Prony, the Biggest Python in Captivity

Prony, the Biggest Python in Captivity

What Kids Should Know


Date Captured: 
October 21, 1996. At the time of the capture, it's length is only 5 feet and it weighed only 5 kilos

When they weighed and measured it in 2005
Weight is 200 kilos
Size is 23 feet and 30 inches


What it can eat
A whole live pig


Owners:
Sofronio, Jing Jing and Egin Salibay


Where it is located:
Sta Filomena, Albuquerque, Bohol

You can enter the cage and touch the python

The owner kissing the python

The snakeskin

My Tip: Buy peanut kisses here. They are sold at factory price.

See my next post: Baclayon Church

See previous post:

The Actual Blood Compact Site

The Tarsiers of Bohol

Loboc River Cruise

Hanging Bridge

Manmade Forest

Chocolate Hills of Bohol

Where is the Actual Blood Compact Site?

Where is the Actual Blood Compact Site?

For a very long time, Tagbilaran City was believed to be the site where the Blood Compact was held. Findings in 2005 showed that the site was in fact located in a different place, around 17 kilometers from where it was believed to have been held for hundreds of years. In 2005, the National Historical Institute officially declared in Resolution 4, series of 2005 that the exact location of the blood compact site is in Loay, Bohol (not Tagbilaran City) and March 25, 1565 as the exact date when the blood compact was held/

What Kids Should Know


What is the Blood Compact?

The marker tells us what the Blood Compact is all about. I translated it into English as shown in the caption. 

The Blood Compact (Sandugo literally means One Blood in English): 

The Blood Compact happened on March 25, 1565 at the Bay of Hinawanan, Loay between Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna of Bohol, onboard the flagship San Pedro of Spain. The Blood Compact was made by drinking wine mixed with blood taken from a cut from the breast of the two leaders. This sealed and marked the friendship between Spain and the Boholanos and the start of Christianity in the Philippines.

Why is the Blood Compact important:
It is the Philippine's First International Treaty of Friendship.

Participants:
Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna of Bohol

Where It Is Held:
On board the flagship San Pedro docked at the Bay of Hinawanan, Loay, Bohol

How was the Blood Compact performed:
NOT by drinking each other's blood. They took a small amount of blood taken from a cut on the breast of the 2 leaders (not from the cut on the arm as some people think) and mixed it in wine. Then the 2 leaders drank the wine to seal the treaty of friendship.

At the left is the marker, at the center is the platform where the blood compact was held, and at the back of the platform is the well.

The site is by the roadside.

The well is at the back of the platform

Sikatuna's Well: 

This is "the well between the rivers" mentioned in the latest document. It was where the soldier's of Legazpi fetched water. It was built around 1200 AD and is 20 meters deep

This is the replica of houses seen by the Spaniards built near the bay where the flagship San Pedro docked.

See our next stop: The Biggest Python in Captivity

see previous post:

The Tarsiers of Bohol

Loboc River Cruise
Hanging Bridge

Manmade Forest

Chocolate Hills of Bohol

Divisoria With Kids

Divisoria with Kids

Every year, during sembreak, I bring my kids to shop at Divisoria. Divisoria, in the Philippines,  is known as a place where you can shop for all kinds of goods at rock bottom prices. Divisoria shopping means shopping the streets of Divisoria in Manila to get the best bargain in all kinds of goods, from clothes to cellphone accessories. 


This is not the Divisoria shopping I brought my kids to. The Divisoria shopping I'm talking about is shopping at the 168 mall at Soler Street. You get almost rock bottom Divisoria prices without the inconvenience that usually accompanies a trip to the streets of Divisoria.

Why bring kids to Divisoria?  I find that despite the hassle of traffic, parking space and hordes of people around you while you shop, it's still is worth it for me for the following reasons:

1. Christmas gifts for my kids' numerous friends are completed in only one shopping trip. The sheer number and diversity of products sold at 168 mall make this possible. 

2. My kids are able to choose gifts for friends and not be worried about not affording it. 

3. My kids also shop for clothes and shoes at 168 mall. Since kids so easily outgrow their clothes, it is logical to shop at Divisoria for clothes that they will not wear long enough to ruin them. Divisoria clothes are not reputed to be sturdy.  

