quick getaway: Sagpulon Falls

One of the best things about living in the Philippines is that you're never far from places that take your breath away. You get spectacular sunsets right outside your window, inviting beaches by the side of the road, and rivers and lakes and waterfalls just waiting after a little hike.

Knowing that, we often skip the more tourist-ready destinations and explore a place we've never even heard of before. We like to get a little lost.

Thankfully, we don't have to be so far away from home (nor break our budgets) to wander. From our city hideouts in Cagayan de Oro, we can just hop on a bus to somewhere like Sagpulon Falls in Jasaan, Misamis Oriental.

the quiet side of Cebu

Like thousands of other travelers, we went one summer to the province of Cebu expecting to bask on white beaches and sip chic little cocktails. Okay, we didn't exactly plan that, but at least one beach trip to the island of Mactan -- which is crawling with hotels, resorts, and foreign tourists -- was on the itinerary.

Let's just say that "beach trip" didn't go so well. In summary: We got kinda lost and spent the whole afternoon commuting through half the island. Getting lost like that was actually nice, but we wanted to be somewhere more... chilled.

And we found the perfect chill. Not at the beach, not at a resort, and definitely not in an urbanized area like Mactan.

South was the way to go.

if these stone walls could talk... (pt. 2)

Part 2 of a photographic collection of quiet, time-tested structures. See the first part here.

The interior of Our Lady of Assumption Church in Dauis, Bohol, with frescoes dating as far back as 1916. This is one of the churches currently undergoing restoration after suffering from the 2013 Bohol earthquake.

if these stone walls could talk...

Churches, dungeons, cafes -- there are few things more humbly steeped in history than these structures, unexpectedly standing on some bustling street corner. These places of magic, if they don't captivate you with their time-tested beauty, will make you wonder about the stories of old witnessed by their quiet, enduring walls.

The facade of the Manila Metropolitan Cathedral bears the inscription "Tibi cordi tuo immaculato concredimus nos ac consecramus (We consecrate to your immaculate heart and entrust to you (Mary) for safekeeping)."

escape: Samal Island

Let's make this clear right off the bat: I'm a cheapo traveler. That means you can tuck me in the corner of a jampacked jeepney and I won't complain, as long as it's much cheaper than an air-conditioned van.

But that also means I will rummage through 50 pages of Google search results just to find that perfectly priced getaway when I need it. And that, friends, is how I got to stay in the famous Samal Island for less than Php4,000.

trip: CdeO jeepney ride

"The soul of a journey is liberty, perfect liberty, to think, feel, do just as one pleases." -- William Hazlitt 

Who doesn't love traveling?

I have a love-hate relationship with it, actually. I love to travel because... well, what's not to love about stepping on new places, gaining new experiences, and getting to show off exciting photos on Facebook?

But I 'hate' traveling because, let's face it, the expenses are usually a pain in the ass.

Maybe my financial woes are the reason I developed a 'humble' eye for beauty and excitement. Wherever I am and whatever I see, I try to find something beautiful or exciting about it. Divisoria in the afternoon, the sound of radio static, a strand of hair catching the sunlight. Mubo'g kalipay. :)

So it's not surprising that I would turn a simple jeepney ride into a photoshoot. Yes, I hopped into a jeepney front seat and just took snaps while the Filipino ride rolled from Cagayan de Oro's uptown to downtown. 

Here's the journey. Starring Dan.

Camiguin love

I've been totally psyched to see great photos in the Camiguin Tourism Office's Facebook page. Having been born and raised in this island, I never fully realized how beautiful Camiguin is until I went away for college and my friends were like "You are so lucky!" Needless to say, living in the city made me really fall in love with my homeland. I can say without a doubt that Camiguin is my favorite place in the world.

It's not because of the tourist spots (well, not totally). There's a quiet charm to this island, something that feels so homey and just plain nice.

Probably it's the fact that we can just go on a boat ride on any given summer day and it's instant heaven.