Category Archives: Restaurants

Summer in Beijing (People’s Republic of China)

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Summer was about to end (and classes soon to begin) and I didn’t want to end this window of opportunity without satisfying my yearning to visit some place new and far away. It just so happened that my billiard pals Alexander “Alex” Ong and Gilberto “Gil” Bilog were planning a trip to Beijing (People’s Republic of China) and I decided to join them. Joining us were my son Jandy and Ms. Corazon “Azon” Varias (Gil’s sister-in-law) with her son Gibson Santos. Alex was accompanied by his wife Chona and his mother Carmen but Gil was all by his lonesome.

L-R: Chona, Alex, Carmen, Gil, Gibson, Azon, Jandy and the author

Our trip required us to get a one-time visa (processed by our travel agent after submission of requirements, no interview needed) and NBI clearance (a first for me and Jandy).  Our tour package included, aside from plane fare and hotel accommodation, all our tours and meals.  Weather in Beijing, according to internet weather reports, was now sunny and bright, Beijing’s very cold winter just having ended.

Arrival at Beijing Capital International Airport

We all left Manila’s NAIA Terminal II very early in the morning via the 7:20 AM Philippine Airlines flight. The trip from Manila to Beijing took all of 4.5 hours and we arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA), the world’s second busiest airport (in terms of passenger throughput), by noon. At the airport, we were welcomed by our Chinese tour guide, the diminutive but affable Ms. Brittany Jiang.

Beijing Capital International Airport Terminal Building

Instead of checking ourselves into our hotels as was usually the case,  we were, instead, slated to start our first tour: the Temple of Heaven (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).  But, before anything else, we had a late buffet lunch of authentic Chinese and Cantonese delicacies at the Sunshine Café at the ground floor of the 9-storey, 3-star He Ping Li Hotel Beijing near the Beijing International Exhibition Center.  The 23-km. trip from the airport to the hotel, via our tourist shuttle, took all of 35 mins.

Buffet Lunch at Sunshine Cafe

He Ping Li Hotel Beijing: No. 16 He Ping Li North Street,Dongcheng District, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.

Holy Week in Pangasinan

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El Puerto Marina Beach Resort & Spa

Come Holy Week, I got an invitation from El Puerto Marina Beach Resort and Spa owners Roland and Flordeliza Versoza to stay at their resort in Lingayen and, not having any other activity planned for the holidays, decided to accept their offer.

A group of flagellants

A penitent carrying a wooden cross

It was also to be my first visit to Pangasinan’s capital.  For company, I brought along my children Jandy and Cheska and we all left on Wednesday afternoon, the eve of the Holy Week rush.  As such, my 227-km. trip, normally a 4.5-hour drive, took all of 6 hrs., it being a holiday.  We arrived at the resort by 8 PM.

Check out “Resort Review: El Puerto Marina Resort and Spa“

Our room for the night

We were welcome by Flor who billeted us at one of the resort’s rustic airconditioned native-style bungalows with bath and cable TV.  Resting on stilts, these bungalows are cantilevered over a fishpond and reached via an S-shaped wooden footbridge. Quite famished, we dined at its equally rustic pavilion before calling it a night.

Cheska at the Hundred Islands

The next day, we joined a group which included Fil-American Katrina Nogoy and Malaysian-American Janet Jun Siew Loh, both teachers in Japan, for a tour of the Hundred Islands  (Cheska was a first-timer to these islands) in Alaminos City. On our way back to the resort, we dropped by the Cathedral of the Epiphany of our Lord in Lingayen.

Check out “Return to the Hundred Islands” and the “Cathedral of the Epiphany of Our Lord” 

Picnic sheds along Lingayen Beach. We pitched our tent at the second hut from the right

On our second night at the resort, I brought out my 5-pax Coleman tent and  went camping along this adjoining, gently-sloping, cool, quiet gray sand beach. A bonfire was set up that night by the resort.

One of the resort’s resident arapaimas

The next day, we watched 2 big South American arapaimas being fed at the resort’s  koi pond. Later, Katrina and Janet joined us as we toured Lingayen, visiting the Pangasinan Provincial Capitol, the Sison Cultural and Heritage Center and the War Memorial Museum.

