PJC Travel: Philippines - Fall 2018

TRAVELS W I TH P H I L

FA L L 2 0 1 8

“Oh the places you’ll go.” -Dr. Seuss This travel book or journal is created as a way to preserve and share our day-to-day memories through photos and words. This was my recent visit to the Philippines since 2002 and a lot has changed from what I can remember. Seeing family, meeting new friends, and exploring new places.

Hope you find this book entertaining, informative and gets your travel bug biting to explore new places and cultures. Enjoy the trip.

Mabuhay!

VIEW OF TAAL VOLCANO IN TAGAYTAY

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PHILIPPINES S E P T E M B E R 6 , 2 0 1 8 - S EP T EM B ER 1 3 , 2 0 1 8

BAGAC BATAAN MANILA PARAÑAQUE PASIG CITY SUBIC TAGAYTAY book created by: phil cruz photos and words: phil cruz photo contributors: jay halo joy halo photo contributors (Bagac and Subic): eric ian achanzar lim gina pastor-quito

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Not affiliated or sponsored by any of the businesses mentioned in this book.

All personal views and opinions are my own. All rights reserved.

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SEPT 6-7: FIRST STOP, THE PHILIPPINES We started our two-country travel experience. The first leg of the trip was to my family country, the Philippines.

The morning of departure from LAX, my cousins’ Joy, Crys and I took an Uber to LAX. We met up with Joy’s older brother, Jay and their mom, Tita Lorna. It was nice to meet her finally.

We then checked in at All Nippon Airlines and received our boarding passes. It took nearly forever to go through TSA checkpoint. They screened my bag to check a couple of items, my point-and-shoot camera, and my one snack—a Clif Bar. After patiently waiting, for what seemed like an eternity, we finally made it through and went to get some breakfast.

We boarded our plane and settled into our Economy Class seating. The fight, though not fully booked, was a comfortable experience. I had a row all to myself but let my Cousin Jay take the window seat, and I was on the aisle. More elbow room without the middle passenger.

The personal amenities and entertainment helped pass the time. Seat-To-Seat messaging was also a fun feature. Food was better than average but some items were surprisingly good for our first meal. There were American and Japanese style food options so it was a tough decision, since I like both types.

On the way to our first stop over at Narita Airport, I watched Tomb Raider, The Fate of the Furious and Interstellar. I also tried to get some rest since it was an 11-hour flight.

Flying over Japan into Narita Airport.

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Walking through to the connecting gate.

Our stopover at Narita Airport was an hour and a half before our connecting flight to Manila. We just waited near the gate and grabbed a few drinks and snacks.

When we finally boarded, it was a smaller plane, and it was full! Not much luck this time for elbow room, thankfully it wasn’t a very long flight.

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TOUCH DOWN IN MANILA

2 Jumping a day ahead, we finally landed at Ninoy Airport, Philipines. Jay’s Tito Buboy gave us a lift to our condo in Manila, The Shell Residency Tower D. It was Tita Baba’s condo. Perfect size and a couple blocks from SM Mall of Asia.

Food!

After settling in our condo, we ate dinner at Namit, located in the same building as our condo. Namit served traditional and modern Filipino food. Joy and the rest of their family were already eating when we joined them.

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SEPT 8 SATURDAY - FAMILY

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Jay and I woke up early to partly sunny weather. Still warm and humid this time of year. It also rained overnight, so the road was wet. We decided to get breakfast at good ol’ Jollibee across the street from our condo. We mainly ordered from the breakfast menu, and it was pretty good. The portion sizes were slightly smaller than the US Jollibee, but the price was very inexpensive too.

Jay mentioned getting two combo orders since one is not enough for our normal appetite.

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Our condo in the morning After breakfast, we relaxed in our condo before splitting up with our families. Jay was to meet up with Joy, their mom, and more family for the day and I planned on spending my day with family on my mom’s side. RJ and Matt picked me up to tour the city a little bit before lunch. We visited a couple of the new casinos and SM Mall of Asia.

