Mishelley Gee

     Hello all the way from the Queen City of the South! If you want to dive deep into history and immerse in diverse culture, Cebu is the place to be. It is home to Basilica del Sto. Niño (also known as Sto. Niño Church), the oldest chuch in the Philippines and dates back to 1565. Nature lover? Head down south to Oslob, you can see and swim with the majestic whaleshark ( Butanding ). Go on an exciting canyoneering adventure in Badian then trek and jump into Kawasan Falls. Drop by Malapascua or Bantayan, bask under the sun and witness the arresting and picturesque view.       It all sounds so wonderful, right? But what else should you really know before coming here? To save yourself from the unwanted hassle, read on. Here are some tips from a person who has lived here for 26 years (and counting)! 1. Cebu city has been booming. More buildings, more people and therefore, more cars. We rank number one in the worst places to drive in list, accor...

     Philippines. 7,107 islands. Each place unique. Each experience distinct.      Cagayan de Oro lies in the Northern part of Mindanao, the Philippines' second largest island group. There are two ways to get to CDO from Cebu. The first (and the easiest way) is by plane (Air Asia, PAL, Cebu Pacific). From MCIA you will reach Cagayan de Oro Airport in less than an hour. Second way is by boat. From Cebu City Pier  7 you leave at 7:00 PM and will reach CDO at 6:00 AM.      It was my first time to get back on the plane after a decade. I had a minor fear of heights but after that experience, I naturally overcame it. My boyfriend is from sunny CDO but I was more thrilled than he was. His family greeted us with all smiles and delight. As we drove towards LKK, the traffic lights surprised me because they had countdown timers below. Another first for me! The city didn't have much clutter on the streets like what we have in Cebu. We had b...

     The alarm clamorously rang before the lazy sunrise. I hurriedly showered and readied myself as Lawrence was going to pick me up in a few minutes and we would head to South Bus Terminal to catch the first ride to Lilo-an, Santander (South of Cebu). This trip we planned for so long and finally we were heading to Siquijor. The arcane place was said to inhabit witches that would cast spells on you if you ever irked them. Really? Well, that was a common notion. We had yet to see with our own eyes if this was true.      The bus ride from Cebu to Liloan took almost three hours and that was ample time for us to recharge ourselves for the rousing day ahead. It was around six thirty in the morning when we reached Liloan. A short pee break before we rode on a fastcraft to Sibulan, Dumaguete City. Dumaguete is a province of Negros Oriental. To get there it takes around 30 minutes to about an hour depending on what boat you are on. The sun shone bright w...

January 2014      Mystical stories of folklore and enchanting scenery led us to discover Sagada. Hanging coffins, uphill winding roads and hidden waterfalls in a province of more than 2000 meters above sea levels excited us. Coming from sunny Cebu, Sagada was a place that gave us an unequal interest. Cool weather, slow-paced lifestyle and heavily laden Igorot culture.       After reading forums and blogs. We decided to book a tour from an agency named "A Whole New World Travel and Tours." As the name suggested, we knew we were expecting one. :) I remember that we were so excited waiting for our departure time! Manila wasn't one of our most favorite places but coming from a province outside Luzon, usually, we stop by NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport.) And it's always a finger-crossing experience that Manila will not rip us off!       We arrived early morning and went straight to Tondo, Manila and had a noodle b...