Lists

My Top 20 Travel Moments of 2011 (Part 2)

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Yoshke in Lists, Travel |

It’s already February and here I am still counting down the best moments I had while traveling last year. Late, I know. But haaaaaay. When you got too much on your plate, you will learn to munch on them bit by bit so you wouldn’t die of overeating.

Bacuit Bay, El Nido, Palawan in black and white

So let’s continue. Here’s the second half of my list of the most unforgettable times I have had as a nomad in 2011!

10. Overnight Camping at Dampalitan Island, Quezon

Overnight camping trips aren’t my thing. But it was not the trip per se that I loved about my trip to Padre Burgos, Quezon last summer; it was the people I was with.

My friends and I at Dampalitan Island in Quezon

My college friends and I seldom get together so every reunion is very special and this trip was a proof. It was nice to gather around a bonfire and share stories, dreams, frustrations, secrets, and learnings we had had in the years we didn’t see one another. I love my friends and the fire will continue to burn.

9. Annual Bonfire in Sagada, Mountain Province

If you’re an avid reader of this blog for years, you probably have an idea of how much I am in love with Sagada. In fact, the past couple of years, Sagada topped my list of the best destinations I had visited.

Annual Bonfire in Sagada

Last December, I had a chance to set foot on Sagada again. And for the third straight year, I joined their bonfire party. As always, it was a blast. The feeling of the cold wind embracing me as I linger around a big, big flame is something I will never get tired of.

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My Top 20 Travel Moments of 2011 (Part 1)

Posted on January 15, 2012 by Yoshke in Lists, Travel |

You might be thinking: Why the hell am I posting a year-ender countdown in mid-January? All I can tell you is that I had been too busy with work lately. But better late than never, aye? Too busy or too lazy. Take your pick.

2011 was my most travel-heavy year ever. Considering that I am a holiday/weekend traveler, I still can’t figure out how I managed to go places given the hectic work schedule and limited leave credits. In 2011, I somehow neglected this blog Yoshke.com so I could focus on my travel blog. Don’t ask me for a link to my travel blog; I’m not yet ready to reveal ‘coz I’m not yet proud of it. Haha. I still have a lot to learn about traveling and travel blogging. I co-own it with a partner, who handles the SEO and the more technical sides of the blog. I take care of the content and it’s social media presence.

Anyway, I’m counting down the 20 best travel experiences that I had last year. This is the first half.

20. Kayaking Around Islets in Marabut, Samar

I blamed kayaks for leaving me completely useless on my first night in Samar. Empot, a friend, had a brilliant idea of circling around the towering islets dotting San Pedro Bay.

Me kayaking (top). My friends Empot and Dane walking to Marabut Extreme (bottom left). The bus we took to Marabut (bottom right)

While it was a fun and rewarding activity, we kind of forgot the fact that none of us had tried kayaking before. We were able to paddle back to our resort, Marabut Extreme Adventure, after hours albeit utterly drained out of energy. Not to mention that I was reminded that I had muscles every time they throbbed and ached.

19. 360 View of Kuala Lumpur from KL Tower, Malaysia

The KL Tower and the view from the Observation Deck

It was my first time in Malaysia and we only had half a day to explore the city of Kuala Lumpur. Not enough time, if you ask me. We set foot on the Petronas Towers, the Thean Hou Temple, and the Merdeka Square. But it was our visit to the KL Tower that was unforgettable. The building’s observation deck offers a 360-degree view of the Malaysian capital from 276 meters above the ground.

18. Getting Lost in Books Kinokuniya, Orchard Road, Singapore

Getting lost is an exaggeration but I had never been in a bookstore as big as the Ngee Ann City branch of Books Kinokuniya in Orchard Road, Singapore. I said it before, I just love the smell of new books. I love running my fingers tips on the edges of the virgin pages.

