The day before Christmas, my family decided to roam around instead of just laying in bed, for our remaining time in Tacloban City, Leyte 💗.

My father gave my sister a lift in going to Robinsons Marasbaras for her already planned get-together with her High School friends. I went together with them to see the beauty of Tacloban which I’ve been familiar with before. Fly high butterfly. My sister went ahead and met with her friends. Just like me, we seldom visit Leyte because of how far it is from our hometown. Time to go back to Hotel Lorenza and fetch my mother. It’s the day before Christmas, which also means that it’s my Mother’s birthday tomorrow ❤.

My aunt (my mother’s older sister) is coincidentally in Leyte at that time too together with her kids. Like us, they celebrated Christmas together in Tacloban. They visited the hotel we’re staying at and gave my mom a present and a birthday cake. So sweeeeeet 💖. I also haven’t seen them in quite a while. It sure is a reunion.

We offered to give them a ride to the place they’re staying at because they’ve just commuted going to us. We can also see the rest of my cousins if we’ll go there. Reunion it is hahaha. We had talks and catching up to do and ate some snacks at their house. Although we’d like to spend more time with them, we must go already because we still need to fetch my sister and prepare for Christmas’ Eve or just have quality time together.

Santo Niño Shrine and Heritage Museum

We've just passed by here from mall to our hotel and vice versa. Story time 😬. I studied here for my first year college and later on transferred to Cebu to continue my education. Studied here in Tacloban for 2 semesters. I've been inside this shrine and heritage museum before for my History class I guess hahaha. We have a guide and the outside looks so modern but the inside looks antique and old, with the cover of the walls already falling apart. The place is full of fascinating chandeliers, paintings, beds, and all sorts of items you can find in a museum.

Might share my experience/ pics in here next time if I can find my pictures haha.

Robinsons Tacloban

Decided to fetch my sister after their meet-up with her friends 😆. We also just chose to spend the rest of our time at that mall since it seems like everywhere has a lot of people and we’re kind of tired from yesterday’s travel.

We still haven’t eaten yet for lunch, except for my sister who ate samgyupsal with her friends. Sanaol. So the “suyaon” that we are, we also craved for samgyup hahaha 😂. We tried going to the place they ate at “UKB199”, but my parents said that we should look at other restaurants ahahha. We’re not familiar with the mall anymore, so we roam around while we’re hungry. We still ended up in a samgyup restaurant called “Annyeong Samgyupsal" 😋.

Haaaaaaaaaay, everyone who’s close to me in college would really understand how much I miss eating samgyup huhu. Back in college, I used to eat samgyup with my classmates maybe once a week or 2 weeks. I’ve been craving for this ever since pandemic started huhuhu. Now it’s finally in front of me. I can eat my beloved samgyup once again waaaaaaaaaaah 😭. As usual, I’m always the one to eat everything that they can’t finish huhuhu. But at least, we’re not hungry anymore hehe.

The place is full of Christmas vibes, but unlike last time where this mall is packed with shoppers during this day, it’s unusual for it to be quiet. Maybe because there’s also a new Robinsons in the downtown area already and we’re still in a pandemic.

My sister loves BTS 💜 and she bought a plushie of BT21 Mang haha. Coincidentally, I was wearing my only merch of BT21 Kookie shirt during that day hahahahaa. We looked like die-hard fans, but I’m not hahaha.

We left the mall after buying foods and drinks for our celebration later on at 12 in the midnight.

Santo Niño Parish Church

We went to attend a mass at the church in downtown. A historical landmark with stories as old as 1596. It was damaged when Yolanda/ Haiyan hit this city, but later was renovated right away. A lot of things changed from the last time I was here. I can still remember my dark days in this city and moments when I cried in this church hahaha 😅.

Anyway, it’s a custom in PH to go to church when it’s your birthday.

Went to my aunt’s house

Went to my aunt’s house short after the mass ended. We promised them to go back there on my mother’s birthday, this time, together with my sister. A mini reunion of 2 families hahaha. We ate Christmas foods at their house. We’re still going to see each other though at their own province, Biliran. By Dec 26, we’ll go to Biliran, a place that I’ve never been in for maybe 7 years?? Hahahaha 😂. Time to see my cousins and relatives hahaha, this will be a grand reunion if ever.

They gave my mother a bouquet of red roses 😍.

Ordered food panda

Later that night on Christmas day, we forgot that restaurants would be closed because it’s Christmas Day hahaha. We almost went to sleep without eating. Good thing I have online food delivery apps and I’m an expert in this hahaha. I treated my family for dinner. Feels so good to finally buy them food with my own money ❤.

I'll be sharing with you the resort where I treated my family on my mom's birthday next time, so please join me again on that one 😁.

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