Island Travel

Summer Break Activities

2011-04-20T04:09:00.001+08:00

We're inviting you, our friends, followers, readers and visitors of Island Travel, to our other blog HAPPY PARENTING JOURNEY by Papa Sez and Mama Sez to see what we've been up to lately.

Summer time is a great time for family activities. Mama Sez has lined up a full range of activities for our four kids this summer. Look at her table of planned summer activities and you'll see how busy the family would be in the next few weeks. She based her plans on her new hub "Parenting Tips on How to Choose Summer Activities for Kids" for a balanced summer break.

This is an open invitation to find out more about our parenting style, recipes and so much more about parenting issues in general. C'mon and tag along (or tweet & share to) your friends and family.

Herb Republic: Fresh Food in a Garden Setting

2011-03-08T13:51:00.000+08:00

This recent visit to Herb Republic Restaurant along the National Highway, Maahas, Los Banos, Laguna is actually our second. The first was a dinner with entomologist friends on the same day we celebrated our baby's 1st birthday and christening with a gathering over lunch at Kamayan sa Palaisdaan, Bay, Laguna in March last year. Mama Sez wrote a bit about our Valentine's Day lunch date that emphasized our yearning for healthy food on that day of the hearts.

Here are some more photos of Herb Republic at daytime. Consistent with their "freshest food straight from the garden" theme, the restaurant is basically a homey garden with bamboos and lots of vegetation to cool you down at lunchtime.

An inner sanctuary/hang out spot has couches, low tables and a piano. The artistic decor and soft music that went well with the sound of flowing water that feeds the small pond containing Koi fishes contributed to this hideout's cozy ambiance. That time, we had the place all to ourselves.

Here's an excerpt from Mama Sez's blog post:

"This restaurant offers only organically grown vegetables and meat from naturally grown chicken and pig that they themselves produced. Dishes are prepared with their finest herbs. Even the drinks are healthy as they are prepared without sugar and sweetened only by the herb called “Stivia.” All food in the menu are fresh and healthy and therefore good for the heart. We ordered the Herb Republic Salad, Basil Pesto Pasta, Mint Buko Lychee Cooler and Mint Watermelon Cooler. Hot Lemon Grass Tea was served as welcome drink."

Pook ni Mariang Makiling: Photos

2011-02-18T21:35:00.000+08:00

Here are some photos of Pook ni Mariang Makiling resort in Los Banos, Laguna where we chose to commune with nature on Valentine's Day.

View of the facilities near the creek in Pook ni Mariang Makiling

View of the cottages from the swimming pool area

Lots of areas to see and stairs to climb

A perfect little cottage to relax in the sound of water flowing along the creek

Sights and sounds to behold in front of the perfect little cottage

Read our previous posts to learn about the fees and contact number as well as how to get to Pook ni Mariang Makiling nature resort.

Pook ni Mariang Makiling: Rates, Charges and Contact Number

2011-02-15T21:51:00.004+08:00

One of the many attractions in Laguna, Pook ni Mariang Makiling is a nature resort situated in Los Banos and is part of the Mt. Makiling National Park.

Yesterday, we published an alternate, more scenic route through the mountain instead of the usual route through the University of the Philippines Los Banos campus. Today, we'll provide information about the rates and charges so you'll have an idea on the budget to prepare for your next outing. The contact person & number is at the end of this post.

Pook ni Mariang Makiling is known for its Olympic-size swimming pool in a tropical forest environment. The resort entrance fee is only PhP 25, while the swimming fee is PhP 40. Children below two years of age is free. Swimming attire is swimming trunks or shorts for males, and shorts and sleeveless white shirts for females. Shorts with zipper and buttons are not allowed. Day swimming is from 8am to 5pm. Night swimming is by arrangement (contact person and number is at the end).

Table rental is PhP 300 for daytime occupancy, while a small pavilion that can accommodate 30 persons is PhP 500.

For those who prefer to stay overnight, rates for cottages ranged from PhP 200 per person for minimum requirements like bed, toilet & bath and electric fan to PhP 500 per person for a cottage with aircon. These figures are based on room sharing in a cottage with two or three bedrooms.

For instance, Lakambini cottage has 3 bedrooms with 4 beds each, 3 toilet and bathrooms and 3 electric fans. So it's capacity is 12 persons for PhP 2,400/day.

Their best cottage is Diosa that has 2 air-conditioned bedrooms with 3 beds each, 2 toilet & bathrooms, and an attic in one of the bedrooms. So Diosa can accommodate 6 persons at PhP 3000/day.

