Michi Photostory

This is supposed to be my Day 2 itinerary but I have to move it to our last day and cancel my day 4 itinerary which is one day tour in El Dorado Waterpark. When I booked our Iloilo trip, I invited a friend if she wants to come with us but she said “anong meron sa Iloilo? Wala naman yata interesting sites dun”. Well, Iloilo is not known for tourist spots but you can have a side trip in Guimaras or visit old churches. Though I’m not a Catholic, I enjoyed visiting different churches because not all churches look the same. Each church has its own beauty and story to tell.

At 8AM, we started our Church Tour; we just took San Joaquin Jeep. First stop is San Joaquin church. It took 1 hour and 30 minutes before we reached the church. Biyaheng-langit pa nasakyan namin, I was really scared that time but thank God, we’re safe.















Construction of this church began in 1787 while fray Francisco M. Gonzales D.S.A. was parish priest of this town and Domingo Libo-on was Gobernadorcillo. The church was completed in 1797. It served as fortress against muslim raides. In 1898, during the revolution, the church was destroyed. Subsequently rebuitl, it was damaged by fire in 1910. It was badly damaged by earthquake in 1948. Restoration work began in 1960 and completed in 1962. During the term of office of most Rev. Jose Ma. Cuenco, D.D. Metropolitan Archbishop of Jaro, of Msgr. Gernando S. Javillo D.P. parish priest of this town and Dioscoro Mueda, municipal mayor.

Guimbal Plaza

I’m pretty sure that we are all aware that our environment badly needs our help; we can no longer deny it because of climate change, global warming and different catastrophes that we’ve seen and experienced.



Sadly to say that not all people are practicing green living, I guess green living should no longer be a choice but it is a must for everyone. If we really want to improve our environment condition we should act now not only for our own benefits but for future generations. 


Green living is eliminating materialism, conserving energy, reducing waste, lowering consumption, recycling materials, supporting green projects and using organic products.

I’m trying my best to live a sustainable life and I’ll be sharing my little ways in helping our environment. 

1. I practice 3 R’s which is Reuse, Reduce and Recycle 

a. Reuse 

As much as possible we try to reuse some stuff in order to reduce waste and of course to eliminate buying new stuff. 

1. Plastic shopping bags use as a trash bag. 
2. I keep all paper bags for future use. 
3. I reuse bottles and containers of liquid soap, dishwashing soap, bathroom cleaner, and many more. I just buy refills. 
4. I reuse gift wrapper and gift boxes. 
5. I keep all paper bills, e-ticket, itinerary and other papers that we can use for my son’s artwork and scratch pad. I always make a scratch pad, see my sample here. 

b. Reduce 

Reducing our waste and practicing minimalist living. 

c. Recycle 

I segregate our trash, bottles, plastic containers, boxes, newspaper and any stuff that can be sold in a junkshop. We always go to the junkshop every month or if we already have more stuff to sell. 

We earn a minimum of P40 and our highest earning so far is P160. All earnings go to my son’s savings account via online banking. So in one year, he gets more or less P1000. 

2. Using Eco-bags 

I always have one in my bag. We are lucky that our city is very serious in helping our environment so we say no to plastics bags and straws.

3. Using Organic products 

Organic and natural products are now everywhere, I’ve tried Greencow, Ilog Maria and Human Nature products.

4. Using a rechargeable battery, CFL bulb, LED Christmas lights, energy saver, and other energy efficient appliances. 

5. Switching from paper bills to electronic billing 

I’ve been using electronic billing for our credit card, postpaid lines and I even stopped the SOA from our bank. Since there is no passbook, the bank sends monthly or quarterly Statement of Account so I request to stop mailing the SOA since I can check my balance online. 

6. If you have the budget, invest in solar panels so you can save more. 

Read: Energy Saving Tips

7. Lastly, always remember this when you travel. 

These are my little ways in helping the environment if you have additional tips, feel free to share.

It is no secret here that I’m a full-time mom, I resigned when I got pregnant, my pregnancy is not easy and we’re afraid to lose the baby again so I resigned. Of course, NO WORK = NO SALARY, so I searched the internet for possible opportunities if I can make money online.




1. Online Business

Michi Photostory just celebrated its first year anniversary last February and within that year some people asked me how to create a website even my family asked me this question. I admit I’m not an expert when it comes to this topic; the truth is I did not know anything when I started this blog. But with the help of some research, I was able to create my own blog.


How to Create a Website?

Choose Your Platform 

So if you want to have your own website, you can do it on your own. There are several free blogging providers that you can choose from;

A. Blogger
B. Tumbler
C. Wordpress
D. Livejournal

I first signed up with Wordpress but I find it too complicated for me so I switch to Blogger. Blogger is more user-friendly so I stick to this provider. But I'm still contemplating if I should try Wordpress because I have more options and opportunities to improve my site.

