DIPOLOG

Hello my Nomadic Friends!

Today's travel, let me take you to Dipolog. Situated at the Northwest part of the Zamboanga del Norte province. Just a drive away from Dapitan and the famous Dakak Beach Resort.

HOW TO GET THERE

FLY. Cebu Pacific & Philippine Airlines provides daily flights to and from Dipolog. Book your flights in advance to avoid expensive tickets.

BUS. Travel by bus. Rural Transit provides daily an hour interval trip to and from Dipolog in Mindanao area.


WHERE TO STAY

HOTEL CAMILIA 1. In my numerous travels to Dipolog, I always go back to Hotel Camilia. REASON: I LOVE THE BED. I am very much picky with beds. I have tried other hotels but their beds was not up to my standards.

A Standard Room costs P750.00/night with 2 single beds. Perfect for budget conscious travelers.


WHAT TO DO

LINABO PEAK. Climb the 3,003 steps and bask in that panoramic view of Dipolog & Dapitan. During the Holy Week, devout Catholics would climb up those steps all the way to the top to perform their penitential rites.

BOULEVARD. Watch the sun go down while enjoying the fresh sea breeze at the boulevard. From there, you can treat yourself to some street food.

GASTRONOMY. Dipolog has a lot to offer when it comes to food. From the street food stalls at the boulevard to the BBQ restaurants to Seafood Houses.

One particular place that I had to go back to was AN'S SEAFOOD HOUSE. They serve the best "Sinigang"! I think it was 2 yrs ago since BF first brought me there and I fell in love with the food they serve. So this year, I insisted that we visit An's SF house again. Well, we can't exactly remember where it was so we had to drive around town to find the place to have lunch before my flight.

Then I was craving for cake in the late afternoon. So we headed down to GRANDMA'S and got myself Braso de Mercedes. Not the kind of cake I was looking for, but since there's nothing else, and even Goldilocks ran out of cakes, I settled down for this Pinoy classic dessert. It has been a long time too since I last had Braso de Mercedes.

What I really did in Dipolog a few days ago was to celebrate Valentines with BF. Well, we don't celebrate valentines actually being far most of the time. But this year, we have so many things to be thankful so I booked a flight and behold, our 2nd time to celebrate VDAY being together for so long.

We did not however book expensive restaurant nor booked any hotel. We had our date "outdoor style". Yep! After picking me up from the airport, we had lunch together with BF's sister & family at Sunburst and right after lunch I was left to rest at Ate Ching's place while BF was prepping up for our "date". LOL.. We don't do dates really. Having been together for a long time.

Late in the afternoon, BF picked me up and we headed up to the "TIERRA".

Hold and Behold! The sweetest thing ever.. We have an outdoor picnic set-up and a tent pitched. With no toilet but thankful that we had water for washing. LOL.

So it was. He gave me a bouquet. He BBQ'd dinner. And I was the Queen.

We stayed there for 2 nights. Mosquitos were part of nature's elements. It was windy though at night. And with no toilet, we had to dump it there. Piss & shit. It was fun! I had a great time!

So guys, how did you celebrate Valentines???

DIPOLOG 2008

DIPOLOG 2009

DIPOLOG 2012

DIPOLOG 2014

Mad Love.. xoxo

SUBIC | OLONGAPO CITY

Hello my Nomadic Traveller Friends!!

A few weeks ago I came back from my 2 weeks holiday. Trip started from Manila going up north to Laoag, Pagudpud, back south to Vigan and ascended up the mountain to Baguio, further up to the mountain to our main destination, the quiet town of Sagada, descended back down to Baguio, and now, on a side trip to SUBIC, OLONGAPO before heading back to Manila and ending my trip.

The city of Olongapo is located in the province of Zambales along side Subic. Rich in history, this little city was destined to be a naval base once inhabited by the Spanish and then by the Americans. World War 2 obliterated the city. The city suffered massive destruction twice. Reconstructed and rehabilitated shortly after the war, the United States retained the city as their principal naval base in the Philippines. On June 15, 1991, Mt. Pinatubo eruption caused a 36-hr nightmare in the city causing widespread damage to the Naval facilities and the city.

Phew... That was such a long way to go!

7 hours from Sagada and we arrived at Baguio just in the nick of time to board the bus going to Olongapo City. We didn't even had the time to freshen up at Baguio. Alighted the bus from Sagada at Dangwa Bus Station, took a cab to Victory Liner Bus Station and just nice the bus going to Olongapo was leaving. Another 7 hours on the road. But this time, I fell asleep comfortably and the bus was not crowded. I had a real hard time on Lizardo Express (bus we took from Sagada). One of the most uncomfortable ride probably because of that stench I smelled all the way from Sagada to Baguio.

