my friends dropping by to welcome me back..

i can’t believe i’m finally on my own. it was a difficult decision but i’ve moved on and now slowly coping up with the changes. Many thought that i’m crazy to have left a comfortable life that my parents had created for me but i just couldn’t continue living with the over controlling rules that my mom especially set for us..it’s too much! all my life i’ve wanted space for myself…and now that i’m finally getting to it..i admit is scary for me since i have never had to face life on my own.  it’s like i was taken back to being a child just learning her first few steps.  I am just most grateful to my dad who despite of his worries of letting me go on my own, wholeheartedly supports and gives me encouragement. I am just so fortunate to have my dad. I  so much appreciate the friends that i had over the years who have somehow made me feel that I can make it no matter what…these friends that have been there the moment i set foot to my new home and helped me put things together. Even in difficult times it helps to have these kind of people around and lift your spirits up! I know i have a lot to go through and it’s all to early to tell but i refuse to think of the what if”s…all i know is that i’m living my life right now, right this moment and heading on to a life i can call my own!

chillin out watching bi's concert after a long day of running errands and doing groceries!

back to marlin beach resort onboard a tricycle not tricicad...

my josh all game for our excursion..

finally after a long day...a nice swim would do!

cindy

it was a short but a fun-filled trip…there’s still a lot to discover to this place…and i’ll definitely be back~after all i’m such a hopeless romantic beach lover~~*grin*

souvenir and gift items area near the reception

reception area

huge restaurant

these sheeps are named angel and piolo after a phil. famous actor and actress

the famous ogtong cave

inside the cave

the pool

lanai...path to the beach

well-stocked bar

the villas

overlooking the beach

suite area with their own private jaccuzi and swimming pool

the garden

the entrance for this resort is 100.00 per person if you want to swim in the pool, cave and beach but if you just want to go sightseeing just as we did it cost 50.00. of course if you checked in at the resort you don’t need to pay for entrance fees. Cottages cost 3500.00 with aircon good for two, extra person costs 280.00. Depending on the location of the cottage if it’s near the sea then it would cost higher.  Villas are naturally more expensive than the regular cottages.there is an area at the resort which is restricted to honeymooners and couples only…yeah, there goes the couple word again…anyway, there were still parts of this resort that i miss to take photos however i will be back hopefully next month to accompany my friend with her husband who are based in houston. since we will be staying in this place then i can blog a lot more most especially their food…so hang on to that…there’s still a lot about this place than this pics i posted.

]]> http://dona146.wordpress.com/2008/10/26/ogtong-cave-resort/feed/ 0 dona sta-fe-1141 sta-fe-116 sta-fe-117 sta-fe-1192 sta-fe-1201 sta-fe-121 sta-fe-122 sta-fe-1231 sta-fe-125 sta-fe-127 sta-fe-128 sta-fe-131 sta-fe-132 sta-fe-133 sta-fe-1341 sta-fe-135 sta-fe-139 sta-fe-138 sta-fe-140 sta-fe-141 sta-fe-151 sta-fe-150 sta-fe-156 http://dona146.wordpress.com/2008/10/26/st-bernard-resort-sta-fe-bantayan-island-cebu/ http://dona146.wordpress.com/2008/10/26/st-bernard-resort-sta-fe-bantayan-island-cebu/#comments Sun, 26 Oct 2008 10:38:49 +0000 dona146 http://dona146.wordpress.com/?p=78 ]]>

it was by chance that we stumble upon this quaint and very beautiful resort made up of small cottages. we couldn’t help but to take photos of it…and with a promise to the staff that we’d definitely be back…hmm..may ann is already ahead planning for a trip with her honey!

st bernards restaurant fronting the beach

resort made up of small cottages...

the inside in one of the cottages...

each cottage has it own small but well decorated living room

each cottage has it own unique design

we totally fell in love with this cottage!

we could not help but take a photo with us in this cottage

cindy and may ann totally head over hills in love with this cottage

among the many birds that are around in the resort..

the resort is just small but the space is very much well utilized. we have to give credit to whoever made the  concept of this little cottages..it’s just uniquely beautiful. it also has a separate cottage for entertainment area with a big t.v, player, comfortable sofas and lots of books.  there are cottages with aircon and there are those with electric fans only.  the rate is not that bad too, i guess around 1200.00 for just a deluxe cottage and 1700.00 for a bigger cottage with a cute attic..you have to check it out to really marvel at such a place…i would have to say that this is again ideal for couples…*sigh* i hate it!!!i’m starting to wish i have a special someone to go with me in this place..LOL i can’t help it, i always associate the beach with romance..*grin* so you have to bear with me if i get a little too emotional…dammit i’m at a beautiful beach and i have no one to share it with!!!LOL

anyway here are more infos of the resort:

