Might be better than a plane.
Spotted in Cantilan, Surigao del Sur by Pinay Travelista. Thank you!
For more amusing business names, please visit Go Random.
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What's in a (Business) Name? Cuarenta y cinco
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Wisdom from the Road #33
On layovers
Layovers can be a bore.
But take this as an opportunity to:
* catch up on your reading
* recharge by sleeping
* get a massage
* make a new friend
Catch up on your reading
Bring a smartphone or tablet loaded with an ebook or two or a whole library of ebooks. Just make sure your gadget is fully charged or that you have your charger or powerbank with the right cable for your gadget. Or, if you're old school like me, a book. But be sure you don't get too caught up in the story that you miss your flight.
If you have a smartphone and there's WiFi, you can also check emails and do some work, but I do not recommend this if you're on vacation!!!
Recharge by sleeping
If you're a professional sleeper, then you can probably catch some Zzzzs in any position anywhere. If you have to sleep in a horizontal position on chairs, don't occupy too many seats please! During peak times, please take just one chair and sleep in a sitting position!!! Don't be a hog taking three extra seats plus one more seat for your bag. If I see you do that, I will sit on you!
If you can only sleep on a bed or a soft and comfortable chaise lounge, you might have to shell out some money to stay in an airport hotel or lounge (if the airport you are in has one). Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 has The Wings Transit Lounge on the 4th floor. It would cost Php500 for 4 hours stay at the lounge with a very light meal.
But be sure you don't sleep too deep that you miss your flight.
Get a massage
Some airports have spas or, in the case of small domestic airports in the Philippines, stalls offering massage. But be sure to check the price first...sometimes prices can be high.
Make a new friend
If you don't like reading books, are not sleepy, or don't have money for a massage, how about talking to the person next to you? But before striking a conversation, check that he or she is not reading a book or sleeping!
For more lessons from the road, please visit Go Learn.
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Capsule by Container Hotel at Gateway@KLIA2
Mustachio and friends had eight hours to kill at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) and they had three options:
Option 1 Escape KLIA2 by going to Kuala Lumpur city center, an hour away, to go on a food trip at Jalan Alor.
Option 2 Go to Gateway@KLIA2, the mall within the airport, to shop (some shops are open 24 hours, some up to midnight) or to eat, eat, and eat (most restaurants are open 24 hours).
Option 3 Get some sleep on an airport bench (free) or a proper bed (not free). There are three accommodation options in KLIA2: Sama-Sama Express, Plaza Premium Lounge, and Capsule by Container Hotel. Sama-Sama Express is located in the International Departure area (no need to clear immigration) and is only for guests on transit to another international flight. Plaza Premium Lounge and Capsule by Container Hotel are located at Gateway@KLIA2.
How Mustachio and Friends Killed Eight Hours:
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Because their next flight, an international flight, was at 655AM, they decided to spend their time at Gateway@KLIA2 and do Mustachio's two most favorite things: eat and sleep. (The last train out of KLIA2 was at 1255AM, and the first train leaving KL Sentral going to KLIA2 was at 5AM.)
They ate dinner at Nando's, and bought a tub of yogurt and some fruits from Jaya Grocer. Then checked in at Capsule by Container Hotel, which Mustachio was pretty excited about—it was his first time to stay in a capsule hotel.
Because their next flight, an international flight, was at 655AM, they decided to spend their time at Gateway@KLIA2 and do Mustachio's two most favorite things: eat and sleep. (The last train out of KLIA2 was at 1255AM, and the first train leaving KL Sentral going to KLIA2 was at 5AM.)They ate dinner at Nando's, and bought a tub of yogurt and some fruits from Jaya Grocer. Then checked in at Capsule by Container Hotel, which Mustachio was pretty excited about—it was his first time to stay in a capsule hotel.
Mustachio and friends booked Capsule ahead via the hotel's website: MYR 5 cheaper than the walk-in rate. There are three options: 3 hours (MYR 50), 6 hours (MYR 75), and 12 hours (95 MYR).
Upon check in, they were given a bag (which they could keep) with a towel (to be returned), a key card to access the sleeping area, and a locker key.
They excitedly stored their bag in the locker, went into the sleeping area to see their assigned capsule, inspected the toilet and shower area, then hung out at the lounge or common area.
The capsule was clean and comfortable (might be scary for the claustrophobic). It had two pillows, a blanket, a comfy single mattress, a reading light, a phone (don't forget to request a wake up call!), a small table that folds into the capsule's wall, a secret compartment, an outlet, a shoe compartment, and a roller shade for privacy.
