Philippines Budget Airlines 101

Pros:

• FREE 10 kls baggage
• Earn Mabuhay Miles and redeem flight award tickets on an expanded network of 81 international and domestic routes on Philippine Airlines(PAL) 
• FREE snacks
• Monday Madness Sale and holiday seat sale
• Make a reservation over the phone, write down the confirmation number and pay at PAL ticket office or airport 4hrs before your flight.

Cons: 

• Flight delays
• No payment centers that gives you the option to pay cash if you can't pay the ticket reserved online using credit card or ATM. 
• Few PAL ticket office.  

Note: 

• Before you book your flight online, you need to sign-up as a Mabuhay Miles member to earn miles for booked flights and non-flight transactions with Philippine Airlines partners. 
• Take a screen shot of your temporary card which will be shown after signing-up on the official website or you may write down your account information for your reference. You'll only get the physical card when you've reached 1,000 points. 
• It is possible to have someone(family member or friend) pay your ticket using their credit card but for security reasons you need to get their contact information and obtain a photocopy of their valid ID prior to your trip.
• Upon check-in, provide your Mabuhay Miles ID number at the airport designated counter in case you forgot to provide when you booked your ticket. 

Pros:

• Known for its trademark low fares. Seat sale promo every 
• Earn GetGo points and redeem flight award tickets on an expanded network of 63 international and domestic routes. 
• GetGo Flash Sale, low GetGo points to your favorite local destinations. 
• Monday, Wednesday, Friday and holiday Seat sale  
• In-flight games 
• Make a reservation over the phone or online, write down the confirmation number and pay at the nearest payment center(see below). Online reservations are held for up to 24 hours only.
• Payment options : 

1. Accredited Banks(Over The Counter)    
2. ATM(The following banks are not included: BPI, Bank of Commerce, DBP, Metrobank, PNB, Planters Bank & Robinsons Savings Bank) 
3. Internet Banking: Bancnet(see logo at the back of the card) or Bank's own website(BDO,Bank of Commerce, Citibank, Export Bank, Metrobank & Security Bank)
4. Phone Banking(for Allied Bank customers only)
5. Mobile Phone Banking(You can pay your booking at Allied Bank, Asia United Bank, Citystate Savings Bank, Eastwest Bank, RCBC  and Sterling Bank from Mondays to Thursdays only.
6. Non-Bank(Bayad Center, Robinsons Dept. Store, SM Business Services Center)

Cons:

• Sell In-flight snacks  
• Online reservations are held for up to 24 hours only.
• Flight delays/rerouting, sometimes due to OVERBOOKING
• Cebu Pacific normally sends Schedule Change Advisory notice by email and calls affected passengers within 24hours before your scheduled trip. But sometimes fails to do so and left passengers missing their flight.

Note:

• Before you book your flight online, you need to sign-up as a GetGo member to earn points for booked flights and non-flight transactions with Cebu Pacific partners. 
• There's a one-time membership fee of P150 for the physical card that will be sent to the address you provided upon signing-up. 
• If you need to travel before receiving the card, take a screen shot or write down your account information for your reference. 
• It is possible to have someone(family member or friend) pay your ticket using their credit card but for security reasons you need to get their contact information and secure a photocopy of their valid ID prior to your trip.

         

Pros:

• Passengers living/staying near Clark International Airport 
• Earn Big Loyalty Programme points and redeem flight award tickets on an expanded network of international and domestic routes. 
• Make a reservation online, write down the confirmation number and pay at the nearest payment center(see below). Online reservations are held for up to 24 hours only.
• Payment Centers: Bayad Center, Cebuana Lhuillier, The SM Store, 7-Eleven(not available in Mindanao area), Robinsons and ECPay. 

Cons: 

• 2-3hrs travel by bus from Manila to Clark International Airport.
• Flight delays and cancellations
• Sell In-flight snacks  
• Sudden cancellation of flight

Note: 

• Before you book your flight online, you need to sign-up as a Big Loyalty Programme member to earn points for booked flights and non-flight transactions with Air Asia partners.
• It is possible to have someone(family member or friend) pay your ticket using their credit card but for security reasons you need to get their contact information and secure a photocopy of their valid ID prior to your trip.

