Lipay Explorer

Viewing Ayala

2010-02-24T08:00:00.007+08:00

Here are the pictures I took in Ayala. Enjoy! Place your comments and reactions below. It would be much appreciated.

All these pictures are taken in the Terraces area only. There are definitely more aspects of this mall worth exploring. If you have anything to share about Ayala, please comment below.

Seeing SM

2010-02-18T08:00:00.000+08:00

I realized that I have plenty of SM and Ayala pictures stored in my computer, so I do not think all of them would fit in a post of comfortable length. So I decided to showcase here all SM photos first and the next post would display all Ayala pics. So enjoy viewing and again, do comment if you like.

pirate-themed rides for kids

merry-go-round

breastfeeding station for the convenience and privacy of nursing mothers

party room for kids

Ayala and SM

2010-02-13T00:21:00.032+08:00

For sure a lot of you Cebuanos out there have already enjoyed the major malls in our region - Ayala and SM. For myself, I really like these two because these places have time and time again witnessed a lot of the fun times in my life. I'm not saying I am a mall rat, but whenever I needed to de-stress in a hassle-free manner, I always resort to go to any of these department stores.

One of the things I like about SM is definitely the 3D theater or the Imax, which I only took advantage of during the release of Avatar. And boy, what a superb experience that was! Although the glasses were a little bit awkward to use and my eyes had to do some adjusting with the 3D format, I have nonetheless become hooked with the Imax. Unfortunately, other cinemas in SM are low quality in my opinion, for I always seem to find the sound quality and picture there unbecoming. So, I suggest that if you deem a movie is not worth spending for a 3D viewing, go to Ayala cinemas. The sound and picture quality there are better plus you can choose your seats most of the time, a convenience I find really satisfactory.

When it comes to other entertainment, SM has a great bowling and billiard center, although a bit expensive for me and my friends. Still, this facility is worth experiencing once in a while. Also, there is the Storyland, an area in the ground floor where all the arcade machines and other gaming equipment are located. It is also the place where adults can ride bump cars and kids can ride, well, kiddie rides. :P Anyway, all these spots in SM provide lots and lots of fun! If you look for these in Ayala though, you would probably be disappointed. Yes, Ayala has an arcade center but the games there are often too costly for regular joes like us, especially if we want to play a lot of games. Also, there is no bowling center in Ayala so that is kind of a bummer.

As for gastronomic delights, I would say Ayala and SM are on the same level. There are plenty of options in these places to delight even the most gluttonous, so enough said. When it comes to shopping, I really cannot say much about that for I do not shop much, probably due to my often empty pockets hehe. Anyway, you should try to experience both these malls for yourself, if you have not already. For those who have not gone to these department stores yet, find below some pictures that will give you an idea of what these places offer. Most of these photos though, if not all, are taken in SM Northwing and Ayala Terraces. So they, by no means, represent the entirety of the two complexes. Still, enjoy viewing and do not hesitate to comment if you so desire.

SM (outside view):

parking lot

billboards on the front facade of SM

Ayala (@ the Terraces)

Since this post has become too long already, I am sorry to say that I have to end things here for now. More pictures of Ayala and SM, however, can be found in the next post. Thank you very much for viewing. If you have thoughts, reviews, or anything to say about these two malls, go ahead and air them out below.

A Peek at Negros

2009-12-31T04:06:00.011+08:00

My brother went to Negros, Philippines a few months ago. This province is located in the Central Visayas region and is considered to be the third largest island in the country. Anyway, I saw my bro's pictures in the computer and there were various amazing scenic shots. So I thought I would share them with you, and so here they are:

Negros is beautiful isn't it? Hopefully, I would be able to personally visit this place soon.

Sugar Beach, Bantayan Island More Pictures!

2009-12-30T01:50:00.005+08:00

Here are some more photos for your viewing pleasure ^_^

Aside from Sugar Beach, we also explored the Bantayan town proper. We found this beautiful fountain there (below). If you decide to visit the main town too, do not do it in the evening unless you contract a tricycle beforehand to wait for you and bring you back to Sugar Beach. This is because people in the island sleep early and the tricycles disappear by 9pm or 10pm @_@

After we got back from the town, we decided to have a campfire. You can purchase the wood and gas from the caretaker of the beach.

