36 - Romblown Me Away

The barkada trip that we've been drawing since time immemorial is finally painted into life. We were originally planning to go to Siargao (it being one of the top local destinations during the past year), but for some reason we ended up booking plane tickets to Romblon; and lo, we were all blown away!

This trip happened March of 2019. Back when I posted the photos on facebook, a lot of my friends messaged me asking for the 'budget' and 'itinerary', which by that time up til now (sorry guys) I was not able to provide because of the following reasons:

1. Our friends who are working abroad paid for the hotel. (thanks guys, you know who you are :P)
2. I never participated in the preparations; I just nodded my head in agreement to all of their suggestions without even reading a thing in our group chat, hehe.

But here, just to share with you the things we did, and the places we visited.

HOW WE GOT THERE:

We booked our flight through Cebu Pacific, from NAIA T4 to Romblon Airport (Barangay Tugdan, Alcantara, Romblon). Please note that Romblon, Romblon is a different island. If you want to go there directly, you could ride a ferry (you could search it in google).

note: Flights aren't scheduled daily; back then available days were Wednesdays, Fridays & Sundays.

WHERE WE STAYED:

Romblon isn't as developed as other local tourist destinations; back then, it was very hard to search for accommodations at Romblon, Romblon (we didn't find Airbnbs nor budget hotels; it didn't help as well that the change from Siargao to Romblon was sooo last minute and the first few hotels that our -organizer friends- contacted can no longer accommodate us. We ended up checking in at Aglicay Beach Resort, which is located at Tablas.

(see screenshot of google map for better imagination:)

Land Transfer from Airport to Aglicay Beach Resort Options:
A. Van - you may try arranging this with the hotel
B. Tricycle - you may actually negotiate with the drivers if you haven't arranged with any tour companies your transportation for the duration of your stay.

Note that it will take you at least 30 minutes to get to the hotel from the airport (if you're riding a van); add another 15 minutes if it's a trike.

Aglicay Beach Resort boasts a picturesque scenery with clear, pristine waters perfect for a whole day swim. It also offers recreational activities to its guests such as beach volleyball, videoke, frisbee, billiards, etc. Food though is a bit expensive for its taste, but it's not like we have a choice since there are no nearby restaurants. Signal is very weak as well; which is perfect if  you want to disconnect from the outside world.

Food Tip: You could buy from the sari-sari stores in the bayan and ask the resort personnel to cook for you. They'll charge you cooking fee of P90 if I remember it right.

Signal Tip: Globe > Smart in this place. I am a Smart subscriber and I only get to send messages when I'm staying near the shore. How near? Waves were touching my feet!

Here's their website: http://aglicaybeachresort.com

Day 1: Aglicay Beach Resort - Rest. Eat. Appreciate. Repeat.

theviewfromwhereIstand

Aglicay Beach Resort is <3

sunset on our first day

Day 2: Carabao Island

How to get there: Get a van or tricycle going to Santa Fe.

Daytour: Our friend arranged a daytour with a boatman (whose contact details she stumbled upon when she was reading other blogs about this)

Possible Option: Well, Carabao Island is 20minutes away from Boracay. You may want to consider :)

Activities: Cliff Jumping and well, Eating. Note though that food here is expensive. We paid P500 per head for our lunch.

waiting for the sunrise

blue water

cliff jump: everything you want is on the other side of fear

Day 3: Romblon, Romblon

So for Day 3, we went to Romblon, Romblon. If you'll be staying in Tablas (just like us), please research for the SCHEDULE of the ferry online because said schedule is subject to change. We had to wait for hours because we got an outdated information.

The first thing we did when we got to Romblon, Romblon is to buy marble souvenirs. (We won't be riding a ferry back; we hired a private boat so we had to buy our pasalubongs before the inland tour starts). We bought food as well which we will be bringing to the beaches we're going to.

BonBon Beach

Sandbar

RomBlown Us Awayyyy!

We went to another beach but sadly, I don't have the pictures. We alighted at San Agustin where our transpo back to the hotel was waiting for us.

Day 4: Fish Sanctuary

And now we're down to our last day. Our flight is in the afternoon so we decided to use our morning to explore Looc where the Fish Sanctuary is located. We brought skyflakes with us so we could feed the fish. You may also opt to swim with them! No worries, there's a restroom back to the tourism office where you could take a bath and change clothes. Fare is at P100 each; those who would rent gears will have to pay an additional P50.

fish feeding program

Gihigugma Tika, Romblon!

