lagal[og] - Philippines Travel & Photography Blog

Backpacking Street Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Fri, 18 May 2012 11:23:00 +0000

Source: www.deviantart.com

With the advancement of the camera going digital, together with the global use of the internet, it is hard not to see someone travelling without a camera these days. More often we are starting to see people steer away from those compact pocket cameras to more advanced gadgets with extreme lenses and settings. Also with the popularity of fashion blogs and social networking sites, the way we document our holidays are changing too. Awkwardly posed photos holding the ‘peace sign’ in front of a famous landmark is slowly disappearing. Tourists are inventing more with the way they point and shoot. What settings they use, what angle, to put it simply, we are starting to experiment more.

Funnily enough, it is the camera which is making us change the way we look at travel as well. As we experiment more with our major holiday documentation apparatus, we begin to try out different ways of seeing the world. Whether it be taking into consideration seemingly random objects such as park benches or rubbish bins, or being more aware of textures and patterns. We start changing the perspective of how we look at a holiday destination. This can in fact be a good thing because as we begin to be more critical.

Instead of taking the usual routes, we want to try something different because after all, that is essentially what travelling is about; new experiences, change and discovery. Of course we can all do that these days with TV and the advancement of the internet but seeing it yourself is something entirely different and better.

Source: www.yanidel.net

Searching for online sites that list private apartments for short-term visitors is a great way to improve on your street photography skills. It is all about getting into the head of a local and having the opportunity to live with one makes the process easier. If you happen to be in a city for limited time, understanding the people and landscape at a local level can be tough. But with the option to stay in an apartment means you have the option to stay in an exciting area away from the typical tourist districts, take photos of locals in their private abode and take holiday which is truly unique. Travelling like a local is just one of the tips towards improving your street photography skills and has something meaningful behind your images.

Source: www.eyeem.com

Backpacker Holidays: Sagada, Banaue and Ilocos

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:25:00 +0000

View of the town proper of Sagada

For this post, I am reprinting a feature article based on an interview done by Monica de Leon, the managing editor of Bakasyon, care of InFlight Magazine, which appeared in the April-May 2012 issue. I decided to reprint it since it may help some people researching the Internet for templates for a backpacker holiday. I added some more bits of information which were not included in the original article due to space limitation as well as links to past posts that may be of help to the reader.

Note: Prices quoted are based on payments made during recent trips and are subject to change, especially after rounds of oil price and fare hikes. The same goes for inn rates so you may want to check the websites of the respective establishments. I guess that in some cases, the sum totals can be lower but as an advocate of fair travel, I personally believe in paying the locals fairly especially when it comes to fees that benefit the communities as well as help support the local economy.

See Sagada, Banaue or Ilocos from P6,000, says travel blogger Oggie Ramos of lagalog.com.

Sagada's Tap-ew Falls

Budget: P6,000 for two

Sagada

Sample Itinerary:

Day 1: Leave Manila at about 8:30pm and arrive in Sagada at about 9:30am (via Bontoc); see Lake Danum, grab dinner at Log Cabin

Day 2: Witness Kiltepan's sunrise; go to Bomod-ok or Big Falls; have lunch at Yoghurt House; go caving at Sumaguing

Day 3: Have a leisurely breakfast at St. Joseph's Inn, explore Echo Valley before noon, and leave for Manila or Baguio after lunch

Bunk in. Budget inns/hostels average P200-300 (about US$5-7) per day per person. Sagada Homestay and Traveler's Inn charge about P250-350 per person for a room with private toilet and bath. Try one night in an affordable inn, and another at the pricier but really nice Rock Inn (from P12,00 per room/night) or St. Joseph's Inn (from P1,000 per room/night). Rock Inn has an orange orchard and if you happen to be staying during harvest season, you're free to pick oranges on site.

Filling stations. Meals will cost you P300-P500 per day. Go to Log Cabin for pasta, Yoghurt House for homemade yogurt and yummy vegetarian dishes, Lemon Pie House for lemon pie and nothing else, Masfere Restaurant for delicious dinner fare and Kimchi House for good pork stew.

Transportation. Most likely, you'll spend about P1,400-P,600 for transportation. To save money, you can hike most of the way to the sites but a guide is needed for your own safety.

Verdant Batad amphitheater

Tappia Falls in Batad

Budget: P8,000 for two

BANAUE with side trips to Sagada or Batad

The itinerary: The rice terraces change colors with the season. Around May to June, the terraces are green and during the harvest season, turn golden. Banaue is home to the magnificent Banaue Rice Terraces - mountains that have been carved by hand by the indigenous tribe of Ifugao thousands of years ago.

Batad's highlight is the rice terraces amphitheater. See Batad at first light-of-day or walk in the middle of the amphitheater on the way to town or Tappia falls.

Bunk in. Simon's View Inn & Restaurant in Batad offers only basic rooms, with shared toilet and bath, and no hot water (Note: pails of hot water can be ordered) In the town proper of Banaue, cheap rooms cost P150-P250 per person per night. Uyami's Greenview Lodge is a family-run lodge in the main poblacion offering comfortable, clean rooms and decent meals. It makes for a good base camp for exploring Ifugao villages. Tel:+6374/386402, +63920/5404225; www.ugreenview.com

Filling stations: The food in Batad is okay (Note: price is the context) but the drinks are more expensive since everything has to be transported by foot from the junction.

Transportation. From Manila, it's about P1,400 to P1,600 plus jeepney fare from Banaue's poblacion. (Wait for other passengers so you can split the total cost of the jeepney fare to Batad's jump-off point).

Surfing the sands of Paoay

Claveria's Mabnang Falls

Budget: P10,000 for two

ILOCOS with sidetrip to Claveria

The itinerary: Most visitors choose to go to Vigan for the "cultural experience", mostly a chance to explore well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture and the heritage street of Crisologo. Paoay offers 4x4 rides and sand dune surfing. Go all the way to Burgos where you'll find windmills and then spend the night in Maira-ira past Saud Beach in Pagudpud.

Cap the trip with a sidetrip to Claveria. The seafood is fresh and cheap at the Taggat Lagoon since it's located within a fishing town. Check out the falls in Claveria.

Filling stations: Food is a strong draw -- the empanada (puffed pastry filled with minced fried pork and egg served with vinegar) in Batac is even better than that in Vigan; eat tinubong (sweet, native treat of sticky rice, butter, coconut milk and sugar stuffed and cooked inside a bamboo tube) in Magsingal; try the sinanglaw (boiled beef innards in a soup) and bagnet (deep-fried pork) in Vigan; and don't miss the biscocho (baked bread topped with sugar and butter) in Pasuquin.

Bunk in. In Burgos/Bangui, there are budget accommodations near the windmills (We stayed in Villa Fernando Resort which is just a few minutes drive away located along Arellano St., in the poblacion; around P1,200/room/night; tel. nos. (+6377) 7643079; (+6377) 7923170; mobile number: 09216877405). Casa Grand Inn in Claveria has rooms for P800-P1000 a day, each one good for 3-4 people.

Transportation: This is the biggest single expense at about P700-P800 per person, one way for a bus ride from Manila to Laoag, plus fare for the van plying the route Laoag to Pagudpud to Sanchez Mira. (Note: worthwhile to splurge on and try even just once is riding the Florida sleeper bus that ply the Manila - Laoag route; P1,000/person/one way)

Speaking of backpack holidays, Backpack Photography conducts photo tours to places like Banaue in trips that combine practical photography lessons on the field, cultural immersion and the promotion of the backpacking lifestyle. For details, visit www.backpackphotography.net or email backpackphoto@gmail.com.

Backpack Photography Batanes: Breaking fast in a fishing village, lightening up in Mahatao

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Fri, 04 May 2012 03:34:00 +0000

Diura rocks

Ah, another day of waking up really early on this, our penultimate day before leaving . Perchance so as not to waste another sunrise in paradise; perchance to have coffee in a quaint fishing community. The sky was already lightening up when we set out for Diura, on the eastern coast of Batan. It was overcast when we got to the rocky shore, the wind bringing chills as it ripped through my jacket.

Morning symphony. The sun was in a laconic mood as we walked by the shoreline and surveyed the incredible scenery. the grey clouds danced across the sky while the surf dashed to the rocky shore. The repeated coming and going of the waves through the smaller, vari-colored rocks made a beautiful symphony that calmed my narcoleptic, still sleepy mind. At this hour, we were the only ones around to enjoy the moment -- truly a luxury accorded to those willing to wake up and venture out early enough. If it were only possible to permanently put all these experiences in a bottle so every time I get stressed out, I can just summon the moment in an instant, I would. At this rate, all I can do is absorb these instances and store them in my head.

The landmark boulder of Diura in the early hours of the morning

Coffee with a perky view. When I first visited Diura many years ago, the community didn't have places to stay for visitors. The dirt road leads to grass huts. But boy, the scenery was something else. Things have changed for the better now. Monica, one of DDD Habitat's key personnel, had the initiative to come up with lodging that retained the quaint, fishing town vibe but took advantage of the wonderful seaside view. Over a hearty breakfast she told us the Batan locals who received limited schooling were once given incentives by the local government to relocate here with fishing as a primary source of livelihood.

Any kind of coffee will do, nay even the food, when you're up three floors to the open dining area. There's a wide-screen view of the shore and farther down the road, there's a cabana that invited us to come and just steep in the moment. I had to give in to the urge to lie down, enjoy the breeze, and befriend the neighborhood dogs who had the same bright idea to stay there. Maybe I keep repeating myself but out here in Batanes, I find a lot of places where I can stay all-day long, perhaps doing a lot of nothing. No phones, no internet, just me and the sea and the people that live on its riches.

A fine morning to just laze the day away

Mahatao calling. The morning continued to be overcast when we boarded our jeepney and clambered up to the Mahatao lighthouse. The vantage point gave us a sweeping view of the eastern coast from the rocky shores of Diura to the north, right up to the rolling greens of the Racuh a Payaman, more popularly known as the Marlboro Hills. By this time, we were joined by a lot of visitors, some more boisterous than the others

I was surprised that the area around the lighthouse is now being farmed, though that didn't detract from the charm. There were cows foraging around that prompted some kids (perhaps from the city) to pester a calf into attention, unmindful of its mother eyeing them suspiciously. They sometimes say ignorance can be blissful but hmmm, let's not wait until a disgruntled cow give chase because some of them do.

Muscle spasm afternoon. Coming down the hill from the lighthouse, a strange twitching in my back made it very painful to move my upper body (must be from perpetually lugging my camera bag which I sometimes think is heavier than my check-in luggage). I had to miss out on revisiting Marlboro Hills with our participants as I had to go back to Basco and see a doctor. As it was Good Friday, most of the stores including the pharmacy was closed so getting my medication had to wait until 3pm. But I heard our group had a really wonderful time admiring the hills. I share their enthusiasm -- I've seen Racuh a Payaman five times but never did I ever got tired of revisiting it. Come evening, during our culmination socials, we had our fill of stories and images as much as we had our fill of food. Honestly, it feels good to spread a contagion of admiration for Batanes. I guess for most of our participants, they wouldn't mind coming back -- same thing I keep thinking everytime I leave this place.