Note that these cottages are not at par with standards of more expensive private resorts. But the place is good for simple group (family or barkada) outings and nature trips.

There are charges for electricity consumption starting at PhP 100 per day depending on wattage. Other rentals: audio system/karaoke @ PhP 200/day, electric fan @ PhP 200/day, extra bedding @ PhP 150/set and excess headcount @ PhP 25/head for cottages. Corkage fee for beer and softdrink is PhP 50/case.

Please contact Rose @ (049) 536-3489 for reservation and for more details.

More photos to come in the next post.

Pook ni Mariang Makiling: How to Get There

2011-02-14T22:15:00.002+08:00

Pook ni Mariang Makiling is one of the many attractions of the town of Los Banos in Laguna and is part of the Mount Makiling National Park just like the National Arts Center (NAC), the Philippine High School for the Arts, and the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) National Jamboree Site.

The normal route for tourists, especially buses, to reach Pook ni Mariang Makiling is via the University of the Philippines Los Banos campus. However, this route would take you through the busy intersection of College, Laguna, where traffic going to Santa Cruz and San Pablo also passes.

If you are using a private vehicle (not a bus!), the alternative Jamboree route is recommended to avoid the College junction traffic. This more scenic route would take you up the mountain with dangerous turns and steep inclines so care must be taken at all times when using this route.

The critical turn for this alternate route to Pook ni Mariang Makiling is the PCARRD (Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development) road. At present, the point where this road joins the National Highway has a big sign that notifies the public that buses are not allowed on this road (see point A in the map above and the photo below).

If you're coming from Manila, turn right when you spot this PCARRD junction, and proceed (PCARRD entrance is about 100 meters on your left). This is PCARRD-Jamboree Road and just follow it to reach the BSP Jamboree site, which is about two kilometers away. In a little more than a kilometer from the PCARRD turn, you will see the Magnetic Hill gate to your right (see point B in the map and the actual photo below).

At this point, you would be nearing the BSP Jamboree boundary and expect more dangerous curves and steep climbs and descent in the next kilometer or so. You will run into two forks after you enter the BSP Jamboree arch. In both cases, just choose to turn right instead of going straight. See points C and D in the map and the following photos.

After this last right turn, you can immediately spot the National Arts Center arch. Just go straight (instead of going to the gated uphill road to the right that leads to NAC). The next structure you would find is the (unmaintained) BSP swimming pool. Proceed farther until the final right turn to enter the Pook ni Mariang Makiling arch (see yellow star in the map above and the photo below).

Enjoy the scenery and the olympic-size swimming pool within the Pook ni Mariang Makiling compound.

Reminder: it is not advisable to use this alternate route during inclement weather and wet road conditions.

It's Christmas at UPLB Part 2

2010-12-17T21:25:00.000+08:00

Someone made a comment in the first post about the Belen, which is the centerpiece of the UPLB Christmas Park, as being weird. We figured it's because the figures were made entirely out of wood. We visited UPLB Baker Hall again today with the kids to take advantage of a Christmas Book Sale. Then, we decided to take more photos of the Christmas Park.

Belen at the UPLB Christmas Park

Notice that the figures in the manger or belen are now clothed. Perhaps it doesn't look weird anymore. LOL

Here are more photos to enjoy:

The Manger at the UPLB Christmas Park

Giant Christmas Tree with Gingerbread houses to the right of the Belen

Cheers!

It’s Christmas (2010) at UPLB

2010-12-07T08:21:00.003+08:00

With Christmas carols playing, colorful lanterns hanging, embellished Christmas trees shimmering, mall sales on-going, and most people in cheerful mood, the famous saying goes…Christmas is just around the corner!

At the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), Christmas spirit has started to fill the hearts of town’s people because the lights are on!!! Lights are on the tall Christmas tree made of hundreds or even thousands of silver-painted dried coconut flower stalks. The tree which was constructed on the left side facing UPLB gate definitely looks magnificent!

To the right of the gate you will see Santa in his sleigh pulled by his nine reindeers (led by Rudolph with his red nose). Behold, it looks so real…Santa’s sleigh is taking off to deliver gifts, so be good for goodness sake!

Of course, at the center is the manger…the reason for all these celebrations. The manger features wood-carved life-sized images of the holy family with the three wise men.

These three main features of what I call UPLB Christmas Park are being flocked by people of Los Baños and nearby municipalities making the ambiance even more festive.