Sleeping Area
Common Area/Lounge
The toilets and shower rooms were clean. Shampoo and soap were provided. The common area or lounge interiors looked really cool with benches made of crates.
Their 6–hour stay at Capsule was pleasant and quickly became a favorite that they stayed there again on their layover at the end of their journey.
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One Day in Kuala Lumpur for Two Years
Been to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, twice, but, regrettably, only spent a day for each visit.
In 2014, we managed to do three things:
- Take a mandatory tourist photo of the Petronas Twin Towers. We were too stingy to spend MYR 85 (about Php 1000) to go up to the observatory. How to go to Petronas Twin Towers: Take the LRT to KLCC Station.
- Window shop at Central Market. Stingy still for shopping, so it was just window shopping for me. I would rather spend my money on food (see next item). How to go to Central Market: Take the LRT to Pasar Seni Station. Central Market is a 5–minute (400 m) walk from the station.
- Eat in Jalan Alor, a food street in Bukit Bintang. How to go to Jalan Alor: Take the monorail to Bukit Bintang Station. Jalan Alor is a 5–minute (400 m) walk from the station.
Petronas Twin Towers
What it says above the entrance
Jalan Alor
In 2015, our one day in Kuala Lumpur was spent sightseeing:
- Masjid Jamek, a mosque built in 1907 and is the oldest mosque in Kuala Lumpur. It was a scorching day and we were in clothes appropriate for the beach and not for a mosque. Thus we could not step foot inside and just took a quick snap from the gate. How to go to Masjid Jamek: Take the LRT to Masjid Jamek Station.
- Merdeka Square (aka Dataran Merdeka), where we took pictures of buildings (Sultan Abdul Samad Building and the Royal Selangor Club) and went in the Kuala Lumpur City Gallery. For just MYR 5, we saw an awesome 3D mapping of the metropolis (called the Spectacular City Model Show) in the KL City Gallery and had a snack, too (the admission ticket could be used to purchase anything from the gift shop and cafe inside the gallery). How to go to Merdeka Square: Take the LRT to Masjid Jamek Station. Merdeka Square is a 6–minute (450 m) walk from the station.
Masjid Jamek... as seen from the gate
Merdeka Square
Sultan Abdul Samad Building
Inside the Kuala Lumpur City Gallery
Should I attempt a third one–day visit in 2016? Maybe not. But, if and when I do find myself in Kuala Lumpur again, I would be sure to spend more than just a day in this metropolis.
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What's in a (Business) Name? Cuarenta y seis
Where caddies dined before the Cadillac took over
Spotted in Mabolo, Cebu City by Brennan of Baktin Corporation. Thank you!
For more amusing business names, please visit Go Random.
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Wisdom from the Road #34
On Gut Feel
Trust it.
We arrived in Beijing Capital International Airport tired, sleepy, and four hours late. It was at least two hours until the first bus out to downtown. We just wanted to get to the hostel and sleep.
I followed my friend out of the airport to the taxi stand. The first cab guy showed us a card listing down the rates: 450 to 580 RMB for our destination. We said no. (We had already been informed by the hostel personnel that it would only cost around 130 RMB by meter.) As I was telling my friend that we should go back inside the airport and ask around, another guy approached us saying that his is a metered taxi. He put our bags into the trunk and we got in. Once in, I checked if there was a meter, but there was none. He was busy getting something on his left side, then turned to the right and connected that something to some wires. After some seconds of tinkering, he showed us his "meter." I had a bad feeling about it and wanted to get out of the taxi and get our bags from the trunk, but was stupidly too tired to persuade my friend. True enough, it was a scam. His "meter" ran up to more than 300 (and on the way, when we passed a toll booth, he said that toll is 80 RMB).
He did take us to our destination but stopped a few meters away from our hostel. It was a little after 4AM and the street was deserted. There was nothing else we could do, but pay up.
Lessons learn: Trust your gut feel. Walk away when you can. If you have failed to do so (like we had), learn from it, but don't let it ruin the rest of your day (and the rest of your vacation).
For more lessons from the road, please visit Go Learn.
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Orange Pekoe Guesthouse
The second time we were in Kuala Lumpur, we let our stomachs decide where we would eat sleep. It picked Orange Pekoe Guesthouse because...it's a fruit! Plus—and this is a big plus—it's just a 5–minute walk from the delicious smells of Jalan Alor, the food street.
1-1, Jalan Angsoka, 50200 Kuala Lumpur
+603 2110 2000
info@orangepekoe.com.my
Family room (169 MYR, can accommodate 4 persons) with ensuite toilet and bath
Pantry
We patted our stomachs for a great job of choosing Orange Pekoe Guesthouse:
- I repeat: Jalan Alor, where all the delicious food is, is just a 5–minute walk away.
