Tagaytay | Overnight Stay at The Over Look Inn (A Review)

terrace view from The Over Look Inn

After our Mt. Batulao adventure, we went to Tagaytay to look for a place to stay overnight. It's actually our plan to stay in Tagaytay after the hike so we could explore the city's attraction that day and the next. But due to the unfortunate incident in Batulao, it took us a while hiking down 'twas already late when we reached Tagaytay. We don't have a specific place to go and just relied on google again for a nice but budget hotel to stay to overnight. One of the budget hotels we found: The Over Look Inn. It is located very near Tagaytay rotonda and is along the highway so we went there.

We inquired for a standard room for two, were told the cheapest room is 2,600 Php (complimentary breakfast for 2 included). We were tired, sweaty, grimy, soiled and all we want that time was to clean up and rest so we get the room.

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Ilocos Norte | A Day in Laoag (Accommodation, City Day/Night Walking Tour, Etc.)

Laoag City, Ilocos Norte

As I mentioned in several of my previous posts, I was able to visit Ilocos Norte (and Laoag) for the first time last year. The visit is a short one - less than two days and a night. The night was spent in the province's capital, Laoag City (also called the City of Lights) - a first class city, the province's center of politics and economy.

Where to stay in Laoag?

After spending the whole day touring the southern part of Ilocos Norte (Burgos Lighthouse, Bangui Windmills and Kapurpurawan Rock Formations) via tricyle and after more or less an hour of walking tour in the city, a clean room with a comfy bed is a welcome reprieve; that we have in Hotel Tiffany.

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Budget Hotel | Alba Uno Hotel (Review): My First Solo Hotel Stay Experience

Alba Uno Hotel

“Many people suffer from the fear of finding oneself alone, 

and so they don't find themselves at all.” ~Rollo May

I'd like to say I'm not one of those people who fear being alone. Most of my life, I've lived alone and enjoyed the freedom of being alone. No one to answer to or explain myself to if I went home late or if I worked late at night. And yes, I'm living alone here in the Metro. But I've never tried solo travel (except some day-tour trips) yet, not the kind where I would have to stay in a hotel at least for a night. Thanks to my current job, I'm forced to stay in a hotel solo so now I am ready to do solo trips...I think, haha! But first thing first, let me share to you my first ever solo hotel stay experience at Alba Uno Hotel as well as my take on the hotel's room and services.

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Cebu Business Hotel | A Budget-Friendly Hotel in Cebu City

Cebu Business Hotel Reception

I've been to Cebu, finally. Yey! :D

Cebu is probably one of the provinces that can be easily reached, if one so like it. Several airlines fly here and there are lots of flight schedules available, from dawn till dawn of the next day. But it was only last March that I was able to visit Cebu. If not for the first ever family trip we had, I may not be able to visit it this year.

So where did we stay in Cebu?

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Singapore | Hotel Accommodation, City Tour, Etc.

Marina Bay Sands

Singapore is the smallest country in Asia, with only a total land area of about 704 square kilometers including the reclaimed lands (source: Wikipedia). Before its land reclamation, Singapore is actually smaller than Metro Manila. However, with an average income per capita of USD56,694 a year, it now ranked number 3 in the list of the world's richest countries, next to Luxembourg (2nd) and Qatar (1st) (source: urbanpeek.com). Singapore is part of our KL-SG summer adventure this 2012.

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Malaysia | Accommodations at Hotel Alpha Genesis

For our 3-days/2-nights adventure in Malaysia, we stayed at Hotel Alpha Genesis, a business boutique hotel located at No. 45, Tengkat Tong Shin, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. The hotel is just a few minutes walk (15-20 minutes, they say) to the two famous attractions in Kuala Lumpur; the tallest twin towers and the sixth tallest telecommunications tower of the world - the Petronas Twin Towers and the KL Tower, respectively. Also, the hotel is just 10-minutes walk to the KL Monorail - Bukit Bintang Station. It is also just 2-blocks away from the famous Jalan Alor where we had our first dining experience in KL. Also near the hotel is a 24-hour convenience store (just in front of the hotel) and several bars and restaurants.

