As I promised, magkwe-kwento ako ng konti about our trip to Cebu.
Actually, our trip was supposed to be in Davao. We, with my friends (Michi, Becha, Glen and Edwin) already have our e-tickets going to Davao two months ago pa. When we were at the airport hindi na kami nakapag-board sa aming plane, 'coz we are 14 minutes late prior to check-in. That was Oct 21, 4:20 am. Eh sobrang nagdag-saan ang tao at ang haba ng pila noong dumating kami sa Manila Domestic Airport at nakasabay pa namin ang Cueshe sa pila. Ewan ko ba kung bakit ubod ng malas kapag sila ang kasama ko sa gimik. Madalas may aberya or hindi natutuloy.
Anyway, kahiyaan kung uuwi kami sa Nueva Ecija or mag-stay sa Manila. Naka-broadcast na sa lahat na pupunta kami sa Davao. Nakagayak kami na aalis tapos hindi matutuloy. Gusto naming maglibot. So, we will purchase another ticket, mag-add na lang kami ng kung magkano. Pero saan? Kapag sa Davao ulit magda-dagdag kami ng 5+k each. Ang mahal, ubos ang perang pang-libot. Kung sa Boracay or Palawan naman eh ayaw naman nila at wala kaming dalang pang beach na damit. He he! Kapag Cebu naman, 2k lang ang additional sa fare. So we all agreed to Cebu!
10:00 am at Mactan International Airport. At last, my first time in Cebu and so as my two other friends. Sinalubong kami ni Joyce (Becha's sis) sa airport since sa Cebu Pacific naman sya nagtratrabaho. Habang magkausap ang magkapatid, Michi and I called some hotels. We found one sa may down-town Cebu City. While waiting for a taxi, someone approached us and offered his private car. Eh barat kaming lahat kaya pinatulan na namin kesa mag dalawang taxi pa kami. Nasa kalayuan naka-park ang kotse nya kaya naglakad pa kami. Habang papalapit kami sa kotse, may kamalasan nanamang lumapit sa amin. The car was old enough para itapon sa dagat at para pagkapitan ng talaba! Hindi naman sa nanglalait ako, pero dalawa kami ng kasama ko eh mataba at lima kaming isasakay sa auto nya. Baka hindi kayanin ng suspension. Nahiya na lang kami na umayaw kasi mabait naman ung matanda. Habang nasa byahe kami, merong mga lubak at dumating na ang ikinatatakot ko, sumasayad ang rear fender sa gulong kung saan ako nakaupo. Baka mabutas ang kotse at mahulog na lang ako bigla! Kaya ang ginagawa ko kapag may lubak eh talagang itinataas ko ang aking pwet. At mahina pa ang aircon. Parusa! Buti na lang at nakarating kami sa hotel ng walang galos.
We rested for hours before we plan what to do in Cebu. We woke-up at 3pm and had our lunch while waiting for Joyce. The plan for that day was going to Sto. Niño Church and see the Magellan's Cross. We were at the area nung napansin naming madaming tao sa simbahan. Sunday nga pala kaya ganun kaya hindi na rin kami nakapasok at mahirap makipag-siksikan. Next stop, Tops! It is the city's highest point where you can see the whole Metro Cebu. It's almost 6pm when we got there kaya maganda ang view with the city lights turned on. After that we went to Paseo to eat dinner and then we went back to our hotel.
Second day. To Bohol province. 5am nasa Pier 1 na kami. Kami ang kauna-unahan sa pila sa pagkuha ng tiket. Ayaw na naming maiwanan ng ferry kahit antok na antok pa kme. Dalawang oras naman ang biyahe papunta ng Tagbilaran kaya pwede namang matulog. Pagdating sa Tagbilaran Port, madami ng nag-aalok ng tour package sa Bohol. In short, kumuha kami ng package. Mahirap naman talaga kung sasakay pa ng jeep or something else para libutin ang Bohol. Eto nanaman ang malas. Sa lahat ng nakaparadang van para sa tour, ung pinakaluma ulit at napunta sa amin at basag pa ang rear window, puro packaging tape lang ang nakadikit para 'di maghiwa-hiwalay. Pero ok lang dahil malakas naman ang air-con at mabait ung driver na ginawa din naming photographer. He he! The trip includes going to Sandugo Shrine, Chocolate Hills, man-made forest, hanging bridge, Loboc River cruise with buffet lunch, Tarsier sanctuary, Albur where "Prony" (a 9 year old, 23 feet with a 30-inch girth and weighing 200 kilograms python as of 2005) can be found, Baclayon Church (the oldest church in the country). The tour lasts for 8 hours and it was a really a good trip. Then we headed back to the port and went back to Cebu.
