Boracay

who goes to the beach in the middle of the storm? Me!!!

went with my mom and my cousins at le Boracay last June this year. and yes, during the storm. haha. what can i say? plane tickets do come cheap on rainy days. we were half excited half terrified on our plane trip to Kalibo via the Cebu Pacific but gladly we made it to and back safe and ALIIIIVE! (think Frankenstein)

anyhoo.

thought i'd share with you the things that we did whilst in the island.

Boracay June 2013

Boracay is not such a tricky place to go to. you'll never go missing when you're in there. and that's saying something coming from me, one that doesn't have sense of direction and easily freaks out on a strange city. basically, you can just hop on a tricycle or multicab to the main road (located behind the establishments strewn across the shores) and it will take you  from point A to point B. and i'd also like to point out that vacationing at Boracay is cheaper than most people often thought. there are lots of cheap hotels and cheap restaurants that mere mortals like us can more than afford. 

Snorkeling/Banana Boat/Island Tour

our first day started off with some rain. we had to wait it out till it stopped raining. it was almost midday when we finally got to hop on our rented yacht... err boat. we went snorkeling and cruising along the island. the corals and fishes as usual were wonderful. we stopped at some ihaw-ihaw restaurant for our lunch. the island tour wasn't exactly fun for me since i was dizzy the whole time. i had to puke at some point too. lastly, we went riding at the famous banana boat. sadly, it wasn't as fun when the whole time, you get sprayed water on your face. they were painful. and they weren't gonna let us fall. bummer.

Parasailing

for me, the highlight of our Boracay trip was the parasailing. it was a good thing the sun finally showed up on our second day in the island, good day to parasail. it was awe-mazing to be up there! i'd do it again in a heartbeat. for fifteen minutes, we were up in the air admiring the view below our feet. it wasn't scary or anything. we were lifted in the air gently and before we knew it, were several feet up in the air. you should definitely try it. the ride costs P1600 but we haggled it down to P1100 since we are about a dozen.

Calamansi Muffin

before jumping on the plane to Boracay, i of course did a research about things to do and food to eat on the island. and every travel blog i go to, this calamansi muffin always pops out. so my cousin and i could not wait to try it. calamansi muffin is located at Station 1. i was expecting it to be lavish since it was located on a more upscale part of the island. when we got there, i was so shocked to see the place. it looked like cheap inuman. yeah, so whatever. we tried to chat with the server and they are not very welcome-y. they're not rude but not polite either. it really annoyed me. i was screaming inside of my head "im definitely going to blog how suplada their staff are!". so we did what we came to do, tried the damn muffin and.... it was good. and that's it. there's nothing more to it. it wasn't ground breaking or anything. it was just delicious. and overrated.

Grotto

located at Station 1. basically it's like an altar in the middle of the beach. you can go onto it, and pray, or what you guys do. it kinda is a landmark. people always take photo with this on the backdrop. my cousins and i love to hang out here because it's right in front of our favorite Jonah's Fruitshake.

Puka Shell Beach 

the Puka Beach is located on the other side of the island. most island tours usually include this on their itinerary. but you can also go there riding tricycle. tourists especially prefer puka beach as their swimming destination. the place is far from the commercial area, therefore much less people, less noise and much much less pollution. the water at puka beach is indeed as clear as crystal. the sand may not be as fine as those at Station 1 but i prefer to go swimming on a beach without drunken men as my audience, thank you.

Jonah's Fruit Shake

Jonah's Fruit Shake is one of the things that popped out on many travel blogs' recommendations. and this time we weren't disappointed, except my mom. well, not exactly disappointed. she thinks that it tastes exactly the same to the ones we make at home. we love Jonah's Fruit Shake because it is heavy and creamy (read fattening), and the combo flavors are like explosion in the mouth. one bottle of shake costs about P110. my favorite was the banana peanut vanilla. Jonah's Fruit Shake if i'm not mistaken, has 3 branches. so you wouldn't really miss it. one branch is located in front the grotto thing.

