Edgar
Edgar Logan Joined: March 2nd 2008
Logged in: September 7th 2011
Logged in: September 7th 2011
Travel Blog Posts
Sears Tower Lobby
For a moment at least, we felt that we're on top of the world the moment my group reached the observatory deck of the Sears Tower in Chicago. It was at the 99th floor where we were delivered by a fast-moving elevator, to the place of the Sears Tower where we could view the entire downtown area several hundred feet high. The view from the top was just breathtaking. We could see the neighboring states of Wisconsin and Indiana, as the weather on that day was sunny, clear and just fantastic. But the crowning gift of our visit to the top of the Sears Tower was looking at the other towering buildings of Chicago. These high-rise structures are indeed engineering marvels. The Sears Tower, according to the documentary being repeatedly shown on a huge screen as ... read more
At O'Hare Airport
We're visiting the great city of Chicago because my son is graduating on Friday, April 3, at the Great Lakes naval training center. In as much as we are already in the area, I decided that we would spend the entire weekend to sightseeing tour of Chicago and other tourist spots that are popular with visitors. So my wife and I and daughter Emerald and family friend Ace left for Chicago in the afternoon of April 2. Our place of origin is San Jose, California, and we were driven at San Jcose international airport by my wife's sister. We were early at the airport, and we took advantage of the curbside check-in and had our baggage checked in. We were taking American Airlines on a direct flight to O'hare airport in Chicago. It was an enjoyable ... read more
The recent travel I made in the Philippines put me on longer stay in one province: Nueva Ecija. This province, which is considered one of the major rice-producing provinces of the Philippines, is located in Central Luzon. It has several major cities that are considered either economic hubs or centers of commerce, transportation and industry. One such city is Cabanatuan City, located at the southern part of the province. From Manila, a bus ride can take you to the city proper in two to three hours time, depending on the traffic on its only major highway, called Maharlika Highway. This major thoroughfare leads all the way to Aparri in Cagayan Valley. What attracted me to Cabanatuan City is the enormous number of tricycles that crowd its major streets and narrow pathways. Foreign tourists should experience this ... read more
Provincial Buses
My mode of travel to popular tourist destinations in the Philippines was mostly by bus. I would go to bus terminals in Cubao, Baguio or Mabalacat to take a bus going to the place I would visit, say Angeles City or Iloilo or Banaue. While road-building was the penchant of former Presidents of the country as a step to achieve economic prosperity, it was during the Marcos years and lately, through the infrastructure programs of the current Arroyo government that roads and bridges were built and still being planned to be built with reasonable frequency. I believe the government plan is to cut down the travel time between and among provinces and between industrial/agricultural and tourist areas so that faster socio-economic interaction would be achieved. As soon as highways are created and ready for use, along ... read more
Holy Week Observance
During the Holy Week, I happened to read a news item in a local paper about an unusual celebration of Lent in Barangay Cutud in San Fernando, Pampanga. I was staying in an hotel in Manila then, trying to cool my heels off inside an air-conditioned room after my daily travel to popular tourist spots in the city. Everyday in late March and April, it was unusually hot in Manila, more so in Central Luzon and in other parts of the country. Holy Week is observed with deep seriousness by a predominantly Christian nation like the Philippines. As early as Monday, every church in the country and in almost every barangay would erect a makeshift structure with chairs and tables and decorations of religious ornaments/photos depicting the Passion of the Cross or the suffering of Jesus ... read more
Banaue Rice Terraces
UNESCO called it part of world heritage in 1995. All over the world, it is known as the eight wonder of the world. I am referring to the Banaue Rice Terraces which I visited in the third week of April, 2008. The rice terraces are still in its moment of grandeur. They are more awesome and majestic when they are viewed in actuality. It is as if the Filipino forefathers who built this ancient engineering marvel were finding a way to be closer to their gods in heaven. But no, these terraces were actually fashioned from the side of the mountain using their bare hands and with the help of stone tools in their attempt to become self-sufficient in rice and other sources of food. The rice terraces that I visited are located in Batad, Banaue. ... read more
Old Chapel
After leaving Boracay Island, I decided that I would visit Cebu next, and hopefully, hop in to a ferry and go to Bohol to see its famous Chocolate Hills. Going to Cebu from Boracay took a lot of courage and patience. It was a long and tiring journey. At Caticlan port, where a motorized boat from Boracay dropped me off together with the otherBoracay tourists, I was advised by a bus driver of an Iloilo-bound bus that the only way to get to Cebu was by way of Iloilo Iloilo city.From there,I would have to ride in a passenger ship that sails to to Cebu everyday. So I took a bus at the bus terminal in Caticlan,Aklan with Iloilo as my destination. The trip was a mixed bag of smooth and bumpy rides. There were portions ... read more
Boracay Beach
True to its billing as a premier tourist destination, Boracay Island puts its countless visitors in awe and at ease of its unique beauty. I was one of its visitors a couple of days back and I was really amazed at its picturesque beach. Never in my life have I seen such serene blue green waters as I walked barefooted on its famous white sand. The feeling is truly exhilirating as I my feet took measured steps and literally felt being "massaged" by the clean white sand. Excitedly, I stopped every now and then and took camera shots at every photo opportunity. In fact, any camera angle that I chose for my photographs was a sure winner. The blue green waters, the coconut trees with its leaves swaying with the breeze are elements of a great ... read more
Bus Terminal in Quezon City
Finally, I was bound for Boracay Island and its famous pristine beaches. I took an air-conditioned ALPS bus going to Iloilo at the huge provincial bus terminal in Cubao Quezon City. The terminal itself is a living proof that this country is alive and well and is busy (24/7) to attain socio-economic prosperity. Giant buses were lined up at the huge parking lot of the terminal, waiting for passengers bound for the provinces south of Manila. People from all walks of life filled every available shaded space in the terminal. It was hot that day when I boarded the Iloilo-bound bus. My plan was to go to Caticlan, Aklan. From there, I would take a boat going to Boracay island. On the map of the Philippines, Boracay lies at the northeasternmost tip of Panay Island. It ... read more
Street Vendor
While staying in Baguio for a certain length of time, I observed that not all areas of the city received continuous supply of water. In some places, there is always a problem with the water supply. In the place where I temporarily stayed, water came in trickles from its faucets. The owner of the place was a little apologetic to me for this inconvenience. Most hotels and inns in the city sometimes advertise to new arrivals to this popular summer destination that water is not a problem in their establishment. Indeed, water is a precious commodity in this city whose population increases by leaps and bounds, especially during the summer months. During the late months of the year, the city also experiences an increase of visitors from the lowlands. While water is a problem, there are ... read more
