Latest Article on Traveling to Marinduque

Poctoy White Beach with Mt. Malindig in the Background

The following article was printed under the Marinduque Travel Guide dated August 17, 2010(www.localphilippines.com).It is a good summary of what to do and see in Marinduque. I found the article very informative.

"A heart-shaped island in the Southern Tagalog Region is a certified tourism magnet come the Lenten Season. The province has been making waves in the travel sector behind a colorful event (odd for some) called the Moriones Festival. Aside from this religious occasion, the island is known as an alternative destination to Boracay and Palawan, as it is blessed with beautiful sand beaches, enchanting caves, unspoiled diving sites, and rejuvenating hotsprings. The place, which is commonly included in the list of recommended vacation getaways in most Philippine travel guides, is called Marinduque.

Marinduque is located at the geographical center of the Philippines. Covering an area of 952.6 square kilometers, the province is situated south and west of Quezon, east of Mindoro, and north of Romblon. It is home to around 230,000 people as of 2007, with the majority of the populace earning a living by farming and fishing.

The Marinduquenos are known to be hospitable and friendly. First-time tourists are usually welcomed with a big smile and a heart-warming putong, a traditional song-and-dance ritual performed by local folks. Putong, or tubong, in some parts of the island, also means the crowning of a guest or an honorary with flowers or gaily-decorated crowns. This practice adds to the appeal of Marinduque to both local and foreign holidaymakers.

Getting to Marinduque is not as problematic compared to other travel destinations in the archipelago. Some local airlines offer direct flights from Manila to Marinduque several times a week. As a travel tip, make reservations in advance to avoid any inconvenience. For tourists who are afraid of flying, there are buses and ships bound for the province.

The best time to go to Marinduque is during the Holy Week, when the province is all systems go for the Moriones Festival. The event is highlighted by a parade participated in by people, usually God-fearing men, wearing colorful masks and garbs replicating that of the biblical Roman soldiers. The main attraction in the festival is a show reenacting the event when, Longinus, a blind soldier, punctures Jesus with his spear and the blood droplets from the wound enables him to regain his sight.

Marinduque is also an ideal place for beach bummers. The island is dotted with unspoiled white-sand beaches and tranquil islets that are perfect for swimming and other water recreation activities such as snorkeling, windsurfing, and diving. Boac, the provincial capital, is famous for the white sand of the Poctoy Beach. Not to be outdone are the beaches in Maniwaya Island in the town of Sta. Cruz.

Correction: Poctoy White Beach is in Torrijos about 50 minutes drive from Boac.

Accommodations vary from the very simple to the extravagant. One of the famous vacation rentals in Marinduque is the Bellarocca Island Resort and Spa, which is located on an excluded island several minutes away from the mainland. Its location makes the resort an ideal place for travelers looking to escape the hassles of the city life.

With the growing interest in nature, Marinduque has joined the bandwagon for promoting the “green” thing. The province is being promoted as a premier ecotourism destination in the Philippines. The must-see sanctuaries and protected areas in the island include the Balagbag Mountain Range, Tres Reyes Marine Sanctuary, and Malindig Volcano. The chance of tourists getting bored in Marinduque is very unlikely. Spelunking enthusiasts can explore Bathala Caves in Sta. Cruz and Tarug Caves in Mogpog while travelers looking to get their body recharged with new energy can soak in the hot springs of Malbog in Buenavista.

With so many things to do and see in Marinduque, it is no wonder, then, that the province is close to the heart of travelers".

Time for Some Filipino Songs with Old Manila as Background

Old Manila, 1898
The following two songs, Anak ng Dalita ( Son of the Oppressed) and Pakiusap( May I Talk to You) are in the top ten of my favorite old Filipino love songs. What is also beautiful and nostalgic in this video are the pictures of old Manila around 1898 to 1930 serving as the background. If you love Philippine history and old filipino classical music, this video is a must see for you.

In front of the Manila Market, 1899
Old Manila Arch, 1900

Here's a second video of Conching Rosal, singing Mutya Ng Pasig ( Pearl of Pasig)

Statistical Data from My Nine Blogs-After Two Years

Lady Gaga's Alejandro music video was the most popular and most visited posting in my blogs.

