Visita Iglesia 2013: Manila churches

In time for Holy Week, Filipinos usually plan where to spend their Holy week. Being a city girl myself, I really don't have a choice of provinces, and I'd rather stay in the metro, away from all the traffic. 

During Maundy Thursday, everyone is on the road. Just for one reason - Visita Iglesia. It is a part of our Holy Week, where Catholics pay visits to 7 or 14 churches to pray to the 14 stations of the cross. Last year, we were able to do a Visita Iglesia in the churches in Laguna, Batangas and finally, Kamay ni Hesus in Quezon. 

This time, because my mom is busy with her church activities, we only have half of our day for Visita Iglesia. We decided to do a Manila Visita Iglesia. Since we are bound for Manila, we also decided to ditch bringing our own car to lessen the hassle of looking for parking areas and safety. Here are the churches we visited. Directions are also included, coming from Makati and from the last stop of churches. 

1. BINONDO CHURCH: Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz

Located at the heart of Binondo and near Divisoria, Binondo Church is one of the oldest churches in Manila, founded by the Dominican priests in 1596. 

Via commute: 

1. From Guadalupe, Makati take a jeepney bound for Taft-Herran. 

2. Arriving in Taft, take the jeep bound for Divisoria. Jeepneys are aplenty in front of 7-11 in Pedro Gil.

3. Alight in front of Binondo Church. 

2. STA. CRUZ CHURCH: Nuestra Senora del Pilar

Located at Plaza Lacson in Carriedo, Sta. Cruz church was built by Jesuits in 1608 for the Chinese immigrants. 

Via commute: 

1. From Binondo church, walk towards the Divisoria area where you will take the jeepney bound for Quiapo. 

2. Alight at Rizal Avenue, once you see the LRT 1 line. 

3. Walk on your right, and towards Carriedo station. 

4. Once you see Carriedo Station, turn right on the street before it (Burgos street). Straight ahead is the Sta. Cruz Church. 

3. QUIAPO CHURCH: Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene

You will never miss the Quiapo church, since it very well known church in Manila, most especially during first Fridays of each month and on January 9. The church was founded by Franciscan missionaries in 1856 and is the home of the Black Nazarene. Located at the heart of Plaza Miranda, Quiapo church is also along Quezon Avenue. 

Via commute. 

1. From Sta. Cruz church, cross Rizal avenue and walk towards Isetann Carriedo. 

2. Turn at Carriedo Street and walk straight ahead towards Quiapo Church. 

4. MANILA CATHEDRAL: Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Concepcion

The most sought after church when it comes to weddings, aside from San Agustin church, is located in the walled city of Intramuros. This houses the Archbishop of the Philippines and located near the CBCP. It was founded in 1521 by secular priests. 

However, during our visit, the Church is closed and is currently undergoing renovations. Sadly, we were not able to see its interiors. 

Via commute:

1. From Quiapo church, go to Quezon Avenue, right outside the church and take a jeepney bound for Intramuros. 

2. Jeepneys will pass directly in front of the Cathedral. 

5. SAN AGUSTIN CHURCH

Being the oldest church in the Philippines, built in 1521, it has withstood the test of time, thus, many of couples dream of being wed in the church. It will be celebrating its 450th anniversary, thus, the facade is also in the works. It is conveniently located within walking distance from the Manila Cathedral. 

Via walking: 

1. From Manila Cathderal, take General Luna Street. 

2. Turn right at Real Street and you will find the San Agustin Church. 

6. ERMITA CHURCH: Nuestra Senora de Guia 

This quaint church located in Ermita was founded in 1606 and houses Nuestra Senora de Guia or Our Lady of Guidance. 

