Philippine Travel Notes

Here is something I forgot to post way back then when I visited the place while I was still new in “Sugbo”! Haven’t been to the place lately. Though I passed by the area some 6 or 7 times going Alegre Guitars and/or Imperial Palace and/or the other resorts in Maribago and Marigondon, I haven’t really gotten to popping in at that gas station again just to check if MIA is still alive. I heard folks say “wala na lagi”. Anyway, whether be it still there or not, here was my visit of that lovely place. Not really that jaw-dropping, if you are thinking about the likes of Manila Ocean Park. But quite an exposure enough to the sea life in and around Mactan and the bigger island of Cebu. The entrance to the place is/was even just on the side of a fuel station as you can see in this picture. Ah, on entry, I got to talk to the owners, a husband and wife team (pinay wife, foreigner husband - as usual) who told me that they were new in this place as they have just transferred from a previous locatio

There are many things to titillate our minds about this country, even as we just zoom along going anywhere. As many travelers say, “it’s not just the destination, it’s also the way going there". Here are some I caught along Cebu’s north road: How would you pronounce that? The parlor owner probably just wanted to make their name unique by writing the word uniquely, right? But if you are a fan of languages and pronunciations, this will give you a headache hehehe. It did me! Okay, many of us know that letter “e” weirdly carrying two dots on its head is called with an equally weird name: “diaeresis” (sometimes “dieresis”) or “umlaut”. This is used in a few languages. Common to Filipinos might be English, French, Dutch, Latin and some others. But in whichever language you pronounce “Unëëk”, you could twist your tongue and might as well die laughing. English: Yon-e-e-kay? Yon-e-ek? Un-e-e-kay? Un-e-ek? French/Dutch: Yon-we-wek? Un-we-wek? Latin: Yon-uh-uhk? Un-uh-uhk? Uh,

Hide your kikay selves ladies! Hear this: I rode on a habal-habal at Consolacion, Cebu while looking for some place. I asked him to wait for me as I won’t be long. When we were back on the highway, and as I paid my 16 peso fare, I noticed those ‘sexily’ painted nails, and in bold RED no less! First I looked at his face, he did not look like he was a fag. So, laughing a bit, I asked why he has his nails “manicured” and painted red. His reply was: “trip trip lang pag me time”! Ahaka! And he gamely posed for this pic! Look again folks, those are not just haphazard water-color dabs on his nails. That is a real beauty parlor kind of a coloring job, I think! The pesky paint even has some glittery scatterings of silver and gold. Imagine?! Here’s a closer look at it: Oh well, if it makes you happy, go for it. YOLO!     ISSN: 2516338.75-1149

" Just to let you know, operational na po ang mga tourism facilities sa Bohol, back to normal na po kami. " I quoted that txt msg from my perennial tour guide on the island. Her house still in disrepair, but yes, they are trying to move on! So folks, for those who'd been scheduled to go, GO! And for those of us who did not plan of going back yet, hmm, why not? Just to see how it has been, right? I will! Well, we wont be able to recreate this pic below (I took that last June after the river cruise/lunch) but am sure there'd be more things to see and hear. Let's go?! Chocolate Hills? My tour guide even has a new joke! She says "the hills now come in 4 Flavors - if in the past there were only choco and mint, now we have caramel and vanilla" - because some of the hills crumbled and you can see the inner portions of those mounds! Here's a pic from Yahoo!News Note folks, if we go now, we'll actually be helping them rise from the rubbles.

Let’s take a pause from my roams folks, and give some pointers again to those who keep asking about my where, when, what, which, why and how. Lucky for me and you my fellow Pinoy Travelers, there is this new twist in the airline industry that will surely bring us more affordable fun! In case you have not been in the loop yet, Zest Air is now flying Air Asia (or you might also want to call it ‘Air Asia is now flying Zest Air) – and the rebranded thing is called Air Asia Zest ! Does it mean anything to us roamers? Well, a lot I must say. This means more choices, better value and enhanced services across a combined larger network of flights to/from Manila, Cebu, Davao, Cagayan De Oro, Kalibo(Boracay), Puerto Princesa, Tagbilaran. etc., as well as hundreds of Asian destinations like the Air Asia home that is Kuala Lumpur or nearby Kota Kinabalu on the island of Borneo. How does direct flights to Shanghai, China and/or Incheon, South Korea sound to you folks? Soon chinggu, soon! Then again,

Just for the entertainment value! I have been witnessing this “act” almost every time I arrive at the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in Tacloban City (for about a year or so now). And it never fails. Hint: to catch this, you have to be at their baggage claim area first, or at least with the first few passengers from your aircraft.   After that, they go on with their usual porterage whatevers!

