Camiguin – Part 2

Posted on September 13, 2011 by leawalkerblog
While John and I were in Camiguin , my sister Daisy kept on texting how it was. So I told her that the island is so beautiful. (Please read part 1 of my Camiguin story here – https://leawalkerblog.com/2011/09/08/camiguin-another-magical-island-in-mindanao/
So they thought they’d spend their  week with us  in Camiguin too. They left Davao around midnight to head towards Camiguin via Butuan. (If you read my blog about Bohol, you’d know that it’s about 11 hours trip via Butuan. ) They arrived around 1:00pm in Camiguin port so we all had lunch at J & A Fishpen.
At J & A Fishpen.
Angie and Matt. J & A Fishpenn, Camiguin. 2008.
J & A Fishpen is very near the pier. I found it convenient because the ferry boat usually arrives late so the restaurant comes handy when you’re really hungry. While eating at the floating cottage, you can admire the panoramic view of the sea and the mountain as well.  The place is so relaxing, sleeping in a hammock after eating, would be perfect. Hmmn.. that’s just me, dreaming. hehe…
I knew that the whole family were all tired and haven’t had a night’s sleep so John and I led them to their place to rest.
The next day, we went to visit Ardent Hot Spring. I don’t know why but the water was not hot anymore. Maybe because the place was packed with people? hehe .. Or like they said, the water source moved somewhere else when they had an earthquake. Makes sense right? So I don’t know.. (shrugs.. )
One thing I liked about Camiguin, the entrance fees to their tourist spots, are very cheap. It just ranges from P10-50 pesos per head. 🙂 That matters when you’re with a big group. In our case, we usually go on vacation with the whole family, including our kasambahay and driver. Walang iwanan, remember? So if at all possible, we take everyone with us.
The following day, we headed towards Katibawasan Falls. The water was so cold,  it took us awhile to go swimming.   So we spent a lot of time taking pictures first!
Papa, Daisy with Franco, Mama
Mama, Me, Daisy with Franco, Pearlie..
All smiles.. hehe.. John normally does not like posing for me. lol
Don’t miss Katibawasan Falls when you’re in Camiguin. We loved the place!
Ruben and Blaire..
Adette and Angie. 🙂
Adette and Marco. 🙂
Marjun and Dandan.
After Katibawasan, we drove towards Camiguin Tree House. It was kinda eccentric for my taste. 🙂 But it had an appeal since it’s different. They got big statues of crocodiles, weird mermaid? , etc..
Before dinner that day, we were invited to the resort of our newly-found friends there. So we just hang out near the beach and chatted the rest of the day while waiting for the sunset. 🙂
I wonder what Marco was thinking.. He had that far away look..
We were in Camiguin once only. And that was 3 years ago. But the memories will always be instilled in our minds. The place was so beautiful, for me it’s magical…
Like I said in my previous article, Mindanao is so beautiful, it’s sad that it is depicted as a scary place…. Tsk.. tsk.. If only they knew… (sigh… )
Lea C. Walker
www.davaoproperties.com
Posted in My Travels, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Camiguin…Another magical Island in Mindanao

Posted on September 8, 2011 by leawalkerblog

Most people are scared to come to Mindanao because of how it is depicted on the news. I remember the first time John came to the Philippines, the woman beside him on the plane, told him not to go to Davao or he’s going to get kidnapped, etc. ( Then she added – why don’t you stay in Manila and I’ll introduce you to my niece instead. Which John promptly replied – uh-huh, Lea will not like that. Buti na lang mabait at matapat si John. Sa akin, that is.. hehe  )

