By Izah Morales
INQUIRER.net

YOU don’t need a time machine to go back in the past because a ride in a kalesa along Calle Crisologo in Vigan, Ilocos Sur would make you feel that you are back in the 1800s, a time when revolutionaries were fighting for the freedom of our country from the Spanish colonial rule.

Despite the wars that have taken place, Vigan has maintained the European atmosphere through the architectural built of the houses and churches. But then you would realize that you’re still wandering in the 21st century. Fastfood chains found within the vicinity were also built in the same architectural design as that of the colonial houses. [Read the rest of this entry »]

QUEZON CITY, Philippines — University of the Philippines Diliman starts the UP Padyak, a project that promotes the use of bicycles as the primary method of transportation within the huge campus. The project was started by UP Mountaineers who want to encourage students to live healthier lifestyles, and help conserve the environment by reducing the use of smoke-belching vehicles that deplete the ozone layer. Bicycles are rented to the enrolled students per semester after a payment of P500 to the UP Mountaineers organization. INQUIRER.net multimedia reporter Alex Villafania talks to Jojo Gutierrez of the UP Mountaineers about this project.

By Fung Yu, Contributor
INQUIRER.net

Author’s note: This article uses QuickTime and Adobe Flash in providing an immersive experience by means of virtual reality technology. QuickTime and/or Flash 9.0 are required to view the 360-degree VRs. Average VR size is 2.3Mb each.

WHEN news first broke out that Manila will soon have an oceanarium at par with those in other Asian countries, I just couldn’t contain my anticipation! So after a long construction wait, and a few supposed openings that got postponed, the Manila Ocean Park finally opened its “waters” last February 28.

The park’s journey starts with “Agos,” one of the seven water environments. This exhibit simulates the flow of fresh water from the land out to the seas. Other environments include “Bahura,” the reef with its myriad of colorful corals and fishes; “Laot,” the fishing ground features mostly bigger fishes, including some that you’ll find in your tables; “Buhay na Karagatan,” the living ocean is the main attraction of the ocean park, with its 220-degree tunnel, where you will witness the interaction of many marine animals in their natural habitat; “Ang Kalaliman,” the deep ocean, which displays the pelagic barracudas; “Pagi,” stingrays viewed from an overhead tank; and “Pating,” with young sharks that seem to fascinate just about everyone.

Agos (The Flow)

View in Flash

View in QuickTime

[Read the rest of this entry »]

THE FLORES de Mayo, a Catholic festival held in May, is celebrated extravagantly at Barangay Bungahan in Cuenca, Batangas.

Video interviews of Let Javier and Cornalia Marasigan conducted by INQUIRER.net multimedia specialist Erika Tapalla. Video taken by Eribelle Tapalla.

CAGAYAN VALLEY, Philippines–View from the Faro de Cabo de Engano, one of the major Spanish lighthouses built in the late 1800s, which is also home to the century-old Franciscan seminary.

The lighthouse at Cape Engano, located on Palaul island in Sta. Ana, is 120 meters above sea level.

Photo taken by INQUIRER.net online videographer Janie Christine Octia and sent through her mobile phone.

By Izah Morales
INQUIRER.net

WOULD you cross a 120-meter long bridge hanging 180 feet above the ground? Would you take the risk of sliding for 14 seconds across a zipline?

Never did it cross my mind that I would be doing an extreme adventure of a lifetime which I only get to watch on reality TV shows such as “Fear Factor,” “Survivor,” and “Amazing Race.” Until Acer Philippines brought different media organizations together for its Acer Media Summer Power Fest 2008: The Extreme South Expedition.

On May 23 at around 1:20 p.m. we left the Centennial Domestic Airport. Stratus, cumulus and cirrus clouds took away my one hour and twenty minutes of boredom as they formed different animals that decorated the blue sky. A signage with these words, “Welcome to the City of Friendship: Cagayan de Oro,” greeted us as we arrived at the Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

IT’S tough enough participating in an “Amazing Race”-like competition, but how about making your way through those challenges while sending real-time updates via your mobile phone (or, in this case, your BlackBerry)?

“Team Leader Leo, cash holder, decides anew not to buy water even after requests from teammates. Just one more hour & we can eat, drink free (Editor’s note: Actual Twitter post has no period due to 140-character limit.).”

This is the latest in the almost blow-by-blow account at twitter.com/talesofthenomad of the Acer Media Challenge 2008 now ongoing in Cagayan de Oro, sent from the field by one of the race participants, INQUIRER.net executive editor Leo Magno, using his BlackBerry.

As you can see, you can also follow the action via the Twitter badge we have here at Tales of the Nomad.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net

HOW can you determine if a certain place has not been explored yet? You can Google it. I did that and found some travel websites and some online forums that had basic information about the place. But when I got to a Wikipedia entry, I was surprised that it only had a short description about Bantayan island. It included a short description of its location, the population, and the different towns on the island.

Perhaps one travel website was right. Bantayan island is one of the “best kept secrets” of Cebu province. One possible explanation is that it takes half a day to get there, if you’re coming from Cebu City.

To get there, you have to travel from the city to Hagnaya wharf in San Remigo, where roro boats are docked. We went there using hired vans (I was sent there to cover an event of the Government Service Insurance System). The roro (a boat that can carry vehicles and people) ride took another hour to get to the Santa Fe dock.

Here’s a video I took of the roro vessel.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

By Candice Montenegro, Contributor
INQUIRER.net

I’M not very fond of horses (or animals for that matter), so horseback riding isn’t usually part of my Baguio itinerary. However, on my recent trip to Baguio, I figured that I had to try it just for the sake of saying that I went horseback riding, so I did just that.

I found myself in Shalan ni Kabadjo, a small horseback riding place inside Camp John Hay, where we were staying. It was small, unlike other famous horseback riding spots like Wright Park. A small sign hung on a post showing their rates — P350 for an hour and P200 for half an hour.

Benjamin Ngo-Ay, the manager of Shalan, was nice enough to show me around and tell me about their riding path. He said that Shalan gets a lot of customers during the summer (especially around April) and over the holidays.

Here’s a video I took.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

INQUIRER.NET reporter Erwin Oliva gives a quick tour of a roro (roll-on, roll-off) vessel, a boat that can carry vehicles across islands.

It took at least an hour to get from Hagnaya wharf to the town of Sante Fe on Bantayan island.