This was taken in Lake Nkuruba Nature Reserve in Fort Portal. It is also home to orphans of AIDS victims. Part orphanage, part guesthouse, the money earned from the guesthouse (and various donors) helps sustain the orphanage. Most of the time, a show is prepared for guests. Performing with gusto, we watched, entertained by their zeal. They showed pride as they performed in front of a handful of delighted foreigners. These children definitely have the groove!
Red Colobus among the many wildlife found at the forest.
Lake Nkuruba was our jump-off point to an up close encounter with the chimpanzees. Uganda is home to gorillas (in Rwenzori Forest) and chimps (in Kibale Forest). Unable, however, to see the gorillas due to time, budget constraints and the government’s policy on permits, we went on the chimpanzee trek.
A small town with one main road, we found our way to this western town of Uganda the hard way. In fact the highlight of our African adventure was this journey to Fort Portal and Lake Nkuruba. It’s a story all its own so stay tuned. 😀
Africa—my biggest trip so far and a dream vacation not exactly at the top of my priority list. I found my way to Africa quite by chance. A few years ago, a friend of mine did a year of volunteer work in Mombasa, Kenya. One day, I received an email from her inviting us (her traveling buddies) to join her on a safari. The thrill-seeker in me cannot NOT take this opportunity, so in June of 2005, I found myself on board a flight enroute to Nairobi. Turned out to be by far the greatest experience ever. Extraordinary adventures that made it to my list of firsts.
Credits: Brushes – DDMWISE a la Mode, NRJ Funky Vintage8; Papers- Defining flowers – jen wilson, Kpertiet King Me paper, Lumiene – jen wilson, strip – jen wilson, Tjd Kuwtj hardwood 3; Elements – KPertiet – Hemp Tie, Linda GB Tiny tags_all worn, Lynng_barcelona button 2
To kick off this African Adventure series, I’d like to introduce to you to the Massai of East Africa. They are after all one of the better-known African tribe. They live on the Serengeti Plain near Kenya and Tanzania. A unique society with a rich history steeped in culture and tradition, however with the interference of the west, the Massai are at risk of losing that culture within our lifetime.
It was quite evident at the time of our visit to a village that they have become more and more entrenched in a market economy. Souvenirs were peddled in one area of their village. The Massai are pastoral people who live mainly off their cattle. Traditionally, livestock is their primary source of income. Beyond being used for food, it may be traded for beads and clothing. Until recently, it was illegal to sell livestock for cash. But the modern day comforts have lured many a younger Massai to the Western culture. In a bar in Arusha in Tanzania, we were introduced to a Massai in regular modern day get up (sans their signature shoes made of rubber tires and red wraps) playing billiards with the locals. If not for their very distinct earlobe hole and beads and other accessories, they blend in really well with the others.
Despite that, majority of this red wrap cladding people still live in traditional Massai abode made of cow dung and mud. I know, I know! We entered one of it upon their invitation albeit hesitantly and with a huge sigh of relief, we found that it wasn’t stinky at all! 😯
They are known to be fierce warriors and hunting and killing a lion is common still today for these warriors to sort of prove their manhood and test their courage.
I am pleased to have caught a glimpse into the lives of this interesting set of people before outside interference completely change them.
Got invited to the opening of The 16th Pundaquit Festival on February 14 –Valentines Day. Eager to get out of Manila traffic on V-day, we didn’t think twice. We went. We were initially thinking of an excursion to the Hot Air Balloon Festival at Clark, but later thought that shunning the crowd was a wiser course of action. No regrets whatsoever. When we entered the SCTeX, we already saw the cars and lines at the Hot Air Balloon area and we were pleased to be driving on. Frankly speaking though, I was a wee bit envious because with the little that I saw as we passed Clark (I was the designated driver so I was just taking quick side glances), hinted the kite-flying exhibit to be quite interesting. Perhaps an activity for next year.
