At first, the boyfriend said that they were loading machines or something, but I didn’t believe him. They were everywhere! I tried snapping photos while inside a moving cab but I never got a clear shot – just a bunch of blurry ones. The driver (who doubled as our tour guide) finally told us what they were: ATMs – Automatic Tubig Machines!

Cebuanos need not go thirsty – there were water stations all over the place. I daresay there’s more of them than there are sari-sari stores. Hehe. You drop coins in, take a plastic cup, and have yourself some cool water. I didn’t get to try it though.

This particular ATM in the picture is located just outside the Matutinao Elementary School in Badian, south of Cebu. Even three hours away from the city, these ATMs exist!

Checkout the my yet-to-be-completed series on our Cebu 2011 trip!

On our first morning in Cebu, we headed down to the small wading pool by the beach to hangout. We weren’t due for the City Tour until around lunch time so we had plenty of time to kill and play around in the water. It was also Tixie’s debut as  a waterproof camera. All photos in this post were shot using Tixie.

I spent a lot of time that morning laying on a lounge chair, with a huge umbrella shielding me from the heat of the sun. This, pretty much, was my view:

It was nice to just relax and chill out. Sounds ironic because we were at the beach! But really – it was very cool that day, not too windy but enough to keep the heat from biting. While lounging we talked about our hopes and dreams. In particular, I was dreaming about staying just like so for weeks and not having to go to an office. Oh to be able to live the life! We joked about finding jobs at call centers in Cebu just so we can have weekends like that, haha. Or of me just working online – I could whip out my tiny but powerful laptop and type and surf away – anywhere. I could literally earn while chilling out at the same time! No more having to worry about general management jobs and all the troubles and pressures these jobs bring. Of course, things are just never that easy…

So – back to the pool to have the water wake us up!

Thanks to Tixie, it was all about goofing off and snapping crazy photos

I’d have to say though, Alfred gets to have so many nice shots and I don’t! He tried getting underwater snapshots of me but I either look like a whale or all he gets are bubbles, hahahahaa

Oh by the way, these next two photos were supposed to be part of the Be Resorts post but I forgot to upload them.

This is a playset in the hotel’s recreation room. A kiddie sized sala set! I almost stayed behind to hangout here (but I think it was more because of the Rockband set in the room than for this )

Now this is how the beds look like, there’s two in the room:

Sooooo… enough for today. See you around soon

This is where we stayed:

That’s the Be Resort in Mactan. We got a good deal, about 30% discount on the room because the boyfriend knew someone who knew the Sales Manager. The room normally goes for 5400 pesos per night, with buffet breakfast for two.  However, we didn’t get the room upgrade we thought we were getting. No complaints though because we still had both a pool and a sea view:

Nice isn’t it? This isn’t really a veranda, but it’s more of a window. We had what looked like a sliding door that could only be opened a few inches to let the cool sea breeze in.

I loved the hotel as soon as I walked into the lobby. They had mismatched pieces of furniture all over, lots of pretty chairs (I haven’t organized ALL of our photos from the trip yet, so if I find more worthy to share, I’ll post again):

I so wanted to sit on this red chair, what with its comfy white pillows! But I wasn’t too sure it could carry my weight, hahahaha

My fave chairs have got to be the set right by the elevators on the 3rd floor, where we stayed. As soon as the elevator doors part, what you’ll see is a nice clean mirror above a table and two matching chairs with floral upholstery. There’s a small picture frame on the table that tells what floor you’re on. Match that with the black and white floral wallpaper and it’s just a cute scene! I wanted to go up the other floors and see how the other sets looked like but I didn’t want to show up in the hotel security cameras looking suspicious and snooping around! Specially not with my own cameras snapping away

Okay… So there’s lots more to tell about Be Resort, but it will have to wait. I want photos to accompany what I say so let me go and sort those out first.

How’s your weekend going?

It cost us about this much for two round trip tickets (MNL-CEB-MNL):

• Base Fare: PHP 2,796.00
• VAT: PHP 339.12
• Aviation Security Fee: PHP 30.00
• Web Admin Fee Fee: PHP 224.00
• World Wide Fund: PHP 240.00
• Total: PHP 3,629.12

The World Wide Fund item is to offset the carbon footprints for the plane ride

I know of some people who have gotten their fare for a much lower price – 17 pesos! – but I don’t have their luck and speed when it comes to making online reservations. I also remember regular local airfare costing no lower than 6k roundtrip per person a few years ago, so I know that I’m not getting a bad deal with this price.

A Cord Taxi took us to the airport (this is the name of the new World taxis), and cost only 200 pesos from QC to Pasay. We arrived with a lot of time to spare for our 1515 flight. This despite the fact that I came at noon time from work when I planned to have been home by 10AM. The line at the check-in counters was quite long but we found ways to entertain ourselves . We didn’t have much money on us so we decided not to grab any snacks before the flight. I took a few photos with my BB and tweeted them too!

V for Vera!

And the sign pointing to Gate 133

As well as Alfred while waiting to board

NAIA Terminal 3 is a huge place and the waiting areas are spacious and normally very cold. The Gate for our flight was at the ground floor where people from three or four other flights were waiting to board. The place was packed, most of the seats were taken! I guess that’s a good sign for local tourism. The boyfriend played a game on the iPad while I started reading one of the books I brought with me for the trip – Can You Keep a Secret?. I didn’t get too far with reading though – I ended up taking a nap until boarding time

Since we were at the ground floor, I’d already expected to walk to the plane on the ground rather than through a tube. We actually had to board a shuttle that took us to where our plane was:

While waiting for the rest of the passengers to board the back bus, I snapped a few more photos

And this was the plane that took us to Mactan, safely:

Although boarding was on time, takeoff was delayed a bit. There was a lot of traffic at the runway. I wasn’t surprised, seeing that our flight was rescheduled a week or two earlier. It was supposed to be the noon flight but was pushed back by three hours.

It was a full flight and all seats were taken. There were a few babies too although I didn’t notice them cry so much because of the pressure on my ears. I thought I was going to endure the pain and get a migraine on my first night in Cebu, until I remembered I could always do the diver’s equalizing trick to relieve my ears of that pressure! I had to do it a few times until after arriving in Cebu, but it was well worth it.

It was a smooth flight, except for the boyfriend spilling his orange juice all over both our legs (yes it was Minute Maid, no I did not win the blog contest ). Oh, a tip when you’re taking Cebu Pacific on budget airfare – bring your own drinks. The drinks that normally cost 20 pesos at your corner grocery store is sold at 50 pesos! Since it’s a short flight anyway, just drink lots of water before the flight and you’ll be packed until touchdown.

I’ve always commented how we don’t have a lot of photos together, so while on the plane, we took a few goofy ones! haha

From Mactan International Airport, we took a metered taxi to the hotel. It probably took 15-20 minutes and the fare was about 300 pesos, I felt that that was too high compared to what we had to pay from QC to Pasay, but what the heck.

So that’s part 1 of our Cebu trip. Stay tuned for the next one

If that doesn’t work out, we’ll try to arrange for a trip to Bantayan Island. We’ might stay there for two nights if we decide to go. I would love to revisit Badian but it would have to be a choice between the two sites, we can’t go to both places. I was there almost 14 years ago with ECPAT friends. The last time I visited Cebu City was around 12 years ago I think. Both visits were quite an experience. This time would be very different because it’s supposed to be all leisure.

I do wish there was a reliable vacation rentals directory for Cebu. It would make planning this trip easier. There are actually a few sites out there, but I don’t believe they offer the best rates. Plus, there’s no way to really see what you’re opting for. Oh well. There’s very few people in Cebu whom I personally know that I can ask to host us – not to house us really, just to help us get around. But I’m a bit shy to ask them.

Do you have suggestions for Cebu?

All this planning for a four-day getaway excites me, I wonder if I’ll ever be able to say that I was browsing for vacation rentals Paris? It is still my dream destination – Paris and all of Europe!

Someday

I remember a time when Quiapo was alien territory for me. I’d pass by the church many times throughout the years and see the mass of people that always seem to mill around the area, but I’ve never really been there.  Not before a class project we had to do for a Pscyh class (what was the class called again, with Dr. De Castro? Not 108.) maybe ten years ago. My groupmates and I decided to go to Quiapo Church and the surrounding area. Alfred offered to join us and we met up with him at Plaza Miranda. But that’s old news.

In the past three to five years, Quiapo has become a common destination for us. Before, it was to buy beads at Wellmanson (tama ba?). Then the purpose for the visits changed, we’d go to the camera stores along Hidalgo. Sometimes we’d go to the optical shops for Alfred’s glasses.

Yesterday, Dad and I were there to get speakers for tonight’s videoke session. ‘Twas the first time in a long time that Dad and I had a day out just the two of us, and the first time we went to Quiapo together.

I took pictures from my BB while we were on the road, and sent tweets about it. Here’s the story for those not following on my Twitter:

No traffic along España, what a relief! This was at around 3PM when one would expect traffic to start building up, specially two days before Christmas. I guess the mass of people were elsewhere, like Ortigas center where the big malls are.

We only slowed a bit at the Quiapo underpass. Before getting here, we had to pass through the Q.Ave-Lacson intersection where we were stopped by traffic cops. Dad was on the turn-left lane before he realized that that’s what it was. The green light was on for vehicles going straight through so Dad waited for an opportunity to switch lanes and we could go on our way. Unfortunately, the yellow cops saw us and stopped us right in the middle of the intersection. Dad explained how he wasn’t aware of it, and the good cop eventually let us go, without a ticket. No, we didn’t have to give him pamasko.

Upon arriving at this area, with a view of the Isetann Mall, my Dad started reminiscing. He said that Isetann used to be where the famed Cinerama was. It used to be state-of-the-art cinema of its time (60′s maybe). It was also the site of the studio where his grandfather’s radio program aired from. His lolo is Buenaventura Medina, Sr. Because he worked there, he had access to movie passes and that’s how Dad and his siblings got to see the first film with sense-surround (his terms), How the West Was Won.

He shared other bits of childhood memories too, like having a spot at the breakfast table of his Lolo who lived next door. He says he was the only apo who went there for brekky. I should record his stories.

After we got the speakers from Joy’s at Raon (lowest prices), we left the boxes in the car and walked all the way to Excelente to get us some ham. Ang daming tao! It’s like each person who emerges from this thick layer of people was coming off a victory in battle. It didn’t really take too long, maybe ten minutes. That’s Dad there in white on the far left. We ate all the ham he bought today, it really is yummy and worth the money spent for it. Dad only got half a kilo and we shared some of it with Papa. Now Dad’s thinking of going back there to get more.

Dad also showed me where the Globe Lumpia House is. I love their lumpia! Alfred and I couldn’t find it before, mostly because we never asked around for it. We thought it was a bigger place, more noticeable. I was surprised that something so famous was a humble place like this. We walked all the way back to Raon from Excelente to buy lumpia for dinner. We sat at their ‘dine-in’ space to sip some Sarsi while waiting for our take-out.

When we passed through the first time, the place was jam-packed on both sides. People just go for the lumpia and nothing else. The second time we peeked in, there was more room. Thankfully.

The walk back from Excelente to Globe was a long one through people-packed streets. If you weren’t careful, you could get run over by a kuliglig. As for us, it wasn’t the kuligligs that were bent on killing is, am L300 delivery vehicle was backing away from his parking space and trying to maneuver. He wasn’t mindful of the people (and vendors) he could hit though, he was backing up as if the sea of people would magically part for him! Everyone banged on his rear to get his attention!

From the lumpia house to the car, it was a comfortable walk through the stores selling all sorts of uniforms, gun replicas, etc.

I took this final photo from inside the car on our way home. The sun was setting but that didn’t mean goodnight for Quiapo just yet, it was still bustling with people. As for us, we were back on the road, and it was a pleasant drive with very minimal traffic.

Near UST, Dad commented on how the street seemed to look better. I think they laid concrete over the old road, and then they fixed up the middle island with those new fences.  The streetlamps were changed too. Does this mean no more flood for this strip?

Anyhoo… it was a fun afternoon at Quiapo with Dad.

Even my nephew was talking about a trip to Ace Water Spa with my parents, and he didn’t seem to have the intention of asking me to tag along. He told me yesterday that they were going back there, so I asked when. He said, “sa three-day weekend ba yun?”

It would be nice to take a dip this weekend. Wonder if chlorine in the pools would be okay for my, by then, week-old rebonded hair?

back view

Hay. I wish we could somewhere this weekend too. A quick trip to Baguio, or nearer, Tagaytay. Or an overnighter somewhere, even a hotel in the city! I wonder how weekend Branson vacations are like? I’ve read a blogger talk about planning their trip there, or it happening now this Labor Day weekend?

The next and really only trip Alfred and I have planned is the one to Cebu next year, in February. Oh shoot! I wonder if it’s coinciding with a colleague’s wedding?

Okay, I just checked, and it does. Our last day there, is the day of the wedding. Not that I’ve been invited yet, but since we talk about it, is it safe to assume that I am? Oh no, that would be sad. I wouldn’t want to miss it, but our tickets are non refundable and not re-bookable. Or maybe it is, I’ll have to see. They hadn’t set their wedding date yet at the time we got the tickets.