Third day. Cebu City Tour. First, we have to taste for ourselves the famous Cebu lechon. So we went to CnT Lechon beside SM Cebu. Ang isang pirasong lechon ay nauubos bawat 10 minuto at talagang maghihintay ka at kailangang pumila. The lechon really tastes different compared to other lechon kahit wala itong sarsa. After that, we hired a taxi to tour us within the metro. The driver took us to Plantation Bay Resort (Glen wanted to celebrate his birthday next year here. Sana matuloy!), Shangri-la's Mactan Island Resort (we had coffee at Tides), Magellan & Lapu-lapu Shrine, Taoist Temple at Beverly Hills, and our last stop, sa tindahan ng mga danggit. That night, we wanted to try our luck at Waterfront Casino, kaso talagang wala akong swerte sa anong klaseng sugal. While the two girls are enjoying playing pontoon, the rest of us wanted to eat and drink 'coz it will be the last night of our vacation. So we ended at The Port, just infront of the Waterfront.
Out last day. We prayed to Santo Niño de Cebu at the Santo Niño Church that morning since hindi nga kami nakapasok noong first day. Then a few feet away is where the Magellan's Cross is. Also that day was Becha's birthday (Oct 24) and our flight going back to Manila. So the two guys went back to our hotel to get our things and we'll just meet up in a resto to celebrate Becha's birthday. While the girls and I went back to CnT to buy lechon for pasalubong. Glen found a japanese resto named "Imperial". They serve the food buffet style during lunch. The food is excellent and really cheap. My faves are the shrimp tempura, and tofu with shiitake mushroom. After that we went straight ahead to the airport, had a coffee, bought some souveniers, and had our flight. Daghang salamat Cebu!!!
Pahabol ng kamalasan: While paying at the toll gate sa NLEX, pinara ako ng NLEX Traffic officer. Pundi daw ang isang headlight (dim light lang naman) ng kotse ko. Kesa i-surrender ko ang lisensya ko, i-nescort na lang nila ako hanggang Valenzuela exit at sa McArthur highway na lang ako dadaan. Hay malas talaga.
Actually, our trip was supposed to be in Davao. We, with my friends (Michi, Becha, Glen and Edwin) already have our e-tickets going to Davao two months ago pa. When we were at the airport hindi na kami nakapag-board sa aming plane, 'coz we are 14 minutes late prior to check-in. That was Oct 21, 4:20 am. Eh sobrang nagdag-saan ang tao at ang haba ng pila noong dumating kami sa Manila Domestic Airport at nakasabay pa namin ang Cueshe sa pila. Ewan ko ba kung bakit ubod ng malas kapag sila ang kasama ko sa gimik. Madalas may aberya or hindi natutuloy.
Anyway, kahiyaan kung uuwi kami sa Nueva Ecija or mag-stay sa Manila. Naka-broadcast na sa lahat na pupunta kami sa Davao. Nakagayak kami na aalis tapos hindi matutuloy. Gusto naming maglibot. So, we will purchase another ticket, mag-add na lang kami ng kung magkano. Pero saan? Kapag sa Davao ulit magda-dagdag kami ng 5+k each. Ang mahal, ubos ang perang pang-libot. Kung sa Boracay or Palawan naman eh ayaw naman nila at wala kaming dalang pang beach na damit. He he! Kapag Cebu naman, 2k lang ang additional sa fare. So we all agreed to Cebu!
10:00 am at Mactan International Airport. At last, my first time in Cebu and so as my two other friends. Sinalubong kami ni Joyce (Becha's sis) sa airport since sa Cebu Pacific naman sya nagtratrabaho. Habang magkausap ang magkapatid, Michi and I called some hotels. We found one sa may down-town Cebu City. While waiting for a taxi, someone approached us and offered his private car. Eh barat kaming lahat kaya pinatulan na namin kesa mag dalawang taxi pa kami. Nasa kalayuan naka-park ang kotse nya kaya naglakad pa kami. Habang papalapit kami sa kotse, may kamalasan nanamang lumapit sa amin. The car was old enough para itapon sa dagat at para pagkapitan ng talaba! Hindi naman sa nanglalait ako, pero dalawa kami ng kasama ko eh mataba at lima kaming isasakay sa auto nya. Baka hindi kayanin ng suspension. Nahiya na lang kami na umayaw kasi mabait naman ung matanda. Habang nasa byahe kami, merong mga lubak at dumating na ang ikinatatakot ko, sumasayad ang rear fender sa gulong kung saan ako nakaupo. Baka mabutas ang kotse at mahulog na lang ako bigla! Kaya ang ginagawa ko kapag may lubak eh talagang itinataas ko ang aking pwet. At mahina pa ang aircon. Parusa! Buti na lang at nakarating kami sa hotel ng walang galos.
We rested for hours before we plan what to do in Cebu. We woke-up at 3pm and had our lunch while waiting for Joyce. The plan for that day was going to Sto. Niño Church and see the Magellan's Cross. We were at the area nung napansin naming madaming tao sa simbahan. Sunday nga pala kaya ganun kaya hindi na rin kami nakapasok at mahirap makipag-siksikan. Next stop, Tops! It is the city's highest point where you can see the whole Metro Cebu. It's almost 6pm when we got there kaya maganda ang view with the city lights turned on. After that we went to Paseo to eat dinner and then we went back to our hotel.
Second day. To Bohol province. 5am nasa Pier 1 na kami. Kami ang kauna-unahan sa pila sa pagkuha ng tiket. Ayaw na naming maiwanan ng ferry kahit antok na antok pa kme. Dalawang oras naman ang biyahe papunta ng Tagbilaran kaya pwede namang matulog. Pagdating sa Tagbilaran Port, madami ng nag-aalok ng tour package sa Bohol. In short, kumuha kami ng package. Mahirap naman talaga kung sasakay pa ng jeep or something else para libutin ang Bohol. Eto nanaman ang malas. Sa lahat ng nakaparadang van para sa tour, ung pinakaluma ulit at napunta sa amin at basag pa ang rear window, puro packaging tape lang ang nakadikit para 'di maghiwa-hiwalay. Pero ok lang dahil malakas naman ang air-con at mabait ung driver na ginawa din naming photographer. He he! The trip includes going to Sandugo Shrine, Chocolate Hills, man-made forest, hanging bridge, Loboc River cruise with buffet lunch, Tarsier sanctuary, Albur where "Prony" (a 9 year old, 23 feet with a 30-inch girth and weighing 200 kilograms python as of 2005) can be found, Baclayon Church (the oldest church in the country). The tour lasts for 8 hours and it was a really a good trip. Then we headed back to the port and went back to Cebu.
Third day. Cebu City Tour. First, we have to taste for ourselves the famous Cebu lechon. So we went to CnT Lechon beside SM Cebu. Ang isang pirasong lechon ay nauubos bawat 10 minuto at talagang maghihintay ka at kailangang pumila. The lechon really tastes different compared to other lechon kahit wala itong sarsa. After that, we hired a taxi to tour us within the metro. The driver took us to Plantation Bay Resort (Glen wanted to celebrate his birthday next year here. Sana matuloy!), Shangri-la's Mactan Island Resort (we had coffee at Tides), Magellan & Lapu-lapu Shrine, Taoist Temple at Beverly Hills, and our last stop, sa tindahan ng mga danggit. That night, we wanted to try our luck at Waterfront Casino, kaso talagang wala akong swerte sa anong klaseng sugal. While the two girls are enjoying playing pontoon, the rest of us wanted to eat and drink 'coz it will be the last night of our vacation. So we ended at The Port, just infront of the Waterfront.
Out last day. We prayed to Santo Niño de Cebu at the Santo Niño Church that morning since hindi nga kami nakapasok noong first day. Then a few feet away is where the Magellan's Cross is. Also that day was Becha's birthday (Oct 24) and our flight going back to Manila. So the two guys went back to our hotel to get our things and we'll just meet up in a resto to celebrate Becha's birthday. While the girls and I went back to CnT to buy lechon for pasalubong. Glen found a japanese resto named "Imperial". They serve the food buffet style during lunch. The food is excellent and really cheap. My faves are the shrimp tempura, and tofu with shiitake mushroom. After that we went straight ahead to the airport, had a coffee, bought some souveniers, and had our flight. Daghang salamat Cebu!!!
Pahabol ng kamalasan: While paying at the toll gate sa NLEX, pinara ako ng NLEX Traffic officer. Pundi daw ang isang headlight (dim light lang naman) ng kotse ko. Kesa i-surrender ko ang lisensya ko, i-nescort na lang nila ako hanggang Valenzuela exit at sa McArthur highway na lang ako dadaan. Hay malas talaga.
