Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

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It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

~ Oriah, Mountain Dreamer

I wake up on our 2nd day not feeling well. This is probably the effect of basking out on a hot weather the day before and cooling down at the mall afterwards. Bed rest is so tempting yet I wouldn’t dare missed the fun, so I bid goodbye to our lovely sanctuary and hit the road.

The Grand Hall of Wat Maha That, Sukhothai

Our destination: Ancient City, the Gateway to Thailand’s Cultural Heritage  located just outside Bangkok, in the province of Samut Prakan. An off the beaten path must-see when you’re pressed for time to explore the whole of Thailand.

Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Kuan-Yin) Performing a Miracle

How to get there? Easy. We hopped on a skytrain to On Nut Station and took a cab going to the Ancient City in less than an hour. Cost us around 150 baht for one-way taxi. There’s a cheaper option by bus though but it will cost us more time and we’ll probably get lost. haha.

Ancient City, also known as Muang Boran, is the largest outdoor museum in world. It takes you to the heritage of Thai wisdom and discover the arts, cultures, religions and customs of Thai people. It’s also an exceptional experience  to walk through a wide range of architectural symbols in fine Thai craftsmanship on a natural environment.

The Buddha Image of Dvaravati Period

Admission rate is 350 baht per person for foreigner. A map is provided which is really helpful if you are not hiring a guide.

Bicycles are free to use and a tram for big group can be rented for a fee. We prefer to use the Golf cart though. Yey! Golf cart for 2 is up for rent for 100 baht per hour. We planned to cover the whole place in  about 3 hours on quick view, not going down on each and every architecture.

Pavilion of the Enlightened

The 320 acre outdoor museum is an architectural reflection of Thailand’s magnificent past. On the area as large as 600 rais, both the copies and the artifacts of the archaic sites and relics of historically and culturally national importance are laid out in the fittingly relevant pattern and environment. More than that, the visitors can deeply absorb the great diversity of architecture, arts and religions, not to mention ways of living.

that’s me on the go for most of the tour

Hence, the Ancient City can’t be included with the replicas or miniature cities, but it is by its own virtue the reflection of the old-day cities, bringing the Thai back to touch and feel the ancient Siam Kingdom.

To freshen up, we decided to have lunch in one of the restaurants at the floating market.

Overall, we enjoyed our short tour. This is such a wonderful place to learn heaps about Thailand in just a span of four hours without being trapped with loads of tourists. Too bad we can’t stay long enough for sunset, shopping is way too hard to resist. haha.

See our Thailand itinerary here.

I love you when you bow in your mosque, kneel in your temple, pray in your church. For you and I are sons of one religion, and it is the spirit.

~Kahlil Gibran

Days before our trip to Thailand, I plotted our first day to be a walking tour around Bangkok. We are eager to do-it-ourselves rather than join the many travel tours offered around town. This saves us with more shopping money and quality time.

Disclaimer: If you are up with this challenge and wanted to follow our itinerary, you’d better be fit and able to go distance at an unbearable heat. You should be ready to get lost and still have a good time.

Our Thailand itinerary will get  you started with the information needed such as commuters guide, landmarks, fees, timings, and the like. Thank God, google is just a click away and fellow bloggers like Gael did a wonderful account on her previous Bangkok walking tour as well.

First Day in Bangkok

BTS Skytrain Ratchatewi station is  a good 5 minutes walk from our accommodation. We bought our BTS Skypass Smartpass since we will be using the skytrain on most of our trip. At 8:30 AM we found ourselves heading to Saphan Taksin station.

At Saphan Taksin Station, we walked towards the Central Pier to catch the Orange flag express boats. Flat Fare is 15 baht. We didn’t wait long, and a passenger boat appeared shortly. When everyone is aboard, it left at once. We sailed away through Chao Phraya River. Our eyes were treated with floating restaurants, private boats, temples and architectures. We were impressed by how convenient and effective this mode of transport for tourists and locals alike, a far cry from being stuck on road traffic.

From Pier 1 we went down to Pier 9, The Chang. This is the gateway to the Grand Palace. Off the pier, we entered a market, since we were already starving, we didn’t hesitate to try out our first thai food for breakfast. I ordered fried rice with vegetables and chicken while the mister tried out some local soup. We  enjoyed our meals that we were both sweating like pigs when the day has  just started.

