While cruising along Congressional Avenue in Quezon City on his way home as the professional passenger, not the driver, he noticed the sign of a small food cart advertising this authentic "pekeng" duck and authentic Persian cuisine. He took out his iPhone to take a drive-by picture.




are they advertising authentic peking duck or a fake (peke) one? how about the authentic Persian food?

btw, Tutubi came from official duty in Marikina and spent an hour for a mini-Marikina Food Trip that will be featured in future posts...too many backlogs for the busy Tutubi :(

Labels: Signspotting

San Jose, the so called onion capital, before the city was re-named by the Spaniards, was known as Kabaritan, named for the plant commonly seen in the area (much like the town of Cuyapo was named after the kiapo plant, same with Quiapo)

Photos of San Jose City, Nueva Ecija:

the welcome arch

Facade of San Jose Cathedral (St. Josephs Cathedral)

the cathedral apse/dome taken in front of Jollibee where Tutubi had breakfast (note the difference in color from pictures taken inside the car)

Signspotting mode:

A barangay (village) with a funny name that means jinxed or unlucky in Filipino if you pronounce it differently
Rufina Homes is located in a jinxed barangay...joking!

San Jose Tourism sites cites the Tanduyong festival held every 4th Sunday of April coinciding with the annual fiesta to celebrate this. Tanduyong is a variety of onion grown in the area. Another interesting place is Palasapas Falls said to be a popular picnic venue.

Pupils of this elementary school seem to always see each other often thus the name :P

Note: Photos taken in a moving car through a tinted window that's why some are slightly blurred,with color disparities and sometimes glass reflections. Some pictures cropped and added slight color adjustments but no major alteration.

How to Get to San Jose City, Nueva Ecija:

Driving Directions: On NLEX, take Sta. Rita Exit then just follow the route that will lead to Pulilan, Plaridel, Baliuag, San Ildefonso, and San Miguel, Gapan, San Leonardo, Sta. Rosa, Cabanatuan City, Talavera, Muñoz then San Jose.

Those with motorcycles or want to avoid toll fees on NLEX can opt to go via MacArthur Highway passing through Caloocan, Valenzuela, Meycauayan, Marilao, Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto (Tabang), Plaridel, Pulilan, Baliuag, San Rafael, San Ildefonso, San Miguel , Gapan, San Leonardo, Sta. Rosa, Cabanatuan City, Talavera, Muñoz then finally San Jose City.

Commute: Bus service to San Jose, Nueva Ecija is can be found on EDSA, Cubao Quezon City e.g. Baliwag Transit, Five Star Transit et al with signboards. Buses going to Banaue also pass by the city.

Labels: Central Luzon, Churches, Nueva Ecija, Signspotting

UPDATE: Lido Beach Resort CLOSED in 2016

The beach nearest to Metro Manila can be found in the province of Cavite, with it's numerous historical sites, sharing the coastline of Manila Bay. As soon as Tutubi learned his mommy's going to treat her jeepney drivers for a summer outing somewhere in Cavite, he requested to tag along even if he knew how the beaches there look like.

Travel time to Cavite was quite fast, on a Saturday morning that is, and should've been there in an hour if not for the driver unfamiliar with it drove straight to Aguinaldo Highway when Tutubi informed the driver that there's no beach in Imus and Dasmariñas, so they made a U-turn and asked their way towards Cavite City and found the first resort on the road of Noveleta town.

UPDATE: a newer list of Cavite Beach Resorts published March 2014.

With his expectations set low, he saw for himself Lido Beach Resort...




Lido Beach Resort
Contact Numbers: (to be re-posted once validated)

Rates here are cheap and cater to common "masa":

Lido Beach Resort Entrance Fees:
Adult: PhP30.00
Children 4 years and above : PhP30
Table for rent: PhP150
shower/person PhP15

Entrance Fee Vehicles:
Light Vehicles P30
Medium Vehicles: P60
Heavy Trucks and Buses: P120

Tent Rates: P100 (small) P150 (medium) P200 (large) P250 (x-large)
There are about two rooms for people who wish to stay overnight.


a tyrannosaurus rex inviting children for a photo-op


the missing beachfront: tables now occupy the beach leaving no space to do the usual beach activities except for people playing "gulp."