Via commute: 

1. From San Agustin church, walk along General Luna street, until you get to the 

2. From the gate, take jeepney bound for Mabini. 

3. Tell the driver that you are getting off at Ermita church. Jeepneys will pass in front of the church. 

7. MALATE CHURCH. Church of Nuestra Senora de los Remedios

Located at M.H. del Pilar Street in Malate, and facing Manila Bay is our last stop for this Visita Iglesia, It was built in 1588 by Augustinian priests. This church is the home of Our Lady of Remedies. 

Via commute: 

1. From Ermita Church, ride a jeepney bound for Mabini or Roxas Blvd.

2. Tell the driver that you are getting off at Malate church. You will not miss it since jeepneys pass in front of it. 

What's In my Smartphone?

Its a cliche of having a blog entry of "what's in my bag", and since everyone of us are stuck with our smartphones, I believe, its time to focus on them.

Being a traveler by heart and as one of my perks in the job, the pen and paper will not always be reliable. I often leave my planner at work (since it is quite heavy) and I have a lot of notebooks inside my bag, I tend to forgot what my trips are. Good thing, there are FREE applications for android phones that can substitute as my travel diary.

So what did I download on my reliable smartphone for my upcoming trips? here's the list:


1. TripIt Travel Planner. FREE ON ANDROID PLAYSTORE.

It basically keeps track of your upcoming travels, including flight time, airline and destination and even who are you with on these trips. If you upgrade on Pro, it will also be able to track your mileage points and share it to your network.

How to use it:
1. Send your itinerary receipts to plans@tripit.com. The soft copies of your tickets, or even your itinerary will be uploaded to your phone and that's it.

You can print this itinerary via wifi connection to your printer.

2. XE Currency Converter: FREE ON ANDROID PLAYSTORE

Every traveler needs one of these converters, especially when you are on your budget trips. I chose the XE Currency Converter app since I find it more user friendly.

How to use it:
1. Choose the currencies you want to track. Just don't forget your local currency for budgeting.
2. You can choose at most 5 of these currencies, and set them into Rates and Inverse (on settings --> currency details --> rate and inverse), so you can keep track of the inversion rates too.
3. You can set the currency you want to keep track of. Since I will be bound for Hong Kong in the next two weeks, I have HKD and Peso on the top of my list.

The XE currency automatically updates itself on current market buying conversion and even tells you when was the last update. Just keep in mind that selling and buying rates are different from each other but at least, you have an idea of how much are you spending.

3. EHK Hong Kong MTR app: FREE ON ANDROID PLAYSTORE

As I have mentioned, I will be going to Hong Kong and since they have a very good MTR system and I don't want to be lost on foreign land, I downloaded the EHK MTR app that can be found in the tourist website of Hong Kong and on the Android Playstore.

I find this app useful on checking how to get into one station to another. It has the different MTR lines, including transfer lines that you need to take from one point to another. Aside from the stations, it is also presents the duration of the trip and the cost.

I have more apps on my phone, but I believe these are the best for travelling.

First entry of 2013: A Recap and What's In Store

Its been a while. A long while actually. I can't believe its March already, and this is my first entry of the year. I have been very busy with work, and juggling some other tough stuff in between and I somewhat forgotten that I have a blog to maintain. Anyway, I would like this to be a 2012 year end entry and a 'whats-in-store-for-me" entry for 2013. So here it goes...



2012: Another year of first times

First international travel. First time to leave a job. First time to apply just like everyone else. First time up north. First time to  stay healthy. First time to gain a lot. and to get a loan. See, a lot of first time.

In the beginning of 2012, I have been looking for another job, been taking exams and interviews. It was my first time, since I was taken into my first job as an intern and absorbed by the company right after graduation. After staying for the company for a good 2 years, I decided that if I will be taking my MBA soon, it would be better if I have an experience from both sides of my industry. Thus, I decided to take my chances on the client side of Marketing Research.

By April 2012, I landed a job in a major beverage company as a Research Associate and here I am -dealing with a lot of beverages, parties, concerts and trips in between. I gained new friends and someone to look up to. I never felt I was a new member of the team, we instantly clicked.