At the end of the market we turned right, walk along the sidewalk, Amulet Market, I reckon and got lost. We found out later that we should have crossed the street from the market  and walk straight until we find the entrance to the Grand Palace. We lost about  30 minutes and shed a few calories from our first boo-boo.

Finally found the entrance, with a lot of early visitors touring as well. We can’t deny that this is the most famous landmark in Thailand, and a visit for a first-timer is a must.

The fee is 350 baht which is inclusive of:

• The Entrance ticket to the Grand Palace and the Temple of Emerald Buddha
• The Entrance ticket to Vimanmek Mansion Museum, Support Museum Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall, Sanam Chandra Palace
• The Pavilion of Regalia, Royal Decorations and Coins

We only used the first ticket as we weren’t really eager to see the other 2 places.

The Mythological Giant Temple Guard

Temple Dress Code:

All Buddhist temples in Thailand have very strict dress codes. Be sure to dress up properly to avoid inconvenience. Men should wear long pants, shorts are not allowed. Women should either wear pants or a long skirt. Mini-skirts, sleeveless blouse and see-through dress are not allowed. Shoulders should not be exposed. There are shawls available for loan at the entrance.

Leather sandals are preferred more than shoes since it is highly observed to take them off when entering a sacred temple. Flip flops are not allowed too. Buddhist temples are extremely sacred places, for visitors it may only be a tourist spot but for the locals it is a place of worship.

Phra Si Rattana Chedi – Grand-Palace

The Grand Palace is a magnificent complex of buildings in Bangkok, Thailand. It served as the official residence of the Kings of Thailand from the 18th century onwards. King Rama I eventually ordered the building of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha; as the Monarch’s personal place of worship and royal temple.

Hands down to the craftsmanship of Thai people.  Their creativity prevailed in each and every temple around Grand Palace. The intricate details, from carvings to paintings were excellently done from wall to wall.

European Style Grand Palace Hall

Is it true that too much of temples make you sick? Having been to Indonesian temples just last month, I still had a vague memory of their amazing sculptures. To quote our new Thai friend , “What is a wat? They all look the same.” Having seen a few, my mind can only take as much of  the strange sculptures and bright colors. And too much gold.

We spent 2 hours wandering around Grand Palace. My headache is building up so we didn’t finish checking out the inside of each temple. We still had a few places on our list and we’re running out of time.

We got screwed up by riding the Tuktuk. More on our next Thailand post.

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Reflections, Ancient City

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Come live with me and be my love, And we will all the pleasures prove, That valleys, groves, hills, and fields, Woods, or steepy mountain yields.

Christopher Marlowe

3rd Leg of our Indonesia – Java Adventure { Finally trekking to Mount Bromo! }

Time check: 4 AM | Bromo – Tengger – Semeru National Park, Cemoro Lawang

We were told that the weather goes down at 4 degrees Celcius so I wore 3 layers of clothing down my jacket.

The pick up time should have been earlier than 4 am, to get to the best spot at the viewdeck. But our driver was nowhere in sight ’till after an hour.

Tip: If you don’t plan to hire a 4×4 jeep service to the Viewdeck and crater, start early at 2 AM. There is a walking path that leads to the Bromo Crater and Mount Penanjakan from the base camp. Those two are located on opposite sides so  expect a long walk ahead. The crater is around 3km away from the village of Cemoro Lewang. We paid the entrance fee of IDR 25,000 from the Registration Area prior that day.

We were with two other couples from China and US. Although, me thinks the other is Filipino. We were treated with a smooth ride and paved road going up to Mount Penanjakan. As expected there were already many tourists and our driver had to pull off to the nearest parking he can get. At past 5, we aim to go to the Viewpoint as fast as we can before sunrise escapes from us.

It’s not easy though. With the cold weather and a steep slope, it’s like we were not moving at all. We spent at least 15 – 20 minutes at the rate we were trekking.

I was concentrating hard on my breathing while whispering to myself… you can’t be out of breath, only few more steps and you’ll get there. Oh, that kid is tough. I wish I was a kid. I can do it. Okay, breath in, breath out. Forward now, move your butt! Ah, i need to take 5, what?!

We saw one lady who passed out. There are several vendors offering winter jackets for rent. The air is a mix of morning mist and cigar smoke. That was of no help to my breathing technique.

Finally, the summit! We had to squeezed ourselves with hundreds of visitors waiting for the first glimpse of Sunrise in Mount Bromo. The view deck is on a strategic location covering the sunrise to the left and the view of  Mount Batok, Mount Bromo and Mount Semeru to the right.