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Transformers statues at SM Mall of Asia

For lunch, we ate at Locavore where we joined Tita Elen, Tito Boy, and Thea. I also finally got to meet Katelynn, Andrew and Krizia’s 7yr old daughter. It was great catching up a little with them.

Locavore Burgos Circle Forbes Town Center, Bonifacio Global City Taguig City, 1219 Metro Manila 15

Street Food Platter Appetizer

Sugpo Con Mayonesa - Jumbo Black Tiger Prawns

Gising Gising

Fried Oyster Sisig

Mac’s Boneless Fried Chicken

Sizzling Sinigang 16

Cheers!

Sorbetes - Gatas, Keso, Tsoknut

A quick drive to my family’s home town, Parañaque City in Manila. It’s changed so much since my last visit in 2002.

I’ve only seen photos from relatives and family that live or visited in recent years. Although I have family in different areas, I didn’t have a chance to see them all.

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We arrived at the Rodriguez Compound, next to Olivarez College and Hospital, to visit Tito Rudy and see who was home at the other houses.

Milo was home, so we gave him the care box my mom packed together. Then had a quick chat and met his wife, Irene, and son, Aedrick. Tito Erning was home and said a quick “hello,” and I finally met Ghel’s daughter, Andrea.

John was home so got to see him for a minute and relax in his house for a bit. We also meet his new girlfriend. After hanging out, RJ and Matt brought me to see their parents house as well as Matt and Thea’s apartment. JR was home this weekend. I didn’t get to talk much to him, but it was great seeing him.

Tita Tess and Tita Dolly were still back in California, so I didn’t get to see them when they returned home later in the week.

I remember many of these houses.

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The Family Chapel

The location of Andrew’s new Shawarma Shack opening late 2018.

On Sucat Road. Olivarez College and Hospital to the left.

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MANILA After visiting the family, Matt drove me back to the condo and got ready for the evening plans. I also wanted to drop off the Filipino Whiskey I arrived at the SM Mall and tried one out. After sampling them, they weren’t all that great neat. White Castle was the better of the two.

Late afternoon came, and my cousins picked me up again. We headed out to Pasig City for some live music at The MusicHall at MetroWalk then see whatever the nightlife brings us.

just a little traffic

The evening started at The MusicHall at MetroWalk, in Pasig City to watch Katrina Velarde! The YouTube diva put on a fantastic performance.

Showing off her vocal superpowers. We ordered some food and beers to fill our

bellies and snack on during the performance. Jay joined us shortly after the show started and then requested for tequila shots! Oh, boy. That put RJ in a slumber just before the end of Katrina’s first set. During the second set, a couple of

audience members made their way up to sing. They sang ballads that were making me sleepy. Then a few more songs requested to end the evening with Katrina. I wish she sang a couple more songs, but it was awesome.

SUCLAY DIVA!

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Thanks, Jay!

Tulog na!

The “Wear all black” memo was received!

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After the show, we continued the night at The Brewery with local brews and grub, plus a bottle of Cazadores tequila for shots! Oh man.

RJ was about to fall asleep again.

A few of us powered through and finished the bottle.

After The Brewery, we went to Revel next door to check out the club scene and grab one last drink. Revel was big with a tropical theme. It was a typical club atmosphere with a mixed crowd of people of different nationalities and ages.

SHOTS! SHOTS! SHOTS!

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THOSE PRICES!!

What are you doing, Cuz?

Always time for a photo!

It was nearly 4 am when we left Revel then Matt drove us to Okada for a little casino action. We grabbed a few games and lost a few pesos and won a few pesos. On our way out, we greeted the sunrise on our way back home. I was ready to turn in and rest up for new adventures in a few hours.

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SEPT 9 SUNDAY - SUBIC

After a couple of hours of sleep, Jay’s friends, Eian, Gina, and Melanie arrived early to pick us up for the road trip to Subic. We started with a delicious lunch at Crisostomo in Pasay. It was exciting to try some new and authentic Filipino dishes I’ve never had before. I would love to come back to this restaurant again in the future.

Paella Negra - Spanish rice dish with adobong pusit (squid) & pork

Back on the road, the gang had a lot of catching up to do with stories and many laughs. It was a fun experience to see closeness and hilarious conversations between Jay and his friends.

