Philippine Travel Notes

Nope, this beach is not in a city in Mindanao. This is at Barangay Bislig, Tanauan, Leyte! One morning I needed to be in this resort, not on my usual travel terms to see places. I was working! I was asked to attend some seminar workshop, to say something. Not that I was complaining. In fact, when I read that the venue was a "Bislig Beach Resort", my whole body sprang with excitement! As in! Well, many of you already know me. As I always say, I'm just another "SON OF A BEACH""! Wherever it may be, if it's a "beach" I'm sure I'll find something interesting there! There is no exception! On arrival, my host (the facilitator) noticed I was distracted as I kept darting glances at the beach.... After rolling her eyeballs she said to me "I know, right? Okay, stay in that cottage and I will just call you when its your time to talk"! Without even saying yes or thank you, I flew to this empty cottage hahaha! There are a number

Another new facility in the city that I reluctantly got to check-in for a 3D2N stay. And OMG what a find! I was to attend an event at Radisson Blu , along with friends and friends of friends. When we checked-in (two in a room) we found out that some of us were inadvertently not included in the reservations. I said no problem, I can just go home as my labada was piling up anyway! Somebody we can't sa no to, disagreed! And one said there is a nearby hotel that he saw when the MyBus arrived from the airport. Hmm, I thought "ano kaya yun". All I knew was Sugbutel, but you won't see it if you were riding MyBus from the airport. Ever prepared and willing to help, Radisson's front staff said she can call that hotel to get a room - perhaps even wing a discount, it being a "hotel-to-hotel" booking. I was like sige na nga! She did so, and I asked "asa na 'dai? The reply was "ang bag-o gud diha sir" pointing in the direction of the MyBus pa

I did not know about this "econotel". I just needed to stay overnight in uptown Cebu due to a very early morning engagement somewhere there as I needed to setup things before start of day. My client said she knows a good place in the area and volunteered to booked me a room - on her! Thanks and yehey! On arrival of OceanJet, I took a cab from Pier 1 to this place - I did not even pass by my house, so all the labadami from Tacloban were still with me hehe! When the taxi arrived, I was like "a, mao diay ni"? Following day, I went out to take this picture. Ah, this/my hotel was already a hotel since early '90s! I said I did not know about this hotel, but of course I know this area like... ah, basta I know this area! This was already a hotel alright - make that hotelS (plural) - as I know this had a lot of name changes! In the early '90s nga, when my previous employer would book me at Cebu Midtown months on end (do you know where that is?!), I would always

When traveling, especially on a regular commute, nature's beauty can come unexpectedly... Like what did I really expect on this nth time taking the evening trip from Ormoc to Cebu, right? None! I could imagine I already have countless pictures of these plaques posted on the fastcraft walls... Like I even already know that this particular craft was the 10th that joined the OceanJet fleet; that this was designed and made in Australia and assembled in Mandaue; that the capacity is 357 passengers and 16 crew (not including the OJTs if any); that there are (only) 6 liferafts with a capacity of 60 each - so that if this was full and needed to abandon ship an excess of 13 persons will have to swim hehe! Ganun lang... in short, I was bored! And then for some reason I looked out the window to my right, and... Boom! What a lovely sunset, I panicked to grab my phone and ensure I take at least one photo of it! And as long as it lasted, I sat there, looking at its changing hues, getti

Pronounce that as "sa-ob", not "sawb"! Good that they already have this signage along the highway (this is across the cave entrance) As you can see on the middle of the three logos, they needed a sponsor just to put this signage up! As said above, the cave is across the highway (to the left of this picture). While the beach, with little day-use cottages is way behind that board, where you walk to the right, probably about a hundred meters. Okay, across the road, they now have this clearer sign too! This is where you kind of "enter" the cave. Oh I touched that board, the tarp is new so that the red and white "banig" looks real. It's just a printout! But that should give you the significance of this attraction of sorts. It's about the "banig" not the cave. It is really just a path where, on the side, some women are busy and expertly weaving mats... But all that is under a big limestone hill that extends to I don't know.

After so many passes, it's time to tell my story about this unique resort... That house is not even part of the resort. Isn't that unique hahaha! That's just where the owner lives. Look to the left, almost to the back of the house.., that is where your experience of this "resort" starts! From this sign board, you can discern how this 'resort' interestingly started... Meo [pronounced "mi-yo"] is the name of the owner. His love of the kitchen led into catering services after returning from various stints abroad, at famed luxury liners. Brisk business evolved into this... A banquet / function hall where folks can celebrate various occassions or hold social events... I was asked by a 'paying public' to come and "say something" at that ongoing seminar-workshop. And that is how I came to know this resort, because I roamed around the facility after I "said something"! See that? This is a big place, and really good for pa