Come With Me to Laoag and Vigan! Jan. 23 - 26

Me and Annie from Canada I met in Couchsurfing in Intramuros

Vigan is one of the few Hispanic towns in the Philippines well-known for its cobblestone streets and a World Heritage site. So having said that and me being an "old-fashioned" or I rather call it as classic (para sosyal!) and loves seeing capiz window shells and heritage and stuff I decided to backpack to Vigan.  "You sure you are going there? There is no night life there. And I'm sure there is no chance of meeting hunks with flashy abs there. " says my friends. "That is why I wanna go there to get out of Manila's noise and pollution for a while!"   It is a pity that I haven't explored my own country before and I was inspired by strangers I met in Couchsurfing: Annie & Nathan - Canada, Jose - Spain, Mike - Switzerland, Mike - US, couples Carsten - Germany & Zorah - Taiwan, Andreas and his girlfriend - Denmark and locals too many to mention  but they've been to a lot so might as well start to scour and promote my own "neighborhood" through this blog and then after go out Asia then see the world. One trip at a time...

So here is the itinerary of my travel with the help of my friend Lyn and Couchsurfers Nathan  and certain TURTLETUNNEL.                                                                                                                                                    

Jan 23 day 1 - Laoag and Paoay tour

Breakfast (malunggay pandesal / jollibee)

Lunch at Dap-ayan (empanada/pakbet/bagnet)

Batac marcos mansion and mausoleum

(waxed figure of marcos in a glass coffin)

UNESCO Heritage site Paoay church

Snack at Herencia (pinakbet pizza)

Tryke tour of Paoay lake, Malacanang of the North, 

Sand dunes, Fort Ilocandia, Tobacco field

Back to Laoag, Ride mini bus to Pagudpud/Pudian (2hrs)

Dinner (poque-poque) and  back to the Inn

Jan 24 day 2 - Pagudpud and South tour

Beach bumming at Saud beach

Tryke tour Blue Lagoon (Boracay of the north),

Bangui windmills

Cape Bojeador lighthouse

Kapurpurawan white rock formation

Back to Laoag Inn

Jan 25 day 3 - Vigan

Ride bus to Vigan (2hrs)

Kalesa tour of Pagburnayan and Ruby potteries (hands-on)

Rowilda Abel Iloko weaving factory and shop (hands-on)

Heritage village Crisologo St.

Old house/museum of Padre Burgos, 

Syquia mansion (house of former pres elpidio quirino)

Back to Laoag rest at  this Inn

Jan 26 day 4 - Market

Ilocos Museum (built by bongbong marcos)

St. williams cathedral

Laoag market for food pasalubong (korniks, bagnet, 

longganisa, sukang iloko, jmb bagoong, empanada)

Marsha's deli shop (cassava cake or brownies)

Airport depart for manila

Lyn will join me until the third day but I will be all alone the last day until I go back to Laoag airport. This itinerary can change, this is just a guide it depends on the weather or some divine intervention or any matters that could happen. This trip would be more fun if more will join :) Next month is Cebu & Bohol. So there you go anyone who wants to tag along, come along or pop along the road let me know! [Photo credited from Annie Taillon]

Azkals vs CF International de Madrid charity match Typhoon Sendong victims Jan 7, 2012, 4PM at Rizal Memorial Stadium

A charity match “Dili Kamo Nag-iisa” by Azkals & Friends vs CF International de Madrid, will be done for the benefit of the Typhoon Sendong victims in Mindanao. The Celebrity Challenge will be at 2 PM while the game itself will be at 4 PM. Tickets will be available at TicketWorld starting January 2.

Ticket prices are at P533.60, P426.88, P320.16, P213.44 and P106.72 

Giant Whale Sharks at Oslob, Cebu by Daily Mail UK

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Conservationist Shawn Heinrich  shows images of 25ft giant whale sharks eaig shimps beig fed by fearless fishermen  near Oslob in the Philippines. These images showed a 'rare and exciting connection' and adds 'Typically shy of one another, the whale shark and the fishermen have formed an unusual bond of appreciation, respect and trust. These ground-breaking images capture that story.'

 To  view the rest of the images and the whole story of  In the shallows: The never-before-seen moment fishermen feed shrimp to giant whale sharks by HAND you may click here

Changes, Plans and Advocacy of this Blog 2012

“Shut this blog down Rona! You’re not gonna make more money out of it. Not many people are interested about this. Make another one and pursue your other interests like social media, internet marketing, and selling online blah, blah!”  says a fellow blogger. Two years of blogging which I rather call as posting-something-uniquely-fun-online is not a joke. I would be hypocrite if I was not quite bedazzled upon hearing the “make-more-money” stuff but then again I started this out of spur-of-the-moment passion. I cobblestone streets, capiz window shells and always intrigued about those Manila galleons that lurked hundred years ago! Yeah call me old fashioned, I won’t disagree ever!

So this 2012 I decided to make specific goals for this blog like a sailing ship in order to keep going should have a map to follow and a Captain clever enough to decide where to go to the spots that have lesser waves and when not to go too near the shore  or else… Here is my rough draft. Not really hoping by the end of this year all will be done but at least there is  something done!