Info: Backpack Photography takes shooters of all ages and persuasions to places like Batanes with photo trips tailored to capturing the places in good light as well as immersing the participants in the local culture as well as the backpacking philosophy. Currently, we are planning a second Batanes 3-Island Hop this year, scheduled for October and also, a walk through the Banaue rice terraces this June. For more information, please visit www.backpackphotography.net or email backpackphoto@gmail.com

Related Links: Read the other installments of this series on our Backpack Photography 3-Island Hop chronicles:
• Part 1 - Back to Batanes for a 3-Island Hop
• Part 2 - Return to the Coral Island and Choco Popcorn Bliss
• Part 3 - Waking up in Itbayat, Sunsetting in Batan

Backpack Photography: Waking up in Itbayat, Sunsetting in Batan

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 03:05:00 +0000

Waiting for the boat to come at Chinapoliran

The sun wasn't due to wake up in the next two hours when I rose up, wakened by the persistent buzz of my mobile phone's alarm. With no sun to share the sky and the power not set to come back until 8am, the dark heavens were breathtaking and mesmerizing, lit by a millions stars with a sweeping view hands-down more panoramic than any planetarium's. Getting up isn't easy when the cool air begs you to indulge in a few more hours of sleep but when you're confronted by such a grand view of creation and the thought of catching the sunrise on a mountain, the decision becomes a little easier to make. To keep awake while waiting for the dump truck to arrive (and the engine to start in the cold air), we amused ourselves in trying to find where the Big Dipper is.

A fern sunrise near the viewdeck at Mt. Karaboboan

Karaboboan calling. Once again, we rode out in near complete darkness, the silence broken only by the engine noise especially when our dump truck struggled to negotiate a steep, rough path. We passed through trees and rolling terrain after rolling terrain, some of which were slashed-and-burned for planting or simply to let the vegetation regenerate itself. We're headed to a higher elevation to gain, hopefully, a better sunrise vantage point. Mt. Karaboboan rises over 500 meters over the central part of northern Itbayat.

There's a wooden viewdeck in place usually used for sunset viewing as well as huts for resting. The sea is visible to the east, reflecting the morning sun that also painted the undulating terrain with a pale golden hue. We had our breakfast of fried fish and pork with rice wrapped in Kabaya leaf with the wonderful view setting the mood and ambiance right. For a bit of kibitzing, we marveled over albino snails our local guide caught for later eating -- creatures as beautiful as their surroundings.

Edible albino snail our guide found in Karaboboan

Revisiting Pagganaman. After coming back to pack our bags and say goodbye to Nanay Faustina, we had a small window to squeeze in one more stopover before we sail back to Batan. We chose Pagganaman port, just 1.7 kms. away from Mayan town. Pagganaman is used by local fishermen and is proximate to Chinapoliran where we will catch the Itransa boat after lunch time.

After a short hike on a steep path that goes down a cliff, we had glimpses of the Itbayat fishing life -- a small banca going out to sea, a lone swimmer perhaps spear-fishing near the shoreline, and a solitary man casting his line and luck from a coral outcropping, with the sea gleaming a deep blue under slightly overcast skies.

Seeing water as far as the eyes can see

Praying for calm, wistful about leaving. The previous day's pitching-and-rolling-out-at-sea episode seemed like a distant memory as we sat under the Chinapoliran shed, waiting for the Itransa boat from Basco to arrive. It was sunny and the heat was starting to balance out the chill in the air. While having lunch (again packed in the familiar Kabaya leaves), we shared stories and assurances that the Almighty have heard our prayers and the sea will be less tempestuous this time around. And when the boat did arrive, part of me regretted leaving so soon. Ah, God-willing, I will revisit again and see the other parts we weren't able to visit like Rapang Cliff, maybe even hop to Siayan island.

The sea was so calm that afternoon that almost everyone on board was lulled to sleep. In the rare moments we weren't asleep, we weren't able to spot dolphins or even flying fishes swimming near our boat but were surprisingly roused by excited shouts of the boat crew catching a marlin through one of two fishing lines customarily put out at the start of the trip. The complete turnaround of the sea's and the weather's behavior from day to day speaks volume on who's really boss and how the Divine is really the ruler and master of our fate. Perhaps, it's one of the sobering appeals of Batanes -- to be confronted by something so much bigger than yourself whether it be a staggeringly-beautiful rugged cliff, a vast rolling terrain or a wayward sea that you realize your size, your significance (or insignificance) in the grand scheme of things.

The boulder beach of Chadpidan

Sunsetting in Chadpidan. The good mood carried over to the rest of the afternoon as our group headed to Chadpidan, the boulder beach northwest of Vayang. It is still the habagat (southwest monsoon) season so the sunsets are usually not that dramatic but the beach, littered with rocks and battered by increasingly-stronger waves, is simply beautiful. Coy Mt. Iraya, to the southwest, momentarily appeared, unshrouded by clouds. We shoot the sunset alright but also enjoy another place that is too beautiful for words.

Next on Lagalog: Life in a fishing town

Related Links:

• Part 1 - Back to Batanes for a 3-Island Hop
• Part 2 - Return to the Coral Island and Choco Popcorn Bliss

Backpack Photography in Itbayat: Return to the Coral Island and Choco Popcorn Bliss

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 03:05:00 +0000

Corals, blue sky and Vuyavoy palms

As it turned out, the wind shifted from 8 to 32 miles per hour on our first night on Batan. That speaks volumes on how temperamental the weather can be, shifting from calm one day to blustery the next. That also put a big question mark on our plans to cross over to Itbayat, over 21 nautical miles away, the next day. With hesitation (or was it trepidation?), we came up with an alternative itinerary to explore more of Batan but went to sleep still praying and dreaming of proceeding to the coral island and completing our 3-island hop on our second day in Batanes.

The view up the cliff of Mauyen Port

We woke up to an overcast morning, quickly noticing that the wind has slowed down considerably. Up to the point when we headed to the Basco port, we were unsure if the Itransa boat will be allowed to sail. Still, that didn't keep hordes of locals from trying their luck, most of whom are Itbayat residents coming home for the Holy Week. One benefit of the life vests we were required to wear was that it's now easier to spot how many passengers there are. Well, we spotted a lot.

It was a full house on the boat as the other transport, the M/V Misubi, which does not ply the Basco-Itbayat route regularly anyway, was not sailing. There was just enough space to sit upright and the first few minutes sailing out of the Basco port was ominous as we rode out waves taller than our boat. Joaquin, our guide, had the good idea of getting me to stand up at the back of the boat early on as looking out to the sea, interestingly, made me less queasy than sitting down in the cramped quarters. "The ride may smoothen out as we make it far out to sea," Joaquin told me in Filipino. But more than an hour into the journey, the boat still kept pitching, dancing and swaying wildly to the rhythm of a tempestuous, agitated sea -- a fact that didn't escape some locals who gave in to the urge to give back their breakfast to the sea.

Admiring the beautiful landscape after a rough ride

Un-Bonamine me. Towards the second hour with the silhouette of the island of D'nem in sight, we got news that we will not be boarding off the usual port, Chinapoliran, which was still an hour away, being 25 nautical miles from Basco. Instead, we were disembarking at Mauyen on the southern part of Itbayat. Mercifully, that meant being spared from another hour of Bonamine-resistant seasickness (Honestly, I thought I would need that barf bag if we sailed another hour). Nevermind that using Mauyen port meant hiking 14 zigzag paths up a towering cliff to get a truck ride to Mayan town which is 14 kilometers away. Seeing the lay of Raele was an instant salve for seasickness -- rolling terrain of grasses dancing in the breeze and windswept Vuyavoy trees littering the landscape as far as my eyes can see.

We met Nanay Faustina Cano again as we are staying overnight at her place. Her homestay is a far cry from before, now with a separate wing for men's accommodations at the back and an outdoor eating place under the mango tree. Her warm welcome contrasted with the nippy air, far removed from dry and humid Batan due to the prevailing habagat (southwest monsoon) and the island's higher lattitude. Another welcome thing we'd remember for the rest of the trip was the store in front that carried a wide assortment of snacks including Oishi chocolate popcorn and Baked Porky Pops. (The first was rather unexpected as I am having difficulty finding it here in Manila. Makes you wonder how far these commodities had to travel to get here. Another suprise: they're sold at prices cheaper than 7Eleven's and MiniStop's in Manila)

Beautiful and massive Torongan Cave

Going caving. Now we get to do what we missed out during my first time in Itbayat -- going to Torongan Cave on the western coast. We rode the dump truck about an hour to get to the jump-off, hiked for almost an hour through the forest to get to this ancient dwelling place of Austronesians from Taiwan who migrated here 4,000 years ago. The Austronesians are a seafaring people who invented the outrigger. This is a curious fact since the Ivatan fishermen have long abandoned the outrigger (katig in Filipino) in favor of the flat-bottom boat called falowa (called Tataya in Itbayaten) since the waves here I'm told render the katig useless or even perilous. The cave is an an awe-inspiring architecture of nature, stalactites and stalagmites crowding the maw and calls to mind chandeliers of a huge cathedral.

Torongan Cave opens up to the sea on the western side

Going inside, there's a draft from the wind coming from the opening in the cliff that looks out to the sea. I can't help but imagine how the early dwellers must have felt living in this mostly dark, cavernous place, with the sound of the sea unceasingly reverberating inside. Towards sunset, we climbed out and up to see the ancient burial site on top of the hill -- graves marked by stones arranged to resemble boats, perhaps to honor the Austronesians' seafaring ancestors. The view from the top, especially in the golden hours of sunset, is simply breathtaking. Here, as with a lot of places in Batanes, I feel I can spend the whole day just watching the clouds, the waves, the day go by.

Admiring the lay of the land atop Torongan

Fresh coco and choco popcorn bliss. Before it got too dark, we came down by another trail, walking through a provincial road that seems more like a forest floor (thanks or no thanks (?) to the lack of funds for road construction), slaking our thirst with coconut juice freshly picked from the tree by our local guide. We rode back to the main town in the gathering darkness, returning home to Nanay Faustina's place for dinner and the Oishi chocolate popcorn as snacks.

As the clouds rolled out to hide the moon, we contemplated on whether it was too cold for bath, the weather too relaxing to night-shoot the church in the plaza, or to sleep early before the power goes off at midnight (I ended up doing all three anyway). Tucked under a thin blanket and inside the security of a mosquitero (mosquito net) and burping the vestiges of our choco popcorn overload, sleep came blissfully quick.

Trivia: Itbayat is one of the largest uplifted corral islands in the world. According to Wikipedia, a coral island is an island that forms a ring and partially or totally encloses a shallow body of water or lagoon. It is formed by a build-up of depositing lava on top of lava from a volcano that rises up out of the sea. The coral island dies when the volcano becomes inactive and sinks. The formation is a hard rock like material formed by the skeleton of marine polyps and sand. Most of the coral islands are located in the Pacific Ocean.

Next on Lagalog: Waking up with the sun in Karaboboan

Related Link: • Part 1 - Back to Batanes for a 3-Island Hop

Backpack Photography: Back to Batanes for a 3-Island Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 17:36:00 +0000

Chavayan's Nanay Fely wears a Vakul on her way home

Batanes may be just a two hour flight from Manila but it took us nearly two years and a lot of uphill climbing to go back. We are so enamored by the place that we dreamed of conducting not the usual Batan with a side-trip to Sabtang tour but a real 3-island hop. It would be nice to give our Backpack Photography participants a chance to visit all three islands and see for themselves the magic we saw and hopefully, captured, when we last visited. Dreaming the trip is one thing. Making it happen took herculean effort. But seeing the smiles of our tired but happy participants was well worth it.

Faded signage in Savidug

First day hop. Knowing the fickleness of the weather even during the height of summer, we immediately hopped on the falowa (flat-bottom boat with no outrigger) to Sabtang after dropping off our bags at DDD Habitat, our home in Batan. We caught the boat at Ivana instead of San Vicente at mid-morning, with the overcast conditions quickly shifting to sunny. It turned out that luck was on our side as it had been raining the past two weeks, our trusty guide, Joaquin, told me on the ride to port.

On to Savidug. For the 45-minute boat ride to the port in Sinakan, we had life vests on making the experience a hot and sweaty one. Nevertheless, it's a welcome safeguard implemented by the Coast Guard. After registering and eating a snappy breakfast, we went off to Savidug to see the rows of stone houses. Some were in a state of restoration, albeit not so faithful to the traditional Ivatan stone house (some with very obvert modern touches) which may explain why the heritage site status continues to elude this town. Nevertheless, it is still beautiful in a quaint way and it feels good to meet familiar faces.

