Category: The Philippines

An Announcement: The Trip of a Lifetime – 100Essential Travel Experiences

It’s been quiet on Travel Cake these past few months. Some of you have been asking me where I’ve been and what I’ve been up to. Well, I can tell you this much: I haven’t been slacking!

I’ve moved from Ecuador to Belgium where I have been slaving away at a 9 to 5 desk job. Being back in my hometown has been wonderful in terms of reconnecting with friends, family and the city. You may have read the mini luxury guide to Ghent I wrote for travel blog “Hippie in Heels”. You may also have read what I had to say about travel photography in an article for “Voyager for life“.

saying my goodbyes to Ecuador

But most importantly, I’ve been preparing for the trip of a lifetime. A new adventure, greater than any I’ve ever been on before.

Destination?

Motherhood.

That’s right,I said motherhood.

The journey began 10 months ago in Iran and continued in Ecuador and Colombia. It took a turn in the US and passed by the Netherlands. It then continued to Belgium where our daughter was born. Our ‘Mini Travel Cake’ is a sweet and funny baby with a traveller’s spirit. How could it be any different, she is only a month old and has already been to 6 countries!

Does this mean Travel Cake is turning into a mommy blog?

No. Plain and simple. It’s just not my cup of tea. However, I’ll probably publish an article related to kids and travel every once in a while. But in general I plan on publishing the same kind of content as I have so far.

As my pregnancy came to an end, I was stuck indoors with a swollen face hiding from the summer heat. Knowing that my life will never be exactly the same again, I thought about my passed travels. Motherhood is probably the most intense and life changing adventure of them all and I’m THRILLED not to have rushed into it. Thrilled to have taken time to see and experience as much of the world as possible while being relatively carefree. That’s why, as a tribute to carefree travelling, I will be posting a countdown of my 100 most memorable, essential travel experiences.

Here goes part 1, in no particular order:

100. Driving miles and miles on the rooftops of Nepali busses.

A drink, music blasting from your headphones and wind running through your hair… the best seats are in between the luggage on the roof of the bus!

99. 1001 nights in Morocco

Morocco’s riads are so romantic, so sophisticated and worth the occational splurge. I tried looking the part sippin’ on an overpriced martini in one of Morocco’s fancy riads. Click on the title to read about my weekend in Fez, Morocco.

98. Floating through life on a houseboat in the backwaters of Kerala

Waking up on the deck of our houseboat, having breakfast while we glide over the waterways, sigh…

97. Going nuts during Thingyan, Myanmar’s water festival

Water party in a pop-up day club

This is a common street scene in Yangon during the water festival. Click on the title to read about our experiences during Thingyan.

96. Trekking in the Himalayas

Our first and very ill prepared trek at 4300m altitude. Click on the title to read a post related to trekking.

95. Rum cocktails in Castro’s Cuba

Cuba during Castro’s reign was such a bizarre yet unique and enchanting place. At least for visitors. Things may have changed but I’m sure the rum cocktails are still just as delicious!

94. Hiking in Valbona, Albania

After a breathtaking hike, I reached the cabin of an Albanian family who welcomed me for tea and burek. Instant adoption. Click on the title to read about my hike in the Albanian Alps.

93. Spending the night in the garden of Eden in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Watching the sun set after a long walk in what seemed like the garden of Eden. DRC has fantastic nature, I wish I could say the same for the political situation.

92. Seeing Tarsiers in the wild

A childhood dream came true when we spotted these cuties in the jungle of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Click on the title to read more about our time in Sulawesi.

91. Fishing, sunbathing and drinking on a catamaran in Los Roques, Venezuela

My first time on a caribbean beach, I was overwhelmed by the high tropical factor

90. Traveling by train in Russia

I got to know my cabin mates by communicating with signs on a 40 hour train ride to the Russian Arctic

89. Hiking the Cocora valley in Colombia

Another long time travel dream come true! Click on the title to read about our hike in the Cocora Valley.