The beach resorts in Cavite can be classified as common people's beach. There are no white sands and facilities are usually targeted for low-budget people, except those in the upscale Caylabne and Puerto Azul (that Tutubi stayed in about ten years ago), plus the thought that it's in Manila Bay, so you know what is meant by that.

If you're looking for better ones quite close to Manila, head off to Batangas and Bataan... :P

The biggest disappointment can be seen on the sign at the entrance of the resort

Signspotting: this man may have fallen asleep due to frustration about the prohibition on love making :P (picture taken inside a moving jeep that's why it's slightly blurred)

please call Lido Beach Resort telephone number or visit their official website for entrance fee, overnight accommodations, room rates and other information and inquiries

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How to get there:

Commute to Cavite: Ride a bus to Cavite at Coastal Mall with signboard Cavite City (e.g. St. Anthony of Padua) or Naic or Ternate.

An alternative way is to ride the ferry to Cavite City, operated my MetroStar, with port in the sprawling Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City. In Cavite City ride a jeepney to take you to Noveleta. (Trivia: did you know, the historic island fortress of Corregidor is politically part of Cavite and not of Bataan?)

Other info, in commuting to Cavite, particularly Bacoor, Imus, Dasmariñas, buses are also available with signboard Dasmariñas at Harrison Plaza on Vito Cruz (Pablo Ocampo) on their way to Cavite via Coastal Road and Aguinaldo Highway. This route is serviced by Starliner, Jethro Liner and Erjohn and Almark. (you want to know where did Tutubi got these bus companies' names? He waited for those buses to pass by Harrison Plaza in Manila)

Dasmariñas to Mendez via Imus: Starliner, San Agustin, Saulog, Aljohn and Almark and mini-buses from Baclaran.

For those going to Maragondon, there are also buses by St. Anthony of Padua and Ariel Express, Saulog, and Jethro. No idea yet on current fares.

For those going to General Trias, ride buses first to Bacoor and transfer to jeeps going to Gen. Trias.

Driving Directions to Cavite:

From Makati, head towards Coastal Road and proceed to Aguinaldo Highway. Turn right At the so-called rotonda (landmark: SM Bacoor) on your way to Kawit. You will pass by Island Cove, Aguinaldo Mansion (to your left), then Josephine Restaurant. Continue driving until you reach Noveleta town proper where you turn right towards Cavite City. Lido Beach Resort is the first resort you'll see on the highway going to Cavite City.

An alternate way is to turn right at Talaba, instead of Rotonda, which is faster going to Bacoor church and straight to Binakayan and Kawit. Problem is that there's no easily recognizable landmark but a vacant lot compared to Rotonda where SM Bacoor stands.


Other Beach Resorts in Cavite:


Ternate Beach Resorts:

Caylabne Bay Resort, Puerto Azul Beach Hotel, Marbella Marina Beach Resort, Marine Base Katungkulan Beach Resort, Boracay de Cavite

Noveleta Beach Resorts:
Villamor Beach Resort, Lido Beach Resort

Kawit Beach Resort
Josephine Resort

Naic Beach Resorts:

Rikkitoy Tent and Beach City, Vista del Mar, Aroma Beach Resort, Happy Holiday Beach Resorts, Punta Grande Beach Resort, and Lourdes Hydee

Tanza Beach Resorts:

P&E de Castro Beach Resort, Rio Delta Beach Resort, Celebrity Beach Resort, Las Palmas Beach Resort, Villa Excellence Beach Resort, Anva Maria Beach Resort, Florante Beach Resort, Sto. Niño Beach Resort, Costa del Rio Beach Resort

UPDATED: March 2014

Labels: Calabarzon, Cavite, Cavite Resorts, Hotels and Resorts, Signspotting, Southern Tagalog