Guest YUM YUM Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 (edited) have you ever gone out of your house and encountered something interesting on the road or at the point of your destination? post it here, we might want to get there also! dont forget the detailson how to get there, how much if possible, what to expect the good and the bad, what to buy, restaurant, souvenirs. people to look for! POST LANG KAYO! Edited June 30, 2004 by YUM YUM Quote Link to comment
Guest YUM YUM Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 (edited) let me start.... my work gives me the luxury to travel around the philippines. i have literally visited almost every part of the country except a few which i am planning to visit at least before i die! he he he i'm goin to start it from the tip! TAWI-TAWI! i've been there four or five years ago, when i reached the place, it was the time when there was no plane available. i think walang sumasakay kaya itinigil! so from zamboanga, you have to take an overnight boat ride to jolo and then transfer to another boat bound for tawi-tawi. actually there was a boat na diretso tawi-tawi kaso lang nakaalis na when i got to zamboanga. the boat ride is, well in a scale of five, could be a one or two! there is a stop over in siasi, a small island community ang dating parang vietnam! tapos me mga boats na nandun yung mga commodities nila ala hongkong! when you get to tawi-tawi, try the bongao peak, mga 3hours trek. dont forget to bring bananas and bread, there were monkeys along the way na lumalapit for the treat. from the peak you can see the whole of the island! what to buy, super mura ng tapang usa and baboy damo! tapos sa palengke dried fish and fresh fish, yung fresh puede na ngayon kasi me plane na. souvenir? buy kayo nung dried na teeth ng sharks! if you're a diver! dont! patay kayo pag nakita ng ibang diving buddies nyo! he he he! night life, negative, as in wala! kasi mga 6pm eh tulog na lahat! restaurant, there is no decent recent restaurant around, pero kahit saang turo-turo super fresh ang food, especially fishes. i was able to attend a muslim wedding when i got there! its nice the people are nice! i dont like the food, though, oily eh! anyway, i enjoy the rites! im in a hurry now, am sure have forgotten some details, edit ko na lang bukas! Edited June 30, 2004 by YUM YUM Quote Link to comment
Google Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 my work also gives me an opportunity to travel locally and internationally. but the thing that i cannot forget is when i visited Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat mga 8 years ago to check on my company's network node there. i was fetched from the airport by a company representative, and we rode an army 6x6 truck, with around 10 fully armed soldiers. grabe, kakatakot. pag nagka ambushan yun, ako mamamatay dahil ako yung hindi armed eh. stayed at a co-employee's house after asking head office in manila to recall me the following day dahil sa takot. another thing is when i visited Tokyo, Japan two years ago, alone. nagkaligaw ligaw ako sa loob ng Narita International Airport dahil yung mga signs nila dun is pure Japanese lahat. Walang english. spent almost 3 hours after arrival in the airport. Tapos, pag nagtatanong ka sa mga hapon, di sila masyadong nagsasalita ng English. Quote Link to comment
sally bogna mathay Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 nice thread. from 97-2000, i also went around the philippines. let me start with cagayan de oro. went there to do some filming for a documentary...and encountered one of the greatest thrills in my life. no, two thrills pala! first we went to the town of claveria, about two hours from cagayan de oro city. went on a hike for another two hours before reaching the canopy walk. it's a series of steel platforms connected by aluminum bridges (parang ladder na nakatihaya). you are nearly 500 ft?? above the ground. not really sure how high, pero we were level with the tree tops and these are old trees. kung baga, nasa canopy na kami and the fog is thick...that should give you guys an idea. it was terrifying at first, pero ang sarap pala...so exhilirating next day, we went river rafting sa cagayan de oro river that is connected to the bukidnon river. wow! parang amazon, man, complete with all the rapids (up to level 4 daw sabi ng guide namin), screeches of birds...jungle ang dating. since we were so excited, we never noticed na five hours na pala ang lumipas. by the time we finished, sunset na. am planning to go back there later this year. i can give the contacts of the people to call there if you want to experience it. Quote Link to comment
