Destinations

The stories posted on this website are from all my travels these past few decades - solo, with family, with friends, planned holidays, random and spur-of-the-moment adventures, work-related travels, long vacations, short getaways, road trips, cruises, land tours, DIY tours, and everything in between.

Canada

I reside in Canada, a huge country that stretches from coast to coast to coast (yes, three oceans), with ten provinces and three territories.

I have lived in two provinces and have, so far, visited six provinces. I still have a long way to go.

Philippines

This is my home country, where I was born and raised. It is an archipelago with 7,100 islands, but I have only been to a few. My travels within the Philippines include short family getaways and visits to key cities and tourist spots as part of my previous job as a television producer.

Iberia and SW France

I went on a solo trip when our son was in his toddler years (a sort of "mommy break"). I had chosen to go on a pilgrimage to Portugal (including Fatima), Spain (northern regions, including Santiago de Compostela), and Southwestern France (including Lourdes).

But apart from visiting holy sites, the trip had its cultural component. I had the chance to watch a bullfight in Madrid, a flamenco show in Barcelona, and sword-making demonstrations in Toledo. I climbed the walls of Avila, visited Montserrat, and explored the medieval city of Carcassonne. And of course, sampling the culinary delights of this region is a treat to the senses.

United States of America

I first traveled to the U.S. when I was still living in the Philippines and have been visiting it more often, now that I live just across the border. I have been to American cities in the both the West and East Coast, but have yet to explore the Midwest, Southeast, and Southwest regions, as well as Alaska and Hawaii.

Namibia

My only visit to the African continent, so far, was a two-week desert and canyon adventure in Namibia. This was an unplanned/last-minute trip that turned out to be one of my favourites. I hope to go back one day, not only to revisit Namibia, but to also get to know the other African countries.

The Balkans

This solo tour happened right before the Covid-19 outbreak. I was blessed to have explored a fascinating region that has shaped the history of modern Europe - where the Western world greets the Orient, and where Christians and Muslims have cohabited for centuries, building its unique cultural and social fabric. I started in Bulgaria, and did the loop around Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, and North Macedonia.

Central and Eastern Europe

This was a long family trip filled with in-depth explorations and lots of excursions. We started in the Czech Republic (spent days getting to know the Prague neighbourhoods and venturing out to Central and South Bohemia), then visited the Bavarian region of Germany, crossed over to Austria to see Vienna, revisit Salzburg, and go sailing in the Lake District. We continued on to Hungary (Budapest, Esztergom, and

Győr), then Slovakia, and back in Austria to spend more days in Vienna.

The Baltics

This was a last-minute decision to embark on another solo trip. I started in Finland and went south via a ferry crossing on the Gulf of Finland to Estonia. I continued on to Latvia, Lithuania, and ended in Poland. I loved the contrasting vibes of sleek and minimalistic Helsinki, the fairytale charm of Tallin, the elegance and sophistication of Riga, and the grit and bohemian spirit of Vilnius.

In between, we stopped over at the resort town of Pärnu, visited the castle in Trakai, and went on a brief pilgrimage to the Hill of Crosses in Šiauliai. The greatest surprise was Poland with the port city of Gdansk in all its Hanseatic glory. I also enjoyed my brief time in Torun, the Masuria Lake district, and Malbork, before spending the rest of the trip in Warsaw.

Asia

I did not get the opportunity to travel much when I was still living in Asia. I have only been to Hong Kong, China, Thailand, and Japan. I hope to explore the other Asian countries in-depth the next time I fly to that side of the world.

Western Europe

This was a "babymoon" trip with my husband (during the second trimester of my pregnancy), thus, we opted for a luxury tour for ease and comfort. We visited England, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy.

Bulgaria and Romania (Transylvania)

This was my comeback to international travel after the pandemic shutdown - a solo trip that took me back to Bulgaria (where I visited more cities) and then to Romania (partially in Wallachia, including Bucharest, but mostly in Transylvania).

It was an unforgettable journey through the lands of myths and legends. And yes, most people associate Transylvania with Vlad the Impaler, but what I discovered was a treasure trove of magnificent castles, lush forests, wildflower meadows, bear sanctuaries, well-preserved medieval towns with imposing fortresses and citadels, colourful Saxon homes, fortified churches, pretty cobbled streets, hearty meals, and wonderful people. Of course, the Dracula legend will always be there, but nowadays it just serves as an important part of their “vampire tourism.”

Greece

My first visit to Greece was right after the pandemic, when I did a day trip to Thessaloniki from Sofia, Bulgaria. It was short and sweet.

The next one, a family trip, and a much longer one this time, is planned for the summer. We will start in Athens, then sail to the Cycladic islands of Mykonos and Santorini, then spend a few days in Crete, then fly back to Athens. From there, we hope to drive to Delphi to see the Temple of Apollo (known for the Pythia oracle) and to Meteora to see the magnificent monasteries perched on towering rock formations.