Baler is a Beauty (even if photographed on an iphone, on an overcast day. sorry.)

View from Ermita Hill.  Obviously, my iphone didn't do it any justice.

 There have been numerous trips and travel opportunities that have not pushed through in my quarter-life-- trips that are so well-planned, detailed and dreamed on for days but then something happens and then one thing leads to another and then, the trip ended before it even started.  I believe this happens to most of us, and it doesn't even have to be out of town travel.  It could be simple trips or quick get-together with friends that goes awry after you have exhausted time (and sometimes money) to plan it out.  And then there are things that you don't plan for, things that are just of the moment and then it all falls into place.  Is careful planning a jinx in itself? But before I further discuss this and bore you to death, let me just say that our summer trips here at QLT for this year are rather unplanned and yet they turned out to be the most fun we've had.  But then again most of our trips are unplanned AND fun.  What am I even saying? Yeah this is just regular stuff.  I might actually bore you to death.

Or not.  Because we went to Baler.  You cannot be bored at Baler.  You just can't. 


Though we've been there before, as saplings wanting to learn to surf a little, we can't say no to a quick text from Istokewa surf tours asking P if we want to join another Baler surf trip (STILL as saplings wanting to surf a little). I mean, if you were stuck in a quicksand and Ryan Gosling appeared near that pool and offered you to grab his hand, wouldn't you take it? (Or if you're a guy, Miranda Kerr is applicable or whoever Victoria's Secret Angel or Sports Illustrated swimsuit hotness you can think of. Pfft...) In this analogy, the quicksand would be your proverbial "stress" and Ryan Gosling would be Baler.  It can be any other person of course but well, we are talking about Baler here and Baler, my good friends, is a beauty.

Secret's out: Calaguas, Camarines Norte

Sorry guys, I just realized that it has been quite a long time since we have posted anything on your favorite blog (can I get high fives for that?).  But its summer!  and we are very sure that you are too busy frolicking on some beach or catching flights overseas to even bother with a blog-- we are on the same page as you.  Luckily, I get to have a bit of a downtime today to actually do a bit of writing about a place called Calaguas in Camarines Norte.

Summer Inspiration: The Surfer Girl

Image via tumblr.com

On this entry for our "Summer Inspiration" series, we are turning the spot sunlight on the Surfer Girl.  Fearless yet fun-loving and ultimately cooler than anyone else, the Surfer Girl exudes a free-spirited vibe with a sunshine-y attitude in life. We can all learn a thing or two from these girls-- riding the waves can't be easy with surfing as is with real life but Surfer Girls know how to just enjoy the whole ride... and to  get back on board when you wipe-out sometimes. 

Summer Inspiration: Beach Babe

French actress Brigitte Bardot is our poster girl for our Beach Babe "peg".

Summer is officially upon us.  And by "us" I mean you, me, here and now in the wonderful Philippine Islands.  It is understandable that many of us get giddy and excited once summer steps in and I have a couple of reasons why this is:

1.) Summer is our only "official" season in terms of the universal knowledge of seasons in a year.  (Do not get me started with "rainy" season.  It rains all the time here.  Why not name it, "flodding" season instead? )

2.) With 7,107 islands in our country, the choices of your "summer spot" are endless.

3.) We all love a good reason to eat Halo-Halo and not feel too bad about it ("It's sooo hot, I need to eat something that will cool me off!")

4.) We  can now embrace our skin tone with much gusto-- sun-kissed and tanned is in.

But before you start packing for your summer  destination, we've rounded up inspiration to start it right.  And since each one of us are different when it comes to getting our summer on, we are posting a series of these inspirations for each type of "Summer Girls" (now, why do I suddenly feel like breaking into that LFO song?)
. 
On this entry, we are focusing on the Beach Babe (since there are a lot of us, naturally.)

Coron: Simply Paradise

 "I often wonder about people who live in tropical destinations.  What do their screensaverslook like?" -  Comedian Derick Lengwenus

 In a country where exotic summer destinations are aplenty, it will be quite rare for someone to easily

choose a favorite.  But for your consideration, ladies and gents, how about, Coron?  From the deep

abyss of its waters to the  peak of Mt. Tapyas-- you could say that Coron is gorgeous from head to toe.  

If you haven't been there yet, then you are missing big time on probably one of the most beautiful  places 

on Earth.    Not that we've ever been to all the places on earth, but Coron is just too amazing for words. 

Too amazing that I'll just shut up right now and let our captured photos do most of the talking.