Up Up and Away

I spent a "weekend of everything that flies..." I actually loved every moment of it. And like all things flying, all is fleeting, and momentary, and eventually comes to an end. But still, it was breathtaking. Spent a weekend at Clark Field, Pampanga for the 15th Hot Air Balloon Festival with people I truly and dearly love.

How Much of the Philippines Have You Visited?

My Lakbayan grade is a shameful B-!

I guess I have yet to visit more places of my native land... Let's see if this grade could be higher after this year. I'm crossing my fingers. :)

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

On Cherry Blossoms and Transitions

It's the Cherry Blossoms Season once again. And this season once again brings a lot of mixed feelings and emotions. I clearly remember my blog on cherry blossoms entitled "Mono No Aware", the awareness of the transience of things. I was still dreaming of seeing real blossoms back then, and now, finally, I was able to not only see, but touch real cherry blossoms. It was not a season of Cherry Blossoms when I went to Japan in September last year, but who would have thought that I could see real cherry blossoms in a city of tropical climate such as this? It was truly even more breathtaking and whimsical seeing them live.

It's lovely to see these blossoms, but like all things, everything is transitory and in transition. It actually got me into thinking, with all the hello's and goodbye's that I've had in my life, I have yet to get accustomed to how fleeting circumstances, situations, people, and things are.

Taken at Prince's Landscape and Construction Pte Ltd Retail Centre, at Lorong Ah Thia, during a photo shoot yesterday.

Rekindling Friendships

A very close friend way back in my university days, who happens to be a housemate a few months before graduation has visited Singapore for 2 nights just to watch a concert of someone whom she only knows. I just love how our conversations have matured over time. This is Carms, taking a look on an artwork in Dhoby Ghaut Station MRT.

Barrio Fiesta in Singapore

It feels a bit weird that in a city as busy as this, Filipinos have tried to blend in and adapt, bringing in the happy-go-lucky attitude and the boisterous laughters that are all unique in us. The Singapore Art Museum held a two-day festivity commemorating the Filipino culture and tradition. Santa Cruzan and Ati-Atihan are the crowd's favorites. I also love how the "banderitas" are hung all over the Singapore Art Museum.

Imported from the Philippines

While doing some grocery shopping at Cold Storage here in Singapore, it makes me proud that these bananas come from my native land. No wonder why bananas sold in the Philippines have black spots on their peelings, all the beautiful ones are exported to other countries.

the birth of one blissful nomad

Having been deprived of buying from the nearest convenience store when I was young is maybe one major reason why I have become the nomad I am now. My sister and I never had the simple joy of buying candies and lollies by ourselves. It has always been with an older companion.

Some might say it was a curse, but for me, it was a blessing in disguise. Since the time I had the opportunity and the go-signal from my family, I have started wandering.

I have travelled most of the beautiful places in the Philippines such as La Union, Baguio, Vigan, Davao, Bohol, Cebu, and Palawan among others. I swam in most of the pristine beaches in the country. I have started travelling around Asia at an early age. I have conquered Hongkong, China, Singapore, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Langkawi), Japan (Nagoya, Kyoto, Toba, Ise), and Indonesia. Two of these countries, I have worked and lived in.

This virtual space will somehow be the journal of a blissful nomad who never tires herself of travelling, and truly believes that the destination is not the happiest part, but the journey itself.

Here, you can find the most amusing, amazing, stunning, and even the most bizzare things I see during my travel on every part of the world.

Enjoy the journey!