Burdeos Travel: The Timelessness of Binumbunan Island and Tasting Hinalo

January 14, 2017, 11:05 am

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Binumbunan Island of Burdeos

The white sand beach of Binumbunan Island

I S L A N D

G E T A W A Y

Off the coast of my mom's hometown of Infanta in Quezon Province is Polillo Island. It was where I spent my last day in 2016. She had always persuaded me not to visit it because of its notorious reputation to cuddle communist NPA rebels and those whom she perceives to practice witchcraft. She would always tell stories of rebel recruits and the occult even if she has not stepped foot on the island in her life. She's that paranoid. It was always someone else's story which led me to ignore her bidding. The first chance I got last year, I boarded a passenger barge from the port of Ungos in Real, breezed through less than three hours of a dizzying boat ride at sea, and arrived at the Anawan Wooden Pier of Polillo unscathed.

Bound For Burdeos

Polillo Island is actually divided into three municipalities that includes one that's named after itself. The other town is called Panukulan. My New Year's Eve vacation, however, was set for Burdeos, another town in the other side of the island that's bejeweled with 25 more islands. It's been officially a town since 1948. This is why a lot of tourists easily mistake a Burdeos attraction as one that belongs to Polillo because most tourist guides or operators that they're in contact with are usually from the latter. What they end up having fond memories of when visiting the area is actually of the former to the dismay of Burdeos residents.

Binumbunan Island can be found in Barangay San Rafael

The tranquil scenery on the island

Arriving at the Anawan Wooden Pier of Polillo aboard a passenger barge

The thug ride on the Polillo-Burdeos Road

At the poblacion

The Thug Jeepney Ride On The Polillo-Burdeos Road

Racing past pelting rain, I made my way through the pier's rickety pathway and registered myself at its outpost. The commute terminal was just next to it, so I wasted no time boarding one of those dirt road-designed jeepneys as the early morning passengers started to crowd the registration area from the barge.

I soon endured the stomach-churning ride on the God-forsaken dirt road of Polillo. The Polillo-Burdeos Road proved to be more difficult to tackle on a rainy day because it was muddier. Locals say that it's been that way for decades and they're starting to lose hope it will ever be completely paved. What could have been a thirty minute joy ride of the highly vegetated forest turned out to be two hours of idle time. In the middle of it all, I almost wished I just set out for a beach somewhere in Batangas instead.

A welcome treat of kalamay that locals call "hinalo"

Arriving on Binumbunan Island

A Homestay Welcome Treat of Hinalo

At the town proper of Burdeos, my contacts eagerly awaited my arrival. Traveling with an environment advocate friend who grew up in one of its 14 villages (Mabini), I was scheduled to stay at a contact's home and have a courtesy call with Freddie Aman, the newly-elected mayor, for tour assistance.

At the home of my contact, the household members took turns preparing a tasty delicacy of kalamay which they call "hinalo" because of the way it's stirred using a wooden paddle. It was a day before 2017 and I was around as special guest, so a serving of such tasty treat was in order.

It didn't take long for the sticky rice cake to be cooked. While watching two members of the household vigorously mix the sweet snack on a large iron vat, I suddenly remembered my challenging jeepney commute next town. It was easy to assume that they also named their version of the kalamay as such because of the churning of one's stomach due to the bumpy ride one experiences on the way to Burdeos.

A view of the distant mangroves from Barangay San Rafael's old daungan or port

Daungan Beach of Barangay San Rafael

The old daungan or port of Barangay San Rafael

Lodgings for booking in Burdeos (see contact details at the end of this article)

Mayor Freddie Aman reminiscing his childhood stay on the island

Recommended Lodgings

Before the day was over, I visited a couple of decent lodgings that are currently operating in the town. This was in anticipation of a revisit should I need to have a relaxing layover in the future if ever. Andy's Lodging House is the newest one in the area, but the one that's nearest to the poblacion's pier is Burdeos Island Inn. A guest rate can be as low as Php250 per night.

See contact details of both lodgings at the end of this article.

Visiting Daungan Beach With Mayor Freddie Aman

The next day, I met up with Mayor Freddie Aman and he took me to a harbor in Barangay San Rafael where locals hie off to for picnics. Next to the old port is a swath of brown sand beach that locals call Daungan Beach. From there, a faint view of the distant Binumbunan Island could already be seen. Fondly referred to as Burger Island by young locals who've spent camping there, the small island looks like a burger bun from a distance. It's considered as the most accessible island to visit from the town proper even when it's looking quite breezy at the port. Once you've reached a certain point past the view of the vast mangroves, the scenery becomes pleasant.

With the newly-elected mayor of Burdeos, Freddie Aman

At Daungan Beach

A Sidetrip To Binumbunan Island

On the island, especially with no other tourists around, the place becomes idyllic. It's incredible that the weather can be suddenly different within its small perimeter. It's an island where time seems to stand still. It's where you can forget your daily grind because it's remote and not a soul lives there.

Mayor Freddie, however, was reminded of how he spent countless number of nights on the island as a teenager producing salt for a living with other kids. They would stay there for almost a week toiling night and day on earthenware vessels and salt-kettles. It was the '70s and the townspeople fell on hard times, so he did what he could to help his family survive.

The pleasant scenery of Binumbunan Island

Beach-bumming on Binumbunan Island

Binumbunan Island is also sensational for camping

Today, the white sand beach island is ripe not just for tourist visits -- day tour or overnight camping. It's also potentially good for holding romantic beach wedding ceremonies for couples who want extreme privacy in such a setting that also has a vulnerable scenery. The wedding reception can be arranged at the nearest village that's just a 5-minute boat ride away.

Burdeos is more than its kalamay version of hinalo. It's definitely more than Daungan Beach and Binumbunan Island. You'll be surprised to encounter several more attractions that are declared online as Polillo destinations by some well-meaning bloggers when they're actually part of Burdeos. It's obvious why tourists even bother to go as far as this town that's facing the Pacific Ocean when they can easily beach-bum somewhere else. The place is unique and its townspeople hope the memory that tourists will take home with them is not of some other town but of Burdeos.

How To Get There From Manila:

• Board an Infanta-bound van or Raymond Bus in Legarda (roughly three-hour travel time for Php200).
• Get off at Ungos Port in Real. The earliest trip is 6:00am.
• Board a passenger barge or vessel for Anawan Wooden Pier of Polillo (less than three hours travel time for Php200).
• Ride a Burdeos-bound jeepney from Anawan Wooden Pier (two-hour travel time for Php150).
• To reach Daungan Beach for Binumbunan Island, charter a tricycle ride from the poblacion to Barangay San Rafael. You can directly reach Binumbunan Island from the poblacion by chartering a boat ride from the poblacion pier.

Leaving Burdeos:
The earliest jeepney commute from the poblacion to Anawan Wooden Pier is at 3:00am. The next trip is at 5:00am.

Lodging Contacts:

Andy's Lodging House
Contact Person: Andy Leynes
Mobile: 0912-464-9272

Burdeos Island Inn
Contact Person: Bernard Leynes
Mobile: 0949-683-6160

Boat Ride Contacts:
For boat ride contacts, visit the official Facebook fan page of Bejeweled Islands of Burdeos.

More Photos Below:

Anawan Wooden Pier of Polillo

Binumbunan Island is kid-friendly

Binumbunan Island from a distance

Visit Binumbunan Island of Burdeos!

↧

Burdeos Travel: Scaling The Windswept Ginatungan Rock Formation of Angib

January 23, 2017, 7:16 am

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The view of Burdeos more than 40 feet from the ground

H I K I N G

V I E W

Burdeos only became a full-fledged town in the Philippines in 1948 which makes most outsiders still perceive it as part of the town of Polillo from where it was culled. And it's perfectly alright to even refer to it as a Polillo Island destination because it's where it really is. However, it's hard to differentiate both towns once you're in the area because most shorelines look alike and the abundance of coconut trees don't help at all to make a specific attraction stand out. Inland, the scenery in Burdeos is heavily forested except for patches of land that have been converted into farms. It's been reported that at least three ships used to sail out of the town every month to bring timber for furniture to as far as Europe from 1950 to 1980.

It's only when rock formations start to fall on the disc of your vision during random travels when a place becomes unique. You stop on your tracks. Gaze to wonder at the massive spectacle jutting from the ground. Next thing you know, you're scaling it to see what it's made of. Such was the case when I recently visited Burdeos. A side trip to Barangay Amot offered me the chance to notice the secluded Ginatungan Rock Formation while en route for Barangay Aluyon. Towering above massive coconut trees that seem to have withstood decades of storms, the rock formation is not easily visible if you won't look up.

The jump-off point of the short hike

Nearby islands of Burdeos can be seen from the windswept rock formation

Massive coconut trees of Sitio Angib

Where This Burdeos Rock Formation Is

Ginatungan Rock Formation can be found in Sitio Angib which is just a few minutes away from the poblacion of Burdeos. The road is well paved for bikes and motorcycles, making the trip a bit intrepid. With scenic rice fields to see along the way, it's not going to be a boring ride for anyone.

The Lure of Ginatungan

For a hassle-free trek to it, I sought the assistance of a councilor and tanod who were currently on duty at an outpost of the village. According to them, it's not yet frequented by tourists and only adventurous locals -- mostly students -- have the temerity to scale it. This gives credence to the lack of a clear trail to the top of the rock formation which I discovered when I finally arrived in the area. The reason why the adventurous locals do it is because the view of Burdeos is breathtaking up there.

On a good day at low tide, a sandbar can be seen from this point of the rock formation

The convenient view of Burdeos' shoreline from the rock formation

The challenging hike to the rock formation

Two Trails To Reach Ginatungan

I was told that there's another trail somewhere but that entails hiking for a longer period of time. Unfortunately, I only had them as impromptu guides for a few hours, so I had no choice but to take the harder trail which involved advancing to an incline and through overgrown vegetation more than once. All in all, the hike up the rock formation took me 15 to 20 minutes to do with one short break in the middle to huff and puff. As we got closer to the top, the scenery became a lot breezier and more rock walls became visible.

Two Ways To Experience It

Up there, tourists can choose to peer through a decent rock wall opening that looks like a natural viewing deck or exert a little more effort to climb one last set of rocks where they can dangle their feet 40 feet from the ground. Both can offer a splendid view of the town's shoreline, including nearby islands and sandbars, but the latter will leave anyone with a windswept face.

If there's going to be a tsunami warning on the island soon, God forbid, this spot is where the residents can be perfectly safe. Sans the camouflaging coconut trees, the natural attraction is a rock citadel in this part of Burdeos.

There is currently no regulated hiking fees to Ginatungan Rock Formation. For your safety, make sure that your visit will involve the assistance of locals in the area. Once the tour guide regulations are in place, you can expect the trail to be more clear and possibly made easier for hiking beginners.

Ginatungan Rock Formation

Official Facebook fan page of Bejeweled Burdeos

Location: Sitio Angib, Barangay Amot, Burdeos, Philippines

Atop the Ginatungan Rock Formation

How To Get To Burdeos From Manila:

• Board an Infanta-bound van or Raymond Bus in Legarda (roughly three-hour travel time for Php200).
• Get off at Ungos Port in Real. The earliest trip is 6:00am.
• Board a passenger barge or vessel for Anawan Wooden Pier of Polillo (less than three hours travel time for Php200).
• Ride a Burdeos-bound jeepney from Anawan Wooden Pier (two-hour travel time for Php150).
• To reach Sitio Angib from the poblacion, charter a round-trip motorcycle ride.

Leaving Burdeos:
The earliest jeepney commute from the poblacion back to the Anawan Wooden Pier is at 3:00am. The next trip is at 5:00am.

Lodging Contacts In Burdeos

Andy's Lodging House
Contact Person: Andy Leynes
Mobile: 0912-464-9272
Burdeos Island Inn
Contact Person: Bernard Leynes
Mobile: 0949-683-6160

Want to know more about Burdeos?
Check out my blog post about Binumbunan Island of Burdeos.

More Photos Below:

Assisted by a village councilor and tanod

The rock formation veiled by thick vegetation

Tackling the harder trail

↧

Why Cabanatuan's Harvest Hotel Is A Great Tour Base In Nueva Ecija

January 31, 2017, 5:10 am

≫ Next: Nueva Ecija Travel: Visiting Minalungao National Park, Tasting Batutay and More

≪ Previous: Burdeos Travel: Scaling The Windswept Ginatungan Rock Formation of Angib

Four-star Hotel In Cabanatuan City

Cabanatuan is no longer a city in the middle of nowhere. It's now the economic heart of Nueva Ecija where a lot of other exciting things are happening at its fringes. In the past few decades, it has proven to be an exciting destination for meaningful stopovers that tend to linger for more than a day. Malls and restaurants are now part of its landscape that once only featured vast rice fields. Tourists now have more reasons to meander through the city and end up with a pasalubong bag of its famous Aling Otyang's Longganisa (batutay, hamonado, and rekado), Puno's Ice Cream & Sherbet, and other local hauls. Proof of this bountiful change in the scenery of the former provincial capital is the aptly named four-star Harvest Hotel.

CAVAN OF JOY

The 81-room hotel was where I stayed for more than a night simply because I appreciated its practical luxury. It was my official tour base for my visit of Minalungao National Park, an emerging natural attraction in the province. Travelling three hours from Manila to Nueva Ecija deserved a fitting layover which the hotel offered. Besides, my target side trip demanded that I travel another hour or so to the town of General Tinio where the river, cave and rock formation are. Thanks to Harvest Hotel, my journey became a destination in itself.

Late afternoon soak at the hotel's swimming pool

Savory batutay for buffet breakfast

Hotel facade

Here are three exciting reasons why the Cabanatuan City hotel left a great lasting impression on me:

1. Sensational Dining Experience At Harvest Hotels' Cafe Ecija

Buko Lychee: Drink of the month at Cafe Ecija

I actually salivated over my revisit of Cabanatuan City because of the delicious memory of its famous longganisa that locals call batutay. I first tasted it in 2013 and failed to take a souvenir photo because I mindlessly finished the grub in just a few minutes of pure joy. It was that delicious!