Pros: 

• Passengers living/staying near Clark International Airport 
• 15 domestic destinations(Bacolod, Busuanga(Coron),Cagayan de Oro, Camiguin, Caticlan(Boracay), Cebu, Clark, Cotabato, Davao, Iloilo, Kalibo(Boracay), Legazpi, Puerto Princesa & Tacloban) and Tuguegarao. All departing from Manila   
• Passenger without credit card has two booking payment options only. 1) You have 18hours to complete payment if you decide to pay at any Cebuana Lhuillier 2) By selecting CashPay option when booking a flight online, you are given 24hours to make a cash payment for your reservation at any Triplestar office branch throughout the Philippines.

Cons:

• 2-3hrs travel by bus from Manila to Clark International Airport 
• Sell In-flight snacks
• I've flown with them once therefore I couldn't say how frequent are the flight delays or cancellations.

Additional Tips:

• Some of the airlines I've flown with will require the presentation of clear photocopies of the front of the credit/debit card and the Vaild ID of the card owner upon check-in and in cases of reissuance, rebooking and/or refund if the card owner is not part of the travelling party and is unable to present the credit/debit card used.
• Other airlines won't ask for a photocopy of the front of the credit/debit card if the passenger is related(same surname) to the card owner.
• Flight rebooking/cancellation fee ranges from P1,000-1400
• In-flight snacks are ridiculously expensive: prices for chips, coffee and instant noodles ranges from P80-200 each. 

Curried Banana Heart Recipe

When I was a little girl my mom used to cook banana heart(also known as banana blossom) with rice vermicelli or what we call 'bihon' in the Philippines. As time goes by, we got bored eating the same recipe. One day, our neighbor gave us this recipe which introduced us to a new idea about cooking banana heart.

Why don't you try this recipe and have a hearty meal with your family?!

TIP: You may also add chicken or pork meat and chunky string beans to this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 banana heart
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 head garlic, crushed
• 3 heads of onions, finely sliced
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 2 tbsp homemade spicy mango chutney, preferred brand
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tbsp oatmeal
• 1 cup horse radish 

Procedure: 

1. Slice banana heart very thinly. Rub in salt.
2. In a pan, fry garlic until light brown. Then saute the onions.
3. Add banana heart, coconut milk, mango chutney, curry powder and oatmeal. Cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add horse radish and serve immediately with wild rice.

China Tourist Visa Application Process for Filipino Citizen

What are the requirements?

1. Valid passport 6 months from the date of travel including old passport(make sure that the applicant holds the new passport - electronic or machine readable passport)

2. Visa application form(completely filled-up online)

3. Two(2) recent passport size photo colored(dark clothes w/ collar) w/ white background

4. Hotel confirmation certificate and daily tour itinerary from the tour handler in China

5. Flight Itinerary

6. Certificate of Employment(COE) for those who are employed and Business Permit for business owners

7. Bank Certificate w/ receipt and has a minimum deposit of P100,000

8. NBI Clearance for adult applicants


REMINDERS:

• Confirmation email from the hostel or any reputable hostel booking websites are also accepted.
• Tourist who do not avail package tour service from a tour agency must make a Do-It-Yourself(DIY) tour itinerary for the whole period of stay
• Airline passengers w/ tourist visa must have a printed return ticket from China or else you'll be refused to get through customs.
• Above are the basic requirements for the Tourist Visa application. The consul has the prerogative to ask additional requirements depending on the situation.
• Application fee: P1,4000
• Regular processing time is 4 working days

Where to apply?

Chinese Embassy-Manila

H.E. Ambassador4896 Pasay RoadDasmarinas VillageMakati CityMetro Manila

Chinese Consulate General in Cebu

Cebu Fil-Chinese Volunteers Fire Brigade Building
Don Julio Llorente Street,Barangay Capitol Site,Cebu City 6000(beside Chong Hua Medical Arts)

Chinese Consulate in Laoag

No.216 National Highway,
Brgy.1 San Francisco,
San Nicolas Ilocos Norte 2901

Office Hours: 09:00 - 11:00 / 14:00-16:00

Eggplant Salad with Worms @ The Alternative Restaurant in El Nido, Palawan

Is it okay to eat and pay for a meal with WORMS? On the 15th of July, I had my dinner at The Alternative Restaurant in El Nido. It was raining that night, I got there around 8PM and I was ushered to a table near the bar. As I was browsing the Menu, I noticed several black ants crawling on my arms and chest. So, I asked the waiter if I could transfer at the bar which the bar tender hesitantly agreed.  

