#kalesa posting

[tunastime]

hi i’m here to make you worse, can i get uhhh “it’s fine. you’re here now.” + hiccuping tears into their shoulder with Kalesa and Julian? extra points if Julian is the one crying :]

"It's fine. You're here now." (1076 words) (x)

It's late when the rhythmic sound of whetstone and blade drifts up from the back garden and through the open window of the study. The sound is sharp, distinctly metallic as it should be, underlain by something smooth and careful in the way the metal grates against fine-toothed, dampened stone. Kalesa knows the hands that guide it almost as well as her own—she could certainly tell by the sound that they worked with a precision she'd only now begun to practice with her own blade. The noise is a comfort, even with its oddly steel-tasting sound. It reminded her of fires, and smoke, and laughter. And, even now, with the slight smell of oak wood smoke, it fills her with that comfort, all the way up until the sound of stone clattering against metal breaks through.

Kalesa stands all at once, journal left open and forgotten as she leans out of the open window and casts a wide glance to the firepit, glowing warm red in the early evening light. A cold breeze floats up and through the twisting curtains. Julian, sat quietly, staring into the blade carefully balanced on his knees, clutches his hand to his chest.

Kalesa swallows. Something cold rushes up to meet her, clamoring up her throat even as she tries to steel her resolve and back away without any noise. It takes a moment of pressing her nails to her palm to bring her energy center, and, even then, she falters. They'd both long since cast the cloak of adventuring from their shoulders and yet, whatever he found before she really knew him, whatever lurked behind her husbands eyes when they seemed just a touch too far away to properly read, seemed to linger. Seemed to fester. Not an anxious state. Not a paranoia. A rot that wasn't his. Something only magic could touch.

Kalesa rounds the stairs and steps into the evening greeted only for a moment by the sound of the lake on the shore and fireflies. She moves carefully, shoulders and elbows tense with worry as she rounds the side of the house, careful not to let the anxiety show in the shake of her breath or the sound of her voice.

"Jules," she says, soft and comforting, like talking to a spooked animal. Her hand comes out, right hand, ring heavy on her left, palm out. She steps to him, not slow, but deliberate. Julian's eyes don't leave the blade. Not until Kalesa removes the weighty weapon from his knees, the wrap and hilt warm in her hand from where it used to soak up his, and the fire's, heat. The blade seems to hum ever so in her grip. She isn't afraid, though—not of the blade. Not of Julian. Not even of the weapon in his hands. As Kalesa sets the blade in the grass, Julian's eyes snap up. He gags on a breath as he startles.

"Kal."

"Hi, JJ," Kalesa starts. She smiles weakly as Julian's dark eyes rove her face for some beat of recognition. There's a moment of held breath and silence before Julian's forehead collides dully with her right shoulder with enough force to briefly wind her. She wobbles on her heels, sinks to her knees as Julian crumples into her.

"Oh," she startles, holding fast to the back of his neck, turning her face into it, kissing the clammy skin. His pulse races. He tastes like sweat. "It's okay. It's okay. Jules..."

Julian shakes his head, pressing firmer against her shoulder as he does, curled still around his hand. Kalesa drags her hand down his neck, pushing into thick, corded muscle, trying to force anything to give. She feels him shudder, hiccup, sink into the touch.

"What happened? Where did you go?" she asks, quiet against the soft skin of his throat.

"I don't know," he hiccups, voice wobbling with tears. Her platitudes begin with the space between his shoulderblades, running her hand as far as she can reach down the center of his spine to ground him. Julian's crying is a quiet, sniffling thing. She feels Julian wheeze as he coughs out a breath, as he pulls another tight in through his teeth. Her tail curls around his ankle.

"You don't need to," she murmurs, trying to unclench her jaw, eyes screwed shut. It's been a long time since Julian fell into the half state of clarity, of seeing visions that weren't his, feeling the inky black of the hand he thought was his god reach through him. It had been many, many years since he'd been that weapon. And still, he held himself as if he were the knife's edge, the sword's blade, the downswing of an axe. The same sword that killed now moved in slow motions to teach. The same weapon that crawled out of possession to find the party he loved now cradled himself in Kalesa's arms, worming his way back to warm reality.

She says, "Just be here with me," and Julian's wet sigh makes her feel like he will. Julian sighs again, deeper now, hiccup softer as he readjusts. His hands fall to his lap, and for the first time, Kalesa gets a glimpse at the angry red cut across the heel of his hand. It isn't deep or wide, a thin thing bleeding more than it should, seen mostly from the tacky blood on his wrist at the small stain on his beige tunic. Kalesa takes Julian's wrist in one hand, careful not to jostle too much. She hums once. The sound is a mix of displeasure and concern. Holding his wrist, other arm still curled over his shoulders, she tucks her face into his neck again, sighs once, and says:

"I want to clean this up," and kisses the high of his shoulder.

Julian nods, letting out a damp huff of breath.

"Me too," he says softly. Kalesa smiles against his neck.

"Let's go then," she says, and tugs Julian up with her, limbs tangling, resting and rocking up together, until they both can stand. They both leave the sword and the embers of the fire to their wishes until they return to lay them to rest, in scabbard and soil.

[onenettvchannel]

FLASH REPORT: American YouTuber 'IShowSpeed' arrives in the Philippines, causes Fan Frenzy for meet-and-greet in BGC [#TeleRadyoSerbisyoEXCLUSIVE]

(Written by Rhayniel Saldasal Calimpong / Freelanced News Writer, Online Media Reporter and News Presenter of OneNETnews)

TAGUIG, NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION -- The American variety and veteran YouTube sensation 'Mr. Darren Jason Watkins Jr.', finally set foot in the country today, part of his highly anticipated Southeast Asia tour. This arrival of the 19 y/o Ohio state native, straight from the United States of America (U.S.A.), created frenzy among his Filipino fanbase, which led to huge masses of crowds and traffic jams across Metro Manila.

Indeed, his Philippine adventure started off with a bang. He played at a local basketball court in 'Brgy. 39, Zone 3, District 1' in 'Tondo, Metro Manila, National Capital Region'. The place was thronged with fans as the eagerness got the better of everyone to get a glimpse of the male YouTube star. It set the tone for a day that became truly frenzy-filled and filled with fervor.

Before going to the heart of the city, IShowSpeed made a quick detour to a local Chowking branch on Bustos Street, Sta. Cruz, this said city and province. The fast-food stop served as an emergency impromptu meet-and-greet location, where he was sat and hydrate himself in plain cold water, as eager fans were gathered outside to catch a glimpse of their online male YouTuber idol. He followed up his interest in Filipino culture by riding on top of a Kalesa, a horse-drawn transportation contraption, waving a Philippine flag to the delight of all that watched, helping spur his growing entourage on in excitement.

The joyride to BGC turned out to be a spectacle in its own right, as the male YouTube star replaced Kalesa with a motorbike, knowingly called as 'habal-habal'. The ride through busy Manila attracted even more attention; traffic came to a halt with fans trying to stay alongside their idol.

The chaotic night concluded before 7:30pm at 5th Avenue, BGC, in a Mercedes-Benz showroom, where IShowSpeed found refuge amidst a sea of people. Outside the unforgettable local dealership at Cats Motors Incorporated (CMI), chaos was at nothing less than pandemonium. If this day wasn't exciting enough, IShowSpeed teasingly posted to the internet media, including 'TeleRadyo Serbisyo: Dumaguete' and 'OneNETnews' that he would be meeting the Boxing legend and former senator "Manny Dapidran 'PacMan' Pacquiao", scheduled for tomorrow on Thursday (September 12th, 2024 -- Manila local time) when social media would once again go ablaze in the star-studded encounter.

In LIVE chats throughout the night, rumors are rife that the IShowSpeed Philippine Tour may well extend to the Visayas region on Day 2, including Cebu, Bacolod, Dumaguete and Siquijor. For now, unfortunately much however, Mindanao appears to be out of its itinerary.

IShowSpeed's arrival most certainly has left an indelible mark within the Philippines, and his livestream drew in more than 300,000 viewers from around the world, over half from the Philippines with 56% online audience share in this video sharing platform. And as this male YouTube star still goes on a rampage in this South East Asian adventure, one thing is for sure: IShowSpeed fever has finally swept the nation of the Philippines, and it isn't going away anytime soon.

This ongoing tour to South East Asia would be continued across the continent, first stopping in Thailand and later adding probably with the likes of Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia -- all for this month of September 2024.

SCREENGRAB COURTESY: IShowSpeed via YouTube LIVE VIDEO

SOURCE: *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWuJYrEZBkw [Referenced YT LIVE VIDEO via IShowSpeed] and *https://www.youtube.com/post/Ugkx685Idjol8tdYoSpnEhUNmxqKLfMVUOTW [Referenced YT Poster PHOTO via IShowSpeed]

-- OneNETnews Online Publication Team

[marckstheman]

Chronology of the Walled City

By: Marc Klarenz Ocate

“Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history.”

