Michi Photostory

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.

A month before our flight I emailed one hotel in Bacolod to inquire if they still offer the promo rate on their website and she said yes. I replied to her email to reserve one room for us. Then a week before our flight I confirm my reservation with them but to my disappointment, the room was not reserved and she said they no longer offer promo rate and if we want to reserve the room please reply immediately because Feb 15-19 is their peak season. 


I did not answer back because I was really disappointed so, I searched the internet for possible accommodation; Circle Inn immediately responded to my inquiry and they told me the same thing.

“Please note that we are on peak season on Feb 15-19, 2012. We are requiring 50% non-refundable and non-rebookable confirmation deposit for the reservations we received within those dates.” 

I reserved a room immediately because I only have few days left before our flight. I also availed the airport pick-up for P500, actually, we can take a van from the airport for P100/pax but my husband wants to avail the airport pick-up because our arrival time is 5:25AM (yes, ganyan kaaga, yan ang natira sa promo fare.) 


Fast forward to our trip, we arrived at the hotel as early as 6AM, no early check-in so we just left our things and off we went to Capitol Lagoon to start our Bacolod Adventure. We went back at lunchtime and I was glad that they allowed us to check-in already. Circle Inn is a budget hotel so this is the room, twin beds, and bathroom. 



It was time for lunch but my husband wanted to sleep so my son and I just ordered at the hotel for our lunch. I ordered dinuguan, fried chicken, and rice. 


They have a pool too, my husband and son had night swimming while I was busy packing our stuff. 



I have no problem with our stay in Circle Inn; my only concern is the location. I did not check on their location, Circle Inn is two to three jeepneys away from tourist spots and restaurant so we’re having a hard time in commuting. We have to walk two to three blocks away from the hotel just to look for trisikad or tricycle going to Lacson Street. We could save more if we stay at L’ Fisher or Saltimbocca Inn because most of our food trip is located in Lacson Street.

Read: 31 Hours in Bacolod 
Food Trip in Bacolod

Circle Inn 
Lopez Jaena – Malaspina Streets, Capitol Shopping Center 
Bacolod City 6100 Philippines 
Telephone: 63-34-709-9111 OR 63-34-709-9009  
Telefax: 63-34-433-2538  
Mobile/Text Messaging: 63-917-445-9972  
E-Mail: bacolod@circleinnph.com

I’ve watched Eat, Pray, Love movie of Julia Roberts last year and this inspires me to create our own version of Eat. Pray, Love since we can’t afford to go to Italy, India and Indonesia. Last Friday we had another trip to celebrate our wedding anniversary, so we Eat in Bacolod, we Pray in Iloilo and we celebrate Love in Guimaras.

These are some pasalubong that we bought from each places though our Bacolod pasalubong did not reach Manila, it was gone in 24 hours. (except for muscuvado sugar)

BACOLOD PASALUBONG


Virgie's galletas
Muscuvado sugar, 
Pendy's meringue, 
Pendy's Napoleones 
Pendy's half moon cake

Bacolod is known for sugar plantations so it is not surprising if they love sweet foods. We went to Pendy’s for our breakfast and to buy some pasalubong. I will not leave Bacolod without tasting their famous Napoleones. We all love their Napoleones and too bad I only bought 2 boxes, I should buy at least 3 boxes, one for each of us. We also love half-moon, a simple cake with leche flan on top. So if you will visit Bacolod, don’t forget to buy Napoleones and half-moon at Pendy’s.

Read: 31 Hours in Bacolod

GUIMARAS PASALUBONG


Guimaras mango
Trappistine chocolate cookies
Mango yema
Mango cookies
Mango biscocho 
Mango otap





ILOILO PASALUBONG


I’ve tried Biscocho Haus butterscotch last year so this time I bought butterscotch at JD Bakeshop (P150 per box), some says that JD butterscotch is better than Biscocho Haus but to tell you honestly, I can’t tell the difference except for the size and packaging. For me, they both taste good.

Sad to say but this is the last day of our Ilocos trip, after breakfast, we went to St. William Cathedral, Tobacco Monopoly Momument, and Provincial Capitol. These tourist spots are all walking distance from UKL Ever Hotel, actually, there’s nothing special about this spot but this is part of my itinerary. 



We went back to our hotel to pick up our luggage and off we went to Laoag airport and that was the start of our Sunday mishaps.  End of my Ilocos series. =)

I had second thought in including Kapurpurawan Rock Formation in our itinerary because I know that we have to walk around 500 meters just to reach the place. I have no problem in walking or trekking but we have kids in tow so I wasn’t sure if they will enjoy this place but since we are going to skip Kaibigan Falls, I included this in my itinerary.

I have no regrets because this rock formation is really amazing. I’m not good at adjectives so all I can say is WOW and I’m glad that I’ve been here though seeing it up close is not easy.







Kapurpurawan Rock Formation is really amazing and if we’re not in a hurry, we could stay longer here.

gustong umakyat din pero nadudulas. =)

This is the view at the back of the rock formation.

