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Sep 26, 2016

[Day 4] Bukidnon-CDO: All-for-1 3-in-1

This day we're supposed to move to Pangantocan, Bukidnon. It's 2 or 3 towns away from Valencia, around 70Km travel. We're supposed to be joining a trail run, Kalatungan Ridge Ultimate Run, on Saturday morning. 

But Mark's swollen achilles worsened. I could actually just leave him at Valencia while I go on with the race but we're "all-for-one-one-for-all 3-in-1" so we decided to "move on" to CDO. 

Our last breakfast at Valencia was at their Painitan. I guess because of the renovation of their public market, their painitan's kinda affected. It was the "loneliest" painitan I'd been to. :(
Tailoring shops are like everywhere in Valencia.

really just wanted to stay in Bukidnon, but to enjoy the place, we really need Mark's foot to be not in pain. You know, trails are everywhere waiting to be explored. It's like rubbing salt to the wound to be surrounded with beautiful mountains, and you can't do any thing about it.

So off we moved to a place with taxi. :) CDO is probably the city in Mindanao that I have been to most so I was really not much looking forward to it. Plus, I feel that CDO feels like Cebu (so much feels in this sentence).

I was craving for "prow-ven" before leaving Valencia but I did not get any before boarding the bus.
This mushroom turned greasy at Circa in CDO satisfied that craving. Thinking about it, CDO is now an exciting destination. 
One of the reasons why i was hesitant to move to CDO because we're bound to just go on a food trip especially when we're staying in Red Planet (Tune hotel before), which is surrounded by mallssss. 

I cannot describe how disappointed I was with not being able to join the trail run. So to make up for it, I signed up to whatever upcoming fun run I came across in CDO, even if it was as "corny" as me. 

Angst pabebe
Arriving in CDO this day, I could claim that I got to cross Mindanao from south to north. 


Sep 24, 2016

[Day 3] Valencia, Bukidnon 2016: Years-Worth of Throwback Photos

Being in the middle of very big mountains, grand plans are waiting! First on itinerary was jog to Musuan Peak from the Valencia town proper we're staying then back. Breakfast, then visit / chill at Lake Apo. It's going to be a LAKE TO SUMMIT DAY!!!

I was awaken at 2am with the gushing of water from the faucet at the bathroom. It was Mark trying to "ice" his "achilles tendonitis." Of all the times that it showed up, it happened when we were surrounded with trails and natures where it would require a lot of time on foot. Yes, his foot decided to swell when we arrived in Mindanao. @.@ How convenient!?!?

So no jogging happened but we tried to take it literally one step at a time, until his foot could no longer take it. 

We still proceeded with Lake Apo. Mindanao people really love to name their places "Apo" like Mt. Apo, and then this Lake Apo. It's claim to fame is that it's the cleanest lake in Philippines.
If you're not into swimming, there's nothing much here. If I had to do it again, I would trek it from the highway to the lake to make it more enjoyable. But here are some ways you can entertain yourself:

Buy home-made delicacies from the women who seem to be the caretakers of the lake. You can also ask them to cook meals for you.
Rent this floating cottage. P300+ if you want to be towed around the lake. Lesser price like P100 if you just want to sit on it.
Then you can take all kinds of photos for 1-year supply of instagram posts and throwbacks. 

One photo for my crochet instagram account.
Then another 1 for my "running" account, My one and only yoga pose. Credit to the #instagramhusband who was able to take this pose which I was probably able to hold for 1 secondsss.

Lunch time, we moved out from the Lake Apo. This time, Mark really looks in more pain.

Musuan Peak plan became blurry. But we just thought we could just wing it out. And, it's really hard to miss it because it's that one "sore thumb" standing out in Valencia like always calling you to visit her.

After few steps, Mark gave up. I was sad to leave him behind.
But most of all, i was saddest because no one can take yet another 1-year supply of look-at-me-now photos. :( 
Musuan Peak is actually a quick trek. It's level of "difficulty or ease" is like Mt. Manunggal in Cebu when you start trekking it from highway (only it's shorter. I think out-and-back is 5Km or less.)

Some random photos I took along the way.

