Philippine Travel Notes

This was at a fence in front of a residence along the famed Policarpio Street in Mandaluyong. Yes there is no park, just a tindahan hehe! Kuha?! Oh well, the interesting warnings of our times!

This is that famed street in the city of Mandaluyong that has already gained much acclaim locally and even internationally because of the purported fantastic Christmas Lights and decorations of the houses. Finally, and thanks to the incessant requests of too many of you, I went to that little street just this afternoon! The verdict, yes I was amazed but NOT TOO HAPPY! I suspect this is a “sign of the times” and “false entrepreneurship” working hand in hand. How did I know about this place? Well, for years now, this street always makes the headlines on various news media during the Christmas Holidays! Going there Transportation to the area is a bit tricky for the first-timer. So I heeded the advice of friends who have been there – “don’t bring a car” unless you have a driver who can go elsewhere after dropping you off and return to fetch you when you feel like its time to go! There is no place nearby where you can park a car with peace of mind! So you have to do a commute! Don’t worry, ...

Who said you can’t roam around town on rainy days? It’s just a myth, really! For anyone interested in seeing various places, you may like to know that there are a lot of things to discover during the rainy season. Of course, as with any travel on any kind of weather, there are necessary precautions that one must consider. And I have discovered wiser ways of roaming this country during various moods of our dear inang kalikasan! Technique: when the monsoons are a blowing in the Luzon area, head to the western and southern islands like Palawan or Mindanao. While some parts will be cloudy on some days, rains will usually be sporadic. Then again it’s always wise to check weather underground or weather.com or even the local PAG-ASA! Example: last August 1, some colleagues were surprised when I appeared in the office with a skin darker than usual cuz I literally burned under the sun in Samar during the weekend. That was a weekend where rains were pouring to the max in Metro Manila! But going ...