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Ho Chi Minh-Phnom Penh Bus Ride

By: EK Encarnacion

As I munched on some chocolate cupcakes, the bus driver took his seat, steered the wheel and began what seemed to be a good journey across Vietnam and Cambodia. Well, at least that’s what I thought it would be via the Sapaco Bus.

Sapaco Tourist Bus (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

TRAVELOCITIES REMINDER #1

Sapaco is a popular bus company in Vietnam. Its main terminal in Saigon is located at District 1 at the intersection of Pham Ngu Lao Road and Do Quang Dao Street. The said terminal opens for business at around 5:30 in the morning. The schedule of departure of buses are 6:00 am, 7:00 am, 8:00 am, 9:00 am, 10:00 am, 11:30 am and 1:00 pm. Sapaco is said to be one of those that offers the cheapest modes of transportation from Saigon to Phnom Penh, Cambodia (approximately 6 hours travel) and from Saigon to Siem Reap, Cambodia (approximately 12 hours travel). The Saigon to Phnom Penh fare ranges from 11-15 US$ while the Saigon to Siem Reap fare falls within 18-22 US$.  Bus fares are dependent both on the route to be taken and the services included. The usual amenities claimed by the bus company are air-conditioning, checking of passports, usage of toilet, a wet towel, a bottle of water, immigration processing, and a rest stop. For non-ASEAN passport holders, a visa entry for Cambodia is required. The bus company also claims to handle visa processing for about 24-26 US$. Sapaco also promises tagging of checked-in luggage for security, a hand towel, and a snack. But my mom and I were certain that during our travel the company missed out on these three. Despite its appeal to budget backpackers, the bus company has also earned negative comments from a lot (and I really mean it) of dissatisfied (and some, abused) customers. A popular and oftentimes considered to be the most patronized and most suitable substitute for Sapaco Bus is the Mekong Express. Its fare falls on the same range as Sapaco but the services are said to be more complete thus allowing the company to receive a downpour of good reviews.

While the vehicle was making its way through narrow streets towards the expressway going to Cambodia, the bus conductor was verifying and collecting passports (and visa for non-ASEAN passengers) for easy processing at the Vietnam-Cambodia border. My mom took the liberty of communicating with the grumpy conductor (he was really being unfriendly—a said characteristic of Sapaco Bus staff according to another blog entry) while I was taking some shots of the bus interior and the busy city outside. 

Checking of Passports (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

Motorcycle-Crowded Intersection (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

A Glimpse of Jollibee (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

There wasn’t really much to see—roadways, houses, apartments, inns, motels, hotels, cafes, bars, restaurants, malls, public terminals, ports, wet markets, and a lot of other typical urban establishments. Ho Chi Minh resembles other metropolises in Southeast Asia. Thank goodness I brought my iPod shuffle to provide me some audio entertainment as I stare with ennui at the monotonous city scenery. (I just notice how I tend to become redundant—“boredom overload” perhaps). But really, it was impossible not to fall into a deep slumber.

Z-z-Z-z-Z *snore*

TRAVELOCITIES TIP #1

If you’re not the type of person who is fond of sleeping during trips (such as I am), then I suggest you bring 2-3 books to read, a fully-charged gadget that can provide you audio entertainment, and/or a few snacks that can satisfy your palate. If you wish, you may also bring your portable DVD player or laptop. But these are items that I am not endorsing as you may be catching the attention of nearby criminals. 

  I felt the bus coming into a halt. My mom was waking me up and telling me that we were already nearing the Vietnam-Cambodia border. We were asked to get down from the bus and present ourselves to the immigration. We needed to get our passports marked with the “departure” stamp so as to prove ourselves cleared of all other possible duties and responsibilities in Vietnam.

Immigration Office at the Vietnam Portion of the Border (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

The process at the immigration office (Vietnam portion of the border) was slow and, in my opinion, discriminative. All passengers were asked to wait as names were called out. I remembered how the conductor piled our passports and I knew that my mom and I should have been called within the first ten. But we were not. Apparently, the immigration officers were calling out names of those they can easily pronounced first—mostly Vietnamese, Cambodian and other mainland nationalities. In the end, I learned that most of those who were left behind were mostly Filipinos and Westerners. But I would have understood if it was the only problem.