Our participants literally had a field day shooting and admiring Tiñan

Oooh'ing and aahh'ing at Tiñan. It was midday by the time we stopped over at Tiñan, the sun in full force overhead. It was tempting to admire the view of towering cliffs and verdant hills dramatically tapering to the rugged seashore from the relative coolness of our jeep. But it seems a sacrilege to do so. Before long, everyone went down the slopes and risked sunburn to ooh and aahh over the views up closer.

Coffee and coco break at Chavayan. We met up with Aling Fely, the daughter of the oldest resident of Sabtang, 105-year old Mang Marcello Hostallero in one of the houses in Chavayan. Mang Marcello isn't your wizened centenarian, folks, but rather up-and-about, using a sharp knife to whittle stalks and make baskets in the shade of their house. Aling Fely intimated over a round of fresh coconut juice that one of his father's secrets is a brew made from a local plant. We tasted it in between sips of the coco juice and find it tasting like a cross between flavored tea and the fruity palek, the local wine made from sugarcane.

Nakabuang Beach with a silhouette of Mt. Iraya

Lunch with a view. Lunch had to wait until around mid-afternoon but boy, it was worth it. The wonderful view of Nakabuang arch and beach as well as the silhouette of elusive Mt. Iraya in the distance were a wonderful complement to a sumptuous lunch of grilled lobsters, marlin, and a most memorable serving of Luñes, the local version of adobo. The dish, with its strong accent of gata (coconut milk) mingling with the nice saltiness of the pork, will be remembered with fondness for the duration of our trip.

Hesitant sun over at the rolling hills of Vayang

Crossing back to windy Batan. While it was tempting to take a splash to stave off the afternoon heat, we had to go back before it gets really windy and the channel between Sabtang and Batan becomes treacherous. The waves were more temperamental on our way back to Batan, prompting us to double check our Bonamine stash. Good thing I was enjoying Joaquin's tidbits of trivia about the etymology of Ivana, the importance of the church (the second oldest in Batanes after St. Dominic) that the ride was over before I realized it. Little did we know that the short boat ride is just a precursor of things to come. Thirsty and famished, we had a mandatory inspection of the wares of Honesty Coffee Shop before setting off to admire the newly-painted church of Ivana.

Shooting on top of the hill

We took our sweet time admiring the rolling hills of Vayang for sunset (beautiful even with the hesitant sun hiding behind a bank of clouds even before it can make a pompous exit) prior to repairing to the restaurant by the Naidi lighthouse for dinner. By that time, the wind has picked up speed, going from 8 miles per hour to a blustery 32. This prompted us to bring out our jackets and move inside as the clouds blocked the starry night sky, the wind upended Monobloc chairs and blown table cloths off. Hmmm, we were set to cross over to Itbayat over 21 nautical miles away, the next day. Will fate keep us on course for our 3-island hop or make us reconsider our plans?

Notes: Lagalog thanks Seair, especially Messrs. Nik Gitsis and Leo Gimeno as well as InFlight Magazine's Monica de Leon for helping make the trip possible. Many thanks, too, to DDD Habitat and Noemi for being our gracious host in Batan.

Next on Lagalog: Crossing over to the coral island

Tune Hotels in Angeles: In tune with the times

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:57:00 +0000

The frosted glass door of the T&B is a very nice touch

Oh we live in interesting times. Even as the world's economies are in a constant flux, travel seems to have become a necessary luxury. Whether it's to pursue opportunities or escape momentarily from a stressful workplace/living space, more and more people are on the move, thanks in large part to budget airlines and more affordable accommodations. With the explosion of travel info on the net and in printed matter, there's also a broadening of options for travelers of all shapes, sizes and persuasions. In a way, the hard times have led travel establishments to be creative and inventive, no longer content with offering a one-size, fits all package for all travelers. I think in the end, we travelers and our pockets are the winners.

Painting Angeles red assumes a new meaning

A question right off the bat: Is Tune Hotels for you? I can only speak for myself and my traveling style but I like the one in Angeles City where we got billeted in prior to the maiden flight of AirAsia Philippines to Davao City a few weeks back. I may be a backpacker 70-80% of the time but I refuse being boxed and stereotyped into the label as I sometimes splurge on some things during a trip (massage, some souvenirs), budget-allowing. However, a flashpacker I am not. In fact, one of my usual dilemmas is the choice of accommodations. Get a super-comfy, nay indulgent, room and I may be compelled to stay in-room longer than I should. Get a really cheap place and sacrifice some things such as comfort and security (this second one is non-negotiable for me as a photographer who carry gear most of the time). Most of the time though, I'd rather choose a comfy enough place and save my money for something else.

Warm, cozy, comfy

Space: the final frontier. Happily, Tune Hotels sit in the middle of the chasm between opulent and flat-out cheap. Far from pricey especially if you book well ahead yet very comfy. I've overhead some laments on space concerns but I'm alright with the compact size of the room we got. The layout is efficient, access to my stuff is easy. The color scheme is subdued and conducive to resting, especially with the night light/reading light on.

The pricing game. One curious sign of the times is the pricing scheme of Tune Hotels. Think of it as ordering food from a restaurant -- you only pay for what you ordered and actually used. If you chill easily, you can forego the air conditioning and shave your bill. Brought your own toiletries? Then opt out on the toiletries. Not surfing the Internet? Opt out on the Wi-Fi. On the other hand, you can choose the add-ons that you want. I call this tailoring the services to what I need at the moment and it's really in tune with the times. For example, if I had a way, I wouldn't surf the internet to check emails while on a trip but realistically, my freelance work depends on it. So most of the time, I need the internet access. But for the times I can do without it, I certainly wouldn't want to pay extra for something I won't use anyway.

Amenities, amenities, amenities. The 32" Sharp Flat Screen TV was a pleasant surprise along with the HD programs. The air conditioning is quiet and efficient. The bed is firm, the sheets clean and the blanket thick enough to ward off the midnight chill though the pillows can use more firmness and plumpness. The acrylic night stand is a nice touch though I would've appreciated a phone/intercom so I can call the front desk should I have problems with the Wi-Fi signal without having to go out to the lobby on the second floor. There were enough electrical outlets to plug my chargers (four, counting the one in the T&B and for the hairdryer). The folding desk is utilitarian though it seem a bit out of place. The curtains were heavy enough to dampen the sounds of traffic from the road. Another well-appreciated touch: the warm white reading light by the headboard (I usually read before going to sleep even during trips and one thing I noticed is that so many places omit this so kudos to Tune Hotels for this).

Compact, streamlined T&B

The familiar Tune/AirAsia red

Talking about T&B. The use of frosted glass doors for the toilet and bath is a good choice -- no need to second guess if someone's inside. Size- and layout-wise, the T&B is compact yet streamlined and functional. Lighting is good and adequate. The compact size of the T&B in the room where we got billeted eliminated the use of a sliding door but I've heard that some rooms have it (it will come in very handy to allow multiple use of the T&B especially during tummy emergencies).

Location, location, location. We tried out the Tune Hotel in Angeles City as we have to be at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark very early in the morning for the maiden flight of AirAsia Philippines to Davao City a few weeks ago. Located on Friendship Road near the entrance of the Clark Freeport Zone, it is just minutes (as well as a very short ride) away from the airport. A good (and economical) idea if you want to avoid the rush from Manila. There's a nearby 7-Eleven for provisions; the SM Mall inside the freeport zone is just a short ride away as with establishments in the town proper. There are also restaurants/eating places in the periphery including a 24 hour kitchen we spotted along the road. There's vehicular traffic along Friendship Road but inside the room, it's quiet enough to rest and if need be, work.

For more info or to book: visit www.tunehotels.com/philippines. Right now, Tune Hotel has three locations in the Philippines: Manila (Ermita), Cebu and Angeles with plans of opening up more within the year. The Angeles City location has 165 rooms spread across 10 floors, 123 of which are double rooms, with 42 as twin rooms.

Lenten Ruminations

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:29:00 +0000

Angel welcomes the faithful to the Immaculate Conception Church in Puerto Princesa

Holy Week in the Philippines has come to mean a much-needed break from work or from school. Can't blame the throngs of people who flock to the beaches or hie off to the provinces to escape from the hum-drum of everyday life. However, it would also help to remember to use the time to escape from the banality of everyday existence, from materialism, from worldliness.

Personally, the Lenten season to me is more about fasting from anger, envy and hatred than from physical food. While I will be working for the Holy Week, I will take to heart the message of the Holy Bible that our Savior came down to earth, became human, died for our transgressions, and rose again to conquer death. In the words of a popular Hillsong hymn, it is a "Beautiful Exchange", so much so that no matter what I'm going through at the moment, it is something I ought to be thankful for. A blessed and meaningful Easter to all.

Davao and Kalibo skies turn red with AirAsia Philippines

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 14:54:00 +0000

Touchdown at the Davao International Airport

The familiar hue of red streaked the skies above Kalibo and Davao (the second plane with us onboard) on the same day the past week, marking a special occasion -- AirAsia Philippines finally take the skies on domestic routes (and hopefully, international ones soon), giving passengers mostly from Central and Northern Luzon more choices. Admittedly, the all-in fares are a good move in the right direction. I, for one, am continuously frustrated by very attractive come-ons of low fares from other carriers that do not culminate in successful transactions. Either the flights are all-filled and/or the low fares get bloated by a thousand or so pesos by the time the surcharges and other fees are factored in.

AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes have plenty to smile about

As we're flying very early for Davao last Wednesday, we were given the privilege to try out and go overnight at Tune Hotel in Angeles (watch out for my review soon). At the press event, we were able to listen to AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer, Tony Fernandes, reminisce about his friendship with the core group that formed AirAsia Philippines with endearing humor. Alas, I missed an opportunity to interview him in person due to his hectic schedule and the fact that he wasn't able to join the flight to Davao because of commitments in Manila. In lieu of the Philippine President, Dept. of Transportation and Communications Secretary, Mar Roxas, was there. Given a bit more time, it would've been interesting to ask the kind and eloquent secretary to give a more detailed peek into what the administration is planning for the transport from Manila to Clark in the interim between the planning and completion of the express railway to Clark.

Sunny Davao contrasts with overcast, rainy Clark and Manila

Anyway, the choices of Kalibo and Davao make sense, Kalibo being the gateway to ever-popular Boracay and Davao, as a gateway to Mindanao, being a great destination for the food-tripping/adventure-seeking tourist. Very soon, AirAsia Philippines will add Puerto Princesa to its local routes, again another good decision that will go a long way toward servicing the burgeoning tourist arrivals eager to see the Underground River. The last two times I've been to Puerto Princesa, the airport seems to be bursting at the seams with passengers. I, for one am looking forward to the airline servicing international routes. Looks like we'll be marking more dates on our calendar as red-letter days for AirAsia Philippines and it's about time.

Earth Hour at a time of rotating brownouts and oil price hikes

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:59:00 +0000

It isn't even the height of summer yet and Metro Manila is bracing for rotating brownouts. There's also a fresh round of oil price hikes and consequently, jeepney fare increase from P8 to P8.50. This year's Earth Hour celebration is coming at a time fraught with ominous signs that remind me a lot of Paul Roberts' book, "The End of Oil," a cautionary tale about a world addicted to a fast-diminishing resource.

I just realized the other day how we are so absorbed in an increasingly-energy hungry lifestyle. There's a whole slew of gadgets and devices that seem to be perpetually plugged in and tethered to us like an umbilical cord (online 24/7? 24-hour cable TV? FB and Twitter round-the-clock?)

