Christmas Day was another leisurely day spent on Mactan island which had us finally seeing a couple of local sights within walking distance from the condo. We have been fortunate to have the use of a Vision Global wifi router which has worked like a dream in the Philippines where other Wifi routers aren’t readily available so google maps was easily and accurately accessible.
After breakfast and a morning workout, we set off to check out the Mactan Shrine where the Lapu Lapu statue is erected in front of the Magellan monument. Google maps had us walking through an immensely poor area which was a sharp contrast to where we were staying. Still, unlike in Mexico and in Jamaica where adults and kids alike came up to us shamelessly to beg for money, we were left alone with only a few inquisitive stares.
Unfortunately, it was still difficult and jarring to see the stark difference in their quality of life which makes even the poorest living on the streets in the U.S. look privileged as the poverty level in this neighborhood is at least three notches below what we see and know in the States. It’s truly heart wrenching to witness and yet the locals manage to find ways to keep on plugging away and make the best of life.
The kids are out on the streets enjoying the sunshine. The teenage boys play basketball with their friends. The parents peek out of their hovels to make sure no harm comes to their offspring. It’s their regular lives in motion.
As perhaps a distraction from the local elements or a reminder of what strength and determination can accomplish, the Mactan shrine is located on the same street and is ensconced in a small gated enclosure around the corner. There are some souvenir stalls on the inside to the right of the monument but overall, it’s a fairly small contained space.
Right outside of it is a parking lot where all the tour vans are parked. What I was interested in was a well-received seafood restaurant which was located past the vans and nestled within the dark sketchy shopping alley.
Manna STK is similar to D’Talipapa in Boracay which was one of our favorite eats. They have a display case of seafood which is prepared to your liking.
We chose the garlic butter shrimp and a grilled fish with garlic rice for lunch and were directed to choose a table.
Manna STK offers two dining areas. The open air upstairs dining room had a view of the waterway but we opted to sit in the fully air conditioned room downstairs.
During our short wait for lunch, I walked around and read a bit about the city’s history. Lapu Lapu had been named after the great warrior who despite having inferior weapons had killed and vanquished the Spaniards including Magellan.
There was also an explanation of the province’s unique rice prep. We had been served puso during our three island tour so it was nice to gain an understanding and appreciation of how it came to be.
Lunch arrived piecemeal as each dish was ready. Our plate of garlic butter shrimp was perfectly cooked and not too greasy. The meat of the grilled whole fish was moist and flaky and easy to scrape from the bone. The food was rustic and delicious but by American standards was inexpensive. Our entire seafood meal with beers and water cost the financial equivalent of $38!
In direct contrast, our $150 dinner was a splurge. We had reservations at Abaca which was at one of the many oceanfront luxury resorts. The socioeconomic divide was even worse on that main road. On one side you had your Shangri-la, Movenpick and Abaca luxury resorts with their gates, security guards, lush landscaping and luxury vehicles parked in the valet areas and directly across the street, you had the poorest of the poor staring at you as you entered or vacated your plush surroundings. As beautiful as the resorts were, I was glad to not be staying there and dealing with that in-your-face guilt on a daily basis.
Dinner at Abaca was set in a very dim open air restaurant cooled off only by fans. It was a stark contrast to the boisterous festivities we experienced at Shangri-la just the night before. The food was plentiful and amazing but very subdued and refined.
We saved the crab and scallop cakes to eat with our morning breakfast but based on the few bites we had at dinner, we could tell they were densely packed, blended evenly with caramelized lemon and roasted pepper. We also ordered a four cheese flatbread which was the equivalent of a simple margarita pizza with an arugula leaf in the middle, adding another layer of flavor to each square. The organic whole chicken was moist with a slightly crispy lemony exterior sitting on a bed of garlic sausage cassoulet. It came with a side of tender roasted broccoli which added a bit of color to our meal. The mushroom risotto was perfectly cooked, densely packed with scallops with a hint of truffle. I also ordered a side of fries which were mealy on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside. We rounded off our meal with a chilled chocolate fondant which was served with a square of thick fudge. The combo was super decadent and had we finished it onsite, we would have been awake for hours. Luckily, because our condo has a fridge, we didn’t have to leave anything behind and were able to have nearly our entire Abaca dinner part deux the next evening.
Our Christmas Day was a vision of contrasts. It really made us think about life, people and the sense of community. The gratitude we felt after seeing such humble settings overwhelmed us. We are very fortunate to have experienced Christmas in Cebu and to see life through the eyes of others, helping us shift our focus and gain perspective and clarity.
Wifi router: https://visionglobalwifi.com
Mactan shrine: https://www.fabulousphilippines.com/mactan-shrine.html
Manna STK: https://www.freewebs.com/MannaSTK/
Abaca: http://www.abacaresort.com/restaurant.html
We decided on this trip to forego the niceties of a hotel or resort. Though I had initially booked a room at Movenpick, I came upon a really cute and inexpensive new condo in the new township of Newtown. It was close to the airport, the resort area and the tourist sites with more restaurant options. Plus the idea of having a bigger space complete with a kitchen, washer/dryer, living room, dining area and a separate sleeping area along with a fitness center and a beautiful massive pristine pool for a mere $45 per night appealed to me on every level.
Christmas Eve ended up being the perfect day to lounge at the condo. After two days’ of back-to-back activities, we deemed it a “down” day, a day of leisure, with no specific agenda, free to do something or nothing.
I took my time making a special Christmas Eve meal of broccoli, mozzarella and egg scramble. Brunch was served at 10:30. It consisted of the scramble, 3 strips of crispy bacon for me, some potatoes, jasmine rice and orange pineapple juice.