Photo by: Jemimah Ocate in her Instagram

Probably, Intramuros is one of the most well-known places in Philippines, it emblemetize the history of the country over the years.

Photo by: Jemimah Ocate in her Instagram

Every time I visit here it feels like I am being taken back to the past, even though there's a lot of changes happened. "Kung makaka pag salita nga lamang ang mga pader" maybe they could tell the story of what happened before that no one had discussed.

My parents and I, used to go in Intramuros when I was young. I can't imagine that over the past years I will reach this kind of place.

Place that started in time of the Spaniards as I often hear in school when we have symposium about the history of the Philippines.

Who would not want to go and visit this place, apart from its beautiful lights shining in the middle of the night, you can capture every corner in Intramuros and you may post it on social media.

Photo by: Jemimah Ocate in her Instagram

On our trip in Intramuros along with my friends, we never missed being able to ride again in kalesa, a traditional transportation then in 1700s who introduced by the Spaniards. We enjoyed riding in kalesa while eating some snacks and having conversations. After having conversation, we paid 1,000 PHP per 1hour tour.

Our first stop in Intramuros is Casa Manila. It is a replica of an old house of superior peoples then. It is now a life style museum that shows hows the life of the superior then. You can see here some ancient utensils from the Spanish period; like charcoal flatiron, wooden pork and spoon and many more.

For our next destination, we went to the historical Fort Santiago. As we enter the Plaza Moriones, it immediately spring up to us the vastness of it. It is just one of the many opened spaces and plazas within Intramuros. The Fort Santiago was built by Miguel Lopez de legazpi in the 1571, but the beauty of it is still there.

The next stop are the Balurte de San Diego. It is close to Manila de bay to guard the Walled City of Intramuros from the incoming ships of the enemy. My favorite place in Intramuros to eat is their spicy chicken. It is very delicious and the spiciness will make your nose run.

My journey in the Walled City was really fun, it gives me the feeling as I am being taken back to the past where is our history today.

[pilalaguna]

Posts/Links

Introduction:

A Welcome Message from Dayang Lia

Intro: Ancient Royalty,  A Spanish Colony,  and Gold

Pila History: 900 AD - 1375

Pila History: How Pila got its name

Pila History: Pila in The Laguna Copperplate Inscription (LCI)

Pila History: Datus, Dayangs, Lakans, and The Maginoo: The Ancient Nobility

Pila History: Status of Women in Prehispanic Pila

Pila History: The Maharlika, the Ancient Warrior Class

Weapons of the Early Tagalogs

Pila History: Baybayin: The Ancient Tagalog Language

Pila History: Pailah: Settlements, Trade, and the Land of Gold

Pila History: Ancient Pottery of Pila

Pila History: Pila at Pinagbayanan (First Location)

Pila History: Pila Crematorium

Pila History: Pagalangan, The Place of Reverence (Second Location of Pila)

Pila History: 1500s-1800s

Pila History: The Pila Encomienda and a Spanish Colony

Pila History: La Noble Villa de Pila, The Noble Town

Pila History: The Spanish Nobility of Pila

Pila History: The First Pila Church and Parish at Pagalangan

Animals in Pila History: Crocodiles

Pila History: Pila at Hacienda Santa Clara, the Third and Present Location

Pila History: The Pila Church Ruins at Pagalangan

Pila History: The Principalia of Pila

Pila History: Principalia Antique Photos

Pila History: Name Changes and the Claveria Decree of 1849

Pila History: The Pila Infirmary of the Franciscan Missionaries

Pila History: The Pila Church (2nd and Present Location) and The Shrine and Relic of Saint Anthony of Padua

Pila History: Pila Church Photos

Pila History: Pila’s Church Bells

Pila History: The Printing Press and the Tagalog Dictionary in Pila

Pila History: Pila’s Oldest Books

Pila History: 1900s

Pila History: Pila Historical Landmark Designation

Pila History: Why is Pila called Bayang Pinagpala?

Pila History: The American Era

Architecture

Pila History: Some of the Oldest Houses in Pila

Pila History: Old Houses and the Parts of Pila’s Houses

Pila History: Pila's Architectural Photos 1

Pila History: Pila's Architectural Photos 2

Pila History: Pila's Architectural Photos 3

Pila History: Pila's Architectural Photos 4

Pila History: The Street Names

Pila History: The Town Plaza

Pila History: The First Roads, Bridges, Sugar and Rice Mills

Pila History: The Pila Well

Pila History: The Pila Municipal Hall (“Municipio”)

Pila History: Sacred Heart Statue

Schools

Pila History: Credit Document for a Schoolteacher’s House Rental 1876

Pila History: The First School

Pila History: The Liceo de Pila

Pila History: The Pila Museum as an Early Catechism School

Transportation

Pila History: The Kalesa

Pila History: Early Cars

Clothing

Pila History: Clothing - What Women Wore

Pila History: Clothing - What Men Wore

Antiques

Pila History: Pila's Antique Saint: Santo Sepulcro

Pila History: Heirloom Saints of Pila

Pila History: The Pila Museum

Pila History: Pila Museum Photos

Pila History: Images of a Cedula

Language

Pila History: Pila’s Unique Language

Pila's Ancient Traditions:

Pila’s Ancient Traditions: Feast Day of St. Anthony of Padua (San Antonio de Padua)

Pila's Ancient Traditions: Dance and Music

Pila’s Ancient Traditions: Holy Week

Pila’s Ancient Traditions: The Angelus and Mano Po

Pila’s Ancient Traditions: The Santacruzan

Pila's Ancient Traditions: About The Flores de Mayo

Pila's Ancient Traditions: The Flores de Mayo's Alay

Pila’s Ancient Traditions: Flores de Mayo Photos Part 6

Pila’s Ancient Traditions: Flores de Mayo Photos Part 5

Pila's Ancient Traditions: Flores de Mayo Photos Part 4

Pila's Ancient Traditions: Flores de Mayo (Flores de Maria) Photos Part 3

Pila's Ancient Traditions: Pila's Flores de Mayo Antique Photos Part 2

Pila's Ancient Traditions: Pila's Flores de Mayo Antique Photos Part 1

Pila’s Ancient Traditions: Funerary Practices 1

Pila’s Ancient Traditions: Funerary Practices 2

Pila’s Ancient Traditions: Herbolarios (Before there were Doctors)

Pileños in History:

Pileños in History: Dr. Luciano P. R. Santiago, Pila Historian

Pileños in History: First Pila Physician, Dr. Teodoro Alava Rivera

Pileños in History: Doña Mercedes Lina Rivera, Founder, Philippine Women's University

Pileños in History: Pila's First Woman Doctor, Carmencita Relova Rivera-Valenzuela

Pileños in History: Lorenzo Relova, Associate Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court

Pileños in History: Regino Díaz Relova, Philippine Revolution Lieutenant-Colonel

Pilenos in History: Pila’s First Dentist

Pileños in History: Pila’s Municipal Town Hall Architect and First Architect of Pila

Pilenos in History: Judge Ramiro Relova

Pilenos in History: The Medical Professionals of Pila (Medical and Dental Professionals)

Pilenos in History: The First Female Dentists of Pila

Pileños in History: Pila’s First Lawyer, Jose Diaz Relova

Pileños in History: Longest Serving Mayor: Querubin Relova

Pileños in History: Pila's First Nun and Priest, Sister Consuelo Relova OSB and Rev. Fr. Father Felix del Rio Codera

Pileños in History: Pila's Longest-Serving Parish Priest, Father Radovan

Pileños in History: Cardinal Vidal

Pileños in History: List of Town Mayors

Pileños in History: Prominent Relovas

Pileños in History: The Four Prominent Families of Pila

Pila Memories:

Pila Memories: Pila’s Food and Desserts

Pila Memories: Toys and Games Pila kids used to play with

Pila Memories: Aling Maring

Pila Legends:

Pila Legends: Mythological Stories our Elders told us

Pila Legends: The Rivera Family and their Legend

MORE Articles and Links

[silverdanilleann]

Vigan City Guide: Traveling to The World’s Best-Preserved Spanish Colonial Town

Heritage houses, cobblestone streets, kalesas, historic attractions, and delicious cuisine—these spell out Vigan City.

As one of the best preserved Spanish colonial towns in the world, Vigan City has a unique charm that anyone would be attracted to.

📌 BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN VIGAN

Vigan is an amazing place to travel to. Here are the best places to include in your Vigan Tourist Spots itinerary:

Calle Crisologo

Syquia Mansion Museum

RG Jar Factory

Bantay Church Bell Tower

📌 VIGAN CITY BEING A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

Because Vigan has maintained its authenticity in its grid street pattern, historic urban layout and use of open spaces, UNESCO has inscribed it in the list of World Heritage Sites.

According to UNESCO, Vigan is the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. Its architecture reflects the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Philippines, from China and from Europe, resulting in a culture and townscape that have no parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.

