It's more fun in Negros.

*NOTE: This post will be pretty text heavy. Apologies for the lack of pictures.

This entry just serves as a kind of bonus to my entry about Silay since it's only a 25-minute drive to Bacolod, and only a 10-minute drive to Talisay.

Lacson Ruins in Talisay

Why would you go to either you ask?

Because it's more fun in Negros. No but seriously...

Like I said before, Silay is more low-key and has managed to escape the invasion of Starbucks and company. But should you crave a little bit of corporate America or just a few good places to shop you can get your fix at Talisay or Bacolod.

Ayala North in Talisay is a shopping mall, which I prefer to Robinson’s in Bacolod, because it is less crowded. It has a lot of nice boutique shops with some famous brands. The supermarket is incredible because it has pretty much everything under the sun that you could wish for. It even has almond butter!

There is a small promenade area that looks like a mini version of Fort Bonifacio’s Strip. There are several restaurants (don’t ever go to the Italian one or Bob’s, the service is terrible) and they have free Zumba classes in the evening.

If you are in the area you must must MUST go to Felicia’s for the chocolate cake and the Sans Rival. Sans Rival is so good that I ate so much of it last Christmas that I was sick… and I would still do it again. You will thank me for eternity for this tip trust me. Calea which is opposite Felicia’s also has a wonderful selection of cakes, but it’s their Mud Pie that outshines the rest.

A visit to Talisay should also include a stop at the Lacson Ruins. One of the best preserved ruins in the world, it was the home of a prestigious family that owned a sugarcane field. During WWII, the Americans set the house on fire to prevent the Japanese from using the house as their headquarters. Although the house burned for 3-days straight its cement skeleton remained as a reminder of the past.

Side entrance of the Lacson Ruins

Veranda of the Lacson Ruins

Bacolod has a lot more facilities, such as places to shop and nightlife. Head on down to Bacolod’s Art District at night for some cheap drinks in the hippest bars in town. For any fitness fanatics out there, Bacolod Crossfit is situated there so you can sign up for a trial workout if you dare.

One block down is a 24-hour spa called Spa Natura. It’s not bad at all. The massages are really good and very cheap.

But, the main reason why you should be going to Bacolod is to try the authentic Chicken inasal. If you have tried in places outside of Bacolod, I can pretty much assure you that’s not how it’s supposed to taste like. It’s a very specific blend of spices and it is the way that it is cooked that lends inasal its distinct but subtle taste.

You should go to Malaspina for the best. Chicken house used to be the top of the list but the quality went down as its popularity went up. Typical. However Malaspina is not a place with a nice ambiance. If you want something with a nicer ambiance and almost equally good taste you should go to Masskara Chicken Inasal... If not for the chicken, then at least for the following photo opp:

Posing with the Masskara masks at Masskara Chicken Inasal

For those of you who don't know what Chicken Inasal is, it's the local grilled chicken which tastes good. So so good.

Bacolod is also home to the famous Masskara festival. It takes place around every third weekend of October. Heard it’s loads of fun but you need to prep your livers for some heavy boozing.

There’s loads more Bacolod and Talisay have to offer but it’s easy to get around so you should discover them for yourself ;). I’m running behind on entries!

Silay City - A home away from home

It’s odd but I don’t actually feel like I’m really in the Philippines until the plane descends towards Silay City and you see sugarcane fields, patches of green and the grazing caribou. Though Manila embodies the vivaciousness of Filipino city life, and beaches like Boracay and Palawan boast the Philippines’ natural beauty, I don’t really feel that warm sense of welcoming until I’m in Silay.

Children playing around a memorial of the uprising against Spanish rule

Perhaps it is because of the humble nature of the city – how things have remained the same for years and how the same businesses that were open in the Marcos era are still open today. For me, Silay symbolises the Filipino life and mentality – it finds beauty in simplicity and while it is open to change and develops over time, it remains loyal to its roots.

