visayas Archives ⋆ Leia Khu

Where to Eat in Bohol – Gerarda’s

Posted on January 2, 2016January 21, 2019 by xerox

Tucked in the quieter streets of Tagbilaran City, Gerarda’s was once a quaint house before it became into a buzzing restaurant that it is today.

This family-run restaurant is adorned with old photographs and house decors giving it that warm atmosphere like you never left home.

As soon as we entered Gerarda’s, we were greeted with a warm welcome from their courteous staff and immediately we were escorted to a table fit for two.

While waiting to get accommodated, we were given a complimentary bowl of nuts to munch on. Why this simple yet brilliant idea never caught on is still one of life’s biggest mysteries to date.

Gerarda’s has great service! The wait staff was attentive and accommodating while patiently walking us through the menu.

We ordered chicharon bulaklak and dinakdakan to go with our platter of rice. Our food came out from the kitchen sooner than we thought.

Chicharon bulaklak, literally flower crackings in English, is deep-fried pork mesentery and is a popular pulutan in the Philippines.

Dinakdakan is an Ilocano dish that I’ve never heard of before. Traditionally, it is said to be made with grilled pig parts such as ears, face, liver, and offals which are tossed in a tangy dressing with mashed pig brain and minced spices. Think of it as an offspring of two Filipino classic recipes: sisig and kinilaw.

But Gerarda’s did their own spin on it by using bagnet in place of the bizarre pig parts for a crunchier texture. And for that thick creamy finish, they swapped mashed pig brain for coconut milk. It is the bomb! If there’s something you shouldn’t pass in Gerarda’s, it’s their dinakdakan with a twist.

Gerarda’s is the place in Bohol where families gather to bond, reconnect, celebrate a milestone or just simply have a great meal. Their food is suitable to the average Pinoy palate and surely will not disappoint.

TIP:
Get a reservation since Gerarda’s is always full.

Read about my Bohol Travel Guide here

Traveling Solo: Chocolate Hills, Bohol

Posted on December 20, 2015January 21, 2019 by xerox

On the first week of November, my boyfriend attended a videography workshop in Bohol with some of the country’s biggest names in the wedding film industry. While my boyfriend was busy in Dao Diamond Hotel (where the workshop was held), I didn’t want to just sulk in our hotel room and waste 2 glorious days away doing nothing. So I thought it was about time to do something I’ve never done before… TRAVEL SOLO. Just the thought of it was pretty daunting: a young woman, strapped for cash, with poor navigational skills is about to embark on her first independent trip. Obviously, I was both excited and frightened.

Although I’ve already seen the Chocolate Hills more than a decade ago with my family in a guided group tour, I just wanted to see if I can make it there completely on my own.

My trip to the famous Chocolate Hills started with a tricycle ride from JJ’s Seafood Village to Dao Terminal. The ride was about 15 minutes tops.

Upon my arrival at Dao Terminal around 1:30 PM, I asked around which bus I should take. I was told to catch the bus that goes to Carmen and just ask to be dropped off along the highway where the Chocolate Hills would be located.

I climbed inside a non-air-conditioned Citi Transport bus, seated myself at the back and waited about 30 minutes for departure.

TRIVIA: It’s a norm in the Philippines that ambulant vendors sell bottled drinks and pre-packed goods to passengers before the bus takes off.

Carmen is a 2-hour long commute from Tagbilaran.

As I was en route, I saw a lot of tourist attractions along the way: Loboc River, Tarsier Santuary, Butterfly Conservation Center, Python Sanctuary, Maribojoc Kayak Site, Man-made Mahogany Forest and many more.

Throughout the entire ride, I persistently asked the passengers beside me if I was getting any closer and kept reminding the bus conductor about my stop.

It was already around 4 in the afternoon when I was finally dropped off along the highway. From there, I took a habal-habal and was on my way to the observation deck of Chocolate Hills. But halfway there we made a quick stop to pay for the entrance fee.

