It was a very #WonderfulCebu experience to cap off the month of June and start the second half of 2017. Globe Telecom invited bloggers and media from Iloilo and Bacolod to join a number of its activities in Cebu City to highlight the latest programs and offerings Globe has in store for its millions of subscribers.
First stop was Cebu City National Science High School where Globe turned-over over ICT equipment known as Globe Digital Learning Lab. Part of its Global Filipino Schools Program or GFSP, it provides select public schools with infrastructure support and ICT equipment that can be used to teach different subject matters whether inside or outside the classroom to encourage creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.
The program also has a teacher training component to empower the teachers with skills to seamlessly use ICT tools in their subject expertise. In turn, the schools under the GFS Program serve as a teacher training hub for the Department of Education and are responsible for carrying out teacher training to neighboring schools.
The Globe Digital Learning Lab given to CCNSHS includes 20 tablets with mirroring capability for projectors and LCD screens, two projector kits with projector screen, 10 Globe Prepaid Supersticks, one mobile cart which also serves as a charging station, and free 10 mbps internet connection. CCNSHS is the 10 th school in Cebu province which benefited from the GFS program which now covers 142 schools all over the country.
Read more >>> Globe brings 21st century learning to Cebu schools.
Moving to Ayala Center Cebu, Globe At Home kicked off #StreamFest 2017 to showcase how streaming can be a fun bonding pursuit for families, barkadas and more. It was the start of a weekend of free movies/tv series, snacks, and loads of fun activities at The Terraces! Ayala mall-goers enjoyed free screenings of popular Netflix titles like, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Designated Survivor. HOOQ also streamed movies like Amazing Spiderman 1 and 2, and kids spent an afternoon with the new Tangled series through the Disney Channel Apps.
#StreamFest 2017 is also a showcase of Globe's improved broadband and connectivity which is in line with its vision of providing connectivity to 2 million homes in 2020. Globe At Home has started its aggressive roll out of facilities in major locations around the country. The province of Cebu is one of its key locations and Globe is working hand-in-hand with the Cebu City and Mandaue City governments for its various builds.
During this two-day #WonderfulCebu experience, we were billeted at Quest Hotel just across Ayala Center Cebu. The location is very convenient as it is near shopping and dining destinations at Ayala Malls as well as popular hangouts like IT Park.
Our cozy room on the 10th floor had a view of the inviting pool 3 storeys below that we wasted no time checking out the cool blue waters.
And the food binge was non-stop. We had our tummies filled at Puso Restaurant - named after Cebu's famous hanging rice. If my food memories serve me right, we had our lunch buffet, meryenda buffet and two breakfast buffets at Puso. Burp!
Good thing, Globe and our direct host, PR Works, gave us time to burn all these calories by giving us a tour of Cebu - up through the mountains! For our warm-up, it was the nearby Taoist Temple in Beverly Hills Subdivision in Lahug.
The Taoist temple is open to the worshipers and non-worshipers alike and was built by Cebu's substantial Chinese community in 1972. The colourful temple overlooks a portion of the city of Cebu and has several attractions for tourists and devotees with three different pathways to get inside the temple. It is the center of worship for Taoism, the religion which follows the teachings of the ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Zi. (Source)
It was fun at the same time a learning experience to delve into another religion as well as honing one's photography skills as the place teems with lots of photo ops, though most of the temple interiors are off limits to cameras to preserve the religiosity of the place. An enlightening start to our #WonderfulCebu Tour...
TAOIST TEMPLE CEBU
How to get there | NO Entrance Fee
From an Oriental temple, we drove up the mountainous area known as Busay as we head to another temple. This time its more of European, Roman to be specific and is a tribute of and to love. Constructed only 5 years ago (in 2012), the Temple of Leah is a symbol of "my undying love for her and my ceaseless devotion to Leah Villa Albino-Adarna, my wife of 53 years." writes Teodorico Adarna on Facebook.
He continues saying that he adopted an architectural and structural design that can withstand time and still be appreciated for a millennium so this Temple will become a landmark of Cebu City where future generations of the Adarna clan coming from her can come and trace their roots and heritage.
Another picture perfect location for photo shoots and ops as it has an expansive plaza that also serves as a viewing deck appreciating from afar and above the Cebu and Mactan's development. There's a museum that is still under construction showcasing Leah's lifetime collections. It's actually my third time visiting the temple this year but every time, there's a shot or two that captures the essence of the visit. And surely I will be back...
