Travel Blog

Bohol Part 4: Countryside Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 23:36:00 +0000

The Part of of Bohol Countryside Tour is posted on my new blog, Swexie.me

Bohol Part 3: Panglao Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 04:53:00 +0000

I earlier shared that we stayed in Dumaluan Beach Resort, Panglao Island, Bohol. I was excited for our Panglao and Countryside Tour. I really did not know where our tour guide would take us that day but I earlier requested that breakfast should be at Bee Farm.

Welcome to Bohol Bee Farm!

I was really excited to taste their "gumamela salad" as what people i know calls it.

Bohol Bee Farm indoor pool

Views from Bohol Bee Farm's Buzz Cafe:

Bohol Bee Farm's Fresh Garden Salad
So, it's not just gumamela...

Next stop: Paying a visit to Bayoyoy

Bayoyoy, as of our visit, is already 64 years old. He is the smallest man in all of Bohol. Bayoyoy can't see nor talk but he is fortunate that he has a supportive family who never fails to take care of him. He's actually like a small child who could only eat cereal, oatmeal and milk. Visiting Bayoyoy is free, but the visitors' donations would really be a great help for him and his family.

Next stop: Dauis Church

The church of Dauis in Panglao is the home of the miraculous water. At the foot of the church's alter is where Mama Mary's Well may be found. This well is regarded as miraculous by the Panglao residents and is also known for its healing power. Also, the water that comes from this well is naturally fresh and potable despite its proximity to the sea. We were told that it was free to take water from this well, but that was before. Now, modernity has set in so you can now get your miracle water in bottles. The church does not charge a fee for the water, but of course, you still have to ~~pay~~ donate a minimal amount for its bottling.

Later that evening, we also went to Alona Beach. Boholanos say that Alona is like Boracay. I've never been to Boracay so I didn't quite know what to expect. When we reached Alona Beach, there were a lot of people, it wasn't really crowded but there were a lot of people. Boholanos say that Alona Beach is where the "fun" is. I was actually surprised about this place because I've imagined that Bohol is a very conservative place. In Alona Beach, there are mini bars and loud music

The next part of this series will be about our Countryside Tour. Stay tuned! =)

My love for Dahican

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 02:26:00 +0000

Dahican, Mati City, Davao Oriental

I love this place! I grew up spending my summer time in Mati and a visit at Dahican is always the highlight of my summer vacation. I didn't know how to swim, then, and I was always afraid of the huge waves. I stayed on the shore, got sand on every inch of my body, including my scalp!

As I became a teen, trips to Dahican were less frequent as we got busy with school. Between college, work, and law school, I could barely visit Dahican and I guess the only time I went to visit the place was on December 2008.

The past few years, skim boarding was getting popular as a sport. I immediately thought about Dahican's potential for skim boarders and surfers as the place is thrived with waves all year round. Plus, I have never really seen Dahican lose its water even on low tide...

I used to want skim boarding and surfing until I abandoned that "want" because I thought that I could never ever be able to do it. Not until my recent Dahican trip last October 30 to 31 that my skim boarding and surfing fantasies were brought back to life.

Skimboarding is not as easy as you see it. I incurred a lot of scratches on my knees and shins.

Thank you for the two consecutive long weekends, I was able to go back to Mati on November 5 to 6 to attend my cousin's birthday party and of course, do a quick visit to Dahican. This time, I was able to try my luck at surfing and I was surprised that I was able to stand on the surfboard at my first try! Yehey!

I wonder if I can still go back next weekend?

Anyway, here are the expenses for the Mati Trip:

Davao-Mati Van Fare: P220 (aircon, estimated 3-hour travel)
Davao-Mati Bus Fare: P272 (aircon, estimated 5-hour travel)
We spent P81 for gasoline from Mati Poblacion to Amihan, Dahican, two trips, using a motorcycle
Pedicab ride is available at around P70 one way from Mati Poblacion to Amihan, Dahican

By the way, the Seaside Restaurant in Mati serves the best fried lumpia at P7.00 per piece.

Bohol Part 2: Panglao!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:16:00 +0000

I admit that Panglao, for me, is one of the most beautiful places I've been to. Last 2005, when I passed the CPA Board Examination, I was gifted with a trip to Bohol and I fell in love with Panglao Island. I said that I would really go back to Panglao.

From the Port of Tagbilaran, we hired a tricycle that would take us to the jeepney terminal going to Panglao. The fare was only P30.00 for us both. The jeepney fare is P20.00 from Tagbilaran to Dumaluan Beach Resort. Bohol's jeepneys have something unique. I experienced "jeepney extensions" when I was still very young but it has already been banned here in Davao City a long time ago. Can you imagine Bohol's jeepney extension that I'm talking about? Here it is:

Sitting on a stool

Some parts of the road going to Panglao are already concrete and some roads are already under construction. Just be sure that you're ready with your handkerchief if you'll be riding the jeepney (or any open vehicle) because the way could get very dusty. We alighted around 50 meters away from the resort entrance. We could have just walked but there were a few motorcycle drivers offering their services so we boarded one at a fee of P10 per person. The motorcycle driver gave us his cellphone number and also told us that if we wanted to go to Alona Beach, we could just text him. He quoted us a fare of P50 per person, one way. Wait for my Alona Beach post on Part 3. =)

When we were at the Dumaluan Beach Resort, we were greeted by their very accommodating receptionist and even allowed us to check in early. Check the photos of the resort below.

