Cebu: Taoist Temple

Here's the thing... Cebu City is but a 30-minute plane ride away (or 3 to 4-hour drive) from where I live but I still haven't been to the popular Cebu Taoist Temple.

Field trips to Cebu is never complete without a visit to this place, but still, it is only now that I had the chance to actually go there. LOL

So guys, I present to you... the (Cebu) Taoist Temple!

one of the worship areas

General Overview

It's basically the largest Taoist Temple in the Philippines (or so I've been told).

For a bit of history, it was built by the local Chinese-Filipino community as a place for worship back in 1972 (wow, 40 years and it's still looking pristine).

The solemnity of the place is taken very seriously that although it is considered as one of the destinations tourists (both foreign and local) visit, there are guards and personnel around who are there to make sure that the sanctity of the place is kept.

one of the frequently posed areas of visitors

the popular fisherman koi pond

Kind Reminders to Keep in Mind

Common rules when visiting the temple includes:
* no taking of photos inside the worship area where the Taoist saints and sacred objects are located.
* silence must be observed at all times.
* guards and personnel are NOT to be asked to take your pictures.
* no throwing of coins in the koi pond -- it is a pond, not a wishing well.

Things to Do

But of course, there are a lot of things that you can do when visiting the Cebu Taoist Temple.  Here are a few:

1. Enjoy the View
               With the temple located in Beverly Hills, a subdivision on a hill, it is actually 300 meters above sea level.  So you'll have a great view of the city.  Great for soul searching, photos, and just having that "I'm on top of the world" moment. :)

2. Light Joss Sticks
              They have joss sticks instead of candles.  So you can light them and you can also try doing the rituals since there are signs telling you how to do it.  It would be a nice experience.

3. Take Photos
               This place is one of the shutterbugs' choices in their itineraries.  It is quiet, it is tranquil, it is green, and it is interesting.  And if you're that crazy and fun, you can fake your shots that you're in China or somewhere... just pick the right angles! ;-)

4. Have a Relaxing Walk
               Whether it is taking a reflective walk by yourself, or a romantic walk, the Cebu Taoist Temple is really a great place to take that walk.  It is calm, peaceful, and just has the right kind of vibe for that relaxing walk.

5. Meditate / Reflect
               Where else to meditate than here, right?  It was built for this purpose.  So you can go and sit in a quiet corner and meditate / reflect.  There are shady areas with trees, or nice corners around the place.  Take your pick...

6. Climb the 81 Steps
                This is one of the rituals done by Taoist devotees during Wednesdays and Sundays.

What you do is, you climb the 81 steps of the stairs (each step representing the 81 chapters of the Taoism scriptures), light joss sticks and have your fortune read by the monks.

For a non-Taoist, this is an interesting experience.  I would have wanted to try this.  Too bad I went there on a Thursday. :-(

the popular facade of the temple for picture taking (beside the mini "Great wall of China" too..)

Getting There

You can basically take a taxi, or a private car.

Since it is in a subdivision, those who opt to ride tricycles or jeepneys can make it just up to the entrance of Beverly Hills, and they can walk to the temple.

If you're someone who likes to walk, it isn't such a long way to the temple from the entrance. However, it is uphill, so a bit of extra effort should be expected.

And bring an umbrella if walking -- it can be quite hot.

Next time you find yourself in Cebu, drop by and enjoy the view, snap a few photos, and just enjoy the tranquility.

After all, we're here, we're there, we're everywhere! :)

Boracay Budget Trip: Day 4

And we've finally come to our last day here in Boracay.

Basically, all we have time for is breakfast, and we're off to another land trip to Dumangas -- with a short side trip to Sampaguita Gardens Resort in Kalibo, of course.

So basically, our day started with a hearty breakfast at the hotel, followed by a short tricycle ride to the jetty port to Caticlan.  Of course, we are again feeling so lucky that Eric, our trusted bellhop, led us through a pathway by the side of the hotel which is all paved (not sandy) and shady (full of trees).

It was more of a shortcut, actually.

Anyway, we then got the car from the parking area, then we headed to Kalibo.  We had lunch there, and then drove to New Washington, Kalibo, where Sampaguita Gardens Resort stands.

Ella Sancho Parking Service

Sampaguita Gardens Resort is a resort owned by Samuel Butchers, the one who created Precious Moments.

the famous Jojo's house in Sampaguita Gardens

So, when you're there, expect to be transported to a world of Precious Moments characters and dolls. :-)

We had a great time there, but unfortunately it rained really strong, my camera ran out of battery, and time was not our friend.  It was already 3:00 pm and we had to make it to Dumangas by 7:00 pm!  So, off we drove away... :-(

the directory :)

So between getting lost on the way to Dumangas port and getting so nervous that we won't make it, we are so relieved when we got there just in time for us to make it for the 7:30 pm trip. yay! :-)  The trip back to Bacolod was nice.  The water was calm and the trip was stable.

