Eliel and Yza

Camiguin + Whitewater Rafting in CDO

2018-04-16T18:25:00.003+08:00

Once in a while, the girls get together and catch up outside of our chat group. This time, we headed to the south of the Philippines. With Pat and Mar coming from Singapore, Eliel and I coming from Manila, and Jessa coming from Cebu, we decided to meet up in Cagayan de Oro. From there, we traveled together to the island of Camiguin.

I first visited the island as a child more than ten years ago, yet and it seems that most of the island has remained the same. This time, I had Eliel and my favorite friends with me, so of course it was bound to be lots of fun. We've been on many trips together, but now that we're older, we've become more chill as travelers. We now choose our battles instead of cramming every single sight and activity into a short amount of time. We've decided that we don't really have to climb every mountain and cross every stream if we don't feel like doing so.haha

After getting our summer sunshine in Camiguin, we spent a day at the Cagayan de Oro river and crossed white-water rafting off our bucket list. My initial goal was just to stay alive, but I ended up enjoying it and I think everyone did, too. It's something I wouldn't mind doing again.

I'm not going to write a long narrative because I completely forgot all the details (lol), but here are some of my fave photos from our adventure. :)

The underground cemetery
We took the banca across the rough sea to get to the giant cross, but they say you can also do a bit of snorkelling here.

The Old Church Ruins
This was caused by the eruption of one of Camiguin's seven volcanoes. For a tiny island, Camiguin sure has so many volcanoes.

Sto. Niño Cold Spring

A great way to cool down after a long day.

The famous White Island
No words needed. :)

Giant Clam Sanctuary
We enjoyed a sanctuary tour conducted by a super smart little girl.

Katibawasan Falls

Beautiful falls, though it was too cold for us to go for a swim. Or we were too lazy. Can't remember which.

Our home in Camiguin - the super affordable Paguia's Cottages. :)

White Water Rafting in Cagayan de Oro

Finally headed home. Tired, but happy.

Backpacking in Thailand (Part 5): Bangkok

2017-05-16T08:30:00.000+08:00

2 weeks later, we made it to our last stop: Bangkok.

We stayed at the Lullaby Inn in Silom. It wasn't our cheapest, but it was still a good price - Php 5,092 for 3 nights. It also had a very Thai feel to it. The towels were shaped like little elephants! Super cute.

We didn't really have much planned for Bangkok. We just wanted to go around and chill, since we were on the last few days of our trip.

On our first afternoon, we went around the famous Khaosan Road. On our second day, we met up with one of our highschool batchmates, Irene. And on our third day, we did the requisite temple hopping.

Shame we only did 1 out of 7.haha

Pretty rainbow crepe. Taste was meh though.

My new friend.

In the evening, we had dinner at the Asiatique. Lovely place to hang out.

The next day was a Sunday so we heard mass and headed to the Chatuchak Weekend Market with our local tour guides, the surfer girls: Irene + Jilmo + Mayet.

Irene, who I haven't seen in a very long time.

After our shopping session, we took a much-needed break.

The cool banana

The next day, we had to visit the famous Wat Pho and see the Reclining Buddha.

Looking at the huge golden Buddha.

Afterwards, we attempted to check out the Grand Palace. However, there was just too many people, so we decided to let it go. Maybe next time. :)

We took a cab and we met this driver who was collecting different currencies from all over the world. He showed us his collection and it was impressive. He didn't have Philippine pesos yet, so he was very excited to meet us. We gave him this 20 peso bill and made him so happy.hehe

For our last dinner at Bangkok, we went to the Sukhumvit Soi 38 Night Food Market as recommended by friend.

After dinner, while we were on the train home, we got a call from Irene. She wanted to check up on us because there was a bomb that exploded in a nearby area. Scary. Thankfully, we were safe. We saw a crowd as we passed by the street where the bombing happened, and we had a few police/military guys with us on the train.

What a way to wrap up our last night in Bangkok. The bombing brought us back to reality and for the first time, we wanted to go home to Manila. And home we went. The next morning, we were on the plane headed to our beautiful Philippine islands, extremely grateful for the adventure we just had, and super ready to get back to work (not really, haha).

Read about the rest of our Thailand adventure below:

Thailand (Part 1): Backpacking in Thailand

Thailand (Part 2): Chiang Mai - Walking Tour of the Old City, Doi Suthep, and Thai Cooking School

Thailand (Part 3): Chiang Mai - A Day with the Elephants at the Ran-Tong Save and Rescue Elephant Centre

Thailand (Part 4): Chiang Mai - Tiger Kingdom

Thailand (Part 5): Bangkok

For more on our 16-day Indochina backpacking trip (full itinerary + expenses), click on the photo below.

Backpacking in Thailand (Part 4): Chiang Mai Tiger Kingdom

2017-05-16T08:00:00.000+08:00

After spending a day with elephants, we set out to see the tigers at Tiger Kingdom.

Okay, so there's bit of a controversy surrounding this place. I've read many articles advocating against visiting, since these places provide an unhealthy environment for tigers. Tigers are caged, cubs are separated from their mothers, and some go as far as saying that the tigers are inhumanely treated and are drugged to make them more docile towards humans.

We thought hard about going or not going, but in the end, we succumbed to our weakness and just went to see the the place for ourselves. Because tigers.

One thing I must say, the rates are pretty expensive. But given the number of tigers they take care of, the facilities they need to maintain, and the number of people working hard for the welfare of the tigers and the visitors, I think it's worth the price. There are separate fees to enter each area, based on the size of the tigers. Aside from the big, medium, small, and smallest (as seen below), there are also separate rates for the newborn tigers and white tigers (much more expensive). There was also a separate fee if you wanted a soft copy of the official photos taken by their staff. As we paid for our tickets, we initially wanted to see the big tigers and the smallest tigers. However, we didn't make the height requirement.hahahaha The lady at the counter offered us tickets to the medium tigers saying, "Don't worry. They're actually kinda big, too."

They have very strict rules about how you should behave in the tiger enclosures. If you want to go home without any injuries, then it is best to follow everything the guides say.

We passed by the area for the newborn tigers and it was kinda weird to see them being prepped for full photo shoot mode. Guests are required to wear coats and gloves to protect the cubs. The cubs are also only out for limited periods of time.

Finally, it was time for us to get up close and personal with the "medium" tigers. Can I just say that my expectations didn't quite match what we experienced? First of all, based on the photos I've seen online, I expected to go inside a caged area and see 1, or maybe 2 tigers. But it was far from that. The enclosures were actually pretty spacious and the one we entered had about 8 to 10 tigers. Second, I expected the tigers to be mostly lying down, but no. Most of them were walking around and were quite active. I was more nervous than I thought I would be. We were surrounded by tigers. I didn't expect them to be so many and just walking around, looking ready to pounce! The guides were very friendly with the cats but wouldn't let us get close to them unless they were seated or resting. We were taught how to properly stroke the tigers so that they don't get caught off guard (firm strokes at the rear area and never near the head). Lastly, the medium tigers were what I thought the big tigers should look like. As we passed by the enclosure for the big tigers, I actually was relieved we weren't tall enough to meet them.haha

After hanging out with the medium-sized tigers, we went to see the small tigers. They were in an indoor enclosed area, so it feels just like playing with a cat at home or at a cat cafe. The baby tigers were basically kittens.

My Princess Jasmine moment

In the end, I was happy we didn't skip Tiger Kingdom. The place was clean and very well kept, the tigers looked very comfortable and well-fed. They had large play areas and water pools. This is where they grew up in and yes, they may never be back out in the wild, but that's understandable. I believe that having tigers in safe places like these are better than having them extinct. I think it's great that we get to appreciate them up close. It's nice to see them making people happy. Giving people these experiences might lessen the fear and the stigma surrounding these predatory creatures, making them less likely to be hunted in the wild. I am just concerned because they keep breeding tigers, but where do they go? Surely they can't all be accommodated in the facility?

I'm not trying to justify everything because in an ideal world, tigers wouldn't be endangered and would be running wild and free, hunting for their own food. But our world is far from ideal, so to see wild animals like these tigers being cared for might be better than not having any tigers at all.

*****

Guide: Okay, tiger pose!
Tiger:

Look at the 2 lazy tigers in the background.hehe

Read about the rest of our Thailand adventure below:

Thailand (Part 1): Backpacking in Thailand

Thailand (Part 2): Chiang Mai - Walking Tour of the Old City, Doi Suthep, and Thai Cooking School

Thailand (Part 3): Chiang Mai - A Day with the Elephants at the Ran-Tong Save and Rescue Elephant Centre

Thailand (Part 4): Chiang Mai - Tiger Kingdom

Thailand (Part 5): Bangkok

For more on our 16-day Indochina backpacking trip (full itinerary + expenses), click on the photo below.

Backpacking in Thailand (Part 3): A Day with the Elephants at the Ran-Tong Save and Rescue Elephant Centre

2017-05-15T23:30:00.000+08:00

The main reason why we wanted to visit Chiang Mai was so that we could spend a day taking care of elephants in one of the rescue camps in the area. The experience turned out to be so much better than we expected.

We went to the Ran-Tong Save and Rescue Elephant Centre because of the positive reviews we read about this place. Ran-Tong provides a safe environment for the rehabilitation of baby, injured, and pregnant elephants. They have several programs to choose from, but we went with the Ran-Tong Baby Care half-day program since it was the only one with available slots for that day. Activities include feeding, walking, and bathing baby elephants. They used to have riding programs, where you get the chance to ride bare back on adult elephants, but as of the last time I checked their site, they seem to have removed those already. They also have long-term programs wherein volunteers can opt to stay for a few months to really help out on a day-to-day basis.

The elephants we interacted with were so cute and playful. They're definitely very comfortable around people and have adjusted well to their life around camp. It was a joy feeding them as they couldn't get enough of sugar cane (which, according to our guide, was more of a "candy" or treat for them). It was even more fun going into the water to bathe them. The kids who were with us had such a great time and just watching them interact with the baby elephants was enough to make me happy. :)

Below are some of our priceless photos.

P.S. How cool are the outfits they made us wear???

Eliel in his mahout outfit

Grabbing some sugar cane to feed the elephants.

The first elephant sighting!

How cute are these kiddos?

Pooping machine

Eliel and the elephant poop

Hey there, cutie!

Bath time!

Where are the baby elephants?

Our snack after a "tiring" afternoon.

One of the centre's cats.

