Man-made Marvel - Historical Sites by The Poor Traveler

Sunrise at Culion Church and Fortress – Palawan, Philippines

May 18, 2013 by The Poor Traveler Leave a Comment

La Inmaculada Concepcion Churh in Culion

I was able to beat my alarm clock. At five in the morning, I woke up from a short and shallow slumber, opened my eyes, got up and out of the bed, and then the alarm clock went off. It was one of those rare mornings that I was able to score against it. That's how excited I was to start the day. My friend Mica decided to stay in the room and continue her journey in dreamland. After brushing my teeth as efficiently as I could, I grabbed my camera, went down the hall to the lobby, and made my way to the church to watch the sunrise that Culion is starting to be known for. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Historical Sites, Lighthouses, Palawan, Philippines, Religious Sites Tagged With: churches in the philippines, Culion Church, Culion Island, Fort Culion, Unusual Churches, What to Do in Coron, What to Do in Culion

Culion Town Historical Tour – Palawan, Philippines

March 27, 2013 by The Poor Traveler Leave a Comment

A Jesus Christ the Redeemer statue at Aguila viewpoint, overlooking Culion town.

At first glance, it looks like your typical provincial town. There's a church on top of a staired hill, old buildings flanking the tangling streets, a statue of a town hero standing proudly on a pedestal, and a plaza smack at the center of the town proper. Yes, at first glance everything looks ordinary except when you stop and stay a little longer, you'll find that these structures talk. Yes, they do. And they tell stories of a stark past, one that has always been filled with constant struggles. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Historical Sites, Man-made Marvels, Palawan, Philippines Tagged With: Culion Historical Tour, Culion History, Culion Island, Culion Leper Colony, Culion Palawan, Culion Town, Culion Walking Tour, What to Do in Coron

The Budget Travel Guide to Culion, Palawan: To the ‘Island of No Return’ and Back

March 24, 2013 by The Poor Traveler 1 Comment

View from Aguila: The Culion Church and the coastal town

May 27, 1906. They were called Polillo and Mindanao. These two ships rippled across the water to bring 370 passengers from Cebu to their new home. But they were no ordinary ships carrying no ordinary passengers. Aboard these Coast Guard cutters were the future inhabitants, most of whom were forced to abandon everything they had known and loved for an island where they would face a life uncertain and isolated. This place, famed for being a paradise brimming with natural beauty, offered a fresh start but the vessels bound for it still overflowed with fear and trepidation. Their destination: The Island of No Return --- Culion. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beaches and Islands, Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Historical Sites, Palawan, Planning a Trip, Sample Itineraries, Travel Guide Tagged With: Culion History, Culion Island, Culion Leper Colony, Culion Town, Hansen's Disease, Leprosy

Laoang Island: A Motorcycle Tour – Northern Samar, Philippines

March 8, 2013 by The Poor Traveler 2 Comments

Onay Beach (literally means Suicide Beach) in Laoang Island, Northern Samar

“There’s only one jeepney in the whole of Laoang Island,” shared Putot, one of our new friends. Celerino, nicknamed Putot, seldom spoke. If I’m not mistaken, it was probably the third time that I heard his voice in the two days that he accompanied us as we explored Laoang, Northern Samar. We were at a cottage along Onay Beach with two other locals Rocca and Mark. “You’re kidding,” I uttered. It was one of the rare times that he said a word yet he chose to say something as unbelievable as that. “I’m not,” Putot said. “He’s not,” confirmed Mark. Later, we would ask a couple of local government workers to verify. As it turned out, there really was just one … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beaches and Islands, Historical Sites, Philippines, Religious Sites

Review: Old Penang Guesthouse – George Town, Malaysia

February 18, 2013 by The Poor Traveler Leave a Comment

An Old Penang Guesthouse brochure I found at Kang Lodge in Cameron Highlands

Standing along an amusingly named street called Love Lane is a pre-war shophouse building that has been converted into a charming hostel --- the Old Penang Guesthouse. There were many reasons why we chose to stay here and on top of that list are the stellar reviews I found on the web. And the place is even shinier than its online reputation. Old Penang Guesthouse is a restored heritage house at the heart of Georgetown, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While it retains the many almost century old elements, it felt surprisingly modern. We arrived in the late afternoon and the woman at the reception greeted us with warmth and kindness. She asked us to wait for a moment as they made … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Accommodations, Historical Sites, Malaysia, Penang Tagged With: cheap hostels in penang, malaysia hostels, old penang guesthouse, old penang guesthouse review, penang hostels, where to stay in georgetown, where to stay in penang

Angkor Temples: 10 Tips for an Enjoyable Tour – Siem Reap, Cambodia

January 13, 2013 by The Poor Traveler 5 Comments

Setting foot on the grounds of Angkor Wat is scratching off one of the top items on my bucket list. It has always been a dream and I was glad to finally make it a reality when I visited Siem Reap. Angkor Wat can be overwhelming. It is huge, even bigger than what I imagined. But Angkor Wat is just one of the many structures at Angkor Archaeological Park. There are several other temples dotting the jungles of this part of Cambodia and many of them are well worth a visit. Thus, exploring Angkor is not really a walk in the park. If anything, it can suck out all the energy in you and make the experience less enjoyable. Thus, I'm compiling some tips to help you make your trip hassle-free. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cambodia, Historical Sites, Religious Sites, Siem Reap Tagged With: angkor wat, angkor wat tips, angkor wat travel guide, siem reap budget travel, siem reap travel guide

