Transit : Calaguas

My highschool friends and I braved the 10-hour journey to the beautiful Calaguas, a group of islands located at Camarines Norte.

We took the last trip (10 PM) of the Superlines Bus (02-414-3319) Cubao Station going to Daet. Tip: Book ahead of time because the bus gets full quickly. We arrived at Talobatib around 6 AM the next day and rode a tricycle going to Paracale where our boatman lives. Paracale is also the jump-off point going to Calaguas itself.

Mang Boy (0908-546-0683), our contact, met us at Paracale and led us to his house where we rested for a bit. Then we went to the market to buy food and drinks for our stay on the island. After buying everything we need, we ate breakfast at a local eatery.

We left Paracale via boat around 9 AM. Going to Calaguas is a 2-hour boat ride. All the waiting and travel time was worth it when we finally reached the island. Sparkling clear water and powdery, immaculately white sand welcomed us. This unspoiled beach is a treat to the eyes.

These are my friends. 🙂

There is no proper accommodation here so we placed our bags and other things on the cottage (350/cottage). We also borrowed a tent from Mang Boy where we will sleep later.

 

We rested for a bit since it was still too hot to go swimming. We ate lunch, played card games and slept for a little while. Around 3 PM, we proceeded to swim to cool off. Boy, swimming in those waters feels like heaven. We were too lazy to trek the hill on the island so we just swam.

Around 4 PM, we asked Mang Boy if we can go snorkeling. They led to us a farther part of the island where there was an abundance of corals and fish. There was no definite fee for the snorkeling so we just decided to give 100/person. My other friends also went kayaking (250/30 mins).

Around 5 PM, we started to prepare for dinner. Our items on the menu are grilled tilapia with salted egg stuffing:

My friend, preparing the fish:

Grilled liempo

Our dinner:

It’s part of the fun to cook your own food that’s why we opted to do that. But you can ask Mang Boy to cook for you (for an additional fee).  After gorging ourselves on our sumptuous dinner, we took a bath to wash the saltwater off our bodies. The bathroom is crudely set up and it has NO roof. My advice? Shower fast and get the hell out of there immediately. The water supply is bought at 10 pesos/pail.

After washing up, we bonded on the beach. The view is fantastic with the moon lighting us. Armed with drinks and chips, we formed a circle at the shore and just talked about everything under the sun. We slept at around 11 PM (we were really tired) and woke up to rain slowly flooding our tent. We had no choice but to evacuate to our cottage. We tried to find other cottages so we all can sleep more.

We woke up around 5 AM and started to prepare our breakfast of hotdogs and pancit canton. After breakfast, we began packing up and left at around 7:30 AM. If you have time, you can visit Bagasbas for surfing. We wanted to reach Manila early so we left Calaguas as soon as possible. At Talobatib, we boarded the 11:30 AM bus going back to Manila.

This is by far, the nicest beach I have ever been to. Indeed, it’s more fun in the Philippines. 😉

Want to check out Calaguas? Look at my sample itinerary with breakdown of expenses here:

What Diet? | Tim Ho Wan

This Michelin-starred restaurant recently opened a branch here in the Philippines. It is located at Ground Floor Fashion Hall at SM Megamall.

I was wise enough to eat here at around 3 pm where the line still hasn’t morphed into a sleeping anaconda. I was able to get a table around 15 minutes of waiting.

Tim Ho Wan is famous for their pork bbq buns (P145 for 3 pieces). And of course, that is what I ordered.

The light buttery hot bread is stuffed with savory pork that is guranteed to feel like a party in your mouth. No wonder people patiently line up for this. The sweetness of the bread blends perfectly with the spices of the pork bbq.

I also ordered my ever favorite hakaw or Prawn Dumplings (P160). It was okay, a bit bland for my liking. I guess it’s just not one of their specialties.

The staff are numerous and attentive. I would want to try other items on their especially the dumplings. I would go back but I’ll make sure I don’t run into a long line. 😉

What Diet | La Piadina

After my frustration with the long line at the movies, I wandered around and stumbled across this small Italian restaurant at Glorietta. La Piadina is located at 2/F Glorietta 4.

First thing I noticed that the service was kinda slow. I had to call the attention of the staff for the menu. I ordered the combo meal of two pasta dishes with grissini di pizza (basically a breadstick) (P390).

