There's a monkey near the entrance of Katibawasan Falls. Tourists are advised to stay two meters away from this monkey. He's probably a grumpy monkey who doesn't like visitors. This monkey is chained to a tree nearby. He's used to seeing guests going and leaving the falls that he barely gives them a look anymore. He looked like he's comfortable being chained, which was kind of sad because nobody wants to be chained. It takes away one's freedom. He didn't seem like he's going to attack us but we kept our distance anyway. Better safe than sorry.

The town where I grew up is small and languid and everyone knows almost anyone. It's called Looc, which in our dialect means 'strangle'. No, don't judge us just yet. We certainly don't strangle strangers. On the contrary, we smooch and welcome visitors with open arms. In other words, we're loving and friendly people. The name 'Looc' is believed to have originated from a local legend about a giant protector (Talabukon) who saved the town from marauding Moros by strangling them.

You have probably never heard about our town. And that's completely understandable. It's not exactly famous like its neighboring island, Boracay. (I'm sure the mere mention of Boracay somehow sparked a glitter of interest). It doesn't have fine white-sand beaches found in Carabao Island (also a neighboring town) either. I can tell you a few interesting things about our town but they're not enough to make you book a flight and travel down here pronto but I really love my town so I'm pimping it out to anyone who might be interested to visit it. A lot of what our town offers remains unheralded, some hidden, few have yet to be discovered, which can be a perfect avenue for wonderful moments of discovery.

1. Cheap Seafood


Crabs, clams, fish, edible seaweed, shrimp... They're available in the market, which is located near the sea, normally in the morning seven days a week. They're fresh and cheap. Although there's no notable restaurant in town that offers seafood cuisine, you can still buy these fresh sea produce from the wet market or talipapa and have them cooked at the lodging inn you're staying. Best eaten with your bare hands.

I'm a sucker for shrimp. It's my favorite food. I'd die without it. It's the first thing I look for every time I dine out at a certain destination outside town. So when I found it on the menu at J&A Fishpen in Camiguin, I forced my travel buddies into ordering it. They couldn't say no, not after noticing that I was holding a table knife. Kidding. What can I say, they're the most supportive couple/travel buddies I've been with.

I don't usually go to church to attend mass (don't tell my folks about this). Not that I'm an atheist or agnostic. I believe in God, I pray before eating, sleeping or before leaving the house. Just like a good Christian. But going to church on Sundays is something I rarely do. In fact, I only go to the holy house when I'm out of town and I happen to see an old church in the area I'm visiting. I really like my church to be serene and peaceful - and you can't find that in the metro during Sunday masses. So yeah, you can pretty much say that, that's one reason I stopped going to church.
To have some serenity and peace wasn't exactly the reason we wound our way up this hill overlooking the idyllic town of San Jose in Tarlac. I'm not sure whose idea was it either. After our fun whitewater kayaking, the group unanimously agreed to make a short detour at Monasterio de Tarlac, a religious monastery perched atop the mountain.

Idyllic town of San Jose

Location: San Jose, Tarlac
San Jose is considered as a fourth class municipality in the province of Tarlac in Central Luzon. It has a population of approximately thirty-two thousand with an economy that is dominantly agricultural. To get there from Manila, take a bus bound for Tarlac City then from the Central Terminal, hop on a jeepney to Barangay Villa Aglipay. The jump-off point of the whitewater kayaking is at Maamot, an idyllic barrio nestled up the mountain about a 30-minute ride from the town proper.

There are plenty of reasons why cruise holidays are so relentlessly popular and appealing to so many of us from different parts of Europe and the world. The food is amazing, the accommodation resplendent and you're always likely to find yourself in the company of some fun-loving people. But possibly the biggest draw of the whole experience is the chance to simply unwind like never before and to escape everything for a glorious period of precious time. 

The Grandeur Of The Seas gives you a passport to sunshine, relaxation and adventure and there are some great deals on top quality holiday packages on-board over the coming months. There is nothing about the ship that is much other spectacular but of course you can be as active or delightfully inactive as you decide to be. And however you decide to spend your time, you will find one amazing location after another drifting into view as your holiday goes by.

Photo credit: VisitNorway

"WHO ARE YOU WITH SIR?" she asked in a tone coated with so much sweetness it sounded nearly cloying.

"Oh, I'm just alone," I responded, mildly hurt with her question despite its innocence.

"But your room has two beds, sir," she argued, ogling at the piece of paper with my name on it, probably checking if she had the correct document.

