The Mayan Prophecy

Posted on December 1, 2012 by leawalkerblog

Ok, so it’s the 1st day of December now. And according to the mayan calendar, the end of the world is on December 21, 2012.

Yep, that’s about 20 days from now…

The thought is scary huh? Very weird too, if you ask me…

When we were in the US, we had a good laugh over this issue during dinner with my inlaws. The Philippines is 12 hours ahead of the US right? So John, jokingly said – don’t worry I’ll text you and let you know if it happens. LOL

The Mayan Calendar refers to December 21 as the winter solstice,  where the sun will conjunct the intersection of the Milky Way in the ecliptic, giving us a view of the Sacred Tree as called by the Mayans, and commonly known as the Tree of Life.

What amazes me is the fact that this was computed at least a thousand years ago. I mean,  you know, how could they have done that by just looking at the sun and the sky? And without the help of the present technology.

I am wondering, what changes will earth have on December 21.

I am not a history buff, but I like learning about the ancient people. When we went to Angkor Wat in 2011, I was so astonished with the temples which they did by hand. It’s just so unbelievable.

Sometimes, it makes me think that aliens are real. hahaha…

I am also interested with Maccu Picchu. The Incas  have great history and culture just like the mayans do. I know, in God’s time, I will be able to visit this place. 🙂 I promise I will share with you my experiences when it happens.

So going back to the end of the world issue, what do you think about it?

If you ask me, I am going to celebrate christmas with my family. 🙂

I mean, seriously, if it’s truly the end of the world soon, there’s nothing you and I can do about it. So we might as well be happy and continue enjoying our life… Right?

Right! 🙂

So these are just my crazy thoughts before I go to bed. lol  Good night everyone and have a good weekend!

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

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Merry Christmas :)

Posted on November 30, 2012 by leawalkerblog

In the Philippines, Christmas season starts on September 1. 🙂 We call it the “ber” season. You know, september , october , november , december. hehe

Then, we start hearing christmas songs on the radio. The malls are loudly playing the same songs over and over again. But even so, we do not get tired of hearing them. Infact, it brings us this joyous feeling. An anticipation of what’s about to come on Christmas day..

So today, as the 1st day of December unfolds, let me greet you a Very Merry Christmas. 🙂

May God continue to bless all of us!

From my family to all of you, May Jesus’ birth bring you a season of joy and peace…

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

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Jaime’s Restaurant

Posted on November 25, 2012 by leawalkerblog

You know, we always pass by Lanang, coming from Samal Island. I cannot believe that I never noticed this new building beside Insular Village Phase 2.

So when John pulled over in their parking space, I was kinda surprised and told him what I thought. He just replied, you never notice anything.. LOL

With our camera shy but beautiful guest, Apple , we went inside the restaurant. The food looked good and the ambiance was cozy. So we decided to stay and have dinner. 

The buffet consisted of a salad bar. Two kinds of soup. Last night, were a choice of either Cream of Tomato or Nido Soup (like a bird’s nest soup). The main course was composed of chicken dishes, beef ribs, pork hawaiian (with pineapple), pork menudo, noodles and vegetables. Speaking of vegetables, I loved the taste of Jaime’s gising. I think it was ground pork with baguio beans sauteed in onion, garlic,  and coconut milk. It was a little spicy and hot so I believe there’s a little chili in it. I maybe wrong about the coconut milk, but that’s how it tasted to me. One thing I’m sure of, it was good. 🙂

A grilling area , where you can request the chef to grill a pork chop or seafood.

They also have a pasta bar with white or red sauce. And garlic bread.

And for those who love fats, they have lechon and crispy pata! 🙂

Buffet comes with chopped lechon. 🙂

John liked their pasta sauce because it wasn’t sweet. 🙂

The Salad Bar

They also have a dimsur bar. I saw several people try their siomai. 🙂

Dessert was a choice of Chocolate Ice Cream or Halo Halo.

Buffet Dinner costs Php550.00 and it includes bottomless ice tea or juice.

Jaime’s Restaurant is located in Lanang, Davao City. Like I said, it’s the new building between Nova Tierra Village and Insular Village Phase 2. I’m sure, you won’t miss it! 🙂

I liked my dinner there. Maybe , you would too. 🙂

Bon appetit!

