Boracay during the mid-2000s

The news feed on my Facebook account is being bombarded with #Laboracay pictures, videos, and status updates. I can’t help but reminisce what it’s like to party all night in Boracay and explore the island all day. Looking back more than ten years ago, I felt at that time that I should experience party life in Boracay during my twenties. 🙂 And I did and had the time of my life. Twice, with my friends from law school. Two of our batch mates in law school hail from Aklan, which is the reason why we felt not that touristy when we went there, since we were accompanied with friends who are very much comfortable (and influential) in their own territory. 🙂

This is my first time in Boracay, during the year 2004 (it’s been eleven years already!). It was also my first time to travel in the Visayas.

My first glimpse of the island

My knowledge about the island is limited to what I have seen ten years ago. Back then, we party at Cocomanga’s and Summer Place, eat chorizo sandwich sold by beachfront vendors, drink mango shake at Casa Pilar (for me still the best), buy souvenirs at Talipapa and D’ Mall.

The bucket at Summer Place

We went to Boracay for the summer for two consecutive years, during the year 2004 and again on 2005. Since then, I was not able to come back because I have been busy with law school and with practice after passing the bar. But it’s fun to look back to my younger years, the carefree days of hopping on a plane bound to Kalibo with my classmates.

We climbed the roof of the boat during an island tour.

On my second summer in Boracay, there were so many of us that it felt like a field trip on our way to Kalibo. That time, we tried going to Aklan by a passenger vessel, then by plane back to Manila.

at the beachfront with my girl friends

Puka Beach

And since we’re talking about ten years ago, there’s also my Boracay beach body ten years ago.. 😦 How time flies. 😀

at the Grotto, on the Boracay Rock

Since I have already experienced partying like there’s no tomorrow in Boracay, riding the banana boat, island tours, and other water activities, my dream really is to go to Boracay during off-season. I want to experience Boracay in seclusion, with my hubby, just lying by the beach all day, and going to spas for a massage. That is what I have not yet experienced in Boracay, and what for me I should experience during my thirties. 🙂

A Day at the City of Love, Iloilo

Work gave me opportunity to visit the province of Iloilo for a day. While a day is not enough to explore all the historic establishments and heritage churches of Iloilo, still, I feel fortunate to have had the chance to make the most out of the trip even if it’s a work-related one. 🙂 In a day, I got to visit the Iloilo Esplanade, stay for several hours at the famous Ong Bun Pension House, sample Ilonggo dishes like batchoy and chicken inato, buy Ilonggo delicacies at SM City Iloilo, and linger longer than usual at Iloilo International Airport (delayed flight, ha!). Not bad, isn’t it? 🙂

Iloilo International Airport

In addition, the plane ride to Iloilo City was such a visual treat. I was transfixed as I look at the immaculate province of Antique from my window seat, which made me understood why Antique is the land where the mountains meet the sea. ❤

The province of Iloilo is located at the southern part of Panay Island. The Panay Island consists of four provinces in western Visayas Region: Antique, Aklan, Capiz, and Iloilo. Among the four, I have visited two, Iloilo and Aklan (during law school days, got to explore Boracay, Aklan, and Ibajay). I hope to have the opportunity soon to visit Antique (which I fell in love with from plane view) and the seafood capital, Capiz. 🙂

My purpose to visit Iloilo City is to talk to several people and enter into agreements on behalf of our client. I was accompanied by the collections officer of our client. We booked a room at Ong Bun Pension House and held the meetings there. Ong Bun Pension House is strategically located at Ledesma Street, the business district of Iloilo City.

Ong Bun Pension House

While the facade of Ong Bun Pension House gives impression that it is an old building, the inside of the building would show that it’s a modern hotel with good ambiance, wi-fi access, clean rooms, and warm hotel staff. For five hours, we stayed at Ong Bun Pension House and held meetings at one of their rooms.

After the meetings, we dropped by at Iloilo Esplanade to enjoy the late afternoon by the Iloilo River.

The Iloilo Esplanade was created by the government to celebrate the Ilonggos’ love for their river.

The Iloilo River that late afternoon

This is the breath-taking view of the bridge while we were at the Iloilo Esplanade…

The bridge and the river.

And this is the river esplanade/boulevard where locals and tourists can take leisurely walks, run, jog, and simply enjoy the view of the Iloilo River.

Boulevard

We also stopped by at SM City Iloilo to buy Ilonggo delicacies at Bongbong’s, such as biscocho, piyaya, and toasted mamon.

