The Much Delayed Manila Ocean Park Visit

Despite the opening of it's doors to the Filipino public three years ago, it was the first time we laid our eyes on the Manila Ocean Park. Maybe it was because my cousin gave it a bad review when they visited the place a week after the grand opening that stopped us from going. Well whatever our reasons were, I'm glad we've forgotten them and brought MAX  and ourselves to this really cool place.

excited to go check out the educational and fascinating
wonders of the Manila Ocean Park

Purchasing tickets from one of the group buying websites gave us many options in enjoying the park. For less than 600 php/person, we were able to get tickets with the following inclusions: main entrance fee (which includes viewing the oceanarium), fish spa, sea lion show,  dancing jellies, musical fountain show and 2 free drinks of the day at the Liquid Pool Lounge. For more on ticket info, here's the MOP website.

everything was fine until we saw ...

the fish that made MAX cry

For all the "sea" adventures we've been through, this was the first time our toddler burst into tears out of fear (lol). Walking into the first exhibit, labeled "Agos" (flow), we saw a Giant Arapaima and some other huge river fishes (arowanas etc). One Arapaima was even bigger that me and Phil, which was probably why MAX started screaming "oh no! ouchie!". Throw in crocs, baby bottler fed carp and some other freshwater fishes out in the unairconditioned, open-air venue and you've got one of the 6 part section down.

What's up...croc?

"Bahura" (or reef) brought in all the pretty fishies and artificial corals in 48 well lit aquariums. Flash photography is not allowed as it could disrupt the fishes' activities.

one of the many residents of Bahura, the puffer fish

the sustainable ecosystem of the oceanarium allows
 new life to flourish. Here are shark eggs :)

"Laot" (fishing ground") allowed us to see big fishes that are normally hauled in by big shipping vessels. Seeing them alive and well as opposed to glassy eyed stares in the fish monger's stall was quite fascinating.

more ginormous fishes!

Perhaps the highlight of the Oceanarium is the 25 meter long, 220 degree curved acrylic walkway tunnel, making you feel that you're right with them fishes, eels and rays. Named as "Buhay na Karagatan" (the Living Sea), this was probably the place that calmed MAX down.

The excitement of seeing the wonders of the living sea without getting wet was just a great experience on its own.

"I love this place!!"

We lingered in the area more than anywhere else in the park as MAX took a liking to the big rays that kept swimming overhead.

For some strange reason, I can't get the Backyardigan's song
 "Into the Deep" out of my head :) 

Got to smile just to match the one on this particularly friendly creature

I want that one fried and thrown in some sweet and sour sauce (just kidding!!)

We saw more rays in "Ang Kailaliman" (the deep) and an assortment of sharks at "Pating" (shark).

posing alone as MAX was once again not feeling the sharks in the tank :)

After the exhibit, we then headed up to the fish spa. Thousands of doctor fish latch on your feet and legs and eat the dead skin cells. They're suppose to be relaxing and therapeutic especially for those with small cuts and wounds. At first hesitant at the thought of have fish nibble at me (keeping in mind the line "swimming with the fishes"), I wasn't sure how I'd react. Phil, who's quite ticklish, started giggling after them lil critters started biting. MAX was the braver one. After stripping him down to his pull-ups, he was rearing to take a dip into the small pool. After a few fishes latched on to him, he momentarily got out of the water, then back again. It was such a FUN experience!

doctor fish hard at work on Phil's tootsies

perfectly safe for the kiddies :)

Right after this experience, we decided to check out the Makan Makan Asian Food Village (more on this in a different blog...that's how much we enjoyed it) for a late lunch.

After filling our tummies, we headed out the main building to watch the Sea Lion Show. The cute antics of the two Sea Lions gave the audience a chance to be educated about these animals and be entertained at the same time.

this fellow's trainer looked like the same guy at Subic's Ocean Adventure :P

Shopping for souvenirs was next on our list. Reasonable prices, good quality items and cute and funny designs may be found in the MOP souvenir shop aside from snacks. The Manila Ocean Park also houses a mall with a variety of restaurants, rides, an arcade and shops as well as a fully equipped high end hotel, Hotel H20. There really is a little something for everyone.

like I said, something for everyone :)

more pics of the jellyfish to come as soon as I upload it from the other cam

Up next :The Jellies. This jellyfish exhibit showcases the grace and elegance of Spongebob's best buddies. The uber-cool collection of jelly fish and the classical music playing in the background made me think of a cotillion happening at the Victorian era, where the ladies in their ballgowns were the jellyfish (imagination clearly vivid).