At Cafe Ecija, I had the chance to relive that moment as the hotel's restaurant served it for buffet breakfast. Imagine my excitement seeing a pile of batutay at 6:00 in the morning. As a result, I was that enthralled to linger at the buffet table!

Since I stayed for two nights with my friend, I appreciated that the restaurant didn't serve the same roster of dishes for two consecutive mornings. There were staples that deserved being had over and over again and it was a good decision for serving taho (sweet tofu pudding) in traditional tins, street food-style. It just made waking up nostalgic even if I was more than a hundred kilometers away from home.

The filling Burgerniza

The appetizing Longganisa Spring Roll

Pininyahang Manok Sa Gata (chicken dish)

The sweet seduction of Cafe Ecija's Mocha Caramel Cake

Chef Lester of Harvest Hotel

I also grabbed the chance to sample the other longganisa variant called hamonado for dinner via an order of Longganisa Spring Roll. The hotel dubs it as a Cabanatuan Specialty because of its use of the hamonado longganisa in the roll of vegetables that was served with homemade garlic chili pepper sauce. If anything, it made my dinner appetizing along with my orders of the Pininyahang Manok Sa Gata (chicken dish) and a refreshing glass of Buko Lychee.

I was also able to taste the initially intimidating Burgerniza which features the same signature hamonado flavor as its patty. The filling portmanteau of a hamburger and longganisa was made more delicious with the use of Milka Krem's kesong puti (white cheese). The latter's slightly salty taste complemented well with the sweet hamonado and even proved to be a great substitute for mayo. It was definitely hamonado-licious!

Before I left the hotel, I made sure that I also tried one of its featured cakes -- the Mocha Caramel -- which went down well with brewed coffee. The rich-tasting icing was topnotch for one of my afternoon resets and left me perked up after my Minalungao adventure.

Solo guest on pool time

The view of the swimming pool for al fresco buffet breakfast

2. Relaxing Post-Adventure Soak At Its Swimming Pool

Minalungao National Park was a terrific side trip in Nueva Ecija because it allowed me to experience nature in the part of the province that's still sparsely populated. Back in Cabanatuan City, however, there is really nothing relaxing to enjoy that's in close proximity to one's booked lodging if you're staying in a budget inn. This just makes my stay at Harvest Hotel all the more satisfying because the room rate is inclusive of access to its swimming pool.

Family-friendly pool

The pool is long enough to be seamlessly connected to a grassy expanse of the property which is probably a garden designed for special events. The spot that essentially breaks it is a decent space for recliners which is sensational for afternoon relaxation. As a result, this recreational area of the hotel is not as gloomy as some hotel pools that I've had a soak in.

Guests with kids can find it to be family-friendly because its deepest part is just at four feet. For those on tour layovers like me, the pool access is simply relaxing. Romantic guests can even appreciate it for its laid-back ambiance. It's also perfect for winding down the day after a city tour of the public market and interesting landmarks.

Standard Twin

Standard Queen

The second bedroom of the Loft Suite

3. Restful Nights On Its Plush Bed and More

The hotel's four-star quality was most palpable in its well-appointed rooms, two of which I experienced during my stay -- the Standard Twin and Loft Suite.

The Standard Twin is complete with basic room features that include a couple of plush beds, a spacious bathroom, work desk and chair, an expansive window for sensational pool and garden views, cable TV, coffee and tea-making facilities, mini-bar, in-room safe, closet and individually controlled air conditioners. The bedroom is beautifully enhanced with ambient lighting. I loved the inclusion of the mini refrigerator because it let me store the longganisa that I purchased at the nearby public market for a few hours before check-out.

The first bedroom of the Loft Suite

The Loft Suite's living room

The Loft Suite was a bit of a surprise because it's the only kind that I've seen so far with an attic for a second bedroom. Unlike typical shortchanged lofts I've seen in some poorly designed hotels, this two-bedroom version looked so impressive from the door as its upper level (the first bedroom) didn't translate into an imposing ceiling downstairs. It's actually the same design I've seen in one five-star resort in Boracay but this one's with a bonus -- an attic for a second bedroom which I think a lot of newly-weds and couples with kids will appreciate.

With Cabanatuan being in a strategic location in Nueva Ecija, particularly being accessible from the Cagayan Valley Road, commercial structures in the city are suddenly attractive for layovers to Aurora and other provinces. Harvest Hotel is proof of this development, making it a cavan of joy in a place that's known as a "Gateway to the North".

Photography by Aubrey Gacer

Harvest Hotel

Official website of Harvest Hotel

Address: 1179 Del Pilar St., Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, Philippines 3100
Phone: (044) 950-8888
Mobile: (+63917) 539-6125
Email: info@theharvesthotel.com

More Photos Below:

The hotel at night

Inclusive in the room rate is access to the hotel's gym

Enjoying my afternoon snack at Cafe Ecija

↧

Nueva Ecija Travel: Visiting Minalungao National Park, Tasting Batutay and More

February 7, 2017, 1:23 am

≫ Next: Grilla Filipino Cuisine: A Must-Try By Families and Barkada

≪ Previous: Why Cabanatuan's Harvest Hotel Is A Great Tour Base In Nueva Ecija

Minalungao National Park photo by Ryan Riguer

Puno's Ice Cream & Sherbet Ube Flavor

Nueva Ecija is the last place for anyone to have any sense of trepidation about life. For decades, most tourists in Metro Manila had to beat the odds in far-flung areas of the Philippines just to experience the remote beauty of nature and the satisfaction of unique delicacies. When they had to experience the burden of intrepid travel in such trips, the opposite is entirely true of a visit of this province in Central Luzon. It's a travesty that it's usually overlooked for the more glossy island destinations that tend to cost more.

What not many people know is that, in one province, they can actually stay at a four-star hotel as a luxurious tour base of a natural attraction called Minalungao National Park and even linger in Cabanatuan City where the hotel is for memorable meals of local fare. And all it takes is just three days or less.

Enjoying the scenery of Minalungao National Park

Aling Otya's Batutay

Minalungao National Park photo by Ryan Riguer

Harvest Hotel photo by Aubrey Gacer

For my revisit of Nueva Ecija, I ascertained that my three-hour Five Star bus ride from Manila would be worth the adventure of a hike in the foothills of the Sierra Madre, a visit of a cave in the same area, a pool and river soak and a delicious food trip of longganisa and more.

Check out where I stayed, where I went, and what I ate in this landlocked province of mainland Luzon:

What To Visit: Minalungao National Park
Known For: the emerald green waters of Peñaranda River, a 1,000-step pilgrimage site, and massive limestone citadels

The glass-covered cross in Minalungao

Cabanatuan City is not a gateway to the North for nothing. It's a bustling city that most travelers in the country often mistake for being the provincial capital when it's not. For having all the right city landmarks, it's a good tour base to serve as your jump-off point to a visit of General Tinio's Minalingao National Park.

"One of the country's 240 protected areas, the natural attraction is roughly an hour away from Cabanatuan."

One of the country's 240 protected areas, the natural attraction is roughly an hour away from Cabanatuan. It's just one of 34 other national parks in the Philippines. At the site, tourists can enjoy the rural scenery that the foothills of the Sierra Madre can provide -- a couple of limestone walls towering at more than 52 feet where the mighty Peñaranda River flows, a cave that's accessible from the river bank, and a well-paved 1,000-step pathway to a mountain top where a glass-decked cross stands.

Minalungao National Park

Minalungao National Park photo by Ryan Riguer

The view from inside the cave in Minalungao

Crossing the hanging bridge in Minalungao National Park

Before It Was Famous

Prior to being a popular tourist destination, the area was the access point of mountainside settlers whose livelihood come from forest-grown crops. They can still be seen traveling through the area via the newly-installed hanging bridge and most of them -- roughly 200 in total -- have become available tour guides.

From a high point of the pilgrimage site, visitors can actually see the plains of General Tinio and neighboring towns on one side and, on the other, the mesmerizing silhouette of the vast mountain range of the Sierra Madre.

"From a high point of the pilgrimage site, visitors can actually see the plains of General Tinio and neighboring towns..."

Tackling a pathway inside the park that has 1,000 steps

Penaranda River of Minalungao

The massive limestone walls of Minalungao National Park

The Sierra Madre view from the Minalungao pilgrimage site

How To Get There

Tourists can rent a tricycle from Cabanatuan City for P600 or more, depending on the number of passengers (see the end of this article for a tricycle contact). In General Tinio where Minalungao is, a tourist outpost will welcome visitors to the park where a necessary environmental fee needs to be settled. Available at the outpost are local guides whom you can eventually tip after being shown how to experience the area (see the end of this article for a tour guide contact).

"The destination is frequented by guests on weekends, so a weekday visit is highly recommended..."

Best Time To Visit

The destination is frequented by guests on weekends, so a weekday visit is highly recommended to have a real whiff of what the area is about sans the sight of a tourist-thronged scene. With the influx of visitors for the past six years, various structures have been built in the area that include restrooms, rooms for overnight stays, and open cottages for relaxation.

Graffiti can also be seen on some rocks where they shouldn't be which is something that the park administration needs to address and monitor.

"...it's known that the river turns murky after a full day of rain."

It is also advisable to check with Accuweather.com for a 5-day clear weather forecast prior to your visit of the park because it's known that the river turns murky after a full day of rain. It usually reverts to being emerald green after only five days.

Batutay via the buffet breakfast of Harvest Hotel

Burgerniza by Cafe Ecija

What To Eat: Cafe Ecija's Burgerniza and Puno's Ice Cream & Sherbet

Dinging At Cafe Ecija

While booked at Harvest Hotel, I found its F&B affiliate called Cafe Ecija to be not just an accessible dining spot but also one that's worth spending tourist cash on. For serving decadent cakes for desserts and longganisa-oriented options, it's a must-try in the province.

Longganisa Spring Roll

"I tried its appetizing Longganisa Spring Roll which made use of hamonado..."

I tried its appetizing Longganisa Spring Roll which made use of hamonado, a local longganisa flavor favorite. At the restaurant, I also had a delicious slice of its Mocha Caramel Cake.

The best-seller, however, was what I enjoyed the most before leaving the hotel -- the Burgerniza which had the sweet hamonado as its thick patty under a layer of Milka Krem's kesong puti (white cheese), a local Nueva Ecija product.

Mrs. Puno with her staff at an outlet of Puno's Ice Cream & Sherbet

Snack Stop At Puno's Ice Cream & Sherbet

I also made a tasty side trip to the nearest Puno's Ice Cream & Sherbet outlet from the cafe in Cabanatuan City. The more-than-five-decade-old family enterprise is homegrown and is known in the province as more than just an alternative to big ice cream brands. It's actually what locals indulge on for random snacks. What started with just one flavor now has a plenitude thereof from Langka Cheese Cashew to Coffee Crumble. For being only P12 per cup, it's understandable why the brand has endured this long.

Aling Otya

Making batutay at the public market

Longganisa Pandesal

What Souvenir To Buy: Aling Otya's Longganisa and Longganisa Pandesal

Before you leave Cabanatuan, it's best to buy the original source of the city's longganisa at the Cabanatuan Public Market where its original producer -- Dorothea Lajares -- still has a market stall named Aling Otya which her young relatives are currently overseeing.

Cabanatuan Public Market

A lot of stalls sell the batutay or the beef-based longganisa, but Aling Otya is still the most preferred for being the original purveyor of the flavor.

Without using extenders, this type of longganisa is full-on savory when cooked and enticing to tear into because of its caramel coating. A pack is available for P200 and above, depending on the weight. The stall also sells other longganisa variants like the hamonado (sweet pork) and rekado (garlic pork).

Also available in Cabanatuan City is a bakery-eatery that sells longganisa pandesal with hamonado and rekado fillings. The store is called FM Breads and Noodles and it's just a stroll away from the public market.

Enjoying the swimming pool of Harvest Hotel

Harvest Hotel Standard Room photo by Aubrey Gacer

A lounge area at Harvest Hotel (photo by Aubrey Gacer)

Where To Stay: Harvest Hotel

An easy option for a tour base of Nueva Ecija is Cabanatuan City and it's where the four-star Harvest Hotel is. Offering more than luxury in terms of well-appointed rooms, the hotel is accessible from the city's numerous landmarks, the staff members are hospitable, and it has a family-friendly swimming pool.

For more Harvest Hotel information and photos, check out my blog post about it here.

Before you overburden yourself with a crazy itinerary at some remote destination in the Philippines, isn't it reasonable to try visiting a highly accessible province first like Nueva Ecija?

Photography by Aubrey Gacer and Ryan Riguer

Our Minalungao National Park tour guide

Minalungao National Park Guide Contact
Tour Guide Mobile Number: 0907-731-6175

Cabanatuan City Tricycle Contact For Minalungao
Driver: Harold
Mobile Number: 0905-773-6590

Harvest Hotel

Official website of Harvest Hotel

Address: 1179 Del Pilar St., Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, Philippines 3100
Phone: (044) 950-8888
Mobile: (+63917) 539-6125
Email: info@theharvesthotel.com

More Photos Below:

Getting wet in Minalungao National Park

Viewing the sunset from my booked room at Harvest Hotel

Our tour guide waiting for us to cross a makeshift crossing in Minalungao

After tackling the 1,000 steps of the pilgrimage site

The view from the pilgrimage site of Minalungao National Park

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Grilla Filipino Cuisine: A Must-Try By Families and Barkada

February 8, 2017, 6:40 am

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≪ Previous: Nueva Ecija Travel: Visiting Minalungao National Park, Tasting Batutay and More

Tokwa't Manok

What started as a Filipino dining tradition in Antipolo City 19 years ago is now an exciting dining destination at the SM Mall of Asia By The Bay. Originally called Grilla Bar and Grill when it first became popular among students and young professionals along the frenetic Sumulong Highway, the restaurant is now rebranded as Grilla Filipino Cuisine. The main difference lies in the plenitude of more Pinoy dishes being offered that are great for family bonding and not just tasty for pairing with a late night booze. Diners from different parts of the country can also appreciate the regional scope of its menu.

