Philippine Travel Notes

As said in the previous story, this was the first time I was using Noi Bai International Airport Terminal 2 (T2), since this wasn't yet up, last time I came into and left Hanoi. But I somehow knew where to go, aided by ample standard signage everywhere. Maybe it naturally follows when you've been to a number of airports in your lifetime. Layouts are generally the same. Hey, I even knew where the smoking area could be! Out the arrival lobby, I crossed the vehicle lane, glanced back, and it looked familiar! Looks like MNL T1 upper arrival lane, right? Ohh, just like in the Philippines, Vietnam vehicles also drive on the right lane. Let's guess, it is probably an 'American Legacy'! In case you did not know yet, five or half of ASEAN countries drive on the right lane; the other half on the left, but there are now 6 of them since Timor Leste was added. Oh, in relation to that, Philippines is not anymore the 'only' Catholic Country in Asia. Oops, this e...

This was flight leg #3 (Taipei to Hanoi) in my 'exceptionally complicated' circle trip . The first interesting point was: I shot that pic at 1138H, when almost all passengers were already aboard, but our ETD was 1200H. Ah, early departure means early arrival! Okay, tara let's go sago! Aruu! Plane did not move, even if all passengers were already seated and waiting. A feeling of déjà vu ?! Oh yes, mismo actually! Same case as my CEB to TPE departure. Boarding = Loading ! Folks down at the belly of this plane (baggage & cargo hold) were still busy loading. Yes, it's not just about us passengers. Baggage, Cargo & Mail are also being loaded. Not that I was in a hurry. Per booking, I had 3 hours of transfer time at Hanoi. Go ra! I instead watched whatever I could see of a rainy outside. It must be cold out there! My phone said it was 17°C in Taoyuan and 20°C In Hanoi. Brrr! Being Pinoy from the Visayas, 26°C is my best lowest temperature. Any degree lo...

Tacloban to Cebu again. I've done this many times before. But I'm not complaining - except that I'm running out of anything to tell about this portion of my trips. Or do I? What about this Tacloban Airport, again? I keep saying, "I think I have seen and said everything about this wretched airport" be it praise-wise or rant-wise. Eh, I've been using this 'ugly edifice' ever since I was a brat. But something that the Filipina candidate (in that recently-held Miss Universe thing) said, somehow left a mark in my head. She said something about "the silver lining"! And she won pa, di ba? So I said 'that's a great life-skill' . But can I apply that here? Let's practice and find out! Practice finding that 'silver lining' in this poor, deplorable, wretched, shameful situation; and see if it makes us feel any better. I suspect it will! Disappontment is after all just a product of our own appointment hehehe! Hmm, I...

I was on the way to the airport for my circuitous holiday travel, and I saw this... In my mind I was saying ' how apt ', ' what a reminder ', ' what a coincidence ', ' yes Lord '! I and driver had to stare and look closely if the thing was newly installed. No not new. It just so happened.., a very rare good coincidence.., that today was December 23! The phrase An Pinaskohan is Waray (Cebuano too) that means The Christmas Gift ! Driver was quick to joke 'serr, remindeeer' ! But I was also quick to say I already gave his "13-month-bonus" plus my gift to him and his wife and children hahaha. Ako pa! But he had the last word (nagmana yata sa akin) saying "bangin manla mayada pa"! Hmm, looking fun. This probably was a sign, that I am going to have a great holiday roam once again. Or maybe a reminder. And I said out loud (to my self) "ayay OMG"! Yes, it was a 'reminder' from heavens above hahaha! I ...

Here is another circuitous trip I had. We can consider this a circle trip, or a series of circle trips. This wasn't only in the country (mainly abroad). Yet, full of fun learnings. My route went like this: TAC ✈ CEB ✈ TPE ✈ HAN ✈ DAD ✈ SGN ✈ PNH ✈ REP ✈ HAN ✈ VTE ✈ DMK ✈ MNL ✈ CEB ✈ TAC. Hahaha, ridiculous? Well it was fun! The little red planes above are international flights, while those in other colors were domestic flights inside their respective countries. Oh okay, let's describe the codes. For easy identification and understanding, I numbered the flight legs - 13 flights! I went from Tacloban to Cebu. Then Cebu to Taipei transiting to Hanoi and Danang. After Danang, I went to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) transiting to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. After Phnom Penh, I flew transiting at Siem Reap (that's still Cambodia) going back to Hanoi, this time to stay a few days. After Hanoi, I departed for Vientiane in Laos. After Vientiane, I jetted to Bangkok's ...

After all the news, the craze and the fanfare about their return to Balangiga, after a little more than a century, by the Americans, I went to see these 3 bells, uncrowded! Now what? Hahaha, I don't know! They are bells, like many other old, historic or historical bells you see everywhere on earth. You and I knew, that upon return, they were not to be kept (again) in a box and forgotten for another century. They were/are to be used again or displayed forever . So, why was everyone (except for Balangiganons) so crazy about being there during the actual return/arrival of the bells? Because Duterte was there? Wheh! Para saan? I'm saying what I said above because... days ago, many friends, family, subscribers, colleagues kept asking where I was, why I was not there to see the bells, and so on. One said "lumipad pa kami galing Cavite, nakita naman namin, but we were not able to take photos w/ the bells, andaming tao, you could have guided us kung andito ka "....