Palawan 2011 - Day One (1)

Just when we got back from a Boracay trip last January, ZestAir had a promo fare. We booked 5 tickets to Puerto Princesa, Palawan - September 17 - 19.

Round trip ZestAir ticket to Puerto Princesa, Palawan - Php 400 each.

Fast forward to September 2011.

It was my first time to see Palawan. I have always been fascinated to see the place, that's why I was excited!

Being and has always been the group's planner. I was obliged to find a great deal tour. My friend Joseph suggested the Hibiscus Garden Inn, I tried to get in touch with them but to no avail. I guess they do not want to have business with us. lol. Aaron, my officemate, found online a great deal. De Loro Inn and Restaurant. (http://www.deloropalawan.com/). 

Their tour packages were unbelievable. I even thought it was a hoax so I had to assuredly check if they are real and had to find and read the reviews about them. Contented with what I have read, we availed the tour package D which includes the accommodation and tour.

Rate: Php 3,800.00 / Person (3days / 2 nights)

Inclusions on Accommodation:
Welcome Drinks, Daily Continental Breakfast, Free Airport Transfer.

Inclusions on Tours:
Aircondition Van Transfer, Boat Fee, Entrance Fees, Cottage Fees,
Permits, Buffet Lunch, Tour Guide.

Not Bad!! Right?!!

The place is just 2 minutes away from the airport which is great! And I thought the people there are the most courteous, well-mannered resort employees I have ever encountered. I swear!

  

So basically all we have to worry was dinner and "pasalubong". You will be amazed with the food they got there in Palawan! I will show you some food images I got later on.

Since September is a typhoon season in the Philippines, expect a lot of flight cancellation and delays. Praise to God that on our day of departure Mr. Sun is up and bright! We arrived 5 o'clock PM at Puerto Princesa safe and sound but not Jaydee's luggage. 

A damaged luggage greeted us at the baggage claim. Jaydee had to go to the airline ticket counter and report the incident. Ay the hassle talaga!

 

A huge sculpture of a horse will greet you at the De Loro's lobby

  

The Palawaneers Val, Jose, Jaydee and moi

 

 This is like the bridge from our room to the dining hall

 Our room - Room 10

I really cannot complain on the room accommodation because basic needs were there - bathroom was clean, they got hot and cold shower, refrigerator, air conditioner and television were working absolutely, they got security and we got a our own patio outside where we could do our smoke - freaky lang the gecko lizards near the zen garden in front our patio because we can hear them.. lol -, the floor area was huge! Aside from the fact that we really are not dainty - at all! But it's really more than I had expected. 

Now, it's dinner time! We went to this "Kinabuch's Restaurant Bar & Grill" located at Rizal Ave. of Puerto Princesa. It's really not difficult to find, just tell the tricycle driver the restaurant's name and they will take you there in fine feather. lol. You know what's amazing with the tricycle drivers of Puerto Princesa? They got calling cards! lol Seriously! 

It has been a trend for most of them to have one, since more often than not their passengers are tourists. You can hire a tricycle to take you anywhere around the city. Isn't that awesome!? So, Jose took the driver's calling card and advised him that we will just text him if we are ready to go back to De Loro. He's nice by the way.

Kinabuch's Restaurant Bar & Grill seemed really famous in Puerto Princesa. Why wouldn't they? The ambiance is beach like with open air dining area. I like their "kubo-kubo" suits for "barkada" dining in and they have an area for family too. The food is great! Generous portions are being served. Their menu consists of different variety of cuisine. From Filipino to Thai, Indian and Western.

 

Jose and Jaydee

 

Two (2) of Palawan's renown food Tamilok (wood-worm) and Crocodile meat

Kinabuch's Iced Tea Slush is a must try. It's a best seller. I tried to ask the waiter how does the bartender prepare it but they are not allowed to divulge it. lol. The only clue: they cook the tea on stove top. Hmmmm.. Shrimp in coconut milk cream. Delish!

Gising-gising, this has got to be the best gising-gising I ever tried. It put to shame the one I had at Ceslyn Restaurant in Cabanatuan City which I always thought the best one. Mixed Seafood in cream - it has tuna, squid, shrimp, bell pepper and peas. It's almost like all you need is a pasta noodle and this can be the sauce. This is my fave.

: 

 Sinigang na hipon is Val's request and it's good, really good!

We wanted to order crabs but they were out of stock already when we got there - that early. Imagine that!!

Our total bill was Php 1,600 apportion of 4 that's Php 400 each. Not bad! It's fresh, it has big servings and great ambiance! It's a big must to eat at Kinabuch's Reataurant Bar & Grill when you are in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Next stop.. Badjao Restaurant.. on Palawan 2011 - Day Two (2)

Val's 26th Birthday

A post-birthday dinner @ Kitchen Greenbelt with Valerie and Joseph.

The birthday girl


Me and Joseph


White Collar @ Kitchen


Blowing her cake / apple pie! @ Chocolate Fire


Indulge to your heart's content @ Chocolate Fire


Chocolate Fire - visit their comfy lounge in Salcedo Village, Makati & enjoy a world of pure creativity.. all with chocolate!

Hong Kong 2011 - Day 3

Day 3

We were supposed to wake up at 6am on Day 3 to have an early breakfast and make use of our time at Disneyland. However, day 2 itinerary was extremely exhausting that laying on bed the whole day would be preferable than walk again around the amusement park. But! We are talking about Disneyland here. I can proudly say that I have not been to any Disneyland in my entire life and I do not have plans to miss this opportunity. Like what I said to a good friend, seeing Disneyland would like complete my childhood and I would not miss it for the world. lol.

