17TH HOT AIR BALLOON FIESTA

 

Good Morning, Philippines! Special thanks to Dg Formoso for the wonderful pictures of the 17th Hot Air Balloon Festival held last February 9- 12, 2012 @ Clark, Airfields in Pampanga, Philippines.

The sunflower wink at me ha ha ha!

 

 

We got to Clark airbase just in time to see the Hot Air Balloon flew in the sky. We were actually still inside the car so the pictures I have here is courtesy of REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco.

The Hot Air Balloons festival was on its 17th year now. They were held at the former U.S. base in Clark,Pampanga, north of Manila from February 9 to 12, 2012.

The Hot Air Balloon Fiesta is an event that started in 1994. It is considered the biggest aviation event in the country.

At least 26 hot air balloons, including six specially shaped balloons were flown in to participate in this year's Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.

 

We woke up at 1:30 a.m. after only an hour of sleep and drove all the way from Manila at 3:30 in the morning. This was the first time that we got to see the hot air balloon Fiesta live.

Aerial view of the 17th Hot Air Balloon Fiesta

 

Map

Aside from hot air balloons, military aircraft, kites and radio-controlled turbine jets also occupy the sky during the 17th Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.

Overall it was a nice event. Ordinary mortals like you and me get to interact with people from the aviation industry. We got to see and experienced everything that flies from hot air balloons, fighter jets, sky lanterns, sky divers, air shows, airplanes, mini airplanes, gliders, kites,etc. 

We paid a P200 contribution per person for the entrance ticket! There are tons of freebies from different sponsors and lots of food concessionaires. Best time to go to this event is either in the early morning or late afternoon. We would love to go there again next year!

The Bourne Legacy 2012 teaser

The Bourne Legacy teaser has been released already. Enjoy!

CEBU PACIFIC SEAT SALE FROM February 13 to 15, 2012

Cebu Pacific

Sale Period: February 13 to 15, 2012

Details

• Quoted fares are one-way and have limited availability.
• Fare are exclusive of government fees and taxes.
• International fares are exclusive of fuel surcharges.
• Fares are non-refundable.
• Flight changes must be made more than 24 hours before scheduled time of departure.
• CAB approved terms and conditions of carriage apply.

Domestic Flights	Go Lite Fare
ALL DOMESTIC FLIGHTS!	P1.43
Travel Period: June 1 to September 30, 2012

Click here to book Cebu Pacific now!

Air Phil Express Sale Period: February 10 to 13, 2012

Air Phil Express

Sale Period: February 10 to 13, 2012

Travel Period: February 15 to March 30, 2012

* 10 Kilos FREE Baggage Allowance
** Travel starts on March 22, 2012

Details

• Quoted fares for Domestic and International Flights are for one-way only.
• Fares are with 15 kilos Free Baggage Allowance.
• Philippine Government Tax not included.
• Fare is not guaranteed until the final purchase.
• Priced from Origin to Destination or Vice Versa.
• Subject to rules and conditions, please review carefully.

Domestic Destinations	One-Way Fare
Manila to Legazpi, Naga, San Jose (Mindoro) or Tuguegarao	P288
Cebu to Bacolod, Butuan**, Cagayan De Oro, Caticlan*, Cotabato, Davao, Dipolog**, Dumaguete**, General Santos**, Iloilo, Kalibo, Legazpi, Ozamiz, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa, Surigao, Tacloban or Zamboanga	P288
Manila to Bacolod, Calbayog, Catarman, Cebu, Iloilo or Tacloban	P488
International Destinations	One-Way Fare
Cebu to Hong Kong	P888

Click here to book AirPhil Express now!

A REVIEW OF HOT AIR BALLOON VIP PARKING

Some of my co-bloggers and I went to the 17th HOT AIR BALLOON and availed of Yats Int'l HOT AIR BALLOON VIP PARKING which I prepaid for One Hundred Fifty Pesos ( P 150) last Friday, February 10, 2012 @ their office in Tektite. (Geez, imagine the hassle of going there and paying for a HOT AIR BALLOON VIP PARKING which turned out to be not a premium location.)

When we arrived @ Clark,Pampanga yesterday morning, we  were shocked to find out that it was very far from the entrance of the 17th HOT AIR BALLOON to think that it was supposed to be a HOT AIR BALLOON VIP PARKING which usually means a premium location near the event.

Imagine our frustrations when we had to walk for fifteen (15) minutes from Yat's Int'l HOT AIR BALLOON VIP PARKING to the event's entrance under the heat of the noon time sun and were showered with dust when we passed by the military parking nearer the event. It is a good thing that the sun showed up only at noon and not the whole morning.

We were initially pissed off. Imagine our precious legs walking for fifteen minutes for a premium parking which costs three times more than the military parking nearer the entrance of the 17th Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. Yes, dearie. The military parking which is just beside the entrance and where you could just walk-in cost only P50 pesos. But the security is more lax and when you walk towards your car you expect to be showered with dust.

The one that saves the day for Yat's International HOT AIR BALLOON VIP PARKING was the Lounge at the second floor where we were able to use a clean and more spacious restroom than portalets ( portable toilets located inside the 17th HOT AIR BALLOON Fiesta). We had some cat nap at the lounge sofa. It was fully air-conditioned, giving us comfort, sun shield and the rest we badly needed plus the parking was well-secured. Overall, the one hundred fifty pesos HOT AIR BALLOON VIP PARKING was not that bad after all. 

Whitney Houston dead at 48, RIP Whitney

Grammy award-winning singer and actress Whitney Houston,48, one of the most talented performers of her generation who lived a turbulent personal life and admitted drug use, died on Saturday, February 11, 2012 in a Beverly Hills hotel room.

Whitney Houston was found unresponsive in her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel by a member of her entourage. Paramedics were called and they tried to perform CPR on her, in a fourth-floor room, but it did not work and she was pronounced dead at 3:55PM PST.  "She has been positively identified by friends and family who were with her at the hotel, and next of kin have already been notified.There were no obvious signs of criminal intent at the scene and her death is under investigation. 

Houston was in Los Angeles for the Grammy Awards, the music industry's biggest honors program that will take place on Sunday night. She died hours before she was expected to perform at record producer Clive Davis's annual pre-Grammy party on Saturday, which is held at the Beverly Hilton.

Whitney Houston achievements:

• Over 200 million albums sold worldwide
• Recipient of six Grammy Awards and twenty-six nominations
• Winner of twenty-two American Music Awards and thirty-eight nominations, more than any other female solo artist in history
• Only artist to chart seven consecutive Number One Billboard Hot 100 hits (“Saving All My Love for You”, “How Will I Know”, “Greatest Love of All”, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)”, “Didn’t We Almost Have It All”, “So Emotional”, and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”)
• Her popularity soared in the 1980s and 1990s with consecutive No. 1 hits including the smash single "I Will Always Love You," from the soundtrack of the feature film "The Bodyguard," in which she starred. She also appeared in "Waiting to Exhale (1995) and The Preacher's Wife (1996)."
• First female artist to debut an album at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart
• Appeared in four films, including 2012′s Sparkle
• Whitney Houston is the only artist with at least one Grammy, Emmy, MTV Video Music Award, MTV Movie Award, People’s Choice Award, and Billboard Music Award to their name.