Unravel, Experience

EKxhilaratingly Fun at Enchanted Kingdom

2013-08-31T09:30:00.001-07:00

Working in a BPO/Call Center Industry can sometimes bring its toll and you just want to quit your job, find another call center company and end on the same position where you were before. Different company but same old shit they say. This is the reason why call center companies provide different perks to motivate their employees to work harder and stay with them not only for a couple of years but if possible until their retirement. One of the perks you'll get when working for a BPO company is becoming a part of one of the team buildings.

We had this major event-an all expense paid account team building in Enchanted Kingdom. Enchanted Kingdom is the biggest themed and amusement park in the country. From easy breezy to extreme rides, EK will definitely let the magic stay with you in the years to come or maybe for ever.

How to reach EK: two tour buses were hired for the day going to EK but if one is to commute, you can reach it by public bus or there is an EK shuttle from Makati going to Laguna. The park's entrance fee is Php550 which allows you to enjoy and enter almost all attractions and rides. Foodstops, chains, establishments abound the park that you'll never complain of getting famished. Just make sure to bring enough cash for the prices are a bit higher compared to regular store prices.

You can check their official website for further details: www.enchantedkingdom.ph

I've been an employee in the company I've been working for the past 2 years and I can say Im fortunate enough to have been in the account Im with. Salary? Not much. However, incentives are good and although work seems routinely and plain boring, it's easy, no stress and less work. But it's either I stay here or go chase my dreams.

P.S. Checking one of the items in my bucket-list.

Venue 88 General Santos City

2013-04-26T23:11:00.000-07:00

Recently, I reunited again with my one true love, General Santos City. Wherever we may go, nothing beats the comfort of home and for me, it always feels great to come back to the place where I was honed to become the person that I am now. The one week vacation I had was definitely well spent with family and friends. Of course, it gave me sometime to discover the changes that happened for the past 2 years that I was away. One of these was the former Le Jardin Arnevel now called Venue 88.

For those who are looking for a place in Gensan to beat the heat, then it's time to take a look at this simple yet elegant resort and events place. The first time I came here was back in 2009. The look of the place before was more of native Filipino style because their cottages were built of Nipa huts and the place was sprawling with Bermuda grasses and a couple of trees. After 4 years, voila! A transformation has took place. It's now better and more pleasing to the eye. The two pools are still there. One for adults which I guess is about 4feet or more and one for kids. The pools offer a shade at each side to avoid sunburns for those who want to take a dip. The place is cleaner and the cottages are elegantly designed in a simple way. Also, you can book one of your special events here. When I went there with friends, we got to see a nice and short display of fireworks thanks to the bonggang event that was currently happening in their event's hall.

Entrance fee will be Php50 for those who come in the morning until 2:30pm(use of the pool will be till 10pm). For those who come in from 2:30pm onwards, it would be Php75. Cottages are available at Php500 and Php250(common). There's also a corkage fee for drinks.

How to go there?

One can simply hire a public tricycle from the downtown proper to Mabuhay Road. It will take less than 30minutes to reach there. If you're 4pax and up, one can pay Php10-15 depends on your haggling skills.

You can click the link to check their facebook page for contact information: Venue 88

Baguio

2013-03-12T12:38:00.001-07:00

I had been idle for months and my feet was extremely itchy wanting to hop on the next bus ride to nowhere. So when I saw this commercial on TV about the Panagbenga festival in Baguio, I

enthusiastically chattered about it to my roommates. After hours of trying to convince them, we headed to the Summer Capital of the Philippines the next night with no thorough knowledge about the city except for the obvious fact that it's cold and that they grow strawberries there.

After a very quick preparation, we headed to Pasay Terminal and took the 10:30pm trip for Php455 per person. That approx 7hours trip had only two stops for eat-and-pee-break and most of it had been utilized to wander off dreamland. Kennon Road had made it impossible for me to elude motion sickness but gladly I was able to hold it off.

It was Dawn. It was Baguio. It was freezing.

When we arrived at 5:30am it was extremely cold due to the location of the city and the oncoming drizzle and light rain. The long trip had given us backaches and we were so darn tired to argue and haggle. So when this somebody came to us and offered a supposedly nice place to stay, we took the offer, regretted it but eventually looked on the brighter side and decided to just enjoy the stay at King's Court Pension House since we're just going to use the room for sleeping anyway. Well, for Php1500/room (good for 4 persons) I guess it wasn't pretty bad. Aside from the burned out light bulb (was changed at 2pm after a tiring yet fun city tour), the room offers a nice view at night of the glowing city lights. The restroom was clean and provided hot and cold shower.

What to Do in Baguio

Do like any visitor would normally do when new in the city. Visit tourist spots!

Burnham Park

Burnham Park has a man-made lake where one can rent a boat for Php150/30minutes. You can have the option to let someone paddle for you or you can do the paddling yourself.

Play dress-up with this Igorot costumes for Php10/shot while you're at the Park.

