Tag: Top Picks

Kapurpurawan: A hidden gem

Got its name from the word “kapur” which means white in Ilocano, I am guessing that Kapupurawan means “whiteness” if I got my grammar right.   Correct me if I am wrong, anyone.

We almost missed the turn off on the left side of the highway.  The road sign was somewhat faded and didn’t seem to lead anywhere.  But we took the road anyway armed with only instructions gathered from the net and different blog sites.  As the road got rougher and narrower, we decided that walking might be a better option.  It was a short unremarkable trek to the make shift shed, nothing that would prepare you for what lies ahead.

From the shed look to your right and you will see a tiny speck of white rock formation, waves dramatically splashing against its base.

We are facing the South China Sea and suddenly I understood why this hidden gem got into the pages of travelogues and travel blogs.   Unaware of such a site until a few months ago, it was a discovery that made our long drive to Ilocos worthwhile… thanks to the world wide web.  We traveled this road some 12 years ago and had no idea that there was such a treasure tucked away from the main road.

We carefully trekked the spiky corals until we reached the limestone formation made more dramatic with each step.

We stayed atop for a while trying to keep steady from the strong winds.

I could stay there forever marveling on God’s great creation but we have more on our agenda.

Going back, we were discussing how this place would be great for fashion pictorials.  I can imagine the gowns blowing against the wind with water splashing in the background.  Then we saw people with cameras, lenses, tripod… the works walking towards us.  I heard my name and lo and behold, it was a friend.  They were doing a pre-nuptial shoot.  Those who know of the place apparently have the same thoughts.  We left them to do their shoot wondering how long this gem will be kept hidden from the majority.

Credits:  Frame by KPertiet


Posted on by Jenn 10

The Kenai Fjord Surprise

Alaska was a surprise.  Didn’t think I’d enjoy it as much as I enjoyed it.  It was a great choice of a destination for my “big trip” that I aim to do every couple of years.  What an experience. We would like to think that we did pretty well even though we didn’t achieve all that we’ve set out to see and do.  There were lakes, wildlife and activities that will have to wait till next time but I’m happy and whatever we saw beyond this point would be a real bonus.  Guess what, we got that bonus.

Orcas.  Yes the killer whale.  As suggested by the lady from our hostel, we had a great chance of seeing orcas in Kenai Fjord.

So soon after we got ourselves settled, we were on a boat headed towards Kenai Fjord just 15 minutes from town.

Not only does it have some of the most beautiful fjords and glaciers in Alaska, it also offers one of the best wildlife spectacles. Humpbacks and killer whales, sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions and puffins flock the park’s waters.

As promised, that boat ride never lacked wildlife sightings.  It was a thrill to see tons of sea lions basking in the sun,

birds flying all around and of course,

breaching humpbacks that never cease to amaze.

What capped it all however, were the orcas.  It was “goosebump” awesome.

A perfect way to end an awesome trip.  Well… ok, technically, we still had 2 more days in Alaska and a few more sights that are worth posting, but our Kenai Fjord experience has, without a doubt, left indelible memories.

Visit Scenic Sunday for more scenes from around the world.

Scenic Sunday

Posted on by Jenn 10

Hubbard Glacier

The largest non-polar tidewater glacier in the world was one of the major highlights of our cruise adventure.  How could I have forgotten something that has made it to my “Top Picks” list?  Can I blame it on exhaustion from the holiday stress??

Now really… how could I have forgotten the day our ship approached Disenchantment Bay at the head of Yakutat Bay?  We were all bundled up on the gelid deck when the ship slowed down and the glacier came more into a breathtaking view.  As Hubbard advances, it moans and groans as huge chunks of ice moves and eventually crashes into the bay creating a sound the Tlinglits call “White Thunder”.  It does sound like thunder and it took me a while to realize that it was from the falling icebergs.   😛

Yes my friends, Hubbard is one of the eight glaciers that is currently advancing instead of retreating, thickening instead of thinning.  First mapped in 1895, the Hubbard’s huge open face is more than 5 miles wide and actively calves icebergs as large as 10-story buildings.  Once in 1986 and then again in 2002, it has twice blocked the mouth of Russell Fjord making it a lake as high as 90 ft above sea level.

Hubbard Glacier was a sight to remember and it indubitably deserves a post in this blog.   🙂

More interesting mosaics here.

