A Traveler’s Dream: Backpacking Tour of the Philippines
January 27, 2009
I was born in the mountains and have lived my whole life here. When the times get too cold, or when i get bored, I trade the mountains for a dip in the sea. And yet, always, I go back. For reasons still unknown, these mountains have forever enchanted me. (more…)
An eHow reprint: How to go Green in Traveling
January 22, 2009
Well, I was surfing through the internet, looking for more writing opportunities when I received my daily email alert from eHow. Going “green” is now one of the loudest cry of the modern world – thanks to the worsening greenhouse effect. If you’ve been following my blog, then you’ve probably read about Celebrate Green, a book written by a mother-daughter tandem which is aimed at a more environmentally friendly celebration. Of course, celebrations, with all those plastic cups and paper plates actually contribute to the environmental stress we are experiencing right now. And this isn’t only about the number of trees that need to be cut in order to produce those plates, but also, the litters left over by those party favors you are so fond of using. (more…)
A trip to the olden times - Vigan!
January 19, 2009
Vigan is the home of the old. Here you will see old houses, old buildings, and several old filipino customs and traditions still being practiced. In the streets you will see the kalesa (horse-drawn carriage) which was popular in old Europe. Sure, the old market is now made of concrete and you can see a Ja-bee (Jollibee, a popular fast food chain in the Philippines) store in the corner, but everything is still pretty rural. (more…)
Mama Bangkero
January 16, 2009Late at night, mama bangkero goes out to sea to fish. 
He stays there the whole night and comes back to shore early in the morning to sell his catch. The people at the seaport are all eager to buy the freshest fish. Mama bangkero look out to the port and sees all the people waiting for him. He wanted to be happy but he couldn’t - there wasn’t much to be sold. (more…)
A Few Hours Before Christmas
January 13, 2009
For many Filipinos, Christmas is a time for the family. If you’ve been reading about the Philippines, then you’ve probably heard about the Filipino custom and tradition of ”Misa de Gallo” which starts every December 16 until the 25th. The 16th is also the first “official” day for Christmas caroling. (more…)
The Romance of the Sulu Seas - the Vinta
January 11, 2009
The southern part of the Philippines is popular with many foreigners for the wrong reason. The current military movements in the area has overshadowed the beauty of the place and many tourists are afraid to visit Mindanao. (more…)
When the night is too cold, layer your clothes!
January 7, 2009
With classes for this year resuming, I finally realized how appropriate dressing for the outdoors is. When I was in college, I never really went out at night except when I had to visit one of my friends so I didn’t have the chance to experience this extreme cold. When I did go out, I only wore pants topped with a sweatshirt. Back then, it was okay, since I only stayed for an hour or so. (more…)
An Early Morning Walk
It was six in the morning when we decided to visit the “pantalan”, the Tagalog term for pier. We knew that there will be a lot of fresh seafoods for sale today because the night before was perfect for fishing. Carrying my daughter, I decided to explore the area since this is only my second time to be here. My first was when I was six years old - to think that my lola’s (grandma’s) house was located only 15 minutes away.
Everywhere around me, I saw traditional practices of Filipinos and I realized how much I longed for this simple living. (more…)
A Filipino Favorite
January 3, 2009The pigs you see roasting on a stick on this photograph are called “lechon”, a favorite Filipino dish. This term was derived from the Spanish name for pig and is usually prepared during fiestas, family celebrations
(usually during weddings) and especially during Christmas time. Today, we also have lechon baka (cow), and lechon manok (chicken) to grace the tables of gatherings and festivals. Spelled “litson” in Tagalog (the official language in the country) the whole pig is roasted in charcoal for several hours until their skin turn reddish brown, and the inside flesh becomes tender. The inside of the pig is usually stuffed with herbs and vegetables for better taste. This Filipino dish is usually prepared with liver sauce cooked with vinegar, sugar and herbs.
In the Philippines, the La Loma district of Quezon City is regarded as the lechon capital with several names competing for the top such as Mang Tomas, Mila’s, Pingping and Lito, to name a few. (more…)
A Family Affair
January 2, 2009
It’s the second day of the year and life is back to normal.. well, almost. I’ve moved to a new house, and I’m starting to work again. I guess going on vacation brought a lot of good so now, I’m all set for new challenges.
I have taken a lot of pictures during the vacation including this one I have included in this post. This is my daughter staring wide at the camera wondering what her mama is up to. (more…)
