Filipina on Flip Flops: Travel Tales and the City Life of a Filipina

Snapshots: On The Road Back to Manila from Surfing

2012-05-30T22:38:00.000+08:00

It's been rainy all day, so this photo seems appropriate. I'm so tempted to put emo song lyrics in it and post it on Tumblr. It's that kind of picture.

Snapshots: Before Trekking to Mt. Pinatubo

2012-05-29T06:55:00.000+08:00

More Pinatubo pictures. I'll try to write more about our adventure soon!

Snapshots: Mt. Pinatubo Crater, Philippines

2012-05-28T06:49:00.000+08:00

Worth the 2-hour trek.

Snapshots: Korean Street Food, Hongdae, Seoul

2012-05-27T19:39:00.001+08:00

I got heaps of new Korean dramas from Mabelle yesterday, and I kind of spent the entire day today just watching them. I know, it's been a lazy weekend, but I haven't just been home for a chillax Saturday and Sunday in over a month! Even wanderlust-driven travelers need a break from traveling from time to time. And since I've been watching Korean dramas all day, I've been craving Korean food. Here's a picture from our trip to Hongdae nearly two years ago. We're coming back again this year - I can't wait!

Snapshots: Chitdara 2 Guest House, Luang Prabang, Laos

2012-05-26T13:42:00.000+08:00

It's a lazy Saturday, and I can't seem to find it in me to write. It's been a long, but fun week, catching up with my best guy friends! It was strange to not be around them for a week when I was in Laos, having gotten used to them nearly everyday at work. But now that I'm back I realized how much I missed hanging out with them. I had so much fun just talking about stuff with them over beers last night (and the night before that).

I'll take it easy today, but hopefully I'll be able to write tomorrow. The weekend is just never long enough!

Snapshots: Bogart Watching The Sunset

2012-05-25T08:00:00.000+08:00

The unofficial mascot of Dive N Trek resort. :)

Snapshots: Bali Sunset, Indonesia

2012-05-24T07:48:00.000+08:00

A nice sunset view from Legian, Bali. But I'm still loyal to our local beaches. :)

Snapshots: A Lost Island, Coron, Palawan

2012-05-23T06:55:00.000+08:00

A beautiful remote island somewhere in Coron, Palawan. I would really love to go back to Coron again, and maybe visit El Nido too. Palawan beckons.

Snapshots: Flip Flops, Bantayan Island, Cebu, Philippines

2012-05-22T06:48:00.000+08:00

From our graduation trip to Bantayan Island, Cebu. Good summer times.

Snapshots: Flower Girls, Boracay, Philippines

2012-05-21T06:42:00.001+08:00

There have been days of rain in Manila lately, which makes me think that summer is slowly closing to an end. So I thought I'd post a week's worth of summer pictures to celebrate the season one last time, before it's over this year.

Snapshots: The Baguette Lady, Luang Prabang Local Market, Laos

2012-05-20T06:00:00.000+08:00

I miss those baguettes for breakfast. I ought to whip up a typical Indochina guest house breakfast one of these weekends.

Snapshots: A Temple in Luang Prabang, Laos

2012-05-19T06:30:00.000+08:00

Just one of the few I was able to visit when we stayed there last week. I miss Laos already!

Snapshots: Spicy Papaya Salad

2012-05-18T11:25:00.000+08:00

A common Lao dish - very tasty and flavorful! Will write about our food adventures (including our love affair with lao sausage) in the coming weeks.

Have a great Friday lunch-out!

Snapshots: Un Petit Nid Restaurant, Luang Prabang

2012-05-17T06:29:00.000+08:00

A cozy little restaurant in Luang Prabang, where we had our first dinner in the sleepy town. The steak was good and the vibe was laidback. The place wasn't pretentious but it had an air of elegance to it. And I am loving how the lanterns turned out in this picture!

Snapshots: Good Luck Bus Rides, Vientiane to Luang Prabang, Laos

2012-05-16T07:21:00.000+08:00

A bus ticket wishing its passengers "good luck" doesn't exactly inspire the assurance of a safe trip the bus operators (all with good intentions, I'm sure) probably think it does. We were surprised (and relieved), however, that the nearly 12-hour bus ride from Vientiane to Luang Prabang was a very comfortable one, and one of my favorite parts of the trip. The bus ride back to Vientiane, however - a whole other, kind of hilarious, kind of humiliating (for my part anyway) story. More on that next time.

Snapshots: Monks By The Victory Monument, Vientiane, Laos

2012-05-15T09:11:00.000+08:00

Since the first time I set foot on Indochina I've been fascinated with Buddhism. I really ought to read up on it, maybe take in some wise words on life and living.

Snapshots: The Legendary Laos Trip and How It All Began

2012-05-14T08:26:00.000+08:00

...with budget flights from Manila to Kuala Lumpur, and Kuala Lumpur to Vientiane. I'm back in Manila and will be posting photos from my recent Laos trip all week. Hope you like them!

Snapshots: Early Morning Makati, Philippines

2012-05-13T04:37:00.000+08:00

The lovely view from Rissee's place. This is why I don't mind crashing at her couch even if she so generously offers the guest bedroom every time we have one of our Kinect nights - the view from the living room in the morning is just breathtaking. I'm Manila-bound again! Back to the real world. Le sigh.

Snapshots: Asya Premier Suites, Boracay

2012-05-12T07:32:00.000+08:00

Amazing view of the beautiful beach of Boracay, from my officemate Ms. O's villa. We had all gone to Boracay last year to attend JP and Lyza's beautiful wedding. More pictures from that trip soon!

Snapshots: Behind the Reclining Buddha, Bangkok, Thailand

2012-05-11T09:22:00.000+08:00

I'm not sure what the offerings you place in these bowls are used for - perhaps to maintain the place? I like how this shot looks though, and I've been looking forward to sharing it for a while now. I wasn't able to take too many "artistic" or "poetic" shots in Bangkok (I was overwhelmed with all the shopping that just HAD to be done) and this is just one of the very few shots I was able to take.

Snapshots: Waffles and Tea, The Shop Around The Corner, Batangas

2012-05-10T08:30:00.000+08:00

I love these waffles, and I love The Shop Around the Corner! I should drop by the next time I'm back in Lipa City, Batangas.

Snapshots: A Room With A View, Singapore

2012-05-09T08:30:00.000+08:00

I only get to stay in hotels on business trips - on personal trips, I'd rather spend on other things instead of accommodation, so I go with hostels and small hotels. So I thank my company for sending me to Singapore last year over a handful of times, so that I could wake up to a view like this (actually, to wake up in a room with a window as big as this is already good enough - you won't believe the matchbox rooms I've stayed in over my years of traveling on a budget in Southeast Asia.

Snapshots: The Little Red Tricycle, San Juan, La Union

2012-05-08T08:30:00.000+08:00

I'm gonna miss spending weekends in San Juan, La Union - the surf season is over, and waves will be hard to come by in La Union in the coming months, so we won't be back there for a while. We will check out Baler later in the month, though. Wish us luck!

Snapshots: Lim Chee Guan, Singapore

2012-05-07T08:30:00.000+08:00

I miss Singapore so much! I discovered this awesome snack last year thanks to my work counterparts from other countries during a week-long training camp in Singapore. It was my favorite pasalubong...to myself. Haha!

Snapshots: Path to Ta Prohm, Cambodia

2012-05-06T07:42:00.000+08:00

A glimpse of history. This is going to sound super nerdy, but I really love exploring temples. They never fail to make me wonder.