A second bus has just arrived with a new set of passengers bound for Phnom Penh. And with the most unfortunate and cruel of all circumstances, the immigration officers called out names of locals from the said group first, instead of us who were left behind from the first bus. We were quite disappointed with the unfair process. But not one of us complained because we all know how immigration officers can cause greater trouble if we raise our concerns—for all we know, we may end up being stuck in Vietnam for some made up violation. But again, as what I have mentioned in Part 5 of my Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) travel journal, I am writing such bad experiences so as not to ruin the image of the Vietnamese or any other people for that matter but rather to warn other tourists about such delinquents lurking and giving dishonour to good societies.

After the immigration officer called out my name (I believe I was sixth from last) and my mom’s (she was third from last), we went out of the office and hurried inside the bus to take our seats. I would have wanted to take photographs near the premises of the Vietnam portion of the border but considering the facts that we were last and everyone inside the bus were already waiting for us including the grumpy conductor whose face looked so annoyed (as if it was our fault we got stuck inside!), and that my mom and I did not feel happy taking pictures after standing inside the office for a long time, no one can actually blame us for our choice to head back inside the vehicle.

Monument behind the Immigration Office at the Vietnam Portion of the Border (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

A less-than-a-minute ride (literally!) followed and we were once again asked to get off the bus and enter the immigration office (Cambodia portion of the border).

Cambodian Marker (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

Unlike at the Vietnam portion of the border, my mom and I were blessed to be assigned to one of those officers who were able to process documents and stamp passports quickly but efficiently. It was not long after when we found ourselves heading to the exit after a few minutes. We were just about to step outside when we were greeted by a man. “Kumusta kayo?” (Filipino translation of “How are you?”), he said. I replied with, “Mabuti naman po” (Filipino translation of “I’m fine”) and immediately asked, “Gaano na po kayo katagal nagtatrabaho dito?” (Filipino translation of “How long have you been working here?”). He first answered with a smile then continued with, “Sorry, I’m not Filipino. With many Filipinos visiting Cambodia, I was able to learn a few phrases myself.” Hearing his reply made me realize that we, Pinoys, being well-travelled and scattered all over the world, should be having this impact on other nationalities. We should actually be promoting our culture, tradition and language. The Chinese have done an amazing job influencing the world such that it is impossible not to see a Chinatown in a certain country. In addition, Mandarin has become a part of the curricula in many schools and universities worldwide. Would it be nice to have our own Pinoy Villages around the world? And would it be kind-of cool to have other nationalities speaking in our native language? What an ease in communication! I bid the man farewell and joined my mom outside for some photo-ops.

Immigration Office at the Cambodia Portion of the Border (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

The immigration office (Cambodia portion of the border) was just stunning to look at. With intricate roof engravings and other embellishments, the infrastructure may actually be mistaken to be a temple. My mom and I did not hesitate to take some pictures of the building and, of course, of ourselves.

Behind the Immigration Office at the Cambodia Portion of the Border (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

Me at the Border (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

My Mom and I (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

We then headed inside the bus to rest as we wait for other passengers. When the conductor finished his head count and realized that all were accounted, the driver made its way to new territory—Cambodia. Several majestic casinos welcomed us as we travel through the highway. It was just surprising for my part since I never envisioned Cambodia to be fond of such entertainment especially that it is considered to be a developing country such as the Philippines.

Titan Casino (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

Hours have gone by like minutes and the bus made a stop to allow passengers to have a late lunch. I wasn’t really hungry so it was only my mom who went down and got herself a bowl of steaming noodle soup. It was not long after when the passengers started entering the bus. The conductor did his usual head count when the vehicle seemed full inside and gave the driver a go signal to start the final leg of our journey.

The sceneries to Phnom Penh were rural as oppose to the urban setting just outside Ho Chi Minh. Several little houses lined the roadsides while a few large houses stand somewhere in the middle of the plains. The main highway was somewhat asphalted but the reddish-brown soil have caused it to appear dirty.

