I’ve never stayed overnight in Tagaytay. Its close proximity to Metro Manila makes it easy to just drive up, spend the day, and drive back as the sun goes down. Thanks to Summit Ridge’s invitation to try out their facilities, I discovered the merits of spending the night in Tagaytay.
I’m flying out to visit family, so that means buying gifts and Pinoy stuff they can’t easily get overseas. One of my brother’s bilin is cafe Alamid. Cafe Alamid, also known as kopi luwak in Indonesia is one of the most expensive coffee in the world, also said to be the best.
So what makes Café Alamid so special? “It starts off with the alamids picking the ripest and finest berries to eat, by smell. The animals stuff themselves with it and excrete them all in the morning as the beans cannot be digested.”
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Up until 2008, I’ve never set foot in Tagaytay. That changed in February 2008, and I found myself going back several times since. When Robinson’s Land gave me a complimentary stay at Summit Ridge, their hotel in Tagaytay I gladly took this as a great excuse to go back.
Not that I need much reason to go back — I’ve gone with friends up to Tagaytay on a whim and would go in a heartbeat. The place is overly commercialized and very touristy, but it’s only 2 hours from Manila (1.5 hours on a good day) and you get that much needed change in scenery (not to mention the cool mountain air).
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It’s been around since 2006, but it was only last April 30 that Ang Pambansang T-shirt was formally launched. Brought to us by Team Manila, you can expect the same funky and quirky feel that made Team Manila a big success.
Last Saturday, Ivan ManDy ventured out of Manila to take us for a food tour of Taguig’s Bonifacio Global City. The BGC Food Tour is part of Passionfest 2010 — a series of events that focus on food, fashion, art, music and uh, skateboarding?
Sorry for the lack of updates on the blog. The weekend has been really crazy. I finally took the Travel Photography class I was supposed to take last August, and I ended up with a bunch of crappy photos. Entirely my fault, I assure you, and not my teacher’s.
Anyhoo, I finally unearthed the piece of paper with the caretaker’s contact numbers from the big pile of mess I call my room. The Calaguas Travel Guide is now updated with additional contact numbers of boatmen from both Paracale and Vinzons port, as well as Bert Gonzales’ mobile number.
Download: Calaguas Travel Guide – 120k (.pdf)
Last weekend was my fifth visit to Baguio City, and the third one for 2010. My friend Hazel, my travel companion for this trip, was a first timer in Baguio, so I brought her to the usual haunts: Session Road, Camp John Hay, Mines View Park. We also went to places that I’ve never visited before: the Good Shepherd Convent and the Bell Church.
I did the unthinkable and went out of town on a long weekend. I normally don’t plan anything on long holidays as the Philippine non-working holidays don’t apply to my work. However, it applies to my friend and I was going crazy being cooped in the house for more than 2 weeks, so I threw caution to the wind and planned a weekend trip to Baguio.
Hailed as the Summer Capital of the Philippines, Baguio City is a cool respite from the sweltering heat of Metro Manila. Perched at 1,500 meters above sea level in the Cordilleras, Baguio enjoys temperature that’s 8°C lower than Manila’s. It’s perfect for a weekend getaway, since it’s just 5 hours away if you drive really fast. The city is also pretty small, so you can see most of its attractions in one day. Many also go to Baguio for the ukay-ukay shopping (thrift store or second hand clothing) as well as for the fresh fruits and vegetables.
This trip pretty much confirmed that I am not suited to be a hardcore backpacker. I do try to keep things cheap, but I also love indulging myself. The bulk of my expenses went into food and souvenirs. If I held off in the shopping, went to more budget friendly eateries and rode the jeep instead of taxis, the total cost would probably be around Php 2,000.
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Nina, going through quarterlife crisis, decided to stop talking about traveling and actually start traveling. Starting with a solo weekend trip to Cebu to a backpacking trip in Thailand and Singapore, she finally made it out of Asia and into Australia. After spending close to six months down under, she's happily settled in Manila (for now), intent to explore the best things the Philippines has to offer.