Crown Regency Convention Center

we stayed at Crown Regency Convention Center, located somewhere in Station 2. they have a huge wave pool right at the center of the hotel. it was also nice to see some rooms have direct access to the pool (see lower right photo). how cool would it be to wake up in the morning, jump out of bed, stepped out of the balcony, and plunge in to the pool. haha. we didn't get those type of rooms though. our room with two double size beds, good for four people cost us P4000 a night. we had to leave the next day and had to move to another hotel. a much cheaper hotel called Boracay Sunset. it was conveniently located near the D'Talipapa and near the beach. it was not lavish. but it was clean and decent enough for us. the room with two double size beds good for four people only cost us P1800. we decided to stay there throughout the rest of our days in Boracay.

D'Mall

every night we always see to it that we go to D'Mall where shops and restaurants of all sorts are located. the shops and restaurants though are a little expensive on the side. but if you want to dine and shop without getting holes on your pocket, you should definitely see D'Talipapa. you can go shopping for beach wear and souvenirs. they are really affordable and sometimes the prices can go really low depending on your haggling capabilities. the restaurants at D'Talipapa aren't as posh as those at D'Mall but the coolest thing about is that it is located near the wet market. you can go buy the freshest seafood of your own choice and have it cooked the way you want to for a low low price. very convenient for us with special diets (read pork-free).

Group Picture! yey!

(right to left:) mahal, fai, kaka bong, mom, zee, far, kaka fao

things to bring on the beach

canvas bag: why i think canvas bag is perfect for beach is because it's low maintenance and they can be pretty flexible. you're not going to worry if they get dirty because they can be easily cleaned. beach bags should also be large enough to fit all of the things you will be bringing. striped bag from Mango. beach hat: not only it protects you from the sun, it also makes good fashion statement. make sure the hat matches well with all of your outfit. pink hat from SM Accessories. sunscreen: people, you have to realize that it's very important to protect yourselves from the harmful rays of the sun. aside from the widely know fact that it causes skin cancer, exposure from the sun causes premature aging. that's why supermodels like me are always equipped with sunscreen when were at the beach (hey laugh it's a joke, the model thing). sunscreen from Nivea. sunnies: protect those gorgeous eyes from the glare of the sun with fashionable sunglasses. got mine cheap at an online shop. beach towel: something to make you dry. last but not the least, my favorite, the waterproof cellphone casing:  it allows you to take precious moments at the beach, in the water and while up in the air even, without worrying about your precious phone to get soaked, windblown and get dirty on. it came really handy for me during parasailing. i was the only one who was able to take photos and videos up there. it was really cool. oh, you can get them just about anywhere for P150.

Ever been to Boracay?

Z4 Goes To Baguio

my mom, sisters and i went to Baguio City last summer this year and i'm finally ready to share our first fun-filled adventure with the rest of the Z's. it was our first out of town trip with just the four of us girls. 

for those who aren't from around here or are not familiar with the place, Baguio is the summer capital of Philippines. summer can sometimes be excruciatingly hot in the Philippines. people like to cool off and relax to Baguio because of its cool, fresh air and cold temperature. it is located in the mountainous province of Benguet.

first of all, none of us has ever been to Baguio. i did a lot of research over the internet to know the places we must go and see. it's a good thing you find everything over the web these days. they can be life saving sometimes.

Philippine Military Academy

of course nobody goes to Baguio without going to PMA first, duh! you'll see all bunch of vintage cannons, tanks, airplanes, and other war stuff. if you're into those things, you'd love it. as for me, i just love the peace, quiet and cleanliness of the place.

The Mansion

they said that this is the house where every the presidents stay when they are off chillin at Baguio. we didn't get the chance to go look closer or inside the mansion because tourists are prohibited to go inside. apparently, there have been thievery issues. 

Mines View Park

this is the part where tourists take pictures with native costumes on, or take pictures with dogs like Beethoven. we were tempted to have our pictures taken with the huge dogs but it is Haram. Mines View Park is also swamped with souvenir shops. it was really a delight to go shopping there because they really sell cheap stuff!! like really cheap stuff. you get jams for P25 and key chains for as low as P5. Baguio tshirts and native bags, delectable sweets, fresh fruits and preserves, you name it they all have it. you can practically buy your whole barangay with souvenirs without breaking the bank. just be sure you can afford the excess baggage on your flight back. haha!