It was not long after when we reached a river that cuts across a portion of Cambodia. My mom told me that a small boat able to contain a number of land vehicles will be used to reach the other bank. She said that if the bus driver decided to cross via the bridge located several kilometres away from where we were at the moment, it would take us ages to reach Phnom Penh. And so I was quite amazed that a mode of transportation similar to our very own Ro-Ro (i.e. Roll-on, Roll-off boat) was also being effectively utilized in Cambodia.

Boat Ride (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

The crossing of the bank was relatively faster than what I expected. In a matter of minutes, I found the bus once again making its way through the highway. At this point, the conductor decided to turn on the television and insert a DVD inside the player. I was quite excited to know what the crew decided to feature. And after a few adjustments to the volume and contrast, (Alas!) it was a show that brought me a terrible headache that lasted for an entire night! But the details of that, my friends, will be available in my next blog entry. 

It was a rainy afternoon when the bus reached the heart of Phnom Penh. Different establishments and monuments lined both sides of the road—all drenched by the pouring rain.

Raindrops (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

The bus finally swerved to the terminal where my godmother, uncle and cousins were waiting for our arrival. My mom and I got our baggage and headed towards our relatives. And after a few hugs and kisses, my cousin exclaimed, “Welcome to Cambodia, Kuya!”

Flying to another country from the Philippines? Learn how to make your way through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport by clicking on the following link:

Making Your Way through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

It was EK Encarnacion's first time to travel from one country to another via land transportation. Although quite relatively uneasy during the entire trip, he believes that it was essential that he was able to experience such in life. To learn more of his viewpoints, visit his other blogs: Every-Comedy-Thing (life blog), Culinary Coliseum (food blog), and By God's Grace (gratitutde blog). His works are also indexed at one of the best Pinoy blogs, The Filipino Diaspora.  

[travelocities]

Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), Vietnam (Part 5): On Being Left Hanging

By: EK Encarnacion

After a kilometer of clothing boutiques and restaurants, my mom and I reached the end of Dong Khoi Street where we were greeted by the flowing Saigon River.

TRAVELOCITIES DESTINATION – SAIGON RIVER

Like most rivers in Asia (and perhaps in the world as a whole), the beauty of the Saigon River has faded thanks to the mismanaged progression of urbanization which is fuelled by the overgrowing human population. Mainly used as water supply and for transport of cargoes in and out of the country, the Saigon River is starting to become polluted (which later may result to its eventual non-usefulness) by residential and commercial wastes, loose sediments from the river banks, branches and twigs from nearby trees, and oil spills from crossing boats.

By the Saigon River (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

My mom and I took a few photographs near the port and went back to our tintins to finally end the tour. We silently made our way through Ham Nghi Street—no picture-taking: just me, my mom, our tintin drivers and the rest of Ho Chi Minh.

Inh and his friend dropped my mom and I back to our starting point, 23/9 Park. I got two 5 US$ to pay Inh and his friend for their services. My mom and I were about to turn away when Inh pulled my lower arm and said, “Not 5 US$, 10 US$.” I said, “Yeah, 10 US$ for the both of you. That was our deal a while ago—5 US$ each,” while removing his grip from my wrist. Inh started raising his voice, “But I worked hard! I sweated. I pedalled the tintin. Give us 10 US$ each!” I told him calmly, “I’m sorry but that wasn’t the deal we had.” My mom and I managed to gain a step away but Inh and his friend hastily slid in front of us. “Not 5 US$, 10 US$” he repeated. I was infuriated. I angrily retold him how we ended our deal earlier this morning. But it seemed that all the words coming from my mouth were falling into deaf ears. He kept making reasons—even changing statements every so often. The four of us verbally quarrelled for some time until my mom and I noticed that we were inviting the attention of nearby locals. And then I thought hard. There was no written proof of our deal. It would be difficult to convince other people to side with us—we’re foreigners in the country. My mom and I were standing on another territory. And our bus for Phnom Penh, Cambodia will be leaving in an hour. I furiously pulled two more 5 US$ from my wallet. Honestly, I would have punched the two of them right in their faces for being painfully annoying and for not keeping their promise. But I wasn’t raise to knock people’s jaws. As my mom and I walked away from Inh and his friend, and their tintins; I told myself that I would be including this story of untrustworthiness—not to ruin the image of the Vietnamese people but rather to warn other tourists about such delinquents lurking and giving dishonour to good societies.

