These are my,my,my picks ok? They are my favorites for a number of reasons, but mostly because these places are absolutely picturesque! I bet you would stand in awe of them and say I have a great taste! Hehe.

Yep! I am from Baguio City and proud of my HOME. So What's here to see? Oh, how I wish you can come visit and see the dazzling scenes for yourself. For now, let me show you around (just imagine,ok). :)

Most people would wish to live in a place where the weather is not so warm and not so cold. 15 degrees celcius to 22 would be ideal eh? And, not to forget the splendor of nature with a touch of city life to make it more convenient to live in! Almost Perfect, isn't it? Well,well,well...welcome to my city!

Baguio City is known as the Summer Capital of the Philippines, The City of Pines, The City of Lights and the City of Flowers! Woooh, beautiful! Ask me about safety and I will tell you that Baguio is ranked number one for Safest City in the Philippines, (a salute to our Law enforcers!)

Wake up early morning and view the sun making its way up from the mountains, see how the clouds nestle just on the mountain peaks, and feel the cool breeze ! Eat your breakfast and get ready to visit the parks. Love shopping? Fresh fruits nad Vegetables waiting for you on the public Market. Chic? Visit our malls! As SM Mall says, "We got it all for you!"


Where to Drive:
1. Camp John Hay
2. Minesview Park
3. Botanical Garden
4. Burnham Park
5. Tam-awan Village
6. Wright Park
7. The Mansion
8. Asin Hotspring
9. The Dairy Farm
10.Lourdes Grotto


Where to Shop:
1. SM Mall
2. Center Mall
3. Cooyesan Mall
4. Abanao Square
5. Sunshine
6. Session Road
7. Public Market

Ahh, looks like a stairway to heaven to me! Wonder how these rice terraces were made? They were made by skilled hands of local tribes known as the "Ifugao",and mind you- these were made thousands of years before machinery was even created! Just another example of how clever and intelligent Filipinos are (wink! well the people on those days are clever! i just hope they passed those skills from generation, to generation, to my generation..to me, ooops, i guess not! ehe)

Anyway, here is a road help as to how to get there. Since I am very bad with directions, I just copied it from philsite.net (thank you po)...



How to get to Banaue Rice Terraces:
From Manila there are air-conditioned buses that go straight to Banaue, The trip takes about 9 hours. The Dangwa Transit have daily trips to Banaue Rice Terraces. Their terminals are located along Dimasalang St., Sampaloc, Manila and Aurora Boulevard, Cubao, Q.C. (Tel# 731-2879 & 410-1991). Also plying the Banaue route is Auto Bus (Tel# 735-8098) with terminals at España Blvd corner G. Tolentino St., Manila. The bus leaves at 10 PM daily and arrives at about 7AM. From Baguio City, there are also buses going to the Banaue Rice Terraces.



See you there! Let's race...

Are you a daredevil who is in for a big jump to a waterfall? Or are you in for a visit to a mummy cave? Are you fit enough for a long hike to reach the top of the mountain where nature's at its best? Or you just want a peace of mind and a break from the city's chaotic environment? What are you waiting for; Sagada is the perfect place for you!

So you might be thinking, "so where in the world are we going to lodge in a mountainous province like Sagada?" hey,hey,hey..did you know that Sagada is equipped with HOTELS and other lodgings? Not really what you pictured it to be eh? "Do they have electricity out there?" You bet! And here is a plus, they have internet connection too! Isn't it lovely? You get to be soo close to nature and yet not far from the modern world!


So here is a list of nice accomodations just waiting for you. For some of them, you have to book in advance! Yep, Sagada is no doubt a tourist destination. Visitors just love it!

1. St. Josephs Resthouse
2. Alfredo's Inn and Resaurant
3. Sagada Guest House
4. The Green House
5. Sagada Igorot Inn
6. Mapiya-aw Pension
7. Traveller's Inn
8. George Guest House
9. Rock Inn

Now...you have settled down, unpacked your bags, ate your meal, and ready for ADVENTURE! Here are five tourist favorite spots you might want to see:

1. Limestone caves
You can never go to this cave without a guide. You would not want to go alone anyway, would you? You need to go to the municipal hall and they would provide you with skilled mountaineers and cavers. (haha, the first time i saved this post, i missed the "s" at "skilled"..ooops, ic orrected it see!) Your life is safe in their hands!


