Breakfast at Antonio's

It's been months since we last posted, and since 2013 is a year for new beginnings.. We decide to begin, again (ironically put). Our blog has been admittedly ignored due to our busy schedules, with Thirdy working for KLG, and I, finally taking up the last leg of my college life with thesis. A few days ago, Thirdy celebrated his 21st birthday, and to commemorate this, I decided to drive all the way up to Tagaytay for a lovely brunch in Breakfast at Antonio's.

Upon entering the restaurant, you will be greeted with fresh, lovely white interiors that complements the scenic view of Taal Lake. We sat near the end of the restaurant, with nets installed in lieu of windows, to give a panoramic view of the famous lake. It was breathtakingly beautiful. The scene, coupled with Antonio Escalante's delectable concoctions was the perfect combination to a great afternoon. We ordered the following:

Beef Tapa (Php 390.00)
(Served with 2 eggs done any way you want it w/ Hash browns or Sauteed Scallop Potatoes or Garlic Rice with Baked Beans)

The marination of the beef had a good balance of flavors. They were also able to cook the egg overhard, just as how Thirdy requested it to be. His favorite was the baked beans because the sauce tasted just like his tita's callos dish.

Smoke N.Z. King Chinook Salmon on Whole Wheat Bread with Creme Cheese & Scrambled Eggs (Php 450.00) 

Fresh from my idealistic New Year's resolution, I decided to go for a healthy meal and ordered one of their best sellers in the sandwich selections. Surprisingly, the taste of the salmon on their whole wheat bread was so heavenly, it actually felt like you were eating a meaty, flavorful steak. Only a trained hand can fool the flavor buds to excite itself over something as healthy as salmon! The salmon was also fresh, a delight to bite, as it slides off easily in the mouth.

Hot Dark Chocolate - Petite (Php 70.00) with Marshmallow (add Php 10.00) 

Fresh Grape Slush (Php 190.0

To boot, we were greeted with the surprise of Antonio Escalante's presence himself! Thirdy, being the chef that he is, was doe-eyed upon seeing Anton (first name basis pa!). Lots of customers lined up to get pictures with him and he gladly posed for a few shots. More than just the food, it's the experience that you get from Antonio Escalante's restaurants that marks him as one of the best chefs in the Philippines. If you're craving for a yummy lunch, and looking for something more than the ordinary, Breakfast at Antonio's is the place to go.

If These Walls Could Talk Intramuros Tour

Carlos Celdran has become a famous household Filipino name, after he pulled his famous Damaso stunt in the Manila Cathedral. More than an activist, he is also a live performer who heads the famous Intramuros tour, which is the first of its kind. After much insistence on my part for Thirdy to take me there, we were finally able to make the trip a few weeks ago. Our scheduled tour was headed by Gabe Mercado, instead of Carlos Celdran. A fact I first found disheartening, since I really wanted to see Carlos Celdran in his forte. Nevertheless, I gave Gabe the benefit of the doubt, and listened intently for 3 whole hours about Philippine history.

I honestly thought that back in gradeschool, we were taught everything we needed to know about Philippine history. I was ready to wow the crowd with my skills, and raise my hand like an eager beaver in class. Unfortunately, due to my rusty memory, I was unable to unearth any last bit of information I learned back in school. What's more is that, there was so much information Gabe Mercado threw at us, which was completely alien to me. Thirdy and I found ourselves bombarded with many, new interesting information that we never learned back in school. 3 hours is a long time to babble about Philippine history, that's why you need a performer like Gabe Mercado to capture your interest from the very beginning. He was interesting, and more importantly, he was funny. The way he talked about Philippine history made it seem like such an exciting subject. It just so happened that the tour we were booked in, was along with lots of foreigners, which made it even more exciting to see how they would respond to the facts about our history.

The tour starts in Fort Santiago, transfers to San Agustin church via a kalesa and ends in Plaza San Luis. It is an eye opening experience of the struggles, challenges, and triumphs that our forefathers went through to gain the freedom we enjoy today. It also speaks of our Philippine identity, and explains just how multi-cultural our country is. Sure, a leisure stroll around Intramuros would do, but I suggest you take part in this tour to heighten your experience and understanding. It is a must for every Filipino to take this crash course on Philippine history! It's so fun that Thirdy and I spent the long drive back home quizzing each other about the facts presented during the tour! After taking part of this tour, we gained a deeper sense of appreciation of our nationality, and the colorful history behind it.

Enchanting Coron, Palawan

I must say just how excited we were when we booked our trip to Coron. We've heard a lot of great reviews about the beach, and we wanted something completely different from the usual Boracay experience. We believe that there are just so many beautiful islands around the Philippines still waiting to be discovered and Coron is one of those that truly surprised us from beginning to end. Looking at pictures online, we were astounded by just how beautifully pure and untouched the island seemed to be. When you book your trip, it's wise to avoid the coron tours from the hotel because it's really expensive. It's better to find a tour when you get there instead, and the most affordable one is the one we got from Coron Galeri. 

On our first full day, we paid Php650/pax for the Coron Island Ultimate Tour. It's inclusive of 5 destinations and grilled lunch by the beach. As we hopped on the boat, we were amazed by how breathtaking every view was. Everywhere you looked, you couldn't help but feel a sense of tranquility and calmness.

As we were nearing this view of Coron's famous rock formations, our jaws just dropped by the wonders of this magnificent place. This is marine life at its finest. Our first destination was the Kayangan Lake. You will need to hike all the way up to get to it, and no matter how tiring it was, it was definitely worth every single step. As you descend from the stones, you will be amazed at the sight!

