Ilocos Islands: It's More Fun in Badoc

Happy Birthday MOM!

For the third time this month, I went to the beach. And for the third time, we celebrated another April birthday on an island. We celebrated Mom's __th in Badoc Island, off the Badoc town in Ilocos Norte.

behind me is Badoc Island

I had guests from hospitality club who tagged along. Franziska is a Swiss nurse while Jo is a Belgian who works with computers; they're both working in Singapore.

Belgian Jo and Swiss Franziska

Jo and Franziska are seasoned travelers who have been to most countries in SouthEast Asia and Latin America. They're a lovely couple and such adventurous ones because they hopped on a plane not knowing what to expect from the Philippines. To them (and to most Europeans), the Philippines is a black hole. Nobody knows anything about us. And when they tell friends they're going to North Luzon, they almost always get questioning looks, "What are you going to do there? What's to see there?"

It gladdens my heart that there are a few who brave coming to my country, despite of the news, and in spite of not knowing anything. I hope that in the short span of time they spent here, Jo and Franziska would tell other nationalities about us.

... that they'd tell about the people they met

... the local cuisine they tasted

... the unique mix of culture

... most especially, that they'd tell the Philippines is a beautiful country waiting to be explored.

@--->-------

original journal entry written in 2007