Philippine Travel Notes

A nice day.., a wonderful day indeed! We just came off the interesting Canigao Island and driving our way up to Ormoc, to call it a day. Not yet returning all the way to Tacloban this time, as tomorrow's "work-related work" starts from Ormoc! We (I mean my driver) were rushing on the road as it was nearly sundown, and Matalom to Ormoc is around a hundred kilometers, and we have a protocol to abide by.., "sun-up to sun-down only trips"! But I observed, the views along the way were fantastic with the golden "about-to-set" sunlight on this western side of Leyte. So I made a deal with the driver.., no stops but I could request a slow-down at important or extremely wondrous sights (sites too) along the way! Ang problema: there are too many! First fantastic sighting, not really my choice.., not a site or sight but an "incident" (in Bato, Leyte)! My driver honked quickly and softly as he tried to overtake that trike running slow in the...

I did not care if Palermo Hotel has no food, this was an easy choice, Andoks! We checked-out early and immediately started to find our way to Andok's for breakfast... It's a tricky route to Andoks from Palermo by the way. Instead of just going straight on this road all the way to the water's edge (the Bayview/Baywalk area), we needed to turn left at that corner which is the national highway, pass by city hall, BPI, their legislative building, Jollibee and onwards to the seaport. At the park just before the city hall, I saw this man sleeping on the sidewalk where joggers pass... I told a traffic officer about it (thinking he might be a drunk dude) but the officer said "ah okay ra na sir, homeless mentally ill na pero non-violent" - wow ha, mixed Bisaya and English! What is that BisLish? Part of me was thinking how could that be "okay ra na", it's a human being sleeping on the pavement? But the better part of me also know, there is no facility i...

This is not Italy hehe! Far from Sicily, really! I was just in Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines, entawon haha! Palermo is an aged hotel in the middle of Baybay. One of the first (among few), and probably even the oldest as such in the city. Not that it is grand or anything. It has seen its days, but its location is prime. Why did I stay in this facility anyway? Ah, one of those uncommon days where my first picks (Novotel and GV Hotel) were fully booked (I was just walking-in, no prior reservations). Any of the VSU facilities would've been my next choice, but that university's campus is far from center of town where I wanted to stay at, this time. Thus, I settled with Palermo Hotel. This was just for an overnight stay anyway. What can I say? Ah well, I guess pwede na for an overnight stay..! If you are not used to passing by this city, the hotel is easy to miss as it sits on a 'faster' portion of the national highway. When I say "faster", I mean there's ...

Before calling it a night, I was standing (smoking) in front of Palermo Hotel and this was my view... A pizza joint with some five or six restaurant-style huts around the grounds (compound) of an old era-looking house. Those huts are aside from a number of tables and chairs under a big tent-like canopy. I crossed the street to see more. No customers but still open and cooking "for delivery" pizza. I went in the first hut and sat facing the road and the hotel as facing anywhere else was dark and dull. Happy to learn that they serve SaMigLight hehe! That's the hotel back there, my view as I drank SML! Just as I expected, in no time, I saw my driver come out of the hotel lobby, talked to a hotel guard, and eventually crossed the road to find me sitting at Stephy's. I knew it haha, he got worried why I was not yet back at my room than he expected (since I said I was just out to finish a stick of cigarette)! I'm not sure really if he is a 'bodyguard' too pe...

I was back there to while the night away. And, even I myself, am surprised why I like this place! What is this place anyway? Oh well, to describe this, the Bisaya would probably say "discohanan", the Waray would say "discohan" and the Tagalog would say "disco". This is something that comes from the 80s, but and that still thrives even to this day, in Baybay City at least! Note: this is not your seedy beerhouse or "putahan" in Baclaran or elsewhere masquerading as "disco". This one is true-blue real! For those of you who have been to and still remember the likes of "Faces", "Zigzag", "Rumours", "Isis", "Metro", "Mars", "Stargazer", "Lost Horizon" (not in any particular order ha?!), that is the vibe and feel of Rayver21. A place with good danceable music plus the sounds and lighting effects with the groove. Of course the place is dark and the music is to...

After washup and a little rest at Palermo Hotel, I went out to the Baybay Bayview area for I knew from the last time I passed by this place, that it was on a constant "redevelopment" mode. I just wanted to see how has the place been, and I expected it to be somehow relaxing. Well, I was not disappointed! Instead of the past crowded, seedy, noisy and violent-war-prone area teeming with informal settlers, it now is a fine new boulevard where young and old like to stroll or hang around. Quite a transformation! And the sunsets are ever more beautiful... And the evenings are ever more romantic... If you don't like to sit at the water's edge which is too public, there's Ciudad Coffee and Bar... Easily my favorite joint in this area (there's no other café here, I think)... If you like, not just sandwiches but real meals can be had at this porch (they have SML by the way)! Oh yes, in the evening, the barbecue stands and simple (but clean) restaurants are...

Just five days after my Eastern and Southern Leyte Joyride , here I was again on the Tacloban to Baybay 'South Road'. I was on an early morning run to VSU (Visayas State University), to attend the regional business conference. Start time 9AM, so we left 7AM. That would normally be enough travel time, especially passing via the Mahaplag route. Remember this corner? Mayorga poblacion. We came from La Paz (that road on the right) five days ago, right? This was just about 7:40AM and we were already far from Tacloban. So far so good, we were zooming on the highway... until here. Only hehehe! There were slowdowns that we never expected. Parades! What is with July 31st? Why do all schools have parades during this day? Well, good thing we passed this way (via Mahaplag), as there are more schools along the road on the Capoocan-Ormoc way! These are kids of MacArthur National High School emerging from beside the church... They have fruit or vegetable mascots. That one is a "...