Since it was a fairly substantial meal, we opted to make our way down to the fitness center. It was fairly basic, with a few ellipticals, stationary bikes and treadmills. There were free weights and a handful of machines. Luckily, we brought our TRX to subsidize the equipment and our workouts.
During our workout, we began chatting with a woman who works for the building. I saw that the separate onsen rooms adjoining the gym had massage tables. She offered to call two massage therapists for us and just like that we booked 2 2-hour massages for 750 pesos an hour. Janice and Alisa arrived 30 minutes later.
After two hours, we staggered back upstairs and continued the afternoon of self-care. We had leftovers for our late lunch after which I proceeded to work on my manicure while Troy lounged on the sectional watching movies on Netflix.
It wasn’t long before we had to get ready for dinner and head back out into the real world. We grabbed a taxi and headed off for the Christmas Eve dinner at Tides in the Shangri-la Resort. I had opted for the buffet dinner in lieu of the four-course meals at the other on-site restaurants for the variety but mostly because of the entertainment which that restaurant offered. At 7 p.m. they had a children’s choir singing some of the traditional Christmas repertoire. They were followed by a flash mob of dancers which ended up being many members of their staff performing previously choreographed dance moves to popular pop songs in the middle of the restaurant. At the end of the night, we were serenaded by strolling musicians.
However, the primary reason for our visit was the exceptional variety of food. Troy, upon doing an initial inspection, made it his mission to sample food from each station which was essentially a gastronomic journey around the world in one evening.
I was a bit more conservative and started off with a seafood platter consisting of shrimp, mussels, tuna and salmon sashimi. I derailed when I saw they had a pasta station where I could get a bacon, mushroom, garlic spaghetti carbonara made just for me. To add a bit of color, I grabbed a lobster tail. After two plates, I was full but I still walked around and nibbled on as much as I could. By 8:30, it was time to throw in the towel. Troy had accomplished his mission and I was able to sample some amazing food.
All smiles to end our day of treating ourselves right!
Our Airbnb: https://abnb.me/XJ3CNP96US
Tides at Shangri-La: http://www.shangri-la.com/cebu/mactanresort/press-room/press-releases/shangri-las-mactan-resort-and-spa-cebu-celebrates-yuletide-bliss/
When I was in the planning stages for this trip a few months ago, I had identified three excursions on our must do list. Our first day and first outing was an island hopping tour to three islands. I booked all our tours with Island Trek Tour which is a one-stop shop, a tour company which handles bookings with local tour guides.
Our first outing was subcontracted to Fun Sun Dive & Travel. Their location wasn’t too far from where we were staying but with the flooding from the previous evening’s rain storm and the narrow and congested roads, it took about 20 minutes to arrive at our destination.
We ended up chatting with the local tour guide’s manager while we were sipping on tea and coffee. He’s American, probably somewhere around our age. In his prior life, he was a purser from Northwest and Delta but when they merged, he took an early buyout and decided to become a dive instructor. His last gig was in the Palawan/Coron area managing a dive shop there which featured wreck diving amongst its many islands but it closed for renovation so he was happy to find an opening on Mactan Island which is more urban and not as remote and isolated. He said that although the shop offers diving, most of their boats and others they had to subcontract were booked primarily for island hopping that day, indicating its popularity.
After our brief chat, our crew was ready to head out to sea. We had a small group of 7. There was a Korean family, a husband and wife with their young son on the boat with us as well as an American born Asian guy in his early 30s traveling with his girlfriend. Though he’s originally from Orange County, they now live in Japan.
We made a few pit stops with the crew, dropping some off on boats on the way and/or dropping off supplies until we finally made it to our actual island hopping boat which was anchored the furthest out to the right of the harbor. We weren’t quite sure if we were actually going to make it out because it took about 20-30 minutes to get the engine started which sounded like it had been flooded possibly from the evening’s storm.
We finally went to our first snorkel stop. It took a while to get there, probably 30 minutes or so. We passed by quite a few islands as we made our way across the vast sea before arriving at our first site, Hilutungan Island, where it appeared there were close to 8-10 other boats already anchored.
I noticed a few yellow kayaks with guys dressed in yellow vests who appeared at first glance to be life guards. I saw one guy board our ship who immediately started chatting it up with me and asked if I’m Tagalog. I had never been referred to by that term but I understood what he meant. It was also very clear that he was getting a read on us to see if we would be willing to buy a few things from him. He immediately offered us some coconut juice, other types of beverages and beer. I sensed that we were being hustled so I turned to Troy and gave him that warning look. We opted for the coconut juice and that’s when he said it was going to cost 300 pesos but not to worry about it until after we finished snorkeling.
It was an overcast day so the visibility wasn’t optimal. We spent about 40 minutes watching the schools of fish as they went about their day, heading en masse towards one area where they were occasionally being fed by one of the crew from a boat alongside ours. It was a nice peaceful and relaxing introduction to the islands and being welcomed back by the sea.
When we came back onboard, our coconut juice with 2 straws was ready. Our fellow passengers also ordered the same thing. While we were sipping, Troy noticed a net of shellfish being shown to the family. He asked what it was and that’s when our guy said for us not to pay attention to the guy showing them his goods but to look at what he brought us. He showed us a live abalone which was clearly trying to escape as it pushed its way off the bench and onto the floor. He offered to grill us some of his catch to which we politely declined. Then he tried to offer us some bracelets and necklaces to purchase. Even though I stiffened at the thought of being solicited while we were on a private charter, I reminded myself that he lived on that remote island, that he had few opportunities to make a living, that he was being pleasant enough and just like the abalone, he was trying to survive. Eventually, he got the hint and after we paid him for the juice, he left the boat.
