Throwback Trip Thursday : Ayutthaya 2008

The Old City of Ayutthaya

Ancient ruins span centuries to excite the imagination and fuel travel plans. The very best make you feel young, trifled, and utterly amazed by the architectural spectacles of the ancients. Among the many startling ruins that still exist today, a few stand out as the trip of a lifetime.

Selfie Sunday : Aleah, The Solitary Wanderer

Finding Aleah

"Find a girl who travels. Date her, love her, and marry her, and your world will never be the same again." These lines made Aleah a household name among travel bloggers. These quotable lines can be found on her website "The Solitary Wanderer". Her blog chronicles her jaunts and long-term trips with very useful tips and insights coming from a solo female traveler. 

Foodstagram Friday : Dong Bei's Dumplings

Dong Bei's Dumplings

Either steamed or deep-fried, pork or kutchai , the star of our Binondo Food Trip has always been the Dumplings at Dong Bei. Who could resist that mouth-watering treat of fresh kutchai or meaty ground pork wrapped in special flour wrapper and dipped into that chili-vinegar-soy sauce mixture with all that flavor bursting in your mouth as you chew each dumpling away.

Guimaras : Trappist Abbey

Abbey Church Facade

I was half expecting to see monks roaming around the vicinity of the Trappist Abbey although I was informed beforehand that monks there do not usually leave their enclave and are not distinguishable when they are outside. Although what I have in mind are the monks I have seen in Bangkok or Singapore marching in their full orange robes, still seeing even just one of them in different outfit would have definitely made the visit more worthwhile. 

Selfie Sunday : Elal of Shades of Grey

Elal Up in the Sky

Look! Up in the sky... it's a bird... it's a plane... NO she's in the plane... she's Elal of Shades of Gray.

Foodstagram Friday : Halo-Halo

Marinduque's version of Halo-halo

Halo-Halo is a famous Filipino dessert that is also a refreshment. It is a best-selling Filipino food/dessert/refreshment during the summer season. Halo halo recipe is a mixture of sweetened preserved fruits, evaporated milk and crushed ice top with either ice cream, leche flan or ube.

Guimaras : Balaan Bukid Shrine

Ave Maria Chapel

Balaan Bukid or Holy Mountain is a popular pilgrimage site in Guimaras during Holy Week. But on any other day, it is an average 30-minute trek on a shady trail leading to one of the highest point in the island where the view of the sea separating Iloilo and Guimaras can be seen.

Selfie Sunday : Chino of Juanderfulpinoy

Juanderfulpinoy in Banawe

Chino used to see Banawe Rice Terraces only on Php 1000 bill so imagine his amazement when he finally set foot on the famous landmark.

Foodstagram Friday : Guimaras' Mango Pizza

Mango Pizza

My Top 10 Travels of 2013

"Escape". This place has been in my bucket list for so long that the first remark I asked when I finally visited the place was "Bakit ngayon lang kita pinuntahan?"("Why did I visit you only now?"). Every nook and cranny of Batan and Sabtang Islands that I visited were picture-worthy, from the rolling hills to the old stone houses, from the light houses to the pebbled beaches and more. I just can't get enough of this place.
 

Eight Years of Blogging

EIGHT. After Seven Hundred Eleven Posts, this blog turned eight. Although 8 is a lucky young number, it means ancient in blogging world so to have reached this far is an accomplishment in itself. Last year was my leanest blogging season in terms of number of posts I made but this year I plan to be more active than ever.

 

One step towards being active and visible again this year in the blogosphere is by featuring three regular series in my blog... the Throwback Trip Thursday, Foodstagram Friday and Selfie Sunday.

 

A Corporate Slave’s Guide to Long Weekends of 2014

I am often asked how do I find time traveling several times a year without getting fired in my Corporate job. I often tell them that if you enjoy doing something, nothing should stop you from pursuing it. It is all about observing the balance between work and passion and proper time management.

With the official release of regular and special non-working holidays for 2014 by the Philippine government, we can now book our flights and schedule our leaves to enjoy long weekends that these eighteen holidays will bring.

Date 1 – January 31 to February 2, 2014 (Jan 31 is Chinese New Year while February 1 and 2 are weekends, so this will be a 3-day long weekend)