Choose Your Blog Name 

Once you choose your blogging provider, all you have to do is sign up and think about your website name. Sometimes this is the difficult part because most of the time, the name is already taken. Some website owners, use their personal names for their domain.

Another idea in choosing a name is, you have to consider your blog niche, are you creating a personal, lifestyle, travel or food blogs?. Make sure that your name will blend your niche.

Design Your Website 

Then choose your theme and arrange your layout. If you are just starting out, you can choose from free themes or if you want you can purchase a theme design or hire a website designer to do the work for you. Don't worry you can have a nice blogger theme for as low as $15.

You can check the $15 Blogger Templates here.
If you want a Wordpress theme, check it here.

Start Posting 

Everything is so easy and you don’t need to be an expert to start blogging. The exciting part is creating your first post. If you want to be organized, have a blog planner. This will help you in organizing your blog post, social media and tracking your blog opportunities.

Good luck and happy blogging!

** This post contains affiliate link/s. If you decide to make a purchase, I will earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.

I have WOW (Wealth of Wonders) Philippines book, my mom gave it to me year 2005 and from that moment I wanted to visit Guimaras, according to the book, Guimaras is a dazzling island of sweet mangoes. I love mangoes, either unripe or ripe so it is really one of my goals to taste the sweetest mangoes in the world when I saw the PHP1 sale of Airphil Express last June, I didn’t think twice because it’s now my chance to visit Guimaras. It is the 1^st P1 sale that I booked.

We were supposed to stay in La Puerta Al Paraizo, one of the new resorts in Guimaras but I changed my mind so we just had one sweet day in Guimaras. I had a difficult time in deciding whether to contact a driver/tour guide or I will just go to the tourism kiosk when we get there but to avoid the hassle, a week before our trip, I contacted one driver/tour guide.

Ortiz Wharf

At exactly 7AM we left One Lourdes Dormitel and took La Paz Jeep (P7.50) to Ortiz Wharf. Then I bought the ticket (P14). Travel time from Ortiz Wharf to Jordan Wharf is around 15 to 20 minutes. Our driver/tour guide was already there waiting for us, I just informed him of the name of our boat. The first stop is Raymen Beach Resort for our Island Hopping; boat rental is P400 for the first hour and P150 for succeeding hours.

As much as we want to extend our stay in Bacolod for a food trip, we have to say goodbye because we have to move to our next leg. Arrived in Iloilo at past 1PM and we took a taxi going to One Lourdes Dormitel (fare P60). 

I chose One Lourdes Dormitel because of the price and location; we always travel on a shoestring so looking for affordable accommodation is a must. My husband always stays in MO2 hotel if he has business trip but it’s too expensive for me. =) I was glad that I stumbled on Noelizm blog and all his reviews are indeed right.

One Lourdes Dormitel is really affordable, very accessible if you are a commuter, and very near in Robinsons and market. Actually, I was not expecting much but I was amazed when I saw that they had elevator, security card key, free-wifi, mini café, vanity dresser, closet, and even fridge in our very cute room.

From Museo Iloilo we went to Jaro church, we just took Jaro jeep (P7.50). The belfry is on the other side of the road. It’s hard to take pictures without vehicles. 

If February is my busy month because of our two vacation trip then March would be a stressful month for me. Just last night while eating our dinner, my husband told me his upcoming business trips, “Hon, I’ll be in Zambales, Baguio, Davao and Cebu this month and tomorrow we have celebration so gabi na uwi ko”. Then I said give me the schedule, I get my planner and noted all the dates then I discovered that he won’t be home for 10 days. Starting Monday, there are 20 working days so imagining 10 out of 20 days he won’t be home. You know already that I do not have househelper or nanny so if my husband is out for his business trips, I cannot avoid stress but I have to.

packaging tape

post it that won't stick anymore

artwork

These are just some pictures but there are more stuff that he did that I was not able to document like baby powder, baby lotion and baby oil spilled over our bedsheet or floor, chocolates all over his face and clothes, scribbles and doodles everywhere and many more.  You know the story of our wall and his sofa bed. I always asked him “what did you do?”, he will just smile as if nothing happened. So if hubby was not home for few days or weeks and asked me “musta na?” I always say the same thing “I’m still alive, blah! blah! blah!” (susumbong na ko ng ginawa ng anak ko, hehe!)

Yesterday, while doing my blog hopping, I read Mel’s post about personality plus. I remember the quiz that I took in Facebook and my temperament is Choleric.