And then we're back.

PS. Just want to share with you, we had a problem with our baggage when we were going to Tablas. Two of us (both using hard case, handcarry luggage) were told that our bags do not meet the standard specs accepted for a handcarry luggage. We had to pay for the check-in fee. Anyway, we find it really weird but we didn't argue with the airport personnel anymore. Bitterness crept when we were already inside the plane and we saw other people whose handcarry bags are even larger than ours. Oh well.

22 - Dining with Pandas, Giraffes & Tigers

MAKATI CITY is probably one of the busiest areas in the Philippines. I've often heard people say this is our country's equivalent of the NYC considering that people in business attires seem to be walking and rushing all over the place. Amid all the chaos, pollution, tall buildings and honking of cars, herein situated is a haven where one could take a break, even momentarily, from the buzz of corporate life.

Zoo Coffee brings with it the serene ambiance of an animal-themed cafe where a lot of cutesy stuffed toys and furnitures would greet you at the onset. It is a Korean-franchised Cafe which opened its first (and only, as of this writing) branch at the ground floor of Alphaland (near RCBC). Outside boasts a towering life-sized giraffe while inside you will be greeted with stuffed pandas, white tigers, as well as monkeys hanging on artificial trees. They surely would love to dine with you! The cafe is decorated in zebra stripes as well.

The menu does not fall far from the origins: it's Korean! Smoothies with yogurt, ades, frappe, waffle, teas, specialty coffee, pastries, ice cream, sandwiches - chicken and hotdog with your choice of flavor (there's teriyaki, there's bbq). Pasta was not yet available as of this writing but they will be, soon!

Here's some snaps of our brunch:

You can choose between having the sandwich ala-carte, or with salad. And look, even the latte art screams zebra!

Hello there! You should come visit me soon. I give free hugs! - Panda

You should go and try it for yourself!

-Cheng

20 - Traveling Solo & Exploring Baguio

I have always wanted to try traveling solo. I dream to become a backpacker and see the world and wander and decide for myself where home is. But things, as always, happen. It’s like I was suddenly living a life tied up with circumstances that I can never change. Circumstances that do not allow me to live as I see fit. Suddenly, I felt old. It was like one day I woke up and reality hit me, brutally hard, on the face. When did I let myself get tangled up in this toxic adult life? Going to work five to six days a week, spending the weekends doing chores and errands. Repeat. It was so frustrating. It was a routine. It was lethal. I had to stop doing it. So one day I woke up, packed my bags and rode that bus going to Baguio. And man, I’m telling you it was liberating. It was worth it.

So here are the things that I’ve learned on this trip:

1) You do not need an expensive hotel to stay at, especially if you’re out on the streets for most of the day. In Baguio, there are a lot of transient homes and dormitories/hostels that are cheap but have good reviews. You may book and check with Agoda. I’ve seen dormitories that offer P500 or less for one night, while a standard room in hotels range from P1k to P3k per night.

I would’ve booked for a bedspace in a dormitory but I had a last minute cold feet about the idea. Roughly two years ago, I had a horrible experience of bed bugs in a condo in Makati which costed me a fortune, thus my kaartehan when it comes to beds. My skin is very sensitive to insect bites and the scars have not fully healed yet. I do not want to risk it. Cringe. Also, if you are a sucker for soft fluffy beds and have no itinerary (and are considering to just waste away on a bed in a hotel), and for the life of it cannot YET stand the thought of common bathrooms, then you may opt for the more expensive ones. Yep, I have so many issues that i hope I could move on from so I could stay a little longer in the places I wish to visit. Comfort doesn’t have to come too high a price (I wish). 

While I’m at it, I would recommend the place that I stayed at: Casa Vallejo. Located at the Upper Session Road, the place is accessible and is near SM Baguio, Burnham Park, Baguio Museum, Harrison Road (where there’s a night market from 9pm to 12 midnight), and different restaurants and spas. I booked this through Agoda for 2k per night (expensive for a solo traveler but not so much if you have someone to split the costs with). The room comes with a bathroom with hot and cold shower, a television with sky cable, and complimentary breakfast for two at The Hill Station. Check-in time is at 2:00pm while check-out is at 12PM. I was surprised though that Casa Vallejo doesn’t have any airconditioned rooms. They just have these giant wooden ceiling fans installed in each room. Nevertheless, you won’t be needing the ACs since it’s plenty cold already. Must add, friendly staff too!