The entrance to Books Kinokuniya, Ngee Ann City

It’s one of the biggest bookstores in Southeast Asia. I had been to Singapore thrice but I never had a chance to enter this paper paradise until August 2011. I was with two other blogger friends and we decided to go our own ways as we looked for books. We ended up spending half of the time struggling to find one another. Haha.

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My Top 100 All-Time Favorite Love Songs (Part 6)

Posted on April 2, 2011 by Yoshke in Entertainment, Lists, Love, Music |

Just this morning, when I opened up my laptop and launched iTunes, it randomly played Leigh Nash’s Need to Be Next to You. And in an instant, I was reminded of this list and that I had not posted a follow up since August last year. So here it is.

This is the sixth installment of my list of 100 love songs that I am completely in love with. This batch includes singles from number 21-30. Again, this is a personal list — songs that have touched me in many ways. (Click on the title of the song to listen to it.)

30. Leigh Nash – Need to be Next to You

I still haven’t seen the movie Bounce, starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck, for which this song was written. But I don’t have to see it for me to love this song. Leigh Nash’s soft, sweet voice fits the melody and the lyrics of the song perfectly. The song is simple, talking about how she needs to always be with the person she’s in love with. But its simplicity makes the song more adorable.

I need to know I can see you smile this morning
Look into your eyes each night for the rest of my life
Here with you, near with you, oh I
I need to be next to you

Not to mention that I’ve always loved Leigh Nash.

29. Up Dharma Down – Oo

TAGOS! When I first heard this song, I was left speechless and before I knew it, I had set this track on loop. It’s just so honest and straightforward, it’s hard not to feel for the singer. The lyrics are brutal and the melody is catchy. So here’s for all who have patiently loved someone so numb, so insensitive and so thick.

Nagtapos ang lahat sa di inaasahang pahanon
At ngayon ako’y iyong iniwan
Luhaan, sugatan, ‘di mapakinabangan
Sana’y nagtanong ka lang
Kung ‘di mo lang alam
Sana’y nagtanong ka lang
Kung ‘di mo lang alam

Ako’y iyong nasaktan
Baka sakali lang maisip mo naman
Hindi mo lang alam
Kay tagal na panahon
Ako’y nandirito pa rin hanggang ngayon para sa’yo

I also love the “Sana nakinig na lang ako sa nanay ko” line. Teehee.

28. The Corrs – What Can I Do

This song is just sad and lovely. Loved it the first time I heard it. Loved The Corrs the moment I heard it.

I haven’t slept at all in days. It’s been so long since we’ve talked.
And I have been here many times. I just don’t know what I’m doing wrong.

What can I do to make you love me? What can I do to make you care?
What can I say to make you feel this? What can I do to get you there?

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5 Interesting Holidays to Celebrate in February

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Yoshke in Lists, Public Affairs, Trivia |

February is the shortest month with only 28 days in common years and 29 in leap years but it’s surely not short of holidays. Each day of the month is a holiday celebrated in a part of the world. Some of these are familiar events that most countries observe while others are area-specific.

Also known as the “love month,” February has a day for everyone. It is also considered:

Black History Month
Snack Food Month
Children’s Dental Health Month
Responsible Pet Owner’s Month
American History Month

But the most celebrated event in February has got to be Valentine’s Day. In many parts of the world especially in the Americas and Europe, February 14 is a very special day on which lovers show their love for each other by offering confectionery, presenting flowers, sending greeting cards and spending the day together.

I was surprised when I entered the office and saw these pink and red decorations all over the place. Reminded me of Grade School. Hahaha

If you start seeing red heart-shaped decorations, figures of winged Cupid and women holding teddy bears everywhere, it must be Valentine’s Day. Expect long lines at the supermarket, sold out concerts and fully-booked restaurants on this day. Even hotels (and motels) are expected to be fully loaded with lovers.

If you’re still not convinced how crazy people are over Valentine’s Day, take a look at statistics. The US Greeting Card Association estimated that around ONE BILLION valentine cards are being sent on this day each year worldwide. This makes this holiday the second largest card-spending day of the year, after Christmas.

