I took a side trip to Siquijor when I traveled to Dumaguete a couple of years back. This is a picture from inside the Lazi Convent, steeped in history and as if frozen in time.
Showing posts with label dumaguete. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dumaguete. Show all posts
Rizal Boulevard, Dumaguete, Philippines
I've traveled solo twice, plus a couple more times on business trips (but those don't really feel like they count). The first one was to Talipanan Beach in Puerto Galera, and the second time was in Dumaguete, thanks to a pair of free flights from Cebu Pacific, on account of a super delayed flight from Cebu to Manila. This picture was taken on that solo trip. I stayed in a hotel facing Rizal Boulevard and I would stroll along that street every day I was there. Good times.
Snapshots: Filipino Tempura, Rizal Blvd, Dumaguete, Philippines
In the afternoons, the seaside Rizal Boulevard in Dumaguete transforms into a street eatery of sorts, with vendors setting up shop to sell balut and Filipino-style tempura. Affordable and delicious food, a relaxed vibe, good times.
Snapshots: Cafe Noriter, Dumaguete, Philippines
For nearly a year now I've been into all things Korean thanks to KPop (this from the girl who loves The Virgins, MGMT and Florence the Machine - yeah, I'm a music schizo like that :D). And as fate would have it, a friend is getting assigned to Seoul for three months, so I'm going in November to pay him a visit! So I've been dreaming of Seoul of late, and trolling other travel blogs about where to go and what to do (besides fangirl to death, naturally. You're seeing a totally different side of me aren't you? :P)
Anyway, I keep hearing about this area called Hongdae which apparently is an artsy area in Seoul near a popular campus. Apparently the place is lined with cool clubs and cafes, and on weekends they have flea markets and such. As I was looking at some awesome pictures from Sleepwalking in Tokyo (here and here) I got reminded of this cafe I chanced upon on a random trip to Dumaguete in 2008.
So where Cafe Noriter gets is name from is the Korean word for "playground". The interior of the place was quirky-cute, with pictures and polaroids lining the walls along with books and random trinkets and things - the place had a very Asian pop culture vibe, which to me personally translates as cutesy, light and happy. It was a very feel-good place, and no doubt a favorite hangout of students from the nearby campus.
Apparently Cafe Noriter also has a branch in Manila now, somewhere in Taft Ave. I must definitely check that one out.
And while I'm on the subject, some new KPop videos! For kids who grew up in the 90's like me, these videos will probably remind you of the bubblegum pop era of The Spice Girls and the 1,001 boybands of our youth - except with a 21st century twist, I guess?
Note to Self: On my next post, I must write about (or at least mention) some totally non-commercial, non-mainstream bands so I don't completely lose all my coolness points. But whatever, KPop's fun, and I choose fun over cool (or musically original) sometimes. Haha! :P
Cafe Noriter website: http://dreamcafenoriter.com
Anyway, I keep hearing about this area called Hongdae which apparently is an artsy area in Seoul near a popular campus. Apparently the place is lined with cool clubs and cafes, and on weekends they have flea markets and such. As I was looking at some awesome pictures from Sleepwalking in Tokyo (here and here) I got reminded of this cafe I chanced upon on a random trip to Dumaguete in 2008.
So where Cafe Noriter gets is name from is the Korean word for "playground". The interior of the place was quirky-cute, with pictures and polaroids lining the walls along with books and random trinkets and things - the place had a very Asian pop culture vibe, which to me personally translates as cutesy, light and happy. It was a very feel-good place, and no doubt a favorite hangout of students from the nearby campus.
Apparently Cafe Noriter also has a branch in Manila now, somewhere in Taft Ave. I must definitely check that one out.
And while I'm on the subject, some new KPop videos! For kids who grew up in the 90's like me, these videos will probably remind you of the bubblegum pop era of The Spice Girls and the 1,001 boybands of our youth - except with a 21st century twist, I guess?
