-
Vintage Ati-Atihan
So all this talk about the Sinulog made me nostalgic about the Ati-Atihan Festival. The last time I joined the festivities was last year. Sadly, I couldn’t make it this year because I had to shoot a documentary in Cebu (thus, my presence there during the Sinulog). And so, I did the next best thing: look at my old photos and videos and search the great wide web using the hashtag #atiatihan2019. Sad, no? After going through several Ati-Atihan photos, I stumbled upon this wonderful album of vintage Ati-Atihan photographs over at Ro Akeanon (@TheAkeanon on FB). These were taken in 1963 by the American Fred Marinello who, at the…
-
A New Look at #Kalibo
I just came from my home province, Aklan. Just being there energizes me! I don’t understand why people all troop to Boracay when the mainland is really beautiful. But then again, I guess I should be thankful. At least the mainland won’t be as crowded and we can enjoy the peace and quiet, at least until the new Caticlan airport opens in a few months. Here’s a video of #Kalibo I discovered just recently (apparently, it’s been doing the internet rounds since last year). It’s quite refreshing to see Kalibo and Aklan through the eyes of visitors. Also, I realized there’s so much of my home province I HAVE to…
-
A Guide to the Best Ati-Atihan Festival in the Philippines
Disclaimer: I am from Ibajay so this post is slightly biased. 😉 The Ati-Atihan Festival is the mother of all Philippine festivals and perhaps one of the oldest in the country. Ati-Atihan originated from Aklan but due to its success, many have created similar festivals: the Dinagyang of Iloilo, Masskara of Bacolod and Halaran of Capiz. I won’t bore you with the complicated history of this famous festival but I will tell you this: the first Ati-Ati was celebrated in my hometown of Ibajay. (Okay, some historians may disagree 🙂 but there’s a whole Ibajaynon legend that has been passed on from several generations back. Read it here.) Origin arguments…
-
Ibajay’s Market Day
Ibajay’s Market Day on Tuesdays is a big affair. People from the municipality’s thirty five barangays flock to the Public Market to shop. From fresh produce to second hand clothes, the market is filled with various commodities sold by vendors from nearby towns. It’s really quite an experience to be in the middle of it all. I hope I’ve captured its vibrance and colors in these photos. |Organic bell peppers and cucumbers sold by my mother’s suki |I bought a rope hammock from this guy for 120 pesos! |Fresh catch from Aslum |I wanted to ask this lady if I could please have a little of her orange spaghetti.…
-
Cooling Down in Hurom-Hurom
Over the years, Aklan the mainland has been overshadowed by its most popular tourist destination, Boracay Island. But aside from its powdery white beach, Aklan has a lot more to offer. Take, for instance, its cold springs. Hurom-Hurom is one of the cold spring resorts in Nabas, Aklan. The main pool is actually a basin that catches water from a spring that flows from the mountains. Locals enjoy taking a dip here as it is way cheaper than going all the way to Boracay. Plus, the cold water is just perfect for summer! When we went there last week, the place was teeming with local tourists. I’m not really into…
a Filipina's take on travelling the world
