Philippines – smiling pockets

Category Archives:Philippines

May. 19.

Go kayaking in Clark

By rebecca | Posted in Philippines, Places |

Take a break. Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga has a three-hectare lake where you can go kayaking, boating, and fishing.

(photos from mingming)

Tagged: Clark Freeport Zone Pampanga, Go kayaking in Clark Pampanga

Mar. 29.

A gloomy afternoon in Calubcub

By rebecca | Posted in Philippines, Places |

A nice time and place to find the missing pieces of your soul. Reawaken goodness, compassion. Rethink your purpose. Commune with God. Pray. I’m solemn. It’s Good Friday.

Calubcub, San Juan, Batangas. Photos by mingming.

Tagged: Calubcub, San Juan Batangas

Sep. 16.

Bohol delicacies

By rebecca | Posted in Buy Stuff, Food & Beverage, Philippines, Places |

These are some of Bohol’s delightful delicacies. BoholProducts.com is helping the local industries expand their business. Just follow the product link for more information, or visit BoholProducts.com for more goodies and Bohol handicrafts.


Dalareich Tableya Pure Chocolate Solids ($ 5.00) Native chocolate solids.	Mini Hillcolate ($ 2.15) Miniature edible replicas of Bohol’s famous chocolate hills, made from 100% premium chocolates in two variants, dark and crispies.

Remy’s Jagna Calamay ($ 2.75) Sweet sticky delight made from glutinous rice.	Pinasugbo ($ 1.75) Fried banana coated with sugar and sesame seeds.

Bicao Corn Coffee ($1.50) Made from 100% organic corn	Ube Piaya ($ 1.30) Sweet cookies with chewy filling of ube topped with sesame seeds

BoholProducts.com is supported by the Department of Trade and Industry and powered by Shopinas for an easy and secure shopping.

(Prices may change from time of posting)

Tagged: Bohol delicacies, Bohol products

Sep. 06.

Sunset in Zambales

By rebecca | Posted in Philippines |

The beautiful, tranquil sunset in Zambales.

Zambales is a province, along the West Philippine Sea, in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Its capital municipality is Iba. Sunset viewing along the long stretch of pristine beaches is a favorite pastime of both locals and tourists.

Zambales

Tagged: Iba Zambales, Sunset in Zambales, Zambales

Jul. 13.

More of Iloilo and Guimaras

By rebecca | Posted in Philippines |

the rest of mingming’s pics of Iloilo and Guimaras:

Tagged: Guimaras, Guimaras mangoes, Iloilo

Jul. 04.

Iloilo and Guimaras

By rebecca | Posted in Philippines |

Iloilo is a province in the Western Visayas region of the Phlippines, occupying the southeast part of Panay Island. Antique Province borders it to the west and Jintolo Channel to the north. Iloilo is rich in cultural and historical attractions with churches and buildings of Spanish architecture.

Guimaras is also at the Western Visayas, just off the southeast coast of Iloilo. It was once part of Iloilo until it became an independent province in 1992. It has its own share of historical attractions and is blessed with natural beauty with its white-sand beaches, waterfalls, springs, and caves. It is also popular for producing one of the sweetest mangoes in the world, reportedly served at the White House and Buckingham Palace.

Here are mingming’s photos of these two provinces:

More photos next week

Tagged: Guimaras, Guimaras mangoes, Iloilo, Philippines, West Visayas, White sand beaches in the Philippines

Jun. 18.

More of Tacloban and other places in Leyte

By rebecca | Posted in Philippines |

Here are the rest of mingming’s photos of Tacloban and other places in Leyte:

San Juanico Bridge across San Juanico strait. This longest bridge in the Philippines (spanning the sea) connects Samar to Leyte.

A part of Sto. Niño Shrine at Real Street in Tacloban City. This was one of the luxurious rest houses of the late President Marcos and his family; it was especially built for Imelda who hails from Leyte. It’s now a repository of antiques, paintings, and historical mementos.

Leyte Landing Memorial, formerly called MacArthur Park, at Red Beach in Palo, Leyte. This commemorates the return of Gen. MacArthur in 1944 to help “liberate” the Philippines from Japanese invasion. The bronze statues at the front are that of Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Gen. Carlos P. Romulo, and President Sergio Osmeña.

