Mustachioventures

Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc., the people who caused me to expose my bald head after I met them, sure thought of everything for the Waterfalling Adventure Tour (WAT). Including food. They made sure the waterfall chasers wouldn't starve before, during, and after the chasing.

Breakfast

Pater Al-Kuwait

La Salle Road, Pala-o, Iligan City

0906 932 8729

Monday to Saturday 8AM to 9PM

A serving of rice topped with shredded meat (chicken, beef, or tuna) wrapped in banana leaf, add a bit of palapa, and I have a tasty, spicy breakfast for just Php 25. I just wish it had more meat. Warning: Use palapa sparingly, unless you have a fire extinguisher handy.

Lunch

Jacko's Kan-anan

National Highway, Hinaplanon, Iligan City

(063) 222 4610

Monday to Saturday 9AM to 9PM

Sunday 9AM to 730PM

A huge lunch in preparation for the 20-minute easy hike to Dodiongan Falls? Jacko's Kan-anan generously prepared a feast of vegetables, meat, and seafood, subconsciously knowing the participants, right after lunch, wouldn't be merrily skipping over grass and rocks to get to (and from) Dodiongan Falls.

Dinner

Tatay's Grill

National Highway, Tambo, Brgy. Hinaplonan, Iligan City

(063) 221 1740

Daily 11AM to 10PM

The grill of tatay must have been busy that night that only one grilled item was served for dinner and the rest were cooked off the grill. But no one complained. The food was good and the seafood fresh. Lucky for me, I picked the right seat—right in front of the seafood tinola and adobong bihod (Tatay's specialty).

Nightcap

Brews Almighty
National Highway, Brgy. Tibanga, Iligan City
(063) 221 3836

The group recalled their days of adventure over coffee, desserts, and laughter at Brews Almighty. The recommended nightcap? Durian cappuccino (Php 100)—coffee that not only smelled faintly of durian but had bits of durian in it—paired with suman with latik (Php 20).

Waterfalling Adventure Tour 3.0 by the Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc. would not be possible without the following partners: Iligan City Government, 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion, IHARRA, and Iligan Chamber, and event sponsors:

[Jacko's Kan-anan] [Jollibee] [Calda Pizza] [Jasmine Pensionne Home] [Tita Fannie's] [Tatay's Grill]

With the support of:

Nice and sunny. That's what I woke up to while aboard Trans–Asia approaching Cagayan de Oro. Nice and sunny on the road to Iligan City from Cagayan de Oro City on a Super Five bus (Php 85, travel time of 2 hours; buses leave every 20 minutes starting 4AM with the last trip at 1045PM from Sunday to Thursday and 1245AM on Friday and Saturday). Nice and sunny as I dumped my bags in Jasmine Pensionne House. Nice and sunny when I entered Jacko's Kan-anan with the members of Iligan Bloggers Society and the participants of the Waterfalling Adventure Tour (WAT). Nice and sunny. Is what we were all expecting the afternoon we were to go to Dodiongan Falls, the first waterfall on this waterfall–choked 3–day itinerary.

Expectation

Dodiongan Falls on a sunny day

Photo by Pinay Travelista

Gray and drizzling as the old white van we were in navigated the road to Dodiongan Falls. Gray and drizzling as we bumped along the uneven dirt road to the jump off for the 20–minute easy hike to Dodiongan Falls. Gray and drizzling as we trudged over rocks and grass. Gray and drizzling as we crossed the river twice.

Brown and raging, the state of Dodiongan Falls was when we reached it after what seemed like more than 20 minutes. Brown and raging it stayed while we took turns taking photographs of Dodiongan Falls under the shelter of somebody's umbrella. Brown and raging still when we heard a lady call to his son, who had been leading our way, to come back. Brown and raging it persisted so we decided to turn back.

Reality

Steady and pouring, the rain was as we slowly traced our way back. Steady and pouring, the rain made the river swell. Rushing and rising, the river swallowed up the trail we had taken just a few minutes ago. Rushing and rising, the river widened and we carefully clung to rocks and plants in the hopes of not falling into the river. Rushing and rising, the river had risen to impassable depths and forced us to take another way up and down the side of the mountain, making the 20–minute easy hike into a 40-minute workout.

Soaked but happy, we all were. To have come back safe. To have seen Dodiongan Falls.

Dodiongan Falls is in Barangay Bonbonon, 14.5 km from the city proper of Iligan. For directions on how to get to Dodiongan Falls, please visit Pinay Travelista's blogpost.

Waterfalling Adventure Tour (WAT):

Hats Off to Iligan Bloggers Society

All in a Day's Eat in Iligan

Dodiongan Falls: Expectation and Reality (you're here!)

[Jacko's Kan-anan] [Jollibee] [Calda Pizza] [Jasmine Pensionne Home] [Tita Fannie's] [Tatay's Grill]

With the support of:

Be alarmed. Mimbalot Falls has disappeared.

Disappeared behind an eyesore.

Obscured by development in the form of Paradise Resort and Eco Park.

Paradise Resort and Eco Park has made Mimbalot Falls unparadisiacal

Look beyond the eyesore to see the 90–ft. beauty of Mimbalot Falls.

If you'd rather not donate to the resort's idea of paradise

(read: skip paying the entrance fee of Php 50),

take the little path on the left.

