Got published at DBP Western Highway Traveler

The first time I got to visit Iloilo and Guimaras Island was way back in 2008. I got enthralled with both places then, and had been itching to set foot again. Two years came by, after so many plans to go back, nothing materialized.

Early this morning I received a package from the publisher. The copies I have been eager to get hold of. Three glossy magazines the size of a notebook. I immediately skimmed to where my photos at, reminiscing the places I've been to as I flipped page after page.

I got to taste local cuisine, visit churches and cemeteries, got access to private museums, the usual tourist traps like malls, parks and beaches, met new friends, etc. In short, I had a blast!

Thanks to Bernie Arellano for showing me around.

  

  

Funny Signs

Pinoy humor at its best. Sometimes we do get "lost in translation." Trying to get the message across can have amusing results.

Both for the humans and goats to read. All entrances to this cemetery in Argao bear these very large signs.

Whatever's being grilled here, the male specie should beware. I wonder what happened here in the past. Was there a man castrated and his testicles seared in open flame? Who knows.

Oh yes we understand it completely... the first two lines but what does it have to do with the elections?

Okay, sinners can start moving out now.

Get Lost Magazine

I have been ecstatic the whole day today learning my photo of Lambug beach finally got published. It is now read at Quantas Club lounges and in many other locations in the land down under.

Get Lost! is an independent quarterly magazine based in Australia and is read far and wide, beyond Aussie borders, even reaching Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States and the Philippines.

Here's the original file I uploaded on flickr last year and made a blog about my adventure in Badian being a top beach destination in Cebu.

Here's the accompanying text I submitted for the cover:

Desperate and so bored as I was that day, a beach bum like me does not hesitate. A trip to where the sun, sea and sand is like therapy to the wanting soul.

I left my car, and boarded the earliest bus to the south, some 97 kilometers from the bustling city of Cebu to the town of Badian, a place where the waters of its three-tiered crystal clear waterfalls kiss the warm waters of the sea.

The secluded beach of Lambug greets you with its powdery-white sand, turquoise waters, endless sun, lesser crowds, and friendly locals who would gamely pose to your camera’s delight!

The rugged old tire makes a springboard for this willing and enthusiastic lad as his friends and a few more cheer behind the camera.

As I wait for my copies to arrive by mail I anticipate another beach escapade.

getlostmag.com

Estero at Binondo

The busy streets of Binondo is such a delight. The sights and sounds are by far the most enticing to the senses. Every corner has a surprise for anyone who's willing that sometimes it is not for the faint of heart.

Food is one thing that's always in my priority list when visiting a place, and for Binondo, it's my never-ending love affair with the ever-so-yummy hopia from Eng Bee Tin. Without much forethought I decided to end my relationship with the bean filled pastry just this one time. I let myself drool at the smorgasbord display of all flavors of hopia as I walked past the store along Ongpin street. I never looked back.

A friend who acted as tour guide is no stranger to Binondo. In fact he almost is a resident to the place, knowing every corner to turn to and every place to be in.

He took us to a string of eateries on the side of a small river. Estero, as it is called, was one place I never imagined going. We all know how polluted Manila's rivers are, I am amazed that eateries here thrive and remains a hit amongst the locals.

Think any Chinese dish and they'll cook it for you carenderia style. Spicy frog legs was on everyones minds. We had it fried in batter.

I felt like I was Anthony Bourdain that day. Consuming exotic and daring ethnic dishes. An unmatched experience that I'm looking forward to do more.

No reservations!

Dangwa flower market at night

Colors everywhere! It was the first thought that popped inside my mind. Sights, scents and sounds greeted me as I stepped for the first time into the district known as Bulaklakan ng Maynila. Dangwa Flower Market comes alive at the strike of midnight as blooms from flower-growing regions in Baguio, Laguna and Tagaytay arrive.

The area, located along Dos Castillas and Laong-Laan Streets in Sampaloc, was once a bus terminal. From a bagsakan or drop-off point of flowers from Baguio, it has become what we know of Dangwa today. A central night market where even Manila's most notable florists shop.

Whatever flower it is that you fancy, liliums, sweetpeas or lisianthuses, everything's all here but save your shopping for the night.

The Benedictine Monastery of the Transfiguration

Leandro V. Locsin's last legacy before his death in 1994. A National Artist for Architecture, his other well know works include the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Philippine International Convention Center and the Istana Nurul Iman palace of the Sultan of Brunei.

The pyramidic structure is perched on a hill located just a few kilometers from the city center. This is Malaybalay city's most visited modern landmark. Part of the complex the Benedictines call home because of the cool mountain breeze that constantly drift the several hectares of land dedicated to agriculture.

Happy people

I mentioned how chaotic Philippines fiestas are in my previous post. And how these kind of events become opportunities for many.

Carcar celebrates the feast of its patroness St. Catherine on November 25. Two days prior to that the Kabkaban festival and the Festival of Lights were held around the town's major streets. Both events held ahead to lure more crowd as this year's fiesta fell on a weekday which is also workday for most. I already had it in mind not to invite friends on the day of the fiesta because there's really not much to see. I also reasoned out that the traffic situation is also getting worse, a major turn-off for those coming from Cebu city.

And so the day was all for me. An opportunity to do what I love to do.

The following set is all about the happy nature of Filipinos, in a study a year ago by Axa Asia Life and research company Taylor Nelson Sofres where the Philippines came second to India.