- Raja Chulan Station is also just a 5–minute walk away.
- From the airport, there are different options to get to the guesthouse:
- Take the Airport Coach/Bus (10 MYR, 1 hour) to KL Sentral Station. From KL Sentral Station, take the monorail to Raja Chulan Station (2.10 MYR, 20 minutes), and then walk about 5 minutes to the guesthouse.
- Take the KLIA Ekspres Train (35 MYR, 30 minutes) to KL Sentral Station. From KL Sentral Station, take the monorail to Raja Chulan Station (2.10 MYR, 20 minutes), and then walk about 5 minutes to the guesthouse.
- Take the Airport Coach/Bus or KLIA Ekspres Tain to KL Sentral Station. From KL Sentral Station, take a taxi (about 15 MYR, 15 minutes) to the guesthouse.
- Take a taxi (105 MYR, 1 hour and 15 minutes) straight to the guesthouse.
- The guesthouse is clean and cozy.
- The staff are friendly and helpful. They can assist in getting a taxi, suggest places to see, and restaurants to try.
- There's complimentary breakfast of cereals, bread and butter or jam, coffee, and tea.
- There's WiFi.
- They allowed us to leave our bags at the reception area when we had to checkout at noon but didn't have to go to the airport until late night.
- There are restaurants, bars, and convenience stores nearby.
- There is a GoKL bus stop 300 meters (5 minutes by foot) from Orange Pekoe Guesthouse. GoKL is a free bus service to the central business district of Kuala Lumpur. Some lines pass by tourist spots like Dataran Merdeka or Merdeka Square, Petronas Twin Towers, and KL Tower.
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Eats Recommended at Suria KLCC
There were two places in Suria KLCC that came highly recommended that we just had to try them.
The receptionist of Orange Pekoe Guesthouse excitedly told us to have lunch at Madam Kwan's for some authentic Malaysian fare, and my officemate, who visited Kuala Lumpur months before me, droolingly and envyingly suggested to try the mille crepes of Humble Beginnings.
Level 4, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur
Several branches in Malaysia and one in Singapore
When we arrived at Madam Kwan's it was peak lunch hour, almost all the seats were taken, and, if my observation was right, almost all the customers were locals. This must be a really good place then.
I ordered Nasi Bojari™ (MYR 24.90) because of the trademark and the "Madam" in the description: Madam's tri–colored rice with assam prawns, beef rendang, and deep fried chicken drumstick. I was disappointed with my almost Php 275 equivalent (not including tax and service fee!) Nasi Bojari — it was only a dollop of rendang, two pieces of assam (tamarind) prawns, and the fried chicken was, well, like any other fried chicken.
Good thing we had ordered other dishes from their "From the 'Wok'" menu: claypot seafood beancurd (MYR 25.90) and Hong Kong Kailan with garlic (MYR 18.90). Without knowing it, we had partly taken heed the advice printed in their "From the 'Wok'" menu: "When in doubt, order at least two veggie dishes and a meat dish." Good advice.
Signature Food Court, Level 2, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur
French vanilla (left) and Nutella banana (right)
Humble Beginnings has 18 flavors of mille crepe to choose from but after our lunch at Madam Kwan's we only had space for two slices. We chose French vanilla (their bestseller) and Nutella banana (because I am nuts for Nutella) for MYR 10.90 each.
Humble Beginnings' mille crepe contains not a thousand ("mille") layers but just 20 layers with cream and vanilla in between. Which was just as well—it would have been difficult to eat a thousand layers. The top of the French vanilla mille crepe had a thin caramelized coating. The Nutella banana had two layers with bananas and Nutella and the top was dusted with chocolate. Humble Beginnings' mille crepes weren't as lovely and their crepe layers weren't as thin as the mille crepes from Nadeje in Melaka, but Humble Beginnings' mille crepes satisfied our mille crepe cravings (besides, pretty food still turns into mush inside the stomach).
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What's Baking in Marissa's Kitchen?
If I knew how to bake, I would invite all of you, my friends, to Mustachio's Kitchen. Since I only know how to burn a cheese sandwich in an oven toaster, let's just go over to Marissa's Kitchen in Talamban for some proper baked goodies.
Go–Shen Building, Gov M Cuence Ave, Talamban (just after Piazza Elesia)
(032) 317 1076
Monday to Saturday 9AM to 9PM
I have always loved Mrs Marissa Unchuan's (yes, the wedding cake maker extraordinaire) classic silvanas and, back when her baking venture was just home–based, would occasionally and, though anyone was welcome to do so, timidly pop over to Mrs Unchuan's house to buy a pack.
