I Promised Myself, Never Again

Every time I collect those starbucks stickers for their yearly planner, I notice that I always end up gaining weight, and adding not just a few inches to my hips!
This year, I promised myself, never again!
I'll never collect those stickers, for a planner so beautiful, I'll end up not using it anyway!
Thanks to my unwavering resolve...
I found myself holding my newest starbucks 2012 planner!
(my husband doesn't mind a big-hipped wife anyway... right hun?)

now tell me, how can I resist this attractive planner?

Close Encounter With The Wilds

Island Cove... I thought that place was just all about pools, cavanas, hotel and fishing... which is completely fine with me! But I never thought that I'd come to enjoy this other wonderful experience I had in their animal island... had a great close encounter with a python and a young croc! Here are some of the photographs...

good girl... or boy... good python... 

awww... she's kissing my hubby

this croc is quite heavy... no kidding!

it's tamed but can't trust the mouth huh?

I'll be posting more of our close encounters with the animals... oh, you'll see me feeding the crocs :) and many more on my next blogs! 

Extra Caldo Please!

Iloilo… the city of warm, friendly people… but most of all… the home of the famous BATCHOY!

If you’re wondering what it’s like… it a hot noodle soup with pork meat and liver, strips of beef, and ground chicharon (crispy pork skin ), and lots of toasted garlic… such a delish dish!

here's what a batchoy looks like

So when you find yourself in Iloilo… after checking out their parks and museums… you’ll surely be hungry… go find their most famous Ted’s Old-Timer La Paz Batchoy restaurant… and indulge yourself with their deliciously satisfying  bowl of steaming hot extra special batchoy combined with puto… the next thing they’ll be hearing from you are your burps! Oh, and don’t forget to tell them “Extra caldo please!” and they’ll gladly fill your bowl with unlimited supply of hot soup!

 Fortunately for those who are stuck in the city, you can still enjoy that authentic Ilongo specialty even without going to Iloilo, there are now many branches of Ted's Old-Timer La Paz Batchoy restaurants here in the metro!

Spooky Hotel Room

If you’re looking for an ultimate adventure… you should try the Corregidor island.

Why did I say “ultimate adventure?” Well, aside from the day tour of the island where you’ll get to learn and see some historical places back in World War II… and then there is the Malinta tunnel creepy tour… and the adrenaline pumping zip lines… I’m talking about a different kind of adventure. In fact it was not even listed on the tourist guide.

this is the spooky hotel room (it's quite nice actually)

Here goes… after a very tiring tour from the island, I headed back to our hotel room… the only hotel in the island... it's really old and rickety... it is called the Corregidor Inn… I was so tired that after changing my clothes, I instantly slept the second I hit the sack.

But then in the middle of the night… I heard the shower was running on full blast, since I could hear the hard water hitting the tiled floor of the shower room… but I didn’t check it out thinking that it was just my husband having a hot shower.

this is the shower room where I heard the shower running in the middle of the night

When we woke up in the morning, I asked him if he used the shower… he said no… then who was that having a hot shower in the middle of the night?! Your guess is as good as mine! Goosebumps!!! Some adventure huh?!

this is the hallway going to our hotel room... creepy huh?

ATV At Its Best

The last time that I went to Boracay, was the first time that I tried the All Terrain Vehicle or the ATV ride… and I promised myself that it’s not gonna be the last!

At first, I had some safety issues… but we were given some oral and hands on tutorials before we hit the road and head for the mountains. Safety gears were given us as well…

                          

                                    hands on turorials first inside the compound 

So when I was all geared up and getting myself comfortably driving the ATV… I almost felt like I was in an action movie… no, I’m not the damsel in distress… I’m the sweaty and sun-kissed heroine going on a mission… to save whomever is trapped on the peak of the mountain!

all geared up!

Up in the peak, we were able to savor the fresh cool Boracay wind and enjoyed the wonderful vista of the blue waters amidst the white sandy beach, the lush forest and the outlying islands of the nearby provinces! It’s priceless… and worth the heat, the sweat and the nasty smoke from the vehicle! Oh and did I mention I was refreshed by the mini-bar at the peak of the mountain? Perfection!

a picturesque view from the top

beautiful nature vista

More Than Just Fruits and Shakes

Some healthy alternatives.
Here at Fruit Magic, you'll get to enjoy not just the healthy fruit shakes and juices, but some really delicious pastas, wraps and sandwiches. And the soya drinks with different flavors are really great!... My favorites are their spaghetti with meat sauce, spaghetti with tuna in red sauce and their chicken broccoli pasta. You can find them anywhere inside the malls, but the ones that serve pastas and sandwiches, like this one, are usually found inside the Fitness First gyms.

Refreshments and Thirst Quenchers

I used to love drinking really really cold soft drinks... but then, I thought of shifting to a lesser evil thirst quencher... Two of my favorite refreshments... ice cold nai tsa and black gulaman... always available at Chowking! Now what other local drinks can beat these two?

Macao Travelogue (Part 1)

I was so excited that I’ll be able to go to Macao for the first time! I just can’t contain my enthusiasm! But after I’ve calmed down, I started thinking what is Macau like?

Is it like Hongkong? Or the old cultural China?

So I made a quick research of the place… I found out that Macao is the Las Vegas of Asia! Ooohhhh I’m so gonna be loving every corner of this place! So I made a list on where to go to… and the first on my list is….

The Fisherman’s Wharf…

It was one of the first spots that I specially found delightful!

It’s like a mini amusement park . You’ll get to enjoy a short ride inside a manmade volcano, oh and this volcano spurts fire on its cater!  Walk a little further and you’ll see the ruins of the old Roman theater and you can pose with a real live Roman soldier! Now walk a little further at the back part of the wharf and you’ll see the river where you can view the ferries going to Hongkong, but the best part of standing at the dock  during the night is looking at the beautiful well-lit bridge that looked like ancient Greek gold columns floating in the river! I never thought that I’d be awed at such bridges as the ones beside the Fisherman’s Wharf of Macau!

Oh and don’t miss out the dainty souvenir shops and a variety of restaurants there that ranges  from American to Portuguese to Chinese to Japanese dishes which are all mouth-watering! You can enjoy some cocktail drinks while listening to the soothing sound of their bands. Then after a sumptuous dinner, indulge in the authentic New Zealand ice cream shop there (New Zealand Natural, the ice cream café in the Amsterdam-themed area of Fisherman’s Wharf) to end an evening of fun rides, wonderful views and delicious meals!

Here's Me Following My Passion

Travel... Food... Fashion... Arts... just a few of my passions... and I love writing as well... put them together and voila! Here's me following my passion... I will write my own travelogue... places I've been to (may it be in the city or in the outskirts... or outside the country)... the fun, the adventure, the discounts, the great deals, best foods and beverages and where to grab them! and many many more!
This is my life...
My so-called life!