Check out “Pangasinan Provincial Capitol,” “Sison Cultural and Heritage Center” and “War Memorial Museum“

Cathedral of the Epiphany of Our Lord

Provincial Capitol

The author (left) with Cheska and Jandy at War Memorial Museum

Sison Cultural and Heritage Center

El Puerto Marina Beach Resort and Spa: Don Martin Domingo St., Pangapisan North, Lingayen, Pangasinan.  Tel: (075) 542-5328.  Fax: (075) 542-2285.  Mobile: (0917) 867-3908 and 3906. Manila tel: (632) 852-3404, 986-3404 and 775-6789.  Fax: (632) 824-7384.   E-mail: inquiries@elpuertomarina.com.  Website: www.elpuertomarina-pangasinan.com.

The Venetian Resort Macau (Macau)

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The 40-storey, US$2.4 billion Venetian Resort Macau at the Cotai Strip, our home during our 4-day visit, was officially opened on August 28, 2007.  The Venetian’s casino space is the largest in the world at 550,000 sq. ft. (51,000 sq. m.) with over with 3,400 slot machines and 800 gambling tables.  Also the largest single structure hotel building in Asia and the 4th largest building in the world (by area), it also has 3,000 suites (Level 7-38) served by 250 guest lifts, 111,000 sq. m. of convention space, 149,000 sq. m. of retail (330 shops), and a 15,000-seat entertainment/sports arena.

The Venetian Resort Macau

Its foremost attractions are Cirque du Soleil’s Zaia, an aerial ballet that takes place above the audience’s heads, and the gondola rides where visitors are rowed, by a gondolier serenading you in Italian, through the romantic indoor Grand Canal, the next best thing to Venice.

The Venetian Resort Macau – Interior

We tried dining at the 1,000-seat Festivita Foodcourt, located on the 3rd level of The Grand Canal Shoppes.  It offers 21 big brand names in fast, mid-priced food offering almost every international cuisine (Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Mexican and American). When we looked up, we found ourselves under the perfect blue sky although we were actually indoors. The ceiling was done in a way so as to create an impression of a clear blue sky (even at night) which is Pantone 14-4318 (Sky Blue). Some say it was done to lull shoppers into thinking that it’s not yet time to go and that there’s still more time to shop.

Festivita Foodcourt

Venetian Resort Macau: Estrada Da Baia De N., Senhora Da Esperança, s/n, Taipa, Macao. Tel: (0)2882 8888.  Website: www.venetianmacao.com.

Calicoan Surf Camp (Guiuan, Eastern Samar)

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Our Guiuan host, Ms. Vibina “Bebeng” Juacon, facilitated our visit to Calicoan Island with a call to Mr. Danilo Molina, Gen. Manager  of Calicoan Surf Camp, the resort where she recommended we stay overnight.  Once given the green light, we thanked Ms. Juacon and Jandy and I hired a tricycle (for PhP400) to get to the island and the resort.  There were to be no boat crossings as the “island” is connected to the mainland by a short concrete causeway.  Once across, we traversed a dirt and gravel road  which runs the length of the island.

Calicoan Surf Camp

Calicoan Surf Camp is island’s best and most luxurious.  This hideaway was developed by Cebu-based lawyer and pioneer developer Maning Go who owns about 500 hectares of the island’s 1,600 hectares.  It was designed, with distinctive Asian-inspired (Thai, Balinese, Indonesian and Filipino) lines, by Frenchman Nicolas Rambeau, owner and creator of the highly-acclaimed, high-end Pansukian Resort in Siargao (Surigao del Norte).

Bungalow interior

After a short interview with Mr. Molina, we called it a night and Mr. Molina checked us in at one of the resort’s 7 well-appointed, spacious bungalows with its soaring rooflines.  Each bungalow has a native feel, with its own deck and floor with alternating dark and light wood stripes.  Modern amenities include airconditioning, compartmentalized bathroom with hot and cold shower, satellite TV, coffee/tea maker, hair dryer, minibar and safety deposit box.