88. Discovering the architectural jewels of Iran

Feeling tiny amongst Iranian architectural masterpieces

87. Camping on a beach in Oman and finding nestling turtles

Camping on a deserted beach in southern Oman.

We stumbled upon some sea turtles laying their eggs in the sand. Click on the title to read about my road trip to Oman.

86. Learning to scuba dive

Wreck diving in the Philippines, a new world opening up…

My first open water dive in Zanzibar, one of many more to come.

85. Trying to understand the Israeli-Palestinan conflict

The more I talked to local people on both sides of the conflict, the more confused I was on the issues. No matter how much I hung out in the old streets of Jerusalem. Read more about my trip to Israel.

Crossing the horrendous border to Palestine. Click on the title to read more about my findings in Palestine.

84. Motorcycling through India

An epic drive from South to North India on a 30 year old Royal Enfield. Click on the titel to read about out motorcycle trip through India.

83. Unexpectedly ending up in Paris and attending a crazy party in “la Machine du Moulin Rouge”

The evening took an unexpected turn and I found myself in Paris. Wearing pink fur and a white wig…

82. Travelling solo

I find traveling solo extremely liberating and enriching. Everybody should try it at least once in their life! Click on the title to read why I travel solo even when I’m in a relationship.

81. Trying to catch a glimpse of Nessie in Loch Ness in the Scottish highlands

Nessie not found.

So much for part 1 of my favourite travel experiences. Continue reading part 2, part 3, part4, part 5 and part 6!

Which of these experiences would you want to read more about?

The post “An Announcement: The Trip of a Lifetime – 100Essential Travel Experiences” first appeared on Travel Cake.

September 24, 2015
2013 Travel Summary, Part II

Resuming the travel summary of 2013, the nomadic year… Read part I here.

JULY… Timor-Leste- Gili islands

If you have to leave Bali for a few days, where do you go? Ummm… Timor-Leste? Why not… Practical information online about Timor-Leste is scarce, so I left without any expectations. That might be why I loved it so much. If not because I have a tendency towards raw and unknown places. I enjoyed the fact that it was a trip for “advanced” travellers , I had plenty of new experiences- like eating dog and I met some awesome people. Another destination on my top 10 best trips-list!

stunning landscapes

socialising with the Timorese

Gili islands

Douglas and I took a few days off to meet-up with friends from England vacationing in the Gili islands. I made it a point to visit all three of the islands so I could compare and decide which one to choose for future trips! Read about my findings here. We spent lazy days on the beach, eating freshly caught fish, drinking beers and snorkelling with turtles. It was the ideal lazy beach holiday.

lazy days

happy island kids

AUGUST… Borneo

I spent the last week of August in Sabah, Borneo. You might not believe it, but traveling around so much can get quite tiring. So I did what any burnt out traveler would do; I traveled lazily! I got massages, relaxed at white sand beaches, ate tonnes of fresh seafood, did mountain hikes, saw orang utans in the wild… Finally, I visited a refugee village on stilts, but that story deserves its own post. By the end of my stay in Kota Kinabalu, I had gotten quite a attached to the place. A place which seemed incredibly bland at first glance.

village on stilts

wild orang utang

SEPTEMBER… The Philippines

I had a travel dream. It took me 13 years to make it happen, but at last… I went to the Philippines… and I was not disappointed. I spent most of my time there in Palawan. Every single day, my dear Douglas had to listen to me say: “Look at this!! How is this possible?? I can’t believe this beauty is real?!”

island hopping

driving in the country side

The Philippines are really close to my heart, not only because I loved everything about this flavourful country; the good, the bad and the ugly. But also because of my Pinoy friends who have shown me the true spirit of the Philipino community. If you’ve missed my posts resuming our vacation in Palawan, check out part I and part II.

paradise beaches

Oh yes… and Manila is absolutely wacky!

