leawalkerblog

My 1st Year Anniversary with WordPress

Posted on May 16, 2013 by leawalkerblog

I am often asked why I blog. My response all the time is that I do it for me. Writing helps me relax because it makes me remember the memories when I look at the photos I took. Plus I wake up at the crack of dawn which gives me a lot of time to do updates and all.

And then, I realized that there are people who actually read what I write. It’s so surprising right? Believe me, I am still amazed about that until now.

It makes me really happy to know that somehow I have helped them in their search of a home. In their search for vacation spots in and outside the Philippines. In their search of restaurants in Davao City, etc. In their search of hotels in our country.

My reviews are all based on my experiences with either the hotels or the places we dine at. I refuse to accept payments in writing about those. I simply want to say thank you to those who have been a part of my daily journey. May they be the waiters that served us. The hotel employees who have accommodated me and my family. And the tour guides during our trips. Everyone, as in everyone , who have assisted us.

And of course, I wanted to rave about the food. ha ha… Seriously, wouldn’t you wanna know where to eat good food in Davao? Sometimes, we go to expensive places and get disappointed because it wasn’t worth it. I would rather eat at Blue Carabao, in other words. The food is so delicious and tasty. Yet, we get to spend about P200.00 or so only for both me and John. That’s way better than paying P1k or more over a crappy food. 🙂

I was also asked what’s my most memorable trip? I would say it was my US trip in 2012. It was my first time to go there. And it was my first time to meet my inlaws. Everyone was so great. Believe me, the southerners rock! 🙂 Their warmth and acceptance of me was overwhelming. And my great love goes to John’s family and his friends.

I remember, when we landed at St. Paul’s Airport in Minnesota, the weather was 4 degrees Celsius. I am so used to 32 degrees Celsius so imagine my surprise! If you can only see me that time, you would have laughed too. LOL .. Yep, I gave John the entertainment of the year, so to speak. ha ha

Another thing that amazed me were the roads and the drivers. It’s just so different. People actually stop at the intersections. They don’t cut us off. I loved the respect among drivers. It’s so amazing.

If you ever come to the Philippines, you will understand why. ha ha.. I love my country, but I feel like you have to be drunk to be able to drive here. Specially with the jeepney, taxi and motorcycle drivers around. The slogan “it’s more fun in the Philippines” can be applied to that too. ha ha.. If you are bored, then I dare you to come to the Philippines. Your life will never be the same again. Or if you’re suffering from low blood pressure, you can fix that here. ha ha ha

And then there are the parks.. They’re so beautiful and there were no entrance fees. Unbelievable. .

And my most favorite trip? Locally, the award goes to… Bucas Grande Islands in Socorro, Surigao Del Norte. I have told all my friends that each Filipino should really try to visit the place. This sounds so cliché, but I feel like I left my heart there. To me, the place is so mystical. With eyes closed just now, I remember the sparkling waters, showing the colorful corals under the sea. I remember the mysterious stingless jelly fish sanctuary. Here I was on a boat, armed with my camera. I felt like crying because the cove was so beautiful it seemed like it was a holy ground. If there are really other beings on earth, I would say that they live there. I was in awe. With mouth agape , I took probably a thousand shots of the place. Makes me proud to be a Filipino.

If you like adventure, try entering the Sohoton Cove. On a boat, you have to pass through a cave opening before getting inside the cove. That experience alone is something I will never forget. Coming out from the cave, you would see pitcher plants on the limestone karst inside the cove. With the water so clean and calm, it wasn’t scary at all. In fact, it is perfect for kayaking.

Then, there’s the underground cave. Oh sorry, I meant underwater cave. Yeah, it’s like a cathedral inside but it’s partially submerged in water. Ahh.. going inside that cave was a little bit scary to me. But sooo fun.. 🙂

There are about a hundred islands in Bucas Grande. That means, there are deserted white sand beaches that you and your group can enjoy. It’s like Boracay, less the crowd. 🙂 Beautiful right?

If you can, bring your family. That’s one experience you can all share and talk about for the rest of your life. It’s a good bonding experience for the kids too. My nephews are all adventurous. And they loved it.

