May 24, 2015
I forgot to bring a jacket. The air was thick with the distinct smell of an air-conditioned vehicle. A slightly smaller yellow bus, three vans, and some private Pajeros were in front of our bus, the biggest among the rest. I took the number of vehicles as premonitions and folded […]
May 18, 2015
Blog Post Type: Summary of a City Guide Seoul is a soulful city. Like most megacities in the world, Seoul is homogeneous, peopled, and future-oriented. For a discerning traveler, you can see the many contrasts around. What makes Seoul soulful then? It is this very reality: posh cars and motorcycles […]
May 15, 2015
Hipmunk City Love/Top Cities Project Best Of Hotels Arched bridges, passageways, and quintessential houses along canals and rivers are the instant images Amsterdam conjure. For locals living in this city, it feels like being a detail in a painting. For the visiting nonlocals, it feels like looking at a living […]
April 21, 2015
Cruising magazine published my photo essay on my encounter with the phenomenal Whang Od. The essay, just about 700 words, was hard to write especially I already wrote an exhaustive essay on Whang Od and Her Village. To read the whole essay, you can buy Cruising #GoingPlaces at any bookstores […]
April 18, 2015
Anaheim – Hipmunk City Love/Top Cities Summary of a City Guide Blog Post #3 Anaheim’s image has long been judged as the home of Mickey Mouse and his cohorts, where everyone wears the brightest smile and the most colorful costumes. But Orange County is more than Disneyland. The real OC […]
March 17, 2015
At this very moment, I am on a slow ship to Iloilo. It is quarter to eleven in the evening, and surprisingly the Internet connection still looks good. The last real entry on this blog was my narrative on “Whang Od and Her Village” that saw print on Sunstar last month. […]
February 23, 2015
Blog Post Type: Planning a Trip to a CityIf Paris is a movie, undoubtedly it is a love story. You may deny it, but it sometimes crosses your mind that you play the leading role, and Paris is your beautiful partner in everything you long to do.Such romance can be […]
February 12, 2015
A small city like Singapore risks being judged as dull and predictable. Sure, its sleek high rises like Marina Bay Sands can awe people for its architectural delight, especially at night. But what else can a tiny, highly urbanized city offer visitors? Contrary to popular opinion, small cities have charms that big […]
February 5, 2015
You have been warned: Singapore City, unlike its neighboring Asian cities, can cause fatal damage to your travel fund, especially if you are set to travel long-term. It is expected that a city as neat, organized, and safe as Singapore, a complete opposite of its neighbors, comes with a price. […]
April 25, 2014
Ka Bino Guerrero: Profile Essay He wore a fusion of the new and the old: a white barong, jeans, and black shoes. With his cane and native hat, he looked like a gallant sage. When I asked him to find a position he was most comfortable, it did not take […]
April 24, 2014
In Batad, the village shaman can predict the couple’s future using a chicken liver. He can read the liver’s veins and interpret them. Yes, the couple’s love and future are at the mercy of the liver. I met a couple then—an environmentalist Filipina and an Italian cook—who suggested they would […]
April 8, 2014
A Travel Guide to Anawangin Cove and Capones Island, Zambales How to Get There From Pasay or Sampaloc, ride a bus bound for Iba, Zambales. Inform the teller, you are dropping off at San Antonio, Zambales; or else, he/she will charge the full fare for Iba. Via NLEx, time travel […]