ST. BERNARD BEACH RESORT

Okoy, STa FE, Bantayan island

6047 Cebu

Philippines

www.bantayan.dk

beachfront of the resort

st bernard resort's shoreline

we took turns taking a pic while we were riding in one trisicad...all three of us with cindy in front

our pumpboat that will take us to Virgin island

a quick pose before we ride the pumpboat...heading out to Virgin Island

i was pretty apprehensive with riding a small pump boat that i had to ask assurance from our employee in that island who accompanied us with the trip if it’s ok and if it don’t get wavy or something that might turn the boat over (i have to make sure!!!) thankfully, we had a smooth sailing 30 minute trip to Virgin Island. the water indeed is very much crystal clear…

crystal clear water that we can see through the corals...starfish beneath

josh so behaved during the entire trip

Virgin Island

there were sea shells around that cindy couldn't help to take with her...afterall it's free!

bye2X virgin island!

we only stayed for a couple of minutes in Virgin Island, it was just too hot and Cindy had a bagfull of seashells already.  Snorkeling is best at the waters of this island since there are a lot of corals. It is a secluded island fit for couples who want utmost privacy.  we were informed that there are cottages around if we’d want to stay overnight.  On our way back another pumpboat with Korean tourist is heading out to the place we just went into.

now…the reason that we are here…our quest to find seashells for cindy’s wedding…first, we need to find a vehicle to take us around the place…and here it comes… trisicad,a mode of transportation so common in rural areas here in the Philippines.  the normal fare is only 5.00 for locals however expect it to triple and more especially if you are a tourist and a foreigner.  since we know how to haggle our way, we just pay 10.00 each for our ride.

finally found one…and cindy starts our quest for the perfect shells for her anticipated wedding…

bracelets made of seashells costs 10.00 but we bought at half the price!

we were able to buy a lot with the prices half of the original.  seashell ornaments are quite pricey when you buy these in the city or in any malls.  even if you have to spend in going to this far place at you least you get to experience and see the beautiful sights around…most especially the beaches…

and the search is on...

may ann was all out modelling for this earring which costs 90.00

these chandeliers are made of seashells

my friend was all smiles...mission accomplished!

The ride from the wharf to the resort only took us less than 5 minutes. I couldn’t help but notice the many resorts around this place. Different signs were posted where to dine and where there are live bands for the night.  We checked in at the reception office…they have a very quaint receiving area and one of the staff took us to our room…upstairs…hmm..i was thinking of somewhere near the beach perhaps?

however, i was not disappointed with our room even if it’s nowhere near the beachfront…our room no.24 is very spacious with a queen size bed, with television (thank God!), very clean bathroom with shower, a big mirror with dresser…really not bad for 1800.00 rate per night…extra bedding cost only 100.00.

the view from our balcony is breathtaking…coconut trees, ahh..the wind..the sight of the beach in just a few distance…

Each room has it’s own balcony.  this is the sight from ours… below is the garden and fronting the beach is their restobar…cocktails, wine, beer,whisky…you name it..they all have it there..except for soju..the one thing i’m looking for *grin*

they also have water skiing amenities, banana boat rides and pumpboat service if you want to go island hopping costs 1500.00

this is the front view of their restrobar…just a few steps from the beach…happy hour starts at 6pm until you drop..LOL..

beach front of the resort with mushroom like cottages…you can lie and bask in the sun all day if you want to..not me!!!

my little one couldn’t wait to take a swim…a great lover of the beach so like his mom!!!

i’m glad that it was a low tide that afternoon…so safe for little kids to swim and explore the beach…

josh’s nanny found this very small crab lurking in the sand…poor little one…we return him back to the sea after we took a photo ..

my friend cindy whom i’m accompanying to find the sea shells she’s looking for her wedding…

dinner at their restrobar..

i was quite disappointed with their food aside from it’s expensive…it didn’t satisfy our palate as well…i only had a few bite and reserved my appetite for later.  we plan to explore the nightlife in the place and have some drinks.

this is another dining area of the resort located at the second floor, the same level as our room.