Credits: Paper – Joyful Heart Designs Plain Jane – Orange; Ribbon – Joyful Heart Design Plain Jane – Aqua Folded Ribbon
In San Antonio, Zambales, we almost missed the place because we arrive at exactly dinnertime and the entranceway was dark. But as we entered the gate of Casa San Miguel, we were greeted with a dramatically lit garden with dinner tables set up all around. It was an intimate affair with little fuss, but with an ambitious mission that has been going strong for the past 16 years.
Casa San Miguel is set amid the Bolipata family’s Mango orchard nestled between Mt. Pundaquit and the sea. Established in 1993 with Coke Bolipata at the helm, this place aims to bring art closer to the local folks, especially the children. It nurtures them to discover their place in music and the visual arts. Through the years, Casa San Miguel has not only been sheperding its students in music and the visual arts but it also is a venue for start up film maker to hone their crafts through its artistic settings. The festival was established to celebrate the triumphant, albeit slow embrace of the town folks to the arts (in whatever form).
The show started with Coke introducing the Pundaquit Vertuosi, the fruit of Casa San Miguel. This talented group of violin playing lads beautifully rendered the national anthem. Coke then briefly shed light on the festival followed by an opening number with the boys with a solo from Julian (that cute little boy). Then the actual show began with dancers dancing the (Argentinian) Tango to beautiful pieces played in strings lead by Coke himself. Many of the pieces I can’t identify but all beautifully performed by both musicians and dancers.
The Festival will run till May 31, mostly on Saturdays featuring various forms of art. To know more about the festival, please visit their site.
Ubud only have a few places suitable for young kids. This however being our annual family vacation, the kids were with us. We indulged them and went to a few kid friendly places. On their last day, we indulged them even more and had them stay in to play and swim to their hearts desire. I’m sure they enjoyed that the most. 😯
So if you have kids and HAVE TO bring them to Ubud with you, here are some of the places that they might enjoy.
The Sacred Monkey Forest
This place is full of long tail Macaques. Within Balinese Hinduism, monkeys can be the embodiment of positive and negative forces, which is why the Balinese both loathe and revere these monkeys. Monkeys that occupy sacred Balinese Hindu temple sites (such as this place) tend to be revered and protected by the Balinese because monkeys are believed to be capable of guarding temple sites against evil spirits. They, however become a negative force once they start raiding rice fields or snatch items from souvenir shops.
Some of the trees here are likewise considered holy and are vital in various Balinese practices.
This is good information but the young ones will surely find fascination in the monkeys. Period.
Elephant Ride
Experience sitting atop an elephant in a teak wood chair. These trained elephants are native to Sumatra. Apparently, there are 2 different places to see these jumbos and that is the Elephant Safari Park at Taro and Bali of Elephant Camp, where we ended up. I didn’t realize that there were two places and when our driver/tour guide took us to the latter I just assumed it was the former. The 30-minute ride at the camp had the kids wired and the grandfather sore. Unfortunately, there was no elephant show much less the painting elephants as these are found on the one in Taro.
The first time I became aware of this group of islands called Batanes was when I saw this Filipino film – “Hihintayin Kita sa Langit” which catapulted to stardom two established actors in my side of the world (and it just dated me too). Since then I became obsessed in stepping foot on this islands of the Ivatans. In 1997, that obsession came to fruition. It was my first taste of rugged travels. I feel privileged to have witnessed the Batanes of before… before its commercialization to a certain degree, that is. At that time, there was only one jeep going around the island of Batan. So we walked almost everywhere, even climbed an idjang – a pre-hispanic mountain fortress where the locals sought refuge during tribal conflicts. There were only a few places to lodge; we stayed at Mama Lily’s. It was clean and comfortable albeit spartan. And because there were hardly any restaurants then, we’d have home cooked meals courtesy of our host. Fortunately, she cooks and cooks well.
Getting to Sabtang is an adventure of its own. The only way to get there is by boat or what they call falowa. If the sea gets a bit rough, expect your inside to turn topsy turvy as well. Expect to take the trip with chickens, goats and sometimes a cow… yes a cow! We’d hike the whole island, spending the night camping in a school gym at Sumnanga; halfway around the island, then we’d walk back the next day to catch the falowa back to the main island, Batan. Those were the days.
