[Project 365] Week 43

10.17.11
Day 290: Mind Over Mathers

My one and only issue of Rolling Stone with the birthday boy on the cover. Hihi. Happy birthday, Marshall! :)

10.18.11
Day 291: Maayong Pag-abot Sa Sugbu!

Today, I start my much needed vacation!!! Woot-woot~!!!

Arrived at the Mactan International Airport at 4:25pm. Took a cab going to Sampaguita Suites along Mango Avenue. After paying the fare, I didn't expect the driver to give me a handful of coins. Apparently, here in Cebu, they do not round-off fares. They would really try to give your change to the centavo! I wish taxi drivers in Manila would be just as nice. Wishful thinking! Haha.

Handed the hotel voucher to the receptionist. After scanning the printed information...

Receptionist: "Ma'am, nagkakamali po kayo..."

Huh? What do you mean? Did we book the wrong date? Are we going to spend the night wandering the unfamiliar streets of Cebu? Saan kami nagkamali?! I was seconds away from pressing my panic button. Hehe.

Receptionist: "Hindi po kayo dito, dun po kayo sa Plaza Garcia."
Me: "Ah ok."

The Plaza Garcia branch was about 10 minutes away. Their elevator has a touch panel, which I found really cool. Hehe. The room was ok. The mattress was barely there, about two inches thick. But as long as there's cable TV, I'm good. Hehe.

Watched episodes of Family Guy and The Simpsons while waiting for Jeyps. Had dinner at Dessert Factory in Ayala Terraces. As recommended by Jeyps, I ordered the Kinamatisang Kawali, which is basically lechon kawali sauteed in onions and tomatoes. Their servings were good for sharing, but of course we didn't share. Hehe. For dessert, I tried their best-seller cake - the Achocolypse Now! 'Twas like eating four different chocolate cakes in one bite! Hmm!

After dinner, we walked around the mall to admire the breathtaking sight of boutiques and restaurants. Haha. Then we took a cab going to the IT Park to walk some more. Whenever we ask Jeyps how far one place is from another, funny how he would always answer, almost unwittingly, "Siguro mga twenty minutes." Haha. We've come to a conclusion that in Cebu, everywhere is just twenty minutes away. Or so he says. Hehe.

More pictures here!

10.19.11
Day 292: Walking The Queen City Of The South

Just a hundred and nineteen steps away from our hotel is Cebu City's most famous landmark - the cross of Magellan. The original cross, which made Catholics out of almost all Filipinos, is encased in a hollow tindalo wood to keep devotees and tourists from chipping parts of it for souvenir. The ceiling was painted with beautiful murals depicting Magellan's arrival in the country. There were women selling colored candles for different prayer intentions. Bought the pink and green candles for happiness and success. :)

Next to the cross is the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño - a 16th century old colonial Spanish church. Sat in one of the pews near the aisle to whisper a quick prayer and to take some photos of the altar. There were also murals painted on the ceilings depicting the different stories from the Bible.

A couple of blocks away from the church is Fort San Pedro - a military defense structure built by Spanish and Cebuano laborers by the orders of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi himself. This stone structure was grey with age but green with life. A beautiful garden would welcome every visitor who walks in. There's a museum that displayed paintings of Magellan, Lapu-Lapu and Raia Humabon, a ragged Spanish flag retrieved from one of the vessels of the Spanish fleet in 1898, and a letter written by Andres Bonifacio. Ang ganda ng penmanship ni Andres Bonifacio, pang-teacher. Hihi. Climbed the stairs leading to the walls where the century old cannons still stood guard.

They say a trip to Cebu is not complete without tasting their local lechon. So for lunch, we decided to pig out at CnT Lechon. We ordered 1/4 lechon and pusô, which is rice cooked in a woven pouch made of palm leaf. The tasty meat and the crispy skin were deliciously sinful. Or is it sinfully delicious? Whatever. Basta masarap talaga kahit walang Mang Tomas! Hehe.