The strength of Grilla Filipino Cuisine is its approach to the local fare which is best consumed with loved ones. This has never been more evident in its best-selling Pista Sa Nayon, a fiesta-inspired platter of crispy pata (fried pork shank), sinampalukang inihaw na manok (grilled chicken), seafood gising-gising (a Kapampangan favorite), fried okoy (shrimp fritters), and a set of banana leaf-packed steamed rice. If that made you salivate, then you know what a delicious revelry is, Filipino-style!

I visited the relatively new branch of the restaurant in Pasay City for late lunch one afternoon and, almost instantly, I fell in love with the interiors. From its rattan-decked wall to its equally rustic chandelier, the dining area decor made sure I got a visual prelude of what the menu of the restaurant is about. Sourced from Pampanga, the materials used for the overall design can make any guest, local or foreign, feel like they're dining at a world-class resort.

Check out the following dishes that I tried at the restaurant which will definitely make you want to order the other options in the menu:

Crispy Chicharong Bacon

Crispy Chicharong Bacon
For appetizer, I tried this set of thinly sliced pork belly that proved to be totally crispy. It's one deep fried dynamite that can also work well with a glass of beer.

Tokwa't Manok

Tokwa't Manok
A healthy departure from the popular Tokwa't Baboy (pork), Grilla's Tokwa't Manok is almost the same but not quite. Instead of pork liempo, it has grilled chicken inasal and fried chunks of tofu. The accompanying sauce is spiked with just enough spice that enhances the contrasting flavors and textures of the chicken and the tofu.

Crispy Fish Trio

Crispy Fish Trio
It's one thing to have one type of fish in one's seafood order, but it's another thing to enjoy three. Case in point: this set of crisp fried strips of tilapia, hito and bangus (milkfish) piled on top each other in one large serving. Dip per strip into a bowl of vinegar for extra flavor.

Beef Kansi

Beef Kansi
Soup lovers will find this Grilla version of the Negrense dish worth trying. Whether it's raining outside or not, this bowl of beef and beef bone marrow in a silky sour soup with kamias as base will make you feel at home. A taste of its light-bodied broth will instantly remind you of sinigang or bulalo.

Grill-A-Palayok

Grill-A-Palayok
This Grilla original is what I recommend the most for its inventive way of mixing mussels, clams, maya-maya fillet, beef short plate and pork belly over hot stones in one traditional clay pot serving. The order entails the diner to be ritualistic from pouring the hot broth of ginger and lemongrass onto the pot of grilled treats and sampling its accompanying three condiments of sinamak (spiced vinegar), nilasing na mangga (mango) and soy-vinegar dip.

Halo-halo Spring Rolls

Grilla Dessert Sampler

Halo-halo Spring Rolls and Grilla Dessert Sampler

For desserts, diners can also expect traditional Filipino flavors in the form of the restaurant's Halo-halo Spring Rolls and Grilla Dessert Sampler.

The spring rolls are served a la mode and evokes nostalgia beyond its tasty filling of red mongo beans, sweetened banana and kamote. The hot and cold contrast makes for a burst of flavors in the mouth.

Those who easily get overwhelmed by a single intimidating dessert or those who love to indulge in more than one sweet meal-ender will find the Grilla Dessert Sampler just right. The sampler includes leche flan, palitaw in thick coconut sauce and ice cream-topped suman with ripe mango slices. One can go crazy mixing it up with all three desserts!

Grilla Filipino Cuisine

Official Facebook fan page of Grilla Filipino Cuisine

Phone: (02) 426-1635
Branches:
• SM MOA By The Bay
• Sumulong Highway, Antipolo City

Crispy Fish Trio

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14 Filipino Cuisine Restaurants To Try In The Philippines

February 13, 2017, 9:37 am

≫ Next: River-crossing In Dingalan, Aurora

≪ Previous: Grilla Filipino Cuisine: A Must-Try By Families and Barkada

Eating out in the Philippines in the '80s and earlier decades used to be for the well-off only. Most Filipinos eat at home or buy a "paluto" for takeout from a carinderia. With the tourism boom of the '90s, restaurants started to appear like mushroom in different key cities of the country. Soon, highway restaurants in sleepy towns also began to appear to serve hungry diners en route for their target destinations. The choices range from the local fare to fusion, but standard Pinoy dishes are always the main feature.

In my four years of travel blogging, I've managed to make delicious visits of some of them. It didn't matter if I was so far away in Davao City or Roxas City from Metro Manila, I was always at home as long the restaurant served local cuisine. Check out some of my recommended Filipino cuisine restaurants that you can consider as tasty stopovers:

Coco Veranda

1. Coco Veranda
Location: Roxas City, Capiz

Ask anyone in Roxas City where to indulge on fresh seafood and they will all point you to Baybay Beach where the eateries are. It's where tourists can best appreciate dining on seafood with a panoramic view of the ocean. For my visit of the city in 2014, I opted for the ambiance of Coco Veranda over other ordinary-looking food joints in the area because I was after an optimum experience for lunch and cleanliness was important to me. My orders included the seasonal diwal or angel wings clam, Adobong Takway, baked oyster, steamed crab, Cagaygay and many more.

Read more about Coco Veranda.

Balay Cena Una

2. Balay Cena Una
Location: Daraga, Albay

It's no wonder that the word "daraga" in Bicolano dialect refers to a maiden or someone unmarried. There are a lot of well-maintained ancestral houses in the town of the same name in Albay where I once made a delicious visit. One such house was for my lunch venue during my tour of the province. Called Balay Cena Una, the restaurant means old house in Tagalog (from the term sinaunang bahay). It's actually a restored ancestral home that has been converted into a dining venue for intimate meals and events. Should you dine there, the Boneless Chicken Tinutungan is a must-order.

River-crossing In Dingalan, Aurora

February 18, 2017, 2:08 pm

≫ Next: Unique Laguna Resorts To Book, Rain Or Shine

≪ Previous: 14 Filipino Cuisine Restaurants To Try In The Philippines

Some destinations are wonderful stopovers. In your meandering, it can be where you get stuck and find inspiration.

Even if I have scoped parts of mainland Luzon for the past four years more than most of my relatives had, there are still a lot of cities and towns that I haven't had the pleasure of enjoying a full day in. Most of them were simply a break in the journey.

One such place was Dingalan where I spent a few hours to reach its neighboring town of General Nakar. It was supposed to be for just a few minutes, but unexpected river-crossings kept me lingering in more than one spot unnecessarily during my trip last October of 2016. The whole ordeal sort of became an intrepid prelude to my memorable immersion in Maktang, one of the settlements of the Dumagat Tribe that's roughly forty minutes of boat ride from the border of Aurora.

Patient locals on their way for morning errands after Typhoon Lawin

After Typhoon Lawin, kids had a hoot to play outdoors again.

My first river-crossing in Dingalan

A cliff-side dirt road in Barangay Butas Na Bato

Dingalan happens to sit where a portion of the vast Sierra Madre is, making its beaches dramatic at best. Stunning cliffs and rock formations buffer its shoreline and the weather can sometimes be far from balmy. Most of the time, it's unpredictable.

My trip happened to be just after when Typhoon Lawin hit the Philippines, so I was not surprised to see the windswept trees and the sorry state of the town's bridges. Some of the shallow rivers we tried to wade through to get across from one village to another looked like they were widened by strong currents of flash floods days prior. It turned out that a lot of old makeshift bridges were destroyed.

What was surprising was the presence of patient locals who were trying their best to cross the rivers like it was an ordinary day and nothing was unremarkable about it. It appeared that they're used to it -- the destruction and the many ways they have to cope. They were just glad that the typhoon was over and they could resume with their daily errands. As concrete as that observation is the lack of decent bridges where there should be.

Stunning Sierra Madre

An elderly woman being helped by male locals cross the river

I actually had fun lifting my bum inside our chartered tricycle in one river-crossing where the water actually overwhelmed my ride. We stopped in the middle of the river where I had to get out and manually reach the other side.

In another river-crossing, I chanced upon a group of male locals engaged in an afternoon snack in the middle of all the action. These guys who were supposed to be the ones to help the ladies and the elderly cross had to take a break in the thick of everything. Imagine that!

A view of the beach in Barangay Butas Na Bato

This type of travel would've easily persuaded me to go home instead back when I was younger. Seeing remote places in the past four years of travel blogging from secluded waterfalls and fog-draped hiking trails had led me to look past such obstacles and just treat them as minor bumps along the way. If it were not for the breathtaking rural scenery, river-crossing in Dingalan would be worse than dreadful. It would be boring.

Check out my visit of Baler, Aurora here.

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Unique Laguna Resorts To Book, Rain Or Shine

February 23, 2017, 10:02 am

≫ Next: 16 Must-Try Offbeat Cafes In The Philippines

≪ Previous: River-crossing In Dingalan, Aurora

Sitio De Amor

Laguna is strategically located near Metro Manila's vacationers and hotel-based tourists who are fresh from the airport. It's also blessed to have none of the metro's toxic traffic and pollution. This is exactly why a lot of resorts and bed and breakfasts have opened and maintained operation in selected areas of the province. The fresh breeze is cool. The weather is almost always balmy. An abundance of trees can still be found everywhere here. It's where you can easily abandon any last fragment of your sense of reticence and embrace nature without the guilt of unattended city duties. Simply take in a whiff of nature and head back to your side of the city in two hours or so.

In my four years of scoping mainland Luzon, I was able to feature four resorts in Laguna that I highly recommend you try for your next quick getaway:

Sitio De Amor

1. Sitio De Amor

Sitio De Amor

When urban sanctuaries no longer disarm one of doldrums, a distant estate in a province next to a city is poised to lure expectations of serenity. Case in point: the sprawling estate called Sitio De Amor of San Pablo City. Located in a highly vegetated terrain of Laguna, the getaway has maintained its secluded charm thanks to a long and winding detour from the Maharlika Highway, a couple of hours away from Metro Manila.

"At daytime, horses can be seen at the property."

With Sitio De Amor nestled strategically between San Cristobal Mountain and the mystical Mt. Banahaw, the air at the multi-hectare farm is constantly fresh and nights are a romantic hustle with nature’s breeze wafting through the foliage of nurtured hardwoods, rich shrubberies, ornate vines, thriving bromeliads and a selection of rare plants. At daytime, horses can be seen at the property.

Read more about Sitio De Amor.

Dona Jovita Garden Resort

2. Dona Jovita Garden Resort

Dona Jovita Garden Resort

Voracious readers of near-Metro Manila getaway updates can find it useful to know that just an hour or so away from the Philippine capital is a Calamba destination that has been in operation for more than two decades. Known by patrons as Dona Jovita Garden Resort, the place is the only natural garden-oriented resort in the city of Laguna as it’s highly vegetated with a variety of age-old trees (including a massive, hundred year-old Kapok Tree) and ornamental plants.

"The ambiance can disarm any guest with the toxicity of urban life as it's nestled near Mount Makiling."

Named after the grandmother of one of the owners, the family-run business has its members tracing their roots to Jose Rizal, hence, the name of one of its highly sought-after special events venue called Patio Intramuros. The ambiance can disarm any guest with the toxicity of urban life as it's nestled near Mount Makiling. It also has ample parking space for guests that have private vehicles. Couples and solo travelers who opt to commute to the resort can take the HM Bus (with a terminal in Cubao) and bear the roughly 3-hour trip from Metro Manila.

Read more about Dona Jovita Garden Resort.

88 Hot Spring

3.88 Hot Spring

88 Hot Spring

88 Hot Spring is unlike any other hot spring in Calamba. It was designed and is being operated with Koreans as target clients. At the resort, there are countless signages in Korean with an inclusion of a Korean statue made of marble that greets guests at the entrance. As a result, Korean guests flock to this attraction in Laguna. When I visited it for a day tour, I realized that I was the foreign tourist that day.

"88 Hot Spring is unlike any other hot spring in Calamba."

What I loved about the place was the well-manicured garden that surrounded two hot spring Jacuzzis. There were three more hot spring pools but they were in a cluster next to the restaurant away from the beautiful garden. The Korean guests seemed to gravitate towards that less attractive area maybe because of its close proximity to food and drinks.

Take advantage of the resort's day tour.

Read more about 88 Hot Spring.

Costales Nature Farms

4. Costales Nature Farms

Costales Nature Farms

Costales Nature Farms is an attractive result of the combination of science, technology, and nature under the nurturing hands of its founder, the late Ronald Costales. He staunchly supported the practice of abstaining from the use of pesticides in crops so that they are not loaded with toxic chemicals for people to consume. Instead, the farm exists to foster a more holistic and natural ecosystem. With his passing, his wife Josephine or Josie is left to lead it but she's not alone in the endeavor as her grown-up kids have imbibed the same values for the environment that she and her husband were able to develop in the past decades. As chairman of the eco-farm, Josephine is positive that the legacy of Mr. Costales via CNF lives on.

"...it's just a couple of hours of drive away from Alabang via the Majayjay-Lucban road."

Eager to relax in rural splendor of Laguna's Costales Nature Farms and imbibe the farming lifestyle for a day or two? If anything, it's just a couple of hours of drive away from Alabang via the Majayjay-Lucban road.

Read more about Costales Nature Farms.

Eager for more travel recommendations? Check out the following posts:

• 12 Offbeat Attractions For Educational Tours In The Philippines
• Farm Tourism Destinations In The Philippines
• Fields of Dreams In The Philippines
• 10 Resorts and Hotels With Attractive Swimming Pool Views
• 7 Charming Resorts and Hotels For Pre-Nuptial Photo Shoots
• 10 Luxury Hotels and Resorts To Book For Pampered Vacations
• 8 Less Explored Attractions In The Philippines
• 10 Extraordinary Resorts and Hotels To Book In The Philippines

• 11 Quick Escapes Near Metro Manila Part 1

• 11 Quick Escapes Near Metro Manila Part 2

• Exciting Beach Getaways In The Philippines, Rain Or Shine

• Essential Adventure Rides To Try In The Philippines

• 8 Essential Wellness Hubs To Experience In The Philippines

• 3 Essential Events Place In Metro Manila For Weddings, Birthdays, and More

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16 Must-Try Offbeat Cafes In The Philippines

February 24, 2017, 10:49 am

≫ Next: How The Pinoy Jeepney Came To Be and A Few Passenger Tales

≪ Previous: Unique Laguna Resorts To Book, Rain Or Shine

Whenever I travel, I'm always on the lookout for a unique coffee shop. Whether it's in Metro Manila or in a sleepy town in a remote province, I always make sure that a cafe visit wonderfully slows me down. There's nothing like a hot beverage and a cake slice (or any local dish) to perk up my trepidation-filled itinerary of an area that's strange to me.