Come visit UPLB Christmas Park to personally witness the talent and brilliance of people who made the decorations and to experience the meaning and merriment of the season together with the UPLB family.

Aero dancing at the UPLB Freedom Park

2010-11-28T12:05:00.001+08:00

The UPLB Freedom Park has always been an attraction and a reason why people choose to live and raise a family in Los Banos, Laguna. Aside from the many sports and recreational activities one can do in its wide open space, dance aerobics is also held every Saturday morning and our family have been taking advantage of the opportunity to exercise along with many others in the community. Mama Sez and I prefer this over the dance exercise video we follow at home because of the healthy and relaxing outdoor settings.

During the rainy season, aero dancing, which is led and organized by the University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) Department of Human Kinetics, is held inside the historic Baker Hall. This is one of the oldest buildings in campus and is a prominent structure at the periphery of the UPLB Freedom Park. Although many still participate when it's done indoors, aero dancing in the open space of the Freedom Park is still preferred by many more in the community, including us.

The historic Baker Hall hosts the aerodance sessions either outside or inside

Yesterday was the first time that the aerodance session was again conducted outdoors after many weeks inside the Baker Hall because of rain. Below are more photos of yesterday's aerodance session to show you how diverse the community is. Who knows, you might be inspired to join us every Saturday at 6 AM for an hour of easy to follow aero dancing for fun and fitness.

Watch a video we posted at Parenting Journey and feel the great vibes.

It's Banamos Festival here in Los Banos

2010-09-17T15:39:00.000+08:00

The 2010 Banamos Festival of Los Banos, Laguna is ongoing from today, 17th of September, until Sunday, the 19th. It's a great time to visit and know more about Los Banos, the Special Nature and Science City in Laguna.

Main activities of the first day (September 17) are centered near the Los Banos Municipal Hall in the Paciano Rizal Park where there's Palarong Pinoy in the morning and Talent Search in the evening. Second day (September 18) main activities are centered at the UPLB Freedom Park where a civic parade would end. The second night will be highlighted by the Search for Miss Los Banos back at Paciano Rizal Park.

Click here to learn more.

For those passing through Los Banos towards other towns in Laguna, expect heavier than usual traffic on these days.

We're off to Central and Northern Luzon

2010-08-20T05:00:00.001+08:00

After the postponements and hesitations, because of many things including a typhoon, we're finally going to Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Viscaya and Isabela. It'll be a long weekend for the family! It'll be a road trip full of fun, food (camaru, here we come!), sightseeing, learning and reestablishing of ties.

The car is ready, our things are ready, the cameras are ready, the kids are ready...so here we go!

Insect Adobo and Exotic Foods in Northern and Central Luzon

2010-08-14T19:07:00.000+08:00

There's another reason to be excited about going to Central and Northern Luzon and that is the opportunity to try exotic delicacies like Camaru (cricket adobo) and other dishes that feature various edible insects as main ingredients!

During our road trips, we have always made it a point to try local cuisine, particularly those that can only be found in that region. Our kids enjoyed the sea urchin in Surigao and we think that they'd easily overcome the "weirdness" (or more accurately "disgust" to many people) of eating insects.

With the many compelling reasons to include insects in our diet and the growing movement worldwide to adopt entomophagy or the practice of eating insects as a way of life (see video below), it is but proper to educate our kids about it and make it a fun thing to do as part of learning during our travels.

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Mama Sez and I had our first experience many years ago trying out ant eggs/pupae soup and fried dragonflies, among other insect dishes, when one of my Entomology classes composed of Filipino and international students decided to have an insect eating party! We haven't followed through with the practice since then. So we look forward to eating insect dishes expertly prepared by Kapampangans and Ilocanos. Now it's a matter of fitting all schedules and requirements together in one long weekend sometime soon.

Road Trips during the Typhoon Season in the Philippines

2010-08-05T10:37:00.000+08:00

The realities about living in Luzon where typhoons visit about 20 times a year during the rainy season have dawn on us again when we made plans to undertake a road trip to Tarlac and Isabela starting today. This is mostly due to our desire to fulfill our plans and the commitments we made when we started this island travel adventure.

We thought it was perfect timing as the kids will have a shortened week because of their first quarterly exams, thus giving us a four-day weekend to enjoy in Northern Luzon. It was also easy to rearrange my work commitments during this time.

