Category: Adventure

Dinagat Islands: Divine Master’s Shrine and Islander’s Castle

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The Divine Master's Shrine

I wouldn’t want the weather to spoil my exploration in Dinagat Islands. I’m thankful I was able to visit Pangabangan Island and Lake Bababu, but I felt I wasn’t able to maximize my boat rental for the places I visited. With the weather showing no signs of letting up anytime soon, I decided to take a road trip toward the east instead. Escaping the habagat winds to a much, hopefully, fairer weather at the municipality of Cagdianao. Rex of JBN Inn managed to find me a habal-habal service for the road trip. The plan was to stop by interesting places along the way. Just within town are the Divine Master’s Shrine and the Islander’s Castle atop the scenic hills, our first few stops.

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Dinagat Islands: Enigmatic Lake Bababu

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Embracing tranquility at Lake Bababu

We were supposed to visit other beaches in Libjo area but the weather wasn’t getting any better when we left Pangabangan island. Grey skies continued to darken as the afternoon gets deeper. The waters were starting to get wild too. So my boatman suggested to visit the inland attraction, Lake Bababu instead. Found in Basilisa, Lake Bababu is under the management of Bababu Ecotourism Adventure Park (BEAP). BEAP consist of officers from the LGU and the family of the original founder of the lake, Peter Langit.

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Dinagat Islands: Pangabangan Island and its Blue Lagoon

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Pangabangan Island

It was one splashy ride. We’re midway through hour 2-hour journey along Surigao strait for our first island hopping stop in Dinagat Islands, the Pangabangan Island. I knew the weather would be intermittent in a September but my birthday was coming up and I wanted to go to a place I haven’t been before. I’m fascinated about Dinagat Islands after seeing photos from friends who went there. The natural wonders looks raw and beautiful. The province is curiously wrapped in a mysterious culture and religion.

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Chill Hike at Mt Yangbew to Mt Kalugong

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Summit view at MT Yangbew

It’s hard not to go up the Cordillera region without taking a trail or 2 (or more). We had a wonderful gathering with friends in Baguio and decided on extending my stay to enjoy more of the mountains. I’m glad my fellow mountain-lover, Christine of JovialWanderer, broached the idea of taking a leisurely hike at Mt Yangbew and Mt Kalugong in La Trinidad. I welcomed the idea of seeing more summits and trails just an hour away from Baguio proper.

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Enter the Trippy World of Mirror House in Kuwait

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The Mirror House in Qadsiya

For many culture, a broken mirror means bad luck in the unforeseeable future. But for Italian-born contemporary artist Lidia Qattan, seeing her daughter with scattered glass shards on the floor sparked a creative idea. To minimize her daughter’s wall doodling, Lidia started to place the mirror pieces on the wall with artistic patterns. This was the start of decades of work to transform her humble home in Kuwait as the only house in the world covered in mirror mosaic – the Mirror House.

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Mt Matarem: Up the Fairy Trail

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Summit of Mt Matarem

“I’ll climb this mountain as long as I still can” Bing exclaims as she gleefully trod the trail on the pasture lands of Ivana, Batanes, as we head to the summit of Mt Matarem. Carlotta Borromeo-Charbonney, or Bing, for short, is a native adventure-loving Ivatan who has learned to be independent from her family early in her life as she studied in Manila during college. Much more when she married her foreign husband who took her around the world and eventually settled in Switzerland. She makes it a point to go home every year in Batanes for family and be rooted to her home. We sure am glad Bing was there to join us for this climb.

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City of Kuching: Things to See and Do

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City of Kuching sundown over Sarawak River

As one of the most populous city in Malaysia, the City of Kuching seemed provincial and laid back despite the city developments. I like those kind of cities where it doesn’t feel rushed yet has the infrastructure comfort of urban living. Sarawak River threading through the city, adding a steady flow of balance between tranquility and hustle. We had a chance to see more of Kuching when friends from Place Borneo gave us a little tour to compliment our own wanderings.

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