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Sinusulat ko ang essay( sanaysay) na ito na may personal akong mabigat na pinagdadaanan pero ganun pa man para sa akin mahalaga ang paniniwala o pananampalataya. Ito ang aking sandigan sa panahon na gipit ako, nalulungkot, at kung parang walang malinaw na pag-asa. Hindi ko sinasabi na all out ang aking pagiging faithful, lalo na […]
Minsan hindi mo maintindihan kung bakit Kailangang ba talagang makaramdam ng sakit Ang maranasang maiwan o mang-iwan Ang magpaalam at maging bahagi na lang nang... nakaraan Eh ganun talaga!? Hindi naman laging Datu Puti ang sawsawan Kung puwede namang mag-Mang Tomas Alangan naman umabot ng season 50 Kung ang series ay pang-baby But…
We always buy economy tickets so I only experienced airport lounges a few times. I was fortunate to try Mabuhay Lounge in NAIA 2, MIASCOR in NAIA 1(closed), Mabuhay Lounge in Cebu, and PAGSS Premium Lounge. One way to get into airport lounges is to apply for a credit card with this benefit. This is why we were able to stay at MIASCOR but we deactivated our credit cards because they did not waive our annual fee. Since we are not frequent travelers naman, we don’t need that credit card. A few months ago, I received emails and text messages from my bank about “credit card application” and hindi ko pinapansin kasi may credit card na naman ako. But last month, out of the blue, niresearch ko yung credit card benefits and I found out na may FREE AIRPORT LOUNGE and no annual fee pala. So after one week of contemplating, I finally gave in and filled out the form online and crossed my fingers na umabot yung credit card sa biyahe namin kasi usually, 15 business days. I was so happy when I received my credit card in less than a week. And because of that, nakapagstay kami sa PAGSS Premium Lounge before our Manila to Melbourne flight. And the good thing about this credit card is I can bring one companion pa. We paid for an additional person since we are a group of three. The rate is PHP1,500, not bad na rin kasi ganun din naman magagastos namin kapag kakain sa airport. But I told my husband na mag-apply na rin siya ng credit card na may lounge benefit. Upon arrival, I just showed my boarding pass and credit card. I was advised that the lounge was full so we went to the extension lounge. This is my old blog post about PAGSS Airport Lounge at NAIA 1 where my husband stayed using his Mabuhay Miles benefit. When we entered the room, the place is already crowded and akala ko nga wala na kami pwesto pero may other side pa pala and luckily, maluwag pa. The choices on the buffet spread are limited compared to Mabuhay Lounge but it was fine with us since we only needed to eat snacks. We also requested instant cup noodles and ice cream. We only stayed for 2 hours and already went to our boarding gate. Another security check pa kasi sa boarding gate. Read: 5 Ways to Get Into Aiport Lounges
Nawa Wellness is a new eco-luxury holistic wellness destination in the Philippines. This resort opened its doors last January 24, 2024, but they are still on their soft opening. If you check their website, you will see their packages and the rate includes full board meals at Dalisay and massage or treatments. But I’m not into massage or any treatments so we decided to avail the room only which includes breakfast meal. A few days before our trip, napaisip ako about the food because we also stayed at The Farm at San Benito before and sa isip-isip ko baka vegan cuisine sa Nawa Wellness. Ayaw ko magutom. Hehehe! So my husband asked for the menu and I was so happy kasi hindi naman pala pang vegetarian ang kanilang restaurant, the downside is presyong The Farm at San Benito din ang food. Read: What to Eat at The Farm at San Benito 3 Wellness Restaurants at The Farm at San Benito Dalisay Epicurean Wellness Dining Lunch On the day of our trip, we had breakfast at La Creperie - Twin Lakes Tagaytay, and from there we traveled to Nawa Wellness. We arrived at the resort before lunch so before we went to our room, we already pre-ordered our meals. For lunch, we ordered Margherita Pizza PHP950, Quattro Formaggi Pasta PHP620, and Carrot Cinnamon Cake PHP190. When we got there, we only waited for a few minutes and they already served our meals. We loved their pizza and pasta; my son is not fond of pasta but he enjoyed the Quattro Formaggi. Actually, after trying their pizza and pasta parang gusto ko ganun na lang ulit sa dinner, ibang flavor naman. Snacks I was fortunate to participate Hilom and Likha activity so we had snacks during our painting session. My husband and son joined the “Meal Prep” activity so they had 3 smoothies. In addition, when they went back to our room they also received fruits for snacks so nabusog na kami. Dinner As I’ve said before, I planned to eat pizza and pasta for dinner but my husband disagreed and he said, anniversary celebration namin so mag Set Menu daw kami. One Set menu is PHP2600, which includes soup, salad, appetizer, main course, and dessert. Mahina kami kumain sa dinner so we only ordered two set menu and magshare na lang kaming 3. Come dinner time, busog pa kami sa mga snacks na nakain namin but we had no choice but to go to the restaurant kasi napaschedule na namin yung dinner. Good thing that we only ordered 2 Set Menu or else, masasayang yung ibang food. We ordered Set Menu B and Set D. Set Menu B Soup: Goddess Soup Salad: Edible Fern Salad (not available) Appetizer: Vegetable Tempura Main Course: Hainanese Chicken Dessert: Cashew Cream Set Menu D Soup: Spinach Soup Salad: Hummus Salad Appetizer: Fresh Catch Fish Ceviche Con Pico de Gallo Main Course: Beef Rendang Dessert: Carrot Cinnamon Cake Whenever they served the food, they always provided an extra bowl and plate for my son kasi nga good for sharing kami. Anyway, from soup to dessert, we enjoyed every bite, ang hindi