Seriously though, that’s how bad the news about Mindanao is.
So I am hoping that through my blog, people from all over the world will know how beautiful Mindanao is. True, there are some shady / dangerous areas in Mindanao but those are far from Davao. Or Camiguin Island, which is what I’m featuring today. 🙂
From Davao, John and I travelled via Buda (Bukidnon-Davao road) to Cagayan De Oro. Then, from CDO to Balingoan. I mentioned in my previous blogs that we like road trips. So the 6 hr travel didn’t bother us. We took our time and stopped beside the road to rest. Then hit the road again.
From Balingoan, we took a ferry to Camiguin Island for 1.5 hours.
The view, on board the ferry boat.
Since, it’s both our first time in Camiguin, we asked the people from the port where Mambajao is. We were told that it’s on the other side of the island. Not to worry though, because Camiguin I realized is very small. (compared to Samal Island, that is. ) And the roads are concrete. So travelling from one place to the other is not difficult. Plus the view is breath taking. Grabe!!
We arrived at the hotel late in the afternoon already. So we opted to rest.  The resort we stayed at is called Villa Paraiso Resort and Apartelle. –
We were given a room on the 2nd floor , so we had a view of the pool and the restaurant. It was spacious and had a terrace, so it was ok for us.
I love their hammock! 🙂
Side note: If you’re planning to go to Camiguin on Holy Week, I suggest that you book your hotel way ahead of time. Everything’s fully booked during peak season. We were lucky someone cancelled at the last minute when I called up.
What I like about the resort is that, it is near downtown Mambajao. So John and I just walked towards town to see what’s there.  We found the maker of Pastel, http://vjandep.com/ (the deliciously filled buns). Yummy!! 🙂  No, this is not a paid advertisement. hehe… I just love their product.  They’re welcome though to send me some if they ever read this post. hahaha.. Ang kapal ng mukha ko. LOL
The next day, we both decided to have a leisurely drive. That’s the reason why we choose to do the booking ourselves when we go on vacations. That way, no one will rush us. I think that’s the essence of going on vacations. To enjoy the place and its people. Not just rush through it. I hate that. And I’m glad John feels the same way.
Our first stop was the Hibok Hibok Volcano Observatory. Going up there was beautiful. We enjoyed the scenic drive. And the view was fantastic. Do not forget to go there when you visit Camiguin. 🙂
Foggy Mt. Hibok Hibok..
Then we headed towards Paras Beach Resort for lunch. From their restaurant, you will see an islet famously called “White Island”. It’s a long strip of white sand which people go to during low tide.
John, while we were waiting for food. hehe
Our sweet moment together.. haha  Thanks to the waiter at Paras for this wonderful photo.
John trying to rest while kinukulit ko siya to pose! hahaha
After lunch, we continued with our trip until we reached the “sunken cemetery site“.   We were told that this cemetery sank when the volcano exploded. So they put up the big cross to remember those who died. During low tide, the cemetery can be clearly seen.
We had a nice chat with Manong.. 🙂
Next stop, we had a carwash at Sto. Nino Cold Spring. I was so amazed when I saw the locals washing the cars in the stream. Filipinos grab the opportunity when they see it really!
Carwash for our van.. hehe
The Pool at Sto. Nino Cold Spring. It’s deep and it’s very cold!
Other Beautiful Spots:
Century old house..

Having fun with the kids. 🙂

As we went back to the hotel, we passed by a small barangay. I asked John to stop because I wanted to take picture of the sunset.
The perfect way to end a beautiful day in Camiguin….
For Part 2: (please read  – https://leawalkerblog.com/2011/09/13/camiguin-part-2/

 

 

Posted in Camiguin, Mambajao, My Travels, Paras Beach Resort, Pastel, Sto. Nino Cold Spring, Sunken Cemetery, Sunset in Camiguin, Villa Paraiso | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Samal Island, from Island to Highlands

Posted on September 4, 2011 by leawalkerblog
Samal Island is a very special place to me and my family. When we were growing up, papa’s work takes him to Samal almost everyday. That’s where most of their livestock come from.Twelve years ago, I started selling Samal properties for a local company in Davao. I sold probably a total of 200 lots which gave me my 1st van, a Mitsubishi L300. It was an award coming from my boss for a job well done, so to speak. It also gave me the chance to own my 1st house, which my parents are enjoying now.This time, I am now selling our properties. On credit, if I may add. 🙂 We offer 3 year term @ zero interest payment scheme on a straight monthly basis.

http://davaoproperties.com/LFS-36.html

Needless to say, Samal  has been very good to us.

So I will make a tribute to the island who has helped me and my entire family for the past 3 decades.

The Island Garden City of Samal is composed of 31,000 hectares more or less. It is divided into 4 districts namely:  Babak, Penaplata (where the City Mayor holds his office), Kaputian and Talicud Island, which is separated from the mainland.

Although, it’s only 10 minutes away from Davao City, the island is a part of Davao Del Norte.

