JP Travel and Tours

Ice Giants in Davao

2011-04-24T16:07:00.001+08:00

After being so bored while staying here in Davao for few days, I asked my sister to accompany me going out. Maybe this is the effect of too much free time. Another problem is I'm a little bit tied up on the budget since my parents slashed my allowance to as much as 80% explaining that I don't need it since I have no class. Well, how could I complain? My food is free and other necessities are also provided so I could not really complain about it.

My sister told me that she wants to go to a place where she and her boyfriend had been meaning to go but have not had the opportunity to visit the place. And so at 8 o'clock in the evening, we went out into not so cold night. The place is called ICE GIANTS located in Sta. Ana Avenue. It's the street just beside the Davao Mental Hospital and near the Gaisano Mall.

The waiter at the door volunteered to take our pic. He said the pic was great. Uhmmm ok...

Plazuela de Iloilo, Iloilo City

2011-03-11T19:09:00.001+08:00

After several years or even decades of dormancy, it seems that Iloilo City is roaring back again. Buoyed by the establishment of a coal-fired power plant within the city and electric power continuously supplied 24/7 without fail, several business has sprouted all throughout the city like mushrooms on the field.

Found just adjacent to SM City Iloilo in Mandurriao is another mall called Plazuela de Iloilo, constructed and owned by Dr. Florete.

Not Too Late to be Early

2011-01-15T23:03:00.001+08:00

When we went around Cebu City just few hours after my flight going home to Davao, I never imagined that I will be making the greatest mistake of my life which I will dread for days.

We went to the Magelan's Cross, before this visit I only get to see the cross in pictures and elementary books but now I am posing under it. The actual cross is not there anymore or is it? The cross that we see is actually a container of the actual original cross. I could imagine that the original one is already rotting away after all these years.

Bohol in Focus

2011-01-15T17:50:00.002+08:00

Last Chrismas break, I had the opportunity to explore Bohol and Cebu at the same time. We had been requested by the local government unit of Calape in Bohol to host and conduct a medical-surgical mission. As a bit of information, I happen to be a member of an organization of doctors and would be doctors that conducts medical consultations and do circumcisions as an outreach and as a service to the community.

And so, from Iloilo City, we had a ferry ride going to Cebu. It usually costs about P600 for a tourist accommodation in Cokaliong but we thought of saving enough in order for us to enjoy our trip in Cebu and Bohol and so we took the lower promo fare of P500 for an Economy accommodation. Ferry trips going from Iloilo to Cebu are scheduled every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Departure is at 7 in the evening and we are set to arrive at 7 in the morning of the next day. The ferry is pretty much on time, so far so good.

Arriving in Pier 1 at Cebu, we proceeded to the terminal still in Pier 1 in order to check in for the ferry ride going to Bohol. Some of our colleagues have arrived a day before us and bought tickets for us. We are headed to Tagbilaran. The tickets for Ocean jet cost us P800 but a classmate of ours tipped us that there is another route which is from Cebu to Tubigon (that is in Bohol) which is cheaper costing about P150 only. He said that it's also a fastcraft but a little bit loose on the exterior. The trip is about an hour and a half so it's good if you prepare for a sleep or an ipod for music. Don't worry if you rode in Oceanjet though, they provide entertainment through TV with cheap movies. Hehehe.

After a long long ride from Iloilo to Cebu to Bohol, we have finally arrived!!

Top 10 Secluded U.S. Beaches

2010-07-28T17:54:00.003+08:00

Stir solitude into the mix of sun, surf, and sand for a rejuvenating vacation at one of these secluded U.S. beaches

By ShermansTravel Editorial Staff

Enderts Beach, California

Flickr/Darius Capulet

Seeking out sun, surf, and sand is an easy enough task, but is it possible to stir seclusion into the mix, too? Our editors say “shore”! We’ve dug deep into our arsenal of secret sands to present our top picks for secluded U.S. beaches, where quiet coasts invite in-the-know sunbathers to savor their relative solitude. Sure, some of these destinations are fairly remote (some even require off-the-path travel to offshore islets), but some of the most isolated shores are right under beachgoers’ noses, in popular stateside spots like Florida, California, and Hawaii. You’ll just have to plan a visit soon – while these semi-private sands remain undiscovered for the moment, the cat’s officially out of the bag.

World's Top Adventure Trips

2010-07-23T17:15:00.004+08:00

We’re living in a golden age of adventure. Never have there been so many people who want to see and experience the farthest corners of the world, and never have there been so many adventure-tour companies, of such high caliber, offering such a wide range of destinations and activities.

Adventure isn’t just about escaping into the wild, of course. It’s about engaging and committing yourself no matter what you’re doing. “People today have the mind-set of wanting to master things,” says Keith Walden of Virtuoso, a network of luxury travel agencies. “They want to go and dive in and learn and be hands-on.”

While the ongoing financial meltdown may have temporarily taken the wind out of adventure travel’s sails, the state of uncertainty only makes the quest for adventure all the more relevant. As I write in my new book, Extreme Fear, times of crisis have a way of deepening our sense of connection and purpose. After all, as far as we may travel, the real destination lies inside.

America's Great Wilderness Spots

2010-03-22T19:40:00.001+08:00

The U.S. has millions of acres of protected public lands. These are among the most beautiful — and isolated.

