eulapanda

Bicol, Philippines: Food Trip and More

by eulapanda - 7:26 AM

Pili, Camarines Sur: Wakeboarding Like a Pro at CamSur Watersports Complex

by eulapanda - 5:19 PM

I sat there motionless, as if on a trance, as I watched the fields covered in pitch black darkness, accented only with soft yellow lights of the households we passed by. The wind was blowing hard against my face and it smelled like freshly-watered grass; the bus driver probably eager to get home and sleep on his comfortable bed, after almost half a day of driving from Metro Manila to Legazpi City.

I was tired too and was starting to feel sore all over my body but like the thousand bright stars I've seen that night outside of that cramped rural bus, I knew that whatever pain I may have felt wouldn't equal to the day's awesomeness and this perfect countryside night view with the best company.

Wakeboarding at Camarines Sur Watersports Complex

CamSur Watersports Complex is the premier cable park facility in the country having hosted local and international events. This huge complex is actually located in Pili, the capital of Camarines Sur.

How to Get There

Since we were staying in Legazpi City (Albay), we had two options to get to Pili (Camarines Sur): either we take the bus or the van. We opted to take the van instead at the Legazpi City Terminal because we wanted to spend more time at the park and we needed to get back to Legazpi City by nightfall.

It was an interesting drive to Camarines Sur and I spent the entire travel time not to catch up on sleep, but to admire the lush green fields and the beautiful mountains looming over from a distance. The van driver dropped us off at the corner to CWC and we then hailed a tricycle to take us to the cable park itself. It was just a short tricycle ride, probably around 20-30 minutes, passing by several government offices and empty fields.

Hungry Tummy

By the time we reached CWC, we were so hungry that the first thing we did was eat. Good thing they have a clubhouse and a restaurant that served heavenly Bicolano dishes at very affordable prices. We tried their Bicol Express which, to my surprise, was really good. Aside from the delectable Filipino food choices, they were also serving a wide array of other international dishes. Local and international alcoholic drinks and fresh fruit juices were also available. I heard that they even close the cable park on a certain hour at lunch and dinner time so all guests could eat together at the clubhouse.

Brunch at CWC Clubhouse and Restaurant.

Time for Some Action, Girls!

CWC was huge, and I mean, really huuggeee! Right in front of the restaurant was a huge oval waterpark with lots of obstacles scattered all around the path. My jaw dropped as I watched the guys somersault, twist, and turn with ease. "Is this where we skate?", I asked, already unsure if I should push through or not. I don't want to become one of their "obstacles" as I whimper my way to the side every time I fall off the board or if I even manage to get on the board.

The professional wakeboarder's turf.

"There's a beginner's park over there", the attendant said. What a relief! So off we go to the back of the complex where the Winch Park was. Maybe they named it Winch Park because the wakeboarders there were beginners who winced every time they fall, eh? Har-har.

Winch Park was a rectangular shaped man-made pool designed for beginners like us. There were two platforms, one on both ends, which was a good thing so we could start at either side without waiting that long. Luckily, we were the only ones that time so it wasn't that embarrassing and we would be able to maximize our half day pass.

I was instructed to fit my "lotus feet" into the big slippers attached to the board, hold the hand bar with extended arms, and when the cable starts moving, I'd just have to bend my knees and ride the board. Easy enough, I thought. But when the cable started pulling me, I panicked, stood up on the board, and fell face down into the murky water. It must have took me three tries until I was able to stand up on the board and move a little away from the platform. The farthest I've been on the entire stretch of the Winch Park would be ALMOST reaching the other end (emphasis on ALMOST) after so many tries. LOL

Yup! That's me and my fatty thighs trying to hold on to dear life.

Groups of people started to arrive and it was getting longer and longer for our turn so we decided to cool off for a bit by the clubhouse after three hours of wakeboarding fun.

Non-Wakeboard Fun

If wakeboarding is not your thing, there are a lot of other stuff you can do in CWC.

You can swim on the pool by the cabanas with Mt. Isarog on the background.

Chill by the cabanas, chit-chat, and have a drink or two.

Or watch the pros do their thing.

Beautiful sunset.

CWC was a great place for me and my friends to bond and have fun. Wakeboarding was a first for us and it was especially made memorable not only because we were on the best wakeboarding park in the country but most of all because we had each other's company.

