Philippine Travel Notes

With the proliferation of “Dampa Style” eateries, I find this to be the best in terms of orderliness and cleanliness. You can call it “bourgeois mentality” but thankfully, this place is out of the easy reach by the common masses in terms of distance and location. I am not even sure if there are jeeps that ply a route passing by this place. Some friends tell me there are. Anyway… I came to know about this place through someone who invited old friends (that’s including me) for some kind of a reunion. And I immediately liked it. “ Seaside ” – as it is commonly referred to by those who know about it, is located along the not yet so dense Macapagal Avenue facing the Manila Bay. Of course it faces the water, that’s why it’s called “seaside”. But that is only if you get to settle at those restaurants by the edge of the waters. Nonetheless, you will like many of the restaurants there – my favourites are not even by the water’s edge. As you would already know, “Dampa Style” eateries have

This topic started with this article There are also two towns named Loreto and both are in Mindanao. One town is in the province of Agusan Del Sur and the other is in the province of Surigao Del Norte – both in Region 13 – CARAGA! The former is southwest of Agusan Del Sur province and in its border with Bukidnon. I have yet to know what might be good to find in that town, at least for the tourist! Well, the latter Loreto is the northern tip of Surigao Del Norte province in Dinagat island already facing Samar island. And of course, this place teems with white beaches, springs and waterfalls. Go forth to this Loreto before everything is ruined by commercialism!

That question from a cousin is, I think, worth sharing here. “Why are some airliners asking us to put the window shades up during take-off and landing?” My quick answer was: “for whatever reason, just do it”! Actually, there are reasons why the crew might request you to open or close the window shades, depending on which segment of the flight you are. But during take-offs and landings they would usually ask you to open the shades. That is still to give you more safety, comfort or convenience. Let’s dissect them… As you would have probably known, take-offs and landings are the most crucial moments of any airline flight. Probable reason why everybody falls silent during those times? Didn’t you notice?! So bakit nga?! Here goes: They ask us to open the window shades during take-off and landing so that the orientation of our eyes inside the cabin approximates that of the outside environment. That means all human eyes! Both yours and those of the cabin crew! Why? So

This topic started with this article Looc. Pronounced loo-ok, there are two towns that bear the name. One is in the province of Occidental Mindoro and the other is in the island province of Romblon both in Region 4B – MIMAROPA. The former is a town which is the southern half of the island of Lubang off the northern tip of Mindoro. This Looc is for the nature tripper and adventurer as it is off the usual tourist itineraries. It has good beaches, waterfalls and mountain trails. Don’t be confused because the second Looc has similar – even better attributes. The town of Looc in the southern portion of the island of Tablas in Romblon has its very own bay. Nature attractions are great here. There are caves, waterfalls and beaches. There is even a fish sanctuary and a little butterfly garden! Plus, it’s a 2 hour boat ride if you want to cross into the bustling Boracay!

This topic started with this article Pronounced “le-loo-an”, there are two towns with this name and both are Cebuano speaking towns. First is Liloan town in the island province of Cebu (Region 7 – Central Visayas). Well, this town is in between the cities of Cebu and Danao, so Liloan is practically still in the metro Cebu area. There are other attractions in this town like the church and the lighthouse, but I am fonder of the fact that Titay’s, the producer of those delectable rosquillos etc, is based in this town! Hmm, it won't hurt if I get to live in Amara too! The other Liloan is just across the island in the province of Southern Leyte (Region 8 – Eastern Visayas) which is the cebuano-speaking area of the island. This fishing village is awash with fine white sandy beaches and a good jump-off point to diving and snorkeling sites. Never miss the Panaon Island for big time diving that’ll widen your eyes to as big as your goggles hehe! They say this is already part of the Philippin

This topic started with this article Oh freedom! There are two towns in the country that bear the name “Libertad” and there are another two named “La Libertad”. So that makes it four towns sporting the name of liberty, right?! First there is the town of Libertad in the province of Antique [pronounced an-tee-ke] and that is in Region 6 – Western Visayas. This little town is in the northern-most tip of the province where it kisses the town of Buruanga in Aklan – and both towns make the northwestern tip of the island of Panay. This town together with Buruanga was one of my best kept paradises just recently divulged. Libertad is the nearby getaway from bustling Boracay. Diving and snorkeling in its waters is one of the greatest experiences one can have in the Philippines. Being not yet too trodden by tourist feet, the forests in this area can show off a lot of birds. There are also caves and waterfalls aside from beaches and mangroves. Now the second Libertad is a town in the province of M

Who would have known, who would have imagined? That yes, there is a park in this country named after the "butiki". Yeah yeah, the lowly harmless common house lizard that some of you are afraid of and some pretend are afraid of! When I saw the sign that said Butiki Park, I first imagined the word was some kind of a contraction or portmanteau of some long phrase like CaMaNaVa or CaLaBaRZon. But I saw the big figure of the lizard. So it really is a park named after the butiki. Eh, no one there could tell me a plausible story why it is named so! This is somewhere on the eastern banks of the long Marikina River Park. Just a strollers' area called a park, nothing to pack your bags about. Gosh 'no?! Who knows, there might be a "lamok park", a "kulisap park" or a "gamu-gamu park" and so on, that I haven't just encountered. Then the butiki would probably love those hehe! Oh well, the weird nomenclatures of our times...

This topic started with this article There is only one town and there is only one province in this country that sports the name Leyte - but that is where the confusion starts, so let's have a word or two about Leyte. Have you heard about “Leyte-Leyte”? That is how locals actually refer to the town. As said above, there is only one such town named Leyte, and this is it. But being in the province of the same name (Region 8 – Eastern Visayas), the place makes my list. Leyte (town), is not the capital of Leyte (province). It is actually a bit obscured in terms of publicity. So, when you say "am going to Leyte", the sure next response of everyone would be "where in Leyte" as they'd be thinking you mean Leyte (the province). That is why, many locals call thier town "Leyte-Leyte". Oops, the name “Leyte-Leyte” is pronounced by locals as one contiguous word of four syllables. Try the intonation and speed when you pronounce “mutilated”, "calculated” or