2. Burial Caves
A bit errie, but this place is a must see, very dramatic, they say! It is considered sacred by the locals so please, do us all a favor and keep your trash to yourself! This can be visited without tour guides.


3. Hanging Coffins
The word "coffin" might give you the creeps...how much more with the word "hanging"? These are found in places almost impossible to reach. But this coffins are awesomely arranged in piles and literally hanging on the mountains through wedges. Dare?


4. The Small and Big Falls
In for a swim? Well, start walking. It takes about 1 to 1.5 hours walk before you can reach the falls. but once you get there, you might think you're in heaven! It's absolutely divine.


5. Ganduyan Museum
In for Antiques? This is the place for you!

Don't hesitate to ask the locals for help on directions or whatever! People there are friendly. So smile...and say hello SAGADA!

Trivia: How many islands are there in the Philippines? As one Miss Philippines answered on the Q&A Portion of the Miss Universe Pageant, "High tide or low tide?"... ehe, there are approximately 7,100-7,107 islands in the Philippines.Just where are all these 7,107 islands? Well, 123 of them are in the Hundred Islands National Park in Panagasinan, Northern Philippines (I wonder why they didn't call it The 123 Islands?Sounds good eh: 1-2-3 Islands? hmn). Now, you do your search as to where the rest are, hehe (I was helpful enough to tell you where more than a hundred are, right? wink!)



Ok, so whats here to see and do? Swimming!!! Island hopping!!! Snorkeling!!! and whatever you might want to do on those exquisitely clear water and white sand. There are these two islands which from afar seem to be intact, but when you reach them, you would see a white sand beach in between them. Isn't that amazing? The tiny white sand beach seemed to serve as a bridge connecting the two together.


Actually not all of the islands have white sands and are ok for swimming. SOme of them are rocky islands, but filled with a lushness of trees; some have caves too! It's all up to you to choose your prefered island and just for a day or more claim it to be yours!



Here's a plus! Prices here are very reasonable, Whether you rent a boat or ask for a tour guide. The entrance fee would only cost you 10 PHP per person!

The Hundred Islands National Park is simply Nature at its best!

"A crater within an island, within a lake"...that is how the Taal Volcano is described. Interesting, eh? The World's smallest volcano stands as an island in a lake surrounded by mountains. Fascinating!


My first glimpse of the volcano was when I was on the city called "Tagaytay" ( known as little "Baguio") Up from there, I never thought it to be a volcano, I see it as an island, with clouds hovering on top of it, in the middle of a lake!

From Tagaytay City, we took a 20min drive down the mountains and reached the lake. It was so beautiful! We were exhaused from our travel but our tour guides were so excited to show us whats out there. We hopped on a motorboat and woosh! we were on a 15mins boat ride to the volcano.


When we reached the "what i thought was an ordinary island", we were greeted by the locals there and were offering us hats, mask, etc for what they called "our trek up the hill"...(so it was just an ordinary hill!hmn). My friend and I were deciding whether to hike up the hill or ride on a horse. I have never ridden a horse before, so as you might have guessed, I was insisting on just hiking (agh! do we have to?). Well, I lost. Our tour guide kept on comforting me that I would be safe on the horse and someone would be guiding the horse for me( two boys are better than one me, awww). Well, at the end, I never thought horseback riding could be fun! (though it was embarassing how often my horse would stop to chew on the grasses we passed by, i've got a hungry horse..eww). Ok, to cut the trip short, we reached the top and all I can think of is to get me something to drink. My friend was waving and asking me to come to where he was(not again!). He was persistent and so I got me a drink and went to where he was. I was shocked! I never thought of seeing a volcano's crater ever in my life! But there it was, just a few meters below us, was the volcano's "mouth". Not the kind of volcano I see on TV (with hot lava and all those kinds of stuff). It was amazingly calm. It looked like a lake enclosed on the peak of the mountain. And! In the middle of the crater is another small island...a lake inside an island(volcano) inside another lake.. Oh God, I'm bad at describing, but i've got pictures for you:



Nothing more to say but, 'It was magnificent! The most dramatic place I have ever seen". I would definitely want to visit again SOOON.

