SM Sta Mesa | SM Centerpoint | Manila, Philippines

After a short stroll at Greenhills Shopping Center, we went directly to SM Centerpoint to have our dinner there.

When we arrived, I noticed that the name of the mall was SM Sta Mesa and not SM Centerpoint. My dad then told me that SM Sta Mesa was formerly called SM Centerpoint. He said that it's the second SM Mall to be established in the Philippines. The mall is located very near the boundaries of Quezon City, San Juan City and in Manila.

However, the mall is not considered as the 3rd mall located in Quezon City because the term Centerpoint refers that the mall is located between the cities of Manila, San Juan and Quezon City. The SM Centerpoint was now changed to SM City Sta. Mesa in mid-May 2006, commemorating SM Sta. Mesa's 15th Anniversary. - Wikipedia

There was also a Graduation Reggae Special Event that day on SM Sta Mesa. There were a lot of hot, sexy Hawaiian (Filipinas actually, just dressed in Hawaiian) dancers and a Reggae Band to entertain the customers at the Food court. Here's a short video of the hot, sexy Hawaiian dancers and the cool Reggae band with a hot vocalist =).

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Greenhills Shopping Center | San Juan, Manila, Philippines

After the 2 hours of Kerygma Feast at Valle Verde Country Club, we went to Greenhills Shopping Center. My dad was telling me that in the late 70’s, before all the big malls of SM sprout all over the metropolitan, Unimart (now Greenhills Shopping Center) is one of the Best Places to do your shopping.

One of the main attraction my dad always show to a newbie inside Greenhills Shopping Center is the miniature model of the Way to the Cross and Ancient Jerusalem. Sorry, no pictures allowed inside. No hard proof of how beautiful and sacred it is inside (Tsk3!). You got to visit and see it firsthand. It feels like you’re in Holy Land. Surely one of the Best Places In The World.

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Uncle Sam's Trekkers | Mt. Mayapay Trekking Adventure | Butuan City, Philippines

Uncle Sam’s Trekker is Butuan’s 1st Trekking Group. Founded by Uncle Sam himself (Sam Amante), we were invited to trek Mt. Mayapay and it’s surroundings. It is only 10km away from Butuan City passing thru cemented and partly rough road. Upon reaching the top, one can have a grand view of the entire city including it’s nearby towns of Buenavista and Magallanes.

We trekked there for almost 3 hours, clearing the thick ravines until we reached the site of the transmitter tower of Sun Cellular. Sam told me that unknown to other, Mt. Mayapay has more than 10 waterfalls. We were not able to take clear pictures of the view below because of the thick fog.

We are still planning to go back there and see the wonders of Mt. Mayapay in Butuan City. Mt Mayapay is surely one of the Best Places To Trek in Butuan City.

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Valle Verde Country Club, Kerygma Feast | Manila, Philippines

We arrived at Valle Verde Country Club around 12 noon so me and my dad just decided we eat somewhere near the place. Although we have finished eating, my stomach was still longing for the chicken bought at Terry’s Luncheonette and Chicken House that time.


The Valle Verde Country Club is the site where Mr. Bo Sanchez is holding a Kerygma Feast every Sunday. Kerygma is a greek word meaning “proclamation of the gospel”. So what can you expect in a Kerygma Feast?

No, it's not the traditional feast that we refer to with all kinds of dishes on the table. Rather it is a gathering of people to listen to Christ's teachings. Along with it are the worship and praise songs, prayers, thanksgiving and exhortations that opens and closes the event. It is open to all Christians and those who wish to attend. K-Feast is an evangelistic tool providing scriptural, practical and Orthodox teaching to Catholics particularly in the Catholic renewal. It is a monthly activity headed by the 'Light of Jesus' community. A Catholic community present in key cities of the Philippines with members from all walks; singles, couples, professionals, youth and more. The talks are given by Bo Sanchez and some Light of Jesus Community members. Bo is the proponent of K- feast and also in - charge of the publications of Kerygma and other books on practical guide for Catholics and Christians alike. The topics in the K- feast vary from God's love, virtues, attitudes, values to financial management.
-The News Today-
http://www.thenewstoday.info/2006/01/09/kerygma.feast.html
by Wein P. Gadian

We always make it a point every time we are in Manila to set aside its Sunday attending a Kerygma Feast. You’ll feel fully charged listening to Bo Sanchez, like a cell phone after an overnight charging.

P.S.
If you want to know more about the Kerygma Feast, you can go to their website http://kerygmafamily.com/

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Uncle Sam’s Burger and Steaks | Butuan City

The best burger and steaks in town, only at Uncle Sam’s Burger and Steaks. Located just front of the Butuan City hall, Uncle Sam’s Burger and Steaks is open to serve your most delectable taste.


Not only that they offer the best tasting food , they also provide with a serene ambiance away from the city pollution and traffic. Enjoy your night away with their acoustic band till the wee hours over a bottle of beer with Pulutan (Appetizers). All of this is made possible through the hands on management of Sam Amante himself. Giving you the best you truly deserve.

We were there last April 22, to celebrate my wife’s birthday and had a taste of their specialty, the Crispy Beef Tadyang. Their performers were also astounding and over all, we really had an awesome night!

More Photos Below!

P.S.
Still be connected with the world with Uncle Sam’s Burger and Steaks’ Wi-Fi ready facilities too! One of the Best Places To Eat In Butuan City!

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Terry’s Luncheonette and Chicken House | Manila, Philippines

It was almost lunch time when we left 168 Shopping Mall so we went directly to Terry’s Luncheonette and Chicken House to buy something to eat.