OCTOBER… Home sweet home, Bali

Peace and quiet in Bali. For the first time in months I spent a full 4 weeks in the same spot. I used this time to explore the island further. I went on diving and snorkelling trips with friends in Lembongan and swam with graciously beautiful wild manta rays. I started practicing yoga and participated in a writing workshop during the Ubud writers festival. I woke up at the crack of dawn to visit Balinese temples minus the tourists. I wanted to learn Indonesian, so I enrolled in a class and finished the course. Now, I’m not fluent, but I can hold my head up high while having a basic conversation. I also know a fair amount of obscene words. What more do you need?

visiting temples

immersing ourselves in the culture

NOVEMBER… Vietnam

Once again I had to leave Indonesia. This time around, I visited South Vietnam on a quest to understand why so many visitors dislike it as a destination. Though I understand why, I only experienced rainbows, sparkles and chocolate covered kittens. I was taken aback by a fragrant cuisine that was new to me. Vietnamese food… WOW! Read about my trip here.

Mui Ne beach front

Vietnamese food

DECEMBER… Sulawesi

I’m writing you from Sulawesi, Indonesia where a couple of friends and I will be celebrating the end of a fantastic year and welcoming a new one. Hopefully a new year filled with laughter, friendship, love, adventure and realisation of goals and dreams. Those are my wishes or you.

Happy New Year, Everyone!

What was the travel highlight of your year?

December 30, 2013
5 Quirky Things To Do in Manila

Manila is a vibrant city where everything seems to be possible. People are loud, full of life and know of no embarrassment- at least that’s what it looks like to an outsider. I only spent a couple of days in the metropolis, but I immediately LOVED it. It’s fun, hectic, crazy and weird. There’s no other place quite like it. So I put together a list of the quirky things I did in Manila, hopefully it inspires you to discover some of Manila’s quirks!

1. See the pro’s at work after a cockfight

Although cockfighting is popular in several countries, there aren’t many places where it’s perfectly legal to do so in the foreseen cockpit arena’s. In these arena’s the cock’s fight till death.

But what happens to the wounded winner? I always thought they were put out of their misery, plucked and prepared for dinner. But that’s not the way they do it in Manila! The wounded winners are brought to the “cock surgeons” who patch them up quite professionally. Their wounds are examined meticulously, cleaned up with antiseptic and carefully sown up… All right outside the arena. And here I thought the excitement of a cockfighting arena was quirky enough… These improvised surgery stations haven proven to be even more so.

at the arena

cockfighting as a national sport

the doctor will fix it

cleaning up

closing up the wounded winner

TIP: “La Loma cockpit” in Quezon City is a great place to see the fights and the surgeons at work.

2. Be a rockstar for a night with “Rockeoke”

Why would you settle for regular karaoke when you can have a live band headbanging while accompanying your singing? Filipinos take their karaoke very seriously and have taken it to the next level. A live band plays the requested songs and all you have to do is (get drunk first,) look fabulous and sing your heart out.

anyone can be a rockstar…

TIP: during the past decade, at least half a dozen people in the Philippines have been murdered after singing Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”. The ‘my way murders’ have even caused the song to be banned from some karaoke bars. You’ve been warned!

3. Visit the Chinese Cemetery, where graves have toilets and air-con

The Chinese like to treat their dead well. VERY well. Their graves are mind-boggling! Most are equipped with at least a toilet and a mailbox- how else would you send letters to your deceased family members? Some have air-conditioning, others are two stories high. Some have jacuzzis and wifi, others even have a full time guard standing by their “entrances”… Most of these graves are bigger and more luxurious than my house!

It’s not everyday you get to roam around endless streets of “fancy shmancy zombie cribs”. Visiting this cemetery is not only quirky; it’s a real eye-opener on cultural differences regarding the after-life.

basic toilet and sink

wo storey church-like grave

personalised simple graves

mansion graves with pet dogs

TIP: the cemetery is enormous. You could walk around for days and still not see everything. Hire a guide at the entrance for a maximised experience. They are caretakers of the cemetery and know the area by heart. They will show you the most impressive graves and will tell you all about the why’s and the how’s. Besides they are hilarious, in true Filipino-style.

