A travel & adventure blog by Kara Santos
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought on a biking boom in the Philippines and around the world, unlike anything we’ve seen before. More and more people are getting into biking as their main means of transportation and leisure weekend activity. Provincial borders may still closed and leisure travel is still prohibited in the NCR, but biking for exercise can really open up a whole new world of adventure.
Despite being a highly urbanized city, Marikina still manages to retain a sense of history, nature, and culture. The “Shoe Capital of the Philippines” is a bike-friendly city that possesses a quiet, small-town charm. Heritage buildings are preserved, the streets are clean and well-maintained, there are actual designated bike lanes, a number of public recreational spots, and green spaces, and lots of charming homegrown garden restaurants, unique shops, and hidden gems here.
Whenever I bike around Marikina, I feel like I’m biking around a small town in the province. While the rest of Metro Manila feels grimy, congested, and overly developed, you still get the feel of the simple provincial life in some spots here. Marikina feels like a modern-day pueblo where family-run businesses are still the norm and cultural heritage is still present. Here’s a look at some of the fun and unique things you can do in Marikina.
Continue reading “10 Fun & Unique Things to do in Marikina”What is it with nostalgia these days?
I’ve been missing everything about daily life pre-COVID, especially eating out. Who else misses the simple act of dining in at a restaurant and just chilling out with friends over beers at a bar? Part of what makes dining out special is the ambiance of the restaurant, the service, and the company and laughter as you enjoy your meals together with friends and family.
Anyway, this got me thinking of the oldest restaurants and food establishments in the vicinity that I can patronize for delivery/takeout and hopefully revisit when they’re allowed to reopen. It gives me hope to see establishments that remain resilient and have managed to endure through various crises including World War II, fires, typhoons, economic recessions, and currently this global pandemic where the Philippines is facing the world’s longest lockdown.
Continue reading “Oldest & Most Nostalgic Restaurants in Quezon City”The Quezon Memorial Circle or QMC is a national park located in Quezon City, the largest and most populous city of Metro Manila, which once served as the official capital of the Philippines from 1948 to 1976. Commonly referred to as the “Circle,” this park is located inside a large traffic roundabout bounded an Elliptical Road. Back in the ’80s, my cousins and I used to go here a lot, for bike rentals, roller skating, picnics, or to just enjoy the green surroundings. It got a bit run down during the ’90s, but in recent years, it’s gotten upgrades and improvements. I’ve revisited QMC for various events over the years, but I tend to take it for granted. It’s just something that’s always been there. But the lockdown has left me with a newfound appreciation for any accessible urban destination that has greens and open spaces.
The Balara Filters Park is one of the oldest recreation areas in Quezon City. First opened to the public in 1953, this 60-hectare park (almost as big as Rizal Park) is located in the Diliman village of Pansol in Quezon City, adjacent to the University of the Philippines Diliman main campus. This intriguing place contains an assortment of Art Deco structures, an old windmill, a replica of a fountain designed by a national artist, a picnic grove, an amphitheater, and several playgrounds.
Despite being one of Quezon’s City major parks, the historic value of the structures, and natural beauty of the surroundings, the park now lies in a sad state of neglect and dilapidation, resembling an eerie ghost town rather than a public park. Biking through this area always makes me feel like I’ve just entered Silent Hill or a long-abandoned town in The Last of Us.
Continue reading “Biking in Balara Filters Park”Biking is one of the few allowable outdoor exercises during the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) in Manila. Since the lockdown was declared, we’ve been biking more around our neighborhood for errands and nearby destinations to get fresh air and exercise during the weekends. For new cyclists who bought bikes during the pandemic who are not yet familiar with the usual biking spots in the city, I’ll be sharing more details and photos about safe biking destinations in and around Manila.
The United Kingdom (UK) is a great place to go on a cycling tour. If you consider its geological layout, you’ll find it similar to the rest of Europe in many ways. Cycling tours are popular in Europe, but they are equally interesting and rewarding in the UK as well. The scenery is stunning and the weather is pleasant. There’s usually a nice cool breeze to stop you from getting too hot as you cycle through lush green pathways towards your destination. Everything gets better when you embark on a Sea-to-Sea cycling holiday tour set up and managed by a company like Mickledore.
The idea is simple, you start from one coast and cycle all the way to another. You pass through all kinds of terrain and live adventures and amass stories you’ll tell your friends and family about. Interestingly, it’s not about just the experience and joy. A coast-to-coast cycling tour does something to your body as well and this article is all about that. Let’s get right into it, shall we?
Continue reading “Biking Bucketlist: Sea to Sea Cycling Tour in the UK”If you’re short on space at home and want a form of transport for urban commuting and errands in the city, folding bikes are a practical choice. Folding bikes are bicycles designed to fold into a compact form and can be more easily carried into buildings. While originally designed for short distances and flat roads, many cycling enthusiasts also use folding bikes for epic rides up mountain roads and for bike touring over hundreds of kilometers.
Folding bikes are a great option for bimodal transport and can be carried easily while riding in buses, trains, cars, planes, and boats, making them a good choice for urban dwellers and leisure travelers.
Continue reading “Are Folding Bikes for you?”Looking to buy your first bicycle or need repairs done? A lot of bikers usually head to Quiapo and Cartimar where bikes and bike parts are generally cheaper. But with the bike shortages everywhere, it might be better to just head to your local bike shop or LBS in your neighborhood. It may cost a little bit more, but this way if ever you need spare parts or repairs or maintenance done, at least you don’t have to travel too far to get it fixed by bike mechanics.
For residents of Quezon City and nearby areas, these are just a few of the bike shops that are currently open as of June 2020 (including safety measures in place with regards to COVID.)
Continue reading “Neighborhood Bike Shops in Quezon City”With the lack of public transportation and the need for social distancing when getting around, more people are interested in buying a bicycle for their personal mobility. While many are thinking of bicycles for short-term use and commuting because of restricted movements brought by the lockdown and quarantine, once checkpoints and borders to other provinces open up and travel by air and sea is allowed again, traveling by bike for leisure may also become more popular.
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