Happy Fiesta Cagayan de Oro City

a cloud of buntings

Photo was taken at around 4 in the morning in front of the Capitol

festivities in the air

Shot taken at nite cafe in Divisoria

Holiday Highlights

*Friday*

chopped my locks

before and after (w/ my fave stylist)

dinner with my wonderful friends

L-R: Joy, Jellicle (as she had insisted), Jake, and moi

TravelExpress: Tagaytay Part 2 (My Second Visit to The Windy City)

Where we went next?

JAPANESE GARDEN

Having bought what we came for at Ilog Maria, we then set off to the Japanese Garden.

It wasn’t the one I had in mind. As it turned out, the one I was referring to was actually located in Laguna. Thanks to my brother who never made mentioned about it. But what the heck! Since we were already there, we, nevertheless, checked the place out.

TravelExpress: Tagaytay Part 1 (My Second Visit to The Windy City)

Going around Tagaytay  by public transportation is definitely no easy feat. One, there’s the waiting part which will probably eat about 15 minutes or so of your time as jeepneys won’t leave the terminal until it’s jam-packed with passengers. Two, it takes longer as you have no hold of people hailing the jeepney. Plus, if you’re unlucky, you gonna have to deal with body odor. Ugh!

Two Saturdays ago, we were left with no option but to ride a jeepney as my brother was hesitant to drive his flatmate’s car as it often breaks down. From Sta. Rosa, Laguna, it took us more or less an hour to reach Tagaytay. Then from there, we worked our way to look for the places of interests which I’ve managed to scribble after a last minute search on the net.

BAG OF BEANS

Our first destination was the Bag of Beans where we had our mouthwatering breakfast or was it brunch

Bag of Beans is a coffee shop slash bakery slash restaurant. It’s reputed for being one of the best must-dine-in places while in Tagaytay. And I couldn’t agree more! But I wouldn’t be giving out details of what we had as that will be a post for another day (provided I’ll have time)

GettingThere:

From Tagaytay Terminal, take a tricycle going to Olivares (Php 7.00/passenger). Then, take the jeepney going to Nasugbu, Batangas (Php 17.00/passenger). Bag of Beans is at the right side a few meters from the crossing going to Mendez. Don’t worry every jeepney drivers know where it is. So you can just ask the driver to drop you off or refer to the map below.

Luxury @ Best

Last Friday, I was in Manila. Months back, my li’l sis enticed me to go there since she’d have a 3-day seminar and would be free came Friday afternoon. I played hard to get at first but had to give in since I felt a tad of guilt for not attending her wedding last month. However, my planned excursion didn’t go without a fuss. Two days before the said flight, I asked my friend, who works at CebuPacific, to verify my booking as I hadn’t received a confirmation email although I already got my confirmation number but the status stated “Default” instead of “Confirmed”. To cut the story short, she later informed me my booking was actually denied. Void. Nada. I panicked and nearly backed out. I should’ve listened to Kat’s advice to make an inquiry weeks before I”m set to go to Manila. So, yeah, because of my stupidity and procrastination, I had to shell out almost twice the amount of my original tickets. Grrr!

Now, back to my trip

I arrived early so there’s nothing much to do except lounge at the Crown Plaza Galleria in Ortigas where my sissy’s company housed them for the said seminar.

hotel lobby

The hotel is really posh. Staffs were very accommodating and never hesitated to offer their pearly somewhat white smiles. It’s kinda comforting. You couldn’t help but smile back

view from the 17th floor ***wheww***

TravelExpress: Manila (Lovin’ It, Hatin’ It)

My recent trip to Manila was bittersweet. The terrible traffic was a real pain, but shopping was definitely a pure joy even if I had to go home broke.

If my memory serves me right, it was way back in 2003 that I first visited Manila to take an exam for the government office I was connected with. At that time, there’s no Mall of Asia yet. So we contented ourselves with the surrounding, but rather diminutive, malls in Pasay area. Traffic wasn’t as bad as it is now. And in my opinion, taxi drivers were more honest and polite way back then as compared to the rude and picky drivers of today.

bumper to bumper

Seven years on, traffic condition has been and perhaps will always be a major migraine for travelers, to say the least. Taking public transportation can be a hellish experience. So the best way to go around the city is to drive your own car, ask a friend who has a car, rent one if you don’t have a car and a friend or get a taxi. The last two can be expensive but at least you’re pretty safe from the pollution, pushing, and putrid stench either from the guy next to you or the surrounding itself

On a more positive note, Manila can be an exciting place to visit. It wouldn’t be dubbed as the country’s capital for nothing, right?

It’s definitely a haven for women who love to shop. Shop for less that is! But if your take is on designer items, it’s sprouting with high-end shops as well. So it’s your call

haggling @ Greenhills tiangge

FoodTasteTest: Dakimong (Korean Dining)

In a lot of occasions, I’ve openly declared my love for Korean food. And this post is no exception.

Weeks ago, some friends and I dined at Dakimong. It wasn’t our first as we’ve been there many times. But it’s the first time that Kat and I had our cameras with us since earlier that day we had our company outing.

Dakimong isn’t the only Korean restaurant in town. Cebu is teeming with Kimchi Korean restaurants. Probably, they outnumbered our very own Filipino restaurants or perhaps I’m wrong.

Anyhoo, this particular resto is open from 11:00 in the morning and normally close at 2:00 early morning.

For that night, I was quite full and enjoyed devouring every bite of the dishes we ordered.

Here are the delish food we gorged on:

samgyup w/ rice

Look at that color It’s steaming hot!