Potipot Island: Paradise Found

A lot of people have been talking about Potipot Island recently.

Potipot Island? Where the hell is that?

According to sources, Potipot Island is situated 1 km. north of Uacon, Candelaria, Zambales. A small island with pristine waters and white beach, Potipot Island is gaining attention as the next paradise destination. With no electrical source, no  running water, its magnificent and laid-back beauty makes up for what the usual necessities are lacking. There are not physical structures like huts there to spend the night, so most of those who wants to spend the evening would bring in their tents or go back to the mainland to spend the night at the nearby resorts.

I haven't been to this place before, and I am looking forward for an opportunity to get there. to get there, one has to take the provincial bus going to Sta. Cruz, Zambales and drop off at Dawal in Uacon, Candelaria. It can be reached by driving as well, exiting at San Fernando and drive towards Olongapo City. Unless you are a skilled driver and know your way around, I prefer taking the bus. Victory Liner will be the best bus accommodation for this trip.

Small it may seems, but Potipot may be the next best thing to Boracay. I hope I will have the opportunity to visit this place soon!

Baguio!

Ahhh...who could forget the cool climate of Baguio?


Situated in the northern part of the Philippines, the city of Baguio is the summer capital of the country. With its cool climate ranging from only 15 degrees Celsius to 24 degrees, its mild climate serves as refuge from the scorching heat of the sun. Baguio's climate is mild, usually 8 degrees lower than any of the major cities her in the Philippines. Nestled in the Cordilleras, Baguio is home to many tourist spots like the Burnham Park, the Botanical Gardens, Wright Park, the Lourdes Grotto among many others. It was declared as the Summer Capital of the Philippines in 1903 during the American occupation. It is no wonder, considering that many Filipinos can escape from the punishing and humid weather in Manila.

I went there in 2006, together with my husband, when we celebrated our first anniversary. We were able to visit a lot of the tourist spots here, and it's not that expensive. Most of the houses here offer transience and the usual fees range from Php 600.00 to about Php 1,500.00 daily (roughly $14.00 to $34 daily, respectively).Transportation is easy, and you can go either through public jeepneys or taxis. Luscious strawberries are cheap here, and the city market is a haven for the freshest vegetables available. 

Baguio is also home to the Panagbenga Festival, or the Festival of Flowers. Every year, durng the month of February, a festival with floats decorated with flowers, are paraded to the streets of Baguio. The festival was held to celebrate the recovery of Baguio from the devastating 1990 earthquake which claimed countless lives. Comparable to Pasadena's flower festival, it is a spectacular display of art and beauty.



There are so many other places to visit in Baguio. For more information, visit their official website at http://www.baguio.gov.ph.

With osteoarthritis hurting me lately in my knees, I hope I can visit Baguio again and visit the Lourdes grotto.With its 254 steps just to reach its top, it's gonna be a real pain. But I don't mind, because when I reach the grotto and seeing Baguio with its beautiful pine trees, one can forget the struggle of going up its arduous steps. You bet.

Reposting: Beautiful Mayon

Two years ago, I visited Bicol not because I wanted to visit the famous Mayon Volcano, but because my husband will pay his respects to his late uncle, who passed away. Going to Bicol that year was nothing short of a vacation. It was more of sorting out confused feelings since at that time, my husband and I were in trying times. It was helpful, but not something that you can say you enjoyed your vacation.

Not last year.

We went to Bicol despite the fact that we only have 6k in our pockets. We booked a trip to Albay via Amihan Bus lines and went there on Tuesday, March 18. We arrived at 5am the following day.

Again, the gracious Auntie Beth and Uncle Ed were just too happy to take us in, not to mention giving us a hearty meal of the freshest fruits and fish. Our room had an overlooking view of Mayon, and you can see her splendor in the morning and grandest in high noon. By that time, the fog that surrounds Mayon was gone and the perfect cone that Mayon is proud of showed just the way you want it- perfect.

My hubby and I had liberty of going to the Cagsawa Ruins, where an old church was buried amidst the rocks and lava way back in the 1900s. The rocks are still there. Even the window openings of the church and dormitory stand still. I wonder if there are ghost stories that surrounds that place? Hmmm....

Our trip was not that spectacular, but the warmth of the people who welcomed us, the breeze that cooled our room and removed the need for even an electric fan, the meals that we had were just great!

I hope to see more of Bicol. My next stop would be Tiwi. And I really have to go back. I have to have those dried labahita I left with Aunt Fe at Oas. Hah!

Of Basins and Pristine Waters: Jawili Falls and Jawili Beach

One of the most remarkable places I've been to in Aklan is the famous Jawili Falls in Tangalan. 45 minutes away from Caticlan, and 30 mins away from the provincial capital, Jawili Falls is gaining popoularity again after the local government promoted eco-tourism in the town. With its seven basins formed from centuries of water flowing from the great Aklan river, it is a fascinating site to behold.

I have the privilege of visiting the falls whenever I can, since most of the time, mini-reunions by my family were held there. The biggest of the basins is of course, the bottom-most basin. It a little bit slippery to be on the top basin, but it is one of the smallest, and freshest as well. When the river current is strong, you can hear the falls all the way to the nearby beach.

Jawili Falls and Jawili Beach used to be neglected, when tourists would care less about throwing their garbage in the pool, or at the beach. But I'm glad to know that conscious efforts have been made to protect this natural wonder. Recently, the beach and its coral reef are declared Marine Sanctuary, and by adding concrete blocks to the coral reef, it protected the corals and allow them to re-flourish. Jawili Falls is being cleaned up, and re-forestation is underway in order to return the surroundings in its former glory.

The peaceful town of Tangalan and the resorts available for any weary traveler will surely make your stay at the beach and at the falls a beautiful experience. I hope to get mine soon, and i hope to experience finsing a starfish again when that time comes.

Boracay in my Mind

Here I am, sitting in our living room area, pondering on what to put in my blog. I have deleted the old ones, because usually they’re just thoughts and everything else under the sun.

So I wonder. What could I possibly blog about?

Then I looked outside the window and viewed the mountain slopes of Sierra Madre (or so I thought)...Currently, they’re brown because the grass is drying up. The heat nowadays is so unbearable that most of the plants wither even though you water them daily. And then I realized, why not write something about my country? Something that will tell people what to look forward in the Philippines, that’s what I think may be best.

My parents hail from Aklan, where the famous Boracay Beach is found. I’ve been there many times, and I’ve seen the beauty of the island even before it was commercialized by developers. I should start from here. The white sands, the blue waters, the gentle breeze... what more can you ask for?

Boracay was first known in the movie " Too Late the Hero" featuring Michael Caine. Apparently, Elizabeth Taylor (or some famous Hollywood actress) wore the famous "puka" shells in an event, and considering the unique shape of the shells, it caught the attention of some other celebrities. From the on, the popularity of Boracay never stopped ever since. Local folklore says that two Aetas were walking along its shores, and one of the Aetas found that bubbles formed in the sand when he tried to dig for crabs. He shouted, "Bura, Kai!", to his friend, apparently name Kai. "Bura" is a local dialect of bubbles. Hence, the name of Boracay was formed.

My husband and I enjoyed our first year together in "Bora", as it is fondly called, sometime in 2005. I wish I could go back there really soon, and I miss the times that I've been to this magical island. The breeze is so gentle and you can see your feet even though you're deep in the water because the water is clear. You can even see schools of fish swimming underneath.

When I go to Aklan (possibly by July), I hope to drop by Bora and take pictures of it, this time, through my digicam. And I hope to capture the beauty that will always be Boracay.