Amazing Race Christmas 2013, Team KoKo: Bacolod

Warning: Long post, lots of pictures. If you are just piggybacking on your neighbor's WiFi, mahiya naman kayo. LOL!  

Hello, Bacolod!

The trip from Iloilo to Bacolod was fairly short, and it started calmly enough, but it became choppy shortly before we got to Bacolod. Our GoHotel check-in time was 1 or 2 pm, so we just rode a cab going to Starbucks, which is in the corner of Lacson and 18th. Bacolod has relatively wider roads, compared with, say, Iloilo and Dumaguete. And the place seems very clean.

I couldn't remember where we ate our lunch, probably SM or Robinson's. After we checked in, we rested a bit and freshened up. Back in Iloilo, I've mentioned to Derdo that I was looking for some batwan, a souring fruit. She graciously offered me some and asked her friend, Lina, to meet me in GoHotel. I was in the bathroom when Lina came over, and I sent Sharkteeth to meet her; too bad, she immediately left, and S wasn't able to give her our letter of thanks. (Thanks, Ms. Lina!!! Thanks, Derdo!!!) Aside from the precious batwan, Derdo also sent some sweets. I was in sugar heaven! 

So off we went to The Ruins. It was a short ride from Robinson's.

1. Ride a jeepney going to Bata. Fare: ~12 pesos I think. I'm not sure.

2. Alight at the Pepsi bottling plant. There's a trike terminal going to The Ruins. Fare: 20 pesos. 

3. The Ruins entrance: 40 pesos, children; 80 pesos, adults.

Byahe pa lang ang ganda na

Brief history: The Ruins is what remains of the mansion built by Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson for his first wife, Maria Braga, a Portuguese. According to the very funny tour guide, Roger, most of the mansion's exquisite decors, furniture, and china were sourced from abroad, as Maria Braga's father, a ship captain, traveled across Europe and Asia and brought with him those finds. The mansion is by itself a beauty and an architectural and engineering marvel. The concrete walls were poured from a mixture of cement and egg whites. Tangent thought: Lagi sigurong yema and leche flan ang dessert nila and ang taas siguro ng cholesterol level nila. During the Second World War, USAFFE soldiers burned the mansion to prevent the Japanese Army from using it as a headquarter. It reportedly took many days before the roof and the floor burned completely. The concrete structure remains up to the present, which I think is a testament to the superb architecture of the time. Or perhaps the egg whites. Hmmm...must be the egg whites.

Facade of the mansion

It was smaller than I expected, but no less stunning. Its beauty stood the test of time and the ravages of war.

 

A wall of The Ruins is adorned by the framed paintings of Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson and Maria Braga.  Aminin...poging-pogi si Don Mariano, right? Aartistahin ang dating, bigote pa lang, ulam na. Hahahahaha! And not surprisingly, Maria Braga is a looker as well.

Plants were allowed to grow inside, which added to the beauty of the place. The mansion's columns and highly detailed arches and cornices are all well preserved. Arrrrggg...Art App and Humanities 101, please don't abandon me now!!!

  

 

 

It boasts of a belvedere on the second floor, facing west, which commands a beautiful and dramatic view of the sunset. Must be nice, watching the sunset, sipping drinks...

The garden and grounds are well tended as well. This four-tier fountain was reportedly brought in from abroad. It now houses a number of kois; they remind me of the ravenous kois in Nuvali. *shudder* There's a mini-golf course and a giant chess set. A covered well is decorated by Christmas knick-knacks.

 

 

We left around half past five. Our trike driver was supposed to wait for us, but he wasn't there. Okay lang naman because there are lots of trikes available, just that we wouldn't have rushed had we known na aalis pala sya.

♥♥♥

Aren't you wondering why S was furiously taking notes? Well, she was writing her her own account (but we did use the same pictures) of the visit to the Ruins. Oh, my little dork, how I love you and your quirks.

