Two significant books regarding tribal groups in the northern Luzon Gran Cordillera area recently caught our eyes here at WoWasis. They’re both valuable for scholars as well as travelers, and are available at the bookstore in the Bontoc Museum, if you happen to be traveling in the area. Masferre: a Tribute to the Philippine Cordillera […]
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A go-go girl’s path to success, regardless of what the guidebooks say
Carmina works as a dancer in a bar in Angeles City, Philippines. Possessor of a deep, sultry voice, she was occupied as a performer-hostess at a men’s club overseas for more than 10 years, and made a very good living. Her specialty was singing jazz standards, and she can rattle off any Cole Porter tune […]
Read the rest of this entry »Angeles City bar girls aggressively post street prices to fight global warming
In solidarity with thousands of world organizations, bar girls working the fabled strip in Angeles City, Philippines are making themselves available on the street with prices clearly posted. Available for daily or weekly rates, women working the bars are now available to passersby, who now don’t even have to walk into a bar. “Those […]
Read the rest of this entry »Mt. Pinatubo lahar’s path to destruction
In June of 1991, Mt. Pinatubo on the Philippine island of Luzon blew its stack, sending up a giant plume of ash 25 miles high. Most of the destruction in human terms, however, came with a typhoon, in which a deadly mixture of water and ash caused massive lahars to wash over a huge amount […]
Read the rest of this entry »Vigan: the Philippines’ jewel of colonial architecture
The picturesque west Luzon town of Vigan is relatively little-known, probably because it’s so damn hard to get there. A good 8 hours north by car from Angeles City-Manila, this town of fascinating colonial homes and two-wheeled carriages was founded in 1572. It makes for a wonderful 2 day stop, and if you can plan […]
Read the rest of this entry »The rice terraces of Malecong, near Bontoc, Philippines
Perhaps the most-visited ancient rice terraces in northern Luzon are those near the city of Banaue, but few would disagree that having this bucolic setting pretty much to oneself makes the experience more personal. The terraces of Malecong are 30 km north of Banaue, 7 km north of the city of Bontoc up a winding […]
Read the rest of this entry »Tough Bessang Pass provides real challenges in traveling to the Bontoc-Banaue-Sagada area from Vigan
The lack of proper driving maps for northern Luzon, Philippines is one of several challenges in driving the island. Still, there’s much to see in the north, from the colonial architecture at Vigan to the spectacular rice terraces in the Bontoc and Banaue areas. This post will help you to avoid a tough road situation […]
Read the rest of this entry »Deadly Mt. Pinatubo lahar becomes new beach hot spot for bathing beauty
The terrible damage and destruction caused by the spectacular lahars resulting from the volcanic action at Luzon’s Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines may result in miles of new beachhead for western Luzon. While we were documenting the current situation in the lahar area, WoWasis researchers ran into a young woman clad in beachwear, who informed […]
Read the rest of this entry »Beware underage girl and Bar bill padding scams in Angeles City, Philippines
Two scams have been identified as becoming more and more common in Angeles City these days. The Underage Girl scam represents a significant con that can cost you plenty. The Bar bill padding scam is an annoyance that unfortunately can get you beat up and in the hospital. Here’s how they work: 1) The […]
Read the rest of this entry »Classic scam in Manila, the calesa carriage rip off
A scam has been going on for years near the waterfront in Manila with regard to taking a tour in one of the quaint two-wheeled horse carriages called calesas. We wanted to see first hand how it worked, and it was a classic! Before we tell you how the scam works, here are a few […]
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