Leda the Lakwatsera

Take 2! [Boracay]

2011-09-29T04:29:00.000-07:00

I'm not in the mood to work now, like I'm having a "travel hangover" -- if there's such thing. I just got back from bora with Lou, Del and some of Lou's officemates.

It was awesome, in spite of typhoon Pedring. Why, I got my primary goal -- to just relax. No tours, no banana boats or what, you know what I mean? Right from the start I wanted it to be my "pre-employment vacation", something just to relax myself amidst errands in Manila, and something to look back to while I'm at a 6-month no-leave probationary period!

higlight 1: Astoria. On our first night, some agent from Astoria approached us (me and lou), and offered us free dinner buffet for two, in exchange for 90-mins of "hotel tour and presentation". They said it was a part of their promotion, because Astoria will have new resorts in Palawan and Bohol soon. Simple, why should we say no?

Geeee this is awesome, annoying and funny all at the same time. Because after Lou and I had a really yummy and sumptuous dinner (take note: BUFFET. FREE OF CHARGE), a "holiday consultant" then took us to their function room, more of a classroom, filled with couples (I assume these couples got the free dinner as well) and other sales agents doing their one-to-one sales talk with these couples. Apparently it was a sales talk session to sell their "Astoria Club membership" -- a pricey membership, ideal for [married] couples or families, offering cheap Astoria rates for the next 30 years.

To cut the long story short, the supposedly 90-min "tour" turned out to be a 2-hour chickahan then sales talk with the agent. Lou and I found the membership cool and interesting, but due to lined up bills till the next N years we didn't take the offer. Anyway, no regrets. if the dinner buffet is worth 2 hours of our precious time, then it's still all worth it. Because the food was really good. hahaha!

(and as what Lou's colleague said, if I can still remember every bit of info about that membership that I can blab about it for the rest of the night to others, then it's also worth it on the part of the sales agent. win-win!)

highlight 2: BORACAY GARDEN RESORT! Lou and I bought his officemate's unused ensogo voucher (here we go with deals again!):

Only P8,008 for a 3D/2N’s Premier Room Accommodation with 4 sets of Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner for 2 persons at Boracay Garden Resort, Boracay Island (valued at P16,544)

It's one of the best deals we purchased! they had awesome, classy rooms and facilities, and their food was good, especially the buffet breakfasts. Most importantly, service was excellent!

I left it with all sadness :(

highlight 3: Typhoon Pedring. The entire stay in Bora wasn't really 100% fun, with the big waves, strong winds and heavy rain on our 3th-4th (day of departure!).

Luckily, our flight wasn't canceled. Thanks to Cebu Pacific who survived the turbulence (haha!), and who gave us accurate info about their flights, through their website and call center, in spite of the chaotic situations in the airports that day. I must say, their service has improved a lot!

Now that I think about it, with the perfect accommodation, safe flights, wholesome rave parties and drinking we did, the entire trip wasn't so bad after all. Actually, it made me decide that from now on, Boracay should be an annual tradition!

P.S. I just realized that this trip CAN'T be "something to look back to while I'm at a 6-month no-leave probationary period" ...I still have my Coron trip next week. hehee.

Sabtang Tour [Batanes]

2011-09-22T06:22:00.000-07:00

Sabtang is a nearby island which can be accessed by boat in 30 mins more or less. Although this one can be toured by DIY, Lou and I decided to get the tour services of our hotel (Batanes Seaside Lodge -- details at the end of this post) just to eliminate the possibility of being stranded just because of missed out boat schedules or what. And I thought as well, that in a DIY tour, we can't send immediate SOS having a hotel accomodation in a different island right? haha! The hotel gave us Kuya Narding as our driver from the hotel to the port (about 15-20mins drive), and as our tour guide for the day. They also hired Kuya Mel and his Jeep for our transportation within the island the whole time. How can we miss out scheds in this setup - Kuya Mel happens to be our sailor too!

DAY 2 - SABTANG TOUR

The moment I stepped on Sabtang, I sensed immediately that it wouldn't be like Basco. It's more rural, there are no modern houses, and vehicles are few. I think for our entire tour, I saw just one vehicle in the island -- our jeepney. haha! For a start, we registered as tourists in that hall/structure just right across Sabtang Church or Church of San Vicente Ferrer. I just had to mention that, because the church is really beautiful:

Introducing, Palek!

Before we started with the tour, Lou requested for a side trip to wherever the local wine is made -- we've been planning to get a bottle or two just to make our succeeding dinners genuinely Ivatan. haha! So Kuya Mel brought us to Mang Seraphin - a local wine maker in Barangay Sinakan, who gladly welcomed us to his home (even if it was all impromptu). hehe. He introduced Palek, a wine made from sugar cane. He gave us two varieties - a "younger" palek that tastes like red wine, and an "older" palek that's like a fruity, mild brandy. Both were good, Lou and I liked the former better.

They also showed us this coconut shell which they use as "shot glass"

And so we ended up buying 1.5 Liters of each all for P75 (P25 per liter). We were happy not only with the cheap local wine we just discovered, but also with the entire wine tasting experience. The free shots we enjoyed in a wine maker's old house feels so... classic, genuine, one of a kind!

Savidug & Chavayan

We then stopped by 2 barangays famous the old stone houses - Savidug and Chavayan. Did I mention in my previous post that I went to Batanes just to see rolling hills? Sorry, No, I actually meant, rolling hills and STONE HOUSES. hehe! So this is it, the famous houses made of huge, carved stones built to protect themselves from typhoons. Incredible.

Kuya Mel introduced us by the way to his grandfather, Lolo Marcelo. I think he's always part of the tour. Why, he's already 104 years old! Look at him, yes he doesn't even look 80!

According to Lolo Marcelo, his diet includes rice, kamote and veggies grown on the mountains. For his meat, he eats fish, and NOT pork and beef. Although he already talks so soft and slowly, he can still hear and see us clearly. and he still makes baskets! his latest work is that basket at the left. (I actually doubted his age at first, but how can you be wrong if the locals seem so sure about his age?)

Nakabuang Beach

Next stop is Nakabuang Beach, a shore known for its natural arch.

Amazing isn't it? But what amazed me more was that we were the only visitors in Sabtang that time, so the shore was solely OURS! we enjoyed the dip after the long tiring walks! Of course, given that, I can't leave without a vanity pic ;)

That was a really good finale. Of course the real finale was our sumptuous lunch, but up till now I'm feeling sad that coconut crab was served for our lunch -- we really didn't want it, thinking it would be a contribute to its extinction. Oh well! anyway...

The ride back to Batan island, at around 2pm, wasn't really a smooth one. Waves were really big! But the clouds were fantastic, so I have to share this:

It's so fluffeeey! (Really, I'm amazed that clouds like this are so usual in Batanes!)

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All in all, Sabtang tour was a great experience. It was like being warped to a different place, and to a different era. If you're into old architecture, never skip this tour!

My only regret was that I wasn't able to protect myself from the sun - when we got back to the hotel I had a really terrible migraine (plus sunburn!). So, on your Sabtang tour, don't forget your hat, shades and sunblock :)

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For Batanes Seaside Lodge and Restaurant tour rates -- click here.

For customized tours like ours (tour service on 2nd day only, for example),
contact Roger Amboy - 0918 333 1797

Basco Tour [Batanes]

2011-09-18T06:04:00.000-07:00

After failed attempts, I finally checked one item in the bucket list - thanks to Lou who loves travel as much as I do, but who's probably more impulsive than I am. hahaha! He got promo flights last January for Manila-Basco-Manila, and had them scheduled on August 20-25. Why not, it was discounted by 50%, or 15k round trip for two people! But the catch was, like what I said, it was scheduled on August - a rainy (or even stormy) month, making the entire trip prone to cancellation. tsk!

Though, after offering a mass prior to the trip, and a sundance before sleeping (LOL), God blessed us with a very very very beautiful weather. And so Leda Lakwatsera adds N more posts to this blog! Okay let's start...

DAY 1 - BASCO TOUR

As what most sites suggest, this tour doesn't take up the entire day. This can be scheduled immediately after settling in your hotel and all, and this can end just on time for the sunset. Because it didn't sound complicated, Lou and I opted to rent a tricycle for this. Thanks to Cris (our day 4 tour guide), he recommended Mang Romy - a trike driver and tour guide in one, who can tour 2-3 tourists with his tricycle, for only P200 per hour. (Contact details at the end of this post)

Tukon Chapel

First stop was Tukon Chapel - a small chapel that's built like the traditional stone houses. When we got there, it was closed, but Mang Romy opened all doors like he owned it -- according to him, anyone can open it anyway. oh. okay. haha!

Before I can comment that it's a very nice chapel for small weddings (it's solemn looking and elegant, reminds me of Caleruega!) ...he mentioned some personalities who recently had their weddings in Tukon Chapel. And that night, before I can share it to my friends who are already engaged, coincidentally Yahoo news published a list of wedding destinations. Yep, because of this beautiful chapel, Batanes is on the list!

Tukon Radar

He then brought us to Tukon Radar Station - just a few minutes from Tukon chapel. I originally wanted to skip this, assuming there's nothing really spectacular in it -- based on blogs and photos. boy, I was wrong! It had a spectacular view!

Actually, from the viewing deck, you'd see Tukon Chapel!

Just FYI, Tukon Radar is actually PAGASA's station, the spot where they monitor the weather, apparently. So what's up with the term Tukon? Mang Romy said it means HILLTOP. Oh, makes sense!

Fundacion Pacita

Next stop was Fundacion Pacita. At first I was hesitant to go inside this awesome bed and breakfast place, after our hotel's operations manager informed us that it's no longer open to non-guests. But Mang Romy's THE MAN, he said that the staff know and trust him, so there's no reason why we can't get inside. Okay sir! hehe!

Fundacion Pacita's as beautiful as it was projected in its website - The landscape is awesome, it has a perfect view of the pacific ocean, and everything inside's homey. That's why I dreamt of having at least one night here. Good it didn't push through -- not only was it expensive, it is also currently under renovation! With the ongoing construction and all, no guest can check-in at the moment. My wish stays the same though -- to have at least one night here, next time, when I'm in Batanes just to relax.

Japanese Tunnel

Then Mang Romy brought us to a tunnel used by the Japanese during WW2. We didn't go inside anymore, but we hiked a bit to reach its top, or the soil above the tunnel. There you'd see the tunnel's 3 windows facing 3 different views: pacific ocean, china sea, and the airport. And yes there you'd see the runway clearly, which is actually just at the foot of Mt. Iraya.

Basco Runway, at the right is Mt. Iraya

Valugan Beach / Boulder Beach

I was so excited to see this one, just from the photos I knew this would be incredible. And I was right, boulders are really massive, actually even more massive than I imagined!

Mang Romy explained that these huge rocks were spewed by Mt. Iraya years ago, and were smoothened by the waves of the pacific ocean over the years. Amazing right? As you notice though, this place isn't a good place to swim, waves are not calm and it requires a lot of effort to reach the shore. It's still pretty in pictures though, so you shouldn't skip this one! :)

(FYI - Dawn Zulueta's ad of ph Care was shot here!)

Vayang Rolling Hills

Now the most awaited part - Vayang Rolling Hills! No, I wasn't excited to see Vayang rolling hills, but I was excited to see any kind of rolling hills in Batanes I mean. Why? Batanes is so known for this, in fact I WENT TO BATANES JUST FOR THE BEAUTIFUL HILLS, they make Batanes Scotland-like as they say. Vayang was just lucky to be my first encounter, making it my personal favourite. hehe!

Basco Lighthouse / Naidi Hills

Now the finale - Basco Lighthouse! One word to describe this: romantic.

Sadly, the lighthouse was closed, perhaps coz it was a saturday? We were really meant to call it a day, besides we were already tired and hungry from that half-day sunny tour. At that time though, I felt sad for the lighthouse - I think it's a really awesome (and again, romantic) spot, it definitely shouldn't be the last destination of tired tourists on their first day.

Well... watch out for day 3, when we went back to this place to experience the beautiful sunset! Stand by, folks!!!

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We do recommend Mang Romy!

Call/Text him at 0949-6923256
(If you can't reach him, let me know)

Zambales - with Lou's family

2010-10-22T13:36:00.000-07:00

Oct 9 - Outing at Zambales, with Lou's family. I thought I'd be a party pooper, having slight fever from friday night to saturday afternoon, but no. Thanks to bioflu (hehe), I was able to swim, pigout, and bond with everyone (up till now I'm hoping I did not make any booboo for them to dislike me. Hehe)

We stayed at Canoe Resort, which was good - clean and not crowded (or maybe it's the rainy season). The weather wasn't good on our first day btw, so we weren't able to island-hop ..which I've been looking forward to. Good that the resort had a pool, and sunday's weather was good, I was able to enjoy night swimming, then the beach the next day! I LOVED the beach, the sand, and the landscape. That, plus the thought of island hopping, makes me want to go back! (Zambales, anyone?)

Lago de Oro [Calatagan, Batangas]

2010-10-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

Sep 25 - Outing at Lago de Oro, with my HS friends. Nothing to do, except wakeboarding and swimming (in the pool. Beach's dirty, but photogenic during sunset at least!). And perhaps pigging out with 'smuggled' food and booze, because there's corkage and food inside's really pricey!

Calatagan Sunset :)

group pic! a lot weren't able to come actually.

But I did enjoy this one. Not that I loved the wakeboarding experience okay! I never went beyond 3 meters, and muscle pain woke me up the next day. plus, the soil underneath felt gross, too squishy (I remember Roger saying, "Parang tae ng sheep!" haha!). gaaah! Wakeboarding sucks!!! I just loved the fact that finally I was able to try this famous adventure ...then realizing as early as now that this sport IS NOT FOR ME! Hahaha!

My 3rd Solo Travel [Davao!]