Casa Vallejo

giant ceiling fan

standard room for 2pax

There are three choices for the free breakfast at The Hill Station, Pinoy Style, Country style & Omelette. The meal comes with either coffee or juice. The regular cost of the meal is P200.

by the window @ The Hill Station

Omelette with bacon & onions, potatoes & bread
with strawberry jam + butter on the side

2) Google maps is the best companion, ever. Download it in the app store NOW. It got me to places and saved me from the trouble of searching blindly. I walked around the city proper since the hotel I was staying at is in a good location. Saved me a lot of taxi fares too. If possible, try to learn how to commute via jeepneys. The jeepney terminals are located at the public market. I still recommend taxis though especially if you’re traveling as a group. Taxi drivers in Baguio (in my experience) are very disciplined and would not ask for you to pay more than what is stated in the meter (unlike in Manila…). When I went to Ben Cab Museum, I asked for the driver to wait for me while I roam around because based on online blogs that I’ve read, it’s hard to get a ride back to Burnham Park - which I could kind of attest to considering that when I got there, there were groups of people hailing my cab. Even when I was leaving, a lot of people are outside waiting for a ride back. 

Entrance to the BenCab ecotrail

Here are some of my favorite pieces in the museum: (I won't be posting much. You are encouraged to go see the beauties for yourself! :) )

"I think, therefore I am." - R. Descartes
Thinking Man

Gaze

3) Check the hourly weather forecast on your travel dates. This is so you could plan where you would be if the rain falls. With this being said, ensure that you go to Tam-Awan Village BEFORE the rainfall. The Garden in the Sky is a refreshing experience, though the climb was really physically exhausting, and muddy too. After exploring the village, I treat myself to a strawberry shake and Tam-Awan Cafe’s pride: Highlander Pasta. The pasta is a 4/5 for me! It’s oil based, with lots of tomatoes, plus smoked meat too!

Exploring Tam-Awan!

The Dreamer: Exhibit at the Tam-Awan Village

Tam-Awan Village: Garden in the Sky

Rest mode @ View Deck 1 after an exhausting climb

DREAAAAM CATCHERRRRR :))))

Well instead of eating it in the confines of a coffee shop, I had the Highlander Pasta wrapped for take out so I could eat my lunch under the tree at Burnham Park.

Highlander Pasta P220

Burnham Park

Swan Lake @ Burnham Park; Brownish water is due to the rain

One of the few times I wish I know how to ride a bike
@ Burnham Park

4) Put your money in different places: have some in your bag, in your pocket, in your wallet, heck even in your undies if you want to. Just don’t put it all in one place. First, this is so when you lose your wallet or something, you will still have enough money to go back home. And second, this is an additional measure so I could restrain myself from splurging too much. Hehe! It works!

5) Do not wear slippers or sandals. Wear comfortable shoes please. Have pity on your soles. You may travel with style but my dear, how could you enjoy the beauty that is not you if you are constantly worrying about your dying feet? I wore my sneakers during my trip but hell I’d be wearing rubber shoes the next time I go here!

theviewfromwhereistand

"Mabato man ang daan, hinding hindi kita iiwan" whuuut #hugot

6) It’s okay to stick on a budget when traveling, but I hope you’re not spoiling your happiness by keeping tabs in everything you spend. 

7) When it comes to food, GO OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE! You do not go to Cafe by the Ruins and order pesto or spaghetti meatballs, you have them in cafes at your hometown! Eat food that are not available elsewhere. Eat food that are tatak Baguio.

Cafe by the Ruins is a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Well, the weather is cold so walking for 10mins with a sweater on is okay. :)

Cafe by the Ruins

Iced Ruins Coffee & Chicken Adobo Terrine

While waiting for the night market to open at 9pm, I went to Majic Oven (1minute walk from Casa Vallejo) and tried their strawberry cake. It was really cheap, costed around P70 if I remember it right. 