Since she opened Marissa's Kitchen in Talamban a few weeks ago, I can now confidently march in and tow friends along without worrying about disturbing her home to buy a pack of classic silvanas. And more. It was here that I discovered she created more than just wedding cakes and silvanas.
Product menu (click to enlarge)
Missing from the menu are: tostados (Php180),
choco krunch (Php180), prune cake (Php280), 6" cakes (Php350)
Marissa's Kitchen has readily available goodies for walk–in customers: classic silvanas, polvoron, lenguas de gato, oatmeal thins, tostados, choco krunch, and 6" cakes. Silvanas, if one pack will make your blood sugar skyrocket, can be bought per piece for Php 20, and cakes can be sampled by slice (around Php 55 per slice) and paired with coffee. The rest would have to be pre–ordered.
Chocolate cupcakes
I haven't dug my teeth through all her goodies, but from what I have tried—classic silvanas, chocolate cupcakes, black forest cake, ensaimada special, frozen brazo de mercedes, lenguas de gato, and oatmeal thins—not one disappointed me. (My favorites would have to be the classic silvanas, ensaimada special, and frozen brazo de mercedes.) Only the scales groaned in disappointment under my weight after eating all these goodies.
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Let's Have a Lechon Party with Tatang!
Christmas Season is almost over and, unfortunately (or miraculously), I haven't had any lechon at all! Anyone want to throw a party with me before the year ends? Tatang's Extra Crispy Boneless Cebu Lechon has party packages good for 8 to 10 persons.
Party Package A (Php 1350)
30 pcs puso
1 kg regular or spicy lechon
20 pcs ngohiong
Lechon kare–kare
Party Package B (Php 1350)
30 pcs puso
1 kg regular or spicy lechon
20 pcs ngohiong
400g lechon flakes
Party Package C (Php 1250)
30 pcs puso
1 kg regular or spicy lechon
20 pcs ngohiong
Dinuguan
Clockwise from top left: dinuguan, lechon flakes, ngohiong, lechon kare-kare, and lechon
(Photo by Baktin Corporation)
Or if we reach 40 persons, we can have the Lechon Wrap and Lechon Station (Php 7900, good for 40 pax) instead!
Lechon Wrap and Lechon Station Inclusions:
Lechon chopping stand and side table with Lechonero (2 hours)
8 kg regular or spicy lechon
120 pcs wraps
Wraps garnish: fried garlic, cucumber, singkamas, hoisin sauce
Lechon wrap (Photo by Baktin Corporation)
I can just taste the spicy lechon and hear the delicious crunch of its skin. And the lechon flakes...ahhh, I can munch on it right about now. And the lip–smacking peanut–buttery lechon kare–kare. And the lechon wrap which reminds me of Peking duck (which reminded me of lechon the first time I tried it!). Nom nom nom, lechon everything!!!
Come on, friends, let's have a lechon party! But let us not invite our doctors. We will surely get a talking to!
Tatang's Extra Crispy Boneless Cebu Lechon
Corner Pasteur St and Wilson St, Lahug, Cebu City
(032) 316 4719
Note: Party packages should be booked at least a day in advance, while the lechon wrap and lechon station should be booked at least four days in advance.
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What's in a (Business) Name? Cuarenta y siete
Have a break from biking.
Spotted along Cebu Veterans Drive, Lahug, Cebu City
For more amusing business names, please visit Go Random.
For more amusing business names, please visit Go Random.
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Thank You 2015
Grateful for...
- my travel financier (disguised as a job)
- waking up every day so I could earn my travel fund (salary)
- my manager for approving my leaves and for not kicking me out for taking too much time off
- getting sick when I was close to my own stinky bed. I don't like getting sick, but at least when I did get sick, it wasn't when I was out gallivanting away from home.
- getting invited to eat, eat, eat at Ramen Sora, Family Mart, Marissa's Kitchen, Tatang's Boneless Lechon, and Salinas (and to other events that I had to turn down because of work. So, you know, I could fund my travels.)
- my friends from the piggery: Justinne of Babe for Food and Brennan of Baktin Corporation. Pigging out is not something I am ashamed to do with you!
