The morning was gray and gloomy with the drizzling rain seem to be stopping our great adventure to the outskirts of Beijing. We were to climb the Great Wall of China and we didn’t allow the weather to be an impediment to this important endeavor. We were thankful that our hostel provided a cheaper Great …
For someone visiting an important nation like China, it is a must to make a stop in its most essential city, its capital, Beijing. Although our entry point and exit was Shanghai, we made sure that we can swing a trip to the capital. It was a long journey as we flew to Xi’an and …
Read more “First-time in the Forbidden City and other Beijing Sights”
China is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Xi’an is one of the early capitals of this great nation for several dynasties. The first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, was known as an effective general who later united the whole of China. He ruled in Xi’an. Apart from its glorious history, Xi’an was also …
I have visited the town of San Teodoro in Oriental Mindoro several times. But I have not ventured anywhere near the foot of Mt. Halcon, where we have a possible site for volunteer vacations. The one I did there the last time was mangrove tree planting in its coastal area. At Wednesday morning, I agreed …
It’s the 4th of July. As much as it is part of American history, it extends to the shores of the Philippine islands. Yesterday, July 4, I went to a place of Filipino-American history, Corregidor Island, where both nations fought side by side. The first time I embarked on a trip to Corregidor Island, I …
My uncle arrived last night from Hong Kong. It was almost midnight, and though I wanted to exchange notes with him about his trip, I couldn’t help but doze off to sleep, and revisit my own Hong Kong adventures only in my dreams. The first time I visited Hong Kong, I entered by sea from …
The Lonely Planet blogsherpa’s blog carnival #4 has finally come. Hosted by GingerBeirut, our theme this time is Rubber Stamp or anything pertaining to “bizarre regulations, a border crossing, an airport experience, a description of local policing, how to deal with strange requirements, red tape, a chat with the law, etc.” and which I can …
Read more “First-time it happened: a trip I almost never made”
Every June 12 is the Independence Day of the Philippines. Over a century ago, the Philippine flag was first raised on this day. That flag finds its roots in Taal town in Batangas. The historic town of Taal, which is a three-hour drive from Manila, is a favorite destination of culture lovers and schools for educational …
Read more “Taal Town: birthplace of the maker of the first Philippine flag”
My trip this year to Cebu, particularly to Mactan, brought back memories of a luxurious stay I did three years back in another resort within the same island. It was a press event my former office organized for a client. We gathered media people from various countries in Southeast Asia and booked them in Shangri-la’s …
I had never been in a volcano crater before. And the first crater I had visited was the smallest volcano in the world, located within a lake: Taal Volcano. Two years back, my friends and I embarked on an adventure to this famous volcano. We made a side trip to Tagaytay City for lunch before …
Jala-jala is the local’s term for paradise and for those living in the province of Rizal in the Philippines, they regard Jala-Jala as the paradise tucked away in their province. Our office organized a volunteer activity that would take us to this little paradise. We had to meet up early morning last Saturday to embark …
I have three best kept secret islands found in my country, the Philippines, but I’m letting these out of the bag. With more and more people traveling nowadays, getting to a place where others have never been before has become quite a challenge. As I become more connected with other travelers, I observe that those …
Read more “A First-time Traveler’s 3 Best Kept Secret Islands”
It was an unforgettable summer at the Marlou Beach Resort in Nasugbu, Batangas. I love summer and, at the same time, I abhor it. Summer in the Philippines, which often falls from March to May, calls for extreme heat. The sun is always out to find you, even when you are in shaded areas. Often, …
Let me take a little bit of detour in my travel blog. When I first decided to be a traveler, I already had my sights fixed on world travel. I thought it would be best to take one little step at a time, visiting places within my own country, then in the Southeast Asian region, …
Read more “World Travelers and Travel-bloggers Come Together In the Worldwide Web”
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, which literally means “eatery by …