Happy Tripper

Tripper Tip for Sinulog

Posted by Carambs

Thinking of wearing flipflops because it’s hot and you’re on vacation in Cebu?  Think again!  Wearing flipflops during Sinulog’s parade day will be a very bad idea.   You will be stepped on and the roads will be full of litter and liquid, so it’s best if you wear sneakers or rubber shoes.

Day 1 in Cebu

Posted by Carambs

Last year, I promised myself that I should experience the major festivals in the Philippines. My main objective is to take pictures. And going to Cebu for Sinulog is the best way to start the year!

I bought our tickets early December from the Cebu Pacific website. I love buying tickets from Cebu Pacific especially when the rates are low. For me, it’s really hassle free! (Read about my purchase here.)

Day 1 was packed! We arrived in Cebu at around 7AM. Mang Roger, the cab driver recommended by my friend, picked us up. From the airport, we went straight to the Mactan Shrine. It was a serene place, even with the hustle and bustle of the gardeners who were cleaning the place. The marker read “Here on 27 April 1521, Lapulapu and his men repulsed the Spanish invaders, killing their leader Ferdinand Magellan. Thus Lapulapu became the first Filipino to have repelled European aggression.”

We thought about dropping by Plantation Bay and Shangri-la Mactan but decided against it, and so we headed straight to Cebu. First stop was Fort San Pedro, or Fuerza de San Pedro. Located in Plaza Independencia, this is the defence structure built by the Spanish government in 1565, led by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. Presently, it is a museum and a must-visit for all first time travellers to Cebu. We were charged P21.00 per head. Aside from the museum, there are also a couple of stores selling souvenirs such as t-shirts, magnets and necklaces.

Next stops were Magellan’s Cross and the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino, which were right beside each other. The last time I was in Cebu, in 1998, the structure that housed Magellan’s Cross was open, and we were free to take pictures near the cross itself. Last friday, the structure was closed so we had to take pictures from outside. Then we went to the Basilica del Sto. Nino. There was an on-going mass outside when we were there, so we were not able to go into the Church due to the number of people.

It was almost lunch, so we decided to check in and drop off our luggages at La Casa Rosario. I will blog separately about it separately soon. We were very hungry, so Mang Roger recommended a restaurant called Goodah Gud, which specialized in “inihaw” or grilled food. We asked Mang Roger to join, and we had a hearty lunch. We only paid P1000, considering that we ordered SO MUCH FOOD!

After lunch we went to the Taoist Temple in Beverly Hills. It was an awesome sight but if I could do it again I wouldn’t go after lunch. Not advisable to go there when you’re sleepy and full because you have to go up a lot of steps. But it was a beautiful, peaceful place. We took pictures outside (visitors are now allowed to take pictures of the altar) and checked out each temple.

Next stop was Tops, the very popular sight-seeing spot which offers a breathtaking view of Cebu. It is located at the top of Busay Hills, Lahug. We went in the afternoon, so there weren’t a lot of people. At night, it turns into a gimmick place, very similar to Tagaytay.

Before going back to Casa Rosario, we dropped by the 7D factory to buy dried mangoes. 7D is my favorite brand, because the mangoes are soft, and they offered the perfect blend of sweet and sour. For me, the other leading brand tastes like medicine, and the mangoes are tough and too sweet.

After a very full day, we finally headed back to Casa Rosario. We paid Mang Roger P1,800, a very reasonable price considering that he was with us the whole day. It would have been better if we were with more friends so we can split the payment, but still, it was okay for what we got. Mang Roger is very friendly, plus he had a lot of stories about Cebu, his past customers, and the spots that we visited. I highly recommend him. You may contact him through his mobile number - 09289691389.

Sinulog!

Posted by Carambs

Being part of Sinulog is awesome!!!

Lotsa tips, photos, and kwento when I get back in Manila!

PIT SENOR!

Cebu, baby!

Posted by Carambs

Greetings from Cebu!

We flew Cebu Pacific and left Manila at 6:05AM. The flight was 1 hour 15 minutes long - I didn’t notice because I was asleep the whole time!

My friend who went to Cebu last week recommended a cab driver. His name is Mang Roger. He picked us up in the airport and from there we toured right away. Since we were already in Mactan Island, we visited the Mactan Shrine. It was very peaceful - there was so much beauty in that peace. The Mactan Shrine is the place where Magellan was felled by Lapulapu.

From there we headed to Cebu. We went to Fort SanPedro, Magellan’s Cross, Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino, Taoist Temple and Tops. More details in the coming days when I go onlline with the laptop. I am currently posting through my mobile phone.

We are staying at La Casa Rosario, a midrange pension house. All the hotels were fully booked when we called! No worries for us though, because this place has been tried and tested by my hubby’s cyclist friends. Full review to be posted soon.

Can’t wait for the festivities tomorrow and sunday! Pit Senor!

Sinulog, here we come!

Posted by Carambs

Last week I bought 2 Cebu Pacific tickets for me and my hubby for Cebu. We will be there for Sinulog, one of the more popular festivals in the Philippines, which is celebrated every third weekend of January. According to the official website of Sinulog,

The Sinulog festival is one of the grandest and most colorful festivals in the Philippines. The main festival is held each year on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City to honor the Santo Niño, or the child Jesus, who used to be the patron saint of the whole province of Cebu (since in the Catholic faith Jesus is not a saint, but God). It is essentially a dance ritual which remembers the Filipino people’s pagan past and their acceptance of Christianity.

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Posted in: Festivals, Philippines Comments(15) December 2007