MAGAZINE FOR CEBU PACIFIC

NOVEMBER 2010
OUR

Have a
Smile IS COMPLIMENTARY

lava fun!
• NOVEMBER 2010

Get active
Get acttive
ive in
in Albay
Alba
Al bay

Field of
dreams
A Japanese couple trades city
life for country comfort

E
LEAVE THHIND Fancy weird
MALL BE nila -
a
and wacky
Shop in M le
indie sty dining?
Turn to page 68

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 Beachfront Living
I n T H e H e A R T o f T H e C I T y. . .

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Featuring an iconic, man-made beach with undulating waves,
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With its convenient location, adjacent to the shopping delights of

SM Bicutan and just a few minutes away from Alabang and Makati,
Azure brings together everything you love about city living in
a one-of-a-kind residential resort experience.”

– Piolo and Ruffa

THE AZURE is located along the SLEX (West Service Road) beside SM Bicutan.
It is also a short drive away to the Alabang Town Center, Festival Mall,
Magallanes Village, Ayala Alabang Village, Villamor Golf Club, the Asian Hospital in Alabang;
and schools such as Southville International School, Southridge School and
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The Azure for as low as 18,000 per month!
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Azure Urban Resort Residences (Santorini) HLURB LTS 23646 Issued 8/20/2010. The Azure Urban Resort
Residences is located in Barangay Marcelo Green, Bicutan, Parañaque City. Photos are artist’s renditions only.

Azure-ad-(piolo+ruffa)-210x275-SMILE.indd 1 10/13/2010 7:05:27 PM

 contents
Know where everything’s at in November and enjoy!

44
9 Welcome
Message
A note from the Cebu Pacific CEO
Lance Gokongwei.

11 Chikka
The latest buzz on travel,
celebrities and anything worth talking about.
Peak
Adventures
From ATV drives to helicopter rides,
12 Calendar here’s how to enjoy high-octane fun
The best concerts, festivals and fab in the land of Mayon Volcano.
events taking place this month.
55 The

22
Gadgets
Find out the latest in smartphones
and mp3 players.
Simple Life
Would you ever leave the city for
an organic farm? This couple did.

61 Hobby Haven
Discover why The Collective in
Malugay is good for your soul.

Quirky
28 Going
away gifts
Travel-inspired presents for your
jetsetting family and friends.

34 Manga-on ta!
Feast on the good old-fashioned
authentically Pinoy Southern food in Pagadian.
68
79 Trip Journal
Cuisine
Smile takes you
to some truly
extraordinary
restaurants in Asia.

Your guide to enjoying cities across the

network with advice from locals.

36 Mad 114 Route Map

Where will you fly to next? Check out Cebu
about Pacific’s growing network!
Jon
Hamm 116 Airline News
From record-breaking numbers to dancing FAs,
Mad Men’s leading man is nothing like the get the latest buzz from your favorite airline.
mysterious ad man he plays onscreen.

119-120 Onboard
42 “Mabuhay Delights
ang yoyo!” From savory bites and pastries to snacks,
Some of the world’s coolest inventions are check out our yummy offerings! Then take
due to Filipino ingenuity, claims Tim Tayag. your pick from sunglasses to watches, bags
to toys — great items for gifts!

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 welcome onboard

INK EDITORIAL
Editor Maya O Calica
Art Director Suadi Nur Effendy
Sub-Editor Noelle de Jesus
Contributing Editors Charmaine Baylon and
Monica Barretto
Editorial Director (Singapore)
Liz Weselby
Design Director (Asia) Peter Stephens
Associate Design Director (Singapore)
Terence Goh
Photo Editor Lester V Ledesma
Production Manager Jo Low

Executive Creative Director

Michael Keating
CEO Jeffrey O’Rourke
Managing Director Gerry Ricketts
Chief Operating Officer Hugh Godsal
Group Publisher Simon Leslie

ADVERTISING
Group Publisher Mohan Gopal
Associate Publisher Frances Barsana
Brand Managers Bong Dy-Liacco, Andrew Lugtu
and Jil Sembrano-North
Tel +65 6324 2386
Email smile@ink-publishing.com

CREATIVE SOLUTIONS
Tel +65 6324 2386
Email smile@ink-publishing.com
Smile Online Copy
www.ink-live.com/emagazines/smile
Smile Facebook
Find us at: Smile Cebu Pacific Airlines
Email us at: Smilefb@ink-publishing.com

SMILE magazine is published on behalf of Cebu

Just 55 more days
till Christmas
Pacific Air by Ink Publishing Pte Ltd • 89 Neil
Road #03-01, Singapore 088849 • tel +65
6324 2386 • fax +65 6491 5261 •
www.ink-publishing.com • www.cebusmile.com
MICA (P) 198/07/2010

All articles and

photographs published
Everybody knows that in this country, November is practically
herein are created by
the authors and photographers at their own
December. Christmas carols play ad infinitum on the local airwaves, and in
discretion and do not necessarily represent the shopping malls, the halls are pretty much decked. And we’re talking the
the views of the airline. All material is strictly
copyrighted and all rights are reserved. No part
of this publication may be reproduced in whole
works — actual frosted window panes, tinsel, holly and all the things you
or in part without the prior written permission don’t actually see in the Philippines.
of the copyright holder. All prices and data are
PHOTO MONICA BARRETTO. GROOMING MARIE CALICA. STYLING LEONA LAVIÑA-PANUTAT

correct at the time of publication. So if you’re not quite ready for the holiday madness, it may be a good
idea to take a trip somewhere. Leaf through this issue for exactly where.Take
a tip from a couple in Japan who chucked their mad city life to work on an
organic farm in Osaka. For a few days, you can volunteer to help them with
their crops in idyllic green peace (page 55). Or closer to home, you can
MAGAZINE FOR CEBU PACIFIC
NOVEMBER 2010

Have a commune with the outdoors in the shadow of Albay’s majestic Mayon
lava fun!
Get active
Get acttive
ive in
in Albay
Alba
Albay Volcano (page 44). Or why not seek the distraction of extraordinary
Field of
dreams
A Japanese couple trades city
life for country comfort
culinary experiences? Read all about it in Quirky Cuisine (page 68)
LEAVE THE Fancy weird
and start planning your trip. You might also want to make a dent in that
IND
MALL BEH ila - and wacky
Shop in Man
indie style dining?
Turn to page 68
Christmas shopping list. Pick up unique presents on your travels, or at the
Malugay Collective (page 61) for special gifts from indie shops.
THIS MONTH’S COVER Make November count, and
Photographer Francisco Guerrero. Photo editor
Lester Ledesma. Art director Adi Effendy. Hair/ take a trip somewhere on Cebu
makeup artist Archibald Tolentino. Stylist Leona
Laviña-Panutat. Model Denisa/Modelo Inc. Denim Pacific. Happy travels!
shirt by Topshop. Shorts by Warehouse. Boots by
Forever 21. Shot on location in Legazpi City, Albay.
Lance Gokongwei
Special thanks to Governor Joey Salceda and Albay CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Tourism, albay.gov.ph

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The latest buzz and gossip on lifestyle, travel and celebrity news

page 32

All you need to

enjoy one night
in Shanghai!

For this month’s cover, the

Smile team flew to Legazpi City,
land of all things hot! Left to
page 12 right: Photographer Paco, Albay
Tourism’s Dorothy and Babes,
Watch The Wedding Singer ATV jock Cyril, model Denisa,
in Manila this month! stylist Leona, makeup artist
Archie, art director Adi
and photo editor Lester.
Go mad in November…
…that is, if you haven’t yet! As we close in on the
holidays, allow us to push you over the edge in
excitement. We’ve got travel-inspired gifts (page 28)
and trip ideas from Osaka to Pagadian! Discover what
Curtis Stone loves to eat in Asia (page
25) and get to know Mad Men star Jon
What’s on Hamm (page 36). Plus,
your mind? learn to party, Shanghai
Write me at style (page 32)! And
cebusmile@ink- there’s more — just turn
publishing.com!
the page to find out!

Bu yao (in Mandarin) means “don’t want,” a useful phrase for insistent salespeople!

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 SINGAPORE
CINDEREL-LAH!
November 25–
December 11
Production company W!LD RICE
and Singapore’s acclaimed theater
performers give this tale a fun twist.
Times are hard for Cindy (Emma
Yong), a poor girl who lives in an
HDB flat with her evil stepmother
and two atrocious stepsisters. What
keeps her hopeful is the possibility
of getting picked by Prince Char Mee
(Sebastian Tan) at the Grand Fish Ball.
Her dreams come true with the help
of Fairy God Makcik, who transforms
her into a fashion plate. But will it
be enough to capture the prince’s
attention? This musical pantomime,
filled with politically incorrect jokes,
crossdressers and lively song and
dance routines, will keep you laughing
in your seat. Esplanade Theatre,
www.sistic.com.sg

HONG KONG
Hong Kong Cube Day
Ready,
set, go!
November 2010
November 20
Pick up a few fun tricks and
tips from the competitors
in the Rubik’s Cube,
Square-1, Pyraminx and
Megaminx categories as
they bend, flip and twist these
hese Stunning displays, beautiful music and non-
puzzles in record time. stop action set the stage for a roaring good time
hkrcu.net/hkcd10-2/index.php

SINGAPORE
The Arabian Nights MANILA
November 26–December 12 The Wedding Singer
It has all the elements of a thrilling Until November 14
production: physical theater, puppetry, Based on the 1998 film starring Adam Sandler
music — and the absence of a and Drew Barrymore, this musical comedy
writer’s script. Yes, the actors’ words, features tracks like Grow Old With You, other
expressions and moves will be 1980s hits and fashion styles, plus a popular
the result of a unique collaboration local cast. Gian Magdangal, who was Roger in
between them, the director, the writer, 9 Works Theatrical’s Rent The Musical, plays
the musicians and the choreographer. It wedding singer Robbie Hart, while TV personality
gives them a chance to explore stories like and VJ Iya Villania plays Robbie’s love interest,
Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp, Ali Baba waitress Julia Sullivan. Meralco Theater.
and The Fisherman to better entertain you. www.9workstheatrical.com,
The Singapore Airlines Theatre, LASALLE www.ticketworld.com.ph
College of the Arts. www.sistic.com.sg

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MACAU MANILA
The Asian Poker Tour Philippine Portraits
Macau 2010 by Liza Linklater
November 6–14 November 8–27
Catch the world’s top poker players Liza Linklater, a Canadian photojournalist
as they try to outwit each other in who has lived in Asia for 11 years, will be
this last leg of the tour. You can go to exhibiting moving images of Filipinos and their
other exciting side events and satellite way of life. “The Philippines is so much more
tournaments too. City of Dreams than the view presented by the world press,”
integrated entertainment resort. she says. “Their faith and close-knit families
www.theasianpokertour.com always give Filipinos hope during the hardest
of times. I have tried to capture this in my
photographs.” Alcove Gallery, Filipinas
Heritage Library, Makati Avenue.
www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph

don’t
GUANGZHOU
The 16th Asian
miss!
Games
November 12–27
Whether you like popular sports like
basketball, football or tennis, or intriguing
ones like DanceSport, wushu or Dragon
Boat, there’s something for everyone at this
year’s Asian Games.
www.gz2010.cn/en

MANILA & CEBU

SINGAPORE Gin Blossoms Live in Concert
Pinocchio the Musical November 18 and 20
November 4– The band behind the hits Hey Jealousy
December 12 and ‘Til I Hear It From You are having two
Audiences can watch Pinocchio’s concerts in the Philippines. The first will be
at the Araneta Coliseum on November 18,
nose grow and see water spurt
and the other one at the Waterfront Hotels &
from the whale onstage. That’s Casinos in Cebu on November 20. You may
because this production uses hear new tracks from their latest album,
advanced technology and No Chocolate Cake. www.waterfronthotels.
traditional Asian puppets. The com.ph, www.ginblossoms.net
best part? Wait until the Blue Fairy
transforms Pinocchio into a real boy. BEIJING
DBS Arts Centre. www.sistic.com.sg Yue Opera: The Butterfly Lovers
November 22–23
If you’re a fan of sad love stories, you
BEIJING wouldn’t want to miss this. Meet characters
Puccini’s Opera: Turandot Zhu Yingtai and Liang Shanbo — two
students who become fast friends. But Liang
(NCPA’s Version) Shanbo doesn’t know that Zhu Yingtai is
November 25–28 female. Follow the drama. National Centre
Chinese composer Hao Weiya adds the for the Performing Arts. www.chncpa.org
missing pieces to Puccini’s unfinished
work. Director Chen Xinyi, stage
designer Gao Guangjian and conductor
SINGAPORE
Zhang Xian, together with other Chinese SSO Babies’ Proms
stars and Canadian soprano Anna November 17–18
Shafajinskaia (who plays Princess Introduce your kids to classical music.
Conductor Peter Moore and the Singapore
Turandot), complete the ensemble.
Symphony Orchestra have come up with a
Find out who cracks the Princess’ riddles repertoire to please the parents and kids six
and steals her heart. Opera House, years old and below. Pre-concert activities
National Centre for the Performing Arts. at 9.45am and 11.30am as well. Esplanade
www.chncpa.org Concert Hall. www.sistic.com.sg

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my
snapshot This month we picked Joanne Halili’s
photo, taken at the Tiger Temple in
Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Tigers roamed the temple grounds, and

they were so harmless, we could pat their
Want your pic heads! One made friends with this monk..
published? A Buddhist monk and a tiger are the last
Send it to us two things you expect to see together!
with your story
at mysnapshot@
cebusmile.com

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Bangkok under
one roof A foreigner’s guide
Entrepreneur and traveler
Chris Osborne of My Egg Noodles, to commuting in Manila
www.myeggnoodles.com by Pol Mangilog, writer/
“You’ll find everything and more at Jatujak Weekend Market.
With over 5,000 stalls, it’s the largest in Thailand and is
TV director/Pinay traveller
only a five-minute walk from the Mo Chit BTS station. Most (www.pinaytraveller.com)
areas are covered, so you can go anytime. Thousands of
Thais go to socialize, shop and do what Thais do best: “The prospect of commuting in Manila may
dine on lots of delicious Thai food! Great food, clothes, intimidate tourists, but it is still the best way to
houseware and pets! Pick up your holiday presents and get around. Riding the world-famous jeepney
buy traditional Thai wares at very reasonable prices. Do is very cheap and will certainly make your
bargain with a smile; it will go a long way!”
trip unforgettable. Remember to bring
loose change and a bottle of water to avoid
dehydration, as it tends to be humid most
of the year. An umbrella or a bush hat
will also help cool you down. You can

hear use a map, but nothing beats asking

directions from the locals. Filipinos are
very helpful and most of us speak or

say
understand English anyway.”

Soundbites
you can use

Female bonding
Two fun things you can do with your
girlfriends in Singapore and Saigon this month
Perfect eats in Shanghai
• Wine in the city. Sip your choice of Austrian red,
by blogger David Tan of white and dessert wines at the Austrian Wine Festival
www.madaboutshanghai.com (Singapore) 2010. Sample the best tipple from over
20 wineries, paired with different cuisines in the Lion
“Visit Shanghai this month, when the autumn City’s top restaurants. Order by the bottle (from S$45/
breeze and cool temperatures provide the best PHP1,501) or by the glass. Till November 15, 2010. Log
weather for touring, shopping and exploring. It is on to their Facebook page for more information.
also the best time to indulge in hairy crabs; no
• Eat, play, laugh in Vietnam. Cham Villas, a boutique
other food represents Shanghai cuisine better. resort in Phan Thiet about four hours by car from
In autumn, the rich female crab roe from Yang Saigon, is perfect for an all-women’s getaway. Check
TEXT MABEL DAVID-PILAR AND MAYA CALICA

Cheng Lake is the best. It’s served steamed into a room right on the beach, sup on authentic
with ginger and vinegar. At finer restaurants, Vietnamese and German fare, kite surf, and then hit
a waiter will help you separate the parts. All the dunes and wave ride on the sand. Cap the day
with girl talk and cocktails with a view of the
you need to do is sit back and feast on this
sea. Pure bliss! www.chamvillas.com
‘Shanghai caviar’ along with Chinese tea.”

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During the Songkran Festival in God bless the

April, Thais welcome the traditional children!
Thai new year by spraying each
other with water.

Just for
slick kiddies
traveler: EVERY NOVEMBER 15 (or its
closest weekend), Osaka and the
rest of Japan celebrate Shichi-go-

Jon Avila san. Literally, that’s “seven-five-

three,” lucky numbers that are
considered significant in a Japanese
child’s life. The traditional festival
sees parents bringing their children
When the British-Filipino – girls aged three and seven, and
boys aged three and five – to shrines
model, actor and host isn’t busy all over Japan to celebrate this
shooting, you’ll find him milestone and pray for their kids’
exploring the country’s holiday good health and growth.
In Osaka, you’ll be delightedly
spots. Here are his faves... exclaiming “Aww” and “How cute!”

TEXT CHARMAINE BAYLON AND MABEL DAVID-PILAR (JUST FOR KIDDIES)

at every local shrine and the more
Playing favorites His biggest adventure to date popular Mitami Shrine and the
“I love Boracay and Cebu. Boracay is great if “Coming to Manila and discovering my Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine (one of the
you want to get away from the busy lifestyle mother’s homeland. Every day here is a oldest in the country). There, all the
in Manila. I’ve been to Cebu five times and I new adventure.” little girls and boys make their way
find the people very friendly. I’ve always said, in ceremonial kimonos and haori
‘When I retire, I wanna live in Cebu!’ Palawan The last exciting thing he did jackets. But if you really want to
is also a favorite. I visited last Holy Week and ”I went camping in Zambales on a deserted get into the spirit of the festivities,
stayed at Dos Palmas. I had a whole stretch beach with no electricity and running water. buy a bag of chitose-ame (thousand
of beach all to myself. I went scuba diving and We had the best time playing beach games, years) – long candies decorated with
ate exotic food. It was like a dream.” singing by the campfire and sleeping under the cranes and turtles that symbolize
stars. It was absolutely priceless.” long, prosperous lives, which
Memorable stops parents buy for the kids outside
“When I was a model, I lived in Thailand and What’s on his pasalubong list? the shrines.
Singapore for three months each. I loved the “My mom collects keychains so I buy her
culture of Thailand. I was there for the water one everywhere I go. Of course, shopping for Cebu Pacific flies to Osaka from
festival, where complete strangers would pasalubong is essential, if there’s time. I like Manila. www.cebupacificair.com
have water fights. It was madness, the best!” to scuba dive then eat, scuba dive then eat.”

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 P R OMOT I O NA L F E AT U R E

Clockwise from top left: The Tutuban Mall’s popular

Night Market is open all-year round; ladies’ fashions
and jewelry; accessories to spruce up your home;
grilled pusit (squid) at Foodstreet; and local woven bags

retail experience here has been likened

Eat, pray, shop to that of shopping meccas Jatujak in

Bangkok, Mongkok in Hong Kong and
even Shenzhen in China.
And as the holidays are approaching,

in Tutuban
you can get ready for Tutuban Mall’s
wildly successful Night Market, the
only Night Market open 365 days
a year. Whether you’re shopping for
Christmas gifts, pasalubong (souvenirs)
Here’s why Tutuban Mall is a haven for foodies, for friends back home or furnishings for
culture vultures and bargain shoppers your new house, Tutuban Mall’s Night
Market has the best bargains all-year
round. As early as 5pm, more than
DELIGHTFUL EATS, historical treats Pray at historical sites 500 tenants set up their booths, selling
and amazing shopping are three things Very close by is the Binondo Church, everything from clothes to accessories,
that top every traveler’s wish list. For also known as the Minor Basilica of furniture and homeware, and even
first-timers to Manila, the choices St Lorenzo Ruiz. Built in 1596, it is food items. Expect marvelous deals
can be daunting. Fortunately, there one of the country’s oldest places on everything, plus all the chances to
is Tutuban Mall. Located on Claro M of worship and is a must-visit when haggle for even bigger discounts.
Recto Avenue, right in the heart of in the area. Tutuban was also the With the mall’s seven-storey parking
the Philippine capital, this amazing center of commerce in old Manila building, parking isn’t a problem. And
shopping paradise in busy Divisoria and the location of the country’s first with 24-hour security and 75 closed-
offers you a little bit of everything. main station — the Manila Railway circuit TV (CCTV) cameras within the
Company’s Tutuban Station. mall, you can shop worry-free.
Eat all you want So go ahead — eat, pray and shop to
Whether it’s freshly baked pan de sal, Shop till you drop your heart’s content in Tutuban Mall.
tasty vegetarian dishes, juicy grilled Tutuban is the birthplace of budget www.tutubanmall.com.ph
barbeque or pusit (squid), a plate of shopping in the Philippines. With
steaming hot dimsum or local fast Tutuban Mall’s fully airconditioned
food, Tutuban Mall’s Foodstreet has a facilities, bargain hunting has never
wide range of gastronomic choices at been this comfortable! Also, due to a
seriously affordable prices. remarkable array of merchandise, the

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 chikka buzz

Clockwise from left: Enjoy a

cuppa at Tanjung Pinang’s seaside
promenade; the walkway to the
grand Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque;
and rent a bike at Pulau Ubin.