agxo3 Posted June 30, 2004 Share Posted June 30, 2004 I've had the good fortune to travel internationally for my work over the years. Since I live and work inthe US (and hav for a long, long time) I have not had the opportunity to travel in the Philippines. However...... Japan - contrary to Google's experience, I have many fond memories of my trips to Japan. I never had a problem navigating Narita Airport - the ARE signs in English all over the place. Why Google didn't see them, I don't know. My first trip to Japan was all by myself - and I had to not only get through Narita, but also out to Tokyo and to my hotel (via train and taxi), and in the morning, to the office I was visiting. No problems. English EVERYWHERE, including the subway and train stations. I did cheat on the taxi to the office - I asked the concierge to write up the destination in Japanese for the taxi driver, who, to my surprise, spoke English! The Japanese are very courteous and helpful, and there are many who do speak English. The key is to know how to identify them. Your best bet is to approach businessmen or teenagers. Businessmen because they are working on their English so they can do business internationally, teenagers because they are learning English in school and are eager to practice it. Anyway - a few memorable places in Tokyo...... stand-up noodle shops under the elevated rairoad tracks in the Shinjuku area. On the east side of the (huge!) station, the traks are elevated. Under them are places to get hot noodles (udon, saimin) - and it's cheap! At least for Japan, it's cheap. Asakusa Temple - great place to visit - take the subway there. Hard to get lost. Great shopping on the side streets, but the main attraction is the temple which is one of the largest in Tokyo. Akihabara - for the kid and the geek in all of us. More electronic products than you can count, in more electronic stores than you can imagine, all within a 10 block area. From giant multi-story stores to sidewalk vendors with their wares spread out in front of their stores. From resistors and capacitors to giant plasma screens. Take the subway or the Yamanote JR line. London - stay at the Knightsbridge Green Hotel. Relatively inexpensive, cute and charming, a block from Harrod's. Also walking distance from all the big trousist sites. There's a pub a block down the street that has the best combination of beer/ale selections and pub food I've had in recent times in London. Paris - there's a small charcuterie/boulangeire (bakery/deli) a block off the main street across from the Louvre. And about 3 blocks from the Seine. Buy your bread and some sliced meat and a bottle of red wine there, walk to the Seine for an al fresco lunch or early dinner. Great view - you can see the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and (sorta kinda) Notre Dame. More to come...... Quote Link to comment
Magaling Posted July 1, 2004 Share Posted July 1, 2004 Japan - contrary to Google's experience, I have many fond memories of my trips to Japan. I never had a problem navigating Narita Airport - the ARE signs in English all over the place. Why Google didn't see them, I don't know. My first trip to Japan was all by myself - and I had to not only get through Narita, but also out to Tokyo and to my hotel (via train and taxi), and in the morning, to the office I was visiting. No problems. English EVERYWHERE, including the subway and train stations. I did cheat on the taxi to the office - I asked the concierge to write up the destination in Japanese for the taxi driver, who, to my surprise, spoke English! The Japanese are very courteous and helpful, and there are many who do speak English. The key is to know how to identify them. Your best bet is to approach businessmen or teenagers. Businessmen because they are working on their English so they can do business internationally, teenagers because they are learning English in school and are eager to practice it. From Narita, there are at least 3 ways to get to Tokyo: By Airport Limousine bus - as you buy a ticket at the counter you tell them where you want to get off or which hotel you'll be staying. Then they tell you which platform you'd have to go to wait for your bus. Slightly more expensive than taking JR Skyliner but more convenient as the bus drops you off straight at your hotel doorstep. JR Skyliner train - Just follow the signs, buy your ticket and go to the designated platform. Fastest way to get to Tokyo. However, the train stops at Ueno station so from there, you have to walk all the way to where the subway trains are. Ordinary train - Cheapest way but just like the Skyliner, I don't recommended this for first-timers who are unfamiliar with the Tokyo subway or JR train system. My Favorite Places: Hibiya Park where the Imperial Palace is. I never miss going there whenever I'm in Tokyo. Very peaceful and beautiful place. I also like going to the Meiji shrine although I don't always go to the shrine itself. The