And outside the country? I would say Siem Reap, Cambodia. If you like history and you’ve never been to the Angkor Temples, then you should include it in your bucket list. The place was so clean and beautiful. The temples are amazing. Remember, all of those were built by hands in the 12th to 18th century. When I saw the carvings on the walls, I wondered how they did it. It felt like I was transported to another dimension.

Who amongst you watch Stargate SG 1? It is like that. You know, when Daniel Jackson gets excited over a new find.. And Tealc’s eyebrows raise up? he he.. I’m talking about that dimension. Literally. It seemed like you’d encounter a Goa’uld any moment.. ha ha

If that isn’t enough, who wouldn’t remember Tomb Raider by Angelina Jolie? Yes!!! A part of that movie was shot there. Oh my God, those giant trees on top of the temples. It’s so weird and creepy but definitely beautiful.

I could go on and on, but it is better if you see them yourselves. 🙂

On future travels? I am cooking up something. But I am not ready to discuss it yet. You will have to come back in the future for that. ha ha.. All I can say is that I am sooo excited over it. I promise to share the memories and the photos of that trip.

To all of you who read my blog, thank you very much for sharing your time with me. 🙂 If you have questions, please email me. I can discuss real estate with you. Or we can talk about travelling in the Philippines.

To WordPress, thank you for this space. 🙂

Happy Anniversary to me. he he…

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in America, Angkor Archaeological Park, Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, Cambodia, Davao, davao city, Davao del Sur, My Travels, real estate, restaurants in davao, Siem Reap, Tomb Raider | Tagged America, angkor thom, Angkor Wat, bucas grand islands, Bucas Grande Islands, Cambodia, caving in the philippines, Restaurants in Davao, Siem Reap, Sohoton Cove, Surigao del Norte, where to eat in Davao, white sand beaches | 2 Comments

Outback Grill

Posted on May 12, 2013 by leawalkerblog

The first time I saw the roof of Outback Grill, I laughed. I found the crashed airplane on top of it quirky and funny. It is eccentric right? But the owners have a sense of humor, I have to give them that. lol

John and I first visited their place on Valentine’s Day. We came from Samal Island that day, so we were both wearing shorts. You just can’t go to Marco Polo wearing that! 🙂 That’s why when we passed by Outback Grill, we both thought that it’s perfect!

We liked our experience that time. Specially when the band started to play the mellow love songs…

Err… Let me correct that. I liked the love songs. John likes the more upbeat ones. Infact when I start singing the 80’s music, he’d playfully sing “yellow submarine” just to mess up with me. ha ha…

So going back to Outback grill, we had the chance to visit them again recently. 🙂 We came early this time, so I had the chance to take photos. It is difficult to do that with other people around.

The guy from the airplane that crashed on the roof.. lol

The kids loved the place because there are huge animal statues they can play with.

Sizzling Gambas.

I ordered sizzling gambas. Oh it’s so good! But if you don’t like hot and spicy food, then this isn’t for you. 🙂 I kept drinking my iced tea because it was so hot. But I still kept on eating it. ha ha..

John liked their ribs as well. It came with an orange colored mac and cheese. And a corn cob. The mac and cheese is kinda sweet so it’s more like a dessert. He didn’t like that so I ended up eating more of it. The corn cob was perfect!

While we were eating, Andrew the owner , came to our table and asked where John came from, etc. They ended up talking for awhile. He’s another foreigner living in Davao. And he’s loving it.. 🙂

Well, what’s not to love? 🙂 After all, Davao is one of the best cities in the Philippines. Or should I say, the best city in the Philippines? hehe.. I know, I know. You’d say I’m biased. lol

Outback Grill is located in Bacaca Road, Davao City. It is just across the Bacaca Entrance of Ladislawa Garden Village. If you’re not from Davao, just mention the words Ladislawa and Bacaca road to the taxi drivers and they’ll take you there without a problem.

The restaurant is perfect for a family night out. It is a fun filled place with good food.