4. MC for a night at a Midget Boxing Match

Yes, midget boxing… It’s a thing. A humorous show where little people get into the boxing ring and smash each other’s faces. Cheering on the fight is the crowd, which consists of one more-or-less lost, older tourist and 30 prostitutes working at the bar. They cheer on their favourite fighter and laugh like the world will end if they don’t. ‘Weird’ doesn’t even begin to describe this. As soon as the fight is over and the “staff” notices you’re not there to get a girl, the prostitutes go back to their seats and continue doing what they were doing before you entered; looking incredibly bored. Four of them enter the ring and perform some badly choreographed dances, similar to the ones you did at a 3rd grade dance recital; very PG.

Although it’s more an act than an actual fight, it’s bizarre enough to be funny. They might offer you to MC the boxing match. Go ahead if you dare!

welcoming sign right outside the bar

midget boxing

we have a winner!

If you care to see a short video Midget Boxing Manila

TIP: you’ll find this place in the Burgos area. The entrance is free but the drinks are very pricy so order a beer and consider it your entry ticket.

5. Slurp up the embryonic juices of a young duck

Walking around in the streets, you will hear vendors shouting: “Balut! Balut!” Street food that’s worth a try, a true delicacy in the Philippines. It’s a developing duck embryo that is boiled alive and eaten in the shell. Add salt and vinegar, slurp up the broth surrounding the embryo, then eat the embryo. Not for the faint of heart!

TIP: eating this peculiar snack can get pretty messy if you’re not a seasoned balut-eater. Have something ready to wipe your hands and face with.

note the staring eye

A special thanks to my friend Aubrey Aliguyon for pointing me in the right direction for a quirky Manila experience

Do you enjoy doing quirky things while traveling?

The post “5 Quirky Things To Do in Manila” first appeared on Travel Cake.

November 4, 2013
Part II. The best of Palawan

A couple of days ago, I started listing the 20 best things of Palawan, the Philippines. Today, I’m finishing off the list (Read part I here)

In no particular order,

What else makes Palawan so great?

11. Motorcycling through the country side

Hire a motorcycle/scooter in El Nido or Coron and drive off into the horizon. Feel the wind through your hair while taking in the beauty of the landscapes, the villages… Kids on the side of the road scream ‘HELLOOO!’ or put their hands out for a full driving speed high-five. The motorbike gives you the freedom to stop anywhere you like; an unexpected mangrove river or a little-visited kingfisher park… Beware of the half-finished roads full of potholes, especially right after big rains. If you don’t drive, you can always bat your eyes at someone with a motorcycle and get a ride. Yes, even guys might get lucky! Do what ever you can, because it’s a ride not to be missed!

red dirt roads

mangrove river

a minimum driving skills needed

12. The seafood curry at “Squido’s”, El Nido town

It’s huge, it’s messy, dirt cheap and absolutely delicious. The curry paste used for the dish comes straight from Madras and the seafood is as fresh as can be. With “Squido’s” being a French-Philippino fusion restaurant, guess what the curry is served with? Mashed potatoes! A surprising combo that leaves you wanting more. Check out this portion for two…

“fruits de mer curry”

13. The warm smiles

Smiles are not thrown around all the time, everywhere for no apparent reason, like in some Asian countries, but they are warm, wide and genuine. It’s the ideal place for portrait photography. Especially since people in the Philippines love to strike a pose!

a child’s smile

photo as requested by these girls

14. Sleeping and working in beach shacks

I don’t know about you, but I’m crazy about beach shacks. To me they crown the beach life experience. Sleeping on the beach is fabulous, so what about working with the sounds of nature in the background?

