Travel and Tourism

Monday, April 11, 2022

Beautiful, big Astoria Current, Boracay

My family is taking a short stay three nights here in Astoria Current, Boracay island, Malay, Aklan province (https://www.facebook.com/astoriacurrent, https://astoriacurrent.com/). Really beautiful. This photo from their fb page.

A month ago I booked/reserved here, they have a promo rate of P3,500/night for a deluxe room with 2 huge beds, with buffet breakfast for two. My HS and elementary daughters joining me and wife, so we're four in a room. I just added extra P1,500 for my HS girl and 50% rate for my 11 yo girl, they also have buffet breakfast. Very reasonable rates so I paid in full three weeks ago.

I availed of their hotel transport service -- van pick up from airport to Caticlan jettyport, boat to Boracay, van to the hotel, two way plus Boracay fees (entrance, green, other fees). It's P2k per head. But I got a discount because we won't be coming from the airport and going back there, we travel by car-boat so pick up and drop off is only at Caticlan jettyport.

Once the Aklan QR code is secured online, the transport service is seamless and very fast: our luggages, two girls and dogs transported inside the port's boat boarding area by the van, me and wife guided by Astoria staff (other passengers guided by their respective hotel chain staff too) went through a separate entrance at jettyport because the fees have been pre-paid already, quick checking of the QR code by the local government staff, then to a separate boat boarding for hotel chains with speed boats, a fast Astoria speed boat, a waiting van at the island, direct to the hotel. There are 2-3 men helping with the luggages and passengers each transfer, then welcome drinks upon arrival. Whew, fantastic.

At the hotel, there is high staff presence, one can see at least one staff practically in each major corners of the hotel to ask or request something, on the spot. There are two swimming pools with respective life guards each.

Internet is free and fast, both inside and outside the room. Aircon is strong/cold. Buffet breakfast is nice, lots of fruits, unli coffee or juice. Kaso hindi kasama unli beer, hehe.

We brought our 2 dogs from Iloilo that we'll bring to Makati after we leave Boracay. Astoria does not allow pets inside the resort-hotel but it is very accommodating to give them (in their respective cages) a covered room. I walk the doggies anytime outside so long as it's not raining, they enjoy the white sand but they cannot swim in the sea, Boracay regulations.

Last time my family went to Boracay was 2014 I think, the two girls were very young then. Now they appreciate the place, especially this new hotel, better.

Tonight we tried their buffet dinner. Food was just superb, delicious-yummy-plentiful. Our two girls didn't bother to eat rice anymore, haha. They frolicked on barbq, fruits, sisig, seafood, cakes, unlimited ice tea.

Current's manager for F&B Ollie was not there. His deputy manager Robbie was around and he was very attentive to us and other customers, warm friendly guy. We have a photo.

Going back to our room with heavy burpy stomach, we met along the way hotel manager Butch -- another warm, friendly guy, we chatted for several minutes.

Astoria owners and officials fully apply the "magic formula" of staying in the hospitality and hotel business -- having a bunch of many young, warm, friendly, always smiling staff, from the manager down to the resto and room boys and girls to van drivers and aides to security folks. Make the clients and guests happy and satisfied. Good job guys. Salute.
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See also:
Astoria Boracay, December 11, 2016
Astoria Palawan, December 18, 2016

Friday, April 08, 2022

Danirez Hills, Janiuay, Iloilo

Last December, my family visited this mountain resort in Janiuay, Iloilo province. It's nice. It has three swimming pools, this one has the deepest part, about 3 ft on the left and 6 ft on the right sides of the pool.

The hotel rooms in the main building, seen from the main function and event place.

The other units are individual houses with 2 or more rooms, villa type but made of local materials, like nipa roof.

The cottage we rented for about 4 hours stay, day tour.

The other pool, but water here is cold because sunlight can hardly penetrate due to big and wide tree branches above it. The other pool is more heated by sunlight at noontime.

Friday, September 03, 2021

My mother's 6th anniversary in heaven

Today is my mother Consuelo Oplas 6th death anniversary.

On September 3, 2015, I posted this in my fb wall:

My father, my eldest daughter, my mother. At our house in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, April 2010. After battling her kidney problem & Alzheimer's for several years, Mama has rested today. Bye Ma... am very sad...

I thanked and greatly appreciate several hundreds of Condolence notes and comments from hundreds of friends. Thanks again, guys.

The next day, Sept 4, 2015, I posted this:

Dear friends, your greetings and condolence notes are well appreciated, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Papa is beside me now in front of Mama's coffin. He keeps crying.He keeps repeating that they have been married for 62 years now, that he has caused her some sadness in the past, he misses her. He does not want to come home after the burial on Sunday. My younger brother will host him in his house for a few days.

