The Travelling Feet

My parents came to Cebu without a clue as to what lies ahead of them. But soon they were able to find the perfect place after transferring from one place to the other. They found their soles on the soils of Mandaue City and this is where my love affair for my hometown began.

Sometimes I believe that travellers to Cebu City may have taken for granted my hometown since there’s really nothing worth checking out here. I could almost imagine some travellers flying in from the Mactan-Cebu International Airport snubbing Mandaue City as they pass by the Marcelo Fernan Bridge. If I were that traveller, I’d do the same too and I couldn’t blame them.

But to those who doesn’t know about Mandaue City, let me tell you more about this place…

A thick vine called Mantawi was said to be where my hometown got its name. Long before those Spanish conquistadores arrived in this part of the country, those vines grew abundantly and after a couple of “name mutations”, Mantawi got to be known now as Mandaue.

Mandaue City is one of the highly urbanized cities in the Visayas Region. It is dubbed as the industrial zone of the province of Cebu since a lot of manufacturing firms are located here. During the Spanish era, records show that Mandaue City is one giant hub for trading too. And even as a kid, I’ve always associated Mandaue to that giant San Miguel Beer bottle on top of the SMB plant every time the jeepney passes by that area when going to Cebu City.

Famous Landmarks in Mandaue City

The city of Mandaue is actually huge. Most of what you’ll find here are both manufacturing firms and residential houses. The visible landmarks that represent Mandaue are found in the town proper.

You will see the the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue.

This church was where I took my first communion and where I graduated in elementary.

A couple of kilometers away and under the Mandaue-Mactan bridge, you will find the Bantayan sa Hari (Moro watch-tower).

They say that the Bantayan sa Hari was built to protect the locals from the sea pirates.

And who could ever miss out on the Mandaue Presidencia? This building is the seat of government in Mandaue.

You will also find the Rizal-Bonifacio Monument with that distinct cone-shaped structure on top of the building. The public library is nestled inside this monument and at the back is the city’s post office where I frequently go when I send postcards all over. There is also a stage in there for all sorts of activities.

This fountain and the statue of Mandaue’s Greatest Son, Justice Sotero Cabahug, is one notable structure found beside the Mandaue City Hall.

Other landmarks that I remember before which no longer exist is the town’s plaza and a fenced circular fountain located in front of the city hall.

Things to Do in Mandaue City

Witness the Translacion

There are no tourist attractions in my hometown except for what’s in the town proper.  But one famous event that Mandaue is known for is the Translacion, the gathering of the Holy Family.

Every 3rd week of January, on that Friday before the Sinulog festival, the image of the Holy Child Jesus a.k.a. Sto. Niño, together with the image of Our Lady Of Guadalupe or Birhen sa Guadalupe, visits the National Shrine of St. Joseph. Devotees flock to Mandaue to pay homage to the Holy Family.

Before dawn breaks the next day, a procession takes place to send off Sto. Niño and Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Mandaue Ouano Wharf where a fluvial parade awaits as a re-enactment of how the holy image got to Cebu.

Just before the send off, be ready for some eardrum-damaging noise from Juda’s Belt firecrackers, the traditional Sinulog beat and then some choppers flying back and forth the area.

photo credit: Lino Almuenda

Balloons and flower confetti will cry from the heavens and you will see beautifully adorned fishing boats and all those other boats filled with people as they join the fluvial parade.

That long strip of port from Mandaue City to Cebu City will be covered with devotees patiently waiting to see a glimpse of the image of the Holy Child as it sails back to Cebu City. Both bridges that connects Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu will be filled with onlookers who couldn’t join the parade. You will also see that the boat that carries Sto. Niño will pass by the that part of Lapu-lapu where the Virgen of the Rule or Birhen sa Regla resides to pay its respects before heading to the port of Cebu City.

Everything is so festive in there and you’d wish you were on one of those boats too! This event in January is something you wouldn’t want to miss.

Have a Taste of Mandaue’s Delicacies

Mandaue is also home to the best bibingka (rice cake) in the province. In fact, just recently, Mandaue City baked the biggest bibingka using the best bibingka recipe in an attempt to join the Guinness Book of World Records.

I simply love kakanins or native delicacies and aside from bibingka, I also dig for their version of kutsinta. Then there’s also masi, palitao and puto.

