unwritten

Announcement: I am no longer using this blog

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 12:02:00 -0400

For reasons of convenience and layout, I am not longer going to use this blog. Please follow my new blog: http://thekaydays.wordpress.com/

The photos and stories on it are a lot easier to see and it’s organized a lot better. Thanks for your support, and I hope you’ll let me know what you think!

<3 Kay

Kota Kinabalu: Excerpts from Malaysia's Jungle Book

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 04:28:00 -0400

My visit to Malaysia can be summarized in one word: colorful! In my three days here I experienced some of the most thrilling and exotic aspects of Malaysian Borneo while staying at one of the area’s most luxurious accommodations: Bunga Raya Resort.

The Resort

“Bunga Raya” is the Malay word for the hibiscus flower, which lined all of the sidewalks of this lush resort. A quick, 20-minute boat ride from the city of Kota Kinabalu brought us to our jungle getaway. On the front side of the resort lies a beach with golden-white sand and clear, azure waters. The cottages are bordered on the back by lush rainforest. During my time, I was spoiled by the natural elements of this island, from the crystal clear ocean to the lush greenery that surrounded our villa.

(Gayana Eco Resort, the sister resort to Bungya Raya.)

The resort staff is also more than exemplary. When we first arrived at the resort, we were greeted with glasses of guava juice and two friendly staff members, Fauzi and Santos. We instantly felt invited and at home by their friendly gestures and warm personalities. The staff is always happy to assist with anything, from snorkeling to the canopy walk, and are readily available at all times of the day.

We arrived at our villa in the late evening and were pleasantly surprised by the sophisticated yet local feel to the villas. The wooden floors, beautiful batik decor, and breathtaking ocean views made our stay even more enjoyable.

The Activities

On our first day, we took the boat to Gayana Eco Resort, making sure to enjoy the scenic ride on the way. Once there, we rented some snorkeling gear and snorkeled in the stunning blue waters of the resort. Parrotfish, zebrafish, clownfish, starfish, and corals line the sea floor, and I had the opportunity to swim alongside them and experience their natural beauty. The resort ensures that guests are able to learn about the natural elements of the ocean even outside of the water by maintaining the Marine Ecological Research Center on land.

In the afternoons, we swam in Bunga Raya’s infinity pool and went to the beach, both wonderful ways to relax and let loose. The resort also offers canopy walks and a zip line during the day in the rainforest so guests can see for themselves the vivid tropical surroundings. There are many opportunities to see wildlife around the resort as well - on our very first night we caught sight of a wild boar!

We also took a day to explore the city of Kota Kinabalu. It’s almost as if KK is a completely different world than our resort. It’s busy and lively with many shopping and eating options. We ended up exploring the Philippine market and hitting up Center Point mall for a bite to eat. Malaysian food is quite delicious, and fairly inexpensive too!

The Food

We were lucky to feast on the freshest seafood and local vegetables. Alu-Alu Restaurant of Gayana Eco Resort was a favorite of ours.

The Experience

In short, my time in Malaysia was full of vibrance and color. Between the unique, island culture of the locals, the delicious seafood, and the amazing nature in the area, it’s no wonder that Sabah is quickly becoming a popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia. It’s as if the lush rainforest, white sands, and transparent seas call your name, beckoning you to explore its luxuries. It was very sad to leave this tropical oasis, but I hope to one day return and soak in the culture and lifestyle here even more. For now, my Malaysian Jungle Book remains unwritten…

Manila: City Life for a City Girl

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400

While in Manila I got in touch with my “city girl” side. You know what that means - shopping galore! But of course I also basked in the city culture, food, and atmosphere of the area, as well as my family ties to Manila.

I stayed in the house of Christine Dayrit, travel writer for the Philippine star and co-owner of Miladay Jewels. It was a great way to learn about how people in the area live, not to mention she was a wonderful host!

A Visit to Lolo’s

In Tagalog, the word “lolo” means “grandfather.” On my first day in Manila, I actually left the city for a three-hours drive to Lucena, the province in which my grandfather lives. I haven’t seen him in many years (almost 11, I think) and I was a little apprehensive, but when he walked outside of his home to meet us, I felt as if things hadn’t changed.

