Christmas is Almost Here

The Makati Central business district, from Ayala Triangle Park and along Ayala Avenue is resplendent with bright lights, parols, and decor, bringing cheer to onlookers. 

The park, located behind the Philippine Stock Exchange, is bedecked with twinkling lights and multi-colored lanterns that light up in tune of Christmas carols, attracting crowds and shoppers from  the nearby malls and offices. 

The malls ringing the avenue are also not to be outdone, lavishly decorating their windows with holiday-themed adornments.

How to get there: Ayala Avenue is probably the most recognizable street in the Philippines, being the location of the country's financial district. It can be reached through cabs, buses and the MRT. The light and sound show at the park runs every thirty minutes, from 6pm-9pm.   

pics, from above: the lights of Ayala Triangle Park, a store window decorated with holiday themes, a Nativity scene at the Philippine Stock Exchange. 

San Juan Surf Resort

San Juan Surf Resort is one of the well-known resorts that ring the surfing area in San Juan, La Union, and I stay here more than half the time when I surf. Bounded by the highway on one side, and the Urbiztondo beach on the other, the location is very convenient. You can go straight from the bus to the surf in no time.

The room rentals are quite reasonable: PHP 1500 for a double, PHP 2100 for a room that can accomodate four. Both are air-conditioned, and the latter even has a ref.

The resort also has a restaurant/bar, and a store where you can buy surf gear, such as surfboards, boardies, rash guards, wax, and even Havaianas flipflops. The resort also offers surfing lessons for beginners (PHP 200 an hour for instructor, and another PHP 200 for board rental). If you're lucky, you may even get some surfing tips from the (son of) owner, Luke Landrigan, who is a surfer himself.

How to get There: San Juan Surf Resort is located near the side of the highway. The town where it is located, San Juan, is about 8 kilometers from San Fernando, the capital of La Union. The resort is known to the bus drivers plying the Manila-Ilocos route, you may just instruct them to drop you off in front of the resort. The bus ride is about PHP 500 each way, and the trip takes about 6 hours.

Useful info: San Juan Surf Resort website, and contact numbers: (+63 72 720.0340 and +63 917.880.3040

pics, from above: Urbiztondo beach, as seen from my room, the apartments, the bar/restaurant

Leonids Meteor Shower

The UP Astronomical Society is hosting an observation tomorrow for the Leonids meteor shower. The observation, which is open to the public, will be held at the sun deck of PAGASA Observatory in the University of the Philippines Diliman campus, from 10pm to 6am.

Surfing and Boxing

I had the chance to surf with some friends last weekend, in San Juan, La Union. The weather is nice throughout, and the waves were larger too, thanks to the storms the previous weeks.

We hired a van this time, eschewing the bus as the normal mode of transport, passing thru the new SCTEX tollway and cutting our trip by an hour or so, although we took time to make pit stops along the way. We arrived late afternoon, and after checking in, went down to the beach to surf until dusk.

Sunday morning was spent surfing after a breakfast of banana pancakes and beef tapa; we took a break when the sun is high up. The boxing match between Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito was on when we had lunch, so it was a welcome diversion while resting and waiting for the sun to come down a bit.

How to Get There: San Juan, La Union is located north of Manila, accessible by a 6-hour bus ride (Partas in Cubao, about 500 per person each way). If driving, one may take the North Luzon Expressway, then through the Subic-Clark Expressway then through Tarlac going north.

Where to Stay: I'd recommend San Juan Surf Resort (1,500 pesos for twin accomodations) telephone: 0917.880.3040

pics, from top: me staring down the big waves, surfboards around the San Juan Surf Resort, surfers taking a break while watching the Pacquio-Margarito brawl

Pilipinas Kay Ganda!

The Philippine tourism department is revamping its presence online, with the launch of a new website, logo, slogan and promotion push. The new slogan, Pilipinas Kay Ganda! (means Philippines, So Beautiful) aims to encapsulate what the country has to offer to travelers.

The site is beautifulpilipinas.com, and it features a trove of information about what, where and when to see in the Philippines.

Update: the site has been pulled, mainly due to criticisms about the URL, the content and the slogan. The original site, tourism.gov.ph is back.