Category Archives: europe

asia, europe, north america, travel

That First Photo

9 Comments

I must confess: for each photo you see posted in my web albums, there’s around 10 more photos you’ve been spared from seeing. EVER. The blurred ones, those with colors beyond repair, the countless accidental shots of my thumb, the plain ‘why-the-heck-did-I-take-this-one?!’ photos — yes, all of those were zapped into the virtual limbo of my laptop’s hard disk, erased ala-‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’.

Boracay, blurred.

The first photo I ever take on my trips rarely make it to the cut. Usually, it’s a test shot of my bag, or of people hanging around the airport’s boarding gates. Or, more often than not, of giddy travel companions who simply can’t wait to land before taking the first shot. Continue reading That First Photo →

asia, europe, north america, travel, video

Talent is Universal.

2 Comments

I’m known to have bouts of wanting to wander aimlessly anywhere, and more often than not, these are the times when I run into street performers. I adore these chances, as they make me feel that I was on the right place at the right time. At one time, I may think I’m lost, but I may be actually meant to bump into something special.

Here’s a montage of some of the fascinating acts I chanced upon in 2011. Yey to brave hearts and creative minds.


Song: Love and Wonder (Club Edit) – DJ Earworm

europe, travel, video

Cheerio! The England Clips

2 Comments

The place was so British, I wouldn’t have been surprised if the mice wore monocles. – Bob Hope

Pub walks. Free museums. The Stonehenge. Music that’s undeniably genius. Haven of the world’s literary giants. Say what you want about England, but without a doubt, it will remain to be one of the world’s top destinations. I have the makings of a tree-hugging hippie girl in my core, but although I resist, I think I’m slowly being wooed to the dark side of city-crawling with bustling metros like London.

Watch the vid for shots of my frenzied sprinting across London, Stonehenge, Liverpool and Bath. If you want read more of what went on in Jolly Old England, click here to recount past England posts. If you’re on your way to London yourself, here’s a few sightseeing tips you might find useful:

  • A great and cheap way to get down & dirty with London & its juicy history is to take a walking tour. The pub crawls are the best — you can’t go wrong with good stories plus some booze!
  • If you’re getting a London Pass, buy them directly from the Visitor’s Centre where it’s cheaper. Get the one without the Travelcard and just get an all-day pass from the Tube. Do your homework the night before as well to plot the best route to cover the most ground.
  • If you’re off to see Stonehenge, know that they don’t normally let people up close to the actual stones. For the best experience, you might want to book a special tour that lets you inside the stone circle.

Video Track: Love and Memories by O.A.R.

europe, travel, video

Glimpses of a Scottish Summer

Leave a comment

The Anti-Midas Phobia: fear of doing something, lest turning gold nto lead.

I’ve been putting off making this video for months now. Yes, I was excited to share the clips I took during hikes, tours and walks around Scotland, but there was always the problem of finding the perfect song, concept, <insert-other-excuses-here>. Finally, the perfect song hit me during my morning jog, and you have to love it when things fall into place. It was a loooong labor of love, but it was well worth it.

Stunning landscapes. Killer hilltop views. Everything wonderfully Gaelic. Thanks Scotland, for just being you.

The good thing is the memoirs are already done — if you want to read about how Scotland bowled me over, the write-ups are over here: https://ishg.wordpress.com/tag/scotland/.

europe, travel

The Blitz aka The London Pass Challenge

1 Comment
At Tate Modern

Shuffling from the romantic vibe of Scotland onto the hustle and bustle of London stressed me out at first. I wanted nothing more than to run back to Edinburgh’s inviting calm and tell them I was only kidding when I packed my bags to leave. But sigh, there was shopping to be done and tourist traps to be seen, so off I went! Continue reading The Blitz aka The London Pass Challenge →

europe, travel

3 Reasons Why Our Day 3 in the Highlands Rocked

Leave a comment

1. The Mighty Nessie Summoning Chant

Our guide told us that this chant was 99.9% effective — as long as we go all-out with the bellows and the dance steps required to convince Nessie to surface from Loch Ness. Well, our guide was a local after all, so we figured he was telling the truth. After taking a quick peek at the Urquhart Castle, we made our way down to the banks of the loch, where Kyle taught us the words and the steps. Believe me — we summoned everything bestial within us and poured out our hearts and souls into the chant — much to the delight of the other tour groups who were snapping away with their cams.

Continue reading 3 Reasons Why Our Day 3 in the Highlands Rocked →

europe, travel, video

Invading the Scottish Highlands – Day 2

Leave a comment
Hmm, imagine if halfway across, you realize you left your keys…

Picture a genteel castle, perched on a  solitary island in the middle of Loch Duich. Picture the classic stone bridge leading to it, that has seen both gallant knights and violent warriors. Picture a small room with tiny windows, albeit with a breathtaking view of the loch. Ladies and gents, welcome to Eilean Donan castle.

Continue reading Invading the Scottish Highlands – Day 2 →

europe, travel

Falling in Love with Edinburgh

2 Comments

Breaking out from the borders of England, I took an 8-hour journey by coach from Liverpool to Glasgow. Whenever I wasn’t nodding off to sleep, I got an eyeful of some stunning British countryside along the way.

I got off at Glasgow at 6 am. Now, if this was the Philippines, I would probably catch at least two grandpas sweeping the leaves in front of their homes at this hour, but the roads of Glasgow on the other hand pretty much still deserted. I got to stroll around for around an hour, snapping away pictures of what I imagine to be streets bustling with life, when it wasn’t the break of dawn. On a Sunday.

Snazzy sculpture near the Glasgow Coach Station

Continue reading Falling in Love with Edinburgh →