Last Monday, Jhe was soooo raving about how kick-ass Real Steel was. I've also read a bunch of good reviews about the movie. So why not admire the beauty of the silver screen in Ayala Center Cebu? Hehe. While waiting for the movie to start, we headed to Timezone to shoot some hoops. The basketball machine dispensed real tickets instead of just storing virtual tickets into the Powercard. We've collected 50 tickets that we exchanged for two pens and a Hello Kitty pencil. Hehe.

Before going inside the theater, we bought some coolers from Quickly. As usual, I ordered Choco Loco Super. The cup was filled to the brim, it was more chocolatey, and I think it also had more nago and pudding compared to how they prepare it in Manila. Or maybe 'twas just me. Hehe.

Nweiz, the movie really kicked some serious robotic ass! The fights were as exciting as watching Pacman slug it out in the boxing ring. And Dakota Goyo, the kid who played Max Kenton is sooo adorable! Ssshh, I'm crushing on a 12-year-old boy! Haha.

Our next destination was the Taoist Temple, located inside the posh Beverly Hills subdivision. Had so much fun shooting the different structures inside the area. Everything was just bursting with color and details! Unfortunately, a large group of students who seemed to be on a field trip arrived and disturbed the temple's peace.

Hailed a cab from the temple back to our hotel. For the first time, we encountered a cab driver asking for a fixed fare. We insisted on using the taxi meter instead and he later agreed. I'm not sure though if he took a longer route to hike up the fare. Coz what we paid for was just around 10 pesos cheaper compared to what he requested. One bad apple out of a barrel of mostly good apples.

More pictures here!

10.20.11
Day 293: Bohol Countryside Tour

Climbed aboard the SuperCat that would take us to Bohol. Two hours later, we arrived at the pier where a shuttle service was waiting for us. Kuya Dave was our guide for the countryside tour.

Our first stop was the Blood Compact Site, which features a sculpture depicting the first Filipino-Spanish treaty between Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna.

Kuya Dave: "Bali ininom nila yung dugo ng isa't isa para..."
Me: "Ininom? Akala ko pinang-pirma lang nila yung dugo nila."
Kuya Dave: "Yung mga Katipunero ata yun."
Me: "Ay tama. Haha."

We then visited the second oldest stone church in the Philippines that is Baclayon Church. I got a little creeped out when I first entered because the church really looked hauntingly old, the lights were turned off, the sunlight was barely getting in, and I was alone! I immediately stepped outside to wait for Franz. Hehe. After looking around the interiors of the church, we entered a mini museum with a lot of religious relics, images and artifacts dating back to 16th century. Kuya Dave met us on our way out and walked us to the spot where Padre Pio's image miraculously appeared on one of the pillars. Padre Pio was a... uhm... just look it up yourself. Hehe.

Next stop is a meet-and-greet with Prony, the biggest and longest python in captivity. One of the caretakers encouraged us to get inside the cage for a photo opportunity.

Me: "Ate, kumain na ba yan?"
Ate: "Hindi pa po. Magpapalit kasi sya ng balat e."
Me: "Ahh, baka gutom na yan tapos ako ang kainin..."

It was an honest concern and I wasn't trying to be funny so I dunno how to feel when she simply let out a weak laughter. Prony was just coiled up in the corner and the caretaker's son was also inside. I thought, if the python wanted to eat then it'll probably feast on the kid - younger skin, softer bones... Hehe. Squatted near it to have my photo taken. I even took a step further and tried touching its skin and it was well, scaly. Yikes.

For lunch, we jumped into a floating restaurant that cruised Loboc River. The buffet table had seafood, chicken, pork barbecue, veggies, fruits and different kinds of kakanin for desserts. After filling our gas tanks with food, we just enjoyed the lush green landscape as it slowly streamed past our table. Unfortunately, we weren't able to take any photos during the cruise coz we left our camera's battery with Kuya Dave to recharge.

We then went to see the world's smallest primate in a Tarsier Conservatory, with hills and trees serving as habitat instead of being held captive in cages. Flash photography is prohibited as this might blind these little creatures, which could lead them to commit suicide. And since they are nocturnal, most were asleep or had their eyes half open. Actually, I kinda felt bad for them coz I'm pretty sure they wanted to get some shuteye but can't because of the endless flow of tourists snapping away.