4. Even after completing their shopping, my kids are amazed  they still have a lot of money left over from the trip.

Why go to the 168 Mall?
If you have kids with you, it's more convenient and safer to shop at 168 mall than bring them to the streets of Divisoria. You still get Divisoria prices, but without all the inconvenience of shopping at Divisoria.

1. Security is tight. They have guards at the doors and guards that roam around the building with German shepherds. 

2. The place is fully airconditioned. 

• There's no danger of kids getting sick because of the heat when shopping along Divisoria streets.

3. There are numerous toilets scattered around the building that are cleaned almost immediately after use.

4. There are 2 fast food courts that can cater to both adult and children's tastes. 

• This means you have the familiar McDonalds, Jollibee, Chowking, Tokyo Tokyo, etc. 
• And for adults like us, who are essentially tired of eating in these places, there are other food options like Thai, Cantonese, and Filipino food.

HERE IS MY STRATEGY for a hassle-free and organized shopping trip with kids at Divisoria

1. Choose a date with less traffic and people.

In our case, we decided to go the Sunday before November 1. Why?

• Sundays in Manila has the least traffic. That takes care of traffic beyond Divisoria area.
• We went there during sem break. That takes care of traffic in the vicinity of Divisoria. Several universities are near Divisoria. When there are classes, the streets of Recto are teeming with students trying to get a ride or walking down the streets. 

•  Since the date is before November 1, there are less people in 168 mall because the money most people have at this time of the year is goes to spending for flowers and candles for All Saint's Day and not for Christmas shopping.

2. Arrive at 168 mall at opening time, so you can leave immediately after lunch when most people arrive. 

3. Organize a buddy system within your group.

One adult should supervise one child, or if the child is a bit older, the configuration could be one adult to supervise 2 children.

By grouping them, the kids can go on separate shopping trips with at least one adult to go with them. Since the adults have (at most) 2 kids to shop with, they can finish shopping in a shorter span of time

The money given to the kids can be taken cared of by the adult.

4. In case you don't have a driver, you can drop off your kids, with their partner adults at the mall entrance, and agree to meet 11am at the food court where McDonalds is located.

Just in case you don't see each other along the corridor between the stalls, you can just proceed to the agreed meeting place and time later. Just in case the kids get lost or separated from their companions, they know they will see you 11am at the food court.

5. Have your lunch 11am or earlier.

This ensures you have  tables and seats that you can reserve for your group. The table and seats will not only be used for dining but can also serve as a rest stop for tired companions or a place to leave your things in case some of the people in your group have not finished shopping by lunchtime. 

6. The kids should leave their cellphones at home or in the car.

7. Make sure to arrive at Divisoria with money broken down into small peso bills.

This saves you the trouble of having to wait for change. I found that having 100 peso bills make it convenient for me to shop in Divisoria.

Location of 168 Mall

View Larger Map

Opening Hours in 2010

How to get there

Check out the instructions on how to commute to 168 mall.

Where to park

1. Mall parking

The new automated parking structure at the back of the mall can accomodate at least 180 cars. You can see from the video below how they retrieve the cars from the top level by using a vertical lift.

2. Outside parking
There's a big parking lot along Alvarado Street. See map below

View Larger Map

Other Important Services and Facilities
1. ATM machines

The location of the ATM machines

2. Food Court

Food Court 1

Food Court 2

Up Close and Personal with the Tarsiers of Bohol

Up Close and Personal with the Tarsiers of Bohol

Why you shouldn't miss seeing the Tarsiers of Bohol
You cannot find it anywhere in the world except where it is endemic, like in Bohol. They cannot be transported anywhere like other animals because they are so sensitive and easily traumatized. Those who have attempted to smuggle them outside their habitat were unsuccessful. The Tarsiers are so sensitive, they commit suicide and die when they are touched. Therefore you cannot find it in different zoos around the world. 

What Kids Should Know

• What are Tarsiers: 

1. They are the world's smallest primate. They have similar physical characteristics as the monkey. 
2. They are also one of the oldest land species, existing for almost 45 million years

• Where can it be found: 

1. The Philippines (in Bohol, Leyte, Samar and Mindanao) 
2. Indonesia (in Sulawesi, Borneo, Sumatra) 

• Interesting facts about the Tarsiers of Bohol 

(taken from http://www.tarsierfoundation.org/the-tarsiers-of-bohol)

•  They are nocturnal animals (meaning they are active at night and sleep during the day) and should not be disturbed at day time  

• Their main diet is insects and should not be fed with meat. 