How To Go There:

From Davao City, one has an option to do the following:

a) Take the bus, which is also owned by the ferry company. The terminal is beside Magsaysay Park
in R. Magsaysay Avenue. The fare ranges from P25.00 – P60.00 .

b) Take a jeepney to Km. 11 Sasa. Then walk towards the passenger port. There are boats (locally known as “Lantsa”).  Fare is Php12.00 per head.

c) Take your own or rented car to Samal by way of a ferry boat. The port is also in Km. 11 Sasa. Ferry Schedule starts at 6 a.m. and ends at 10:00 p.m. with 15-20 minutes interval, during low season. During peak season, the waiting period can be 1-2 hours depending on how long the line is. 🙂  Actual travel time is only 10minutes.

Car / Van fee is Php270.00 including the driver and 1 passenger. More than that, they charge P10.00 per head.

What To Do:

Samal Island is famous for its white sand beaches and crystal clear waters. There are so many beach resorts scattered all over the place.

Then, there’s the bat cave in Babak, which is the home of millions of fruit bats.  If you don’t mind the strong smell of the bats’ dung, then you’d be amazed when you watch them fly. 🙂

We have diving spots, for those who want to go diving. Just go to Sta. Ana Pier and there are diving offices there.

Samal is called a garden city because of the “garden under the water“.  On the 4th birthday of my nephew Marco , we went to Kaputian Beach Park. Then we rented a boat for P700.00 and went to the vanishing island in Lidao , Kaputian. That was one of the most amazing experiences I had. It was low tide so the water was just ankle deep. So we were able to walk on a long strip of land in the middle of the sea! The corals are so beautiful, I couldn’t stop taking pictures. hehehe…

When we landed at the vanishing island.
Walking in the middle of the sea… Nice right?! 🙂

Island hopping is also one of the best ways to enjoy the island. Just make sure that you do that when it’s not “habagat” time or you would hate the trip because of the waves. 🙂 Also, remember to come back before 3pm. The boat tend to sway more because of the wave even if the weather is fine…  You should not miss this when you go to Samal. It’s so beautiful you’d be amazed at God’s creation…

Beautiful rock formation…
The wishing island.
Fishing Boat
The undeveloped white sand beach..
Private beach houses..
Fish Cage. They grow milkfish or “bangus” here. 🙂
PLACES TO STAY:                                                                
The first resort you will see upon reaching Babak, by way of a bus or Ferry boat, is Camp Holiday. It is only more than a year old and is owned by the bus and ferry company.
If you head towards Limao, Blue Jazz resort is there. Then the famous Paradise Island. A lot of people thought that it’s an island in Samal. But no, it’s not. It’s just the name of the resort. 🙂 Then, there’s Costa Marina. As you continue travelling, you’ll reach Catagman. Resorts like Mayumi , Bali-bali and Punta Del Sol are there.
As you continue, you’ll reach Brgy. Cawag. This area is near the beach view lots we’re selling. You’ll find Maxima Aqua Fun. If you want adventure, try their canopy walk! Or their water slide that will take you directly to the beach. 🙂 Like Pearl Farm, you can jetski , rent a banana boat, do snorkelling, etc. Entrance Fee is Php200.00 per head.
The best beaches in Samal is in Kaputian. That’s why our family chooses to go there when we want to go to the beach. I love Kaputian Beach Park. If you’re on a day trip and wants to do picnic on the beach, this would suffice. It’s a government operated resort so it is cheap. P10.00 per head, the last time we were there. The  picnic cottage is about P80.00 .  You can bring a tent and camp beside the beach or bring a hammock, tie between the trees and there you go. Relax to the max! 🙂
They also have cottages and a tree house for overnight stay.
Kaputian Beach Park.
You’ll also find the world famous Pearl Farm Resort in Kaputian.
Matt and Blaire at the Infinity Pool of Pearl Farm.
                
There’s Hof Gorei, a german owned resort. I’ve never been there yet. But I heard that their infinity pool and sunken bar is also very nice. 🙂
If you want something cooler, then visit Hagimit Falls, by all means. 🙂 It’s cool waters is soothing and refreshing!  Sorry, I have no photos of Hagimit anymore. Those are part of the photo collection I lost when John’s hard drive crashed.  Hagimit was developed by the local government now. So it’s cleaner and well-maintained.