Our next destination was quite a ways away. It probably took us close to an hour to get to Pandanon Island which is halfway between Cebu and Bohol with the latter laying claims to the island. We were told that while we walked around and swam around the island, the crew would be preparing our lunch for us. We walked around the beach for a bit and saw that families and friends had rented covered thatched cottages. There were guys playing beach volleyball and several groups grilling out and serving delicious looking local food in batches. I realized that some of the people were there with families and friends enjoying their weekend. This is how they spent their leisure time, cooking for themselves and their loved ones, out on the beach, catching up, laughing and eating and enjoying each other’s company. If the locals who lived in their very humble homes on a remote island with likely very meager means could find contentment in the simple and basic joys of life, then I should learn from them. It made me smile that they didn’t take for granted the importance of relationships and truly made an effort as a group to show their appreciation for each other by putting together an amazing feast and serving it for all to enjoy.
With that, we headed to the other side of the beach, leaving the groups to enjoy their private celebrations. We decided to take in a bit of island time, our way. I had planned on a beach outing and brought our picnic blankets, lined with tarp-like plastic on one side and a fuzzy cloth material on the other. I knew it would make dusting off the sand much easier than a regular beach blanket. The sun was shielded behind the clouds but the air was warm and there was a cool beach breeze making for a nice day to lay out. We closed our eyes and listened to the waves lapping, the sound of coals burning and of food sizzling, blending in with the sounds of laughter and conversations by our fellow beach companions. It was our first full day on vacation and I finally started to relax and unwind.
At 12:30, we headed back onboard and we were welcomed by an unbelievable feast which was somehow prepared and grilled to perfection on the actual boat. There were triangles of sticky rice ensconced in banana leaves. Grilled pork, chicken and shrimp skewers were laid out in island style baskets and the meal was finished off with mango halves, squared for easy consumption along with some local bananas. What was unique about this meal was there were no forks, spoons, knives or even napkins. Everything was eaten with your hands which made it that much more authentic, more rustic. It was the perfect island dining experience with amazingly delicious, moist and flavorful food prepared in a very humble setting. One of the boat’s crew dunked a pail into the sea and offered that water to wash off the remnants of our meal from our fingers. It was a very grounding experience to say the least.
Our last snorkel stop, Nalusuan island, seemed quite a ways away and by the time we arrived, the sun was peeking out, warming up the sea and enhancing the visibility. We swam alongside tiny schools of fish as they weaved together in synchronicity, watched as other fish took sustenance from the coral below and others as they swam along their merry way.
After some time in the sea, it was finally time time to head back. I fell asleep briefly on the boat and felt like I woke up a new person with a deeper appreciation for my Homeland’s culture, its people, their generosity and spirit. I wanted to remember the lessons of humility and gratitude that the islands taught me and to encapsulate and incorporate that mindset in my day-to-day life going forward. I now remember that life is about making connections, maintaining them and enjoying each other’s company while we have the opportunity. Life may have its challenges but we should never feel downtrodden as long as we have each other.
Island Trek Tours
https://www.islandtrektours.com
Fun Sun Dive & Travel
https://www.funsundivetravel.com/island-hopping/open-boat/
Troy and I started our journey at 8:30 p.m. when we were picked up by our neighbor, Barbara, who is our self-proclaimed personal airport uber driver. I would have normally asked for a later pickup since our flight was at 11:05 p.m. but from watching the news the night before and seeing the gridlock by LAX I decided to be more conservative. I’m not sure, looking back on it, what time would have been best to leave since we barely moved on Sepulveda and had been in the car for nearly an hour. I actually had to run out to use the restroom at In-N-Out burger and that’s when I saw travelers getting out of their Ubers and Lyfts and dragging their luggage in tow to LAX on foot. I looked at google maps and from Westchester Parkway by Parking Spot, it was going to take us 27 minutes to walk to Tom Bradley terminal. I also noted that we needed to check-in an hour before the flight or we would possibly lose our seats. It was 9:27 p.m.
Panicked but determined, when I returned to Barbara’s car, I told Troy we had to book it and walk the rest of the way. He looked at me incredulously, shocked, upset, confused. I didn’t have time to explain or argue. I told him if we didn’t leave right then and there, we would miss our flight. Considering just how much luggage we had, 4 pieces of which 3 were to be checked, plus a computer bag, big purse, backpack and pillows in a separate bag, it’s safe to say that we were not traveling light. I just remembered that I had a very clear vision of our objective despite Troy’s severe irritation and that I had to focus and get us there. I knew we weren’t that far and for once, I actually wore my New Balance sneakers so I was somewhat prepared for this impromptu second workout of the day.
We arrived at the Eva Airways check-in desk at 10:12 p.m. super sweaty and delirious or swooning as Troy said to the front desk clerk. Imagine our surprise when the airline representative looked at us, nervous, and said boarding was to begin at 10:15 pm and we still had to clear TSA and take a shuttle around the airport! We had never missed a flight in all the years we traveled together but there was a gripping fear this might be the first. With steely determination, we pushed forth and somehow the stars were aligned because it seemed like we breezed through the TSA line fairly quickly. After we made it through security, Troy asked if we had everything. I said “yes” and then he asked if I had my laptop and iPad which I somehow had forgotten due to my delirium. Luckily, we hadn’t walked away from the security area but I got chills imagining my state of mind and feelings of self-rebuke had I left them behind.
Sadly, the endurance test did not end there. Our walk to the gate for Eva Airways took as long as the walk from Barbara’s car to the terminal. I have vague memories of going down one wing, up an escalator, around and out to a shuttle taking us to the opposite side of the tarmac before finally ending up in the Eva departure area. In the past, we normally had the luxury of grabbing a drink and perhaps a snack before getting on board. It was not in the cards for us on this expedition.
