Euro Trip : Barcelona, Spain

31st of August, 2011, was our departure date to Barcelona via Qatar Airways. I was with a bunch of friends from Gemalto. We have planned this trip like 3 - 4 months prior to our departure and everyone were really excited. You can see it in our faces during that trip. I for myself would feel some zoo in my tummy.

Anyway, we arrived in Barcelona around 9AM the following day in a grueling 17 hours flight I suppose. We arrived their a bit fidgety though because we did know what to expect and were speaking Spanish and mostly Catalan. SOP, we had a long queue an the immigration and good thing nobody had any issues. After that, we got our belongings and proceeded outside to ride a bus going to our hostel. We couldn't find our way so Kay and Bud asked for some help. Good thing we found our way. Bus fare going to the city was around 5 EU and gave the driver 50 EU and he was like saying "cambio" and I knew it means something like he doesn't have change and he was looking for some smaller bills or coins from me. Well, Bud or was it Kay who saved me because they have smaller bills. The ride to the city was around 20 minutes and Barcelona was not like Singapore. It is a bit quaint and artsy and should I say lovely, except for the many grafitti. We alighted at Plaza Catalunya and from there we had to walk going to our hostel. It was a long walk on cobblestones and the morning was a bit chilly even if it was sunny. We were a bit lost and we had to stop at one corner and Kay went ahead leaving her things to ask some local and while everyone was looking tired Peter managed to discover that we were actually just in front of the hostel building. When Kay arrived, we then rushed to cross the street and head to the hostel which I have mentioned was just in front of us across the street.

I think I haven't mentioned that the food served in the plane was average and the snacks was not of my taste or maybe for non middle eastern or asian in general (but not quite sure though). Their service is quite nice anyway and the crew were really there to help. In their movie lists, there were Filipino films but since I haven't watched Rio, so there I had it for my eyes to feast.

Back to where we were, Kay was meeting her Japanese friend Minako-san. I actually forgot her name but I'll just update this entry after I have asked Kay. Yeah, we checked in and fix ourselves for the day's excursion. Minako arrived in our hostel and she was staying at somewhere 2 blocks from ours. Anyway, Minako waited a bit for us since the girl's room wasn't ready, and so it took us ages to washed ourselves =)).

Our first activity of the day was to have the city tour though their hop-on-hop-off bus. Rendezvous was at Plaza Catalunya, so that was another hiking from our hostel. The bus ride amounted to 25 EU each for the whole day, and for that amount, they gave us a pair of earphones and a booklet which has some discount coupons. We were thirsty and we knew that it's going to be sunny, we bought bottles of water for 1 EU each. We queue and after 15 minutes of waiting, we had our turn to ride the tour bus. Well, you need to plug the earphones in to a certain terminal and select your language and viola you will hear the tour guide explaining the history of the buildings we managed to pass by. It's quite interesting actually and their building looked different in some aspects. There were buildings which looked uniform. It's because there's one man who designed it, Antoni Gaudi. One of the highlights was to visit the Sagrada Familia. We arrived there after some 30 minutes from where we departed. Well the cathedral is still under construction and it's pretty massive :) We decided not to go inside because we did not have much time to join the queue of thousands. From the outside, the artsy cathedral was and is magnificent!

We bought some Barcelona style pizza and burgers and filled our hungry tummy. Well EU serving is in big portions so we did not have issues with it plus it's really tasty.

After all the pictures taken, sumptuous bites and some fun, we went to our next stop which was to the park Guell, still designed by Gaudi. The ride took us around 20 minutes and after we alighted from the bus, we had to hike to the park. It's sitting on top of a hill or maybe mountain so it's a bit demanding to get there. The climate is a bit hot and from time to time a bit chilly so it was pretty much manageable. We arrived at the park and it was too crowded. The park looks huge and we need to climb a few steps to this main area. It was nice with all the tiled ceilings and floors. We then climb some stairs and arrived at this huge flat track (maybe they created a plateau) overlooking the beautiful Barcelona. The cam whores were already on work and still had that energy after all the climb. We enjoyed the view and decided to go to this old monastery. We had an effortless descend I should say and took the bus again. Arriving at the monastery, we checked things out and not much of interest except from some picture taking outside the monastery steps and its huge door. Then we went to another stop, its a place which houses ceramics , museu de ceramica. They have a fine collection of ceramics all over the world and mostly donated by private individuals. The collection I must mention is amazing. I would love to touch them but its a big no-no! The good thing was the tour is for free. Wasn't that amazing ?
Anyhow, we finished the tour in around 30minutes and by the way, no flashing of cameras were allowed so I was advised like twice (I honestly forgot....).

