Cheat Weekend with the Gentle Giants

May 14-15, 2011
Donsol, Sorsogon

(almost an hour and a half car ride from Legazpi)

Our company brought us to Donsol, Sorsogon over the weekend to swim with the gentle giants, or famously known as whale sharks or "butanding". Spotting a butanding after typhoon was really hard so we are very thankful that we chanced upon them. Seeing and swimming with them feels soooo surreal! It was an indescribable beauty when I was swimming on top of those big-gray-with-white-spots creatures of the sea. ♥

As I am in this trip, I had a ceasefire with my diet. Travelling is not as happy without enjoying the local delicacies. It's my unwritten rule that whenever I travel, I do food tripping. So, I really did not care about not following my meal plan for the weekend. Although I (with the help of the watchful eyes of our dietitian, Laarni) kept eating in little moderation just to be sure that I am not getting out of track. It's not really bad to have your Cheat Days once in a while. It will help you to satiate those cravings and will rid of the feeling of deprivation.

I ate rice in every meal I had, from breakfast to dinner, though I kept it at 1 cup of rice only per meal. I ate all the ulam except the fats. And to put cherry on top, I had exotic flavors of ice cream (which I am not allowed to eat in my diet)!

Ice cream just after breakfast at 1st Colonial Grill Express, Legazpi.
Sili: the spunk of chili is just right. the spiciness does not linger in your mouth. two-thumbs up!
Malunggay: it's like chewing raw malunggay leaves! not that good.
Tinutong (Roasted Rice): super love it!

Breakfast at 1st Colonial Grill Express, Legazpi.
Garlic Rice, Egg, Daing (Abo), with Tomato and Atsara.

Lunch at Amor Restaurant, Donsol.
Rice, Inihaw na liempo, Grilled Talakitok, Pagui (Stingray) sa Gata, Shrimps, and Watermelon.

Breakfast at Vitton Beach Resort, Donsol.
Rice, Daing (Abo), Scrambled Eggs, Tocino, Corned Beef with Potato, Salad, and HOTDOGS!!!

I don't regret eating the foods I ate over the weekend. My tummy was exceptionally happy those times, and I am positive that I can lose the two pounds I gained. Don't deprive yourself, have fun once in a while. ;) Have your Cheat Day once in a while! :) Just don't abuse it.

Super thank you to Anxa for this wonderful experience! :) Nomu Nomu Nomu Kamsahamnida! ^^

P.S. I was looking foward to uber hot dishes of Bicol, however, the "hotness" I was anticipating is still not that hot for me. I guess they didn't gave it all out since we have foreigners in our lot.

P.P.S. I will never fly via Zest Air. They're the worst carrier. Our flight back to MNL was delayed for five hours! Why? The plane is still in Bacolod! The route? Bacolod-Manila-Legazpi! Oh c'mon! Their Airbus is even old enough that needs a lot of repair! No armrest on my seat. There are flies inside the plane! And.. I had the most shaky touchdown of my life! Good thing I didn't pay a cent for this flight. Oh I forgot to mention that they did compensate the five-hour delay through a merienda of so-so pancit canton and lukewarm softdrinks which I wasn't able to avail since they already gave the rest to the airport terminal staff since we're too late to claim them. They just changed the name but still Zest Air is Asian Spirit.

[2010.11.22] Day 2 in Hong Kong

On our second day, we went to Stanley at Hong Kong Island. It is where the beaches of Hong Kong are. We took Bus 6 at Central Exchange Square and the ride was about 45mins to 1 hour. Warning: The Bus 6 ride is not for the people with motion sickness. I got a little dizzy when I arrived at Stanley because of the winding roads. Although, it was indeed a scenic bus ride.

On the way to Stanley. I wasn't able to catch more pictures since I was dizzy with the bus ride.

Stanley is whole lot another story compared to the bustling cities of Tsim Sha Tsui and Central. The atmosphere here is very laid back and peaceful. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to explore the place that much. I only went up to Stanley Market then left for Central again. Stanley Market does not attract me, though. Prices are touristy and the merchandise selection are limited for my taste, at least for the part of the market I was able to look around and mostly can be found at the Ladies Market also. Lots of Caucasian tourists are here, by the way. As for the beaches, I caught a glimpse of it during the bus ride, I could say, our beaches in the Philippines are definitely more beautiful.

