"Kabayan ako..," my husband, Yohann proudly exclaims. 

"Oh yeah? Have you tried balut?" I answered back.  

"Hmmm..."

Balut or boiled duck embryo is a popular Filipino snack that most find strange, sometimes disgusting or even terrifying. According to CNN, "it's a Filipino delicacy that makes the world squirm." I ate lots of those when I was a kid. We have a saying back home, they're good for strengthening the knees. Each country from every part of the world has something exotic to offer anyway, so it's not that bad. This reminds me of the time we ate tarantulas in Phnom Penh.

Immersing oneself in the culinary scene of every place we visit is a good way to experience and understand one's culture. With that, my sister and I convinced our partners to finally try this challenge together. Though it's Fergus', my brother-in-law's second attempt to enjoy this popular Filipino snack, it ended up to be a memorable experience, especially when you have San Miguel Pale Pilsen next to you. 

Dare to try?

Bon Appetit!

Love & light,

Arni

Clang, an avid mountain climber and blogger behind Clangies Tower accepted my invitation when her hiking stories piqued my curiosity. Please welcome her as she shares her best tips for those who want to start climbing and exploring trails. 

This Filipino slang according to Urban Dictionary is someone who is trying hard to look cute and expects to be treated like a very important person.  Be prepared to slip, fall, slide, get wet, wounded, encounter mud, leeches, altitude sickness and mosquito bites. "Walang arte-arte," (Don't be fussy) Clang noted.

In pursuit of the island life, we took a weekend break from a sad and stressful week, one beautiful sunny Sunday in Coron, Palawan, Philippines to explore Bulog Dos, Banana and Malcapuya, three gems in the Calamianes group of Islands. It was a spontaneous decision to join a group boat tour, the day before the scheduled trip.  

Sorry, my phone cannot connect to the internet and the weirdest thing was two draft posts I've published went missing. I will write about island hopping experiences when I am able to get my phone to work. In the meantime, here's a recent project that I completed for the love of doing it.

Exploring the island of Busuanga for nearly 5 hours can be hard on the bums. Nothing that a good massage can't cure. I bet though that this is the closest if not the best way to experience the beauty of the island.

Two days in Manila catching up with family left me feeling happy. I am content as I am sitting at the boarding area waiting for our delayed flight to visit the island where our future home will be built. For the first time in many many years, I have finally felt that I am home. In this country, the Philippines.

A collection of 10 of My Favorite Things to Do in Coron, Palawan on those chillax days when you're not island hopping. 

1.  Explore the island of Busuanga on a moped or motorbike.

2.  Relax at Maquinit Hot Spring.

Three years ago, this exact spot was where my brother proposed to his ex-fiancee. The whole family planned it all along. Sadly, some things are not meant to be, but this place will always leave a trace of that memory. So when we dropped by for a short stop over while we were cruising on a motorbike,I can't help myself from remembering that time.

Along Coron Busuanga Highway before reaching town, Coron Westown Resort Hotel proudly sits atop a hill.The kind that will draw your attention while driving along a tree lined road. This quietly elegant and inadvertently imposing structure welcomes us after an hour flight from Manila.

My husband and I went for a post-baby honeymoon getaway.  We agreed to treat ourselves. This served as our late birthday gifts by booking  four days and three nights in this resort haven.  

If you're wondering where to eat in Coron, Palawan, Philippines, here's another interesting discovery. 

Los Guapos. It was among the list of restaurants to visit on Trip Advisor. It wasn't there yet when I visited early last year. Much to our curiosity and a mood for Mexican cuisine, we were happy to have found the place. 

It is located at the ground floor of Casa Coron Hotel along Calle Real, Poblacion 2, right across Coron Eco Lodge. It is hard to miss.  This inviting and well-lit  place opens up to the street.  

June 12 marks a holiday back home. Today is Philippine Independence Day. I'm sure most of the city folks are preoccupied enjoying a  non-working day hopefully commemorating nationalism and the importance of freedom. What better way to appreciate home by posting a travel memory of one of my favorite places.  Bohol. Known for its popular "Chocolate Hills".

Alona Beach, Panglao Island, Bohol

Here's a photo blog of this stunning town. We explored Panglao Island of Bohol on a 125cc motorcycle. Enjoy the countryside breeze and the rustic landscape. There were luxurious hill top mansions at the other side of the island, away from resorts, where  affluent residents live right at the edge of seaside cliffs. Much to our hearts' content, spying on the architecture of these fenced houses was unexpectedly inspiring. 

I'm happy to once again take part in the Expat Blogger Link-up called The Expat Experience hosted by Molly @  The Move to America. For this week's theme "Feeling at Home," I will be writing about what made me feel right at home when I moved to Dubai. Join in the fun by clicking here and feel free to share some love.





As an expat who misses home,  the closest to feeling the warmth and comfort of home is the food!

While trying to upload a video on youtube of our motorbike trip to visit the remote beaches at the northern tip of  El Nido, Palawan, Philippines. I found these images of the rice paddies en route to Nacpan and Calitang Twin Beach. A short stop (for the aching bums). The sun was high up and it was a rough journey. We were about to run out of petrol on our way back. Luckily, we found a small village on the way, right in the middle of nowhere to buy a bottle of gasoline sold in a small shack and we were good to go.

San Vicente's 14 kilometer long white sand beach is best explored on a motorbike.  We rented one from the kind owner of Peace and Love Resort. Riding behind my husband, enjoying the tropical breeze, it was a perfect morning to visit the countryside. {Read about the prequel here} Every now and then we got a glimpse of the above sea view as we drove along the main road parallel to the beach.