Ilocos you're worth it!

For those who don’t know Ilocos, it's in the north of the Philippines. If you put your 4 fingers together, you will be forming the shape of the province.

The province is cut into 2, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. The capital Laoag is located in Ilocos Norte and further up north is Pagudpud.

This is a long stretch of white beach that is like Boracay sans the noise and party. Pagudpud is the place where you bring a loved one to spend quality time together.

This is what they claim to be the sinking bell tower,

but actually, it’s more like a rising street level.

In Ilocos Norte is where you will see the Bangui Windmills and the lighthouse, Cape Bojeador. I do not want to flood the beauty of these places with words so I’d rather put photos of them to show you.

A beautiful old structure of bell tower looking over everything


Being at Bangui was so surreal; the place full of windmills didn’t look like it was in the Philippines, it was odd. It was a long stretch of beach that has nothing else but windmills in it (and a boat, lol). They say that the beach is actually a reef and it drops down to nothingness after a few feet from the shore (the thought sends shivers down my spine).

Vigan, is located in Ilocos Sur, and Vigan is one of our UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is a street called Calle Crisologo. The city of Vigan was miraculously protected from bombings 2 times during the war, therefore it was so well preserved and you will see what Manila’s Intramuros would’ve looked like, but maybe better.
It’s difficult not to be engrossed with your camera in Vigan because it’s just beautiful. They say it’s enough to spend a day in Vigan because it’s relatively small, but I disagree; for a person to fully take in a place this nice should be given more than a day to absorb it all! Every shot is beautiful, whatever you shoot is art because architectures around it IS art.


The place was kept very clean and the rest of the new places around it were also built as if it were from the same era.

Ilocos is also a place known for its weaving, the bed sheet covers and such are ridiculously cheap and if it were not for the 15kg limit for domestic flights, I would’ve bought a lot. Those who are obsessed with the bed and freaking beyond haha, this place is grrreat! We actually went to the weaver’s place and met this weaving grandmother who was not wearing any glasses, she said she has 20/20 vision and has been weaving for a few decades now.

Whenever I travel, I get a knack of trying out new things, even the simplest things, trying out just triples the fun for me, for instance, I tried weaving.

I even tried making my own Vigan empanada! Oh, I only got this photo of me eating it! hehe

For those history freaks out there, people who like to buy weaving of native fabrics, for those who loves to eat; this is indeed the province for you. The people are so nice that they take it as an insult if you don’t eat their food! But then again, living in a country where we eat at least 5x a day, I guess the rest of the Philippines is like that too! haha

A Life Well-Lived - Cory Aquino

I have to admit that the death of former Pres. Cory Aquino didn’t strike me right away. I wasn’t as affected as the others, I guess I was young when she was around, if anything, I only remember the brownouts during her time but nothing else; I did not know what kind of president she was.



A few days after her death, I regret not being part of her funeral, it could’ve been a really momentous event that I can say when I’m old that I was part of, but oh well. Anyway, I listened to the radio to the speech of her daughter, famous actress, Kris Aquino; I asked all our employees to wear yellow on her funeral day, and read the newspaper/ internet of people writing about nothing but praises for her.

With all that I have read for the past few days, all that I’ve seen and heard about her, I realized that it is possible to have a president that has dignity and not be blinded by temptations.

As I read, they said that Pres. Cory was the only one who became president by fate and not by ambition, and it’s so true. She is just one amazing woman who has strong faith in God and was just called upon to serve her country. She also advised Kris Aquino that if ever she decides to get into politics that she has to make sure that she first becomes a simple person, someone who does not require branded items etc, just like her; especially that she is a Cojuanco, a prominent family, could easily afford whatever she wanted but she was as simple as a woman can be. Today, in the newspaper, they said during her presidency, some of the people wanted to name Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, her husband, as one of the National Heroes but she said not to do it during her presidency, and even if they try passing a nomination, she would veto it! She is indeed a person with principles.

Her death has sparked a flame in Filipino people’s hearts; part of the heart that has gone numb with all the abuses of the current administration. I think somewhere in the past decade people were “stupefied” (borrowing a term from Harry Potter), and has forgotten that we DO live in a democratic country, and somehow her death has become a potion that has awakened us up. I hear fierce comments about the Arroyo here and there, even fiercer jokes about her death (or at least people’s wish for her death*). Cory’s death reminded us again why her husband gave up his life... to stand up to people who abuse their powers.

Cory’s funeral- AMAZING PHOTOS by Fung Yu: http://lifeonthespot.com/blog/images/cory_aquino1.jpg

The Central Bank of the Philippines or BSP is going to add her image into the P500 bill beside her husband. She has lived an amazing life, a life that is praise-worthy and people just can’t stop glorifying her name. She definitely had a life that is so admirable that her death has awakened the whole nation. Hindi ka nag-iisa, Tita Cory! (You are not alone, Cory!)

*Jokes received from text messages:

• At the funeral of Cory Aquino, a guy asked: there are so much people!!! do you think if Arroyo dies, there would be as much people to come and see her?
Another guy answered: OF COURSE! There would probably more people who will come see her to make sure she’s really dead.

• A 21 gun salute will also be given to Gloria Arroyo once she dies, but all guns will be aimed at her casket to make sure she stays dead.

• a "mistake" printed in the newspaper? (See coffin of Pres. ARROYO)

how Couchsurfing changed me

What I love about Couchsurfing is how it mixes up my life in colourful ways that I cannot imagine. It opened up so many windows for me and made me view the world in a totally different light. The world indeed is smaller than you think. Everything seems to be reachable and not as intimidating as you think it'd be.