lang namin naubos is yung Hummus Salad. Alam mo naman hindi kami magulay so si hubby lang kakain, tapos 2 serving pa. Hehehe! Our most favorite food is the cashew cream, it looks so plain pero nung natikman namin, nasurprise kami. It is cashew pero yung taste and texture niya, may similarities sa Good Shepherd Ube Jam. Sobrang smooth and creamy ng taste. Unfortunately, wala sa dessert menu nila. The chef even went to our table to ask about the food. Of course, we only have positive reviews, because from lunch to dinner sobrang naenjoy namin yung food. We went back to our room with a happy tummy. Breakfast Breakfast is part of our room accommodation so just like our lunch and dinner, we already preordered our food. We ordered Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict PHP310, Sweet Potato Rosti with Poached Egg and Smoked Salmon PHP430, and Ham and Cheese Quinoa PHP560. After our Breathwork and Meditation activity, we went straight to Dalisay Restaurant for breakfast. It was past 8AM so we were really hungry because we usually eat breakfast before 6AM. While waiting, they served 4 pieces of pandesal, I thought per person yun, hindi pala share na kaming tatlo. Hehehe! For drinks, they only served coffee or tea and no other option for kids or teenagers. I just hope may milk, hot chocolate or juice man lang pero wala. Anyway, since sabay-sabay ang mga guests na nagbreakfast. Medyo matagal ang service. When they served the food, I was a little bit disappointed kasi ang konti lang pala ng breakfast nila. I ordered Eggs Benedict before at Cafe Voi La pero may kasamang salad and fries pa pero this one, dalawang maliit na serving lang talaga. Ham and Cheese Quinoa Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict Freshly baked English Muffin topped with applewood smoked salmon and poached eggs, coated in Hollandaise sauce with a dash of smoked paprika. Sweet Potato Rosti with Poached Egg and Smoked Salmon A crispy and sweet potato pancake topped with poached egg and smoked salmon. My son finished his Ham and Cheese Quinoa and nagsisisi tuloy ako na sana yun na rin ang inorder ko. I won’t lie, my husband and I did not like our breakfast. Yung order namin ni hubby, same lang pala. The only difference is bread yung ilalim ng egg niya and yung sa akin is shredded sweet potato na ginawang nest at prinito. Yung sweet potato pancake na order ko, I was expecting na parang pancake na napapanood ko sa mga Korean Drama pero hindi pala, sa sobrang crispy niya, parang ayaw na ipakain kasi ganun katigas. I just let my husband ate my food, thanks to pandesal may laman pa tiyan ko. I was tempted to order Ham and Cheese Quinoa but I changed my mind kasi matagal nga yung service. I was looking forward to breakfast pa naman kasi ang sarap ng lunch and dinner namin pero nothing special pala. Anyway, since soft opening pa lang naman sila, I hope mag-improve ang breakfast meal nila. But overall, the service is good.
This blog post has been in my draft for more than a year already but I can’t find the strength to finish this post because this brings so many sad memories. But since I was feeling emotional the past few days because another family member passed away, itodo ko na ang pagiging sentimental ko. Suddenly, my heart started to feel the pain of losing someone and it is just so sad whenever I look back and realize how much everything has changed even just a year ago. The number of people that have entered, left, and stayed in my life. Our staycation at Sheraton Manila Bay will always remind me that it was the last day that we are almost complete as a family. The last time that my late father, brother, late sister, and I were together. And that moment is now a memory, no photo or video that I can look back to. Last year, my siblings and I decided to visit my sick father in Manila so my husband and I decided to book a hotel near my Father’s place so it won’t be hard for me to commute since I live in the province. We chose Sheraton Manila Bay because it is near Robinson’s Place and LRT station where I could meet my brother and sister na magcommute din since wala parking space sa pupuntahan namin. Sheraton Manila Bay We left the house after breakfast because we’re going to drop by at H.I.S. Travel Agency for our Japan Visa Application but unfortunately, the office was still closed (extended holiday) so we went straight to Sheraton Manila Bay. We know that check-in time is 3PM pero nagcheck-in pa rin kami just in case may available room na. While waiting, they gave us welcome drinks. Read: How to Apply for Multiple Entry Japan Visa After several minutes of waiting, they gave us our room key. Yehey! Early check-in before 11AM, they upgraded our Deluxe Guest Room to Executive, Larger Guest Room, and even allowed late check-out until 2PM. They also provided additional two feather pillows. Executive Larger Guest Room The room is 40sqm so it is a little bit smaller compared to our room in Sheraton Manila but this room has its own charm. You have a comfortable king-sized bed, spacious bathroom, office table, mini-refrigerator, and minibar. The room has floor-to-ceiling windows with skyline views of Manila. Read: Sheraton Manila The marbled bathroom has a separate bathtub and shower area and in addition, may television pa sa bathroom. Sheraton Manila Bay has few dining options, you can eat or drink at Pacific Lounge, Sunset Lounge Bar, Lobby Lounge, Adriatico Square, or order from their 24-Hour Room Dining Service. We did not bother to check their menu because we want to save money so we went to Robinson’s Place for our lunch and dinner. You can read my food review at Curry House Coco Ichibanya and Texas Roadhouse below. Read: Lunch at Curry House Coco Ichibanya Dinner at Texas Roadhouse I bought some pastries from Kumori so we have something to eat. Little did I know na may mga freebies