We certainly enjoyed our stay in Sugar Beach, Bantayan. You should try visiting the place too! ^_^

Sugar Beach, Bantayan Island Pictures

2009-12-29T22:59:00.021+08:00

Here you go guys, pictures of Sugar Beach, Bantayan Island. Please enjoy!

us having fun, weeeee!

the cottage we stayed in

inside the cottage, the 2 doors on the left are the bedrooms while the door on the right is the bathroom

one of the beds, the colorful pillow are ours ^_^

my friends enjoying a little snorkeling

More pictures of the beach:

What we ate:

grilled pork for lunch, yum!

sumptuous shrimps!

Enjoying Sugar Beach @ Bantayan Island

2009-12-29T22:06:00.013+08:00

Hello everyone! I know I have been neglecting this blog for months now and I am really sorry for that. I finally got a break in my busy, busy schedule though and it is time I show you another great place in the Philippines. Although a lot of people have already been to this place, I feel it still deserves a spot here in Lipay Explorer. After all, it is one beautiful corner of the Earth that you would surely enjoy exploring. So without further ado, I show you Sugar Beach at Bantayan Island!

Before I show you some more pictures of the beach and the island though, here are some important details.

How to Get There:
1.) To reach Bantayan Island from mainland Cebu, you need to go to the North Bus Terminal and, of course, ride a bus.
2.) The last time I took this trip, bus fare was 110 pesos. This may have changed already though so bring extra money to be on the safe side.
3.) There are buses available as early as 4am and they leave on time, most of the time.
4.) Once you reach San Remigio, which is at the northernmost tip of Cebu, you need to take a ferry to the island.
5.) We rode the Island Shipping Ferry at that time and the fares are as follows - Regular = 120. 2nd Class = 125, and 1st Class (air-conditioned) = 130. Again, these may have changed already so just be prepared.

one of the ferries in the port

this photo was captured while riding the ferry

this too

How to Reserve a Room in Sugar Beach:
There are various accommodations in Bantayan Island but me and my friends chose Sugar Beach because we heard it is best for the budget traveler. Anyway, if you want to stay there, just give them a call to reserve a room. Reservation is advisable because it will save you from hassles. To contact them, do not text as they do would not reply - based on experience. The number I used to reach them was this - +639217755058. The room we reserved was good enough for 7 people and it cost 1,200 pesos. This already has a toilet and bath plus two bedrooms.

As to how you can get to Sugar Beach, do not worry. Once you disembark from the ferry, someone from Sugar Beach will be waiting for you. Just look for the person holding a huge paper with your name on it. He will then conduct you to the beach and you can then enjoy your vacation!

Where to Eat:
Sugar Beach will cook meals for you for a 40 pesos service charge. Of course, you still have to pay for the main ingredients like the pork and the rice. In our opinion, we thought it was worth it because all the things they served to us were delicious!

What to Bring:
Bring light clothes, sun block, slippers, camera, and your sense of fun!

For more pictures of Bantayan Island and Sugar Beach, please click here. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment.

Taoist Temple

2009-02-03T08:02:00.006+08:00

One of the classic tourist spots here in Cebu is the Taoist Temple located in the high-end Cebu residential subdivision- Beverly Hills. I still remember the first time I went to this place, which was during my kindergarten tour. I remembered the place to be bigger then, but when I came back there again, it seemed to have shrunk! But then again, I was still little the first time I visited the place and everything seems bigger to a kid. Anyway, I think the place is still nice, in a solemn religious kind of way. You get to see a slice of Chinese worship, because that's what Taoist Temple is- a temple dedicated to the teachings and followers of Chinese philosopher Lao Tze. If you don't follow Taoism, it's ok. You are still welcome inside the temple. The temple was made by the sizable Chinese community here in Cebu. According to the info I gathered, the temple was built in 1972.