Montjuic was our next stop. It was really sunny and the hike we took was pretty long. I always walked from our office going to the mrt, I think it's around 30 minutes of walk. So pretty much, I did not have issues.... Well the place is quite old as for the structures were built around 17th - 18th century. Greeting the tourist from the entrance would be the three massive pillars. Interestingly, I don't seem to get what those pillars are for. Anyway, you can just imagine if there's an earthquake and it will tumble (God forbid). As I have mentioned or did I not, Montjuic is sitting on a hill so we needed to climb some stairs. The palace is really amazing and it was like close but, from the outside it is truly magical plus the view of the city is fantastic - cam whores were on the loose in such a place. We were checking some place so hiked a bit but got lost and so we went back to where we started. But of course cam whoring is a must so we managed to have some good shots. We were actually looking for restaurants to dine and since we can't seem to find one, we had to descend back to the plaza and look for tapa-tapa. Good thing we found it just around the corner. We ordered a lot actually and because the serving came in small portions. Tapa-tapa is not really a restaurant, it's more of a pub ala snack bar with alcoholic drinks on the side. What we had was sangria. After the meal if it was, we went back to Monjuic to watch the "Font majica" show. Just in time and after like 5 minutes once were there, the show began. There was a burst of colors! The fountain show was amazing with all the lights and grand music to accompany the show. It was pretty show and it's for free. We enjoyed the show except for the smokers all around. But other than that, it was an amazing or should I say magical evening.

To be continued ;)

Ilocos and Cebu trips 5

(Continuation : Ilocos and Cebu trips 1 , Ilocos and Cebu trips 2 , Ilocos and Cebu trips 3 and Ilocos and Cebu trips 4)

The last entry and a very delayed one. I'm not even sure if my recollection will be that accurate. Perhaps, this post should not be that lengthy.

Fast forward, and I'm in Cebu already.

I arrived home and my dad was not there. I had to go out of the house as my friend called me up and he wanted to borrow something. But I was really hungry, and since there was some food in the kitchen, wahhaha I devoured the foods.... I just freshen up and then off I went to the mall where I had to meet my friends. I decided to just hike going to the highway, and around 10 minutes of walking, I saw my dad and he didn't see me. I patted his back and got his right hand and placed it on my forehead as a sign of respect. Then I told him where I was going and said that I will be late for home. Then I continued the hike, stopped by Jollibee and took a jeepney to SM. I did not know what to do so I went looking around things to buy but really nothing in particular. So I went looking for a coffee shop which has wifi and coffee bean fit the bill. I even got a nationwide membership as if I'm gonna be based the whole year in the Philippines or Cebu in particular to drink.... Anyway, I was downloading apps, chatting in yahoo messenger and browsing through my iphone, I meant facebooking. After some hours of waiting, my friends came and we had dinner and finally, watched a movie. My friends invited me some serious night out but I felt tired actually so we decided to just go home. The streets were a bit dark and there were limited jeeps. But I arrived home safe and sound. I arrived home and my brother was still awake doing some computer stuff. Since it was a bit late, I told him to sleep and continue what he's doing the next day.

Friday, and I have nothing to do. My dad had to go somewhere and he left the house early and hes coming back home on a Monday, which also falls on my departure date to Singapore. My brother had a summer school and was having on-the-job- training for his computer science course, and so he left really early. I was left at home with our pet dog and still nothing to do... So I decided to go to the mall and buy groceries and cook for my brother. I had all the time slacking :D I just played with our dog and walked britney outside for a few minutes and then got inside and unleashed her and had her do her thing which is just pose at a corner and act prima donna. I turned on the television and browsed some local channels but all seemed to be boring except the noon show which was "face to face" and watched a showbiz talk show. It was a bit boring and plus the fact that there was nobody to talked to, I decided to just leave the house and get my groceries....

