philippine love

due to the generosity of friends over the last two months, i've had the opportunity to do some philippine island hopping. because of this, i've fallen in love with the philippines all over again.

i remember my dad telling me years ago that i spend too much time traveling to other countries around the world, when there are so many wonderful places to visit in the philippines. not that i didn't agree, i just never got around to it for this reason and that. heck, i can't even organize a road trip to nearby provinces! but now that i've had the opportunity to see.. ok, rephrase, EXPERIENCE some of these places beautiful places, i'm hoping to be able to see more sooner rather than later.

the philippines really DOES have so many beautiful things to see. not just to see.. but to taste, hear, do, etc. getting out of the city is something everyone ought to do every once in a while. city living can really harden you. don't get me wrong, i love the city.. and honestly would probably pull my hair out if i had to live out in the province. in my last trip alone, i had to sleep under a mosquito net and get used to my eyes NOT adjusting at night because it was so dark (closing your eyes and opening them was the same experience.. outside of the light of a few fireflys, it was freaking BLACK out). i also trekked, half blind (ie: wearing the remaining half of my contact lens), through the inland jungle of one island in cheap flip flops while holding onto my snorkeling gear.. and mind you, there was a pseudo path already beaten out (if you call climbing up and down plains of f wet grass and slippery rocks a path..). half the time i was praying i wouldn't roll down a slope and the other time i was thanking God for being a city girl. regardless, the great experiences usually always outweigh the bad.

i've also had the chance to meet new people on these trips, many of them foreigners, backpacking through the country. seeing snapshots of photos they've taken during their stay is always interesting, because you see through their eyes the things that amaze them about our country. hearing them talk about their experiences so far is for the most part, a refreshing experience, and you really feel quite proud to be from this beautiful country they speak of. ironically, sometimes i think foreigners love the philippines more than we do!

should start planning my next trip. i'm excited to see more!

picture 1: jelly fish sunbathing on uninhabited island ( maosonon I, palawan)
picture 2: keeping safe month old sea turtle until they are ready to be released (pandan island, mindoro occidental)