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Cebu Photos - Fort San Pedro
Posted by Carambs
Cebu Photos - Mactan Shrine
Posted by Carambs
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.
Vigan
Posted by Carambs
My hubby and I went to Vigan last August 25-27, which was a long weekend. To truly enjoy the place, one should allocate at least 3 days for a trip to Vigan, mainly because of the long drive. It is situated north of Ilocos Sur, around 8-10 hours away from Manila via car. The journey from and to Manila lasts almost a day (20 hours) already. So if you go there for the weekend, you will only have practically 1 day to go around.
Vigan Heritage Mansion
Posted by Carambs
During our last roadtrip with Vigan as our destination, I wanted to be sure that our chosen hotel wasn’t “spooky”. You see, I’m a scaredy cat. And most of Vigan’s hotels are actually preserved old houses. I researched online, and came across several hotels. We ended up choosing Vigan Heritage Mansion because of 2 reasons - its location, and its supposedly “modern” feel even if it’s a restored, antique mansion.
Location - Vigan Heritage Mansion is literally 10 steps away from Calle Crisologo, the most popular street in Vigan. It is lined with stores that sell Vigan goods such as woven blankets and bags. It’s a short street, so you can easily walk from the hotel to the end of the street and back. But it’s still advisable to ride the kalesa going back, even just for the experience.
Modern Feel - The Vigan Heritage Mansion is an old, antique house built in 1885 and restored in 2003. The paint is new and colorful, but the doors, chairs and other furniture are antique. It is not “spooky”, as with other old houses. The owners were able to achieve a balance of making the hotel accommodating while retaining the things that showed Vigan’s rich culture and history.
We paid P1,500 per night - I think this was a promo rate. This includes breakfast - longganisa or tocino, scrambled eggs, and rice. Unfortunately, the rates listed in their website shows 2005 rates. To inquire, you may contact them through email (inquiry@viganheritage.com) or by calling them in Vigan (+6377) 722-6495 or their Manila office (+632) 410-7955 and (+632) 371-0831.
Tripper 5: Amazing Photos of the Philippines
Posted by Carambs
Well, I’m choosing from among my photos, so these may not necessarily be the best of the best out there. But they’re pretty good photos of the Philippines. I’ve been posting them to different Flickr groups so other people may see how beautiful our country is.
1) Bohol - This photo was taken during our island hopping tour after snorkeling near the Balicasag island. This is a photo of a small, uninhabited island which was somewhere in between Panglao and the snorkeling site. Bohol is a beautiful, beautiful place - if I were rich enough I would buy property there so I can just go back anytime. It’s relatively quiet, the beaches are not yet commercialized, there were so many dolphins to watch it was amazing, and the people were genuinely nice. Bohol is one place I always recommend to business associates and other acquaintances when they ask about interesting destinations in the Philippines.
2) Kadayawan - Experiencing the different fiestas or festivals in the Philippines is awesome. Kadayawan, which is celebrated during the third week of August by Davaoenos, is one of the more popular fiestas in the country. Participants go all out with their costumes, props, and presentations - which end up being truly awesome! Here you can see some very happy participants, still smiling even if they were very tired. Other popular Philippine fiestas are: Ati-Atihan in Kalibo, Aklan (third week of January), Sinulog in Cebu (third week of January), Dinagyang in Iloilo (fourth week of January), Panagbenga in Baguio (fourth week of February), Pahiyas in Quezon (second week of May), and Masskara in Bacolod (third week of October).
3) Vigan -This is a photo of Calle Crisologo, the most popular street in Vigan. Cars are not allowed here, so you will either see people walking or riding the kalesa. The street is lined with stores that sell Vigan products such as woven blankets, placemats, and bags. The houses are well-preserved, and they give us a glimpse of what it was like in the past. At night, the lamps are lit, and you will feel that you’ve travelled through time.
4) Antulang Resort - Antulang is located south of Dumaguete City. It’s around 45 minutes from the airport. I recommend this for couples or divers, not so much barkadas who just want to go to a resort. It’s a bit isolated, and there’s not much to do. But it’s a beautiful place - great for taking pictures, and just to relax. This photo was taken from the cliff. Watching the sunset was awesome! The people are very friendly and pleasant. I will try to dedicate one post just for Antulang sometime in the future.
5) Baguio - This is the view from the window of Little John’s in Camp John Hay. Baguio is a good place to get away from Manila mainly because of its cool climate. It’s somewhat crowded, but still a destination of choice for many. For the activities, you can choose from shopping at Ukay-Ukay stores, buying Good Shepherd products, shopping for blankets and walis, eating at Rose Bowl and Cafe By The Ruins, bike around Burnham Park, or ride horses in Camp John Hay. This is our default destination when we can’t think of a new place to go to, and we usually stay in Hotel Veniz.
Philippines Photobook at the Lonely Planet Flickr Group
Posted by Carambs
The moderator of the group, Aaron, asked for suggestions on photobook subjects and I naturally volunteered the Philippines. Third world country or not and politics aside, this is a beautiful country with beautiful people. He was very interested and started the Photobook: Philippines thread right away. Check it out and if you have photos, feel free to post them!