Street art hidden amongst the bushes

I have been going back to Silay to visit my extended family every 2 years but have not until recently really fallen victim to its charm. I guess it’s perhaps because during this visit I could wander the streets alone rather than the usual hustle and bustle of family gatherings (try getting 50 people into one house!).

What you find is beautifully preserved colonial architecture, colourful houses, cars, and tricycles, and a range of eye-catching street art – all dotted between patches of tropical green fauna. It’s edgy without trying.

On top of the architecture, you can also get a taste of authentic Visayan food. El Ideal on Rizal St. has been open for nearly a Century and sells homemade Illonggo delicacies, either fresh from over the counter or pre-packaged so you can share them or bring them abroad. Definitely bring some Piaya, Butterscotch, Food for the Gods for your loved ones with a sweet tooth. El Ideal also serves some of the best Batchoy and Buko pie I can think of, so you can enjoy a merienda after your shopping.

Another delicacy is the Visayan Pili Nut. You can get Pili Nut treats in shops but the best ones need to be ordered from a family who makes them. My family turns to the Lacsons. If you’re interested in trying them out when you’re in town, let me know!

If you feel like a caffeine break, you should check out Café 1925 off Rizal Street on J. Pitong Ledesma Street. It’s a quaint little café that serves delicious little cupcakes. Want to try something more local? Order the calamansi cupcake. Calamansi looks like a miniature version of a lime and is served with a lot of our food. Café 1925 takes a fresh spin in taking calamansi (which I’ve usually only seen with savoury dishes) and serves it as a dessert. I’m hoping this may pave the way for calamansi panacotta, or calamansi parfait in the near future. Yum.

You can’t leave Silay without trying the seafood in Balaring. If you are feeling brave try the talaba which is raw oysters. The food is to die for, the portions are generous, and because it’s no tourist trap the prices are fair. Not to mention you have a nice view of the seaside.

Entrance to Café 1925

Having an iced mocha and a red velvet cupcake in Café 1925. Yum!

Silay also has a very rich history. You can take a peek into the lives of the sugar barons of Silay, in Balay Negrense, which was once owned by the Gaston family, one of the pioneers of sugarcane cultivation in that region of the Philippines. The house has now been converted to a museum, which when last I visited was free of charge. 

I can’t emphasise more how highly I think of the people and city of Silay. How I admire them for finding comfort and happiness in incredible food, their history, their faith, and most of all family. Their warmth reaches out to others and even coming in from another country you feel like an extension of the Silay City family.

Decorations in the Silay Plaza

Another piece of street art tucked in between two shrubberies

The community church

The Philippines, having been colonised by the USA for several years, is highly influenced by American culture, resulting in a rapid rise of American or American-like chains surfacing the Philippine streets (you can even find a Starbucks in Boracay… seriously). Just take a gander around Makati or Fort Bonifacio in Manila and the clean streets, the street names and skyscrapers do not differ much from New York City.

Silay City Hall

So if you want a closer look at everyday Filipino life, discover the rich history of Silay, and want to try things without having to worry about ‘local versus tourist’ prices, visit Silay City. It will feel like a home away from home.

BRB - I'm sunbathing

The last time I was in Boracay, I was only 11-years old and I remember my jaw dropping when I saw the white sand and the clear blue water. I had never seen anything like it before. My family and I were the only people on the beach almost all week and it was incredible how you could see schools of fish in the shallow water. This was a real plus because at the time, because my little sister still couldn't swim.

Boracay today is now a far cry from what it once was. Renowned for its wild nightlife, especially during Easter season, the schools of fish have now been replaced by hordes of tourists and island-hopping boats.

There isn’t much to Boracay apart from the chilled out vibe of the beaches, the parties, and the water sports, but since it’s transformed from a small beach paradise into a tourist hot spot I’ll give you guys on pros and cons and prices of transport, accommodation, food, and drinks and what is most definitely a ripoff.

Should I fly into Kalibo or Caticlan?

