Wensha Spa - Pasay City (24 Hours Open)

ABBEY: After our adventure in Cebu and arrived in Manila we went directly from the airport to Wensha spa in Pasay. The place was jam-packed as it was a holiday. After a couple of minutes we are in the start of the line for payment. One person costs including the use of jacuzzi, sauna, shower, hot and cold pool. We were each given and locker for personal belongings, fresh towel, robe, and slippers. We changed clothes and hit the shower and pools. A new experience for me to dip in nudist pools. I didn't got the time to use sauna as my body wanted to lay down and have a massage. Ginger-infused oil was used on me and it gave me a warm and relaxing feeling. I started to snore as I went into slumberland. Sadly, the massage session ended.

I woke up and went to buffet table to recharge. Afritada, pancit canton, vegetable salad, fried sweet potato and soup were served during our visit. After eating, we changed clothes again and went home. Areas to improve; lessen the noise of masseurs waiting in massage area and clean the couch in spa lobby. I saw an adult cockroach roaming in it.

WILL: Well, this is a fascinating buzz in the spa business, Wensha as one of the most loved spa. And here is my view not by smudging other reviews but to clear and be true. 
      Abbey and I set up this occasion to bond with my siblings and after they picked us up at NAIA Terminal 2 we straight go their Pasay branch. 
      Astonished that there is so many people on queue to do some relaxation and shabu-shabu buffet. We took our lockers and walked-in to their all girls jacuzzi, steam bath, showers. I am pretty shocked that some girls just walking around wearing their birthday suit. No! I never dropped off my towel. Ha!ha! 
      After minutes of steam bath, I took a long hot shower then went to the other side of the building to get some kneading. Surprise number two, their walls is very dirty. So dirty I can see it even the the room  is not well lit. Shivering cold was felt and I thought I am the only feeling it, but when my masseur came in, she also complain how cold the air conditioning was. 4th surprise, every room have 2 beds and they never had any curtain for the privacy of the clients. The massage is not good, it seems that the lady is very tired. 
     Shabu-shabu is not that nice nor bad. We took this opportunity for some picture taking and some stories were told. For around P900 we had experienced this. Wensha must do some serious renovation in their place and train their masseurs even lot more. 

Plantation Bay Resort And Spa - Cebu Philippines

ABBEY: When Wilma told me that we will be checking at Plantation Bay, I was excited. The resort is popular for its good reputation. But I didn't expected that it was a very long ride from our previous destination in Balamban; making us late and tired upon check in. It was my mistake not to do my homework about the locations :) 

We were given a room at poolside. It's a two-twin bed room with a tub. With no time to spare we changed to swimming attire and hit the pool. One pool is freshwater and the other is seawater. We let ourselves relax at their jacuzzi. After our dinner we head back to our room and had a goodnight sleep. 

In the morning we had breakfast at . We trie their clubhouse, beef tapa, and bread platter; all for less than 2500php. We took some snaps in the beach and visited the souvenir shop. Upon  checking out we were given complimentary sweets. A night stay costs almost 9000php but its worth it. 

WILL: I have heard a lot of good traits of Plantation Bay Resort and Spa. This over 10 hectares of land cradled me and my friends for a night costing us USD197.12, poolside room, excluded of breakfast. Expensive? Yes it is. 

      We checked-in around 2pm and we were assisted by their staff and hop on in their golf carts and walked our way to our room. Our room has two tin sized bed, a bathtub and a very refreshing site of pool and gazebo. When we are all ready to go, we went first to their sea salt pool. I don't like this pool, it gave me an itchy feeling, when the sun went down, we dipped in their jacuzzis and lasted our stay for almost an hour. Hydro massage is really amazing. This gave a good night sleep. 

    Morning in Plantation Bay, we strolled the vicinity, bought some souvenirs, visited their beach, and had a sumptuous breakfast at the Kilimanjaro Cafe. 

    This is a great staycation. I regret?! Oh, I wish we stayed longer here.  Haha! 

Gran Tierra Suites

ABBEY: Grand tierra accommodated us on our first night in Cebu. The rate for a deluxe room is 750php for a person; additional pax costs 150. Walking a few meters and you'll be at Osmena boulevard; a 10-minute ride to Ayala Center. Warm staff welcomes you upon checking in with delicious cheese roll and biscotcho to fill in your hunger from travel. The room is spacious and comfy. One thing to improve though, it would be better to have one more drain in the comfort room other than in the bath. Thanks to them for keeping our danggit and pusit safe until we go back to Manila.