Earth Hour's recurring theme is going beyond the hour and it's interesting because on one hand, it's a step in the right direction -- how unplugging for an hour or two is a rather painless way to hopefully kickstart the habit of saving energy. On the other hand, it offers a glimpse of a future when the oil wells run dry (let's not pretend they wouldn't) and the world becomes a very different (darker) place. Moving from the industrial to the information age, the transition has been not only technology-dependent but also even more power-reliant.

Paul Roberts' book projects the Saudi Arabian oil wells to dry up sometime not during the next lifetime but this decade. Meanwhile, moves to tap more sustainable energy sources (solar, wind, gas) have been slow to catch up. Ditto, altering lifestyles and people's attitudes and habits when it comes to using/consuming (abusing?) oil and electricity. It's sobering to even think how modern life can go on without power -- and we're not just talking about missing an FB or Twitter update on one's iPad which is trifling in the face of other repercussions (ever think how banking, trade and commerce are heavily reliant on electricity?) Anyway, thoughts to ponder for this year's Earth Hour.

Recommended reading: I'm a big fan of Paul Roberts. His books, "The End of Oil" and "The End of Food," are not "scare-me-with-conspiracy-theories-and-urban-legends" stuff but rather well-written, well-researched, absorbing reads that offer solutions and provide readers with meaningful insights. I got my copies at Booksale and I highly recommend them • The End of Oil, First Mariner Books edition 2005, ISBN 0-618-23977-4 • The End of Food, First Mariner Books edition 2009, ISBN 978-0-547-08597-5, both by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Batanes: Tranquility lies far north

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:14:00 +0000

Jas Castillejos-Mendoza on the hills of Imnajbu

For this post, I am reprinting en toto the article I contributed to Philippine Mabuhay News, East Coast Edition which came out this third week of March.

Mabuhay! It’s apt that I open my first contribution to Philippine Mabuhay News with its namesake, the beloved Pinoy traditional greeting. Before I plunge into the nitty-gritty, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Oggie Ramos, more popularly known online as Lagalog. I’m a multimedia conceptualist/writer based in Makati, Metro Manila when I’m not out of town shooting landscapes or writing travel stories. My fascination with exploring different places in the Philippines got kickstarted by a comment an overseas-based friend made – that there’s not much beautiful places to see in the country. To make a long story short, my friend who’s now one of my most loyal readers, was only too happy to be proven wrong.

St. Dominic Guzman Church in Basco

Oh I can keep blabbering how beautiful the Philippines is but I’d rather show you in both words and images. Let’s start our journey together flying southeast, making a stopover in Manila where we catch a flight to Basco. We fly over the green expanse of the Mountain Province, Ilocos and mainland Cagayan and go as far north as we can without requiring a passport. Some people go to Batanes for the postcard-pretty views and that’s got a lot of merit. I venture there for that and to escape the city. The latitude gives the island group of Batanes a veritable winter season, a period when the cold winds from China blows over the islands. Sitting where the South China Sea meets the Philippine Sea has produced a dramatic landscape that reminds not a few guests of Ireland – undulating terrain bordered by dramatic cliffs carved by the relentless wind and waves into ruggedly stunning rockscapes. There’s something about being confronted by such natural wonder that humbles and awes you at the same time.

Hiking the Marlboro Hills

Stopping over at Batan. The main island, Batan, is where bulk of the 15,000-strong population resides and where most tourists stay to explore. I once explored Batan riding a rented tricycle, going through the coastal road and up the interior passages in three days. One of the standard tourist attractions is the so-called Marlboro Hills (Racuh A Payaman) in the town of Mahatao which never fails to amaze me even if I’ve seen it several times. It’s named as such because it looks like a cowboy will come galloping across the verdant, rolling hills any moment. If you’re a fan of peace and quiet, I suggest you come down and around to the quaint fishing village of Diura where the rocky shores beg for contemplative walks. Within hiking distance from the Basco town proper, you can explore the hills of Viang, resplendently sublime especially during the sunset hours, a canvas of rolling terrain that resembles the skin of a Sharpei that keeps unfurling until the land tapers to the sea. It’s intoxicatingly beautiful, enough to inspire anyone to wax poetic.

The hill overlooking Nakabuang beach

Crossing over to Sabtang. Just 45 minutes by falowa (the Ivatan rounded-bottom boat with no outrigger) to the west lies the island of Sabtang separated by a temperamental channel of water. While Batan, particularly Basco, has lately been wearing the signs of progress (read: fancier accommodations and eating places), Sabtang remains laidback and quaint. Coming to the town of Savidug, you can still find a community of stone houses and if you’re so inclined, stay in one for the night. Heading further west, you get rewarded by the sight of the elegant Nakabuang beach punctuated by a magnificent natural arch.

Vernacular houses preceded the iconic stone house

Heading farther north to Itbayat. If the weather and the seas are more forgiving, I recommend a visit to the island of Itbayat to the northwest, about four hours by falowa. The island is one of the world’s largest uplifted coral and an open secret among serious deep sea game fishermen willing to trade an often nauseous ride to the thrill of catching a prized dorado (mahi-mahi) or marlin. Coming by boat, disembarking is already an adventure where you dance with the sea and leap to the make-shift port timed to the cresting of a wave. I heard there’s a plane that ply the Basco – Itbayat route once a week but a recent landing mishap makes me think twice about the airline, a newcomer to the islands.

Pastoral view of Itbayat

If Sabtang is more laidback than Batan, then Itbayat is pastoral in comparison. There are no fancy accommodations, only real, honest-to-goodness homestays (the better to immerse yourself in the local experience). There’s electricity but only until 12 midnight. After that, you slumber under a mosquitero (mosquito net) enveloped by deep silence. This is clearly no place for tourists craving for parties or modern fixes but the trade-offs are an utter lack of stress and even more dramatic vista of windswept rolling, verdant terrain, temperamental deep blue sea, and painting-like blue skies that is just too beautiful for words. Further inland, in the town of Raele, you can still find Ivatan vernacular houses made of grass which preceded the more familiar, Spanish-influenced stone houses.

I used to flinch when I hear people say being in Batanes is like being transported to another country. Well, I still do but that I guess in a way, is a compliment. There’s so much more beauty hidden in the Philippines and it’s up to the intrepid traveler to discover and it’s up to the locals to preserve.

Oggie Ramos is the author of the personal travel site www.lagalog.com. Based in Makati, Metro Manila, he co-facilitates the BackPack Photography workshops and tours that take participants as far north as Batanes and Banaue to as far south as Cotabato. An advocacy for promoting local culture along with backpack travel, Backpack Photography specializes in photo safaris to lesser-known destinations with itineraries tailored for photographers and photography enthusiasts. For details and tour schedules, visit www.backpackphotography.net

Lagalog's Bookshelf: My First Quarter Reads

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:02:00 +0000

My reading list/montage so far this 2012

After a busy December, I was sidelined by sciatica for the whole of January and most of February (mainly due to return trips to the hospital and being under medication, something that continues to this day). For someone who spends most of his working hours sitting down in front of his Mac, this is a real bummer. But one upside of this is finding more time to read. Perhaps, it's a subconscious resolution to myself to read more often but sometimes, work and other commitments get in the way of reading.

I guess I'm off to a good start as I've gone through 8 1/2 books (I'm halfway through my 9th, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman's "Long Way Round" chronicles as I write this) in just 10 weeks into 2012. Not that I'm always racing against the clock but as a lifelong bookworm, at times I just can't put a book down even if it's 3 or 4 in the morning. Anyway, here are my short, personal impressions of the books I've read so far this year. Please take note of the disclaimer "personal impression" for I profess I'm no literary heavyweight, just a book buff who loves to read. By the way, most of the books I'm featuring here came from Booksale save for the hardbound copy of Jon Krakauer's "Where Men Win Glory" which a friend got for me for P150 at a National Bookstore sale (who says reading has to be expensive?) So here goes...

Three Cups of Tea (Penguin Books, 2007) - This controversial account of mountaineer-turned-humanitarian, Greg Mortenson, by journalist David Oliver Relin is a lesson in how life can turn a failure to success. Though often sounding like a fawning tribute to Mortenson, there were insights on how hard life can be in the highlands of Afghanistan and Pakistan but how persistence can make things happen so that schools can be built in some of the most remote places on earth. From failing to scale K-2 and getting lost on the way down, Mortenson literally stumbles to Korphe and found his life's calling: to bring education and use it as a tool to combat terrorism.

The book became a subject of heated controversy when acclaimed mountaineer and author, Jon Krakauer, alleged that some accounts in the books are fictitious and that Mortenson mismanaged CAI funds. True or not, the book offers an interesting solution to terrorism through education. Interestingly, the book mentioned that Mortenson visited the International Rice Research Institute here in the Philippines to learn about macro businesses. Most memorable blurb: "The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family."

The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios (Houghton Mifflin, 2004 ) - I became a Yan Martel fan after I read "The Life of Pi". This book came a decade before he found fame post-Pi and while not uninteresting, it showed how far he has come in ten years. The premise of the main novella is interesting enough -- a man infected by aids through blood transfusion is kept animated and alive by his mentor by a mentally-rigorous game of inventing the story of the Roccamatio family of Helsinki, Finland, with each chapter linked to a 20th century event. I find the first of the short stories more absorbing though, "The Time I Heard the Private Donald J Rankin String Concerto with One Discordant Violin, by the American Composer John Morton." It's about the story of how a Canadian student's life was changed when he stumbled upon a concert in a condemned Washington theater, found resonance in the music, and later discovered that the talented composer has a day (or night) job as a janitor in a bank.

Weather Whys (Perigree Trade, 2010) - Was surprise to see this quite recently-published book in the bargain bins of Booksale but after reading (or was it patiently wading through?) two chapters, I can see why. Written by Paul Yeager, managing editor of Accuweather and a freelance writer, the book attempts to be interesting (the weather oddities are, the writing style is not) but quickly declines after a chapter or two. Yeager's attempts at humor are at times strained (like a stand-up comic caught laughing alone at his own joke), the writing style fails to flow smoothly. I appreciate the attempt to make talking about the weather engaging though. Nice premise that could've worked with a better writer. Maybe this weatherman should stick to writing weather reports instead.

127 Hours - Between A Rock and A Hard Place (Simon & Schuster, 2010 Reprint) - Perhaps the movie was more popular than the book (and Danny Boyle's translation of this first person account to the big screen was a riveting piece of filmmaking) but this deserves a reading. The book allows one to glean what's going through Aron Ralston's mind during those 127 hours in the Utah canyons, trapped by a 800 pound boulder by a freak accident. If the movie's amputation scene made you weak-kneed (maybe, even grossed-out), the narrative will allow you to read exactly how Aron first contemplated it, then actually perform the DIY surgery as if seeing the ligaments, muscles and bones separate firsthand. But gross details aside, the book is an engaging read, the chapters alternating between the past and the present, history and future plans. Aron's writing style is honest but never overly-brash, free-flowing and riveting. Though we all know the ending, this one makes for excellent reading, a study of how 127 hours can become a lifetime of coming to terms with life and death, and everything in between.

The Places In Between (Harvest Book, 2006) - This travel book takes the expression, "going off the beaten track" to the other extreme, the account of Scottish author, Rory Stewart's solo walk across Afghanistan, starting in Herat and ending in Kabul. Setting off in the middle of winter and burdened by the post-9/11 events, Stewart braved the dangers of being a Westerner in these parts, relying on the innate goodness of strangers he met along the way and meeting a dog who shared part of his journey. It's easy to be polarized by Stewart's feat (Was he very brave or plain foolish in attempting such a feat? Naive or good-at-heart in believing in the power of the kindness of strangers in a strange land far removed, culturally and spiritually, from where he comes from?). Along the way, he saw things, experienced things that probably would never be seen again (The Buddhas of Bamyan, for one, which were destroyed by the Taliban). The ending (I won't spoil the experience by revealing it) is bittersweet and I walked away, wistful yet richer for reading this book.