Note to Self: On my next post, I must write about (or at least mention) some totally non-commercial, non-mainstream bands so I don't completely lose all my coolness points. But whatever, KPop's fun, and I choose fun over cool (or musically original) sometimes. Haha! :P
Cafe Noriter website: http://dreamcafenoriter.com
Blogging from Dumaguete
I know I know, it's been nearly a year since I updated this blog. It's not that I'd forgotten about it, not at all - work just got in the way of my blogging. I'm happy to report though that, nearly a year after I started this blog (prompted by my big Bantayan Island trip with friends), I've had my fair share of travels, specifically, trips to Corregidor, Cebu (again!), Coron (Palawan), Boracay, and Macau! I'll write about them in due time, but for this post, I'm happy to report that, for the very first time, I am not typing on my laptop at home, but at an internet cafe in friendly, sunny Dumaguete! I feel very much like a backpacker now, reporting her (mis)adventures from a (not so) faraway place, alone but not at all lonely on her solitary trip.
How the story goes is, I scored a set of free round-trip tickets from Cebu Pacific last year on account of an uber delayed flight. So I decided to use it to go on a solitary trip to Dumaguete. Why Dumaguete? I'll talk about that when I write a proper, post-trip entry about this three-day getaway.
I arrived here at around 830 this morning (Cebu Pacific was surprisingly on time!). I checked in to the hotel where I'm staying called Bethel Guesthouse. I didn't want to stay in the hotel all day so I've been walking around the very relaxed and quiet streets of Dumaguete. The people are friendly and the atmosphere very easy-going, a rather stark contrast from the urban jungle that is Manila! I had an early lunch at a local ihaw-ihaw place, and I went to the public market to buy some native bags for me and my Mom (she loves those). I've also gone to the Dumaguete Cathedral and seen the centuries-old Watchtower near the town park / plaza. Before I leave, I plan to buy an inexpensive pair of freshwater pearl earrings - I think that'll be my little travel tradition (I've bought a pair each from my trips in Palawan and Boracay).
After this I'm heading to Siliman University, which I hear is a lovely campus, and then having a sweet treat at Sans Rival, a popular local restaurant. In the afternoon, I plan to hang out and read New Moon along Rizal Avenue, where I will also try Dumaguete's most popular street food, fish tempura.
Tomorrow is a bit more of an adventure! I'm taking a ferry early in the morning to Siquijor where I'll spend either half a day or the entire day exploring the island (the details of which, in particular my means of transportation around the island, are still a bit blurry at this point).
On Monday morning, I fly back to Manila.
So ends my first ever "field report". I've got to log out now, but will definitely post soon (and with pictures!) once I'm back in the big bad city. Till then!
How the story goes is, I scored a set of free round-trip tickets from Cebu Pacific last year on account of an uber delayed flight. So I decided to use it to go on a solitary trip to Dumaguete. Why Dumaguete? I'll talk about that when I write a proper, post-trip entry about this three-day getaway.
I arrived here at around 830 this morning (Cebu Pacific was surprisingly on time!). I checked in to the hotel where I'm staying called Bethel Guesthouse. I didn't want to stay in the hotel all day so I've been walking around the very relaxed and quiet streets of Dumaguete. The people are friendly and the atmosphere very easy-going, a rather stark contrast from the urban jungle that is Manila! I had an early lunch at a local ihaw-ihaw place, and I went to the public market to buy some native bags for me and my Mom (she loves those). I've also gone to the Dumaguete Cathedral and seen the centuries-old Watchtower near the town park / plaza. Before I leave, I plan to buy an inexpensive pair of freshwater pearl earrings - I think that'll be my little travel tradition (I've bought a pair each from my trips in Palawan and Boracay).
After this I'm heading to Siliman University, which I hear is a lovely campus, and then having a sweet treat at Sans Rival, a popular local restaurant. In the afternoon, I plan to hang out and read New Moon along Rizal Avenue, where I will also try Dumaguete's most popular street food, fish tempura.
Tomorrow is a bit more of an adventure! I'm taking a ferry early in the morning to Siquijor where I'll spend either half a day or the entire day exploring the island (the details of which, in particular my means of transportation around the island, are still a bit blurry at this point).
On Monday morning, I fly back to Manila.
So ends my first ever "field report". I've got to log out now, but will definitely post soon (and with pictures!) once I'm back in the big bad city. Till then!
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