Dumaguete City: City of Gentle People!

After four hours of ferry ride from Cebu via  Tagbilaran, we finally reached Dumaguete.  There was a van that we commissioned to take us to the hotel and tour us around so it was a pretty comfortable trip.  We made sure that we visit Dumaguete’s most prominent landmarks.

Silliman University - According to Wikipedia, it is the first American private school founded in the Philippines.  Named after Horace Brinsmade Silliman, a retired businessman and philanthropist from New York.

St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral - said to be the oldest stone church in Negros.  Originally built in 1754-1776, reconstructed in 1885 extended with present facade in 1936.

El Campanario – The Campanario de Dumaguete is said to be built upon one of the four original massive watchtowers by parish priest Don Jose Manuel Fernandez de Septien to discourage moros from looting the town.  The two layers which are now known as the belltower or the campanario were added during the administration of Fray Juan Felix de la Encarnacion in 1867.

Rizal Boulevard

– The city’s favorite promenade where we feasted on balot and isaw (that we bought from Aling Sioning’s store one block away) with ice-cold coke in bottles.  We also chanced upon local celebrity, Gigit, from the first Survivor Philippines.

Public Market – Our search for cheap lansones brought us to the public market.  The tindera was so nice, I think she gave us 2 kilos of lansones as patikim. J  I was also able to buy pure sea salt here…which was almost confiscated at the airport.  I was giggling because of all the fuzz about P15 worth of sea salt.  I just didn’t know that it cannot be hand-carried. 

Hotel Palwa – Hotel is under renovation when we stayed there.  Rooms are fine but they should improve on their breakfast offerin

Cebu: Quick Stop!

I just sealed this year’s travelling with the last trip in 2010.  Of course this does not include the regular alternating weekend trips to Bataan and Batangas. J  My itchy feet finally took me to Dumaguete via Cebu.

The troop just had one whole day to spend in the city.  And with the limited time, we made sure to eat in our favorite restaurants and make a quick stop to our favorite pasalubong centers.  Whenever we visit Cebu, it’s always certain that we’ll have one of our meals in Chika-an.  This restaurant is like Dencio’s or Gerry’s Grill but cheaper and very reasonable.  I was starving when we got there so I failed to take shots of the dishes that we ordered but I remember that we had mango with yummy bagoong, baked scallops, chicharong bulaklak, crispy pata, grilled tuna belly, grilled squid, pochero, clam soup, kare-kare, inihaw na kinilaw and calamares.  And I shouldn’t forget to mention that they serve unlimited rice.  J  What I love about Chika-an is their mango shake because they serve it in a huge glass and it’s oh-so-yummy!  It has always been a delightful experience to dine in Chika-an, that’s why we keep coming back.

 

And would you leave Cebu without tasting the famous lechon?  We are fans of CNT Lechon which is located near SM Cebu.  We would always rush to get a number because the line gets pretty long and worse, they could run out of lechon within seconds.  I love Cebu lechon because it doesn’t need sauce anymore and I was never a fan of lechon sauce, Mang Tomas will never earn a single cent from me.  CNT lechon is best eaten with vinegar…I don’t know what kind of vinegar was served but it’s the dark kind. 

Since we had companions who are first-timers in Cebu, a visit to the Magellan’s cross is inevitable.

Nippy Baguio!

I went on an overnighter to breathe in the cool Baguio air for the last time in 2010. I was so happy because temperature that night was 12 degrees.   Oh, I so love the cold weather. And I’m still thrilled of seeing mist come out of my mouth when I speak.  Can you blame me?  How often can that happen in a tropical country?

Didn’t go to the usual tourist spots this time, save for the public market and Good Shephered Convent for pasalubong shopping. J

Going there and back, we passed by the Kennon road and this time I decided to take a shot of the Lion’s Head.  Curiously, I’ve been to Baguio so many times and had tons of pictures taken but I never had a single shot of this popular landmark.  This 40-foot limestone carving of a lion’s head  is located at Camp 6, right after the toll gate.  Why erect a huge lion’s head?  Simply because it’s a project of the Lion’s Club. J

Wee Nam Kee!

I have read about how good the chicken is and even the service nightmare stories all over the internet but for a certified steamed chicken addict, I knew I had to give it a try.  Wanted to kick myself, actually, for missing the opportunity to try it in Singapore.  But what can I do, I was starving then so I had to pig out in the first place I saw that served Hainanese Chicken…a nice restaurant which name I already forgot.

Anyhoo, we were at the Ayala Garden Triangle at 11:15am and there were 4 other customers already.  I quickly went over the menu…as if I still had to decide what to get…and then settled on two personal set meals of steamed and roasted chicken at Php168 each and an order of cereal prawns at Php 375.  The cereal prawns was a bit pricey (ours had 3 pieces only)  but I decided to get it because I somehow felt that I'm not going to visit that restaurant anytime soon so might as well taste what the people are raving about.  Yes, I immediately had that feeling.

We were done with the ordering in 2 minutes flat and then we were advised that our order would take 20 minutes.   Hmmm, super tagal naman, considering that there were steamed and roasted chickens already hanging on display but I patiently waited, expecting the most succulent steamed chicken.