= You are here =

As of writing this blog, we haven't seen the Musical Fountain Show nor have we claimed our free drinks at the Liquid Pool Lounge when we went last October 11. The fountain was under repair due to the damage it sustained in one of the recent typhoons to hit Manila (lots of construction going on in the place probably due to repairs and expansions while we were there). We do however, plan to see it as soon as we get back from Kota Kinabalu, where I shall be updating this blog to let you know how it went.

From TMW, may your wanderings be better than ours :)

Dateline : Dumaguete 2011

history, charmingly repeating itself

Reminiscing a trip he had with his father as a kid, the memory of clear waters meeting the shore and beautiful natural resources were the things Phil remembered about Dumaguete. 

Just as his father did when he was young, we planned to bring MAX along to this sentimental journey. A peek at the Go Dumaguete Website helped us decide to add this city and it's surrounding areas sealed the deal for us, prompting us to add Dumaguete our "must see" list.

behind the windshield of what I felt was an overpriced cab ride

Nicknamed "Home of the Gentle People" Dumaguete City, the Capital of Negros Oriental may be found in the Visayas region of the Philippines. Like Baguio City, it is a University Town, as it boasts of four universities and several colleges, including the first American University in Asia, Siliman University. Being a city, ATMs, shopping complexes and other places that one might need to go to (albeit early closing times) are available.

We're here! :)

Getting there: 

Near almost everywhere worth going to in the Visayas area (Cebu, Negros Occidental, Siquijor, Bacolod, etc.), we opted to fly to Dumaguete from Metro Manila. The flights are daily, ranging between 3-5 times a day, 7 days a week and are serviced by two airline companies, Philippines Airlines and Cebu Pacific.

the Ipad is mommy's new bff  in travelling with a  toddler

Getting there by plane takes a little over an hour and the airport facilities at the Sibulan Airport are basic and  quite adequate.

Sibulan Domestic Airport

Getting Around:

Multicabs, tricycles, jeeps, buses and non-metered taxis abound in Dumaguete. Be ready to haggle though when it comes to rates. The standard rate for a cab ride from the airport is 300 php (even if your destination is only 10 minutes away). If you travel light, you're better off riding a multicab/tricycle as it would only set you back by 60-70 php (given your resort is 10 minutes away, like ours was :-p). You could also check  with your resort for reliable drivers and car rental services.

a sculpture in front of the Sidlakang Negros Village

What We Did In Dumaguete:

The Mediocre Wanderer headed out to Dumaguete in the hopes of seeing the wild dolphins of Bais. We were not disappointed (see blog about this adventure here).

Sunrise over high tide as ween from our room's balcony

Dumaguete's got a lot of natural wonders to visit. The marine sanctuary that is Apo Island, various lakes and waterfalls, the volcano Mt. Kanlaon, hot springs, beaches and other extreme activities like spelunking or hanging out with slithery reptiles in a cave.

Hornbill at Sea Forest Resort

Being the mediocre wanderers that we are, we opted to just do the Dolphin and Sandbar adventure and just went around to look at the city from a casual traveler's point of view. It didn't help that I had eaten something that didn't agree with me, and was sick from Day 1.

one of the many birds (I shall be posting more) one might see at Sea Forest

FYI: establishments such as stores and drugstores open AFTER 8 am. With malls opening at 9. Should you need any medication , go to the nearest hospital. There are drugstores opened 24 hours near them. However, should you find yourself short on cash and have a spare camera or cellphone lying around, we happened to notice a  Cebuana Lhuillier Pawnshop opened at 6:30 in the morning. (a bit odd don't you think? :-p )

magnificent isn't he?

We didn't feel bad about missing out on things simply because we plan to come back (hopefully next year) and visit all the sights that we missed (including an overnight stay in nearby Siquijor).