I ordered a red sauce and white sauce combination. For the red sauce, I picked Penne Amatriciana with bacon and onions and for the white sauce, Spaghetti Marinara with assorted seafood in light cream sauce.

The penne amatriciana was advertised as spicy. It was ok but I expected a bit more of a kick. The dish would have been a lot better if it was spicier. I liked the spaghetti marinara better but the noodles were kinda soggy, making the sauce runny.

Over-all, the food was alright, but a little bit pricey for the quality. Check their menu here.

For Your Perusal no. 10 : Never Let Me Go

One word comes to mind regarding this book: unexpected. I assumed it was a “me against the world” love story. I could not be more wrong.

The sci-fi novel is set in Hailsham where we follow the lives of three boarding school students, Tommy, Ruth and Kathy. All their lives and their classmates’ as well, they were told they are special but never the reason why. As they grow up, it slowly dawns on them on what makes them unique.

Indeed, this book is a page-turner as Kazuo Ishiguro writes cliffhanger chapters and even paragraphs. The first part was slow but still engaging. Like the characters, you are also itching to discovery the mystery that surrounds their existence.

The second part follows the lives of Tommy, Ruth and Kathy into adulthood. The veil is already lifted so now we want to see where all of it is headed. However, it was anticlimactic for me. The big reveal fell short and the succeeding events feel rushed.

It’s still worth a read, though. I just expected more since it was a Man Booker prize finalist. It’s a quick read with a lot of heart.

On My Way

“I’m on my way…”

That is the number one response when asked where you are. I admit I am also guilty of this but let’s examine how infuriating this response can be.

1. How vague can you get? “Where are you?” is a SPECIFIC question answerable by your exact location. This response implies “Yes, I’m getting there no matter how far I might still be.”

2. It’s an excuse. People who respond this way are looking for an alternative way of saying “Yes, I am very very late but I don’t want to seem like an insensitive bitch.”

3. It’s supposed to appease you. Yes, I know you’ve been waiting for over an hour but I’m already on the bus so wait for me. Or also known as “Bitch, I said I’m coming so sit your ass down.”

Yeah, it sucks to be the receiving end of this, right? I’d rather you tell me to wait for another hour than me manically checking my phone for an update on your ETA. Own up to it, people. If you’re late, apologize but indicate a specific time of your arrival. Of course it would be better if you’re not late AT ALL. 🙂

For Your Perusal no. 9: The Green Mile

This is a Stephen King classic I have long been meaning to finish. It’s a serialized novel and I bought the compiled version.

It revolves around the Cell Block E of the Cold Mountain Penitentiary where the inmates awaiting Old Sparky, as the guards nicknamed the electric chair, stay. Written from the point of view of Paul Edgecombe, the head guard in charge of all the inmates, he views his job as more of a counselor who keeps the prisoners from going insane.

He and his colleagues go about their usual job routine. But their routine is disrupted when John Coffey, a black giant of a man enters Cell Block E. John is immediately regarded as strange with his gentle ways and the way he regards other people. More strange events occur as John is incarcerated.

Stephen King writes with crystal clear simplicity. Unlike Pet Sematary, where the genre is more of the “Paranormal Activity” kind of horror, The Green Mile is more subtle. The imagery of the supernatural events leaves a light unsettling feeling. The events are not fantastic and over the top but the effect it had lingers.

I was teary-eyed after reading this book. I won’t spoil it for you but I was heartbroken at the end. The reading is light but remarkable. This is one of the books that I will truly remember.

At The Picture Show no. 6: About Time

This quirky rom-com is literally about the concept of time. Tim, upon turning 21, discovers that he can travel time, as was the case for all the men in his family. He uses this ability when he meets the love of his life, Mary.

They fall head over heels in love with each other, get married and have kids. The typical turn of events for a happy and bright young couple. But Tim learns soon enough that his capabilities might be used again when tragedy strikes in his family.

This movie is about love that spans space and time. I like that it’s not only focused on the romantic love between Tim and Mary. Tim’s eccentric family shows the different genres of love they have for each other.

The scenery for this film is gorgeous. It makes me want to live by the seaside and have weekly movie marathon.