Inh (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

My mom and I headed to Ben Thanh Market located across the roundabout to purchase a few pasalubongs to bring with us back home in the Philippines.

TRAVELOCITIES DESTINATION – BEN THANH MARKET

Ben Thanh Market is perhaps the most popular marketplace in downtown Ho Chi Minh. It is a structure that has withstood the test of time and continues to symbolize the humble economy of Vietnam. It is a must-visit site for tourists who would like to bring home a piece of Vietnamese culture including: local handicrafts, beautifully-woven textiles, and souvenirs of varying sizes. It is also home to a few food stalls that offers a bite of real Vietnamese cuisine.

Ben Thanh Market (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

Although my mom and I would like to explore the entirety of Ben Than Market, it was time to head back to our guest house, pick up or bags and pay our bill just so we can catch the schedule of our bus’ departure. Whilst carrying the items we bought, we traced back the route we walked during the earlier part of the day. Indeed our [first] Ho Chi Minh encounter was drawing to a close.

When we reached our guest house (with the pungent smell of burning incense-like odor still diffusing throughout the lobby and now reaching the hallways), we finished what needed to be done and left without delay. My mom and I entered the Sapaco Bus Terminal and coordinated with the staff, who in turn directed us towards our assigned bus. As I sat down inside the bus and looked through the window, I recalled from how Minh, our airport taxi driver, warmly welcomed us until how Inh, our tintin driver, coldly treated us. I was having a mixture of emotions coming up with a final impression of Ho Chi Minh and its people. But in the end, I realized that a short stay was not enough to judge the city and the society or, furthermore, if rating a city and its society was even rightful and plausible.

As fellow passengers entered through the bus door, I wished to go back to Ho Chi Minh sometime in the future and indulge myself with more of the beautiful things that the city and the people can offer. I know that down the depths of my mind there is more to Ho Chi Minh than what I had experienced.

And that is one of the things I hate the most: the feeling of being left hanging—the thought of something missing.

Click on the following link to read Part 4:

Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), Vietnam (Part 4): At the Heart of Ho Chi Minh

Click on the following link to read about EK Encarnacion's Ho Chi Minh-Phnom Penh Bus Ride:

Ho Chi Minh-Phnom Penh Bus Ride

Flying to another country from the Philippines? Learn how to make your way through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport by clicking on the following link:

Making Your Way through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

EK Encarnacion isn't really fond of being placed in an open-ended situation. To learn more of his dislikes, visit his other blogs: Every-Comedy-Thing (life blog), Culinary Coliseum (food blog) and By God's Grace (gratitude blog). His works are also indexed at The Filipino Diaspora, an online pool of Pinoy writers.

[travelocities]

Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), Vietnam (Part 1): Anh Yeu Em Miss Saigon

By: EK Encarnacion

Aerial View of Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), Vietnam at Past Midnight (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

It was about an hour past midnight when the craft landed at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport. My mom and I got our hand-carries from the overhead compartment and joined the rest of the passengers in a long slow-moving caravan out the plane and through the airport. Knowing that I am now in a non-English-speaking country, I immediately pulled out my camera and took a picture of the first Vietnamese words I’ll encounter. I honestly thought I’ll be taking a photo of the restroom. Good thing this signage came first.

Den and Chuyen Tiep Signage (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

My mom and I did a few more photo-ops at one of the airport’s hallways, waited at the area for claiming our baggage and instantly grabbed our check-ins which were restlessly lying down on the revolving conveyor belt a few minutes later.

Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City Signage (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

Welcome EK Encarnacion to Ho Chi Minh City! (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

Ho Chi Minh City Welcomes Me and My Mom (Photograph by EK Encarnacion)

We then proceeded to the immigration counter to get our passports stamped (hooray! my very first mark in my new passport!). Afterwards, we made our way to the exit. Upon stepping outside, I took one large breath of Saigon air and discovered something. There was a distinct smell in the atmosphere which may be somewhat associated with mainland East Asia. I don’t know if my nose was just playing tricks on me but (really) I was able to recognize a (and I’m not really sure about this!) pungent burning incense-like odor mixed with the smell of Oriental spices and herbs. And believe me I did check if somebody was just offering prayer to the gods while partaking in a bowl of noodle soup (talk about multitasking!)—but to my surprise, there was none.

A taxi driver approached us and suggested a 12 US$ ride to Pham Ngu Lao at District 1 but my mom refused right away. I asked her why and taught me my very first lesson in Vietnam, or in travelling for that matter.

TRAVELOCITIES TIP #1

Bargain. Whenever possible, bargain. If not, determine the lowest travel fare or item price by inquiring other people who appears trustworthy. When mingling with tourists, public utility drivers and street/market/mini-mall vendors often put large amounts of additional charge on the final rate of the fare or price, which in most cases is ridiculously twice or thrice (or worst case scenario, five times) the original cost. Do not be swayed easily by the seemingly heart-warming first offer of a driver or vendor. The cost of an airport taxi ride from the Tan Son Nhat International Airport to Pham Ngu Lao Road had been known to play at around 6-7 US$ (or perhaps even lower).

TRAVELOCITIES TIP #2

Notice that the currency I used is in US$. Due to the influx of tourists from all parts of the world, Vietnamese public utility drivers and street/market/mini-mall vendors accept US$. However, it is quite advantageous to slip in a few Dongs (Vietnamese currency) in the wallet so as to pay for travel fares and item prices that cost less.

Vietnamese Dongs (Credits to Google Images for the Photograph)

After a bunch of other drivers came and proposed similar rates, a friendly taxi driver named Minh agreed to the fare that my mom and I knew. He first assisted us in loading our baggage at the back of the taxi then invited me and my mom to take our respective seats. Inside, I got the chance to have a short chitchat with and learn a few handy Vietnamese phrases from Minh who can speak English more fluently than others.

I learned that Minh has been a taxi driver for more than ten years. He has already been married to a woman who up to this very moment I still cannot recall the occupation he mentioned. Or maybe she was a housewife? Sadly, it slipped my mind. Anyhow, he (if I am not mistaken) has five daughters whom he is proud of. Although I remembered him stating that being given a son would make him even happier.

A few useful Vietnamese phrases I have extracted from Minh included:

TRAVELOCITIES TRANSLATION – VIETNAMESE

Hello, Hi, Good Morning, Good Noon, Good Afternoon, and Good Evening – Xin chao

(Notice that the Vietnamese do not differentiate the times of the day. A single phrase applies for all)

Excuse me and Sorry – Xin loi

Do you speak English? – Ban co noi tieng English?

My name is EK Encarnacion – Toi ten la EK Encarnacion

I am from the Philippines – Toi den tu Philippines

Where is the airport? – San bay o dau?

How do you say _____ in Vietnamese? – Ban noi _____ the nao trong tieng Viet?

How much is this? – Cai nay gia bao nhieu?

Thank You or Thanks – Cam on

Goodbye – Tam biet

I love you – Em yeu anh (directed towards males), Anh yeu em (directed towards females)

Despite the time, I was still hyped about learning Vietnamese phrases that I can use during my stay in Saigon. Unfortunately, Minh finally came to a halt and indicated that we have already reached our stop. Minh unloaded our baggage and my mom paid him in return for all his graciousness. For a weird reason, I felt sad bidding farewell to someone who I barely knew but had been very accommodating to me, my mom, and my queries. And so I asked Minh if he could give us a calling card so that my mom and I can contact him if ever we come back to Vietnam. He told me that he doesn’t have a personal number but would be giving us the contact details of his friend whom we can call and ask to direct us to him.

And after writing down the number, he drove back to the airport while my mom and I carried our bags to survey the area for open (because it was just past two in the morning!) and clean but inexpensive guest houses or inns at Pham Ngu Lao. We were actually blessed to find one that was open although the guest house wasn’t really a place I would recommend as it was small, crammed and quite non-homey. The only two important things I would praise the inn for were our room’s relatively good air-conditioning unit and the place’s nearness to the Sapaco Bus Terminal for land travel going to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, my mom and I’s second destination city.

