October 4, 2019. The Filipino Association of Lethbridge, Alberta, together with other ethnic associations and some local businesses in Lethbridge, joined this year’s Northern Lights Festival held at the gym of Winston Churchill High School. It’s an event held to seek understanding of what people from all types of backgrounds contribute to the community. Attendees also asked what events are running throughout the year and it is a great platform wherein Canadians can get to know each other better.
It is an event filled with entertainment from the different neighbouring schools and from different ethnic communities. There were food trucks to fulfill your food cravings like Kona Shaved Ice and Churros. A flu clinic was also held to protect everyone from the flu this flu season.
Here are some of the pictures from the event.
This is a yearly event and we’re looking forward to see everyone again next year! =)
September 7-8, 2019. After several weeks of games, we are finally going to the semifinals! Who will step up and make it to the finals? For the mens teams, will it be JRAM, Adoballs, OB Bigdigs or Brgy. West? For the womens teams, will it be the OB Finest, Kiss My Ace, Tambayan ni Kabayan or the Pabebe? Watch all the action at the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization Gym!
The Filipino-Canadian Association of Lethbridge Alberta would like to thank the following sponsors:
MENS
1st Place
Trophy – Save On Foods – West Lethbridge
Gold Medals – Norman Decano
Cash Prize – Dr. & Mrs. Villar
Additional prizes from Save On Foods Pharmacy
2nd Place
Trophy – DAD Immigration Consulting – Domingo & Rufa Doria
Silver Medals – The Travel Pill – Vic Visitacion
Additional prizes from Save On Foods Pharmacy
3rd Place
Trophy – 3 EJ Day Home Child Care – Ronnie Landayan
Bronze Medals – Tambayan ni Kabayan
Additional prizes from Save On Foods Pharmacy
WOMENS
1st Place
Trophy – Save On Foods – West Lethbridge
Gold Medals – Arlene Visser
Cash Prize – Dr. & Mrs. Villar
Additional prizes from Save On Foods Pharmacy
2nd Place
Trophy – Ben Oligario
Silver Medals – The Travel Pill – Vic Visitacion
Additional prizes from Save On Foods Pharmacy
3rd Place
Trophy – Dodon Nazar & Family
Bronze Medals – New Saigon
Additional prizes from Save On Foods Pharmacy
MVP
Mens trophy – theBROcustomized Apparel by Maui Lucero
Womens trophy – theBROcustomized Apparel by Maui Lucero
Additional prizes from Jenny Rose
Again, a huge thank you to all the players, coaches, team managers and sponsors for making this sports event successful!!! And don’t forget to support the above sponsors and their businesses!!!
June 15, 2019. Save On Foods held its 8th Annual West Fest. The West Fest is the biggest kids’ festival in West Lethbridge.
It is held every spring at the Save On Foods West Lethbridge parking lot.
Kids get to jump up and down the bouncy castles and slide down inflatable slides. Smaller children were able to build sandcastles in the sandbox.
There’s also a fundraiser pancake breakfast and bbq hotdog lunch for a beneficiary local school. The proceeds of this year’s fundraising was given to Mike Mountain Horse Elementary School.
While you eat, you’ll be entertained by young bands and choirs from nearby schools.
You could also seat near the stage and watch the live performances.
This year’s special performers are the dancers from the Filipino-Canadian Association of Lethbridge dancing the “Sayaw sa Bangko” (Dance on a Bench).
With the amazing weather and the support of Lethbridge residents, we were able raise twice the amount of donations as compared to last year. Thanks to all the sponsors for making this event successful and contributing for the improvement of our schools in Lethbridge!
June 12, 2019. For the first time in the history of Lethbridge, Alberta, the Philippine Flag was raised at the City Hall.
The Philippine and Canadian National Anthems were sung by Ms. Shine Landayan.
Here is a highlight video of this momentous event!
This event also marks the 121st Philippine Independence Day.
From the Filipino-Canadian Association of Lethbridge, Alberta would like to thank the Lethbridge City Hall and the residents of Lethbridge for joining us in celebrating this historical event.