Backpacking in Thailand (Part 2): Walking Tour of the Old City, Doi Suthep and Thai Cooking School

2017-05-15T23:00:00.000+08:00

A visit to Chiang Mai wouldn't be complete without visiting the Old City and the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep (Doi Suthep Temple). We also figured that we couldn't leave Thailand without taking a Thai cooking class.

But before anything else, here's a memory of a beautiful breakfast we had in Chiang Mai.

Look at the gorgeous french toast and fruit platter!!!!

We took a walking tour of the Old City of Chiang Mai and saw a lot of interesting temples.

Chang Phuak Gate

Wat Lok Molee

Wat Phra Singh

Time for a quick break.

Drink to go.

Wat Chedi Luang

Wat Phan Tao

Chiang Mai City Arts and Culture Centre and the Three Kings Monument

And then we saw this interesting dessert place called Le Mango and just had to check it out.

Yey, my favorite!haha

And it was all yellow.

That night, we went to the Kalare Night Bazaar and had dinner at the Food Center. We had to purchase coupons at a ticket booth and used these to pay for our food at the stalls. This was highly recommended by our friend, Jessa, so we had to check it out for ourselves. :)

After dinner, we couldn't go home yet because it was raining so hard. We ended up looking at all the cool stuff for sale.

I wish I bought this!

I took home some of those cute ball lights.

We also made sure to schedule a visit to the Doi Suthep Temple. If you look up Chiang Mai, this temple is one of the top places to visit. This Buddhist temple was built in the 1300s and continues to be a working monastery up to this day. It sits on top of a mountain so it's supposed to be nice and cool. However, all I felt at that time was the humidity. Aside from the historical, cultural and architectural aspects, the place also offers a view of Chiang Mai. There were so many people when we went there, but I guess that was expected as this is the most popular temple in the area.

The 300+ step climb ahead

So much gold.

We have a photobomber.hehe

Stopping for a snack

Tasty sausage filled with rice noodles. We don't know what it's called.

Another highlight of our trip was our half-day course at the Asia Scenic Thai Cooking School were we learned to prepare some Thai receipes. For the program, we each got to prepare 5 dishes. Everyone made curry paste, a curry dish, and spring rolls. For the remaining 2 dishes, we had to decide as a class which categories we wanted to do: salad, stir-fried, soup or dessert. From there, we were allowed to select from a list of dishes. The class chose stir-fried and soup. I wanted to do dessert (just because I am obsessed with sticky rice with mango), but unfortunately, team dessert lost.hehe

In the end, these were the dishes we made:

spring rolls, curry paste and curry dish

(stir-fry) Eliel: cashew nut with chicken, Yza: pad thai

(soup) Eliel: tom sab, Yza: coconut milk soup

I wasn't really feeling well that day (traveling took a toll on my health), so I didn't get to fully enjoy the food we cooked. :( But over-all, I think it was a really fun experience.

First student in our batch!hehe There was another ongoing class in the "classroom" beside ours.

The first activity of the day was a market tour, with our teacher explaining to us the different Thai ingredients. We also checked out some of the herbs in their organic kitchen garden.

Looks just like our markets in the Philippines.

I don't think I could handle this snack.

Listening to our teacher.hehe

Organic farm tour.

Chef Eliel. Char!hehe

Ready!!!

She makes everything seem so simple. :)

So happy to be cooking!

Plating his spring rolls.

Time to eat!

Pad thai

Making some green curry

3 kinds of curry

Ingredients for my chicken curry dish

Time to make some soup!

We got to take home our own cook books.

Backpacking in Thailand (Part 1)

2017-05-15T22:30:00.000+08:00

On day 10 of our Indochina trip, after visiting Vietnam and Cambodia, we were off to our last stop: Thailand! We had 2 cities on our list: Chiang Mai and Bangkok. We spent 3 nights in each city.

We got to Chiang Mai via bus. The first bus took us from Siem Reap, Cambodia to Bangkok, Thailand. From Bangkok, we took a first class sleeper bus to Chiang Mai.

Bangkok bus terminal

E checking the bus schedules

One quick chicken rice meal in between two long bus rides

Street food

A word of warning to those who plan to do the same: be prepared to spend about 21 hours inside a bus (10 hours from Siem Reap to Bangkok, 11 hours from Bangkok to Chiang Mai). FYI, you can definitely take a plane to save time. But if you're on a budget, a bus ride isn't so bad. In fact, I found it to be quite enjoyable. I know it's crazy, but I seriously love long trips. It's the perfect bonding experience. It also helped that we took the first class bus.

Waiting lounge for the first class bus

Some laptop time for E

It was the comfiest bus ride of my life - we had blankets, pillows, a meal, snacks, and a wide selection of movies. It's like a plane ride, but on a bus (lol), complete with a flight attendant (what do you call the bus equivalent?).

Snacks and meal that came with the bus ticket

We stayed at the Yindee Stylish Guesthouse, which we booked online while we were on that long bus ride. It was a nice, decent place to stay, and really cheap, too. We only spent Php 3,315 for 3 nights. The location was perfect as it was near many small restaurants and guest houses.

Our simple room

After we got ourselves settled in, it was time to explore. :)

Backpacking in Cambodia (Part 4): Temple Exploration at the Angkor Archaeological Park

2017-05-15T22:00:00.000+08:00

We had exactly one day to spend at the Angkor Archeological Park in Siem Reap. As soon as our bus arrived, we checked in at the Bou Savy Guesthouse, had a quick breakfast and then it was time to explore.

Because of the vastness of the Angkor Park, it would be impossible to visit all the temples in a day. If you want to visit all temples, perhaps three days would be best. However, Eliel and I felt that one day would be enough for us. Our driver recommended that we focus on the following: the Angkor Wat Complex, Bayon Temples, the Pink Temples and Ta Prohm.

The one day pass costs $20 and it grants you entrance to all temples.You also get an ID card that need to present at every entrance.

Seeing the temples up close is an awesome experience. I've seen lots of photos, and I did not expect them to be so grand and mesmerizing in person. The structures were huge and the temples felt so alive. It felt so unreal to be walking inside such amazing works of art. This is one of those places that are just so much better to see in person.

Our first stop was the famous Angkor Wat.

It was extremely hot and humid and again, I was so glad I brought my handy dandy fan.hehe It's a life saver.

We also got to see the giant faces of Bayon. It doesn't look as impressive in the photos, but I promise you, they are amazing in person.

We had lunch at a nearby restaurant. What a lovely relief from the heat.

After lunch, we got to explore the Pink Temples. These are smaller structures, but the designs are very intricate and the color is really pretty.

And then finally, we were at our last stop for the day, the Ta Prohm Temples, which were made famous by the movie Tomb Raider. I think the younger kids may not know this movie anymore, but back in the day, Lara Croft was a big deal. This was my favorite because of all the trees that provided cover from the sun. The air was a lot cooler compared to the other temples.

Isn't that amazing? Nature reclaiming ownership of the land.

My favorite place.

So hard to take photos because of all the people.

That night, we tried their famous happy pizza, which didn't really make me happy.haha

To end the day, we just had to check out Pub Street.

All I had was a Coke Light.

And a banana pancake. hehe

That ends our day in Siem Reap.

The next morning, we were off to Thailand!

Read about the rest of our Cambodia adventure here:

Cambodia Part 1: Backpacking in Cambodia

Cambodia Part 2: The Historical City of Phnom Penh

Cambodia Part 3: Island Life at Koh Rong Samloem

Cambodia Part 4: Temple Exploration at the Angkor Archeological Park

For more on our 16-day Indochina backpacking trip (full itinerary + expenses), click on the photo below.

Backpacking in Cambodia (Part 3): Island Life at Koh Rong Samloem

2017-05-15T21:30:00.000+08:00

After Ho Chi Minh and Phnom Penh's history crash courses, we finally had time to just relax and leave all worries behind. :) Our four days in Koh Rong Samloem were perfect - very few tourists, powdery white sand, clear waters, no sense of time, no cell phone service, no wifi. We went back to basics and it was very refreshing.

We took a sleeper bus from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville. At Sihanoukville, a bus connected to Speed Ferry picked us up to bring us to the port. We then took a Speed Ferry that goes around the Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem islands. We got off at Saracen Bay, where our accommodations were. Tickets for both bus and ferry were purchased at a Phnom Penh travel agency which we found while we were in the area.

We stayed at Natural Island Bungalow for four days and three nights. Accommodations in Koh Rong Samloem are more expensive than those on the mainland, maybe because of the remote location. We spent $75 or around Php 6,900. This was the most expensive we've paid for accommodation throughout the trip.

Rooms are not air-conditioned and electricity is cut off in the evening. Mosquito nets are provided because there are a lot of mosquitoes especially at night. We've also had beetles and moths coming in and out of our room, plus a few noisy geckos. True to its name, you really feel close to nature.haha

The resort had its own restaurant but Eliel and I hopped from one resort to another to try other types of food.

One of my favorite menus from a neighboring cafe.

My cute buttefly pancake!

Though it rained every now and then, we were still able to enjoy the beach.

We stayed on Saracen Bay, which had a long stretch of white sand. The other side of the island had bigger waves and stronger winds. Lazy beach is the most famous resort on the other side and we wanted to check it out. To get there, we had to cross the "jungle."

Lazy Beach has a very chill vibe.

They also had yummy food.

And of course, my favorite thing to do on the island!

Those four days gave us enough time to recharge and prepare for the next part of our trip. On to the next stop. :)

Read about the rest of our Cambodia adventure here:

Cambodia Part 1: Backpacking in Cambodia

Cambodia Part 2: The Historical City of Phnom Penh

Cambodia Part 3: Island Life at Koh Rong Samloem

Cambodia Part 4: Temple Exploration at the Angkor Archeological Park

For more on our 16-day Indochina backpacking trip (full itinerary + expenses), click on the photo below.

Backpacking in Cambodia (Part 2): The Historical City of Phnom Penh

2017-05-15T21:00:00.000+08:00

From Ho Chi Minh City, we traveled six hours to the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh via bus. As mentioned in a previous post, our tickets were provided by our Ho Chi Minh hotel as a way of apologizing for forgetting to pick us up at the airport. :D

Crossing the border was quite an experience since we couldn't understand what everyone was saying. We handed our passports to the bus operator and then we had to get off the bus and go through the check point. It took a while before we heard our name being called by the immigration staff. We just mostly followed what the other people were doing. haha I can't seem to remember much of the details, only that I was very confused and scared that the bus might leave without us. It didn't and we actually made it to the Kingdom of Cambodia.