I always look forward to those delicacies every time my mom goes to the public market. A friend of mine also likes tagaktak, though I’ve never tried eating one before.

If you happen to be in Cebu on the 1st week of May, witness the Mantawi Festival, Miss Mandaue and join the Mandauehanons as they celebrate their Annual Fiesta every 8th of May. In December, get to experience the Pasko sa Mandaue where there’d be food fairs and a parade of Belens and Parols.

Mandaue has slowly evolved into one of the next best places where people can hang out. With malls, schools and other business establishments opening in Mandaue, Mandauehanons and its nearby cities and towns are now given more options and opportunities to hang out in this once industrial giant at the heart of the province of Cebu.

The Mandaue-Mactan Bridge on top and the Marcelo Fernan Bridge below connects the island of Mactan to the rest of Cebu province.

As for me, I can say that my hometown is one great place to live since it is strategically located when accessing the southern and northern parts of the island of  Cebu and it’s just a few minutes drive to the 2nd busiest airport in the country.

I was not born in this place nor were my parents. I am a Bicolano by blood, Manileña by birth but a true blue Cebuano by heart all thanks to the place we call home and that is Mandaue City.

Mandaue City: My Hometown is my entry to Pinoy Travel Bloggers’ Blog Carnival themed My Hometown which is hosted by Mhe-anne Ojeda of My Comings and Goings. Check out each Pinoy Travel Blogger’s hometown here.

Click on the Blog Carnival Logo on the left to access a list of interesting topics about the Philippines through the eyes of each Pinoy Travel Blogger.

You see, I have never travelled solo before. Which was why I immediately came up with plans of travelling to the north of Cebu just to contribute to this month’s blog carnival. However, aside from financial issues, hesitations and what if questions won over which was why up to now I have never travelled solo…or so I thought.

But wait! Memories started to flood my senses. Maybe it was my brain’s way of complaining how “stressed” it was at my attempt to go on a solo trip or come up with thoughts on solo traveling. And it actually hit me! I remembered travelling solo!

My braincells transported me back in college where I cross-registered in our sister campus in Quezon City. I went there on my own. I remembered going to SM North Edsa and even had the guts to watch a movie in Robinson’s Galleria on my own. Then went solo to the National Library and even went to GMA, Cavite to visit relatives. Travelling on these routes may be easy for some people, but for me who was from Cebu and wasn’t used to the busy streets of Manila, it was really something out of the extraordinary. I also recalled travelling to Tacloban and enrolled for summer classes on another sister campus too. And this was 13 years ago.

But if you were to ask me if I have ever embarked on a solo journey after that time, my answer is a plain “NO”. 13 years and counting, I have constantly travelled with friends and the thought of solo travelling was something I never considered. Maybe the availability of friends who were willing to travel with me was one reason why I never thought of going on a solo trip.

I am also the type of traveller who would start getting anxious the moment you step on a bus while someone seats beside you. My paranoia and pessimistic side would probably eat me alive. The thought of even planning on a solo trip these days would make me think twice. Not that it’s dangerous for a female traveller to travel solo but it’s more of battling with my pyschotic mind full of uncertainties and what nots.

And if you were to consider group travels, there are great perks that come with it and some benefits I could think of at the top of my head includes:

• not having any dull moment on the trip
• splitting expenses on accommodation, food, transportation, etc
• a number of hands willing to take your profile shots
• the feeling of security knowing that you have a companion when you travel

But travelling on a group also presents disadvantages like having to wait for the other person to finish their daily rituals before you can go on with a trip or having to endure tantrums while on the road.

As for travelling solo, some benefits that I could think of include:

• being your own boss
• having the opportunity to experience new things on your own and meet new friends

As far as disadvantages are concerned, just think about the positive benefits I listed on top when travelling with a group and think of their counterpart. However, solo travelling is really not bad as opposed to what famous quotes say, like “No man is an island” or “It takes two to tango“.

Travelling solo is something I would want to do in the future. I may have those jitter bugs crawling up my nerves now but I also want to embark on a new adventure where it only involves me and me alone. Call me a loner if you must, but I believe that this is something that will pave way for new self discoveries and new adventures that would be a great story to tell my kin someday.