Infinity pool

Tired after a long trek around the island, we dipped our tired bodies at the resort’s inviting 300-sq. m. saltwater infinity pool bordering the 3-km. long, white ABCD Beach, the island’s prime surfing area.  Verdant pandamus trees (locally called bariw) grow through the pool’s uniquely-designed wooden deck, embracing it and providing cool shade, thus binding nature with design.  Here, we watched the surging, breathtaking surf (boasting perfectly-shaped left or right reef breaks) as the island’s  eastern side juts out to the rolling surf of the Pacific Ocean (its powerful swells tirelessly rolling in over 10,000 m. Philippine Deep), making it a surfer’s paradise. The best surfing months, according to  Mr. Molina, are March, April and September to October when southwesterly winds blow offshore, piling up incoming ocean swells and carving them into glassy shaped hollows.  Surfboards are rented out for a small fee and beginner’s lessons can be provided, on request, by the resort staff.  Surfers must wear booties as protection against the sharp rocks. Although the currents are strong here, the island offers opportunities for big game fishing along the “Tuna Highway,” the migratory route for tuna to Japan.

The resort’s restaurant

Also quite famished after such a long trek, we later indulged ourselves at the resort’s restaurant which offers International and Filipino cuisine including seafood such as freshly caught, fleshy, sweet and delicious lobster, prawns, scallops, abalone, crabs and fish.  After a filling lunch, we packed up our gear, checked out, thanked the resort staff and hired a tricycle (this time for PhP350) to bring us back to the bus station at Guiuan town proper for our trip back to Tacloban City.  Along the way, we made a brief stopover at Calicoan Island Ocean Villas, another of Maning Go’s development projects.  Go enlisted the multi-awarded architectural firm of Francisco “Bobby” Manosa to prepare the island’s master plan.  He envisions zoning development where visitors can make nature treks to large areas of the island without encountering any bar, souvenir shop or billboard, thus offering more natural attractions and leisure activities with less of the hustle of the better-known Boracay.  With continued but controlled growth, may it stay that way, making Calicoan truly a diamond in the rough.

Calicoan Island Ocean Villas

Calicoan Surf Camp: Calicoan Island, Guiuan, Eastern Samar.  Manila Tel: (632) 376-5818.  Website: www.thesurfcamp-calicoanisland.com.

Jack’s Ridge Resort and Restaurant (Davao City, Davao del Sur)

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After checking out at Pearl Farm Resort, we shuttled back to Pearl Farm Marina at Davao City where we had lunch at Marina Cafe.  After lunch, we had our scheduled Davao City tour, having hired a driver and van the previous day.  Grace and my in-laws opted to visit an orchid farm while the kids and I visited the Philippine Eagle Sanctuary and Wildlife Preserve.

Check out  “Pearl Farm Resort“ and “Philippine Eagle Sanctuary and Wildlife Preserve”  

Once done, our driver drove us, up a winding cemented uphill road, to Jack’s Ridge Resort & Restaurant for dinner.  This would be my second visit (the first was in 2007 with fellow architect Jose “Jay” Mendoza)  and the first for the rest.

Daytime ridge view of Davao City CBD

When the Americans landed in Davao on May 1, 1945, the retreating Japanese were forced to beat a path to Matina Hills where they set up their headquarters.  Here, they had a commanding view of the Davao Gulf where the American ships were anchored.Thus, it was the scene of fierce fighting between the two forces.

Caves dug by the Japanese still pockmark the area and, once in a while, people still find bullet casings and other war materials in the rocky soil. There is even the ruin of a Japanese plane that crashed on a mountainside beside the ridge.

Davao City by night

Today, over half a century later, this area, now called Jack’s Ridge, is now popular with foreign and local tourists, not only for its commanding view of Central Business District (CBD) of Davao City and Davao Gulf, but also because of its popular and classy restaurants, cafes and bars now located there that offer different delicacies, truly a completely different dining experience.

Jack’s Ridge Resort

One of the most popular restaurants here is Taklobo Restaurant where we dined.  The restaurant is noted for its wide array of delectable and mouthwatering Dabawenyo dishes such as calamares, sinigang, kinilaw, grilled tuna, pork or chicken.  A group of musicians also serenaded us while we were eating amidst the cool evening breeze.  We also posed beside a life-size statue of a Japanese soldier.

Prehistoric taklobos  outside the restaurant

Just outside the  restaurant are some prehistoric giant clam shells (taklobo) found at the ridge, an indication that this area, once submerged under the sea, was tossed  to these heights by strong geological forces millions of years ago. On one side was a covered concrete stairway leading to a spacious and elegant open amphitheater where one can lounge al fresco.