Meiji-jinggumae area used to have a lot of art shops and that's where I go. Also buy my souvenirs there - not the usual "tourist" souvenir stuff but things with value. Hotel: I always go there for business so I don't know of any budget accomodations. I always stay either at Keio Plaza, Ginza Tokyu, or Ginza Tobu hotels. Ok naman. Favorite Eating Places: I have a favorite restaurant at the Ginza area I always go to for sushi. Very cozy. Ginza is just a stone's throw away from Tsukiji where the biggest fish market is. Tsukiji is also a good place to go to for sushi but the restaurants there are not really for foreigners so you have to be accompanied by someone who knows Nipponggo. The shops don't have displays of what they serve. For steak lovers: the best steak in the world (para sakin) is served at the Medallion restaurant at Keio Plaza hotel. If you think kobe beef is good, then matsuzakaya beef is even better! Around 200 dollars per order but you really have to taste it at least once in your life. Ilalaban ko ito sa kahit anong steak house sa America. Panis ang Melo's dito. If you're on a budget: Look for a Yoshinoya shop. Or go to the basement of most big department stores and buy a bento box. Better yet, go to AM/PM or any convenience store and buy your bento box there - they will even microwave it for you free of charge! Fastfood: try Mos Burger or Love Burger - Japanese style hamburgers mas masarap kesa McDonalds. Entertainment: Nothing beats Roppongi. Although there are other places near the Ueno area. Beware of hustlers who will lure you to get into their shops and tell you you only need to pay X-yen to see a show. There are a lot of hidden charges there! When you enter the bars at Roppongi for the first time, there's a good chance you'd be telling yourself: "Kaya pala nawawala ang mga magaganda sa Pinas, nadito sila lahat". You'll be surprised some of our actresses work there as hostesses. Prepare to spend at least 200,000 yen. Shopping: What do you want to buy? I usually go to Ueno. There are number of golf stores there selling second hand equipment. Very cheap. Akihabara for electronic items. If you're buying entertainement systems, take note that the channels there are different so you have to look for shops that sell "For Export" products. Laox is a good place. They have a Filipina lady (Grace yata pangalan nya) who can help you. Other places of interest: Sinabi mo na. Asakusa temple. Recommended for first-timers. I don't go there anymore. Their version of Quiapo. But do check out Hibiya park and Meiji shrine too. Maganda. Tokyo Tower in Roppongi is also supposed to be a tourist attraction but for me, no big deal. Shinjuku park is a nice place to go to during sakura (cherry blossoms) season. Other notes: I agree with almost all your statements. However please take note that although the Japanese look polite because the bow all the time, once you start learning their language, you will realize kung gaano kababa ang tingin nila sa mga Pilipino. Baka iniinsulto ka na hindi mo pa alam. Some of my Japanese friends also think we stink of garlic. Quote Link to comment
agxo3 Posted July 2, 2004 Share Posted July 2, 2004 Other notes: I agree with almost all your statements. However please take note that although the Japanese look polite because the bow all the time, once you start learning their language, you will realize kung gaano kababa ang tingin nila sa mga Pilipino. Baka iniinsulto ka na hindi mo pa alam. Some of my Japanese friends also think we stink of garlic. Magaling - great comments and suggestions. I do agree with your last comment, however, I said they were polite. I DIDN'T say they were all nice people. Big difference. But on the surface they're okay. Just don't look below the surface......I did get to know some of the people I worked with well enough to get invited to visit their homes (unusual) and even to stay with them at their parents' home when we had a free weekend (VERY unusual). that's when you know you've broken through the barrier. There used to be (is it still running?) the Narita Express from Narita to Tokyo station to Shinjuku and Ikebukuro. The other line went from Narita to Tokyo station to Shin-Yokohama. Faster than any of the other trains, but more expensive. First I stayed at the Tokyo Hyatt in Shinjuku but then I started staying at the Okura, right across from the US Embassy and a short walk from Roppongi. So, more Tokyo favorites - Meiji Shrine - an oasis of calm in the middle of a very busy shopping area, at the end of Omote-sando street, in Harajuku. Beautiful temple, a garden you have to see to believe. the street between Harajuku and Shibuya - on Sundays they (still, I hope!) close off the street to traffic and let the rocker bands set up to play their music. They seem to think that if they crank their amps up to the max you won't notice how bad some of the are! But an enjoyable time nonethelss - lots of '50s style clothes with leather jackets and the like for the guys and poodle skirts for the girls. Lots of Harleys and other bikes as well. Last time I went, a Mustang and a Corvette, too! Parked, of course. Omote-sando street from Harajuku up a few blocks - a main shopping district but with much smaller crowds. At the Harajuku end is a place where the teenagers buy a lot of their trendy clothes. As a result, the street teems with Japanese teeny-boppers in their short skirts and tight shirts. Great "sight"-seeing. More next time...... Quote Link to comment