Imagine yourself stepping or treading on miles of baby powder! Boracay is well known for its very fine white sand. It actually has the finest and brightest white sand in the whole Philippines. It is a favorite Tourist Destination ( so if you want to meet different kinds of people from around the globe, be here!).



Love Water Sports? Boracay offers you more than that. Aside from swimming,snorkeling, scuba diving, windsurfing, sailboating, kayaking, boardsailing, and boating it gives you the chance to experience island hopping, hiking, trekking, caving, mountain climbing, biking, and horseback riding as well! A taste of almost every adventurer's action.



You can spend most of the day playing your own kind of sport, and at night join the tropical party life! No wonder tourist can't just resist getting into Boracay's action. Well who can resist a palm-studded island with talcum beach and a door to a whole lot of adventure?

The first thing that comes to people's mind when the name "Bohol" is mentioned are the "Chocolate Hills". But apart from these hills, Bohol has a number of Natural Parks and wildlifes for you to see!



Ok, let's take a tour to the Chocolate Hills first. Do you have any idea why these hills are called by their name: Chocolate Hills? Id be so happy if the answer to this question is because these hills are made of chocolates! A number one destination for chocoholics like me then! But, sad to say, that is not the answer! (dream on Gracey!) These hills are called chocolate hills because during the dry season the green landscape eventually turns brown and these 1268 (yep, that many!) hills turn to chocolate-like mounts.



They say "small is cute!" Well, it sure is true for the world's smallest monkey- the TARSIER. They are so small, not longer than an adult man's hand, with enormous eyes...really cute (they look like the lemurs of the madagascar movie, hmn, it would be nice if they can also sing " I like to move it,move it! grin..) So once you get the chance to visit Bohol, never miss your chance of seeing one! Goodluck to you though, they are small, cute, and SHY (like me.. hehe)



Now moving from cute to huge, you might also want to have a glimpse of dolphins on their natural habitat. Yep, Bohol's coastlines are skimmed with beaches (some white sand)and if you are indeed lucky, a sight of these sea creatures would be an unforgetable experience!

Bohol offers you the chance to experience loads of adventure! You can go for a hike, cruise the rivers, swim on the deep waters or go play hide and seek with the tarsiers! One more thing, Bohol's caves are waiting for you too! Go ahead and see what's inside these caves, who knows batman might be visiting too! Enjoy!

The Philippines' last frontier, and also known as the Philippines' paradise! Palawan is located southwest of the Philippines archipelago. It has about 1780 islands and islets with tropical climate all year round! It is home to a wide range of flora and fauna almost unseen on other parts of the globe. Simply beautiful and perfectly blessed by nature itself!



Home of the Tubbataha Reef, a marine park that made it to the World HEritage List and is often compared to Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Marine life is very rich and abundant. It houses almost 400 species of fish and hundreds of corals too. The place is a paradise for people who love the Marine life.



Come and see the Philippine's seacow, locally known as "dugong". Be careful, you might think you're seeing a mermaid! Most ancient sailor mistook seacows as mermaids, you might too. Its tail is wedge-shaped and sometimes, it "stands" on its tail with its head above the water to breathe. They are only few in number, so lucky you when you see them!



El Nido, known as the Honeymoon Destination in the Philippines, is famous for its inspiring seascape and limestones cliffs. White sand beaches, coral reefs, exotic flora and fauna, mesmerizing crystal clear waters, caves, etc...Perfect paradise!



Can't go to Africa for a look at it's wildlife? Come and visit Caluit Island instead, home of Philippine and African wildlife. Giraffes, zebras, impalas, waterbucks, bushbacks, gazelles, elands and topis from Africa live in harmony with endemic Philippine animals like the Calamian- and mouse- deer, bearcat, Palawan peacock pheasant, sea turtles and Philippine crocodile!

