Hundred Islands, Pangasinan

On our way back to Manila from our recent Palawan trip and before the new year starts, we were off again for another adventure and this time to the northern part of Philippines -- the famous Hundred Islands, Pangasinan!

It was actually Mom who organized everything and this time, the whole family is included. Mom rented a house that could fit us all. She also managed to organize a full-day boat ride to go island hopping.

We decided to go on a road trip to Pangasinan and left very early morning to avoid traffic. Usually, it is a 4-hour or so drive from Manila straight to Pangasinan (without traffic of course) but we made a detour to Mom's land somewhere in Nueva Ecija first which adds up a couple more hours to drive from there to Pangasinan.

Bahay kubo

Vlad and Xioms trying to make friends with Mr. Cow

I don't know about you but province life seems to be boring yet relaxing and calming. The quietness is just so full of happiness within. Birds singing under the magnificent bright sun, wind blowing that helps trees dance, cows lazily munching some greens and so on -- all reminds us how simple life could be and they are all actually free! Carpe diem! Anyway, getting out of my zen now, we eventually went back to the road for Pangasinan.

We reached during nighttime, well, because we got a bit lost haha. Important thing is that we reached our final destination so we just relaxed, gulped some cold beers and snoozed for tomorrow's adventure.

Morning came and we are now off for island hopping! Yey! Few pics below.

Such an amazing view

with  my baby Xioms

shades of blue and green

I must agree that the view from the top is absolutely amazing but mind you, these islands are not the same as Boracay or El Nido that are actually accessible and easy for people to swim. There are some spots but it's either full-packed or quite dirty. I couldn't actually say that it was a spectacular experience and that we really really did enjoy the island hopping though the place is worth seeing. And oh, you cannot go see and hop on all those islands - they say it is "prohibited" to go to most of them. I wonder why? Anyhoo, that's it. Till my next adventure. Toodles!

Puerto Princesa and El Nido

T'was the time of the year to again explore some beautiful islands of the Philippines. I usually head back to Philippines anytime of the year but these past two years, I've been lucky enough to spend Christmas holidays with my family and Vlad.

This year, we wanted to go back to the amazing Coron but instead chose Puerto Princesa and El Nido for a change which is btw, also in Palawan island. Of course, all air and land arrangements were settled upon our arrival and we basically spent 3 days in Puerto Princesa and 2 days in El Nido.

Touchdown PPS!

The moment we landed Puerto Princesa, we just dropped our luggage, ate lunch and then went out for a city tour. Quite honestly, there really isn't that much to see in the city. Puerto Princesa seems to look just like Manila, quieter but in a more industrial way. From what I recall, we've been sent to some uninteresting places where we felt obligated to either pay fees, donate some cash, or buy stuff we don't really like or need. Despite this experience, we tried to make the most out of this city trip. We just hoped that the underground river trip the next day will change our views over Puerto Princesa.

Happy terno!

Xioms somewhere in the PPS city proper

Croco Xioms!

We were told that subterranean river in Puerto Princesa is amazing and spectacular. It was even labeled to be one of the seven wonders of nature, sooo exciting! With much anticipation, we woke up early and was picked up by a mini van to go to the range station. When we arrived, we were supposed to ride a motorized boat to Sabang, an entry point to the underground river, but was told that waves aren't friendly at the moment. As we are about to raise our eyebrows, our tour guide came back and told us that there is another route but by foot and it's a 5-km long jungle trail -- this brightened up our mood and we thought that this is even better! Apparently, we need to leave Xioms behind and she's cool with it. Besides, she's been there just a few months ago. And oh, we were told that during trekking time, whenever we see monkeys, we can smile but we have to avoid showing our teeth. Why? Well apparently, these wild monkeys seem to find humans smiling widely as a threat. Plus, we shouldn't be bringing any plastic bags and we need to leave any shining stuff we have, unless we would want to be robbed by these freaking monkeys! Hahaha... and so the trekking begins!