If the rush of water entices you to strip and dip,

then you might have to pay that entrance fee after all.

But some little birds told me that they saw communities, cows, carabaos (water buffaloes), goats...

well, you get the picture.

Mimbalot Falls is in Barangay Buruun, 11 km from the city proper of Iligan. For directions on how to get to Mimbalot Falls, please visit Pinay Travelista's blogpost.

Waterfalling Adventure Tour (WAT):

Hats Off to Iligan Bloggers Society

All in a Day's Eat in Iligan

Dodiongan Falls: Expectation and Reality
The Disappearance of Mimbalot Falls (you're here!)

[Jacko's Kan-anan] [Jollibee] [Calda Pizza] [Jasmine Pensionne Home] [Tita Fannie's] [Tatay's Grill]

With the support of:

Maria Cristina Falls is so powerful that as I stand on the viewdeck of the hydroelectric plant fronting this 98-meter waterfall, I see billows of mist, even with just one of its drops flowing (on weekends, both drops come rushing down full force at 11AM). The mist reaches me....or maybe it's just the rain. But, believe me, it is very powerful—it provides a large chunk of Mindanao's electricity.

I was in the mood to be a nerd that day and would have loved to have a tour of the power plant, but time was limited and, besides, I think a request for a tour would have to be arranged in advance.

Maria Cristina Falls is located within Iligan City's National Power Corporation (NPC) Nature's Park, just 9.3 kilometers from the city center. NPC Nature's Park can be reached by taking a jeepney bound for Buru-un (fare is Php 11).

NPC Nature's Park

Daily 9AM to 4PM

Entrance Fee Php 35

Park Shuttle Php 10

Other things to see/do at the park:

Zipline

Canopy walk

Picnic

Mini zoo

Butterfly garden

Waterfalling Adventure Tour (WAT):

Hats Off to Iligan Bloggers Society

All in a Day's Eat in Iligan

Dodiongan Falls: Expectation and Reality
The Disappearance of Mimbalot Falls
The Powerful Maria Cristina Falls (you're here!)

[Jacko's Kan-anan] [Jollibee] [Calda Pizza] [Jasmine Pensionne Home] [Tita Fannie's] [Tatay's Grill]

With the support of:

6pm, day after Sunday
I do some tasks in a hurry
The smell of hot
squash carrot soup's calling
The cars are crawling
I am starved

Up a step to the restaurant
I am wobbling on my toes
The diners are chowing down dinner
Clipboard menu of good food to choose from
And I read
I see lots of choices
I'm feeling more hungry
Than I ever was before

I'm at Brique and I'm ord'ring slowly
Read each page and I'm going nowhere
I'm at Brique and I'm ord'ring slowly

Last order is at X:30
I call the waiter once again
I get Smoked Fish Dip as a starter
And Truffled Shoestring Potatoes
I can't stop
Fish Provencal I'm dying for
And Bibingka Creme Brulee
I think that's enough for now

I'm at Brique and I'm eating happy
Off the plate and food's headed somewhere
I'm at Brique and I'm eating happy

As dishes go by
It showed that Brique is so fine
I told them, "Brique...congratulations"
Wine cork popped, my button popped
'Cause I was full...bursting

Driving back to my office
For the moment I am woozy
But it's just my stomach
I am too full
And I know it

Ate at Brique and I'm very lucky
Creative Cuisine is growing everywhere
Eat at Brique and you'll be burping loudly

Brique Modern Kitchen
42 Salinas Drive, Lahug, Cebu City (beside Chikaan)
(032) 414 1720
Weekdays 10AM to 11PM
Weekends 7AM to 11PM

Bring some Good Company for a feast of Good Food.

Please read again and sing to the tune of Brick by Ben Folds Five.

Gibbs' Hot Wings

Holy Family Village II, Banilad, Cebu City

Tuesday to Saturday 11AM-2PM and 530PM to 10PM

Sunday and Monday 530PM to 10PM

What's on the menu? Chicken wings, chicken wings, chicken wings. Chickens rejoice when they hear you order Gibbs' non-chicken-wing items: pasta, potatoes, mozzarella sticks, beer.

Crummy photos of yummy food

Clockwise from top left: hot wings, spicy honey garlic wings, potato wedges, angel wings.

We were guilty of killing eight chickens that night (there are 10 pieces—5 wings and 5 drumettes—per plate), for we had:

* Hot Wings (Php 175). There are five levels of hotness to choose from and we picked level 3. If we had picked level 5, I think we'd need a crate of beer each.

* Spicy Honey Garlic Wings (Php 195). Name says it all. Spicy. Honey. Garlic.

* Angel Wings (Php 205). Wings with cream, cheese, and garlic sauce, topped with Parmesan cheese.

* Potato Wedges (Php 75). Served with sweet and spicy dip.

* And a pitcher of Gibbs' house blend juice (Php 125) for our smoldering tongues.

The pigs invaded the chicken coop: Babe for Food and Baktin Corporation

If we, pigs, could fly, we'd prefer our wings hot or spicy honey and garlic. Angel wings we can do without. Being such gluttons, we wouldn't be admitted into heaven anyway.

Who wants to do oldalaundry?

Spotted along ML Quezon Ave., Mandaue City

For more amusing business names, please visit Go Random.

On saving #2

A tip for the tihik:

Skip sachets. Use a refillable bottle.

