Restless Wander

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Created by Eugene Villar.

I recently discovered about WordPress’ import tool, wherein you can actually import your previous blog entries from other blog sites into your WordPress blog. I love it. Ever since I discovered WordPress a couple of months ago, I’ve been using it more often than my Blogger account.

I love the features better! And yeah, while I may not have freedom to edit my HTML (I don’t know how anyway), there themes suit me just fine. Very clean and organized. So I’ve decided to import some of my previous entries from my old photo blog. Most are photos of my San Francisco trip.

Just check out my archives to view the photos

Click here!

So I decided to do something about my restlessness. I’m traveling again soon.

Here are my planned trips so far:

• Explore Ilocos some time mid-July
• Dumaguete in October with my officemates
• Boracay in October (yey I love October!) with my LEAP friends

These are the confirmed ones. I want to go on day trips as well. Even if just in Tagaytay or wherever. I wanna check out Pagudpud also. Or go to Zambales again. Or go on Carlos Celdran’s Corregidor tour!

I don’t care if I go alone but I’d prefer if I have company with me, of course.

So, anyone interested?

Here’s a photo of the magnificent outdoor pool in Hearst Castle. It’s literally a castle in the sky because it’s located on top of a mountain in San Simeon, California. I went there a few months after I graduated college.

I want to travel again soon. The last time I went farther than Asia was 2005.

I’m in a restless mood that only travel can fix. Waaah. Okay, I am definitely trying to make Baguio this weekend.

My current mantra:

LIVE, LIVE, LIVE.

Seize the day, seize the night, seize what you can and suck the marrow out of life.
We may not be Indiana Jones, Mother Teresa, Don Juan, Jack Kerouac, Henry Miller or the Vampire Lestat every day of our lives but you get the idea.
Just LIVE. Feel. Move. Dance. Jump. Fly. Walk. Run. Travel. Shout. Explore. Kiss someone. Risk a little. Laugh. Cry. Volunteer. GO INSANE. MAKE A DENT IN THE WORLD. WHATEVER.
-Karen Kunawicz

It’s morphin’ time! wahaha

I loved Singapore. I really enjoyed my last visit there in 2007 and I can’t wait until the next. The city offers so much that you won’t run out of things to do.

Here are some of the things I particularly loved about that fine, fine city (haha no pun intended):

10. The Merlion. I don’t know what it is about a half-lion, half-merman that I find so appealing. Rawr.

9. Hanging out with the birds in Jurong Bird Park.

I love this photo:

Check out the Pink Flamingos:

8. The Esplanade! I guess the novelty of seeing a building shaped like a durian brought out the sentimental dabawenya in me. haha

The Phantom of the Opera was showing during our visit so we got to watch it on our last day there. Here’s my sister Mina camwhoring after the show:

7. The Singapore Art & Culture Scene. My sister and I checked out the Asian Civilization Museum during our last visit. They have an impressive collection of Asian artifacts. Check these out:

We were also lucky to have caught an outdoor rendition of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Fort Canning. It was the first time (in 10 years, I think) that they were staging an outdoor production of a play in Singapore and we caught the first show! It was brilliant! They used the whole park as the stage–characters were walking from one end to the other! They built this really big box-like stage in the middle, and during the play’s ending, Puck went to stand on top to deliver his parting shots. The weather totally cooperated that night and there was just enough clouds in the sky and the moon was in its full glory and it was reaaally magical.

One word — sublime.

And the fact that the guys playing Lysander and Demetrius were hot didn’t hurt either. Hehehe.

We wanted to check out the National Museum but there wasn’t enough time. We did get to catch Superstrings by Joshua Yang, an ongoing exhibit at The Esplanade. It’s a series of single continuous line drawings on rolls of canvas stretched across wooden frames and are patterns of randomness. Choice of his subjects are of mundane objects. My kind of art. I saw all my doodles come to life.

And Singapore is just littered with art—everywhere you go, art. Even in the MRT stations, you see mosaics and historical signage. I wish we could do the same for the art scene here in the Philippines.

6. Clarke Quay - where I met you-know-who! hahaha crazy!

That same night, I decided to break out of my shell. Figured I’d conquer at least one of my fears before my trip was over.

