Tag: Musings
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Pasay: A Future Flight Attendant’s Day in the City of Travel
Carla, a tourism student aspiring to be a flight attendant, spends a day in Pasay City. She explores some of the city’s sights, such as Mall of Asia and Star City, discovering why the self-named City of Travel reflects her dreams.
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Sariaya, Quezon: How a Forgotten Blog Led Me to the Town’s Heritage Houses
Beneath Mount Banahaw’s gaze, the heritage houses of Sariaya, Quezon, tell stories of a bygone era. Moved by a blog that fell silent years ago, I wander through the town’s Art Deco mansions, pondering how preserving heritage mirrors our struggle to keep meaning from fading.
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2025 Halftime Break: The World Always Has A Space For Authentic Human Voices—Especially Now
I started blogging in 2002, and I’m still writing in 2025. This post reflects on how the blog has grown with me, why I chose to keep going, and why authentic storytelling still matters, especially in a world flooded with noise and AI. Whether for yourself or others, writing still makes space for human connection.
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Coming Full Circle in Zamboanga City: Reflections Over a Knickerbocker at Paseo del Mar
Returning to Zamboanga City after a decade, I reflect on how the place and I have changed. From youthful wonder to a more subdued appreciation, I reflect on the deeper, subtler joys of coming full circle. Zamboanga City’s familiar streets greet me with new eyes and a deeper gratitude.
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Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi: Life in the “Venice of the South” Isn’t What You Might Imagine
Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi—dubbed the “Venice of the South”—offers more than postcard canals and stilt houses. This far-flung town of Sama-Bajau fishermen and seaweed farmers reveals a delicate balance between beauty and burden, tradition and modernity. We visit to discover life on the water’s edge and the resilience of the Philippines’ southernmost town.
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Sunrise Calm in the Coastal Trails: A Morning Walk Through Dampalit, Malabon
A peaceful early morning walk along the coastal trail of Dampalit, Malabon allows me and two colleagues to discover its charm. This quiet side of the city invites us to slow down with some riverside coffee to witness the sunrise.
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From Word of Hope to Manam at SM North: Post-Graduation Musings on Failures and Redirections
A few days after our school’s first-ever senior high graduation, a friend and I have lunch at Manam in SM North. The meal turns into a moment of musings on failure and redirection, and how the path we take isn’t always the one we planned.
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Estancia de Lorenzo, San Mateo, Rizal: Midlife Bachelors on a Post-Wedding Staycation
Attending a wedding reception at Estancia de Lorenzo in San Mateo, Rizal, makes me reflect on being single in my 40s. Over some wine and poolside conversations, I have some realizations on why I don’t regret taking the path I am in.
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Dad’s 70th Birthday: To the Infinity Pool and Beyond
I’m lounging on a poolside chair by an infinity pool that overlooks the beach. My dad swims nearby, his strokes steady and strong. The sky is painted with warm hues of orange and pink in the golden hour. My sister relaxes at the edge of the pool, taking a timelapse shot of the impending sunset.…
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Thoughts from the Ride to Eilat
Early the next morning, we leave our hotel in Bethlehem and start the long journey to Eilat, Israel’s southernmost city, where we’ll cross the border to Egypt. The drive is nearly two hours to Ein Gedi, the first town after exiting the West Bank to the south, with the sky a pale, early-morning blue and…
The Tourist Gaze 