2015 Jan: Philippines: Negros Occ: Talisay: The Ruins

The Ruins - Talisay
From Lacson St., take Bata-Libertad or Magdalaga-Libertad jeep. Head to Silay-direction.
Drop-off at a corner, block before Pepsi.
This is the tricycle terminal going to Ruins. (100/way)
Entrance 95/pax

The Owner Owned by Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson, sugar baron. Married to Maria Braga. With 10 children.

She died after an accident with the doctor arriving from Silay after 4 days. (2 days on chariot, "kalesa" from Talisay to Silay, vv).

He then was re-married to Conception Sison Diaz, with 3 children. [Reference]

The Mansion

It has 8 rooms for unmarried children with first floor for the sons and second floor for the daughters.  

The second floor has a viewing deck to see his sugar cane farm and where he watches good view of the sunset.

2015 Jan: Philippines: Negros Occ: Bacolod: Campuestuhan

How to get to Campuestuhan

From Lacson St., take Mandalagan-Libertad (side of Robinsons). 

Drop-off at Alisbo Memorial.

From the corner, take a jeepney with:

1. Homesite-Cent. Market

2. Sta. Fe-Cent. Market

Drop-off at Lopues East centro

Look for Jollibee/Grace Pharmacy (opposite street).

Find G&C shuttle (going to Campuestuhan)

We are in doubt if we should stay for a night (to experience log accomodation, with no other site to visit) there or visit it as day-tour only (to cover other places).

2015 Jan: Philippines: Negros Occ: Exploring the Capitol side of Bacolod

Exploring the Capitol side of Bacolod

From Lacson St., take a jeepney (Sign board: Bata-Libertad, Magdalaga-Libertad), make sure to ask if passing by SM Bacolod.  

Drop-off at Pope Tower.
This is a tower in a reclaimed site, dedicated to Saint John Paul II.
Entrance: 20php/pax (2015)

From the roof top, you can see baywalk, Campuestuhan, Bacolod cityscape.

Take a tricycle (15php, 2015) going to Bacolod Cathedral.

You may opt to check the Museum (but too sad that the Secretariat Office is close and we did not continue to go upstairs for the Museum)

Next, take a jeep (Magdalaga-Libertad) going to Negros Museum.

Open: Monday t0 Saturday 9am - 6pm 

This houses the  JGM Gallery of International Folk Art and Toys. Which includes different toys and dolls from different countries like Malaysia, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Myanmar.  I like the most is the collection for Matryoshka Dolls from Russia.

For me, sharing this personal collection to the public is good for us to gain knowledge on toys other countries have, especially for those who are non financially-able to reach this foreign land. So I suggest that the "no photography" should be replaced by "no flash photography" - with this you'll invite more visitors most of the tourists would share photos on SNS and blog sites. 

The upper floor is the permanent exhibit which shows traditional items from Old  Filipino Days.  *Warning: Be careful in going down the stairs since it is too slippery.

Just outside is the Museum Cafe (looks like owned by an English man). 

Take a walk until the next block to reach Provincial Capitol and Lagoon.  This turns as a practice ground and extended classroom during weekends as students meet to do their dance rehearsals and other activities.

Take jeep  (Magdagala-Libertad) from (St) to go back to Lacson St.

You may opt to drop at Bob Caffee to another set of sweets.  

View this link for the: The Taste of Bacolod.

2015 Jan: Philippines: Negros Occ: Silay

*Apologies, I have mistakenly added wrong signature on the photos with Batangas instead of Negros Occidental.

Silay - Home of some of the restored traditional houses near Bacolod City (after Talisay).

How to get there

• In Bacolod, from Lacson St., take a jeepney (Bata-Libertad, Magdalaga-Libertad) from opposite side of Robinsons.  
• Drop-off at Ceres Bus Terminal.
• Take bright yellow ordinary Ceres bus (Victoria signboard), pay 15php going to Silay. 

In Rizal Street (National Highway), after an old church (San Diego Pro-Cathedral), drop off at Pink House.  This is our option on how to start the  Silay City Heritage walking tour.

Don Bernardino Jalandoni Museum (known as the Pink House)
Location: Rizal Street, Silay City, Negros Occidental, Philippines
Entrace Fee: Adult: 60php (2015), Student: 30php
Open: Tuesday – Saturday (9am – 5pm), Sunday (9am – 4pm)
Tip: Stay away during break if you want a welcoming athmosphere.  We had a short and quick trip on this private museum since it is near the guide's lunch break.

2015 Jan: Philippines: Negros Occ: The Taste of Bacolod

Silay:

El Ideal

Food: Pancit Guisado, Double Decker chicken and tuna sandwich with melted cheese

Value: Affordable (230php)

Atmosphere: old restaurant, with wooden chairs and marble-made table.

Location: 118 Rizal St, Silay City Heritage Zone, Negros Occidental (near park and bus stop)

Personal Preference: 8 out 10

Bacolod:
31 Korea
Food: tuna mayo kimbap, kokiyo chicken
Value: affordable (249php, 2015)
Atmosphere: Not the galbi-cooking that I'm expecting, but the only one I've seen with the toy I've been looking for.
The video screen is showing tvN channel with the replay of MNET Awards 2014 in Hong Kong.

