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Killer Beaches: Jellyfish Hung out to Dry... For Now!

August 11, 2008 at 4:00 PM | 0 Comments

The incidence of jellyfish events this past week has dropped ever so slightly, heightening our paranoia that the jellies are amassing before a final virulent strike in the last weeks of summer.

While there were no out-and-out invasions this week, two smaller incidents deserve note: A fisherman died of cardiac arrest after being stung in Barangay Tiling, Philippines while out swimming with his brother. And on Hilbre Island off the coast of England near Liverpool, a 12-year-old and a 10-year-old girl were rushed to the hospital after incidental stings when one of them went into anaphylactic shock.

But! Just weeks after suffering more than 60 jellyfish stings, a Canadian long-distance swimmer is back in the water to swim the distance from Nova Scotia to New Brunswick today. The seriously brave lady, Jen Alexander, is completing the 22-hour swim to raise awareness for type 1 diabetes, which she has had for 20 years--she'll even test her blood sugar en route. Go, Jen, go! Before they strike again!

Our Jellyfish Invasion Map helps you track this summer's trendiest menace.

Related Stories:
· Jellyfish stings girls near Hilbre Island [Wirral Globe]
· Fisherman Dies from Jellyfish Sting [Inquirer]
· Marathon swimmer makes second attempt [Metronews.ca]
· Jellyfish Panic Continues Worldwide! [Jaunted]
· Bikini Travel: Bar Refaeli Braves Killer Jellyfish in France [Jaunted]

[Photo: marialynn]

Geeky Travel: Guitar Heroes in Manila

July 23, 2008 at 2:00 PM | 0 Comments

Next time you're in Manila and need a gaming fix, the obvious choice is FriiSpirit, a Wii-focused hangout in Quezon City. Fully stocked with projection screens, beanbag chairs and cheap eats, it's an always-busy student hangout, says PSFK.

After hours things get even more interesting. Friday nights, one of the owners whips up fancy food to serve alongside movies (recent picks included "I'm Not There," "The Godfather" and "Dirty Dancing"), pancake suppers happen every Thursday night and other evenings friends stop in for Rock Band competitions.

To get the full schedule of events, check FriiSpirit's blog, natch.

Related Stories:
· FriiSpirit: Videogames Going Beyond Gaming [PSFK]
· The Nintendo Wii Cruise Sets Sail [Jaunted]
· Geeky Travel coverage [Jaunted]

Enticing-Sounding Destinations: The Chocolate Hills

May 14, 2008 at 9:30 AM | 1 Comment

We admit we don't know everything about every destination in the whole world, but we sure are surprised that we hadn't heard of the Chocolate Hills until now. They're found in Bohol in the Philippines and have hit the headlines because they're in the running to be one of the new Natural Wonders of the World.

But before you book your ticket, don't get too excited: They're not actually hills made of chocolate, as we'd hoped. Instead they are a weird set of over 1,200 cone-shaped hills, all of a similar size, and because the green grass that covers them turns brown during the dry season, they were named the Chocolate Hills.

Two of the chocolate hills have resorts on them, and at one there's a special viewing station which is part of the Chocolate Hills Complex. They've also got a hostel, swimming pool and a restaurant: Here's hoping their menu features lots of chocolate.

Related Stories:
· Chocolate Hills Back in Race [Cebu Daily News]
· Can You Afford A Natural Wonder? [Jaunted]

[Photo: crazyegg95]

Travel Safety: Seriously, Don't Drink the Water

March 13, 2008 at 1:00 PM | 0 Comments

You probably already know to stick to bottled water when traveling in developing nations. But a recent outbreak of typhoid in the Philippines is really driving this home. Over 2,000 people in a city just 30 miles outside of Manila have become seriously ill, and it's a nasty bug.

According to the World Health Organization, typhoid symptoms include high fever, malaise, headache and rose-colored spots on the chest. Typhoid is a bacterial disease caused by ingesting food or drink contaminated by the feces or urine of infected people. So now you're wondering, how does that get into the water supply? Blame it on the weather, says a WHO official:

Flooding during the wet season and typhoons cause open sewerage drains to spill, enabling effluent to seep into wells and water pipes and spread diarrhea-causing diseases such as gastroenteritis and cholera.

Make sure to look out for tap water in its other, commonly-overlooked form: ice in your drink. Play it safe by brushing your teeth with bottled water as well. And if you want to be really cautious, you should just drink beer the entire trip.

Related Stories:
· Philippines Typhoid Outbreak Sparks Probe [Bloomberg]
· Travel Safety coverage [Jaunted]
· Asia Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: 96dpi]

Philippines Flower Power

February 4, 2008 at 11:15 AM | 0 Comments

Baguio City, Philippines is preparing for a bursting celebration of local culture. The Panagbenga Festival, held every February for more than ten years, is a tribute to the blooming season in native style. Floats laden with blossoms parade along the streets and tourists flock to see colorful traditional dances.

The festival, which started in 1995, is both a celebration of local culture and recovery: A massive earthquake shook the city to the ground in 1990.

Though activities are held throughout the month of February, the prime time to catch the festival is between Feb. 22 and March 2. (The best places to see the action are Session Road and Burnham Park.) Baguio City is roughly 150 miles north of Manila--a quick plane trip or a five hour bus ride through the mountains.

Related Stories:
· Datebook [NYT]
· Panagbenga Festival [Philippine Country]
· Philippines coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo:^Vanessa^]

Ivan About Town

April 11, 2007 at 10:40 AM | 0 Comments


The 2007 Philippine Blog Awards took place in Manila earlier this month. Categories included "Best Socio-Political Blog," "Best Personal Blog," and of course, "Best Travel Blog." That last prize went to Philippine blogger Ivan About Town, thanks to his detailed log of regional exploits. Indeed, Ivan loves his own country, and the blog is heavy on destinations and tips within the Philippines.