Stairway leading to open amphitheater

Jack’s Ridge Resort & Restaurant: BCG Drive, Shrine Hills, Matina, Davao City. Davao del Sur. Tel: (082) 297-8830 to 31.  Fax: (082) 297-6535.  E-mail: info@jacksridgedavao.com and  jacksridgedavao@yahoo.com.ph. Website: www.jacksridge.com.

Pearl Farm Resort (Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte)

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My first visit to Pearl Farm Resort in Davao, during the the November 2007 Flavors of Spain, so enamored me with the place so much so that I decided to return, this time with my whole family in tow.

Check out “Flavors of Spain in Davao“

The Parola at Pearl Farm Resort

This 11-hectare, Class “AAA” resort, located on a secluded cove at the Island Garden City of Samal’s Kaputian District, was formerly the home, since 1958, of the Aguinaldo Pearl Farm which produced cultured pink, white and gold pearls from white-lipped oysters brought from Jolo.   It ceased operations in 1980 but was developed into a world-class beach resort, opened in 1992.  It started out with 10 hillside cottages and 2 Samal cottages on stilts.

Check out “Resort  Review: Pearl Farm Resort“

The resort’s white sand beach and backdrop of greenery

Today, the main resort has expanded into 70 guestrooms (17 standard Hilltop rooms, 21 superior Samal Houses, 6 executive, 2-storey Samal suites and 19 de luxe Mandaya Houses and 7 Malipano Villas) made mainly with bamboo and wood and harmonizing with the clear, blue sea, the white sand and its backdrop of impressive greenery.

Davao International Airport

We book flights with Philippine Airlines and left Manila for Davao City, the gateway to the resort, on the very early 4:30 AM flight.  We arrived at Francisco Bangoy International Airport by 6:30 AM and were whisked, via a resort van together with other guests, to the Pearl Farm Marina in Lanang.  From its developed wharf, we were to be transported to the resort via a large motorized outrigger boat.  Our boat left by 8:30 AM and the ride took all of 45 mins.

Waiting for our boat at Pearl Farm Marina

We arrived at the resort by 9:15 AM and we were checked in at a luxurious, 2-storey, Muslim-inspired Samal Suite, specifically Suite 1.  This was convenient for my octogenarian in-laws as this particular suite was the nearest to the Maranao Restaurant, allowing for shorter walks.  Noted architect Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa designed the cottages and villas as close as possible, in both materials and form, to the different Mindanao tribes they were named for: the Bagobo, B’laan, Maguindanao, Tausug, T’boli and Yakan.  Ours was the Tausug.  For its depiction of regional traits, the resort received the Kalakbay Award for Best Resort for two consecutive years (1994 and 1995) and was one of the venues of the 1994 Miss Universe pageant.

The Samal Suites

The Samal suites (as well as the cottages) were patterned after the stilt houses of seafaring Samal tribes of the Sulu Archipelago. My wife Grace, my kids Jandy and Cheska and I occupied the master bedroom, with its king-size bed, on the second floor while my in-laws occupied the living room on the first floor which was converted to another bedroom with a sofa bed with trundle bed being provided.  Both floors have their own private bathroom with the masters’ provided with a bathtub.

The master bedroom

Both rooms are airconditioned and provided with cable TV, a well-stocked mini-bar, coffee and tea making facilities, safety deposit box and hair dryer. Our veranda,  overlooking the serene blue water, had a private staircase leading down to our very own small yet private beach. A jar of water and a coconut shell dipper are placed near the entrance to our suite so that we may wash away the sand after a day of barefoot walking on the beach. In local custom, this gesture is also symbolic of a cleansing of the spirit.

The converted living room

After checking in at our suite, we all proceeded to the Maranao Restaurant for brunch.  This cavernous dining pavilion, replete with tribal motifs, has a menu with an assortment of international culinary influences, all wonderfully prepared by Filipino chef Edgar Chavez.  The buffet features Spanish paella and calamares,  Madras seafood curry, Italian pasta, Japanese tempura and even Thai tom yum soup plus sweet pomelo, mangoes and other tropical fruits.

Maranao Restaurant

Cocktails, plus inspiring views of the sea and nearby De la Paz and  Malipano  Islands, can be enjoyed at the Parola Bar.  Both restaurant and bar offer free Wi-Fi internet access.  The resort also has two swimming pools, one of which was built right on the shore, giving the illusion that the pool water meets the sea, while the other has a jacuzzi.