Once you step foot on Vigan, you might think you are on another country, another world... or even another dimention. This place is so unique it continues to enchant its visitors. Located at the Northern part of th Philippines, The UNESCO Heritage site of Vigan remains as the only surviving Spanish Colonial city. The historic townscape is an agricultural blend of Asian, European and Latin America.



It has always been a mystery how this town survived the World War. It must have been preserved by nature to remind us of the past. Unlike Cebu and Manila, it has kept its antiquated houses, cobbled narrow streets, horse driven carriages, and old churches.



Look around the place and you'd wonder if you are walking on the present or on the past. This place is just filled with mystery, which until now remains to be so and mesmerizes every soul who visits it.



The most common places of interest on this town are the colonial houses. Said to house rich Chinese traders a long time ago, this houses are built with thick brick plastered with red clay. They have survived storms and earthquakes, preserved just for us all to see. Want more than that? Go and visit the old St. Paul's Cathedral and ask yourself why its octagonal BEll tower is located 10 meters far from the church. The museums are also great for antiques, manuscripts, and paintings.



You think you have seen them all and so surprised you needed a break? The beaches are just a few minutes away!



Vigan is just here, waiting to surprise you!

Hmn, you might either be wondering why I listed Manila last or why I ever listed it on my top 10 list. Correct? Let's admit it, whether you like it or not, Manila is the first place to go when you visit the Philippines. You've got no choice anyway, hehe, the airport is there (well, that is for 80% of travellers, some might land somewhere else)

Manila: A land of COntradiction



When I was a kid, my idea of Manila was never scenic. I've branded it as my "never-go-there" place. Well, you can't blame me; blame it on the press! (and some posts on the internet with the title: Why you should never visit Manila or, something scary like, Why tourists end up dead in Manila)And so, I grew up thinking that if ever I live in Manila, i'd be dead in no time, or robbed, or kidnapped, or raped, or, or, or. I was simply paranoid! Not until I had to work in Manila did I ever realize I was wrong. It was fear that made me hate this place; I was just being a chicken! So what happened to me in Manila? (one thing for sure..i'm still alive!!!)

Typical city life. Sky scrapers everywhere, cars honking now and then, people rushing here and there... Life in the fast lane. Whats so nice about Manila is as if the whole world has somehow been united. You bump into different kinds of people from all over the world. You see them smile as they pass by, some snobbish, some just dont care. You see locals from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao speaking their own dialects. A variety of nationality, language and tradition.There is always something new to look forward to.

My advice to tourists who fear coming to Manila is this: know where to go and go with a trusted friend. If you ask me where to go, I would gladly list ten of the many places you might want to check:

1. Intramuros


2. Greenbelt Park


3. Coconut Palace


4. Baywalk


5. Corregidor Island


6. National Museum


7. Cultural Center of the Philippines


8. China Town


9. Fort Santiago


And ladies, here's my list for you: Shopping malls!
1. SM Mall
2. Robinsons Mall
3. Shangrila
4. Ever Gotesco Malls
5. Greenhills ( my fave!)
6. Mall of Asia ( you need more than a day for this)
7. MArket! Market!
8. Trinoma Mall
9. Greenbelt
10.Glorietta Mall

The Philippine Hymn
Click to listen to The Philippines' National Anthem


LAND OF THE MORNING
Land of the morning,
Child of the sun returning,
With fervor burning,
Thee do our souls adore.
Land dear and holy,
Cradle of noble heroes,
Ne'er shall invaders
Trample thy sacred shore.
Ever within thy skies and through thy clouds
And o'er thy hills and sea,
Do we behold the radiance, feel and throb,
Of glorious liberty.
Thy banner, dear to all our hearts,
Its sun and stars alight,
O never shall its shining field
Be dimmed by tyrant's might!
Beautiful land of love,
O land of light,
In thine embrace 'tis rapture to lie,
But it is glory ever, when thou art wronged,
For us, thy sons to suffer and die.