SM City Iloilo

And of course, my visit to Iloilo wouldn’t be complete without stopping by at Starbucks and buying a provincial mug as souvenir. 🙂

It was a memorable day trip. 🙂 Of course I was left hanging. I want to go back with hubby, and visit the churches, Calle Real, and the local market. But as what I said, I am thankful of what I have experienced in my one day visit at the city of love, Iloilo. And you would just love Ilonggo accent. ❤

Our 2014 Trips: First-time travels and Revisits

For me and hubby, 2014 is… cliche as it may sound… a roller-coaster ride. But since it’s a brand new year so I will not dwell on the sad memories but focus on the positive. 🙂 2014 gave us so many opportunities to travel, and most of our travels are all-expense paid by clients. While we had more work-related trips than leisure trips, just being together during our work-related trips made the experience feels as if we were just playing. 🙂

JANUARY: OUR 2ND WEDDING ANNIVERSARY AT TAGAYTAY CITY

Windy January at Skyranch Tagaytay.

We started the year by celebrating our second wedding anniversary at Tagaytay City, Cavite. It was a blissful celebration, a day trip at one of the coolest (literally) destinations last January 2014. It was also our first time to visit Tagaytay City as a couple, although we have been there countless times during our childhood and college yeaers.

We had late lunch at Mahogany Market, where we ordered steaming bowl of bulalo and crispy tawilis. Then, a first time visit to Sky Ranch. We endured the long lines in order to ride the Sky Eye, which was then the tallest ferris wheel in the country (as of now it’s the Sky Eye in Pampanga). We ended the day by having dinner and coffee at Bag of Beans. It’s a first time experience for us as a couple and up to this date that 11th day of January 2014 (a belated celebration, our anniv is January 8) will always feel as if I’m on cloud nine. 🙂 ❤

MARCH: RE-VISITING TAGAYTAY CITY VIA TALISAY ROAD

Taal Volcano as seen from Talisay, Batangas

It was during the first week of March when we got to visit again Tagaytay City, for a work-related trip. This time, we went up to Tagaytay City via the Talisay Road or what the locals call the “Sungay Road”. While this route will give you picturesque view of the Taal Volcano and Tagaytay Ridge, this road is not for the faint of heart. One have to be skilled and experienced before traversing this zigzag-gy and very steep road.

APRIL: MOM’S BIRTHDAY AT A MOUNTAIN RESORT IN BAY, LAGUNA

On mid-April, we celebrated my mom’s 61st birthday (and our third anniversary as a couple or “bf-gf anniv”) at Grand Villa Resort and Butterfly Centre, a mountain resort in Bay, Laguna.

Pool area at night

It was a perfect day for swimming, a special day last summer spent with family and relatives. This sprawling resort will provide you tons of activities to engage in, so that you would momentarily forget the stress of city life. To read my review of this mountain resort, click here.

MAY: FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE BEAUTIFUL ISLAND PROVINCES OF MARINDUQUE AND CATANDUANES; RE-VISITED ALBAY

The month of May was totally unpredictable and bittersweet. But as what I said, I will focus on the good things that happened to keep reminding that despite the trials, we are still very much blessed.

On the first week of May, hubby and I got to visit the pristine island of Marinduque. It’s hubby’s second time to visit the province, while it was my first time. It’s a work-related trip as our purpose to go there is to attend a hearing at the Municipal Trial Court  I was enchanted at my first glimpse of Balanacan Port, where the giant statue of Ina ng Biglang Awa welcomes you upon arrival at the port.

Ina ng Biglang Awa at Balanacan Port

On the third week of May 2014, another opportunity to travel beckoned. This is my first time to travel solo, as the trip was sponsored by another law firm and not by our law office. I attended a hearing in Virac, Catanduanes, but before that hearing I first have to travel by air, land and water. Since there were no direct flights at that time to Virac, I took the flight to Legazpi, which is pure ecstasy, as the flight gave me a chance to revisit the province of Albay and see again the beautiful and majestic Mayon Volcano.

View of Mayon Volcano from the plane

After the air travel, my client and I traveled by land since we’ll be riding a Ro-Ro vessel at the Tabaco Port. At the port, I got to witness one of 2014’s biggest phenomena, the solar halo which was seen only in the Bicol Region that 22nd day of May 2014.

Solar halo. Seen only in Bicol region.

Dining alone. Inside Blossoms Restaurant in Virac, Catanduanes.

