Places I've Been To
- Davao City - does this count as a place I've been to e I was born here? But being away from it for more than a decade now (yes, since college), I guess I've become more of a visitor to my own hometown. Sad, I know, but homecomings during Christmas season (for a max of 2 weeks *boo!* has me scrounging for all the changes that have occured for the past year. When I was in college or while teaching in UP, I was still able to go home during summer or sembreak. But ever since I started working in the so-called "True World", I've only been able to go home during Christmas...Hayyy...I miss Davao.
- Baguio City - the first time our family went out of town was when they sent me off to college, Summer of '96. While everyone was here, of course, we just had to take that trip to Baguio :) Of course, we had the quintessential Mines View Park pics, and those wherein you sit on the donkey (was that a donkey?) and take a picture? We had a lot of pics to reminisce that trip and my bros were really so young then (I was still the tallest)...
- Laguna - had so many trips to Laguna already (insert "Does Laguna count?" here)... Los Banos (UPLB), Calamba, San Pedro (are you kidding? that's just one jeepney ride away from where we live now), and that road trip we had that started with mami at San Pablo then Liliw (for the tsinelas) and all the way to Caliraya Lake...ahh those were the days...
- Tacloban, Leyte (1999) - this was my first time to attend a conference - Physics, that is. It was also my first time to present our paper to other Physicists (imagine how my knees were shaking then). As far as I remember, it was also my first trip outside Luzon with A (and his first time to ride a plane hehe). We were able to visit the Sto. Nino shrine (oohh the vanity of Imelda), see and cross San Juanico Bridge (the longest bridge in the Phils. accdg to my elementary Araling Panlipunan class), eat moron (a delicacy they have) and seafoods.
- Samar (1999) - because we crossed the San Juanico Bridge, that's about it. Hahaha.
- Puerto Princesa, Palawan (2000) - ah the next site for our annual Physics conference (see geekiness does have its rewards). It was my first time to board a ship, which left me with sudden needs to hold walls to keep myself steady days after we've returned to Manila, and see nothing but ocean for hours. I was also blessed enough to see the wonder of the World Heritage site which is the Underground River, go island hopping/snorkeling and see the wonderful corals and fishes. And of course, devour a lot of seafood :P Oh, I also presented another paper in this conference :)
- Naga City, Camarines Sur (2002) - last SPP (Samahang Pisika ng Pilipinas) that I was able to attend. This time it was the majestic Mayon volcano that we were priviledged to behold. We were also able to see the Cagsawa ruins, and that old old church with the humongous buttress (my bad, I forgot the name). And of course, the laing, gigantic crabs and prawns from a batchmate's fishpond - yummy!
- Borlange, Sweden (Aug 2003-June 2004) - this was my first time to go out of the Philippines and needless to say, I was scared during the whole Manila-Bangkok-Frankfurt-Stockholm transfers. Not to mention the train ride (where I had to buy my own ticket!) from Stockholm to Borlange. I would always have fond memories of Sweden as I spent 10 months of my life there - away from my family, friends and A. It was the epitome of independence for me, I've always been trained (or brought by circumstance?) to be independent - proof of this: no yaya since pre-school, went to Manila during college... you can say na sanay na akong malayo sa pamilya ko but that stay in Sweden, it was bittersweet (for lack of any other words to say). I do hope to go back someday (and visit more of Europe hahaha...wishlist).
- Cavite - the first time I've been to Cavite was when A & I were still in the younger stages of our relationship and their high school barkada had a get-together in their friend's house in Kawit. Next time was when my parents were here in Manila for my college graduation and we visited my tito who lives in Silang. And now, I'm in Cavite during weekdays as our office is located in Gen. Trias. Have also been to Rosario for A's pamangkin's christening.
