Maayo'ng adlaw(Good day)!

Thank you for your interest in the Cebu, Philippines. Your curiosity for the island has led you to Cebu is a Beauty.  This website wishes to magnify the nooks and crannies of this little and mighty tropical island. It seeks to not only lure you into the beautiful crevices and secret folds of the cities and municipalities of Cebu but it will blatantly tempt you to settle in for good simply because there is no place you'd rather be.

Should we start with history then?

Sinulog Tradition

The Spanish came in the 16th century and overtime (300 years) successfully ingrained unto the locals a strong Catholic faith, a penchant for greasy and savory cooking and unlimited reasons to start festivities.

More than 90% of Cebu's land development worked around a church as the town center with commercial and residential structures within less than a mile of each other.

Politics and government policies are anchored on orthodox Catholic beliefs which are currently in the process of slow liberation since the country is very much friends with western influencers.

Cebu's structural developments on the other hand is very much alive and striving.  Remnants of the old colonial era are still felt downtown but up north is a booming technological and commercial ecosystem that is keeping up with the present time.

The Cebu you will see here is not perfect.  It will not be the island paradise you might have seen in the glossy airport magazine you picked up from your flight.  What you see in the pictures and videos will be very different from the Cebu you will see with your own eyes.  Up-close, will be the magnification of the rough patches and uneven terrains that are merely mentioned on the side by one sided praises.

Colon Street

The Cebu you will meet in The ViXeN's LaiR, comes with the angst of a neglected adolescent, a cranky girlfriend and a taken for granted wife.  You will be introduced to the enchanting yet flawed Cebu.  A place you will love despite all odds.

She does not stand still and look pretty for pictures.  The raging, feisty yet delicate Cebu is a beauty.

The only name that pops out of my head when the term blog advertising community is mentioned is Nuffnang.  They bring good news to bloggers like me with their constant blogging contests and advertising incentives.  This coming weekend the Nuffnang Team is rolling out a South Out: The Cebu Invasion meet and greet event at Red Box, Ayala Center Cebu on April 28, 2012 (Saturday), 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM.  

Now that they are intent on establishing their presence here in Metro Cebu, I would love for them to see my locale's eccentricities.  I will start with the best summer destinations in Cebu City, the heritage sites, then on to the very affordable delectable food, then to my favorite ukay-ukay destinations.

But who am I kidding? The Nuffnang team would most probably be pressed for time. Well then I'd have to take them to the one perfect place that best embodies the Cebuano vibe - the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño!  

So dali na Nuffnang Team!  Isuroy ta kamo sa cuidad sa Sugbo!

Thank you to the sponsors for making this possible!

Let me tell you a discovery I happen to come across while looking for resorts near Simala.  Since there were no information about beach resorts in Sibonga.  I stretched my google muscles, sifted through Argao and found non that fits my liking, and finally zeroed in on Dakong Bato in Dalaguete.  We just wanted a good place to spend the night and swim in whatever, immediately following our Simala pilgrimage.  

All twelve of us could not possibly fit a Toyota Avanza.  So we let our bags sit on the rear end of the car and we the big 5, rode the public transportation to Simala.  When we got to the resort, we were all just giddy with awe on how clean and beautifully intriguing the place was!  Imagine a resort built on a cliff of huge boulders hence the name "Dakong Bato" or Big Rock.

photo from Dakong Bato fan page

We checked in on a big room with three beds and a balcony with a gorgeous view of the sea.  We ate our dinner, did some silly photo shoot with our swimsuits on and then eagerly went night swimming in the sea.  We loved how they cordoned the shallow part of the sea with concrete.  It felt safe to swim and no threat of sharp stones or sea urchins too!

And then there were their pools.  One was an infinity pool located on the right and the other pool was the one that had the slide.  

Do add me on Facebook if you want to see more of our silly photos, I warn you that we are a bunch of frustrated models, actors and actresses!  I'd love for you to check out my first contribution to InstyleCebu.  I gave some plus size summer tips!

We super love Dakong Bato and hope to come back and explore their facilities and drink in all the majestic view.  Mama Mary definitely wanted us to enjoy and have clean fun after we visited her.

For reservations, resort rates and general inquiries visit their main site at www.dakongbato.com or their Facebook fan page.

School finally got to a close and everyone of us was just itching to shake off the piled up stress.  The gang decided to pay Mama Mary a visit.  It was my third time to do this pilgrimage to Simala and with each visit I always find new captivating architectural improvements.  Like that newly constructed left wing of the monastery.  If I remember my Humanities class right, the structural design seems baroque.

Cebuanos frequent Mama Mary's Shrine in Simala because of the serenity and enchanting appeal of this miraculous place.  Sibonga is just less than two hours away from the main city.  People flock the monastery all year round.  The first time I was here I felt the strong urge to want to come back.  It's as if Mama Mary beckons me.  I hope to visit at least once a year you know to keep my horns at bay hehehe!

If you do plan to go there in Simala, do dress appropriately as the place house monks and nuns that pledge purity.  Bring a pen and paper too so that you can write down your petitions and prayers.  Writing will help release the bottled up anguish you have inside.  Then you can drop your letter on the provided slots.  

I always come here with family and some friends, exactly the same people I pray for all the time, and I just feel so blessed and thankful to have them around.