(100ml or less if you hand-carry your stuff when traveling by plane.)

Using shampoo/toothpaste sachets may be less bulky and lighter to bring than bottles,

but it would be a waste since we tend to just throw away opened ones (even if all the contents hasn't been used up) after a trip.

For more lessons from the road, please visit Go Learn.

A warning from an officemate: Good luck with the 400–plus steps to Tinago Falls.
I laugh and shoot back: Ah, you underestimate me. I am very fit... fit to roll down hundreds of steps.

After the 10–minute spins and bumps over stone and concrete (and sometimes broken) steps, Tinago Falls revealed itself and I am rendered breathless. Breathless from the sheer beauty of the place.

It was nice and cool down at the falls, with the surrounding greenery and the mist from the waterfall. We picnicked. We rode on the bamboo raft to get a massage (which felt like punches) under the waterfall. We climbed up the rock face off the side of the waterfall (I'm a liar. It was they, not we). They, realizing they were way way up, gathered courage to jump into the water. While I was content with floating around in the cold water.

The relaxing time at Tinago Falls had to come to an end and we had to pack up after just three very short hours. (We still had Maria Cristina Falls on the itinerary.)

I paused at the bottom of the stone stairs, took a deep breath, and stared at the neverending steps. And the real meaning of the warning dawned on me: Good luck with the 400–plus steps on your way back from Tinago Falls.

I huff and puff up the steps. I am breathless once again.

Tinago Falls is located 13.8 km from the city proper of Iligan. For directions on how to get to Tinago Falls, please visit Traveling Morion's blogpost.

For your information:
♦ No entrance fee but donations are welcome.
♦ Lifevest rental Php 25
♦ Table rental Php 75
♦ Raft ride Php 10 per person
♦ Bring food and drinks; there are no restaurants nor stores down at the falls.
♦ You can hire a porter to lug all your stuff to and from the waterfall. Rate per way will depend on the porter.
♦ Changing rooms and toilets are available.

Waterfalling Adventure Tour (WAT):

Hats Off to Iligan Bloggers Society

All in a Day's Eat in Iligan

Dodiongan Falls: Expectation and Reality
The Disappearance of Mimbalot Falls
The Powerful Maria Cristina Falls
The Hidden Beauty: Tinago Falls (you're here!)

[Jacko's Kan-anan] [Jollibee] [Calda Pizza] [Jasmine Pensionne Home] [Tita Fannie's] [Tatay's Grill]

With the support of:

In English: the trouble everyone had to go through to see Limunsudan Falls.

1. Getting up at 3AM. Lisod? For someone whose body really wants to be glued to bed? Yes, lisod, but our itchy feet kicked ourselves awake to get ready for our five–hour journey to Limunsudan Falls (and another five hours for the journey back).

2. Getting up earlier than 3AM? It must have taken more will power and/or many cups of strong coffee for these 30 soldiers who were waiting for us across the pension house, ready to load us into their three army trucks.

Three army trucks, thirty soldiers, one prayer

Photo by Jeffrey Wong

3. Convincing these soldiers to accompany unimportant people like us? No trouble at all for they weren't there to be our bodyguards but to answer a call of duty—to bring supplies to the Higaonon Tribe living in Barangay Rogongon. We were just the burdensome excess baggage, hitching a ride. (Actually, the Iligan Bloggers Society went through all the trouble to arrange transportation in the form of an—as in one—army truck because the long road to Limunsudan Falls would require a sturdy set of wheels. Hats off to Iligan Bloggers Society (IBS) for the transportation arrangement!)

At DSWD to load the supplies

4. Limunsudan Falls is, according to various web sources, just 55km from Iligan City but to cover that distance, one has to go on foot which would take at least three days of hiking up and down mountains, and in and out of jungles. To cut the travel time to five hours, we took the long way round: from Iligan City (Lanao del Norte) to Cagayan de Oro City (Misamis Oriental) to Talakag (Bukidnon) and through a small portion of Lanao del Sur to reach Barangay Rogongon, which is a part of Iligan City. We drove through three provinces just to get back to Iligan City!

The long way round mapped by Pinay Travelista

4. Five hours of sitting on the wooden truck bench or on the flat truck bed or on lumpy sacks in an army truck that's rolling over partially smooth roads but mostly rocking over bumpy roads? A big pain in the butt. Literally. And machine guns pointing at my feet? Toe–curling. Yes, I had to curl my toes try to make my feet as small as possible in case one of the machine guns go off, it wouldn't blast my toes off.

Crossing a river

5. The entire Higaonon Tribe gathering, the datus (tribe chiefs) performing the ritual (IBS had to prepare white chickens as offering), and the chiefs giving a welcome talk. These humble and welcoming people went through all that trouble.

The datus performing the ritual

6. The datus and soldiers sparing some time to lead the short and easy hike to the viewpoint, where another ritual was performed, before we could take photos of the two–tiered 870–ft. high Limunsudan Falls. From the viewing area, it's hours of steep descent (that none would dare endure) to the waterfall.

Limunsudan Falls, so near yet so far

Even my camera lens couldn't get too near

7. The Higaonon Tribe preparing a program of dance and song for us bwisitors. Oh the trouble this lovely tribe had to go through to welcome strangers.