Tropical Depression Domeng made an entry Tuesday afternoon and Metro Manila and vicinity immediately felt it with some minor flooding and traffic jams. We still kept our hopes high and made detailed coordination of our long weekend. We even thought of moving the travel a day ahead if it would be expedient and necessary as a response to the weather patterns. Our school age daughter immediately agreed when asked if she would miss an afternoon of dance practice if it means leaving a little earlier.

As we monitored Typhoon Domeng on Wednesday, it became clear that we're heading towards rains, floods and perhaps landslips. A relative that we're going to visit spoke against our plan because of the floods that they always experience in Tarlac when there's a typhoon.

The final straw that led us to postpone the travel to Northern Luzon is a leak I discovered that almost drained the power steering fluid of our car. There were other concerns that also weighed in to prompt us to rethink everything.

Last night, when we called our mentors, whom we regard as our second parents, that we can't make the travel to their place. They fully agreed as the risk to my young family is great. They assured us that there's another chance and that they can wait. Such assurance and understanding indeed relieved us from the guilt feeling borne out of not being able to fulfill a promise.

There's a next time under better circumstances and timing. For now we limited our long weekend plans to visiting friends in the Southern Tagalog area. Indeed, it was a good decision as another low pressure area is now being monitored by PAGASA, the Philippines' weather bureau. It's good that we listened...

Typhoon Basyang Reminded Us about the Downside of Living in Laguna

2010-07-19T15:07:00.003+08:00

13 July 2010, Los Banos, Laguna, 11:00pm - The winds blew so hard that Mama Sez decided to call it a night. She was supposed to do some work on the computer but got scared of the strong winds. As she dived under the blanket, I teased her that she's not used to typhoons anymore. Laguna was declared to be under typhoon signal no. 2 then.

It was the kids' first typhoon experience and they were excited to feel and witness the strong winds and rains that they only see on television or heard from our stories. They were anticipating it as classes were already suspended that afternoon, though winds and rains did not really pick up that much. But we decided not to wake them up in their deep sleep. They'll get another chance we thought.

I was awaken when the lights went out some time after midnight. I just checked if my cell phone was within reach so I could use it to navigate the house if I need to get up later. The night went uneventful for the children, while Mama Sez and I were awaken every now and then to check on them. The howling sound of the wind and the brownout did not bother them. It was already around 5am, the usual time to get up, when Rica and Nadine noticed that electricity was out.

The kids cheerfully got out of bed when there was already some light outside. They anxiously checked the surroundings and found our favorite Langka (jackfruit) tree fallen. It was a favorite because its full crown have been giving us some respite from the sun when we are outside since we moved to this new location. Now it's gone and the front yard felt so bare (our neighbor immediately got a mango tree seedling to take its place that afternoon; it got blown away just a few hours later, but it's now back in its place).

Since we did not allow them to go further than the gate, the kids content themselves with news and stories from Tita Tin and other visitors about roofs flying off and the commotion caused by families that had to move to another place as water entered their houses. The excitement ran out as the day progressed without electricity. They played among themselves and with neighbors but were totally bored by late afternoon.

The night without electricity was terribly annoying especially for parents with very young children like us. It is during those times that one gets to appreciate the modern conveniences. We have become so dependent on electricity.

The hassles we experienced were not much compared to those who lost lives and properties to Typhoon Basyang. Death toll is still rising as the typhoon (Conson is the international name) also devastated mainland Asia.

Having lived away from Laguna for more than six years, we have forgotten about the terrible things that can happen during the typhoon months here in Luzon. Typhoon Basyang reminded us how blessed people in Davao are to be free from the risks to life and property that typhoons bring.

It was the thought that the kids are safe and the soothing sound of the wind chimes in front of the house that probably helped calm us down all that time. As I write this post, the sun is out, the leaves are swaying and the wind chimes are playing. Life is wonderful no matter what and I am thankful for that.

Romualdez Museum (Santo Nino Shrine) in Tacloban, Leyte Part 5

2010-06-25T07:00:00.002+08:00

Tacloban City, 22 March 2010 - As earlier mentioned, the Romualdez Museum, aka Santo Nino Shrine and Heritage Center, was built to flaunt the extravagant taste and "aristocratic origins" of former Philippine First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos.

Imelda's life is depicted in a series of dioramas in the first floor rooms of the Museum. Even more telling about how she wants to be portrayed to the world are the artworks in the second floor.