By Scott Bowen

Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex

Heath Korvola/Getty Images

True escape from city life doesn't have to mean a trip outside the U.S. Inside America's borders are some of the most remote, pristine spots on the planet.

The U.S. has more than 100 million acres of the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS), public lands that — since the 1964 passage of the Wilderness Act--are protected from human influence and disruption. For the outdoorsy traveler looking for remoteness, solitude and a sense of nature, Wilderness areas offer all these things in abundance.

To highlight some of America's best wilderness areas, we generated a list based on two criteria: The wilderness areas had to be either the most sizable, acreage-wise, in their given region, or they had to offer something truly unique unto themselves.

World's Most Beautiful Cities

2010-02-03T19:28:00.001+08:00

Tight streets, a famous university and glimpses of parks, commons and courtyards dominate Cambridge, England. North of London, the city is accentuated by the River Cam and buildings both new and old, such as historic King's College Chapel and Cambridge University's modern Centre for Mathematical Sciences.

Larger cities are often just as beautiful. Tokyo, home to 50-story high-rises and traditional villas, is a favorite of Amanda Reynolds, member of the U.K.'s Urban Design Group, a collaborative body of architects, landscape architects and urban planners. But it's not just Tokyo's architecture that typifies its beauty. The city has a sense of structure and order as people smile and bow to each other, yet it explodes with energy as the narrow streets come to life with neon lighting after dark, she says.

Five of the World's Most Beautiful Cities:

1. Paris

2. San Francisco

3. Sydney

4. Florence

5. Cape Town

Have Miles but Can't Get a Seat? How to Snare One

2010-01-17T11:06:00.001+08:00

by Scott McCartney
Thursday, January 14, 2010

provided by

Even though recession-weary consumers may want to cash in frequent-flier miles to get free trips and upgrades more than ever these days, it's gotten harder to snare those awards.

Continental Airlines, the only U.S. airline to report award redemptions monthly, says awards and upgrades claimed in its frequent-flier program were down 20% in the first 10 months of 2009 compared to the same months of 2008.

And this year may be even tougher. Since airlines aggressively reduced capacity through the economic downturn, they've filled flights fuller with paying customers and appear to have reduced availability of award seats and upgrades. As the economy picks up, passenger demand for seats will get tighter.

Best Times to Book Your 2010 Summer Vacation

2010-01-17T11:01:00.001+08:00

By Christine Sarkis, SmarterTravel.com Staff

The post-holiday, early-winter doldrums provide an ideal time to start daydreaming about summer vacation. Whether that means a camping trip in a national park, some serious beach time, or a European jaunt, timing is everything when it comes to finding the best deals and availability.

But is booking early always the right approach? Here's the rundown on when and why to book summer cruises, vacation rentals, and trips to Europe and national parks.

Machu Picchu, Barcelona church on threatened list

2009-10-07T21:06:00.002+08:00

By KAREN MATTHEWS, Associated Press Writer Karen Matthews, Associated Press Writer – Tue Oct 6, 11:49 am ET

NEW YORK – Peru's Machu Picchu ancient ruins, Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona and a New Orleans elementary school are among the cultural heritage sites threatened by neglect or overdevelopment, a preservationist group said Tuesday.

The World Monuments Fund's watch list for 2010 includes 93 sites in 47 countries, ranging from Phajoding, a remote monastery in Bhutan, to the bridges along Connecticut's scenic Merritt Parkway.

"The 2010 watch makes it clear that cultural heritage efforts in the 21st century must recognize the critical importance of sustainable stewardship and that we must work closely with local partners to create viable and appropriate opportunities to advance this," World Monuments Fund President Bonnie Burnham said.

The monuments fund, dedicated to saving important landmarks around the world, said a new underground rail line in Barcelona will run perilously close to Gaudi's masterpiece, which was designed as an 18-tower church telling the tale of the Holy Family and has been under construction since the 1880s.

‘Hidden Paradise’ in Cebu Lures Visitors

2009-03-14T18:59:00.002+08:00

CEBU CITY -- A mountain resort in southwestern Cebu is fast becoming a destination of tourists looking for a place far from the hassles of city life.
The P30-million Hidden Valley Resort lies on a 12-hectare hillside property in a secluded valley in Barangay Lamac, Pinamungajan town. The “hidden paradise” is a favorite venue for retreats, meetings, conferences, reunions, outings and even honeymoons.
While most resorts are owned by the rich, Hidden Valley is owned and managed by the Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LMPC).
The resort and the amenities that the villagers now enjoy were nonexistent 40 years ago.