 

 

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

 

 

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Dusk…

Posted on November 25, 2012 by leawalkerblog

 

As the day ends, the sky turned to yellow and red… Reflecting its beauty in the calm and deep blue sea.

Taken while on board the barge, from Samal Island on our way back to Davao City on November 25, 2012.

 

 

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

 

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SM Lanang Premier’s Fountain

Posted on November 21, 2012 by leawalkerblog

John and I decided to have dinner at New Orlean’s Restaurant in SM Lanang Premier one Sunday night. And to my delight, I found out that SM has a fountain show on an hourly basis starting 6pm to 9pm. 🙂

So after dinner, I watched and took this video.

http://youtu.be/C_bf5yGJUfM

More photos of the dancing fountain:

This fountain is at the back of SM Lanang Premier. Just go past the giant Christmas Tree, then turn left. There’s a door going out. So it’s not difficult to find it. 🙂

Have fun everyone!

 

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

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Pickwick Landing State Park

Posted on November 11, 2012 by leawalkerblog

John lived near the Pickwick lake for years. He has told me several times how beautiful it is. So I searched about it online a long time ago. The photos were so beautiful I wished that someday I would be able to see it in person.

That wish came true today. 🙂 We will be meeting John’s friend, Thomas in Tennessee. So he thought, that it’s the perfect time to take me to Pickwick. Let me share with you another memory that will forever be imprinted in my mind…

Our roadtrip starts here…

This is how autumn looks like… 🙂 I love it!

Counce, Tennessee, U.S.A.

Everything just looked so beautiful and peaceful…

One of the marinas we passed by. 🙂

I’ve never seen red trees before this! It maybe normal for americans, but definitely surreal for an asian ike me. 🙂

At Grand Harbor Lake and Marina

Grand Harbor Condominium

The view infront of me..

At Pickwick Landing Inn.

Wild geese at the park.

We sat here for a long time, watching the geese. Somewhere nearby, another guests were feeding them.

This just looks postcard perfect, to me…

You know, I wish we have a park like this in the Philippines… I’m sure my nephews would love it!

Now I understand why John loves this place…

The Botel.

We did a side trip on the other side of the Tennessee River. John wanted to show the Botel to me. He said that there was a huge catfish in a watertank outside the hotel. But when we went there, the watertank and the catfish was no longer there. It was replaced by a small swimming pool

The Botel, was originally a boat that was built on a barge. History says that during the floodings, the barge landed beside the river. And that’s how the botel came to be.

Pickwick Dam at Tennessee, USA.

From the Botel, we proceeded to Pickwick Dam. Tenneesse’s power source. What amazed me was the fact that the surrounding areas were developed as a park. Infact, there’s a big portion there that serves as an RV park.

Near the Pickwick Dam. 🙂

John and I sat here for a long time too, watching the sunset and the people who were fishing in the river.  I love to fish , so this was fun for me. I’m just glad that my husband is such a great person he cared enough to bring me here. 🙂

The fishermen looked so small beneath the dam.

This huge barge looked small amidst the Tennessee river. 🙂

At the other side of the dam, I found this beautiful riverbank.

The Tennessee Bridge.

And then, it was dinner time. 🙂

Thomas and I.

Our dinner date, Thomas. Him and John had a good time laughing when I couldn’t get in his truck. In my defense, the truck was so big. LOL

I was supposed to go riding in his big bike but we already ran out of time. Hopefully, in our next visit we will be able to do more things. This time, we just concentrated in meeting with family and friends…

Lea C. Walker

http://www.davaoproperties.com

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Tishomingo State Park

Posted on November 7, 2012 by leawalkerblog

One of the most beautiful parks we’ve visited while we were in the US was Tishomingo State Park in Mississippi.

From wikipedia:

The park pays tribute to Tishomingo County‘s remarkable geography of massive rock formations, found here and in the immediately surrounding areas but nowhere else in Mississippi.[3] The steep cliffs and abundant carboniferous limestone outcrops represent the southwestern extremity of the Southern Appalachian Plateau. It is named for one of the last great Chickasaw leaders, Chief Tishu Miko who was born in Mississippi.

Coming from a tropical country,  I was so amazed with the kaleidoscope of colors infront of me. No, we do not have Autumn in the Philippines. So this experience was so new to me. I couldn’t stop taking pictures of the trees and the surroundings.

