Wanderland Music Fest
I had some stuff to do in Manila and luckily my days caught in between Wanderland! What’s more is I got my VIP ticket for only P3,500 instead of the regular price of P5000!!! I second-hand bought it from someone who can’t go and posted it online. Tell me I’m lucky!
Panoramic view of the stress-free-pro-chill VIP section. It was a Saturday and the weather was perfectly gloomy. One of my weather conscious company even checked the forecast and brought a jacket with him. Too bad he wasn’t able to use it! :P
Avalance City’s sunset hyping up the crowd as the sun literally sets. Among them who played before the night are Colour Coding, Tully on Tully, and our very own Filipino shiznits Up Dharma Down, Yolanda Moon, Pulso, Taken by Cars, and She’s Only Sixteen. That afternoon was so filled up already! Plus free booze and goodies from event sponsors. The best once we got are the Ray-Ban limited scarves! Yey to a new head band!
Someone is so having fun! My never hide partner Glaiza Joey!
Just another Coachella inspired dude on the ground. Hype hype!
So the night begins and Nada Surf is just warming up. He’s old AND cool!
Tyler of Neon Trees bringing it all out with his NEON mic stand! Everybody talks! Everybody Talks!
Finale!!! Blind Item: Love lost made someone drop a tear. hahaha It was a sweet disposition, the Temper Trap totally sold Wanderland that night! Great to all those who came and made it!
Turtle Island
It was a great weekend! We went to Apo Island, dubbed as Turtle Island, in Negros Oriental. To get to the Island you have to travel about an hour from Dumaguete City to the town of Dauin, and from there ride a motor boat for about 45 minutes to Apo Island. Those big rock formations behind me along the shore will great you as you dock to the island.
We brought a car all the way from Cebu City to Santander, about 4 hours drive if non-stop and hopped it on a 30-minute cruise to the town of Amlan, Negros Oriental. Be sure to ride the Lite Shipping Lines because it’s a lot more affordable compared to the other shipping lines there. Only P500/way for an SUV inclusive of all the passengers. What say you Maayo Shipping Lines!? hahaha The town of Amlan is an hour drive to Dumaguete City. When you get to the City be sure to buy some foods for lunch in the Island although there are places to eat in the island as well.
A reflection of Apo Island. Isn’t it beautiful? For those who wants to spend a night which I highly recommend, there is Apo Island Resort, which is fairly affordable. Well I’m pushing it because that’s one thing we should have done have it not Sunday when we went there. But since most of us are working class then we had to go home for work the next day.
Wasted no time and went diving immediately after we settled our stuff in one of their public cottages along the shore. A medium sized (or maybe small) turtle stoked me at around 10-15 feet. After this encounter I saw more turtles just swimming around and I believe I encountered the biggest among them that day as well. But as the turtle went swimming deeper I had to let go coz the thought of sharks popped out in my head already! hahaha I know I’m so lame! Nonetheless, it feels surreal and privileged to be swimming around these creatures in the open sea.
Turtles are actually reptiles so once in a while they go up and breath air coz they can’t underwater.
Hiding in one of the beautiful corals the Turtle says whaddup Yo you got me! hahaha
Fellow Dive Ta Bai divers going in for the deep. Or perhaps messing up playing with the bubblers a.k.a scuba divers. ^_^
After the dive we went out for a look-around in the island and get that tan as well.
I’d like to credit the following photos to my outdoor buddy Rap-rap we finally got that tan we wanted! hahaha And to Doi Damasian (the travelling feet) for the beautiful underwater photos. You never fail to amuse and miss me every time we are in the blue. ^_^
And lastly, the amazing Dive Ta Bai group! Until next dive guys! That Sumilon dive with the whale sharks sounds fishy, LET”S GO!
Yesterday, sunday, was my third time to free dive following saturday and the previous sunday. So far so good! The company I’m in, Dive Ta Bai are really fun to be with. Seniors share tips on neophytes which are really helpful. Plus we have thetravellingfeet to give thanks for all the amazing photos we are sharing all over the web! Clap clap! ^_^
My first dive a week ago was at Kontiki Mactan which I started learning the sport. I had a great time until I got a chance to swim with a friendly turtle during my second dive at Piscador Island which was amazing. That somewhat inspired me to go a notch on diving deeper up to 20 ft with 50 seconds top underwater time. Hopefully next time I’d see a manta ray perhaps and dive up to 30 ft.! There goes my secret, it’s the adrenaline rush! hahaha Yeah maybe for now but eventually I’d get to stabilize my breathing and minimize unnecessary movements so I can go deeper swiftly and stay longer down there.
I can’t wait for next dive. I heard an Apo Island day dive is brewing next week. I hope I can join if I’m not too busy with other stuff.
Go out on a Road Trip with your friends or family to Cebu and Bohol’s top out-of-town destinations! Check www.citivanservice.com ‘s made affordable packages now! They also give free on board bottled waters! Woots!
Malasimbo Festival
This is the first time i travelled on my birthday and I’m now seriously considering of doing it every year! I with three hipster wannabe’s went to Puerto Galera in Mindoro Is. to attend the getting famous Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival. Still on its third year but the guests are already overwhelming with Grammy Award winning artists; reggae master Jimmy Cliff and British soul singer Joss Stone.
