The Nomadic Pinoy

Before Leaving Manila

2012-05-26T08:59:00.025+08:00

A smoggy Makati skyline viewed from my room at Marriott Manila

For a long time, Manila was missing a good airport hotel. There used to be a Philippine Village Hotel but I can't even say if it was any good since I never stayed there. That was a long time ago anyway before my travel itch even began. A couple of years ago, a casino resort called Resorts World Manila opened right in front of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3. Among the 3 hotels built there was a name so familiar in the US market - the Marriott.

Thanks to a very generous offer I got from Chase, I was able to churn a Marriott-branded credit card. The bonus was a whopping 70,000 points (which is redeemable for free stays), a free stay each year at any category 1-5 hotel anywhere in the world, a complimentary Silver Elite status, no foreign transaction fee - all these for an annual fee of $85. That fee, I reckon, is less than the cost of most lower tier Marriott hotels, many of which already cost more than a hundred bucks.

Just timely, I was staying for a night in Manila before flying back to the US. I used my free certificate for a free room, this at the Manila Marriott Hotel where the lowest nightly rate currently goes for PHP 8300 or USD 189 (including taxes). Even taxes were already included in my free certificate so this was definitely a great redemption in my book.

I was already looking forward to a very restful sleep later at the hotel while sitting on the Victory Liner bus from Baguio to Manila. The 5 hour bus journey wasn't really torturous in itself until I found myself sick in my stomach. Somewhere in Pangasinan, my gut grumbled so badly, a condition so dire that I had to ask the old man seated next to me to alert the bus conductor.

"Naiihi ka ba? (Do you want to pee?)", asked the conductor.

"Hindi po. Ang sakit na ng tiyan ko, nata-tae na ako" (No, my stomach really hurts, I feel like having a shit attack), I responded with the most appropriate facial expression.

Ten minutes later, the bus stopped right in front of a gasoline station. I ~~walked~~ ran to the rest room at the back. At that point I couldn't care less if there was only a latrine or just bushes to cover me but there it was, a surprisingly clean rest room. I was so relieved - at least temporarily - as the bacteria, whatever it was, was still doing its havoc. The next stop was in Tarlac where I did the same thing all over again.

Traffic was so bad as we entered Manila. My final destination was Pasay. What was supposedly a 5-hour trip turned into 7 hours. What got me worried with the delay was that I was meeting some people at the hotel. These are Manila-based travel bloggers I so admire: Nina Fuentes, Ferdz Decena, Dong Ho and Chyng Reyes. In fact, it's only our first meeting and I wasn't about to make them wait for me.

As soon as the bus arrived in Pasay, I hurriedly left but not before thanking the bus driver and conductor for their patience. My stomach was still grumbling, but not as bad. Now here's where my blood was soon boiling: hailing a taxi. For someone laden with a backpack, a taxi ride in Manila can be game of Russian roulette. I had luggage left for storage at the NAIA 2 so I wanted to collect it first before heading to the hotel. This driver wanted PHP 300 to take me there, even when I insisted on the meter. Of course I balked, telling him to lower it to PHP150. We were already on EDSA and I wasn't happy to get off like I've done in the past on similar situations. Besides, my revolting stomach was sending alarming signals yet again. Yikes!

In the end, I agreed to pay the driver PHP 200. I got my luggage back at the airport. Getting into another taxi, up on the Departure area of NAIA 2, was a breeze this time and less toxic - in other words, the elderly gentleman turned on the meter for the short ride to the hotel. There's actually a free Marriott shuttle but they only operate hourly. At the state my stomach was kicking, I couldn't risk waiting for the next 45 minutes or so.

There's a security barricade even before a car enters Manila Marriott Hotel's driveway. As is now pretty stndard in all major hotels in Manila, a platoon of security personnel was right by the door with metal detectors and a bomb-sniffing dog. My bag was screened through an airport-style X-ray machine. It's really baffling, this state of prolonged heightened security in Manila. I'm just glad Fido didn't smell anything suspicious except perhaps for my poop-stained underwear.

Lucky foodie: Zamboanga's prized "Curacha" was on the buffet table at Marriott Cafe

Marriott's lobby is a picture of modernist design. Which I like. There's plenty of sitting areas around, as it should be. As soon as I handed over my Marriott card, the front desk agent acknowledged my status and thanked me for patronizing the brand. I was given a golf-view room with Makati skyline in the distance, essentially an upgrade from the ones facing the airport terminal building. Being a 2-year-old hotel, Marriott Manila shows impressive maintenance. I couldn't find anything wrong with my room, not even spots that needed to be dusted or vacuumed.

While I was already tempted to sleep on the Marriott bed, my first business was to use the bathroom. It's huge and I had the most relaxing moment using it for all the suffering I had to go through - never mind that a glass partition allows anyone on bed to see me do my business. With just half an hour to go before my fellow bloggers arrived, I took a quick but refreshing shower.

Travel bloggers meet

I might not have known them in person but I felt like knowing them already through their blogs - which I read. Dom, Ferdz, Nina and Chyng are some of the country's brilliant purveyors of adventures. The moment I saw them, I knew it was them. They look like your familiar friends that you instantly recognize from afar. Oh how I felt so at ease with each one of them. We had dinner at the hotel's Marriott Cafe, enjoying the food, the conversations; more eating, more talking - before we knew it, we were the last guests to leave.

It was almost 2 AM when I finally made it back to my room and into my bed. Five hours later, I had to wake up as a close friend was meeting me for breakfast. My flight was at noon. With about 19 hours of flying time ahead of me, I was looking forward to catching up on sleep. From Marriott's heavenly bed, I was now looking forward to Cathay Pacific's bed in the skies.

Safari Lodge

2012-05-19T09:23:00.051+08:00

Taking an overnight bus just after hiking down Mt. Pulag didn't appeal to me. I wanted to rest in Baguio City for the night. It's been a long day after all - a whole morning on the trail and some 3 hours on the jeepney. We arrived at the city's Victory Liner Terminal before 4 PM all tired and starving. I was the only one staying. Since the group's Manila-bound bus doesn't leave until 10 PM, we made plans for a farewell dinner at a restaurant on Session Road.

But first, I need a place to stay. I haven't booked any. Ed, one of the guys in the group, recommended Safari Lodge. It's on Leonard Wood Road, almost in front of Baguio Botanical Gardens. From outside, the lodge had this look of a grand ancestral home. In fact, as I would find out later, this used to be the old vacation house of the Tuasons (Don Celso Tuason founded Armscor, a firearms and ammunition company in the Philippines).

I went in and was swallowed by the sight of hunting trophies adorning the lobby - or what I suppose was the main living room back in the old days. There's this huge elephant head jutting out from a wall and a full-sized lion in its own glass enclosure. There were old pictures of the Tuason patriarch on his various hunting expeditions in Africa. If not for the pine trees outside, the lodge looked more Botswana than Baguio. I got so fascinated by the display I almost forgot the young woman who acknowledged my presence.

"Sir, mag-stay po kayo? Ilang gabi po?" (Sir, are you staying? How many nights?)

"I'm only here for a night", I told her.

Seeing that I'm alone, she offered me several options for a room with single beds. They had this "graduation time promo" rates that were all-inclusive. The first room I was given was actually not part of the old building but rather a newer extension called the "Bamboo Side". I didn't like it since it was close to their restaurant with all the associated noise. When I insisted on getting one on the "Main House", she had one of the housekeepers escort me up a flight of wooden stairs, all the way to the attic.

Up there, through a steep set of stairs, were 2 rooms, the cheapest on the house at PHP 700 (They have bigger, more expensive rooms costing between PHP 1000-3000). I chose the one facing the street as it had views of the pine trees outside. Traffic noise wasn't so terrible. The promo rate included free breakfast, free WiFi and basic toiletries. Bathroom was shared with the other room but then I was the only guest on that floor so I really felt alone.

Or was I really alone?

Am I alone here?

I showered quickly, noticing how eerily it felt to be up on an attic floor of an old house by myself. I was hurrying to meet my group for dinner. As soon as I made it back to the lobby, the front desk girl asked how long will I be gone.

"Why?", I asked.

"We close the door at 10 PM"

"Uh, I see, I'll be back before 10", I replied.

Our group shared a long table at Solibao, a restaurant specializing in Filipino dishes. Carlita, the German backpacker, was happy to try out everything we ordered. Over mouthfuls of tangy sinigang, greasy crispy pata, nutty kare kareng bagnet, to name a few, we reviewed our mountainous adventures together. Everyone agreed there's always something especial to do outdoors in the Philippines. We exchanged e-mails and hoped to hit the trail again someday.

Those eyes intimidate me

Back at the lodge, the trail to my own room felt so creepy. I felt uneasy as I walked up the wooden stairs, the walls of which had paintings of wild animals staring right at me. The old wooden floors almost creaked. There were no other guests in sight. It didn't help that hallway lights were not all turned on. What's going on with me? I've stayed several times in Baguio City before but this was the first time I actually felt a sense of dread.

I surveyed my room. I turned on the TV at a really loud volume. The A-frame ceiling has one part covered with clear glass that divides it from the hallway. This didn't sit well with me while lying on bed. It's like something was going to show up there. Who knows? I pushed my bed against the opposite wall so that I don't see it. Or whatever my imagination might feed me.

View from my room

Hiding under a blanket, I turned off the TV by remote, dreadful even at the thought of visiting the bathroom at midnight. Tired as I was after a really long day (which I think I should be thankful for), I managed to sleep through the entire cold night. A misty morning greeted me the next day.

At least, I didn't wake up looking like a zombie. That would have been scarier.

Top of Luzon

2012-05-13T09:24:00.031+08:00

Behold the Cordillera: view as seen from Mt. Pulag's summit

It's only 5:30 AM, it's cold, windy and dark. I was walking behind our local guide along with Carlita, a German backpacker. The guide soon exclaimed "Eto na! This is it!". We made it to the top of Mt. Pulag. The rest of our group was somewhere lagging behind. From our vantage point at 2,922 meters above sea level, we could see a long trail of headlamps headed our way - pretty much everyone else who woke up in the pre-dawn darkness just to get to the summit in time for sunrise.

For a few minutes, the three of us enjoyed solitude as the first to make it up there. Soon that will change.

Waiting for sunrise

The night before, Miguel reminded us of our early start at 4:30 AM. It may be tad too early for me but Miguel must have a reason for such an early rise. A shot of whiskey helped in warming me up and getting me to sleep. I was concerned that with so many hikers staying at Camp 2, there would be some noise issue. Just within a few feet from me were dozens of other tents. Thankfully everyone was quiet by 9 PM. Cocooned in my toasty sleeping bag, it didn't take long before I was in dreamland. By the time I heard Miguel's voice again, he was waking me up.