The only picture I have of Stanley. Near Stanley Market.

For lunch, we ate at Yung Kee Restaurant in Central, famous for its roasted goose. It was quite a fine dining restaurant, if I may say. Good thing, they serve set meals worth HKD 30-40. Before our meals were served, they gave us two teapots of Jasmine Tea and a plate of preserved duck eggs. All along we thought they were complimentary. However, when the bill arrived, the tea and eggs were charged! Pfffft! The roasted goose I ordered wasn't that extraordinary. I guess saying Yung Kee's the best was a bit overrated. Nevertheless, Yung Kee is a Michelin-starred restaurant, so I guess their other food offers are good.

Roast Goose and Soup fom Yung Kee. I enjoyed the soup more than the Roast Goose.

We went back to the hostel quite early. The elders were very exhausted walking all day and yesterday. As for  me, I rested for a bit and ready to explore again! I waited for Mama and Tita Baby, though because they want to come with me in Mongkok. They shopped at the Ladies Market while I went to Fa Yuen Street to canvass Chucks. It was my first to go to Fa Yuen and wow, the street is really lined up with rubber shoes store, left to right, north to south! It was overwhelming!

We bought street foods while in Mongkok, it was like a barbecue stand counterpart in the Philippines (but they also do some frying aside from grilling). They are selling various balls, intestines, sausages and many other kinds. Average price is HKD 10 per one stick. While we already got our orders, the vendor told us to get away in front of their stall in a rude way! Hmmmp. Eh nag-iisip pa ako kung anong sawsawan ang kukunin ko dahil syempre hindi ko naman alam kung ano ang bagay dun sa inorder ko. Alam ko na medyo nakaka-istorbo kami pero sana sabihin naman ng maayos. Grabe talaga 'yung mga iyon. 

Point in case: Whenever, you're in Hong Kong, don't slack. Walk and act fast. People there are always on the go and they don't want you interrupting their fast-paced lives.

[2010.11.21] Day 1 in Hong Kong

Most awaited day has come, finally! We were at Terminal 3 a little past 5am to catch our 7:55am flight bound to Hong Kong. I didn't know that during mornings, Departure Entrances are filled with long queues [I usually take the afternoon or night flight where getting in is a breeze]! I think we queued for about 15-20 minutes before we were able to get inside the airport.

We paid for the Travel Tax (PhP 1,620) first, then proceeded to check-in our baggages. Ate my rush breakfast at Jollibee, paid the Terminal Fee (PhP 750) and then went on to the Immigrations. Waited for around 30 minutes before boarding. Boarding was on time, but the take off was delayed for around 10 minutes. I think the runway is a little traffic. Haha!

Tip: For those who bought their tickets online, especially Cebu Pacific, you can pay first the Travel Tax before checking-in so you wouldn't need to go back and forth to claim the boarding pass.

At 10am, we had our touchdown. Weeeeee.. I smell Hong Kong!!! We grabbed some free city maps then proceeded right away at the Immigrations. We went in one-by-one. It was fast, no questions asked for my lot of 7 people. After clearing with Immigrations, I reloaded and bought Octopus Cards at the Customer Service.

It was my second time in Hongkong but I still forgot the way going to the Airbus station. O_o Anyway, we were able to find it after a few questions here and there (got confused with the signs). We rode A21 bus going to Kowloon, then boarded the 13th Bus Stop in Tsim Sha Tsui. Walked a little then we were able to find Golden Crown Guest House, located at the building where Standard Chartered Bank is. The signage of the guest house is a bit inconspicuous so you have to open your eyes a little.

