A Quick Guimaras Tour

Last Monday, you can locate me at Iloilo City.  My dad is an Ilonggo – he came from Capiz, but that was the first time I travelled to Iloilo.

I arrived early morning and finished work by 3pm.  Before resting at the hotel, I asked my colleague there to tour me to Iloilo’s tourist spots.  But she decided to bring me to Guimaras instead.

Guimaras is a small island located south of Iloilo.  It used to be a sub-province of Iloilo but later on it earned its own right to be its own province. 

Going to Guimaras from Iloilo will just take 15 to 20 mins by boat.  Boat ride cost Php14 day time, and Php20 night time. 

Bangka traveling to and from Iloilo - Guimaras

We landed at Jordan, Guimaras.  Touring the area will require you to rent (arkila) a tricycle or multicab which cost Php500 or Php900 respectively for back and forth ride.

Busy Guimaras Port

We visited the Trappist Monastery.  Here, monks don’t speak with each other inside.  They don’t eat anything pork or anything “delicious”.  They live by rice, fish, and vegetables alone.  Baybz, my colleague, knows a monk in there, Brother Peter.  He prayed for us.  Initially I declined, but they were insistent so I agreed.  After all, I am a firm believer that we all serve the same God even with different religions.

Then we went to Raymen Beach Resort.  Stayed there for 15 to 20 mins to do some picture taking then headed home.  The sand is Boracay-ish (powdery white) with some small shells.

Sorry for the macho background.

Honestly, when you go to Guimaras, you have to stay overnight.  Why?  The travel to the beaches takes about one hour and another hour back to the port.  So much time wasted for traveling in day tours.  Sayang naman.

The nice part is that it’s the harvest season for mangoes.  Guimaras is famous for export-class mangoes.  I was able to bring home some. J

Please Be Warned

If you are my friend in facebook you would already know what happened to me.  This is not something pleasant and I don’t wish it to happen to anyone else.  I posted this status in facebook last Thursday –

I know for sure that this thing happens (or will happen) in other parts of the country.  Please be warned.

I have been telling this to people: More than the money, the cards, and all material things in my stolen wallet, it was the unpleasant experience that got me traumatized and sad.

What I learned in this experience?

·         Never trust anyone.  I am now convinced that the old woman beside me was their accomplice.  I sat beside that old woman because I trusted that she is harmless.

·         Never mind.  When this thing happens again, I don’t need to react ASAP.  Just shrug off.  No reaction would do me good instead of panicking.

·         Never put all my things in one basket.  I don’t carry cash around me.  That sole time was an exemption – and it was so wrong of me to put it all in the wallet.  I should have separated the cash in the pouch.  I should have a separate card holder.  I should have separated everything.

·         The bag’s secret pocket was built with a purpose.  My bag was opened because I was distracted while they we’re panicking beside me (a tactic they used), and had I put my wallet in the secret pocket, I could have saved a lot of trouble.

·         The Lord is guiding me.  I had known that modus (not the exact modus, but something like laglag-barya or dura gang), but still during that time, I hadn’t realized it.  I am a strong-willed woman.  I know for sure I will fight them had I realized what they were doing.  And fighting them won’t do me any good.

The experience is still fresh in my mind.  And I could go on all night listing all the things I learned from the experience – hoping that this would never happen to anyone.  Please take note of this and learn from my experience.

Ninong’s Hotel, Legaspi Albay

I love staying at hotels.  This has the comfort of home without the fuss of cleaning it.  I am not hard to please when it comes to hotel din.  As long as there is a nice bed, clean bathroom, TV, aircon, and desk and I feel comfy, I am okay.  At Legaspi, I stayed at Ninong’s Hotel. 

Ninong’s Hotel is a new hotel.  The same with Santiago, it wasn’t me who booked this hotel.  But I am pleased with this hotel.  Let me list down why?

·         They have affordable rates.  Who doesn’t want that?

·         Courteous staffs are thumbs up for me.  I don’t expect staffs to be super bait, but I want them accommodating that when you ask questions, and try to get small talks, they entertain.  That is what we got from the receptionist of Ninongs.

·         Early check in allowed again J

·         Complete set of toiletries in the bathroom.  Not all hotels offer these stuffs – and for their affordable rates, I love that they went extra mile to offer this.

·         Mirrors everywhere in the room!  Look to the left, look to the right, look in front and back, there is a big mirror.  Very nice at day time, but scary at night time – especially for me who stayed alone.

·         They offer buffet breakfast.  No need for me to settle down with small servings.  I’m a big eater.

·         The Bible sitting in my side table.

Here are the room rates:

Room Type	Rates
Standard Room	Php 1,800
Standard Room for 12hrs w/o breakfast	Php 1,200
Deluxe Room	Php 2,300
Executive Suite Room	Php 2,800
Bridal Suite Room	Php 3,200
Family Room	Php 4,000
Extra Person Charge	Php 750

But of course, no matter how beautiful the hotel is there is something small that you will find wrong (because the only perfect place in the world to stay at is the comforts of our own home, right? J).  For Ninong’s Hotel, I find the lighting of the room too dark.  The room I stayed at has yellow light bulbs, and at night time, when you want to be illuminated, this is something you want change.

My overall stay at Ninong’s Hotel is a pleasant one.  If you’re looking for a place to stay at Legaspi (and dim lights is not an issue to you), Ninong’s Hotel is a nice place to stay at.

My LA Adventure (Legazpi, Albay) - Part 1

My LA Adventure (Legazpi, Albay) - Part 2