Anyways, so we arrived at Olongapo 12mn. Took a tricycle ride to bf's aunt's house (Auntie Tere) to stay there for 2 nights. It was such a long trip and we were very very tired as we have been up since 4am to catch the sunrise at Sagada but it was too foggy to even see the slightest glimpse of sunrise. Took a quick shower and off to bed.

DAY1. Today's itinerary was Ocean Adventure located in Subic Freeport Zone. I've been there some 8yrs ago. And it still looks pretty much the same to me. Same shows except for the addition of the new Balancing Act show but everything is pretty much as I've remembered.

Note: We were told that if you go with someone who is a residence of Olongapo City (with valid ID) you'll get 50% discount! And we did got that discount thanks to Amboy.  :)

After all the shows, we took their shuttle bus back to Olongapo City. Actually, that shuttle bus was for the employees. Hehehe.. But hey! Free Ride! And it was a long ride back to the city!

We had our dinner at bf's aunt's place at 18th St. They (including bf) did some pork bbq and it was yummy! BF told me that it wasn't their best bbq coz Aunt Tars didn't took it quite seriously. One day, he says, he'll do some bbq for me. Yay! Can't wait!   :)

We were so stuffed. Went back home while still deciding where to go next day. Probably we got bored coz it was still early, thus we went out again, Me, bf, Kitkat & Elli, and we went around for a walk and had a couple of drinks at a local bar. Hmmmm... I heard some talks about Wally & Jose doing a show in Olongapo City. that night at the bar, we saw them! Elli was so thrilled. She wanted to have a photo with them. We managed to get a photo with Wally but Jose was kinda snobbish. Well, whatever. I'm not either one of their fans.

The first drink I got was my usual Piña Colada and it was horrible beyond explanation. Didn't even  finished that drink. So in the end I just got myself a miserable Vanilla Milkshake. I kinda wanted to try their pizza coz the girls said their pizza was nice but we were too stuffed from dinner. After our drinks, the bar was clearly doing their closing, we had to leave and we went back home. It was a lovely day!

DAY2. We decided to go to Zoobic Safari for one purpose, to see the Tigers. I've been to many zoos in my life and I still get fascinated by Tigers. there's just something about them. Probably the stripes they have. Or maybe because they're big cats? Or maybe because I'm a Tiger too. Hehe.. Kitkat & Elli went with us.

The Tigers was the last one we went. We were in a group tour and honestly, there's nothing much in Zoobic Safari. Kinda boring. I was really just after the Tigers.

Once we reached the last destination, the Tigers, we were seated inside this caged jeepney and then off we go to meet my brothers. They're huge! I thought we get to feed them ourselves from within the cage. NOT! Oh, and you have to pay a certain amount for the chicken (Tiger's meal). It's not included in the fee. Kinda rip off you know. But whatever. Kinda pity those Tigers though. I saw their teeth and it was sad. Because of the what I believe constant grinding of their teeth from the cage, they lost that powerful teeth that they supposedly have. I didn't liked that.

All in all, I was not fascinated by Zoobic Safari.

After the Safari, we went to Ayala Mall (I guess?) and hanged out deciding whether we should go to the carnival or not later in the evening.

That evening, after dinner, we decided to go to the carnival. All four of us with Amboy. Just like any carnival. It was very simple and yet it exudes that feel. I liked it. There was this "Lover's Wheel" that was turning slow, slow, and slow. And I said I wanna ride that. When we rode the ferris wheel, it wasn't slow, slow, and slow. It was turning rather kinda fast. Bloody hell! But it was mine & bf's first ferris wheel ride together. Sweet.

I hate roller coaster rides. I was forced by them to ride the bloody coaster. Well, it was a simple coaster ride. Not too high. I've been to worst coaster rides. I've tried the one in Enchanted Kingdom (forced by my friend) and ofcourse the ones in Universal Studio (Battlestar Galactica & The Mummy Ride) killer rides that made me not scream my guts out! Forced by my BFF. And in every photo taken from the ride, I wasn't their because I was leaning super low for support from BFF. Lol. I hate Roller Coasters. Anyways, bf wanted to go to the horror house. I declined. He wont go without me. Awwww... But he took the Viking with the girls while I'm below taking their photos and video. After the Viking ride, Kitkat suddenly was not feeling well. Motion Sickness. We took a break from the rides and took her to a nearby resting area. After some time, bf, Amboy & Elli took another ride. The last ride we took was the Carousel. Bf really does't want to ride the carousel. He says it's for kids. But I wanted to and he has no choice but to give in to me. Lol. Our first carousel ride together. Haha.. It's kinda amazing how an 8yrs relationship has so many first(s) to do. Lol.