My experience at the rustic province of Catanduanes is pure bliss. It’s where I had my first media exposure/interview. 😀 And I explored the town of Virac literally by foot. As what I said, it was my first time to travel solo. While I sorely missed my hubby during that trip as he is my constant companion, the chance to travel solo made me braver, more aware of the surroundings, more alert. The three days and two nights experience in Catanduanes reminded me to enjoy my own company and to be independent when the situation calls for it. 🙂

The Bato River. No filter.

JUNE: REVISITED BOAC, MARINDUQUE; FIRST TIME AT GASAN, MARINDUQUE

June is the birthday month of my hubby. We had an overnight trip at Tagaytay City and celebrated his birthday. 🙂 Again, he had post-birthday celebration in Marinduque, when we went there the third week of June, for another work-related trip. But since we brought along my mom and aunt so that they can also visit Marinduque, we extended our trip to three days. 🙂 After touring our companions at Boac, Marinduque, we took a side trip at the nearby town of Gasan, Marinduque, to meet up with another client who is based in Gasan. It’s our first time to visit this time and we got to visit another heritage church perched on a hill, the St. Joseph Church of Gasan, Marinduque.

Another heritage church perched on a hill.

AUGUST: CEBU REVISITED

Last August, we got the chance to visit a city that I missed so much, Cebu City! It’s my hubby’s first time to visit this island, while it’s my second. 🙂 While it’s a work-related trip, we consider it as a beautiful opportunity to explore the historic urban city of Cebu. It’s only a two-day trip but on our two days we were able to go not just to the Capitol Building and Court of Appeals but also to Magellan’s Cross, Sto. Nino de Cebu Church, Ayala Center Cebu, Chapel of St. Pedro Calungsod, buy pasalubongs at Taboan Market, and enjoy buffet breakfast at Wellcome Hotel. 🙂

SEPTEMBER: FIRST TIME AT TRECE MARTIRES, CAVITE

Republic of Cavite

Last September we got to visit another historic town, Trece Martires, the capital and heart of Cavite. We roamed around the capitol compound and after done with work, we can’t help but take pictures of the Capitol building of Cavite and the majestic Legislative Building. We had a walking tour of Governors Drive and dropped by at the Shrine of the Thirteen Martyrs, church visit at the Chapel of St. Jude Thaddeus, and had coffee and ube buchi at Republic of Cavite, a cafe and restaurant often mistaken as the Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine as it is a replica of the same.

OCTOBER: REVISITED CEBU AND FIRST TIME AT LAPU-LAPU SHRINE; HALLOWEEN IN MARINDUQUE

Another work-related trip brought us back to Cebu in October. We had an early flight to Cebu which allowed us to explore Mactan Island and take a side-trip first to Lapu-Lapu Shrine, which is near the airport vicinity.

Larsian barbecue

This trip is a more relaxed one than our previous trip to Cebu, as after we are done at the Court of Appeals, we got to enjoy the city the whole day, with prolonged stay at IT Park and Ayala Center Cebu, and ending the day having late dinner Cebuano style at Larsian Barbecue. On the other hand, the last week of October gave us a chance to spend Halloween in Boac as we took our third work-related trip to Marinduque this year.

Halloween festivities at Case De Don Emilio, Boac, Marinduque.

DECEMBER: REVISITED BAGUIO CITY AND CALAPAN CITY, ORIENTAL MINDORO

strawberry taho

Come December, we were able to squeeze in two work-related out-of-town trips despite the uncertain weather. On the first week of December, just before my birthday, we got to revisit the city of pines, Baguio City. It was a quick trip, less than twenty four hours including travel time. But the trip gave us new experiences, such as getting to taste the strawberry taho, food trip at Good Taste Restaurant, and non-stop travel from Baguio City to Manila via the Genesis Executive Coach, Joy Bus.

By third week of December, we got to revisit Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro due to another work-related trip with our clients. After done with work, we visited my law school best friend and our godparents and stayed at their home. The weekend trip allowed us to explore the bustling city of Calapan, food trips and bonding moments with what we consider as our second family. 🙂

Capitol Building of Oriental Mindoro

We are thankful for a year full of safe travels. Indeed, travel broadened our horizons and made us see how beautiful and diverse our motherland is. This 2015, we are targeting to explore more the Visayas region and perhaps, a first time trip to Mindanao. We are also claiming that we would be able to travel abroad. Anything’s possible, all in the right time. 🙂