Sneak Peek: Mindoro

Happy new year!  あけまして　おめでとう　ございます！

For 2012, I plan to write more about the places that I have visited, as well as those that I would like to explore and stay in.  It must be M's stories of Coron, Baguio and Bohol, or local adventures of friends who generously shared pics via FB that got me thinking about the places I've been to and those that I'd like to tick off my list hopefully before I'm all wrinkled and gray.  Travelling is one thing M and I would love to do, and we are praying that the Lord would bless us financially to be able to see His awesome works not just here in the Philippines but in various other places as well.

I know I still owe you, my dear readers, a post about Boracay.  No, we didn't check in at any of those beach-front hotels in what you call the noisy 'public beach' strip that stretches for seven kilometers along Bora's shores.  I would never have gone to Bora if you make me stay in any of those hotels considering their proximity to night life establishments which I totally hate.  Going to the beach for me is all about swimming, sun-bathing, and relaxing.  Throw in some snorkeling and exploring too.  But I wouldn't want to retire at night still hearing the deafening blast of sounds from some local disco.  So yes, we stayed at a hotel-resort with its own private beachfront, and is the only property in that part of the island with a golf course!  The hotel was fully booked, but we didn't even feel it as it seemed we were the only ones swimming in that part of Boracay!

But I'm getting ahead of myself.  Let me share with you one of my all-time favorite escapades, our 2009 holy week adventure in Sablayan, Mindoro.  The underwater picture of me with a snorkel gear and that of a pawikan were taken using a point-and-shoot Canon IXUS camera dressed up with an underwater protector.  All the rest of the pictures here are the ones I myself took, and mind you, I only used an ordinary point-and-shoot GE camera.  :-)  (Hooray to my low-tech camera which has served me so well before Ondoy!)

I hope to find the time to write a full-blast blog on this one.  I will.  It's just that things are starting to go crazy in the office....

If you're like me who can be adventurous and not too fussy with accommodations (but choosy with food!), if you love nature-tripping, walking, smelling the cool, fresh air, and if you can survive without the usual luxuries we often get so used to (ie, internet), then you'd love the Pandan Island Resort.  Go rustic!  :-)  We stayed for three awesome nights, and this is one of the best vacations I ever had.

I'll let the pictures do the talking.  Take note, folks.  No photoshop, whatsoever!  :-)

meditating by the sea in these lovely wood houses @ DJ Beach Resort

jump shot!

Will you kayak with me?

We're all alone in this island

flower power

having a tan

to the rainforest

lovely beach

calm waters

beautiful sunset

hello, dear ones

too cute

first time

Is that you, Pong?   LOL  :-)

by the Libuao Lake

Libuao Lake

afternoon shot

glorious sunset