It was a much-needed retreat for all of us.

I was excited to spend time with them and new locations

Crisostomo Newport Boulevard 2/F Newport Mall, Resorts World Pasay City

Leandro - Laing (taro leaves cooked in coconut milk & chilies) with lechon kawali

ROAD TRIPPIN’

road trip views

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SUBIC We finally arrived in Subic after the 2hr drive and checked into the recently renovated Hotel Bahia. Even though it’s an older building, the suites are clean and straightforward with updated amenities. There was also a common area and a couple of restaurants and bars. The hotel is also across the street from the harbor, and you can enjoy a beautiful waterfront view.

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Amazing “view” in the ladies suite.

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We settled into our rooms and then hung out in the Schooner restaurant with drinks and merienda. Jay shared one of his favorite cocktails that consisted of Soju and Yakult. Eian and I stuck to the whiskey.

Joel finally arrived, and it was a pleasure meeting another friend of Jay’s. Very down to earth, a gracious host and we shared some stories. For dinner, we went to Cork Room, a restaurant Joel manages. Located on the 2nd floor of a gasoline station, it has a kitchen, bar, a nice spot for live music/karaoke. It wasn’t busy on a Sunday night, so it was a very chill atmosphere. Great food and company continued.

We ended the night back at our hotel for last drinks before calling it and waking up early for our next location.

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SEPT 10 MONDAY - BATAAN

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Today we started the new day with some breakfast at the hotel. Tocino with garlic rice and of course...coffee!

That meal hit the spot. We then finished packing up and checked out of the hotel. Our next adventure will be a short road trip to Bagac, Bataan where we’ll spend the day at Joel’s family summer house.

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BATAAN

The roads on the way to Bataan were interesting. At times, very windy as it cut through the rainforest.

So many amazing views while driving. The rural area is not city life which leaves behind the congestion and crazy amount of people everywhere. With minimal roads and narrower streets among the town, it was a cool scenic trek.

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We finally arrived at the summer house in Bataan, and we were all blown away by how beautiful the home, backyard, and scenery. Is this real life? Inspired by Greek architecture, this getaway was something that’s tough to describe, and photos can only show so much—what better way to experience this than with family and friends.

The views of the beach were amazing and though we didn’t hike down to the shore, our time was spent enjoying the house and pool.

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The pool temp was perfect and at times felt warm. The weather was a little weird as the rain passed by us a few times, but it didn’t stop us from the fun. After some pool-chillin’, we enjoyed some merienda and relaxed around the house.

Naturally warm pool and cool rain!

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Then we noticed the pool lighting. What?!

So ends another fun-filled day trip. We thanked Joel for an unbelievable time in Subic and Bataan before making the 2-3hr journey back home. So blessed and thankful for great times and new memories.

The drive back wasn’t too bad. We arrived at Melanie’s place late evening. She graciously offered to have us all driven to our homes. We made our last good-byes and went our ways. Jay decided to get his new tattoo at 11 pm, which took about 4 hours to have done. I went back to our condo to get ready for the next day’s adventure.

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SEPT 11 TUESDAY - TAGAYTAY

We got a decent night sleep and still feeling a little tired this morning. We ventured on and got ready for the next adventure—traveling to Tagaytay.

Jay and I went to eat breakfast near our condo then waited for the family to pick us up. Tita Baba, Rana, Vik, and Scarlet arrived, in a hired van with driver, along with Joy and Tita Lorna, and we were off.

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Manny's Diner @ Shell Residency

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TAGAYTAY

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The drive took about an hour and a half to our hotel—Taal Vista Hotel. It’s a beautiful hotel with a great view of the volcano and the island. Jay reserved two suites for us, and they were spacious and clean, but not much of a scenic view.

Once we checked in and settled our things in the rooms, we went out to get lunch. We ended up at Leslie’s Restaurant for the view of Taal Volcano and Lake. Of course, lunch consisted of more Filipino cuisine. This time, we ordered a lot to try. It was all delicious!

