CamSur. Camarines Sur. Home to bicol express, laing, pili nuts, the famous adventure water park, CamSur Watersports Complex, and home to majestic and old churches that will definitely bring history alive. I am always excited when I am off to travel to a familiar place which holds a lot of happy memories. CamSur reminds me very much of Bohol. I've been there thrice already. First was during the Lakas ng Rebolusyon YFC ILC Conference after our 2-week inspiring stay in Sorsogon for the GK Bayani Challenge 2007. Second was last Sept 2010, during the 1st CamSur Marathon, where GK was a beneficiary. Third was last February 2011 for this year's I Stand SFC ICON. Photo dump of my CamSur Adventures below:
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| CamSur last April 2007 for the YFC ILC Lakas ng Rebolusyon. Yes, we have been over burnt because of our 2 week inspiring adventure in Sorsogon for the GK Bayani Challenge 2007. But it surely fired up the passion of service and loving in us! |
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| CamSur last Sept 2010 for the First CamSur Marathon. 'Twas a fun-filled 4 days with GK Marketing. We went all the way to CamSur, an 8-hr bus ride from Manila, to sell shirts...and to represent and cheer for those running for Team GK! Woot! And yes, we ended up joining the 3-km marathon...but not officially. Just because all the roads back to the finish line were blocked and we have to be there to take photos so we didn't really have much choice but to join the crowd. Haha |
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| Celebrity spotting during the CamSur marathon. Yes, I am an ultimate fanatic...and stalker, at times. When I see one, the "probinsiyana" in me never fails to surface. Haha. Ms. Iza Calzado was so nice during the press conference. She readily posed for the camera with a giddy smile raising her GK running jersey...and posed with the rest of Team GK before the run. Aga Muhlach was really "gwapo"! And so is Marc Nelson...and little Matthew Castillejo. Side story: I was too excited to take a photo of me with Matthew and Marc when there was no one interested (yet) to have their photos taken with them and so I was approaching them. But suddenly, a group of more "fanatic" girls started to surround the 2 guys so I suddenly became hesitant, but my ever-supportive photographer, Ate My, was insistent. I was starting to step back and turn away but Marc Nelson already saw me (and I think he saw me already and sensed that I was lining up for a photo when Ate My was almost shoving me near them before the swarm of girls arrived. Feeler! Haha) so he called me up and told the girls that I came first. I was so "kiliiiig"! And with Matthew pa. Sigh. Haha. And that photo appeared in the official CamSur marathon website which kinda embarassed me...just because. Kunwari pa. Haha Donita Rose, Diane Castillejo, Tessa Prieto-Valdez, and Studio 23's Bettina (which our GK boys totally adore!) were also there. |
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| And what is CamSur without its super spicy and tasty laing and bicol express, a favorite! We were in the lookout (for more than a day) for laing and bicol express served in large portions. We ordered in restos and they serve them as side dishes...only as side dishes...in small portions. Imagine our dismay?! Our disappointment! But the GK Bicol boys, particularly our magiting na GK Area Coordinator, is always in the rescue. He bought laing and bicol express (in large portions! Imagine our happiness!), but I forgot where he bought those from, and cooked bicol express for us to bring back to Manila to share to the rest of our GK family. Thank you Kuya Eric! We too are grateful to Tita Brenda, who included CamSur in her list of towns to visit during her Luzon trip, for treating us to a sumptuous and delicious dinner in Red Platter, Naga City. And yes, we love all that was served before us and their chocolate cookies are to die for. She also treated us the night after to a resto that serves great pasta (I totally forgot what its name was...I just remembered that they allowed their guests to write on their walls and I spotted Donna Cruz-Larrazabal and his hubby's signature and short message there.) We were also treated to a Filipino resto on our last night in Bicol by Tito Jonny and the rest of Team GK CamSur were there too to send us off. We have Tito Hayee and Tita Weeny Azana to thank for for providing a home for us, in their huuuge place, for the whole duration of our stay there, and yes, they absolutely filled our tummy to our heart's content every morning for breakfast. I especially love Tita Weeny's Brazo de Mercedes! |
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| My recent CamSur adventure was, last Ferbruary 2011, for this year's SFC International Conference I Stand in CamSur Watersports Complex. I had fun, fun, fun! Starting from the road trip with my YFC Kuyas and Ate from Cebu to CamSur, worships and praisefests, inspiring talks, seeing my YFC mentors and friends from Cebu, seeing GK friends, being with my SFC household and SFC chapter, touring around Naga City, church hopping, and food tripping! No wonder I've gained so much weight ever since my stay here in Luzon. |
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| Sunset in CamSur. Sunsets never fail to capture me and remind me of God's majesty and glory! And yes, I am definitely coming back to CamSur! I have yet to try CWC's water boarding and aqua obstacle. I can't believe that I allowed my fear (of falling in the water in front of so many people that I don't even know or haven't even met) to overpower me and stopped me from trying out water boarding. I let my laziness of changing from wet clothes even stopped me from jumping to the water (and to think I love everything that is blue and water! Psh) and just allow the child in me to enjoy the slides and trampoline and canoe-ing. And it was all for free! Yes, for free! Thanks to Governor Lray Villafuere. Lesson learned, I have to push myself at times or maybe even all the time, just so I would be able to try anything and everything that I know later on that I will forever cherish. |
Yes, I am coming back for many reasons. First, I wanted so much to visit GK Libmanan and GK Iriga ,which are our bed-and-breakfast model GK communities. Second, I just have to try the water boarding, even just once, and the aqua obstacle course, a hundred times. Haha. Third, I have to pass through CamSur to get to Albay since I also want to see the Mayon Volcano, Cagsawa ruins and try out pottery. So many things to do and I definitely am listing them down. Time to save, save, save so I can travel, travel, travel, and serve, serve, serve. Exciting days ahead! Woot!
