Despite seeing many photographs of Coron’s abundant underwater biodiversity, I was still giddy, mainly because I just took free diving lessons and I couldn’t wait to put my skills to the test. Day 1 Mt. Tapyas Maquinit Hot Springs Asia Grand View Hotel We arrived at the hotel just in time for lunch. After a hearty meal, we checked in for a quick nap and … Continue reading Coron, a Diver’s Dream (Palawan, April 2019)
I arrived in Basco early in the morning, checked in B&G Guesthouse, and waited for the tour van to pick me up. Batanes has a different culture of its own. Being disjointed from the mainland, the sheer distance necessitates being independent from aid from the rest of the country, and strong dependence to the community. While waiting for my tour to begin, I decided to … Continue reading A Solo Batanes Trip, and the Culture of the Ivatans (January 2019)
As my time spent in these provinces have been primarily for work, I didn’t think to heavily document our trip with my camera, nor to document the few I took artistically. I’ll primarily share with you my thoughts about the places we’d been, however, which could still hopefully color your mind. 🙂 Siargao Disenchanted, I lost excitement for the trip after seeing so much of … Continue reading Siargao, Siquijor, Dumaguete, Philippines (September 2018)
1. Dumaguete City My friend is a local in the town and she took us around for a short tour. Life in Dumaguete City was slow. People gave way to pedestrians, traffic was when it would take you ten minutes to get home, instead of five. People wake up early, have lunch early, go to bed early. They take siestas, too. It was a university … Continue reading Negros Oriental + Siquijor, Philippines (March 2018)
Holidays are most enjoyed in the Philippines. Nature reserves are only a few hours away, serving as quick refreshers from a busy workweek. This lifetime wouldn’t be enough for me to cross off all the country’s pockets of beauty, but I’m counting slowly, one long-weekend at a time. Upon finding out about the long weekend that Thursday, I quickly contacted my friends to see who … Continue reading Hulugan, Talay, Hidden Falls, Laguna (2017)
At one o-clock in the morning, we were debating whether to proceed, as the rain poured just hours before our early-morning meet-up. Our tour coordinator was not responsive to our calls (we later found out that he was asleep as we panicked), though we’re glad to have stubbornly left our homes and gave up a night’s rest for the trip. After a few hours, we … Continue reading Mount Pinatubo (2017)
What had been an intended trip to Sandbox Alviera for a day of thrill-filled activities transpired to be a semi-failed food-hopping endeavor in Angeles City. Our afternoon consisted of a short trip to Subic for something less than what we aimed for that morning (add to that the traffic that followed as we headed back for Manila). Nevertheless, we rightly called it off with a … Continue reading Clark & Angeles City (2017)
Our ship left the dock in Manila Bay at 7:30. The boat ride from Manila to Cavite took an hour and a half. We welcomed a sunny morning in the island and went straight to ride tram buses designed after the original ones the soldiers rode on during the war. The adventure began. We travelled back in time to relive the tumultuous experience of our … Continue reading Corregidor Island, Cavite (2017)
Matt and I celebrated our two-year anniversary by taking a quick day-trip to a well-known tourist destination in Quezon, Villa Escudero. What was once a private estate of the Spanish clan, they opened their doors to the public in the 1980’s, allowing all to see their grand hacienda, fine display of collectibles, and rich coconut plantation. Experiences peculiar to the site were: Lunch by the … Continue reading Villa Escudero, Quezon (April 2017)
Experienced this seasoned surf-spot anew with a visit to San Gabriel Falls. I enjoyed the trek for many reasons: the change of scenery every few minutes (there were a lot of picture spots), the flora and fauna we encountered, our entertaining tour guide (this guy had his wits handy!), and the bumpy, experiential ride on the jeepney top (only in the Philippines, y’all!). Evening was … Continue reading San Juan, La Union (2017)
Heart light, mind bright 