Archive for May, 2010
Sabang, Mindoro
By Tony on May 29, 2010 | No Comments »
From a distance, Sabang looks innocuous enough, even attractive. Up close, one of the Philippines’ preeminent diving destinations, located on the island of Mindoro, proves to be somewhat seedier. Those who come to explore the underwater wonders discover an overdeveloped cluster of geriatric watering holes full of delusional men with decorative money-hungry twenty-somethings on their arms. Do these guys really scuba dive?
Anyway, underwater the scenery is worth the sleazy company. And, the crowds of retirees mean that there is a nice selection of air-conditioned mini-apartments to choose from. We even have a kitchenette, which comes in handy since the local restaurants are priced to meet the needs of the clueless.
Do I sound somewhat judgmental? Good.
Rugged Travel
By Thomas on May 27, 2010 | 2 Comments »
Boy, taking a bus or jeepney in the Philippines can be quite an adventure. On more than one occasion, we have found ourselves stuffed onto the roofs along with grandmas, rice bags, chickens, firewood and iron rods holding on for dear life while maneuvering the scary roads of northern Luzon. Luckily, seat belt laws are only enforced for the drivers.
This really takes me back 16 years to when Tony and I made our way from Germany to South Africa overland. Transportation then was also challenging, and a regular bus ride was the exception. I vividly remember riding on a gasoline truck during a » Continue reading this post »
Living Memories of the Bontoc Tribe
By Tony on May 25, 2010 | 5 Comments »
While transiting through Bontoc, we had the extraordinary opportunity to meet some of the older members of the Bontoc tribe. Downtown Bontoc looks like any other small town in the Philippines, with jeepney stands, hotels, restaurants, donut shops, and hordes of teen fashionistas. It’s very easy to pass through and miss any signs of the region’s cultural heritage.
But a closer look reveals that Bontoc is actually one of the best places in the Cordillera to find the small number of older Bontoc tribes-people who cling to their traditional culture in their last years. These are the grandparents and great-grandparents of the fashionistas so desperate to escape from their tribal past.
The women in these pictures, who we saw in the central market, were born into another world. Bontoc was a large collection of tribal palm huts along the Chico River between the Ifugao and Kalinga regions. Inter-tribal warfare and head hunting » Continue reading this post »
Valuable Resources
By Thomas on May 24, 2010 | 1 Comment »
We just added a couple of useful websites to our Resources Page. Transitions Abroad is a great portal for people wanting to work, volunteer or study abroad. You’ll also find a lot of information on simply living and traveling abroad.
Also check out 3 Sisters Adventure Trekking, a Nepalese organization formed by the sisters Lucky, Dicky and Nicky Chhetri who provide training for female trekking guides. The benefits of this organization are twofold: single women who want to trek in Nepal can feel safer with a female guide and porter, and the training program improves the lives of disadvantaged Nepali women.
The World’s Deadliest Country…
By Tony on May 23, 2010 | No Comments »
… for journalists, that is. And it’s no cakewalk for politicians either.
It turns out that this tropical paradise has a dark side. In 2009, the Philippines was listed as the world’s most dangerous country for journalists. Yikes, does that include bloggers? We’d better keep our questions to ourselves. I love the country, everything is great, the weather is perfect…
But seriously, the Philippines has a serious problem. Interestingly, the country doesn’t seem to be covering up the violence. The photos of the “Rewards Poster” shown in this posting were taken at the tourist office in Sagada. Apparently, the government is hoping that travelers » Continue reading this post »
