Belated Happy Birthday, Mak

I've been lonely, I've been cheated
I've been misunderstood
I've been washed up, I ve been put down
Been told I'm no good.
But with you, I belong
Cause you help me be strong
There's a change in my life, since YOU came along...


I was supposed to post this on Friday, October 2, in time for a very good friend’s 24th birthday. To Mike of EatAllYouCan, Belated Happy Birthday! *hugs*

Fire in the Sky

One of the things I have learned to love with holding office in a highrise is that I get to see a bird's eye view of the whole metro. My favorite spot being the office gym - a spacious room 34 floors above ground, at the side of the building surrounded with glass. The cafeteria is also a good spot, it being on the same side, but I chose the gym because I get to watch sunsets like this while working out.

Another motivation to go to the gym more frequently.

Anawangin Cove, Zambales

In-between rainshowers, I spent the recent long weekend with friends in a cove where pine trees grow on sand, where a freshwater swamp surrounded by the mountains meets the salty waters of the sea. I've been hearing a lot of buzz about this place since last year. The unique terrain is indeed breathtaking.

And yes, it can be found in the Philippines.

After camping out in Anawangin, we dropped by the nearby Capones Island. We were supposed to visit the Lighthouse but the waves at the side of the island where we were supposed to dock made it impermissible. We had to settle for an hour of swimming in the nice beach instead.

Weekend Getaway

I'm off to this place this coming weekend:

Where pine trees grow on white sand.

*** Photos were taken from Panoramio.

The Running Tsinelas

As a way of promoting the latest version of the Internet Explorer, Microsoft organized a running event last Sunday at The Fort. Proceeds of which will go to the Unicef Child Protection Program.

I and my friends are supposed to run for the Earth Run, which was held on the same day but unfortunately, the registration was already closed so we joined the IE8 instead.

It had been raining the day before the event and even hours before the run itself. We were worried but decided to still go to The Fort and assess the situation. Took off at around 5;30AM and arrived in the assembly area just in time for the start of the race. There was a bit of a drizzle but it was a welcome change. At least there was no sun to fry us up while running.

The 8 mile category started at 28th St, extended to Rizal Drive then took a left turn to the Kalayaan Flyover, staright to Buendia up to Makati Post Office. That was the original plan. We were surprised that it went all the way to Osmena Hiway near Cash and Carry. What should’ve been 8 miles was actually 8.4 miles. That’s 600m more than the original 12.8km run.

Despite the aditional distance, my run went smoothly. I was able to pace and resisted pushing my speed whenever fellow runners would overtake me. I just kept my goal in mind: finish the race and be safe.

One peculiarity of this run is the support stations. Some included cheerleaders to cheer you on as you run. Some stations gave out chocolates and bananas as energy boosters. What made me laugh, though, is seeing kropeks and corns. Parang piknik lang!

I was able to finish with an un-official time of 1 hr 19 mins 45 secs. Not bad for my third run. Goal from the first run reached and exceeded!

Me at the IE8 Run

Island Hopping in Coron

Coron belongs to the Calamianes group of islands. The many small islets that comprise this group are ideal for a good day of island hopping and we did just that.

First Stop: Maloroyroy Island

This small island is more or less, just as big as the Araneta Coliseum in circumference but the unique stretch of white fine sand that looks like a bar make up for its size. It was love at first sight.

We spent almost half of the afternoon frolicking in the sands, taking pictures… pictures… and yes, lots of pictures.

Walang kamatayang jumpshot:

Nagpose ala- Oblation sa gilid ng bangin:

Jessa’s Photo-op: (aayusin ng Super Alalay (Me) ang sarong ng model):

Mga senti moments:

Pinaglaruan ang nananahimik na sea-shells:


The only downside of this stop: The caretaker tried to extort from us a 300 peso fee per person, which for us is way too much. Had we not known that there was no entrance fee for that island, we could’ve easily paid even 100 bucks each. Sometimes there is really a need to moderate greed. Hehe.


Boracay 2: Detaytayan Island

We were supposed to drop by Banana Island but the since there’s a resort with an entrance fee of 300 pesos each, and given the incident with the previous island, we were discouraged to give it a try. It looks ordinary anyways. (Taste the bitterness in that sentence. Haha!)