pala. Before lunch and dinner, we received some complimentary fruits and sweets. Ang saya, ang daming freebies. Buffet Breakfast at Pacific Lounge Our room package includes complimentary breakfast at Pacific Lounge which is located on the 21st floor. It offers a panoramic 360 degrees view of Manila Bay and city skyline. We’re a little bit late for breakfast so occupied na yung may view but it is totally okay kasi malapit naman table namin sa buffet spread. Since late check-out namin, nagbrunch na kami. Hehehe! The buffet spread has different stations too for the soup, omelet, cereals, salad, juice, noodle, bread, pastries, cold cuts, cheese, hot meals, fruits, and many more. As usual, we were all satisfied with our meal. Before we went back to our room, we visited the alfresco garden and gazebo of Sheraton Manila Bay. Of course, we won’t leave Sheraton Manila Bay without trying the swimming pool. It is not that big, good thing hindi rin marami tao so hindi naman ganun kacrowded ang pool. We checked out before 2PM since mahaba-haba pa biyahe namin pauwi. That was our bittersweet staycation at Sheraton Manila Bay. Sad because I remembered the last moment when my father and sister were still alive and happy because we had no idea that it would be our last travel vacation in the year 2020 because of COVID19. So kahit medyo mahal sa Sheraton, sulit na rin ang staycation experience namin kasi good for one year na pala. Watch the video here: Sheraton Manila Bay M.Adriatico corner General Malvar Street N. Malate, Manila, 1004, Philippines
Last year, I was thinking of a gift that my son would appreciate. I always follow my gift-giving philosophy so it would be easy to choose. Something they want Something they need Something to wear Something to read I gifted him a book last year but as usual, he didn’t appreciate it that much because he is not fond of reading books unless he is the one who chose that book. Hehehe! Then I remembered that he enjoys painting, I bought his first painting kit a few years ago and the rest is history. Craft Easy Canvas Painting Kit Painting by Numbers Painting at Sip & Gogh DIY Christmas Painting I ordered Paint by Number Kit online, this is bigger compared to his previous painting kits so he has something to do during his Christmas break. As I mentioned in my Instagram post, my number one dilemma every school break is yung favorite line ng anak ko “Mommy, I’m bored”. He is not allowed to use his gadgets every weekdays kahit school break pa so yan lagi niya sinasabi. And I always tell him, nung bata ko hindi naman uso gadget pero hindi ako nabobored. Hehehe! Anyway, I wrapped my gift and put it under the Christmas tree. In my mind my son will like my gift but after few days, my husband told me “Ayaw daw ni Ethan nung malaki na canvas”. Waah! My husband was browsing his Facebook newsfeed and he saw my gift online and he asked my son kung gusto niya ng ganun? My son said yes, but ayaw daw niya ng malaki at mahirap. So nagkaproblema ko bigla and naghanap na naman ng gift. I remembered Art Craze- Paint by Numbers, I already knew this store pero malayo yung store niya sa amin. I was browsing their Instagram feed and then I saw Pikachu. My son likes Pokemon so I’m pretty sure that he will like this so I asked for the price and shipping fee. Art Craze Paint by Number Sizes and Prices 10x15cm - P180 20x20cm - P480 25x25cm - P580 20x30cm - P680 30x40cm - P800 40x40cm - P1000 40x50cm - P1300 Shipping Rates Courier Rates (LBC, JRS, etc) 10x15cm, 20x20cm, 20x30cm Metro Manila - P100 to P150 Luzon P260, Visayas - P280 and Mindanao - P300 25x25cm, 30x40cm, 40x40, 40x50cm Metro Manila - P150 to P180 Luzon - P260, Visayas - P280 and Mindanao - P300 Grab Express/Lalamove same-day delivery/Provincial bus: Estimate quotation can be requested Free shipping for orders P4000 and up within the Philippines. We only have few days before Christmas so I don’t want to order online at baka 2019 ko na mareceived yung package. But since it was Christmas Season, they had booth at World Bazaar Festival. My husband asked them if the canvas is available at the Bazaar and they said yes. So after my husband got his visa, we dropped by at World Trade Center. May entrance fee siya so ako na lang bumaba and I just looked for their booth. Unfortunately, the canvas was not available there. I was a bit disappointed kasi nagmessaged pa kami and dinayo ko pa sa World Bazaar Festival yun tapos wala. Good thing, there is another Pikachu Canvas so I bought it. The canvas is really small, I’m aware of the 10x15cm size pero iba pa rin pag nakita mo in person. Kasing laki lang ng postcard but it has easel, palette, paint brush and 8 paint colors. It has a box too so mukha ng presentable for gifts. The box has instructions too. Painting Preparation - moisten brushes which will be used for painting - prepare a glass with water - prepare newspapers and place it on the desktop where you will be painting Start Painting Step 1: Open the box, bring our the canvas, paint brushes, tubes of paint with numbers and wooden frame. Step 2: Match the color with the numbers on the canvas. Step 3: Fill in the zone one by one, or according to the sequence of the colors from light to dark. If painting a face, it is better to start with the eyes first and then the other smaller parts of the painting before doing the rest. Step 4: Check your work and see if you missed any spot. Continue on the next number until you finish with the last color available. My son was happy when he opened his gift and he started painting it after Christmas. He was busy for two days. Even it was just a small canvas, ang tagal din niya natapos. Once dry kasi, inulit pa niya para mas okay yung colors. After he finished this, I asked him kung gusto pa niya and he said no. Hahaha! Napagod na siya so mukhang ako na lang magpaint nung una ko na nabili.
