more about pensacola

We are writing this entry on our way to the UK... hope it gets done before we land on London grounds so we can move on to new stuff...

The following are photographs from our day trip to Destin – a prime beach city to the East of Pensacola, Florida. On the way, we passed by Panama City Beach which is famous for being a favourite of college students on Spring Breaks. Apparently, the residents are not very keen on these crowd of spring breakers because of the havoc they sometimes cause.

... yeah, you can say it... 'to the world!'

white as snow... it's sand.

some ceremony that day - naval museum

Manong Tom being a Navy Veteran meant a visit to the US National Naval Museum in town. Driving to the place, we learned about the vast land area that the US Navy holds possession of, and not just some piece of land. It’ a spread of coastal land with beautiful sugar white beaches much like Pensacola beach. In the museum, Kanootz & Cousin Grace went on a Blue Angels simulator ride.

blue angels simulator

They seem to have enjoyed that.Joia’s favourite in the museum is the part where they exhibited homes and actual living conditions during the war times. Our visit was also quite special in that there was some kind of naval ceremony going on at the time. There were bunches of naval choir singers singing beautifully, and Joia watched a US Naval flag ceremony while Kanootz explored some more battle ships and fighter planes.

blue angels pilot wannabes

they actually showered in those days? haha! naval museum

kanootz' dream ride... Naval museum

The following day – Sabbath, we couldn’t go to church as the nearest one is about 30 - 45 minutes away and we knew Manong Tom & Cousin Grace were busy with preparations for their fund raising later in the evening. Cuz Grace leads a youth group and they organized some party to raise funds so some needy families could have a proper thanksgiving meal this coming week. We spent the day walking around their 4 acre property to collect leaves, twigs, berries and dry grass to decorate some hats for their harvest party.

joia's handmade autumn hats

After the walk, we gathered the hats, the stuff we collected, along with some glue & strings and we sat by the pool under the warm sun shine. We spent the rest of the day singing our favorite praise songs, chatting about our home church and the people there and just having a quiet restful day altogether.

mr. scarecrow

In the evening, we helped decorate their church hall. The party was a success! Many people bought more tickets from the front door. All in all, they were able to raise money for 6 families at the least (their goal was to raise only for 1 family). We were very impressed with how their community – though small it may be, all came together to support their youth. There really was a spirit of unity in there.

get down and boogie! - go Ms. Grace!

It was a tiring evening but a really rewarding one, especially for Cousin Grace. We were very proud of her that night. To celebrate and congratulate her, Manong Tom shouted us to some more Krispy Kreme later that night. We must have eaten 2 dozens between the 4 of us, and then took home some more. The donut store had a somewhat theatrical setting so customers could see how the donuts are made from start to finish. Exciting! Haha!

the life story of a krispy kreme...

Sunday was parting time again. We hate saying goodbye… we really suck at it! Even saying goodbye to Boolinzky and the other cats, and the goats and the dogs was very very difficult. Still, saying farewell to Manong Tom & Cuz Grace at the airport was much more unbearable. Especially, knowing how very well looked after we have been by them and then to go from here to London, it meant we had to go back to skimping as we’re about to live back on our own means again – and we really haven’t much. Waaaaa! But such is the life of travelers, and we willingly bear it... Pensacola has been a very very unexpected surprise to us and a very very pleasant experience that we will always go back to – at least in our minds, until we can afford to go visit again.

naked trees

written by

garcia on November 18, 2007 from Charlotte, United States

from the travel blog: Got 2 see what's out there!

tagged Thanksgiving

Send a Compliment

super cute nung hat... pahingi ako. :)

written by Jane Pintucan on November 29, 2007

hi ate joi and kuya keng!!! kamusta na??? we haven't heard from you guys for a few days now. miss you heaps!!! ate, pls e-mail me yun a/c number kung saan ako magde-deposit. okay... ingat kayo dyan.

written by Jane Pintucan on December 2, 2007

ate joi... 'permission to use some of your photos sa newsletter??? please???

written by Jane Pintucan on December 3, 2007

okay... but only the ones where I look pretty... haha!
will email you account details now.

we went snowboarding yesterday at the Olympic Ski slopes. so tired. we slept for 12 hours after.

xxmiss u guyz! God bless ur newsletter plans./

written by garcia on December 3, 2007

Thank you.

oh, those photos plus the ones you took hea before??? the flowers... the zoo.... can I??? promise, I'll put a copyright joi garcia. :)

written by Jane Pintucan on December 3, 2007

k. haha! check your email... will be posting more blogs very soon.

written by garcia on December 4, 2007

ate joi... can you please, if you have time, make a letter para sa newsletter. un bang parang... "letter from Italy"...hehe! kwento ka kung saan kau napunta na at saan pa kayo pupunta... un bang parang updates lang. Pwede ma-resiv before saturday??? ahihihi!!!!! Thanks thanks thanks!!!! Labyubot!!!

written by Jane Pintucan on December 4, 2007

ate joi!!! kaingit naman ers. Olympic ski area??? waaa!!! pero sabagay... indi man ako marunong mag-ski. lolz. uhmm... please check your e-mail. i just finished writing a long long letter. hehe!!!!

written by Jane Pintucan on December 4, 2007

jane, your letter request is done. had to do it today as we leave for Roma this weekend. take care.

written by garcia on December 5, 2007

ate thanks!!! the letter was wonderful. pagbalik nyo dito... ikaw editor, ha???? hehe!!! you have a way with words! tsaka yung logo... great great great. salamat kuya ken!!! i will show it to kuya ian tomorrow. pero pick ko is yung may Rangi mountain. 'lam mo, very limited ba ang programs sa mga computers and laptop na and2. iba pa rin tlaga laptop mo. ahihihih!!! kaia pati lay-out ng newsletter eh basic muna. ahihihi!!!! o sige, ikamusta mo ako sa mga tao sa Roma. asan na upd8 ng blog nyo???? -.- ingatz!!!!

written by Jane Pintucan on December 6, 2007

sorry sis, have to turn that down... I know nothing about newspapers and journalism. I can write for you... that'd be the best I can do. k? I think you should b editor in chief. you know more about papers than anybody. will be writing in blog soon. take care. Kenneth said, you must try and get to know the photoshop software on Ian's laptop, it's more advanced than mine. I only have 4.0. he has 7.0. k, that's all for now.

written by garcia on December 6, 2007

oh, ok. i didn't know about that [ian's photoshop]. Thanks for lettin me knw!!! hindi pa nila alam un about sa letter. it's a surprise! hehe!!! sabay nilagay dito sa blog, eh... for all to read! ahihihi!!! it's friday and I can't wait to go home to do some stuff for the newsletter!!!! So tuloy tayo sa Hong Kong, ha? I've saved some money for the trip. ahihih!!! provided i won't spend much in Australia. Ate, i will deposit the money next friday, ha??? oke lang ba un? 'wawa nmn kau 4 all the hassles you're gettin. but i know that it's all worth it. :) God bless!!!!

written by Jane Pintucan on December 6, 2007

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