San Juan

Browsing Tag

Surfing in La Union, February 2016

Family, La Union, Surfing By angkulet June 16, 2017 Tags: elyu, Flotsam and Jetsam Hostel, La Union, San Juan, San Juan Surf Resort, surfing, travel No Comments

While we were in El Nido, something happened. Fabio and I had a huge fight that almost ended our relationship. He moved out to stay at a different resort. Lia and I left for Manila ahead of him while he hung out with his friends for a few more days. He was also waiting for his own Australian visa. I decided to invite him to go surfing somewhere close to Manila. He flew back to Manila and all together we found ourselves in La Union, staying at the apartment of my friend Raffy who works with the owners of Flotsam and Jetsam Hostel and El Union coffee.

I introduced him to my friends at Four Aces Surf School and we went surfing with the Valdezes, Daisy, Anthony, and Lea. We found ourselves having our breakfasts at San Juan Beach Resort and El Union Coffee, dinners at Kahuna, Flotsam and Jetsam, and Naknak’s – a popular carenderia across El Union Coffee for the duration of our one-week stay there.

And even though I was happy to see all my friends in La Union again and go surfing again, you could see the toll of all these frenzy taking its toll on me.

Surf and Music Festival 2012 Day 3 – San Juan, La Union

La Union, Music, Photography, Travel Factor By angkulet November 7, 2012 Tags: Aloha Boardsports, Franco, La Union, live music, live performances, photography, Pupil, Razorback, San Juan, surf and music festival, Surf and Music Festival 2012, Travel Factor, Urbandub, Urbiztondo, Wharf Galley Rock Cafe 6 Comments

Having surfed all day til sunset, I was absolutely exhausted! Spy was already playing by the time I got to our room in Sebay, and I desperately needed a nap. I set the alarm to 9pm thinking I wouldn’t miss Razorback and Wolfgang because they wouldn’t play that early BUT they did! I woke up and I could hear Wolfgang playing!

The lineup for this night was DJ Joey Santos and DJ Niki Rojas, Franco, Razorback, Urbandub, Wolfgang, Pupil, Spy and Kalayo (formerly Pinikpikan). I was only getting dressed while Wolfgang was playing and we were having dinner of chicken and pork barbecues and hotdogs outside the concert venue when Kalayo was onstage.

Apparently, Razorback and Wolfgang had to play early because they had to be somewhere else.

I got in just in time for Franco. I’ve missed Franco when he played at Avenue Square in Naga City for last year’s Penafrancia Festival and missed him too at the Roots Rock Reggae gig at Metro Bar last October 17th so I wasn’t going to miss him at this year’s Surf and Music Festival!

FRANCO

Franco, now a solo artist, used to be a band made up of Franco Reyes (Inyo) on vocals and guitars, Gabby Alipe (Urbandub) and Paolo 8 Toleran (Queso) on guitars, Buwi Meneses (Parokya ni Edgar) on bass and JanJan Mendoza (Urbandub) on drums. BUT earlier this year, the band members decided to go separate ways and Franco now goes as a solo artist playing with sessionists during live performances. Read all about the story HERE.

Surf All Day during the Surf and Music Festival 2012

La Union, Photography, Surfing, Travel Factor By angkulet November 7, 2012 Tags: La Union, San Juan, San Juan Surf Resort, Sea Nymph, surf and music festival, Surf and Music Festival 2012, surfing, Travel Factor, Urbiztondo 11 Comments

Day 3 of the Surf and Music Festival 2012 was spent surfing! My muscles were sore all over and bruises were starting to form on my left knee and here and there on my legs but aside from being there for the music and my friends, I was also there for the surf, so surf I did!

I passed on the drinking til the wee hours of that Saturday morning so I could have enough rest and wake up early with enough energy to actually paddle but I still woke up at 10 AM! Nevertheless, after a cup of coffee and tapsilog I was out in the sun and sea.

No matter how small the waves are, I never go out to surf without an instructor. I’ve learned it the hard way. I was once at Monaliza Point some years back, had a really long ride that brought me near the shore and the corals and rocks, and made the mistake of paddling out in the wrong direction when I was wiped out to the point of drowning. Good thing I had Anthony Valdez as my instructor then so he came out to help me. I haven’t been to the point since then. I’m building up some stamina and some courage for that. Also, there were so many people out during the festival that accidents were almost inevitable and H had broken a board in two the day before. My best friend on this trip was Tinay.