If you have plenty of time, you can rent a bike for Php40/hour and burn those excess calories.

Mines View Park

View from the top of Mines View Park

Aside from admiring the beautiful view at Mines View Park, your eyes can also feast on the souvenirs and pasalubongs being sold which are super cheap. When at the Park, don't forget to have your picture taken riding on a horse or together with one of the St. Bernards.

Si Vice Ganda daw to. Take a pic for Php10/shot.

This scene was simply breathtaking when I took the picture. Sorry for the bad resolution, I only had my camera phone to use for all the shots. :-)

Wright Park

If you want to try horseback riding for Php200/30 minutes then the best place to go would be Wright Park. There are also plenty of vendors there who sell souvenirs na super swak sa budget!

Across Wright Park is The Mansion, the official summer home of the President. All you can do here is take a picture and going beyond the fence is off limits.

We were able to tour most of the tourist spots in Baguio for half a day which meant that we had plenty of time to just sit back, relax and take everything all in-that we were truly there in Baguio. The next day, we headed to La Trinidad to pick fresh strawberries straight from the farms of Ibaloi farmers.

La Trinidad, Benguet

Yes, Php300/1kilo is expensive compared to the already picked strawberries sold at the markets but the experience of picking the strawberries right from their farms is incomparable especially for those like me who don't have strawberry farms.

Where to Eat

There are a lot of places in Baguio where you can eat and yes it's true that most of the food there are way cheaper compared to Manila.

Eat at Sizzling Plate, Session Road. Cozy ambience, great food and excellent customer service. Prizes for full meals start around Php100+

Still at Session Road, Solibao offers delicious Filipino dishes in huge servings at a reasonable price. Great for group eat-outs. For this, we paid Php400+ and I'm telling you, we're so full we can barely walk after.

The Pizza Volante branch just across Wright park let's you enjoy the cool outdoors while eating their yummy and very affordable pizzas.

We enjoyed our 2days/1night Baguio trip because everything fell into place even without us planning. If you would ask me if I want to go back there? Definitely! I even want to stay there for quite some time. I hope you will enjoy your trip to Baguio as well :-)

Spend Your Afternoon at Tagaytay

2012-11-14T00:56:00.002-08:00

If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Metro Manila without sitting on a carseat for too long, then going to Tagaytay would be one of your best options. Tagaytay is 1-2 hours drive from the Metro and when on the right spot, it offers a great view of the Taal Volcano.

I and three of my officemates went there for half a day not only to unwind but also to have a taste of their famous bulalo. The cool breeze alone was worth the almost 2 hour drive. When I tasted the food and saw the magnificence of Taal Volcano from afar, it was even more worth it. Unfortunately, we weren't able to discover the beauty of the famed underwater volcano because of lack of time and extremely expensive boat ride. For me, 500/pax for a ride to Taal, isn't a worthy offer at that time. At the right season and with the right haggling skills, I can probably get that ride (hopefully soon) at a cheaper price.

At Bulalo Point. Php300+ each for this sumptuous lunch+ fresh buko juice

Spending the afternoon sipping coffee with the beautiful Taal Volcano as our backdrop.

If you're in town, Picnic Grove is a great place to experience outdoor fun, view the Taal Volcano and eat bulalo. Entrance fee is Php50. Souvenir shops and food stalls also abound the area.

At Picnic Grove. From here, you can see the beauty of Taal Volcano.

My Jumpshot

They spent Php200 each for a henna tattoo (after less than an hour, umulan ng bonggang bongga.boom! *evil laugh)

From Pasay, you can ride a bus going to Tagaytay for Php100-200 one ride. Once you're there, there are jeepneys and tricyles that can take you from one place to another.

A thousand pesos would be enough to take you to and back from Tagaytay. It could be lesser than that if you spend your money wisely.

*Thanks to Chris, Irish and Zeth for being a great company

The Ultimate Experience at Manila Ocean Park

2012-07-05T17:42:00.000-07:00

Hearing about mountains, oceans, animals, and forests wakes the nature-lover inside of me. I find solitude everytime I see pristine white sand beaches or see the moss-covered earth of the forest, hear the splash of the waves or running water, chirping of birds or whatever sound animals make. Being with nature makes me see how beautiful our world is and lets me appreciate the simplicity of life. Manila is such a busy, complicated and polluted place to be and visiting Manila Ocean Park is a breathe of fresh air.

Manila Ocean Park is for the whole family and people who love to be with the sea and animals. Some of the attractions may be pretty expensive for some but the worth of each attraction depends on every person's interests, likes and level of satisfaction.

When I first heard about Manila Ocean Park, I was really at awe and envied my friends when I saw their pictures taken with the famous oceanarium as the backdrop. Visiting this ocean-themed park is on top of my list when I started living here in the Metro. So when there was a cheap promo for Manila Ocean park tickets at work, I never hesitated to get one for myself. For an Ultimate adventure (Oceanarium, Trails to Antartica, Fish Spa, Jellies, The Marine Life Show, Musical Fountain Show), I only paid Php600 which was a total steal! The ticket for Oceanarium alone is Php400 if you pay it at one of the park's booths and just imagine how much I saved by getting that cheap ticket at the office.

