Five Days in Region Five - Part One

Spent five awesome days in the Bicol Region with my friends last May. It was my first time stepping foot in Bicol so I am proud to say that I am not a Bicol noob anymore. Haha. Anyway, I will divide my Bicol travelogue into four parts per province since I have lots of photos to share

Day 1: Legazpi, Albay

Traveled with Suzette to their hometown, Iriga City, Camarines Sur to freshen up after a ten hour bus ride then left immediately for Legazpi, Albay where we will be meeting up with our friend, Kei. Since we still have a lot of time in our hands, we had a mini-tour of the place. I finally got to see the Cagsawa Church ruins in all its glory, because I only saw it on photos of our old Sibika at Kultura books in my elementary and high school days. We also visited Ligñon Hill, Embarcadero de Legazpi, Albay Provincial Capitol, and ate at the First Colonial Grill where I got a taste of the famous sili ice cream, and at Zoe's Kitchen.

Sili Ice Cream Level 1

Cagsawa Bell Tower

Me, Suzette and Kei

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Also, I'm extending my year of travel. Apparently, I'm too malas with my life choices. Lol. Won't expound on it here. And since I have a lot of time in my hands again, I will finally get to write that Bicol travelogue that I kept putting off for the past months. Oh, I will also get to write about my DIY 6 days, 5 nights Hong Kong and Macau trip while I'm at it.

See ya!

Rants of A Space Dork

 

Today saw the greatest news for dorks like me. NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has now reached Pluto after being launched in 1999 at Cape Canaveral, FL. 

 As a pre-pubescent child, I developed an interest in astronomy since our science class in elementary school required us to read on our own. Even outside our science class, I tried to read on it as much as I can because I was so fascinated about the fact that the universe is so vast and that there might be other planets with life forms that are not discovered yet. I was in fifth grade when I first learned how to use star maps and planet charts on my own. I used my dad's nautical navigation book by Nathaniel Bowditch for that. Though it was too complex for my eleven-year old brain to digest, I got the hang of it through practice and constantly pestering my dad. Haha. It was my proudest moment when I found the North Star using Bowditch's charts. Sometimes my younger sister, Chamu and younger brother, Peng would come with me to the roof of our workers' kitchen to watch the night sky, find the constellations and wait for the planets to appear. We would strain our eyes so we can see Uranus, Neptune and Pluto but daddy said that those three are the most difficult to spot by the naked eye. 

If we're not having financial difficulty at that time, I would've asked my dad to buy me a telescope. I have a classmate whose dad owns a telescope and I'm envious of her because she already saw Mars, Jupiter, its red dot and some of its moons; Saturn and its rings. She graciously invited us to come but the best time to see the planets would be in the wee hours of the night and we're not allowed to be out at those times. Sleepovers are rarely heard of in the mountains that I am living in. Hrhr. 

In high school, I still watched the night sky but eventually stopped as school work increased. Though I haven't used a star chart in a long time, whenever I look up the sky and see the stars, constellations, and the familiar glow of the planets, it felt like I saw my old friends again. 

And that is the reason why I love everything with stars and anything star-shaped. 

But nowadays, thanks to the internet, I now have the means to know the latest about astronomy. I got thrilled about discoveries of new planets, got bewildered when Pluto wasn't considered a planet because it made me feel like my childhood was a lie (LOL), got to see photos of Mars, and many others. However, this breakthrough in Pluto excited me most because after being dismissed as a planet, it will hopefully bounce back to planethood (if there is such a word) with a bang. It was also exciting because this is the chance for us to know more about Pluto since we know little about this planet. I'll stay tuned for more news. I can't wait for more information about its five moons, particularly Charon, Styx and Kerberos. Sana hindi lang sila alikabok sa Kuiper Belt. Hihi. 

Photo from 9gag.

Sagada Side Trip

Since the medical mission was a success, we asked the dean if we could drop by Sagada, since we're already there in Mountain Province anyway. Originally, I was planning to join a tour and a coffee walk in Sagada on the same dates that we went there. But an article at spot.ph regarding the huge crowd at Kiltepan Peak made me veer away from it. So our goal for that day is to have a glimpse of Sagada.

Sagada is about an hour away from Bauko. The view on the way to Sagada is freaking amazing. 

We didn't go around that much because our time is very limited. We just checked our Ganduyan Museum (but it was closed), St Mary's Episcopal Church, and the nearby stalls.

Batch Love!