The internet is not all that on Palawan, but if you can do without, it’s the perfect place to get some work done or draft a couple of thesis chapters.

getting some work done…

15. Waterfalls and hot springs

Two of my weak spots. When I hear either of those words, I interestedly spring up, ready to make my way there. There are several waterfalls and natural hot springs across the island, most of them are low key and little visited.

low key waterfalls

no pushy tourists

16. It’s Jurassic Park, minus the dinosaurs

JP is real and it’s in Palawan! OK, technically, it’s not; the film was mostly shot in Hawaii… Either way, I often saw myself in a Jurassic park scene and that’s just too exciting!

approaching jurassic park

17. Finding paradise around every corner

You walk and all of the sudden…

You drive your bicycle and all of the sudden…

You row your kayak and all of the sudden…

surprise!

…A little corner of paradise surprises you and welcomes you to sit back and relax…

18. The snorkelling

Those who don’t dive or don’t have the budget to do so, are also in for a treat in Palawan. The snorkel sites are at least as impressive as the dive sites. The coral is in excellent shape, colourful tropical fish are abound and the water is crystal clear. Sometimes you don’t even need to snorkel to admire the underwater world, you can just look down from the boat and get a glimpse of what lies beneath. As discussed in my previous post, there are a few shipwrecks you can discover by snorkelling.

wreck ready to be snorkled

if you don’t feel like hitting the water, just look out of the boat

19. Having a cool beer on a deserted beach

Even if you are in the middle of nowhere in Palawan, chances are, there is a small house or shop nearby, the owner has a cold beer in his fridge and he’ll sell it to you for a reasonable price. This means you can have your ice cold beer in a deserted area! If you’re lucky, they might even throw in a couple of salted peanuts…

cold San Miguel on the beach

20. The insane sunsets

I still can’t get over how intense these were. Just for that, I’d return to Palawan. The following picture has not been altered in Photoshop! This is real!

sunset over El Nido

There you have it, the 20 best things about Palawan. Why have you not booked your ticket yet?

Which travel destination has blown your mind?

The post “Part II. The best of Palawan” first appeared on Travel Cake.

October 9, 2013
The Best of Palawan, Philippines. Part I.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I recently vacationed in Palawan, a gorgeous island province of the Philippines. Its natural beauty and its remarkable people blew me away. Words can’t begin to explain the experience, but I hope some of these pictures can, to some extent. So, here is part I of the best things in Palawan.

In no particular order,

What makes Palawan so great?

1. El Nido’s rock formations

Limestone spikes emerging from azure waters against a backdrop of lush greenery; that’s what you see when venturing in the bays around El Nido town. Astonishing!

Heart Island, El Nido

2. Kinilaw

It’s a popular dish throughout the Philippines, but particularly available in Palawan. Diced fresh fish or shrimp, gently cooked by the acid of its marinade; vinegar and calamansi (or lime) juice. Finished off with spices and herbs; salt, pepper, garlic, onion and chillies, it’s the Asian version of ‘ceviche’. It’s served cold and is the perfect lunch or starter. Every restaurant adds a personal touch to the recipe, which makes it different each time you order the dish. I ate my weight in kinilaw and I never got bored of it!

non-stop kinilaw

3. Being in Palawan during low season

Going to Palawan during low season, means the weather is not at its best. I was worried we would spend our entire vacation playing cards in our rooms waiting for the endless rain to stop. After all, we are talking about typhoon season here. Although it did rain almost every other day, the showers usually lasted between 20 minutes and two hours. Except for a few cloudy days, the sun shone brightly enough to burn my skin several times.

The best part about low season though, is the tiny amount of tourists on the island. We had most of the attractions all to ourselves! I strongly dislike all-in group tours, but we had no other choice than to book a couple, to save a few bucks. What a wonderful surprise it was, to find out the ‘group’ consisted of just Douglas and I. A private boat for the price of a 15 pax shared one?! That’s worth withstanding some rain! Low season also ensures cheaper hotel prices and the good deals are just waiting to be made! If you’re on a budget and like to escape the crowds, low season is the time to go! If you can handle the occasional tropical storm, that is…

tropical storm brewing up

typhoon sea

4. BBQ-lunches on the beach

With every island hopping trip, whether it’s private or in group, a lunch stop on one of the islands is included. The boat crew whips out some charcoal, a couple of fishes, fruits, veggies, some meat and transforms that into a scrumptious meal. And here I was thinking (knowing?) that organised tours only serve you mediocre to horrible food! Everything is freshly prepared on the boat, or on the island beach. A delicious barbecued lunch on a deserted beach, what else could you ask for?

