Eric reports that the 18th Philippine Travel Mart is set for next weekend, September 7 - 9 at the Megatrade Hall of the SM Megamall.

I know most of you have already gotten your paycheck, and if you’re like me, half of it is already gone Better save up the remaining half, because from what I read, there’s going to be plenty of crazy discounts and bargains:

So what does a Juan dela Cruz can expect?

Airfares for as low as PHP18.00++, very cheap hotel accommodations in top Philippine resorts like Boracay, Laoag, Subic, Palawan, Cebu and a whole lot more! It’s actually their goal to let each and every Filipino get the chance to have a vacation that is not heavy on the pocket.
So mark your calendar. It’s September 7-9, 2007 at the Megatrade Halls of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

Source: Byahilo.com

I was at Megamall the other day and I saw the posters announcing the event. I was (and still is) a bit skeptical at the Php18++ airfares. Who’s selling tickets that low?! I will definitely be there first thing Friday morning!

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The lovely people at the Filipinas Heritage Library are hosting a food & photography workshop through the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga on September 29, 2007.

Filipinos love to travel and to eat. Whenever we go on a trip, we consider not only the sites we can visit but also the local delicacies we can sample. With a journal and a camera as travel companions, we hope to document our memories and experiences that are sometimes missed or forgotten. With Food Trip, you will experience a truly rewarding tour of Bulacan and Pampanga as you learn to cherish each memory with your own words and photographs.

A treat to every Filipino foodie
Where else can we enjoy a culinary feast but in Bulacan and Pampanga, known as the food capitals of the country? Situated in Central Luzon, they boast of their culinary treasures. Bulakeños and Pampanguenos take pride in their cuisines and recipes that have been handed down by their forefathers. Since both are agricultural provinces, the ingredients of their dishes are readily available.

Relive the history and capture the flavors as we explore Bulacan and Pampanga’s culinary secrets–from their daily fares to fancy main dishes; sample sugary desserts, varied dipping sauces, and native delicacies.

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I’ve been a flickr user since October 2004. I actually didn’t like them that much then because it takes too long to load (it was mostly flash-based then), and it doesn’t work well with Opera. Of course, back then I’m on a crappy dial-up service, so loading the site is just torture.

Eventually I warmed up to it. Getting tired of setting up and maintaining my photo gallery in my domain, I moved all my photos to flickr. I’ve been a happy flickr user ever since.

Last night made me an even happier flickr user. See, the flickr team came to Manila, as part of their world tour, following their recent international launch.

Together with fellow Pinkists, we flocked to M Cafe where the event was held. We took in the flickr-ness of it all: the pink and blue balloons and beach balls, the pink and blue drinks (lychee martinis & blue martinis), flickr pins, buttons and even the first flickr book and PRO accounts! Of course, what would a flickr meet be without pictures?

Sadly, my camera refused to work, so I never got to take ANY pictures. But in a room full of photographers toting their big black cameras, how can I not pose to camwhore? Heehee. I just hope I wouldn’t regret it later on

But all in all, it was a great end to a week of social networking. I will go back living under a rock come Monday.

P.S. To see pictures of the 24 hours of flickr in Manila party, head on to flickr and search for photos tagged with “flickr24manila.” Or click on that link. Next in the 24 hours of flickr circuit are Kuala Lumpur on August 28, and Hong Kong in August 30.

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This is really sad. Due to the continuous deterioration of the rice terraces, not to mention the shanties that has sprung up on the terraces itself, the Ifugao Terraces (Banaue, Batad, etc.) just might be taken off the list.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) on Thursday said the scenic Ifugao Rice Terraces in the Cordilleras was at risk of being stricken off the World’s Heritage List should the Philippines fail to restore it in two years.

The World Heritage Committee in 2001 inscribed the Rice Terraces in the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger, joining 32 other endangered World Heritage Sites.

“The Rice Terraces is a delicate, evolving cultural landscape. In the absence of a systematic monitoring program or a comprehensive management plan, it is impossible to guarantee [its] preservation and sustainable development,” a statement from the Foreign Affairs department quoted the panel as saying last June.

Souce: GMANews.TV

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August 23 marked two firsts: my first time to go to the Mall of Asia, and my first “major” blog meet. I’ve attended a couple of blog events before, but never with over 400 bloggers!

Thank you, Clique Booth!

It was really overwhelming; I found myself suddenly getting shy and anti-social, as I do in huge gatherings. On the otherhand, it was great to meet other Pinoy travel bloggers: Anton of Our Awesome Planet, Eric of Byahilo.com, Ivan Man Dy of the Old Manila Walks, and THE Ivan Henares of Ivan About Town. Oh, and counted din daw si Aileen Apolo because she has a travel blog. Heehee. It was also great to see and chat with Chris & Apples Haravata. Mr. Chris told me about his month long backpacking trip to Hong Kong several years ago. A month! In HK! Living in a tent! Yeah, I don’t think I can do that.

Taste Asia II was held to announce the winners of the SM Hypermarket Blog Writing Contest. AnitoKid won the Kuala Lumpur trip with his heartfelt entry, with Anton close behind with his 8 reasons why he and his family loves SM Hypermarket.

My favorite part in this whole shindig? Free photos from the CliqueBooth! (OMG they’re using the same WP theme!)
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