8. The selfless soldiers getting soaked in the rain when they insisted in letting us sit under the tarpaulin while the trucks we were on rocked and rolled over rocks, puddles, mud, and slick roads on the way home.

I am grateful for Iligan Bloggers Society for making this arduous journey possible (and for letting me join WAT). I bow to the Higaonon Tribe for their hospitality. I salute the 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion of Iligan for delivering the goods to the Higaonon Tribe and for letting us, the excess baggage, tag along. Thank you all for going through all that trouble just so we could marvel at this mighty body of water that is Limunsudan Falls.

Limunsudan Falls is in Brgy. Rogongon—according to various web sources, just 55 km from the city proper of Iligan. For directions on how to get to Limunsudan Falls, please visit Pinay Travelista's blogpost.

Waterfalling Adventure Tour (WAT):

Hats Off to Iligan Bloggers Society

All in a Day's Eat in Iligan

Dodiongan Falls: Expectation and Reality
The Disappearance of Mimbalot Falls
The Powerful Maria Cristina Falls
The Hidden Beauty: Tinago Falls
Nagkalisod Para Limunsudan (you're here!)

[Jacko's Kan-anan] [Jollibee] [Calda Pizza] [Jasmine Pensionne Home] [Tita Fannie's] [Tatay's Grill]

With the support of:

Three days. Five waterfalls. Seven Waterfalling Adventure Tour (WAT) participants. Put it all together and what do we get? A bunch of tired strangers turned tired friends. But not too tired to celebrate with the admirable organizers (Iligan Bloggers Society) and the generous sponsors of this event.

The third and last Waterfalling Adventure Tour (WAT) 3.0 dinner was not in a restaurant but in Villa Sabarre, a house (located in a quiet village) that had been turned into an events venue.

Villa Sabarre

Hermit Street, Isabel Village, Pala-o, Iligan City

0939 920 3183

Email: villasabarre@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/villasabarre

We are glad, too.

Entering the gate, we were greeted by "Welcome IBS" written on a chalkboard. Off to the right, in the garden: the buffet table. And a few more steps across the buffet table, a small, well lit stage, and four tables for our small party of 25. It was a night of good food, some tears (this event—WAT—is the result of IBS's blood, sweat, and tears..and the tears came in late), lots of laughter, and new friendships.

Thank you Villa Sabarre for letting us have this charming venue all to ourselves. And congratulations Iligan Bloggers Society for a successful event!

Waterfalling Adventure Tour (WAT):

Hats Off to Iligan Bloggers Society

All in a Day's Eat in Iligan

Dodiongan Falls: Expectation and Reality
The Disappearance of Mimbalot Falls
The Powerful Maria Cristina Falls
The Hidden Beauty: Tinago Falls
Nagkalisod Para Limunsudan
WAT 3.0's Last Supper at Villa Sabarre (you're here!)

[Jacko's Kan-anan] [Jollibee] [Calda Pizza] [Jasmine Pensionne Home] [Tita Fannie's] [Tatay's Grill]

With the support of:

Holding an ordinary Philippine passport and going to Taiwan? You need a visa!

But not if you have a valid US, Canada, Japan, UK, EU Schengen, Australia, or New Zealand visa! If you have one of these visas, you only need to apply for a Travel Authorization Certificate online a few days up to a month before your trip to Taiwan (the Travel Authorization Certificate is valid for one month only). Please make sure you input the correct details to avoid any inconveniences! Once approved, print out the certificate. Bring your US/Canada/Japan/UK/EU Schengen/Australia/New Zealand visa and your Travel Authorization Certificate as these will be needed when you check–in and when you enter Taiwan.

For those who don't have any of the mentioned visas, you need to apply for a visa to Taiwan (R.O.C visa). For employees, these are the requirements for a tourist visa to Taiwan:

Visa Application form— fill out online. Read the FAQ for information about the application form. If you are applying through a travel agency, you will need the following information from your agency: name of travel agent, address, telephone number. Once completed, print out the form and sign.
Two (2) pcs. of passport sized (1.5" x 2") colored photo, with white background — taken within the last 3 months
Original passport — should be valid for at least 6 months
Previous passports — to show previous travels
Birth certificate issued by NSO — if you don't want to line up at your local NSO office you can request for one (or more copies) online (a bit more expensive)
Marriage certificate issued by NSO (if applicable) — if you don't want to line up at your local NSO office you can request for one (or more copies) online (a bit more expensive)
Certificate of employment — should indicate salary and length of stay in company
Original personal bank certificate
One photocopy of each of the above requirements

If you will be going to Taiwan to study Mandarin, visit a relative, do business, etc. you can find the list of requirements here.

Visa Fee

Single entry Php 2100

Multiple entry Php 4200

* Because I am in Cebu and the consular office is in Manila,I chose to apply thru a travel agency, rather than fly to and from Manila. Service fee will vary from Php 3800 to Php 5000, depending on the agency.

Processing Time

Regular: 3 working days

Expedited: 1 working day (additional fee on top of the visa fee)

* It took about a week for the agency since it had to ship my application to its Manila branch and back.

