Note: This is yet another long overdue post since I only got the pictures from our digicam recently.

As I mentioned during my first post last April 19, 2005, my aunts and uncles from the States arrived here at Manila after being for several years and we went on several out-of-town trips so we could all see the beauty of our country.

At first, Tito Jun came to Manila on his own and we went to see a pre-Valentine concert by Martin Nievera and Patti Austin at the Araneta Coliseum.

After the Martin Nievera and Patti Austin concert at Araneta

After a few days, Tita Connie and Tita Carol arrived in Manila and we had lots of fun touring Metro Manila and shopping in malls all over the city.

Festive buffet lunch at Kamayan, Megamall, while being serenaded by their in-house singing group

Immediately after they arrived, we made plans to go sight-seeing in cool Tagaytay and eat in the famous Josephine’s Restauant, which overlooked the crater of Taal Volcano down below.

Enjoying the mesmerizing beauty of Taal Lake from Tagaytay

Enjoying a hearty lunch at Josephine’s Restaurant in Tagaytay

We also made plans to go to the Pearl of Oriental Mindoro — Puerto Galera. We booked a private van to take us to Batangas pier where we rode a ferry boat to White Beach in Puerto Galera. Tita Carol and I got a bit queasy as we approached the shore since the boat was rather small and was being rocked heavily by the large waves.

We checked in a beachfront resort and had lunch before hiring a motorized boat to take us scuba diving in the famed Coral Gardens. We opted for the boat to pass by the corals slowly as we held on to their katig, the bamboo posts that kept the boat steady.

I brought an underwater camera and the view underneath was amazing. We also had bread and threw it in the water to attract the fishes. The corals were so colorful and they waved gracefully in the water as if beckoning us to stay with them for much longer.

Beach front of Puerto Galera

After a tiring swim at the sea, we unwinded by having a relaxing massage. Tita Carol and I opted to have our massage at a private room while the rest had theirs at the sandy beach covered with towels.

Enjoying dinner of kebabs and seafood at Puerto Galera

I really enjoyed my first visit at Puerto Galera and I hope to return there for a bit more sun — I hardly got the golden suntan I’ve been wanting to get this summer.