At range station

Road to the jungle

Road to the jungle

Vlad at some cave during the trek

The jungle is quite impressive! The sound of our feet walking past the slippery trail, winds blowing, and some unusual birds and other animals are kind of refreshing to ears. When we reached the end of the trek, we were welcomed by those huge lizards who act so cool as if they own the place and of course, loads of nasty yet funny looking monkeys. Then off we go in a canoe trip to the underground river. The canoe trip lasted for an hour of chills and darkness. So what can I say? Hmmm... I wasn't impressed. Sure, it's one of the places you would tick off of your bucket list but I don't have plans on returning. To be blunt, I DID NOT enjoy the underground canoe trip. What I surely enjoyed (and I can speak for Vlad as well) is the hiking and trekking to and from this underground river. That, I would definitely do over and over again.

All sweaty but super happy!

Hello there!

Why so serious?

Beautiful rock formation, isn't it?

The small boat that takes visitors to the underground river

Yep, after the entry point, my phone is totally useless

So we went back to the hotel (kinda disappointed) and just positively pondered on the next day's Honda Bay tour. In our minds, this should never go wrong as this is an island to island tour. Palawan is known to have breathtaking islands and pristine beaches. The next day came and oh my, we were never wrong! We spent the whole day swimming and snorkeling around Luli island, Starfish island, and Cowrie island. The only downside is that it is very crowded but hey, it's super peak season so what else to expect but we definitely enjoyed it!

The jam-packed Cowrie

Docking out Luli Island

The night on the same day of our Honda Bay tour was a bit tiring because we went for a 6-hour land travel to El Nido. Funny fact: we spent our Christmas eve inside a van either sleeping or munching chips for noche buena. So lame! Haha!

We reached El Nido past two in the morning yet the streets are still fully awake with drunken tourists walking and hanging out in some nearby small bars. We decided to put Xioms to sleep while the two of us went for a night cap in front of the beach. Yes, our resort is right in front of the beach and the best part aside from the cool sea breeze and the splashing sound of the wave crashing onto the shore is that... there are hammocks :) Vlad and I literally just sat there, gulped our beers, and grinned at each other. Such an amazing feeling. The next day...

Early morning relaxation while my man and kiddo are still on bed and zzzzzz...

...is another island hopping day and this time, at El Nido!

Yep, that's our boat ride

We've seen different types of lagoons and beaches. We went to both small and big lagoons, Shimizu island, and Seven Commandos beach. Similar to Coron, we were again awestruck with those stunning limestone cliffs and turquoise-green waters. Ahhhh... must have been nice to wake up every morning seeing that beauty.

Rock formation

Small lagoon

Big lagoon

Seven Commandos

So there you go, our almost a week adventure in Palawan. Call me biased but Philippine islands are definitely impressive and beautiful! Okay, enough of the bragging, till next time, ciao!

The Windy City Experience

Working at an educational institution have loads of perks. I don't need to list them all down here but one thing that's so obvious is the continuous learning and improvement. Anyhoo, as part of my professional development, I was selected to attend a conference in Chicago. Wooohooo! It's not only about learning new educational tricks or meeting pips, it's also a privilege to explore the Windy City! :)

Well, the conference is mainly about assessment, collaboration, and e-learning. I was like, "Great! Perfectly aligned with my job description and goals!" FYI: This is what's "in" from most educational institutions right now. Any top schools who goes through ministry licenses and/or accreditation particularly brags shows how they plan, document, and execute assessment within their curricula. Anyway, I am not here to lecture how to assess or measure student success, I am here to share a little bit about the great conference and more of the leisure experience :)

So the conference was organized by LiveText - an American-based assessment management web application which basically what my university plans to integrate and embed into our current management system. The conference went on a 3-whole day training, workshops, break-out sessions, and entertainment. The event was jam-packed yet very organized and well executed.

Since it is my first time to visit the US, I need to enjoy and make the most out of this work/vacation trip. I went through visa application which went unsurprisingly fast and smooth. The trip to Chicago from Abu Dhabi was like 16 hours or so (not to mention the plus 4-hour layover in Ireland). Landed at O'Hare airport a day ahead of the scheduled conference, rented a car, and went straight to Michigan.