• They commit suicide during captivity due to trauma from touching and loud noise. 

• They’re one of the slowest fetal growth rates of any mammal, taking 6 months to reach a birth weight of 23 grams. 

• A single tarsier needs at least a hectare of space per individual 

1:30PM -1:45 PM: Traveled from the Loboc River to the Tarsier Sanctuary

see previous post:
Loboc River Cruise
Hanging Bridge

Manmade Forest

Chocolate Hills of Bohol

1:45 PM-215pm: Saw and fed the Tarsiers of Bohol

They sleep during the day.

This is how close we were able to see the Tarsier.

No touching!
My daughter pretending to touch the Tarsier.

See our next stop: The Actual Blood Compact Site

Lunch at the Loboc River Cruise

Lunch at the Loboc River Cruise

What Kids Should Know

• Where it is located: at Loay-Loboc River
• Why is the river important in the history of Loboc: the Loboc River is important because most of the inhabitants pf this town live near the river before the Spaniards came and established the town.
• What the river cruise boat is made of: The river cruise boat, which is also a floating restaurant, is made of 2 boats with a platform on top.
• What to expect:  The cruise takes you along the Loboc River. While on the cruise, you dine with Filipino food, buffet style, and are entertained by locals dancing and singing Filipino songs on a platform built on one side of the river. At the end of the river is a small waterfalls.

11:30 AM -12:00 PM: Registration at the terminal of the Lobor River Cruise

Our guide, Tatsky, recommended Riverwatch Floating Restaurant. 

The Menu of Riverwatch: Pork Barbecue, Grilled Fish, Grilled Squid, Crab, Kutsinta and Suman, Ginaling, Malagkit, Fresh Mango, Mix Vegetables, Bamboo Shoots, Pancit, Pinakbet, Etc.

The ticket

Free wifi at the terminal

The new rates as of May 1, 2010

 12:00 PM -1:30 PM: Loboc River Cruise

Boarding the floating restaurant

The floating restaurant built on top of 2 large bancas

Dining at the floating restaurant

The end of the River where the boat takes a u-turn

A small performance was made by the locals singing Filipino songs on a platform on the side of the river.

See our next stop: The Tarsiers of Bohol

see previous post:

Manmade Forest

Chocolate Hills of Bohol
Hanging Bridge

German Christmas Market

German Christmas Market

Mamasko tayo sa Weihnachtsmarkt!

The 2nd German Christmas Market will be held in the campus of the Ateneo de Manila University. The event brings together students, teachers, parents and educational partners to experience German culture through various contests, educational games, concerts, dance performances, sport competitions, cooking demos and food tastings. Let us come together to experience a traditional German holiday cheer!

(Taken from the Goethe Institute Website.)

What I Love about the German Christmas Market

1. The Stollen!

• They have the best and freshest stollen I've ever tasted! Santis Delicatessen usually sells the Stollen during the Christmas season, but the Stollen at the German Christmas Market is much better.
• What is a Stollen:  Stollen is a loaf-shaped cake containing dried fruit, and covered with sugar, powdered sugar or icing. The cake is usually made with chopped candied fruit and/or dried fruit, nuts and spices. Stollen is a traditional German cake, usually eaten during the Christmas season, when called Weihnachtsstollen or Christstollen. A similar cake from the Dutch cuisine is called a Kerststol in Dutch, while in Italian cuisine the panettone also shows a likeness. (from Wikipedia)

2. The different varieties of sausage available.

3. The different food stalls that mainly carries European food. And of course, German cuisine is widely available.

What Kids Will Learn

1. They will have a brief exposure to German culture, more particularly, the German Christmas tradition.

2. They will learn that the tradition of having Christmas Markets originated from Germany.

A Christmas market, also known as Christkindlmarkt, Christkindlesmarkt, Christkindlmarket, and Weihnachtsmarkt, is a street market associated with the celebration of Christmas during the four weeks of Advent. These markets originated in Germany and Alsace but are now being held in many other countries. (from Wikipedia)

Location of the 2010 Christmas Market 

View Larger Map

To view the Ateneo School Map, see here