Check out “Isla Malipano“

Infinity pool
The resort’s second swimming pool

The Ylang-Ylang Spa, located beside a waterfall and beneath swaying coconut palms, offers several indulgent body and beauty treatments based on natural products.  They include a relaxing Papaya Body Scrub, a revitalizing Honey and Cucumber Facial Cleansing and the refreshing Floral Foot Soak. Massage therapies, embracing the most effective European and Asian techniques and using the stress-busting and soul-soothing power of coconut oil, includes the healthy aromatherapy massage.

Ylang-Ylang Spa
Getting around the resort was easy as there are two shuttles, one of them electric-powered. The Mandaya weaving house has a couple of tribal women making colorful tribal dresses, costumes and jewelries.  Pearls, hats, T-shirts and other accessories can be bought at the nearby boutique. There are also 2 function rooms, 2 tennis courts, game room (billiards, chess, mahjong, etc.), children’s playground and a mini-aviary.

The Game Room
Aqua Sports Center
Function Room
Mandaya Weaving Center

An aqua sports center offers windsurfing, fishing, jet skiing, sea kayaking, island hopping, banana boat rides, Hobie cats, wave runners, snorkeling and scuba diving.   Here, we tried our hand at sea kayaking, Grace and Cheska on a tandem kayak while Jandy and I took single kayaks.  Donning life jackets, we paddled all the way to Malipano Island.  On our way back, it started to rain, some swells started to appear and my kayak capsized.  I floated around for some time, not knowing how to get back on my kayak.  Luckily, the staff at the Aqua Center noticed my predicament and rescued me, using their speedboat.

Cheska and Grace on their tandem kayak
Jandy on his single sit-on kayak
That’s me bringing up the rear


Pearl Farm Resort: Kaputian District, Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte. Tel: (082) 221-9970 to 73.  Fax: (082) 221-9979.  E-mail: pearlfarmresort@fuegohotels.com.  Website: www.pearlfarmresort.com.  Davao Citysales office: G/F, Anflocar Corporate Center, Damosa Bldg., Lanang.  Tel: (082) 235-0876 and 234-0601.  Fax: (082) 235-0873.  E-mail: dvosm@pearlfarmresort.com.  Manila sales office: 15/F, 1504 Corporate Center, 139 Valero St., Salcedo Village, Makati City.  Tel: (632) 750-1896 and 98.  Fax. (632) 750-1894. E-mail: mlasm@pearlfarmresort.com.

Pearl Farm Marina (Davao City, Davao del Sur)

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Pearl Farm Marina

Pearl Farm Marina, our docking and loading area for Pearl Farm Resort (a 45-min. motorized boat ride), turned out to be more than just that.  It is also a quaint and secluded hotel for those who wish peace and quiet in luxurious surroundings.  Many of those who stay here are also guests of Pearl Farm Resort who wish to stay overnight in Davao City.  Opened in 2006, it only has  4 rooms (2 standard and 2 deluxe), all equipped with airconditioning, NDD/IDD phones, safety deposit boxes, cable TV and hot and cold shower.

Check out “Pearl Farm Resort“

Lunch at the Marina Cafe

It also has a coffee shop (Marina Cafe, open 8 AM-10 PM), a mini-bar and an inviting swimming pool, all exclusive for guests to enjoy while waiting for the next boat service to the resort, their next flight or just to hang around.  The mini-bar (open 7 AM-10 PM), ideal for small meetings, training sessions, seminars and other private functions, can accommodate 20 people.  Both restaurant and mini-bar are wi-fi ready.

Swimming pool

Its garden area, a popular venue for weddings, cocktails, private parties and other special occasions, can accommodate 200 guests. Right beside the hotel is the T’boli Weaving Center where guests can experience the rich cultural heritage of Mindanao.  The ferry boat to the resort leaves 4 times daily (8:30 AM, 1:30 PM, 4 PM and 6 PM).

Jandy at the T’boli Weaving Center

Pearl Farm Marina: Km. 10, Lizada Drive, Lanang, Davao City. Davao del Sur.  Tel: (082) 234-7018 and 234-6987.

