With normalcy slowly but surely making a comeback after over two years of protocols and restrictions brought forth by COVID-19, it was a delight – nay a relief – to be able to fly again. Destination? The Queen City of the South – Cebu!
Cebu Pacific Air, through its able PR arm Selrahco, headed by the inimitable Charles Lim, made it possible.
Pure joy was upon us as we packed our bags, then hied off to the Terminal 2 of Clark International Airport (CRK) the morning of Friday, June 3. The early assembly time left no room for grumpiness, because the excitement brought by enplaning again after what seemed like forever, prevailed.
Two firsts in one day
The group was fortunate to have tried two firsts in one day: fly from the new terminal of CRK, and via Cebu Pacific.
The terminal is very impressive. Huge! Upon arrival, guards had ready smiles to give, and the staff instantly offered help. Many check-in counters were open, and the queue was going quick. The walk from the check-in counter to the departure gate was refreshing.
CRK to CEB real quick
From CRK, we arrived at Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) in about an hour. Another first scored: first time to arrive in Cebu via the now privatized CEB. We were greeted by our tour guide, PG and our friend from Cebu Pacific, Rose.
Cebu has changed a lot since my last trip here more than a decade ago. Enjoyed the scenic drive from the airport to our home for the next 3 days: Summit Galleria Cebu, where we were welcomed by General Manager Arlene Tongco and Selrahco’s Charles Lim and Gabe. Eventually, we were taken to our respective suites, and my roommate was Punto’s Joanne – my favorite barista on earth.
Summit Galleria Cebu has a modern contemporary feel. As soon as the door opened, the room succeeded in emitting the ‘home’ vibe.
After a quick freshening up and settling in, we were shuttled to NUSTAR Resort & Casino. Tour guide PG, who updated us on the recent developments in Cebu during the bus ride, was only too happy to return to her tour guiding stint, which was put to a halt by the pandemic.
NUSTAR Resort & Casino
NUSTAR was a majestic sight to behold. The 9-hectare fortress will open three (3) luxury hotels, a world-class casino and an endless array of leisure options including a modern waterpark, cinemas, and amazing view deck, a convention center and a theater.
Lunch at Xin Tian Di, where we were treated to delish and authentic Chinese specialties by Senior Brand Manager Beth Gokauchi-Chiong, Comms Manager Pia Seno and PR Specialist Noreen Tormis.
Xin Tian Di translates to “New Heaven and Earth” in Chinese. True to its name, the lunch fare was heavenly.
Reunion with a ‘bai’ at Bai
It was good to reunite with Bai Hotel vice president and general manager Alfred Reyes, who was the GM of Widus Hotel in Clark until he left 7 years ago.
During dinner, Alfred recounted how Typhoon Odette devastated Bai Hotel, and Cebu in general. Glass panels shattered in one area, flooding followed. A portion of the hotel facade ripped away. Slowly, recovery happened.
Alfred hosted the group for dinner at Cafe Bai, which boasted of an ‘East to West’ buffet – Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Filipino and more.
After dinner, Alfred took us to the Twilight Roofdeck Lounge, which gave a fantastic view of Cebu. The city lights looked like sprinkled gemstones which sparkled colorfully.
A picturesque flower garden and a sprawling farm
Day 3 in the Cebu trip took us to a vibrant flower garden and a relaxing vacation farm. Buwakan ni Alejandra, the picturesque flower garden in Balamban is a haven for flower lovers, with an endless variety of flowers sitting in stunning landscapes. Perfectly ‘instagrammable’ and aesthetically uplifting.
Next stop was the relaxing and sprawling Adlawon Vacation Farm. Owned by Atty. Danilo Ortiz and Dra. Melinda “Peluche” Ortiz, Adlawon boasts of a mini mahogany forest, gardens with different varieties of plants, vegetables and flowers. Fresh produce – harvested from this very farm – is being sold here.
Lunch was literally from ‘farm to table.’ Particularly amazed by the unique cassava chicharon, which was a perfect meal starter.