2010-09-14T23:22:00.000-07:00

(Continuation...)

Sat morning, I took a van to San Francisco, Agusan (del Sur, I think) then took a really nice Bachelor Express bus to Davao City (really awesome, the bus is new, clean, spacious and really cold. I've always looked foward to this ride!!! Babaw I know! Haha!)

After 6.5 hours all in all, there I was in Marco Polo hotel. I never planned to splurge the way, I was just enticed by my uncle who had a transferable discount in this hotel ...which I ended up keeping because it's more sulit for huge suites (and I'm sure the family will be able to use it before it expires!)

THIS IS MY ROOM. :)

It was only 2pm, but I was already tired. So after eating the shawarma I grabbed in NCCC (where I got off, and took a cab), I fell asleep and woke up at 6pm! I felt like I wasted time, skipping a lot of things in my afternoon list. so I immediately got out, hoping that I can shop enough before 7pm, Aldevinco's closing time (that shopping center with a wide variety of Mindanao's products). I was about to stop a cab when I noticed that Ateneo de Davao's right infront of me ...which meant that Aldevinco's just 1 block away, or - seriously - just 1 minute away! Good I remembered Ateneo as the landmark, or the cab driver could've died laughing. Hehe! (or he could've roamed me around the city first, wasting my money)

I shopped for the usual stuff - shawls, bags, accessories, etc. I think I did half of my Christmas shopping already. Haha! This time too, I didn't forget to buy stuff for myself... That's my regret in the previous years! I went back in the hotel feeling so fulfilled, also because I saved a lot for my transpo to Aldevinco. I think I'll forever love Marco Polo for that reason. Haha!

I then thought of having dinner in Matina Town Square but then rain poured heavily. At first it felt bad, having no choice but to dine in the hotel's resto ...then I realized that the price's same as outside PLUS cab rides anyway ...so I excitedly scouted for hotel foods without guilt. I enjoyed checking out all 3 restos, holding just a book and a cellphone, giving the aura, "I'm checked in here, I'm hungry, and I haven't found the food that may fit my taste!" haha! How sosyal!

I ended up in Lotus, a quiet chinese resto which gave me a perfect spot to read a book. Food was good, not too pricey for a hotel resto, and service is excellent. My only rant is that they don't serve dimsums for dinner, though they're available for lunch. But hu-whyyy right? (Bev, I'm still not done with Eat, Pray, Love!!!)

Then I ended my day, still a bit cramming... I had lots of to-do things in my list, but I've done just one so far - to shop in Aldevinco *sigh*. I then started trimming my list - why feel such pressure, when I'm here to rest anyway??? Haha!

I woke up the next day, eager to make the most out of my stay in the hotel. So I immediately got up, dressed up in loose clothes on top of my swimming attire, then went down to eat breakfast (ohyesss, sulitin ang pool, magexercise after magpakababoy!)

OH I LOVE BREAKFAST BUFFETS IN HOTELS! Generally, I mean. Simply coz I'm a breakfast person, I eat A LOT for breakfast, and buffets in hotels give me that chance to do so, without spending (well, unless you're not checked in) haha, how baboy.

my salad

DIY congee

Anyway, I loved their do-it-yourself congee, native hot chocolate, and their dessert - not the usual cakes, but sliced FRUITS. in yogurt! (and they have 3 flavors!). But what I loved most is their BOTTOMLESS MANGOSTEEN AND RAMBUTAN!!! Where in Manila would you find that? Hehe!

Fruits in yogurt! (I chose blueberry flavor)
...and CHAMYTO. hehe!

THE BEST part of my breakfast

I then tried their pool, which was so-so. I guess I really am not a pool person. Hehe. But generally, it was nice, neat, a good place actually to hangout, especially at night. Some pics: (and look, there's one proof that I'm still the queen of self-photography. Haha!)

The pool

Marco Polo, from the pool area

me. hehe.

I checked out feeling a bit dissatisfied. I feel like I need at least 3 nights in a hotel, alone, before I can say that I'm rejuvenated enough. Hehe! Oh well, next time!

Anyway, my flight's 10pm, which meant I still had a half day to spend around the city. But as always, I decided to spend it in a place where there's massage, durian coffee, kinilaw, pasalubong items, and package counter where I could leave my stuff. Where else? SM of course! Hahaha!

So there, I had lunch at Antonio's (really, I can't leave Mindanao without having kinilaw!), got an aromatherapy massage at MediSpa, then had durian coffee at Blugre. Oh, and I watched Going The Distance btw. Haha!

Antonio's - Kinilaw with salted eggs

Blugre - Durian Larcepuccino
(ata. basta, durian frap, something like that!)

Blugre - Pita chips with Mozarella and Tuna

All those were enough for me to kill time. The next thing I knew, I was there in Davao int'l airport, waiting for my flight back to Manila... still burping time to time, which tasted like DURIAN (hahaha, sorry, TMI!)

I felt sad a bit, knowing that my vacation's over... That tomorrow's another day at work... And that I have no idea if I'll still be able to solo-travel again after this one.

Well, let's see! :p

Tandag's Fiesta 2010 (388th!)

2010-09-13T21:20:00.000-07:00

Hello, I'm back!!!

Just got back from Tandag, Surigao del Sur with my family, for the town fiesta. (Also from Davao ...ALONE. So that should be a separate post. Heehee!) For now, here's the first part:

Sep 8 - I left my apartment early and met my parents and sister at the airport for our 8:30 flight. I was kinda excited, knowing that it's been YEARS since we last went on a "family trip". At the same time I felt quite uncomfy psyching myself that "this trip's gonna be a tiring one", having senior citizen parents who are not light packers. Haha!

at manila airport (terminal 3)
We arrived Butuan after an hour (wow cebu pacific, you gave no hassles this time. I think I'm going to love you again!) then we took a van going to Tandag. The trip was awesome, rough roads are gone, it took us only 4 hours more or less to reach Tandag. It used to be a bumpy and dusty 6-8 hour ride back when I was in 4th grade!

Shrimps, at Lianga stopover

Tandag Plaza

When we got to Tandag, we all still had the energy to hear mass (it was Mama Mary's birthday!). Then we had our dinner at my aunt's place, then that's it, our energy was drained. We slept early for the long days ahead!

Sep 9 - we had breakfast by the beach! I think this is the first time that I wasn't so enticed to swim. Perhaps that usual shoreline no longer attracts me, after I've seen better beaches in nearby towns. Oh well. hehe! Then we went to the nearby town, Tago, to visit relatives (both dead and alive haha!). There we also had our first dose of crabs. Mmmm!

with nephews (cousin's kids)

homemade pudding and buchi!

Our cousin gave us a lil tour btw. She showed us the ongoing construction of Tago-La Paz bridge, which will soon cut the trips to/from south by more or less one hour! We hanged out for a while under the bridge, and I was so amazed the whole time as it was my very first time to see, up close, the junction of a river and an ocean! And it's not just a river, or just an ocean - I'm talking about Tago river - the largest river I've seen in my travels, and PACIFIC ocean!!! So cool isn't it?! (or maybe it's just me. hehe)

Tago-La Paz Bridge
(that's papa, wearing white)

where Tago River (LEFT) meets Pacific Ocean (RIGHT)! :)

Now this is the most hilarious - Back in Tandag, my sister and I went to the plaza to watch the BOXING MATCH OF GAYS!!! (entitled: "Boksing ng mga bading -The friendly and peace-loving gays of Tandag.") HAHAHA! Funny how they punched, like it was just a cat fight, a harutan, rather than serious boxing. Haha! And gee, most of them wore girly attire (like pecpec shorts! Haha!) and makeup! Really hilarious! Haha! =)

Then, dinner - LECHON and CRABS again! That was only my 2nd day in Tandag yet my tummy's already used to eating pyesta foods, and double rice per meal. Huhu!

Sep 10 - we went to another nearby town, Cortez. We're lucky that tide's low, we were able to take pics on the fine reddish sand, which I really loved! The weather wasn't so good so we didn't stay long, but at least a land tenant gave 3 branches of bananas! Funny that we're so giddy about it, even though we knew we won't be able to bring it back to manila. Haha!

low tide

with uncle allan

d bananas

We had lunch at my aunt's house. Omygawddd, LECHON again!!! Then in the afternoon, while my parents went house hopping for the very plenty lunch/ dinner invitations (that's how Tandag's fiesta is!) Ate minnie and I just stayed indoors, at my aunt's house. We took a nap, watched TV, played with our nephews, and ate A LOT for dinner, simply buhay baboy haha!

I was getting my 2nd serving of humongous shrimps and lechon leftovers, I think, when my cousin told me that I'm getting bigger (huhuhu) and that I should stop getting more - to which I replied, "one shouldn't go on a diet, on his last day of vacation!". Actually, I still had 2 more days but I'll spend them in Davao ...so technically, that night is considered as a last day right?! Haha, excuses.

My other cousin then told me that I'll be missing a lot ...as they'll spend the next day on a nice beach, out of town. That thought saddened me a bit, worsened by the thought of not having kinilaw for the entire fiesta (really unusual!)

But then I thought, I'll be back next summer anyway. and next fiesta. and next next summer. and next next fiesta. I have FOREVER to enjoy those things I missed this year! hehe!

(Oh, and I CAN HAVE KINILAW IN DAVAO INSTEAD!)

Part 2 kwento comin' up! (SOLO TRAVEL!!!)

Japan tourist/visitor visa

2009-09-08T01:32:00.000-07:00

Okay, a lot have been asking how I got a Japan tourist/visitor visa, here's the list of requirements:

-Application form which I downloaded here

-2 pictures, 4.5cm x 4.5cm with white background. in my case sinabi ko nalang sa Tronix, "Japan visa size" hehe

-Philippine Passport, must be valid until 6 months after departure

-Birth Certificate issued by NSO within 1 year. photocopy will do for those who previously had a Japan visa, as in andie's case

-Proof of Assets. I gave a Bank Certificate of 1 payroll account
and Photocopy of 2 passbooks (I have no assets other than that)

-Photocopy of most recent Income Tax Return (ITR). I gave my 2008 ITR

-Certificate of Employment. I don't know if this helped: mine had info on my monthly salary and number of years I've been working in the company

-daily itinerary. should be detailed, like day 1: eat at jap resto, day 2: nagoya castle, day 3: sleep all day, etc etc. I can't remember much, Mazel listed the places, Andie retyped the list to this format. Ours wasn't in japanese chars btw.

there. or just double check from this list. Bring them all to Reli Tours, Mall of Asia -left side if you're on EDSA facing MOA. it's just outside the department store (I'm not sure btw but I think they have a branch in Megamall. googlize nalang. haha.)

You just have to leave your docs, a japanese guy will check on the spot if they're complete -No need for embassy personal appearance. Processing fee's Php 2000 (pag na-deny, goodbye 2000 hehe) He said that processing will take 7-10 working days BUT we got ours after 3 working days! :) We got that common visitor visa: single entry, max of 15 days stay, 3 months validity.

Budget Budget Budget

And for those who have been asking me how much I spent -well, It's really hard to give a value as it all depends on what kind of shopper you are, and we didn't have to pay for our accomodation, so that makes a lot of difference (hehee, thanks ate mel and mazel!) ...so, just to give you a hint on how much your budget should be here are the prices that I could remember:

small bottle of mineral water: ¥120
A scoop of ice cream: ¥320
average set meal (that's satisying and yummy enough): ¥1200
train ride: ~¥200-¥400
train ride-all-you-can: ~¥600
taxi for just about 5km: ¥1500

conversion: ¥1 = P0.52... shocked with all the prices?! haha! (I use P0.50 for easy computation. though, take note you shouldn't convert when shopping or you won't be able to buy anything. seriously. You'll spend ¥100 like it's P10 here. at yung isang lapad (¥10,000) e lumilipad lang na parang isang libo. there. haha!)

On time for Obon [Osaka, Japan]

2009-08-20T21:53:00.000-07:00

previous post: [Landmarks, Shops, Food, etc - Nagoya, Japan]

Andie and I went back to Osaka to meet up Ate Mel -to squat again, because we had a flight back to Manila the following day, early morning (ahwww) BUT YES, the Japan trip's not yet over! After that first Shinkansen/bullet train experience, Ate Mel, with her friend Ate Susan met us up in Shin-Osaka station (I don't know the name of the station).

Shinkansen - At Nagoya, on our way to Osaka

We road another train to few stations away, left our luggages again in a locker then spent the afternoon knowing their pinoy friends, who were hanging out at that moment at Mister Donut, Selcy. Kuya Bob, Ate Chris and baby were there by the way, it was a nice mini SOLV reunion. haha :)

me, kuya bob with lizzy, and ate chris :)

We bought last minute pasalubong items from the department store and the grocery then went out of the mall again, to see what everyone was waiting for -the "Summery Selcy" as the stage backdrop said. According to Ate Mel, it was some sort of festival to give honor to the departed. And they call that Obon -a week long celebration every mid-August I think, where they honor the dead (and travel a lot? it's a week long holiday! so it's just like Undas!) Lanterns were everywhere, and people, mostly elders were dancing around this huge red and white cloth:

During the dance's short break Kuya bob asked the teens wearing yukata if it's ok to have a pic with them. and they didn't mind at all, they even happily posed as Kuya Bob took the shot. haha! Thank you Kuya Bob, I have no guts to do that by myself haha! In the first place, I can't try that at all because I can't speak Japanese!

That's it, for the Japan trip finale, Ate Mel treated us to Noraya -a resto offering really yummy udon, served in all-cat stuff, haha so cute! After our dinner, we strolled around, then Ate Mel brought us to a nice spot within their village which has a nice view of the city.

cat on the chopsticks

cat bowls

hidden cat

even the tofu had a cat! hehe

strolling. a park had stones for foot massage!