After an eventful day in CWC, we headed off to Naga City and that would be for a different story. :)

Notes:
Camarines Sur Watersports Complex
Pili, Camarines Sur
http://cwcwake.com/web/

Php 250 = van from Legazpi City to Pili, Camarines Sur
Php 15 = tricycle to CWC
Php 460 = half day use at CWC
Php 500 = rental deposit (refundable upon return of gear)

**Most of the photos here were taken by my friends.

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Legazpi City, Albay: Unveiling the Majestic Mayon Volcano

by eulapanda - 8:37 AM

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TahoTally (Cebu, Philippines): Good 'Ole Taho with a Twist

by eulapanda - 7:51 AM

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Daraga, Albay: The Mayon Volcano Lava Trail ATV Adventure

by eulapanda - 11:00 AM

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Daraga, Albay: Mayon Volcano and the Cagsawa Ruins

by eulapanda - 6:56 AM

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Hala Paella (Cebu, Philippines): The Best Paella in Town

by eulapanda - 9:29 PM

Hala Paella is the newest restaurant craze to hit Cebu. I’ve been seeing a lot of this restaurant’s photos in my Instagram feed that I vowed to myself I’ll swing by whenever I find myself in Banilad. This instagram-worthy food place is actually located in Banilad Town Center, right in front of Dimsum Break.

Paella is a Spanish dish made of rice seasoned with paprika and saffron (which gives its golden color) and topped with seafood, meat, chorizo, or vegetables. I’ve had my first fill of Paella when my aunt made this at home and it has been a long time since then.

The rustic, homey, and well thought-out interior of this tiny restaurant probably made this unique from the rest - aside from the fact that it also serves a usually expensive dish at an affordable price.

Take your pick! Great to have it solo or have it shared with your family.

With just about a hundred pesos, you’ll get the chance to eat one pan-full of paella goodness with 6 different flavors to choose from, namely: chorizo, aligue, negra, lechon, valenciana, and pollo.

Pan sizes and prices vary from solo (1 person), grande (2-3 persons), to familia (4-5 persons) servings. Aside from paella, they are also serving calamares (Php 88), Gambas (Php 88), Chuletas (Php 108), Callos (Php 118), Lengua (Php 118), among others.

I ordered Paella Valenciana - topped with mussel, chicken, shrimp, lemon wedge, chorizo, squid, and peas.

While Francis got the Paella Chorizo, obviously topped with Spanish chorizo and some freshly chopped herbs. They also have Paella Negra that I'm excited to try out the next time I drop by.

Hala Paella is a quick go-to place for some comfort food paella fix with budget-friendly prices. Just don’t expect too much of the topping and taste and you’re good to go.

Hala Paella

Location: Banilad Town Center

Operating Hours: 10 AM - 11 PM

Contact Number(s): (032) 344-4252

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/halapaella

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Small Kitchen Surprise: Pinoy Style Omelette

by eulapanda - 12:24 PM

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Oslob, Cebu: Swimming with the Whale Sharks

by eulapanda - 7:00 AM

Whale Sharks also known as Butanding (in Tagalog) or Tuki (in Cebuano) are formidable creatures of the sea. And they are for a good reason - they are said to be the largest fish on the planet, capable of growing more than 40 feet in length. Their mouths could reach a width of over 3 feet which could easily swallow my diminutive size with just a gulp! Yikes!

Tourist boats lining up to get up close with the "gentle giants" of the sea.

But even with its humongous size, these "gentle giants" aptly live to its moniker as they only eat plankton, krills, and tiny fishes.. It's even possible to swim with them in Oslob, a once quiet fishing town in Southern Cebu. Over the recent years, this has become a "whale shark circus," attracting thousands of tourists from all over the world for the chance to swim with them and see them up close.

This sudden rise to fame is not without controversy. The people of Tan-awan, Oslob may have enjoyed the benefits that whale shark tourism has brought to them but others fear that this alteration in the whale sharks' natural habitat and migration patterns would do more harm than good in the long run.

The orientation - do's and don'ts when swimming with the whale sharks.

After the orientation (which all tourists need to go through), we proceeded to our assigned paddle boat and went a few meters from the shore to where the action was. The boatmen were kind enough to answer our questions and even reminded us of the regulations we needed to follow prior to jumping off the banca.

It was an amazing experience seeing them up close! There were about three or four of these creatures swimming about in the area. At first I was scared that they might chop my head off or something but these sharks seemed to be more focused on getting the krills that were being thrown by the boatman to lure them to swim nearby to the delight of the tourists.

I hadn't given much thought about the controversy surrounding the whale sharks until I got the chance to experience it myself earlier this year. It may seem harmless at first since the sharks are well fed and well-taken care of. And to add to that, whale watching has been a great help to the local tourism of Oslob.

