Vieux Chalet - a taste of perfection

We just went to Antipolo last weekend (February 21-22, 2015) to survey a bed and breakfast inn which claim as one of the best restaurant in town. And I must say, its a quick escape from the city.

Antipolo City is an hour drive away from Quezon City. Heavy traffic is given almost any part of the road. We arrive on the inn around 30 minutes past 1 in the afternoon. Their staffs greeted us with a smile especially Rico, the one who manage in the restaurant. Sally is the one who handles our accommodation during our stay. She gave us complimentary snacks while our room is being prepared.

Their pate with cherry sauce is taste so good and compliments the texture of the cracker and bread

2 in the afternoon is their check-in time, check-out is 12 the following day. We were able to enter our cozy room just right in time. They only have 3 rooms available for stay and luckily we got 1 named Katharina room. Aside from their scrumptious foods and spacious room, they also offer unlimited use of Jacuzzi and sauna for you and your partner. You just need to inform them before using so that they can prepare it for you.

Katharina room

did i mention it also has a bath tub? how cool was that!

I wasn't able to took a picture on their sauna and Jacuzzi because my camera might damage. But what I've notice, they respect your privacy :) Overall, its a nice escape for couples not for barkadas. The road going here is a bit steep so the less, the better. You might want to go to Villa Cristina instead if you're going here as a group then visit their restaurant (just a few minutes walk from Villa Cristina). You wont regret the food that they serve here! The chef offers a better fine dine food than those fine dining restaurant in Makati (like those in Greenbelt) for a reasonable cost not to mention the bonus overlooking of the city from their restaurant itself.

Those cakes are must try!!!

You can check their website here if you want to check them out. By the way, the place and the restaurant is just a simple place, don't expect a giant chandelier when you get there! Most of their guests are foreigner and lovers :)

Philippine Pride - Mangoes

Biyuko Mangoes

Philippines is a tropical country. We are famous because of our amazing beaches as well as the fruits. 

Here in the Philippines, we have wide selection of mangoes.  The Guimaras mangoes which is said to be the queen of all mango and the sweetest of all when riped. We have Indian mango, which is good when unripe dip in salt or fish paste and the most common in some province backyard tree. The zambales mangoes which is the best in Luzon. The Bulacan mangoes which also promise the sugar sweetness. There are other mangoes based on the region but these are the top ranked here in the Metro.

Mangoes are also classified in different type. The first one is the Carabao mango which is the the that Philippine is popular in terms of export quality. This is the bulgy, heart shaped and the yellowing mango of all. The next one is the Piko, which is not so popular but this is good when it is unripe and it has  orange like color when riped. The other is the mango-apple which tastes like medicine and has red and green color of skin.

Sizes of Mangoes

The last is the different sizes our mangoes. Philippine mangos can be as big as your face or more than 12 inches. The smallest is what we called Byuko. This small mango is very sweet when ripe despire of its size as small as 2 inches.

Next time you visit Philippines, try to look for our different types of mangoes as take a bite to experience the taste of sweetness of our country

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MetroWaterScape Novaliches

If you want to experience a spa and a quench in a nice pool, you better check the MetroWaterScape!

MetroWaterScape Indoor Pool / Spa

The MetroWaterScape is situated near Quirino Avenue, just less than 5 minutes drive from C5-Mindanao Avenue. Amenities include indoor big pool with 2 water slide, heated pool, lazy river, mini pressurized falls, sprinkler shower on the side, Ballroom upstairs and air-condition multipurpose room. It also offers Swimming lesson for all ages which is managed by one of the most promising swimmer Chito Rivera. They also has a Taekwondo lesson by MILO clinic which the kids will surely love.

MetroWaterScape reminds me of ACE waterspa but offers way much cheaper price and most of all, there is no time limit (unlike ACE which only allow their guest to stay on their vicinity for 4 hours). Heated pool is best therapy for muscle pain and fatigue as well as their pressurized water falls. They all have this cool huge NEMO on the side which is moving and blowing some water sometimes and I think kids and kids at heart will surely love. They also allow their guest to carry their foods inside the area but eating, drinking as well as peeing is strictly prohibited inside the swimming pool area. Pool maintenance and cleaning is also observed from time to time. They also has many life guard roaming around the vicinity for guest's security. They also have strict security for guest's belongings so that the guests can enjoy their water activities without worrying to much on their things.

