A large chunk of growing up and adolescence was spent here during high school. I used to hang out (though not often) with my older brother’s classmates (and then my classmates) on booze and talk-filled nights after different school affairs that had required us to go home late. There were even times when we’d stay up all night because the multicab or bus that would bring us home has surpassed the time they would be available. I don’t know if they still have a curfew imposed for minors since there was a time when I just walked around and about the boulevard, minding my own business and looking for my brother. I wasn’t aware that there was a curfew at all that upon seeing my brother, he told me his friends were caught and were locked up. He was 17, I was 14.

Boulevard isn’t extravagant, but it’s with the simplicity of having different lights from various establishments and lamp posts illuminating the black landscape that makes the location a great place to hang out. Couple it with the cool breeze and great company, not to mention cheap food, you can’t help but just ponder on life and life again.

The beauty of Dumaguete… it’s as if everything is in slo-mo. You enjoy the situation, feeling  like a poet, even for just a moment.

Rizal Boulevard
Dumaguete City
Negros Oriental

(click for a somewhat larger view)

 
afternoon to night

 
boulevard!

drama pose

 
ah, the backdrop.

 
rolica.

 
Rizal Boulevard

 
tempura and cheap food for sale

—————————

Because I got stranded when I woke up at the terminal and realized that the boat had already left me (read story here), I had the opportunity to see the Boulevard sunrise, which is good since I was able to capture some “okay” shots. At least, this is where I got the header for this site. The only problem is that I looked like a dofus trying to set the timer and positioning myself in front of the camera when there were a lot of people exercising and passing by. I wish I had somebody to take a good snapshot but then I didn’t want to ask some stranger to do so. hehe. It just felt weird having to stay in one position for 10 seconds when the coast is clear so I can take a good shot of me looking at the sun while praying that when I turn around, the camera is still there, untouched. hehe.

break of dawn

 
indigo

my header! haha

  
people passing by.

lamp post, Boulevard

 
motor, jog, cycle

work.

The last time I was in Dumaguete, I never really heard about any good restaurant to dine and hang out, but that was four years ago.  That was then when Dunkin Donuts had just opened and everybody was in such a buzz. 4 years later, they now have some establishments that have been built for the need of hungry stomachs. I have yet to see Pizza Hut, or some Starbucks outlets but it’ll come soon.

We had dinner at Gabby’s Bistro. I don’t know how to call the place and which era was its design inspired, according to a friend it’s Spanish. 

When I was still scoping the place out, I saw a foreigner who looked like he came from a Survivor expedition, he felt so at home because he was just wearing some shorts and sandals, with his shirt unbuttoned. He looked like he was some Robinson Crusoe shipped off from I-don’t-know where. It was later that I realized that the place is also a stopover for wandering tourists who’d like to spend the night over since the restaurant is part of an apartment/hotel under the name Florentina Homes. Come to think of it, a beach or a pool is the only thing lacking in the place to make it seem perfect. The ambiance is good and warm and current.  

They have some pretty nifty designs; when you go to their bathroom, you’d be greeted by paintings of famous celebrities in its walls. The place is comfortable and creative and just full of life. Inside you’d be welcomed a number of paintings and details that have been decorated to make the restaurant feel like a modern-day diner. I’m not really good at describing it but what amazed me more was that my friend told me that the chef that owned the place (Gabby) had more or less the same age as ours –> time to work double, Ed.

Anyway, they have this concept of providing you a big blank sheet of paper after ordering your food so that you can be busy while you wait. They have some crayons for you to just do whatever you want: scribble, draw or doodle. Because I had limited colors, I had to bring out the artist in me again (insert sarcasm).