Return to Banaue (Ifugao)

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The narrow streets of Banaue

My first trip to Banaue, Ifugao and its showpiece, the stupendous Batad Rice Terraces (the “Eighth Wonder of the World”), was way back in April of 1998 (http://firingyourimagination.blogspot.com/2011/08/ifugao-day-tour-of-batad-rice-terraces.html) with my then 11-year old son Jandy. Back then there were no celphone signals (making my celphone useless) and the camera I brought with me was an instamatic Canon Sureshot Joy using now rarely-used roll film.  Since then, I have been pining for a return. Well, wishes do come true and I have returned. Though now without Jandy (he had a cold) or my daughter Cheska (she had commitments), I was traveling with seasoned professional photographers –  Mr. Steve Albano, Mr. Jun Bagaindoc, Mr. Jules Capucion, Mr. Nonie Castillo, Ms. Mel Dimapilis, Mr. Rene Enriquez, Mr. Bebet Gaudinez, Mr. Lawrence Bryan Lee and my good friend and frequent travel companion Ms. Rosevie Sevilla; all members of the Ayala Alabang Camera Club.  Our group also included master guide Mr. Lester Susi plus sisters Pearl Giselle and Phoebe Uno, Ms. Ivy Belimac and Mr. Arvic Camua.  To put on some professional air, I brought with me my daughter’s Canon EOS 500D digital SLR which I recently bought in Singapore. However, this was mostly for show as it was set in automatic.

View of the town from People’s Lodge

We left Manila on January 26, 9:30 PM via an airconditioned GV Florida bus at its terminal along Lacson St, near Espana Ave. (near U.S.T.).  One thing nice about this bus was it had its own toilet, convenient for this long-haul  341-km./10-hour trip which including stopovers.  As soon as the bus left the terminal, we all tried to grab some shuteye.  Our trip was uneventful and our bus arrived in Banaue 7 AM the next day.  Our group was picked up by a hired AUV which brought us to People’s Lodge and Restaurant for breakfast. Nostalgically, this inn was the same place me and my son Jandy stayed in during our first visit.  While waiting for our food, we tried out its balcony.  Here, we had a panoramic view of the town, its backdrop of rice terraces and the winding Ibulao River which was traversed by a hanging steel bridge (which, in the past, I tried to cross but chickened out half way).

Ifugao woodcarving

Once done with breakfast, Mel, Rosevie and I explored the nearby handicraft stores for some souvenir shopping.  The shopping options include different kinds of traditional fabric like the woven bark cloth and dyed ikat cloth, wooden objets d’art  such as bowls, trays, oversized spoons and forks, antiques, entirely alien statues of American Indian chiefs and smiling, pot-bellied Chinese gods, and the traditional bul-ols (statues of rice gods).  Curio souvenirs include handwoven wall hangings, crocheted bedroom slippers and pfu-ong (traditional jewelry) representing good luck in hunting or prosperity of children.   Once done, we returned to our group and the AUV for our trip to the jump-off point for our hike to Batad Rice Terraces.

Stotsenberg Parade Grounds (Clark Field, Pampanga)

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When one mentions Clark Field in Pampanga, the first thing that comes in most peoples’ minds is duty-free shopping.  Having booked ourselves for an overnight stay at Hotel Vida, we also did that, doing some shopping at Puregold.  However, there’s more to Clark than just duty-free shopping.  For one, there’s history.

Stotsenberg Parade Grounds

Lots of history exists around the Stotsenberg Parade Grounds.  Large houses called “barns,” built with Oregon pine shipped from the U.S. and used as officers’ quarters, are arranged in a row along the grounds.  Built from 1910-1913 at a cost of US$1,309.9 each by Filipino, Chinese and Japanese laborers, they were the first permanent structures in Fort Stotsenberg (named after Col. John W. Stotsenberg, killed in the Battle of Quingua, Bulacan on April 23, 1899), the forerunner of Clark Field (renamed as such in 1919 after Army aviator Maj. Harold M. Clark who was killed in an air crash in the Panama Canal).  

CDC Exhibition of Kapampangan Crafts

Over the years, until 1922, hundreds of these barns were built but, by the mid 1980s, most of these barn houses were demolished.  Those along Cardinal Santos Ave., now called the Centennial Block, are all that remain.  The huge, shady and century-old acacia (monkey pod) trees in the area were planted in 1903.  