- travel companions who researched, made itineraries, negotiated rates, booked accommodations/van transfers/tour packages when I was too lazy to
- travel apps
- cool heads of tired and lost travel buddies
- perfect timing: reaching the bus/train station five minutes before the bus/train is scheduled to leave or reaching the jeepney/bus stop as the jeepney/bus approaches (especially in areas where jeepneys/buses don't come by often)
- the boat captains who took us on the roughest boat rides of our lives
- my friend for treating me to some Treat Street treats
- a nice sunny day during our impromptu uphill hike along transcentral highway and then getting rescued by a jeepney an hour into the impromptu hike
- JJ Express for responding so quickly to my request for bus ticket reservations
- Mr Phone for his kindness and hospitality: for welcoming us into his home, letting us have a nap in his living room, feeding us lunch, and letting us take a shower in his house
- my friend for feeling sleepy so early that he volunteered to go ahead to Dalaguete town proper (while we frolicked in the beach) to find our group a place to stay in for that night
- the owner of St Therese Beach House in Dalaguete for the discount
- the chance to revisit Moalboal, Gilutungan Fish Sanctuary, Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary, Kawasan Falls, Mantayupan Falls, and Osmeña Peak
- first time visits to Balabac, Guimaras, Camiguin, Carnaza Island, North Sandbar, Tumalog Falls, Obong Spring, Dalaguete Beach Park, and Mt Manunggal
- seeing more bird species than was expected during our off–season birdwatching session in Olango
- El Ideal Bakery for turning itself into a baggage storage while we strolled around Silay
- my cousin and his wife for driving us around Iloilo
- the lady in Nelly's Garden for accommodating our request for a tour on a Sunday (her rest day!)
- honest tricycle/habalhabal drivers and boatmen for not overcharging
- a friend's birthday boating treat in Moalboal
- the pod of dolphins that showed up when we weren't looking for them
- meeting the awesome sea turtles and sardines of Moalboal
- strong swimmer–guides for towing us lazy snorkelers
- the very helpful boatman in Moalboal who volunteered to take underwater photos and videos because I wouldn't sink thanks to the built–in flotation device round my middle (in truth I am a very bad swimmer)
- the cold, cloudy, windy day we hiked Mt Manunggal
- hitching a ride on an open–bed truck from Manunggal to Balamban town proper
- China and Japan for granting me entry
- my close friend from highschool for the free ride to and from Mutianyu
- crowds missing from the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China
- never give up attitude: this is how we found DaDong Roast Duck in Beijing
- my legs for not surrendering when it had to walk 15x more than its lazy daily average
- free use of pocket WiFi from our Tokyo and Osaka airbnb accommodations
- the brains to understand the subway system in Tokyo and Osaka
- deciding to splurge on a farmhouse stay in Ainokura...it turned out to be the best part of our trip
- Yamamoto-san for the half English (me) half Japanese (him) chat while on the shinkansen to Himeji
- Ryo, a Japanese I met in a bus in Cambodia in 2012, for traveling two hours from Kobe to Kyoto to meet me, for treating me to some street eats, and for the omiyage
- the people who sent me emails to ask questions, to ask for recommendations (making me feel like a fake expert), and to send words of appreciation. Your emails made my day.
- the readers of this blog. Thank you, thank you, thank you. All the hours and sweat (it is warm in the corner of the room where I have my PC... uh, yeah, I don't have a laptop.) I have spent on this blog weren't for naught because of you guys!
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Wisdom from the Road #35
On itineraries
Don't cram ten spots to see in one day.
Or five for that matter.
Each place is meant to be savored.
Or five for that matter.
Each place is meant to be savored.
Cramming too many things to do in one day, especially when traveling with a group, will be difficult, because not everyone will be as determined as you. Unless your group is used to traveling a la tour package, then you can act like a general and give a time limit for each place.
But if you're like me, old and don't like to hurry, make your own itinerary. Aim for just two or three places to visit a day. If you really have to and think you can do four or five in a day, go for it, but don't cry if you can't cross off every item on your list. There is still tomorrow. (Or if it's your last day there, hope and pray you can come back soon.)
In every place, snap some photographs but don't limit your view through your camera. Put down that camera. Breathe. Take it all in. Walk slow. Look around. Don't rush. Relax. You're on vacation.
But if you're like me, old and don't like to hurry, make your own itinerary. Aim for just two or three places to visit a day. If you really have to and think you can do four or five in a day, go for it, but don't cry if you can't cross off every item on your list. There is still tomorrow. (Or if it's your last day there, hope and pray you can come back soon.)
In every place, snap some photographs but don't limit your view through your camera. Put down that camera. Breathe. Take it all in. Walk slow. Look around. Don't rush. Relax. You're on vacation.
For more lessons from the road, please visit Go Learn.