I kissed the sunrise! And I like it =)

Bromo Sunrise at 6:15 AM. Got a clearing eventually and went camera happy. Wonder why everyone phased out? Ah, that’s it, they moved to the right side. We then went over and join the fun. Found a nook outside the fence, just a few steps to the cliff. I crossed over. yay.

Mount Bromo is the one billowing white smoke, to its right is the dormant Mount Batok and far behind and the highest is Mount Semeru.

Beautiful and mystical! The fog on the ground adds up to the magical feel. I’m awestruck witnessing how this lush nature is hidden here.

Before we get lost in nature’s madness, we head back at 7 AM to the parking area where our jeep tour will carry on to  Tengger Caldera. It was a bumpy ride with a priceless view. If we only have so much time, I wanted to stay longer and indulge on this adventure by foot.

From the foot of Mount Bromo, horses and ponies are up for rent to take you to the 250 steps path to the crater.

Beyond the road less traveled

I find it abusive to rent a pony. And even, if I have an extra cash to burn, I’d still say no to the local who wanted to take us for a ride. Well, that’s just me. I’d rather go on trail and take hours than spare my weight at the poor pony.

See the mist behind the horses? Here we are under the mystical scene from the earlier view at Mount Pananjakan. We were walking at Laut Pasir (sea of sand) of fine volcanic sand that surrounds the area.

Long trail ahead. Got to watch out for horse dung. We passed by Pura Luhur Poten Hindu Temple. It holds a significant importance to the Tenggerese tribe who scatter across the mountainous villages such as Ngadisari, Wonokitri, Ngadas, Argosari, Ranu Prani, Ledok Ombo and Wonokerso.

As the decline of Majapahit Kingdom dawned upon these people, they emphatically moved to the outskirts of the volcanoes, which inaccessibility was their greatest asset to fend off any foreign intrusions, especially by the Muslims and Christians.

Mount Batok is a dormant volcano at the northern center of the huge caldera. Lush green vegetation grows over the years.

The 250 steps to Gunung Bromo Crater. Gunung means Mountain. I had to catch my breath and rest before partaking this glorious steps. Find me, concentrating. lol.

At last, from the peak of Mount Bromo, an active volcano which is very much recognizable from afar. The top is blown off where the crater constantly belches white sulphuric smoke.

Parang walang nangyari look. lol.

This is around 8:15 in the morning. Kind of early where  you can see the moon peaking out from the sky. If you paid for private jeep and long for more adventure, trek to the end of the fence and go further. Just keep in mind though that this is an active volcano and you’ll never know what’s in store for you. In 2004, two tourists were killed when the volcano spit out molten lava, reaching as far as the Hindu temple. Be sure to keep safe.

As for us who shares the jeep with other tourists, we barely caught our breath, and had to go down again.

See our full Backpacking Indonesia itinerary here.

Photos by Ferdinand Teves. Check out more photos at our Weekend Haven facebook page.

We may run, walk, stumble, drive, or fly, but let us never lost sight of the reason for the journey, or miss a chance to see a rainbow on the way.

From wandering around Borobudur Temple, we continued the day to a short trip at a Batik Shop, then headed to Prambanan Temple. The heat didn’t spare us with exhaustion and by the time we reached our car service, Mr. Haven Hunter and I immediately fell into slumber.

Needless to say, we aren’t aware how much traffic we have to go through. I’m not sure if our driver Toto was following a speed limit or he really drives moderately. We reached Prambanan Temple at 5:00 PM, that left us an hour to wander around it’s full glory until it closes for the day.

We headed to a separate building where foreigners can lounge and pay for the entrance fee. Rates are: Adult USD 15 & Student USD 8. This already includes refreshments, coffee or water at the lounge area and Camera & Video Fee.

Prambanan is the ninth century Hindu temple compound in Central Java, Indonesia, dedicated to Trimurti, the expression of God as the Creator (Brahma), the Sustainer (Vishnu) and the Destroyer (Shiva). It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia. There are 224 temples in the complex; dominated by three towering temples on the central terrace.

These ancient masterpieces of Hindu architecture is more beautiful and intricate than Borobudur Temple. It feels eerie to touch something historical as this site. It is as if it bounces an immeasurable energy to tell everyone it’s bygone story beyond the massive ruins.