I’m a Filipino so I love Filipino cuisine. Of course, it is very important that we should love our own dishes. Even though I love Filipino foods, there are dishes that I don’t know how to cook or some I tried but I don’t like the result. And because of that, I visit different restaurants so I can order food that I don’t usually cook at home. One of our go-to restaurants when it comes to Filipino dishes is Kanin Club. We’ve been here for the nth time already so I decided to compile my old blog posts in one article. March 22, 2013 Dinner at Kanin Club The first time we ate in Kanin Club was four years ago, we’re not satisfied with our order so we never dare to try it again but two weeks ago we revisited this restaurant. We had our dinner here because my mom wanted Filipino food. We ordered Sizzling Squid P210, Sigarilyas Express P140, and Crispy Dinuguan P244. To my surprise, we all enjoyed the food and we even ordered extra rice. Hehe! No doubt that crispy dinuguan is their signature dish. April 20, 2015 Lunch at Kanin Club If we are in Paseo de Sta Rosa, Kanin Club is our go-to restaurant because I love their crispy dinuguan. I ordered crispy dinuguan + ginataan na gulay when we went back last December 2013. I did not like the ginataan gulay but my husband liked it. Last March, we ate at Kanin Club before going to Nurture Wellness Village. It was an early lunch so the place was not packed yet. We ordered Crispy Dinuguan P260, Sigarilyas Express P150, Kare-Kare P350 and Pork BBQ P110. I love Kanin Club because the price is very reasonable and the serving is good for 2 to 3 persons. So we took home our leftovers for dinner. April 19, 2016 Dinner at Kanin Club My husband has a business trip in Cebu and this time, we’ll join his trip so we can also have a summer vacation. It’s been a while since we had a family trip, most of the time overnight lang. So to save money, I used my Mabuhay Miles to book our ticket. My husband called PAL reservations to book our ticket and off we went to Philippine Airlines to pay and get our ticket. They moved their office to Westgate Center from Petron Station. It's almost 7PM so we decided to eat our dinner in Westgate, we don't frequent this place because there is a parking fee of PHP20. I have no idea na marami pala kainan dito, I though Contis lang. That's where we ate last year. We ate at Kanin Club and we ordered our all-time favorite which is Crispy Dinuguan P290 and Pork BBQ P125 for my son. I did not enjoy my crispy dinuguan, nasobrahan yata sa pagkacrispy at ang hirap ichew. We also tried the Turon KC ala mode P150 and Leche Flan P85. We were surprised to see the dessert, ganun kalaki yung turon. Kanin Club’s turon has ube jam, sweet coconut strips, monggo beans, and banana. One slice is already enough, it is like eating halo-halo without the ice and milk. It was also our first time to see a Leche Flan topped with Macapuno. My son likes plain leche flan so he removed all the coconut strips. Their leche flan is not sweet and we prefer sweet leche flan. March 3, 2020 Lunch at Kanin Club It’s been years since the last time that we ate at Kanin Club so when I saw this in Makati Ayala Triangle, ito na agad kinainan namin. As usual, hindi mawawala ang Crispy Dinuguan sa order namin. We ordered Crispy Dinuguan P380, Bistek Pinoy P280 and Plain Rice P132 (3 cups). Medyo mahal na yung crispy dinuguan kasi yung last time na kain namin, wala pa sa PHP300. It is really nice to have a blog kasi may price watch list ako. Hehehe! As always, we were satisfied with our food. Care to share your favorite in Kanin Club. Update January 25, 2022 Last month, the government is allowing kids to go out na so at last, after almost two years, ngayon na lang siya ulit nakapasok sa grocery. We went to Landers after we finished applying for National ID; we usually eat at Landers Food Court after grocery but I missed dining at the restaurant so we went to Westgate Center. We ate at Kanin Club, good thing my son is already fully vaccinated because they only allow vaccinated people to dine in. We ordered Crispy Liempo PHP215, Crispy Dinuguan PHP380, Sigarilyas Express PHP231, and Plain Rice PHP132 (3 cups). The Crispy Liempo is light and crunchy pork belly strips with three kinds of sauces for dipping. It is really crispy so kung hindi ka mahilig sa dippings, dry ang lasa niya. My son ate this naman but I won't order this again. Kanin Club Unit H Adelaida Arcade Paseo De Sta Rosa, Don Jose Sta. Rosa City Laguna Kanin Club Space C-605 Central Precinct Westgate Center Filivest Corp City Alabang Muntinlupa City Kanin Club Ayala Triangle Gardens Makati Ave, Makati, 1209