The Japan treats didn't end up till the last minute though. At night, when we were packing our bags, we had green tea ice cream again (or was that popsicle?) which was cream filled, really yummy! For my breakfast the following morning, I had Onigiri or rice ball wrapped in nori, which we bought from the grocery the previous night. hehe.

Finally, Ate Mel brought us to Ibaraki station for the limo bus that will bring us back to the Kainsai International Airport. ahwww. thanks Ate Mel, I'll miss you! see you soooooon!

picture picture for the last time!

---------------

Back in Manila:

my niece, Sophia
wearing the yukata, my pasalubong for her. hehe

Landmarks, Shops, Food, etc [Nagoya, Japan]

2009-08-19T23:45:00.000-07:00

previous post: [The Hitsumabushi Night - Nagoya, Japan]

Anime!

It was blazing hot, and our bags were heavy, but we managed to maximize (I think) our last day in Nagoya. After leaving our big luggages in a locker in Nagoya station, Mazel brought us to an anime store which didn't give me much of what I was looking for, as I was looking for pokemon cards for my nephews. hehe. I was able to buy Naruto cards though, with an almost-porn freebie card, which of course I should just keep as souvenir. not for kids! hehe

these cars, and their owners are cool :)

TV Tower and Oasis 21

We strolled around and took a lot of pics within the vicinity of Nagoya's TV Tower and Oasis 21. I love Oasis 21's futuristic watery roof, which we didn't explore up close because one of us was afraid of heights :D but it's ok, I loved the pictures from afar and besides, it was really hot!

TV tower, ignore that fan I'm holding. hehe

oasis 21

zoomed in :)

Below were so many shops that made me giddy for pokemon cars (not CARDS. I never found them at all!) and miniature shinkansen (bulet train) models. Again, even if they were all pricey, I didn't want to regret not buying and so I bought some for my nephews. hehe. some stores had mascots for promotions, and that green round bubbly thing made my day:

"green round bubbly thing" hehe

Sushi Bar

Since I wanted to experience a shushi bar where there's a conveyer belt for all sorts of sushi, modeling right your very eyes to make you drool, Mazel and Adrian brought us to a sushi bar (and I can't remember the resto's name) just within Oasis 21. oooh Sushi Bar! my most awaited moment! I'll let the pictures and captions share my first sushi bar experience. hehe:

natto (soybeans) - too slimy, I didn't like

shrimp with fish eggs - I like!

salmon - I LOVE!

fish eggs - too salty, I like this
only when eaten with the pickled ginger hehe

okra - it just passed by, none of us dared to get it. hahaha!

octopus - gummy as expected, but I like!

There. generally, this sushi bar pleased me -though not as much as my breakfast the previous day, where I had karaage, rice, udon and kani salad in one order. well, I guess there are yet hundreds of sushi bars out there waiting for my review. hehe. but hey, really, I loved that thick slice of salmon!!! Anyway, I took pics of the bar, and the chef. good that he didn't mind. hehe.

the lower layer is actually for the clean tea cups.
I loved the powdered green tea by the way!

there, hi sushi master!

By the way, I was amused by how each was served on a color-coded plate to determine the price upon bill-out. Can you guess how much I ate? hehe:

Bye Nagoya...

After lunch we shopped for some more, also because Andie was looking for a ceramic knife, while me I was looking for the heel cream which my mom ordered. hehe. We got it all from the nearby stores then that's it, Adrian left then at around 2:30pm we were back in Nagoya station to get our luggages back and to bid hugs and farewell to Mazel, and Nagoya *sigh*.

Nagoya was a great experience, I had so much fun! I wish I could have that experience again -to stroll, shop and pig out in a foreign land, yet with someone as my personal interpreter. hahahaha! thanks so much Mazel, I don't know how I would survive Japan without you, Adrian, your japan-train-traveling-skills and your cozy home! :)

[read more]

The Histumabushi Night [Nagoya, Japan]

2009-08-19T20:56:00.000-07:00

previous post: [Nagoya Castle - Nagoya, Japan]

Hitsumabushi is actually grilled eel (unagi) over rice plus chopped leeks (I think), some green veggies (I dunno what exactly), nori strips, wasabi and broth, all served separately.

unagi and rice

the greens

It all started when I told mazel that one of my main goals in Japan is to try unagi while andie, has been actually an unagi lover even before going to Japan. haha. Thanks to mazel's friends at church, they brought us to Sozaiya. It gave me not only that chance to try Hitsumabushi -where unagi's the main ingredient, but also to experience that usual Jap resto style where we had to leave our shoes outside our shoji-covered dining room :)

me and andie @ sozaiya

Contrary to my new found friends, who were never unagi fans, I loved my Hitsumabushi as it was so soft, it had that salty-but-sweet taste as in most BBQs, and it was served in an artsy and complicated way! hahaha. or it could be the combination of everything -the unagi, the greens, my ever dearest wasabi and the broth in one chomp!

all these equates to hitsumabushi

My last night night was superb, coz of the Hitsumabushi experience, the new friends and that short glimpse of Nagoya's night life. Anyway, just a bit of info: when you search for Hitsumabushi over the net, you'd find Nagoya commonly associated with it. Apparently, Nagoya is known for Hitsumabushi. Like: Osaka is to Takoyaki, Nagoya is to Hitsumabushi? haha seriously, my goal-to-taste-unagi had nothing to do with that Nagoya info. I was so lucky then, for the 2nd time! hehe.

[read more]

Nagoya Castle [Nagoya, Japan]

2009-08-18T23:30:00.000-07:00

previous post: [Universal Studios Japan (USJ) - Osaka, Japan]

Nagoya castle was built during the era of Tokugawa Ieyasu. That's the most that I could remember. ehehehe! It was around 3 pm when we got here so we weren't able to explore much. One hour was just enough for us to check out a few floors and the viewing deck which gave a nice view of the entire Nagoya.

nagoya castle. I hate that fence!

self shot of me and andie, take one!

from the castle's top floor: zoom-in Nagoya for 100 yen!

to the exit...

More than the history, I appreciated the architecture itself, the solid blocks that made up the walls, the gardens, the benches for our tired feet, and the 320-yen macha (green tea) ice cream. okay I really should stop converting. hehe.

Andie, I grabbed! hehe I love this pic so much!

macha ice cream!
I like it, mazel hates it! hehe

Oooh there are souvenir shops btw, where andie bought a keychain (or cellphone bling?) of a dolphin that's biting stitch. yes, stitch as in lilo and stitch, and dolphin as in that golden dolphin (that's more of a fish for me) which symbolizes the authority of the feudal lords, according to wiki! hehe!

I'm not sure if the castle really closes by 4pm or it's just because there was some sort of event preparation -where we got to see some walks of Japanese wearing the traditional and colorful yukatas:

Here, Mazel taught me that the clothing's yukata, not kimono. kimono is to winter, while yukata is to summer. now that's some new info! anyway, I'm glad that somehow I saw 2 of the things I was looking for in Japan: culture and authenticity. hehe

entrance fee: 400 yen, 1 yen = ~0.50 pesos

[read more]

Universal Studios Japan [Osaka, Japan]

2009-08-18T21:58:00.000-07:00

previous post: [On takoyaki and more - Osaka, Japan]

Universal Studios Japan (USJ) is the most tiring yet the most fun place we visited in Osaka. We spent almost the entire day falling in line and walking under the sun (it was a long weekend!) just to see 4 major attractions, but I can say each one was worth all the wait. but still quite not worth the price? hehe (entrance fee: 5800 yen! 1 yen = ~0.50 pesos).

The famous Universal Studios globe :)

andie, adrian, and mazel. and kirin. hehe

the old US aura. hehe

We got to see Terminator 2 3D, Shrek 4D, and the so cool Waterworld which was live and action packed! For the rides, andie, adrian and I were able to try Hollywood Dream the Ride -the roller coaster which didn't have loops BUT had high, steep humps and abrupt turns!

the live and action packed Waterworld set.
that plane is real! it flew in, ruining the steel wall!

The spiderman building-painting was a perfect place for our photo op, as much as the water street party which also allowed us to mingle with woody woodpecker, ernie, bert and elmo for a very short time. hehe.

that whole thing behind me is just a painting :)

water street party - I'm with woody!

water street party - ernie

water street party - elmo

I loved the stores which had so many cool items as souvenirs. And the food stalls, all had yummy treats! Though of course, the major RANT: everything's pricey in here, but as always, I tell myself -buy anything you could afford as you'll never know when's the next time!

me @ hello kitty's celebrity style store
I love that hello kitty plant!

we came in at 8 in the morning, then left at dusk!

Generally this place is fun, it indeed brought out the kid side in me! If given the chance, yes I'll visit USJ again. I'll forever be curious what's new with their techie productions! I warn you though, all movie narrations and dialogues are in JAPANESE! hehe [read more]

On takoyaki and more! [Osaka, Japan]

2009-08-18T21:30:00.000-07:00

When we got into Osaka, the first food info that Mazel told me was that Osaka's known for really good Takoyaki. oooh. I can't believe that I, a Takoyaki fan, was actually stepping on a Takoyaki haven!!! I was like a kid asking over and over if we could have Takoyaki before we leave for Nagoya. Thanks to ate mel, after meeting her and settling our bags and all, she brought us to Warai -one of the very few restos in town that's still open beyond 9pm, and is serving the best Takoyaki I've had thus far. And so what's so special about the Takoyaki in Japan? It has octopus, not squid!!!

Takoyaki, submerged in cheese!

We ordered Okonomiyaki too, "Japan's pizza" as they explained, but more of a pancake with stuffings for me. I loved it! must be the veggies and the condiments! I loved Waraiyaki as well -Warai's special okonomiyaki stuffed with noodles, and topped with sauce and mayo that made everything just right for my nama beer. hehe.

Okonomiyaki - I love those fish flakes on top

Waraiyaki

so tasty and appetizing condiments

But hey, what made my first night in Japan wasn't really the Takoyaki nor the Okonomiyaki... It's that small reunion with my sisters which I never had in years! Ironically, we had a reunion in Japan, something we never imagined during our college days!

kampai! [cheers!]

mazel, me, ate mel and andie @ warai

[read more]

Putrajaya [Malaysia]

2009-01-11T02:52:00.000-08:00

previous post: [KL - Traders Hotel]

For my last day, I decided to rest the entire morning to save up energy for my midnight flight. After lunch though, I packed my bags for my last destination, Putrajaya - which is quite far from KL but near the airport already. After checking out of Traders hotel, I stood outside the hotel to meet Jamil, the taxi driver who brought me from airport to heritage station hotel on my first day (such a kind guy, and he left his number so he could tour me around Putrajaya).

To my surprise, Someone else was waiting for me but with the same taxi! it was Rahmat, his older brother. It turns out that the taxi's owned by Rahmat... Jamil just took it one night while his brother while out of the country. hahahaha pumasada nang walang paalam!

here's my Putrajaya pics. it rained afterwards, so the last 2 pics were blurry, taken from inside the cab:

(quite blurry -shot while the cab was moving hehe)

the beautiful mosque

the mosque up close

government offices

prime minister's office, according to rahmat

some gov't office

some gov't office

According to Rahmat, Putrajaya's relatively new, a small city within a city, where government offices are situated (I assume, head offices?). Upon entering, I was impressed by the cleanliness, landscapes and architectures -and I admit I was quite envious that Malaysia had something as beautiful as this as a goverment's effort to improve public service. I give my two thumbs up for that, Malaysia!

Do you need a taxi driver in KL?

Rahmat was just as ok, he toured me around Putrajaya then brought me to the airport for a reasonable rate: RM 80. His english was bad! but that was understandable and tolerable, I can have that rather than the good english of the taxi driver, who toured my sister and bro in law months ago, also in Putrajaya -for RM 200! hehehe taga!

he's really kind, he tried his best to tour me around. sadly, it rained sooo hard after a while, so I didn't get to finish the entire supposedly-tour. he did drove around still even if it was raining hard. he's also that type of driver who's willing to wait if you want to go around by yourself, AND you could trust your bags with him. I do recommend him! here's his number: 019-321-3442 or 016-348-1520, plate number is HWC 9257.

Traders Hotel [Kuala Lumpur]

2009-01-10T19:17:00.000-08:00

previous post: [KLCC]

Before I went back to Manila, I already knew I'm going to make a per-location blog post, which obviously I've done as you see. Though after I've seen my beautiful pictures in KLCC, I say Traders hotel deserves a separate post... and I think Traders hotel should pay me for this. hehe.

Traders Hotel, seen from Suria

Traders Hotel is a 4-star hotel strategically situated in KLCC area -right across Suria, and connected to KLCC itself. one may opt to walk across KLCC park to get there, or to pass through the walkway connecting Suria and KLCC, or to just ride the hotel's shuttle instead, which stops right in front of Suria's entrance to pick up/drop off hotel clients (that 3rd option was my fave of course)

A welcome card, customized for me had already been waiting. Selamat Detang, Ms. Aleydis Cabrera --It gave me a nice impression, but it's no surprise, as they've been really accommodating since I started booking online... when they assured me through email that the rate I chose indeed means a room facing Petronas Twin Towers (I do remember putting in the "special request" portion that "good view is my priority")

Then guess what, they gave me more than what I requested -they gave me a corner-room, which faces the twin towers, AND the KL tower at the other side! see, never leave the "special request" field empty! hehe

views from my room

KLCC park

Gobo Upstairs is a nice hangout place at night (or Skybar if you prefer alcoholic drinks more than coffee). Both offer a good view of the twin towers, plus of course the really good ambiance and service. I tried both, the latter on the following morning. I enjoyed them!

Skybar

Gobo Upstairs - my coffee and hazelnut royale

I can't let go of my last night in KL and so I took a few more shots before I slept. I love these shots:

Though sorry, I'm giving 3 out of 5 for their food. generally, their ala carte's not that WOW. their coffee's too strong, their clubhouse sandwich's just so-so, and their mango lassie had no essence of mango at all except that it was yellow. nothing beats Philippine mangoes!

