It was just our luck that Sheryl intended to go to Bangui that afternoon. And since H and I got the inabel part of our tour out of the way, we gladly joined her. Four of her friends (three based in Laoag) tagged along–or rather, H and I tagged along with Sheryl and her friends!
We made a pit stop at the “biscocho-han” in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte. The place was called Pasuquin Bakery, and their plastic bags had labels proudly proclaiming “famous maker of the delicious biscocho, pride of the north.” Our unofficial tour guides insisted that we try the soft biscocho, which is sort of like an anise-laced pan de sal. Sheryl told us that these were so popular that they were even exported to Hawaii! (more…)
After going all the way to Davao last month, the next trip on my list was all the way up north: Ilocos Norte! H and I booked a flight months ago so we got el cheapo tickets–much cheaper than it would’ve cost to drive all the way there. The disadvantage, though, of not having a car is that you’ll have to figure out how to get around the province. If you’re unwilling to shell out about P3,000, you’ll have to commute, hitchhike, or wait for a kindly soul to offer you a ride.
We had a budget to stick to (read: We were being cheap), so we didn’t get our own vehicle and were prepared to take trikes, jeeps, and buses to get to our desired destinations. We didn’t have a proper itinerary, but the following were on my list:
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When it comes to Seoul, Korea, the first thing that pops in my mind is the telenovelas that is shown on local TV. Recently, Skin Food, a leading skin and make-up brand in Korea, which is also equally popular in Manila, invited me to Seoul. The trip was an opportunity to know the brand via factory and store visits. Our host was gracious and warm enough to allow us to experience by fantastic walk the famous shopping streets of the city which was indeed needed for our much awaited retail therapy.
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A couple of years ago, I came to the realization that a well-fed traveler is a happy traveler. I could scrimp on such things as airfare and even forego shopping (well, OK, not completely), but it was important for me to eat well. It came at a point when I had grown tired of cans of corned beef, and was miserable at having to eat fast food that I could easily get in Manila. While I won’t blow all my moolah on three gourmet meals a day, I’ve made it sort of a travel rule to eat what the place I’m visiting is known for, and to have at least one meal a day that leaves me in good spirits.
One great a meal a day isn’t enough in Boracay though. The island just has so many mouth-watering things to offer, that even eating three good meals a day would still leave you with a staggering number of culinary options.
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I was bracing myself for chaos in Boracay as I was going there on a four-day weekend—I try to avoid going to Bora during the peak season because the crowds stress me out. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was the perfect time to go—none of those mobile companies’ banners were plastered all over the island, no big crowds but with enough people for great parties at night, no lumot in the sea, just a bit of rain on the second night. Plus, I got to go with my girls, so yay!
On the first night, I was out cold, having gotten only a couple of hours’ sleep the night before. I’m not a big partier, so I figured I could give up one night just to relax. It was a vacation after all! I woke up feeling refreshed, ready for a day of Ultimate on the beach! No beach trip is complete without it! My ka-barkada Jo and her friend Les are both from the Breakfast Club, one of the teams we played against at Monsoon, so we taught a couple of our girl friends how to play. It was awesome that they were able to score (courtesy of assists by yours truly. Ahem…Haha).
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Or the near-dead, as is the case for those of us who work in media, when there’s a long weekend looming in the horizon. Sure, they’re a welcome respite, but these holidays do take away precious days from the magazine work cycle. The result? We kill ourselves working late and losing sleep just to get a leg up on deadlines—so that really, all we can do during the long weekend is…sleep.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt to catch up on your zzzzs against this paradise backdrop…
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