I gained weight after the holiday and I was not surprised sa dami ba naman food trips na nangyari simula ng ber-months. Nahinto na rin yung pag-exercise ko, waah! I’m hoping na maibalik ko ulit yung routine and pagbawas ng kinakain. Sa totoo lang ang hirap magdiet kung ang daming 50% Off Credit Card Promo especially sa Bistro Group of Restaurants. So far last year, we were able to eat at Texas Roadhouse, Modern Shang and Italliani’s. Lunch at Italliani’s SM Sta Rosa My husband celebrated his birthday at Italliani’s before and hindi na naulit because we knew that this restaurant is on the expensive side and wala din naman malapit na branch sa place namin. I think it was only last year, nung nalaman ko na meron na branch sa SM Sta Rosa so meron na sa probinsiya. So last month when my friend suggested na magfood trip kami sa Italliani’s after ng errands namin, I immediately agreed because it’s been a long time since I ate at Italliani’s. I checked my old photos and their menu and parang wala na sa menu yung kinain namin dati, ganun katagal na. Hehehe! I browsed their menu online so I already knew what to order pero medyo natagalan pa rin kami kasi we needed to reach PHP3,000 bill to avail the promo. Dapat kasi 3 kaming kakain kaso dalawa lang kami natuloy, so we already knew na hindi namin mauubos yung order namin so take out na lang yung iba. We ordered Peach Mango Lemonade PHP185, Three Citrus Combi PHP185, Italian Truffle Fries PHP455, Eggplant Parmigiana PHP495, Baked Ziti PHP475, Lasagna PHP395, Pizza Margherita PHP695, Zepole Custard PHP270. After five minutes, they served our complimentary bread na medyo sunog. Then after 12 minutes, they started serving our food at minute intervals, and surprisingly, nahuli yung drinks i-served. Funny story, may tanim si hubby na eggplant sa garden namin na ang sipag mamunga so nauubusan na ko ng menu para sa eggplant. Then last month out of the blue, my husband told me that he liked the Eggplant Parmigiana at Italliani’s and lutuin ko daw iyon. I told him na ang hirap magluto ng hindi ko man lang natitikman so when my friend and I went to Italliani’s, I ordered this and kahit hindi ko mahilig sa eggplant, nasarapan ako dito. In fact, mas gusto ko ito kaysa sa Lasagna na order ko. My friend and I just tried this dish at take-out ko for hubby. Meeting Jericho Rosales After our hearty lunch, nag-ikot ikot pa kami ng konti and then punta na ng parking lot. On our way there, nadaanan namin yung Kuya J Restaurant and we were so lucky because we saw Jericho Rosales. Waah! When we entered the mall, napansin na namin na opening ng Kuya J Restaurant and nag-ask pa ko sa guard kung darating ba si Jericho and hindi daw siya sure so kumain na kami and sa isip-isip ko baka busy sa taping ng Lavender’s Field. And we were so lucky na naabutan pa namin siya bago siya umalis, I was checking my phone, 15 minutes of kilig moments. Hahaha! Hindi ko alam kung sa Italliani’s ako nabusog o dahil nakita ko si Jericho Rosales ng personal. My crush since Mr. Pogi days. Hehehe! Lunch at Italliani’s EVIA When my friend and I ate at Italliani’s, I knew that I would go back so before the promo ended, my husband and I went to EVIA just to eat lunch at Italliani’s after our grocery. It was my son’s Christmas party in school so hindi siya nakasama. We were the first diner and while were browsing the menu, the staff went to our table and asked for our initial order para maprepare na daw. Nagmamadali, hehehe! Good thing, kakain ko lang so may idea na ko ng oorderin. Natatagalan lang ako kasi nga nagcoompute ulit ako kung aabot na ba kami ng PHP3000. We ordered Fried Calamari PHP545, Pizza Margherita PHP695, Grilled Porkchop PHP595, Spaghetti Vongole PHP445, Blueberry Mango Cheesecake PHP480, Three Citrus Combi PHP185, and Americano PHP145. My husband and I enjoyed our food trip, ang take out lang namin yung pizza for my son. And if ever we will go back to Italliani’s, for sure ito yung irerepeat ko na order. Lunch at Italliani's - SM Sta Rosa My son is already in Grade 10 so it means, Senior High School na next school year and we decided to transfer school so new environment na rin. Ang tagal na rin niya sa present school niya, Kinder pa siya nagstart so may be it is time to change school na rin. So last week, he took his first entrance test and after that, we went to SM Sta Rosa for lunch. Bistro Group promo is back so I asked my son kung Modern Shang or Italliani’s kami and he chose the latter. This was my third visit to Italliani’s in a month but I did not order a new dish, nirepeat ko ulit yung dati. For our family of three, we ordered Eggplant Parmigiana PHP495, Pizza Margherita PHP695, Spaghetti Vongole PHP445, Grilled Porkchop 2 pieces PHP995, and Blueberry Mango Cheesecake PHP480. Yung complimentary bread pala nila is 1 bread per person and hindi na sunog. I thought, mauubos na yung order namin since 3 people na kami pero may leftover pa rin kami na pizza and porkchop. Favorite ni hubby yung porkchop, that’s why I ordered it sa EVIA para matry. I liked it too so I ordered it again sa recent visit namin kaso hindi na tender yung porkchop, siguro depende sa nagluluto.