 

 ♥♥♥

 We ate in Manukan Country that evening. Syempre, chicken inasal. Naglakas-loob kaming mag-order ng oysters. Although the oysters were fresh and delicious, I only ate a few for fear of an upset stomach. I didn't wanna be traveling with an upset stomach, I mean, seriously, who does? I once ate oysters Rockefeller from a restaurant near NAIA, and it made me sick. It happened to me once when I was abroad, and calling it "awful" is an understatement -- I bet the cab driver deemed my behaviour suspicious. Anyhoo, back to the food. We ate in Pacita's (I think), and their chicken was delicious, way better than our local inasal/inato places here in Dumaguete. I was supposed to buy some napoleones, but like I mentioned earlier, Derdo gave me a box.

 ♥♥♥

We were supposed to leave for Dumaguete that night, but we weren't able to. I was quite thankful, actually, that we weren't able to -- otherwise, we would have traveled during the night. Traveling during the day was scary enough, with so many hairpin turns and long stretches of lonely solitary roads, I can't imagine how it would have been had we traveled during the night.

PopCake guarding our seats

Take me home, country road

We were so exhausted when we got home, which was around 2 pm of New Year's Eve. And TheDog was missing. Thank goodness, he was back before dark. So glad to see that white one again -- I missed him so much, akala ko napulutan na ng mga lasheng.

The Ruins

Talisay, Negros Occidental

E-mail: ruins@theruins.com.ph
Phone: +63-34-476-4334
Mobile: +63-917-832-6003

Amazing Race Christmas 2013, Team KoKo: Iloilo

Bye Boracay

Ay before anything else, I forgot a part of our Boracay trip pala. On our way to Caticlan from the island, the water was a bit choppy, and it was very windy. Then, a few minutes later, hindi na "a bit" lang ang alon -- very, very, very maalon na!!! The guys manning the boat unfurled the tarp to prevent any waves from splashing inside the boat and told us to wear out life vests na. TheHusband wore his life vest but seemed unfazed (although malamang eh di lang nya pinaparamdam na takot sya kasi alam nyang matatakot din ako. hehehehe!)  Sharkteeth was getting frightened. I was a bit afraid but not totally -- I thought that should the boat capsize, hindi naman kami masyadong malayo sa shore and we'd be rescued immediately. May co-passengers kami who seemed native to the island and appeared blasé about the shaky ride -- dedma nga sa advise to wear life vests. Tatawa-tawa pa nga ang mga mokong. A-tapang a-tao! Tapos biglang umalon ng malakas and so much water got inside the boat. Etong mga a-tapang a-tao, they squealed like a little girl, with matching nandidilat ang mata sa takot sabay suot ng life vest. Hayun, doon! Doon ang point kung kelan natakot talaga ako. Isip ko lang, kung sila ngang sanay na sanay sa boat ride at kulang na lang ay tubuan ng fins and gills eh natakot, ako pa kaya na lumaki sa land-locked place. Luckily, the pier came into view shortly and we were all able to breathe a sigh of relief. Sinita ko si manong. Sabi ko, "Manong, 'di ako masyadong takot nung una, kaso nung sumigaw ka, nalulon ko yata puso ko!" "Kasi naman, ang laki nung ulan na tumama sa may likuran nyo," sagot nya, all the while smiling sheepishly. All of us seemed happier upon stepping on terra firma. Alleluiah! Alleluiah! Alleeeee-luiah!

♥♥♥

Okay, onward to the Iloilo trip. Two words: TERRIBLY. LONG.

We left Caticlan around 1.30 pm and reached Iloilo around 8 pm. It was supposed to be just 5 hours but turned out to be more than 6 hours. Ang dami-dami-dami-dami-dami-daming terminal stops. And just when dere-derecho na ang takbo ang bus, saka naman nakaramdam si Sharkteeth na maiihi sya. And although nakakahiya sa co-passengers and sa driver and conductor, I couldn't let her hold her pee kahit pa 45 minutes na lang ay nasa terminal na. So kinapalan na namin ang aming fez. The driver was very understanding naman and dun kami hininto sa tapat isang sari-sari store. I was about to let Sam suffer the indignity of making her pee at the roadside, but the kind couple who owns the store told us that she can pee in their restroom. Sila pa ang humihingi ng pasensya kasi wala silang kuryente. Such a humbling experience. I offered to pay, but they steadfastly refused. They were so gracious. In this world dark with greed and opportunism, this kind couple shines so bright. Char.

