Chasing Waterfalls 2015

I'm a beach bum - the sun, sand, waves. Perfection. Waterfalls have never been my thing. For me they are eerily full of mysteries. I guess it has something to do with the way they are located - deep in the forest, with trees, shrubs and what nots. It could be the cold water and how I always associate it with the out of this world. Or could be the big stones or surrounding walls and how they seem to be a fortress of the fairies. My imagination gets the better of me sometimes.

But the growing attention social media is giving waterfalls encouraged me to explore these amazing bodies of water. Let's go #ChasingWaterfalls.

1. Inambakan Falls

    Ginatilan, Cebu

One of the tallest waterfalls in Cebu South. Getting there gives you a picturesque view of the mountains. 

How to get there:

We took the Ceres bus at the Cebu South Bus station. Take the Bato via Barili route to get to Ginatilan. Alight at  the town proper, near the church. From there, take a motorcycle ride, "habal-habal." The drivers will take you directly to Inambakan Falls. 

Tip: Ask the same driver to pick you up at an arranged time. This ensures transportation back to the main road. 

Inambakan Falls, Ginatilan, Cebu

2. Dau Falls
   Samboan, Cebu

Dau Falls is less familiar than other waterfalls in Samboan. It takes approximately 30 minutes of trekking to get to the falls - worth every step. You'll be passing by cornfields, bamboo bridges, and rocky walls. Cool, fresh waters awaits you at the destination though. 

Dau Falls, Samboan, Cebu

3. Aguinid Falls
    Samboan, Cebu

Probably the "most challenging" waterfall I've been to. You'll need to pass through five levels to get to the main falls. Prepare yourself for the painstaking trek to the top. You'll be rock-climbing, crawling, reaching, just to get to the top. Book a massage post-Aguinid. You'll need it. :)

Aguinid Fallls, Samboan, Cebu

We were unable to get good photos of the falls. We had to leave our gadgets since going to the top means getting overly soaked.

A Taste of Tokyo

My sister's birthday earlier in August doubled as a mini-reunion for us Aragon cousins. I bullied my Kuya to treat us dinner. We finally got the chance this weekend - chow all you can at Tokyo Table. 

Tokyo Table is located at City Times Square, Mandaue. It was a Saturday night so the place was bustling with people dining out or waiting for the clubs to open. We came early for dinner so we sort of had the place to ourselves.

I loved the place, from the lighting to the table, it was subdued, organized and intimate. The wait staff was friendly and welcoming. I was already hungry from half a day of strolling around SM, so we head to the buffet table. 

The buffet table was organized. One side has the raw food for grilling, the opposite side has the cooked Asian dishes and the adjacent to the aisle, the fried dishes. They have a separate area for the oh-so-delectable desserts. Bibimbap and ramen can be ordered from the waiters and prepared to your liking.

Side A. Raw food ready for grilling. Get those tongs working! 

I am more than willing to do the grilling. (opps. did I just rhyme?)

 Side B. Various Asian food. I particularly loved the chicken dishes! 

 Side C. All-you can eat ROLLS! A feast of colors! Perfect Instagram subjects here. 

Side dishes for your grilled meats.

 Desserts! I was too full from all the dimsum dishes, but I just have to. 

 Look at my plate! HAHA. And I was full at this level. Everything was so yummy!

Place: Tokyo Table
Address: City Times Square, Mandaue (near Parkmall)
Hours of Operation: 6:00PM-10:00PM (dinner)
Budget: Php 850.00 (per pax)


 

Portos: Porkchops and Happy Endings

"Adulthood" has a way of messing up with the constant communication me and my friends have. With erratic work schedules, we ended up rarely seeing each other. The imminent wedding of my girl friend prompted an impromptu meeting, at least, with the people left in PH. 

By default, we met at Cebu IT Park. I particularly love the to stay at Chatime. The bright lights and colorful interior gives the place a light and friendly vibe. Plus, their menu of drinks are really refreshing.

We headed to Escario Central for dinner. We passed by a group of foreigners having dinner at Portos Diner and Grille and we could not help but crave for that sumptous meal they were having.

 Exterior: Portos at Escario Central

The place is relatively small, sits about 25-30 people. The lighting was incandescent; it may be good for intimate dinners, but I found it quite dark for Portos' set up. I loved the simple setting of the place, the wall decors were subdued yet artsy. 

 Corner table contains coffee cups and a coffee maker. 

 Wall decors at Portos. Artsy and subdued at the same time.

 We ordered various meat dishes. I was impressed by the fast service. The waiter was also very accommodating, he helped us a lot in picking food choices. He recommended house favorites. 

 Grilled Italian Porkchop. I didn't know butter goes very well with  meat! HAHA

 I seriously forgot what this was. But the gravy here is amazing! You can ask their waiters. I assure you, they're friendly!

 Grilled Pork Belly

Pork Sisig. Sizzling!

