All posts by geralynrigor

I am a 30-something Filipina involved in development work. Much as I am in love with traveling, meeting new people and having new experiences, I find more passion in using my skills and talents in helping shape a better future for other people, especially the rural poor. It's a bonus that I get to travel while I do just that. And oh, I'm a real sucker for good food, especially the ones that look great in photographs. And yes, I really do want to change the world. :D
Activities and Itineraries, Business Trip, Cities, Food, Leisure Trip, Provinces, Transportation

Dine Out Davao: Ahfat Seafood Plaza

5 Comments

As promised in my earlier post on arriving at Davao Airport, I now bring you my recommended best eats while enjoying your stay in Davao, especially during Kadayawan 2011.

As explained before, I love eating but I am not a foodie. I don’t even remember the exact names of the food I eat! All I know is I like photographing food as much as I like eating it. I enjoy good company, atmosphere and superb service as much as I enjoy savoring the last bite and eating the last rice grain. These said, expect that my recommendations are not just because these food tasted greatly but also coz I had a great time while having what I am about to share with you. So, if you are in for a gastronomic armchair traveling and/or bent on trying Dabaweño food while enjoying Davao’s King of Festivals or just chilling while in your well-deserved vacay, GET READY TO FEEL HUNGRY AND DROOL. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Hehe 🙂

This post features the food at Ahfat Seafood Plaza, an immensely popular Chinese restaurant among locals and tourists alike. It’s located at Victoria Plaza. Don’t worry about not finding it coz all you need to do is ask anybody where Ahfat is and chances are, they’ll point you to the right direction.

Butter and Garlic Shrimp

Continue reading Dine Out Davao: Ahfat Seafood Plaza →

Accommodation, Business Trip, Cities, Provinces, Transportation

Francisco Bangoy International Airport aka Davao Airport (arrival)

3 Comments

It’s almost time for Kadayawan!

The biggest, grandest and most colorful festival of Davao City is happening on August 19-21, 2011. Locals say it’s an event you truly shouldn’t miss. And it is somethings that I don’t wanna miss…but have to. 😦 It escaped my mind during the sale season of CebuPac and AirPhil for August, and now the ticket prices have skyrocketed way over my budget limit.  Additionally, August 22-26 is a big week for us in the Project so I can’t risk getting stuck in Davao (though it’s actually ok coz I can spend more time with BF) and not being able to return on the 21st.

Anyway, if I can’t go with you, I’ll at least write some posts about Davao and help make the most of your stay! I’ve already written about one of my favorite places, Cake Galerie. It’s for your sweet tooth’s sake, so give in to the craving. Haha. 😀 Anyway, this post is about the Francisco Bangoy International Airport aka Davao International Airport.

Arriving at Davao International Airport

This was the first airport I have been in while working for the Project. (Imagine, getting dispatched on a regional-via-flight trip on your second week? Not to mention the first trip just three days after starting to work?! Good deal, eh?!). According to Wikipedia, this airport is named after Francisco Bangoy, the patriarch of a landed nobility (aka as old rich family) after he donated land (see!) for the airport’s operations in the 1940s. Continue reading Francisco Bangoy International Airport aka Davao Airport (arrival) →

Activities and Itineraries, Business Trip, Cities, Provinces

Oriental Paradise Casino: a first-timer’s tale

2 Comments

On our way to Subic from Manila, my bosses were discussing about trying out their luck in the casino, especially since we’re basically free at night. Of course, when I heard the terms “luck” and “casino”, an image of slot machines, 21 dealing tables, roulettes and dice came to mind. You see, I have never been inside a casino. All I know about casinos came from movies or documentaries (as in Breaking Vegas) or tidbits of info from my aunt who spent most of her adult life working for PAGCOR. Oh, some info from my brother too who worked at Gloria Jean’s before.

Casino, here I come!

The first time I had an “almost” casino moment is at Genting Highlands in Malaysia during Jed and I’s Sg-KL trip back in April 2010. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to enter. I can’t remember if it’s because we were carrying big backpacks or coz I was in shorts and slippers. Anyway, bottomline is we didn’t get to try. I was only able to have a glimpse of the seemingly gold surfaces of the slot machines, shining and shimmering as it tries to attract as much players (and money!) as possible. Continue reading Oriental Paradise Casino: a first-timer’s tale →

Accommodation, Business Trip, Cities, Food, Provinces, Uncategorized

Horizon Restaurant, Subic Park Hotel: devouring platefuls of goodness

1 Comment

I LOVE EATING.

Dining on the first night

There. I said it. I believe that eating is one of the best ways to get to know a person, a place or an entire culture. No, I am not making up excuses just so I can justify the gluttony that I exemplify. I’m just saying, you know, there’s a lot of joy to be found in savoring the food prepared by people with much love and passion. Plus, the effort they put in to have it presented to you in the most delectable and mouth-watering manner. I think cooking is more of a skill than a talent, more of an art than a technique, and definitely more of a passionate heart than a calculating mind. Continue reading Horizon Restaurant, Subic Park Hotel: devouring platefuls of goodness →

About Me, Accommodation, Business Trip, Provinces

Subic Park Hotel: a video tour

3 Comments

Hello from Subic!

This is our second day and night for the 5D/4N Capacity Building Programs Manual Workshop (Work Camp) like the one we did in Davao last week and in Tagaytay in the previous months. In total, including the first step in February 2010, the CBP Work Group has been doing this for the 7th time already. If I remember correctly, one in NIA Central Office, two in Days Hotel, Tagaytay, one in Iba, Zambales (can’t recall the name right now), another two in Days Hotel, Tagaytay, one in Brokeshire Resort and Convention Center in Davao and the last one (that would be outside of NIA CO) currently happening now in Subic Park Hotel.

Subic Park Hotel: front entrance

This is also the last work trip I would be making for the Project, and all the members of TCP2’s JICA team for that matter. I have not counted how many field works and business trips I have made over the past two years while working with the project. Knowing that this could really be the last also hits me with a realization that the Project is indeed about to end. But this “realization” will be for another post probably in my personal blog and the number of work-related trips taken as another in this blog which I will write once I’m able to count all my travel applications stored in my office PC.

For now, let me take you to a video tour (the first one I made!) of Subic Park Hotel, our venue for this work camp. Continue reading Subic Park Hotel: a video tour →