Only few people were roaming around by sunset, perhaps most tourists were still battling they’re way out of Borobudur Temples. Sheesh, I still can’t get over how overly crowded it was.

By 6 PM we started to walk towards the exit. We were actually looking for the entrance to Prambanan Open Air Theatre for the evening performance of Ramayana Ballet, but were unsuccessful. Good thing, Toto, fetch us through the entrance door, and said he’ll just drop us to other gate. We urge Toto to first find us some good place for dinner before we head to the 7:30 PM Show.

He drives towards Prambanan Garden Cafe right next to the entrance door of the theatre. Oh no. It was out of budget but the Mister insist that we try the dinner buffet. As if we had a choice, inasmuch as we wanted, they don’t offer any ala carte.

Prambanan Garden Cafe has a lovely setting anyways, across the lawn from our table, the evening glow of Prambanan temple looks amazing. The whole complex is illuminated with yellowish light bulbs. The moon peaks from the sky.

This is the view from our table. See how lovely the evening is. Who can resist paying for a hefty IDR 70,000 each Dinner Buffet for that beautiful landscape?

The menu includes Asian delicacies that I recognized, but I only had one go, since I’m not really hungry.

After our sumptuous and expensive dinner, we headed our way to the entrance gate. Since we already bought our tickets at Sosro Tours, we only paid for the use of camera inside the theater. I find it odd that you have to pay for video and photo. I was actually disappointed that we didn’t get the VIP tickets earlier that day, since we actually spent the same thing, having to dine at the restaurant.

VIP tickets get the front row seats and and are indulged with snacks and refreshments plus a buffet dinner at the Restaurant.  While we get to seat at the Premium Area.

The Ramyana Ballet is a dramatic performance that tells the epical dimensions and living legend for millennia. It is a story of Ramayana, the classic Hindu tale of honour, magic and courage. This ancient literature focus on the tale of the heroic Prince Rama and his loyal wife Sita.

Performed on various dates over a six-month period, the Ramyana Ballet involves hundreds of dancers and is performed in a wonderful outdoor setting within the country’s famous Prambanan temple complex. Built in the ninth century, the temple is the largest complex of its kind in Java and is famed throughout the whole of Indonesia for its spectacular beauty.

This performance is able to unite various Javanese arts such as dance, drama and music on one stage and one momentum to present the Ramayana story, a legendary epos written by Walmiki in Sanskrit language.

I’m so bad at waiting time. I actually lost count on how many times I doze off before and during the show. The 3 hours show is so not good for sleepless souls. Don’t get me wrong but the performance is awesome. The choice of music though, gets into my spine that sets me off to dreamland.

After the show, we were given a chance to go on stage and take photos with the performers.

Toto was waiting for us at the parking area. He dropped us at Jalan Sosrowijayan and call it a night.

Mr. HH and I just changed clothes and check out if we can do some souvenir shopping at Malioboro Street. Turns out the shops are starting to close to make way for “lesehan” or night dining.  Warung is a store that sells food and drinks, while lesehan means sitting on mats.

I’m still full from our buffet dinner so we just got a refreshment from the nearby 24-hours McDonald’s. We went back to our room and prepare for our early day 2: Road Trip from Jogja to Bromo.

You can check out our full Indonesia itinerary here.

We were optimistic about the weather and hopeful with our shoestring itinerary to Yogyakarta, the southern part of Central Java, Indonesia.  Continuing the first day of our Java Journeys, we met Rudy and Toto from Sosro Tours.

We still have a few minutes before our car service shows up and so we asked Rudy where we can have our money exchange. He pointed us to Mulia Money Changer inside the perimeter of Inna Garuda Hotel. It’s along Jalan Malioboro, and they have good rates compared to the one at the airport. Oh boy, I was a millionaire in a day.  Exchange rate was: US$1 = Rp 9,000.

We manage to freshen up back at our room before heading out to meet Toto, our driver for the day.

I forgot to mention that I was surprised to learn that Indonesia uses right-hand drive vehicles. Nevertheless, we were comfortable with our service car, the Suzuki APV and its quite early to tell how bad the traffic can be.

Toto don’t speak that much, maybe because his knowledge in english is pretty limited. Accordingly, we practiced the little english-indonesian phrases we brought with us. We did pretty great though because he took us to a fine Batik shop in the afternoon.

Before we hit 25 miles away out of town to Borobudur, we stop by a gasoline station, and I was amazed that there are a number of females working as Gas Station Attendants here. Quite a tough job for ladies, I’m all hats off to them.

