Unforgettable Things About Korea.

Korea has grown on me in so many ways. I never knew I'm gonna miss even the most trivial things about the country. And like many foreigners who got to live in Korea, I miss eating Korean food. But I wouldn't go as far as saying I miss Kimchi cause the smell of it is freaking seared in my memory and I'm still having nightmares about it. It just repels me and why others horde and manage to keep tons of it sitting in their fridge never fails to confound me. I swear, the smell reeking even from air-tight containers every time I open the fridge in the morning summons my inner-bitch and make me act all schizo.

Other than Kimchi, all the rest serve to add a different appeal that makes life in Korea more alluring and enriching. Say for example the wide array of side dishes served in restaurants. That has got to be one of the most unforgettable thing about Korea. The tiny portions of side dishes they serve are all well thought of and carefully calculated to accentuate the main dish. Not only does it give you a buffet of different taste and texture, but how they present each one of them also give your eyes something to feast on.

After going through the health scare, I started this semi-vegetarian diet to get healthy. But for some reason, veering away from meat makes me think about Galbi more and more. This dish rightfully falls on my list of unforgettable things about Korea. I'm sure everyone knows why Galbi is world famous. It's inarguably delicious and could surely impress anyone who isn't a fan of Korean dishes. So if you know someone who can't stop ranting about how everything in Korea is spicy, bland or plain smelly, take him or her to a Galbi restaurant.


Third on my list is Western Bar in Korea. They call it Western Bar because it serves western liquors and beers from around the world. Whenever I'm having a nightmarish-ly bad day, Chris takes me to our favorite bar. I love it cause it's spacious and they serve free (refillable) side-dishes. They also have this small button at the edge of the table that you could press to call the waiter. It's a far cry from the crampy, dim, and noisy bars I'm used to.

For me, life in Korea is far from fairy tale beginnings or endings. I call it a life-changing and temper-taming adventure laced with pain, joy, and a bit of humor. Sometimes it's blissful, sometimes it's really tiring, and other times it could truly push the limits of your sanity. But the important thing is that I've grown to love it flaws and all. But as far as flaws go, the smell of kimchi still bothers me and I need a few more years to fix it. Have a happy Monday you all!

Music Fix.

My playlist desperately needs an update so I added a couple of fresh new tracks. The previous songs makes me wanna reach that box of Kleenex, so this time I wanted some feel-good music, easy on the ears and nothing depressing.

Toasted and Thirsty.

I must be mental for choosing to spend this month here in Manila. The heat is unbearable and each day that passes is more like a battle. I'm desperately trying to keep myself from packing my bags and flying off to Korea. I'm sure all Pinoys share the same sentiment about the weather, and all are dying to get whisked away to some frozen nowhere land.

On days when the temperature tips at 35 degrees, I focus my energy on cursing the weather and binging on sour mangoes and bagoong. And because wardrobe choices boil down to only two things: short and shorter - I feel obligated to flex my stubborn, lazy muscles in the gym. It's hard alright, but let me tell you, working out in a sauna-like condition definitely pays off. I've lost some weight and it's something I feel really happy about. I still have a long way to go so you wouldn't see me in a teeny-weeny swimsuit mode anytime soon.

As for my health, I'm still recuperating. It turns out I have something simple but it pretty much binds me to long-term medication. And although it's disheartening as it is, at the crux of it all, I've realized that life is too short to let one's dreams go to waste. I've decided to live that dream, so I'm putting up a small business with the help of some people close to me. I'm still in the planning stage, but hopefully this July or August, we'll be ready to roll.

Amidst all these things that get my thoughts flying in all direction, I'll be lying if I say that I don't miss my Korean life. As a matter of fact, I miss it everyday (especially in this heat!). I'll be coming to Korea after the holy week is over, and I can't wait to hit the beaches there, and bask in the cool spring weather while sipping a sweet bubbly cup of Hoegaarden. In Korea, I just buy it at big supermarkets. Unfortunately, I don't know where to get it here in Manila. I sooo miss drinking this beer with my favorite beer-buddy Chris!

So much for normalcy.

The past week has been a huge metamorphosis and two things happened that will surely shape up the things to come. I finally bid adieu to my only sibling who left the Philippines for good. It was an emotion-filled day at the airport, and the almost-palpable sadness was a little too much to handle. I planned to be all rock star and not shed a tear, but as soon as I saw her getting teary-eyed, I cried like a baby. Days after that, I found out that I'm sick, and though it's not life-threatening as it is, it would require me to be on meds for God knows how long. I haven't fully recuperated from the fact my sister wouldn't be a bus ride away anymore, and now another of Life's bitter pill. And this pretty much squeezes out any positivity left in me. My life seems to be perpetually hounded by tragedies, and sometimes I wish I could have a blissfully normal 28-year old life where boys, buds and wardrobe are the only things that occupy my thoughts.

I'm not in a really good place right now. In this pit of uncertainties, changes, and adjustments that overwhelms me, I was inspired to create a playlist and the songs I've chosen best represents how I feel. Music is where I find healing and it's where I find hope.

More From Paradise.

If you're in for an awesome and frenzied escape, then Puerto Galera couldn't be more fitting. It's a quest of every thrill-seekin' soul to find a place like this. And even though I've seen it a couple of times before, I still can't find the perfect words to earnestly describe how mind-blowingly beautiful it looks over there. Galera has a certain pull on me, and I don't think I'll ever get tired of braving the harsh seas just to see it. Must be the serenity, or the overly-enthusiastic locals... But then again it could be the 'hakuna matata' feeling dawning each time my foot hits that cool sand. It's dangerously addicting, I can't help but yearn for another visit.

On our 2nd day in Galera, rain blasted the entire island soaking everything. But luck prevailed and the rain veered away shortly after lunch.



When the sun finally showed up, we all excitedly ran towards the beach, eagerly trying to feel that damp sand against our bare feet. And while everyone's raving about making a sand castle, my attention drifted to a familiar green bottle slightly buried in the sand. We all know the multitude of Koreans flocking to this location - some getting piss drunk not with local beers but with Soju. I haven't fully grasped Korean's love for their country till I saw this.


The rain made everyone antsy for an adventure, so after lunch we rented a boat that took us on an island-hopping tour.


Here are some of the cool sights we saw along the way.

The boat stopped at a spot where the water looked more emerald than blue. Then we all donned snorkelling attires and plunged into the water. We spent a good three hours swimming, feeding fishes, and exploring the corals below. Here's how that special spot looks like.

We were all exhausted from swimming, so when the boat took us to an isolated beach to rest, we couldn't be happier. We rushed to get a good shady spot to relax and ate the sandwiches my Mom brought along.

I'm the type of person who is always trying to find something to outdo the last adventure, but somehow I knew it's gonna be hard to top this amazing experience...

Bring On The Heat!

Summer conjures images of all-night partying, water sports, chilled beer on the beach, and skimpy attire for the metabolically blessed. Though it's still two months away and we're barely feeling the need for AC, my family didn't think twice to hit the beach and get that early dose of summer fun we so desperately need.

We came to Puerto Galera with only one thing in our head; that is to subject ourselves to all the fun the beach and the glorious tropical climate could offer. We left at the crack of dawn and drove to Batangas Pier, and there we took a ferry that brought us to the Island. The weather was perfect then, but the sea was far from calm. Waves came crashing to the boat and soaked our bags in the process. After a grueling hour of turbulent seas and strong gust of winds, it became better and we could all manage to smile again.


I could tell people were in awe at the first sight of land. When the boat docked, we all let out gasps of appreciation.

And here's a first glimpse of the place they call "White Beach".

It was still early when we arrived, and most people were still in slumber, or better yet, nursing a hangover.


We got two rooms at Mindorinne Oriental; a resort that takes pride on it's spectacular beach front scenery, coconut trees, and cute little balconies.

