Spiral @ Sofitel

Most expensive hotel buffet is at Spiral. So ever since, curious na ko talaga, ano meron dito. Luckily, my manager has an Accor card. A membership card which entitles discounts to Spiral. Perfect. The best part, it's his TREAT! Why would he treat us, hobby lang nya.

The first time he treated us here, wala akong camera. Anliit-liit na nga lang ng camera ko, di ko pa dala. Lesson learned. Last week he treated us again! Woohoo, sakto, dala ko si Vincent (my point and shoot camera).

Im not fond of eating and ofcors im not a good buffet eater too. Yogurt at Waffles lang naman gusto ko. Super daming food selection. For me, walang namang standout, except sa mango yogurt. Staffs are very very attentive though. And the ambience is the BEST!

Breakfast Rate:
Weekdays P1250
Weekends P1410

welcome to Spiral

the famous stairway

lovely setup

Enough of the place, let's stroll and see the food selection.

glazed ham

deep fried bread with stucked ham and cheese

crispy bacon bits

sausage

100 kinds of bread!

doughnuts and croissants

blueberry muffins

cereal, chocolate chips, mallows, and candies

fresh fruit juice station

fresh fruits

And many more. I cant take the photos of everything.

Here's what I ate anyway:

sushi

mango yogurt (best served with walnuts)

ramen

shitake mushroom dish

Walang icecream and cakes sa breakfast. Sad part.

TRIVIA: Did you know na sinita ako ng isang usher while taking photos.

Usher: Ma'am, bawal po magkuha ng pictures ng food.

Me: Ha? Kelan pa?!

So deama lang... Did he just know na mas na-enjoy ko magkuha ng shots kesa kumain?

Pag busog ka na, take a walk outside. Tanaw lang ang office namin from Sofitel. From the window of our office naman, tatayo lang ako, kaharap ko na din ang Sofitel. 10mins drive away from our building.

Breath taking view outside.

pool area

and now we know why it's so expensive at Sofitel

Next time lunch and dinner naman. Sana FREE ulit!

Spiral
Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila

CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd., Pasay City

832.6988

And So One More Chance Really Does Exist

Oct 31, 2009. The first time Cebu Pacific announced that Piso Fare is back, Im just so thrilled to book a flight. I dont care kung June-Sept2010 pa ang travel period. I just texted my friends, and upon their approval, I immediately booked us a flight.

First travel. Manila-Caticlan (again). The total fare below is a ROUND TRIP ticket for TWO PASSENGERS. Round trip plane tickets to Boracay for only P97 each! Parang taxi lang from Trinoma to Monumento.

Round trip plane tickets to Boracay for only P97 each!

It was so cheap so I booked another flight. I chose Coron, Busuanga. The total fare below is good for a ROUND TRIP fare for FOUR PASSENGERS.

Again, RT tickets to Coron for only P97 each!

After that, I realized dapat pala INTERNATIONAL TRIP ang naibook ko. Problema lang ay wala akong makasama. Di naman kasi SG or KL or HK ang destination ang gusto ko. I'd love to travel alone, pero magastos kung walang kashare sa expenses. So I looked for online buddies which have same interests like mine. Luckily I found them! And we're all set!

And after 20 days, PISO FARE is back!!!

This thrills me. The total fare below is ONE WAY (with bags) ticket for THREE PASSENGERS. An international flight for only...

International Flight for only P136 each. All-In!

Secret muna yung destination. I can't post the return ticket kasi obvious na yung country.

It really pays to work at night, una ka sa lahat ng promo! Aylavet! (--,)

Anawangin * Nagsasa * Capones

For me, travel is a vacation. Time to relax and there's not much energy to exert. I also need a good place to sleep pag bed time na. And so all this time, I never considered going to places which requires hiking and camping. But since I have started a new chapter of my life again, I think it's time to go out of my comfort zone.

Planning palang, excited nako. I chose Anawangin, Nagsasa, and Capones because I've read walang accomodation, walang kuryente, walang singal ng cellphone, and less ang crowd dun. It is accessible by bus kasi sa Zambales lang and mura pa ang budget, so perfect!

I invited Dred, Tin, and Makis- my college friends. We rode the bus at Victory Liner around 7am, kaso late si Tin. Mejo taranta mode ako that time dahil nagwithdraw ako thru ChinaBank at na-debit ako, Syet!

Anyway, to go to Anawangin, Nagsasa, and Capones, you have to ride a bus going to Iba or Sta.Cruz. Sa San Antonio ang baba. Fare is P251 only. Travel time is 4 hours. Dami kasi stopover.

Once in San Antonio, we rode a tricycle to San Miguel. Dyan kami mineet ng aming boatman na si mang Johnny (0920.222.4687). He is the trusted contact in Female Network. Since wala kaming tent, sa kanya na din kami nagrent. He charged us P2500 for the 4 islands (Camara, Anawangin, Nagsasa, Capones) that we'll go to plus the rent ng 2 tents. Good deal. I also asked him kung pwede sa kanila na magpaluto ng kanin, ulam, pati magpabili ng mineral water at yelo. Lahat pwede! Mas convenient kesa kami pa magprepare (as if marunong ako). He charged us fairly. May breakdown kung how much yung pinamili, at ikaw na bahala magdagdag para sa effort nya magluto. Good deal!

boats at San Miguel

meet Mang Johnny and my friends

Tama nga si Rocky, a new friend, maalon sa lugar. Pero di ko inexpect na ganun yung level ng current. At normal pa daw yun. Lucky us mejo "tame" pa ang waves ng lagay na yun, at nagkakadasunka na si Dred. This is fun! I still say it is safe. Sasabihin naman agad ni Mang Johnny kung di pwede magsail, ttext ka nya agad na wag na tumuloy ng Zambales. Sayang nga naman ang byahe.

