Luzon 2016: Baguio, Tanay, and Morong

Long time no see again!

October has been extremely busy on my end, from meeting several groups of friends to taking the civil service exam. Between that and the onslaught of storms coming in, it has been very difficult to take some product pictures for the blog. I'm very keen on using natural light and there simply isn't any!

Given this, I thought I'd do a local travel diary this time. August and September had a total of three local destinations, which is a lot more than my family usually travels in that period of time. It's been a really taxing year (am I the only one thinking this year is terrible?) so a few vacations are always welcome.

Now, these aren't going to be as extensive as my Europe travel diary but I hope you appreciate them just the same.

Baguio August 2016 - Amare La Cucina

I've been to Baguio more times than I can count, and I'm sure you're sick of the same old views. I thought I'd do a tiny feature on one of my favourite pizza restaurants ever, called Amare. Bold statement, but pizza is probably my favourite food and they make the type that makes me want to eat three whole ones by myself. 

Its a small restaurant located inside Albergo Hotel along Villamor Street. It's about 40 to sometimes 1 hour and 30 minutes wait for a table, but I assure you the wait is worth it. My personal favourite pizzas are the Ragu Bolognese, Alvin's Pizza, and Pizza Con Prosciutto. Their pastas are amazing as well, and I would highly recommend adding some mint iced tea to the order.

Highly recommended if you want to try something other than what is at Ketchup!

Tanay, Rizal September 2016

My aunt and uncle came home from Sydney, and we took them around Tanay for a bit of a new experience. The views were amazing and I've honestly never seen so much forest in such a big expanse of land. I'm honestly curious to know if there are Philippine Eagles hiding around here. We were supposed to see the windmills but got lost too many times to count. Ah, all part of the adventure, right?

Morong, Bataan September 2016

We went to the beach the next day and stayed overnight. I've actually visited this resort previously in June, but it was a lot better now that the rains weren't as intermittent. I didn't wade in the water but I did a lot of walking around and listening to some of the stories my relatives shared. A lot of these pictures are sunsets and of the beach, because I'm still working on my sunset and beach photography. If you have any tips, I'd love to hear them!

What about you guys - have you been anywhere recently? I'd love to hear about it and even see pictures if you have any!

Tuesday, November 01, 2016

Luzon 2016: Baguio, Tanay, and Morong

By Pauline Read More

TRAVEL: Choco-late de Batirol

I know you're all probably sick of another Baguio travel post, so I thought I would do a feature of the places I frequent in the summer capital instead. Since I've been going to Baguio so frequently, there is really little for me left to explore, resulting to me looking forward to a routine instead. One of those routines is, as soon as we check-in and have lunch, is to walk all the way to my family's favourite merienda place.

Choco-late de Batirol has been in Igorot Park of Camp John Hay for as long as I can remember. From the outside alone, you can tell it's going to be more on the laid-back, cozy type which perfectly suits the atmosphere in Baguio. It's also a great change from the usual (insert coffee shop of choice here).

The picture before the cut is one that I took leaving the place. In a way one might classify it as 'hipster', though this has always been their layout, I think!

I will warn you now that this place gets packed very easily, especially during the holidays. It's best to allow yourself maybe 15-20 minutes waiting time before being seated, or to come early in the morning to avoid the big crowds.

No aircon here, not that you need it! The interiors are a collection of wooden furniture which I guess to be locally-made and locally-sourced. The different little capiz lanterns scattered about add an airy feel to the place. I also love that the place is surrounded by greenery, which I find to be very energizing but calming at the same time. A very interesting feeling, in my opinion!

I normally spend a good hour to hour and a half here, sipping my hot chocolate and catching up with my cousins. As everything is homemade and cooked from scratch, waiting time is considerably longer than your usual coffee shop. Something to keep in mind in case you're with hyper and very hungry children.

Hot chocolate is definitely one of the things to try here! None of than overly sweet, Swiss Miss-type (though there is a time and place for it). Instead, you get a slightly bitter but very warming cup that goes wonderfully with any of their sweet desserts, such as my favourite suman sa lihia. Anything sticky with tons of shaved coconut and muscovado sugar is a winner in my book. 

They also serve meals and other snacks such as bibingka, in case you're looking for something other than their usual hot chocolate. The best part is that it's not overly expensive. I would say a person would generously spend about P200-250! I'll definitely update this post with the menu as well as current prices when I return. 

At night, they do have live music, which I really enjoyed. The singer at the time was very interactive with the audience, asking for song requests and even volunteers from the audience to have a duet with him! It's worth mentioning that the sound system was also very good - no choppy sounds or static play. 

I hope you enjoyed this short post as much as I liked reliving my experience. Have you guys tried Choco-late de Batirol? Leave me a comment below!

Sunday, February 28, 2016

TRAVEL: Choco-late de Batirol

By Pauline Read More

TRAVEL: Baguio May 2015

I went to Baguio again last week! Unlike my New Year trip, this one was spent eating excessively and relaxing. I've been going here since I was a kid so the usual tourist destinations have been disregarded a long time ago. Instead I thought I'd share with you the place where I stay whenever I do go to Baguio.

Best part is that its the opposite of a concrete jungle that I have grown to dislike. Sometimes being surrounded by nature is enough to energize a person. Also, it was about 5-6 degrees colder than in the city, which is at around 33-39 degrees now. The heat needs to go!

Friday, May 22, 2015

TRAVEL: Baguio May 2015

By Pauline Read More

TRAVEL: Baguio

Just wanted to share with you a few pictures from my trip to Baguio. I stayed there with my family plus cousins for 4 days (including the New Year) and it was one of the better family trips. I've been going there at least twice a year as a kid, and it has always been a home away from home. This is probably where the appeal for cooler weather comes from, as it's usually pleasantly cool (about 15-20ºC). It's much more crowded now than it was when I was a kid, but I always eat better there than at home. 

Possible favourite thing was picking strawberries, even if I did fall down twice. I might consider owning my own little strawberry bush when I have my own place, even if I don't have much of a green thumb.

Where did you guys go in the New Year?

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Friday, January 09, 2015

TRAVEL: Baguio

By Pauline Read More