BUT I did love their hazelnut royale, AND the breakfast buffet!!! most especially their do-it-yourself nasi lemak, as the rice this time wasn't full of spices. It was plainly cooked in coconut milk, went perfectly with the sweet-spicy shrimp paste (aka bagoong), crispy anchovies (aka DILIS. hehe), peanuts and cucumbers. it indeed satisfied my Filipino taste. that, and the bottomless serving of sushi, hash browns, tea, fruit juices and flavored yogurts --gave me the most superb breakfast I had in KL.

That overnight experience was worth RM 586, or more or less PHP 8,200. I know it sounds costly but come to think of it, that rate already includes the breakfast buffet, good view of the twin towers, late checkout at 3pm, and of course the warm service of Shangri-la's staff. take note, all those I mentioned, are supposedly intended FOR TWO PEOPLE. You won't even find that deal in Manila! I took some pix of my room by the way:

If given the chance, will I go back for this hotel? yes, definitely :)

[read more]

Kuala Lumpur City Centre

2009-01-09T23:58:00.000-08:00

previous post: [Zoo Negara]

You can't leave Malaysia without seeing KLCC -it has not only the Petronas Twin Towers but also other exciting stuff which you could all visit in a half day. As for me, I checked out just KLCC Park, Suria and Aquaria in just one afternoon. I no longer had the energy to experience the twins' skybridge. besides it was already late for me to get a ticket AND I used to work in the 43rd floor for 2 years. hehe. I had so much pics though, being so close to it (and knowing that it's one of the tallest buildings in the world) gives a different kind of thrill, makes you want to take pics till you run out of bat. hehe.

The twin towers

I then went to Aquaria, my last animal-related destination in Malaysia. haha! It's inside the KL Convention Centre, which is walkable from Petronas. It can even be accessed through a tunnel connecting the two.

My friend was right, this place is too pricey for its size (entrance fee's RM 38 or roughly Php 500, and I was able to see everything in about an hour!) some pics:

Stingray ba ito, or cousin. I dunno! hehe

electric eel

piranha

pongpagong

creepy thing

little iguana

iguana with steroids hehe

arapaima, i think

shredded fish. hehehe.

Though honestly, I liked it! Apparently, it has not only fishes but also turtles, iguanas, snakes, etc. I loved the walkalator part -where you get to walk beneath the big aquarium with huge STINGRAYS AND SHARKS! oh btw, camera flash is not allowed. everywhere. I'm glad I was able to get nice pics still. Thank you cybershot! (I should see Manila Ocean Park for comparison, don't you think?)

shark

stingray

creepy face

some huge fish
(I took a pic of that kid to show size comparison hehe)

Suria, the famous mall just at the foot of Petronas, houses restos from fast food to fine dining, plus so many high-end brands of clothing. What I loved most is Kinokuniya, that bookstore which (okay I really can't forget this) has a huge Japanese manga section. I wanted so much to buy one for paul but sadly all mangas were Japanese, or I was just not a good book shopper at all. hehe. I ended up buying several english books published within Malaysia. of course, why buy something that's in Power Books already? hehe. I'm glad I was able to use the discount card which my sister got in the same bookstore 2 months ago!

KLCC park, situated strategically between Petronas, convention centre and the hotel where I stayed (Traders hotel) is perhaps the cheapest way to rest. everyone there enjoys strolling or dipping on the wading pool, or plainly hanging out. As for me, I just opted to end my exhausting day then watched the kids wade from my hotel room instead... hehe.

[read more]

Zoo Negara [Malaysia]

2009-01-09T23:55:00.000-08:00

previous post: [Genting Highlands]

On my 3rd day, I checked out from Heritage Hotel, rode KTM to KL Sentral then shifted to Kelana-Jaya line for the Putra-bound train (during rush hour take note). After 5 stations I think, I was there at KLCC station, finally done with crowded trains!

It was still too early so I just dropped by Traders Hotel, told them I'm checking in later in the afternoon and that I just want to leave my luggage (which isn't a luggage actually. It was just a paper bag full of laundry and other ok-to-lose stuff. hehe)

Then I went back to Kelana Jaya line, rode the Putra-bound train again then got off at Wangsa Maju. I was lucky this time to get a metered taxi, which took me to the National Zoo for RM 5.00

zoo negara/national zoo

I was the ONLY VISITOR, seriously. thus I enjoyed walking, seeing all the healthy, unique and amazing animals. Though I didn't get to see their elephant show (which I really looked forward to). accdg to their site though, there's an elephant show every 10am. I guess there's a hidden line there that says "if there are many guests who will watch" haha. anyway, the entrance fee's all worth it --coz it's just RM 15. For me that's cheap, compare that to butterfly park and bird park! some pictures:

for my taxi back to Wangsa Maju station, a bad driver charged me RM 20 (wow man, times 4!), knowing there's no other taxi terminal I could run to huh. On the train I was just so glad that I'm done with overpriced cabs for my whole KL trip, and that there are 7 stations ahead, for me to rest my feet after all the walking I did in zoo negara! hehe

[read more]

Genting Highlands [Malaysia]

2009-01-09T22:30:00.000-08:00

previous post: KL - National Museum

2nd day was my Genting day. I rose early, took a bath before sunrise then went back to KL sentral (not as early as you think! sun rises at 7:30 am! hehe). I intentionally went there 2 hours before my bus departs, so I have time to eat breakfast and to send some postcards.

I ate at La Cucur, as it was the only resto open at that time. the girl there was bad at english, I gave up on asking about a good rice breakfast. so instead, I pointed out the stir fried noodles near the counter then said "and coffee". gaah. good thing it was good, came with hard boiled egg, and had malay-spicy-taste once again. the coffee was good too, everything wasn't bad for RM 5.50!

my spicy breakfast

Then I rode the genting bus, stationed at the basement of KL sentral. travel took more or less 1.5 hours, but it's ok ...sceneries were nice and the bus seats were comfy. when I got there though, I didn't feel the hype. I guess theme parks are not for solo travelers. hehe.

genting bus

foggy road

the colorful First World hotel

outdoor theme park

roller coaster --I didn't try this though

I tried both outdoor and indoor theme parks, but not the casino --it was too crowded. here's what I enjoyed most:

Beryl's choco wonderland

flying jumbo ride. yeah, alone. haha

yummy waffle from some waffle booth

jett and jin 4d movie

my 3d glasses

and the reindeer which cruised up above
around the indoor park. again, I rode this alone!

I also enjoyed my late lunch -bak kut teh, rice and coke... which costs RM 24.00 btw. it was so yummy, so tasty, went perfectly with the cold atmosphere ...but ya I know, compared to the meals in KL, that bak kut teh meal was so pricey!

yummy bak kut teh

Genting's not as spectacular as I imagined. I can say it's just the combined version of Enchanted kingdom and tagaytay highlands, plus casino, apparel shops and wider variety of food stalls. But, while everything inside's so expensive, the RM 42.00 package's worth it, as it includes the 2-way transportation from and to KL, ride-all-you-can ticket for most theme park rides, AND THE CABLE CAR RIDE (SUPPOSEDLY. unluckily, it was under renovation when I got there. huhuu...)

[read more]

National Museum [Kuala Lumpur]

2009-01-09T22:15:00.000-08:00

previous post: KL - Bird Park

It was already 4pm, I was already too tired to take a long walk again so I skipped the rest of nature-y parts of Lake Gardens and went to the national museum instead.

Muzium Negara

Muzium Negara, or the National Museum, is in one word NEAT -it's cold, clean, spacious, organized, techie and most important of all, offers a comprehensive explanation of how Malaysia came to what it is today.

(click to enlarge)

The trails helped me understand malaysia from pre-history, to its independence which is just 50 years ago. I was also amazed by how its history can be linked to the Philippines --from pre-historic times, when Philippines and Malaysia were believed to be part of an undevided land, to how the World War II also ruined some of Malaysia's infrastructures.

land formation, palawan's there!

Islam comes to Melaka

head dress, depends on position

1957 independence stuff

Proton, Malaysia's national car

I was already exhausted so I decided to munch some fish balls and soy milk, just behind the museum. I then walked back to the hotel to avoid another over-priced taxi ride. then finally called it a day :) It was another long walk, but I didn't mind, I've been walking all day anyway. and it was somehow a good time to appreciate the buildings' architecture, and KL's long afternoon ...as the sun doesn't set till 7:30.

KTM headquarters, just across my hotel :)

I didn't completely end my day without having dinner of course. I went to Heritage Station Restaurant just downstairs, then asked their sidewalk-cook to give me a really good nasi lemak. He gave me nasi lemak ayam, which consisted of really yummy and spicy nasi (rice cooked in coconut milk), deep fried ayam (chicken) and some slices of cucumbers.

A muslim then started his evening chant that echoed all over from the mosque nearby. as I enjoyed my nasi lemak on an outdoor table. yes, on the sidewalk --where I saw all walks of Malays --Pure/Chinese/Indians happily ending their week's monday. how authentic, how malaysia! [read more]

Bird Park [Kuala Lumpur]

2009-01-09T22:10:00.000-08:00

previous post: KL - Butterfly Park

After eating my late lunch, I asked around where the bird park is (I read from the net that it's just near butterfly park). some guy told me to walk back to the butterfly park, then "walk more". and so I did.

Such signs teased me, but nonetheless they told that I'm going to the right direction. so I just walked and walked, till finally there I was in Bird Park! the guy was right, but WOW, the "walk more" meant walking for 20 minutes from where I ate!

anyway, it was a good reward Ü they really have beautiful birds, and trails filled with colorful flowers. they have plenty of hornbills, peacocks and flamingos who are no longer aloof with people. seriously they can fly low enough to touch your head!

(they love papayas)

Bird Park is also not just a park. they have ponds, falls, fountains and rivers. The entire place's so big, in fact I wasn't able to explore other stuff like the incubator area and the photo booth :(

Exploring half of the trail was really tiring, or perhaps much of my energy has already been used up. good thing the entrance fee included a free drink in the park's nearby resto. Entrance fee's RM 39 by the way --quite pricey. but not when you're traveling alone. hehe. [read more]

Butterfly Park [Kuala Lumpur]

2009-01-09T22:00:00.000-08:00

previous post: KL - Heritage Station Hotel

I took a short nap, then rode a cab to Butterfly Park, or Taman Rama-Rama. It's situated in Lake Gardens --which is so near my hotel. but I didn't dare try hiking as it was around 12 noon, the sun was blazing hot! (bad taxi driver charged me RM 10 for such a short distance!)

taman rama-rama kuala lumpur/
butterfly park kuala lumpur

The RM 19 entrance fee isn't bad. butterflies are so plenty, so big and colorful! and the park's not just a park --it has more than butterflies: ponds, kois, mini falls, fountains and walkways surrounded by flowers and ferns!

The exit led me to an insect gallery where there's almost all types insects. almost all, I mean they've got tarantulas, beetles, scorpions, and even small frogs! so fascinating! some pictures:

--------------------------

After about one and a half hour (that was around 2pm already!) I decided to have lunch. A taxi driver pointed out a line of restos, reachable by 5-min walk from the butterfly park ...and so I tried it.

Then he was right, after walking for about 5 mins I saw carinderia-like restos. I chose one by gut feel, then peeped through their type of food. an indian girl seemed to understand that I'm not familiar with the place and so she taught me how the business goes "get rice, put food you like, self service, sit, pay later" hehe.

I scooped some eggplants cooked in i-dunno-sauce, grabbed a half of salted egg, put them on my rice as said, then sat down. the waitress then came to get my payment. that, and a can of pepsi were just RM 4. WOW! the can's dusty though, I had to get my own tissue and mineral water to clean it. tsk. now that's what you call self-service! :P

unknown food

I'm wondering how they compute without "standard" serving sizes. well, on 2nd thought, my food was cheap ...why care about the computation? haha! [read more]

Heritage Station Hotel [Kuala Lumpur]

2009-01-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

The plane landed on Kuala Lumpur at around 2am. line at the immigration was quick, and so is the one for taxi coupons, but LCCT's farther than I thought so I arrived heritage station hotel at around 3:30 am.

heritage station hotel, afternoon shot

heritage station's not a perfect one. it's purely for backpackers --aside from it's cheap (room for 3 ppl's about RM 100 per night), it doesn't give much comfort. aura's gloomy, the elevator's so old and creepy, heavy footsteps on upper floors could be heard, tv has no cable and carpet was dirty when I came.

my double sized bed

my single sized bed, just used it for my stuff

creepy elevator! hehe

3rd floor, you'll see this once you
step out of the elevator

In fairness though, housekeeping re-vacuumed my room immediately after I reported the dirty carpet, the bed's comfy, aircon's ok, the bathroom's clean and spacious (there's hot shower, yay!), enough supply of tissue paper's piled on my nice dresser, closet's huge, and there were clean fluffy towels which they replaced daily. AND ...the building's indeed a heritage, so nice on pictures!

some old photos displayed along the hallway

3rd floor's terrace, facing KTM headquarters

the hallways

exterior/interior --similar style

I managed to wake up at 8am as I needed to change my pesos to ringgit (money changer in LCCT was already closed, or I just didn't know where to find the others). guy in reception told me that I could change my money in KL Sentral, and so I took a quick breakfast --just the free fried rice and egg in the hotel, then went to KTM Kuala Lumpur station which is just right beside heritage station hotel.

I kinda freaked out coz it's my first train ride in KL, but everything turned out to be easy: I bought a ticket from the ticket counter (didn't bother trying the vendo. hehe) then inserted the ticket/card in the entrance, same as in manila. whew. hehe. then waited for train then rode. what a blooper though... after 2 stations I realized I was going to the opposite direction! I got off immediately, good thing there's always an overpass (or subway in some stations) for me to switch to the KL Sentral-bound train. the trip could have been just 3 minutes, as KL Sentral's just one station away from Kuala Lumpur, but it took me 15 mins coz of the blooper hehe.