This is what happens when colors are limited.
I couldn’t wait for the food to arrive. hehe

I was drawing as if it were my profession and some tourists (Koreans or Japanese) who passed by our table could only look in wonder if I was some mentally-deranged psycho on why of all the things, I drew the character of The Ring’s “Sadako”. My friend was a bit embarrassed that those tourists stared at us wrongly. At least I won’t be there the next day. hehe

Gabby’s Bistro Contact Details:
Rovira Road, Bantayan
Dumaguete City,
Negros Oriental Philippines
Website: http://www.florentinahomes.com/gabbysbistro.htm

(Click for a somewhat larger view)

Florentina Homes, Gabby’s Bistro

Daang Bantayan

Gabby’s Bistro

Reception area, dining

menu, lamp

tables and chairs

crayons, toinks

watermelon shake, betty boop soda something.

beef tepanyaki, adobo a la Gabby

chicken, bokbokok

spoon and fork, food at Gabby’s Bistro

cartoons

caricatures, painted

waiters.

yummy, haha

outside

 
pica pica, tiramisu

outside Gabby’s bistro, they have Wifi by the way.

lamp, rooms are upstairs

mel, drama

lights

The great thing about Silliman is the atmosphere being patterned to the US lifestyle. Being an American University, people flock to dormitories so they can hang out with people with the same curiosity. Another thing I like is that you can just go out after class and play a round of frisbee, tennis, softball, whatever sport you’d find interesting; for sure you can find a schoolmate with the same interest. Or just go out in some local hotspot and chill with your clique.

Unlike here in Cebu, you’d have to pass through the city first before you can arrive at your school. After enduring the busy traffic, all you want to do is go over with your subjects, get done with them and go home. Of course, there are still those drinking sessions in between. But then the laid back ambiance isn’t as slack as here in Silliman. I also thought I’d see some familiar faces but most of the time I couldn’t. It was then that I realized that the usual people I saw 4 years ago were no longer there anymore.

The usual hang-outs have been replaced by a younger generation. Gone are the days where our innocence and naiveness ruled the different nooks and corners of this 61-hectare lot (I got the figure in wikipedia). Once fresh and recognizable faces that you see walking amidst the falling leaves of acacia trees are already faint; and the desires of school patriotism are replaced of pressure of getting out of the student phase so you can step into the harsh realities outside this Dumaguete bubble. We’re getting old, nobody wants to get left behind.

Haha, I talk as if I’m a Sillimanian. Take note, I haven’t studied here! But I guess if you’ve been here, it transcends any form of title or association. Anyway, I’ll shut up now. Most of the pics here are just in the amphitheater. I was too tired to wander around already.

Silliman University
(click for a somewhat larger view)

Portal

 
Silliman Bookstore and Silliman Hall

 
They already had their centennial, 1901-2001. Circee feeling lost.

 
Silliman Library

 
Figure and alley

still my favorite spot

 
you can only imagine what happens at night.

 
And to think it’s infront of a church!

 
Hibbard Hall, ballfield

students play frisbee, it’s their IN sport

freedom wall

PE shorts, hehe

 
Catacomb

 
new place I’ve never been to

inside, more expressions

lamp and masks

 
I can just stay here all afternoon

We were too tired to trek to Casaroro falls so we waited for a habal-habal ride. We negotiated with the manong driver and it arrived to 80 bucks per person. There were 3 of us so it would be 240. But we just made it 250 because the manongs in Valencia tried to charge us P150 bucks each, one way.

We arrived at the entrance of Casaroro Falls and we walked again, we went down the stairs with 335 steps and walked again until we could reach the actual falls. I was in awe. I’ve never been close to a waterfall (haven’t been to Kawasan) so I was just amazed at the place. I had to take a dip in the water. Took pictures and was still silent all throughout. We were the only ones there so it was kinda creepy at times.

We went back and took the 335-steps going up again. We went back to Valencia and ate at my friends’ friend’s house (???) It was for free so it was of perfect timing as well.

Habal-habal from the Y-intersection to Casaroro Falls and back to Valencia - P80 (per person)
Entrance fee in Casaroro Falls - P10

We got back to Dumaguete and just spent most of the time at the Rizal Boulevard. Took pictures again using the night scene of my camera. I love my Olympus SW790, I still have 4 months to pay for this baby. hehe.

Y-intersection. Left goes to Casaroro, right goes to the Jap Shrine

 
I bleed for you. Ki-at man.

 
bags

 
old

signage for Mount Talinis

 
Circee habal-habal

rates in Casaroro

logbook again

 
going down

 
and down

 
leaf

plawer. hehe

 
walking again

 
bridge

 
almost there

a glimpse

 
rocks

voila! Casaroro falls!

 
picture2x

 
strong current

 
The place amazes me

 
green

 
I had to take a dip.

view above

afar

 
cold water!

 
water and rocks.

 
enjoying the view.

 
going back up

going up, 335 steps again. brace your legs, they’re going to sore for 3 days if you’re not prepared!

