Visiting Families in the Philippines

Getting There. We booked a flight from IAD (Dulles International Airport) to Bay Area to meet up with my parent a day before our trip to Philippines. The following day, we all flew together from San Francisco to Manila via Taipei, Taiwan on EVA Air.

Getting Around. We used a family van which easily fits 8 passengers to go around town, from airport pickup to family visits.

Schedule

Day 1, Jan 16 (Mon)

We arrived in Manila around noon via Taipei. My auntie and cousin who travel to Manila from the province the day before our arrival was already at the gate waiting for us. Completely drained from the flight, my auntie took us to her usual restaurant nearby the airport before retiring at Eleganza Apartelle in Quezon City, this location gave us a head start the following day on our trip to my hometown, Bayombong.

Day 2, Jan 17 (Tue)

Today, everyone woke up early to get ready for an all day ride to Bayombong. My auntie and uncle whom I have not seen for a while joined us on this six hours journey. En route to my hometown, we stopped by along the way for breakfast right outside the hustle and bustle of Manila, the city of San Jose for lunch at Marquez restaurant and few other places to buy souvenirs and "pasalubong".

Day 3, Jan 17 (Wed)

Excited about my hometown which I haven't seen for many years, I woke up early and walked to the Public Market, buying all sorts of fruits and vegetables. Then took a tricycle to my childhood bakery shop, Breads n Bites(formerly known as Tasterite), owned and managed by Manalo family.

After breakfast, we leisurely walked to Saint Mary's University campus to burn the calories gained from eating artery clogging Filipino breakfast before we headed to Pawak Elementary School to meet with the school staff as part of the Outreach Program called "Chalkboard".

That evening, we drove to Solano to shop for school supplies from different vendor, Ataw and others for the Outreach Program.

Day 4, Jan 18 (Thu)

We stayed mostly at my hometown, visiting our old house which we listed for sale for 7 million Pesos(roughly $150,000 US), CLISOC Field and Bangan Hill, where I used to bike in my childhood.

Day 5, Jan 19 (Fri)

One of the highlight of this trip was the Outreach Program where I got to spent special moment with the schoolchildren of Pawak Elementary School.

Day 6, Jan 20 (Sat)

Today was special day, where my cousins, relatives, uncles, aunties and family friends on both sides joined us for a get together party at my auntie's house.

In the afternoon, after the party, everyone hopped in a van and drove to Masoc for a beautiful scenery of my hometown.

Toward the end of the day, we took a stroll to the Capitol,

Day 7, Jan 21 (Sun)

Last day in my hometown. We drove to Manila on the family van along with my cousins who live in the city. Along the way, we stopped at the base, just before the climb of Santa Fe to get souvenirs.

Physically drained from the all day drive, we checked-in at Red Planet Hotel Aseana City but before we retired for the night, we crossed the busy street to the Night Market along Roxas Boulevard to enjoy a "balut" and "lansones".

Day 8, Jan 22(Mon)

Checked out of Red Planet Hotel and took an Uber to Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Terminal 4 to catch a flight with SkyJet to Coron where we stayed for a week, scuba diving, island hopping, snorkeling, hibernating and relaxing- anything that relaxes the mind.