Read more here: https://www.zenrooms.com/blog/post/vigan-city/

[torendheavenandearth]

1.6

“Verily, verily, unto this day, seek out peace in thine own heart, and God shall grant you peace. Seek out compassion, and God shall grant you compassion. Seek out violence, and God shall grant you violence. Ahom!” - From Ang Aklat, Holy Book of the Trinity, interpreted by Engkanto Sandobal.

▼

Not a lot of things are scarier to Angela than being chased down by a weird animal hodgepodge monster and being unable to do anything about it. Her entire body has become frozen again, and she curses it with all her soul. Why can’t she move? Why is this happening?

The kimera is quick and unending. Her heart thumps, and it’s just a few feet away now. Its strange, dog snout crocodile maw open and ready to end her life, to eat her alive, to make sure she feels and suffers every blossoming pain that the crunching of bones and tearing of ligaments would bring.

Another heartbeat. The kimera is closer now. Almost in front of her. She can do nothing, and in a few more moments, she will be nothing.

Another heartbeat. The kimera is in front of her. The kimera’s maws readies to clamp down. And then something sends it flying and crashing against the wall of one of the houses. It destroys a pillar. The people within scramble out of it just as it crumbles down to the dirt.

Ang Nilapastangan is there, before Angela, with her hand out. “Come the fuck on!” she hears her say, although her voice is accompanied by that high-pitched ringing one gets when a loud explosion deafens them.

Angela is pushed back into reality by Ang Nilapastangan’s touch. The demon lady grabs Angela’s shoulder and pushes her to her feet. “Run into that alleyway, keep running left and look for the kalesa!”

There is nothing else she can think to do but do exactly what Ang Nilapastangan has told her to do. Angela turns, rushes forward, stumbles, but then picks up the pace as her footing comes across more even ground. Eventually, she arrives at the alleyway, where the floor is made of hard stone, easier to run across. 

“Shit,” she hears Ang Nilapastangan curse loudly from behind her. “Angela, run!”

Angela, being the wild gambler that she apparently is, tosses a look behind her. There she sees, chasing after her by scuttling like a spider on the walls of the bahay-na-bato, is the same kimera. A chill surges through Angela’s body and-- “Shit!”-- she loses her footing and stumbles. She manages to catch herself before she falls, and dashes out of the alleyway.

Her heart is caught up in her throat, beating rapidly, making it very hard to breathe. Her entire body is shaking, her hands are vibrating uncontrollably.

The area outside of the ground is mostly level ground, and there are a few kalesas lying around with the horses tied to nearby lamp posts. A few of the morning workers have begun walking to where they’re told to work, while there are others tending to the horses of the kalesas. Some are going around with rattan bags filled with groceries or things bought from the market. Angela notices that not all of them are human-looking either: a good chunk of them are tall ogre creatures, small goblin imps like Makabintang, horse-headed tikbalang, strange goat legged ogima… the variety is dizzying, and not important right now for Angela, who is running for her life.

All of those going about their normal morning routine suddenly turn to Angela as she stumbles out of the alleyway and into their road. She then turns left and runs down it, following Ang Nilapastangan’s commands. Now she doesn’t quite have long legs, and she’s never been any good at track, but she manages to keep her feet moving despite burning anxiety and dread.

Angela dodges a few of those tall ogre creatures and then accidentally bumps into a tall--almost ten feet tall--man wearing a formal barong tagalog and trousers and leather shoes. The man glances at her with disdain before moving on and putting her to the wayside.

For a moment she wonders why the people aren’t running from the kimera that’s clearly chasing after her. She looks behind her and sees the kimera leap into the crowd from the alleyway. The screams follow soon after. Some blood gets sprayed into the air as the kimera chomps down onto any being that stands in its way.

She turns away and sprints, as fast as she can, avoiding more and more people, slamming onto others that have decided to come out of their houses at just the wrong time, just to see what all the commotion is about. Angela feels a pang of guilt all of a sudden: maybe she could’ve prevented this. She could’ve maybe warned them about the incoming danger as well.

However, when one is being chased by a weird man-eating supernatural creature, there’s a tendency for guilty feelings like that to wither away.

It isn’t long before Angela finally comes across a simple wooden box wagon with two agitated looking brown horses tied to it. There is a boy standing by the door, craning his neck trying to find out what’s the fuss down the street. 

“Hey boy,” says Angela as she stops in front of him. It’s hard to conjure up the words when your neck is trying to catch up with your heart, but Angela swallows and manages to force a few words out anyway: “Ang Nilapastangan?” The next thing she thinks is how out of shape she is as she heaves with every breath.

The boy blinks for a bit, staring up at Angela. A moment passes before he nods, and then opens the door of the kalesa for her. “Thank you,” she manages to blurt, as she pulls herself up into the wagon.

Unfortunately for her, an all too human hand grabs her by the belly and slams her back down to the dirt ground. The wind vanishes from her lungs, and bright spots dot her vision.

The kimera’s dog snout sends drool dripping onto her face and leans in close. The kimera then sniffs. The kimera then barks, and it opens its mouth, revealing at least six more roses of teeth lining its maw.

Angela winces away, bracing herself for pain and death, and if death here in this universe would be different from death on earth.

A second passes, and Angela wonders if she is blessed with a painless death. But suddenly, the kimera begins thrashing about, moving away from Angela. Angela scrambles to her feet and sees that Makabintang, with his bolo embedded straight into human-dog’s skull. Right exactly where the brain should be.

The kimera flails about and throws Makabintang off of it. The duwende twists in the air and lands feet first on to the ground.

“Angela, gimme the bolo I gave you!” 

Angela follows without another word and she surprises herself with her relative unhesitating movement. She chucks the bolo at Makabintang and the duwende catches it right as he begins to sprint forward. The kimera runs to meet Makabintang, and then lunges. Makabintang sinks into the floor, sending the kimera skidding across the dirt, biting nothing. Then the earth underneath the kimera vomits Makabintang out, sending the bolo held with his outstretched arm straight into the kimera’s neck.

The kimera spasms in pain. With one hand, it grabs Makabintang and slams him against the floor. Angela winces, and Makabintang groans in pain. But, as the kimera gets up onto its feet to presumably finish the job, Makabintang bangs his head against the earth, and it swallows him up again, allowing him to slip from the kimera’s grasp.

It turns to Angela then, looking for its victim. Before anything else, Angela turns to the boy, who has been frozen there this entire time, watching the both of them grapple with the kimera. “Bata, you should go. Hide!”

“But what if it gets me?!” the boy stammers and his voice breaks. 

“It won’t. It wants me.” Angela gulps and closes her eyes. “Go go!” And she runs left, dashing away from the boy. She opens her eyes just enough to see if the boy has gotten away, and she sees the boy’s shadow disappear. 

Unfortunately, Angela is correct about the kimera wanting her.. The kimera breaks into a dash, accelerating at an absurd speed, and is right in front of Angela. She presses her lips together. 

Is that the last thing she wants to do before she dies? Be the savior to one inconsequential kid after she inadvertently killed all those other ones by leading the kimera straight into them? Those morning people simply going about their normal lives?

I mean, what can I do about it, right?

Ñ͌ͩO̠̰͓͓̗̞̩Ť̺̯͙̇̌ͭ̎ͣH̰̣̺̲͎̬Ḭ̝̜͓͕͑̐͆ͫ̽̚N͖̟̟͙̠̪̱͌̓ͨͩG̝̞͎ ̟Ỹ̙͎̠̭͕ͩ͒̈́ͤͬͨE̎̊T̠̲͙͓͉̈́͋̌̑ͬ͋ͅ.̬͙͓̫͍̜̇͂͆͂

She opens her eyes, and a shockwave sends her baro hair flailing in the wind. When she turns to the kimera, it’s firmly embedded onto the floor. Ang Nilapastangan’s foot pins the kimera’s snout to the ground.

She skids the kimera’s head a few feet like that as if she’s riding a skateboard, and then she flips away from the kimera, grabs its head, and then she twists around right as her feet meet the ground again. With her feet firmly on the ground, she flings the kimera at Angela. Angela shrieks and ducks.

Behind her, she hears the surprised shouts of two people: a man and a woman. Angela looks behind her.

The kimera has slammed against the two guwardya sibil, sending all three of them to the floor. The Guardian anghel manages to fly gracefully over the flying halimaw, moving like one of those synchronized swimming competitors. The other anghel, the Soldado, rushes toward Ang Nilapastangan.

“Oh, blasphemed Demon Empress!” sings the Soldado as he comes closer, materializing a spear out of thin air. “Come and finally meet your destiny!”

“Fucking bitch.” Ang Nilapastangan rushes up right beside Angela. “Makabintang!”

Makabintang pops up from the earth. “What’s the next move?”

“Drive the kalesa and leave with Angela. Get to San Justo as quickly as possible!”

“What? Dumbass, I can’t just leave you here!”

“No. You’re going. Please, Makabintang, don’t debate with me on this. You have to get to San Justo safe.”