Standard Room P1,300 (approx. $30) per night
Good for 2 persons

The room was large, with a cabinet, dresser, and mirror. I was also glad that it had more than one socket so that we could charge our cellphones and camera simultaneously. The room was also equipped with an airconditioner, toilet and bath sans the hot shower (all the other rooms, except the standard room, have solar-powered water heaters).

Below are the photos we took at the resort:

Waiting for our lunch.
See photos here.

Unfortunately, our underwater camera broke down after the last pic above. We took shots for our day 2 using our phone camera. More stories and photos on the next part of the Bohol Series.

BOHOL PART 1: Going to Bohol

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 04:41:00 +0000

This is the first part of a series of posts about my Bohol Trip.

Starting point: Cebu City
Destination: Tagbilaran, Bohol

We came early (around 8am) to the Port of Cebu to catch whatever boat is travelling to Tagbilaran. Lucky there was a schedule at 9am via Weesam Express and will arrive in Tagbilaran at approximately 10:40am. The ticket costs P500.00 per person. After getting our tickets, we proceeded to the terminal, paid our terminal fees, "checked in", and waited for boarding. Sounds like flying, huh?

Is it just me? Or this really looks like a CebPac for the sea?

Other trips from Cebu to Tagbilaran are offered by Ocean Jet, Supercat, and other shipping lines. If you want to travel with ease, you might want to know the schedule of your preferred shipping line. When we went to the Port of Cebu, we had no actual shipping preference: we just wanted to go to Bohol with what's available and Weesam was right there fit on our schedule. If you're looking to Cebu-Tagbilaran trips, there is a schedule posted here.

The trip takes one hour and 40 minutes in a Fast Craft. I've been to Bohol before but it was via Cebu Ferries, Nasipit-Jagna route and it took us 6 hours. This time, the trip would be faster and it was my first time to ride a Fast Craft so I really did not know what to expect. It did not help that a week before our trip, there was a storm and some of the previous week's trips have been cancelled due to bad weather and huge waves.

Generally, our cruise was peaceful and I actually had a great time sleeping for almost an hour. However, around thirty minutes before our scheduled arrival, huge waves were rocking the boat. I wasn't really afraid at first but when I saw my window getting splashed with seawater, I got terrified! Hahaha! I could laugh at myself now but during that time, I was really scared and praying that we could arrive at Tagbilaran safely. I think I was the only scared passenger that time because most of the passengers were not really affected with the waves. I took photos of the "turbulence" as shown below:

Gladly, we arrived in the Tagbilaran Port safely.

By the way, if have not yet booked a hotel beforehand, the Port of Tagbilaran has an Information Booth which is really very helpful. A tourist was even given a map when she asked for it. There are also a lot of information on the tourist destinations and even package deals for guided tours. Also, vans are parked outside and ready to transport tourists to their selected destinations. As for us, we wanted to travel the Boholano way: we boarded a tricycle that would take us to the jeepney terminal for Panglao. But that's for another post. Stay tuned.

Cebu Jam

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 05:53:00 +0000

My first time in Cebu! My stay was a short one - less than 24 hours. Our main goal was to go to Bohol and since there are no direct flights from Davao to Bohol, we decided to stay in Cebu overnight.

Cebu is the oldest city in the Philippines. I was not able to roam that much but I noticed how their streets could get so tight with cars and public transportation. Traffic is heavy specially on Friday night (and because we're that lucky, we went there on a Friday night). To make things more complicated, it wasn't just an ordinary Friday night, it was also a payday so it is expected that a lot of Cebuanos would be going out for shopping and leisure. I also noticed that Cebu's streets are narrow, and I blame it for lack of urban planning. But I don't think urban planning is a thing of the past. Cebu, after all, is a very old city.

My Cebu experience is good. There are rumors about Cebu being a haven of snatchers and some of our friends warned us beforehand to be extra careful and vigilant. Fortunately for us, we did not experience anything terrible or troublesome. One thing that's difficult to decipher, though, is their jeepney route. I had a hard time looking for the correct jeepney to ride on because their routes are coded alphanumerically: like, 17C, 12A, etc. I think it's hard to memorize those codes! Lol!

The photo above was taken at around 7am in Mango St., Cebu. The street is almost empty - completely opposite from the traffic jam the night before. By the way, I think there is a nice souvenir store in Mango St. but I was not able to get its name.

Should I go back? I think I would. I loved the IT Park, the Death by Chocolate, Ilaputi. I know there are more places worth visiting in Cebu. Maybe next time I can also visit Magellan's Cross and other tourist attractions Cebu has to offer.

Club Asiano Resort

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 23:51:00 +0000

sunset at Club Asiano Resort
photo by SSantos

Model: CZamora

OHANA
2 bedrooms
2 living rooms
with comfort room, jacuzzi, kitchen,
terrace, and veranda

Ohana's Interior:

rooms upstairs

view from the living room no. 1 upstairs

room no. 1

terrace

room no. 2

going up/down?

kitchen/dining area

living room downstairs

t/b with jacuzzi

DUPLEX

Duplex Cottage Interior:

Other Accommodations:

Small Cottage Interior

Open Cottage

Seashore Cottage

Seashore Cottage Interior and Views:

These days, it's hard to find some private time in resorts because it would almost always be crowded. There are a handful of private resorts in Samal but you know that you should also be ready for their steep prices. It's good to know that there is one alternative resort that could offer your some private time without breaking the bank - that's Club Asiano Resort located in Camudmud, Island Garden City of Samal.