‘Paraw’: More than just an Ilonggo Sailboat

2009-03-14T18:55:00.004+08:00

ILOILO CITY – Fisherman Jayde Pauchano Sr. and his crew were racing the paraw in the Iloilo Strait toward Bundolan Point when tragedy suddenly struck. The wind and waves became rough, toppling the native boat’s mast and flipping it to its side.
Fortunately, a motorized boat with journalists on board was around to pluck the four crewmen out of the waters. The paraw was later put up and towed to safety, with Pauchano staying to guide it.
Luck refused to abandon Pauchano that day of Feb. 22. His other boat, 2 Angels, won over 74 participants in the 23.8-kilometer Paraw Regatta Sailboat Race from Sto. NiÒo Sur Arevalo in Iloilo City to Bundolan.
The city holds the Paraw Regatta Festival yearly to recognize the creativity of the Ilonggo people in paraw-building. “We have been doing this for the last 37 years. It has been like a community bonding already,” said Edwin Trompeta, regional director of the Department of Tourism.
Since the Spanish times, paraw-building has been a tradition for the Ilonggo people, known to be shipbuilders and seafarers. They have used the boat not only as a means of transportation but also as a source of livelihood.
Distinct character
Pauchano, 61, has joined the Paraw Regatta since 1973. His father taught him how to build the boat when he was a child – a craft that the fisherman eventually perfected by creating the double outrigger boats.
The paraw is built from a carved keelson or a long beam of wood connected to the floor of the boat with plywood planking for the sides. The hull is pointed at both front and back ends.
Measuring 31 m long and 30 m high, the boat’s distinct feature is its slim hull with a length-to-beam ratio of 20 to 1. To stabilize the vessel, it is fitted with outrigger floats made of bamboo.
Its sails are originally made from woven matting, but nowadays, they are stitched up from synthetic awning materials. The forward sail or layag knives the wind as fast as 20 to 30 nautical miles per hour.
Like Pauchano, Cesar Engallado believes that boat-building is in his blood. “My father was the one who actually made the paraw and he just taught me how,” Engallado said in Filipino.
A veteran regatta participant, Engallado loves to gaze at his most prized possession as it gently sways to the rhythm of the wind. He needed at least P30,000 to build the boat. “We buy the materials one piece at a time,” he said.
Joining the race has become a lifelong hobby for him. He started participating when he was 5 years old.
For Pauchano, the paraw is not only a sport but also a means to feed his family of 12. During off-season, he uses a smaller boat to catch fish.
“Sometimes, we catch eight kilos of fish, but at times, we only have two kilos,” he said. He earns a meager amount of P200 to P800 per catch, but has managed to send his children to college.
The paraw also helps ease the burden of day-to-day life, Engallado said. “It helps us forget our problems in life especially when we win.”
He had earlier worked as a checker in a brokerage firm in Parañaque City, but when the firm closed due to financial difficulties, he decided to return to Iloilo and build the paraw instead.
Today, Engallado, 42, alternates fishing and baking in a bread shop in Guimaras so he could keep his boat. “This has been a tradition for us. The paraw is already a part of our lives,” he said.
Fishermen like Pauchano still prefer the paraw over the motorized ones. “The paraw is faster,” he said.
Wind power
The sailboat is considered economical and environmentally friendly since it only needs the wind to propel it. After all, Iloilo is where two winds converge.
With the theme, “Sailing the High Seas, Mooring for More,” the Paraw Regatta Sailboat Race was the highlight of the four-day festivities in the city. The winning boat received P14,000 in cash prize.
More than the money, Rene Cortum, tourist operational officer, said “others joined because they enjoyed it and they really wanted to support Iloilo.”
Last year’s race attracted 40,749 tourist visitors, mostly Koreans.
For Pauchano and Engallado, the paraw is not only a boat but a symbol of a rich heritage of craftsmanship and ingenuity.
Vanessa Hidalgo, Visayas Bureau, www.inquirer.net

Party Places of Davao City...

2009-02-25T00:03:00.006+08:00

Hmmm....I could never deny that I am a party animal Davao City have not been an exception to my cravings to discover new places to hang out in. I have never been to all the party scenes favorites but I could definitely site a few examples that might interest the imaginations of some especially those who are party people like me.

Rizal Promenade...
This all for one vicinity right in the middle of the heart of Davao is definitely a must see for party goers as bars are aligned side by side, definitely fitting the trip for Bar Hopping. Indeed there could never be a perfect place for Yuppies who prefer to meet people in a more intimate manner than any other place in Davao. Sighting some examples are Yukeme and 183 Bar. Some friends will actually discourage one to go here for certain reasons that this place is for "Masses" and would easily fit the term 'cheap' for the so-called 'class' indiviuals. Of course, I could always say that a true classy person are the ones who go to cheap places but still act decent. It's your attitude man! Or should I say, Girl! Hehehe

Torres...
Torres is actually a street in Davao comparable to Smallville in Iloilo where bars are in the some place but in a much bigger venue than Rizal Promenade. There are actually more space fit for group dates, gimiks or just for the thrill of being outside and listening to local Bands. Much 'classier' than Rizal Promenade, it is actually the new hip destination of the town as thousands flock the place during the weekends. Parking spaces are much available for those who have rides and the selection of bars are much varied than those in Rizal Promenade....Bar favorites are Fiesta Lokal (Lokal), Calle Cinco, Idol Grille (Idol) and Bakbak.

Station 91...
An old moviehouse-turned Party Bar is an alternative to the local hot spot. With a big stage in the middle, bars are scattered around with just seats separating each other. The crowd is a mixture of street savies and regular people with a rare treat of Yuppies.... Be on a lookout for anything...Heheheh Just for the adventure of it...

The Venue
The all class, elite party scene with a crowd of the city's elite and influencial people.

Matina Town Square...
A venue much like the one in Torres but smaller in comparison....

Thanks...

2009-02-24T23:41:00.004+08:00

After my almost 2 months stay in Davao, it is but time to bid farewell to a place that had been my temporary home and party place. My friends that I have known from elementary through highschool had been my constant companion. Some had proven that memories lasts, and friendships are made stronger. I learned to open up with others while others seems lost to my past. I have never been closer to friends that accepts me for who I am and appreciates me for what I have become. - Nam, thank you very much.