Eighteen hours later, we arrived in Mactan a bit after 10 a.m. local time. We moved fairly quickly through immigration and headed to the baggage carousel. Troy proceeded to look for our luggage while I sat down on the floor to test my wifi routers. A portly American man took up conversation with Troy giving him some local pointers. I found him to be obnoxious as he kept trying to engage in conversation with me while I was clearly distracted and busy doing other things. Troy asked me if we had all our luggage and being distracted, irritated and wanting to get as far away from the odious guy as quickly as possible, I did a quick once over at our luggage and said “yes.”
Huge mistake. I didn’t discover until 5 hours later when I had unpacked most of the bags that the bag with our precious cargo, the 1.75 liter vodka bottle I had so carefully bubble wrapped and packed along with our beach towels, picnic blankets and another 750 millimeter of vodka stashed in what appeared to be an aluminum water bottle had been left behind. I called the airline and spoke with a very helpful rep, Aileen, who located my precious cargo.
In short, we learned a lot in the last 24 hours. We discovered our steely determination, found our inner grit to help us quickly pivot and push through extraordinary and unforeseen circumstances, never giving up hope and believing that things will work themselves out despite all obstacles. Also, never leave behind a great big bottle of vodka. 🍸🍸🍸🍸
Costa Rica is where I faced a few of my life long crippling fears and conquered them. I can’t recall, years later, how or why I came to deciding that Costa Rica would be a vacation destination for us, but it completely transformed me and I am forever grateful. What I recall is finding some internet special for a hotel at Flamingo Beach and simultaneously finding a fairly reasonable flight with one stopover through Houston to Liberia which was a fairly new airport at the time.
I remember researching what was available to do while there and how I naively and possibly deliberately booked excursions so that I would be forced out of my usual comfort level. I found a tour guide company across the street from our resort and basically decided to work with them for the week.
I think I wanted to ease into our trip by starting with what I thought would be a leisurely trip via ATV up and around a mountain and ending up at a beach. I had read about the possibilities of seeing monkeys in the jungle and the idea of being first in a lush setting and then basking on a sun drenched beach seemed appealing. However, I had never ridden on an ATV let alone drive one on my own. Our guide taught me how to start the engine and to use my right thumb to power the gas and to use my four fingers on both hands to power the brakes and off we went.
We started off slow as we climbed up into the mountain and saw a few monkeys in the trees watching us on our adventure. Then the trip took a more hair-raising turn, literally, as the road got narrower, windier and steeper with a possibility of a scary drop-off down the mountain to my right. I felt at times I was going to lose control of the vehicle and topple over as we went up the winding path. I broke out in a cold sweat as we rode over muddy pot holes which destabilized my grip on the ATV. I remember having inner conversations with myself to control my breath like in the yoga classes I used to take regularly as without oxygen, I would not be able to properly react at a moment’s notice should I go careening off the path or topple my vehicle sideways. I focused my sight on how my guide was physically moving and maneuvering his ATV in front of me and began mimicking his actions. That’s when the transformation happened. I began understanding the choreography involved with driving the ATV, and I began to gain more control, lessening my fear.
After about an hour into the hair-raising ride around the mountain, we began our descent to the beach. Once again, I began to experience loss of control of my ATV as I started to slide down the hill over the gravel, and I began to panic. I looked to my guide who was not helpful this time as he was barreling down the hill at an accelerated speed since he had taken that ride many times before and knew when and where to shift and turn. I basically gripped on the brakes the entire way down and was drenched in a blanket of sweat from fear by the time we emerged out onto the beautiful sunny flat beach with the soothing sounds of the waves. There are photos of me beaming at the beach, sitting on top of the ATV, because I had lived to tell about my first ATV adventure and accomplished so much psychologically, emotionally and intellectually during that ride but I felt enriched and a bit more courageous as a result.
The next excursion was possibly the scariest of them all. First we started via horseback to the top of the mountain where we had been driven in a van for over an hour, high up into the clouds up to the very tip top of the city. As per my usual luck, the horse I was assigned liked to wander and veer off the path which exemplifies me to a T so I fear that I have a predilection to horses that embody my true self. In any case, my horse walked away from the pack and stepped into a ditch, nearly bucking me off so I was already petrified and shaken by the time we reached our starting point for our zipline experience. I got off the horse and looked far down from the top of the mountain and could not see the bottom as the clouds shielded it. A chill of fear went through and reverberated throughout my body. I turned to my guide, looked at my crazy horse and said that I would ride him back to the stable on my own and forego the ziplining part. I had turned every shade of white and gone numb from the utter fear of possibly plunging to my death in that very deep abyss. To this day, I do not think I have experienced the sheer and utter horror I felt in that moment. I was deathly afraid of heights and had had a lifetime of recurring dreams of falling from great heights so this was literally my nightmare coming true and I had booked it and paid for it!!
By some miracle or perhaps obliviousness, I was convinced to put on gloves and was strapped into the zipline contraption. We were given instructions on how to position our bodies, where to place our hands and how to brake. Though I paid close attention to what was being relayed, I truly felt like getting sick from the nerves, anxiety and facing my fears as well as the unknown.
For the first 6 of 11 zip lines down the mountain, I screamed the whole way across with my eyes closed. At the 6th stop, one of the tour guides shook me out of my self absorption. He told me I was missing everything, that I had flown a long way, at great expense and was missing everything that was beautiful and magnificent around me. He assured me I would be safe, between the double cables and men at both ends of the line, nothing was going to happen to me or any of us.