Caticlan is a LOT closer but it’s a really small airport and the carriers only allow check-in luggage up to 10kg. Flights into Kalibo are cheaper but you would have to sort out land transfers – a return door-to-door transfer with Southwest Tours with terminal and environmental fees included costs about 800 PHP each (around 10 USD). If you can avoid flying into Kalibo, I would. There is little price difference when taking into account land transfer fees plus the long commute would shorten the time you can spend soaking up the sun on the beach! Not to mention the land transfer itself is chaotic and stressful at best.

Where should I stay?

It all depends on your budget. Since hotels fill up quickly around this time of year (March till Labour Day is peak season), Holly and I only managed to get a family room in Jony’s Resort at Station 1. It’s a little pricey for what it actually has to offer but this was Holly’s first time in Boracay and so I thought it would be worth shelling out a little extra for a beachfront resort on White Beach. It is also a family-run resort and I feel happier supporting an establishment run by locals than one of those global hotel conglomerates. 

White Beach Station 1

The room was a good size with a TV, airconditioning, a fridge, and a clean functional bathroom and toilet (with complimentary toiletries yay!). I thought it was rubbish that in spite of the money we paid for the room, they don’t offer any complimentary water. They charge you 20 PHP for a small bottle if you take it out of the mini-fridge. I think it’s worth investing a trip to a sari-sari store and getting a 2L bottle or bigger. There is also a supermarket in D*Mall in Station 2 where you can get decently priced water.

Staying in Station 1 is more expensive because it is closest to the nicest part of the beach. I would not stay in Station 2 since it’s really crowded and incredibly noisy at night. On top of that access to the beach isn’t as good because loads of bangkas are docked there and you will get hassled by people all day trying to sell you a sunset ‘cruise’ or island hopping tour.

Some bangkas docked at Station 2

Station 3 is more quiet and laidback and there are quite a few nice hotels that have been built recently. For those on a budget there is a really nice hostel called The Treehouse which is what it is – a really big bamboo tree house. There are cheap drinks at their bar at night with good live music. Because Station 3 is a long walk away from the other two and the sand is no longer white, it’s a lot cheaper to stay there. If it’s your first time in Boracay, I would suggest spending a few nights in Station 1 just so you savour the beauty of White Beach, and then spend the rest of your stay in Station 3.

Where should I eat?

I have to start with singing praises about the restaurant at Jony’s Resort. Although the accommodation itself wasn’t spectacular, the resort’s restaurant Mayas goes above and beyond my expectations. First and foremost: location, location, location! There is nothing better than waking up in the morning and seeing the clear blue waters while having your morning coffee.

Our view of the beach at breakfast.

The resort also has several sunbeds situated right in front of the restaurant reserved for its hotel guests but it’s on a first come first serve basis. Holly and I are not exactly early risers but we befriended one of the hotel staff – Rey who was always kind enough to help us find two sunbeds and serve our tea and delicious cocktails there.

The food at Mayas is mouth-watering. Breakfast was one of the things Holly and I looked most forward to apart from Happy Hour. Their motif is Filipino-Mexican fusion, however, like the resort, the prices are steep compared to the rest of the island. Mains are from 400 PHP upwards, whereas you can easily get a decent meal for around the 200 PHP mark if you look around the island.

For you foodies out there you can get good seafood at D’Talipapa which is somewhere around the D*Mall area. Friends have also recommended Smoke, located towards the back of D*Mall near the main road. I’ve personally not tried it but locals have said the food is very good and reasonably priced. It’s also best to avoid eating and drinking (outside of happy hour) in Station 1 unless you intend to splurge a little.

I’ve also seen a LOT of tourists buying the buko shakes and buko juices at the beachfront stalls of Stations 1 and 2. Please don’t. It breaks my heart to see people being royally ripped off. They charge around 110 PHP but if you wander around the D*Mall area you can find stalls that sell it for around 30 PHP.  Sure, if you convert the difference to USD or GBP, it’s not much of a difference but it’s the principle innit.