- First stop, breakfast at Yoshinoya -

- For Hkd37 you'll have a big beef bowl -

To get to Disneyland from Causeway Bay, you need to get to Central station interchange at Tung Chung Line to get to Sunny Bay and interchange at Disney resort line. Yes, they have their own line going to the park which will take you 4-8 minutes of train.

- Waiting for the Disney train -

People say that it often rains in the area and it does! It rained a little just after we took the jungle ride. But I love the weather, it is coldish. Not a sweat even if we were walking all around the park. lol

- Welcome to Disneyland Hong Kong -

- Surfing Mickey -

- Sleeping Beauty's Castle -

Tinkerbell is their current attraction in the resort. A lot of people would want to take a picture with her. The girl is really pretty and very in character. If you say hi she'll say hi to you the way Tink does in her movies. =) So pretty and cute! My friend Patrick just loves her. I was actually mimicking her moves all through out the day and my friends were just laughing at me! =P

- Tinkerbell -

The space mountain experience was torturous but comical! lol This is my fave experience of Disneyland so far! Basically, it is an enclosed roller coaster ride! Enclosed because they had to hide the extreme loops so children would not be scared. Even I did not know that this is the ride I have always been avoiding. Thanks to my pal, Patrick Alega, he never mentioned anything about it, all he was saying was that it is just a ride that will take you to view the outer-space-like because it's so dark inside. How I wish I did not buy the pep talk! The only truth to what he said was the "dark" thing! lol

- Our Space mountain shot -

- The princesses of Disneyland -

- Lunch -

After our Disneyland adventure, we went to the Avenue of stars just along the Victoria harbor in Tsim Sha Shui. Now, to get to the Avenue of Stars from Sunny Bay, you need to take the Tung Chung line and interchange at Tsuen Wan line through Central station and get off at Tsim Sha Shui exit at L2 and walk towards the Victoria harbor. Easy!

- Avenue of Stars -

The weather is really not good. It was drizzling went we got there although it stopped just in time for the symphony of lights which started at 8:00PM. =)

- Jackie Chan's star -

The avenue is so long that I wanna give up looking for Jackie Chan's star. However, from afar I get to see people wandering around a specific spot. I hurriedly walked to the spot and there it is! I didn't get to see Jet Li or Chow Yun Fat's 'coz my feet hurts already. =P

- The Symphony of lights starts @ 8pm -

After symphony of lights it's now time for last minute shopping! We had to go separate ways on shopping because we all have different things to buy. I went to the available boutiques along the Causeway Bay. Val and Jaydee had to go to the mall to look for Penshoppe. Pat had to go to buy his Coach and we all agreed to meet at Chiu Hing Noodle house for dinner. I can't believe with the prices they got there from cosmetics to gadgets, shoes to clothing! Ahhhh! I wanna go back!

- SHOP! SHOP! SHOP! -

Day 3 Expenses

Breakfast @ Yoshinoya - Hkd37 - Php206.90
Disneyland Ticket - Hkd350 - Php 1957.20
Lunch @ Disneyland - Hkd57 - 318.74
Disneyland Shopping - Hkd480 - 2684.17
Dinner @ Chiu Hing Noodle House - Hkd27 - Php150.98
Shopping @ Causeway Bay - Hkd489 - Php2734.49

Total: Php8052.28

Hong Kong 2011 - Day 2

Day 2

We woke up early on our second day in Hong Kong for the Ocean Park Adventure.
What to eat for breakfast?

- Oh! I see a familiar thing there... lol -

What I love about their Mcdonald's - They have free wifi and it's fast! Also, they have grape jam! Their muffins are so rad too! lol.

- Jaydee and Val, Taking a pic while crossing the street -

As soon as we're done with breakfast we took an MTR from Causeway Bay and got off at Admiralty MTR station exit B. Upon exit we took the special city bus no. 629 for an express bus travel between Admiralty and Ocean Park.

- City bus station for Ocean Park bound -

- The one day pass at Ocean Park cost HKD250 -


- Welcome to Ocean Park Hong Kong!! -

- The water front fountain, Welcoming the visitors -

- Colorful hot air balloons -

- This way to the Cable Car ride.. =) -

- Val, all set for the ride -

We took the Ocean Park Tower ride. It's a ride that rotates and will let you see the whole park

We rode their Crazy Galleon twice and obviously we're the only one enjoying the ride!

- Lunch time -

- The longest escalator I have ever seen -

After the Ocean Park adventure we headed back to Causeway Bay, Jaydee and Patrick went to the mall to buy stuffs while Me and Val went out to look for a Starbucks. lol

- Starbucks @ Causeway Bay Plaza -

We went back to the hotel to freshen up and went out again to have dinner in Mong Kok. We took an MTR from Causeway Bay interchanged at Admiralty and took Tsuen Wan line to Mongkok.

We had dinner at the shopping mall - Lang Ham Place, the tallest landmark in Mong Kok.

- Pork fried with curry sauce @ curry factory in Lang Ham Place -

At Tung Choi street (ladies market) known for women's clothing, cosmetics, accessories and the like. Bonjour is one of the famous boutique store in the place.

- Night market @ Mong Kok -

We spent the entire night buying stuffs/pasalubong. We headed back to our hotel around 12mn. So tired from walking.. My feet were killing me from the endless walking at the Ocean Park and night market.. Agggghhh.. But it's all worth it!! =) Had to go to bed for the Disneyland experience on Day 3..

Day 2 Expenses:

HKD18 - McDonald's Big breakfast with hash brown - Php99.91
HKD250 - Ocean Park Pass - Php1388.69
HKD55 - Lunch @ Ocean Park - Php305.51
HKD45 - Dinner @ Lang Ham Place - Php249.96
HKD35 - Grande Chocolate Chip Cream Frappe @ Starbucks - Php194.42
HKD309 - Shopping at the Mong kok Market Place - Php1716.42

Total: Php3954.91