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Sunday Soak: Kawasan Falls and Mantayupan Falls
One Sunday, SpongeBungot Squarepants, Patrick Star, and Sandy Cheeks, residents of the city of Cebukini Bottom, decided to go southwest for a change of scenery. Not being able to survive out of water for too long (except for Sandy Cheeks, who can just take that fishbowl off her head), they chose Kawasan Falls in Badian and Mantayupan Falls in Barili; places where both landlubbers and aqualungs can enjoy.
Kawasan Falls
Matutinao, Badian
106 km from Cebukini Bottom
Entrance fee Php 20
After the 2.5–hour bus ride (Php 126) from the city, they had to rehydrate ASAP. SpongeBungot and friends hurried along the 1.5 km path to the falls. (They could have hired a motorcycle to get them to the waterfall faster but 1.5 km is nothing said their legs.) When they reached the waterfall, they oohed and aahed (Sandy Cheeks most of all because it was her first time there), dipped their toes in the cold water, but decided to head to the upper level.
At both levels, there were lifevests for rent (Php 50), bamboo rafts (for a fee), tables and chairs for rent (Php 300), food for the hungry (meals for Php 100, and a la carte orders from Php 150 to Php 300), drinks for the thirsty (bottled water Php 50!), and showers (Php 10) and toilets.
SpongeBungot and friends settled at the second level (another level up would be the water source), where they refueled with some carenderia type food at restaurant level prices, then rehydrated in the icy turquoise water while observing adrenaline junkies either steel themselves for a 35–feet plunge or backpedal from the edge in defeat.
The longer SpongeBungot observed, the faster his courage dried up. Which translates to: the older he got, the more chicken he became. (In his younger years, activities like that would have been done without thinking.) As he realized time wasn't his friend, his watch then told him it was time to go to their next destination...
Mantayupan Falls
Barili
63 km from Cebukini Bottom
(or 43 km from Kawasan Falls, Matutinao, Badian)
Entrance fee Php 20
From the highway in Matutinao, Badian, SpongeBungot and friends rode a bus (Php 54) to Barili, where they were dropped off at the town proper, and then rode a habalhabal (motorcycle, Php 30) to Mantayupan Falls.
From the entrance, where an admission fee of Php 20 was collected, it was just a short walk to the waterfall. Just a few steps from the entrance, the three friends spotted a sari-sari store, some shower rooms and toilets, and some rooms for overnight stay. Then they crossed a narrow steel footbridge with a nice aquamarine pool at the bottom, then mounted some steps that led to the 98–meter tall Mantayupan Falls.
The waterfall was crowned by the blue sky, flanked by greenery on both sides, and welcomed by a pool of water at the bottom. On the rocks and among the boulders facing the waterfall, tables and chairs were set up for guests who paid to rent them and then put away when those guests had gone home. SpongeBungot and friends paid for some chairs (Php 10 per chair) to put their bags on to keep them dry, then joined the landlubbers in splashing about and soaking themselves in the cold waters of Mantayupan.
When the landlubbers have packed up and left, the three friends were still in the water. Then Time and Darkness ganged up on them. The shivers seeping through their bodies together with the creeping darkness told them to go away. Time and Darkness would tail SpongeBungot and friends all the way home to Cebukini Bottom (bus from Barili to Cebu, Php 72).
When the landlubbers have packed up and left, the three friends were still in the water. Then Time and Darkness ganged up on them. The shivers seeping through their bodies together with the creeping darkness told them to go away. Time and Darkness would tail SpongeBungot and friends all the way home to Cebukini Bottom (bus from Barili to Cebu, Php 72).
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What's in a (Business) Name? Cuarenta y ocho
Oh my god juice!
Spotted along ML Quezon Avenue, Mandaue City, Cebu
For more amusing business names, please visit Go Random.
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Wisdom from the Road #36
On energy
Have proper sleep before a long day of wandering.
Do not let yourself go too hungry, else you get hangry (hungry+angry).
Have some snacks handy; food is fuel for the body.
If you get too tired and too hungry and transform into the evil travel buddy, pray your travel companions have the patience the length of the Great Wall of China, else they dump you in the middle of nowhere.
For more lessons from the road, please visit Go Learn.
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Sirao: Through the Garden, Through the Back Door
Through the Garden
Entrance fee Php 30
Sirao Garden. Not the Secret Garden, but the Trending Garden. My facebook feed was a ticker tape of celosia flowers four months ago. And a week ago, I finally gave in and jumped on the bandwagon...thinking that this time the furor would have died down. It might have died down a bit just because the celosia flowers this time of year are just on their baby stages. Or maybe I was just there really early when everyone else was still at their dining tables having breakfast.
