Wet and Gay at PUERTO GALERA!

Puerto Galera has been reputed as the "IT" destination during the Holy Week among gay men. Just take a bus (from Manila) going to Batangas port at this time of the year, you will immediately notice a good number of gay men (from the straight-acting ones to the effeminates) all going to ONE destination -- Puerto Gaylera!

I don't have any historical reference yet how this trend started. I only caught up with the trend in 2007, when a friend invited me to experience PG during Holy Week. For a change, why not?

And it was total chaos indeed! There were just too many people... mixed crowd, but predominantly gays. It was fun though...

The shores of the White Beach can be busy with boats arriving,

thus making swimming quite risky. The waters are also "cantilado"

which means, it can get instantly deep just a few feet from the shore.

There are more "peaceful" beaches though, at the other side

of the shore. Less people come here and practically no boats at all!

The mountains at the back are always covered with thick

clouds... I always notice that.

There are some surprises PG is offering for the inquisitive travelers...

At the farthest end of the shore (you must take a tricycle to get there...

that's how far it is) can be found the BEST ITALIAN restaurant in the area.

The place gets really crowded especially in the afternoon...

Most who come here are foreigners and families.

LUCA'S offers the best and the most authentic Italian dishes prepared

by no other than ... LUCA! He's an Italian guy who settled in the

island and established this restaurant...

Food servings are really big... and the prices are very affordable!

When we ate here, though, we just finished island hopping

and swimming, and my tired body needed all the carbs it lost

during the strenuous activities... ergo, I was able to finish

this plate of pasta! hahaha...

White Beach can be boring during the day.. So, it's better to

rent a boat like this one and explore the other islands...

Go snorkeling at the Coral Garden... It's a must!

After all the partying, this is White Beach at the break of dawn...

with the inebriated crowd...

Going to Puerto Galera every year could become a trite

experience. But what makes us come back year after year

are the opportunity to meet new friends or simply seeing

and catching up with long lost buddies...

Alright, here are my SUNSET SHOTS... No beach holiday is ever complete without one, noh? hehehe

CORREGIDOR: A Tour Back in Time

This is my third time visiting the historic island of Corregidor. I am always fascinated with its history and mystery.

Every visit is special and memorable. My first one was back in 2004... It was my first assignment for the reality show Extra Challenge on GMA Network. We were asked to do an ocular inspection in the island and see what interesting "challenges" we can actually do there. Together with a senior producer, we went to Bataan and took a small boat going to the island. The boat was really small... not the typical ones you ride going to Puerto Galera from Batangas port. We were only 3 in the boat - me, the other producer and the boatman. We can't move that much, because we might capsize. Anyway, thank God, we reached the island safely... and got back to the mainland dry and safe.

The second one was the shoot itself. We went there during the evening and challenged our celebrity contestants to visit the ruins of a hospital which was said to be haunted with troubled spirits. The whole crew was on standby outside... and the challengers bravely entered the premises of the ruins with only a camera mounted on their head and a small flashlight. Mind you, it was pretty scary... but fun! Yes, one of the guests confessed hearing voices and seeing strange things inside, thus she ran outside very scared.

The dome of the Heroes' Memorial. There's a time of the year

when the lightshines directly on the sacred table inside the dome...

The lighthouse which continues to guide the ships,

fishermen et al entering Manila Bay

The cinema - my favorite spot in the island. Probably the only place

where our heroes were happiest that time -- seeing their favorite

stars on screen or simply being with their dates.

Get inside... and imagine the fear our heroes felt when

the island was bombed incessantly by the Japanese forces...

The last time I went there was last year (2009) for another shoot (Dare Duo, QTV). This turned out to be more fun and relaxed. We just documented the typical day tour in the island, with some spiels and activities for the hosts and guests. I learned more about the island this time. And the travel was more convenient. We took the ferry at the CCP Complex together with the number of tourists (mostly balik-bayans and foreigners - Americans and Japanese). The ferry was very convenient... airconditioned and sailed smoothly. We also spent the night there... and contrary to popular belief, the island isn't scary at all! In fact, it's so peaceful and lovely out there - day or night. The stars are so visible, scattered like gems in the dark skies...

You may take the ferry at the CCP Complex (beside the Harbor Square).

Travel time is approx. 45 mins. You may contact Sun Cruises Inc. (Tel: 02-527 5555) for details

The hospital ruins. Some tourists (the intrepid backpackers) spend the night here.

If you refuse to visit the island for a simple reason that there could ghosts or other elements out there, you are missing a lot!!! You are denying yourself of knowing your history and of visiting a lovely and awesome place...

I must say that every Filipino who loves to travel should consider this in their list of places to go.

(By the way, Corregidor is not part of Bataan... It's still under the jurisdiction of the province of Cavite).

