Philippine Travel Notes

This was it pusit! My roam of Gamay's central area - with no itinerary! I like doing this kind of walk, where I don't know which way to go, what to see, what to expect. Come what may or where my feet lead me to . Here I said: "which way now" ! Natawa ako sa sarili ko, as if I was asking St. Michael for directions! Eh on that shot I was standing at the church door , facing outside. That, is where I came from earlier. That big building is their municipal gym (or whatever it's called nowadays). I started my walk there going leftwards as I earlier saw a row of big houses both old and new. Ancestral Houses I was certain some would still be made of wood and old-era-style. Like this one: Still big and beautiful, right? But as we said in many past stories, they are difficult to maintain, mainly because wood is expensive and even by-and-by already prohibited. I went closer. Oh, the big doors are still made of wood, but the walls are 'corrugated galvanized...

Let's continue roaming . I was done with the church . What else was worth my while? A lot! That's too typical when we go to places (even if for the n th time) 'no? Like this: People's Center . What is that? Ah, that's just how Palapag calls their Municipal Hall. Like many in our country, it's growing bigger & wider, to cater to a growing populace. That's why you'll notice, both flanks of the building are also buildings-in-the-making. As constructions and repairs were obviously on-going here and there, I didn't bother to go near, much less enter the building. I didn't want to be an extra burden to them. Municipal Park Behind me as I took that 'munisipyo picture' was their municipal park (town plaza). There still is a Bandstand I saw a bandstand and it was hard for me to tell in which direction it really is facing! I forgot to take a photo of the area, but thanks to googlemaps (where I grabbed that screenshot), it becomes ...

This one is not a temple but sacred too, even considered 'holiest' by the Lao people - probably because it weighs big in the Lao cultural identity and spiritual well-being. Makasaysayan at me masalimuot na intriga ang museo na ito. At aba, international! Like Wat Sisaket across the road, this museum also opens at 8AM for us tourists. This was the first I came back to on my return walk, before going to Sisaket Temple. And like at Wat Sisaket, I also did not pay and enter to see this museum. I knew I had not much time to spare. I needed to be back at the hotel and expect my associates for a meeting. But as I said earlier where there's a will, there will be a way ! Ako pa! At that counter, you could clearly see the chapel/museum building (talikod ka) . This: You leave your footwear on the ground (at the foot of the stairs), then you go up, and around that loggia (external hallway) since many of the museum's displays are there. Once you enter that main doo...

Walking eastward from the Brunei Darussalam Embassy on Setthathirat Road, this place is still on the right side, after crossing the alley connecting to the World Bank. That alley has a tongue-twister name - Rue Chanthakoummane! From there , I kept walking (excited) - it's already probably some 50 meters to this: Walking direction right-to-left, that is the same big building at right, as in the last pic of the previous story, and I think that gate is the side entrance (for employees/staff). Or maybe the 'real' gate - for workers, non-official and non-royal visitors like us! Walk pa more and I saw this majestic, pang-dugong bughaw na entrance gate hehe! Good it was still early morning, wala pang mga turistang nag-aagawan mag-posing! Well, ahem.., not really good that there were no people. No one to take my picture! Honestly, while I already know how to, most of the time I don't like my selfie photos. But here's one clever shot that I like - wit...

In the previous story , I said I stood in front of the police station for some moments, as I was appreciating something that looked imposing. This was it across the road. A cluster of lovely-looking colonial-style buildings in a security-gated compound. While appreciating it (from across the road), that gate opened to let a car out. I ran to cross the street, and that startled the 2 guards (at left). One shouted "hey hey, why"? I was too late, that gate was already closing fast. So I stopped to answer that guard with " take picture, inside ". He smilingly said " come back opening time, 8AM, go inside "! I realized only now as I write this, that what I did (running towards a closing gate with armed guards) , was a dangerous thing to do. Eh kung nabaril ako dahil nabigla sila? Ayay my gash abelgash ! Kung nagkataon goodbye earth ako! Iskandalo na, damay pa ang ating inang bayan! Lesson learned: dapat cool lang palagi, huwag pabigla-bigla! Eh...

Wonderful Khmer Architecture! Everywhere is " instagrammable "! But let's start from the very beginning! Visit Times & Duration Foremost, you may encounter a 'minor issue' on the web, about opening and closing times for palace visits. Some say 7-11AM & 1-4PM ; some say 7AM , 8AM and so on. On this visit, it was written everywhere, 8:00AM~11:00AM AND 2:00PM~5:00PM . Heads up to my boldly written AND above. It can make or break your satisfaction! It means that: at 11AM the palace closes (for lunch?), so all guests will have to leave. Di ko alam kung me loudspeaker yan or megaphone na ipagtatabuyan kayo, o baka me mga guards na umiikot para sabihan kayo, o maybe the paths are cordoned-off. Basta ang sa akin, isang tanga at kalahati ka, kung papasok ka pa ng 10AM. Eh ang laki kaya ng compound na yan! Many tour groups aim for the earliest entry - at 8AM. I surmised, sangkaterbang busloads siguro ang tourists entering at 8AM. Hiyay! So, I ...