For my old friends whom I have rekindled my relationships with. Thanks Bot.

It is now that I realize that you could never take for granted those who deeply, truly care about you because in the end, they will be the one who will be there to help you.

Again lessons are learned through experience and indeed experience had taught me not to trust everyone. Even those who seems to care for you the most. One could never be too careful for the people whom facades are the only thing that you are familiar with. Nevertheless they are still part of me, part of my past which I will definitely ponder from.

It is innate of me to trust but it is my responsibility to be careful. It seems that I am lecturing myself but I cannot help it to blame myself for my ignorance and obvious idiocracy.

In the end, it is my God whom I should be thanking for. For giving me these experiences that will definitely polish the treasure in me. To be chaste and not be full of impurities.... to be wise and not be dull...

And for all that is, for all that had and for all that will....Thanks.....

5 Foods to Avoid on a Date (If you don't want to feel bloated, gassy, and....blah)

2009-01-22T19:06:00.003+08:00

As a married woman, I have become somewhat accustomed to the fact that my digestive tract and my husband's digestive tract have their moments of 'not so perfect' etiquette. It is, after all, human to pass gas. And, as a result, I've become perfectly accepting of those less than lady-like or gentlemanly-like moments on a whole.
That said, whether you are married or single, going on a date should be special. You want to look your best and feel your best. You may have a favorite outfit you like to wear. You may like to exercise that day to ensure you look a little extra 'buff'. You may even head to your nail or hair salon for a little extra primping. But what about your insides? How do you get them prepared for a special, romantic evening? It isn't as easy, is it? For instance, if I eat certain things, I can end up feeling like a sausage: stuffed...gassy...bloated. This doesn't always manifest itself in the best of ways and can quickly become an uncomfortable and awkward situation, both physically and aromatically.
Needless to say, if you are trying to have a romantic evening, this can really kill the mood. So, what can you do? You can avoid some of the more gassy foods and stick to those that will keep you smelling like a rose. Lean proteins and fats tend to be the least gas producing, while foods that are high in carbohydrates, fiber and sugar tend to be the worst culprits. Specifically, here is a list of those foods you might want to avoid while having a romantic interlude:

Starchy foods: Pasta, potatoes, corn and wheat
Dairy products: Milk, cheese and ice cream
Veggies: Cabbage, spinach, broccoli, onions, artichokes and asparagus
Fiber-Rich Foods: Whole grains, fruits, beans and peas
Fruits: Apples, pears or peaches

As you can see, a lot of healthier foods, ironically, can cause extra gas in your system. Unfortunately, some foods cause more gas in certain individuals than others. Apparently, as I have now discovered, spinach does a number on me. If you find that there are certain foods in particular that cause your digestive tract to go into a tail tizzy, you might want to eat those foods in smaller portions.

The World's Most Beautiful Castles

2009-01-22T18:32:00.002+08:00

They may no longer be used for repelling enemy hordes or otherwise defending the kingdom, but these castles still have their rugged good looks.

More than 900 years old, Leeds Castle regularly received Henry VIII as a guest.