“But Nila,” says Angela, this time. That surprises Ang Nilapastangan, apparently, because she turns to Angela. “What if you die? Can you take these on?”

Ang Nilapastangan shakes her head. “Don’t worry about me. The only reason I’m holding back on these guys is because of you. Once you’re gone, I can go all out. Trust me, I’ll be fine.”

Angela bites her lip, and then looks at the incoming Soldado. She realizes she does not have the privilege of time nor choice. So eventually she simply nods and says, “Stay safe.” She rushes into the open kalesa door and Makabintang leaps up into the driver’s seat. The horses have been surprisingly manage to get their wits together as Makabintang calms them. As Angela is closing the door, she hears Makabintang say, “Ah, ninuno, that kid is smart, easing the horses with some herbs.”

Angela slams the door shut to signal to Makabintang that she’s good to go. Makabintang doesn’t even ask. The horses are neighing, and Makabintang is prodding the horses. The kalesa bursts forward in a quick fit of speed.

▼

Ang Nilapastangan cracks her knuckles. “Here, you’re going to have to face five percent more of me. You should feel honored.”

The Soldado’s wings beat once, and that carries him through spacetime. The next moment, his spear is about to pierce Ang Nilapastangan’s face. 

That doesn’t faze Ang Nilapastangan, however. Her is hand is up, deflecting the spear before it even appears. A perfect parry, one that even the entire fabric of reality agrees with. Her hand sizzles crimson.

The next few movements are a kinetic blurry of motion. Ang Nilapastangan sends the spear spinning in the air, she kicks the Soldado once, punches twice, and then kicks the spear straight back at the Soldado. The spear goes through the Soldado’s shoulder and sends him flying a good twenty feet back.

The two guwardya sibil fire their guns. Ang Nilapastangan is a flash, a few inky markings upon the air. The next instant, she is beside one of them. In the second instant, her fist is through the man’s chest. No movement wasted: she ducks, sweeps the other guwardya sibil with her foot, and then sends her flying straight into a house with a final kick. 

Ang Nilapastangan straightens. “Good warm-up,” she says, stretching. Her hands are bloody, but the blood is not hers.

The Guardian anghel screams, but the melody that erupts from their opened mouth is not a bloodcurdling screech, but rather, a sonorous tone. Like a siren out in the sea. As she sings, Ang Nilapastangan’s hair stands on end. An alarm. She’s trying to signal every single anghel that can hear her in the area.

Ang Nilapastangan steps. The earth underneath her bare feet cracks, spiderwebbing from her foot, as if she had planted a spear upon the soil. She lifts her other foot, and she is in front of the anghel, hand moving, blurring, and then: her hand is through the anghel’s throat.

She pulls her hand back, ripping the anghel’s throat out with it. This she then uses to throw at the incoming Soldado anghel, who is rushing toward her in a mad dash. The throat slams against their face, and Ang Nilapastangan moves toward them, ignoring the now gurgling form of the Guardian, who crumples to the earth.  As they die, their Divine Light escapes through the orifices of their humanoid form, seeping into the air, and then returning to whatever infested hive they came from.

Ang Nilapastangan meets the Soldado mid-rush. The Soldado is prepared, raising their spear and thrusting. Ang Nilapastangan--who is now burning with a bright crimson, and her hair the color of bleached paper--takes the spear hit, and the shaft of that spear shatters. She grabs the Soldado by the head. Punches their gut with her other fist. Slams his head into the soil. Once. Twice. Thrice.

Rocks and earth fly up around her, like a corona, like an assembly of angels singing her glory. Luwalhati.

She raises the Soldado’s head to see if it’s thoroughly bashed in. Before she can, however, a blue streak of lightning punctures her side, sending her into a black and white state of pain. She drops the Soldado’s head--which has been torn off from their neck--and falls to the side.

When Ang Nilapastangan raises her head, she sees that red anghel once again. The one that wielded the large sword. The one that came in to attack her and Makabintang and Angela the other day.

This time, he is without shield. In its place he wields the sabre of the blue anghel, streaking with azure lightning. His own sword burns with burning crimson flame. His body is… strange now. He has two different wings: the blue wing of the blue anghel and his own crimson wing. His eyes are burning blue now, his hair as white as the lightning that strikes from the heavens, his face in that strange approximation of a humanoid face. Two pairs of eyes, a mouth full of serrated teeth, a single upside-down triangle on his forehead.

“You…” he speaks, and when he does, his voice is two. “You killed my brother.” He steps on Ang Nilapastangan’s chest, pressing down and pinning her to the earth.

“Brother?” asks Ang Nilapastangan as she strains against the anghel’s foot. “Don’t fool yourself. You’re not mortal. You don’t get brothers. You don’t have a mother.”

“Our mother is Birheng Maria, the Flower of Heaven,” he spits out. “And she has told me to finish what we started.” He crosses both swords across her neck, like an angelic scissor, and then swings.

Ang Nilapastangan is swift. Her hands shoot up and catch both swords. And then, with her strength, she hurls the Red-Blue anghel to the side, sending him skidding across the earth. 

Ang Nilapastangan rises to her feet. “Your mother is a bitch. Send my regards when I send you to Pugad Langit.”

The blue-red anghel doesn’t continue with any more preamble. He opens both pairs of his wings--he has four now, apparently--and he surges forward, flying straight across the distance between them. He hurls the azure sabre and it turns into the lightning that struck Ang Nilapastangan just moments before.

This time, however, she is ready. “Bathala Inaginid, guide me!” She shouts out, and she spreads her hand on both sides as if to welcome the attack. Four more hands sprout out from both sides of her body. One hand reaches out and catches the lightning.

That hand fizzles violently. Ang Nilapastangan takes a single step forward, and then hurls the lightning back at the blue-red anghel. The lightning is true lightning--it strikes in a flash, so quick that it is in two points in a single moment. The lightning scorches one of the blue-red anghel’s wings, and that causes his flight to falter. 

But that doesn’t stop him. He reaches Ang Nilapastangan and swings his sword. Ang Nilapastangan runs into his swing and slides underneath his attack. She turns and kicks him. The anghel parries with his blade. He sends a fist down upon Ang Nilapastangan. Ang Nilapastangan is in the air, avoiding it, and then kicks. 

The blue-red anghel ducks under the kick and swings up. Ang Nilapastangan impossibly shifts in the air, changing the course of her fall, to avoid the swing, but the flaming sword nicks her cheek.

Ang Nilapastangan flips in mid-air, moving into position right above the blue-red anghel, pulls three fists back, and yells, “YAWA UPENDS HEAVEN STYLE: 「KAPTAN JUDGMENT」! “ She punches, three fists at a time. Three fists slam upon the blue-red anghel’s face. The clouds directly above them part, as a crimson line pierces the heavens.

The blue-red anghel screams. The three fists continue to drill down upon the anghel, and Ang Nilapastangan uses that same impossible technique to force herself down, driving the fist home, even without anything to push back against but the air.

The technique sends the blue-red anghel straight into the earth. Then Ang Nilapastangan lets go of the attack, and the blue-red anghel bounces up, body wracked and bent in an unnatural angle. Ang Nilapastangan shifts away to let the blue-red anghel’s body bounce to her height. Then she punches twice, kicks once, and then punches down. The blue-red anghel’s body slams against the earth again and bounces once more.

Ang Nilapastangan lands on the ground grabs the airborne blue-red anghel by the waist, and then suplexes the blue-red anghel straight into the earth, head-first. Her crimson biceps and legs burn brighter, sending streaks of Gahum streaming out of her, like a kettle boiling over. She yells out once again, the words streaking themselves into the air: “YAWA UPENDS HEAVEN STYLE: 「KALIBUTAN DRIVER」!” 

And the blue-red anghel’s body slams into the soil, burying it into the land. The impact causes a crater to crack upon the earth. Gahum erupts from the cracks that begin to rush through the anghel’s corpus.

Ang Nilapastangan straightens herself. The blue-red anghel’s body is bent. From the waist down, he is cracked into a right angle.

Far behind her, people watch. Afraid? Scared? Ang Nilapastangan doesn’t know, and neither does she care. She breathes, forcing her Gahum to settle, save for the burning crimson of her feet. 

She doesn’t look back. She runs forward, down the path that the kalesa took. Her feet burn like pumping bellows. As she runs, however, she notices something strange. Where is the kimera?

Next Chapter.

Return to Table of Contents.

[cebuanoscope]

Hey folks! we have great news for you! Cebuano Scope is now in partnership with Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Incorporation in their annual event of “Gabii sa Kabilin” – A night of celebrating Cebu’s history and culture by visiting 18 museums and heritage sites.  We will be officially covering the event and will post live stream updates and coverage.

In the next celebration, as we venture into our past, we are given the experience of a lifetime! – A memorable evening tour and museum hopping, while riding on a Kalesa! Isn’t that great?!     