Whale Sharks are migratory animals and I personally think that if we continue this kind of activity just for the sake of tourism, we are killing them slowly. In Oslob, whale sharks are hand-fed and most likely they would stay longer than necessary because food is readily available for them. A shark named Mr. Bean even stayed for more than 200 days. Though stricter rules have been implemented surrounding tourist behavior, I still feel that they are caged and lured with food for the sake of entertainment.

As the song goes, if we really love them, we've got to set them free.

Where is Oslob, Cebu?

Oslob is a quiet town in the southern part of the province of Cebu in the Philippines. Whether you arrive by plane at Mactan Cebu International Airport or by boat from nearby provinces, Ceres buses bound for southern towns are readily available at Cebu South Bus Terminal. Just make sure you take the Bato/Santander bus - fare is around 150 php.

Don't forget to tell the conductor to drop you off at Barangay Tan-awan in Oslob or just simply say "Butanding" (they would know right away).

Quick Tips:

Swimming with the whale sharks is only allowed in the morning so its best to leave Cebu City at dawn.
If you hate the crowd and long queue, weekdays will be the best for you as it gets really crowded during the weekends and holidays.
The use of snorkels and masks is already part of the fee but if you don't feel like doing "mouth-to-mouth" with other people you don't know, better bring your own snorkel gear for hygienic purposes.
Wear rashguard or any protective clothing. The use of sunblock is not allowed. They even ask you to shower and to remove the sunblock from your skin before you ride the banca.
Don't use cameras with flash.
Do not touch nor go near the whale sharks. Always maintain a safe distance of 4 meters or more.
Be careful all the time and be wary as you go underwater. Remember, you are sharing the sea with these big creatures, dozens of boats, and scores of frantic tourists all eager to see these coveted creatures of the sea.

Note:

300 php - Just watching from the banca

500 php - Swimming with the whale sharks (local)

1000 php - Swimming with the whale sharks (foreigner)

300 php - estimated roundtrip bus fare

***Special thanks to my friend, Albee of albeeholic.com, for sharing the footages in the video. Visit her site for more travel tips and recipes! :)

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Life Lesson #1: Have a Grateful Heart

by eulapanda - 9:53 AM

Not a lot of people may know this but a few years back I was able to go to America, the so-called "land of milk and honey", to visit my dad who was working as a Special Education teacher in California.

It was Christmas break on my fourth year of college when I first visited the place. It sucked having to miss the last Christmas party of your college life but at that time, the prospect of going on an international trip for the first time - all by myself at that - was an opportunity I didn't want to miss. The second time was two days after I took the licensure examination but I'll talk more about this some other time.

Life Lesson #1: Have a Grateful Heart

People would say I am lucky. The chance of waking up on the other side of the world isn't something we get to enjoy every time we want to. But I would rather say I am blessed; blessed to have visited a country we only see in the movies or daydream about.. But more importantly, I feel blessed to have learned essential life lessons that would mold how I see life now that I am an adult.

I remember my first international plane ride - I took a direct flight from Manila to Los Angeles with a quick stopover in Guam via Philippine Airlines. It was a long ride with a lot of bladder holding (as I didn't want to bother the man sitting on the aisle seat) and numerous hustling about to get to that "perfect sleeping position" on a cramped economy seat. And it doesn't help either that someone was snoring so loud that a baby couldn't help but cry all night.

I was alone, tired, and grumpy.

But when I woke up the next day to the sound of the flight attendant's "Good morning" coupled with a fresh warm towel to wash the face with (I didn't figure out yet how to use the warm towel not until I saw someone do it) and my seatmate smiling at me, that I realized life isn't all that bad after all. I smiled at this thought and couldn't help but be thankful as a childhood dream unfolds right before my very eyes: waking up on a crisp December morning with snowflakes glistening outside my window.

Let's all try to have a grateful heart.
:)

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Pages

Bicol, Philippines: Food Trip and More

Pili, Camarines Sur: Wakeboarding Like a Pro at CamSur Watersports Complex

Legazpi City, Albay: Unveiling the Majestic Mayon Volcano

TahoTally (Cebu, Philippines): Good 'Ole Taho with a Twist

Daraga, Albay: The Mayon Volcano Lava Trail ATV Adventure

Daraga, Albay: Mayon Volcano and the Cagsawa Ruins

Hala Paella (Cebu, Philippines): The Best Paella in Town

Small Kitchen Surprise: Pinoy Style Omelette

Oslob, Cebu: Swimming with the Whale Sharks

Life Lesson #1: Have a Grateful Heart

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