"Where is my room located?" I said, diverting the topic with an air of apparent annoyance. The receptionist, a local girl in her early 20s, hardly missed the message her guest was trying to send across but she nonetheless maintained her composure.

She called her colleague and asked for assistance but nobody seemed to have heard her. The thickness of the bushes flourishing in great abundance inside the resort must have sucked out her call. Without any hint of irritation, she took on the job of accompanying her guest to the assigned room - a small villa made of sawali, nipa hut and wooden bamboo floor.
"Enjoy your stay, sir," she told me while dropping my stuff in front of the door. The giddiness in her voice was still palpable and far from waning.

As I was taking a swig of Cuba Libre at Epic, one of the many bars in Station 2 in Boracay, a small commotion erupted from an adjacent table. A large chunk of dried coconut leaves fell from the sky and landed unceremoniously on a group of foreign party-goers, momentarily breaking the monotony in that part of the bar. It was such a miracle that no one got hurt, except perhaps for a few scratches on one guy's arm. Like everyone else, he laughed it off. Grinning, I took another sip and looked overhead, wondering if 'falling dried leaves' was a common occurrence in Boracay's famous White Beach.

Night parties are, even in low season (June to October). The long stretch of walkway running from Station 1 all the way to Station 3 is dotted with restaurants, boutiques, bars, hotels, cafes and other tourism-related establishments that get swarmed with tourists especially at night. Some parts of this small path that had become more of an alley can get clogged. You'll practically and literally rub elbows with people from different countries. Parties do get wild and normally last till dawn.

Pretty Young Blood Traveler* Kate Renner is not in any way related to Bourne Legacy actor Jeremy Renner but they nevertheless share a common connection - they both have been to El Nido.   Palawan is just one of the many destinations Kate has crossed out from her list. (And no, her surname isn't Renner; she sometimes goes with Escudero too. Kidding). This twenty-something attractive Proposal Manager is happily married (sorry, guys!) with two cute kids whom she shares her travel stories with. Find out how she's able to wander around the country (and abroad) despite her busy work. 
On discovering her love for travel
A little background -I am a certified Manilenia. Born and raised in the city,I am fascinated with everything outside the metro. I used to envy my classmates in grade school whenever they'd tell me stories about their vacation in the province. My dream back then was as simple as seeing a real clean flowing river.
My love for travelling started on my first unsupervised trip when I was in college. We needed to interview the leader of a religious group in Pangasinan. The trip was a very liberating experience and an eye-opener. It got me fascinated with people and stories.

I found Ellis Ecotel thru Agoda.com, an online site that provides hotel reservations. I was looking for a cheap but chic hotel, one that's decent but not too basic. I predicted a gloomy weather over the weekend so I thought it was a good idea to get a nice hotel room where I could leisurely spend the day in case I couldn't go out. True enough, my stay in Legazpi was wetter than I had expected. I stayed indoor most of the time.
Ellis Ecotel is a newly built hotel that occupies two floors of a shopping complex called Embarcadero just beside the gulf. A modern property with minimalist nautical-inspired design, the hotel serves as an ideal spot to discover Bicol. Its strategic location provides accessibility to famous attractions around the city such as Lignon Hill and Cagsawa Ruins as well as homegrown restaurants that feature local cuisines. Ellis Ecotel also offers guests a variety of recreational activities like ziplining and gokart.

It was raining cats and dogs outside, I knew, even if I couldn't hear the patter of rain on the roof. I didn't have to go out and check the weather. It's all over the news, this typhoon named Gener which brought strong gales and heavy downpour in Legazpi. Bicol isn't exactly new to weather disturbances. Located at the eastern side of the country facing the Pacific Ocean, it's constantly being beaten down by typhoons, strong and mild, its atmosphere always finicky and unpredictable.
With Gener intent in ruining my weekend getaway in Legazpi, I was forced to stay indoor and do my round of alternative exploration. But I just couldn't eat all day - solo dinner can be an expensive affair, not to mention lonesome if done more than usual. I knew that my one day stay would be reduced to holing up inside my room, reading a book, surfing the net, watching a film on my laptop - boring stuff no doubt but nevertheless valid excuses for not going out considering the weather condition.

Accommodation is something that I don't normally worry when I travel with my high school friends. You see, we have a 'travel specialist' who's always in charge of finding a budget-friendly but nice hotel (No, we didn't force him to take that role :-). He's the one responsible for getting as a discount at Sampaguita Inn in Cebu and he also booked us a suite at La Charica Inn for our Palawan getaway.