The Best American Travel Writing 2002 (Houghton Mifflin, 2002) - Edited by Frances Mayes, best known for her novel, "Under the Tuscan Sun," this edition is the third in the yearly compilations of nothing but the best in travel writing in the U.S. I have found gems in each edition and this one is no different. There's delicious sarcasm in David Sedari's "The Man Upstairs" (about feigning control over flight delays), mad clarity in Michael Finkel's "Thirteen Ways of Looking At A Void" (about Tenere, the 154,440 square mile sea of sand at the center of the Sahara) and a not-so-strange fascination with getting lost in Laurence Gonzales' "Beyond the End of the Road." I already own five editions of this compilation and even just for these, I'm eternally grateful to Booksale.

The Perfect Storm (W.W. Norton & Company, 1997) - Like 127 Hours, the movie may be more popular but this book by acclaimed author, Sebastian Junger, is an excellent piece of writing. You got to admire Junger's steadfast commitment to stick to the facts and not to embellish the accounts of the survivors' friends, loved ones and acquaintances to make the story cohesive and interesting. The reconstruction of the events make for riveting, if often, poignant reading. The once-in-a-hundred-years storm (dubbed the perfect storm) of 1991 forms the backdrop of the story but the stories of the swordfish fishermen embroiled in the tempest provided the human interest that keeps the reader flipping the pages.

Where Men Win Glory (DoubleDay, 2009) - I'm a big fan of Jon Krakauer, an adulation that started when I stumbled copies of "Into the Wild" and "Into Thin Air" in Booksale as well as articles he has written for Outside Magazine. He has a very keen eye for details and a uncanny ability to put the reader right in the heart of the story, making the characters come alive. In "Where Men Win Glory," you could feel for Pat Tillman, the NFL star who walked away from his multi-million contract to serve in the post-9/11 military and was betrayed by the government in a cover-up for his death by friendly fire and as a propaganda tool to advance the military action in Afghanistan. Jon examines Pat's convictions and scruples, his legend and humanity, with earnest eloquence. Most memorable blurb: "War is always about betrayal, betrayal of the young by the old, of idealists by cynics and of troops by politicians" by Chris Hedges, "A Culture of Atrocity".

The Long Way Round (Time-Warner, 2004) - I've watched the NatGeo series "The Long Way Down" with fascination even if I don't ride bikes. Wouldn't it be a blast to go all the way round the world, crossing boundaries and cultures? Well, being celebrities, Ewan and Charley probably had it easy finding sponsors like BMW and production companies to bankroll the trip, with National Geographic picking up the series for airing. Lucky dudes. Well, reading Ewan McGregor's and Charley Boorman's first-person accounts, I changed my mind. Ewan may have lucked it out when George Lucas took pity on him for keeping taking out advances for his role in the first Star Wars prequel by giving him a Ducati 748 but "The Long Way Down" was not handed down to them on a silver platter, not by a long stretch. The book spells out what transpired behind the scenes, from the painful separation from their families, the constant arguments between the camping-loving Ewan and the camping-averse Charley, to the wistful longing for the memories of the trip. It seems celebrity does not immune oneself from jaded border customs patrols, arduous rides on all conceivable kinds of terrain and the more-than-occasional travel blues. Anyway, the book is written with no pretenses which makes for a surprisingly good read.

Attribution: All book covers culled from the Internet; all copyrights reserved by the authors and their respective publishing companies.

On Assignment for GoHotels: Palawan-bound

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 17:00:00 +0000

A bright new landmark in Puerto Princesa

Was it nearly three years ago when I last saw Puerto Princesa? Hard to imagine that last time I was here, we got ourselves soaked in the humid air while waiting for our checked-in baggage in the open air luggage carousel. In its place is a cool, expansive airport building ready to shelter the swelling number of tourists. Post-announcement of the Underground River in Sabang as one of the "newer" wonders of the world, the city is bracing for a boom.

Riding a cab to an appointment over a month ago, I overheard Mayor Edward Hagedorn being interviewed on an afternoon radio show, saying something about the need for more infrastructure, including a lot more accommodations, to address the doubling, nay tripling of visitor numbers.

Bright, airy, un-stuffy and cool

By chance, I got an assignment for GoHotels to revisit Puerto Princesa and shoot/sample this contribution to filling the need for additional accommodations. This is the first branch of the value hotel that's located outside Metro Manila and having stayed twice in the original Mandaluyong location, I must say that it's a significant improvement in aspects of design and amenities.

Location. About 15 minutes away from the airport along the main highway, on the North Road, in Brgy. San Manuel. The standalone structure with 112 rooms spread across two floors is hard to miss, the recognizable bright yellow with green facade standing out against the blue sky even from the distance. There's ample parking right in front. I think the parking area does double duty as a buffer zone, keeping the rooms distant from the road and the occasional tricycle noise.

Rainshower head is now built-in

Amenities. Maybe, it's because we were in Palawan where the landscape is dominated by wide open spaces that the rooms felt bigger. The wide mirror on top of the bed/s is a nice touch, adding a bit of brightness via reflected illumination and making the room appear much bigger. In the T&B, it was a pleasant surprise to see the rainshower head built-in to the ceiling. Grabbing some much-needed rest, I immediately took a liking to the extra plump pillows and thick blanket -- the better to linger under the covers especially when the weather turns temperamental as it did during our second day. There's also free Wi-Fi so the fold-away desk got some action during our stay. The foldaway multi-hanger is a nice touch especially when airing clothes or keeping garments from wrinkling.

The rooms located towards the interior (in a layout that resembles the letter "U") looks out to a courtyard that reeks of "outdoor cafe" potential -- something that will be in place in the coming months. Mercifully, most of the rooms have windows (I got lucky that I got billeted in one that looks out to the side road, with a view of fruiting mango trees).

Courtyard is future site of an outdoor cafe

Pricing. Bucket pricing means booking well in advance yields bigger savings (the GoHotels website says one can get a night's accommodations for as low as P88). During the opening month when we were there, there were still walk-ins but expect advanced booking clients to fill up the rooms in the coming summer months.

To book or get more details, visit www.gohotels.ph

MV Logos Hope: Books, Bibles and Blessings at the World's Largest Floating Book Fair

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:58:00 +0000

After Doulos sailed off into the sunset, Logos Hope picks up where it left off

I haven't fully realized how relevant the story of the prodigal son in these modern times until I saw the "Journey of Life" exhibit inside the MV Logos Hope currently docked at Pier 15 of Manila's South Pier. We came on a Saturday afternoon expecting to see shelves after shelves of affordable books much in the same way we expected from trips to the late, lamented MV Doulos everytime it included Manila in its ports of call. We were pleasantly surprised by what else is on board.

For some, the trip was a bonding moment for families

To begin with, Logos is a much bigger ship than its predecessor which was decommissioned two years ago after serving a long, fruitful life (built in 1914, it was the oldest active ocean-faring passenger ship at the time of its retirement). The numbers speak for themselves: 400 unpaid volunteers of over 45 nationalities work onboard Logos Hope while the expansive book fair carries over 5,000 book titles, inheriting the title "largest floating bookshop/library" from Doulos. This maybe a different ship but the vision and purpose remains the same: to bring knowledge, help and hope to people everywhere it sails to.

Upon entering, there's a theatre used for orienting new guests before proceeding to the book fair which occupies a sizable portion of the floor. There were shelves and shelves of books alright and the prices are very reasonable (books are tagged in units; with 1 unit equals to 2 Philippine Pesos). I gravitated towards the travel section where I found a coffeetable book by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman (500 units = P1,000). Alas, I didn't bring enough cash with me to bring it home. Ditto Logos Hope mugs to add to my Doulos ones.

The crowd cools off at the International Cafe

Exiting the book fair, I find myself in the Journey of Life Exhibit, a well-lit, excellently-laid out series of installations dramatizing the story of the prodigal son set in the present times. I just hope the message wasn't lost on most visitors who were busy having their pictures taken against the installations for their FB and Twitter updates. A second theatre lies next to the exhibit, used for cultural presentations.

If there was a mad scramble for books in the fair, there was an equally mad scramble for cookies, coffee and ice cream at the international cafe. Too bad, the X-Perience section where presentations on one man's experience with AIDS are done, was tucked in the corner of the cafe, almost invisible to passersby. The message this presentation brings is too important to be ignored especially during these times.

Message of hope at the X-perience Wall

While I wasn't able to buy anything, I did get to people watch while enjoying a cone of soft ice cream. Most of the kids were just too excited to experience stepping into a real ship, probably for the first time in their lives. Some families, I observed, used the time to bond together. Exiting, I saw streams of smiling people lugging their Logos Hope purchases. I guess, even with the Kindles and iPads of the world, books will always have a place in our lives. In the larger scheme of things, Logos Hope is like a metaphor of our own selves -- we sail through life and find ourselves headed to different destinations, hopefully we realize we have a mission to help others, enrich their lives and eventually, help bring them safely to our heavenly port.

Info: MV Logos Hope will be docked at Pier 15 of Manila's South Pier until March 14, 2012. It will sail to Subic Bay on March 15 and stay there until April 8. It will move on to the Subic Bay Shipyard Works Project on April 9, stay until June 25 before sailing to Indonesia. • The ship is open to the public from 10am-9:30pm (Tuesdays to Saturdays) and 1pm-9:30pm on Sundays • For more info, visit www.logoshope.org

Ten Minutes with AirAsia Philippines CEO, Maan Hontiveros: on True Value, Travels and Transparency

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Maan addresses the media via the plane's public address system

It took AirAsia Philippines nearly six months from its launch last year to get its license to fly. But it surely made up for the long wait as its 20,000 Free Seats inaugural promo set its Twitter and Facebook fans and followers into a frenzy of wanderlust and instant bookings for Boracay and Davao. At the center of the buzz and excitement is AirAsia Philippines CEO, Marianne Hontiveros (more popularly known as Maan), the first-ever female CEO in the AirAsia network.

During the kick-off for the promotion aptly held inside the cool and cozy brand-new Airbus A320 (it even smelled new!) at the AirAsia hub at Clark Airport, Lagal[og] got a chance to sit down and chat with this effervescent leader to get her thoughts about traveling, delivering true value through low cost but high value airline travel and the importance of being transparent:

Lagal[og]: When I was younger, I used to see you on TV. And now, you're the CEO of an airline. What got you into the travel/airline business?

Maan: People ask what are my qualifications to be the CEO of an airline when my background is in the music industry. Well, I must say that's because I'm a traveler myself. I know what a traveler wants.

I started getting passionate about traveling way back in the 60s, when I traveled with friends and stayed in all those student hotels. On the other hand, Tony Fernandes (AirAsia founder) and I share the same background. We became friends as part of the music industry (Maan representing Warner Music Philippines and Tony, Warner Music of Malaysia).

The banner story

Lagal[og]: Since AirAsia flies to a lot of Asian destinations, I would like to ask what are your favorite places in Asia?

Maan: There are so many and each one has its own charm. (After a bit of probing, relents) I like Siem Reap, Vietnam. (When asked which place she keeps coming back to) It's Bali. It's exciting to be part of the Asian network, imagine, there are four world heritage sites in this region.

Lagal[og]: How about your favorite places here in the country?

Maan: Because I dive, I love Tubbataha and Palawan. (When asked if AirAsia will service the Palawan route) Yes, we will soon fly to Puerto Princesa.

Lagal[og]: What do you think will be the impact of AirAsia Philippines on local tourism?

Maan: Positive I must say. Imagine, right now, we expect only four million visitors in a country of over 100 million people. Instead of feeling sorry about this (situation), we can instead help bring in more tourists.

Lagal[og]: With the economy as it is now, how do you see the outlook of low-cost airline travel?

