Category: Travel

It’s all about exploration and adventure

All Saints Day at the highlands

Post author By Ferdz
Post date November 1, 2006
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Light a fire for the souls

Light a fire for the souls

I noticed since I was young, Halloween here in the Philippines has been greatly influenced by the American culture. Adorned in many houses especially in subdivisions, are numerous decorations from pumpkins, spiders, cobwebs and the usual monsters we grew up liking to fear like Dracula, Frankenstein, witches and the local mix of Aswangs, tikbalan, manananggal and white ladies. Those talk of ghost and other supernatural phenomenon that seems to populate our TV screens and print media whenever Halloween approaches have waned my interest recently. I used to like them growing up.

Tags All Saints Day, Cordilleras, Events, People, Sagada

Da Nang General Vietnam

Easing off at China Beach Da Nang

Post author By Ferdz
Post date October 25, 2006
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Sunrise at China Beach

Sunrise at China Beach Da Nang

With our expedition of Central Vietnam nearing its end, after all the potpourri of sights, sounds, and tastes that invaded our senses in this whirlwind exploration, I was really looking forward in having a relaxing climax on this journey. So when I made the itinerary for this trip, I made sure we had a downtime at China Beach Da Nang.

Tags Beach, China Beach, Danang

Da Nang General Mountains Vietnam

Marble Mountains of Da Nang

Post author By Ferdz
Post date October 20, 2006
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View of the Marle Mountains

View of the Mountains from Thuy Son Mountain

I’m close to wrapping up my series of entries on Central Vietnam. And as 2nd to the last entry would be one of the most fun destinations in my opinion close to the city of Danang.

Entrance to Ling Ong Pagoda Cave

Entrance to Ling Ong Pagoda Cave

After visiting My Son Sanctuary we continued our journey and headed to the famous Marble Mountains, which is a cluster of 5 mountain peaks jutting out flat lands towards the sea. The mountains are also called Ngu Hanh Son or Mountains of the Five Element since each peak represents five elements; Thuy Son (water), Moc Son (wood), Kim Son (metal), Tho Son (soil) and Hoa Son (fire). The sight itself from the main road going into the city was very interesting. It just makes you think how those mountains ended up there together when most of the landscape is flat.

Tags Caves, Danang, Marble Mountains, Pagodas, Temples

Quang Nam Travel Vietnam

My Son Sanctuary | Ruins from the Champa Kingdom

Post author By Ferdz
Post date October 15, 2006
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My Son Tower structure

One of the towers of My Son

Traveling on the back of a motorcycle for an hour and half from the Ancient Town of Hoi An, pass the rural countryside, rich with rice paddies and farms, we headed to another of Vietnam’s UNESCO Heritage site – My Son Sanctuary.

Tags Champa, Heritage, My Son Sanctuary, Structures, UNESCO

Quang Nam Rivers Travel Vietnam

Ancient town of Hoi An

Welcome to Hoi An

Entrance to one of the Art Shops in Hoi An

So there we were, riding on a back of a motorcycle on a 4 hour journey towards Hoi An from Hue. It was an exciting ride speeding through the hi-ways of Vietnam. I felt I was the young Che Guevarra (hoping to look as well :P) of Motorcycle Diaries who traveled from Argentina to Chile. But the problem was I was really feeling sleepy during the trip, which is kind of dangerous when you’re on the back of the bike. Good thing our “Easy Rider” guide gave me a bubble gum to chew on to fight the sleepiness.

Tags Heritage, Hoi An, Market, People, Temples, UNESCO

Da Nang Thura Thien-Hue Travel Vietnam

Pass of the Ocean Clouds: Road from Da Nang to Hue

Post author By Ferdz
Post date October 5, 2006
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The fort and the pass

The fort passage framing the Danang Bay view

One of the “must-see” in Vietnam is the Road from Da Nang to Hue. In fact, National Geographic included this scenic route as one of the 50 Places of a Lifetime under the Country Unbound category. And passing by this route twice, first via a train to Hue (which the experience warrants a separate entry later) and on the back of a motorcycle on our way back, it definitely is a road worth tripping.

Tags Danang, Hai van Pass, Heritage, Structures, Transit

Thura Thien-Hue Vietnam

Hue | In your neighborhood

Post author By Ferdz
Post date September 27, 2006
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Elephants across the streets

Good morning Elephants

“Who are the people in your neighborhood…In your neighborhood? …In your neighborhood?” Or so the Sesame Street song goes.

The song made me think of interesting things I’ve seen just looking out of the window from the places I’ve stayed. When I stayed in Ngoc Mai hotel in Hue, Vietnam, I was amused to see a couple of Elephants across the street when I went out of our room’s veranda after waking up. It’s not everyday I wake up to see elephants across the street. Surely made my morning.

Any interesting view out your windows lately?

Tags Hue