Ho Chi Minh (Un Journal Noir)

Ho Chi Minh, also known as Saigon—it's a city in Southern Vietnam; a blend of beautiful French architecture and eastern temples; it offers delicious street food like the bánh mì and bánh xèo to the hungry traveller; it speaks of long walks through parks and beckons to shoppers with its day and night markets that sell so many things at such affordable prices; it is the home of cultural buildings like the Saigon Opera House as well as historical landmarks, like the Cu Chi Tunnel and the War Remnants Museum.

Stinky Tofu, Tanghulurs, and Other Street Food in Taiwan

When a self-confessed foodie goes to a new place, of course she's going to Google what kinds of foods to eat there.

My siblings and I went to Taiwan just before 2016 ended. It was an adventure of many firsts—first time for all of us to go to Taiwan, first time for two of my siblings to be out of the country, first time for all of us to travel somewhere without our family, first time for some of us to experience a weather colder than the usual 26-28 degrees Celsius we have in Manila.

Of course, we Googled where to stay, where to go, what to do, and most importantly, what to eat. Taiwan, apparently, is one of the best food trip destinations, with all their famous street foods and night markets We didn't get to eat all that we wanted to, but these are some of the best and tastiest street food we got to try.

Why Davao Has Become a Home in the South

I like diversity. I like changes in scenery. I like long, winding roads and forest trails; I like beaches and infinity pools. I like mountains and hills, valleys and rivers.

From the mountains to the beaches

They say that one of the best things about Davao is that you can go from the mountains to the beaches and back again in one whole day. If you are looking for a variation beyond nature trails and winding mountain paths, you can take a quick drive down to the beach. Boats are available for rent, as well as snorkelling gear. Soon, you will feel the salty spray of the sea and smell the summer ocean breeze, touseling your hair and warming your face.

Five Things That Made Me Fall in Love with Ilocos

There are some places that, when you visit them, you fall in love with them and leave a part of yourself behind. Maybe because of the experience, because of how it looked, and how it felt. Maybe because of its history or its scenery. When I went to Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur last month, the tour package included a lot of stops in different places, but there were certain places that I liked the best and would love to visit again should I find myself once more in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur someday.

Adventures in Puerto Princesa, Palawan Day 3: Island-Hopping

Note: Wow, this post is overdue. Way overdue. Like one year behind overdue. But I have been taking a class here and there about Blogging and Content Marketing with Shaw Academy, and I've been learning that consistency is key. And in work, I have been learning to close the loop, to not leave any nail unhammered, any candlestick unpolished, any pie unbaked. I may not be able to post everyday or every week, but I will do my best to post once or twice a month.

We saved the island-hopping in Honda Bay for our third day in Puerto Princesa. They say that if you're in a big group, it's cheaper to customise your own tour and pay for the boat and entrance fees to each island, but if you're only 2-4 persons, it's better to get one of those fixed tours where they group you with other people. Puerto Princesa has a lot of those—tourist shops lined along the streets where you can book all sorts of tours. Even bed and breakfast inns and hotels have them, so we just had ours arrange by Casitas.

Adventures in Palawan Day 2: Dolphins and Unexpected Trips

I think a more appropriate title for this is "The Importance of Being More Flexible," especially as so many unplanned, unexpected things happened on this day.

Our schedule for the morning was a dolphin swimming tour, which is an item on my Dream List. (Actually, I wanted to swim with them, but after researching on the internet, I learned that they don't really allow you to do that in the open sea. It's more of in the special resorts that have trained, pet dolphins.) We booked with Hopping Buddies Travel & Tours, which is the cheapest I've seen so far. It was actually a tie between going on a dolphin-watching or firefly-watching tour. I would have loved to do both, but because of time and budget constraints, We could only do one, and we decided that we were more interested in seeing dolphins.

Adventures in Palawan Day 1: The Importance of Being Flexible

I had it all planned out: fly out to Puerto Princesa in the morning, check in at the hotel, grab a quick lunch, proceed to tour museums and other nearby areas until dinner time, before heading back to the hotel for an early bedtime because the next couple of days were bound to be jam-packed with activities.

Of course, not everything always goes as planned, starting with our flight being delayed for about three hours, till I was living in fear and cold-sweat that it would be canceled completely. (Thankfully, it wasn't.)

When we (FINALLY!) landed in Puerto Princesa, we were picked up by the van from where we stayed, Casitas de Az Pension. (Shoutout to them—everyone was so nice and friendly and accommodating. I peppered them with a thousand questions before booking with them.)

Racism from the Eyes of a Fil-Chi

I'm Fil-Chi, Tsinoy, half-Filipino, half-Chinese, and I love and respect my heritage and my ancestors. Sure, I may not fluently speak either language, but that does not mean I love my heritage any less. Sure, I might have been raised in a more Chinese background, but that does not mean I appreciate the Philippine culture less. Sure, I might not know what to call the aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins on the Chinese side, but that doen't mean I love them any less. Sure, I might get confused when distinguishing pochero from afritada from menudo, but that does not mean I like the food any less.

The problem with countries is that their fierce loyalty to themselves makes them possessive. I mean, I get that, but it does sometimes seem like an overkill. I remember when, as a child, I was told that when I turned 18, I would have to choose between the Philippines or China as my country of citizenship. Thankfully, that didn't have to happen because they changed the laws a few years later. To be honest, I would not have known what to choose. I love the the blood that flows in my veins—blood that is the stream that made two very different cultures meet. Try asking a person who has two heritages in their blood to explain it. We can't. We love both equally; there is simply no such thing as making us choose.

Next Destination: Hong Kong

In a couple of weeks or so, I'll be wending my way through the streets of Hong Kong. Not for the first time, though. I recall—in a very hazy frame of mind— making a couple of posts (culture customs, etiquette, etc.) about the country before going there last year. I recall coming back hoping to make a couple posts or so about my adventures there. Unfortunately, life often turns out like nothing at all planned. (Sigh.) And now I am going back and I have not yet ever posted anything about my first trip.

Adventures in Palawan: City Tour

Palawan. They call it the paradise of people who love swimming and snorkeling. It is rich with diverse marine life, rich with places to sight-see and visit, rich with tourist spots, islands, and adventure. Palawan is where the Underground River—one of the New Seven Wonders of the World—is.

I got to visit Puerto Princesa for the first time (yay!) last November for a team building. Our first day was spent on a city tour. We visited Mitra's Ranch, Baker's Hill, Binuatan Creations, and the place to buy pasalubong before having dinner in one of the Chicken Inato restaurants.

Etiquette: Hong Kong

Disclaimer: This post is based on research across various resources. Observations are not mine. Resources are below.

Just as I said I would in a previous post, I have done some research on the etiquette of Hong Kong, as a preparation before we leave in less than a couple of weeks. While our main objective is to minister to OFWs, we will definitely be encountering the natives. Some of the etiquettes are quite familiar, as we apply it in our family/daily life. I am half-Chinese after all, and bits and pieces of Chinese etiquette have been passed down to us from my dad and grandparents.

Hundred Islands in the Philippines

The Hundred Islands is located in Pangasinan, one of the provinces in the Philippines. It is a well-known tourist spot, attracting visitors the whole year round. I had the opportunity to go there for the first time last November 2011.

In order to explore the Hundred Islands, you have to rent a boat in Alaminos, one of the towns in Pangasinan. Some tourist packages include a tour guide and lunch.