The Philippine Outdoors

This is a gps map going to Triple-G Beach Resort at Laiya, San Juan, Batangas coming from Daang-hari, Bacoor, Cavite via South Luzon Expressway and STAR tollway.

Total Trip Distance: 131.24 kms.
To download the gps track: right click this (kml/gpx) and save.

My wife and I discussed about going to the beach this summer with the kids as it is the best time to go. Thus, we planned going early in the first week of April on weekday to avoid so much crowd and we research on several beaches within Luzon. The criterions are:
1. A white sand beach
2. The resort should have a pool so that our kids will enjoy if in case the beach wasn’t their liking.
3. Clean, but affordable.
4. We can cook and bring our own food.
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This is a GPS track from Strawberry Farm at La Trinidad, Benguet going back to Baguio City(Bloomfield hotel).

Trip Distance: 9.6 kilometers
To download the gps track: right click this (kml/gpx) and save.

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Baguio City, the summer capital of the Philippines is our family’s choice to spend our new year. Why Baguio? Because weather is cooler than the usual Philippine climate. And since it’s a mountain city with an average elevation of 1400m ASL, temperature ranges from 14degC ~ 23degC during the month of December and it is projected to hit 9degC in February to March as per PAGASA(Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services).
We traveled 290kms from home(Bacoor, Cavite) for approximately 6.5 hours, including some stopover and traffic via NLEX, SCTEX and Kennon road.
I’m quite happy and satisfied that the kids enjoyed so much from the activities and places we visit.

The Lion’s head along Kennon Road

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Here’s my old, trusted and reliable 1997 Mazda 323 Sedan where it brought me to so many places already since 2004 where I first acquired it. Yes, this old stallion is my lonely workhorse going to afar cities and places such as Baguio City, Subic, and Uminggan town of Pangasinan.
Since I am a mountainbiker, I used it going to unfamiliar terrain and passing through some dirt/off roads such as the Pestano farm of Antipolo, Rizal; Sitio Alabastro of Barangay Ayusan 2, Tiaong, Quezon; and barangay Tungtungin at UP-Los Banos where an SUV or a 4×4 is a good choice of transportation. Since it is a sedan, you can’t avoid getting its under-chassis scraped passing through this dirt roads. I pity my sedan. haha! But at least a little bit proud because it was able to go and pass some roads where other cars can’t.
This 1997 Mazda 323 is based on Mazda B platform shared similarly by the Ford Escort. And since it is already more than a decade old, I already replaced a lot of its parts/components such as the timing belt and water pump. It’s a real headache maintaining an old car, but what can you do if it is the only car you have?

Thailand, 14 September 2009; I was sent by my company(Teradyne, Inc.) to meet our customers reestablishing connections with them after some recent events and company reorganization. Been here so many times in the past and this is my first trip again after 2 years. And what I’ve missed? The food. Yes, the food. I”m a spicy food lover, anything spicy for me is delicious! And that’s how biased my taste buds are. Thailand food are full of spices, so if you’ don’t like spicy food, Thailand is’nt for you.
When I’m in the U.S.A., I always searching for a Thai restaurant. Same thing also when I was in Taiwan this year and last year.
And what’s my favorite food? Tom yam goong/kung. It is basically a hot and sour soup with shrimp, mushroom, lemongrass and chilli.

Thamnanthai restaurant located inside Times Square, Sukhumvit road, Bangkok, Thailand.

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