BBQ on the beach

buffet

5. Kayangan lake- Coron island

How about a refreshing swim in what is said to be one of the cleanest lakes in Asia? The lake’s cool turquoise water is a mixture of fresh and salt water and is one of the seven enchanted lakes of Coron. Yes, I wrote ‘enchanted’. The indigenous Tagbanua tribe believes that spirits use to dwell here and therefore performed rituals to transfer these spirits to larger lakes. You can now enjoy a tranquil, spirit-free swim and enjoy the scenery. Very important tip: make sure you arrive here early in the morning, before the big masses of tourists do!

Kayangan lake

view from the top

6. The simple life

Life in Palawan is slow and simple. People spend a lot of time with family and friends, taking each day as it comes. It’s contagious. The “tomorrow is another day “-attitude and the “what will be, will be” -philosophy, makes you unwind and slow down. You think about what’s important in life, appreciate the good things you have while realising you don’t know how long it’s all going to last. It’s a typical island attitude from which we could all learn a little. That makes Palawan also attractive for the spirit.

boat washed up in a tree, but it’s all good…

7. The religion

As you may or may not know, the Philippines are, for the most part, a catholic country. I must say, it was very refreshing to see signs of Christianity again after being in Asia for 6 months. Not that I’m tired of pagoda’s, stuppah’s, mosques, temples and ashrams, it just feels so familiar to be surrounded by (kitsch) Maria statuettes, big crosses, people saying grace before a meal and church bells on a sunday morning. Who would have thought?

JC

countryside gate

8. The rice fields

Palawan is not all beaches, lakes and waterholes. There are also bright green rice fields all over the island, diffusing some sort of serenity. Although it’s not particularly THE place to be in The Philippines for impressive rice terraces and rice fields, they’re beautiful nonetheless. The greenery is a nice change from the beach scene. Take a walk around or drive through the countryside and take in the fields zooming by.

little house in the rice field

perfect for a walk

9. Wreck diving

More than 20 Japanese ships sunk in the waters of Palawan during WWII. The entities where death once prevailed are now full of life. Coral has incrusted the ship decks and marine life has found a perfect nook to create their biotopes in. Some shipwrecks are as deep as 40m others lie as shallow as 10m deep and are perfectly snorkleable. Although we didn’t see much marine activity during our shipwreck dives, floating from one room to the next with a tiny torch in the hand was an intense experience. 100% Jacques Cousteau- feel.

ready for discovery

wreck diving

10. Drop dead gorgeous beaches

I’ve seen a lot of paradise beaches, but these… These are without a doubt, in my top 3 list! Perfect for cliché photo shoots!

approaching helicopter beach

with a backdrop like that, who could resist a photo shoot?

Stay tuned for part II with more great things about Palawan!

Have you ever heard of Palawan?

The post “The Best of Palawan, Philippines. Part I.” first appeared on Travel Cake.

October 6, 2013
Sneak Preview The Philippines

Here is a quick post with a few pictures from the Philippines where I’m currently exploring the island of Palawan.

So far I can only say, the PHILIPPINES are spectacular, diverse, enchanting… The people are eternal optimists, polite and always up for a laugh. Even though I’ve only been on two provinces of the country, I get the impression the rest of the country shares these traits.

Here is a sneak preview of what we’ve been doing during the past few days

Discovering secret islands in El Nido

rice fields and jeepneys

motorcycling through the country side

delicious food

Taking time for some cheesy romance

monkey love

exploring the underground river

hopping around deserted islands

fresh eels for dinner

mind blowing sunsets, no photoshop here!!

I’m excited to discover more in the following week!

Have you ever been to Palawan or The Philippines?

The post “Sneak Preview The Philippines” first appeared on Travel Cake.

September 7, 2013