We were also near plenty of sources of alcohol so that helped. Ahehe. Alet and I went on the GMAX Reverse Bungy at Clarke Quay. It’s like bungy jumping, only instead of leaping from a building or a bridge, they strap you to this globular contraption and catapult you a couple of hundred feet up into the air. It was the ultimate adrenaline rush!!!

5. Shopping in Little India and Chinatown!

My sister and I went crazy with the Indian trinkets and tapestries. We were very amused by the indian guy selling us the tapestries because he made us feel like we got the fabrics at a bargain as he kept returning some of our money back in this sly this-is-our-secret manner. Bet he still had a lot of patong from that sale though!

4. THE FOOD!!! Singapore is a melting pot of different cultures so there is always variety when it comes to food–Indian, Indonesian, Singaporean, Chinese, even Mediterranean and European cuisines.

YUM!

3. Strolling along the Chinese & Japanese Gardens. This is my favorite place in Singapore. It was just lovely and so reminiscent of my favorite Chinese and Japanese films. I felt like I was in the set of Memoirs of a Geisha or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I half-expected Ken Watanabe to show up and give me a private tour. Haha

And the gardens are open to the public. Free entrance and very accessible from the MRT. I loved it there. If I lived in Singapore, I’d go to the gardens every week!

2. Sentosa Island. Your Singapore visit wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Sentosa. Although I have to admit it was a bit overhyped but I still loved how they really made the place so tourist-friendly. There were shuttles taking you from one end of the island and you don’t even have to pay anymore. Free rides everyday.

The beach…well it wasn’t so bad. But they do not stand a chance against the lovely beaches we have here in Pinas. As in not even close!

1. Traveling with my sister is always a blast. She attracts the most interesting characters:

Of course, visiting my gorgeous friend Alet is always a plus!

Ahem. You owe me.

…three (ridiculously good-looking) college friends went off to an adventure in a land called Zambales.

It was a long journey. The three (ridiculously good-looking) friends had to endure a 7-hour bus trip on mostly empty stomachs. It would’ve been just around 5 had they not gotten off at the wrong stop. But as luck would have it, they did; which was not so bad because they were greeted by really friendly locals, a picturesque scenery and the coolest sea breeze.

The delays aside, the three friends finally reached their destination–The Sun Bloom Resort. Lovely name, right? haha

Anyway, they took a detour right before Sun Bloom and had the best buttered chicken in history at this other resort called Dawal, which is supposedly THE premiere beach resort in Candelaria, Zambales. There was a pool and everything.

The moment they arrived in Sun Bloom, the three (ridiculously good-looking) college friends went on a fifteen-minute boat ride to Potipot Island.

Where they spent the rest of the afternoon mastering the art of camwhoring!

And taking endless pictures from one end of the island to the other:

Needless to say, it was an incredibly fun day spent frolicking under the sun. The boat arrived around sunset and the three (okay I know you’re getting tired of me saying this but I have to be consistent so…the three ridiculously good-looking) friends were treated to the most spectacular view ever.

This fantabulous sunset:

Man this sunset kicked ass. I remember the three of us just sitting silently in the boat, hypnotized by the slow yet swift setting of the sun (contradicting, I know, but there is just no other way to describe it). The best sunsets are the ones that take your breath away. And this was clearly the best sunset I have ever seen in my life. The boatman, Mang Steve, even stopped the boat in the middle of the sea and we all just sat there watching the sun make its way down. Amazing. That was the most peaceful I’ve felt in a long time.

Later that night, we went to check out the floating restaurant near Sun Bloom. The food was not half-bad. I loved their sinigang. Here’s a photo of us three again. This time, with me burned to a crisp! haha

We stayed only for a night but it was enough to detoxify from the stressful city life.

We plan on going on a longer trip next time. This one was totally spontaneous and we ended up having a great time. Can’t wait to check out the other sights in Zambales!

Wonder where my next trip will be?

Siquijor Island knocked my socks off. It was breathtaking. It was a day spent relaxing under the sun, the waves lapping around me and nothing but the vast expanse of the sky for company.

Seeing so much sky was shocking for a city rat like moi. It has been ages. Sometimes, I don’t even notice it anymore. Manila’s endless skyscrapers and billboards cover up the sky so much that you sometimes forget it’s there. All you see are images of Buhay Coke, Centrum Complete, Belo, Folded & Hung, Bayo and countless Kris Aquino endorsements. You forget the sky exists.

