disadvantage for opportunities like this.

Let's see - no permanent job or employer, no husband or kids to come back too and a third-world citizen... my chances seemed as slim as a French mustache. I had desperate thoughts of showing up to my interview in a striped shirt and beret while waving a baguette.

But, there were signs. I came home to my mom wearing a shirt that said "Je t'aime" - where she got it, I don't know; suddenly all the movies on TV are set in France; the Eiffel Tower designs on trinkets and knick knacks in various shops; the ferry I rode where they had massive wallpapers of Paris sights... France was just everywhere.

My little coffee corner with a red plastic Eiffel Tower
it was given by a friend to remind me of my goal

We walk into a crepe shop and see this: a massive map of old Brittany - Arnaud's area in France

Was the universe telling me it's going to happen? Or was this the universe's way of reminding me not to give up?

Whatever it was, I acknowledged it. Visiting France was one of the big goals I set for this year. And even though it was sometimes easier to forget about it and spend my time and money on other things, I was reminded of this thing called integrity - where you do what you say, even when it gets really, really tough.

I may tell my application experience in another post. But for now, let me tell you this (it's not original but it's true): It works to have a goal and it helps to pay attention to the signs. But most important is to not give up too easily. Persistence and work - that's how the impossible happens.

Kasalang Jay & Thea (The Wedding of Jay & Thea)

"What time is it?"

"Quarter to 6."
"What time is the wedding?"
"6."
"Good job!"
*Nervous laugh*

The sun was setting and we were stuck in a bottleneck traffic situation along Sumulong Highway on the way to my sister's wedding. Unfortunately the Tolentino trait of always being early if not on time was not going to happen today, of all days. In the car our Mom shifted nervously, the rest of us (Ate Data who came home all the way from the US, Monique and I who came home from Boracay), well we just had to make fun of the situation. There was really no point in stressing, but we knew we couldn't be late, we had after all, another person in the car... the bride.

Jay & Thea's "Anti-Pre Nup" more photos here.

I checked on her from the passenger seat and saw her smiling, beaming, calm. I think we all knew that no matter what time we arrived, it was going to be an awesome night.

I knew it from the moment it was conceptualized - a wedding of two musical souls who love good food and have great taste for the rustic and vintage? There wasn't even a need for a theme! They were the theme, and that's what made it so unique.

I arrived a few days early to urge them to do a shoot we later nicknamed the "anti-prenup shoot"- so called because they didn't like the idea of posing and dressing up. Instead, they allowed me to document them one afternoon in their home. The result was to me even more beautiful because it was sincere and natural. I encourage other couples to do the same. You can check the photos here.

As for the wedding night, we arrived in the nick of time and well, I'll let the video speak for itself. :)

Kasalang Jay & Thea Highlights from Denise Tolentino on Vimeo.

I Feel Good, Na-na na-na na-na na!

Today I ran into an old neighbor. Someone I haven't seen in over a year. "You look good!" She said. People say things like this to be polite. So I said thank you and complimented her too.  A bit of chit chat and then she starts to walk away. She looks back at me, smiles and says: "You look younger."

That's just what I needed to hear! I was suddenly propelled into doing that thing which I've been procrastinating on. Loading up on fruit and veggies! So I headed to the market, bought my ingredients and made myself one of these:

It's a green smoothie. With spinach, banana, pineapple & strawberries in coconut water. :)

If you want to try making one, they've got a simple formula for beginners here:

Oh and if you freeze your fruits, you don't need ice. This can be a nice, healthy alternative to a choco milkshake when you're looking to survive the hot summer weather. Or you can add a little rum for happy hour! Just kidding!

Backlog

I don't like backlogs. There have been so many stories I wanted to tell, and haven't. Unfortunately 2013 wasn't a very nice year for me. So many downs versus ups. You could say that everything took a beating; my health, my heart especially my wallet.

But hey, it's 2014 (it's been 2014 for 3 months now, hehe) and I finally find the time to sit down and update my millions of readers as to what's been going on! I'm kidding, I don't have millions of readers, I probably don't have a single one anymore. But I'm giving an update anyway, because like I said, backlogs stress me out, so this is for my own sanity. 
So... to make long stories short, a quick run through of the significant events of the past year: 

First of all, early last year my youngest sister Monique moved to the island too. 

Fresh out of the airport!

Back when she had her pale, pasty, city girl complexion :P

***

Then Arnaud and I went on our first out-of-the-country trip together.

We went to Thailand and were there in time for the Songkran Festival.

