Sillag: A Festival of Lights | San Fernando La Union

This is a super late post as this festival happened last summer but I think it is still worth the wait. :) 

A first for the province of La Union, "Sillag" an Ilocano term meaning moonbeam, was a festival of lights that was aimed at drawing tourists and locals alike to Poro Point Freeport Zone. Activities such as marine drills, children's show, marching bands started in the morning. I only joined during the evening as I was interested in the lantern fluvial parade, pyromusical show and sky lanterns.

The festival took place in Thunderbird Resort grounds,the Santorini-inspired luxury resort overlooking the azure waters of China Sea. Free rides and shuttle service were provided to the public so the place was jam packed the moment I arrived.

Wonderful | Palawan

"I will set foot on Palawan one of these days", a line I always muttered to myself whenever I see breathtaking photos or tourism campaigns and ads of the place. Now that it's a major tourist destination because of a recognized wonder of nature, all the more that my feet itched and pulled me to that side of the country. Specks of fairy dust found their way to me and my wish was granted. I was awed by Palawan's beauty in no time.

We opted for a packaged airfare/tours to facilitate a worry-free family vacation (or so we thought). 

Suroy-suroy | Cebu City

I've heard so much about the queen city of the south and wanted to visit it. Opportunity came knocking at the door when a cousin sent an invitation to attend her wedding there. Yebah! Lez go!

Going around Cebu City's tourist spots can be done in a day by walking, more walking, jeepneyrides, tricycle rides and the most convenient, taxi rides. With only an extra day to roam around after the wedding, we quickly jotted down the major spots/attractions we wanted to visit. 

Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño, one massive structure located at the heart of the city, its facade that seems to be a combination of neo-classical, Romanesque architecture exudes beauty and delicate craftsmanship. Being the oldest Roman Catholic church in Cebu, it still retained its classic look despite restorations through the years.   

Snapshot | Pangasinan Capitol

Early morning after breakfast was our only time to roam around Pangasinan's Capitol located in the town of Mangaldan. We were in town to attend a seminar on Gender and Development. I did not realize that the Provincial Capitol was one massive, roman-looking structure until I saw it from a distance. I was just disappointed that my camera was not with me. I only had a 2mp cameraphone to capture it. So pardon the resolution. :) Promise, I will go back to take a better picture. 

Balay Anito Falls | Santol La Union

I had always been fascinated by waterfalls. As a kid, I used to draw them in a Sibika class assignment or project asking us to draw a favorite body of water. There was something about this body of water that soothes and makes me happy. Since I had some time off from work, I hopped on a motorcycle, clung to the driver and off we went, to visit the Balay Anito Falls in Santol, La Union.

It took us about 10 minutes of curves uphill from the Poblacion to reach Brgy. Lettac Sur, the entrance to the falls. We parked the motorcycle and started to walk along the path, passing by rice fields and farm animals. There's no entrance fee to the falls.

One Day Affair | Macau

We decided to go to Macau since it was only an hour away from Hong Kong via the TurboJet ferry. We then woke up early, hurried to the terminal, bought our tickets, passed through immigration, got our passports stamped then jumped into the ferry. I dozed off for a couple of minutes in the middle of the smooth trip.

Discovering HK

It was my second time to visit Hong Kong, but it was my first time to travel with friends and on a DIY arrangement. With vast information available on the internet on how to get to places, planning the trip itinerary was not an arduous task.
Welcome to HK! 

Experiencing Sagada | Mountain Province

Last April 7-9, 2011 I had the chance to visit the lovely town of Sagada in the Mountain Province. Finally, a break from all the paperwork and deadlines! And of course a chance to take pictures! So here are some of my snaps.