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Jay wasn’t feeling well the past few days, and it hit him hard after lunch with flu symptoms. Cue for us to rest and see what we can do at the hotel until dinner.

We decide to grab some dinner at McDonald’s across the street since Jay was still knocked at 8:30 pm. There was the standard menu with a few items only available in the Philippines. I ordered the Spicy Chicken McDo combo and a coffee frappuccino thing. It wasn’t spectacular but still tasty. I could have eaten more since the serving size was smaller than the US McDonald’s standards.

We get back to the hotel and Jay finally woke up, but it was late, and there wasn’t much to do other than crash and start the next day early.

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Woke up early and went to the breakfast buffet in our hotel.

There was a lot of variety of food and drinks. Pretty amazing to say the least.

Tried a few items and didn’t fill up too much as lunch would be more filling.

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Weather opened up nicely with a sunny and slightly cloudy morning. So after breakfast, we enjoyed some time around the Taal Volcano viewing areas and taking photos before checking out of the hotel.

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Before lunch, we made our way to Sonya’s Garden and Spa. A lot of excellent services offered here but we didn’t have too much time to try what they provided. We toured the garden area and took some photos. Sonya’s a hidden gem that’s very relaxing and tranquil.

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There were gift shops and a small bakery shop, Panaderia, near the entrance selling baked goods, teas, and snacks. We browsed the two aisles and bought a few things to snack on during our trip.

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After Sonya’s Garden, we went to Balay Dako Restaurant for another recommended Filipino dining with views of Taal. We didn’t get window seating, but the weather started to get a little overcast, so there wasn’t much of a look. Overall, the restaurant was delicious, and the service was friendly and attentive.

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We finally arrived back in Manila, and it was raining so we stopped at Okada Casino. Jay and his mom played slots and tables. I played slots also but lost fast. The rest of the gang just relaxed at Starbucks next to the outdoor fountain and waited for the water show. I picked up a cold froth iced espresso at Starbucks for â‚˝160.

The fountain show was about to play, and the size of it was way more significant than the Bellagio Fountain.

Duration was just one song long, but it was fun. Would have been cool to see the show again set to another song may be something more lively.

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After the Okada fountain show, Jay and I got dropped off at the condo. I freshened up and waited for RJ, and we met with a few of the cousins for one last dinner at a KBBQ spot, Samgyupsalamat, near City of Dreams. It was ok.

The meat was a little greasier than I’m used to in California.

However, just hanging with the family one last time was great. I was hoping a few more of the other cousins would have joined, but it was mid-week and not the most convenient time. Then they showed me around City of Dreams Casino where Krizia works and to walk off the dinner for a little bit.

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After COD, they dropped me back at the condo, and we said our “good-byes” and “see you later.” I started packing some stuff and cleaned up a little the rest of the night.

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SEPT 13 THURSDAY - THE LAST MORNING IN MANILA The last morning in the Philippines began with cleaning up the condo and Jay wanting to get a few things at the market. We got ready and went for a little walk to Mall of Asia.

MOA didn’t open till 10 am, but the market was open. Jay bought some instant noodles and corned beef

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to take home. We decided to get breakfast at a Thai restaurant. I ordered lemongrass with ginger tea and papaya salad which had a little spicy kick. Jay ordered an entrĂŠe and lumpia to share.

Goodbye, condo.

After some last minute shopping, we went back to the condo to get ready to go to the airport. Jay called for a Grab (similar to Uber) to the take us to the airport–Ninoy Terminal 3. We said “goodbye” and “thank you” to Tita Baba then checked into our flight. The Philippines TSA was quick and hassle-free then we got our boarding passes and waited to board.

Next adventure awaits...

The flight to Hanada Airport in Tokyo, Japan is about 4 hours away! Just enough time to get some rest for the next adventure!

Although our trip was short-but-sweet to the Motherland, I hope to re-visit again soon and spend time with family and friends. After so many years, I look forward to making more memories and enjoy new expereinces in the Philippines.

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Kita-kits!

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P H I L C R U Z | 2 0 18 | T R AVEL BOOK #002 - P H IL IP P INES 100