TRAVELOCITIES DESTINATION – PHAM NGU LAO

Pham Ngu Lao, named after Vietnam’s national hero, is a famous area at District 1 and is known to be Saigon’s khu tay ba lo or backpackers’ haven. Guest houses and inns, hotels and mini hotels are scattered across the vicinity and offers the cheapest stay-in rates within the city. Pham Ngu Lao is also home to a lot of stalls/stores/shops/markets, local restaurants, cafes, and bars and thus, is also one of the busiest places around the metro especially at night. Pham Ngu Lao Road is the main street in the locale and is paralleled and intersected by other minor lanes such as Bui Vien, De Tham, and Do Quang Dao. This crisscross network of roadways creates one of the city’s well-travelled mazes that should not be an unfamiliar ground to budget-inclined and adventurous tourists alike.  

TRAVELOCITIES TIP #3

Not all guest houses or inns at Pham Ngu Lao are open at early dawn. Therefore in order to avoid what my mom and I experienced, I highly suggest that you either (a) choose a flight that will take you to Saigon somewhere during the day or (b) contact the owner or staff of your chosen guest house or inn, hotel or mini hotel beforehand so as to inform them of your arrival in case your plane is scheduled to land in Saigon at night or at dawn. The following is a list of some of the guest houses or inns, hotels and mini hotels located at Pham Ngu Lao Road and the streets parallel to and intersecting it. The prices for these guest houses or inns, hotels and mini hotels are expected to be more affordable as Pham Ngu Lao is, as mentioned earlier, a backpacker-friendly neighborhood.

Pham Ngu Lao Road

Duna Hotel

Elios Hotel

Giant Dragon Hotel

Tram Anh

Vien Dong Hotel

Bui Vien Street (parallel to Pham Ngu Lao Road)

An An Hotel

Hai Ha Hotel

Happy Inn

Huong Mini Hotel

Kim Hotel

Le Trung Hotel

Phan Lan Guest House

Phi Long

Phoenix Hotel

Thai Nhi Mini Hotel

De Tham Street (intersecting Pham Ngu Lao Road)

Hoang Linh Hotel

Hong Hoa Hotel

Quyen Thanh

Ngoc Dang Hotel

Orient Hotel

Vinh Guest House

Do Quang Dao Street (intersecting Pham Ngu Lao Road)

The Trinh

You may want to check on the following links to learn more (e.g. prices, amenities and reviews) of these inexpensive guest houses and inns, hotels and mini hotels at Pham Ngu Lao as well as the more pricey, more comfortable and more accessible (i.e. those that are still open even at past midnight) hotels around Central Saigon.

TRAVELOCITIES LINK #1

Travelfish (Ho Chi Minh City Guest Houses, Hotels and Resorts) Website

TRAVELOCITIES LINK #1

Agoda (Ho Chi Minh City Hotels) Website

As we settled in for a while before the sun eventually breaks into the horizon, my mom and I strongly hoped that the goodness and blessings we experienced during our ÐÊN (see the second photograph again) would continue to extend until the time we leave the city. In fact, after I lied down on the bed, I remembered Minh and how he had made a good first impression on me and my mom. As I closed my eyes and wished that the other locals we will meet during our stay are as welcoming as Minh, I joyfully whispered the words “Anh Yeu Em Miss Saigon” to myself.

But maybe I concluded too soon.

Click on the following link to read Part 2:

Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), Vietnam (Part 2): Under the Green Canopy

Flying to another country from the Philippines? Learn how to make your way through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport by clicking on the following link:

Making Your Way Through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

EK Encarnacion's obsession with the reality show Amazing Race has caused him to be quite familiar with Ho Chi Minh. To learn more of his other obsessions, visit his blogs: Every-Comedy-Thing (life blog), Culinary Coliseum (food blog) and By God's Grace (gratitude blog). His works are also indexed at one of the best online pools of Pinoy writers, The Filipino Diaspora.