Quezon: Book now for the 2011 Ultimate Pahiyas Tour!

The next time the Pahiyas Festival will fall on a weekend will be in 2016. So it's time to hop over to Quezon and book a slot on the Ultimate Pahiyas Tour on May 15, 2011!

It's fiesta time this month of May and what a better way to drink, eat and be merry as we head south to explore charming Quezon province. It's the best time of the year as we join in the revelry and celebrate the feast of San Isidro de Labrador! First off to Sariaya, a charming little town known for its gracious colonial-period homes. We'll have breakfast, take a stroll and admire these lovely houses as we revel in its traditional Agawan Festival. Then, it's off to Lucban and the Pahiyas Festival where we'll feast our eyes over a smorgasbord of food, music, artistry and local color in one of country's most spectacular fiestas! Finally, on to San Pablo, Laguna to dine at the artsy Sulyap Gallery Cafe, a great way to cap-off our Southern Tagalog experience!

Tour fee is Php4,800 per person all inclusive of breakfast, lunch and dinner, entrance fees, and tourist bus transfers. For bookings, e-mail reservations@ultimatephilippines.com or contact my tokayo, Ivan ManDy (0917) 3291622. For the full schedule, check out the Ultimate Pahiyas Tour page on Facebook.

Metro Manila: Restaurants at Robinsons Galleria Veranda

Robinsons Galleria recently opened Veranda, its newest restaurant strip which offers both al fresco and indoor sitting options for guests. I got to try some dishes from the different restaurants in Veranda together with other travel bloggers. Here's something to give you an idea of what to expect at Veranda.




Papa John's
Following its success in Malaysia, the Berjaya Group brought US-based pizza chain Papa John's to the Philippines. We got to try both the hand-tossed and thin crust large versions of Super Papa's (pepperoni, Italian sausage, ham, mushrooms, onions, green peppers and black olives / Php550), Chicken BBQ (Php530) and Fisherman's Catch (Php530).





Delicious Kitchen by Eat Well
Eat Well specializes in simple but delectable Cantonese food, some of which are unavailable at their two other branches in Metro Manila. I was craving for Xiao Long Pao (Php195) after my trip to Taiwan and its good the have it there. We also got to taste the Homemade Beancurd with Asparagus and Bailing Mushroom (Php235), Shrimp on Toast (Php330) and Mochi.




Johnny Rockets
An icon in the food-and-beverage landscape in the U.S., Johnny Rockets serves the same specialties here such as hamburgers, sandwiches, shakes and malts, and apple pie. The have jukeboxes on every table and the staff perform and entertain guests every 15 minutes. We got to try out The Original with Cheese (Php335), Chicken Club Sandwich (Php415) and Philly Cheese Steak (Php395).




La Creperie
La Creperie brings the French creperie experience to Manila with its authentic French galettes and crepes that span from sweet to savoury. Besides these gustatory delights, La Creperie also serves specialty beverages including TWG tea (the only place that serves it in the Philippines), its own line of hot chocolate or Chocolat Chaud and coffee. We got to try Le J.J. (ham, emmental and gruyere cheese, tomato, garlic and chili flakes / Php215), Nami (herbed cheese, fresh shitake mushroom and caramelized onion / Php225), and La Christine (fresh strawberries, homemade strawberry jam and whipped cream / Php145).





Hyphy's
Owned by Chef Bruce Lim of Studio 23's Tablescape: Life on a Plate, Hyphy’s reinvents Filipino favorites with a decidedly San Francisco flourish. We got to try the Cobb Salad (classic chopped salad topped with tomatoes, bacon, chicken, olives and cheese / Php260), Bangus Steak (deboned milkfish marinated in grandma's special sauce and pan fried served with rice, buttered seasonal vegetables and atchara / Php210), Calamansi Tuyo Pasta (native dried salted fish sauteed in garlic oil and tossed in pasta topped with cheese and calamansi / Php130), and Clam Chowder in Sourdough Bread which I remember vividly from my trip to San Francisco.