In my four years of travel blogging, I managed to list down 16 such cafes that will definitely be part of my schedule again should I make a revisit in the locations where they can be found. I enjoyed my cuppa once and I will surely enjoy it the second time around.

ACC Coffee & Crepe

1. ACC Coffee & Crepe
Location: Roxas City, Capiz

ACC Coffee & Crepe

Owned by Dr. Victor Acepcion, ACC Coffee & Crepe is popular among locals and tourists in Roxas City when it comes to, well, coffee and crepe. It's considered as a delicious institution especially now that it has a couple of stores in this side of Capiz. Its presence in the province is definitely a breath of fresh air because the city is known for its seafood and the folklore of aswang, but not a beverage that keeps one up at night such as coffee.

"It's considered as a delicious institution especially now that it has a couple of stores in this side of Capiz."

Thanks to Dr. Acepcion's predilection for French cuisine, the cafe naturally began as a sideshow in his clinic where guests could feel relaxed while waiting for their consultation. Next thing he knew, he already opened a full-fledged store next to his clinic and another one at Robinson's Mall in Pueblo De Panay.

Read more about ACC Coffee & Crepe.

The Coffee Library

2. The Coffee Library
Location: Baguio City, Benguet

The Coffee Library

A Baguio City vacation is not complete for me without a visit of The Coffee Library. It's where everything on the menu seems to be thoughtfully prepared and has the adventurous taste buds of caffeine aficionados always delicately considered.

My high school classmate and his friend once mused about their own visit of the cafe as an authentic taste of Vietnamese cuisine -- coffee and Pho Bo! They also had Turkish coffee, apple pie, and the cafe's stellar Cheese Burger.

"A Baguio City vacation is not complete for me without a visit of The Coffee Library."

My recommendations include the appetizing Buffalo Wings and an order of the local Kapangan Coffee.

Read more about The Coffee Library.

Cafe Ecija

3. Cafe Ecija
Location: Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija

Cafe Ecija

During my stay at Harvest Hotel in Cabanatuan City, I made sure that I had a post-adventure cuppa at its affiliate F&B called Cafe Ecija. It's where I tried one of its featured cakes -- the Mocha Caramel -- which went down well with brewed coffee. The rich-tasting icing was topnotch for one of my afternoon resets and left me perked up after my visit of the Minalungao National Park.

"It's where I tried one of its featured cakes -- the Mocha Caramel -- which went down well with brewed coffee."

At Cafe Ecija, I also enjoyed hotel-quality meals that surprised me to be available in Nueva Ecija. The hamonado-filled Longganisa Spring Roll and filling Burgerniza were both memorable. My order of the cafe's drink of the month -- the refreshing Buko Lychee -- was also equally remarkable.

Read more about Cafe Ecija.

Art Circle Cafe

4. Art Circle Cafe
Location: Makati City

Art Circle Cafe

After a relaxing staycation at Y2 Residence Hotel, I killed time at Art Circle Cafe, a coffee shop located next to its lobby. I didn't regret having the pleasure of being idle. It was just me, my cup of Hazelnut Benguet Coffee, a slice of Black & White Tart and paintings mounted on cafe dividers.

"The cafe interiors exuded an art museum ambiance, but the presence of chairs and tables spelled out cafe."

The cafe interiors exuded an art museum ambiance, but the presence of chairs and tables spelled out cafe. The resulting encounter of such sensibilities was an artsy sanctuary that's also a fantastic coffee and dessert hangout. Being surrounded by beautiful art made a complementing sight for someone like me who simply wanted to chill out.

Read more about Art Circle Cafe.

Mellizza Cakes & Pastries

5. Melliza Cakes & Pastries
Location: Makati City

Melliza Cakes & Pastries

When a planned food trip in Makati City got foiled, I decided to skip dinner altogether and just have a stroll of Kamagong St. where I was supposed to meet some former office mates. Little did I know that I'd end up sipping coffee and enjoying quiet time over a slice of delicious blueberry cheesecake at a cozy dessert nook called Melliza Cakes & Pastries.

Later on, I learned that the business was started by a group of friends who love desserts. After eating an expensive slice of cheesecake at a food chain, Melvyn Isidro, one of the friends, suggested to open a bakeshop using his mother's recipes and eventually naming the whole venture after her.

Check out the official Facebook fan page of Melliza Cakes & Pastries.

Museum Cafe

6. Museum Cafe
Location: Makati City

Museum Cafe

Museum Cafe does not fall far from its Raintree Group of Restaurant family. It consistently affirms a pleasurable social and gustatory experience regardless of brand and location. At this dining venue, art seems to be seamlessly embraced from the walls that showcase the paper art of fellow University of Santo Tomas graduate and artist, Tes Pasola, to the simple cutlery. The dining venue was designed by Budji Layug and Royal Pineda by the way.

"Museum Cafe does not fall far from its Raintree Group of Restaurant family."

Also known as M Cafe, the place is a combined cafe and restaurant. It's where sensible business is exchanged over home-cooked meals, mostly of modern Asian cuisine. Patrons never get tired of its Canadian tenderloin, homemade sushi and dim sum, Spanish deli meats, fresh country bread, Norwegian smoked salmon, waffles and toasts, plus signature cakes, among others.

Read more about Museum Cafe.

Bona's Cafe

7. Bona's Cafe
Location: Tabaco City, Albay

Bona's Cafe

Located at the city proper of Tabaco, Bona's Cafe is lodged at the second floor of the same structure where the backpackers' favorite JJ MidCity Inn is. The area may be highly urbanized but there isn't any decent coffee shop that has managed to get my attention since I last visited it in 2015. With numerous travelers finding themselves on layover in the city for Catanduanes, the presence of the cafe is quite ideal.

Its owners take pride in the cafe as being one of the first coffee shops in the city to bring the authentic art of brewing espresso. Customers can expect freshly brewed coffee and authentically made espresso using only the industry-standard, state-of-the-art equipment. Most patrons love its custom-made latte. What's more, the menu options are known to be quite affordable compared to mall-based stores in nearby Legazpi City.

Must-orders are its Pinangat Pizza and Pork Sisig Pasta. Pair both with a drink of either Matcha Green Tea Latte or Cookies 'N' Cream Frappe.

How The Pinoy Jeepney Came To Be and A Few Passenger Tales

February 25, 2017, 7:26 pm

≫ Next: 3 Reasons Why Hometown Hotel Is A Must-Book For Layovers In Makati City

≪ Previous: 16 Must-Try Offbeat Cafes In The Philippines

An abrupt stopover in Polillo

Ask a typical Filipino the last time he rode a jeepney and he'll probably react in bewilderment not knowing how to answer the question. It's a little silly for him because jeepneys can be seen almost anywhere in the Philippines and the last time he rode one was probably yesterday. Those who won't be able to relate either has a car or doesn't move around much. And they're not that many. The majority of the more than 100 million locals don't have access to a personal vehicle. Most of them commute.

In my four years of travel blogging wherein I scoped mostly the main thoroughfares and remote towns of mainland Luzon, I was on board such a passenger ride one too many times. A sight of it in a sleepy town in an ungodly hour is ultimately heaven sent, especially where NPA rebels and supernatural beings are buzzed about to exist. I even got to see different types of jeepneys in other provinces in Visayas and Mindanao.

The jeepney of Bacolod City

Inside the Bacolod City jeepney

Negros Island Pride

In the island of Negros, for example, being a jeepney driver is considered a dignified profession unlike in Metro Manila. This is all based on perception of course. I've personally seen the difference between jeepneys in the National Capital Region (NCR) and those plying the roads of Bacolod City, Silay City and Talisay City in Negros Occidental. The latter look sleek and robust in the form of enlarged Ford Fiera models that have been pimped with various truck components as promulgated by local fabricators in the late '90s. And the ones at the helm are cheerful drivers which is, perhaps, one of the many reasons why it's known as the city of smiles. It's a different story, though, in Metro Manila where traffic is insane, pollution is severe, and drivers are always complaining.

A typical Itogon jeepney has doors for the purpose of delivering vegetables

How It Came To Be

A portmanteau of the American army jeep and the word "jitney", a jeepney is both a tourist attraction for foreign travelers and a daily lifeline for locals. Some historians also allude to the passenger experience of having one's knees touching another passenger's set of knees, giving meaning to the "ney" in the word. What's clear, though, is that the vehicle is a useful remnant of World War II. If that period in mankind's history brought nothing but despair to a lot of people, it's one of a few things that clever Filipinos have managed to reuse for survival's sake. These days, it has remained as a source of a family's survival what with a lot of local jeepney drivers still relying on designated routes for their living.

"A portmanteau of the American army jeep and the word "jitney", a jeepney is both a tourist attraction for foreign travelers and a daily lifeline for locals."

Aboard a jeepney in La Trinidad, Benguet

Flamboyant Design

The experience of riding one is a mix of joy, disgust, and trauma. There's no indifference in between. It's much like the flamboyant design of the average Pinoy jeepney. The expressive colors range from rage red to fantasy blue. Some even explode in frenetic hues and enhanced by graphics and on-board music that shock the senses. A passenger can't truly be rid of emotions when on board one.

On-Board "Bayanihan"

The passenger culture inside such a commute is also quite unique to the country because it doesn't use an e-card payment service. Instead, one has to exert the effort of saying "bayad po" or "this is my payment" in loose English just to settle one's fare with the driver. The act even gets complicated when the commuter is seated at the farthest space because the rest of the passengers have to pass around the payment until it reaches the driver's side of the vehicle. If anything, it's another form of "bayanihan" or neighborhood cooperation among the locals which a lot of well-meaning tourists seem to be fond of seeing.

"...it's another form of bayanihan or neighborhood cooperation among the locals..."

Disgusted Passenger

Riding a jeepney is not a totally exciting experience as I've mentioned. Sometimes, it's disgusting. As a teen passenger, I remember having to deal with misbehaving seatmates. They were a couple who needed to get a room but couldn't, so they opted to be obscene where they were which was next to me. I was seated next to a girl wearing short shorts and on her side was a guy who I assumed was her boyfriend because his hand was already on her waist when they boarded the vehicle. I was also wearing a pair of shorts and feeling awkward as an adolescent, so you can just imagine how I almost freaked out when he tried to caress his girlfriend's thigh all the way down to her leg which meant his hand also had to touch a side of my body, including my exposed leg!

Traumatized Passenger

One traumatizing experience was being inside a jeepney at night with just two more passengers. When the vehicle reached a spot at a dark intersection, one of the two passengers turned out to be a pickpocket who began looting from the other passenger who was totally passed out drunk and it all happened across from where I was seated. Worse, the pickpocket motioned for me to keep quiet as he robbed the poor drunkard. I couldn't decide whether to stop him or get the driver's attention. I was afraid that he could be carrying a bladed weapon. Call me a coward, but I simply froze in fear. I was still in college, so you can assume how naive I still was.

Plying the vomit-worthy Polillo-Burdeos Road in Quezon Province

Another traumatizing experience was being on board a Burdeos-bound jeepney in Polillo. The ride was supposed to be for an hour only. Unfortunately, the Polillo-Burdeos Road is one carved up dirt road that seems to be a long and winding mud wrestling pit during the rainy season that it takes three hours to be done. When I toured the island where the route is located, I personally endured the insane vomit-worthy ride that made all passengers sick in the stomach from intense headache. Apparently, it can happen. It was similar to being on a carnival's pirate ship ride where a passenger has to be subjected to various levels of angular momentum.

One of two jeepney trips per day in General Nakar's Masanga bound for Infanta in Quezon Province

Awestruck Passenger

What I consider as the best experience I've had on board a jeepney is that one ride in General Nakar where my commute had to traverse more than three shallow rivers en route from Masanga to Infanta. It was surprising to see how the vehicle tackled such route more than once like it was an amphibian utility model. It was sturdy and definitely reflected the sensibility of the local scene in that side of Quezon Province.

The next time you see a Filipino in the Philippines, don't ask whether he has experienced riding a jeepney or not. Simply inquire about the last time he did. You will surely get an answer even if it meant telling another fellow Filipino's story.

Check out my other travel stories:

• The Quiddity of Bani's Coralline Beach In Black and White
• The Enduring Forge of The Cobo Blacksmiths In Tabaco City
• The Ruse To Displace The Dumagat Tribe of General Nakar
• A Glimpse of The Modern Day Santacruzan In Marinduque's Santa Cruz
• A Black and White Infatuation of Itogon Highlands
• Callao Cave In Reclusive Black and White
• A Tribute To My Pet Dog, Lancaster
• Creepy Travel Tales
• Why I Sketch Views In My Travels
• Baguio City Has Two Faces
• Finding Humor In Travel

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3 Reasons Why Hometown Hotel Is A Must-Book For Layovers In Makati City

February 28, 2017, 10:02 am

≫ Next: 14 Restaurants With Unique Dining Views In The Philippines

≪ Previous: How The Pinoy Jeepney Came To Be and A Few Passenger Tales

Hometown Hotel is a new budget-friendly lodging that just opened three months ago in Makati City. Located near the intersection of EDSA and South Super Highway where the Magallanes Flyover can be found, the 19-room hotel is easily a sought-after layover by foreign backpackers who are mostly from European countries, the United States, Japan, South Korea and China. Some of them have stayed at the brand's other relatively new branch in Bacolod City which is actually the original one. And most guests are always on their way to a local destination in the provinces either to surf or simply see the Philippines' various natural attractions.

