Wow, it seems like forever since my last post and since I've read any of my favorite blogs. No, I haven't forgotten nor abandoned any of you! How can I? I just haven't had as much extra online time as I used to since the other stuff that makes up my daily life slowly started to creep up on me threatening to bury me alive if I continued to neglect them. So lately I've been juggling my time between work of course which takes up most of it, wading through unread piles of books and magazines, trying to put in more hours at the gym and boxing, TV series' I'm addicted to, more dinners with friends and out of town trips to the beach and farm with family, and finally nurturing my passion for photography. I'm usually exhausted at the end of the day to do anything more than lift my book up to eye level before the sandman whisks me off.
But anyway, here I am! I still love blogging so there will always be time for that. And so for my first post in what...wow, three weeks is a long time for someone who used to post twice a week or so... I'd like to share some news my dad shared with me during breakfast a few days ago which came in the form of newspaper clippings. It seems we're not the only ones who think Dumaguete rocks!
The first article was entitled: "Foreigners say RP among top 20 best places to live - DOT" by Mayen Jaymalin; published in The Philippine Star last Sept. 19, 2007.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) yesterday reported that Americans and other
foreign travelers have actually listed Negros Oriental as among the top 20 best
islands in the world to live. Tourism secretary Joseph Ace Durano said Negros
Oriental joined the list of other exotic places such as the Grand Cayman, Gozo
in Malta, Carriacou in Grenada and Vieques in Puerto Rico, which all offer a mix
of indigenous culture, friendly neighbors, uncomplicated living and adventure
attractions.
Durano said the deciding factors considered by the respondents included weather, languages spoken, ease of immigration and accessibility to hospitals. Located in Central Visayas, Negros Oriental offers divers colorful and teeming marine life around Apo Island, which is home to the Negros Oriental Marine Conservation Park. Tourists can also chance upon playful dolphins and pygmy sperm whales in Tanon Strait at Bais Bay. But more than the attractions, Durano said the people play a big role in giving a warm welcome and creating a positive impression among travelers.
The other article entitled "Yahoo: Manila is passport-worthy" was published the very next day Sept 20, 2007 in the Manila Standard Today.
Manila was listed at no. 10 in the list of "10 passport-worthy locations thousands of Yahoo! users chose as the very best". While Yahoo cited problems such as traffic and pollution in Metro Manila, visitors cited it's friendly people, excellent nightlife, historical sights and some of the most cavernous shopping malls in Asia.
This was the second time Philippine destinations figured prominently in the listing of top destinations in the world. Last month, Islands Magazine based in the United States listed Negros Oriental and it's capital Dumaguete as one of the 20 best islands in the world to live on.
The magazine, one of the most widely circulated and most trusted travel publications in the United States, included Negros Oriental with its capital Dumaguete as among the best islands in the world where expatriates may settle based on the following criteria: flip-flop wearability, strong expat communities, and affordable real estate.
Hurray for the Philippine Islands! :)
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