There’s another attractive waterfall in Samal known as Tagbaobo Falls. But this one is at the back of Samal, facing Davao Oriental. You can rent a motorcycle or bring a 4×4 vehicle because the road is rough. It is undeveloped but its untouched beauty makes it more appealing and beautiful.

For those who like mountain climbing, Puting Bato Peak might be of interest to you.

I’ve read that there are 71 caves in Samal Island, so you can do spelunking as well.  Maybe one of these days, I’ll have to check one and write about it. 🙂  The easiest to go to is the cave owned by the Monforts. It houses millions of fruit bats. They usually come out before 6pm to look for food. They’re asleep during daytime so you can take photos all you want then.
Samal maybe small, but it’s a very busy island.  There are so many things you can do, so you won’t get bored. From Island to Highlands, indeed!
So come and enjoy! 🙂UPDATE:   I had the chance to visit Hagimit Falls again last month. Wow, the place looks so different from what I remember! It’s more beautiful and developed now. I just hope that its commercialization will not affect its natural beauty. 🙂 To the LGU’s , congratulations for a job well done! Please read my  blog about it here –
                                                                          Lea C. Walker
                                                            www.davaoproperties.com













    

Posted in Babak, beach resorts, blue jazz, camp holiday, Kaputian, kaputian beach park, lots for sale, My Travels, paradise island, pearl farm, Penaplata, Punta del Sol, Samal Island, Talicud | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A place called Eden…

Posted on September 3, 2011 by leawalkerblog

Something funny happened to me yesterday. 🙂

We went to Eden because our clients wanted to see the subdivisions there. Our first stop was Eden Ridge. He liked it but since it’s still being developed, it would not serve the purpose. He wants to build a rest house soon.
Next stop was at Fernwood. – http://davaoproperties.com/LFS-42.html .  Our client loves the place! But since it’s mostly sold , the choices are very limited.

So off we went to our final stop. Mountain Haven. –

http://www.davaoproperties.com/Mountain-Haven.html

I asked John to please take us to the clubhouse first because I needed to go to the bathroom. Of course, I locked the door right? The problem was I could no longer get out! haha… I don’t know what happened. But the door lock got stuck. lol  It took the utility incharge forever to open it. It was so embarrassing because the clients were outside waiting for me. All of us burst out laughing when I finally came out. hahaha…
That’s the reason why I thought of writing about the place. I simply love Eden. If we do not have to be in downtown everyday, that’s where John and I will probably live.
Unlike the city, the temperature up there is a lot cooler. Sometimes it’s less than 10 degree celsius!  I can breathe better there because the air is fresher. It’s wonderful for those who have sinusitis and migraine.

How To Go There:

It’s about 45mins ride from downtown Davao, so it’s better if you bring your own car. Taxi would be very expensive specially if you let them wait. If you’re planning of a family holiday, I would suggest that you rent a van. The rent is only P2,500.00 per day.

Where To Stay:

There are 2 choices. One is Loleng’s . It was named after the owner Dolores P. Torres. Their family owns University of Mindanao , WT FM and a local radio station called DXUM, among other things.

I like their cottages because they’re more spacious. They have a swimming pool and a boating area. Their restaurant is on top so you get a view of Davao City and Samal Island, while relaxing and dining. 🙂 I love their grilled liempo there! Not so healthy huh? lol .. But then again, life is short. So why not? haha

With Mama.
My youngest sister, Daisy.
My nephews: Blaire, Marco, Matt and Franco.
With my sister Pearlie, Loleng’s Resto. Davao and Samal island on the background.
Entrance Fee: Php80 per head             Cottage  Cost: P2,500.00 per night          Food: prices vary per order
                                                                                                                                                ( food is good!)
I would upload more pictures if I could. But when John’s hard drive crashed, I lost my photo collections.  We learned a valuable lesson that day. Save your pictures in 2 different hard drives! And save it online as well…
The other Resort is called Eden Nature Park.  What I like about their cottages is that their porch/terrace has screens. So you can hang out as long as you want outdoor and not worry about mosquito or bug bites.
And then they have buffet. 🙂 Breakfast, lunch or dinner. So you won’t get hungry. I didn’t! LOL  They serve salad which were freshly picked from their garden. It’s organic so for those who are health buffs, you’ll love it…  There are so many options so you just choose from the buffet table. You can’t go wrong because everything tastes good. 🙂


Lunch at Eden on valentine’s. 🙂

 

Entrance Fee :  P180 per head (with merienda – plated)
                         P480 per head (with buffet lunch/dinner)
Cottage Cost:   P2,500.00 per night     (check with www.agoda.com – they have offers from time to
                                                                time, for cheaper prices)


Cottage in Eden.