The soup (which is part of the set meal, actually) was served first, I wanted to have it with my chicken and rice but I feared that if I waited, the soup would turn cold so I tried it and it…tasted… like…diluted chicken cubes!  My goodness!  I do not know if I was imagining things but that’s the message that my taste buds sent to my brain.  I had to forget about the not-so-nice-chicken soup-experience because I was prepping for my chicken.

And then the steamed and roasted chicken was served which I immediately attacked.  After the first bite, I had a thought bubble moment…“Is steamed chicken really served cold?”  I don’t know about others but I want all my dishes piping hot when served so it was a so-so dish for me.  The roasted chicken is nice but from that time on, my interest on the dishes already waned.

 

It also took them 35 minutes to serve the cereal prawns which we had to follow up twice and did not look appetizing at all when served. It had 3 pieces of prawns, if it looked more than that, it’s because you are also counting the prawn heads.  Yes, the prawn heads are huge.  I didn’t like the cereal prawns mainly because they fried them with shells on and they’re not that crispy.  So, fail!

Just as we’re about to leave the restaurant, we heard this lady berating the manager for the lousy service that they’ve been getting.  So, until now, the Wee Nam Kee crew has not gotten their act together and they better do something about it for another Steamed Chicken restaurant may surface again soon.

I’m craving tuloy for this Steamed Ginger Chicken which we had in Baguio.  Hay!

Bataan: Pawikan Conservation Center!

We drove to SBMA after a full hour in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar with The Naughty One (TNO) sulking in the backseat because we did not allow him to go swimming.  He was not allowed because he did not bring proper swimming attire but we promised him that we will go back one weekend.

It was our first time to go to SBMA via Morong gate and we actually enjoyed the ride.  It was a scenic ride in the long and winding roads of Bagac and Morong where in every 500 hundred meters or so there’s a sign that says “Pawikan Conservation Center - Straight Ahead”.  My sister asked if it really exists because all we see are signages.  J  I suggested that since we’re there anyway, might as well drop by the center and check out the turtles. 

The Pawikan Conservation Center is located in Nagbalayong, Bagac, Bataan and it’s one kilometer off the national highway.  The sandy shores are vital nesting grounds for the endangered Olive Ridley species, the smallest of the world's eight sea turtle species.  I’m mighty proud of this community because a decade ago this was a site of rampant poaching and illegal sea turtle egg collecting.  But overtime it has become a community of environmental advocates, in fact, some of the poachers have become caretakers of the conservation center, too. 

When we got there, they told us that they have just released the latest batch of hatchlings to the open sea.  And that if we could return the following weekend, we could join them in the releasing of the baby turtles which will be hatched in a few days.  We would have been tremendously disappointed had not the caretakers thought of keeping a couple of hatchlings for “latecomers” like us.

We also got to pet some of the grown and baby sea turtles.  I was hesitant at first but the caretaker said that the adult turtles in the pawikan-shaped pool are quite used to having visitors play with them. 

The hatchery is an enclosed area where the unhatched eggs are buried under the sand.  The volunteers bury the eggs in the hatchery after collecting them when the pawikan deposit their eggs on the beach.

The impromptu visit to the Pawikan Conservation Center was the best decision of the day because TNO finally smiled after seeing the turtles.  He even amazed us by identifying the sea turtle species that were there in the pool.  Note to self: Keep the promise to take them swimming in Acuzar and visit the sea turtles again. 

Bataan: Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar!

I first saw this place in one of the many bike rides I did in my home province, Bataan.  The place was still under construction and entry was not “that” restricted yet.  I immediately fell in love with the old houses that were being restored “brick by brick” because it reminded me of my trips to Vigan and how I adore the heritage houses there.  Imagine having a big village, not just a street like in Vigan, right there in our backyard!  We called it Acuzar Estate then because of it’s owner, Jerry Acuzar of San Jose Builders.  The man behind this very ambitious project.  When others like collecting paintings, this guy would collect old houses and restores them.  Neat huh?  Never mind the controversies that surround the restoration and rebuilding in this heritage town, Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is a sight to behold.

I found out that they finally opened their gates to the public…for a fee of course.  My sister urged me to get myself a membership card so we can bring in the whole family regularly.  I got mine cheap because she’s the principal member.  We’re in a rush so after paying in their office, we just went around by ourselves and took photos.  As you enter the huge gate after a thorough inspection of the guard, you will be transported back in time.  Benjamin Button-moment nga because the clock ticked counterclockwise. J

Aren’t these pictures enough proof of how well they did with the restoration?  So, even if conservationists accuse Mr. Jerry Acuzar of uprooting these houses from their “historically significant locations”, I still applaud the guy.  It doesn’t matter if he bought these houses to be dismantled and taken somewhere else as long as they are restored and maintained properly.  The man did something extremely significant and for that I admire him.  Now, my nephews and niece can see and appreciate the beautiful architecture from our past and it’s not going to be just from the books or the internet.

The kidettes were asking how soon we can go back because they want to go swimming.  I promised the next weekend.  So, A, are you coming with us?