When we arrived at the Bacolod port, we were so happy to be home.  So all we had to do was to pay the fee at BREDCO port which was about Php300++, and then we drove home, can't wait to hit the sack!

So total amount spent for the day is:

Expenses:     Breakfast (2)              : (Php)  300
                   Hotel bill (2 rooms)     :         9,000
                   Tip to Eric (bellhop)    :           100
                   Tricycle to port           :            30
                   Parking Fee (3 nights)  :          400
                   Lunch (4)                   :          415
                   Sampaguita Garden (4) :          200
                   RoRo/Bacolod port      :        1,600 
                                                     Php 12,045


To sum it all up, the entire trip cost us Php 26, 775.50.  And divided equally, each of us spent Php 6, 694.00 for the entire trip (everything included).  

And of course, this amount got us all the activities we needed, got us to eat at nice restos like Cyma -- without the budget limitation, and got us to have side trips too.

It's a pretty good amount for an activity-filled, food-filled 4-day trip to Boracay!  *big smile*

Boracay Budget Trip: Day 3

It's day 3 in Boracay – which means it's our last "full" day in Boracay, and the last day for us to do whatever we want on the island. So to make the most out of it, we decided to do the following: land tour, boating, snorkelling, and eat at Aria (our favorite Italian resto in the island).

Day 3 basically started with a yummy breakfast drink of pineapple shake in the hotel. Trust me, it's the yummiest pineapple shake ever! I usually don't like pineapple shake – but I ended up drinking 2 glasses! DeParis Hotel's pineapple shake is really something I look forward to when going to Boracay.
                                                                                                     After having a relaxing morning, Edwin (our activities contact person), who was hanging outside the hotel, arranged an island land tour for us. We opted to go around the island by renting a multicab (in Boracay, it's either you go around in tricycle or multicab – we like the latter, it looks like a baby truck!) Anyway, our pick up point was at the alley beside Boracay Regency.

From there we first headed to Mt. Luho, which is actually the highest point in Boracay Island. The view from up there was wonderful. They had some animals, a preserved sand castle, and it is something different that visitors of Boracay should see.

the view from Mt. Luho

From there, we then headed to Puka Beach – where the puka shells are taken from. It is the other side of the island which is accessible both by land and by boat. Vendors lined along the path to the beach, selling necklaces, bracelets, anklets, paper weights, and religious artifacts made of shells and other local materials. 

From there, we then headed to the other tip of the island, overlooking Crocodile Island. No, it doesn't have crocodiles roaming around. The island is shaped like a crocodile, thus the locals named it such. There we met Ella and Marvin, two children, locals of the area, selling beads and shell products too. However, since we have bought some at Puka Beach already (since there are more choices to pick from there), we bought a shell paper weight from them.

Nor with local kids Marvin and Ella

local children swimming

stairway leading to the deep waters

Expenses: Land tour (4)                         : 1, 500        
              Mt. Luho Entrance Fee (4)         :     200
              Anklets (3)                           :       30                                                   Paper weights                       :       50
                                                   Php  1, 780

That was the end of our land tour. From there, we were then dropped back at the alley where they picked us up, giving us a couple of minutes to get ready for our snorkelling!

Our friend Nor snorkelling

All we had to do was to buy bread from stores by the beach to feed the fish and everything was included in our snorkelling deal – the boat, the guide, the snorkelling masks and all...
It was fun~ the colorful fishes, the clear waters, the friendly boatman, the pleasant guide... after snorkelling, they even brought us for a quick boat trip of the island from tip to tip – it was a nice sunset sailing moment.

                                                                                             Expenses: Bread                     :       25

                   Tip to boat guide :       50

                   Snorkelling           : 1, 200

                                         Php 1, 275

carbonara

pizza: frutti de mare and 
salmone e pesto

And then, it was time for Aria! We saved the best (resto) in Boracay for last. We ordered our favorite carbonara, pomodoro e basilico (San Marzano peeled tomatoes, basil, & parmesan), salmone e pesto (Canadian smoked salmon, pesto, & mozzarella), and frutti de mare (tomato, garlic, seafood, & mozzarella). It was absolute heaven – for us, at least...

pomodoro e basilico

We wanted to go and eat Spanish cuisine at Dos Mestizos but our stomachs could only take so much. So perhaps on our next visit to Boracay. There are so many good restaurants in Boracay!
Expenses:    Carbonara                  : 345
                      Pomodoro E Basilico : 350
                      Salmone E Pesto       : 540
                      Frutti de Mare           : 480
                                             Php 1, 715
After that, let us call it a day, then...
Total expense for the day is Php 4, 770. Again, it will still be divided into 4.
'Til Day 4...