Anyways there in KL Sentral I was able to change my Php 13k to RM 923. It's a good rate compared to LCCT (my sister exchanged some pesos for me months ago, so I have money on arrival)

I then accidentally passed by the Genting ticket booth. it was around 9am but there was already a sign that said "next available bus: 12pm". Scared that it might happen to me, I bought my ticket immediately (ticket for the following morning). I was informed that the bus will take me all the way up to Genting highlands, because THE CABLE CARS ARE UNDER RENOVATION, and will not be available till the 10th! argh.

After buying my Genting ticket, I went back to the hotel. this time I rode the train perfectly *bow* [read more]

Sonya's Garden [Alfonso, Cavite]

2008-01-14T22:36:00.000-08:00

Since everyone in the house EXCEPT ME have tried Sonya's Garden, and since I'm looking so pathetic begging on each occasion to dine there... the whole family finally decided to spend papa's bday there. yay! hehe

and so after the not-so-long road trip from manila to alfonso (which is about 15 mins away from tagaytay) I finally had a taste of my sister's stories. P560 per head wasn't bad for my kind of food --bottomless greens and pasta, kamote and chocolate cake, dalandan juice and taragon tea... all FRESH, NATURAL AND HEALTHY! some pix:

salad. i love the dressing!

pasta. i love the salmon and sun dried tomatoes!

chocolate cake and taragon tea :)

kamote and turon. i love the kamote, sooobra!

the place's so fantastic, it was so nature-y as it was filled with ornamental plants, flowers, and benches so perfect for photos! hehee some more pix:

maria clarang naka shorts

we met Sonya herself... a woman who seemed sophisticated and elegant, dressed in her plain white pants and plain white loose blouse. nonetheless she looked down to earth. she asked how our lunch was, pointed out some more spots we should see, and picked out a flower which she called butter flower. amazing, it indeed smelled like butter!

we checked out the cottages, just out of curiosity. they're beautiful, so filipiniana. some staff told us that an overnight stay is P2500 per head (includes breakfast). whoa. that's too expensive for me, but i guess one day I'll give it a try. hehee.

bed in some cottage. so filipiana :)

mama forcing papa to look at the camera. hehee

the overall experience was great, I'd perhaps go back just to unwind, or to make veggie-haters love greens, or to convince un-healthy eaters that healthy eating isn't bad after all!

...looked like papa enjoyed his day. happy birthday pa! :)

official site of Sonya's garden --> here.

White Water Rafting! [CDO]

2007-12-31T08:12:00.000-08:00

we left camiguin early in the morning then headed to Cagayan de Oro. As much as we wanted to sleep, we were also ironically, so excited for what's ahead --WHITE WATER RAFTTING! as for me, it was different, I was both excited and nervous at the same time. and the latter didn't come till I knew I was so close to it. must be a psychological thing! hehe.

we arrived in Cagayan River View Inn at around 8am. after settling and all, we took Great White Water Tours' van going to the bridge connecting Cagayan de Oro to Bukidnon, about 30-40 mins away from our hotel. Our tour guides unloaded everything, readied our rafts then gave us our life vests, head gears and paddles. It felt like everything's going to be easy ...till they led us to the bank of Cagayan River, just below the bridge. the current seemed stronger upclose!

getting ready...

before plunging into action, a guide briefed us of what to do. about what to do when you fall, when your friend falls, when the raft capsizes, and all those stuff. he taught us the backward and forward paddling, and when to do it.

(simply when our guide tells so. that easy. whew, I thought there'll be so much thinking involved!)

quick briefing

we were strictly taught to follow the guidelines coz not following may cause accidents. worse, it could cause death. as how some were killed, and were never put into news to save tourism. scary thought huh.

he then informed us what made their agency different from the others (I don't know if this is a marketing strategy or what) --other agencies let clients sign a waiver so they will not be liable for any injury or death. they, on the other hand, will be responsible for whatever happens.

so, it's really a serious matter?! ...gee, that info made me extra nervous. for reals. haha!

pose muna habang buo pa!

we split the group into two, took a while to decide which one --mild or wild... then started rafting at around 10am (we chose the latter btw. hehee. ika nga ni alvin, once in a lifetime 'to!)

"o ano ready na?"

the first few minutes was a bit smooth, till the sound of the violent water came. we were all restless, asking the tour guides all sorts of questions! kakaba kaba?! haha!

Then we came really close to the first rapid --there I realized this is so much scarier than spelunking. for me at least. coz with white water rafting, you'll never know what's ahead!

but contemplating on how much it's dangerous ...is somewhat useless. I was at the point of no return. hahaha!

paddling in action!

"backward! backward!" we all paddled backwards though paddling's nearly impossible. I screamed, coz I needed to boost myself, coz it's scarier than what I imagined, and partly coz I was ironically enjoying the heart-pounding-yet-exhilarating bumpy ride!!!

surviving the first's one of the best, it somehow assured me that surviving the 20+ others is possible. hehe. so, the first thing we asked to the tour guide: Kuya, ganon din pa kahirap ung mga susunod na rapids? his answer: hindi, mas mahirap pa. mild lang yung kanina. eep. haha! si kuya talaga palabiro!

there. apparently, he wasn't joking.

Nth rapid. and we're still alive!

HIGH FIVE! --for the guides, it just meant "we survived the rapids!". Thank God I said that line after every rapid we've passed through. we survived White Water Rafting!!!

"High Five!"

that's what you call ADVENTURE :)
[Dani, thanks for WWR pix!]

Great White Water Tours
tel no: (088) 8562352

Php 1k per head. Includes:

merienda halfway during rafting
(pastel. like you didn't have enough in camiguin. haha!)

lunch after rafting
(chicken bbq and kinilaw. perfect.)

shuttle service to and from the hotel

2 professional guides per raft

tailing 2 rescuers on kayak
(suprisingly... can take pix, will really take care of your cam. hehe.
oh, and you may opt to ride the kayak for a while!)

3 hours rafting, beginner to advanced level
(30+ rapids during rainy season, 20+ during dry season)

Paraiso ng Timog [Camiguin]

2007-12-05T20:13:00.000-08:00

Another item was checked on my site checklist when my college friends and I went to camiguin. one down! Ü and it was such a cool experience... camiguin, indeed is beautiful!

bev hired frank (and his jeep) to tour us around. thanks bev! it was a lot more convenient since our group was really big, plus frank not only knew how to drive, he also knew the best spots and the practical sequence of site visits. he must've done it a lot of times to tourists!Ü

------------

we were really starving and so for a start, we had lunch at J&A fish pen. while my friends didn't find it extraordinary, I loved its ambience, as the whole place is surrounded by its blue-green pond where they breed their fresh water fishes.

I also loved its version of sinuglaw, or the combination of sinugbang liempo (grilled liempo) and kinilaw. it had a lil essence of wild lemon, which we call balibandon in Tandag. nakakaalis umay. sinuglaw satisfied my bisaya taste! 2 thumbs up!!!

J&A fishpen

sinuglaw: sinugba (grilled liempo) + kinilaw. mmm.

after lunch we went to Mantigue Island. we didn't have to worry about the ferry as frank already did all the arrangements. From the shore just beside the the main road, we road a small ferry that brought us to the small island. we were all exhausted to swim, so we just took that quick island visit to appreciate the fresh air, the blue water and the peaceful aura of the island. We just strolled along the shore till we have completely circled the island's perimeter. that's how small mantigue island is!

mantigue island

the ferry then brought us back to the main island's shore, where frank was waiting. it was getting dark and cold so he brought us to Ardent Hot Spring Resort. we loved the loooonng spring dip, it was really relaxing. the hot water was so right for the night atmosphere.

when it was time to go, it was sooo hard to step out of the water... coz it was freezing cold. we all wished we could stay there the whole night! haha!

after our dinner in Vjandep (never ever miss PASTEL!!!) we all slept early coz frank told us that we should leave the hotel as early as 5am the following day. he said it's perfect to visit White Island before sunrise. and so we did. by sunrise we were already on the ferry, heading for white island. can you believe that? it was earlier than our wake up time back in manila!!!

when we were already near the island, I was mesmerized by how it looked. it's smaller than mantigue island. waaay smaller. it looked as if a truck of sand was just spilled on the ocean, forming a small white island that had nothing. seriously nothing. no mangroves, no trees, no huts! I wonder if this island exists during high tide!

white island

me, alvin & dani @ white island

Back in the main island, we had a quick breakfast at some nearby hotel then we started with the whole day roadtrip. first stop: Old Volcano Walkway. pang penitensya, literally. as its uphill path led to stations for the catholics' way of the cross. the steps weren't so steep though, so we somehow reached the 4th station, I think. quick exercise. hehe.

old volcano walkway

3rd station - Jesus falls for the 1st time

2nd stop: Sunken Cemetery. I've seen this in Jomari Yllana and Jelly De Belen's movie, Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin, and so I was really excited to see this for real. As told by the locals there, the sunken cemetery's a REAL cemetery which sunk after a volcanic erruption 137 years ago (1871), putting the whole area under sea level. The big cross that's visible now is just a replica ...the actual one stood even farther from the replica, and of course now submerged under water. Diving in that spot is perhaps a cool experience. sadly, we didn't. di na swak sa time and budget! hehe. I wonder how that old cross looks like now...

As we approached the replica (we rented a boat, for P15 per head) the locals even pointed out some spots which had tombs and crosses but honestly I saw nothing but corals :-| haha. I appreciate the water, it's so clear! the corals beneath could easily be seen! the thought of tombs and crosses and perhaps skeletons beneath those corals freaked me out a bit though. hahaha!

Sunken Cemetery

clear water!

3rd stop: Church Ruins. This place had the same story... the volcanic erruption in 1871 left nothing except the church's walls. it wasn't so hard to imagine how things were a hundred years ago ...the architecture of the church was like any other old church in the philippines, except that it's empty. we did nothing here but to take pix, especially at its garden where the ocean, seen on top view, is so blue and beautiful.

church ruins

4th stop: Soda Pool. This is what I liked most, coz here we took a refreshing dip, and because the pool's water is different. it's unexplainably, CARBONATED. from afar, it didn't show but while we were swimming, we noticed plenty, tiny bubbles coming out from where we are moving. It felt like we're swimming in Sprite! no wonder it was called soda pool!

the locals didn't give so much info about it, all they told us was that it's natural soda that comes from the spring. amazing isn't it? but no, it didn't taste like sprite. it tasted like ordinary water. haha!

frank was the one who suggested it, none of us knew about that soda pool. see the difference when you ask someone who lives there, and relying solely on the internet? hehe.

soda pool

5th stop: Sto Niño Cold Spring. We just shopped for souvenirs, then of course had lunch, we were all tired and hungry! here you could choose your meat -chicken, pork, beef or fish, and have it cooked as desired. we had sinugba & kinilaw (as always), tinola and coconut juice. I was amazed by how coconuts were chilled. they were immersed in one of the spring outlets! practical eh?

cold spring. natural refrigerator for coconuts.

6th stop: Green Church. this isn't really lined up in our itinerary, good thing frank (again) suggested it. it's a woody church (catholic church), and I found it really amazing. the chandeliers are made of twigs, the walls are made of bamboos and sawali, and the altar's made of carved tree trunk. We took a little more time here to checkout the priests' garments that were used over the years. They're all displayed in their mini museum, just behind the church.

woody ambience of green church

last stop: Katibawasan Falls. yet another beautiful falls! the intense sound of water falling from high rocks thrilled me, and so I took a short dip. the water was extremely cold!!!

katibawasan falls

that's it. on our 3rd day, we AGAIN left before dawn and headed for cagayan de oro. we all wished we could have stayed longer! 2 whole days seemed enough, but it didn't give us that relaxing sleep which we wanted for a vacation. so, if you're planning to see camiguin, allot 3 days for that. and don't forget to contact frank, he's really good. here's his number: 0920 5405582 (Frank Pojas)

Bantayan Island day 2 [Cebu]

2007-08-21T21:30:00.001-07:00

We woke up before 7 to attend the 8am mass at Saints Peter and Paul parish, located at Bantayan proper w/c is still 30mins away by trike. I knew it's 420+ years old so i expected it to look really old. and yeah it was, and it looked even more classic as it's located near the plaza and market ...like most churches here in the phils that are spanish-inspired.

My tummy grumbled the whole time, so after taking pics and all, Blanche and I looked for a place to eat. A candy vendor in the plaza recommended Jela's restaurant. we followed her instructions but we didn't find it, so we entered a small eskenita instead. by gut feel, we knew we'd find a place to eat. surprisingly, there was Jela's resto. and it's more than a canteen! it's actually a lechonan! there we had our breakfast, slash CHEAPEST MEAL we had in bantayan. a plate of lechon costs 70 and the fruit shakes are just P10 each!

After breakfast, we roamed around the market to check out what we could munch back in the hotel (takaw e hehe). we bought avocados for P25 per kilo (2 pieces cost P20 lang!), and 3 corn on cobs for just P10! apparently, everything in bantayan proper's so cheap! not like in Sta. Fe ...palibhasa madami foreigner!

After a short rest, we went to Ogtong Cave beach resort. I used to think that ogtong's a cave that's open to all. it turns out that ogtong is the name of the whole resort, which has a natural cave that is unaccessible unless you pay for the entrance fee. hehe odd huh?

Anyway, the cave's different. I mean it's not like those that are stinky and full of bats. It's also not like those in Sagada where you'd hike half of the time. ogtong cave has a natural pool that's great for short dips. blanche and I actually just chatted inside the cave till we realized that it's about time to get a tan. hehee

So there, we went to ogtong's beach to get a tan. I luuuv this beach so much, the water's not deep unless you go hundreds of meters away of course. hehe. the sand's so fine, Blanche and I actually enjoyed scrubbing our backs and arms. mwehehehe. then we lied on the sand the whole afternoon to get a tan. woopee!

