Photos from My Grand Children Now Vacationing in the Philippines

From Left to Right: Philip, Wyatt, Marina, Alix and Brendan- In front of the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros ( Walled City), Manila. 

My three grand children ( Philip, Alix and Marina ) were in the Philippines the last week of December 2024 and the first week of January 2025. Alix was accompanied by her husband, Brendan Quinn, and Marina was with Partner, Wyeth.     Philip, Alix and Marina are the children of Dodie, my oldest son. They spent their High School years here in Northgate High School, Walnut Creek, Ca.  

This was their first time in the Philippines. They had a chance to visit the Philippines and My Island Marinduque last 2007 when Macrine ( RIP) and I celebrated our Golden Wedding Anniversary. But for some reasons or another, only Dodie was able to attend. 

 Here are some photos Marina sent me while they were in Manila. They were sight seeing the popular tourist spots and enjoying the food and vibes of the City. From the photos,  It appeared that their local guides are the nephews and nieces and family of Macrine who are residents of Manila and surrounding suburbs.    Here are some of the Photos. 

    

And here are the 3 photos and one video of their trip to Marinduque . They are now enjoying the beach and easy life in Marinduque, away from the traffic and chaos in the big city of Manila and its suburbs.

Marina's photos brought back pleasant memories of my younger days in Boac, Marinduque, Philippines, where our beach house and second retirement home is located. 

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2024/06/my-younger-years-and-our-beach-house-in.html

Memories of Front Lawn of the well-manicured landscaping of The Main House (Chateau Du Mer), Amoingon, Boac, Marinduque, Philippines 2016.  Here's a video of CDM... 

https://youtu.be/qLr3m6WjvXw

New Year Eve Dinner and My Monday Night Football Win

Jane Williams, Sandi Green, Dorothy Mussey, Kathleen Sontag and I enjoyed each other company at the New Eve Dinner last Tuesday night.  Thank you Jane for organizing this 5-some for Dinner. The food was delicious. Jane, Kathleen and I had the lobster tail dinner and Sandi and Dorothy had the Rack of Lamb. It was a dinner worth remembering and appropriate for the festive occasion on New Year Eve here at THD.    Sandi and I took some photos as well as Samanta Gaylan, one of my favorite server.  Here are some photos that Sandi and I took during and after the dinner. 

Meanwhile, here is the photo of the announcement that I won the Monday Night Football lottery again. This is my 3rd time to win in this guessing game contest.  

New Year's Eve and Day Tradition in the Philippines and Other Parts of the World

Happy New Year to All! Good bye 2024. Welcome 2025.

Did you know that twelve Round Fruits in Your Table (for Prosperity and Wealth)-is a Filipino Traditions at New Year? 

The past years, I have posted New Years Eve and Day Traditions and Superstition ( see website at end of this blog) in the Philippines. Today I am reprinting for your information 12 Fascinating New Years Eve traditions from other parts of the world as well and as follows: 

TWELVE FASCINATING NEW YEAR’S EVE TRADITIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD BY

Shutterstock / MEzairi

In the U.S., we usher out the last day of the year with cocktails, ball drops and fireworks. Elsewhere, other types of symbolism play a big role in this final holiday of the season. 

Taste of Home

JAPAN

Just before midnight on New Year’s Eve, the Japanese eat soba noodles. The Toshikoshi soba, which translates to a “year-crossing” buckwheat noodle dish, has lots of symbolism. The long noodle denotes the crossing from one year to the next. Since it’s an easily cut noodle, it signifies a letting go of the past year’s regrets—a cutting-off, if you will, before the fresh start the new year brings.

Aripai Leangphet/Shutterstock

SPAIN

In Spain, with 12 seconds remaining until the New Year, people eat 12 green grapes to bring good luck in the coming year. It’s thought to be bad luck if you can’t eat them all by the final midnight chime. But gobble them down in time and 12 months of good fortune will come your way.

Taste of Home

FRANCE- MY FAVORITE OYSTER ROCKEFELLER 

The French usually ring in the New Year with a huge feast, commonly know as le réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre. The meal is full of traditional, decadent eats, including foie gras, oysters, lobster and escargot. And, just like in the U.S., champagne is the drink of choice.