See Pulau U
bin
on two whee
ls!
Singapore
sidetrips
With its central location, Singapore is a great
jump-off point to other destinations. Why
not take quick visits to some of the city’s
PHOTOS LESTER LEDESMA (TANJUNG PINANG), EDGAR ALAN ZETA-YAP (JOHOR BAHRU AND PULAU UBIN)

outlying attractions?

Tanjung Pinang Johor Bahru Pulau Ubin

The neighboring Indonesian island of A stone’s throw across the strait, Johor Considered the last kampung (village) of
Bintan may be known for the Singaporean- Bahru (or simply JB) is catching up to its Singapore, Pulau Ubin is a 10km stretch
owned luxury resorts along the northern neighbor. The booming Malaysian state of mangrove swamps, rubber plantations,
coast, but the rest of the island surprises capital is living up to its name, which abandoned granite quarries and mysterious
visitors with old-world reminders of a rich means “new jewel” in Malay. See the shrines. With its bucolic stilt houses and
history, centering on the seaport capital of impressive Moorish-Victorian architecture bumboats, the island offers a rare glimpse
Tanjung Pinang. Take a boat ride through of the Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque, the Royal of how the progressive nation looked just
the mangroves of the Sungai Ular (Snake Palace Museum and the Sultan Ibrahim half a century ago. Explore the island
River) and see a 300-year-old Buddhist Building. Wander the streets lined with on bike, which can be rented at the jetty
temple. Or visit Pulau Penyengat (Wasp Chinese shophouses, Hindu temples and village (S$10/PHP333 per day). Watch
Island), once the epicenter of the Riau Malay food stalls, and immerse yourself in out for monitor lizards and Oriental pied
sultanate. Explore the old mosque of Masjid its rustic charms. With its large shopping hornbills and see the German Girl Shrine,
Raya Sultan Riau, the tomb complex of malls, JB can be paradise for the bargain a yellow shack where reside the remains
Raja Ali Haji, and the Dutch fort ruins of hunter. Check out City Square or Plaza of a young girl, venerated as a Taoist deity
TEXT EDGAR ALAN ZETA-YAP

Benteng Bukit Kursi. Pelangi malls for the best deals in town. since the 1930s, near Ketam Quarry.
TO GET THERE Take the MRT to Tanah TO GET THERE Take the MRT to Kranji TO GET THERE Take the MRT to Tanah
Merah Station, and then take Bus 35 to Station, and then take a Causeway Link Merah Station, and then board Bus 2 or 29
the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. A two- (CW1) bus via the Woodlands Checkpoint to Changi Village bus interchange. At the
hour Penguin or IndoFalcon Ferry goes to (S$0.80/PHP27). From the Johor Changi Point jetty, catch a 10-minute boat
Tanjung Pinang (S$50.00/PHP1,666). Checkpoint, you can simply walk to the city ride (S$2.50/PHP83) to Pulau Ubin. The
bintanmaranathatours.com center or grab a taxicab. boat operates from 6am–11pm.

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 chikka gadgets

Rock on!
Have
a listen
The latest MP3 players come in all shapes
and sizes to suit your particular needs

CHOOSE BETWEEN TWO of the latest

PHP16
,250
music phones from Nokia, which have built-
in stereo speakers and recognize almost all
audio formats. If you prefer a smartphone
that has a responsive touchscreen, sync “So, what’s on
your playlist to the more advanced NOKIA
y
X6 (top left). If you want to keep it simple
X
your playlist?”
(and prefer not to text via touchscreen), the
(a
sslide phone NOKIA X3 should still do the job We caught up with Scott
with its standard keyboard. At Nokia outlets.
w Weiland of the Stone Temple
As Sony’s first wire-free and sweat-proof
Pilots, who gladly shared the
A
Walkman, the WALKMAN W250 saves you
W tracks on his mp3
PHP3,999
from tangled wires and sticky earphones.
fr
You’d be glad to know that it also comes
Y 1. WHISTLE STOP by Speedy West and
with ZAPPIN technology. This means, you
w Jimmy Bryant
cchoose and arrange your favorite tracks in 2. GIRL TALK by Howard Roberts.
Available at the Sony Center.
advance. A
a “Covered by many, but I especially dig
this version,” he says.
multi-touch interface feature for the
The multi-t 3. I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TIME IT

From
iPhone, the iPod touch and the iPad has WAS by Stan Getz. “Stan did a few

PHOTOS COURTESY OF APPLE, SONY PHILIPPINES AND NOKIA ; CHAPMAN BAEHLER (STONE TEMPLE PILOTS)
0
PHP7,99
way to the tiny NANO, now 46%
found its w recordings. Listen to the Verve label
and 42% lighter than the previous
smaller an version. Lovely piece.”
tap or swipe makes it easy to
model. A ta 4. SUN by Margo Guryan. “This track
while a Genius Mixes function
navigate, w carries such beautiful sentiment. You
matches similar songs in your playlist.
matc can feel the light.”
At Power Mac Centers and other 5. BEECHWOOD PARK by The Zombies.
authorized Apple reseller stores. “From the album Odessey and Oracle –
amazing record.”
6. BECK’S BOLERO by Jeff Beck
7. BUBBLES by Free Design. “It’s

Tap into your child’s

wonderful to get to play and write music TEXT MABEL DAVID-PILAR (GADGETS) AND CHARMAINE BAYLON

with a sibling. Kinda keeps my heart

inner actor
from gettin’ heavy and cryin’.”
8. CAST OFF CROWN by Deerhoof.
“Now that is percussive. They never
cease to blow my mind. Gorgeous
ADD SOME NOVEMBER-DECEMBER four-year-olds, melody and lyrics.”
holiday theater workshops to your Spellbound! for 9. MR DIEINGLY SAD by The Critters
Singapore itinerary, and you might just five- to 10-year-olds, “The power of a song. This is a track
unearth your child’s secret desires and and Arabian Delight for 11- that makes my heart and soul float,
dreams. Classes by ACT 3 Academy, to 15-year-olds. Each class re-enacts perhaps with sadness or even longing.
which focus on magical Middle Eastern tales and fables appropriate to that Regardless, it’s still floating. Plus, they
folktales, have no more than 15 particular age group. To register, call hail from Jersey.”
participants. There’s Of Magic and Wonder tel: +65 6735 9986 or email act3int@ 10. JADED LOVER by Jerry Jeff Walker
and Hold Your Horses! for three- to act3international.com.sg “I learned to sing and yodel from my
Dad and Jerry Jeff.”

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 chikka buzz

Q&A:
Curtis Stone
The Aussie chef and bestselling author shot to
fame hosting the TV shows Surfing the Menu and
Take Home Chef. On a recent trip to Singapore for
the Singapore Sun Festival, he gamely dished to
All the girls want to
take home Curtis Stone. Charmaine Baylon about what he loves in Asia and
Below: His go-to dish for
special dinners is chili crab. gives helpful advice for food-loving wanderers.

What kind of traveler are you? Are there cities in the ASEAN region you wish is such a historical site, and not to mention, it’s
When I am traveling for work, my trips are you had time to visit? a fantastic hotel.
generally pretty well-planned. However, I like Of course. Each time I come back I try and do
to think of myself as being fairly daring and something new and different. On my most Is there an Asian dish you like to whip up?
adventurous, particularly when it comes to recent trip to Singapore for the Singapore Sun I have a chili crab recipe that I absolutely
tasting new food. I will give anything a go! Festival, I got to cook at the Fullerton Hotel. It love. I love nothing more than to invite a
group of friends over, cover the table with old
Tell us about your most unforgettable newspapers and make an absolute mess as
experiences in Asia... we enjoy the chili crab. So delicious!
I have been lucky enough to travel to Asia
on a number of occasions, both for work and The best travel advice you’ve ever given is...
on holidays. [I’ve found that] I absolutely … to make the most of every minute that you
love Asian culture and cuisine. My most spend in a different country. Soak up all the
memorable experiences generally have to new surroundings and make sure you surround
do with food, and I have had so many good yourself with the local culture. It’s the only
dishes throughout Asia that it’s very difficult to way to make your travel experiences truly
mention just one! memorable. www.curtisstone.com

Holiday like a reality TV star

Be a cut above
the rest at
the Sheraton’s
cooking school

The Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel and Spa in Vietnam simulates

your favorite reality shows through their newest offerings
IF YOU LIKE FOOD NETWORK’S CHOPPED IF YOU LIKE THE AMAZING RACE
Think you have what it takes to become Try the Nha Trang Adventure. The
a cooking champ? Learn how to whip up experience lasts four hours and, like The
a yummy appetizer and main dish from Amazing Race, it involves tasks that you
the ingredients at the hotel’s sleek cooking and your partner need to complete ahead
school in record time. The Sheraton’s of the rest in order to win. A bonus: The
TEXT CHARMAINE BAYLON

executive chef will taste your creations landmarks you may pass by, such as the
and decide on the winner. They need 20 Po Nagar Tower and Yersin Museum.
people for a class, and it costs US$25++ Sign up fee is US$25++ (PHP1,090) for a
(PHP1,090) per person. minimum of 20 people.

For bookings and inquiries, call tel: +84 (58) 388 0000, www.starwoodhotels.com

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 chikka buzz

Guitar licks books

Insider Picks: Manila By Day

and killer tunes

What do a musical legend and a hot solo artist have in
edited by Jenina Alli
Whether you’re
trawling for gifts
under PHP250,
common? Albums that create the perfect soundtrack for your life French cuisine
for less than
PHP500,
jeepney tours,
live music,
Filipino art,
local plays or specialty workshops, Manila
By Day fills you in. Word-of-mouth advice
is sourced from locals in the know, so
expect insights that are fresh and off-the-
beaten track. PHP495 at National Book
Store, Power Books and Fully Booked.

Fasten Your Seat Belts

by Boh Tong
Live vicariously
through Boh
Tong, a former
flight attendant
who reveals the
good, the bad,
the naughty
and everything
else but his real
name in this juicy collection of true stories
from Marshall Cavendish. S$18.60 (PHP621)
before GST at the Times Bookstore, Changi
Airport Budget Terminal, Singapore.

Guitar Heaven: Flamingo Deluxe Edition

The Greatest Guitar Classics by Brandon Flowers How to... keep
the kids busy
Of All Time by Santana
The Killers’
Listen to Carlos Santana do what he does frontman
best. The legendary musician showcases did a Sting and KEEP LITTLE HANDS occupied
his gift for creating guitar magic, and invites broke out on during a flight with the Travel
artists to lend their voices to the tracks of his own with Scratch and Sketch activity book.
the album. This time around, he’s signed a sensational Kids seven and up learn about
up Chris Cornell to collaborate with him solo album. new places through creative
TEXT CHARMAINE BAYLON AND MAYA CALICA

on Led Zeppelin’s Whote Lotta Love, Chris Flamingo exercises. Available at The Planet
Daughtry for Def Leppard’s Photograph Deluxe Edition features tracks like The Clock Traveller stores
and Nas for AC/DC’s Back in Black, Was Tickin’, I Came Here to Get Over You in Singapore,
among others. and Jacksonville not in the original version. theplanettraveller.
PERFECT SOUNDTRACK FOR celebrating PERFECT SOUNDTRACK FOR taking a com
victories. Santana heralded the release of big leap of faith. Whether your unchartered
Guitar Heaven with a big bash at the Hard territory is geographic (traveling on an epic
Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas with journey) or emotional (shifting careers or S$29
(PHP96
7
some of the featured artists performing with loves), channel the singer-keyboardist’s
him. Plan your own celebratory trip with chutzpah by listening to the dance-able )
loved ones, then crank up the volume. Jilted Lovers & Broken Hearts and Crossfire.

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Ser 1 09LKH S11

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 chikka buzz

.50
2

PH P29 PH
P3
PHP12 9.7
5 5

9.75
1
PHP2
3

PH P250

8 PHP650
4

PHP29.7
5
7

PHP6
5
98
PHP249.75
6
PHP175

Going away gifts

5 JEEP THRILLS This festive Philippine
Jeepney is the perfect holiday present for non-
Filipino friends, an emblem of our culture.

Marie Calica picks out the perfect holiday presents for jetsetters 6 PASSPORT PERFECT Stylish travelers
will love this slick, snazzy case. Its bright hue
makes it easy to locate in a huge designer bag.
1 PINOY CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST On the 3 SEE-THROUGH STASH This waterproof
PHOTO LOUIE AGUINALDO. STYLIST MARIE CALICA

Christmas Memories album, Filipino talents vanity kit is made for people who travel with 7 IT’S A WRAP This Muslim-inspired cloth can
like Sharon Cuneta render holiday tunes that just carry-on luggage. These tiny bottles from be used as a shawl, skirt, dress, headpiece
will make friends and relatives based abroad Amie Magic Beauty will help her pack just and blanket for cold flights and nights. It’s so
feel like they’re back home, wherever they are. enough toiletries. versatile, both your fab fashionista friend and
your backpacker buddy will love it!
2 TRAVEL SCRAPBOOK Your craft-loving 4 GAME TO GO Ditch the DS or PSP for a
friend can revisit happy trips by sticking game of checkers from Gamewiz Games On 8 STAY DRY Adventurous techies will love the
train tickets, postcards and souvenirs in this The Go. Your friends will love the compact size Design Go Dry Pod. They will appreciate how
handmade scrapbook album, embellished with of these old-school games. Best part? There’s it keeps their gadgets from getting splashed on
All About Scrapbooking stickers. no need to pack batteries! by saltwater even when they’re out at sea.

All products available at Robinsons Department Store. There are 28 branches across the Philippines, www.robinsonsdepartmentstore.com.ph

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Greenfield.indd 1 10/20/10 11:42 AM
 business class tickets to Japan for mom and you: USD4,270
admission to Hakone hot springs: USD42
bringing the warmth back into your relationship: priceless

discover a world of priceless moments. only with MasterCard . ®

Give your loved ones the good times they deserve with MasterCard’s Titanium Card, Platinum Card or
World Card. Open their eyes to new worlds, thrill them with exotic surprises, and shower them with gifts
that make them feel truly special. Make every day richer than it is with MasterCard.

there are some things money can’t buy.

for everything else there’s MasterCard.™

Ser 1 09LKH S9
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 chikka buzz

Haute couture gown Buying a condo is an emotional

from the Valentino decision, so make sure you feel
Spring/Summer 2003 good when you’re in it!
collection

100 Dresses
Imagine
coming
FASHION AFICIONADOS, don’t miss
this exhibition; you won’t know when it’ll
home
come to Asia again. Exhibited so far in to this
Paris, Brisbane in Australia and now in !
Singapore, the Valentino, Retrospective:
Past/Present/Future features 100 exquisite
Valentino dresses from the 1950s to 2008,
current designs by creative directors Maria
Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli, and
gowns worn by European royalty and
Live the high life!
Four things to think about before you invest in your very
celebrities. There will also be a gala dinner
and 2011 Spring collection fashion show. own home sweet home
From December 15 to January 31.
www.rwsentosa.com/valentino AFTER A GREAT vacation, nothing beats 3 It is managed professionally
coming home to a haven of rest. Right here, Ask residents in the property you’re keen
four factors that ensure you’re on the right track to buy into how they like the upkeep of

For more nights

courtesy of Red Rosales, division head of the their building. Is it kept clean and regularly
real estate developer Vista Residences. renovated? If the condo is already built, look

in Bangkok...
around. Dirty carpets, cigarette burns in the
1 It’s in a prime location couch or elevator breakdowns say a lot.
Is the property close to public transportation
PHOTO JEAN THOLANCE/VALENTINO ARCHIVES (VALENTINO)

CHECK OUT Amari Residences hubs, main avenues and thoroughfares, 4 It makes you feel good
Bangkok, the first of the Amari business, commercial and entertainment How do you feel as you pull up in front of the
properties to offer long stay, hotel- centers, hospitals and schools? If the answer building, or when you walk through the door?
serviced apartments with competitive is yes, you’ve got a winner. Vista Residence’s The bottom line is that you should feel good.
rates for weekly or monthly stays. Makati condos are in truly choice locales: “We design every condo so that it looks like
Avail of Amari Residences Bangkok Mosaic is in Greenbelt, KL Mosaic is in Legaspi a sanctuary that beckons and someone’s
opening package, from THB8,550 Village and The Gallery is in Salcedo. special corner of the world,” says Rosales.
(PHP12,419) for a two-night stay in Ultimately, buying your condo unit is not
a one bed apartment, a Thai-style 2 It’s built by a reliable developer just a decision of the mind, but one of the
dinner, a one-hour massage, 25% How long has the company been around and heart. When you strike a balance between
off spa services, food and beverages, how is their track record? Rosales recommends both, that’s a sign you’re not far from
free internet and late checkout. that you do research, ask questions and coming home. To find out more about
Available only until December 31, exhaust all your concerns. It’s only when you Vista Residences’ developments, call
2010. www.Amari.com are satisfied by what the developer has to say tel: +63 (2) 584 1182/+63 (917) 857 6494,
that you should sign on the dotted line. www.vistaresidences.com.ph

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 chikka style

Shanghai
nights
All you need to party the nights away in
this vibrant city. Styled by Mikka Padua.
Photos by Louie Aguinaldo ldo

When the sun

sets in Shang
an exciting en hai,
ergy ta
t kes over!

China chic Dress to impress

in green chiffon chinoiserie,
PHP800, Ruth & Esther
Mao men Love the collar
detail on this Mundo long- Journey journal Pack a
sleeved shirt, PHP1,480, mini travel diary, PHP450,
The Ramp Crossings Fully Booked

YOUR SHOPPING
Pocket pal The Luxe City DIRECTORY
Clutch act The colors Guide sums up hip Shanghai,
of the Subculture clutch PHP480, Fully Booked
evoke Shanghai. PHP1,799, ANTHEM
The Ramp Crossings Greenbelt 5 and Power Plant Mall,
Makati City, Philippines
ANTHOLOGY SHOES
anthologyshoes.com
FULLY BOOKED
Bonifacio High Street, Taguig City,
Philippines
RUTH & ESTHER
Archaeology, Power Plant Mall,
Makati City, Philippines
THE RAMP CROSSINGS
Glorietta 3, Makati City
Shangri-La Mall, Mandaluyong City
Cool app The CityFu iPad/ Trinoma Mall, Quezon City
iPhone app tells you what’s Shanghai shoes Step
hot in Shanghai, Beijing and out in Anthology flats, Cebu Pacific fl ies to Shanghai from
Guangzhou. Free, Apple Storee PHP2,795, Anthem
Manila. www.cebupacificair.com

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 chikka eat and drink

Manga-on ta!
Edgar Alan Zeta-Yap says every day feels like a
fiesta in Pagadian, where you can enjoy Filipino
food with southern hospitality served on the side

SPRINGLAND RESORT
AND RESTAURANT
National Highway, Brgy Tuburan, Pagadian
City, Tel +63 (62) 214 1881. Open daily
from 6am to 9pm

WHAT IT IS A family getaway set amid

a quaint mangrove village. Admire the
koi pond, or take a dip in the springwater
swimming pool.
CROWD PLEASERS You won’t go wrong
with popular picks like fried crab in chili
sauce, fried shrimp with salt and pepper, and
braised cucumber with pork stuffing.
TRIED AND TASTED “You can only get the
tastiest hot and spicy chicken at Springland.”
– Michael Tan

KAMAYAN SA PAGADIAN JB’S INATO GRILLE

Try kinilaw - F S Pajares St, Brgy San Francisco, tel: +63 F S Pajares St, Brgy San Jose, tel: +63 (62)

Pagadian style
(62) 215 3950. Open daily from 9am to 9pm 2151123. Open daily from 10.30am to 12am

WHAT IT IS A busy downtown restaurant WHAT IT IS A chill place for good food and
THE PEOPLE OF the Southern serving Chicken Ati-Atihan favorites, and the beer, playing billiards and darts or singing
Philippine provinces enjoy food best dishes from Luzon and Visayas. Do at the KTV.
prepared ceviche style or kinilaw say hello to their pet python! CROWD PLEASERS Order a generous
— seafood and meats “cooked” in CROWD PLEASERS Aside from their bilao of calamares, fried bangus, tortang
vinegar or some other souring agents. best-selling Chicken Ati-Atihan barbecue, talong (eggplant omelet), chicken adobo,
PHOTOS EDGAR ALAN ZETA-YAP

Every province has its own version indulge in kinamatisang bulad (dried fish lechon kawali (crispy pan-fried pork) and
of kinilaw. In Pagadian, try suglaw — with tomatoes), kalderetang kambing (spicy green mangoes with bagoong alamang.
tangigue kinilaw (mackerel ceviche) goat stew), lengua estofado (braised ox TRIED AND TASTED “Papait kambing
served with slightly charred pork (and tongue), rellenong hipon (stuffed shrimp) (savory goat innards stew) makes really
yes, the skin and fat are included). and sinuglaw (fish ceviche with grilled pork). great bar chow!” – Jerson Calunod
As they say in these parts, “lami!” TRIED AND TASTED “Their kare-kare (oxtail
(“delicious!”). stew) with bagoong is the best — tasty, thick Cebu Pacific flies to Pagadian from Cebu
and creamy.” – Rosette Alcachupas and Manila. wwwcebupacificair.com

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 chikka interview

Mad about
Jon Hamm
The Mad Men star is humble, thoughtful,
and unlike the man he plays on TV, not the
least bit like Don Draper — a testimony to his
tremendous dramatic gifts. By Bret Love

JON HAMM’S handsome, All-American looks

and his success on the critically acclaimed,
award-winning TV show Mad Men may lead
you to conclude the guy has led a charmed
life. Hamm was 36 when he finally landed
the breakthrough gig as ad man Don Draper.
Now tasting sweet success, Hamm has the
TV series, and also stars as FBI agent Adam
Frawley in The Town (Ben Affleck’s latest
directorial effort). He took GQ’s “International
Man Award” in September and has three high-
profile films due out next year. No wonder he’s
in great spirits, as he gamely chats with us at
the Toronto Film Festival.