Hotel Alpha Genesis - Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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Thailand | Bangkok Summer Adventure

Tuk-tuk replica at MBK mall, just for photo-ops :D,

I don’t have a photo of the real one but it’s actually smaller, with just a row of seats, unlike this replica

Last summer 2011, I was able to go out of the country for the first time. My destination – Bangkok, Thailand! I was so excited with this trip I made sure that I have all the necessary requirements and clearances with me, (though I heard from colleagues that they weren’t asked for it).  I have contractual obligation with a certain agency in the government; hence the need to get so many clearances. And I’d rather get one beforehand than encounter some problems at the immigration on the day of our departure.  It's my first travel abroad so I'd better be prepared than sorry

We flew out via Philippine Airlines, supposed to leave Manila at around 10:30am, but we were delayed for some reasons, a delay that I am so thankful for because my friend was late.  If not for the delayed flight, I could have had the biggest disappointment in my life. :P

In Bangkok, we stayed at the Bangkok Palace Hotel, a palace but not so grand a palace…hehe! Since it was a delayed flight, we were not able to go around the city on our first day.  We were only able to go to the MBK mall, one of the shopping centers in Bangkok.

Bangkok Palace Hotel (photo courtesy of Bipong)

After some time roaming around the mall, we had our dinner at Sumo & Cocco Pazzo Restaurant, a restaurant that serves various Asian dishes. And since it was our chance to have a taste of Thailand, of course we chose Thai dishes. We ordered yam ruam mit talay, guay-tiew tom yam, khao klug kapi & another seafood main course for my friend (I forgot what it's called) . Of all the foods we ordered, I particularly liked the seafood salad (yam ruam mit talay), it’s a little bit spicy but I love the taste of the salad dressing they used, a sweet-sour dressing with a distinct flavor of coriander blended with some other authentic Thai spices (this according to the menu, whatever that is, hehe!).  The soup (guay-tiew tom yam), a seafood soup with fish fillet and noodles (the one usually used in lasagna, if I am not mistaken), was also good and a bit spicy too. For my main course, I had the khao klug kapi, a food combo of fried rice, sausage, pork & egg. The fried rice is like our ‘bagoong’ rice, the pork like our adobo, Thai-style...hehe.

Yam Ruam Mit Talay (seafood salad)

Guay-Tiew Tom Yam (seafood soup)

Khao Klug Kapi

It's already late when we finished our dinner so we just head back to the hotel. On our way there, we rode the ‘tuk-tuk’, Bangkok’s famous mode of transportation.  ‘Tuk-tuk’ is like our tricycle here in the Philippines, only bigger and I think more powerful, because they are so fast it felt like we’re in a race and flying (hehe…I was just exaggerating here but really they’re so fast and the driver seemed oblivious of other much bigger vehicles around, it really was scary!).

Be forewarned though, Bangkok cabs and ‘tuk-tuk’ drivers charged so much (cab drivers don’t usually use their taxi meter) you have to haggle first before you get in.  Otherwise, be ready to spend a hefty amount for the fare. Or else, you'll end up having an argument with the driver, something you wouldn't want to happen while on a foreign land.

There it is, my first day/night in Bangkok, Thailand, my first international travel.  I will post more of my adventures in Bangkok next time, with more photos of course.  Till my next post! :)

~oo00oo~

This is a re-post/re-write. I already posted about this travel on my other blog but I decided to transfer it here for reasons I'm sure you already know. I've also been away for the past week, I don't have enough time to write a new one. So for the next few weeks, my posts will be all about my last year's travel to Bangkok. Hope to still hear from you folks! :)

Bangkok Adventure (day 1): Bangkok Summer Adventure 2011
Bangkok Adventure (day 2, AM): The City Tour
Bangkok Adventure (day 2, PM): The Grand Palace
Bangkok Adventure (day 2, night): Chao Phraya River Cruise

Date of Visit:  April 29 - May 1, 2011

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