A 68-foot statue of Christ ala Brazil's Rio de Janeiro towers over the Divine Mercy Hill in the town of El Salvador in the province of Misamis Oriental. Every Holy Week, devotees flock to this site, up the 70 steps of the massive statue, into the tabernacle holding the Blessed Sacrament. Completed in 2008, the view here sweeps across the Macalajar Bay where sunrise is said to be extraordinary, particularly on the next Sunday after Easter.
Imagine going on a foodtrip right after yoga. Sounds counterproductive? Oh, totally. But, that's what Marky, Christine, and I did. We'd just finished attending Ferdz' yoga session in Community Fitness in Pasig where we also went in a walking tour/foodtrip.
We already did some good eating around Pasig, but we weren't done yet. In the afternoon, we rode to Quezon City for another round. Hey, what's life without a few workouts going completely to waste?
Storytime is a series of stories about my most memorable travel experiences. Read more here.
When I got a message from THEGay Mitra-Emami, the PTB Queen herself, asking if I could represent her to a sponsored trip to Singapore, I instantly said no.
One of my bestfriends Nikki was home from Dubai, and wanting to spend time with her, I took her with me to Batangas, to Eagle Point Resort for some quality bonding time.
Photo courtesy of the North Philippines Visitors Bureau via Martin San Diego
When one literally eats dust on an empty stomach, one tends to crave real food. Fortunately, after the sandy soiree over at the La Paz Sand Dunes, and a quick jaunt at the Bangui Windmills, we proceeded to Pagudpud for lunch.
Storytime is a series of stories about my most memorable travel experiences. Read more here.
It's been almost four years since I started this life, since this magical, wonderful, wandering life became my reality. It may have been born of sorrow, but it had lead me to experience joy in ways I wouldn't have if I'd stayed in one place.
On that fateful day in April of 2014, just three months after my mother died, I'd gone to what was the first of my many adventures. It was in the Ilocos that I'd traveled to, with my former colleagues who'd been kind enough to extend me an invitation.
Storytime is a series of stories about my most memorable travel experiences. Read more here.
As our journey to the North continued to Ilocos Norte, we found ourselves in the city of Laoag, in the expansive desert that is the La Paz Sand Dunes.
I'm no stranger to the sand dunes of Ilocos. I have been to the one in Paoay almost four years ago as part of my very first adventure. But still, I was excited to brave the desert once again.
So along with three of my companions, we boarded a 4x4 and rattled across the bumpy landscape. Our bodies jostling as we scaled hills and rushed back down. The ride, albeit bruising, was exhilarating.
We arrived in Ilocos Norte well into the night. In Sitio Remedios, we had a late dinner of bagnet and poqui-poqui before checking in at Rosewell Hotel.
Facing the West Philippine Sea in the town of Currimao, the heritage village resort of Sitio Remedios recreates the grandeur of a mid-century Ilocano community. Arranged based on the Spanish quadricula, the layout places vintage houses around open spaces and ancient trees.
The houses are made from bricks and woods salvaged from ancestral homes across Ilocos Norte. The compound is reminiscent of Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bataan. The place is owned by neurologist Dr. Joven Cuanang, the same gentleman behind Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo.
While the overall vibe may be old-world, the place is not without modern luxuries. The houses, named after the towns it originated, are all well-appointed. The spa called Ablon – an Ilocano term for healing through massage – offers guests a place to get pampered, complete with a bar and restaurant that serves fresh seafood and vegetarian meals.
Entrance to the resort is by reservation only while overnight stays start at Php5,000/night. Visiting hours is from 8AM to 12NN, and 1PM to 6PM daily.
Sitio Remedios is located at Brgy. Victoria, Currimao, Ilocos Norte. For bookings and inquiries, call +63 917 332 0217.
Have you been to Sitio Remedios? What do you think of the place?
Photo courtesy of the North Philippines Visitors Bureau via Martin San Diego
Once you go exploring in Tarlac, you're bound to get pleasantly surprised. It will even come to a point that you can't get enough. And just like what happens every time we get "attached" to a place, you'll want to take home a part of it.
So, when you inevitably get sepanx from Tarlac, here are five local products reminiscent of its character that you could take home and share (or not) with your loved ones.