But the fun doesn’t end there fellas because we will be giving out free registration coupons for 5 lucky persons who will be chosen!

Let us know why you deserve to avail a no fee “Gabii sa Kabilin” by commenting down below and get the chance to be picked.

Good luck and God bless!

-----

Post by Jasmine Abad

[khristinewriteandcapture]

Wandertin, wanders again! Part II

Parang Dora lang ang peg ah! Hahahaha

So, this is the 2nd part of our pag-gagala.

Mga pictures lang naman ito kasi ubos na braincells ko sa part I hahaha. Hanggang 10 photos lang kasi ang kaya sa isang post so I really need to make this part II, sayang ang edit at kuha. Hahaha.

Wouldn't it be nice kung hanggang ngayon ito ang ginagamit nating way of writing?

And uso na ang crop tops noon pa lang.

The above photo are the pictures of some people who contributed to our culture that we never know.

Hindi na kami nakapasok dito dahil sarado na. Hahaha. Next time!

Saw this mural painting while we're on our way to Luneta Park.

Nadaanan din namin ito papunta sa Luneta pero mali pala yung dinaanan namin kaya dinaanan ulit namin siya hahahaha

And of course, the famous Kalesa. Gusto kong sumakay jan kaso mahal eh. Hahaha.

Wala akong picture ng statue ni Dr. Jose Rizal kasi ang daming tao.

Pagkatapos kong mapicturan ang kalesang ito, naglakad na kami paikot ng Luneta, pabalik ng National Museum para makarating ulit sa SM Manila.

Diba? Very Dora. At ang Google Map ang kakampi namin!

And this little cutie is not so cute at all! Sobrang tapang nya! Nag-Hi lang kami kulang na lang tumalon sa bintana para sugudin kami eh. Hahahaha cute ka pa naman sana! Hmp!

Madami pa kaming picture actually. Hindi pa dyan natatapos pero 8 na ang nandito...so waiting sa part III hahahaha.

:)

[mitzlabasan-blog]

One of the Best Places to Go Visit Ilocos Norte and Sur

1.Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel

As you go to Laoag, Ilocos Norte, visiting Fort Ilocandia, one of the very classy hotel and leisure park. Seeing all the hotel’s interiors and gardens gives a Spanish ambiance.

Fort Ilocandia Resort is a striking deluxe accommodation in Ilocos Norte. Located in the center of Laoag City, this 5-star resort is 10 minutes away from the airport. Its look is very unique yet carries the characteristics of Ilocano architecture- in fact, it is a combination of Spanish villas and local designs. It is a big strucutre of beautiful red bricks.

2.Malacanang of the North

Also known as Malacanan Ti Amianan in Ilocano language. This mansion used to be the official residence of ex-Prseident Ferdinand Marcos in Ilocos. You will see a fantastic view of Paoay Lake at the veranda at the back.

Malacañang ti Amianan, as the locals call it, is a birthday gift from the then first lady Imelda Marcos to her husband’s 60th birthday. It is among the properties of the family that was sequestered by the Philippine Government when President Marcos was removed from power. After 20 years under the care of the government, it was finally given back to the care of the Provincial Government in Ilocos Norte. In January 1, 2011, after restorations and renovations by the Governor, it was opened to the public as a museum.

3.Paoay Lake

As you go to the northwestern Luzon in the Philippines you will see the Paoay Lake. It is the largest lake in the province of Ilocos Norte and one of the largest natural lakes in the area.

Paoay Lake, locally known as Dacquel a Danum in Ilokano, "Big Water”, is a lake in the municipality of Paoay in northwestern Luzonin the Philippines. It is the largest lake in the province of Ilocos Norte and one of the largest natural lakes in the area.

Historically known as Lago de Nanguyudan, the lake supposedly was the site of a prosperous barangay called San Juan de Sahagún Saint John of Sahagún that sank after an earthquake.

4.Vigan, Ilocos Sur

Who can miss the famous streets of Vigan? The kalesas, cobblestone streets, and European architecture of houses bring so much of history back then.

Vigan located on the western coast of the large island of Luzon, facing the South China Sea, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in that it is one of the few towns left in the Philippines whose old structures have mostly remained intact, and it is well known for its settpavements and a unique architecture of the Philippine colonial era which fuses Native Philippine and Oriental building designs and construction, with colonial Spanish architecture that is still abundant in the area, mainly the Bahay na Bato houses and an Earthquake Baroque church. Former Philippine president Elpidio Quirino, the sixth President of the Philippines, was born in Vigan, at the former location of the Provincial Jail (his father was a warden); he resided in the Syquia Mansion. The entire city of Vigan was later inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage City after being declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a member of the Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC).

In May 2015, Vigan City was officially recognized as one of the New7Wonders Cities together with Beirut, Doha, Durban, Havana, Kuala Lumpur and La Paz. New7Wonders Foundation president and founding member Bernard Weber led a ceremony held at St. Paul Cathedral where he handed a bronze plaque to Vigan Mayor Eva Grace Singson-Medina, signifying the heritage city’s election as one of the world’s wonder cities.

5. Paoay Church

If you are a faithful person to god you cant miss going in Paoay Church. It is a one of a kind that you cant miss when you are going in ilocos.

The Paoay Church (also known as the St. Augustine Church ) is a historical church located in the town of Paoay in Ilocos Norte, Philippines.Construction of the Paoay Church was started by the Augustinian friars in 1694. It was completed in 1894 led by Fr. Antonio Estavillo and was re-dedicated in 1894.A three-storey coral stone bell tower stands to the right of the church which served as an observation post in 1896 for the Katipuneros during the Philippine revolution against the Spaniards, and again by the Filipino guerillas during the Japanese occupation in World War II.The Church is a unique combination of Gothic, Baroque and Oriental designs. Its facade reveals Gothic affinity, its gables show Chinese elements, while the niches topping the walls suggest Javanese influence (reminiscent of the famous Boroboudur Temple).

[tunastime]

okay for kalesa and julian again, i imagined them getting caught in the rain and having to take shelter somewhere and just waiting it out and having a moment, so…. “you’re my happy place.” & “don’t get cheesy on me.” + watching the rainfall — do with that what you will :3

"You're my happy place." "Don't get cheesy on me." / watching the rainfall (914 words) (x)

The first raindrop hits Julian square in the head. He blinks—startled when another thumps his shoulder, the drizzle picking up pace through the leaves. The air smells like wet grass and dirt in an instant as all the tiny blades of grass and flowers and leaves shake awake to receive all the water they can. He holds his hand out, tests the strength of the rain, and when nothing falls into his open palm, he turns his gaze back from where he was standing against the house, back into the small field in front, where the collection of kids smack around small wooden practice swords. A few of them have abandoned the lesson entirely to run in the slight drizzle of rain. 

Kalesa practices easy, calculated movements across the way as well, sparring in slow motion with one of the teenagers. He watches her for a moment, her tail flicking as she makes a hundred micro-adjustments to her stance, her sword form, the power she puts behind the wooden swing of the blade. Her brow is drawn tight in concentration as the rain falls, darkening her shirtsleeves. She drops her stance slowly as she notices the rain, stretching her hand out to test it, startling when the drops fall on her head. She looks over to Julian with wide eyes, face breaking into a grin. He doesn't see her nod to her partner or send her off, but he hears her laugh from across the small field as she makes her way over, weaving between the kids.

"Just going to leave me out there to melt?" Kalesa teases. "How very saintly of you."

"You know divinity was never my aim," Julian snorts, carefully sheathing the silver-coated blade he'd been holding. It sits tightly in its scabbard, the gem-inlaid hilt glittering as he sets it carefully against the front door. He's draped his tabard over the banister. A breeze tugs at the loose bits of his tunic, ruffling his hair, tossing about his boot laces. He sinks down against the wooden steps, stretching out his legs. 

Dressed in matching, simple pants and hide armor, Kalesa looks so similar to the knights he went to school with: slightly out of breath, beaming with pride, hair pulled tightly away from her face. The hide is dark in spots from rain and sweat and as she sits, he waves her over.

"It's just a little rain," he soothes, hands working to loosen the side straps of her leather chestplate. She moves without question to the other side. "You won't die."

"You never know," she argues. Julian laughs, pulling the chestpiece off in one motion as Kalesa ducks her head, pulling at her linen shirt to unstick it from her back. 

"I think I know," Julian says. Kalesa makes a noise in the back of her throat, one Julian has come to know too well to not catch. Thin ice, it says. It's not much of a threat, though. Not as Kalesa shuffles over and makes space in the curve of his side for her to sit. Her hand slides back around him and falls to his hip, tracing a soft line over where she knows a long, thin scar tracks, raised but healed. He lets out the rest of the breath caught in his chest as he easily burdens himself with her weight and leans to accommodate. The rain patters down into puddles in the front garden, soaking the shirts of the children running around in the sand and mud and grass. The warmth that weasels up in his chest sits right between his lungs and his heart, forcing him to swallow and breathe around it, to feel every stretch of that new ligament illuminated by love and light. It feels a lot like hope—a muscle he'd forgotten to work the knots out of, a muscle that strained and tore when pulled the wrong way, one he'd begun to cultivate again, to tug at, to foster. And as his heart thuds around it and through it and it moves with him, it feels. Easy. To breathe. Kalesa makes a warm line from shoulder to hip bone. Her clothes carry a scent like campfire ashes and charcoal, and he's never so badly wanted to smell like a bonfire.

