Philippines -- Baler

Beautiful BALER



Mike was busy working in Australia so I went home again to the Philippines to see family. A friend was going to Baler for the weekend and I decided to tag-along.

Philippines -- La Union

There has been so much talk about the surf in the Philippines lately, so we went to check out a popular spot up north.

sunset on the northern coast of the region

Philippines -- Chinatown

busy busy busy

Chinatown in Binondo is said to be the oldest Chinatown in the world. Established in 1594, this became the center of commerce and trade in Manila

Philippines -- Intramuros

Fort Santiago

The Philippines

photo: wikitravel.org

Mike and I were able to spend the holidays in the Philippines (admittedly due to geographical convenience and short holidays). He was finally able to try Filipino cuisine, one I’ve been marveling to him about. Of course, he didn’t pass up the chance to try the ever-famous “balut”, and he even liked it!

We were only able to do some minor traveling, less than we would have liked because of time constraints but he was still able to enjoy some of my hometown scenery, a local surf spot, and historical and cultural spots.

Philippines -- Normal Food

After all that street food adventure, It was time for Mike to try some "normal" home-cooked Filipino food.

Philippines -- Street Food Sensation

Filipino Street Food -- popular comfort food in the Philippines. They are cheap, easy to eat, flavorful, and found everywhere.

Michael loves his street food especially grilled skewers. But before I took him to get his skewer fixation, he had to pass the Balut test.