a quick visit down south-Calamba

Two fridays ago, after almost 4 years, I was back in Calamba....This one however, was very quick....

Time has certainly changed the city of Pepe.  This place, just cannot say no to urbanization or modernization (whatever...).. For one, another box-type SM Mall had sprouted. A friend told me that it was opened in 2010.....tagal na talaga. 

inside SM Calamba where I had my quick brunch

more dining options in Calamba...Yellow Cab is here...food was good, but they could do a lot better in service.....YCP is located in crossing Halang...I wanted to try the local fare but I was really in a hurry...

ohhhh dear darla, you really lived up to your reputation.....super like kita....

well charlie chan, you tasted strange,- sweet and spicy...you were a good try....but I'll stick to my pesto next time:)

We managed to drop by Pepe's place. Came in late for the 4:00 closing time, but we charmed the staff to let us in  (but not inside the house). I will not post the pic of the facade because it is  sooooo frustrating......just imagine...stone house painted green....what were they thinking.......grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr......change to PINK...PINK....PINK next year!!.

painting was the order of the time....entries for a contest displayed at the back of the house......i see promising ones.....

another landmark newly retouched.....these guys definitely need lesson in history/culture appreciation.....

the parish of St. John......never mind the interior...they had it also painted...

quick tip:

The coconut trees in Laguna/Quezon are sick. I have no idea what kind of disease is afflicting the trees. But definitely, it will greatly affect the coco farmers and others who are dependent on the "tree of life" for a living. It is during this time when our help is most needed ..... Let us buy more of Laguna/Quezon products.  I am sure that they've got other stuff to offer...

a lunch in alabel, sarangani.....

when you're in gensan (general santos city), it is best to experience tuna and other seafoods home cooked. especially if you've got a mother who always says, that she can cook triple of the stuff of what is paid in the resto...but sometimes, we sway her with comfort and "atmosphere" of resto dining....but as always we consider price..and a laid back atmosphere...my father doesn't mind driving long too..

this is on ouy way to alabel, saranggani.

driving is nice and easy in alabel.....solo namin highway...hehehe...they've got good highway too...i'm not so sure, but i think it's courtesy of USAID....

its about time.....for sooooo  looooooong, public hospital is still nonexistent in Sarangani. thanks to Pacman, whose battle cry when he ran for the Congress, was for the hospital to be built. nearly 2 years after getting the seat, the plan is in "tarp" :) I am longing for the day that I see it standing.....i know it not easy to build a structure, more so if it is a hospital....keep it going PACMAN....and you guys (i don't know anyone of you...lol) who are doing everything to make this happen!!!!!

A Montana Resort is built in the middle of a fish/prawn ponds...the water around makes you think that its cool...but knowing the gensan/sarangani/south cotabato weather, this cannot make up....

these are mangroves, planted to separate the resort from the ponds.....and maybe to make the place cooler

and finally......4 dishes plus 2 platters of rice (sensya na, carboloading kami :) and drinks.....ain't bad for PhP1,800+++  that also includes the pool entrance....


quick tip....

aside from the pool and the resto, A Montana Resort has rooms where you can stay...and function rooms where you can hold private parties/seminars

if you've got no one to drive you to this place, from gensan, hire a tricycle (or a taxi, if you want to arrive a little bit stylish..hhmmm) that will wait while you do your stuff...you cannot commute cause its quite far from the highway...

Pacquiao vs Bradley Viewing Party (our version)

before the controversial decision, before the bruhaha that came after...this was the scene at the back of my folk's house during the fight........

 this is the general patronage section: on a first come, first seat basis, with cool sea breeze, mosquitos also in attendance

                               balcony section: "slighty" soft seater with electric fan ....hahahhaha

the ring side sec is kinda exclusive, no cam allowed...hahaha


its open house, plus the food (tinanok na saging) and drinks (tubig) is on us!! :)


quick tip:

you get value for money paid for pay-per view during Pacquiao's fight. @Php1,500 (Sky Cable-Gen. San)...your neighbors will surely love you!!!!

the little i've seen of kuala lumpur!!!!

   Malaysia is sooo elusive..when I went to Singapore in 2006, the plan was to cross the border to Malaysia. But the scary encounter with the immigration scared me more to go on with plan. For almost 4 days, my sistah and I memorized the mrt lines of Singapore..Fast forward 2012, in December we booked our flight to to HCM. The grand scheme then was to proceed to Siem Reap (our ultimate destination) by land, fly to KL, spend 2-3 days and fly back home to Manila. WELL, it didn't happen that way. Because we were more conscious of the fare price, the flight we booked allowed us only an overnight stay in KL. Big blunder, because the higher fare would eventually paid off when we could have seen more and we could maximize the time we had.....Blame it on our not so profound analysis..huhuhu. But a bigger blunder was when barely two weeks after we arrived, Cebu Pac made its maiden flight to the land of Angor Wat. Maybe if we could have waited longer, travel cost would have been a lot cheaper.....Anyway....we squeezed what could possibly be done in 36 hours....and here it is.

after 6 days, the first decent meal I had. Of course, I didn't starved, its just that Vietnamese and Khmer cuisine are not my stuff...big thanks to jay for feeding us. the shrimp is something new..... this is at jay's place, just a walk from the petronas towers

the petronas towers by night....really impressive, both in this picture and in actuality (this pic is by stella)

the following day....on the surrounds of the Central Market....

old painted new....why does the MMDA painting (camouflaging) stuff don't look as cuties as this?

I'm not yet done with you, MALAYSIA....I want to see more of you......