sally bogna mathay Posted July 2, 2004 Share Posted July 2, 2004 i have lived in bangkok for nearly a decade. besides the shopping, most tourists, especially the males, make it a point to visit the girlie bars. the three most popular areas in the city are: patpong (between silom and suriwongse streets) - dozens of bars, night market...this is where the tourists go. touts tug your arm and say "sex show", before flashing a list of "acts" (pussy slicing banana, pussy smoking, pussy cutting paper with blade, among others). every girl in the bar can be taken out. just pay the bar fine plus the fee for the girl. in all about, 2,500 baht ($65). but beware of entering some of the bars because there are hidden charges. even if the tout says no cover charge, there are other charges. i can make recommendations. minsan, may toro sa iilang bars. there is also one bar known by all as the "no hands bar" where you can get a bj while being fed... soi cowboy (between sukhumvit 21 & 23) - an alley of girlie bars frequented by both tourists and expats. not as wild as patpong and the atmosphere is a bit tamer. there used to be a bar here where all the girls were pinays, pero wala na. there is one bar with a glass ceiling that enables you to see the dancers from below... soi nana (on sukhumvit 4) - expats prefer this place. wild dito. girls in some bars are completely naked. the atmosphere is raunchier at mas maganda ang mga girls...siguraduhin lang na girl nga if you're planning to pick up someone! Quote Link to comment
agxo3 Posted July 2, 2004 Share Posted July 2, 2004 Here's a few more favorite or unusual places - Rome - the Hotel Eden has a top floor restaurant that is absolutely top-notch. And it has a panoramic view that's hard to best! Best enjoyed at night - you can see the whole city from the "wedding cake" (Emperoro somebody or another's memorial) to the dome of St. Peter's. There's a small restaurant just off the Trevi fountain on a small side street (unmarked so no street name but it's heading north from the fountain......) that serves teh best pizza in the city. Try the prosciutto pizza. Helstinki - Helsinki pala......the Pizza Hut serves a truly cross-cultural pizza. Southwestern barbeque chicken, blue cheese, and pineapple pizza. Hongkong - a German beer house with the best German food outside of Germany. On Prat Avenue in Tsim Sha Tsui. Their pork knuckle is just like our crispy pata. With a nice German draft beer. Yum! London - some background for this next one. My wife LOVES anchovies (and tuyo.....). We went and had afternoon tea (it's a girl thing. She and my daughter insisted.) at Fornum and Mason. They had "anchovy toast". My wife ordered it, and the waitress (Filipina that she was) went away chuckling. Bad sign. The anchovy toast came. Two slices of toast with anchovy paste slathered all over - at least an eighth of and inch thick. A LOT of anchovy paste. My wife could not eat anchovies for a few months after that. Otherwise, it was fine for afternoon tea. They do have an amazing selection of teas there, if you're into that. Champillon in France - just north of Epernay in the champagne region. Stay at the Royal Champagne Hotel. Supposedly, Napoleon stayed there when he was in the area. (Slumming I guess?) Nice big rooms, and a restaurant the serves some of the best food I have ever had. It was the best meal of a 3 week trip driving around the French countryside. Some US cities next time...... Quote Link to comment