Local travelers have also recently been catching up in the hotel's guest list because of the latter's affordable room rates that are complemented with decent room features which some of the nearby lodgings at the fringes of Pasay City and Makati City seem to lack. For starters, Hometown Hotel's spacious bathrooms are equipped with basic rainshowers that can enhance one's relaxing stay. Bed sheets are clean, hallways are well-lit and have CCTVs, room interiors are far from gloomy, hotel security is topnotch and there's a common room for board games and simply hanging out with fellow guests.

My booked room

Spacious bathroom with rainshower

The hotel's hip roof deck

There are also stay add-ons that make one's booking worth every cent. For example, welcome drinks can be had at the reception area and guests can always drink more of the featured drink (during my stay, it was iced tea) during their stay. For Php1,300-worth solo stay, a complimentary breakfast is always a steal versus another nearby budget hotel's Php2,000++ rate. And, guests can have the breakfast as room service or at the hotel's roof deck where the ambiance is metro hip.

Should I stay at the hotel again, I hope to see free coffee at the reception area since it's something that can be another inventive add-on for guests like me.

The hotel facade

Access to free drinks and board games

Here are three tested reasons why Hometown Hotel Makati is easily a good choice in Metro Manila for layovers:

1) Affordable Rate For An Enhanced Stay

Designed with no-frills facilities, the hotel is easy to settle into after a long trip. There's no jarring design that agitates one's mood and no fancy room feature that makes the rate expensive. Each room has a cable TV and access to Wi-Fi. Since the hotel's guests are mostly backpackers, each room is equipped with spacious cabinets for storing stuff so that they won't have to be left on the floor. A big bonus to one's stay is the bathroom rainshower which other budget hotels in the area don't have. What's more, the complimentary breakfast makes the room rate one of the most competitive rates in Metro Manila.

For hotel rates, check here.

The hotel has available bunk beds for extra guests (P800 per extra guest)

Complimentary breakfast

Common area

2) Chicken Inasal For Dinner At The Roof Deck

Since the owners are based in Bacolod City, guests can look forward to the Negrense hospitality via dinner that's known worldwide as Chicken Inasal. Grilled in front of guests at the hip roof deck of the hotel, the delicious local favorite can be had for early dinner at 6:00 pm just in time for sunset.

Chicken Inasal, a Bacolod City pride

Grilling the chicken inasal at the hotel's roof deck

3) Accessible Location In Makati City

Guests arriving from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on board a taxi cab can be at the hotel in just less than 30 minutes on a good day. Those getting off at the MRT in Magallanes Station can easily walk under the Magallanes Flyover to reach the hotel.

While they're checked-in and have nothing much to do inside the room, they can also find it easy to reach the SM Mall of Asia and the Ayala Business District in different directions. A decent stroll in Bangkal a few blocks away can also lead to a nifty antique souvenir purchase at a thrift shop called Bodega that's owned by one lady named Aling Luring.

The view from the roof deck

The hotel front desk

Bangkal's Bodega by Aling Luring for souvenir antiques

An airport shuttle costs Php150 per guest or it's considered free for guests with a minimum stay of three days. A shuttle to SM Mall of Asia and Glorietta can be conveniently arranged at the front desk. Foreign guests who love to experience riding a jeepney can find the hotel's location accessible to a lot of local jeepney routes unlike in expensive commercial enclaves where other hotels are.

Regular guests of this hotel and its Bacolod branch can look forward to seeing a third branch opening in Quezon City's Tomas Morato area late this year.

Hometown Hotel Makati

Official website of Hometown Hotel Makati
Official Facebook fan page

Address: 57 EDSA, Bangkal, Makati City, Philippines 1233
(EDSA-Osmena/South Super Highway Intersection; across Magallanes MRT Station)
Phone: +6328053386
Mobile: (Globe) +639279593480
Email: hometownphmanila@gmail.com

Where to dine out in Makati City?

• The affordable steakhouse called Cow Dadi
• Local coffee, desserts and art at Art Circle Cafe
• The romantic Top of The Citi By Chef Jessie
• The cosmopolitan Museum Cafe
• Exquisite dishes at Restaurante Pia Y Damaso
• City Garden Grand Hotel's Spice Cafe
• The inventive Kabila
• The upscale Terraz
• Go Japanese at Saboten Philippines

↧

14 Restaurants With Unique Dining Views In The Philippines

March 2, 2017, 6:17 am

≫ Next: "The Truck" Delivers The Delicious In Makati City's Junction Hostels

≪ Previous: 3 Reasons Why Hometown Hotel Is A Must-Book For Layovers In Makati City

Eating out in the Philippines has been so inventive these past few years that more and more restaurants are trying out different ways to surprise diners. As a result, customers are also expecting the extraordinary out of their humdrum meals away from home. Like a delicious tug of war, both ends of the spectrum have only improved the dining scene. Great food is easy to be had anywhere actually. Great with food with a great view is something else altogether. It's what these exciting restaurants have managed to pull off in the country's different locations that's getting rave reviews from local and foreign tourists.

Close the fridge. Leave your homes. Take that road trip to sample memorable meals set against enthralling views. Here are some that I've discovered in my four years of travel blogging for you to experience soon:

The Nest

1) The Nest
Location: Muntinlupa City
Unique Factor: Electric Alabang view

The Nest

The patrician space 31 floors up the 5-star deluxe Vivere Hotel deserves a pedestal in travel's iconography. Overlooking the expanse of Laguna Lake and the bustling Alabang, it's called The Nest. And for an exigent reason. It's where the new urban elite of Muntinlupa City and various foreign tourists wind down -- high up on the rise like sky's the only limit.

Up there, sans the wonderful high-rise view, you'd think that you're just at a hip restaurant in the middle of a tranquil meadow with neighboring establishments that seem to be thousands of miles away. Thanks to the modest blue lagoon that's flanked by a towering steeple-like element and the rest of the venue's facade, the space is a cocoon of an escape from the bustling grid below.

Read more about The Nest

Vista Tala Resort and Recreational Park

2) Vista Tala Resort and Recreational Park
Location: Orani, Bataan
Unique Factor: Mountain view of the Bataan National Park

Vista Tala Resort and Recreational Park

Two hours from Manila, this mountain resort in a highland part of Orani is not just attracting vacationers. It's also becoming a favorite dining destination by those from neighboring towns in Bataan because of how charming its restaurant is.

At its restaurant's indoor dining area, the view of the Bataan National Park is already visible. At the al fresco area, the fog-draped view just gets more vivid. It can easily rival a similar dining experience in Tagaytay where the air is fresh and the weather is almost always balmy. Some diners also compare it to dining in Baguio City sans the pine trees.

During my stay, I enjoyed my orders of Seafood Pancit and Sinigang.

Read more about Vista Tala Resort and Recreational Park

Country Inn By The Sea

3) Country Inn By The Sea
Location: Sta. Ana, Cagayan
Unique Factor: Breezy beach of Sta. Ana

Country Inn By The Sea

Imagine yourself dining in one of the stilts of Country Inn By The Sea in Sta. Ana on a good day. The sought-after dining deck can offer any dining guest a mesmerizing view of the beach. At night, there's even a chance that you'll have a moonlit dinner where the tranquil sea is the backdrop to your delicious meal.

"At night, there's even a chance that you'll have a moonlit dinner where the tranquil sea is the backdrop to your delicious meal."

During my tour of Cagayan, I got the chance to dine in one of the stilts. Served at one of the sea-view dining decks, my order of Lemon Pepper Chicken instantly made me feel at home. The rustic charm of dining semi-al fresco at the beachfront seemed natural.

Read more about Country Inn By The Sea

Cafe Terraza

4) Cafe Terraza
Location: Roxas City, Capiz
Unique Factor: Quaint views of Pueblo De Panay

Cafe Terraza

Emerging in Roxas City is Pueblo De Panay, a progressive inner-city of Capiz. The verdant township was one of my many stopovers in the city during my visit in 2015. The exact location where I had a late afternoon cuppa was Cafe Terraza, a charming restaurant that's part of El Circulo Convention Center that sits on a hill overlooking a side of the city that's normally not visible from the usual landmarks near the plaza and bridge. That is, if you've been to this place in the Visayas before.

Cafe Terraza is a hilltop haven that caters to locals and tourists who want to escape the conventional landscape of Roxas City. Finally, dining over Filipino-Western dishes in this side of Capiz comes with a scenic view of the place that rivals the breathtaking views of Tagaytay City. Endowed with a rolling and verdant terrain, Pueblo De Panay offers Cafe Terraza guests a lot of picture-perfect opportunities.

Read more about Cafe Terraza

The Veranda

5) The Veranda
Location: Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro
Unique Factor: Hilltop view of La Laguna's shoreline

The Veranda

Sabang can be a bit off-putting for someone who loves the beach but doesn't like the extreme island night life. This part of Puerta Galera where the La Laguna Beach gathers foreign tourists -- mostly Koreans -- to drink, drink, and drink some more till the wee hours can be a stark contrast to what's going on at Puerto Galera's White Beach or in another island destination like Boracay. Think pimps and girls who hustle. It's that nefarious.

Fortunately, there are a few restaurants on the island that still cater to a family-friendly dining experience. Consider The Veranda, the F&B facility of Out of The Blue beach resort. It's lodged three storeys up the Spa Suites where the swimming pool is, so dining there any time of the day is also a chance to have a spectacular view of the coast of Sabang.

Read more about Out of The Blue Resort

Vivere Azure

6) Vivere Azure
Location: Mabini, Batangas
Unique Factor: Tranquil sea-view of Anilao

Vivere Azure

Anilao may be a favorite destination by divers and snorkelers, but it's also popular among laid-back vacationers who just want to be idle in a tropical setting such as Vivere Azure. At this high-end resort, diners are given the special treatment starting with a picturesque view of the Calumpang Peninsula right from their dining tables. On a good day, the sea becomes so placid that it mimics a lake.

"...diners are given the special treatment starting with a picturesque view of the Calumpang Peninsula..."

At Vivere Azure, guests can dine over hotel-quality menu options such as Hickory Pork Ribs, Tomato Basil Soup and fresh Mixed Green Salad.

Read more about Vivere Azure

Cafe Lupe Hostel and Restaurant

7) Cafe Lupe Hostel and Restaurant
Location: Antipolo City, Rizal
Unique Factor: Hilltop metro view

Cafe Lupe Hostel and Restaurant

Located an hour away from Quezon City's frenetic Cubao, up the hillside of Antipolo City's long and winding Sumulong Highway in Barangay Mambugan is a hillside dining destination called Cafe Lupe Hostel & Restaurant. This is where tired professionals escape for quick drinks, snacks or a full meal where the view of Metro Manila is spectacular especially during sunset.

It can easily be anybody's secret rendezvous for meaningful meetings. It can also be a great chill-out spot for friends and families who want to briefly escape the excesses of city life. The location affords guests a stunning view of the Ortigas Center skyline any time of the day and KTV rooms to belt out favorite tunes. They can also be entertained with live band performances on special nights over Mexican and Ilonggo cuisine such as Kadyos and Inasal. Its restaurant's outdoor lounge is perfect for both romantic dates and solitary moments with a cold drink.

Read more about Cafe Lupe Hostel and Restaurant

Indigo Restaurant

8) Indigo Restaurant
Location: Boracay, Aklan
Unique Factor: Beach dining fantasy

Indigo Restaurant

A plated dinner at Indigo Restaurant of Discovery Shores can be both indulgent and sybaritic. Showcasing excellent coastal cuisine, the restaurant is known by a select few as the beachfront dining destination for sampling the best of the island’s bounty and fresh harvest. At daytime the whitewashed dining space exudes a pristine beach vibe which transforms into a nocturnal drip show of indigo, hence, the name.

Indigo Restaurant may be studded with accolades as being listed in prominent restaurant guides (2009 and 2010 Philippine Tatler’s Luxe Dining Philippines’ Best Restaurants and the Asian region-renowned Miele Guide 2010/2011), but it has managed to keep its profile distinctly aloof from the hard sell scene of White Beach’s Station 2 where antediluvian culinary pursuits are laid bare in poor taste. Here, the surf is delicate and the ambiance, still tropical.

Read more about Indigo Restaurant

Al Fresco Restaurant

9) Al Fresco Restaurant
Location: Boracay Aklan
Unique Factor: Tropical outdoor dining

Al Fresco Restaurant

Crystalline surf. Seductive landscape. Kooky tropical drinks and international cuisine. Boracay is an island in the Philippines that's known by many local and foreign tourists to be bereft of travel listlessness. The island's Ambassador In Paradise is as world-class as the surroundings and its F&B facility called Al Fresco Restaurant reflects that same quality from its international menu options to its tropical ambiance. It's just one of the top 25 luxury hotels in the Philippines in 2013 according to TripAdvisor, making it a sought-after destination within a destination. It's where diners -- hotel guest or walk-in -- can indulge on hotel-quality food under the island's age-old coconut trees.

"...Al Fresco Restaurant reflects that same quality from its international menu options to its tropical ambiance."

Read more about Ambassador In Paradise

Samkara Restaurant

10) Samkara Restaurant
Location: Lucban, Quezon
Unique Factor: Refreshing rural scenery

Samkara Restaurant

Samkara Restaurant's set of newly-constructed dining huts that dot rural Quezon Province's countryside is becoming a favorite among patrons even on weekdays. And why not? It's set against the farming plains of Majayjay and Lucban's fringes, complementing hometown specialties of Longganisang Lucban, Hardinera, Sinantol and more. The restaurant's chef has expanded the roster of dishes to cover international cuisines which makes visiting Quezon Province not just a taste of local favorites but also that of world flavors!

A new dining feature that's touted to excite tourists is the restaurant's al fresco experience which gives the traditional Filipino "paluto" or customized order a twist wherein the guest can view the chef cook where the former waits -- outdoors on a bamboo platform with views of the nearby rice field.