What do you get if you go to Taoist Temple? You get to see pagodas, wonderfully carved stone dragons, and lots of Taoist religious items. It is a great place to immerse yourself in one of the world's great cultures. There's plenty of photo opportunities too. Entrance is free. I suggest though that you go there by taxi and have the taxi wait for you, because the place is not easily accessible by other public transportation. Of course if you have your own car, by all means, go and drive there.

along the entrance:

further inside:

well-kept grounds, exuding tranquility:

graceful and artistic structures:

fishes and turtles:

statues:

majestic dragons:

USC-TC Series - #8: Towards the Exit (Final)

2008-12-23T08:00:00.000+08:00

Finally, we've come to the last leg of our University of San Carlos Technological Center tour. Of course, there were still many things that weren't captured on film so going there yourself is definitely the best option. Still, hope you enjoyed what you've seen so far. If not, at least I hope you're now better informed of what the campus really looks like. ^_^ Anyway, if you go at the back of the Engineering building and head towards the exit from there, you'll see the following. By the way, this exit is the one near the waiting shed and post office.

the Population Studies building, sorry I haven't been inside here and I really don't know what the people inside here do exactly

the ChemE truck, looks pretty eat up to me..

warning: high voltage... go touch :D

Lexmark doing an advertisement in TC, seriously- they've donated stuff for this laboratory...I think

PE rooms... with garbage on the side. Shame people, shame!

that big round thing was actually whirring when I took this shot

this is still part of the big compound that is the Engineering building

very beat up PE room, reminds me of my PE teacher Mrs. C- now that old woman was a terror!

After taking these few pictures, I went out of the school's exit gate. Hopefully, I've enlightened you all of what the inside of USC-TC campus looks like.

What do you think about it? Post your comments, I'd be happy to read them ^_^.

USC-TC Series - #7: Science Building

2008-12-21T08:00:00.000+08:00

Another one of the much older buildings in USC-TC is the Science Building. This holds the colleges of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and all the laboratories required for such pursuits.

one of the laboratories/classroom

USC-TC Series - #6: CAS and Nursing Buildings

2008-12-18T08:00:00.000+08:00

Here, I will share with you two University of San Carlos - Technological Center buildings. They are the CAS or College of Arts and Sciences building and the Nursing building. As far as I know, the language faculty such as English and Filipino are located in the CAS building. It is also a fairly new building, well at least newer than the Engineering building but older than the Architecture building.

First stop, CAS building:

Mama Mary grotto at the CAS building front

covered walk from CAS

canteen near CAS, closed at this time

And here's the Nursing building. The first picture looks unreal doesn't it? I don't know how that happened, lol.

USC-TC Series - #5: Architecture Building

2008-12-15T08:00:00.001+08:00

This is the Architecture Building. It is a fairly new building.

entrance

Beside the Archi Building, there's another building that's under construction. I don't know though what college it will house. It's also a big one.

Anyway, lets go inside USC-TC's Architecture Building, shall we?! ^_^

the lobby

the alfresco classroom ^_^

the library

At one of the building's back verandas, I happen to look down on these things. I'm pretty sure these are students' projects. They look quiet interesting so I took a few shots ^_^.

Ok, now back inside. :)

Okay now, this is not the garbage area. This is actually beside one of the classrooms. The pile of what looks like rubbish you see on the left are actually the materials they used for those artwork shown above. As for those things inside glass cases on the right, those are miniature models of students' building designs.

A closer look:

USC-TC Series - #4: IRS or School Church

2008-12-11T08:00:00.000+08:00

The IRS building is where USC-TC masses are held. It's big enough to accommodate several hundreds of students, although I have no idea about its maximum capacity. It was closed when I went there so I wasn't able to take pictures of the building's interior. I would describe it as having a holy atmosphere. Of course, it can't avoid being holy when there's a huge cross above the dais with Jesus on it. You also cannot miss the altar and the pictures of saints. The interior is cavernous, clean, and a bit spartan in furnishings. Anyway, here are the exterior views of the building.

USC-TC Series - #3: Soccer Field

2008-12-08T08:00:00.000+08:00

This is the soccer field. Only USC-TC has it, USC Main doesn't. I used to see many soccer games here. Of course, there are still many soccer games going on in this field, it's just that I won't be there to see it ^_^. Sometimes, there would be matches between local players in this field, but there are also many matches between local and international players that happened and will happen here.