"I think you're my happy place," he breathes, squeezing a little closer. Kalesa laughs, pressing her face into his shoulder.

"Are you getting cheesy on me?"

He snorts, warmth rising to his face. He can feel the cool band around his left ring finger, the fine, woven pieces of metal that made its latticework. He presses his cheek to the space between her horns, sighing sweetly.

"I sure hope so," he says. "I've always been the sappy one."

Kalesa laughs again, squeezing his side. A shudder of warmth prickles up his ribcage, curling around his stomach. Squeezing his eyes shut, he kisses the top of her head. The tingling feels a lot like love. It feels a lot like being wanted. And, with enough of it, and if he let himself, as he always did, he could drown in it. 

"I'm glad," Kalesa says quietly to his collarbone. "It's been long enough at this point. What, six years?"

"Just hit six," he hums. He hears her sigh, relax a little further, and return to the soft soothing of his side.

"Let's try for six more, mm?" she says. 

Julian hums his agreement, smiling into her hair.

[ofabnegation-archive]

Por que devo instalar aquecedor em minha casa?

Por que devo instalar aquecedor em minha casa? https://ift.tt/yhA1uFr Nos últimos 10 anos, o sistema de aquecimento viu suas vendas aumentarem drasticamente em todo o Brasil.  Ecologicamente correta, acessível e versátil, o aquecedor está disponível em vários modelos com características distintas que a tornam uma ótima solução de aquecimento para as mais diversas circunstâncias do mercado imobiliário, seja um aquecedor simples a um sistema de cisterna.  O que é um aquecedor? É um dispositivo de aquecimento ecológico que se baseia na diferença de temperatura entre a condensação e a evaporação do refrigerante. A energia que vem do ambiente externo (água externa, ar e solo) pode causar a evaporação do fluido na bomba de calor. O líquido resultante será então comprimido e condensado, dispersando o calor que acumulou. Uma bomba de calor aproveita a energia do exterior que transforma em calor. Um número crescente de famílias que procuram uma opção econômica e eficiente recorrem a um sistema de ventilação ou um sistema de aquecimento. Uma variedade de tipos de modelos estão disponíveis no mercado e podem atender às necessidades de vários lares. Os vários modelos de aquecedores Aquecedor a ar, aquecedor ar/água, aquecedor hidrotérmica ou geotérmica Quais mecanismos e diretrizes estão ocultos nesses diferentes modelos? Aquecedor a/ar, muitas vezes esse modelo de aquecedor são chamados de aerotérmicas, esse modelo pode ser o dispositivo de aquecimento mais econômico. O sistema utiliza a energia do ar ao seu redor, tanto externa quanto interna, que pode ser aquecida e depois difundida diretamente no ar para aquecê-lo. O aquecedor a ar é especialmente eficiente em áreas com climas moderados, com temperaturas mais frias que reduzem drasticamente a eficiência. Aquecedor por água/ar Os aquecedores de ar/água funcionam de forma semelhante ao aquecedor ar/ar, convertendo a energia que está no ar em calor. A diferença entre os dois sistemas é que a unidade ar/água pode aquecer o ar ao seu redor, para aquecer a água nos circuitos da residência. Semelhante aos aquecedores ar/ar a instalação de um aquecedor ar/água é aconselhada em zonas com clima quente e estável durante todo o ano. É também um sistema acessível. Aquecedor geotérmica A instalação de um aquecedor geotérmico exigirá um local maior e um orçamento maior. Este dispositivo atrai o calor que está no solo a uma profundidade de alguns metros. Além disso, vários sensores de calor são instalados no espaço subterrâneo, tanto vertical quanto horizontal. A instalação deste vasto sistema de detectores garante que o aquecedor tenha um desempenho excecional durante todo o ano, especialmente nas zonas mais frias do país. A temperatura no subsolo é apenas um pouquinho diferente a uma certa profundidade.  Ecologia do Sistema O aquecedor é uma fonte de aquecimento com fontes de energia renováveis. Na realidade, não importa o modo de operação, ele funciona absorvendo a energia presente naturalmente no ar, na água ou no solo e redistribuindo-a ao seu espaço de vida. Trata-se de uma fonte de energia pura que não libera elementos voláteis poluentes nem resíduos. Além disso, as características ecologicamente corretas e sustentáveis ​​associadas à fonte de energia a tornam um item que pode ser financiado por meio de diferentes auxílios para melhorar a eficiência energética. Economia de energia Além de ajudar o meio ambiente, a instalação de um sistema de ventilação ou de aquecedor proporcionará um novo fôlego à sua conta. Embora a instalação do sistema seja cara (especialmente para aquecedores hidrotérmicos e geotérmicas), a alta eficácia desse sistema permite economizar uma quantia significativa em suas contas de energia! Conclusão Bom, por aí temos diversos modelos de aquecedores para utilização em seu sistema de ventilação industrial ou residencial.  The post Por que devo instalar aquecedor em minha casa? appeared first on Kalesa Blog News. Post Original Kalesa Blog News via Dicas Tudos & Todos https://ift.tt/b2LUzfA August 16, 2022 at 04:25PM

[vaultsexteen]

Tell us about some Manila specific critters

OH BOY!!!

huge rats and cockroaches are pretty standard for huge irradiated cities, but I am NOT passing up any opportunity to have tricked out Philippine eagles in my fictional post-apocalyptic Manila - I can see Imperial Manila raiders keeping them as prized pets and hunting animals. speaking of hunting animals, I’ve also mentioned aspin (stray dogs) before… Manila would be absolutely rife with them, as well as pusakal, their feline street equivalent. though I think that both askal and pusakal would be way more tricked out and dangerous, resembling hyenas and panthers more closely than anything domesticated. and then there would be the Filipino’s beast of burden, the carabao… and I do think that horses would exist in a post-apocalyptic Manila, thanks to all the horse-drawn kalesa around Intramuros (thanks, Intra, for being such a tourist trap!)

[primortravel]

New Post has been published on https://primortravel.com/road-trip-to-ilocos-norte-and-ilocos-sur-escapade-in-the-philippines/

Road Trip to Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur Escapade in the Philippines

A road trip to Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur: Rich in Culture, Traditions and Lifestyle.

Our trip began at Quezon City, one of the cities that make up the Metro Manila.

We decided to travel on our own with our private vehicle and to use information about the places we were planning to visit through the web. We even used Google maps on how to reach our destination and it was actually accurate.

It’s not that hard getting to those provinces since we traveled on main highways, except for some dangerous curves on the mountain road.

Drive Safely!

Next Stop: The City of Vigan

Vigan is the capital of the Province of Ilocos Sur, a World Heritage Site since it is one of the few Hispanic towns left in the Philippines. There are hotels and other accommodations in and around the area; contemporary and traditional restaurants. Of course, go for the traditional! 

So our plan was to look for a good accommodation since we were planning to stay the night in Vigan. The travel time took 8 hours including stops to have a rest and to eat our packed lunch. We left Quezon City at around 6:00 am and arrived to Vigan at around 2:00 pm.

We searched in advanced for good places to stay the night in Vigan and decided to stay in Villa Angela, since it had positive reviews and reasonable rates. Unfortunately it has very few rooms and there were no vacant rooms when we got there. Don’t worry you can make reservations! We just overlooked. 🙁

So we decided to look for other hotels and found Casa Rica Hotel, a boutique hotel not far from Villa Angela. A really good place! You could feel the traditional life style! Surprisingly we were the only guests to check in the hotel, no worries! Was actually fun because we felt like it was our rest house! 🙂 They were very accommodating, informative and included breakfast. Good service and located less than five minutes drive from the Heritage Village.

It is not hard to find the tourist spots in Vigan. Just around the Heritage Village (which is the main attraction) are plazas, old cathedrals, churches, and museums (donation fee: any amount, others costing only from 20 to 50 pesos).

You can walk or ride the kalesa, it will take you to 7 to 8 different places, but you can request not to go to some of them if you have visited already. Of course it will take you more than one hour to make the complete tour since during that time you’ll take pictures inside museums, climb up a bell tower and other stuff. So be ready! 🙂 

We ate at Cafe Leona for dinner, there’s a wide variety of local to modern dishes. Again, LOCAL! 🙂 In the menu are their must try local dishes. We ordered llocos longganisa, Pinakbet Pizza, Chopseuy, and Plain Rice. Good good good! Good service too! Then back to our hotel for a good night sleep. 🙂 

Then we took off to Laoag, Ilocos Norte at around 11:00 am

Vigan to Laoag will take 1 hour and 30 minutes.

