It was my first time to witness an underwater wedding. Aside from the novelty of it all, what made it more interesting is that I was suddenly pressed into being the ring bearer. I was given two pairs of rings and was wondering where’s the best place to put them. I finally decided to put them on my own fingers. I made it a point to make sure they were snug and tight.
But as I was preparing my gear aboard the bamboo platform which will take us over the wedding dive site, I heard a distinctive tinkle. With dread I checked my fingers and confirmed my fears: One ring has fallen off! We tried to look for it but it was nowhere to be found.
Rating: 1/5
It looks like E10 is not as green as it should be. Because in the US and Mexico ethanol is derived from corn which is a food staple for both livestock and people, it has caused higher demand for corn which in turn has led to a drastic increase in the prices of corn and meat products.
But meanwhile, sugarcane-based ethanol producing countries won’t be as much affected since sugarcane derived foods are not really food staples. In fact, sugar is not even fashionable these days.
This should be a temporary situation as the corn growers ramp up their production to meet demand from food producers and fuel manufacturers. At that time, prices should stabilize. But this is a window of opportunity to export sugarcane-based ethanol.
Getting there is a small adventure in itself. From Commonwealth Ave., turn right towards Batasan Complex. At the Batasan Complex, turn right to the Batasan-San Mateo Road. At the end of the road, turn left to the Marikina-San Mateo Road. Keep going until you see a Total gasoline station to your right. Take the first left towards the Eastwood Greenview Subdivision. You will enter a rotonda. Exit the rotonda after the subdivision gate and follow the dirt road till you see the Avilon Zoo sign.
Parking is spacious and free. Entrance is P200 per person. You have the option to hire a guide for your group for an extra P350. This is recommended since the zoo is laid out in a rather convoluted manner. The guided tour takes about 2 hrs and takes you through areas designated for reptiles, mammals, birds, snakes, spiders, and arapaimas. Arapaimas are one of the zoo’s highlights. They are supposedly the world’s largest freshwater fishes. The small ones gobble chicken heads whole while the big ones eat bangus whole.
There is a rest, food, refreshment, and souvenir area at the entrance as well as at the halfway point. At the entrance, you can also choose to take a boat into the lagoon where scary big arapaimas lurk. Since the tour involves a lot of walking, it is recommended that you take advantage of these two areas.