Boats from Batangas to Mindoro, Caticlan/Boracay

Early last month, I travelled by RORO (roll on, roll off boats) from Manila to Iloilo then Negros. Plane fare Manila-Bacolod one way that weekend was something like P4,300 cheapest. I estimated that via RORO and multiple transfer would take about 26 hours but the cost would be only around P2,000 or less.

So I just took an air-con bus at Buendia-Taft in Makati going to Batangas and from there, would decide what boat to take going to Calapan, Or. Mindoro, or straight to Caticlan, Aklan.

Here are the boats from Batangas port to Calapan (Or. Mindoro), Abra de Ilog (Occ. Mindoro), other destinations in Mindoro island. During the vacation season, I think some shipping lines field more boats or they make their boats take extra trip per day whenever possible.

The RORO boats that ferry both people and vehicles, Batangas to Mindoro, Romblon, Panay (Aklan, Capiz, Antique), other island-destinations.

 I took the Batangas-Caticlan boat of 2GO, 9pm and arrive Caticlan around 7am with stopover at Odiongan, Romblon (perhaps around 3am). Tourist class aircon, P1,150 per head one way.

Passengers form two lines, one each for males and females, their bags and luggages beside them. This is for security inspection. Instead of making passengers go through an X-ray inspection, a bomb-sniffing dog just checks all bags, then passengers get their bags and go inside the boat.

So if one wants to go to Boracay from Manila, the fastest route of course is to take the plane (direct to Caticlan or via Kalibo, Aklan, then bus to Caticlan, 2 to 2 1/2 hours trip), then short boat ride to Boracay.

Another option is to take any bus from Manila/Makati/QC, etc. to Batangas, take 2GO's boat to Caticlan, 10 hours ride, just sleep and wake up at Caticlan port.
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See also:

Oriental Mindoro to Caticlan, Aklan, December 31, 2014

Caticlan to Boracay boats, December 12, 2016

Central India from the air

Last February 12, 2017, I departed Mumbai airport and flew back to Bangkok for my connecting flight to Manila. I did not go out after the Asia Liberty Forum (ALF), I went straight to the airport from the hotel. Below are some photos I took when the plane (Jet Airways) took off from the airport. Not so clear, either the plane's window was dirty or my phone camera's lens.

 

Mumbai is the commercial center of India so it has plenty of tall buildings, but also lots of informal settlements.

 

Here's my flight direction in orange line, Mumbai-Bangkok, about 5 to 6+ hours. The airline used a small B 737 (6 seats per row) plane for the flight. I got this map from the web, it shows a land route from Bangkok to Delhi (green line). I also marked (orange star) the cities in South Asia that I have visited so far -- Kathmandu and Pokhara, Nepal (January 2015), Paro and Thimphu, Bhutan (November 2015), and Mumbai, India (February 2017). My plane from Bhutan-Bangkok also stopped at Guwahati, India to unload passengers then loaded new passengers going to Bangkok. Us Bhutan-Bangkok passengers were not allowed to deplane, we just stayed inside the plane.

I saw many lakes, big and small, from west to east of central India. The place looked generally deforested and land use shifted from forest to agricultural and residential areas.

 

My entry and exit stamp at Mumbai airport, February 9 and 12, respectively.


Below, I got this from one report about NASA's photos of some countries at night. This is India in late 2016, getting brighter, and it is good. A poor country like India should have more power supply at affordable and/or competitive rates.

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See also:

Mumbai Airport, India, February 14, 2017

The Leela Mumbai, India, February 17, 2017

Vivere Hotel, Part 2

A belated continuation of my earlier post, Vivere Hotel, Alabang, Muntinlupa City last February 18, 2017. This is The Nest Sky Bar, possibly the hotel's main attraction -- a resto bar at the top of the building with a 360 view of the surroundings.

This is near the entrance of The Nest.

Around the hotel, looking towards Alabang-Cavite area.

 

There are not many skyscrapers in Alabang, so these structures stand out nearby. I don't know or I forget now the names of these structures.

 

Looking now towards Laguna Lake.