 

THINGS TO DO:
Ahh… this is going to be a long list. 🙂
a) Fishing   – my most favorite. Their pond is filled with Tilapia and Hito. I don’t eat those. But I
    don’t care. haha… And so I fish! And scream with excitement. And fish some more!
                     Entrance Fee: Php55.00               
                     Cost of Tilapia and Hito per kilo: Php180.00


Finally, I caught a Tilapia! haha

 

b) Resort Tour – I love this too! The view is breath taking. Plus you get to commune with nature and smell the flowers and the herbs from their garden.
                       Shuttle Fee: P100.00 per head


At the flower garden.

 


The organic garden.

 


Herbal Garden in the background. 🙂

 

  3. Adventure :
      Indiana Jones – I don’t know why it’s called like that. But I’ll have the pictures speak for
       themselves. lol


Marco, my nephew. And his papa, Ruben. 🙂

 


Mattskie.. he’s studying in Japan now. 🙂

 

          
   Horse Back Riding:
I will never be an equestrienne. But no one can stop me from having fun. As in, trying hard
jud! hahaha….
Eden has a zipline also, for those who want extreme adventure. Maybe, one day I will have the guts to try it. 🙂 They also have a swimming pool, but since the temperature is very cool, you might not like it.  I also love their bird and butterfly sanctuary. 
                                    
Other Interesting Things:
We usually stop at this store on the way home to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. 🙂
We, Davaoenos, are so lucky. We are blessed with cool mountain resorts. And then if we want to go to the beach, we just pack our things and head towards Samal island.. 🙂
I’ll share about that next time… Hope you enjoy my ramblings! hehe
                  
Posted in Eden Nature Park, Eden Ridge, Fernwood, Mountain Haven, My Travels | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Angkor Archaelogical Park – Bayon Temple

Posted on September 1, 2011 by leawalkerblog

The main reason for our Southeast Asian Trip was to visit Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia. So we stayed in SR for 5days to ensure that we get to see the place without rushing through it.  The first thing we did was hire a tour guide. The fee was $20 per day. They’ll tell you at first that it’s $25 but you have to haggle. 🙂 Our tour guide asked what kind of transpo do we want. Of course, we said “tuktuk” for the experience. The fee was $15 per day. Being the stingy me, I asked if we can make it $100 total for 3 days. They agreed. Yehey!

I am glad that we chose to ride the “Tuktuk”. For my Filipino friends, a tuktuk can be compared to our “Trisikad”. The difference is that it looks like a karitela, instead of being pulled by a horse, they’re using a motorcyle. Siem Reap is very clean. So there’s no worry of dust. Specially on the way to Angkor. The road is filled with trees so the air is so fresh and cool when it touches your skin. It’s better than an airconditioned car!  Plus I felt like a princess riding in one. haha..

Tuktuk ride, on our way to Angkor.
From the hotel, our tuktuk driver led us to the ticket center. I believe that the pass cost $20 per day. But we only paid the discounted price of $40 for a 3 day pass. You cannot enter Angkor Archaelogical Park without the pass because the guards at the main entrance will inspect it. The gate pass has your picture in it and it states the number of days you will be allowed to enter the park. 
Angkor Archaelogical Park was declared a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. The 400 square mile park is a protected area because of the 1,000 temples dating back from 9th to 15th century, which are scattered all over the place.
We went first to Bayon Temple because Angkor Wat was too crowded. Besides, it is better viewed around 1-2 pm when the sun is behind it. It’s supposed to be better for photography. But well, August is their rainy season so it was mostly cloudy when we were there. It did not stop me from taking a thousand pictures though.. hahaha. Thank God for digital cameras!
BAYON TEMPLE:
I love this temple, (built in the 12th century), because it tells the story of the Khmer people. Like reading a book, as you enter the temple, you’ll find carvings on the wall depicting their daily life. It felt like I was transported to their time while looking at the etchings on the wall. What amazed me was the time they spent on carving them. They were so intricate, I believe, it must have taken them years to finish them.
The main entrance of the Bayon itself is spectacular. You walk through a 100 meter pavement with moats on each side. Each side have statues depicting their Gods and supposedly  the “devils” showing  the good and the bad.
One of the images at the entrance of Bayon. I love the moat beside it!