We had a quick lunch at one of of their alfresco-style restaurants with the beach in full view. We spent the rest of the afternoon putting sunscreen, working on our tan, and taking long walks by the beach. Here's how a lazy afternoon in Galera looks like.

We are all under the spell of this place. The days seem endless and the nights are filled with so many fun things to do. We spent our first night in Galera doing beer shots and listening to reggae music - a genre even my mom could appreciate.

Although the sound of the waves crashing and beer being popped open has dissipated, the calming insouciance only a beach could bring still remains. I hope you all stick around for the next installment. You'll see more of Galera that'll get your head somersaulting in a fine frenzy!

Scale New Heights, Defy Limits, and Chase the Stars.

We have such a big world out there to discover, and crossing seas and boundaries is life's vibrant interpretation of learning. I think it's every person's innocuous duty to see more of the world, and be fascinated by it's beauty and marvels. Not only does it excite your senses, gets your heart racing and your neurons sparking, but it also makes you appreciate life even more. This post marks the end of my Thailand travelogue, and here you'll see the things that impacted me the most, as well as the things that gave the lasting impression.

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With so many good places in Thailand, you'll never run out of things to see: from majestic mountains, to rolling hills, to cascading waterfalls, down to the fine beaches. But I do come from a country with a similar climate, and those are the things that I also get to enjoy back home. That's why I chose to experience temples, because nothing lets you travel back to time and give you that 'old-world' mystical feel than visiting a temple. Buddhism is the bare bones of Thai culture and it's principle lies in the teachings of Buddhism faith. There are over 30,000 temples in Thailand, some of which they consider as Royal temples and most are just common ones. Nonetheless, all are sacred and visitors are expected to be in their best behaviour. The most intriguing Buddha images I've seen from my travel are so sacred visitors are not allowed to touch or take pictures of it. Below are stunning centuries-old Buddha images I was able to see up close.

A temple is more than just a sacred place of worship. It also houses an ornament of remarkable murals, ancient artifacts, artworks, and statues. Below are the things that caught my attention. They are so intricate that even the most discriminating art enthusiasts will be bowled-over after seeing it.

There is also a preponderance of pagodas and conical towers. It's covered in highly-ornate mosaics and other intricate details.

There are no words to surmise how much I enjoyed this trip. I learned a decade-worth of history, feasted my eyes on amazing artworks, and marveled at spectacular sceneries that gave me a bigger appreciation for life. I hope you all enjoyed the tour!

At Sundown.

Bangkok proved to be a difficult feat. It involves a lot of agonizing long walks that felt more like running a marathon rather than walking. Although there are plenty of buses, taxis, and "tuk-tuk" (the ubiquitous tricycle taxi we all know of), you still need to walk for long hours, more so, if you're on a tight budget. On the days when I didn't have to strain my leg muscles, I'd say it was pure bliss as I got to appreciate the surroundings more.

Bangkok is known for it's canals and rivers - they sometimes call this place Venice of Asia. During my stay, I found out that taking a boat is the best way to discover many wonderful places, but it's not as easy as what it seems to be. As warped as it sounds, their boat system is as complicated as a subway's. There are color coded flags, complicated pricing, and many piers and different platforms. But once you get a grip of their labyrinth system, you'll see it's the most comfortable way to get around. I enjoyed the ride as it also showed a different side of Thailand - something you don't usually get see in travel books and catalogues.








And here's where it took me. They call this place "Wat Arun" - Temple of the Dawn. It's a Khmer-style tower surrounded by 4 smaller ones. It looks really good from across the river when you could see the magnificent structures in full view. The climb to get to the top is verrry steep, but it's a great way to get a bird's eye view of the city. It got dark as soon as I reached the top so I didn't get good pictures. Just to give you guys an idea, you could see the city's skyline, the villages, and the Grand Palace. But expect a throbbing leg pain after as a result.

As night time falls, the beauty and splendor of the place doesn't fall short. It is as equally beautiful as it is during daytime. Here's how I capped my 2nd day in Bangkok.