Alrightie folks, as usual I was at the 5J ticket office inside Mactan Airport again this morning. Nope, I do not buy my tickets there, but I usually pass by to have them printed – because I usually forget or probably choose to forget printing the thing at home or wherever else! Anyway… Reading my ticket on the way out of that ticket office, I heard a woman who suddenly shrieked in panic as if she saw some rat or cockroach. Yep, she ran a bit away from the door of the ticket office. When I checked what it was all about, I saw this thing perched on the airline’s ‘number machine’. I looked at her and told her it was made of plastic. She was now laughing and stomping her feet, but still would never go near. Where was the guard anyway? So, I got a number for her then grabbed that “spider” and attempted to give it to her. She shrieked again hahaha! So alright, I returned the cute big arachnid and gave the woman her ‘waiting list’ number. She actually ran going inside the ticket office! As if

On my way to some northern towns of Cebu, I chanced upon this cheerful girl gas attendant at a Mandaue gas station. First time in my life (ever) to have seen this kind of scenario – where the gas attendant receives cash, gives change and write receipts using the pavement as table. All I could think of at that time was “is this a sign of progress, or a sign that businessmen nowadays are not anymore taught about correct processes, personnel safety, security and working conditions”? This scene pinched my heart a bit, considering that this girl was even so jolly. Oh well… ISSN: 2516364.125-2011

Being early for an evening trip towards some northern Cebu towns, I decided to do a bit of window shopping over at the Park Mall in Mandaue (and of course to grab a few packs of my Marlights gold flip-top). I thought I might as well grab a quick dinner at Cebu’s Original Lechon Belly. Argh, whatever was happening, there were a lot of diners and the long queue extended all the way to entrance of that ‘digital casino’ thing. I decided I might as well eat somewhere else lest I be late for my trip (well oh ok, I must admit the ‘impatience disease’ was taking the best of me again this time)! The nearest I saw was this branch of the good old Ling Nam with their outside tables always being laid each with their menu. Quickly scanned it and found that yes, they do still have the quick meals on the menu (not sure if they call these ‘budget meals’ or ‘combo meals). As you may have learned from my earlier stories, since I started roaming (usually solo), I have started distancing myself from Chines

Out of the OTOP Store, I strolled along the other establishments in this Bridges Town Square. There is a big Japan surplus store, a DFP (Duty Free Philippines), an antique shop, a travel agency, a café, a branch of the famous ALA boxing gym and before going out to Pan De Manila is the Oyster Bay Seafood Restaurant. An interesting find, one of a kind, wow! It is a restaurant yes, but just looking at it from the outside, it obviously is one of the more upscale types. It looks like the restaurant of a first class beach resort set in the middle of the metropolis! There are 3 sections (if I may call them that) in this whole place. First is the indoor type – glass walled air-conditioned room where tables are in a tastefully decorated setting like you would see at A1 hotels or resorts. Then there is an open area – where tables with benches are set near a platoon of big aquariums. The live seafood you may want to have are in those aquariums, you just have to point at them and the waiters scoo

Yes folks, after more than 4 years of being in and out this Queen City metropolis, I still do get lost – usually with a happy twist! This afternoon was one of those days. As I rode the yellow multicab at the airport (front seat, of course), I asked driver how to best commute to SM Consolacion. Not that I really don’t know, as I already tried a way, though not sure if that was the best. His reply: get down at Pusok, ride a multicab going to Hi-way / Parkmall, get off before turning left at the corner of Total Gas, wait for the multicabs coming from under the bridge on their way to Consolacion, Liloan, etc. Easy (I thought)! But my 8-peso jeep ride from Pusok was breezing unusually fast, and I read some txt msgs on the phone (unusual for My Royal Highness when riding a jeep). Next thing I discerned, I knew I was past the gas station since I remembered we took a left turn as I read those phone messages. I still had the ‘patay-malisya’ courage to ask the driver “boss, Total?” and he su