8 Spices
Serving Thai food with a Filipino spin, 8 Spices' bestsellers include Pandan Chicken, Bagoong Rice, Green Curry, Beef Rendang and a bevy of must-have desserts such as Thako and Thai Halo-Halo. We had Tom Yam Ruam Mid Thalay (Php380), Whole Fried Lapu-Lapu in 5 Kinds of Herbs or Pla Harod (Php510) and Pad Thai with Shrimp (Php285).


Giligan's Restaurant
Who doesn't know Giligan's. We tried out their popular Pork Sisig (Php168) and Giligan's Grilled Platter (inihaw na baboy, chicken BBQ, pusit and tuna belly / Php575)


To end the food trip, we had yogurt at Golden Spoon and coffee at Starbucks. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we weren't able to try Healthy Shabu-Shabu since it takes quite a while to prepare. Healthy Shabu-Shabu specializes in Japanese-style hot pot dishes.

The good thing about Veranda is that there's exclusive parking right in front of the restaurants. Check Veranda out on your next visit to Robinsons Galleria.

Malaysia: Low's Peak of Mount Kinabalu in Sabah (4,095 MASL)

Mount Kinabalu is the rooftop of Borneo and the most prominent peak in Southeast Asia. Words cannot describe how I felt as I stood on Low's Peak, the highest point of Mount Kinabalu at 4,095 meters above sea level. It was a challenge to get up there, an ordeal even. But the view from the top was nothing but breathtaking.



After a previous attempt to reach the summit of Mount Kinabalu last year, I finally conquered the mountain during the Pinoy Mountaineer Mount Kinabalu Expedition 2011. But more than that, I tested my own limits.

This year was extra difficult. Although the weather was expected to be good, the La Niña made everything so unpredictable. So on the way up to the Laban Rata Rest House, we had to deal with rain and the resulting slippery and muddy trail. Just like last year, I slowly inched my way up the steep 6-kilometer trail to Laban Rata for 8 grueling hours as we all know I'm not as physically fit as I should be.


That night in Laban Rata, the 30-member expedition was praying for a miracle, that the skies would clear the next day as we made our assault to the summit. Our prayers were answered. We were gifted with a very beautiful morning.



It was another 2.7 kilometers to the summit. Our group left Laban Rata a few minutes before 3 a.m. and nearly missed the cut-off at the Sayat-Sayat Hut. You have to reach the checkpoint at 5 a.m. But thank God we were allowed to continue despite arriving a few minutes late since the weather was relatively good.


Despite feeling weak and having to bear the chilling cold weather, the grandeur of the summit, and a lot of prodding from my friends, helped me inch my way to the top. As promised, I am posting a photo of myself and Gideon Lasco of Pinoy Mountaineer at Low's Peak.

Pinoy Mountaineer has gone a long way since we created it in 2007. It has changed the face and culture of mountaineering in the Philippines and opened the doors even to non-climbers who simply want to have fun and experience our mountains. And we have Gideon to thank for that! The mountains of the Philippines belong to everyone.



I got to enjoy the view from Low's Peak for quite a while. In fact, I had the summit all to myself since me and my guide were the last to make our way down.



As if reminding us that the clear morning was simply a prayer answered, it started to drizzle as we descended from the summit. Then the drizzle turned into a light rain. The rocks started to get really slippery. And there were portions of the trail were I had to hang on to the rope for my dear life as I maneuvered through a steep cliff.

And then, when we thought things were already bad, the sky opened its floodgates and released a torrential downpour that transformed the trail into a cascading stream. So we had to deal with that from the Laban Rata Rest House all the way down to the Timpohon Gate. But no doubt, those few minutes when the heavens opened for us was worth the effort.



Anyway, for more information on Mount Kinabalu, check out Kinabalu Park & trekking up Mount Kinabalu in Sabah. But with the success of this year's climb and to make it easier for everyone who wants to climb Mount Kinabalu, we're organizing the Pinoy Mountaineer Mount Kinabalu Expedition 2012. And as early as now, you can reserve slots by e-mailing expeditions@pinoymountaineer.com.



Thank you to all those who joined the Pinoy Mountaineer Mount Kinabalu Expedition 2011! And thanks to Gideon Lasco, Pam Aquino and Jim Mejia for sharing their photos. For more photos, visit the Ivan About Town Mt. Kinabalu 2011 Facebook album.