The price is just right too! 🙂

Thank you to our waiter, for the picture above. 🙂

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in Davao, davao city, Davao del Sur, restaurants in davao | Tagged Outback Grill, restaurants in Davao City, Western food in Davao City, where to eat in Davao City | Leave a comment

Farmer’s Resto and Grill

Posted on May 10, 2013 by leawalkerblog

Woo hoo! 🙂

Finally, there’s a new restaurant in Samal Island. I am so happy because we are there most of the time. And lunch is always a problem for us since there are not many options when you’re in the southern part. . .

So when we saw that Farmer’s Resto and Grill opened already, boy was I glad!

The restaurant was already full when we came in. It’s a good thing that their airconditioned room wasn’t. So that’s where John and I went together with some family members and a friend.

The owners were locals but their chef isn’t. He is from Davao and he used to work for a famous restaurant – Antonio’s Grill.

We ordered beef steak, fried chicken, pinakbet and bihon guisado.

I like the gravy like sauce on the beef steak, The fried chicken had a taste of garlic seasoning. And their pinakbet was really good. 🙂 Pinakbet , by the way, is a local dish that comprises several vegetables with fish paste and some tiny chicharon slices.

Each order can serve 3-4 people. So the prices came out cheap. We paid less than Php1,000.00 pesos. And that included rice and soft drinks for 6 people. Remember, we ordered 4 viands.

Not bad right? 🙂

The location is very convenient because it’s just along the highway in Penaplata, Island Garden City of Samal. Past Central Warehouse Club.

So if you’re staying at the beach resorts nearby and doesn’t want to eat there anymore, this can be a good option for you.

Or if you’re like us who go to Samal on business always, then this place is really a welcome addition to the local economy.

Yes, they’re not done with the finishing of the building yet but their food will fill you in. 🙂 Per conversation with the owners, they had to open ahead of schedule because they were already getting orders even when the building was still being constructed.

To Farmer’s Restaurant – congratulations! 🙂

For bookings and reservations, please contact Ms. Florence Valera at these numbers:

09399051105 / 09228948055

Incase you’re wondering why it’s called Farmer’s Resto and Grill, it’s because the owners are farmers whose main business is producing quality mangoes. 🙂

The airconditioned room. The owner was apologetic because it isn't ready yet. But well, we were hungry. haha... And they didn't disappoint! :)

The airconditioned room. The owner was apologetic because it wasn’t ready yet. But well, we were hungry. haha… And they didn’t disappoint! 🙂

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in Samal Island | Tagged Farmer's Resto and Grill, good food in Samal island, Samal Island Restaurants, Samal Restaurant, where to eat in Samal Island | Leave a comment

Blue Carabao

Posted on May 8, 2013 by leawalkerblog

John and I have been eating in this diner for almost 2 years now. 🙂 But I have never blogged about it yet because I couldn’t get a good picture, with the busy crowd and all.

Then I realized that if I wait until there’s no more crowd, I may have to wait forever. he he

Seriously, this place is packed with people all the time. When everyone leaves, there’s no more food to take pictures of. 🙂

Yeah, people line up for their food. That’s how good it is!

So yesterday, I just wore the camera and started firing. I fell inline, just like everyone did. And waited for my turn.

The soup incharge asked if I wanted one, I said yes. Food comes with free soup, you see. If you like a spicy soup, I suggest that you order the Halang-halang. That’s spicy and hot in Bisaya. Too bad, it wasn’t ready yet when we were there. So I ordered for the beef soup instead. Yes, it tasted good too! Actually, it’s better than the free beef soup of a famous chicken place in Davao, which tasted like water and a mere beef cube. LOL

Free soup comes with your order. 🙂 Yummy too!

John’s favorite is the pork giniling. That’s ground pork with carrots, potato and white beans. He pours it in his rice like a topping. 🙂

While I ordered string beans. I love the way they cook it. It’s sautéed with soy sauce I think. Reminds me of my mama’s home cooking. Then, lechon kawali. I know, I know… I shouldn’t eat pork right? 🙂

Guess how much these cost?

Our order consisted of 3 viands, 2 rice and 2 canned sprite. For Php214.00 pesos. That’s what? $ 4 dollars or so? Geee, that’s why I love this place! I get to eat a delicious and authentic Filipino food at a very low price.

More options:

They offer several kinds of vegetable dishes – ampalaya with egg, another favorite – pinakbet, salad na langka, ginisa na batong or baguio beans. I tried all those and was never disappointed.