It was cold as I got out of my tent. Talk about temperature hovering only at 5 degrees Celsius! It felt like New York winter weather. Everyone else in my group was up and ready, wearing jackets, gloves, bonnets and the much-needed head lamps. A local guide was leading us. Miguel and his sidekick Agot was staying behind to prepare breakfast. We were the first group to leave camp, moving in single file in the darkness. Up above us was an inky black sky glittering with stars that will soon get outshone by a rising sun.

The trek to the top from Camp 2 is about 2 kilometers, taking about an hour and a half. In the darkness the surrounding beauty can't yet be appreciated thus only increasing my excitement for what lay ahead. The trail is so well-established it didn't even bother me walking with just headlamps illuminating the path. I adopted the fast pace of both our lead guide and Carlita that in just an hour, the three of us reached the peak. We sat surrounded by a cluster of dwarf bamboo, effectively shielding us from the bone-chilling winds while waiting for the rest to arrive.

Just past 6 AM, Mt. Pulag's summit was abuzz with hikers, all in various states of camera frenzy. Many were pleading for their "best Facebook profile picture" - or something that would tell their online friends they made it this far and this high. Unfortunately, what was supposedly a grand sunrise turned out to be a dud since high altitude clouds now covered the eastern sky. The so-called "sea of clouds" - a tsunami of whiteness hugging the lower peaks - also did not materialize. But I was still happy. This has been a dream ever since I climbed Mt. Apo.

What makes Mt. Pulag's summit really unique is its grassland features. Without towering trees, we got unimpeded views of several mountains on the massive Cordillera range. The lead guide started enumerating to me the various peaks visible from up there including the highest section of the infamous Halsema Highway (road leading to Sagada/Bontoc up north). We could even see Camp 2 where we came from and another campsite used on the more challenging Akiki trail. The views were priceless and no photos could ever justify them.

Our guide motioned our time was up and we needed to go down. Breakfast was waiting. It took us half the time going up to get down. Back at Camp 2, Miguel and Agot served us a mean breakfast of Purefoods hotdogs (how I miss them!), meat loaf, fried eggplant and fried rice. Now fully refueled, we broke up camp, shoved back our tents and sleeping bags into our backpacks, and prepared ourselves for the descent back into Babadak Ranger Station.

It was a smooth, uneventful hike all the way down. Our jeepney was waiting, ready to send us back to Baguio. That for me and some other crazies in our group meant one thing: another chance for a top-load ride!

Camp 2

2012-05-06T00:17:00.197+08:00

2600+ meters above sea level @ Camp 2

"OK ka lang Mang Andy?", I asked as I passed by this gray-haired 64-year-old gentleman on the popular Ambangeg Trail to Mt. Pulag. He's standing on the side of the narrow path, catching his breath, his weight bearing on a single trekking pole. A vacationing grandfather from the US, Mang Andy shots back at me, "I feel great!". While our group led by Miguel (Yabag Mountaineering) met only the previous evening, we felt a bond already. "I just couldn't take my wife here with me. Papatayin nya ako (She'll kill me)", he laughs later at camp.

Mang Andy refills his water bottle

That camp of course is Camp 2, our designated pit stop before summit assault the next day. It takes 3 hours to reach Camp 2 from the Ranger Station in Babadak. While we ate lunch at the trail head, Miguel arranged for porters to help those in our group who didn't want to be burdened with their bags. I chose to walk with my backpack since the Ambangeg trail is on gentler slopes and the path is well-trodden. If only it was available, I was actually hoping to hike the more challenging Akiki Trail. Perhaps another time?

As the elevation is already higher at the Ranger Station, we felt invigorated by the fresh mountain air. We began the hike by walking up on a dirt road with one side going down steeply to show sections of mountains that have served stomachs well - this is vegetable heaven, after all. I won't be surprised if those vegetables end up in the kitchens of Baguio or Manila. The roads may be rotten in this part of the world but boy do they have the freshest vegetables!

Past a ridge, we entered the mossy forest, quite a change from the more predominant pine trees in lower elevations. It was nice to be in the shade since sun rays are still ferocious even if it's deceptively cool on the mountains. We got into Camp 1 where a small open hut beckoned us for a bit of rest while waiting for others in our group to catch up. Many other trekkers stopped here too (although no camping is allowed except for emergencies). From this point, we already had a clear view of Mt. Pulag's summit.

Grassland above treeline

Our group continued hiking, each one with a different pace. Oftentimes, I find myself in a bottleneck of slow folks walking the same narrow path on this busy weekend. It was not even Holy Week yet - when the trail gets a whole lot busier! But I don't want to complain now. (I'm told there's a cap to the number of hiking permits issued by the DENR - might as well trek on a weekday). For as long as everyone is a responsible hiker, I'm happy to see more Pinoys enjoying the outdoors.

Jump!

Shadow

Sunset

Blessed with a perfect summer weather, we all reached Camp 2 past 4 p.m. with plenty of daylight left. After pitching our tents (I bought the same one I used in Mt. Apo 4 years ago), one would think I'd just hit the sack after a really long trip that began in El Nido the previous day. I walked around the campsite, beautifully situated on a distinctive grassland which pretty much defines Mt. Pulag's summit - still an hour away from here. Carlita, a German backpacker in our group, was already itching to hit the summit right that moment. We all turned our energies to jump shots instead.

As the sun was setting down and clouds rolled in at nearby peaks, I sat on the grass barefoot and happy. It's starting to get really cold. Perfect time for a hot soup (and a shot of whisky). I'm glad someone's cooking dinner.

From Sea To Summit

2012-04-29T09:31:00.041+08:00

From here...

Call me nuts for taking a punishing trip traveling all day and night - from coastal El Nido to mountainous Kabayan in Benguet. It started on a Friday early morning and didn't stop till mid-morning the next day. This involved taking the RORO bus from El Nido to Puerto Princesa (6 hours) where I waited (6 hours) for a Philippine Airlines flight to Manila (1 hour) to catch an overnight Victory Liner bus bound for Baguio (6 hours) before eventually riding a chartered jeepney the next day to a Ranger Station in Kabayan, Benguet (3+ hours). Whew!

...to here

Most people who heard of my itinerary balked at such a schedule. In terms of time management, it suited me just fine since I didn't have an endless supply of vacation days. My only worry that time was if one of the transport mode broke down or got delayed, then everything else got screwed. I tried dispelling any thoughts of a major delay - which is what's common - with Philippine Airlines. This being summer, I didn't even want to worry about inclement weather.

All I really wanted after being on sea level was to snag a summit. Trekking after all has always been something I enjoy doing especially where this involves hills and mountains. In fact, I consider myself more of a mountain guy than a beach person. Nothing can get as closer to nature for me than actually walking on a trail - never mind the mud, bugs, heat, cold and body odor. More than the views, there's this certain level of calm that I achieve whenever I begin seeing clouds at eye level.

For a long time, I've been wanting to go up Mt. Pulag - the third highest peak in the Philippines. I've climbed the highest (Mt. Apo) thrice but somehow never made it to this mountain in northern Luzon island. Given that planning and logistics were not possible for me, I went searching around for outfitters until I found Yabag, a sensible choice since it's a mountaineering organization. For 3500 PHP, the package included round trip bus and jeepney transfers, 3 meals, guides, camping fees and a souvenir T-shirt.

Leaving El Nido early in the morning

RORO bus

My contact person with Yabag was Miguel. The plan was to meet him and the rest of the group at the Victory Liner Bus Terminal in Pasay at 9:30 PM. When he texted me that Friday morning, I was still on the RORO Bus on its way to Puerto Princesa. I arrived in the city at 12 noon, exactly 6 hours since leaving El Nido. My flight for Manila wasn't leaving till 6 PM so I had plenty of time for lunch and Internet (it was such a hot afternoon that killing time in an Internet cafe was a life saver).

I took a tricycle to the Puerto Princesa airport terminal only to find that it does not open until 3 PM. All flights have been clustered in groups of mid-morning and early evening arrivals/departures which meant that the terminal is effectively closed between those times. Despite the stifling heat, plenty of sweaty passengers were making a bee-line outside. Adjacent to the terminal parking lot was this airconditioned coffee house where I took refuge (and took advantage of free WiFi).

Trike ride to the airport

A congested departure area @ Puerto Princesa Airport Terminal

One of the four flights leaving for Manila

Right after checking in, I found out that that my Philippine Airlines flight will - of course - be delayed by an hour. This meant arriving in Manila at 8 PM. Knowing I still have to exchange my bags at the luggage storage in NAIA 2 (grab my big backpack and stow the other bag with soiled beach clothes) before hailing a taxi to the bus terminal in Pasay, my only hope was no evening traffic jam in Manila (yeah right!).

What's worse than the delay itself was the airport terminal's congestion within the departure area. Four flights (Philippines Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines and Zest Air) were leaving within minutes of each other that evening so just imagine the number of passengers squeezed in the humid confines of the building. Even the Monobloc chairs that were added to allow more passengers to seat were not enough. If this is what departing Palawan visitors has to endure, I wonder if their fond memories of the islands and beaches will not fade away?

After deplaning at the NAIA 2, I immediately went to luggage storage in the Mezzanine Level (or right before reaching the luggage carousels). Bags can be stored here for 150 PHP per day. I've already prepared my trekking backpack so I was all set to go. Hailing a taxi has always been best done just outside the Departures area but since this was past 8 PM when there was no more departing flight, it felt like a rainy day when everyone is fighting for a rare taxi. Luckily, I heard a man close by shouting "Victory Liner Pasay!" to a taxi driver. Drivers of course are too eager to pool passengers. We both got in plus another lady (whose destination is on our way), paying 150 PHP each.

On the winding road to Kabayan, Benguet

Ambuklao Dam

Partial view of Ambuklao Reservoir

Manila's traffic that Friday evening turned out to be . . . not bad. While it wasn't a stressful taxi ride, I find it odd that Manila still has no central bus terminal. Each bus company has its own little grimy nook along the length of EDSA, making it quite a frustrating trip for first time visitors planning a provincial foray. As soon as I made it to Victory Liner bus terminal in Pasay, I sought for my group which was not difficult to do - all I had to look for were tell-tale signs of backpacks and trekking shoes. I even correctly identified Miguel!

After quick introductions with everyone (there were 12 of us including Miguel and his 2 sidekicks), we boarded our Baguio bus for a prompt 10 PM departure. Tired as I was, I still took Melatonin pill to help me sleep. A compressible camp pillow for my back and a fleece jacket for the Arctic bus airconditioning made the overnight journey more bearable. With no major traffic to contend with, our bus made it to Baguio at 4 AM where it was still dark and cold.

