Category: Philippines

Being stressed and angled for minutes, my elbow pit started to feel uncomfortable. My palms were itching too, yet I couldn’t let go of my grip. I could also feel my calf and feet trembling, but resting them was not among the choices. For some reasons, commuting was pretty difficult on that part of Samar on Holy Week. I was hanging at the back of the jeepney, breaking a leg, while on my way to Allen from Calbayog’s Maguino-o Pier. Since I shared space of the narrow metal extension with another passenger, my torment did not end there. I had ... Read more

The sky was perfect. It wasn’t all blue. The blinding-white clouds formed interesting figures and were moving at slow pace. It provided a minute shade every time it hovered above our smoothly-moving fast craft. The sea, on the other hand, was completely placid, reflecting the exact copies of the figures above it. The minor distortions created by the surface swimmers are very evident – I could see the finest ripple. It was our fast craft’s horn that woke me from that real daydream. We were approaching Liloan Pier in Santander, so I had to get myself ready. In a moment, ... Read more

Boodle Art & Beyond, and its sister, Dessert Studio and Restohaus recently opened their doors to Cebu’s discriminating palate, which added a unique spin to the already diverse and rich culinary options in the metro. The idea-turned-family-business originally started at an extra space at home. When the business gained traction and interests from neighbors, friends, and travelers, the home space could not accommodate the surge. The plan of expanding became perspicuous. Taking on the boodle challenge The family purchased an unused warehouse and converted it into a chic restaurant. The wooden shelving is made into fine furniture. The lighting fixtures ... Read more

Nayong Philipino transferred from a now mothballed building near NAIA Terminal 2 to Clark Field, Pampanga since November 2007. It now occupies the south to the southeastern portion of the Clark Expo (formerly Expo Filipino), the Philippine National Centennial Exposition and centerpiece for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Philippine Independence, featuring an amphitheater-type mega tent that can seat 35,000 people. Characters of the Popular Filipino legend (Malakas at Maganda) Nayong Pilipino Nayong Pilipino features some bits and pieces of Philippine History. The exhibits start with the old legend, such as Malakas and Maganda, telling the story of the ... Read more

Above were grey haze. The horizon was inevident and the people around seemed copying the murky atmosphere. The gloomy surroundings, however, suddenly changed when we arrived in Bais City. We broke the city’s silence. Laughing out loud to the corniest of jokes, that was. Locals were curious, pointing all eyes in slow moving trike we were on. where’s the camera, really! Manjuyod Island Hopping and Dolphin Watching We reached the Capiñahan Wharf past 8AM and there were few boats left to bring us to our sojourn. Without any hesitation, we agreed to rent the smaller boat with the lowest rate. ... Read more

Spending a night or two below the ground, in a chamber where no sunlight could penetrate is not among my bucket list entries. Whenever I travel, I always look for blue sky, green massifs, white beach, aquamarine deep, and vivid sunsets, so I never imagine myself camping in deep caverns. However, my strong sense of adventure dominated over my preference to vibrancy and colors. Thus, I said yes to the Gobingob and Langun Cave Connection and Spelunking invite. I tried spelunking before when I visited Sagada, but we spent only 4 to 6 hours in Lumiang and Sumaguing Caves. Gobingob ... Read more

Baler has become really popular lately. Many show interest in visiting Aurora’s capital anytime soon. And when you travel, one of the things that you need to secure weeks prior to your visit is your accommodation. Hence, I created a list of hotels, resorts, and homestays where you can choose from. Learn from me. When I decided to visit Baler, I immediately searched online, and then contacted hotels and lodges just five days before our trip. The result was pretty depressing. It was either I got no response from the owner of the accommodation is fully booked. Well, that did ... Read more

Each boat can carry a maximum of five guests. We carefully sat on our respective slots, with our seats at heel level. A watchman was seated in front; our guide was positioned at the end seat, while the captain stood near the rear bow. Since there are no outriggers, it shook a lot when we started hopping in. However, as it started moving, the boat was steady and smooth. The bumps and shakes on the rapids were the most anticipated. That feeling brought by sudden adrenaline pump when you are abruptly tossed is something to look forward to. On-board the ... Read more

Tired from an overnight ferry that brought us to Dapitan from Cebu City, my appreciation for things stooped to its lowest levels. I preferred lying down or staring at the ceiling instead of going out and making conversations with other delegates. Taking a dip at Villa Angelina infinity pool, Dakak Beach Resort Since I came from work the day before, it was double the drowsiness. I was able to sleep on the boat, but I woke up every now and then, thus making the doze incomplete. I need to sleep straight, free from any destruction, for me to replenish the ... Read more