At the mall, I changed some cash and felt that it was lacking so, I had to use my Philippine ATM. I went around the mall visiting some new shops and looking for something to buy but decided on buying some personal effects for my family then just decided to really go to the grocery section of the mall. I bought some vegetables, some meat, fruits, and some personal effects again. After the grocery, they felt heavy actually and since it's gonna be inconvenient to go by jeep so I hired a cab. Cab fare was expensive compared from the last time which was just a few months ago - still thankful though that cab drivers were honest compared to Manila's.

Arrived home just in time and cooked for dinner. Yeah, I forgot to mention that I had lunch at the mall. I prepared chicken meat with lots of veggies in a soup style. I really don't know what I was making but I thought it was delicious and yeah it turned out well. My brother came a bit late like 8PM and since I was a bit hungry already, I had my dinner prior to his arrival. I just told him that there's food already and so he can just eat ....

Saturday came and it was the reunion time. My brother will just be staying in the house and I told him I was going for my high school reunion which is an overnight affair and so he will be left at home to take care of everything.

I packed my staff and I was waiting also for MJ as she was in Manila and will be arriving in Cebu around 6AM. I received an sms from her and she said she was like preparing something. My dad who was in Davao also sent a messing asking me for money. I then had to message MJ that I was going to look for an LBC outlet at the city center so we will just have to meet somewhere there. I thought it's going to be a surprise because I did not tell anybody that I was joining the reunion. MJ sent me a message that she already arrived and they're gonna be picking me up and so there, everyone in the cab knew already and they were waiting just outside of LBC. Anyway, it was a bit awkward and so I muttered some few "his" and "hellos". I was seated next to MJ in the cab and it was bit crowded but then it was an early morning trip going to the mountain resort so it did not really matter and everyone seems to be really chatty and funny so I enjoyed the ride.

We arrived at the vicinity and all of our mates were already there. It was like greeting each and everyone around and smiling and hugging for some of our closest friends in high school. It was for me a great chance to experience and relieve an enriching student life so I decided to be more open and all that jazz.... Well, we set the table for the food we prepared and then it was time to distribute the shirts and wore them. We then had a group picture taking and a bit of program started with our two mentors who graced the affair shared some of their well-wishers / messages. We had some simple games and after that, we had a huge belly feast. Then we had some simple talks while sharing our food. Some of our friends had to go early so they bade good-bye-and-see-you-next-time, and I should have said parting words (lol). Well, after some few semi group talks and jumping from one mini group to the other, and talking some photos randomly, we decided to roam around the whole resort with all the scorching heat and then played soccer. Yes, soccer minus the rigorous rules. I realized I liked playing the game.

Some of us wanted to try the pool so we gathered to the pool area, ready with our swimming outfits. It was fun swimming and talking. They have two jacuzzi(s) yet we decided to crowd to this one bigger jacuzzi and had a chit-chat. You know, adult and personal stuff with some revelations and bare it all truths. It was fun recalling and throwing generic questions and then answering them to who ever wants to.

It was one of the most beautiful talks I've had in my life with friends and classmates. I guess people have matured and became self assured and having some insecurities yet able to live and deal with it in each of our personal terms.

We then decided to have dinner, then a camp fire. After the camp fire we had a karaoke session. Peter who now works as an accountant at Asian Development Bank made the whole night crazy with his comical attacks on all the songs and dances he made. Were left with stomach having some cramps and mouth a bit aching of the boisterous laughs we made.

Since we had beer and vodka I think, I really felt tipsy yet enjoyed the whole night. Some of us were a bit tired already and so we slept in our tents. I thought it was a bad idea to get a tent but then it turned out that the tents were really comfortable.

The next morning, was crazy and noisy as my friends were talking loudly just outside my tent or I should say a few feet from my tent and as usual, they were laughing their hearts out. I've got no choice but to join them :D I only had like 6 hours of sleep but I was enjoying the whole reunion thing. There was this horse actually and my crazy friends gave a plate of melted ice cream or was it cup to the horse lols.....

We then decided to have a hike and go to the highest point of the mountain resort. There was chapel there and some observation deck and also some picnic tables. Well, cam whoring was an agenda of that flight.

We proceeded to this side of the resort where they have some exercise machines and we tried them just for fun. And some still continued to talk stuff. It was already 7 or 8 and everyone got hungry so we decided to eat together from the left-overs. Nobody cared if the foods were spoiled but then it was like we were hungry monsters, got it ? lols.

