Blogs from Philippines, Asia - page 320

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Asia » Philippines » Palawan February 21st 2006

It's another place off my list of places to go before I die. And a new one on my list of places with a soul. After years of pining, I finally saw the famous El Nido last week. Taking the plane from Manila, we arrived at Puerto Princesa in the morning of Tuesday, February 21. After breakfast and meeting up with some friends I met during my previous trip to Puerto Princesa, we headed off to El Nido. El Nido is about 7 hours away from Puerto Princesa (including pitstops). The roads from Puerto to Roxas (2 hours away) were very good but a few miles off Roxas and our nightmare begins. Dusty, unpaved roads which become unpassable during the rainy season made up more than half the trip to El Nido. We pass by Taytay ... read more
El Nido - Port Barton 2006
El Nido - Port Barton 2006
El Nido - Port Barton 2006

Asia » Philippines » Bohol » Tagbilaran February 21st 2006

For weeks, I have mapped out the entire vacation for Rob and I. After weeks of intensive researching, making inquiries and reserving, at last, we have arrived! It's day one today. We left Manila around 8am and arrived at Tagbilaran after an hour and a half plane ride. I swear, looking down into the islands of the country, with the lush green and blue sea, uniquely shaped islands and the cloud formation is one of a kind! Seeing the islands from the heavens are a lot more enchanting than seeing them on land. As we neared the island and began landing, and as the plane circled around, you can see Panglao Island's white beach and the contrast of the blue and green in it's waters. I was so excited... so excited I was clapping my hands ... read more
Cotton Candy Clouds
Panglao Island Nature Resort
Loboc River Floating Restaurant

Asia » Philippines » Manila February 21st 2006

From the balcony, we watch our arrival in Manila through a hot, smoggy haze. No morning coffee or breakfast outside for us today. Crew members hang over railings watching too. They are the reason we are here. A Radisson ship has not called on Manila since 1996. This visit is a reward for Voyager’s mostly Filipino crew. Their anticipation fills the air as Capt. Dag parks the ship. Large, black tires hang from the dock and several crew members scramble to drape bed sheets over them. The Captain is particular about Voyager’s white paint job. Last night, when Alan and I had dinner at Capt. Dag’s table, he told us how hard it had been to arrange this visit. The plan, in place for many months, is to allow each crew member to bring family onboard ... read more
An excited crew
One of the jeepneys
Winona and her little girl

Asia » Philippines » Boracay February 17th 2006

Travis has arrived...... And it is just as I suspected. I was an idiot not to rest up before he got here. I knew that would bite me in the ass. How strange of an experience it is to be a "regular" in a foreign place. Having been on the island of Boracay for at least a few days now...a good week not including the break we had in the Northern part of the country....I am now, of course, and expert. I know where to go to have the best mango banana shake, the bets place to see the view of the whole island, the best place to catch live music (Bom Bom...without a shadow of a doubt), and the best place to have the islands famous Barbecued hot dogs on a stick (thanks all to ... read more
Another beauty
Cute- but not honeymooners
The bucket

Asia » Philippines February 14th 2006

Interesting way to spend Valentines Day- praying for my life. My hip flexors and glutes have never felt quite like this before, and I'm sure never will again. Mixed with an utter sense of accomplishment, I feel totally drained. Good thing we have an unimaginably lon, cramped, arduous bus ride ahead of us. With any luck, I'll sleep the whole way from Banaue to Manila. Banana pancakes and a banana pineapple salad (half of each) and one small bottle of water at 7 am were all I had to fuel my terrace traversing this morning. I knew it would be difficult, but once someone suggests I can do something, I refuse to back down to the proposition (well, in MOST cases, relevant to context). What they neglected to mention was it would be one of the ... read more
More of the valley
Manicured hillsides
"Walking" down

Asia » Philippines February 13th 2006

"You don't spend a centavos when you smile." Mary, the wife of Emiliano, the owner of this lodging and carving studio, up here in this breathtaking scenary, is yet another reason I have fallen in love with the Philippines. She is intelligent, and she is able to present to us an authentic view of Filipino life up here in Ifugao country, high in the mountains. She has given us more reason to trust the people of this country. I could write forever about how the people you meet while travelling colour yoru experience, and I will, no doubt, write about that very thing soon enough, but after what I have seen today it is necessary to acknowledge the physique of northern Luzon. Our neighbour at Moreno's Place in Boracay told us Batad is the place to ... read more
Banuae hills
Reynaldo and I
More view

Asia » Philippines » Cebu February 12th 2006

These last couple of weeks have been a mixture of the rushed and relaxed. To start at the beginning, which you have doubtless realised rarely happens in my blogs, arriving in Cebu, I gave myself a similar challenge to Manila of getting to my hostel in Cebu City without the use of a taxi. Naturally, arriving during a monsoonal downpour gave me second thoughts, but they both passed quickly, and so first I went in search of a tricycle to Lapu-Lapu City, though I am at a loss to the use of the word 'city' here. It was more of a random collection of backstreets, which I travelled through on the back of a bike, rucksack still firmly attached to my back, and more than one confused stare from a local. Unlike many travellers that, ironically, ... read more

Asia » Philippines » Pampanga February 12th 2006

Now on its 10th year, the annual International Hot Air Balloon Festival once again colored the bright skies of Clarkfield, Pampanga. The festival proves to be one of the biggest and most-anticipated events in the country, with more than 19 countries participating each year. Other than hot-air ballooning, there are several air shows gracing the festival, such as aeromodeling, motorized glider exhibitions, radio-controlled airplane show, paragliding, military aircraft exhibits, sky diving exhibitions, helicopter flight displays and kite flying. Ample ground activities such as concerts, exhibits, dog shows, and trade fairs also provides entertainment to local and foreign tourists. ... read more
Hot-Air Balloons
Approaching Balloon
Carnival

Asia » Philippines February 12th 2006

Favorite part of travelling so far? For sure, without a doubt, the people. For good or bad it is what makes or breaks a trip. Today I have fully realized the other beauty- this morning I was on a beach in Boracay and hours later I am paddling on a mountain "lagoon" in Baguio. Different landscape almost entirely...and by tomorrow morning I will be in Banaue. It is safe to say I am partially more at east, though a little disappointed, we will not be traversing the death road by bus that travels from Baguio to Sagada. If we find our way there it will be on a slightly less treacherous stratch of "highway" from Banaue to Sagada via Bontoc. The one thing I remember my dad expressing fear about was hazardous highways and maniacal mountain ... read more
A little taste of Europe...in Boracay
The view
Baguio- the park

Asia » Philippines » Boracay February 11th 2006

It has been 4 days now in Boracay. Small impressions include tiny ants (bed bugs) on my bed and all over my clothes, bits of seashells and coral along the fine, smooth, white sand shoreline, bowl of "goto", Filipino congee, along with the chicken (or duck) egg and black yoke (incidentally, in case you were wondering, yes the black yoke is a half formed fetus...yum yum), "turo turo"s along the "road" with quiet, kind, eager Filipionos awaiting late night white curious customers, sausage on a stick sliced and diced in a floral pattern coated in a sweet tangy spice BBQ sauce, soaking wet bathroom floors and toilet seats, dive bombing beach birds, aquamarine water,wet glossy black igneous rock, "yes ma'ams" and "lunch ma'ams" and "sarongs, pretty necklaces, massage ma'ams", Celine Dion, Tracey Chapman, Bob Marley (of ... read more
Far end of the beach
The island's island
Cliff and beach




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