Jiufen, Taiwan ~ I truly enjoyed the ambiance of this little mountain town. Now I completely understand why people always say that Jiufen gives off Studio Ghibli vibes—because it genuinely does! Wandering through its narrow, winding alleys felt like stepping into a whimsical, animated world. The red lanterns swaying in the breeze, the old tea houses perched on the hillside, and the mist rolling in from the mountains all create a dreamy, almost otherworldly atmosphere. Continue reading
One of the highlights of our visit to Taiwan was spending time at the Taipei Public Library in Beitou District. It was another surreal moment for me, as I used to only see it in photos—and now I can say that I’ve seen it in person and can attest to its beautiful architecture. Nestled in the heart of Beitou Park, this stunning eco-friendly library is often praised as one of the greenest buildings in Taiwan—and stepping inside, it’s easy to see why it’s so beloved by locals and travelers alike.
Wat Pho (The Temple of the Reclining Buddha), Bangkok, Thailand, 2023
Buddhism originated in South Asia roughly 2,500 years ago and is believed to be one of the world’s largest religions; over the next Millenia, Buddhism has spread across the world. Buddhists believe that life is a cycle of suffering and that by doing meditation, spiritual and physical labor, and having good behavior, they can escape this cycle of suffering and achieve what they call nirvana.
There are three major branches of Buddhism: Mahayana, Theravada, and Vajrayana — Theravada being the most common in Thailand. Theravada Buddhism emphasizes a monastic lifestyle and meditation as their way to enlightenment.
📸: Fujifilm X-A3, Fujinon 27mm 2.8 V2 pancake lens
🎞: Lightroom Premium
Napaling, Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines, 2022
I think most of you would agree that being near the ocean is just a different kind of peacefulness. Just staring and listening at the sound of the waves gives me that carefree little girl feeling that I cannot understand at times. And recently, after I’ve learned how to do freediving with my husband, every beach visit is just a level-up different kind of experience for me.
I’ve always loved to swim, but having to learn freediving gave me a different sense of longing for the ocean whenever we’re back in the city. It feels like it just keeps calling to me, even in my dreams. Growing up and having to read a lot of beach novels, I’ve always dreamt of living near the beach when I grow up and I still carry that dream with me to this day.
Chocolate Hills, Carmen, Bohol, Philippines, 2022
Chocolate Hills is one of the places that I never thought I’d see and visit. As a kid, I’ve only seen this in my textbooks as it’s probably the well-known landmark of Bohol back in the day. Once, years ago, there was news that the hills were growing smaller for some reason and I thought, oh, no, I probably wouldn’t be able to see them as beautiful as it once was.
Come 2022, Norman asked me which place we’d go and visit on his birthday. It was a bit too late to organize an international trip + we just got married and spent our honeymoon in Boracay, so we didn’t have a huge budget. I suggested that we go to Bohol because aside from Chocolate Hills, the reefs in Bohol, particularly in Panglao Island, is very beautiful and perfect for our fun diving sessions.
Anyway, when we went atop the stairs to get a good view at the Chocolate Hills, I was mesmerized. I never thought I’d appreciate it as much as I did when we were there. These photos couldn’t give justice to how beautiful the view was.
Alona Beach, Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines, 2022
There’s just something exhilarating whenever I get to go to the beach. It’s just about the blow of the wind on my face, the smell of salt water whenever I inhale, the feel of the sand on my feet, and just looking at the waves and the horizon. It’s something I will never get tired of.
Man-Made Forest, Bilar, Bohol, Philippines, 2022
The place reminded me so much of the trees of Dodona from Greek mythology. In some books written or based on Greek mythology, the trees of Dodona whispers to people who are lost in the woods because Dodona is an Oracle. In those stories, it is said that they can cause a person to lose their minds.
This forest didn’t give me the creeps the way it did when I read about it in books because they are so refreshing to look at. It’s quite a huge difference from the usual view that I see back in Manila. I hope that our government build more forests instead of selling our land to businessmen who builds malls, condominiums, and subdivisions as we already have lots of those and less public spaces for the people.
Lenn of Spades ♠ 