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Apr 29, 2016

Bohol Day 3: foodie

April 23, 2016

I'm not sure if this day was Earth Day but been seeing "Happy Earth Day" on my social media timeline so here's an Earth Day #OOTD.
I so like the "silhig tukog" of the resort's staff. They had a different way of binding that it's more "bukad" and lighter. If only it's easy to hide it so I could take one with me home.

The resort has this path lined with bamboos. It feels like I was either in Japan or in the land of Panda.
Whole day was spent by the kids on the pool. That's why I kind don't really like much resorts with pool because I prefer to soak myself in the sea but then kids prefer more the pool so I had not much choice.
In between lounging at the pool, we were foodie-ing.
We could not miss the ice cream at Bohol Bee Farm. I feel that their ice cream here tastes much better than their branch in Cebu especially when you're sitting on their wooden bench under the trees.
Later in the afternoon, I could not help but explore the beach on my own. 
Dinner was pizza, which made me realized thaf everyone in this family loves pizza except I. 
They love pool, and I love the sea. They love pizza, and I love siopao which they also love.

Apr 27, 2016

Bohol Day 2: Sierra Bullones

April 22, 2015.

When you're asked of where you've been to, then you answer "SIERRA BULLONES" instead of just "Bohol." It sounds like you were off to somewhere more romantic and exotic like Santorini or Ibiza (Not to underestimate The exoticness of Bohol but you know what I mean.). It sounds like Sarah Barelleis. Sierra Bullones.

Sierra Bullones, Bohol. So we did not really stay in this place. But I just love the name "Sierra Bullones" roll in my tongue. I just want to say and write it over and over again, SIERRA BULLONES.

The word made me think back of those uneventful afternoons sitting on my desk in Grade 4 classroom in Badian Central School spent on reading the History book where it probably mentioned Sierra Bullones as where Francisco Dagohoy ran and hide. I probaby just made that up. But seeing the beautiful mountain range of Sierra Bullones, it's nice to visualize Dagohoy hiking / running there.

(Brave biker under the heat of the sun along Sierra Bullones road.)

So back to our Day 2 in the beautiful island of Bohol, we checked out of Danao Adventure Park as we'd be spending the rest of the Bohol "vacation" in Panglao island together with the 90% of the "tourists."

(Morning walk at Danao Adventure Park before checking out.)
I love morning walks because it's when you see the world like this, when you cannot help but feel very grateful just because so. 
So the bestest part of Danao Adventure Park in Bohol for me was just simply roaming around it, and their no-frills home-cooked meal.
The usual (more popular) route of going to Tagbilaran / Panglao Island is via Sagbayan then Carmen (where the famous Chocolate Hills view deck is), but we opted to do the SIERRA BULLONES route down to Jagna. From Jagna, it's pretty straightforward to Tagbilaran / Panglao Island then.

I know now why the Sierra Bullones route is not so popular because it's like passing Transcentral Highway of Cebu. But of course, the view high up in the mountain is always worth it.
The other reason why we opted for the Sierra Bullones route was because we wanted to have lunch in Jagna at Idea Pensionne / Garden Cafe. It's the same of that Garden Cafe in Tagbilaran whose staff are mostly deaf-mute. (We just really have to make up this reason though.)
Then, finally Panglao Island. We stayed at  Maribago Bluewater because we have these unused membership card aka discount coupons and food stamps. 
When Mark asked how did I find the resort, "It's like we're in Cebu." Jowk. Sierra Bullones. 

Apr 22, 2016

Bohol Day 1: That Different Kind of Bohol

April 21, 2016

It was probably in 2012 that I first set foot in Bohol to join a fun run. Ever since then, there's not a year that I have not visited this island. So somehow, I kind of memorize the different touristy spots of this place. I mean we have the same itinerary every time we come here: bohol bee farm ice cream, alona beach for the bohol bee farm ice cream, yet another eat-all-you-can you don't need at loboc river cruise, the chocolate hills, garden cafe, cafe lawis, and all those tarsier-butterfly-snake watching along the way.

So this time we decided to go to a new place, yet still another touristy, Danao Adventure Park. But it's a different kind of Bohol than what I was used to. It was unusual to see signboards of the resort very faded thus it was a bit of a challenge finding it, aside that it's in some mountain area of what somewhat to be in the middle of nowhere in Bohol. 
That was an exaggeration description. :) It was actually because they have not recovered from the massive earthquake 2 years ago thus we did not see the usual flock of tourist vans plighting the route. Unlike in Panglao and the other destinations in a typical Bohol itinerary of touring vans, the Danao Adventure Park is kinda struggling to bounce back. But the staff are doing the most with what is left of it.
(Our accommodation, house in the woods.)
(In the inside, we have a good view of the woods. Well, it feels like our home back in Badian.)
There were still a number of visitors doing the paid activities like caving, and their best-selling zipline. Their other adventure activities are stopped as they're destroyed by the earthquake.
I'm not so fond of "zipline-y" kind of resort but this time, I cannot help but feel so sad and wish I love to do the zipline.

We wanted to do the river trekking but they stopped it because the river is dumped with big rocks, it's hard to pass through the river trail. Caving is only for at least 15yrs old and up, so I settle for the root climbing as this the only activity that can let us go closer to the river as Mati wanted to do some swimming. And, I thought it's a no-brainer.

The trek to the "root" was really fun.
When we arrived at this huge root, watching the 90 degree angle made it easy for me to say NO. But Migi wanted to do it.
(With one of the guides, Philip.)
While I was looking after Mateo dipping into the river, I turned around and saw that Migi was already halfway of his climb. Gawd, I hate that I miss the whole thing from the start.
And, he rappeled back to the ground.
Oh boy, I am sooo proud of my #bebeboy #1!