Expedite Fee

Single entry Php 1050

Multiple entry Php 2100

Filing Time

Monday to Friday 845AM to 1145AM

Releasing Time

Monday to Friday 145PM to 445PM

Contact details

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines

41F Tower 1 RCBC Plaza

6819 Ayala Avenue,

Makati City 1200

(02) 887 6688

email: phl@mofa.gov.tw

Prepare your visa

Philippine citizens need a visa to Taiwan (for visa requirements, read Tourist Visa for Taiwan). Citizens of some 45 countries need not prepare a visa, only a passport that is valid for at least six months and a return or onward ticket.

Prepare your outfit

March to May is spring aka rainy season. Wear waterproof clothes! Bring an umbrella everywhere you go.

June to August is summer. And this is also typhoon season. Wear your skimpiest article of clothing, but bring a raincoat to cover up.

September to October is autumn. Not as hot as summer; skimpy clothing may still apply.

November to February is winter. Not as cold as winter in other countries. Prepare your jackets; thick ones if you're going between December to February (average low of 10°C). This season, in my opinion, is the best time to visit.

From eng.taiwan.net.tw

Prepare your pocket

Taiwan's unit of currency is the New Taiwan Dollar (NT$ or TWD). One Taiwan dollar is about 1.50 Philippine pesos (check XE or Oanda for current exchange rate). There are banks for currency exchange at the airport, some are open 24 hours. In the city, you can have your money exchanged in banks (bring your passport, they may require it). Banks in the city are open on weekdays from 9AM to 330PM. Bring US dollars issued 2006 onwards; older bills will not be accepted. We asked a bank (I forgot which) if they accept Philippine pesos—no, they don't.

Prepare your watch

Type B

Type A

Taiwan is on the same time zone as the Philippines, at GMT +8 hours.

Prepare your gadgets

Taiwan uses type A and type B plugs (photos from electricaloutlet.org) at 110V. If your gadgets have the same type plugs but at 220V, you may still use these but charging would be oh so slow. Best to use a voltage converter.

Prepare your tongue and brain

Mandarin Chinese is largely spoken in Taiwan. Of the many we asked (or tried to ask) for directions, etc. while we were there, only a few could understand or speak English. I wish I had studied Mandarin Chinese.

Prepare your itinerary
Some museums and tourist spots are closed on Mondays. If shopping is part of your itinerary, you might be interested to know that retail shops and department stores in Taiwan are open from 11AM to 930PM (some are even open up to midnight).

Prepare to go from one place to another

These are the options to get to other parts of Taiwan: buses, trains, and the Taiwan High Speed Rail. The options when going around Taipei City or Kaoshiung City are buses, taxis, and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) — Metro Taipei and Kaoshiung Metro. Avail of an EasyCard when in Taipei or an iPass when in Kaoshiung. These cards can be used to pay for transportation around the city and are also accepted in some convenience and retail stores, select buses in other cities, select intercity buses, and some train routes (see links to know where EasyCard is accepted and where iPass is accepted). You can add value to the EasyCard and iPass, and when you leave Taiwan, have the remaining value refunded (minus the handling fee of NT$20 for EasyCard; handling fee of NT$20 for iPass will not apply if the card is used at least five times).

Prepare to get connected

If you need a local sim card, there are telecom shops in the airport that have phone rentals or sell sim cards, but these shops are open from 8AM to 9PM only. You can also look for telecom shops (Chunghwa Telecom, Far EasTone Telecom, etc) in the city—they are everywhere (locate a Chunghwa Telecom store here).

Taiwan Series:
Tourist Visa for Taiwan
Taiwan Preparations (you're here!)
(more soon)

So as not to be confused with the bird and the festival.

Spotted in Lane 50, Xining South Road, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan.

For more amusing business names, please visit Go Random.

Taiwan Series:
Tourist Visa for Taiwan
Taiwan Preparations
What's in a (Business) Name? Taiwan (you're here!)
(more soon)

On connecting flights

Do not trust the connecting flight schedule.
Unless you want an adrenaline rush.

(This applies to Cebu Pacific domestic+international connecting flights

and may or may not apply to other airlines.)

Maybe this is what we get for being too cheap. Too cheap to buy a connecting ticket (you know, when you book on Cebu Pacific, you click on Cebu to Taipei, and it gives you Cebu–Manila–Taipei all in one click) because connecting tickets do not ever go on sale.

We bought our Cebu–Manila and Manila–Taipei tickets separately for a total of about half the price of a connecting ticket. We chose the same schedules as the connecting flights. We're on the same schedule as a connecting ticket so the plane would never leave us behind even if the first leg is delayed, right?

The first leg was—what else is new?—delayed (good thing we already paid for our travel tax in the international departure area in Mactan Cebu International Airport) and we arrived panting and wheezing at the check–in counter for the Taipei flight just as it was closing (for international flights, passengers who have checked in online must still go to the check–in counter for checking of travel documents). Add to that an error in our companion's Travel Authorization Certificate and our hearts raced as her fingers raced to fill out the online form not once, but twice (first through smart phone, but it did not generate a pdf file of the certificate; second time through a laptop). A Cebu Pacific agent was shouting "Last call for boarding for Taipei! Last call for boarding for Taipei!" and we had to run like the Flash from the check–in counter, to the international terminal fee counter, to the immigration counter, and to our boarding gate...which happened to be the farthest gate!!! We were involuntarily cast as contenders for a 500–meter dash.

