The cities of Iloilo and Roxas were both memorable, not by the sheer beauty of these places, but by the kindness and generosity of their people. In Iloilo, locals were warm even if they have only seen you for a few seconds. It took longer conversations with Capiznons to bring out their warmth, but they…
Category: Philippines
Eating around Roxas City
No trip to Roxas would be complete without sampling its array of seafood. After all, it is dubbed as the Seafood Capital of the Philippines. There is no better area to have your fill of seafood than Baybay Beach, where rows of restaurants allow you to indulge in the freshest catch. If you’re anxious of taking…
A Heritage Walk around Roxas City
From the moment we set foot on the town center, it became clear to us how tiny Roxas City’s historic district was. The jeep dropped us off at the Provincial Capitol, which was behind a rotonda fountain and the Rizal Monument. The Immaculate Conception Cathedral was a mere few steps away, which stood beside the…
Travel Tales: On the Road to Roxas City
We were truly spoiled in Iloilo – an endless array of food to try, a very convenient public transport system and a great mix of small town, big city feel. It was one of the greatest stays I ever had locally. But sadly, it had to end. The Ceres Bus Terminal in Jaro was a…
Food Tripping in Iloilo
No trip in Iloilo would be complete without sampling its array of Ilonggo dishes. Our time was short, but we got to sample some of their best dishes. Batchoy from Netong’s Batchoy is one of the most famous Ilonggo dishes. This noodle soup is topped by a lot of innards, a testament to how Filipino…
Chasing Mangoes in Guimaras
I was ready for another day of food tripping when, lo and behold, my folks had other plans. A lady in Casa Mariquit offered her advice to visit the island of Guimaras. Her justification? The island was just a fifteen-minute boat ride away, and the port in Iloilo was less than half a kilometer from…
Walking around Jaro, Iloilo
After spending the morning side tripping to Miag-ao, it was time to spend the rest of our day in the city of Iloilo itself. There was only one place I had in mind: the district of Jaro. A few historical buildings were erected here – some preserved, while others not so. Patpat’s Kansi House We…
Miag-ao: A Side Trip from Iloilo
Of all the must-see attractions in Iloilo, it was Miag-ao that topped the list. After all, it is one of the four baroque churches in the Philippines hailed together as a heritage site. We challenged ourselves to not hire a vehicle for the journey, and opted to go by public transport instead. Two terminals served…
Captivated by Iloilo’s Charm
It took me three flight reservations before I finally set foot in Iloilo. I got sick on my first attempt and had to attend a funeral on the second. If my third try bombed out, I probably would not dare to book another flight to Iloilo. But as they say, third time’s the charm. The…
Climbing Mt. Ulap
Rested from the previous day’s lazy exploration, we hailed a jeepney from the place we were staying at near Lourdes Grotto to Burnham Park. From there, we walked a few hundred meters past the Public Market, towards Baguio Center Mall, where jeepneys bound for Brgy. Ampucao where parked. Nearby was a branch of Jollibee, where…