Bohol - Cebu Trip (092012): Day 1 - Ship Haus, Chocolate Hills and Man Made Forest

After the Loboc River Cruise, we went off to see the Chocolate Hills. This was the main event of the day for me as it would be my first to see them not just in books and postcards. Yey! Along the way, our attention was caught by this Ship-shaped house (that was a tongue twister haha) so we went down from the service and took a picture or two. Picture taking was free, but donations were encouraged. 

After a 20 minute ride, we had our first glimpse of a hill. 10 minutes after that, we found ourselves walking up to the viewing deck. It was a breath-taking climb (literally and figuratively). We were slow in pace for the parents, often taking a short sit at the benches at the sides. It was one cardio, I tell you :p 

It was a beautiful site, being surrounded by greens and a few chocolate colored ones. We stayed at the top for just a few minutes as it was pretty hot at the viewing deck, good thing it was windy. There was a photographer who'd take your picture as if you were flying over the hills. We didn't bother to ask how much as we expect it to be overpriced.  At the bottom were tinderas of various snacks including chocolate milk drinks made from carabao milk. I would have bought one had I not feared my stomach might react to it which would not be good as we still have tons of places to visit. 

On the way to the Tarsier Conservation, we passed through the Man Made Forest,and of course, we parked at the side to take some pictures. It was amazing that this was man made, and from the looks of all the trees, they must have been planted way back. Kuya Cito told us the year, I just couldn't remember it. 

Next Stop: Tarsier Conservation and Butterfly Farm

Bohol - Cebu Trip (092012): Day 1 - Xzootic Animal Park and Loboc River

So after the quick visit to Baclayon Church, we went to Xzootic Animal Park, where you have to pay (if I remember right, P12 each of entrance fee). It's a small zoo along the road side. Since I've been to zoos when I was a kid, this was just a so-so experience for me. The only highlight was that we were able to pet this huge snake (he was asleep). Yes I held him, just once haha. And Hedwig was there too! :p 

We didn't stay that long in the zoo. We just bought some pasalubong and decided to go straight to Loboc River for lunch. I think it's imperative that when you go to Bohol, you have to have lunch cruising the Loboc River. We paid P300/head for the boat ride and lunch. My Tita (who has been to Bohol a month before we did) said that the food depends on the boat you ride. We chose the one recommended by Kuya Cito. The food wasn't really that good as I expected them to be. Some were actually dry, and though it was a buffet, my seconds were just mainly fruits. We were given a bottle of soda each and because I'm not really into sodas, I forced myself to buy their bottled water overpriced at P40 each. :(

Though my tummy wasn't that satisfied, my eyes were. I grew up in the city and I light up really when I see greens. Loboc river was teeming with green life. And the air, so fresh! At the end of the river was a waterfall and a floating hut where locals were waiting for every boat riders to go down and join them in their singing and dancing. 

Next stop: Ship Haus and Man Made Forest

Bohol - Cebu Trip (092012): Day 1 - Baclayon Church

As a post anniversary gala and to let Papa have his first airplane ride, I planned for a local trip and the seat sale offered a trip to Bohol so off we went! :)

 I'm obsessive compulsive, so a month before the actual trip, everything was already taken care of - the place where we would stay and the tour packages. It was just supposed to be a 3 day Bohol tour but 2 weeks prior to the trip, Cebu Pacific emailed and called me saying that the flight back to Manila is cancelled and we needed to pick another one. Having learned from officemates that Cebu is just a 2 hour ship ride from Bohol, I took this opportunity and booked the going home flight a day after the original one and in Mactan Airport. :) This is Papa's first, so he was pretty thrilled about the trip. The flight is at 8:20 am and despite my parents wanting to be in the airport 2 hours before the schedule, we arrived at 7:00, thanks to me being "kilos pagong". :p

Kuya Cito, our driver/tour guide was already waiting for us in the terminal. He worked for Cherry's Home Too were we stayed. We're pretty practical and picked a budget friendly inn without sacrificing comfort. My thinking was, why choose an expensive hotel when you will be out most of the time?

First stop was the Baclayon Church, which I always mispronounce as BACLA-yon. Apparently it's BAC-layon according to hubby hehe.

According to the sign, it is the oldest coral stone church in that region. Hubby has this thing about old structure so needless to say, he was busy taking pictures while being awed of how beautiful the church is. He even wanted to go to the museum but the parents were not that into it, so we didn't.

The altar looked like the one in Sts. Peter and Paul where we got married. The church, since it was old, had a great number of cracks in its paint-faded walls. At the back, there was what seems to be a bamboo organ though I'm not sure. Outside the church was a figure of  Padre Pio which I didn't notice had Hubby not pointed it out. 

*copying the picture from Hubby's blog. 

Next stop: Xzootic Animal Park and Loboc River

North Park Dinner

Wanting some Chinese food, we went and ate at North Park after our window shopping date at Market! Market! It was probably around 7pm and we were 2nd to the list of waiting guest. We didn't wait that long and we were given seats after 5 or 10 minutes. 

The other table occupied by a family of 5 ordered noodles which were tempting but since I wanted rice we went for their Lechon Macau, dumplings and Young Chow Fried rice. 

We've eaten quite a few times at North Park but it has always been at Greenbelt. At the Greenbelt branch, you'd starve first before they serve you your food so I was a bit surprise when ours came in in just a few minutes :) Their Lechon Macau is a must try. It's crunchy and tasty but if you want it with a little vegetable you can opt to get the Lechon Macau with Talong instead. For me, that's their best seller, we just didn't get it this time because we wanted to try the "dry" version. Their dumplings were good as well and the rice was good enough for 3. 

Next time we dine here, I'll try their noodles :) 

North Park Noodle House
Ground Floor,Market! Market! 
Mckinley Parkway, Taguig
Philippines