One of recommended restaurants in Cebu City visited again by Tutubi to partake of the famous pochero, Cebu's version of the Tagalog's bulalo, a soup made of beef and one of Tutubi's favorite comfort food.

the homey ambiance of the Abuhan Dos on Ramos St. near Fuente Osmena downtown Cebu City.

The pochero (price: P350.00) came in one big bowl with one order good for 2 to 4 persons, still steaming hot, the way it should always be.

What makes Cebu's pochero distinct from Batangas Bulalo? It's the presence of white corn!

a close up view of pochero oozing with "utak," actually bone marrow, goodness. (Shot in dim light and hundgry stomach thus blurred output)

a motion-blurred picture of Tutubi's buddy from Batangas to add scale to the pochero bowl. He's about 5 feet 10 inches tall and 190 lbs and he wasn't able to slurp all the marrowy goodness of the pochero

Even with Tutubi's hefty companion, they weren't able to finish one order of Abuhan pochero, so they requested for the soup and bones be taken out and eaten at breakfast the next day...Abuhan pochero, ka-lami gyud!

Abuhan Restaurant Information:

Abuhan Uno
F. Ramos St., Cebu City
Telephone Number: +63.32.253.1881

Abuhan Dos (Restaurant branch is Open 24 Hours)
176 F. Ramos Street, Cebu City
Contact Number: +63.32.253.5774

Abuhan Tres
PIPC Tower, Asiatown IT Park
Lahug, Cebu City
Contact Number: +63.32.253.1151
Remarks: open 24 hours and near Waterfront Lahug Hotel

How to get to Abuhan Dos Restaurant:

it's just near Fuente Osmena, if you take a taxi just request the taxi driver to take you to Abuhan Ramos (it's on Ramos St, that's why)

Related Posts:

CnT Lechon Cebu
Golden Cowrie Native Restaurant
Port Seafood Restaurant

Labels: Cebu, Cebu City, Cebu Restaurants, Central Visayas, Metro Cebu

A return visit to the historic site of the battle between the natives led by Lapu-lapu and the Portuguese explorer in the service of Spain Ferdinand Magellan where Magellan met his death, mostly due to his ineptness as a general.

Tutubi again visited the place on the request of his peer who wanted to see the famous site of the "battle of mactan".

Ferdinand Magellan’s Monument

A coral stone obelisk Erected in 1866 in honor of Hernando de Magallanes). It bears the words “Glorias Españolas (Glory to Spain)."



The Lapu-lapu Monument, made of bronze, at dusk...



a closer view of the bronze monument...



the Mactan Shrine mural and historical marker. The Battle of Mactan mural wrongly depict Lapu-lapu in combat with Magellan. The marker states "Here, on 27 April 1521 Lapulapu and his men repulsed the Spanish invaders, killing their leader ferdinand Magellan thus Lapulapu became the first Filipino to have repelled European aggresion."




How did Ferdinand Magellan die? So many historical myths and hoaxes abound here but it's not really Lapu-lapu who killed him but a poisoned arrow to the leg. It was probably Lapu-lapu who dealt the final blow. He was killed due to his "stupidity" to charge at an enemy he didn't have any information on (remember Sun Tzu's Art of War?), and on the prodding of Rajah Humabon, an enemy of Lapu-lapu.

Rajah Humabon, who converted to Christianity earlier, later poisoned his Christian friends. What was left of Magellan's expedition later circumnavigated the world.

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Travel Information on Mactan Shrine:

Mactan Shrine entrance fees: None but a donation box can be seen at the shrine entrance gate. Parking fee is at P10/vehicle.

There's also a Lapu-lapu Monument at Rizal Park in Manila (Luneta) "watching" the back of Jose Rizal Monument

How to get to Mactan Shrine / Lapu-lapu Monument, Lapu-lapu City:

Commuting from the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, you can flag a taxi to take you there directly or a jeepney, popularly called multicab, with signboard Punta Engaño. Tutubi also observed jeepneys with So-ong Maribago signboards passed by the place from Mandaue Highway. The Shrine is near Shangri-la Mactan Resort and Spa and the the famous Sutukil seafood restaurants. No information on jeepney fares but the taxi fare may be about P250 from downtown Cebu City.

Directions to Mactan shrine? It's just a straight drive from Mandaue City via Marcelo Fernan Bridge then right to M.L. Quezon Highway all the way to the shrine.

