Michi Photostory

March 09, 2011

World Psoriasis Day 2010

It has been 9 years since I had psoriasis, sad to say that there is still no cure for this skin disease but it is not contagious. It is really a struggle for me to accept that I have this because there is no one in the family who has psoriasis so I still have no clue where did I inherit this.

Two years ago when I started to feel depressed because it is all over my body, I really feel so sad because I am doing everything just to prevent the flare-up, I tried all the topical medications and even phototherapy but there is no improvement. Having psoriasis is not easy because the medicines and treatments are not cheap.

But I still thank God for giving me the strength to go on and making me realize that I am not alone. It is true that I am not alone, for the past few years, I thought that I am the only one who have this in the Philippines, and thank God that I was able to join Asian Psoriasis Club, where I met other people who have psoriasis. It gives me relief that there is someone who can really understand my situation.

So when I heard that there is Fun walk on October 20, 2010, I did not think twice because I really want to be part of this and show the world that Psoriasis is not contagious.

courtesy of likha camera club

Lunch at Mano’s Greek Taverna 2010

Tagaytay is one of our favorite places if we have nothing to do at home. It is a best place for us to eat and relax. We usually passed by Mano’s Greek Taverna restaurant but we never tried it because the place is not really inviting. The place is just a plain blue and white building, even their table cloth is white and blue. It is no longer surprising because the owner of the restaurant is a Greek and the color of Greece flag is blue and white.

I heard and read a lot of good reviews about this restaurant so since we are on a food trip mode, we decided to try Manos Greek Taverna. The place is not an air conditioned room so expect that there are flies buzzing around.

We ordered Moussaka and Grilled Porkchop, I do not like the taste of the lamb so I chose porkchop. I don’t eat eggplant but when you taste their Moussaka, you can’t tell that there is an eggplant so I enjoyed it. I also love their porkchop, price is very reasonable because of the big serving. They do not accept credit card.

Mano's Greek Restaurant

Calamba Road
Brgy. San Jose (Olevares)
Tagaytay City
Tel. No. (mobile) 0916 429 8358
Fax (046) 860 2559

March 08, 2011

Snow World

Last stop of field trip is Snow World at Star City. We decided to go to Snow World first before anything else. We have our own jacket plus the Snow world jacket but it is still not enough to keep us warm. It is really cold inside and my son is not moving at all so after taking a picture my mom and I decided to leave immediately.

Gadgets are not allowed inside, so we have no choice but to avail the service of the official photographer inside. The cost of this picture is P100.

Avilon Zoo

After Science Centrum, we went to Avilon Zoo in Rizal. It is the largest zoo in the Philippines. The place is really far, it took us more than 2 hours to get there from Marikina. It was really a long, bumpy and winding road travel.

Visitors can interact with animals or feed them and even take some pictures for a minimal fee.

It is better if you bring your own baon because there is no other nearby restaurant except for the restaurant inside the Zoo. The place is really big; don’t forget to bring cap or umbrella, water to keep you hydrated and extra clothes. It took us more than 2 hours just to tour the place.

Bo. San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal

Tel. Nos.: (632) 941-8393 * (632) 948-9866 (63917) 899-5126

Fax: (632) 941-8530 * Email: info@avilonzoo.com.ph

ZOO SCHEDULE

Weekdays 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Weekends & Holidays 8:00 am to 6:00 pm

ENTRANCE FEES

Php300.00 Adult

Php200.00 Children less than 3.5 feet

FREE Children younger than a year old

20% Discount on Senior Citizen Card Holders

Science Centrum

My son was only two years old and he was not yet into school but he joined his cousin’s field trip for experience. It is like a family excursion because we were all there except for my hubby.

Itinerary for the day: Science Centrum, Avilon Zoo and Snow World in Star City.

Ethan with Lola

Exhibit Hours

Monday to Saturday
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Address

E-Com Bldg., Riverbanks Center,Barangka, Marikina City

Contact Numbers

(02) 942-5136
(02) 942-5091

Entrance Fee

Php. 100.00 only

City of Springs 2010

It’s my hubby’s birthday and the weather is not fine but there is no reason not to celebrate. We are supposed to go to Tagaytay but unfortunately, we were not able to get any room for that day so the second choice is Los Bańos resort. Good thing that I was able to find the Splash Mountain flyer, we used to go to this place for day tour swimming since they have several pools both for kids and adults but this time we plan for an overnight trip.

We immediately called them but unfortunately, there is no more room available, they refer us to the City of Springs Hotel. We avail the De Luxe Room with Jacuzzi, the price is reasonable enough because you have your own mini pool or Jacuzzi inside your room.

You can bring your own food if you want though they have their own restaurant, of course, the price is quite pricey.

Klook.com

March 02, 2011

Divine Mercy Hills El Salvador

Our flight is still 3PM so we still have time to roam around Cagayan De Oro or nearby places but zipline and water rafting are not included in my itinerary because of my two-year-old son.

After visiting this church we decided to go to Divine Mercy Hills El Salvador or Divine Mercy Shrine El Salvador in El Salvador, Misamis Oriental.

The best way to go there is to hire a cab, the asking price is P750 and we haggle for P700. I was surprised to see that there were so many people who visited the place. There is nothing really special about the place aside from the big statue of Jesus, 15.24 meters. If you are a Catholic and religious type, you will appreciate the place.

We only stayed for 30 minutes and we went back to the hotel.

Cagayan De Oro

It is time to say goodbye to Camiguin and go back to Cagayan De Oro. The departure time of Paras Sea Cat is still 4:30Pm so we need to wait for more than 3 hours and then another two hours of travel time.

From CDO port, we took a cab going to Pearlmont Hotel, our accommodation in CDO. It is quite near to CDO port so I only paid P70. After checking in, we went to Limketkai Mall to eat our dinner at Bigby’s and buy mineral water.

We are supposed to go to Night Market in Divisoria but we are all tired especially my two-year-old son, so we just go back to our hotel.

Pearlmont Hotel

Limketkai Drive

(8822) 72-9455; 72-9111; 72-7477

(88) 856-2653 to 55

(8822) 72-8913

Lunch at J&A Fishpen

J&A Fishpen is a very popular restaurant in Camiguin so do not leave the island without trying this restaurant. All kinds of seafood are fresh because they have their own fish ponds where you can choose your own fish, shells, or other seafood and cook it the way you want it.

If you’re not fond of seafood, don’t worry because there are non-seafood dishes too. The price is really affordable. No food pictures because we were really hungry after our tour. We ordered grilled bangus, grilled liempo and steamed halaan. It is very near Benoni Port so you can drop by upon arrival or before departure. This was our last stop before we left Camiguin.

Day 2: Camiguin Tour

After White Island, we went back to Secret Cove Resort to eat our breakfast and pack our things. We need to check out early for our last leg of tour.

Itinerary for the day: Buy pasalubong, the famous pastel of Mambajao, Camiguin, Katibawasan falls, Camiguin Animal Breeding Center & Ostrich Production Center, Giant Clam Culture and Lunch at J&A Fish Pen Restaurant. We no longer include Mantigue Island since we already went to White Island.

We were not able to buy pastel in their branch because it is not yet available so we proceeded with our tour and will just buy in the port. Anyway, you can buy pastel almost everywhere; the only difference is the price.

Second stop was Katibawasan Falls, it was the tallest falls that I’ve ever seen so far. Since we’re going back to CDO after the tour we did not swim. We just took some pictures and went straight to Camiguin Animal Breeding Center & Ostrich Production Center.

We were not able to experience snorkeling in Giant Clam Culture because the waves are too high; I am not a good swimmer so I do not want to take risk.

But there are clams in the center so you will be able to see the different clams that are available in the Philippines. There are kids who assist and educate us about clams. They are all good and friendly. I am so happy that there are still kids who are passionate in conserving our environment.

Read: UPMSI Bolinao Marine Laboratory - the clams that we've seen here came from this laboratory.

Entrance fees:

Katibawasan Falls (P15 – adult P6 -children)

Mantigue Island (P550/boat P20-entrance fee P50 – snorkeling fee)

Camiguin Animal Breeding Center & Ostrich Production Center

Giant Clam Culture (P25 per pax, P150 tour guide)

Last stop is J&A Fishpen.

Camiguin White Island

When you say Camiguin, you will always think about White Island because of its famous sandbar. It is only 2 kilometers away from Mambajao so you can see it from your resort. It is best to go there either early morning or late afternoon. The shape of sandbar may vary depending on the tides, sometimes it is letter C and sometimes it is letter I.

We decided to go there early morning so we waited outside the resort shore as early as 5:30AM where the boat will fetch us. Travel time from Secret Cove resort is 15-20 minutes depending on the waves. P450 is the roundtrip transfer of the boat, you have the option to stay long and the boat will just pick you up. We stayed till 7AM. Entrance fee of P20 per pax.

There is nothing you can see in White Island, there is no cottage, no trees, no shades and no comfort room. It is just a sandbar where you can see the Mt. Hibok Hibok and Mt. Old Volcano.

The water is not too cold so you can swim and snorkel. I love the place because it is so peaceful. It is a perfect place if you want to unwind and relax. The island is really beautiful and every angle is picture-perfect.

March 01, 2011

Day 1: Camiguin Tour

We did not want to waste our time so after lunch we started our tour. Itinerary for the day: Tres Marias Volcano, Walkway to the Old Volcano, Ruins of Gui-ob church, Sunken Cemetery, Sto Nino Cold Spring, Soda Swimming Pool, and Ardent Hot Spring.

You will see the Tres Marias volcano on your way to the Ruins. We just took some pictures and we went straight to Walkway to the old Volcano.

Since we have kids in tow we did not dare to climb the stairs and we proceeded to Sunken Cemetery. If you want to go to the cross you can ride a boat, P100 per person but we’re not interested anymore because of the strong wind.

Next stop is the Ruins of Gui-ob church.

