Cebu and a Piece of History

One of the biggest metropolis in the Philippines, Cebu is very accessible to local and foreign tourists. It has an international airport, and Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific fly to and from Cebu several times in a day.



Despite being a metropolis, it has maintained “balance”. It is a mixture of the laid back country lifestyle, and a buzzing city life. It has all the amenities of a city – big malls, big hotels, night life, and a whole array of eating places, yet the pace remains "country"-like, which is part of its charm.



I was there on a business trip, and managed to find sometime to explore the place. We stayed at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu hotel and I would say that the level of service that they provide, remains consistently high. The place is very cozy, although a bit far from the center of the city. They have a nice pool, jacuzzi, a cozy lounge and a spacious guest rooms. We likewise hosted a cocktail in the same hotel- and their service was perfect, as always!



On different nights, we tried the different dining places and our favorite, and I would recommend you to try, are Alavars and Golden Cowrie both located along Salinas Road. If you love grills, try AA Barbeque, where the price is very reasonable and the food is really good.

I also recommend you to try the spas in Cebu, not only are they good, but price is a lot less than what it costs in Manila. We tried Royal Spa along Salinas Road, and for PhP350, we got 1 1/2 hours of full body massage and 1 hour of foot spa. What a treat!

We found a bit of time to explore the city after all our meetings and workshops. We visited the Taoist Temple .It is located inside Beverly Hills. Here is where the Taosists (mostly Chinese) go to worship their God. It is a beautiful and serene place to visit. And I'd say, it felt like China in there. :-)



Next place we visited is an old church originally built in the 1500s (but the present structure was built in the 1700s), the Basilica de Sto. Nino. It has this very beautiful , antique, “golden” altar, which houses the different images of saints. It was difficult to take pictures though because it was a Sunday and the church was very crowded. After praying, we went to light some candles outside.



We then went to the kiosk outside the Basilica, which houses the cross that Magellan planted in the 1500s (the place is simply called "Magellan's Cross"). Magellan, who was the first European to come to the Philippines in 1521, made friends with Rajah Humabon, who was then the ruler of Cebu. They became friends and Rajah Humabon and his tribe converted to Catholicism. The cross was planted to symbolize the significance of this event. The original cross is now encased in a tindalo wood to protect it from people who chip it away for souvenirs.While in the kiosk, you would observe a number of old ladies performing rituals, which ranges from lighting joss sticks or candles, to dancing with an image of the Sto. Nino. Vendors tend to crowd the place as they sell all sorts of things to tourist.



Sad to say, the weather did not allow us (as this was the time of typhoon Frank) to explore the different beaches and islands. But I will definitely be back to explore Moalboal, Camotes and the other islands and beaches of Cebu.

Tagaytay: More than the Lake and the Volcano

Some friends have asked me to write some guides on Tagaytay. So here goes.

Tagaytay is the closest tourist destination from Manila. It can get a bit crowded on weekends, as many locals go there mostly because of its cooler weather (second coolest in the Philippines, next to Baguio).

Tagaytay is the home to the famous Taal Volcano (a volcano within a lake) but aside from the volcano, there are a lot of nice places to explore while in Tagaytay.

Getting There

Tagaytay is a one hour to one and a half hour drive from Manila or Makati. It is best to take a car when going to Tagaytay to be able to explore the place without the hassle of waiting for buses when going from one place to the next, as the places are spread apart. However, if it is not possible for you to take a car, you may take the bus going to Nasugbu, Batangas from Baclaran.

By car, you may take the Sta. Rosa exit or alternatively take the Coastal Road to Silang, Cavite. For the map going to Tagaytay, you may browse this site:

http://www.tagaytay.com/directmap.htm

Where to Go/What To Do



For those who are just going there for a day trip, you may visit the following:

If you get to Tagaytay early, try having breakfast at Breakfast by Antonios. When I went to Tagaytay with some high school friends, that was our very first stop. They serve a variety of food, along with Filipino breakfast (tapsilog, longsilog and such) with hot chocolate or coffee. With its country ambiance, a view of the volcano, and not to mention good food, it is a good place to have breakfast and spend the early part of the morning. The place can be a bit pricey though, but worth the money.

After breakfast, you may opt to visit the renovated Taal Vista Lodge where you will get the best view of Taal Volcano. You can just hang out at their viewing deck.The Resident Inn has a zoo, and this would be a good place to visit if you have children with you.

If you have friends with membership at Tagaytay Highlands, try to ask them for a pass. There you can experience the cable car ride, the only place in the Philippines with cable rides. They also have this well kept zoo inside Highlands.

For lunch, I would recommend Leslie's. They serve the best Bulalo in town. They also serve other Filipino food, and grilled food. There you can dine, with a view of the volcano and the lake. You may get in touch with them at 63 46 4131065.

If you are a health buff, try the buffet lunch at Sonya's Garden. They serve fresh salad, freshly picked and grown in the Garden. After lunch, you are free to roam the garden where you will see not only vegetables but flowering and ornamental plants. I particularly like their sunflower garden. They also offer accomodation and spa services. For more information, check out Sonyas Garden website.

Before leaving Tagaytay, I would advise you to visit Caleruega Church, a church which has became famous for couples-to-be, which is just in the next town of Nasugbu. It's a good place to wind down, after a day of visit in Tagaytay. Who knows, you might also end up planning your wedding there :-).

If you have more time, or if youre spending more than a day in Tagaytay, you will enjoy having a picnic with family and friends at the Picnic Grove, or if you want a more private place, at the Nature's Discovery Camp. They rent out cabanas and they have places where you can grill. It is fun to play and frolick, or simply just lie down lazily, at its green rolling terrain. You may also pitch a tent, if you wish to. You may call 7213971 or 0918-4116510.

Or better yet, take an adventure and hike the crater of Taal Volcano. At Brgy Talisay, there are boats for hire to take you to the Volcano. When you get there, you and your friends can take a hike to the crater. There you will find a sulfuric lake (which is called a "lake within a volcano within a lake"). But be sure to bring lots of water with you as the heat from the crater can dehydrate you.