Honeymooning in the Philippines

If you've been following this blog, you know that for a short while Mr. M lived in another continent.  Once, while talking with me over skype, he shared and showed me tiny snow balls falling down from the sky to his balcony in Manchester.  It was around Christmas of 2008, and it was utterly cold, even in the comfort of his own dorm with all the room heaters turned up.  I've never seen or touched snow in my entire life, and witnessing them raining down through my beloved's web cam made me want to visit that part of the globe (and Europe!) someday.

Mr. M in front of a castle in Scotland

There is no doubt that England is a charming place, one that hearkens you to come and visit over and over again.  However, even without budget constraints, I'd prefer to visit more places in the Philippines to touring nice attractions elsewhere.  Love your own LOL :-)  I think we do have most of the best things other countries have to offer ---- historical landmarks, amazing landscapes, great food, white sand beaches, beautiful sunsets, world-class amenities, and the list goes on.  Did I mention shopping too?  ;-)  We even have something they don't necessarily offer ---- the warm hospitality of our own people, unparalleled even by the first world go-to countries that people normally choose as tourist destinations.  This is why we've always believed in touring around RP first.  After all, you can't finish 7,107 islands in one travel, right?

This thing about loving this country and exploring it even more has got me all giddy and excited, because I know we do have something so wonderful to share and offer, and we deserve a bigger slice of the pie when it comes to international visitation among countries in Southeast Asia.  I understand people rave about the beaches of Phuket, Thailand; the rich culture of Java, Indonesia; the awesome food from Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam; the scenic spots from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; the beautiful structures from Phnom Penh, Cambodia; the night markets of Luang Prabang, Laos; and the modern architecture from Singapore. But don't we have all of those and even more in our country?  Think Boracay instead of Thailand; Ilocos instead of Indonesia; Bicol instead of Vietnam; Palawan instead of Malaysia; Tagaytay instead of Cambodia; Manila instead of Laos; Makati and Taguig instead of Singapore.  I would love to go and visit those countries, and even add up to that list; but Philippines will be Destination #1 for Mr. M and I.

Thanks to the latest web campaign of the Department of Tourism, we're starting to get noticed again by international tourists.  It was only a matter of time when someone will revive the tag line "It's more fun in the Philippines''.  Personally, I think it worked, because the truth is, it really is more fun here in this part of the globe. Look at what they've initially put out in the website:

So if you ask me, where are we honeymooning?  Definitely, in RP!  We do have a place in mind, but since I'm not yet in a position to divulge it, let me just show you some pics I gathered from my hard drive which show how really, in the truest sense of the line, it is more fun in this country.  I took all of the pics, except for Pictures #1 and #11 which were by my big brother.  Mind you, these pics aren't photoshopped at all.  I just took them with either my GE (10mp) or Kodak (12mp) point-and-shoot camera.

Enjoy, and I do hope that you, dear readers, do find this country the top choice for your honeymoon or vacation plans.