A friend, Don M., recommended this resort for our high school reunion. I must say that it exceeded my expectations. The resort is small but it has everything that you need: ample and secured parking space, comfortable and clean accommodations, cooking and grilling area, function hall, and it even has a private videoke room. We Filipinos love to sing! I like it that the videoke room is private so you can still sing without waking up other resort guests. Hehehe!

At Club Asiano, you don't need to worry about overcrowding. It's semi-private (or you can have it exclusive!) and you need to make your reservation first so it's guaranteed that you will be accommodated properly (no waiting time for other guests to check out before you get your own cottage, how's that for a treat?). The place is simple and peaceful so if you want some downtime and just want to relax, Club Asiano is the best place for it!

Another plus: a part of the beach is shaded. Thanks to the big tree along the shore. The beach is also perfect for little kids as there are no waves in this area (Camudmud faces Davao City). By the way, the resort is just around 7 kilometers away from the Babak Wharf. It is best to bring a 4-wheel drive vehicle when going there as the road going to the resort is downhill and rough. Although there is a cemented portion, you might not be able to track it if you'll be going there for the first time. The place is also accessible via habal-habal so don't worry. And, it's not that far from the main Circumferential road, it wouldn't hurt to exercise your gluteal muscles and hamstrings for a 5-minute walk.

We were housed in the Ohana Cottage (Php 7,000 or around $150), the biggest in the resort. The structure is mainly wood but I really find it beautifully crafted (I wonder who their architect is?). Twenty-two (22) people were there for our reunion and although there were only two bedrooms, Club Asiano was ready for the bigger crowd. There were extra mattresses and we utilized the spacious common room upstairs.

I must say that Club Asiano is perfect if you want to host exclusive parties. Rates as of 10/15/2011 are as follows:

Ohana Cottage (1): P7,000

Duplex Cottage (2): P2,500

Small Cottage (1): P1,500

Seashore Cottage (1): P1,000

For a more complete information about the resort, please visit them at http://clubasianoresort.blogspot.com/

Travel Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 09:00:00 +0000

After finishing my already scheduled Cebu trip this end of the month, there are a few other places that I want to go to before the year ends. And, with the current commitment to tour Mindanao first, there are three places that I want to visit, as follows:

Mati, Davao Oriental. I've been to Mati countless times before but I want to visit at least one more time before 2012. It's good to visit my grandparents and other relatives there. Also, this coming November, waves in Dahican would be surf-worthy so I might check that out.
Surigao (and maybe Siargao). I have had an interest in surfing before but it has waned already. But I did not totally lost the interest. I still want to go to Siargao and take surfing shots. Surigao's Tinuy-an Falls and the Enchanted River are creating much buzz these days. I want to go there too!
Glan. I've been as far as Batulaki but did not have enough photos to prove that. There was no such thing as digital camera that time and underwater cameras were expensive and scarce. Now, Glan has a lot of resorts already and I've heard the roads have been improved and cemented. I want to go to the place they call as "Little Boracay." There is also a place called "Gumasa" and I've seen a lot of beautiful beach photos which are so inviting!

Good luck to these travel plans!

Tagaytay (the second time around)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 07:34:00 +0000

After visiting the Ilog Maria Bee Farm, we proceeded to Tagaytay. I've been to Tagaytay before but this is the first time that I would go to People's Park in the Sky. I was actually curious about this place because the name "People's Park" is controversial here in Davao. If you want to know the story, here's the short version: A new park was being built in Davao and there was a contest about how Davaoeños should name the park. The winning entry was "People's Park". A few days later, controversies sparked around the city questioning on why the name "People's Park" won in the contest. Despite the controversy and the name being soooo not unique, the park is still named People's Park until today.

Anyway, People's Park in the Sky is located in the windy Tagaytay. If you plan to go there and commute, it is best to go to their Jeepney terminal in Olivares, Tagaytay. You can find jeepneys there going to People's Park in the Sky at a fee of P17.00 per person.

Below are the shots we've taken from People's Park in the Sky, Tagaytay.

Walking uphill

Are you ready for this challeng?

Would I recommend going there? It depends.

I like Tagaytay, the cool wind despite the hot sun really amazes me. If you're fit and able to walk up on hills then you can go to Tagaytay and enjoy the view. But, it you're having thoughts on muscle strain, varicose veins, arthritis, rheumatism, and other body pains, then skin People's Park in the Sky. I recommend going to the various restaurants with good views of the Taal Lake and Taal Volcano.

Ilog Maria at Silang, Cavite

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 07:00:00 +0000

Hello CAVITE!

I've read about Ilog Maria Farm a few years ago and it was just recently when I was able to browse their website. My curiosity grew when I found Ilog Maria products on the shelf of our local HB1 store in NCCC Mall. I did not buy any of the Ilog Maria Product and restrained myself because I want to be able to visit their farm first.

Ilog Maria Farm is located in Silang, Cavite. I was in Manila the past weekend and going to Silang, Cavite was on my itinerary. To get there, we boarded a bus going to Tagaytay and paid around P70.00. We asked the bus conductor to drop us at Ilog Maria.

When we alighted from the bus, we discovered that there were only very few tricycles in the vicinity. We should have alighted near their downtown area or terminal. I was with four other companions so we just decided to walk 700meters going to Ilog Maria Farm. The weather that day was cloudy so it was just okay to hike.