 

The Corridor at Bayon Temple.
The man on top of the tree, trying to hide from the tiger.

Sadly, the man got eaten by the tiger. 😦

The Fishermen…
Ahh.. it’s party time. 🙂
Bayon is famous for its giant stone faces that adorn the top of the temple. To think that they built everything by hand is simply amazing. This is just one temple. And there are 1000 in the area. Think , how many people gave their lives to the king, for these temples to be erected. It must have been millions. I am sure many of them died. 😦  But their legacy lives on.
I am glad that Unesco is doing their best to preserve Angkor. It is such a wonder to see an empire still standing after a thousand years…
Lea C. Walker
 
Posted in Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, Banteay Srei, Cambodia, moats, My Travels, Siem Reap, Ta Phrom, Temple of the Leper King, Terrace of the Three-head Elephant | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Somadevi Angkor Hotel and Spa

Posted on August 30, 2011 by leawalkerblog

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff of Somadevi Angkor Hotel and Spa for making our stay in Siem Reap wonderful. 🙂

***********************

The kingsize bed was so comfortable!

After a long day of travel and a very tiring border experience (read my previous blog so you will understand what I’m talking about 🙂 , we arrived in Siem Reap around 4 in the            afternoon.

Upon entering the hotel, the staff immediately got our luggages and one of them handed us 2 glasses of fruit juice and 2 very cold face towels. It felt like heaven after all that we’ve been through. They let us rest for a few minutes then did a fast and efficient check-in.

When we got into our room, I was impressed with its cleanliness. The bathroom had a big tub and a separate shower.  Our room had a sliding door which opened to a wide verandah overlooking the swimming pool and the sunken bar.
I simply loved it. 🙂
The view from our room.

THE LOBBY:

SOMADEVI was named after Cambodian Queen who led Cambodia in the first century during the Khmer Empire Period. Based on her successful merits in making Cambodia as the most well-known country in South East Asia in terms of society and infrastructure, her name continues to rise in the mind of today’s Cambodian people.
You’ll see from the lobby  the rich culture of the Khmer Empire through its design and architecture.

THE RESTAURANT:

When I booked the hotel online, I opted to have a free breakfast. That way, we will not be stressed out looking for food every morning. I am glad I did because their food is good. They had an extensive breakfast buffet which consisted of a salad bar, bread counter, rice (btw, their rice is good) , the usual ham , bacon, etc. They also had a counter where you just tell them how you want your eggs done. 🙂

Their menu for lunch and dinner are not that many. But the ones we ordered were very delicious. The price is the same with the top restaurants in Siem Reap. The difference is that, I am sure the Somadevi kitchen is very clean. 🙂 Let me explain. Our tour guide brought us one time to a famous Khmer Restaurant in SR. The food was good. But when I went to the bathroom before we left, I was disgusted. Their CR was full of cockroaches. So John and I decided to just eat at the hotel the rest of our stay there.
Bread in a basket, fish and fries for John.
Deep Fried Prawns… Yummy!!!
THE LOCATION
The hotel is within downtown Siem Reap. Their main gate though is about 50 meters from the highway so it is not noisy, at all.  Back at the main road, when you turn right , you will immediately see a Money Exchange place.  When we were there, the exchange rate for $1 is 4,100.00 cambodian riel.  Please note that Cambodia uses US dollar so it’s easier to just exchange your currency to USD.
Further ahead, you’ll find a Khmer massage place. After visiting the temples during day time, getting a massage feels like it’s the best decision you’ve ever made. 🙂  Then, there’s a convenience store and a big grocery store about 100 meters ahead. Get your water and softdrinks there before going to the temples because if you don’t, then you’ll have to shed out $1 per one bottle of mineral water at Angkor park. 🙂
The famous Angkor Night Market is about 2 blocks away from the hotel. You can take a leisurely walk at night or opt to ride in a tuktuk for $1 . John and I chose to ride because our feet were killing us already.  I’ll share about the night market next time. 🙂
I am so glad that we stayed at Somadevi Angkor Hotel and Spa. It made our stay in Siem Reap very beautiful and memorable.
Lea C. Walker
www.davaoproperties.com
Posted in Angkor Wat, Cambodia, My Travels, Siem Reap | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Kadayawan sa Dabaw