We sat and talked for a while and ate lunch in his kitchen. The food was delicious - sliced beef, shrimp, pancit, and rice. For three hours, we talked and I told him about my life and showed him my photography. Although my time was brief, I am so glad that I got to see him. Truthfully, I choked back tears as we left the house, both out of happiness and of wistfulness.

Sonya’s Garden

A beautiful detour averted my sadness, as we stopped in Tagaytay at a beautiful bed and breakfast known as Sonya’s Garden. Located in the mountain region, this stunning collection of cottages is situated in the middle of a colorfully landscaped haven. We had a healthy dinner in one of the main dining areas then walked around. (Unfortunately, my camera died and I couldn’t take photos of the latter half!) The cottages are two-story houses with wonderful, internationally- inspired design. This place feels like home with its personalized accommodations and fabulously-cooked meals. I only wish that I’d had more time to spend there!

Shopping

The next day, our friend Carlo took me shopping at one of the various malls in Manila. Well, it turns out, all of the malls are connected, enabling avid shoppers to *literally* “shop til they drop.” Here I tried on clothes and shoes from various familiar brands such as Lilly Pulitzer, Longchamp, and Michael Kors. I felt right at home!

But of course, when it came to purchases, I had to stick strictly Filipino. I ended up buying a dress from the major department store here, Rustan’s, which is somewhat the Filipino equivalent of Saks Fifth Avenue or Bergdorf Goodman. I also bought a beautiful handcrafted silver ring and some pearl stud earrings from a souvenir store.

The Welcome Home Party

On Monday evening, Christine threw a “welcome home” party for me at her sister’s house. It was a marvelous time! With catered Thai food, a hired pianist, and many distinguished guests, it was truly an exciting affair. They even found a violin for me to play! What joy. Of course, the guests were thrilled when I played tunes ranging form Massenet’s Meditation to “Pump It” by the Black Eyed Peas. One of the guests, Bum, was so excited that he did an interpretive dance to my playing!

What a lively crew. I had the time of my life meeting Christine’s family members as well as seeing my own - my Tita Leah and her husband and daughter joined the party! I haven’t seen them in over ten years and I was elated when they walked through the door. The party truly accomplished what it was meant to - I felt welcomed by everyone there.

(Special thanks to the Dayrit family, Tita Leah, and everyone who was there, I had a fantastic time!)

In A Nutshell

Before coming here to Manila, I didn’t really know what to expect. I guess I was really apprehensive about seeing the people I hadn’t seen in ages, but I’m glad I got to experience the more developed side of the Philippines. In a lot of aspects, it’s much like America, with its sophisticated shopping scene, lavish high rises and busy lifestyle. The city girl or city boy in everyone will easily come out in this lively, busy city - with its various activities, you’ll never run out of things to do!

Maribago: Melodies of Memories

Sun, 10 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Although I only spent one full day at this resort, it was so wonderful that I felt it deserved a post of its own.

The Bluewater resort system is owned by Julie Alegrado and her family, close family friends of ours, so we’ve basically been visiting Bluewater Maribago since I learned to walk. The resort’s luxurious amenities have only improved from time to time, making the resort a place that my family loves to visit each time we come to the Philippines. Boasting three pools, a high-end spa, and many delicious eating options, it’s no wonder that the resort attracts visitors from all over the world to its sandy shores.

Our room was a beachfront cottage with a skylit bathroom and a very comfortable bedroom that opens to the ocean. The minimalistic yet classy design really added a feeling of luxury and comfort to the room.

A quick walk from the room brought us to The Cove seafood restaurant, where we ate dinner with the General Manager and the head chef on our first evening at the resort. Lining the restaurant are various tanks with live fish, prawns, and shellfish taken right from the ocean. Delicious, fresh seafood dishes were brought to us by the generous staff members in the restaurant’s waterfront gazebo. It was truly a magical experience.

After our dinner, I received various spa treatments at the resort’s Amuma Spa. They offer massages, facials, body wraps, you name it! I decided on the Peligo Wrap, which is a body wrap composed of various local fruits native to the island, as well as the Glow Facial. Both worked wonders on my skin and all of my tensions melted away. It reminded me of my first manicure, which coincidentally I also received at Bluewater Maribago Resort when I was just eight years old!