Oh, did I mention that the trip was VERY LONG? I did? Hehehe. It was so long I finished the first Percy Jackson movie and the first two Harry Potters. The third Harry Potter installment was about three-quarters done and I wanted to finish it. I would have done so had the driver let me. Hahahaha! We reached Iloilo around 8 pm and got in a cab. We asked the cabbie to bring us to an affordable hotel in the city, and he said he knows a new place that we might like. He brought us to 88 Plaza Hotel, and true enough it is new. Triple occupancy is merely 760 pesos! I was expecting affordable, but not THAT affordable! It is so new, the LCD TVs still have their plastic film stickers, all waiting to be peeled. So I did. Hehehe! I know it's so mababaw, but I really like peeling plastic films from new appliances and popping bubble wraps. And acne. (Tangent thought: Gross, but true, and I think I'd really enjoy working as a facialist.) Room rates include breakfast, but it was nothing fancy, just the usual -silog fare. Pero diba nga, may vetsin ang dila ko. :) And, oh, other negative points: they don't have elevators. Imagine having to lug travel bags full of stuff four stories up. Their pillows are so soft. As in it was like I didn't have a pillow at all. Still, the rate was value for money. We asked for notable places to visit. Ang sagot ng front desk: SM. Hahahahahaha! SM talaga ha? So, ayun, off we went to SM.  May Starbucks sa tabi ng SM and we stayed there for a while. Syempre, si S, at home na at home and took that break to read her new books. (By the way, thank you to all my friends whom I coaxed, badgered, bullied, and pressured to give Sharkteeth Thea Stilton books. Hehehehe. I love you all. S loves you all.)
 

Starbucks Iloilo, with one of her Theas

Ang aking favorite, blueberry cheesecake! :)

 A trip to SM without going to National Bookstore is never complete. It is one of my, and Sharkteeth's, favorite places.  One of my clearest memories of childhood is the trip to National before the start of classes. Laking National. I love the smell of plastic covers and brand new notebooks and pencils. I have never outgrown that.
 

Hmmmm...are you eyeing a book again?!

On our second day sa pag-iikot sa SM, S wasn't feeling well. Nahihilo and may slight fever -- sa sobrang pagod siguro sa byahe namin. TheHusband bought her medication and water and a bonus, the plushy giraffe from Watson's S has been hankering. That giraffe is odd though: it doesn't have a neck.

TPS: Anak, why doesn't Giraffie have a neck? Maybe we should call him Giraffie No-Neck...
Sharkteeth: [whispering to Giraffie] Don't listen to her. [patting its head] It's okay, it's okay...she's chubby.
TPS: What the...

Should I be thankful that she thinks I'm only chubby, and not obese?

Giraffie and S, at home

By the way, across 88 Plaza is a carinderia. We ate there the first night we got there. They serve one mean sinigang na maya-maya sa batwan. Di pa ako nakuntento sa isang order, I ordered another. Ang sarap. It prompted me to look again for batwan. I've been looking for it here in Dumaguete since 2011 but unsuccessful. I mentioned it to Derdo and she volunteered to ask her best friend in Bacolod to get some for me. Saka ko na ikwento ito, sa Bacolod leg na lang ng aming Amazing Race 2013. 

We left early on the 30th for Bacolod. I can't remember how long it took us to reach Bacolod -- wasn't very long, I think. The trip was fairly calm save the last few minutes near Bacolod port. S and TheHusband slept it off. Ako, hindi nakatulog. As always, I'm thankful when I'm on terra firma.

S with her PopCake and Giraffie, in the fastcraft on our way to Bacolod

I'll continue on the Bacolod leg of our Amazing Race 2013, Team Koko, next time. At the rate I'm going, I'll be through before 2014 is over. Hehehe.