The Attractions

Oceanarium. Want to know the different fish species and life under the sea? The Oceanarium is the best place to be.

Different sea creatures.

Personal experience rating: 2 out of 5. 2 because I was expecting a better experience and better interior. The tunnel-like aquarium would be an excellent backdrop if your purpose of going there is to take pictures but when it comes to activities, hmnn, not that much. I was expecting that it's going to be a long tunneled aquarium but it's not. Aside from reading a little info and seeing the schools and varieties of fish swim, the other thing that you can do is camwhore.

Trails to Antartica. Offers the slide-o-fun which will let you experience a bit of thrill while sitting on a tire as it slides down the sloped and iced pathway.

At snow village with Mr. Snowman.

Other than the slide-o-fun, you will also see cute little penguins inside an aquarium. In addition, Trails to Antartica offers the Snow Village where you get to experience Antartica inside a room with subzero temperature.

Marine Life Show. Meeting the entertaining sea lions is one of my most memorable experience when I visited Manila Ocean Park. They're adorable and highly-trained sea creatures that you cant help but become amazed at how fascinating they were.

A kiss from a sea prince.

Jellies. Is where you can see different species of Jelly fishes. The mirrored walls, soothing sound and changing aquarium lights create a stunningly beautiful ambience perfect for those who want to get away from the mob of the park.

Fish Spa. After walking to and from inside Manila Ocean Park, it's nice to have your feet pampered for a while. Fish spa is the best place to be where you dip your feet on water full of nibbling schools of fish. Tickling at first but eventually you'll get used to it and will definitely love the sensation it brings. After a 10minute foot spa, your feet will feel relaxed and less tired.

Musical Fountain Show. It showcases a jaw-dropping presentation of lights and fountains plus a theatrical presentation of artists wearing sea creatures costume. Thanks to the storm, we weren't able to get decent pictures yet at the same time, the lashing wind and rain made the musical fountain show our ultimate experience finale when we visited the Manila Ocean Park.

A random picture from Google

Had to wear this raincoats during the duration of the show.

My visit at the Manila Ocean Park is definitely an unforgettable experience.

Grazing the streets of the Metro

2012-06-26T01:35:00.000-07:00

Travel has never been an unfamiliar word in my family. At a young age, my parents introduced us to traveling even if it means motion sickness and plenty of travel mishaps. We would frequently go to my mom or dad's hometown and our relatives' place. But most of those trips were in Mindanao and the farthest family trip we got so far was maybe Bohol via Cebu. Basically, it was not of cityscapes and crowded streets but it's more of the rural landscape and the panoramic view of the sea. The town where I was raised is urbanized enough to give us more than the basics but it made me wonder what life is beyond those huge mountains and the vast ocean. I have and will always love my hometown but there's a part of me that had always dreamt of leaving my comfort zone and see what the big city has to offer. After countless long talks with family, friends and even myself, I set off with resources just enough for me to survive a week or two. But I was and am still fully-equipped with determination and success in mind that even the threat of a huge storm and flood wasn’t able to stop me from leaving.

Early Morning at BoniHigh Street, Taguig

Night Life at Metrowalk, Ortigas

The gates of the famed yellow house, Quezon City

Malls abound the Metro and one of them is Greenbelt5 where you can find posh restaurants and boutiques.

University of Makati is just a stone-throw-away from my workplace

enjoying summer at Cavite

Experience the thrill of StarCity, Pasay

Experience Underwater Life while in the big City at Manila Ocean Park, Manila

The first time my feet landed on the wet cement of NAIA's ramp, I said to myself that this is it! It was a sunless and cold day of June 25th. It was the month when rains and storms start to lash this part of the country. But despite the bad weather, there I was feeling excited, happy and sprightly. My feet felt so springy because I just couldn't wait to graze the streets of the metro. With that dream, I am crossing out some of the items on my bucketlist. Now I know how it feels to live in a highly urbanized city. Everything's fast paced but things turned out great for me that I didn’t realize it has been a year already since I had first caught the polluted yet full-of-promise smell of Manila.

Island Hopping at 100 Islands

2012-05-31T23:32:00.001-07:00

When it comes to travels and getaways, I'm the type who doesn't need convincing. If someone invites me, my immediate reply would be "when"? But this 100islands trip was just a spur-of-the-moment yayaan when I and Zeth saw this cheap voucher at Metrodeal and we never took it seriously. If it wasn't for Jerome's constant reminder (to the point of nagging), we wouldn't have paid that voucher and we wouldn’t have seen and experienced the breathtaking beauty of 100 islands in Alaminos, Pangasinan.