We definitely enjoyed a sumptuous meal at Portos. Don't hesitate to drop by when the craving for meat hits you. Let me know what you think. 

Bonus: See Portos Diner and Grill's menu here: 

Oroquieta: The City of Good Life

My  "scheduled" trips home are days I look forward to. I have been and is Cebu-based since I was 16 and going home are few and far between. 

These days, trips home are made more exciting by the tots back home - my lil sister and baby nephew. Oroquieta City is unfamiliar to many. Let me take you to this sleepy little city in Northern Mindanao. 

Disclaimer: I am not much of a photographer so I've grabbed photos from visitors to the City. Photography skills in the works. 

How to Get There:

Ozamis City is the nearest gateway to Oroquieta. You can get in by plane, Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines have daily trips to Ozamis. Shipping lines like TransAsia, 2Go and Cokaliong also have scheduled trips to Ozamis. Take the bus from Ozamis to Oroquieta. Travel time is around 45 to 50 minutes.  

An alternate gateway is through Dipolog's air and seaports. Travel time from Dipolog to Oroquieta is around 3 hours. 

Where to Stay:

Sheena's Hotel

Corner Barrientos & Del Pilar Sts., Oroquieta City

Century Pension House

Independence St., Lower Langcangan

St. Gerard's Lodging House

Rizal St., Poblacion I, Oroquieta City

Luciano's Hotel and Restaurant

Magsaysay Ave., Lower Loboc, Oroquieta City

What to Do: 

Take the Hanging Bridge. Adventure junkies from big cities pay a lot of money to try hanging bridges. Well, gather your guts and grab the opportunity to walk it for FREE! The Ciriaco Pastrano Hanging Bridge connects the seaside barangays Taboc and Poblacion II. It is basically a "mode of transportation" for the people of Oroquieta. It also gives you a perfect view of the Layawan River as it meets Panguil Bay. The bridge is 75 meters long and 20 meters high over the river. 

Photo credit: www.zoommorales.wordpress.com

Walk along Oroquieta Boulevard and the City Plaza. Feel the sea breeze, watch the sunset and stroll leisurely around the park. Wait until you get hungry and head to the halang-halang and barbeque stations along the sea wall. 

Photo credit: www.zoommorales.wordpress.com

Visit The Capitol. This is the seat of Misamis Occidental's provincial government. The Capitol is the work of Architect Juan Arellano. The original building is of Palladian structures, with great columns and picturesque facade. If you have time, drop by the Provincial library for a quick read. 

Photo credit: www.panoramio.com

Bathe in the Layawan River. Oroquieta used to be named "Layawan," after the river that cruises in the heart of the city. This river was a constant awardee of the Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran as Cleanest Inland Body of Water. You can look for a spot to bathe or head over to Daminar's Riverside Garden. They have cottages along the river banks that you can rent for a day's use.

Photo credit: www.panoramio.com

Zipline. Offered by Oro Extreme Adventures Zipline. The launchpad of Oroquieta's zipline is located at Baranggay Villaflor, a 10-minute ride from the city proper. I was not able to try this adrenaline-inducing activity yet. For more details, check out their Facebook page: Oro Extreme Adventures

Where to Eat:

Halang-halang Food Strip. Located in the reclaimed part of the city plaza, these food kiosks have been around for as long as I can remember. They are famous for their pork barbeques and halang-halang, a mildly spicy beef broth. Pair these with puso (hanging rice) to fill your tummy. 

 Photo credit: www.ivanhenares.com

Rhovic's Place. One of the first restaurants in Oroquieta City. They have a restaurant for diners and functions. In all the years I've lived in Oroquieta, I have only sampled their leche flan. Decadent! 

Photo credit: rhovicsplace.com

Pola's Restaurant. They simply have the best halo-halo in town. This pretty unassuming restaurant has been around for quite sometime. You also have to try their moist chocolate cake.

Luciano's Hotel and Restaurant. A recent addition to the go-to places in the city (probably the first to have videoke rooms as well, tehee). I must say their interior is awesome. It almost matches the posh dining places in Cebu. They serve Chinese, Japanese and Filipino dishes; portions are for sharing. 

fernweh: of missing places you've never been

At age 10, I found comfort in the arms of my diary and pen and sought support at school's Literary Club. I loved writing.

Loved. Apparently, I left in the past the best part of me. I used to write. Of essays, poems and non-sensical things. Somewhere in the realms of work and adulthood, I lost track of the writer in me. 

I found a new lover. Travelling. Suprisingly, the new passion ignited the embers of my old flame. Then I picked this cutesy notebook and started scribbling. With the advent of technology, I thought of bringing these scribbles to a different level, could be mainstream, but it could be fun, so why not?

Henceforth, I will write. And I will do this for me. 

"Travelling tends to magnify all human emotions" - Peter Hoeg