We went to Bangkok, met up with my old friends and had a REALLY good cup of coffee. 

We took a sleeper train to Chiang Mai. :)

We had a nice and scenic Songkran in Pai

and a huge and wild one in Chiang Mai

Then Arnaud flew back to France and I to Manila.

***

Monique and I got Dengue Fever.

We had to go to Antique and spend a few days in the hospital.

And I had to move out of my pretty yet mosquito-infested kubo.

Monique and I moved in together to a new place.

A few weeks later, we got robbed.
My laptop, camera, phone, our Ipods, wallet and bags

were taken while we were asleep.

I start over.
And become even more grateful for the love of my family and friends.


***


Arnaud returned and things felt a bit better. :)
We decided to move in together.❤

We went as Waldo and Wenda for Halloween.
(Our mermaid friend, Pauline "finds" us)

I went home to spend Christmas with my crazy family. 

My dad gave me a new camera. ❤

Back in the island, we had an awesome New Year's Eve party until sunrise.

I turned a year older and celebrated with a kiddie party.
photo from renegadeloverrr

***

Arnaud flew back to France. Monique got darker and I moved a couple of times to my present single studio again. Phew! There, no more backlogs! Although, I feel that the Thailand trip deserves a post of it's own.

For now, we'll see where this blog goes. I admit it's hard to find its relevance with the existence of Facebook and Instagram BUT, I like telling stories, and nothing beats blogging for that. :)

Since It's Raining...

Photo: Malalison Island, Antique

A Long Weekend - Isla de Gigantes

Not so long ago, my girl friends and I had a serious case of island fever and wanderlust. So we decided to go on a trip to a place I only heard of very, very recently: Isla de Gigantes.

Isla de Gigantes (Island of the Giants) - legend has it that giants use to roam these islands after 8ft long coffins were dug up along with ancient earthen ware. Cool, noh?

After 8 hours of road travel, 3 vans, and one boat ride, we found ourselves in a place without cellphone signal, day time electricity or exceptionally tall people. Just friendly, accommodating locals who seem to be content in the simplicity of their lifestyle and who knew all the possible ways one can cook scallops!

I took hundreds of photos, as usual. But for this trip I also made a video, which to conserve space is what I would rather share here. :) Enjoy!

A Long Weekend - Isla de Gigantes, Iloilo from Denise Tolentino on Vimeo.

Malalison Island - It Doesn't Get Any Quieter Than This

A week in my Lola's province of Antique can go by really fast. First you sit, then you eat the most delicious homemade food, and before you know it, you have to go.  You realize you never left the dining table and all you did was sit and talk and eat.

Good thing we had a goal. Our beloved island, Boracay was in hyper summer party mode, so our plan was to celebrate the end of Amihan season the opposite way, with total peace and quiet. 

So after spending dangerous hours at my Lola's dining table, Arnaud and I decided to explore dear old Antique. We borrowed my Lola's car and drove around. We stopped by beaches, rivers, drove into rice fields and dry river banks (by accident), got lost, found our way, got lost again, met the town lunatic, took photos, drove again. It was nice.

Then we reserved one day for Malalison a.k.a. Mararison. An island we've been eyeing from Google Earth since let's say, October. We heard it was beautiful. My late Lolo Julit talked about this island to his kids but none of them have explored it. Here's me listening to you, Lolo. 

 It was exactly what we wee looking for. No business establishments, no party music, no crowd. Just...

After talking to the Tourism Officer John John (because you have to see him before you can go to the island), we learned that there were only 2 other tourists in Malalison, a Russian couple on honeymoon. We didn't even see them until the last minute of our visit. 

You could tell that Malalison isn't used to tourism yet. We could feel curious stares from the locals as we walked past their houses. Our guide waved to his friends proudly announcing that he was a tour guide for today. He basically showed us the path across the hills from one beach to another. Apart from that, we were on our own. Really on our own.

We packed our own lunch because like I said, there aren't any resorts or restaurants. But we thought maybe we could get a cup of 3-in-1 coffee from the sari-sari store. We asked our guide if there was a store we could buy from. He looked hesitant, fished his phone out of his pocket and made a call. In a few minutes the Barangay Captain came with mugs, sachets of coffee and a thermos of hot water, all from his own house. Wow. 

So after a late merienda and exchanging stories with the Barangay Captain we decided to go. But as we were leaving, I was already thinking of my return.


Photos 5, 10, 12, 14 & 16 taken by Arnaud Mahe