sally bogna mathay Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 For those who like driving around RP, check out Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. Vigan was the first pit stop during my recent journey to the Ilocos region. But I wasn't on some cultural or soul-searching trip; the main objective was to spend a whole day at the beach in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, which I have heard a lot about but had seen only once before, and quite fleetingly at that, during a field trip in my Humanities class in the early 80's. The other objective was to enjoy the drive first and the sights second. Why? Well, because I find long-distance driving therapeutic. Also, because I did not have too much time anyway. At the same time, I deemed it proper to focus on the sights during another trip when there's more time; maybe a week will suffice because one would really want to visit each and every church in the two Ilocos provinces. Finally, I wanted to test my 1992 Nissan if it was still in top running condition. The distance from Manila to Vigan is slightly more than 400 kilometers and this translates to about seven hours of driving. Laoag City, capital of Ilocos Norte, is another 80 plus kilometers. If you plan to drive all the way to Pagudpud, roughly another 60 kilometers and the last town of Ilocos Norte before one enters Sta. Praxedes, the first town of Cagayan Valley, and back to Manila, but not before a side trip to Baguio City via Naguilian, your car will probably consume about three full tanks of unleaded gasoline. On the odometer, that translates to about a thousand plus kilometers. In all, travel time to and from Pagudpud will take a day. But there's a consolation here because the roads are well paved and maintained. For you speed freaks dreaming of imitating rally champion Carlos Sainz' achievements, it is possible to go up to 180 kph on some stretches, like the ones from Pozzorubio to Sison, Pangasinan; from Narvacan to Santa, Ilocos Sur; and from Pasuquin to Burgos, Ilocos Norte, where a visit to the Cape Bojeador lighthouse is a must. Don't forget to bring something for the old man who stays there. Watch out also for the curves in Burgos and Bangui, the two towns before Pagudpud. Try to leave in the early hours, say before 4am. Pack your stuff the day before and make sure to have a good night's sleep. Bring plenty of food to munch so you don't waste time stopping. By daybreak you should be in Tarlac. By noon, you should be in Vigan in time for lunch. Don't forget to try the bagnet, the Ilocano version of the common lechon kawali. After a refreshing nap at the ancestral house of Becky de los Reyes, I woke up and decided to take a leisurely walking on Crisologo street, the same street you have probably seen in brochures and television advertisements. Yes, the one where antiques abound The air is different on Crisologo street. At about the time when the sun begins to fade, the dark shadows of structures that have stood silently since the 1800's begin to stimulate a sense of historical passion surpassed only, at most, by the joy of discovering a shop that sells collectibles! A moment later, it dawns on the senses. The truth, mysteriously true, is fascinating. These ancestral homes, and there are many of them that stand proudly, their splendor still radiant despite the passing of nearly two centuries; and even those left to the elements that now lay in ruins, all produce a whiff of imperious heritage. Of times long gone but sometimes longed for. But they are more than that…in the distance, I heard a horse trotting, with the sound of its hooves resonating clearly on the cobblestones. Fact is I even half expected a Spanish foot soldier to appear. Next day, after a breakfast of sinangag and the famous longganisang Vigan, I drove to Laoag and discovered just how developed and vibrant it was. But since it was quite hot, I did not linger and just contented myself to driving around. Soon after, I headed for the golden sands of Pagudpud, which I discovered to be soft and refreshingly kind to the feet. I walked on the shores fronting the Villa del Mar Ivory Resort toward the east and waited for the sunset to arrive. A quiet storm brewed in my mind. The waves of Bangui Bay splashed relentlessly, breaking into foamy sprays that spilled the sea's contents. For a few hours, I felt the surprisingly invigorating heat of an angry mid-afternoon sun, which made the waters warm. Soon after, the weather turned balmy, suddenly devoid of the sun's punishing rays. Nothing could be more relaxing. Quote Link to comment
Guest YUM YUM Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 i have lived in bangkok for nearly a decade. besides the shopping, most tourists, especially the males, make it a point to visit the girlie bars. the three most popular areas in the city are: patpong (between silom and suriwongse streets) - dozens of bars, night market...this is where the tourists go. touts tug your arm and say "sex show", before flashing a list of "acts" (pussy slicing banana, pussy smoking, pussy cutting paper with blade, among others). every girl in the bar can be taken out. just pay the bar fine plus the fee for the girl. in all about, 2,500 baht ($65). but beware of entering some of the bars because there are hidden charges. even if the tout says no cover charge, there are other charges. i can make recommendations. minsan, may toro sa iilang bars. there is also one bar known by all as the "no hands