We arrived in Phnom Penh and checked in at the beautiful Monsoon Boutique and Spa where we would be staying for the night. The hotel was not the only monsoon that greeted us that day. It rained the whole afternoon and well into the night but we didn't let it dampen our spirits.

We had an early dinner at a place just across our hotel and tried to eat as the locals do.

We did a bit of grocery shopping and ended up eating again when we came across this stall selling various street food on sticks. It's something you just don't walk away from.hehe

The next day, we headed out to do some historical sightseeing.

Wore this hat I got from Vietnam and locals would usually ask if I was Vietnamese.haha

Our first stop of the day was at the Choeung Ek Genocide Center, the best known monument of the Killing Fields. These are mass graves where more than a million people were killed and buried during the Khmer Rouge regime, under the rule of Pol Pot from 1975-1979.

I will let Wikipedia explain this:

The judicial process of the Khmer Rouge regime, for minor or political crimes, began with a warning from the Angkar, the government of Cambodia under the regime. People receiving more than two warnings were sent for "re-education," which meant near-certain death. People were often encouraged to confess to Angkar their "pre-revolutionary lifestyles and crimes" (which usually included some kind of free-market activity; having had contact with a foreign source, such as a U.S. missionary, international relief or government agency; or contact with any foreigner or with the outside world at all), being told that Angkar would forgive them and "wipe the slate clean." This meant being taken away to a place such as Tuol Sleng or Choeung Ek for torture and/or execution.

The executed were buried in mass graves. In order to save ammunition, the executions were often carried out using poison, spades or sharpened bamboo sticks. In some cases the children and infants of adult victims were killed by having their heads bashed against the trunks of Chankiri trees, and then were thrown into the pits alongside their parents. The rationale was "to stop them growing up and taking revenge for their parents' deaths."^[14]

Some victims were required to dig their own graves; their weakness often meant that they were unable to dig very deep. The soldiers who carried out the executions were mostly young men or women from peasant families. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_Fields)

The Khmer Rouge classified people by religious and ethnic background. They banned all religion and dispersed minority groups, forbidding them to speak their languages or to practice their customs.^[They especially targeted Buddhist monks, Muslims, Christians, Western-educated intellectuals, educated people in general, people who had contact with Western countries or with Vietnam, disabled people, and the ethnic Chinese, Laotians, and Vietnamese. Some were put in the S-21 camp for interrogation involving torture in cases where a confession was useful to the government. Many others were summarily executed. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pol_Pot)

The atmosphere was very solemn, and all the visitors were very respectful of the place.

We were given headsets to guide us through the memorial.

The last stop was a Buddhist stupa where you will see thousands of human skulls and bones of the victims.

Our next stop was at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. This was a former high school turned into a prison and execution center, also during the Khmer Rough regime.

We weren't allowed to take photos in many areas, mostly prison cells and torture devices. Photos can be found on other sites online, though.

I can't explain how heavy our hearts were after leaving these two sites.

We also got very hungry afterwards, so we ate at the first restaurant we saw.

In the afternoon, we took a stroll around Phnom Penh and booked our bus tickets for Koh Rong Samloem.

We spent time at the park right in front of the Royal Palace and enjoyed watching the pigeons.

We then entered the grounds of the Royal Palace, the residence of the king of Cambodia. Inside were beautiful gardens as well as miniature versions of the country's famous tourist spots.

After a long day, what better way to relax than to lie down in bed with amazing dessert? Blue Pumpkin was the perfect place for that. It came highly recommended by friends and it was easy to see why.

Dessert in bed!!!!

To end the day, we had a quick dinner at KFC, did a bit of shopping at the Phnom Penh Night Market, and got ready to take the bus to to our next stop. :)

Read about the rest of our Cambodia adventure here:

Cambodia Part 1: Backpacking in Cambodia

Cambodia Part 2: The Historical City of Phnom Penh

Cambodia Part 3: Island Life at Koh Rong Samloem

Cambodia Part 4: Temple Exploration at the Angkor Archeological Park

For more on our 16-day Indochina backpacking trip (full itinerary + expenses), click on the photo below.

Backpacking in Cambodia (Part 1)

2017-05-15T20:30:00.000+08:00

After exploring Ho Chi Minh City, we took a bus to the Kingdom of Cambodia where we spent our next seven days. We really enjoyed this leg of the trip because Cambodia has an interesting mix of historical spots, cultural landmarks and natural beauty.

We started in the capital city of Phnom Penh and learned about infamous Khmer Rouge regime by visiting the Killing Fields and the Genocide Museum. Afterwards, we headed down south and went back to basics in the beautiful island of Koh Rong Samloem. We ended our week in Cambodia by exploring the vast ruins of Angkor.

What's great about Cambodia is that they accept US dollars as payment in almost every establishment. However, if you do pay in USD, expect that change below 1 USD will be given in Cambodian riel. It can be a bit confusing.

Click on the links below to see more photos from each stop:

Cambodia Part 2: The Historical City of Phnom Penh

Cambodia Part 3: Island Life at Koh Rong Samloem

Cambodia Part 4: Temple Exploration at the Angkor Archeological Park

For more on our 16-day Indochina backpacking trip (full itinerary + expenses), click on the photo below.

Backpacking in Vietnam (Part 3): Vietnamese Countryside Experience at the Mekong River

2017-05-15T20:00:00.000+08:00

On our second day in Vietnam, we took a whole day tour of the Mekong Delta which gave us a glimpse into Vietnamese rural life.

Before reaching the Mekong, we had a quick stopover at this super chill cafe where you can enjoy a glass of iced Vietnamese coffee, fresh fruit shakes or coconut juice while relaxing on a hammock.

After a 3-hour bus ride, we found ourselves in a small boat cruising down the Mekong River.

In a short while, we arrived at a wooden shelter and were immediately served a sampler of various local fruits. We had dragon fruit, banana, pineapple, papaya and rambutan. Most foreigners were intrigued by the fruits, and Eliel and I seemed like experts because we knew all of them.haha We had to explain that all these were available in the Philippines as well.

Just like in Philippine tourist destinations, they had a band singing traditional songs to entertain the guests.

After devouring the fruit platter, we got to taste their local tea with honey.

We also checked out the souvenirs for sale.

Most interesting were these bottles of cobra wine in different sizes. There were bottles of scorpion wine as well.

We were then taken to an area where we got to watch coconut candy being made.

Before we knew it, it was lunch time. We were served simple food and offered various local drinks.

This is us with our very enthusiastic tour guide.

After our meal, we headed back to the Mekong River.

Before heading back to the city, we had a final stop at the Vinh Trang Temple where we saw the giant laughing Buddha. :)

And that ends our two days in Vietnam. That night, we packed our bags and prepared to leave for Cambodia in the morning.

For more on our 16-day Indochina backpacking trip (full itinerary + expenses), click on the photo below.

Backpacking in Vietnam (Part 2): Ho Chi Minh City, Cu Chi Tunnels, and Eating Authentic Pho

2017-05-15T19:30:00.000+08:00

The first stop of the trip was in the historic city of Ho Chi Minh, formerly known as Saigon. We walked around the city to enjoy the beautiful architecture, visited the famous Cu Chi Tunnels, and capped off our day with some authentic pho and a visit to the Ben Thanh night market.

Every time we visit a new place, it is always interesting to hear a local mass. Sometimes masses are in the local language and we don't understand a word, but it's okay, we can get by with context clues. :)

In Ho Chi Minh, we heard Sunday mass at the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, a centuries-old church built by French colonists.

In front of the Notre Dame Cathedral

Ho Chi Minh has the same hot and humid climate as the Philippines. Glad I brought a fan. Tita moves!

During our walk around the neighborhood, we saw the Central Post Office...

The Independence Palace...

And some puppies for sale.hehe

To get to the Cu Chi Tunnels, we booked a tour via an agency called The Sinh Tourist. We got tickets and grabbed a burger while waiting for the bus.

When we got to our destination, we got to learn about the Vietnam War (or the American War) and the significant role these tunnels played.

Eliel trying one of the secret hiding spots.

A bomb crater and several traps

The experience would not be complete without going through one of the tunnels. I don't think I'm claustrophobic, but I don't exactly enjoy enclosed spaces. I felt very relieved as soon as I saw the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.hehe

About to enter one of the tunnels

A taste of typical food the Viet Cong would have eaten

On our way home, we stopped by a local crafts workshop where you can buy souvenirs or simply watch local artisans do their thing.

When we got back to the city, we still had a bit of time, so we checked out the War Remnants Museum and learned about the horrors and ill effects of war.

Of course, no trip to Vietnam would be complete without having a nice warm bowl of pho. It was better than I expected! I've never tried pho back home because I'm not a fan of having noodles as the main dish (yup, not a big ramen fan either). I prefer noodle soup over my rice.hehe

The following night, we dropped by the Ben Thanh Market to try some more local food and to do a little bit of shopping.

Crossing the streets in Ho Chi Minh need great amounts of focus and fearlessness. Vehicles don't stop for you.

The busy night market

Local food and Vietnamese coffee

For more on our 16-day Indochina backpacking trip (full itinerary + expenses), click on the photo below.

Backpacking in Vietnam (Part 1)

2017-05-15T19:00:00.000+08:00

Vietnam was our first stop. We didn't know what to expect, but it was surprisingly easy to get around the city. However, one must be brave enough to cross the streets anytime because the cars don't stop for pedestrians.

We stayed at the Blue River Hotel, a budget hotel located in the backpacker district. It was a good choice because of the convenient, central location. The hotel was supposed to provide us with airport transfers. However, due to internal issues, they were not able to do so. We had to take a cab to the hotel, which turned out to be easy to do. Our only worry was that the driver would overcharge us. Upon our arrival, the manager was very apologetic and offered to book our bus tickets to Cambodia for free as their way of compensating. It was a good deal because free tickets!hehe

The room was nice and cozy and had its own bathroom. The hotel offered free breakfast and we usually had bread, eggs, banana and orange juice. We paid around Php 3,700 for 3 nights (around Php 600 per person per night). If you want to spend even less, there are many hostels in the area to choose from. :)

photo from Agoda.com

We booked two tours through The Sinh Tourist, a local travel agency, because it's the most convenient and economical way to get to the Cu Chi Tunnels and to the Mekong River. The office is just a few blocks away from our hotel. The office also served as the pick up and drop off spot for the tours.