Seafood dishes consist of : sweet and sour lapu lapu, grilled panga or tuna belly, fried tilapia or boneless bangus, adobong pusit, fresh kinilaw na malasugue and lato.

They have chicken dishes as well. See the photo above? That’s chicken liver with egg. Their chicken curry tastes good also.

Your options for pork dishes include : pork humba (sinful) haha… pork adobo, pork binagoongan (you should try this!) , giniling and lechon kawali.

Beef dishes consist of : Nilagang baka, spicy beef soup, beef steak, etc.

For those who like goat meat, you might like Kalderetang Kambing. I’ve never tried it but it looks good. hehe..

Ok, so why Blue Carabao? When Sherry’s father started the business, his specialty was that of carabao meat. They got famous for it. When he retired, Sherry and her husband, Francis (a Canadian citizen) bought the business and continued the legacy of providing for delicious but affordable food.

What I like about this diner is that it is clean. And the staff are trained to serve the clients well.

If you’re expecting a high end place with aircon, go somewhere else. 🙂 But if that doesn’t matter to you, I tell you.. You will love it as much as I do.

Other than John, there are many foreigners that visit and eat. Most of those eventually become friends of Francis. So John jokes that they have a “united nations” meeting there sometimes. ha ha..

Blue Carabao is located at Corner Leon Garcia St. and Monteverde St. It is near Magsaysay Park and Sta. Ana Fire Station. 🙂

If you’re shopping at the Chinese district, then go there for lunch. You won’t regret it!

See, they even have a recommendation from Trip Advisor. 🙂

Yep and they have a letter from Trip Advisor to prove it too! How cool is that? 🙂

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in Davao, davao city, restaurants in davao | Tagged Blue Carabao, cheap restaurants in Davao City, delicious food in Davao, dining in Davao City | 6 Comments

Swiss Deli

Posted on May 4, 2013 by leawalkerblog

We normally go to Swiss Deli to buy their meat products. I like their bacon. While John likes their hotdog and smoked farmer’s ham. 🙂

But today, let me share with you a different facet of Swiss Deli. Their restaurant.

They offer breakfast starting at 8:30 in the morning. Then lunch and dinner after that.

We usually visit them after work, before going home. That way, I do not have to cook anymore. 🙂

Here’s a sample of what they offer:

Specialty of the Day. 🙂

I ordered the beef cutlet with garlic butter, which I found delicious. 🙂

Beef Cutlet with Garlic Butter.

But I was a bit disappointed for John. I expected the real meatloaf. You know the one with ground beef, etc. Freshly cooked. What was served to us came from their preserved meatloaf. I did not expect that. At all. 😦

Meatloaf with Panfried Potato and Egg.

John was so looking forward to the real meatloaf. lol.. You should have seen his face when this was served to him. We have to remember not to order it next time.

We both liked their cream cheese pie…

Cream Cheese Pie

And this… 🙂

Swiss Deli is located in Damosa , Lanang, Davao City.

You will see their meat products in SM (both in Ecoland and Lanang branches) , Robinsons (Cybergate and Abreeza) and Gaisano Mall Supermarket.

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in Davao, davao city, restaurants in davao | Tagged Abreeza, bacon, cream cheese pie, Damosa restaurant, ham, hotdogs, restaurant in Davao, Robinsons, SM, Swiss Deli | Leave a comment

Buyer Beware

Posted on April 30, 2013 by leawalkerblog

We were in Samal Island the previous days to check some properties that were offered to us. I believe , I wrote previously that our main business is buying and selling of land. So today, I’m writing on a buyer’s perspective.

In our country, there are so many unlicensed real estate agents. This has been addressed to by the government but it’s not as strict as it should be yet. So in the island, there are many lurking around. Just waiting for possible preys.

What prompted me to blog about this today is this :

While we were inspecting the beach property which my husband and I planned on buying, I was told that a British citizen bought the connecting 13 hectares. According to the neighbors, the British hasn’t been back since he bought such because of the many problems he has encountered.

a) The property he bought was sold twice. And he’s the second buyer. 😦

b) He was promised a road right of way but until now, there’s none.

c) He thought he bought a beach property. You know the one with white sand beach.

d) He thought he bought a 13 hectare property.