If you’re coming from my point, Cebu, it’s actually very easy to go to Puerto Galera. You hop in a plane (P1.5k) to Manila, take a cab (P100) to any bus terminals along Buendia then ride on a three-hour bus trip (P170) going to Batangas. When you get to the latter’s port you will have to take a fast craft (P250) to Puerto Galera for about an hour or so depending on the current. There are so many resorts in Puerto Galera to chose from and be sure to book the ones along the White Beach because it is where all the sand, sun, and unlimited rice is. hahaha
First thing we did after settling in our hotel. We had to have that sun-kissed skin for the weekend parties to come!!! It’s a must! hahaha
Here we are warming up for MalasimBOAT Party with DJ Gavin Boyd and Supreme Fist taking turns scratching the table. It was a two-hour party cruise along Muelle Bay in Puerto Galera. Hipfster tip: start drinking (get drunk) before you get on board coz beer’s in can are sold at overwhelmingly P100 each!
Moving on after the untold party in that boat is THE Jimmy Cliff! He is the superstar guest for Saturday night. A lot of really good local artists played encore as well.
Pardon my dreamy photo of Jimmy Cliff performing. By that time the wee smoking went viral already. hahaha I really love his performance. At 60 he still has it!
On the following day we took the day pass to check on Malasimbo ground’s day activities and art installations by local artists. By the way Malasimbo is on the mountains of Puerto Galera so we still need to take the jeepney shuttle going up every time.
Witnessed a live ambahan recital of Hanunuo Mangyan Poetry. Experience plus!
The best of all the art installations is the Haliya Mantra a.k.a. Moon Goddess by Agnes Arellano. It’s so cool can you please make the Sun God next year?! I’m not sure how are you gonna do it though but i know you can. Kudos! ^_^
The beautiful Malasimbo amphitheater is where all the love is happening.
Pardon my photo of Joss Stone performing as finale artist on Sunday night. She performed so late which somehow got me disappointed. More than an hour technical problem on sound tuning was a cheap alibi. tsk tsk! To all Joss Stone fans out there peace out! ^_^ The band, Quest and Yolanda Moon before here made awesome performances!
Malasimbo grounds at night time. it’s like magic.
Meanwhile I’m missing so much the signature Malasimbo Kesong Puti sandwich. I tell you it’s like lining up for a blockbuster movie to get these. It’s heaven’s bread crumbs on earth Oh so yummy!
My first Malasimbo experience was really great! Definitely something I would love to come back next year! Kudos to all the organizers and artists! Clap Clap! ;D
The hipfsters. True story. hahaha
P.S. Dear Joey I snatch copied some of your photos here. Thank you!
It became personal.
As much as possible and more often than not, I want to have an honest relationship with the people around me especially to those who wants to get closer to my heart. By it, I mean everything, especially about my reservations and thoughts. This is why I am writing this shit like I’m some self centered son of a gun as I really am.
I developed a unique addiction to a certain kind of sadness. It’s pretty much like science. I long for that feeling I can only find when something starts to bloom special, then I will start to feel trapped and suffocated by it so I go out living behind what may become beautiful to die eventually. That bittersweet feeling of having something you have been wanting so much and then you throw it away.
It is not a secret that my track record on relationships are unanimous on a not-so-happy endings. Of which I support my dissenting opinion on happy ever afters. Nevertheless, I am well aware that this unlikely addiction readily defeats something that may become beautiful and lasting before it even starts. And I always get myself into it because it’s the only way to ecstacy. It will not come back like a boomerang, a chance that could have been IT. But I will continue to live as I may because it will hurt less. To justify my cause, I never fail to give a fair warning to all those who wants to walk in my path, and yet it never failed to succeed. I am not perfect and more always not right. But this is who I am.
Since we looked like in tragedy in pretty much all of our Sinulog photos, I won’t be sharing any this year. hahaha Instead I am uploading this short clip on how Sinulog’s “One beat, One dance.” slogan turned out in Baseline. Cheers to Rhipstop, Spectrum, and the spartans behind it for stoning another epic party! Prittt pritt prit!!!
From time to time until now I have these random memories jumping in to my thoughts from our recent trip in El Nido Palawan and all it does is make me laugh (in private) or smile at the very least. I believe my friends feels just about the same. One of them says it was bittersweet and I agree!
Nonetheless, I would still do it all over again even with the same people. It’s like drugs, it can be addictive and makes you feel good but you know it’s gonna end at some point. hahaha pardon if I can’t think of any better comparison!
El Nido - is a paradise locked just outside of heaven. So if any of you guys come by a chance to visit, DO IT! Not long from now an airport will be operational already, flying direct flights from all over directly in to it. Which would mean influx of people and the rest will become “paradise” generic, Boracay for example. Personally, I’m against the development but who would care what I think. For a paradise, it is but more than right for people to make effort in traveling. Five to six tops hours of land trip from Puerto Princessa is nothing to what awaits at the end.
As much as my mind wants to type more I need to stop to make you want to go on a trip and experience yourself. I tell you it’s beautiful.