DiscoveringPinas

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This lighthouse in Liloan, Cebu has been a guiding light for fishermen and sea captains for more than a hundred years. This 102-year-old lighthouse was built by the order of William Howard Taft in 1908 who was the Governor-General at that time. It is one of the few remaining examples American architecture in the Philippines. The lighthouse is octagonal in shape and is 72 meters high. It sits on top of a small hill and is near the posh AyalaLand subdivision called Amara. There is actually an old Spanish lighthouse around the area but is now in ruins. I didn’t see it when we were there but it was the original lighthouse before the octagonal lighthouse was built.

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Additional improvements have been introduced at the Caticlan Jetty Port in Barangay Caticlan, Malay Aklan in line with its goal to become a world-class tourism facility.

These include being a wifi-ready spot, a 24/7 boat availability and three baywatch towers.
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The Boracay Special Tourism Police Office (BSTPO) reminded tourists coming to this resort island to be wary of loitering children and not entrust them with their personal belongings.

According to a study undertaken by the BSTPO, most of the robbery and theft incidents recorded by the police that occurred in this resort island were perpetuated by children.
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You just arrived at your hotel and after switching on the light, which you will later find out is a CFL or Compact Fluorescent Lamp, you then proceed to the bathroom for a leisurely warm shower without knowing that the heat that warmed your bathing water could have come from a pump that collects heat from other sources which is then converted into reusable heat.
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Situated in Lahug, Cebu City, Marco Polo Hotel is one of Cebu City’s high-class hotels. We were there for a business meeting but after the business deal was sealed, we went upstairs to see the pool and the gardens.

This building was formerly Cebu Plaza Hotel but the Marco Polo Hotels Group of HK bought it and turned it into Marco Polo Hotel
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That’s Mooon with three O’s. That’s what makes it unique. Their first branch was in Guadalupe and the business has boomed. As far as I know, they already have 3 branches, the one in Guadalupe, IT Park, then another in The Terraces in Ayala Center Cebu.

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It was my friend Jehan’s birthday last October 21. We actually planned to meet up for coffee but since it was nearly 6pm, the coffee date became a dinner date with parents. It was a happy night for my best friend who I haven’t seen and talked for more than a decade. We met in Butuan City when I was five and she was six. We were inseparable then but my family moved to Cebu City when I was 13. The communication was brought to a halt but it continued when we met again in Manila just this year. The friendship never changed a bit. It’s as if the years of separation were only minutes.

We dined at Siam Restaurant in The Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu. I learned that Jehan’s family are frequent diners here. Food must be great here.

Siam Garden Salad

Massawa Beef Curry

Lapu-Lapu In Preserved Plum Sauce

Happy Birthday Jee! I won’t say your age but it doesn’t actually show. Deceiver! Hahaha. Love you Bess.

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It was my first time in Pampanga and I heard that Kapampangans are the best cooks. They say, If you’re planning to have a restaurant business in Pampanga especially in Angeles City, the business will not last if the food you serve isn’t really good. You really have to compete with all the other restaurants in Angeles City.

That time we were there in Angeles City, We dined in this restaurant in Surla Street called A.C. RUMPA. RUMPA stands for Retired US Military Personnel Association. It’s one of the best restaurants in Angeles City, Pampanga. They serve big parts of meat, veggies on the side, and a choice of potato wedges, mashed or white rice. The iced tea there is superb and they pour it in cute little jars.

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Kape Ti Musang and Kape Milo is touted to be the world’s most expensive coffee at P14,000/kilo as compared to P150-300/kilo of usual Philippine Coffees. The coffee beans are “harvested” by wild cats in the rainforests in Benguet and Mindanao and is known by different local names but generally called Kape Ti Musang. Now, coffee aficionados can get a free taste of this popular and sensational coffee at COFFEE ORIGINS, the annual coffee festival of the Philippine Coffee Board. The first 50 visitors of COFFEE ORIGINS at the Greenbelt 5 and Greenbelt 3 malls will get a free taste of this expensive coffee on October 17 and 18. The free coffee is sponsored by CAFEX, roasters of Batangas Harvest, Café Montealto and Continental Coffee and Cordillera Coffee of Frank and Grace Young.

Come to the COFFEE ORIGINS Festival from October 13 to 21 at Greenbelt 3 and October 13-26 at Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center. Many other coffees from small estates in the country will be sampled for free during the two-week event. Log on to www.coffeeboard.com.ph to join Coffee Farm tours and seminars this October, in celebration of Coffee Month.

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Arroceros Forest Park is a bit of land beside the Quezon Bridge and Pasig River, and across LRT Central Terminal Station. You might have heard about it from the new Echo-Kristine soap “Dahil May Isang Ikaw” on ABS-CBN. Echo’s character waits every day for Kristine’s character on the bridge of that park . It’s their supposed meeting place after being separated since childhood.

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