Category: Travel

Standing on Marian Hill of Barangay Simala in Sibonga town of Cebu province is officially called the Monastery of the Holy Eucharist. Locals called it “Birhen sa Simala” or the Miraculous Mother Mary of Simala. They don’t give it a new name for no reasons. In fact, many can attest to the miracles or granted prayers after their devotion. Proofs of these miracles are displayed in the walls inside the prayer hall. The panorama of the Monastery of the Holy Eucharist I arrived at noon in the Monastery after my early morning visit at Santo Niño Church and Magellan’s Cross from Cebu City proper. ... Read more

I’d been to Cebu on Several occasions but I never got a chance to visit the monument that represents the city’s long history and establishment: the Magellan’s Cross and the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. The Shrine of Magellan’s Cross The Magellan’s Cross was brought to the Philippines, Cebu specifically, by Spanish-commissioned Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan on March 15, 1521. The Cross was seated on its current site by Magellan himself on April 21, 1521. The original cross is now encased in Tindalo wood to protect it from those people who chipped away part of the cross for souvenirs. There ... Read more

I’ve been stranded for two days in Siquijor for two days as of this writing. This is all because of tropical depression Seniang which turned into a storm and now, a typhoon. When I had nothing left to do in my 350-peso room near the port, I walked around the town, then I found this snack bar along Caridad Street. I am reluctant to try unfamiliar food houses, however, when I saw that they had plenty of patrons (judging on the number of customers), I checked the place. M’S Place I noticed that most of the guests ordered siopao so I thought ... Read more

Whenever I travel, excitement always wakes me earlier than usual, no matter how tired I was the night before. My visit to Candi Prambanan is schedule at 6AM but I was wide awake at 4 o’clock. I had finished all the preparations and I couldn’t go back to sleep so I had to kill the time watching unfamiliar television shows. At 5:30, I left the hotel and walked towards the closest TransJogja Station which I pre-determined during my research. It was 10 minutes walk. I asked the station master for directions and he was accommodating enough to inform on what ... Read more

Honk! Honk! Honk! Those were the last sounds I heard in my dreams, which turned out to be a reality. The train that I hopped on the previous night in Jakarta was approaching its other end, the Tugu Station in Yogyakarta (or Jogjakarta or Jogja). I did not get that much  sleep I wanted, I was awake most of time because of excitement and of making acquaintance (I was sitting beside a local on that long train ride). I knew that in few hours, I will be seeing Candi Borobudur. The train arrived at 5:40AM and it was still too ... Read more

To be honest, I am not a hostel guy. Though it’s fun to meet some random travelers around, I prefer a private space to spend the night. The hostel setting would not give me the type of seclusion I wanted. Guests come and go anytime while some have weird activities during sleep. But due the the strong urge to save, I sometimes resort to this type of accommodation. The Reception I am arriving very late at night in Jakarta and sleeping in its airport isn’t an option so I have to get a cheap place for the quickie sleep in advance. ... Read more

I travel on shoestring budget, so I grab every saving options to keep my expenses at minimum. Hence, when I travel, I looked for options online for me to buy my attraction passes at a discount. When I traveled to Hong Kong years ago, I bought my attraction passes online weeks prior. I got them at huge discounts. On the top of my list in my Kuala Lumpur visit is “toppling” the Petronas Twin Towers. Those majestic edifices stand really proud and high, challenging every living acrophobiac. The Petronas Twin Towers stands majestic at blue hour I heard that the ... Read more

The structure is so majestic as it stands proud and paramount in Malaysia. When I got to its greatest height, I realized that it was even more stunning. I could relate as to why people at the top would do whatever it takes to remain in their post – it is because falling is really scary and painful. Anyway, back to my visit to Petronas Twin Towers, I was able to reached the highest accessible floor, the 86th floor, which is 370 meters above street level. The sunset at the top was even more amazing. [Related blog: How it Felt to ... Read more

Solaire opened the all-suite Sky Tower to cater more comfort stay options to its guests. It offers luxurious suites which sizes range from 124 square meters and can go as spacious as 936 square meters. The 17-storey Sky Tower also houses additional VIP gaming areas, exclusive diner and whisky bar for VIPs, 1760-seat lyric theater, a garden-inspired Oasis Café, and a Latin American and Mediterranean restaurant. The Luxurious Solaire Resorts and Casino The ceiling of elevator lobby in the ground floor is plated with a flashy 14-karat gold adorned with a twist of chained crystals. The hallways, on the other ... Read more