We continued the road trip from Jakarta to Magelang. We passed by several shops that sells Stone Sculptures and Statues. They were of intricate details of Buddha and other garden materials. It would have been nice if we had photos of them, but as you can see we were really exhausted and we can’t help but steal a few naps  along the way.

By the time we reached, Borobudur Temple Compounds, it was already 1 in the afternoon at a scorching heat of probably the hottest weather in Central Java.

There were lines in the cashier but then I have to ask if foreigners go on the same line too, then they pointed me out to another building.

On that account, we entered a nearby building, a special door for foreign visitors. Air-conditioned lounge with free drinks. This comes with a hefty price tag too. Entrance fee to Borobudur Temple:

For Non-Indonesians, US$15 or Rp 135,000.
For Registered Students, US$ 8 or Rp 72,000.
For Locals and Indonesian Adults, Rp 15,000 or less than US$2

Camera and Video Camera fees are already waived for Non-Indonesians.

I have been naughty a bit, and showed them my “student ID” so I can get a discounted rate. Then paid for the regular fee for Mr. HavenHunter. He could pass as a student too you know, but I forget to get his card on time.

We slid out of the other side of the room and were greeted by a vast lawn and hundreds of tourists and locals too. Some were having a picnic, some resting under the trees and the others strolling. We chanced upon the toy train, waiting for passengers, so we hopped in.

A while later, we were in the foot of Borobudur Temple. It was a magnificent Unesco World Cultural Heritage Site dating from 8th century AD. It was built in three tiers, a pyramidal base with five concentric square terraces, the trunk of a cone with three circular platforms and, at the top, a monumental stupa. Around the circular platforms are 72 openwork stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha. The monument was restored with UNESCO’s help in the 1970s.

It’s near proximity to Mt. Merapi and Mt. Merbabu caused Borobudur Temple to be partially buried after a massive eruption in the 10th century.

The heat is unforgiving. It was too much, and it doesn’t help that thousands of people, students, visitors and locals are already crowding the place. It was hard to find a good angle without those umbrellas and heads blocking the way.

The monument is both a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. Intricate carvings depicting the teachings of Buddha cover every wall of Borobudur.

In Indonesia, ancient temples are known as candi; thus “Borobudur Temple” is locally known as Candi Borobudur. Located at the centre of ancient Borobudur structure is a central stupa that signifies Buddha’s enlightenment and a symbol of eternity. It’s the world’s largest Buddhist stuppa. Unlike the 72 bell-shaped smaller stupas surrounding the terrace, there’s nothing on the central stupa – empty because it represents Nirvana.

If only we have the whole afternoon to spare, it would be nice to camp in the ground, have picnic or go biking.

By the time we went down, we were already exhausted.

Going through the exit, we passed by the market alley which sells a lot of souvenir items. We should have grabbed a few goods but we were really short of time. We met Toto at the parking lot.

About 3km away from Borobudur going back to Yogyakarta, we stopped by at another temple, Candi Mendut.

Candi Mendut is built in 9th century AD. It is the oldest of the three temples, the other two is Pawon and Borobudur. These three Buddhist temples are located in one straight line, which is believed to be of religious reason.

Back on the road, we took  our free time to catch up on sleep, but not until we were sure that Toto understood that he’ll take us to a good  Batik Shop. He said he knows an old shop known for quality batiks.

An hour later, we arrived at Griya Batik Raisa. We found a nice batik fabrics on sale at Rp 100000 each. We bought some to take home as souvenirs for my mom and my mother-in-law.

Our next stop is Prambanan Temple & Ramayana Ballet. Find out how we beat the traffic and made it an hour before Prambanan closed for business.

Selamat Jalan,

Borobudur Stupa, Java, Indonesia

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Life is known only by those who have found a way to be comfortable with change and the unknown.
Given the nature of life, there may be no security, but only adventure.

~Rachel Naomi Remen

I have long been waiting to get out of my couch, and do a full swing to beat our lazy summer solstice. Another successful getaway with a new set of weekend travelers, from sampling authentic Ilocano delicacies, to souvenir hunting, Visita Iglesia, R&R at Blue Lagoon, learning more about Ilocos History and Marcos Regime, to our super long, bumpy road trip. Not my first time, but exploring Ilocos still excites me.

Refer to our Vigan – Laoag – Pagudpud – Ilocos Itinerary here.