Did you think you’d ever get that break?

Hamm as suave, woman-
None of us would be in this business if we chasing Don Draper in
didn’t have thick skin. Starting off as an actor, Mad Men. Inset: Playing
an FBI agent in The Town
you get rejected more often than you get
accepted, and my road here was probably a
lot longer and a little more twisted than some.
I’m sure everyone has a story about walking
into an audition room and failing horribly. I’m
certainly no exception.

How did you land the Don Draper role?

I was on the bottom of everyone’s list. I really,
really wanted to do it and really responded
to the character. I knew it was an enormous
risk for the network to put all their chips on…
PHOTO RICHARD PHIBBS/SNAPPER MEDIA (MAD MEN)

certainly no celebrity of any kind. No name seasons in, and a big part of it was the
to promote. By the time I got the part, it had relationship Don has with Anna [a character
gone on for so long and I’d been so deluded as from Don’s past, played by Melinda Page
I had to prepare for virtually every scene in the Hamilton]. We have this history, and it
pilot. [Writer] Matt Weiner told me, “Just walk becomes very real.
around here like you own the place, because
you are getting this part!” I was like, we’ll see. Don’s life fell apart in this season of Mad Men. Any interest in writing or directing?
What was that like? I can’t write. I find it terrifying. My girlfriend
Are you surprised by the show’s popularity, It’s always difficult to try to bring real, deep of 13 years is a writer, producer and
given your character’s questionable morals? emotion. You have to be real in that moment. accomplished actress who’s preparing to direct
It’s a curious phenomenon. People are thrilled Part of it was being as comfortable as I am her first feature, but I just don’t have the focus
to watch other people doing this, relieved they with Elizabeth Moss. Part of it was being as to do all that. I have the attention span of a
don’t have to deal with the consequences. emotionally close to the character, four hopped-up squirrel.

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 chikka checklist

A perfect
shoo-in
Every now and then, you find that
your life has something missing.
And then you find something
perfect! Charmaine Baylon
rounds up a few items and
services that fit the bill

From
PHP1,5
99.75

For fashionphiles For godparents

When it comes to great shoes, there’s no need to reinvent the heel. It’s all in the Dreading holiday shopping? Head
details, as Gibi’s new collection proves. The ladies’ line features denim lace-ups, faux suede to a big retailer like Toys “R” Us where
leather with chiffon and tulle (pictured above) for a festive touch. From PHP1,599.75 to there are items for every child’s age and
PHP2,499.75. Available at Gibi outlets in Market! Market, Southgate Mall (Makati), Glorietta 5, developmental stage plus brands like You
Il Terrazzo (Tomas Morato) and Limketkai (Cagayan de Oro), Philippines. & Me, Just Like Home, Fastlane, and Baby
& Toddler. Sign up for their gift registry
program! Robinsons Galleria, Robinsons
For Filipinos For paranoid Place Manila, Robinsons Place Metro East,
based overseas travelers Robinsons Place Bacolod,
Sending money home for loved Protect your camera, phone, and other Robinsons Place Lipa,
ones is part of your life. But aside gadgets. Place them in a bag that fits their Trinoma, Alabang Town
from offering services like money size to a T, with pockets to hold the cords, Center and Marquee Mall
remittances, bills payment, and SD cards and batteries. The CamSafe 200 (Pampanga).
courier and cargo deliveries, LBC camera shoulder bag by Pacsafe has it
wants to inspire Pinoys with love all, plus anti-theft eXomesh slash guard
and patriotism. Which is why panels, tamper-proof zippers, and slash-
they’ve made a commercial with proof straps with a locking device. Find
the Panatang Makabayan (national more anti-theft travel gear and travel-safe
pledge) theme, showing OFWs and tips on www.pacsafe.com. At Rustans,
their families. www.lbcexpress.com Travel Club, Bratpack, Camera Haus and
Pixel Pro stores in the Philippines.

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 chikka checklist

For Sunday
brunch fans
Whet your appetite for an award-
winning spread in Shanghai! Issimo
at JIA Shanghai has consistently
been voted as one of the best Italian
restaurants by the media, and for good
reason: their Super Sunday Brunch
includes fresh Italian bread, appetizers,
salads, cold cuts, pasta, risotto, and
main courses of meat, fish or veggies
served right at your table — no need
to line up! Pay your compliments to
the chefs as Chef William di Nardo and
host Rodrigo Maza love interacting with
their guests to see if they’re having a
good time. RMB 288++ (PHP1,861) per
person and RMB 128++ (PHP827) per
child 12 years old and below.
www.jiashanghai.com

For vainpots For gadget

Got a big wedding, family geeks
gathering or high school reunion coming Not only are these Philips
up? Put your best face forward as early as accessories cute — they’re
now! Hydrate yourself by drinking lots of extremely useful, too. Play your
clean water to naturally moisturize your favorite tunes with the space-saving
complexion. If flawless skin continues to Notebook SoundBar, which can be
elude you, do make sure to try Shulammite attached on top of the screen. Just
Carrot Soap. This 150g beauty bar is great plug in the USB cable and it’s ready
for those who wish to nourish their skin to go. Working while on the road?
and see visible improvement in as little The Notebook Sleeve (right) has a
as two weeks, right in time for your big HeatProtect feature to keep your
event. Formulated with antioxidant-rich laptop cool and a flat and stable
carrot essential oil, this beauty bar helps surface so you can type effortlessly
clear your skin of blemishes like pimples, and surf the net with ease. A
The Ja
mes Bo
nd
blackheads and whiteheads, scarring, oily rubberized zip puller helps you
of lapto
p sleev
skin and rashes. Available for PHP85 at avoid scratches, and there’s a
Watsons, Shopwise, Ever, Gaisano Malls, storage compartment for, well,
es
Isetann Department Stores and Southstar hiding stuff. www.philips.com
Drug in the Philippines.

For gamers For golf fanatics

Laptop brand MSI has created Your addiction to the sport can
a range of customized computers suited make you prone to injury. Give yourself
to specific needs: Gaming, Classic, a break and pop by G.Spa, a one-stop
X-Slim, Ultraportable (Wind) and the spa, recreational center and fitness hub in
F. What’s more, they added the MSI Singapore. Their G-Golf Suite’s three-prong
GT660 for a unique high-definition 3D method will get you back in the groove.
gaming experience. It’s got an Intel Core i7 Start with the Power Plate, a 10-minute
processor, nVidia’s discrete graphics card, session on vibrating equipment, used by
DDR3 memory slots, an Ultra Detail feature PGA Tour player Mike Weir. Then enjoy the
with 55 to 70 fps, and a Dynaudio sound one-hour Golfer’s Massage which targets
system. At MSI concept stores in SM North the shoulder blades, wrists, hands and legs.
Edsa, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, Finish off with foot reflexology on a lazy-
SM Cebu, Bacolod and Southmall. Call boy chair while you enjoy watching TV on
Netessentials, tel: +63 (2) 721 1661 to 65. your own screen. www.gspa.com.sg

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 chikka laugh trip

mabuhay
ang yoyo!
Tim Tayag theorizes Pinoy roots
for a number of world-famous
inventions. Believe it or not...

DID YOU KNOW the yoyo was words: “kara”, meaning face and “oke”
invented by Filipinos to be used meaning okay. In short, when the Japanese
as a weapon? Of course you sing, their faces look okay.
didn’t. We Filipinos have many The traffic light is another Filipino
accomplishments that have innovation. It was Teodoro Cruz who came
not been publicized because of up with the idea when he noticed during
the jealous countries that want Christmas time how his fellow Filipinos
to take the credit. Most of these would always stop their cars as they
achievements are unverifiable (hence enjoyed the different colors of the Christmas
the lack of publicity), but I have no lanterns along the roads. He then created
doubt in my heart that they are true. the traffic light system using the colors of
The most entertaining Filipino invention the Philippine flag. The Americans changed
that is often much too loud is the Sing Along the blue into green, even though colorblind
System, otherwise known as the “karaoke.” people can’t distinguish between red and
Don’t believe the rumor that the Japanese green. Research the roots of traffic lights;
invented it. In fact, it was a Filipino musical the Philippines is not mentioned.
genius named Roberto del Rosario who did. The moon buggy, a space innovation,
It was the Pinoy singers working in Japan was invented by Eduardo San Juan,
that brought in cassette tapes recorded a graduate of MIT (Mapua Institute of
without the vocal tracks, or “Minus-ones” Technology). Take a look at the lunar rover
as they used to call them, so they could and how it resembles the jeepney, the
cut costs on band equipment and source of inspiration of the creator.
performers. The Japanese Now, these are just the tip of the iceberg.
took a liking to it, and Many more accomplishments can be
started singing along mentioned but I’m afraid this magazine
out of tune to their co- doesn’t have enough space for that. So
workers’ delight. The the next time you marvel at an amazing
word “karaoke” comes invention, design, or discovery, chances are
from two Filipino a Filipino had a hand in it.

ILLUSTRATION DAVID TANG

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 Nothing beats a view of majestic Mayon
Volcano from a chopper flying 8,000ft up in
the air. Misibis Aviation offers helicopter tours
to truly admire beautiful Albay.

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 A L B AY R I S I N G

Peak
Adventures
Thanks to the world-famous Mayon Volcano, the landscape of Albay
is truly extraordinary. Why not savor the great outdoors in Bicol in
myriad ways? Text and photos by Lester V Ledesma

YOU CAN’T HELP BUT marvel at the at the smoking tip of the massive, 50 times since 1616, most recently last
landscape, a luscious green swathe of picture-perfect Mayon Volcano. This year. For the Albayanon, it’s just part
forest and field that stretches for over is the province of Albay, in the heart of life. Daragang Mayon is a symbol
2,000km. It starts flat on one side of the of the Bicol region at the tail-end of of rebirth, its eruptions the reason for
horizon, and gradually slopes up toward Luzon. Why some may be reluctant to fertile soil. These days, she sleeps, a
the opposite side, past hills, streams explore it may be its moody resident breathtaking backdrop for your
and towns. It ends in spectacular fashion fire-mountain, which has erupted almost action-packed outdoor holiday.

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 Get behind an All Terrain Vehicle and embark on
a wild off-road adventure through lava beds and
river crossings. You’ll also see boulders left over
from past volcanic eruptions.

Four wheels and a lava wall

Perhaps the quickest way to get an intimate knowledge
of this land is to traverse it on wheels. No, we don’t mean
a boring road trip in any old car. We’re talking about an
off-road romp in an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV). Like its name
suggests, this crate goes where other cars cannot, its 4x4
wheels treading with impunity over rocks, mud and sand
(and just about anything else). Licenses aren’t required for
this easy-to-drive vehicle; you ride it like a motorbike: saddle
seat, handlebars and all. Then zoom off into the countryside
at 40-plus kph. The Legazpi City branch of G1 ATV (tel: +63
(905) 455 7594, www.g1atv.com) runs daily tours, the usual
routes passing through pyroclastic highways formed by past
eruptions of Mayon.
With a carriage like this, one easily turns into a gas-
powered adrenaline junkie. Ignore the brakes — they’re just
an accessory. A flip of the switch feeds the 150cc motor,
taking you over a boulder-strewn landscape of black volcanic
turf. You cross gullies and streams and pass smiling locals
and cud-chewing cows. This is one totally rocky ride; and by
the end of it you’ll be caked with dirt and splattered with mud.
But you’ll want to do it all over again.
G1 ATV jock Cyril notes that their vehicles aren’t just suited
for joyrides. During last year’s eruption alert, TV camera
crews kept asking to rent their ATV’s so they could enter
the “danger zone” — an evacuated area spanning 8km
around the smoldering crater. Thankfully today there are
few restrictions, and one can even drive up to a fearsome
reminder of Mayon Volcano’s power: an impossibly high rock
wall, the remains of a lava flow from a 2006 eruption.

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A L B AY R I S I N G

...and by the end of it you’ll be caked with dirt and

PHOTO (WITH MODEL) BY FRANCISCO GUERRERO. ART DIRECTION BY SUADI NUR EFFENDY. HAIR/MAKEUP BY ARCHIBALD TOLENTINO.
splattered with mud. But you’ll want to do it all over again.

STYLING BY LEONA LAVIÑA-PANUTAT. MODEL: DENISA/AHENSIYA MODELO INC. DENIM SHIRT BY TOPSHOP. SHORTS BY WAREHOUSE, AND
BOOTS BY FOREVER 21. SPECIAL THANKS TO GOVERNOR JOEY SALCEDA AND THE ALBAY TOURISM BOARD.

10/13/10 11:34 AM
 A worthy choice for your ideal lifestyle

CONTACT

397-0101, 636-0888 OR 0922-838-0888

w w w .r o b i n s o n s p r o p e r t i e s .c o m .p h

Ser 1 09LKH S11

RobinsonLand.indd 1 10/12/10 9:28 AM
 Vera Falls, an hour’s drive north
of Legazpi, features a 25m-high
waterfall that cascades into a clear
pool of water. Right: Explore
the Calabidongan Cave.

One step at a time

Exciting as an ATV ride may sound,
there are outdoor enthusiasts who
prefer the more traditional mode of foot
transport. Thankfully, one doesn’t need
to take the grueling, 10-hour trek up
the Mayon mountainside to enjoy the
slower pace. Away from the volcano’s
shadow, other adventures await. One
of these is a walk through Vera Falls,
about an hour’s drive north of Legazpi.
A 1km-long downward trek from a
nearby village leads to this hidden
ravine, which features a 25m-high
cascade over a crystalline pool.
Campers will appreciate the solitude
offered by this little-known spot. Here
you’ll luxuriate in soothing winds
blowing through unfettered forest, and
civilization will feel like a world away.
You can also make a different kind of
descent. Outside the town of Camalig
lies the Calabidongan Cave, a network
of natural tunnels that reach deep into
the earth. Bring a flashlight and your
cojones if you wish to enter this realm;
from the rock entrance, would-be
spelunkers wade into the darkness,
through a chest-high river that opens
into a cathedral-like chamber. To reach
this breathtaking formation is enough
accomplishment for most newbie
cavers. On the other hand, more
experienced souls often choose to
plunge further into the depths below.

to hike
Get ready
ough
1,200m thr
ation to
thick veget
alls!
get to the f

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 A L B AY R I S I N G

An aerial view of Albay including the Cagsawa

Ruins. “Every passenger I’ve taken here has had
to whoop with excitement,” says pilot Capt Bong
Arevalo. Below: The chopper’s all set to take off.

The view from on high

Of all the ways to see the Albay TWO GREAT
countryside, the bird’s eye view has got HOTELS IN
to be the most exhilarating. Imagine LEGAZPI CITY
being strapped to your seat beside a
wide open window, with a spinning Hotel Venezia Very close to the
propeller above you and all of creation airport, this boutique hotel has
underneath. A helicopter ride offers that a homey atmosphere, spacious
rare chance to see God’s perspective on rooms and personalized service.
things. Of course, an opportunity like this Ask for a room with a full view
comes with a hefty price tag. This aside, of Mayon Volcano. Renaissance
it doesn’t take much else to go vertical, Gardens, Washington Drive,
so to speak. Misibis Aviation (tel: +63 tel: +63 (52) 481 0877,
(2) 851 5741, www.misibisaviation.com. www.hotelvenezia-legazpi.com
ph) offers customized aerial sightseeing
tours, which take you practically Hotel St Ellis Right in the heart of
anywhere you might want to go. downtown Legazpi City, it boasts
This being the land of Mayon, one Bong Arevalo knows it only too well. modern-chic style in its tastefully
can easily guess where the flight path “Every single passenger I’ve taken here designed rooms. The in-house
often leads. There are no long-winded has had to whoop with excitement,” Crossroads Café-Lounge serves
pre-flight rituals on this trip. You just he recounts. The aerial climb takes no sumptuous fusion gourmet fare
get on the aircraft, warm up the engine more than 20 minutes. Afterwards, and classic Filipino dishes. Rizal
and go. From the helipad at Legazpi, he’ll take you over the ricefields or the Street, tel: +63 (52) 480 8088,
your pilot heads to the volcano’s base nearby seashore. You can also choose www.hotelstellis-legaspi.com
and then up the mountain, till your to see the lava-gutted ruins of Cagsawa
face to face with Lady Mayon herself. Church. By the time your flight ends,
From above, the verdant greens show you will have gotten to know this land
the scars of centuries of lava flows. The in a very intimate way. Whichever way
scorched earth seems to get blacker, you wish to explore the outdoors — on
the volcanic moonscape more sinister. wings, wheels or feet — Albay is truly
Then there is the crater itself, its ashen an adventure unlike anything else.
surface blanketed with moisture and
sulphur fumes. It evokes shock and awe Cebu Pacific fl ies to Legazpi from Manila
at 8,000ft, and chopper pilot Captain and Cebu. www.cebupacificair.com

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 Vera Falls is a paradise of forest
and clear cascading water, a little
over an hour away from Legazpi

The S
X
24-8 30’s power
lets yo 4 0mm z ful
u capt oom len
scenic ur s
s and e wide-angle
close-
shots u
at the p detail
of a w f li ck
rist.

PHOTOS LESTER LEDESMA

PowerShot SX30

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 P R OMOT I O NA L F E AT U R E

Buy pasalubong from a souvenir Try this hot dessert in First Colonial Take home some pili nuts
shop in Tahao, Legazpi City, Albay Grill — chili-flavored ice cream! for friends and family

Love taking
food shots?
The IXUS
1000 HS ma
kes it quick
and easy to
do with
VIXIA HF M300 Smart Auto!

Majestic TIPS FOR TAKING

BETTER PHOTOS

Albay
Journey to the province of Albay to
Do your research
Plan your itinerary ahead of
time so you can anticipate
what to shoot. Contact Albay
capture its picture-perfect landscape Tourism for the best advice
on where to go and what to
and vibrant culture in beautiful imagery
do. albaytourism@gmail.com,
Digital IXUS www.albay.gov.ph

1000 HS
BECAUSE OF ITS fiery Mayon Volcano, telephoto end gets you close enough to
natural wonders and chili-flavored shoot subjects with delicious detail — Go for gold
cuisine, Albay has become a hot tourist whether it’s a handful of dried pili nuts, Capture Albay at sunrise or
destination in more ways than one. or a cup of chili ice cream. before sunset when the sun
Whether you’re a hobbyist, a pro shooter The PowerShot SX30 boasts pro casts a warm, golden light
or a filmmaker visiting for the first time, camera features, such as 35x Optical on everything.
Canon has the camera to let you take Zoom and Zoom Framing Assist, which
the best photographs during your stay. helps you compose better shots when God is in the details
PHOTOS LESTER LEDESMA

The 10-megapixel Digital IXUS shooting at the higher end of the zoom Apart from shooting the famous
1000 HS is a constant companion in range. Prefer moving images? The VIXIA landmarks, zoom in on the
your travels around Legazpi City. As HF M300 camcorder has a touch screen intricate weave of a fabric, the
the world’s slimmest camera with a that allows you to experience video red hot chilies in a dish or the
10x Optical Zoom, it gives enough recording in a new dimension. Perfect smile of a child. These all make
wide-angle coverage to take interesting for capturing the beauty of Albay in all its for delightful photo souvenirs.
slices of daily life. On the other hand, it’s living color.

