We were at the terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport when a lady ran after my niece and grabbed her hand. Surprised, my niece turned, who was walking in front of me. The lady asked, “Where did you buy your J.Co Donuts?” My niece was still taken aback and didn’t respond. I quipped, …
I’ve got friends who happen to visit Bacolod City recently. Of course, the first question always is “where is a nice place to eat?” I blurt out several names of restaurants, depending on their preferred food. But I also get questions about what would be the best “pasalubong” from my city. Well, I certainly have …
I’m entering my 12th month as a returning resident of my hometown, Bacolod City, in Negros Occidental, Philippines. I’m beginning to feel as if it’s a long-term travel. There are still more roads to take, more food to try (yup, yup!), and more leaves to turn as I continue to explore my own backyard. I …
Read more “Negros Forests and Ecological Foundation: Nature in the City”
The Panaad Festival is the much-awaited event in the province of Negros Occidental. The Panaad Park and Stadium come alive whenever this festival is celebrated every April. The pavilions of the 13 cities and 19 towns of the province display the best of their respective places, from food to crops to handicrafts to tourist attractions. …
The last time I feasted on a paella, it was the Festival De La Paella Gigante held last August 2013 at the Casino Español de Manila where I had fun with friends watching how rice and other flavorful and colorful ingredients were cooked in a giant paellera by some of the best chefs in the land. I envied my friends …
When you happen to be in the Philippines, you’ll definitely hear the word “kuya” a lot. It means big brother, but it is also used to call an older person, like a street vendor, a jeepney driver, or a man you meet on the road, as a form of respect or endearment. So when the …
The good thing about visiting – or, in my case, settling back in –Bacolod is that you will never run out of restaurants to try. Another new eatery that arrived in the City of Smiles is Orange Karenderia. How uncanny, we thought, that it sits next to Pizza Republic and shares the same building architecture. …
One of the first things I did when I went back my home city of Bacolod is to join the Negrense Blogging Society, Inc. where I had the opportunity to re-orient myself of the place where I grew up as well as meet new friends. There I came to know the famous Bacolodnon, Jojo Vito, …
When you’re in Negros Occidental, the “sugar bowl” of the Philippines, where vast sugarcane plantations meet your eyes as you hit the road, you’ll consistently encounter the word “uma” (with stress on the second syllable), which translates to “farm” or those areas that are often called “haciendas” by the locals. For me, “uma” is a …
It was the right call at the right time. A former colleague from the development industry gave me a ring one morning. “Claire, I’m in Bacolod!” she exclaimed. She was to attend the 8th International Conference and Scientific Meeting (ICSM) that was being held in Talisay City, the city north of Bacolod. A few hours before …
If you happen to be in Bacolod and you want to go German-style, there’s a great place for you to dine in. Literally means “snack” in the German language, Imbiss offers mouthwatering gourmet sausages and delightful food. [UPDATE 2023: This establishment has closed in this location.] When a former colleague and friend visited my home …
Old buildings and heritage houses, the sweet delicacies, the sweet-natured people, the sing-song language — there are so many things that Bacolod City shares with its neighbor across the seas, Iloilo City. And rightfully so. Many prominent families in Negros Occidental trace their roots in Iloilo. Through the years, residents of both cities frequent the other …
The first month of the year 2015 is a great kick-off for the Visit the Philippines Year. January is full of festivities, and religious celebrations, at that. Throngs of people were expected to gather in Manila for the Black Nazarene, in Cebu and Kabankalan for the Sinulog, in Iloilo for the Dinagyang, and in Aklan …
This is the Department of Tourism video of the Visit the Philippines Year 2015. Although the campaign was in 2015, every year is a reason to have more fun in my wonderful country, the Philippines. As a student of life where the world is my classroom, I always thirst for new things to unravel. That …
The microphone has been passed and it was my turn to belt it out in the videoke. Good thing I was surrounded by enjoyable and exciting individuals who share the same passion as I am – singing and blogging! It was my first-time to join the Christmas party of the Negros Bloggers, a small group …
Read more “My First Christmas Party with the Negros Bloggers”