And because of our proximity to the mall, fastfood and groceries have been our bestfriends - thus, my first ever noticeable weight gain. We actually call it "maintain", since we procrastinate on our evening jog but take on a lot during our 9-6 work. everyday.

As part of my job, I was given the chance to work on field, and this simply means, I get to travel for free! My first stop was in Bukidnon - not a first time in said province but a first in Malaybalay. I was also able to revisit my first plane destination, General Santos City. Its been about 10 years since I set foot on that land. It was my first time in Ilocos, and I was able to visit some of Unesco's World Heritage sites up north - Vigan and Paoay Church. I returned to Cebu for a week, and was able to taste some of its famous treats - La Marea's Hot Bwornie Cup and CNT's famous lechon, aside from the Larsian experience.

By August 2012, it was my first trip our of the country, visiting uncommon first international destinations - yes, destinations, not one but 3. It was also my first backpacking experience, well spent with my two favorite people in the world. A visit in Ho Chi Minh's past and present, Cambodia's dark past and its Kingdom and Thailand's Golden Statues definitely made my year. It was an eye opener, and now, I am hooked at backpacking.


What's in Store in 2013?

Travels
One, coming from a great third quarter, just like in a basketball, I am off to Hong Kong and Macau this April with a different set of friends. It felt so good that I was back in the backpacking theme and research. I have been planning this since we got the Airasia's seat sale at 3,500 round trip tickets. (Still quite hefty, but we grabbed it anyway). My travel buddies are first international travelers, so I am doubly inspired. Well, its an additional task to have them hooked into travelling too!

By September, me and my college friends are bound for Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, as a part of our annual international trip since our Vietnam-Cambodia-Thailand experience. We just hoped the Sabah issue will not be as high as of this month, so we can go on more swiftly.

Profession
By this year, I decided to pursue my MBA application, so I am busy with my reviews for TOEFL and GMAT. I will be scheduling TOEFL in May and GMAT by August. October was my target date for MBA submissions, just in time for the first round.

While juggling this, I tried recently the online courses of EDx so I am sort of preparing for the tests. Aside from this, I have a part time job to do, which will definitely be a plus point for my application.

I am crossing my fingers for a conference in Singapore on my industry. We hope it will be okay.

That's all for now. I should go back to my packing since I am off to Fontana Resort and Casino by Monday for a conference.
Will definitely be back on writing after this entry.

Oslob, Cebu: Not only a Butanding Destination

My work last October 2012 in Cebu doesn't only cover the city, but we got to visit the now-famous Oslob - a small municipality in Cebu, located at the Southern tip of the province. Oslob was known for its butanding, which I personally believed to be the top choice if you want to see these gentle giants up close. Since it was known for the butanding and we didn't get to see them during our first day in Oslob, we chose to do a walking tour in the small municipality and discovered that it is not only proud of its marine animals, but full of heritage and history too.


How to get to Oslob, Cebu and back

Oslob is located at the Southern tip of Cebu province, a 3 hour drive from Cebu City center. As its location suggests, you must take the bus bound to Oslob or Tan-awan at the South Bus Terminal (Pahina Central, Cebu City). Buses are available 24 hours but make sure you ask the conductor or driver if they will be passing by Tan-awan just to be sure. We took Ceres bus bound to Tan-awan, which can be found at the other side of the terminal, near the terminal exit. Since we were conducting our study in Barangay Poblacion, Oslob, we got off at the said barangay. Fare is about Php 160.00 per way.

Getting back to Cebu City, you can wait along the highway for Cebu bound buses. Fare is also Php 160.00. Travel is a little over 3 hours, since there are people getting on and off several stops. The bus final stop is Cebu South Bus Terminal, where you can ride a taxi back to your hotel or accommodation.