So as a buyer, how do you check the authenticity of the details? And of the documents. Let me give you a tip. I am hoping that this would help future buyers of land in the Philippines.

a) What John and I do, we inspect the property we are buying. Including the boundaries. We hire our own surveyor to relocate the “mohon” or the boundary markers. And sometimes, we pay for people to clean the property before inspection. Yes, it’s an additional expense that the seller should pay. But well, that doesn’t happen in our country. And it is worth it, in the end.

b) On road right of way, please NEVER believe what an unlicensed salesmen say. After all, they have no license to lose. 🙂 Do the research. If you’re a foreigner married to a Filipina, then have your wife visit the Barangay office of the property you are buying. They will tell you if there is really a road going to the property you are buying. If none, then it is up to you to make sure that you will indeed be given a road. How? Negotiate with the neighboring owners and get a notarized agreement. Words don’t mean anything. At all. So please do not believe the seller’s promises without proof.

c) On double sale, etc. To avoid being a victim of this scam, get a copy of the title from the seller. Then go to the Register of Deeds. Pay for a Certified True Copy. That would tell you if the title is clean or not. Encumbrances and the likes are all annotated at the back of the said title, if any. If you don’t understand what the annotation is, then it’s high time for you to hire a lawyer. And not just any lawyer. Make sure that he’s a Licensed Real Estate broker as well. That’s what I did. So with me being a Licensed Broker and our company lawyer, it’s easy to detect if we’re being scammed or not.

d) Most people are so trusting. So they believe what the unlicensed agents say. There is nothing wrong with that. Except the fact that most agents don’t care about you. They are interested with how they can get your money. So as a buyer, do a due diligence.

I’ve met a lot of foreigners here that told us they bought a property in their names because they did this and that. It makes me laugh. No matter what your lawyer tells you, IT IS NOT GONNA HAPPEN. There is only one law on ownership. And it states very clearly that foreigners cannot own land in our country except if a) you’re married to a citizen b) you have a corporation.

http://www.davaoproperties.com/real-estate-laws

So if you purchase land by going around the law, then that is your fault. Some people have done the dummy corporation. Yeah, that’s the bottom line. Dumb , dummy.. Sorry but there’s no other way to explain this. If you fall for that scheme and you lose everything, that is your fault.

To my co-Filipinos, talk to your broker friends, if you are not sure of anything. You can email me if you have no broker friends. I like to write so don’t worry. I reply all emails. hehe

Deal with Licensed Professionals only. Please. It is for your own protection.

I was told once by a seller – “ok lang ma’am, your husband is a foreigner so he is rich”. LOL . That’s the mentality of most sellers here. I told her 1) We’re not rich. We just work hard. 2) Allea Real Estate is not a charitable institution. 🙂

I said that jokingly. But well, the message is there. I am not dumb enough to give you what we’ve work so hard for. I mean you know, most of us do work for what we have right? And it isn’t right to be caught up in such a problematic transaction because someone else is greedy. And dishonest.

So the point of this story is… please check the documents. It is worth hiring a professional than losing several millions. Besides, buyers don’t pay the License Brokers here. The seller does. So it won’t be an additional expense on your part.

Good luck my friends. 🙂 And good morning to all of you. I hope that I was able to help you in a small way.

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in Davao, davao city, philippines, real estate, Samal Island | Tagged broker in Davao City, Buyers Beware, Lea Walker, Philippine Law on Ownership, Real Estate Law, titles | 2 Comments

Weddings in the Philippines

Posted on April 23, 2013 by leawalkerblog

Amor, my staff, got married recently. Since she and the groom came from Digos, Davao Del Sur , we travelled at least an hour early to attend it. I was glad that we were invited because I saw how happy she looked on her wedding day. 🙂

This reminded me that I have never wrote about weddings and preparations in my blog yet. So let me share some tips with you based on mine.

Being married to an American, John and I had to go to the American embassy in Manila to get a document called “Legal Capacity To Marry“. That is required for all foreigners marrying a Filipina. If you have been divorced, then you need to bring your divorce paper as well.