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 FA R M F R E S H JA PA N

The Simple Life

A young Japanese couple trades in their frenetic
PHOTO PHOTOLIBRARY

city life in Osaka for a patch of organic farm land

in rural Kyoto. Trevor Mogg pays them a visit

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 THREE YEARS AGO, Koji Satono, 36,
and his wife Mari, 37, decided that they
no longer wanted to be a part of the
relentless bustle of living in the city. The
couple made a bold move. They left
Osaka and moved to the countryside
where life promised to be simpler.
They moved to a small village, a train
ride and then a bus ride away, totalling
a two-hour journey. In their landscape,
Osaka’s gray concrete environs have
given way to lushly mesmerizing green
vistas. In the slower-paced milieu of the
small farming town, it is easy to see
why a city-fied couple chose to make as
drastic a change as Koji and Mari did.
Ayabe is a sleepy town nestled in the
mountains of Kyoto prefecture. But Koji
and Mari’s home is deeper still, further
into the rural countryside. There are no
businessmen in suits and no flicker of
neon lights here. There are just the hours
between dawn and dusk, and people
tilling the land.
In the car, on the way to the village,
Mari talks about her past life, and her
16-month-old son Yuuki listens as
though he understands perfectly.
“My husband was a postal worker in
Osaka, while I worked at the help desk
of a company,” she shares. “The life in
a Japanese city is so hectic, and Koji Mari and Koji Satono and baby
Yuuki have lived in the sleepy
and I wanted a slower pace of life. So we village of Ichishi for the past three
decided to come here.” years. Below: The quaint country
road that leads to Ichishi.
“Here” is a tiny village called Ichishi.

There are only 20 houses, and several

of these stand empty. The roads near
their home are even narrower as steep-
sided mountains start to close in, so you
can’t get a signal for your mobile phone.
“Here we are, home,” Mari says,
pulling up the car in front of their house.
“You know, my son was the first baby in
40 years to be born in this village?”
The house, made mainly of wood,
is the couple’s own design, and it is so
much more spacious than the average
Japanese city dwelling. Several
standing fans blow fresh country air
through the rooms, and there isn’t a
single air-conditioner in sight.
Koji is waiting in the driveway. The
family welcomes guests with cups of

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 FA R M F R E S H JA PA N

Left: Koji’s rice fields;

Bottom: A pretty window
in the neighborhood.

“I love looking out of the window first thing in the

morning and seeing this amazing countryside”

chilled mugi-cha (barley tea), which hits “What we’ve done is to borrow the be a WWOOFer. But since a lot of the
the spot on baking hot days. farmland for free and then we grow work on organic farms is done mostly by
Koji says, “I love looking out of the rice and vegetables, which we sell hand, volunteers should be reasonably
window first thing in the morning and mostly to friends back in Osaka,” fit. If the would-be WWOOFer doesn’t
seeing this amazing countryside,” he Mari explains. They also joined World feel strong enough to handle the manual
says with a big smile. He’s obviously Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms tasks involved, there’s also a chance to
content with his lot, and who wouldn’t (WWOOF), an organization that puts work for other eco-conscious businesses
be, when the five-minute walk to work is host farmers in touch with volunteers. such as health and healing centers,
enhanced by lush nature scenes The WWOOF was established in the organic restaurants as well as pottery
and fresh air? United Kingdom in 1971 and now has and arts centers through WWOOF
more than 6,000 hosts in 88 countries.
WWOOFers, as these volunteers are
called, are usually people who would WANT TO BECOME
like to spend time working on an organic A WWOOFER?
farm while learning about the basics of
green living. In return, the hosts offer
World Wide Opportunities on
accommodations, meals, information
Organic Farms (WWOOF) can
about living eco-consciously and even
provide you with a different
basic Japanese language lessons if the
kind of vacation. You can get
WWOOFers desire.
a group of friends together, or
At the moment, Mari and Koji have
why not even take the family
three WWOOFers at home, students
for a WWOOF adventure?
from overseas who are keen for cultural
WWOOF Japan has an excellent
exchange. Interestingly, WWOOFers
English-language website
don’t have to be students. They can be
where a full list of hosts can be
tourists from out of town, or they can
found. www.wwoofjapan.com/
Wood is used to build even be city dwellers from big cities like
houses and warm up main/index.php?lang=en
Osaka or Tokyo, people who are eager
homes in winter.
to experience rural living. Anyone can

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 FA R M F R E S H JA PA N

Left to right: WWOOF volunteers

Kana, Alef and Adrian with their
host, Koji. Bottom right: The happy
bunch tidy up a field.

“It’s a great way to spend some time with a

Japanese family, learn more about the
culture, and improve our language skills”
Japan. Since Koji and Mari wanted to improve our language skills.” They also
spread the word about organic farming happen to be big fans of Japanese pop
and country living, so far they’ve hosted culture. But knowing they won’t find any
about 80 WWOOFers from around the signs of Ayumi Hamasaki out here in
world. Some stay for five days, others Ichishi, they have arranged some time at
for even as long as two months. The the end of their trip to indulge their pop
volunteers at the Satonos work from music passion back in the city.
7am–10am. Since noon is the hottest Adrian loves the simple life. “It’s
time of the day, that’s designated as rest interesting to experience a side of Japan
time. They resume their farm duties at we don’t hear so much about,” he says.
around 3pm and toil until 6pm. While being fluent in Japanese is
“We try to provide volunteers not required of WWOOFers in Japan,
six hours of work a day,” says Koji. knowledge of a few phrases will
However, snow in winter makes farming make the experience more rewarding.
impossible. What’s more, the bitter cold WWOOF’s website provides information hands dirty in the soil.
makes it imperative for him to chop about the languages hosts speak, to help Koji points out a little frog amid the
wood for the stove to heat their home. you make an informed choice about weeds. “It’s a long way from home,”
Shortly before 3pm, the WWOOFers where to stay. says Adrian as the river is some distance
wake up. Alef, 18, and Adrian, 19, are Koji’s fields fit snugly between two away. “Just like you then,” quips Kana.
from Sweden, and Kana, 29, is from looming mountains, lush green rice After several hours, the field is neat as
Kyoto. They walk down the hill to the paddies gleaming in the mid-afternoon a pin, and WWOOFers whistle as they
PHOTO S TREVOR MOGG

farm, amid the chorus of singing cicadas sun. Today, the volunteers must tidy up finish work. Koji and Mari have definitely
and crickets. On the way, Adrian talks a small field so that a new crop of fuki found themselves the good life here in
about why he and Alef are WWOOFing. (butterbur) can grow freely. this peaceful part of Japan.
“We thought it was a great way to “I’ve never spent much time in the
spend some time with a Japanese countryside and I wanted to see it for Cebu Pacific fl ies to Osaka from Manila,
family, learn more about the culture, and myself,” says Kana as she gets her www.cebupacificair.com

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 COLLECTIVE BARGA IN

Hobby
Haven

Whether it’s vintage bikes,

vinyl toys, or costume play,
The Collective offers
hobbyists a safe place
to indulge their esoteric
pastimes. Ana Santos
takes you on a tour of this
cool hub of creativity.
Photographs by Walter Villa

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BEFORE IT WAS KNOWN as the

newest creative space in Manila, it was
just a warehouse of car shops along
Malugay Street in Makati City. But
Cheska Yupangco and her partners saw Collective, you will find the owner Paolo Vasquez
started skating when
Skater’s Nirvana
beyond the grease, oil and grime and there fixing the shelf displays or taking he was eight. The “The Collective is not a place for the
envisioned a place where a community inventory. You may find yourself first skateboard he ubiquitous and now, androgynous
owned is on display
of small retailers who couldn’t afford staying longer than you planned as in Longboards. greeting of ‘ma’am, sir’,” says Paolo
exorbitant mall rental could start their you and the storeowner chat about Vasquez, who owns skater haven
own shops and flourish. your mutual passions, obsessions Longboards Manila.
The result is The Collective at 7274 and hobbies. “A skateboard is like a car; it can be
Malugay Street, a hub of 22 shops, one It makes one wonder if this was how accessorized and anything you add
more different than the next, selling an life was in the good old days when to it will affect the ride. Since you can
array of hard-to-find items like vinyl shopkeepers were the owners too. You invest as much as PHP12,000 to set
toys, Japanese designer eyewear, top walked into a store and they greeted up a longboard, you should be able
hats and longboards. you by your first name, and you could to ask questions so you can make
The ambience is not surprisingly have just about anything in the shop an informed choice because of the
unlike that of any mall. In The customized to your specifications. investment involved. And you just won’t
get that from a hired salesperson,”
says Vasquez, who is at Longboards
It makes one wonder if this was Manila every day, engaging customers
in conversations filled with words like
“trucks”, “decks” and verbs like “carve”
how life was in the good old days and other jargon only fellow skaters
would understand.
He says more and more people are

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into skateboarding now because of a The Comfort of Rituals

fascination for waves of any kind like At Ritual, an organic grocery run by
surfing and wakeboarding. “There’s Robbie Crisostomo and Bea Misa, don’t
another kind of feeling that comes expect your merchandise to come
with surfing the waves of concrete, wrapped in fancy packaging. Instead,
which is everywhere and can be come prepared with your own paper or
enjoyed anytime.” canvas bag, or even an old gin bottle to
Sometimes he gets calls and text take home your purchases. The shop Clockwise from packaging,” says Crisostomo.
top: Ritual owners
messages at night or on weekends with carries merchandise such as organic Robbie Crisostomo Ritual carries local coffee, vinegars
inquiries about the latest accessory or pink rice from Nueva Ecija, salt of and Bea Misa, their and even powdered detergent all
feel-good set up,
newest skating place. “I don’t mind at various textures from Pangasinan, and and local organic sourced locally.
all. I like meeting and talking to other muscovado sugar from Sultan Kudarat coffee and honey. “We want to promote the regional
skaters,” says Vasquez who recognizes packed in old flour bags that were cut diversity of our country. But it’s also
that his presence manning the store up and re-stitched into small pouches. more than that. Things in life like sharing
makes all the difference. “The buyer If it’s citronella and lemongrass liquid a cup of coffee, taking a bath and
sees that I really have a stake in making deodorizers you want, these are sold in cooking are all rituals. When things get
him succeed in this hobby because I old gin bottles. complicated, we go back to these rituals
know exactly what it was like to start “We realized that the price of organic as a source of comfort.” Ritual, Unit A,
out with it.” Longboards Manila, Unit L, items is quite expensive, which makes The Collective, tel: +63 (917) 793 2461
The Collective, tel: +63 (917) 850 2025, it prohibitive for many to enjoy. You can / (926) 645 9478, www.ritualshop.com.
www.longboardsmanila.com. Store shave as much as 20% off the market Store hours: 12pm–9pm, Tuesday
hours: 1pm–9pm, Tuesday to Saturday. price by doing away with the to Saturday.

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Vintage Trailblazers
Andrei Salud and Sheina Tobias are
graphic artists who love making old stuff
new again. Salud restored an old bike
of his sister’s because he was fascinated
with how it was put together. “I love old-
world things. I think they never exactly
do things the old way now.”
Word got around about Salud’s
restoration. One day, people who owned
Patria bikes (an old bicycle brand made
in the Philippines) came to Salud and
Tobias. “They asked us to restore their
old Patrias because they don’t make
them anymore.” Until the two set up
their vintage bike shop-slash-graphic art
studio called Hocus, there was no place
where such restoration could be done.
Andrei Salud is a
“We can put in things like a basket for master at making
groceries or accessorize your ride so it old bikes new again.
Left: At Hocus, you
can go as fast as that of New York bike can personalize your
ride with cool hues
messengers,” says Salud, referring to and accessories.
the delivery boys on bikes, who expertly
weave in and out of Manhattan traffic.
One thing Salud and Tobias lament
about living in the Philippines is the
absence of bike lanes. But the two have
discovered their own routes. Although
not officially marked off, “they are safe,
quiet and scenic,” says Tobias. They
share their discoveries with cyclists
who come to the store. “A group of
bikers come in once a week. Hocus
has become their unofficial place for
a group huddle.” Hocus Bicycles @
Screenprinting, Unit Y, The Collective,
tel: +63 (916) 515 0738 / (2) 399 7274,
Facebook.com/Hocusmanila. Store
hours: 1pm–9pm, Tuesday to Saturday.

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Costume Party
There are days when you wish you
could be someone else. Cheska
Yupangco and her partners Andrea
Reyes, Maan Munoa and Tessa Santos
certainly know that feeling and decided
to open Skitzo. Their shop is to the hours just trying on different costumes.
costume lover what a candy store is Skitzo also sells bachelorette party
to a child with a sweet tooth. Wacky accessories and hen night favors that
costumes, colorful wigs, false eyelashes, range from dainty crowns with veils and
quirky eyewear that literally resemble sashes to barely there, naughty outfits
“beer goggles” and even hard-to-source and sexy props.
items like top hats, costume props and People who have caught the cosplay
anime accessories can all be found (costume play) bug have become
in Skitzo. Skitzo regulars, and see every day as
“We have just about anything and a good occasion to dress up. “Once,
everything you need for adding fun and Storm Trooper fans came in, slipped
color to everyday life,” says Yupangco on costumes, and bought them on
who says that some customers spend the spot. People were walking around
The Collective all dressed up all day.
It was awesome!” Skitzo, Unit M, The
Cheska Yupangco Collective, tel: +63 (917) 882 0114,
of Skitzo plays
dress up. Below: www.skitzomanila.com, twitter.com/
Check out the fun skitzomanila. Store hours: 12pm–9pm,
merchandise.
Tuesday to Saturday.

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Shop owners
Pia Reyes and
Gaby dela Merced
with their vinyl toys.
Below: Studio 23’s
VJ Aaron interviews
dela Merced.

Vinyl Destination fueling their demand as precious and

Ever come across someone with a rare pieces of art.
vinyl fetish? The owners of Vinyl on “We mostly carry Coarse Toys, a
Vinyl meet them everyday, people who hot brand whose artists have a strong
prefer to listen to music on vinyl records, following,” says dela Merced. “People
or at the least love to collect them. come in here already knowing that an
Vinyl On Vinyl has a little bit of artist is going to release a new collection
everything for vinyl fanatics. Rummage and ask us to hold it for them.” Vinyl on
through stacks of old records stored in Vinyl, Unit H, The Collective, tel: +63
arcade consoles whose screens and (922) 848 7427, www.vinylonvinyl.
internal wirings are emptied out, and blogspot.com. Store hours: 3pm–11pm,
you may find classics like a Stevie Tuesday to Saturday.
Wonder album for PHP50 or rare DJ
trance mixes for PHP250–300. Cebu Pacific fl ies to Manila from Beijing,
You’ll also find a variety of vinyl toys Brunei and 14 other international cities,
on display. For collectors, these are www.cebupacificair.com
a form of modern art, sculptures that
bridge low culture and high art. Cartoon
and anime characters made out of vinyl
can cost as much as PHP20,000.
Gaby dela Merced, one of the shop’s
owners, is an avid vinyl toy collector
who long dreamed of bringing vinyl toys
to Manila. Unlike typical toys, which are
produced in the thousands, vinyl toys
are sold in limited runs of 500 to 2,000,

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 Christon Café in Osaka is a cathedral-
esque restaurant that is a big hit among
Japanese and tourists alike.
PHOTO REUTERS

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Quirky
Cuisine
Imagine a dining experience that
involves being “kidnapped”, served
by hobbits or eating on a toilet seat.
Welcome to Asia’s wildest restaurants.
Text by Richard Baimbridge

THIS REGION HAS always been

known for its exotic cuisine, but lately
a few innovative restaurateurs have
taken things to a whole new level. In
response to the very modern dilemma,
“What shall we have for dinner?”
people are getting increasingly
creative (or perhaps desperate), and
sometimes, downright bizarre. Maybe
you’ve heard of some of the more
common ones: dining in the dark and
being served by waiters in night vision
goggles; sushi served on a naked body;
restaurants where guests are attended
to by coddling Japanese nannies or
vampires, your choice.
So if you’re sitting at home tonight,
or perusing the guidebook listings in
your hotel room, thinking that Italian/
French/Mexican/Chinese/Fusion/
Japanese just sounds too humdrum,
and your palate is yearning for true
excitement, read on. Here, we bring
you some of the strangest dining
experiences in the culinary world.
Elitists might “poo poo” the idea of
having dinner on a porcelain commode,
and few if any of these restaurants
will ever find their way into the
prestigious Michelin Guide. But if your
gastronomical vocabulary favors the
word “unusual,” then you’re in for a
real eye-opening treat.

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Christon Café
SPECIALTY Gothic dining in a
cathedral-esque restaurant

Twilight fans rejoice, here’s a restaurant

just for you. Filled with dark Gothic
touches and medieval Christian
iconography, gargoyles leer at diners
perusing the drinks menu, which is
shaped like a coffin. The altars are
authentic, imported from European
churches, and the food is surprisingly,
dare we say, tempting.
The meñu boasts dishes that claim
to be made not just by mortal hands,
but by God Himself. That’s bound to be
worth at least one Michelin Star. For
cocktails, sample the Joan d’Arc made
with vodka, ginger ale, and raspberry.
Now if only it were served flaming.
2-5 Shinsaibashi-suji, Opaque Osaka
Building, 6th floor, Osaka, Japan,
tel: +81 (6) 6213 2516.

Cebu Pacific fl ies to Osaka from Manila.

www.cebupacificair.com
PHOTOS TREVOR MOGG

The interiors of Christon café mimic that of

a medieval Catholic church. Left: The meñu
features mouth-watering entrées that will
tempt even the staunchest of dieters to “sin.”

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 WE I R D E ATS

The spankingly antiseptic gleaming

interiors of the one-of-a-kind
Modern Toilet Restaurant in Taipei.

This fly
is fake
Moder !
n Toilet
wacky ’s
food is
and hy clean
gienic.

Modern Toilet Restaurant

SPECIALTY Dining a la commode

This restaurant, as even the owners will drinks served in mini urinals, and the
tell you, is really crap. Yet it’s doing so rest, as they say, is history. Business
well that it has expanded into a thriving has been anywhere except in the
chain and is going international. In fact, toilet — which, come to think about it,
during the lunchtime rush, it’s hard to is a sight to see in itself, with matching
even get a seat — or a toilet seat, to glitter-decorated potties for two,
be more precise. Started by a group of should you prefer to visit the ladies
young artists who were inspired by the room with a friend. Modern Toilet
pleasure of enjoying Japanese manga Restaurant has several branches in
comic books while sitting on the loo, Taipei and Hong Kong. For a complete
they decided to open a place where you listing of their locations, click on
could sit on the royal throne and enjoy, www.moderntoilet.com.tw
you guessed it, chocolate ice cream.
To everyone’s surprise, including Cebu Pacific fl ies to Taipei from Manila,
their own, it was an instant success, so and to Hong Kong from Manila, Cebu and
they expanded to a full meñu, including Clark. www.cebupacificair.com

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 With his truly avante-garde Ultraviolet
(UV) restaurant, Chef Paul Pairet may as
well be the James Cameron of Shanghai
restaurateurs. Below: One of his cutting-edge
food creations.

Ultraviolet (UV)
Restaurant
SPECIALTY Full-sensory-experience
20-course “avant-garde” dinner for 10

The race to be “the next big thing” in

the restaurant world is moving faster in
Shanghai than anywhere else in Asia.
And the man way ahead of the pack is
French Chef Paul Pairet, who claims
to have created the “restaurant of
the future.”
Opening in early 2011, Ultraviolet is
poised to be the Avatar of restaurants,
turning avant-garde cuisine into a
3-D, IMAX, surround-sound dining
experience. The restaurant consists of
only one table, seating a maximum
of 10 guests per evening in a secret
location that’s very closely guarded.
Guests arrive at a meeting point, where
they are blindfolded and then driven
to the restaurant kidnap-style. When
the blindfold comes off, they find
themselves surrounded by wall-size
visual projections depicting an array
of atmospheres corresponding to the
course that is being served. The visuals
are accompanied by audio, as well as

t
of ar t
other sensory experiences like breezes

r k s
Wo te a
and fragrances, all designed to enhance

u r pla t
the food experience.
on y o
viole
Pairet hopes to “offer a bold and
Ultra exclusive dining experience that
engages all the senses to create the
ultimate luxury: emotion.” Let’s hope
PHOTOS SCOTT WRIGHT

that pork and durian aren’t on the meñu.

