Kerala Blog Express

A Joy To Fly With SilkAir

Living in an archipelago of 7,107 islands can be quite daunting. Ever since I moved back to my province of Negros Occidental, flying out of the Philippines entailed one additional flight to an international airport, whether it is Manila, Cebu or another city. And for my Kerala Blog Express adventure, getting to Kochi in Kerala, …

Chef Carmine Restaurant

A Taste of Italy at Chef Carmine Restaurant

The province of Negros Occidental in the Philippines is a food lover’s haven. And tucked in the City of Talisay is a restaurant that serves authentic Italian cuisine. In this area, it’s the closest one can get to the true taste of Italy because Chef Carmine Restaurant is owned and operated by Chef Carmine Pece, …

Bacolod City Government Center

First-time Travel Guide: Bacolod City

A Travel Guide for First-time Travelers to Bacolod Bacolod City (10° 40′ 12″ N, 122° 57′ 0″ E), known as the “City of Smiles”, is the capital of the province of Negros Occidental, which composes one half of Negros Island. It is located in the Visayas part of the Philippines, an archipelago in Southeast Asia with 7,107 islands. This city has a …

Izumi Authentic Ramen

Ramen-joying Izumi Authentic Ramen

I left Manila almost three years back with ramen houses emerging left and right within and around the metropolis. Not the same can be said of my hometown, Bacolod City. There are only a few ramen houses around the city. Thus, having Izumi Authentic Ramen within our midst is a welcome thing as there is …

AxisB Kpop Group

K-pop boy band AxisB Visits Bacolod

The Korean cultural wave or “hallyu” has invaded every corner of the earth and the Philippines is not exempt from it. However, many Korean pop (K-pop) bands that visit the Philippines hold their shows in Manila or in Cebu. Bacolod City, located in the Negros Island, is usually off the radar, so it was bit …

Yakiniku Room

Yakiniku Room: Grill Meat, Eat-all-you-can

Japan is the country that I have long been setting my sights on, even up to this day. Time will come that I will conquer it, but in the meantime, I take delight with the Japanese food found in our vicinity in Bacolod City. One such place is Yakiniku Room, found inside L’Fisher Hotel’s Ripples …

Nobu Hotel

First-time in Nobu Hotel, City of Dreams Manila

City of Dreams. Three hotels, over 20 restaurants, a casino, spas, entertainment clubs, and meeting and events venues. I was fortunate to have been invited to Manila by Vivo,  maker of smart phones, and billeted me at Nobu Hotel in City of Dreams, the first Nobu Hotel in Asia. (READ: 5 Things to Look For …

Fresh Start

A Fresh Start to Healthy Eats

Bacolod City is a food haven to healthy eaters and vegetarians. The province, Negros Occidental, is pushing for organic farming and organic products and Bacolod City has several options for those who are conscious of the food they eat. When in Bacolod, you can definitely go healthy, especially when it comes to healthy eating. Fresh …

Yuan Thong Temple

Chinese New Year at Yuan Thong Temple

Kiong Hee Huat Tsai! We are ushering in the Year of the Rooster. And when the Chinese New Year celebrations are on the roll, Bacolod City and other parts of the Philippines also join the whole world in this milestone in the lunar calendar. Locally, we have the Bacolaodiat Festival, spearheaded by the Chinese community …

Sinulog sa Kabankalan

Sinulog sa Kabankalan

Kabankalan City is where I spent the early four to five years of my life. It was still a town then and we lived in its mountainous areas where my parents worked in a sugar central located there. Kabankalan is in the southern part of the province of Negros Occidental in the Philippines and is …

Mararison Island

First-time in Malalison Island

Lush, breathtaking hills one end and exquisite sand bar on the other. This is the beauty of Malalison Island, or more often referred to by the locals as Mararison Island. With only 55 hectares in land area, Malalison is a piece of paradise located in the municipality of Culasi in Antique, Philippines. After it has …

Antique province

First-time in Tibiao, Antique

We were just entering the winding roads towards the mountains during the time we crossed the border of Iloilo province to Antique province. This is going through the southern to the western part of Panay Island, located in the Visayas area of the Philippines. Although the change of scenery was not abrupt, I noticed that …

Gift Giving to Bicol Residents and PGH Patients

Catanduanes is one of the destinations in the Philippines that I have always wanted to visit, but they were recently ravaged by typhoon, along with other provinces in the Bicol region. For those living in these areas who lost their homes and belongings to Typhoon Nina and for the children at the Philippine General Hospital …

Miagao Church

Old Churches and Attractions in Southern Iloilo

The last time I traversed the southern portion of the Iloilo province, as far as I can remember, was when I was in 6th grade during our educational trip. I know that there are wonderful old churches and heritage sites in this part of Panay Island and I was excited that we would be taking …

Iloilo

A Road Trip to South Iloilo and Antique

I opened my 2017 with an adventure through the southern part of Iloilo to Antique, particularly in Malalison Island (often called Mararison Island), a road trip that I will always remember in my lifetime. The year 2016 was a great one for me, which I refer to as my Globe year because I won an …