This simple looking store serves the best tasting asado pork or chicken and has several branches already. They also have a wide range of menu to choose from and can be delivered for your convenience. Terry’s Luncheonette and Chicken House is also very popular to the local Chinese community in Metro Manila.

I was already very excited to go home to have our lunch. The smell of the delicious chicken inside my auntie’s car made my stomach rumble, wanting for a taste of it. But too bad, my dad decided we both go straight to Valle Verde Country Club to attend the Kerygma Feast of Bo Sanchez or else we’ll be late for the mass (Ouch!). So we were dropped off somewhere in Sta. Mesa where there are lots of drive-in motels (shh..), and left us with my stomach churning (tsk3!).

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168 Shopping Mall | Binondo Manila, Philippines

We went straight to 168 Shopping Mall after our heavy breakfast at Dragon Noodle Center. Two of my aunties together with my grandmother went to the right wing of the mall while me and my father went to the left Sta. Elena Wing to look for a striped short pants I can use for our travel to Vietnam and Cambodia.

168 Shopping Mall is situated in Binondo, Manila, Philippines and this is the mall where you can find hundreds of tiangge (bazaars) selling almost everything at a very affordable price. The mall is also fully air-conditioned so there’s no need to worry about shopping around the mall full of sweat .

After 1 hour of strolling around the mall, I’ve finally found my striped short pants for only Php250. So attention bargain-hunters! 168 Shopping mall is one of the Best Places to see once you are in Manila.

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Dragon Noodle Center Chinese Restaurant | Malate, Manila, Philippines

The day after our embarrasing flight from Cebu to Manila, Philippines, we ate our breakfast together with my son, my mother and sister from Bacolod City, my sister in Sta. Mesa, Manila and her husband in Dragon Noodle Center.

Dragon Noodle Center has one of Malate, Manila’s best lugaw (Congee). This Chinese restaurant has been our favorite since my younger years and if I’m not mistaken, has been around since the 1970’s. And even until now, Dragon Noodle Center's congee are my children's favorite and even the children of my sister in Manila.

It serves lugaw (congee) in different variety with it’s unique toppings of “Bitso-bisto” and egg. You can choose to either put in fresh egg or hard boiled egg in your lugaw (congee). I love my lugaw (congee) with hard boiled egg while my son prefers the fresh egg. They also serve hot tea for free. This simple looking store serves best tasting asado pork, chicken or bola-bola siopao and thier mini siopao is also great for take-outs. Dragon Noodle Center is very popular to the loacl chinese community of Manila. They also have a wide range of menu to choose from.

So if you happen to be in Manila, Philippines, don't forget to visit and eat in Dragon Noodle Center!

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Humiliating, Degrading, and Shameful Experience Flying Asia’s First Airline, Philippine Airlines

We started off our 15 day Vietnam-Cambodia adventure trip, from Cebu to Manila, Philippines, on board the Philippine Airlines Plane. We bought our PAL Econolight plane ticket months in advance. Little did we know that buying a PAL Econolight Fare will cost us inconvenience and shame.

While we are checking in at the check in counter of Philippine Airlines, my dad requested to be seated preferably at the exit row of the plane, but was told that PAL Econolight Passengers can not choose the seat arrangement and will only be seated at the back part of the plane.

The plane left the Mactan International Airport, Cebu at 9am. While on board the plane, the flight attendants started offering snacks and with your choice of coffee, tea or water to other passengers. As the flight stewardess approached us, my dad immediately asked for a cup of coffee but was told that we are not entitled to have a cup of coffee because we paid for an Econolight fare only. The most they can offer is a cup of water. We were surprised how they can distinguish a PAL Econolight passenger from the rest. Soon we discovered that they’re sticking a “Yellow Tag” sticker on your head rest announcing to everyone that you are flying Econolight. It’s like broadcasting to everyone that the passenger seated with the “Yellow Tag” sticker are either Nagtitipid , Kuripot O Walang pera (Thrift, Cheap or Very Poor). It was such a disgusting, humiliating, degrading experience just for saving a few pesos for a plane fare. If we only knew, we might as well get a Mabuhay Class. Later on, we also heard another complain from the travel of my grandmother that Econolight Passengers are not entitled for a wheel chair even if they find it hard walking.
So the next time we ever fly again, we’ll make sure that we’ll take any other airlines as long as it’s not Philippine Airlines.

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Best Places In The World | Two For The Road About

Two For The Road: Best Places In The World is a Blog about a journey of a father and son as they pursue their greatest passion in life, to travel.

Two For The Road: Best Places In The World is authored by Jan Mckingley "Janmck" Hilado and is co-authored by his father Tony Hilado. This blog was first conceptualized when I(Janmck Hilado) traveled to Vietnam and Cambodia, which was my first time to travel out of the country. Even before that trip, Me and my father are already fond of traveling just about anywhere in the Philippines and we enjoyed every single bit of it. But in our Vietnam-Cambodia trip, Me and my father discovered that traveling is really our greatest passion in life.

I also discovered that I love taking photos of scenic sites, exotic foods, and culture-oriented people. The photos in this blog are captured by a simple Samsung S860 Digital Camera. I'm not yet a Professional Photographer but I dream to have a Canon EOS Camera soon. My father is the one taking videos using a Sony DCR-DVD 755 Handycam

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So discover the Best Places In The World and join with us as we try to travel and unravel secrets of our Beautiful Earth! Experience different places, cultures, exotic foods, scenic sites and adrenaline packed adventures! Keep Moving Forward!

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