But if you’re just too tired of the Valentine season or if the mere thought of it depresses you, here are five more of the most interesting holidays in February.

5. Clean Up Your Computer Day (second Monday of February)

Most of us install programs and store files to our computers with heedless abandon. Who can blame us? Computers have incredibly huge storage capacity that we seldom, sometimes never, use. As we add more and more files through the years, we forget about them and let them consume some precious megabytes.

However, they can cause confusion during retrieval of other files. They may even slow down your system. Thus, Clean Up Your Computer Day was created. Probably started by a computer geek, this techie day is observed every second Monday of February. This day, people are expected to logically review their files and delete those that are unused or unnecessary.

4. Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day (February 11th)

Yes, spilled milk. This may sound absurd to you but this holiday reminds us of a very important lesson in life — each of us spills a little milk every now and then. This day recognizes that fact and tells us that we should not cry over what has been done. It’s a day to think positive, be positive and look on the bright side.

If you feel like you have been cursed lately and that you have been followed around by bad luck, thus the bad decisions you have made and freak accidents you have encountered, this day is for you. Get over your worries and find the silver lining in every dark cloud you meet.

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Top 5 Signs that a Friend is Flaking on You

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Yoshke in Lists, Rants, Travel |

It’s not easy planning trips for a group. It’s difficult to find the best deals on accommodations and airfare. It’s difficult to create an itinerary that would fit everyone’s interests. It’s difficult to bring them all together. Yes, planning a group tour is difficult. And flakers make it a lot worse.

Oh yes, what could be more horrible than last minute cancellations. Last year, I planned trips with my friends many times and they were all not flaker-free. Each time, there was always one or more people backing out, leaving the rest of the group with more problems than expected.

Flakers are desirable only when they come in this form. Much more useful.

Here’s what you need to understand with “group traveling.” I wish I could say that you’re too adorable we can’t go without you. Maybe you are. But that’s not the ONLY reason we want you in. In most cases, the more, the merrier, the CHEAPER. Cost of traveling drops as the group goes bigger. This is because there are more of you chipping in and dividing the expenses. But that’s not all. Since you already said “yes,” someone in the group might have already paid for airline tickets or accommodations in advance and it will be a shame to leave them unused.

So this post is for people who are planning trips or other activities with their friends. Hope this helps. Here are the top 5 signs that your friends are flaking on you according to PhilippineBeaches.org fans.

5. Details keep on changing.

Common flaker remark: “Can we move the date?”

One of my friends planned a trip to Tuguegarao in Cagayan. It wasnt her idea; it was something that came up at a school reunion party and everyone loved it. She was tasked to put the trip together and let them know the details. At first, everyone was enthusiastic. But as the big day drew nearer, so did the destination. She kept on hearing complaints like, “Oh, it’s too far. Can we choose a closer venue?” So they changed it to Anawangin Cove in Zambales. And then complaints about facilities (or the lack thereof). Changed to Subic. Then to Puerto Galera. (This circle of friends is based in Batangas so Mindoro is much nearer.)

And then, they decided to cancel it.

Seems like it happens to others, too. Babylyn, a fan of PhilippineBeaches.org, shared:

Una, malau pa ung mga pu2ntahan,.habang lumalap8 ung araw, palapit na ng palapit sa manila, hanggang sa kanya kanyang bahay nlng.. Ngkakatamaran na, tp0s ntu2l0g nlng….

It does not happen only to big trips like that. Have you ever planned a simple night-out and realized that the bar or restaurant you’re planning to go to just keeps on changing and then finally, laziness gets the better of you and then poof, it’s canceled.

Not just with venues, same thing applies to dates. When the date of the trip keeps on changing, you have a problem.

4. Uncertainty strikes.

Common flaker remark: “Let me check my schedule.” “Tingnan ko kung kaya ng budget.”