Address undisclosed, somewhere in
Shanghai, China. www.uvbypp.cc

Cebu Pacific fl ies to Shanghai from

Manila. www.cebupacificair.com

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At Hobbit House, the serving staff

are little people. Check out their
selection of over 200 beers!

Hobbit House
SPECIALTY The only restaurant staffed
entirely by “little people”

Fans of Manila’s Hobbit House

definitely don’t come for the portions.
“Super size me” isn’t a phrase you’ll
hear a lot around this pub-style eatery,
which serves up Tex-Mex favorites,
along with a very extensive list of
international beers. And just like the
ales, all the staff here are pint-size.
And they’re more than proud of it.
The story of the Hobbit House goes
back all the way to 1973, well before
the popularity of The Lord of the Rings,
to a man named Jim Turner who was
so obsessed with Tolkien’s trilogy that
he opened a bar staffed entirely by little
people. With a stage for live music that
has featured the likes of the renowned
Pinoy rock star Freddie Aguilar, Hobbit
House isn’t short on excitement.
1212 M H del Pilar cor Arquiza Street
(Arquiza Trade Center), Ermita, Manila,
Philippines, tel: +63 (2) 484 0982,
hobbithousemanila.com

Cebu Pacific fl ies to Manila from 16

international destinations and 32
domestic cities. www.cebupacificair.com

Guolizhuang
Restaurant
SPECIALTY The most extensive menu of
male virility-enhancing dishes in China.

PHOTOS WALTER VILLA (HOBBIT HOUSE), GETTY IMAGES (GUOLIZHUANG RESTAURANT)

In China, animal penises are touted
as a means of stimulating health and
male virility. That’s what Guolizhuang
is about, using this main ingredient in
all its dishes. And with its lofty price
(several thousand RMB for dinner),
this body part is definitely prized for its
health benefits. The animal phalluses
are thinly sliced before serving. “We
started doing that because sometimes
customers would see the waiter coming
to their table with a whole body part
of a horse, and they would get up and
run away.” A dining experience that’s
The house specialty is thinly sliced definitely not for everyone! Dongsi
before it is served. Inset: Cutting up Shitiao Bridge, Beijing, China, tel: +86
the main ingredient in the kitchen.
(10) 6405 5698, www.glz.com.cn

Cebu Pacific fl ies to Beijing from Manila.

www.cebupacificair.com

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 trip journal

trip journal
Your guide to enjoying every city across the network

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Want to visit
Kota Kinabalu?
Turn to page 86
for useful advice
from a local!

Be a Smile
Wherelocaltocorrespondent! Email
find everything youus wanna
at cebu.ed@ink-publishing.com
read - enjoy!
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 trip journal

BAHAGHARI

JAPAN VIETNAM
OSAKA HO CHI MINH CITY
COUNTRY CODE +81 (6) COUNTRY CODE +84
CURRENCY JPY100 = PHP49.98/US$1.09 CURRENCY VND10,000 = PHP28.08/US$0.59

TOUCHDOWN From Kansai International TOUCHDOWN Tan Son Nhat International

Airport, you can get to the city of Osaka, either by Airport is a 30-minute drive away from District 1.
taxi (JPY5,000–8,000/PHP2,499–3,997) A taxi ride costs about VND80,000 (PHP225).
or by bus (JPY1,500/PHP749). www.kansai- You can also hire a motorbike driver for
airport.or.jp/en/access VND20,000 (PHP56).

BY DAY Visit Nakanoshima, a small island in BY DAY The War Remnants Museum (28 Vo
the middle of Osaka that’s home to many great Van Tan St) and the Reunification Palace (106
museums, for instance, the Osaka Science Nguyen Du St) display relics from the Vietnam
Museum, the National Museum of Art, and the War and are the best places to get the Vietnamese
Museum of Oriental Ceramics. perspective on the infamous conflict.

BY NIGHT Take a train out to the WTC Cosmo BY NIGHT Try the street food at Quan An Ngon,
Tower near the bay area. The views from the top the safest and cleanest place to eat bun bo hue (beef
of Japan’s third tallest building are absolutely noodle soup) or bun thit nuong (grilled pork with
spectacular, so make sure to bring a camera with vermicelli). Wash it down with Saigon Beer or tra da
a fully-charged battery. (tea with ice). Pasteur St, D1

SLEEP Book a room at the Arietta Hotel. You can SLEEP Cheap and cozy digs at the Saigon
count on very stylish rooms that are very clean Mini Hotel. There are four branches near the
and a staff that provides excellent service. Backpacker District within walking distance from
www.thehotel.co.jp/en/arietta_osaka/index.htm the must-see sites. www.saigonminihotel.com

Yumiko Jeryc
Sezaki Garcia
advertising
IT support creative director

BEST SOUVENIRS Find all BEST BRUNCH Try the Fat Cat
kinds of things in one of the many or the Cat in the Hat at Black Cat. You’ll
JPY100 stores. swear it’s love. Phan Van Dat St, D1

BEST SHOPPING At 2.5km, BEST SOUVENIRS Coffee

the Tenjinbashi-suji shopping arcade beans from Highlands Coffee or
is Japan’s longest with loads of shops. buy Vinacafe at any supermarket.

BEST NIGHT OUT Blarney MUST DO See the Cu Chi Tunnels

Stone is an Irish pub with an or Mekong Delta. Most hotels can
international crowd and live music arrange tours for you. Also ask tourism
most weekends. info center. www.ticvietnam.com

D YOU
DID “Ikura desu ka?” means “How much?”
K
KNOW? in Japanese. Use it in Osaka!

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LESTER LEDESMA
CHINA CHINA
HONG KONG MACAU
COUNTRY CODE +852 COUNTRY CODE +853
CURRENCY HK$1 = PHP5.91/US$0.13 CURRENCY MOP1 = PHP5.74/US$0.13

TOUCHDOWN The Airport Express takes 24 TOUCHDOWN Upon arrival in Macau, simply
minutes to Central and costs HK$100 (PHP591). board the Bus AP1 from the airport to the Barrier
Alternatively, taxi cabs from the airport cost Gate (China border). A taxi ride into the city
from HK$300 (PHP1,772) upwards. only takes 15 minutes and will cost you around
www.hongkongairport.com MOP40–50 (PHP240–299).

BY DAY Explore Hong Kong Park by starting in BY DAY At the Macau Fisherman’s Wharf theme
Pacific Place, Admiralty to Central. Take the tram park, sing at the Cash Box KTV, explore Aladdin’s
to the Peak, and explore the nooks and crannies Fort, play games with the kids at Fun Fun Miami,
of Central afterwards. There’s quite a bit of alley and dine on Portuguese and other international
shopping and you can get good deals. cuisines. www.fishermanswharf.com.mo/eng/

BY NIGHT Take the Star Ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui BY NIGHT Dine on East-meets-West cuisine with
and station yourself along the Avenue of the Stars excellent wines in MacauSoul. From October 10–19,
for the nightly laser show at 8pm. Stores stay South Carolina blues band Shrimp City Slim with
open late, but you can also pop by Wan Chai or Wanda Johnson play live. 31A Rua de São Paulo,
Lan Kwai Fong for drinks. It’ll be lively! tel: +853 2836 5182, www.macausoul.com

SLEEP Abdul Holiday Inn Express in Causeway SLEEP Enjoy six-star perks and awesome views in
Bay has a great location. It’s situated right behind Altria Macau Hotel, Taipa Island’s tallest building. It’s
Times Square and in close proximity to Wanchai. just 3km from the Macau International Airport and
www.hiexpress.com close to famous sites. www.altiramacau.com/eng/

Gerwin Jun
Co Kung
producer
marketing drummer/
manager composer

BEST BREAKFAST Pineapple BEST BREAKFAST Have

buns from any bakery or 7-11. Its Chinese morning tea and go to Taipa
sugar content will wake you up. Rua da Cunha or Cunha Food Street.

BEST BUYS Head to Sneaker BEST BUYS Near a place called

Street or Fa Yuen, Mongkok, for “3 lights” is an area with shops that
limited edition sneakers. sell a lot of branded export goods.

MUST DO Visit Hong Kong BEST DINNER Try legendary

Disneyland and then Ngong Ping noodle place Deep Gay in front of the
360 — try the 25-minute cable car driver’s license/police station, near the
ride in the Crystal Cabin. tunnel coming from the ferry.

D YOU
DID At 56, Jackie Chan is still Hong
K
KNOW? Kong’s biggest box office star.

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CHINA CHINA
BEIJING GUANG ZHOU
COUNTRY CODE +86 COUNTRY CODE +86
CURRENCY RMB1 = PHP 7.13/US$ 0.14 CURRENCY RMB1 = PHP 7.13/US$ 0.14

TOUCHDOWN Arrive at the Beijing Capital TOUCHDOWN Board the Airport Express bus
International Airport (BCIA). After clearing customs from the airport, about RMB10–30 (PHP71–213).
and claiming baggage, catch the downtown Taxis from the airport cost about RMB120
airport shuttles or taxis from outside the arrival (PHP854) for the 28km-long ride to Haizhu
lobby. en.bcia.com.cn Square.

BY DAY Walk through the hutongs (old lanes). BY DAY With a wreath of clouds encircling it after it
Rent a bike and tour the Summer Palace: visit rains, White Cloud Mountain is one of Guangzhou’s
temples and stroll by the huge lake. Autumn, most beautiful nature scenes. Wander around
when red leaves are falling (October to November) Yuntai Garden in Santailing Park which is one of the
is the perfect time to see the Great Wall of China. main attractions on the mountain.

BY NIGHT Take the subway to Bird’s Nest (Beijing BY NIGHT New Era nightclub is the city’s largest
National Olympic Stadium) and Water Cube club, with four floors to appeal to different musical
(Beijing 2008 National Swimming Centre) in the tastes: Hip-hop, Rnb, electronica and pop. The
early evening. Both are best seen when the lights chandeliers and ornate decór are cool, and get
are lit. Hit Sanlitun Street for dinner and clubbing. this — there’s a pool! Zhong Shan San Road 2.

SLEEP Check into Opposite House, probably SLEEP Chimelong Hotel within Chimelong
one of Beijing’s best high-end, boutique hotels. Resort is Guangzhou‘s oasis away from the city.
Highly accessible, and in the middle of almost Surrounded by nature and five theme parks, it’s all
everything. www.theoppositehouse.com about relaxation and fun! www.chimelonghotel.com

Karen Go Manav
group account Gupta
director director

BEST BUYS Authentic Chinese jade BEST SOUVENIR A frog

pendant for PHP150 from Da Shi Lan with coins which you place at the
Shopping Street. Cheap with price tags! entrance of the house for prosperity.

BEST DINNER Vineyard Café, INSIDER TIP Grab That’s PRD

tucked in a hutong in the Andingmen for a listing of the city’s restaurants
area, is a cozy place. and clubs at your fingertips.

INSIDER TIP Ask for fapiaos BEST DINNER Vaastu Indian

(receipts) when dining out. Scratch Cuisine has five different dining
off the silver, right top corner of it and experiences rolled into one,
you could get a cash rebate! www.vaastucuisine.com

D YOU
DID Beijing, the capital of China, has
K
KNOW? about 17 million inhabitants.

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CHINA TAIWAN
SHANGHAI TAIPEI
COUNTRY CODE +86 COUNTRY CODE +886
CURRENCY RMB1 = PHP6.94 (US$0.146) CURRENCY TW$1 = PHP1.44/US$0.031

TOUCHDOWN From the Pudong International TOUCHDOWN Taxis to the city will cost you
Airport, the Maglev train travels at 431km/hour TW$1,100 (PHP1,586.73), but private bus
and gets you to the Longyuan station in seven companies run trips from both terminals, and
minutes flat. Why even try anything else? will cost you a more manageable TW$110–140
www.shanghaiairport.com (PHP159–202). To get around, take the MRT.

BY DAY The Bund, of course, and Yu Garden, but BY DAY Explore Taipei from two very contrasting
also take a stroll through the French concession perspectives. First, get to the top of Taipei 101 and
area and wander the alleys of Tai Kang Lu. For art, then hike up Maokong tea plantation where you’ll
head to the galleries at Moganshan Arts District find some teahouses as well. This area is known
near Suzhou Creek. as the city’s lush tea oasis.

BY NIGHT China Town Cabaret, Shelter for live BY NIGHT Explore the ShihLin night markets for
music, JZ’s for jazz and salsa, El Cocktail for exotic food and snacks. Order a cocktail or light a
drinks and Glamour Bar for partying hard. These cigar at Shaka. Check out the delicate carvings on
are just a few great places to go to when you’re the hardwood bar and the big fish tank that takes
in Shanghai. over an entire wall. www.shakataipei.com

SLEEP The Puli in central Shanghai combines the SLEEP Check into boutique hotel Les Suites
perks of urban living with the pampering of a spa Da-An in downtown Taipei. It’s close enough to
amid interiors that combine old world style and shopping, bowling, dancing and dining in the city.
modern amenities. www.thepuli.com/en 135 Da An Road Section 1.

Richard Sergio
Baimbridge Ernesto
writer/
yoga teacher Pratz
student

BEST SOUVENIRS Take BEST BREAKFAST Try dan

home river pearls and Tibetan bing — smashed egg filled with
Buddhist Thangka tapestries. veggies or meat and great sauces.

INSIDER TIP If you want to eat BEST DINNER Try stinky tofu,
steamed buns, look for places where pork blood cake or snake soup.
the line stretches out into the street. If not, the lu wei “buffet” is good.

MUST TRY Ba hou guan (suction INSIDER TIP Do not stick

cup massage). It leaves round bruises your chopsticks into the rice. Put
that make you look like a giraffe for a them aside instead. This relates to
few days, but it feels great! religious matters.

D YOU
DID Shikumen (stone gatehouse) are a
K
KNOW? traditional type of Shanghai dwelling.

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THAILAND SINGAPORE
BANGKOK SINGAPORE
COUNTRY CODE +66 (2) COUNTRY CODE +65
CURRENCY THB1 = PHP1.42/US$0.03 CURRENCY S$1 = PHP32.91/US$0.72

TOUCHDOWN There is a free airport shuttle to TOUCHDOWN From the airport, take a taxi
the Public Transportation Center in town. A taxi downtown for about S$15 (PHP494), depending
costs THB200 (PHP271.21). In the city, use the on the time of day. Peak hours carry a S$3
BTS Skytrains and avoid the jams. Tuk-tuks are surcharge. Or take the MRT and you’ll be there in
okay, but they only go short distances. about 25 minutes for about S$2 (PHP66).

BY DAY Visit Jim Thompson House and view BY DAY Singapore is every shopper’s retail
the silk magnate’s vast collection of antiques and paradise. Fashionistas will love the world-class
Asian art. After the tour, relax at the café. shopping experience on Orchard Road. Visit ION,
6 Soi Kasemsan 2 Rama 1 Road (opp The Tangs, Wheelock Place, Ngee Ann City, Paragon
National Stadium), www.jimthompsonhouse.com and Wisma Atria.

BY NIGHT Don’t miss out on enjoying cocktails BY NIGHT Take a stroll down to Clarke Quay
at Sirocco The Dome, at the State Tower. From where there are plenty of restaurants and bars to
the 63rd floor, the 360˚ views of Bangkok choose from. Or spend the whole evening with
are amazing. Silom Road, Bangrak, Bangkok, nocturnal animals at the Night Safari — it’s the
tel: +66 (2) 624 9555 world’s first night zoo.

SLEEP Emporium Suites has access to the BTS– SLEEP Check into Hangout Hotel at Mt Emily.
Promphong station via The Emproium Mall, right Experience their “no frills-just fun” type of
next to the hotel. 622 Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok accommodations at very affordable rates.
www.emporiumsuites.com/reservation.php www.hangouthotels.com

Mia M Antonette
Jaranilla Lenon
art consultant SingTel advisor

BEST BUYS Fruit like mango, BEST BREAKFAST Enjoy

guava and lanzones are amazingly some toast and teh susu (milk tea)
cheap and yummy. at a local kopitiam.

BEST DINNER The no-frills BEST DINNER Yummy chili

Somboon Seafood is always packed crabs at Uncle Leong’s Seafood at
so come early! Tel: +66 (2) 233 3104 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3.

INSIDER TIP Most Thais don’t MUST DO For an extreme

greet with a kiss or handshake but experience, I dare you to try
by The Wai. They put their hands Singapore’s G-Max Reverse Bungee
together and bow to you. at Clarke Quay.

D YOU
DID Thimithi, a Hindu fire-walking fest,
K
KNOW? is held in Singapore in November.

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MALAYSIA MALAYSIA BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

KUALA LUMPUR KOTA KINABALU BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
COUNTRY CODE +60 (3) COUNTRY CODE +60 (88) COUNTRY CODE +62 (21)
CURRENCY RM1 = PHP13.57/US$0.295 CURRENCY RM1 = PHP13.57/US$0.295 CURRENCY BND1 = PHP33.54/US$0.72

TOUCHDOWN A bus will take you to downtown TOUCHDOWN The Kota Kinabalu International TOUCHDOWN The international airport is
Kuala Lumpur from the airport for about RM10 Airport is only 10 minutes away by taxi, which approximately 10 minutes (about 10km) from the
(PHP135.71). On the other hand, the train will get usually costs about RM20 (PHP271.26). Be sure center of BSB. There are taxis, car rentals and
you there in half the time. Metered taxis are fast to negotiate and agree on the fare before you step regular public bus services that can take you to
and affordable. into the cab. and from the airport.

BY DAY Bukit Bintang is a shopper’s paradise. BY DAY Expand your knowledge about nature BY DAY Get to know the culture through its
Start with the bargain buys at Sungei Wang and conservation and spend a day at the Kota museums. Check out the Royal Regalia Museum,
then splurge at Star Hill and Pavilion — sales here Kinabalu Wetland Center (KKWC), a 24-hectare a testament to the king’s sovereign influence,
are almost all year-round. For outdoor thrills, stroll mangrove forest that is also a bird sanctuary. and the Malay Technology Museum, which is a
around KLCC Gardens and visit the Bird Park. www.sabahwetlands.org/society/ reflection of the humbler Bruneian lifestyle.

BY NIGHT The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra BY NIGHT Check out the Animal Nocturnal watch BY NIGHT Have dinner at Gerai Makan (night
at KLCC and the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts at Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria, or sound the party alarm food court) and get your fill of reasonably priced
Center feature interesting local productions. True and gear up to paint the town red in Kota Kinabalu but delicious Malay fare and delicacies. It’s a
gourmands will love Bangsar Shopping Center for a at sizzling hotspots like Texas Restaurant or Upper very laidback atmosphere as food is served at
smorgasbord of excellent restaurants. Star Pepper Grill and Cocoon. outdoor stalls.

SLEEP Hotel Maya is a centrally located boutique SLEEP This luxury property, the Shangri-La’s Rasa SLEEP Radisson Hotel Brunei Darussalam is
hotel that offers stylish accommodations and Ria Resort, is nestled in a great nook of nature, with in the city center. The 142-room hotel is close to
great room rates. Click on the site for the best a plethora of outdoor activities. www.shangri-la. the Malay Technology Museum and the Tomb of
deals. www.hotelmaya.com.my com/en/property/kotakinabalu/rriaresort Sultan Bolkiah. www.radisson.com/hotels/brnrdbd

Karyn Latricia Mandy

Patricia Tsen Mei Too
Flores Hsia assistant
writer sales manager architect

BEST BREAKFAST Nasi BEST BUYS Sabah tea which is MUST DO Ride a buggy at
lemak! For authentic flavors, head to cultivated in the pristine foothills of Serasa Beach, then enjoy the
what locals call the “mamak” stalls. Mount Kinabalu. sunset. Pack some insect repellant!

BEST BUYS Vincci or Nose are BEST DINNER Taste Malaysian BEST NIGHT OUT Dine on
inexpensive yet stylish brands. Batik cuisine and Sabah vegetables at local fare at the Gadong night market
paintings are lovely and easy to pack. Tepi Laut, Shangri-La Rasa Ria. then watch a movie or go for coffee.

BEST NIGHT OUT Neo on LOCAL SPEAK “Selamat pagi“ BEST BUYS The local kuih
Jalan Sultan Ismail and the rooftop (“Good morning”), “selamat petang” (cakes) and cookies as well as items
at Lot 10 are photogenic bars with (“good afternoon”) and “apa by local artisans from the Arts and
beautiful crowds. Bring your camera! khabar” (“how are you”). Handicrafts Center.