Our home for 4 days

Luckily, we got to stay at a fabulous, family-friendly beach resort / mini water theme park / aviary / restaurant: Sea Forest Resort.

low tide at the resort's beach front. expect fishermen to catch all sorts of sea delicacies in the shallow waters :)
That's also Cebu in the background

Yep, the place had everything we could've wanted in a resort. A decent beachfront, the view of nearby Cebu, a clean & comfortable room, various swimming pools, lots of shade from the Junglebook-esque theme (with cottages and tree houses in most of the giant trees surrounding the water park area) to the educational side of it, the aviary that was filled with exotic birds like the horn bill, osprey, cockatoos and so much more).

one of the many tree houses one may rent at Sea Forest 

main pool with water slide

It's also not far from the airport/ town and has free wi-fi. The rates (see website link above) were quite decent too. Staff was very helpful, courteous, anxious to please and quick on their feet, so that was a big plus as well.

one of the kiddie pools at the resort

here's another one...

The resort's restaurant serves regular Filipino fare with burgers and sandwiches for the less adventurous. Taste was decent and the prices won't break the bank. Try the local ice cream brand  Panda (available at the resort) and be surprised  at how this was so much better than the big commercial brands we have in the Philippines.

souvenir shop / restaurant / sari sari store 

PANDA good!

On the bathroom: they do have a bidet (Attention: Bellarocca). Their hot water showers use solar energy and the resort does provide you with basic toiletries. Taking a shower with the view of the sea and the nearby island is kinda cool too.

this picture just can't seem to show how pretty the view was in the shower :)

sunrise, sunset and the Island of Cebu's view made accessible
(perfect for dining Al fresco as well) 

On pasalubongs / souvenirs:

For those who have an early flight out, you're better off going to the Sidlakang Negros Village which is also the home of the area's tourism office. It houses a museum of sorts and retails a complete line of the various products made in the region at reasonable prices. Food, jewelry, apparel, and other curio items, this is a one stop shop for you.

If your plane, on the hand, leaves after lunch, the souvenir shop at the airport's waiting area is the place for you. It contains all the goodies that is akin to the Visayas region: dried danggit, otap, piaya, broas, butterscotch, wonderful cacao tablets and the likes may be bought at surprisingly competitive prices.

inside the souvenir shop at Sidlakang Negros Village

As with all the places we've been to, we did enjoy Dumaguete and are looking forward to exploring more of it's natural treasures and unhurried pace.

Adieu Sea Forest!

From TMW, may your wanderings be better than ours!

IRON CHEF MAX: Johnson’s Baby Milk Bath’s My Kid’s Growing Up So Fast Contest

My kid's growing up so fast...he's auditioning to be the next Iron Chef

Our MAX (Magnus Akira Xavier) has been mommy's little helper in the kitchen ever since he was old enough to imitate simple tasks. From mixing cookie dough, scooping ingredients (even when it's not called for, which keeps us on our toes), wiping flour on mommy's clothes and attempting to flip the bacon (extremely supervised), our little boy simply loves to "cook". We've bought him a "cooking" toy or two, but nothing beats the call of the REAL kitchen as far as MAX is concerned. 


I remember waking up early to fix breakfast for my hungry boy band (4 sons and Papa Phee) while setting the table and cleaning up a bit (multi-tasking at it's finest). MAX has always been one to want to see what's cooking, so I normally keep him at a safe, yet view friendly distance. But this morning, as I turned my back away from the stove to get some eggs from the fridge, MAX hurriedly went down from his perch, got my spatula and positioned himself on the stepping stool (reserved for our 4'11 helper who was on leave), and attempted to imitate my bacon flipping skills. Papa Phee was around to document the whole thing (the cellphone was the nearest camera), right before we slowly moved him away from stove. 


Since then, MAX has moved on to checking the oven (after we tell him it's safe to do so) while waiting for some homemade pizza or lasagna and occasionally putting things that need to be washed in the sink.

He is changing before my eyes but his skin is still like a baby’s. We still need the gentle care of JOHNSON’s Baby Milk Bath, with Vitamins A&E and 100% more milk proteins to nourish developing skin. Nothing but the best for MAX, and that's nothing but JOHNSON's Baby Milk Bath. After a messy time helping me cook or a relaxing bath before bedtime, this is number one on MAX and mommy's must-have list.

HOW TO JOIN AND WIN AS A BLOG READER

The whole blog community can get involved!

Comment on a blogger’s post by giving your caption suggestion for their photo entry. The more creative and relevant, the bigger your chances of winning a Johnson’s Baby Milk Bath gift pack from the blogger!