Aboard the A21 Double Decker Bus

Golden Crown is located in the 5th and 6th floors of the building. We stayed in the 5th floor where the Twin and Double Rooms are while 6th floor houses the Triple and Family Rooms. Sixth floor rooms are newer and more hi-tech than 5th floor (they have keycards while 5th has steel keys). Anyway, the rooms are skimpy but they are clean (as well as the toilets) and just enough for a place to sleep on. We will be out most of the day, anyway. Plus, the caretaker is a friendly Filipina! ^^ Sorry, have no pictures to show of the room. -_-

After checking in and paying the hostel in full, we had our lunch at Cafe de Coral in Granville Road. I loved my first Hongkong meal for this trip! Ordered a set of Barbecued/Roasted Meats (Chicken and Pork) with side dishes. I tasted the best roasted pork skin! The crunch of the skin is perfect in each mouthful. Ooohh I am drooling again!

Tip: Ordering at Cafe de Coral - After paying for your order, proceed to the Claiming Area and present the receipt. Make sure you are queuing up in the right line. They have separate queues for the Roasted and Non-Roasted Foods.

After Café de Coral, we went to Nan Lian Gardens and Chi Lin Nunnery. It was really amazing there's a place like this in the midst of skyscrapers. Nan Lian Gardens is very relaxing and the sights are to behold. Chi Lin Nunnery needs a few more walks from Nan Lian. When I saw Chi Lin, it was like I entered inside the TV and an ancient Chinese movie is playing, with all the temples and Buddha there. It was really a nice, relaxing
and calming experience to go there.

Nan Lian Gardens and Chi Lin Nunnery
Diamond Hill  MTR Station Exit C2. Then follow the signs.
Open daily 7am to 9pm

We then went to Causeway Bay to do a little shopping, Lee Gardens and Jardine's Crescent. I am not really sure if we missed something good but that area was more of like a bazaar (I enjoy Mongkok more). Although some are sold relatively cheap. We were supposed to ride the Ding Ding Tram going back to Central but apparently for this day ONLY, the tram stops at Admiralty only.

Star Ferry Central Pier, Hong Kong at night

We boarded Star Ferry going to TST to experience the beautiful night scenery of Victoria Harbor. Ahhhh, the night lights were just breathtaking coupled with cold night breeze (too bad my camera didn't cooperate with the nice view). By the way, the walk from Central MTR Station going the Star Ferry Pier was quite a long walk, around 15-20 minutes depending on your pace.

Another walk again going back to hostel. First, we had dinner at Food Republic inside Silvercord. Lots of choices to choose from. My best was the Preserved Egg Congee.. oooohhh I want more of that now!

The oldies already called it a night but Kuya Regie and I still went to Temple Street, Night Market. We just walked from Golden Crown, the walk was around 20-30 minutes but I didn't mind the long walk because I enjoy looking at the shops and lights. ^_^

Today's Expenses:

Octopus Load	HKD	150
Café de Coral Lunch		30
Mineral Water		8
Cream Soda		8
Gong Cha		12
Hui Lan Shan Dessert Drink		16
HK Ballpens (12 pcs)		50
Eggette		13
White Top (from Jardine's)		10
	HKD	297

Buying HKD for your HongKong Vacation

The downside of Filipinos when it comes to travelling is that Philippine Peso is very weak compared to other countries currencies. For Hongkong, 1 HKD = 6.3 PhP on the average. But as I write this blog, PhP is getting stronger where 1 HKD = 5.8 PhP. Not much difference, but with ForEx, this 0.5 difference is something already.

Anyway, some Filipinos usually take the hassle of buying USD rather than HKD when going to Hongkong. Then, they will buy HKD in Hongkong using their USD. Cross-rates. Hmmmm. Really not appealing to me, if HKD is the subject. Moreover, there is an insignificant difference on PhP to USD to HKD and PhP to HKD.

HKD is readily available in Banks (HSBC, BPI, and BDO) and money changers here in the Philippines. So, engaging to cross-rates would really just be a hassle on your vacation. Instead of roaming around and getting on with your itinerary, you'll be looking for money changers, eh? You wouldn't even know if the money changer has good rates or not. So, why take the inconvenience?

So, here are my proven and tested suggestions when buying your HKD.