CAMARA

First destination, Camara. Not much too see daw so di na kami bumababa.

Camara

Inferness, the water is clear. This boat ride reminds me of Caramoan. Only the boat is smaller here. Pang 4 persons lang talaga.

ANAWANGIN

Moving on, next island is Anawangin. This is the common campsite. Dami ngang tao.

welcome to Anawangin

The place is beautiful and quiet. Again, walang kuryente at signal dito. Meron akong nakitang mini tindahan in case you forgot to bring something. But for sure pricey dun. Amazingly, tall pine trees are found. Sabi ni mang Johnny, wala daw nagtanim sa kanila, after pumutok ng Pinatubo, bigla na lang tumubo nag mga pine trees na yan. Bongga!

peaceful anawangin

tall pine trees

and im not tall

There's a famous attraction sa area, at ito yung Lagoon. Define Lagoon, di ko alam. Body of water na na-stuck? Whatever. This lagoon is lovely. Overlooking pa ang mountains.

and so it's a lagoon

Water is cold, knee deep lang. Clear yan, mejo mabrown lang sa shot kasi color yan ng floor. Mejo muddy. Trees are everywhere, but I like this one. Naghihingalo matumba. Cutey!

naka-anggulo ang tree

Let's go back to the sand. Sand is gray, not white. Not that fine, pero di masakit sa paa. Unlike sa Puerto Galera...

off the lagoon

resting area

i carry that payong everywhere! ^_^

After an hour of exploring the place, we're ready to leave. Di kami dito nag-overnight.

NAGSASA

Mejo malayo and I think this place is still a bit unexplored compared to Anawangin and Capones. Kahit 1 oras ang byahe, nakakaaliw naman magpicture ng view. Again, walang signal at walang kuryente dito.

mountains are everywhere

Finally at Nagsasa

first glimpse

Entrance or siguro maintenance fee is 100 each. Kasama na ang paggamit ng table. Btw, may clean rest room dito. Nice!

where we stayed

After we set our feet at Nagsasa, wala muna kaming nagawa but to eat. Gutom na gutom na kami. Here's our lunch cooked by Mang Johnny's wife, adobong pusit. P100 per kilo. P35 yung isang kilong kanin. Ayos, kasya yan hanggang dinner.

adobong pusit - sarap!

Sarap kumain. Konting pahinga then explore na agad ng place. Excited mode! Sa buong Nagsasa, 2 groups lang kaming andun.

parang Birch Tree!

mini lagoon with the mountain reflection

the other group, mga 8 persons sila

After magswim swim, time to relax and make chismisan! Perfect with some Mudshake. Buti may yelo si mang Johnny. Ang sarap ng mudshake ko.

my mudshake

Before magsunset, inayos na ang tent. Perstaym ko magbuild ng tent thru the tutorial ni Mang Johnny! Ganun lang pala yun kadali. Mang Johnny is also kind enuf to give us 2 tents kahit 4 lang kami. Ang bait nya.

our tents

sunset at Nagsasa

Nagdinner na kami with the natirang kanin at ulam. Dinagdagan nalang ng Century Tuna. Solb! Btw, inaral ko gumawa ng bonfire. Nagmamarunong ako. Pero bago palang dumilim, gumawa na si Mang Johnny ng bonfire for us. Answeet. He checked us from time to time kung ok lang kami at kung may kelangan kami.

mahirap ang bonfire shot

We saw many many stars at fireflies! Amazed ako. Sayang cant take a good hot.
Eto na, sleeping time. Super na yung antok ko so I dont care kung gano katigas pala matulog sa sand. Curved kasi. Pero deadma, tulog na tulog ako unlike sa mga friends ko. Pag gising ko, grabe ang sakit ng likod ko!

Tasty lang at cheesewhiz ang baon namin (ako pala may dalang yogurt) for breakfast. Mang Johnny gave us coffee. Parang tatay lang.

yogurt in the island

We strolled and swim and enjoyed the place again. Ganda talaga. Btw, may mga fishermen na nakahuli ng baby pating. Ang galing, perstaym ko makakita ng pating (15-20 inches lang). Totoo palang may sharks! *winks*

island in the morning

water is clear and cold

i likey! ♥

Inayos na yung tent at nilagay na sa boat yung gamit namin para makapunta na Capones after. Sinundo kami ni Mang Johnny sa dulo para di na kami lumakad pabalik. Talino!

wow, de-sundo pa kami

CAPONES

Well known for the light house. Too bad sobrang lakas ng alon kaya di nakakalapit. Pag umikot sa likod, it would take 1 hour to go there. ay, di masaya. Ang jinets na din kasi. So we decided wag nalang.

hello lighthouse!

Another part ng Capones, sa bandang likod, ay yung madaming rock formation. Dun nalang kami. May nag-island hopping din ahead of us.

island hopping at Capones

the approaching waves

the rocks

white version

I enjoyed our stay here the most! Ang saya ng waves! Time for my pictorial na.

fly fly Darna thru the waves

naisip kong magjumpshot kaso baka mabagok ang ulo ko

After this, we headed back to San Miguel. Inoffer ni Mang Johnny yung bahay nya para dun na kami maglunch at maligo. Ang ganda ng bahay nya. Ang bait din ng asawa nya. Nakinood pa kami ng Pacquiao-Cotto match. Feels like home.

Lovely Zambales escapade indeed! ♥

Thank you Mang Johnny (0920.222.4687), from the umbrella girls!

*all shots are from my point and shoot camera (only!)