It was at that moment that I woke up out of my self induced coma and decided to face my fears head on. I was still beyond petrified but became less so as we went along because we got closer to the ground level, but his words resonated in my head as I took the plunge on those last 5 lines until we reached the bottom where he gave me a high five and congratulated me on my bravery.
I am forever grateful to him for teaching me to believe in him, in others and in myself to get through one of the most perilous experiences of my life. Of course, as I write and read this, I likely sound spoiled and sheltered to some and perhaps I was until that point. I was given the seeds of courage, planted them and have been watering and nurturing them ever since.
Our next excursion in comparison was quite tame. I had booked a whitewater rafting trip which wasn’t as scary due to the timing of our visit. It hadn’t rained in days so the flow of the water was nowhere near perilous so it was just a typical rafting trip though admittedly I had never rafted or paddled down the river along and around rocks. What was actually scary for me was swinging off a rope, when we took a break halfway down, and allowing myself to drop yards down into ice cold water. I had always hated diving so swinging off a steep wall and letting go and dropping was no different. It took me a while to muster up the courage to literally take the plunge but yet again, after that accomplishment, I felt proud for not allowing fear to cripple me and for pushing and breaking through another barrier.
Over the next few years, when I have been faced with the unknown, I look back at those pivotal moments and though I may have screamed all the way to the other side and at times was paralyzed with fear, unable to move and think, I figured out a way to get through it, by having faith in myself and others, by taking deep cleansing breaths and by doing what so many others did before me. I was able to shed several layers of fear and emerged forever changed. Costa Rica gifted me with strength, courage and transformation, and because of that, it will forever be a special place in my heart.
Pura Vida!!
https://ggfoodie.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/img_2647.mov
In all the blogs and top things to do in Boracay, Ariel’s Point was always on the list. I deliberately didn’t reserve ahead of time because I wanted to do more on the ground research so I waited a few days to actually book our excursion.
One morning, I found myself awake around 5 a.m. so I decided to go for an early morning walk on the beach. I saw a sign for Ariel’s Point on my walk and made a mental note that it was about a 5 minute walk from our hotel. On my way back, I stopped by and inquired what day was available and how much of a deposit they needed. For my morning walk, I took the bare essentials: my iPhone, 1000 pesos and my iPod w/headphones. I asked if I could book a Christmas excursion for 2 with a 1000 pesos deposit although it was normally a 5000 pesos deposit for 2. They accepted it and wrote up a receipt guaranteeing my journey on Christmas Day. I was so surprised at their trust and faith in a stranger that I walked back to the hotel, got my credit card and returned with the full deposit.
On Christmas Day, we arrived well before the check-in time. After the rules and regulations were read, the group trekked onto the pirate boat and waded a bit into the water to enter the boat. The crew seemed affable and everybody seemed to want to party. We got the motor running and off we went. Shots of rum were served as was beer. About 5 minutes into our journey it felt and sounded as if we hit a huge rock. The engine died.
During the time we were stranded out at sea, rum kept flowing as the crew tried in vain to restart the engine. We befriended some of the people on the boat because nothing bonds people more than rum, beer and the fear of being stranded at sea and not intoxicated.
The main tour guide called for backup to help get us back to shore. Somehow, my husband and I ended up on the first boat back and we were given vouchers for the next day’s excursion.
The do-over luckily went according to plan. We arrived at Ariel’s Point which was this oasis in the middle of the ocean. The music was blasting. Rum was flowing and people immediately got to diving from the 3 dive boards. There was a short downpour during our stay but everybody was three sheets to the wind so it didn’t dampen our fun.
Lunch was served and it really was an event to behold. There was such a wide array of food and to this day, I wish I hadn’t been so conservative in filling up my plate. The lunch buffet was phenomenal, perfectly cooked, and full of traditional savory Filipino food. There was white rice, noodles, longanisa, fried fish, BBQ chicken and other items I wish I had eaten. By the time I realized I should have gotten 2-3 helpings, the food was gone. I don’t know who cooked all the amazing food but it truly was indicative of the Filipino culture and flavorings.
The rest of the time on Ariel’s Point was spent kayaking, swimming, snorkeling, diving, drinking, relaxing and truly enjoying just being away from it all. We were out in the middle of nowhere. There was no wifi. We were one with the sea and with each other.
It was, by far, one of the most memorable parts of my trip to Boracay. For what it is, it’s not cheap, but it is worth every penny to meet amazing people from all parts of the world, to truly get away from it all, to immerse yourself in isolation of sorts and to taste true Filipino food and experience Filipino hospitality.
Ariel’s Point
$50/person which includes a boat cruise, a BBQ buffet lunch, afternoon snacks, unlimited beverages (including beer and mixed drinks), cliff diving, kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkeling, and a souvenir bracelet. Leaves at 11:15 a.m. and returns by 5 p.m.
I hadn’t returned to the Philippines since 1985, and I found my task of choosing a hotel on one of its 7000 islands daunting to say the least. I chose Boracay because it’s known for its turquoise waters, fantastic water sports, insane beach parties complete with fire dancers and is known for its gorgeous White Beach which is divided into 3 stations. Wanting some quiet time and a bit of privacy, I narrowed my location to Station 1. I happened upon Ambassador in Paradise from many positive reviews on TripAdvisor. Still it was a shot in the dark not knowing anybody who had actually stayed there.
After 3 flights, a van ride, a boat ride and another van ride, we finally arrived at our destination, nearly 24 hours after leaving LAX. From the street, the resort looked quite narrow. As we walked through, the resort spread out a bit wider and was deeper and more expansive than we anticipated. Our room had a partial ocean view on the second floor above the restaurant, close to the beach. It also had a view of the pool and the inner courtyard area. The main dining area was easily accessible using the staircase by our room.
