My (Pilipinas) Bucket List - Part 1

      It's the beginning of a new year and the ambition of goal making is in the air.  I love making lists, but the pressure of making resolutions leaves me feeling anxious.  So I thought I would do something fun and a little bit different this year, instead I would make a bucket list!  What is a bucket list?  A bucket list is a number of experiences or achievement one hopes to accomplish in their life before they "kick the bucket."

      There is so much about the Philippines I am completely ignorant about.  The country consists of over 7,000 islands and 22,584 miles of coastline (the 4th longest coastline in the world!), yet all I really know is a 5k radius around where we live in Manila.  So in an effort to learn more of "what's out there", I thought making a bucket list would be a good and enjoyable exercise to venture out past that 5k radius.

      If I had an endless supply of time, money, and courage, then this would be my bucket list for living in the Philippines:

      [NOTE:  I had wonderful pictures all picked out to illustrate each of the items on my list.  But then I found out that to download and use someone else's photo from the internet is illegal and a form of stealing.  Yikes!  So instead I got creative (on my husband's suggestion) and drew some pictures for your instead.  I was hoping that the beautiful photographs would allure some of you here and entice you to purchase plane tickets to come visit.  But alas, my drawings will not do the same.  So if you want to see real pictures for each of the items I will include a link of where you can go to see and learn more.]  

1.    Batangas coffee trail

My husband and I are coffee drinkers.  We have had many o' dates sipping coffee together, his cup black and mine with milk, usually a latte.  There is an animal here in the Philippines called a "civet cat".  It is a wild cat and has a diet consisting of various things.  One of those things are berries, coffee berries.  And with their keen sense of smell, they can sniff out the best and most flavorful berries.  Funny thing though, is that they can't digest it completely.  So what goes in also comes out in almost the same form, leaving droppings of flavorful and choice beans from the coffee plant on the jungle floor.  So some wise (or perhaps foolish depending on how you look at it) picked up those beans and created coffee with them.  And to the delight of the taste buds it turned to be one of the best cups of coffee!

Well, I had heard about this cat back in the States, and I have tried this coffee several times already.  So when I was creating my bucket list I wondered if we could go through the jungle and pick our own berries?  And to my excitement I found a place that offered such tours!  A expert guide takes you on a hike through the jungle and shows you how to find these beans, and then afterwards you roast and brew them into a cup of coffee!  Perfect, just what I was looking to go on my bucket list!  

Here is a link to a blog of one guy who went on such an adventure and wrote it up in his blog!  The animal is called a "civet cat" and the coffee is called "alamid coffee".

2.     Sky lanterns

On Friday, May 24, 2013 a world record was set on the island of Iloilo.  Iloilo is a island in the central Philippines.  The record that was set was the most number of sky lanterns released.  Within 10 minutes there were 15,185 sky lanterns released into the night sky.  To be honest I never knew about sky lanterns until I saw Disney's "Tangled" movie.  But being from Southern California where one of seasons of the year is "wildfire season", I am intrigued with being able to release fire into the sky without the risk of burning down half the city.

In my research I found information that in 2015 they might try to do this again.  Perhaps a good time to visit that island and fulfill one of my bucket list items?

Here is a link to one article written up about that record setting event.

3.      Do a synchronized dance with my husband 
at a local arcade, while wearing matching outfits.

     I realize that some of the items on my list are pretty extravagant with the likelihood of it ever really happening pretty slim.  But some items I had to qualify and tweak just a little if I wanted half a chance of it actually happening.  And #3 was such an item.  

     In the arcades here in the mall, almost all of them will have at least one machine that is a dance machine.  Computerized dance move scroll through the screen and you, as the player, are suppose to mimic the dance moves.  It is quite popular and captivating to watch!  There is almost always someone using that machine whenever I pass by.  It is taken quite serious too.  And it almost always is not a solo affair, but something done with friends.  Nursing students on their way home from school were the first to catch my eye.

     So this next item on my list is to do one of these machines with my husband.  I joke as we pass by, asking him to do it with me, but he always gives me that face.  So maybe if I put it on my bucket list he might indulge me.  A girl can dream, right?

     Good news is that looks like we can practice at home first using YouTube! 

 

4.     Underground River    

Okay, so far I don't think my first three items are enough to allure you to purchase a ticket and hop on a plane to come visit, so with my next three I am going to try harder. :)  If you google sites to visit while vacation in the Philippines, most likely you will see the island of Palawan on every list you find.  Beautiful, gorgeous beaches!  And one of the things to do is to go to the underground river in Puerto Princesa.  

The longest navigable underground rivers in the world!  A journey through a cave system that is 24 kilometers long!  Here, check out this link to see and learn more.

5.     Floating Restaurant   

My hopes are high in actually getting to do this item!  As one of my friends here recently visited this site just last month and shared some pictures.  And.... this restaurant is located on the same island as me, so no boat or plane needed to get there.

Waterfalls Restaurant is in Laguna at Villa Escudero Plantations and Resort.  It is a restaurant located at the foot of a waterfall and your food is served while the river flows underneath your feet.  Here is a link to see some pictures.

6.     Banaue Rice Terraces    

It is no joke that rice is eaten with each meal of the day here.  Actually if rice is not served then it does not qualify as a "meal" but instead merely a snack.  Since my intake of rice has increased since moving here, I thought a visit to where rice is grown would be a intriguing thing to see.  The pictures of rice terraces are beautiful to behold!  My in-laws actually went here on their own honeymoon over 40 years ago.  Here are some pictures.

I have many other items on my bucket list, but my drawing skills limits me to just posting these few for now.  I hope your appetite has been ignited and your interest peaked in desiring to come visit us here in Philippines.