The huge Malakas at Maganda wooden art piece in a wall of the Firefly Room reflects the widely known desire of the Marcoses to be likened to the legend as the father and mother of the Filipino race, i.e. from whom all Pinoys come from. The legend tells about Malakas (meaning strong) and Maganda (meaning beautiful) coming forth from huge bamboos as depicted in the art piece shown in the photo above.

The Romualdez's family tree with Imelda at the top, showing her special status even within her family.

Imelda is depicted in this painting as the mother of all Filipinos, cradling them as mother nurturing her children. Nature's bounty is reflected in the richness of the seas. Her husband, Ferdinand, is relegated to the background (even partly concealed by the drapes) in the photo above.

View more photos of Romualdez mansion in previous posts:

Romualdez Museum (Santo Nino Shrine) in Tacloban, Leyte Part 1 (structure)

Romualdez Museum (Santo Nino Shrine) in Tacloban, Leyte Part 2 (dioramas)

Romualdez Museum (Santo Nino Shrine) in Tacloban, Leyte Part 3 (art pieces)

Romualdez Museum (Santo Nino Shrine) in Tacloban, Leyte Part 4 (bedrooms)

Romualdez Museum (Santo Nino Shrine) in Tacloban, Leyte Part 4

2010-06-23T17:22:00.000+08:00

Tacloban City, 22 March 2010 - The mansion, aka Romualdez Museum or Santo Nino Shrine and Heritage Center, was never intended to house Imelda Romualdez Marcos and family. It was just to showcase the ostentatious taste and "aristocratic origin" of then First Lady of the Philippines. It is, therefore, not surprising to find out that the former First Family never actually slept in their supposedly bedrooms.

Below are bedrooms of the mansion that caught our attention:

This is Imelda's extravagant bedroom that elicited a huge smile from Mama Sez while examining the place.

Imelda's bath tub with a simulated view of the sea. It was here when the conversation with our tour guide turned juicier and supposedly intimate details about the famous First Couple became the topic.

The dragons on this unique pink vase in Imelda's bedroom caught Leon's eyes, while Zeki took an interest of the lizard design in the next bedroom.

This is the former Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos' designated bedroom.

The coconut-inspired bedroom with elegantly crafted wooden headboard. Notice the "coconut" pillows on top.

One of the bedrooms attributed to a Mindanao indigenous tribe. This huge gong surely attracts closer inspection and tapping like what Leon is doing in this photo.

This bamboo-inspired bedroom is full of ideas for those who adore bamboos for interior decorating.

Of course, we would not leave out the Butterfly bedroom. Besides the preserved butterflies on frames, there are many butterfly-inspired decorations such as the mirror frame in this photo.

View the other photos of the Romualdez Museum that we've posted earlier:

Romualdez Museum (Santo Nino Shrine) in Tacloban, Leyte Part 1 (structure)

Romualdez Museum (Santo Nino Shrine) in Tacloban, Leyte Part 2 (dioramas)

Romualdez Museum (Santo Nino Shrine) in Tacloban, Leyte Part 3 (art pieces)

Romualdez Museum (Santo Nino Shrine) in Tacloban, Leyte Part 3

2010-06-19T21:57:00.000+08:00

Tacloban City, 22 March 2010 - We feature in this third part of a series of posts on the Romualdez Museum, aka Santo Nino Shrine and Heritage Museum, some priceless art pieces found in the two-storey mansion built for/by former first lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos.

This centerpiece, made up of clams and shells that are abundant in Tacloban, was placed in the Firefly Room.

The legendary Malakas at Maganda immortalized in this wood carving that took almost a whole wall is the main attraction inside the Firefly Room.

Rica and Leon's attention was drawn to this huge metal vase in one of the rooms. To the right is an art piece featuring the Risen Jesus Christ, which is placed in the main hall (chapel) of the ground floor.

These chairs with their respective emblems were used by Pope John Paul II (left) and President Ferdinand Marcos (right) during the Pope's visit to the Philippines.

An elaborately decorated cabinet in one of the bedrooms in the Romualdez Mansion Museum.

The kids found a room in the second floor with a collection of Philippine bills over the years. I wonder how much these 20-peso bills are worth today.

Check out the first two parts of this series on Romualdez Museum by clicking the links below.