The architecture of the building had a Spanish Mediterranean feel. It might explain why there were many European guests staying at the resort. There were also a sprinkling of Australians. Compared to other hotels, including the more opulent and luxurious hotels down the beach, it appeared Ambassador in Paradise was at full capacity during our stay. I was more than a bit surprised but thought about the how and why of it all. It’s on the beach, has its own private beach area complete with chairs and umbrellas, it’s at Station 1 so there were fewer beach peddlers, it had a great breakfast buffet, the other meals they offered were reasonably priced and the nightly rates of the rooms were quite reasonable for everything the resort offered. As far as amenities, there was a really nice pool in the middle which we didn’t utilize mistakenly until near the end of our visit. The water temperature was actually quite lovely. The resort also had a small non-air conditioned gym in the basement. A few days prior to our arrival, a typhoon had hit and flooded the entire bottom floor. Some of the equipment was still drying as a result.
Our bedroom was nice enough. There was an armoire with shelves and a safe. Our luggage sat outside of it but most of our clothes were able to fit. There was a bench and a table for additional seating. The bathroom did not have air conditioning and the sink did not have a great deal of counter space. The shower area was open to the rest of the bathroom but luckily it was a wide enough space. The room came with a smartphone which allowed guests internet access and allowed local calls. Guests were able to take the phone outside of the resort during their stay.
All in all, for the value and the location, I would highly recommend staying at Ambassador in Paradise. The staff was phenomenal, professional and polite. They had a great variety of food. The nightly entertainment was relaxing. The style of the resort is casual, tasteful and subdued. Best of all, its location was perfect for relaxing and unwinding.
Ambassador in Paradise
Station 1, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan, 5608 Philippines
https://www.ambassadorinparadise.com
We arrived at Narita Airport in the mid afternoon and everything seemed to move smoothly and quickly. After we collected our luggage is when things became a bit more challenging. My first order of business was to pick up my wifi router. I had printed a map of the pickup point and what the desk looked like. However, I didn’t know which side of the terminal I was at, whether I was on the north or south side. In my search of the router, I went from one end of the terminal to the exact opposite. It was not close and it was quite humid. While looking for my correct location, I tried two ATM machines. The first did not work. Turns out that I needed to locate the international ATM which I fortunately came upon going from the south wing to the north.
The next struggle was finding the correct Keisei Skyliner location. We initially had approached the desk on the arrival floor. For Skyliner, the representative motioned for us to go to her right, towards the other wing. We found the escalator near the international ATM and went to the basement. I had seen the YouTube videos for the two options, the red JR line to the right or the left Keisei option to the left. I approached a Keisei representative with an email printout of my ticket confirmation and she motioned for me to go to the other desk behind me which was called the Skyliner and Keisei Information Center. It was a semi-enclosed area with a small lobby and front desk with 2 representatives. Luckily, there was no line. I showed the Keisei rep my email printout and she proceeded to give us our Skyliner tickets and 72 hour pass. I asked for a Pasmo card, which is a preloaded subway card, so as not to have to buy tickets at the other train stations which are not part of the Tokyo metro line covered by the 72 hour pass. I had done a preliminary search of the other train lines we potentially could use and I knew it would be around 1100 yen so I padded it just in case and asked for it to be loaded with 1500 yen. The Pasmo card required an additional 500 deposit of which a portion could be returned at the end of the trip but I knew going into it that I would be keeping it as a souvenir. I walked away with 3 different sets of train tickets. Our Keisei rep motioned for us to turnaround and walk towards the other Keisei desk to catch our train which was leaving in 10 minutes.
We followed the Keisei sign until we reached the entrance. I knew to put the ticket in the slot and retrieve it on the other side as I walked through the stall. We were told to wait on platform 5 which we did. I looked at our tickets which said 6A, 6B, 6C. I saw we were standing in front of 6 so it seemed like the right location. As we entered the train, there was a luggage section where we rushed to place all of our large luggage and we found our seats and sat down. Everything seemed fine until a man tapped me on the shoulder and told me I was in his seat. We compared tickets. We were in the wrong car! Our tickets were for Car 1 and we were in Car 6. Panicked as we didn’t have much time, we grabbed our luggage and proceeded to try to go through the cars with all our luggage being wheeled quickly though the aisle. At a certain point, my husband and mother-in-law jumped out with the luggage in an effort to quickly wheel the 4 large pieces of luggage on more even ground. My heart was pounding, trying to figure out if they would make it back on before the train left the station. I continued to wheel my laptop case between the cars. Luckily, I saw them come back in onto the first car as I was approaching that area. With only seconds to spare before the train began to move, we stowed our luggage and proceeded to our correct seats, hearts still racing and minds still processing our new learnings.
Luckily, we were quickly distracted by the impressively fast and smooth train ride and the comfortable air conditioned cars. The landscape whizzing by us caught our attention as it was quite the opposite of the hardscape we were used to. Though the homes looked very similar to ours, the landscape was quite thick and lush and the grass was almost iridescent green hue. Occasionally, we would go past what may have been temples or shrines which had the unique Japanese architecture we had only seen in photos or in movies. Moments later, we were transported to the here and now by large signs and buildings for what seemed to be the equivalent of Target and other other box store chains.
I sensed that this was the first of many observations that would demonstrate the country’s dichotomy of the very old and traditional combined with the very new and young. The very fact that a high speed train was traversing through fields, urban areas and centuries old architecture was an example of the coexistence and commingling of the old and the new.