This is my entry to Pinoy Travel Bloggers’ Blog Carnival themed Solo Travel which is hosted by Philippine Blog Awards Best Travel Blog of 2010 Winner Nina Fuentes of Just Wandering. For more solo travel stories, click here.

Click on the Blog Carnival Logo on the left to access a list of interesting topics about the Philippines through the eyes of each Pinoy Travel Blogger.

There are a lot of tourist attractions that you can see when you visit Cebu. There’s Magellan’s Cross, Mactan Shrine, Taoist Temple, Tops and many more. These places are within the city limits. But if you want to see more of Cebu, you have to go out of your way and check out the beaches that surround the island.

Blessed with beautiful beaches north to south, east and west, Cebu is definitely a haven for tourists and locals alike. And for someone who doesn’t have the luxury of time to witness everything that Cebu has to offer, here’s one itinerary that you could consider when dropping by the Queen City of the South.

You have to go to the South Bus Terminal along N. Bacalso Ave and look for buses that goes to the town of Argao. Yes, I will take you to Argao, a town rich in culture, history, and other interesting places…

So, to start the day – probably 6am, you need to go to the South Bus Terminal and look for buses that plies the route going to Argao. There are airconditioned and non-airconditioned buses to choose from. And a few kilometers on the same road, you can find the Citilink Terminal if you’d rather ride a van for hire (v-hire) to bring you to Argao.

Carcar rotunda

While on the road, you will see a lot of beautiful old churches which you’ll surely admire. Before reaching the town of Argao, you’ll pass by the town of Carcar. You will know you’ve reached this place when you’d see a lot of peddlers hopping on your bus (considering you took the bus to reach Argao) trying hard to sell you ampao (rice crispies), chicharon (fried pork rinds) and those colorful bukayos (sweet young coconut). These are delicacies which this town is known for and everything is a must try too! And if you happen to bring a private vehicle, I would suggest you stop over their public market and buy lechon for Carcar is one of the towns in Cebu that sells the best tasting lechon ever! (the thought of their lechon makes me hungry already *sigh*) You can feast your stomach with lechon on the road to Argao or you can simply eat them during lunch time too

St. Michael the Archangel: a 200-yr old+ church in Argao

After 2 hours and some minutes, your bus conductor will announce your arrival in Argao. First thing you can do is visit their 200-year old church, the church of San Miguel Arcangel, which is just a few meters from the main road.

In case the church is closed, you can try your luck by opening the side door entrance to the church to see its interiors. If that won’t work, then you can secretly go to the sacristy and get in from there Just be sure to observe proper silence while inside the church, ok?

You can also check out the town plaza which is just located beside the church. After that, you can hire a trike to take you to the Riverstone Castle.

Riverstone Castle in Argao

The Riverstone Castle is a place where you can spend the night for family outings or simply drop by during the day for photo shoots.

a crocodile lives underneath the castle’s pathway

This castle is made of stone and on top, there are rooms for rent which is ideal for group outings or team buildings. Me and my colleagues stayed here for a night when we had our department’s strategic planning. There’s also a pool inside the castle grounds, a number of caged animals (crocodile and an eagle to name a few), a play ground and a videoke machine!

After checking out the Riverstone Castle, you can either wait for a trike to bring you back to the town proper (which may take forever) or simply ride a habal-habal, a regular motorcycle which is so flexible it could carry 4-5 passengers in it Ask the driver to take you to the town center and take your lunch there.

the flexible habal-habal

By this time, your stomachs might probably be grumbling for food. This is where the lechon you bought in Carcar would come in handy, in case you did buy one and if you haven’t eaten everything yet. There are a lot of food stalls in the town proper. You can buy puso (hanging rice), pork or chicken barbeque and lechon too. Yes, Argao also sells lechon Lechon is everywhere in Cebu! There are also eateries in the area if your tummy is sensitive to these types of food. When you’re done with your lunch, be sure to buy drinks and chips and hire a trike to take you to Mahayahay Beach.

Mahayahay Beach is no extraordinary beach. In fact, you will get disappointed with it once you see its brown to black sands. So what’s so significant about it? Nothing. It’s just a beach. hehehe.

