Friday, August 31, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The KK Diaries: Mistaken Identity and the Sunday Market Madness
Day 3 - Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Dear Diary,
I woke up alone inside the room. Everyone's already up. The aircon was still running, making it more difficult to wake up. I was *THIS* close to go back to bed and sleep the entire day. But I tried to muster enough strength to carry my body; my weight triples every morning and I still don't know the science behind it.
Jalan Gaya - closed every Sunday to give way to KK's Sunday Market. Opens from 7AM 'til 1PM. |
After splashing my face with icy cold water, I went to the lounge, only to find the caretaker putting some fresh fruits on the table. I sat, grabbed a few oranges, prepared a glass of cold water and turned on the TV. While watching NatGeo Wild, the caretaker poked me and asked in pidgin English, "Want some more? You can drink coffee here."
"Oh, how thoughtful of you. Thank you! But I prefer drinking this," I politely replied."Don't be shy, okay? Just help yourself!""Alright, thank you!", I chimed.
Why she's talking in English to me, diary? Well, I wasn't sure. Maybe she's Malaysian. Or whatever.
As I went to the water dispenser to refill my drink, I peered at the window and was surprised to see numerous blue tents along the street. And I remembered what Brenna told us yesterday that every Sunday, the whole stretch of Jalan Gaya is closed in order to give way to the Sunday Market.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Dine at Binggoy's Gourmet
After feasting ourselves with Crispy Tadyang, Crispy Pata, Tuna Sisig and Chicken Binakol of Kusina Selera, we drove north to the quaint boutique hotel named Villa Margarita. There, we waited for the next set of Filipino meals prepared by the chefs - The Kusineros.
Friday, August 24, 2012
The KK Diaries: Finding a Home Away from Home
Day 2 - Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Dear Diary,
My friends woke me up at around 7AM. Still groggy, I tried my best to open my eyes. Now that I'm on a vacation, I shouldn't waste much time to make the most out of my trip. We ate breakfast at Casuarina Hotel, located a few meters away from our hostel.
Then, we checked out and boarded the 16A bus. For only 1.00 Rm, this is the cheapest ride to downtown Kota Kinabalu. Armed with maps and sheer determination, we explored downtown KK and finally found a place that we can confidently call 'home'.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Colors of Davao: Kadayawan Festival 2012
Davao City, bursting with vibrant colors, celebrated the 27th Kadayawan Festival following last year's theme, 10 Tribes, 1 Vibe.
Dubbed as The King of Festivals, Kadayawan Festival is known for its colorful dances and parades which celebrates the natural abundance of the region and serves as a thanksgiving ritual by the locals to "Manama" or the Supreme Being.
It was my second time to experience Kadayawan Festival but I thought that this year's Kadayawan was more exciting and more fun compared last year.
Here are some of my photos I took during the Pamulak sa Dalan event (Floral Float Parade). All photos were taken using my DSLR camera (Canon EOS 1100D) armed with an L-series 70-200 mm telephoto lens. Mind you, the whole equipment were heavy. Add the fact that I need to squeeze my way just to have a better view (this year, I didn't get a media pass). Despite the intense heat of the sun, and the crowd (I am 50 shades darker by the way), everything was worth it.
What a great way to spend my weekend!
Monday, August 20, 2012
The KK Diaries: There's Always A First Time
Dear Diary,
Days before my Kota Kinabalu trip, torrential rain poured over Metro Manila for three weeks already. 3/4 of the nation's capital was submerged underwater and would you believe that the Balintawak Exit of NLEX (North Luzon Expressway) was impassable during that time? Gee, I was worried.
No, not today, rain. NOT TODAY!
Air Asia Malaysia, our flight to Kota Kinabalu |
I have prepared for this trip and I cannot allow this monsoon rains to ruin my perfect plans. Heck, it's my first trip abroad and I will do anything just to make this trip possible. Buying a new ticket from Davao to Clark was my alternative plan. I don't really care if it will cost me a LOT, as long as I won't miss my connecting flight to Kota Kinabalu. Yes diary, I was THAT desperate.