Labels: Cebu, Historical Shrines, History, Lapu-Lapu City, Metro Cebu, Monuments

A silent witness to numerous political rallies held at the corner of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas, the heart of the Philippines' financial capital and, unknown to many Makati people, the intersection of the two runways of the former Nielson Airport (yes, Makati CBD used to be an airport).

Ninoy Aquino was murdered as he was about to deplane on the tarmac of Manila International Airport on August 21, 1983, now named after him as the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). His murder so incensed the Filipino people to intensify the fight against the sitting dictator that fueled the People Power Revolution of 1986 (EDSA bloodless revolt) and catapulted Cory Aquino to the presidency. His picture can also be seen on the five hundred peso bill (P500).

Ninoy Aquino Monument in Photos:

A dragonfly's eye view of the corner of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de roxas, with Ninoy Aquino monument in view as well as The Enterprise Center and BPI Building at the corners.

Ninoy Aquino Monument, with Insular Life Building, Philamlife Tower, PSBank Tower, Paseo Center, BPI Card Center Building, Equitable Bank Tower and Lepanto Building providing a modern backdrop of skyscrapers.

Ninoy Aquino Monument (with people to add scale) during Makati's Caracol Festival in January.

To most people, they know the reason why Tutubi posted these pictures here on this date but for some, the oblivious and the not in-the-know, August 21 is Ninoy Aquino Day, a national holiday (that fell on a Saturday) that's a non-working holiday for people who have work on Saturdays.

people on Ayala Avenue during the funeral of Cory Aquino, Ninoy's wife, former president, and the mother of President Noynoy Aquino. The image of Ninoy Aquino is shown on the flags.

Note that the monument you see now in Makati is not the original one, the old monument can now be found in Hacienda Luisita in Concepcion, Tarlac.

Labels: Makati, Metro Manila, National Capital Region, National Heroes

First seen by Tutubi on TV with Diane Castillejo and Marc Nelson trying out the Philippines' first Skywalk Extreme on Studio 23 show Sports Unlimited on top of Crown Regency Hotel and Towers in Cebu City's Fuente Osmena, the adventure tourism facility was tried out by Tutubi recently after months of "planning" that eventually materialized along with two of his peers who were able to synchronize their hectic work schedules just to go there together.

After a tireful day working followed by a hearty dinner at Conching's Native Chicken and Fastfood near SM City Cebu, Tutubi and his peers hied off to Crown Regency Hotel to unwind and check out the adventure place they only used to see on tv.

the large logo of Skywalk Extreme where you can pose for souvenir pictures before/after your daring walk
the souvenir photo counter where you can have your pictures printed/saved to CD and to claim your certificates of surviving the skywalk
the turnstile area of the facility, the farthest your camera can go before you store them in your free lockers

Cameras are not allowed while you're doing the SKywalk or Edge Coaster ride, like similar touristy places, they ban cameras not just for safety but for...you know why...and have official photographers, with pathetic photography skills, to take your pictures that you can buy for PhP200 per print or P750 for everything stored in a CD.

The Edge Coaster Ride is a ride around the edge of Crown Regency Hotel and Towers where you can see the panoramic view of Cebu City, day or night, with the full view of the city below you-- not for people afraid of heights!

a stolen shot of Edge Coaster Riders on the 38th floor


The Skywalk Extreme lets you walk around a platform circling the building about 6 feet wide, made of glass so you can see objects below, while you're attached to safety harnesses. A photographer takes your pictures around several scripted poses.

Skywalk Extreme: a pretty thrill-seeker holding on to dear life while striking a pose with Cebu nightscape as a backdrop.

What's so funny was that that Tutubi met two friends from the Mentor group who manages their company's team-building programs but were unaware that there's such a facility at Crown Regency Hotel and Towers that they didn't know even if they were at the hotel the night before.

Tutubi merely narrated a long list of adventure places in the country but cannot divulge his identity to be the author of this travel blog...so much for the primacy of privacy over publicity :(

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SkyAdventure
Location: Crown Regency Hotel and Towers
Fuente Osmena, Cebu City

Rates and fees:
Entrance Fee: PhP200/person
Skywalk Extreme: PhP200/person
Edge Coaster: PhP200/person

Separate entrance fees and rides. Discounts offered for students or for those availing of other promos. Day tour rate of PhP888 inclusive of entrance fee, 1 ride, 4d movie and spa( 1 hour massage)

for updated information or group tours, you may get more information from Sky Adventure's official website or calling their contact numbers for inquiries.