Guess the conclusion is: want to splurge? Station 1. Want good local food for a reasonable price? Station 2.

Where should I drink?

Take advantage of happy hour. Seriously do. There is nothing like having good quality cocktails or a cheap bucket of beer while watching the sunset in Station 1. Happy hour is around 4pm-8pm, sometimes 9pm for most of the places in Station 1. Recommended places for some lush drinks are Two Seasons and Sur, although Holly and I kind of just picked out the best deals. Cocktails cost around 200 PHP and during happy hour it’s 2-4-1. 

Happy hour cocktails at Station 1

Station 2 has a lot more going on later in the evening so after happy hour is over you can head down there for some more drinks or to go clubbing in Epic, Wave House, or Summer Place. Entrance for Epic is 300 PHP inclusive of two drinks whereas Summer Place is about 100 PHP without drinks.

You can also lounge around in the outdoor areas of the bars in Station 2 and wait for the fire dancers to come out. It’s loads of fun but they do come over to your table a LOT asking for monetary contributions.

Firedancers yippee.

Want a little bit of weird? There’s the Hobbit House in D*Mall, which appears to just be a pub decorated with LOTR memorabilia but take a closer look you’ll see that all the waiters there are midgets… I kid you not. The drinks are good I guess, but to be honest I was a little distracted by the sign proclaiming they were the pub with “THE SHORTEST WAITERS IN THE WORLD.” Is this something to brag about? A lot of tourists find this place fun, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that the entire thing is a little politically incorrect.

Entrance to Spiderhouse

Last but not least there is The Spiderhouse in Diniwid beach. Holly will probably kill me for spreading the word about our little haven of harmony and awesome, but I just have to! No happy hour, but the venue is worth the money. Just hop on a tricycle and ask them to take you to Spiderhouse, Diniwid beach. It’s accessible through a little hole in a rock at the end of the beach and you climb up the stairs until you reach the bar. Just ask anyone for directions if you’re confused.

You can sunbathe on that wooden float at Spiderhouse

It’s a great place to watch the sunset and you can climb down the bamboo ladder to the water if you fancy a swim. There’s also a small wooden floaty thing you can sunbathe on.

Two downsides to Spiderhouse: as the sun sets it begins to fill up with some really weird people so go early. Secondly, the food kind of sucks so go elsewhere for dinner or just go with the Western food.

Anything else?

Like in Bali, there are ‘local’ prices and ‘foreigner’ prices, so haggle if you can. Sadly there is an abundance of spendthrift tourists on the island so prices may not go down a lot, especially for tours and water sports. Try haggling with them later in the day.

For those on a budget: when you are taking a tricycle make sure you ask for the ‘regular price’ and not the ‘special price’. A trip to Diniwid beach from Station 1 can cost 100 PHP with a special price and only 25 PHP with the regular price. The difference between the two fares is that the special one is a private transfer to your destination. With the regular fare, the tricycle driver will pick up people along the way who flag them down on the way to your destination.

Sunset at Diniwid Beach

Ok this may sound like a no-brainer, but seriously, wear SPF 50. The Filipino summer sun is a merciless fiend. My entire upper body got sunburned although I naturally have a darker skin colour, I slathered on SPF 30, religiously re-applied, and avoided the sun between noon to 2.30 PM. Wear SPF 50. You will burn.

So there you have it. These are my tips on what to do when you’re in Boracay. If you haven’t been, go soon. Boracay today is so different from what it was when I first saw it. Although the many establishments have made it more fun and accessible, it feels less like the Philippines and more like an arbitrary beach holiday and in spite of the Philippines’ efforts in eco tourism, I fear that in several years time the beauty of White Beach will be overrun with clubs, pubs, and whatnot and become another Patong Beach, Phuket.

