Down the Rabbit Hole

A visit to Orlando , Florida, is incomplete without an airboat ride experience on the Everglades (I've been reading National Geographic stories about the Everglades since I was a child). Thus, I included a Wild Willy's Airboat Tour of Lake Tohopekaliga. Besides, Donan likes seeing animals. He thoroughly enjoyed the safari adventure in Animal Kingdom, so why not add some gator sightings to his memory bank? The Everglades The Everglades is a flooded grassland in Florida. It begins near Orlando (lucky us!). Water flows south from Lake Tohopekaliga to Lake Okeechobee (the largest freshwater lake in Florida) through the  Kissimmee  River. From there, the water flows south until it exits at Florida Bay. The Everglades is notable for its extensive sawgrass ( Cladium  sp.) growth. It is also home to mangrove forests, pine forests,  cypress  swamps, and other tropical trees. The variety of flora in these ever-flowing waters creates diverse environments that various anima...

When I was in grade school, Mommy saw a feature on TV Patrol about how beautiful the Christmas lights were in Imus, Cavite . The whole family got into the car right after the news, and we went to Imus (totally unplanned). I remembered the spontaneity of that family trip when I saw a social media feature about Deacon Dave's light display in Livermore, CA. I thought that Donan would love to see the Christmas lights. Val hadn't been to Livermore (outside of the outlets), so it would be nice for him to experience it, too.  We went to Deacon Dave's Casa del Pomba after shopping at Costco. I was surprised by how popular his house is. The 500-foot queue of visitors went around the corner and into a cul-de-sac! I was worried that it would be too cold for Mommy (she wasn't dressed warm enough for the plunging temperature), boring for Donan (he fell asleep; thank goodness we brought the stroller!), and too slow for Val (he had complained about the long waiting time at Singapore Z...

Since I was exposed to Filipino gastronomy movements , I have visited Filipino-owned restaurants featuring Filipino cuisine in each city I explore. This hobby led me to insist upon dining at Kaya in Orlando, Florida , during my family's trip there in December 2024. Although I had difficulty finding time for our Kaya dinner, there was availability for our group on our last night in the city! (Kaya's signpost by the sidewalk. ) We went to Kaya straight after our gator adventure in Lake Tohopekaliga and arcade time at WonderWorks. The restaurant's façade was a welcome sight: a parol with twinkling fairy lights, kids playing street games in the parking lot, and a party in the front yard. The scene was the closest I could get to a fiesta in the Philippines. It was good that we had snacks before travelling to Kaya because the wait was long! Chef Lo Lalicon and General Manager Jamilyn Salonga Bailey brought over salabat to ensure we were warm and cozy while waiting for our tab...