Today is the second anniversary of my blogging activities(I started in September, 2008). I have nine blogs both personal, business (Beach Resort) and about Marinduque-My Island Paradise. I have also one blog about amazing, funny, weird, sexy and unusual stories and images from the web.

I signed up for Google ADSENSE at the start, not with the hope of making a big income to support me, but just for curiosity. Will google AdSense really give me an income as advertised by a few professional bloggers?

I blog because I love to write and not to earn. But if my blogs make money from Adsense, it is like icing in the cake and of course it will be welcome. Earning money through Adsense is just a dream, right now!

Here are the statistical data from my nine blogs after two years:

Title of Blog Page Impressions Income($)

1. Marinduque Awaits You 13,813 8.40
2. Marinduque My Island Paradise 7,189 7.15
3. Planning to Visit Marinduque 2,436 4.03
4. Life in US and the Philippines 5,198 3.55
5. Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort 4,269 3.23
6. Why Retire to the Philippines 2,744 2.28
7. The Intellectual Migrant 6,342 1.02
8. Amazing, Unusual and Sexy Images 4,327 0.79
9. I Left My Heart in Marinduque 2,257 0.51

The total earnings from Adsense in the last two years is $30.96

The total page impressions is about 46,000.

On June this year, Google AdSense was disabled from my blog # 8. I do not know the reason why. But I suspect the robot has detected a bad word in one of the articles in the site. Googles should have at least warned me before it disable AdSense in that site.

I have written more than 1000 articles in the nine blogs for the last 2 years. I have also written three news article for Huliq.com and three for Live in the Philippines internet magazine.

The top ten articles based on the Number of Visits (Page Views)are as follows:
Title of Article,(date posted), Page Views ( Subject )
1. Time for Lady Gaga's Alejandro(6/11/10) 718 ( music video)
2. Chapter 4: My College Years ( 5/09/09) 246 ( The Oblation)
3. PI Bench Underwear Fashion Show( 7/03/10) 162 ( Underwear Fashions)
4. Fruit Trees in the Gardens of CDM( 6/27/10) 148 ( fruit trees and gardens)
5. I Love Sunsets! How About You?( 9/06/09) 135 ( photography)
6. Cloyne Court, Episode 10 (9/02/09) 120 ( coed bathrooms UC Berkeley)
7. Lady Gaga has a Penis (6/20/10) 118 ( music video)
8. One Curios Boy, Four Horny Animals(6/20/09) 112 (pictorials)
9. The Vagina and Penis Trees( 10/11/09) 100 ( pictorials)
10. Hundred Island National Park (9/10/09) 100 ( travel)

The above data tells me that Lady Gaga is one lady that attracts blog readers all over the world. The above video has already been viewed by 13 million viewers in You Tube.

Gasan, Marinduque-The Butterfly Capital of the Philippines

A Butterfly at our Golden Wedding Anniversary Celebration in the Hands of Elaine King-my granddaughter from California.

Do you know that Marinduque is the butterfly capital of the Philippines? Gasan one of the six towns in Marinduque is considered as the butterfly capital of the Philippines, contributing 85% of the country’s butterfly and pupa exports. More than three-fourths of the butterfly breeders nationwide are based largely in this town and neighboring villages. Butterfly farming started only recently but is fast becoming an international growth industry with estimates of 100 million pesos worth of exports. Here's a little more information about Gasan, sometimes known also as the cultural center of Marinduque.
The New Butterfly Park in Gasan

Gasan is practically one of those overlooked towns in the country, unless you go out of your way and spend time to venture into this quaint little town. In fact its 11,830 hectares of land area is considered to be one of the cleanest municipalities in the country today. It is one of the six municipalities of the province of Marinduque.

Legend attributes the name to “Gasang-Gasang, the local term for coral stones, that once abounds near the mouth of the Matandang Gasan River. The bank of this old river is widely believed to be the site of the earliest settlements in the island. In time, the said coral stones would be used by the natives as fortification to the walls surrounding the church and convent built on a hill. These walls, fragments of which exists to this very day eventually formed into a baluarte where a church and convent was formed to create the town known today as Gasan.
Here's one of Marinduque's tourist impression during her tour to one of the Butterfly Farms in Gasan.