LUPANG HINIRANG
Bayang magiliw,perlas ng silanganan
Alab ng puso,sa dibdib moy buhay

Lupang hinirang,duyan ka ng magiting
Sa manlulupig di ka pasisiil

Sa dagat at bundok, sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw
May dilag ang tula,at awit sa paglayang minamahal
Ang kislap ng watawat moy tagumpay na nagniningning
Ang bituin at araw niya'y kailan pa may di mag didilim

Lupa ng araw ng luwalhating pagsinta,buhay ay langit sa piling mo
Aming ligaya na pag may mang aapi
Ang mamatay ng dahil sayo

Hi! or Hello!

- We simply say "Hi" or "Hello" as well, or you can greet by saying "kumusta" which actually means "How are you"

Good Morning!

- Magandang Umaga!

Good Evening!

-Magandang Gabi!

How Are You?

- Kumusta ka? or Kumusta?

I'm Fine, Thanks!And you?

- Mabuti naman,Salamat! At Ikaw?

I'm fine too!

- Mabuti din

Thank You (Very Much)!

-Maraming Salamat!

You're Welcome! (answering "thank you")

- Walang anuman

Hey! Friend!

-Kaibigan!

I Missed You So Much!

- Na-miss kita

What's New?

- Anong bago?

Nothing Much

-Wala naman

See You Later!

- Sa muling pagkikita!

Goodbye!

-Paalam!

I'm Lost

Ako'y nawawala

Can I Help You?

Pwede ba kitang tulungan?

Can You Help Me?

Pwede mo ba akong tulungan?

Where is the...

Nasaan ang...

Go Straight! Then Turn Left/ Right!

Diretso lang, tapos kaliwa/kanan!

I'm Looking For John.

Hinahanap ko si John.

One Moment Please!

Isang Saglit lang po.

Hold On Please! (phone)

Sandali lamang po.

How Much Is This?

Magkano ito?

Excuse Me ...! ( to ask for something)

Makisuyo po%u2026!

Excuse Me! ( to pass by)

Makikiraan po!

Come With Me!

Sumama ka sa akin!

We are all unique in some ways. But I would always laugh when my "alien" friends get shocked, dismayed, awed, surprised... when they encounter what I shall call "FILIPINISMS". My reply to their reactions would always be a smirk plus, my favorite line: "Only in the Philippines!"

Here's a list of common Filipino Personality Traits and Mannerisms. (NOte, these do not apply to ALL Filipinos! nah-ah, most of them do not apply to me! hehehe...)

"YOU KNOW YOU'RE FILIPINO when..."

You point with your lips.
You eat using your hands and have it down to a technique!
Your other piece of luggage is a balikbayan box.
You nod your head upwards to greet someone.
You put your foot up on your chair and rest your elbow on your knee while eating.
You use a rock to scrub yourself in the bath or shower.
You have to kiss your relatives on the cheek as soon as you enter the room.
You're standing next to eight big boxes at the airport.
You collect items from hotels or restaurants "for souvenir's sake."
Your house has a distinctive aroma.
You smile for no reason.
You flirt by having a foolish grin on your face while raising your eyebrows repeatedly.
You go to a department store and try to bargain the prices.
You use an umbrella for shade on hot summer days.
You scratch your head when you don't know the answer.
You never eat the last morsel of food on the table.
You go bowling
You play pusoy & mah jong
You find dried up morsels of rice stuck to your shirt.
You prefer to sit in the shade instead of basking in the sun.
You add an unwarranted "H" to your name (i.e., "Jhun," "Bhoy," or "Rhon.")
You put your hands together in front of you as if to make a path and say "excuse, excuse" when you pass in between people or in front of the TV.
Your middle name is your mother's maiden name.
You like everything that's imported or "state-side."
You check the labels on clothes to see where it was made.
You hang your clothes out to dry.
You are perfectly comfortable in a squatting position with your elbows resting on your knees.
You consistently arrive 30 minutes late for all events.
You always offer food to all your visitors.