1. MB Aguirre (recommended by BPI) - It has better rates than the banks by a few cents. It has several branches over the metro. The one I have tried is their South Center Branch, Alabang. Call them up first before going to there to ensure there is HKD reserved for you.

MB Aguirre
Contact No: 8094251 and 8504617

2. HSBC Savings Bank / BPI / BDO - The problem with HSBC is you have to have an account with them in order to buy HKD with them. As for BPI and BDO, I believe they sell HKD to non-account holders. Although, for all banks, you have to reserve first at least 3 days prior.

3. If you really cannot buy HKD in Philippines, you can bring your PHP in Hongkong and buy your HKD at Frank's in World Wide House, Central. They really have good rates there, even better rates when you buy HKD in Philippines. You can just buy a minimal amount of HKD at the Hongkong Airport for your transpo costs. If you are in Tsim Sha Tsui Area, Wing Hoi Money Changer are mostly recommended by the Filipino Hongkong Enthusiasts but I think you need USD to buy your HKD here.



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Always remember DO NOT BUY HKD WITH ALL YOUR MONEY AT THE AIRPORT. Just buy enough until you can have your money changed at decent money changers. Airport Rates are rip-offs!

Note: Don't be baffled when you see your HKD. They really do not have uniformity with their bills and coins. The design of the paper bills depends on the issuer of the money, i.e., HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, etc.

Planning Your Hongkong Vacation

from http://www.abercrombiekent.co.uk/china/hongkong/

It ain't no easy feat to plan your vacay, especially when you are considering the likes and dislikes of your travel buddies. Hongkong is a city bustling with night life, good food, tourist spots, and shopping. And putting it all together in your constraint trip is the challenge.

Anyhoo, I have been lucky enough to travel outside the Philippines for four times already since I started working. And this November, I will be availing of our Company perk for a trip for two to HongKong. Yahooooooo! And this will be my second time there but with different companions this time.

First things first.

1. Budget. Moolah, moolah, and moolah. Set your budget. Decide for how long your vacation will be given the budget you have and how long you can leave your work. Here are the basic things you need to account for:

• Air Fare Ticket
• Travel Tax (PhP 1,620) + Terminal Fee (PhP 750)
• Accomodation for __ Days
• Food for __ Days
• Transportation for __ Days
• Entrance Fee on spots you want to go
• Shopping and Pasalubong Money

2. Book your plane tickets! If you are not constrained with a budget, booking your tickets anytime wouldn't be a problem. But since I am following a budget, checking airline promos everyday is a must. Being a fan on Facebook and a follower in Twitter of Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines are the best way to know of their promos. The downside, on the other hand, of availing the promo fares is that the travel period is months ahead so there is a risk that something may occur on your flight sched. I booked my Roundtrip ticket to HK for PhP 4,200 on promo. Not bad, right? The earlier you book, the cheaper the tickets you can get.

3. Reserve your Accommodation. It's best to look for an accommodation in a central location, i.e., transport and tourist places accessible. For me, it would be Tsim Sha Tsui in Hongkong. Next, choose whether you want to stay in a Hotel or Hostel, then again, your budget comes. In my opinion, Hostel will do (especially I am on budget) since you are mostly out and will just be there to sleep. So a decent and clean sleeping bed and private bathroom are  more than enough for me. Hence, I booked to Golden Crown Hostel where I got the room for HKD 350 a night!

4. Itinerary. Hmmm the hard part especially if you are not only considering what you like but also the others' and if you're with Senior Citizens who are not into too much walking and need rest time. I'll be travelling in a pack of 7 and with seniors. A-huh. Good thing, I have the liberty to choose where to go since I am in charge with the Iti and they don't know much about HK so they can't comment much. Haha! But of course, I took into consideration where they want to go and all.

My vacation will be on November and our Iti is 95% done already. Haha! Excited much? It was hard at first to organize this trip where you want to cramp so many places in a few days. But you just have to set your priorities and where you really want to go and all will be well.

Here are some helpful links to plan your Hongkong Trip:

1. Pinoy Exchange Forum for HK Dummies - super helpful site especially Page 1. Everything you need to know is there already. You can also ask other forummers if you have further questions about HK. Kudos to those who made this thread!

