Pig Attack @ Zubuchon

Note: photos were taken on July 8, 2013

The world - renowned chef  Anthony Bourdain said this is "the best pig ever!" 

boneless lechon

kamias shake

RIP diet. :)

Summer get together - Palm Beach, Minglanilla

My friends and I seldom see each other so moments like the one we had last Saturday and Sunday are special.

  neat :)

keep swimming :)

Johann celebrating Allan's birthday

A short visit at the Basilica

A tour in Cebu is never complete without visiting Basilica Minore del Santo Nino. Even if I have been living in Cebu City for almost eight years now, I have never taken a single photo of the well known church. So last Monday, I decided to drop by to light a candle and take some shots.

the church's facade and the main altar retablo of the basilica

Beside the church's patio is an area where you can lit a candle while praying.

the burning wax candles

Magellan's Cross.

Ferdinand Magellan was the first European to come to the Philippines in 1521. The original large wooden cross was believed to be his gift to Juana , the wife of Rajah Humaton, and to the followers who were baptised. Thus, the fist Catholic mass was held.

Cebu's most important historical landmark

the tiled pavilion which shelters the cross.

Beach Bonding at Alcoy, Cebu

These photos were taken on November 11, 2011

After a much long awaited out-of-town trip, my friends and I finally agreed to go to Alcoy, Cebu. 

 at Jamoke's coffee shop while waiting for my friends to arrive

on our way to Alcoy

Alcoy is a 2-3 hour drive away from the city and has a beach down south, which is a haven for both locals and tourists alike. 

We arrived in Alcoy without a definite plan (laughs) so we hopped from one resort to another. 

 walked our way to check some of the resorts

The resorts were close to each other so it wasnt that difficult to search the best place for us. We checked out El Paradiso first but were disappointed to find out that the place was not well taken cared of. We decided to skip Bodo's Bamboo Bar since it was crowded at that time.

Finally, the search was over. We landed at Tinko Beach. It's a public beach like no other and  has a long stretch of powdery sand.

El Paradiso from afar

We rented a cottage for our overnight stay. It cost us 1000php , I think. ;) Not that expensive since we were 9 in the group. Nothing much to expect from the cottage. It's quite old and not that clean (sorry :D).But still, it was fine. The caretaker provided us some matress, too.

 an old cottage

Good thing about public beaches is that you can actually bring your own food and even cook there.

 pork barbecue.yummm ;)

Hara hetta!!! Budol Fight! for dinner ;)

 trip-trip lang. Class picture after dinner. :)

It was my first time to see the moonrise and it only lasted for a few minutes. As much as I wanted to document its every phase, I failed. :(

 moonrise in Alcoy

We stayed out and talked about random things. Since creating a bonfire was not allowed, we had this instead. ;)

one litre of light ;)

Morning has come and despite having having a few hours of sleep, we woke up early to see the sunrise. 

partly cloudy

Ours is not the conventional type of friendship. *wink* We don't see each other often and we don't even send messages that much. But deep inside we know we can count on each other.Funny how our differences bound us and make us come together as one-- just like the colours of the rainbow. ;)

Under the Sea

Sunday is supposed to be my rest day. A lazy day. But since my student invited me to go to the beach, I didn't say No. Anyway, we're going to the beach baby. A beach bum, I am. :)

Portofino Resort's Entrance

There were a lot of people when we arrived at the resort. It was expected because it's Sunday. We chose an area to stay under the tree.

view from our table

The sea breeze was just so cool and relaxing. It took away all my negativities and made me appreciate life even more. The water was also inviting. I hurriedly applied a sunscreen lotion because I know I just can't refuse it. :)

 Kayak-like boat

After having our lunch, we decided to try their Aquanaut. We were given a few instructions and tips before going underwater. A safety vest was also provided for us because we have to be transported by a small boat to reach the bigger one.

 I feel like a mermaid. :)

 Under the sea with the fishes.

Feeding the fishes.

Today is just all about happiness. Exploring a new place, being with new people, and trying to live in a different world - a world underwater. Plus, I finally got the chance to see Nemo for real!!! Yipee! :)

I don't have any regrets even if I failed to watch the live game of my favorite NBA team.This is just more than what I asked for. I'm happy that I got another thing crossed out from my bucket list.

Happiness. :)♥

Breaktime

Yesterday was our first time to eat out as a group. I've been working in the company for over a year now and I'm happy to say that I've grown so much. :)

I always keep my circle small and even if I have only known these people just a few months ago, I feel glad to have known them. They may not know it, but they contributed so much to help me know myself better. :)

posing for a shot before taking our orders @ Pizza Hut

solo Hawaiian Pizza

Caesar Salad

Spaghetti Carbonara

Cream of Chicken

Special Brownies

Spaghetti Bolognese

Cream of Mushroom

The foods were great and it satisfied our hungry stomachs.But then again I don't think it's all about the food. For me, it's all about the people whom you shared the food with. :)

This is our first time to eat out as a group and hopefully, this won't be the last despite the fact that Eirene will be leaving the company soon.

happy me :)

Thanks, guys! I'll be forever thankful to have known you. :)

Happy Feet at Osmeña Peak

It has long been part of my bucket list to climb Osmeña Peak so when I got an invitation from a friend, I said YES without any hesitation. :)

 happy feet

Osmeña Peak is said to be the highest peak in Cebu City, rising 1013 meters above sea level. I was thankful enough that my knees and feet didn't give up on me when we started the ascent.

evergreen

Upon reaching the campsite, the group decided to prepare the tents first while we're waiting for the sunset. The minute we were able to finish setting up our camp, we hurried our way to the peak to see the sunset. The peak was just a few steps away from the campsite so it wasn't really difficult to reach there.

at the top we climb

Finally reaching the top, the view was just so spectacular. It was overlooking the Western Coast of Cebu and we were lucky to see Negros Island from afar. 

 camping site

We also met other campers who came to spend the weekend in the mountains. We stayed their and waited for the sun to completely set.

  sunset at Opeak

It was getting dark and so we decided to go back to the camp site. It was freezing cold since we were at the highest point in Cebu. I'm glad I brought enough gear to keep me warm.

hello sunshine

We decided to leave the following morning. I cant help but look back and appreciate God's masterpiece. I realized it was a great accomplishment for me to reach the highest peak.

success: check

This is my first mountain trek and certainly NOT the last. :)

I can do it!

A very memorable trek. Just by simply looking at the view gave me a piece of serenity and peace. I'm glad I was able to make it. I consider this as my first step towards location independence and I'm looking forward for more adventures to come. :)