WILL: This is highly recommended by my friend Denise and our level of appreciation is and likes are just the same level. This Gran Tierra Suites is just located along Cebu Doctor's Hospital, a quite new one and very affordable. 
      As we entered the room, its spacious and clean and have a very approachable staffs. There is a free hot and cold mineral water just outside of our room. I enjoyed their complimentary basket of breads. Oh, they also provide toiletries except toothbrush and toothpaste. No choice but to buy two for us. We had a great sleep on that night.  
      After checking out, we asked the receptionist if we could leave some of our baggage and they confirmed on it. Nothing was lost after  we left those bags for almost 2 days. Recommendable for people traveling on tight budget. One night costs Php 750 and reserve it in advance since this is place is always fully-booked. 

Adventure Cafe - Balamban Cebu

ABBEY: My feet got cold and hands sweating when I knew that we will be zipping the line. With all her powers, Wilma convinced me "again" to go for this thrill-ride. The place was called The Adventure Cafe. 

Putting the harness makes me more nervous. When we were called at the platform, I muster all the bravery left and went for the ride. Maybe it was my weight that made zipping not too fast; made me to enjoy seeing the greens and ravine below. The experience was exhilarating. One round-trip costs 150php.

WILL: First of all we want to thank John,s mom for letting us stay for a night in their rest house at Balamban. We felt how the rich people live their lives in a day. A simple thank you is not enough, Mommy Coy. 

     So we are at Balamban; Cebu's Baguio. This is the highest pick here in Cebu and we are glad to know that we can stay a night for free with free dinner and free breakfast. This is the life. We are already there so why not try Balamban's zip line.

     Walking distance from the house is the Adventure Cafe, wherein you can find a restaurant that caters a magnificent views of trees   and can feel the fresh cold air against your skin. Grrrrrrr, so cold. 

Abbey finally gave in to try the zip line. Wohoooo! A good experience,  a tension buster, an "I am free from stress" thing. 

     This costs P150 for two way zip. Well for us it is free, courtesy of Mommy Coy, again. She is part owner of this cafe. You can reach the Adventure Cafe +639996812339 or like their facebook page. 

Parokya ni Edgar 2012 @ Singapore

ABBEY: One of the greatest Pinoy band was announced to hold a concert here at Singapore last September 8 and 9. Originally it was a one-day concert only but became two due to overwhelming response of their fans. The concert was held at The Arena. We got there an hour before and the queue is already long. A couple of front act bands like Stella's Art built the crowd's excitement for the main artists. At last we heard there sound check. 

The crowd went wild as Chito and Vinci came up front. They sang Buloy, Picha Pie, and Maniwala ka Sana. Chito even made a request on his own band to sing his favorite, Halaga. And Vinci sang Elisi when he "applied as a vocalist of Rivermaya". The night was full of fun, thrills and shouts. It ended on a high note with Yes Yes Show.

WILL: Parokya in Edgar is a famous band since my high school days, but I am a Rivermaya fan.. Haha.. As I read the announcement under the Facebook group of Filipinos in Singapore, I immediately check the veracity of the event. Verified and screenshot, I emailed immediately to my husband, PNE is his favorite band, right there and then agreed to watch it. This is our first time to watch a Filipino performers to do live.

      As the long wait came to an end, we queue on a long line of people circling The Arena at the Clarke Quay. Gosh, it took us 1 1/2 hours before we reached the doors. Front acts, better not to comment. Haha.

      When Parokya enters, people starts to scream on the top of their lungs and then they hit the place first with Buloy. I am shocked that after a decade of knowing their songs, I still knew the lyrics of their pieces. Haha.. This band is so cool. I hope they will never part ways unlike other bands. More power Parokya in Edgar, thank you for visiting us here in Singapore.

TriNoma - Ayala 360

ABBEY: Beside SM North EDSA, we hang out to this mall during our vacation since this is close to Wilma's place. The mall resembles like that of Glorietta as this is owned by Ayala Land also. 

In here we bought our grocery, clothes and other stuffs. We met also our friends; had dinner and then coffee. The mall caters a wide range of restaurants like Gerry's grill, Abe, Itallianis, Mango Bistro, etc. Boutiques, drugstore, supermarket, arcade, and fast food chains are there also. Flea markets are at the center of each hallway. On the center most part of the mall is the events centre. Fashion shows, mini concerts and BIG sales are conducted on it.

WILL:  For me trinoma is better than SM North, I am more comfortable here. Not that crowded and here I really love the stores. 

       The structure and the sights is like you are somehow in Greenbelt. ;) Comfort rooms really give comfort haha. Very clean and there are parts that is so serene. Their cinemas is so clean and superb sounds they have. 