2. Official Hongkong Tourism Site

3. MTR Fare and Journey Planner - You can play on this so you'll know the exact transportation costs and travel time you will incur during the course of your travel.

4. Google Map and Street View - I just discovered the Street View recently, and this is the best thing ever! You can actually see the streets of Hongkong at 360 degrees view! Just drag the Human in the zoom panel to the street you want to view and voila. In the map, you can also calculate the distance and how much time you need to walk or to drive from point A to point B. Fabulous, isn't?

Singapore Food Trip

Amongst other Asian countries, I would say that Singapore Cuisine has the most diverse taste since its country has three major races, the Chinese, Malays, and Indians. So, I would say Singapore cuisine is a gastronomic fusion.

During the course of my trip, I was able to sample the "must-eats" in Singapore at the famous food centers.

Maxwell Food Center (near Chinatown)

• Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice - I particularly went to Maxwell Food Center just to taste the ever-famous Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice which was featured by Anthony Bourdain in his No Reservations show. I queued for about 30 minutes and the fact that the queue is that long, I know the place is really a must. The dish looks very simple with the chicken looking bland and all but the taste is just so right and sumptuous especially when you mix it with the condiments and the rice. The price of only SGD 2.5-3.0 is also a plus!

Note: Tian Tian opens at around 11:00am but Maxwell is already open by 8:00am

• Nasi Lemak with Beef Rendang - Nasi Lemak is a Malay dish meaning rice cooked in coconut milk. Along with the rice, it is served with fried dilis, sambal, and a viand of your choice. For my breakfast, I chose the uber hot Beef Rendang. The combination of crunchy dilis to rice and rendang is a nice touch to your every bite.

Nasi Lemak with Beef Rendang

• Fishball Noodle - We were a bit early at Maxwell and Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice isn't open yet (we were told to be back by 11am). So I scoured Maxwell for my breakfast and found this. Typical noodles with oyster sauce or soy sauce as the base. The fishballs are good, though.

• Drinks (Fresh Sugar Cane Juice and Grass Jelly Juice) - I love Singapore juices! They are so fresh, squeezed right in front you (at least for the fruit and sugar cane). It was my first time to drink fresh Sugar Cane juice. Sugar canes went to the presser or whatever you call that, and voila, fresh juice served for SGD 1.50. Grass Jelly Juice, on the other hand, is just another name of Gulaman for us, Filipinos. I love Pinoy gulaman and so as this one!

Grass Jelly Juice

Makansutra Gluttons Bay
behind the Esplanade Mall
opens at 6pm until 3am

Makansutra is a touristy place and so are the prices of the food. Prices are about SGD 1-2 higher than hawker centers. But I just have to be here. Never mind the price. The night was packed with both tourists and locals and it was hard to find a table. Anyways, we ordered Hokkien Mie and Seafood Rice for our dinner.

Hokkien Mie

Seafood Rice

Bedok Hawker Center and other Mall Food Courts

• Laksa - Malay noodle soup with coconut milk. Not really my kind of taste, or perhaps, its just this particular stall. Hmmm, I just realized that Malays love coconut milk, don't they?

• Char Siew Rice - Barbequed pork with rice. Simple yet bursting with flavor in every bite for only SGD 2.

• Ice Kachang - Ice shaved dessert similar to Halo-Halo. It has red monggo, sweet corn, jelly, and other ingredients I don't know. But this tastes like almond jelly. Good eat at SGD 1.5.

• Char Kway Teow - Stir fried noodle dish. I was really excited to eat this, looking so yummy, but the cockles burst my bubble! Set aside the cockles, this is good, though.

What I had was just a sampler. I am yet to taste the other Singapore must eats in the future, so I'll definitely be back, Singapore! Chilli Crabs, you're next!