100islands (123 islets to be exact) is wonderfully situated in Alaminos, Pangasinan. We took the route via Cubao, Quezon City to Alaminos which took us an estimated 4hours of travel. Normally, it would be around 5-6hours but since we took the 11pm bus trip, there was less traffic which saved us a lot of time. Victory Liner fare cost is Php393. We arrived around 3am in the morning when most of the city' still asleep. Upon hopping down the bus, local tricycle drivers would immediately flock around passengers offering their services of driving you to your destination. If you're on a tight budget don’t immediately say yes to the first driver who will offer you his service. Step out of the crowd, breathe in and out and prepare those haggling skills. When we asked a local, we were told that normal fare would be Php50 going to Lucap Wharf. Lucap Wharf is where the leg of the island hopping starts. On our end we paid Php80 out of gratitude since the driver was kind enough to bring us to the Tourist Welcome Center when our point of destination was still closed.

The Tourist Welcome Center is where you can find ATM, souvenir shops, cheap food stores and a plethora of information about activities that you can do while you're at 100 islands. The people there were simply accommodating that it made me think this is going to be a great trip. Just outside, you can see the magnificent lighthouse of Alaminos and to make it more captivating, add the stunning sunrise as the backdrop.

To make the most of the moment, we took a lot of shots along with professional photographers. After that we had macaroni soup bought from one of the cheap food stores to warm our tummies and headed back to Maxine by the Sea restaurant where we had a delicious breakfast and where we met our point of contact for the island hopping. What I loved about the voucher we bought online was there were no hidden charges and the travel agency that organized the trip gave us the best of what we can get from the Php1450 that we paid. Since only 3 islands are included, we paid additional Php400 so that we can tour other islands other than the three main islands (Governor's, Quezon, Children's). I and Zeth also paid additional Php150/pax for snorkeling gear and life vest.

Our first stop was Governor's island. Since I have seen a fair share of beautiful beaches, I was not that awestricken when I saw the island from our boat. But after a plight of stone steps, breaking a bucket-full of sweat and seeing a lot of vegetations and wild trees, the view from the top simply caught my breath away. You just have to be there to see how beautiful it is. And at the back of the island, the sparkling blue water, white sand and a cave nearby are just too much to take for they were a beauty to behold.

simply breathtaking

The rest of the islands hold their own magnificence, each of them waiting to be seen and explored. We had lunch at Quezon island, snorkeled,swam, camwhored at Children's, Marcos, Romulo, etc.

of rocks and caves

Most of the islands had beautiful rock formations created by the hands of nature. Many of them have mini caves where you can see random bats flying to and fro.

marine life

Snorkeling is one of the fun activities that you can do while doing island hopping in this part of the Philippines. Personally, the underwater life of Hundred Islands' not that rich. You can see that in some parts of the islands, the corals are dead but glad to know that I was still able to see random schools of colorful fish and giant clams.

island fun

There are a lot of fun activities that one can do while staying at Hundred Islands. Island hopping is of course the most famous, followed by snorkeling, kayaking, parasailing and many more. However, fishing of any form is not allowed to help preserve and restore this wonderful creation of nature.

foods

What to expect when going to islands and beaches? Of course, seafood! On our first day, we ate breakfast at Maxine by the sea after having a warm soup from one of the cheap foodstores nearby.We also had lunch on the same restaurant on our 2nd and last day. I always prefer to spend less while traveling but it's no crime to give yourself a treat once in a while. If you're up for some delicious calamares, try eating here. The crab dish was a treat by the only thorn among the roses.

Pieces and details

Accommodation was part of the voucher we bought online. We stayed at Vistas delas Islas, one of the best in town. Roomrates start at Php1000 and up. Pool is free to use which opens at 6am to 10pm. Our stay at the hotel was so far so good.

Fun while camwhoring:

This Island Hopping at100islands was one of my best trips so far. I wish to go back to Pangasinan but by that time, I guess it would be Bolinao. I heard that there are beautiful caves and tourist spots there just waiting to be unraveled and experienced.

Quality Time at Pansol, Laguna

2012-02-29T02:04:00.000-08:00

Frequent team buildings is common when you're working in a BPO company. Activities such as this remind us that life doesn't only revolve in a heavily air-conditioned and carpeted call center.It also breaks the ice from our dull and routine-oriented work. When my former team planned to spend their team building at Pansol, Laguna, I never hesitated to join. That was my first time to go outing with my first teammates in the BPO company I'm currently working for and it was my first out-of-town trip outside Manila. That trip however didn't focus on the beauty of the destination but it focused on building friendships and having quality time with great people.It was fun and we all had a great time.

Click here to read more..

London Beach Resort, GenSan

2011-05-28T21:24:00.000-07:00

London Beach Resort is one of best destinations for Generals who want to go to the beach and have fun. This black-sand resort is situated at Tambler, General Santos City. One-way fare from the city proper would cost around Php25. The entrance fee/person would cost Php50 and the cheapest cottage costs Php300/day. If you want to stay for the night, you will pay additional Php300 for the cottage. You also have the option to rent one of their rooms. But if you are really on a tight budget, you can bring your own tent. There would be additional charges if you bring appliances such as rice cooker and sound system. Each cottage has its own barbecue grill stand which is convenient for those who want to cook. When my friends and I went there, the pools are under renovation. Compared to my previous visits, London Beach Resort is now cleaner and offers more facilities and amenities like volleyball and basketball courts. The good thing about this resort is that there is no corkage fee. If you are concerned about security, there are security guards and lifeguards on duty 24 hours a day.