USC-TC Series - #2: The Surroundings

2008-12-05T21:26:00.011+08:00

The University of San Carlos Technological Center a.k.a. Talamban Campus is truly a big place. It is big enough that students would ride small jeepneys so they can go to another building. The following pictures are taken from many different places in the campus.

covered walk going to the gym

driveway in between the canteen (left) and Engineering building (right)

covered walk going to IRS (school's church) and the Science building
the person there is a janitor taking a break from cleaning :P

you go up to go to the IRS and right to go to the Science building

there's one of the jeepney that's transporting students to and fro buildings all day

The newer buildings of USC-TC tend to be located on the back hills, and so the roads going there are always inclined - making for some mildly tiresome walk.

one of the school landscape, this is near the IRS (school's church) - making it perfect for contemplation

view from one of the school buildings

another view from one of the school buildings

Indeed, the school also has some "scary places". I actually don't know where this road leads to and imagining this scene at night gives me the shivers, lol.

one of the school's many coverd walks

USC-TC Series - #1: Engineering Building

2008-12-05T18:51:00.009+08:00

Hi, I just want to share with you pictures of the university I went to- University of San Carlos. I was a Computer Engineering student so what I'll be sharing here would be pictures of the Talamban Campus and not the Main Campus. There are many photos to share, so I'll be blogging this in series.

First off, here are some Engineering building photos. This building is kinda very old already. It had already gone some renovations and repainting but it still looks old compared to the other buildings in the campus. This building houses all the engineering departments- CompE, ECE, CE, IE, etc. There are well-appointed laboratories here and most of the classrooms are air-conditioned. They were also closed so I wasn't able to take pictures inside of classrooms, sorry.

USC-TC front

drafting room

an old painting on the wall

Engineering library, I wasn't able to get inside because it was closed.

It wasn't bad at all going to school here. ^_^

Roosevelt Mountain Resort - Review

2008-11-13T20:43:00.000+08:00

Whew, finally! I was able to get some break from work to write this review. I know it’s kinda long in coming but here it is. Hope it helps you guys, those planning to go to Roosevelt Mountain Resort.

Roosevelt Mountain Resort is a private property-turned resort located in Babag, Busay Cebu. It is just a few meters from Mountain View. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you what public transportation to ride there because when we went there, we used my friend’s car. You can always hire a cab to get there but it might be a tad pricey. I heard mentioned that there are habal-habals (motorcycles) that goes up there, so maybe you can go with that. In any event, I suggest you take your own car or hire a van or jeepney- that is if you’re going with a big group.

The price for an overnight stay is Php 5,000.00 and for a month’s stay- Php 100,000.00. You can check out their list of services and contact number/person HERE. You may think it’s expensive but I think it’s worth it. When you get there, a panoramic view of the city welcomes you, along with fresh air and a very green environment! If you are looking for a place to relax, I believe this place is one of those great places you can choose for such a purpose. What I find really nice is that you get to rent the resort wholly to yourself. You and your group will be the only ones there, well, except for the caretaker who isn’t really a bother.

Amenities

Roosevelt Mountain Resort is basically a rest-house. It has two bedrooms, one with air conditioning and one without. But you really do not have to worry about that because it gets cold up there. The first bedroom has 2 beds and the second one has one, a double-deck. The beds are nice enough but for those who cannot stand really soft beds, you’d want to go sleep on the double-deck bed which is a little firmer. The house also has a big enough living room and a kitchen. For those who got here via Istorya, you might have read my comments about the lack of kitchen utensils. The kitchen is really sparse, containing only one frying pan (that I still had to vigorously clean), a few spoons and forks, no plates and no glasses. There’s a stove though that you can use for cooking. But it’s really advisable that you bring your own utensils.

Paseojen (an Istorya username), I think she’s the owner of the resort, explained the lack of utensils. Apparently, some of those who rented the place got really very disrespectful. They damaged the place and some people stole the kitchen utensils that were previously there. Wary of these kinds of people, they just did not replace the utensils in the resort anymore incase it gets stolen again.

Roosevelt Mountain Resort has 2 CRs in the house. One near the kitchen and one more in between bedrooms. The one near the kitchen is bigger. Both have showers. There are also 3 shower rooms near the pool. The toilets are functional.