Jeepney top load view

Jeepneys are like beasts of burden in the mountains

Another top load view: steep mountainsides planted with vegetables and rice

From the bus terminal, we walked with our bags to a parking lot where our chartered jeepney was waiting. Travel time to Mt. Pulag National Park Ranger Station in Kabayan, Benguet is about 3 hours. Seating inside the jeep while it was negotiating hairpin curves proved a bit nauseating for me that after our scheduled breakfast stop (where we also bought packed lunches), some of us went up the roof for the so-called top load ride. If there's any good place worth doing this, riding atop a jeepney anywhere in the Cordillera region of Luzon is unbeatable.

Before we could proceed to the Ranger Station, we had to pass by the DENR (Department of Energy & Natural Resources) office for registration and briefing. But what a crowd of trekkers! There were already other groups ahead of us so we waited for our turn while more groups kept coming in. The briefing with video presentation turned out to be almost like an hour-long lecture given by this very stern woman who looked like a spinster teacher.

At the DENR Office for registration & briefing

Ranger Station

All set and ready to go at the trail head

As soon as the briefing was done, we rode back on the jeepney taking the rotten road to the Ranger Station but stopped midway due to road repairs going on. We walked with our backpacks to this tiny village called Babadak where the Ranger Station is. The trek officially starts here. Since it was almost lunch time, we ate our lunch bought earlier - a simple fare of fried chicken and steamed rice that we devoured with our bare hands from a plastic bag.

Those plastic bags of course were not thrown just anywhere. "Leave nothing but footprints", as we always remind ourselves. Now fueled with enough carbs and protein, we were all ready to go. The long journey I took just to be here is just about to begin.

Kayaking on Bacuit Bay

2012-04-22T13:00:00.019+08:00

"S--t!, we're not moving", Matt was shouting. The waves were big, pummeling the bow of our tandem kayak as we seesawed up and down. It was almost 4 PM. Our guide and another pair in our group was already ahead of us, this on the second leg of our kayaking that afternoon. We started out from Bucal Island where we've rested and was paddling on our way to Paradise Beach, more than 2 kilometers on the other side of Cadlao Island, when the winds caught up with us.

While wiping away stinging sea sprays away from my eyes, I saw Justin and Susana, another member in our group, giving up on their kayaks and getting on the support outrigger boat that brought them safely to the beach. I was wishing secretly I was there on that banca too. But Matt was determined we could make it. "We're already here, let's go for it!", he egged me on. "One...two...one...two...one...", we kept repeating this loudly like a mantra as we paddled furiously against waves that were seemingly determined to push us back to Bucal Island.


Our kayaking route. (left) Helicopter Island to a lagoon in Cadlao Island; (right) Bucal Island to Paradise Beach in Cadlao Island. El Nido is on lower right. Map by Google Earth.

It was while doing the so-called Tour A the previous day that kayaking became part of my agenda. I wasn't too keen on doing the next most popular "Tour C". Art Cafe was offering a half-day excursion for 1100 PHP including equipment, guide and snacks so I thought of signing up. Matt got interested but we found out that the tour, not part of the standard tours offered in El Nido, needed a minimum of 4 people to operate. We visited one hostel in the hopes of enticing others to join but no one was interested...until we convinced Justin and Susana, a couple who were also with us on the Tour A.

Burgers a la El Nido

Justin and Susana are Americans working as teachers in South Korea. They're on a 3-month Southeast Asian journey and the Philippines is their first destination (Matt, on the other hand, is a Chinese-Canadian who've been traveling solo for the last 2 months around Southeast Asia as well). It so happened that they haven't decided on what they really want to do so a little bit of talking got them into signing up for the half day kayaking tour with us. With that done, we all ate well as the town was gearing up for fiesta, eating hamburgers before having grilled squid for dinner.

Helicopter Island

The next day, after hiking up Taraw Cliff mid-morning with Matt, we all met again at the Art Cafe. Two European girls joined us at the last minute. A boatman and a guide brought us to Helicopter Island (locally known as Dilumacad Island) where we boarded our kayaks. We had 2 kilometers to paddle between Helicopter Island and a secluded lagoon in Cadlao Island - the largest island in Bacuit Bay. The water was not calm as we entered the open section between the islands but it wasn't too rough as to impede our progress. It required a lot of muscle work nonetheless.

Paddling from Helicopter Island....

...to this lagoon in Cadlao Island

The calm lagoon was a welcome relief from the open seas. We skimmed past limestone walls to hear only the sound of our paddles hitting the water. It was a moment of complete tranquility and awe, reminiscent of what I felt while kayaking on a similar lagoon in Coron seven years ago. Our support outrigger boat was waiting just outside the lagoon, ready to whisk us and our kayaks to another part of the bay. In no time, we made it to small Bucal Island where we took time to rest and just admire the view around us.

Re-charging at Bucal Island

As we started paddling again, this on the Southeast part of Cadlao Island, the force of the prevailing trade winds (Amihan season) was right in front of us. The waves were forceful and bigger, coming in one after the other that I didn't want to risk taking my DSLR out from the dry bag. Hence no pictures. We were fighting with the current as we paddled parallel to the sheer walls of Cadlao Island and it felt like nature was winning. Our movement was slowed down frustratingly. Justin and Susana, trailing just behind us, soon gave up and had the support banca scoop them up.

Paradise Beach on Cadlao Island

Now it was just Matt and me left behind. Despite my arms getting sore and numb all at the same time, I summoned all strength I got, paddling in unison with Matt up front. "One...two...one...two...one...two...". It took like forever but we finally found ourselves down the bend, turning westward where the water was getting calmer. From a short distance we could already see our guide and the two European girls ahead of us (what a shame I know!). As soon as we waded into shore, I laid down on the beach. I was so exhausted.

Soccer match in a basketball-crazed country

On fiesta mood

Grilled everything

Back later in El Nido with sore muscles, I splurged on a 500 PHP massage. It felt so good. Outside was a "feel-good" atmosphere as well, a huge crowd getting ready for the town's fiesta the next day. There was a perya (town fair), flea market, live band, street food, even a soccer tournament. Justin, Susan, Matt and I gobbled up again on grilled squid, enjoying each other's temporal company while talking about travel. We're all going in different directions the next day.

Tackling Taraw Cliff

2012-04-17T20:33:00.006+08:00

The limestone karst dominating El Nido and the islands around Bacuit Bay is what many visitors usually remember. They're simply stunning. Island-hopping gives us that view but something else was pushing me beyond merely seeing them. I wanted to climb one. The town itself has one such limestone cliff called Taraw. And it was calling my name.

Roadside brekkie

On the island-hopping tour the previous day, I met this Canadian-Chinese guy who was traveling solo around Southeast Asia. He was also eyeing the same summit I was looking at. "Why don't we just go together so we can get the same guide for the same price?", he asked me. I agreed and so we booked ourselves a guide for 300 PHP the next day (and a separate kayaking tour in the afternoon with new-found friends from the US). Our climb was scheduled at 7:30 AM.

Before "asong kalye" gets terminated...

...they try to multiply (seen while waiting for our guide at Art's Cafe)

At 6:30 AM, I got out from my room at the Stunning Vistas Resorts and decided to walk along the highway all the way to town. El Nido was just waking up. After about 20 minutes, I reached the Public Market (where Roro buses bound for Puerto Princesa await) and decided to have a quick meal of "goto" at a roadside eatery. I didn't want to walk anymore for fear of being late so I hailed a tricycle which brought me straight to Art Cafe where we were meeting our guide.

Guide leading us through a neighborhood towards the base of the cliff

Matt, my new Chinese-Canadian friend, came shortly but our guide was late. He was almost half an hour late that we even thought it might have been better if we just went on our own. (On the climb, we realized how a guide is so important). He was apologetic and soon the three of us were on our way. He led us first through a neighborhood full of kids greeting us "hellos". At the very end of this village - on someone's backyard at that - marks the beginning of the climb. Anyone without a guide will most likely miss this.

What adds the risk factor while climbing Taraw is the fact that we're dealing with razor-sharp rocks and pinnacles. While handholds and footholds were abundant, the rocks could easily graze any uncovered skin. Our guide even recommended bringing gloves but that's too late for now. There are sections also that are steep, really steep it was almost akin to bouldering. We clambered up on all four extremities one by one on the steepest sections. At one point, we negotiated a nerve-wracking section with sharp pinnacles waiting to skewer us down below.

"Oh, one Chinese tourist fell to her death here", our guide enthusiastically informed us. That wasn't comforting to hear but it surely made us all the more aware of our potentially deadly surroundings. Without a guide, the way to the top would be a complete maze with no path in sight. There are no trail blazes and no ropes.

One misstep here could lead to more than "ouch!"

For locals, the allure of Taraw and other similar nearby cliffs lie on the wealth brought forth by its feathered friends - the swiftlets. These little birds build nests high up on the cliffs where instead of twigs and vines, they built nests made from their own saliva. These nests are harvested by agile climbers, sold for a really tidy sum and turn up in Chinese kitchens to become "bird's nest soup". Indeed, a very expensive soup that I have no plans of splurging on.

The summit view

No flat spot at the top

Climbing up and down Taraw is usually a 3-hour business. We made it to the top in an hour, sweating buckets as the mid-morning sun bore down on us while we got rewarded with splendid views of the town directly beneath us and the Bacuit bay just beyond. It's more than 200 meters to the bottom should anyone fall. We lingered only for a bit as there was no flat surface at the top. There's only one route up and that meant we had to go down the same way - down the same steep face of the cliff.

What goes up must come down

Sweet ending

Back safely on flat ground later, Matt and I breathed a sigh of ~~relief~~ accomplishment. We clocked two hours and half climbing this little beast. What better way to reward our efforts than getting mouthfuls of sweet banana cue (we burned calories after all, didn't we?). For lunch, we shared adobo and afritada at a nearby carinderia, making sure we ate well. Sea kayaking was next, which means more calories to burn.

Imperfect Paradise

2012-04-11T08:35:00.014+08:00

For many travelers, El Nido's front yard of Bacuit Bay is what tropical paradise is all about. It is littered with gorgeous islands - those sharp, jagged peaks shooting like torpedoes to the skies. One earlier edition of Lonely Planet Philippines, written by western authors, even declared that El Nido "dare we say it, is better than Vietnam's Halong Bay and Thailand's Krabi". It was a statement that got me excited even if I haven't been to all those three. Now that I finally made it to El Nido, I wanted of course to see what everyone else came here for.

Looking for a tour? Operators abound in El Nido

Fortunately, island-hopping in Bacuit Bay isn't a difficult proposition given how the process has been standardized. Every hostel, hotel, resort, and travel agency in town sells pretty much the same package with the same inclusions. There are four day tours simply named A, B, C & D, costing anywhere between PHP 700 to PHP 900 per person. Transport, guide and lunch are included. The most popular happens to be Tour A so I decided to go with the most popular.

