Going Loco Over Ilocos: Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

Thank God for the limitless sceneries here in the Philippines that we can never run out of places to go to. Thank God for Ilocos, Pao and I were off to another adventure! We did an Ilocos Norte down to Ilocos Sur tour, and Ilocos definitely earned a spot in our hearts.

We tried it, we enjoyed it, we got addicted—and we definitely fell in love with traveling. We love it so much that we try to incessantly chase the travel bug just so we can get bitten by it once more.

We boarded the Florida Bus straight to Pagudpud. It was a very relaxed and convenient 12-hour ride going to Pagudpud. The seats were very comfortable as it allowed movements while we were seated. Florida Bus Lines also earned big points as it was very affordable (560 KM travel to North of Manila for just Php 550) and it had a big legroom too!

After 12 hours of travel, we finally reached Pagudpud! We were almost close to kissing the ground upon getting there because of much excitement and anticipation. Luckily, we were immediately met by our very courteous and accommodating driver and tour guide, Kuya Joseph and we were brought immediately to our homestay. (You may see his contact details at the end of this blog post).

We stayed in Saud Beach. The sand was white, although not fine, powdery white. It still presented a very relaxing beach feel. Without a doubt, the shores of Pagudpud welcomed us with open arms and we gladly gave in to take the warm embrace.

The Bangui Windmills were clearly visible from where we stayed.

One, Two, Three Nights in Tokyo

I am a self-confessed Japanese food addict. I salivate over almost all Japanese dishes. Just this year, I made an awesome discovery together with Pao. We were able to discover the heart of Japanese cuisine here in Manila! Thank God for Little Tokyo!

Little Tokyo is situated in Chino Roces Avenue in Makati. Discovering Little Tokyo felt like discovering a secret sanctuary of Japanese gastronomic specialties waiting to offer you only the best there is in their cuisine.

Philippines: Just as Beautiful, but not as Expensive

COME AND VISIT THE PHILIPPINES.

Conquering Corregidor: A Piece of History in Every Step

There has always been something about Corregidor that aroused my curiosity.  Maybe it was the history, maybe it was the presence of paranormal events, or perhaps just the plain thrill-seeker in me. But whatever propelled me to visit Corregidor makes me really thankful that I made the right choice in choosing to visit Corregidor.

Corregidor is an island situated at the mouth of Manila Bay. It became a fortress for naval defense for the military due to its strategic location back in the time of World War 2. It has been deemed as “The Rock” because of its rocky terrain and its man-made fortifications.

Our journey to Corregidor was very convenient as we availed of a packaged tour by Sun Cruises where everything was almost included in the package.  We were ferried from Harbour Square at Manila Bay to Corregidor. It was a convenient 1 hour and 15-minute trip. Upon getting to Corregidor, we were picked up by beautiful tourist tranvias, complete with the geared-up security to fulfill the Corregidor experience.

Cebu, Cebu, Cebu!

Back in the days during my first job, we were usually sent to Cebu for trainings and seminars. In a span of three months, we were sent twice to Cebu for those particular reasons. And thanks to my awesome companions and co-teachers, Cebu was so all the more worthwhile and meaningful!

If I were to define Cebu in a few words, I shall define it in four Filipino words that start with the letter M: MURA, MASARAP, MALAPIT, MAGANDA.  I’ll try to translate it as justifiable as I can: affordable, delicious, accessible, and exquisite!

Because we can only go around at night after work hours, we only had night shots of the city.

Ayala Center Cebu

Outside Magellan's Cross

Magellan's Cross

And I walked in Mong Kok…

…to go shopping and please my eyes! And last days in another country always meant spending time shopping or at least, window shopping for personal bargains but most especially, cultural finds!

This was our last day in Hong Kong, hence, SHOPPING DAY!

We tried to make the best out of our last day by making the best bargains out of shopping. What we did not know was that we were in for a huge surprise in Mong Kok! Chi ching! Chi ching!

Wow Macau!

Wow Macau would be very much apt to entitle this blog simply because Macau wow-ed us with all its splendor!

Our day trip to Macau was worth it despite the heavy rainfall and cloudy skies. We woke early in the morning to catch the earliest of the Cotai Ferry Jet from Hong Kong to Macau. It was a very fast and smooth trip because the travel of the ferry was fast and uninterrupted. The interiors of the Cotai Jet resembled an Airbus with a very large seating capacity.

inside the ferry from HK going to Macau

HK Disneyland: The Happiest Place…

….in South East Asia? Well, that would be a relative statement. But for the time being, I consider HK Disneyland as such.

Perhaps there is an unwritten rule that mandates every Hong Kong tourist or visitor to pay Mickey Mouse and his friends a visit over at the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. And just like any other enthusiastic tourist, we were so thrilled to see the legendary Mickey Mouse in all his awesomeness.

Kowloon Park

A nature walk can perhaps be one of the most therapeutic activities for adventure-seeking individuals like me. Strolling around places highlighted by nature gives a sense of prosperity and contentment. This kind of feeling overwhelmed me when Pao and I visited Kowloon Park, in Tsim Sha Tsui, in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Hangover!

Ready, Set, Adventure to Hong Kong!

I chose Hong Kong as one of my first ever INDEPENDENT travel destinations outside the country. (By independent, I mean only with the company of my friends or without any parental supervision.) Initially, there were supposed to be 5 of us in this trip, but due to unfortunate circumstances just a night before the trip, we were down to 2, but we still had a blast, nevertheless. And I was still set to pursue my HK adventure even if it is just with my boyfriend Pao, in a completely new place infused with lots of  food and culture. And Pao definitely made one great travel companion and adventure buddy.

Touchdown, Hong Kong!

Hong Kong is the shiz!!!

My ultimate travel buddy