Sofie Hofmann dot com

We arrived in the Philippines from Hong Kong on May 12, 2009. We just dropped our things at my sister’s place, then went to Alabang Town Center and had our late lunch at Max’s Fried Chicken Restaurant.

Then I went to the LTO office in Alabang to renew my driver’s license but the lady told me that I needed a TIN (Tax Identification Number) to be able to renew my license. I did not know that TIN was one of the requirements to renew a driver’s license.

I used to have a TIN but I was still single then and I could not remember it anymore. I had no time to process anything concerning my TIN at that time so I decided to just forget about it and renew it the next time I go back to the Philippines.

After lunch, we just went around Alabang Town Center. Later on, we had dinner with my family at Leslie’s Restaurant in Alabang. We were 19 all in all including 3 children. Leslie’s Restaurant served filipino food. The food was fine with me but some of my nephews and nieces did not really like the food that much.

After dinner, we just went home to have a rest as we planned to play golf the next day.

The next day, we played golf. The funny thing was, we wanted to play golf at the Canlubang Golf and Country Club so we left home early, around 7:00am. I called up the golf club and booked our tee time without realizing that I dialed the wrong number.

We were on our way to Canlubang Golf and Country Club when I called up the number again to ask for direction. Then I heard the lady said the golf club’s name and I realized that I actually dialed the number of Riviera Golf and Country Club. I wanted to cancel it but Hub said that we should go to Riviera Golf club as we booked our tee time already.

Good thing was, we were still along the South Expressway nearing Sta. Rosa exit. We left the highway via Sta. Rosa exit as I knew that way. But because I was not prepared to go to Riviera Golf Club, we lost our way. I knew that Riviera Golf Club is located in Cavite but had no idea that it is along Aguinaldo Highway.

I spoke with several ladies on the phone telling them that we were along Sta. Rosa Highway direction Tagaytay but nobody mentioned that Riviera Golf Club is along Aguinaldo Highway.

So there you are, we had a sightseeing tour quite so early in the morning.

What happened to us did not irritate us, instead we found it hilarious. We were not in a hurry anyway. We just thought that the golf course will not leave us, it could wait.

The staff and employees at the Riviera Golf and Country Club were friendly so we just all laughed at the situation.

After a few minutes, we have forgotten everything. It was just all about playing golf.

The Riviera Golf Course was not an easy course but not that difficult too. Some of the holes were forgiving but I still did not play that well as I had no idea about the course. It was my first time to play at the Riviera Golf.

Playing a course for the first time is not always easy as golf is not just about playing the game but also about knowing the course you play.

We went home right after playing golf. We had another family dinner. My brother and his family just arrived too. But Hub and I were also meeting our friends C and B and their son G. So we went all together and had our dinner at Tempura Japanese Grill in Alabang Town Center.

We were more than 20 including 4 children, so it was kind of chaotic in a small place like Tempura. With that, we asked for Tempuras’s function room to have some privacy.

Our friends have no problem with my family, they met a lot them already but have not met my brother yet and his family.

The next day, before we left, I took a few pictures of the view of Filinvest Corporate City from my sister’s place. What a beautiful sight! Still a lot of greens!

Anyway, we left early again, around 7:00am, to play golf at the Canlubang Golf and Country Club. What a day, we again lost our way.

I did not know that there was such a thing as Canlubang old course which was a 9-hole course. I thought that Canlubang Golf and Country Club is already the old course because it is really an old golf course.

So every time we asked for direction we always answered the old course as they normally asked if we were looking for the old course or the new course. People gave us the direction to the old course, of course. When we arrived there, we knew that it was not the place.

We have been to Canlubang Golf and Country Club but we could not remember the way anymore. Having been to the old course, of course we found the considered new course.

Another hilarious experience!

Canlubang Golf and Country Club have two golf courses, the South Course and the North Course. There was some sort of Ladies tournament at the North Course so we played the South Course.

It was so hot when we played golf at the Riviera Golf and then it was again another hot day when we played at the Canlubang Golf. Thanks goodness, it was windy in Canlubang so we survived the heat. But such a fresh air in Canlubang!

The South Course at Canlubang Golf have nice views. I could not remember what was the name of the mountain overlooking Hole 3 Par 4. But if I look at it now, it looks like Palace in the Sky. I also could not remember who was the owner of the house overlooking Hole 9 Par 5.

As usual just like other golf courses, the South Course was not so easy but not so difficult as well. Hub and I actually like the South Course at Canlubang Golf Club. We will definitely go back there.

After playing golf, we went home early again. We had another dinner with such good friends at the Skyline restaurant at Vivere Suites in Alabang.

It was such a lovely night having seen one of my beloved “manongs” (term for older brother, although he is not really my brother) doing so well after his stroke and battle with colon cancer. It was so nice to see Nang B and M again.

The next day, we did not play golf anymore, we went to SM Mall of Asia with our friend C whom we had dinner at Tempura.

Well then, see you at the Mall of Asia!

Related Links:
The Riviera Golf Club
Skyline Restaurant at the Vivere Suites