From Places

The Waterfall

There was a tired silence  lingering inside the van as we pressed the side of our heads on the glass window. Silently we admired the view of the many breathtaking places in Mountain Province as we drove from Sagada to Banaue. The hills, the hillsides, and the terraced hillsides; the mountains, the mountaintops, and the…

The Boracay Charm

The island club had closed for the night and I hit the beach with reckless abandon. As I lay on the beach, I did not care one bit about the sand that had completely covered the back of my shirt and my arms. There I was, dragging my drunken butt as my new friends watched…

Malacca’s Got Humor

I quit my full-time job last month to see the world. Well, not really to see the world. I just wanted to have more time to travel. I still provide social media consultancy services to a couple other companies but getting rid of my “day job” would mean more freedom — Freedom from limited leave…

My Top 20 Travel Moments of 2011 (Part 2)

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. So let’s continue. Here’s the second half…

My Top 20 Travel Moments of 2011 (Part 1)

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…

Batangas: Rediscovering My Hometown

“You’re the weirdest Batangueno I have ever met!” declared my friend Andre after learning that I didn’t know how to swim. We were on the way home. “Wow, jumping to conclusions,” I objected. “Well, for starters, you don’t have the accent,” he explained. “Batangas is known for beaches and dive sites; you don’t even know how to swim. Batangas produces the best beef in the country; you dislike beef. Batangas is home to kapeng barako; you’re not a coffee fan. You haven’t even been to the Taal Volcano.” Hmmm. As hard as it was to admit, he was right. (Except…

The Paradox of the Freedom Islands

A month ago, if a foreign traveler asked me where the nearest mangrove forest lies, I’d probably tell him to take the bus to Quezon or fly to Palawan. If one asked me to take him to a place where he could go bird-watching aside from UP Diliman, I’d probably drive him out of the city to Pampanga. If he asked me to take him to a place where he could see dolphins, I’d tell him to head over to Batangas. I just didn’t know any place within Metro Manila where anyone could bond with nature. Recently, however, I learned…

Top 10 Unforgettable Places I Visited in 2010

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…