Places to visit in Barangay Poblacion, Oslob, Cebu: HISTORICAL and CULTURAL HERITAGE

We found a map in the barangay hall presenting the different places to visit in Barangay Poblacion. Some places caught our attention such as Antonio Luna's old house, old church and walls, Immaculate Concepcion Parish Church and ruins of Spanish era, and thus, we decided to do a walking tour of Barangay Poblacion.

(Note: Descriptions are those inscribed on stones)

Cuartel

This unique structure was built through the effort of El Gran Maestro Don Marcos Sabandal to serve as barracks for Spanish Armies but was halted during the arrivals of American in 1899. The coral stones used for its constructions came from remnants of the collapsed floor of the Church Bell Tower. The walls of the structure which measures 19 centimeter thick still stand. The façade built of coral stones features a double row of arches.

Cuartel (front)

Cuartel (back, facing the sea)

Immaculate Concepcion Parish Church

The foundation of the Church was laid on May 4, 1830. The church plan was drawn by Bishop Santos Gomes Marañon, the same prelate who had the kiosk of Magellan Cross in Cebu City constructed. The site was chosen by Fr. Julian Bermejo since it has a bigger size for settlement and at the same time to replace the destroyed church of Daanlungsod, and officially became and independent parish on January 8, 1847. A fire destroyed the church on November 7, 1955. It was restored but was hit again by fire on March 26, 2008. The church was completely restored once again on December 10, 2010.

Immaculate Concepcion Parish Church

Church and Cuartel grounds

Church Walls and Gates

The Church walls and gates were constructed in 1875 to serve as one of the defense frontlines of the complex against the Moro Marauders. The wall features a series of pyramid top piers that gives a unique townscape component to the old street of Aragones and Eternidad. Some of its part has an inscription indicating the name of the street and the year of its construction.

Church walls and grounds

Baluarte
Baluarte is the Spanish name of watch tower. Its main purpose is to provide a safe place wherein guards can observe the surrounding area. It was a part of the defense system in dispelling the Moro raiders of the past. Many of these watchtowers ply the coastline of Oslob. Just near the Cuartel, one can immediately see ruins of an ancient watchtower. So effective was this system that in 1815, the townspeople of Oslob were able to repel one such attack and was peaceful ever since. These prompted them to relocate the town to its present site from their fortified settlement in Daanglungsod which are now in ruins but still breathtaking.

Baluarte

Antonio Luna's House

Located near the Oslob Municipal, Antonio Luna's house seemed like one of the houses there. There was no sign, no stone marker. We just identified it as it is by the pictures and simply following the street map. We just peeked from the outside and confirmed that it is indeed, Antonio Luna's house since it has its memorabilia on the wall. Sadly, you can not enter the house since his relatives are occupying it and an SUV is parked right outside of it.

Antonio Luna's House

Oslob is a good destination, aside from the Butanding experience that the tourists look for, it also offers a glimpse of our Spanish history and occupation, from the tisa houses and churches to the shorelines overlooking the sea. It is a side trip for your Butanding experience.

A Taste of Everything in Cebu

I have been in Cebu four times - first in 2010, second and third in 2011 and fourth time recently. In 2010, it was only a day trip from our Bohol vacation, where we only got to see the tourist spots in Cebu City and ate in Pino restaurant.

In 2011, I was only in a day trip again in Cebu for one of our projects. I flew in Cebu at 9am and flew out by 3pm. All I did is stay in SM Cebu's Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf while waiting for my flight back to Manila.

It was only this October 2012, that I have the chance to taste everything Cebu has to offer. With 7 days spent in city proper and Oslob, I didn't pass on the food trips. I got to eat on 3 restaurants -  CNT Lechon, La Marea and Larsian.


First stop: CNT LECHON

Location: 1377 Rama Ave, Guadalupe, Cebu City
Landmarks: Near SM City Cebu

Being a fan of Anthony Bourdain, his quest in Cebu on tasting the Filipino food made me inspired to look for the same food he took. I first planned to taste Zubuchon, but near had the time to visit its store. I don't like to eat cold lechon sold at the airport. Good thing, during our visit, we had a office friend who became our tourist guide and introduced us to CNT lechon.