The late holiday declaration left almost everyone a vague plan for a getaway. I was a bit confident though that it will be another long weekend, so we planned it out early this year. All 13 participants were eager to escape Manila’s hot weather and busy days. We have guests from as far as Zamboanga, to a new Nursing graduate, to professional landscape photographer based in Seoul, quite an interesting mix of personalities.

We left at 10 PM in Manila, hoping to get an early start for our Ilocos Sur to Ilocos Norte Tour the following day.

Day 1

Bong, our super driver cum Sexy Model, transported us safely to Narvacan, Ilocos Sur by 7 in the Morning. We had our first breath of Ilocos air at the shoreline of Paraiso ni Juan Grotto, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur.

After having breakfast, quick stretching and a photo op, we continued our journey to Vigan City. An hour later and 407 km away from Manila, we invaded Calle Crisologo’s tranquil Saturday morning.

Our first stop is Vigan Cathedral or also known as St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral. This church is a testament to Vigan’s strong Chinese heritage.

Behind the Church is Calle Crisologo. A leisure walk at this exceptionally intact and well-preserved cobblestone street takes us back to yesteryear. Vigan is declared as Unesco World Heritage Site for its fusion of Asian and European architecture and cultural elements. This makes it unique to the rest of the world.

Further ahead, we reached Bantay Church and Bell Tower. A popular tourist destination, where guests can climb the tower on top of the hill. No one from our group dared to take the stairs, as everyone seemed already exhausted with the hot weather.

There is an ongoing fair at Marcos Museum, so we skipped that part and rescheduled it for our 3rd day. We then headed to Paoay Church or also known as St. Augustine Church in Paoay. It is another Unesco World Heritage Site. The church architecture is a blend of Baroque, Gothic and Oriental designs.

By the time we finished wandering around Paoay Church, we were already craving for lunch. Ah, we savored the best bulalo in town, enough to energize us for the rest of the day.

We paid a short visit at Museo Ilocos Norte. This museum is a tribute to the cultural heritage of Ilocano people.

Our next stop is Malacanang Ti Amianan, or Malacanang of the North. It is the residence of former President Ferdinand Marcos in Ilocos Norte. It’s quite bizarre how similar it looks like from the Malacanang Palace along the North bank of Pasig River in Manila.

The palace is uninhabited now and restored as museum to let visitors take a glimpse of this Marcos property. From the veranda, it overlooks the scenic Paoay Lake.

We can’t miss Fort Ilocandia Resort of course and lust over it’s first class interior. Apart from being the only 5-star deluxe resort hotel in Northern Philippines, a showcase of Spanish colonial inspired villas, an addition of mini zoo kept the guests entertained.

Nearing the end of our 1st day journey, we visited St. William Cathedral in Laoag City. The church is built by Augustinian Friars and is unique for its Italian Renaissance architecture. The Sinking Bell Tower across the street is popular for sinking to the ground an inch every year.

Our day ended with a feast prepared by Mr. Haven Hunter’s relatives. We settled in at Vintar and called it an early night.

More Photos :

Weekend Haven Album
Group Shots by Charlone Ibanez
Lakbay Nikkitaa  by Ferdinand Teves
Northern Escape by RL Bernardo

Our 2nd day Ilocos Invasion soon!

Ilocos Photowalk ~

For me, a place unvisited is like an unrequited love. A dull ache that – try as you might to think it away, to convince yourself that she wasn’t the right country for you – it just won’t leave you in peace.

–Eric Weiner, The Geography of Bliss

Our journey to Negros Island left us more energized. Our trip was not about to end though, as we cross another island in Visayas, the Queen of the South, Cebu.

This is a reunion to once my hometown during  my toddler years and a comeback after more than 20 years. It felt good to be back home again.

We left Sibulan Port via Santander Express Fastcraft at 12:30 PM going to Liloan, Cebu. Its a quick 30 minutes boat ride in a panoramic seascape backdrop. Liloan is the Southernmost part of Cebu. From my last blog entry, you can view the breakdown of our travel expenses upon leaving Negros Oriental. We made it to Liloan and took a parked Ceres Bus that goes to Cebu South Terminal.

The bus ride is more impressive as we crossed the crooked road going to Central Cebu. Uphill, downhill and for most part, a cliff view of the breathtaking seascape of the island. We were lucky to grab a seat at the right side of the bus.

