I can still remember my first time traveling by sea and by air. It was in 2007, less than nine months in my first work, and I was able to save some cash to treat my mom for a local trip.
As early as December 2006, I had already planned the trip to prepare for my mother's birthday on Feb 14.
I have limited funds, so I selected Cebu as our first travel destination. My brother has a house there; therefore, it is very strategic in terms of the financial aspect. We got a free room and a local tour guide!
Makati to Cebu
We needed a week of preparation to complete our luggage. My mom bought a lot of food and gifts (pasalubong) for my brother’s family in Cebu. We stayed at my sister’s condominium in Makati to relax and have my mom be at ease before the flight for the next day.
I remember I picked an early flight via Cebu Pacific (RP-C394) because our eyesights were no more 20/20, and newbies like us must see things clearly during the flight.
When I bought our tickets, I selected the window side so that my mom could enjoy the view. However, when we were inside the aircraft, she said she was afraid to see how high we were. Because of that, I had to sit near the window.
Here is a snapshot, 10 minutes after the take-off. We are a bit scared!
The distance from NAIA airport to Mactan Cebu airport is 626 miles or 1008 kilometers, and the travel time is around 1 and 30 mins for direct flights.
During the flight, we enjoyed the experience! My mom kept on reading all the magazines and focused on articles about Cebu. On the other hand, I ordered some snacks, and from time to time, I asked my mom what she read from the magazine.
Mactan to Liloan
When we arrived at Mactan airport, I texted my brother to get additional instruction on finding him. Luckily, he was able to see us quickly. From Mactan airport, we rode a taxi to Liloan, Mandaue Cebu.
On our way to Liloan, we crossed the Marcelo Fernan bridge. It is a well-known structure in the Philippines because it connects Mactan island and Mandaue City.
My brother's house in San Vicente Liloan
The house of my brother has a calm and relaxing ambiance. They have a garden with fruit-bearing trees and various plants. Back in 2007, the house was made up of bamboo and sawali.
I haven't visited there since 2007, but I know that the house has been upgraded several times and most parts are now concrete.
We experienced riding a trike or commonly known as habal-habal, by the locals.
Whenever we can't find a habal-habal, we usually walk up to the highway to see taxis. Back then, there were no apps like UBER or GRAB!
Attractions in Cebu
Magellan's Cross
The Magellan's Cross is a pavilion built in the 1800s to remember the area where Ferdinand Magellan planted a wooden cross on April 21, 1521. This event signified the start of Roman Catholicism in the Philippines.
Basilica del Santo Niño
The Santo Niño Basilica is the oldest Roman Catholic church in the Philippines, created in 1565.
Fort San Pedro
Fuerte de San Pedro was built in the 17th century as a military defense site in Cebu to repel Muslim guerillas.
Ayala Center Cebu
Ayala is known to build lovely landscapes, and it is true even in their branches in Cebu.
Aside from sightseeing, we had to buy pasalubong for our family in Laguna and Manila, so we decided to go to Ayala Center in Cebu.
Local Food Trip
Before returning to Manila, we had to try the local food of Cebu; hence my brother accompanied us to a well-known diners area or palutuan/ihawan.
We tried the Cebu's lechon, inihaw or barbecue, ampaw, chicharon, danggit, and puso or hanging rice.
My brother bought some dried fish of different kinds wrapped in newspaper to lessen the odor.
Superferry 12
Going back to Manila, we are lucky to book the grand Superferry 12. It was known as the flagship of the Aboitiz fleet.
It was featured in various commercials, TV programs, and movies during the 90s, like the “Tataynic” of comedy king Dolphy.
The travel time is around 22 hours! My mom enjoyed this more than our travel by plane. We tried to visit all the possible decks where we were allowed to enter. But the favorite parts of my mom are our cabin and the upper deck.
Since our travel date was not in the peak season, no other guests were in the cabin, so my mom could relax more. She even read her papers during the trip!
We also visited the restaurant and tried some food options, but we didn't like the food there. My mom is a good cook and noticed that most of the food lacks salt.
We usually hang out on the upper deck, where we can see the nearby islands and other guests.
I know we haven’t seen the other prominent places in Cebu due to the limited time. So I look forward to go back there.