       Landmark offers dome cheaper and quality clothes. Some fruits and groceries that I am looking for is also here. Love Trinoma. I hope they will house Shakey's also. ;)

Mont Albo Massage Hut

ABBEY: John and Denise gave us this spa session as wedding gift. The spa is in the basement of University Hotel inside UP Diliman. The treatment is 750php (an hour of body massage and scrub) plus the ventosa add-on for less than 100php. Its very relaxing. That was the first time I had ventosa. Circle marks were at my back for a week. It was a rejuvenating experience for me and my wife.

WILL: When I am at Malaysia, John told me to have a massage that uses glasses. Haha! Ventosa it is! So Right there and then, I agreed and as our vacation comes near, I keep on asking Den about it. Siguro nakulitan, haha, she told me that it will be her treat for us. Hehe. Thanks Den and John, you have a kind heart! 
Actually they do not treat us for massage only, that session goes along with body scrub, massage and the "lamig-sucker" ... the ventosa. 
      The session last for almost 2 hours. The massage is great. The ventosa? Very good experience. 
      Almost all were a nice impression until... I am at their dresser putting some make-up, of course I will turn-on the lights, them one of the masseur came clicking the lights off. Weird isn't?  Kailangan lagi patay ang ilaw? The oil left a strong scent on our clothes. 
     This is located at downstairs of UP Hotel. Again! Thanks John, Denise and Janise! We really do love you guys! 

Tagaytay City

ABBEY: I went to this place a couple of times but during our vacation we went here for their famous bulalo and to get the shot of Taal lake. With iur racer friend, John, we were in Tagaytay after an hour and a half. 


It's almost twilight so after table reservation we pose for our snaps with the lake. The volcano is magnificent; the water's so calm; and the breeze is cool. As the night sets in we became busy to fill our hunger with hot bulalo. After the dinner we went for coffee. We didn't left Tagaytay without buying buko pie and espasol. The trip is fun and enjoyable. :)

WILL: Due to its altitude and breezy weather, Tagaytay City is the little Baguio of the South. Only 1-2 hours drive from Manila, this city has the smallest and active volcano of the world. 
Stunning view from afar, Taal was surrounded by water, the Taal Lake. Hehe. 
      This is very famous for weddings, some short trips and their alley of restaurant offering Bulalo. You can also see everywhere the famous Collete's Buko Pie. 
      We hope, everything in here will be preserved most importantly the life of Taal Lake which gives living for many. 
Hope to see Tagaytay again for the nth time. Haha! 

Hotel Veniz Baguio

ABBEY: This hotel will take only 1 ride from the bus terminal. An overnight stay costs 1795. This includes a standard room and a buffet breakfast. The place is within the Kilometer 0 of Baguio. It's near Burnham park, Session Road, Central Market and jeepney terminal to Strawberry Farm. Check-in time is 2pm and out is 12noon. Early check-in depends upon the availability of the room. Staffs are accommodating and friendly. They are offering free wi-fi hotelwide :)

WILL: I am the in-charge to look for a place where we can stay for a night, many options but almost were fully-booked. Then we finally have a confirmed reservation to this hotel. Their check-in time is 2pm but they allowed us to have an early check-in at 1pm. 

      The room is quite big as expected but the age of the hotel was blatantly seen. The bed seems not that clean and the bathroom has a serious cockroach issues. The room is not properly lit. 

Their buffet breakfast few foods to choose from and this is the only hotel breakfast that I went without any hot tea. 

     In fairness, they have this very polite people who serves their customers well. I hope for more improvement to this hotel. 

Victory Liner Deluxe Bus to Baguio

ABBEY: We booked our tickets for our Baguio trip at this liner. One way ticket costs 750. The bus has comfy seats for the customers during the long ride. You can do also "number one and two" as it is equipped with a comfort room. 

Added perks are the drink with biscuits. We didn't have the time to eat them; we're asleep most of the travel time. You can reach Baguio 4-5 hours one-way.

WILL: I am quite hesitant to ride on this bus, why?, this is expensive. The air conditioned bus from Manila to Baguio is just Php445 whereas this deluxe bus is Php715. 
      The air conditioned one has 4 stops for the passengers can alight out of the bus and do some stretching and can go to the bus stops' toilet, this ride can take up to 6-7 hours. 
      While, the deluxe one has no stopovers and have its own toilet. The ride was awesome we reached Baguio 4 and half hours. The bus is so clean and comfortable, you can recline the chair and have its own footrest. The ticket comes with free biscuit and a drink. Steward is there to assist you. Lovely isn't? Its like you are in a plane. Oh by the way, their seat is bigger than budget planes' seats. ;) 
      Hooray for victory liner. Try this one, you'll never regret paying almost double. ;) 

Baguio City Philippines

ABBEY: This is my second trip to this summer capital. The first one is an officer's retreat of our church. I just visited PMA and central market due to limited time.

