Enchanted

Below me is a natural wonder that could be found only in the Philippines: the Enchanted River. It's certainly not your ordinary swimming and diving spot as it appears to be surrounded by myths and mysteries—its origin being one of them.

True to its name, the Enchanted River boasts virtually clear waters with a shade of blue that needs no photo enhancement.

If you don your goggles and take a peek underwater, you will be awestruck by what you'll see — and I ain't kidding when I say "awestruck" 'cos I seriously jerked my head back up from utter surprise — a mouth of an enormous sinkhole that is about 26 metres deep where large schools of huge, unfamiliar, colourful fish could be found thriving! At the bottom of the abyss, you'll find a fascinating underwater cave system that hasn't been fully explored.

This inviting blue lagoon is truly nothing short of paradise and looks like something straight out of your wanderlust fantasies. So if you're planning to explore the Philippines, I think including the Enchanted River in your itinerary would be a brilliant move. And maybe, just maybe, for a second, it will make you believe in pixies and mermaids and magic once again.

Rockin' Bukilat Cave

2015 © Dana Eve Valencia

Captured by my friend Lancer Salva, this is me whilst taking a serious rockstar selfie in the natural spotlight on the pretend rock stage (pun intended) of Bukilat Cave on Camotes Island, Cebu.

Bukilat Cave is one of the three natural caverns I recently explored and definitely the most unforgettable.

This magical nature spot boasts a large underground opening, complete with a skylight, walls of stunning stalagmites and stalactites, a choir of flapping bats, and a pool which fills up with icy cool, crystal clear seawater at every high-tide.

Add to all this breathtaking spectacle (and primarily due to the fact that I'm a sucker for The Goonies, Peter Pan, and other pirate-y stuff) is the overwhelmingly electrifying legend that the cave has hidden treasures scattered about.

Go be wanderin' 'round these parts, matey, if yer lookin' fer some swashbucklin' adventuaaarrr!

Sweet Strandedness

"There is a risk any time we venture into the unknown whenever we are compelled for whatever reason to push away the safety of the familiar, of family and home. And there is the notion that this impulse is indeed for the best . . . that whatever doesn't kill us makes us stronger."

Just got back from an epic vagabondage and now armed with heaps of snaps, sunrises, and stories to share! 

Let me start by telling all of you how I just had the most adventure-packed week. I was legitimately stranded on an island due to a storm. But it was a sweet sort of "strandedness".

See, I've always fantasised about getting shipwrecked, swimming to shore, mastering how to desalinate seawater, building a little hut in the middle of nowhere, starting my own civilisation, and possibly befriending a volleyball. Well, none of those things actually happened. But my experience was the closest thing to those Shipwrecked/Cast Away scenarios I've been dreaming of and I was so, so lucky I got stuck with the right globetrotters.

Anyway, you'll hear more of my peripatetic tales soon. Have a fantastic week, long live Violence Using Bread, and hope you watch out for my future posts! Cheers!

Tantalising Taal

2015 © Dana Eve Valencia

The earth smiles 

at every step of yours . . .

so why would you frown at it? 

Overlooking the "crater lake" of Taal Volcano—said to be the smallest active volcano in the world. Its mysterious shape, as well as its location of being on an island within a lake within an island, makes it a one-of-a-kind and fascinating geologic wonder.

Of Birthdays and Sunrises

2015 © Dana Eve Valencia

I always make it a point to kick off my birthday with a glorious sunrise. And I was lucky enough again today to witness it as it signals another day, another year older and, hopefully, wiser for me.

I've always been adamant about how it's more exciting watching the sun rise than watching it set. I mean, don't get me wrong. I love a beautiful sunset. But there's something so breathtaking about watching it come up. Especially seeing that smudge of the brightest orange popping onto the horizon abruptly whilst you don your favourite pyjamas on the edge of a cliff for a good vantage point. I don't know about you, guys, but outdoors and pyjamas seem to mesh pretty well together for me.

See, when you watch the sun set, you know where it's going, you know when it's going to disappear. When it comes up, you're waiting for it, but it still somehow feels like this big surprise when it pops up.

Yep. That's definitely it. That and perhaps the fact that I'm not usually up at that ungodly time to see it. It makes it that much bigger of a deal.

Sunrise-watching was probably the best birthday gift I could offer myself. Even if it was only a 15-minute show, I'm so thankful that I got to see another spectacular sunrise, and I'm out to chase more sunrises this year. 

Have a lovely week, everyone!

NY 2015 | New Wings, New Adventures

2015 © Dana Eve Valencia

"I have come to accept the feeling of not knowing where I am going. And I have trained myself to love it. Because it is only when we are suspended in mid-air with no landing in sight, that we force our wings to unravel and alas begin our flight."

Wishing everyone a merry rockin' holiday season! 2014 has been quite an epic ride and I thank all of you for cruisin' with me. Words can't even describe how much your appreciation of my LegenDanny shenanigans means to me. So THANK YOU! 

Cheers to more wicked adventures, y'all! 

Victorious

2014 © Dana Eve Valencia

"To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life." 

【The Secret Life of Walter Mitty】

Woot woot! As 2014 comes to a close, I reckon it's just fair to celebrate our personal victories and relish our sweetest feats.

I remember a few months ago I received a heartfelt message from a lovely lady, thanking me for being an inspiration to her two daughters. I was speechless for a moment. I did a silly little mental victory dance when I learned that my snapshots and stories stirred the sense of adventure in her girls and encouraged them to step out of their comfort zones.

See, I believe that in life there's no greater test of the human spirit than beginning a story without knowing how it's going to end. To step into the unknown, to find the balance between holding on and letting go, to smile even when the waves of fear are churning within, to be a fighter — these are the things adventure has taught me. And being able to help awaken this sense within other people through my simple Instagram posts is something that I deem an accomplishment—an unexpected one at that.

So here's to all the adventures and battles we've faced and fought, big or small—be it a mountain, a school project, a sales quota, a marathon, a fear, an illness, a typhoon, a heartbreak, or heck, even a lawsuit. I think each and every one of us deserves to pop a bottle of champagne for being such awesome troopers.

Wishing y'all a more eventful 2015! May we all be Ambassadors of Adventure!

#TheLegenDannyDiaries

Short-lived Wonders

2014 © Dana Eve Valencia

I've always considered Japan as my second home. And its pristine charm, in which I never fail to find peace, is unparalleled in my eyes. Hakuba, this mountainous village in the photo, is just one of the many magical spots that certainly make one just sit down and sigh.

So just imagine how heartbroken I was when I heard from my friend Kousuke that only very recently an earthquake struck the region—destroyed homes, barns, roads, and all—which made it impossible to reach this part of the village again. 

This reminded me that nothing has been built to last forever as nature could be harsh. And quite amazingly, in no other culture will you find the short-lived beauty of things as valued as in Japan.