Though it’s still a work in progress, the vision is clearly there and the bottom-floor rooms are now built up enough to be used, along with the fourth floor rooftop balcony/event space. I’m now pretty stoked to help my dad further it along, even coming up with the name ‘Hilltop Lodge’!
Read MoreInterestingly enough, it turns out that pearls actually hold a strong cultural significance in the Philippines (the South Sea pearl even adorning the Philippines’ 1000-peso bill), with many women (and, more recently, men) sporting them as luxury items in place of other materials like gold and silver.
Read MoreVoted as one of the top islands to visit in the world by Condé Nast Traveler magazine and the Best Island in the World by Travel + Leisure magazine, Boracay has come a long way since I first visited in 2008.
Read MoreThough my work relies heavily on the digital world (I pretty much work remote and do a myriad of things online), and I’m deeply fascinated by technology, spending time in a place where things move at a much slower pace and people are more focused on what’s right in front of them versus what’s online is quite comforting.
Read MoreI know I’ve written about fishermen and fishponds already, but the highlight I want to showcase here isn’t actually the the pond or fishermen, but the ingenuity of the Filipino people.
Two highly creative endeavours seen here are the three-story treehouse currently being built and designed by my Uncle Denis, along with the improvised rifle held by my uncle’s friend Michael.
Read MoreA common trait that most immigrants possess when they first come to Canada is an aversion to treating animals like their kin; whereas, here, it’s become an increasingly common place practice to treat your “pet” like your “child”.
Read MoreA recent craze in the West has become the notion of ‘Farm-to-Table’, but what about ‘Pond-to-Table’?
I know I said it in my last Story/Photo Series, but you honestly cannot get any fresher than harvesting fish that same day to be cooked later and put right on to your plate.
Read MoreEasily one of the coolest parts about spending time in a fishing village is waking up early as the catch comes in to not only witness the day’s harvest, but also pick up some fresh fish. When we talk about food being fresh and organic here in the West, nothing truly compares to meat, fish and produce being collected and prepared right in your own backyard!
Read MoreEvery Filipino and Filipina knows that a core foundational component to the culture of the Philippines is family. Despite distance, time, circumstance or previous history, family will always be family. The best part is when friends become family and family become friends. ♡
Read MoreArguably one of the most homey, easy going and presence-filled places one could choose to spend their time; what makes the island peoples of Aklan, Philippines, the most intriguing is not their structures, inventions, or mercantilism, but their character, beliefs and way of life.
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