Monthly Archives: April 2010
First-time in Sabtang Island, Batanes
Among the three main islands of the province of Batanes, Sabtang seems to be the most interesting because of the old stone houses that have been part of the Ivatan culture. We rose early morning to catch the boat that would take us to Sabtang Island. Alas, waking up at 5:30 and having breakfast at … Continue reading
First-time in Batan Island, Batanes
For years, I had my eyes set on the northernmost tip of the Philippines. It was a place that only few has conquered because of its isolation and unpredictable weather conditions. It was the closest place to Taiwan and surrounded by the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. This is Batanes. Brief Preview of … Continue reading
Review: “No More Divisions”
He’s a French guy in the Philippines. He participated in one of our organization’s volunteer activities. I can’t resist sharing the video he made. He shot most of the scenes in Manila Bay and the University of the Philippines Diliman campus. From Julien’s Youtube description: “No More Divisions” is a song I wrote on my … Continue reading
First-time in ZaNorte, Philippines
Zamboanga del Norte is in the island of Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines. And when one mentions Mindanao, tourists suddenly cringe and take a turnabout-face, especially when travel advisories label this part of the country as dangerous. The name Zamboanga alone may cause goose bumps to travelers. Scary is the exact opposite … Continue reading
First-time in You Jie Xiao Chao Restaurant…
…and Manila’s other hole-in-the-wall eateries It was another holiday in the Philippines as we commemorated the Day of Valor, celebrating the bravery of Filipino soldiers who fought during World War II. Supposedly, my friends and I were scheduled to go to Corregidor Island, the fortress of Japanese soldiers. Unfortunately, the cruise liner called the day … Continue reading
First-time Holy Week in Quiapo Church
For a predominantly Catholic nation, the Philippines, time and again, has observed holy week religiously. Work often stops as early as midday of Holy Wednesday and everyone shifts to holiday mode. Even regular TV programming halts replaced with religious rites or spiritually-inspired shows. The workforce takes advantage of the long lull without using up their … Continue reading
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