Read more about Samkara Restaurant and Garden Resort

Gio's Majestic View

11) Gio's Majestic View
Location: Legazpi City, Albay
Unique Factor: Hilltop view of Legazpi City and Mayon Volcano

Gio's Majestic View

Albay's capital of Legazpi is not all-harbor or just a swath of modern cityscape. Although most tourists know it to be famous for its share of the Mayon Volcano view, there are a few hilltops where the city can be experienced in unconventional ways. A high point where vantage views of most of the city can be had is at the relaxing landscape of Barangay Estanza where Gio's Majestic View stands atop the peak of one of the hills of Sitio Maticol.

Considered a mountain resort, Gio's Majestic View is starting to be known by visiting local tourists as Bicol's own Little Tagaytay for sharing similar qualities with the popular tourist attraction of Cavite. It's located at a high-altitude terrain where the climate is mild and there are numerous cliff-side views of rolling hills, the Albay gulf, the majestic Mayon Volcano and the rest of the city. It's a side of Legazpi that most tourists tend to overlook because of other more accessible attractions.

Read more about Gio's Majestic View

Top of The Citi By Chef Jessie

12) Top of The Citi By Chef Jessie
Location: Makati City
Unique Factor: High-rise view of the Makati Business District

Top of The Citi By Chef Jessie

More than 30 floors up the Citi Bank Tower is where the high-end restaurant Top of The Citi By Chef Jessie is located. With a 360 degree view of the Makati City skyline, the restaurant was once a late lunch venue for me. Highly recommended to complement the spectacular city view are orders of Grilled Chilean Sea Bass, Grilled Ostrich Steak, and Certified Black Angus Tenderloin Steak.

"With a 360 degree view of the Makati City skyline, the restaurant was once a late lunch venue for me."

Having become the first Filipina pastry chef in 1990 and being responsible for the chain of Le Souffle restaurants, Chef Jessie is on a new savory journey of her career and the restaurant clearly reflects that exciting path.

Read more about Top of The Citi By Chef Jessie

Choco-late De Batirol

13) Choco-late De Batirol
Location: Baguio City, Benguet
Unique Factor: Pine tree-filled views of Camp John Hay

Choco-late De Batirol

When in Baguio City, you shouldn't pass on a delicious visit of Choco-late De Batirol. The odd-looking restaurant can be found at Camp John Hay where there are still a lot of pine trees.

"The odd-looking restaurant can be found at Camp John Hay..."

It looks well-maintained but its charm lies on its off-center interior that initially looked decrepit. As you enter the restaurant, you'll notice that the elements inside look haphazard. Upon close examination, though, you'll realise that its dining charm lies in its disregard for impressing people. The lasting feeling once you're inside is similar to having pleasantries being exchanged in a rustic home next to a farm.

Pasig Revolving Tower

14) Pasig Revolving Tower
Location: Pasig City
Unique Factor: 360 degree view of Metro Manila

The main attraction of the 1974-built Pasig Revolving Tower is its restaurant which is yet to open in the city. The revolving restaurant used to have a 1-hour turnaround until it ceased operation in the '80s. According to some locals, there was even a time in the '90s when it temporarily housed holding cells for criminals. Whether the food is great or not is yet to be determined soon once it opens to the public.

Eager for more travel recommendations? Check out the following posts:

• 16 Must-Try Offbeat Cafes In The Philippines
• Unique Laguna Resorts To Book, Rain Or Shine
• 12 Offbeat Attractions For Educational Tours In The Philippines
• Farm Tourism Destinations In The Philippines
• Fields of Dreams In The Philippines
• 10 Resorts and Hotels With Attractive Swimming Pool Views
• 7 Charming Resorts and Hotels For Pre-Nuptial Photo Shoots
• 10 Luxury Hotels and Resorts To Book For Pampered Vacations
• 8 Less Explored Attractions In The Philippines
• 10 Extraordinary Resorts and Hotels To Book In The Philippines

• 11 Quick Escapes Near Metro Manila Part 1

• 11 Quick Escapes Near Metro Manila Part 2

• Exciting Beach Getaways In The Philippines, Rain Or Shine

• Essential Adventure Rides To Try In The Philippines

• 8 Essential Wellness Hubs To Experience In The Philippines

• 3 Essential Events Place In Metro Manila For Weddings, Birthdays, and More

↧

"The Truck" Delivers The Delicious In Makati City's Junction Hostels

March 2, 2017, 11:23 pm

≫ Next: Annam Noodle Bar Opens At Resorts World Manila

≪ Previous: 14 Restaurants With Unique Dining Views In The Philippines

Chef Romel Pineda

A Metro Manila layover for a lot of adventurous tourists is not complete without scoping Makati City. Whether it's the business district or the suburbs that you're after, the city has something to offer travelers who are en route for distant attractions in the provinces of the Philippines. At Junction Hostels Makati, for example, a stay is far from the typical. Guests of the hip designer hostel can find the poblacion where the hostel is to be tourist-friendly and exuding the metro's heart and soul, especially for backpackers who are always eager to plug into the local vibe. At daytime, the area's busy streets call for a stroll and a cuppa. At nighttime, it's best to try a little bit of everything homegrown.

At Junction Hostels, booked guests and walk-ins have been given that extra reason to linger at its communal space where the lobby is. It's also where its F&B facility, an artisanal cafe called The Truck can be spotted for savvy menu options that rival the contemporary choices outside. It's essentially an old shipping container that's been refurbished and transformed into the cafe-cum-bar that it is today.

Junction Hostels guests

Hostel lobby with guests

Cafe-Cum-Bar

Regular guests of the hostel are familiar with The Truck's savory sandwiches, Nespresso coffee and an all-day brunch menu, but the quality of new delicious creations are going to make them patronize the establishment even more this 2017 now that it transforms every night into a bar offering modern Filipino street food.

To celebrate its second anniversary, the hostel recently kicked off with a showcase of its new set menu via The Truck By Abuela's Nieto.

Second Anniversary and More

To celebrate its second anniversary, the hostel recently kicked off with a showcase of its new set menu via The Truck By Abuela's Nieto. It officially opened on February 17, 2017, and will continue to serve foodies every night from 6:00pm to 11:00pm with Filipino food prepared with a "twist" by its Resident Chef Marco. With Chef Romel Pineda also at the helm of the sizzling creations in the kitchen, diners can expect head-turning, flavorful, and inventive food that's as Instagram-worthy as the hostel's kooky wall design and fixtures. TuristaTrails.com's Contributing Photographer Aubrey Gacer graced one of the launch days last month and enjoyed the laid-back mood with fellow travel aficionados.

Hostel guest, Gerald Buela, at Junction Hostels Makati

Choose Your Grub

The various menu options of modern Filipino food made a great impression on Aubrey that he took his time to snap photos of the delicious grub. At least you know what to expect and indulge on when you're in Makati City soon by simply checking out the photos on this post.

The Truck is also a great venue for pop-up kitchens which are mostly done by different organizers on special weekends.

Book Your Party, People!

The Truck is also a great venue for pop-up kitchens which are mostly done by different organizers on special weekends. What's more, it's potentially a great venue for special events of the intimate kind.

Junction Hostels is owned and created by leading hospitality expert Cyndy Tan Jarabata of TAJARA Leisure and Hospitality Group. Makati Junction is the first branch to be rolled out and will expand its footprint in the country with Boracay, Baguio, Palawan, Manila and Quezon City in the pipeline.

Photography by Aubrey Gacer

The Truck

Official website of Junction Hostels

Address: Junction Hostel, Annex Matheus Building, Gen. Luna corner Don Pedro Streets, Barangay Poblacion, Makati City, Philippines 1210
Phone: (632) 501-6575/ 6578
E-mail: manager@junctionhostels.com

Eager To Stay At Junction Hostels Makati?
Check out my review of Junction Hostels Makati here.

More Photos Below:

Junction Hostel owner Cyndy Tan Jarabata (second from left)

Photographer Aubrey Gacer (third from right) enjoying dinner at The Truck

↧

Annam Noodle Bar Opens At Resorts World Manila

March 3, 2017, 6:12 pm

≫ Next: The Measure of A Man

≪ Previous: "The Truck" Delivers The Delicious In Makati City's Junction Hostels

With new enclaves opening left and right in Metro Manila, the frequency by which new ideas are embraced by Filipinos has increased. Both residents and tourists in the metro now enjoy the diverse environment where new commercial establishments encourage welcoming concepts that were unheard of a few years ago. As more and more travelers arrive, the landscape just gets more cosmopolitan. And Annam Noodle Bar's 2016 opening in Eastwood City proves just that. The delicious spawn of Singapore and Jakarta's Namnam Noodle Bar has done so well in that part of Quezon City that a second branch has recently opened at Resorts World Manila to cater to more Vietnamese cuisine aficionados.

Resorts World Manila Branch Is Now Open

Annam Noodle Bar is easily the best place to have orders of rice flour noodles (Pho), toasted baguettes (Banh Mi), oriental rolls and more. This new branch replicates the vibrant Vietnamese street food dining scene in its overall look just like how the restaurant did it in Eastwood City. With the addition of its set of new Fragrant Rice options in the menu, rice-lovin' Filipino diners can definitely expect to make more frequent visits to enjoy all of them.

Pho Australian Beef Steak Slices & Beef Balls

(L-R) Mango-Pineapple Sparkling, Lychee-Lime Sparkling and Lychee-Pandan Iced Tea

"Pho" Your Information

Restaurant owner and Director, Chef Nam, founded it in 2012 after embarking on a culinary expedition around the world. He has worked in various award-winning restaurants and hotels – such as the one Michelin star Le Canard Oslo and the prestigious Sukhothai Bangkok, where he took the reins as Executive Chef.

Restaurant owner and Director, Chef Nam, founded it in 2012 after embarking on a culinary expedition around the world.

Friends who have dined at the latter already mused to me about the modern twist rendered in its old Vietnam-inspired dining interiors via the mix of industrial elements and communal tables. As part of the core concept, the same aesthetic can be had at Annam Noodle Bar's Resorts World Manila branch where a pulsating market scene is redone with a splash of gloss. The result is truly iconic. Finally, you have a delicious reason to drop by in this side of the metro if you dig Vietnamese street food!

More than 90% -- 95% to be exact -- of its menu does not contain Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)...

No MSG Advocacy

What foodies can find comfort in knowing about this newly-opened restaurant is its advocacy for healthy ingredients. More than 90% -- 95% to be exact -- of its menu does not contain Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) which is something that's commonly used in other establishments to enhance the flavor in food. This means that dishes served at Annam are likely to be enriching rather than damaging to one's system. This is because MSG is known to cause muscle numbness, tightness, fatigue and flushing in sensitive tummies. Constant exposure to it even puts those who seem to have no problem with food in a threshold of sensitivity.

Check out what to order for you upcoming visit:

Pho Australian Beef Steak Slices

Fragrant Rice

A new addition to Annam Noodle Bar's menu that's available in different dishes for rice-lovin' diners:

Fried Fish Fillet, Tomato-turmeric Sauce, Fresh Herbs, Prawn Sugarcane

Crispy Fried Pork Chop, Steamed Egg Meatloaf

Crispy Fried Turmeric Chicken, Steamed Egg Meatloaf

Twice Cooked Australian Beef Brisket, Imperial Roll

Sauteed Pork Belly & Prawns, Fried Egg

Pomelo Salad, Prawns, Chicken

Small Plates

Great as appetizers or for those rushing to be somewhere urgent:

Crispy Imperial Rolls

Bánh Báo Buns, caramelized pork belly, egg, cucumber, scallion

Bun Cha Hanoi, pork two ways vermicelli, Mekong prawn roll

Viet Desserts

Indulge on these tasty meal-enders from our ASEAN neighbor:

Banana, Sweet Potato, Taro, Tapioca Pudding, Palm Sugar Syrup

Trio of Crispy Netted Rolls (jackfruit, sweet potato, cassava), Coconut Sauce

Recommended Beverage

For those who want to have something sweet, healthy, and refreshing all in one drink:

Salted Caramel-Banana Iced Coffee

Banh Mi

Toasted baguettes stuffed with savory meats, chicken pate, mayonnaise, hot chili peppers, pickled carrots, daikon, cucumber and fresh cilantro:

Twice Cooked Australian Beef Brisket, Fried Egg

Smoked Salmon, Tofu, Cream Cheese

Crispy Fried Turmeric Chicken

Photography by Aubrey Gacer

Annam Noodle Bar

Official website of Annam Noodle Bar

Address: 2F Newport Mall, Resorts World Manila, Newport City, Pasay City, Philippines

Operating Hours: 11:00am - 1:00am

Check out my review of Annam Noodle Bar's Eastwood City branchhere.

↧

The Measure of A Man

March 1, 2017, 8:46 am

≫ Next: Where To Stay In Makati City: From Luxury To Budget Hotels, Plus More Lodging Types

≪ Previous: Annam Noodle Bar Opens At Resorts World Manila

Feeling minuscule (Photography by Josua Chan)

How is a man’s worth calculated? Is it by the cash in his wallet or by the credit he has with a bank? Does it have anything to do with his insurance? How do you measure a man’s value?

In a world where everything is given a standard, a man is perceived in digits. He is always assigned a number. He is the firstborn of his siblings. He’s the second in command to a project. He’s the last to finish a race. Even in prison, he is given a serial number. If his place in society is not determined, he might as well be unknown.

As Good As Anonymous

I’m yet to hit mid-life but living feels like I’m just about done. The mood I’m in is always of anonymity. The more I desire to have something, the less content I become. With every progress I make in anything I do, I’m tempted to withdraw in seclusion. I’m starting to believe that I was born to be unknown.

Who wants to know someone like me anyway? I’ve got nothing in my wallet. I have bank debt the size of an actor’s ego. And I have no insurance whatsoever. My profile can’t be listed anywhere. I'm as good as anonymous.

The temptation to withdraw in seclusion

Certainty In My Uncertainty

If there’s anything that I’m certain of, it’s my uncertainty. I’m done doing the daily grind even if the calendar seems to say otherwise. It’s the same thing with trying to beat the deadline. There’s always more of it coming my way no matter how fast I finish. I’m way past any milestone I can think of and yet there’s still so much being brandished before me to be achieved. Right now, I’m basically facing a wall and there’s nothing written on it. Not even a doodle to hint where I should go. And so I stay put where I’m at – the unknown which can’t be measured.

