Baguio, the Flower Capital of the Philippines, bloom once again as the annual Panagbenga Festival officially opens today, February 1, 2013. This year, the highlights will fall on the third week of February with the Grand Street Dancing Parade happening on February 23 and the Grand Float Parade  on the 24th.

Below are the complete schedule of the Panagbenga 2013 Events and Activities.

Panagbenga 2013 Event Highlights

Continue reading “BAGUIO | Panagbenga 2013 Event Schedules and Highlights” »

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2013 Joanna Jane Liwag

“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”
― Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere’s Fan

Despite the scarcity of moolah I experienced throughout the year, I somehow managed to scraped off some travel funds and get my butt across 13+ destinations, both locally and abroad.

So before a new calendar goes up the wall – unless the world comes to a stand still today thanks to the prediction of the Mayans – I would like to take this chance to reminisce and look back to those crazy times I had on the road.

Anawangin / Nagsasa / Capones, Zambales
January  2012 

PTB Bagets at Anawangin Cove, Zambales. Photo credit to Ian of Brownmantrips.com

This spontaneous trip to Zambales paved the way for all my wandering adventures in 2012. Out of nowhere, I ended up joining the birthday trip of a co-blogger named Ivan where I also met other adventurous souls like Elal, Chino, Byron, Ian, Cai and JL.

Together, we traversed Mount Pundaquit in the middle of the scorching heat of the afternoon sun (believe me when I say I almost died on that trek!), scared ourselves senseless during a kwentuhan-slash-takutan session in Nagsasa Cove, marveled at the night sky veiled with thousands of twinkling stars and bathe in the rough waters of Capones to reach the rustic Faro Punta de Capones. Needless to say, it was an unforgettable trip made even more remarkable by new-found friends. Continue reading “2012: A year of Perpetual Summer” »

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Joanna Jane Liwag

It isn’t a good idea, to wear shorts when travelling to Baguio or Sagada during the freezing month of February.

That was the first lesson we learned as our group hobbled towards the waiting taxi that later brought us to the terminal for buses going to Sagada. It was 5 AM and we just spent the last six hours journeying through the night from the busy streets of Manila to the still slumbering town of Baguio.

Of Pine trees, blue skies and mountain peaks.

To say that we were not ready for the cold was an understatement. In fact, we couldn’t help but to shiver as the morning breeze welcomed us in its icy embrace, making our hands and our bare legs almost numb with the cold. A hot breakfast, consisting mostly of noodles, became our saving grace and helped warm our bodies from the biting cold. Continue reading “En route to Sagada..” »

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 Joanna Jane Liwag