The habal-habal driver dropped me off at the base of a stairway leading to the observation deck. I made an arrangement with the driver to wait for me as I would not be taking a lot of my time. One must overcome over 200 steps before finally seeing the Chocolate Hills. Luckily for me, the climb up wasn’t as exhausting as I remember it to be (must be all the trekking I’ve done lately).

Behold, the iconic Chocolate Hills! A geological wonder that turns dark brown during the dry season. Composed of over 1000 hills, legend has it that these hills were formed when a giant named Arogo mourned over the death of Aloya, a mere mortal, who he loved dearly. As his tears fell into the ground, they turned into hills – a symbol of his lasting love.

Yes, the climb was absolutely worth it. The view was stunning. But to me, it was more than just the view. It was a symbolic climb of triumph – triumph over fear of uncertainty and fear itself.

TIME
Tricyle ride to Dao Terminal – 15 minutes
Bus ride to Carmen – 2 hours
Habal-habal ride to Chocolate Hills Observation Deck – 5 minutes

EXPENSES
Tricycle ride to JJ’s Seafood Village to Dao Terminal – 15 PHP
Bus ride to Dao Terminal to Carmen – 60 PHP
Habal-habal from Highway to Chocolate Hills and back – 100 PHP
Entrance fee for Chocolate Hills – 50 PHP

Read about my ATV ride experience here
My Bohol Travel Guide here

Bohol Travel Guide

Posted on December 17, 2015January 21, 2019 by xerox

Bohol is an island province of the Philippines that is situated in the Central Visayas region and is home to several historical churches, natural wonders, splendid beaches and the buggy-eyed tarsiers.

HOW TO GET THERE BY AIR

Take a direct flight from Manila, Cebu or Davao to Tagbilaran with Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines or AirAsia. You can check the flight schedules here. Please note that the schedules are subject to change without prior notice.

HOW TO GET THERE BY SEA
Another way to go to Bohol is to travel by boat from either Manila, Cebu, Dumaguete, Cagayan de Oro, Camiguin, Dipolog and Iligan. For ferry schedules and rates, check out Ocean Jet, Kinswell Shipping Lines, Starcraft, Cokaliong, F.J. Palacio Lines, Weesam Express and 2GO.

WHERE TO STAY
There are numerous hotels and resorts to choose from in Bohol – particularly in Tagbilaran and Panglao. However, most of them cater to affluent tourists and the options for backpackers and “glampackers” are very limited.

Luckily, I found a good place for those of us traveling on a tight budget. My personal recommendation would be Moon Fools Hostel. You can read about it here.

There are many easy-to-use and secure websites that can help you choose your accommodation based on your personal preferences and budget.

Agoda
I’ve booked hotels through Agoda a couple of times and I love it. They have a great network of hotels to choose from at competitive prices.

AirBNB
I’ve also booked through AirBNB and this is a personal favorite. AirBNB offers the most unique travel experiences that can perfectly suit your budget and needs.

Booking, Trivago & Hostelworld
I personally haven’t used Booking, Trivago, and Hostelworld before but they also have good deals and a wide selection of hotels to choose from.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
There are a number of travel agencies in Bohol that offer affordable package tours and I’ve seen a lot of them scattered in Panglao. Getting package tours is the best way to enjoy Bohol in the most efficient way possible. However, I love to make my own itinerary and be the boss of my own adventure. So here are my must-see’s and must-do’s in no particular order:

Ride an ATV to Chocolate Hills
Bike on a zipline at Chocolate Hills Adventure Park
Firefly watching under Loay Bridge
Cruise along Loboc River

Spelunking in Danao
Visit historical churches and sites
Scuba diving at Balicasag Island
Rent a motorcyle to get around Bohol
Eat fresh, raw sea urchin at Alona Beach

WHERE TO EAT
To all my foodie readers, here are my top picks:

Giuseppe Pizzeria and Sicilian Roast Gastronomia and Wines
The Buzzz Cafe by Bohol Bee Farm
Gerarda’s Family Restaurant
Swiss Restaurant
Payag Restaurant

EXPENSES FROM ILIGAN VIA DIPOLOG TO BOHOL
Port of Iligan Terminal Fee – 25 PHP
2GO Tatami Class – 1089 PHP
Upgrade to Tourist – 350 PHP

Keep in mind that rates are subject to change without prior notice.

