Philippine Travel Notes

My Negros Oriental Tour: San Carlos City to Bacolod City, NegOcc Exciting trip! Goodbye San Carlos and there I was on the way to Bacolod. The trip is on good roads going westward approaching the mountains. I think that posh residential village called South Villa was that one I could see from the city hall days ago. Hmm, nice big houses. Must be one affluent side of the city. Oh yes, there was signage that we were about to cross C1 (circumferential road 1) and it connects to the city hall. Ah, that only means this part of the city is just really near the new city hall complex. Nice place! Onwards, I saw a memorial park and clicked a shot as there were so many fresh flowers and this was definitely not an “all souls’ day”, to the extent that I went into thinking those were all fresh(new) entrants to the cemetery hehe. The conductor saw me ogling at it and remarked something like it won some award. Ack! Even memorial parks now have contests? Whatever hehe! He clarified those were not new g...

My Negros Oriental Tour: San Carlos City to Bacolod City, NegOcc What has Bacolod got to do with my Negros ORIENTAL tour?! Calm down folks, calm down hehe! The impulsive roamer in me, myself and I took the helm again, so there I found myself heading for Bacolod hahaha! It started this way… I was done with my last morning roam of the San Carlos City People’s Park and was checking out of Lola Nitang’s. I was all set for the Ceres bus terminal to ride back to Cebu via Toledo. But the courteous and caring staff at Lola Nitang’s had to remind me with “sir, make sure you check the signboard if the air-conditioned bus is going Cebu as some are going Bacolod”. I said “ok thanks” and remarked that I thought it wouldn’t hurt if I suddenly found myself in Bacolod. They laughed, I laughed… and I think somewhere in my lowly brain that joke of mine was taken all too seriously hahaha! The detour Well yes, I may have been joking at my very own self (I can do that, yes)! But fortunately or unfortunatel...

My Negros Oriental Tour: San Carlos City, NegOcc Last day (actually last morning) in San Carlos City, but I was in no hurry, especially that I learned there was yet another place to see… the People’s Park. Not that I knew what’s in there, but with the staffs of both YM Business Inn and Lola Nitang’s suggesting the said place, I thought it should merit at least a peep. Add to that, that the trike drivers and the jolly gay owner of “D’Van’s Grill & Refreshment” also mentioned it to me. Thus, I told myself I was in no hurry to leave the city, and that I should go see the People’s Park. I was told it was far at one coastal end of the city so I took a trike. Its actually not too far away from Lola Nitang’s. Hmm, entrance alone, something told me this was/is not a so-so park! The gate and archway welcoming me as visitor looked like I was entering a suburban middle-class village (certainly even better than many I know hehe). There is signage telling that opening time is 6AM and closing ti...

My Negros Oriental Tour: San Carlos City, NegOcc This hotel is probably the most central of them all, in that it is right across the city’s auditorium. This was another option that I have come across when surfing the web, while in the bus from Bindoy. But yes, as said in earlier blogs, my first choice was Mom’s. I did not even go looking for Lola Nitang’s as I was already happy with YM Business Inn, but, accidentally, I chanced upon this hotel while roaming the city! So on my 3rd night, decided to check-in just to get a feel of this place. Verdict… good too! Facing a bit southwest, the small front desk of this hotel is relatively dark compared to Mom’s Small Hotel and/or YM Business Inn. There are ample yellow lights though, plus a white AUV always parked by the entrance (under that cute trellis) reflecting more light going inside! Should the vine grow and crawl more in that trellis, I guess that would make the front desk go darker even a bit more hehe. But its fine enough for me. It h...

My Negros Oriental Tour: San Carlos City, NegOcc Ah I’ve made mention of this hotel in some previous entries, right? But I promised you I’ll cover this one in a separate blog entry so here I go… Let me try to highlight other things else that I thought you should know. First, this was not my target place for an accommodation at San Carlos – ah I’ve also mentioned about that some blogs ago, right?! Yes, my target was Mom’s Small Hotel & Restaurant. But mind you, I think I may have discovered something better in YM than mom’s! I may not be too sure, though there were/are indicators I caught a nice place in YM Business Inn. Its spacious compared to others. YM Business Inn looks like it was planned to be made like it is now so. There is ample space just by the side of the building for parking vehicles. And that area is not just a simple row of parking slots. Aside from some well maintained flower plants and trees, there are cages of love-birds to liven up the place. Something to grab yo...

My Negros Oriental Tour: San Carlos City, NegOcc Yes three full nights! And what did I do for a nightlife? Nothing! Well, I did not research nor prepare for this city as I was just bent on roaming Negros Oriental. San Carlos was more of a convenient coincidence hehe. Plus, most of the time, I was out of the city returning only at night tired. So what did I do nga during those three nights?! Ah eh… nothing much really but I liked it anyway. Here I go… First night, if you may have read entry #42 of this series, I actually did not hit the sack immediately after getting my room key. I asked the hotel crews and they told me to try going to La Riqah Café & Bistro Bar. So I did, even for just a short while. Well, the place looks promising but too dark than usual. If you judge that place from the available light, it has the leanings of being a seedy place. But I think it is not. Am no fan of well lit a-la Chinese restaurant eating places but darkness in La Riqah seemed too much. I had to p...

My Negros Oriental Tour: Sipaway Island, San Carlos City, NegOcc As we cruised along, my habal-habal driver vented some more about his/our experience over at whispering palms. Mind you, he even apologized to me for the seemingly unreasonable "rules" over at that resort. But he pointed to me a private beach (Lopez?) and a bigger wider public one that he said have definitely better real white beach areas than over at whispering palms. He attempted going there but I told him to move on since they looked fairly regular to me. I took note of those though and told myself I shall view them on google maps. Again, I think he had a point! Good we were already passing by the San Juan Elementary and High School. Where the kids on my boat went, remember?! And my driver pointed to me that big big tree so we both forgot about the 'blistering fangs' oops 'glowering qualms' oops 'whispering palms' hehe. The tree couldn’t fit on my camera’s range and as we moved further...