The City of Vigan is a Unesco World Heritage Site in that it is one of the few Hispanic towns left in the Philippines where its structures remained intact, and is well known for its cobblestone streets, and a unique architecture that fuses Philippine and Oriental building designs and construction, with colonial European architecture. Because of this, Vigan City was officially recognised as one of the New7 Wonders Cities of The World.

Laoag, Ilocos Norte

We arrived to Laoag at around 12:30 pm and headed to the Marcos Museum and Mausoleum (Open daily, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm) We waited for 30 mins for the registration. It’s a place to learn a lot about Ferdinand E. Marcos, president of the Philippines for 20 long years, his power, success, riches and…more riches…..and more riches….and more and more and more…. riches. His embalmed body in the mausoleum looked like a wax replica to us. 

From there we headed to Malacañang of the North and Paoay Lake which took us 30 minutes to arrive (Tuesday – Sunday 9:00 am to 11:30 am and 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm). Also called the Malacanang ti Amianan, was the place where the former President Marcos resided with his whole family, had a golf course and the Paoay Lake at the back of the house where they played water sports. 

Wow! Lifestyle of rich and famous!

Since we were out of time, we decided not to go to La Paz Sand Dunes but we really recommend going check it out! We couldn’t make it to our planned lunch out since we were going to the Bangui Windmills and to the beaches in Pagudpud, where we didn’t know where we would stay the night. The original plan was to eat lunch at Saramsam YlocanoRestaurant or La Preciosa Restaurant. Try them out! They are located in the city and are near each other. Very Convenient!

We headed off to Pagudpud, which took us another hour and 30 minutes.

Laoag, Ilocos Norte Jeepney is a most popular public transport on Philippines. – Depositphotos.com

Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte  

Before reaching Pagudpud, we went to the Bangui Windmills. You can go down those sharp curves of the mountain roads for a closer look. They are actually gigantic windmills that generate electricity.  It is not hard looking for a Beach Resort or any accommodation in Pagudpud, there are plenty of choices from hotels to lodges.

We decided to stay in Terra Rika Beach Hotel, which is an “okay” hotel. I suggest you try out Hannah’s Beach Resort, which has lot of activities. You will have to drive another 20 kilometers, which is why we decided not to go to since we were tired. 🙂  

ENJOY THE BEACH! Good food everywhere! Very nice people!

Aerial view of Windmills for electric power production on the coast. Bangui Windmills in Ilocos Norte, Philippines. Ecological landscape: Windmills, sea, mountains. Pagudpud

Travel Dudes

I’m sure you’ve had similar experiences I had whilst traveling. You’re in a certain place and a fellow traveler, or a local, tip you off on a little-known beach, bar or accommodation. Great travel tips from other travelers or locals always add something special to our travels. That was the inspiration for Travel Dudes.

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[takeoffphilippines]

Ultimate Vigan Escape: Budget DIY Itinerary for Ilocos Sur Tour

[ TAKEOFFPHILIPPINES.com ] A great time to end my month-long vacation on this New7Wonders in the World, Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Its rich history made it to the list of the Unesco Heritage Site as this city was established roughly 16th century now but still, the preservation of the architectural design are visible in the city even on their urban development program.

The main attraction of tourist here in Vigan is its preservation of almost 187 ancestral house in town, colonial structured churches, donation-driven museums, a free-roaming zoo and local Ilocano restaurants which is a must visit.

It was an exciting trip that I can’t forget as this was our first trip together with Gab going up north in Ilocos Region. It was really tiring but fun at the same time as we were simply backpackers. You can roam around the city within 2 - 3 days. We’ve got to experience The Ultimate Vigan Escape for a rough estimate of Php 5,000. 

Here are a travel guide and a sample DIY itinerary going to Vigan if your planning to visit this city soon.

Where to Ride Going to Vigan?

As Vigan is located here in Luzon, we can either go for a land or air transportation. There are many Vigan Tour Package offerings on every travel agency that you could try. It may include a van going to Vigan for an easy and worry-free trip but As for us, we decided to ride a bus. We felt that the best way to enjoy the trip is to experience riding it on the public transportation. 

We tried Partas Bus using their Online Booking System. There are several bus companies you can try on your Vigan trip but since convenience is our priority we ride on a Partas Bus. I recommend their good and fast service on accommodating our concern during our trip.

Express Bus Via TPLEX Fare: Php 760.00 (1 route, 5 - 6 hours travel time, 1 Stopover in between)

Riding a Partas First Class Express got us the following privileges:

Cuts your travel time by up to 4 hours! (Pasay to Laoag)

No passenger pick-ups along the road

Only one stopover

TPLEX

Terminal to terminal rates apply even for drop-offs

GPS-monitored

TV

Air-conditioned

Our Terminal Origin Address:

Aurora Blvd. cor. Edang St., Pasay City, Metro Manila. This terminal is along Tramo and alongside Five Star terminal.

Other Partas Terminal Address:

Pasay City, Bus Terminal

Aurora Boulevard (Tramo) Corner Edang St. San Roque, Pasay City, Philippines Telephone Number: +63 (2) 8528194

Sampaloc Manila, Bus Terminal Telephone Number: +63 (2) 7433242

Cubao, Bus Terminal 816 Aurora Boulevard, Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines Telephone Number: +63 (2) 7278278

Bangued, Bus Terminal Zone 7, Nangaycayan, Bangued Abra, Philippines Telephone Number: +63 (74) 7528262

Baguio (Temporary Station) Convention Center, Baguio City, Philippines Telephone Number: +63 (74) 4448431

For the complete lists of Partas Bus Schedules, Fares and Terminals check out here.

Touring Around Vigan: Mode of Transportation

Vigan is a capital in Ilocos Sur that you can encapsulate your activities with just a day or two since its just a small town. Tourist spots along the Vigan proper are walking distance from each other but always prepare yourselves with a big bottled water and umbrella since the scorching heat of the sun is very imminent. Places like Baluarte, River Cruise, Mindoro Beach, Bantay Church Bell Tower seems to need to go for a ride since its a bit far. 

The main transportation used by people here is either the tricycle or a kalesa (horse-drawn carriages). If you’re looking for a more intimate time I would suggest riding a kalesa to enjoy the scenery but if you have limited time like us I would prefer riding a tricycle.

Tricycle Fee: Php 20 - up (Depends on the distance)

Kalesa Fee: starts at Php 150

Where to Stay in Vigan?

While exploring the streets of Vigan, we’ve noticed that each corner has numerous choice of hotels, inns and transient houses. Name it! You won’t have any problems looking for one. All you have to do is to be keen in looking for more affordable and cheaper rooms from the internet. 

Luckily we found the right tool to search for affordable hotels in Vigan by using Traveloka. Traveloka helps you book your hotels and flights in less than 5 minutes with just a click away. They even had promos that you can use while booking.  You can check their website or download their app on Android and IOS to try it first hand on this travel booking app.

Since we want to visit all the well-known tourist spots around Vigan City with less cost but still has a decent accommodation we landed on Mel Sol’s Inn and Resort at Bantay, Ilocos Sur, a 5-6 minutes tricycle ride from Vigan Proper.

Mel Sol’s Inn and Resort

Address: National Highway Metro Vigan, Bantay, Vigan City

Phone: 0917 571 2888 

When in Vigan: Where to Go?

We arrived at Vigan earlier than expected, we didn’t foresee that our bus has a new that's why we have ample time to roam around and go to church to start our Sunday with a positive outlook.

Simbaan A Basit

Liberation Blvd, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur

It is located at the edge of a Cemetery in Vigan. According to history, the cemetery chapel was built over a century now and it is dedicated to Santo Cristo also known in Ilocos as “Apo Lakay” who is believed to save Vigan’s populace from a plague in 1756 and 1882. 

The chapel’s marker bears that the cemetery was blessed by Rev. Vicente Barreiro on Nov. 9, 1852 but the chapel’s interior now looks modern with all the repairs done through the years. Its name "Simbaan a Bassit" literally means "Small Church", since it’s a small it can only accommodate up to 100 people. 

Vigan Heritage Village - Calle Crisologo

Crisologo, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur 

After a mass at Simbaan A Basit, we decided to stroll around Vigan and search the well known Vigan Heritage Village wherein it was considered as a UNESCO Heritage Site as it helps out preserved the culture and history of Ilocos Region. 

You can explore those old houses with a century older than me by riding a Kalesa (horse wagon)  or by simply walking on the streets, as it also helps out burn some calories. It is much appreciated during the night as you can feel the romantic ambiance and stunningly beautiful light post in the area.

Mostly you can have your dinner on this streets as they have plenty restaurants to choose from and buy some cool stuffs on souvenir shops.

Vigan Cathedral / St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral

Burgos St., Vigan City, Ilocos Sur

After not so far from Vugan Heritage Village you can visit again a nearby church. Vigan Cathedral, It is a Roman Catholic Cathedral in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. It serves as the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia.