And for a beach bum like me, I’d really prefer white sands over black ones. When swimming in the waters, I’d prefer seeing where my feet lands which explains my preference for white over black. But when I tried swimming in the beach waters of Mahayahay, I was in for a surprise! Not only did I like it but in fact, I really, really liked it! I guess I was too judgemental when I saw those black sands. hehehe. It’s all sandy, except for a few small rocks. There’s not even any sea urchin in there (i think).

big waves will push you back to the shoreline

Besides, the waves in this part of the province tend to get rough at times and you’d have a hard time swimming away from the shore. You’ll just be washed back in its shorelines. It’s up to you how you’d take those strong waves. In our case, we simply enjoyed them and let them push our backs to the shorelines no matter how hard we resisted them.

skimboarding, the youth’s past time in Argao

The best thing about this beach is that this is one of the best places in Cebu to go skimboarding (as if i know how. lol). At around 3-4 in the afternoon, you will start seeing kids going out and racing towards the shoreline with their skimboards on their side. And you will see young kids who are gracefully skimming their way towards those big waves. Before you know it, the shoreline will be packed with skimboarders.

Oh, I forgot. If you are into skimboarding, you can either bring your skimboard here or rent one in this place. But you have to secure a skimboard as soon as you arrive in Mahayahay Beach. Tendency is that when the kids go out and play, they won’t be too eager to have their skimboards rented.

skimboarders waiting for the right timing to attack the waves

After you’ve had enough of skimming, you can then start heading back to the city. This could be somewhere around 5pm to 6pm.

don’t forget to eat torta from Argao

Wait, before you go back to the city, you should head to the nearest torta store in Argao. Argao is home to the best torta in Cebu. You can even bring this back home for pasalubong if you want to

There. There are still a lot of interesting places to visit in Argao. It’s for you to discover these when you get here. For now, you just have to wait for the next bus that will bring you back home. You’ll arrive in the city probably around 8:30pm and you can then grab a late dinner in one of the cheap food places in Cebu such as the famous Larshian place in Fuente Osmena for more grilled food, or head to Casa Verde at Ramos Street and have a taste at one of the best-tasting baby back ribs in Cebu. Yum!

The city of Cebu and its province holds a lot of Best One Day Itineraries in the Philippines. You can head to the next neighboring beaches north, south, and west of Argao. You can also rent a boat and hop on to the different islands that surround the island of Mactan. This time, I think you are ready to plan your own adventure

This is my entry to Pinoy Travel Bloggers’ Blog Carnival themed Best One Day Itineraries which is hosted by the Travel Photographer Karlo de Leon of 4AM Chronicles. Click on the Blog Carnival Logo on the left to see more interesting posts regarding the Philippines’ Best One Day Itineraries.

I never really got the chance to apologize to you. After months of carefully planning this trip, I failed to calculate the time properly and the unexpected happened. I ran out of time and I failed to meet you completely. Yeah, we said our hi’s and hello’s but I really wanted to know you more.

I was so ecstatic the moment my foot landed in your town. There were a lot of tourists at that time, just like me, but I didn’t mind them. Since I thought there was still ample time, I tried roaming around the city first. Then I got drowned in a sea of souvenir shops and lost track of time. It was dark before I knew it. My siblings were already calling me to hurry as our bus might leave without us.

Struck with this reality, I tried my best to look for you amongst the crowd of tourists. I wanted to see you more than anything else. Time was too short and I had to go without even saying goodbye.

I really regret not ironing out my plans to see you. I wish I could have stayed overnight in your city. I wanted to feel how wondeful it is to walk along the streets of Calle Crisologo at night less all those people. I know it may sound creepy walking into a ghost town-like street by night but I don’t care. I’d really love to be engulfed by your town’s heritage. I want to be there. I want to feel what it’s like living in your place. I’d love to take a stroll on those cobblestone street with you by my side. I truly want to get to know you more.

I know you are forgiving and I do promise to come back so that we can finally meet. I will definitely give you my undivided time and attention. I hope you’ll still be there waiting for me. I know you will. I hope you will.

This is my entry to Pinoy Travel Bloggers’ Blog Carnival themed Most Romantic Place which is hosted by Aleah of Solitary Wanderer. Click on the Blog Carnival Logo on the left to see more interesting posts regarding the Most Romantic Places in the Philippines.