The next day, we took a tour around the resort, photographing the pools, the exercise room, the spa, and other various amenities that the resort offers. We saw the pool where I took a photo with my dad - that same photo hung in my living room for years. We visited the pavilion where we threw Uncle John a birthday party back in 2001. But the most wonderful moment was meeting the owner herself, Julie Alegrado. She told me about how close she is with my grandparents and how she visited them in Camiguin before. It was beautiful being able to share stories and memories with her!

One of the resort’s specialties is its theme dinners. On Saturday night, we went to Barrio Fiesta, an amalgamation of local cuisine, attire, music, and festivities!

Bluewater Maribago definitely holds a special place in my heart, and I hope to one day take my family here for the ultimate vacation! From the old memories to the new, one thing is for sure - Maribago Bluewater is a fabulous place for making memories and keeping them too!

Sumilon: A Swim with the Gentle Giants

Fri, 08 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Check out the article in the Philippine Star!

Never in a million years would I have thought I’d get an opportunity to swim with some of the oceans finest and most beautiful creatures - the whale sharks. These “gentle giants” are only found in a few places around the earth; Oslob, Cebu being one of them! During our whale shark excursions, we had the wonderful luxury of staying on Sumilon Island in the Bluewater Sumilon Resort.

The Resort

Bluewater Sumilon, located on the beautiful Sumilon Island, is located about 3 hours from Cebu’s airport. A quick, 15 minute boat ride gets you to the island from Oslob. The facilities are comfortable and tropical with their open air approach and the staff is very accommodating and hospitable. There are many activities on the island, ranging from traditional massages to kayaking in the lagoon to snorkeling in the clear waters. Additionally, there’s a beautiful infinity pool overlooking the wide ocean. Another unique offering of the resort is the “glamping” option, where patrons can sleep in tents with twin sized beds, fans, and furniture. It’s camping at its ultimate finest.

The island is surrounded by natural beauty. The water is clear and sparkling blue, which makes snorkeling a very phenomenal experience here. The island also has many rocky areas as well as a sandbar that changes with the tides, perfect for swimming or sunbathing.

The food offered by the resort is absolutely delicious, and when complemented by gracious staff, complete the fantastic dining experience at the resort. On our last night, we enjoyed a dinner on the island’s sandbar with a fresh clam bake over an open fire. The setup was absolutely beautiful - lights around a low table with a bonfire nearby, the sea breeze blowing through our hair as we conversed and laughed over softly playing music. Really, experiences like this are what memories are made of.

The “Gentle Giants”

Aside from the resort, the highlight of our trip was certainly our time with the whale sharks. We were afforded the opportunity to see these creatures not once, but twice during our stay in Sumilon. These animals are very giant, some as large as 35 feet, and speckled white. They primarily eat krill and other small animals, which are common in the waters surrounding Oslob and Sumilon. For around a year now, these “gentle giants” have been coming to the shores around Oslob, showing their lovely faces to guests from all over. I got the chance to feed one of these friendly faces named Fermin, who coincidentally was the very first whale shark to ever approach the original fishermen.

The opportunity to swim beside these mysterious creatures was really awe-inspiring and one-of-a-kind. This is one of the few areas in the world where this rare opportunity is afforded to tourists, and I would highly recommend the experience to anyone of any age.

The Experience

There’s only one way to describe my experiences in Sumilon: breathtaking. Between the transparent, shining waters of the island to the graces of the whale sharks, I am in awe at the wonderful memories I’ve made here. My strongest recommendation is that you make the trip to see the whale sharks for yourself; who knows, you might just find a new friend or two on the way.

SoCal: Sunshine and an Open Mind

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0400

coming soon!

LA bound! :) also - I promise to update about my travels in...

Thu, 31 May 2012 12:10:08 -0400

LA bound! :)

also - I promise to update about my travels in Guatemala as soon as possible!

-KR

San Lucas Tolimán: Guatemala's Secret Garden

Mon, 28 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

coming soon!

Hey everyone! Week 1 in Guatemala was such a wonderful experience. We hiked a mountain at sunrise,...