1.       Trips to Historical Places

Though this blog is not really a Travel website but there is really a thin line between Travel and Heritage. Will scour Manila for some boooring errr historical places to post to remind our young generation that this decaying-slash-ugly-slash-not-given-attention-slash-again-slash-decaying-stuff is historical! Need to focus more within Manila as this author has a very tight as in spell tight work schedule.  Have some trips lined up:

                               

                                Vigan & Laoag = January

                                Cebu     = February
                                Bicol      = March

2.       Remember those boooring educational-slash-historical museums you are required to see in your school tours? You guessed it right! Will feature it because not so much of them are documented online.

3.       Local Climate Change issues  and advocacy against plastic bag use.  Nothing much to talk about it but will be soon.

4.       Random thoughts of the Author.

Noticed a good amount of positive responses and likes and comments and flattering words I receive whenever I post in my social media accounts  (I am a social media addict ssshhh!) a short anecdote, trivias, personal experiences (only the nicest ones of course)  so I will also add it here.  

Ate, Pwede Pa-picture?

 Remembered this girl walking in a park while I was taking photos of the place I  did not really notice she was standing close enough behind me saying "Ate, pwede pa-picture?"  Me:  "Oo naman, Asan Mama mo?" Then she points  her mom busy selling some kakanin from a distance.  I showed her the  photo, she become very happy after seeing her face in the camera screen. When I got home looking at a few dozen of  nonsense photos I took, this one is an exception.  

No Visa Required Countries for Filipinos Prior to Arrival

Because of so many low air fares and daily deals  to choose from, more a more Filipinos are now having ample opportunities to  travel abroad.  All  needed are passport, plane tickets / itinerary and money.  Details may change due to new law updates so always double-check the immigration rules of the country.  Here is the list :

ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)
Brunei Darussalam - 14 days
Cambodia - 21 days
Indonesia - 30 days
Laos - 30 days
Malaysia - 30 days
Singapore - 30 days
Thailand - 30 days
Vietnam - 21 days

Non- ASEAN
Azerbaijan - 30 days visa issued upon arrival for US$100
Bangladesh - 90-days visa issued upon arrival for US$50
Republic of China (Taiwan) - 30 days if holding a vaild visa for Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Schengen countries, United Kingdom or United States
Georgia - 90 days visa issued on arrival for US$10 ~ US$200
Hong Kong - 14 days
India - 30 days visa issued upon arrival
Iran - 15 days visa issued upon arrival for US$50
Israel - 90 days
South Korea (Jeju Island only) - 30 days
Macau - 30 days
Maldives - 30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Mongolia - 21 days
Nepal - 15/30/90 days visa issued upon arrival for US$25/40/100
Sri Lanka - 30 days
Timor-Leste - 30 days visa issued upon arrival for US$30

Europe
Kosovo - 90 days

Oceania
Cook Islands - 31 days
Fiji - 120 days Visitor's Permit issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Marshall Islands - 30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Federated States of Micronesia - 30 days
Niue - 30 days
Palau - 30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Samoa - 60 days Visitor's Permit issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Tuvalu - 30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Vanuatu - 30 days

North America
Bermuda - 31 days before but since May, they now require visas for Philippine passport holders
Costa Rica - 120 days Visitor's Permit issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Dominica - 30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Haiti - 30 days
Nicaragua - 30 days
Saint Kitts and Nevis - 30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Saint Lucia - 60 days Visitor's Permit issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - 30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Turks and Caicos Islands - 30 days

South America
Bolivia - 59 days
Brazil - 90 days
Colombia - 90 days
Ecuador - 90 days
Peru - 90 days
Suriname - 120 days

Africa
Burundi - visa issued upon arrival
Cape Verde - visa issued upon arrival
Comoros - A free 24 hour transit visa issued upon arrival at the airport. Within 24 hours this must be converted into a full visa at the immigration office in Moroni (fee payable)
Djibouti - 10 days visa issued upon arrival for DJF3,000; 30 days visa issued upon arrival for DJF5,000
Gambia - At port of entry passport 24-72 hour transit pass is issued. This must be converted into a full visa valid up to 1 month at the immigration department in Banjul (fee payable)
Kenya - 90 days visa issued upon arrival for US$50
Madagascar - 90 days visa issued upon arrival for MGA140,000
Morocco - 90 days
Mozambique - 30 days visa issued upon arrival for US$25
Saint Helena - visa issued upon arrival
Seychelles - 30 days
Tanzania - visa issued upon arrival for US$50
Togo - 7 days visa issued upon arrival
Uganda - 180 days visa issued upon arrival for US$50
Zambia - 90 days visa issued upon arrival for US$50


As of October 2017, Taiwan has granted Filipinos a one-year temporary visa free entry! Let's pray it will be forever. 

But then again Kabayans, why look for places where there's no visa requirement if  PH has plenty of awesome places to visit?

Source:  twentyfive via hubpages and check his original post  here

New Year Resolution 2012

While most of  our New Year Resolutions are like food diets  that only last for a month, I still think we should make one. It doesn't matter if not all happened but at least once a year we were able to  assess our own worth, weigh consequences and dream again. It is like having a feeling of may-silbi-pa-pala-ako-kahi-papaano  and kung-kaya-nila-eh-di-kaya-ko-in moments. So guys keep on  writing and dreaming!

Come what may this year! I am up to  anything good of course. Life is only once to not to try anything you may wish just because you are  so scared  to make a mistake.