At first, everyone is excited. At first, everyone is very very sure. And then, uncertainty strikes! Nadeen Olivar ‎shares:

100% sure na sure sa umpisa until.. maybe ng maybe.. until.. hope so ng hope so.. pag dyan na… Ay!! sayang naman, di na tayo TULOY! GRRRRR!.. high blood!

Well, most people are sincerely uncertain but sometimes, being uncertain is a convenient excuse to just back out. And this makes it even worse. if you’re sure early on that you can’t make it, say it right away so the poor planning friend won’t overbook or if we have booked already, we can find a replacement as early as possible and avoid all the hassle that comes with your uncertainty.

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Top 10 Unforgettable Places I Visited in 2010

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Yoshke in Lists, Travel |

Yay! This is my first post this year! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Last year when I counted down the 10 most unforgettable places I visited in 2009, I said that that year was the best year of my life. Well, I’m sorry 2009, you have been dethroned by 2010. Yes, Year 2010 has been better, the best of my life. Year 2010 continued what was started in the previous year and leveled it up a bit. It’s quite encouraging to know that my life gets better and better every year.

Although I traveled more frequently in 2009, I think the places that I visited last year are more memorable. So here it is, my list of the ten most unforgettable places I have traveled to in 2010.

10. Banaue, Ifugao

This was completely unplanned. From Sagada, we originally intended to pass through Baguio City but our driver brought up the idea of taking this route instead. Since none of of us had seen the Banaue Rice Terraces not painted on the P1000-bill, we liked the offer.

It was unforgettable because of the following:

The Sagada-Bontoc-Banaue route was dangerous. We didn’t know it until we were already on the narrow road and we were greeted by boulders and fallen rocks. It was quite obvious that the area was prone to landslides.
Dangerous, yes, but beautiful. The view was magnificent. We even passed by a waterfall.
It was disappointing! Not the place, but the timing. When we got there, the rice terraces were completely covered by fog. That was all we could see. We waited a bit but it failed us. LOL. We decided to just continue driving but there was an area that we could almost see the terraces. Based from the little we saw, we knew it was breathtaking.

Regardless, one thing is for sure. We shall be back. And hopefully next time, we could see the terraces. Haha.

9. Subic

Although I never planned it, I always find myself in Subic every year. I joined my friend Ayn as she stalked Neil Gaiman to this place a few years back and we even had a field trip here in college. Last summer, Subic was where we had our team outing with my former teammates at work. The place is lovely but truth be told, the one thing I enjoyed the most here was an activity that starts with an “S” and rhymes with “hopping.” Haha.

What made this trip memorable was the fact that this was where I got the very first rubber shoes that I bought for myself. All my shoes were just gifts to me and before that, I never bought myself anything more expensive than P1000. (Not counting my World Cup 2006 football.) I was frugal like that. It was my first splurge moment and it started my “shopping is a therapy” mantra.

And oh, Andi Eigenmann was at our hotel. Apparently, it was where they shot Agua Bendita. And being the teleserye-freak that I am, I was especially happy that time. Ang babaw lang. Haha.

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Top 10 Embarrassing Travel Experiences to Avoid

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Yoshke in Humor, Lists, Travel |

Murphy’s Law doesn’t care about you. Murphy can get you anywhere, anytime. He doesn’t care whether you’re at home, at work or having the time of your life while traveling. Unfortunate events may hit you and ultimately ruin your supposedly relaxing day. So it’s better to be prepared even when traveling — especially when traveling.

image courtesy of dailytelegraph.co.au

Last week, we asked our fans at PhilippineBeaches.org Facebook like page for their most embarrassing experiences while on a trip and we received hundreds of responses. Some of them are really hilarious I just have to feature them on my blog. So here are the top 10 embarrassing things that may happen to you while on a trip.

10. INTERNAL ISSUES

And by “internal,” I mean those that happen inside our bodies, particularly “digestion.” This happens to me all the time. I eat a lot and I love trying local delicacies, including street foods. And so this always happens. Fortunately, I have never experienced any intestine-related embarrassments.

