The Travelogue: Kawa-Kawa Hill

It had only been ten minutes since alighting from the Jeepney, and I was already soaked with sweat. Tita L joked that this was our ‘penitensya‘, as we trekked under the baking, unrelenting sun up the long uphill path through the forest to the peak of Kawa-Kawa Hill. Penitensya, or feeling regret or sorrow for sins […]

The Travelogue: Returning to Legaspi, Bigg’s Diner, & Cagsawa Ruins

After twelve hours of bumpy roads and sporadic sleep, we were nearly, finally, in Legaspi. I awoke at around 8 a.m to see the eminence of Mayon volcano out of the left-side window, the tip of its perfect cone breaking through low clouds like an arrow to the sky, giving me the true scale of […]

The Travelogue: Madge Café, La Paz Batchoy, & Museo de Iloilo

A few days earlier, while we had been lying around in Jen’s family home, trying to keep cool on another evening sticky with humidity, an episode of Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho came on TV which happened to showcase food in Iloilo. I watched with interest, and a desire to learn more about the city. Much […]

The Travelogue: Exploring Iloilo

We ate breakfast on the top floor restaurant and sat by the window, a prime spot for gazing at SM City Iloilo mall, the express way, and the steadily increasing traffic roaring down it. Not much of a view. My phone buzzed. Chyrel was already waiting for us in the hotel lobby, so we quickly […]

The Travelogue: Day 4 in Iloilo

Due to repairs that had to be made to the house, Jen’s mother hadn’t wanted us to stay in their family home for too long, so after four days we were to check into a hotel in the city. I was excited. Though I had greatly appreciated her family’s hospitality, my favourite parts of the […]

The Travelogue: Balikbayan pt. 2

The more I fought sleep, the harder it became to remain awake. I’d raise my head in my seat, only for my head to be bobbing by my shoulder five minutes later. At least my sporadic naps made the flight pass faster. It was my first trip to Iloilo – my first trip away from […]