Passed by the man-made forest, which is a long stretch of Mahogany trees densely planted along the winding road of Bilar. It provided a cool shade and a soft breeze despite the midday sun. Kuya Dave parked the van on the side of the road and gladly took our photos. We had to be extra careful as we were standing near the curve and there were a number of passing vehicles.

Next stop was the Simply Butterflies Conservation Center. Was impressed not just with the wide collection of butterflies but also with our tour guide, Kuya Anthony! He seemed very knowledgeable as he explained the differences between the male, female, and gay butterflies, their lifecycle, mating behavior, etc. And by injecting a lot of humor into the tour, he made it a fun experience as well as an informative one.

Kuya Anthony: "Bakit kaya cocoon ang tawag?"
Me: "Bakit?"
Kuya Anthony: "Apat na lang kasi, kaya cocoon-te."
Me: "Hahaha!"

Kuya Anthony: "Ito yung halaman na walang matinong pangalan."
Me: "Alam ko yan! Lantana!"
Kuya Anthony: "Tama, tama! Anu pa?"
Me: "Kantutay!"
Kuya Anthony: "Galing ha! Eh sa Bohol, anung tawag?"
Me: "Ano?"
Kuya Anthony: "Utot-utot!"
Me: "Weh? Di nga?"

After some research, I found out that he wasn't kidding. The plant is really called Utot-utot in Bohol. Hehe.

Off we went to Bohol's main attraction - the Chocolate Hills! Climbed 214 steps uphill in order to enjoy the panoramic view. When we reached the top, I can't help but marvel at its beauty. It wasn't quite dry season so they didn't look so chocolatey. More like, minty. Hehe. But still, it was a sight to see! Ang galing talaga ni God. *_*

The final leg of our tour was the long but sturdy bridge hanging above the Loboc river. According to Kuya Dave, the shops on the other side sell the cheapest souvenirs in Bohol. We bought some shirts that usually sell at Php295 for only Php120! Buko King was also there but nobody seemed to be interested in his coconut-peeling stunt.

After a long day on tour, we finally arrived at the Dumaluan Beach Resort. Thanks Kuya Dave for driving us around! :)

More pictures here!

10.21.11
Day 294: Bohol Sea Tour

Woke up early in the morning for the sea tour. We were at the resort's lobby 6am on the dot. But our bangkero wasn't around yet. We should've grabbed some breakfast first but thought 'twas already too late for that. After around 15 minutes, he finally arrived. So yeah, we should've grabbed breakfast first. :(

When we reached the spot where the dolphins are, there were already a lot of motor boats circling the area. It was a real challenge to photograph these aquatic mammals, let alone spot them, coz they're there one moment and then gone the next.

Kuya: "Ma'am, ayun po!"

I would look at him and by the time I check where he's pointing, the dolphins are already gone. Hehe. I think I just have about two photos showing their dorsal fins.

We then headed to Balicasag Island to snorkel. All along, I thought that the snorkeling activity itself as well as a daily lunch were part of the package that we availed. Turned out that only the snorkeling gear and the Loboc River buffet lunch were covered. We didn't bring any money with us so we were a bit problematic.

Kuya 1: "Ma'am i-guide ko po kayo sa snorkel, 200 pesos each lang po."
Ate: "Pili na din po kayo ng ipapaluto para pagbalik nyo dito ready na."
Me: "Gusto sana namin, kaso wala kaming dalang pera e."
Ate: "Wala pong problema! Pwede po utang!"
Me: "Ayun naman pala! Haha."

Decided to walk around first to look for a better deal, when another Kuya approached us.

Kuya 2: "Ma'am magkano po yung offer senio sa snorkel?"
Me: "200."
Kuya 2: "Sakin po, 150 na lang."
Me: "Pwede din utang?"
Kuya 2: "Pwede po!"

We were sold. He then walked us to one of the cottages to order our food before taking us to the snorkeling site. I immediately jumped into the water to watch the world below the waves. Should've bought more packs of Skyflakes coz the fishes really loved it! Hehe. The heat was unforgiving but I enjoyed every second of it! God, I could do this all day! Hehe.

