Category: Luzon
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First-time in Kainan sa Dalampasigan
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It was dark when we arrived in Nasugbu, Batangas. There were no traffic at the expressway or at the tourist destination Tagaytay, where we passed by. Famished after the long drive, we went directly to look for a place to eat. Good thing one of our companions remembered Kainan sa Dalampasigan,…
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First-time in Central Azucarera Don Pedro, Nasugbu
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This was the third weekend that I was getting out of the capital, Manila. This time we were to hold a workshop in the province of Batangas. We traveled before sundown of Friday to get to our venue, the Central Azucarera Don Pedro (CADP) in Nasugbu, Batangas. The guest house…
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First-time in Triple G beach resort, Laiya
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When the temperature rise in Manila people head off to the beach, whether it’s far-flung Boracay or a few-hour drive to Subic or Batangas, specifically in a beach in Laiya, Batangas (and in this case, it’s the Triple G Beach Resort.) The beauty of being in a tropical country, we…
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First-time acquaintances in Batanes
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In this particular trip, I realized that I have paid a lot of attention to the people I’ve been with and I met in the journey. I’m not sure if it was the isolation of Batanes from the rest of the Philippines, perched atop this archipelagic nation. Or, it must…
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First-time in Sabtang Island, Batanes
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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…
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First-time in Batan Island, Batanes
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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…
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First-time in You Jie Xiao Chao Restaurant
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…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…
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First-time Holy Week in Quiapo Church
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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…
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First-time in Black Island
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Nothing prepared me for the surprise I’d find in my first-time at Black Island. Part of our Calauit tour in Palawan was some stopovers at islands around Busuanga. A short distance away from Calauit was Black Island, where the Slovenian franchise of Survivor, Survivor Srbija: Philippines, shot some of their…
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First-time in Bonito Island, Philippines
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The weather in this part of the globe is once again changing. The slight chill in the air has ebbed away and Philippine summer seems to be entering earlier than expected. It’s not really a sudden shift because, in our tropical country, weather conditions could be rainy, normal (dry and…
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First-time in Kusina Salud through the Viaje del Sol
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Getting out of the capital of the Philippines, Manila, to nearby cities and towns is not an uncommon occurrence among the urban dwellers. With friends and relatives from abroad visiting every now and then, it gives us more reason to escape the metropolis. But with the “Viaje del Sol”, Spanish…
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First-time in Calauit Island: A Sanctuary for Animals
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As Alex the lion, Melman the giraffe, Marty the zebra, and Gloria the hippo escaped to Madagascar and to Africa, we also had a little escapade of our own into a small island in the Calamian group in Palawan, called Calauit. It’s a wildlife sanctuary created by the Philippine government.…
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First-time in Coron: A Paradise in the Philippines
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Coron is one of the must-see places in my list of destinations within my home country, the Philippines. Together with Busuanga, Culion, and several islands, they form the Calamian group of islands in the northern tip of the Philippine province of Palawan. Though not as hyped as Bali or Boracay…
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First-time in Tagaytay: A City by the Volcano Lake
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This weekend I went to Tagaytay. I frequent Tagaytay a lot that I have lost count how many times I have returned since the first time I visited this city. That was in college when we stopped by to marvel at the views as we were passing through towards Batangas. Tagaytay City…
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First-time in Antipolo, Rizal
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Antipolo is one of the cities in Rizal, a nearby province from the Philippine capital, Manila. Situated in the hilly part of the province, it has a vantage point that overlooks the whole Metro Manila. Because of its proximity to the capital, most people frequent Antipolo. I went there this…