Coron

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November 23- 25, 2011.
Coron, Palawan is one exotic beauty. I've seen pictures over the net, but to experience its splendor is something else.

Manila to Coron flight takes an hour. The day has been good to us.


Checked in at Mt. Tapyas hotel, a relatively new hotel in Busuanga.
This is the bayview on their roofdeck and our room.

Our delayed flight left us canceling Mt. Tapyas hike
Instead, we headed for Maquinit Hotspring during the night. Relaxing saltwater dip contrast to the cool sea breeze
(Disclaimer: I dont own the picture above)

Day Two
The adventure begins!


Beside the jeep terminal, is the town market where we bought our lunch to be cooked later on the boat. Then off to the port we went for some island hopping


Siete Pecados Marine Sanctuary for my first snorkel. Welcomed by a school of fish who were happy with the bread i brought :)


Then next stop at Kayangan lake. There's some mild hiking required before you reach the view

But it is too awesome not to bother climbing


On the other side is brackish water where shrimps and an endemic species of fish live.
Amazing how something like this naturally occurred.

Took a swim for a couple of minutes with a Tagbanua guide. He was kind enough to join me because my mom doesn't like to swim. He took me to this 'secret' cave just on the far corner where this piece of light shines through. Times like this i desperately want an underwater camera. Haha

Then off to the next stop


Twin Lagoon! Really surprised when i saw this. This twin tower is a gateway to another world, i tell you! Better you have an underwater camera because walls do not give justice!

Swam in the hole between these two rocks and surprise surprise! A lake enclosed in rock formations. I had the whole thing for myself.


Then this little patch of white sand beach. We didn't swim in here because there where too many white jellyfish

After, was a shipwreck somewhere in these rock formations. Coolness! Lots of fish in the area too.

Overall, Coron goes well beyond my expectations!
Will go back here for sure, there are still lots of places to visit like Culion and Calauit wildlife sanctuary as well as other fantastic islands part of the Calamian group.
Palawan is really one of the country's premier spot worth visiting

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Bacolod Cakes and Ruins

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Day Two
Woke up pretty late and ate what's left of our pastries yesterday. Awesome Napoleones from Merci's, piaya and biscocho

My sugar intake has reached its limit but i don't care.
You dont get to Bacolod everyday

There are a lot of bakeshop/cakeshop in this city. Negros is surely a sugarlover's haven!
Calea is one of those shops with a pretty neat interior

We ordered blueberry cheesecake for Php85
Then it was time for real food.


Spotted Bistro Negrense after checking out the Negros showroom. The showroom -lots of locally made stuff but too expensive for my taste. This is a good place to bring balikbayans and foreigners tho

At Bistro Negrense, we ordered this langka soup (caljos or cadjos? can't remember the name)
ox's tongue and chicken salpicao.
Three dishes were too much for the two of us. The serving size per dish is good for 2-3 persons already

A higher end restaurant compared to our first, Manokan.

Then The Ruins happened. We took a cab to Talisay for Php400 roundtrip.
Talisay is north of Bacolod.

We came just before sunset. And this place is romantic

Especially when the sky has turned dark and the structure is illuminated

My picture doesnt give justice.
Note: If you're planning to go here, include the Ancestral Houses in Silay to save time. It's in another city but it's better than going back and fort to Bacolod.


Dinner happened at Pala-pala market. This is different from 18th Palapala (the classier version)
We got to the market place and bought seafood and asked one of the restaurants lined in the streets to cook it for us. Had grilled fish and oyster in garlic. Too many for the two of us and definitely sulit!



Nothing much happened the third day, we just went to buy some more pasalubong.
Found out another branch of Calea in Robinson's mall in Mandalagan.
And bought some as additional pasalubong.

-end-


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Bacolod City Tour

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Bacolod Day One

We arrived at New Bacolod-Silay Airport early in the morning and proceeded to the information booth to ask for transportation. The personnel said there are taxis (php 500) and a shuttle van (Php150/pax) waiting outside the airport. We took the shuttle van and it dropped us off at our hotel.

I booked Circle Inn a week early out of fear that we won't have a place to stay in, but there are lots of hotels around the city. The information booth at the airport can also accommodate you with that.

Honestly, Circle Inn was beyond my expectation. For Php880 (got a 5% discount for early booking) we got a poolview room. The place is also well-kept and modern

After a long rest, we headed for San Sebastian Cathedral. From Circle Inn, it's a jeep ride away.
But we chose to ride the taxi. San Sebastian was built in the 1800's and is made from coral stones in Guimaras.

Centennial Belfry at the right side of the cathedral

Then Lunch at Manokan Country, it's a walking distance from the church. Good and cheap food are the best :)

Talaba/Oysters also at Manokan for Php35 per plate. Winner!

We headed to SM Bacolod to chill after, it was hot outside.
Tirik na tirik ang araw.
and got our hands on some desserts. Butterscotch and piaya at Merci's
Note: For an SM, this one is small and doesn't have enough comfort rooms to accomodate people.

We let the heat cool down and went out in the afternoon. Capitol Park and Lagoon.
This is the Provincial Capitol Building

We were greeted by this Paghimud-os sculpture

Then some others


At the back of the Provincial Capitol is the Negros Museum (and the Egological Center)
We asked the guard for directions but he was not speaking Tagalog.

There is an entrance fee for the Museum. The guide can give you a tour of the place and the history of Negros. At the ground floor, there is also a doll collection exhibit.

Beside it is Museum Cafe that also serves as a gallery. The staff here are very friendly.
They even invited us to the Adobo festival held at Silay.

We ordered a Talisay Ham Sandwich. It was good and filled with organic herbs and vegetables.

Then we had dinner at Imay's and met up with my mom's client.

Food at Imay's
Had Calamares and Scallop with garlic and cheese.
The scallop is good but the calamares was hard to chew.

Also had Sizzling Bulalo and Seafood w/ Vegetables.
I was too full to eat, but they said it was good!

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Bacolod Itinerary

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It was raining in Manila, but on the other side of the Philippines, it was pretty sunny enough. Bacolod happened last Nov. 3-5 with my mom.

Travelling with my mother has some pros and cons. You can not expect a thrill-seeking adventure hiking mountains but do expect splurging into awesome food! My mom has thought me that food is the way of knowing a place/culture. Awesome.

This was our 'planned' itinerary for a 3D/3N stay in Bacolod

Arrive at Bacolod-Silay Airport
Check-in at Circle Inn
Lunch at Manokan Country
City Tour
(San Sebastian Cathedral, Capitol Lagoon, Negros Museum etc)
Dinner

Mambukal Hot Spring Resort*
Lunch Bistro Negrense/ Calea
The Ruins, Talisay City
Dinner
Buy pasalubong

Day Three
Ancestral Houses, Silay*
Go to Bacolod-Silay Airport

which wasn't followed. haha
*places we weren't able to go to. boohoo
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