It may be a simple case of farting…

Marife: my small brother loudly and verbally accused me of not controlling the release of my fart, just when the plane was already taxiing… when infact, he is the one who farted… on PR flight from manila bound to aklan, going to boracay… i was 23 y/o that time and he was like 7 or 8…

Or something more severe…

Ligaya: San Juanico Bridge, cant 4get bout it. Vehicles r not alowed to stop n middle of d bridge, so we decided to take a walk instead and do picture taking. Nung nasa kalagitnaan na kami, biglang nag.iba ang timpla ng tyan ko kasi nga mahangin di…n. Ang haba kaya ng bridge,. Talagang nawala poise ko sa kakalakad-takbo, pigil sa nag.aarburoto kung tiyan, muntik nakong bumigay. Tawa lang nga tawa iba kung insan. Buti nalang may nagmagandang loob at pinayagan ako gumamit ng banyo nla. Tapos nun, balik uli ako pikchur taking. Hahahaha wapak! O_o

Daniel: My friend had eaten a hotdog from street vendor at Clark airport, then we boarded the small zest air plane to boracay, half way on route, my friend felt the urge to poo, he very quickly got up and ran to the rear of the plane to use the toi…let, but then realised there was no toilet on board, it was just cargo area, but he could not control himself and made a lot of mess in he’s underwear. The plane was very mabaho, even the pilots were holding there noses, and 2 women passengers had sick bags over their mouths. He has never eaten street food since!

Diatabs is the answer!

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Protected: Top 10 Greatest Explorers of All Time: They Came, Saw, Conquered and Made History

Posted on October 24, 2010 by Yoshke in History, Lists, Travel, Trivia |

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That “Eureka” Moment:
Top 10 Accidental Inventions

Posted on September 27, 2010 by Yoshke in Lists, Science, Trivia |

Everybody knows the story of how Archimedes accidentally realised how to measure the volume of irregularly-shaped objects just by soaking himself in a tub. The story of how Alexander Fleming unintentionally discovered the bacteria-fighting properties of a certain mould, which would later inspire the invention of penicillin, is being taught in schools. These are just two of the most amazing accidental discoveries that most people are aware of. If you are blown away by how chance played a huge role in many accidental discoveries, you’ll be more whacked out by some of the greatest and funniest accidental inventions.

Whether it is an experiment that went utterly wrong but produced unsolicited results or a simple situation that squeezed the creative juices out of people, an accidental invention is surely something that never fails to introduce our jaws to the floor. Here is a list of the ten greatest accidental inventions in the past that caught mankind off-guard.

10. Ice Cream Cones

If you don’t believe in fate, ice cream cones will make you. Ice cream cones are a worldwide sensation today. Who would have thought that fate had a lot to do with its advent. The humble beginnings of these yummy cones can be traced back to 1904 at the World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. Prior to that time, ice cream was served on bowls.

But on one particularly sweltering day, two stores were standing near each other. One was selling ice cream while the other was selling zalabia, a kind of Persian wafer thin waffle. While the latter was not doing good business, ice cream was a hit at the fair. Then, the ice cream store ran out of dishes. Instead of panicking, the store owner came up with an excellent idea of buying zalabia from the other store, rolling them into cones and popping the ice cream on top. The rest is delicious history.

9. Potato Chips

If creativity is the root of all ice cream cones, annoyance is to blame for the creation of the good ol’ potato chips. In 1853, George Crum, a chef in Saratoga, New York, had a very hard-to-please customer. Cornelius Vanderbilt, a railway magnate, refused eating the fries that the chef served him. He repeatedly sent them back, demanding that the fries be sliced a bit thinner. The miffed Crum finally reached the boiling point so he sliced the potatoes so thin and fried them so that his fussy customer couldn’t eat them with a fork. The comedy is that Vanderbilt actually liked it. Soon, all the guests at the resort were craving for the crisp potatoes. Later, it officially became part of the menu as Saratoga Chips.