Credit: Paper – Joyful Hear Designs Plain Jane – Olive; Alpha – PDuncan Carnival Alpha; Element – Hoyfyl Heart Designs – Plain Jane Tape
Nine years after my first Batanes encounter, I found myself back in 2006. There were evident changes – vehicles, more than one and more than one kind were now all over the island. There were a lot more lodges and inns, some restaurants, even a pizza place but despite all this, it is still the Batanes I reveled in almost a decade ago. Mama Lily has long migrated to the US and when I passed her house, fond memories (of her food actually) came flashing by.
Credits: Alpha – Asman; Papers – KPertiet Cotton Easter – red; KPertiet King Me Paper; KPertiet Graph Note Paper; Overlay – KPertiet Graphic Sun Prints OV; Tag – KPertiet Stick Pon2 Red Tag; Template – JSprage 4 square template; Frame- JSprague Grunge Frame 1
Sabtang, my favorite island of Batanes, has not progressed as much as Basco has. The only way there is still by falowa (and still taking on both humans and animals). Sabtang still leaves me breathless. It makes you feel like you’re in another world. Although you can now arrange for a vehicle to take you around the island, walking is still the main means especially among the locals. Truth to tell, you get see more of the island by foot so if you can, take the vehicle up to a certain point (probably Chavayan) and hike the rest of the island. Still no inns and only a few stores that offer food in the island, our contact in Basco, had someone cook dinner for us. The food was great but we were so stirred by their warm reception. Their pride was so evident as they talk about their island and simple cuisine (which consisted of a lot of root crops, turmeric and seafood, particularly lobster, crabs et al). Camping days are likewise over, the School of fisheries in Centro has dormitory rooms, albeit few and basic, indoors nevertheless. I heard that there now exists a Sabtang Lodge, which I have yet to verify and see for myself.
It is now possible to fly to Itbayat when the only way to get there before was by falowa – four hours of rough sea. Sheer torture, I’m sure. Itbayat, the farthest northern inhabited island, can be considered the Philippine’s last frontier. Its rocky island is a great place for trekking. We barely scratched the surface as we only did an overnight. We visited a cave that led to a rocky hilltop overlooking the sea. It was awesome and quite different from islands of Batan and Sabtang. This needed going back to and we decided that this year would be a good time to go… well we tried.
Credits: Paper – DJE PP3, Joyful Heart Designs Plain Jane-Seafoam, Scarlet Heels Media Carnival PP1; Frames – JSprague Flurish Frame, KPertiet Snap Frames; Element – Jack n Me Alpha blank
Needless to say, plans didn’t pull through. Why? You ask. First, we found out that the airport where the planes takes off to Itbayat is currently under construction and there is still no solid plan as to its resumption. And to my dismay, but to my friend, S‘s delight… you see, she had to back out of this trip because of this thing called work. But I digress. So to my dismay, when some (I wasn’t about to cancel) went to cancel their flights with Zest Air (formerly Asian Spirit), they found out that flights in February were still up in the air (no pun intended). They revealed that their entire January flights were canceled due to aircraft shortage. Unbelievable! We didn’t have a sure flight to Batanes after all? And we weren’t informed about it until someone went to cancel? By that time SeaAir (the other Airline that flies to Batanes) was fully booked. Hmmph!! But it’s only February, you may wonder. Well, we could if we really want to push it and go in March or April but I just love it there during the cool, breezy months. It’s really the best time to go. After summer comes typhoon, and you don’t want to be there at that time, believe you me! So perhaps next year and perhaps not with Zest Air. 😉
And that’s “the not so sad” tale of my recent Batanes trip that never was. 😕
Hoan Kiem Lake flaunting the distinctive Huc (or red) bridge is located in the heart of the Old Quarters of Hanoi, around the lake are cute little cafes where you can just sit for hours and watch the people crossing the chaotic street.
Legend has it that Heaven sent Emperor Le Thai To a magical sword, which he used to drive out the Chinese in Vietnam. A golden tortoise emerged and grabbed the sword and disappeared in the lake. Since then, the lake has beem know as Ho Hoan Kiem (Lake of the Restored Sword).