Surf & Music Festival 2012 Day 1 – San Juan, La Union

La Union, Music, Photography, Travel Factor By angkulet November 5, 2012 Tags: 6CycleMind, Coffeebreak Island, friends, gigs, Imago, La Union, live music, music, Nikon D90, Pedicab, photography, Radioactive Sago Project, San Juan, Sandwich, surf and music festival, Surf and Music Festival 2012, Travel Factor, UpDharmaDown, Urbiztondo, Vitacon .5x wide angle converter 11 Comments

Meet-up was at The Podium’s open parking lot at twelve midnight, so we were all hanging out at Starbucks as early as eleven o’clock. I haven’t been on a trip with my Travel Factor friends in quite a while, the last time we were together was the Tambaron Island trip in Bulalacao, Mindoro last May. (Click here for the blog on that.)

We left the parking lot a little after one in the morning and arrived at Sebay Surf Resort close to nine in the morning. It was a really long trip, especially since I’ve had experience with my surfer friends PJ and Gerard when we’d take Manila-San Juan in three hours, yes, 3 hours, because that’s how fast Gerard (de Sagun) drives! We didn’t mind though because our room was going to be available at noon and we spent the entire morning just hanging out, checking out the beach, the girls, the surf, the breeze, all from the comforts of the restaurant of Sebay.

The last time I was in Urbiztondo for surfing was January 2011, and the last time I went on a decent surfing trip was in Baler, March 2011. I went a number of times to Bagasbas in Camarines Norte while I was based in Naga but I never did get to do any surfing there. I haven’t really surfed in almost two years – so, even though I tried to get ready for surfing a few days before this trip, I took it easy on Day 1. About an hour of riding some white water, and no paddling even. Soo…. lazy.

We spent more time hanging out with friends at San Juan Surf Resort, drinking Pinacoladas from Sunset Buckets (a cousin of the Boracay Bucket). The above photos are from my friend Ayie’s camera. Thanks Ayie!

I spent so much time hanging out with friends that I wasn’t dressed yet by the time Up Dharma Down came onstage. Never mind the bath, we quickly changed into shirts and shorts and headed to the concert area. We weren’t gonna miss Up Dharma Down!

UP DHARMA DOWN

Ean Mayor [drums and loops]
Carlos Tanada [lead guitars]
Armi Millare [keyboards, vocals]
Paul Yap [bass]

Up Dharma Down was the first band to come onstage after DJ David Ardiente‘s set and the crowd was just starting to trickle in.

The Surf and Music Festival 2012 has now moved to San Juan, La Union

Surfing, Travel Factor By angkulet October 5, 2012 Tags: La Union, music, San Juan, SMF, surf and music festival, Surf and Music Festival 2012, surfing, Travel Factor No Comments

For more updates, Like the Aloha Boardsports page on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Alohabsports

And the Surf and Music Festival 2012 official website for more information:
http://alohaboardsports.wix.com/surfmusicfestival

***

And if you are looking for packages, Travel Factor has it all:

Surfing in San Juan (January 23-24, 2010)

La Union By angkulet January 27, 2010 Tags: La Union, San Juan, surfing 1 Comment

You don’t really have to surf. Hanging out and enjoying the action from the beach is perfectly fine.

The sand in this beach moves from one side to the other depending on the season. At this time of the year, the rocks over by Little Surfmaid are exposed while the sand is by the little pier on the other side.

Dad plays with the kids in the setting, warm, afternoon sun.

While PJ plays on the beach with her 4-month old handsome golden retriever, Fabio.

And this has got to be my favorite photo for this trip, how sweet! 😛

I take time to snap a photo of this pretty little boy with the golden hair. 🙂

I was not really taking a photo of this skinny girl, I was trying to take a photo of the point where I had surfed for the first time this weekend and had both a blast and a scary time BUT this girl was in the way. Might as well. 🙂

Just look at how far I had to paddle to get to the line-up, which isn’t even in that photo because it’s still farther to the left. I just wanted to show the kind of waves that pummeled me every time I paddled back to the line-up. 😐

I could’ve surfed on the beach break, just like this guy. No, not this on the right who is also in my photo’s way, but that one guy on the left making a pretty good job of paddling out.

If I got pummeled on my way out at least I had some sand to step on every now and then, instead of swimming my darnedest best, with the results of having to feel like my legs are made of lead afterwards. Ho-ho!

Yes, I wanna be cool like this guy. Or maybe I am already. Ho-ho! 😐