Cebu B!

If there's anything I learned from our most recent out-of-town trip, it is this: the best things in life are free.

Well, almost. =)

B and I spent the last summer weekend at the Hilton Cebu Resort & Spa, Mactan Island.


His brother in-law, Carwin, gave us 40,000 miles sa Hilton Honors para makastay doon ng free. Ang kailangan lang namin bayaran ay taxes.

We left Friday morning, bago humagupit ang bagyong Caloy. Fortunately, our flight was neither cancelled nor delayed. This flight naman was paid for by my dad's Mabuhay Miles. =)

Since we left QC early, we didn't have time to eat breakfast. After we checked in and paid for the terminal fee, we bought Smokey's hotdog sandwiches and took it with us on the plane. Pwede naman daw sabi nung ground officer.


Nung malapit na sa Cebu, grabe ang turbulence. Sabi ni B, natakot daw siya. Ako naman ay matiyagang nagsasagot ng crossword puzzle nung time na yun.

After almost an hour, the aircraft landed at the Mactan airport. Before kami tuluyang lumabas, we asked this guy from Hilton kung mas okay ba na magtour muna kami sa Cebu City before kami mag-check-in. Sabi niya tour muna. Sinunod namin ang suggestion niya so naghanap kami ng cab na masasakyan. We talked to one of the dispatchers sa labas ng airport and napagalaman na fixed ang rates across all cab/rent-a-car "brands" kapag Cebu City tour. It was P1,000 for the first three hours and P250 for the succeeding hours.

Nasakyan namin is Californian rent-a car and ang driver namin is si Mang Ted. Mabait naman si manong at nakakaintindi ng Tagalog. Pag-alis namin ng airport hindi naman umuulan ng todo pero cloudy, windy and drizzly.

Halos isang oras ang naconsume sa byahe from the airport to our first stop, Fort San Pedro. The Fort is the nucleus of the first Spanish settlement in the country.


May mga kanyon doon sa taas ng Fort:


Then we went to Magellan's Shrine where the famous cross stood. May repairs na nagaganap so medyo madumi.


Ang dami doong makukulit na nagbebenta ng candles na pwede itirik sa katabing Basilica de Sto. Niño, which was our next stop.


It was amazing na kahit na Friday ay ang daming nagsisimba. The basilica was packed at ito lang ang nakuha kong picture sa loob:


After visiting the basilica, we went to Tabo-an market, where we bought pasalubong. B bought danggit and tinik while I bought otap. From there, we asked manong to drive by Colon st., the oldest street in the Philippines. Hindi na kami bumaba dahil umuulan and tumatakbo ang oras.

We went straight to SM City Cebu and did some grocery shopping. Takot kasing magutom. I also bought CnT lechon (sarrrap!) for lunch. After that, nagpahatid na kami sa Hilton.

Kahit na tig-isa lang kami ng backpack ni B, pinahatid pa rin namin sa room namin. Hassle-free naman ang check-in. Di naman nangdiscriminate ang front desk people at nagbigay pa ng suggestions kung pano kami makakatipid. Pwede raw kaming kumain sa Executive Lounge, isang privilege na nabestow sa amin dahil Diamond member ang brother-in-law ni B. =)

When we got to our room (ang ganda kaso wala akong nakuhang pic), inayos ko kagad ang lechon at rice para makalunch na kami. We decided to eat sa may balcony para di mag-amoy lechon at vinegar ang room.


The weather was ideal for sleeping so we slept after lunch.

It was almost 6pm when we woke up. Para makatipid, we decided na i-try ang complimentary cocktails sa Executive Lounge. Pagdating namin dun, kumuha kagad kami ng food. There was pizza, calamares at iba pang pica-pica food.


Drinks were complimentary as well. I ordered orange juice and Bailey's tas B had Coke light. Nakakatuwa ang staff sa Executive Lounge, si Adz at Z. Sobrang accomodating at maasikaso. After cocktails, balik na ulit kami sa room.

Day 2
Thank God umaraw nung Sabado! Before kami magbeach ay nag buffet breakfast muna kami sa Vanilla Beach. Ang daming food! Nakakaexcite! Dami namin nakain ni B.


Pagkakain ay nagpalit kami into our swimwear at dumerecho sa beach. Maliit lang ang shoreline. Sabi ni B ay reclaimed daw ang area na ito at dating port. Mabilis lumalim ang tubig pero may net naman para di ka masyado mapalayo. Okay ang tubig, di masyadong malamig, di rin mainit. Pero may lumot. Parang Boracay.

Ilang minutes after magswim ay nagsunbathe kami ni B for a while. Wish ko kasi talagang mangitim. Pero faint ang sinag ng araw so hindi (na naman) ako nangitim masyado. Pero nag-enjoy akong humiga sa beach lounger. First time! Hehehe.


After a few minutes ay lumipat kami sa pool para mag-swim. Lamig ng tubig!


Umakyat kami sa room around 2pm na yata. After maligo ay pumunta kami sa Executive Lounge para kumain. Wala masyadong food kundi cake at pastries. Naglaro din kami ng scrabble at naginternet para di ma-bore ng todo. Si B ang nanalo sa scrabble. =)

We were supposed to meet Crina, my friend from college, kaso masyadong remote ang Hilton at magastos lumabas. Nagdecide na lang kaming magstay sa hotel at matulog. =)

As usual, pumunta ulit kami sa Executive Lounge nung dinnertime. Mas maraming food this time. May calamares, tempura, fish fillet, pizza, grilled fish at iba pang pica-pica food. Nag-order kami ng San Mig Light. =)

After cocktails, bumalik na kami ng room at nag-pack ng gamit. Nanood din kami ng PBB Teen edition pero nakatulog na kami before pa iannounce kung sinong maeevict. =)

Day 3 Uwian na! =(

The sun seemed to have shone the brightest on Sunday, our last day, when we didn't even have time to swim and sunbathe.

Anyway, we had breakfast at the Vanilla Beach again. Pareho lang ang food, may ilan lang na nadagdag gaya ng danggit at egg benedict.

After breakfast ay nagayos kami ng gamit and nagcheck-out sa Executive Lounge. Uber friendly ng Executive Floor Manager na si Paula at sinabi na free pala ang clown fish sa may bathtub. Kumuha si B in place of the stuffed clown fish sa bed (which was worth P500).

Binayaran na rin namin ang P470 para sa car na maghahatid sa amin sa airport. Happy kami kasi walang ibang nacharge kay B kundi yun. We were expecting na we'll have to pay taxes and other charges pero wala. Although may initial charge nang P5,000 sa card ni B nung nagcheck-in kami. We'll have to wait 21 days para maconfirm kung may binayaran nga kami.

Dumating kami naman kami ng on-time sa airport. Pero nadelay ang Cebu Pacific flight namin ng ilang minutes. Dahil daw sa runway traffic and ulan sa Manila. Habang naghihintay sa plane ay tinuruan ako ni B maglaro ng Pokemon. Nakakaaddict! But that deserves another entry. Hehe.

We arrived at the domestic airport around 12:30 noon. Derecho kaming cab pauwi ng QC. Parang lumipas lang ang weekend. Bitin! But we enjoyed the trip. Looking forward to Boracay.

And Baguio.

And Tagbilaran.

And Bangkok.

Haha. =)

Di naman kami layas noh?