Shutterstock / barbajones

ITALY

Italians love lentils for their coin-like shape, symbolizing luck and prosperity. A New Year’s Eve dinner usually features this legume to bring on luck in the coming year. Pork is often added to lentil dishes in the form of cotechino, a spicy sausage, or zampone, a deboned pig trotter, to represent the plenitude of the land.

LI Cook/Shutterstock

COLOMBIA

On the last night of the year, Colombians place three potatoes—one peeled, one unpeeled, and one half peeled—under their beds. At midnight, they pull out the first potato they touch. Peeled means they’ll have financial problems, unpeeled indicates abundance, and half peeled…well, somewhere in between.

Shutterstock / David Carillet

AUSTRALIA

Australians celebrate the New Year with midnight fireworks in cities and towns throughout the country. Firework displays are launched off bridges, such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, from jetties along the beaches, and on river banks, with the lights of the fireworks sparkling off the water. In a typical year, people pack picnic baskets and arrive hours early to get the best viewing spots.

Zb89V/Shutterstock

THE PHILIPPINES

Filipino culture celebrates the New Year by serving 12 round fruits. The round shape symbolizes coins, which represent prosperity and wealth for each month of the upcoming year. Apples, melons, oranges and grapes are popular picks, but any round fruit will do.

Shutterstock / V. Belov

DENMARK

After a traditional New Year’s Eve meal of boiled cod with mustard, the Danes eat a tower of marzipan doughnuts called kransekage, meaning “wreath cake.” It was once called overflødighedshorn (cornucopia), because the whole doughnut tower was tipped on its side, with chocolate and treats spilling out. This traditional cake is also served at weddings and birthdays.

Shutterstock / Alexander Lukatskiy

CANADA

In rural areas of Canada, New Year’s Eve is a time to spend ice fishing with friends. Celebrations on the frozen ponds and rivers tend to last all night as buddies fish in the open or in fishing shacks and perhaps catch a fish or two to help celebrate the coming year.

Taste of Home

IRELAND

The Irish have a tradition of banging bread against the walls of their houses on New Year’s Eve. The idea is that bad luck and evil spirits are chased away and good luck is invited in. It also ensures that the coming year will be filled with an abundance of bread and other food.

OZMedia/Shutterstock

BRAZIL

In Brazil, particular foods are eaten to invite good luck for the coming year. Seven is the lucky number on New Year’s Eve, so seven pomegranate seeds are eaten to keep the purse full, and seven grapes ensure abundance in all areas of life. Some Brazilians also jump over seven waves in the ocean and make seven wishes for the new year as they leap.

Shutterstock / Africa Studio

GREECE

The Greeks ring in the new year by eating vasilopita, a sweet yeast bread. Eaten at midnight, the bread is made in honor of Greece’s revered St. Basil. Before serving the family, beginning with the oldest member, households set a slice of bread aside for the saint and another portion for those in need. A coin is baked into the bread and the person whose slice contains the coin is in for a year filled with good fortune.

 

For details about New Year Eve and Day Traditions in the Philippines and other Part of the World visit: 

https://marinduquemyislandparadise.blogspot.com/2019/12/new-years-eve-and-day-superstition-in.html 

https://holidappy.com/holidays/New-Years-Eve-Superstitions-and-Traditions 

Meanwhile,  The is the  dish I will have for dinner today with steam white rice  (ordered previously from East Ocean Seafood Restaurant) and with dill pickles from a neighbor as a side dish.

Fish Cod Fillet with Red Peppers and Black Bean Sauce

Thank You Sandi for the Kosher Dill Pickle Chips. 

Lastly,  here are some photos from Richard Botton Hannukah Celebration last Sunday. I was there at the ceremony but did not stay for the reception. As per last year, the singing and ceremony was beautiful and well-planned. I did not stay for the Latkes and reception after since I had a minor stomach problem. Thank You, Dick for the Hannukah Party and Celebration. Here are some photos of the event.

 

  Again, May You all Have a Prosperous New Year, 2025