8. Post-it notes

In 1968, Spencer Silver, a 3M scientist was trying to improve adhesive tape. Unfortunately, he only managed to produce semi-sticky adhesive that is not even suitable for tape. Despite being so frustrated about the failure, he decided to set aside his invention, hoping that it could be of great use in the future but he didn’t know what.

Four years later, another 3M researcher, while singing with his church choir, needed something to keep his marker from falling out of his hymnal. Chewing gum would prove to be a little messy, so what he needed was something that would not stick permanently. Then, he finally saw the light when he remembered the weak glue that his co-worker invented a few years back. It was the beginning of the ubiquitous post-it note, which would later be created in 1980.

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My Top 100 All-Time Favorite Love Songs (Part 5)

Posted on August 30, 2010 by Yoshke in Entertainment, Lists, Music |

Love songs are here to stay. No matter what genre dominates the airwaves, romantic elements just keep on creeping its way into pop. Love songs know no season, gender, age and territory. It’s just so universal. Everyone can relate to love songs.

This is the fifth installment of my list of 100 love songs that I am completely in love with. This batch includes singles from number 31-45. Again, this is a personal list — songs that have touched me in many ways. (Click on the title of the song to listen to it.)

45. Ricky Martin feat Christina Aguilera – Nobody Wants to Be Lonely

I worship Christina Aguilera but most of her songs that I totally adore are not love songs — Beautiful, for example, is very inspirational but is not a love song. Nevertheless, her collaboration with Ricky Martin is a classic for me. It reminds me of my high school days and this song just speaks for many people who have been longing for someone, fearing the idea of being alone.

Time is precious and it’s slipping away
and I’ve been waiting for you all of my life
Nobody wants to be lonely so why
Why don’t you let me love you

Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera were huge superstars at the time and although it did not enjoy extreme success in the US (peaking somewhere around number 13 in US Billboard), I believe it was very successful in the rest of the world.

I also love most of Ricky Martin’s ballads such as She’s All I Ever Had, I Count the Minutes and his work with Meja, Private Emotion.

44. Third Eye Blind – Deep Inside of You

When I heard this song for the first time, I fell in love with it almost instantly. It’s just sensual, romantic and heart-breaking at the same time. I know the kind of sexual reference was intentional, but you can read it in a purely romantic way. The song encapsulates the feeling of being part of a relationship that has just ended but you invested so much emotions that when the relationship died, a part of you died with it.

I’ve never felt alone
Till I met you
I’m alright on my own
And then I met you
And I’d know what to do if I just knew what’s coming

I would change myself if I could
I’d walk with my own people if I could find them,
And I’d say that I’m sorry to you,
I’m sorry to you, and I don’t want to call you,
But then I want to call you cause I don’t want to crush you,
But I feel like crushing you
And it’s true

43. Mariah Carey feat Bone Thugs N Harmony – Breakdown

One thing that I really really really love about Mariah Carey is that she knows how to tell a story using her instruments — the voice and the pen. Mariah is not just an extraordinary vocalist, she’s also a good songwriter. Her songs are very believable — words unpretentious and voice soulful.

You called yesterday to basically say
That you care for me but that you’re just not in love
Immediately I pretended to be feeling similarly
And led you to believe I was O.K.
To just walk away from the one thing
That’s unyielding and sacred to me

I’m sure many of us have loved or cared so much about someone but sadly the feeling is one-way. And when they say that to us upfront, we pretend it doesn’t matter. But the truth is, we are devastated. That’s what Breakdown is all about. It’s just a beautiful song.

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About Yoshke

On May 31, 1985, tragedy struck when 41 tornadoes hit Canada and the US, leaving 76 people dead. At the same time, a doomed couple in the Philippines were having the best orgasms of their lives. Nine months (280 days) later, a healthy baby boy was brought into this world by normal delivery. That was exactly a week before Microsoft had its initial public offering.

Today, Yoshke Dimen resides independently in Mandaluyong City. He got a degree in Film from a university in Diliman but is now pursuing a career in Social Media.

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