Two years ago I celebrated my birthday in Crimson Hotel in Alabang. I had a great time during our staycation so when I learned that they have a branch in Cebu, I immediately added it to my bucket list. Read: Crimson Hotel in Alabang Last month, while I was planning for our Cebu itinerary; I decided to have a Day Trip at Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan. I inquired about the rates and they immediately replied. But a few days before our trip, our plan changed and my husband called Crimson Mactan to reserve a room. If we can’t go to Bantayan Island then go to Mactan. After our breakfast in Cebu Parklane International Hotel, we already checked out, and off we went to Crimson. We arrived past 10AM, my husband gave us our confirmation voucher and our IDs; while waiting they served our welcome drinks and we played sungka. We had fun playing sungka, it’s been a long time since I played this game and I’m really looking for this toy. Read: Cebu Parklane International Hotel As expected, the room was not available yet but we are allowed to use the facilities. The staff gave us a resort map. We left our luggage with the concierge and went to the locker room so we can put our valuables.P500 deposit is refundable. We roamed around the resort looking for an available beach chair but unfortunately, no available chair. We decided to have lunch at Azure Beach Club. While waiting for our food bill, the staff called and informed my husband that our room is already available. Yey! Early check-in (past 1PM). We paid (via credit card) for our reservation before we went to Cebu because pre-payment (one night stay) is required to reserve a room. Additional P3000 for incidental deposit upon check-in. The staff gave us a key card and we went back to the concierge to get our luggage. We rode a golf cart on our way to our room. Let us have a room tour. The bathroom has this folding door/window that you can open, I love this because I can see my son while playing in the bathtub or you can also watch TV while inside the tub. They provided basic toiletries like shampoo, soap, bath gel, lotion and a dental kit. The fridge has complimentary drinks and snacks (one time only). Two softdrinks in the can, 2 beers in the can, 2 bottled water, 1 Peanut Kisses, and 1 Kitkat. We just took a rest first and off we went to the beach. The beach was still packed, ang hirap makahanap ng bakante. Don't forget the swimming shoes at mabato yung beach. We all know that the sand was imported somewhere just like in other resorts in Mactan. We transferred to the pool because the beach was closed already. We had a late dinner at Saffron Cafe because we watched the Pilipinas Debate. We missed the event at the beach tuloy kakapanood. Hehehe! The following day, we were surprised to see a note in front of our door. It was a piece of paper where the time and activities of the day were listed. This is nice because you can plan your stay. Then we went to Saffron Cafe for our free buffet breakfast. The buffet spread is better than the Crimson Hotel because they have more choices here. After eating we went straight to the beach, I was glad that it was not packed as yesterday. It’s Monday so I guess, most of the guests have already checked out. We killed our time here while waiting for check-out. There are beach toys that you can borrow. We went back to the room to prepare because the check-out time is 11AM. Our flight was 8PM so we still stay inside the resort, again we left our luggage in the concierge and bags in the locker. We stayed in the CrimZone so my son can play and join different activities like face painting, figurine painting, Amazing Kid’s Race, and bracelet making. I will share it in a separate post. Read: CrimZone We prefer Filipino foods so we had lunch at Saffron Cafe. After our hearty meal, we went back to CrimZone again. :) Read: Restaurant in Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan Before going to the airport, we had a quick shower. So if you want to visit Crimson for a day, don’t worry because the bathroom is clean. On our way to the airport, the concierge staff asked about our flight time because taxis are not always available, and he gave us 3 options. But thank God at may napadpad na taxi. Hehehe! Likes 1. We like the room because we have enough space to move around. 2. We have complimentary drinks and snacks. 3. The service is good, especially in the restaurant, CrimZone, and reception. They are all friendly, approachable and they always smile. Some even volunteered to take our family picture. Even the housekeeping staffs and gardeners greet us. "There is one lang in the concierge na medyo off sumagot. He said, “Paano kayo papasok kung wala kayo key card”. Hmm, di lang agad napakita yung keycard at namisplace, may side comment na ganun. We stayed in other luxury hotels and resorts and first time ito. He even stayed in our room na pagkatagal-tagal na parang waiting for tip. My husband just said that he left his bag at the locker (which is true) so wala siya maabot but the truth is kahit may wallet because of your attitude, no tip." Other concierge staff naman are good. :) 4. The waves on the beach are unpredictable but they provided life vests for guests. I did not bring any toys so I was glad that there are available beach toys that we can borrow. 