You would think that I deserve to simply end my life given my sorry state of mind. Who would notice my absence anyway except for me?

Believe it or not, it's what most suicide attempts are made of -- a clarity of being no one in a sea of entitled faces. Successful attempts prove that in the most ironic way. After one embraces the inevitable on his own terms, the victim suddenly becomes known and is decked as a fallen legend in everyone's warped minds. Finally, he is measured. At last, he is weighed.

As natural as the ground we're standing on (Photography by Josua Chan)

Beyond The Enigma Is A Judge

It was in the middle of my uncertainty that I learned about another clarity, one that I had to understand when nothing made sense to me anymore. It's the proverbial question of the self: Who is my ultimate judge?

For every person who ever evaded death or embraced it in full abandon, the state of one's being in the afterlife is an enigma and yet the transition goes on. Everyone dies. And with one's passing, so comes one's worth in mind. An obituary might read that a person left an empire to be divided among a number of family members. Or worse, he left nothing for no one.

The world possibly can’t be the judge of my worth as much as I can’t tell my reflection in a mirror to contradict my actions. The standard I should adhere to can’t possibly be that of the world otherwise I’d end up lacking like everyone else.

The One Who Can't Be Measured

I can only be measured by someone who can't be measured himself. I can only be weighed by someone whose own identity is unknown. No mentor, living or dead, best fits the criteria. Not even builders come close. Only a Creator suits the identity of the ultimate judge as he is not subject to judgment himself.

In the middle of being distraught, I had to acknowledge a Creator. Someone had to have created me. He must know me inside and out enough to reach out to me and make himself known. It's rather silly if an all-knowing being created me and forgot about me. Perhaps this is why like most men in their pursuit of the meaning of life, I have always searched for symbols and clues to confirm a bond with such a being.

In pursuit of clues and symbols? (Photography by Josua Chan)

A Record of Confirmations

In today's age of information, one archive has withstood the elements for everyone to know. Called the bible, it's a record of a Creator's confirmations.

It's where I happened to have read a record of one foolish king named Belshazzar who reigned wickedly to the point that he feared no judgment. Only when an apparition of a hand writing a coded message on a wall appeared one night while he was engaged in worldly revelry did he get stumped and began to question his mortality. He did so to the point of summoning a prophet by the name of Daniel who interpreted the enigma to him. Oddly enough, the king even forced on the prophet a golden chain and the merit of being the third highest ruler in his kingdom just to ascertain an answer to the mystery. Daniel rejected the rewards but interpreted the message nevertheless. The writing on the wall turned out to be God's judgment on the king which eventually came to pass that same night. (Daniel 5)

What's In Store For Me

Still in the bible, particularly in the Gospel according to John, this passage also got my attention: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

My Creator, despite knowing my limitations, turned out to have not forgotten me. Instead of judging me on the basis of my mortality, he made a way to seal his bond of everlasting life with me by making me whole in Jesus Christ. In other words, a spiritual relationship. Although undeserving, I was shown what's in store for me.

The world and all its trappings, as a result, are now meaningless to me and it’s perfectly alright. I need not be known for as long as I know what really matters -- that nothing in the eyes of my fellowmen is everything in heaven’s eyes.

The God of the Universe, my Creator, is the only one who can send the writing on the wall that pertains to me as it is with every single person. Through His Son, I will never be weighed in the balances and be found wanting again. That, to me, is everything I need to know about my worth.

The Testimony Series is a personal chronicle of this travel blog's author. It's the foundation on which all his travel features are woven and presented. Apart from God, he is nothing. He can do anything in God who gives him strength.

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Where To Stay In Makati City: From Luxury To Budget Hotels, Plus More Lodging Types

March 11, 2017, 1:42 pm

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Junction Hostels Makati (Photo by Aubrey Gacer)

Makati City has long been a well-served area in Metro Manila for its proximity to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and major commercial centers. It still holds a hospitality luster because of how accessible its Central Business District is from the metro's major thoroughfares like EDSA. After all, it's exactly where most of its prestigious hotels are located, although its fringes have also recently seen the operation of new players. Even in the suburbs, a few budget lodgings have found their distinct spot to lure travelers on layover and experience the city in a new light, local scene and all.

Should you be spending a night or more in Makati City with a specific budget in mind, it's wise to zero in on a matching accommodation so that you won't have to unnecessarily hotel-hop given the bad traffic situation every single day of the week. Here are 12 lodgings that I've categorized based on their types -- Luxury, Mid-Range and Budget. And since the hospitality scene has changed so much in recent years, I've added a couple of brands that do hosted stays or long-term rentals, plus a hostel brand that can change the way you experience a layover in the city.

Luxury Lodgings

Discovery Primea

1) Discovery Primea
Area of Interest: It's a stroll away from Greenbelt.

Discovery Primea is The Discovery Leisure Company's newest hotel in the Philippines. The prestigious Filipino hospitality group finally has a home waiting for pleasure-seeking travelers in Makati, particularly across Glorietta. After shopping, one can retire to a booked Primea Suite or take a plunge in the 20-meter heated infinity pool overlooking the city skyline.

Read about my stay at Discovery Shores.
Read about my stay at Discovery Suites.

City Garden Grand Hotel

2) City Garden Grand Hotel
Area of Interest: It's no more than 15 minutes from the high-rise grid of Ayala Avenue and Rockwell Center.

The luxurious pulse is authentic at the corner of Makati and Kalayaan Avenues where 300 well-appointed rooms of the City Garden Grand Hotel rise above the bustling skyline. The hotel guest experience starts at the lobby where one can make a grand entrance past the opulent decors made of onyx, hardwood, and marble. It's something similar to be expected when staying at any of the hotel’s suite which is elegant, stylish, and functional.

Read about the hotel's Spice Cafe.

Mid-Range Lodgings

Y2 Residence Hotel

3) Y2 Residence Hotel
Area of Interest: It's right in the middle of Makati City's pulsating entertainment district.

The kooky and frenzied area where Y2 Residence Hotel is can initially be intimidating as it's impossible to spot a building when you're on foot or directing a clueless taxi driver along the busy Makati Avenue. This is probably why one side of the hotel was designed to reflect the ancient Oriental concept of Yin and Yang (Y2) -- two opposing, but equal forces depicted in a tight embrace that exudes balance and harmony. The design approach extends from the hotel lobby all the way to its rooms -- more than 160 in total -- that range from studios to three-bedroom suites. It has a little bit of everything from a kitchenette inside the room to a swimming pool access at the roof deck that a frequent traveler can appreciate.

Read more about Y2 Residence Hotel.

KL Tower Serviced Residences

4) KL Tower Serviced Residences
Area of Interest: It's a 10-minute stroll away from the corporate expanse of Ayala Avenue.

KL Tower Serviced Residences can be a storied landmark in the high-end business district of Legazpi Village. Surrounded by an uneven skyline of attractive skyscrapers, the modern contemporary residence-hotel can tell tales to make you listen intently. With a park fronting the stretch of the establishment’s Gamboa Street entrance, the area is fortunate to be a suite-filled serenity within a bustling grid of business, boardroom meetings, and banquets. And, oh, it has an indoor swimming pool which is sensational for quick dips even during the rainy season.

Read more about KL Tower Serviced Residences.

The Picasso Boutique Hotel

5) The Picasso Boutique Hotel
Area of Interest: It's a stroll away from the Salcedo Weekend Market and the city's sub-district, the Ayala Triangle, which is terrific for morning jogs and afternoon walks.

This 136-room hotel is designed to make stays both interesting and relaxing. With an obvious predilection for wide spaces, its studio rooms and suites are sensational for solo travelers and families with kids. Equipped with a modern kitchenette that has an electric stove, microwave oven, and electric kettle, each stylish guestroom is great for long stays even if the area is a dining destination in itself. Its loft is so spacious at 93 square meters that staying in Makati City is guaranteed to rid anyone of travel listlessness despite the busy skyline.

Read more about The Picasso Boutique Hotel.

Budget Lodgings

Hotel Durban

6) Hotel Durban
Area of Interest: It's smack dab at the center of Makati Avenue's stretch of amusement establishments.

Hotel Durban confidently stands as a foreigner-favorite crib in Makati City for its surprisingly affordable room rates. Formerly called Durban Inn, it's still where it first became a reliable home-away-from-home for foreign tourists way back in the '80s in the eclectic night life of the city. After necessary renovations, it's now newly-dressed up to appeal to the refined sensibilities of modern living sans the decadence of opulent decors and pretentious amenities.

Read more about Hotel Durban.

Hometown Hotel Makati

7) Hometown Hotel Makati
Area of Interest: It's along EDSA at the border of Makati City and Pasay City, making it quite accessible to the SM Mall of Asia and the Makati Central Business District.

Hometown Hotel is a new budget-friendly lodging that just opened four months ago. With affordable room rates that are complemented with decent room features, the 19-room hotel is easily a sought-after layover by foreign backpackers who are mostly from European countries, the United States, Japan, South Korea and China. Some of them have stayed at the brand's other relatively new branch in Bacolod City which is actually the original one. And most guests are always on their way to a local destination in the provinces either to surf or simply see the Philippines' various natural attractions.

Read more about Hometown Hotel Makati.

AurumOne Makati

8) AurumOne Makati
Area of Interest: It's right across Aling Luring's Bodega, a thrift shop of antique collectibles.

From quirky shops and hole-in-the-wall restaurants, Makati City's first district sticks out for having Bangkal as a village where a budget hotel stands in all its whitewashed 7-storey glory against a plethora of industrial and residential colors. This mid-market hotel is starting to get rave reviews from most of its guests who stay on layover or have an important business to transact in the area that's bordered by Pasay City and the main thoroughfares of EDSA and South Super Highway.

Read more about AurumOne Makati.

Red Planet Hotels Amorsolo

9) Red Planet Hotels Amorsolo
Area of Interest: It's a stroll away from Ayala Avenue and the stretch of the Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue (Buendia) where a lot of interesting restaurants are.

There are a couple of Red Planet Hotels in the city, but the one in Amorsolo is certified to be better in terms of location and housekeeping (this is based from personal experience). For affordable rates that match reliable features, it's definitely value for money. It's got the same power shower that I enjoyed in its other branches in Pasig City (Ortigas) and Davao City. The same custom-made beds and crisp linens are present along with basic add-ons like hair dryer, hangers for wardrobe, a folding table that can fit a laptop and a few more gadgets and flat screen TV. Unlike other budget hotels that drown out the reality of the world, Red Planet has a charming window for a view of the scene outside. In this Makati City branch, it's a distant fence-like lineup of high-rise buildings that light up at night.

Read more about Red Planet Hotels Amorsolo.

Hosted Stay Or Long-Term Rental

Alcoves Philippines

10) Alcoves Philippines
Area of Interest: The high-rise where my accommodation is booked is just a stroll away from Greenbelt.

Alcoves Philippines seems to be amping up the tourism scene in the country with its unique approach to hosted stays. My accommodation check-in involved being welcomed by an Alcoves host directly at the penthouse past the building lobby which felt more personal than hotel-like, but as soon as I closed the door, any further correspondence was up to me. A phone for outgoing calls was available at the penthouse for emergencies or other inquiries, but it was really up to me if I'd bother myself with it.

Foreigner love it and locals on long-term stays appreciate the unique concept.

Read more about Alcoves Philippines.

Splice Spaces from SpliceSpaces.com

11) Splice Spaces
Area of Interest: Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. and Ayala Ave. are just a stroll away.

Pegged at half the cost of a hotel room rate, Splice Spaces is a cross between a budget hotel stay and a hosted stay. Its remarkably decent guestrooms can be found at Suite 2515 of The Linear Makati Tower 2 which has unobstructed views of the city for being a few blocks away from the heart of the central business district. This means that nights are more quiet.

The hospitality brand employs high school and college students who have been enrolled at its "Made In The City" program that enables out-of-school Filipinos get a leg up with their finances which is something that redefines a traveler's stay.

Check the official website of Splice Spaces.

Hostel

Junction Hostels Makati

12) Junction Hostels Makati
Area of Interest: It's surrounded by thrift shops, cozy coffee shops, and bars at the gentrifying village of Poblacion.

This refurbished three-storey building cleverly punctuates the residential and commercial Poblacion landscape with its muted violet facade. Operating as Junction Hostels, the property beguiles to be noticed from blocks away. Having opened its doors to backpackers, iconoclastic travelers, and intrepid tourists two years ago, the designer hostel has managed to enjoy returning and referred guests on long stays and necessary stopovers from the US, various European and South American countries, Australia, Canada and neighboring Asian countries.

Read more about Junction Hostels Makati.

Where to dine out in Makati City?

• The Truck "delivers" the delicious in Poblacion
• The affordable steakhouse called Cow Dadi
• Local coffee, desserts and art at Art Circle Cafe
• The romantic Top of The Citi By Chef Jessie
• The cosmopolitan Museum Cafe
• Exquisite dishes at Restaurante Pia Y Damaso
• City Garden Grand Hotel's Spice Cafe
• The inventive Kabila
• The upscale Terraz
• Go Japanese at Saboten Philippines

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The Araneta Center Busport Is Now Open To Serve Bus Passengers In Cubao

March 17, 2017, 4:43 am

≫ Next: Puerto Galera's Diving Sites, Seedy Sabang Night Life and More

≪ Previous: Where To Stay In Makati City: From Luxury To Budget Hotels, Plus More Lodging Types

Araneta Center Map that shows where the Araneta Center Busport is

The ticketing system where the passenger transaction starts

Are you always dreading to be a part of the chaotic number of passengers flocking to the Araneta Center Bus Terminal during the holiday seasons -- Christmas and Holy Week -- every year? Mainstream news always reports that the total number of Bicol-bound commuters during those seasons go up between 10,000 and 14,000. The scene is always sweltering and inconvenient for all who have ever experienced braving the influx of Filipinos who want to go home to their respective hometowns or have a business to attend to in the region from Metro Manila.