 

 

A concert ground and outdoor activity area right in front of the hotel. Wide area, can possibly hold 100k people.

The Nest at dawn (and night) -- nice lights, good view also of the buildings around the hotel. Crimson Hotel is huge but a bit lower than Vivere.

Early evening view of structures around the hotel.

 

 

A gym also at the top floor of the hotel.

Thanks again, Elvie. I and my family enjoyed our stay at Vivere.

Mt. Zion, Bugallon, Pangasinan, Part 2

This is in Brgy. Laguit Padilla, Bugallon, Pangasinan, about 5 kms. from the highway at Bugallon town proper, 4 kms paved/cemented road, 1 km dirt road but ordinary cars can easily reach the place.

At the end of this short road is the chapel and retreat house.

The main attraction here are the huge statues, about 7 feet tall, of the Stations of the Cross, each station about 20 meters apart going up a hill for the last station. Now the church that runs and owns the place has added this huge statue of the Virgin in another hill.

It is probably 3-storeys high from the base. Several individuals donated to build this huge statue. The workers did not use a crane or cement mixer truck, they carried the cement, sand, steel, water, etc. manually up a hill.

It is attracting lots of visitors almost daily. During the Holy Week, thousands visit the place.

The stairs going up and down the statue.

The locals from the barrio just use tricycles or this "pugpog"/kuliglig to visit the place.

One view from the statue's base.

No entrance fee, just go there, preferably with own car.


See also:

Mt. Zion, Bugallon Pangasinan, February 10, 2015

Mt. Zion Chapel and Retreat House, February 10, 2015

Vivere Hotel, Alabang, Muntinlupa City

I have been to Vivere Hotel in Alabang, Muntinlupa City twice to attend two big conferences sponsored by the Rotary Club of Muntinlupa North + PCCI Muntinlupa + Muntinlupa City government. The first was a forum on ASEAN economic integration last year, the second was last February 02 during the forum on Federalism. They have a nice, colorful grand ballroom on the 2nd floor, the two events were held there.

This photo at the ballroom was during the Federalism forum. I was not a speaker but I made the synthesis of the presentations and arguments by the five speakers. To my right are 3 of the 5 speakers and to my left is Elvie Sanchez-Quiazon, President of the Rotary Club and PCCI-Muntinlupa, also the hotel's General Manager. See also my article in BusinessWorld, "Should we go federal or not?" where I mentioned the forum.

Aside from the Certificate of Appreciation, there was a gift for all resource speakers, the forum moderator and the synthesis speaker (me) -- a gift certificate (GC) for an overnight stay at the hotel, executive suite. A suite! I was very happy and thankful of Elvie.

I thought a one night stay in a suite would be "bitin", my family especially my two girls would crave for more, so I reserved a two nights stay, will pay the 1st night, use the GC on the 2nd night. Elvie gave me a modest discount for the 1st night, cool.

So we are staying at the hotel, Friday to Sunday (tomorrow). Our room with tv, and sala with tv....

 

My work area (I have two short papers to finish this weekend, "staycation" for me) with a small bed behind, and a view from the sala and room -- the neighbor hotel, Festival Mall, other buildings and houses towards the Laguna Lake.

The elevators and our door on the 23rd floor.

Good view on the hallways, the rooms are on four sides and there is an open space in the middle. Looking down from the 23rd floor, and looking up from the 8th floor. There are nets every 5 or 6 floors, which are good in case there are some suicidal guests...

 

On the 8th floor are the playroom for kids, and jacuzzi. The playroom, my two girls used it for a few minutes.

 

The jacuzzi, very nice. There is tv while dipping in the hot water. There is shower inside, and a small sala.

 

The elevator has mirror on all four sides. And outside the elevator on the 31st floor.

The swimming pool on the 4th floor. Around 10am today, we dipped at the pool, the water was very cold, I got out of the water after a few minutes. But the two girls enjoyed the water.

 

An art work with a mirror behind, hallway of the pool.

 

Enough for now. Part 2 will be about The Nest, rooftop resto and bar, and the structures around the hotel. I like this hotel, recommending this to my friends and blog readers.