Category: Travel

We took our phones out from their shelters, connected to the WiFi, opened our respective Facebook apps, and started broadcasting the event via Facebook live. With the 100 Mbps internet speed, the 25 participants of Cebu Food Crawl 2016 simultaneously aired live videos from Cebu Marriott without interruption. The organizers even promised additional bandwidth to desaturate the data demand. Upon entering Gumamela function room, everybody noticed the delectable centerpiece of healthy sweets. The carrot cake slices and the whisky tumblers half-filled with banana chips, sweetened nuts, and yogurt were slavering. Healthy desserts by Cebu Marriott At one corner were fresh ... Read more

Weekday routines could be grueling. Working with difficult individuals, bumping into some annoying strangers, and getting stuck in an unrelenting gridlock strained me to my limits. That is why I love weekends. I can go to random getaways around the province to flush out toxic stress. Returning to work refreshed increases both my productivity and tolerance to pressure. But sometimes, travel could be equally stressful, especially when the weather and traffic conditions are not that cooperative. Hence, instead of going out of town, I spent one of my weekends within the city boundaries—in a place where the ambiance is close ... Read more

I couldn’t be sure if the sundown has passed. My phone ran out of juice and there was no other way for me to check the time. The sky was rather gloomy that day. Fine drizzles wetted the upper part of my shirt, which gave me an unusual chill. I stopped by at a mobile snack bar to get some siopao and refreshment. I remembered that I skipped lunch, so I had to grab some bites to fuel up. Not to mention, it was my birthday and I spent most of my day on the road. Traveling more than 15 ... Read more

The weather seemed uncooperative. Thick, gray clouds shrouded the horizon. It blocked the sunburst from hitting the surface. Below it was another stratocomulus layer hovering to the northeast—the direction of the southwest monsoon. Beyond it was a draping downpour, a harbinger of a miry adventure. The Visayan sea was rather chaotic that moment. Unpatterned ripples collided with each other—creating riptides—and repeatedly smashed the hull of the outrigger banca. The boat’s troubled buoyancy hardly kept us afloat. I could see how the worries gushed, whenever the forward bow alternately plummeted and scaled. Some of us were not confident swimmers though. We drifted to Malapascua at a poky speed, thus enduring the ... Read more

Upon our arrival at Yangon’s Aung Mingalar Bus terminal, taxi touts swarmed the few travelers who disembarked the bus to offer their services. I was observing the ruckus when I heard two of my co-passengers were going downtown. I approached them if it is okay to share the ride. Luckily, they both agreed. Kai, who hailed from the US, was somewhat dragged by reluctance. Striking a continuous conversation is not his thing. He remained certain and talked only whenever necessary. With Kai is Chow from Nanning, China. Both of them met only at the bus. Hence, they were stranger to each other as well. Moreover, getting an awkward ... Read more

Where would you spend your next vacation? You are probably thinking of wading across the shallow waters of Boracay, hopping around the stunning islands of Palawan, swimming with the exquisite creatures of the deep in Apo Island, chasing the majestic waterfalls of Iligan, plunging in the top infinity pools of the country, or simply flying around to taste the delicacies of every province. You can actually do it all, if you have the will. Yes, travelling could be expensive. But if you plan it right, you can get to places you wanted. You can schedule your travels months ahead and scout online for budget deals. ... Read more

When I booked my seat, I repeatedly asked if the bus will go directly to Nyaung Shwe. I always got a yes. So, despite the troubled compulsion, I took it. By the way, I cut short my Bagan stay to head to Nyaung Shwe and added the lake south of it, Inle lake, to my itinerary. Inle Lake ride Chilly arrival ‘Twas 3:30 in the morning when the bus conductor woke me up, and then told me that I can alight. Though my vision was still hazy and my muscles were twitching, I hastily grabbed my heavy backpack and disembarked. The full-throttled ... Read more

Touts approached every single individual alighting from every single bus that arrives in Bagan terminal. They offered taxi services with exceptional persistence. The sun was almost up and it was their major selling point—the guarantee of getting you at any available pagoda where the view of the sunrise is stunning. No other available cheaper transport that time, so I dealt with one to get me to a Pagoda for sunrise, and then bring me to my hostel immediately after. At the gate just outside the terminal, an outpost was setup to collect tourism fees. A 5-day tourist pass to Bagan Archeological ... Read more

Sumo Sam is not a typical Japanese restaurant. The strokes of kanji printed atop the branding, the “hinomaru” circle on its logo, and the part of the name itself, sumo (a Japanese martial art) are your only clues. The restaurant’s look and ambiance, however, does not feel Japanese at all, despite the presence of some Nihon cultural figures and paintings displayed at the bar. The dining sets look modern and the ceiling lights are pretty contemporary, similar to any “hodgepodge” restaurants out there. Sumo Sam at Ayala Center Cebu Good thing that the selections on the menu cover a mélange of Japanese cooking. Your ... Read more