Stuck in the Middle Kingdom with You

"And I'm wondering what it is I should do, It's so hard to keep this smile from my face, Losing control, yeah, I'm all over the place, Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right, Here I am, stuck in the middle with you." - Stealers Wheel

China, also referred to as the Middle Kingdom, has long been on my bucket list. I think it first appeared on my radar when I was told as a kid that you can see it from space. There was also this pretty impressive opening scene in Disney's Mulan where Shan Yu and the Huns climb the Great Wall and a brave soldier runs up the tower steps and lights the warning signal... made my 8-year old self gaze in wonder and think, "I MUST GO THERE NOW."

Like in Paris, lovers can attach a lock to symbolise their love on the Great Wall of China. 

After a quick 4-day trip to Beijing, I can safely say I did my 8-year old self proud. If I could travel back in time or access the past by entering an alternate dimension, I'd tell myself how incredible Beijing is... even with the smog. It offers a beautiful blend between its rich cultural history and the vibrant modern metropolis it has become today.

Before my trip, I came with a bucket load of preconceptions formed from various dialogues with Chinese friends, friends who have lived in China, and some who, like me, have never been there. But now having been there, there are some myths about Beijing that I'd like to bust.

1. People are rude.

Wrong. Just SO wrong. Beijing has some of the most helpful and friendly people I have met. Ok sure there was this one incident where my friend and I had a shouting match with two hooligans in the MRT but that was about it.

What really stood out was how people really tried to help you even if they could not speak English. When I was sitting helplessly in a bank trying to change money and they couldn't understand where my passport was from (it's in German), one guy who spoke minimal English translated for me. We also had a nice short chat about Mozart afterwards. Another shining example was when my friend wanted me to reeeaaallly try these amazing baos (buns) and the stall only sold them in a set of 5. We offered to buy one off an elderly couple but they refused to take the money and just gave it to us.

We even ended up taking a picture together. Such happy times.

See how considerate they are?!

2. The food is weird.

Semi-wrong. It also depends on what you classify as weird I guess. Firstly, the food in Beijing is delicious but you can find some really odd things if you look for it. Off Wangfujing Street there's a street market where you can find all sorts of strange food.

There are live scorpions impaled on skewers which they deep-fry and coat in spices before serving. You can also get deep-fried starfish and seahorse skewers if it tickles your fancy. However those weird foods you can identify by looking at them. There are however several stalls that sell buns and other dishes that look quite ordinary but actually use donkey meat. You'd probably have to ask a local what characters to look out for as they usually clearly label them.

Yummy, yummy, yummy, I've got scorpions in my tummy.

3. Beijing is dirty.

It's all relative my friend. The dirtiness of Beijing is something I've heard from a lot of my friends in Singapore, although pretty much any place on Earth except for Switzerland and Japan are filthy in comparison to squeaky clean Singapore.

Personally I don't find it dirty. Perhaps it could be because I only stayed within the first 2 rings of Beijing but from what I saw, I can pick out some neighbourhoods in London that are more dirty.

4. Airpocalypse?

True. A few days prior to my arrival the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) was at around 500. N95 masks sold like hotcakes. The smog was so thick, people began calling it the airpocalypse.

My friend and I were having dinner with a local who told us the average PSI was around 300 at that time of year. Coupled with the dryness in winter, it's an especially uncomfortable period to visit. I would recommend that before you visit you should bring N95 masks and would really advise you to stay in a hotel/hostel with an air purifier or air conditioning. You'll thank me for it later, trust me.

We stayed in the Holiday Inn Express Minzuyuan which didn't have either of those facilities and in spite of wearing masks all day we would wake up the next day sounding like we chain-smoked all evening and then topped it off with whiskey.

Nope. That's not a layer of fog hovering over the city.

5. There tends to be quite a bit of spitting going on.

True. But seriously can you blame them considering the quality of the air? I was all phlegmed up after only 4 days in Beijing.

6. You should know some Chinese.

It is definitely an advantage. I had quite a lot of trouble on my first day communicating but managed to get by with very limited vocabulary and some pointing. The difficulty is getting the tones right when you speak as what you say won't make much sense if you don't get it right.