Reconnect with Nature in Tibiao, Antique

Posted on July 27, 2015January 22, 2019 by Leia Bartolome

I drew a blank for every futile attempt to blog about our two-day excursion in Tibiao, Antique because I’m always at loss for words.

But how could I not? Its enchanting, pristine beauty has held me hostage and left me utterly speechless.

Tibiao is a large expanse of open fields, lush greens, verdant mountains and relaxing tropical scenery.

It is a wonderful respite for all those who seek serenity outside the hustles and bustles of everyday life.

There is just something about the beauty of nature that can have a profound effect on our senses.

The tranquility of silent rivers calms the cluttered mind.

The invigorating fresh air enhances mood and revitalizes the body.

The stillness of the mountains brings peace and healing to the weary soul.

Happiness can be found outdoors and so I invite you to come to Tibiao to reconnect with nature.

HOW TO GET TO TIBIAO, ANTIQUE
Tibiao, Antique is a great travel destination for nature lovers, soul searchers and budget backpackers. It is located in the heart of Antique province and can be reached by plane via Caticlan or Iloilo.

From Caticlan
From Caticlan Jetty Port Terminal, walk to the bus terminal nearby and take a bus that is bound for San Jose. It will pass through several towns before it reaches to Tibiao. Average travel time is 2 hours.

From Iloilo
From Molo Terminal, take a bus or van that is bound for Culasi or Caticlan. Just ask to be dropped off at Tibiao. Average travel time is 2-3 hours.

WHERE TO STAY
I recommend staying at Kasa Raya. I will talk more about it in another post soon.

Be a Mermaid in Boracay with Philippine Mermaid Swimming Academy

Posted on June 1, 2015January 22, 2019 by xerox

Boracay is all about having fun with the 3 S’s: sea, sun and sand. And I think the best way to enjoy all three of them is to be a mermaid! Yes, you read that right!

Philippine Mermaid Swimming Academy is where anyone can be a mermaid… or merman!

Just look for them at Fisheye Divers, Station 2, Boracay.

They have a team of experienced and professional mermaids who can teach you their fabulous “mermaiding” ways with strict adherence to safety standards, of course.

You can rent out a mermaid tail for only 500 PHP an hour (there are a lot of colors to choose from by the way). But if you want to learn how to swim in them, you’ll need to shell out 1500 PHP.

Being a mermaid is a lot tougher than it looks. With both feet locked together, it can feel a little constricting and any movement which involves the lower extremities would become unnaturally difficult. But with proper instruction and practice, it gets a little easier.

It was so much fun being a mermaid that I won’t mind doing it all over again!

If you like to see me mermaiding in action and the rest of our Boracay adventure, please check out our vlog:

Ati-atihan Festival 2015

Posted on May 24, 2015January 22, 2019 by Leia Bartolome

Five months ago, my boyfriend and I had another epic adventure in the island of Panay. Our first agenda: Kalibo, Aklan.

For the first time, I was able to experience Ati-atihan Festival – the oldest festival in the Philippines which goes all the way back to the 1200′s and has been celebrated for more than 800 years now.

Coined as “the Mother of all Festivals”, the Ati-atihan Festival is held annually in January to commemorate

Sto. Niño, the patron saint of Kalibo. But before the Spanish colonization, it was originally a pagan festival to honor an anito god of the Ati people, the first inhabitants of Panay Island.

Ati-atihan means “to be like the Ati people”. If you’re Filipino, you know that word repetition may denote roleplay. Think “balay-balay” or “bahay-bahayan”.

“According to accepted origin of the festival, in the 13th century, 10 datus from Borneo escaping a tyrant Sultan Makatunaw, came upon the island after sailing with their slaves, warriors, families and properties aboard “balangays.” Headed by Datu Puti, Makatunaw’s chief minister, they sailed for days guided by the stars in unchartered waters. Upon arrival, the Datu made a trade with the natives and bought the plains for a golden salakot, brass basins and bales of cloth. For the wife of the Ati chieftain, they gave a very long necklace. Feasting and festivities followed soon after.

