Yanx and Vanz

We were looking for place to stay near UPLB and tried to reserve accommodation within the campus. Unfortunately, we were told that the place we booked has a curfew and we might not be able to go in our room after midnight. Being the night owl that we are, we tried a book another hotel online.  Good thinking!  We found Makiling Onsen Hotel. In Japan, Onsen is a hot spring bathing facility and is popular for health benefits. This hotel is offering that unique Onsen experience to guest. We were not able to try it. But we did enjoy looking at the decorations in the room and found it a little bit eclectic for a Japanese-themed hotel.   We booked a twin room for a discounted price and surprised by how big the room is.  But we were too tired to even use the other furnitures. We did use the TV and noticed that they provide few refreshments.  We happily read some of the wall decors of the hotel. So cheesy, don't you think? The bed ...

  For this year, our first travel with our friends lead us to the City of Pines. As usual, our dear Chap Bright did all the necessary arrangement (Sir thank you Sir!!!). It did save us a lot of trouble (and money) in arranging details of the out-of-town trip. Thank God for angels. Wink. Wink. Wink. When it was announced that we will be staying at Cinema Leonardo, we wondered if we were staying in an old cinema. We searched  about it and found a few blog post about it. Looks good. We also checked Cinema Leonardo's fb account.  Hmmm... the place looks interesting. At first, our group was a little confused at the exact location of Cinema Leonardo. But we eventually found it tuck away from the city. The place is relatively near Tam-awan Village. Our initial reaction: spacious. So many space. Inside the house, it can easily fit more or less 20 persons. Cinema Leonardo has this rustic feel. It has a fireplace but we weren't able to ...

Last year, we decided to drop by Our Lady of Manaoag before visiting our friend, who is residing in Pangasinan. We have some misadventures worth sharing for a more solemn yet enjoyable pilgrimage. TIP #1: Ride the 12AM bus to Dagupan Our Lady of Manaoag is known for miracles and making petitions a reality. For most of our good friends, they know our intention for going here. Unfortunately, we arrived too early for mass. Our excitement made us board the bus bound for Dagupan at around 10:30 pm. Wrong move. We are at Manaoag at 3AM! Earliest mass is at 5AM and church gates open at 4AM. The only store open is 7-11.  Thank you for the good people at 7-11 Manaoag branch! TIP #2: Write your petitions in advance.  Also, bring extra sheet of paper. When the church gates opened, it was a little eerie and dark. But the place was so solemn, peaceful and overly quiet except for the footsteps and chattering of early pilgrims. Arriving early has advantages, for one , there are no queu...

Sunset at White Beach Boracay is an island in Aklan, Philippines known for its very fine white sand and an active night life. It is voted as having one of the best beach in the world. Good news is everyone can enjoy and travel to Boracay without getting broke. How to get to Boracay? There are two ways to get to Boracay. You may choose between roll-on and roll-off (RORO) ferry or airplane. RORO is relatively cheaper compared to regular airfare. But a longer travel time is needed. If your coming from Manila, you need to travel to Batangas City Port. Watch out for promo fares. You can score a big deal! Choose between Kalibo International Airport or Caticlan Airport. Our personal favorite is the former since local airlines offer cheaper fares and we can roam around nearby spots. If your taking RORO, the ferry will drop you at the Caticlan Port Terminal.  If your coming from Kalibo International Airport, you need to take a van or bus to  Caticlan Port.  Some...

While looking for a place to eat at Boracay, we saw this sign. Reminding everyone that there will always be a rainbow after the rain.  Keep smiling!

Who would have thought that an authentic Thai kitchen is just around the corner of your village?   That is exactly what we discovered recently. This restaurant is so unassuming and is not even air conditioned. The kitchen is open and customers can even see how their food is prepared.  We were so surprised and excited to try the dishes.  We ordered our usual favorites in a Thai resto. Our verdict: two thumbs up!!! Super yummy! The servings are good for 2 and the price is quite reasonable. Coffee Jelly (Php 85) Pad Thai, the house specialty  Fresh spring roll (Php 50 per piece) For those interested, drop by the address below: PAD THAI. Thai Cuisine 83 Macaria Avenue corner P. Ocampo Pacita I (Near Evangelista and Family Care Hospital)