I simply ordered an Eggplant Salad and a softdrink. Unfortunately, it took almost 20 minutes for my order to arrive! After I made a follow-up, my order has finally arrived! The serving was plentiful and the eggplant was covered in chopped tomatoes. I noticed that the eggplant was grilled which sounds good to me because I prefer it grilled rather than steamed. There were eggplant and tomato seeds scattered around the plate and I was too hungry to check if there's anything weird floating on my food. 

I suddenly noticed a WORM floating on the soy sauce. Using my fork, I immediately checked the remaining food on my plate. Then I saw another WORM which prompted me to complain to the waiter. She confirmed that it was indeed a WORM which made me wonder how many worms existed on that plate! Both the waiter and the bar tender never bothered to remove the plate as if they weren't concerned. They just provided me with their stupid alibis, said they had experienced eating eggplant worms before and that it's 'unavoidable' since eggplants are normally infested with WORMS! Ain't that ridiculous?!  

When preparing an eggplant salad, whether it's grilled or steamed, you have to be extra cautious to make sure that the vegetable is not infested by worms. I've prepared the salad several times before yet I never failed to distinguish a cooked seed from a cooked WORM! I'll immediately throw it the moment I see a single worm. Which made me wonder how the chef at The Alternative Inn & Restaurant failed to notice it!

It's not cheap to dine @ The Alternative Restaurant, so why can't the owner afford to buy the chef an eyeglass if he's having a problem with his eyesight or maybe the owner is frugal enough to buy new light bulb for a dimly lit kitchen. Before I paid my P189 crappy meal, I threatened the waiter and the bar tender that I'll get back at them if something bad will happen to me while on the road. Lucky for them that I didn't have time to argue because I was running out of time after it took them so long to serve a single order and I was about to leave El Nido that night.  

How to apply for a permit for the Underground River Tour in Puerto Princesa City?

The journey to the Underground River starts at Puerto Princesa City Coliseum. If you're staying along Rizal Ave., take a jeepney and ask the driver to drop you off at the Coliseum, one way fare is P8. It would take two rides(take a tricycle to the main street then ride the jeepney, total fare is P16) if you're staying somewhere distant from the main street of Puerto Princesa. Upon arriving at the Coliseum, you need to follow the steps below to apply for a permit to enter the subterranean river. 

Step 1:
Get transaction number and wait for your turn.

Step 2:
Submit tour and personal details for processing.

Step 3:
Proceed to Table 1&2 for Walk-in guest. Table 3&4 for Travel Agencies.

Step 4:
Payment of assessed cost of VEP(Visitor Entry Permit) to City Collector.

Step 5:
Signature of PAMB(Protected Area Management Board) representative to finalizeVEP.

TIP:
Visitor Entry Permit cost P175 for adult, P100 for minor, P75 for 3-12yrs old.
2 years old below are not allowed to enter the cave.
Office Hour: Monday To Sunday @ 8:00AM-4:00PM (no lunch break) 
Lexus Shuttle Service offers van transportation from Robinson's Mall parking lot or San Jose Terminal(New Market) to Sabang Port. Van won't leave until full, estimated travel time is 2 hours, be at the terminal 3 hours before the scheduled tour. 
Jeepney or non-airconditioned bus are also available @ San Jose Terminal.
Underground River Tour Schedule: 8:30AM, 11:30AM and 3:30PM.

Exploring Mutianyu

     I guess you've heard of a line popularized by the movie Jerry Maguire, "You had me at hello." Well, that's what happened to me when I went to visit Mutianyu. A lot of tourists have been raving about how beautiful the place is and the thrilling experience of riding the Toboggan down the wall adds more excitement. Before my trip, I've been Googling a lot about the place and I saw a lot of pictures. Some were extremely old as if they've taken it a decade ago and some were badly captured which failed to captivate its true beauty. Somehow it made me think that there must be more to it than it meets the eye. So, I convinced myself to visit and witness the breathtakingly beautiful scenery no matter the distance.

 On my way

     It was the 4th of September, a chilly yet sunny morning in Beijing, I was getting ready to take a journey outside the city. On my way to the nearest train station, I saw a group of American guys heading the same path and I had this intuition that we are going to the same location because it was around 6AM. Obviously, no tourist attraction would be open at that time. The day before the trip, I was told by the receptionist at the hostel I was staying that have to leave early so I can catch the first trip at 7:00AM and be back before dawn. The trip would consume the whole day due to travel duration and length of walks on the wall. 

