A travel & adventure blog by Kara Santos
I haven’t really been feeling the Christmas spirit lately. Maybe it’s the over-commercialization of the whole season, the crowded malls and the horrifying traffic all over the metro. The threat of a typhoon slowly crawling its way across the country is enough to put a damper on everyone’s collective mood.
From the odd gate, the walkway leading to the garden was patched together with broken tiles and mirrors. Benches and tables scattered around the garden seemed set up for a mad tea party. Under the shroud of overgrown trees and plants, masks of deities carved in stone peeked from every corner.
I chanced upon Chew Love rather unexpectedly.
From the tricycle I was riding in downtown Tacloban, the building’s bright teal color, red and white striped canopies and colorful murals painted on the walls instantly called out to me. When I entered, the first thing I saw was a sofa full of graphic throw pillows in cheerful colors and a vintage white bicycle covered with flowers. How can you not instantly fall in love with a place that looks just as pretty as that?
Encompassing and immense, Langun-Gobingob Caves in the town of Calbiga (more popularly known as Calbiga Cave) in Samar province is the largest cave system in the Philippines. It’s reputed to be the second largest in Asia and the world’s third largest karst formation, measuring 7 km. long with an area of 900 square km. But that doesn’t even begin to describe its vastness.
With chambers upon chambers as large as coliseums, the light from our headlamps barely made a dent in the dark. The surreal underground landscapes brought images of the Underworld to mind. If you want a glimpse of mysterious underground realms, head to Samar.
Continue reading “Exploring the Underworld: Calbiga Caves, Samar”A lot of images come to mind when you think of Baguio. Pine trees, strawberries, boating in Burnham Park. Dinosaurs… Dinosaurs?
Yes. We found ourselves face to face with these prehistoric monsters in Dinosaurs Island. The unique attraction is situated in a valley between forested mountains in the town of Badiwan, Tuba, Benguet, about 15 minutes from Baguio City.
NOTE: This is an advertorial
Every traveler knows the importance of having reliable wi-fi while they’re on the road. Whether you just have the urgent need to upload your latest unique foodie find on Instagram or you need to check Googlemaps to navigate around in a foreign city, staying connected is really important. The problem is that not all establishments offer free wi-fi, and those that do are sometimes spotty at best. Continue reading “INFOGRAPHIC: Globe Data Roaming flat rate of P599/day”
One of my frustrations when shopping is that most top-performing outdoor gear (ex. convertible dri-fit pants, trekking shoes, or backpacks) seem to have been designed for men. Tall men at that. Unless I shop in the kid’s section or luck out with (frequently out of stock) S or XS items, my height makes it difficult to find good gear that fits properly.
Another thing that annoys me about travel gear is that most items for women almost always come in extremely girly designs of bright pink and purple (just look at the running shoe section of most stores. No offense, but not all girls like pink and purple, although Hit-Girl looks really cool and badass in violet.
Anyway, it’s great to know that some brands like Deuter have gone the extra mile and have designed women-specific backpacks that are just as tough as those made for men, and don’t look like they came from a Mattel catalogue.
Sunlight streams through the shady trees, casting a hazy glow on the garden. Amidst the refreshing greenery and peaceful surroundings, one is drawn to the distinct art pieces scattered about the grounds. A bizarre statue arches its back to stare at the sky, while lanterns resembling cat’s heads stick out from the branches of a large tree.
Aside from shopping for antiques and furniture, Vigan, the capital of Ilocos Sur, offers a lot of options for food-trippers. With their hefty servings of deep-fried pork and flavorful street food packed with native sausages, Vigan is definitely a foodie destination for carnivores. You don’t even have to go far to enjoy a good meal. A lot of good eating places are located along Calle Crisologo, just walking distance from the plaza and top hotels in the city.
Vigan, the capital of Ilocos Sur, has the distinction of being named a UNESCO World Heritage City. The city has made headlines lately as it’s currently in the running as one of the 14 official finalists in the New 7 Wonders. The city is well-known for its Spanish-era mansions, cobblestone streets and kalesas (horse-drawn carriages), which are the most popular way for tourists to go sightseeing.
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