After a quick stop at Nippori, we finally arrived at Ueno. We grabbed our bags and I was shocked to realize my laptop case was missing. I couldn’t believe that somebody had stolen my case which had my work laptop and fairly new camera. Luckily, we asked an attendant and she quickly found that it had somehow rolled diagonally across the aisle to one of the spaces in front of a seat. Shaken but incredibly relieved, we walked away from the train platform and followed the sign to the Gold Ginza line. We came upon another train stall and tried to use our 72 hour subway pass. It didn’t work. I motioned for help. A nice non-English speaking Japanese man came over. I couldn’t understand what he was saying but thought he meant for us to use the Pasmo card which didn’t quite seem right. That also did not work. It took another minute or two for us to figure out that we needed our original Skyliner tickets to exit the station. This was another novel idea that was not part of our previous experience with trains in Los Angeles. Sadly, I did not remember where I placed our tickets as I was so preoccupied when we boarded the Skyliner. I had to sit down and go through my wallet twice and on still not being able to find them, I began panicking and taking my wallet apart. I found the two stubs meshed in with other pieces of paper and relieved, got up and proceeded to insert the ticket to exit the station.
The long walk to the Gold Ginza line helped reset me and regain my perspective. There was a section where we walked through a long winding tunnel. We observed some of the people who were walking alongside us. There was an older man who sadly appeared to have an advanced stage of scoliosis and also appeared to be knocked kneed, walking awkwardly with his family, his left hand pressed against his lower back to possibly help put pressure to help him walk. It saddened me to see because he was clearly in pain and I wondered if time or lack of money had caused the deformity and silently wished him well. Having been diagnosed with scoliosis as a child and luckily having the means to correct it in the very early stages, I thanked my lucky stars for my health and normal existence.
With a newfound appreciation for life and health, I regained my composure when we finally reached our destination. I had deliberately placed all my subway tickets in the little envelope that had our 72 hour subway pass so I easily found that in the pockets of my wallet.
After exiting, we were faced with having to take our luggage down the stairs. We had to do it in shifts but having witnessed the blessings of life, I think we were a bit calmer and unaffected at this slight inconvenience, we made it to the platform which I confirmed on my phone with the aid of my handy Ninja wifi router. We got on the train and knew that we were only on it for 2 stops.
We left the train and proceeded to the exit stall and another hurdle was upon us. Unfortunately, my mother had suffered the same fate as me attempting to exit the Skyliner and she struggled to find her subway pass. It helped me realize that we needed to pay attention more so than normal because we were out of our element. After realizing she had put the pass in her pocket, we finally made it out of the station. We had to take our luggage up the stairs. Once again, we took them up in shifts until we reached street level.
The next hurdle was trying to find a taxi to take us. I tried to use my taxi app but it wouldn’t allow me to be picked up at that location. I couldn’t figure out if it was a bad connection or pickups weren’t allowed. My mother-in-law and I separately asked street merchants for help. I went into a store and not surprisingly, the store attendant did not speak English. She basically motioned that for me to hail I taxi, I would simply have to wave one down. My mother-in-law was able to confirm that we were in the rights spot but just needed to move a few yards up the sidewalk where it would be easier for luggage to be loaded off the curb. Luckily a minute or two later we successfully hailed a cab. The hotel was about 4-5 blocks on the left which would have been an easy walk without any luggage. With it, in the humidity combined with travel exhaustion, it would have been impossible.
We arrived at the hotel and check-in was seamless. Our room, though small and narrow, had a fantastic view of Tokyo Skytree. Looking out, we saw the Asahi building with the gold curved statue atop its building but we also noticed a small children’s amusement park across the street. As the sun set and the skies got darker, the lights of Skytower and the amusement park shifted the city landscape to a more romantic vibe akin to seeing the Empire State Building or Eiffel Tower lit up against the night skies. It seemed like the perfect opportunity for a toast. I had packed some vodka which needed chilling. My husband went to the 20th floor to get 3 Dixie cups filled with ice for our first vodka drink in Tokyo. We toasted our anniversary, our life and our first day of learnings and gratitude.
We then proceeded to get ready for dinner on the 27th floor which also promised a magnificent view of Tokyo Skytree. I had previously reviewed the Teppanyaki menu and was wanting a filling wagyu steak dinner. Another hiccup to our day was when we were presented with prefixe menus, starting at the financial equivalent of $70 per person, upwards to $110. That was not at all what I wanted to eat so I found the menu I had researched online and showed it to our very sweet waitress who, not shockingly, did not speak a great deal of English. Sadly, the online menu was a lie as that was not offered any longer. Luckily, the restaurant also offered Chinese food which had an English menu so we quickly pivoted onto a more casual fare for our anniversary/first night meal in Tokyo. Fortunately everything was delicious but I was slightly amused that our first meal in Japan was a slightly more expensive version of the Chinese food we would ordinarily eat at home. During dinner, the exhaustion of our very long day began to set in and we called it a night.
I learned a lot in the short period of time we’ve been in Tokyo and very little of it has to do with the culture, though there is an incredible amount of politeness and deference that we normally would not experience back home. I was reminded to always be mindful and be in the moment especially in a new and different environment. Appreciate and embrace health. Always remain flexible and open to experiencing what was previously not planned as there may be better surprises waiting on the other side.
And with that, it is time to turn in so I can be rested for a full day of adventure, lots of delicious eats and hopefully more learnings about the city, its people and their traditions. Good night Tokyo!
We’ve all been there. We’re trying to make the best of a long haul flight only to be in a seat where a young kid with a non-observant parent allows the constant potentially inadvertent kicking of your seat to occur for 11 hours. At other times, you’ll have large groups of people traveling together, excitedly and loudly talking, preventing you from enjoying your movie or keeping you from sleeping. Then there’s the unfortunate incidents of travelers with motion sickness which sets the flight attendants rushing back and forth up and down the aisles to attend to them and to help clean up any accidents. I have found ways over the years to cocoon myself from all these external distractions by bringing my must-have items with me on the plane.
