Loving All Of It..

  Having your own DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) Camera doesn't necessarily mean that you are a photographer I just love taking pictures of the sunrise, the horizon, the mountains, the ocean, the waterfalls, the flowers, greenery.. Actually I love taking pictures of anything worth remembering..
  I have been using DSLR for 8 months now and I am still learning. Using a DSLR is not like any normal point and shoot camera, there are settings that you have to get to know first before you start shooting. And before you could even start to get the hang of it, you start looking and dreaming for another kind of lens that you think that would be able to really get the shots you want. Uhuh! I've been to all that situation, I never seem to get enough out of it. The thing is, I really don't have a budget for it so I will have to make the most of what I have so far.
  Here are a some of the scraps I have taken while visiting places. Some may be under exposed or to too exposed, or out of focused. I honestly don't care, I am still an amateur. I like it just the way I see it. Enjoy!

Danao's night view from the sea

Aguinid Falls @ Samboan, Cebu

This was taken at the Baguio botanical garden

taken at a lake in Don Carlos, Bukidnon

taken somewhere near arvinoids house

Baguio Botanical Garden

Baguio's Botanical Garden

  It was so relaxing while seeing the view of colorful flowers and nice greenery.The Garden is located just 1 kilometer from Session Road, along Leonard Wood Road between Teachers Camp and Wright Park.You can ride a cab to get there or ride a Jeepney for about P 8.00 from Harrison Rd across Burnham Park.
 There are also native Igorots that you let you take pictures with them for P20.00 per picture/person.

nice cement sculpture

Baguio Botanical Garden renamed - 'Centennial Park'

They have really nice painting here..

Too bad we are not allowed to take pictures inside.

very nice Gallery

Here are some of the flowers

Camiguin's White Island

  Camiguin's C-Shaped White Island Sand Bar is our 2nd day's 3rd destination. It is also known as Medano Island and is located 1 km off shore. It is a 5 to 10 minute boat ride from Yumbing, Mambajao.

  To get there, you can rent boats for about P450.00 to P500.00 per boat for 5-7 pax. It'sbe best to go there early in the morning and before sunset since there is no tress or any shade to hide from the sun. Foreign tourists usually visit the place to snorkel and dive. From the white sand, you'll see a great view of the Mt Hibok-hibok.

nice background

Mantigue Island

  Our last destination - on our 3rd / last  day in Camiguin is Mantigue Island. It is a very small island. My cousin said that the Island is also known as Magsaysay Island and is about 2 hectares. 

  To reach this place you can rent a boat for P450.00 - 500.00 good for 6 pax or if you have kids with you, they will allow 6-7 pax. It is a 15-20 min boat ride from Brgy San Roque, Mahinog to the Island.


   Visiting the island is a releaver for STRESS for me. A getaway from the City. It's not like any other beach or white islands where a lot of people really go. It's worth the visit if you want to just sit back, relax and enjoy the peace and quiet.


  My cousins told me that before, when they go to this Island, they don't have to pay anything, they can even stay over night and rent a cottage, but right now, there is already an entrance fee of P20.00 per head. And you can only stay for 4 hours, if you stay more than that, you will be charged for another fee per hour. And the island is only open until 5:00 PM. I am not sure though if you can stay overnight, but I don't think they will allow it.


 Before, they can swim anywhere but now, you have to make sure that you are on the swimming area or else you have to pay the penalties.  This is really a big change for the locals. Since it is now a bit expensive, some locals won't be able to just visit the place anymore.  Hope they will change the rules a bit.



All these changes happened when they made Mantigue Island a fish sanctuary or a marine reserve and a tourist destination. Some of the families living there were even asked to move out so that they can make the Island a tourist hot spot.






*coordinates from google earth: N 9° 10' 35'' E 124° 49' 32''  9.17639 / 124.82556 - GeoNameId : 1703766

View of Mantigue from  Mahinog - Camiguin

P450.00 from Mahinog to Mantigue (back and forth)

need to follow the rules..

if not, you pay the penalty!!

volleyball!!

shells for your eyes only..

