It’s quite unusual to find something like this in a rigid, corporate city like Singapore. Whimsical designs, eccentric artistry, and crazy colors are usually reserved for cultures where self-expression is highlighted. Spain is no stranger to this, as with the … Continue reading Sentosa’s Gaudi-Inspired Park
An hour away from the capital of Dagupan, Pangasinan is a popular tourist spot I’ve always dreamed of visiting. It’s the only place in Luzon where you can actually start counting islands in the Philippines, around a hundred of them actually. It’s in the name of the park – Hundred Islands.
We visited as a group, coming from our teacher training and workshops in Dagupan. From there you can take a bus going to Alaminos or a UV Express van. Because our group could fill one van, we opted to rent the whole thing for Php800 per trip. The driver was nice enough to leave his number to pick us up by the end of the day. Early morning would be the best time to leave (earlier if coming from Manila) as there’s a traffic jam when you reach the city center or bayan of Alaminos. That’s the last stop over before reaching the docks where bancas are waiting to give you a tour.
Locals would usually suggest travelling in groups as boats charge by the vehicle and not per head. The costs could range from 800 to 1000+ pesos depending on how many islands you want to visit. It’s interesting that each island you hop to has a different activity to offer. In our route, here’s what we did:
I guess we could only stay for so long on each island considering it’s only a day trip for us. We did all of these from around 9 AM to 5 PM. The late afternoon waves are stronger so we had to go back the soonest.
See More Photos after the jump —>
This is probably one of the most memorable trips in my travel history. Aside from visiting a good friend in Penang, this trip was a lot of firsts for me: the first time to travel alone for the whole duration of the journey; the first time I traveled from city to city in another country; the first time to stay at a hotel in a foreign land by myself; the first time to do something crazy and exciting for my birthday. I stayed five days and four nights in Penang and briefly in Kuala Lumpur. I was able to do … Continue reading From Manila to Malaysia
As soon as the American bases pulled out from Clark, Pampanga back in the 90’s, this buzzing town of foreigners and locals were mostly replaced by sounds of crickets at night. Much of the PX stores closed down, the casino closed down, many establishments ceased operation as the American soldiers bade goodbye. It seems like a sad story (or not, depending on your political view) but I was fonrtunate enough to discover a gem within this semi-deserted town. In a trip with my colleagues when I used to teach in school, we had our annual retreat and vacation at this … Continue reading Clearwater Resort and Country Club
We end our Hunter Valley Trip in the most picturesque location in this county. The green rolling hills, the cool autumn breeze, and patches of flowers growing by the countryside… No wonder, so many weddings happen on this place- the Hunter Valley Gardens. We timed our visit during the cold season so there aren’t much people here. It’s during the summer, when all the flowers are in bloom, that grooms and brides flock to this side of Sydney. But this scenic countryside spot still looks magnificent in its autumn shades. And it’s perfect for an afternoon respite, a simple picnic … Continue reading In Photos: Hunter Valley Gardens
One of the best experiences I’ve had in Australia was being able to visit their Wine Region in New South Wales. Known as Hunter Valley, this region boasts hectares upon hectares of vineyards, producing some of the best wines exported around the world.
It’s quite a long journey to the valley if you’re coming from the CBD or the Sydney suburbs. It was a three-hour trip for us by car and might take a bit longer if you take it by rail. In my previous posts, we travelled westward from Sydney to the Blue Mountains. This time, we headed north of Sydney.
As soon as we were out of the metropolitan area and through the Pacific Motorway, we already got a feel of the Aussie countryside. The lush greenery, the open road, and cool breeze just make you savour the moment. This is what makes travelling such a fulfilling experience.
More photos after the jump! >>
For Christmas 2011, we spent the evening at Eastwood in Libis, Quezon City. It’s a fairly large hangout place with malls, restaurants, and offices. The square was all glammed up in Christmas decor. Lights everywhere, people taking pictures… It was a wonderful evening. At the same time, it’s usual for Filipinos like us to watch local flicks called the MMFF or Metro Manila Film Festival. All cinemas in the metro just pause from showing foreign flicks and reel in local movies for us to “appreciate”. Quite funny though. Because we’re supposed to be appreciating locally made films, yet we encountered … Continue reading A Merry Eastwood Christmas!
Click on the Thumbnails Below to Enlarge And I thought it was gonna snow. At least that what it looks like in my photos. I don’t really think it does snow in Katoomba but the weather was very dreary. This was during the winter season and it wasn’t exactly the best time to visit Blue Mountains. Well, the suburban town is quite a view nonetheless. I couldn’t sleep on the way so I just took pictures till we got to our destination. Katoomba is much of an old town and has preserved a lot of its history. The unfamiliar name … Continue reading A Glimpse of Fogged Katoomba
Click on thumbnails to see larger view. It’s this time of the year once again. If the Indians have the Diwali Festival, then the Filipinos surely have Pasko or Christmas. It’s the one season in every year where Manila is drowned in a blinding array of Christmas lights, star lanterns, and shiny balls of decor. Last year’s Christmas night is a proof of what I’m talking about .The Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati has lived up to the tradition of lighting itself up, signaling the start of the Christmas Season. The park is nested between the busy streets of Makati … Continue reading Ayala Triangle Gardens (Christmas 2010)
This isn’t the first time to rain during my trips. But this IS the first time that I spent my vacation during a typhoon. As the song of Travis goes “why does it always rain on me?”
Oh well, still having the traveler’s spirit, not even stormy weather can douse my enthusiasm to explore new places and discover new things. So on this trip, I took a hike to Baguio, a city atop the mountains.
NXB: No Excess Baggage 