Follow the links below to see more of our Vietnam adventures:

Vietnam Part 1: Backpacking in Vietnam

Vietnam Part 2: Ho Chi Minh City | Cu Chi Tunnels | Eating Pho

Vietnam Part 3: Vietnamese Country Side Experience | Mekong River

For more on our 16-day Indochina backpacking trip (full itinerary + expenses), click on the photo below.

Vietnam-Cambodia-Thailand in 16 days with less than Php 45,000

2017-05-15T18:27:00.000+08:00

They say the best way to get to know someone is to travel with them. Last August 2015, after eight years of going places together, the next big step was to take a 2-week backpacking trip around South East Asia. It turned out way better than expected. We got lost, but we always got back on track. We followed a tight schedule, but we were also able to adjust according to the circumstances. More importantly, we did not fight or break up!haha It helps that we have an unwritten agreement for all trips: I plan, Eliel navigates, and nobody complains (most of the time, lol). ;)

While doing research on Indochina, most backpackers would recommend spending at least 3 months. We didn't have the luxury of time, so we decided to cram in as much as we could in 2 and a half weeks. Since the Philippines isn't exactly on the other side of the world (just 3 hours away!), it would be fairly easy for us to go back and visit the places that we couldn't squeeze into our itinerary this time around.

To make sure we didn't miss any reservations due to sudden changes in schedules, we booked our accommodations, bus and boat tickets on the road, as we went along with the trip. Airbnb, Agoda, and Booking.com became my favorite websites/apps as they had lots of options for our budget.

We initially set a Php 50,000 budget per person, excluding air fare. However, it turned out that we only paid Php 43,474 for everything including air fare (thanks, Cebu Pacific). Yey! We could have spent even less if we stayed in hostels and shared bunk beds with other backpackers, or if we stuck with budget food during the entire trip. However, low maintenance as we are, we still enjoy our comforts and we don't like depriving ourselves when it comes to food.

We visited 3 countries: Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. We had one stop in Vietnam, three in Cambodia and two in Thailand.

Aside from eating and souvenir shopping, we

walked through the underground Cu Chi tunnels
cruised the Mekong river
visited the Khmer Rouge's Killing Fields
chilled at the beaches of Koh Rong Samloem
explored the vast ruins of Angkor
fed and played with baby elephants
spent some time with tigers
learned to cook Thai food
saw A LOT of temples (of course)

The only thing we regret is not spending as much time in Vietnam. If we could redo the trip, we would have started in Hanoi before going to Ho Chi Minh. Then again, not doing so gives us a good reason to go back to Vietnam in the future. :)

It took a lot of research to figure out the best itinerary for us. We started out by randomly browsing different blogs online. Afterwards, we decided on the places we wanted to visit and listed down our "non-negotiables" (a tip from our travel junkie bff, Jessa). Non-negotiables pertained to the sights we wanted to prioritize. The remaining sights, we would visit if we had time left.

We ended up with the itinerary below.

Day 0 - Fly to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Day 1 - Explore Ho Chi Minh

*Notre Dame Cathedral
*Central Post Office
*Cu Chi Tunnels
*War Remnants Museum
*Ben Thanh Market

Day 2 - Mekong Delta Tour

Day 3 - Travel to Phnom Penh, Cambodia

*Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh - border crossing (6 hours)

Day 4 - Explore Phnom Penh

*Killing Fields
*Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
*Royal Palace

Day 5 - Travel to Koh Rong Samloem, Cambodia

*Bus from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville (4 hours)
*Ferry from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong Samloem (45 minutes)

Day 6 and 7 - Relax at Koh Rong Samloem

Day 8 - Travel to Siem Reap, Cambodia

*Ferry from Koh Rong Samloem to Sihanoukville (45 minutes)

*Van from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh (4 hours)

*Sleeper bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap (7 hours)

Day 9 - Angkor Archeological Park Tour

Day 10 - Travel to Chiang Mai, Thailand

*Bus from Siem Reap to Bangkok - border crossing (10 hours)

*First class overnight bus from Bangkok to Chiang Mai (11 hours)

Day 11 - Explore Chiang Mai

*Temple hopping

Day 12 - Explore Chiang Mai

*Rantong Elephant Camp

*Thai Cooking School

Day 13 - Explore Chiang Mai

*Doi Suthep Temple

*Tiger Kingdom

Day 14 - Travel to Bangkok, Thailand

*First class bus from Chiang Mai to Bangkok (10 hours)

*Explore Khao San Road and Asiatique

Day 15 - Explore Bangkok

*Chatuchak Weekend Market

Day 16 - Explore Bangkok

*Wat Pho

*Siam Paragon/MBK

*Food trip at Soi 38

Day 17 - Fly back to Manila

Backpacking around Indochina entails a lot of long bus rides which means lots of quality time. (You can opt to fly between cities, but that would be more expensive.) We used these long periods to book our accommodations for the next leg, and to bug each other until we got bored.

Having quick stops (usually 2-3 nights per location) added to the stress since we needed to pack and unpack our things on a regular basis. However, by the middle of the trip, we eventually mastered the skill and were usually ready to go in just a few minutes. We only packed the bare minimum to make sure we wouldn't break our backs. Because of this, we needed to have our laundry done in the middle of the trip. The only thing I regret bringing was this one pair of shoes which I thought would be comfy for long walks, but ended up being painful after a few hours. I had thoughts of leaving it behind, but I got separation anxiety.haha

In the end, what worked best for me was a 35L backpack, plus a small "carry-on" backpack which I bought at the Ben Thanh market in Vietnam at the start of our trip. See that bulky brown pack on the right side of my bag? That's the pair of shoes I shouldn't have brought. It was unnecessary bulk that I decided to carry with me throughout the trip.

Eliel, on the other hand, used a 40L backpack plus a detachable 15L day pack, which is pretty cool. Aside from that, he had a belt bag for his camera. We also lugged around a tripod, which turned out to be unnecessary. It was too much of a hassle to set up so we only got to use it a few times. Oh well, lesson learned.

Check out the links below for detailed posts on each stop. :)

Vietnam

Vietnam Part 1: Backpacking in Vietnam
Vietnam Part 2: Ho Chi Minh City | Cu Chi Tunnels | Eating Pho
Vietnam Part 3: Vietnamese Country Side Experience | Mekong River

Cambodia

Cambodia Part 1: Backpacking in Cambodia
Cambodia Part 2: The Historical City of Phnom Penh
Cambodia Part 3: Island Life at Koh Rong Samloem
Cambodia Part 4: Temple Exploration at the Angkor Archeological Park

Thailand

Thailand (Part 1): Backpacking in Thailand
Thailand (Part 2): Chiang Mai - Walking Tour of the Old City, Doi Suthep, and Thai Cooking School
Thailand (Part 3): Chiang Mai - A Day with the Elephants at the Ran-Tong Save and Rescue Elephant Centre
Thailand (Part 4): Chiang Mai - Tiger Kingdom
Thailand (Part 5): Bangkok

Here's the breakdown of our expenses:

The Mind Museum

2016-02-21T17:56:00.000+08:00

Ever since The Mind Museum opened in Taguig a few years ago, we have always wanted to explore the place but just couldn't set a date for it. Even if I got hold of discounted All Day Passes last year, we were still unable to use it at that time. Procrastination, our worst enemy. Good thing my All Day Passes were about to expire (haha!), so we had no choice but to block off one whole Sunday last January for that long-awaited trip to the Mind Museum.

The goal was to maximize our All Day Passes so we went there as early as 9AM. We went around the different exhibits the whole morning, went out for lunch, then came back in the afternoon to watch the different scheduled shows. We also went there specifically on a Sunday to see Wild Conversations: A Close Encounter with Wildlife which only happens on Sundays. Check out their website before planning a trip there so you can maximize the scheduled events and traveling exhibitions. We left around 6:30PM. :)

You start in an area where you are greeted by a robot named Aedi who will share with you what to expect as you go around the whole museum. The museum is divided into 5 major sections: Earth, Atom, Life, Universe and Technology.

The entrance.

If you need a guide on the different sections of the museum, you should drop by this area.

The Story of the Earth

"The Earth Gallery features the first permanent T-Rex exhibit in the country along with other unique exhibits that focus on forces at work in shaping and reshaping the Earth. Knowing natural history is the way we can educate museum visitors on how long it took the planet to give us what we now inhabit." (Mind Museum Website)

The T-Rex Exhibit.

The fossils area.

The Story of the Atom

"The Atom Gallery is the gallery with the most number of interactive exhibits. It contains the very elemental forces that are so familiar that we take them for granted like gravity and electromagnetism. It also presents the counterintuitive quantum world that resembles nothing from everyday experience, yet serves as the basis for much of the technology of today." (Mind Museum Website)

The Atom Gallery.

A hair-raising experience.

A table of elements with real-life examples.

The musical stairs.

The synchronized pendulums.

The Story of Life

"The Life Gallery features the exuberance of a living planet in all its forms. It features the various habitats that nurture an astonishing number and kinds of organisms. This gallery also features the inner spaces that inhabit this life in the form of molecules called DNA." (Mind Museum Website)

The Life Gallery.

The Story of the Universe

"The Universe Gallery showcases humankind’s wondrous fascination with outer space. It features exhibits that show how all of life, as we know it now, found its atomic beginnings in the stars in space. It enfolds visitors in the fundamental elements and forces at play in the universe. The Universe Gallery includes a mini, teaching planetarium that brings guests closer to the wonders of the universe." (Mind Museum Website)

The Universe Gallery.

The Tunnelcraft, a rotating tunnel that features imagery from the Hubble telescope to simulate travel between Outer Space and Earth. Heads-up, you'll get dizzy!

The Story of Technology

"The Technology Gallery is the largest of all the galleries. It is the only exhibition space on the second level, overlooking the other four galleries. This gallery presents technology not as a mere tool, gadget or industrial advancement but as means to flesh out human values, to help us become better humans. The gallery is divided into five major themes with each theme occupying a Node. The themes of the Nodes are: How We Live, Who We Are, How We Know, How Things Work, and Here to There." (Mind Museum Website)

Lighting up the city.

Laser focus.

Forever Lab: A Traveling Exhibition

There was a traveling exhibition when we went there which was "a collection of experiences, provocations, and objects that examine our personal and cultural quest for longer lifespans, and the personal and social implications if we succeeded in this endeavor." Traveling exhibitions come and go so check out their website to see the current or upcoming ones.

Wild Conversations: A Close Encounter with Wildlife

This special session happens every Sunday at 10:30 am at the Life gallery. Check out the other Museum Events here.

