The province of Cebu is no stranger to charming cascades, but most probably haven’t heard of Aguinid Falls. Shadowed by the more popular Kawasan Falls, this exhilarating waterfalls is as marvelous, if not more.

Located in the town of Samboan in the southern part of the province, this multi-level falls dares adventurers to go “hiking” across waterways.

On the first days of December, I was so excited to know I'd be flying to Dumaguete for work. But then it was added it was the people over at Bluewater Sumilon who invited us. I was like, "Sumilon? Isn't that in Cebu?"

Storytime is a series of  stories about my most memorable travel experiences. Read more here.

Not going into details has become a habit of mine when it comes to visiting places. Aside from the cultural dos and don’ts, the basic safety guidelines, I don’t delve too much into a place’s history. Sure, it’s impractical and often leads to blunders that could easily be avoided, but I like making mistakes. I like the versatility that comes with not knowing. I like the freedom and sense of wonder it entails. This allows me to fully immerse in the story, especially when I learn of it from someone who lives there. I find that this way keeps me from being jaded.

2018 heralded a new addition to Bataan’s gastronomic landscape – as if the province is lacking in that department. Let me ask you, my Bataan fellas of the internet, why is that you have so many good food places? What is happening? There are seriously so many good restaurants in your midst. Why is that? It’s important that I get an answer. Let me know in the comments.

Buoyed from our experience at the Bataan Technology Park in Morong, we headed west towards the next town of Pilar for lunch. It was almost 2PM when we got to our destination, and we worried that the place had already closed for the day – it looked like nobody was in there. 

I can’t even begin to verbalize how much I love Vietnamese food. Of all the Asian cuisines, it is simply the best – other than Filipino, of course. So, imagine my delight when I found out I can get some banh mi in Bataan!

In the past year, Bataan became more familiar to me, and it has surprised me more than I can count. For instance, during the Pawikan Festival last November, I was amazed at how nice our accommodation was. I knew we were going to stay at a beach resort and I immediately thought “ok, nipa huts”. But when we arrived at White Corals Beach Resort, there was definitely more to it than nipa huts.

For the past months, I’ve found myself frequenting Bataan. It was the second province I’ve visited in 2017 that truly felt like a second home (the other being Northern Samar – will tell you all about it later). Even though I was there mostly for work, I was able to make great memories and partake in both enjoyable and meaningful experiences.

I’ve never really minded going back to a place. I find that there’s much to be learned in returning.  So when my husband wanted to come to Luisiana in Laguna to see Hulugan Falls – which I have already been to twice – I happily obliged.

Late into 2017, I've rediscovered my love for music. I live for words, and sometimes those words find themselves entwined with sound. One of my three major dreams was to be a singer-songwriter, and I got to have a taste of how that feels at a place called DITO.

Intending to take photos of our home in the island – Sophia's Garden – while the other guests were still asleep, I got up early on my second day in Coron. I went around the area and got to work. After a while, I paused to do a quick scan of my shots on my camera. Satisfied, I proceeded to Il Comidor for breakfast, but remembered we'd be having a packed meal. So, I went back to my room and got the rest of my things and waited for my companions.

I've spent most of this new year's days lying in bed. Reading. Reintroducing myself to the painful but satisfying way I used to write. Then reading some more. My body is sore from being mostly motionless, and I probably should start running again soon, but I need some time to settle back into my old, forgotten ways.

I went out to town today for some errands. As I head back home, I stopped by to get a box of those cheap, unhealthy, delicious pizzas. The place where I decided to get them was by the roadside, and the hustle around was enough to entertain me as I wait.

Our rainy dip at Maquinit Hotspring only made me hungrier. Even with clubhouse sandwiches courtesy of Sophia's Garden, I was still famished. I needed a proper meal. And so, on we went to the Viewdeck Grill House.