The last night was the best ...we had another buffet dinner. this time it's at Marisqueura o' Portuguese, just across D' Jungle. There's less variety BUT OMG the clams and oysters are so abundant! we ate lots of oysters ...we ate a lot that we had to transfer to another table because the piled up shells won't let us see each other's plates anymore! hehehe. after dinner, we sang all night to burn all the food. then we tried a massage place nearby. the 1hr full body massage was really great, it gave us a good night sleep :)

3rd day was our last day, it was time to leave. At the port of Bantayan I felt really sad that my vacation's over. At the same time I felt so giddy having another destination checked on my checklist. And that destination had everything I wanted in a not so commercialized phil island --perfect beach, healthy food (err, except the lechon), great culture and really kind people. going to Bantayan's a must folks. Include it in your beach list.

MAJOR EXPENSES

Bus from Cebu city to San Remigio 88
(North Cebu Bus Terminal)

Ferry from San Remigio to Sta. Fe Bantayan 135
(Hagnaya wharf)

Yoonik Resort 2500
(1200 per night plus tip :) service is good)

Ogtong Cave entrance fee 100

D' Jungle/ Marisqueira Buffets 195 each
vidoeke's P5 per song. haha

Full body massage 180
can't remember the place, ask trisikad drivers

trisikad/tricycle rides 200 total

Danggit 70 per pack
danggits are cheaper here!

Bantayan Island day 1 [Cebu]

2007-08-21T21:27:00.001-07:00

While typhoon Egay was flooding the streets of Manila, Blanche and I were enjoying the perfect weather in Bantayan Island. the whole trip was really great, so relaxing! The island's so peaceful... the locals are accomodating... and the beach... it's beautiful!

sight upon reaching Sta. Fe's port

The first thing we did was to look for a place to stay. the popular resorts we eyed didn't fit our taste --either they're too expensive or the ambience's not good, so we ended up in Yooneek Resort (cool name huh? hehe). Our room wasn't bad for our budget, w/c was 1200/night. plus it's located near the town's best restos... everything's almost walking distance! Thanks to Juli, our manong trisikad driver who suggested this.

It was already 2pm when we finished settling our stuff so we decided to eat in the resort's bar. we ordered onion rings, and their specialty Aji Relleno (deep fried bell pepper stuffed with cheese, cream and corn) OMG, it was soooo yummy!

view from Yooneek's La Cabana (bar)

me @ la cabana, so hungry!

blanche - bartender wannabe

aji relleno (yummmm) and onion rings

After that late lunch, of course it was beach time! Blanche and I enjoyed the beach which was really perfect for swimming. coz even though the tide's high, the water level's not so deep. then we walked along the shore till we discovered shores that are even better --no weeds and the sand's finer.

shore near us, weed-y! grrr

As suggested by Juli again, we checked out White Sand, a resto along the shore. The food was quite costly so we just ordered fruit shakes. each shake costs P95, more expensive than galera and bora huh? haha! that was really good though, I can't remember how many times we said "omg this is good!" haha!

front of White Sand resto...
shore's cleaner, sand's finer!

dip muna while waiting for our shakes Ü

mango and banana smoothies. yumm!

At night we dined at D'Jungle. Eat all you can, for only P195! sobrang sulit. The crabs were really great, they weren't so big so the shells were so crispy, so easy to open. then the meat, it was so good, so sweet! (that's how I describe crabs that aren't bland. haha) I had 4 while blanche had 8! bwhahaha!

first night buffet!

We slept early coz the trip from Manila was exhausting, plus we knew there were more to checkout the next day. the day was really perfect, the 2nd day was even better... [read more]

5-day Getaway! [Boracay]

2007-06-15T21:05:00.000-07:00

My college friends n I spent the Independence weekend at Boracay [ZACS + Jay + Luis]. IT WAS MY FIRST BORA EXPERIENCE, can you believe that??! yeah oo na, it's a little odd for someone who loves scouting for phil places. sorry, I'm not a party person okay! I was never attracted to Bora before coz for me, it's just "white sand plus Greenbelt 3"! [bora buffs, sorry if I've offended you. hehe]

1st day was travel day, so nothing much abt it could be shared. ah except for our sumptuous dinner in Aria which took away my P400 instantly. really, it was a bad start for a vacation. haha! for our 2nd day we did the usual stuff --enjoyed bora's fine white sand, had henna tattoos done (sila lang actually hehe), tried jonah's shakes, and strolled a lot since we stayed at the end of station 2 (almost station 1).

humongous sand castles
a cool business in bora!

Bianx, Jay, Mela and Abby
showing their henna tattoos!

Jonah's shakes!
[yeah i look weird here]

oh, we didn't skip the sunday mass! Ü after the mass, we watched the sunset, enjoyed the spectacle as bora mutated at dusk... hotels and restos started to set their tables outdoors, music became louder and ppl started to rave. and we did too as we spent the rest of the night in Cocomangas. ah well actually i just sat the whole time as i watched them dance. sorry kj hahaa. it's so not leda!

Bianx, me and Abby watching sunset

3rd day was a monday, so half of the crowd already left. it was a perfect day to swim, the shore was oooours the whole morning. mwehehe.

Then at noon we went to Butterfly Farm [Fairways and Bluewaters]. Don't expect too much, there are no overwhelmingly big and colorful butterflies. just butterflies --those that you see in your own backyard. there's something else though. they have 2 bats, one could be hung on your own finger. that was so cool, it was my first time to see a bat upclose!

After the butterfy farm visit, we parasailed... just on time for us to catch the beautiful sunset. heaven. Ü

Bianx n me enjoying the fine sand

a bat! a bat!

butterfly Ü

parasailing!

4th day was island hopping day! we first stopped at Crystal Cove Island to check out the "crystal caves". I love the blue water surrounding the island. PHOTO OP. and the waves hitting the crystal caves' rocks (though a little scary) they're so beautiful!

d whole group at crystal cove island

"freeedom!!!"

d morenas. yeah that includes you mela :P

then we stopped at Crocodile Island to SNORKEL! again, if you've been to palawan, don't expect much. I mean, yes there'll be beautiful fishes but the corals, they're all dead. or if not, dull. and there are no national-geographic-like circling schools. just fishes, and a few starfishes. not bad though, coz we had the chance to feed them. they loved every crumb! that was fun!

selling coconuts in d middle of the sea :O

Just before lunch, rain poured heavily. we were cast away ...in the middle of the sea where everything was literally gray! and the raindrops, ghrr, they felt like mongo seeds being thrown on my back. it went on like that for about 40 minutes! it was already becoming depressing, coz we were already tired from caving and strolling and snorkeling when we finally reached the other side of the island to have lunch. whew. so, the food that we ordered ...grilled squid and buttered shrimp ...it was, OMG ...bliss!!! haha!

squid n shrimps! mmm...

we spent the last night in True Food Indian Cuisine. the food was great, it's infact one of the best dinners I had in bora. oh, try their shakes with yoghurt (lassie or lasie? I can't remember. hehe). I loved it!

chicken curry and spicy squid.
i forgot the dishes' exact names haha!
indian cuisine... yummm!!!

mango lassie.
n yeah, i'm showing off my tan line. hee Ü

5th day was our travel day. back to Manila na. how sad!!! :( well what can I say. hmm. After that 5-day bora getaway, my bora-impression remained, but with a little plus plus. coz aside from swimming, wading, sunbathing and partying, we had the chance to do something else, not bad for me!

"i can swim!" [huling hirit swimming on the 5th day,
yah oo na ndi pantay ang tan ko haha]
thanks mela for this pic Ü

I warn you, money flies quickly in bora. don't be surprised if a day takes up your yellow OR BLUE bill instantly! but... one thing I realized in Bora, at times when you need a break... splurging isn't bad after all. mwehehe

EXPENSES ...that I could remember. hehe (per head rates):

Cebu Pacific round trip tix 2600++
(1-way is piso flight)

La Carmela de Boracay 2400
(room good for 4 - P1800 per night. we got 2 rooms)

Round trip Kalibo-Caticlan-Boracay transfers 700
(c/o La Carmela de Boracay)

Parasailing 150

Island hopping 300

Butterfly Farm 60

trike 10/ride
(six kami nakasakay lagi)

Food 60-500
depends on which resto! hehee

Puerto de San Juan [La Union]

2007-05-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

Too bad, it isn't surf season at San Juan, La Union. but good that Puerto de San Juan somehow had something good to offer and so the weekend getaway turned out to be really oohlalalovely! some pix:

the cottages

the pool

the beach

the resort fits our taste, no much guests are checked-in, rooms are classy, the pool's big enough and the shore's clean. pepede :> i like the beach! coz though it's not a bikini place, and though the sand's not perfect, no one's around and so we were given so much time to take pix. so perfect for girls who have bikini-pose-fetish like me. bwhahaha, it's so nice to have a photography-buff-friend. tenkyu wewoy!

wewoy's cam, lei's shot :)
virg, ur not allowed to comment on this one

..yet another bikini back pose. wohooo!

ok, enough of that. now lemme research more for the upcoming north luzon foodtrip-roadtrip with wewoy and cie (etc). apparently the 2 day trip isn't enough. and still, I'm hoping that one day I'll learn how to surrrrf. hihi :D

Puerto de San Juan
Family room good for 6 - P6k/night
meals - P250 - P500, can be shared
yeah, quite costly. :P

Manila-La Union bus - approx. P370
take Partas or Genesis bus
both located somewhere near Edsa Taft Rotonda

...or take any Manila-Ilocos bus,
stop at La Union of course, so stay awake!

Pasalubong: Daing na espada (swordfish) P360 per kilo

More pictures from Wewoy: (opens in a new window!)
* Baguio side trip + La Union day 1
* La Union day 2

Walang Pera? mag Galera! [Mindoro]

2007-03-28T04:18:00.000-07:00

Puerto Galera's perhaps the best way to party without spending much. everything's cheap --water activities, food, massage, tattoo, hotel rates and transportation. and it's got the right mood for party animals on a saturday night. as they say, if you can't afford bora, then go to galera!

lara and me sa batangas-to-galera ferry
[basang basa!]

we stayed at White Beach Resort of White Beach, Puerto Galera [It's hilarious how this resort got a soooo unique name. Isn't it like putting up an italian restaurant named Italian resto or sumthng. haha]. Don't expect this, or any other hotel in the place to be at the high-end. They're all just right for sleeping and taking a bath [and sometimes for watching TV]

It wasn't so hot on our first day. It was in fact, cloudy. which was really unfortunate for us. but somehow we enjoyed wading. What's good in this too commercialized beach is that the water's still clean. no zestos or plastic spoons on the sand. you know what I mean?

mio beside mio amor boat. hehe

tisha, me and jay at White Beach's shore
[but the sand's not white! hmmmph]

At night we had henna tattoos done (me on the wrist, jay on the neck, tisha and lara on their backs), we ate hotdogs at ihaw-ihaw stands then we drank, danced and raved!!! we shared over a bottle of Absolut raspberry which made us soooo drunk! bad bad vodka! I'll never try that again! haha *but ooh that was fun!*

my butiki henna tattoo!

the next morning, we snorkeled! :) If you've been to palawan, you'd be disappointed with what you'll see. but if you haven't tried snorkeling before, then I can say that mindoro's competitive enough. coz they've got neon-colored fishes and lots of blue starfishes! and they interact even better coz they gobble every bit of bread crumb you have!

We had breakfast on the boat --peanut butter sandwich. it was perhaps the cheapest meal we had! we ate what's left from our fish feeding activity! haha poor us. but that was fun. it was also the most pleasing meal after tiring ourselves during snorkeling. Thanks to carla who sponsored the crunchy peanut butter. yumyum!

me, elaine and lara after snorkeling

We then stopped on a quite-secluded island. this one I loved most! the water's clear and the sand's [though quite rocky] almost white THUS it's so perfect for photos! mwehehehe :D

"camwhores by the shore" hihi

c paul maputi pa pero ako nognog na!

group pic w/o mio. sorry mio kaw ang cameraman eh :P
hmmmph ndi ako naka jump sa pic! *

finally a group pic, and we're complete!
in correct order: elaine, jemma, paul, ana, lara, carla,
tisha, mio, jay n me!

At noon we went to Aninuan falls. we had to hike going there and hike even longer after our short dip. I loved that though, as much as I loved the Bomod-ok hike in sagada. I just love being so sweaty!!! --makes me feel like I'm becoming slimmer and slimmer! [hahaha it's a psychological thingy] but of course, don't expect breathtaking views or studio-like falls. iba pa ring ang sagada, di ko ipagpapalit!

elaine n me @ aninuan falls *

At night we dined at Dream Wave. hay, real food finally! [we've been eating canned goods to save money!] Thanks to Elaine! [Oh and happy birthday!] After dinner, we tried the massage along the shore. my masseuse was so good, I felt like my legs were relaxed finally after the long hike! no more drinking this time. just a loooong sleep after the relaxing massage. mmm. hehe :D

3rd day - shopping! [while the rest rode the banana boat] Shirts, sandos and shorts are so cheap, makes me want to buy EVERY item. but of course since I'm on tight budgeting I just ended up with 1 spag strap for myself, a shirt for my dad, a bracelet for my mom, and 2 sandos for my 2 friends back in manila. not bad though, coz originally I had no plan to shop. It was a nice surprise that some more money's left for that. Apparently everything in Galera's cheaper than what I thought!