When we arrived at the restaurant, a little before lunchtime, the place was packed. Parking lot was full already and there were almost zero vacant tables. Luckily we found one seconds after the family who occupied it left. Our friend lined up to order, I noticed that it was like a line for free goodies. Long lines as family waits for their respective orders. I remembered we got no.72, waited for about 30 minutes and the place was slowly filling up.

As soon as we get our orders, I was fascinated that their rice is in suman leaves, locally known to be "puso". It was very appropriate to call as such, since it is really heart shaped.

My apologies for those who are in-love with CNT Lechon, but I am not a fan of its saltiness. I personally find it quite too salty for my palette. However, I love the taste of the skin with its vinegar dip. Its crispiness and balance of right flavor is to die for.

Puso Rice

CNT Lechon

Second stop: LA MAREA's WARM BROWNIE CUP

Location: Crossroads, Banilad, Cebu


Our officemate, who was based in Visayas (now he's in Manila) recommended that we try La Marea's Warm Brownie cup. It was our dessert place after we had lunch in CNT.

La Marea reminds me of the quaint cafes found in the metro. It resembles Banapple and one of my personal favorite, Parvati. The place was also packed when we got there, though it has its second floor (which you can reserve for private gatherings and meetings).

Upon entrance, you'll see the shelf of baked goodies, from brownie cups to mini cakes and cookies. They also offer coffee and milkshakes. As recommended, we tried the Classic Warm Brownie cup (though it has more flavors such as white chocolate and triple chocolate). What is so divine with this dessert? Well, talk about the warmth and moistness of the brownie in a cup, topped with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup.

I am a chocolate lover and I can definitely say that this is the brownie cup I will never get tired of eating everyday. The right sweetness of the chocolate in it gave us the best feeling ever - childhood memories and weekends. For Php 95.00 a cup, it was definitely a heaven.

a selection of cakes and pastries

warm brownie cup

Third stop: LARSIAN

Location: Fuente Osmena Circle, Cebu City
Landmarks: Chng Hua Hospital and Robinsons Capitol


To cap off the day (and to end our free day too), we had our dinner at Larsian - the largest outside grill house in downtown Cebu. I have been in Metro Manila's food market such as Banchetto and Mercato Centrale and I have never found such place as organized as Larsian.

Larsian is basically a barbeque place, with individual stalls selling various products on sticks - from isaw (chicken intestines) to longganisa (chorizos), including chicken, chicken skins, pork and fish. Stalls have their respective numbers (if name is not available) and located at the perimeters of the area. You can choose a stall and your choice of food, have them cooked, look for your table and wait for your food to arrive. Conveniently, tables are located in front of their respective stalls. Grills are located at the middle of the area, where stalls have their own grilling "station".

Upon sitting down at your chosen table, a plate of 10 puso or rice in suman leaves are placed on your table. You will just eat what you can and they would count what's remaining and charge you what you consumed. The barbeques arrived after 20 minutes and we dug in. You have the choice of having your hands inside plastic gloves or eat on your bare hands. No worries, you can wash your hands after since wash rooms are available in the area.

Barbeques are sweet, one thing that I liked about it. I love the barbeque sauce that instead of dipping the actual barbeque on a mix of soy sauce, vinegar and calamansi, I rolled it again to its own sauce before I eat it. I probably one of the best barbeques I have ever had. I am tempted to ask how do they do it, but I guess its top secret. Food is relatively cheap - we spent less than 200 bucks for 10 sticks of barbeque (of different sorts) and 6 puso rice.

tables and barbeque selection



grilling stations and our food

Cebu City is one of the best places I have ever been. With its food, night life and various tourist spots, it offers you a variety of choices to do and places to go. I am definitely inlove with Cebu City.