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SEONG JOON CHO

SOUTH KOREA SOUTH KOREA INDONESIA
INCHEON (SEOUL) BUSAN JAKARTA
COUNTRY CODE +822 COUNTRY CODE +82 COUNTRY CODE +62
CURRENCY KRW1 = PHP0.034 / US$0.007 CURRENCY KRW1 = PHP0.034 / US$0.007 CURRENCY IDR100,000 = PHP492/US$11

TOUCHDOWN Look for taxis with stickers that TOUCHDOWN From the Busan Kimhae TOUCHDOWN Hire a Bluebird taxi from the
say “Foreign Language Service.” Cabs can be International Airport, take the bus, the Busan airport to the city, which costs around IDR98,000
shared except for those with black and yellow Subway Line or railroad line. Make sure to plan (PHP482), plus toll. Alternatively, the DAMRI bus
tops. Thanks to a new bridge, the trip takes 15 your transfers carefully, so you don’t miss your goes to any city bus station for a very manageable
minutes. Eight subway lines serve the main areas. flights. gimhae.airport.co.kr/eng IDR15,000 (PHP74).

BY DAY Visit Korea’s answer to Hyde Park — BY DAY It’s film-festival season in Busan, as the BY DAY Kota Toea, which means “old city”, is
Seoul Forest. It’s made up of a million square 15th Pusan International Film Festival takes place the best spot for photo lovers to snap souvenir
meters of nature paths, green spaces, gardens, from October 7 to 15 in the Nampo-dong and pictures. It has a lot of old historical colonial
wildlife enclosures, cafés and there’s even Haeundae areas. For more ideas, turn to page 45 buildings, which brings you back in time to the
a skateboard park. of this issue. www.piff.org early 20th century.

BY NIGHT For delicious and inventive cocktails, BY NIGHT Busan twinkles with pretty lights at BY NIGHT La Piazza Kelapa Gading is an outdoor
no other watering hole even comes close to the nightfall. On the beachfront of Gwangali Beach, hangout for people of all ages. Enjoy a wide range
oddly named but unmissable Coffee Bar K in there are some bars with awesome views of the of live music performed on a big stage — from
Cheongdam-dong. The vibe is quite posh yet laid- Gwangali Bridge. Beach Bikini, a microbrewerry/ cool romantic jazz to burning hot rock music. The
back — the perfect balance. bar, is popular among locals and expats. best thing about it? It’s free!

SLEEP JW Marriott Hotel Seoul is in downtown SLEEP Hotel Kukje Busan (www.hotelkukje.com) SLEEP Hotel Indonesia – Kempinski is right in the
Seoul, and within its 9km radius are the Seoul is a first-class hotel, while Busan Youth Hostel heart of Jakarta and is one of the city’s landmarks,
Art Center, Itaewon Shopping Street and Ducksoo Arpina (www.busanyouthhostel.co.kr) is a good with the circular Bunderan HI fountain in front.
Palace. www.marriott.com option for young people on a budget. www.kempinski.com/en/jakarta

Ross Andrew
Hyein Jo Effendy
Wallace student IT project
journalist
manager

BEST SOUVENIR Stuffed toys BEST BREAKFAST Guk-Bab BEST SOUVENIR Blangkon, a
of the Seoul mascot Haechi at Haechi (soup with steamed rice) is good but traditional hat made from batik cloth
Madang, Gwanghwamun Plaza. may be heavy for non-Koreans. that is of Javanese heritage.

BEST BUYS For men’s clothes, BEST DINNER The Chon-Dark LOCAL SPEAK Say “Trims”
shop at Hongdae’s Volkswagen, and (chicken with hot sauce) or Mil-Myeon to show appreciation. It’s short for
neighboring Check and Hulk. (noodle dish) are Busan specials. “Terima kasih” (“Thank you”).

BEST DINNER For a change LOCAL SPEAK Try saying BEST DINNER Try iga penyet
from Korean cuisine, savor the South “Annyeonghaseyo” (“Hello”) and (grilled and smashed beef ribs) from
American churrascaria at Brazilian “Gomapsumnida” (“Thank you”). A bit Warung Teko located either in Kelapa
eatery Ipanema, near City Hall. difficult at first, but practice them! Gading or Pantai Indah Kapuk.

D YOU
DID Indonesia’s hottest chili is the small but fiery bird’s-eye chili or cabe
K
KNOW? rawit, which is like Singapore’s chili padi and the Philippine labuyo.

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LESTER LEDESMA
PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES
LAOAG CLARK LEGAZPI
AREA CODE (77) AREA CODE (45) AREA CODE (52)
CURRENCY PHP1 = US$0.02 CURRENCY PHP1 = US$0.02 CURRENCY PHP1 = US$0.02

TOUCHDOWN You can hire a van, a jeepney TOUCHDOWN From Diosdado Macapagal TOUCHDOWN Tricycles and vans are available
or a tricycle from the Laoag airport to get to your International Airport (DMIA), you can take a taxi, a to take you in and around Legazpi. From the
destination in town. However, an eco-friendly bus or a jeep to the city. Any of these will take you airport, you can also easily hire a taxi to take you
means of getting around the city is the kalesa or to the terminal or SM Clark. Within town, there are and your luggage into the city proper or directly to
horse-drawn carriage. cabs and jeeps. You can also hire a car or van. your hotel or inn.

BY DAY Visit Museo Ilocos Norte to get a look at BY DAY Omni Aviation offers a Mount Pinatubo BY DAY Start your day with an early morning run
the artefacts of Ilocano culture, their customs and Crater Tour that allows tourists to view the to the Legazpi Boulevard in Puro, and then have
traditions. For souvenirs, books and postcards of grandeur and majesty of the volcano’s crater and a photo session at the Cagsawa Ruins with the
Ilocos, you can drop by the Sarusar Shop inside its surrounding ash canyons from a bird’s eye majestic Mayon Volcano as your backdrop. Don’t
the museum and pick out something special. view. www.omniaviation.com leave home without that photo!

BY NIGHT To get a feel of this city’s nightlife, BY NIGHT Ciocollo is the perfect spot for a laid- BY NIGHT First, have dinner at the Small Talk
make your way to one or more of these night back night of good conversation over coffee and Café, then you can have a karaoke showdown
haunts: Bistro 51 or Eagle’s Nest for live music small bites. For a more happening night, you and with friends at Howlin’ at the Moon, or better yet,
and Cock House for an all-lady live band with your friends can go clubbing at The Mansion, and why not simply watch the full moon rise from the
powerhouse vocals. dance the night away. top of Lignon Hill?

SLEEP Hotel Tiffany is ideal for travelers on a SLEEP Clearwater Country Club offers outback SLEEP Hotel St Ellis, a 40-room boutique hotel
budget. The quirky hotel is near tourist spots and tents, family inns and lakeside lodge rooms. The in downtown Legazpi has a business center, spa,
there’s a 1950s-inspired diner to try out. hotel is perfect for family picnics and weekend salon, fitness center, swimming pool, and a kiddie
www.hoteltiffany-laoagcity.com getaways. www.clearwaterphilippines.com activity room. Tel: (52) 480 8088.

Reny Katherine Apo

Tan Joy Manso Gonzales
publisher
businessman technology The Bicol Chronicle
consultant

BEST BREAKFAST Franklin’s BEST BREAKFAST Start INSIDER TIP Make it a point to
Hi-bol with vinegar and chillies. The your day with the pindang damulag always haggle for tricycle fare when
innards are said to be aphrodisiacs! (carabao beef) at Everybody’s Café. you make your way through the city.

LOCAL SPEAK “Mano?” (“How BEST BUYS Halo-halo at Razon’s, BEST BUYS Legazpi T-shirts you
much?”) and “Nangina, awan tawar empanada at Culiat, sisig at Aling can buy from Metro Gaisano and pili
nan?” (“It’s expensive, no discount?”). Lucings and pizza at Camalig. nuts from Locsin Pilinut.

BEST FESTIVALS Visit Laoag LOCAL SPEAK The word LOCAL SPEAK “Maarang
between February 2 to 11. This is when “Kaluguran” when said slowly, “ka- iyan?” (“Is it spicy?”) and “Pira ang
the annual Pamulinawen Festival lugu-ran,” means “friend”. If you tawad tabi?” (“How much discount
is held, a happy time. say it fast, it means “love.” can you give me?”) are handy.

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EDGAR ALAN ZETA YAP

PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES
MANILA NAGA
AREA CODE (02) AREA CODE (54)
CURRENCY PHP1 = US$0.02 CURRENCY PHP1 = US$0.02

TOUCHDOWN From the airport, the ride to TOUCHDOWN Naga City Airport is about 12km
commercial centers takes around 30 minutes from the city center, and is accessible by many
depending on traffic. Pay around PHP450 to hire forms of transportation, including bus, van,
registered airport taxis, but metered cabs are also jeepney and tricycle. There’s also an eight-seat
available. horse-driven kalesa for hire to tour the city.

BY DAY The Ayala Museum has exhibitions by BY DAY Head over to CWC, 15 minutes away
local artists like Daniel dela Cruz, a lecture series from Naga, for a day of watersports. Within the
with Pinoy writers like Ambeth Ocampo, and more city, try the healing massage or hilot of Magarao.
(check out schedules at www.ayalamuseum.org). They have a mini-spa at Bicol’s Best, 4th floor,
Enjoy coffee and local cuisine at nearby M Café. Nagaland E-mall.

BY NIGHT Live music is what makes Manila so BY NIGHT Dine at Molino’s Grill. Try their
exciting. For old school jazz, hit Strumms (Jupiter binagoongan rice and red iced tea. They offer
Street) on Tuesday night. Groove to 80s dance tunes mouthwatering dishes that are easy on the
as Midlife Crisis goes onstage at Chef and Brewers budget. For drinks and live band entertainment,
(Emerald Ave, Ortigas) on Wednesday nights. check out Lolo’s Bar in Magsaysay.

SLEEP Check into Maxims Hotel at ResortsWorld SLEEP The Avenue Plaza Hotel is 15 minutes from
Manila – it’s the country’s first deluxe casino hotel the Naga City Airport, and close to most places of
1ith 172 all-suite rooms each with personal butler interest. Clean, classy rooms. Magsaysay Avenue.
services! www.rwmanila.com/maxims.html www.theavenueplazahotel.com

Candie Marianne
Cobiao Olano
Mabuhay
businesswoman
tour guide

BEST BUYS Shopping for LOCAL SPEAK “Dios mabalos”

clothes? Check out local fashion (“Thanks”), “gurano ni?” (“how much
brands like Bench in most malls! is this?”) and “masiram” (“delicious”).

BEST DINNER The Paella INSIDER TIP Rent one of the

Negra at The Frazzled Cook (916 eight-seater kalesas and use it to
Luna Mencias) is legendary! make your way around the city.

MUST DO Travel through Manila BEST BUYS Waterlily bags,

via the Pasig River Ferry! It’s a great Buhi-woven blankets, Pili
way to see the city without getting chocolates, Moringa wine, Mango
stuck in a traffic jam. vinegar and wire-crafted jewelry.

D YOU
DID Naga is home to the excellent
K
KNOW? Ateneo de Naga University.

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LESTER LEDESMA

GEORGE CABIG
AL LINSANGAN
PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES
TUGUEGARAO BUSUANGA (CORON) SAN JOSE
AREA CODE (78) AREA CODE none AREA CODE (43)
CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02) CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02) CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02)

TOUCHDOWN To get to town, you take two TOUCHDOWN From the airport, take a shuttle to TOUCHDOWN You can take a tricycle from right
tricycles – one from the airport to the main road, the town proper (Coron) which will cost you about outside the airport to the town center for about
and then another to the town proper. It should cost PHP150 per person. The ride takes 45 minutes to PHP50, inclusive of tip. To get around town, you
you no more than just PHP10 per ride. And the one hour long. Call tel: +63 (928) 408 3105/(921) either walk or take a tricycle, which is cheap and
rides are fairly short ones. 265 2210 for more information. easy to find.

BY DAY Go on a historical and spiritual BY DAY Visit Maquinit hotsprings when it’s BY DAY Connect with nature. Spend a whole
pilgrimage. Visit Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral, raining. Spend a night at Malcapuya Island.snorkel day on the smooth and powdery sands of White
the biggest Spanish-built church in Cagayan at Tampel coral gardens and go diving to see the Island and check out the underwater caves, cliffs
Valley. A picture of the cathedral appears in the wrecks. Cap the day with pizza and drinks at and abundant coral formations found near the
Basilica in Rome and is truly a work of art. La Sirenetta and watch the sunset. Ambulong Beach Resort.

BY NIGHT Sample the famous Tuguegarao BY NIGHT Enjoy a chill-out evening on BY NIGHT Enjoy live acoustic music on Friday
longganisa which is known for its garlicky flavor. Malcapuya Island. Nothing beats cold beer with nights at Villa Paulina Gardens and Resort.
Also check out Kusina Cagayana at Pengue friends while seated on the sandy beach. For Discophiles get their turn on Saturday evenings.
Highway or Kainang Pilipino in Brgy Leonarda. dinner, head to Bistro Coron and order the pizza For ballroom dancing and dining, head to the Sea
Head to Traffic Jam bar for drinks after. and tenderloin or sausage. Coast Hotel and Restaurant.

SLEEP Hotel Candice has affordable room rates SLEEP Majika’s Island Resort has fan-cooled SLEEP Check in at El Mora Hotel. The modern
that start at PHP550 and the most expensive rooms in a secluded paradise. It’s a great place boutique hotel, located a few meters from the
room at PHP1,650. Most rooms have basic from which to appreciate the rustic charms of beach includes a swimming pool, function rooms
amenities. www.hotelcandice.com Coron. majikatours.wordpress.com and a lounge area. Tel: (43) 491 4869

Manuel George
Francisco Tanseco de Lemos
Battung Jr la O’, Jr. Paglicawan
local guide
entrepreneur businessman

BEST BREAKFAST Try BEST BREAKFAST Bistro BEST DINNER Cheesy Baked
the pancit batil patung at Dok’s Coron for good coffee and excellent Mussels and Grilled Blue Marlin at
Panciteria on Pengue Highway. bread. It opens at 9am. Villa Paulina Gardens and Resort.

MUST DO Go caving at Callao BEST SOUVENIRS Indigenous BEST BUYS For those with
and Sierra Caves. Also visit the crafts, bracelets and mats from the a sweet tooth, pastillas and
Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat. Saragpunta (before the BPI bank). cheesecake are all-time-favorites.

BEST NIGHT OUT Enjoy an INSIDER TIP Clarify your tour INSIDER’S TIP For a great
evening at Kofun Bar and Resto for package fees and inclusions. Bring a afternoon, sip brewed coffee at
live bands. Go to Traffic Jam for live first aid kit and don’t step on the corals Baybees in Aroma Beach while
country music. or throw trash from the boat. watching the sunset.

Authorized Wholesale Agent of Cebu Pacific in Singapore

www.pentravel.com.sg
PENTRAVEL & TOURS (Singapore) PTE LTD
304, Orchard Road #03-75 Lucky Plaza Singapore 238863
Tel: (65) 67379231 / 68363706 Fax: (65) 67351604 Mobile: (65) 97472537 E-mail: cebupacific@pentravel.com.sg // info@pentravel.com.sg

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NELSON PETILLA
SOHOTON
PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES
CATARMAN CALBAYOG
AREA CODE (55) AREA CODE (55)
CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02) CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02)

TOUCHDOWN Tricycles are just a few steps TOUCHDOWN You will find tricycles at the
away from the arrival hall of the airport. A designated parking area after coming out of the
15-minute ride takes you to Catarman proper for airport terminal building. These vehicles are
PHP10 per passenger. To rent a private tricycle, all also typically the sole means of transport in and
you need to pay is PHP60. around the city.

BY DAY Catarman can be used as a base to BY DAY Spend the day basking in the sun at Villa
explore nearby islands and their unspoiled Mondejares Resort located in Barangay Salhag.
beaches. Swim, snorkel and kayak to your heart’s Calbayog is known as the City of Waterfalls
content. Must see spots: the Biri Island rock so trek to the majestic Bangon-Bugtong Falls and
formations and K3 Cave at Las Navas. Tarangban Falls.

BY NIGHT For an evening of easy conversation, BY NIGHT For a night of music, check out
drop by Coffee Hub for the best coffee in town. Royalist Bar or San Joaquin Bar and Restaurant.
The café serves delicious coffee beverages, For coffee and conversation, head to S.O. Cafe
pastries and wine too. For dancing, drinks and and Isla Coffee where good freshly brewed coffee
billiars, try Bodega Billiards Bar and Disco. is served.

SLEEP GV Pension House on Marcos Street in SLEEP Book a room at Almira’s Garden Hotel, a
Barangay Narra, is accessible to the market, making quirky and colorful hotel that offers very affordable,
it very convenient for guests. The rooms are small, clean and comfortable rooms. Gelera St, Brgy
but clean and comfortable. Tel: (55) 500 6373. Central, tel: (55) 209 3240/533 9288

Dianna
Grace Aleta Co
Palanca physician
5J load
controller

BEST BREAKFAST Dried fish, BEST BUYS Delicias (pili

tomato and salted egg, and rice with candies), tabliya (chocolate) and
hot chocolate at Fe’s Place. tinapa (smoked fish).

LOCAL SPEAK Compliment LOCAL SPEAK “Sangkay”

someone by saying “mahusay” (“friend”) and “alayon” (“please”)
which means “beautiful.” are two good words to know.

BEST SOUVENIR Take your BEST NIGHT OUT Enjoy

pick from an array of handicrafts a delicious chilli crab dinner a
and native products in the ever- Kaonan sa Carayman and then go
reliable Pasalubong Center. to I’s Plant for drinks and music.

D YOU
DID Calbayog is green, hilly and has the
K
KNOW? advantage of natural waterways.

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EDGAR ALAN ZETA YAP

SAMUEL DE LEON
ERIC LACSON
PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES
CAUAYAN BACOLOD ILOILO
AREA CODE (78) AREA CODE (35) AREA CODE (36)
CURRENCY PHP1 = US$.02 CURRENCY PHP1 = US$.02 CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02)

TOUCHDOWN The airport in Cauayan only TOUCHDOWN One arrives in Negros through TOUCHDOWN From the airport, the best way to
opened two years ago in 2008. Ask the Cebu the new Bacolod-Silay airport in Silay City. That’s get to the city center is by their tricycles which are
Pacific staff for advice regarding transport upon about 15km northeast of Bacolod City. It’s about a cheap and larger than the Manila version.They
landing. Buses and jeepneys travel from the 30-minute drive for so long as there are no traffic seat six adults, including the driver. You should
airport to town. jams. In Bacolod, there are plenty of tricycles. also be able to hire a car or van from the airport.

BY DAY How’s your mushroom IQ? Bone up BY DAY Feast and indulge when in Bacolod. Try BY DAY As a city rich in history and culture, visit
on your knowledge at the mushroom center Bob’s for comfort food, 21 for their batchoy, and old churches like the Gothic church of Molo to the
in Barangay Tagaran – make sure to buy fresh Cafe Uma for a pleasurable afternoon snack. Your heritage church of Miag-ao. Photo buffs will enjoy
varieties. Then go to Gulayan ng Bayan in trip won’t be complete without eating Bacolod’s shooting at old mansions like Nelly’s Garden and
Barangay Gagabutan to learn about vegetables. famous chicken inasal at Manukan Country. the Lizares Mansion (Angelicum School).

BY NIGHT Cauayan isn’t really a place for night BY NIGHT Chill out at KGB where things are BY NIGHT Paint the town red in Smallville with
owls. But you can catch local bands performing laid back, dine and hang out at Mu Shu Asian its wide selection of bars and restaurants. When
at Queen Jennifer Hotel’s bar. If you’re lucky, the Restaurant and Lounge or head to Pepe’s where you had enough of beer and liquor, have a hot
band may be famous. Then you can relax and you’ll meet locals and see for yourself how much serving of Linaga ( beef stew) from Luis Linaga-an
play a game of pool. they enjoy their beer and liquor. (open 24 hours) in front of SM City Iloilo.

SLEEP Queen Jennifer is clean and comfortable. SLEEP Conveniently located in the city’s SLEEP Westown Hotel is located at Smallville
There’s a karaoke bar, a billiards hall and a fast commercial and business district, Business Inn which has plenty of dining and entertainment
food joint, all in the same complex as the hotel. boasts 24-hour room service and a 24-hour options. Those traveling with kids will find its
Tel: (78) 652 0077 business center. www.bacolodbusinessinn.com waterpark good fun. mo2westownhotel

Valerie
Dolly Yap- Reena Lumanog
Cruz Lavina Caulin
businesswoman sales manager freelance writer
www.valcaulin.com

BEST BREAKFAST Start your BEST FESTIVAL Experience BEST FESTIVALS The
day with a meal at Seria Kway Teow a week-long street party during the Dinagyang Festival in January and
or some dimsum at Dynasty. Masskara festival every October. the Paraw Regatta every February.