ENGLAND
Bamburgh Castle, Bamburgh, Northumberland. Fortifications have stood on this rocky outcrop near the North Sea since the 5th century. In the 12th century, King Henry II acquired the structure, and later it was snapped up by William Armstrong, a wealthy Victorian industrialist. Still owned by Armstrong's descendents, the castle has served as the location for several movies, including Roman Polanski's 1971 version of "Macbeth." After you tour the castle, which is open to the public from March to October, hop over to nearby Holy Island for a visit to Lindisfarne Castle. This stunner also overlooks the sea and is accessible only at low tide (the causeway connecting it to the mainland floods at high tide). 011-44/16-6821-4515, bamburghcastle.com, admission $10.75 (£7).
Leeds Castle, Maidstone, Kent. More than 900 years old, this moated castle regularly hosted that much-married Tudor, Henry VIII. Its current success as one of England's most popular tourist attractions is due to the work of the blue-blooded Olive Wilson Filmer, who outbid William Randolph Hearst to buy the castle for $873,000 in 1926 (that's over $10 million in today's dollars). Filmer used the rest of her fortune to restore and beautify the structure and its surroundings. On the grounds are several mazes, a display on falconry, and a dog-collar museum. 011-44/16-2276-5400, leeds-castle.com, admission (valid for a year) $25.25 (£15). Budget Travel gallery: See the world's most beautiful castles
SCOTLAND
Eilean Donan, Dornie, Scottish Highlands. Planted on an island in the middle of a loch, Scotland's most famous castle looks as if it's been there forever. It does date back to 1220, but the original structure was destroyed in 1719 and lay in ruins for two centuries. In 1919, Lieutenant Colonel John Macrae-Gilstrap bought it and began restoration. He was helped by the stonemason Farquar Macrae, who claimed to have seen in a dream how the original castle looked in earlier times. The castle was rebuilt according to Macrae's specifications; later, plans found at Edinburgh Castle proved his vision correct. The "new" castle was finished in 1932. 011-44/15-9955-5202, eileandonancastle.com, admission $7.75 (£5).
WALES
Beaumaris, Angelsey, Wales. The English king Edward I began raising this castle as part of his campaign to conquer Wales. Work began in 1295, but the castle had not been completed when the money ran out (as so often happened with castles), and it remains unfinished to this day. Castles are thick on the ground in North Wales: Within easy driving distance from Beaumaris, you'll find the major structures of Conwy, Harlech, and Caernarfon, as well as two small, romantic ruins, Dolbadarn and Dolwyddelan. But Beaumaris remains the most beautiful. 011/44-12-4881-0361, beaumaris.com, admission $5.75 (£3.70).
GERMANY
Neuschwanstein Castle, Hohenschwangau, Bavaria. Ludwig II of Bavaria -- a.k.a. Mad King Ludwig -- commissioned a set designer to create Neuschwanstein. Engineers broke ground in 1869, but King Ludwig didn't get much chance to enjoy his over-the-top palace. In 1886, as the castle was nearing completion, he died under suspicious circumstances; his body was found floating in a lake, with the body of his physician nearby. Despite this unhappy ending, Neuschwanstein remains the quintessential fairy-tale castle: It was a major inspiration for Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland. 011-49/83-6293-9880, neuschwanstein.de, admission $13 (€9).
DENMARK
Kronborg Castle, Helsingør. Dating back to the 1420s, Kronborg is one of the best-preserved Renaissance castles, despite the various alterations it's undergone since then. Positioned next to a strait separating the Danish island of Sjælland from Sweden, it had great strategic power over the sea traffic -- not enough, however, to prevent the persistent Swedes from conquering it in 1658. Kronborg gained more lasting fame as the castle in Shakespeare's "Hamlet." 011-45/3392-6300, kronborgcastle.com, admission $16.50 (85 DKK).
FRANCE
Château de Castelnaud, Castelnaud-la-Chapelle, Dordogne. This impressive fortress, located on the limestone rocks above the Dordogne River, overlooks a former enemy, the Château de Beynac. During the Hundred Years' War, the English held Castelnaud and the French controlled Beynac, with both nations hoping to control this sensitive border region. These days Castelnaud is known for its Museum of Medieval Warfare, which includes reconstructions of giant crossbows and trebuchets, the huge slings used to hurl rocks at castle walls. 011-33/55-331-3000, http://www.castelnaud.com/fr/, admission $11 (€7.60).
Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, Orschwiller, Alsace. The hilltop position of this 12th-century castle, more than 2,000 feet above the Alsace plain, kept it safe for centuries. Destruction came in 1462 and again in 1633 after a siege by Swedish soldiers during the Hundred Years' War, after which it was overgrown by the forest and abandoned. Now it's a popular stop for tourists visiting the Alsatian wine region. 011-33/38-882-5060, haut-koenigsbourg.fr, admission $10.50 (€7.50).
ROMANIA
Bran Castle, Bran, Brasov. Both the keepers of Bran Castle and the Romanian Tourist Board are keen to emphasize links between Bran Castle and Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Count Dracula. The connections are tenuous, but there's no denying the spooky charm of this massive structure's many turrets and towers. Some of the furniture on display was owned by Marie of Romania, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria who turned down a proposal from the future King George V of England and married the king of Romania instead. 011-40/26-823-8333, http://www.brancastlemuseum.ro/, admission $4.25 (12 leu).
SWITZERLAND
Château de Chillon, Lake Geneva, Montreaux. As with most real estate, it's often location, location, location that makes all the difference with castles. On an island near the edge of Lake Geneva, Château de Chillon is no exception. Excavations here have turned up evidence of a Bronze Age settlement, but the castle as it now stands was created between the 12th and 18th centuries. Its popularity got a huge boost in 1816. That year, following a visit, Lord Byron published his long poem "The Prisoner of Chillon"; the work refers to the "seven pillars of Gothic mold" that stand in "Chillon's dungeons deep and old." 011-41/21-966-8910, http://www.chillon.ch/, admission: $11 (12 Swiss francs). - www.budgettravel.com

Buhay AMERICA

2008-12-01T21:52:00.001+08:00

Akala ng mga tao na nasa Pilipinas kapag nasa America ka akala nila madami ka ng pera. Ang totoo, madami kang utang, dahil credit card lahat ang gamit mo sa pagbili mo ng mga gamit mo. Kailangan mo gumamit ng credit card para magka-credit history ka, kase kapag hindi ka umutang o wala kang utang, ibig sabihin wala kang kapasidad magbayad. Akala nila mayaman ka na kase may kotse ka na. Ang totoo, kapag hindi ka bumili ng kotse sa America maglalakad ka ng milya-milya sa ilalim ng init ng araw o kaya sa snow. walang jeepney, tricycle o padyak sa America. Akala nila masaya ang buhay sa Amerika, Ang totoo, puro ka trabaho, kase pag di ka nagtrabaho, wala kang pambayad ng bills mo sa kotse, credit cards, ilaw, tubig, insurance, bahay at iba pa. Hindi ka na pwedeng tumambay sa kapit-bahay, kase busy din sila maghanap-buhay pangbayad ng bills nila. Akala nila masaya ka kase nagpapadala ka ng pictures mo sa DisneyLand, Seaworld, SixFlags, Universal Studios at iba pang attractions. Ang totoo, kailangang ngumiti ka, kasi nagbayad ka ng $70.00 para makarating ka dun, kailangan mo naman ng 10 hours na suweldo mong pinangbayad sa ticket. Akala nila malaki na ang kinikita mo kase dolyar na sweldo mo. Ang totoo, malaki pagpinalit mo ng peso, pero dolyar din ang gastos mo sa America. Ibig sabihin ang dolyar mong kinita sa presyong dolyar mo din gagastusin. Ang 15.00 pesos na sardinas sa Pilipinas $1.00 sa America, and isang pakete ng sigarilyo sa Pilipinas 40.00, sa America $6.50, ang upa mo sa bahay na P10,000 sa Pilipinas, sa America $1,000.