Rafael’s Farm in Babatngon, Leyte, a great place to dine and stroll around.

Tacloban City

By rebecca | Posted in Philippines, Places |

Tacloban City is situated at Cancabato Bay in San Juanico Strait which partitions the islands of Samar and Leyte. Tacloban is at the northeastern side of Leyte, about 360 miles southeast of Manila. It is the main gateway to the Eastern Visayas region and is its biggest city and regional center. It attracts many visitors for its natural beauty and historical significance in World War II.

Here are mingming’s photos of Tacloban:

Leyte Provincial Capitol Building, the seat of the provincial government of Leyte. This was built in 1907 and was once the seat of the Commonwealth Government of the Philippines under Sergio Osmena, Sr. in 1944.

Floating Restaurant

Crucified Christ and the Map of Leyte, a 45-foot tall monument on top of Kanhuraw Hill. This was created by artist Nemesio Miranda, Jr. who saw the shape of Leyte’s map as a depiction of the crucified Christ (info from Vista Pinas).

Madonna of Japan, or Maria Kannon, was erected 33 years after WW II as a symbol of peace and friendship between Japan and the Philippines

More photos next week

This site has great info on Tacloban: Mabuhay Tacloban City

Tagged: Crucified Christ and the Map of Leyte, Floating restaurant in Tacloban, Madonna of Japan, Maria Kannon, Provincial Capitol of Leyte, Spa Amala, Tacloban City Philippines, UP Tacloban

May. 28.

Railroad skate ride (Naga/Pili area)

By rebecca | Posted in Philippines |

The last time we rode the railroad skates was about eight years ago in Lupi, Camarines Sur when we had our community rotation. I did not totally experience “the moment” of that first ride because my mind was in overdrive conjuring up horrible thoughts. So, instead of enjoying the thrill, I got occupied with assessing all possible routes for a death-defying escape (with intact body parts) and calculating how far I should jump if the train suddenly appeared or if another skate lost control and came speeding toward us. Actually, operating the skates does not have a legal permission from the government for obvious safety issues, but it’s somehow allowed because it undeniably makes life easier for a lot of people who live in the back country.

Anyway, we had a blast riding the skates in the Naga City/Pili area. We rented it for 200 pesos for a “joy ride” from Almeda road to CWC to Naga Concepcion then back to Almeda. The skates are basically makeshift wooden trolleys powered by a small, gasoline-fueled engine; a lever is pulled to exert pressure on the belt driving the skates. It can also run on foot power. It can accommodate about ten people and is also used for transporting farm produce, livestock, firewood, groceries, etc. Since the track is single-lane, skates meet from opposite directions; except on special occasions like a wedding party, the one with the lighter load gives way. The passengers go down and the operators lift the skates off the track.

The skates may appear crude but they’re a big part of the people’s lives in these villages. The fare just costs around 5 or 6 pesos. The ride treated us to long stretches of verdant scenery. The city area is a little crowded with houses and people, but it’s a vibrant world! The ride was both exhilarating and liberating, reconnecting us to simple joys, and giving us a feeling of spaciousness and freedom. The Philippine National Railways has resumed its operations and the safety of skates is again highlighted; for most of the villagers in these areas, however, the “skate taxi” is probably the king of the railroad.

Railroad skate ride in Naga/Pili

Dutchpickle has some nice pics of these skates carrying people and their goods.

Tagged: Railroad skates, Railroad skates in Bicol, Railroad skates in Naga and Pili

May. 21.

Camiguin Island

By rebecca | Posted in Philippines |

Camiguin is an island province off the northern coast of Mindanao in the Philippines. It is about 90 kms north of Cagayan de Oro City. Its natural attractions include the White Island and the Mantigue Island, soothing hot and cold springs, invigorating waterfalls, colorfully diverse flora and fauna, and the Sunken Cemetery. This cemetery was part of a barrio that subsided during the volcanic birth of Mt. Vulcan in 1871 to 1875. A huge cross erected over solidified lava marks this place. Coral encrusted tombstones can be seen when you snorkel and dive in the area.