MANILA, Philippines -- Filipino-American video blogger Christine "Happy Slip" Gambito cringed at the mere mention of "balut," a delicacy popular among Filipinos, during a stop at Manila's Baywalk.

Balut is a fertilized egg, usually that of a duck, which is boiled and eaten from the shell. It is believed to be an aphrodisiac, mainly due to its high protein content. Balut is often sold in the streets by vendors. Recently, this delicacy has found its way to some restaurants and specialty food stalls.

Egged on by reporters and representatives of the Department of Tourism (DoT) to try one, Gambito only agreed to watch a tour guide eat balut. But she obliged to try "chicharon," a deep-fried pork skin delicacy. She later revealed that she only eats "Penoy," a boiled egg delicacy minus the duck embryo.

Gambito, who is known more popularly as "Happy Slip" on the Internet, was invited by the DoT for a two-week tour of Philippine destinations as the newly named ambassadress for the North American market, a first in the country's history.

Her Manila leg with the DoT involved a tour of a local mall, the Coconut Palace, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Luneta Park and the monument of national hero Jose Rizal, the famous "walled city" known as Intramuros, and the Baywalk area in Manila, where people usually go to watch the sunset from Manila Bay.

She is also scheduled to stop by Greenhills to hunt for discounted products.

Staring at the Manila Bay sunset, Gambito felt "a mix of emotions" as she witnessed Filipino culture up close. She admitted feeling sentimental during a Kalesa ride (a horse-drawn carriage) down the streets of old Manila.

"I was quiet all the way, just staring at the people who were smiling," she said. "Staring at the sunset makes me reflect on the thought that this is the land of my heritage, my parents. I'm seeing more than a sunset. It is much more than that. It is breathing in and taking in the atmosphere of Manila."

Gambito said she cried the day she arrived in Manila. But throughout her tour, Gambito was like a child, curious and excited to explore the city's scenic spots, hoping to understand her parent's native country. During the Intramuros tour, she jokingly quizzed a friend how much he knew about Jose Rizal, being the country's national hero. Her friend smiled back.

Gambito said her first video blog about her Philippine tour will feature herself talking about what she felt about being in the country for the first time.

Using an "old" digital video camera, Gambito often creates funny stories playing different characters. She uses Apples' Final Cut video editing software to turn these stories into funny video clips that she later uploads onto her own website and to YouTube, a popular online video hosting service.

She said most of these stories are inspired by her own life and the people around her, mostly those in her family. She is now one of the top rated contributors in YouTube.