Romualdez Museum (Santo Nino Shrine) in Tacloban, Leyte Part 1 (structure)

Romualdez Museum (Santo Nino Shrine) in Tacloban, Leyte Part 2 (dioramas)

Romualdez Museum (Santo Nino Shrine) in Tacloban, Leyte Part 2

2010-06-17T07:00:00.002+08:00

Tacloban City, 22 March 2010 - As the Romualdez Museum is mostly about the former first lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, the many rooms in the ground floor, variously labeled after regions in the Philippines such as the Bicol Room or ethnic groups such as the Bagobo Room or other interests of Imelda such as the Butterfly Room, contain dioramas depicting her life. Here are some highlights of her life as seen in selected dioramas.

This diorama shows a scene in Imelda's childhood, as a little girl who shows respect by kissing an elder's hand.

This scene depicts Imelda as a dutiful young woman who did household chores during the war years when life was difficult for many families in the Philippines.

A turning point in her young life was when she won in the Rosas ng Leyte pageant. A testament to her being a beauty titlist.

Imelda's charm and talent were assets during the presidential campaigns of her husband, Ferdinand Marcos. The couple sings to woo the crowd in this diorama.

Ferdinand Marcos became President of the Philippine Republic and Imelda fulfilled her role as First Lady.

This diorama depicts Imelda's success in her role in government having been recognized and honored by various entities both local and foreign.

A depiction of Filipino people enjoying the good life under the leadership of President Ferdinand Marcos.

Imelda is depicted in this diorama as actively involved in development projects around the country. Of particular interest to us is the Philippine High School for the Arts in Mount Makiling, Los Banos, Laguna (represented by the leftmost building), an enduring legacy on her support for the arts.

More photos in Part 3 where Romualdez Museum art pieces will be shown.

Click here for the link to Part 1 where the Romualdez Museum structure was featured.

Romualdez Museum (Santo Nino Shrine) in Tacloban, Leyte Part 1

2010-06-15T07:00:00.003+08:00

Tacloban City, 22 March 2010 - Not to be missed when visiting Tacloban is the Romualdez Museum, aka Santo Nino Shrine and Heritage Museum. The Romualdezes of Leyte is the family of former first lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos. The mansion was constructed in the 80's to showcase Imelda's "aristocratic taste and origins."

The intricate workmanship of Filipino artisans and wood carvers is reflected in the building itself, from the facade to the walls and ceiling, from the wooden art center pieces to the elaborate decorative borloloys.

In Part 1, we're sharing photos of the structure so that you too can appreciate Filipino talent and at the same time show how extravagant one can get if given the freedom to spend money that is seemingly unlimited.

There are obvious signs of deterioration even in the facade as only museum income is supposedly allotted for maintenance and operating expenses. This sequestered property has no additional government investments, even just to maintain the priceless art pieces collected by Imelda. This is public property going to waste!

Notice the "Banig" (woven mat) motif and elaborate artistry in this shot near the entrance to wow the incoming guests.

This is the main altar at the ground floor where the Santo Nino is located. Again, notice the grainy background due to the "Banig" motif that is actually handcrafted wood design (see below).

Details of the "Banig" walls -- wood pieces that are individually placed to achieve the desired effect. Obviously, so much skilled labor was spent to accomplish this.

The main hall of the ground floor of the museum is like a chapel with pews and religious paintings all around.

This central hall welcomes guests coming up from the ground floor via the grandiose stairs made of wood.

The grand ballroom is in the second floor. Huge chandeliers light the hall. With so much space to move, our daughter felt like dancing.

The low light level is needed to achieve the firefly effect for this room is similarly named the Firefly Room.

The dining room with a presidential table. Observe the elegant china and wood pieces on top of the "Banig"- inspired highlight of the long table.

More photos coming in Part 2 of this series of posts about our visit to the Romualdez Museum.

Are You a Biased Traveler?

2010-06-13T18:53:00.000+08:00

Are you a traveler with a southern bias? When given a choice between northern and southern routes of equal distance, do you pick the southern route?

A U.S. study reported in ScienceNews revealed that many people associate northern routes as being uphill and are thus more difficult than southern routes. This southern bias is actually related to how travelers see information on a map, i.e. do they take a bird's-eye view or a first-person outlook?

Only people who look at the map from a first-person, ground-level perspective are prone to have the preference for a southern route that they perceive to be easier and faster. In this perspective, one sees as moving left or right, forward or back. In contrast, those taking the bird's-eye perspective are not prone to the southern bias as they navigate using directional terms north, south, east and west.

The researchers associated this findings from notions that develop early on as a child associating objects or targets that are in higher positions are more difficult to attain. Associating "up" with "more than" or "higher numbers" and "down" with "less than" or "lower numbers" also supposedly contributes to the "up is difficult" notion.