The road going to Ilog Maria Farm

The road had some narrow parts and there were private vehicles coming in and going out. When we finally arrived at Ilog Maria, the place had many visitors. Cars were parked outside. Some of our photos are posted below:

Geese freely roaming around their farm

Curious about resin, propolis, and all other new bee-terms

Just playing around with my sister

You may visit their Bee Museum if you have pre-booked at least 30 guests.

That's actually the comfort room at the background.
They have the best "outdoor" comfort room that I've ever seen!

Some stuffs to buy. Honey Shampoo, Virgin Honey, etc.

Here reading and discussing about what bee propolis and bee pollen are

Now it's time to walk again.... =)

I was a High Dessert baby. If you don't know what that is, I'm sorry I can't tell you more. My dad used to sell High Dessert products when I was still very small. High Dessert products are also based on honey so basically, I'm not new being "honeyfied".

If I am given another chance to visit Cavite, I would definitely go back to Ilog Maria and purchase a lot of stuffs there. =)

Maxima Aqua Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 07:41:00 +0000

Located in Island Garden City of Samal, Maxima Aquafun tagged itself as "Home of the Abyss."

I've been meaning to post this soon after we went to Maxima but I don't know what got into me. This never really made the cut until, uhmmm, nine months later! Haha! It's already September 2011 and we went to Maxima last December 2010.

Anyway, the photos below would sum up what you can do at Maxima:

SNORKELING
Find some Nemos and Dorys.
But be careful!
Some fishes are territorial - they bite!

DIVING
This one does not have the gears on him.
Proper diving gears are available.
This guy was just watching the giant clam up close.

GIANT WATER SLIDE
If you are brave enough, you can try this!
Don't leave Maxima without trying this!

KAYAKING
This one is fun when done with friends.

BUBBLE gum?
This one is really fun!

Other features in the Maxima Resort are Canopy Walk, Banana Boat Ride, and Jet Ski. Remember that when you are in Maxima, you are not allowed to remove your life vest, for security purposes. For a complete list of their services, facilities and rates, please visit their website here.

Note: Maxima Aqua Fun and Maxima Beach House are different. I believe that they are run by the same company but they have different locations and different facilities. This post is about the Maxima Aqua Fun. Visit http://psdgroupph.com/ for other information.

Magandang Gensan!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:33:00 +0000

I have been to General Santos City already but this is my first 3D/2N stay at the beautiful GenSan. I almost always mix business with pleasure so, even if I was on official business to attend a PICPA Seminar, I also met up with one of my closest friends, Ross.

Malls in Mindanao, generally, close early at around 8pm. Luckily, there are still a lot of places where you can hang out even after mall hours. Our place of choice: Coffee Club 101 located just outside Robinson's Mall. I know there is another Coffee Club 101 branch in GenSan but unfortunately, I did not get it's street address.

A bottle of beer for me and Tuna Panini

Inside Coffee Club 101, Robinson's Branch

Since I will be staying for a couple of nights, I booked at Phela Grande Hotel, thinking that Phela Grande Hotel is just located at the same place where the Phela Granda Convention Center is. However, as soon as I stepped inside the tricycle and told the driver to go to Phela, the driver asked me whether I was referring to the Phela Hotel or the Phela Convention Center. OH MY GOSH!!! I was not prepared for it! I soon found out that Phela Grande Hotel is just around the downtown area while Phela Grande Convention Center is located a little off-city. Anyhow, Phela Grande Hotel's rates are reasonable enough and the service is also very good so I decided to stay there even if I had to pay P20 for the tricycle fare in going to the convention center.

At the Hotel Lobby

Hotel Rates

Phela Grande Hotel Rates start as low as P854 for a single room. If you have an additional guest and ask for an extra bed, you pay additional P500. It's really amazing that the additional guest also has free breakfast in the morning. It's not the same with other hotels where extra persons need to pay additional fees (aside from the extra bed fee) to have their breakfast.

The hotel was fully booked when I first checked in and I could not upgrade my single room for that night. Too bad I was not able to get a photo of the room. It cost me P956 and I wondered why they have different rates for their single rooms depending on which wing it was. My room had an appropriately-sized single bed, tv, hot and cold shower, and what excited me most was the LAN connection. There was no WIFI but there was a LAN cable. Yehey! One thing that I have noticed, though, is that the single room had only one power socket. It was a good thing that I brought my cellphone USB cable so that I could charge both my laptop and cellphone simultaneously.

For the second night, we've upgraded to the twin deluxe room located at the building's different wing. Also, wing A is not accessible by elevator. Phela's Wing B has an elevator. It's a little confusing on how Wings A and B are connected. We had a difficult time trying to figure out how to reach Second Floor A via the elevator. Long story!

Just woke up. =)

Tempt me NOT!!!

UP TO THE CEILING

DOWN TO THE FLOOR
I love wood tiles! Oh, you can see my bag there. =p

The twin deluxe room has bigger space. I think it's thrice the size of the single room. You can do tumbling shots here, really! It has a bath tub and mini bar. Plus, you have more power sockets! =) But, there is no internet connection in this part of the building. No WIFI, and no LAN cable. Telecommunication signal strength is strong so you can use your internet kit if you have one.

Generally, our stay at Phela Grande Hotel is a breeze, stress-free, and I will definitely recommend this hotel. Special thanks to one of the hotel staff, Faith, for being very very helpful and accommodating. And yes, Faith is a guy. When you're in Phela, you can ask him why his mom named him Faith. Hehe!

