#SparkSamar: Sohoton Caves and Natural Bridge

Exploring my own country is not that easy. It is very challenging for us to travel around due to its geography. Living in Tacloban City for more than two years had given me opportunities to explore Region 8 and I am really thankful for that. I never had the chance to visit this region prior my deployment due to limited choices of transportation.

Last week, my colleagues and I explored Sohoton Caves and Natural Bridge in Basey, Samar. One shouldn't interchange this with Sohoton Cove in Bucas Grande in the province of Surigao though.

Getting Here: San Juanico Bridge

I can still remember the day when my Sibika at Kultura teacher in first grade showed us a photo of San Juanico Bridge, glued on a 1/4 illustration board. We were all in awe. After all, it’s the longest bridge in the Philippines, spanning a total length of 2.16 kilometers.

Sunrise at Kalanggaman Island

The sand and the waves, and you and me.

I never thought that I'd set foot on this famed island again. This trip, however, was totally different from the first one. Aside from the fact that it was my first time to spend a night with people whom I barely knew (but nonetheless, they're the coolest group I've met so far), the vibe of the entire island was also different.

Quick Eats: Ironwood Hotel Tacloban

Friday night is always my me time. Ever since I reside independently here in Tacloban City, I would always go out of the house and look for some good place to eat. Being alone in restaurants, coffee shops, malls, and in the movie house surrounded by people whom I barely know doesn't bother me at all.

I've been doing this for a long time ever since I moved here two years ago but laziness took a toll on me because I'm not a huge fan of uploading photos manually. Thank God for Google Photos, life got easier.

Jo's Milagrina Chicken Inato

The residents of Tacloban City will never forget how Yolanda took everything from them - their properties, livelihood, and their loved ones. Two years have passed and the city is still on its road to recovery. They have shown to the world their resiliency and sheer determination to start literally from scratch.

Nonetheless, people who were once victims have learned to reshape the landscape of their beloved hometown. Today, more and more establishments have sprouted like mushrooms to answer the growing demands of the residents.

Better Leyte than Never: Kalanggaman Island

It's been almost two years since I moved here in Tacloban City, Leyte. I hate to admit it but I never had the chance to explore the Eastern Visayas region. I mean, I only had the chance to travel during special assignments or during our company's annual team building activity. It actually took me almost a year before I crossed the provinces of Leyte and Samar through the country's longest bridge - San Juanico.

A good friend of mine from Manila flew to Tacloban a few days ago and planned to visit Kalanggaman Island. Since I was itching to travel to new places, I decided to tag along!

An Afternoon Snack at Anzani

The island hopping experience in Mactan was fun yet tiring. Good thing was, our second to the last stop was Anzani New Mediterranean Restaurant. Perched at the side of the hill, it offers a panoramic views of Cebu City and the surrounding verdant mountains. Not only that, this idyllic restaurant served us some of their finest snacks that one can truly enjoy.

Pink Heaven Bakeshop & Bistro

Right across the border of the cities of Cebu and Talisay lies a quaint bakeshop and bistro, offering quality cake products and innovative food dishes at an affordable price. 

A Wine to Remember

Martin Luther once said that beers were made by men, but wines were made from gods. As in?

After devouring too much food at Mactan Alfresco, we went to Dolce Casa Cebu's branch at Parkmall Mandaue to drink something made by the deities above. Drinking wine isn't really my thing to be honest that's why I got really happy when I learned that we're going to have a wine tasting activity in Cebu Food Crawl 2015.

Sailing Around Mactan Island

I am a sucker for turquoise seas, coconut trees, and white beaches. Growing up in Davao, the beach will always be a familiar territory to me. In fact, my undergraduate thesis was all about rearing a marine invertebrate in a manmade saltwater pond. Haha!

For our final day in Cebu Food Crawl, we went island hopping!

The Chocolate Chamber

A sweet escape.

I was awake for more than 24 hours. After devouring hot wings at Gibbs', we went straight to LIV Superclub and partied way too hard because duh, we only live once. At almost five in the morning, we went back to our hotel, and slept right away without bothering changing my clothes. I was reeking nicotine and alcohol that time, eww.

For our next stop in #CebuFoodCrawl, we went to The Chocolate Chamber in Mabolo, Cebu City for some sweet affair. It was an antithesis of last night's activities.

Cebu Food Crawl: Gibbs' Hot Wings

I was supposed to leave Tacloban at around 12:30PM but due to some unforeseen circumstances, my flight to Mactan-Cebu got delayed for almost six hours. Once I got off from the plane, I waited for another 50 minutes for my cab. The queue was crazy as most taxis in Mactan Island were nowhere to be found due to the large passenger demand at the newly opened mall in SRP.

I was really tired and hungry. Good thing, the next destination of the #CebuFoodCrawl was Gibbs' Hot Wings at Streetscape Lifestyle Mall in Banilad.

