EAT A LOT in Bacolod. EVERYTHING IS AFFORDABLE! 😻

Going to Bacolod, I had to know what’s there to do. Most people said, eat, eat, and eat. I’m not a foodie and I find the thought boring. But perspectives changed while I was there. So, here’s a list of things to Eat while you’re in Bacolod. Enjoy!

SHARYN’S CANSI

CANSI has a sour taste like that of sinigang but looks like bulalo. The sour taste is brought by the Batuan seeds.

The world class beef soup can be experienced here at Sharyn’s Cansi House.

2. ERON’S CANSI

You should also try Cansi from Eron’s Cansi House. I personally prefer their Cansi. It has more flavor, more color and better beef. Don’t limit the rice. Ughh. I’m craving as I write.

3. SEASIDE FLOATING RESTO AT BALARING

Eat your heart out here at Brgy. Balaring Seaside Floating Restaurant. I like their mixed seafood very much. The savoury sauce comes great with it. The freshness of every dish is commendable.

4. MELKENS SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

Few walks ahead, there’s Melkens seafood Restaurant. While I like the mixed seafood at seaside floating restaurant, I love everything here at Melkens- Talaba, Fried Squid, Sizzling Blue Marlin, Tinolang isda and Buttered shrimp. The shrimp was my favourite in this resto.

5. CAFE 1925

Going on Café hopping is also a highlight here in Bacolod. In this particular Café we tried their pancit molo, homemade squidball, salad in ceazar salad dressing and fish fillet with chips (seems like fries). You’d appreciate the Café’s ambience with their table mats, lighting and wall frames featuring local paintings.

6. LASWA

It is my first time to try Laswa. It’s like mixed veggies boiled as is with no other flavours or seasonings, perhaps only salt, making it very nutritious. You could really taste the veggies and feel the gooey texture brought by the okra and saluyot.

7. TUNA SANDWICH @ DUYAN CAFÉ

Tuna melt with Taro Chips and brewed coffee with milk

I had the time to appreciate Silay alone and XY recommended me to visit Duyan Café. There’s no duyan (hammock) here but true, it offers a nice view.

I love the Taro Chips with the tuna melt, flavourful in every bite.

8. Cold Chocolate drink @ The Rooster Cafe

After visiting Duyan Café, might as well stop by at The Rooster Café.

Maybe because they have lots of roosters hmm 🤔

Check out this mini clip hear how peaceful it is here.

I only ordered one cold chocolate drink but I think the Café is worth coming back. Cute chairs. Cute furniture. Cute spots to chill. But the best thing was how the staff treated a lone traveller well. Nothing special, they just smiled a lot. 🙂

9. FELICIA’S PASTRY SHOP

Here, their specialty is the ensaymada. I don’t have a photo but yess it is really goooood. We had ensaymada with tablea dip. Ohh could you imagine the chocolate tablea poured on the soft ensaymada? 🤤🤤 I’m drooling. Anyway, here are some other sweets we ate.

10. CALEA CAKES

All these cakes are oh so good. Here why don’t you scroll slowly and taste each one just with your eyes. Take note, sansrival here at Calea is so good I felt it melt in my mouth. 😭

11. BACOLOD INASAL

Inasal at Nena’s Beth @Manukan Country Chicken

I can’t leave bacolod without tasting their Inasal. But personally, Mang Inasal has become my basis for a good Inasal. Compared to Mang Inasal, Bacolod Inasal is still good. Less sweet less juicy but is good 👌

12. EL IDEAL

Remembering El Ideal, I never thought I could even enter the shop. It stands just around the corner of Silay junction but nothing enticed me to get inside.

It was the last shop I dined in before I left bacolod and I thought “buti na lang they invited me here.”

Buko Cassava cake. It is a bit dry cause maybe old stock.

Tuna melt. This one’s really good too. Tuna flavour in every bite.

This bibingka captured me. It is very unique. Sweet crusty outside but smooth and chiffon like inside. I’d come back for this. 🤤

Check out the choco tablea drink. Also, worth it. It is super creamy while also chocolatey. Di nakakasawa.

13. LOCAL DISHES

I gotta end this appreciating the local food, homemade dishes or simply take outs I ate with BACOLOD TOWER Controllers. These were the best ones, aside from being free and still delicious, 🥴🤭 these were nakakatalino nakakagaling (kahit di naman magaling) meals. Yeah! Because they taught me Control Techniques while eating.

All these food I mentioned from 1-13 are just but ideas if not for BACOLOD APPROACH Control STUDY.

To end, thank you RPVB APP TOWER CONTROLLERS/PERSONNEL/CLASSMATE AND GF for the opportunity, the friendship, the learnings, and above all the experience. ❤️

He lent me his motorcycle. I was so happy.

SAY NO TO CAMIGUIN VIA CDO!!

For KV’s birthday, we decided to do a Camiguin trip via CDO.

This was our Itinerary prior the trip.

