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A Second Tour of Guimaras
It’s been six years since I’ve last been in Guimaras, and the island still feels as familiar like I’ve been here just last year. The women’s group my mom is with wants more adventures, so today we’re doing this road trip in this island off the coast of Iloilo City. Aboard three vans, we’ve ridden…
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Boat Trip with the Alliance Women to Gigantes Islands
With the conference concluded, my mom and the women’s group she is with have scheduled two more days in Iloilo City for a couple of day trips. The first of which is the island hopping tour in Gigantes Islands. Situated off the coast of Carles town in northern Iloilo, the Gigantes string together a cluster…
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Dine In: Netong’s Original Special La Paz Batchoy
Iloilo City was honored as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2023, a recognition that celebrates its rich culinary heritage and innovative gastronomic scene. Iconic dishes like La Paz batchoy and pancit molo highlight the city’s commitment to preserving its culinary traditions while newer restaurants giving their spin on these dishes show how it…
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Iloilo City: Exploring Her Past and Future Beats
From colonial churches to glass-walled buildings, a diverse cityscape defines the modern Iloilo City, all tucked in a relatively tiny space by the southern coast of Panay Island. Capital of its namesake province, Iloilo City is geared towards the future while not forgetting its past — a modern city with a traditional heartbeat. The Atis,…
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Australia 2024: The Great Ocean Road Trip
Snaking through the southeastern cost of Australia, the Great Ocean Road offers one of the most scenic drives in the country. We’re traversing this road, driving westward on a day tour from Melbourne, about to squeeze what I’m expecting to be a relaxed road trip into less than 12 hours. I would’ve wanted to drive…
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Australia 2024: A Tour of Melbourne’s Laneways, Arcades, Churches, and Gardens
I step onto the sidewalk and feel the crispness in the air, signaling the transition into the Australian winter. The occasional cool breeze carries a hint of moisture, suggesting an impending rain shower. But it doesn’t rain. Instead, the sky is a canvas of soft grey, with patches of pale blue peeking through. Melbourne’s central…
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Australia 2024: A Day Trip to the Blue Mountains
From Sydney, we head west to the Blue Mountains National Park, one of the most accessible and hence most popular day trip destination from the city. In this tour we’re accompanied by a busload of other tourists with our guide and driver Aaron. Shortly after arriving at our bus near the Queen Victoria Building, we…
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Australia 2024: A Bittersweet Reunion in Sydney
Our first stop in Sydney isn’t the Opera House or Bondi Beach. Rather, it’s a private club in a quiet part of city’s suburbs. Neon lights illuminate a fancy-looking building that feels more at home in Sydney’s central district than here. I’ve long wanted to visit Australia, with its kangaroos and beaches and a vague…
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From the Classrooms to Cabangan: SPCS Faculty and Staff Retreat 2024
The last few weeks have been ripe for burnout — in every sense of the word. For one, these have been stressful ones (if you’re co-administering a school, honestly, when is it not stressful?); also, the steadily rising heat has also contributed to the physical toll. Not to mention our local government’s order for schools…
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Bataan Weekend Road Trip: Mt. Samat, Balanga, and WWII History
A pre-Araw ng Kagitingan road trip with my dad leads to solemn WWII memorials, an off-the-beaten nature park, and an exploration of an oft-overlooked city. The trip serves as a reminder that courage isn’t loud, but a steady guiding force amidst all the uncertainties.
The Tourist Gaze
A Traveling Outsider Looking In
The Tourist Gaze 