Location : Citywalk, Robinsons

2015 Jan: Philippines: Negros Occ: Bacolod: Go Hotels

Accommodation: Go Hotels Bacolod

Address: Lacson Street, Mandalagan  Bacolod City, Negros Occidental

Website: http://www.gohotels.ph/locations-page/specific-location/bacolod/

Stay: Jan 29-31, 2015 (2 nights)

Price: Known to offer early bird booking, you can await for the regular rooms to be on sale from this hotel.  We got an overnight stay for 882php from travel fair in SMX (2014). Another overnight stay from online booking for 995php only.

Book Go Hotels Bacolod, Bacolod (Negros Occidental) in Agoda

Location:

Accessible from airport via commuting van service (150php/pax, 2015).  Indicate to the driver, so he can get inside the main gate.

Located near Robinsons Mall and in the middle of Lacson St. (main street in Bacolod).  

There is a back door (open: 6am-10pm), that is connected to Robinsons Mall for safer walk.

2015: Visit the Philippines Year [Soon]

2015: Visit the Philippines Year

2014: My Travels [Soon]

2014: My Travels

2011|2012

2014 Dec: Philippines: Manila: Christmas Lights

Christmas spirit in the hearts of every Filipino starts on the first day of September.  You should not be surprise when you hear greetings of "Merry Christmas" by then.  Some radio stations would start to play Christmas carols too.  Soon you'll feel the rush and the very terrible Christmas traffic is all streets of the metro.

Check out some lights and decors displayed in the city.

High Street

University of Santo Tomas 

Japan: Tokyo: 4 days Autumn Itinerary

Travel Dates
29 NOV SAT 05:25AM NAIA T3 - 10:13AM NARITA T2
03 DEC WED 11:45AM NARITA - 03:45PM NAIA T3

2014 Dec: Japan: Tokyo: Christmas Illumination

Where to find Robert Indiana's LOVE in Tokyo? It is in Shinjuku I Land Tower.

JR Shinjuku Sta. (West Exit) - 10 min. walk OR Marunouchi Line Nishi-shinjuku Sta. - 2 min. walk

2014 Nov: Japan: Chiba (Tokyo): Disneysea

Tokyo DisneySea (東京ディズニーシー) is a 176-acre (71.22 ha) theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just outside Tokyo. [Reference]

This year's theme is Disney Sea:  "Christmas Wishes".

Right after I pass through the ticket gates, I already saw Minnie's Photo-Op queue. I continue my journey and saw the start of the Holiday Greeting show, since it's too crowded, I went back and waited in the queue.

2014 Nov: Japan: Tokyo: Odaiba

Odaiba (お台場) is a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Japan, across the Rainbow Bridge from central Tokyo. [Reference]

What to do in Odaiba?

I wanted to go there initially because of Ooedo-Onsen-Monogatari, but due to the personal concerns on Fukushima and onsen; with heavy rain where most of the tourists would also go there, I have decided to skip it.  Instead below were visited on the island:

Rainbow Bridge

Odaiba Statue of Liberty

Transportation: Daiba Station (Yurikamome line), Exit 1.

2014 Nov: Japan: Tokyo: Autumn Report

Due to weather condition between my visit in Nov 29 - Dec 03, I was able to see very limited places for the koyo hunting.

Tokyo University - Hongo Campus

Take Metro Nanboku Line and drop-off at Todaimae Station.  The university seems to be open to the public since I felt welcome when I come in.

I took the internal overpass to get into the Main Campus.  Follow the direction parallel to Hongo St.  By the time you reached the Red Gate, close to Metro Marunouchi Line, Hongo-Sanchome Station, you already have seen the following autumn scenes. [taken by nikon d40]

2014 Nov: Japan: Tokyo: Lake Kawaguchiko

Travel Date: 30-Nov-2014

Are you looking for options on how to view Mt. Fuji, famous options would be the 5th station, Kawaguchiko or Hakone.  

How to reach Lake Kawaguchi from Tokyo? Find your way to Shinjuku and book your bus from the available options found in http://highway-buses.jp/fuji/.

Getting a bit lost on my way from JR West Gate to Bus Terminal, paying the reserved ticket in the counter and rushing to Platform 2 - I’m the last one to board the 7:40am bus heading to Lake Kawaguchiko.  We arrived after 9am in the terminal, but sadly the Red Retro Sightseeing bus is not operating due to Fujisan Marathon - so they mean that I have to walk along the Kawaguchiko attractions.

[Updated 25-Oct-2015] Upon checking maps.google.com, I walked almost 3.5 km at 9.1 Celsius average temperature last year. Ref

My initial plan to take the bus until Music Forest and walk back to Kawaguchiko Station. But with the activity, I did the opposite and started walking.  

Upon arrival I saw the peak covered with snow, this is the only photo that was taken.

One and only photo taken on Fujisan peak upon arrival (still inside the bus) to Lake Kawaguchiko.

After taking a break, the next time I saw it everything is covered with clouds!  I just learned from the station that service to Fifth station is cancelled due to snow.