Hoan Kiem’s life is bustling at the break of dawn as serious joggers take on the streets, paths are crowed with people doing taichi.
I’ve been to Bali 3 times in the past 2 decades. Twice for work and once tagging along an incentive trip of an ex. Each time was spent on a beach resort, Nusa Dua to be exact. My first and only time in Ubud prior to this trip was in 1991. A day trip only. Almost 2 decades later, here I am experiencing Ubud like it was my first time.
Ubud is Bali’s cultural enclave, where one can find artists’ studios & galleries, rice fields, ornate temples and ancient historical sites. While it once was an oasis for backpackers, artists and bohos, Ubud is now a popular destination for literati, glitterati, art collectors and connoisseurs. Elegant 5 star hotels and sprawling mansions now stand in the outskirts of Ubud.
So without further hoo-ha, here’s a list of places that deserves a thumbs up (according to me)!
The Crispy Duck of Bebeck Bengil:
Lines were long even at 1pm. Obviously a popular eating joint for both locals and tourists alike. Service was slow and quite inefficient. But the (long) wait was worth it. The duck was very tasty. Crispy yet juicy – fried to perfection, if you ask me. It didn’t look very appetizing but it definitely had me at first bite.
Dinner at Lamak Restaurant and Bar:
Hands down the best meal of our entire stay. Located along Monkey Forest Road, they serve excellent fusion dishes like Tea Infused Duck Broth with dumpling and Sesame crusted Scallop w/ Kung Pao Sauce. And desserts like Orange & Ginger Bruleé, Chocolate Soufflé and Chili ice cream. Nuff said! My dad actually wanted to return for lunch or dinner the next day. 😀
Pura Puseh Temple, Batuan Village:
Considered to be one of the finest and oldest temples in Bali. The temple dates back to the 11th century and has many fine carvings. This Balinese village of Batuan possesses one of the richest cultural legacies on the island. Renowned for some of the finest music, dances and sculptures in all of Bali, it has performances twice a month of the Gambuh, a rare ancient dance drama. Regular performances are held on the 1st and 15th of every month. Nope, we didn’t catch it; it was the wrong time of the month.
Ubud Palace / Puri Saren Agung
Set in the center of Ubud, across the Ubud Central Market. This is the palace of the Royal family that ruled from the late 1800’s until World War II and is essentially the father of other Ubud Palaces or Puri, as the locals call it.
When we arrived, a portion of the palace was closed (for unknown reasons) but the little that I saw of the grounds impressed me. The garden was beautifully kept, the old stone gates and the statue guards in that familiar checkered cloth skirts were main points of interest. Definitely worth a revisit.
The front courtyard is open to the public during the day and a traditional dance performance, the Legong Dance is held here every night. Interesting to note, some of the pavilions have been turned into hotel rooms for those who want a glimpse of the Royal life.
Shopping!!!
Along Monkey Forest Road and Jalan Raya. Fantastic and extremely varied. You can find all kinds from ancient antiques to whimsical trinkets. Shops upon shops filled with sarongs, woodcarvings, paintings, souvenirs, jewelries, incense potteries… It’s a shopping haven even if I had to put my rusty bargaining powers to use. For many, bargaining is an art and is what makes shopping fun… not for me as patience is not my virtue. Wahaha! 😛
Maya Ubud – A Haven of Tranquility
Our home for 4 days. Let’s just say I can afford it because I wasn’t paying for it. If you like the finer things in life and prefer traveling luxuriously as my family does, Maya Ubud is for you.
Reviews says that it is a cut above the rest and rightly so. Located high between 2 river valleys, set in sprawling lawns and gardens, Maya Ubud is indeed a haven of tranquility. All villas face the river, and the sound of the river brings such serenity.