If getting a connecting ticket means [1] having your passport and visa checked at the first airport (in this case Mactan) and [2] tagging your bags as check–thru baggage (bags are tagged through to their final destination and you don't have to pick it up when you arrive at your layover destination) then you won't have to go through all that impromptu exercise. Those are the only two things I can think of as advantages of having a connecting ticket (that's if [1] applies...which I am not sure of).

Lessons learned from this trip:

1. Do not trust the connecting flight schedules. Expect delays especially when going via Manila. A 2.5–hour leeway between flights (especially if the second flight is an international flight) might not be enough.

2. Pay your Philippine travel tax (applicable to Filipino citizens) at the first airport (if it's an international airport).

3. Take advantage of the web check–in. Check in online and print your boarding pass.

4. Ensure your travel documents (passport and visa) are complete and have no errors.

5. Gadgets can be lifesavers. (In our case, Companion #2's effort of bringing a laptop and having data connection paid off when Companion #1 had to redo her Travel Authorization Certificate.)

6. If possible, just bring hand–carried bags.
7. Wear comfortable clothes and running shoes. Just in case.

For more lessons from the road, please visit Go Learn.

Taiwan Series:
Tourist Visa for Taiwan
Taiwan Preparations
What's in a (Business) Name? Taiwan
Wisdom from the Road #20 (you're here!)
(more soon)

Welcome to Taiwan.

I might have looked to the immigration officer like a person who would use whatever means necessary to enter his country. What rang his warning bells? Must have been my unruly mustache or the very handsome mugshot on my passport. Of the few countries I have been to, this is the first country where the immigration officer scrutinized my passport with an eyepiece.

Welcome to Taiwan. Really.

After finding nothing wrong with my passport (hey, I'm an honest guy!), the immigration officer stamped my passport thru with nary a "Welcome to Taiwan". Nevertheless, I was happy to be officially out of his sight and officially in his country.

Welcome to Taiwan. Now, move it.

The plan. Take a Kuo–Kuang Bus 1819 from Taoyuan International Airport to Taipei Main Station. Kuo-Kuang buses depart every 15 minutes from 540AM to 1230AM. After 1230AM, there are only two other schedules: 1AM and 130AM. The bus ride will take about an hour and would cost NT$125 (about Php190). From Taipei Main Station, take the Taipei Metro (minimum fare NT$20 or about Php30) to my hostel.

The reality. I am a tightwad and it sucks being one. Being a tightwad means getting cheap airplane tickets. Which means getting stuck with sucky flight schedules. Which often means arriving late at night or in the wee hours of the morning. In our case, we arrived after midnight and got out of the airport after 1AM when there was only one bus bound for the city and the trusty Taipei Metro was fast asleep. Too lazy to do transfers (bus then taxi), whatever we saved from our plane ticket we spent for a taxi from the airport to the city (NT$1300; about Php1950).

Taiwan Series:
Tourist Visa for Taiwan
Taiwan Preparations
What's in a (Business) Name? Taiwan
Wisdom from the Road #20
Welcome to Taiwan (you're here!)
(more soon)

Officemate's head pops above the cubicle divider and says, "Hike on Saturday at Buhisan." Then he sends an email and I look at the invite list and it's mostly girls. I sign up, not because of the girls, but because I assume it's an easy hike. Or maybe it's really because of the girls.

The Saturday hike starts off easy enough...

down the slope, in between trees, on a clear path.

Over flat land covered with rocks and pebbles...

...then my officemate, who is leading the group, tells us this will be a river trek.

For a distance we continue walking on rocks and pebbles.

But still no water.

And then we see a small stream: "River trek, at last!"

Our leader takes us over some boulders to a small waterfall with a small pool at the bottom.

Thinking we are already half way, I ask, "Is this our rest stop?"

"Rest stop?" and then he laughs.

He invites everyone to take a dip, but half the group decline and just relax in the shade.

(What he doesn't say is that we are only a third of the way through.)

After the "rest stop", we continue our hike, skipping from boulder to boulder

and sometimes splashing in the water.

Then a quick photo stop by this tiny waterfall.

And onward again over boulders...

Scrambling over neverending boulders, which reminded me of Mt Apo...

...only worse...

Because some boulders are too high for my short legs to reach
(and my body is too heavy for my weak arms to carry),

my friends help out and haul me over:

one pulling my arms, the other pushing my legs.

And in another area, I cling to some vines

while someone struggles to pull up an equivalent of a large sack of rice.

Then I realize we are already in the woods and I heave a sigh of relief.

Goodbye river. See you never!

But it is a sigh of relief expelled too soon.

The steep hike in the woods continues over dried leaves

and under fallen trees...

And one last challenge...

when I face a wall of crumbling soil that is as high as my head.

My friend, using all his muscle power (again), pulls me up,

and I land on a pile of dried leaves,

where I crawl uphill until I am a good way away from the edge.

Damn Buhisan, I underestimated you.

Thank Yous are in order:
To H. Villarante and F. Casinillo for the muscle power.
To H. Villarante and M. Unat for the photos.
To S. Ortega for the moral support.

Buhisan Damn by the numbers:
Estimated number of hours for this hike: 2
Actual number of hours for this hike: 3
Number of weight lifters needed: 2
Number of muscles pulled: 3
Number of bruises acquired: 4
Number of scratches obtained: 5
Motorcycle from Jollibee Labangon to Buhisan Php 25/way
Lunch bought from Labangon market Php 30

Tips (that I learned after this hike):

Wear sandals, shorts, and leggings (optional) for this hike.