The Crushing Embrace at Ta Prohm Temple – Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia

November 26, 2012 by The Poor Traveler Leave a Comment

I feared that when I walked through the doorway, I would be taken into another world. To my astonishment, that's exactly what happened. I had been to many temples before but this was something else. Prasat Ta Prohm (Ta Prohm Temple) is one of the dozens of ancient structures scattered throughout Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia. While the temple itself is truly stellar, what sets it apart from the others is its losing battle with the surrounding jungle. Trees have started to take over the site again, their monstrous roots creeping around the walls like mutant tentacles giving a deadly embrace. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cambodia, Historical Sites, Religious Sites, Siem Reap Tagged With: cambodia budget travel, how to get to ta prohm temple, king jayavarman vii, prasat ta prohm, siem reap budget travel, siem reap cambodia, ta prohm angkor wat, ta prohm temple, temples in cambodia

The Many Faces of Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom – Siem Reap, Cambodia

November 25, 2012 by The Poor Traveler Leave a Comment

Buddhist Monks and some locals walking out of Angkor Thom through the South Gate

As I made my way in between the walls of the stone labyrinth, I could not shake off the feeling that someone was watching me. And who would not feel that? After all, the Bayon Temple is dominated by towers with faces on every side. And they're not just faces. They're giant, smiling faces. You know, the same kind of smile that Mona Lisa has --- enigmatic, magnetic, bordering on creepy. But that's what makes Bayon Temple one-of-a-kind. Its many faces watch over the temple that was at the dead center of the once thriving Angkor Thom. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cambodia, Historical Sites, Religious Sites, Siem Reap Tagged With: angkor archaeological park, angkor thom, angkor thom faces, angkor thom gates, angkor thom southern gate, angkor wat, angkor wat cambodia, bayon temple, bayon temple architecture, buddhism, buddhist temples, cambodia budget travel, history of angkor thom, history of bayon temple, how to get to bayon temple, king jayavarman vii, siem reap budget travel, siem reap cambodia

Angkor Wat: Amidst the Greatness – Siem Reap, Cambodia

November 24, 2012 by The Poor Traveler 4 Comments

No other man-made structure had made me feel so small. As soon as I stepped on the temple grounds, I felt weirdly belittled, but not in a bad way. Angkor Wat is immense and I'm not talking about just its size. From the intricacy of the bas reliefs in its galleries to its role in the history and culture of Cambodia, everything about this colossal structure must have required tremendous amount of time, resources, effort, and patience. And standing in the middle of the site, I could not help feeling insignificant compared to the surrounding grandeur made of sandstone. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cambodia, Historical Sites, Religious Sites, Siem Reap Tagged With: angkor archaeological park, angkor wat, angkor wat architecture, angkor wat cambodia, angkor wat design, angkor wat history, angkor wat layout, buddhism, buddhist temple, cambodia budget travel, hindu temple, hinduism, siem reap budget travel, siem reap cambodia

Laoang Church and the Almuraya Fortress – Laoang, Northern Samar, Philippines

September 5, 2012 by The Poor Traveler 5 Comments

St. Michael the Archangel Church and Plaza Inmaculada Concepcion

I sat on a bench at the perimeter of the plaza and watched three boys play their version of Chinese garter. What drew my attention to their little game was that there could be an element of danger involved, which somehow got me worried. Their Chinese garter was not really a garter but a long bamboo stick. It's "luksong tinik" quite literally. None of them, nevertheless, minded it. The bubbliest of the three was Ben (not his real name). He was a determined, persistent fellow. He missed jumping over the hurdle successfully on his first try but tried and tried again but failed each time. Still, he asked his two friends to hold the stick on the shoulder level as he made another attempt to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Historical Sites, Northern Samar, Parks, Religious Sites Tagged With: almuraya fortress laoang northern samar, laoang church, laoang island, laoang northern samar, muralla laoang northern samar, northern samar trip, philippine churches, plaza inmaculada laoang, samar churches, st michael the archangel church laoang

Sunrise at Culion Church and Fortress – Palawan, Philippines

Culion Town Historical Tour – Palawan, Philippines

The Budget Travel Guide to Culion, Palawan: To the ‘Island of No Return’ and Back

Laoang Island: A Motorcycle Tour – Northern Samar, Philippines

Review: Old Penang Guesthouse – George Town, Malaysia

Angkor Temples: 10 Tips for an Enjoyable Tour – Siem Reap, Cambodia

The Crushing Embrace at Ta Prohm Temple – Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia

The Many Faces of Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom – Siem Reap, Cambodia

Angkor Wat: Amidst the Greatness – Siem Reap, Cambodia

Laoang Church and the Almuraya Fortress – Laoang, Northern Samar, Philippines

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