Cambodia: Angkor Thom’s Bayon

Entering the Great City at Angkor Thom’s South Gate

We started our first day as early as 5am in the morning. Since Angkor Wat has been getting a lot of tourist lately, I thought that we should avoid the crowds as much as possible. Especially those bus loads of tourist that can easily block your composition view. In this series, I won’t be delving much on the history of each temple as there are a lot of resources in the internet which has detailed information on each temple. What I would focus on more are my favorite temples and my impressions of them. And more importantly the photos. So here we go.

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Sabtang Island: Capsized!

View at Chavayan village in Sabtang Island

Sidenote: Thank you very much to all those who gave their congratulatory remarks on my blog being a finalist on two categories at this year’s Philippine Blog Awards. Indeed being a finalist is honor enough. I promise I’ll blog more on this next week, but for the meantime, I got my last two segments for the Batanes series. Thank you all dear readers as you inspire me to continue sharing on this blog. Salamat po!

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Batanes: Hataw sa Mahatao

When you’re in Batanes, always expect the unexpected. This small region is governed by the weather and the people’s strong belief. So whatever plans you’ve layout here, prepare to change it, as every turn on its winding roads, every change in the wind’s direction and the changes in the tide of the sea holds a few surprises. This we learned in extreme ways during our stay in the region.

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In retrospect: Batanes, the land of the howling winds

Mt. Irayat watches over the whole island of Batan

Batanes is one of the most elusive places to visit in the country. Booking a flight would require you 2-3 months of advance reservations since only one airline serve flights in the area. Despite the current steep price tag (4500 PHP one way via Asian Spirit as of this writing), flights are always fully booked especially during peak seasons of Decemebr to May. Even if you managed to get hold of a ticket, frequency is in the hands of the weather, if the storm-stricken region will allow you passage through the sky. Travel by the sea is out of question unless you dare to take on the waves spanning up to 3 stories high on seas where the Pacific Ocean and the China Seas meets. The distance taunts you like a Siren’s Song from Ulysses’s myths. Yet those who are fortunate enough to step on its islands will be rewarded with sweeping landscapes, experience with its rich culture and mingle with one of the most kindest people in the world.

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FEU Alumni gathering and heritage award

FEU Campus Ground

Last Saturday was the Far Eastern University Annual Alumni Christmas Get-Together at the FEU grounds. I’m not really keen on going on these events but since this is the 2nd time I got invited by a friend of mine, I decided to check it out. I also invited some FEU alumnis who I work with and see what was happening that day. And to add to that, it’s my chance to go around on a nostalgic walk along the campus and see for myself how my good ol’ university got a UNESCO Heritage Conservation Award.

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Speeding through Manila’s thoroughfares

Waiting in Ped Xing

My vision of Manila has been limited to DVDs, Hidalgo, LRT, crowded streets and dark grievous corners where anything can happen. I studied at U-Belt for more than four years and had only seen only the dilapidating side of Manila at that time. But a quick walk through Manila’s inner thoroughfares recently expanded my vision of this old city.

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