Philippine Travel Notes

Similar story as the previous one : while I have been many times to Iloilo City, I have never really gotten to note places I happen to pass-by on arrival. Either because I would be busy with something else, or it is still dark (early in the morning), or already dark (as in gab-i na)! Taking the usual route for granted. So, like I did in the previous story  where I paid attention to airport arrival details and proceedings, this time, I intently noted my travel between the airport (in Cabatuan & Sta. Barbara towns) and city proper. This was my view as we exited the arrival area... We're turning left to the city, while straight ahead, that big roof on the right side is the cargo terminal or cargo building. Oh wow... Sta Barbara Heights... A high-end residential commercial village says my driver. "But that portion is not really the village yet, its just an advertisement", he says. Well, if my bearings are right, that (in there) should be the Sta. Barbara Golf & ...

On a domestic flight that is! I just came from Cebu this time hehe. But there is not much of a difference here. You just omit the immigration and customs arrival proceedings. So here we were. I mean "they" my fellow passengers, getting out of the 'eroplano' and going to "arrive" at the airport. This place they are walking on is called the "aerobridge", that movable thing that physically conencts the airport to the airplane. By the way, so you do not get confused, and for "dagdag kaalaman", the aerobridge has so many synonyms. It can be called an "airbridge", skybridge", "airtube", "jet bridge", "jetway", "jetwalk", "airgate", and many other names. They all mean the same thing. And here we were making our way to the Arrivals Concourse... note its going down... The empty hallway to the left, is part of the boarding gate - where departing passengers will pass later when th...

A noontime flight, oh yeah. One of those I do not really cherish. Why? Because you rush to the airport at mid-morning so you do not get late for check-in. Then you wait at the Mabuhay Lounge, where food is predictably the same forever and ever. Or if you are not a Mabuhay Club Member, you wait with a dizzying multitude of people at the cramped waiting areas, and you don't feel like eating lunch at those stores all over again... Jollibee, Dunkin Donuts, Zubuchon na frozen lechon, Tsim Sha Tsui na parang 1000 times na ginamit ang cooking oil... and so on! Add to that, the flight itself is at lunchtime but there is no lunch. You are instead tossed a piece of "biskwit" by the stewardess haha. I have a separate story on that, next . Anyway, sometimes, even if you are a frequent flyer, you do not get to choose the times of your flight because... chadaaaan, si client ang masusunod. Haist! On this flight, I did not really mind my stomach that much. Because, I ate a hefty ...

This topic started with this article There are two such towns! The first Sta. Barbara is a town in the province of Pangasinan (Region 1). It is generally a farming community but more of a suburb since its just next to Urdaneta City. Housing villages have started to mushroom in this picturesque town where you approach it amidst big trees lining both sides of the road. The second Sta. Barbara is a town in the province of Iloilo (Region 6) and you will probably think of the new airport. Yes it is and yes it will be! But this town is supposed to be historic. Just take a look at their olden church and you’ll know this must have been a big town even in the pre-hispanic era. I think I saw something declaring that this is the town where the Philippine flag was first raised outside of Manila. Its probably at the municipal building or the museum. don’t miss that ultra big flag in front of the municipal building too!