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Wanderfeet: Philippines 2014


When I was a kid, there's this one commercial on TV that advertised the beauty of the Philippines. And one thing that got stuck in my mind ever since was:

"'Wag maging dayuhan sa sarili mong bayan."

(Don't be a stranger in your own country.)

It moved me and gave me the desire to dream about traveling the Philippines. I learned how to appreciate the beauty of our own… from our culture, people, products, and natural resources. I became an open minded person. This even began my dream about traveling the world. But, I said to myself, if I am given the chance to travel, I'm going to explore the Philippines first before any other country. Though it (somewhat) didn't happen as planned, I am still blessed to have the opportunity to make my dream come true.

May of this year, I was given the chance to go back home. After 4 long years of agony, at last, I was back home! I finally got to see my family and friends again. It's like reminiscing the old days. It reminded me of how simple my life was… of how I grew up. I maybe (far) different from the person who I was from I am today, but that place is one piece of me. And it will always have a special place in my heart. From good memories to not-so-good memories, it's always funny to remember those good old stories. And one of the best feeling is to be reunited with the people who you grew up with and see all the changes everyone had.

Since I missed being home, meeting old family and friends was one of my priorities. Not only did we spent time eating and chatting, but also did we had the chance to enjoy and appreciate the nature and beauty of the Philippines.

  • Lipa, Batangas

Home is where my heart is.

Lipa City is a small city in our province, and that place is where I grew up. It's not actually a tourist spot that's why there's not much to do there. But, you'll see there the Casa Segunda--- the old house living since the Spanish era, history says it belongs to Rizal's (Filipino hero) ex-girlfriend; San Sebastian Cathedral--- an old parish of Lipeños living since the 70's; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church--- the place where miraculous rose petals with images of Mary showered decades ago.

But what makes Lipa special is not only just because of those historic places, but also because of the special people living there--- my family and friends. And what makes it more special was I get to eat the foods I've longed for years!

  • La Luz Resort in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas

When I was in college, me and my friends/classmates often plans our vacation in Laiya Beach. Beside the fact that it's the closest beach from our town, Laiya Beach has a serene beauty that people won't forget.

I never heard about La Luz Resort until my cousin mentioned it to me and Kbrosas (Filipino celebrity/comedian) spent her summer there (which was posted on her Instagram). And truly, it's one getaway to relax and be free from the busy life of the city.

  • Punta Fuego, Nasugbu, Batangas

Though I live in Batangas, I am a stranger of my own hometown (I admit!) Batangas has many beaches and the only beach I ever been to was Laiya.

It was my first time to be in Nasugbu, Batangas. Me and my family stayed for the night in Punta Fuego and was in awe from its beauty. And the funny thing about it was we were the only ones staying in the whole building. It's like we rented the whole place. LOL

  • Sky Ranch, Tagaytay, Cavite

It's been years since I visited Tagaytay, though it's just a neighbor city. I cannot even remember what Tagaytay looked like. All I know is that it's colder than Lipa and it has that gorgeous view of the Taal Lake and Taal Volcano.

There, I get to experience zip-lining for the first time!

  • Talisay, Batangas (Taal Volcano)

It's been my dream to get to the core/ crater of the Taal Volcano. Ever since my high school friends went there (and my mom did not allow me to join them), I've always wanted to go there and see how it's like. Now, I just checked it off from my bucket list. Dream just came true! :) And I even got to ride a horse. lol

  • Albay, Bicol (Mayon Volcano)

Road trip! That's the best description I can say about our trip going there. We spent 12 hours on the road going there; spent 2-3 hour staying there; and 10 hours going back home. It's like we drove all the way from Lipa just to see the volcano and take a picture with it and go home (which exactly what happened.) Crazy! Right? HAHA

  • Republ1k Wakeboard Park, Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna

Another check from my bucket list! Ever since wakeboarding became popular in the Philippines, I've always wanted to try it out. But fate didn't allow me because I had to leave the country. And since I was back, I finally got the chance to try it out. Definitely easier than snow boarding!

  • Manila Ocean Park

Fishes. Sharks. Tanks. Definitely one of the most memorable experience during my summer vacation in PI. Well, lets just be honest, I'm a nature lover and an animal freak. It may not be as big as the Sea World in San Diego nor the Ocean Park in Singapore, but hey, I'm with some crazies so it's definitely fun!

  • Puerto Princesa, Palawan

PARADISE! Definitely my favorite! We spent 3 days and 2 nights there and definitely one of the best! Okay, there's just too much excitement going on here. lol

If you guys don't know, Puerto Princesa, Palawan, is one of the pride of the Philippines. Its famous Underground River is considered as one of the 7 Wonders in the world! And if you guys plan to visit the Philippines, definitely, this place is on the top list I can recommend.

I can not elaborate enough the fun experience I had there --- because I'm just being lazy HAHA. But if a miracle happens, I'll definitely tell you guys, IN DETAIL, our adventure in Palawan. But, for the mean time, I'm just going to tell you guys the places we visited: Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm, Crocodile Farm, Baker's Hill, Underground River, Ugong Rock Adventure (Spelunking and Zip-Lining), Sabang Island (Firefly Watching), and Honda Bay (Island Hopping).

And if you're exotic enough, try their very own delicacy called "Tamilok" and Crocodile Sisig. And yes, me and my friends are crazy enough to try them! HAHA And to try Tamilok, I was so brave, knowing, I'm not a big fan of slimy, soft foods.

FYI: The Tamilok, a wood worm which tastes like your familiar oyster, is a famous delicacy found in Palawan. Although it looks like a worm, it is actually a mollusk found inside rotting mangroves. The word 'tamilok' was surprisingly coined by two Americans. They started calling one of their friends - "Tommy, look!", after seeing the locals eating the tree worm. The locals adopted this term to refer to this wood worm delicacy. (http://blog.legendpalawan.com.ph/2008/06/tamilok-longest-oyster.html)

And to conclude this whole trip, obviously, I had so much fun! For 27 days, I got to go to different places. And most of those places were my first times, too-- which makes it more memorable. And hopefully, I get to go back in 2 years again and go to different places in the Philippines with family and friends.

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