by Kti Alibanban
Travel Stories
How To Get to Candelaria Zambales
May 5th, 2011(Prequel to the Amazing Potipot Island Adventure)
by Kti Alibanban
A week passed but I don’t want to forget the memories, so here I am at an attempt of capturing what made my summer getaway this year so special.
I can’t explain why I was so excited about this trip to Zambales, when the viagra is, I’ve been there back in 2006. I remember few days before the actual date, I was counting the days religiously. I’m so looking forward to going to the beach. Maybe it’s because it’s been ages since I last went to the beach. And that I’m going to be in the company of really great people (in case my officemates will be reading). And the best thing about it is that it’s free! (Duh, company outing.)
I’m a self-confessed beach person. I love it there. There’s something about it that mesmerizes me, not that I was a mermaid or something in my past life but I have always been at awe with Continue reading...
Boracay Extremes!
September 13th, 2010by Florie Lyn Masarate
Boracay is not only known for its white beaches and beautiful scenery. It is also one of the finest “extreme sports” destinations for the adventurous type. I’m not adventurous. But some of the adventures in Boracay were too tempting to pass.
First adventure: Flyfish
Flyfish is an inflatable raft attached to a speedboat. Riders lie down, face up, on top of the raft. Sounds harmless enough. When the boat speeds up, the raft gets thrown vertically up in the air. The riders, facing the water, hang on for dear life and hope to God they don’t fall into the deep blue sea.
This was our (me, Lala, Maraya and Lenay) first Boracay adventure. It seemed simple and fast enough when we were just watching the group before us. When it was our turn, the ride seemed endless. When not being thrown up in the air, we were talking about when the ride will end and why it was taking so long for the speedboat to go back to shore.
It was Continue reading...
My Gastronomic Experience at Chef Don’s Café
August 19th, 2010by Allan Merin
Sup like a pauper, the old saying goes. But that was not the case last night when me and three of my officemates indulged in a gastronomic treat at a cozy restaurant in Quezon City.
This hole-in-the-wall simply called Chef Don’s Café is named after Brandon German, a budding restaurateur who is on the verge of making it big in the metro. Finding a good restaurant serving good food is quite difficult nowadays with the wide array of choices that are available to us. Located at #29 Matalino Street in the country’s most populous city, Chef Don’s Café is probably another resto that you would miss while driving by. We just happened to be invited to taste their offerings for free. Lechon and sisig are aliens at this resto but Italian and Japanese cuisines are staple fare.
While waiting for Chef Don to arrive for a friendly chat, I ordered the Ice Blended Continue reading...
I Survived! The Skywalk Adventure
August 17th, 2010by Florie Lyn Masarate
I found my acrophobic self, together with my travel companion, Lala, falling in line to buy a Skywalk Adventure ticket during that last night of our Cebu City visit. Why I decided to even try that adventure was because of a variety of reasons. Shallow reason: we were already staying at the Crown Regency Hotel. Not so shallow reason: it’s the first of its kind in the Philippines. Besides, it’s either that or the Edge Coaster. In the Edge Coaster, you get strapped in a chair-like coaster, which goes around the edge of the building in a painstakingly slow manner and you get tilted forward, facing downwards, every few seconds. So…..Skywalk Adventure it is.
The elevator ride to the 37th floor was giving me goosebumps already. Through the glass elevator, I can see the street below, people were getting smaller and smaller, and us getting higher and closer to the floor where the Skywalk Adventure was. I was ready to back out but the ticket was already paid for. Continue reading...
Vigan For A Day
August 16th, 2010By Veronica Leynes
Sight-seeing in Vigan for a day? It seems impossible but my friends and I managed to do it. We were in a rush to go around Northern Philippines because my friend from Canada only has 2 weeks to stay in Metro Manila and travel to provinces in our must-see list.
We took a non-airconditioned bus from Pagudpod to Vigan, which took approximately an hour and a half. After seating on a bumpy ride for that long-our behinds feeling like it has hardened into steel-we finally checked in at Cordillera Inn, which was an old mansion turned into an inn, at around 8PM. Cordillera Inn is conveniently situated at Calle Crisologo. The entire place felt homey because its wooden furniture reminded me of how houses used to look like in the past. Plus, the native sculptures and trinkets, intricate and mismatched ornaments as well as oil and stained glass paintings that cover every possible nook and cranny gave it a distinct look.
After seeing our room and dumping our luggage Continue reading...
7,107 Islands and Flavors of the Philippines
July 25th, 2010by Florie Lyn Masarate
Armed with my ever-present camera and tons of Local Philippines business cards, I set off to Megamall last Friday, July 23, 2010, for the ITTE (International Tourism and Trade Expo) event, “7,107 Islands and Flavors of the Philippines”.
The event was being held at Mega Trade Hall 3. When I arrived, a lot of people were already registering at the ITTE booth. Others were waiting to be allowed to enter. Participants range from company representatives, business people to college students from different universities around Manila.
While waiting, I chatted with the Miss Tourism candidates who were positioned at the entrance to welcome the guests. The candidates were all pretty and accommodating. They posed and smiled when I asked to have their pictures taken. And readily answered my questions as to where each of them was from.
The event officially started after the ribbon cutting ceremony headed by the newly appointed DOT Undersecretary, Vicente Romano III and the Region II Directress Blessida Continue reading...
Out of Town In Pangasinan: My Hundred Islands Adventure
June 10th, 2010by: Allan Leandro Merin
Several days after PAGASA declared that summer was officially over, me and some of my former workmates embarked on a two-day trip to Pangasinan. This west-central province is home to some of the country’s finest beaches and the world’s famous Hundred Islands National Park.
We left Manila at around 12 midnight. After a gruelling five-hour bus ride, we finally arrived in the municipality of Bolinao. We decided to stay at the Treasures of Bolinao Beach Resort and Hotel. The place, which claims that it is among the best vacation homes in the province, did not live up to our expectations. Poor service, coupled with the bad weather, ruined our first day in Pangasinan. But that did not dampen our spirits and we were optimistic that the next day would be bright and sunny.
Our prayers were answered in the morning. We woke up with the sun filling our hotel rooms with new hope and energy. After packing our bags, we left the hotel and headed for the Continue reading...
My Haute Springs Summer Escapade
June 4th, 2010by Claire Ortega
AKA the Artful Hooker (http://www.artfulhooker.blogspot.com)
This year’s summer is the hottest I’ve ever experienced — and that’s saying something, since I live in tropical Philippines. Temperatures have reached up to 40 C in certain areas. That’s emergency-room-level fever for us humans!
So I was more than a little bewildered when our company announced that for our annual outing this May, we will be going to 88 Hotspring Resort in Calamba, Laguna, the hot spring capital of the country. Yes. It’s the hottest summer of our lives and we decide to take a vacation in a place where the only water existent for miles… Is hot. More surprising was the (comparatively) steep rate they offered us. About PHP 3,500 per person in our group, inclusive of 2 rooms and 3 buffet meals.
Despite my misgivings, I was more than up for it though. 
I really wanted to just get away from work and get to know my other co-workers better (some of them are home-based). I was also working on a crocheted top (my very first), Continue reading...
