Summer on a Budget

What I like most about the Philippines is you have tons of things to do and places to go without having to spend much money. Summer is approaching and I know everyone has set their sights on Boracay or Palawan but both can be on the expensive side even if you do some cost-cutting by using cheap lodging facilities. These destinations can also get very crowded during peak seasons.

If you're exploring some alternatives here are a couple tips for you:

1) Go to Ibilik and browse for condo accomodation rentals. You can rent it with your barkada and use their amenities (pools, gym). No need to buy expensive meals since you can use the kitchen to make your own meals. Rates are usually around Php 800 to 1,500 / night. Cut down transportation cost and look for condo rentals near your place.

2) Go for day trips to Country clubs. Usually these places are for exclusive to members only but due to the low-membership subscription, most of the country clubs offer guest entrance fees. Some examples of these country clubs are the Palms Country Club in Alabang and Mills Country Club in Canlubang, Laguna.



Well that's just some ideas you might want to ponder about when spending your hard earned money and precious vacation leave for this year.

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8 Suites Tagaytay - Review

Last December 2011, we had a 1 night stay in 8 Suites Tagaytay from a deal I bought in DealGrocer. It was a perfect December weather -- Cool and the air is moist from the constant drizzle.



The elegant bath tub positioned beside the window.



Linens and pillows are of very good quality. Slept like a baby.



How about having breakfast on this breathtaking view?



A+ for the quality of the drapery used.



Being on a remote location, the cable signal is not too good. Their Wifi was not working the day we went there but the good thing is you can request for DVD and books. B



Dock for your iPhone.

Aside from the bland food and menu choices, we enjoyed our short but luxurious stay in 8suites.

Grade: B-

Best Feature: Chocolate themed colors for the rooms

Website: http://www.8suites.com/

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Caleruega Church in Nasugbu, Batangas

Camera: Vivitar UW&S
Film: Fuji Sensia 200 (Cross processed)

Is there a more peaceful place on earth than that of Caleruega? The place is just so serene and relaxing. If there is a perfect place to collect your thoughts and connect with your spirituality, this is the closest to "heaven on earth".

Here is a detailed introduction about Caleruega church:

The chapel itself is replete with symbolism. Its façade is a reproduction of the original chapel in Caleruega, Spain. Its hut-shaped roof is in remembrance of the temporary sheds that the apostles wanted to build for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah during the transfiguration (Mt 17:1-8). The seal of the Dominican Province of the Philippines is depicted in stained glass in the upper portion of the chapel’s façade. The seven grapevines entwined in the steel doors of the chapel not only portray Jesus as the vine and we as branches (John 15:5), but also symbolize the seven sacraments. The main altar is a carved tree trunk representing the “stem of Jesse,” mentioned in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah: then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit (Is 11:1). The tabernacle is a gentle reminder of the burning bush through which God revealed Himself to Moses in Mt. Sinai (Ex 3:2). The birds carved on the communion table are representations of God’s providence in Matthew 6:26: Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap…and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. The stained glass depicts the Transfiguration of Jesus witnessed by Peter, John, and Luke. With Jesus are Moses and Elijah, two significant instruments of God in the Old Testament (Mat 17:3).

If you're planning to go on a respite anytime give this place a chance. It only costs Php 25 to enter the vicinity and the ride is only 2 hours from Manila and 40 mins away from Tagaytay.
Here are some more pictures from Caleruega:

Summer Destinations: Malapascua Island

Malapascua is an island located near Cebu. To get there you need to take a long bus ride (around 4 hours) from Mactan airport and almost an hour of boat ride from the nearby dock in Maya. It's quite far but it's all worth it once you've seen the white sand and crystal clear waters which reminds me of how Boracay looks like more than a decade ago.

The island is not that crowded during summer compared to more famous beaches like Puerto Galera or Boracay. But for me, the best time to go here is during off-peak seasons. It feels like you're all alone stranded on paradise. You can go all out nude if you like.

One of the best things on this island is the food. Compared to other destinations, Malapascua has nearby restaurants that sells not only great tasting food but cheap as well! The most famous is Ging Ging's, whose pancakes are to die for and very attentive staff.

If there's one place I won't mind going to over and over again, it would be Malapascua. For more info about this great place like how to commute, places to stay and contact persons just click here.

Ortigas Weekend Getaway

Me and GF is constantly traveling to look for interesting places where I can take pictures and at the same time have food trips. Last weekend we went to Ark Avilon Zoo at Pasig and it's really an interesting place to bring the family along. Fun Ranch is just beside the Zoo and it's like a mini carnival for kids. For Php295 you can buy a ticket that will enable you to go on every ride unlimitedly. Nearby is Tiendesitas, where you can shop 'til you drop and a lot of choices of food to eat. We tried the puto bumbong and it was a blast! If you're planning to go here for a weekend getaway here are some maps I've gathered around the internet to help you take the right path if you're driving or by commute. Just click on the image for a bigger view.