In Siquijor, the sky really makes its presence felt. Everywhere you look, you see it. Reminds you of how small you really are in the grand scheme of things. In a way, you go back from Siquijor feeling humbled. More grounded. It’s a soothing retreat—I felt my worries vanish into oblivion after only a day in the island. Forgot all about the qualms I had about my career, the toxic Manila traffic, my relationship issues, my dramas…the only thought that entered my mind the whole time was how life, at that particular moment, was perfect.

Anyway, enough with the babbling.

Mementos!

Haha! We look so happy!

Here’s a photo of me in the middle of self-reflection. Okay, kidding. This is a faux candid shot. Hehe but I look so serious you almost believe it’s true right? Right.

Siquijor is teeming with breathtaking views like this one:

And this one. My favorite taken during sunset. So magical:

Lovely action shot!

I loved the texture here.

Check out the seabed. Mother Nature in drag!

Igor and I stayed at the Hambilica Seaview, a small resort owned by a woman named Fides. The place was nice, although they could’ve done a better job with the rooms. Really high ceilings. It wasn’t as cozy as I wanted it to be but it was pretty decent. Here’s Igor doing Yoga by the garden:

We also went to check out the convent at the town proper. It had a haunting appeal to it. Loved the walls.

The veranda is reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet. (I’m a closet hopeless romantic)

Sigh. I love it.

I once had this conversation with Auntie Char. I was still in grade school then and she was telling me how important it was for me to explore my country, my roots. She said something along the lines of ‘Before you go off making your mark in the world, take a look at where you come from. Go around the country. Find a place, a something, that you will proudly talk about with the people you meet along the way.’

I was too young to grasp the meaning of what she said and it just kills me sometimes that I had to lose her first before I realized it but I’m also happy that I finally found something OF her to take with me. I didn’t think my aunt and I had a lot in common until recently. I see more of her in me now. We’re both travelers at heart. And she made a lot of difference in people’s lives during her reign as governor. I’m pretty sure I’m not going to be involved in politics any time soon but I definitely will make my mark.

I plan to hit as many places as possible this year. And every place I visit, it’ll be a tribute to her memory.

I’ve been surfing the internet all day and happened to chance upon Old Manila Walks.

They offer walking tours of historic Manila. I’m thinking of going on one some time in March because February is booked already. Hehe. It’s part of my travel goal this 2008. I intend to hit as many places as possible and I’m not limiting myself to out-of-town locations. Manila has plenty of historical haunts to offer so why not start my exploring in the city? I mean, there’s a lot to see in Intramuros pa lang! And it’ll be cheaper than going to, say, Zambales—which I will be visiting this weekend by the way. Haha!

And I plan on taking that Carlos Celdran tour to Corregidor. I’ve always wanted to see the place but haven’t had the time to do it yet.

Yey I’m so excited! This year is turning out to be better than I expected!

I never really expected I would enjoy my “spontaneous” trip to Dumaguete as much as I did during my first visit. I say spontaneous because, on impulse, I just went ahead and took advantage of Cebu Pacific’s P1 fare promo last January. Hehe I did not plan on spending my birthday out of town, much less a place I have never been to. The only person I knew there was Igor and he had just relocated three months ago. I definitely had my hesitations.

However, they disappeared the moment I stepped out of the plane. Dumaguete is haunting.

The city is just lovely. After spending an afternoon walking along Rizal Boulevard while waiting for Igor to take me out on my birthday dinner, I felt all the stress and tension melt away. Manila, much as I love the city, can be toxic sometimes. Okay, all of the time. But I still love it. Haha

Anyway.

Dumaguete City is just so laid back.

Its being a university town makes it a melting pot of students, artists, professionals, scholars…anyone looking to recharge creatively. And it’s Backpacker Central. They really go out of their way to visit the place. Every place I went to in the short amount of time I had, I would see foreign expats come and go. Some would still be carrying their backpacks with them, some would be drinking ice cold beer with their lady friends, while others I would spy reading a book while waiting for the next ferry to Cebu, Siquijor or other nearby islands.

You’ll never run out of places to visit when you’re in the city.

If you have a sudden History craving, there are tons. I think the city really goes out of its way to preserve its cultural heritage. The Boulevard, for one, is reminiscent of Dr. Jose Rizal. He was actually the one who dubbed Dumaguete as “The City of Gentle People.” It was his last stop before he went to Dapitan where he lived in exile.