Bye, Iloilo!

88 Plaza Hotel
Dalan Delgado, Iloilo

Tel.: 335-0053, 335-0278
Room rates (as of Dec 2013)
       Single occupancy: 560
       Double occupancy: 690
       Triple occupancy: 760
Cafe open 24 hours

Amazing Race Christmas 2013, Team KoKo: Boracay

Boracay

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I misread our itinerary and we almost didn't make it to the airport on time. Thankfully, we did, with a few minutes (and I do mean few minutes) to spare. We were the last passengers to be booked for that flight and had separate seats. Sharkteeth and I sat together, but, apparently, kids aren't allowed to be seated near the exit during takeoff. I asked S if she's okay sitting away (second to the last row) from us, reassuring her that she can sit with me as soon as we're airborne, and she acquiesced. When the flight crew went to get her once we were airborne, she was already asleep. (She was physically and emotionally spent, as she was crying on our way to the airport. Masama ang loob kasi her cousins were late and they weren't able to play. Plus when we were leaving, we couldn't find her Lolo Adobo and she wasn't able to say goodbye. Kaluoy.) The trip to Boracay was uneventful. After all, the copilot was Baduday's husband, a former colleague and batchmate, eh ma-Suerte yun, in more ways than one. :) 

When we reached the island, my stress level was increasing again. Kasi di ako nag-book ng hotel. Super-duper peak season, no booking? Wow, lakas ng loob, right? Adding to the complication was our limited budget and the sheer number of tourists. Sa totoo lang, I was prepared to rough it out and matulog sa beach on the first night. Nagdala ako ng anti-insect wipes. Seriously. We inquired at a few hotels, but their prices were out of our budget. When we reached the beach in Station 2, I was a bit desperate na, kasi as you go nearer sa beach, the more expensive the accommodations get. Then we inquired in La Fiesta Resort, which is on the beachfront. It is not a hotel but a family-owned resort. Initially, they quoted 3.5K (two persons) + 500 (for S) per night. TheHusband plainly asked if there's a discount. Sa totoo lang, I wasn't expecting any, given na super-duper peak season and nasa beachfront sila, and I was quite prepared to pay that amount (#desperado), but, happily, the lady at the front desk asked her boss and they gave us a family room for 3K pesos! The room has two queen-sized beds and is air-conditioned, very clean, and spacious. The linens are clean and fresh smelling. There's hot and cold water. There's WiFI, but I was rarely able to connect to it. Mahina na ang connection kasi nasa second floor kami. The TV is so, so, but has cable connection. Kyeber, I don't watch TV naman. They have big cabinets. And there's a small ref. All that for 3K a night. The Christmas miracle at Boracay! Falalalalalalalala!

See the "star" in the middle between the sails? That's Venus.
Picture taken by TheHusband.

We freshened up and had dinner. The place is a few steps away from Gerry's Grill and Starbucks. Pagkakain, I immediately fell asleep. The next day, maaga pa lang, around 6 am, lumabas na kami ni S and strolled on the beach. I fell in love with the place all over again. The last time we were there was in 2009.

Boracay

Boracay is still as beautiful as I remember it, but there were sooooo many people, people of different colors, sizes, and nationalities. And the party scene was roaring. Hindi naman ako mahilig sa party, party, party. #Thanders na! Hehehehe.

