Sinulog Festival 2009

I just came back from Cebu today to witness the Sinulog Festival 2009. It is an annual celebration in honor of the child Jesus or Sto. Niño. My friends from office had a quick weekend getaway this week at this beautiful provincial islands of Cebu.


Saturday, prior to the festival, we went out for some island hopping. We visited different islands like Butete, Pandanon, etc. in an afternoon under an overcasted sun but we sure had fun!


The highlight of the festival is the street dancing and parade of different groups, showcasing Sto. Niño. It's definitely non-stop dancing, music and fun! Shown here is me in the middle of a group who are body-painted with blue. Seems I blend in perfectly!

Biking in Manila

I biked with a friend today all over the bay area of Roxas Boulevard. We started from the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City all the way to Manila (the capital city of the Philippines) and back. It's been a long time since I've done this and it was a nice experience especially because the sun wasn't shining. This picture was taken in front of the monument of our national hero, Jose Rizal, at the Rizal Park, where today I dicovered is across the KM 0 (kilometer zero) marker or the city center.

Journey towards the crater of Mount Pinatubo

I just got home a few hours ago from a day trip to Mount Pinatubo. It was a long and tiring trip which includes a couple of hours drive from Manila, an hour ride in a 4x4 and another hour hike going up the mountain and down inside the crater - multiply all these by two to include the trip going back.