And then, John noticed this turtle beside the road. I couldn’t believe it! I always thought that turtles can’t live without water. I am sooo wrong! We found this little guy several miles away from the lake or the creek. I don’t know how he made it but he looked ok to me. 🙂 I had to keep my distance though because he looked mean. lol Besides, a snapper turtle can snap your fingers off.. So be careful if you see one too!

Snapper Turtle. 🙂

After this short incident with snappy (my name for the turtle. lol) , we proceeded to the clubhouse/ pool area of the park. Nope, we’re not going swimming. It’s too cold for that. lol But the parking space is there. We had to leave the car so we can check the walking trails.

They have 7 walking trails. But we only chose one. The outcropping trail. This is where you will find the huge rock formations that the park is famous for.

The hanging bridge. Mommy and I.

We had to cross this hanging bridge before reaching the outcropping trail. I didn’t like walking in it but I am glad I did. I was rewarded with this beautiful view as I reached the middle of the bridge.

Taken while I was on the hanging bridge. 🙂

A few more steps and I got over my fear. Of heights, that is.. hehe

And so we start the trail….

The start of the trail..

Another tourist kindly took this picture for us. Thank you!

The rock , as big as a dining table.

And there were bigger limestone rocks than this!

We walked for several miles more. And ended up at the river bank. Boy, was I glad to be there. The view was fantastic. I wish I could have saved it through the pictures I took but I know I didn’t. It was so beautiful we just sat there for a long time and enjoyed the place. John told me that this is his favorite place in the park… 🙂

Colorful trees beautifully adorned the river bank…

Beautiful ….

My most favorite picture during this visit.. 🙂

As we were going out, I saw this statue of an indian. I thought, maybe he’s the chikasaw chieftain which this park was named after.

The chikasaw indian.

A few miles away, we parked near this log cabin. And walked towards the lily pond. 🙂

On the way to the pond…

You know, I grew up in a big city which is filled with people wherever I go. If we want to commune with nature, we had to go to a private park like Eden Nature Park to enjoy it. That’s why I told John , probably a million times (lol), that I love his place. I enjoyed the parks, the trees and the peace it brings. It was so tranquil and quiet that it’s perfect for a vacation and relaxation…

On our way out of the park…

I may have said goodbye this time. But I will definitely come back for another trail one day.

So till we meet again…. 🙂

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

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Roadtrip (Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee)

Posted on November 4, 2012 by leawalkerblog

The main reason why we went to the US was for me to meet John’s family. And since they’re scattered all over the South, I had the chance to see several states while we were there. 🙂

Some people find roadtrips boring or tedious. But not me. 🙂  Roadtrips are perfect for my wandering lust, so to speak.  Needless to say, I was so excited about the whole trip.

So let me take you to Alabama and Tennessee through the photos I took. 🙂

From Mississippi, John drove through the Natchez Trace.

https://leawalkerblog.com/2012/11/03/the-natchez-trace/

Believe me, the Natchez Trace is something you should never miss if you ever go to the Southern part of the US. Since it’s a protected park, you’re only allowed to drive 50 miles per hour. So you get to enjoy the scenic views. It’s so beautiful, I was in awe.

We exited somewhere in Decatur , Alabama. We were supposed to follow North 65 interstate but we missed the exit. So we thought, we will just look for lunch first and then head back towards   North 65 again.

Crossing the Tennesse River in Decatur, Alabama.

This reminded me of the San Juanico Bridge in Samar, Leyte. 🙂

The first rocket I saw! 🙂

This rocket is so big, you can see it for miles. You will know that you’re in Alabama already once you see this rocket. 🙂

North 65 interstate.

I was lucky enough to have visited the US during autumn. The highway from Alabama to Nashville was decorated with myriads of colorful trees as we travelled.

Tennessee welcomes us.. 🙂

Before we proceeded with our trip, we stopped over this mall. Outlets of brands like Nike, Eddie Bauer, Gap, Ralph Lauren, etc can be found here. Saying John was happy is an understatement. 🙂 He finds it difficult to shop for clothes in his size in Davao, that’s why. Filipino large is wide but short. So this stop was perfect! 🙂

I don’t normally shop when we’re travelling. But this time, I bought several clothes and shoes because I believe that I got a good deal. 🙂

After shopping, we proceeded to our final destination. – the log cabin of John’s cousin.