Inside the St Mary's Chapel

Outside the Ganduyan Museum

Although they said that Sagada is sagad na, I would like to come back and check everything out. After all, I won't be there just to make hugot. I-sked na yan! *smirks*

Med Mission Up North

As part of the Bedan Family, we were invited to join a medical mission by San Beda College in Sitio Pactil, Brgy. Sadsadan, Bauko, Mountain Province. I took the opportunity because I was 1. free that weekend 2. that my friends are coming over too and 3. I want to do something meaningful with my life.

It was like a reunion of sorts because my former professors and upperclassmen were there too. Medyo nakakapanibago because they were already treating us as colleagues but I still feel like I'm their student. Haha. I also got to meet the clerks (a.k.a. Kiddielets), along with students and faculty from other colleges.

Who knew that even if it was work, I can tick items off my bucket list. Mrhrhr.

Me at Halsema Highway.
Seeing the highest point of the Philippine Highway System: DONE

As soon as we arrived, we freshened up a bit then went to Sitio Pactil for an ocular survey. We were told by Father that Sitio Pactil was tagged as "mini-Switzerland" by Swiss visitors who once went to the area. I've never been to Switzerland so that sounded like a treat to me. As we went around the area, this is what we saw:

View from the back of the Holy Family Chapel compound

Vietnam Food Trip

Out of the three countries that I have visited in this trip, I enjoyed Vietnam so much because of the food. I mean, come on, it's hard to miss because every nook and cranny in Ho Chi Minh City has a roadside stall that serves food and drink. Take note, these stalls don't serve the same thing because each stall has its own specialty. Although I also enjoyed Thai food as well, having Vietnamese food gave me warm and fuzzy feelings. Haha. To further diversify my choices, I did not limit myself to roadside stalls because I ate at restaurants too.

In jest, I forgot to take photos of some of the stuff I ate. Here are some of my personal favorites:

Bun cha from a shop in Bui Vien Street named, well, Bun Cha
(55,000 VND = 2.50 USD = 113 PHP)

Bun cha is a Northern Vietnamese specialty which became my instant favorite-slash-pho substitute. It is a beef patty with rice noodles on the side. To eat it, you have to dunk the noodles on the sauce that is served along the beef patty. It's up to you if you'll also dip the veggies on the sauce or it eat separately. Other great Northern Vietnamese dishes are also served in Bun Cha, located along Bui Vien Street.

Grilled scallops with kaffir lime dip from a stall in Bui Vien Street
(120,000 VND = 5.50 USD = 247 PHP)

Scallops for 247 bucks? I kid you not. It's best paired with Saigon Bia. Sarap!

Barbecued pork from a Ben Thanh Market stall 
(55,000 VND = 2.50 USD = 113 PHP)

After attending a Vietnamese mass in Notre Dame, we passed along Ben Thanh Market on the way back to the hotel. We asked for the bestseller and the server pointed to the barbecued pork on the menu. It didn't disappoint. Although it was expensive (since Ben Thanh is technically a tourist spot), it was so worth it. Even the dip is heavenly.

Fresh spring rolls at a hostel restaurant along Bui Vien Street
(35,000 VND = 1.60 USD = 72 PHP)

Vietnam is popular for their spring rolls so what is a trip to Vietnam without even trying the real thing? I tried both the fresh and fried versions and it's really good. It's actually way better than those being served at popular Manila-based Vietnamese restaurants.

I failed to take photos of banh mi, banh xeo, and the mothership of Vietnamese cuisine, pho. After this trip, my standards for Vietnamese food in the Philippines skyrocketed. Haha. But yeah, seriously speaking, this is one of the best food trips that I have ever done. I personally recommend a food walk for foodies who will go to Ho Chi Minh City.

What other Vietnamese dishes have you tried? Let me know in the comments section below. :)

Here We Come, Ho Chi Minh!

What's cool about traveling in continental Asia is that it makes it easier for us to travel overland, from one country to the next. I first had a taste of overland travel when my Ate Richie and I went to Malaysia, coming from Singapore. The thrill of crossing borders didn't escape me since then.

After the trip around Phnom Penh, it was high time that I leave the hotel for the Mekong Express Bus Station. It was a different experience from the Mekong Express bus ride from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh as you have to pre-register your passport at the bus station. But after that, everything went smoothly because the bus conductor would be the one to submit your passport to the immigration officers and all you have to do is wait. It was a very long ride from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh. We even had to cross the Mekong River via a ferry boat to get to the border.  

Well hello there, Mekong River!

Eight hours later, I'm in Ho Chi Minh, baby!