”

Read the full story of its history here.

During the festival, locals smear or cover their faces and bodies with black soot to honor the dark-skinned Ati people

(also known as Negritos by the way).

The major streets of Kalibo were filled with an endless sea of people participating with what the locals call “sadsad”, a nonstop parade of street dancing and merrymaking as a thanksgiving devotion.

The steady, rhythmic pounding of the drums and xylophones never stop. Echoing late into night till the sun rises again – it literally goes on for days. The beat is so intoxicating that one cannot help but just dance away without care.

Adorned with elaborate, colorful costumes, the blackened street dancers also parade and dance to the beat along the streets of Kalibo.

Unlike other festivals we’ve been to, Ati-atihan allows everyone to be a part of the joyous, colorful parade and not just be mere spectators.

If drinking is your thing, be ready to take free shots from strangers in the most unconventional ways possible.

And yes, that guy is drinking beer right out of a plunger. Don’t worry. That’s clean and brand new, of course, in case you’re wondering.

Night and day, day and night… It is unfathomable how the people of Kalibo are able to sustain such festive momentum. The flow of their energy is unparalleled.

Popular practices on Ati-atihan festival include dancing, parading, costume play, feasting and many more.

Ati-atihan festival is like a cosplay convention, gay parade and Mardi Gras rolled into one. It’s definitely my favorite Philippine festival so far!

Just when think you’ve seen everything, you haven’t. Check out our vlog to see more of this year’s Ati-atihan Festival. The video may not be viewable on some mobile devices.
We strongly recommend that you use a conventional PC or MAC.

If you like seeing more of our videos, please give us a thumbs up on YouTube. Enjoy!

Fort San Pedro

Posted on February 22, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

Yup. Still posting a blog filled with photos backdated on my Cebu trip last year. This will be the last of the series…

Located in the Pier Area of Cebu City, stands the oldest and smallest triangular bastion fort of the Philippines which was built in the 1500s.

Above is the marker before the entrance of Fort San Pedro. I don’t remember this the last time I was here (circa 2002).

The entrance of the fort.

Upon close inspection, you can see that coral stones were used to build this fort.

There’s me standing next to a wall of photos about the founding of Cebu.

The small museum that houses well-preserved artifacts was “closed for maintenance” that day. But in truth, that sign was there to cover up a very embarrassing situation. We read from a local newspaper that day that the artifacts were actually stolen and the museum is now empty. I do hope they retrieved some of the artifacts, if not, all of them by now.

Hello boyfriend! It was his first time to be here.

Seriously, I don’t see the point of landscaping the grounds of the fort.

Gwapo de Guardia. Chos! Haha!

Cuerpio de Guardia is the largest building inside the fort. This was where the personnel that manned the fort lived.

An old Japanese tourist guy trailing behind his company to take a photo of them walking ahead of him. Cute.

Oh hey, one of the Japanese tourists got left behind. I kid. Hehe.

The grounds of the fort.

And I have to abruptly end this post with a photo of me with my family and boyfriend as I can start to feel a throbbing pain on the sides of my head. Sorry…

Must. Sleep. Now. Ciao!

Magellan’s Cross and a Little Something Extra

Posted on January 10, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

Magellan’s Cross is just a walking distance from Basilica del Santo Niño.

In this chapel is a cross that Ferdinand Magellan (a Portuguese explorer) planted when he arrived in Cebu in the 1500s.

People at that time chipped away some parts of the cross because of their belief that it bore miraculous powers.

The remains of that cross is now housed inside this wooden case. Or at least according to oral tradition. Some believe that the cross disintegrated or disappeared after the death of Magellan.