 

Boracay Budget Trip: Day 2

 Finally after getting some good night's sleep, it is a new day in Boracay.

water is inviting, isn't it?

We were then faced with the most challenging question of all, "what to do – first?"

Without any final decision on what to do, we decided to go swimming in Boracay's clear waters – just in front of our hotel (since it is a beachfront hotel).

Eric, DeParis Hotel's staff, was very accommodating and enthusiastically put up a parasol by the beach chairs we occupied and gladly supplied us with some beach towels. (Another reason why I'll be staying at this hotel again!) Even their security guard was very friendly. It was like staying at a place that is so much like a home away from home.

there are at least 5 fishes in this picture... can you spot them?

Anyway, soon it was midday and we decided to have lunch.  Of course, in every trip, we believe that the best parts are taking in the sights, experiencing the culture, and eating good food.  So we picked one of our favorite restaurants -- Cyma!

Lunch

Located at Boracay's D'Mall (Station 2), Cyma was near and very accessible; which was a good thing. At that time, "hungry" was an understatement. You could say "starved" to describe us better. So we had Roka pasta, Cyma lamb chops, Moussaka, Mixed meat Gyros, Pita bread, and of course, each of us had their house blend Iced Tea (bottomless). 

Lunch was superb! πολύ νόστιμα! Opa!


Expenses: Cyma lamb chops                 :  (Php) 440
                Moussaka                             :          265
                Mixed meat gyros                 :          200
                Roka pasta                           :          415
                Pita bread                            :             50
               Cyma bottomless iced tea (4) :           380
               10% Service Charge             :            175 
                                                            Php 1, 925                                                                                  

Believe it or not, we actually couldn't finish our lunch. We had to force it down, though; noting that we paid a lot for it. I guess "starved" was an overstatement. 

By the time we finished lunch, it was time for our first activity: helmet diving.

It was arranged by a guy named Edwin, whom the hotel staff recommended to us. He scouted the island for good deals knowing that we are backpacking folk on a budget. 

Helmet Diving

It was all in all, a wonderful experience :)

When in Boracay, do try helmet diving! 
At first we weren't sure if we'd like it since we've never tried diving before. But it was great!                                                                They provided us with diving shoes and oriented us with what we needed to know before going underwater – basic hand signals, dealing with the pressure as you sink to the bottom, etc...  

Our helmet diving fee already includes the activity, a 3:1 guide underwater (seeing to it that everything in his group is in order), and a CD with our pictures and video compilation. 

Here's a tip, though: helmet diving is usually best done before 10am because the sea is calm (although it may depend on the season). The sun's position also makes the underwater world brighter during this time. Since we went helmet diving in the afternoon, it wasn't as bright underwater... :(  
                                                                                                                                                                                             Expenses: helmet diving fee (4): 2,000 (Php)

By the time we got back to shore, it was about 4pm already. Although not yet hungry, we decided to drop by Jonah's Shakes – home of the best fruit shakes in Boracay!  

A trip to Boracay is never complete without dropping by this place.

Still full from what we had at lunch, we just had a glass of shake each. But don't let the term "one glass" fool you. A more appropriate term is "one big glass".

Upon leaving Jonah's, that's where more fun started cropping up.


We spotted a sand dolphin and decided to have our picture taken. These are made by the locals, a different sand sculpture daily, for tourists to have their pictures taken with. They don't charge, but they do appreciate tips. So an average of 20 pesos (or more, if you're feeling generous) is the usual amount given.

The kid who made the sand sculpture even carved our names on the sand to make our pictures more personalized. (aaawww... sweet!) We then spent the next minutes taking pictures of the beautiful Boracay sunset.

By the time we were done, it was already twilight. Soon, darkness fell, tiki torches were being lit up, paper lanterns began to illuminate the place, and lights everywhere were already being turned on.
And that's when we met Kim.

