Archive for February, 2009

4

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

February 27, 2009
I was supposed to climb Mt Kinabalu with hubby. But due to the complications with my passport renewal, I got delayed. So we were not able to do the climb. It was a bit disappointing in my part knowing I did all the preparations needed in order to enjoy the climb.

It wasn’t the right timing.

But still I had to go to Kota Kinabalu because my flight schedule was from Clarke – Kota Kinabalu and KK – KL.

Met my hubby, went for dinner at Dome in 1Borneo, met up with my blogger friend (now personal friend) Aggie and her husband for coffee at Old Town Coffee later that night.

The next day, we watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button movie by Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. It was a good movie. Then hubby’s doctor cousin came and took us around town. Saw the Filipino Market, Aussie Market, etc. We judt drove around because it was drizzling.

Then he took us to the First Beach Resort for coffee. We were chatting there til dusk… then we caught sight of a beautiful sunset… by the beach of Kota Kinabalu. Beautiful. My photo is not edited.. so it’s showing the real color of sunset.


Here are more facts about Kota Kinabalu (source: wikipedia.org)

Kota Kinabalu (pronounced [ˈkɔtɑ kɪnɑbɑlʊ]), formerly Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and Mount Kinabalu, which gave the city its name, is nearby. Kota Kinabalu proper has a population of 543,765, while the larger urban area has an estimated population of 700,000. It is the largest urban centre in Sabah and the sixth largest in Malaysia.

Kota Kinabalu is often known as K.K. within Malaysia and internationally. It is a major tourist destination and a popular gateway for travellers visiting Sabah and Borneo. Kinabalu National Park is located about 90 kilometres from the city and there are many tourist attractions in and around the city. Kota Kinabalu is also one of the major industrial and commercial centres of East Malaysia. These two factors combine to make Kota Kinabalu one of the fastest growing cities in Malaysia.

There so many things to do in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia:

1. You can climb Mt. Kinabalu
2. Visit Manukan Island
3. Visit Sutera Harbour Resort
4. Visit Tanjung Aru Beach
5. Go to Gaya Island Filipino Village
6. Do shopping at a Filipino Market
7. Do Borneo Trails Trekking

And a lot lot more.

: malaysia, places
1

Zambales: A Surprise

February 26, 2009
After being able to pass all the requirements to renew my passport, my sister Joy and I decided to visit my other sister, Jenie, who is now based in Zambales. They used to live in Pasay City… but decided to go back to her hubby’s hometown in Candelaria, Zambales.

It was a surprise visit. You can imagine if a family member whom you haven’t seen for 4 years just showed up in your doorstep. That’s what we did. Showed up at her doorstep.

My shy niece, Sheila Joyce

My nephews (Jeriel Isaiah and Jan Evan)

Go figure. LOL.

Zambales was a nice province. I liked where my sister lived. It’s quite remote… but not totally. And oh.. the beach was just a kilometer away. So we went to the beach and bought some freshly caught fish…. like the fish I saw when I was snorkeling in the beach of raya Island. They probably swam to the Philipines to be caught, grilled and eaten. LOL. kidding.

Anyways, we had grilled fish and kinilaw (a raw fish dish soaked in vinegar with onions, ginger, salt, chili, etc) for dinner that night.

The highlight of my Zambales trip was when we rented a videoke. Yes, we did… for 500 Pesos for 24 hours! I sang my heart out that day… which I never did in my whole life. Okay. I’m lying. I did… but only in the shower. Hehehe.

And because the house was too small for all of us to have party, we had videoke outside the house where you can sing and at the same time hear the dog howling… lol. and ducks quacking…

We stayed there for 3 days and 2 nights. Really had fun with my sister’s family. We attended church there as well. It was an awesome trip, being able to spend time with my sisters.