Sunrise.High tide. Still waters.

Friends. Cottages as backdrop.

If you want to feel the sands on your toes and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city without spending a fortune, this resort would be a good place to go.

Lemlunay, Maasim, Sarangani Province

2011-02-10T08:33:00.000-08:00

When my ex-roomies went back home, they treated me to an all-expense paid Lemlunay trip. Lemlunay allows you to enjoy the magnificence of the sea or take a dip in the infinity pool.

Lemlunay's infinity pool.

Lemlunay Dive Resort in Maasim, Sarangani Province can be reached after 30 to 40 minutes drive from General Santos City proper. If you don't have your own car, you can take advantage of public vans or jeepney going to Maasim. One-way fare would cost less than Php100. Upon reaching the resort, a Php300 fee will be required. This includes the entrance fee, the use of the infinity pool and a sumptuous meal.

The resort is situated on a cliff overlooking the beautiful sea of Sarangani. Lemlunay is also the home of South Point Divers. As soon as you leave the last step of the stair, you can already have a taste of the deep underwater beauty because of the sea's rich marine life and owing to the fact that the resort's front is the Tinoto Wall. You can rent snorkeling gears, dive gears, or you can enroll on a dive course for a certain amount of fee.

A breathtaking view from the cliff.

Their menu offers a wide range of food choices and although I haven't tasted all of them, I'm quite sure they're all delicious. These are some of the foods that we ordered.

Garlic Chicken

Fish Fillet with Chips

Pork Liempo

Grilled Fish

Kids can also enjoy the resort's playground while you enjoy the nice ambiance resting on a hammock. If you wish to stay for the night, they have rooms for you to check in. One room costs thousands of Php per night.

Trying out the seesaw.
(Photo courtesy of my friend)

Lemlunay rooms facing the infinity pool.
(Photo courtesy of my friend)

Nice backdrop.
(Photo courtesy of my friend)

We did try dipping in the sea but hadn't gone too far due to unbearable surface waves.

When we went there the place is still under its renovation phase. Regardless, the resort is one of the best in Sarangani.

Sultan Kudarat

2010-10-01T00:57:00.000-07:00

I don't have a gallery of pictures to show in this travel but I find it unfair if I don't make a post for the province of Sultan Kudarat. Sultan Kudarat is located on the island of Mindanao after the city of Koronadal. To go there, if one is to commute, buses or vans are the options. Fare would be more or less Php200. Transportations in the vicinity are public jeepneys, tricycles and even motorcycles locally known as habal habal/skylab. Travel hours take more than one hour from General Santos City.

A college friend working as a medical representative invited me and another friend to come with her. This made it possible for her to do her job while exploring the province of Sultan Kudarat. So I took the chance for the love of travel and the bonus of free ride. Our route? Tacurong City, Isulan and Lambayong.

Kalabaw or water buffalo ride. Taken at Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat.

Of course, this is not the "free ride" I was referring to.

From here, you can see the cemented streets of Lambayong as well as the teeny weeny tricycle (sorry for that).

Highway of Lambayong. Although the cities of Sultan Kudarat are not that grand compared to other cities, electricity is not a problem.

Way of living in Sultan Kudarat is mostly agricultural. Behind me, you can see a vast rice field.

Steep and rough traveling are not a problem when going to Sultan Kudarat since roads are either cemented or asphalted. Joann, my friend took a pose on this asphalted road going to Tacurong City.

The luxury of free travel is incomparable. Shahani is enjoying the trip while surfing the net. Photo taken at Isulan.

There are still a lot of landmarks we failed to shoot like the Isulan Provincial Capitol which is very nice, and the newly opened St. Louis in Tacurong City, a homy and hotel-like hospital to name a few.

Although, this part of the Philippines is quite known for peace disturbance due to rebels going to and fro, there are a lot of Philippine Army soldiers at bay in different spots of Sultan Kudarat Province for additional protection. I still believe that vigilance is always the key.

You can visit this site for more info regarding Sultan Kudarat:

http://www.sultankudaratprovince.gov.ph/

Ormoc City

2010-08-04T22:42:00.000-07:00

I vaguely remember the city of Ormoc because I only stayed there less than 12 hours. We took the route via Ormoc going to Tacloban and we didnt let the chance pass us by so we took some pictures. I can only remember the taste of their famous burger though (Mayong's) as we were told. Hahahahah!! I hope I can revisit Ormoc to discover the hidden paradise.

If you're in Cebu, you can ride a fastcraft at the North Reclamation port heading for Ormoc City. The trip would take around an hour and fare would cost around a thousand+ bucks.