Overall, this indoor pool is a good option to kill the heat of the summer without absorbing the radiation of the sun and enjoying water therapy and spa at the same time!

Pressurized water

Mni Falls

Clear water

My brother enjoying the water

How to go there:

From SM North EDSA / C5 / Talipapa / Sangangdaan / Congressional Avenue
1. Ride a bus or fx going Novaliches Bayan / C5 and ask the conductor/driver to drop you at SAUYO.
2. From SAUYO, take the overpass and walk towards 711. It is 5 minutes walk from there

You can check their facebook account at:   MetroWaterScape

Puerto Galera Holy Week Getaway - Batangas Pier Experience

We went to Puerto Galera last Holy week with our friends to celebrate one of our office-mate's birthday. I must say that i won't go there during Holiday ever again but definitely would during off peak season or other date rather than Holy Week.

We leave our house around 3 o'clock in the morning and arrive on the JAM Liner station in Buendia around 15 minutes past 4 in the morning. It is supposed to be less than an hour travel from my place but reblocking in EDSA ruin our travel time. By the time we arrive on JAM Liner, the line going to Batangas is so long and almost no bus arrive for an hour. We were able to ride on the bus just when the clock strikes 6:20 in the morning.

We arrive on the Batangas Pier around 8:30 am but then again another block buster line can be seen anywhere. We bought tickets going to White Beach easily but the payment for Terminal Fee is so hard. We try to ask some personnel assigned for the commuters but even them doesn't even know where to point us because passenger paying for Terminal Fee and buying tickets were mixed up. Tired and exhausted, I ask my boyfriend to find the Terminal Booth and surprisingly he was able to found it at the front of the main building and the line was not that long, far from the line that was pointed by the ground personnel. While on the line, a foreigner we're able to line break or "singit" on the line. My bf try to approach the guard and surprisingly the guard told him "pagbigyan na lang" or just let him thru. Many people we're shocked on the guard's response but there's nothing they can do.

We manage to get the tickets for less than hour but our departure time is around 11:30. Killing time is so hard because of the chaotic scenery of the passengers. Some are tired, some just go back home, many children doing tantrum and no area to rest. Gadget will be your best friend in this kind of situation. Another thing is, make sure you carry tons of foodie and water on your bag to avoid buying on the terminal. Foods here are so expensive!

The last part of our Pier experience is the departure. Our gate is on the 2A. Many people fall in line to enter the departure area BUT the line has mixed passenger on different time of departure. We don't fall in line there because its hard to know when will be the guards allow them to enter. Its already 11 am and our departure time is near. I try to ask a guard roaming around what is the departure time the guards on the door is calling. Even this ground guard doesn't know what is going on. He told me that even he doesn't know what the door guards up to. He almost cry while he explains. I think he is exhausted on the number of people they are guarding. I walked away with my question unanswered. We manage to go inside the departure area when we tell the door guard that our departure time is 11:30 am. The guard was too kind to let us in but some passenger behind me keep murmuring because they fall in line for a long time. Well, its not my problem anymore.

Inside the departure area, there are some store selling foodies. I think they should be outside because its hard to find a store beyond the gate. We manage to go outside the port to go to our banca but the guard won't let you in unless your bags were checked by their bomb sniffing dogs to which I must say that they should do this often for passengers security.

Overall, the lines, management of ground personnel, volume of passenger and the EDSA reblocking ruin our timeline and brings tons of exhaustion on our Holy Week vacation. I must say that if you doesn't have tons of patience, you better not go there during peak season especially Holy Week where in tons of people consider Puerto Galera as great option to enjoy holiday rather than Boracay.

