Archive for December, 2007
Ark Avilon Zoo, Fun Ranch and Tiendesitas
Posted by Fred in Places to Go, To See on December 31, 2007
My wife read somewhere that there’s a “cool” zoo just beside Tiendesitas. A zoo beside Tiendesitas is a bit strange because aside from the fact that Tiendesitas is a place to shop and eat, it’s beside a mall (SM). Also, I regularly pass through the Malabon City zoo, just behind Potrero elementary school along McArthur Highway (that’s a few meters from Monumento, Caloocan), but I never had the desire to go in a zoo, and I’m not really sure if it’s proper to qualify a “zoo” with being cool. The Ark Avilon Zoo beside Tiendesitas (sister zoo of Avilon Zoo, Rizal) made me rethink that. Read the rest of this entry »
Driving Therapy: Going Away from the City
Posted by Fred in Tips and Reminders, Transportation on December 28, 2007
Getting up early in the morning for an out-of-town hearing is something I look forward to. Well, not particularly the getting-up-real-early part, but the thought of the out-of-town trip. It’s always a welcome therapy. Read the rest of this entry »
Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church (Makati City)
Posted by Fred in Places to Go, To See on December 27, 2007
With all the skyscrapers and modern structures in Makati City, it’s hard to imagine that a church almost 400 years old lies hidden in this business capital of the Philippines. If you’re from the north, passing through the Guadalupe bridge along take Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) towards Makati City, the first thing you’ll notice are the huge billboards right before the San Carlos Seminary. Behind the seminary is the Nuestra Señora de Gracia Church (to be precise, it’s located in 7440 Bernardino Street, Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City; 896-8444, 895-9141). Read the rest of this entry »
Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Nature Center (Quezon City)
Posted by Fred in Places to Go, To See on December 26, 2007
The city is a concrete jungle, full of greenery artificially created by people to resemble the plants and trees that nature has nurtured for years. There’s plenty of breathtaking scenery in the city — view from the Philippines’ tallest building in Makati or the seemingly endless labyrinths of gigantic malls, among others. Read the rest of this entry »
Silent Night, Boracay
Posted by Fred in Places to Go, To See on December 23, 2007
Each of us touched by Boracay has a special memory about this beach paradise. For non-divers, it could be the amazement of feeding fish while floating in the middle of the sea. It could be the fine white sand or various water (and air?) sports like the jet ski, banana boat ride and parasailing. It could even be as simple as the fresh seafood, the great fruit shakes or the sand castles with lighted candles inside. Read the rest of this entry »
Christmas in the Philippines
Posted by Fred in Things To Do on December 22, 2007
If you hate Christmas and anything that has to do with it, maybe you’d want to skip the Philippines. Filipinos celebrate the longest Christmas season in the whole world. Christmas is ushered in — no, not by the rumors if there’s any or how much is the Christmas bonus — but by the Misa de Gallo or Simbang Gabi, which is from December 16 to 24, with the 25th being the Misa de Aguinaldo, the final Christmas mass. Simbang Gabi literally translates to a “Night Mass,” but it’s being held at dawn, 4:00 a.m. to be exact. There are probably two general groupings for those who would want to complete the 9-day Simbang Gabi, resisting the urge to sleep, made more difficult by the cold nights — the devout Catholics and those who believe a wish is granted if the 9 days are completed. Still, regardless of which group you’re in, you’d probably enjoy the traditional Philippine Christmas delicacies — bibingka, puto bumbong and tsokolate — served, for a fee, of course, around the church area. Read the rest of this entry »
Enchanted Kingdom (Sta. Rosa, Laguna)
Posted by Fred in Places to Go, Things To Do on December 19, 2007
I was always excited every time the peryahan, which I believe is translated as a “fair” in English, comes to town. There’s the Ferris wheel, or something that resembles it, the caterpillar ride, the haunted house and, of course, the games. Looking back, there’s really nothing fancy about the perya, that is, if you compare it with the likes of Enchanted Kingdom. So, the first chance I got after it opened in 1995, I went to see this Enchanted Kingdom, and went back for more — perhaps proof that there’s always a child in each of us. Read the rest of this entry »
UP Cebu
It’s always better to write down one’s thoughts while traveling or basking in the sights, sounds and flavor of a particular Philippine destination, which is the whole point of this blog. This is difficult at this stage because all the posts, except two or three, are written looking back. This post is not one of those few exceptions. Read the rest of this entry »
Tambuli (Mactan)
Posted by Fred in Places to Go, Where to Stay on December 16, 2007
I never previously imagined sharing travel experiences, such as in this blog, specially in places where there’s a home to go to. Having spent years in Cebu and having a home in this city, it always feels weird to stay some place else, like in Tambuli beach club, which is located in Mactan Island, just a few minutes from Cebu City. Read the rest of this entry »
Eastern Visayas (Region 8)
Posted by Fred in Places to Go, To See on December 15, 2007
We’ve previously mentioned that the Philippines is broken down into regions, one of which is Eastern Visayas (Region 8). Eastern Visayas is composed of 6 provinces — Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Samar, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar. Here’s a video promoting tourism in Eastern Visayas. Read the rest of this entry »
Philippine Tarsier (Bohol)
I remember a classmate bringing a strange-looking creature — small but with huge eyes — to school back in elementary. While we called it kuwago because of its big eyes, the term kuwago more properly refers to a bird that also has big eyes — the owl. It’s known locally as mawmag. The tarsier is closely associated with Bohol, although it’s also found in the neighboring islands of Leyte, Samar and parts of Mindanao. Indeed, when you say Bohol, you think of beautiful beaches, chocolate hills, peanut kisses, the Loboc river and the world-famous Loboc children’s choir, and, of course, the tarsier. Read the rest of this entry »
Jose Rizal Birthplace (Calamba, Laguna)
Posted by Fred in Places to Go, To See on December 15, 2007
It’s ironic that in the countless times I’ve been to the Calamba municipal hall, just beside Jose Rizal’s place of birth, I never dropped by. Maybe because it’s weird for a grown-up to visit a place that should have been toured while in elementary or high school. Read the rest of this entry »
Durian (Davao)
“Durian, the king of fruits, has a special place in the hearts of Davaoenos. It is, after all, one of the greatest attractions of Davao City, luring thousands of visitors to come see these shores to experience the fruit that, some say, “tastes like heaven but smells like hell.” But more than just an attraction, the durian is a delight to the Davaoenos, especially to the lumad community who were surely the first to enjoy it. It is also a “thorny” reminder that there is much to be thankful for in this land. The abundance of nature is never more obvious than during durian season, when the streets overflow with the fruit and locals can be found squatting on the sidewalk to enjoy a simple — truly incomparable — feast.” Read the rest of this entry »
A Rhose, by Any Other Name
Posted by Fred in Tips and Reminders on December 14, 2007
(Let’s call this a tip on Philippine names. If you’re a foreigner and it’s your first time to visit the Philippines, you may encounter certain “unusual” names. This is captured by Matthew Sutherland, a British expatriate, whose article circulated by email some years back. The article below is written by Mr. Sutherland.) Read the rest of this entry »
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