Travel Album - Philippines



	Philippines

Christmas 2023

This Christmas 2023, our family had a trip to Cebu. The highlight of the journey was swimming with whale sharks at Oslob, a unique opportunity for my dad and son to immerse themselves in nature and create lasting family memories.

This was my second time swimming with whale sharks, but it was the first time I had the technology ready to capture the incredible moment.

We spent two days in Oslob, specifically so that we could wake up at 5am (instead of 1am from Cebu) on a Saturday morning for the event, as whale sharks are more active from 6-11 in the morning.

Royceton was still afraid of the big waves, so he stayed mainly on the boat and watched the whale sharks from a close distance.

We also ventured out to a small Sumilon Island, known for its soft and beautiful sands, as well as milder waters perfect for swimming.

We boarded this boat that took us 50 meters off the shore to view the whale sharks. The presence of waves was undeniable.

We stayed at this Sumilon Island sand bar for 3 hours. This is the boat the brought us here.

Enjoying the 32C in December. Blue sky and turquoise sea.

I love natural sun tan and beach. <3

Royceton had the snorkelling gear ready. Finally can explore at a calmer water.

As a side excursion, we also visited the Tumalog Waterfalls. The ponds was so milking blue.

We explored the historic district of Cebu City, which holds great significance as the place is where the Spanish first established their settlement in the Philippines, back in the early 16th century.

Fort San Pedro is the oldest and smallest fort in the Philippines, built by the Spanish in 1565. Originally constructed as a defensive structure to protect against attacks from indigenous warriors and pirates.

The Magellan Cross is a significant historical relic and is believed to be the same cross planted by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 upon arriving in Cebu. Starting from here, about 80% of the Filipino believe in Christianity.

Enjoying the glimpse into the fortress and cannon era, in the architectural charm of Cebu's colonial period.

I pondered on what life must have been like 500 years ago when the Spanish arrived here to colonize the land.

Basilica of the Holy Child of Cebu.

There was a wedding going on.

Cathdral Museum. What a profound impact the Spanish colonization had on the religious and cultural identity of the Filipino people.

Sr. Sto. Nino Chapel. The statue is considered a symbol of faith and devotion, drawing pilgrims and worshippers from all over the country.

Built in the late 17th century, the Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House, belong to a wealthy Filipino-Chinese family, is one of the oldest houses in the Philippines. This ancestral house showcases the fusion of Spanish and Chinese architectural influences.

Built in 1850, Casa Gorordo was bought by a Spanish merchant. Since then, four generations of Gorordo family, one of the wealthy clans in the city, have stayed in this home until 1979. The place then was well known as the home of the first Filipino Archbishop of Cebu, Juan Gorordo.

The Marítima Ruins is a neoclassical heritage building located in the port area of the city. Originally built in 1910, it operated as a hotel, but now stands as a captivating ruin, exuding a sense of elegance and historical significance.

After exploring the historic area of Cebu City, I noticed that tourism development has been limited. I was surprised to find that there was no tourist map. On the bright side, I am thankful for the authenticity this region has offered to my family in this trip.

The Cuartel Ruins in Oslob is an unfinished Spanish-era structure. It was originally intended to be a barracks for Spanish soldiers during the late 19th century.

The structure was never completed due to the end of Spanish rule in the Philippines.

Nonetheless, the remaining walls provide a glimpse into the architectural style of that period.

On the winter solstice, we had an all-you-can-grill dinner at George Restaurant. The food culture in the Philippines is still undergoing development, and experiences like grilling our own food provided a delightful change from the more common deep-fried chicken and fish dishes found in many eateries.

We went here on both nights as there is not many restaurants for selection. And Royceton did enjoy personally grill our food for an interactive dining experience.

During our two-night stay in the Oslob town, we, and especially Royceton, had the opportunity to glimpse into the charm and simplicity of a traditional village. The unhurried pace of life, warm and welcoming locals, the less privileged kids, and the simplistic surroundings provided a refreshing contrast to the bustling city life of Hong Kong. It was a precious experience and a learning opportunity for him to understand in the authentic and tranquil atmosphere of different area of the world.

In Cebu City, we took Jeepney, a local style bus, and Royceton witnessed some kids about his age selling water and snacks on the road. It was good to see and learn more.

We also had a motor ride up a hill. Cool.

On Christmas Eve, the entire city of Cebu shut down at 6pm as citizens rushed back home for family gathering. Luckily, we stumbled upon a hotel restaurant that was still open with live music.

The restaurant served Spanish food. What a good way to try European dishes in Asia. Yummy.

We stayed at a hotel near Ayala while we were in Cebu City, Royceton swam everyday.