On the second trip we stayed at Veniz hotel located at the center of the city (near the KM 0 mark). We went also to Mines View, Wright and Burnham parks, SM Baguio, had a dinner at Session Road, strawberry farm, and Central Market for pasalubong. We took the deluxe bus of Victory Liner for the trip.

WILL: Okay, okay, okay this is my fourth time in here, but until now, Baguio never fails to give me a shivering experience. 
Baguio is the summer capital of the Philippines. As this is one of the coldest part of Luzon that metro people can go. From Manila you can take Victory Liner Bus from its Cubao terminal or Monumento and take the 6 hour journey. I will suggest to take the night trip as it will save time for you. This city is very small that you can explore all the great places just for a day. 
Some that we explored with Ate Beth and her husband were the following. 

1. Strawberry Farm - a one jeepney away from the city. If you have a chance to pick some strawberry do it but be cautious because this is more expensive than the packed one in city's market. Do not forget to taste the strawberry flavored taho! Sarap-sarap! 

2. Still, the fantastic Mines View. The bustling sound of Pine Trees is priceless. I hope government will still protect this tourist attraction. 

3. The Wright Park. Due to many horses staying in this park, beware of their poops and its stench.  

4. The Mansion. Philippines' President home here in Baguio. 

5. The Botanical Garden is under renovation. Nothing so much to see here. This place is so much commercialized. So many stores inside. :( 

6. Burnham Park. Here you can rent a boat, do some picnic.

7. SM Baguio is now one of the tourist spot here. Why? This is their only mall that not uses air conditioner. Haha! They have a scheduled fireworks show too. 

8. Session Road. This is most crowded place that I can see here in Baguio. Traffic Jam never leaves that road. People were like ants flocking and roaming around. Banks, restaurants were all here. ;)

9. Camp John Hay. The high ranking officials place. Scenic and very serene. You can play golf here, do some outdoor activities and even rent a room for a night. 

     There's more places to go and visit here. Try to visit Baguio, choose Philippines. 

Embassy of the Philippines in Singapore

ABBEY:  I don't care how big or small or how beautiful the embassy is. What matters to me is that they can provide the services that must be offered to any OFW. I heard others say that its just like a bungalow house with tents on the sides. Here is where I get my OEC, a certificate that entitles an OFW to be exempted for travel taxes. What I had in mind are these suggestions on how to improve their processes:

1. Since the embassy is under construction, they should first put their notification about the change of their office days (Mon-Fri currently). They can use their website since almost all the institutions here in SG are connected via web.

2. Located at Nassim road, its a long walk from Orchard. When somebody comes to the embassy, unaware of the change of sched, he will be greeted by a 5-foot tall tarp saying that the embassy is closed.

It would be better if they will have other notices in other places along Orchard.

I saw another sign in the SSS office, but its not very noticeable unless you will have remittance or you will inquire in SSS.

3. Given that the renovation is in progress, they should set first their number system. Not by marking each form with red marker. How about those who downloaded the forms and filled it up before going at the embassy? I guess they have to fill up the forms again.

I know improvement is a long process, but I'm hoping for the better of our own embassy.

WILL: From orchard road, it will take a 15 minutes walk to reach the Philippine Embassy in Singapore and on this area also located the embassies of different countries. 
Its just like an old ancestral house with so many cars parked. But now, it is under renovation and that's the cause of Monday to Friday sked instead of Sunday-Thursday.
      I am one of the Filipino who filed my OFW here in Singapore. The requirements? NRIC ID, Passport, and $42.00.
Unlike other government employees, here, smile never left their lips, very accommodating. My OFW application and OEC just took me not more than 45 mins. :)

PBA (Philippine Basketball Association)

ABBEY:
This was my first time to watch the national basketball league of the Philippines. We had a bit of hard time looking for our seats but we managed to see it. The experience was great and fun. You can see the side shows of fun during timeouts. They also have lucky draw where the man beside me has been picked. I still enjoy the game even my team lost :)

WILL: Ginebra! Ginebra! Ginebra! 
Yeah. I was a Ginebra fan, i start to love PBA when i was GS. I am always at my brothers' house, means i do not have my personal tv. No choice but to love what they watch. Until on my HS, i am totally hooked-up and there was time tp cut class just to go with my brother and see the PBA Live at Pasay.
I was astounded that Abbey never watched any of his team's game live, and to fulfill this, i bought a ticket (not more than 350php) last April for him to see the Purefoods. Nice game, but not enjoyed a lot because Jawo is not around. Nyahaha.
Sana bumalik na si Jawo para makulay ang PBA /:)