Funny back story: After taking the shot above, I did a compulsory chimp check (this happened on my first trip to Cebu for 2012) when a pretty Korean lady approached and asked me to take a photo of her with the cross using her phone. I happily obliged. After I took her photo, she then asked me if I’m Singaporean. And I immediately thought, “Maybe that was why she approached me!” She might have felt safer thinking I’m Singaporean and not some scheming Filipino Maramus saquiapus who might run away with her phone. HAHA! But of course I told her I’m a Filipino as I handed the phone back to her. She smiled, thanked me and then continued on her way.

Shortly after that, I heard loud shouts inside the chapel. I turned around and found out it was coming from a “prayer woman” hysterically berating and hurling expletives at another “prayer woman”. I tell you they were about to tear each other up. Of course I was terrified and left immediately! So remember, like I said in my previous post, try to keep away from them as much as you possibly can. I believe this happens quite frequently because it did happen again on my second trip but not as intense.

Anyway, I think that just writing about Magellan’s Cross would be too short of a blog post… So why not include photos of a car show that took place in Ayala Cebu when I was there? Sounds cool right?

I must tell you though that I am no Mikaela Banes. Not even by a mile. My knowledge about cars is quite elementary.

All I know is that cars…
1. Run on gas.
2. Take me from point A to point B a lot faster than having to walk.
3. Help me run over people in my hitlist. I KID. Because I can’t drive.

Anyway, enjoy the uninterrupted car porn stream below. Car show girls not included.

Okay, I think that’s enough. So much for cars I can’t afford (YET).

*Not all photos here are taken on the same date

Basilica del Santo Niño

Posted on January 7, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

Sinulog Festival is just around the corner and still no tickets to Cebu for this year (just like last year and the year before that… even all the way up to the year when I was just a puny helpless zygote).

I’ve always desired to experience the festivities of Cebu. But alas, this year is not yet the time. Maybe next year. With better a camera (gear) by then hopefully.

To distract and comfort myself from this misfortune, I went downstairs, grabbed a bag of chocolate chip cookies from the fridge (I need a good dose of endorphins you know), took it with me upstairs, sat down in front of the PC and, as I was eating, I decided to start editing some photos of my quick tour on Basilica del Santo Niño.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I have been to Cebu twice in 2012 so all the photos that you see here may not taken on the same date.

Basilica del Santo Niño is one the most crowded churches in Cebu.

It is constantly filled with devotees, pilgrims and tourists (both foreign and local).

This church has been standing for over 400 years now and still it looks pretty majestic up to this day. If you can tell what kind of architecture this is, I would appreciate if you would leave that in the comment section below.

Bet you tilted your head a bit, didn’t you? Hehe.

Standing very close to the entrance are women who sell candles and offer prayers for a living. Should you request that they pray for you, they will light the candles you bought from them, wave them in the air and do a little dance while reciting a prayer. You might want to keep away from them though, they do fight over on who gets to buy their candles sometimes (and they are absolutely not shy when it comes to expressing their indignation).

Inside the basilica.

A beautiful fresco painting on the ceiling.

Some tourists taking photos.

People offering flowers and praying before the crucified Jesus.

A closer view of the altar and the wall of statues.

Behind all the people praying is a door that leads to…

This. Since there are too many churchgoers and not everyone can be accommodated inside the basilica, they have this “extension” (forgive me if I don’t know that it’s technically called) that is just right in front of the basilica’s main entrance. Masses are no longer held inside the basilica but here. At the center is an altar and at the sides are rows of chairs.

Picture this: During masses, the people who are seated inside the basilica actually face the opposite direction of the altar outside. So they have to occasionally turn around when needed. If it’s time to stand up, they turn around to face the altar outside. And if it’s time to sit down again, they turn around once again to face the altar inside. Very unusual, isn’t it?

My boyfriend is not saying “hi” (nor attempting to portray Kim Jung Il) here but rather he tried to blend in and pretended to be a local by waving his hand as a sign of reverence to the basilica and Santo Niño.

Although both of us were born and raised to be Roman Catholics (we are now Pentecostal Christians), honestly, we found the hand-waving practice rather strange at first because from where we live, we’ve never seen anyone do this (not even the Catholics in other places). So this must be a Cebuano thing.