Akala nila buhay milyonaryo ka na kase ang ganda ng bahay at kotse mo. Ang totoo milyon ang utang mo. Ang bago mong kotse 5 taon mong huhulugan o higit pa. Ang bahay 30 taon mong huhulugan. Ibig sabihin, alipin ka ng bahay at kotse mo.

Madaming naghahangad na makarating sa America . Lalo na mga nurses, at yung mga mahirap maging normal na manggagawa sa Pilipinas. Madalas pagod ka sa trabaho. Pag dating ng sweldo mo, kulang pa sa pagkain mo. Pero ganuon din sa ibang bansa katulad dito sa America. Hindi ibig sabihin dolyar na ang sweldo mo, yayaman ka na, kailangan mo ding magbanat ng buto para mabuhay ka sa ibang bansa. Isang malaking sakripisyo ang pag-alis mo sa bansang pinagsilangan at malungkot iwanan ang mga mahal sa buhay. hindi pinupulot ang pera o pinipitas. Hindi ako naninira ng pangarap, gusto ka lang buksan ang bintana ng katotohanan. ...KAYA PAG-ISIPAN NINYO MABUTI KUNG GUSTO NIO D2 SA AMERICA.

WHEN I TRAVEL, PEOPLE OFTEN ASK ME, WHY I LEFT THE PHILIPPINES ? WELL HERE IT IS..........

It is the only place on earth where.

Every street has a basketball court.
Even doctors, lawyers and engineers are unemployed
Doctors study to become nurses FOR employment abroad
Students pay more money than they will earn afterwards
Call Center employees earn more money than teachers and nurses 6) Driving 4 KMS can take as much as 4 hrs.
Where Colonial mentality is dishonestly denied
People can pay to defy the law.
Floodwaters take up more than 90 percent of the streets during the rainy season.
Where everyone has a relative abroad who keeps them alive
Where insurance does not work
Where water can only be classified as tap or dirty
Clean water is for sale (35.00 pesos per galloon)
Where the government makes the people pray for miracles (AMEN to that)
Traffic signs are merely suggestions, not regulations
Where being mugged is normal and it happens to everyone; a cellphone costs your life
The definition of traffic is the 'non-movement' of vehicles
Where the fighter planes of the 1940's are used for military engagements
The NEW FIGHTER PLANES are displayed in Museums
Where soap operas tell the realities of life and where the news are provides drama
Where actors make the rules and where the politicians provide the entertainment
People can get away with stealing TRILLIONS of Pesos but not a Thousand
Where the squatters have more to complain (even if they do not pay their tax) than those employed and have their tax automatically deducted from their salaries; the government coddles squatters
And where everyone wants to leave the country.

According to a Manila businessman: THERE IS SO MUCH WIT IN THE PHILIPPINES BECAUSE 'WE ARE A COUNTRY WHERE A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR IS NEEDED TO SURVIVE'. WE HAVE a 24-HR COMEDY SHOW HERE CALLED THE GOVERNMENT AND A HUGE RESERVE OF COMEDIANS MADE UP MOSTLY OF POLITICIANS AND BAD ACTORS.

SO KABABAYAN, WHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU WANT TO LIVE?

Climbing the 7 Falls in Mambukal Resort...

2008-10-21T15:02:00.008+08:00

One of the attractions of the Mambukal Mountain Resort is the 7 Falls...it is called as such because, well you will see a total of seven falls....

This is Happy starting the trek to the 7 Falls...Oh diba nakaporma pa...hehehe

Taking a break....no that's not the falls yet...

You have to pass one of these man made bridges to get only to the FIRST fall...

This is the base o the FIRST fall.... the FIRST fall is just around the bend...

Welcome to FIRST fall....Wooohooo!!!! Nice view!!!! I can't wait for the 2nd Fall...

This is the 2nd falls...

The 3rd fall....see the hand???? Hehehehe

The FOURTH fall!!! Wait, no that's not the fall....that's the way going to the FOURTH fall...we can't pass through it coz a landslide blocked the way going to it....oh too bad...well let's go to the next one...

The Fifth falls....just above it is the 6th falls...

The 6th fall....

And the 7th falls is:

Sorry...No pics here....unfortunately, the 7th fall is a good 30 minutes away from the 6th fall and we still have to pass through 3 rivers...We could have gone through the ordeal if we are not in a hurry but we are and Happy is not too happy upon hearing what we still have to go through to get to the 7th fall...

We had about 30 minutes just getting to the 6th fall and I pity Happy in going through an ordeal like that...just look at his sweat:

After trekking the falls...there is no better way to relax the boady than to have a dip at the hot waters of the dipping pool....Ohhhhhh yeeaaahhhh!!!!

Mambukal Resort Adventure!!!