Like the JOHNSON’s Baby World of Firsts Facebook page to make your comment valid.

From the Johnson's Baby World of Firsts Facebook Page:

Johnson's Baby World of Firsts

COMMENT ON THE BLOG ENTRIES TO WIN A JOHNSON'S BABY GIFT PACK!


Mechanics:


1. Like Johnson's Baby World of First Facebook page.
2. Comment by giving your own title to the first photo. The more creative and relevant the title-comment, the bigger chances of winning.
3. The winner will be based on the following criteria:
Creativity of Title: 50%
- Cuteness of the Title
- Unique play of Words
Relevance to article: 50%
Note: Only comments from October 8 to October 21, 2011 are valid to win the gift pack.

Please take note that comments SHOULD be done on the blog post's page not on the Facebook wall. Thanks!

CSI (Cetaceans Swimming Indefinitely) : Bais City

After our Subic Ocean Adventure and Hongkong Ocean Park visits, the thrill of being with a dolphin up close and personal has made me want to see them in the wild and observe how they really are without trainers, cages and crowds.

Dateline: Dumaguete

Luckily, two things came together at the right time: us finding a website about Cetacean (the general term for dolphins and whales) watching in Dumaguete (Go Dumaguete- a most excellent and informative website) and a seat sale at Cebu Pacific.

Getting Started:
If you plan on going to Bais City for this particular activity, try to book your plane tickets a month ahead. The reason behind it is that you'll have to also book in advance, at the tourism office, a boat and crew to take you to your destination, especially during the peak season (May).

Bais Bay-Tanon Strait is bordered by Cebu and Negros Oriental making you neither here nor there

May and September are the ideal months to go as the waters are calmer. May is even better because certain migratory species of dolphins and whales make a trip to the Bais Bay-Tanon Strait area, where all the "sightings" take place.

With the crew of Dolphin II at the Tourism Office at the Capinyahan Wharf

Another advantage of booking ahead is that the trip may be a bit cheaper, as opposed to going through a travel agency that would normally charge you 3700 php/person for this day tour. The boat we rented was the Dolphin II and it can accommodate 15 people. This is the smaller boat. Total cost for renting it out is 3015 php. (call the Bais Tourism Office at these numbers: 63 (35)  402-8174, 63 (35) 402-8040 and 63 (35) 402-8180.) You may also ask them for recommendations on other boats for rent should you run out of tourism boats during the peak season. 

First mate MAX inpects the Starrboard (right side  of the boat) before we set sail

The payment covers the boat and crew expenses, a trip to the Tanon Strait for Cetacean watching, a lunch break at the Manjuyod Sandbar (you could go to the Bais local market to buy fresh food and the crew will be happy to cook your lunch for you), and a visit at the Talabong Mangrove Park. You can also ask the crew to take you to some nearby great snorkeling sites. Personally, the Manjuyod Sandbar's a perfect place to go swimming.

Cendy our tour guide, Phee and one of Dolphin II's crew at the deck of the boat. This is also the dining area

You also have a tour guide assigned to the boat who will give you a short lecture on the do's and don'ts of dealing with dolphins in the wild as well as giving you a brief overview of the kinds of sea creatures you may encounter. (don't feed em, don't touch em rule).

Setting sail, with the wind in MAX's face

We were not asked to deposit cash in advance for the rental but was instead asked to settle the bill on the day itself. Of course in May, they might have to, just to make sure you're serious on renting the boat.

Getting there:
While public transportation is available (bus, multicab and jeepneys), we opted to rent a van through the resort we were staying at (Seaforest Resort and Restaurant). The van costs around 2400 php roundtrip (Capinyahan Wharf-our resort, Sea Forest Resort) and anything over 8 hours would cost 200 php an hour. (Still cheaper than the 3700/pax).

all geared up for some serious swimming

The dolphin watching experience starts at 7am, and with us staying two towns away, the need for transportation at 5 am was a must. Plus, we had to pass by the Bais market to buy our supplies for the day, and commuting left and right would not have been a walk in the park, as we had our toddler with us.

Bluer than blue...