'Till my next Culinary Adventure! :)

Singapore, Second Time Around. (Day 2 of 4)

Day 2: April 23, 2010

Itinerary

• Bedok
• Fragrance Hotel Balestier 
• IMM Jurong East (JKS Fan Signing)

Our day started with Arlyn's set homemade breakfast for us. We weren't able to bid goodbyes to their Dad, Ryan (their other brother), and Camille (Arlyn's BFF) since they have gone to work already when we woke up. By the way, their unit is quite big and is at the top most floor, so nice view! The unit, though, is at SGD 1,700 per month (almost PhP 60k)! Whew! Arlyn said this is the cheapest O_o

Some photo ops before we leave their unit. They sent us off at Jurong MTR Station.

Inside Bernabe's Flat with Ariel.

Ariel and Arlyn

We went to the other end of Singapore, Bedok, to meet Ico and Jen (Ico's fiancé) to get our Fan Meet Tickets and poster! Yay! :) They treated us in a Hawker Center. Finally, I get to eat here. This was my major frustration last time when the Hawker Centers are close due to Chinese New Year. I want to eat the authentic Singapore food, the common Singaporeans do, and that is, in Hawker Centers. Food here is a lot cheaper as well, meals start at SGD 2.00.

Anyway, I had Laksa, a Malay noodle soup with coconut milk. Not much my type though.

Laksa

Ate had Char Siew Rice. I should've ordered this instead. It was yuuummmmmmy!

Char Siew Rice, SGD 2.

Ico and Jen had Fried Prawn Hokkien Mie. Two thumbs up as well!

For dessert, I bought Ice Kachang for SGD 1.50. It's like the SG version of Halo-Halo but with different ingredients. It has corn and tastes like almond jelly? Basta masarap din siya. :)

Ice Kachang

After eating, we went to Ico and Jen's flat, from HDB as well. This HDB condominium, however, is newer compared to Jurong, hence, the interiors are more updated and contemporary.

Ico and Jen's Kitchen.

We checked in first in our hotel, Fragrance Hotel Balestier, we got the room on sale for SGD 75 per day. The room and bathroom were actually small but it was clean and decent enough. They even have LCD for the TV. Plus, the receptionists are Filipinos. :)

We travelled back again to Jurong for the Fan Signing Event of Jang Keun Suk. This event is actually for the VIP ticket holders (They are the only ones allowed to have his signature!). Thank God, this is held in an open-space venue so we were still able to see him. Will blog this event in detail in a separate post. :)

After the event, we roamed around IMM mall to do some shopping. Apparently, we found nothing. Cotton On sale was tempting though, but nothing fits me. We ate dinner at the mall's Food Court and went back to Fragrance Hotel to rest and prepare for the long queue the next day.

Singapore, Second Time Around.

This trip was conjured in a snap. Never have I thought I'd be going back to Singapore after a year, moreover, all because of Jang Geun Suk. ♥ Not much of sight-seeing for this trip, just JGS and the food :)

Day 1: April 22, 2010
MNL - SIN via Cebu Pacific (5J803)
ETD: 2050H
ETA: 2355H

Surprisingly, we'll be riding the plane with Ariel on our way to Singapore. Takot ang bata lumipad mag-isa, kaya ayan, sumabay talaga sa amin. Haha! Anyway, we met him up at NAIA Terminal 3 at around 5:30pm. We landed in Singapore Budget Terminal 5-10 minutes earlier than our ETA.

Since we arrived this late, we would be wasting money if we will check-in a hotel. So we spent the night in Ariel's family HDB unit in Jurong West. We took a cab going here since MTR nor buses are no longer servicing this late. The fare from Changi to Jurong West was SGD 41 including the surcharges.

Arlyn met us and then we had our midnight dinner. We also met their Dad. It was really late already and Ate and I are both very shy to barge in to their house at this hour. Moreover, sleep there for the night. They were sooooo accomodating and hospitable.

After eating midnight snack (na kanin), we all called it night. Bangenge na nga si Arlyn, kakaantay sa amin. Hehe.

Side note: During my first time in SG, as far as I can remember, the taxis I saw and rode were 99% new models. Apparently, for this trip, all the taxis I rode were rather, hmmmm, old.

Taxi Station in Singapore Budget Terminal. Old and New car models.