…his chronicles and travels
The Philippine Islands
Known locally as Virgin Island, Silion Island is about a 45 minute pump boat ride away from the Santa Fe area of Bantayan Island. Since it’s a little off the beaten path there is still plenty of good snorkeling with lots of tropical fish to swim with.… Read more
You can rent a motor bike in Santa Fe (sometimes from your resort), and drive about ten minutes across the island to the town of Bantayan where there is a broader selection of places to eat and also an extensive fresh seafood market as well as a dried seafood market among many other shops.… Read more
About a five hour bus ride north from Cebu City (including several stops along the way) lies Hagnaya Port which has regular daily ferry service to Bantayan Island. After an hour boat ride, the ferry docks at Santa Fe Port where several resorts, restaurants, and a currency changing service are close by.… Read more
As both a former Spanish and American colony, The Philippine Islands have quite an eclectic hodgepodge of foods available on the menu – everything ranging from American classics to traditional Spanish dishes with a native Filipino twist on them. Even well-known chains such as McDonald’s and Burger King will offer items not seen in their native locations, so while the usual strategy of staying with local-only restaurants and street vendors does make a little sense overall..… Read more
One attraction The Philippine Islands are famous for is their beloved Tarsier. Bohol Island is one of the few places in the world that the public can view the Tarsier in its natural habitat. This strange creature is one of the small number of mammalians to have excessively large eye sockets.… Read more
With seven total levels and 1.7 million square feet, SM City is one of the largest malls in Cebu and has an average daily traffic of 100,000 people, climbing as high as 150,000 on weekends. Opened in 1993, SM City remains one of the most popular malls in Cebu due to its location within the city and its amazing selection of retail shops and restaurants.… Read more
This Ayala mall has five floors, 680 stores, and per Wikipedia: “On an average day, more than 85,000 people visit Ayala Center Cebu, with the figure increasing to 135,000 on weekends.” With seemingly unlimited options for shopping and food – and a central location in the city – the only thing holding this mall back is the sheer level of perpetual traffic always circling the complex.… Read more
Located in the Central Visayas region, Cebu City is not only the center of shipping traffic for The Philippines, but it’s also the place of first European contact starting with Magellan in 1521. As such, Cebu still houses the Cross of Magellan and the Santo Niño de Cebú.… Read more