Ormoc Catholic Church is fairly new with it's marble facade and gold-leafed tableau inside.

Delicious burger wrapped...

and as I told you so.

Ormoc City's Superdome. Superb indeed! This superdome is facing Ormoc Bay.

Guerilla Warfare Forces Monument is a colorful monument dedicated to the guerillas during the war. Situated near the Veterans Monument in front of Ormoc City Superdome.

Rides in Ormoc City are tricycles. There's still a lot to see around Ormoc. I am looking forward to revisiting this wonderful City.

General Santos City: Overview of my Home Sweet Hometown

2010-07-23T03:56:00.000-07:00

General Santos City or known as the Tuna Capital of the Philippines is my hometown. It is called Tuna Capital because of the Tuna Industry in the City. Shortly known as Gensan, it is also the home of the famous boxer Manny Pacquiao. Nowadays it is also called as Home of the Champ because of this.

People from the Luzon and Visayas islands are quite scared and hesitant to go to Gensan because of the bombing cases years ago and thinking that Gensan is an unsafe place. Well, I am still alive and kicking right now. We are all a magnet of accidents and trouble. Anywhere can be unsafe unless there is constant vigilance.

There are a lot of ways to reach GenSan. Via plane, bus, ship/boat, you choose. Common transportations in the city are tricycles, public jeepneys, trisikad (a mini version of tricycles which are only allowed to travel within subdivisions and barangays), and habal-habal (motorcycles). There are a few taxis but with unfixed fares.

Photos below are taken downtown, General Santos City's Park (July 23, 2010). I chose to take some shots of the park because it is found at the heart of the city and the most well-known landmark in GenSan.

The renovated and improved Plaza Heneral Santos was unveiled to the public September 4, 2009.

Pathway. At the end is the City Hall.

Statue of General Paulino Santos Sr.

Unlike before, the park is now adorned with ornamental plants, well-arranged trees and pretty landscapes.

Pioneer Avenue facing the General Santos City's Park. From here, you can see tricycles,and habal-habal.

Gensan is a lovely booming smalltown with neighboring cities such as Koronadal and Davao. Since Gensan is my hometown, I will show more posts about this city in the future (the benefit of having your own blog-biased, LOL!).

Tacloban City

2010-07-18T00:58:00.000-07:00

Finally! If it wasnt for our Waray friend, Mytha, I wouldn't be able to reach Tacloban. I just love the peaceful ambience. I wish I could go back there and revisit San Juanico Bridge and McArthur Park for I wasnt able to see the charm of those man-made beauties during daytime. I'll show you some famous landmarks and for sure you will fall in love with Tacloban City.

This is the Santo Nino Shrine by the late President Ferdinand Marcos. Inside you can see priceless collector's items like paintings, furnitures, etc. You will be asked to remove your footwear and wear one of their slippers once inside. The downside? You won't have enough time to appreciate the beauty of the items because the tour guide will tell you to hurry up for they are saving electricity.

If you want to get inside, here are the details.

This place is in the city's vicinity. From here, you can see the vast ocean of Tacloban.

I love this place. I think this is their court, not sure though. My friend Mytha mentioned what it was called but I forgot. I'm terrible! Ugh!

San Juanico Bridge. The longest bridge in the Philippines stretching from Samar to Leyte crossing the San Juanico Strait. When a friend and I went there, it was already night time. We were told that vehicles are not allowed to stop there so we had to sneak and hurry to have this picture taken.

Mc Arthur Park. This monument is dedicated to General Mc Arthur and his troops. Located in Palo, Leyte which is a few minutes drive from Tacloban City.

Transportations in Tacloban City proper are tricycle, jeeps and fare is Php7. From Cebu, you can ride a fastcraft going to Ormoc City and then ride a bus for Tacloban. The fare for the fastcraft is Php 1000+ and the ride for the bus is free, part of the promotional package of the fascraft line. You can also opt out to fly on a plane.

More photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/xymyr23/sets/72157624975330765/

watch out for my Ormoc City Trip!

Dumaguete City

2010-07-04T05:51:00.000-07:00

Visiting Dumaguete City is one of the most memorable experience I ever had because it's one of those rare times that I went out without planning! Just the mere thought of going there triggered my adrenaline to rush and without second thoughts, I and two of my friends arrived at Dumaguete equipped with only instinct and trusting luck not to forsake us on that foreign land. Just the sight of the Belltower while riding a tricycle is worth all the risks!

To go there we rode a bus from Cebu City to Liloan Port, still Cebu. After reaching the port, we rode a machine-powered boat going to Sibulan. This way of transport is time-consuming (3-4 hours approx. including the ride in the bus and boat) compared with flying on a plane but it's much cheaper. Once in Sibulan, we took a multicab ride or you can opt out for tricycles to reach Dumaguete City. Fare is cheap, we only spent less than Php500. Just prepare Php 1000 back and forth to make sure. I don't know if how much is the price now.