7 Commando Beach

While Stunning Vistas where I stayed offered the same thing, I went to town and checked the well-established El Nido Boutique & Art Cafe. Finding that there was still a spot available for their trip leaving at 9 AM, I immediately signed up, paid PHP 200 for the Eco Tourism Development Fee, paid an extra 100 pesos for the mask (stingy me didn't want to pay for another 100 pesos for the fin which I will regret later) and found myself in the company of other visitors from Germany, France, Canada and the USA. There were 12 of us in all.

It was a brilliant, sunny day in mid-March and soon everyone was talking not just about the weather but where everyone was from - a very typical backpacker ice breaker. We had a young guide and a skipper for the big outrigger boat that whisked us away from one island to the next. For the next 7 hours or so, our Tour A brought us to 7 Commando Beach, Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon & Small Lagoon in Miniloc island, Simisu island for snorkeling and lastly, to Ipil Beach.

Big Lagoon

The jaw-dropping Big Lagoon is undoubtedly the most iconic of all that El Nido is usually remembered for. I had to pinch myself to realize where I was - and remembered how envious I was of other friends I knew that made it there before me. I even remembered as a teenager ogling at a photo of the very same spot featured on an old Philippine encyclopedia at home and secretly wished I had the wherewithal to go there someday! So happy to finally tick off one from my bucket list.

What makes the islands also a draw for many visitors are the plentiful secluded white sand beaches. The sand may not be exactly like Boracay but the tranquil atmosphere is way better than having to deal with a crowd and the resulting noise. There's even an option for anyone who want to play it up a la Cast Away (without talking to a Mr. Wilson necessarily) - all it takes is just hiring a banca to any island and be picked up at a pre-arranged time or even a pre-arranged day!

Lunch break

We went to one secluded cove in Miniloc island where lunch was prepared by the guide and the boat captain. Nothing fanciful but still gratifying - we feasted on grilled fish and pork barbecue. There was even ice cold San Miguel beer for 50 pesos. After lunch, everyone but me went for a sun-bathing mode (I'm naturally tanned already so I think the other travelers knew why I hid under the palm trees like any other Pinoy would have done!). All I wanted to do at that point was just relax and enjoy the view.

So pretty (isn't that an understatement?) is the view that even Hollywood came to shoot in Bacuit bay. The "Bourne Legacy" movie recently shot some scenes in El Nido. Film location manager Dow Griffith was so impressed he called El Nido a "paradise" while actress Rachel Weisz was famously quoted as saying "I can live in Palawan forever!". Even if Matt Damon didn't reprise his role, now I know I've got something to watch in the theater this August!

Sadly, not everything is as good as it should be in this paradise. We snorkeled at the Big Lagoon and soon realized there's something amiss. While it's gorgeous above water, the view down below is abruptly different. There were hardly any corals left, most of them have died, withered and bleached for various reasons: cyanide fishing, dynamite fishing, strong typhoons, El Niño or something new I only learned that day, a sea tormentor called the Crown of Thorns.

Anchored off Simisu island

Snorkeling off Simisu island was no different either. This was where most tour boats were anchored for the snorkeling part of the tour. It was disappointing to see dead corals or what was left of them. With less corals, there were also less fish to see. The current was so strong I could hardly keep myself moving away too far from the banca while desperately trying to look for Nemo down below. I so regretted not renting the flippers as I now have to work doubly hard in order for me not to be pushed away to South China Sea!

Will someone please get me out of here?
(photo by Matt Y.L.)

On another side of Miniloc island, we snorkeled into Small Lagoon by swimming through a narrow opening on the limestone karst. The water wasn't clear - or I guess all the sediments turned into a cloud as we swam by - and since I was the only one without a fin, everyone else got ahead of me. Our guide led us into this small subterranean cave, lit naturally from a crack above while we floated aimlessly in the deep water. I found it creepy, imagining weird creatures that might suddenly grab me from under!

Ipil Beach

Snorkeling back into our banca without fins was of course another ordeal for me. Though my arms were sore, my thoughts went back to the sorry state of marine life in this beautiful bay. I asked the guide what was being done. There's an ongoing drive, he says, to combat the Crown of Thorns infestation. As for the other causes, he wasn't even sure. El Niño and typhoons are something else but cyanide and dynamite fishing? I do hope they do more than just address this issue of a coral-eating starfish. A lot of work needs to be done.

El Nido is paradise worth saving.

Sunset a la El Nido

2012-04-03T06:43:00.057+08:00

sunset as seen from Stunning Vistas resort

Planning where to stay in El Nido? Besides budget considerations, choosing the right location is important for me. There are three locations to choose from: El Nido town proper, Caalan beach and Corong-Corong. Anything from budget to mid-range are all here. Those seeking luxurious digs will find snooty upscale resorts on some islands in Bacuit bay.

Standard Room

Staying in the town proper itself will find you right in the center of everything, including the inevitable noise. Caalan beach is further down and quiet, about a 10-minute walk away from town. Corong-corong, meanwhile, is on the main road just before entering the town itself, known for its views of the sunsets (something which El Nido town proper is deprived of due to the towering limestone karsts lording over it).

I decided on seeing the sunsets.

So I stayed at Stunning Vistas Resort in Corong-corong. If there's anything true to a name, this one here tells it exactly as it is. In other words, what you see is what you get - stunning sunsets, that is. This is what Brian, an American who manages the resort, is truly proud of. Lucky him he gets to see this every day while living here with his Pinay wife and their 7-month old baby.

Stunning Vistas Resort

North view

South view

According to Brian, the whole operation began as a restaurant more than two years ago. Accommodations were added as demand for them grew. There are currently 4 Standard Rooms and 4 Deluxe Rooms, making this resort really very intimate. If plans go well, 6 more rooms will be added later this year.

Depending on the season, prices for the Standard Room range from PHP 1800-2300 while Deluxe is anywhere between PHP 2500-3500 per night. I was booked in a Standard Room which sits right behind the beach-front Deluxe accommodations. All rooms have air-conditioning, hot showers and satellite TVs.

Hammocks for relaxing...

Or massage right by the beach !

In a town with electricity that runs only from 6 PM to 6 AM, Stunning Vistas Resort provide continuous electric power through their own generator. What's even better for someone like me who needs Internet connection is the complimentary WiFi available. And, since island-hopping is on every visitor's agenda (who wouldn't after traveling this far?), Brian can arrange for it with prices similar to what's offered in El Nido.

"There's a good amount of haze today", Brian announced. What this means is that there's a great chance of seeing a spectacular sunset. The sandy beach out front warmed to a golden glow as the sun began to dip low in the horizon. The water was calm, the islands off shore seducing me. After a 6-hour grueling bus ride, relaxing was just what I needed. And I'm hungry too.

While the town is readily accessible via a 10-minute trike ride for eating out or sampling whatever night life there is, Stunning Vistas Resort cater to their guests (and even non-guests) with reasonably-priced food in their restaurant. They have a deck sitting right over the beach where one can have cocktails, peruse the menu for dinner while watching the sun go down beyond the islands of Bacuit bay.

I can truly say my adobo dinner tasted even better after having a stunning sunset for an appetiser!

RORO to El Nido

2012-03-29T08:08:00.049+08:00

An oncoming RORO bus swirls up a cloud of dust on the unpaved section between Taytay and El Nido

In a country beset with tourist infrastructure woes, it's good to know of some positive changes. Let's look at El Nido for instance. For a long time it's been one of those destinations that seem difficult to get to. It's either one gets on an expensive flight from Manila or, like most everyone else starting from Puerto Princesa (the capital city of the island province), take the longer route via a partially paved road on a 5-8 hour dusty, bone-jarring ordeal.

An El Nido-bound Eulen Joy Liner takes a mega-load of cargo, including a wooden bed

Vans bound for different parts of Palawan

Let's take the longer route, shall we? Up until last month, visitors had to take either the old stalwarts like (A) Sweety Transport and Eulen Joy Liner or (B) any of the shuttle vans like Fortwally and Lexus. I toyed with those options, the buses cost only PHP 350 but takes longer, between 6-8 hours with frequent stops. The airconditioned vans, meanwhile, cost PHP 700, takes only 5 hours but is awfully cramped.

Backpackers will rejoice at the better leg room

Enter RORO Bus in the picture. I honestly didn't know about this one until the morning I left Puerto Pension. The tricycle driver I hired for the transfer to the bus terminal in San Jose casually mentioned this new bus service. They only started operating last February 14. When I saw how big, how clean, how new Roro bus is compared to the competition, I knew right away this will be a more tolerable ride to El Nido.

A rooster hitches a ride

Baby backpacker on board (from Germany)

There are both airconditioned (PHP 485) and non-aircon (PHP 350) buses leaving at different times between 4:00 AM and 10:00 PM. As of now, these are the schedules of RORO buses originating from both Puerto Princesa and El Nido with stops in Roxas and Taytay:

4:00 AM
6:00 AM - airconditioned
8:00 AM
10:00 AM - airconditioned
12:00 PM
2:00 PM - airconditioned
4:00 PM
6:00 PM - airconditioned
10:00 PM - airconditioned

Road improvement makes it way to northern Palawan

Tinola in Taytay

I arrived at San Jose at 7AM which meant the next bus leaving was a non-aircon. I got in, found a window seat in this 2 x 3 seating arrangement. It promptly left as scheduled at 8 AM, stopping by Roxas and Taytay for food/bathroom breaks. After the last stop, the road got rough and really dusty. Pavement is currently being done so things should improve in the next several months.

RORO bus terminal in El Nido

The concrete road seamlessly enters the jungle

On the way back to Puerto Princesa, I tried the airconditioned bus service. It's worth noting that seats can actually be reserved the day before at the terminal which should be useful during peak season. Like the non-aircon buses, it picks up passengers and allow disembarkation even in the middle of nowhere (a good portion of the road is still through a jungle!). I really didn't mind as the trip still clocked at 6 hours both ways.

By the time the road finally gets paved completely, El Nido will finally be accessed more easily, more quickly. Let's just hope El Nido doesn't go the way of Boracay.

Puerto Pension

2012-03-25T10:38:00.000+08:00

"Sir, kanina pa po ako naghintay sa inyo" (Sir, I've been waiting for you). A still smiling guy holding a placard for Puerto Pension was outside Puerto Princesa's airport waiting for me. The plane wasn't even delayed. There was just a bit of miscommunication involved.

When I made plans to travel to El Nido, logistics dictated I stay for the night in the capital city of Palawan. No problem. I had a pleasant stay the first time in 2004 so I made arrangements to stay again in Puerto Pension. It's now even oozing with Tripadvisor compliments. The problem was, booking with them isn't as direct as simply giving one's credit card number online.

