Ayala Triangle where there was a music and light show for the month of December

We had a lot of fun taking photos at two different 3D art places

Attending Matt’s End of the Year work party at Hotel Manila

Day trip to People’s Palace…or Sponge Bob’s house since he lives in a pineapple

Day trip to Taal Volcano in Tagaytay

Entrance of the Chinese Garden at Rizal Park

Day visit to the American Cemetery in Manila

The Philippines love to celebrate Christmas…even at work with crazy head pieces

Robbie got to meet our cousins from the Philippines for the first time

We went to Cambodia together and Robbie carried Mason for most of the trip

Fish massage in Cambodia…it was nice after walking around all of the temples

We all got a foot massage and Robbie’s lady asked him to take off his pants so she could massage his calves…it was awkward, but gave us all a good life.

Enjoying the view of Siquijor from our resort (Firefly Cove)

Exploring a Tree House Lodge on Siquijor…it was the Ultimate Tree House

Last night with Robbie – Midget Boxing

Last dinner with Robbie was at the Hobbit House…since we did see the movie “The Hobbit”

Using Robbie’s iPod was Mason’s favorite pastime

Enjoying a picnic prepared by our cousins and spending time at the beach

Tia and Mason getting ready to jump off the water slide. Water doesn’t run down the slide unless you pay extra for it…and after Typhoon Pablo many areas of this water park got destroyed

The kids loved playing on the beach, exploring the area and finding sea shells

Village volleyball tournament held at least yearly. (Cousin Judith Grado #18)

While the village volleyball game was going on, our kids were introducing the local kids to an iPad. Not sure if more people were watching the volleyball game or the kids with the iPad.

Cambugahay Falls – We had a rope swing to use and swam in the water…we all loved being here.

Butterfly Sanctuary – Sadly Typhoon Pablo destroyed a good portion of this…and we discovered that there is a local fee “donation” and a foreign fee “donation”.

Capilay Springs – swimming and relaxing … parts of this area was also damaged by Typhoon Pablo.

Enchanted Tree – 400 year old Balete tree.

Cantabon Cave – Exploring where there really were not any rules (swimming and breaking off a stalactite for a souvenir) and our cousin carried Mason the whole time.

Matt and Robbie watched this cockfighting where our cousin had a rooster competing. That rooster lost and I’m sure ended up as dinner for someone.

Our cousin’s finance invited us to his village disco (a yearly celebration) where ages ranged from toddlers to elderly.

Christmas dinner at our cousin’s house warming party. Family was put into a separate room while neighbors ate in the living room area. There was also a “brown out” during dinner so we ate by candle light.

We spent time doing family history. Our cousin would point out a relative while driving who was sitting on the side of the road and we would pull over and Tia would interview them. This old lady is my grandfather’s niece.

Our cousins introduced us to Julie’s Bakeshop and we love it. When our ferry boat got cancelled to leave the island, we hung out here to figure out what to do since we had plane tickets to reschedule.

We were able to leave Siquijor the next morning at 5am and some cousins went back to Dumaguete with us and made sure we got to the airport.

Siquijor isn’t a tourist trap but more of a hidden treasure. We look forward to visiting again and spending more time with family and enjoying the beauty of the island.

Bamboo huts that were our rooms at Pura Vida

Sleeping under mosquito nets. Reminded me of mission in El Salvador!

If there is a beach, our kids want to be buried

Farley Totem Pole

Chicken fighting in the pool

Candle light dinner on the beach

Walking from our resort to the road to catch a “bus” to take into the city

First time for all of us to ride a Jeepney

Mason found a “Bat Mobile” at a “county fair” type place

Kalani (age 8) with her new found cousin Kennybie (age 13) on a “Ferris Wheel” at the fair

All of the family that happened to be at the mall in Dumaguete

We were all born within 4 months of each other…all cousins

Aftermath of Typhoon Pablo that came through about a month before…this boat isn’t going anywhere

Ayala Triangle Light Show, meeting cousin Jennifer for the first time

Cebu Shangri-La

Paragliding in Cebu

Cebu/Mactan Shangri-Law Cultural Performance and Buffet

Mactan Island Beach (Cebu, Shangri-La)

Traditional dancing performed at a Bangkok restaurant

Angkor Wat (Cambodia)

Long lost (found) cousins! Jennifer, Kennybie, and Belinda

Village volleyball tournament (Cousin Judith Grado)

Family picnic at Salagdoong Beach

Village Disco (Belinda and Robbie pictured)

Cantabon Cave

Siquijor Cockfighting

Waiting with our cousins to find out if the ferry is canceled (typhoon)

We ran into 2nd cousins while driving around the island

We bought bread here almost everyday, and this employee is our cousin’s cousin

Junior doing the spider-man pose at Cambugahay Falls (Tia watching) (Siquijor)

Siquijor Butterfly Sanctuary (Siquijor)

Enchanted Tree (Siquijor)

Capilay Springs (Siquijor)

Christmas dinner at our cousin’s house warming party

Firefly Cove B&B (Siquijor)

Taking the ferry back to Dumaguete

Hanging out with our cousins at Julie’s Bakery

This dentist in Thailand fixed my tooth (until I could get back to Manila)

Christmas Party – Receiving the award for our performance

Ascott Halloween Party

View from the Ascott (our temporary apartment for the first 9 weeks)

3rd place in the basketball tournament

Mason’s first professional haircut

Kalani at her new school (International School of Manila)

A concert at the Mall of Asia

American Cemetery

Rizal Park

PBA Playoffs

The King and I

Market Market in the fort

Greenbelt Shopping Mall

Taal Volcano

Dampa Seafood Market

Dinner at the Hobbit House

Midget Boxing

Lunch and a movie (The Hobbit) with Lory and her husband Sugar 🙂

3D Art

Sokha Angkor Hotel pool

Cambodian roads were clean…at least the areas that they tourist see

Our fabulous tour guide giving us information about the temples…notice the long sleeve shirt, pants, scarf and hat to protect from the sun and getting darker skin

Cambodian schools are held in 2 sessions. A morning and afternoon session with each session lasting 4 hours. This school was taught by monks

Palm Sugar. They take the natural sugar from the palm tree fruit and boil it down and then pour them into these molds to sell.

Super steep stairs were pretty common in the temples

Amazing stone sculptures seen throughout the temples

Amazing detail. And this was just one small area of the Banteay Srei Temple

Stone warriors on a bridge leading into the 12th century city of Angkor Thom.

Inside of a functioning pagoda…It was pretty amazing with the art work all over

Angkor Wat (one of the Wonders of the World)

Banyon Temple is known as the “Face temple” with Buddha faces all over

Family photo at the Banyon Temple with locals

Ta Prohm Temple is referred to as “The Tomb Raider Temple” Angelina Jolie stood in this very spot (so they say)

Kalani and Robbie got to see the Banyon Temple from the back of an elephant.

Robbie bought these cool wooden puzzles that entertained Mason

We paid the $2 to have fish eat our dead skin cells for 30 minutes. It tickles a lot!

Kalani got her first massage in Cambodia and loved it.

This lady really ran through the night market after Mason. Glad so many ladies think our 3 year old is cute, but it is kind of creepy too.

The kids were troopers to see the temples, even in the middle of the day…but it sure was hot