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:32:58 -0400

Hey everyone! Week 1 in Guatemala was such a wonderful experience. We hiked a mountain at sunrise, met many locals, played soccer with some schooolchildren, carried water up and down a hill, and worked my mucles to the max. We’ve been doing a lot of good work here and learning how to live as the locals do here.

The lake is absolutely stunning. I think it might just be one of my favorite things about this place, just how expansive and constant the lake is in the lives of everyone here. It rains every day, but we are thankful for it because it keeps us cool.

We’ve been doing a lot of humbling work but it’s more rewarding than a lot of the schoolwork or chores I do at home. Every story I’ve heard from people here has amazed and inspired me and I’m really excited to learn more in this next week.

Photo

Fri, 18 May 2012 07:52:47 -0400

visitheworld: by Alan1954 on Flickr. Lago de Atitlán is a large...

Thu, 17 May 2012 08:03:34 -0400

visitheworld:

by Alan1954 on Flickr.

Lago de Atitlán is a large endorheic lake in the Guatemalan Highlands. Atitlan is recognized to be the deepest lake in Central America with maximum depth about 340 meters.

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:01:15 -0400

talean-bean:

Beautiful!

No ©

This is where I am currently!

this is where we landed just a few days ago!

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:55:15 -0400

this is where we landed just a few days ago!

Hola de Guatemala! I’m having the most breathtaking experience here, and the scenery is...

Mon, 14 May 2012 19:15:52 -0400

Hola de Guatemala! I’m having the most breathtaking experience here, and the scenery is absolutely stunning. I think the most amazing thing about my time here so far has been the people, who make up the rich and vibrant culture here in San Lucas Toliman. I’ll update with more about my experiences and journal entries as the week progresses, but for now, adios!

Photo

Sun, 13 May 2012 16:03:24 -0400

Photo

Sun, 13 May 2012 07:49:46 -0400

my Guatemala travel group!

Sat, 12 May 2012 14:39:46 -0400

my Guatemala travel group!

Hey everyone! After spending some time at home and in Houston, where I go to school, I’m ready...

Sat, 12 May 2012 14:22:43 -0400

Hey everyone!

After spending some time at home and in Houston, where I go to school, I’m ready to head off to my first destination: San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala.

Tomorrow I’ll be waking up at 6 AM to catch a morning flight to Guatemala. I won’t have access to much internet there, so I’ve queued up a bunch of travel-related photos and will be writing in a journal nightly. I’ll try to post whenever I can, so please keep following the blog so you can see what I’ve been up to!

In Guatemala, I’ll be participating in a wide variety of service projects and cultural immersion activities. Since Guatemala is a developing country, we hope to contribute to sustainable change and work on projects that will help people both now and in the future. We raised over $17,000 to make this trip happen, working some nights until 2 in the morning to raise every last dollar that we could. I’ve never been on a trip like this, and I’m really excited to make a difference in a place so far away.

Thank you so much for following the blog! I can’t wait to show you all (and see for myself!) where my travels take me this summer. I’ll be sure to take plenty of photos as well!

-KR

Photo

Sat, 12 May 2012 08:01:19 -0400

staticsmoke: St Pancras (by emilyharriet)

Tue, 08 May 2012 08:04:09 -0400

staticsmoke:

St Pancras (by emilyharriet)

unwritten

Announcement: I am no longer using this blog

Kota Kinabalu: Excerpts from Malaysia's Jungle Book

Manila: City Life for a City Girl

Maribago: Melodies of Memories

Sumilon: A Swim with the Gentle Giants

SoCal: Sunshine and an Open Mind

LA bound! :) also - I promise to update about my travels in...

San Lucas Tolimán: Guatemala's Secret Garden

Hey everyone! Week 1 in Guatemala was such a wonderful experience. We hiked a mountain at sunrise,...

Photo

visitheworld: by Alan1954 on Flickr. Lago de Atitlán is a large...

talean-bean: Beautiful! No © This is where I am currently!

this is where we landed just a few days ago!

Hola de Guatemala! I’m having the most breathtaking experience here, and the scenery is...

Photo

Photo

my Guatemala travel group!

Hey everyone! After spending some time at home and in Houston, where I go to school, I’m ready...

Photo

staticsmoke: St Pancras (by emilyharriet)