Our ride lasted for 3.5 hours in a smooth flowing traffic. We steal a good nap while at it. Arriving in Cebu City South Terminal, we faced our dilemma in finding a cheap accommodation. We hailed a taxi and ended up in Robinson’s Mall. Along its proximity are a number of hotels, inns and budget accommodations.

We hunt along Fuente Osmena and nearby street for the best last minute hotel deals. Elegant Circle Inn, Crown Regency Hotel, Cebu Midtown and Sampaguita Suites are just some of the options.

Alas we found Fuente Pension House located at the street behind Elegant Circle Inn. Twin Room isn’t available though so we opted for Suite Room at a discounted rate of P1,600 for a 24-hours stay. It was just minutes before 6 PM and the time covered is just perfect for our check out the next day.

The room is nothing fancy but it is spacious and clean with one king size bed and 1 single bed. Facilities include Aircon, cable TV, PABX telephone and hot & cold shower. Bathroom is roomy and water supply is good too. They took the fridge in exchange of our discounted rate. Looking through the glass panels, our eyes are set for a nice 90 degrees view of Cebu Skyline.

We freshened up a bit before exploring more of Cebu. Decided to have dinner at a fast food restaurant in Robinson’s Mall and window shop around. Nothing spectacular to see so we agreed to go to Ayala Mall.

Ayala Mall Cebu reminded me of Alabang Town Center. The landscape is almost the same. It’s an upscale shopping and party hub for Cebuanos. I remember what Harold told me about downtown and uptown district of Cebu. Ayala Mall is located at the uptown district. Older district around Colon St. is referred to as downtown. Most tourists prefer to stay uptown considering the quiet, fancy environment and best business amenities within the area. While Downtown district has gained bad reputation over the years for its impoverished state.

After traipsing around Ayala Mall, we then headed to Asiatown IT Park in Lahug where we are set to meet hubby’s officemates assigned at the nearby Waterfront Casino. We opted to settle ourselves at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. I was wondering if it was just the frappuccino or the weather is getting colder?

After the brief chitchat we head back to our accommodation and call it a night.

Day 6 – Exploring Cebu City

Yay, we are early risers now. It’s unimaginable, but yeah, on the 6th day we still survived getting up early. My husband teased me for being nocturnal, yet on this trip, I evolved. lol.

We were up at 6 am to prepare for our hectic Cebu Itinerary. We were able to cram up everything for the whole day before our flight at past 9 in the evening.

Hubby suggested that we’ll have breakfast at Orange Brutus at the nearby street. So off we went for a power meal.

Later, we hailed a taxi going to Fort San Pedro, where our journey to downtown will begin. Unfortunately, we were too early as the gate opens at 8 AM. Plaza Independencia which is just across the street is under renovation. We then agreed to just walked back and checked out the church we passed through from the taxi ride earlier.

We were greeted by the impressive architecture of Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. There is an ongoing mass yet we can’t help ourselves to be overwhelmed with this church baroque interior.

After paying respects, we went ahead to another church, Basilica Minore Del Santo Niño. If I remembered correctly, it’s just two blocks away and can easily be reached by foot. It is the oldest church in the Philippines dating back to 16th century. The grand interior showcase a history of old carvings. The main altar boasts a display of carved pillars with statues of Augustinian Saints. Being at this place brought about strange feelings on me. Don’t ask me what, but is it miraculous?

The mass is just about to end when we discovered a queue at the left side of the church. Apparently, it lead to Santo Niño Chapel where an altar of the miraculous statue of the Holy Child of Cebu is stationed. We did joined the line before it gets longer.

Cebuanos are known to be religious as the island is recognized as the seat of Christianity in the Philippines. It is evident in the number of people attending the mass on a weekday.

After offering our intentions to the Holy Child, we head back to the church facade for some photo ops. Later, we found our way to Magellan’s Cross, Cebu’s top tourist destination. An octagonal kiosk enshrines the famous cross that Magellan brought to instill Christianity on Filipinos. This historical landmark is a homage to Catholic Churches in the Philippines. Miraculous claims include that Magellan’s Cross grows taller over the years. On the other side of the road is where the City Hall is located.

Avid patrons of Sto. Niño bound the area to offer their services in lighting candles as they danced to chant your petitions and prayers. The sacred dance in honor of Santo Niño is called “sinulog“. Sinulog Festival is a big event in Cebu celebrated during the third Sunday of January.