With those in hand, we went to the Local Civil Registrar (normally that’s at the City Hall or Municipal Hall) where your fiancée is living, and applied for a marriage license.

Remember: you cannot get married without the said license. The judge or the priest will look for that when you book for their services.

Requirements are the following:

1. Legal Capacity To Marry (from your embassy in Manila)

2. Divorce Paper (if it applies)

3. Birth Certificate (of both bride and groom )

Please note that the Filipina’s birth certificate should come from the National Statistic’s Office. And while she’s at NSO, please tell her to also get a …

4. Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR)

There’s a long line at NSO so be sure to go there early. Or pay a travel agency to get those. The cost is more or less, P300.00 per document. That way you save on time plus it’s not so tiring for you both. 🙂

5) Baptismal Certificate (for the Filipina)

6) Pay the necessary fees.

After submission, the Marriage License will be released 10 days later. Yes, it takes that long. 🙂 So you have to include the time frame while you’re planning your wedding. I got married 8 years ago. And I’ve heard that it’s still the same. So be advised.

In the meantime, both the groom and bride will be asked to attend a Family Planning seminar. 🙂

I remember John’s joke at that time. He said, ” no wonder there is no divorce in your country. They make it so difficult for you to get married”. ha ha

Yep, the license preparation alone, will give you enough time to rethink your position. LOL

With all those going on, I asked the help of a wedding planner to assist us in the invitation, the food planning, etc.

We stayed in a hotel the day before the wedding as well. That’s where all the preparations were done. The hair and make up artist just went there. And so did the photographer. He had to get some pre wedding photos of us, the gowns, etc..

So the bottom line is delegate the works. 🙂 That way, you won’t get stressed with the preparation. And if you can, do the reception at a hotel or any venue away from the bride’s house.

You know, Filipinos are very clannish. That being said, expect at least a hundred visitors during the wedding and the reception. Because dealing with all those people on top of everything else can add to the stress, if your wedding isn’t planned well. 🙂

I mean, isn’t it better to just arrive in the venue with everything ready for you? I think it’s more relaxing that way..

In our case, it gave me time to think of ways to make our wedding special. I made John cry when I sang “Love Moves in Mysterious Ways” during the reception. It was meant as a surprise for him. And I did. 🙂 Surprise him, that is..

Actually, no one expected that. Even the guests. he he

I posted that song here – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGsTd0b25W0

So I hope that this will help you with yours… 🙂

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Love Moves in Mysterious Ways, Marriage License Requirements in the Philippines, Philippine weddings | Leave a comment

Just Another Day in Samal Island

Posted on April 18, 2013 by leawalkerblog

We had a work related trip to Samal Island earlier this week. But John and I knew that it will be a short one. So we invited two friends to hang out with us.

We left Davao around 10 in the morning. And got to Samal around 10:30. Yes, the ferry wasn’t busy that day. Thank God or we would have waited for awhile. 🙂

From the ferry, we proceeded to our land. Less than 10 minutes and we were there. You know, I’m so happy that the nipa hut is already done. It’s such a nice place to rest considering the scorching heat of the sun. The fresh sea breeze that the island offers is like an oasis in the dessert. Summer in the Philippines can be very hot. If you are here, you will understand where I’m coming from. 🙂

I am so proud of our nipa hut because our carpenter did a really nice job of it. It is called as such because the roof is made of Nipa, ( another palm tree that you will find in our country. )

What I love about ours is that the land has a fantastic view of the ocean. So while sitting there, we get to enjoy the panoramic vista infront of us as well… (If you want to have one like this, please check this link – http://www.davaoproperties.com/lots-for-sale/lfs-57 )

Overlooking lots though come in bigger sizes @ 300sqm. The minimum monthly amortization is P7,500.00 for a period of 10 years on a Straight Monthly Payment Scheme.

I took this photo earlier in April when my family visited our newest project. 🙂

So going back to now, I asked Grace if she wanted Buko juice? When she said yes, I asked Manong Dodo, our Samal incharge, to prepare some for us. 🙂

Let me share with you the photos I took:

It was Gary’s first time to drink a coconut juice. 🙂

He said that it tasted bland. And didn’t like it. But Grace and I loved it. John kept away. lol He doesn’t like coconut or any food that has something to do with it.

