新婚旅行の行き先 (Honeymoon Destination)

Because we believe that it is indeed more fun in the Philippines, we decided to go local for our honeymoon this coming September.  Yes, way back Valentine's Day, Mr. M decided to pay for our hotel accommodations and round trip air fares to one of the best destinations in this country, and I am soooo excited to set foot in this truly amazing place.

Guess where we're heading for after the wedding ;-)

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.

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

Sneak Peek: Boracay

I never liked Boracay.  I have always had visions of men and women in skimpy attire, frolicking along the white sand coasts and showing off their gorgeous bodies in broad daylight.  Boracay for me meant partying all night until the wee hours of the morning, consuming all the booze, rocking to the loudest sounds, and just doing everything in a wild way.  So for me, it's no, No, and NO to Boracay.

Until I visited and went there myself in April 2010.

I still hate all the things I mentioned above, but now, I am a proud Boracay convert.  Fine, white sand + pristine, blue waters + excellent accommodations + good food + sunny weather = a relaxing vacation I can do over and over again.

Oooh, Bora.  Bring it on!

Travel Diary: Bicol

Hello.  I'm back from Bicol.  Actually, correction.  Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, then Sorsogon and back.  Whew.  I finally toured almost the entire Region V peninsula.

Last Thursday, my co-teachers and I left for this breathtakingly beautiful province for a three-day outreach program cum leisure trip.  I was really blessed to have been part of this team, and to have seen Bicol for the second third time around since it's a wonderful place with so much to offer.  From the food (laing, bicol express, ginataang santol, crabs, etc), to the gorgeous backgrounds and landscapes (Cagsawa ruins, Mayon volcano, etc), to the various activities (water sports at CWC, swimming, snorkelling, etc) ----- oooohh, I loved every single day I was there.  I'm even thinking maybe h2b and I can spend a few days here since we're both foodie lovers and adventure-seekers  ;-)   Ah, but I won't trade my first choice for our honeymoon --- Palawan.  But then again, that's another post hehehehe ;-)

Anyway, I'm digressing.  Here's Bicol from my lenses:

 Day 2:  On our way to our first outreach venue

 Buluran hot springs.  Ang sarap dito!

 I heart Pasig :-)

 On top of Lignon Hill.

Partially covered behind me is the Mayon Volcano.
Hahaha check out my Mickey Mouse bag and buko juice in tow!

 Shops near Cagsawa ruins

 Pili products!

 The magnificent view of Mayon at the Cagsawa ruins

 Fun shot :-)

 Fun shot 2 :-)

 Full view of Mayon volcano a few meters after we left the Cagsawa ruins

 At CWC.  I want to try water sports!

   Surfers at work

Our tour this time was kinda fast-paced since in the first place the lakwatsa component was just secondary; we were there for the outreach.  Hence, I only have very few pics and since also we were on the road for the most part of each day.  Too bad, we didn't get to visit the whale sharks at Donsol even if this is the best time of the year to see them, because it was raining like crazy for the past several days before our trip.

Di bale.  Next time, I'll make sure to bring h2b with me to this magnificent place ;-)

And here's my take on Bicol in 2007:

In one of the schools in Albay.

The beautiful Mayon Volcano is behind me.

The famous Smalltalk Cafe which serves pasta with laing / bicol express sauce instead of the usual spaghetti meat sauce.

It was so worth it!

See?  It's sooo affordable.

Happy backpacker ;-)