The District

Ay, eto ang kwento pa. On our second night, we went out for a stroll. Then a gay guy from Astoria approached us offering a free buffet dinner and a "brief" introduction to their product/brand. I sensed a "con," but really, I'm always gracious sa mga promoters (unless they are from Family First or yung mga nagbebenta ng cosmetics who point out your flaws outright like we're best friends then offer miraculous product), so I took the flyers. TheHusband appeared uninterested. Si S, adik sa buffet. Ako, I don't like buffets kasi I feel compelled to eat more (para sulit), pero since free, go, go, go, but at the back of my mind, I knew that their brief introduction wasn't going to be brief at all. After dinner, they introduced Astoria Plaza's timeshare system. Mark, the salesperson assigned to us, is sooooooo madaldal. Natalo ako. He was alternately funny and serious and quite good at sales. The thing is, kami ang binentahan nya. Dun! Dun sya nagkamali! The concept of the product is quite good and sound, and for constant travelers, it seems a good investment. Kamukat-mukat mo, pasado alas-nueve na! Antok na si S. What surprised me was TheHusband was interested. Eh sya ang taga-"no" ng family; ako ang utuin, so ako lagi ang "yes, yes, yes." Hahahaha! Tingin ko kung may dalang pera 'yun ay nakapag-down kami. Buti na lang wala kaming dala. Actually, we didn't have any ID, ATM, credit card, or even a cent with us -- kasi nga mag-stroll lang kami dapat. So there, sawing umuwi si Mark. Ako, kebs lang, may lost time, pero free dinner naman, which was masarap (again, may vetsin dila ko).

Pamana Photobooth circa 1930 :)

Our stay was enjoyable, and it was the most relaxing break I had in a long time. Remember,  earthquake, Yolanda, my D&C, my tons of files, marathon gift-wrapping session, JRS? For the first time in months, I was able to sleep for 10 hours straight. Ahhh, what a treat. The sleep alone was a wonderful and priceless Christmas gift. I didn't swim much  -- the most time I spent swimming was on our last day. The food is okay overall, nothing memorable for me though. And oh, there's a Mango outlet there, and the discounts are huge. Pero hindi ko gusto yung isang crew dun.  I was looking for a shift dress, and when she haughtily replied "Ano 'yun [the shift dress]?", she couldn't have looked any more disinterested. Hmmmmpp, nakakawalang-gana sya. Pero may nabili pa rin ako. Hehehehe. Had I known na merong Mango outlet sa Bacolod, dun na lang sana ako bumili. I don't like patronizing shops with staff who seem to think that I owe them for shopping in their store.

Pier
Bye, Boracay!

While waiting inside the bus (going to Iloilo) in Caticlan, TheHusband went off to buy some stuff in Mercury. When he came back, he said, "Punta ka ng Mercury, nagkakagulo sila dun." Akala ko naman may sale or samples or freebies, susugod na sana ako. Then he said, "Andun daw si, sino ba yun, Sam Milby daw." Sus, kung si Papa Piolo pa yun.


La Fiesta Resort
Boracay Island 
Balabag, Malay, Aklan
Phone: +63-36-2884234
Mobile: +63-919-8610886
E-mail: lafiestaresort_boracay@yahoo.com

Amazing Race Christmas 2013, Team KoKo: Manila, Bulacan, and Pampanga

When we booked our Manila Christmas trip last year, we couldn't find any cheap flights back to Dumaguete, but there were cheap flights from Manila to Caticlan. So we decided to go to Boracay and travel by land through Iloilo and Bacolod on our way back. After all, it has been more than 3 years since we last visited Boracay. But wait! Christmas stories muna!

Snow Queen

Per usual, the house was a mess. Kelan ba naman hindi messy ang bahay namin? But it was a new low for us kasi nga out part-time helper was out of commission (biglaang naging lola, so lola duties muna sya). Ang gulo-gulo-gulo-gulo ng bahay. I tried to clean a bit for our family Christmas dinner before we left for Manila. The menu I planned -- that one with poached salmon, roast beef, mashed potatoes, buttered vegetables, and chocolate mousse? Sa pangarap na lang natupad. Hahahaha! Well, to be fair, our family Christmas dinner wasn't a total disaster either -- grilled T-bone steak. Happy tummies. I had to wrap a ton of gifts. Actually more than 50 gifts for TheHusband's officemates and friends and for Sharkteeth's classmates, friends, and teachers. Thank goodness Sharkteeth helped me. My gift box, which I fill throughout the year, got emptied of all, and I do mean all, of its contents. It was crazy. So very crazy. 