Posted on August 26, 2011 by leawalkerblog

Every August of each year, Davao City celebrates the Kadayawan Festival. This is a thanksgiving for all the blessings received by the people and the city during the year. The culmination is being celebrated by way of a street dancing parade which is locally known as “Indak-indak sa Kadalanan”.  And a floral float parade where top establishments in Davao City present their beautifully adorned entries.

This year, the parades were once again very successful and peaceful. Locals and tourists alike, flocked together and watched the fun dancers perform on the road. Let me share with you the photos I took during the two day event.

I’ve been watching this parade every year for the past 10 years. The main reason is that, we give away fliers / brochures of houses that are for sale in Davao, while having fun. 🙂  Next reason is my love for photography.

I love the colorful costumes, the rich history of our “katutubo” and the dance moves.  It makes me smile when I look at the photos I took and seeing that I captured the moment, somehow…

Posted in Davao, davao city, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Thanksgiving Giveaway!

Posted on August 25, 2011 by leawalkerblog

The Author of the The Field of Dreams, Roy Paran, commemorates his one year anniversary in UK by giving away a fabulous treat to all the bloggers who want to join his contest. 🙂  Wonderful right?!

The Prizes:

   1st Prize
      1-year Web Hosting with:
     10 GB Space
     Unlimited Bandwidth
     100 Email Accounts
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2nd Prize

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     1-year Domain Name

Consolation Prizes

     – 3 Pinoy Blogger Tshirts courtesy of Semidoppel, Diary ni Gracia and The Backpackman. This
       will be given to the contestants coming from the Philippines.

What you need to do:

     1. Subscribe to Field of Dreams via email. Here’s the link:

          http://www.abdul-hakeem.com/2011/08/my-thanksgiving-giveaways.html

     2. Write a blog about the contest, just like what I’m doing now. 🙂

     3. Share on Facebook or Twitter.

     4. Leave a comment at the comment box of the Field of Dreams.

For those who want a free domain name with one year web-hosting, join now! 🙂

Congratulations Roy, may you have a long and happier life in UK. Happy anniversary!


 

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

The Border (Thailand-Cambodia)

