Blogs from Rizal, Philippines, Asia

WEEK 1 : Manila – Wawa (6-11 Avril) Première semaine à Manille et déjà l'impression d'avoir vécu plein de choses malgré la recherche de chambre qui m'a pris beaucoup de temps. Grâce à mes couchsurfers, j'ai rencontré pas mal de gens. Je suis sortie dîner avec leurs amis, ait expérimenté la plus belle boite de nuit de ma vie: une salle immense avec une sortie qui donnait sur une énorme cours dans laquelle une autre scène était installée ainsi qu'une piscine!! Cette soirée c'est finalement finie non dans l'eau mais dans l'appartement d'un de leurs amis indiens ou nous avons eu droit à un plat indien délicieux vers 6h du mat. Danser, ça donne faim! En terme d'expérience, je me suis rendue dans un marché philippin. C'est immense et surtout on n'y trouve absolument tout (toutes ... read more

They make for a very strange combination. Exotic food, as in "bizarre" in the words of Andrew Zimmern. "Taka" as in the art of papier mache. And the Angono Petroglyphs. It wasn't my first time in Angono's Balaw Balaw Restaurant. And even before my first visit, I have heard enough about the exotic cuisine offered in this specialty restaurant cum art gallery. Artist Perdigon Vocalan has long gone; but his wife carries on the tradition so to speak. Angono is famous for its artists and Balaw Balaw seems to have lured many of them to this dining place for both eats and art talk. Around 100 of Perdigon Vocalan's paintings and those of other folk artists are displayed in the 2nd floor Museum above the specialty restaurant along with various sculptures and woodcarvings representing the rich ... read more

“O MY GOD O MY GOD O MY GOD!!!” I screamed like a girl and then all three of us turned back and scurried out of the cave faster than I could say “there’s a bat near my head and its making threatening noises and I think it’s going to attack me!” I just got back from trekking in Rizal province today. It was just a 45 minute trek but one of the most challenging and most fun treks I’ve ever done! The river was squeaky clean and we refilled our water bottles from one of the streams that contributes water to the big river. There were no impurities of any sort and I don’t feel my stomach grumbling until now! I loved the huge boulders in this river, and how clear the water on the ... read more

Ah, yes. Inside jokes as titles. To be explained later. This post is dedicated to you, mom, and if you get a chance to read it I want you to know that I love you and will be praying for you over here, on the other side of the world. Though I cannot be there with you, I hope my words can reach you and give you some comfort knowing that I am, of course, still thinking about you. It's the night following my return to Pasig from the city of Daan-Lungsod located in Alcoy, Cebu, and let me tell you, I'm rather torn about it. On one hand, I step forward in my journey in the Philippines; on the other, I leave behind a place whence I experienced many unforgettable moments. I suppose that's what ... read more

Week Two This second week has been so much of a whirlwind that I have been putting off writing this blog- for lack of words, lack of explanation, Ive been racking my brain trying to figure out how to fit all ive seen into words. so i apologise if my ramblings do not make sence! When you arrive home from a trip such as this one (although no trips are alike) you tend to recieve the same kinds of questions. "what was it like?" "was it heaps different?" "what was hard?" "did you struggle because x was different?" How can two worlds of rich and poor exist together and yet be miles apart? The last week the food for thought has been the divine spark in each of us, the one thing that connects all ... read more