Well, after the carnival rides, the last one we had was some old school dirty ice cream. And it was so yummy!!!! I miss eating that. I got the cheese flavor. And we walked back to SM Olonagpo and took a tricy from there back home.

It was a fulfilling night. Tomorrow's our last day in Olongapo and off we go back to Manila.

DAY3. Last day in Olongapo City. Kitkat & I decided to go for some girly stuffs at the parlor and I had my hair trimmed as well. I know bf is so gonna protest. He wants my hair long. Hehehe..

It almost took us forever to finish. We went there at 11am and we were done by 3pm. FML. We missed our lunch. Aunty Tars cooked a really nice lunch and we missed it. There were 3 staffs and only 2 of us and yet only 1 person was doing the work for both of us. WTF!

We planned to take the 3pm bus back to Manila, we ended up taking the 5pm. Geez.

Anyways, it was a smooth trip back to Manila. We stayed at bf's brother's place in Eastwood and in Cainta until I fly back to Singapore.

Thank you to bf's family for letting us stay with them and for the awesome food..  :)
I miss Kitkat & Elli na.. See you this summer!

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN TO LATELY?!?!

Much Love!

FOOD TRIP IN SAGADA

When in Sagada, it is almost impossible not to do the one thing that every human in this world needs to do; to EAT. And Sagada is the perfect place to just chill and unwind and strip that "DIET" out of you. With all the physical activities one has to do in a day while in Sagada, eating is such a sweet reward.

Let me guide you of the places you may want to visit while staying in Sagada.

1.) LEMON PIE HOUSE. The name itself you'll understand why. But it's not only all about Lemon Pies. They also serve breakfast, lunch and dinner at a very affordable prices.

A pie slice (Lemon Pie/Egg Pie and their seasonal pies) costs P35. While main courses which includes rice starts at P100-150. Affordable?! Oh wait till the food arrives at your table. Then you can say that at the portioning that they're serving you, the price is way too affordable. It is cheap!

The atmosphere is so warm and cozy. The interiors were well lit but not too bright. Just nice for the theme. Rustic, country house theme with traditional spears and gongs and such as decorations. Once you step inside you will feel that you've been transported to another country.

For take home pies, please be advised to order 1 day prior departure. This ensures that you pie(s) are freshly made. They open at 6am, just nice for you to grab those pies before heading to your bus going back home.

For more information please check: http://sagadalemonpiehouse.blogspot.sg

2.) THE YOGHURT HOUSE. And by the name of this joint I should say you'll understand why and know what's the special of the house. Yes! Yoghurt! But they also serve other varieties of food for breakfast, lunch and dinner although the variety is not so much.

Recommendation?! Try their HIKERS BREAKFAST & TAPSILOG. They also serve traditional chocolate drink from the cacao and not just "MILO" as hot choco which made me so happy. Portions size, again, it's super size. Don't ask. I was beginning to think that in Sagada, this is their "REGULAR" portioning. Quite disappointed with the egg though. I've always like my sunny side up eggs runny. Mine was cooked to well done. Sigh.

Thumbs up for the laid back, rustic, country look of the house. Cozy & very homey. At first we thought that the place was an inn coz there were so many people the night before when we passed by trying to find a place to eat. It turned out not. The place was just that "popular" I guess with all the mentions it got from all over the blogs.

Price ranges from P80-P180. Very affordable price for such delicious grub. Treat yourself once in a while and let go of those "diet" woes.

Service however was not so great. I don't know. Probably because we're locals and not foreigners?

3.) SAGADA PINE CAFÉ. The perfect place to chill after a long day's activities. Relax and unwind. They however only served drinks.

The place has this really unique sense of decorations. Very Rasta/Reggae vibe. Makes you just want to chill.

Drinks averages from P50 for beers to P180 for hard liquors. Plus you can smoke inside and play poker. Whatever floats your boat. But don't pick a fight guys!

4.) VINCENT'S RESTOBAR. Another Reggae inspired. The food were great! Again, portions were huge leaving you so stuffed. I love the way they decorated the restaurant. So simple and yet very eye catching.

Prices are very affordable. Ranges from P60 - P180.

5.) KIMCHI RESTOBAR. Talk about recycling, Kimchi resto bar made sure that they're one example to follow. The mosaic walls were all decorated with the tins from soft drink/beer lids. Empty sake bottles for display. And a whole lot more. You've just gotta visit to see it.

