Good Grief! These islands, they are magical. It's almost hard to have a weekend in the city knowing how much beauty and adventure is just a few hours out. (But we all know how much I love our big city, she's a gem.) I love how colorful the culture and life is in The Philippines. You can't walk down a street without seeing a vibrant cement wall, painted sidewalk or bright telephone post. They know how to make a colorful life and I love it. It uplifts me and brings me happiness. The Department Of Tourism in the region decided to revitalize and bloom the area by boosting this neighborhood with color. They were on to something. I had major fomo the instant I saw the STOBOSA Mural photos on social media. It was one of those places I knew I wanted to behold in person. I am not even Filipino and I take pride in this initiative to take a crowded hillside and make it a landmark. I applaud the efforts and am happy to report that it really is as remarkable in person as it is in photos. STOBOSA Mural is named after the three neighboring sitios, Stonehill, Botiwtiw and Sadjap. The mural was inspired by the Brazilian Favelas located in Rio De Janeiro. The bright colors are so fitting for the vibran and happy culture of the Filipino people. It manifests so much of the beauty I see in our life here. I couldn't get over the hanging laundry. The laundry brought the art installation to life. It allowed me to connect and think about the families lives who live here as opposed to just viewing a mural and passing by. I wondered what it was like to live on the mountain's edge, people staring at your home all day and i wondered if the loud paint kept them up at night. Joke lang. The hanging bridge is a nice added touch especially because it creates a pretty rad photo op. Me and my little explorers. The main highway we were on didn't have a great spot for parking so myself and the older two hopped out for a few minutes to explore. If you are going to spend time I suggest finding a parking spot. This blog post has great advice for just that. Things To Know:

• La Trinidad Strawberry FarmLa Trinidad Strawberry Farm is just a few minutes drive so you could do both on the same day.