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It was initially a toss-up between Palawan, Bohol and Boracay but we chose Bohol and I’m glad we did. According to my friend who went to all three, Palawan was the most worth it but it was kind of expensive, Boracay was good but overcrowded with tourists wearing matching outfits and I can’t remember what he said about Bohol.

I’m glad we went to Bohol though. Provincial paced lifestyle? Check. Gorgeous white sand beaches? Check? Cute little big eyed tarsiers? Check. Old churches and history? Check. Chocolate Hills? Check. I wish we could have stayed longer. There’s no such thing as too much beach time.

I liked visiting L.A. It’s sunny, it’s got beaches, shopping is excellent, it’s got tourist attractions, it’s got good food and it’s got Hollywood.

I can’t see myself staying there for long. Transit is teh suck and you can’t get anywhere worth going without a car, some places are too touristy, some places are kinda sketchy, it’s too hot and trafficky for me and it’s hard to find a place that has trees. After a week, I could feel myself getting looks-oriented, just by Hollywood osmosis.

On the good side, we did see a bunch of C and D list celebrities though and I got to hug a member of INXS :)

I was born in Manila, lived here for my first 7 years, and came back for high school. Manila’s got the same problems every big city has, plus all the problems developing cities have as well: it’s overcrowded, polluted, the traffic is insane and it’s hard to find history in a city that’s 400 years old.

However, it’s improving, it’s got charm and heaps of personality, things are way cheap if you’re a balikbayan, and the food is fan-friggin’-tastic. If you look hard enough past the malls, skyscrapers and crazy bus and jeepney drivers, you’ll find clues about the rich history of Manila.