Lakad Pilipinas

Visiting tourist spots in Cebu City wasn’t really on our itinerary. What’s in it though are the numerous lechon restaurants that the city is known for. I know, we only have to go to La Loma in Manila to enjoy this sinful porky treat, but since it’s been years since we last visited Cebu, we just have to try some of its newer pig-out places.

CEBU’S HOUSE OF LECHON

Coming straight from our breakfast at the Premiere Citi Suites Hotel, the first one we went to for lunch is Cebu’s House of Lechon, a restaurant specializing in Carcar’s version of roasted pigs. Carcar is a city about an hour away from Cebu City and it can compete, and even better, Cebu’s very best. I’ve tried CnT Lechon, Zubuchon (for purists, I know, I know), and Cebu’s Original Lechon Belly, but honestly, I’ve probably haven’t tried the best lechon in Cebu City yet. What I can do say is that I’ve tried Carcar’s version on its public market years back. And for me, it still is the best lechon I’ve ever tried.

There really wasn’t any particular reason why we booked an immediate flight to Cebu City. There was no long weekend. There weren’t any festivals happening. No one was celebrating any birthday that we have to attend in. There wasn’t anything. Together with a few friends visiting from Singapore and Australia, we just felt like going there. No plans. No itineraries. No nothing. Just us, and a couple of days’ worth of clothes.

Everything happened fast. Too fast. After a drunken debauchery of a weekend in Boracay with the same gang. We felt we needed to bring our mess to the Queen City of the South. After hurried flight bookings and rebookings, and a quick scan for the cheapest, but still decent, hotel in Cebu. We’re all set.

Three of us touched down at the Mactan International Airport just before the clock struck twelve midnight, while another went earlier. Our last two companions came the morning after; the hastily drawn circle, completed.

AirAsia recently launched the #DaretoDream campaign in time with the 29th Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur this coming August 19 to 31. Showcasing the spirit of Filipino sportsmanship, it’s an initiative hoping to inspire locals in discovering their potential to excel in their sports endeavors and turn their dreams into reality. Besides that, it’s also a simple way to show support to our athletes competing with our neighboring countries in Malaysia.

AirAsia, the official airline partner of the 2017 SEA Games, will be launching a four-part webisode chronicling the rise of four Filipino athletes joining the games this year—from their humble beginnings, their hopes, challenges and dreams, and finally, to their current success in their chosen fields of sport expertise. They would be featuring Alyssa Valdez who hails from Batangas for volleyball, two-time Olympian Jessie Lacuna of Bulacan for swimming, and three-time Olympian Marestella Torres-Sunang of Negros Oriental for long jump.

The series hopes to inspire kids inclined with sports to pursue their passion and push through adversity.

Besides these series of videos, sports enthusiasts wanting real-time updates regarding the SEA Games would also be able to keep posted on the games’ happenings the AirAsia Philippines Facebook page. Hosted by local volleyball hero Michele Gumabao, four videos would be posted on the page starting with highlights of the opening ceremony, features for the winning athletes, and winning moments from our very own Filipino athletes.

Learn more about AirAsia’s #DaretoDream campaign and watch the video series by visiting the AirAsia Philippines Facebook page and following me on my Lakad Pilipinas Facebook page.

Amidst the clinks of beer bottles and laughter pervading the warm evening along Bui Vein street in Ho Chi Minh, a man haphazardly walked in the middle of the street, looked to the left, then the right, and seeing no policemen in sight, whooped up a trail of flame from his mouth. Dracarys, as Daenarys would say to her dragons. Mot, hai, ba, yo, or one, two, three, cheers, as they would say in Saigon.

VISITING THE FRENCH COLONIAL BUILDINGS OF HO CHI MINH

Even with limited time in the city for our two-month Same Same Summer Trip, we managed to squeeze in a whole day of walking tour around Ho Chi Minh on our second day. Our itinerary includes touching base with Vietnam war memorials and museums, stately French colonial buildings, shopping on bazaars and markets, and a beer or two at the city’s pub street to cap the day.

Balance is not with me. I trip without cause. I fall off bicycles. I wobble on wooden planks. My body simply isn’t too keen on being too stable. So when my companions all boarded a traditional four-person canoe docked on murky brown waters along one of the distributaries of the Mekong River, I recoiled back. One step on that small rickety thing would send me plunging down the river, along with my cameras. I just know it in my heart. But I seem to have no choice. Either I come with them or I commute back all the way to the city. Which I have no idea how to. Darn it.

A TRADITIONAL BOAT ALONG THE MEKONG RIVER DELTA

It was another day of adventure for us. Since we were based in Ho Chi Minh, and the city doesn’t really look that interesting, we booked another out of town tour from our hostel. We already tried the Cu Chi Tunnel tour the day before, this time we’re doing the Mekong Delta Full Day Tour.

We rode a speedboat to get to our dinner. Yes, we did. After our Cu Chi Tunnels tour, from the mad bedlam of downtown Ho Chi Minh, we took a cab to the Cau Mong Pier, sauntered over to the boardwalk, and plunked our bottoms on the plush seats of a fancy speedboat. We roared across the calm waters of Saigon River, holding on to the railings at the sides while enjoying the afternoon scenery. It was over too soon, our boat slowing down on what looks like a grand white mansion facing the waters.

VILLA SONG SAIGON’S ELEGANT FACADE

WHILE WAITING AT THE LOBBY

Located at the District Two of Ho Chi Minh, the vibe at Villa Song Saigon was as far away as can be from the bustle of the city (they have complimentary boat rides to the city). The place is very romantic and serene. The main structure, a Victorian-esque building, holds twenty three unique rooms for guests wanting some quiet and privacy.

With full hesitation, I went down with my friends to the tunnels. It was dark. It was cramped. It was hot. The tunnel went narrower and narrower as we went along. I had to crouch. And it’s not easy to walk in that position. We were told we could exit on some junctions of the tunnel, as it would only get more constricted as we go further. I’m not claustrophobic, but I just had to get out of there.

BOUGHT VIETNAMESE CONICAL STRAW HATS FOR THE TOUR

Visiting Ho Chi Minh for the first time, we knew we just had to go to the Cu Chi Tunnels. It’s one of the more famous tours in the city and it would be a shame if we didn’t see it. So, off we went, booking ourselves a Cu Chi Tunnel half-day tour on our hostel which, surprisingly, was very cheap at USD5.00 per person, inclusive of roundtrip bus transfers from our lodging [BOOK THE TOUR ONLINE].

I was standing beside a washing machine; a thing we were most excited about after more than a month of washing clothes on makeshift whatevers on previous hotels and lodgings. It was right on our very own serviced apartment, on a small open veranda overlooking the urban sprawl of Saigon. The view was luminously breathtaking, but really, we were more thrilled about having our own washing machine.

We started this summer’s two month backpacking trip, which we dubbed as the Same Same Summer Trip 2017 (lol), in Malaysia. It has since been exactly thirty three days, through which, we passed through Cambodia and Thailand, and we’re now on the final country of the tour, Vietnam.