Maan: It is the future of travel. It's bright, otherwise, I wouldn't put my whole heart, my resources, into it. (In a year) we will be expanding.

Lagal[og]: I really liked how you chose the word "transparency" to describe the 20,000 Free Seats promo which is actually zero fare where customers only need to pay an all-in cost of P275. Do you think this will result in more discerning travelers? How do you think this will impact the way we travel?

Maan: I know that come-ons (so-and so-peso/dollar low cost promotions) are common and popular all over the world. But as a newcomer, we would like to come on strong and change that. We will actually show you how much we're really charging you (upfront). We don't want to disappoint our guests with hidden charges or misleading promotions. Soon, travelers will look more closely into what they're paying for and other airlines will have to follow (our lead).

Lagal[og]: In closing, what other things would set AirAsia Philippines apart from its low-cost competitors apart from transparency in declaring actual fares? Would you be addressing such important issues as punctuality?

Maan: I'm a traveler first so I know what a traveler wants. But don't get me wrong. I want this airline to be profitable so it can grow. But I also want to offer good value. I want to give travelers a choice -- to pay only for what they use. We also have newer planes and rigid, regular maintenance schedules so we'll have less worries about maintenance problems. And the reason why we chose Clark as our hub is because we can keep our 25-minute turn-around time. Since there are two runways, one for landing and another for take-off, there'll be less congestion problems.

Six-year veteran in AirAsia Malaysia, Katherine, welcomes us aboard

Lagal[og]: I heard they will be serving adobo on this "flight"? Will AirAsia Philippines do that on a regular flight, perhaps to help promote our food culture?

Maan: Well, each country (in the AirAsia network) serves their local cuisine but that's a good idea. Tell us what you honestly think about the adobo.

Lagal[og]: We'll do, Ma'am.

Epilogue: I normally veer away from airline food but the adobo was a pleasant surprise. Wasn't able to tell Maan personally but hope this post will get to you -- the delicately seasoned adobo would make a good addition to the inflight menu.

Info: AirAsia Philippines just launched direct flights to Davao and Kalibo with its 20,000 FREE SEATS promo. A zero-fare promotion, the traveler only has to pay an all-in amount of P275 (one way) to cover the fuel surcharge, processing fee and other government-mandated fees. Visit www.airasia.com for details. • Attributions: the third image taken by Ferdz Decena of www.ironwulf.net

Makati Caracol 2012 - An Urban Celebration for Mother Nature

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:22:00 +0000

Makati Caracol 2012 - Petal Face participant

It's been years since I last covered the Makati Caracol celebration, billed as the city's Mardi Gras which aims to spread the love for Mother Nature amidst the pomp and revelry. As a longtime Makati resident, I always thought the celebration is held every third week of January, coinciding with the Feast of the Sto. Niño events elsewhere so I was taken by surprise when my travel buddy, Ironwulf, told me yesterday that this Sunday is Caracol Day. A bit of trivia to share: Caracol is the namesake of a Mayan archeological site but is actually the vernacular for the kuhol or snail. I'm just guessing here but perhaps, the inspiration for the celebration comes from the importance of an animal as small as a snail to the overall diversity of Mother Nature.

White tigers dancing in the light breeze

This year's festivities carried the theme "Battle of Champions" as this edition brings together the champions from previous years. In any case, I was too caught up in taking snaps while waiting for the parade to commence (the schedule said 2:30 but it was well after 4pm when the parade actually started) to care about which dancers were with what group as it's easy to get lost in the pageantry. Any which way you look at it, it's riveting to see so much creativity in the costumes and choreography and inspiring to see zebras dancing in the breeze; flower and bee dancers swaying to a percussive beat; schools of squid and lionfish swimming out of water; and a mini jungle of human trees and plant pots coming alive right there on the asphalt jungle (pun intended) of Paseo de Roxas.

Can't leave a lion famished, can we?

The parade was shorter than when I last attended -- making a short circuitous romp from the monument on Paseo de Roxas to the stage on the intersection of Makati Avenue and Ayala (shades of the Makati 2012 New Year Countdown I got involved in two months ago). The long waiting time took a bit of a toll on the paraders as most seemed drained (low-batt?) to perk up the crowd with streetdancing by the time the parade got started. I would've thought the organizers would've learned from previous editions that the earlier the parade gets started and the faster the proceedings would unveil, the better for the participants and guests alike. As it was a working Sunday for me, we didn't stay long after the participants prepared to perform. The ambient light was fading anyway. But it was fun, especially shooting the behind-the-scenes and the people in the sidelines.

Mom, not mad, hatters join the revelry wearing their wares

Meeting a curious ostrich, a smiling lamb and a horse named Justin Bieber

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 02:06:00 +0000

An emotive ostrich shot up close with a 60mm macro lens

Our invite was for a lunchtime taste test but what we had was much more filling -- a taste of the farm life. While the chef (Chef Teresa Lobb) busied herself with the intricacies of preparing her dishes, we took the opportunity to go through some portions of the 22-hectare Hacienda San Benito in Lipa, Batangas.

Two years ago, I got to spend three days in this place on a photo assignment for InFlight Magazine. Then as now, the hacienda remains a curiosity to me. On the surface, it seems to be a rich man's farm-playground, suited to people with the money to buy a farm but not the inclination to put in the requisite sweat (and dirt) equity. I've learned from Mang Nev, the resident farm manager, that they're open to farmers from the area to render farm work, thus, generating additional livelihood for local farmers while taking care of the overhead costs. The farm is more than the usual agricultural farm though, Mang Nev Villamar pointed out but rather a hexa organic sanctuary. The concept is interesting to a nature lover like me whose secret ambition is to someday have a farm, grow my own food and find the connection to the earth that I somehow lost for having lived all my life in the city.

The smiling lamb

The farm is a model of symbiosis - from the vermiculture that produces composting materials to fertilize the crops, to the apiary that facilitates pollination of the plants and trees. There are also livestock and animal husbandry not only to produce meat but also for the waste byproducts. To talk about the systems in place would take a lengthy discourse better left to an environmental scientist (and lest I forget, one of certified Pinoy researchers for NatGeo) like Mang Nev who worked for Australian companies before finding his way home here.

Meet Justin Bieber

I choose to delve instead on the different farm animals and finding an instant connection with them. The stillness of the afternoon is every now and then disrupted by the distant neighing of the horses, one of them curiously coiffed with a beautiful mane which unsurprisingly earned him the moniker, Justin Bieber (I just doubt his juvenile namesake is as coltish or studly, though). Moving nearer the stalls, we found (or rather chased) the shy sheep. The lamb apparently has not yet acquired a fear for human strangers, bleeting with a smirk that seems to me a rather cute smile.

Sleepy-eyed Brando

The ostriches are a different case, showing no fear but rather interest in us newcomers. One fearless female eyed us with child-like curiosity; only thing is this one stands almost six feet tall with legs that kick harder than any horse. Coming back to the Terrazas, we were greeted by Brando, the sleepy-eyed resident Black Lab who wants nothing more than a pat on the head and a lengthy scratch of his tummy. Lucky dog, he has hectares of ground to roam. Call it positive energy, but there's something about communing with nature and interacting with animals that I find energizing and life-affirming. (I wonder if places like this would ever consider the farmstay concept? Saw something like this in Cat Cat in North Vietnam years ago and it would be a good idea for urbanites to reconnect to their rural roots) Guess this will do until that day when I can have a farm.

Our Melting Pot: Finding a backpacker sanctuary at the heart of Makati

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:05:00 +0000

Nothing drab about this hostel - bold colors, cozy lounging area

I paced several streets along Makati Avenue a number of times in broad daylight looking for the place. My friend and fellow backpacker, Dong Ho, said the backpacker hostel was just in front of the A-venue mall cum event place so it's impossible to miss. Still, I wondered where it was exactly. A friendly European must've read my confused mind, showing me that the steel door of what seemed to be a deserted building, is open. Turns out he's one of the transients and by luck, I'm showed to the old-fashioned elevator (hey, the sign even said it's a lift) to the fourth floor and a hall littered with footwear.

I step inside and is greeted by the sight of a warmly-lit living room, the faint smell of fresh paint trailing me. The dining room with its long table is just adjacent to the sala and the round-the-clock reception desk, looking very, very homey.

Warm and inviting living area

The hostel is Our Melting Pot, newly-relocated to its third site in a little over two years of operation. As a backpacker, I've stayed in my share of inns and hostels during trips overseas and have always wondered why there seems to be a dearth of similar accommodations here in the Philippines. Our Melting Pot was inspired by a similar line of thinking of its backpacking owners who see that with our brand of Pinoy hospitality, there's no reason why it can't be replicated here.

Inexpensive options. Accommodations is one big expense for budget travelers. Personally, it's also a dilemma. Get something downright cheap and I may have to sacrifice some un-negotiable points like baggage security (as a photographer always traveling with gear, this is a constant concern). Get something costly and nice and I may want to stay indoors longer than I ought to. Having seen the rooms on offer here, my impressions were: inexpensive but they sure didn't scrimp on the facilities. There's a private room for those who want well, privacy (P1,100/night with free breakfast).

Our group got billeted in the 6-person dorm room (P600/pax/night also with breakfast included) so we can experience firsthand the hostel concept. The mattress was firm, the sheets very clean, the pillow eminently huggable. The blanket can use more thickness though that's partly because of the aircon's efficiency. There were swinging curtains for privacy and ample number of outlets for plugging mobile devices. For the snore-prone, special pillows are available. A word of caution though for the noise-averse: this side of Makati Avenue can become noisy during Friday and weekend nights so you can either bring earplugs or opt for the private rooms located at the interior of the place.

Surfing and enjoying the the six-bed dorm room

Kitchen musical. Pardon my use of a catchy blurb but there's a reason why the dining room seems to be a focal point of the hostel. The area becomes a place to congregate and to know the other guests in the way backpackers are familiar with. Far removed from the formality of a hotel setting, the long table with its long benches become a venue for sharing stories and perhaps, creating new friendships. We got hosted to a Filipino-themed dinner (the laing or Taro Leaves stewed in coconut milk was particularly memorable) but the breakfast fare of pan de sal (local bread) and different variety of Filipino spreads such as coco jam (coconut jam) was a very inspired way of introducing foreign guests to Pinoy fare.

Chilling out. The sala with its comfy couches can be irresistible after a hearty dinner or maybe just to read or surf. There are also two personal computers for checking emails if the WiFi signal fluctuates in-room. The rooftop lounging area is not yet completed but climbing up for a look-see, we found that it offers a rather nice view of the Makati cityscape especially at night.

Individual storage cabinets

Clean T&Bs. Now, this comes as a real surprise -- the toilet and bath areas including the handwashing areas are very clean not just by hostel standards. No mildew, no spots, no scurrying insects. I really hope they keep it this way as the hostel matures (I read past reviews at TripAdvisor and the cleanliness is no doubt a reaction to past feedback).

Luggage storage and other really useful stuff. Now, one thing a backpacker can appreciate is being able to leave stuff for safekeeping so he/she can travel lighter across the country. I've seen it many times elsewhere and it's a delight to find it here. Another is the valuable info the staff shares with all its guests. There maybe volumes of guide books on the bookshelf but personally, I prefer the locals' knowledge of the place any day.

Other mention-worthy touches. The barefoot policy is good for keeping the rooms clean. Ditto the no-eating in the room rule (obviously, a lesson learned from the hostel's previous incarnations). The staff's personalized way of greeting and attending to every guest is commendable, really reflective of the Pinoy hospitality which I thought was overran by modernity but happily finds itself very much at home here. It's not usual nowadays to find Pinoys who are willing to go out of their way to help guests but the staff here seems genuinely interested in doing just that. I find a kinship with the owners as they share the idea that the best way to promote the Philippines is by opening them up to our kind of warmth and hospitality.