Subjects thus viewed routes going north as longer, potentially more scenic (perhaps associated with mountains) and requiring more calories or fuel to travel on than routes going south.

As for us when we planned this island travel adventure, we actually perceive the western nautical highway, which we intended to take going south to Davao, as more difficult but scenic as it involves more island hopping (=ferry boarding) compared to the eastern nautical highway, which we took going north to Laguna. Well, something else went into play as I have traveled the eastern nautical highway before, but not the western one. Familiarity made it seemed easier for us.

So I don't know if this southern bias applies to me. Maybe not, as I am more likely to look for a shorter, faster or more efficient route to the destination, regardless of compass direction. How about you, are you a biased traveler?

An Extended Vacation

2010-06-08T13:00:00.003+08:00

It sure feels like it! What if you’re still in a place you only intended to visit and spend time during summer but ended up staying longer? What if you’re housed next to a hotspring resort, near the lake and with a view to the sunset across Laguna de Bay?

Well, it’s happening to us…we’re on an extended vacation, sort-of. We’ve decided to stay longer in the town where we originally started our family. Staying longer means renting a place for the family, and we got a good one near our relatives, which is a main requirement for us.

It was not that difficult a decision to move to a new place, especially when the kids were most excited when they were asked about it and are actually happiest when their Tita Tin, Tito Jay and Tito Cris are around. Of course we had to do the most difficult part, i.e. facilitating the transfer, including the transfer to a new Montessori school.

Well, school has started and so far so good.

While the hassles of getting used to a new place and some degree of longing for the comfort of a home we’ve gotten used to for years also get to us at times, we relish on the thought of new possibilities on the horizon, which is enough to get us through.

When one feels like having an extended vacation, the excitement never runs out. But things should settle down somehow and we’re getting there. And the signs tell us that a new season has begun, but then again the adventure continues…

Top Five Signs that the Rainy Season is Here in Los Banos, Laguna

2010-06-05T11:56:00.003+08:00

Yes, after the much anticipated and celebrated first rain in Los Banos, Laguna, many signs indicate that the summer season has indeed ended and the rainy season is at hand. Here are our top five signs that the rains are here to stay:

1. More overcast and less sunny period. Since the first one about a week ago and without missing a day, rain has become a daily event in the town of Los Banos. We even had a swimming party that was rained over.

2. Troublesome laundry. There are changes in the laundry process, namely: appearance of urine-soaked sheets and extended air-drying of clothes under a canopy, among others. The latter is obviously a consequence of the shortened exposure of the laundered clothes to the sun because of increasing overcast and rain period, while the former has to do with colder nights that may result in “accidental rain” under the sheets. This is particularly true for families with preschoolers or toddlers that are in the early stage of weaning from diapers. Our own toddler who’s turning three in a few months has almost perfected last month without diaper and without “accidents”. However, he has wet the bed in most recent nights except in one when a diaper was successfully put on while he’s fast asleep. You see, he refuses to wear one ever since we encouraged and praised him for not needing it.

3. Mating flights of soil insects. As moisture become sufficient to soften the dry earth, which is a better condition for the establishment of new nests, soon-to-be queen and king termites or ants leave their old colony and perform their nuptial flights. Aerial displays of these insects and their attraction towards light at night have started to become irritants as they enter houses. Eateries even closed early on the initial big swarm of tiny winged ants on the first day of June here in Los Banos as they go to exposed lights and accidentally fall into food and even get into people’s eyes!

Note: in the photo to the right are bodies of two species of ants on our lawn chair found in the morning after. At the bottom are fecal material of lizards that feasted on the winged ants that swarmed around an outdoor light that night.

4. Mud on shoes and slippers. This is a big deal for people who like their shoes squeaky clean. It’s also a big deal for our toddler who likes to run around but hates sand or wet soil on his slippers. He wants the mud off immediately through washing that makes the situation worse as soil easily clings to wet slippers and feet that again irritates him even more.

5. Greener grounds. Dormant seeds and vegetative parts get enough moisture to emerge and thus making what used to be dry, bare soil green. Greener, happier plants contribute to a greener, happier environment- a much appreciated ambiance to replace the hot sunny days of summer that is now but a memory and at the same time a dream to look forward to next year.

It’s goodbye summer…a new season has begun!