"We went to a cooperative butterfly farm, called Marinduque Lepidoptera Farms (gardenfairybutterfly@yahoo.com) in Barangay Uno Gasan where we found the butterflies so friendly. Mrs. Emer Sevilla, the person in charge of the butterfly cooperative, each gave us one live butterfly in a triangular envelope and said that based on a local legend, If I wanted to make a wish come true, I should whisper this wish to the butterfly before setting it free. The butterfly is supposed to take my wish to the heavens where it will then be granted. Be as it may, I made the ritual and instantly, gave me that feeling of hope".
Here's a music video that reminds me about Marinduque as the Butterfly Capital of the Philippines. I hope you enjoy this music video.


Getting Interested on Butterflies? Here's a short video on how to create a butterfly garden in your own yard.

Do not forget to view the related videos in this set also.

Miss Saigon in London and Lea Salonga

Sun and Moon Scene
The other day, I received an e-mail from a Face Book friend complaining that the tickets for Cats with Lea Salonga singing the song Memories in Manila cost P5000 pesos each equivalent to a little more than $100. I told her that the price is worth it just to see Lea Salonga performed live and in person. Her letter reminded me that way back in 1990, Macrine and I paid to see Miss Saigon in London, the ticket price of $110 each. It was expensive then, but the seats were in front and it was the only two available seats at the time slot that we are free. The show was worth it. Macrine and I cried like babies at the end of the show. The finale was a tear jerking scene. I am now crying as I can still remember the scene after all these years. It was one of the best live musical we have seen in our lives(see the original Finale Scene in the related video below).

Here's a short video of the highlights of Miss Saigon courtesy of You-Tube. If you are not familiar with the story of the show, I have attached a short description and history of the show from Wikipedia below.

"Miss Saigon is a West End musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby, Jr. It is loosely based on Giacomo Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly, and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed romance involving an Asian woman abandoned by her American lover. The setting of the plot is relocated to the 1970s Saigon during the Vietnam War, and Madame Butterfly's American Lieutenant and Japanese geisha coupling is replaced by a romance between an American GI and a Vietnamese bar girl.

The musical premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in London on September 20, 1989, closing after 4,264 performances, on October 30, 1999. It opened on Broadway at the Broadway Theatre in 1991 and subsequently played in many other cities and embarked on tours.

The musical represented Schönberg and Boublil's second major success, following Les Misérables in 1980. As of August 2010, Miss Saigon is still the 10th longest-running Broadway musical in musical theatre history.

Background

The musical's inspiration was reportedly a photograph, inadvertently found by Schönberg in a magazine. The photo showed a Vietnamese mother leaving her child at a departure gate at Tan Son Nhat Air Base to board a plane headed for the United States where her father, an ex-GI, would be in a position to provide a much better life for the child. Schönberg considered this mother's actions for her child to be "The Ultimate Sacrifice," an idea central to the plot of Miss Saigon.

Highlights of the show include the evacuation of the last Americans in Saigon from the Embassy roof by helicopter while a crowd of abandoned Vietnamese scream in despair, the victory parade of the new communist regime and the frenzied night club scene at the time of defeat.

Many of the major European musicals on Broadway started in the 1980s, including Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, and Les Misérables and then included Miss Saigon into the 1990s.

West End

Miss Saigon premiered in the West End at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on September 20, 1989 and closed after 4,264 performances on October 30, 1999. The director was Nicholas Hytner with musical staging by Bob Avian and scenic design by John Napier. In December 1994 the London production became the Theatre Royal's (Drury Lane) longest running musical, eclipsing the record set by My Fair Lady.

The original Kim was played by Lea Salonga, who became famous because of this role and won the Laurence Olivier Award and Tony Award. The original Engineer was portrayed by Jonathan Pryce who won a Tony Award for the role.
Sun and Moon Duet

Funny Wedding Pictures-Not Worthy for your Album

The subject of wedding was brought to my attention recently, when Macrine's niece informed us that we will be the primary sponsor for her wedding this coming November (civil wedding ceremony) in Los Gatos, California to be followed next year (January 29) with a Roman Catholic ceremony in the Boac Cathedral in Marinduque. She will be inviting 14 guests from US, so we are currently planning their accommodations at Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort in Marinduque. Macrine's sister from Alameda, California and her family are also planning to attend, so it appears that Chateau Du Mer will be filled to capacity the last week of January. So, if you are planning to reserve the beach house on the dates between January 23 to 30, 2011 you are out of luck. Get your reservations from other hotels or beach resorts in Marinduque.
Here are the photos from golmao.com for your enjoyment. Comments will be appreciated.