Went back to the island for lunch. We had sweet and sour Lapu-Lapu and 1/4 kilo of buttered shrimp. Decided to explore the island some more after eating. Sadly, we had to skip the Virgin Island because of the low tide. Sayang.

Thought about trying the Extreme Adventure Tour in Danao. But we were already a bit short on budget. So we just spent the entire afternoon basking under the sun until we're baked.

More pictures here!

10.22.11
Day 295: Look! Skywalkers!

We once again boarded the SuperCat headed back to Cebu. Met up with Jeyps to drop our bags in his place. Bought more souvenir items and pasalubong at the mall's grocery. Haha. We were supposed to go to Taboan Market but Jeyps told us that the prices were not that far off. Not sure about that, though. Hehe. :P

And for yet another adventure, we tried the Skywalk Extreme at Crown Regency Hotel. For Php550, we get to walk around the outer rim of the hotel's 37th floor! We were in line for almost an hour before we were asked to slip into a jumpsuit. We were laughing at how silly we all looked. Jeyps thought that we looked like mascots so we started walking around the waiting area like one. And 'twas cool how some people who were in line were laughing at us. Or rather, with us. Hehe.

At last, we were called to step outside the waiting area. After some safety guidelines, we started to walk. It really wasn't as scary as I thought. The platform was wide enough to let go of any fears. One of the guides reminded us to appreciate the view and to experience the thrill. He's right. We did not shell out that much money to stare at the steel platform while walking. So I made it a point to stop once in a while, step on the edge, look down, and take in the uninterrupted view of Cebu City. It became more exciting when we had to walk on a glass platform where we had a sense of how high we really were!

We thought about how they could make the experience even more exciting. Like having a narrower path where the skywalkers would have to balance themselves to cross. Or a platform that needs to be crossed in time before it disappears, lest the skywalkers would fall. Wala lang. Para mas death-defying. Hehe.

Since we weren't allowed to bring our cameras with us, we had no choice but to rely on their official photographer to document our experience. Each picture costs Php230! What a rip-off! Asked if we could pay for the soft copies as well but according to one of the staff members, they no longer offer that option. Boo! I was so tempted to bring out my camera and take pictures of the monitor! Hehe.

More pictures here!

10.23.11
Day 296: STOMP

I am in love with Cebu's laid back vibe. It's just like Manila without the hustle, the bustle and the stress. Imagine working in the city during weekdays and then driving to the beach during weekends. What a sweet life that would be! Hmm, I think I wanna live here someday. But for now, it's time to go back to Manila. Thanks Jeyps for letting us crash in your apartment! Daghang salamat, Bai! Hehe.

At the airport, I caught a glimpse of PBB Teen Clash winner James Reid checking-in at the counter. Shared the same plane with Teddy of Rocksteddy, Jugs and Jazz of Itchyworms, and Lean and Lee of Slapshock. But really, that wasn't the highlight of my day.

Despite the fact that my body was screaming for rest, I watched the final performance of STOMP here in Manila at the CCP Main Theater. Albeit alone. Wah. Everyone that I invited was either not available on a Sunday or found the tickets too expensive. I even offered to pay for my brother's ticket but he wasn't interested. But that didn't stop me from catching this international theatrical sensation LIVE!

I was at the venue two hours before the doors would open. Dino and Iyah accompanied me as I waited. The show started at exactly 8pm. Cameras were not allowed but I was able to take a shot of my view of the stage. At least, that was my view until a really big guy took his seat in front of me. I had to lean to my side for the duration of the show.

STOMP is an hour and forty minutes of non-stop comedy, movement and percussion using anything but conventional instruments. Whoever thought that matchboxes, plastic pipes, broomsticks, or even lighters could produce incredible music! I was super impressed with their performance from start to finish! Everyone in the crowd were on their feet clapping and cheering and screaming for more!

Here's a video of three of my favorite parts:
STOMP - Newspapers
STOMP - Plastic Pipes
STOMP - Lighters

The first video was taken from their DVD and the next two videos were promotional clips. Not the actual performances that I watched, but it'll somehow give you a glimpse of what went down at the show.

Ah, so that's what all the noise is about!