Boracay's Treasures

Here are my keychains and cellphone blings from the Island paradise of Boracay. Most of them are gifts from friends.

a shell and some sands

sands and shell combidation too

colored sands? or salt?

collection of different sea creatures

shells and colored sands

traditional Filipino banca

Cebu's Trademarks

Sharing the key chains I got during my recent Cebu trip this year:

Cebu are very known for their quality-made guitar; bought this from the souvenir stalls right beside Magellan's shrine

one major landmark in Cebu is Megallan's Cross; bought this just from the kids selling sorts of key chains outside the Magellan's cross

this was just a freebie for experiencing their one-of-a-kind attraction, famous indeed in the Philippines! (not a key chain though)

I went for an introductory dive in Moalboal, Cebu but haven't found any key chain symbolizing the coastal town aside from this one. Well, the town if know for their diving sites and probably turtles might be found under the waters there.

I would like also to include my two previous key chains, both of course from Cebu as well:

bought this when I was sent to Cebu for work due to a project launch 2-3 years ago

I'm sorry but I already forgot who gave this to me :'(

Baler's Weaved Slippers

Looking for a pasalubong and souvenirs in Baler, Aurora is so friendly with tourists like us. Just go to their central market and look for the pasalubong center.They have all sort of things here - from shirts to delicacies to keychains to slippers to mats and so much more! If you want to go to a comfort room before your travel back, you may also do it here.

Baler, Aurora Pasalubong Center

I got here a cheap keychain which I think I got for a good price. It's a miniature weaved slipper which is one of the products of this town. This comes in various color combinations though you need to search this from various shops here. It has a "Baler, Aurora" script on its sole below.

Weaved Slipper key chain

Kalibo's Ati-Atihan

During my latest trip to Boracay, our flight itinerary was: Manila - Caticlan, Kalibo - Manila. Flying from Caticlan to Manila would cost you double from the other way around. I wonder why? To cut the story short, here is what I got from Kalibo International Airport.

Ati-Atihan key chain

Inside the airport, at their boarding lounge, go to the second floor for some souvernir shops. I think I got this for Php80; yeah, quite expensive but if you're a collector, you'll bite into this especially considering that it is truly pretty! I also got similar design (but different colors) for a refrigerator magnet. Ati-atihan is the famous festival of the Kalibo, Aklan town so this would best describe the place I land my foot on.

Donsol's Butanding

I took this trip with Travel Factor with side trips to Daraga Church, Mayon Volcano, Cagsawa Ruins and Lignon Hill. This is one of my favorite key chains so far, why? It's because it truly showcases the main attraction of the place and almost like a real resemblance of a Whale Shark!

Butanding or Whale Shark

First tip! Do make your reservation for the whale shark tour a day before as it easily gets overbooked for the next day's schedules. They have schedules for every (i forgot how long) and has only limited number of boats and persons (6 persons per boat only). 

Second tip! Whale Sharks in the area only do show mostly in the morning and from the months of February to April (their peak season).

entrance to Amor Farm Beach Resort

This is the resort we stayed at. The rooms were spacious and clean, including their comfort rooms. The resort has full of plants and ornaments, the rooms were not cluttered on small single space. Sorry, got no pictures of the resort other than this sign.

my company to the tour of our lives!

The dive was great and the whale shark is so humongous! I got scared on my first dive as I thought it is so near me. You can also see the planktons in front of him. Several times I followed the whale shark on this path and it was just so awesome!

tourist center, 15mins walk from the resort

This is were you'll be briefed on the whale shark and its conservation. There are souvenir shops here as well and rental of fins, masks and snorkels. And most importantly, you need to reserve yourselves here!

Final note, I would love to go back and experience this again!

La Mesa Ecopark

This is the key chain I got from one of the stores inside the Ecopark, it is made from a recycled bottle cap (cheers for that!):

La Mesa Ecopark Logo

Sharing with you some of the activities we had inside the park and some awesome views:

I don't know if this is a live creek or something

wall climbing

zipline

view from the top of the dam

boating

As for the fees, I barely forgot them but I think the wall climbing is around Php100, the zipline is ~Php150 and the boat ~Php150. They also have an entrance fee of no more than Php50. There are also lots of food stalls inside the park which is a few hectares. We haven't tried also the air soft gun and their pretty crowded pools.

Albay's Mayon Volcano

I got two key chains with Mayon Volcano (the perfectly coned-shaped volcano) paints, one on a dried pili nut and the other on a piece of wood. Bicol region in the Philippines is known for their Pili Nut products so don't forget to bring one home.

Mayon Volcano painted on a dried Pili nut (Bicol's home-grown nut)

Mayon Volcano painted on a piece of wood

Mayon Volcano taken at Lignon Hill

Trek on your way up to Lignon Hill to better grasp the view of the volcano. It is advisable to be there during early morning, right around sunrise, so there wouldn't be clouds alongside the tip of the volcano.

Tacloban, Leyte

Unfortunately, I didn't have a good find during my trip to this city. I only got this hammer made of wood with the city name of course. Well, better have one than nothing. Just wanna share as well the sites we've been trough during our one day city tour...

Gen. McArthur's landing site; Palo, Leyte

 

Cathedral somewhere between Palo and Tacloban

 

Sto Nino Museum; the Malacanang of the South during Marcos' regime

 

Rafael's Farm; north of Tacloban; they serve organic meals

 

San Juanico Bridge

Corregidor's Mile Long Barracks

This is what I only got from the island of Corregidor; it's somewhat a plain picture encased by a clear hard plastic. I bought it since I want something from there.

The picture is the Mile Long Barracks on the island of Corregidor. On this island you can see many preserved barracks and firearms used during the Second World War. Here are some of our trip photos on the island last April 2010:

out tour provider, you may see them at the port of Manila Bay inside the CCP Complex

the map as displayed on our coaster

inside the Malinta Tunnel which has extra price of around 200pesos per person

our coaster

at the Japanese garden

Barracks #1

steel doors

how huge it is

lighthouse

solar panels fueling the island's energy

ammunitions

Visiting this place would take you back in time. Even though we were not alive during those days, we can still savor the days of the war. Creepy as it sounds but we can know and better comprehend what our ancestors and grandparents are telling us. This is my second time to visit this place yet I still learned a lot.