I adore my villa and the daybed outside my room. I spent a lot of time reading on that comfy daybed. It is pure bliss to be able to just relax and read my book. The greatest indulgence however was a relaxing bathing experience in the privacy of my bathroom. For US$15, I had a personal assistant prepare my bath. When I arrived from dinner, there it was, all ready for me. I just had to slide in and enjoy my book some more before I slumbered off. Now that’s what I call capping the day. And the best part is that they provided an extra set with their compliments and for 2 straight nights I bathe in tranquility. Such is life! 😉
One thing I didn’t get to do was try the award winning spa. It was kinda duh of me but I just couldn’t bring myself to pay for something that I can get in Manila for a quarter of the price. Could anything be that worth it? Regretfully, I’ll never know! 😦
After chemo in 2005, I decided to take a short trip to China to cap this chapter of my life. I wanted to start living “my life” again, the way I used to, even if I had to take baby steps to get back into my groove. (I owe this story about me and I WILL post it as soon as I am ready to share.) Anyway… Chose Yangshuo because it was close enough but it was not your typical Chinese town either. It was still quite off the beaten path where backpackers still abound. You get the same, if not better landscape in a vacation town with a plethora of interesting eateries and little shops as opposed to the big city of Guilin. I like Yangshuo because it was small enough to explore, not intimidating at all. Baby steps…
Outside of eating and shopping in town, the countryside and the Li River has a lot more to offer. You can should do the following:
Ride a bike – wander through the countryside and enjoy the dramatic mountain backdrops. The people are generally friendly. Our guide went the extra mile and brought us to her home in the countryside and cooked us lunch. 😀
Cruise around Li River – take it from Xingping where the best limestone formations starts.
Rock Climbing – if you are into that.
Watch Impression of Lui Sanjie – by far the best thing we did in the 4 days we were there. The show runs nightly during peak season. It features a cast of 500 fishermen and a highly impressive light show performed on the Li River with the limestone formation as backdrop. It was awe-inspiring, simply “goosebumps” amazing.
Credits: Joyful Heart Designs: plain jane-brownish paper
Built in 1818, Vat Sisaket is the only temple to survive a 19th century invasion when the Siamese raged the city and forced most of its people into exile across the Mekong. It continued to function as a monastery during the 19th century despite the depopulation. It is the only temple to maintain its original shape albeit a partial restoration in the 1920s hence the chipped walls.
Vientiane is an ancient city and its history has been recorded largely in its temples.
Came across this meme and found it cool. So here’s my very first attempt on photo hunting. I was in Vientiane last year and Laos has since been one of my favorite Asian destination. Check out other PhotoHunt entries here.
I am blessed. Blessed to be able to explore the world, albeit not as extensive as I want to but I’ve had some fair share of adventure and fun last year. So I’m not complaining. Last year was a good mix of local and international travels, small and big trips. Rounding them up, there were highs and lows, great satisfactions and some disappointments. Here’s a run down of my best and not so best experiences of 2008.
The Disappointment
Donsol – in pursuit of the elusive whale sharks (Feb)
We were ready to jump anytime but the whale sharks were scarce. There were way too many boats, way too disorganized and so we caught a glimpse of its… tail. Oh well… this calls for another trip sometime in the future.
One Miserable Climb
Mt. Pulag – rained out! (Feb)
We started the trek with just overcast clouds, then it drizzled and when we reached the campsite, it poured. It let up a bit just so we can go to the loo and cook our dinner. Then it started again. Rained the whole night and the whole day, next day. Needless to say, the summit was foggy and really, really cold! No sunrise, just slippery, flooded trails. Good thing this was not my first time here and I’ve seen a glorious sunrise in 2002. But we still had fun.
My Favorite Asian Destination (thus far)
Luang Prabang, Laos (Mar)
The jewel of Indochina and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Surrounded by mountains at the junction of the Mekong and its tributary, the Khan River, Luang Prabang to me is a city where time stood still.
It was a wonderful 5 days of various adventures. One day was spent trekking to the Kwang Si falls, another learning to cook Lao dishes. There were a lot of walking, eating (Lao and French meals), sunset cocktails and we even had a taste of a traditional Khamu massage. It was fantastic.
A Delightful Road Trip
Viaje del Sol (Apr) – a blend of good food and the arts. From Kusina ni Salud (for dinner) to Ugu Bigyan (for lunch and his potteries) to Carlito’s (for coffee, mangoes and his sculptures) in one weekend resulting to another follow-up weekend. This time, we stayed in Casa San Pablo, checked out Kinabuhayan Café, and had a satisfying lunch at Sulyap Gallery Café, a restaurant cum antique gallery. There definitely will be a 3rd trip to this Viaje del Sol sometime in the future. Perhaps we’ll try a meal at Kinabuhayan Café, try that famous buko pie locals are raving about and do an overnight at Sitio de Amor.