The relyenong bangus was yummy, and so was the jiapchae. The meal was complemented by refreshing buko juice, and capped by turon with ice cream.
The ‘Chocolate Queen’
After lunch, we proceeded to The Chocolate Chamber at Robinsons Galleria. Here, we got the opportunity to meet the ‘Chocolate Queen’, Raquel Choa, who artistically demonstrated the art of chocolate de batirol from cacao leaf to delight in a cup.
This queen was pure, unadulterated poetry in motion. She was enthralling as she spoke each word, captivating as she executed every move, and totally enchanting as she shared her expertise.
I say ‘Marco’, you say ‘Polo’
Dinner was at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu. Welcomed by General Manager Roel Constantino and Sales Manager Chino Quintana, our group feasted on a buffet at Cafe Marco, which offers a merry mix of Western, Asian, and local delights.
Prior to dinner, we had a ‘bluer than blue’ experience at the hotel’s Blu Bar & Grill, where we had cocktails amid a beautiful cityscape and a magical moonlight.
From Blue to Red
From a blue kind of evening, the following day was destined to turn red – Crimson, particularly.
We said goodbye to Summit Galleria Hotel, where we were pampered to the hilt, and shuttled to Crimson Resort & Spa via CCLEX.
Majestic CCLEX
This was another first for us all: traversing the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX).
In awe were we as the bus ramped onto the 8.9 kilometer CCLEX, which is also known as Cebu’s Bridge 3.
The expressway seems to double as a ‘tourist spot’, as motorists would stop at bays and take a snap or two at the bridge.
CCLEX pays homage to Cebu’s Catholic roots via the lighted cross on the pylons, which highlight the integral role of Cebu in the country’s Catholic devotion.
Crimson Resort & Spa
A few minutes after getting off CCLEX, we arrived at the trip’s final destination: Crimson Resort & Spa Mactan.
We were astonished by our villa in the sprawling 6-hectare beach resort and spa: the comfy cozy beds, the elegant interior and the generous bathroom, whose centerpiece is an inviting bath tub.
Cocktails by the beach
With PR Director Mia Mae Sy, we toured the sprawling resort, which has an irresistible infinity pool that offers an amazing view of the beach, a number of restaurants, and a relaxing spa.
It was great to see Cebu Pacific’s Michelle Lim face to face after a few years, and to meet Ms. Mina Romero for the first time.
Welcome drinks were served at the Azure Beach Club, and a sumptuous, elegant dinner was had at the chic Ñ (Enye) Restaurant. Between the cocktails and dinner, some of us even had the chance to take a quick dip at the infinity pool.
Pintxos, or sliced toasted bread with toppings, were tops as starters, with Croquetas en su Tinta (black ink squid croquettes) and Cebu Lechon Empanadita.
The two kinds of paella – Paella de Costillas (marinated pork ribs and porcini mushroom) and Seafood Paella (dominated by lobster, prawns, mussels and squid) were delicious treats, along with the Txuleton, or grilled US ribeye steak.
All the gastronomic delights were complemented by flowing cabernet sauvignon and finished off with Torrija, which is caramelized brioche with anise ice cream.
Ending the night right
Because of the limited time we had left at the resort, with our pick up time scheduled at 3am and our flight back to Clark at 5am, our stay at Crimson Resort & Spa was short, but definitely sweet. And we had to end it right, in a grand way.
Before packing up, I had the chance to have a quick, warm bubble bath. This was relaxing and energizing at the same time. Then it was time to go.
Thankful and grateful
Grateful and thankful are we to have been given this chance to fly away and get away. The entire experience was reassuring. It gave us a chance to reaffirm that things are getting better, and that we can rise again from the tragedies that beset us – spread our traveling wings and fly! Yes, everyJuan can fly again! (Additional photos by The Voice Newsweekly Editor/Publisher Lincoln M. Baluyut and Borj Meneses)