Wright Park

went horsing around at Wright Park.another first time for us. it was a long, painful 30 minute horseback ride around the area that our butts got sore after. we swore we will never ride horses again.

Strawberry Farm

the Strawberry Farm is located at La Trinidad, a mere 20 minute ride from Baguio City. you'd know when you get there when you see hills full of houses, such as that in the photo. we went strawberry picking and were a bit dismayed we hardly found large strawberries. it wasn't in season as the boy guide said. yes, another first for me to finally, not only hold but pick and eat fresh freaking strawberries! damn, if they didn't just tasted blahblah. anyway, going to the farm was also slightly a bit disappointing. i guess we were led to believe that it is a strawberry farm. but what we saw was a vegetable farm. there are not even that many strawberries. geez. but you know what, the lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, and other vegetables were so fresh and amazingly cheap! if i live in Baguio i'd live to be vegetarian. like seriously.

Burnham Park

the man-made lake in the heart of the city you see on movies set in Baguio, where the protagonists meet and where they go on romantic dates that includes riding animal themed boats, is called Burnham Park. as much as i'd like to say that it was fun riding the boats, we were more concerned about bumping other boats that all we could ever think about was getting out the entire time. after the boat ride, we hanged for awhile at the park. they have benches all over the place where everyone can sit and take a whiff of the fresh cold air. there are lots of people having picnics too. Burnham Park is a very relaxing place to chill out to. fresh cold breeze keeps blowing in. 

Pines View Hotel

we stayed at the Pines View Hotel, which was weird because the only pine tree i saw was that only one standing in front of our hotel, that looks sad and about ready to die. but whatever. we had the best view of the sun rise and the city lights at night. and the service was nice also. our suite for four people, with two queen sized beds and a balcony with a view costs P4400 (if i remember correctly) a night.

we also went to Camp John Hay but i couldn't find the photos. huh, weird. it was huge and nice. they have a bunch of nice restaurants and hotel and golf course. we ate at Seafood Island and Army Navy and did a little shopping at the factory outlets. they have all these imported brands at the very low prices. we also went to SM. and they didn't have airconditioning. it was a little hot. 

and before leaving Baguio, you must never miss the chance to try Good Shepherd's oh-so-yummy preserves and other pastries. they can be expensive compared to those sold at most souvenir shops but i guarantee you they are the best! you can also try the strawberry taho. they have this everywhere i guess but i got mine at some vendor at the Mines View Park. you can also try the strawberry ice cream. vendors are found right outside the strawberry farm.

our Manila-Baguio trip might have caused us a fortune, being summer a peak season and all things are expensive like our plane tickets and hotel rooms. you should all take that into account when thinking of going on vacation on summers. but i guess it was well worth it because it's always more fun to chill on summers and you can be sure (almost) that no storm is going to rain on your parade.

have you gone to Baguio City?

My Desk Space

hello there human!

what lies before you is my dear desk space. it's a small table that sits next to my bed and poses as my study and vanity at the same time.  this table used to be in the kitchen where we put our stove. it used to be black.  i painted it white myself. i apologize for the rather noisy photo but it is taken at night and we're pretty running low on light, obviously. and iphone's camera suck at low light too. so that's it. just something to show you guys a bit of my space. and hopefully, it will inspire me to blog more from now on.

on the table:
laptop for surfing, blogging, online shopping, business blah blah. small vanity mirror, note pad given by my gorgeous cousin farinah, notebook where i keep notes, cosmetic organizer (my treasure chest), fish bowl where i keep anything, my green satchel bag where i put my other notebooks and school stuff (which is weird cause i don't go to school anymore), a mug for pencils, combs, scissors, rulers, ballpens (i'm not into art do not ever think i am cause i am not!). a canvass frame of twigs? bookshelf full of books i haven't read.

what do you keep on your table?