Air Passenger Rights

Know before you go.

Delayed flights. Bumped off. Cancelled reservations. Denied Check-in. Person with Disability. Senior Citizen. Or bought your ticket on promotional fare?

Fret no more. Here are our rights as Air Passengers. Learn. Be aware, so we know better next time.

Air Passenger Bill of Rights - DOTC, DTI JAO No 1 2012 by Rappler Philippines

Naimbag Nga Adlaw Ilocos! (Day 3)

Bangui Windmills

Last day in this side of the world before going back to Manila. Before proceeding to Ilocos Sur, we passed by:

Bangui Windmills

The rain last Saturday was a blessing in disguise. We decided to forego Bangui and resked it for Day 3. Oh what a great decision! We were blessed by clear skies and the sun shining brightly!

Seeing the rows of humungous windmills is just awesome! Seeing how beautiful it is from afar is just half the fun. Try to see it up close and personal, and you will be awed by its sheer size.

Formally called the Bangui Wind Farm or Northwind Bangui Bay Project, it is located in the municipality of Bangui, Ilocos Norte. 20 units of 70-meters high wind turbines stretched along a 9-km shoreline of Bangui Bay, facing the South China Sea.

I felt like Liliput , the dwarf, amongst giants!

Bangui wind turbines

Bangui windmills

See how humungous it is!

Naimbag Nga Adlaw Ilocos! (Day 2)

Day 2 was spent trekking and swimming the sites around Pagudpud,  Ilocos Norte.

 

Kabigan Falls
A 1.5km trek to the falls, past rice fields, rivers and streams with cold cold water that provide relief to our dirty tired feet, carabaos, forests and "kubos" here and there.

Can't believe that my daughter was able to do it. In fact, she enjoyed it!

We trekked...

...we witnessed...

..we crossed streams...

...to see and swim here...

Agua Grande

Passed by this place to view the large boulders on the shoreline and the South China Sea. It becomes a natural swimming pool during summer as it naturally fills up with water It is also a popular picnic area amongst locals.

Naimbag Nga Adlaw Ilocos! (Day 1)

Paoay Church

A trip we made several years ago on a weekend. We left Manila at 10pm Friday for a long bus ride to Ilocos Region.  Joined a bunch of "photoholics" out to capture the beauty of the Ilocos Region.

After 8 hours, we arrived Vigan at around 6:00am the following day. First stop was at the St. Augustine Church of Bantay & Bell Tower. Bantay Belfry, known to be the people's watchtower, commands a sweeping view of Ilocos Sur. Unfortunately, we were not able to go inside because it was still too early in the morning.

Bantay Belfry

@Bantay Belfry

 We then walked to St. Augustine Church. A neo-gothic Church which was built in 1560, it is one of the oldest surviving churches in Ilocos Sur. It is built in an equally historical grounds, believed to be where Diego Silang and his troops fought with the Spaniards during the Spanish period.  After the customary photo shoot, we freshened up at the nearby public restroom and had our breakfast of Ilocos empanada.

St. Augustine Church

We then proceeded to Batac, Ilocos Norte to visit the following:

Paoay Church
Declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site as one of the best examples of Baroque churches in the country .

Paoay Church & its famous buttresses

Close-up of the age-old, moss-grown buttresses

Marcos Museum & Mausoleum
A compound that houses Marcos memorabilia and where their former house and their parent's house is.

Went inside the creepy Mausoleum and saw Former President Ferdinand Marcos' (wax?) body lying in state (really musty smell and dark--just creepy!).

Moalboal --- Another Diving Paradise

Pescador Island from Panagsama Beach

After 11 years, I was back in Moalboal!

Moalboal is a town south of Cebu. A favorite weekend destination for locals and a favorite spot for divers.  Having been based in Cebu for about 6 years, it has been our favorite long-weekend destination whenever we have enough of Mactan Island. This is where I had my fill of the underwater world and where I spent lazy days with good friends.

A short , 2 1/2 hours ,  drive from Cebu City passing through the quaint town of Carcar, Moalboal is home to Pescador Island. One of best dive spots in the country.

Panagsama Beach

A resort near White Beach  --- a great house reef

So much has changed, but for the better. Even the diving improved. Well, as far as I can remember, I could not recall diving along Moalboal's wall (shore) was that great too!  

I went back in 2010 after watching a video footage of thresher sharks and sardine run. My dive buddies and I,  packed our bags at short notice to ensure we get to see this rare chance before it is too late.

Underwater shots along Moalboal reef

Photos of the pink diver by Jovic S; Stephen D; Raymund R.

At Moalboal reef -- huge fans abound

At Pescador Island

Diver enjoying the sardine run :)

Can you see it?

Moalboal reef diving

Pescador island diving

And we were not disappointed! We saw thresher sharks feeding almost every dive. Of course, the sardines where like there forever waiting for us. It was one hell of a weekend trip. I just ticked off 2 items on my bucket list: diving with a thresher shark and to witness a sardine run.

The thresher got too near but swiftly got away

A huge ball of sardines! (Photo courtesy of Jovic S.)

And here is a short video of the daily sardine run we witness at Pescador Island. Awesome and overwhelming!

One of those weekend trips I will not forget. One of those experiences I will treasure. On the same level as when I was able to dive with a whale shark. What an awesome underwater experience!

And here's the group shot and the droids of a gear!

The droids and its masters

With my Fey

MELBOURNE - Going for Gold!

Sovereign Hill town

Our 2nd day in Melbourne, and we are going for gold! Yes, we spent our day in an old mining town in Victoria, Australia. 

Ballarat has gained popularity during the gold rush period in 1851, being home to the richest alluvial goldfield in the world. Population boomed then, as people all over the world seek their fortune in this place.

Long after the gold has run out, the town has retained its rich gold heritage in the form of opulent buildings, fountains and tourist attractions.  

And if you want to experience how it was during the gold rush, Ballarat has Sovereign Hill. 

Old world appeal @ Sovereign Hill

An open museum recreated to look like the gold township in the 1850s. Costumed ladies and gents, venture underground to see and feel how it is to be a miner, tour the town in a horse-drawn coach, shop 1850s style, see how gold is melted and molded into bars, utensils, etc., and try your luck and pan for real gold. If you find one (or more), it's yours.

The farms during the 1850s

A typical gold panning site

Town's bulletin board

Marching along the streets of Sovereign Hill

The Church and the Fire station

From the medicine man

A typical vehicle back then

MELBOURNE - Of Wombats, Koalas and Penguins

Yarra River

After the long slow train ride  through New South Wales countryside from Sydney,  we arrived Melbourne early evening. We were hosted to a Persian dinner by the relatives of my former office mate in a quaint restaurant in one of Melbourne's streets. It was early to bed for us after the dinner as we have a full 1st day in Melbourne.

Awesome Day 1:
 

Yarra River from Southbank

Morning was free so we did a DIY rush tour of Melbourne. Walked to State Library, Tram ride around the City. Stroll towards Yarra River and Eureka Skydeck 88 and Federation Square. The beauty about exploring Melbourne (or any other 1st world city) is the availability of free (or almost free = cheap fares like $1/24hr) rides to major tourist sights. Boy,  are we glad to take in the sounds, sights, smell and hulaballoo of Central Melbourne at practically no costs!

Melbourne streets

View from the Southbank

Clockwise: Federation Square; Indian Festival @ Fed Square; Skydeck; NGV

View from Skydeck with the Olympic Complex and Melbourne's Art Centre with its "tutu" roof spire

St. Paul's Cathedral, Flinders St.