With the recent opening of the ultra-modern Araneta Center Busport (ACBP) a block away from the same terminal station in Cubao, commuters finally have a better alternative to consider. The facility is air-conditioned and caters to travelers heading to and from the Bicol Region, Mindanao, and Southern Tagalog. Located at the ground level of Manhattan Heights (behind Ali Mall), it's the stopover for air-conditioned buses from 17 bus companies. It's touted to serve around 6,000 passengers a day.

Air-conditioned ticketing systems area

The Araneta Center Busport is located at the ground level of Manhattan Heights, behind Ali Mall

Safe and Secure Like An Airport

Foreign and local tourists who often opt for the more expensive air travel via the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) are also finally given a more convenient solution for traveling on a whim. Like a modern airport or mall, it's equipped with CCTV systems and walk-thru detectors to ensure everyone's safety and security.

How To Book A Bus Ride On Site?

The facility has a centralized automated ticketing area where travelers can book their trips using the ticketing counters. From such counters, they can conveniently view bus trip schedules in the same area via numerous LCD screens and process their stuff (those that are more than 10 kilograms) at the check-in baggage counter. To pay for the ticket, the traveler must get a number and wait to be called by the ticketing agents who will print a computerized ticket for the transaction.

Ticket Details

Tickets are valid for a month from the date of purchase which means that an advance booking as early as one month prior to the date of departure can be done. Discounts for senior citizens, PWDs, and students will be honored. All tickets within validity period can be re-booked but applicable charges apply. Re-booking can be done a couple of hours prior to boarding time. Should you need to make a refund, it's advised to be done two hours before the scheduled departure time and within the date of ticket purchase.

More Payment Details

As of this writing, cash payment is only entertained by the ACBP. Soon, though, an online ticketing system will be rolled out.

Passenger Lounge

Once booked, the traveler can wait at the air-conditioned passenger lounge and have access to its clean and spacious toilets and nursing station if necessary. They can also avail of a paid shower service. Take note that only those with processed tickets can enter the passenger lounge. The area has a public address system and the passenger loading docks in the same facility are designed to be spacious for 19 bus bays.

Accessible For Kids, PWDs, and the Elderly

The ACBP management has designated spaces for persons with disabilities, children and the elderly who may need sensitive attention. Priority boarding are given to them and to adults accompanying them.

What's Prohibited?

The ACBP management prohibits the bringing in of firearms and other deadly weapons like knives and tools, flammable materials, illegal or prohibited drugs, LPG tanks (with or without content), livestock or animals (chicken, fighting cocks, dogs, cats, etc.), fresh seafood and agri-products like vegetables and animal feeds. Bulky cargo like machine and automotive spare parts, hardware items, motorcycles, bicycles, furniture and appliances are also prohibited.

The Araneta Center Busport opened in Quezon City last March 15, 2017.

Watch A Video Presentation of the Araneta Center Busport:

Araneta Center Busport

Official website of the Araneta Center Busport

For bus linesand routes, check here.
Phone: 588-4156 and 588-4157
Operating Hours: 5:00am - 11:00pm

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Puerto Galera's Diving Sites, Seedy Sabang Night Life and More

March 20, 2017, 6:24 am

≫ Next: Ombu Kusina Celebrates Four Delicious Years In Quezon City

≪ Previous: The Araneta Center Busport Is Now Open To Serve Bus Passengers In Cubao

Sabang, Puerto Galera by day

Puerto Galera diving (Photo courtesy of Luceeckhaut.com)

Aside from having a variety of girlie bars, Korean restaurants, tattoo shops and spas, Sabang is a sought-after jump-off point for more than 40 diving sites in Puerto Galera. A lot of foreign and local tourists know this to be true. It's also quite accessible for being less than four hours away from Metro Manila unlike other diving sites in more far-flung provinces in the country. Three hours on the road to Batangas Port and 40 more minutes aboard a passenger boat are what it takes to reach the island that's famous for being seedy by night and dive-worthy by day.

Book At Out of The Blue

The lodging to book is the luxurious but affordable Out of The Blue which is located in Small La Laguna. The multi-tiered resort has its own restaurant, a set of swimming pools, and a premier full-service scuba diving facility partnership with Action Divers which is located next to it. All dive course manuals and materials are approved by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) and can be provided in most languages, including Chinese and Japanese.

Sabang shoreline

Puerto Galera diving (Photo courtesy of Outoftheblue.com.ph)

Sunbathing at the Big La Laguna Beach

A foreign tourist being helped after collapsing from too much drink

Dive With Action Divers

With Action Divers, guests can dive at dozens of sites within a 15 minute boat trip from the facility's dive shop with visibility normally in the range of 15 to 20 meters. The large tidal range allows for some serious drift dives especially during spring tides around the full and new moon. The diving adventure also offers views of a rich mixture of hard and soft corals and the abundance of macro marine life, a definite spectacle for underwater photographers.

The large tidal range allows for some serious drift dives...

Divers from Puerto Galera diving sites

Puerto Galera diving (Photo courtesy of Outoftheblue.com.ph)

Sabang by night

Guests of the hotel-resort can try the Scuba Diving Introduction. There's also the PADI Discover Scuba Diving Introduction course which takes only two hours to experience and is designed for those wishing to try scuba diving before enrolling in a PADI Open Water Course. Also available is the Fun Diving package which comes with a three-night stay and the PADI Open Water Course which comes with a four-night stay. As for the PADI Advanced Open Water Course which comes with a three-night stay, it's available for PADI-certified divers only.

Guests of the hotel-resort can try the Scuba Diving Introduction.

The old Big La Laguna Beach

The view from Out of The Blue Resort

Although the shoreline of Sabang is not advisable for quick dips, a 5 to 10 minute stroll away from Small La Laguna is the old Big La Laguna Beach where tourists are known to linger and sunbathe. Here, the sand is still soft and the cove can get quite tranquil in the afternoon depending on the weather.

Be prepared for the island to transform itself past 6:00pm as it's when most bars open for the tourist night life. As the sun sets, commercial establishments start to play glaring pop music that can make a tourist forget he or she is even on a tropical island.

Check out my review of Out of The Blue.

Check out the official website of Action Divers.

More Photos Below:

Batangas Port

Tourists arriving in Sabang

Tourists leaving Sabang for the Batangas Port

Batangas Port

A faint view of the entrance of Out of The Blue Resort

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Ombu Kusina Celebrates Four Delicious Years In Quezon City

March 22, 2017, 9:44 am

≫ Next: Lamp Post and LED Advertising By MacGraphic Carranz In Mandaluyong City

≪ Previous: Puerto Galera's Diving Sites, Seedy Sabang Night Life and More

Restaurants in the lifestyle district of Quezon City are a dime a dozen. Timog Avenue is actually where a lot of them have thrived for years regardless of the menu. At one of its corners, particularly at the ground floor of Sequoia Hotel along Mother Ignacia Avenue, is where such one restaurant started as a cafe and exists to this day with a redefined menu. Now on its fourth year, Ombu Kusina is reinventing itself not just for the sake of reinvention, but basically because it's time to do so. Originally known only as Ombu, the modern Filipino cuisine restaurant has now outlived its culinary limits given the gastronomic trends that have come and gone in this side of the metro.

With owner Edison Lo at the helm of the operations, the management team presented a panoply of new dishes, signature ones, so-called Chefs Picks, and an anniversary promo that lets you avail of a dessert for Php4 or Php99 only instead of the regular price! The only dining challenge, which is a delicious way of celebrating with the restaurant, is for you to order any of the six (6) Chef's Picks featured in this article and the tasty dessert on promo is yours for the eating.

Chef's Picks Dessert Promo

Simply choose from any of the following Chef's Picks to avail of the dessert promo, a big four-week blowout which started last March 15 and will end on April 16:

Gambas In Garlic and Olive Oil

Angus Beef Steak

Angus Beef Salpicao

Baked Prawns

Fried Tuna Belly

Pan Fried Sea Bass with Mango Salsa

Edison Lo (left) of Ombu Kusina

To recap, this new menu segment -- Chef's Picks -- is composed of Gambas in Garlic and Olive Oil, Angus Beef Steak (Angus Bistek Tagalog), Angus Beef Salpicao, Baked Prawns (Hinurnong Sugpo), Fried Tuna Belly (Pritong Tiyan ng Tuna) and Pan Fried Sea Bass with Mango Salsa.

Order any of the abovementioned Chef's Picks to avail of the sweet dessert promo. Or you can "like" the official Facebook fan page of Ombu Kusina, share the official poster of the restaurant's P4 Sweet Treats with a caption "Let's go to Ombu and when you order a Chef's Pick, you can buy one of the featured desserts for P4.00! #OmbuKusina #OmbuTurns4" and upload it on your personal Facebook Timeline.

Tamarind Iced Tea

Announcement of Winners

Two winners will be picked randomly to receive the following treats: a breakfast buffet for four in Ombu Kusina or a #ModernFilipino Dinner for four worth Php2,000. Check out the restaurant's Facebook fan page for the announcement of winners on April 16, the same date of the restaurant's fourth anniversary.

Formal Relaunch

Kicking off Ombu Kusina's formal relaunch, a plate of appetizing Pork Chicharon and Tamarind Iced Tea were served to everyone you a hint of what can also be sampled in one of our upcoming visits.

Named after a herbaceous evergreen tree in South America that's popular for being used in the art of bonsai, the restaurant is like its vegetative counterpart when it comes to being inventive. Its take on classic Filipino dishes like Sinigang, Sisig and Spaghettini are all given a new spin by using ingredients such as lechon and salted egg.

Ombu Kusina Signature Dishes

Diners who have patronized the restaurant for the past few years can still indulge in its signature dishes which include the sinful Thrice-Cooked Crispy Pork Leg, the inventive and Kapampangan-inspired Sisig Pizza, the garlicky Crispy Glazed Chicken and the Salted Egg Spaghettini, a creamy salted egg yolk-draped pasta that's topped with fresh tomatoes, cucumber, and salted egg whites.

Thrice-Cooked Crispy Pork Leg

Sisig Pizza

Crispy Glazed Chicken

Salted Egg Spaghettini

Seafood Delights

For those craving for seafood this Holy Week, summer and beyond, the restaurant also serves the following seafood delights:

Herb-Crusted Mahi-mahi

Seafood Mix Laing

There's no excuse why you can go hungry when you're stuck in Quezon City for whatever reason. At Ombu Kusina, you can be spoiled for choice.

Photography by Aubrey Gacer

Ombu Kusina

Official Facebook Fan Page of Ombu Kusina

Address: G/F Sequioa Hotel, Mother Ignacia St., Quezon City
Hours of Operation: 6:30am - 11:00pm
Phone: (02) 441 1789

More Photos Below:

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Lamp Post and LED Advertising By MacGraphic Carranz In Mandaluyong City

March 24, 2017, 11:53 am

≫ Next: Go Hotels North EDSA Is Now Open To Serve Budget Travelers On Value Stays

≪ Previous: Ombu Kusina Celebrates Four Delicious Years In Quezon City

The foot of the EDSA Flyover in Quezon City showing lamp post banners

Lamp post banners along EDSA

MacGraphics Carranz International Corporation has expanded beyond static billboards. Partnering with one of the major cities in the Philippines, the company has transformed Mandaluyong City into an ideal platform for lamp post advertising.

Lamp Post Banners

Within Mandaluyong is Ortigas Center which is one of the major commercial and business centers in the country. There is also Shaw Boulevard which connects Manila and Pasig City through a flyover intersecting EDSA. Another is Ortigas Avenue Flyover which connects EDSA to San Juan City and Quezon City. Furthermore, there are various locations which cater to big and small advertisers alike. In these areas, traffic is heavy and busy eyes are everywhere.

In these areas, traffic is heavy and busy eyes are everywhere.

A lamp post banner or advertising display is also versatile as it may accommodate various materials such as
photographic posters, reflectorized banners and even LEDs or light-emitting diode.

EDSA Flyover showing a potential advertising display on the right

Ascending the EDSA Flyover

The massive LED display in Mandaluyong City

How LED Works

LED converts voltage to light and is used in lamps and displays. It's a vivid signal of the digital revolution outdoor advertising and any interested brand can be a part of it.

Giant LED Displays Along EDSA

If you're looking for existing LED displays, look no further because Mandaluyong City is also a showcase of MacGraphic Carranz's biggest Out-of-Home (OOH) Advertising in the country. Located along EDSA, on both sides of the massive GA Tower are two LED displays of the company at 236.16 feet in height and 78.72 feet in width. Both are considered to be a big boost to Mayor Benhur Abalos' campaign to make the city as the Philippines' own version of New York's Times Square. As a result, Mandaluyong is starting to be considered by some as the city that’s most friendly to the LED and OOH industries.

New York Times Square illustration

Choose Your LED Type

You can choose one type from Carranz's LEDs that best fits your brand. A curtain-type LED display can be stretched as high as 200 feet and as wide as 70 feet. With more than 60-millimeter pixel pitch and a thousand nits of brightness.

A cabinet or panel type takes over 90% of all the LED displays produced worldwide. Just like the company's 54-ft sign along EDSA-Magallanes, with its 20-millimeter pixel pitch and 6,000 nits of brightness.

A curtain-type LED display can be stretched as high as 200 feet and as wide as 70 feet.

Pixel pitch is the distance of a pixel's center to another's. The smaller the pitch, the closer the pixels, and the higher the resolution and optimal viewing distance. A nit is the unit of visible-light intensity and becomes dependent on the advertising spot.

Advertise Today For Long-Term Results

Whichever your budget allows your brand, outdoor advertising can always multiply views into engagement. Both lamp post advertising and LED display are efficient, effective, and versatile. The future of OOH media is now available via MacGraphics Carranz. Be part of the on-the-road advertising revolution!

Lamp post banners at the back of Megamall in Mandaluyong City

Check out more on MacGraphic Carranz's official Facebook fan page.

MacGraphics Carranz

Official website of MacGraphics Carranz

Address: 80 Service Road, Francisville Subdivision, Bo. Mambugan, Antipolo City, Philippines
Phone: 0917-531-4403
Email: outdoorman@mac.com

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