2008-10-21T14:49:00.006+08:00

I have heard of Mambukal Resort a couple of times from few friends and my curiosity was stimulated about it so when my friend and buddy invited me to go there....there were no second thoughts... the fare going to and from the resort is very cheap at P30.00 and the services are mostly P50.00 only.

Services ranges from swimming pools, dipping pools, swing for your life, rock climbing, fruit bats watching, trekking, kayakking and just sights seeing...

The food is also great from various stores in the vicinity...

Post Masskara Party

2008-10-21T14:40:00.005+08:00

This is the continuation of my party adventure in Bacolod City for its Masskara Festival...the night after the hghlights of the Masskara festival...we have just sit and drink until we're drunk!! HAHAHAHA....

It's really nice to party with your friends....nothing can be worth more...

Masskara Festival Street Party!!!

2008-10-21T14:31:00.005+08:00

Masskara festival had been know for its great street party in Lacson street...flowing with beer, foods and party people, the streets are flooded with party people who mingles with each other making it all better....

It's a great time for hunk searching and partying...

Masskara Fever!!!!

2008-10-21T14:21:00.006+08:00

Masskara truly is the seat of the festival of smiles as we ventured into the streets to find the most colourful masks to the most unique designs....

Bacolod has also proven true to its name of the City of SMiles as the people are more than willing to assist us in our adventures....

PreMasskara Party at MO2 Ice- Bacolod CIty!!

2008-10-21T14:11:00.004+08:00

This is the night before the Masskara festival highlights in MO2 Ice in Bacolod CIty...

Article About the Philippines

2008-10-12T12:06:00.003+08:00

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING TO RELEASE STRESS.....

This is so funny...take time to read all the way to the end. The following is from a British journalist stationed in the Philippines. His observations are so hilarious!!! ! This was written in 1999.

Matter of Taste
By Matthew Sutherland

I have now been in this country for over six years, and consider myself in most respects well assimilated. However, there is one key step on the road to full assimilation, which I have yet to take, and that's to eat BALUT.

The day any of you sees me eating balut, please call immigrationand ask them to issue me a Filipino passport. Because at that point there will be no turning back. BALUT, for those still blissfully ignorant non-Pinoys out there, is a fertilized duck egg. It is commonly sold with salt in a piece of newspaper, much like English fish and chips, by street vendors usually after dark, presumably so you can't see how gross it is.

It's meant to be an aphrodisiac, although I can't imagine anything more likely to dispel sexual desire than crunching on a partially formed baby duck swimming in noxious fluid. The embryo in the egg comes in varying stages of development, but basically it is not considered macho to eat one without fully discernable feathers, beak, and claws. Some say these crunchy bits are the best. Others prefer just to drink the so-called 'soup', the vile, pungent liquid that surrounds the aforementioned feathery fetus...excuse me; I have to go and throw up now. I'll be back in a minute.

Food dominates the life of the Filipino. People here just love to eat. They eat at least eight times a day. These eight official meals are called, in order: breakfast, snacks, lunch, merienda, merienda ceyna, dinner, bedtime snacks and no-one-saw-me- take-that- cookie-from- the-fridge- so-it- doesn't-count.

The short gaps in between these mealtime are eating Sky Flakes from the open packet that sits on every desktop. You're never far from food in the Philippines. If you doubt this, next time you're driving home from work, try this game. See how long you can drive without seeing food and I don't mean a distant restaurant, or a picture of food. I mean a man on the sidewalk frying fish balls, or a man walking through the traffic selling nuts or candy. I bet it's less than one minute.

Here are some other things I've noticed about food in the Philippines: Firstly, a meal is not a meal without rice - even breakfast. In the UK, I could go a whole year without eating rice. Second, it's impossible to drink without eating. A bottle of San Miguel just isn't the same without gambas or beef tapa. Third, no one ventures more than two paces from their house without baon (food in small container) and a container of something cold to drink. You might as well ask a Filipino to leave home without his pants on. And lastly, where I come from, you eat with a knife and fork. Here, you eat with a spoon and fork. You try eating rice swimming in fish sauce with a knife.

One really nice thing about Filipino food culture is that people always ask you to SHARE their food. In my office, if you catch anyone attacking their baon, they will always go, "Sir! KAIN TAYO!" ("Let's eat!"). This confused me, until I realized that they didn't actually expect me to sit down and start munching on their boneless bangus. In fact, the polite response is something like, "No thanks, I just ate." But the principle is sound - if you have food on your plate, you are expected to share it, however hungry you are, with those who may be even hungrier. I think that's great!

In fact, this is frequently even taken one step further. Many Filipinos use "Have you eaten yet?" ("KUMAIN KA NA?") as a general greeting, irrespective of time of day or location. Some foreigners think Filipino food is fairly dull compared to other Asian cuisines. Actually lots of it is very good: Spicy dishes like Bicol Express (strange, a dish named after a train); anything cooked with coconut milk; anything KINILAW; and anything ADOBO. And it's hard to beat the sheer wanton, cholesterolic frenzy of a good old-fashioned LECHON de leche (roast pig) feast. Dig a pit, light a fire, add 50 pounds of animal fat on a stick, and cook until crisp. Mmm, mmm... you can actually feel your arteries constricting with each successive mouthful.