Eat a big meal before embarking on this hike. (I did not eat a big enough meal and was hungry an hour into the hike.)

Bring at least 1.5L of drinking water. (I brought just 1L of water which had to be rationed til we got to the end of the hike.)

Bring trail food and don't forget to eat it. (I brought some trail food but only ate one and was tired and starving by the time we entered the woods.)

Bring an extra shirt. (I did not bring an extra shirt and on the way home everyone was looking at me like I just got out of a mud bath.)

I am the ape in grape.

No culture.

Knows nothing about wine.

But maybe I am right where I need to be.

In Planet Grapes.

To get a little culture.

Without the drama.

Planet Grapes

Level 4, New Wing, Ayala Center Cebu

(032) 266 0526

White wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling.

White plate: Thai-spiced crab cake, danggit, fried oyster mushroom, chicken isaw, quail eggs, squid balls

Lesson #1: White Wine

Sauvignon Blanc. Chardonnay. Riesling.

All looks (and smells) the same to me.

But with the help of Luke (you can ask any of the Planet Grapes staff about wine),

I got a crash course.

Sauvignon Blanc: acidic; goes with seafood

Chardonnay: creamy; fermented in oak barrels (otherwise, it can taste like Sauvignon Blanc); goes with fish and poultry

Riesling: dry or sweet; aromatic; goes with sweet and spicy food

White wine should be served cooler than red wine.

It should be chilled hours ahead and taken out 20 minutes before serving.

Sauvignon Blanc (sip)

Water (gulp to cleanse the palate)

Chardonnay (sip)

Water (gulp)

Riesling (sip)

I still have no idea how the adjectives relate to my tastebuds.

But, what the heck, I am preferring the Riesling.

Red wines: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon.

Red plate: salted egg rice, BBQ pork spareribs, rib-eye steak, penne putanesca, beef tapa, BBQ garlic chicken wing

Lesson #2: Red Wine

Pinot Noir. Merlot. Sauvignon.

Pinot Noir: fruity; food friendly; lighter color; goes with pasta (red sauce) and pork

Merlot: smooth; darker (color) than Pinot Noir; goes with pasta (red sauce) and beef

Cabernet Sauvignon: full–bodied (no idea what that means); darkest (color) of the three; goes with red meat

Should be chilled 20 minutes before serving.

I take a sip of each and...
I am still clueless.

Wine: Gewurztraminer

Sweet plate: Banana creme brulee, original creme brulee, durian creme brulee, bite–sized turon

Lesson #3
What was lesson 3?

I have not wrapped my head around all the information from the first two lessons,
but the wine has wrapped itself around my head.

I sit and enjoy my sweets.

Planet Grapes' Enomatic (wine dispenser) machine (left) and the reloadable card used for the machine (right)

Planet Grapes is a good place for apes like me and non–apes like you to start becoming a wine expert (although I think I am hopeless). Their little Italian Enomatic machine (it's like a wine vending machine!) lets you try different wines from just a sip, a half–glass, to a full–glass. And if you find something really good, bottles of wine are also for sale.

Thank you Planet Grapes.

I got a little culture (or so I think).

And I got a little drunk too.

But I am still an ape.

Watermarked photos from Planet Grapes.

We booked a private room for four at a hostel called

Fun Taipei Backpackers

No. 116 Chengde Rd. Sec. 4

Shilin District, Taipei, Taiwan

+886-2-2838-1181

No. 116 Section 4 Chengde Road was our address for five days, but we accessed the building through its entrance on Hougang Street. The building did not give any clue that it was a hostel. We only knew we were in the right place because of the No. 116 by the door. No. 116 is five stories of apartments and I am guessing the owner of the hostel owns some apartments in that building and had his units converted into "private rooms."

Half of the private room for four

The room assigned to us was a bit cramped but good enough. It had two queen sized beds, a TV and DVD player, a refrigerator, an air conditioning unit, WiFi, and an ensuite bathroom. For NT$1600 (weekday rate; about Php2400) or NT$2000 (weekend rate; about Php3000), it was a pretty good deal.

Location was a plus, too. Convenience stores (OK Mart and 7–Eleven) were just around the corner, so too was the Bank of Taipei. Exit 2 of Jiantan Station was just five minutes away (about 300m). And Shilin Market, the largest market in Taipei, was about 650m or 10–minutes away on foot.

Fun Taipei Backpackers. Was it really fun then? If your idea of fun is meeting other travelers, then the answer is no. We did not see any other guests at Fun Taipei Backpackers...because, as I found out on our last day, private rooms were in a different building from the dorm rooms.

Dorm rooms were in another nondescript building along Wenlin Road. Location was even better: just 100m from Exit 1 of Jiantan Station; and just a 3–minute walk to Shilin Market.

The common room at the dorm (Photo from their facebook page)

There were 28 beds in total at the dorm, from a 3–bed dorm room to a 6–bed dorm room. A bed would cost from NT$400 (about Php 600) to NT$650 (about Php975) per night, depending on the room type and the day (weekends cost higher). All dorm rooms had common bathrooms.