TEMPLE OF LEAH
Use Go To Tops van service PhP120/head/RT | PhP50 entrance fee / Seniors, kids are FREE
These celosia blooms are synonymous with Sirao Farm BUT the flowers above are not in Sirao but in one of the newest attractions in Cebu - Terrazas de Flores. Just a little further up from the Temple of Leah, on the same winding Cebu Transcentral highway is this botanical garden featuring more than 100 species of flowering plants dotted with beautiful art and fascinating poetry.
As the the only flower terraces in the Philippines, Terrazas de Flores took years in the making as it is carved on a mountainside. But what took most of the work is the making of the terraces where in all rocks and stones were fitted like jigsaw and cement/binders weren't used so that it won's interrupt the natural flow of water down the mountainside.
Located in Malubog, Cebu City, around 30 minutes away from Ayala Center, this terrace of flowering plants is a respite from the hustle and bustle of city life. Enjoy every step and every flower you meet and bask in nature’s glory. There are cozy cabanas to relax those tired feet (it takes more than 100 steps to go up and double to go across) complete with piped in music. And there's a café that offers a selection of coffees, refreshments, pastries and simple yet delicious meals. (Snippets from Terrazas FB Page)
TERRAZAS DE FLORES
Taxi or Use Go To Tops van service PhP300/head/RT | PhP100/adult / PhP50/kids 12 below
From the mountains, we made our way to the sea and experience one gigantic man-made attraction - SM Seaside City Cebu! Though I've been here many times since it opened in November 2015, it still nice to be back and feel the vibe. And finally got a still shot of The Cube up in the front for usually I just do it inside MyBus, the bus service from SM CIty Cebu and Mactan-Cebu International Airport and other areas.
I like this mall better than its Manila counterpart - Mall of Asia because of the rooftop gardens that have a view of the sea or the mountains. It still gives a feeling of openness despite being part of large mall. I love the greens and the water components as well as the playgrounds, mini water park and open spaces featuring the art of Cebuano designer Kenneth Cobonpue. It all balances the "commercialism" with aesthetics with a sense of local pride.
Ending the day in a gastronomic way, Casa Verde got us all covered. My favorite Brian's Ribs highlighted the feast we had that night. There was more than enough food as well as enough places to discover and rediscovered to make this #WondefulCebu with Globe a one unforgettable experience!
But wait there's more!!!
Arriving a day early in Cebu, I spent my spare time appreciating Cebu's heritage and culture as well as it's modern vibe.
No visit to Cebu would be complete without dropping by Magellan's Cross - probably still the most popular attraction. And I love La Fortuna's masi - glutinous rice balls with crushed peanut filling!
Just a few steps away is Basilica Minore de Sto Niño and it's a magnet to both devotees and tourists alike. Don't forget to wave to the Child Jesus when you pass by the front of the church...
A block away is the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral which is the seat of Catholicism in Cebu and another religious structure to appreciate and reflect.
And it's a must for me to light candles at these two churches when I drop by - both for thanksgiving and supplication.
Further down the road, around 2-3 blocks is my favorite old house in Cebu - the Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House. "Old" is an understatement as "ancient" might be the right word as every step you make on the second floor echoes with a creak. A mere PhP50 entrance fee transports you back in time. There's also The Jesuit House and Casa Gordordo Museum in this area called Pari-an.
Back to where I started (Magellan's Cross) and around two blocks are Fort San Pedro and Plaza Independencia (above the Cebu SRP tunnel going to SM Seaside City). Another must visit with a mere PhP30 entrance fee for the Fort. Using An old photo with my mom and nephew.
And mall you want? Here' another favorite of mine - Robinson's Galleria Cebu. Inside out it is well designed with aesthetics and relaxation in mind. Opened a little later than SM Seaside, this one has better interiors and more manageable to roam around.
Though it still lacks the crowd even on weekends as only a handful of people visit the mall compared with other malls. Well, they miss this gigantic guitar -2 storeys tall and a perfect selfie spot. TIP: I often use the mall's free aircon shuttle service mostly to Fuente Osmena and other areas in Cebu.
And there's even more!
My fellow blogger Raymart of RandomlyCandid decided to stay one more day after the event and it gave us more time to discover what Cebu has to offer. And it yield more surprises than we expected.
