The Golden Hour

I feel bad for not posting new pictures for this week’s challenge again. However, when I saw the the phrase “the golden hour”, my mind did a happy jump because I’ve been dying for this opportunity to come up. I think I already mentioned in a separate post that I love sunrise and sunsets. I simply love the light during such hours and the magic it instantly bring to the subject of the photograph. Today, I am sharing several “golden hour” photos that I collected over the years. First up is a picture of two trees which I took while waiting for a cab in Subic:

Silhouette of trees in Subic.

(Travel Diary) Davao Part 2: Of Temples, Museums and Stunning Beaches

Took me a while to write the second part of my Davao travel diary. December is always a busy month with all the last minute reports that need to be done, parties and gatherings that need to be attended, and of course the preparations for Christmas.

Anyway, for our second day in Davao, we originally intended to do a countryside tour (Philippine Eagle Center, Malagos Garden, etc.) ) in the morning. However, we were so tired from the first day’s activities so we just decided to do a city tour. In the afternoon, we proceeded to Samal Island. Here’s how our second day in Davao went by:

Weekly Photo Challenge: Surprise

I learned through my recent travel that when you are about to go a new place, you should keep your expectations low. In that way, you will be pleasantly surprised when you are greeted by a scenery such as this:

Simply stunning isn’t it? This was taken in Isla Reta 2, Talicud Island, Davao. The place was so secluded from the main city. There were hardly any people. The water was so clear and the beach was so beautiful. Nature always has so many surprises in store for us. =)

(Travel Diary) Davao Part 1: Of Sunrise, Rafting, Heights and Fauna

March to December. That was a long wait. I and three of my high school buddies (Cez, Thomas, and Conney) had to wait for nine months before this trip came to reality. And boy, it was worth the wait.  Second encounter with Davao was love. And until now, it’s been two days but but my body is still looking for all the thrill and fun I experienced over the weekend. So, what  are we waiting for? Let me take you to how my three-day trip to Davao City went by.

Day 1

Our flight was scheduled at 4:10 AM so we already at the airport as early as 2:45 AM. Thankfully, there were no glitches and we left Manila on time and arrived in Davao at around 5:45 AM. While on the plane, the sun graced us with his presence and the sight was a unforgettable one:

Davao sunrise as seen from the plane.

From the airport, we proceeded to Palm’s Residence Inn to check in. Unfortunately, their check in time is at 3 PM. We decided to just eat breakfast at a nearby branch of McDonald’s. From there, we proceeded to Davao Crocodile Park where the office Davao Wildwater Adventure (DWA), Inc. is situated.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Delicate

I’m back! My body is still aching from all the things I’ve done the past four days but I’m so ready to get back to my normal routine. And to start my week, here’s my share for this week’s photo challenge theme “delicate”:

The dish is simply called “buttered shrimp” and it was one of the food we tried in Chikaan during our stay in Davao. The way the shrimps are arranged is so delicate and pretty. It made me didn’t want to eat it at all! 😀

I’ll be writing my Davao travel diary soon so stay tuned and have a happy week everyone! 😀

 

Off I Go to Davao Again

I’ll be running away from my chaotic working life for a few days.  Starting tomorrow until the weekend, I’ll be in Davao with some of my high school friends. We booked our tickets as early as March this year so this plan actually came first before my “official business travel” last October.

 I’ve mentioned in m previous Davao post that I was not so impressed by the city proper. Hopefully, this time around since I am officially on vacation, I also get to love it as much as  I love the other places in the Philippines I’ve been to.

 The trip last October was also a blessing in disguise because now I am in a better position to guide my friends around the city. In fact, I am more confident for this trip compared to when I planned our Pangasinan trip last May. I came up with this itinerary. It’s all over the place but I hope we can follow this.  We’re going to basically cover all the basics that one should see in Davao.

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So, off I go, and I’ll tell you all about our adventures next week. Wish me luck! 🙂

Weekly Photo Challenge: Geometry

Are there semi-circles in Geometry? I hope there are, if not I’m doomed. Anyway, the very beautiful room above can be found inside the Long Hwa Temple in Davao City. I’ve always loved the architecture of Buddhist temples. It’s not something you always see in the Philippines so I’m  in awe every time I see one. 🙂

 

(Travel Diary) Davao on a Whim

Another travel post! I don’t plan on turning this site into a travel blog but since it is what has been consuming my life lately, here’s another travel post. Last October 19-21, 2012, I was in Davao City to attend the 23rd annual convention of the Philippine Society for Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology. It’s very memorable because aside from the fact that it was my first time in Davao, it’s also my first official travel outside of Luzon. I handle big R&D projects but since most of them are based on Metro Manila and nearby provinces, I rarely get a chance to be on official business outside of Luzon. So when the opportunity came to go to Davao, I immediately grabbed it. I was blessed enough to come with my boss and my two officemates, Io and Ate Pearl, so the whole trip was  not so lonesome.

Another satisfying achievement to add on my list.