Where to Stay in Cebu: Big Hotel

There are so many things that you can do in Metro Cebu like shopping, hiking in one of their off-the-beaten tracks, island hopping, and many more. One of the things you need to consider is a comfortable place to stay right after your activities. And yes, BIG Hotel is the answer.

San Juanico Cruise Tour

Every time I pass the San Juanico Bridge, I couldn't help myself but to appreciate its grand structure. According to what I had learned from my Sibika at Kultura lessons back in grade school, this bridge is said to be the longest in the country which connects the islands of Samar and Leyte. Not only that, the San Juanico Strait, the body of water that passes underneath this bridge, is the narrowest strait in the whole world. We're talking two superlatives here in one region alone!

Days ago, I got an invitation for the San Juanico Sunset Cruise. Don't get too excited though because it's still on its dry-run phase, but allow me to share my experience about this promising project that I'm sure everyone in the Eastern Visayas region would look forward to experience it in the near future.

The Last of Summer

Caluwayan Palm Beach Resort

For most of us, summer is about to conclude unless if you're one of the victims of the academic calendar shift. Just last week, my mom and my grandmom flew all the way from Davao to Barugo, Leyte, my grandmom's hometown.

Here are some snapshots of my quick summer escapade in Leyte and Samar. And yep, #SummerSaSamar and #SamarOutThere are the two official hashtags of my last minute summer adventure because mapaso hinduro (it's sooo hot like OMG). Hurray! My Waray language skill is three pedestals higher than last year!

Tacloban City: A Year After

The journey wasn't as smooth as this. San Juanico Bridge. Nov 6, 2014.

The weather en route was sunny and all I could see from the window were just a few patches of white cottony clouds, the green landscape of Luzon , and an endless stretch of blue called sky. I was thankful that the ground crew gave me a window seat. I had an opportunity to have a first glimpse of a place that was once battered by torrential rains on an apocalyptic level, strong winds that toppled even the sturdiest structures, and a two-storey high wall of black water that took several properties and lives regardless of social status, gender, and age. As we started our initial descent, the weather started to change. Looking out, I was only seeing a gray void. It made me think what was really in store for me in the next few months. Eventually the clouds fled and from above, everything became clearer. Tree trunks were scattered like matchsticks as if they were haphazardly scattered by a toddler. Clusters of white tents were placed randomly on a flattened area that used to be a village. 

It was drizzling and the sky was overcast the moment I stepped outside the plane. I will never forget how Tacloban City welcomed me on that gloomy and melancholic second day of March. The airport terminal, albeit still standing from its foundations, was literally torn apart. There were wires strewed randomly at the ceiling. Some hung loosely, while others were taken out for safety reasons.

On the 8th of November 2013, Tacloban City became a city of ruins. Thirteen months later, nothing had really changed, except for some establishments that have reopened for business. But it had somehow changed me on how I view things around me; a paradigm shift.

A Glimpse of Guiuan, Eastern Samar

Guiuan, Eastern Samar

Last month, I got a message from my senior. She told me that I was one of those people from the tower who will be sent to Guiuan, Eastern Samar for a special assignment: To facilitate the take-off and landing of Kalayaan One (the callsign of PNoy's flight).

With only a limited time, I immediately packed my things and off we went to the easternmost province of Visayas.

Cebu Food Adventure: Season Two

Uswag, Sugbo!

I had fond memories of Cebu.

Three years ago, I went to Cebu with some of the seasoned travel bloggers here in the Philippines. First time to meet them in flesh, first time to visit the Queen City of the South. We explored the beautiful islands of Malapascua and Bantayan. Three months later, we went back to discover more places in Cebu and this time, we went south. We conquered Osmeña Peak, the province's highest peak, swam with the whale sharks of Oslob, and experienced the laid back life of Dalaguete, the quintessence of calm.

It's really great to be back at the Queen City of South last month. Here are some of the things that you shouldn't afford to miss when you're in Metro Cebu.

Yes, I'm talking about the FOOD that you SHOULDN'T MISS! Get ready for the part two of my Cebu Food Trip. Part 1 is here... and that was uhm... two years ago?

I Found My Chew Love in Tacloban

I settled in Tacloban City last March and since then, I have been searching for good places to eat and to stay in this quaint city of Eastern Visayas. Eight months after Super Typhoon Yolanda wreaked unimaginable havoc to this city, Tacloban is now officially back to business and it is slowly returning to its normal vibe, so to speak.

There's this one particular restaurant in P. Gomez St. that really caught my attention. It was love at first sight.

My First Pintados-Kasadyaan 2014 Experience

I've been here in Tacloban City for four months already, and so far it has been an eye opener to me. The developments were slower than anticipated, and the wastes and debris left by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) can still be seen along major throughways of the tiny peninsula of San Jose and downtown area of Tacloban.

But that doesn't stop the Taclobanons to celebrate the 28th Pintados and 19th Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals. Besides, they have organized this festival since 1986 in honor of Sr. Santo Niño.