Philippine Travel Notes

Last Sunday, I ordered a C1, and there was no fork at the 'heated utensil sterilizer'. I told the crew about it; they told me to wait. After about 3 minutes, one girl came to my table w/ that plastic fork (in photo) . She said they were not done washing utensils . Hmm, someone slacking? Pero sige, go ra! The following day, Monday, at about the same time, the same scenario happened... I actually requested that they give me a 'complete pair' of plastic utensils instead of the "metallic spoon and a plastic fork" kay kalain ba! Okay na yan, I survived naman! But without saying anything, I already suspected something was wrong at this place. Syaro wa pa nahuman sa tinidor ang ilang dishwasher? For the last 24 hours? Weh? I noted though, spoons were always aplenty and notably hot naman at the sterilizer. Ano yan? Nag-walkout ang mga tinidor? Anyway... Today Saturday, at about the same time of day, after one week, OMG ganun pa rin! I got that spo...

Randon thoughts na rin (triggered by sounds, sights and scenes), as I keep roaming in and around Cebu... A Wrangler JK 1540H 23MAY2014, AS Fortuna, Mandaue. Jeep's Wrangler 4-door Unlimited Rubicon (I think) , a premium off-road edition. Have my interests widened to include personal land vehicles? Nah, not really. Pang-bus, train, RORO, fastcraft, Sarao at edroplano lang ako - though never the multicab! I just find its color attractive, and I often see it parked on that spot at Orchard Hotel along AS Fortuna Ave. - reminds me of a friend in QC who has that in a reddish color. That friend had been telling me about his new Rubicon (that is how he calls his unit) . They even had a fun Pinatubo offroad ride last month with other wrangler owners. I was invited to tag along sana, but wasn't able to, since I was at Yolanda country na. Sayang. But there's always a next time. No Trouble, No Emergency, Biko lang! 1436H 25MAY2014, V&G Subd., Consolacion....

Just for the diary 😜 I have no " usual lengthy stories ", but noted some notable sights & scenes in the course of living a wonderful life in and around Cebu... A new day dawning... 0451H 11MAY2014, V&G Consolacion. Another lovely day coming. I was attracted to that lone bright star stil persisting to shine bright, while Mr. Sun was slowly inching up... Up? Hmm, oo nga, why was I already up that early? Ah well, the body clock probably got a bit used to rising early each morning in Camiguin the last few days. And... Morning has broken... 0517H 11MAY2014, V&G Consolacion. 𝅘𝅥𝅯𝅘𝅥𝅗𝅥 Mine is the sunlight, Mine is the morning, Born of the One Light Eden saw play... Praise with elation, praise every morning, God's recreation of the new day... 𝅗𝅥𝅘𝅥𝅘𝅥𝅯 I often forget, that this apartment has grand views - whether it be dawn or dusk! A Flower Moon... and evening star (Venus?) 1838H 15MAY2014, V&G Consolacion. I wondered why it was too ...

About four years ago, I told you of a story about this originally Cebuano contraption (or concoction whatever) of a coin-operated water dispenser in a box for outdoor use ! Even then, there were already "variants" like 'boxed or not' , 'cold only' , 'hot & cold' , etc. I somehow expected, this ATM would be evolving in form, not so much on function. And evolve it did (and still does), like this one I happened to pass-by this afternoon: Most noticeable are the two (separate) coin slots for Old and New 1-Piso coins. Aba that's Pinoy creativity or ingenuity or even resilience . Kesa mag-huramentado o mag-wala, due to two kinds of one-peso coin , ayan ginawan na ng paraan. Shame on BSP! Is it a sign of progress? Oh well, the creation of such a useful gadget surely is. Now the public has easy access to cold or hot potable water by just dropping a 1-peso coin . But, installing 2 coin slots in one dispenser is a waste of time, effort...

Something interesting I saw today at the fountain area upstairs near the new chapel, some restaurants, bar and coffee shops. I do wonder what they're supposed to mean . I'm used to encountering art installations usually accompanied by short descriptions and/or titles and/or artists . These ones don't have any. I looked around, wala talaga. I asked a barista at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, she told me she doesn't know anything about those, except that "bag-o pa man na diha, sir". Hmm, maybe 'coming soon' pa! They're intriguingly interesting, I really would like to know. On this group, each foot seem to have a corresponding giant tsinelas underneath. I am sure each giant foot means something. Or probably the whole rendition of feet and flipflops are supposed to convey a message to us? Lovely. But what? Unsa na?! Okay sige.., kahit naiinis, I proceeded to the next one (behind me) after this fountain. I'm sure you know the feelin...

I saw them again this afternoon... I'm not sure (yet) if Lechon Bread really started in Cebu. However, I can attest there are more bakeries on this island that sell them , than anywhere else in this country. I can't even comment as to how they taste because I have not tried them even once! I can only guess they all taste like the other big bread loaves - bland on purpose - so that they may be good partners with coffee or softdrinks - with or without palaman! A friend told me once, that they don't at all taste anywhere near or like a real lechon. He said it is only the shape that looks like lechon (called inasal by true-blue Bisdaks) . Why didn't/don't I try them then? Well, for a simple reason that I myself can't believe - they're too big than a normal loaf , that I surely won't be able to finish in one sitting. By the way, those were fresh from the oven a counter girl was putting on display. She noticed me taking pictures so she proudl...

Without a purpose (again!) , I was back at this fairly new mall called Insular Square in Tabok, Mandue this afternoon. Just browsing around the stores in there, then lunch. Well, at least 'that lunch', was purpose enough - though I wasn't yet sure specifically where should I do that, since there are a number of restaurants and fastfoods there. I saw choices, but I reminded my self "isa-isa lang, there will be time enough to try the others" hehe. But when the stomach grumbled, I was in front of Siknoy . Enter dayon! While the name and the ambiance seemed familiar, I was sure this was the first time I was dining at this restaurant, at this mall. They probably have branches elsewhere. Anyway, just looking at the menu, I already said "delikado ito" . Eh gusto ko lahat eh! I know my drill though. In a situation like this, there has to be a technical process of elimination. Aba yes, me ganun sa life ko! Para walang waste, next time na ang iba! B...

Here I go again. I have told you stories of traveling between Tacloban and Ormoc on my way to Cebu (yes plural, like here , here & here ) , and I won't ever get tired doing so. That's because, it somehow is different each time. There are even sights and scenes where I get to see (at times shoot pics and vids) , of what you might call a time-lapse ! Of course, as I've said many times, there are always new things, even if it is the very same road that I keep passing, on the very same mode of transport that I keep riding. So here I go (again) ... Ceres Bus Terminal in Tacloban? Exiting out of Tacloban, the Grand Tours van passed along its usual route - Avenida Rizal, to EVSU, to Holy Infant College, then out to the Maharlika Highway. Then this: Aha! The Ceres Buses! Yes yes, the bus livery says Bachelor Tours - that we know is Vallacar transport's line that goes Mindanao and/or Manila - that, we still call Ceres! And I said to my royal self: hmm,...