1) Eye mask – It’s a signal to my brain to literally shut out the world and rest. Getting sleep during the plane right is pivotal to being alert and aware when getting off the plane to head to immigration, customs, finding your luggage and venturing out to a world unknown to you. I have a thick black silky one I use at home and on my travels. It’s luxuriously silky and much thicker and wider than the ones provided by airlines.
2) A pair of ear plugs (plus a spare) – This is key to muffling out any noises and commotion occurring during the trip. Sometimes ear plugs fall out during sleep, get buried in your seat or your neighbor’s blanket or perhaps land somewhere on the floor. It’s best to have a backup pair to ensure your maximum peace and comfort.
3) Airplane socks – These don’t have to be the compression socks unless you need them. They can be some fuzzy comfortable socks that you can put on after taking off your shoes so you can relax, settle in and get some rest. They sell these at the airport so they’re easy to find.
4) Your own headphones – All long haul airlines will provide you a pair of headphones for watching movies and listening to music but sometimes the quality is not great and doesn’t quite shut out the sounds around you, thereby distracting you from your choice of entertainment.
5) A wrap – I have a black pashmina wrap I bought from Costco years ago when it was stylish. I take it with me on all my plane rides because it acts as a blanket that’s breathable unlike the blankets which are provided to you. In addition, it can function as an accessory on your journey if your shoulders need to be covered for any sacred sites that may require it so it can have a dual purpose.
6) Your own pillows – Most everybody has a travel neck pillow but I also bring a regular neckroll pillow that I combine with the airline’s pillow to support my lower back. Depending on the airline, the comfort of the seats may be questionable. If it’s a long journey, it’s best to be as comfortable as possible. This pillow is small enough so it’s not cumbersome to bring and can be placed under your knee to help ease the tension on your back. The added bonus is you have your own personal pillow for your neck or knees for your stay.
7) Sanitizing wipes – These are much lighter and space efficient than the liquid type and can be used for wiping anything from your hands to surfaces on the plane. Plus they serve as hand wipes after a sticky or messy meal.
Hope my travel hacks have inspired you to find ways to make your journey more pleasant and enjoyable. Bon voyage and safe travels!
EYE MASK:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GSO1D9O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
EAR PLUGS:
https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight-5-Pair-Vending-Pack/dp/B00IT5MHWW/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1533384716&sr=8-7&keywords=ear+plugs
AIRPLANE SOCKS
https://www.amazon.com/Slaxry-Unisex-Winter-Comfortable-Cashmere/dp/B01M33FFN1/ref=pd_sim_193_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01M33FFN1&pd_rd_r=M6PCWSPPSGTZ4TBDJ8DN&pd_rd_w=LYTNs&pd_rd_wg=Dc5TQ&psc=1&refRID=M6PCWSPPSGTZ4TBDJ8DN
HEADPHONES:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DVN1P29/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
WRAP:
https://www.amazon.com/REEMONDE-Womens-Super-Colors-Pashmina/dp/B01L7INGOU/ref=sr_1_8?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1533385016&sr=1-8&nodeID=7141123011&psd=1&keywords=Black+pashmina+wrap
NECKROLL PILLOW:
https://www.amazon.com/Newpoint-100-Percent-Cotton-Neckroll-Pillow/dp/B001TH8M9O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1533384384&sr=8-3&keywords=White+neck+pillow
SANITIZING WIPES:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FZ23FA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Even though vacations are supposed to be the optimum opportunity for us to completely disengage and immerse ourselves in the planned getaway that was months or even years in the making, sometimes real life, either work, family or just the sheer need to stay engaged gets the better of us and we need options.
I have found that resorts in isolated foreign lands may promise wifi but actually lack the full wireless experience we rely on at home. I’ve been to Europe, Mexico and Asia and have sadly had issues when checking and downloading heavy emails let alone streaming on my iPad. I decided that this trip to Japan would be a different and a hopefully more effective and successful venture on that front.
The hotel we are staying at has wifi but it does not guarantee the speed, the safety or the effectiveness of the service. I give them credit for their honesty. It forced me to research other options. I reviewed the questions and comments on TripAdvisor. I also read quite a few blogs of people who were in Tokyo and Japan and ascertained that most picked up wifi routers or SIM cards for their wifi options.
I initially read quite a few travel bloggers talk about Tep Wireless and how seamless their connections were and how it truly was unlimited in data. Since I’m planning on being wifi dependent for 11 days, the total rental or purchase for my device would have been approximately $160.
The next option was finding a local Japanese wifi router. There were quite a few options but none sounded like overwhelming endorsements. In my travel search for places to visit, I ran across Voyagin. I clicked around their site and noted that they offered a 30% discount on wifi routers, specifically for Ninja. I read up on the brand and was surprised there were quite a few very positive reviews.
My last option was contacting my cell phone carrier, which in this case is Verizon Wireless. For $10 per day on an as used basis, I would be able to use my phone as I normally would and Verizon claims I will not have any issues connecting.
I also recently discovered that T-Mobile has a global plan so there is no additional cost to utilize service of the standard kind in foreign lands.
Between the wifi at the hotel and on the cruise as safety nets, I opted for Ninja through Voyagin with the Travel Pass as a backup so that I have 3 possible layers of connectivity from which to utilize. As Phoebe on “Friends” said, “it’s just good sense to backup your backup.” ☺️
Tep Wireless: https://mbsy.co/nrlch
Voyagin: https://www.govoyagin.com/activities/japan-tokyo-ninja-wifi-router-rental-service-in-japan/8762?acode=ggfoodie
Grace Gambin
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