From it's name, one can tell that yes! They cook Korean Cuisine. The owner had worked in a korean kitchen in Korea thus mastering the art of Korean cuisine. They also offer Filipino Cuisine too.

The ambience was very cool and reggae feel. It's also one of those chill out place to eat and drink.

Prices are from P100 - P180. Affordable isn't it.?!

ENJOY!!!

SAGADA ITINERARY

If by any chance you are planning a trip to Sagada and with so many things to do, you don't know what to do first, maybe this guide can help you plan your trip.

The gateway to Sagada is Baguio. It all starts from Baguio. So let me start from there.

This is a 4D3N itinerary.

Day 1.
6:30am - ETD to Sagada (Dangwa Bus Station)
12:30 pm - ETA Sagada. Check in at any inns.
1:30pm - lunch.
2:30pm - Walk around Sagada. Register at SAGGAS for your preferred tour and guide. Visit the church. Ganduyan Museum.
3:30pm - you must be super tired from the trip. take a nap.
7:00pm - Dinner.

Day2.
7:00am - Wake up and prep up for the day.
8:00am - Breakfast.
9:30am - Spelunking @ Sumaguing. (Sumaguing Cave 3hrs. Cave Connection 5hrs.)
12:30nn - Snack (Lunch if you want to take your time. We didn't.)
1:00pm - Start hike to the drop-off point going to Ponggas Falls. It's a long way. Alternatively, you can take a jeep that rarely pass by (if you're lucky) or hire a van (at a costly price). We were lucky!!!
1:30pm - Start trekking going to the falls.
2:30pm - PONGGAS FALLS
3:30pm - Trek back to the jump off point.
4:30pm - Reached our jump off point another trek/ride back to the town center.
7:00pm - Dinner.

Day3.
7:00am - Rise and Shine! Prep up for the day's hike.
8:00am - Breakfast.
9:00am - Trek to Echo Valley. Hanging coffins. Underground River entrance. Sagada Weaving House.
12:30nn - Lunch. Rest.
3:00pm - Off to Mt. Ampacao for sunset. Bonfire at Lake Danum.
7:00pm - back to town. Dinner.

Day4. 
3:00am - Meet up for Kiltepan Peak trek for sunrise.
6:00am - Rock Inn for breakfast and Orange Picking.
8:00am - Start descend to town.
9:00am - Prep up.
10:00am - Goodbye Sagada.
4:00pm - ETA Baguio City.

For more information please visit http://www.saggas.org

GUIDE TO SAGADA

SAGADA.. The perfect place to chill and relax and buzz away the stress of the city life.  Pack lightly, prep up those hiking shoes and submit yourself to Gaia. Tuck away those 21st century gadgets, and gear up for an ultimate adventure with Mother Nature.

Located at Mountain Province, it is the 5th class of the municipality. 575km north of Manila and 140km from Baguio and just 45min away from Bontoc.

Here are some of the things that you shouldn't miss while in Sagada...

1.) Spelunking. Be it in Sumaguing cave or Sumaguing-Lumiang (cave connection), be sure to try at least once in your life spelunking. Sagada has more than just 2 caves, they have a lot! But only this 2 are open to public.

2.) ECHO VALLEY. Probably the best place to "scream & shout & let it all out".. A short distance from town. The name itself doesn't need explanation as to why it has been named as it is.

3.) HANGING COFFINS. I asked our guide "Why hang?" And he threw me back a question of "If you die, would you rather be buried 6ft under and not to see the world or be free and be one with nature?" I was stunned for a while. He has a point. And so this is the belief of their ancestors thus the hanging coffin exists.

4.) PONGGAS FALLS. Hold and behold! Going to and from the falls is one long trek with narrow walkway and dangerous cliffs that you'd better watch where you're going or else. But the reward once you reach the falls is such a WOW moment. There are 2 ways going to the falls, one is the moderate but safe way and the other is the extreme and difficult way. You can choose which way you want to go, but listen to your guide. On the day we went to Ponggas Falls, we took the moderate but safe route because Kuya John told us the the extreme & difficult way was dangerous as the water level from the river has gone up and the dark clouds was catching up. Weather in Sagada can be sometimes unpredictable. Either way, please remember that though you are in an "adventure", your safety is your number 1 priority. What is an adventure to remember if you can't wake up to even remember it??

