Ang Langyaw wins the travel writing category of the Intramuros Bloggers Challenge 2012.

Bukidnon’s Kaamulan Festival is way beyond colors, steps and costumes. Its all about encountering and learning about these indigenous people that have contributed to what Bukidnon is today.

A whirlwind of bus trips, as much as 10-12 hours on the road, amazing sceneries and cities, great places and food that only Mindanao can offer. This, through my northern and western Mindanao sojourn.

An eco house in the middle of a self contained/self sustaining compound that is a showcase of eco and sustainable living

The plane hovered as I was roused from my sleep. Peeking out the window, lo and behold, Taal Volcano inside Taal Lake in Batangas unfolded. Morning mist hasn’t yet disappeared, giving a gorgeous view of Taal.

Pangasinan is such a big and beautiful province and the few days we were there was not just enough. There’s good food, beautiful architecture, beaches and resorts.

The town of Calasiao is not only famous for its beautiful Spanish colonial era church. It is equally popular for its little, yummy morsels that are sold not only in the town but even outside of it and reaching as far as Manila.

I confess, six days in West Panay is not enough. There’s so much to see, places to go to and experience and food to taste. It’s never enough but despite my time constraint, I was able to visit different places in Aklan, Antique and Iloilo.

I’m now implementing geotagging of posts here in Langyaw.com!!!

Aklan is proud of its piña (pineapple) fiber. So much so that products derived from processing these fibers into fabrics is one, if not its top industry.

For a brief moment, I was there, staring with my supertelephoto lens her gaping mouth while several thousand feet above the ground. Looking at Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon.

Some notes on the hotels I stayed when I was in Antique and Iloilo

My second visit to the province of Antique was another hurried trip. Blame it on my schedule but for this second time, I was targeting specific sites related to heritage churches, chapels and ruins of which the province, have some interesting examples.

The name was a bit catchy and curious for me but it basically means turning over in Pangalatok, probably referring to its cooking style of sauteing on a hot oil on a wok.

One thing that a visitor can readily notice are the many pedicabs and tricycles that ply the usual routes and the design and construction can vary from place to place. San Jose’s and surrounding municipalities like Hamtic, have their own versions.

If its walls could talk, it would have told us countless stories and memories and gossips of what was once the opulent center of the ever loyal city of Manila.

Intramuros. Within the walls.

Declared as a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Institute in 2007, a quick scan of the town center already reveals an astonishing number of early 20th century domestic architecture and other structures that give its provincial atmosphere a unique flavour.

My brown e-passport has finally arrived! Now, where to travel next?

I’m back again in Bangui’s windfarm, for the 4th time, to gawk, to feel the wind, to just see this man made wonder dominating the natural landscape.