I also share one key Pinoy trait ---a sweet tooth. I am thus the only foreigner I know who does not complain about sweet bread, sweet burgers, sweet spaghetti, sweet banana ketchup, and so on. I am a man who likes to put jam on his pizza. Try it! It's the weird food you want t o avoid . In addition to duck fetus in the half-shell, items to avoid in the Philippines include pig's blood soup (DINUGUAN); bull's testicle soup, the strangely-named "SOUP NUMBER FIVE" (I dread to think what numbers one through four are); and the ubiquitous, stinky shrimp paste, BAGOONG, and it's equally stinky sister, PATIS.

Filipinos are so addicted to these latter items that they will even risk arrest or deportation trying to smuggle them into countries like Australia and the USA, which wisely ban the importation of items you can smell from more than 100 paces. Then there's the small matter of the purple ice cream. I have never been able to get my brain around eating purple food; the ubiquitous UBE leaves me cold.

And lastly on the subject of weird food, beware: that KALDERETANG KAMBING (goat) could well be KALDERETANG ASO (dog)... The Filipino , of course, has a well-developed sense of food. Here's a typical Pinoy food joke: "I'm on a seafood diet. "What's a seafood diet?" "I eat whenever I SEE FOOD!"

Filipinos also eat strange bits of animals --- the feet, the head, the guts, etc., usually barbecued on a stick. These have been given witty names, like ADIDAS" (chicken's feet); "KURBATA" (either just chicken's neck, or "neck and thigh" as in "neck-tie"); "WALKMAN" (pigs ears); "PAL" (chicken wings); HELMET" (chicken head); "IUD" (chicken intestines), and BETAMAX" (video-cassette- like blocks of animal blood). Yum, yum. Bon appetit.

"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches"-- (Proverbs 22:1)

WHEN I arrived in the Philippines from the UK six years ago, one of the first cultural differences to strike me was names. The subject has provided a continuing source of amazement and amusement ever since. The first unusual thing, from an English perspective, is that everyone here has a nickname. In the staid and boring United Kingdom, we have nicknames in kindergarten, but when we move into adulthood we tend, I am glad to say, to lose them.

The second thing that struck me is that Philippine names for both girls and boys tend to be what we in the UK would regard as overbearingly cutesy for anyone over about five. Fifty-five-year- olds colleague put it. Where I come from, a boy with a nickname like Boy Blue or Honey Boy would be beaten to death at school by pre-adolescent bullies, and never make it to adulthood. So, probably, would girls with names like Babes, Lovely, Precious, Peachy or Apples. Yuk, ech ech.

Here, however, no one bats an eyelid.

Then I noticed how many people have what I have come to call "door-bell names". These are nicknames that sound like -well, doorbells. There are millions of them. Bing, Bong, Ding, and Dong are some of the more common. They can be, and frequently are, used in even more do or-bell-like combinations such as Bing-Bong, Ding-Dong, Ting-Ting, and so on. Even our formerly appointed chief of police has a doorbell name Ping. None of these doorbell names exist where I come from, and hence sound unusually amusing to my untutored foreign ear.

Someone once told me that one of the Bings, when asked why he was called Bing, replied, "because my brother is called Bong". Faultless logic. Dong, of course, is a particularly funny one for me, as where I come from "dong" is a slang word for well; perhaps "talong" is the best Tagalog equivalent.

Repeating names was another novelty to me, having never before encountered people with names like Len-Len, Let-Let, Mai-Mai, or Ning-Ning. The secretary I inherited on my arrival had an unusual one: Leck-Leck. Such names are then frequently further refined by using the "squared" symbol, as in Len2 or Mai2. This had me very confused for a while.

Then there is the trend for parents to stick to a theme when naming their children. This can be as simple as making them all begin with the same letter, as in Jun, Jimmy, Janice, and Joy. More imaginative parents shoot for more sophisticated forms of as resonance or rhyme, as in Biboy, Boboy, Buboy, Baboy (notice the names get worse the more kids there are-best to be born early or you could end up being a Baboy).

Even better, parents can create whole families of, say, desserts (Apple Pie, Cherry Pie, Honey Pie) or flowers (Rose, Daffodil, Tulip). The main advantage of such combinations is that they look great painted across your trunk if you're a cab driver.

That's another thing I'd never seen before coming to Manila -- taxis with the driver's kids' names on the trunk. Another whole eye-opening field for the foreign visitor is the phenomenon of the "composite" name. This includes names like Jejomar (for Jesus, Joseph and Mary), and the remarkable Luzviminda (for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, believe it or not).That's a bit like me being called something like Engscowani" (for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). Between you and me, I'm glad I'm not. And how could I forget to mention the fabulous concept of the randomly inserted letter 'h'. Quite what this device is supposed to achieve, I have not yet figured out, but I think it is designed to give a touch of class to an otherwise only averagely weird name. It results in creations like Jhun, Lhenn, Ghemma, and Jhimmy. Or how about Jhun-Jhun (Jhun2)?

How boring to come from a country like the UK full of people with names like John Smith. How wonderful to come from a country where imagination and exoticism rule the world of names.

Even the towns here have weird names; my favorite is the unbelievably named town of Sexmoan (ironically close to Olongapo and Angeles). Where else in the world could that really be true?

Where else in the world could the head of the Church really be called Cardinal Sin?

Where else but the Philippines!

Note: Philippines has a senator named Joker, and it is his legal name.