June 8, 2019 – The first-ever Filipino Heritage Celebration in Lethbridge started with a bang! The Filipino-Canadian Association of Lethbridge, Alberta’s hardwork definitely paid off! It’s a day filled with fun games, fashion shows of traditional Filipiniana costumes, lots of vendors selling your favourite Filipino food and a good number of goosebumps-inducing song performances.
There are also folk dances performed by our talented dancers led by Regina Jing-Jing Lopez. Standing out is the “Sayaw sa Bangko” (Dance on a Bench) which is definitely not for people with a fear of heights!
Sayaw sa Bangko (Dance on a Bench)
The Filipino-Canadian Association of Lethbridge, Alberta would like to thank our sponsors for this event: Save On Foods, Orange Blossom Food Imports, Tambayan Ni Kabayan, DAD Canada Immigration Consulting Inc, Norwex by Gigie and Analyn, ABM College, Davies GMC Buick, TFC, GMA Pinoy TV, FCM Live, Diaryo Alberta Society and Wacky Shots.
Most of all, we would like to thank everyone for joining the celebration and making this event the biggest Filipino Fiesta in Southern Alberta!!! People from Calgary, Taber, Pincher Creek, Coaldale, and even Montana joined the fun!!! See you again next year!!! You guys are awesome!!!
Canada is gifted with miles and miles of majestic views of it’s national parks. And as a gift by Parks Canada to Canada’s residents and visitors, the Discovery Pass 2017 is free of charge.
The Discovery Pass can be ordered online through Parks Canada’s website. It can be picked up at all CIBC branches, MEC Stores, Parks Canada offices and dozens of other partners in each province. It gives everyone a free admission to explore Canada’s beautiful national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas managed by Parks Canada (see limitations).
No wonder why there are lots of cars with passes hanging behind their rear view mirrors (including us, hehe). Definitely, the best things in life are free!!!
P.S. Happy 150th Birthday Canada!!! You are awesome!!! 😃🎂🎉
Do you want to experience a slow, scenic river ride in Cambridge? Then, you have to experience punting along the River Cam. We’re lucky to be treated by my cousin Evan on this tour. Thanks Evan!
Punting along the River Cam gives you a view of the different colleges of the University of Cambridge. We used the Scudamore Punting Company for the tour. In this tour, we rode a punt, a boat with a flat bottom. A punt has two ends: the Cambridge end is the flat deck (till) where the punter stands and the Oxford end is the open end where people sit (if you’re in a group tour); it is also where the punter stands in Oxford.
The ride was relaxing. It is also slow-paced, giving you a chance to take lots of pictures of the beautiful architecture of the different colleges of the University of Cambridge.
During our river tour, our punter introduced us to the “Ron Weasley” of punters.
There he is! It must be Ron’s part time job after the Harry Potter series. =)
Writing the name of customers on their cups is a fun culture in Starbucks. There is always a feeling of thrill to get your cup of coffee and know what is your Starbucks name for the day. You’ll never know if your barista will get your name right… or your barista will butcher your name… or he/she might decide to just give you a different name totally.
So here goes the story for my Starbucks name in Madrid. I ordered Gerlie a cup coffee because her coffee at the hotel is not yet enough to wake her up. LOL. It was then our turn so I gave Gerlie’s order. The barista asked for my name, and I said, “Vic, V-I-C.” He shrugged his shoulders. I thought, hmm.. did he find my name interesting? He handed me the receipt and I gave it to Gerlie so she could use the washroom.
Washrooms can only be used using the code printed on the receipt. So… you can only use their washroom if you are a buying customer. Which I think is fair.
I waited for Gerlie’s coffee. I know mine should be first because we were the first among the others that are still waiting for their orders. The second barista then called the next coffee. “Caramel macchiato for…” – (silence) – then said a name that is incomprehensible to everyone. It was a long name. Noone reacted or tried to pick up that cup. He then went back to the first barista taking orders and asked him who ordered it. To my surprise, the first barista pointed at me.
How come did the second barista said a long name and my name is just Vic, a single syllable name. I then grabbed the coffee, sat on a stool at the bar table by the window and waited for Gerlie.