"Deluxe Single" room

I was e-mailed back with instructions, either paying through a bank or sending via fax or e-mail my credit card details (along with photocopies of my card and passport). I simply didn't have the luxury of time so I resigned myself to the idea of merely showing up and hoping I could still get their cheapest room - P946 all-in for a "Deluxe Single".

It was while transiting in Manila (from Davao) that I found out they wanted my flight details. It turns out they still do offer complimentary airport transfers and even if I haven't paid up yet, they seem eager to get my business. So I e-mailed them that I'm on the afternoon flight. Unknown to me, they've already sent the poor driver to wait for me on the morning arrivals!

Welcome drink

It turns out I was the only guest he was picking up the entire day from the airport. In the old days, they used tricycles; now there was this pimped-up airconditioned jeepney with forward-facing seats. So there I was, feeling like an important guest with nothing but a backpack. Being back in Puerto Princesa again is really good. Being back in Puerto Pension again felt like coming home!

More smiling faces greeted me as I walked into the reception and a welcome drink was handed to me. The staff's friendliness is still infectious. After 8 years, Puerto Pension has seemingly shown no age. It looks like a beachfront property made from wood and woven materials, exuding a more rustic appeal than wowing you with anything grandiose. Besides the obviously reasonable price, it's this homey ambiance that got me hooked.

Breakfast at Tribu Restaurant

For P946 I got myself a small room with TV, airconditioning, small ref, bathroom/toilet and a continental breakfast (which I've upgraded to a full Pinoy brekkie for P88 more). Meals are served on their top floor "Tribu Restaurant" with its views of the bay. Receptionists take your meal orders the night before, noting what time you take the breakfast and interestingly, restaurant crew will ring you up to remind you "breakfast is ready Sir".

I once again enjoyed my stay at Puerto Pension. Back in 2004, I remember they were still reeling from the effects of the Dos Palmas hostage incident. Maribel, who still works at the front desk, said most tourist-oriented businesses closed then and Puerto Pension was just at the brink. Things are way better now. It's heartening to see Puerto Pension today still serving the needs of those who want to see Palawan on a budget.

Even if I have a million, I'd say I'd still stay again at Puerto Pension.

Two Birthdays

2012-03-16T04:58:00.009+08:00

El Nido Municipal Hall

What a coincidence. Here I am in El Nido and I find this little town shares the same foundation day as Davao City. That's today, March 16. It's a twin celebration that I'm happy to write about. What's odd is how older El Nido is at 96 years compared to Davao's 75! While I do miss celebrating fiesta in Davao City, it's my enduring love for her that certainly will never cease - never mind the current mayor's abominable behavior last year that made her look like a hoodlum.

Davao City Hall

When I was in Davao City last week, I literally walked down memory lane as I trekked the sidewalks of San Pedro Street, the city's main old drag. In those days before malls invaded what used to be quiet parts of town, San Pedro Street was where everyone goes to see and be seen. The entire length was dotted with shops and businesses. And of course, that's where one finds the San Pedro Cathedral and the City Hall.

San Pedro Cathedral

Now things are different. The winds of change has brought Davaoeños into bigger things, bigger developments. I think that's pretty much the reality in many parts of the Philippines. There are two sides to this, both good and bad. How villages, towns, cities, or an entire country adapts to these changes can make or unmake it. Too much development is a question often tied up with another pressing question - the exploding population of the Philippines.

San Pedro Street

I say this in light of what I see in El Nido as well. It's the gateway to what is undoubtedly one of the world's best seascapes - the enchanting Bacuit achipelago. In 1979, a diving boat was stranded in an inlet one evening and divers awoke the next morning to find themselves surrounded by these towering limestone islands. The word spread and hardcore backpackers soon followed. Sleepy El Nido, formerly called Bacuit, soon got the attention of the world.

Need I say more?

Now El Nido is hardly sleepy anymore. Tourist arrivals are in the upswing. Hotels, hostels and guest houses are on the rise. Even the roads are improving a lot - the remaining rotten section between Taytay and El Nido is currently being paved. And just last month, a new bus service called RORO began offering a much better and more comfortable service that connects El Nido to Puerto Princesa in the south.

As I waded through a huge crowd of foreign tourists and locals celebrating the eve of the town's fiesta last night, I was hoping things will not change abruptly for El Nido.The allure of its glistening islands is there but once the luster of unchecked development sets in, that's a sad story I would not be happy to write about.

Happy fiesta Davao City and El Nido!

Back To Talicud Island

2012-03-14T20:07:00.008+08:00

It was a year ago I first visited Talicud island. It used to be "remote" but faster & bigger outrigger boats have made the large island more accessible from Davao City's Sta. Ana wharf. However, going to a part of Talicud not serviced by the scheduled boats is where the difficult part remains, in this case going to Babusanta beach resort. If it was just me traveling, I could just have gone the same way I did last year and hop on a habal-habal to this beach. But I'm traveling with family members.

On the barge to Samal

If money is not an issue, one can of course merely charter a whole boat for 8,000 pesos and go where your heart so desires in Talicud. I had no plan of paying an arm and a leg for a banca ride. Instead, I sought another way of getting into Babusanta. And there is, one that involves multiple transfers. We're driving our car anyway so I might as well let my family experience some kind of adventurous journey.

On the road to Kaputian, we passed by this viewpoint looking across
Malipano island and the city of Davao in the far distance.

First, we drove our car to Sasa and into a barge that took us about 10 minutes to get into Babak on Samal island, officially a barangay of IGACOS - short for Island Garden City of Samal. (Alternatively, one can also hop on the Island City Express Bus bound for Samal that also uses the same barge). We drove in the hilly interior of the island, passing by the large community of Peñaplata until we reached Kaputian, all part of IGACOS. The trip over excellent paved roads took about 45 minutes.

A banca can be chartered in Kaputian, Samal for Talicud island

Talicud island fishermen

In Kaputian, we asked around for a banca and was directed to a cove next to Kaputian beach resort. A guy with a clean, newly-painted banca agreed for a round trip to Babusanta beach resort for 1,000 pesos. The trip took 30 minutes. We made it to our beach destination just in time for lunch. Given that it was a Sunday, I was surprised to find only one other group there.

Babusanta and a distant view of Mt. Apo

Babusanta is not by all means a high-end beach resort. It's a very humble collection of open nipa cottages meant for day trips - just the way I like it, rough on the edges but glinting like a little diamond. We rented ours from the caretaker for 300 pesos. Besides having no entrance fee, there's no corkage fee for all the food and drinks we bought. The caretaker offered fresh buko for 35 pesos each. There's plenty of coconut trees, after all.

How I miss this: kinilaw & grilled tuna jaw

The white sand beach is wide (though littered with broken dead corals) leading to the clear waters of Davao Gulf. A distant view of Mt. Apo looms right in front. There's another beach resort adjacent to Babusanta called Dayang Resort and they do have cottages meant for overnight stays. We were there only for the day so before the waves start getting bigger (and they usually do late in the afternoon), our boatman brought us back to Kaputian in Samal island. From there, we drove our car back to Babak, back into the barge and finally into Davao City's Sasa wharf.

Given that most beach-savvy travelers in the Philippines have their own benchmark when it comes to quality, I would say Babusanta is only for those who have seen pretty much everything in Davao and wants something off the beaten path. Talicud island - and Babusanta for that matter - is laid back, uncrowded, unspoilt. I hope it stays that way for my next return.

I Choose Philippines Because...

2012-03-07T10:06:00.036+08:00

A distant view of the Cordillera aboard a morning CX flight from Hong Kong to Manila

There are at best 196 countries in the world. While a few may not be as welcoming to tourists, a lot of them do. The market is diverse, the competition strong. I could have easily gone elsewhere but decided to visit the Philippines again. But why? Whenever and wherever I travel I get asked where I'm from, I always say "I live in New York but originally from the Philippines". More often than not, the next question is always about the Philippines. Which is good.

It's not difficult singing paeans about a country where one is born. But when one's native land has been battered by negative media reports, it becomes a challenge to counter those in front of a prying set of foreign ears. They've heard so much from social media to TV reports that I have to peel the untruths for them and let them see the goodness lay hidden. Only those who have taken media reports with a grain of salt will appreciate the blessings of a pleasant surprise. The Philippines is after all, a gem of a destination.

With 7,107 islands to choose from, I certainly have more reasons to keep coming back.

A few days before flying here last week from New York, a resident doctor I work with got excited when I told her of my trip. It turns out she and her boyfriend had booked tickets on Emirates to fly them to the Philippines this May. They've traveled previously to Southeast Asia and this time they're solely spending their tourist dollar on a 2-week trip to the archipelago. I got excited myself for them as we discussed their DIY itinerary.

"Why the Philippines?", I asked her.

"Oh, my best friend who also travels a lot mentioned to me two of her favorites, New Zealand and the Philippines". She got curious about the latter, read about the country, convinced her boyfriend and luckily, they both found a good deal on airfare that suit their backpacker's budget (a resident doctor after all doesn't earn much yet). "I dive and snorkel. I read so much about Palawan and there's plenty to do there. I also want to swim with the whale sharks in Donsol." (she didn't even know about Oslob until I told her - they might just go there since they're going to Cebu/Bohol anyway).

"Did your friend have any bad experiences in the Philippines?", I queried further.

"No, not at all. She had a great time. It wasn't anything like what she had read in some websites and forums. Her experience there is what convinced me really. We hear more about Thailand & Vietnam where most of us go while the Philippines seem like off the grid".

During the boarding process in Hong Kong for my morning flight to Manila, I looked up from my seat to do a bit of "tourist spotting" among the usual group of OFWs and balikbayans. My eyes lit up. There's a good number of blondes and redheads*, all of them in their twenties or thirties, carrying day packs. I began to imagine them heading off to one of the beaches. Or the mountains. Great start there. I'm heading to both myself.

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*As per the Philippine Department of Tourism, total visitor arrivals in 2011 was 3.9 million

Cathay Pacific (New York-Hong Kong)

2012-03-04T11:28:00.010+08:00

The new seating is configured 1-2-1 per row with 53 seats in all. There's a mini-cabin just behind First Class with only two rows offering more privacy while the main cabin is certainly more spacious. Those traveling together could opt for the middle seats as they angle towards each other. If a crying baby is an ordeal, avoid Seats 16A and 16K as these are the closest to bassinets (luckily, no baby with a big trust fund was onboard in this flight).

Welcome drink

Hot towel

What's so great about this new seat is that it's less claustrophobic compared to the old herringbone style. Seat width is even better at 21 inches. Like the old one, it converts completely flat into a bed using a toggle. A multi-port connector allows use of iPod/iPhone. There are plenty of storage within arm's length for little things like shoes, eyeglasses or bottle of water. Noise-cancelling headseats are also stored in its own cabinet that opens up with a little vanity mirror. A 15.4 inch TV screen with AVOD (audio-video on demand) offers enough entertainment for insomniacs on a night flight.