At the last minute

The great mass exodus as what Estan in his blog described the large throng of people trooping at the last minute just to get home to their hometowns for the Kalag-kalag celebrations. It was totally expected, as this is just one of the three occasions where massive migration of people out of the city and into the provinces. (Holy Week, Kalag-kalag & the Christmas Holidays) The holiday fell on a weekend and as what most would have wanted there came no prior announcement of a free day last October 31.

I decided to see for myself the phenomenon at the South Bus Terminal. Cebu being a small island, the only way to get around is by land transpo. And there is no other way to go down south but thru this hub.

It was already 9 am and the place was unusually noisy and hot. A slight drizzle earlier in the morning made the dust settle down but as soon as the sun took its place clouds and clouds of dust started to spread out. The main building is undergoing renovation and there is no space to move around. There was just this unimaginable long line of people meandering through each corner of the building. And as each bus arrived people started pushing themselves inside the narrow bus entrances, unmindful of the kind torture they are in.

I did not want to experience this kind of agony. I took the unpopular route instead.

Cebu's Top 12 Beach Destinations

Badian, Cebu

It is unusual for a Cebuano not to love the beach. Whether he admits it or not he always has subconscious desire that takes him to the beach or any kind of body of water for that matter. After all the island of Cebu is surrounded by water. And wherever you go in the island there is always one that is inviting you.

I always make it a point that after a long workweek to take a trip to seclusion where it's just me and the sea. Whether it be a bike to the nearby shore or to a day immersed in the crystalline waters of a hidden beach. It's therapy!

I have been to most of the places around the island and the surrounding islands of Cebu yet there are more things to see, more things to discover.

Here is my list of the best beach destinations of Cebu waiting for you. What I've written down are random and are based solely on the lasting impressions I have of these places. Accessibility is never a consideration and I travel always on a budget, so trust me, these are the places to be in if you are the spartan type of person.

1. Malapascua Island
2. Bantayan Island
3. Carnaza Island
4. Moalboal
5. Badian
6. Olango
7. Sumilon Island
8. San Remigio
9. Tabuelan
10. Santander
11. Alcoy
12. Camotes Island

Hilton Cebu Resort & Spa

Expansive sea view and endless sun in the Art Deco-style "Pink Icon" in Mactan Island in Cebu.

Paris Hilton would surely love it here, it's pink everywhere!

Punta Engano, Mactan Island, Cebu, 6015, Philippines

Telephone: 00 63 32 492 7777

Fax: 00 63 32 492 7707

Email: cebu@hilton.com

Food tripping Iloilo: La Paz Batchoy, Molo Bibingka & Talaba

Deco's Batchoy. Satisfying comfort food. Match this with prewar pandesal and Coke Zero for a complete meal. 55 pesos for the supersize of steaming broth on noodle and topped with chopped meat and entrails, chicharon, toasted garlic and spring onions.

Unlike the usual bibinka that we are used to. Thin and young coconut strips make it soft in the inside. Sold warm within the Molo church grounds at 20 pesos a pack.

I thought I'd never eat talaba again but this one made my mouth salivate. Dipped in hot water to open the shells. Order hot rice and spicy calamansi-soy mixture and you're good to go. Safe and clean but most of all so cheap at 30 pesos per bowl.

Guimaras bounces back

Mention Guimaras and instantly what comes to mind is the sweet and delectable golden fruit that’s touted to be “the sweetest mango in the world.”

Slowly rising from the ashes of the devastating oil spill in August 11, 2006 the island of Guimaras is now spreading its wings and ready to reclaim the glory it once had. A mecca for the weary Ilonggos and foreigners alike, the island is more alive than ever with tourist flocking the island on weekends to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.

A short 15-minute ride will take you to enchanting Guimaras in the town of Jordan which is the gateway to the island’s hotspots. The local tourism office maintains a booth within the vicinity to assist you in your journey in the island. A minimal fee is charged for the transportation to take you to anywhere in the island. Don’t forget to stop by Jordan’s market to grab some mangoes to take along.

The scenic journey around the island takes you around large mango plantations and many secluded coves and beaches. Islets also dot around the island of Guimaras. The beaches are one of the island's attractions enticing beach goers with its fine white sand that would rival that of the more popular beaches of Boracay.

Life is laidback. Time is easily forgotten. All good memories indeed but lest we forget the tragedy that haunted this enchanting island in the past. Let's be responsible tourists and keep the beauty of Guimaras this way.

The Coffee Break Experience

Seattle, Cebu and Iloilo. What do these cities have in common? The coffee experience of course.

While Seattle, Washington has Starbucks and Seattle's Best, and Cebu the origin of Bo's and Coffee Dream, Iloilo on the other hand is the birthplace Coffee Break.



The cheaper alternative to the well-known brands today. They offer a menu that's suprisingly affordable. While others cost a hundred for a medium sized cup theirs cost only 65 pesos for a single size serving of Coffee Crumble. No upsizes here so you never get confused what to order.



Need a coffee fix? There might just be a Coffee Break nearby.

Outlets:
Gen. Luna
Atrium
University of San Agustin
Robinson's Place
Plaza Jaro
Smallville
Mary Mart
New Iloilo Airport
- ICVB( Iloilo Convention Visitors Bureau) Lounge
- 3rd floor pre-departure area

For additional information visit their website: coffeebreak.com.ph