Grace, Gary’s wife. 🙂

After talking to our workers, we thought we’d show our friends our favorite beach spot in Samal. If you’ve been following my blog, you’d know that we prefer Kaputian over the rest of Samal. Why? Because there’s water there even during low tide. Plus the sand is more like powdery white. 🙂

Kaputian is about 20 kms from our property. But we didn’t mind the long trip because the roads are all paved. And the view going there is relaxing. To me at least. 🙂 For more about Kaputian beach, please read my blog here – https://leawalkerblog.com/2012/06/05/kaputian-beach-park-samal-island/

We stopped for a few minutes at Kaputian Beach Park. Then proceeded to a high end development in the area called Kembali Coast.

Kembali Coast has a 1.8km shoreline with white sand and crystal clear waters. The amenities and facilities include: gate and guardhouse, perimeter fence, concrete roads and drainage system, clubhouse with infinity pool, beach resort with aqua sports facilities. Yes, if you want a resort living experience, you’ll find it here. 🙂

Minimum price for one lot is Php3,000,000.00 for a 750sqm cut. Downpayment is 20% and the balance is payable in 10 years. For single foreigners out there, you cannot buy land in our country. But you can purchase a condominium unit.

Right now, the developer is preparing a portion of the area for Kembali Horizons. That’s the 5 building, 3 storey condominium projects overlooking the ocean and Talicud Island. I’ll give you an update on this in the future. 🙂

In the meantime, here are the photos I took earlier this week.

And of course, we had to pose… lol

With our friends, Gary and Grace. 🙂

Stolen Shot:

John became friends with Kembali's resident labrado, Miko. :)

John became friends with Kembali’s resident labrador, Miko. 🙂

This is why I love my job. Sometimes, it doesn’t feel like one. 🙂 Thank God for “sometimes” …

Lea C. Walker

www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in Samal Island | Tagged beachline lot for sale, Cheap Samal lots for sale, clubhouse, Infinity Pool, Kembali Coast, Kembali horizon, Samal beach resort, Samal Island Lot for Sale, swimming in Samal, white sand beach | Leave a comment

Maramag to Davao Roadtrip

Posted on April 17, 2013 by leawalkerblog

Here are the photos I took during the last day of our Northern Mindanao Roadtrip on Holy Week 2013. This covers Maramag, Bukidnon to Davao City. 🙂

This scenery is very common in Bukidnon. 🙂 That’s why, I love it there!

On our way to Quezon, Bukidnon. 🙂

We make it a point to stop at these stalls in Buda because it’s cheaper to buy vegetables there. I paid a total of P200.00 and I was able to buy pechay, cabbage, eggplant, squash, string beans, tomatoes, cucumber , sayote , ampalaya and camote. Not just for me but for my mother and sister too. 🙂 Yes, all those for P200.00 . Not bad right? 🙂 That can double once you’re in the city.

I saw these birds near the vegetable stalls. I was just so amazed to see an owl upclose. 🙂 The smaller birds below have a distinctive sound that we found cute. ha ha

I like his eyes. 🙂

Another stop we did was to have lunch at Seagull Mountain Resort. It’s very convenient because it’s just along the highway. Plus its cool weather makes it a perfect stop over place. The resort is surrounded by pine trees. So it’s very relaxing. 🙂

Lunch at Seagull Mountain Resort.

Mama’s favorite. Bihon guisado served in a pan. 🙂 Tasted good too!

Still in Buda. 🙂

Jeepney going to Davao. Toploading is very common in the country side. Dangerous but most of the trips do make it. 🙂

I like this river near Marilog district. 🙂

So you wanna know if it is safe to travel in Northern Mindanao? I would say that it is. We travelled for 5 days and slept in different resorts at night. Our family had fun and never have we felt unsafe. At all. 🙂

Like I always say, we pray before we start each trip. And we always have fun. We always come home safe and sound.