General Santos is a city in bloom. I've seen how much it has changed over the years. If you visit them now, you can readily see their progress. By the way, an SM Mall is currently under construction. Before, people from Mindanao would go to Davao being the center city sometime ago. Now, there is Cagayan de Oro in the North and General Santos City further down South.

Do you have any beautiful experiences in GenSan?

Our very own Abreeza

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 03:56:00 +0000

My sister looks so happy! =D

Roads lined with bamboo trees

That portion with the white roofing is the food court

Strolling inside the mall

The Kadayawan vibe is in the air!

It was Gracie's first time to visit Abreeza Mall of Davao and she was super excited! Her main goal for this day is to buy alkansya (piggy bank) and not just another piggy bank but one with a lock and keys.

At first, she was excited to roam around the new mall and even played in the railings located at the open-air food court. When we were already looking for the alkanysa in Saizen (located inside Robinson's Department Store), she got mad because they didn't have the alkansya that met her meticulous requirements. I saw a can-shaped coin bank there and I really liked it but Gracie was already frowning and complaining and demanded we go to another mall to look for her alkansya. So, off we go.

I'm sure Gracie enjoyed her Abreeza experience, even giddily saying, "Kagwapo diri oi!" (It's very beautiful here!). If not for the alkansya, we would have stayed in Abreeza longer. Haha!

General Santos City

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 09:49:00 +0000

View Larger Map

This coming August 25, 2011, the Certified Public Accountants from Mindanao will meet in General Santos City for the ACPAMIN Convention to be held at Phela Grande Convention Center. I looked it up in google and was pleased to see that Phela Grande is not just a convention center ~~but has a hotel as well and it would mean that the delegates for the ACPAMIN Convention would have a sure place to stay in General Santos City.~~ To go to the website of Phela Grande Hotel, just click http://www.phelagrandehotel.com/.

You can also make an online reservation at their website. The rates go as low as P854 for a single room to P2,196 for suite accommodation. Published rates in their website already includes E-VAT and service charge.

The location of Phela Grande ~~Hotel and~~ Convention Center is a little off and away from the city proper but it's actually accessible for the people who will be going their by bus because as I have seen from the map, it is near Bulaong terminal. But it is just located along the National Highway so it is still accessible.

Important update: Phela Grande Hotel's location is DIFFERENT from that of the Phela Grande Convention Center. The hotel is located at Ramon Magsaysay Street (landmark: Jollibee in Pioneer St.) while the Convention center is at the National Highway.

General Santos City

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 13:25:00 +0000

I've been to General Santos City countless times already and I'll be going back on the last week of August to attend to an event hosted by PICPA. I wonder how GenSan has changed since the Air Supply Concert? Wow, I can't believe that I went there on a monthly basis for two long years (2006 to 2008).

The event that I will be attending will be running for three days and because of that, I need a good hotel to stay in. I prefer affordable but decent accommodation and I'm sure GenSan has a lot of that. From the past PICPA Conventions I've attended, I always stayed with a group. This time, I'm not so sure if somebody would accompany me. But I'm okay going there alone because I'm already familiar with General Santos City.

Oh wait, the last time I went to Gensan for the Air Supply Concert last October 2009, I had a photo taken with the Philippine Boxing Champ's lovely wife, Jinkee! Hahaha!

Calgary, Alberta

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 14:59:00 +0000

No, I haven't been to Calgary, Alberta but I've had quite a tour of Calgary Apartments before. How did it become possible? Simple: the internet. Yes, there is that part where a friend "shows and tells" the parts of his house while you're chatting courtesy of yahoo messenger. I can safely say I've been to Calgary, and other places outside my country, through vicarious experiences. I've recently had a tour at Hong Kong airport and a tour of Novotel in Africa. I have not been travelling lately but I will resume my travel tales soon. I have some local travels lined up on September to November.

I remember a friend living in his two-bedroom apartment in downtown Calgary. He used to complain of its upkeep because he lives alone and he had a big apartment to maintain. (In Canada, or maybe in some other parts of the globe, and specially in the United States, once you've already reached the legal age, you're out on your own. It's very different from where I came from.) Now that my friend is getting married, I think his two-bedroom pad is perfect in starting a family!

Jardine, if by any remote chance, you'd read about this, congratulations on your engagement!

Surigao

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 04:52:00 +0000

I'm sure I made a post about this but I don't know where I posted it. I've been to Surigao ~~fifty~~ four years ago and it's already a fading memory.

I remember going there on official business. I was to accompany my dad as he was hired as an election lawyer for candidates in Lingig, Surigao del (Sur?). I remember not being able to make it for the first and second bus trips as there were many passengers who were going home to their provinces to vote. Instead of boarding a Surigao bus, we instead decided to board a bus bound for Butuan City and the client will fetch us from there.

If I were to share my experience in Surigao, I will definitely say that they have the BEST seafood, so far... I don't torture animals but I experienced eating what they call as "jumping salad." If you don't know what jumping salad is, well, it's live shrimps, still crawling and moving, and you have to cut its head off and take the flesh from its shell, put some seasonings, and then to your mouth it goes! It was the weirdest thing that I've done in my life. I couldn't imagine myself doing it again. It tasted delicious, though, sweet and delicious. But I just can't take the fact that I would manually kill the shrimp by taking its head off with my bare hands!!!

I will try to look for my photos during my Surigao travel and will update this blog once I've found those photos. =)

Camiguin

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:00:00 +0000

May 11, 2011. From the Balingoan Terminal, we walked about 200m to the Balingoan Wharf and boarded the ferry going to Camiguin. The ferry travel is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

When we arrived at the Port of Benoni and were greeted with several multicab and motorcycle drivers until we were able to choose Manong Rey and his motorcycle to take us to Paras Beach Resort in exchange of P200.00.