For those who don’t know what Couchsurfing is, well, it is an online community of backpackers where you get to “surf” or stay in each other’s couches (not mutually exclusive); but essentially you get to travel and meet locals and go to places that tourists don’t know about; because travelling isn’t only about hotel rooms and tourist spots, it is the people you meet along the way that makes it even more special. Well, Couchsurfing makes you do that.

I think Couchsurfing is a tool for you to meet the people you never would have able to meet anywhere else. It’s like a portal and I guess if destiny permits then you meet. I am a big believer of destiny, not just on love, but also in friendships. I have made good friends from Couchsurfing.

Couchsurfing literally changed my life and I think it is the best thing that’s ever happened to travelling since cheap flights!


PS. Again, this is not a paid advertisment this is just my personal testimony. Couchsurfing is also a non-profit organization

Just Because It's Saturday!

My friend Shasha organized a just-because-it’s-Saturday party at Linden Suites in Ortigas last Saturday. I came early, just in time to help her organize the food and hog the Wii Rock Band drum set. Lol. Apparently, there were only 8 of us who were coming and yet the food was good for 20.

Party isn’t a party until there is alcohol, so Kelly, her husband, and I went down to the convenience store to buy a thousand pesos worth of drinks. The night was fun with all silliness and catching up.

At around 10, drinking started to get heavier and Kelly said he has a card game prepared. It was a drinking game! I love drinking games! It’s fun to be silly and blame it on the alcohol.

I want to share how ridiculously funny the game is and how we played it:

So you get a deck of cards, lay it on a table wrong side up of course. Then everyone gets a turn to pick a card in random, and each card has a corresponding consequence or rule.

A – I’ve never card
You have to finish the sentence “I’ve never” example, I’ve never been drunk before. So all those who’s been drunk before needs to take a shot! So when I got the card, I intentionally wanted 2 of the married guys to drink, so I said, “I’ve never asked anyone to marry me before!” hahaha

2 – 2 shot card
You should down a shot and give the other one to whomever you want.

3 – 3 shot card
You should down a shot and give the other two to whomever you want.

4 – Category Game
The person who got the card can start a Category and each person in the game has to say a word related to it. Say, Jeans! Levis, Guess, 7, and the person who can’t think of anything within 5 seconds has to drink.

5 – Moose card
Everyone has to put their thumb at their temple and wave all other 4 fingers, like so...



the last one to do this has to drink a shot, of course.

6 – Shut up Card
One has to shut up in the duration of the game until the next 6 card is drawn! Haha. A sound is equivalent to a shot.

7 – 7 and divisible by 7 card
The game starts at 1 and goes around, but anyone who says any number with the number 7 or is divisible by 7 has to drink a shot. The next time another 7 card is drawn, pick up where you left off. Stupid mistake I made, at 69, I knew 70 was divisible by 7 and so I shouted loud and proud “71!” HAHAHA

8 – Mixed-drink card
Whoever gets this card has to drink whatever concoction their friends will mix for them, in Cheche’s case, I mixed beer, gin, peanuts, and avocado shake! Gross!

9 – Slave Card
You get to choose whomever you want to turn into your slave until the next 9 card is drawn. Get you a glass of water or whatever you please, master!

10 – Storytelling game
Each person has to say 1 word to start a story, the next one has to repeat the 1st word and add another one: Once, Once upon, Once upon a, Once upon a time... so on and so forth. Whoever forgets a word or adds more than 1 word to the story, has to drink a shot!

J – Reverse I’ve never card
Same rules but if I say, “I’ve never been drunk before,” then those who’s never been drunk before has to drink. LOL

Q – Toilet Pass
This is the only time you can go to the toilet.

K – Rule Card
You can make whatever rule you want in the game. Neil made us dance the whole time we were playing. We were only allowed to stop until someone else draws a King card and make a new rule.



Try this at any party and for sure it will be a hit!

Angel of Fashion

You know how sometimes you wake up in the morning you pick up the jeans from yesterday and just put on a tshirt and go or sometimes you look in the mirror and you change your top at least 5 times and change your bottom at least 2 times but you still end up hating what you’re wearing; but sometimes you wake up and you automatically know what you’re gonna wear. You walk into your closet pick out the top, pick out the bottom and they just...match! then you know just the shoes to wear with it, the right bag that goes with it and the accessories to accentuate it.

I woke up today and I felt that. I felt the presence of the Angel of Fashion (AOF). The AOF is like the tooth fairy. She’s not your typical fairy either. She doesn’t wear those ball gowns with her hair up. She doesn’t look the same to everyone. The AOF looks like you, she is you but in fashionable clothes. You can imagine her floating beside you leading you to your closet and making you pick out the right clothes.



After shower, I walked to my closet picked out this black blouse I haven’t wore in a long time, these shorts I’ve had for the longest time but never wore (because I don’t know what to match with it). They just looked right together, and I chose the right shoes, bags and necklace! It was so easy! It doesn't follow that if you work in the fashion business that the AOF will come to you naturally. Oh no.

Now that I look so fabulous, I feel like I owe my outfit a night out. So I have been texting left and right asking friends if they wanna hang out tonight and before 10 o’clock in the morning I have been turned down 3x. Haha. But I will not give up, it is my responsibility, it is my duty to show people my clothes.

For those who will see me tonight, Congratulations! hahaha