Why so early?:
Cetaceans are playful creatures. They often like to go out and feed and or play when the water is cool. From the wharf, it takes about another hour to get to the place where the dolphins hang. Once the sun is high in the sky, the dolphins go back to where it is that they stay, to rest. That gives you about an hour or two to see them in action.

saying goodbye to the dolphins after seeing them play for almost 2 hours

Market? What for?:
Once you head out to sea, there will not be a store for miles around. If you prefer to bring a packed lunch, you may do so, but nothing beats a freshly cooked meal. We picked up two kilos of pork (for grilling), around 3 kilos of rice, and a bunch of bananas for dessert. We also stocked up on water and soda. This was more than enough for me, Phil, MAX and the 4 other people that made up the boat's crew. I also brought some chips, ice and coal. The boat's cooler was quite sufficient in storing the drinks and fresh meat and the boat has all the basic condiments on board.

safety first!

About the Boat and it's Crew:
If you weren't able to make boat reservations, there are privately owned boats at the wharf that one may rent. Not sure about the cost though. The Tourism Office owned boats on the other hand are manned by licensed professionals that are both competent, courteous and knowledgeable. Life vests are available and the boats are big enough to have it's own bathroom, a kitchen of sorts and a dining area.

a pod of wild dolphins

The Experience:
Upon spotting a pod of dolphins, the boat's captain steered us towards the spot. There, we happily followed the fast moving dolphins. The first ones we saw were the Spinner dolphins, a species aptly named based on their leaping and spinning out of the water, just like those trained dolphins. Swimming alongside our boat were spotted dolphins that are characterized by the light spots that decorate their sides and underbelly. We saw several fast moving pods that morning.

MAX lets out a loud WOW! as we see the wild dolphins for the first time

A point and shoot may be too slow. May I recommend that you use video instead or have one of you use a camera with a wide angled lens. After a few attempts at taking their pictures, I gave up and enjoyed the view instead. Luckily, Phee was there to take decent shots of the animals leaping out of the water. I was seriously in awe of those mammals. It felt good to know that the Bais Bay-Tanon Strait was a protected area that would ensure that no harm would come to these beloved sea animals.

part of the 5 hectare Talabong Mangrove Park at low tide

We had to forego the mangrove forest experience as it was low tide. Boats may not be able to go inside the mangrove forest that has bamboo boardwalks that would allow people to walk through it, towards the actual park.

not exactly dressed to swim, yet here I am  in the water

When the dolphins started to leave, we decided to proceed to the Manjuyod Sandbar. At low tide, the now much wider expanse of white sand and clear water was just enough for me to change my mind about swimming in the afternoon sun (despite the 100 spf sunblock applied, I have my Jersey Shore-ish (so fake looking) tan to prove it).

the crew securely anchors the boat to the sandbar

The sandbar has shallow spots to swim at, but watch out for the sudden dip of the coastline, as it can get pretty deep in some parts even though it's pretty close to shore.

one of the many starfishes in the area

We saw starfishes dotting the area and some variety of seaweed.

those little silver things are actually inch long fishes

Small fishes would swim in schools as well, not to mention the varying shades of blues and greens that would describe the waters of the area, making it even more  magical. The sandbar has 3 native cottages on stilts that may be rented overnight, should your group want to enjoy the sandbar even longer (the tour boats normally stay till 3 pm to avoid choppy waters that come with the shifting of the tides).

our first glimpse of the Manjuyod Sandbar. Here's one of the 3 cottages for rent

After getting our fill of the food (the boat crew did a fab job on the grill), we decided to head on out, even though it was still a little past noon. We had just arrived in Dumaguete the day before and the early morning trip to catch the boat was a tad tiring for me and my sleep deprived family (plus the fact that I ate something the day before that did not agree with my stomach). For those who would want to stay longer for a siesta, snorkeling and more swimming, stay on. This place is soooo worth it.

MAX in the clear waters surrounding the sandbar

I would love to go back to this place and re-experience seeing the dolphins out in the wild, minus a stomach problem. Out of 23 Cetacean species found in the Philippines, 9 have been spotted in this area, making it the ideal spot to see Flipper in action.

dolphins swimming alongside our boat

Seeing Mother Nature at it's finest makes one appreciate and realize just how fleeting this experience could be if man would not learn to co-exist and help preserve God's creations. Admittedly, I was moved to tears with joy upon seeing one pod after another. Totally amazing!

Best Day EVER!!!

From TMW, may all your wanderings be better than ours!

walking towards our boat