It’s a new year and it’s time to look back at experiences and events during the past year. Here are the places that I’ve travelled to and major events in Iloilo that I’ve got the chance to witness in 2009.
The Western Visayas Tourism Assembly is an annual gathering of all provinces and cities of Western Visayas geared at showcasing the tourism potential of the region. Roxas City and Capiz Province hosted the event this year held last December 4-6 . I was able to witness event with fellow bloggers Junelle, JunJunn, Eric, and Sheila. During the first day, we were treated with the unique opportunity of seeing some of the best festivals in Western Visayas. The street dance parade started from the city plaza all the way to Villareal Stadium, where they performed their spectacular 5 to 10 minute choreographed dances.
Last week me and my friends most of which I met over at flickr, went photo tripping in Antique province. We visited a few spots in Southern Antique (Anini-y, Hamtic, and San Jose) for a day trip. We first met at Molo Terminal, Iloilo City where a few van drivers were squabbling for our attention, we had to choose between a spacious new looking Mercedes Benz Van and an L300 van, which looked like it had experienced too many trips. We picked the L300 van because the driver promised to leave immediately for us. We were lucky enough because the driver was very friendly and even made a deal with us to take us to where we wanted to go until Hamtic and San Jose and then take us back to Iloilo City.
It was the start of summer and I was dying to set forth on another ultimate adventure, just as I did last year when I visited Caluya Islands in Antique. While I was on my usual rounds of the city, my friend Tara (an excellent photographer I look up to) texted me and invited me to go on a 3 day trip to Isla Gigantes Sur (South Gigantes Island) in Carles, a coastal town in the northern tip of Iloilo. My fingers then took control of my phone and tada! I was booked on yet another summer escapade. The timing was a bit horrible. The day before the trip, My oathtaking (for new nurses) was scheduled in the afternoon and I had made plans of shooting for a client later that night. I didn’t sleep the whole night for the exhausting photoshoot and editing of photos to be submitted ASAP. It was 4am when I finished the job and rushed to our meeting place in Tagbak Terminal in Jaro. Read the rest of this entry »
A week after the board exam, I was on the road again. This time, I was with Vince, one of my close friends and blogger of Explore Aklan. I tagged along with Vince when he returned home to Kalibo, Aklan. He had already planned on going to Libacao and Pandan, Antique and invited me to come along with him. So I did, since I don’t usually pass off the opportunity to travel and I’ve always wanted to go to these particular places.
Toxic
My postings have been very scarce these past few months, I was quite busy reviewing for the Nursing Licensure Exam and then taking the test last November 29 and 30. I had to limit my computer usage and trips so that I can concentrate.
Read the rest of this entry »
The first time I’ve been to Boracay was during the summer of 1993 when I was 6 years old and year after year, my family would never fail to go to the island. I’ve had many fond memories of Boracay and I was able to witness how the island started to fill up with tourists and hotels. There was a time in highschool when I got tired of going to Boracay and opted to spend my time with my classmates instead.
It was the middle of summer and it had been raining for a week already. I was mostly spending my time in my room, staring at the computer all day because the weather wasn’t all that great. I was bored, itching to go out of the house and do something more exciting. My phone’s ringing woke me up one morning and my friend (on the other line) mentioned that he was going to Caluya on that very day for a photoshoot/news coverage. I quickly screamed my excitement and jealousy at him and in return he invited me … well sort of (it was more like a kind gesture). I took it seriously though since it’s not everyday that I get the opportunity to go to Caluya.
Last Mach 23 I had my duty in Antique in the hopes of finally completing my DR Scrubs. It was already my 3rd time to Antique but it was my first time to have completion duty in the Provincial Hospital (Angel Salazar Memorial Hospital) in San Jose, the capital town of Antique. We rode the bus to San Jose at around 2pm. I took the seat at the left side of the bus since most of the interesting sites and the sea could be viewed at the left side of the highway like the of churches and the town plazas of Guimbal and Tigbauan.
After the new year, me and my friends thought of visiting Guisi, an upcoming tourist destination in Guimaras. I have been there before but there’s just something about the place that haunts me to go back over and over. Its natural beauty is just superb and to top it off is a magnificent display of Spanish-colonial heritage in the form of an 18th century lighthouse. No wonder the Provincial Gov’t of Guimaras (with the help of the Canadian Urban Institute) is putting high priority in promoting Guisi.
From Iloilo City we rode a 15-min pumpboat ride (P11) to Jordan, Guimaras via the Ortiz Port in Iloilo City. In Jordan Wharf, there is a small shed where a tourist assistance outpost is located. They could arrange transportation to any destination in Guimaras and the best part is that they already have fixed rates so you won’t ever have to experience being overcharged by opportunist drivers. We opted to commute to Guisi by riding a Nueva Valencia Jeep (P40), which took us straight to Guisi in an hour. From the main road, it’s a 3 minute walk downhill to the beach resort.
There, you’ll be able to see the cottages, white-sand beach, clear waters, blue sky, and rock formations on the sides, a very refreshing sight after a long transpo.
Here are some of the pictures I took during the trip:
The beach with the palms as its backdrop
Read the rest of this entry »
Ambot-ah is a blog about my life as a travel blogger, nurse, and freelance photographer. After my college graduation, I decided to make a living out of blogging and live out my many passions. Join me on my travels around the Philippines and South East Asia. Read my helpful backpacking journals, budget travel trips, do-it-yourself itineraries, blogging pursuits (making money online), and photography tips. 