We decided to settle for a secluded island further south, the one referred to by locals as Boracay 2, the Detaytayan Island. There are no facilities yet in this island; no CR’s, no electricity, no fresh water, no cottages. The only shelter available is a huge four-post bare shed and we had to make do with that. We had to build our own fire, cook our own food, and set-up tents.


But of course, before that, we had to take pictures.


Part 2 ng senti moment (kunwari):

Taken by Franz with his DSLR:


The night was spent playing charades, amidst kerosene lamps, which were so generously provided by the Bangkeros. After the losing team gave up, we hit the sack without the luxury of a freshwater bath; feeling sticky and smelling like salt.

The Morning After: Malcapuya Island

We woke up early, wishing to catch a glimpse of the sunrise but ended up disappointed as we were greeted by a gloomy weather. I only managed to take these:



We headed off next to Malcapuya Island. Unlike Detaytayan, this island has a resort, ergo, facilities such as CR’s and limited electricity. We just dropped by only to freshen up and, well, basically to “unload”. Hehe.

This island resort has a viewing cliff which provides a great view of the sea and the surrounding islands.

After the requisite pictorials, we took a dip and were lucky enough to find a familiar face. Or rather, FINS.


Glad to have found Nemo in Coron!

Next post: Coron Underwater

Coron, Palawan in Five Days

Coron is part of the Calamianes group of islands, situated north of Palawan. The town's laid back setting and its rich natural beauty are fast becoming magnets that attract local and foreign tourists alike. With six friends in tow, I headed to Coron hoping to catch a glimpse of what the place has to offer. I was not disappointed. I fell in love at sight.

The house where we stayed in is in the seafront and has a veranda right next to the sea. A great spot for reading in one of those lazy afternoons.

Photo: courtesy of Majoy.

Day One: Trek to Mt. Tapyas.

Mt. Tapyas is a 786 step-trek up a hill with a giant white cross and a breathtaking view of the town and the neighboring islands. Trekkers usually go up in time for sunrise or sunset. We started out around 5 pm, and made it to the top in time for sunset. More than halfway to the top, though, it started to rain and we were worried that it won't be good for taking photos but luckily the rain subsided and we were able to catch a glimpse of the beautiful sunset.

We even saw a rainbow on the other side kasabay ng sunset. Cool!

Maquinit Hotsprings:

After the trek, our legs were in pain so we decided to head to the hotspring in Maquinit. The water is quite salty and hot yet relaxing. Parang nagpa-spa lang!

Day Two: Island Hopping

Siete Pecados

Siete Pecados is a group of seven islets known to house an abundant species of corals and fish. The usual jump-off point of most island hopping tour because of it's proximity to the town proper. Locals say this is where the underwater scenes in GMA7's Dyesebel, starring Marian Rivera, were shot.

We were busy snorkelling around when, out of nowhere, I spotted this big, and long fish, which I thought was a barracuda!

Kayangan Lake

The entrance to the lake is a postcard perfect view of the islands that shield it from the sea.

Getting to the lake itself requires a 75-ft trek up and down a rock formation. On top of the trek is a small cave which was probably used by the native tribes as shelter. The lake provides a soothing swim with its clear and brackish water and amazing underwater rock formation.

A quick lunch after the trek down and we headed out to sea again, passing Twin Peaks, and on to the Twin Lagoons.

The two lagoons are connected by a tunnel underneath a rock formation through which tourists can pass. On low tides, you can pass through the tunnel with a kayak but it was unfortunate that we got there when the tides are high. We had to dive and swim underneath to get to the other side.

The tunnel is about a few meters wide but for an inexperienced swimmer, it could be a challenging feat. Some of our friends got a few bumps on their heads as a result of their miscalculations.

The taxing dive is rewarded with a stopover to one of the beaches in the area. The guide decided to drop us at Atwayan Beach where we killed time bumming around, taking pictures...

... and simply having fun!

Next post: Camping-out on a secluded island, Wreck Dives and finding Nemo in Coron!