It's nice how 3 little people have a different take with nature.

Migi chose to climb.
Mati lounged in the river.
While Meg simply lounged. :)
The boys took a dip for a few minutes before heading back to our house in the woods.
The best part is we got a family picture. The last one was at Canso-X. Trail guides do love to take family photos. :)
Thank you to our guides from Danao Adventure Park, Philip and Albert. 

And, it was nice to come "home" to a home-cooked meal prepared by the staff.
It was a different kind of Bohol, that touristy feels but the staff are so home-y. :)



Apr 19, 2016

#thatawkwardmoment in Parenting

Migi, #kid1, had been asking me since March to get him some new clothes because most of his' no longer fit him. So finally, I was able to bring him to the bigger SM, SM Cebu City. 

Migi's the "sexiest" in the family so it was never hard to pick clothes for him. But this time, it was a challenge. The kids' department sizes were too small for him, but then the teens' department were also too big for him. 

Plus he no longer wants the clothes with cartoon character prints, and he also asked for a pair of sneakers. And his voice is also getting deeper.

So it's like AWKWARD. I still find him too baby to talk to him about adult stuff, but then he's no-longer-that-baby to be still treated like a baby. 

It's awkward, and I'm kind of lost as this stage is no longer covered in the "What to expect when you're expecting" or those baby books. I really do not know how to do this stage. So maybe feed him pizza.

So when he picked his plain red slippers, which size also fits me, I also pick one that is most colorful slippers for #kid3 Mateo. Because one day soon, no one will want to wear this annoyingly colorful stuff in this family.

#OOTD of his picks. I wished he said yes to the Big Hero shirt though. 


Apr 15, 2016

BGC, Taguig Day 3: Uber Eat

Feeling ko wala akong ginawa sa araw na ito kon di sumakay ng Uber at kumain / inom ng kape.

Nagsimula ang araw namin ng uber patungo sa SM MOA para sa fun run, Batman vs Superman (magsulat ako ng mahaba-hanang kwento doon sa runroo.com. Hinihintay ko lang malipat ang internet sa bago naming inuupahan na bahay. PLDT, huwag niyo naman sana paabutin ng 1 buwan ang aksyon nyo sa aming "maliit" na request.). Ito ang una kong fun run since June 2015, pagkatapos ng magkasakit / pumanaw aking nanay kaya ang saya ko lang nakabalik.

Medyo ma traffic patungo MOA kaya "late" kami sa fun run. Pero mabuti na din yon kasi nakasabay namin ng iilang minuto ang MGA artista na "late" din. Abangan nyo na lang sa runroo.com kung sino ang nakita ko.

Pagkatapos ay bilis kaming umalis ni Chay sa MOA. Ang dami kasing tao ng fun run dito pala sa Manila. Nalilipong ako.

Gusto ko sana magsakay ng MRT pero wala na akong enerhiya makigsiksikan na naman ulit. Kaya uber na naman kami. 

Pumunta kami balik aa Condo sa BGC pero wala kaming dalang foods. Kinuha namin si Mark para mag pamahaw. 

And so the Uber Eat / coffee crawl routine begins:

But first let us take a pose.

Sa Kuppa Roastery, it's somewhere near Burgos Circle.

#foodblogger
I love my Ben's Cappuccino. Ben is the name of the owner of Kuppa.
Mark was so happy with his eggs... benedict.
Pagkatapos ng almusal namin. Nag uber kami pabalik condo pero wala pa rin kaming dalang foods. Pagkatapos ay iniwan na namin si Mark. 

Nag uber kami patungo sa condo ni Chay. Nagpangkabuhayan showcase muna sya. Pagdating ng alas 3, nag uber kami patungo Makati.

Medyo parang "ghost town" ang area ng Makati na napuntahan nami dahil daw kasi Sabado. Ang ganda lang tingnan, para syang yung mga street scene ng New York sa movie skaya let me take a pose.
Sa Yardstick, ultimate coffee gears / machine porn pagka pasok mo lang sa coffee shop na ito. May video ako pinost dito https://instagram.com/p/BD-Ju1BuNTd/.
#foodblogger
Flat white ata order ko. 
"Steam punk" ang order ni Chay. Para syang cold brew na pour over.

Pagkatapos dito, hindi na kami nag uber Kasi nga New York feels kaya aliw na alow kami pa lakad2x sa mga eskinita.
May gusto kaming pupuntahan na cafe pero nawala kami, and we ended up sa The Curator. Hindi din sya madaling hanapin kasi nasa loob sya ng gusali at walang signboard sa labas. 
Speakeasy daw tawag sa mga ganitong lugar, iyong nakatago sa liblib.

Parang hanggang 530pm lang ata ang pagtinda nila ng kape kasi sa gabi, cocktail drinks naman ang gawa nila. Sakto lang kami umabot doon ng 5pm.
Medyo "intimidating" talaga ang place sa una. Pero super cool lang ng mga baristas. 

Most of all, kuhang-kuha nila ang templa ng kape namin. Sinabi ko na gusto ko yung medyo mokapot na klase ng espresso strength na cappuccino. Ang "confusing" ng description ko sa kape ko pero nakuha nila! Wow! Amazing lang!

Defo this is a worthy coffee hunt to do. The owner of this place is the same owner of EDSA Beverage so I guess that's worth a trip to do next time. 

Chay's
Mine :)
They gave us free sampler of their spicy chocolate cookie! It was also yum!

On top of the barista, Micah, gave Chay a quick lesson on latte art. It was so cool to see her behind the bar.
Pagkatapos ay we had to call it a day, got uber-ed back to the BGC for dinner at SM Aura. We got too tired to go around BGC. 

Let me end this uber litany with a #mugshot. :)