BEST FESTIVAL Visit Cauayan BEST BUYS Buy world-class BEST DINNER The Don Carlos
in December to experience the artisan handicrafts made by locals pizza at Afrique’s, an ancestral home-
Gawagaway-yan Festival. at The Showroom. turned-restaurant on Hughes Street.

BEST BUYS Take home some BEST SOUVENIRS Local food BEST BUYS Aside from
native kakanin like bibingka and the like napoleones from Rolly’s, Chorizo biscocho, Mama’s Kitchen in Arevalo
local bagoong from the Cauayan ni Pining, piyaya of Bong-Bongs and sells mouth-watering chocolate and
public market. mango and caramel tarts of Virgie’s. mango cookies.

D YOU
DID The city of Iloilo dates back to the Spanish times. It is a highly
K
KNOW? urbanized center once known as the textile capital of the country.

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EDGAR ALAN ZETA YAP

LESTER LEDESMA
PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES
DUMAGUETE CATICLAN (BORACAY) KALIBO
AREA CODE (35) AREA CODE (32) AREA CODE (36)
CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02) CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02) CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02)

TOUCHDOWN There are taxis to help you get TOUCHDOWN Take a short tricycle ride to the TOUCHDOWN From the airport, the best way
around the city, as well as jeepneys and pedicabs, Caticlan Jetty Port. From there, board a banca to get to the city center is by tricycle – it’s cheap
which are powered by a bicycle. Once in town, which will transport you to Boracay Island. Here, and the Kalibo version is larger than the ones in
you can also rent a motorbike which is a fun way the main mode of transport is the tricycle, and Manila. It can accommodate six adults, including
to get where you need to go in town. they are cheap and plentiful. the driver!

BY DAY Have a nice afternoon walk along the BY DAY Rent a mountain bike and explore BY DAY Learn about the importance of
boulevard and grab yourself some roasted corn on beaches like Puka, Ilig-iligan and Banyugan found nature preservation at the Bakhawan Eco-park
a cob, fried fishballs or green mango and bagoong on the North end of the island in Barangay Yapak. and Research Center. Enjoy an access to the
plus an ice cold bottle of San Miguel beer at any You can also rent a banca and avoid the workout, mangroves or take a boat trip around the
of the bars across the boulevard. while seeing the neighboring coves. mangroves in a native canoe.

BY NIGHT Head to Hayahay for some reggae BY NIGHT Bars and clubs are lined up along BY NIGHT Chill out with friends and enjoy good
music, rather good pizza, and the famous White Beach. Check out Summer Place (station food at Latte, Pads and Seafront or watch live
Hayahay hot sauce. For a night of dancing, go to 2), Juice Bar at Plazoleta (station 2), Cocomangas bands perform at Mezzanine. You can also venture
El Camino where the music plays. For a game of and Guilly’s (station 1). There is enough nightlife to to nearby Boracay Island and hit the bars on
billiards, check out Barefoot. keep you up so you can watch the sunrise. White Beach.

SLEEP At South Sea Resort Hotel in Bantayan, SLEEP 7 Stones Boracay Suites is at the heart SLEEP The family-owned RB lodge is a budget-
book a room facing the sea for less than PHP2,000. of Bulabog Beach, the home of kiteboarding and friendly place with clean rooms in a secure
There’s a pool and a lawn filled with trees. Tel: (35) windsurfing on the island. Rooms are spacious with location. Fan and aircon rooms are available.
225 2409, southseahotel@yahoo.com.ph WiFi access, dvd and cable tv. 7stonesboracay.com Tel: (36) 262 4155, rblodgekalibo@gmail.com

Bonsai Roselle Gay

Fojas Tenefrancia Murallon
senior island info source/ events supervisor
copywriter housewife

BEST DRINK Tanduay rum is BEST SOUVENIRS Sculptures BEST SOUVENIRS Handbags
the “national” drink here. Enjoy fun and paintings by local artist Don made from sinamay and piña cloth
drunken nights with friendly people! Soriano (tel: +63 (939) 412 4747). that are of export quality.

LOCAL SPEAK “Hubog na ‘ko INSIDER TIP Visit the Boracay BEST DINNER Oriental Flavors
kaayo” (“I’m very drunk”). “Daghang Facebook page for the latest events at Sampaguita Gardens for their
salamat” (“Thank you very much”). and things to do on the island. Thai and Chinese dishes. Great food,
large servings and very affordable.
BEST BUYS Silvanas from Sans MUST DO Full moon parties at
Rival or homemade bacon and chorizo the Jungle Bar in Lugutan Beach. LOCAL SPEAK Most people
from my lola, Rica Longa. Most tricycle It’s a three-day monthly event with speak Tagalog, so it’s not a must to
drivers know where she lives. jungle drumming. know Aklanon.

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LESTER LEDESMA
WALTER VILLA
PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES
CEBU ROXAS TACLOBAN
AREA CODE (32) AREA CODE (36) AREA CODE (53)
CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02) CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02) CURRENCY PHP1 = US$0.02

TOUCHDOWN At the Mactan Airport, it’s pretty TOUCHDOWN You can find Capiz Cab taxis TOUCHDOWN The From the airport to
easy to hire yourself taxi service or even a private waiting in the designated areas outside the arrival downtown area, a van (for PHP300) is most
car to take you to the city center. If you’re staying area of the Roxas airport. Once you’re within convenient as it will drop you off at your hotel.
for more than a few days, you can hire a car for the city, the tricycle remains the main means of There are multi-cabs, jeepneys and tricycles, too.
that time.There are metered cabs by the terminal. getting around. You can also hire a car for longer stays.

BY DAY Most Cebuano families go to the beach BY DAY Go out of Roxas City and check out the BY DAY During early Saturday mornings, the
on Sundays. The nearest one is on Mactan Island nearby towns like Pan-ay where you will see the “tabo” in Palo is a busy market place with the
which is just 20 minutes away from Cebu city largest bell in Asia. Pack a basket of snacks and freshest fruits, vegetables, kakanin, sea foods,
proper. For scuba divers, check out Malapascua have a picnic at the Culajao Eco Park, which is poultry products and so much more! Plus, the
and other diving destinations. home to mangroves, birds and shellfish. prices are very reasonable.

BY NIGHT Go for karaoke with friends at K1 BY NIGHT The seafood grill restaurants along BY NIGHT Try dinner at Ocho for the best tasting
Family KTV at the Crossroads in Banilad. They Baybay Beach come alive at night. Chow on sea food and afterwards coffee by the Cancabato
have lots of international songs (Japanese, yummy fish and shellfish dishes while enjoying bay at Café Lucia. Or drive around the city!
Chinese, Korean and English). Room rental is very the cool ocean breeze, and then hang out and Tacloban is a mix between a busy urban locale
affordable and they have happy hour. enjoy drinks along the shore. and a sleepy, peaceful town.

SLEEP Marco Polo Plaza in Nivel Hills has been SLEEP Stay at Baia Norte. The 13-room SLEEP Hotel Alejandro is situated in the heart of
dubbed as Cebu City`s only five-star hotel. Visit beachside resort has a friendly staff that will the city. It’s in the middle of the hustle and bustle
Blu Bar and Grill at the penthouse of the hotel. take good care of you. A bonus is that they serve of the urban setting while still maintaining its “old
www.marcopoloplazacebu.com meals by the beach, too! world” feel inside.

Jude Nikka Chelsea

Pangan Sarthou de Leon
office of the EV
hotelier freelance writer
market head

BEST BUY A guitar from either MUST DO Your trip to Roxas BEST BREAKFAST Buffet at
Alegre Guitars or Lilang`s Guitar. It’s won’t be complete unless you the Leyte Park Hotel while taking in
considered a collector’s item. sample all kinds of seafood. a view of sun, sand and sea.

STREET SMARTS Be cautious BEST NIGHT OUT The best BEST FESTIVAL The Pintados-
when you cross the streets. The city night gimmick is to chill out by the Kasadyaan and Sangyaw Festivals
has strict fines for jaywalkers. beach and watch the stars. are feasts for the eyes and ears.

BEST EATS Siomai sa Tisa, CNT BEST BUYS Seafood, from fresh MUST TRY Muster all the
Lechon, pork barbecue and puso fish to shellfish. You’ll find all kinds courage you have and dare to
(steamed rice in coconut leaves) at in Roxas. Take some home to your bungee jump off the very famous
Larsian Fuente Osmena area. family and friends. San Juanico Bridge.

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ERICK LIRIOS
PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES
TAGBILARAN VIRAC
AREA CODE (38) AREA CODE (86)
CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.20) CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02)

TOUCHDOWN The airport is within the city, and TOUCHDOWN Jeepneys and buses ply the
there are plenty of tricycles, PHP6 for the ride. For main thoroughfares of Catanduanes. Tricycles are
trips to nearby towns, there are vans and taxis for also a popular means of transport. On the other
hire. It takes about 20 minutes to get to Panglao hand, most hotels in the area can arrange for your
island and there is very rarely any traffic. pick-up from the airport.

BY DAY Get ready to rough it and explore the BY DAY Go on a historical wander around
many caves in the province, such as Hinagdanan the former radar site of the Japanese Imperial
Cave in Daius, Eva Cave in Odiong, Kokok and Navy during WWII. You can also relax on the
Nueva Vida Sur Caves in Carmen and Batungay beach and meet locals or go trek up towards
Cave in Trinidad. Nahulugan Falls.

BY NIGHT Order some cocktails during sunset at BY NIGHT Don’t be fooled by the island life;
Asiatika Bar and Grill, located at the Metrocentre it is not as quiet as it seems! The town of Virac
Hotel. Head off for dinner at ChArts Café, in Alona is irresistible offers options for oceanfront
Beach in Panglao. The restaurant features works entertainment as well as many videoke bars in the
of local artists. town center.

SLEEP Support the deaf community when you SLEEP Catanduanes Midtown Inn’s rooms are
stay at the Dao Diamond Bed and Breakfast Hotel. spacious and clean, and have airconditioning, hot
They offer standard, deluxe and dormitory type and cold shower, and Wi-Fi. Tel: (52) 811 0527,
rooms. www.daodiamond.com catmidinn@yahoo.com

Jose
Welbe Carolyn
Caragan S Co
accredited DOT CEO
tour guide

BEST BREAKFAST Suman, BEST BREAKFAST Sandy’s

dinugo-an with rice cake and Blossoms Restaurant serves a
tsokolate at Jojie’s Painitan Bol-anon. delicious tapsilog.

MUST DO Go dolphin and whale LOCAL SPEAK “Mara na”

watching or go on the Chocolate means “let’s go” and “kaon na”
Hills countryside tour. means “let’s eat.”

BEST BUYS Shop for native BEST DINNER Seabreeze

products such as baskets, hats, Restaurant for their variety of
fans and other products made from Filipino dishes and, of course, the
rafia fibers. relaxing ambience.

D YOU
DID In Bohol, have a photo taken at the
K
KNOW? historic Blood Compact monument.

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LESTER LEDESMA

PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES
PUERTO PRINCESA BUTUAN
AREA CODE (38) AREA CODE (85)
CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02) CURRENCY PHP1 = US$0.02

TOUCHDOWN Most hotels in Palawan can TOUCHDOWN From the airport, you can hire a
arrange to have you picked up at the airport. taxi or a van to take you to the city proper. Once in
Tricycles to the city center cost about PHP35. the city, you do as the Butuan residents do. Hop
Vans are also available for hire and not too on the ubiquitous tricycle which really is the main
prohibitive in cost. way to get from place to place.

BY DAY Take the three major tours; the BY DAY Visit the nearby town of Santiago,
Underground River tour, the Honda Bay island which is a two-hour bus ride from the city. Enjoy
hopping tour and the City tour. Also, visit Lawiswis activities such as boat riding across the lake,
Organics and Binuatan Creations for Palawan- mountain climbing and dipping in the relaxing
made products. cold waterfalls and hot springs.

BY NIGHT Be amazed at the millions of beautiful BY NIGHT Caraga sSuare is the best place for
fireflies you will see when you go on the Iwahig hanging out during evenings. You can enjoy
River Cruise. Then, you can have a sumptuous listening the beat of some of Butuan’s best local
dinner at Cafe Arturo, Kinabuchs Grill and Bar, Ka bands and talents. Check out the relaxing vibe and
Lui or Lotus Garden. acoustic music at Woodstock.

SLEEP Microtel Inn and Suites offers excellent SLEEP Caraga Hotel is very affordable and
beachfront rooms 20 minutes from the city center. remains a great place to get a good night’s rest. It’s
They use chiropractor-approved beds! Tel: (48) conveniently located in the heart of the city, along
723 0977 www.microtel-palawan.com Montilla Boulevard.

Teodoro
Eugenio Mark
Pena, Jr Dolaoco
Pag-ibig Fund
president
teller
Emerald Playa

MUST SEE Visit Ugong Rock, a BEST BUYS Cakes and pastries
75m tall limestone formation, for at Red Apple and Margie’s are the
climbing and cave exploration. best for pasalubong.

INSIDER TIP The Emerald Playa BEST SOUVENIRS Agusan’s

Beach is the preferred venue for beach golden Tara miniature from Madjaw
events here. Tel: (48) 723 1615 Karajaw along JC Aquino. Avenue.

MUST TRY The tamilok, a MUST VISIT Check into a

Palawan delicacy that’s a worm-like floating cottage at Almont lake
mollusk collected from mangroves. It’s resort in Jabonga, with a pretty
available at Kinabuchs Bar. view of Mainit Lake.

D YOU
DID The Underground River in Palawan is
K
KNOW? the world’s longest navigable river.

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JOJIE ALCANTARA
SAMUEL DE LEON
PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES
CAGAYAN DE ORO DAVAO
AREA CODE (88) AREA CODE (82)
CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02) CURRENCY PHP1 = US$0.02

TOUCHDOWN CEB runs a shuttle van to town. TOUCHDOWN Francisco Bangoy International
Or you can take a taxi for PHP300 or a cheaper Airport or the Davao International Airport is about
jeepney service for PHP20. Taxis, jeepneys, 15 minutes away from the city center. Davaoeño
motorcycles and multicabs ply the town proper so cabbies are known for their honesty, so a taxi from
there’s no need to worry about getting stranded. the airport to the hotel is par for the course.

BY DAY Play golf at Pueblo de Oro’s world class BY DAY Do low altitude and high altitude
championship golf course designed by Robert activities at Outland Adventure, the largest
Trent Jones II. A big driving range, clubhouse, tee ropes course facility nestled in a verdant nature
houses and practice putting greens complete the sanctuary. Go shooting at the Davao Shooting
golf course facilities. Range, or relax on Samal island beaches.

BY NIGHT There are manyl nightclubs and BY NIGHT F Torres has so much to offer people
karaoke places as well as good restaurants in who thrive on good food, drinks and nighttime
Cagayan de Oro. Check out the Night Café, a good merry-making . Damosa Gateway is another
place to hang out near Limketkai Mall which is option: the dinner at Spirale is one of the best in
open from Friday to Sunday. town. Take someone special.

SLEEP Treat yourself to a room with a view of the SLEEP D’ Leonor Hotel the newest in the city,
golf course at Hotel Koresco. It may be pricier than best price for the best room accommodations.
most hotels, but provides great service and world- It’s cosy like a business hotel, but with first-class
class amenities. www.hotelkoresco.com service. JP Laurel Avenue

Carlos R Jhoi
Vallés Ciriaco
golf club HR practitioner
manager

BEST FESTIVAL The annual BEST BREAKFAST I highly

fiesta honoring Saint Augustine is recommend Marco Polo Hotel’s
held on August 28. breakfast buffet.

BEST DINNER Relish the BEST BUYS Shop at Uyanguren,

Arroz Valenciana, a local version of Davao’s very own version of
Spanish paella. Chinatown and Divisoria.

MUST DO Enjoy a couple of LOCAL SPEAK Say “palihug

rounds of golf at the best golf course kan on” when dining at a barbecue
in Mindanao, the Pueblo de Oro Golf place. These places serve unlimited
and Country Club. rice – just ask for more.

D YOU
DID Gateway to Mindanao, Davao city
K
KNOW? is a great investment haven.

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LESTER LEDESMA

PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES
GENERAL SANTOS ZAMBOANGA
AREA CODE +673 AREA CODE (62)
CURRENCY PHP1 = US$0.02 CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02)

TOUCHDOWN Hire a taxi at the airport for a TOUCHDOWN From the airport, take a jeepney
flat rate (PHP300–350). If you don’t have much (PHP7) or tricycle (PHP20–25) to the pueblo (city)
luggage, a habal-habal motorbike for PHP100 will as there are only a few taxis. Plissap Rent-A-Car
suffice. In the city, it’s tricycles that will be your charges a minimum of PHP150, and may be the
main means of getting where you want to go. best way to go.

BY DAY If you seek adventure, spend a day BY DAY A visit to Zamboanga is never complete
hiking to Nopol Hill where you can see the best without a trip to Pasonanca Park. The park houses
of nature in the area. Another option is to go to a three swimming pools, a boy scout camp, a tree
nearby beach like Veteran’s Beach or the Tinoto house, a butterfly garden and aviary, so there’s
Wall Complex. plenty for the kids to do.

BY NIGHT Sing your heart out at Piyesta KTV & BY NIGHT Eat balut and kwek-kwek at RT Lim
Restobar, Alfresco Robinsons Place Gensan. There Boulevard, pass by Paseo del Mar and enjoy the
are live acoustic bands every Friday and Saturday. sea breeze, visit Tropical Spa at Garden Orchid
Also check out JMIX bar owned by Manny Hotel for a relaxing massage and enjoy any
Paquiao. If you’re lucky, catch him onstage! other spa services.

SLEEP Sydney Hotel is right at the heart of SLEEP Just a five-minute walk from the airport is
Gensan and offers a great view of the new Plaza the fine Garden Orchid Hotel. Stay in comfortable
Heneral Santos. It’s just 20 minutes away from airconditioned rooms with cable TV and hot and
the airport, and close to the shopping centers. cold shower. www.gardenorchidhotel.com

Donna
Mae Petite
Congson Tarrazona
station officer
entrepreneur

BEST BUYS Corn husk products BEST EATS Aside from our
are available at Gensan Gardeners sumptuous sea foods, try Muslim
Club Oval Plaza. delicacies like pastil and satti.

MUST VISIT Lake Sebu and LOCAL SPEAK Learn “que tal?”
experience the thrill while on a zip- (“how are you?”) and “buenas dias!”
line coasting over the waterfalls. (“good morning”).

BEST DINNER For the best BEST FESTIVAL This month,

chicken barbecue in town visit witness cultural shows, carnivals, a
Nadies Chicken House – it’s regatta and torch parade during the
really delicious! Hermosa Festival.

D YOU
DID General Santos celebrates the
K
KNOW? Kalilangan Festival in February.

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EDGAR ALAN ZETA YAP

EDSEL OCHOA
PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES
SURIGAO SIARGAO
AREA CODE (86) AREA CODE (86)
CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02) CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02)

TOUCHDOWN Upon your arrival, you can hire TOUCHDOWN Taxis are available both at the
a jeepney or a tricycle to get around the city. airport and at Dapa Pier. You can also ride a
Although there are no taxis, most hotels offer a habal-habal or an extended seat motorbike to
complimentary van pick-up from the airport as your accomodations. On the island itself, there are
well as for departure. mini and jeepney buses

BY DAY Sohoton Cove is a must see. Be amazed BY DAY Surf, of course! Or, watch professional
at the lush cliffs and clear blue waters inside the surfers from all over the world conquer the
cove. Keep an eye out for the Horseshoe, a rock barreling waves in Cloud 9. You can also go island
formation unique to Sohoton. Make sure to bring hopping, fishing, snorkeling and kayaking. Or you
your camera, as picture opportunities abound. can jus laze on the beach.

BY NIGHT Have drinks at Dominic’s Sports Bar BY NIGHT Hang out at the different resorts and
at Hotel Tavern. They have a wide range of liquor get to know friendly owners and other tourists and
and wine to choose from, cable TV at the bar and backpackers from different countries. There is also
live bands that perform from Monday to Saturday, the Boulevard where locals hang out, and you can
for those who want groove. get the low-down.

