Beach Wedding in Batangas

Exactly last year (3.21.11), my cousin Ria exchanged vows with Web at a gorgeous all-white beach wedding in Laiya, Batangas. They’re now blessed with a beautiful and healthy baby named Alon (such a cool and fitting name!). Here’s a look back at some of the wedding snapshots I took during the event.

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Spelunking in Pinagrealan Cave, Bulacan

The beams of flashlights cast flickering shadows across the damp rock surface of the cave. Once in a while, a blinding flash would go off as someone took a photograph. Then, it was back to the gloom as our group stumbled through the winding caverns. Continue reading “Spelunking in Pinagrealan Cave, Bulacan”

Cruise Control

I’m on the cover of Cruising Magazine’s March 2012 issue!

The cover story by Julius Vicente features Lingayen, Pangasinan. Cover photo was taken in El Puerto Marina Resort by Rudy Liwanag. Lingayen was also previously featured in Manila Bulletin last year.

Sunset at Pantabangan Dam, Nueva Ecija

A few bare branches stick out from the dry earth, swaying with the ferocity of the breeze. The wind whips half-hearted waves and sends a spray onto the shores of the embankment of Pantabangan Dam where I stand. Loose earth crumbles beneath my feet and I walk back towards the gravel lined path near the center of the hill to admire the view. Continue reading “Sunset at Pantabangan Dam, Nueva Ecija”

Board to be Wild

While they’ve been around for awhile, board sports like surfing, sandboarding and stand-up paddleboarding are quickly gaining popularity here in the country. If you’re based in Manila, you don’t even have to book an expensive flight to another country to try these out. You can actually try all three board sports up North in Ilocos Norte, which I’ve found is a haven for some of the greatest outdoor adventures.

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Lakbay Norte 3 Itinerary

Lakbay Norte 3, the 8-day media tour of the Northern Philippines was a blast! Gorgeous weather, great food, generous hosts, and a group that was willing to try all the crazy extreme activities thrown our way. It’s going to take a while to write about all the places, activities, food stops and hotels. Am currently sorting through close to 2,000 photos. In the meantime, here’s a quick look at the jam-packed itinerary we had. Continue reading “Lakbay Norte 3 Itinerary”

5 Tips for Long Road Trips

Over the years, I’ve had my fair share of long road trips. My family and I used to regularly drive from Manila to Naga and back for summer and Christmas breaks, which is a trip that lasts from 8 to 12 hours long (one way) depending on our pace. Last year, I also went on several long land trips as a driver (car/motorcycle) and as a passenger (van/bus/car/train). I’d like to share with you a few helpful pointers to survive these road trips.

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Snapshots: Lingayen, Pangasinan

This time last year I was on my first trip of the year to Lingayen, a coastal town in the province of Pangasinan. Below are a few of my favorite photos of the town dubbed as one of “the most romantic places in the Philippines.”

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10 Tried-and-Tested Ilocos Norte Favorites

I promised myself that before the year ends, I would wrap up my Lakbay Norte 2 series, our 6-day whirlwind media tour in Cagayan and Ilocos Norte. Here are 10 of the most popular historic, religious, and culinary delights in Ilocos Norte which we got to visit and sample around the province.

MARCOS MUSEUMS

1) Marcos Birthplace

The province of Ilocos Norte is popularly described as “Marcos Country” since it is the birthplace of former Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos. The Marcos family remains very popular in the province, which is evident in the number of museums and tourist sites devoted to the former president and his family. The ancestral house in his hometown Sarrat has been converted into a mini-museum that contains some memorabilia of Marcos’ early life.

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