5.) SUNRISE @ KILTEPAN PEAK. You can never watch sunrise in the bustling city. Never. So, wake up early and get a good warm up as you ascend to Kiltepan Peak. But going to the peak is not an assurance of a perfect sunrise. This all depends on Mother Nature. If she favors you, you might be lucky. If not, perhaps the bed of clouds will be at least a sight of compensation. But I guess that day was not for us. It was too foggy. We waited until 6:30am before giving up the idea of a perfect sunrise. We hoped for at least a consolation to at least get a view of the "bed of clouds" but sadly, it was just all fogs. Probably next time when we will go back to Sagada.

6.) SUNSET @ MT. AMPACAO. If Kiltepan Peak is for sunrise, then Mt. Ampacao is for sunset. A very long trek from town but the rewards of a dramatic sunset is such a glorious moment. This is also depending on Mother Nature of course. As they say "if weather permits". Good thing we did have that sunset and it was beautiful though we totally didn't have not even a single picture perfect.

7.) BONFIRE. Leaving Sagada without the experience of bonfire is nuts! This is a must try too even if it's just a simple bonfire. And perhaps because we had our bonfire at Lake Danum and it was freezing cold.

8.) LAKE DANUM. Dare to swim if you can. It looks serene and tranquil but BF spoiled it with his stories of snakes and vile crawling creatures. LOL. But seriously, it was too damn cold to even take off my jacket.

9.) POTTERY. Yes. Yes. reminds you of Demi Moore & the late Patric Swayze's movie GHOST. When you look at it, it seems quite easy to do. Damn. Try doing it! That's all I can say. See that arm power??

10.) SAGADA RICE TERRACES. Yes!!! They also have. Actually, the Mountain Province is abundant in rice terraces and not just the famous Banaue.

11.) SAGADA WEAVING HOUSE. Do not ever question why products made from weaving are bloody expensive. Products as such are made by hand and not by mass producing machines. It is made by hard labor and love. Weaved to perfection. And every detail is delicate.

12.) ORANGE PICKING. Usually done after watching sunrise from Kiltepan Peak. Admit it, how many times in your city life have you picked an orange by yourself? Let alone see an Orange tree??? When in Sagada, give it a go!! You have no idea how many types of oranges there are and they sure tastes different that I can say.

13.) WALK THE WALK.. The primitives survived life even before 21st century gadgets were made and that includes transportation. So, when in Sagada, you'll just have to walk. Jeepneys are not common there. Cmon! Sagada is just a small town.

14.) LUMIANG CAVE. The entrance to Lumiang Cave is an ancient burial site similar to the hanging coffins. Lumiang cave is connected to Sumaguing cave. Kuya John says that all the caves in Sagada is connected to Sumaguing Cave thus they hail Sumaguing cave as the Mother Cave of Sagada. Throughout the century of this traditional burial system, the wooden coffins had somehow matched with the stone walls of the cave that you wouldn't think that there are coffins. But there is no coffin inside the cave. The coffin ends to where the last rays of the sun hits. As Kuya John says, "there should be light to guide the way" and that is the belief of the elders. It is just a sad sight that the people of Sagada had to leave a sign saying "PLEASE DO NOT GET ANYTHING INSIDE. DON'T OPEN THE COFFINS." Apparently, in one of the slightly open coffin (due to wood deterioration thus the coffin had exposed the bones) the skull once lying there had been stolen. So please do RESPECT the dead.

15.) FOOD TRIP. Oh Sagada!! You're not just an adventure land, you're also a food paradise! The best gastronomical place in such affordable price and the plating portion is "big size"! Go on and indulge on what Sagada has to offer you. I ended up "RESTO-HOPPING" eating from one restaurant to the next.

There you go. 15 things not to miss in Sagada. There are other things that you shouldn't miss in Sagada but frankly my time in Sagada was kinda short that I've not experienced them myself thus I can't share it with you coz I've got nothing to share. But I believe the internet is open to all inquiries about Sagada. I just hope that maybe I've enlightened you about Sagada.

If ever you plan to go to Sagada, how to reach Sagada is all written HERE. You don't even need a big budget honestly. Everything in Sagada is so affordable. And please do tip your guide. I know they have a guide fee, but a guide fee for example: Spelunking P500/4 pax is ridiculously cheap for a "buwis buhay" tour. I am so thankful that Kuya John has a powerful grip with all my weight. I am not kidding. At the end of my trip in Sagada, I gave Kuya John a generous tip. Probably more that he could think of on top of his guide fee for the entire 3 days. Because going on an adventure trip to Sagada is no joke.

So I am thankful that I've found Kuya John Justo. He's an excellent guide! Till next time SAGADA!!!

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN TO LATELY?!?!