Beach, Blue, Balesin

Balesin, what a happy blast!

JING SAYS...
A few weeks ago, my dear friend K sent me a message, asking if I wanted to go with her to Balesin Island. I was like, did you have to ask?! Of course, I'd love to go! I'm a beach bum, and nothing would make me happier than to spend a few days under the sun.

It was heaven!

At the invitation of Nivea Philippines, we spent three days and two nights at Mykonos Village. It looked a lot like Santorini with the villas all washed in white, and the doors and windows painted a bright blue. A few meters away from our porch is the beach. It didn't have the finest of sands but it was soft and warm. The water, it was rejuvenating, all salty and alive, with waves pounding out all the stressful days I've had of late.

Of course, the workaholic me, even amidst all this beauty, still found the time to work. I can't help myself, it seems, and really, it was nice to just type, type, type away while the sun kissed my face (Naka-sunblock naman ako! Mwahahaha I got scared after watching this video).

That Nivea had billed the event Come Closer was most fitting. Truth be told, K and I haven't seen each other in months, and it was great to come together to chat the night away. She told me about the challenges of running a business (she makes leather goods for her own label, Katre) and I told her about the challenges of raising college-age kids. We stuffed ourselves silly at the buffet table, with me gobbling up oysters and she feasting on shrimps.

We also had the chance to come closer to kids half our age (Oh, yes, the event had a ton of young bloggers, one of whom actually called me Tita! Mwahahaha! Oh my!!) at the Amazing Race-like challenge. I was actually going to volunteer to take on any sort of weird eating event, because I knew I'd never beat the shit out of anyone in any physical contest. Fortunately, the challenges were easy enough to do (e.g. tie your ankles together and race from one point to another, get inside a garter and grab a bunch of soap bars), although some of them did leave me laughing out loud breathless!

Thank you, Nivea, for making me realize that though I may be old enough to be called Tita, I'm still young enough to hop, skip, and run around a beautiful island for some good, clean fun!