The last museum visit we had was 2 years ago at the newly-opened Chinatown Museum inside Lucky Chinatown Mall. We just got back from the UK and was shopping at the mall when we saw the escalator leading to the museum. In this museum one will learn (or, in our case, re-learn) the history of Binondo and of our Filipino-Chinese ancestors in a very modern way - through ... READ MORE
Exploring Kyoto + Osaka, the DIY Way (Day 3)
After 2 full days in Kyoto (with side trip to Nara), we are now ready and excited to explore our home base, Osaka! Since AJ and I are both history buffs, we dedicated our 1st day to learn about Osaka's history. And the best way to do that is to tour Osaka Castle! Touring the castle grounds alone would already take the whole morning, with approximately 60,000 square meters ... READ MORE
Exploring Dumaguete, the DIY Way (Day 1)
Thanks to Cebu Pacific's Piso Fare sale last June, AJ and I were able to take a much-deserved 4-day vacation and we chose to spend it in Dumaguete City, the City of Gentle People, but more famously known for the following: Apo Island, Silliman University and the numerous dive and snorkeling site around the province. Another equally good reason to visit Dumaguete is its easy ... READ MORE
The Art of Juan Flores, Master Sculptor
Woodcarving (sculpture in wood) is one of the oldest surviving arts in the Philippines, and while most artisans in woodcarving are found in Paete, Laguna, one of our celebrated wood sculptors actually hailed from Betis, Pampanga. Juan Flores, considered as the Father of of Pampanga Sculpture and Woodcarving, was highly recognized here and abroad during his time because of ... READ MORE
A Very Old House in Cebu
Despite being a highly urbanized city, Cebu City nurtures one of the oldest ancestral homes in the Philippines, and perhaps the oldest Chinese home outside China. AJ and I were able to visit this quiant ancestral house last Easter Sunday and, being the only visitors at that time, it felt more like a private tour! Welcome to the Yap-San Diego Ancestral House/Museum. You ... READ MORE
Exploring Bohol
We spent only 1 full day and 1 full night in Bohol (not including the travel time to and from Cebu), but still we were able see most of what the island province has to offer. The secret to doing that is to manage your time properly and to plan your itineraries well. The latter is very important because most tourist destinations in Bohol are located at different towns so try ... READ MORE
Day 2 in Ilocos: Laoag and Pagudpud (continuation)
In my last post about our 2nd day in Ilocos, I mentioned about Paoay's best secret. It's none other than their famous sand dunes and Kuya Jeremy really urged us to give it a try as it's an experience that we will never forget. When we made a brief stop over at the Paoay Lake Viewdeck, Kuya Jeremy by then has sold us the idea of seeing the sand dunes and going for the ... READ MORE
Day 2 in Ilocos: Laoag and Pagudpud
Our 2nd day in Ilocos was spent at Laoag and Pagudpud. The travel to Laoag from Vigan was approximately 2 hours and we were arrived in Laoag shortly before 8 a.m. A visit to Laoag won't be complete without seeing the Paoay Church, famous for its distinct architecture highlighted by the enormous buttresses on the sides and back of the building (from Wikipedia). Next we ... READ MORE