RamG

Jimenez is an old, rustic town in the Province of Misamis Occidental in Mindanao Island, the Philippines. It is home to an old Spanish Catholic church and a number of elegant old wooden ancestral homes. It is a 4th municipality with a population of 24,326 as of the census year 2007. The town is about 15-20 minutes from Ozamiz City, where the main sea-port and airport are located. The main mode of transportation to Jimenez is by a public bus, van, or a jeepney. Old ancestral homes Upon arrival, any first-time visitor will certainly notice the old wooden ancestral homes that still dot the town. Many of these great houses are well-maintained although a good number needed some urgent rehabilitation. One thing that differentiates the ancestral homes of Jimenez from other places in the Philippines is ... read more

I have always heard of Tagaytay from my friends in Manila. From their stories, I imagined that the place must have a climate similar to Baguio, the so-called summer capital of the Philippines. Though I have been invited by my friends to visit Tagaytay, for one reason or another, I was not able visit the place. Then, finally, on 15-16 April 2010, an opportunity presented itself. After spending four gruelling days in Manila, I was able to adjust my travel itenerary and had a sidetrip to Tagataytay. Crowded Bus, Plying Heavy Traffic I checked-out from Orchid Garden Suites along Vito Cruz (where I stayed in the last few days) at about 7:30 in the evening. I was suppose to check-out earlier but was delayed because I have to wait for a friend to get the Krispy ... read more

Arrival We arrived in the capital of Laos, Vientiane, after over 28 hours of land trip from Hanoi--a trip which was supposed to be just about 20 hours. When the driver of the bus cum sumuggling vehicle announced that we've reached the center of the city, we, the three Filipinos unboarded, and the seven caucasians followed suit. As soon as we unboarded the bus, a Tuktuk was there waiting ready to take us to Thong Bay for Kip20,000.00 each. It maybe overprices but all we want was a bed to lie on and so we gave it a go. It seems to be a long way to Thong Bay. And when we finally arrived, it looks as though we were passing a dark alley. The white falangs were trying to scare us saying "ohhhhh its a ... read more

A few hours back I wrote that Vietnamese are a friendly people. I still believe they are. I also said that although the Vietnamese appear to be friendly, one must not take for granted the safety of his/her person and property. It seems though that I was not reading what I have written. I got ripped-off by half-a million dong (thats VND500,000.00) by one enterprising Vietnamese Lady. I went by myself around Hanoi just to have a feel of the City. When I arrived near a monument (near a man-made lake) a Vietnamese lady offered to take a photograph of me balancing her baskets on my shoulder. Another one put on a typical Vietnamese hat on me. After taking my picture, they demanded that I pay them VN50,000.00. That's too much for a photograph of course, ... read more

I hailed from a place where there are only a few structures made of concrete (and not one made of stone). Visiting the Angkor complex with its countless stone structures constructed at a time when the Filipinos were still "up in the trees" was therefore jaw-dropping for me. The experience also proved incorrect many of my ideas about the Angkor Wat. The trip to the Angkor complex was an extension of my second ASEAN trip. We started our trip from the former US Military Base in the Philippines, Clark Air Base, which is about 60 kilometers northwest of Manila, the capital city. The trip would not have been possible if it were not for Air Asia, Asia's budget airline based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Up in the air, Siem Reap, the town where the Angkor complex ... read more