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you may also be looking for skywalk crown regency, edge coaster cebu, sky walk entrance fee

Labels: Adventure Tourism, Cebu, Cebu City, Central Visayas

For a few months now, Tutubi has been "secretly" mapping his hometown (together with an anonymous townmate) using his Garmin Nuvi 1300 to update map data of Open Street Map where he goes around town to track roads and note various landmarks and establishments of his beloved hometown.

Interactive Map of Paete, Laguna:



this is the most detailed map of Paete you will find in print and online due to contributions of many other people, not only Tutubi. A few months ago, all you can see on the map were the four main roads of Paete: Manila East Road (national highway), J.P. Rizal St., Quesada St. and Fidel F. Sario.

Note that there are still many alleys on the road map to be added as well as Points of Interests (POIs) including the famous Paete wood carving stores and art galleries, local shops, restaurants and hotels/inns but the map is generally accurate.

In the process of his mapping activity, Tutubi's also updating nearby towns of Pakil, Kalayaan, Lumban, Pagsanjan, Sta. Cruz, Victoria, Pila, Bay and intends to cover also northern towns of Pangil, Siniloan, Mabitac, and Famy and the southern towns of Liliw, Nagcarlan, Magdalena, Cavinti, Luisiana, Rizal, Calauan and Majayjay. (updating maps of San Pablo, Alaminos, Los Banos, Calamba, Sta. Rosa, San Pedro, Binan will come if the wind takes Tutubi there)

Next time you intend to go to Paete, you can print this map for reference, browse it online or better buy your own Garmin GPS device to take with you anywhere you go.

If you want to see the map of your hometown, you can log on to Open Street Map. You can even update it even without a GPS device like add/correct street names and points of interests.

How to get to Paete, Laguna

Labels: Calabarzon, Laguna, Maps, Paete, Southern Tagalog

A nice hotel on Archbishop Reyes directly in front of Ayala Center Cebu, Regal Business Park Hotel's recommended by Tutubi's business contacts who also took care of reservations and got 20% discount on corporate rate.

It's a small, budget hotel in Cebu, unlike most of Tutubi's trips there where he stayed at the upscale Waterfront Hotel Lahug or at pension house during one of his first backpacking trips there, but it's well-within-budget for Tutubi and it's close proximity to Ayala center, SM City Cebu, and Fuente Osmena (the last two accessible via a 15 minute, a PhP50 taxi ride).

Regal Hotel's standard rooms (priced at P1800/night good for two persons) have two beds, hot and cold shower, buffet breakfast inclusive of the room rate and 24 hour free Internet wifi connection at the restaurant on the ground floor of the 6-storey hotel building.

Tutubi's Standard room, a quick picture before he messed it up completely to rest his tired back
Ayala Center Cebu right across Regal Hotel, too early thus no cars in the parking lot.

The best thing about Regal Business Park Hotel, of particular importance to Filipinos, is the presence of the tabo (ladle) in the bathroom.

Tutubi will now announce the first recipient of the soon-to-be-prestigious (hopefully) Tutubi Tabo Awards to Regal Business Park Hotel for having a tabo, if not a bidet, to cater to Filipinos in need of one. Using a tabo is a cultural thing and most hotels and resorts don't have one. Tutubi need not cut out a mineral water PET bottle to make an improvised ladle on this trip.

Coming Soon... Sky Walking on top of the Philippines' tallest hotel

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Regal Business Park Hotel
Address: Archbishop Reyes Avenue, across Ayala Center Cebu,
Cebu Business Park, 6000 Cebu City
Contact Number: +63.32.412-2588; +63.32.232.6680
Official Website: www.regalbusinessparkhotel.com
Email For Inquiries: info@regalbusinessparkhotel.com
Email For Reservations: reservations@regalbusinessparkhotel.com

For inquiries, latest room rates, seminars, events (weddings, conferences, functions) and reservations, you may contact Regal Business Park Hotel's published telephone numbers or send email inquiries to addresses listed above.

Warning: in going there, tell the taxi driver to drive you to Regal Hotel on Arch. Reyes in front of Ayala center, and not merely mention Regal. There's Regal Pension House in Cebu. Trust Tutubi, he's been there :P

Labels: Cebu Accommodations, Cebu City, Central Visayas, Hotels, Hotels and Resorts