Together with Yancy and Brenna, we constantly monitor the satellite feed of the weather and prayed for its improvement the next day. Thank goodness, the gods, demigods and goddesses heard our prayers! The weather improved the following day and the three of us arrived at Clark safe and sound.
But that's not all. The fun is just about to start.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
The KK Diaries: Prologue
Aug 17, 2012 / 11.25 PM
Hello guys!
It is been a while since my last post. I have been away from home for more than a week already. As of this writing, I am currently here in Cagayan de Oro City, processing my medical requirements for my application in CAAP. I know everyone of you hated me for the past few weeks because I keep on posting blog posts about my Sooo Pinoy Davao Food Trip experience, and I am truly sorry for that! I know it is agonizing to browse all those mouthwatering photos especially at wee hours of the morning!
Today let's take a break from the Sooo Pinoy Davao Food Trip post and time to spam my blog about my recent trip in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
Labels:
asia,
kota kinabalu,
malaysia,
story,
travel
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Brighton Metal - Not Quite Dead Yet
The seaside city of Brighton in East
Sussex is a fabulous place for all walks of life, but in particular Brighton
has a great heavy metal scene. Check out Travelodge for
more information on Brighton hotels, because you’ll need to make a good
weekend of it at least. By day, Brighton sports a vast array of shops, from
retail outlets to the quirky small shops found in The Lanes. If you haven’t
been to Brighton before, check into your comfortable hotel and just start
exploring this great seaside resort. You’ll find all sorts in The Lanes,
including antique shops, fabulous jewellers, specialist contemporary and
designer boutique fashion. You could wander these narrow alleys for hours
checking out all the interesting shops here, but no doubt you’ll want to rest
your feet in one of the little cafes or restaurants.
The rest of the city is also well worth an exploration. The
seafront is a shingle beach but the promenade between the two piers gives an
excellent relaxing walk with rolling ocean views. Take a stroll up into town to
visit the, a must visit metal and alternative pub when going to Brighton.
It’s dark, dingy, serves good beer and cider and plays good music. It also has
a spacious beer garden out back to enjoy the weather. What more could you ask
for?
Friday, August 10, 2012
Celebrate Kadayawan at the Apo View Hotel
In 2007, the Apo View Hotel celebrated Kadayawan Festival in line with its 60th anniversary of being one of the country’s premier hotel and the second oldest hotel in the whole Philippines. This year, Apo View Hotel gives you more color to the most-awaited festival as it showcases different tribes and the diverse culture of Mindanao.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Dream of Para, Para, Paradise
Labels:
davao,
food,
mindanao,
philippines,
sooo pinoy
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Marina Tuna: Davao's Best Tuna and Seafoods
Aside from the Philippine Eagle and Durian, Tuna is also an important icon of Davao. This particular species of fish is abundant due to the city's close proximity to the tuna capital, General Santos City.
Here in Marina Tuna, they just do not serve grilled panga and grilled tuna belly. They also serve tuna in TEN ways!
Monday, August 6, 2012
Patok na Patok sa Taste ko: Patok sa Manok
The third day of Sooo Pinoy Davao Food Trip got even better, tastier and made our tummies heavier than before. Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal because it fuels our brain; makes us energized for the rest of day.
Patok sa Manok was our first destination and I must say that it's one of the perfect ways to jumpstart your day - enjoying the numerous Filipino dishes.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Ten Tribes, One Vibe.
Now there's a valid reason to spend the long weekend here in Davao!
Dubbed as the 'King of Festivals', Kadayawan Festival is celebrated every third week of August. The said festival is an annual thanksgiving celebration for the bountiful blessings that the city received.
Collage of my Kadayawan shots, taken last year. |
It will still follow last year's theme: Ten Tribes, One Vibe. The tribes of Ata, Matigsalug, Ovu-Manuvo, Klata-Djangan, Tagabawa, Tausog, Maguindanao, Maranao, Kagan, and Sama are the ethnic groups that comprised the 10 different tribes of Davao.
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