For those who knows the real me, I'm kind of an OC-freak in my daily life. So what more would you expect if I will make a decision or even going for a trip? Well, some say that this is a gift. You're actually lucky (but will be extremely exhausted) if you will go on a trip with me! I make use of the allocated time properly and conduct research a week (ok, a month) ahead on the best places to go to, bars and restaurants to dine, and yes, even the road maps and transportation system. I don't know about you but I find this productive and interesting.

I consider this trip extra special because it is my first time to celebrate my birthday peacefully and quietly all by myself in a foreign country or should I say on board, over the clouds on top of Pacific Ocean hahaha. Oh well, here's my itinerary for this trip. P.S. shopping and eating time was completely random so you won't see anything about those two here :P But you can ask me for the best restaurants in downtown Chicago, I would be happy to share.

Chicago Itinerary
Schedule	Location	To-do/Occasion
Sat, Jul 19
2:25AM ETD	AUH Airport
12:05PM ETA	ORD Airport
1PM	Chicago	Drive to Detroit
6PMish	Detroit	Dinner with Joseph's Overnight chikahan with Grets!
Sun, Jul 20
10AM	Detroit	Drive to Chicago
3PM	Chicago	Check-in at Hyatt Regency
5PM-7PM	RCDH	Optional: Registration to conference
5PMish	Chicago	Free time Dinner Short trip to Skydeck open until 10PM or 360 Chicago open until 11PM
Mon, Jul 21
7AM-4:45PM	RCDH	Registration Training Session: Experiencing FEM from All Sides Sessions and Workshops Pre-reg Workshop: A Problem-Based Assessment Process Focused on What You Want to Know and What You Need to Know about Your Students’ Learning
5:30PM-7:30PM	Chicago	Monday Evening Event: LiveText Farmer’s Market
Tue, Jul 22
7AM-4:45PM	RCDH	Training Session: Analyze This: The Power of LiveText Analytics Sessions and Workshops Pre-reg Workshop: Developing Effective Rubrics
6:30PM-10PM	Chicago	Tuesday Evening Event: An Evening Out with LiveText at the Field Museum
Wed, Jul 23
7AM-11:30AM	RCDH	Training Session: Evidence of Continuous Improvement: Using e-Portfolios and the ExhibitCenter Breakout Sessions Closing LiveText Brunch Session
12PM-onwards	Chicago	Free time Short trip to Museum of Science and Industry open until 4PM Short trip to Adler Planetarium open until 6PM Short trip to Shedd Aquarium open until 6PM
Thu, Jul 24
Whole day	Chicago	Free time Drive and stroll the city :) Tour stops: Hancock Center, Water Tower, Museum of Contemporary Art, Oak Street Beach, Tribune Tower, Millennium Park (Cloud Gate, The Bean, etc.), Art Institute of Chicago, Auditorium Theatre, Willis Tower (formerly known as Sears Tower), Union Station, Bella Bacino's, Buckingham Fountain and Wrigley Building http://wikitravel.org/en/Along_the_Magnificent_Mile http://wikitravel.org/upload/shared//1/1b/Along_the_Magnificent_Mile_map.png
Fri, Jul 25
Morning-Afternoon	Chicago	Get ready for flying home!
6:35PM ETD	DTW Airport
7:40PM ETA	AUH Airport

You wanna see some pics? Here!

There you go. Looking forward for another US trip soon! Ta-ta!

Unleash Your Artistry

Hello!

Who would have thought that I can paint? No, no, not just random whatever paintings but some nicely, creatively, clean and unusual abstract paintings -- well, people say those words and I'm just trying to blog it down. Heh, yabang!

Anyway, it was all Vlad who initiated this "painting" idea. You see, for the amount of stress we're encountering in our daily lives, we need to have a diversion. Remember the time I bought a tank to watch fish swim when I get home from work? Or our weekend camping and snorkeling? Well, this time, we found a new way to release our stress -- painting!

I didn't know how fun and time-consuming whenever painters create a masterpiece. I am in no way saying I am a painter but I can paint... artistically and beautifully.

Our (Vlad and I) very first painting together. We call it Inquisitivus
Jul 31, 2014, acrylic on 1830mm x 1220mm wood

Mind you, painting isn't a type of hobby that is cheap but the time and effort spent in every stroke I did is worth it. You'll never know, my paintings would become priceless in the near future! Haha

See our gallery here (and don't forget to follow): sandpitart

Toodles!