After breakfast, we went to the pool and enjoyed the water. Then we went out of the water at around 10 and set to clean up the mess we made. Plus, we had to leave actually earlier because we will be charged I think if we overstayed. We got things settled and we left the resort though Jerus' cab. Thanks to his husband for being so kind and really accommodating as well.

I arrived home around 11AM and had to prepare for the next stop which was to meet Jun my real estate broker for the property which I was planning to buy. I met him at Jollibee with MJ and we went to Cordova to check the place. It was nice but seems had this small unplaced worries for which I am not exactly sure about. We then viewed some other development sites. Mamul sent me an sms inviting me at Imperial Palace - resort catering to mostly Korean tourists and other - so MJ and I decided to go. We met Mamul's family and since we did not have some swimming attire with us, we decided to buy one at the nearest mall. We also bought some food :D The weather was hot and dry perfect for the fun swim. It was such a nice day for me. Yeah I'm a bit selfish to have enjoyed some of those luxuries but it was for free so I guess I'd enjoyed it than mope on unnecessary things. The resort is really nice and I felt that I will be bringing my family there. But yeah, it's actually very costly as I've checked, the room rates would be somewhere around 11K pesos or around 400SGD. Anyway, MJ and I had to try all the rides and some water stuff. We also joined the pool dancing kind of thing.

It was getting dark and MJ and I had to go to Ayala to meet some friends for dinner. We took a cab and it was really expensive. But then again, it was a really far place to the city so we did not have a choice. We arrived at Ayala just on time and we had dinner at this Filipino restaurant which caters palettes of those who miss home cooked meals.

After dinner, we had some yoghurt ice cream .....

It was blast vacation for me and just like the yoghurt, it was sweet, soft on the mouth, cold and a bit sour most of the time but it was fun. I felt I have celebrated life for real :D

-------------------The End---------------------------- :P

Ilocos and Cebu trips 4

(Continuation : Ilocos and Cebu trips 1 , Ilocos and Cebu trips 2 and Ilocos and Cebu trips 3)

After that decent meal, it was a bit drizzling yet we continued on to our plan of that day tour so we were busy as bee preparing. At around 8:30 in the morning, the clear sky appeared, so we were relieved and happy :D