The inn's facade

For Php1,700 per person for a two-night stay with free breakfast and pick-up, we thought La Charica was a real steal. But Dan 'the travel specialist' reminded us that we shouldn't expect a buffet breakfast. Fine, free breakfast is a free breakfast regardless of what we're served with.

When I embarked on my first solo travel last January of this year, I admit that there was hesitation due to a gnawing fear that the trip might go awry. But I was adamant and there was a strong resolve to just go out of my comfort zone so I took off. I was able to go back home safe and sound with great experiences in tow. It made me more confident and I learnt a few things about myself that I wouldn't have known had I backed out from the trip. On the flip side, it somehow made me a little arrogant. But it's the type of arrogance that bolstered my self-esteem. You know, the sort that drove me to be a tad adventurous.
Six months later, I challenged myself again to do another solo travel. This time at a destination much closer to Manila: Legazpi City in Albay. Storm was brewing in the east which would potentially mean a rainy weekend. Things like this can easily give me the heebie-jeebies. I wasn't too sure if I wanted to push through with my trip but I was left without much choice - I couldn't afford to not use my round trip ticket, so on a rainy dawn, I took a cab to NAIA Terminal 3, apprehensively looking at the horizon, hoping the storm would change course. I didn't trust the weather reports I read online. Despite obvious signs of bad weather, I still wished for a sunny weekend.

One thing you might want to do when you're in Puerto Princesa (PP) is to take the Underground River and Honda Bay tours. At least that's what tourists who've been to PP would tell you. Well, I'd like to say the same primarily because I have immensely enjoyed both activities. I know you will too. If you are time-pressed and only have a day to spare in the city, then your best bet would be the Underground River tour, but make sure not to skip Honda Bay next time you're in PP. Rather, don't just spend a day in Puerto Princesa - there are several things to see and do that 2 days is not enough to enjoy what this city 'inside the forest' has to offer. 

Travel and movies are some of the things that make me sane. When I don't travel, I watch movies. In fact, when I travel, I try to squeeze film watching in my itinerary. So far, I've watched movies at SM Bacolod, SM Naga and Robinsons Palawan. Well, I guess I'm trying unconsciously to intricately weave films into the tapestry of my travels. So I hope I've justified my point that this post is not a deviation from the purpose of this blog.

Anyway, July is an exciting month for me and for everyone who loves indie films. It's the time of the year when the local indie scene becomes vibrant with exciting and fresh offerings. Movie enthusiasts flock the Cultural Center of the Philippines to watch Cinemalaya, an alternative film festival that aims to discover, encourage and honor cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity. 

This year, the festival is happening in three locations - CCP, Greenbelt and Trinoma. Here's the updated schedule taken from the Cinemalaya Facebook Fanpage.

After a gruelling but exciting hike to reach the summit, we emerged at a shelter atop Ugong Rock with a great 360 view of Tagabenit below. Panting and sweating, I took the helmet off and wandered to the edge of the wooden floor to see how high we were. I could feel a tickling sensation sweeping under my feet and the knot in my stomach tightened as I surveyed the zipline cable stretching out over the rice field to a landing platform in a distance.
Our group decided to zipline our way down to the base camp, as opposed to rappelling and caving through the same maze of passageways that honeycombs this limestone formation. I milled around for a bit, undecided  and anxious, eyeing the 350m zipline with great trepidation. Heights scare me, I'm not the most adventurous guy and this zipline thing was totally new to me so you can imagine how nervous I was while waiting for my turn.

Our tour guide

As the guides paddled the boat idly away from the wharf, we accustomed our eyes to the darkness. The crescent moon overhead was not enough to light our way but it provided the perfect setting for this one-of-a-kind experience. It's almost seven in the evening; we arrived in Iwahig just in time for firefly watching.
The stillness of the river was creepy, I couldn't shake off the thought of crocodiles lurking beneath the placid surface. "There aren't crocodiles in here, right, Kuya?" asked one of my friends as we carefully hopped on a boat that can only accommodate 5 people including two guides. Apparently I wasn't the only one with a hyper-active imagination. The guide snorted and assured us that the whole stretch of the river is free from crocodiles. Half-relieved, we sat back, observed and listened to the guide as he introduced us to the main protagonists of the night's affair - fireflies.

Fireflies or lighting bugs are light-producing insects that belong to the beetle family. They are commonly found in temperate and tropical environments, usually in marshes or wooded areas where there are abundant sources of food. The fireflies in Iwahig River are drawn to thickets of nipa and mangroves that line the brackish water. They come in droves and groups, swarming in trees and plants where there are flowers.