The Log cabin of John’s cousin..

I found the place really beautiful. It was surrounded by mountains. And had a very big manicured lawn. I was told that the cabin was painted gray outside to have an antique look. I thought it fit perfectly well with the environment it’s in.

I love the kitchen!

And the bathroom! 🙂

Doug, like most of the people I met during this trip was very warm and welcoming. 🙂 It made my stay memorable. I was happy that we all had the chance to meet during this visit. I know mommy was happy about it. 🙂

Doug and John with mommy in the background. 🙂

Austin and Bella.

Hehe.. I had to pose of course. LOL …

So this is how our Day  ended.  Hope to see you again next time! 🙂

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

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Mineral Springs Park

Posted on November 3, 2012 by leawalkerblog

Mineral Springs Park is a world famous mineral springs named after Chickasaw Chief Iuka. Its water won the 1902 World’s Fair prize for best mineral water. Playground, pavilion, historic dogtrot log cabin, picnic area, walking track, skateboard facility, tennis courts, veteran’s memorial, and meeting facility are all available. It is located on East Quitman Street at Indian Springs Drive, Iuka, Mississippi.

Mineral Springs Park was donated to the town of Iuka by David  Hubbard in the early 1840’s.  The mineral waters flowing from the ground became the center of tourism during the late 19th century..  The railroad brought  visitors by the trainload to take advantage of the curative power of the  award-winning mineral water and the peaceful beauty of the park, which is much  the same today as it was then.  The springhouses have been maintained and  recently a bandstand was reconstructed similar to the original. There were originally six flowing springs in the park.  The water was once sold to people all over the world.  The Mineral Springs Hotel and the Leatherwood Hotel housed people from all over the world who came to drink the healing waters. (courtesy of Scenic Trace)

Since I arrived in the US, the weather has been very cold. But I remember that day , the sun finally came out. But even if it was so bright, the cold breeze of the air still sent shivers to my spine. I walked through the park while John parked our truck. I noticed the big elm trees.  It reminded me of the movie, nightmare on elm street. lol  So this is where the street name came from, I thought. From the Elm Trees, that is.. hehe

Huge Elm Tree. They’re scattered all over the park.

The place was so peaceful and quiet, it’s perfect for relaxation. Autumn just started  and some trees have already changed their colors. The park is just within downtown Iuka. It’s surrounded by many houses and office buildings. But like I said, there was no noise. At all. I’ve never heard, not even once, the sound of a horn blowing as the cars drove by.  It’s just so different from where I came from.

Colorful Trees… 🙂

One of the houses nearby. I love its color. 🙂

John laughed when I told him my observation. He said ,  now you understand… I replied, yeah.. And we both laughed.

He showed me where the famous mineral water is. The water supposedly has healing powers. That’s why, in the past,  people from all over the world visited the place.

The mineral water, just flowing freely on the ground.

John, trying to explain the park’s history to me. 🙂

A pose in one of the Gazebos. 🙂

The Historic Log Cabin.

The train which people used in visiting the park before. It’s being used as a cargo train, as of the moment. 🙂

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

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The Natchez Trace

Posted on November 3, 2012 by leawalkerblog

http://youtu.be/U1dD3bsO-Aw

The Natchez Trace, also known as the “Old Natchez Trace”, is a historical path that extends roughly 440 miles (710 km) from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee, linking the Cumberland, Tennessee and Mississippi rivers. It was created and used for centuries by Native Americans, and was later used by early European and American explorers, traders and emigrants in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Today, the trail is commemorated by the 444-mile (715 km) Natchez Trace Parkway, which follows the approximate path of the Trace,[1] as well as the related Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail. Parts of the original trail are still accessible and some segments have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. (courtesy of Wikipedia)

I had the chance to see this place during our Alabama-Tennessee road trip. John drove through here because it has lesser traffic plus the view is fantastic. (You won’t see anything if you’re driving through the interstate.)

If you love nature, then take this scenic route if you ever go to Mississippi. It’s worth the trip! 🙂

I took the video above during the 1st week of October when autumn was just starting. The leaves have turned into several colors, they looked so beautiful.  I just feel so lucky to be there at the right time.

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

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