Camiguin is hot. The Port of Benoni as approximately 21 kilometers (or more!) from Paras Beach Resort. I was amazed of how the roads of Camiguin are all cemented and well taken care of. Some minimal erosion and are being attended to by the people (city employees, probably). Almost all places, tourist destinations and spots are readily accessible because of their cemented roads.

Paras Beach Resort is one of the medium-to-high-priced resorts in Camiguin. But their prices are reasonable considering the quality service and facilities of their resort. It's also very convenient because you can pay through debit and credit cards. Banks and automatic teller machines are far from the resorts area.

Any Camiguin trip would not be complete without visiting the White Island. So, White Island is on top our list. After waking up on May 12, 2011, we hurriedly prepared to go to White Island. Paras Beach Resort charges P450.00 for a round trip boat use to and from the White Island. Their boat could accommodate up to 8 persons. There is an entrance fee of P20.00 per person in White Island. It's really mysterious how this white island came to be. The Camiguin Island is about 95% black sand and just a few meters away, there is this island with just plain white sand. Nothing but plain white sand.

I was amazed by it but did not really enjoy my White Island trip that much because it was soooo hot! There are no trees there, you can rent umbrellas, though. Also, there are a few stalls selling seafood (sea urchin) and snacks so don't worry if you feel hungry. Also, there wasn't much to see in the sea except rocks and small fishes. What I enjoyed in this trip was that the White Island is picture perfect!

When we got back to Paras, we decided to tour Camiguin Island. We hired a motorcycle for P700.00 to take us around the island.

We first went to the Walkway to the Old Volcano. We decided to climb up the 1.5 kilometer trail and taking breaks in between the Stations of the Cross. The last Station (Station 15) is where you can see the statue of the risen Christ. The trail is not that steep but since I am currently living a sedentary lifestyle, I found myself catching my breath on the 7th station. Halfway, the trail is cemented and you just need to have enough energy to climb up the stairs. There is a really great view of the sunken cemetery from the mountain.

After sweating out profusely, we went to the Sunken Cemetery. On our way, we say ruins from old structures which were damaged by the eruption in 1870's. Also, the sunken cemetery sunk because of such volcanic activity. I forgot how much it cost to hire a banka to get to the large cross. Anyway, the price is really affordable and the people really really friendly.

Next Stop: Cold Springs. We went to two cold springs: Soda Water Cold Spring and Sto. Niño Cold Spring. And when they said cold spring, they weren't joking!!! Soda Water was friendlier of the two cold springs. The water is cold but tolerable. I just figured out that I (or anybody else) am not bouyant in cold water! Hahaha! I was amazed at how clear the water is! See for yourself.... At the center of the pool you can see where the water is coming from. The entrance fee is just P20.00 per person.

At Sto. Niño Cold Spring Resort, the water is really really very very cold. Hahaha! It was tolerable but I was really chilling! The entrance fee in Sto. Niño Cold Spring Resort is also just P20.00. Too bad I didn't remember how much it cost for their cottages but I assure you that it is really affordable.

It was almost 3:00 P. M. when we left the cold springs for another set of adventure. I was debating with our driver, Manong Rey, on where to take us next. Since we only have one day to tour Camiguin as we will be going back to Cagayan the following day, I insisted that Manong Rey take us to the Ardent Hot Spring and then maybe also take a peek at the water falls. But we were informed that the way to the hot springs and water falls is not very ideal as it tends to get dark late in the afternoon. And the entrance to the water falls is allowed only until 4:00 PM. However, Manong Rey made a bargain to take us instead to Cantaan.

I didn't know what to expect about Cantaan except that I was a little disappointed that we won't be going to the hot spring and water falls. But we were on vacation so I just told myself that being surly won't do me any good.

And Manong Rey just gave me the shock of my life. I think Cantaan is the only place in Camiguin Island (except the white island and Mantigue Island) which has white sand. In Cantaan Centennial Multi-Purpose Cooperative, they preserve various species of clams. They have a laboratory where you can see giant clams and baby clams. Children (with ages of about 12 to 16) were the ones giving us a tour. It's nice because even the children in their community are involved in the preservation of clams.

I can say that this visit in Cantaan is the highlight in our Camiguin tour. Snorkeling is not really among my favorite things but my mind changed because in Cantaan, you don't just see fishes, you can see a lot of clams, of various sizes and colors and I was really in awe seeing a lot of clams! We were informed that the preservation area houses about 2,700 clams, and counting.

We went back to the resort very tired but also very happy. But before we actually went back to Paras, Manong Rey took us to this place in Cantaan Yacht Inn Restobar and Guesthouse. The accommodation ranges from P300 for electric fan rooms to as high as P1,500 for airconditioned rooms. There is this air conditioned room with a very good view of Camiguin. Had I known of this resort, I should've stayed here.

May 13, 2011. We woke up and surprised to see a breakfast buffet in the Paras Restaurant. The breakfast buffet is cheaper at P250.00 per person, including taxes. However, breakfast buffet is only available if the resort has a lot of checked in guests. Our last morning stay in Camiguin was spent on billiards (in house games are free in Paras Beach Resort, you can also try table tennis) and then a quick swim at their pool.