Nuts and juice

Amenity kit

A female flight attendant took my jacket away for storage while another one offered me a selection of drinks. I chose champagne. The captain's voice came on the PA advising us of a flight time of 15 hours and 36 minutes via the polar region. Rain was falling incessantly as our plane was pushed back from the gate on time. I got worried that the weather would delay us. There were no delays taxiing as well and in no time, we were airborne.

Dinner

Dessert

Right after the seatbelt sign was turned off, the Cathay show resumed. Flight attendants - always with that smiling 'thank you' even if it was them doing some kind of favor - sprang into action distributing amenity kits that contained Murad products, toothbrush, toothpaste, shoehorn, socks, eyeshade. The inflight manager came up to me to give me the menu while addressing me by my last name (she must have the passenger's manifest somewhere to help her identify all 53 of us in this cabin).

My bed at 35,000 feet

Drinks and nuts were offered next. I played with the AVOD system and was really impressed with the plethora of movies, TV shows, music and games. I watched "The Descendants" while dinner service began about an hour after we left New York. The main course was delightful, served by the flight attendants using a cart. When it came to dessert, I was prepared to just gobble-up the fresh fruit but the stewardess insisted I take the chocolate truffle cake as well. Oh dear me, how can I sleep with such a full stomach?

Breakfast

I must have slept more than 6 hours after dinner when the cabin lights came out. I was surprised that brekkie was being served so soon. Usually, it's around 2 hours before descent. I decided to watch the ever fanciful Downton Abbey (Season 2) with their over-the-top dinner scenes while there I was munching on breakfast some 35,000 feet up in the air. Yet again, the meal was a winner, served not by footmen but by smiling flight attendants.

Snacks

It was back to sleeping mode once again after watching 2 episodes of the hit British show. I woke up with just an hour before landing. There was still time for a snack so I pressed the button and in less than a minute, a flight attendant came, getting me an ice cream. Alas, it was hard as rock so I requested for the alternative which was terrific. By the time I finished it, the ice cream had softened enough that I ate it too! So much for dieting.

We landed at Hong Kong International Airport at 5:01 AM, or 29 minutes earlier than scheduled. It was still dark outside and even the massive terminal was still getting up to its feet for another long day of departures and arrivals. In my case, I have another flight to catch. But first, I need a shower.

JFK: Galleries Lounge

2012-03-03T11:04:00.012+08:00

Check-in is handled by British Airways ground crew

My flight doesn't leave until 20 minutes past midnight but I made it early to JFK's Terminal 7 at 9:30 PM. It's a rainy night in New York City and I'm already thinking of a warm, sunny weather on the other side of the world - the Philippines! Hope the weather really shines, much as winter this season in the US has really been warmer than usual.

Entrance to First & Business class lounges

With my two suitcases and a day pack, I immediately went straight for the Business Class counter where 3 Pinoys in business suits were being checked-in! They had brown passports and the girl helping them was loud enough to say "your luggage are check-through all the way to Manila sir". I suppose they were diplomats given a send-off by other Pinoys behind me.

Part of the seating area. Elemis Spa is at the end of the hall.

A very personable Jeanne was my agent. When I asked her if the flight is full, she mentioned they were actually overbooked and they were looking for a volunteer from Business Class willing to be seated in coach - to be paid a cool $8000 in cash!!! I heard ka-ching! ka-ching! loud and clear and so she she called the supervisor. Unfortunately, since I was a non-revenue passenger, they had to deny me the bounty. :(

Forgot your laptop? Plenty of PCs here

After being handed my boarding passes and lounge invitations, Jeanne thank me for offering myself to volunteer. Passing through a dedicated security for premium passengers was a breeze. An earlier Cathay Pacific flight was already boarding its passengers as I made it to the Galleries Lounge (formerly Terraces Lounge) - British Airways' business class lounge being used also by Cathay Pacific.

Self-service station

I've been to this lounge on many of my Cathay flights (including two with British Airways) and somehow, I noticed a change in the decor since being renamed. It honestly wasn't up to par with what it has replaced - including furniture - but they've added at least better food than merely cookies and chips. There were a selection of sandwiches, juices, sodas, beer, and of course, wine.

No one shall get thirsty

For British Airways passengers, what really makes this lounge very special is the on-site Elemis Spa where free 15-munite massages are offered and the Pre-Flight Supper for those who can't wait to just hit the sack once airborne and not be bothered with in-flight meals. I tried these both on previous flights with British Airways to London and they really helped me 1) relax and 2) sleep longer.

Sandwiches and some more carbs

The reason I wanted to check-in early was to do some work on my laptop. WiFi connection was blazing fast but one had to ask at the front desk for the log-in password first. With that done, I helped myself to some of the sandwiches as I was starving (from work I just went home to pick up my luggage!). They were decent, tasting like those one can get from a local deli.

I remembered about calling American Express customer service in order to notify them about using my Amex card on this trip. Carl was on the other line, talking just like any regular Joe with an American accent. He was very helpful and offered me info about what Amex can do if my luggage gets delayed or lost. After I told him where I am going, he then said "I'm actually talking to you from Manila sir!" (Was he even allowed to say that?) We ended the call with him bidding me a very nice "Have a nice trip back home!"

Ah. . . the warm, sunny welcome is already there even before I set foot at the NAIA!

Cathay Pacific: Introduction

2012-03-02T11:16:00.026+08:00

Introduction
JFK: Galleries Lounge
Cathay Pacific Business Class (New York-Hong Kong)
HKG: The Wing Lounge
Cathay Pacific Business Class (Hong Kong-Manila)
Cathay Pacific Business Class (Manila-Hong Kong)
HKG: The Pier Lounge
Cathay Pacific Business Class (Manila-Hong Kong)
Cathay Pacific Business Class (Hong Kong-New York)

I've done quite a few reviews of previous flights en route to various destinations but this will be the first time I'm doing them by segments in true "trip report" fashion. So bear with me as I go on one flight at a time. This is to thoroughly evaluate my experiences especially since it is actually the first time I'm flying business class in all segments (not counting the few "operational upgrades" I was given by Cathay Pacific in the past).

As I have mentioned in another post, I got a windfall of 100,000 British Airways (BA) miles through a very generous offer from Chase last year. At the time, BA hasn't yet devalued their miles into what's now known as Avios. Based on their old awards chart, a premium redemption from New York to anywhere in South East Asia was only 100,000 miles. Since Cathay is a partner of BA, that was a no-brainer for me.

With a looming devaluation up in the horizon, I booked the tickets without even being sure I'd get approved for a vacation. The cost was $375 in taxes. A return business class ticket on Cathay from JFK-HKG-MNL usually cost more than $10,000! Had I dilly-dallied, the miles needed now for redeeming that business class ticket would cost me a hefty 140,000 Avios miles.

What's really exciting for me on this trip is finally trying the new premium seats, replacing the much-maligned herringbone arrangement (some flights I heard still use them). The seat converts into a full flat bed and that is one earthly comfort I really want on an ultra-long haul flight. I might not even need Melatonin to help me sleep!

Cholula & Puebla

2012-02-27T05:12:00.029+08:00

While both Cholula and Puebla are practically next-door neighbors, they are historically distinct from each other. To put it in perspective, one is Indian, the other Spanish. We visited these two, sitting on a broad fertile valley within the shadows of two towering volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. Since we really didn't have much time, we took advantage of another day trip arranged by our hostel.

Tonantzintla church

From Mexico City, it takes about two hours eastward to Cholula, our first destination. We passed by the little 16th century church of Tonantzintla. From outside, it looks rather simple but not until you get to see its elaborate interior. It's literally dripping with colorful Indian art incorporating the local cult goddess Tonantzin in the theme. This approach was executed by Franciscan friars in their bid to encourage conversion of the native people at the time.

a pyramid? a hill?

The Great Pyramid of Cholula must have been stunning in pre-Columbian times. It was an important religious and ceremonial center. While it now looks more like a hill from afar, it does still retain the title of being the largest pyramid in the world, beating Egypt's Pyramid of Cheops. A section in front of the car park shows a reconstructed part of the pyramid and the rest is left to the visitor's imagination.

Cholula was a bustling city in old Mesoamérica just like Teotihuacan. Over time, the pyramid lay abandoned and vegetation took over. The Spanish conquerors came, even massacred what remained of the indigenous population. In yet another example of Spanish chest-thumping over another religious temple, a church was built atop the pyramid - the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios.

Devotees carry an icon into the
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios

A series of concrete steps from the pyramid's base lead up to the very top where the church is. We joined locals and other visitors in the climb and soon found ourselves getting a panoramic view of the villages and the entire valley. Unfortunately, our view of the Popocatépetl volcano wasn't optimal and by that I mean one where we can actually see its snow-capped splendor. A mid-day procession by locals parading religious icons was the highlight.

San Gabriel monastery

A hazy view of Popocatépetl

Puebla is just a short hop from Cholula.The city, now Mexico's fourth largest, was founded in 1531. It was here that the famous Cinco de Mayo came into being out from that proud moment when poorly equipped Mexicans beat an invading French army in the so-called Battle of Puebla. Nowadays, the battle is more about dodging drunks after a night of unabashed libation...every 5th of May.

Puebla's old buildings

The Historic Center of Puebla is the motherload of architectural gems. It's been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987. Every corner seem to point to another pretty building mostly done in colorful hues. The use of Talavera tiles - an earthenware that is unique to Puebla - is particularly impressive at it did lend each and every facade its eye candy appeal.

Lunch

It was time for lunch and so we head off to one of the buffet restaurants serving traditional dishes of the region. A mariachi band was playing as we sat down to eat. The food was truly delicious, not to mention it was reasonably priced at $15. Several of the meat dishes were slathered in this thick, chocolate-looking sauce called mole poblano, oftentimes referred to as Mexico's national dish!

Puebla Cathedral

After quickly visiting a Talavera workshop, we dedicated the afternoon on two churches. First was the Puebla Cathedral. Built in 1649, this church has the tallest bell towers in all of Mexico. We entered one of its massive doors towards the vestibule and wandered past the cavernous aisle with its 14 lateral chapels. A guard was constantly eyeing tourists, admonishing errant fingers with "no tocar por favor!" (please don't touch!). In medieval times, someones fingers would have been cut off! Real gold was used in this church after all.