Sirao Garden was a pretty sight: white picket fence and bright colored flowers on the foreground (just ignore the tacky hearts and windmill), and green mountains, blue skies, and fluffy clouds on the background. It would have been prettier in October, when I could hide behind the celosia flowers with just my head floating above the colors (thus marring the beautiful scenery). But then I bet it would have been an ugly sight elbowing my way through the crowd.
Daisies, Celosias, Cockscombs, Sunflowers...
Pretend the tacky windmill is not there
Through the Back Door
Sirao Peak
After stopping to smell the flowers in Sirao Garden, my band of flower–sniffing brothers and I hiked along the concrete road to find the foot path to the back door of Sirao Peak (which was really our main destination). I have become a lazy little hiker that I now choose to hike through the back door—the shorter the hike, the better. My current hiking policy is "No back door, no hike." (Back in 2012, I made the long trek from Talamban to Sirao.)
We found the proverbial back door and could see the peak but was stumped where to go. The wide open space must have carried our debating (and obviously lost) voices down to the farmer who shouted to us to find the biggest tree. We spotted the biggest tree and tramped our way there only to be stopped by a glaring guard dog cow.
There's our goal, but where's the biggest tree? (Biggest tree not in photo.)
"You shall not pass!" mooed to cow.
One of us figured out how to appease the cow and we were let through. Once through, it was easy–peasy in that the path to the peak was clear cut. But not so easy–peasy in that our lazy bones and mushy leg muscles were subjected to half an hour of slightly steep and slightly slippery ascent with thorny plants scratching on all sides and thin branches slapping us as though the mountain wouldn't let us through.
The view from Sirao Peak
We made it to the peak (with some scratches here and there) and were rewarded with a view of the mountains and, beyond that, the metropolis. This time we stopped, not to smell the flowers (there weren't any), but to gulp lungfuls of fresh air.
How to get to Sirao:
Take a habalhabal (Joel 0932 653 4957) from Lahug Market (not JY Square) to Sirao Garden (if you're just going to Sirao Peak, it is just 500 meters before Sirao Garden). The ride should cost Php 60 to 75 per person per way. Do not give in when they ask for more for "waiting time"—there are available motorcycles outside Sirao Garden. Remember: Find a habalhabal at Lahug Market not JY Square because habalhabal drivers in JY Square usually charge a bit more (Php 200 roundtrip) and will charge for "waiting time."
If you're a group of five or more and with luck on your side (like us!), you might find a jeepney from JY Square in Lahug that would be willing to take you to Sirao Garden for Php 50 per person. Just make sure to ask before you hop on because most jeepneys from JY Square end their route at Plaza Housing or at Mountain View, at best—both still too far from Sirao.
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What's in a (Business) Name? Cuarenta y nueve
Hello Cat Duck!
Spotted along the national highway in Compostela, Cebu
For more amusing business names, please visit Go Random.
For more amusing business names, please visit Go Random.
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Why Ginatilan, Why?
Why stay when you can go
... to Ginatilan
Staying home too many weekends in a row is good for my wallet but not good for my sole. The hand holding my wallet couldn't do anything to the body and the feet it was attached to (but it could have dropped the wallet, which my other hand would have picked up anyway). My feet dragged myself and three friends some 135 kilometers away from home to a municipality on the southwest side of Cebu: Ginatilan. My feet weren't crazy enough to walk that far, but it was smart enough to go to South Bus Terminal in Cebu City to step inside a bus bound for Ginatilan (3.5 hours, Php 162).
Why hurry when you can relax
Bahinting Beach House
(032) 478 9035
Php 1500 AC room for 2-4 pax
Why hurry around Ginatilan when you can relax and enjoy the breeze by the sea? It's nice to take things slow and not hurry around like you're in a race. My three companions agreed with me...or maybe they were just trying to humor me. Whatever the case, I am sure we were all glad to have found a place to stay in that was quiet and clean and just a few minutes walk from the town center (where the church, plaza, and market are).
No fine white sand, but broken corals
Why wade when you can jump
Inambakan Falls
Entrance fee Php 10
Habalhabal (Julie 0943 053 7738) Php 30/person/way
Why wade when you can jump? Because you're a daredevil. The drop of daredevil blood in me has been sucked away by a mosquito, so I say why jump when I can wade. Thankfully half of Inambakan Falls' basin was just neck high and that's where I let myself turn into a prune while my friends and two dogs (the only other creatures stirring that morning) were shivering on the rocks watching the unceasing crash of water.
Mt. Hambubuyog
Habalhabal (Julie 0943 053 7738) Php 100/person/way
Why hike for long hours from Inambakan Falls to Mt Hambubuyog with the possibility of getting lost when you can just ride a motorcycle to get there?