The Outdoor Areas

There is Science in the Park outside the main museum which we did not explore anymore. But we did explore the Marvel/Disney exhibit just outside the building. This exhibit showcased trivia about how realistic the superpowers or abilities in these fictional worlds are. There were exhibits about Spiderman, Thor, Captain America, among others. We only had photos with the Star Wars sets though. Hehe.

All-day Shows

Throughout the day, there are shows in the Space Shell (located in the Universe) and Nature's Hour Glass (located in Life). We watched all of the shows in the afternoon including a special session called Awesome Astronomy which was a very nice ending to our geeky day. Check out the show times here.

Operations Schedule and Ticket Prices

Based on our experience, if you decide to buy tickets for the 3-hour windows (not the All-Day Pass), you won't be able to go through all the exhibits and watch the scheduled shows in one visit, if you don't plan ahead. The place is huge and the shows are scheduled in 20-30 minute intervals so set your priorities so you can maximize your stay. But most of all, don't forget to ENJOY! :)

Canyoneering in Cebu

2015-11-23T07:14:00.000+08:00

Canyoneering started to gain popularity among the adventure-seekers the past year, especially in Cebu. I had no idea initially what Canyoneering was, but as more and more people posted photos and videos of their own adventures, it became more appealing to try.

Below is a video of what transpired during our own Canyoneering trip in Cebu. Hopefully, this will encourage you to visit the Queen City of the South and try this adventure for yourself.

A few weeks back, one of our friends from Manila, Ian, introduced the idea of trying it out as a YOLO trip and the invitation just came at the right time. Yza and I were scheduled to be in Cebu on the 1st week of November and we had enough free time on this pre-scheduled trip to squeeze in a Canyoneering adventure. So why not?

We started rounding up some friends from Cebu who wanted to join me, Yza, and Ian on this adventure. We had a lot of interest from people, most of them had never tried it yet, but people started to back out at the last minute due to responsibilities they need to take care of (yeah, adulthood sucks!).

So from around 12 people, there were 6 brave souls left: Eliel, Yza, Ian, Jessa, Jose and Mico. Jessa, being the most seasoned traveler in the group (yehess!), took care of all the planning — from booking the tour guide to planning how to get there.

Fast forward to November 7, we all met up at the Cebu South Bus Terminal at 6AM for the bus to Alegria. When we arrived, the aircon bus was full so we had to take the non-aircon bus, else we have to wait one more hour for the next aircon bus to Alegria. Non-aircon bus fare to Alegria is Php130 while the aircon bus fare is Php140. For Php10 more, I suggest to take the aircon bus if you can.

After 3.5 hours, we arrived at Sangi in Alegria where we met up with Jessa’s contact person. After having a quick breakfast, we took a 15-minute habal-habal ride to the jump-off point. We paid Php700 per head. People say this could be around Php900-1000 if you don’t have a contact person or can also be Php500 or less if you know someone who knows a guide personally. Our guide said though that this fee will continue to increase next year as more people catch the Canyoneering fever. So I suggest if you want to try Canyoneering, do it NOW! (or maybe next week, if you’re too busy now)

You are given 2 options:
(1) Short Route: Trek for ~3 hours and end up back at the jump-off point in Alegria, or
(2) Long Route: Trek for ~5 hours and end up in Kawasan Falls in Badian.

We opted for the shorter route but if you haven’t been to Kawasan Falls, I highly encourage going through the longer route. Kawasan Falls is one of the must-visit destinations in South Cebu for nature lovers, so why not hit two birds with one stone, right?

Vests on, helmets on, and dry bags all sealed and ready to go, we started the trek. And the 1st thing that we needed to do: 15-foot jump! Yes, no time to warm up. Just jump!

The view from below the 15-foot jump.

The happy faces after jumping 15 feet.

After the first jump, the next few jumps seemed so easy, ha ha. Well, until the last jump, but we’ll get to that later. From mini-jumps to enjoyable slides to traversing rocky paths and jaw-dropping natural stop-overs, it’s an experience you’ll definitely remember.

If you’re taking the shorter route, you’ll know your trek is about to end when you see a line of vendors selling snacks and drinks. If you'll go the longer route, this is only halfway.

In front of them is the last jump, a 30-foot drop. Just the thought of it was enough to made my stomach turn.

If you’re with a group and you’re the one with the camera, be prepared to be bullied to go first “so you can catch everyone’s jump on video from below”. Whatever, cowards! Haha! This is how I looked like convincing myself that everything will be alright...

We arrived back at the jump-off point after almost 4 hours, around 3PM, deprived of lunch but full of adrenaline running through our bodies. We had a late lunch, then hailed an aircon bus back to the city.

If you haven’t tried Canyoneering yet, I highly recommend this awesome experience. Whether you’re afraid of heights or afraid of the water, conquer your fears. You don’t want to miss out on this adventure of a lifetime.

KFC Waffle Buffet

2015-06-20T13:09:00.000+08:00

If you like KFC, you'd probably want to continue reading or else you'll miss out big time. If you're not a big fan of KFC, this might be the push you need to give it a try.

KFC is offering a breakfast buffet on all weekends (Sat-Sun) from June 13, 2015 to July 5, 2015 in selected KFC stores.

As soon as I heard about this promo while listening to The Morning Rush (I must say, ads promoted by these 3 radio DJs are very effective indeed. haha), I immediately messaged Yza to go to KFC across her office as soon as possible and buy tickets. It was a Friday and it would be nice to have a full breakfast the day after (instead of sleeping in on a weekend morning as I normally do. haha).

Promo Details

The promo runs for 4 weekends from June 13 - July 5, 2015. You need to purchase tickets either days prior or on the day itself as walk-in. Tickets can only be used in the KFC store where these were bought.

The KFC Waffle Buffet is at P199 per person for the main buffet and you can add P30 per person to avail of the unlimited drinks. Note that you pay less for children while kids below 3ft can enter for free. They serve not just waffles but also some of their breakfast menu items (in case you're not into waffles).

For more info and to see the list of participating KFC stores, go to http://bit.ly/kfcwafflebuffet. There may be a KFC near you.

Yza bought our tickets from the KFC Jupiter branch on that same Friday. She's very obedient that way.

What To Expect

There were not as much people as we expected but just enough to keep the buffet table busy. Not sure why, but this seems to be a very good deal.

As the hero of the promo, there's a waffle section where you can put whatever toppings you like on your waffle from marshmallows to crushed oreos to whipped cream to maple syrup (plus many more!).

Other than the waffle section, they also have other KFC breakfast menu items covering the rest of the buffet table.

Garlic Rice, Chicken Pies, Ham and Cheese Pies and Pecan Pies

Scrambled Eggs, Chicken Tocino

Chicken Fillet, Chicken and Cheese Hotdogs

Unlimited drinks (coffee, hot choco, iced tea, orange juice)

All their tables have this sign as well reminding everyone on the no leftover, no takeout policy.

What we don't understand though is the checkered red pajama-like outfit of the servers in the buffet (photo not included. hehe). But maybe it was there way of making it feel like breakfast you have at home. haha.

To cap it off, you can also have your photos taken and printed on this photo board (only if you feel like it).

All in all, it was well worth it. We love the food and it was worth the money spent. It was also a good opportunity for us to try their new KFC pies since we wouldn't buy these normally. You can't find a breakfast buffet in Metro Manila at ~P200 these days.

Note: This is NOT a paid advertisement and we are in no way affiliated with KFC. :)

Cheers,

Bali Birthday

2015-06-17T13:29:00.000+08:00

Last January, I turned 28. Six months later, I still don't feel like I'm 28. Sometimes, I forget how old I am, I have to manually calculate my age... 2015-1987= X. For real. I'm actually old enough to forget my own age. Does this happen to everyone? When I was a child, I felt 28 was legit adult age. The age of my titos and titas. The age my parents had their 3rd (I think) child. And yet here I am, at 28, not quite feeling the whole adult thing yet. Um, maybe in a couple more years? ;)

Anyway, as birthdays go, Eliel and I don't usually do gifts or fancy dinners. We prefer to just spend time together. Last year, on my birthday, we had a spontaneous trip to Baguio. This year, we were better prepared and booked ourselves tickets to Bali. (See the pattern? For two consecutive years, I've spent my birthdays in places that start with the letter B. Where to go next year?)

*****

Our itinerary
We intentionally kept our itinerary flexible. What we enjoy about traveling as a couple is that it's not as rigid as compared to traveling with a huge group. Because it's just the two of us, we can easily change plans as we go, and we can make spur of the moment decisions without worrying about how everyone feels.

We had 3 full days to explore Bali, so we made our plans as simple as possible, only going to the places we really wanted to visit. I think that it's way better to spend time in a few places you're particularly interested in, rather than hurriedly going from one place to another just to make sure you get a photo at each and every tourist spot. But that's just me. Others actually enjoy the "Amazing Race" feel. To each his own, right?

With our limited time, here's where we went:

Day 1:
Arrival at Bali
Tanah Lot
Kuta / Seminyak Beach

Day 2:
Ubud Tour: Monkey Forest, Royal Temple, Ibu Oka lunch, Tirta Empul, Coffee Plantation
Dinner at Jimbaran Bay

Day 3:
Balangan Beach
Uluwatu Temple

Day 4:
Early morning departure

Getting around Bali
The main problem about going around in Bali is that they do not offer public transportation to most tourist spots. Taxis and car rentals are expensive. The best way to go around is by motorbike - and those are very cheap to rent.

Motorbike = 50,000 IDR per day (less than PHP 200)
Car rental (with driver) = 700,000 IDR per day (more than PHP 2,000!!!)

If only one of us knew how to drive one, we'd have saved a lot. However, we do realize that it's never a good idea to learn how to drive a new vehicle while on limited vacation time. We'd rather be safe. Also, they drive on the left-hand side of the road - so that's another thing to consider, especially if you're not used to it.

So during our stay, we arranged transfers with local drivers recommended by our host. For our Ubud day trip, we booked with Bali Made Tour.

Money matters
The first thing we did when we landed was to get some Indonesian cash. Friends have advised us to withdraw our cash in Bali instead of bringing US dollars for exchange. There are lots of ATMs around Bali, so it was never a problem. We initially withdrew 1,000,000 IDR/Rupiahs each (Php 3,700). Millionaires for a day!

Phone and internet

As soon as we got to our accommodations, our Airbnb host, David, took us to the supermarket where he advised us to buy XL SIM cards (42,000 IDR or Php 150). These were lifesavers. We used our local number to communicate with him and with our drivers, and the mobile internet helped us get around. Unlimited internet was insanely cheap at only about Php 7 per day! I wish it were the same in the Philippines.

