2011 Giant Lantern Festival in Pampanga

Last Saturday, December 17, I went to see the Giant Lantern Festival in San Fernando, Pampanga. The wet weather in Metro Manila that Saturday afternoon didn’t deter me from going.

Callao Cave

Callao Cave is perhaps the most popular tourist attraction of Cagayan Province. I first came to know about this place when I went to a travel expo a few years back. The image of a chapel in a cavern captivated me. I knew I must see this place.

Callao Cave is one of the many caves in Peñablanca town. The discovery of a 67,000-year-old human fossil in the cave system of Callao made my trip even more interesting.

The Emerald River of Pinacanauan

Pinacanauan River in Peñablanca, Cagayan, is one of the most picturesque rivers I’ve been to. The river is a popular destination for kayaking and watching the circadian flight of bats. Also, it is a tributary of Cagayan River, the longest and largest river in the Philippines.

I got to see and experience crossing this river when I went to see Callao Cave last year. Had I taken the route that goes directly to Callao Cave from Tuguegarao City, I would have missed experiencing the beauty of this river. Good thing I took the other route, which brought me to the riverbank of Pinacanauan River.

Potipot Island

Earlier this year, my cousin and I went to Potipot Island. It’s our second time to be here, but our first time to spend overnight on the island.

We left Parañaque late in the morning. After several hours of driving over 260 kilometers of well-paved roads, we reached Uacon, Candelaria. Several beach resorts dot the shore in Uacon, the gateway to Potipot Island.

Legoland

I grew up playing Lego. I’ve been fascinated by this plastic bricks made by a Danish company since I was two years old. I still play Lego occasionally up until now. (Sshh.....)

The Nativity

I was three at that time, but I can still vividly remember how my babysitter gathered my Lego Firehouse set, scattered on the floor, into the dustbin and dumped them to a pile of leaves she was burning. My mom was utterly shocked with what she saw; she was only able to save a third of it.

Reminiscing Road Trips of Yore

I found this photo while rummaging through my baul. The photo brought back memories of past road trips we had. This ever-dependable vehicle brought us to many places in Panay and later on in Luzon. I’m proud to say that we circumnavigated the island of Panay in this vehicle.

From Nonoc Falls to Balagbag Falls

Nonoc Falls was all mine. Nobody was there except myself. There was still drizzling when I reached the falls. I took shelter at a hut near the falls, unpacked my food, and had a quick meal of pancit canton, pork chop and rice.

Nonoc Falls

I rested a bit before plunging into the pool by the falls. The cool water was so refreshing. I would have lingered longer if not for my plan to pass by Balagbag Falls before I head back home.

Finding Nonoc Falls

The coastal town of Real, Quezon, lies on the east coast of Luzon facing the Pacific Ocean. Travel time to this idyllic town is between four to five hours driving over 145 kilometers of road from Manila.

image by: wikimedia.org

One Friday morning of November, I embarked on my third trip to Real, Quezon, to see Nonoc Falls. Although this was my third time, I was still filled with excitement; it’s my first solo trip to Real.

Christmas in the City

Christmas is in the air! See the different Christmas displays in Metro Manila.

Musical Fountain at Rizal Park, Manila

 Cultural Center of the Philippines, Pasay

Sightseeing Baler (Part 2)

From Natulo Falls, we hopped on the tricycle driven by Syder and headed to out last destination – Ermita Hill. Along the way, we passed a rockslide, which blocked half of the road.

We made a quick stop at Tromba Marina, which is located at the base of Ermita Hill. Tromba Marina is a shrine commemorating the tragedy that befell Baler when a tsunami hit the town in 1735. The sculptures show a family of seven scrambling up to safety. The seven figures represent the seven families that survived the tragedy by seeking refuge at Ermita Hill.

Gen. MacArthur Car in Baler

There’s a black sedan at one corner of Quezon Park in Baler, Aurora. It’s a 1937 Cadillac Cabriolet built for President Manuel L. Quezon. On November 4, 1937, it arrived in the Philippines. It was handed over to Gen. Douglas MacArthur in 1938.