Overall, the place is just great.  Ideal for honeymooners who wants privacy.  the place is very spacious so you can get around easily well.  I just wouldn’t recommend their food~it’s pricey and not so much worth it.

i had an overnight trip to one of my favorite island here in cebu…bantayan island. it’s a home of a long stretch of white sand and crystal clear waters.  i actually went there to accompany my friend (cindy) in search for sea shells which she will be using for her wedding  next year. so along  with our other friend, may,  and with my son, josh, his nanny and my cousin,  we set off to an early start Saturday morning.  i met with my friends at the hagnaya wharf in san remegio so we can ride a ferry from there to take us to the island.i was surprised to see a lot of passengers since it’s not the usual high peak season.   i was even expecting for free rides with the ferry (a friend tipped me that during this time you can get free rides going to the island or the fare can go down as low as 50.00 from the original fare of 170)…anyway, we just paid 120.00 each for our fare..

my good friend cindy and may ann with my son, josh

josh nanny, analyn with me and may ann

we arrived at the port of sta fe an hour later.  a shuttle service from the resort i had made reservations with, Marlin”s Beach Resort, met us and took us to the resort.  i actually have been to this island for quite a number of times already for our family business and a few times during our annual vacations.  we frequent Sta Fe beach club during our trips there but when i tried to make reservations  they were fully booked for that day so i searched for another resort that lead us to Marlins which is a good thing since i have never really tried all the other resorts except for sta fe beach club and Ogtong cave that i am just so used to…it’s my chance to explore.  For a start i observed that marlins has a very impressive shuttle service as compared with the other resorts(shuttle service from different resorts lined up at the port and marlins has the best among them). so far so good…

]]> http://dona146.wordpress.com/2008/10/26/overnight-tripbantayan-island-cebu/feed/ 0 dona sta-fe-005 sta-fe-0041 sta-fe-0021 http://dona146.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/getting-to-know-me/ http://dona146.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/getting-to-know-me/#comments Thu, 23 Oct 2008 04:48:10 +0000 dona146 http://dona146.wordpress.com/?p=4 ]]>

this is my first ever post here…i’ve only been new to blogging having pastalicious as my first blog.i have to admit that i don’t read blogs and i thought it is to impersonal to share your thoughts to the whole world.  Not until a few weeks ago that by chance i got to read a food blog which totally inspires me to do the same….i’m a certified FOODIE! call it my passion, it totally describes the total me…yeah, i love to cook, read cookbooks…i collect gazillions of them and i can’t seem to get enough of it…i could go on and on about it..but first things first…*smile*

i’m dona, 28 yrs old..

i am a pharmacist by profession…but what i really really wanted to do is become a chef…well, that explains my passion for cooking. eversince i was a child i remember myself  being so engrossed in cooking shows and scanning through pages of cookbooks… do you have times when you asked yourself what is your purpose here? what difference can you make? i pray a lot and i always asked God to show me what am i here for…of course having a child, i can say that it’s one of my utmost purpose but still apart from that there is still that yearning for something…i believe God equipped us with a talent…growing up, i was neither a singer, dancer, painter or anything else for that matter.  i find myself asking what is my talent? i have never really realized that my passion for cooking is what my talent is…not until now.  sadly my parents thought otherwise. i have good parents though…i have the best dad there is but if there’s one thing they could not comprehend it is my wanting to go into culinary school.  they thought it is impractical! we already have an established business, they expect me to follow their footsteps, live in the world that they have created.  well, i tried for 6 years and counting…i did…and i failed big time!!! as much as i want to put my heart into it, i felt it just isn’t the right thing for me…*sigh*

on the lighter note, i occupy myself from the boredom of having to live in this place with blogging…food blogging…i am just amazed with the vast number and great food blogs…there are just so many of them and i never get tired of reading various recipes…yeah, yeah, yeah i’ve got to talk something else besides food…

well, in line with food blogging (there you go again, i mentioned food *grin*) i am occupied with the internet, information super highway~ i have never been a techie thing with computer stuff but now i’m finding myself learning and discovering things i have never been interested about.  in the past i  use the internet for reading emails or getting in touch with friends, ordering online and only for some specific infos i want to acquire.  but now it’s a whole new different level…

i am so into korean dramas…well, i haven’t watched for 2 weeks now…i was totally engrossed with food blogging *grin* but i collect a really lot of  korean dvds (hmm around 50..!) and music…i admit that watching kdrama  pave way to my interest in korean language and culture…i self-study korean language…i registered to this very good site koreanclass101 and i have gained a few korean friends on line who are kind enough to teach me from time to time.

the other thing that i love to do is dine out with friends…it’s our bonding thing aside from shopping *lol* and with the rapidly growing culinary arena here in cebu…the choices are just endless…check out my foodblog and get to see the restaurants that we go to.

i love to read…mystery, fiction, romance..you name it! i’ve got a vast number of book collection.  it has been a fave pastime since i was in elementary grade. i’d even stay up to 2am in the morning in reading a good book~once i’m hooked to the story…

and what else is there…ah…shopping…i used to splurged a lot..a real lot but not anymore (hopefully!)

i guess that would be all for now…it’s all me…dona