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.
Siquijor is known as the Mystic Island of the Philippines due to the infamous urban legend about black magic and witchcraft. But did you know it is also called the Healing Island of the Philippines? Long before the legend began, Siquijor was known for its herbal medicines and traditional healers. Locals say that the legends of kulam and barang are misconceptions—stemming from the older generation’s belief that herbal healers used black magic to cure their patients. Since the urban legend gained popularity, the island became even more renowned for its mystical appeal. As a result, voodoo dolls and potions were introduced as souvenirs—a unique and cute idea, if you ask me! ♡ Continue reading
For our second trip in 2024, we spent five days in Bali! It’s a place we’ve been meaning to visit for a while and had originally booked a trip to in 2020, but the pandemic forced the airline to cancel our flight. It feels so fulfilling to finally tick this off our list after four years.
For our second anniversary, we opted for a 7-day trip to Coron, Palawan. It’s one of the best diving destinations in the Philippines and we are so excited to experience Coron as freedivers! After taking our freediving lessons back in April 2022, we just couldn’t get enough of the ocean. It’s one thing to be in its presence and another to be one with the ocean. It’s so refreshing, calming, and peaceful to be able to do freediving and explore the underwater world.
This is a long overdue post, but here it is anyways. Our Puerto Galera trip was just a weekend trip with friends, but we enjoyed so much. I don’t have a lot of photos from that trip because it was honestly a chill vacation and I just wanted to enjoy the place. Our stay there wasn’t the most sunny of days, but to me, the gloomy weather was perfect for strolling along the beach, reading, and getting a good dip in the ocean. It was honestly the well-deserved break from the city that I needed. Continue reading
We only had three days to spend in Bangkok after our Phuket trip, so we planned the itinerary carefully. On the day of our flight back to BKK from Phuket, our flight was delayed for an hour because of the weather in Bangkok. So we arrived at the airport at around lunch time. By then, we were famished. We had to eat at the airport because it’s still a 30-minute train ride from there to Phaya Thai and 15-minute drive from Phaya Thai to our hotel which was located in Chinatown.
Our hotel was lovely and since it’s located in the heart of the town—just across BTS (Bangkok Transit System)—it was very Chinese-themed. The hallways and the rooms were spacious and clean. I enjoyed making visits at their deck near the swimming pool because it was overlooking the town and of course, we just had to take photos!
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.
Lenn of Spades ♠ 