After visiting Magellan’s Cross, we headed to La Fortuna Bakery to grab some refreshments. We went back to Basilica Minore Del Santo Niño grounds where a Museum is located. We paid P20 each for the entrance.

The museum features a rich collection of Santo Niños, vestments, jewelries, rosaries, toys and gifts collected over the years from devotees. Taking pictures are not allowed inside.

After our trip to the Museum, we decided to get back to Fort San Pedro. Time Check: 10:00 AM.

Fort San Pedro is located at the Pier area. It was built by the Spaniards for Military defense in 1738. It is the oldest and smallest triangular bastion fort in the country. There were few tourists wandering around when we got in. We paid an entrance fee of P30 each.

The place is pretty much the same as Fort Santiago in Intramuros except that it is noticeably smaller. We didn’t stay long enough as the scorching sun pulls down our remaining energy. A little photo shoot here and there… and we are off to grab some lunch.

We decided to take a jeepney going to JY Mall which is the jump off to our next destination. Upon reaching there, we agreed to have some lunch first at a fast food restaurant.

Later on we hailed a cab to take us to our next stop, Cebu Taoist Temple. It is located at Beverly Hills Subdivision and the only way to get in is via private vehicle, cab or rent a motorcycle (habal-habal). The temple is open to the public, worshippers and non-worshippers alike. It is a multi-tiered tower standing at 300 meters above sea level.The hike up the 81 steps is pretty exhausting especially on a sweltering weather.

There are students and Indian Nationals on a field trip when we arrived. I’d like to try the ritual of praying and determining the answer through the crescent-shaped divining blocks, but I haven’t had the chance to talk to anyone if it is allowed to a non-devotee.

We realized there is another entrance door after passing through the replica of Great Wall of China. This is pretty convenient if one is not comfortable with using the stairs. There is a giant dragon statue which provides a nice backdrop to the Great Wall.

A little more hike and we were rewarded with the panoramic sight of Downtown Cebu. Taking picture on the place of worship even as a backdrop is strictly prohibited.

We decided to go down after a while and wait for a cab to take us back to JY Mall. Reaching there, we stock up on bottled waters at a nearby grocery before negotiating to a young man who offered his motorcycle to us.

As we are going to , Cebu’s premier viewing deck located at 2,000 feet above sea level in the hills of Busay, we realized that our best option is to hire a habal-habal or local motorcycle. The distance and uphill terrain is not for a usual taxi ride.

It cost us P200 per motorcycle for a two-way ride. So off we go, we hired two motorcycles for us. The trip  on the main road and off to uphill route lasted for about 20 minutes.

At the TOPS, an entrance fee of P100 each is required for an unlimited hours of stay. Tops is open 24 hours. Cottages are lined up on the covered area, just perfect for family and friends picnic party.

I would suggest to go there in late afternoon to night time to enjoy the breathtaking and spectacular view overlooking Metro Cebu.

At 2:00 PM, we went down still undecided where to head next. We asked for directions to Carbon Market, supposedly to buy some dried fish and goods but we were advice to stay out of the area or be wary of snatchers.

Hmmm, not to keen on risking our gadgets though, we just agreed to go back to our hotel and rest for the remaining hours before our flight. On our way back, we dropped by at Shamrock Pension House to buy the famous Shamrock Otap for pasalubong. It is located at Fuente Osmena Circle and just few minutes away from our hotel.

We used our time to freshen up and re-pack our things. We don’t want to go over the hassle of unpacking goods at the airport, so we were ready with our packaging tape.

Summing it up, we were able to cover most of Cebu City’s top tourist destinations within a day. I guess this itinerary is more useful as a filler to any exciting explorations in the neighboring islands of Cebu. We shall return to check out the best beaches in Cebu like Bantayan, Camotes, Mactan & Malapascua Island.

By 6:00 PM we had a sumptuous dinner at Fuente Pension House Restaurant. The food is appetizing in a generous amount of serving. We were able to admire Cebu Crown Regency’s Sky Ride, Edge Coaster from our backdrop. Hubby is egging me to try it but I’m too chicken to do so. Who knows, maybe next time.

We checked out before 7 in the evening and left the hotel for our flight at 9:25 PM via Zest Air. Got the best deal on airfare at P1,976 for both of us on Cebu – Manila flight. Mactan International Airport is quite far from our hotel, good thing traffic wasn’t that bad and we boarded on time.

Our trip back home is hassle free and thank God for our safe flight.

Can’t get enough of danggit,