We were making our way back to our hotel when a middle aged Korean woman (whom we later found out went by the English name Kim) approached us, and persistently and assertively asked us to go sailing with her.  She explained that she's travelling alone and if she goes sailing by herself, she'll be charged 600 pesos for it.  Whereas if we joined her, we can just pay 100 each and she'll take care of the excess amount.  We explained that we did plan to go sailing, but not tonight - tomorrow during sunset.

wrong camera settings.. but more or less that's
 how it looked from the sea

I don't know what she did for a living, but I figured she might be into marketing. She persistently sold to us the fact that the sunset is best enjoyed from the beach (she had a point) and that if we went with her, we could enjoy the view of Boracay at night from the sea, as well as the endless blanket of stars since it was a clear night -- and all that for a very low price; which, she pointed out was a bargain. 

She did make sense, and since we are spontaneous folk, we joined her.
                                           
We DID NOT regret that we did!


Boracay is so beautiful from the sea at night! We sailed from one end of the island to the other, and the paraw (sail boat) dropped us off somewhere in Station 2. It was quiet and serene; and the only sound you could hear was the soft wind blowing and the boat slicing through the calm, steady water. As a bonus, the moon was bright that night too.
I am glad we met Kim. It was something new – and we made a new friend.

us four, and Kim :)

Expenses:  Jonah's shakes (4)       : 360 (Php) 
                      Sand dolphin tip     :   20
                      Evening sailing (4)  : 400
                                            Php  780
We then headed back to our hotel, washed up and discussed what to do next.

Dinner

By 8pm, we got hungry and decided to head down the beach for a buffet dinner by the shore. There are lots lined up at night and you just have to take your pick. We picked Alf's, randomly – for no apparent reason whatsoever. 

They served Filipino food, including unlimited supply of grilled oysters and clams.  Yummy!

After dinner, we decided to savor Boracay and opted to go sit by the shore and watch the Boracay fire dancers. So we grabbed a couple of bottles of water and headed to where the show was.

We picked a spot just under the coconut tree and enjoyed the moment. We watched the performance by the Boracay Phoenix fire dancers which lasted about 15 minutes or so. (I lost track of time).

Expenses: Dinner buffet (3) : 900 (Php)
                Bottled water (4) : 100
                                  Php 1,000
Afterwards, we decided to take some pictures before heading back to the hotel. 
We stopped by Boracay Mandarin's attractive Christmas display, as well as Summer Place's creative facade. This is then where we stumbled upon another stranger.

We never got his name, though. Hubby and I were posing for a picture when suddenly this guy stopped and posed with us, waited for the camera to click (which took a few seconds, by the way, since he got us a bit puzzled; until we figured out what was going on), and then ran off to rejoin his group of buddies who were about 50 steps away by then.

hubby and I with the blond stranger-friend :)

Anyway, that's it for Day 2. 
A fun-filled, lots-of-expenses, and strangers-turned-into-friends kind of day. Total expense for the day amounts to Php 5,705. (Which again, will be divided into 4 later).



Until Day 3, then...

Boracay Budget Trip: Day 1

For someone like us who live in the neighboring island of Negros Occidental, Boracay is a place that we frequent a couple of times a year.

Well, except if we all have hectic work schedules and other activities piling up; wherein such case we would probably get to drop by only once for the year.

So the four of us chose to go before the year ends; claiming the island for our much deserved vacation. 
Boracay Island can either be a very expensive trip or a somewhat cheap one. For us, we choose the latter. We like to go on adventures, backpacking, and explore new places that we pick comfortable but budget trips.


For the 1^st day of our 4-day budget trip to Boracay...

Going there:

RoRo (Roll on, Roll off) Ship 
Basically every hour, starting from 2am, a ship leaves the port of Bacolod for Dumangas, Iloilo. (These are different shipping lines, by the way) So we took the 7am trip aboard the Tri Star RoRo. 

Expenses: Vehicle (+2 passengers included)      : 700 (Php)
                 Extra Passengers (2)                       : 120
                 Terminal Fee                                  : 375.50
                                                              Php 1,195.50
Land Trip to Caticlan

Although others would rent vans for the land trip, in our experience, it is cheaper to bring your own if you could. Hence, we decided to bring our own. During the 5-hour drive from Dumangas to Caticlan, we only had a few stops.
One was at Pengee's Restaurant in Dumarao, Capiz. Where we had our lunch: grilled pork, rice, soup, and softdrinks.

our favorite lunch stop just by the highway.. :)

And second was at a gas station in Kalibo where we got some bottles of energy drink since we were up since the wee hours of the morning...