Wall of memories

Makati nightscape from the rooftop

Info: Location: Our Melting Pot is now located at 4/F Mavenue Building, 7844 Makati Avenue corner Guerrero Street, Makati City right across the A-venue, the location is very strategic, walking distance or a short jeepney ride to attractions such as the Ayala and Greenbelt Malls, banks, restaurants, etc. The building looks deserted but it won't stay that way for long as a McDonald's and call center are set to occupy the first three floors • Contact numbers: +639329500255 or +6326595443 • To book, visit this link.

Wild on good value? Try Wild Orchid in Angeles

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:39:00 +0000

Fit for the whole family

A rainshower, 42-inch LCD TV, free Wifi, and delicious local breakfast give most people to look this one up.

Location. At the fringe of the row of hotels, inns and lodges along A. Santos in Balibago, Angeles City. About 10-15 minutes away from the Clark Freeport Zone.

Rooms. The resort has 55 airconditioned luxury rooms. A typical family room (P5,200 or about US$121) has a balcony that overlooks the pool and can easily accommodate six to eight people. The room's toilet and bath is nicely fitted with a rainshower. There's a 42" LCD cable TV and DVD player.

Wide open spaces, a cozy couch and a dining table

Food. Order Filipino breakfast and chances are you won't be disappointed. My bangus (milkfish) was well seasoned and fried to a golden crisp, which is how I liked it. The brewed coffee was not bad. There are two maritime-themed halls -- one al fresco and the other, airconditioned.

Likes. Basic toiletries and medicines in the toilet and bath (all for sale, charged to the account of the guest) may come in hany when you don't feel like going out just to buy a few items. The staff were helpful. The resort has an in-house travel agency so you don't even have to leave the premises to arrange for tours and other travel needs. Each wing has its own pool so overcrowding seemsn not to be a problem even during peak season.

Twits. The newer wing, which houses the Lagoon rooms, is located at the back. It's a bit of a walk especially when you're lugging a heavy bag. There's free WifFi but the signal is too weak to surf in-room. There were minor snafus like a leaking airconditioner but thankfully, the service staff were prompt in attending to our complaints.

Rainshower adds a nice touch to the T&B

Comments. Good value for money. Even the basic deluxe room can easily accommodate three to four people. The hotel seems not to have scrimped on appliances. Our villa had a 5cu ft refrigerator instead of the usual mini-sized version.

Essentials. Room rates start at P3,900 for the deluxe room. The family lagoon balcony room is the most expensive at a reasonably-priced P5,400. Tel. +632 892.0138, 892.0316 • Visit www.wildorchidresort.com • How to get there: There are buses from Manila that pass through Angeles via the North Luzon Expressway NLEX) en route to destinations like Dagupan. Travel time: approximately one and a half hour.

Attribution: This post appeared as a room review article in the January 2012 issue of InFlight Magazine and as part of an assignment covering the attractions in Angeles, Pampanga. To read the article online, visit this link.

From one mountaineer to another, waxing poetic over mountains and why I hike them

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:15:00 +0000

On the trail to Mt. Arayat

Mountains are the means, the man is the end.

The goal is not to reach the tops of mountains, but to improve the man.

Walter Bonatti, Italian Climber

Oh it almost always happens before an assignment. I pack early willing myself to sleep ahead of my usual bedtime only to toss and turn until it's just an hour or two before it's time to leave. Our first order of the day was to interview and shoot mountaineer Nesty Zapanta for InFlight Magazine just as the sun was painting Mt. Arayat in Pampanga with warm hues of yellows, the dew just settling on the grass and setting off a sweet scent through the forest. What we didn't expect was that we actually had to hike midway to the mountain to get a magazine-worthy vantage point.

I was surprised that even if I was lugging my camera bag and netbook, I didn't mind the hike. In fact, I enjoyed the early morning wake-up exercise. Probing a mountaineer like Nesty, a rather stoical-type who works as sports coordinator at the Angeles City Municipio by day and climbs mountains during weekends with his buddies at the Angelenos Mountaineering Society (AMS), was admittedly, a harder task. I guess it is quite common among some mountaineers to keep quiet and let their feet do the talking. What I didn't expect was that interviewing a fellow mountaineer will make me mull over the reasons why I hike myself.

In Nesty's case, he heard the call of the mountains as an 11-year old. "Napaka-ironic kasi ako Bantay Kalikasan pero yung tatay ko dating hunter," (it's ironic because now I'm an advocate of Bantay Kalikasan, a nature protection group, but my father used to be a hunter) he says. An almost automatic query would be: what got you into climbing/hiking in the first place? "Para ma-test ko lang ang endurance ko," (To test my endurance) was his quick and terse reply. Hmmm, very pragmatic if simplistic response to an otherwise quixotic query that makes other people wonder why mountaineers even bother wasting calories and exposing themselves to muscle and joint pain in the process.

Arayat grassland

Since my magazine article called for quotes, I probed harder for the better part of an hour to coax Nesty to say something that would look good on paper but personally, wouldn't sound trite and contrived.   I guess this is part of the reason why I went into mountaineering later in life (my 30s) -- so I would be able to come into an interview like this and be able to relate to the topic rather well. No mountaineer worth his salt wouldn't have a tale of difficult, if not dangerous, climbs (never mind if it was outside Pampanga) so we strayed into that territory.

Nesty seems to recall their traverse of the Pinatubo Delta Trail 5 (not the easy-does-it "executive trail" popular nowadays) with animated vividness. "7am kami nagstart ng trek, umabot kami sa campsite ng 10pm... kasi unfamiliar yung environment. Akyat lang kami nang akyat, nasa edge na pala kami. Hindi pa kami ganon kaalam sa gear. Suot ko jeans lang na short, cotton na t-shirt, naka-tsinelas" (We started trekking at 7am and wound up in the campsite at 10pm... we were so unfamiliar with the environment. We just hiked and hiked not knowing at times we were at the edge. We also didn't know much about gear. I was wearing jeans-cum-shorts, cotton shirt and slippers.) Their planned two-day-hike turned into a three-day slugfest but by a stroke of luck, a driver of a loader truck found them and helped them get to Porac. Hearing this story, I can't help but look back to the trip one of my mountaineering groupmates took five years ago when Lady Luck seemed to have lost her way in the lahar crags, turning an otherwise recreational adventure weekend trip to one that claimed two lives. Some attribute it to the recklessness of youth; others, to the spirits of Sapang Uwak that occasionally harvest souls or in the vernacular, "nangunguha".   Whatever the real reason, it matters little now.

To conclude my interview, I pressed Nesty for a memorable quote or two on the reason reason why he climbs, my head filled with answers of my own. "I enjoy the challenge ng nature na minsan I have to go through certain obstacles and difficulties to get to the top... although there is danger, yung peace and quiet na nakukuha ko sa bundok nag-gi-give-way to appreciate my life more" (I enjoy nature's challenge that I have to go through certain obstacles and difficulties to get to the summit. Although there is danger, the peace and quiet helps me appreciate my life more).   In my head, the reasons why I hike mountains became crystal clear -- because not all paths have to be paved so you can hike them. Because not all places have to be filled with noise to appreciate them. Because not every sky need to be filled with things man-made to make it awe-inspiring. Because as climber Walter Bonatti said so sublimely, climbing mountains can be a life- and perspective-changing exercise.

Information: Nesty Zapanta works as a sports coordinator for the Angeles City local government and is a member of the Angeleños Mountaineering Society.   You can reach him via mobile 0905.9740416 or the AMS Family page on Facebook. • The AMS takes visitors up Mt. Arayat (P800 for a group of five) and through the Pinatubo Delta 5 Trail (P2,000 for a three-day hike for 5 pax inclusive of rapelling, guides) • I wasn't able to take pictures during the hike which is why I'm using images taken during an Arayat dayhike back in 2006. • Attribution: Quote of Walter Bonatti borrowed from the novel "Between a Rock and a Hard Place" by Aron Ralston, 2004, Atria, Simon & Schuster

A separate article entitled "Clark for Thrill-Seekers" appeared in the January 2012 issue of InFlight Magazine. Many thanks to the Angeleños Mountaineering Society for making this interview possible. To read the article in InFlight Magazine, click this link.

Racing on the well-beaten path: An interview with an off-roader

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:45:00 +0000

Getting down and dirty on the Clark Speedway dirt tracks

"Whatever the road smells of, that's how you'll smell. If a carabao used that mudhole you crossed to bathe himself, you'll smell exactly like that carabao."

Off-roader Jojo Javier offers this pragmatic advice to wannabe off-road racers who think the sport is all about fun and glam. Wearing my writer's hat for InFlight Magazine, part of my assignment was interviewing a curious mix of people from Clark, Pampanga who have adventure as their calling card. From drifting with lateral driving champion, Audel Sison, I met up with Jojo Javier on the tracks of Clark Speedway, deemed among the toughest in the country.

Curiously, Jojo's background isn't in motorsports but scuba diving, skydiving and practical shooting. He wanted a diversion that would take him outdoors so he bought his first 4x4 many years ago. But it would take a couple of years before the competitive bug bit. He recalls his first race, "muntik na akong umurong nang nakita ko yung race track kasi yung table top is around 15 feet" (I almost pulled out of the race when I saw the race track because the table top obstacle is 15 feet high). In a sport where guts seem to be the high-octane fuel that propel drivers to brave the races, does anything ever faze him? "Recently dun sa national dumptruck challenge, meron talagang tumataob nang paharap" (In the recent national dumptruck challenge, there were vehicles that overturn on their front end which is scary).

Jojo on top of his Suzuki Samurai

So what would any off-roader pray for before any race? He says "I was hoping na mabunot ko yung bandang una pero nung mag-i-istart pa lang kami, walang gustong mauna" (I was hoping to get drawn among the first racers but when the race was about to start, nobody wanted to be first). The apprehension is understandable since the track is freshly backhoe'd, the obstacles angled sharply like walls. The common cause of grief is what they term as the "wall of death" where going down almost 90 degrees is more treacherous than climbing up. Racing towards the end of the pack is no less hazardous. "Nung championship, second to the last ako, 19th runner, 7 o'clock in the evening. Umuulan, wala halos ilaw apart dun sa headlamps ko and a few flood lights. Hindi ko masiyado nakikita ang race track tapos madulas... dahil lamog na yung track." (During the championships, I was second to the last, the 19th runner, at 7 in the evening. I can hardly see the race track which is slippery... since it is already well-beaten). Jojo finished 5th in a field of 20.

While off-road racing is timed, it is also a race where experience, technical knowledge, familiarity with one's vehicle and cool-headedness come into play. "Kung alam mo na tama ang takbo and wala kang error, definitely mabilis ang time mo." (If you know your run is okay and you're not committing errors, your time will definitely be faster). He's not above being prudent and keeping his vehicle intact either, "I-pre-preserve ko yung sasakyan ko dahil maraming series of races yan" (I will preserve my vehicle because it's a long series of races, not just one).

Winching it above a well-beaten wall

Now a veteran of numerous off-road races, what goes in his head while behind the wheel? "When you're racing, wala kang ibang naririnig. Parang kabayo na may blinders. Nakikita mo lang yung dalawa mong crew, wala ka nang ibang focus, race na lang." (When you're racing, you can't hear anything much. You're like a horse with blinders. All you can see is your two crewmembers. All you can focus on is the race.) Spoken like a true off-road warrior.

Attributions: This post is derived from an interview conducted for a writing assignment for InFlight Magazine. All photos are my own. A separate article I authored entitled "Clark for Thrill-seekers" appeared in InFlight Magazine's January 2012 issue. Many thanks to InFlight Magazine and Audel Sison for making this interview and post possible. • InFlight Magazine is available onboard Seair flights and at selected retail outlets. • Jojo Javier is a past president of the Pampanga Off-Roaders. You can reach him via mobile number 0917.8877713 or email jojojvr@yahoo.com.

