Day 2 - Gone is the frustration...The adventure begins
I planned on waking up at 6am but ended waking up at nearly 8. I've wasted precious time. Took a shower, and caught a jeepney ride to Sto. Nino church. I never fail to visit the Cebu Cathedral and the Sto. Nino Church whenever I am in Cebu.
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| The facade of the Cebu Cathedral...more masses in English than Sto. Nino Church |
A visit to the Cebu Cathedral is mandatory. I spent a couple of minutes inside, uttered a prayer of thanks.
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The blessed image of the Sto. Nino - Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino
The image of the Sto. Nino is known to cure the sick and give comfort to the broken-hearted. There is always a long queue of folks wanting to get a closer look of the image and pray for petitions. Mass is mostly in Cebuano. Adjacent to the main building is the courtyard where one can sit back and relax. |
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| The stadium like facility right in front of the church...mass was being held outside during special occasions such as this one - "Araw ng mga Palaspas" |
Mass during special events, such as the stretch of the holy week, is celebrated in an amphitheater-like facility fronting the basilica. This place gets packed during the Sinulog festival (feast of the Sto. Nino) in January.
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| The infamous structure that houses the Magellan's cross...located on the left side of the Sto. Nino church just outside of the Sto. Nino Catholic School, fronting the Cebu City government building |
You've never been to Cebu if you have not seen Magellan's cross. The building is right outside the Sto. Nino Catholic school adjacent to the Basilica. Hence it is better to start off from the Cebu Cathedral then follow the street on your left (if you are fronting the church) and head towards the basilica and then Magellan's cross.
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| Magellan's cross |
After 30 minutes, I was headed off to Mactan. The plan was to get some breakfast and head off for some island hopping and snorkeling. 5 minutes in the road, I changed my mind and asked the cab driver to drop me off at the base of the Marcelo Fernan Bridge. This bridge is the latest structure that connects Cebu City and Mactan Island. The cab driver was hesitant at first and asked me if I really wanted to walk the stretch of the bridge. I was adamant and replied with a loud - YES! :-)
The moment I got out of the cab, it drizzled. I took it as a blessing of my crossing the bridge. A minute after the drizzle stopped. I was a tourist, I felt I was a tourist. I may have looked like a stupid tourist but there I was traversing the stretch of the bridge. I even crossed halfway to take a better picture of the bridge.
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| Marcelo Fernan Bridge - Mandaue City side |
Cars, trucks, jeepneys, motorcycles were honking as if telling me that being in the middle of traffic was stupid and darn illegal. But the hard headed me ignored them all, 1 shot, 2 shots, and 10 shots after I had enough.
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| From the other end of the bridge |
And so I thought. When I reached the other side, I crossed halfway again. :-) Now this is adventure in its truest sense of the word. :-)
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| Marcelo Fernan Bridge - Lapu Lapu City side |
The bridge is about 1.3 kilometers in length and was built in 1999 to decongest the traffic in the Mactan-Mandaue bridge. This is the shorter route to and from the airport. The bridge was named after the former Supreme Court Justice who hailed from this city.
I was walking for about 3 kilometers when I felt my tummy complaining. It was 9am and I haven't eaten. The intention was to check-in first at
Islands Stay Hotels. However, there were no rooms available. I recommend this hotel when you are in Mactan since it is very near the airport and there is a SaveMore and Starbucks nearby. But most specially because ZUBU CHON Restaurant is housed in the same building. Last year, the famous food adventurer, Anthony Bourdain came to Cebu to try out ZUBU CHON lechon, which he ended up calling, "Best Pig...EVER"! It was OK not to have a room as long as I get to taste the new lechon Cebu, that is ZUBU CHON.
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| ZUBU CHON! |
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| Can't wait for my Breakfast Meal Pritchon |
If you want a fresh serving of the lechon, you have to come in at 10:00am when delivery comes in. Try their monggo, and many other delectable dishes. Their best seller drink - Kamias Shake- is supposed to control cholesterol and helps in weight loss. So you don't have to worry about the fats. I did not manage to try it though...as my tummy will not be kind to something sour so early in the morning.
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| The placemat says it all. |
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| Finally...breakfast. Must try! |
I've tried most of the Cebu Lechon brands and somehow they are all the same - DELICIOUS! What's so special about ZUBU CHON? I'm not so sure actually. It maybe just the hype now but I would recommend it to anyone visiting Cebu to give it a try. It's YUMMY!
Now that I'm full, I have to look for a place to stay. The front desk personnel recommended
Park Hill Hotel, walking distance towards the airport. Park Hill is tucked in a cozy, peaceful, serene, subdivision. This is way much better than Elegant Circle Inn in Fuente Osmena. Room is for 900/night, ample space, with TV and Cable, hot and cold shower, towels, and other bare essentials. I decided to take a nap.
30 minutes after, I forced myself out of the room. I have to go snorkeling. That was the intent of this trip anyway. It was 11am. I'd be burned black by the time I come back. Sporting a terrible headache, I heavily hurled myself in a motorbike and went to the Pier near MovenPick (formerly Hilton Hotel).
NOTE: Island hopping adventure next... :-)
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