The park along Pham Ngu Lao Street

Checked in at Golden Wind Hotel in District 1 as soon as we arrived. District 1 is known as the backpacker district of Ho Chi Minh and everything is inexpensive here. One disadvantage though, is that it's a long walk going to the major attractions of the city. But I didn't care because I'm used to walking anyway.

I'm not going to say much about our itinerary but I'm just going to enumerate the places that you must visit in Ho Chi Minh. I have to warn you that I'm a museum connoisseur so expect to get a nerdy must-visit list from me. 

1. War Remnants Museum - I enjoyed this museum although the Agent Orange section broke my heart. It's like the feelings from Tuol Sleng resurfaced. But all in all, this place made me admire the resilience of the Vietnamese and the indomitable spirit of President Ho Chi Minh.

2. Reunification Palace - The ultimate soshala place in town. My personal favorites are the banquet halls and movie theater.

Other tourists

Discovering the Ruins of Ayutthaya

I'm so sorry that I am interrupting the flow of my Indochina travelogue but I just realized that forgot to immortalize my Ayutthaya side trip on this blog. Haha. 

Anyway, after the exhausting first day that was dedicated to a walking tour of Bangkok, I opted to do a side trip in Ayutthaya. Based from my research, it used to be the capital of Ancient Thailand and that its ruins are pretty interesting. In order to save time and effort, I utilized the service of a travel agency. Oh yes, I booked a tour for THB600, which includes lunch.

Left Rambuttri at about 6AM and arrived at Ayutthaya at 8:15AM. Traffic was bad but we got there in time because our driver felt the need for speed. Hrhr. Our first stop was Wat Yai Chai Mongkol, which is a Buddhist temple with Khmer influences.

The ruins and buddhas of Wat Yai Chai Mongkol

Buddha garden over the remains of the vihara

Pics or it didn't happen :))

Next stop is the ruins of Wat Mahathat. According to our tour guide, this is one of the grandest temples in Ayutthaya that may be likened to Angkor Wat. However, he admitted that Wat Mahathat isn't as grand as Angkor Wat.

Y U DO THIS TO ME, Phnom Penh?

After our Siem Reap sojourn, the next stop is in Cambodia's capital city, Phnom Penh. As it is my first time to be there, I did my homework and tried to read on the places to visit there. Honestly speaking, there is nothing much to see if you aren't a temple aficionado or a history buff. Since I'm a nerdy traveler and was told that what you learned about Ancient Cambodia would somehow coincide with the main attractions in Phnom Penh, I gave it a go.

Arrived at Phnom Penh at 3 PM, after an 8-hour bus ride from Siem Reap. The plan was to stay overnight only so roaming around the city center is the most sensible thing to do. Took a one hour break because my fat arse seemed to have developed its own pulse rate during the course of the travel. Lol. Here are some of the things that you can see during a walking tour in the city center.

Royal Palace facade

The Royal Palace was already closed when I decided to come out. Hrhr.

Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Memorial

Angkor Wat Feels

Watching Discovery Channel and National Geographic documentaries with my dad while growing up is what sparked my desire to visit Cambodia. I remember that Ancient Megastructures episode that showcased the construction of Angkor Wat, leaving me in awe at how the rocks from Khulen Mountain were transported by manual labor for almost three decades. Not to mention my fascination with the ancient Cambodian customs and the grandiosity of ancient Cambodia. It was that moment that I promised myself that someday I will come to Cambodia and see the Angkor Wat for myself.

After too much drama and overthinking, the time has finally come to fulfill this nerdy childhood dream.

Joining a tour group is the most convenient and practical way to lessen the expenses. Our tour group was supervised by the awesome Mr. Chenla Mao. We were fetched by the van at 5:00am sharp so that we can get purchase our passes in order for us to watch the sunrise above the Angkor Wat. There are different kinds of passes that are good for one to seven days. I got the one day pass for US $20. When you purchase your pass, your photo will be taken and it's going to be printed on the card. Make sure to keep your pass in a safe place because you wouldn't want to lose it. Some temples require showing the guards your pass before going in.

When I saw the silhouette of the Angkor Wat gate, I had to fight the urge to scream "#%*@&$! ETO NAAAA!!!!" Hahaha. There were already many tourists so I had to look for a suitable spot and outmaneuver them so their heads won't block my view. Chenla couldn't have picked a better spot because this is a sight to behold:

Angkor Wat sunrise y'all!

FYI: I had to crawl at the edge of the muddy/swampy area to get this shot. Look Ma, no tourist heads! Haha.

