Philippine Travel Notes

Will I consider 'pizza' as my dinner? Theoretically NO, says my lowly brain. Hahanap at hahanap din si tiyan ng kanin, kan-on, luto, ご飯, nasi, 쌀, innapuy! But it happened tonight, and even I, was surprised! Here goes the story.., I had a long tiring day. "Tiring" because of hours of sitting in a car, traveling back and forth in this very wide region (Eastern Visayas). This morning started with a road trip (about 85 kms) from Tacloban to Leyte Leyte. After some "meeting-nang-meeting", a return trip had to happen syempre. But this time, it was not just to Tacloban, but all the way to a remote barangay in Basey, Samar - that's about 120 kms. End-of-day at Basey, I said "I need a break". Driver asked.., "Pasqualino's"? Since my three companions didn't say objections to that 'suggestive query', he drove to Pasqualino's instead of Tacloban. I smiled! I know, we know.., our chic-boy pilot likes the views at Pasqu...

Coming from Eastern Samar returning to Tacloban, I saw that highway signage again, just before the approach to San Juanico Bridge. I have seen that signage a number of times, of course I was curious. Driver told me he did some asking around and learned that it is purportedly a restaurant and a tourist attraction being promoted by the Samar Provincial Tourism Office. Hmm, so we went to check it out! Entrance is about 300 to 400 meters from the national highway along a (narrow) barangay road. A bit tricky to find, but there are signs (some already faded), yet it was easiest to ask people along the way! This is the big signage at the entrance area. Oh okay, also a Gina Lopez supported tourism project! The restaurant is a bit distant - about 500 meters of a stroll on a boardwalk above a mangrove forest. This is that hut on the right edge of the picture above. It's here where visitors pay the entrance fee.., You see the bamboo path at left? That's the 'boardwalk', r...

As promised in a previous post , I said I'll be back at this place and tell you more about it! Actually, I've been coming back, but in many of those 'other' visits, either I did not, could not, or forgot to take pics. But I did and stayed a bit today. Ginawang tambyan! Even shot a video! Let's start with these... clearer shots of the main dining area (back of the house) from both ends... Saturday noon, only me and driver as diners! The crowds normally come late afternoons to evenings. It was raining intermittently again (as usual) but I went down to their 'organic garden'... That's the area below the swimming pool. Can you see some of the plots are even covered with nets? Another attempt at capturing the San Juanico Bridge. Better than the last time (I think)... But that is zoomed - the bridge is rather far. And why does it always rain when I'm at Pasqualino's?! My lunch. My driver's lunch. A cargo ship passed by the strait as w...

A Saturday ended with nothing much to do. I asked around if there was any nearby place I could hie off to, for the rest of the gloomy afternoon even until evening. Somebody mentioned Pasqualino's, so I looked for it! Not really a nearby place if you were in Tacloban, but, this is more than worth the effort! This is in the town of Sta. Rita (Samar), 1.5km after you cross the San Juanico Bridge from Tacloban. No this is not a roadside joint. As you can see on the pic, this is on top of a hill with a nice view of the bridge itself (and other equally breathtaking sights)! Unfortunately, there is no commute to this place. You can rent a car or jeep or the Lhuiller Taxi in the city. A tricycle won't probably be able to negotiate the ascent. But if you can hire a "singgol" (single) motorbike a-la habal-habal, that would be fine. Only issue is, there are really no habal-habal commuter rides in Tacloban. But no harm in asking motorists! Let me tell you how I approached ...