It's how the local celebrates Christmas Eve. Full of firecrackers and singing on the street. What a unique atmosphere.

	September 2015
	I have been inside an epic center of a cyclone for three months as I like someone whom we couldn't be together. Combined with the heavy work load from submitting a listing application, I opt to have a trip for escape. In this Boracay trip, I am so glad to have Ken to come along with me to accompany my soul and ease my pain a bit. Thank you!
	Today I lived a fulfilling day. The sky is clear and we went for parasailing. It's my first trial in life. It's like sitting on a swing in the sky. The speed boat was sailing quite fast, yet I felt tranquility and fresh breeze brushing my face up in the sky. It is an experience. I enjoyed the present. =)
	here we go.	so high up in the sky.

	Sunshine and clear water. It's a paradise! It was actually stormy the previous few days. What a lucky trip.
	First time driving water jet. It's cool.	3,000ps for 20 minutes. But a bit bored later.
	The whole Boracay is a water sport and beach heaven. Thanks life. Thanks life.
	Sunset sailing. 5 minutes cost around 500ps	Selfie with seabed walking operator.

	Hotel which we stayed. ~USD50 a night. Quite chill and quiet	Local merchant. Met him quite a few times on the beach	Father please forgive me for my sin and give me a peace of mind
	In my lone time, I couldn't help but thinking about DeeDee. I need to put my focus on 小鲜肉 to divert my focus, so here is a SeeSee for my island hoping trip... 每一次我去旅行都会写下心底的话，但这次我真的写不下，因为心太乱。这一刻我觉得平静下来，可是我下一刻也会心乱，having a peace of mind is really difficult at the moment...

	Feb 2011 Arthur and I took three days off to Donsol, Philippines, mainly for whale-shark watching. 'Tis indeed my first eco-travel. Usually I am not a fan of sports nor high-energy activities. But then in life, sometime I got to live outside my comfort zone and experience life from other perspective. Then I am delighted to walk along with Arthur to fulfill the dream of encountering nature living creatures. I am simply very happy.
	Feb 27, 2011. Donsol, the Philippines. Cloudy/Shower Today we got up at 5:30am to catch the opportunities for whale-shark chasing. We registered for two trips, one at 7am, one at 10am. I have seen approximately 10 whale-sharks in total during the day. The most memorable scenes would be: - my first witness of the shark. It was approx 4 ft right below me. It's huge! OMG, it's huge! Quite a surreal discovery channel experience! - my first contact with the shark. Though it was suggested a "don't", but the shark was only 20cm in front of my face! I started from watching its body, then came the fin. Then dilemma struck that should I touch it, should I not... Then I poked it in the tail. Touched it. Oh, what a guilty pleasure! - chasing the shark. I dived down, paddling and chasing the shark. Then I swam faster and came to its face! What an experience! ---------- The above picture is from our real encounter. Whale-shark is the world's biggest fish species, up to 8-12 meter in length. Despite the massive size, whale-shark only eats planktons, being a huge vacuum at the sea. It is magnificent of God's design of creatures in the world.



	Each trip to chase whale-shark at sea would be around 2-3 hours, with 6 ppl on board. Each trip would cost US$15 per person, which includes the boat and 4 guides. Their role is to spot the whale-sharks for us and guide us to swim and chase with it. We had 5-6 attempts to witness/chase the whale-shark per trip, each attempt lasts for 3-10 minutes. Sometimes the shark was gone when we jumped into the water, sometimes it was right there for us to chase and swim along with it. Though I didn't experience it, I saw the whale-shark came above water with other divers riding on it. I bet the sharks enjoy the contact with human too. =P

	Lagazpi Lagazpi is a chilled village. Life style is simple. After we stayed only 10 min, we turned into chilled and relax life style. I must say it is very enjoyable.
	We stayed at the Giddy's, which had accommodated all our breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was a cool escape.	The Lagazpi volcano is still active, and smoke and ash come out from the tip everyday. What an amazing sight.

	Fireflies We went on a small boat for fireflies spotting in the late evening along the river band. The fireflies cluster on a few particular trees along the river band and shimmer like Christmas tree lighting. Suddenly the moment was romantic. I wanted to spend the time with my loved one there, but then I am single. Haha. Then I hummed along... 單身的一個，而單身因該好好一起過。It is good I enjoyed the moment with friend. Thanks life.
	Here I captured a firefly. It stayed inside my hands for 5+ minute!	This tree is full of thousands of flies. Can't capture on pic. It is all in the memory... =)

	Feb 28, 2011 In a flash, we are already on a flight back to HK. Thinking back, the last 3 days were a good escape. Life is not always perfect that we would have everything. Then simply we need to make the best of what we have. Thanks life.