What I really like about the resort was the various verandas or terraces. There’s one outside the bedroom (with two beds), one outside the living room, and a really wide one at the side of the house. You can use any of these to gaze at the stunning view all around you, and perhaps muse over some very deep thoughts? ^_~

Pool

That’s right; Roosevelt Mountain Resort has a pool. It’s not that big and there are no slides. It’s not that deep either. I think the maximum depth level of the pool is around 5ft. But you and your friends can still have fun there. One bright side is that those who don’t know how to swim (like me :P) can truly enjoy the pool, because it’s not that deep and you can go from end to end easily. I just have one question about the pool though. I wonder if they change the water there regularly… When we got there, it looks kinda hazy. Ms. Paseojen you are welcome to enlighten us about this issue here.

Environment

There’s only one thing I can say about the environment at Roosevelt Mountain Resort- amazing! A wide expanse of view is available for you there. You can see part of Cebu and the harbor. The air there is really fresh. It’s really a refreshing break from the concrete jungle atmosphere. There are also lots of trees around and lots of flowers. If you want to get in touch with nature and be comfortable at the same time, Roosevelt is definitely a good place to start.

Additional Notes

There’s also a tree house in the vicinity but we did not bother checking that out. Going there is a little steep and the tree house itself is a little small. Also, I read somewhere some people saying the place looks haunted. Actually, there’s nothing to be scared about the place. The whole place has a relaxing vibe; it’s not gloomy at all.

All in all, I and my friends totally enjoyed the place. I’m already thinking of bringing my family there next year.

For those of you who have been to this place already, you are welcome to share your comments here. For those who have questions, ask and I’ll try my best to answer. ^_^

Pictures of Roosevelt Mountain Resort - The Flowers

2008-11-11T21:27:00.007+08:00

If you go to Roosevelt Mountain Resort, you'll be exposed to lots of flowers. I think they are very beautiful too. I really don't know the names of more than half of those flowers. In that respect, I commend the resort for having such an array of flowers because in the city, you'd be lucky to see a few floral varieties that aren't plastic.

Pictures of Roosevelt Mountain Resort - The Pool

2008-11-11T21:20:00.005+08:00

Roosevelt Mountain Resort also had a pool. It was not that large and it wasn't even deep. I got to the "deepest" end and my head is still above the water and am only 5'3. Anyway, it suit me just right since I don't know how to swim :P But for hardcore pool lovers out there, you may not be impressed with the resort's pool. But then again, it was a mountain resort so having a pool there is already a bonus. Me and my friends certainly did enjoy it. Besides it gets cold outside towards evening so we really did not do any nighttime swimming.

The resort also had a small tree house which we did not bother going into since going there is a bit difficult and we were enjoying the pool too much.

The Pool

Pictures of Roosevelt Mountain Resort - The Views

2008-11-11T21:03:00.003+08:00

Day or night, you can definitely appreciate the scenery around Roosevelt Mountain Resort. Whether the sun is up or the moon is up, you can take plenty of pictures of Roosevelt Mountain Resort. So be sure you take your camera with you and shoot away! ^_^

Pictures of Roosevelt Mountain Resort - The House

2008-11-11T20:56:00.002+08:00

There will always be times that you’d suddenly find yourself too loaded with work or life in general that you just want to unwind. I found myself in such a state last week. I just really needed some rest. People I know seem to automatically choose the beach or pool resorts for relaxation. I wanted to be different for a change. That’s why I started looking for mountain resorts. Many options came up such as Mountain View and Island in the Sky. One particular resort caught my attention though- Roosevelt Mountain Resort. I found the resort’s blog and I really liked what I saw there.

I really think the place was nice and the view amazing. The air there is fresh and no loud noises. You get to rent the whole resort for yourself, so no other guests or strangers will be bothering you there. By the way, the place is a resort but it is not the huge kind of resort. For a more detailed review on the place, please see Roosevelt Mountain Resort - Relaxing and Chilling (Part 5-What We Think of the Place). Anyway, here are the pictures I got of the house.

The House

the veranda

the gate

shower room by the pool area

3 shower rooms by the pool area

antique looking lamppost but still cool

this way leads to the pool

you can see the veranda from here

on the second floor veranda, we played cards here ^_^

surroundings

nice painting in one of the rooms

bedroom number one

bedroom number two

kitchen

dining area

looking down from the veranda

Thank you for contacting me.

2008-11-11T19:28:00.000+08:00

I'll reply to you as soon as I can.

In the meanwhile, please enjoy more of my posts.

Thanks ^_^