Santorini Island, Greece and Bellarocca Resort, Philippines

Santorini Island, Greece
The architectural design of the buildings in Bellaracco Resort, Marinduque has often been compared to Santorini, Greece. This did aroused my curiosity and so I am posting this six minute video about Santorini. View it and judge for yourself. Is the comparison valid or just plain baloney or humbug from the promoters of Bellarocca?.





The first three photos are from Santorini and the last three photos are from Bellarocca

Another Promo Tour for Bellarocca Resort and Spa

The following article was published at http://luxeblack.com and written by Miquel Sarmiento dated August 22, 2010. It was titled: Bellarocca: Where Gods and Goddesses Unwind-Part 1. Continue reading and let me know if the article's title is indeed the truth or just "humbug". For $1500 a night, it better be a place that Gods and Goddesses can really unwind. Here's the article for your reading pleasure.

"As you all may know, our team just finished the successful Pretentious Asian promo tour. Though it was hectic and tiring, we had a blast!

A night before our flight to the island resort, Bellarocca Island Resort & Spa, Director of Marketing & Sales, Mr.John Tanjangco personally met me (during a scary typhoon) at the lobby of the Mandarin Hotel to give me my accommodation slips.

He personally briefed me about the resort we were about to visit.

Thanks, John, that's what I call personal & world-class service galore! I hadn't left yet and I was already being pampered!!

The resort is just a 30 minutes plane ride from Manila to the island of Marinduque, another 45 minutes scenic drive from the airport to the exclusive embarkment point for Bellarocca and then a 10 minutes speed boat ride to PARADISE!!

When the speed boat approached the private harbour of Bellarocca, the entire staff and crew of the resort was already singing their welcome song to us. As we disembarked, we were showered with fresh flower petals (love the various scents, Oh la la!) and were given a "Mabuhay" lei ( welcome in Filipino language). Rodulf Studer, General Manager of the resort and his staff personally greeted us at the dock. And that's what I call a real warm welcome (So nice when GMs of hotels & resorts personally greet me and my team).

As we were escorted by super cool, Guests Services Manager, Mr. Anito Lanticse, to the main reception area, we were in awe with the breathtaking views (no, not the 5 golf carts behind us carrying our baggages, ok!). Healthy and refreshing welcome drinks greeted us (oh those papaya & watermelon shakes are so delish!)

As soon as we checked-in for the 4 nights/5 days heavenly vacation, Anito brought us to our 1,500US$ per night villa, XANADU (all villas are named after gods and goddesses --> Then why did they not name one villa after me ???).

My team and I arrived at the doorsteps of the 2-bedroom, 2-floor villa, and yes we were all smiling! The Santorini-inspired villa is stunning. I have toured around the globe, and until now, I can say I haven't seen it all ;-)

The tastefully decorated villa gets my thumbs up. The huge living room has a 42-inch Plasma screen( satellite TV!!), HIFI stereo surround system, iPod dock and a DVD player (they have wide-array of the latest and top hits movies that you can borrow for free at the reception area).

The dining area has a 6-seater dining table. While the kitchen has a complete electric stove/oven (for those who plans to bring their personal chef with them) and all the hi-tech kitchen gadgets. If you bring your house hold staff or personal chef, the villa has a room for your staff (comes with toilet and bath facilities too).

Of course, moi gets the master's bedroom (who else Whatever,Princess!). The room provides elegance and luxurious comfort with a touch of a home-like essence. First thing I checked was the pillows. Oh how divine! All my pillows are chilled (as per my request, well I got tons of request. *grin* The emperor-sized bed (as how I call it) can sleep all Angelina & Brad's babies comfortably. The room is equipped with the same home entertainment system I mentioned earlier.

It has a Skype-enabled Belkin phone that connects you to the resort's various offices and amenities as well to all your family and friends worldwide.

The closets can fill all the contents of my 5 luggages (Now don't ask me why I brought 8 pairs of shoes, 3 suits, etc etc in an island resort!