More facts about Zambales: (source: wikipedia.org)

Zambales is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is Iba. Zambales borders Pangasinan to the north, Tarlac and Pampanga to the east, and Bataan to the south. The province lies between the South China Sea and the Zambales Mountains. With a land area of 3,700 km, Zambales is the second largest among the seven provinces of Central Luzon. It has a population density of 170 people per square kilometer², one of the lowest in the country. The province is noted for its mangoes, which are abundant from January to April.

Zambales is served by the Subic Bay International Airport, which is located in Cubi Pt., Subic Bay Freeport, Zambales and part of Bataan province. Subic Bay Freeport Zone is host to many tourist attractions which include casinos, beach resorts, parks, beachside huts and cottages and historical artifacts.

Zambales hosts 173 kilometers of beaches, with coral reefs, dive spots, surfing areas, hotels and day-use beach huts. The province is approximately a 3 to 4 hour drive from Manila, though this can vary greatly with traffic.

The “Fiesta Poon Bato,” (literal translation is Feast of the Sacred Stone) held in January, is a religious festival that attracts over half a million people each year. The festival venerates Ina Poon Bato (literal translation is Mother of the Sacred Stone) also known as Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buen Viaje (Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage), the oldest known image of the Virgin Mother in Asia[citation needed]. The Barrio of Poon Bato located in the Town of Botolan, that is host to the image and the fiesta, was completely destroyed during the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption. The icon was saved and moved, along with the barrio inhabitants, to nearby Loob Bunga Resettlement Area.

The “Mango Festival” is held in the provincial capital of Iba every April, and the “Domorokdok” (Sambal word for Dance) Festival is held each May in Botolan. These include street dancing, agricultural shows, competitions like sand castle building and “bikini open” beauty pageants.

The Capones Island in Barrio Pundaquit, located in the Town of San Antonio, is home to a Spanish Light House built during the 1800s.
: family memories, Philippine Food, Philippine Travel, Philippines, places
4

Tagaytay, Philippines

February 18, 2009
The last time I visited Tagaytay was 13 years ago when I was still working in Quezon City. We had a company outing then and we went to Batangas for swimming. We stopped by Tagaytay and watched the majestic view of Tagaytay on the way to Batangas. It was a spectacular experience, having seen the smallest volcano in the world, Taal Volcano at Taal Lake.

Upong knowing I was gonna come to the Philippines for my passport renewal, I thought of planning on a short Tagaytay trip… But because of the complications with my passport renewal, I decided not to go.

Anyways, here’s a bit of information (source: www.tagaytay.com) about Tagaytay, Taal Volcano, and Taal Lake:

Taal volcanol is reputed to be the world’s smallest and yet most active of volcanoes. Thirty three eruptions have been recorded since 1572 at Taal, mostly on Volcano Island. The impacts of these eruptions were largely confined to the intracaldera area.

What accommodations are there in Tagaytay?

Like every tourist destination, you have high end and low end Hotel rooms and restaurants. Tagaytay is no exception when it comes to prices. For the backpackers and those on a tight budget there are a few hostels that go for around US$17 per night. At the high end of the market, there’s the famous Days Inn chain and the Taal Vista Hotels with rack rates of US$100 and up per night.

Middle of the price range rooms go between $45 and $75 per night depending on whether or not you have a room that overlooks Taal. However for little more than the cost of a hostel, you can enjoy a deluxe hotel room with breathtaking views of Taal volcano. See the best kept secret below.

How to get to Tagaytay?

Tagaytay is about 60 km/37 miles south of Manila in the mountains of Cavite Province. From Manila’s NAIA International Airport – Ninoy Aquino International Airport its about an hours drive. From the greater Metro Manila area, just about 90 minutes will get you there.

What are the things to do in Tagaytay?

Tagaytay City is truly the pearl of the Orient! It’s the perfect place for leisure activities like picnics, horseback riding, camping and sightseeing. To say the views are breathtaking would be an understatement. Tagaytay offers Filipinos a quick and enjoyable getaway.

Tayo na sa Tagaytay… ughhh.. I hope.

: Philippines, Tagaytay, travels