Adto na 'ta

Finally, after so many attempts to share information about Phuong Vietnamese Restaurant , one of the favorites of the locals of Los Banos for serious international food, I finally made it. And if I thought I was the only one thinking along those lines, i was wrong 'cause others have already beat me to it, but I am writing about it anyway.  So, this is Phuong , probably one of the authentic Vietnamese restaurants in the country.  It is managed by the owner herself who is a genuine Vietnamese and whose failed attempts to speak in Tagalog does not diminish the excellence of her food preparation.   Phuong does not need an elaborate signage and marketing for anyone who's been there once will definitely return a hundred times.   Phuong has been written about and featured in some major dailies because of its popularity and of course, excellent food. My favorite and one that I would order whenever I would get assigned in Los Banos is the beef noodle , or the Pho ...

  Yes, finally, our representative bagged that elusive crown we have attempted to bring home for many decades.  In the paradise island of Bali, one of 17,500 islands of the largest archipelago in the world, Indonesia, Megan Young would make history for she is the first Filipina who would reign as Miss World for one year.  Her bright and round expressive eyes, statuesque figure and confident answer (never mind if it is generic) would convince the judges that the crown belongs to her.  She'd been a favorite from the moment she arrived in Bali, captivating the hearts of many.   Megan maintained her top post throughout the entire process, winning some minor awards and even performing one of the epic dances from our Muslim brothers. Indeed, the Philippines got the perfect ticket and she was ripe and for the opportunity.  The timing was simply impeccable. The timing couldn't be more perfect especially that the Philippines needed a silver lining when everyt...

    One of the reasons that tourists go to Mt. Mayon in droves is the ATV Adventure.   This activity allows tourists to go to the foot of Mt.  Mayon and see the beauty of this great lady up close by means of an all-terrain vehicle.  Up there, visitors can also enjoy the view of the city of Legaspi.  They can also savor the scent of the clean mountain air and get lots and lots of photographs amid the verdant background.  ATV stands for all-terrain vehicle.  This transportation is especially built to enable riders to get past all kinds of terrain , may it be rough, rocky, watery, sandy, muddy, hilly, etc.  It is basically automatic, but it also has gears (I wouldn't know when to use them, if you ask me.)    Before I started my three-hour drive to the foot of Mt. Mayon, I had a quick dry-run just to test if the machine was working well.  Also I made sure that  I was wearing all the necessary gears to keep me sa...

Yours truly is still reeling from the experience of actually seeing the majestic Mayon Volcano down in Legazpi, a city which is about an hour away from Manila by plane.  I was able to get a reservation when Air Philippines had super discounted rates last summer and had it scheduled last week when monsoon rains were pouring in Manila .  It was cloudy and humid in this area of Luzon.  Despite the dry weather, we still could not see the perfect cone of Mt. Mayon, which was a damper to many excursionists that were also in Legazpi at that time.  But, as the locals would say beautiful, " Magayon " is not enough to describe how awesome and breathtaking a lady Mt. Mayon is. Like a woman, Mt. Mayon is regal, cool and collected, but also mysterious and there's no telling when she will explode, scary thought, right?  Mt. Mayon is the major landmark of the province, rising tall and proud at 2,462 meters.  It can be seen from at least 8 neighboring towns.  How wo...

Here's my number 3 in my list of comfort food .  Well, I know that what's comfort food for me, may not be comfort food for you as food appreciation is very relative and subjective.  But let me share this with you because I believe that nothing compares to it or at least, I have not found anything that will outclass it.  I'm talking about Cafe Lidia's, which is located in one of the minor streets of Marikina and one of the establishments that is already gaining a following, thanks to their good food, good service and great ambience.  Although I heard that pasta and pizza are their specialties, I did not order pasta but opted for the lighter order of clubhouse sandwich.  But if I thought that their serving is simple and good for one person, I thought wrong because what was brought to my table was a  plateful of "goodness to the bones three-layered clubhouse sandwich."  It was complete with french fries and the usual greens and tomatoes.  I simply j...

   If you are in Davao , always include Samal Island in your destinations as there are so many things to do and enjoy in this island which is just off the coast of Davao City,   Samal Island is an hour away by a large "baroto" or local canoe .  First, I took a cab from Royal Travel Hotel for Sta. Ana wharf which cost me P60 only.  Now, that was the fastest way to get to Sta. Ana wharf from downtown.  You can also go to Sta. Ana wharf by any jeep that goes to Magsaysay Park.  At Magsaysay Park, you will see lots of fruit stalls selling durian, mangosteen and marang and other local delicacies.  It will only cost you P8.00.  In Sta. Ana wharf, you can ride a big bangka going to and from Kaputian Wharf.   This is the schedule of the large bangkas that can accommodate over 50 people for only P60.  If you want to stay longer in the Island, go at around 8 am so that you can get your money's worth. Palbros 7 a.m. and 12 p.m. ...

Indeed, it is more fun in the Philippines.  After watching this video, I got convinced that the Philippines has a lot to offer in terms of tourist destinations and attractions.  There are many interesting and exciting things to see and do here.  Please take a look at the Official Video from the Department of Tourism (DOT) Click on the uppermost title of the video to see the official link.