This is the famous view of Kayangan Lake which is often used as a picture for tourism purposes. I know it's already beautiful in the picture, but I must say our pictures doesn't even do it justice. These are the types of sights your own eyes have to behold for itself. There's nothing like seeing something so grand that it just takes your breath away. This is a popular photo op place so be ready to meet a little bit of inconvenience, as you wait for others to finish for you to take your turn.

Our second and third destinations were the Twin Peaks Reef, and the Twin Lagoons, respectively. The Twin Peaks Reef topped Kayangan Lake, no matter how impossible it may seem. The water was crystal clear that you could even see the fishes from below. For you to get to the lagoon inside, you have to ride the balsa, or the improvised bamboo that's tied together. We didn't get to ride it though, since it was high tide when we went so we used the the ladder instead. It's important to be careful when hiking up the ladders since they are made out of wood, and underneath lie sharp rocks.

We had lunch after in Atwayan beach, which offers big huts where large groups of friends can dine. The boatman is the one that grills the food and I must say, they grill it well. We had grilled liempo, fish (an extremely LARGE fish) called bisugo and seaweed salad. By this time, we were all hungry from all the hiking, trekking, and swimming so imagine our delight when we were served with such good and fresh food. The fish which was freshly caught from the sea is definitely one of the most memorable dishes here.

Our last stop is the CYC Is. where we stayed for snorkeling and swimming. The fishes here are so diverse that when you see them, its absolutely nothing short of amazing. Some fishes are even multi-colored that they're just so beautiful to look at. It's like landing right in the middle of the set of Finding Nemo, but even better. This is heaven for most divers! It's important to be careful though as there are numerous sea urchins and jellyfishes that are sneakily situated around the area.

On our second full day, we availed of the Sun, Sea and Sand Eco-Tourism Experience which set us back at Php950/pax. We had a hard time deciding between this or the other tour named as the Las Islas Tribal Eco Tour which also consists of islands similar to our first tour. Since we wanted to experience a chill day at the beach, we decided to go for the Malcapuya Island instead. It takes an hour and a half to get there from the Coron Port so make sure to get to your boat early to make the most out of your day.

Malcapuya Island completely battles the white sand beach of Boracay. The place is undisputed, and the sand is so fine that your feet still sinks in it. It was like living in a postcard, and you will find yourself really wanting to relish every moment. It really is one of the most beautiful islands we've ever been to and we liked the fact that we could just drink, and chill there.

One most important person you will ever meet here is a local named Kuya Chris. He will offer you his boat, to take you to the famous white buoy where there is big coral reef. Snorkeling in this area gives you a great view into the aquarium like paradise where all the beautiful fishes live. When you shift your eyes to any side, you will be astounded by just how numerous the fishes are! He even dives deep into the bottom of the sea just to grab a big clam underneath! We will always remember Kuya Chris for he led us to one of the most Perfect Storm moment of our lives. The heavy rain started pouring as we got on the boat to make our way back to the shore, and for a group of 3 boys and 2 girls, we honestly thought it was the end of us. The boys had to paddle really hard, and us girls had to dispose of the water that was quickly filling up the small boat. The rain was so painful against the skin, that we honestly wondered if we would ever get to shore. Luckily, Kuya Chris was a natural in all of this, having lived in Davao before and led us to safety. The rain lasted for a good 30 minutes as we panted our way back to shore. We were just so lucky we got there safe! Although the experience was scary, it was definitely worth seeing all those beautiful fishes and marine life for.

As the rain poured, we went to our boat and made our way for our last request stop which was the Barracuda Lake. This wasn't originally part of our tour, but we requested Al Linsangan (the owner of Coron Galeri) to bring us there. He was so nice that he didn't even ask for extra payment, only that we had to pay the entrance fee which was Php100 per person. The Barracuda Lake looked like the Kayangan Lake as well but there are rumors that you could actually see a barracuda if you looked hard enough. We asked the boatman if this was true, and sadly, he said it merely just a rumor. We still spent a good hour looking for the fictional barracuda but alas, to no avail! The lake was beautiful, though, so we didn't mind the fact that we didn't see one.

As we made our way back, we were extremely sad that our Coron adventure was over. We felt that there was still so much to see in this beautiful place, such as the zoo, the other tours and the Maquinit Hot Springs to name a few. Our experience here really made each of us marvel at the beautiful nature around us. I can definitely say that there is so much to the Philippines, if one just takes the time to look hard enough. What made our trip even more memorable, was just how accommodating and welcoming the locals were. Never did we once come across a local that was rude. Everyone helped us in their own way to make our experience truly fulfilling. From Orley, our personal butler from the hotel who granted our every need and wish, to Bunso, our personal trike driver who happily agreed to take us to the best spots in town, to Kuya Chris, our personal life saver who took us on the adventure of our lives that we will remember forever and lastly, Sir Al Linsangan, who actually is a marine life advocate and photographer who made our tours possible. It’s the strangers along the way that always make the travels worth it. More than the sights, sounds, and taste of a town, the feelings of meeting strangers that turn into friends are the most important stories you can tell once you head back home. All the expectations we had about this trip, was met and eventually, was even exceeded. We will definitely make our way back to this island where every moment has left a remarkable imprint in our hearts.

We suggest you book your next trip to Coron town and we assure you, that you will not regret it. :)