The two local trikes arrived and we just picked our pick and rode the way to our first stop which was the windmills of Bangui - first ever wind farm in the Southeast Asia. The ride took us 30 minutes I guessed. And when we arrived there, it was really a wonderful sight. The wind was really strong and it felt like a bit of a sand storm rushing to our faces. It is advised to wear some sunglasses to protect your eyes. Well, we did not have to contain and hide or shy away from this new experience. All we have got to do is gear up the cameras and click it all the way. There were some weird poses and unskillful jump shots, solo poses and group ones, too. The place is beautiful specially the curved bay where the windmills standing tall and proud from afar, end to end - we were almost halfway of the windmills and there were like more than 20 or these towering icons. We then bought some mini windmills as souvenirs and it was fun playing with it - obviously we were like kids. After another photo ops, we then went back to our trikes and the next stop was to see the rock formation in Kapurpurawan. It was not that far from where we were, say 15 minutes I guess. We then arrived at the parking area and had to walk for like 10 minutes to reach the rock formation. Well, it's worth it, as it was wonderful. The huge rocks were painted white. If you touch it, they were actually sands sticking on to the rocks which was quite interesting. The place was a bit of crowded though so wanting to get a solo picture will need some doze of patience. Anyway, after we took some nice pictures of the place, we decided to go back to our trikes. It was halfway when the sky started to pour and the drops became huge. We were ran as fast as we can but we were still soaked.... Anyway, it did not matter much as we were prepared and knew the fact that it was gonna rain as it was the early morn. The next stop was the Bojeador light house. It was not that far because it took us 20 minutes to get there. There was nothing unusual as I have been to a lighthouse before. It's just that its really old, built in 1892 and its historical value is immeasurable. It has also served the island such an important role in trade and commerce. After checking out the place and appreciating some bits of history, we then took some pictures and left. It was already noon and we were screaming for food. We ask the trike drivers to bring us to a local eatery one that serves local food and not the store at the town center which was a ripoff. Good thing we were brought to a clean eatery and the serving is quite decent and the foods were tasty, plus, they were showing the Pacquiao Mosley fight. Guess what, we stayed there for almost 30 minutes up to 7 rounds of fist fight, watching the greatest boxer of the world who is a Filipino. It was an interesting lunch, I supposed. After our lunch, our next stop was the Kabigan Falls. It was a long ride and prior to that, we stopped at a Pagudpud signage and took some pictures. Then the ride continued on. It was getting hot and no sign of a downpour which was a good thing. I wanted to have a good tan by the way :)) We arrived at the Kabigan Falls entrance and there was a fee just for maintenance I guess of the place and they will provide us a tour guide. There was call of nature on my part so my friends waited for me and when I got out of the comfort room, the shutter clicked and there you go, my face was digitally captured. It was such a funny experience .... Then we started walking together with our guide. Quite a long walk and I kept on asking as to how long are we gonna walk and the guide said around 30 minutes which was quite far. That made my expectations higher because of that long walk. I was personally expecting the falls to be really beautiful .... Then we met some people on the road selling fresh coconut and MJ would say later and we encountered like three ladies selling the same thing with MJ uttering the same replies. We were greeted by thick forest though paved and some rice farms. From a distance, we could hear the river gushing. After that long walk, we could see then the waterfall and when we got closer, indeed, it was beautiful. The water is so clear and the height of the falls is gorgeous. We took some photos and then we bathe. The water was cold as ice but it was beautiful and it felt so refreshing. I was happy just bathing with my friends in a beautiful Kabigan falls. Hoping people will take good care of the place. After that fleeting experience, we decided to journey back to our waiting post. It was another 30 minutes of walking but we were having some fun. It was also a chance of taking some photos and laughing really loud. When we arrived to Kabigan outpost, which was managed by the local cooperative, we paid the bill and geared up for the next stop, the aqueducts, the interesting male and female islands, just imagine the shape of the islands, then the beach which peaked my interest, the blue lagoon. To cut the story short, we spent most of the afternoon at the beach, enjoying the breeze, the sun, the wave and deep blue sky. The water was really blue at the blue lagoon =)) what else =)) by virtue of its name ? After, frolicking at the blue lagoon, we decided to call it a day. We rode back to our homestay villa but prior to that, we bought some barbeques for dinner as we intended to have a sunset dinner. The beach at the homestay villa was just a stone throw away. We also bought the special empanda which has longganisa in it. By the way, they did not have puso or hanging rice :( Then off we went to our beach quarters. When we arrived, we paid our drivers for the whole day service and then we packed our things for the sunset dinner by the beach. We were in hurry by the way because the clock was ticking and there was no take too of the said experience. We were just in time, as when we set our things by the beach, the sun was starting to illuminate the sky and began changing hues and painting in bright red, comes with orange and yellow - a lovely sight indeed. We ate and enjoyed the sunset. There was this balot vendor and MJ called him out and since I haven't tasted balot ever and it was a bit dark, I was forced to or rather I got interested to end my curiosity. I ate balot which was dated 18 days where the chick has started to form. It was such an unforgetable experience for the balot and me =)). Darkness has covered the place so we decided to really call it a day. We cleaned up our mess and packed up, then proceeded to our nest. After a few minutes of chats and laughs we went to our own cocoons....

The next morning, MJ and mommy Zhet went out to buy fresh catch from the fisher folks. I was in bed and woke up because Atan was shaking me that the thermos was there already and he needed someone to help him pour some hot water on his cup of corn flakes. I then managed to jump off my bed and went outside and did it for the kid. Good thing he said thank you or else I would have devoured him alive as I was still busy sleeping and dreaming :D Anyway, MJ and mommy Zhet arrived with some fresh catch but they were really small fishes. They said that when they arrived, all the bigger ones were already sold and good thing there were still some fishes left.... MJ asked the house owner to cook the fish "tinola" and "inunon-unan" style. We had to eat that later and so we just bread and some oats. After that, we prepared for the next activity which was again by the beach. We bathe the whole morning and took some photos until we begged to stopped because we were hungry. I liked the beach all in all except for one thing, the water was quite deep after a few meters from the shoreline so its a bit scary to really go far. Anyway, we enjoyed the sun and the beach so it does not really matter in the long run. After that, we decided to pack up and eat. We arrived at our place and there the food was ready to be served. We had a feast in our table and the fishes cooked the Filipino way and specifically with the Ilocano touch made it just right. It was an enjoyable lunch.... After the feast, my tummy felt exploding =))