Dorm room (Photo from their facebook page)

When we checked out of the private room (check out was at noon), we left our bags at the common room at the dorm (our flight was still at 1AM). The manager was also kind enough to let us use the shower before we left for the airport. The hostel — its dorm rooms, common rooms, toilets, and shower rooms — upon my inspection, was spic and span. If I was traveling alone, I wouldn't mind staying at the dorm.

Visit these links to book a...

Private Room at

Fun Taipei Backpackers

No. 116 Chengde Rd. Sec. 4, Shilin District, Taipei, Taiwan

Email: funtaipeibackpackers@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/funtaipeihostel0123/

Bed (Dorm Room) at

Fun Taipei Hostel

No. 27 Wenlin Road, Shilin District, Taipei, Taiwan

Email: funtaipeihostel@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Fun-Taipei-Hostel/209501812412459

Taiwan Series:
Tourist Visa for Taiwan
Taiwan Preparations
What's in a (Business) Name? Taiwan
Wisdom from the Road #20
Welcome to Taiwan
Taipei Accommodation: Fun Taipei Backpackers (you're here!)
(more soon)

Most of Taipei's tourist attractions are free.
Free?
I'm there!

Longshan Temple

Longshan Temple was founded in 1738 and is dedicated to the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. But the temple now isn't the original structure. This one was built in 1919 and currently houses many Buddhist and Taoist deities.

When we visited Longshan Temple, many locals were there with offerings and prayers. We were clueless who the gods were and what the locals' rituals were. It would have been nice to have had a guide for some enlightenment.

Directions to Longshan Temple: Take the MRT Nangang/Banqiao/Tucheng (Blue) Line to Longshan Temple Station, Exit 1.

Bopiliao Old Street

9AM to 9PM Tuesday to Sunday

Bopiliao Old Street and its buildings go back to the Qing Dynasty. Pretty old indeed. On one end of the street is the Heritage and Culture Education Center where one can learn about its history and significance. Bopiliao Old Street can't be found on the map, search instead for Lane 173 Kangding Road—that is its current street name.

Bopiliao Old Street was maybe less than 100 meters long. The surrounding buildings were clean and well restored...but the space could have been put to better use. Only a few of the buildings (maybe two or three) were in use (one was used for an art exhibit). It would have been nice to have a restaurant or a coffee/tea shop in the area. Bopiliao Old Street reminded me of Calle Crisologo in Vigan.

Directions to Bopiliao Old Street: Take the MRT Nangang/Banqiao/Tucheng (Blue) Line to Longshan Temple Station, Exit 1. Bopiliao Old Street (Lane 173 Kangding Road) is about 200 m from Longshan Temple.

Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall

9AM to 6PM Daily

An important man deserves a grand memorial hall in an area of grand proportions. The Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall is surrounded by gardens, ponds, impressive archways or gates, and two huge buildings: the National Concert Hall and the National Opera House.

The Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall (center) and the National Opera House (right)

The only problem with such a vast amount of open space is the distance one has to walk to get from one building to the other during summer. The 100 meters or so between the Concert Hall to the Opera House was a killer...a kilikili killer. I kid you not. It was that scorching in August. The heat drained our energies that we did not bother walking up the steps to go inside the memorial hall (which was supposed to be the darned highlight!).

Directions to Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall: Take the MRT to CKS Memorial Hall Station, Exit 5.

And, let's not forget, Taipei's iconic building:

Taipei 101

Taipei 101 has 101 floors and is 508 meters tall up to its spire, and for a time held the title as world's tallest building. Taipei 101 is home to many offices, branded boutiques, and several restaurants, coffee shops, and ice cream shops.

Taipei City can be seen from way up high by those willing to shell out NT$400 (admission fee; around Php 600) to enter Taipei 101's indoor observatory (open from 9AM to 10PM, last entry at 915PM) on the 89th floor (outdoor observatory on the 91st floor is open on certain occasions only).

Attention civil engineers, structural engineers, and science nerds, you might want to let that NT$400 in your pocket go in exchange not only for the view on the 89th floor, but for a close encounter with the world's largest wind damper (a damper reduces the wind movement in high rise buildings).

I am an engineer by name and part science nerd, with a brain that is controlled by my wallet. So, yeah, I went to Taipei 101 just to take a photo of it. Free, of course!

Directions to Taipei 101: Take the MRT Xin–Yi (Red) Line to Taipei 101 Station, Exit 4.

Taiwan Series:
Tourist Visa for Taiwan
Taiwan Preparations
What's in a (Business) Name? Taiwan
Wisdom from the Road #20
Welcome to Taiwan
Taipei Accommodation: Fun Taipei Backpackers
Free Taipei Tourist Stops (you're here!)
Jiufen

All In a Day's Eat in Iligan

Dodiongan Falls: Expectation and Reality

The Disappearance of Mimbalot Falls

The Powerful Maria Cristina Falls

Brique by 'Stache Eats Five

Gibbs' Hot Wings

What's in a (Business) Name? Treinta y tres

Wisdom from the Road #19

The Hidden Beauty: Tinago Falls

Nagkalisod Para Limunsudan

WAT 3.0's Last Supper at Villa Sabarre

Tourist Visa for Taiwan

Taiwan Preparations

What's in a (Business) Name? Taiwan

Wisdom from the Road #20

Welcome to Taiwan

Buhisan Damn

Wine Lessons in Planet Grapes

Taipei Accommodation: Fun Taipei Backpackers

Free Taipei Tourist Stops