There’s one guy who volunteered to take our pictures, pang Facebook daw ang mga shots niya and siya pa talaga nagsabi kung san kami tatayo. Ok naman pictures namin.

They say that this huge tree is more or less 100-yr old.

On our way to Soda Swimming Pool, we saw lansonez tree, we stopped by and took some pictures. It was my first time seeing lansonez tree. I don’t know why this is called a soda swimming pool and I did not taste the water just to prove that it is soda water. But the water is so cold.

We only stayed for a few minutes and we went to Sto. Nino Cold Spring and as expected the water is too cold so hubby and son did not enjoy it.

So we moved to our last destination which is Ardent Hot Spring. Finally, we enjoyed the water and felt relaxed after our amazing race tour. But we did not stay till evening because there were so many insects.

Entrance Fee

Sunken Cemetery (P100/boat to the cross)

Walkway to the Old Volcano and Via Cruces –station of the cross (entrance: Php5)

Sto Nino Cold Spring (P20-entrance P50-cottage)

Soda swimming pool (P20-entrance P50-cottage)

Ardent Hot Spring (P30-adult P15-children P70 –cottage)

Day Trip at Kabayan Beach Resort

It was already the first week of May and of course, we do not want to end our summer without swimming. This time we're heading to Batangas at Kabayan Beach Resort. I have read so many good reviews about this resort so we chose this one. Just follow their direction and you will not get lost.

Kabayan Beach Resort formerly known as Laplaya Beach Resort, it started operating in 1996 so it is already an old resort. This resort is one of the affordable resorts in Batangas, you can have a day trip or overnight stay. They have different types of rooms that can accommodate couple, family and even team building.

Activities that you can do:

1. Kayak
2. Beach volleyball
3. Billiards
4. Speed Boat
5. Banana Boat
6. Flying Fish
7. Bandwagon
8. Playground

The good thing about this resort is you can bring your own food which we did to save money. But if you don’t want to bring food, don’t worry because you can eat at the Kabayan Fastfood or El Kapitan Bar. Corkage fee applies for all beverages, wines, and liquor.

It was no longer surprising if there were so many people at the resort because it was summer time but because we were early, we were able to get a cottage at the beachfront. Since there were so many people at the shore, we rented a boat for P1500 for the snorkeling experience, it is just one-hour snorkeling so I find it so expensive but we have no choice since it is peak season.

The place is nice just do not expect too much. The price is already affordable for P100 per person and P50 for children. My son who was 19 months old was not exempted from the entrance fee. They have a swimming pool but you need to pay a fee. They also offer Day Trip packages so just visit their website for more options. They have a chapel, multi-purpose hall, souvenir shop, and convenience store.

Check here the other resorts that we have tried in Batangas

Kabayan Resort
Laiya Aplaya, San Juan Batangas

Nuvali

After Caleruega, we went straight to Nuvali to eat our lunch. I was so happy because there is Contis in Nuvali and I no longer need to go to Serendra to eat my favorite lengua estofado and mango bravo.

We ate first before trying the different activities in Nuvali which is not a good idea because we waited till 1PM so we could buy feeds and ticket for water taxi.

After our visit, I know that this won’t be our last time.

Manila Zoo

It has been two decades already since the last time I have been to Manila Zoo. This is not really a planned trip, I really want to go to Divisoria but Tutuban Center and Mall was closed (Good Friday) so instead of going home, we went to Manila Zoo.

lonely Mr. elephant

mukhang statue

I was sad and disappointed because I did not see any major improvement in the Zoo.

Manila Zoo

Quirino Ave., Adriatico St., Malate Manila Luzon Philippines

7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily

Telephone numbers: (632) 400-1884 (Manila Zoo) / (632) 522-6179 (Kinder Zoo)

Day Trip at Villa Escudero

This is a delayed celebration of our fourth wedding anniversary and we decided to go to Villa Escudero. I always want to go to Villa Escudero and this time, it will be a dream come true. Lol! It is the best place to unwind and relax because you will really feel nature away from the metro.

I was surprised that there are so many people who visit the place such as foreigners, students, couples, and family. The staffs are all nice and friendly. There are welcome drinks for all the guests so you will not get bored while waiting for your turn at the reception area. We only avail day tour package which is P1250 per pax. After paying you will receive a stub that you will use inside including your buffet lunch at the Labasin Waterfalls Restaurant. Just proceed to the entrance to start your tour.

There are jeepneys and carabao carts that are all waiting for guests, they will take you to the resort proper. It is nice to ride in a carabao cart because there are musicians that will serenade you all the way to the resort.

Lunch will start at 11AM so before eleven we already went to Labasin Waterfalls restaurant because we want to sit near the food table and falls. Lol! It is a different experience so we take our time and enjoy the food.

We were not able to try the bamboo rafting because my son is not allowed to ride it.

There is a locker for rent if you want to swim and leave your things safe and secure.

There is a cultural show at 2PM and we went there at exactly two so we no longer have seats. We finished the show because the performers are really talented and good.