It's not a sin to give your tired body some rest...
in a place where time passes by so slowly...
where people don't rush to meet a deadline...
where afternoons are spent in a hammock

as your eyes are blinded by the sun's mighty rays
you simply fall asleep, beguiled by the lullabye singing in your head...

ahhhh... summer is just around the corner.

ONDOY: What Happens Now?

We were all caught by surprise on that fateful Saturday afternoon. Some of us went to work, while others stayed in bed longer - after all, it's a weekend. Some, however, were already cautious of the nonstop rain that might cause flooding, especially in low lying areas. But, what transpired on midday was beyond our imagination, almost a hyper-reality. It was something that most of us could only see in a Hollywood film, but this time, it was real... and it was here.

Philcoa

A view from my bedroom window. I didn't expect this at all!

We are still in a state of shock, of disbelief. Television images and personal videos and photos posted online are more than enough to stimulate pity, grief, and on the brighter side, heroism among us. We are in the mood of extending our hands, of volunteering to help others. And when the waters finally subside, most of us might just go on with our lives...

This should not happen for there are surely people who are accountable for this tragedy.

Why weren't we informed that this tropical storm carries with it massive amounts of rain? Why were the people who live near the rivers not informed about the releasing of waters from the nearby dams? Why is Marikina City so ill-equipped with this disaster knowing that it is so prone with this kind of flooding? Have they forgotten the great flood which recently happened that swept off most of the "tiangges" or the Christmas bazaar at the riverbanks? I remember it vividly!

Each of us may have our own questions why this happened. We have to demand answers. Perhaps, in next year's elections, we must not forget to ask the candidates about their platforms for the environment (others are suggesting that we must also take Population Control seriously as well). This has been ignored most of the time, but we must really, really take this seriously now.

Well, elections are still several months away. In the meantime, we must act on our own to help Mother Nature and in a way, prevent this massive destruction to ever happen again:

Maybe supermarkets should start imposing a "Plastic Bags For Sale" (on a hefty price) so that everyone will be compelled to bring their own recyclable bags when doing groceries.

Every school should have a Tree Planting field trips instead of going to the Mall of Asia.

Cars with only one person (the driver) should not be allowed to travel - at least on major routes.

Offices should only buy and use recycled papers.

Fastfood chains should stop using styros for take-out orders. If they can't, don't eat or order there at all. Stop patronizing these establishments which continue to pollute our environment. They even make us FAT!!! Eat fruits, instead!

Don't live near a river. That's elementary Geography. Rivers swell ... it's a fact of nature. Otherwise, take the risk.


Our nature is now slowly taking charge of her territory. Sooner or later, another disaster will happen. The same problems will occur, the same questions will be left unanswered. That's the cycle of our fate. Clearly, and maybe, unfortunately ... WE ARE NOT THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE.

AN ARTSY TOUR

Manila never fails to amaze me. I know it still has a lot of places to discover and explore.

It was only recently that I got the chance to re-visit the Museum of the Filipino People and the National Museum. I thought they were still dark and gloomy inside, with that distinct smell of history permeating permanently in your nose, in your clothes, in your body. But I was wrong.

Happily, these museums have been renovated and "modernized". The lighting system have been upgraded, as well as the airconditioning. They are also well-maintained by the staff, who make sure that cleanliness is impeccable and systems are in place.

who needs an elevator if you have this

beautiful staircase?

Visiting these museums are no doubt a great alternative from the usual hangout places we normally go to. It gives us a sense of appreciation for our culture and history. Take time to read the captions, and try to do more research when you get home to truly appreciate and understand what the artifacts, the artworks are all about.

According to John Silva, the museum's Senior Consultant, Jose Rizal became a renaissance man that he has become because of his regular visits in the world's biggest museums and libraries in Europe. There, he learned a lot of things that sparked more yearning for learning and of course, critical thinking.

The main attraction - The Spoliarium (Juan Luna)

I know this won't be the last of my visits in our country's museums. I am now eyeing to visit the Ayala Museum, the Metropolitan in BSP, etc. this coming days. Seeing the works of great people and our ancestors stimulates my mind... my curiosity, and most of all, aggrandize my sense and concept of beauty.

as John Silva puts it, this is an oasis in the city

HAIKU ko

past Haikus written out of inspiration and boredom:

the sound of the sea

bathed in the sparkling moonlight

calmly caress me

(4/7/07)

my elusive love

unreachable as the moon

glowing up above

(8/01/06)

The Downside of Facebooking

I have been quite busy with Facebook lately. Nope, I don't play games. I just find it tiresome maintaining several sites (FB, Multiply, Blogspot, Twitter, etc). In short, I only concentrated on Facebook, almost forgetting that I have this blogspot to update.

I have a lot to do! May I find time to post all my travels lately (Palawan, Bicol, etc.)

No, I must find time :-)