We were planning to leave early so after some few minutes of rest, I went to the shower. After the shower, I felt wanting to sleep :P It was going to be a lazy day I think for everyone but yeah were going to have a long ride going back to Manila. Anyway, after finishing our bills, the owner of the house had us sign something of a slum book. Since nobody wanted to write and I had said yes, it was I who volunteered myself in short. After the picture taking, we then set for ride to the town center to catch a bus going to Manila. When we arrived at the town, we were told that the bus was not ready and so we decided to take another bus going to Laoag then. The ride will take us 3 hours or more but we did not mind much. The bus collector sensed that we were tourist so he gave us the wrong change and then MJ asked the collector in a huge voice about the correct fare and so he gave us the change which was rightfully ours. Then everyone went quite an I went to a nap. After that three long hours, we arrived at Laoag and we took another ride going to the bus terminal. It was already around 4PM and the attendant told us that the bus going to Manila will be ready at around 5:30PM. So we just waited there and sensing another hunger, we decided to buy "empanada", again.

The clock struck 5:30 and the bus arrived. We made our swiftest move to get inside the bus as fast as we could so we can choose the seats we liked. And we decided to go to the back seats. After a few minutes of waiting, the bus fired up its engine and drove away bound for Manila. It was a bit hard to sleep because of the noisy rascals in front of us and the ride felt so bumpy. At around 9PM the bus stopped for dinner. I was not particularly hungry but I wanted to eat so there, I went out of the bus and dined together with the gang. It was such an expensive meal for an eatery. After the meal, we got back to the bus. I saw the empty seats of noisy rascals and they were also about to settle to their seats and since the adult moms were not with them, I decided to take their seats. They arrived and stared at me but I did not move a single cell. So the noisy kids decided to go out of the bus, maybe complaining to their moms. And so, I got up and went to my proper seat, and Atan who was telling me that it was not my seat was actually chucking of what has just transpired. Then the bus was beginning to be filled with people. The journey then continued and after an hour ride we stopped at this "pasalubong" or gift counter - usually delicacies of the locality. We just went out of the bus and checked some good stuff and nothing much that interested us, so we ended up not buying anything.

The bus ride to Manila continued and that the rascals were reprimanded by the bus attended because of their noise and he turned their lights off which was great for us. From there, we were able to have a serious nap already.

At around 4 AM we arrived in Manila. We took a cab going to Philam village and after unpacking a bit we went to our nests.... I had a wonderful sleep but had to wake up a bit early because we were planning to tour the old Manila. I have been to Manila before and in fact stayed in Makati for a year but never in my life been to the old historical Manila. Everyone were waking up and Ate Mars went to the shower first, after she's done, I went next and then after that, MJ - our host and tour guide. The place was a bit humid so I stayed outside just sitting in the corner while waiting for my friends to finish their stuff.

We went to the mall first to have my Singapore dollars into Philippine pesos and Ate Mars has to withdraw some cash as well. But prior to that, we ate first at Tokyo -Tokyo, a Japanese fast food.

We decided to take the MRT going to Taft then to UN Avenue if I was not mistaken. The ride was smooth though crowded. Alighting at the station we had to walk out and put on our shades as the sun was up their and glorious. Manila has not changed much as it was still really crowded and a bit dusty because of the buses and the jeepneys plying like kings of the road. Then we arrived at the National Tourism then the National museum. The buildings were old and the architecture were beautiful. In from of the museum was the statue of Lapu-Lapu who looked different from what we have in Cebu. Then we went to Intramuros, the famed Spanish walled city in Manila. We took the "kalesa" or horse carriage to feel the history of the place and this chatty caballero was having some interesting historical rhetoric. We had fun but he asked 50 pesos each from us after the ride which was okay.... Then we toured the whole of Intramuros going to the garrison of Rizal. We eventually went to the Manila Cathedral then to some arts and crafts house. Then we went to Rizal park. We could not wait for the fountain display and since we wanted to buy something, we went back to the MRT station and off we went to Ayala specifically, Glorietta mall. We bought some Krispy Kreme and then we decided to have dinner at the Kitchen and the bill was on me :D The Kitchen hasn't changed as food was really delicious. After that dinner, we decided to call it a fun day and we went back to PhilAm village and prepare for my early flight tomorrow. My flight was at 7 and Ate Mars had hers at 12, but then she decided to go with me so as to save fare and aside from that, she can have company. It was a quick ride early dawn and the guard asked us of some ID and I gave my passport to him to show my identification which did not really matter because we were already leaving the village. The guard then helped us get a cab which was just nearby waiting for some customers. We then rode the cab and proceeded to NAIA terminal 3.