While waiting, I checked what was the name on the cup and I just burst into laughter. Here is my Starbucks name in Madrid:
No wonder why the second barista had a difficulty saying that name! V-I-A-I-S-E!!! So unique eh!? hahaha!
I then showed it to Gerlie. Oh my goodness, that was one of our best laughs in Madrid!!! Awesome!!!
March 2015 – We accompanied our friend on her search for her perfect wedding shoes in Calgary. Me knowing that they might take the whole day window shopping and I having nothing to buy on mind, I just told them that I will just walk around downtown and take some pictures.
Meet Kabuki (yellow) and Sadko (red)Kabuki and Sadko – screw inspired art installation in Downtown Calgary“Wonderland” – a 12-meter sculpture in front of The BowThe BowStephen Avenue WalkThe “Trees” of Stephen Avenue WalkCalgary TowerThe “Trees” and Towers of Calgary
Hungry from my downtown stroll and their never ending shoe fitting, we headed for our dinner at Gaucho.
Gaucho
Gaucho is a haven for meat lovers in Calgary. It is a rodizio or a steakhouse that serves all-you-can-eat meat and is located at 5920 Macleod Trail SW. Be sure you’re ready and hungry before you go here because there will be lots of food… I mean LOTS!
Gaucho Brazilian BarbecueThese cutleries will be in for a battle at Gaucho.
To start, there is a buffet where you can choose from some freshly baked bread, healthy green salads, crispy breaded seafood, rice and more sides.
Gaucho’s Buffet
Then, there goes the show. A double sided cow-shaped card will help you guide the servers whether you want more meat (green side) or you still want to enjoy the meat that you still have (red side).
Yes, please.No, thanks.
One after the other, you’ll be offered with huge assortment of meat, all rotisseried perfectly. The amount served will be according to your liking. You can choose from a selection of sausages, top sirloin, rump steak, chicken wings, beef ribs, pork loin, lamb, and “meat sushi” – chicken wrapped in bacon. They also have grilled cheese that melts in your mouth. Awesome!
The rotisserieGerlie @ GauchoAnother good use for a wheel.Vic @ GauchoJade @ GauchoA cool reminder for the staff!Awesome dinner at Gaucho
Definitely, Gaucho will bring out the inner carnivore in you! LOL! The best Brazilian barbecue experience in Calgary!
February 2015 – Mini-trips while preparing for the bigger trip are always fun. I usually have a long weekend from work after working 3 weeks of varying schedules. This time, we are preparing for our Japan trip and we have to get our Japanese Visas. Gerlie has to get hers in Calgary and I have to get mine in Vancouver since we live in different provinces in Canada.
Not prepared for the cold weather, we did not plan any outdoor activities. Good thing there’s an indoor park in the heart of Downtown Calgary, it’s the Devonian Gardens.
Devonian Gardens is the only indoor public park in Calgary and is maintained by the City of Calgary Parks. I’m amazed by the patience and hardwork of the lady maintaining the park as she is removing the dry leaves one by one! No wonder this park is so beautiful! Awesome.
You’ll find this park inside The Core Shopping Centre in downtown Calgary.
The Core Shopping Centre – Calgary.
At the other end of the top floor is the Devonian Gardens and you’ll be surprised with the vibrant tropical colors from the different plants and flowers.
Vic #thetravelboyAnthuriums.Lots of trees!
Several wood carvings are installed all around the park.
Wood carvings together with the plants.A wooden wall artwork.More wall installations
It’s also relaxing just to watch the kois swim and enjoy the beauty of the plants being reflected by the ponds.
Fountain at the koi pond.Just some of the palm trees. There are 18 kinds of them here.A koi swimming calmly in the pond.Orchids in the middle of the pond.
Here’s something that the kids will enjoy. A playground and a mini wall climb. And check out who enjoyed it! (Good that we visited near closing time and there are no more kids! LOL)
Children’s playgroundA mini wall climb for kids! Here’s Gerlie. #thetravelgirl =)
Indeed, this is great way to be indoors in Calgary!!! Beautiful!
the TRAVEL pill 