Posted on by Jenn 12

Sitka in Detail

Famous for its spectacular scenery, abundant wildlife and culturally rich history, we wandered around this former “Russian Capital” with an experienced Southeast Alaska photographer taking shots upon shots of its beautiful surroundings.

Sitka up-close from a beach

Please go to Little Red House for more fun mosaics from all over.

Posted on by Jenn 3

The Center of the Center: Our VIP experience

Hi Nemo!

Let’s take a break from Alaska and allow me to introduce you to the center of the center of Marine Biodiversity – yes you read right.  It’s  a place with the greatest concentration of marine species in the Indo-Malay-Philippine Archipelago, Verde Island Passage (also known as VIP).  In 2006, the Philippines was declared to be in the center of marine biodiversity in the world and VIP as the “center of the center”.

Having heard this, it had been my desire (and a thrill when it finally happened) to explore the world where sea turtles, giant groupers, whale sharks, marine mammals as well as giant clams abound not to mention coral reef formations that hosts 60% of the world’s tropical fishes.

Situated between Luzon and Mindoro, the 1.14 hectares marine area is home to numerous businesses and has great potential for eco-tourism development.

Must be one of the oldest resort in Galera

Known for its beautiful beach and dive sites and a popular destination among local and foreign dive tourists.  Numerous resorts lining the coastline of Batangas Province threatens its underwater treasures from coastal infrastructure development, pollution and destructive fishing.

Fishing, being one of the major activities of coastal communities in the VIP, has been recently held at bay.  Soon after its Smithsonian declaration, President Arroyo declared it a marine sanctuary and a national protected area.   🙂

Located not too far from Puerto Galera, we rode a basnig from the Anilao Pier which took us to Sandbar Beach Club in Puerto Galera which became our base and home for the night.

Not exactly a dive resort, we had to gear up in the garden.

Our rooms.

The pool.

The dive boat ready for us on an early morning dive.

Some of the dive sites explored during our 2-day dive:

Verde Island Wall (Agapito Island)

By far the most well known and interesting site in Verde Island.  Also called Agapito Island from the rocks sticking out of the sea.  The wall descends almost vertically to unfathomable depths.  It boasts of a submerged mountain with a pinnacle that drops off to 100m or 330ft.  It is home to eels, nudibranchs, surgeon fishes, fusiliers, batfishes, jacks, giant gorgonian fans and garden of corals.

Giant gorgonian fan

Nudibranchs

Sabtang Wrecks

An old Vietnamese fishing boat sunk off the front of Sabtang beach sits upright in 18M on a sandy floor.

Traffic underwater.

A mooring line is attached to the bow of the wreck, which makes it easy to descent or do safety stops with.

Batfish and me

A resident school of bat friendly batfish and large surgeon fish make this a popular dive spot.  Surrounded by sand, the wreck has attracted many eels, damsels, and trumpets.

A Peacock Flounder

A sea of starfish

Moray Eel

The Canyon

A giant jack — we saw a school from the same dive

Arguably Galera’s best dive site, a high voltage drift dive through deep canyons alive with immense school of sweetlips, barracudas, groupers, snappers, trevalies, tunas and jacks.

Lion Fish

A relatively quick descent is recommended as one enters the water.  A challenge for those not use to strong currents at depth.  Rewarding nevertheless.

Coral Garden

A Puffer

Colorful and diverse, it brings together unique corals, fishes, occasional white tip sharks and plenty of micro marine life.

The gang!

Over too soon but it was a great weekend adventure.  Happy to be ticking this off my “must see” list.

Explore more worlds in My World. To know more about Verde Island, click here.

Credits:  Underwater photos by R. Formoso and A. Vidad.

Sandbar Boquete Beach Club
Boquete Island, Sto Niño,
Pueto Galera, Oriental Mindoro
Contact details:  09156518415
Posted on by Jenn 9

The Great Alaskan Lumberjacks

Credits:  Frame from House of 3 digital kit by The Design District (Ornate Frame 3); Kraft Paper by JSprague

Lumberjacks are usually referred to loggers from a bygone era before the advent of modern logging equipments.  The inception of the modern lumberjacks started as a competition in old lumber camps to see who the best lumberjacks were.  Today these competitions continue, keeping traditions alive.