Our Airbnb experience at Villa Santai

Booked our lodging through Airbnb and ended up in the welcoming villa of David and German, two Spanish guys who moved to Bali. We only met David during our stay. He was the most accommodating host - giving us a ride on his motorbike to pick up some prepaid SIM cards during our first day, sharing with us some tips on going around Bali, and hooking us up with safe and reliable drivers for our tours. We barely got to talk to him because we were always out (had to maximize our time!), but whenever we had any questions, he was easy to contact and always helpful.
It was our first time to book accommodations via Airbnb, and it was certainly a pleasant experience for us. You can communicate with your hosts prior to your arrival, and they promptly respond to your questions.

The location is in the southern tip of Bali, away from the touristy Kuta area, but it was peaceful, quiet and did I mention beautiful? It is also located near Balangan Beach, which is a good thing. But more of that later.

Anyway, in my opinion, Php 3,300 ($73) for 3 nights in this beautiful room is quite a steal. But we got it for an even cheaper rate because at that time Citibank had a promo so we got it at 50% off! All in all, our 3 night-stay cost us only about Php 1,500 ($33). :)

Side note: Interested in booking via Airbnb? You can use my referral code (vurgel)to get $25 off on your first trip. Or you can simply go to this link: https://www.airbnb.com/c/vurgel
Happy booking!

Had our photo taken with David on our last night on the island. In this photo, he's bending his knees so we're all the same height. hahaha

*****

So here's how we spent our Bali weekend.

Day 1

Arrival at Bali
Tanah Lot
Kuta / Seminyak Beach

After buying SIM cards and buying 3 days worth of snacks at the Nirmala Supermarket, we had to get some lunch. Our first meal was at this little diner across the supermarket called the Warung Satay Club Cafe. Good food+WiFi= no complaints!

Clockwise: Nasi Goreng Sate Club, Asian Sate, Chicken Spring Rolls

Over lunch, we plotted our schedule for the next 3 days. Yup, we hardly planned ahead. :p

Bali is an island well-known for its temples. The best thing to do if you have limited time is to select just a few to visit. Two of the most recommended temples are Tanah Lot and the Uluwatu Temple, so we had our eye on just those two. But we ended up going to two more based on our tour guide's recommendation.

Our game plan for our first afternoon in Bali was to visit the famous Tanah Lot and then spend the rest of the day strolling along Kuta/Seminyak.

Tanah Lot

Tanah Lot is a rock formation near the sea where a Balinese temple stands.

Entrance to Tanah Lot

Lots and lots of tourists. Spot Yza. hehe

The view is beautiful, and the sound of the waves are so calming. Kinda makes you forget that there are so many people in the area. So many people. It takes quite an effort to position yourself to take a good photo, but once you do, it's totally worth it.

As with every tourist spot, Tanah Lot was lined with stalls and stalls of souvenir shops and an art market. And, just like any regular tourist, Eliel and I stopped by every shop during the whole duration of our trip.

Kuta Beach
We then asked to be dropped off at the famous Kuta Beach to take a stroll. This wide stretch of sand extends to several other famous beaches such as Legian and Seminyak. Coming from the Philippines, I had high expectations, but it turned out to be...just okay. Nice, yes. Chill place to surf or unwind, yes. But not really as beautiful as Boracay or other Philippine beaches. What I love, though, is the relaxed atmosphere. I enjoyed hanging out here.

Unfortunately, where there are tourists, there is trash. :( This is horrible.

Potato Head Beach Club, Seminyak
We then took a peek into the famous Potato Head Beach Club. As it turns out, this is the place to be. Great vibe, awesome beach view, jam-packed with tourists. Unfortunately, we couldn't get a table. We were offered lovely ocean-facing lounge chairs (see photo below) but we'll need to spend a minimum of 1,000,000 IDR. We didn't want to spend that kind of money on drinks or dinner, so we decided to just go look for some place else.

While walking, we came across this festive place called Motel Mexicola, and we decided to spend the evening here. Can't go wrong with Mexican food. And we enjoyed our cute little mocktails, being the non-drinkers that we are. haha

Where's Yza?

Clockwise: chorizo quesadilla, mocktails, churros, camaron tostaditas

Day 2

Ubud Tour: Monkey Forest, Royal Temple, Ibu Oka lunch, Tirta Empul, Coffee Plantation
Dinner at Jimbaran Bay

Most of Indonesia is Muslim, and majority of the country's very small Hindu population is in Bali. Ninety percent of the Balinese population practice Hinduism. Growing up in a Catholic country, it was very interesting to be in a place where the religious traditions and practices are completely different from what I am used to. While back home, I would normally see a church at every corner, in Bali, I see temples and offerings everywhere. Each house has its own temple or shrine. Also, everywhere you go, you will see these banana or palm leaf boxes filled with flowers, rice, other sorts of food items and sometimes, money. These are their offerings to the gods and are often done twice in a day. According to Diana, our tour guide/driver (Oh, BTW, he's a guy, and it's pronounced "Di-ya-no"), women in Bali typically stay at home, and preparing these offerings are part of their daily routine. We saw a lot of these on our way to Ubud.

As it was our first time in Bali, Ubud was a place we didn't want to miss. A contrast to the southern beaches, Ubud, which is in the central part of Bali, is the land of rice paddies. The scenery is quite familiar since we have a lot of farm lands in the Philippines.

Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

One of the most famous tourist attractions in Ubud is their Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. In this place, you're guaranteed to see lotsa monkeys (duh!). It's actually a Hindu temple complex where monkeys roam wild and free. I was really hesitant about visiting this place because I am terrified of monkeys. They may look cute, but they are also known to be very mischievous. In the past, I've seen monkeys stealing things from people. Our driver, however, assured us that the monkeys here are super nice, and I took his word for it. Turns out, he was right. Eliel and I enjoyed the monkeys so much, we forgot about the time and spent an hour and a half going around the complex. Too. Many. Cute. Monkeys!!! You can also buy bananas and have the monkeys crawl all over your arms and head, but I couldn't handle that yet. hehe I wanted Eliel to do it, but he wouldn't either. Boo.

So we watched other people do it instead..

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. And a bonus monkey, marveling at his hand.

Royal Temple

We also stopped by the Royal Temple, but for some reason, we only took photos of ourselves. :p

Ibu Oka
Lunch was at the restaurant just across the temple, Ibu Oka, which serves a famous local dish called babi guling (essentially, it's lechon, but with a lot more spices).

Tirta Empul Temple
Our next stop was the driver/tour guide's personal recommendation - the Tirta Empul Temple (which means "holy water spring"). As a Hindu who often went there, he was proud to show us around his favorite temple. He particularly wanted us to see the cleansing ritual which was ongoing at that time.

Near the entrance, it was really cute seeing all these people waiting to get photos beside the jackfruit. I didn't realize these fruits weren't as common as I thought they were. Growing up, it's one of my favorite fruits to eat, especially when it's straight out of the refrigerator. hehe

To enter the temple, visitors are required to wear a wrap around the lower body as well as a sash around the waist. Diana picked our wraps and helped us with them. He obviously has a talent for coordinating our wraps with our outfits. :D

Beautiful structures inside the temple.

Every available space is filled with offerings.

Hindus usually come to the Tirta Empul during full moons to do a cleansing ritual. Our timing was perfect and we were able to witness this first hand. They say that on a regular day, the pool isn't usually this packed.

We didn't want to be disrespectful by taking photos We checked with Diana if it was okay to have a photo taken here and he said yes. He even took this photo of us.

Coffee Plantation
Our next stop was at the coffee plantation. Diana toured us around the farm and showed us different plants. I can't seem to remember them right now, but I do remember vanilla and cinnamon (yum), and a few spices.

He also showed us how kopi luwak is made. These cute little civet cats eat coffee berries and their droppings are cleaned and the beans are brewed for coffee. It sounds gross, but they say it's really good. It's actually one of the world's most expensive coffees. In the Philippines we also have this, but it is more popularly known as cafe alamid or cafe musang.

The best part of the tour was our coffee and tea tasting session! The weather in Ubud is quite cool, so the hot drinks were perfect.

We tasted a wide selection of teas (such as lemon grass, rose, rice, ginger) and coffees (such as ginseng, coconut, mocha, Bali coffee). The best part is that it's free! If you want to take some home, they have a store near the exit. Don't worry, they don't pressure you to buy anything. But if you do decide to hoard (like us), they accept credit cards. Just saying.

Jimbaran Bay
After our trip to Ubud, we headed to Jimbaran Bay for a seafood dinner by the beach. There was a bit of rain, so we couldn't get a table outside. Also, because of the rain, the restaurants were practically empty.

We had a lovely dinner, albeit a bit pricey.

Day 3

Balangan Beach
Uluwatu Temple

Balangan Beach

On our third day (my birthday!), we wanted to experience beach bumming in Bali so we headed to Balangan Beach which was just a few minutes away from our villa. This beach was beautiful, quiet and clean. I definitely liked it a lot more than Kuta. Waves are big so it's difficult to swim here, but it looks like a great place to surf. We spent the day just lying on the sand, watching surfers do their thing, and eating from a nearby warung.

Another couple from our villa - James and Vanessa

Nasi goreng!

Uluwatu Temple

After a whole day of relaxation, we went to the nearby Uluwatu temple, hoping to catch the sunset there. However, the skies were cloudy so we knew we had no chance. Despite the weather, the view was still spectacular. Uluwatu is a temple perched on a cliff and watching the waves below is mesmerizing. Monkeys are notorious in this temple (not quite as friendly as the ones in the Monkey Forest) but thankfully, we didn't encounter any. Walking along the cliff was a perfect way to end the day.

All in all, I would say that Bali is such a magical place to visit - rich in culture and abundant in natural beauty. I now understand why it's such a popular tourist destination. We definitely would like to go back someday. :)

xoxo,

Valentine's Day 2015: Pico de Loro Cove

2015-03-01T21:43:00.000+08:00

After spending one of our company offsite events at Pico de Loro Cove, I immediately loved the place! I loved it so much that I told Yza I will have to bring her there someday. Fast forward to Feb 2015, with the help of a promo via a BDO-Expedia tie-up, we were able to book a room at Pico Sands Hotel to celebrate Valentines. Yay!

It was a 2-hour drive from Manila to this part of Nasugbu, Batangas via CAVITEX. Note that there's also an alternate option via SLEX-Tagaytay-Nasugbu if you're more familiar with that route but that would be a significantly longer drive. We arrived there after lunch and immediately checked in.