Through AirBnB, Raymart discovered Abaseria where we stayed in one of the three rooms rented out. But the cafe got our cameras' attention that we stayed longer than we ought to.
Our cozy bedroom had all the furnishing but with toilet and bath outside (but still exclusive for us). Not bad for PhP1050/night for two pax with aircon, flatscreen tv, wifi and a friendly caretaker. It also comes a with a free breakfast of toasts with butter and guava jelly and scrambled eggs plus coffee.
Off to the mountains once again, as we decided to check out TOPS Lookout in the area of Busay area (just a few minutes/kilometers away from the Temple of Leah). Despite being unkempt compared to the newer attractions, this is still the place to be when you want the best view of Cebu City. And everybody loves this "Hallway of Circles" as it gives a new dimension to your photographs
A PhP100 entrance fee (too expensive in my opinion given how shabby the place looks) is collected but it came with our van ticket because we used the Go To Tops van service (PhP400/pax including Temple of Leah, ticket to TOPS and mineral water).
After the mountains, we found ourselves in Mandaue City atop the JCentre Mall to the pioneering SkyWaterpark Cebu. One can enjoy the splashes, the sldies and waves while having a great view of the city 6-storeys above.
Every Friday night, traditional Philippine dances like the tinikling, pandanggo sa ilaw, palayok, Polynesian-inspired performances are on display for the Pasundayag cultural night highlighted by a buffet dinner.
But we preferred wine so we decided to go to La Vie Parisienne back in Lahug but got sidetracked by the newest "winery" in Cebu. Yes you guessed right, the place is called The Pyramid located at the Cebu IT Park.
We got so excited taking photos inside-out that the wine we were supposed to be having just evaporated off our minds. At least we got this Rainbow Cake to continue our photoshoot inside The Pyramid.
And so it goes...
I'll just conclude this #WonderfulCebu post with my previous Cebu trip highlights.
Argao is a heritage town around 2-3 hours from Cebu City and I was glad to have visited it lasy May. The church is grand from the outside but the interior especially the ceiling art and altar is much grander.
And don't leave Argao without it's famous torta. I was delighted to have chosen OJ's Torta among the many torta brands. It's a more modern version - softer and more presentable; yet it still have that distinct taste of that one basic ingredient that makes Cebu torta stand out - tuba! You can really appreciate the taste of this fermented palm tree sap. Namit gid!
Carcar is another heritage town with lots of well preserved ancestral houses and buildings as well as its church with its signature onion shaped twin belfry towers. It has one of the most impressive ceiling paintings I have ever seen guarded by lots of angels.
But if there are two things Carcar is famous for - make way for chicharon and lechon. I just love seeing rows and rows of stalls around the town selling freshly cooked chicharon. They are like peanuts where the sellers just scoop and weight them according to your needs. You can have them in kilos or by pesos - like PhP100 worth which is handy as pasalubong. Love the crunch!!!
And I really went out of the way last time in the search for lechon Carcar. I got lost in the market looking for them but lucky me, I saw two guys carrying a whole lechon with bamboo pole. I just followed them and they led me to the lechon haven. There were around a dozen stalls selling nothing but lechon and the lady seller told me that I can eat my lechon in one of the carinderias if I just order rice. These cholesterolific gastronomic specialties are my personal highlights whenever I drop by this heritage town.
But the ultimate Cebu experience I had in my most recent memory was the visit to Simala Shrine in Sibonga, Cebu (midway between Carcar and Argao). It was an unforgettable journey from the start - taking the bus all the way to the shrine from the city (PhP100 from the South Bus Terminal) and finally seeing the "fairy tale" scene unfold into reality.
Even with all the "biggest, tallest, widest" and other superlatives the city has to offer, one cannot help but still feel small upon seeing the shrine. The throng of people - devotees and tourists alike are unlike I've seen. I am really glad to have gone out my comfort zone (within city limits) and ventured outside to have discovered what #WonderfulCebu has to offer.
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| Lovin' my 0917 apparel from the GLOBE SHOP |
As half of 2017 has gone by, I can only cherish the memories of the past 6 months and look forward for more travels, happenings and a lot more in the next six. Many thanks to Globe and PR Works for this journey and adventure of new discoveries and rediscoveries...
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