Banaue Ethnic Village and Pine Forest: So near yet seems a world away
Banaue may seem to be far removed from the lowlands but it isn't too far from the clutches of development. While there's no mall (thankfully), education, technology and religion have profoundly changed the Ifugao's way of life.For one, a lot of people we met were mostly Christians, even the ones in...
Source: lagal[og] - Philippines Travel & Photography Blog
A blessed Christmas greeting from Lagalog.com
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they saw it they...
Source: lagal[og] - Philippines Travel & Photography Blog
Pampanga Giant Lantern Festival 2009: Celebrating 100 years of Parol Making
Ours are bigger than yours. The rich plains of Pampanga and their abundant harvests point to the traditional illustriousness of this province. Pampanga seems to thrive on bigness -- from the sinful richness of its food offerings to the expansiveness of its old ancestral homes. The same can be said...
Source: lagal[og] - Philippines Travel & Photography Blog
Banaue: Behold the amazing terraces
You've seen one set of rice terraces, you've seen them all, right? Not quite. When you come face to face with what we Pinoys fondly call "the eighth wonder of the world", it's not easy to be blase. The terraces, especially the ones in Banaue, are simply breathtaking to behold. One can't help but begin...
Source: lagal[og] - Philippines Travel & Photography Blog
Intermission: Ballet Philippines’ Nutcracker
I'm not much of a culture-vulture but I must confess, I really love classical music. So much so that I sorely miss the country's only classical music station, DZFE, which was my mainstay especially during what Lionel Richie sang as "easy Sunday mornings". But I digress. One of my all-time favorites...
Source: lagal[og] - philippines travel & photography blog
Batad’s Tappia Falls: A walk through the terraces and thru time
Paddies point. Seeing the rice terraces even from afar, one can't help but be overcome by the compulsion to step onto the paddies and tread the rice fields our Ifugao ancestors walked on millenia ago. Considering the ephemeral quality of most of mankind's architectural creations, you can't help but...
Source: lagal[og] - philippines travel & photography blog
Batad: A tiring hike alright but a scenic trek I really won’t get tired of
Time to turn off that mobile phone. There are still some places where you your mobile becomes a rather expensive pestle you can use when a hammer is not available and Batad is one of them. Surrounded by mountains from all sides, it seems you're transported in another world belying the fact that you're...
Source: lagal[og] - philippines travel & photography blog
Banaue: of cold climes and warm people
It seems foolhardy to go somewhere very cold when I was having a full-blown case of cough and colds. But the opportunity to smell the fresh mountain air and the compulsion to go out of town even for just a few days were simply overwhelming. So despite my feverish state, I found myself on an Autobus...
Source: lagal[og] - philippines travel & photography blog
Seair InFlight December 09 – January 2010 Issue: Oggie Ramos’ Mantigue Island, Camiguin
Ramos is a nature freak and loves off-the-beaten paths. Having been to Camiguin thrice, he wanted to explore the less touristy places and chanced upon Mantigue Island. He took this shot of the island from the banca en route to the town of Mahinog. The morning sun was up, making the...
Source: lagal[og] - philippines travel & photography blog
Taal Town: Details of a Colonial Past
Taal Town used to be the capital of Batangas until it was moved to Batangas City. The name itself means "indigenous" and why it is so carries an interesting back story.
According to wikipedia, the descendants of Bornean settlers in Panay spread out in two groups, towards the north in Laguna de Bay and...
Source: lagal[og] - philippines travel & photography blog
