Repeat wander on Naha’s busiest streets – 03.25-26.16
Spent my remaining day in the city (late afternoon after ZAMAMI day trip and half morning before my flight to Fukuoka) revisiting the areas of KOKUSAI and MITSUMIBASHI and in this entry I share with you my random discoveries on souvenirs, beer and food.
It was a visit to this landscape formed by sea and wind – 02.21.16
My second day in Taipei was spent upnorth as I visited a park structured by nature. It was a walk around a place filled with interesting shapes – as I hold on tightly to my coat during that rather chilly and windy midday – one that almost did not happen should my wallet has not been lost and found.
Continue reading [Northern Taiwan]~Braved the Cold in Yehliu
When I saw too many lights in a nighlife – 02.20.16
After a day that is packed with tourist spots and random discoveries, what followed was a night as filled – with a LANTERN FESTIVAL, more MARKET and STREET FOOD finds and beer in XIMENDING and all else random in between.
Experiencing the city in random and in cold – 02.20.16
It was similar to one destinationless afternoon in Penang wherein after cuteness overload in craft stalls and shops in Huashan Park, I just had to keep on walking which led me to try one of the city’s street food, experience the MRT in its busyness, discover more installations in another factory-turned-park until end of daytime spent braving the cold while finishing my beer homeless-style.
Continue reading [Taipei, Taiwan] ~ Some things I did when there was nothing planned
Seeing what was and what is – 02.20.16
After visits to more known landmarks in the city LONGSHAN TEMPLE and CHIANG KAI-SHEK MEMORIAL HALL, my next destination during my first day in Taipei was on a lesser known historical site. Called TREASURE HILL ARTIST VILLAGE, this place caught my attention due to its story of transformation. Originally resided in by illegal settlers, this place was rebuilt as a place for residence and/or crafts for artists in 2010. This transformation is not without its controversy as certain parties felt it was not a very good decision to make people lose their homes to promote arts.
For tourists though, it was nonetheless a place for quite a stroll – with vibes of contradictions of what was and is.
Continue reading [Taipei, Taiwan] ~ Finding treasures in an artist village
A surprisingly good one spent on a temple and a plaza – 02.20.16
Couldn’t remember exactly why but this was a city I wanted to revisit. My revisit February from last year was a discovery on what is interesting with the city and other places accessible via trains and buses.
This is about the trip kick-off – a surprisingly calming moment at a temple despite not being a spiritual person followed by fascination at vastness in a plaza.
Continue reading [Taiwan] ~ Taipei morning in temple and plaza
For I have been to many but none yet at home – 12.29-30.15
I have been to quite a number of beaches in 2015 but when I had the chance for one last “hirit” (Filipino slang which connotes ‘more wanting’), I spent time on a secluded one closer to home. It was an overnight trip but most of what I did were packed during the day – from lazy people-watching, moments of wading and what to me is this crazy loooong walk from almost end-to-end of this long strip of sand.
My only time to rest was during sunset until it was dark and cloudplay was over. After that, I slept for almost 12 hours (!) which equals to about 5 regular days. Then in all my groggy in the morning was a lovely goodbye surprise.
Where there is no getting lost in walking – 11.28.15
This trip over the long weekend kicked off with straight-from-airport visit to an island called MANTIGUE so small like Potipot I walked and counted my steps around it – 1,322 in total at pace from 1:19 in the afternoon until about 2 (and okay, I got lazy recording the actual end time). Seabed was grassy (some area even had sea urchins!) but amazingly clear that I still did wade. It was a brief day trip but managed to squeeze in about an hour of snorkeling from a spot not so far from shore, not without a guide, of course.
I wish I had more than a day – a night at least to camp there (which sadly is not allowed) but okay, still quite a day to remember.
Continue reading [Camiguin, Philippines] ~ 1,322 Steps around Mantigue Island
This day I found a happy workaround in a misadventure – 11.19.15
Previous day’s visit to Penang’s beaches ended on a rather gloomy note as on my way back to Georgetown, I got a text message from the airline informing me that my flight back to Manila has been cancelled due to APEC .
As I needed to be back on that day in time for an event at work, I had to think of an alternative – one that gave me a window to briefly explore another country.
The day I went somewhere a little bit off-town (and off-character) -11.17.15
I am into walking but not trekking but for this day trip knew that I had to survive one for about two hours on my way to a place in Penang called MONKEY BEACH. As the name suggests, I was expecting more monkeys on the beach but to my surprise was ‘ambushed’ by two on my way there. Nothing special water- and sand-wise but seclusion was perfect that it got me teary-eyed (I am sad to say though that upon reading more recent reviews, the place is not as secluded always and when crowded, can get dirty.)
When it started to drizzle on my way back from the LIGHTHOUSE (called MUKA HEAD) nearby, I took a boat ride back and stopped over BATU FERRINGHI for beer, bite and people- and yes, horse-watching.
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![[Camiguin, Philippines] ~ 1,322 Steps around Mantigue Island](https://iamnotravelplanner.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/30202010714_04d03028e2_o.jpg?w=672&h=372&crop=1)
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I am no travel planner. 