APO ISLAND | Transportation Guide

I already promised then bride-to-be friend that I will be attending her wedding at Dumaguete early 2013. When my guy friends wanted to travel in a group, I asked them that a condition of me traveling with them is the possibility of adding a side trip or two after the wedding event. Here is a helpful transportation guide, how you can get to Apo Island, and the directions you can take if you're traveling from Dumaguete City to get to the eco-rich and diverse island.

Love On The Road With Goodnight Tweetheart

It was pretty early to call it a night, as I snuggled under the sheets on the upper bunk of the a cabin style accommodation shared with four other passenger on that ferry. "Day #XXX", I lost count already and was too tired to retrace my very extended travel days on my first travel for 2013. "And home." --- I was thinking too much of home already.

Who would have thought that in the month that precedes the love month February, I would find that familiar feeling tugging up my sleeves where my heart used to be displayed. I thought I was quirkyalone at the moment. You know, being single and being okay with it than be in a relationship for the sake of just. being. in. one.  A mindset that I thought a not-really-normal-and-sane-person has but not at all knew --- uncompromising romantics. Goodnight Tweetheart was "Hello there love" printed words on pages, a light read was both entertaining, and interesting.

DUMAGUETE CITY | Transportation Guide

Your gateway to Negros Oriental, Dumaguete City is accessible via land, air, and sea. Flights are available from Manila, and Cebu City, ferries available from Manila City in Luzon, Cebu, Siquijor, Tagbilaran in Visayas; Dapitan, and Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao. I got an email asking directions to Dumaguete City other than the route we did. So here is a (hopefully) complete transportation guide to help you plan your route to Dumaguete City.

Directions, and How to Get There Details for Dumaguete City:

***Fares may change depending on approved rates

***Helpful for you to plan your route

Post Date: May 2013

DUMAGUETE CITY | Silliman Hall & Anthropology Museum

The building that houses the rare, and priceless collections of archaeological and ethnographic artifacts is the oldest standing American structure in the Philippines. The Silliman Hall is located at the southeastern part of Silliman University, and is faces the Rizal Boulevard, and into the sea. It is of Victorian or Stick type design, and was constructed 2 years after the birth of Silliman University.

Why Taking Pictures In Museums is Prohibited

I've always been a museum nutcase. Excursions to museums was a favorite during my grader years. I must have liked it so much, because, now, I would try not to miss visiting a museum if time allows. Museums are like banks that holds treasures of history, and creativity for me. It houses artifacts, and are home to masterpieces from famous artists of their time, and of ours. It's kinda like a structure that contains the past in the present, and preserving them for the future. And other museums are now interactive. More than a place for learning, it is also entertaining, and engaging. But do you ever wonder why some museums do not allow picture taking inside? Don't you just hate that?

NO PICTURE TAKING ALLOWED

Taking pictures inside some museums is prohibited for some reasons. Some, and not all museum, a certain area, or specific artifact/s may have high restrictive photo policies because:

DUMAGUETE CITY | Silliman University Church Across the Field

The Silliman University Church is a favorite on campus. Right on the right side when you make your entry by the West Portal gate, you can see empty space that spreads, and a church at the other end of the field. 

And I say that even if we were not lucky enough to visit the interiors of the church. I like the massive doors up front, that is without any carvings of some sort. Just your plain wooden planks held together, painted in white, and framed in near chestnut of colour to accentuate the old marble tile pattern on landing of the steps.

DUMAGUETE CITY | Silliman University On Foot

If there is one thing I would want to check out was the Silliman University. While killing the time, and waiting for the others to arrive, we went to see a bit of the university by the sea on foot. Silliman University is the oldest American Institute, founded on 1901, and is one of the top performing school in the Philippines. It is located, and occupies 33 hectares at the seaside community of Dumaguete City.



Dumaguete City has been called a "center of learning in the south" or a "university town" due to the presence of Silliman and other universities that have made their mark nationally and abroad.The city has become a melting pot of students, professionals, artists, scholars and the literati coming from the country and the world. unfortunately, we did not get to see most of what Silliman University is for a visitor. But even so, Silliman University is impressive.

DUMAGUETE CITY | Finding Comfort at Hotel Nicanor

By the morning after, we thanked our gracious hosts, and went back to the city. We stayed at Hotel Nicanor by recommendation of our hosts. Few of our Cebu-based friends were arriving, and we still had enough time to settle in our stuff, and see both the university, and the city as much as we could that day.

Hotel Nicanor is located in the middle downtown of Dumaguete. Before the trip, I was eyeing the same accommodation for it's strategic location near the mall, Cathedral, and Bell Tower, Silliman University, and the boulevard. It was good that our host recommended it as well. The morning after we had ourselves checked - in, while we waited for friends that were scheduled to arrive that day.

Hotel Nicanor was home for the next few days.

GUEST POST | Fabulous Family Holidays

Dominican Republic | Photo collage source

Family holidays are a memorable occasion - sometimes for good or for bad! - and one that every family looks forward to. Every family wish-list is different - and that's what makes holidays with the little ones so enjoyable. Perhaps you're planning a trip to a beach-centric destination with plenty of watery fun and splash-tastic activities on the agenda. Maybe you're heading for the hills and planning to spend a week in a private villa with your own pool. Or maybe you're going all out this year with a fortnight of fun in Florida. Whatever tickles your fancy, there's an overwhelming choice of family holidays at your disposal - so which one will you choose?

EN ROUTE DUMAGUETE | Daylight on the Road

"DAY 1 | Transit day." says the badly scribbled writing on my travel journal. I was traveling with the guys of whom I've known for 8 years or so. Unfortunately, the females we were suppose to be traveling with had other appointments they can not get out of. So of broad shoulders, and deep voices, I was the odd one out.

06:11AM

I was moving in turtle speed that would only happen when I've just woken up. I made it before 6AM. It was still dark, and cold when we met at Iligan City North Bound Bus Terminal, and I still had clouds above my head that a colder bath could not wash off. Yes, I tried all remedies to kick the flu off, especially when  we decided to take the longer route to Dumaguete City.