El Nido Birthday Get-Away

I've heard a lot about El Nido coming from friends and other fellow bloggers, but i just couldn't see myself going back to palawan (i have this crazy rule that I should NOT visit one place twice and since i've been to Coron then technically palawan is already out of my list).

But eversince I've been with Mikko (my girlfriend, ehem!) this crazy rule has already been broken (we went to HK last December, which I visited last 2008) and the Cebu Pac offered a seat sale i guess hey what the heck, i'll just prepare a trip to EN for my birthday =)

Our "Bantay" Poley Baloney was with us

Mikko L. ladies and gentleman. My beloved girlfriend

We took the morning flight to Puerto Princesa and arrived before lunch. Thanks to some friends advice we decided to have lunch at this awesome restaurant named "Kalui". It's one of the best restaurant in PP, which I actually recommend.

Refreshing drinks

Happy Couple

Weh? Wala nang fruits!

After the 6 hours grueling road trip to EN (which is a torture for me! LoL!) we arrived past 8PM and after freshen up a bit we decided to hit the beach and eat dinner.

M's healthy dinner

Morning come and this greeted us on hotel's veranda. The mountains are just amazing!

Good Morning El Nido!

Since we woke up very early (it's a habit because we always go to the gym at 6AM!) we decided to hit the beach. The beach is dotted with numerous tour boats in the morning, though around mid morning one by one these boats will start yo disappear and go into business.

I was looking for this famous El Nido logo, nasa beach lang pala sha! And since there's not too much people around the area, we opted to have our pictures taking with it.

This is what we called turista shots. LoL!

The town of EN has it's own Catholic church near the market, town hall and hotels and restaurant. It's nice to see a lot of tourist flocking the Sunday mass, some of them are foreigners pa. Cool noh!

Funny thing happened when we're about to go to the boat, we lost our tour guide! LoL! We need to get the assistance of our front desk receptionist to assist us in finding our guide. Crazyness!

We're the only Filipinos on the boat!

And we're off!!!

Limestone cliff on the edge of El Nido town

Islets of Wonder

Our first stop beach, we're just so happy we have to make this required jump shot! We're so happy and we're so in love (insert cheesy song here!)

The beach is jus awesome, this is the first stop on our itinerary "C" package (i think). Though I want to stay long on this beach we can't because we have a lot of places to go to pa. Sayang =(.

Paradise!!

This is the cathedral cave island, it's a nice place though it's more for the adventure seeker kind of people (i.e. not me).

Cool chic =P

Next stop was this island with limestone cave inside, which is kinda amazing since my idea of limestones are concentrated only on the mountains lang. Silly me =). Hassle lang pumasok because you need to pass through a small hole which requires you to crawl and slide. Yikes!

Yet another awesome beach (which we didn't swam into!)

All that smiling and jumping and what not takes it toll on our tummy (i.e. tomguts agad) and our guide brought us to their famous Snake island where we will have our lunch. While the guys are preparing the lunch we help ourselves in exploring the snake island until lunch is serve. Hehehe.

View from the top, thank God for globe tower for 3G signal =P

The sand and the sexy =P

Paparazzi shot by M! Dapat ma-Instagram ito agad. LOL!

We visited many more islands in the afternoon but the most exciting of it all was the secret lagoon trip. Our boat need to traverse the shallow waters (by using stilts) in order for us to get inside the lagoon. Katamaran lang siguro namin that's why we didn't get off the boat. LoL!

People are walking on shallow water while we are on our boat

And since we need to swim all the way inside the lagoon we can't bring our camera but the scene are just spectacular. First time also to swim with life vest on a very deep waters. Waaaa!! Of course panic mode attack but i have to keep faith on my lifevest that it will not fail on me hahaha. Luckily I survive the trip =P

And from then on Mikko told me to better get a swim class na hahaha.

You're one exciting swim trip!

Many more trips soon =)

Lessons Learned from Larena (LLL)

So ok, it was supposed to be a sun-filled, exciting and snorkeling trip to Siquijor but unfortunately due to some unfavorable circumstances it was put on hold due to an accident, which I admit is my own fault. Here's my top 10 lesson's learned from that fateful day....

(Ouchness!)

1. Don't pretend na marunong mag motorbike. Nakamamatay!
2. Don't travel in solo anymore. If ever maaksidente sa un-friendly location patay kang bata ka! At least pag may kasama ka may makakatawag sa bahay nio para sunduin ang mga labi mo (insert knock on wood here).
3. Always wear a helmet when riding a motorbike. It's a life-saver.
4. Di bale nang magasgasan ang TNF na bag, wag lang masira ang DLSR.Pack your DLSR in good position. Anticipate impact when storing it in your bag.
5. Thank the person who will clean and will put bandage on your wound.
6. Sabihan mo na yung mga taong mahal mo ng "I love you" before it's too late.
7. Bring betadine, bandage, cotton on your trips.
8. Bring comfort foods. Eating your favorite toasted bread or Chips ahoy will surely be a good way to heal your wounded ego.
9. Call your best friend. 
10. P.R.A.Y.

SK Trip Diary: Lost in Beomeosa Temple and Finding a New Friend

The second day of Busan City tour brought us to the historic Bokcheon Museum, Geumgang Park and the last stop is Beomeosa Temple. The trip was memorable because I met a new friend, Ms. Erica who's whole family is Korean but they resides in QC. Cool noh?!

According to Erica, most of the temple in Korea are located near the sea or up in the mountain para daw di sila maistorbo on their prayer time =D.

OK so sila na ang mahilig sa peace and quiet. 

Serenity by the river

While walking around Beomeosa, Ms. Erica serves as my personal tourist Guide. Swerte much! The gate to the temple are decorated with very colorful lanterns (as seen below), and it turns out that Buddha's birthday is upcoming (during the month of May daw). Well for me seeing this colorful lanterns is a feast int he eyes.


Makulay ang buhay! 

Pick you color =)

The temple is located far from the main gate so it was a relief to finally arrived at the temple ceremonial gate. Kapagod maglakad ng paakyat na lugar kaya!
(nagrereklamo lang kasi pagod na at gutom pa)

Again, details details details!!!

Since the place is located halfway in the mountain lot's of birds and animals abound the temple. Parang park lang peg. Soshal!

While me and Erica are discussing the history of the temple, we just let her husband and boys to go ahead and roam the temple. Erica told me that most of the people go to this temple since it is one of the veneered temple and not commercialized unlike Haedongyonggungsa Temple.

This temple house the century old drum and ceremonial bell. They rang this bell during New year celebration according to Erica.

I had good time listening to Erica's story and that's why we we're separated from our tour group. Yikes! Thank God the complex is not that huge and it's easy to navigate. We found our way back in no time (and finding her family as well).

Since the place is a temple, the people go here to pray. It's like a pilgrimage in the Philippines. I got a chance to see what's inside the prayer room but out of respect I didn't take any picture nor took picture of the people who pray inside. But the place is well decorated and well designed and very cozy for praying. 

House of prayer, bawal magpcituran sa loob =P

Oh, here's our official tourist guide, whom I mistook as another tourist passenger of the bus. Very courteous lady and very funny as well. We just love her.

It's one of the most memorable trip in Busan. Meeting new friends, the serenity of the place, the exciting culture and how the people are also as religious as ours. It was magical. And the colorful lanterns makes me reminisce the banderitas during fiesta here in our country. Makulay na makulay ang buhay!

The lantern reminds us that even though we are are bright and beautiful on the outside, if we never lit a single fire inside we will never really serve our purpose in life. Kaya we should be beautiful both the inside and the outside =).