Mel also gave me the possible problems and resolutions of Powerful Choleric

· Problem: Powerful Choleric are compulsive worker: Learn to Relax, Enjoy the Relaxation Time, Take the pressure of Others, Plan Leisure Activities
· Problem: Powerful Choleric don’t know how to handle People: Practice Patience, Keep advise until asked, Tone down your approach, Stop arguing and causing trouble
· Problem: Powerful Choleric are right but unpopular: Let someone else be right, Learn to Apolologize, Admit you have some faults.

My initial plan is Iloilo and Guimaras only but when I learned that I can go to Bacolod via fast craft for 1 hour only, I asked hubby to file 2 days’ vacation leave. Thanks to Airphil seat sale, I was able to book Manila to Bacolod for P2k+ for 3 persons.


Few days before our trip, the weather was not good and I always check the weather forecast of Bacolod and Iloilo and it always says, there will be rain shower and a chance of t-storm so I was really worried that we will not enjoy our trip. It was raining when we left the house until we arrived in Bacolod at 5:15AM but God is so good because when we start our tour, no more rain shower.

Since we can’t check-in early at Circle Inn, we went to McDonalds for breakfast, we stayed there until 7AM before we visit Capitol Lagoon and the Ruins. The first time I saw “The Ruins” pictures on Facebook and Internet, I was really amazed and how much more when you really see it up close.





"The Ruins of the Mansion of Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson was built in loving memory of his deceased wife Maria Braga after her death in 1911. The mansion of Italianate architecture was designed to be a monument of their enduring love affair. In the eve of World War II in 1942, the mansion was torched by guerrilla fighters and was burning for 3 days leaving behind reminders of a glorious past."


There is a mini-golf course for a minimal fee. They also have a restaurant but we haven’t tried since we left before the opening time.


The place is really relaxing my only concern is there is no tourist guide that will tour you around the mansion and explain the history of it; instead you have to read the information posted on the wall which I find incomplete from what I’ve read before. P60 is the entrance fee so I find it expensive. But still, it is worth the visit, best location for pre-nup pictures or garden wedding.



Read: 31 Hours in Bacolod

How to get to The Ruins in Talisay: 

From Capitol Lagoon, we rode “Bata Jeep” and told manong driver that we’re going to “The Ruins”, (P7.50/pax). He dropped us off at the terminal of tricycle and then we took a tricycle to “The Ruins” (P15/pax). The tricycle driver asked me “Ma’m, sandali lang po ba kayo?” I said, “mga isang oras manong”. He said, ah, kala ko sandali lang.

But we stayed for almost two hours and when we left, I saw the tricycle driver waiting for us though I did not ask him to wait. Actually, we’re ready to walk around 500 meters just to reach the next terminal of the tricycle. I’ve read before that you could hire a taxi for P500 or you could ask the tricycle driver to wait for you P100.

The Ruins of the Mansion 
Hds. Sta. Maria, Talisay City,
Negros Occidental, Philippines 

The United Kingdom is a prosperous city and its economy is one of the most stable in the world. The cost of living here is high but the popular attractions available at this place are what keep the tourists coming to this country, again and again, making it one of the top tourists’ destinations in the world. The United Kingdom has a lot of charms and a week or two is not enough if you want to visit all the attractive places here. Some of the landmarks here are the Edinburgh Castle, the Stonehedge, Canterbury Cathedral and the Giant’s Causeway. 


As mentioned earlier, the cost of living in this country is high but it can be more expensive as you move to the primary cities like London and Manchester. If you take taxis frequently, you will also mess up with your travel budget as they are really expensive. Therefore, you can save quite an amount of money if you hire a car at car rental UK. This car rental company gives you the best package based on your budget and you will not have any problems with the car because all of the cars prepared for the customers here are regularly serviced and checked by professional mechanics. 

Usually, all the popular places in the United Kingdom are located inside England like London and Manchester but there are also some tourism places in the other countries like Scotland. Skye or also known as the Isle of Skye for some is an island with a total area of around 1,600 square kilometers and the structures of the island are directly influenced by a lot of cultures like the Norse, Gaelic, and English. The Isle of Skye is made popular among the tourists mainly because of the incredible scenery here that are sculptured by the mountains and you can also see the nice white-washed villages of the island.

Even though this island is a bit congested with tourists during the holiday season and also because of the weather here, you can still have a great time at the Isle of Skye. The best time to visit this place will be during the summer as the rainy days are rare, and the best place to go will be the Fairy Glen, which is a magical place for those who love to see the scenery of the mountains and greenest field you will ever see in your life. You can have a great time here by walking using the trails provided and take a lot of pictures as a souvenir of your visit here.