Saturday, October 15, 2016

Cebu... An Honest Mistake

I recently went to Cebu but it was a mistake....An honest mistake.

A couple of weeks ago, I received a notification from Air Asia that there was a discount when you use the mobile app.

Thinking that I do not have anything scheduled for October, I started checking out the dates and the price.  I got so excited when I saw it was only 227!  I immediately purchased a ticket to Cebu then posted the screen shot to our Viber group and told everybody to get a ticket, as well.

Then Pinky replied, Lia!  The currency is MYR!



Holy cow!  I did not notice it! The font was light grey over white!

I panicked a little because I did not know the exchange rate.  It is not that expensive but I am used to getting tickets on sale.  It is my happiness when I really get super discounted rates.

But what can I do? There is no cure for stupidity.  Hahahaha... Well I blame my bad eyes and in my defense, I used my iPhone to book the tickets, so imagine, the font was smaller than an ant.

When life gives me lemon, I make it into lemonade!

I always try to see the positive side in everything.  Maybe, it was meant to be! God would not let anything happen that he does not want to happen.

So many reasons to be happy about this trip.

When I got to Terminal 4, I immediately bought my favorite Vin Vin Jumbo bola bola siopao!


I enjoyed the plane ride because it was so cold inside the plane to the point that I had to cover myself with a shawl.

Upon arriving in Cebu, I looked for the counter of MyBus, a shuttle service by SM.  I bought the re- loadable card for 200 php and it had a free 100 php load plus 2 free coupons for the ride.

From Mactan Airport to SM Cebu, it only cost 25 php but I used my coupon so my ride was free.

It was a Mecedes Benz bus.




So clean and spacious.


The driver was very courteous and well groomed.

When I got down at the MyBus terminal behind Radisson Hotel, I saw another bus and the destination was SM Seaside!


I planned on going around SM Cebu but rode the bus going to SM Seaside, instead.

My ride this time was a Volvo and free!


I had my luggage with me and deposited it at SM Department store so I could go around the new mall.


Most of the stores were still closed but some were open already.  I even bought a shirt from Sferra and a cute aqua shades from Cotton On.

Restaurants that are open already:


My lunch was at Harbour City restaurant.


I felt like I was back in the cruise ship, eating at the dining room with the view of the port.


It is a dim sum place.


Also known for their famous steamed fried rice.


Fried rice with shirmp and pork sauce poured on top.


I always eat sio mai when I am in a dim sum place.


Crab pincers.


Chicken feet.


I wanted to check out Room For Dessert for PD because they have soft served ice cream on a cloud of cotton candy!


I only ate the cotton candy and chocolate toppings because the ice cream was  too sweet for me.  HAHAHA!  I think it was the other way around. I should not have eaten the cotton candy and the chocolates.


As I was walking around the mall, I saw this huge sign!


I looked for Pink Haven and found it.


I ordered a slice of Sans Rival. I am so used to Manila-sized serving so it was a shock when the waiter brought the sans rival to my table.

It was huge! 4 X 4 inch slice of Sans Rival!


I wanted to try it for my friends who love sans rival.  I thought I will not be able to finish it but I did because it was not too sweet.

It was time to head back to SM Cebu.  I took another bus ride and used my coupon again.

After a short Uber ride, I was in my hotel already located right across Ayala Center, Cebu!


Red Planet.

The room was small but clean


And the best part of all, the temperature setting of the air conditioner was 16 degrees!!!

Peeerrrrrrfect!!!

I wanted to eat dinner at Matia's but it was raining and traffic situation was horrible, so I just crossed to the mall.

I really did not plan on eating lechon but it was calling my name.  LOUDLY!


1/4 K. of CNT Lechon


and puso rice for dinner.


I was very tired and it was time to head back to the hotel.  I called it a night.  I showered and went to bed early but not without "arming" my security system.


Cristina taught me to use a door stopper especially when I am travelling alone.  I bought it at Ace Hardware.  It is now in my travel bin.

The next day was very exciting! I woke up at 6:30 to get ready for the day.

A trip to Carcar!

I went to the Cebu South Bus Terminal and rode a bus going to Oslob.  After an hour and a half, I went down at the Carcar City Public Market.

Time to eat LECHON!!!!!!


My favorite vendor is Lita and Joel.


I bought 2 half kilo of lechon.  1/2 K. for me to eat and the other half as pasalubong for Mona.

Of course, I removed the balat from the lechon for take home.  It would not be crunchy anymore.

Why waste a perfectly good balat?!?!?!

Look at that crunchy skin!!!!  And the layer of fat!!!


I called it a mah jong picha.

I sometimes feel annoyed when I see people scraping off the fat from the skin.  I consider it sacrilegious,

You dip the lechon and skin in the au jus or drippings of the lechon.


Heaven on earth.

After eating lechon from Carcar, every lechon in Cebu pales in comparison, IMO.

I ate my lechon in an eatery.  There was a sign posted in Visayan about bringing in lechon from the market, etc. etc.  Apparently, there is a "corkage" fee.  But when the owner saw I was just alone, she allowed me to use one of their tables.  I ordered rice and soda.  She probably thought that since I was just by myself, I would eat fast and not occupy the whole table.

I practically hogged the table! I bought lechon for Ate and my take home.


It was still hot, freshly roasted pig, so I had to let it cool. I brought disposable containers and plastic fork and spoon.

It is a well known fact that I eat so slowly.  The other customers were already finished eating and I was not even halfway yet.

I do not know why most of the time, as soon I take a bite of my food, I would see people looking at me and SMILE!  It is so hard to smile back after taking that first bite but I still manage to do it.

I wonder how I look like when I am eating?  I know I am passionate about it and almost oblivious to my surroundings, as though I am in my own world.

The owner was frying Okoy and it looked so good.  I ordered a piece.


Thumbs up!

After lunch, I went chicharon shopping for family and friends.  I do not eat chicharon, though.

I did not bring home a suitcase half-filled with bread but this time, it was half-filled with chicharon.


My little bus mate on my way home to the city, 11 month old, Sean Mathew.


So cute! At first, I was irritated because he was kicking my leg while he was breast feeding but then, he grew on me.

When I got to the city, I had to rush to buy the rest of my pasalubongs and"bilin".

Shey asked me to buy Montenegro's sylvanas for her.  Across from the sylvanas house was Lotching's Chinese ngohiong.  I just tried 2 pieces and brought home 12 for the Junkies.


Bacon! Bacon!


And more bacon!


I loved the mild cured bacon.

I was very happy with my short trip to Cebu albeit it was an honest mistake.


As usual, I can't wait to go back and eat at my favorite places!






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