Pictured above is a sacrilegious but reportedly ultra-delicious combo plate from "50's Diner" in Baguio City. Garlic bread, pizza, pasta, chicken, vegetables, fries and a pork chop all on one plate, for around $2. Wow.

You can view a map of Ivan's travels here.

Related Stories:
· Ivan About Town [Official Site via Metroblogging Manila]

Take Off Your Pants!

February 14, 2007 at 9:39 AM | 0 Comments


In these days of hypersensitive airport checks you really need to work hard on keeping your cool, whether it's to put up with waiting in neverending queues or having to take your coat and belt and shoes off and empty every pocket of change, keys and chewing gum wrappers. Unfortunately, a German tourist with the unwieldy name of Hans Jurgen Oskar von Naguschewski ran out of patience at Manila airport in the Philippines recently.

Probably expressing the sentiment most of us have at an airport security check, Hans got so frustrated when he was asked to pass through the X-ray machine again that he simply took his trousers off instead. This was deemed to be an illegal act of stripping and has landed poor Hans with a possible jail term: he's still waiting to hear his verdict.

He faced a charge of public scandal, but has already apologized and said it was a misunderstanding: "The man kept saying 'take off, take off' but the shoes were already off and the pants were alone," Hans said, as he wasn't wearing a belt. The other rumor doing the traps is that security couldn't work out how to get him through because his name was simply too long for the boarding card.

[Photo: C Ray Dancer]

Related Stories:
· Traveler Held After Manila Strip [BBC]
· German Tried in Philippines for Stripping [Expatica]

David Byrne in Manila

December 1, 2006 at 12:30 PM | 0 Comments


Talking Heads superfans in or heading to the Philippines have only a weekend left to wait for their new favorite photography exhibit ever. David Byrne, the Heads' frontman and one of RISD's most famous dropouts, went and got himself a show in Manila. Byrne's exhibit, titled "Photographs for Manila Envelope," will run from Monday, December 4 until December 9 at the Cemento Gallery.

When Byrne traveled to Manila to shoot (the show is made up of photographs he took there), he played it low-key, getting around on his own bicycle and avoiding the fancy-schmancy hotels in Makati. He took a decidedly low-key approach to displaying his works too, and gave them to the Manila Envelope (a local magazine) for free.

[Photo: bluhousworker]

Related Stories:
· Manila Envelope [Official Site]

Airplane Air Conditioning is Scary

November 28, 2006 at 10:28 AM | 0 Comments



Did you ever think airplane air conditioning could be so scary? Especially on a trip to the Philippines, where you're likely to be in dire need of good air conditioning?

Above, on a standard flight from Manila to Boracay, the Philippines' most popular beach resort, a passenger captures the airplane's "sketchy" air conditioning system. The passenger cabin floods with some sort of mist that looks like smoke. Seriously, just watching this makes us feel like we are back on the floor at a Mötley Crüe concert, trying to get a glimpse of Tommy Lee through all the dry ice. Apparently this effect is common on small planes that fly in humid climates, as we've seen evidence on Flickr of similar situations in Taiwan. We just hope the flight attendants make some sort of announcement telling passengers that all this smoke is normal, though it doesn't appear to be bothering the dude in the video that continues to read a magazine despite the constant smoke screen.

Related Stories:
· Travel Stories in the Philippines [Jaunted]

Flickr by Candlelight

April 27, 2006 at 2:35 PM | 0 Comments


Farl is a photoblogger based out of the Cebu islands in the north of the Philippines. While each photo is on Flickr, there's generally a thorough explanation of what is being documented in the pictures. The photos also cover travel, including trips to Madagasgar and New York City.

The photo pictures above is a time-lapsed photographed of a candlelight procession, in the Philippines. The procession was for Good Friday; it's probably the coolest the town of Bantayan will ever look.

[Image via farl/Flickr]

He Didn't Have a Spare Lab Coat?

March 8, 2006 at 12:11 PM | 0 Comments

See, luggage has more, uh, weight in the world of the airlines than it would seem. This week, KLM lost a lawsuit in Manila, in which a Pilipino doctor won $238,000 for his misdirected luggage. It was not the contents of his bags that were of intrinsic value. KLM lost his clothes, and through a serious of consquences he was forced to deliver a speech in Kazakhstan wearing jeans. The horror!

Because of delays in his flights, the doctor arrived in Alma Ata and went directly the conference. He looked disheveled enough that the organizers of the conference refused to let him in at first. Maybe that would have been a better result. Nonetheless, he gave the speech, felt that his reputation suffered as a result of his attire, and has won the suit against KLM. KLM is appealing the verdict, as you might expect.

Really, if you've got clothes that are that important: carry-on. We can't stress it enough. It's like checking a laptop--it's never going to end well.  

[Image via ZenMusic/Flickr]

Related Stories:
·   Doctor Wins $238,000 from KLM [World Hum]

An Airport Inspector's Sacrifices

September 29, 2005 at 9:53 AM | 0 Comments

Imagine...you are an airport inspector. It's your job to be diligently checking boxes and containers that pass through your way for illegal activities and substances.

A large box comes your way noted to be filled with "ornamental fish." You stick a hand in unknowingly, expecting to see something harmless. Next thing you know a piranha has chomped into it, leaving you a gaping V-shaped wound!

Yes, this really did happen. In Manila. Some moron shipped 34 live piranhas. Seriously, was he thinking no one would realize that the box was filled with flesh-eating fish?!?! We give a little salute to airport inspectors today.

Related Stories:
·   Piranha bites Manila airport inspector [USA Today]

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