Southeast Alaska’s rich logging history comes to life in a thrilling display of nimbleness, energy and power.  A must see when in Ketchikan, we walked a short distance from the pier to a covered grandstand where rugged professional timber athletes competed head to head in events such as speed climbing, ax throwing, chopping and sawing.  Hosted by a very engaging host who referees this riotous competition.  She splits the group in half and assigns each group a team to root for, adding excitement and entertainment to the show.

Watching th0se cute hunks alone make the show worth its US$36.   😛  tee hee!

Head over to The Little Red House for more photo mosaics from all over.

Posted on by Jenn 5

Small Treats: Halo-halo!

mwtwhitekabigting'sCredits to LivE‘s Sing for Spring Kit:  Papers- PP3-PP7; Elements- Birdoodle, Twill2_delight and Twill2_enjoy.

A popular Filipino dessert that is a mixture of shaved ice and milk to which are added various cooked beans and fruits.  My all-time favorite!  Kabigting’s halo-halo is Arayat’s pride; its unassuming façade (which even looked closed) reveals nothing of this sweet delight.  After breakfast at Abe’s Farm, we headed towards the town of Arayat, further away but we just had to have our halo-halo fix.  Who says dessert has to come after meals?  If I have my way, dessert comes first.

Pastillas.  That’s what makes their halo-halo different from the rest.  A different version from different towns and regions makes this Filipino dessert interesting.  One can use anything under the sun (that’s edible, of course), from fancy ones with tons of ingredients to something as simple as pastillas, mashed beans and corn.   The sweetness of the milk candy contrasts well with the saltiness of the corn.  The mashed beans add the texture and the result?  Delightfully refreshing.

Ice.  Ice is important too.  What always ruin my halo-halo experience are big chunks of ice.  Their smooth-shaved ice blends perfectly with all the other ingredients.

So if you find yourself in Magalang, make the effort to drive further and enjoy a serving of their simple yet excellent halo-halo.  It will make your day.

For more awesome worlds, go to That’s My World.

Posted on by Jenn 6

Granville Island

Scenic Sunday

granville-public-market

The first time I was in Vancouver I had already wanted to check out this cool place with a huge impressive public market but due to time and transportation constraints at the time, I gave up the idea and vowed to make it there next time.  Next time has come and what was at the top of my agenda?

celines-fish-and-chips

fish-&-chips

Fish and chips (and the yummiest and biggest fried oysters I’ve ever encountered) at the Granville Public Market!

Although also pressed for time this time around as we were really just passing through Vancouver on our way to Alaska (and that’s for more exciting posts to watch out for in the next few weeks).  I made sure we make it there by hook or by crook!  It was worth the (long) wait.  Those who know me know that I love going to the market even though I am by no means considered a good cook.

food

fruits-2

fruits

bell-peppers

produce

I get a thrill each time I survey what’s in a market whether I am in my own neighborhood or out travelling.

dock

This island is in the middle of the city and is physically connected to downtown Vancouver by the Granville Street Bridge.  One can’t tell from there the gem that awaits them.  Embodying the surrounding metro, Granville Island is matchless.  Its humble origins are far from what it has become, a popular area boasting of impressive art galleries, shops, dining places and a fabulous public market that offer a wide array of fresh and cooked food (as seen above).

Let’s walk around, shall we?

dog-walkerI’d walk the dogs here too!

duck-pondDucks

ducks-2Ducks

ducks-3And more ducks!

feeding-the-pigeons-2Feeding them

pigeons-3

Pigeons

houses-2Sea Village houses

houses

shopsShops

neighborhoodThe neighborhood

little-girlAnd isn’t she a cutie?   🙂

More scenic posts here.

Posted on by Jenn 7

Maligne Valley

Scenic Sunday

IMG_3212

Pronounced “mah-leen”, is riddled by an extensive karsts system – a geological formation of caves above and below ground level.  In the case of Maligne Valley, no one knows where the water for Maligne Lake goes.  Located at the south end of Maligne Road, this gorgeous wildlife-filled, glacier fed lake is one of the largest in the Rockies.  Watch for elk, sheep, moose along the road, we were told and bears are usually spotted around the lake.

bridge-at-dusk

island

reflection

Completing the Maligne Valley highlight is Maligne Canyon where the river has eaten away at the limestone of the valley eroding the softer rocks.  The result is a smooth, steep walled canyon bringing forth one of the most spectacular gorge in the Canadian Rockies.  Waterfalls, fossils, potholes are just some of the wonders of the canyon.

canyon-waterfalls

stones

IMG_3225

Posted on by Jenn 4