Beijing is also a great place to learn or practice your Chinese since you have little choice in reverting to English. In any case, Mandarin is a beautiful and melodic language and I'll probably take some lessons in the future.

Why is there a Chinatown in a Chinese city?

All in all, Beijing is nothing less than awesome. The food, the people, the history, the art, the language - an entirely different experience. I am hoping to return to China soon and explore the other cities and see how they compare. But if you haven't been to Beijing yet... go, go GO!

Life is a ride yo

Sharing something I read at a hostel in Phnom Penh while I was spacing out on a beanbag. Sounds trippy but it's got some great points.

Here's the text:

The world is like a ride in an amusement park, and when

you choose to go on it you think it's real because

that's how powerful our minds are and the ride

goes up and down and round and round. And it has

thrills and chills and it is very brightly colored, and it's

very loud. And it's fun, for a while.

Some people have been on the ride for a long time and

they've begun to question, "Is this real or is this just a ride?"

and other people have remembered and they've come back to us

and they say, "Hey don't worry. Don't be afraid, ever, because

THIS IS JUST A RIDE." And WE KILL THOSE PEOPLE.

"Shut him up! We have a lot invested in this ride! Shut him up!"

"Look at my furrows of worry. Look at my big bank account, and

my family. This just has to be real."

IT'S JUST A RIDE

But we will always kill those good guys who try and tell us that.

You ever noticed that? And let the demons run amok. But it

doesn't matter because it's just a ride.

And we can change it anytime we want. It's only a choice.

No effort, no work, no job, no savings of money. A choice, right now,

between fear and love. The eyes of fear wants you to put bigger

locks on your door, buy guns, close yourself off. The eyes of love 

instead see all of us as one.

Here's what we can do right now to change the world, to a better ride:

Take all that money we spend on weapons and defense

each year and instead spend it feeding, clothing, and educating

the poor of the world, which it would many times over, not one

human being excluded, and we can explore space, together, both

inner and outer, forever... In peace...

From: WISDOMLOVER

BRB GUYS - I'm travelling

So I finally did it. I took the leap. I quit my job and decided to take a break to travel around before re-entering the workforce. People have asked me time and time again why I quit and why I decided to leave a place I have made home for the past two years. Sure, I did not live a life of luxury in the most expensive city in the world, but I had a job, shared a nice private flat in a quiet neighbourhood, a good handful of friends, and a happy and fulfilling relationship. Why abandon it all for unemployment and travelling on a budget?

Isn't Singapore just so purdy?

As I’ve begun to embark on my travels and tell more and more people why, the more I look into my choice. It all boils down to a conversation I was having with my cousin. As is normal for yuppies in their mid-20s, we were having wine and discussing the woes of work. It was then when my cousin told me something I would never forget: “You know what cousin? There is a difference between being comfortable and being happy.” It dawned on me that although I had friends, a relationship, and a career, the feeling in my gut still told me this wasn’t the right city, the right career path, and that I deserve to chase after something that would make me happy.

Fearful of remaining a bum after graduating high school and university, I rushed into my career choice. Jobs are few and far between right? So I had to take what was available. At least that was my opinion in the past.

It seems, like myself, a lot of other 20-somethings think of their twenties as a time to keep mucking around until reality smacks them in the face. Sure, there are the ambitious and the successful, but there are also those who are either stuck in a dead-end job, a career path they hate, or doing nothing at all. We are happy to be comfortable. Being happy is too risky. In a day and age where the economic climate has all of us recent graduates struggling for a foot in the door in the workforce, we seem to approach life with an unnecessary averseness to risk.

I was stuck in a job that had no prospects, no challenges, and pretty much no promise. So I did it. I quit my job without any idea of what the future holds. I will go and travel around Asia, meet new friends and old, splurge on holidays, budget on others, and explore my career choices, but most importantly I will do this because it makes me happy.

So I urge others who are not yet happy: don’t be afraid to pursue it because comfortable is not good enough.