The Dumaguete Bell Tower is also a historical attraction. Locals would take time out to offer a solemn prayer to God. Igor told me he has yet to see the tower devoid of people.

Siliman Museum. It was closed during my visit but here’s me shamelessly camwhoring in front of it anyway.

They also have a lot of cozy, hole-in-the-wall cafes.There’s this quaint pattisserie, Sans Rival Cafe, where people like me flock to buy last-minute pasalubongs. They serve the best Sans Rival I’ve ever tasted. I don’t even eat Sans Rival–I don’t usually like it–but I lurve the ones they make here! I, er, even took a whole loaf home with me. Ahehe. Heh.

They also serve yummy sandwiches. I loved the club sandwich. It’s not Pancake House (I’m sorry hands down, Pancake House pa rin!) but it’s not half-bad!

And I love the cafe’s interiors. Very cozy, very homey. So unlike the cosmopolitan interiors of most of Manila’s cafes.

I particularly liked this chandelier:

Another noteworthy haunt: Cafe Antonio, located at the Spanish Heritage Center. I could stay there all day with nothing but my laptop for company.

It’s a great place to start that book you’ve always wanted to write but continue to put off for another day…and another…and another…and…you get my drift. It has this air of Spanish nostalgia to it:

And they have charming, old-fashioned swings like this one:

Perfect for camwhoring! And the walls are literally covered with art. I loved the ink and coffee stained drawings on display during my visit. It’s a creative hub.

Other places I went to were Hayahay, a seaside restaurant. Hayahay means ‘relax’ or ‘rest’ in bisaya. Perfect name for the restaurant. Very tranquil atmosphere. And they serve really good fried rice with bits of chorizo. Chorizo, apparently, is a staple in Dumaguete. Hehe I could really live there! LOL

If you’re in the mood for Italian, Mamia‘s is good. They serve really good marinara pasta. And the frozen coffee for dessert? Sinful.

Santa Teresa serves yummy dinuguan and sisig. Gaaah I’m craving already.

The best thing about food-tripping in Dumaguete? Really affordable prices!

Food comes cheap here, especially when you compare it to Manila. You can eat until you feel like you can’t eat anymore. And then you eat some more—which was what I did during my last day there. Haha

You don’t really need to bring that much money with you. I think, the whole trip, plane and ferry fares and hotel accommodations included, cost me a little over P6,500. And that already includes an overnight trip to Siquijor Island! Not bad—I can’t wait until my next visit. I might even stretch it to a week…or two! Haha

Also, the city is loaded with spas and massage salons. I tried Urban Nirvana’s full body spa. I loved it. I thought I’d died and gone to spa heaven.

Traveling has always been a passion.

The moment I realized I had feet was the moment I knew I was meant to go places. That and the fact that I have always lived near the airport. All the places I have had the pleasure to call home were always near airports. Somehow, the world is always calling, always tempting me with its endless wonders.

I’ve always dreamed about becoming an explorer of cultures, an international food connoisseur, a UN ambassador, an anthropologist, a photojournalist, an eternal tourist, a backpacker, a hitchhiker, a pilot, a beachcomber, a sailor, an aimless wanderer…the ultimate global citizen. I was not meant to be landlocked.

Anyway, I’ve decided to create this blog to keep records of my past and future adventures and misadventures. Usually, I end up getting more of the latter but hey, you don’t see me complaining! They make for funny inspirations in writing my short stories. And they’re entertaining topics of conversation during late-night drinking sessions with friends!

I’ve been putting off this travel blog for the longest time but I figured, it’s the start of the new year and I decided this year I’m walking the talk.

Enough with all the planning and daydreaming. The time is ripe for exploring uncharted territories.

True enough, on the afternoon of my birthday, I started doing exactly that. Was 30,000 feet up in the air en route to laid-back Dumaguete and mystical Siquijor, which I will write about soon!

My 24th year started with ADVENTURE. A great omen for what is turning out to be a great year.

Off I go to the great wide somewhere!

my backyard after the crash

kidding.  taken from the set of War of the Worlds in Universal Studios, LA.

AKA my humble abode:

Aphrodite:

Outdoor pool I’d gladly drown in (haha):

Lastly, water lilies! hahaha

I wonder when I’ll get to go here again. Check out the killer view: