Food Trip: Bacolod City

There are a lot of places in the Philippines that are great for food-tripping. But ask any frequent traveler, and they’re sure to have Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occidental in the Visayas region at the top of their list. Bacolod is popularly known as the “City of Smiles” because they celebrate the Mardi-Gras like Masskara Festival, a revelry of street dancing, carnivals and parades every third weekend of October. But foodies will find plenty to smile about even if they don’t go during festival season. Here are some of the must-try specialties and restaurants in Bacolod City.

calea bacolod pecan pie ala mode

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Game Review: Lost in the Rain

01. lost in the rain coverLost in the Rain is one of the most mysterious and melancholic games I’ve played in a while. Originally released as Rain to European and Western markets, the adventure video game developed by SCE Japan Studio published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3 was launched last October 2013.

Intriguing story, unique gameplay and haunting music is what stands out in this game. It actually reminded me a bit of the adventure / art game Journey in a more dark and depressing way, since it has the same indie and experimental vibe. There’s a strong focus on the puzzle platformer elements instead of battles using relatively simple mechanics, which sets it apart from traditional adventure games.  Continue reading “Game Review: Lost in the Rain”

Sangay Siapo Island, Tawi-Tawi

“Can the water get any more turquoise than this?” I thought to myself as the main island of Bongao came clearer into focus. Despite the dark clouds on the horizon, the depths of the sea seemed to glow a piercing shade of blue-green, unlike anything I had seen before.

tawi-tawi bongao island

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Ten Cents to Heaven Resort in Tanay, Rizal

Updated March 2016

Ten Cents to Heaven Resort is the kind of place you’d go to just to meditate amidst nature. With its cool climate, manicured gardens in front of a sea of hills, stairways lined with pine like trees and wooden cabanas shrouded in vines, this resort and leisure camp in Tanay, Rizal offers a serene respite from city life. Best of all, it’s not that far from the metro.

ten cents to heaven travelup pine trees

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Gear Review: Targus Citylite II Ultra Backpack

Losing important documents and gadgets while on the road is every traveler’s nightmare. To address this, different bag companies have come up with bags and backpacks with anti-theft features.

One such option is the Targus 15.6″ Citylite II Collection, a line of business backpacks that promise to give users peace of mind while traveling and commuting. There are four backpacks under the collection, namely the Citylite II Ultra Backpack, Max Backpack, SL Backpack and the Ultimate Backpack. The first three are designed to fit 15.6″ laptops, while the Ultimate Backpack can store laptops up to 17″.

targus backpack aiport
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Ford EcoSport Mystery Case Media Drive

Racing against the clock in the traffic-congested streets of Manila in the rain (during rush hour!) sounds like one of my worst nightmares. Especially in a scenario where I don’t own the vehicle and have just signed a waiver stating I will be liable for damages. The cryptic invitation for the Ford EcoSport Mystery Case had media racing around the city following clues ala Amazing Race. Though I drive a motorcycle and a (very old manual) car, I’m not exactly the racing type when it comes to SUVs.

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White Pebble Beach near Naga City

I’ve traveled far just to visit some famous stone beaches in the country. There’s Luna Pebble Beach in La Union, Mabua Pebble Beach in Surigao City, and Valugan Boulder Beach in Batanes. These beaches are known for having shores covered with pebbles, cobbles and huge boulders instead of fine sand which give them a unique landscape.

white pebbles beach minalabac camarines surLittle did I know that there’s a nice pebble beach in my own home province of Camarines Sur. Bagolatao Beach can be found in the barangay of Bagolatao in the town of Minalabac, just 45 minutes away from Naga City! Continue reading “White Pebble Beach near Naga City”

Weekend in Jomalig Island, Quezon

Raindrops trickled down through the holes in the tarpaulin that served as the roof of the boat, forming a puddle right next to me  and waking me up from my sleep. “Duct tape,” I mentally added to my list of things I should always bring on a trip, as I moved my bag and huddled in the center of the boat with the rest of the people on the boat.

jomalig quezon beach boats

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Chasing Waterfalls in Pili, Camarines Sur

I grew up in Naga City, but I never knew that there was a very nice waterfall circuit just in my own backyard. Most Naguenos are probably familiar with Malabsay and Nabontolan Falls accessible via Panicuason in Naga City, located on the East slope of Mt. Isarog.

mt isarog shower falls curry pili camarines sur

But apparently there are also eight pristine waterfalls shrouded by a triple-canopy forest in the Pili section of Mt. Isarog National Park (MINP). The site, surrounded by farming communities and some historical points of interest (including a Japanese memorial and wartime tunnels) is currently being eyed as a potential eco-tourism trail. And boy, does it have potential! Continue reading “Chasing Waterfalls in Pili, Camarines Sur”

Khmer Booze: Must-Try Beers in Cambodia

Aside from temple-hopping by bike and sampling crispy bugs and spiders, we ended up trying a lot of different local beers in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh during our week-long trip to Cambodia earlier this year.

cambodia beer travelup

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