Also, in the premises of the basilica…

is a small garden with a quaint water fountain at the center. There are also sculptures standing at some corners of the garden. I heard there’s a museum somewhere.

This hallway leads to the adoration chapel where a statue of Santo Niño is placed. As you wait in line for you turn, you can look at the paintings hung on the wall which were donated by various artists.

When I was about to take a photo of the oldest religious relic of the Philippines inside the adoration chapel, an old lady raised an eyebrow at me and looked at me with much disdain… So to not spite that old lady, urm, anyone, I didn’t take a photo. Oh well, better try my luck again next time.

Up next…

Magellan’s Cross 🙂

Oyster Bay Seafood Restaurant

Posted on December 31, 2012October 7, 2018 by xerox

I never realized how much I missed blogging till now. Please excuse my month-long absence. It’s been the holidays. A belated Merry Christmas by the way to you my dear readers (if you don’t celebrate it, Happy Holidays) and have a Wonderful and Prosperous New Year ahead of you!

Anyway, I have been to Cebu twice this year actually but I never really got around to blog about it. Why? I really don’t know.

Now, since I haven’t been posting a lot of food stuff lately (in fact, I haven’t even blogged about some of the food that we had in Manila)… I think it’s about time to share to you again some of my food adventures.

Without further ado, as the title of this post suggests, I’ll be talking about Oyster Bay Seafood Restaurant.

This Cebu-based restaurant serves you the freshest selection of seafood. And when I say fresh I mean swimming-in-front-of-your-face kind of fresh.

You can just point at what you want to have for dinner and they’ll prepare it for you. That easy.

Normally when I look at any live creature I don’t think of them as food but these crabs… HO HO HO *tents fingers*

Kids will love it here! My two nieces were gawking, smiling ear-to-ear as they were pointing at all the food, urm, fishes…

This is one of my two nieces, ‘Lienne. This was her first encounter with eels. You can definitely sense the amazement in her eyes.

Also, you can feed sharks. Pretty amazing right?

That’s my cousin Gen on the left and my sister Anna on the right by the way.

Feeding is free of charge. Without even asking, we were given a bowl full of fish to feed the sharks with.

Look at me! I’m feeding! Those two tiny “shadows” you see in the water are the sharks. Oh, I’m sorry. Were you expecting this?

Dinner time with family, relatives and the boyfriend! Click here if you want to find out what’s on their menu.

We had two servings of nicely seasoned steamed oysters served with a slice of lemon and topped with a sprig of parsley. The texture of the oysters were very soft and almost creamy. I could never have had enough of it. Really, really good!

Here’s is a small tray of crunchy Chicharon Bulaklak. Basically, it’s pork rind that has been cleaned, salted, dried and then fried. I don’t think it was the best chicharon bulaklak that I had but it was also good nonetheless.

This is a dish of fried soft-shelled crabs. Both delicate and crunchy. I enjoyed it very much. From the photo above, you can tell that at this point the table was getting crowded (you can see a piece of cutlery peeking at the left hand corner). And since everybody was getting hungry (me included), getting “artistic” food shots was the least of our concerns.

Delectably fluffy crab omelette. I was never a fan of omelettes but this has made me a convert.

And finally, “Kinilaw na Tangigue”. That’s Mackerel Ceviche in English (I think). I love how it had a refreshing twist on the traditional kinilaw. The freshness of the fish, sweet notes of the vinegar and citrus flavor of the calamansi blended perfectly together with the other ingredients. I’ve never had kinilaw like this before and I think, by far, this has got to be my favorite!

Oyster Bay Seafood Restaurant isn’t only a great place to enjoy a great meal but it’s also a perfect place to just hang out and chill.

Três Marias reunited once again.

Please don’t mind the photobomber behind me.

Same spot. And yes, that is sand.

I invite everybody to come and try the food here at Oyster Bay Seafood Restaurant! Located at Bridges Townsquare, Plaridel St., Alang-alang, Mandaue City, Cebu. Great dining experience is definitely guaranteed!