Just because everyone is under home quarantine doesn’t mean we can’t have Instagram-worthy photos. And just because the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has brought so much suffering doesn’t mean we can’t smile anymore. So, to lighten up the mood while we’re all stuck at home (yes, it’s our duty to stay at home at this time to limit the spread of the virus), let’s feature some of your at-home photos (don’t forget to tag us at VisitPinas@Instagram to submit your photos).
Continue reading Home Photos in the Time of COVID-19 QuarantineAll posts by Teenee
We Heal As One: Nothing Can Take Our Smile Away
Filipinos are known for our warm smile. Filipinos have the capacity to smile even through bad times. The Philippines, together with the whole world, is facing an extraordinary crisis brought about by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19). The Department of Tourism (DOT) posted a heartwarming video of the Philippines in the time of the virus. We love the video. We love the message. It shows what a whole-of-government approach can do to uplift the spirit of a country. It also shows how a whole-of-country approach can help us get through the crisis, with our warm smiles intact. We help as one. We heal as one. Watch this awesome video:
Continue reading We Heal As One: Nothing Can Take Our Smile Away
Life in the Time of Corona
Travel, both domestic and international, is practically dead at this time. Countries are closing their borders. The lockdown in the Philippines, for instance, bars all inbound international flights, as well as domestic flights. This means that hotels, restaurants, airlines, travel agencies and other tourism-related activities must take a big gulp of financial oxygen and hold on until the lockdown, called enhanced community quarantine in the Philippines, is lifted.
Continue reading Life in the Time of Corona
2020 HOLIDAYS: OFFICIAL LIST OF PHILIPPINE HOLIDAYS
We always say that vacation planning is always better when done way in advance. Advance planning brings more bank to your buck (and your time). We are about to wrap up 2019 (see full list of 2019 holidays), so it’s time to plan for 2020. Here’s the official list of the nationwide holidays for 2020, per Proclamation No. 845:
Continue reading 2020 HOLIDAYS: OFFICIAL LIST OF PHILIPPINE HOLIDAYS
Video: Best Thing to Do during Vacation in COLD Baguio
People love going to Baguio, so much so that Baguio, in our opinion, is overcrowded. Sometimes it’s hard to enjoy the old Baguio — with fantastic views and awesome fresh scent of pine trees — when there’s too much people, traffic is as bad as Metro Manila. Anyway, the number of people in Baguio City does not change one thing — the place is cold even during summer. It’s way colder during the Christmas season. Now, it it’s cold (especially if you’re not used to low temperatures all-day long, what do you do? Here’s our suggestion on what to do in COLD Baguio: Continue reading Video: Best Thing to Do during Vacation in COLD Baguio
Halloween Special: Battle of Good vs Evil at the Malabon Cemetery
Somewhere in the Malabon cemetery lies a statue of an angel (St. Michael the Archangel) in a fight with the devil, Lucifer. It’s a scary sight, especially for kids. St. Michael (San Miguel) appears to be losing the fight. He is on the ground, pinned under Lucifer’s foot. It looks like evil is winning. This is the reason why so many people think it’s a Satanic statue. However, the plaque beside the statue, paints a different picture. The entire story is featured in this video: Continue reading Halloween Special: Battle of Good vs Evil at the Malabon Cemetery
How To Get In Shape for Summer: Philippine Travel Stories
There are two seasons in the Philippines, some say — the hot season and the very hot season. We know, of course, the difference between just “hot” and “very hot”, and it boils down (pun intended) to your body’s physical condition to face the world-renowned Philippine summer. In these photographs, culled from the VisitPinas-tagged photos in Instagram, we’ll share with you life-changing tips on how to whip your body into shape. Here goes.
Get out of the Shade
It’s not really about the shade itself, but what we do under the shade. Most often than not, the shade is a place to chill. Hammock or no hammock, it’s nice to simply doze off in the shade. To illustrate, here’s Joanna Marie Bola (check her Instagram account, @jannazabat, for more photos) at the Pearl Farm Resort in Davao.
“A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it,” she says. That’s good if you’re already in summer bod, but ain’t good if you’re still getting there. So, get your lazy butt off the shade and get ready to work some serious sweat.
Progress, not perfection
Thanks to Netflix, we can now binge-watch our favorite movies, one of which is The Equalizer, where we get a memorable line from Denzel Washington — “Progress, not perfection.” Goals may sometimes appear impossible to achieve because of the sheer immensity, like, how do I shed a thousand pounds before summer? The secret? Little steps. Don’t think of giant strides, as what we can see from this photo of the Upside Down Museum (Pasay City, Metro Manila), courtesy of Markdavid Domequil (check his Instagram account, @daviddomequil).
Huge strides will weigh you down. Progress, not perfection. If you can’t make it this summer, there’s always a next year. Besides, so long as you’re confident with your body, go ahead and flaunt it, abs or no abs. It’s better to be happy than getting injured with too much preoccupation with the abs. Remember, Ed Sheeran talked about being in love with the “shape of you.” Round is a shape, you know.
We will update this post to add more user-submitted tips, so tag us in your photos. [Photos reproduced with permission (thanks). Tag your Philippine travel photos with #visitpinas so we can track it down. Photos will be featured in this blog’s photo of the day and in instagram/VisitPinas, facebook/VisitPinas, twitter/VisitPinas.]
Me, Myself and my Selfie Stick: Philippine Travel Stories
The selfie stick. Banned in many crowded places for safety reasons. It won’t be necessary to ban the selfie stick if it’s not ubiquitous, and it won’t be ubiquitous unless it has an excellent purpose. You see, the selfie stick serves an important role in this era of social media — you can take your own photo without asking anyone for assistance or, in case of a groufie, without leaving anyone out of the photo. Continue reading Me, Myself and my Selfie Stick: Philippine Travel Stories
Happy Halloween: Philippine Travel Stories
Halloween is not exactly a Philippine tradition. Filipinos do honor their dead during this season. All Saints’ Day, or also called Todos los Santos, is a regular holiday in the Philippines that falls every November 1 (see All Saints Day: Regular Holiday). Undas or Araw ng mga Patay (Day of the Dead, or All Souls’ Day) is celebrated a day after, November 2. This is not a regular holiday in the Philippines, but is often declared an additional special non-working day. Continue reading Happy Halloween: Philippine Travel Stories
Just Keep on Walking: Philippine Travel Stories
Just keep on walking. We often encounter this line, made more recognizable by that whiskey brand. Brad Pitt’s character in World War Z perfectly explains why there’s a need to keep on walking — “movement is life.” And in a world where no man is an island, or in the avalanche of complicated status in social media, the message in Last of the Mohicans still rings clearly in our ears: “You’re strong! You survive! You stay alive, no matter what occurs! I will find you! No matter how long it takes, no matter how far. I will find you.” Continue reading Just Keep on Walking: Philippine Travel Stories