TheHusband's gifts

Sharkteeth with her gifts

A few days before our flight, I shipped our things to Bulacan para di na namin dala-dala. I separately shipped our beach outfits (skimpy trunks for TheHusband and string bikini for me. JOKE!!!) to Boracay for the same reason. Hay, sa shipping ako medyo naloka. If my Christmas 2012 was marred by Metrodeal, 2013 was ruined a bit by JRS, a bit lang naman. Sabado na di pa nila na-deliver ang shipment ko, eh yung clothes kong pang-attend ng wedding and all the gifts (which were all yet to be wrapped were in that shipment). While I was having my Kagandahan Showcase (hair treatment, facial, eyebrow contouring, etc.) and was supposed to be relaxing, I had to call JRS and followup. Paulit-ulit. Hanggang naubos na ang battery ko. Hay. Anyhoooo, eventually, they were able to deliver the package naman. Pero sobrang na-stress ako dun.

I was able to meet and make chika with Onyxx. It was so dyahe kasi nga wala pa yung gift ko for her. Nasa JRS pa. The following day, we went to Pampanga to meet my college friends-roommates. Again, dyahe na naman kasi nga wala pa yung gifts. Uhhhgggg. I have already made kwento about out meetup in a previous post. Per usual, matinding halakhakan na naman. (Cel, ilang meetups na ba ang na-miss mo? Huling meetup yata na magkakasama tayo lahat is yung sa Tagaytay pa eons ago. Hahahaha!) So there, come Monday, attend naman kami ng kasal. It was my godson's wedding. No, hindi pa ako ganun katanda! Just that I was still very young when I became his ninang sa binyag. His bride was so beautiful and radiant. Eh pogi rin naman yung inaanak ko...nasa lahi talaga namin ang ganda genes. Hahahahahahah! Pasensya na, nangangarap lang ng gising. But I realized two things sa wedding: (1) he loves his bride so much, as in so much, and I'll tell you why after the second point; (2) dance genes totally eluded our family. So why did I say that he loves his bride so much? When the newlyweds were introduced, instead of the usual walk, they danced. He was awful, like cringeworthy awful. But that he danced with his bride, despite the family curse of two left feet, speaks volumes of his unconditional love. Chos!
 
Sobrang hectic ang days leading to Christmas. Friends. Malls. Malls. Saka malls. Hahahaha! I wanted to buy mother a birthday cake from Tous les Jours -- pagdating namin dun sa cake shop, isa na lang ang available. Gosh, muntik nang maubusan. Phew. Di mukhang pang-birthday, but what I choice did I have? Nada! 

Rose Inspiration Fresh Cream Cake

Come Christmas day, I was still wrapping gifts for the kids. I wasn't able to mingle much with my family kasi nga nagbabalot pa ako ng regalo and packing our things (to ship home). :( I feel kinda sad that I wasn't able to enjoy Christmas day fully. Ipinagluto pa naman ako ni pudra ng sinampalukang manok. Saka my aunt brought batchoy. All my favorite dishes! I was able to sample each, but I was hoping to eat again before leaving for Manila. You know naman how we are pagdating sa mga flight-flight. Sablay na, sablay pa. Sino ang salarin? ME! When I checked our flight sked to Boracay, I thought that the departure time was a little past 4 pm. Turned out it was 3:15 pm!!! Kalowka! Super-traffic bago makalabas ng NLEX! We weren't able to TheHusband's family get-together. :( Sam was so looking forward to playing with her cousins. We had to be checked in by 2:15 pm, and by 2 pm, we were still in Guadalupe or Buendia. I thought I was going to have a stroke because of the stress. That we might not make it to the flight didn't stress me as much as the thought that we already sent our things to Boracay ahead of us. We briefly toyed with the idea of not going to Boracay anymore and instead proceeding to Baguio. Sam pointed out that we don't even have one piece of thick clothing with us. Thank goodness we got a great cab driver. We made it to the airport with a few minutes to spare. Sabi nga ng friend ko, photofinish! Sya, next time ko na lang i-kwento ang Boracay trip --medyo nag-PTSD ako when I remember the stress sa byahe.  :)