Baguio City to Cubao via Genesis Transport’s Joy Bus

It’s our first time to ride the Genesis Transport’s executive coach, Joy Bus on our trip back to Manila coming from Baguio City. We boarded the Joy Bus several minutes before our scheduled departure at 12:30 in the afternoon. There are plenty of pasalubong stalls at the Genesis Bus Terminal so we took sweet time to buy strawberry jams, strawberry crinkles and choco flakes for our families and friends.

The bus left at around 12:35 p.m., and we arrived in Cubao  at almost 6:00 in the afternoon. It was a smooth and uninterrupted ride for a total of five and a half hours. Not bad, especially since we arrived in Balintawak exit during rush hour.

Solo travelers will feel at ease riding the Joy Bus as there are only three seats per aisle (as seen from the picture above). On the left side is the two-seater, where hubby and I rode; on the right side is the solo seat, for those traveling alone and would want to sleep without worrying about sitting beside a stranger. You can recline your seats and sleep during the long journey. There’s plenty of legroom, which is a plus for me since I easily get cramps during long road trips. And the cushioned seat is really comfortable, with plenty of elbow room between you and your seatmate. It’s comparable to Lazy Boy, as you can adjust your seat so you can rest your legs on the leg lift.

Riding the Joy Bus felt a bit like riding an airplane. There’s a “bus stewardess” who provided us bottled mineral waters, cupcakes, and blankets.

There’s also a comfort room inside the bus. I noticed though that there’s no toilet paper inside. The door is also hard to close, whether from inside the CR or from the outside, after using the CR. Overall, the CR is tolerable but I suggest that they should provide toilet paper since the CR have no running water.

Another thing though, while Joy Bus offers free wi-fi, the bus stewardess said that their wi-fi connection can only accommodate up to five users. And when we finally got connected, we had a very slow connection. So I suggest also that they should improve their wi-fi connection.

What added spice to the trip is the beautiful scenery, of course. Below are pictures taken while we were traversing the zigzaggy roads.

Since Joy Bus provided non-stop transportation from Baguio City to Cubao/Pasay area, we did not pass by the usual route passing by the national highway from La Union to Tarlac. This route tends to be convenient only when traveling at night, as it is a very busy highway during daytime. Instead, we passed by several shortcuts and expressways before making an exit at North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).

Our bus fare from Baguio City to Cubao is priced at 690 Philippine Pesos, more expensive than the regular bus fares ranging from 400 to 450 Philippine Pesos. But paying extra is worth it, in my opinion, considering the comfort and perks of riding the executive coach, especially the bigger legroom.

Joy Bus also extends trips to Baler, Aurora.  Reservations can be made online at: iwantseats.com.ph and pinoytravel.com.ph. Or at Joy Bus offices at Cubao, Pasay, Baler, and Baguio City, to be paid in cash.

Re-visiting Baguio City and first time at Good Taste Cafe & Restaurant

Taken that morning at Baguio City (12/03/14)

Our hearing was set during that first week of December that I considered as the busiest week for me. But as they, “When there’s a will, there’s a way.” 🙂 After our hearing in Batangas the day before, hubby and I immediately prepared for our trip to the north. We traveled from South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) to North Luzon Expressway (NLEX). Tiring, yes, but the excitement of re-visiting one of my favorite cities won over fatigue, even though we have to come back to Manila asap since I needed to attend a company event.

We were supposed to board the de luxe bus of Victory Liner but we encountered heavy traffic on our way to Manila. Instead, we rode the regular air-conditioned bus of Victory Liner at 9:00 in the evening, together with our clients. Since we traveled at nighttime, we experienced less to zero traffic. Despite the two stop overs (one in Tarlac, one in Pangasinan), we arrived at Baguio City by 2:30 in the morning, after five and a half hours. So I recommend traveling at night, for less travel time to the city of pines.

strawberry taho

As soon as we arrived at the Victory Liner bus station in Baguio City, taho vendors came to us and offering the famous strawberry taho at 30 pesos each. It’s my first time to taste strawberry taho so we immediately ordered. It was freezing cold when we arrived and a hot strawberry taho is what we needed at that time, for an authentic we-really-are-in-Baguio-City experience. 🙂

We slept for four hours and woke up at 7:00 in the morning in order to prepare for the 8:30 a.m. hearing. The Hall of Justice of Baguio City is located near the city hall and Burnharm Park.

After hearing, we went to have brunch at Good Taste Cafe & Restaurant with our clients. They have basement parking for customers. When we went inside, I know that without a doubt it is one of the best restos in Baguio City, judging from the number of people dining there when we arrived. Good Taste is a huge restaurant reminiscent of a typical Chinese restaurant in Binondo, Manila. Our clients ordered for us the resto’s best sellers: Buttered chicken, lechon kawali, and beef ampalaya.

An instagram post of what we ordered at Good Taste Cafe 🙂

I was right when I thought that we were in for a treat at this resto. Buttered chicken is indeed a best seller, as we looked to the left and to the right and this dish is present at almost every table. 🙂 Their lechon kawali is very tasty, as it is marinated with some sort of sauce. And hubby loved the beef ampalaya, which is his favorite. Not only are the dishes sumptuous, they also offer big servings of everything. And the price is very much reasonable. 🙂

We will definitely come back at Good Taste Cafe & Restaurant and try the other best sellers (I heard their pancit is delish!). It’s located at Lapu Lapu St., Baguio City. 🙂

Overall, while we were in Baguio City for merely ten hours (sleep included), I enjoyed every single minute of it. And I can’t wait to come back for the next hearing, and to explore the city for longer hours, several days. 🙂