Preplanned itinerary based on internet reviews and other blogs. But I guess there wasn’t any blog about the updated time and pricing.

If you read and compare them well you’d notice that our experience in Camiguin was shortened/limited/deprived.

We had two days but most of our time here were spent on the road and sea.

The road trip wasn’t nice. We had to siksik ourselves inside the van for 2-3hours with not enough room to move. 😌

The ferry ride was okay. The sea breeze felt relaxing, perfect afternoon nap spot for tired tourists like us.

Our bnb’s location was not okay. We arrived in Camiguin past sundown and wow we had to brave the bukid, the zigzag roads, the animal sounds, the rocky roads with only our motorbike’s headlight. Wow darkness. Afraid, I drove so fast. We even skidded as we were going downhill.

Then when we arrived at the location, we thought it was creepy. The place looked like a cabin in the woods. No one was around.

But later on the caretaker came with other guests and then fear stopped and we’re now seeing this place with a different perspective especially when the morning came. IT IS A CRAFTY NICE HOUSE!!

It is after all a recommended place plus the caretakers were really nice. (Check Booking.com and search for Camiguin Volcano Houses).

From then, we decided not to stress ourselves chasing the timetable. Instead, enjoy what’s available and accessible. So no more White Island tour and all other destinations but just Soda Pool and Tuasan Falls (these were nearby spots).

We drove our way around Mambajao. Then in a short while we had to leave.

Again, The actual experience. All prices for 1pax. Lax van price is discounted for CAAP employees.

It might have been a looooong trip going back and forth to Camiguin but I must say from what we’ve seen, the Island is promising. So, go and see Camiguin but Say No to Camiguin via CDO landtrip! KV, we must Camiguin!

MY BABIES ARE BORN

On the Fifth Day after plantation, I saw life. And it was the happiest moment for me as a first time plant grower.

It was the same day as the Snow Moon, haha. Just saying.

These were my instagram stories posted when I was so happy seeing sprouts. @marieeeejuana

Since then, mornings and afternoons were awaited moments for me cause I get to water my babies.

Oh, by the way, it’s time to remove the plastic and expose them to sunlight.

These are my baby tomatoes growing tall and graceful. I got no name for them yet. Hmm. Any suggestion?

These ones aren’t growing as tall as the tomatoes but no worries little one. No rush. You are loved. ❤

Oh what joy they bring me daily ❤

Soon I get to eat parts of you 🍴😋

HAVE MY OWN BABIES IN 5 SIMPLE STEPS (Planting Basil & Tomatoes)

February 14. There was a massive death of plants, flowers actually.

Meanwhile, I received my package. Our Heart’s Day gift for each other, Me and KV.

MNL Grow Kits' Valentine's Pizza Promo Package — MNL Grow Kits’ Valentine’s Day Pizza Kit

Next day, I began the planting.

1. Firstly, fill the pot with the provided soil.

lovely organic — Potting Mix Soil and Coconut Husk Pot: The womb that’ll carry my babies.

2. Drench thoroughly with water.

3. Place few seeds on top of the soil then top it with enough soil to cover the seeds.

Here’s my baby Basil seed tucked in with soil

4. Pour enough water to keep the Baby seed moist.

5. Wrap with plastic and away from direct sunlight to keep them moist until a sprout emerges.

I hope you come out soon while inside this incubator.

I did the same with the Baby Tomato seeds.

Expecting for the best from the best. #MNLGROWKITS

Things to do while waiting:

Spray water twice daily 6-10am and 4-6pm to keep it moist (not wet nor dry).
Read more about your plants and be inspired to wait.
Live the everyday life expecting!

RED RIBBON A DOCUMENT

Nope. Not a cake neither a piece of fabric.

Most of my friends who went abroad kept mentioning this term “RED RIBBON” referring to their unaccomplished requirements. I didn’t really bother think about what it meant until today.

One more friend, Cryszelle, from Zamboanga City is going abroad and needs to have her documents RED RIBBONED. But, due to her future employer’s short notice she’s left with one last option- she asked me to do it.

Okay, what does it mean anyway?

Documents need to be authenticated for you to go abroad. Especially those needed to prove your identity. It is the job of the Department of Foreign Affairs to certify your docus. The real term is “DFA-Authentication”. After doing so, they attach a red ribbon on it. Thus, the term RED RIBBON.

So, today I did the necessary. Cryszelle sent me all the necessary papers via LBC.

SM MEGAMALL DFA was the most accessible DFA satellite for me. It is located at the 5th floor left side of the building. It’s near the parking lot. Ask the guards, they know where. 🙂

For Authentication, go straight to door 5. The guard will ask for your purpose, just say “red ribbon”. She’ll go through with your papers and see if you have completed the necessary papers. As for me, she particularly asked for the SPA (Special Power of the Attorney), necessary since I carry the papers for someone else. I showed her the SPA and asked me to photocopy my valid ID and all the other documents.