Wonderfully Surprised
Dolphins Galore at Puerto Bay (May)
Didn’t even know that they had a lot in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. There were tons of ’em. What we didn’t see in Donsol, these dolphins made up for. We didn’t even need a spotter as they were all over the place. Never saw so much in my life. Tons and tons of them. Hope to dive there someday.
A Junk Experience
Cruisin’ Halong Bay, Hanoi (Jul)
When in Hanoi, one must experience cruising along Halong Bay in a junk at least once. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the bay features calm water and thousands of limestone karsts and islets in various shapes and size. Something like Palawan.
Even if he wasn’t around, I was excited to be there. Totally am infatuated with this celebrity chef of Travel and Living’s World Asia Café series. And the food did not disappoint. Maybe because I’m so infatuated. Hee Hee! Expensive but superb. Sorry but no photos of the food and the place except from across the street. It was a treat from DBF to cap our Hanoi adventure and we agreed no cameras, besides the place was too dark to get even one decent photo.
Great Amusement
Watching the traffic of Hanoi at the Old Quarter (Jul)
We spent hours atop a restaurant sipping beer, relaxing and watching the traffic below with amazement. The chaos of Vietnam traffic just amused us no end. Watch and be amused.
The Best Reunion Ever
A San Francisco get-together with my high school buddies (Aug)… some I haven’t seen in 26 years. It was a trip down memory lane but more importantly, it was literally a food trip as well. Our friend and classmate, JT, now a chef cooked a superb dinner for us! They’re actually planning another one this year… a US trip 2 years in a row is out of my budget if I want to explore other new places as well, so boohoo for me.
A Cove Truly Breathtaking
Anawangin Cove (Sep)
This could pass as my runner-up for the Most Miserable Climb too. I am a clumsy person and more often than not, I fall and hurt myself. So during the trek I was already asking “why do I do this to myself”? when I banged my knee in the course of what I thought was an easy trek. I’ve seen beautiful pixes, read and heard so much about this “not so secret” place and finally am hours away from it. Thrilled and excited as I started the 7.3 km trek to Anawangin Cove, I was 3rd to arrive at the saddle (which had an awesome view of the cove, by the way). Not bad, if I may brag… Many months of lifting, walking on a machine (that goes nowhere), puffing and pushing is finally paying off. THEN… without warning, I slipped and fell about 30 minutes through our descent, all because I was not paying attention to the trail. It was agony from then on. Let’s just say that I trudged downhill, passing rocky streams for another 2+ hours before I reached the camp… From 3rd to last! Thirsty, tired and in pain but dampen my spirits it did not as it was indeed so BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL! Picture this, Agojo (imagine pine trees as it looked so much like it) forest on the beach with a meandering fresh water stream that flows out to the sea. And that is why I keep doing this to myself.
An Adrenalin-filled Birthday Weekend
Rafting the Chico (Oct)
Been doing this for almost a decade but never on my birthday. So that’s new. If you’ve never tried this, you should! You will experience one heck of a weekend, a totally worked out upper body, and the thrill of a lifetime. Contact Anton Carag of AEPI for bookings.
An Incredible Underwater Experience
Mantas and Sharks up close in Yap (Nov)
Amazing… is all I can say. An experience of a lifetime. Read more about it here.
Credits: Papers – JSprague 07, MCO Beautiful Journey 02; Embellishments – JHE Twilled Phrases blank, Leona Apron Strings2 pldlabel, MCO Topper; Overlays – KPertiet Sanded overlay, MCO Boho Flourishes; Paper Mask – MCO Scalloped Paper Mask; Alpha – JSprague Dauphin Alpha
Experience sitting atop an elephant in a teak wood chair. These trained elephants are native to Sumatra. Apparently, there are 2 different places to see these jumbos and that is the 
my adventure odyssey 