But first let me take a #selfie!
Ended this day with a meal at Manna x Quail. It's Mark's favorite, and so to make him happy, we had dinner there.

Their coffee is good. It deserves to be drunk(sp?) BLACK! :)

Sep 23, 2016

[Day 2] DVO x Bukidnon 2016: Layover

I wanted to leave Davao for Valencia, Bukidnon at lunch time so I could attend a friend yoga teacher's class but the OC Mark wanted to very early because delays and such might happen with our bus trip to Valencia. Like duh, So much about being a "backpacker" and carefree.

So I bargained for visiting the merkado for the Painitan before heading to the bus terminal. Painitan is my thing lately when visiting new places. It started with the Dumaguete Painitan.

Davao's Bangkerohan Market has the biggest Painitan center I've been to. It has stalls after stalls of similar looking Painitan that it's kinda hard to find the one you're looking for a first-timer.
We went to Del Mar Painitan because it's the internet celebrity. :) 
I just have to say though that Bohol has still the tastiest sikwate / tsokolate for me! 
Then it was a 5-hour bus ride to Valencia, Bukidnon. We rode the DVO-CDO bus. Owkei, I admit that I was ignorant when I imagined a wild wild west kind of scenario with this trip. But Except for sitting for 5 hours, views of greens and mountains, occassional bus stops, it was pretty uneventful.

Most of the passengers were senior lolo and lolas. Based on their conversation, they're going home to Ipil, Zamboanga. So after they'd land in CDO, they would then be hopping to another bus trip to Zamboanga. They're the original travel bloggers minus the internet. With them are bagful of food and Royal Tru Orange. :)

Quarantine. Every time you enter Bukidnon, they always let you get down and pass this wet carpet.
Food trips
Veggies in this part of the archipelago are extra crunchy and freshier!
And THIS! Thanks to the DIL! :) Next to durian coffee, this is the closest thing I'll eat Durian. 

Arrived past 2pm in Valencia, and we had a quick go-around of the city. We were able to pass by this city 3 years ago when we visited Malaybalay, and it seems to be just a busier city this time, more mall construction, subdivision, and cars. 

And this Manna X Quail has decent coffee. :)
And I love their restroom, it's bigger than our house!
We had dinner at Chesper, the most recommended eatery of Motorela drivers.
It has all the lights, and people of Bukidnon.
I ordered RM, Remeber Me, for its name. I think it's the equivalent of lansiao of Cebu.

A nice dish to end our first day in Valencia, Bukidnon: REMEMBER ME.




Sep 20, 2016

Davao 2016: I & My Daughter-in-Law

Meet my daughter-in-law, @ariannechan! :)

With our age gap, It's kinda weird why we know each other. :)  And so it's one of the reasons why I ❤️ Davao. I really don't mind being transplanted here. 

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First time to arrive in Davao at night time. And, it was the same after-office-hours busy streets as before as if nothing happened just few weeks ago.

Twinning...

Anyhow, this is a quick overnight stay, as we'll leave early tomorrow for Bukidnon. :)

We had dinner at Little Nam, a Vietnamese resto. It's located near the BPO center of the city together with other small quaint restos in some sort of a complex / strip.

And, I committed a major food blogger faux pas when I forgot to take a photo of the guicon. @.@



Aug 21, 2016

Belayer: The Other Half of a Crag Climber

I'm Clueless to the climbing sport, I solely trust on the referrals of friends of people who can help migi. And I'm very thankful to always being led to wonderful people: Yahman, JJ, Dodong, and other staff in Vertigo Gym.

Then earlier today (Not counting the "root climbing" in Danao, Bohol last summer), Migi had his 1st outdoor rock climbing experience. And, I learned that though climbing is a solo sport, a very big part of the success, and most of all the fun of the journey (and above all things - your safety), is of the "belayer." 

Big thanks to Enie Yonson, who was referred by friends and internet, for making Migi want more of it! :) (Though, I'm not sure with the others :).)

If you want to try outdoor rock climbing in Poog or Cantabaco, Toledo, Cebu, Philippines (or mountain / nature trekking / camping), you can contact guide ENIE YONSON at (0948) 712 4875. :)