By the way, I cancelled my flight back to Singapore which was the previous day and I decided to go to Cebu for my high school reunion and also to buy some properties :D

(To be continued....)

Ilocos and Cebu trips 3

(Continuation : Ilocos and Cebu trips 1, and Ilocos and Cebu trips 2)

We rode the bus going to Batac, Ilocos Norte and took us an hour. The bus was non-air conditioned and it was just fine, though the weather was humid it was also very windy and the air was also fresh. I was kind of sleepy all through out the journey so sometimes I found myself napping a bit. Be warned, the fare is around 40 pesos but the bus collector was collecting more, so if you are Filipino, just pretend to be local and pay the exact fare - no huge bills please :D Then we alighted at a corner opposite to the Marcos Museum and Imelda's. We were looking for the waxed dictator but were a bit lost so we decided to take some photos. Since it was late noon and we were hungry as beasts, we decided to have lunch at Chowking. I had a Shanghai Luriat which was so yummy - it was a familiar taste when I was still working in Makati City where I always ordered that meal.... After the meal, Mars and I went looking for a liter of bottled water and found one just opposite side of the road where Chowking was. Then we followed Atepuya and Mommy Zhet to Imelda's museum. I can feel the people of Ilocos adored the family. In fact, Imelda is back in Congress, Imee her daugther the governor of the province and her son, Bong-bong is a senator, doing the upper house. Anyway, the museum houses some news clippings glued all over the wall which showed the fist couple their stints locally and abroad. Interestingly, there were documents of some sort about back notes and all the finances of the government to various institutions worldwide. I wonder if there were some truth to these documents but then I was a tourist and no time for being a journalist or investigator of some sort. People and history has judged them as corrupt and tyrants and so be it! After visiting Imelda's den, we went to the waxed Marcos. There were people queuing to see the preserved president and I was one of them. I saw him lying there but wondered if he's at peace with himself and his creator. He looked some kind of a biological specimen where people tries to view and even examine him. Anyway, there was a blooper as the attendant thought I was selling something and he called me up and asked me what I was selling. I just replied I was selling nothing and went out of the dark room. Good thing he did not interrogate me or my mates. Its difficult to explain in Tagalog which we both understand so I'll be forced to speak in English which he might find as arrogance on my part. Well I was just thankful nothing messy happened and just gave the whole situation a laugh. I was with Mommy Zhet and her kid, waiting outside for Ate Puya and Mars. After that, we decided to go to the Baroque church of Paoay. It is a UNESCO heritage site same as the Calle Crisologo. We couldn't find any jeep so we decided to ride in a tricycle. We reached the church rather quick and indeed it was beautiful from the outside and we couldn't stop ourselves from taking pictures. There were other tourists enjoying the view of the church from outside and there was some wedding to be held in the church as the outside was decorated with flowers and some tables and chairs dressed in white. Then we went closer and inside the church and as tradition taught me, I said some simple prayers of thanks and wishes for family and friends. After the church visit, we were going to Laoag and catch a bus going to Pagudpud. There were no jeep traversing the not so busy street and good thing there was an elderly walking our way so we asked her where we can ride a jeep to Laoag. She then gave us detailed instructions in Tagalog ofcourse and not in Ilocano. After some few minutes of walking, we found the jeep terminal. We then fastened ouselves and after an hour ride, we reached Laoag. The jeep driver also was not that honest enough as he gave us the wrong change and since we confronted him, he then explained this and that and so he took 60 pesos more from our fare. I did not want to argue with the crook so we just go our way and rode the bus going to Pagudpud. After a few minutes of waiting, the bus fired its engine and the journey began. It was a long journey and we were greeted with beautiful greenery and some vast farmland and sometimes some hills or mountains. I was a bit exhausted so I was not able to pass on napping and this time it was a long one. I did not mind the uncomfortable seat in fact. Well, after two hours of travel I was awaken by a sudden stop of the bus and there was this passenger arguing with the bus fare collector they were talking in Ilocano so it was gibberish to us. Then the bus continued the journey and from a far we saw the windmills - that was the sign we were nearing to our destination. After more than hour or more of riding the bus, we arrived at the town proper. We alighted and saw that the town is not that crowded. The homestay inn attended was informed by MJ that we have arrived and as advised, we ate dinner in a store because according to instructions, the food near the beach could get very expensive. Well for the naive tourists as we are, the food at the town was also pricy but was not worth its value. We were hungry so we just ate our food and did not mind much of our angry pockets. Then MJ sent a message to the driver who will fetch us and there we found him parked just outside the store. After we paid the food bills, we rode the tricycle and off we went to our homestay inn named Lilia. The place was getting dark already and once we arrived at our destination, we unpacked our stuff and prepare to bed. MJ arranged for a whole day tour tomorrow and they're going to pick us up around 9:00AM. After I cleaned myself up and surfed the net, I jumped into bed and hibernated for quite a long while.