At the boat station.

Their beauty and power comes in unity, our guide explained to us as he pointed out his red light at a tree near us bearing a small number of fireflies. The lights erupted into hundreds more, making the mangrove glow like a Christmas tree. "They think this light belongs from their predator, so as a warning they would respond to it by emitting more powerful lights together," the guide told us.

"Don't they get stressed out, with all the lights directed at them every night?" I mused. If they feel they're being threatened every time, it's not impossible that they will leave the place and look somewhere else where they feel safe. The guide seemed to see the question coming and he gently explained that as much as possible they don't use the red light. "Although," he quickly added, "they must have gotten used to it that's why they're still here."

"How long is their lifespan anyway?" Dan, one of my friends, asked. Not very long. They only live for a 2 months tops, according to the guide. But they can be seen all year long as long as there are mangroves and nipa in the Iwahig River.
The 45-minute trip was illuminating, to say the least. We learnt loads of stuff about fireflies and the river itself, thanks to our funny guide (I don't remember his name, shame). Most importantly, we realized how Palawenos value nature and the great lengths they do to preserve it. We all stepped out from the boat feeling revitalized. I've never felt so much peace.

*Picture taking during the trip is not allowed, unless the flash is off. 
*Wearing of life vest is a must
*Rate per boat is 600. It can accommodate 3 tourists.
*Van rental to Iwahig river can cost P1,200 per pax. Not recommended to take trikes during this time of the year because of the ongoing road construction.
*Travel time to Iwahig River from downtown Puerto Princesa is about 45 minutes

 If you’re a sucker for outdoor adventure, then a white water rafting in the wild rapids of Cagayan de Oro River should provide the thrill you’re looking for. The river boasts more than 20 rapids that range from easy to difficult, from smooth to turbulent. River rafting is an adrenaline pumping experience but can also be a little dangerous especially when the rapids get extra wild. 

Here are some tips to ensure a safe and fun white-water rafting adventure:

 It was already past 3 in the afternoon when we left Buenavista and headed to Tablas Fun Resort in Kawit, Looc. I was not particularly excited to see the resort because we had to pay an entrance fee (Php50) even though we're not using any facility. I admit, however, that I was kinda interested to see the changes and face-lift done to it after some years of neglect.

There's something about sunsets that makes me lonely, sad, inebriated, mystified - depending on my mood and the current state I'm in. Sunsets are my kryptonite, my Waterloo, my Achilles' heel. If I'd be lured into trickery, a breathtaking sunset would be an easy bait. 

Three, maybe five (I honestly don't remember how many we were that time) of us were huddled inside a small nipa hut, waiting for an event that we barely know anything about to happen. We were told to keep our voices down and were specifically advised to turn off our cellphone, or at least activate its silent mode so as not to create any noise. And no camera. It didn't make sense to us but they said it's very important that the place must look like it's completely uninhabited.  All lights from the bar and the nipa huts surrounding it were extinguished -against our will - including the solar lights scattered around the lawn, even those hidden under the bushes.
Except for the steady light coming from a thousand Christmas lights coiled on a man-made walkway bridge few meters from the place-that-must-not-be-named, the area was virtually dark. With dark clouds looming overhead, the chance of moon appearance that night was close to nil. It was the type of scenario that the production crew of a famous American reality TV show could ever hope for. For us, however, it was a curse. We wanted to witness what was about to happen, but it would prove quite impossible without any light in the area.

"A celebrity is passing by here any second from now," the owner of the bar told us in a careful whisper. That explained why they had to shut all the lights. "Which celebrity?" we asked, the excitement in our voice was palpable. "We don't know. They won't tell us," she whispered back. "I wish I had a night vision or something," I told my companions who were equally beside themselves. The suspense was killing us. We were dead tired, we were blinking off sleep, and yet, our stamina wasn't breaking down.

I'm having a serious bout of traveler's block. I seem to have lost interest in traveling. I have 3 flights booked a few months back (Palawan, Bangkok, Davao) but I don't feel like going. The idea that I'd let my hard-earned money to buy those tickets go kaput bums me out. My head says 'don't go', and my heart asks 'what's wrong.' Maybe, I'm not wired for this. I'm no Kerouac after all. I got bitten by the travel bug but now that the wound was healed up, my wanderlust is slowly burning out. Not enough inspiration or guidance to rekindle the fire.

