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| Standing eminently in Mactan Shrine... the Bronze Statue of the then Chieftain of Mactan... LAPU LAPU
On our way back to Cebu, we boarded Oceanjet 8 which was way too bigger and more cleaner than the Oceanjet 6. Unfortunately, some foreign national we've been trying to avoid in Tagbilaran Port who stinks like HELL (and when I say STINKS like HELL...JABAR! Aaarggghhh!)
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Badly needed a good rest and called it the night once checked in. Lucky to get a good 12 hour sleep for another day of adventure that awaited us...
STAYED at the Newly opened New Era Pension INN
* 10 mins walk to Ayala Center Cebu (Shopping Mall)
* 15 mins walk to SM City Cebu (Shopping Mall)
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| Bldg. 828 New Era St. MABOLO St. Cebu City |
A Day in CEBU CITY
Our 1 day City Adventures in Cebu, I should say was really limited... It was supposed to be a Cebu trip but we stayed and enjoyed Bohol more...
I see Cebu City as the Metro Manila of the Visayas Region... with the advent of all the malls such as SM City, Ayala Malls etc... obviously, you're not really away from home. So for me, nothing much here aside from the historical sights. Cebu City simply played a big part of Philippine's History, the seat of Catholism.
And I utterly wanted to be a part of it. That is how I always savor my every trip. I set the Itinerary and it shouldn't be missed on my list...The Magellan's Cross, Cebu's most Famous Landmark and of course... The
Lapu-Lapu Shrine in Mactan Cebu... though it cost us P600 just for the Taxi ride back and forth to Mactan, I did not give a damn. My travel philosophy is " I don't really go for feeble-minded leisure while traveling... I simply discover and experience places that was a part of history...."
Before heading off for an adventure, due to time constraints...we ensured to get PASALUBONG, the first thing on our list... A quick stop at The Ayala Center Cebu for some Cash out to Mr ATM Machine and what a good 10 minute walk indeed from where we stayed!!!
Taboan Dry Market...That Stinky Place, is worth visiting for!!! Known to be the place where dried fish and Dried Mangoes can be purchased at the cheapest!!!
Before heading off for an adventure, due to time constraints...we ensured to get PASALUBONG, the first thing on our list... A quick stop at The Ayala Center Cebu for some Cash out to Mr ATM Machine and what a good 10 minute walk indeed from where we stayed!!!
Taboan Market
Taboan Dry Market...That Stinky Place, is worth visiting for!!! Known to be the place where dried fish and Dried Mangoes can be purchased at the cheapest!!!
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Taboan Market
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Gastronomical Experience in Cebu
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| Ngohiong and Pusô (Hanging Rice)
First
stop... The Original NGOHIONG House in Cebu, and if my memory serves me
right it is situated in a residential area in Fairlane Subdivision in
Guadalupe. On our way, Matet's Mommy (their terms of endearment, I
guess... but in reality it's her ATE) gave us a quick info about the
place... according to ATE, you can typically find Ngohiong almost in
every corner in Cebu ( one was being offered at the 24 HOUR resto near
our hotel, NEW ERA PENSIONNE ) but the best can only be found in
Doming's, dubbed as the ORIGINAL... Doming's is no restaurant. It was
just basically a residence... nothing to fancy... there's not even any
signages. Their gate was just open for people that might consider dining
in... their garage was converted into a dining place where one can
savor the best NGOHIONG if one cannot wait to try it at home...
Anyway, I was really excited... it was compared to a fried LUMPIANG
UBOD... and the more I got really excited... ( I have such a big
appetite for CRUNCHINESS) I even told myself I could maybe eat 10... big
tummy huh?
Doming's also offered... Pusô (Hanging Rice)... A Steamed Rice packed
in a woven palm leaf pouch, Fried Chicken and Batikon, fried Inards
(Chicken Gizzards, I really hate this food... so I did not even dared to
try it)
At 11AM, almost lunch time...Though almost all seats were taken, it was
not really packed. Matet's Ate ordered, I think around 50 Ngohiong, 12
Fried Chicken and I don't know how many pieces of Pusô and Batikon. I
only consumed 4 Ngohiong and I really loeved the taste especially its
crispiness... though I did not enjoyed the sauce that much... For me,
still the best way to enjoy it was to dip it withVinegar...I tried
Pusô... nothing much of it... steamed sticky rice, I guess... but I did
enjoyed eating their Fried Chicken... it tasted differently. Five Spice,
very pungent... I can smell Star Anise indomitably in both Fried
Chicken and Ngohiong...
This experience was totally memorable... having tasted and heard of
Ngohiong for the first time in a place where it was originally made... I
can say that this place is really worth going back for.
TAOIST TEMPLE
After
a sumptuous lunch at Doming's... we headed our way to Beverly Hills
Subdivision, home to Cebu's Taoist Temple. This place though entails
private vehicle if you are planning to pay a visit. If you are in a
group, better get into a tour package for more convenience... And if you
are just all by yourself, I guess TAXIs are always worth the joy
ride...
  Just a note! Photo Ops inside the Temple is a BIG no-no!!! STRICTLY PROHIBITED !!! You can't go wrong, guards would simply Shoo-fly you and most often than not you'll hear their irritating whistle!!!!! PRrrrrrrttttt, right PENG? 
After the great Photo Ops, we headed back to our Hotel for a quick
siesta... I took a bath for the secondth time, after being exposed to
Taboan Market, I definitely needed to refresh myself there.
At 2PM, we decided to get going. The Group of 7 was divided into 2...
My group ( we were 3) hailed a CAB and headed to Mactan City. We were
supposed to drop by somewhere in Lapu-Lapu City where The
Famous
Cebu Guitars are made. However the weather wasn't really on our side,
it drizzled then rained a bit. We were on the brink of going back to the
hotel but still decided to push with our trip to Mactan Shrine anyway. A
quick shower that was, upon alighting at Mactan Shrine, somehow the sun
shined on us, the rain stopped to pave way for our quick visit to Mr.
Hero, Mr. Lapu Lapu =) .
The
Mactan Shrine is located in Mactan Island, Cebu. Dedicated in honor of
Lapu-Lapu, Ferdinand Magellan, and the Battle of Mactan.
And as we were about to leave, the sun bid goodbye again. Good thing we were already inside the cab when yet again another heavy down pour on our to Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. As we enter Cebu City, Niño heard my prayers... the dark clouds hovering us was simply cast away.
Another Famous Cebu's Landmark...
Basilica Minore del Santo Niño
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