Before finally going to the port, we stopped by at the original VjAndep Bakery to buy some much-loved and always-requested Pastel, or yema-filled buns. They are really delicious! But watch out if you're diabetic!

So, finally, we went to the port, still with Manong Rey. The ticketing office is a little far (about 50 to 100 meters) away from the terminal area but Manong Rey was kind enough to purchase the tickets.

That was my Camiguin experience.

Cagayan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 May 2011 06:59:00 +0000

A Davaoeño is a little jealous about Cagayan and asked why the Court of Appeals Mindanao Station is located in Cagayan de Oro City and not in Davao? I couldn't give a good answer for that question but I certainly do not have any fuss about it.

I was in Cagayan de Oro City last May 10, 2011. We had the last Cebu Pacifific Air flight from Davao to Cagayan. The plane (CEB’s 72-seater ATR aircraft) was small and it was nerve-wracking to be flying amidst heavy rains but we landed safely in Cagayan de Oro's Lumbia Airport.

It was already past 7:00 P.M. when we arrived at their airport. It was still raining but thanks to Cebu Pacific's great services, each of the passengers were lent an umbrella to protect us from downpour as we walk from the plane towards the airport.

The Lumbia Airport is small but clean. I appreciate the benches where recently-arrived passengers can sit and relax while waiting for their checked-in baggage. However, my first disappointment arrived in the form of taxi drivers not wanting to give us a ride unless we hire them through "pakyaw" and they refuse to use their meters. What are metered taxis for when taxi drivers refuse to use their meters? They were insistent and even the security guard told us that taxis are really like that in Cagayan. We were left with no choice.

Next stop: Marigold Hotel. We browsed the internet to look for decent but affordable hotels in CDO and found about The Marigold Hotel located in Velez St. The Marigold Hotel seems like in the same building as Land Bank so it's convenient. However, we were not able to make reservations earlier and when we got there, the place was fully booked. But the receptionist was so kind to refer us to another neighboring hotel, Philtown, and even lent us their telephone so that we could inquire for available rooms.

We just walked from Marigold to Philtown Hotel and got acquainted with the community. Philtown is near Bukidnon State University, Caltex, Tapsi Time, and another hotel just across it. Philtown is really affordable with exceptional amenities for their price. The rooms were clean and good for 3 persons. The staff were very accommodating too. Philtown's restaurant is a little pricey but there is a good restaurant outside (Tapsi Time) that offers sumptuous dishes at student prices. Later, we learned that there are A LOT of great restaurants at the street next to Philtown.

I woke up the following morning and got ready for the day's event. May 11, 2011, it will be my first time to file an Appeal with the Court of Appeals. It's fortunate that Philtown is just in Velez St., and it connects to Julio Pacana St. where the Court of Appeals is located. We boarded a jeepney and in less than 10 minutes, we were already at the Court of Appeals.

Fast forward: After Court of Appeals, we went back to the hotel to fix and arrange our things for the next adventure: CAMIGUIN!

Fast fast forward: After Camiguin.

May 13, 2011. We arrived in Cagayan at almost dusk and we wanted to explore the city more. We were back at Philtown hotel and the receptionist told us that there will be a "night market" in the City's "Divisoria". By night market, she means ukay-ukay. The night market would start at around 8:00 P. M. until 2:00 A. M. We decided to check the city's malls first before going to the night market.

We boarded the local transportation known as rela: it's a tricycle and I failed to inquire why they call it rela. Unfortunately, there was heavy rain and since the rela is not allowed to enter the street going to Robinson, we were left at the sidewalk to take shelter. When we finally had the courage to get wet from the rain, we mustered to run and run until we reached Robinson's Mall.

It's funny 'cause Robinson's and Lim Ket Kai Mall are connected, just like Glorietta in Manila. I found a familiar restaurant, Mandarin Tea Garden, which started here in Davao before they branched out to other places. I like Lim Ket Kai Mall more than Robinson's.

Night Market. So, this is night market! Their Divisoria is far from Manila's Divisoria. Here in CDO, the alleys are wider. There are a lot of people even though it's still drizzling when we got there. I ended up buying 2 blazers and 2 blouses from the night market.

May 14, 2011. Our flight is scheduled later that afternoon and we wanted to explore some more before going home. We decided to just walk around until we reached the Provincial Capitol. We also dropped by Buffalo Grill and Restaurant and we wanted to have our breakfast there but the restaurant was closed for an exclusive function. We walked some more until we reached the venue for last night's night market. When we already felt the need to rest our tired feet, we were sandwiched by the all-time competitors, Jollibee and McDonalds. We chose McDonalds for that day. After breakfast, we walked some more to this little cinnamon bakery just across McDonalds. And a little more in until we reached Hayes St. where Butcher's Best Barbeque is located. Since Butcher's Best won't open til 11:00 A. M., we were constrained to go back to the hotel. But before that, I discovered this little store in Hayes St., just across Butcher's Best, selling authentic and branded items for lesser price. I ended up buying my mom a Nine West bag (which, by the way, made me her instant favorite child when I gave it to her). =)

There was only one more thing to do before going home: have lunch at Butcher's Best. And so we did! We left with full and satisfied stomachs without breaking the bank. Butcher's Best offers really delicious meals at affordable prices.

Alas, it's time to go home.... Time to make a deal with the taxi driver to bring us to the airport without being too pricey. And so, we discovered that there is an SM Mall in Cagayan but it's really far. We passed by it on our way to the airport.

So, that was my Cagayan experience. I will definitely come back and when I come back, wild water rafting should definitely be on my list!