Posted on August 25, 2011 by leawalkerblog
I’ve read online that the border between Thailand and Cambodia is not easy. But I did not realize how difficult it was until I was able to try it. 🙂
I mentioned in my previous blog that we were picked up from the hotel by van.  I was thinking, the van is new,  the seats were comfortable and the aircon works. So we’re ok.  We left around 7am. And traffic in Bangkok was terrible. It took us an hour to get out of the city. I guess the van driver had to cover for lost time, he had to drive 130kms per hour. Scary huh?!  Think how it was for us who didn’t have seatbelts. There were 8 passengers in the van, all of us were foreigners , wanting to visit Angkor Wat in Cambodia. 🙂
Finally before lunchtime, we reached the border. Almost, that is…
 Let me explain.
About 100 meters from the border, the van stopped in a restaurant. The driver took our things and told us to wait for the incharge who will take us to the border and will take care of our ride to cambodia. Then he left. We were left wondering, umm…what happens next?
Then, somebody came to us , telling us that he is the incharge. He gave us the form for the exit clearance. And the form for the Cambodian Immigration. After filling them up, he explained that a) the bus from the border to Siem Reap usually takes 5 hours – even if the travel time is actually lesser because it stops often. b) if we take the taxi, SR will only take 2 hours. But  we need to pay THB 350 per person.
I said , “what about us? We already paid THB1,200 per head yesterday. We were told that this include taxi to Siem Reap?”
He said,  “no madame, bus only and that is 5 hours.”
I said, “No. Bus is cheap. What we paid for is a van ride from Bangkok to Siem Reap”.
But of course, I lost. His excuse is that the Bangkok travel agency did not pay them. Oh well, so we shed out Thb700 for both John and me. The others did the same as well. When all that was settled, we were taken by another van to the market near the border of Thailand.
We were asked to carry our luggages and walk towards the Thai border. Can you imagine walking under the scorching heat of the sun around 12noon, carrying / pulling your luggage? John and I looked at each other. lol It’s a good thing I brought the luggage with its own tires.
We walked for about 600 meters and there I saw the border of Thailand. Stamping the exit clearance was fast and easy. We were finished after 15 mins.
Then, we had to walk again for about 500 meters going to the Cambodian border. I thought, what is going on with this place. Why don’t they have a ride in between borders!
When we reached Poipet, the border of Cambodia, we went directly to the immigration office. They checked my passport and since I’m a Filipino, I didn’t need a visa anymore. 🙂 I was given a 15day stay in Cambodia.
I took care of John’s visa online. http://www.mfaic.gov.kh/evisa/ , 2 weeks before our departure. The visa was sent to his email, 3 working days after I applied. The fee was only $25 . It helped because we got in pretty easy at the immigration.
After that, we were told by the incharge to wait for our ride. We sat in a dirty waiting shed at the back of the Immigration office.
The rest of Poi Pet is dirty. And there’s nothing there, except large casino hotels.  I love Cambodia, specially Siem Reap. But the border, I’m sorry for saying this, I hope I never have to go back there again.
If you’re thinking of travelling to Siem Reap, just take a plane ride.  That’s what we’re going to do the next time we visit Angkor Wat.
A few minutes later, our van arrived. I’m glad that the incharge got us one because there’s more leg room than the taxi. This time, there were only 6 of us. I guess, the other 2 opted for the bus ride.
Before we left Poi Pet, the tour guide gave us a story , that we should have our US dollars exchanged into Cambodian Riel because once we’re there, the exchange rate is lower. We’re normally bright people, LOL. But I guess we were so tired already , we believed everything he said. So we stopped in a money exchange rate place (beside his office) and was given 3,900.00 per one dollar. Only to find out that the exchange rate in SR is 4,100.00 … Plus there was no need to exchange into local currency because they mostly use US dollar there! You know, we planned this trip for a year and so, I’ve researched all these things online. Geee… I think I was already brain dead that time.
And one more thing, if you have to take a land trip to Cambodia, never buy anything on the road when the driver stops. Obviously they have a cut to whatever you buy, because we made a mistake of buying one bottle of mineral water for 10 dollars. 🙂 The beer, for those who ordered, was 60 us dollars. So yeah, they’re not nice!
I’m glad we travelled the way we did because we learned and we saw the countryside of Thailand and Cambodia. But we’re definitely not doing it again the same way next time. Arriving in an airport is a better and easier option. 🙂
Posted in Cambodia, My Travels, poipet, thailand | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tourist Destinations in Bangkok – Baiyoke Sky Observation Deck

Posted on August 21, 2011 by leawalkerblog

After a long day of visiting the tourist spots in Bangkok, John and I treated ourselves to a nice buffet dinner at Baiyoke Sky Restaurant. The fee is THB1,000.00 but since we were staying at Baiyoke Suite Hotel, we were given a 50% discount. From what I understand, the discount is given to all the clients staying at any of their hotels. The food consisted of Asian and western menus. With the extensive display of food from one end of the building to the other, I am sure you will not get hungry. 🙂 I feasted on their seafood once again. hehe…

They have chefs who will cook soup, noodles, meat, fish, etc. for you. So there are a lot of options other than what’s on display. Choices vary from Thai food (of course), Korean, Japanese and western food. They got several choices on dessert as well. But what I love the most is their crepe. 🙂

Eating in their restaurant is not boring. Before we went up to the 79th floor where the restaurant is, we visited first their observation deck. Then after dinner, we went to the 81st floor and enjoyed watching the view from their 360′ Revolving Roof Deck. Baiyoke sky is the highest building in Bangkok, so the view is unobstructed for miles. It’s fantastic at nights because it’s cooler and the shimmering lights are very beautiful.

More fun things to do:
Lea C. Walker
www.davaoproperties.com
Posted in baiyoke sky hotel, baiyoke suite hotel, bangkok, My Travels, thailand | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment