I have seen Travel A to Z posts circulating in the blogosphere in the later part of December, 2011 and really found interest going over some of them as it gave me insights into the comings and goings of bloggers who are way ahead of me in the travel blogging hammock. Lately, much to my appreciation, I got a tag from my esteemed founder of the Pinoy Travel Bloggers Flipnomad and my interest to this Travel A to Z phenomenon had shoot up some more.Though I am a bit of an introvert and my travel blog is only a few days far from its first year anniversary, but it is also an honor to share some of my travel experiences and preferences.

A: Age you made your first international trip

My first international trip was in Singapore in 2007. I was 42 then, a late bloomer in international travel indeed!

B: Best (foreign) beer you’ve had and where

I stopped drinking beer at the age of 24 and have had no opportunity drinking foreign beer when I was still a few steps away from being an alcoholic.

C: Cuisine (Favourite)

I like the Paella Valenciana- the national cuisine of Spain.

A close up photo of the Paella Valenciana- the national cuisine of Spain

I got my first taste of the original Paella at Casa Angel Restaurant in Valencia City, Spain.

D: Destinations. Favourite. Least Favourite. Why?

My favourite destination is Spain not only due to her historical attachment as former colonizer of my country for 333 years but due to its rich attractions and nice cuisine as well. I love my forbears calling her Madre España.

Gazing the urban landscape at Valencia City, Spain

A pose with the centuries-old castles and churches in the former Spain capital city of Toledo.

E: Event you experienced that made you say ‘Wow’

After having dinner at the 76th floor of the Bai Yoke Sky Hotel, which is the tallest building in Thailand, I climbed to the Revolving View Point at the 84th Floor and was awe-inspired at the fantastic evening view of the entire city of Bangkok.

F: Favourite mode of transportation

I love the feeling of being on top of the world as I fly on board an airplane.

G: Greatest feeling while travelling

I got thrilled at what shall I see, hear, feel, taste and touch in the path that I have not yet beaten.

H: Hottest place I’ve travelled to

Not yet traveled to any place hotter than the summer in the Philippines.

I: Incredible service you’ve experienced and where

Majority, if not all, of the waiters and waitresses in Singapore restaurants are senior citizens as the younger ones are employed in other lucrative jobs. At the start, I was hesitant to place an order as I remembered the first woman I love in my life- my mother, who is already in the other world. But it turned out that they were as friendly and hospitable as the restaurant staff in other countries that I have been to.

J: Journey that took you the longest

Flying on board Qatar Airways Flight QR 647 for 9 and a half hours from Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippines to Doha International Airport, Doha, Qatar, stopping over thereat for 4 hours and flying again via Qatar Airways Flight QR 69 and landed at Barajas International Airport in Madrid, Spain after 8 hours.

Bound for Doha, Qatar en route to Madrid, Spain

K: Keepsake from your travels

It is customary on my part to buy display souvenir items in each and every place of my travel.Candidly, I find comfort in looking at the various souvenir items arranged in a display cabinet at the living room of our house and got the feeling of an athlete staring at his medals.

L: Let down sight. Why and where?

I might be critical of some sights I deem not comfortable to stare at but in my years of travel, I have not yet seen any view that let my sense of seeing down.

M: Moment where you fell in love with travel

The time when I applied as crew member of a passenger motor boat plying the Bucas Grande Island to Surigao City route and to other destinations after my graduation in high school. Not only that it ended my agony for sea sickness as my constant bout with all forms of waves (big, bigger, biggest) had made me attuned to motion sickness factors but it had also opened my horizons to places outside of the island of my birth and inspired me to pursue my studies so I can have the opportunity to travel at my own pace.

N: Nicest hotel you’ve stayed in

Crown Regency Hotel and Towers in Cebu City, Philippines is so far the best hotel that I have had ever stayed.

O: Obsession. What are you obsessed with taking pictures of while traveling?

I always made sure to shoot the landscape first before taking pictures at any thing that catches my interest.

P: Passport stamps. How many and from where?

I have been to 3 countries (Singapore, Spain and Thailand) plus 1 stop over in Qatar and got stamps from those countries’ airport immigration personnel.

Q: Quirkiest attraction you’ve visited and where.

The breath-taking crocodile wrestling and spectacular acrobatic elephant show in Samphan, west of Bangkok, Thailand. My jaw almost dropped at the sight of the crocodile tender feeding his head to the widely opened mouth of the ferocious crocodile. Please check my post on Saltwater Crocodile Wrestling – My Visit To A Thrill Seeker Destination in Bangkok, Thailand.

R: Recommended sight, event, or experience.

Please don’t accuse me of ringing my own bells, but I recommend visiting Bucas Grande- my island home and I assure you that you will not regret it. You can check my post on the 3 compelling reasons to visit Bucas Grande Island, Philippines.

S: Splurge. Something you have no problem forking over for while travelling.

A bulk of my travel budget goes to souvenir items that I am fond of distributing to my family, friends and associates back home.

T: Touristy thing you’ve done

Keeping myself busy taking photo and video clips while shooting the rapids en route to Pagsanjan Falls in Laguna, Philippines and engaging in sensory feasting at the spectacular nature in action were the best touristy events that ever happened in my life as a traveler.

A thumbs up for the Pagsanjan Falls

U: Unforgettable travel memory

My most unforgettable travel moments were the times that I was almost left behind by the Madrid-bound plane as I got asleep while in transit at the Doha International Airport. For more details please have a look at my post on Travel To Spain – My First Europe Trip, My Unforgettable Experience.

V: Visas. How many of them and for where.

I have only one visa (Schenggen) during my travel to Spain. Being a Filipino, I can travel using my passport in most countries in Southeast Asia.

W: Wine, best glass while travelling and where.

I started drinking wine at the age of 14 and almost reached the level of an alcoholic in college. But even then, I made a vow to myself to stop alcoholic beverages drinking after my marriage. Truly, I refrained from drinking wine since I got married in 1989 at the of age 24 and my own liquor ban had even expanded to beer and soft drinks.
‘
X: Excellent view and from where

I am a waterfalls fanatic in the real sense of the word. The thundering sound produced and the fantastic view of the waters falling from a high region into the plunge pool really stimulates my senses and rejuvenates my soul. And nothing beats the view of the Tinuy-an Falls situated in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur in the Philippines. May invite you then to view my post on Island Vacations – Conquering Philippines Niagara, The Tinuy-an Falls In Surigao del Sur.

Y: Years spent traveling

I first traveled abroad to Singapore in 2007 but I was not yet into travel blogging then. It was just one year ago that I launched my Island Vacations Travel Blog which got me hooked to the vicious traveling to blog and blogging to travel cycle. Please check my post on Island Vacations Turns One – My Travel Blog Ups and Downs.

Z: Zealous sports fans and where

I watch sports games on TV only during my spare time but am not a fan of any sports team.

Travel A to Z- It Is Cool To Share Yours

Calling Angel Juarez of Lakwatsero, AJ Poliquit of The Transcendental Tourist,
Alea Phils of Solitary Wanderer,Doi Domasian of The Travelling Feet
and DrWends Cagape of Journeys And Travels as well as Dave and Debb of The Planet D Canada’s Adventure Couple and Marcia Mayne of Inside Journeys. . .

Can I tag you to share your own Travel A to Z Please?

Crocodile Park – An Introduction

Crocodile Park, where you can see a saltwater crocodile at close range and where the butterfly house that this island vacations buff had visited is also located, has become one of the popular tourist spots nowadays especially with the recent capture of the largest crocodile in the world in the town of Bunawan within the vicinity of Agusan Marsh in Mindanao Island, Philippines. Hence, in one of my trips to Davao City, I made sure to have a spare time to visit the Davao Crocodile Park situated at the Diversion Road in Barangay Maa.

Crocodile Park – My Close Encounter Crocodiles In Captivity

Before proceeding to the butterfly house, I took time to stroll at the Crocodile Park cum mini zoo. After paying the PhP 150.00 entrance fee, I, my wife, my friend Ben Togonon and our driver Jonel had entered the spot and this signage had greeted us . . .

A comely signage inside the Davao Crocodile Park

The inquisitive and investigative mind in me had really came out as I took the opportunity to dig deeper into the life cycle of saltwater  crocodiles. My steps had brought me then to this part of the Park . . .

The Nursery and Incubator Room. . .	. . . With state-of-the-art incubators!
The Nursery House . . .	. . . With corresponding storage tanks.

In my search for the next life cycle stage, I stumbled upon this area . . .

The yearlings . . . .

My next stop were the pens intended for juveniles. . .

Juvenile Stage A creatures. . .

Juvenile Stage B animals

The young adults are then called Sub-Adult Breeders . . .

Sub-Adult Breeders . . .

As I walked further, I chanced upon this area . . .

The Breeder B Pen . . .

Hosting more mature breeders.

And, finally, I found the largest ones in the park . . .

The Breeder C Crocodiles . . .

A further stroll led me to the mini-zoo housing exotic birds as well as the Ostrich Farm . . .

The Victoria Crowned Pigeons . . .

The imposing Ostrich Farm signage . . .

And the visit was capped with a pose for posterity . . .

My good friend Ben Togonon, me and my wife ascertaining if our heights can match with that of the giant birds.

Crocodile Park – Final Thoughts

Movies portraying crocodiles as  villains devouring the flesh of humans in a split second attack had really shaped up my mind about the animals as ferocious creatures. My perception about them had dramatically changed after watching over a thrill seeker Crocodile Wrestling Show in Bangkok, Thailand. But nothing beats my visit to the Crocodile Park in Davao City as my full appreciation of their life cycle had made me endeared to the animals I once feared most.

Butterfly House – An Introduction

Butterfly House, a sight seeing spot where beautiful butterflies abound, is one of the tourist attractions ideal for kid friendly vacations that this island vacations enthusiast had visited during my travel to nature trips series held recently. It is situated within the Davao Crocodile Park Complex in the Diversion Road, Maa, Davao City, Mindanao Island, Philippines.

Butterfly House – The Fun and Excitement of Chasing Butterflies

It was during a morning meeting held at Davao City that I was able to inquire from my good friend Ben Togonon if he had an idea on the exact location of a butterfly garden I heard about in the city where beautiful butterflies abound. And I was really ecstatic with his response that the spot we were located was just a few kilometers away from the said place.

During our break, we headed to the Diversion Road in Barangay Maa and went straight to the Davao Crocodile Park Complex. We entered and strolled at the Crocodile Park, the details of which shall be discussed in my future posts. Afterward, we proceeded to the place I was most excited  with and I was attracted at this signage on the road side . . .

The comely Butterfly House Signage . . .

I then took photos of the entrances, both of the Butterfly House Complex and the Butterfly House itself . . .

The Davao Butterfly House Complex gate . . .

... and the Butterfly House door.

I then looked intently and studied the various information materials pasted in the walls. . .

The Davao Butterfly House briefer . . .

... and the Life Cycle of the Butterfly.

I also took notice of the picture frames of butterflies endemic to the various islands in the Philippines.

Reminiscent of my childhood days in Bucas Grande Island where chasing butterflies is part of childhood fun, I got myself hooked into following the movements of the tiny creatures hopping from one plant to another.. .

From this tiny colorful creature in black . . .

To this cute insect hopping in a red flower . . .

Back to another cute blackish creature . . .

Until I found two enjoying the wonders of creation . . .

A butterfly couple in one mating position . . .

And of course the other position . . .

I then took video clips of my close encounter with a variety of butterflies . . .

I was about to leave the butterfly house as my companions were gesturing that it was time to go. But no, I must convince a butterfly first to land in my hand before going out. Thanks to this lovely creature that my wish came to reality . . .

A comely butterfly docking on my finger . . .

I then went out of the butterfly house, albeit, with so much hesitation. As I looked back, I just made myself contended with this view . . .

The Butterfly House as seen from the other side of the complex.

Butterfly House – Final Thoughts

Having been born and raised in a rural area, chasing butterflies hopping from one flower to another was part of the fun and frolic of my childhood days. Hence, I grew up truly fascinated with beautiful butterflies and the sight of the lovely creatures freely roaming in the garden nowadays is always associated with childhood experiences. Honestly, I felt that I was on board a time machine during my few minutes stay at the butterfly house as my thoughts were transported back to my childhood days, full of fun and care free memories.

Dahilayan Adventure Park – An Introduction

Dahilayan  Adventure Park, having a zip zone hosting the 840-meter long dual zipline dubbed as the longest of its kind in Asia, is the latest mountain view spot that this thrill seeker and island vacations enthusiast have had the chance to visit. It is located in Mindanao Island at 4,500 feet above sea level within the vicinity of Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park in Barangay Dahilayan, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon Province, Philippines.

Dahilayan Adventure Park – A Ziplining Experience To Remember

My eyes really twinkled in excitement when my good friends Lomel Nunag and Charlie Sagrado had told me and my wife upon our arrival at the  Menzi Orchard Residences in Damilag, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon that we were setting foot at the spot exactly 20 kilometers away from the famous Dahilayan Adventure Park. Hence, after  going through a sensory feasting trip at the scenic Menzi Farm, details of which shall be dealt with in my future posts, we decided to proceed to Dahilayan Adventure Park with Charlie serving as our tour guide.

After a few minutes drive, we reached the home of sweet Del Monte pineapples and decided to drop at a roundabout and took shots of these  prominent views . . .

Sculpture at its best. . . the imposing larger-than-life replica of a pineapple fruit!

Me, my wife and our good friend cum tour guide Charlie.

The agriculturist in me had really came out as my eyes quickly rolled in all directions as our vehicle traversed on the road passing through pineapple plantations which were so vast that my eyes are  incapable of seeing its boundaries. A few minutes more and we finally reached our destination, the Dahilayan Adventure Park . . .

The Dahilayan Adventure Park entrance . . .

... with its strategic View Deck.

My jaw almost dropped in frustration when the booth in charge told us that our arrival at the Dahilayan Adventure Park is untimely as they were about to close the ziplining adventure. Hence, after paying the zipline fee of P 600.00 per head, we were instructed to board the last vehicle trip for the day towards the  dual cable zipline starting point. We were then assisted in wearing our ziplining gears, after which, we and proceeded to the platform and gain first hand ziplining observation on . . .

I kept myself busy calming down my wife, who has a heart problem, as I sensed that her inherent acrophobia and aerophobia had started to engulf her while watching this next batch of wire fliers . . .

Then came our turn of the wire flight. I was holding my breath as the Dahilayan Adventure Park dual cable zipline staff were fixing our gears while giving last minute instructions. A few moments of hand held radio conversation among the Dahilayan Adventure Park releasing and receiving personnel ensued and finally… one … two . . . three … scream . . .

Our acrophobic driver cum photographer Ronel expertly took these shots . . .

Me and my wife enjoying the greatest wire flight of our life . . .

Flashing a victory sign . . .

... and having a victory pose!

I was thinking that our once-in-a-life time ziplining adventure had already ended. But no, a petite Dahilayan Adventure Park staff gestured us to come to the paying booth. With a warm greeting of congratulations accompanied by a nice smile, she handed to me this document . . .

The Ziprider Certificate attesting that I conquered the 840-meter zipzone!

Dahilayan Adventure Park – Final Thoughts

Flying by wire in the zipzone of Dahilayan Adventure Park is undoubtedly one of the most exciting moments of my life. Zooming for 2 minutes, more or less, at a speed of up to 90 kph through lush greenery of pine trees and breathtaking views of a variety of scenery was an experience beyond compare. No wonder, tourists of the adventurous and thrill seeker type are taking ample steps nowadays, taking time preparing and gearing for a trip to the Dahilayan Adventure Park.

Island Vacations – The Nomination

Island Vacations was nominated by Marcia of Inside Journeys to participate in the “My 7 Links Project” (Thanks Very Much, Marcia!)

Initiated by Tripbase, the My 7 Links Project aims “to unite bloggers (from all sectors) in a joint endeavor to share lessons learned and create a bank of long but not forgotten blog posts that deserve to see the light of day again.”

Island Vacations – My 7 Chosen Blog Posts

I’m very honored that Marcia has nominated my Island Vacations blog. It was difficult to select just seven of my blog posts but I hope you’ll like the ones I chose.

My Most Beautiful Post – Majestic Beach Resort- 3 Irresistible Motives To Visit Club Tara in Bucas Grande Island

There are lots of beautiful places that I visited but the Club Tara Resort stood out as the best. Its location inside a small sheltered bay on the idyllic southern coast of Bucas Grande Island, Philippines set in the backdrop of verdant islets and rolling karst hills carpeted with lush tropical vegetation is very enviable. The breath-taking sight of the sparkling light, purplish blue color of the waters fronting the resort resembling that of a clear and unclouded sky surely captivates your senses and rejuvenates your soul.

Club Tara Resort at dusk.

My Most Popular Post – Island Vacations- Why Sohoton Cove In Bucas Grande Island Is Dubbed As All-In-One Tourist Destination

Considered as the Philippines’ emerging all-in-one tourist destination, the Sohoton Cove in Bucas Grande Island, Philippines is accessible during low tide only through the 40-meter Sohoton Cave serving as the sole entry and exit point. Once you’re inside the cove, you’ll surely ask yourself if you’re still in this world. You would really enjoy your island vacations by sightseeing and birdwatching on its thickly vegetated identical islets and scenic rock formations, snorkel and dive on its sparkling turquise waters, experience fun and thrill on its magnifecent caverns and swim with the smack of non-stingy jellyfish.

Kayaking on foot the Dagongdong Rock Formation inside Sohoton Cove.

My Most Controversial Post – Saltwater Crocodile Wrestling – My Visit To A Thrill Seeker Destination in Bangkok, Thailand

It was during my travel to Thailand that I had witnessed the most controversial stunt in my whole life- that of a human wrestling with a saltwater crocodile. My heart was pounding heavily from start to end of the Crocodile Wrestling Show at the Samphran Elephant Ground and Zoo located west of Bangkok.

My Most Helpful Post – Battlefield Tours – My Trip To Corregidor Island, Philippines (Part 4)

I had criticized the acts of the tour guides  during my Battlefield Tours in the historic Corregidor Island in the Philippines in cracking jokes branding the Philippine Senators and Congressmen, in general, as a bunch of “leeches.” I might forgive them for uttering those words if only we were all Filipinos in the group. What pissed me off was the fact that the foreigners beside me were laughing their hearts out with that crap joke. My post on my Island Vacations blog had helped in pushing the management to ban the offensive “green joke-cracking” among their pool of tour guides.

Welcome Shed at Corregidor Island

A Post Whose Success Surprised Me – Real Friends – My Key In Wining The Go Pro Hero Contest

Almost all of my blog posts were Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tight. I intentionally made this post as SEO light as possible at it was dedicated to my supporters during the Go-Pro Hero Camera Contest sponsored by Dave and Deb of The Planet D. It turned out to be one of my two highest ranked blog posts by Google.

SOEMCO lady-real friends in lighter moments.

A Post I Feel Didn’t Get The Attention It Deserved – Island Vacations – 3 Overwhelming Basis To Visit Kapihan View Park in Bucas Grande Island

Candidly, I consider the Kapihan View Park to be one of the best sightseeing destinantions in Bucas Grande Island, Philippines. Hence, I poured all my writing prowess into this Island Vacations blog post hopefully to catch the maximum attention as possible. Sadly, it seemed didn’t fit with my readers’ taste.

Video shooting at Kapihan View Park

The Post  That I Am Most Proud Of – Heritage Tours – My Travel To Rizal Shrine In Dapitan City, Mindanao Island, Philippines

Dr. Jose P. Rizal, the Philippine National Hero, in his dying scene of the novel “El Filibusterismo” had quipped: “I die without seeing the dawn shining in my native land. You who could see it, welcome it, and forget not those who had fallen during the night.” In honor of Rizal’s 150^th Birth Anniversary last June 19, 2011, I wrote this post as my own little way of responding to his clarion call and as my maiden entry to the Pinoy Travel Bloggers Blog Carnival. Fortunately, it gained wide acceptance from the members of the Filipino travel blogging community.

A comely spot in the Rizal Shrine Dapitan grounds featuring the immortal lines of Rizal's famous poem Canto Del Viajero (The Song of the Traveler) written on serpentine concrete slabs.

Island Vacations – My Nominated Blogs

And now, I’d like to nominate these very fabulous travel bloggers to participate in the My 7 Links Project.

Off Track Backpacking

Backpacking Worldwide

Philippine Travel Notes

Backpacking Philippines and Asia

Lakwatsera De Primera

Aside from being fabulous, the blogs I nominated are really suited to the taste of island vacations enthusiasts and travel junkies.

Fantasyland – An Introduction

Glorias Fantasyland is one of the emerging best family vacation destinations outside of Manila, Philippines offering theme park rides suited not only for a thrill seeker but among island vacations, sightseeing and unique vacations enthusiasts looking for ideal spots for fun family vacations with kids playground suitable for kid friendly vacations. It is located in the City of Dapitan, Province of Zamboanga del Norte, nortwestern part of Mindanao Island, Philippines.

Fantasyland – Why I visited The Place

The fantasyland in Dapitan was actually not in my vacation checklist in going to the place as my original intention was only to visit the Rizal Shrine. Nevertheless, my good friend Ben Canama of Lorenzo Tan Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LTMPC) had persuaded me to take my time while in Dapitan and visit Glorias Fantasyland by night. Hence, I together with my wife as well as the driver decided to spend our leisure time in the theme park.

As we approached the area, I was attracted with the street light effects leading to the fantasyland entrance . . .

The spectacular light effects lining the street enroute to the Gloria Fantasyland entrance

A few steps from the gate and I was amazed with the spectacular fountain. A comely welcome signage also awaits the visitors . . .

The dazzling fountain just outside the fantasyland walls .

The comely Glorias Fantasyland welcome signage enticing visitors to go inside.

We choose to forego the PhP 500.00 ride-all-you can and opted for the PhP 200.00 sightseeing as we only intend to see the various theme park rides and pay individually whatever rides we wanted to take.

It was timely that the fireworks for the Hudyaka ZaNorte in the adjacent ground had just started as I looked at the fantasyland vicinity map . . .

Firewoks display for Hudyaka Zanorte viewed from the fantasyland.

Glorias Fantasyland Vicinity Map situated near the entry point.

I and Vanjie decided to have a photo in front of the spectacular Tea Ride . . .

A picture for posterity in front of the Tea/Choco Cups Ride.The ride is composed of six giant tea/cups rotating simulateously with its huge circular 9-meter metal base

I then took photos of important views inside the fantasyland . . .

The imposing walls fronting the Glorias Fantasyland

The comely stage where fantasy characters display their talents

And the various fantasyland  spectacular thrill seeker theme park rides  . . .

The Apollo Ride which gives a thrill seeker wearing 3D glasses an illusion of being in the spaceship. . .	The Pirate Ship, a 32- seater exciting ride with an imposing 30 meter high A-frame
The Old Western Train- an I8-seater mini train powered by a two-seater diesel locomotive prime mover that pulls the train in an existing mini forest area of the Fantasyland.	The Giant Roller Coaster- a huge 20 meters x 47 meters based ride with a maximum speed of 40 miles per hour. This ride can accommodate 26 passengers at a time.
The Wonder Flight - made up of 8 fiberglass gondolas designed like the air balloon ride which has a circular base of 8 meters.	The Mini Coaster - A fast, fun roller coaster that even younger kids can enjoy. It is located in the vicinity of the Mini-Flume Ride.

Other fantastic rides include the MINI FLUME RIDE, a wild water ride located inside the mini forest of the park. The mini flume was placed under old tress of the park so as to create a river wild/forest ride atmosphere. Further, the FLYING BALLS WHEEL RIDE is a kiddie ride that functions like a Ferris wheel. It has six attractive ball-designed gondolas. Furthermore, the TELECOMBAT RIDE is a  24seater / 12-gondola ride, a modem version of the famous octopus ride. It has a circular base of 12 meters. On the other hand, the BUMPER CAR RIDE is composed of ten (10) exciting electric bumper cars, housed inside a 12 meter x 18 meter covered area with turbo lightings. Moreover, the SWINGER RIDE is a 32-seater circular ride with exciting light decoration. This ride has a 14 meter rotating base area covered by a fiberglass canopy. The HAPPY JOURNEY RIDE is an interactive ride which is the first of its kind in the Philippines. The six electric powered cars are equipped with 2 laser guns for each car. There are 8 fiberglass animal figures made for targets. The FIGHT SHARK RIDE, also a first in the country, is an interactive ride with 12 boats equipped with 2 water guns per boat. This ride can accommodate 24 shooters at a time. The GO KART RACE CIRCUIT is composed of 10 Go Kart racing units in an exciting and challenging course. Finally, the HORROR HOUSE is a place for suspense and thrill seekers. This house is designed by the group of Tony Tuviera of TAPE and APT Productions which is the producer of URDUJA,  the successful first Filipino animated movie.

Fantasyland – Most Unforgettable Moments

Nothing beats my 5D cinema experience in Glorias Fantasyland. A pretty lady manning what seemed a booth baited me into watching a 5D cinema which, according to her, is the only one of its kind in the Philippines nowadays and 2^nd only to Hongkong in Asia. That sounded like a worthwhile experience, so I bit the bullet, convinced my wife Vanjie and driver Ronel, paid the PhP 50.00 per head admission fee  for a 5-minute interactive show and finally got to sit down in the cinema chair. . .

A pose taken before the start of the 5 Dimension interactive film show.

We were told by the lady assistant to fasten our seatbelts and wear the provided 3D glasses. It turned out that we were watching an horror tunnel film. It seemed that I was riding a train speeding up to 150-200 kilometers per hour. Seemed enjoyable at the start , just waiving my head when I passed over stalactites and at times when I was threading on giant crab’s feet.

I enjoyed the moving seats and a combination of scents, wind, and water vapor sprayed into my face. The scents were definitely interesting and the  wind and water vapor were nice additions.

Then there were the moving chairs: when my train slid through a narrow tunnel, I had assumed the chair I was sitting to sway around; instead, it bounced back and forth and shook me hard every time I reached the opposite direction. It was as if the movie makers wanted to ensure that I don’t even think about getting comfortable.

Nevertheless,  the next scene was a tragedy for my wife who has a heart problem. It came with a scene on a Jurassic Park wherein, a Syntarsus, a fast-moving, meat-eating dinosaur from the Jurassic period had chanced upon me. And,  the animal’s neck sprang quickly as a flash and I watched helplessly  at the wide mouth with the horrendous teeth coming over  to devour my head. Candidly, I felt the impact of the scene on my wife as he held my hand firmly, occasionally pinching my skin as if telling me why on the hell that I brought her over there. It was then that I calmed her down with an advise  to just close her eyes and wait for the film’s end.

A pose in front of the 5 D Cinema Screen after the interactive show.

We then posed for a picture after the 5-minute film, with a vow that never  shall I have to go experience that crap brutal film in Glorias Fantasyland or any other venue again.

Heritage Tours – What Is It?

Heritage Tours, as opposed to a study tour, sightseeing or battlefield tours that this island vacations enthusiast have had already undergone,  are travels to experience the  historical places like the Rizal Shrine declared as a national shrine and  national historical landmark in the Philippines, cultural and natural landmarks and other heritage sites as well as the activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present.

Heritage Tours – Why I Visited The  Rizal Shrine in Dapitan?

My life has been greatly influenced by the life, works and writings of Dr. Jose P. Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines. I started reading with  great enthusiasm the comics version of his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo in my elementary days and read the full version of such novels and other Rizal writings in high school. Modesty aside, I got an excellent mark in the college-day Rizal subject for fully digesting that the 64-chapters Noli is a romantic novel, a work of the heart, a book of feeling as it has freshness, color, humor, lightness, and wit while the 38-chapters Fili is a political novel, a work of the head and a book of the thought which contains bitterness, hatred, pain, violence, and sorrow. Nowadays, I hold the record  of holding a number of volumes of Rizaliana books in our island town of Socorro in Bucas Grande Island, Surigao del Norte, Philippines.

When I was still a child, I dreamed of joining in heritage tours and visit the places prominently mentioned in the diaries of Rizal. It was only in 1998 that I was able to accomplish the first leg of my heritage tours by visiting the Rizal Shrine in Fort Santiago in Intramuros, Manila where he was incarcerated by the Spaniards before being shot to death on December 30, 1896 at the Bagumbayan Field, now the Luneta Park in Manila. In the year 1999, I made the second leg of my heritage tours by travelling to the Rizal Shrine in Calamba, Laguna where the Philippine national hero was born. The next heritage tours destination was supposed to be the Rizal Shrine in Dapitan City where he was banished for a period of four years due to his subversive views against the abusive Spanish government officials and hypocritical friars and for being critical to the more than 300 years of Spanish rule of the Philippines.

Due to my hectic schedules, my heritage tours to the Rizal Shrine in Dapitan was relegated to the background. It  was only when I learned from Ivan Henares that Rizal and Travel was chosen as theme for the June 2011 Blog Carnival to honor Dr. Jose Rizal on his 150th Birth Anniversary come June 19 that my interest to pursue with my unfinished heritage tours was resurrected. Ecstatic to submit my maiden entry to the blog carnival as I became a member of the Pinoy Travel Bloggers only recently, I decided to visit Dapitan.

From Surigao City, Philippines, I chose to travel by land all the way to Mukas Port in Kolambogan, Lanao del Norte, took the barge for Ozamiz City, travelled again by land to Barangay Lorenzo Tan, Tangub City, Misamis Occidental and chose to stay overnight at the head office of Lorenzo Tan Multi-Pupose Cooperative (LTMPC), one of the largest cooperatives operating  in Mindano Island, Philippines under the abbotship of my good friend Ben Canama. From Tangub City, I travelled by private car for more than three hours making short stops at various tourist destinations of the province until I reached Dapitan, a small but progressive city in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, northwestern part of Mindanao Island, Philippines.

The sprawling, recently-inaugurated, Dapitan City Hall strategically located at the city's entry point.

While traversing the national highway adjacent to the shorelines of Dapitan City, I signalled the driver to stop as my eyes were glued at this attraction . . .

Punto del Desembarco de Rizal (Rizal’s Landing Point). This is the site where Rizal landed in Dapitan on board a row boat from the steamer Cebu at around 7:00 o’clock in the evening of July 17, 1892. Rizal was holding his hat and to his right was the Captain of the steamship Cebu while the other three are artillery men.

While standing still in front of the bronze statues, a pretty lady named Jenylen Hontiveros approached me and introduced herself as the tour guide assigned by the city government to entertain heritage tours  visitors making a stop in such  a national historical landmark. Jen had provided me substantial bits of information which reinforced my knowledge about Rizal’s travel in Dapitan.

After exchanging pleasantries with the tour giuide, I travelled on foot tracing the route of Rizal and company until I reached this place . . .

The Casa Real Marker situated at Fr. Sanchez St., Dapitan Plaza. The building was inadvertently demolished to give way for the construction of the old Dapitan Hospital. The old Municipal Hall situated on the opposite side of Dapitan Plaza which looked exactly the same as Casa Real except that the latter had front and side balconies.

The Casa Real was the official residence and administration building of Don Ricardo Carnicero, the Politico-Military Governor of the District whereJose Rizal lived as an exile from July 17, 1892 to March, 1893.

I felt excited upon seeing the entry point leading to the Map of Mindanao built by Rizal with its corresponding marker. . .

The entry point in the Dapitan Plaza leading to the Relief Map of Mindanao Island built by Rizal The Marker of the Relief Map of Mindanao at the Dapitan Plaza

Truly, I felt nostalgic when I saw the marker inside the St. James Parish Church where Rizal used to stand while attending church mass to evade from the watchful eyes of the priest who always delivered invective sermons against him for his thoughts on religious freedom. Moreover, I found interest in taking a close-up photo of the  Rizal monument at the heart of the Dapitan Plaza as it resembles that of the monument of the national hero in my island town of Socorro . . .

The interior of the St. James Church with the black marker on lower left side showing the spot where Rizal used to stand while hearing mass. A close-up photo of Dr. Jose P. Rizal monument located at the heart of the Dapitan Plaza.

I then told the driver to proceed to our next heritage tours destination- the Rizal Shrine in Barangay Talisay. After an approximately two kilometres ride, we reached the 16 hectares estate of Dr. Jose P. Rizal which he purchased out  of a portion of his winnings of the Manila Lottery. The gate signage and the Rizal Museum were the first sights captured by my keen eyes in the shrine. . .

The comely signage welcoming visitors to the Rizal Shrine The Rizaliana Museum housing rich collections of Rizal memorabilla

Being an avid collector of Rizaliana items, savoring the  exhibits inside the Rizaliana Museum is for me, more than hitting a gold mine. Candidly, there was an unexplainable feeling deep inside me while looking at Rizal’s original clothing carefully preserved in glass caskets, the blackboard and desk he used in his boys’ school, reproduction of his sculptures  (Triumph of Science Over Death, A Dapitan Girl and Prometeus Bound), paintings, and select manuscripts (Himno A Talisay, Mi Retiro – A Mi Madre and A Josefina).

Afterwards, I proceeded to the next heritage tours destination- the Casa Residencia,  replica of the house of Rizal…

The Casa Residencia. Reconstructed in 1960, this rectangular house sheltered Jose Rizal from March 1893 until he left Dapitan on July 31, 1896. It has a bedroom and features a veranda on three of its four walls and a comfort room accessible through a bridge at the rear. On various occasions, the house also sheltered Rizal's mother Teodora, his sisters Trinidad, Maria and Narcisa, some nephews, his niece Angelica and his loved one Josephine Bracken (NHI Marker).

Pushed by curiosity, I strolled around the shrine and took pictures of the Water System and the Casa Cuadrada. . .

Talisay Water System (Rizal's Dam and Aqueduct). Constructed by Rizal in 1895 with the help of the pupils, the water system provided adequate water supply for Rizal's farm and household needs (NHI Marker). Casa Cuadrada (Replica of the Pupils' Dormitory and Workshop). Rizal effected the construction of the house to accomodate the growing number of pupils in his Talisay School. The area underneath the hut served as workshop of his pupils (NHI Marker).

And also the Rizal Kitchen and Casa Redonda . . .

Replica of Rizal's Kitchen. Reconstructed at te same time and with similar materials as the main house, the kitchen has a dimension of approximately 14 feet by 10 feet and is open on all sides from waist up to facilitate airflow and prevent smoke from being trapped inside (NHI Marker). Casa Redonda (Replica of the Octagonal Clinic of Rizal). The octagonal hut served as Rizal's clinic and as dormitory of some of his pupils. Reconstructed with similar materials as the main house, it now stands as a reminder of the numerous medications performed by Dr. Jose P. Rizal during his exile in Dapitan (NHI Marker).

As I strolled further in other parts of the Rizal Shrine, I was attracted by a a rock which occupied a prominent space in the shrine only to know that it was the Mi Retiro Rock prominently mentioned in Rizal’s memoirs . . .

Mi Retiro Rock (Retreat Rock of Rizal). The rock got its name from the poem of Dr. Jose P. Rizal titled Mi retiro as it was while sitting on it that he wrote the first few stanzas of the poem (NHI Marker). It is also known as Lovers' Rock since Dr. Jose P. Rizal and Josephine Bracken has spent many romantic moments on it while savoring the scenic beauty of the Daptan Bay.

Heritage Tours – Final Thoughts

My heritage tours to the historic Dapitan to savor and experience  Rizal Shrine, which is a national shrine and national historical landmark,  and observe the diligent lifestyle led by the Philippine National Hero through the rebuilt structures of his nipa hut residence, dam and waterworks, hospital and dormitory was worth the money, time and efforts. Keeping an eye on, and having first hand information  of,  the fruits of Rizal’s four productive years  in the field of medicine, agriculture, entrepreneurship, education, science, engineering, architecture, poetry and arts in that frontier town done to ease his solitude and improve the Dapitanon’s lives while in exile are priceless pursuits that a history buff and heritage tours aficionado like you  should not miss doing yourself in the near future.

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This Heritage Tours blog post is my maiden entry to the Blog Carnival of the Pinoy Travel Bloggers in honor of Dr. Jose P. Rizal’s 150th Birthday with the theme Rizal and Travel hosted by Ivan Henares  of Ivan About Town.

Salt Water Crocodile Wrestling – An Introduction

Salt Water Crocodile Wrestling was one of the famous  showtime shows and favorite Thailand tourist attractions that this thrill seeker and  island vacations aficionado had visited while travelling to Thailand not only to experience on what to do in Thailand, observe Thailand culture and view Thailand attractions but as  a participant of a study tour to the various successful cooperatives in the country.

Salt Water Crocodile Wrestling – My Unforgettable Experience

My eyes twinkled with excitement when,  during the morning of  the third day of our September 22-25, 2010 Study Tour on Credit Cooperatives in Thailand, our expert tour guide Mr. Prakob “Tom Cruise” Srirai announced that we would be visiting the popular salt water crocodile wrestling show by the afternoon. Hence, after the usual visit to successful cooperatives included in the itinerary and as we were through taking our sumptuous lunch, our tour bus travelled west of Bangkok and entered a secluded place bearing a gate signage: Welcome To Samphran Elephant Ground and Zoo. Our tour guide then ushered us to a crowded place resembling a cockpit arena in the Philippines. Just as I was about to climb on the bleacher, the loudspeaker had barked unfamiliar words which Mr. Prakob interpreted as an announcement for the start of the salt water crocodile wrestling show. Hurriedly, I looked for a vantage point to have a clear view of a concrete elevated platform with improvised crocodile creek enclosed with wire-mesh below. With my point and shoot camera at hand, my eyes kept watch on a spectacular show and one of Thailand tourist attractions about to unfold.

My heart started beating faster when, at the tune of a lively music with occasional announcer’s bark, the two care takers waded through the crocodile creek and wrestled with the crocodiles pulling in the process the wild animals on their tails towards the elevated platform. Afterwards, an animal keeper positioned himself at a distance and slid head on towards his  waiting partner salt water crocodile wearing a fully-opened mouth and kissed the nostrils of the beast.

Afterwards,  a caretaker  put his fully extended right arm  inside the widely-opened mouth of the salt water crocodile and, quick as flash, withdrew it in just a split second before the mouth of the wild animal  was shut down.

I almost dropped my camera to the ground in extreme fright as the salt water crocodile unleashed the power of its bite with immense force. As record holder of the strongest bite of any animal on earth with a pressure of more than 5,000 pounds per square inch, the bite of the salt water crocodile can easily cut the arm of the keeper at once.

Not contented with such frightening and crazy stunts, the animal keeper not only put his arm inside the mouth of the animal but extended it further, opening in the process the palatal valve covering the throat of the salt water crocodile, and slid his arm deeper into the throat of the beast. . .

I was thinking that such awesome stunt was the last. But lo and behold, the next stunt had sent shivers down my spine as the head of the other keeper was fed into the mouth of the salt water crocodile while his right hand was waiving at the audience.

Again, I was amazed with the perfect coordination such that the jaw closed just a split second after the head of the keeper was completely hauled out from the mouth of the salt water crocodile.

Salt Water Crocodile Wrestling – Final Thoughts

Judging from the salt water crocodile wrestling show I had witnessed, and no offense meant for any single wildlife conservationist as I am a wildlife conservation advocate myself, it was my unequivocal opinion that the Thais are special people.  My conclusion was anchored on the fact that they are capable of transforming a ferocious salt water crocodile into its most docile state, not for animal exploitation purposes, but for the sake of meaningful thrill seeker entertainment thereby making it as one of Thailand attractions that really enticed tourists to decide on travelling to Thailand.