Centennial House: Lifestyle in Stotsenberg Museum

Many of theses barn houses have undergone adaptive reuse. One barn house, Bldg. 2081, houses the Mabalacat Municipal Tourism Office.  Another houses the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) Exhibition of Kapampangan Crafts.  A number also house restaurants such as Cafe Mesa Coffee Shop and Bar (Bldg. 2078) and Red Crab Alimango House (Bldg. 2078).  Another houses a museum (Centennial House Lifestyle in Stotsenberg Museum).

Cafe Mesa Coffee Shop and Bar

The Death Place of  Roxas Marker, directly across the street from the CDC office, close to the Philippine flag, was built in memory of the Philippine president Manuel A. Roxas who, upon the invitation by the U.S. 13th Air Force commander, came to see for himself the massive reconstruction and rehabilitation work in war-damaged Clark on  April 15, 1948.  That same, while delivering a speech at Kelly Theater, he suffered a heart attack and died. 

Death Place of Roxas Marker

At the western edge of Stotsenberg Parade Grounds is the 26th Cavalry Memorial which commemorates the men of the 26th Cavalry Philippine Scounts, U.S. Army, who died during their heroic action at Lingayen (Pangasinan) in 1941.  Next to it is the U.S. Army Air Corps and Philippine Air Force Monument which details the joint participation of the Philippine and American military forces

26th Cavalry Monument
US and Philippine Air Corps Monument

Cafe Mesa Coffee Shop and Bar: Cardinal Santos Ave., Clark Special Economic Zone, Pampanga.  Tel: (045) 499-0694.

Red Crab Alimango House: Cardinal Santos Ave., Clark Special Economic Zone, Pampanga.  Tel: (045) 599-5345.

 

Livin’ La Vida at Hotel Vida Clark (Pampanga)

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The day after our 23rd wedding anniversary, Grace and I decided to further celebrate, this time with our kids and my in-laws, at Clark in Pampanga.  We arrived there after lunch and checked in at Hotel Vida.  This would be my second stay (the first was during the November 2007 Flavors of Spain) and the first for the rest.  We booked ourselves in 2 interconnected junior suites; Grace, the kids and I in one suite and my in-laws at the other.

The junior suite

Our junior suites were each equipped with state-of the-art amenities such as electronic entry lock; IDD/NDD phone; in-room safety box; a king size bed; a spacious living room area with trundle bed, a kitchen and bar with 6 cu. ft. refrigerator, coffee-making facility and a microwave oven; a balcony, toilet & bath with bathtub and 8” ceiling-mounted shower head; and a 32” LCD cable TV.

Salt Coffee Shop
Rooms here either offer a view of the adjacent golf course, the beautiful, free-form swimming pool and, much better, a verdant and well-manicured landscape crowned with palms and a plethora of majestic, century-old acacia trees. Water elements, in the form of artistically-designed fountains, compliment the existing landscape and soften, together with indoor plants, the hardness of stone and concrete within the lobby and coffee shop. 

Swimming pool area

The hotel was planned and laid out in such a way that natural ventilation, access to visually-stunning and picture-perfect views and use of space is optimized, thus providing a light and airy environment that exudes total relaxation and comfort, qualities which every guest will always look forward to.

Posing at the hotel lobby

The lobby is naturally lit by a skylight and huge fixed glass windows.  Similar windows provide an open and light feeling to the 110-pax restaurant and the 45-pax, open-air veranda pool view area, with its expansive views of the hotel pool and the lush, green surroundings.

Hotel Vida facade

The hotel’s modern but Southeast Asian-inspired façade, conveying both comfort and luxury, is a contrast of structure and nature.  Contrast is achieved through the combination of smooth walls against rough wood slate cladding. Aside from its abundant water features and lush vegetation, the unique, modern tropical theme is further emphasized by the exterior’s use of earth tone colors such as beige, brown and gray. Indigenous materials are used to enhance the tropical theme, through modern and innovative means. The interiors also mirror the same tropical and Asian influences of the façade, with its contrast of wall texture (smooth walls complimented by the roughness and hardness of natural stone).  

Hotel Vida Clark: 5414 M.A. Roxas Highway, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023.  Tel: (045) 499-1000.  Fax: (045) 499-0979.  Manila Office: UG-9 Cityland Herrera Tower, 98 V.A. Rufino corner Valero St., Salcedo Village, Makati City. Tel: (632) 840-1430.  Fax: (632) 840-3589.  Website: www.hotelvidaclark.com.