I changed my header into something with more color. But I dunno, I think it’s too big. I’ll settle for this until I can find another picture with lesser hues. I’m such a minimalist when it comes to blogging. Too much color doesn’t do for me. Probably because the entries compensate for the lack of tone in my life? Nah. Maybe I’ll bring back the old one. But it may take some time, I had to make do with whatever CSS skill I have. Now my eyes are straining from looking for the proper code and pixel size for the margins.

This site is more of a traveler’s blog more than anything else now; showcasing different adventures I’ve been to with different people. It also includes some food trips here in Cebu. People I go out with usually understand (though they find the act weird at first) that I take a lot of photos of their food. That is, before I explain to them why the sudden lack of manners. I tell them it’s for this blog and after providing some more information about online money and generating traffic and earning while blogging, they seem to empathize (haha, empathize, what a word) with the situation.

I still do blog about personal stuffs, but not a lot in here. I have another blog created for such, though I’m still earning some income out of it. I wonder if I have a personality disorder of some sort. Anyway, I’ll figure it out next time. More Dumaguete pictures to come.

So I had my first trekking adventure and I’m not prepared! haha, I just folded my pants and borrowed a pair of slippers from my friend. Can you believe Dumaguete doesn’t have a more-than-sized-10 spartan slippers??? I just had to make do with what was given. Thanks cirs!

Anyway, we road a jeep going to Valencia, and habal-habaled (hehe) our way to the Y-intersection somewhere. When we got there, we trekked up to the Japanese shrine for 45 minutes using a shortcut.

It wasn’t that grand but the experience made it fulfilling, since I haven’t taken any hike as much as I wanted to. I was sweating like hell, but it was great.

South Bus Terminal to Liloan, Santander - P180 (aircon bus)
Ferry ride from Liloan to Sibulan - P62

From Sibulan to Dumaguete City - P10 (per person multicab)
From Dumaguete City to Valencia - P10 (per person multicab)
From Valencia to the Y-Intersection - 20 (per person - habal2x)

Bus to Lilo-an, Santander

Puerto del Sur, terminal to Sibulan

Asenso Na.

Silliman University amphitheater, my favorite spot!

Dumaguete City!

Old house

Rolica paying the fare in Valencia

Park in Valencia

Started trekking from the Y-intersection to the Japanese Shrine

water –> this is cold and fresh!

I folded my pants and borrowed some slippers

Rolica and Circee - highschool friends

til-as

coconut lumber

tired? still a long way to go to the Jap Shrine!

 
nature

 
We see a road!

 
There it is!

Entrance Fee - P10

Logbook

 
Japanese Shrine

Yey!

View from afar

Exhibition

Yoga?

 
UP daw.

 
Done

Going Home

Long way down

Another building being constructed in IT Park. I find the view interesting, as if I could oversee everi aspect of this side of the building and how they work. I wonder if they could see me. Anyway, I just hope there’s still a PARK in Asiatown.

Anyway, a stupid thing happened to me when I was at the pier in Dumaguete. The night that I was supposed to ride a Cokaliong boat to Cebu, I overslept in the terminal. We were waiting for it to dock so we could board it, but when I woke up; to my horror, the boat had just finished boarding its passengers! My heart leapt, I felt like a fool and looked like a jackass. One of the officers said he was calling out to everyone that the boat was already there and ready. I wasn’t the only one who was dead-tired to even stay awake so at least I wasn’t alone. But I just hate the fact that I wasted the money for transport. Now I’m 380 bucks short. sheesh.

Since I was too tired to inform some people about the mishap, I resulted to sleeping in the terminal and waited till morning so I could just go and ride a ferry from Sibulan to Liloan and ride a bus to Cebu. I woke up the next day with my back aching and did what was needed. The only consolation I got was that I was able to see the sunrise at the Rizal boulevard.

Not the most comfortable rest but I’ve had worse.