     So my intuition was right when the guys headed to the Dongzhimen Subway Station Exit B to take Bus 916(express line). Actually, there are two bus lines heading to Mutianyu. One may take Bus 916(express line) which travels from Dongzhimen to Huairou Bus Station, get off at Qingchun Lu Beikou, Huairou Bei Dajie or the terminus and then hire a mini-bus to Mutianyu. The most convenient way is to take Tourism Bus No. 867 at Dongzhimen which will directly take you to Mutianyu in about 2.5 hours . 

     After asking for directions from the guards outside the bus station where the boys entered, I continued to walk further to reach Dongzhimen Transport Hub in Dongzhimen Waixiejie where the terminal for Bus 867 is located. About 10 minutes walk from Dongzhimen Subway Station Exit B, maybe more if you get the wrong exit. If I remember it correctly, it was just below the Airport Express Train exit. The hub is strategically located at the righmost part at the back of the building.

  

                                               Dongzhimen Transport Hub

     I arrived at the hub at exactly 7:00AM yet no sight of Bus 867. So, I started asking questions again hoping to get the answer I need so I won't be left behind by the bus. Luckily, I saw a couple from the UK who were standing in front of the waiting shed allocated for the passengers heading to Mutianyu. They told me they arrived at 6:30AM and nobody could tell them why there's no bus in sight. To make my story short, the bus got delayed for 2 hours! Within that period, from 3 passengers, it went up to 20 standing in queue. That's how desperate we are even though some of us were contemplating on cancelling the trip due to the long wait.

Arrival at the wall

     As the bus finally arrived, we happily boarded the bus inspite of the predicament we have to go through. After 2.5 hours of travel, we finally reached the foot of the wall. Before we got off, the conductor reminded us of the trip schedule back to the city which was at 14:00(2:00PM) and 16:00(4:00PM). Naturally, majority of us decided to go back by 14:00 since we don't want to go through the same predicament going to the wall. We immediately got off the bus and hurriedly went to the ticket booth to pay for our admission ticket, as if were contending for the Amazing Race Mutianyu and be given an award whoever gets to enter the wall first! No time to waste, upon receiving the tickets I went up the hill on my own.

                                                Lost my Toboggan ticket

                                    

     Due to my carelessness, I didn't notice that I lost my Toboggan ticket that I was holding the whole time on my way up to the wall. To make things worse, I only realized that my ticket was gone when I reached the 22nd tower of the wall. I was already exhausted and hungry, to walk down the wall and go back to the ticket booth would just be a waste of time and energy. Surely, I won't be able to catch my chosen bus schedule for my trip back to the city. Left with no choice, I talked to the Toboggan conductor to convince him on giving me a free ride since I lost my ticket. The guy firmly refused and asked me to scour my stuff just to make sure I didn't misplace the ticket.

     Out of luck, he collected the payment for the ticket replacement while I was in queue. I was a bit teary eyed when I handed him the money not because I was relieved that I don't need to go back to the ticket booth but I was immensely pissed at myself. Later on, the conductor suddenly grabbed my hand and gave me back my money. Then he secretly made a sign not to tell anybody. Overwhelmed by his kindness, I gave in to his request to have his photo taken with me before I hopped onto the Toboggan and bid him goodbye.

**Foodstagram**

     I understand how frightening it is when you first go to somewhere even like China. It’s really intimidating to even feed yourself. The moment when you finally overcome that, when you summon the will to walk into a place filled with people who don’t speak your language, stare at you when you come in, you’re going to be awkward, you’re going to order food and you don’t know what it is, you’re going to do things wrong.

     Once you’re able to successfully order breakfast for yourself, it’s a really, deeply a satisfying moment. Being lost and disoriented is good. Learning little things. That first random act of kindness from a stranger offering you food or showing you where to go or telling you about a really great bar, those have been the most wonderful moments of my journey.


  my first breakfast in Beijing. The only restaurant that serves coffee.

  my lunch at Yuyuan Garden, xiaolongbao. Long wait to order but very delicious!

a plate of Quanjude pecking duck for my poor neglected stomach
                           I wish we have this back home

                    Beijing's BBQ, delicious!

   @Yonghe King, one of Shanghai's recommended food chain

   very yummy blueberry cupcake w/ green iced tea @ Costa Coffee

                                last order of dimsum : (