Now, I'm 31!

I woke up, grinning to myself because today's my birthday. Now, I'm 31! I think I'm aging gracefully.
Saw beautiful raindrops on my window from this fancy hotel.
Grabbed my phone and read sweet greets and warm wishes from beau.
Changed clothes, put on a jacket, and went for a nice walk. It's still drizzling and I love it. Every year, I guess wherever I am, I will be showered with happiness and blessings.
Feet dragged me here at Starbucks and started typing this blog :).

Today's my last day here in Chicago. I'm fulfilled, and it's my day. So before I spend the rest of my birthday either at the airport or above the clouds, I want to thank everyone I love and I loathe - they all keep me sane, remind me how lucky I am, and that life is truly bizarre yet magical.

Salute!

Breathtaking Banaue Rice Terraces

T'was part of the plan during my last trip to Philippines to see and visit the famous Hagdan-hagdang palayan or what everyone knows as one of the 8th wonders of the world, the Banaue Rice Terraces. I arranged the whole trip with the travel agency called shore2shore since time is precious and for us to avoid any sort of hassle.

Banaue is located in the northern part of Luzon within the province of Ifugao. Going there was never easy because your only option is to ride a bus for like 10 hours or so. The best time to travel is by night (last trip I think is at 10PM) so you'll reach there very early in the morning to enjoy the scenery and explore for more sightseeing. Honestly, I am not a fan of long trips especially if you are not in control. Both bus going to and from Banaue doesn't have proper AC controls - it was freezing cold during the whole trip! Passengers literally have their own scotch tape to cover the blowing AC on top of their heads! Also, drivers are quite reckless. For goodness sake, it's a bus loaded with passengers, going through a two-way very dark road and they drive like we're going to hell! So my advice: sleep during the whole 10 hours! It will save you a heart attack plus you'll be refreshed and energetic by the time you reach Banaue.

But you know, you will easily forget about this horrendous bus trip when you get to Banaue. We reached around 7AM in the morning and head off to a small office for tourism registration, then to a nearby coffee shop. This shop is in a great location! While sipping our freshly brewed coffee, we had a stunning view of the town proper. It was lusciously green everywhere and houses were built like they are pasted on those green mountains - it looks awesome!

My baby enjoying the sun, weather, and scenery

Right after this short coffee break, we finally meet with our tour guide to start on the whole day Hapao rice terraces sightseeing tour. The tour includes going to ethnic villages, Pine Forest Resort, and short Hapao trek. The best part is mingling with the native Ifugaos (indigenous people of Banaue). They look so cool though it seems a little staged and some sort of a "business" for them seeing the tourists. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind handing over a little cash but what I don't like is that they're like forced to wear those traditional clothing to entertain and get some money from people. Anyway....

One of the amazing views in Hapao. Perfect for ADU photo-op!

With the lovely Ifugaos

The two famous Banaue rice terraces are called Bangaan and Batad. It is said that these terraces were built around 2,000 years ago by Ifugaos (indigenous people of the region) largely by hand. These rice terraces are set in the mountains, approximately 5,000 feet above sea level.

The second day of our Banaue trip was the exciting yet challenging whole day Batad tour. We were picked up by a jeepney from the hotel to go to the saddle (for like an hour drive) where we started to trek Batad terraces. The view from the top is absolutely serene and amazing. And oh, Tappiya Waterfalls is also on the way :), which is quite rewarding after 2 or 3-hour trek (each way, and depending on your pace)!

Golden green terraces during January

Muddy pool of barren

Breathing in as much clean air as I can

The most difficult and dangerous part of the trek is going down these terraces. Aside from it being steep, it is sooo slippery! I feel envious with Ifugaos going up and down at those very narrow trail, it looks effortless!

So there you go. I'm still alive and writing this blog so yeah, we made it! I would definitely do it again and again and again. Ta-ta!

Where did my money go? A total of Php 16,400 for two which includes return Ohiyami bus trip, environmental fees, tour guide, 2-night hotel accommodation with breakfasts, and snacks during the tour