Smooth Getaway Postcard From Manilla

Over the past three decades, economic and political misfortunes coupled with natural calamities have kept the Philippines from taking a well-deserved place among the world’s most popular destinations. Pity, when these 7000 green islands contain some of the planet's best scenery.

Twisted Vagabondage Tale From The Philippines II

In our last episode, we wondered aloud why cockfighting abounds in this remote part of The Philippines. As a supplier of millions of chicken eggs, Bantayan Island (also called Egg Island) offers byways punctuated by ubiquitous wooden coops and the best breakfasts in Southeast Asia. We're not just talking eggs and bacon, but the national dish of chicken adobo, which to my untutored eye resembles cannibalism on sticky rice. There are over 5 million roosters and hens on Bantayan, despite over 150,000 local inhabitants going through them rather quickly, not only in the cockpit but also in the crockpot.

Twisted Vagabondage Tale From The Philippines I

The roosters swaggered around like Mick and Keith, with dangerously sharp spurs attached to their legs. While these apocalyptic poultry sussed each other out with alpha-male malice, the excitement began to build. My two new Norwegian backpacker friends snapped photos and placed a sizeable bet, to the tune of your average Filipino office worker’s annual salary, on the seemingly more aggressive bird.

Smooth Getaway Postcard From Cebu

The life of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, whose 16th-century voyage for Spain was the first to circumnavigate the globe, took a tragic turn in 1521 when he was killed waging battle with the local populace in Cebu, Philippines. Today's explorers will receive a more friendly welcome in Cebu and can walk in the navigator's steps without trepidation.

Cebu, the oldest city in the Philippines and the second largest behind Manila, constitutes a thriving metropolis of over three million people. Yet, southern Cebu retains a more provincial, less frenetic quality than the northern hub of Manila.

Road Babe Dispatch From The Philippines

In two months, I'll make what could turn out to be the most excruciating decision of my life. I stand at the crossroads of staying or going. For a year, I've been looking forward to traveling and living abroad. Now, it’s time to leave and I'm having second thoughts. My feet seem to be glued down.