Retablo at Iglesia de Santo Domingo

Capilla del Rosario

Another walk, this time through a busy pedestrian street, led us to Iglesia de Santo Domingo. Attached to this church on the left transept is the Capilla del Rosario which is undoubtedly a masterpiece in Mexican baroque architecture. This is the part where even my camera had trouble getting the correct light reading due to all that glittering gold leaf, plaster, cherubs and angels adorning it. At its center was a statue of the Virgin of the Rosary.

As the fading light of dusk ushered our return to Mexico City, I felt I have barely scratched what wealth there is to be found in Puebla. No, not just all that gold used in churches. There's plenty more. I guess it's always good to miss something to make us want to return. Someday.

Cuernavaca & Taxco

2012-02-21T00:10:00.001+08:00

The Tercera Orden Chapel - part of the Cuernavaca cathedral complex

What do tired and weary residents of Mexico City do on weekends? Many of them head off down into Cuernavaca, often called the "land of eternal spring". Just 102 kilometers away from the capital, the roads get clogged with cars and buses, surely not as inviting for a short rejuvenation if all one experiences is the congestion one is escaping away from? Thankfully for us, we went there on a Monday on our way to the mining town of Taxco, on a van trip arranged by our hostel for just under $40 per person.

Catedral de Cuernavaca

What surprised me is that the town sits actually lower than Mexico City at 1,533 meters above sea level (Mexico City is at a loftier 2,239 meters). The climate is so agreeable that rulers and conquerors built retreat houses - from the Aztec ruler Moctezuma II to Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortés. These days, those who can afford them splurge at the numerous spas around town. As for us, we're only getting a taste of its spiritual side on a quick visit to the Catedral de Cuernavaca (or Catedral de la Asunción de María).

Murals can be seen depicting missionaries martyred in Japan

Monastery adjacent to Cuernavaca Cathedral

The church was built in 1552 looking like a huge fortress. While renovations to the interior has been made over the centuries, what caught our attention were the 18th-century frescoes uncovered during refurbishing work. On the walls depict the martyrdom of Mexico's first saint San Felipe de Jesús and his companions in Japan in 1597. We almost thought San Lorenzo Ruiz was part of this! San Felipe and his group were sailing from Manila on their way to Mexico when a storm sent their ship to the shores of Japan instead. What a fate.

Taxco de Alarcon and a traffic jam of Beetle taxis

From Cuernavaca, it's 76 kilometers further south to Taxco de Alarcón or simply Taxco. On approach to town, one can't help but be awed by its picturesque location. Houses cling to the hillsides along with a slew of old churches. The view reminded me in a way of La Paz, Bolivia. But what really made this town alluring to foreigners was what's once plentiful underneath its belly - silver. There's hardly any left these days but silversmiths and jewelry shops are all over town, begging for tourists to take even just a peek at reasonably-priced and well-designed pieces.

Santa Prisca Church

In 1751, silver mining made one French guy named José de la Borda so rich that he had a church built as a way of thanksgiving.The imposing facade of Santa Prisca Church is already eye-catching until one goes inside and gets assaulted by the carved retablo made of resplendent gold. Gawking at the altar felt like already seeing God in the flesh. We craned our necks up and down and threw praises in hushed abandon. It's undoubtedly one of the prettiest churches I've visited.

Lunch

The view from the restaurant

We had buffet lunch at El Atrio Restaurant where their outdoor seating provided fantastic views of the town. Food was plentiful but nothing was memorable. Like any other visitor, we also stopped by one of the silver shops where someone explained the intricacies involved in designing. Despite all those beautiful silver pieces, we found ourselves merely contented with window-shopping. Jewelry isn't really my thing.

Up and down Taxco

What got me more driven for the afternoon was walking up the steep and narrow streets above Plaza Borda just in front of the church. We huffed and puffed, dodging VW Beetles commonly used as taxis. Our Spanish wasn't too good but we managed ourselves well enough to get directions easily. The walk, if taken on a daily basis like most locals do, is serious calorie-burning really. Anyone who wants to lose weight might want to try living for a few months in Taxco. Perhaps a Mexican version of the Biggest Loser?

Teotihuacán

2012-02-11T09:37:00.049+08:00

A step back in history

Vanished civilizations are so fascinating. Not only do they have these fantabulous temples and monuments to show, today's visitors are also confronted with this deep, nagging question as to how and why an entire population disappeared. From the ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia to the spectacularly located Macchu Picchu in Peru, I'm fortunate once again to visit another mysterious beauty called Teotihuacán, Mexico's most visited archaeological site.

Mexico City's bus terminal lobby

While there are numerous bus tours from Mexico City, we decided to visit the ruins on our own. To get there, Neil, Clint and I took the subway to the Terminal Central de Autobuses del Norte, a gargantuan bus terminal serving trips going up north (even all the way to USA). At the far end of the concourse is Gate 8 where a booth sells tickets for buses going hourly to Teotihuacán. Fare is 35 pesos one way and travel time is about an hour.

Houses on the hills

On the way, we passed by the suburbs and saw how Mexico City's population is literally bursting at the seams. There were these hills completely covered with unsightly, boxy concrete houses. We couldn't even imagine how those without cars go up and down the slopes - if there were roads at all. With the city vulnerable to earthquakes, these structures on the hills look like ticking time bombs. Ruins of the future I hope not!

Looking at the Pyramid of the Sun across La Ciudadela

Temple of Quetzalcoatl

An hour later, the bus driver stopped close to a gate and yelled "piramides". Or pyramids, duh! We got out and walked to the gate where an agent collected 51 pesos as entrance fees. Unlike some other ruins I've visited, there's no fee to take pictures and unlike the Mayan pyramid of Chichen Itza, everyone's free to go up and down the steps for as long as their knees will allow them to.

Viewing the serpent heads at the Temple of Quetzalcoatl

From the gate, the hulking mass of the Pyramid of the Sun is already beckoning us. The tiny dots we see are actual people at the summit which means visiting the ruins entails a whole lot of walking and climbing. And walk and climb we did - my friends came prepared wearing the right footwear anyway. It's almost noon time and while we were thankful for the bright, sunny weather, we were also at the mercy of SPF 70 sunblock.

A merry mix of vendors and tourists at the Avenue of the Dead

Enlisted in 1987 as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Teotihuacán's most popular is the Pyramid of the Sun, considered the world's 3rd biggest pyramid after Cholula (Mexico) and Cheops (Egypt). While everyone wants to go up the summit, there's pretty much more in Teotihuacán "where gods were created" - at least that's what the name so suggests.

A busy day at the Pyramid of the Sun

There are also the ruins of the Pyramid of the Moon, the Temple of Quetzalcoatl ( or Temple of the Feathered Serpent), La Ciudadela, the Avenue of the Dead and some more ruins within eyesight. There were an estimated 150,000 inhabitants in an area covering over 36 km², making it the largest in pre-Columbian America. What we're visiting - the ceremonial center - is a mere 10% of the old city. How Teotihuacán was abandoned - just like Angkor Wat and Macchu Picchu - is what's puzzling.

The Pyramid of the Moon as seen from the Pyramid of the Sun

Who says only virgins are sacrificed?

What's clear for sure is that a good deal of restoration has been done, just like an old lady getting a face lift from Dr. Calayan. It's a work in progress. Archaeologists will keep on digging. More questions need to be answered. Meanwhile, we joined the throngs in a state of pyramid-mania, sacrificing our knees and our skin to the full wrath of a searing sun, up there in the Pyramid of the Sun.

Zocalo & Templo Mayor

2012-02-05T09:21:00.066+08:00

cleansing ritual from an indigenous healer

When the Spaniards came in 1519, they saw not a jungle but a thriving civilization. It was called Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire. About 200,000 people lived here. The city was built on a small island on what was then Lake Texcoco. At its heart was the religious center of Templo Mayor. Today, the lake is long gone and the island has grown into what we know now as Mexico City.

Templo Mayor - or what remains of it - lay hidden beneath buildings built over the centuries until it resurfaced in 1978. This, along with everything within Mexico City's "Centro Histórico" area (where our hostel is also located) is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Catedral Metropolitana lords it over the Zocalo

We walked towards Templo Mayor and passed by Zocalo, the city's main plaza and considered one of the world's biggest public squares. It almost covers 4 hectares. The Plaza de la Constitucion, as it is officially called, was already an open space during the time of the Aztecs. Today, the plaza is as much a gathering place as it is part of the ancient womb of this very populous city.

Palacio Nacional - on this site was once the palace of the Aztec ruler Moctezuma II

When the conquistador Hernán Cortés decided to build a Spanish colonial city on Tenochtitlan, he razed the Templo Mayor and its surrounding temples. The stones that made up the temple ended up being used to pave the plaza and also to build the Catedral Metropolitana, one of North America's biggest churches. For Cortés, no conquest can be much sweeter than building a Catholic church on a ground held sacred by the conquered Aztecs.

entrance to Palacio Nacional

With all the European-inspired architecture all around Zocalo, we couldn't help but feel like we're in Europe. The scale is immediately grand and appropriately so in such a vast space. Of course, it didn't escape me how the Spanish colonizers laid out their urban planning in a very predictable way - a plaza surrounded by a church, government building and military headquarters - very similar to what I've seen in South American countries (and the Philippines).

Street food

We dodged past vendors just below the shadow of the mammoth cathedral and followed the sidewalk into the entrance to the Templo Mayor archaeological site. This was where in February 1978, workers digging for an electric company accidentally found a pre-Hispanic monolith. This turns out to be the moon goddess Coyolxauhqui. It was such a big event right in the middle of a city. In order to dig further, thirteen old buildings had to be demolished. From then on, more and more were unearthed.

ruins of Templo Mayor with a tzompantli or 'wall of skulls'

Entrance to the site (and the museum) is 57 pesos. Visitors go through elevated walkways around the ruins. Alas, the Spaniards did a great job with demolition as pretty much everything is up to the visitor's imagination now. Sections of what was once part of the great pyramid can still be gleaned. If one doesn't have a guide, it's better to read the bilingual descriptions at certain spots.

the monolith of Coyolxauhqui

The Museo del Templo Mayor, just at the end of the walkway, is an incredible repository of anything and everything related to the Aztecs. All 6,000 pieces on display came from the excavated ruins just in front. It is well organized that going through the various displays of figurines, jewelry, tools and other artifacts doesn't induce fatigue. The piece de resistance is the monolith of Coyolxauhqui.

the monolith of Tlaltecuhtli

In 2006, the monolith of Tlaltecuhtli was discovered just a few feet on the northern side of the Templo Mayor. Known as the "Lord/Lady of the Earth", this is the Aztec deity with both male and female forms depicting a generative (giving birth) and destructive (human sacrifice) function. Looking at this stone with its protruding tongue is actually creepy (reminds me of Gene Simmons onstage!).

view of Templo Mayor, the Cathedral & Zocalo from the restaurant

Our dinner

We end up our day at El Mayor restaurant where dinner and Mexican beer joined us for a vantage view of the ruins down below. Archaeologists are not yet done with their work. Who knows what they might discover tomorrow?

Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe

2012-01-27T07:55:00.052+08:00

It's a Sunday mass in Spanish. Despite our little grasp of the language, we went inside, egged on by this faithful crowd, into the cavernous Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The church was packed, those among us who didn't come earlier for this 9 AM mass had to stand up at the back. We didn't mind, we were in the house of God and it felt good. And a great way to start immersing in the culture of a foreign land. The Lady, after all, is a national symbol for all Mexicans.

Hostel breakfast

Visiting the basilica from downtown isn't a hassle despite its 'outskirts' location. After a free breakfast of enchiladas at the hostel, we walked to the nearest subway station at Isabel La Catolica. Two things that immediately struck me - not only is their subway much cleaner than New York City's, the fare is outrageously cheap at only 3 pesos (about 23 cents!).

We bought the tickets (boleto) at a booth where a very friendly agent offered us subway maps. There are 12 lines crisscrossing the entire metropolitan area and the price is the same regardless of distance. It took 2 train transfers - with two very long walks to transfer points (correspondencias) - before we disembarked at La Villa-Basilica Station. The flow of people on a Sunday morning meant all we had to do was follow 'em.

The old and new

In a country full of old churches, our first one in Mexico isn't that old. Built sometime in the 1970s, the circular basilica is where the original image of the blue-mantled Virgin of Guadalupe appears on a tilma (cloak or apron). This Marian apparition was seen by a native Indian named Juan Diego in December 9, 1531. The tilma now hangs in a bullet-proof, temperature-controlled enclosure right above the main altar.

Standing Room Only mass

Adjacent is the Old Basilica, officially known as Templo Expiatorio a Cristo Rey, built in 1531 at the very site of the apparition where the Virgin Mary commanded Juan Diego to have a church erected. This was where the tilma used to be displayed. There's a hill behind the two basilicas called Tepeyac with several smaller churches dotting it.

On the road leading to the basilica square, stalls selling religious stuff and other tourist kitsch abound. Quite interesting was how some enterprising Mexicans have converted an old building into a rest room (or WC) for a fee! Meanwhile, a nearby American Embassy branch (AKA McDonalds) is enticing locals and visitors alike with McBurritos A La Mexicana.

Even after the morning mass has ended, many more Catholics surged on, many of them carrying replicas of the Virgin for blessing. Nowhere else have I seen a country so intense in their devotion at this so-called Empress of Latin America. All of Mexico just adores her. And so does other Marian devotees from all over the world. Never mind the language barrier.

Mexico City

2012-01-22T08:37:00.017+08:00

Mexican immigration form

Prior to this trip, friends and colleagues, even my parents, have been discouraging me to travel to Mexico. Media reports make it seem like all of Mexico is at war. Yes, there's been an ongoing war between drug cartels. But I'm not even going up north. My destination is merely Central Mexico. Surprisingly, 2 of my friends Clint & Neil decided to "risk" their lives with me.


Hostal Centro Historico Regina The hostel building is listed as a historical monument in Mexico City

So off we went on a Saturday morning. While I flew out of Newark, Clint flew out of La Guardia while Neil flew out directly from Miami via Aeromexico. I had the same connecting American Airlines flight with Clint in Dallas where we flew together into Mexico's Benito Juarez International Airport. Our two flights arrived within 30 minutes of each other, almost at 5 PM. Immigration lines weren't so long so we made it to customs in no time.

Mural near the hostel

Since we needed Mexican pesos for our transport to the city, we headed straight for the bank right before custom's exit. It turns out the exchange rate is less favorable than just a few steps away at the main arrival's hall where plenty of cambios offered 2 pesos more per dollar. Armed now with sufficient funds, we began looking for Neil.

However, we didn't expect multiple arrivals hall in this very big, modern airport terminal. We came out expecting to see Neil already waiting for us since his flight arrived first but he was nowhere in sight. Despite his phone being 'on roaming', we couldn't reach him. We walked the length of this massive terminal four times only to find strangers gawking at us - perhaps they thought we were another Hiroshi Nohara (who stayed at the airport for 117 days in 2008). Not wanting to linger much longer, we decided to just head for our hostel and hope Neil has already gone ahead.

Hostel 'suite' room

Besides taxis and buses, the city center can be conveniently reached via subway from the airport. However, big luggage, even carry-ons, are frowned upon at Mexico City's crowded subway trains. We went to one of the authorized airport taxi booths, paid for a boleto to Centro Historico district (196 pesos or almost $15), gave it to one of the agents outside, and we were quickly ushered into a waiting car.

Balcony view

Half an hour later, we were outside Hostal Centro Historico Regina. Neil still wasn't around. We checked-in, got the "suite" room for 900 pesos, a 2-level room with one and a half bathroom and a balcony overlooking a pedestrian street. The hostel's housed in an old building that used to be a warehouse. It looks hip with very friendly staff at the front desk. What's more, brekkie is free and so is WiFi.

Dinner

We almost decided to head back to the airport when Neil finally makes it to the hostel. As it turns out, his flight landed in Terminal 2 which was in another terminal building. Our mistake was that we never bothered to check what terminals our flights arrived at - all along, we thought we all will be arriving in the same airport terminal. Never mind, at least, no one among us stayed in the airport for the long haul like Hiroshi Nohara did.

Flying Free...sort of

2012-01-14T09:04:00.015+08:00

Over the years, I've learned how to maximize earning frequent flier miles. Conventional wisdom dictates accruing miles by flying. Not only that, there are hotel stays, car rentals, vacations, cruises, e-shopping, dining - airline partners with which anyone can earn more miles. In the US, what makes earning miles really more exciting - without even stepping inside an airplane - are the huge credit card bonuses.

Two cards I have been offered last year gave me more than goose bumps - British Airways Visa Signature card with 100,000 miles and American Express Premier Rewards with 75,000 points. Since my credit history is very good so far, I was approved on both cards. Meeting the required spending wasn't a problem as I merely charged everything, including utilities and groceries, to the cards and more importantly, paying them each month.

When I finally got the miles and points deposited on my accounts, I immediately sprang into action. Knowing that British Airways was devaluing their miles soon, I booked a business class ticket on Cathay Pacific to Asia this March using all 100,000 miles I earned. Had I waited, it would have increased to 140,000 miles! Tax was $375. Not bad for a ticket that would cost $10,471!

One good thing to look forward to on this trip is finally experiencing the revamped business class on Cathay.

The next ticket is a first for me and my best redemption ever: a mini-RTW on 4 different airlines, all on business class. When I heard that Aeroplan (Air Canada's frequent flier program) was throwing a promo on premium redemption including Star Alliance partners, I just couldn't sleep that December evening. It was an unbelievable 75,000 miles for trips from North America to Asia. Normally, that's 125,000 miles.

So I moved 75,000 American Express membership rewards points to Aeroplan the next day and booked it right away. What's great is that Aeroplan's redemption rules allow trans-Atlantic routes to and trans-Pacific routes from Asia. In other words, a mini-round-the-world trip. I will be flying Lufthansa (A380!), Turkish Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Asiana - all on business class for a grand total of $451. Again, not bad considering this routing would have cost me $12,779. (Just before New Year, Aeroplan hastily cut the promo and now it's back to 125,000 miles for the same route!)

Before I embark on this "premium" journeys however, I shall be enjoying my time flying coach. I redeemed my last 30,000 miles on Cathay Pacific for an economy class ticket to Mexico City tomorrow. That's just $64 in tax.

Hasta la vista amigos!

Where I Work

2011-12-31T00:08:00.010+08:00

National Geographic's December 2011 issue ran a feature on "The Most Influential Cities" as compiled by management consultancy firm A.T. Kearney on their Global Cities Index. Countries were ranked based on the scores of 5 key areas: business activity, human capital, information exchange, cultural experience, & political engagement. While this ranking is for 2010, I doubt if there's any major shift for 2011 or 2012. The following are in the top 10 out of 65 countries listed (Manila is 51st):

New York
London
Tokyo
Paris
Hong Kong
Chicago
Los Angeles
Singapore
Sydney
Seoul

New York is a high-maintenance city

It's not surprising New York made it to the top. Those parameters are areas in which the Big Apple truly excel. The energy is so infectious, the atmosphere so vibrant. Its urban cacophony may earn malign among visitors but I love living and working here. If I have to move elsewhere in the US, I might just be bored.

For the most part of the week, my day going to work starts with a subway ride. New York's MTA subway system may have its own ills but this is what makes the city's carbon footprint among the lowest in the world. For $104, I get a 30-day unlimited ride on trains and buses. The price may have gone up but at least I don't have to worry about gasoline, car insurance, garage, tolls and road rage.

It takes me an hour to get to work on the No. 7 train from Flushing with a transfer on the F train stopping at the Delancey Street station. From there, I walk ( and I mean a brisk walk a la Manhattan) for a good ten minutes until I reach my work place. Depending on my mood, I vary my route since the city blocks in this area aren't so big, allowing a changing vista each time I walk.

This is where I work. Welcome to Manhattan's Lower East Side (or LES)!

LES is where intrepid visitors weary of the usual sights will see a different side of New York. It's old, gritty but full of character. In the old days, LES was a poorer, working-class neighborhood with a diverse population of European immigrants. Times have changed of course and so did the tide of immigrants, now mostly Latinos and Asians. Tenement buildings still standing which housed the earliest immigrants is what makes LES a unique architectural gem.

Deli everywhere

Essex Street Market in Delancey St.

These days, real estate development is also encroaching, much to the dismay of preservationists. This gentrification - think swanky restaurants and upscale boutiques - is diluting a neighborhood that's been traditionally contented with deli shops and bodegas. 'Mom and Pop stores' have slowly been dying as rentals kept going up while landlords are much too eager for wealthier tenants to settle in.

Getting a slice of smoked salmon at Russ & Daughters Appetizers

The busy counter at Katz Deli - another New York institution

Despite this ongoing battle between development and preservation, LES manages to retain its unique identity in the city. Zoning matters and land use are always discussed, oftentimes fought, during Community Board meetings in which the public is invited. Everyday, something new comes up in New York City but down here, in the Lower East Side, there's always someone with a loud mouth who dare to say "no".

As my day winds up at work and I walk another ten minutes to catch my train at Delancey Station, I find myself captive once again to the rhythm of the streets, walking as briskly as I can on the sidewalk while gawking at those iconic fire escape ladders. Someone screams profanities from an open window to a neighbor. A passing firetruck wails uncontrollably. Cyclists and yellow cabs fight for road space. The Big Apple, as always, seethes with so much energy no other city can match.

I love LES. I love New York!