Katibawasan Falls

Camiguin's Katibawasan Falls

    We visited the falls on our 2nd day in Camiguin. Once again, I asked my cousin  if we can borrow  her motorcycle (salamat at pumayag nman si ate.. hehe). Started the trip to Mambajao around 10:00AM and arrived to our first destination - KATIBAWASAN FALLS. 

   This  falls is about 250 feet high. The entrance fee is P 15.00 per person for adult and P 6.00 for children. As usual, the water was so cold, considering that it is summer.

  It is a nice place to hang out. I am a bit amazed as to how high this falls is. I had to exert a bit of an effort to shot the whole falls from directly below it. Haha.. Started shooting using my zoom lens (I don't have wide angle lens.. huhuhu) but couldn't get the whole falls. Changed it back to the 18-55 lens and finally got what I wanted (please scroll down below to see the pic).

This is once of the 2 falls you can see below the big one... 

hahaha :D

Sto. Nino Cold Spring - Camiguin

  First destination on day 1 -The Sto. Niño Cold Spring. It is about 4 km towards the northern-upper part of Catarman, Camiguin. Urgghh.. The water is too cold for me.. hahah!..

  This is a nice family destination on a summer getaway.

The entrance fee is P40.00 per head.

Their cottage ranges from P50 to P100.

There are also small sari-sari stores in the area where you can buy food.

 
 You can also stay over night if you want, they have very affordable rates.

Camiguin

  Went to Camiguin last Friday and spent 4 days there. We took the Super Shuttle Ferry, departure time is at 8:00 PM every Friday night from Pier 8 (back of Jollibee North Reclamation Area) and arrives in Balbagon, Mambajao at 7:00 AM.

 got this picture around 6:00 AM from the shuttle ferry going to Camiguin

I used the zoom lens, that's why I wasn't able to get a picture of the whole Island..

Boohoo! wide angle lens dapat kase..



























here is the Cebu-Camiguin-Camiguin-Cebu rates
also, super shuttle ferry departs from Cebu's Pier 8 every Friday night at 8:00 PM,
and departs Camiguin's Balbagon Pier every Sunday night at 8:0 0PM

Got this from Balbagon Pier

here is Camiguin's Transportation Rates

We have used this Camiguin's Road Map to know where we are going.
This really helped us a lot.

Mactan Shrine

Went to Punta Engaño and visited Mactan Shrine yesterday afternoon (May 17, 2010).
This is the place where Magellan died last 1521 - The battle of Mactan, which is reenacted every year in the "kadaugan sa Mactan Festival". I am not sure what time the Shrine opens in the morning but they close at 9:00PM.

Here are the scraps we got from the Shrine. 

Bahay ni GloRia!

always clean and green!

Esoy Hot Spring at Catmon Cebu

  I got invited by Ronald's dad last Saturday, April 24, 2010 to a hot spring located at Catmon Cebu. The resort is called Esoy hot spring. It is about an hour and a half ride from Mandaue City, of course depending on how the traffic is. You can ride a mini bus from Mandaue or North Bus Terminal which would cost about P40.00 - 50.00. You can ask the driver to drop you at corner ("skina") Duyan, Catmon, Cebu. From there you can  pay around  P 30.00 for a 5 km ride on a motorcycle ("habal-habal").

  By the way, entrance fee is P 100.00 per head and you need to call the number (032) 4309250 and look for Esoy or Menein for a reservation because the place is small and they wont accommodate you specially if the place is already reserved or occupied.

  I was able to talk to the caretaker and she said that Esoy Hot Spring is owned by a  local town councilor Esoy Bustamante. Also, there are caves in the area that you can go to and a waterfall just a few meters away. You won't be able to see it from the pool though because of a big hill. Also, she said that since it is summer, the hot water spring coming out of the small cave is very slow, that is why the pool is not that hot anymore. But during other days, when the water flow is a bit faster, the temperature of the water inside the pool gets hotter and you could even see smoke from the pool because of the hot temperature of the water. You  could also smell the strong scent of sulfur.
 We will try to visit the place again soon when it's not El Niño anymore so that we can experience bathing there when the water is hotter and more relaxing. Hope you enjoy the scraps Ronald took.

This is the parking area.

And this is our ride.

This is the path going down to the pool.

 View of the pool from above.

stairway to the pool

going up?!

cooking area

CooL..

 The pOOL..