Firefly360's Blog
A Collection of Published 360VR Articles and Personal JournalsArchive for Travels
An Afternoon in Taytay, Palawan
Author’s Note: Palawan has three capitals: Taytay was founded in 1623 and became the capital of the entire territory of the Calamianes; Cuyo became the second capital of Palawan from 1873 to 1903; and the present Puerto Princesa as the seat of the Palawan Provincial Government in 1911 by the New American Administration. This article is the 2nd of three parts about the Palawan capitals.
We only stayed in Taytay for a night having come from the neighboring island resort of Apulit as the balangay boats made its way towards Manila last November. It was almost 4 in the afternoon as our boats made their final dockings amidst the warm welcome being staged by residents and municipal officers.
With a couple of hours of daylight remaining, I wasted no time and jumped ashore almost immediately to explore the well-preserved fabled fort of Santa Isabel. Once at the top, the view that stood before me was exhilarating! The afternoon sun perfectly bathes the entire structure in crimson hues with the greens of the grass and trees punctuated by the blues of the sea and sky. Standing there beside the cannon looking over the horizon, one can almost be transported back in time, to the age of the galleons.
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Puerto Princesa in One Day
Author’s Note: Palawan has three capitals: Taytay was founded in 1623 and became the capital of the entire territory of the Calamianes; Cuyo became the second capital of Palawan from 1873 to 1903; and the present Puerto Princesa as the seat of the Palawan Provincial Government in 1911 by the New American Administration. This article is the 1st of three parts about the Palawan capitals.
Puerto Princesa is the present capital city of Palawan, known as the Philippine’s Last Frontier. It is famous for its crocodile farm, Underground River and numerous dive spots. It is also the second largest city in the Philippines (after Davao City) in terms of total land area.
Declared as an UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park features a spectacular limestone karst landscape with its underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it flows directly into the sea, and the lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences. The area also represents a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation. The site contains a full mountain to the sea ecosystem and protects forests, which are among the most significant in Asia.
Ilocos Norte with Mega Magazine
I was invited several months ago by Mega Magazine to do some behind the scenes 360VRs in scenic Ilocos Norte for their June/July issues. The settings were in the grand rock formation of Kapurpurawan in Burgos and the equally eerie sand dunes of Suba.
Balangays in Singapore
Author’s Note: This article uses virtual reality technology to provide an immersive experience. Click the images to view the 360-degree VRs. Adobe Flash 10 or higher is required. Average VR size is 1.9Mb each.
After over a month since the balangays exited Philippine waters for the start of their Southeast Asia journey, I joined the crew in Batam Island, Indonesia once again and sailed to the tiny city state of Singapore.
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Islands of Simunul, Sibutu and Sitangkai
Author’s Note: This article uses virtual reality technology to provide an immersive experience. Click the images to view the 360-degree VRs. Adobe Flash 10 or higher is required. Average VR size is 1.8Mb each.
After being stranded for several days in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi due to unfavorable sea conditions with the balangay boats; the weather finally improved and allowed us to sail to the island of Simunul.
Simunul is a 4th class municipality of Tawi-Tawi. Situated at some 1,000 kilometers south of Manila, it is home to a predominantly Muslim population belonging to the Sama tribe. The first Muslims in the Philippines are said to have arrived in Simunul and introduced Islam to the country 629 years ago.
The first mosque in the Philippines was built in 1380 by an Arab trader Makhdum Karim. It is now known as the Sheik Karimal Makdum Mosque. The original four wood columns of the mosque still stand inside and are repainted every year. Sheik Makdum’s tomb is located beside the mosque.
The principal livelihood of the people apart from fishing is “agar-agar” or seaweed farming.
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