This film is light and fun with just the right amount of tearjerk. It leaves you with a heartwarming feeling that makes you reach for your phone and call up your loved ones to tell them just how much you love them. ❤

What Diet? | Saboten

Imagine my surprise when Saboten opened another branch! And praise all heavens, it’s conveniently near my workplace.

I stopped by this newly-opened Saboten, its branch on Ground Floor Glorietta 5. Original branch is at Serendra, Taguig. With high ceilings, one immediately feels a sense of affluence about the place. The attentive staff immediately seated me on my table for one. 😉

I ordered the medium Original Loin Set (P375). This includes a portion of fat on the pork cut. If you’re avoiding the fat, the Tenderloin Set is for you. Shredded cabbage was served for starters along with some vegetables.

These are all refillable. I filled those cabbages with the sesame dressing and asked for second, even third helpings.

I grounded the sesame seeds using the wooden pestle. The seeds are mixed with the signature tonkatsu sauce for the pork cutlet.

Shortly after, the star of the set arrived. The tonkatsu, crispy and golden is served on a platter with rice on a separate bowl.

It was crispy and soft, and perfect when dipped with the signature tonkatsu sauce. Tonkatsu sets are absolutely one of my favorite food in the world. One thing I noticed was that the sauce in Saboten was stronger, more tangy than the one in Ginza Bairin.

I asked for another helping of rice but decided against for a third one. I took home the remaining tonkatsu.

As I was leaving, they gave me a P200 voucher. This is the cherry on top of a fantastic dining experience. 🙂

And yes, I will definitely be back and use this. Got any takers to join me? 🙂

Check their menu here.

What Diet? | Namnam

My college friends and I wanted to catch up so we scheduled lunch last Monday. I was craving for good Filipino food so I suggested Namnam. This is located at Greenbelt 2 (below Burger Bar).

We wanted variety and proceeded to order a bunch of food. We tried their famous Bagoong Rice. It has such rich flavor that for me, it can be eaten on its own, without any viands.

For seafood, we ordered the small Overloaded Garlic Bangus Belly(P165). This dish is really tasty. Bonus points that I like garlic on just about every dish.

For pork, we ordered their high-blood inducing large House Crispy Sisig(P365). It’s so good yet it’s so sinful. It seemed like tiny bits of lechon kawali placed on a sizzling pan. My friends and I just said “Fuck it. Bata pa naman tayo, eh.” 😀

We wanted soup so we ordered the large Sinigang na Beef Short Rib and Watermelon(P720). A little on the pricey side but damn, that was good sinigang. The watermelon softens the sourness a bit but is not overpowering. The beef short ribs were soft and tender. Its hot, rich soup is a perfect blend to the other viands.

The serving in this restaurant is ample and you get your money’s worth. But we’ll take it easy next time as all the food we ordered were on the rich and flavorful side. 😉 Check their other dishes, Filipino food with the right kind of twist here.

What Diet? | Zark’s Burger x Snow Creme

It was my friend’s birthday last Friday so we went out to celebrate. I suggested we eat at Zark’s Burgers located along Katipunan Ave, QC.  I have never been to this restaurant and I already heard so much.

Zark’s definitely does not skimp on the serving. I ordered the Jawbreaker (P250). This burger comes with a challenge: Eat it under 5 minutes and it’s free. I decided I will not pressure myself with this ridiculous challenge and just take my sweet time devouring this TRIPLE patty burger with Spam, bacon and cheese on top. This is a carnivore’s answered prayer.

Its bigness in size is parallel to its flavor. The patty is so tasty and cooked to well-done goodness. I was not able to finish my burger (It’s that big) so I took it home for breakfast the next day. 😉  Check out their other meat goodness here.

We decided to have desserts at a relatively new place in Maginhawa Street: Snow Creme. They serve Milk Tea and other beverages but their specialty is shaved ice in varying flavors. You can create your own mix but I wanted to try a recommended mix. I ordered the medium Black And White mix (P95) which was a dark chocolate flavored ice shaving with pudding and pearls.

It was smooth and creamy. I like that it was not overly sweet but it was not really a dark chocolate flavor.  I preferred the mix that my friend ordered, Golden Mango. It was a perfect blend of dairy and fruit. It also comes with pudding and fresh ripe mangoes.

 

Check the other mixes or their milk tea flavors here.