The First Rain

2010-05-29T10:00:00.004+08:00

Los Banos, Laguna, May 28, 2:45 PM - It finally came…the first rain to hopefully signal the end of summer heat and let’s not forget, El Nino here in Laguna. The anticipation of rain has been a daily conversation topic with a new neighbor ever since we moved in to an apartment early this week.

Many were afternoons when all we get from the heavy dark clouds, supposedly signs of impending rain, were disappointment and worse, more intense discomfort brought about by the high humidity that goes with such clouds. Those were the times when one is thankful for air-conditioning units for instant relief, never mind the electric bill at month’s end. Such relief is critical for babies, oldies and persons with hypertension and similar conditions that gets aggravated with heat and humidity.

Despite the hassle that it brought us as we were moving stuffs we bought from a local store when the rain poured, we welcomed it with a smile and sighs of relief. So happy was I that I invited our kids to shower in the rain, an activity that happens rarely, if at all. The kids next door, however, were not so lucky to get the consent they sought from their parents and had to be content with watching us and the rain through their windows.

The rain lasted for a few minutes only, but a good portion was a downpour, enough to truly wet the Los Banos downtown area…enough to make the plants happy…enough to bless many families with a good night sleep even without air-conditioning…and enough for everyone to hope for a longer relief from the heat of summer and El Nino. Would we be so lucky again today?

Go Out and Vote

2010-05-09T17:10:00.001+08:00

One of the reasons why we're doing this Island Travel Adventure as enumerated when we started the countdown is to exercise our right to vote in the May 10, 2010 elections. For us, it's an important exercise to participate in as we see it as an opportunity to express our views on how the country should proceed...either to go business as usual or to take a different path.

We have expressed our view that this election is about restoring TRUST in a country where distrust and dishonesty are pervasive. We also announced our preference for Noynoy Aquino-Mar Roxas and their senatorial line-up in our other blog as the people who we can trust to keep their word and bring about the change we need in this country. But regardless of your opinion on this matter and your preferences for or against national and local candidates, all Filipinos of voting age should go out and vote!

It is our civil and moral duty to do so. It is our chance to shape our future as a people...the future of a country that we're going to bequeath our children and theirs. Let's go out. Let's vote!

Three Winners of the Island Travel Promotional Video and Contest

2010-05-01T16:00:00.006+08:00

Today we have three lucky winners of our raffle draw of the Island Travel Promotional Video and Contest that ended yesterday. The contest simply requires one to share the island travel promotional video below to friends in Facebook, own blog or Twitter and then to follow us at Island Travel.

The winners will receive a pack each of MDPlus Golden Shield with SPF50, your skin's best defense against sun damage this summer, to be delivered right at their doorsteps.

Submissions were individually verified and qualified entries were assigned numbers chronologically, i.e. according to the order of submission. Using a random numbers generator, the three lucky numbers are 18, 1, 16. These numbers correspond to the entries of:

18- zoan - the blogger behind the blog "luckyzoan", a self-confessed internet addict and a mom who loves freebies and contests.

1- fabgirl - the first to share the video to her friends and an avid fan of Island Travel and our other blogs like Mama Sez at Hubpages, Parenting Journey and Daily Happiness Tips.

16- Madel Martin - is one of two Island Travel followers who shared the video in three ways, i.e. via Facebook, Multiply and Twitter, a strategy that paid off handsomely for her.

Congratulations to our three lucky winners! They still have about a month to go to enjoy the rest of the summer with their MDPlus Golden Shield prize for sun protection.

They will be contacted directly so we can get the addresses to send each of their prizes.

Cheers!

Winners of Island Travel Guess Where We Are Contest

2010-04-27T17:25:00.006+08:00

Congratulations to the winners of the two Island Travel Guess Where We Are Challenges:

Guess Where We Are Challenge #1 Winner is Gin E.

She submitted the best guess for this photo

Her answer was San Francisco, Agusan del Sur. A separate blog will be posted about this Lion House that is actually an orphanage.

The level of difficulty of this challenge is assessed to be at $4.00 (based on the range of $2.00 for easiest to $5.00 most difficult). Gin E will receive $4.00 via paypal. We will contact her using the available contact details as a follower of Island Travel.

Guess Where We Are Challenge #2 Winner is Josie

She gave the best guess for this photo
Her answer is MacArthur Landing Memorial in Red Beach, Palo, Leyte. We will also have separate posts and more photos about our activities in this park and about our stay in Leyte.

Josie wins $2.00. She will be contacted directly using the available contact details as an Island Travel follower.

Congratulations to the first winners of our Island Travel promos and contests.