Showing posts with label
cebu city travel log shoestringbudget.
Show all posts
Showing posts with label
cebu city travel log shoestringbudget.
Show all posts
The Shoesring budget:
My airline ticket from Cebu Pacific was so cheap that I paid only Php 2, 100.00 / U$49.00 for a return ticket to Cebu. As advice to fellow travelers, it is a must to purchase ticket(s) during airlines promotional offer and make the most of it during your vacation in the Philippines when you are abroad and during holiday seasons for those local travelers who want's to spend their vacation to various tourist destination in the country.
.
I arrived at the domestic airport from our condo unit at Espana Towers along Espana Boulevard, Manila via a taxi cab that cost me about Php 250.00 (U$ 5.80) for that 30 minutes drive and since it is still an hour-ahead of my departure, I decided to have a sip of Cappuccino with a store value of Php 150.00 / cup (U$ 3.50) and a piece of carrot cake that cost me about Php 100.00 (U$ 2.31) unsuspecting that the slice will only act as thin-liner to my bulging tummy. Nevertheless, these suffice my hunger temporarily before proceeding to the check-in counter for my boarding pass. In there, I was so amazed to see such a long line of baggage's and a mixed race of passengers painstakingly waiting for their turn to be served. Among them are balikbayan with their bulging baggage's, though I am one of them, I decided to be a light-traveler this time.
For those passenger ahead of us, they are about to complete one agonizing check-in procedure just because I suspect that either those dispatchers serving us are over-worked or simply lazy-enough to perform their duty to the expense of us travelers. For a while, I thought of those not-so-good write-ups regarding our International Airport as to the services rendered to passenger are hoax only to dis-credit the present administration but since I experienced those chaotic situations myself being an International and domestic airport user, I think there's really a need to upgrade our airport buildings as to the services rendered if we Filipino's really want's to attract more foreign visitors and business investors into the country.
.
Also it is noticeable that most of those male foreign travelers has Filipina companion aside from those young couples from the North Americas, India, Great Britain, Mainland China and Korea, makes me think that Cebu is really a tourist hub as of lover's lane paradise. Nevertheless, I was relived when my turn comes for me to have my boarding pass processes. Without further a due, I proceed straight to the boarding area but not to by-passed the security check to where we have to remove our shoes to be scanned thoroughly. Alas, I did reach the boarding area but can't endure the sight once again because of lack of view-window provided. Only a couple of 3-meters glass panel is available for those more than 200 passenger crammed in the waiting area. I have to return-back to the main lobby to wind-up and browse those local produce that is available for sale until such time that the final boarding announcement is heard.
On my way to the airplane, I am about to enter the covered walkway tube but been directed instead to use the stair down to reach the tail-portion of the plane. Our flight will take around an hour to Cebu without any untoward incident of turbulence seen. At the Cebu International airport, I re-join with my wife Evelyn and daughter Anna Mae who traveled few minutes ahead of me. After our immigration procedures was made, we took a short taxi ride (Php 250.00 / U$ 5.78) from Cebu International Airport traversing the famous Marcelo B. Fernan bridge that overlook the scenic shipping dockyards and bustling sea-going routes. Without even trying to figure-out about businesses potentials, the busy port can tell a lot of story that Cebu offers various business opportunities as well as continue creating jobs for those locals in the area.
As in Manila, I've seen a lot of public transport utilities cris-crossing around but the colorful jeepney's attract my attention most. When I first visited Cebu, more than 2-decades ago, SM Cebu is just starting it's operations. I still remember those story my brother told that his company done the dredging procedures to where SM Cebu is sitting now. A shallow marshland converted to one prime-properties and standing alone at that time, For now, every single space is being taken and turn this area as one Cebu business hub. From there, we reach Mango Avenue to check-in at the Mango Park Hotel (Php 2, 650.00 / night - U$ 61.33) which is located in the middle of Cebu commercial and business district.
.
Cebu is branded as the most livable City in the Philippines. The Queen City of the South boasts of famed Cebuano hospitality, faith and renowned scenic spots. My family have chosen the right place when we decided to spend our vacation last week-end: its rich cultural history and landmarks; the downtown tourism activities that have amazed tourist and local alike; and it's thriving trade and industry through its various businesses a First-World City in the Philippines that you really want to visit on your next vacation.
.
Day 1
Armed with my over-heated debit card to conquer our Cebu Adventure aside from those green-bucks I brought along with me from my work location in Doha, Qatar - Our Cebu adventure, a journey to the unknown, abruptly starts when my wife Evelyn and my daughter Anna Mae hurriedly packed their bags 'coz of a flight manifest that was wrongly reviewed the day before. In order to avoid flight cancellation, I then opted to drive them to the airport myself though I was not so sure about the route.
.
.
Undoubtedly, it was a mistake on my part because as soon as we joined the main gate outside of our resort-type condo compound at California Garden Square in Mandaluyong City, heavy traffic snaked as far-as you can imagine. Thought my grand-vacation eagerness was slowly turning-sour because of this dilemma, I had to concentrate on my driving to avoid untoward incidents that might cause major disruptions to our grand-vacation this year. It took us some time to navigate and reach the U-turn slot going to Global City, Taguig with all the traffic congestion, a 25kph drive was then slowly moving towards the business center of Makati until just after the overlapped bridge-way near the domestic airport in Pasay City. I was about to turn-right into an open slot but my wife Evelyn just in-time told me that it wasn't allowed and besides MMDA personnel is manning the cross-road near-by that might-again award me a violation ticket. I then followed the traffic towards the International Airport road until such time that a round-about gave me space to turn right towards the terminal 3 of the new domestic airport building.
.
.
Going back-home wasn't easy either, I then decided to take the route towards Mc. Kinley road and joined the traffic at EDSA near the ABC shopping complex in Makati towards the on-going construction of SMDC's Light Residences bounded by EDSA and Madison sts. (near Boni Ave., Mandaluyong) and passing through the underground bridge near the mixed complex of Robinson shopping mall. I then changed clothes at back in Mandaluyong and drove our CRV to Espana Towers located in Espana Boulevard, Manila where I have to temporary-park to the rest of our stay in Cebu City. To reach the domestic airport for my flight, a taxi cab came to the rescue - where my Cebu Pacific airbus aeroplane is waiting.