When we reached the City, we still looked for a place to stay and during that time, I had proven that the locals are gentle and very helpful people. The main city is small because it won't take a genius to memorize the crisscross and looks of the streets. Tricycles are all over town, you can ride one of those to go to your desired destination. Fare was Php7.

Rizal Boulevard

Bell Tower of Dumaguete

This is encrypted at the entrance of the Church

Oldest Stone Church in Negros

You should try out the pastries of Sans Rival. Locals and tourists come here because of the delicious taste of the said pastries. We tried some of their cakes.

We can't just get enough so we came back the next morning before leaving Dumaguete.

Sans Rival is well known for their Sans Rival pastry. Try it, it's Php 25/slice.

Dumaguete is also known as a University Town because of the many universities and schools. This picture is the ampitheater of the Siliman University.

If you want to experience the relaxing and posh feel of the pool try going to Bahura Resort. We paid Php500 for the day use. It includes the entrance fee, use of the pool, food (appetizer, main course, dessert). We had the place on our own when we went there because it was raining. To go to Bahura, you can just ride a jeepney or multicab from the city fare is around Php10.
Over all going there was worth all the risk, not an expensive trip and fun, fun, fun!

More photos on this site:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/xymyr23/sets/72157624569522330/

Something About Cars

2010-06-22T17:41:00.000-07:00

I love to travel but I have never traveled before driving my own car. I don't know anything about cars. I don't have money to buy a car but reading and searching always gives me new ideas about this stuffs. Thanks to my friend who is based in Los Angeles, California. I have now a little idea about it.

A friend of mine from abroad-California,USA who is planning to get a secondhand car asked me to search the internet if where can she find good car models and reviews. She's not an internet savvy so I did the favor she was asking. I scanned through most search engines and found this site http://repairpal.com/ford-explorer-2000. I said that I'm not really into cars but you can try to look at Ford Explorer for a start. The brandname itself symbolizes quality and besides once you go to that site, you can click on the dropdown list to check the reviews of that car or better else check other car models. They do have this user friendly tabs and dropdowns, easy to navigate. It wont take a computer freak to do it.

She replied to me via chat that she was able to go to the site I recommended and was really thankful. It was indeed user friendly and she asked one of her neighbors if they heard about Repair Pal. She got a good response about it. Her neighbor said that there was something wrong with the head gasket of her car while driving through Los Angeles and luckily she stopped over one of Repair Pal's shop and got a good service. My friend put a laughing emoticon on our chat because she doesn't even know what a head gasket is. I told her to try going to this site: http://repairpal.com/head-gasket-replacement . I said I never heard of head gasket as well but good thing Repair Pal's site has a lot to offer.

Before we ended the chat session, I told her that if you do have a car and if I get there, dont forget to tour me around Los Angeles alright? She sent a laughing and evil emoticon again. Yeah and if we ever we need a Los Angeles auto-repair just go to Repair Pal http://repairpal.com/los-angeles-auto-repair. We laughed and told her that hopefully her neighbor is right about this repair shop and hoping of all hopes that I can also visit Los Angeles, California. Soon.

Tip:Airfare

2010-06-20T23:57:00.000-07:00

The only time I got to ride a plane was everytime I go home (vice versa). The first time was free because I was relocated by the company I was working for and the airline was Philippine Airlines (PAL). I got the chance to ride the same airline again and during that time, I was really not satisfied with the fare I paid for because it was expensive. Believe me you wouldn't want that especially if you're on a tight budget.

These tips I will give out are probably common knowledge already for those who love flying but for the benefit of the first timers and for those who are on a limited budget, I'll give some tips that might be helpful based on my experiences.

1.First things first, keep always in mind that airfare doesnt come cheap. Better put this in mind so as not to get disappointed.

2. Book flights ahead of time. If you know your schedules already, better book flights earlier. The earlier, the cheaper the fare, that's always the situation.

3. Fares don't come cheap especially during peak season (like holidays) because airline companies believe that passengers' will have no choice but to get those flights because of the occassion. Remember that airlines do take advantage of the peak seasons. So this tip will sort of lead you back to tip#2. Book flights ahead of time.

4. Go for promo fares. Here in the Philippines there are some local airlines that always have promo fares say for example Cebu Pacific. Few of my flights are promo fares. You can save 25%-75% of your fare. The trick here is to get updated always by subscribing to these companies like emails or follow them through your social networking sites or check their websites from time to time.

5. Be a light packer. If possible don't bring a lot of stuffs, just the important ones. Excess baggage is quite expensive when you're at the airport already. You might be shocked that you paid more to your excess bagage than your airfare.

6. Check your options. Don't just settle to one airline. You can have a seat reserved within 3 days to a week depending on the airline company without paying them. Once reserved, you could check other airlines if how much are their airfares and from there, you compare the prices.

7. Comfort and safety. Of course, no matter how cheap the price is, if you're safety and comfort is at risk, it would be useless. These are what matters. I suggest that you check out comments and forums regarding each airline of your choice so that you'll know a little of what to expect when you ride their planes.