5. There are so many activities for both adults and kids every day so you will not get bored. Dislikes Hmm, the staycation is almost perfect kung hindi lang doon sa isang staff sa concierge. The only thing I don’t like here is the price, hehehe! It is expensive so even if we want to stay long, nakakabutas ng budget. I suggest that they have staffs in the beach or pool area that will supervise, we experienced that in Shangri-la Mactan Resort and Spa. After the guests left, they will immediately pick up the used towels and prepare the beach chair for the next guests. So guests have an idea that the beach chair is really available. In Crimson, di mo alam kung wala na ba tao o pang reserve nila yung used towels dun. Read: Shangri-la Mactan Resort and Spa We really had a great time in Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan, I even told my husband na bitin ang 2 days and 1-night namin. I hope next time kahit 3 days and 2 nights stay. That’s the end of our Cebu trip, back to reality. Click here for video Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan Seascapes Resort Town, Soong, Lapu-Lapu City, 6015 Cebu
Time passes quickly and we did not notice that our two months summer vacation in Norway is already over. It also means back to school na kami and I’m not yet so ready. I’m still adjusting with my sleep and weather in the Philippines, ganun yata talaga pag tumatanda na, ang hirap mag-adjust. Our family loves visiting Norway if airfare is not expensive mapapadalas vacation namin. Hehehe! Though we love Norway, one thing I dislike is the journey. Flying to Norway and back to the Philippines is kinda stressful because there are a lot of transfers. Halos lahat na ng mode of transportation is masasakyan mo. We rode car, ferry boat, bus and 3 planes just to go back to the Philippines. Thursday - Ferry Boat from Ørland to Trondheim - Bus to Trondheim Airport - Flight from Trondheim to Oslo via SAS - Check-in at Radisson Blu Hotel Oslo Gardermoen Friday - Flight from Oslo Norway to Doha Qatar via Qatar Airways Saturday - Flight from Doha Qatar to Clark Philippines via Qatar Airways Just like our experience before, we’re traveling for three days. I booked Clark-Oslo-Clark ticket only so I need to go back to Oslo. I mentioned before that there are several ways to go to Oslo but the fastest way is riding an airplane. There is a small airport in Ørland, Norway so we can take a flight from Ørland to Oslo Gardermoen via Air Leap but unfortunately, there is no flight on the day of our trip so I have no choice but to book a flight from Trondheim Airport. Read: Oslo Central Station to Trondheim Central Station via NSB Train My mom has no more vacation leave so I booked a flight day before our flight in Oslo. It was a holiday so the earliest ferry boat from Ørland to Trondheim is 10:30AM. Travel time is 1 hour and from the ferry boat, we went straight to Bus Station and buzzer beater kami sa 11:40AM bus departure. My mom just dropped us at the bus station because she needs to catch the 12:10 boat departure or else 4PM na yung next trip. Bus fare is NOK180 and the bus driver said, my son is free if accompanied by 1 adult. Yey! Nakatipid ako sa fare. Travel time is more or less 30 minutes from Bus Station to Trondheim Airport. Trondheim Airport Trondheim is not a busy airport so check-in and security check are so fast. It only takes a few minutes and we’re ready to eat our lunch. Two years ago, we ate at Pizza Hut but we could not find the restaurant so we just ate at Ritazza which is just a few meters walk from our boarding gate We just ordered Pepperoni Pizza NOK159 and Softdrinks NOK41. Read: Glimpse of Trondheim Airport If in the Philippines, we need 3-4 hours allowance before our flight, here in Norway, you only need two hours before the flight. We were so early for our 4PM flight so when we went to our boarding gate, flight to Stavanger pa ang nandun but my son still waited at the gate. Nagsakayan na pasahero to Stavanger at kami lang naiwan so ang aga talaga namin. The flight is on time and we were in Oslo Gardermoen after 55 minutes. For our past travels, SAS is always our connecting flight to Trondheim so I chose this airline when I booked our Trondheim to Oslo flight. We arrived early but the luggage was delayed, as in nag-upuan na mga tao dahil walang lumalabas na luggage. This is the reason why I decided to fly to Oslo day before our flight back to the Philippines. I don’t want delays. Read: SAS Scandinavian Airlines Experience After getting the luggage, my son and I went to the Radisson Blu Hotel Oslo Gardermoen. This hotel is just in front of the airport so we did not have a hard time looking for it. We stayed in Radisson Blu Hotel in Trondheim so in my mind, they have the same rate but I was wrong, ang mahal pala sa Radisson Blu Oslo Gardermoen but I have no choice so I booked. I will share our experience in a separate post. Read: Radisson Blu Airport Hotel in Trondheim Radisson Blu Hotel Oslo Gardermoen Qatar Airways Check-in Counter Checked-out