Now can I RANT?
Batangas Pier has the most infuriating pasalubong vendors and ticket fixers! upon reaching the port, we were welcomed by "persuading", irritating group of men to buy their products (vendors) or to ride on their boats (fixers) like an orchestra. I mean, sabay sabay: "mam russel john?" "mam commando ferry?" "mam m/v brian" "mam macapuno?". even while Mio was on the phone! their heads just kept on popping out one after the other, asking him the same questions FACE to FACE! Ignoring them [or acting like a bitch --I mean parinig ka ng "f*ck ang kukulit nyo!"] had no effect, some even kept on touching our elbows to get our attention. ffff*dge malalagkit sila I swear.

In white beach puerto galera itself, the business continues. apparently it's the trend huh. a whole new orchestra welcomed us! [milder orchestra in fairness] "mam banana boat?" "mam massage?" "mam braid?" again, ignoring them had no effect, in fact I think they asked the same questions for like every 10 mins. imagine. same person. same line. goodness!

In batangas pier, on our way home, the scenes where the same. WORSE actually. the infuriating vendors followed us up to the bus station saying their famous lines "mam macapuno sige na" "mam mineral water para sa byahe" over and over EVEN IF SOME OF US WERE ALREADY BUYING. ugh.

talagang makulit o sadyang sabik sa pera? so guys, when going to galera via the batangas pier (is there an alternative way in the first place?!) HEIGHTEN UP YOUR E.Q.s!

(*) - from Mio's cam. Thanks Mio!

Expenses! Expenses!
Groceries (century tuna, sunblock, etc): P500++
Alabang-Batangas shuttle: P100
Batangas-White Beach (M/V Brian): P180
Hotel (2500 per night good for 5): P1000
Henna Tattoo: P100
Snorkeling + Island Hopping: P250
Aninuan Falls tour/hike: P120
Food trip (hotdogs + shakes): 100++
Full body massage (1 hr): P200
Pasalubong shirts (around P100 each): P400--
Pasalubong bracelet: P80
Food (average 70 per meal. paluto delata - P20 per can): P210++
White Beach-Batangas (Russel Jhon): P180
Batangas-Alabang bus: P120
Misc (jeep, trike, etc): P100++
Total: P3640++

Bomod-ok. Endurance Test! [Sagada]

2007-02-19T20:30:00.000-08:00

There were things I prepared for before going to Sagada, and one of them is Bomod-ok falls. Mainly because this was a major challenge for me last year, when my endurance was really, stretched to the limits!

We started the hike before lunch at Aguid. According to Kuya Perin [tour guide] the path here's longer but less steep [compared to Fidelisan].While Cie and Janet liked the idea, honestly I got a little frustrated. How would I know if I'm buffed this time if we'll take the easier way? [haha just a selfish thought!]

improvised seesaw of igorot kids. cool noh?

the whole group with some igorot kids.
amazing, they all look the same! hehe

So there, we hiked downhill for like an hour [prepare for sunburnnnn!]. The sceneries are extra breath taking, the rice terraces are greener, and I've got more beautiful photos. thus I now love this Aguid path! muhaha. Thanks to Wewoy for tolerating camwhores like me [every 10 minutes, merong "wewoy wewoy picturan moko dito!" at siya naman, kuha ng kuha!]

a perfect candid-but-not-really-candid shot

..and another perfect shot of me on some rice terrace :)

Most of the pathways are easy to take, as they're already cemented. But the rocky path near the river is still as dangerous [but that was fun of course. fulfillment eh!] The sound of the strong current flowing from the mountain, even without seeing it, is still as thrilling. And as expected, the big falls itself was so rewarding. There's still the big "WOW!" even if I've already seen it before!

a real candid pic of me with bomod-ok as my background :)

walang pakealamanan.
this is my dream sagada bikini pose!

Literally, the water's cold like ICE. *salute* to some ST boys who dived here last year! but ey, I didn't give up! dani and I were able to swim, 20 minutes after dipping our feet. haha! [kada 5 minutes, lubog ng 3 inches!] the extreme "brrr" moment was when the water's already chest-level. it made me feel so numb!

"brrr!" ST girls, BEAT THAT!

somewhere below the big rocks. nice background diba?

and PRESENTING...
Sagada Scandal by Alvin Galang. wohoo!

It was already late for lunch [we made reservations at the bamboo grill] so we decided to end the Bomod-ok trip. Of course, the hiking adventure's not yet finished! We had to hike uphill going back, which is even harder than the trek downhill! Like climbing the stairs for more than an hour! As I always say, it's like "stairs going to the office [43rd floor]" but according to kuya perin, "hindi lang! mga 100 floors yan!"

so we hiked uphill, passing through all levels of rice terraces, resting at every shed we see (3 stops yata). when we were already halfway, I heard my stomach grumbling. I realized that I wasn't 100% prepared --I should have brought a sandwich, or at least a chocolate bar! but anyway wna know the overall result? I got no flu, no muscle pain, and I felt like I can take another bomod-ok hike! [well not really. maybe just the half of it? haha] I was only extremely HUNGRY. thanks to cardio exercises!

that was our final site, which was a very good sagada trip ender. I was able to swim and I survived the hike going back --what could be more fulfilling? But then again, as I always say, pictures nor blog posts can't describe the beauty of bomod-ok falls. Or the rewarding feeling once you survive the hike. You have to try it yourself. so guys, explore this WHILE YOU ARE YOUNG! Oh and Don't forget to put this at the end of your Sagada site list. coz this is seriously energy-draining. explore bokong falls first as your warm up!

Don't forget to bring sunblock :-|

Kiltepan-Sumaguing [Sagada]

2007-02-19T20:29:00.000-08:00

[Kiltepan]
On our 2nd day, we went to kiltepan for a perfect top view of rice terraces. one thing I learned here: NEVER GO HERE ON A FEBRUARY. coz everything's brown and rice terraces don't look so pleasing, not like in my previous visits (best month to visit kiltepan: April, coz of the planting season)

wewoy, cie, me and janet @ kiltepan

ranting over brown rice terraces
*wishing they're green* hehe

[Sumaguing Cave]
after the short stay in kiltepan, we went to Sumaguing cave. I was so giddy the whole time because IT WAS MY FIRST TIME! i've been wanting to see this cave since my first Sagada, but I was unfortunate during those times --first visit, I was with senior citizens :| 2nd visit, I had flu! This time I was lucky, God finally let me see Sumaguing!

Everything inside the cave's just sooo perfect. stalactites and stalagmites are incredibly shiny in photos, but when touched, they're actually rough like frozen sand! really amazing! (well except for the really slimy part where it's hard to walk --one wrong step will really kill you!) some pics:

"sit if you feel like you're sliding!"

I love standing on cold water...

"water's so cold!"

my pinakanakaka-tense moment. rapelling! :O

our only source of light --one lamp!

me and cie enjoying the super cold water

Exploring this cave is not an easy experience. In fact this is the most dangerous thing I did in my entire life! but it's oh so rewarding. I'm glad I did it! but hey, did I over-psych myself that this site will be too hard? coz I expected something harderrrr. Not that this site's too easy! It's just that I thought of more rapelling spots and too narrow cave vents, haha :D

[read more]

Lumiang-Echo-Bokong [Sagada]

2007-02-19T20:23:00.001-08:00

Valentines week of 2007: My officemates and I went to Sagada as recommended by the Sagada addict *ahem*. The 4d/3n stay was a blast indeed, coz imagine, in that short span of time we were able to visit everything that has to be seen! And thank God everyone went home satisfied and unharmed!

[First stop: Lumiang cave]
It’s just less than a year since I last saw this place so I was quite surprised to see more cemented pathways and hand rails. But everything else remained the same --it's still so famous for its coffins and it's still a good starter coz though the hike is easier now, a little more endurance is still required!

railings for safety

path that's not cemented before

cave's mouth.
[I used to call this 'daan papuntang impyerno' hehe]

...and the coffins! :)

[2nd stop: Episcopal Church + Echo Valley]
I love how this site tolerates camwhores like us! Aside from being photogenic, the place is so serene, sooo perfect for hanging out or for picnics. Btw when going to Echo Valley. Find the path that leads to the stairs, climb up then turn left. Follow the path till you reach a cliff overlooking the rocky white mountain --That's Echo Valley! (you might want to do the hike by yourself. no tourguide = tipid. hehe)

an FHM pose in Sagada? hehe

camwhore and camwhore

We were resting at Echo Valley when 2 ppl came to see if we're a tour group na "pwede buntutan". when the guy saw me, he removed his sunglasses, looked at me for like 3 seconds and said, "LEDA?!". as shocked as he is, I replied in the same tone -- "ALVIN?!". parang movie diba! ALVIN GALANG (yeah, of S18. my original blockmate) and his girl, Dani, happened to be in Sagada too. on the same dates. so instantly we planned to go on tours and transpos together, so it would be cheaper. so from 4, we became 6! that added to the fun :) It took me 10 mins btw to absorb everything what just happened. that I met someone I know in echo valley. It's unbelievable! what a small world huh?

resting at echo valley

the whole group at echo valley

[3rd stop: Bokong falls]
It was also a surprise that a lot of paths have already been cemented. But whew thank God there's still one steep path left (not that I'm a masochist. it's just that one of the things I love in Sagada is the adventure). Kuya Egbert, our tour guide, was a PRO! He taught us how to step on the steep path correctly. Fun! And, take note. He knows a lot about photography!

Bokong falls hike = nice scenic view!

hiking down on a steep pathway with kuya egbert

me @ small falls

the group at small falls

whew. that was just our first day! ika nga, warm up pa lang. hehe.

[read more]

Hello Puerto Princesa [Palawan]

2006-12-16T20:42:00.000-08:00

I've heard lots of stories about Palawan before, and lots of pictures that may me DROOL. since then, I've always wanted to see Palawan. natupad din sa wakas! :)

But I've gone only to Puerto Princesa. I feel quite bad that I didn't stay longer. low budget kasi :O [Dec 16's the start of hotel and air fare peak rates. hihi] and some of us were under tight 'vacation leave' budgeting. Imagine, just 2 whole days in palawan. bitin talaga. SO... I'm definitely going back! For now, what I can share is our short stay in Puerto Princesa...

First day: we arrived at Puerto Princesa before lunch, checked in at The Legend Hotel, settled down, then had a sumptuous lunch at the hotel's resto [the kinilaw was good. quite sinful though, coz it had grilled liempo! hehe. but mmmm I loved that] Then a hotel shuttle picked us up for our first activity: ISLAND HOPPING!

We visited Snake Island and Pandan Island. I was speechless. these two islands have two different things to brag about...

Snake Island is perfect for snorkeling. fishes there are like those you see in National Geographic channel. they come in all colors and sizes. some come in circling schools, and made me wish so much that I have an underwater cam!

oohlala how clear!

"wear 'em you're young!"

"one two three, altogether... STOMACH IN!" *

Pandan Island is perfect for swimming [or just for wading if the tide's low] coz the sand's clear -almost white, and there are no shells or rocks to poke your toes! and the water level's just right even if you're already meters away from the shore. nice diba!

approaching Pandan Island...

feeling mermaids ba? hehe

At night, we had dinner at Kalui. I love the resto's ambience! Native decors were everywhere, then in one corner you'd see fruits neatly displayed. The RED bananas makes the whole spot more attractive. cool ha. OH and you have to remove your footwear here. 'ancient pinoy' talaga ang dating! and the food [seafoods! mmm!] it's so good. mas pinasarap pa kase libre. haha jk! thanks Paul!

Paul then gave us a quick city tour. since it was christmas season, he brought us to the "baywalk" counterpart of Puerto Princesa, where a gigantic christmas tree stood. Currently daw it's the 2nd tallest chrismas tree in asia. wow ha, astig!

2nd day: Underground River tour! a hotel shuttle again picked us up, then from the hotel we passed through rough roads. rough roads. and really rough roads. haha! [if you'll go on this tour, make sure you had enough sleep. mahirap paglabanin ang antok ang lubak, pramis!] after about 2.5 hrs we arrived in a rural town where boats are waiting. only 6 ppl can fit so we had to split up. The boats brought us to a different island [I'm not sure actually if it's a different island!]

In one boat - mia, me and deryk

"uhmmm manong tour guide, can we stop
for a while so I could swim?" hehe

in that island, we followed a trail that leads to the underground river [watchout! Bayawaks are everywhere!] we waited for a while since there were lots of tour groups aside from us, and the boats going inside the cave are limited.

Then it was our turn. yahoooo, the cave smelled so awful (and our helmets and our vests! hehe) but the experience inside is quite unique. stalactite/stalagmite formations are so cool [some are creepy]. The cave has a "market" section where there are veggie formations, and "cathedral" section where there are "Jesus", "Holy Family" formations, and the like stood. and then, that's it. I remember someone said before that I shouldn't expect much from this cave. haha he's right. but hey, this place's photogenic! pwede na rin!

the whole group @ the underground river *

On our way back to the hotel, we passed by the Vietnamese village. For me, there's nothing much to see. Or perhaps we're too tired to explore further. All we wanted that time was to rest and to have a good long bath back at the hotel!

For dinner, we ate at Balinsasayaw. The ambience's just fine (if you've gone to Kalui, you'd think that Balinsasayaw is not extraordinary) but the food is as good, their chicken reminds me of bacolod chicken being served in some manila restos. their "grill platter" is a must --filled with grilled seafoods, served in really nice presentation. oh and their fruit shakes! mmm they're the best. again, it was Paul's treat :)

more of grilled seafoods. mmmm!