Fare Breakdown (one way):
Buendia to Batangas Pier Bus -                      P166.50
Boat to White Beach -                                   P275.00
Terminal Fee                                                  P  30.00
                                                               ----------------
                                                                    P471.50 per head/one way

Patar Pangasinan... Second time around

Pangasinan is well know because of Hundred Island in Alaminos but there is also a cool spot somewhere in Bolinao. Bolinao is approximately 6 hours away from Cubao. Bolinao has a cool beach somewhere in Barangay Patar. It is 30-45 minutes away from Bolinao town proper via tricycle. It is ideal for a quick getaway if you're tired of crowded beaches.

Patar beach has pebbled like sand which is so white when it is summer and brownish if weather is breezy or rainy. It also has mild wave during -ber months and big waves during summer. Patar is facing the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea before). You can appreciate the view of the ocean when you go to Cape Bolinao, a 15 minutes walk from the beach.

The only resort in Patar is the Treasures of Bolinao. It is a hotel like building on the beach front. I don't know their amenities but their accommodation is a bit pricey. The other option is the Costa Del Fuego which is also on the beach front just near the Treasures of Bolinao. It is good to stay here because the owner is just around the corner and they have a common bathroom and toilet for their guest unlike the other cottages near the beach front. Just a few steps away from Costa del Fuego is the public cottages which I think under Benjie's Cottages but some the cottages are owned by other person. In case you went here, you have no choice but to use the public bathroom and toilet which cost 10 pesos for the shower, 3 pesos for pee and 5 pesos for poop.

Please visit Patar Beach to see the beach itself

Honda Bay Adventure

My partner and I went to Palawan last March 8-10, 2013 to see the majestic beauty of Underground River. We enjoy staying there but the highlight of our tour turns out not to be the Puerto Princesa Underground River.

One of the activities that was offer to us at Puerto Princesa is the Honda Bay island hopping and snorkeling. Our tour here falls on the 3rd day of our stay (and our last day in Palawan).  We were fetch   from the Kawayanan Resort around 6:30 in the morning. We were mixed with the other tourist that day. The travel time from Kawayanan Resort to Sabang is approximately 30 minutes.

Our guide, Miss Jenny, register us on the port then get a motor boat for the tour. First activity is snorkeling in Pambato Reef. It is better to have fins there so that you can explore the whole area as well as mask and snorkel. Next stop is the Starfish island where you can see no starfish. A literal L-o-L for this. The boatmen "photography"skill will be shown here. There are items in the island that can be used for picture taking such as Hawaii dress, coconuts, Red Horse bottle, Flowers, and a giant picture frame. Next destination and the final island is the Isla Pandan where we took our lunch.This island is the very busy island because all tourist gather here for their lunch. The sand is fine and no pebbles can be felt. It is also good for snorkeling because no big waves will stop you. Upon dipping to the water, fishes will also greet you upon swimming. Few feet from the shore, you will see a bed of small corals.

Corals in Isla Pandan

Pyke enjoying the water

Fishes near the shore in Isla Pandan

Fish feeding in Isla Pandan

View in Pambato Reef

Kawayanan Resort with Danbo

Danbo at Kawayanan Resort

Last March 8-10, 2013, Pyke and I went to Puerto Princesa to have some quick getaway. We stayed at Kawayanan Resort for 3 days and 2 nights. They're also the one who arrange our tour during our stay. I must say that we really enjoy our vacation there.

The resort is so cozy. The restaurant is big enough to accommodate the number of guest on that day. There is also a swimming pool with 2 slides where you can plunge whenever you want to. There are cottages on the front of the pool. There is WiFi and billiard table also in Kawayanan Resort. Most of the the guest are foreigner. Almost all of the tourist we met there are from Netherlands. We are the only Filipino guest on the resort on our whole stay. I also notice the world map on the Kawayanan restaurant which shows their guest's origin. Most of them are came from Europe.

Our room has an aircon, refrigerator and 2 bed (1 queen size and 1 solo size). The room is so clean and tidy. Smoking is also prohibited inside but you can smoke at the veranda of the room. The staffs are also friendly. They'll even ask you if you want them to clean your room before you leave for a tour. They also response quickly to your requests. And oh by the way, I think they called this resort "Kawayanan" because there are lots of bamboo on the said resort which makes the ambiance compliment its name :)

Overall we love our stay here and we'll definitely go back here again. Until next time Kawayanan!

Pyke slide on 5ft

Me at 3ft