VIETNAM: TOURIST SPOTS AND TRAVEL GUIDE

As what I have mentioned in my Aliwan Fiesta 2017 posts, Thes, ang maganda kong pinsan (medyo napilitan ako sa statement na yan), borrowed my DSLR for her Vietnam tour. In return, I'll publish some of her photographs here so we can have a glimpse of this South East Asian country and their tourist spots and destinations. By the way, every time I hear Vietnam, I am always think of the Vietnam War and Leah Salonga performing Miss Saigon. Let's see and widen our minds with the photos she captured at the Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon.

BALITOK TI ALICIA, Isabela

Balitok in Ilocano means gold, from which the festival Balitok ti Alicia drew inspiration  as they gratefully celebrate the golden era of the town of Alicia, Isabela.  Being one of the prime palay producers of the province, the festival honors rice as the  golden grains that helped this humble town, formerly called Angadanan Viejo, to become a prominent business hub in Central Isabela. It shows how its hardworking people put their heart in the tedious, muscle numbing work in the fields for the golden grains to be served on the tables for the whole year. Info from Aliwan Fiesta Website

NIYOGYUGAN FESTIVAL, Quezon Province

From the  words, “niyog” and ”yugyog,” the Niyogyugan Festival  combines all the colourful fiestas of Quezon Province like the “Pahiyas” of Lucban, “Arana’t Baluarte” of Gumaca, “Tagultol” of Atimonan, “Maubanog” of Mauban and others. A province-wide celebration that celebrates the “Tree of Life,” Niyogyugan pays tribute to the coconut industry’s glorious past, which bore fruit in the form of lambanog distilleries, oil millers, heritage houses, and the vast resort-plantations. NIYOGYUGAN FESTIVAL was created to move, shake and bring back the vigor and dynamism of the industry and to promote the products, places, the talent and creativity of Quezonians. Info from Aliwan Fiesta Website

Aliwan Fiesta: Meguyaya Festival from Maguindanao

Meguyaya is a Teduray term for thanksgiving for the bountiful harvest. The Creator blessed blessed them with fertile soil and great climate making them to produce tons of corn. This annual festivities includes street dancing competition showcasing different culture of Teduray, Muslim and Christian celebrated every December in Upi, Maguindanao. One of the most awaited event is a long stretch of corn grillers placed by the roadside where everyone enjoys roasting, a symbol of togetherness and feasting. 

BEST REGIMEN: Kalamansi for Pimples Marks

Pimples or acne on the face is one of the most common problems that teens and even other adults are facing. In my case, this problem started when I was twenty one years old and I thought it was a problem with my beauty regimen. Since pimple is usually caused by bacteria, I changed everything, including pillow cases and towels. Consulted 3 dermatologists, applied everything they suggested but still the same. For three years, I was singing: "mga tagyawat sa ilong, at sa pisngi, at sa noo, at sa batok, at sa baba......."

BEST SUNBLOCK/SUNSCREEN IN THE PHILIPPINES

The temperature is getting hotter and hotter and hotter. According to studies, Global Warming is the reason why we are experiencing the sudden climate change. UV rays are harmful to our skin, as it damages your skin or can be prone to skin cancer. Having said that, a lot of products are out in the market to protect us from the damaging UV rays. It is a MUST to use sun protection, especially for the people, like me, who’s always outside. I tried six different brands in the market and now, I will be sharing three of the best sun blocks.

Venice Grand Canal Mall, McKinley Hill

A view of the newly opened Venice Grand Canal Mall, McKinley Hill

I saw a friend posting a photo on Facebook that looks familiar. Out of curiosity, I asked my friend where the photo was taken and she told me the details. I told my travel buddies about this place and they already knew it. Without any plan, we visited the Venice Grand Canal Mall in McKinley Hill, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. The Venice and here's what we found:

TAU'T BATO: TRIBES IN THE PHILIPPINES

The Tau’t Batu or Tao't Bato or Taaw't Bato (translate's to "people of the rock" in English) are indigenous people located in some high lying areas on Mt. Mantalingajan. As of right now, most of them are still using the ancient mode of living, like hunting and farming. They also use caves as their home but some already have houses made of light and sturdy materials like nipa, coconut leaves and woods. During our visit, I noticed that most of the women use cloth to cover their bodies while shirts and G-strings for the men. READ: MT. MANTALINGAJAN 

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SAN DIEGO CHURCH, SILAY TOURIST SPOTS

San Diego Pro-cathedral formerly known as San Diego Parish Church or St. Didacus Parish Church before, it was declared as a pro-cathedral in 1994. It is the only church in Silay City that features a dome which is like St. Peters in Vatican City.

Mt. Binacayan

Another famous mountain in Rodriguez, Rizal is Mt. Binacayan, a small but tiring to hike because of its terrain. Though, separated by Wawa River from Mt. Pamitinan, they almost have the same features in terms of the difficulty and trails types. There are fruit bearing trees, shrubs that bloom like ornaments, and the lullabies from birds can be heard. You will be certified as a "revel in trekking" because of the rock climbing and scrambling on the boulders and limestone cliffs with sharp edges.