Strawberry Cake + Tea @ Majic Oven

Nightmarkets in Baguio also mean... foodtrip!

Try their binatog. It's good!

You may also want to try Tsokolateria's champorado! The cafe opened 2015 and is located at the higher upper session road, near Casa Vallejo.

Champorado with bacon, chicharon & espada on the side!

And of course, the visit won't be complete without the famous strawberry taho! I was able to buy one at the Mines View Park.

Wish I could’ve stayed a little longer. I’m sure to go back here one day soon and try the other cafes I haven’t had the luxury to visit, as well as go to Sagada (where broken hearts go). Lol. Nevertheless, it was an awesome experience! But like all other life moments, this, too, shall end.

Chasing the sunset. MNL bound by 6PM.

Love,

Cheng

PS. I am very thankful to the Lord for taking care of me this whole trip. It was not possible without His guidance. To tell you the truth, I am a coward when it comes to sleeping in hotels alone. I had to turn on the TV the whole night and watch Adventure Time haha! You had no idea how much courage I needed to pursue this life goal. Now that I did it, I am looking forward to more solo travels in the future! (But first, I have to find a job so I can finance myself :P)


Anyway, here's a breakdown of the costs/expenses:
Fare from Cubao to Baguio and Baguio to Cubao: P1,000
Hotel (Casa Vallejo - 2k per night) P2,000
BenCab + Baguio Museum + Tam Awan Entrance P200
Taxi Fare (BenCab, Tam-Awan & Mines View) P500
Food and others est.  P1,300

13 - Bleeding Yellow

We live in a time where convenience is of utmost importance. Thus, fast food, instant noodles, speed dating, Tinder… We want to have anything - everything - the soonest possible time. We are impatient and we want to deal with matters the quickest way there is. So when someone promises to suppress crime in 3-6 months, all hell breaks loose. We jump onto that ship, our hearts on our sleeves, holding dear that promise.

I have to tell you the truth that I am skeptical about these promises. I went out of my way to research and read different articles about this coming elections, and gave each candidate a fair chance to get my vote. After days of discerning, I came up to a solid conclusion that my precious one vote goes to Mar Roxas. This is all for the simple reason that among the candidates, he possesses what I think are relevant for the next president to have. He has the vision, the integrity, the passion, the ability, just to name a few. His promises may not be as grand as what the other candidates have pledged but he has proven himself countless times already and will continue to do so if we just give him a chance.

So whether you’ve already decided as to who you’re going to vote for or not, I hope you’re voting for that candidate not because you let your emotions get the better of you, but because you have researched, weighed your options, looked past the propagandas, stepped back and looked at the bigger picture. Please look at the bigger picture. 

Tonight, I look at the sky and shiver and wonder what the future holds. The 2016 elections is around the corner. I hope it bleeds yellow.

_________

On a side note, since we're talking about Yellow here, Coldplay's coming to Manilaaaaa! Yaaay! I better get myself a job soon and save money for the tickets (or else, I'm doing what others will do: sell my kidneys). Who's interested? Kidding! (not.)

_________

Yellow still.

Well, if you’re looking for a serene place in Antipolo where you can hang out while sipping good coffee and delectable pasta, I would recommend the newly-opened “Yellow Bird Cafe x Kitchen” located near the entrance gate of Mission Hills Subdivision. The place itself is a 5/5! I fell in love at first sight at the warm interior, glass walls and overall vibe the place brings. See sample photos below:

with Lea.

Today, I tried their Chicken Pesto Pasta P160 (4.5/5), Mocha Chillers (3/5) and Blueberry Cheesecake (3/5). The pasta's really good and kinda cheap too! I've always been a fan of all things pesto so believe me when I say this one's going to send you floating to the outer space! (Now that's hyperbole). What I loved about it is that it was not salty and not too oily. Will definitely order it again when I come back. (Note: I am no coffee/food review expert; just a girl who loves to eat and drink).

The insides of the cheesecake look rough you wouldn't think it would melt in your mouth. <3

Overall, Yellow Bird Cafe is a cozy place where you could spend some me-time chilling or probably thinking about the important things in life (like who to vote for as president in the elections lol). The only downside as of writing is the limitation in the menu (there's not much food to choose from) but they are already working on this one. Will definitely come back! :)

-Cheng