3rd day: we had to pack our bags, for our 10am flight back to manila. how sad! but I'm glad Bev, Marcy and I were able to roam around the city early in the morning. thanks to manong manilenyo taxicle driver who helped us pick the freshest seafoods in puerto's wet market. For P800 I was able to buy 1 kilo of first class prawns, 1++ kilo of blue marlin, 1++ kilo of tangigue, and a big plastic bag containing typical pasalubongs like roasted cashew, cashew brittle and spicy dilis. I can't remember how plenty they were! all seafoods I bought were fresh, and packed neatly at the market's packaging booth --customized for those who will go on air travel: naka-styro cooler, or brown box with ice bags inside. your pick! cool diba? tourism's apparently being promoted even in their wet market! hehe

Manong manilenyo (I forgot his name) told me that next time we should wake up earlier. like around 5 am. coz by 6am, the best seafoods have already been picked. whoah, we thought we're already early! (we left the hotel at 6am). but to my surprise the seafoods were still good. hmmm, napagpilian na pala yun sa lagay na un!??

that was the end of our Palawan escapade. sad in a way, kase bitin. but I can say that it was a blast --after pondering on the ratio: of the amount I spent, to the length of time I spent there, to the satisfaction I had!

Palawan is as good as it sounds. so, I MUST go back. for Coron or El Nido perhaps? hmmm we'll see! :D btw Thanks Paul Lao for sponsoring our dinners, thanks so much for the hospitality! :)

(*) - pics from Tasj's cam. Thanks tasjy!

Expenses! Expenses!

Round Trip Air Fare: P2600
cebu pacific's P99 seat promo

Accomodation: P3000
Barkadahan Package of The Legend Hotel.
Applicable to groups w/ minimum of 5 guests,
rate might be higher during peak seasons

Includes:
* Honda Bay tour
* pack lunch for Island hopping
* breakfasts
* welcome drink

Underground River Tour: P1300
add-on to the package. includes packed lunch.

3 Shirts: P360
2 for myself, one for my dad

Pearl Accessories: P500
1 pair of Class A pearl earrings for myself,
5 pairs of class C pearl earrings for my officemates,
1 pink pearl necklace and bracelet terno for my mom.
YES, PEARLS ARE CHEAP IN PALAWAN

Food Pasalubongs: P800
Pasalubong sa house - prawns, blue marlin and tangigue
Pasalubong sa office - cashew brittle and spicy dilis

TOTAL: P8560

Kansilad [Lianga, Surigao D.S.]

2006-09-13T21:05:00.000-07:00

Visit Kansilad - a hidden paradise in Lianga, Surigao del Sur. The beach is comparable to the best beaches that you know except that it is less advertised. thus it's less dense. Actually when we were there, I dont remember seeing other guests!

The beach.

The pool.

at the gazebo. really, I love the sand!

So how did I reach this place? When my mom and dad were on a roadtrip going to tandag via butuan, they rested at kansilad "just to have coffee" as recommended by their kapwa tandaganon. They were stunned by the sosy ambience, since it stood in a not-so-populated town, or in a quite inaccessible spot for most beach buffs.

My mom loved the stopover, and just cant get over it. So when my cousins, my uncle and I (and a nephew) left Tandag for Manila (via davao), we stopped at the same resort as recommended. Besides, Lianga's still along the way even if youre going to Davao. So there! We enjoyed the same ambience, but the experience's much better when uncle paul ordered sizzling seafoods and tinola for our lunch (native chicken. take note!) mmm.

me with nephew, vien.

vien running after uncle paul. how cute :)

After lunch a guy toured us around (I think he's the manager or owner. hehe I'm not sure). The rooms were great, very relaxing so close to nature literally. I think I could just jump off the window if I want to swim! hehe

the cottages

Surprisingly the room rates are very cheap. Well at least that room the guy showed us. it's classy, it has its own clean bathroom (that's what matters most to me!), it's good for four and it's just 1500 per night! Thats it. I'm convinced enough that I should go back there to spend a night or two. The place is too perfect as a stopover place!

At around 2pm we had to leave since I have a davao-manila flight to catch. the short stay was worthwhile. My only rant is that I wasn't able to swim.

Lesson learned: Always have an emergency bikini in your hand-carry luggage! :)

Doon Sa Pier [Tandag, Surigao D.S.]

2006-09-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

I went to Tandag along with some cousins from Davao, to attend a family reunion [Mama and Papa went there ahead. had to go on a latter date, coz I was savin up vacation leaves for Palawan. hehe] The reunion itself was on the third day so as expected, the first two days was nothing but piggin-out moments in some houses, as it was the weekend before fiesta. Luckily on my 2nd day, Uncle Paul decided to bring me to the port of Tandag. It's been really boring since I came so I liked the idea!

so that morning, we walked on roads I'm not familiar with, saw residents who looked at us strangely [coz Uncle Paul's in his summer attire, as in with the neon green shorts and big towel around his neck], not minding the 8am heat! just fyi, September's the driest month in Tandag. so when I say 8am heat, that's the 12 noon heat in Manila! Really it was hot, but the hike was a little bit exciting as I've never seen the pier before!

Finally after 10 minutes we reached the port. I thought it was closed coz no one's inside and there's no trace of any business. but no, it was open! and I think it's open anytime during the day coz we entered the gate without asking if we're allowed to do so! (hihi)

the first thing I noticed is the clear water. hmmm. very unusual! Uncle Paul said that it used to be a busy port. I wonder if the water's as clear back then! At the other side was the sound of waves hitting big rocks. Scary in a way, but it's tempting. Now I understand why Uncle Paul went there with a towel. he thought of swimming! in fact it was his childhood dream to jump off from the ledge. but since didn't have a towel and my shirt's see through when wet, I didn't want to (haha can't imagine myself walking on the same route, soaking wet. people might really think i'm a promdi!) and so I convinced him that maybe we should go back the next day when the tide's a little lower, and when I'm a little prepared.

sa pier. only one ship was there, but no one's around

how clear! unusual for piers huh? :)

Uncle Paul wants to jump, but he was hesitant. haha!

can't swim for now, so hanggang posing lang ako! hehe

he then asked me if I want to see the "grotto". of course wanted to! I've heard a lot about it, I mean it has been a common line, "nakapunta ka na ba sa grotto" but ironically, even if I've been to tandag almost every summer, I've never seen it. and I never understood why I should. till that morning!

stairway goin to the grotto

so we went there --just at the end of the street outside the port's gate. Going there, expect the usual --stairs, flowers, and finally the grotto. but up there, the view's different! At one side was the pier, and the blue-green water which I never thought could be more attractive when seen from afar. Then at the other side were the fishermen's boats, lined up like colorful toys! There’s nothing extraordinary with the grotto itself but for some reasons, the place is more serene than any other grottos I've been to. Apparently because of the seascape around. I just hated it a little when I noticed a couple of chippy wrappers around. tsk!

right view: the pier's blue water

left view: fishermen's boats

the next day, we went back to the pier with Kuya Bong and Ate Clea, bringing my own towel this time. To my surprise, the pier wasn't as clean and appealing anymore. there were several detergent sachets floating. Perhaps going there during low tide isn't advisable. So we went to the other side of the shore instead [the village which could be seen from the pier], where there was this super classic videoke machine, and sang for P2 per song. haha magpakajologs daw ba. frustrated eh :-|

I hope that something comes up --perhaps a policy or a guard, so there won't be plastic wrappers floating around during the low tide. and I wish that DOT, or whoever concerned puts a trash can at the grotto, or at least a "clean as you go" sign. coz the place has a potential. pinoys are still a little stubborn when it comes to simple rules. sad! so there. I'm hopeful, lookin forward to my next visit. coz behind all those little rants, the place is still perfect for meditation. or camwhore-ing. or picnicking. or whatever you could think of when days are boring :)

Zoobic Safari! [Subic, Zambales]

2006-06-13T00:11:00.000-07:00

It's zoo-time at zoobic!

I was never a fan of zoos, but I looked forward to our zoobic visit because I've seen the excitement on TV, when trip na trip featured its hosts being chased by tigers. I just felt that I had to try that, and so I got really excited when the whole grande island gang decided to drop by zoobic before going back to manila :)

contrary to what I thought, zoobic doesn't only have tigers. they have almost all sorts of animals except the big ones like elephants, giraffes, etc. and they're classified in such a very cool way --rodents are in the rodent world, where there's a rodent salon where you could give big rodents a bath. snakes and iguanas are in a warehouse-like structure called serpentarium. tigers are (of course) in a safari, where zoobic jeepneys enter for the "close encounter". I can't remember the other zoo areas but I do remember the monkeys, turtles, ostriches, and porcupines. and the cute goats and BABY TIGERS roaming around freely!

hello baby!

cutie goat just walkin around :)

some weird-looking rodent. hehe

a camouflage-y turtle

Iguana :)

snake in a pot!

biiiiig creeeepy snake!

The most awaited part, the "close encounter" was quite quick --We entered the "safari" [of course we're in a jeep full of grills!], parked near the tigers, waited for the tigers to attack the live chickens tied on our jeep's grills, shouted hysterically when the tigers ate them, leaving only the chicken legs. then that's it! The most exciting part’s over! If there's one thing I didn't like in that "close encounter", it's the bloody scene [literally, bloody]. chicken blood almost hit me, and that was really gross!

rawrrr, tigers approaching!

poor chicken! bad tiger! *

everything's just so cool, and so I highly recommend this as a "family gimik". both kids and adults will love this so much! but you'll need P500++ for this, per head. the tour package including the close encounter is around P500. the plus plus goes to the live chicken for the chicken-overloaded tigers. I wonder how many chickens they eat everyday. I think 1 chicken costs around P120, one is enough for one tour group. quite expensive eh? but I can say that it was satisfying enough. I mean, how often can we feed cute but aggressive tigers? rarely! so pwede na. I (at least. ewan ko lang ung iba) ENJOYED IT. So... who said that zoos are only for kids?!

(*) - from Cindy's cam. thanks Cindy! :)

The Farm [San Benito, Lipa]

2006-02-07T21:41:00.000-08:00

(cross-posted from my LJ)

I spent my weekend at The Farm with my family. For those who aren't familiar with the place: The Farm's a resort somewhere in Lipa that's actually more of a meditation/relaxation place 4 stressed ppl. later u'll know why :D yep it was just what i needed.

when we arrived there in the afternoon, the first thing i tried was their yoga class. as if solemn time! there were only 5 of us in the room yet i can't hear any kind of noise. n so i had a hard time blowing my nose time 2 time. hehe.. i had running nose! as i've expected, the whole session made me so sweaty even if movements were slow and positions weren't that hard. well that's yoga is all abt anyway. hehe. the latter part of my yoga class made me feel so sleepy since we were lying on the mat n d instructor said that we must relax n clear our minds. good thing before i was abt to fall asleep completely, the session ended :D feel na feel ko tlga! the temperature inside the room was just right... while outside you'd see dried leaves being blown by the strong wind. o ha.. mala movie ang dating!

spot where we had yoga

anyway, i spent the rest of the afternoon strolling around with my sister (and with barbara --- the hs friend of my sister who went with us btw) i swear the place's so beautiful. dey've got peacocks, swans n ducks on their ponds.... and the landscape's so fine. i mean parang OC-made. haha.

fake or real!?

real! kitams, nagpacute pa nga ang nognog swan beside my mom! hehe

i love this -- their blue green peacock :D

i love this pic! coz accidentally i clicked
'set as desktop background'... nagulat ako bigla may ducks
sa wallpaper ko! hehe cute...

the only thing i didn't like there is the mood when it gets dark -- the place's so quiet and no one seems to go out of their cottages. BORING! that's when u'll realize that the place's perfect only for 100% depressed ppl. hehe... 90% depressed lang ako e :D n so i found the night time boring..

..so i went with my sis n bro in law in their joyride. besides, the kids dusnt like the food there (menu's only for vegetarians! plus mahaaaaal ng food!). we left mama n papa at The Farm while we ended up in a bulaluhan somewhere in the city proper. kaka-high, when again i saw bright lights and ppl! haha, nastress ata ako sa The Farm for not seeing ppl around. haha jk

after dinner, we went back to The Farm and watched tv at the oriental lounge. yep, der's no tv inside the cottages kc nga diba d place's supposedly for those who needs to be at peace! some foreigner guests were at the lounge too... so nakisabit nalang kami sa dvds nila. We watch Shopgirl (claire danes) -- isang pagkapanget panget na pelikula!!! good thing there was another day for me at The Farm... kundi, sobrang cursed ung resort na un. haha

The next day, i strolled around again. there i saw more of their "secret gardens", gazebos and pools. supposedly i'll jog around (that's why i wore rubber shoes!) but then i was so mesmerized to do that. haha... so just walked around. then i tried their buffet breakfast -- healthy foods nga coz they served home made breads, granolas, fruits and the like. hmm... mejo nafrustrate ngalang ako coz i'm used to heavy breakfasts. and actually i expected salads... different kinds of salads... when they said that the food was healthy. owell, ok lang though... coz healthy nga naman. and besides i had my cup of hot tea -- which went perfectly with their home made bread with cashew-cheese spread and pesto. solved nako. haha

one of their areas for meditation... perfect during sunrise!

ok supposedly i was in a yoga position. but i looked stupid. haha :D

sulu cottages. unfortunately, this isn't our cottage -- ours was
lower, and its top was made of anahaw :) these cottages on the pic
are a lot better. buhuhu

our breakfast table. mmmm

ala lang, pacute lang. mwahaha!

after breakfast... SWIMMING NAMAN!

"bading" pose of kuya albert (my bro in law) hahaha!

introducing bb pilipinas contestant number negative 45!

the best part was when i tried moxa ventoza (2nd pic). at first i was hesitant, knowing that it was P1400. hehe, good experience though. i really felt that i was relaxed. naidlip nga ata ako during the back massage that was included in that service. hehe saraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap

the SPA (which meant salus per aqua. aba may bago pala akong natutunan dun! hehe)

the north pool. a lot better than the one i showed a while ago.
ey! this is where i had my moxa ventoza! o ha feel na feel ko tlga nature! hehe

now i feel so recharged. apparently i just needed time to see something else. haha. to my sister, who covered most of the expenses, THANKS! honestly i'd have 2nd thoughts of goin there if i had to spend my own money for everything. haha promise, i'll pay for that moxa ventoza!