Expenses: Fuel (about 50L)                  : 2,000 (Php)
                Lunch                                :     400
                Energy Drink (2 bottles)      :       40  
                                                     Php  2,440

To and Arriving at Boracay

the parking space

Arriving at the jetty port of Caticlan, we had to find a secured parking space for our vehicle, and we found one at Elia Sancho Parking just a mere number of steps to the port.

We then got our tickets for the boat to the island. We took the fast craft instead of the usual pumpboat because one of our companions was a new visitor and we figured it would be nice to experience both. So the pumpboat will simply be for going home.
When we reached the port of Boracay, the four of us occupied a tricyle which dropped us off at the nearest point to our hotel, in Boracay's station 2. It dropped us at a small street beside Boracay Regency where we took a short stroll up to our hotel, Boracay DeParis Resort.


Expenses: Environmental Fee ticket (4)         : 200 (Php)
                Terminal Fee (4)                          : 200
                Fast craft (4)                               : 120
                Tricycle (to hotel)                        : 100 
                                                              Php 620


When we arrived at the hotel, it was about 3:30pm and we were so tired. It was so nice, though, that the lady at the front desk, Elvie, who checked us in and confirmed our reservation (which we made a couple of weeks earlier) was so kind, as is Eric, the hotel staff who brought our stuff to our rooms.

We then decided to take a short rest and go out to see the Boracay sunset and have some dinner. Apparently, that didn't happen because we ended up falling asleep and woke up at 9:00pm. So we ended up skipping dinner.

So, total expense for Day 1 Boracay budget trip is Php 4,255.50. (Which of course, is the total for the 4 of us -- it will still be divided per person later).

That's it for Day 1 in Boracay... Tomorrow will be a new day.

Tio Sid’s – Flippin’ Yummmmy Burgers

You can read on, since I decided not to take this post down.  But as of early 2012, Tio Sid's Burgers are no longer available in Bacolod City... :-( (too bad... I'll miss these yummy burgers...)

There's a new craze in town and it has got Tio Sid's flipping burgers from morning 'til night!

I am quite picky when it comes to the taste of burgers.  For one, there are many burger places here in the city that mostly everyone loves, but I can live happily without them.  However, when it comes to Tio Sid's burgers, it's quite a different story.

line up for the big, yummy burgers
photo courtesy of Moi de Asis

Here's why I love Tio Sid's burgers:

*as far as I'm concerned, it tastes like pure meat – no extenders detected.

*the burger patties when cooked, remains to be about ¾ inches thick.

*the patties flavors are TO MY TASTE (and note that I don't like food with after tastes or weird, unappetizing smells).

*the burgers are grilled and come with fresh vegetables (healthy eating!)

*the burgers are very much affordable that I can eat there everyday without straining my pocket.

Tio Sid's burgers range from 30 pesos (that's for the mini burger – which can actually be enough for someone who has a small appetite),; 50 pesos for the plain burger (that's basically just meat, cheese, and bread); 60 pesos for the regular burger (that's meat, cheese, and veggies), and there are those at 70, 85, 95, 120, 130, and 180 (that's for their giant burger).  Okay, here's the thing:  I love eating – and a regular burger is good enough for me.  So imagine how their giant burger would be like!

My YUMMY (mild) inferno burger with fries :)

Their burgers  vary from Hawaiian, Bacon Mushroom, Taco, and A1 (yeah, the steak sauce), as well as the must-have for spicy-food-lovers which is their Inferno burger. Yummmm!  Plus, a single order of fries to go with your burger is only 20 pesos.  And not for anything, but I LIKE their fries so much better than McDonald's – really!
                                                                                                                                                                                                 You can find it along the middle part of Narra Ave.   21st Lacson street, the same street as Cafe Bob's.  It's the stall near the road. Don't worry, you won't miss it.  With all the cars on "hazard" waiting for their burgers and the grill will countless burgers on it visible from the street – you can surely spot it easily.
                                                                                                                                                     Tio Sid's burgers are definitely the best burgers your money can buy.  They open at 8:00 am up until around 8:30 -9:00 pm daily.  They are now open 24 hours daily (as I have heard yesterday).  You'll enjoy these American grilled burgers – I know I did! 
                                                                                                                                                                                    Although, since the time they moved to their new location, I have been made to wait 45 minutes for my burger, twice now.  So basically, if I'm really hungry and I want to have my food a lot sooner, I'd probably go to McDonald's or KFC which is just about 5 minutes away.  I do hope they do something about that... 45 minutes is too long for one regular sized buger...

photo courtesy of Moi de Asis

Contact Details
Tio Sid's Burgers
Narra Ave., Shopping,  21 Food Park
21st Lacson Street,
Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
Philippines
Mobile #: +639083582021