Mama and Papa, December 1995.

After Mama's burial. We're five siblings, from left: me, Manang Bebeth, Neneng Marycris, and Bobong. The fifth, our eldest Manong Nestor, died of prostate C with diabetes around 2005. My other photos during Mama's burial were in my other laptop that crashed.

Mama and Papa together up there since 4+ years ago.

Still remembering and loving you, Ma, Pa....

Thursday, July 29, 2021

My US trip two years ago

Yesterday, these photos popped in my fb feed, about my few side trips after attending a climate-energy conference in Washington DC sponsored by the Heartland Institute.

July 28, 2019, lunch with Lorenzo Montanari and Chris Butler of the Americans for Tax Reforms (ATR), in a resto few blocks from their office.

After lunch I met with Wolfgang Mueller of EIKE, European Institute for Climate and Energy, based in Germany. Wolfgang also attended the Heartland conference. We have coffee at the Chinatown in DC.

The next day, Wolfgang and I attended the barbeque party of Tim Andrews, formerly with the Australia Taxpayers Alliance (ATA) then migrated to the US, with the US Taxpayers Alliance. He moved to another free market NGO. And Dr Pat Michaels of Cato was also there. Pat was one of the speakers in the conference two days earlier. He's a famous meteorologist and climatologist.

From left: me, Tim, Pat, Wolfgang. Filipino, Australian, American, German :-)

After that I visited an old and dear friend, Jo Kwong, formerly with Atlas Foundation, moved to the Philantrophy Roundtable, also in DC. Jo is very nice to me, she raised funds to sponsor my trip to Atlas conferences in 2008 (Atlanta) and 2009 (March in LA, November in DC). In 2010 she resigned from Atlas and Atlas has stopped sponsoring me too.

Jo is Chinese-American. Jo and her very supportive hubby.

Thank you Lorenzo, Chris, Wolfgang, Tim, Jo.

Saturday, April 03, 2021

Construction of my treehouse in 2004

My treehouse in a barrio in Bugallon, Pangasinan was constructed in 2004. I have an architect who help design it and trained the local carpenters how to execute things -- my friend and former Narra dormmate in UP Diliman, Clifford Espinosa.

Since the house is perched on a big and live mahogany tree, construction started from the top, the trusses of the roof of the second floor. Then the 2nd floor was built, then the 1st floor. Bottom right photo is Clifford with another friend from UP, Calmar Palma. Another friend from UP who came that day was Ding Aguila, not in the photo.

Clifford in another photo bottom left, support carpenter Charlie Espinosa looking up. Bottom right, that's me trying the manual driller.

Roof is cogon, well arranged. Danny Paragas and his father Nong Endring Paragas looking.

Near-finished house, after about 3 months.

This is the original treehouse in that tree, a small hut. It was dismantled so that the bigger, 2-storey treehouse could replace it.

Inside the treehouse, this photo taken about 2 years ago.

Thanks Clifford, thanks carpenters and others who helped.

Friday, February 26, 2021

Remembering Fermin Taruc

Ten years ago today, Feb. 26, 2011, my undergrad organization, UP Economics Towards Consciousness (UP ETC), had a sudden, instant reunion among some alumni who were invited by SMS just hours before the gathering. Our friend from NYC, Esther Habana, was in town and has a one on one with another friend, Fermin "Tarcs" Taruc, a Manila-based tech businessman. Later they decided to invite others, me included. Below from left: Gladys, Esther, Jojo, and Tarcs.

Three of us followed later. Below from left: Jojo, Roland, Esther, Tarcs, Gladys, Roger, me.

It was another fun-filled evening with fellow ETCers. Many others were invited but they could not come due to short notice, just few hours.

That was a Thursday night. Days later, Monday morning, we just learned that Tarcs died. He had a heart attack Sunday night and since he was living alone in his condo, no one brought him to the hospital. His officemates who wondered why he was not responding by email or by phone call, went to his condo. The guards assisted them to come in, they found Tarcs unconscious inside. They brought him to the hospital, it was late.

Thanks for the friendship, Tarcs. You are a good and friendly man.

Since then, I attended all reunions with friends from college. I have many organizations and groups of friends from UP, including former dormmates (I stayed in Molave, Yakal, Narra dorms).

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Math with the witch, wand and broom

I got this from a friend, Noel Nieva. Really funny and a bit mind- or eyes-twisting, so you should zoom into each item. I posted it in my fb wall with this Spoiler -- that I will delete the correct answer and will pm guys who answered correctly.

If you have not encountered this before or know the answer before, go!