is 12NN, so we just walked from the hotel to the airport. We’re so early for our 4:10PM flight. The check-in counter opened three hours before our flight. We took Qatar Airways on our way to Oslo Norway so I know that they are very strict with one hand-carry bag but I was surprised when the staff weighed our bag. Waah! Muntikan na ko dun, 6.9kls yung handcarry ko and we all know 7kls lang ang allowed. Read: Qatar Airways Flight Experience Security Check: Family Lane Security check-in is fast too because they have a separate lane for families, you need to scan first the boarding pass of the kid before the parents. We checked the Duty-Free store and bought some pasalubong, konti lang at wala naman kami space sa bag. One thing I noticed, the Freia chocolates that they are selling in the airport is King Sized 250g for NOK35 only compared to 200g in supermarket for NOK40 to NOK45, price depends on the flavor so mas mura pala sa airport. Immigration At the immigration, the Immigration Officer asked me how long we stayed in Norway and I said two months and then she checked our arrival date and computed our number of days. Then she said, “Oh that is correct!”. She really checked if I overstayed, I only applied for 60 days. They are really strict now compared to my previous experiences. If you remember my Biyaheng Europe post, mahigpit din yung IO. Streets Eats After the Immigration, there is a small Duty-Free shop and Food Trucks at Gate F. Two years ago, wala pa nito so we had lunch at Pizza Wheel. Pizza is our comfort food so we always eat pizza if we don’t know what to eat. We ordered Pepperoni Pizza NOK159 and Softdrinks NOK36. Qatar Airways Experience Our Clark - Doha - Oslo flight was a smooth flight so I was expecting that we will have the same experience flying back home. But our Oslo - Doha - Clark was a little bit stressful because of the waiting time. On our way to Doha and Oslo, we’re just waiting at the boarding gate before our boarding time but on our way back to Clark, the boarding gate in Oslo and Doha were still closed by the time we reached the gate. They only opened it an hour before our flight and there is seating arrangement depending on your seats or zone. It is not fun to be early because you will sit on the floor while waiting for the boarding gate to be opened. Oslo to Clark Oslo to Doha 6 hours and 30 minutes Layover 2 hours and 20 minutes Doha to Clark 8 hours and 55 minutes Oslo to Doha From Doha to Oslo flight, my son did not receive any flight entertainment kit so I was surprised when the staff gave one on our Oslo to Doha flight. So nakalimutan siya bigyan ng flight attendant before and we failed to ask. Sayang ang souvenir. This time, they did not give flight kit, same with my husband’s experience. They did not give a menu so when the FA informed me about the options, chicken lang naintinidihan ko sa mga sinabi niya so for our flight puro chicken meals ang napili ko. Hehehe! When we landed, I was expecting that we will ride a bus and train but I was happy that we just walked until we reached the Security Check-In and Boarding Gate. So it was a different experience for us. I wanted to explore the Qatar Airport but my son doesn’t like to walk anymore so we went to the boarding gate only to find out that it is still closed. There is free wifi but the signal is weak, maybe it depends on the boarding gate, dulo na yata yung Gate A. Doha to Clark For our Doha to Clark, there is flight kit for adult and kids, entertainment kit for my son, and menu but they forgot to give the lunch box for my son. But I asked for it, I ordered Kid’s Meal so I was expecting that they will serve Kid’s meal to my son but I don’t know what happened but we did not receive it. But anyway, they fixed everything and we got our lunch box before touchdown. It is better to be late than never. Doha to Clark Menu Main Meal Appetizer: Seasonal Salad Mains: Thai Green Chicken Curry served with Jasmine Rice Beef Strogranoff with Spatzie, Carrots and Green Beans Egg Noodles in Chili, Ginger and Garlic Sauce with Mushroom and Tofu Dessert: Peach Mousse Cake Brunch Mains: Beef Cobbler with Savoury Scone, Cheese, and Herbed Mashed Potato Scrambled Eggs with Breakfast Sausage, Fried Potato Cubes, and Tomato Wedges Stir Fried Egg Noodles with Mixed Vegetables Accompaniments: Seasonal Fresh Fruit and Fruit Yogurt Beverages Wines: Red wine, White wine Spirits: Gin, Whisky, Vodka Beer: Heineken Liqueur: Brandy, Baileys Original Irish Cream Cold Beverages: A selection of soft drinks, ginger ale, soda water, tonic water, a selection of juices, still water Tea and Coffee: Freshly brewed Ceylon Tea, Longjing tea, coffee Our Qatar Airways experience varies depending on our flight, there are some flaws but overall we still enjoyed our Qatar Airways experience. I do recommend this airplane especially if you have kids in tow because they serve the kid’s meal first and they have flight entertainment kit. But don’t forget to order for your kid’s meal before your flight. Flight and luggage were delayed so 6PM na kami nakaalis ng airport and we reached home after 3 hours and 30 minutes. Yey! We’re finally home after the long travel.