Cagayan-Camiguin Travel

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 May 2011 02:38:00 +0000

I'm a few more hours away from my Cagayan travel.

Tonight, at 6:30pm, I shall board a plane going to Cagayan and visit the city for the first time. I'm excited! Tomorrow, I will be going to the Court of Appeals to file a Certiorari in a certain case.

After going to the Court of Appeals, I guess we will just stroll along Cagayan de Oro City and plan our Camiguin trip.

Yehey! I will be able to visit Caminguin and be amazed at their tourist spots. Will update you more when I get back.

Eastwood City at night

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 02:04:00 +0000

It was my first time at Eastwood City. I've heard a lot of its beauty and grandeur. Eastwood City is a very small city located along C5 Road in Quezon City, Philippines.

Here are some of the photos during my visit:

Want ICE COLD BEER?

the latest marketing strategy: BEER BELOW ZERO

Our very own walk of fame.... Funny how Filipinos always copy other countries. How about some little originality?

Eastwood City at night. The bars are packed with people mostly from Call Centers in and surrounding Eastwood. I guess the main niche of these bars are these call center agents or customer service representatives who'd like to chill after their stressful duty. Answering irate callers would definitely take its toll.

This fountain changes colors.

This little city has tiled roads??? =)

chilling with my beau

Outside a restaurant in Rockwell Business Center, Makati City.

Tagaytay

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 09:49:00 +0000

Do you want to see the smallest yet one of the most active volcano in the Philippines? Then go to Tagaytay and you will be greeted by the small but mighty Taal Volcano.

Taal Volcano is mysteriously located in a lake. Why is this so? It is believed that the currently small yet active volcano forms part of a very large volcano which erupted many years ago. Taal volcano actually looks just like an island in the middle of the lake.

These are some of the places we visited in Tagaytay:

Picnic Groove. This place is like a very huge park. Yes, I guess it is a park. They have a nice and cozy restaurant. This is a family area where you can spend time with your kids flying kites while having a great view of the Taal Lake and Taal Volcano. There's no need for you to actually bring your own kite because there are many vendors selling kites there. I read somewhere that Tagaytay is the city of winds. And yes, Tagaytay boasts cool breeze.

Residence Inn. If you want to experience bottlefeeding a baby Tiger, then this is the place for you. I can remember a minimal fee of P50.00 per person (aside from the entrance fee) if you want to have your photo taken bottlefeeding a tiger cub right on your own lap. Residence Inn also has a lot of animals, some of them are owls, lions, snakes, rabbits, even a camel. When we were there, we were informed that they are planning to add a few more animals in their collection. You can also get a good view of the Taal Volcano in Residence Inn.

We planned to go to a lot of tourist attractions but because of time constraints, and the fact that there was a biking competition on that same day which caused the heaviest traffic that I have experienced, we were only able to go to two places. But it was worth it!

The author would like to apologize for not posting the estimated rates of entrance fees and transportation costs due to the long delay of this post. Human memory can only remember so much.

Booked for Manila

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 08:32:00 +0000

I will be going back to Manila this coming April 13 to attend the oath-taking of new lawyers. The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled on April 14, 2011 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) at 10:00 AM.

I hope that the one day allowance to secure the clearance would be enough for me since I cannot leave Davao earlier due to my work commitments.

Some information for this year's oath-taking:

I quote lexjurat of phBar.org:

I called up OBC last Friday. Total cash out is P4,050, representing cost for oath-taking, certificate of admission to the Bar, clearance, IBP membership, etc. Schedule of Roll signing is on 'first come, first served' basis according to date you accomplished your clearance, though promdis are given priority to limit their expenses. We can begin processing our clearance tomorrow until April 13.

For those interested to know about the report of ratings, here's lexjurat's quick reply:

OBC will mail it. It's the reason for the envelope we had to submit along with our petition. For those interested to get their notebooks, the earliest date we could file the petition for it is June 2012, according to the OBC personnel I talked with last Friday.

Safety First

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 03:20:00 +0000

On our way to my sister's community outreach program in Mahayag, Bunawan last weekend, we stopped by the Shell Gasoline Station along Diversion Road. After we had our fill, we were informed by the pump attendant that our car smells like something's burning. We opened the hood and there was thick white smoke coming from it. I was about to panic but nobody is panicking so I just stood by and we parked the car away from the gasoline pumps. The pump attendant got his fire extinguisher and aimed it at the engine compartment.

Twas the first time that I've actually seen the fire extinguisher being used! And I was amazed when it emitted pinkish smoke, it looks a lot like cotton candy clouds!!! I remember my Rainbow Brite childhood. Too bad I was too nervous at that time that I did not get a photo of it.

Kidding aside, we learned afterwards that the reason for the smoke was because the insulation foam stuck to the hot engine and caught fire. The engine and all of its other parts were, fortunately, not damaged, just the insulation foam.

The gasoline attendant cleaning the engine compartment after putting out the fire.

Lesson learned? Don't just check the engine: check EVERYTHING.

Cebu Pacific Sale!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 06:35:00 +0000

Again, thanks to Cebu Pacific, I booked my sister and her friend, Carl, for their travel to Manila this coming May 8. My sister will be attending her review classes at Topnotch Review Center this coming May for the Physician's Licensure Examination on August.

Below is Cebu Pacific's Seat Sale until March 5, 2011 or until seats last.

One-way flight to Manila with their promo sale just cost me P1,303.68 and that's with checked-in baggage.