Thank God…

Lea C. Walker

http://www.davaoproperties.com

Posted in buda, bukidnon, cagayan de oro city, Davao, davao city, maramag, My Travels, seagull mountain resort, Uncategorized | Tagged Buda, buda vegetables, buda view, Bukidnon, bukidnon panoramic views, Davao City, Maramag, Seagull Mountain Resort, Seagull Steak House, Vegetable vendors in buda | Leave a comment

RR Family Spring Resort

Posted on April 12, 2013 by leawalkerblog

Maramag is famous for their spring resorts. They have abundant water supply because water, just comes out of the ground literally!

But our family’s “suki” is RR Spring Resort. We visit the place at least once a year. And since 2010, they have added a lot of other features which I find really nice. I was told that their architect used to work in the west. Figures, I thought. Because there are little things there that we do not find common in a Philippine resort.

To date, RR Family Spring Resort, has 8 swimming pools. Everyday, the water is replaced. So each pool gets sparkling water. That’s what I like about it, no matter how crowded it gets , the water just keeps on flowing. Somehow, it remains clean the whole day..

We arrived in the resort around 4pm. It was full of people, as usual. But we were not worried. We already booked 2 rooms. A bungalow cottage for me and John.

While my family got a van type accommodation. That sounds bad right? Lol. Actually, it’s a trailer which they remodeled beautifully. It has 13 beds and 2 bathrooms. This comes with its own manicured lawn and a picnic table. Perfect for our family because I have nephews who like to run and play. 🙂

Bungalow Type Cottage.

The Van Type Accomodation.

This accommodation comes with its own picnic hut and table. And a manicured lawn.

It’s perfect for a family gathering. We had our dinner under the sky. With the full moon and the stars. Beautiful experience, not just for us adults but most specially, for my nephews. 🙂

Marco at the kiddie pool. Testing how cold the water is… 🙂

After dinner, we walked towards the kiddie pool. Even if the water was cold, Marco and Wemce had fun playing and wading..

I left my sister and her family at the pool since I couldn’t stay awake anymore.

The next morning, I woke up before sunrise. The pool area is facing the east, but I noticed that everytime we go there, sunrise doesn’t look spectacular. But the fact that I am alive to enjoy another day, is more than enough blessing to thank God for. So I sat in a quiet corner and said my prayer in silence.

Alone, I felt how small I am, as I gazed at the huge lake at the back of the resort. I just find the vista infront of me so beautiful and peaceful.

The lap pool of RR Family Spring Resort.

At the back of this Olympic pool is Maramag’s watershed, the Pulangi Lake. It is so big you can see it for miles.

The 2 feet deep kiddie pool.

Other side of the kiddie pool.

These cartoon characters are found beside the kiddie pool. 🙂

3 ft deep pool. Don’t laugh! 🙂 I don’t know how to swim remember? haha

At 6:00 in the morning, we had the pool all to ourselves. 🙂 Yep, people started arriving past 9am. By then, we have already enjoyed the pools and are ready for breakfast.

My nephew, Blaire , is a special child. But he swims better than John and I. 🙂 Our family sent him to a swimming lesson years ago. And he’s not scared to dive and swim either in the pool or the beach… Deeper parts at that!

The 5.5 ft pool.

OTHER PHOTOS:

The Koi Pond. The kois have grown pretty big!

The fish pond. With tilapia and hito.

I like to fish. Even if I don’t eat tilapia or hito. hehe.. But this time, we did not do any fishing at all. I found the water dirty. 😦 I think the pond needed more water. And it definitely needed cleaning up. I saw a “bra” (are you wondering how it got there too?) haha.. and some cellophane.

The Function Hall.

RR Family Spring Resort is found in Brgy. Tubigon, Maramag, Bukidnon.

To and from Davao City, travel time is almost 4 hours in a private vehicle at 60-80 km per hour.

As of this writing, the rates are: P2,800.00 per night for Bungalow and Van Type accomodations. They also have a dormitel that can accommodate at least 20 persons @ P2,800.00 per night as well.

Bungalow accomodations get 2 free breakfast. Options are bacon, ham, sausage with egg and rice or bread. It comes with either coffee or “tsokolate”. 🙂

They have a kitchen where you can cook, for Van and dormitel accomodations. This makes it cheaper when you’re travelling with a big group.