We spent the rest of the afternoon strolling around, appreciating the beauty of this place.

We stopped by the beach for a while to relax and unwind -- Yza was reading a book while I was busy taking photos. Hehe.

When the sun was about to set, we passed by a different route going back to the hotel to see the other parts of Pico de Loro. We took a lot of photos, as usual.

The next morning, we put our handy dandy tripod to good use -- results below. Hehe.

Before heading back to Manila, we heard mass at St. Therese of the Child Jesus Chapel. It is situated on top of a hill with an awesome view of everything!

Here is how the chapel looks like from the inside and the outside.

This was our view from the chapel. Stunning!

Our Top 5 Default Food Stops in Makati

2014-08-30T16:35:00.001+08:00

Living in Makati for a few years now, we had to build a roster of go-to places whenever we can’t decide where to eat (which is almost every time. hehe). Living independently, we seldom cook because it’s too much effort (aside from the fact that the only cooking I know is frying stuff. lol). So for dinner or during weekends, we eat out more often than not.
Here are the top 5 food stops we frequently visit for that comfort food fix:

XO Kitchen
Jupiter St., Bel-Air, Makati City

As of July 1, 2014, XO Kitchen closed down (to our dismay). We are still including this in our list as it deserves one last mention before we can let go. We are very much hoping they open up another branch somewhere so we can try their food again in the future.

XO Kitchen served Chinese dishes as rice meals (with iced tea or lemonade) for less than P150 or short orders (for sharing) for less than P250. They offered dimsum dishes as well if you fancy those at around P100. Our go-to dishes included Fish with Corn Sauce, Sweet and Sour Pork, Hakaw. I think we ate here too often that kuya server already memorized our usual orders.

They were also famous for their special buchi which they offered with a variety of fillings such as Ferrero, White Toblerone, Kitkat, Reeses, Andes Mint and so much more at P95 for 3 pieces.

Robina Chicken House
2873 Finlandia St., Brgy. San Isidro, Makati City

Robina House is famous for their roast chicken. We frequent this place also because of its proximity -- 5 minutes away from where I live. We even have our own little corner where we sit every single time. :)

Although they have a variety of other Filipino dishes, we usually order their Double Happiness Meals: 1/4 Roasted Chicken with Rice or Grilled Porkchop with Rice at P109.

They also have a Robina Date meal which gave us more value for our money – during those times we both want to have some chicken. And yes, free extraaaaa rice for me!

Big Better Burgers
Jupiter St., Bel-Air, Makati City

We first tried Big Better Burgers (BBB) when it was still located nearer to the MRT Buendia Station. We ate there often -- it was very near Yza’s office and was convenient to drop by after picking her up from work. One day, they closed down and we thought we’ll never be able to eat there again. But little did we know they just transferred to their current location now which is still along Jupiter but closer to Makati Ave. This is now more convenient for us as this is on our usual route.

We usually order the Ala Pobre Rice meal if we’re on a budget or get the 3-Cheese Explosion (yum!) if we’re craving for some burgers. We tried their other rice meals and burgers, too, but we keep on going back to our go-to meals. Just recently, they already have options for you to choose either 1/3 lb or 1/4 lb patties to go with your burgers. More options!

RUB Ribs & BBQ
1703 Baler St. cor Nicanor Garcia St., Brgy. Valenzuela, Makati City

This branch just opened recently (maybe a year). They are most famous for their BBQ ribs. We first tried their food from their branch in QC and we liked their ribs so much -- when the Reposo branch opened up, we got sooooo excited.

We usually order their Singles meal which already includes their famous BBQ ribs + 1 side of your choice + 1 rice at P220.

We haven’t really tried their other menu items yet but why order anything else when you can just munch on their ribs every single time? :)

Cobo
Jazz Residences, Jupiter St. cor Nicanor Garcia St., Makati City

We come here mostly to spend the weekends when we need to finish something with our laptops (either work stuff, school stuff, blog stuff, etc).

They offer very affordable milk teas at P49/P59 and bubble bursteas (the one with flavored bubble thingies you love to pop inside your mouth) at P75-P99. With their free wifi and our 15% discount card at Cobo, why tambay anywhere else? :)

HONORABLE MENTION

Stoops Bagnet Ilocos
The Zone, 7224 Malugay St., Bel-Air, Makati City

We were craving for some bagnet a few weeks ago and stumbled upon Stoops. They’re known for their Ilocos Bagnet meals and when we tried them, we were not disappointed! Definitely going back for more!

We will always be on a lookout for more food stops in Makati – the ones you can go back repeatedly without hurting your budget too much. If you have any other suggestions, let us know in the comments! =)

Cheers,

Sandbox Adventure

2014-06-29T21:24:00.001+08:00

I’m sure you’ve already experienced a rollercoaster. I’m sure you’ve also tried zipline. But a rollercoaster zipline? I don’t think so. :) Good thing, there’s one in Porac, Pampanga, just 1.5 hours away from Metro Manila.

Sandbox is an attraction within the Alviera compound in Pampanga which features different activities for adrenaline junkies. It houses the Avatar One, a rollercoaster zipline 180 meters long with the curves and dips of a regular rollercoaster but you go through it while strapped in a harness and your whole body dangling from the track -- zipline-style. Other activities include Wall Climbing, Free Fall, Rappelling, Aerial Walk and Giant Swing. They also have a mini golf course and an area for ATVs.

Aerial Walk

Adventure Tower

Below are the rates for the Sandbox activities, including their available packages.

Photo from http://www.alviera.ph/

The entrance to the compound is located right after Porac exit from SCTEX. You won’t miss it. Refer to the map below if you’re coming from somewhere else.

Photo from http://www.alviera.ph/

We were only able to try the Avatar One and the Free Fall. We badly wanted to do the Aerial Walk, too, but tickets for the day were already sold out when we arrived (i.e. the last person who bought a ticket was estimated to complete by closing time). Boo! If you’re planning to get one of their packages, you have to be there by opening time!

Avatar One
The starting point of Avatar One is a platform 12 meters off the ground, halfway through the Adventure Tower.

I actually didn’t know what to expect from this crazy-looking ride! But as soon as I was pushed from the platform and started moving, I got the hang of it (pun intended). It’s not as scary as I expected though, chill lang, which I liked.

Free Fall
After the Avatar One, we lined up again towards the Adventure Tower, but this time for the Free Fall. It was very intimidating to look at, just the sight of the platform where you’re supposed to step off will give you second thoughts. This time, you start from the highest point of the Adventure Tower! Yikes!

But everyone was brave enough to go through it (or at least pretended to be. haha!)

It was a fun experience but sobrang bitin. Looking forward to more attractions in the future (not even sure if they're planning for more. haha!)

Cheers,

How To Deal With The 'Game of Thrones' Long Break

2014-06-24T15:20:00.002+08:00

With still 10 months before the next Game of Thrones season, Mondays will never be the same again (at least, until then).

What did we do? We gave ourselves 'Game of Thrones' hoodies to remind us that Winter is [always] Coming. =)

If you like these, head to the nearest 'The Perfect White Shirt' branch near you or visit their FB page (https://www.facebook.com/theperfectwhiteshirt). They have other cool stuff, too.

*Disclaimer: We are not, in any way, affiliated with 'The Perfect White Shirt'. Just some happy customers. =)

Cheers,

Isdaan Floating Restaurant and the Tacsiyapo Wall

2014-05-29T20:03:00.001+08:00

While everyone else was in Boracay for Labor Day 2014, Yza and I spent the day in Calauan, Laguna to experience the Isdaan Floating Restaurant and the famous Tacsiyapo wall. #MayOneSaIsdaan

The place was around 2 hours away from Manila. You won’t miss the place with all the gigantic stone structures everywhere.

As soon as we arrived, we went straight to get a table and started to order since it was almost 3PM and we didn’t have lunch yet!

Our table was situated on the 2nd floor overlooking the place so it kept us busy taking photos while waiting for the food.

As soon as the food arrived, a quick round of food photos then hunger took over. Nom nom nom!!
We ordered Pinukpok na Hipon (Php498), Spareribs (Php347), Royal (Php59), Orange Shake (Php175) and isang kalderong Bagong Saing na kanin (Php116). Yes, that’s a lot of extra rice! The food is a bit pricey though but we thought it might be a way for them to maintain the place since there were no entrance fees.

After satisfying our hunger, we went around to see what else is out there. The place is huge! The children were running around and having fun while the rest were taking #selfies here and there. Of course, we just had to take a #selfie so we blend in.

Our last stop before going home was the Tacsiyapo wall. It is simply a wall with targets marked all over it, whether “Magnanakaw!”, “Boss/Managers/Supervisors”, “Ex-Wife”, “Professors” and all other possible causes of one’s anger. You then buy mugs, plates or even TV sets to throw against the wall, releasing your anger. Take note that it is advisable to shout “Tacsiyapo!” before throwing things to the wall for added drama. I bought 2 small plates (Php20 each) but I’m not telling which targets these plates were aimed at! :)

That pretty much summed up our Labor Day. Satisfied our hunger. Released our anger. :)

Cheers,

Our Bacolod Adventure

2014-05-25T22:54:00.001+08:00

They say you go to Bacolod to eat. That's only 60% true. Yes, the food's really, really good (we have such good memories of the things we ate..) but Bacolod has some beautiful sights as well. We visited a few and had a great time. I mean, we had to do something in between meals, right? haha!

Since the purpose of our visit was mainly to go on a food trip, we never got around to planning an itinerary for the non-food places we were going to visit. In fact, we only started Googling and using Trip Advisor (yey for Trip Advisor!) after we checked in at our cozy pension house. Thankfully, Eliel and I have pretty similar travel interests and it's not difficult for us to reach a consensus on what places we'd like to visit. I do the research on the potential places, Eliel makes sure we get there. I'm the planner, he's the navigator. We take public transportation and we get around with ease because Eliel uses Google maps like a pro. =)

So there.. In between meals, we went to the following:

1. Mambukal Hot Springs and the 7 Waterfalls

2. The Ruins

3. Silay Heritage Homes

Our first destination was the Mambukal Hot Springs. I'm not a big fan of hot springs, because I like swimming in cold water (not freezing, just cold). I find it more refreshing. However, what drew us to visit was the promise of seeing the famous 7 falls.

Eliel and I took the the bus to Mambukal.

