Neil The Wanderer

Showing posts with label philippines. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

While I consider myself a well-traveled person, I must admit that there are still a lot of question marks in my traveling resume.

Here in the Philippines alone, there are still three or four provinces that I haven't visited and most of those I have actually reached, I only check out once.

It is therefore a welcome feeling for me to come back to Cagayan de Oro once more. Even though it was just a short stop en route to our main destination of Bukidnon, I really savored the chance to check out what we can given the minimal time we had.

And one major stop was at Seablings Seafood Restaurant.

I had high expectations from this particular restaurant mainly because a lot of previous travelers have given it high marks for its relatively cheaper cost, and sumptuous, fresh seafood cuisines. In fact, it is a highly recommended restaurant according to Zomato and the second best restaurant in Cagayan de Oro according to TripAdvisor.

Needless to say, I had to check it out. And I did. And boy was I glad that I did.

Located in Opol, Misamis Oriental (Cagayan de Oro), Seablings restaurant stands proudly along the beach, emphasizing its niche in seafood dishes.

The staff and crew were very accommodating and they entertained us even though I made reservations barely an hour before we arrived.

The entire restaurants have large, open door and windows, allowing the cool breeze, much to the delight of the customers. It was a really a good respite from the noontime heat.

We ordered several fish dishes, prawns, squid and scallops. We also ordered the native kilawin and pakbet with seafood. All dishes arrived within 20 minutes even though there were other customers at the time.

I must say the seafood dishes were really fresh and they were really good. I even found later on that they were really affordable t

I particularly enjoyed their pakbet sauteed with seafoods. It wasnt very salty and was very appetizing.

Their hilabos na hipon was also good, though I had to request for the dish to be reheated because it was not very hot when it reached our table.

Their red snapper was also excellent.

The ambiance was perfect for a relaxing, chill lunch among friends or families. I was so relaxed during our visit that I was able to eat a lot, hahaha.

Their banana split was ok but their leche flan needs improvement.

Overall, I really enjoyed my dining experience at Seablings. And I realized that the high praises given by fellow travelers were very much deserved. The awesome ambiance, great food, affordable prices plus the fact that it is about 20 minutes away from the airport are major factors why it is a very popular restaurant.

I would really recommend this restaurant to others.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'll give it an 8.5.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

As mentioned, I recently had the pleasure of exploring Cebu once again. Being a major city, there is so much to explore in Cebu no matter how often you visit the province.

This time though, it was a business trip so almost everything was pre-arranged by my company and corporate sponsor.

I have my preferred hotels in the province so when I was told that I was staying in Alpa City Suites, I really didn't know what to expect since that was the first time I heard of it.

As in turned out, it was a very good business hotel that is worth every penny.

Located in Hernan Cortes St corner F. Cabahug in Mandaue City, Alpa City Suites is about 30 minutes away from the airport. If you take a yellow coupon taxi from the airport, it will cost you about P210.

It is five minutes away from Ayala Mall and Parkmall Cebu.

In all honesty, it is one of the most affordable hotels I've been to. It is therefore not a surprise that the hotel was almost always fully booked.

Despite a prior reservation, I wasn't able to make an early check in because all rooms regardless of class were occupied. I had to wait until 1pm before I was able to check in.

There are 84 rooms in Alpa City Suites and I took a superior suite priced at a friendly rate of $70 per night. The executive suites are priced at $76, while the Deluxe suites are at $80 while the royal suites are at $86.

The hotel has very few facilities just a small conference room, small buffet area Amo's cafe, where guests also have their breakfast. There is also a small business center in the lobby.

But for $70 per night, I was suprised to see a bigger than usual ordinary room. I assume that the others rooms are even bigger. The room has a huge flatscreen TV, a 7 foot fridge filled with beverages and alcoholic drinks, and a bigger than usual comfort room. All rooms are equipped with wi-fi and LAN.

The only bad comment I have, I guess, is that their buffet breakfast is not too filling. just some toasts, cereals, some omelets, rice and a few dishes. But for the hotel rates, I can't say i was surprised at all.

Overall, I was satisfied with the rooms and the hotel services. It's really a good value for money hotel.

Friday, October 11, 2013

By now, almost everyone who loves ribs must have heard/tried Casa Verde. This chain of restaurant is so famous for their big ribs that are easy on the pocket.

My first Casa Verde experience was in downtown Cebu, in their original branch in Lim Tian Teng Street, Ramos town. My officemates and I were in a business trip and we just had to find out what the fuss was all about.

It turned out that Casa Verde was a ribs experience you just have to have whenever you visit Cebu or else, your trip won't be complete.

Years have passed but I still haven't gotten over my first Casa Verde moment. I heard that there will be a new branch at the Ayala UP Town Center in UP Diliman but I haven't tried it yet.

Just recently, another business engagement brought me back to the queen city of the south and there was no way in hell that I would miss the opportunity to try Casa Verde yet again.

This time, I opted to try their branch located at the Terraces of the Ayala Mall and I was glad that I did.

The store have this cozy feel that is quite different from the homey feeling you get when you dine at their Ramos branch. While that original branch is inside an ancestral house complex, this one is located at the heart of commercial Cebu and most of the patrons are the cosmopolitan Cebuanos so you get that feeling that you're having an awesome steak while in the middle of Cebu's hustle and bustle.

The interiors were more modern and are somehow reminiscent of TGI Friday's.

But Casa Verde's main attraction are their finger-looking steak and other dishes at low low prices.

Their bestseller Brian's Ribs are sold at a mind-boggling rate of P208.

Until now, I still can't believe it even though I know that it is possible given the hordes of customers coming to dine there. (It is the same principle behind buffets and eat all-you-cans).

I would have tried more of Casa Verde's menu but I was so full that I didn't dare order anything else from the menu. Also, I had to run to attend to more business.

Indeed, my encounter with Casa Verde was one of the highlights of my Cebu trip.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

I have visited the province of Davao nearly 15 times already but every visit, I am able to discover something new about this sun-kissed province in Mindanao.

the lobby

During my recent visit, I was able to discover the quaint but surprisingly interesting Davao Museum of History and Ethnography located at Insular Village I in Lanang, Davao City.

It was a project commissioned by the Ayala Foundation in 1976 and undertaken by the Zonta Club of Davao the following year. It houses unique artifacts that prove the ingenuity and richness of the tribes that inhabit the province.

The museum is basically a two-storey building, small in comparison to the museums but it is compact with a lot of historical artifacts and bullets about the history of Davao.

I was really fascinated with the weaves and the the musical instruments. But of course, the museum has other highlights.

In case you're wondering what you're going to see at the museum, here are some photos I took for your reference. So please enjoy.I must advise you however, to still visit it when you have the chance.

Operating Hours: The museum is open from Monday to Saturday at 9am to 12 noon and then 1-5pm. It is closed during Sundays and Holidays.

Admission rates: P100 for adults and P20 for students