SLEEP Stay at the Almont Beach Resort where SLEEP Sagana Resort, right in front of the famous
they offer luxurious hillside rooms, 24-hour room surf break Cloud 9, has well-designed laid back
service, a wide beachfront and a large pool. It’s a cottages, friendly owners and a delicious menu.
very good option in the area. www.cloud9surf.com

Anne Elaine
Marie Abonal
Bonotan writer/surfer/
data analyst photographer

BEST DINNER For the best BEST BREAKFAST Fresh fruits

barbecue, try any of the barbecue and coconut juice from a coconut
stalls in Bilang Bilang. picked from a tree on the island.

INSIDER TIP The best place to BEST DINNER Try the huge
experience the amazing sunset is at burritos from Nine Bar. Perfect after
Mabua pebble beach. a day of surfing or island hopping.

BEST SOUVENIRS INSIDER TIP Learn surfing

Sayungsong – glutinous rice and basics and be careful about where
coconut wrapped with banana leaves you’re wiping out – on reef or sand.
– and bibingka from AnaoAon. Better to be safe than sorry.

D YOU
DID Siargao’s surfing wave was dubbed
K
KNOW? Cloud Nine by foreign surfers.

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LESTER LEDESMA
PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES
COTABATO OZAMIZ
AREA CODE (64) AREA CODE (88)
CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02) CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02)

TOUCHDOWN You can hire a taxi at the airport TOUCHDOWN The Ozamiz City Airport is in
for PHP100–200. When in the city,you can get Gango. You will need to take a taxi and the ride
around by tricycle, jeepney or you can also hail will set you back PHP60. Within the city, it’s
a cab – there are a handful of taxis that make the only PHP6 to go anywhere. Get around town by
rounds of the town. trisikads which are plentiful.

BY DAY Explore PC Hill, a 90-foot stone fort also BY DAY Visit the bells for a little brush of history
known as Tawantawan. Climb to the highest point at Bucagan Hills. Experience the dramatic sunset
of the hill where a 360-degree view of the city at Clarin with the Malindang Range as backdrop
awaits, and click away to your heart’s content. Try while sipping a hot cocoa concoction at Clarin
to catch the sunset views. Suman Village.

BY NIGHT Have dinner at Casa Blanca, Las BY NIGHT Camping at Hoyohoy Stone Chapel
Hermanas or Mardoney’s which all serve great- and enjoy a birds-eye view of Ozamiz City and
tasting Filipino dishes. After dinner, catch local its nearby towns. Or you can drop by M-BAR at
talents perform at the bars along Sinsuat Avenue, Dewberry Coffee Shop to groove the night away
which can be a lot of fun. with friends.

SLEEP Hotel Castro, on Sinsuat Avenue, has 34 SLEEP 67th Boulevard Pension Haus, located
airconditioned rooms with basic amenities, a coffee at the heart of the city for a comfy and affordable
shop, a jazz bar and a rooftop restaurant. Tel: (64) stay. They have wifi for lodgers and offer excellent
421 5343/ 421 2709 value for money.

Karen OZC
Salipuran League
airport services
account supervisor department

BEST SOUVENIRS Shop for BEST BREAKFAST Try pancit

malongs, tubaos and shawls from molo at Central Restaurant paired
Sariling Atin. with Remies Pan Ramona.

INSIDER TIP Don’t stay out too MUST DO Snorkel or dive with
late, don’t show too much skin and the dolphins at Misamis Occidental
don’t stare. Aqua Marine Park.

BEST BUYS Inasal from BBQ BEST BUYS Alegue-laden

Stand Stall 2, fresh lumpia from crabs and bamboo furniture. For
Michael’s Snackhauz, palabok from souvenirs, take home some colorful
Mardoney’s and Kitok’s pastil. coconut coir mats.

D YOU
DID Cotabato tends to flood during the
K
KNOW? rainy season, as its river overflows.

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EDGAR ALAN ZETA YAP

PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES
DIPOLOG PAGADIAN
AREA CODE (65) AREA CODE (02)
CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02) CURRENCY Philippine Peso (PHP1 = US$0.02)

TOUCHDOWN There are tricycles as well as TOUCHDOWN Tricycles are the main means of
single motorcycle services from the airport to transport around the city. What’s more, Pagadian’s
the city. The fare is negotiable, ranging from tricycles are unique: they’re inclined at a 25˚ to
PHP10–30. Once in the city, it’s tricycles that will 40˚ angle which allows them to negotiate the
be your main go-to. exceptionally hilly terrain.

BY DAY Go around the city by foot and you’ll BY DAY Take a tricycle around rotunda for the
stumble upon little tables on sidewalks laden with city’s best panoramic views. Zipline at Dao for the
fresh fruit from private farms. See the Holy Rosary thrillseeker’s alternative. Visit the Twin Caves and
Cathedral. Its altar was designed by Dr Jose Rizal see the white monkeys and the green waterfalls
and built in 1896. in the forest.

BY NIGHT For a romantic dinner, go to Seabreeze BY NIGHT Dine at Greenhouse Restaurant with
restaurant where you can dine on a terrace with its famed black jewel tilapia and sisig. Also, night
a vast expanse of sea and sky as your backdrop. market along Urro street’s pork barbecue – PHP1
Head over to Fusebox on Quezon Avenue for a per stick. Now that’s really affordable for the
nightcap with friends. genuine taste you’re getting. Delicious!

SLEEP La Siesta Inn is a no frills inn along Turno SLEEP Hotel Alindahaw is a 31-room hotel on
Highway. Rooms are simple, clean and equipped Rizal Avenue. Room rates that start at PHP950.
with aircondition, cable TV, Wi-Fi and a private The hotel also has a 24-hour restaurant, café, and
bathroom. www.lasiestainn.ph two bars. www.hotelalindahaw.com

Maisalian
Julian Francis
Acopiado Dave Acla
college businessman
professor

MUST DO Eat in family-owned BEST BREAKFAST Go to

seafood restaurants, savor the local Springland resort and LS fastfood.
halo-halo and climb the Linabo Steps. Try pandesal from Sam’s bakeshop.

INSIDER TIP Casual, laid-back, BEST NIGHT OUT JB’s Inato

even resort wear are considered Grill for a chill night out. Django’s
acceptable city wear. for a louder beat and some billiards.

BEST NIGHT OUT For LOCAL SPEAK To agree, say

party animals, visit Fat Cat, Balai “way blema bai,” which means “no
RestoBar, AV Bar, The Turnpike or problem, buddy.” Now make sure
Brews and Cues. you say that with a smile.

D YOU
DID Pagadian is the “Little Hong Kong
K
KNOW? of the South” because of its hills.

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 Listings Lounge
To advertise your business in the listings directory, please contact Smile magazine
sales team, tel: +65 6324 2386, email: smile@ink-publishing.com

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 route map

Where to next?
Beijing

Incheon
JAPAN
KOREA Busan
Osaka

Asia CHINA

Shanghai

Taipei

TAIWAN
Guangzhou
Hong Kong
Macau

CLARK
THAILAND
MANILA
Bangkok
VIETNAM THE PHILIPPINES
Ho Chi Minh City CEBU

Kota Kinabalu
MALAYSIA Bandar Seri Begawan
Kuala Lumpur BRUNEI
SINGAPORE
Singapore

map legend
INDONESIA
Cebu Pacific Hub
City with airport
Jakarta
Cebu Pacific International flight
Cebu Pacific Domestic flight
Cebu Pacific new route

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 route map

Laoag

Tuguegarao

Cauayan

The Philippines
CLARK

MANILA

Naga Virac

Legazpi

Catarman
San Jose
Busuanga Calbayog
Caticlan
Kalibo
Roxas
Tacloban

Iloilo
Bacolod
CEBU

Surigao
Puerto Princesa Tagbilaran Siargao

Dumaguete

Butuan

Dipolog
Cagayan De Oro

Ozamiz

Pagadian

Cotabato
DAVAO
Zamboanga

General Santos

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 Cebu Pacific is flying high,
with a target of 10 million
passengers by end of 2010

The cabin crewmembers

who did the safety dance
that generated eight
million hits on Youtube

CEB Dancing FA
video goes viral!
REFLECTING ingenuity and fun,
Cebu Pacific (CEB) innovated their
communication of air flight safety
reminders. Last month, everyone got
a treat when a YouTube video went
viral, and made it on American Idol
host Ryan Seacrest’s website and
CNN.com. On it, flight attendants
did a choreographed dance to Lady
Gaga’s Just Dance and Katy Perry’s
California Gurls as a way of delivering
the message. “We plan to roll this
out onto more flights, as another way
of expressing our fun culture,” says
Candice Iyog, VP for marketing and
distribution. Not compromising safety,
passengers still got the standard
safety demo, followed by the dance.
The male cabin crew also performed Finishing 2010
with a bang
their version of the flight safety demo
to the 1980s hit, Safety Dance.

Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) culminates the year with rapid growth
thanks to more passengers picking the airline as their first
choice for leisure and business flights

ONCE AGAIN, the Philippines’ largest airline August are traditionally lean travel months,
proves that good business can only get better. CEB managed to exceed its passenger and
Cebu Pacific (CEB) forecasted improved revenue targets. We are confident that we
airline performance in the second half of can sustain our growth this second half

Keep in
BUY TH
THE
HE CEBU 2010, compared to the same period in 2009. as we have exceptionally strong forward
Pacific Mobile This is based on the existing July–August bookings leading up to the Christmas peak

touch PHOTO CHELLE SERRANO (KYRA AWARDS)

Travel SIM passenger revenues and forward bookings for travel season,” said Candice Iyog, CEB VP
onboard! By doing the September–December 2010 period. The for marketing and distribution. The company
so, you can stay in airline flew more than 1.6 million passengers that pioneered low budget flights in the
touch with family and in July–August 2010, up 12% compared to country has its sights set on flying 10.4 million
friends as soon as you the same period last year, and revenues passengers by the end of 2010, a goal they’re
touch down in Manila. increased by 41% as yield improved on both confident about. CEB has already flown 4.1
The cards are available for purchase domestic and international routes. Forward million domestic and one million international
on all CEB international flights. Ask bookings from September–December 2010 passengers during the January–June 2010
your flight attendant for details on are also up by 60% compared with the period. To book your flight today, log on to
CEB’s Sun sim’s extra offerings. same period in 2009. “Even if July and www.cebupacificair.com

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 airline news

The WWF-Philippines team members

show off their KYRA awards

The winners pose with

Candice Iyog (left)

Cheers to the winning

Wandering Juan Bloggers
CEBU PACIFIC’S FIRST Wandering Juan
Travel Blog Contest drew together local
bloggers to share their exciting travel
adventures with the world. The judges
evaluated entries, considering not only how
the blogger wrote about fun and budget
travels, but also their quality of expression
and striking snapshots. Those that emerged
triumphant received two-month-unlimited
domestic travel passes and a two-night/
WWF-
P
and C hilippines
three-day stay courtesy of Cebu Pacific’s

Champions for are he

ebu P
a
lping p cific
r
Fun Tour partners in Cebu.
Angel Juarez described his ultimate
Apo R otect
the environment eef
island adventure in Calguas, Camarines
Norte on www.lakwatsero.com, and took
the honors for the Adventure and Sports
THANKS TO THEIR efforts to raise funds for category. Estan Cabigas of www.langyaw.
ecological preservation, the World Wide Fund com bagged the Culture and Heritage
for Nature (WWF-Philippines) ran off with the prize with a picturesque description of
most awards at the recent 2010 KYRA Awards, his hometown Cebu. For the Leisure and
which recognizes excellence in Philippine Relaxation category, Marcos Caratao, Jr
fundraising campaigns. Its Earth Hour won (www.ambot-ah.com) came first for his
for “Best Event” and its Bright Skies for solo backpacking Palawan trip. The Best
Every Juan took “Best Non-Profit Corporate Travel Blog with a Cause was that of Ma
Relationship Award”. Blanca dela Cruz (nanblancs.wordpress.
Bright Skies for Every Juan is a Cebu Pacific com), who blogged about her outreach
(CEB)-led climate adaptation project that activity at Aplaya Elementary School
prepares Asia’s largest coral reef, Apo Reef, in Bohol. Finally, the Best Travel Blog
and its community, for impending climate Says CEB VP for marketing and distribution Photography winner was Ada Lajara (www.
effects. CEB passengers are invited to support Candice Iyog, “This project is in its second adaphobic.com) who described her Zorb
climate adaptation programs by making an year, and we continue to receive great Park experience in Davao City through
online donation when booking tickets for the feedback from those who want to help in the wacky and vibrant photos. Lajara received
upkeep of Apo Reef. CEB passengers realize WWF-Philippines’ climate adaptation efforts. a Fun Tours Picturebook Travelers Edition
that helping the environment can be easily We rely on people’s willingness to make a package while dela Cruz won a special Fun
integrated into their daily lives. difference.” www.cebupacificair.com Tours package.

Cebu Pacific backs Irish driver Gary Thompson

PHOTO CHELLE SERRANO (KYRA AWARDS)

AFTER FINISHING THIRD in his last race in “Gary’s aspiration to progress in the
Sugo, Japan, Gary Thompson — the Irish racer international racing arena mirrors Cebu Pacific’s
who won last year’s Formula BMW Pacific goal to keep moving ahead,” says Candice
Rookie Cup — is ready for more. With his Iyog, CEB VP for marketing and distribution.
Cebu Pacific (CEB)-backed Dallara chassis, the Last year, he took home the Rookie Cup in
Gary Thompson gets 18-year-old took the wheel during the 2010 the Formula BMW Pacific season. Follow
ready for the Japanese season at Autopolis International Circuit, Japan him at twitter@ gthompsonracing, www.
Formula 3 Championship
on October 16–17. garythompsonracing.com.

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 onboard shopping

1 2 3 4

5 6 7

8 9 10 111

12
2 13
3 14 15

Onboard Merchandise
1. CEB weekender bag NEW! PHP220 6. Mini shoulder bag PHP180 11. CEB blanket PHP290
セブ・デザインのウィークエンド・バッグ ミニ・ショルダーバッグ / セブ・デザインのブランケット
（新商品！）/ +-*၁ሙ࿟౵෱ཅືዜ  ුఁ༓ధ෱੟຺ፂ຺ +-*కဠ

2. CEB wrist watch PHP250 7. CEB plane and puzzle set PHP300 12. CEB sleep kit PHP200 each
セブ・デザインのリスト・ウォッチ セブ・デザインの飛行機とパズルのセット セブ・デザインの睡眠キット
+-*໷ඛགྷઢ +-*๗ጌૺဉኩჩໞቼ +-*༘ඓ࿝ၦ౵౅ૐ

3. Souvenir shirt PHP180 8. Mobile travel SIM PHP500 13. CEB comfort kit PHP400
お土産用Tシャツ (available on all International flights) セブ・デザインのカンフォート・キット
ૺஸ໧ᆫ 携帯用トラベルSIMカード +-*੝ኻ፨ఝဧዜ
（全国際線にてお求めになれます）
4. A320 die-cast plane PHP500 ጆ౵዇࿥ጌဧ;15ᆽ౵૑႞໓ஏን൯ 14. CEB camera case PHP100
ダイキャストのミニ飛行機 (also available in fuschia)
ఋၦᇅ༺ቼකጨ๗ጌૺ 9. CEB stuffed toy PHP260 セブ・デザインのカメラケース
セブ・デザインのぬいぐるみ （スモーク・ピンクもあり）
5. Sporty and fashion PHP200 each +-*ဋૐၨጨ +-*ᆽඈೡᇛၦ༺ኒ೩ჰጵ຺
eyewear with case
スポーツ・タイプとファッション・ デザインの 10. CEB smart plug PHP360 15. CEB luggage strap PHP220
サングラス、 ケース付き (for regional flights only) セブ・デザインのラゲージ・ストラップ
༺ዅᆫኞ໩໓૳ೡ༺ᇛၦ༺ዅጀ セブ・デザインのプラグ +-*࿥ጌਜ਼෮୬
(近距離便のみに使用可）
+-*༺ൠቼྤఖሽ
૱੿൘ጃલኻஏን൯

For other terms and conditions, please refer to the next page (Onboard Eats)

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 onboard treats

Mini coffee buns Sardine turnover

Sausage puff Ham and cheese on wholewheat

Onboard Eats
SNACKS スナック / ༺ஐ SAVORY SNACKS 軽食 / ถු༺ஐ Imported beer PHP150
(Kirin — Japan flights only)
Mini coffee buns NEW! PHP100 Sardine turnover PHP100 輸入ビール(日本便のみ)
Tasty Taiwan-style coffee-flavored buns filled Light and flakey puffs filled with sardines ༘ၮ൰჎ૺ൚ၩม๗ጌኻ࿝ൢၰၗ
with custard in a Spanish blend
ミニ・コーヒー・バン(新商品！） サーディン・ロール (新商品！） Juice PHP50
ුఁᇑዳ๫ᇑ༺ረ౵ਜ਼౹࿌੝ఝൢང๫ ႜ࿌൘ົ౵၁ᆳཅືዜ  ジュース / ტ༺

Cup noodles PHP50/100 Sausage puff PHP100 Green tea PHP50

(beef/chicken/seafood) Flakey puff pastries wrapped around whole 緑茶/ ீᅍ
カップヌードル （ビーフ／チキン／シーフード) German frankfurters
Flavored green tea HALAL CERTIFIED PHP50
ᇗೡඓ༊ધૺᆳሢጄຮම ソーセージ・パフ / ཮ໞხ๫ (C2 apple and lemon)
Shrimp big bowl PHP200 フレーバー・グリーン・ティー
Ham and cheese PHP100
(for all international flights) （Ｃ２アップルとレモン）
on wholewheat ઴ၩጎᅍຫ઴അඝዾ೤ၨჭ
エビ入りビッグ・ボウル Slices of sweet ham and cheese on a
（全国際線にてお求めになれます） wholewheat croissant CEB instant coffee PHP60
ູဨೡඓማຫ෧૑႞໓ஏን൯ ハムとチーズの全粒粉パン A satisfyingly flavorful blend
ገᆳღቛෘሙചဉື インスタント・コーヒー
Shin big bowl PHP200
(for all international flights) ၨ༺ሿቼᇑዳ
シン・ビッグ・ボウル (全国際線にてお求めにな
れます) / ཅೡඓማຫ෧૑႞໓ஏን൯ DRINKS お飲み物 / ၗഭ Café mocha HALAL CERTIFIED PHP80
Made with double espresso and dark chocolate.
Chips PHP50 Chocolate malt NEW! HALAL CERTIFIED PHP50 A treat for coffee lovers!
(Chippy HALAL CERTIFIED and Piattos) チョコレート・モールト（新商品！） カフェ・モカ
チップス （チッピーと ピアトス) ᅾᇯഋඞቼཅືዜ ዾ೤ၨჭ ᆽኲකᆽዾ೤ၨჭ
ᆺ༺ஐዾ೤ၨჭ
Mineral water (Hidden Spring) PHP50 Creamy dark chocolate HALAL CERTIFIED PHP80
Butter loaf PHP50 ミネラル・ウォーター（ヒドゥン・スプリング） This real cacao and low fat milk concoction
バターローフ / ෾ሽ๫ ແ༘ is rich and creamy for people with a sweet tooth!
クリーミー・ダーク・チョコレート
Cheese roll PHP80 Canned soda PHP50 ิ౵೻ဪఋሙᅾᇯഋዾ೤ၨჭ
チーズ・ロール / ᆳღഝ 缶入りソーダ / ᇇ໴ఋ
Brewed coffee HALAL CERTIFIED PHP80
Dried mangoes, 200g HALAL CERTIFIED PHP250 Local beer PHP100 This 100% premium coffee is a special blend
(for all international flights) ローカル・ビール made just for Cebu Pacific
ドライマンゴ２００Ｇ （全国際線にてお求めにな ጢხ൰჎ຮුૐ࿠൰჎ ブレンド・コーヒー
れます）/ ൥൚൫ધ/૑႞໓ஏን൯ ဴ౞ᇑዳዾ೤ၨჭ
ዾ೤ၨჭ

* All savory snacks have no preservatives 保存料は使用しておりません / ෮ิ႞ඳᅫਜ਼

PLEASE NOTE: • Items may vary depending on the route • Subject to available stock • Goods sold are not refundable • We accept foreign currency — please inquire with cabin crew
お客様へ： 上記の商品は在庫に限りがあります。 いったんお買い求めいただいた商品の返品はご遠慮ください。外貨でのお支払いにも応じますので、乗務員にお申し付けください。
၉ၡຫጃ" ႁધ೺࿝ಋೡต౏ౙ༘ၰཀఁఋҟን൯ౘමዜၔጹุၦ౗ხྨཀఁఋҟဘ૑ጹ౅෦ཀఁఋགඳဴ࿝઎බၡዻཊགྷ࿼

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