The moment we arrived, we decided to go straight to the seven falls. There are two options. The first is to take a habal-habal to the 7th waterfall and trek going down, towards the resort. The second option is to go inside the resort and trek all the way going up and trek again going down. Because we had limited time, we opted to ride up and trek going down. It's less tiring, but I guess you can also argue that it would be less fulfilling. But we had to do what we had to do to maximize our time.

Before heading up, we took the mandatory photo beside the resort entrance and the lagoon. You can actually go kayaking there.

Disclaimer: Photos may not be shown in chronological order. hehe

Our trek to each of the falls was scenic and refreshing. I love seeing green everywhere and hearing the sound of running water. It wasn't a very hot day, which was perfect. Our guide pointed out some of the wildlife including some species of bats.

The water in some parts of the river was so still, you can see your reflection. I was reminded of that Aesop fable about the dog who barked at his reflection thinking it was another dog. Took a photo of Eliel feeling all "Mulan," asking when his reflection will show who he is inside. Feeling model!

All of the falls are connected to one river. The river drops 7 times, hence 7 falls. We arrived at the 7th waterfall first. This one had a small lagoon where you can take a dip. You can also go under the waterfall for a free massage.

During our visit, 2 of the falls were closed because of the weather conditions (I think). So we only got to see 5. Not really much of a disappointment. The trek was still as enjoyable.

Once we got back to the resort, we took a dip in their Warm Sulfur Dipping Pool. The resort is near the Kanlaon volcano and that's where all the heat comes from. We sat there and relaxed until sunset.

Mambukal resort actually has a lot more to offer. Too bad we could only stay for half a day. It's definitely worth visiting, especially for nature lovers. I recently read a very detailed blog post about Mambukal. It's worth sharing, so here it is, in case you're interested in visiting soon. :)

Probably Bacold's most popular tourist destination in the recent years, The Ruins was a must-see for us. It is not only a beautiful work of architecture, it also has a romantic history. Dubbed as the Taj Mahal of Negros, it was built during the pre-WWII era by a sugarcane baron, Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson. He dedicated it to the memory of his late Portuguese wife, who died while bearing their 11th child.

The mansion, at the time it was built, was like no other mansion in the Philippines. It was inspired by European architecture and its grandeur was incomparable. According to our tour guide (none other than the famous tour guide featured on TV), the concrete walls were said to be made with a mix of cement and egg whites. Apparently, the egg whites make the concrete look smooth and marble-like. The structure itself was made of the sturdiest materials.

Once it was completed, it became the house of Don Mariano and his children.

Unfortunately, during World War II, Don Mariano, together with the American soldiers, had to burn down the house to prevent it from being seized by the Japanese and used as their headquarters. It is said that because of the mansion's strong framework, it took three days to fully burn down the wooden parts of the house. Its concrete structure remains beautifully intact until today.

For decades it has stood there, but it was only in the recent years that the owner decided to bring it to life and make it the tourist destination that it is today. And wow. I can understand why people take photos like crazy when they're there. It lends a perfect backdrop for pictorials. You'll definitely feel like a Don or Doña. hehe

On our last day, before heading to the airport, Eliel and I visited some of the historical houses in Silay City. We found this handy map from Project 7010 online and it proved to be very useful for our little walking tour.

Before anything else though, my biggest advice to anyone planning on having an extensive tour of these ancestral houses? Do not do it on a Monday. Like most museums, most of the houses are closed from the public on Mondays.

Since Eliel and I went on a Monday, we were only able to take photos outside the houses. Our first stop was the Balay Negrense, which was of course, closed. Just as we're about to give up, we found that the Hofilena Ancestral House was open! Yey! Lucky for us, the owner was there and was quite happy to give us a tour.

The Hofileña Museum, or the Hofileña Ancestral House is the only heritage home in the area that is still inhabited. The man of the house, Mr. Ramon Hofileña is someone you would describe as loquacious. He is the perfect host because he knows everything about the house (well, he lives there!) and is a wonderful storyteller. He tells of the history behind his collection of small jars used to store tears during ancient(?) funerals, of where he acquired the smallest dolls I've ever seen (smaller than my fingernail!), and how he managed to own a vast collection of artwork and paintings from no less than the likes of Rizal, Luna and Hidalgo. He shares stories of his childhood in America, and how he was such a stud back then. He even gave a short demonstration of the old art of manual printing. We had a great time and we're really glad he was around when we dropped by! It's a house filled with wonders, and I would recommend art and history lovers to visit.

Before leaving, we bought from him a piece of tektite (which I believe are small pieces of meteorite?) because they say it brings good luck. We have yet to see if it's true. hehe

We also saw the Jalandoni Museum and the San Diego Cathedral. To complete our tour, we dropped by the Locsin y Lacson Ancestral Home which houses the El Ideal Bakery, one of the oldest bakeries in the area.

That covers pretty much our whole Bacolod non-food tour. :)

We stayed for 3 nights the Pleasant Travelers Pension House. Nice, cheap and homey. Would definitely stay there again. :)

It's been a great Valentine's/Eliel's Birthday weekend for us.

Thanks for the good times, Bacolod!

xoxo,

Our Bacolod Food Trip :)

2014-03-30T16:49:00.000+08:00

Last February, on Valentine's Day (also Eliel's birthday weekend!) Y&E flew to Bacolod to eat. Because what else do you do in Bacolod?

When people found out where we were off to, they all sent in their list of recommendations. Seriously, our biggest problem was figuring out how to schedule our meals between the 3 days we were there.haha So here's a little photo diary of where we ate in Bacolod, in no particular order.

Now I know why they call it the City of Smiles. It must be the food. Good food makes everybody happy.

(Forgive my inability to describe food well. I'm not a foodie. I just eat a lot.lol Food is either "yummy" or not. This is my weak attempt at describing the experience. If all else fails, I hope the photos do the job of convincing you to go on a Bacolod food trip.haha)

Enting's

This wasn't really part of the plan. But when we arrived on our first night, most establishments were already closed. We opted for the first open restaurant we saw. :)) The scallops were good.

Manokan Country

A must-visit when in Bacolod, Manokan country is a strip of restaurants where you can eat the famous chicken inasal. I went to Bacolod with some officemates last year and they ate practically every meal here.

E and I ate at the famous Aida's. The chicken is very tender and fresh. Unlike the chicken inasal sold in some fast food restaurants in Manila, it's soft and juicy and really, really good.

I had to sneak in an order of chorizo (my personal weakness - ask my parents. haha)

Aboy's Restaurant

The famous Aboy's! An institution in Bacolod that we just had to go and visit. Aboy's is an upscale turo-turo. You go to the food area and make turo-turo (point) at the food that you like and the waiters serve it to your table.

Aboy's serves Filipino cuisine. I wanted to order their squid fat dish (which I really liked the last time I was there) but Eliel didn't want anything to do with it.huhu We finally settled for grilled liempo (such a classic), grilled squid and Bicol express. Yum :)

Bob's

A lot of people recommended that we visit Bob's for their satays. So that's were we headed to after attending Sunday morning mass.

Their food reminds me of Reyes Barbecue. We had grilled satay in peanut sauce - chicken for E and pork for me. The sauce is sweet-ish, thick and delicious. I can easily understand why it's a favorite of locals. If I lived in Bacolod, would probably frequent this restaurant, too.

21 Restaurant

Personally, I would consider 21 my favorite out of all the restaurants we've tried. We were initially hesitant to enter because it looked so fancy and the people inside looked just as fancy. We didn't know if it was appropriate to enter wearing shorts and slippers, looking full-on yagit.

Fancy, right?

Looking through their menu was the most difficult thing because it posed a huge dilemma regarding what we were going to order. We wanted to try everything because the food was wonderfully described.

Finally, we decided on the Spare Ribs (with tobacco onions and sate rice) and Pasta Ricardo (fettuccini with chopped mussels sautéed in olive oil and garlic, topped with parmesan cheese and home grown soft shelled crab). Sounds good? Yes. Food heaven.

For dessert, we ordered the Banana Foster. Us, uncultured people did not know what it was and we were pleasantly surprised with our choice. Here's a description grabbed from Wikipedia: " a dessert made from bananas and vanilla ice cream, with a sauce made from butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, dark rum, and banana liqueur. The butter, sugar and bananas are cooked, and then the alcohol is added and ignited." Hmm. Might try this at home.

On another day, we again visited 21, but this time for merienda just so we could taste their very famous batchoy. It was extremely filling, and so full of ingredients. Eliel and I had to share a bowl. Ramen what? I like this batchoy better.

El Ideal

El Ideal is a famous pasalubong shop in Silay. We made a quick merienda detour there before going on our walking tour of the old houses.

It's great for hoarding pasalubong.

They serve home-style food. Nothing extraordinary. I kind of liked the chicken pie. Too bad the guapple pie wasn't available. That was something I was curious to try.

Felicia's

We visited Felicias for their famous ensaymadas but were pleasantly surprised with their other offerings. The place is a dessert heaven. They say that the chocolate cake is good, but I'm not much of a chocolate cake eater. haha

We ordered their sans rival, ensaymada (of course!) and beef salpicao (because we need some salty in between the sweets! hahaha).

The ensaymada was good, but we found it to be too expensive for its size.

Calea

Everyone has been raving about this pastry shop. It's always Instagrammed because their displays are so overwhelming. As soon as you enter the Calea, you are faced with dozens of beautiful cakes. It's the worst place to go when you're on a diet.

We dropped by the main branch during our first night, but they were already about to close. We got another chance to visit Calea when we made a quick detour to Ayala The District. The main store is prettier, but the cakes are the same and we thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon coffee and dessert there. Unfortunately, we were too excited to eat, therefore, we weren't able to take any photos or our orders. Hehe

Pendy's

This is another great place to go pasalubong shopping. Though they also serve meals, we went there specifically to buy their napoleones to bring back to Manila.

Merci

During our last hour in Bacolod, as we were commuting on the way to the airport, we saw a long line of people and a sign that said "Get your hot piyaya here." As a huge fan of piyaya (I think I ate it everyday during high school recess periods.haha) I dragged Eliel along so that we could get some. It was fun watching kuya and ate cooking piyaya. There are two variants - original and ube.

The long wait was totally worth it. Hot piyaya is the best. The filling nearly burnt my tongue because I was too impatient.hihi Look at all that syrup oozing out of the shell. Yummmm. Must remember to try popping piyaya into the oven toaster the next time I buy from the supermarket. ;)

And that caps off our Valentine's Day series of dates. :))

Any other places we missed?

xoxo,