bar" where you can get a bj while being fed... soi cowboy (between sukhumvit 21 & 23) - an alley of girlie bars frequented by both tourists and expats. not as wild as patpong and the atmosphere is a bit tamer. there used to be a bar here where all the girls were pinays, pero wala na. there is one bar with a glass ceiling that enables you to see the dancers from below... soi nana (on sukhumvit 4) - expats prefer this place. wild dito. girls in some bars are completely naked. the atmosphere is raunchier at mas maganda ang mga girls...siguraduhin lang na girl nga if you're planning to pick up someone! pare when i was in bangkok a tuktuk driver brought me to a ktv ala pegasus, i think the name is cupid or something that sounds like that? the girls are classified in three, the regulars, the special and there's a freelance group na sabi nila are students who are goin there whenever they need money for tuition. the rate is 3,000baht to 5,000baht. i dont have the expertise to deliver an FR eh, pero the massage and everything that goes with it was really superb!!! Quote Link to comment
Guest YUM YUM Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 (edited) JOLO, SULU i have been there time ad again, 99% of people there are moslems. ingatz ang mukhang konyo kasi kahit P10,000.00 lang kikidnapin ka dun! he he he!!! anywayz, whats good about the place is the food!!! grabe!!! fresh lahat ng fish and it is actually not bought in kilos but in bigkis and in lata-lata!!! grabe!!! they also have a small restaurant, i think its the only decent one in the place, its called the plaza restaurant. the best is the crab omelet, panay crabs sya mixed with fruit cocktail, you can taste the fresh crab meat with the sweetness of the fruitcocktail. they are fond also with chicken barbecue which they call "sate" eaten together with rice na parang suman that is being poured with a spicy soup! and did you know that the joluanos are the number one coffee drinker of the country? well, when you get there, the first thing you will notice are the string of coffee shops along the road. they serve kapeng barako which is very much cheaper than the instant coffee which they consider as the special! backward!!! he he he tapos, when you go inside the coffee shop, a tray full of breads and other kakanins are served to you. dont worry you're not goin to pay for it all, yun lang kakainin mo ang i chacharge sayo! kaso lang, you're goin to notice that some customers are already touching the food!!! hayufff!!! he he he!!! so the best thing to eat are those native stuffs like suman na nakabalot! Edited July 6, 2004 by YUM YUM Quote Link to comment
Guest YUM YUM Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 tommorow, lebak, sultan kudarat and lake sebu in south cotabato Quote Link to comment
Wyld Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 most of my travels before this one have been for work. in the philippines, ive been to cebu, davao, cotabato and the usual luzon areas... tapos internationally, ive lived in bkk and hk for 4 mos apiece, been to indonesia, malaysia and the US... each trip was fun and interesting but also tiring because i had to split it between work and sight seeing. i never had pics taken because at times id be alone... in the future i would like to travel for pleasure. in fact first on my list when i have saved up enough funds is a cooking tour of italy. then id like to see venice and spain... Quote Link to comment
sally bogna mathay Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 pareng yum, yum, i know the place...don't forget the fr! secrets of zamboanga the best pan de coco in rp - is found here, pero sorry, can't recall the name of the bakery, but everyone zamboangueno knows where it is...within walking distance from plaza pershing and city hall...open nearly 24 hours a day, the pan de coco is always freshly made and hot isla sta cruz minor - is actually a sandbar about 25 ft long and 10 ft wide...sand is pink, blue, beige...the colors are tiny fragments of coral and shells...you are in the middle of the sea...nearby is the isla sta cruz mayor where there is a naval outpost fort pilar - is where the thickest walls made of coral in rp stand out...inside is a museum housing probably the best collection of ethnic wear, ancient boats, tools and equipment, weapons, tribal art, esotherica... lantaka bar - is the best place to have a drink while facing the sea and feeling the breeze...isla sta cruz is but a mere speck from here the market - is where blue marlin and lobster are so cheap, nobody buys tilapia or hasa-hasa, or alumahan...and the wall of yellow latundan greets you as you enter alavar - is where they serve the best curacha together with lato, onions and tomatoes... Quote Link to comment
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