Many first-time college students are often shocked by the very high prices of college textbooks, which can easily cost up to hundreds of dollars a book. Since new books have to be bought every semester those expenses can quickly add up. Thankfully, Campus Book Rentals has come up with an ingenious solution of renting books to students who would otherwise have to buy them. In fact, renting textbooks can save students over 50% of the cover price. Practically every textbook, for every major, is available in the easily searchable database, including the ever popular Organic Chemistry.



Campus Book Rentals offers free shipping both ways, so you will never get stuck with hefty postal charges. The rental periods are designed to fit the life of a busy college student. Three rental periods are available; semester (130 days), quarter (85 days) and summer (55 days).

However, if you need to keep the book a little longer to study for that all important final exam you can easily extend your rental period for 15 days or 30 day periods. Also, if you find that the textbook you rented has changed your life and that you would like to keep it with you forever and ever, simply pay the difference from the rental fee and the full value and the book is yours to keep. These books are meant to be treated as your own, so go ahead and use the all-powerful highlighter to mark the passages of interest. So, put money back in your pocket by renting your textbooks from Campus Book Rentals.

If you are planning a weekend or holiday getaway alone, with friends or family, Orlando Florida may be among your top preferences. You probably do not have the luxury of going through different brochures or walk around town looking for an ideal vacation spot. So why not tap into the convenience that the Internet provides, evaluate and compare different hotels in Orlando, and even make a reservation online?


Many new tourists are not aware of such provisions; and even when they are, they are probably hesitant to take this approach because they doubt its reliability and security. Making online hotel bookings is not only safe and private but also very favorable because it brings the services right to your desk or couch. There is a globally set standard that all websites maintain a strict privacy policy such that all customer information which will be specified will not be disclosed to unauthorized persons.

For most Orlando hotels, you are not even required to give personal details. They only ask you to specify your arrival dates, a number of people to be catered for, the type of accommodation preferred and any other additions that will enhance how services are rendered to you. Additionally, if this feels a bit too detached for your choice of customer care, telephone contacts should be provided at the site. Virtually all reputable Orlando Florida hotels have implemented this design.

Concerning payment details, very few hotels in Orlando ask for online money transfer. Although some have adopted online transactions, it would be advisable to hold onto your money until you are sure that you are paying for tangible services. Hackers and con artists have perfected their game and may disguise themselves well by offering unbeatable Orlando hotel deals. Be very careful as to where you disclose your credit card information otherwise, you may end up broke even before you can taste what Orlando Florida has to offer.

Today is the exact date of my first blog anniversary and I can’t believe that it’s been a year already. I would like to thank you for wasting your time, I mean taking your time reading my post. I have no idea that someone would be interested reading my blog, when I started my blog I only have 3 readers, me, myself and I. Then I told my mom and hubby about it and they became my number one fan. Thank you for your support.

Like I always say, Michi Photostory is like my online diary and sort of “me time”, as a full time mom, I need to have an outlet where I can freely write or express my feelings. And this blog is so helpful and keep me sane. I’m happy to share my experiences as a mom and wife, our travel escapades, our food trip and others. You have no idea how happy I am when my followers and subscribers are increasing and most of all I really appreciate your comments and thoughts. It is my pleasure answering your questions and messages because in my own little way, I can help. 

I never thought that blogging could be fun and interesting. I have learned a lot through blog hopping, I saw interesting places around the world and I came to know hole in the wall restaurant, and because of that I have long list of “places to go to”, “must see resort” and “food trip list”. I learned new information, ideas and techniques in dealing with kids and reading mommy blogger’s posts make me appreciate and enjoy motherhood. I even gained weight in reading food blog post, because of your post I keep on trying new recipes and restaurants.

Thank you for those bloggers who help me in doing my itinerary and planning our trip. Thank you for those people who gave me opportunity to earn on this blog, it is not that much but still thankful for the few paid post and paid links. One thing I learn about blogging is, “Blogging is not all about earning but learning and gaining friends” and I’m glad because I gained online friends.

I hope someday, I can also meet you in person. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for following my blog and to show my appreciation, I will be giving a small reward (Starbucks Tumbler) to my top commentator. As of this moment, I have 359 blog posts and 2,122 comments so I know that it would be difficult for me to check my top commentator so I added a widget last Sunday. Here are my top 20 commentators…. (drum roll).

this is the reason why I need to go to Starbucks last Tuesday. =)

Flowers, flowers, flowers, how many times will I say that I’m not a big fan of flowers. If you remember my post before, I wrote it here that I dislike flowers and stuffed toys, not that I really dislike them but there are things that I want to receive, but flowers and stuffed toys are not on my list.
Why I don’t like flowers and stuffed toys? I know that flowers are expensive especially on Valentine’s Day and they will not last so I find it impractical. But if you give me chocolates, may kilig every bite of it and it will satisfy my stomach. I don’t like stuffed toys because for me they are dust collectors, so just give me a queen or king-size pillows instead.