April Finds

The first half of summer is about to end. And while many people are out to explore the country during this hot season, here I am… glued to my computer because I need to eat. LOL!

Since I am on medication STILL, I didn’t get to try more products this month… as usual. Here are my humble finds:

Revlon Colorburst Balm Stain in Honey. This is my third shade from this line. I think I love this product so much thus the re-purchase.

Nanny Rose's Gugo & Lawat Shampoo. Been meaning to try this for the longest time but I was a bit hesitant to do so. However, I recently decided to try this because of my recurring dandruff and the hopes that a change in shampoo can help prevent my pimples from getting worse.

High Mountain View Resort, Igbaras

From Nadsadjan and the mountains surrounding it, we moved to another mountain located before the Igbaras town proper. This one is not as rugged as the other one though since it has been developed already and is now called High Mountain View Resort.

Owned by Eliseo Javellosa, High Mountain Resort is located in Brgy. Jovellar, Igbaras, Iloilo. The resort has two swimming pools, the one in the lower area which is 4 ½ ft deep and the one at the summit is 6 ft deep. The rooms, which are so far from each other are not actually “just rooms” but guest house. The guest house we got is the one that is good for 4 people although we are seven in the group. It has two rooms; the one in the upper portion can accommodate 4 or 5 while the lower room can accommodate 2 or 3 persons. But since we love each other so much (or we’re just too scared to sleep in the smaller room downstairs) we decided that the seven of us sleep together in the bigger room.

The wood cottage ideal for two persons (Photo credit)

I love that the resort ensures that guests get utmost privacy since guest houses are far from each other. The resort also has a restaurant so food is not a problem when you decide to stay for a night or two. Aside from swimming, one can also experience zip line ride for Php 200.

Photo credit

Mountain and Waterfall Escapade: Nadsadjan Falls, Igbaras

The Province of Iloilo is home to few mountains and when there is a mountain, usually a waterfall exists. Last week, I and a few friends head to the town of Igbaras to explore one of the waterfalls in the area.

We left Iloilo City at around 6:00 in the morning and by 7:30 am, we were already in their public plaza waiting for the motorcycle that will take us to the drop off point. The hike, and even the motorcycle ride, is not for the faint-hearted. Two or three passengers plus one driver were crammed in one motorcycle and have to endure the approximately 30-minute bumpy ride. The ride can be tiring but the view of the mountain ranges is really worth it. The motorcycle ride ended before the bridge that is ruined by flood and is no longer passable, both by people and vehicles.

New bridge and hydroplant area (Photo credit)

With this, we crossed the shallow river where a hydro plant is also being built. From the river, we hiked the uphill dirt road that is more than 100 meters long. For me, this is one of the toughest parts of the trail as I almost ran out of air and had to take minute-long stops to rest and catch my breath. Maybe, this didn’t happen if I have been consistent with my running. :D

From the dirt road, we turned right to enter the real trail. Along the trail, there are various kinds and sizes of trees as well as rocks. There are rocks taller than me, smooth ones as well as rough ones so be careful when passing on those as they can be slippery. Wrong placement of your feet or distribution of weight can land you flat on your face so take extra caution. 

Big rocks along the way. (Photo credit)

Nadsadjan falls from afar (Photo credit)

Tatlong Pulo, Jordan Guimaras

After we hiked the Balaan Bukid trail, we asked the motorcycle driver if he can take us to Tatlong Pulo in Sinapsapan. At first, we told us that we may not be accommodated since we didn’t place our reservation but considering that we haven’t been to the beach in a long time and we are so eager to visit this place we (and most of our friends) haven’t been to before, we insisted that we go and try our luck.

Talong Pulo is located in Brgy. Sinapsapan in Jordan Guimaras. Since commuting can be challenging in far-flung areas, we decided to hire the motorcycle to take us there and fetch us in the afternoon after we’re done swimming. It took us around an hour to reach the drop off point from Balaan Bukid. It was a long and bumpy ride, I tell you. After passing by Guimaras Provincial Capitol, the roads became narrower and the cemented road replaced with rocky ones. The winding brown road seems to go on and on until we reached the point where it is no longer friendly for the motorcycle to continue. Our driver is supposed to just drop us there but thinking of the distance and how rough the road is, he decided to stay with us and guide us.

Trail going to Tatlong Pulo

Balaan Bukid Shrine, Guimaras

If it is a holiday and the weather is fine, scorching even… what ones gotta do?

The bf and I went to Balaan Bukid last Wednesday, April 9, a regular holiday in the Philippines to commemorate the fall of Bataan during WW II. A few minutes away from Jordan Wharf, the Balaan Bukid (Sacred Mountain) is located in Balcon Meliza, Jordan Guimaras. It was discovered by an Italian priest in 1956 and is now managed by the Parish of St. John the Baptist. Devout Catholics flock to this place and endure hiking through the rocky trail for a pilgrimage on the 14 stations of Jesus Crucifixion.

One of the 14 stations located along the trail.

Shaded part of the trail.

Kang Byeon Riverside Restaurant at Times Square

Though I consider myself a foodie, there are some cuisine and restaurants in the city I haven’t tried yet. Yes, I haven’t been to a Korean restaurant before though there exists a few near me. I am more on Italian cuisine (pizza and pasta monster here!) and of course our very own Filipino cuisine.

When the guy said that we try Korean restaurant this time, I immediately agreed because I am curious about their dishes and how everything works the Korean way. Of all the Korean restaurants in the city, we chose Kang Byeon Riverside Restaurant located at Times Square (in front of University of San Agustin) since it is easily accessible.

Classic Savory at Robinsons Mall Iloilo

Classic Savory opened in Iloilo many months ago but we get to eat there just last week. We often neglected the said restaurant because we believed that it is just one of those chains serving “normal-tasting” grilled or roasted chicken. But a friend tipped the guy that their chicken is the bomb so we decided to finally eat there.

Classic Savory Chicken Half (Php 195)

I wanted to order mixed seafood broccoli since I am trying to avoid chicken dishes due to my pimple flare up but the guy said that it would be a waste to eat there without eating the specialty of the house so I agreed that we order chicken but I promised that I will only eat just a small slice. Do you think I was able to keep my promise? No, absolutely not! After eating one slice, my taste bud loved the feeling it got thus forcing me to eat more… and more. Their chicken is one of the best chickens I have tasted here in Iloilo - juicy, tasty and soft. If only I don’t get undesirable reactions after eating chicken, I’d definitely order it each time we eat there.

Review: VO5 Herbal Escapes Balancing Shampoo

I didn’t have plan of buying this but while window-shopping at Bi Store Big Discounts, I learned that they are so affordable so I decided to get a bottle. Choosing which one to get can be challenging as their are lots of variants and scent available and besides, I haven’t read a single review of this shampoo so purchasing one is a bit of gamble. Anyway, there is nothing to lose in case this doesn’t work for me as I can always turn it over to my mother or my cousin. :D

What I got is the balancing variant. After approximately a month of almost daily use, here is my verdict:

Product Description: The sublime delights of chamomile and the bold, provocative presence of fresh raspberry in this balancing shampoo for beautiful hair are fantastic for cleansing and clarifying. Your lush locks will thank you.