The long and rollercoaster-ish roundabout ride from Ginatilan through Samboan and back to Ginatilan via a more direct route is an adventure in itself. Because we wanted to reach the Divine Mercy Chapel on Mt Hambubuyog in time to catch the sunset, we took this adventure on wheels. The road was an unending tongue as we drove our way into the maw of nature: rolling greens and blue blue sky, with nature's breath whipping our hair into a big knot. We reached the chapel with crazy hair and a crazy view of the mountains turning from green to gold with Tañon Strait and Negros island on the horizon.
The long and rollercoaster-ish roundabout ride from Ginatilan through Samboan and back to Ginatilan via a more direct route is an adventure in itself. Because we wanted to reach the Divine Mercy Chapel on Mt Hambubuyog in time to catch the sunset, we took this adventure on wheels. The road was an unending tongue as we drove our way into the maw of nature: rolling greens and blue blue sky, with nature's breath whipping our hair into a big knot. We reached the chapel with crazy hair and a crazy view of the mountains turning from green to gold with Tañon Strait and Negros island on the horizon.
Up the steps to the Divine Mercy Chapel
All awash in gold
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Scammed Into Hiking Lanigid Hill
In the beginning
"We've been scammed!" my friend laughingly exclaimed.
This as we trudged up an incline just five minutes into our hike. We had expected an easy trail with gentle slopes; a walk in the park. An officemate who had hiked Lanigid Hill in Brgy. Mulao in Liloan just a week before said it was, in one word, easy. But this...this was not easy. This was a workout.
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"This? This is (Difficulty) Level 1? This is not Level 1! Lahi siguro ilang Level 1 sa atong Level 1!"
This coming from a bunch of people who enjoyed hiking...only on flat ground. After taking a wrong turn and ending up on a slippery slope 15 minutes into the hike, we traced our way back to the three–pronged fork in the path and picked another route. After more complaints (all in jest), we finally reached the sun–scorched hilltop (mountaintop!) and forgot all about the giant beads of sweat, inclines, and scratchy plants.
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We breathed in the fresh air, the view of the surrounding mountains, the blue sky. We breathed it all in. (Of course we had to, we were all gasping for breath after that 40–minute hike.) And then we settled down under the only tree that could provide shade for all seven of us.
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We picnicked. And were thankful for the girl scout who brought along some snacks for the group. (None of us thought to bring food because we had expected it to be a very easy walk.)
We laughed. And were thankful for the entertainer who supplied all the complaints during that hike and continued on complaining as we were taking respite under the tree.
We rested. And were thankful for the leader, well, for leading us to the wrong way then to the right way (we were all first timers to Lanigid Hill, including our leader).
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Picnicked. Laughed. Rested. For an hour and a half and then it was time to go. From where we were sitting under the tree, we could see another path, but we chose to go the same way we came. It took us one backtrack (we got a little lost again) and just 15 minutes to get back down to our starting point. And this was without rolling down the hill. In hindsight, it wasn't so bad. Maybe there really is an easy trail and we just took a wrong turn somewhere. Or maybe we just really need to exercise. Yes, I think we just need to exercise.
Sun–scorched
We breathed in the fresh air, the view of the surrounding mountains, the blue sky. We breathed it all in. (Of course we had to, we were all gasping for breath after that 40–minute hike.) And then we settled down under the only tree that could provide shade for all seven of us.
The surrounding mountains
We picnicked. And were thankful for the girl scout who brought along some snacks for the group. (None of us thought to bring food because we had expected it to be a very easy walk.)
We laughed. And were thankful for the entertainer who supplied all the complaints during that hike and continued on complaining as we were taking respite under the tree.
We rested. And were thankful for the leader, well, for leading us to the wrong way then to the right way (we were all first timers to Lanigid Hill, including our leader).
Picnicked, laughed, and rested under the tree. (Photo by A Sanchez)
Picnicked. Laughed. Rested. For an hour and a half and then it was time to go. From where we were sitting under the tree, we could see another path, but we chose to go the same way we came. It took us one backtrack (we got a little lost again) and just 15 minutes to get back down to our starting point. And this was without rolling down the hill. In hindsight, it wasn't so bad. Maybe there really is an easy trail and we just took a wrong turn somewhere. Or maybe we just really need to exercise. Yes, I think we just need to exercise.
How Mustachio('s pocket) was scammed:
Jeep from Jollibee Mandaue Highway to Liloan and back Php 28
Habalhabal (motorcycle) to Brgy Mulao and back Php 100 (Php 50/person/way)
Registration fee for Lanigid Hill Php 10
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