Pearl of the Orient

"Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan, hindi makakarating sa paroroonan". (A person who does not remember where he came from will never reach his destination). Filipino proverb. Gift me wings so I can fly to a blessed land of emerald isles with an eclectic ecosystem,  admiring an affluence of biodiversity of tropical exotic fauna and flora, where turquoise waves wander onto golden shores of alluring Binitinan,  exploring the coral reefs of Boracay. A place where childhood dreams fill the air, where innocence once built sandcastles, but now all that is left is forgotten footprints - from ghosts of ancestors. Let me soar with the Pithecophaga Jefferyi eagle, through rainforests and Kawasan falls, where souls are free to roam the motherland's seven thousand spine-tingling islands, from Maya bay to Palawan's underground rivers of enigmatic Puerta Princesa, until we greet the palm trees of Camiguin - the valley of volcanoes and the sunken cemetery. Viewing the Colours of StoBoSa to the pretty patterns of Ifugao rice terraces, until we reach the marvels of Luzon, silently perching upon the zenith of Mount Pulag's peaks, transcending spiritual echoes towards Mindanao's Mount Apo, whispering secretive Tagalog tongues, in one hundred diasporic dialects, as iris and marmalade skies welcome sunset, we'll bathe in the sapphire ripples of Bohol sea. Then we'll follow radiant night lights, reaching the bustling streets of Manila, losing ourselves in the succulent scents of balut, kwek kwek, taho, halo halo, as we devour juicy lanzones, refreshed by a cool breeze, The pearl of the Orient, home of Balagtas' Florante at Laura, dulcet tones of Santiago's Anak Dalita, where heartfelt hospitality with rich cultural heritage,  soothe tired eyes gazing at natural wonders of ancient views, where vibrant hues leave you breathless.