June 9, 2012
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| Dylan waking up to Chips Ahoy and Milk |
Day 2 of our Subic getaway started early. Everyone wanted to get a move on because our itinerary today involved going to the beach. We originally planned on visiting Sunset Cove in Morong, Bataan because we saw pictures of our friend who went there over the summer and we became curious too. So, we set off on our adventure for the day because we didn't really know where it was located because the directions and the map from the Net were a bit vague.
The travel from Subic to Morong was quite easy because the road was direct and Patrick was familiar with it having passed by this area on many occasions. However, finding Sunset Cove was a little daunting especially when you reach the part where you have to travel on a very narrow road, passable only to one vehicle at a time. The area on both sides of the road were occupied by residents so expect to see people, chickens, kids and dogs crossing in front of you. There was a part of the road that was cemented but by the time you reach the gate of Sunset Cove, it's no longer cemented and it was rather gravelly so you can just imagine our fear of getting the Subaru scratched.
When we got inside the compound, we were a little dismayed, although the people who came out to talk with us were very warm and accommodating. It wasn't the right time to be going there as the water was very high and there was barely any sand to walk on - not really the kind of picture we saw from our friend's trip. There were sandbags everywhere. They offered us a "family room" within a family bungalow but it was too narrow and really not worth the price. So, we just decided to leave and chalk it up to experience.
Our next stop was Dungaree beach in Subic. We went there before and we had a good time then so we thought it would suffice. We were surprised to find out that now, since it's under new management, everything is being charged and I mean everything! The cottage that used to be P1000 is now P1500 and you have to pay an entrance fee of P150/head. Even the floaties and the water toys that you bring in has a corresponding charge. The cost will be halved if you bring your own but you still have to pay a "corkage" since they're also "renting" these things out. In computing our costs, we would end up paying a lot more for a swim on the beach and as much as we didn't want to because of the prohibitive expense, the kids were really looking forward to it so much so we still went with it. I personally didn't have as much fun as before because this time the beach was rather dirty too. It was filled with lots of garbage and by garbage I don't mean the seaweeds that were everywhere. Rather, there was a lot of plastic stuff that must have come in by way of the tides. The kids though didn't mind and they loved being in the water and on the sand! :D
After burning ourselves up on the beach, we went back to the hotel to freshen up and then headed to a Subic staple, the Xtremely Xpresso Cafe, for lunch. Before the trip, we decided that we'd try eating at Subic mainstay restos so we can really appreciate the trip. Xtremely Xpresso was number one on the list since we already ate at Meat Plus Cafe in previous trips.
We were ahead of the lunch crowd and easily found a table for the four of us.
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| Dana had the Carbonara |
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| Dylan had the Tuna Mayo Sandwich |
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| I think Patrick had the Meat Lasagna |
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| I had the Meatball spaghetti |
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| Big Ben Pizza |
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| Patrick was enamored of the Spicy Chocolate |
We really enjoyed the food at Xtremely Xpresso. The cost of the food was pricier than "normal" restos but the serving on your plate and the taste of the food more than made up for it. In the end, the price was just right for the quality, presentation and ambience in the restaurant. You see even when the restaurant was filling up with its regular patrons, the service wasn't diminished. You didn't have to wait an eternity for your order. That in itself is a plus factor! :)
After a filling lunch, we just drove around Subic, testing the driving potential of the Subaru. We went up the mountains and looked at the interesting houses with their garages that are detached from the house. I don't know where that is exactly but it's really cool! :D All that driving around lasted a good couple of hours and by the time we got back, the kids were itching for a round in the hotel's pool. I've never seen my kids' feet so clean at the end of the day :D
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| their VERY clean feet :D |
This is the San Jose Inn. This was where we stayed during our trip to Calayan Island, Cagayan. It's family-owned so we stayed here for free but I wanted you to know what's in store for you should you feel the urge to visit Calayan, hence this post.
I discovered C Boutique Hotel from the Deal Grocer site when they had a Getaway Deal (Cozy Baguio Stay for 3 in a Deluxe Suite with Breakfast) which I subsequently purchased. All I can say is that I don't regret my purchase because our stay was exceptionally satisfying. The location, the room, the breakfast and most importantly, the service, all contributed to an enjoyable stay.
We started the New Year with family, particularly Patrick's brother Stevie's family. They invited us to spend a night at the Hotel Jen (formerly Traders Hotel) just to catch up and be together. Naturally, the kids were excited because it meant getting out of the house and they also wanted to see their cousins Lance and Hannah again. 
One of the highlights of our year was being invited to my cousin Tere's wedding to her husband Michael. They were married at the Santisimo Rosario Parish in UST and Dylan was the Bible Bearer. He wasn't used to people staring at him so he walked down the aisle in slow motion with his head to the floor. It's like he wanted to disappear :) He was still so cute to look at though :D He was supposed to be wearing barong tagalog but we weren't able to get his in time. It was a good thing his tie was still in line with the theme of the wedding. 
After burning ourselves up on the beach, we went back to the hotel to freshen up and then headed to a Subic staple, the Xtremely Xpresso Cafe, for lunch. Before the trip, we decided that we'd try eating at Subic mainstay restos so we can really appreciate the trip. Xtremely Xpresso was number one on the list since we already ate at Meat Plus Cafe in previous trips.