It went well and smooth. The step by step process was just easy if you have all papers complete. After having showed all papers inside the processing room, he gave me a receipt for me to pay (at Door 1) then that was it. I can claim it next day 3-5pm since I had it processed in the afternoon today (Express processing is 1 day processing 200php while Regular processing requires 4 days 100php)

You can actually do this in 15 mins or less.

I COULD’VE ACCOMPLISHED IT BETTER/FASTER IF:
If only I had all documents photocopied prior going to DFA. Only one photocopier guy was there so there was a queue too.

Nevertheless, it was a day well spent 👍

JAYWALK IN METRO MANILA

Last Thursday morning I was on my way to work. Taking the usual road, I crossed the street in front of Heritage Hotel from bus ride to the jeepney ride to Sucat.

From afar, I sensed the MMDA trying to catch me and there I was caught jaywalking.

It was so devastating I didn’t know my mistake. I didn’t know it was illegal to cross there since it has been my usual path. But as they say, “Ignorance of the law is not an excuse.”

I tried to bargain with the enforcer to please ignore me and let this pass. But at the back of my head I know for sure it wasn’t right and I deserve to be fined.

I had a choice:

1. PAY p500 fine outright or

2. DO COMMUNITY SERVICE:clean the Estero (drainage canal in populated areas)

I was going to choose the latter thinking it could be fun and I’ll surely gain experience from that but later realized I don’t have the time and so I wanted to pay p500 outright. Unfortunately, the officer already issued my ticket and he doesn’t have a change for my p1000.

I was running late and so I decided to take my ticket and settle my issue some day else.

I learned to Jaywalk.

#Jaywalking #MMDA #Penalty #AntiJaywalking #CommunityService

EXPLORE ELYU

This is my El Yu story.

(San Fernando, La Union, Philippines)

It was an impromptu trip decided upon 2 days prior Thursday last week. So, there wasn’t much preparation done. Anyhow, KV and I were with JS and XY (they’ve been there and made the IT ahead) thus, I didn’t worry much. I was even excited!

Day off started, I woke up 4am excited. Woke them up, left the flat and then we headed to PARTAS bus liner in Pasay. We arrived there around 6am. The bus was about to leave. Fortunately we were able to catch up however no proper breakfast happened. 😢

We left the station around 6:30am and arrived Urbiztondo past 12:30nn. Boy that was a long bus ride, 6-hour ride with one stop at Abra. The Fare cost php463 (First class).

From where the bus dropped us in Urbiztondo, we walked for around 10mins to Flotsam and Jetsam Hostel/Bar/Eatery. We went for the Eatery. Imagine us starving without Breakfast 😰

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM EATERY

The food here is a bit pricey, but we enjoyed. I compared my meal to one of Pancake House’s meal, they cost almost the same and prepared like one too. Food looks and tastes good. Stomachs were satisfied. My meal cost me php270.

This is the entrance. Exciting! Food! Finally!

KV’s order.

A picture of us. KV XY JS JU (l to r)

My food.

Coco mama. Coconut icecream in coconut shell topped with mango cubes.

For my dessert, I opted for Coco Mama coconut icecream in coconut shell topped with mango cubes. Cost was php140. The serving was small, the icecream tasted average but the combination of all ingredients was great. I liked it.

After eating we played foosball. I had so much fun there especially when me and JS won the game vs the boys! Yahooo. 🙌😻

GRAFFITI WALLS

Walking our way to our hotel just along MacArthur Highway, we passed by an empty open area with painted walls.

It was a good spot, we had a photoshoot under the heat of 2pm summer sun. Later, some kids came out with a box with “php10 per head” written on it. We left the area after paying for the fun.

THE LITTLE SURFMAID RESORT

One night here costs php3600 good for four people. 1 airconditioned family size room with 2 king size beds, 1 comfort room, Sala with tv, refrigerator and heater, and a balcony overlooking the Beach.

The accomodation here was great, the only thing that bothered me was the salty beach water from the shower in scarce amount. Maybe it’s a normal thing here. But the overall stay was good and fine.

We rested a bit here. Then at 4pm we left the hotel for some coffee.

THE COFFEE LIBRARY

We walked along the highway and found ourselves ordering coffee at The Coffee Library.

It’s a fine coffeeshop with books you can grab and read while enjoying you cupacoffee.

But us, we brought our own books to read.

I ordered

JU LEARNS TO START A BLOG

She inhales.. then exhale.

“Like all humans, inside we keep a story.

I am one of those who keep mine safe and just within me. But now I’ll try, try to widen my boundaries. Make a note of every story I could tell and put into words every experience worth remembering.

I am excited and I hope soon I could publish experiences with lessons to learn or lessons learnt.

Well, basically, this blog will be just about me and how I’ll learn to live this world.

I am called JU by the way initials for Juliet Uniform. I am an Air Traffic Controller Trainee and in Air Traffic Control we use initials to identify ourselves for coordination. I’ll talk more about ATC next time but for now it’s just JU trying to start a blog.”

Ola!