Palamig sa Family Park 3.29.09

 ***more pics here***

weekend, a day before kami umuwi ng SanJaMas nilabas muna namin si daddy.
we left him with sweet memories for we are going to be gone for a long time. umabot ng 1 month and 10 days to be exact. we just came back 10th of this month. we missed him a lot also, syempre!:D

eto mga pics. i love all the stolen shots made by Owen's yaya.
natuto gumamit ng camera or sigurista lang na makakuha ng good shots kaya click lang ng click. hahaha.
ganun pa man gusto ko lahat naging resulta...:D

Sky Experience Adventure @ Crown Regency Hotel and Towers

This is the highlight of their last day in Cebu, and of course for me as well who experienced it for the first time!

Oh only for the four of us since our two companion are both scared of heights.  They didn't even think about it, it was a big NO right away! 

As for me that would always want to experience new things, I didn't let this chance to pass.  Crown Regency Hotel and Towers is one of the tallest building in the country and just started its operation 3 years ago.  It is a 38-storey building that made its top floor into an amusement facility which includes a roller coaster that runs around the edge of the building and a stroll with a safety protection of a harness.

Picture Perfect! Amazing view up there!

Sure thing we were all a little nervous, me nervous but excited at the same time.  Even when we were not yet starting to walk, I felt some tickling rush coming from my feet up to my head.  I said this is it, no backing out!

Skywalker look!

Dinner @ Casa Verde

Well this is the famous restaurant in town at the moment.  You cannot find this in Manila so I brought them here.  This have become my favorite restaurant since I got here.  For two reasons, first the price is super cheap for the food that they are going to serve you ( for us that used to Manila food price), and of course second, the taste is also remarkable!

Brian's Ribs

City Stroll - Sto. Niño Church, Magellan's Cross and Fort San Pedro

Magellan's Cross is housed in a chapel just next to Sto. Niño Church.  It is believed that it was planted by Portuguese and Spanish Explorers ordered by Ferdinand Magellan when they arrived in Cebu on April 1521.

Chapel that is housing the Cross

It said that the original cross is encased to that wooden cross to protect it .  It is also believed that the Cross is miraculous. 

The ceiling of the chapel where you can see the paintings that depicts the Cebu History

Third destination.  Fort San Pedro

It is located 3 blocks from Magellan's Cross. It is the smallest, oldest triangular bastion fort in the country that was built in 1738.  This served as the nucleus of the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines.

the entrance

behind the entrance is this

fourteen cannons were mounted here which most of it are still there

shot from the other side of the triangle, imagine how small is the fort

This is the end of their City tour, tired and feel dirty due to the sweat all day.  We decided to go home and get some rest and a bath before dinner.  And the awaited last activity in Cebu, the Crown Regency Adventure! :)

Bantayan Island - Day 2 (Virgin Island)

waiting for our boat

All are set and ready to get sunburned in Virgin Island.  We arranged the rent of our boat with our resort.  We paid P1,200 for the whole day use and we gave a tip of P200.  Our boatmen also did the marketing for our lunch and they just cooked it in the Island.

The Virgin Island (Sillion Island ) from afar. The rights of this Island are owned by a political family in Madridejos  Town

Bantayan Island - Day 2 ( Sta Fe Beach Club and Morning Walk)

Another things that should never be missed when in this small Island is the sunrise and the walk to their long stretch of white sand. But as much as I wanted them to witness the sunrise as I need in my first time to this place, they were all tightly tucked in into their bed.

the beautiful sunrise, i got this shot for them

It was really time to get up now, we still have to explore the Virgin Island of Bantayan. We had our breakfast there before we did our morning walk.  We hired a tricycle to bring us to Sta Fe Beach Club Resort.  

City Stroll - CNT and SM City Cebu

Their last day in Cebu.  After a short rest at home, we took them first to the best lechon resto in town. Before we start our City Tour at least they are energized again and ready to beat the summer heat of Cebu outside.

the restaurant 

Bantayan Island - Day 1 (The Island Tour)

After the Gang's lunch, picture taking and a quick dip in our Resorts, they are ready and off to explore the 3 municipalities of this small Island of Bantayan.

First stop, Octong Cave.  Octong Cave is actually inside Sta Fe Beach Club resort just 10 minutes motorcycle ride from Budyong beach resort.  You have to pay P100 pesos per head for entrance.  The Resort accommodation price is a bit high than those resorts located at the prime part of the Island.

The resort is situated on a natural rock overlooking the sea and the long stretch of Sta Fe beautiful beaches.

entrance of the resort

You can feel the tranquil atmosphere inside because of the sea breeze plus the resorts well maintained garden every corner.

the swimming pool and the green inside of the resort 

and this is the Ogtong Cave.  you can actually swim in this small cave. 

Second stop, Bantayan proper.  Here is where you can see the oldest church in the Philippines.  Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church is a 5 centuries old church.  It is considered being the first and oldest constructed church in Cebu.  It was founded on June 11, 1580.

Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church  

Third stop, Kota Park in Madridejos.  This is where you can witness the perfect sunset of Bantayan Island. Too bad that they were not able to wait for Mr. Sun to set and they left the place with some but also nice photos of the place.

the gang

Kota Park is an old Spanish Fort that was transformed into a Park.  One of the highlight in the place is the Bontay Baywalk, a 187-meter footbridge connecting the shores of the island to the lighthouse.

Kota Park Bridge

They were back in our resort at blue hour. After a short rest, we headed to Sta Fe proper to find a place to dine.  We had our dinner in some bbq house along the road.  We again after our dinner and before going to bed had a short dip in the beach.  We ended our day in the Island at 9pm already. Have to sleep early for the island hopping the next day

Bantayan Island - Day 1 3.05.09

We are staying for 2 nights 3 days in the Island. We booked at Budyong Beach Resort. It offers a cottage type accommodation.  They got an aircon and non-aircon cottages.  The resort is situated right on the middle of Bantayan's Beaches.

by the entrance of the resort

After checking in, everybody did not wasted a time to take picture even just before changing.  We chose to get the beachfront so we can enjoy the scenery at any time from our position.  There were still few people at the time we arrived.  Maybe still sleeping? 

this is our air-conditioned  cottage and we love this hammock

our beachfront look at that beautiful sandbar

few more clicks and a quick dip and then time for lunch!

While we were in the beach, a man selling seafoods offered us his goods and told us that it is alright to ask the resort to cook it for us.  So we just bought some fish, crabs and a squids then ask the resort to cook it for us. Bantayan Island first treat for us.  We just had a super fresh and delicious lunch on our first day.

lunch at the resort restaurant

After were done with our lunch. They chill for a bit and hit the beach again.  Did some photos and prepare for their Island Tour.  But before that they visited first Ogtong Cave which is also in Sta. Fe.  By the way, Bantayan Island have only 3 municipalities.  Sta Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos.  Look at this Island Map.  .

this was their mission in their 1st afternoon in the Island.  explore it by only riding a motorcycle.

TOP 03.04.09

viewing deck and the bee-hive-like ground

the gang

Last destination of the day before dinner. TOP or TOPS is one of the tourist here in Cebu.  It is located in Busay.  It is just about 30 mins drive from IT Park.  It is about 2000 above sea level so from there you can see the whole City of Cebu.  It was just in time for sunset (though good sunset cannot be seen here) and they still got the chance to see the city in daylight from the top.  Stayed there for 30 minutes I think. Just took some snap shots and had a short snack while we enjoy the cold wind.

Here are some photos taken at the place.

After Top, we went to Larsian Fuente Osmena for dinner.  Larsian this is where the best place for bbq and puso (hanging rice) in town. Everyone super enjoyed the dinner. 

enjoyed their first larsian experience where they only used hands only covered with plastic :)

Island in the Sky 3.04.09

***more pictures here***

Second destination of their first day in Cebu.
It was also my first time coming here.  A one hour and a half drive from the city proper.  It’s a mountainous region, Balamban north of Cebu.  I can tell the place to be the Little Baguio of Cebu as the weather and road is somewhat similar to Baguio.

The mountain resort sits on a 15-hectare property that commands a panoramic view of the Cebu, Balamban and Toledo hillsides. But the resort looked like it didn't maintained and managed for a long time now. The pool is dried up and the cottages seem to be a bit unstable now.  But then, we still enjoyed the place for picture taking.  The scenery and the cold wind up there was still amazing.  Just hope that, the owner will take time and money to maintain and improve the place again.  It will be nice to have this place here in Cebu to escape the super hot climate of Cebu.

more pics - http://ardeeboi.multiply.com/photos/album/39

Trivia:
It was then started as a private rest house by the owner Johnny delos Reyes who was also the developer. Johnny delos Reyes is a multi-awarded inventor, high school graduate and a former watch repairman. He was awarded Inventor of the Year by the Filipino Inventor’s Society in 1980 and is a Presidential Awardee for inventing a carburetor for cars and tricycle that runs on gas (LPG). Another popular creation of his is the Canker Sore Drops, a popular remedy for singaw or loas.

Plantation Bay 03.04.2009

***more pictures here***

My first day as a tourist guide began.  From airport diretso kami sa Plantation Bay for breakfast (my second time here).

Plantation Bay one of the top 25 resorts in Asia according to Condé Nast Traveler November 2008. Ranked 16th that beat higher-scoring resorts in Asia like Four Seasons, Oberoi Vanyavillas, Banyan Tree Lijiang, and Marriott Phuket.

It was a Mexican buffet for the day. Di ko alam kung hindi nila type ang food or mas natatalo sila ng antok. Kung pwede lang matulog ng sabay habang kumakain eh ginawa na nila. hahaha. Inspite of, tignan nyo naman ang mga pictures hind halata diba? :D

I guess they all had a great time touring around and taking photos inside the resort.  A nice start for a four days vacation here in Cebu. ^-^

more pics - http://ardeeboi.multiply.com/photos/album/41

my prev visit - http://rowenaajero.multiply.com/photos/album/86/Plantation_Bay_March_2008_

Trivia:

The 11.4 hectares resort and its artificial lagoons white-sand is not a real beach sand. It is made out of mountain stone quarried and crushed into fine grains so unlike real beach sand it is always cool to the touch, even under direct sun.