According to history, The church itself was built in 1641 to replace the chapel and became a cathedral when the seat of the Diocese of Nueva Segovia was transferred here from Lal-lo, Cagayan in 1758, but not before being ravaged by a fire in 1739. 

The Cathedral of Vigan, as it is sometimes called, is a stunning tribute to Baroque architecture modified by the Ilocanos to survive earthquakes. It also has a bit of Chinese influence thanks to the carvings of lion dogs beside the outermost doors. 

Plaza Salcedo

Plaza Salcedo, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur

Right in front of Saint Paul Metropolitan Cathedral is the Plaza Salcedo, named after the Spanish conqueror, Juan de Salcedo who subdued the early native settlement in Vigan and established upon it Villa Fernandina for the monarchs of Spain in 1572. With this, Juan de Salcedo founded the third of many Hispanic settlements in the Philippines. Plaza Salcedo was the site of the execution of Gabriela Silang in September 1763.

According to history, the plaza was susceptible to fire during the Spanish regime. So the plan then was to create a man-made lagoon to minimize fire incidents. The original concept dating back several years ago is retained until March 2013 wherein a dramatic addition has been added to the once quiet and laid back park in between the Vigan Cathedral and the Ilocos Sur Capitol. The addition is a majestic dancing fountain.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

See below complete sample itinerary. 

It’s More Fun To Experience The Wonders of Philippines! Brace yourself for more exciting, budget-friendly, mouthwatering and extreme trips.

Other Suggested Budget Itinerary:

Byaheng Norte: The Baguio Day Tour + Food Crawl Challenge

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[twatkcox]

[The Keihancarl Diaries: June 16, 2018]

Keihancarl here. It sure was a rainy week, so says the weather report.

I was initially planning to do this a week after POF: Ai, however, it got canceled at the last minute for some reason, mainly due to bad weather. As a result, the trip was rescheduled for the following week, but I doubt that the weather will cooperate considering that it had been raining hard these past few days. The rainy weather sure is a bad sign that the trip won't go as smoothly as planned.

Anyway, it was raining just as I was about to prepare for the trip. It's all-black outfit for now since I couldn't even think of any other outfit I can wear except for the black fleece coat and a black anime shirt.

The sun finally shows up, much to my delight. It means that I can now proceed with the trip. Manila is my preferred destination for this trip, though I also passed by a mall in the QC-Cloverleaf area, which makes it my first stop.

It's the same as my last visit, visiting a couple of shops and nothing else. Passing by a bookstore, Biblio, there were vintage books for sale, though, some of them are expensive.

By the way, their shuttle service is now charging 5 pesos per trip (on my last visit, December 2017, it was free of charge), but it's quicker and more convenient than having to walk all the way to the mall area, which is about a kilometer away from the LRT Balintawak station.

I then took the LRT-1 to Tayuman Station, then walked to my next stop, SM City San Lazaro.

On the way to my next destination, I just noticed some activities in the former Ever Gotesco Grand Central area, the mall that was gutted by fire six years ago. They were currently draining the water from the so-called pond/lake, which is actually rainwater. I couldn’t take a picture of the activity since the train I was riding had an advertising wrap on it, including the windows. Here’s how it looked like in this archive pic I took last December.

Reaching my next stop, I just passed by a few shops and checked the supermarket area.

I then head to Tutuban/Divisoria/Binondo areas, but by the time I was heading back to Tayuman Station, it was already raining outside, much to my disappointment.

Reaching my next stop, I visit Tutuban Center first. It's basically the same as the rest of the malls in the area except for the upscale Lucky Chinatown Mall.

Anyway, I took some time exploring the mall, which is originally the site of PNR Central Station (a.k.a. Tutuban Station). Back then, train stations had nice designs and interiors, like some of the old buildings in Manila. Unfortunately, some of them are left in disrepair, demolished, or repurposed as a commercial space like Tutuban Center.

I then head to 999 Mall, which is right across the Tutuban Center. At this point, I was getting hungry so I decided to have lunch at the food court.

I had a fried rice meal at the same stall where I had a minced beef fried rice almost a year ago. This time, it was a shrimp and chorizo fried rice, and as always, it is great.

I took some time to check the stalls, especially the one where I bought my anime shirts. It looks like they have some new ones on sale as well as their usual offerings.

I also dropped by a stall in 168 Mall selling anime and K-pop merch, but I only checked a few anime posters. Various K-pop merchandises are dominating the stall unlike before.

Next stop, Lucky Chinatown Mall. I only checked a couple of shops and had a fruit tea at the mall's cinema level.

The fruit tea from Ersao is okay, at least there’s still a hint of green tea in it. I then sat down at one of the sofas right by the escalators.

I was about to head out of the mall when it rained. At this point, I decided to upload the pictures on my Instagram account and began writing on the post you're reading right now.

As soon as the rain stopped, I decided to head for my next stop, SM Manila. I head to the restroom first since my bladder is already full, but all I can find are customer lounges and pay toilets. That means there are no regular restrooms on the lower floors, which is kind of disappointing. I didn't bother to go find the rest of the restrooms inside the mall, instead I proceed to the nearest fast food chain outside the mall area so I can relieve myself.

On the way to my next stop, I passed by the bookstore at the underpass near Manila City Hall. There were some great manga books, but I really can't spend a lot of money at the moment.

Reaching SM Manila, I only checked a couple of shops. I visited Comic Alley and one of their staff complimented my black fingerless gloves, which is actually a Katekyo Hitman Reborn merch that I bought from a Comic Alley branch in SM Fairview more than 7 years ago.

After that, I rode the LRT to UN Avenue Station and I passed by Times Plaza, the National Museum Of Natural History (but I didn't go inside), and later Rizal Park.

I also get to see the Manila Bay, which is then littered with a lot of garbage, possibly washed ashore during the typhoon. I'm pretty sure that there'll be a clean-up drive soon.

A man operating a kalesa passed by and greeted me. He asked if I was a foreigner, he must have mistaken me for one possibly due to my outfit. I told him that I'm from here and he nodded. He then asked if I wanted to ride, but I politely refused since I wanted to stick around and watch the waves.

At this point, it started raining again so I'm off to my final stop, Robinsons Place Manila. I was starting to feel hungry again so I had an early dinner at the mall's food court. I didn't check any of the shops, but I was amazed at some of the storefronts on the ground floor.

And it's time to head home. Traffic was light to moderate from Taft Avenue to the Batasan portion of Commonwealth Avenue, but it was heavy along Manggahan due to the ongoing MRT-7 construction. Based on the Google Maps app, it was maroon, meaning that the traffic in that area is really heavy. I'm sure that it was also heavy in the SM Fairview area for the same reason.

The trip went pretty well despite the rain, but I could have enjoyed it better if it been sunny all day. Anyway, I managed to enjoy the trip so much, especially the fried rice at 999 Mall and the stormy wind beside Manila Bay. I feel kind of exhausted after that, but it was fun.

So where will my next trip take me? It’s a little too early to decide on it yet.

All pics are taken by yours truly, Keihancarl, and are uploaded to my private Instagram account, @kcox105. The pic of the former Ever Gotesco Grand Central area (as seen from LRT-1) is from December 2017.

[angcallecrisologo]

Why can you do with Calle Crisologo?

Finding activities, places, and arts in the street of Calle Crisologo? We got you! 

Abel-Iloko photo courtesy by Travel Trilogy (2014).

If you appreciate art, you should take a look at the Abel-Iloko Weaving community. Abel is a traditional weaving method in Ilocos, it is also a dying culture as younger generations opted not to continue this tradition. The weave weave produces such as blankets, table napkins, placemats and more. 

The making of a pot photo courtesy by Leah De Leon.

If you take an interest in poetry, visit Pagburnayan— open for 24 hours. Poetry or burnay, is also a dying culture in Vigan because no one wants to continue the making of jars.

Calle Crisologo is known for its Spanish architecture that was built in the 15th century and still continues to be preserved today. An intact representation of a perfectly planned Spanish colonial town in Asia would be in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Most people visit Vigan to go on a late night stroll at the Vigan Heritage Village. Streets filled with horse carriages, more commonly known as kalesa. 

Street of Calle Crisologo, a photo courtesy by Wikipedia.

The buildings and structures are a blend of Asian building design and European colonial architecture and planning. Even restaurants and stores have a Spanish feel to it. The river in the area used to be a trading post for the Chinese, they used to go to Vigan to trade goods in exchange for gold, beeswax, and other products and resources in the Cordillera region.

Café Leona, a photo courtesy by Buffet of Blessings.

If you’re looking for a place to try authentic Vigan Longganisa and Bagnet dishes, you should definitely stop by at Café Leona. They also serve Japanese, Thai, and Italian cuisines. Leona Café was named after Leona Florentino, a poetess. Before it was turned into a restaurant, it was actually Leona’s ancestral home.