The bathroom is very spacious (I had even the massage table placed there!). It has a jacuzzi/bathtub system and a separate rain shower area for 2 or more --->oh la la!! *wink*. The bathroom amenities are complimented by all natural products from L'Occitane ( how cool is that, sugar!). The villa's main pool is just steps away from the master's bedroom.. *dive & splash* Ahhhhhh ;-)

So I visited ( well, inspected) my team mates in their room, the guest room! While Jeroen, Dave and Magic unpacks the video and photo cameras, I meticulously inspect their room at the 2nd floor. Since it is a guest room, it is a bit smaller than the master's bedroom, but can comfortably fit 3 super-energetic adults (Jeroen, Dave and Magic, that is!). Their bathroom is also provided with a rain-shower, jacuzzi bathtub as well as L'Occitane products. The room has the same entertainment system like my room. I must admit, in both rooms, pillow, comforters and all the bed linens are EXCELLENT! The terrace of the guest room has a to-die-for view of the sea!!

FYI, all the rooms in the villa are airconditioned with separate remote controls (Ask Jeroen & Dave how I full-blasted the the AC system that the whole villa's temperature is like Siberia,lol). Anito also provided us with a strong and reliable WIFI signal, so I can update my Facebook status even while I am having a massage at my own room.. lovely!!!

So after few hours (of unpacking my stuff), I changed into my Speedos (don't try to raise your eyebrows..again!) and lounged at the villa's private lap pool and jacuzzi. The jacuzzi can comfortably fit 6 people at the same time, while you can do some relaxing laps at the pool. The view from the eternity pool is just breath taking.

The 3 musketeers (Jeroen, Dave and Magic) relaxed at the second dining area located reside the pool & jacuzzi. I joined them and had our production meeting for the island resort.

We had our shot list beforehand, but after seeing the resort, we had to change the list…because there is more to show and tell."

Comments any one?

America's Got Talent- Previous Winners

America's Got Talent (AGT) is one of my favorite TV show. The following three videos (related) are my favorite previous winners. The 2010 winner has not been crowned, but I have my favorites ( Jackie Evancho). Enjoy!

Top 6 Attractions of Marinduque-From Boosh News

The following article attracted my attention. It was published in Boosh News dated August 21, 2010. The author is Lilliane Cobiao-see last sentence in this report for details.

Marinduque is an island province in the Philippines most popularly known for the unique Moriones Festival. Tourists, local and foreign, flock to the island to take part in the colorful parade where locals dress in Morion costumes and masks.

The province is also infamously known for the multi-billion dollar mining industry in the 60s that resulted in an accident that brought the industry into a halt. It also caused great damage to the environment and the people of the island. A pending lawsuit with the multi-billion dollar companies responsible for the disaster, Marinduque slowly get back to its feet. While tourism isn’t a major source of their economy, it should.

Here are my take on the Top 6 Attractions of Marinduque.

(1) Scuba dive or snorkel in the clear waters of one or all of the tres reyes islands: Melchor, Gaspar, Baltazar.

(2) Explore the caves of Bathala in Sta. Cruz. Get a local guide and roam the spunky damp cave where bats and python dwell. There is a little climbing involved.

(3) Dip into the therapeutic water of the hot spring in Malbog in Buenavista. It is known to cure health condition such as migraine and skin asthma.

(4) Walk the old town of Mariduque and basked in culture with old stone houses, locally known as “bahay na bato”. There are also several old churches around the island with Cathedral of Boac being an important national historical landmark.

(5) Indulge in the luxury of Santorini inspired Bellarocca built on the Elephant Island. First class amenities such as golf, spa, yoga, infiniti pools, and various water sports are available. Finally,

(6) Shop for souvenirs or “pasalubong” at the local handicraft makers and famous uraro at Rejanos.

This is my addition to the article on things to do in Marinduque

1.Snorkeling in Amoingon Coast among the coral reefs

2.Shopping for native handicrafts

3.Visit butterfly farms and flea markets

4.Bird watching and hiking on Mt Malinding

5.Swimming in Poctoy White Beach and Hot/Sulfur Springs


Marinduque Island is reachable by a number of ports and by air via Gasan Airport. There are also bus companies that brings you to Marinduque by ferry.

Lilliane Cobiao is an avid traveler, photographer, and scuba diver. If she’s not actually doing one of the 3, she is either talking or writing about them. Join her in her wanderings at http://www.wanderlass.com