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Press Release: The Philippine Ducati Weekend: Clark International Speedway Nov. 21-23, 2014

Dolphin watching and Sea lion encounter at Ocean Adventure, Subic Bay

Are you looking for an outstanding performance of trained dolphins, whales, sea lions and a lot more kinds of animals? Well, you only need o take a 2-3 hour ride from Manila to Olongapo. 

I hope my visit to Ocean Adventure in Subic Bay Freeport Zone can help you choose your next most affordable getaway for the whole family especially those who have small kids in tow. I am very confident that they will be very much delighted by the extraordinary tricks they will see. Take note, this is not just - another - animal - show because the founders of this as described  in their official website are leaders in animal care and welfare, true environmentalists and conservationists. Their show is not designed entirely to delight the audience but also to remind everyone to take part in the conservation of our ocean, forest and the environment we live in. 

When it comes to the location, again borrowing their very own words, Ocean Adventure is nestled between the blue waters and a  triple canopy forest. How is that for a home to different species with spectacular talents?  The Ocean Adventure is a half - day performance divided into 4 segments: Dolphin Friends, Walk in the Wild Side, Balancing Act with the African Acrobats and the Sea lion Marine Patrol. 

Once you get inside, make sure to keep the show schedule printed in a piece of paper that will be handed over to you. Please do not lose it because it will tell you the order, time and duration of each show. Since the part is quite big, the map of the place is very useful. You will save a lot of time from asking where is the next one.

Let me now give you a glimpse of what's going on here:

1. Dolphin Friends

Three kinds of dolphins (bottlenose, rough - toothed and pantropical spotted) and a whale (false killer) will showcase their incredible talents. They will dance, do some tricks, create sounds, flip in the water at an eye blink and toss their trainers up the air at the speed of the wine coming out from the glass after the cork has been opened up for the first time etc.

2. Walk in the Wild Side

The bear cat, giant fruit bat, grass owl, palm civet, sea eagle, reticulated python are animals that have become quite rare nowadays. Their kinds are not the usual ones being domesticated in a typical Filipino home but in this show, they will prove that they can.

You will also learn how the Aetas survive in the thick forest and be able to make fire using just the stone and bamboo only, cook food etc.

3. Balancing Act with the African Acrobats 

This is the only segment that showcases human participation.  A group of African acrobats will fascinate you by showing their very agile body moves,  those you see in a circus play. Then another dancing performance will follow bearing a message of conservation to our environment.

4. Sea lion Marine Patrol

I find sea lions literally ugly but after the show, I realized that they are one of the most intelligent and entertaining animals I have ever seen there.  This also reminded myself that you really cannot judge anyone or anything by the outside appearance. NUNCA... I enjoyed watching one lucky participant who was able to shake the flipper, get a kiss and a hug from one of the sea lions out there.

There's a lot more that Ocean Adventure can offer aside from the ones I narrated above for the young at hearts. You can swim with the dolphins or have your family (6 persons maximum) to enjoy an exclusive dolphin encounter in the shallow water.  For certified divers, they can go deeper and activities and feed blacktip reef sharks, jack fish, sea turtles and an array of reef fishes. The best of all is to join their animal training team for half a day of fun.

And oh I and my sister Issa loved taking photos in front of the aquarium filled with a lot of fish and squids. Our reflections show and we loved it.

The Ocean Adventure address is Camayan Wharf, West Ilanin Forest Area, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Olongapo City,  Zambales 2200 For more details you may visit their official website here. 

The 1st Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival 2014 in Lubao, Pampanga

Watching those hot air balloons of different colors and sizes slowly going up the sky through my own eyes is a childhood dream.  It was finally granted when I checked out the 1st Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival 2014 a few days ago. In December of 2013, the group that has been organizing this same event for the past years announced that they won't have one this year. This made me sad. 

And because I am not the only one who is really looking forward to see this, in fact a lot of people really made efforts to express their deissapointment via social media, the Pilipinas International Balloon Festival in cooperation with the Arts, Culture and Tourism Office of Pampanga and the Department of Tourism made everything possible in such a short time. FYI, our very own hot air balloon festival is said to be the biggest of its kind in SE Asia, so the reason given by its former organizing committee as "too soon" I think is not fair enough.

Visita Iglesia Tour Pampanga 2014

Day Tour to Pampanga: P1, 200 each
Date: Apr. 17th, 2014

Tour Highlights
San Guillermo Church | Betis Church | Guaga Church | Lubao Church | Bacolor Church | San Fernando Cathedral | Minalin Church | Apalit Church | San Luis Church | Arayat Church
 Angeles City Church


                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Our Visita Iglesia Bulacan 2016 is now open for joiners. For more information kindly email mariaronab@gmail.com or  text / call via this number 042 007 4134 ANYTIME.    Early bird on or before Mar 14: Php 2k Iglesia Tour Package in Bulacan 2016 with breakfast, lunch buffet and afternoon snacks.

We will send you the complete details   and itinerary soon.

2014 Philippine Friendship Balloon Festival at Clark, Pampanga

Screenshot source: Philippine Hot Air Balloon website

Good news everyone! The 2014 Philippine Hot Air Balloon is pushing through! The Department of Tourism will now take over the management of this event to be held on Apr. 10 - 13, 2014. Remember the post I wrote about last November, that the Clark Development Corporation announced there is no hot air balloon festival next year because "it is to soon"? Well, please disregard it! 

Due to the overwhelming plea of the public, Department of Tourism Region III Director, Ronnie Tiotuico said that "we don't want to break the tradition / legacy" so this has to happen. The Department of Tourism is actually the pioneer organizer of the ballooning event 18 years ago before it was transferred to another group.