To read the article in InFlight Magazine, please click this link.

Lagalog celebrates 8

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:51:00 +0000

Balloon man along Ongpin on Chinese New Year 2012

If you asked me way back in 2004 what I would be doing in 2012, I really wouldn't have any clue. I wouldn't even know if I would still be writing, shooting and chronicling my travels online which in retrospect, is really a time-consuming endeavor. But thank God because here I am, still blogging and plugging away, even through career changes and mixed fortunes. Oh, every year is different and every year is no easier than the last one. Finding inspiration to keep on going doesn't get any easier but thankfully, the process can be cathartic, nay even reinvigorating to one's spirits. Yeah, there were times when I thought of just quitting but miraculously, circumstances just present themselves that allow me to go on. Besides, I enjoy sharing the insights and experiences, hoping that they will be of help to somebody else, taking comfort in the fact that this may be my little contribution to the world at large.

As I walked through Manila's Chinatown with friends celebrating with our Chinese and Chinoy brethren, allow me to take this opportunity to celebrate eight years of Lagalog.com and thank God, my family, all my friends, my travel buddies, all my readers and all who have, in one way or another, been a part of this site. God bless you all more than you can ever imagine.

Skidding up and down the speedway and Drifting to Jesus with Dr. Drift

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Dr. Drift burns rubber on the Clark Speedway

The bumper of his borrowed car had this sticker that read "Drift to Jesus." Strange that in a sport seemingly propelled by the need for breakneck speed and wayward egos, one driver found his mission to proselytize.

Wearing my writer's hat on assignment for InFlight magazine gave me a chance to get out of my usual comfort zone of visiting/documenting travel sites and a rare opportunity to ride with Audel Sison aka Dr. Drift, the 2011 Philippine Pro-Am Lateral Drifting champion. Part of the assignment was to actually drift with Audel and for someone whose driving speed max out in the 130s-140s, the experience was, pardon the cliche, a pure adrenaline rush. I rode with Audel to the far side of the Clark Speedway when he offered to drift with me right there on the uphill loop while waiting for our photo team to arrive. Wow, no time to get my head together but it was an offer too good to pass up.

Driving back with Audel to the starting line

He quickly got into 130 and initiated the first sideslip. Frankly, I didn't have time to get scared out of my wits or even time to think of anything much. I had no seatbelts on but that hardly mattered as I seem to have melded into the bucket seat. Time seemed to have slowed down and only Dr. Drift was moving in real time, looking serene nimbly steering while the tires squeal and burn, piercing the silence of the sunny afternoon.

"Drifting is like poetry in motion... it's controlling the uncontrollable."

A Dr. Drift quotable quote

I didn't expect Dr. Drift to be as adroit with words as he is with the steering wheel but Audel doesn't fit the brash, egoistic race driver stereotype. The original plan was to get his insights on drifting as a thrillseeker's sport. But the more I probed, the more interested I got in the backstory, in the person behind the persona.

Riding into the blazing sun

At 42, Audel isn't an overnight success. Far from it. He was into BMX, dirtbike, motocross, rallye and drag racing in his younger days. He copped second place in the first-ever drifting competition in the Philippines way back in 2006, riding a borrowed bone-stock Toyota Corolla. But after that, his racing career and life went into a tailspin. In 2006, he had an encounter with God. In 2007, he disappeared from the scene. In 2008, he got back riding on borrowed cars. In 2009, he rode against the pros -- something he called akin to "using a dagger against a sword." In 2010, he got sponsored by Fern-C riding their Mercedes Benz. He racked up second and third places here and there but never first. He thought, "it looks like God is trying to make sure I can handle winning. Before that (encounter with God), pag andun ako, gusto kong manalo because it's a bragging right. (When I was racing before, I want to win to gain bragging rights) Now, after winning, what do you do? Sabi ko (I said) I'll impart it."

It's not the first time I've heard of passion that runs so deep, it turns into a life-changing spiritual experience but hearing it firsthand from Dr. Drift makes it so affecting and so believable.

Smoking the track on an otherwise lazy afternoon

Audel credits the spiritual transformation for his calm and composure (and success) on the track. "If you're not ready for the adrenaline rush, it will take over. You should ride your adrenaline. You should be in control of it," he advises. "Yan ang sabi sakin ng mga judges in 2006 and 2008, ang galing mo Mr. Sison pero pag nanggigil ka, wala na... (that's what the judges told me in 2006 and 2008, 'you're good but when you get high on adrenaline, you falter)".

"Now, when I'm at the starting line, the challenge is how well

I can contain my adrenaline."

Another Dr. Drift quotable quote

Wise words to heed for aspiring drifters. It's something he imparts to his own students. Another Yoda-like nugget: "It should come to a point in your maturity as a driver (when) you and the car become one. Every movement, every nudge, alam mo kung saan pupunta, ano ang kailangang dagdagan-bawasan (you know where the car is going, what you need to adjust whether to increase or decrease)".

One thing I've discovered that surprised me is how safe the sport is. And I thought that the "Drift to Jesus" bumper sticker is really double-entendre to also mean "this sports gets you so close to the edge you'd likely call on our Creator." "Naka-case and naka-wrapped ka, (you're encased and wrapped all around). The car is really rigid in case of collision. And may 4-point seatbelts." But his most reassuring words? "When you ride with the pros, they know what they're doing." Seeing firsthand how he calm and collected he was while drifting, I believe him.

Recommended link: I've asked Audel to describe drifting in his own words but I guess nothing beats seeing him in action to get a feel of the action. Watch him here.

Author's Note and Attributions: This post is derived from an interview for a writing assignment for InFlight Magazine. All photos are my own. A separate article I authored entitled "Clark for Thrill-seekers" appeared in InFlight Magazine's January 2012 issue. Many thanks to InFlight Magazine and Dr. Drift's team especially Jay Ribu for making this interview and post possible. • InFlight Magazine is available onboard Seair flights and at selected retail outlets. • For inquiries on drifting classes, email Audel at autocraft_drift_team@yahoo.com or call 0927-6018133/0922-4254900 or visit Autocraft Drift on Facebook.

To read the article in InFlight Magazine, please click this link.

Backpack Photography Batanes 3-Island Hop: An Invite to see and experience Batan, Sabtang and Itbayat in one trip

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:41:00 +0000

Even the rear-view mirror scene is breathtaking

The first time I ventured to Batanes, I didn't expect I would come back again and again. Early on in my wanderings, I set an ambitious (read: maybe unrealistic) goal of visiting all 7,107 islands (or whichever is large enough to set foot on, anyway) of the Philippines. I also didn't account for the fact that there are some places which I would return to time and again maybe because I fell for the place's charm, its people, or both. Personally, Batanes falls under the category of charming place and charming people.

But it would take many trips for me to explore the places of this northernmost island group of the Philippines, like many layers revealing themselves slowly. Part of it is due to circumstance and the fickle weather -- I've been privileged to visit Batanes at the height of summer when it is sweltering hot but the trade-off is that the skies are blue, the air clear, the vistas postcard pretty. I've seen a stormy Batanes when the wind howls through the trees and the surf thunders home to shore with increasing height and intensity. I've also been there during what they call the 'Batanes winter' when the cold winds from China blow thru the islands and it gets really chilly especially during the evenings.

A view of Nakabuang Beach from a hill

Circling Batan. On my first visit way back, I covered most of the places in Batan either on foot or a tricycle. I vividly remember how our tricycle can hardly climb the steep interior road leading to the Mahatao lighthouse, with I having to walk most of the way lest the whole thing slide all the way downhill. Circling Batan through the coastal ring road, the wind blew relentlessly on our small vehicle even as each bend reveal jaw-dropping sceneries. I walked through what they call 'Marlboro country,' 'sunrised' in Chanarian and 'sunsetted' at the view deck, chased goats on Imnajbu, posed with cows on Viang as well as explored charming churches from Ivana to Uyugan.

Crossing to Sabtang. Sabtang Island is just a 45-minute boat ride from Ivana port on Batan. But it would take a third visit for me to set foot there as the fickle weather on my second visit made me heed the wisdom of the local fishermen not to go out to sea. The spread of the island is visible from Basco and for sometime, my mind wondered what lies over there. My personal impression of Sabtang is a simpler but no less beautiful version of Batan, with less people and more rolling terrain and dramatic seascapes. The stone houses of Savidug are a throwback to simpler times. The beach at Nakabuang is raw, inviting and beautiful.

Itbayat Sta. Maria Church

Itbayat Calling. Itbayat is another story altogether. This northernmost inhabited island is some 4-5 hours boat ride from Batan and for years, I've always wondered what this huge corral of an island looks like and also speculated how to endure the trip after hearing stories of how the temperamental sea can wreak havoc on the strongest of stomachs. Through a twist of fate, I was able to finally step on this island on my fourth visit to Batanes. In my mind, I can still see the wonderful spread of green hemmed by a rugged coastline and framed by a deep blue sea and light blue sky. In Raele, there were vernacular houses made with grass, enduring abodes that preceded the iconic stone houses which were inspired by the Spaniards. Come evening, the power goes off at midnight as a wonderful silence settles on the landscape, the blanket of darkness disrupted only by the stars. Tucked under a mosquitero (mosquito net), you may just yet meet the sandman while counting fireflies in the dark. The vibe is even more laidback than in Sabtang and even lacking the usual creature comforts, I felt right at home there.

Come island-hop with Backpack Photography. While I experienced Batanes in what seems to be installments, we at Backpack Photography want our participants to be able to see all three islands in one-go. Combining our love for exploring with capturing a sense of place, we invite you to see, experience and shoot Batan, Sabtang and Itbayat this April 2-8. The itinerary is for photographers and enthusiasts who will be willing to trade a few hours of sleep for a chance to bring home keepers from Batanes. To register or for more details, please visit this link or email backpackphoto@gmail.com • See our previous Batanes workshop here.

Books in the time of Kindle

noreply@blogger.com (Oggie Ramos) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:38:00 +0000

Pardon the phrasing of the title patterned after my favorite Gabriel Garcia Marquez book. But first, my disclaimers. I'm not scholarly, just a book lover from my youth. Secondly, I'm not technology-averse or gadget-challenged (in fact, I'm excited about the new Kindle), just a person deeply in love with physical books. And thirdly, I keep hundreds of books and magazines, 95% of which were procured from Booksale and other second-hand bookstores. You can say I'm a huge Booksale fan so much so that I can spend the whole afternoon there and that I inevitably visit the Booksale outlet in every place I visit that has them.

With the proliferation of e-books and e-book readers like Kindle and the iPad, I've noticed the alarming shrinking of National Bookstore outlets (my second favorite book place), even Powerbooks. I wonder if Booksale and other pre-owned books stores will suffer the same fate. I really hope not.

Oh, pre-owned books are of of life's simplest pleasures. Browsing one, I wonder how many miles it traveled to get into my hands; how many lives it touched; how many times it changed hands; how it brought a new understanding to people who've come to possess it, albeit temporarily. I also am inclined to thinking why the person who previously owned it, never felt the compulsion to keep it although I guess that's what books are supposed to be for -- for sharing and enriching so many other minds.

As I read my new pre-owned book "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, on the heels of my first book read for 2012, Yan Martel's "The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccatios" (both acquired at princely sums of P115 or just $2.67 each), I ponder on Booksale's future. As I take stock of the many books I have on my shelves (and in the recesses of my brain) -- by Paul Theroux, Michael Crichton, Jon Krakauer, C.S. Lewis, Anne Tyler, Amy Tan, Tom Clancy, just to name a few of my favorite authors -- I thank God for Booksale. I may await the arrival of the new feature-rich Kindle and be amazed by news that there is already a second-hand e-book trading store online but I think, I pray, I hope, I'll never outgrow my love for physical books.