- Tagaytay - since our office is located in Cavite, several lunch-outs/team building activities have been spent in Tagaytay, not to mention that my tito lives there. Tagaytay would always evoke memories of free food (haha), Sonia's garden, Mushroom burger, cool breeze and Taal volcano. Tsaka yung mini-zoo pala nila which we visited when my family/titas/cousin were here for our wedding
- Japan (ca. 2004-2005) - the second country that I've visited. If Sweden was due to studies, Japan was due to work. I was able to visit it 3 times (earning me a multiple entry visa until 2010, oooh how I wish I had the money to travel there!), all for business purposes. It was my first time to stay in a hotel with a lobby on the 15th floor (my room was on the 27th). I was able to ride a bullet train (where I was mistaken for a Japanese - get this, a Middle Eastern guy addressed me in Japanese kasi akala nya Hapon ako. Buti pa sya marunong mag-Niponggo haha), drink sake, eat at a crab restaurant (as in literally from appetizer to dessert, everything had clam in it), behold the majesty of Mt. Fiji (from afar nga lang), practice my chopstick skills :P, experience Tokyo station during peak hours, see the Imperial Palace (sayang nga lang di kami nakapasok kahit sa garden)...dami pa. Shopping was not in mind as everything was so expensive), imagine, a pair of shoes for 26000 yen! I was only able to buy some pasalubong and stuff from the 100 yen shops and the 2 flea market/change of season sales I was fortunate to shop in. Had great memories of Japan as well...
- Tayabas and Lucena, Quezon (May 2005) - A's paternal grandfather is from Tayabas and my in-laws occasionally go home to see to their property there. Last 2005, we went with them during the Pahiyas Festival and saw live (haha parang TV) the creativity and hard work that our kababayans put into the preparation of their displays. We were also able to go up the grotto wherein you pass by the 14 Stations of the Cross before reaching it. We were also able to meet some of A's paternal relatives, eat budin (cassava cake), kiping (I was really curious how this tastes like - it was like kropek but less salty), pancit habhab and buy broas, longganisa and puto seko for pasalubong. We also ate at a restaurant with floating huts on a fishpond...
- Singapore (Aug 2005) - this is another memorable one, syempre, it was my first time to travel abroad with A. He was sent by his company to attend a conference and I decided to go with him. We visited their Night Safari, Jurong Bird Park, Singapore Zoo, went to Sentosa and saw the Merlion and the Esplanade during our walk along Clark Quay. With A&I, food would not be far from our agenda (haha), we had their spicy crab, the hawkers' fares (grilled pagi, barbecue with different sauces, spicy chicken wings, etc etc etc). Since we stayed at Orchard Hotel, we were able to go window shopping at the different boutiques and shops along Orchard Road and even braved the Mustafa area for the cheaper pasalubongs, and of course, Lucky Plaza where our kababayans are.
- Puerto Galera (2005) - went with A on their company outing. Finally, we were able to see PG...when we were in college a lot of our orgmates went to PG but we never got to join them (ehem no money)...we didn't get a tan though because we went swimming only at 4PM hehehe...
- Shanghai, China (Oct 2006) - again this was a business trip/training for my new company. This was a short trip because we were there for only 5 days. Went looking for those shops who sell...tadaahh...knock offs but we were told that they were transferred to another site already :( We just went around Shanghai (which was mostly skyscrapers) and saw the Shanghai Tower which was also a TV station...
- Bohol (Feb 2007) - I believe I've blogged about this already...went here for our honeymoon
- Iloilo City (Apr 2007) - we've basically just landed here and went looking for food and saw their pier going to Guimaras...would love to go back one day and see the other places worth visiting here.
- Guimaras (Apr 2007) - see previous blog
- Bacolod, Negros Occidental (Apr 2007) - see previous blog
Places I Want To Visit
- Camiguin - for the natural wonders
- Ilocos - for the history
- Sagada - A&I have always wanted to go there, but never been able to. Wala kasing kasama...
- Boracay - just for the heck of it and see if it's really what they say it is or it's just overrated :P
- Subic - for their Zoobic Adventure and the Sea World (?)
- Thailand - I want to see the temples...old civilization...the wonder of cosmetic medicine? hehe...of course, shop :P maganda rin kaya ang beach dun? I'd like to compare it with ours...
- Hongkong - Disneyland? The great sale - August daw ito
- Malaysia - Petronas towers? Their food?
- Australia - Kuya Abet's there...
- Europe - yes, the continent!
Hmm what else? I'm sure I've forgotten something somewhere, I'll do constant updating on this though :) Reminiscing about those places I've been to was a great jog for my memory (that's getting duller, I've noticed) and made me realize how blessed I've been to be able to travel this much! :) Hopefully I'd get to see those on my Places I Want to Visit list...
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