I would recommend hiring a tour guide for this trip. It is nice to have someone explain something that you're looking at. And besides, the complex is huge so you wouldn't know which one to go to first unless you've extensively read on it and have built your own itinerary.

For the most part, we explored the temples within Angkor Thom City. My personal favorites are Bayon Temple and Ta Prohm, also known as the Tomb Raider Temple. When you look at it, you might say to yourself that "Duh, they all look the same" but it is fascinating to know that each temple within Angkor Thom City has different influences. 

Siem Reap Adventure Begins!

Some insights, tricks and tips from the Siem Reap leg of my short backpacking adventure.

Coming from Bangkok, I left for the Aranyaprathet-Rongklua border at about 5am since it would take us about 3-4 hours to get there. But the mini-van driver who drives really fast did a record of only two hours. Phew! From the drop off point, you have to walk across the border to the immigration counters.

Border crossing!

Getting through immigration is a breeze because Filipinos and other Southeast Asian nationals are not required to have a visa in order to enter the border, which is part of an agreement of the ASEAN. After my passport was stamped and my photo was taken, I am good to go!

However, it is still a four-hour bus ride away from Poipet to Siem Reap. A major portion of the road is newly cemented but the other parts remains to be a dirt road as it awaits to be developed. Make sure to cover your noses when you pass through the dirt road, especially for those who have allergic rhinitis  because the dust can get inside the bus.

The Cambodian countryside is a quiet place with only a few establishments lined up on the street. I checked-in at the Bou Savy Guesthouse, the only budget friendly place that I know so far to have a swimming pool. Actually, I wasn't even aware that they have a pool in the first place. Hrhr. They have a foreign exchange counter with fair rates. 

View from the balcony

Bangkok In A Day

I said that I wanted to travel, so I did. Ladies and gentlemen, here is the culmination of a few months worth of drama. HAHAHA.

I stayed at Rambuttri-House, a guest house in Rambuttri Road, a street that's a few minutes walk from the wildly popular Khao San Road. I arrived at Bangkok at around midnight so there was nothing much to see, except the nightlife. Given the fact that our flight was delayed, I opted to rest because there would be a walkathon in the morning as we would be visiting the Grand Palace complex and the surrounding wat (temples) in the area.

Reading up on the places to visit is a must so you can appreciate the place even more and that you will have an idea on the ticket prices, rules, etc. I believe that forewarned is forearmed. I got up early and set off to the Grand Palace, which is about an 8 minute walk from Rambuttri Road. Tickets cost 400 baht. The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is one of the most sacred sites in Thailand so please wear appropriate clothing.

But having low tolerance for extremely large crowds, I did not appreciate the Grand Palace that much due to the slow human traffic secondary to picture-taking. As much as possible, I tried to avoid the general direction where people are going. Despite that, I have to admit that the structures are impressive and breath-taking.

Sights and Sounds of Baler

Baler is known as the birthplace of surfing in the Philippines. But there is more to surfing that this quaint town can offer. Here are some examples:

Ermita Hill

Millennium Tree

Museo de Baler

I'd Go Anywhere For You

You are my fire...the one desire.

-sabi ko sa Backstreet Boys in Manila ticket 

OH YAAAAAASSSS!

I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR THE LONGEST TIME. HUHUHUHU. Panic ensued when I couldn't access the SM Tickets website last night. I almost teared up while buying these tickets a while ago and the ticket lady at SM had to comment while stifling a laugh "Favorite mo pala talaga sila ma'am." I never knew that this moment would come that I'd get to see all five of them. And that's why it has to have a separate post. Haha. 

I think I have to prepare 100 rolls of tissue paper because I'm about to tear up because of the extreme Backstreet Boys splendor on May 5. 

Perks of Taking A Year Off

If you've read my rants and drowned in some drama from my previous posts, you'd know that I've always wanted to visit many places. As part of my gap year, I intend to do a little backpacking around Asia. I actually want to close the Indochina loop in one go but I still have to do research on Laos and Burma because those countries are the road less traveled for Pinoys. 

Since my parents do not really ask me to contribute for household expenses, I have managed to save up for this to become a reality. I still give my contribution for the expenses (it gives me the feeling that I'm actually useful. Haha) but I stopped buying shoes, clothes and accessories on impulse and I did not upgrade all of my gadgets even though I had the capacity to do so.

From there I realized that I do not need an upgraded lifestyle just because I have the money (I'll talk about that on a separate post). And because of that, I'm ticking an item off my bucketlist. 

Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, here I come! *wide grin*

Change Status

I have recently discovered that I am more of an introvert and I opt to live in peace and quiet. Or maybe I  just realize I'm getting old? Haha.

I could say that people started treating me differently after I have passed the board exams. Before, I was basically an unknown figure in our village probably because I was based in Manila for five whole years. But after last year's whole "I'm tired" brouhaha that sent me packing back to Laguna, most of the people I encounter while walking is addressing me as "doc". Despite my urge to run back inside our house, I smile back then make a mental note to ask my mom about who those people are.

Ever since I started working at a hospital near our village, there has been instances when random people come knocking at our door and come up with requests. Requests may be as mundane as asking for prescriptions for medications from me without the proper assessment to the vague as someone asking me to be a guarantor of their hospital bill.

Sometimes my mom would also refer to me as doc whenever she talks about me. I often tell her to cut it out because I feel like I'm being alienated from the rest of my family. 

Please, you guys, I'm still the same old KC so don't treat me any differently.

What The Craft!

Other than being a pseudo-wanderer, doing arts and crafts is also a thing that I want to do on my gap year. I've been using Pinterest a lot for inspiration. But I think the gods of arts and crafts hate me because I can't seem to have a decent outcome. Hahaha.

But then I thought of those adorable floral crowns that are a music festival staple. At my age, I don't think wearing a floral crown to work is appropriate so I decided to make a floral barrette instead, since I have old barrettes lying around the house and I like hair accessories as well.

Materials:

• Barrette
• Craft flowers of your preferred color -- I bought mine at a local store, SME. You can also get it at a cheaper price from Divisoria
• Beads (optional) -- I only used it as fillers to some areas that looked bare. I got mine from my Ate Richie's remaining bead stash
• Glue gun (optional)

Procedure:
Draft the placement of the flowers on the barrette. Once you're happy with your design, you can now start attaching the flowers using the glue gun. As for my barrette, I didn't use hot glue on it because the stem of the flowers is made out of wire so a few twists made it secure enough not to fall off.

Here is the finished product:

Flower Power, y'all!

YAY, I NOW HAVE SOMETHING TO CALL A TALENT. LOL.

Right now I'm working on a hair comb but I ran out of craft flowers. Will post a photo of it soon. :)

Kicking Off The New Year in Cintai

Staying true to my "bakasyon grande before residency" motto, I kicked off the new year with a trip to the hidden paradise of Cintai Corito's Garden in Batangas. I've been meaning to go there for a while but there has been many setbacks and this time I won't let even the cold weather stop me. Haha.

Cintai Corito's Garden is a Balinese inspired resort and farm located in Balete, Batangas. It's a refreshing concept, actually. It's the only place that I know of which showcases Balinese art and architecture. Cintai is an Indonesian word for "love". The back story of this place is also nice because this place is made with love out of love. Check out this excerpt from their site:

The Garden started out as an ordinary private family rest house that the family visited every weekend. In 2005 however, their mother Corito was diagnosed with a terminal disease. To help her recuperate from treatment, the family often brought her to the garden because the place made her relax and temporarily forget her sickness. Two years later, Corito finally succumbed to her illness. Her husband together with his 4 children then decided to focus all their efforts into making the garden a paradise since she loved the place so much. They wanted the beautiful memories they shared there to live on thus the creation of Cintai…love for their mother and love for his wife.

Just look at the magnificent design of this place: 

My mom, my brother and I took the day trip. We left Laguna at around 6:30am and arrived at Cintai at around 8am, just in time for check in. It was freezing cold so we didn't get to swim. Anyway, mommy and I took the liberty to explore the property. We were left in awe at how the designs were made intricately, down to the last detail.

The place is well taken cared of. The facilities are very clean, especially the shower rooms and the changing rooms. I was delighted to see that the shower rooms are very clean and spacious. Muy bien! 

As for the food, it was good although I was a bit surprised because we were served Filipino food. Being an Indonesian themed property, I was expecting Indonesian dishes to be served. But that's fine with me. The food does not disappoint because it was really good. The chicken tinola is divine and the servings are huge so that's enough to keep everyone filled.

I'm also happy with the efficient service of the staff. Everyone greets you with a smile and is so courteous enough that it makes you feel at home. I would definitely come back to this place.

Pardon my photos for I am still too lazy to edit it. Hehe.

For those interested, Cintai Corito’s Garden is located at Sitio Pandayan, Malabanan Balete, Batangas. We got there using this neat map I got off the Cintai Facebook page

For more information, you can visit their website at coritosgarden.com or you can contact them at +639178331508.