If you’re planning a holiday in Portugal, one thing’s for sure - there’s plenty more here than just great beaches. Get out and explore everything that this vibrant destination has to offer - from the beautiful city of Lisbon with its quaint cobbled streets, to the breathtaking Feira castle in the North. There is so much to see in this diverse country.
If like many tourists you’re tempted to book Portugal all inclusive holidays, don’t let that stop you from getting out and about. While all inclusive is typically a cost-saver by providing all your meals, snacks and drinks, it can often encourage visitors to stay within the confines of the hotel or their resort, so ask your hotel to pack up a lunch for you and take it out for the day.

For young professionals working tirelessly five days a week, there has to be some sort of stress buster and a much needed get-away to escape from the daily grind and give their soul and body a refreshing respite. Sometimes however, going out of town can bring more stress, with traffic and travel snafu getting in the way. It's therefore understandable when these 20-something hard-workers choose to spend their rest day holing up inside their room, sleeping their way over the weekend, amidst the sweltering summer heat.
But it shouldn't be that way. Ever heard of 'staycation'? It's not exactly how Urban Dictionary describes it, 'vacation for cheap-asses, perfect for tightwads.' To put it in a more decent way, staycation is a vacation that is spent at home or a hotel. A far less costly means to getting a vacation without having to travel, 'staycation' is devoid of all the stress associated with travel such as long trips and waiting at terminals. It can be enjoyed alone or with family or friends. And it's definitely best enjoyed when you have a great hotel/condo/apartment.

It was summer of 2010 when I first saw this beach. I was on top of a hill overlooking a gorgeous seascape. I instantly fell in love with her beauty and I promised to myself that I'd go here next time I go home. But it wasn't until April of this year that I got to see her up close. A relatively short visit but a very memorable one.
How short?
We got there at around 4:30 in the afternoon and we left few minutes after 6. I planned to go there at 2 but my travel buddy said it wasn't a good idea because the sun's still up. We'd burn, as if our skin wasn't burned enough from the previous day of beach hopping.

Some provinces in the Philippines still practice a traditional ritual that turns young boys into real men. In Romblon, we call it 'paltak', a circumcision rite that involves the use of sharp knife to cut the foreskin of a boy's jewel, pulpog (beating) style. I didn't know that it's slowly being eradicated until one sunny day in April when I went hiking to the mountain to visit a local 'doctor' who's responsible for every boy's rite of passage into manhood. I tagged along two kids from the neighborhood because I wasn't sure how I'd get to the 'doctor's' house.
These two young boys apparently knew the way to Sonny's house (Sonny is the local circumcision doctor) because it was where they faced the same ritual themselves. With a tripod on my back and a camera in hand, I followed the boys and we began the trek. It's just a short trek, roughly around 3 kilometers off the road in Sitio Deposito in Punta, Looc, Romblon but it was scorching even though it's only 8 in the morning so I decided to buy a couple of Jelly Ace for us from a small sari-sari store beside the road. (A habit I learned from trekking Pico de Loro and Mt. Pinatubo). I let the boys led the way and I slackened off a bit because I had to take pictures. To keep up, I would take a sprint and bridged their distance from mine.

Said Beach

As the motorcycle we were riding on snaked its way down a one-laner path to Nausa, a small village in the northern part of Carabao Island, I asked our friendly and accommodating guide, Kuya Darwin why Hambil took its moniker after the country's national animal (even though I already knew the answer.)

"This place was once home to several carabaos," he told us. "Funny, I don't see any carabao here," I intoned, chuckling. Kuya Darwin gave me a non-committal grunt. I was ready to torment him with questions regarding the whereabouts of the carabaos on the island - why they were gone, or where can we see them - but all inquiries I had formed in mind vanished in thin air when the motorcycle revved up toward a craggy and narrow road, prompting me to hold on to the motorcycle pretty tight. The vehicle swayed and jolted as it trod on bumps and rocks. With such distraction, I have completely forgotten to take snapshots of the grassy fields along the way. I could have probably spotted a carabao if I looked very hard.

As kids, I and my cousins used to watch the flickering lights in the sea from the window sill of our grandmother's house while waiting for supper to be served. Lights coming from small fishing boats glimmered like small constellation in the sea, but it was the light emitted by old lighthouse that was predominantly visible from afar. It danced in the night in a slow, constant rhythm. Before going to sleep, our grandmother would tell us stories about the mystery of the lighthouse. She said 'bulalakaws' (falling stars) liked to land on a spot near the sentinel. Local fishermen would spot weird creatures in the area, like a giant squid and possibly a 'sirena'. That was more than 20 years ago, the lighthouse might have been less older than it is today.