Happy flying!

Cebu City

2010-06-20T01:23:00.000-07:00

Queen City of the South or better known as Cebu City opened the door for me towards a greater opportunity and a different kind of adventure. I had my first step in Cebu way back 2008. I also had my first airplane ride that time.

There are many places to visit when you're in Cebu knowing that it's one of the biggest city in the Philippines like their beaches, the metro, its islands and a whole lot more. Although I'd live there for almost two years, I admit that I wasn't able to visit all the wonderful places in Cebu, not even half of it.

Magellan's Cross. Easy to find because all the Cebuanos know where this is. You can ride a cab or a jeepney (jeeps are marked with numbers) depending on your location. The streets for this is either Osmena Blvd. or Magallanes St. Based on my observation, if you can't speak bisaya, better speak English. Cebuanos prefer English than Filipino (country's language).

A few steps from Magellan's cross, you can find the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino.

One of the white sand beaches of Cebu. This is somewhere in Lapu-lapu in one of our team buildings.

Sinulog. Cebuano's annual celebration to honor their patron Sto. Nino. This happens every first month of the year. One of the most celebrated festivals/fiestas in the Philippines.

We had a picture in one of the participants of Sinulog Festival. Cute! Fun, fun, fun but the downside? Prepare those spa-pampered feet for a long walk.

You could try to check its islands like Bantayan, Malapascua (for diving), Camotes, and etc. There are also good places to visit around the metro for example, the Zipline (Tops), Crown Regency's sky adventures, Taoist Temple, clubs, malls and more. As I've mentioned, there's still a lot of places I have failed to visit when I was in Cebu. I hope I could go back there.

More pictures?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/xymyr23/sets/72157624444630489/

Bohol

2010-06-19T23:07:00.000-07:00

Our thorough planning has finally paid off when Bohol trip came into reality. For two days and one night we were able to complete a day tour and visit Balicasag and Virgin Islands. That was quite an achievement in a short period of time however it was sort of "bitin" because it was like a whirlwind trip.

We searched everything through the web from expensive to cheap deals. We hired a van from Cherry's Home and toured us around the famous landmarks in Bohol. It was a good idea because it's not easy to find a public transportation around the city especially if the destinations (between tourists spots) are miles away. If my memory serves me right, I think the van was Php1000-2000 good for 10 persons depending on the season and negotiation. Airport/pier transfers are inclusive.

We stayed at Cherry's Home, Panglao and paid Php3500 for the room (airconditioned and good for 6persons/one night) including bathroom, TV, ref and the use of the pool. You could check Cherry's Home website for more details.

Blood Compact. Nothing really unusual because it's just a statue but if you know something about it's history you will appreciate looking at these stone gentlemen. You will also appreciate this place because it is overlooking the blue sparkling sea, still worth the visit!

Baclayon Church. You are not allowed to wear short shorts (if there's such a term), skimpy dress, sleeveless and the sort when you're inside the church. If you're wearing one, they will only allow you to enter if you wrap yourself with one of their clothes. There is an entrance fee of Php25.

Tarsier (Tarsius syrichta). Camera flashes are not allowed when taking a shot of these nocturnal cuties. Hands off as well. They are considered one of the endangered species.

Man made forest. The place is covered with trees and steep low slopes. It's quite cool when you're in the vicinity obviously because of the presence of the trees and vegetation.

Loboc River. The first thing that comes to my mind is food everytime I think about Loboc River. We paid Php 400 per person for a ride at the floating restaurant. It includes an eat-all-you-can food (appetizer, main course, dessert, softdrink) and a local musician will serenade you while cruising the murky river.

Chocolate Hills. The famous and controversial hills due to its unusual geological formation and can only be found in Bohol. It was one heck of a climb just to see the whole Chocolate Hills.

Panglao. Explore the white sand beaches of Panglao. Although the place is booming already and a few restaurants and hotels have opened along the shores of Panglao, there's still that rural aura in the area. You can find posh and cheap hotels in Panglao. Again, the van that we hired took us here then we just walked from the Cherry's Home to the beach.

Balicasag Island. We need to ride a pumpboat (Php1500) to reach the Island (would also take you to Virgin Island). Snorkeling gears are free but it would be better if you bring your own. We also heard that dolphins and whales are to be seen in the vicinity of the Island if you come early.

Whoah! Virgin Island. From the name itself, it's really virgin. No inhabitants just a few toursits.

From Cebu, we rode a fastcraft since it's much cheaper than plane and there's no plane promo fares during that time. It will take you an hour or two to get to Bohol from Cebu. Since Ocean Jet Liner had an ongoing promo that time, we only paid one way for a back-and-forth trip. Tip, don't forget to check for promo fares.

Bohol is a good place to visit because there are a lot of tourist destinations. Your expenses and efforts will all get paid when you see it's scenic beauty. Bohol is great for the nature lovers, beach bums, extremes sports enthusiasts and divers out there.

More photos?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/xymyr23/sets/72157624443699833/