Adto na 'ta

It is not an exaggeration if people call Davao the " Durian Capital of the Philippines ".  Durian fruit is just so abundant in this part of the Philippines that they are sold at P40 per kilo, even going as low as P20 per kilo if there is an oversupply.  This price is probably 3 or 4 times lower than the price of durian if you get them  from the supermarkets or groceries (if you are lucky to find them fresh in Manila or other big cities)  So I immediately tried a small one, which I got for P35.  The lady vendor skillfully opened the thick spiny skin.  I was scared looking at her do that because as far as I could remember, my father would crack open the durian fruit, especially the big one, by stepping hard on it.  The thick sole of his shoe prevents the spines from hurting his feet.  Anyway, that tiny durian actually had almost a dozen seed in it that I could only finish some, but I was so satisfied and happy that my l...

On March 23, 2013, at 8:30 till 9:30 at night, the world will turn into a sea of darkness again for one hour, lights will be turned off in homes and establishments,  and for those 60 minutes, out of the 8784 hours the entire year, we can show our concern for the only home we all have.     Earth Hour is a movement that was conceptuatlized to raise awareness regarding climate change in 2007 in Sydney, Australia.    Starting from its beginnings in 2007 where only 2.2 Australian households and only 2,000 establishments turned off lights, participation gradually increased and in 2012, about 128 countries joined the annual undertaking. There are people who are sceptical about the Earth Hour because they do not see the effect of one hour 'lights out' to our environment.     Well, one hour is not really something to crow about,  but if more and more people participate, it means ...

Hotel Essencia is the latest addition to the list of hotels in Dumaguete City .  And it currently ranks 5th in Tripadvisor out of the 21 hotels listed for Dumaguete.  It is located very close to Dumaguete City Public Market in Real St.  smack in the center of the city.   Now, Dumaguete City Public Market is a must-see place in town especially the 'painitan' section.  Here you get to enjoy several delicacies for breakfast.  And if you stay at Hotel Essencia, going to Dumaguete City Public Market will be easy as it is walking distance from the hotel.  Other areas walking distance from the hotel is Rizal Blvd, which is a major street in Dumaguete City.  There are many things to see and do at Rizal Blvd, being the entertainment area of Dumaguete City.  The entire stretch is full of bars, big and small, cheap and expensive.  So you can wine and dine here or just simply take a stroll down  by the bay a...

  Dumaguete City is one of the major cities in the Visayas and Siliman University is instrumental in its development into a bustling city by the sea that it is at present.  Students from neighboring provinces and even from overseas enrol here thus turning Dumaguete into a melting pot of different cultures.  At present, it is one of the favorite destinations of tourists especially Apo Island, which is a marine sanctuary.  There seem to be a constant fresh breeze around probably because of the unpolluted seawater.  If you stroll down Rizal Boulevard, you will not find any plastic or trash floating in the sea.  Manila folks should get a trick or two from the folks in Dumaguete as far as keeping the coast clean and unpolluted.   One of the landmarks of the city is the belfry which was used as a watchtower at a time when the city was vulnerable to attacks from marauders.   The townsfolk were warned ea...

There are countless Jose Rizal monuments around the country, many Jose Rizal anecdotes,  many Rizal Parks all over the country and many Jose Rizal documentaries produced, but there is only one place where he was executed.  As we all have studied in our history classes from elementary until university days, Jose Rizal was executed in Bagumbayan in December 30, 1896.  Bagumbayan later became known as Luneta Park and Luneta Park would later be renamed to Rizal Park, in honor of our national hero, Jose Rizal.   I just recently discovered that there is a secluded area in the entire park where the exact place of his execution happened.   Facing the Jose Rizal monument, the place of his execution is located towards the left.  And a minimal amount is required from visitors to enter this historical area.  Rizal's execution is depicted in the life-sized statues of Rizal's executioners and of Ri...