Language Barrier – An Introduction

Language barrier or the difficulty faced when people having no common language attempt to communicate with each other, was experienced by this island vacations enthusiast during my travel to Spain purposely not only to spend Spain vacations, roam the cities in Spain, see Spain attractions with assistance of an able tour guide, learn Spain history and witness Spain culture but as a member of the 15-man Philippine Delegation to the Study Tour on the Development of Cooperative Integration in Spain. The study trip, which was conducted on April 18-26, 2009, was funded by the Agencia  Española de Cooperacion Internacionale para el Desarollo (AECID) or the Spanish Agency for International Development.

Language Barrier – My Experience

During our pre-departure orientation held at the Department of Agriculture Central Office in Quezon City, Philippines, we were told about the various facets of travel abroad including the predicaments of language barrier. While the orientation was going on, I was feeling the comfort that the college-graduate participants at my age level or older were expected to suffer lesser language barrier phenomenon compared to the younger ones as we passed a total of four Spanish subjects in college then embedded in the curriculum.

Our study tour included visits to different types of integrated cooperatives existing in the Autonomous Community of Castilla La Mancha (CLM) as well as in Valencia and in selected institutions supporting cooperative development in Spain. We spent 2 days and 1 night  in Toledo City;  2 days and 2 nights in Albacete City and 2 days and 2 nights in Valencia City before going back to the city of Madrid where we spent the last night in Spain before flying back to Manila. At any opportune time of the study tour, I spoke in broken Spanish with our tour guide and chartered bus driver just to sharpen my rusted knowledge of the country’s language and hopefully lessen the impact of language barrier.

Little did I know that, on the 4^th day of our 9-day visit, I could experience the epitome of language barrier which turned out to be one of the most unforgettable moments of my life.

It was April 21, 2009 when we visited the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (University of Castilla-La Mancha), Albacete Campus in the City of Albacete, Albacete Province and stayed at the Hotel de Universidad. After an exhaustive day, some of us got the express permission from our tour guide Ms. Katia Oceransky to roam around the city.

Our first destination was El Corte Ingles, a chain of department stores prominently present in major cities in Spain similar to the SM Malls here in the Philippines.

Because it was only two months past winter, the chilling effect was still very much evident, thereby causing me to urinate frequently as I have a kidney stone problem. Just as we were about to enter the mall, and realizing the reality of language barrier a foreigner has to face, we first brain stormed on the exact Spanish term for toilet. Alvin Paul Dirain, our co-delegate from the Department of Agriculture Central Office, threw out the idea that it must be casillas as the word sounds to be so Spanish same as tortillas (omelette), vaso (glass), tinedor (fork), kuchara (spoon) and other terms embedded in the Filipino alphabet courtesy of the 333 years of Spanish occupation of the Philippines.

We then separated ways inside the mall as we had different items to buy. A few minutes later, I felt that extreme need to pee, hence, I hurriedly looked for a comfort room but to no avail. With the peeing sensation getting serious, I was forced to approach a salesman who was assigned in the men’s shirt section and greeted him: Hola (Hello) to which he promptly replied: Hola! (Hi!). Afterwards, I hesitantly asked: Amigo! Donde esta casillas? (Friend, where is the toilet?) Visibly puzzled, the man looked at me and said:  casillas? to which I replied, se, se amigo, casillas. (Yes, yes, friend the toilet). With his two eye brows almost meeting each other, the man pointed to his shirt and said: camiseta? (a shirt?). I said no, no amigo, casillas. But the confused salesman, a victim of language barrier himself, just kept on shaking his head.

Just as my urinary bladder was about to burst that I decided to waggle my forefinger on top of my zipper and threw out an anguished facial expression as if I had just tasted the sourest of all unripe mangoes. Finally, the language barrier was shattered as the man got the message and said: Ah! Servicio! Servicio!  He then gestured for me to follow him as he started to run. We were sprinting so fast that we created a furor inside the mall as shoppers were amazed at the two olympians beating the 100-meter dash until we reached a twin-door room with the left bearing the signage servicio por mojeres and servicio por hombres on the right. I entered the right door and poured all my urinating sensations. When I went out, I chanced upon the salesman standing just beside the door and, after exchanging thumbs-ups and a high five, our tempered smiles had bursted into laughter as we both enjoyed the language barrier episode unraveled earlier. Afterwards, he pointed his finger at me as if wanting to ask a question. I also pointed my thumb to my chest and said: Me? Filipino to which he nodded and said: Ah! Se, Se, Filipino.

Language Barrier – Lessons Learned

As my savior-salesman and language barrier co-victim was slowly walking back to his work station, I couldn’t help but picture out the face of Prof. Carmelita C. Lipio, my college-day Spanish mentor pointing her accusing finger at me. And, in a soft and motherly  voice, she was uttering these words: Now you paid the price! Had it not been for your naughtiness in taking your Spanish 1 to 4 subjects in college just for granted, you will definitely not experience a language barrier with the same magnitude as what is happening to you right now.

A pose for posterity in front of the imposing facade of the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete Campus, Albaciete City, Spain with my visible 4-layer outfit to counter the weather's chilling effect.

A picture on the street side fronting the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha in Albacete City, Spain.

A shot taken in front of the Madrid Bullfight Ring in the capital city of Madrid City, Spain

Picture taken at the Plaza Mayor, one of the most prominent attractions in Madrid City, Spain.

The sprawling Roman Catholic Church Cathedral in Madrid City, Spain.

Portion of the Royal Palace located at the heart of Madrid, Spain.

Gearing for a boat trip at the Protected Marsh in Valencia City, Spain.

Our expert Spanish tour guide Ms. Katia Oceransky, in an effort to lessen the impact of language barrier, had interpreted for us the lectures of three robotics professors at the Universidad de Castilla-Lamancha Botanical Garden with a robot freely roaming around.