Morning came and I was awakened by some movements from outside. Mj and the rest of the gang wokeup already and they were preparing for something to eat. I had noodles, bread and oats, same as the rest of my friends.

(To be continued....)

Ilocos and Cebu trips 2

(Continuation : Ilocos and Cebu trips 1)

It was time to prep up and start the Vigan tour. Well I was the last one to rise from bed. My friends were waiting and they have left their stuff at the counter since we were checking out already. After a few minutes and done with all the personal stuff, I went out of the room with my things and left it too, at the counter. MJ informed the lady clerk that were were going for a half day tour and will get back to our things around noon.

We went out of the hostel and walked our way to the plaza. Along the way, the historical buildings then showed up. The first old structure that greeted us was the Vigan cathedral and convent at the right side. The church was painted white and it was a Baroque architectural wonder. It was early morning then and the town plaza was surprisingly alive as there was a marathon held during that time. People were gathering and enjoying some kind of celebration. There was also a fair on the side where people sell their native wares. On the far end was also a flower for sale stop. MJ told us that they have an "empanada" of some sort and since we wanted to have a taste of a local food, we did not hesitate to try their "empanada". The food was interesting - it has sprouts, some meat, and egg and the dip was a hot and spicy vinegar with soy sauce. After we ate, we then continued to roam and since we were a bit hungry and did not have breakfast, we decided to eat. We had another local food and I find the beef soup weird but interesting as it was a bit bitter with a slight tang and spice. It was new taste for my friends and I. After we filled our tummies, we decided to get a McDonalds float. From McDonalds, we roam the Vigan strip leading to the world heritage site of Vigan the Crisologo street. It is a street lined up with very much preserved Spanish houses dating back as early as 18th hundreds. I was by the way intrigued by their commercial buildings as they were very much also in theme of the place. Take for example the CAP building, the Scout's building, Maybank, and even McDonalds were attuned in time which was in Spanish era. After more than a mile of walking, we decided to go to the Baluarte, which the Governor of Ilocos has created a private safari. We hired a tricycle (local transportation) and we paid for 10pesos, which by the way is the fare for tourists I suppose. They actually charge differently if you are a tourist. I find it weird because we were Filipinos wahahahah even if we were admittingly tourist but not really foreigners. Anyway, we reached Baluarte almost noon already so the sun was up and the weather was really dry. We saw some bird species both local and foreign, the very interesting ostriches, their deers and the ferocious tigers. I then was confused if it were really a safari or a zoo :D After some photo ops, we then decided to visit a local pottery. Good thing the driver brought us to the place where we wanted to be. Each one of us then had a chance to do some pottery which was really really fun. If you want to go to Vigan, this activity should never be missed. The workers were actually very friendly and there was this one guy who really guided us through in making our own masterpieces. For our sincere thanks, we gave him a good tip. After the tiring the pottery, we went back to the main plaza and looked for something to eat and we decided to have the special "empanada" again. After the meal, we then went to our hostel on foot. We got our stuff, thanked the lady clerk and then rode a tricycle going to the bus terminal. Our next stop was to Batac, Ilocos Norte.

(To be continued....)