One of the first things an overseas Filipino misses is the food. It is not a problem if you are in a place full of kabayans, like Dubai or Singapore or Hong Kong. But if you are in a country with a very tiny Filipino population, it is harder to get the taste of home.…
In my last real update in 2016, I finished halfway through the year. Afterwards, the 2nd half hit me like a bullet train and I got caught in the maelstrom of OFW life. Why leave the Philippines at all? I was living a comfortable life in Manila in a nice neighborhood. I had a good…
Just this morning, I had the pleasant surprise of riding one of the first 4 new trains on the Metro 3 line of the Budapest subway system. I didn’t even know there were supposed to be new trains. My colleague said it was in the news that week but I don’t have a TV in…
This video shows the inside of the University of Santo Tomas, where I studied from 1993. So much of the school has changed throughout the years, but I love how spacious it has become. This is one place in Manila that I will never get tired of visiting.
Many people, Filipinos and foreigners alike, have a love-hate relationship with Boracay. We love it for its beauty. We hate it for its crowds. But of course, the love definitely outweighs the hate. The number of people visiting the island is a testament to this. Now I make it a point to visit Boracay at…
This is a throwback to my 2013 Cambodia trip with my sister and brother-in-law. This was taken in Ta Prohm, known in popular culture as the temple in the film “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider”. This was taken using my iPhone 5 and the app Tricamera. I like how this picture gives a poignant feeling. Don’t…
Note: Company trip, 15-16 March 2014 I always love going up north, especially during the summer months. Aside from a huge variety of things to do, the beaches are less crowded than in the south. As Manila is becoming hotter and more humid by the day, I did not pass up an opportunity to go…
After a very relaxing time at Calaguas, our group headed back to the mainland and we’re off to Bagasbas. Bagasbas Beach is only 4km away from Vinzons Port and should not take you more than a half hour drive. Dozens of commercial establishments line the street facing the beach, which is a long stretch of…
I hope that I can be good enough to surf this in the future. In the meantime, I will work on staying on top of the board!
I was in Calaguas recently and I would like to assure you that whatever raves you’ve heard of it, they are all TRUE! This place is truly awesome. In fact, it leapfrogged over Bohol and Boracay to claim the 2nd spot in my list of my most favourite Philippine beaches, 2nd only to El Nido,…
It was 2 hours past my usual lunch time and I was starving. My Jollibee breakfast was already gone hours ago and my stomach was complaining. I was bitch-slapped by a huge wave that left me wet and cold. I was drenched from head to foot in salty water that left my hair hanging in…
I’ve been to a few other provinces since I first posted this map. But I am still a “C Grade Traveller”. Anyway, I look forward to visiting more places soon and one of my immediate goals is to visit all the provinces in the Bicol region. :) My Lakbayan grade is C! How much of…
I’ve never been to Cebu. I have heard lots of great things about it but I never had the chance to visit. Until Endre came to the Philippines for a month-long stay. Endre first visited Cebu last year during the Sinulog Festival. It was love at first sight for him. Cebu was so remarkable for…
I never thought that I would find myself in a “manly” bar on a Friday night. The guys decided to bring our boss Vernon to Makati after work for drinks. They know a lot of places but they decided on Handlebar, which is in Polaris Street, near Jupiter. Jupiter used to be my Saturday night…
Once you are bitten by the travel bug, there is no cure for it. I myself have a pretty bad case and I am not sure I want to be cured I want to see the world, but I want to prioritize these ten places for the next five years: 1. Batanes – Its rugged…
Even after a disastrous surfing trip at Normis in La Union, I have decided I still wanted to surf. Not pro level, of course. But a decent one. So this time, I decided to go to a PROPER surf school with REAL instructors. Not the ones where you just pay someone who knows how to…
Day 1 of our Siem Reap adventure began with a huuuuge breakfast at La Tradition D’Angkor. The carbo overload alone should have been the clue regarding the vicious tour ahead of us. But a full tummy does not help one’s brain to think clearly. So we were completely oblivious to the “Extra Challenge”-esque day waiting…
Sous dey! I just bought new property in Cambodia — look how nice it is. And it came with a vintage car too: If only. I am now in lovely Siem Reap in Cambodia for a short weekend trip. We are staying at La Tradition D’ Angkor, a beautiful boutique resort hotel very near the…
So you have a brand new passport that smells good, and you are itching to use it right away. Good news: In this day of budget airlines and promo fares, there is no better time to travel. Even better news: there are so many countries that we Filipinos can visit without a visa — this…
One afternoon, I was having a nice, leisurely walk in a museum when suddenly, Darth Vader came to life! He stepped out of his portrait and attacked me. Good thing there was an extra light saber around and I fought him off. At least that’s how it looked like from my picture at the Seri…
Today, I got my new passport. It smells gooood! My old one will expire in May and I have an upcoming trip so I needed to go ASAP to DFA to get it renewed. The passport renewal process at DFA is so different from way back in 2008, when I visited the main DFA office…
Not much, as evidenced by this this Lakbayan map. Papa used to travel a lot for work. When my sisters and I were very young, he was away for weeks on end and he would call us up every night to say hi. He has visited over 90% of Philippine provinces, including Batanes and he…
Here is my submission for this week’s installment of the Japinoy.com POW (Photo of the Week). Otera (“tera” meaning “temple”, with the honorific “o” at the beginning) is written in Japanese as お寺。 This is a picture of the Marble Temple in Bangkok. I had the pleasure of visiting Thailand for the very first time…
We went back to Tanah Merah for a bit of rest. Recharge ourselves before another round of shopping at… Mustafa Centre MRT: Little India If the Philippines has offbeat shopping centres like Greenhills and Divisoria, Singapore has Little India. In the daytime, Little India draws crowds into its shops, stalls and restaurants. The smell of…
I only wanted a simple birthday celebration. Simple birthday cakes: And birthday ice cream: And my only other wish is that I would be able to ride Oli Pettigrew’s Cash Cab while in Singapore. But apparently, God has a much better plan for me. Instead of a cab, I got a flying Ford Anglia…
Life is a choice: if you can’t have all, have some at least.
If you can’t be good, don’t be bad. If you can’t be totally happy, don’t be completely sad. ENJOY LIFE!
♥ Laugh. Love. Live. ♥
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