Temple of Leah | Of Love, Devotion and Architecture

And his love was too strong that it became the pillars of the temple.

Truly, love does wonders. It’s so powerful that it goes beyond a bouquet of roses, a romantic picnic or a dinner in the fanciest restaurant, a diamond ring or a strand of pearls. Remember Taj Mahal in India, Swallow’s Nest Castle above the waters of the Black Sea, and the Boldt Castle in upstate New York? What do they have in common? Yes, they are all built out of love. ❤

Temple of Leah

Cebu also prides this magnificent landmark Temple of Leah as a testament of an architecture-romantic Mr. Teodorico S. Adarna’s undying love and devotion to his wife – Leah.

Temple of Leah, Cebu

Perched on the highlands of the city, Temple of Leah continously draws tourist because of it’s splendiferous architecture similar to that of Rome and Greece. Knowing that this is built in the name of love is another thing that invites people’s curiousity.

The girls — Tin, Gichelle, Demi, Louise and Daisy. (L-R) 

Some time in January, after our visit in the botanical garden of Terrazas de Flores, we dropped by this temple to see how lucky Leah must be.

Temple of Leah.

We were collected Php50 each as an entrance fee. The temple was not done yet but it is already open to public. We went there on a weekday so there were not too many people at that time.

 

Ace in the Temple of Leah. 

The edifice resembles Rome classical structures, inspired by Leah’s travel to Rome. It is very evident with the rectangular designs, the Doric columns, the podium and the altar.

The shrine. 

A huge bronze statue of Leah was built in the altar. This spells Mr Adarna’s devotion to her that he treated her like a goddess.

Leah V. Adarna

This temple was meant to be a repository of Leah’s items which she gathered from her travels. According to her daughter, Arlene, her mom was a collector. Before she died, she worried where to put all her collections. Her good husband promised to build this temple to store all her things. Now, this shrine serves as a museum of Leah’s things. However, the museum was not yet open for the public during our visit.

Demi in the Temple of Leah. 

While classical temples have their storage rooms behind the altar, the chambers for Leah’s collection were built on the opposite wings of the edifice.

A fountain at the facade of the podium. 

There is a fountain in front of the shrine’s podium which is inspired by her trip to Europe. Truly a work of art. Look at those meticulous carvings.

Panoramic view of the city. 

The temple also gives a panoramic vista of Cebu City. Although, it’s hot to stay here in the mid-afternoon. We wonder if the sunrise or the sunset looks great from here.

The girls’ groufie. 

The place is sooo perfect for photo ops to flood your Facebook and Instagram. Every corner is “instagrammable”, they said. (Is there such word, by the way?)

Demi and the lion statue. 

From the high rising pillars to the precised carvings, the temple is just WONDERFUL, it’s brilliant. Mr Adarna must have really made his wife happy even when she’s already gone.

The pillars of the temple with Demi photobombing. 

Indeed, love does wonder. The Temple of Leah speaks of a man’s real love and devotion to his wife. And this our friends, we hope inspires you to not give up on love because it really exists. Yay!

Ace and Demi in the Temple of Leah. 

We hope you enjoyed our photo-diary of the Temple of Leah. Over to you, what would you do for love? Leave us some words.

‘Til our next cheesy adventure.

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi

 

Green Lagoon Park | A Family-Friendly Beach Resort

 

Days are getting hotter, air is getting warmer, everybody’s ready for summer!!! 

Everybody is already hyped up for summer. Have you booked your summer getaway, yet?

Green Lagoon Park, Compostela, Cebu

For people living solo, for those who prefer traveling or spending their summer 2017 alone, it’s not hard to find a perfect place to go. However, for those who wanted to spend it with their family, finding a “family-friendly” resort is not that easy, especially if you have many kids with you. Two important things you need to consider are the rates and the distance of the place. And a place that spells “inexpensive fun”.

Worry no more!!!

Here’s Green Lagoon Park, conveniently located in Canamucan, Compostela, Cebu. (The resort has always been the venue for Ipanema’s Summer SunScream for four consecutive years now.) This resort is big and spacious which makes it ideal for family gatherings and reunions. You can let the kids enjoy swimming in the pool while adults enjoy other ammenities that the resort offers.

Another good thing for this resort, is that they have no corkage fee for food and they have grilling stations that guests can use. In case you don’t bring food with you, they have a restaurant and some concessionaires inside the facility.

Green Lagoon Park’s huge swimming pool only has a depth of four feet. Not for adults who wanted to do their diving thingy but it’s perfect for the kids. The pool also has two slides which I’m sure every kid and kid-at-heart wants.

My sister-in-law and me, kids at heart, yeah!! 

If you don’t feel like swimming in pool, you can go enjoy the beach, instead. It’s not as beautiful as the beaches in the northern and southern part of the province. The sand is not powdery white, it’s a bit rocky.

Green Lagoon Park’s beach front.

Your kids would still enjoy playing on the sand, though. Just please look after them. There are life guards in the area but there’s no harm if we take caution, too.

The beach front. 

They also have several rooms for those who wish to stay overnight. These rooms are all air-conditioned and are fully equipped with cable tv, mini fridge, and a cabinet. Each room has a king-sized bed with a private bathroom complete with toiletries. (Rate listed below.)

Green Lagoon Park’s room accommodation.

The resort also has big nipa hut cottages. You can bring your portable music speakers with you because each cottage has its own electrical outlet. (Rate listed below.)

Nipa hut cottages. 

Green Lagoon Park is also a perfect venue for team building. They have a wide area for team-building activities. Other activities in the resort includes volleyball, zipline, jet-ski, banana boat and many more.

The resort’s playground. 

How to get there:

• Green Lagoon Park is only 27 kilometers away from the city. You can take a jeepney bound for Compostela or Danao in SM City, Cebu or even in Mandaue. (Fare 18-25 pesos.) Ask the driver to drop you off in Green Lagoon Resort. This is just along the main road.

Rates:

• Entrance Fees — Php10 (child) / Php20 (adult)
• Cottages — Php500
• Rooms — Php1000
• No corkage for food except for beverages.

For more information, questions or bookings, you can contact the resort through:

• Address: Canamucan, Compostela, Cebu  Province, Philippines
  Telephone : (+63) (32) 425-6008; 425-8761/ 406-6753

Ace and Demi in Green Lagoon Park. 

We hope you found this post helpful. If you find any error or changes with the rates, leave us some words in the comment box below. We’d love to hear from you.

‘Til our next post!

Keep safe and enjoy your summer!

Love, Ace and Demi

 

 

A Weekend Dip. | Durano Eco Farm and Spring Resort

It’s summer time! Treat yourself a dip in a cold spring in the middle of a rainforest.

Thought Diary

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks. ~ John Muir

Last weekend, we planned to climb the highest mountain peak in the northern Cebu, but the weather got on our way. It would be very dangerous for us to climb because it was slippery and we’re afraid of landslides. As much as we want it, but we had to choice but to cancel our plan.

However, our feet really itched for an adventure. So, we decided to have a dip in a cold spring instead.

Situated in Barangay Corte, Carmen, Cebu is a place where one could take a dip in a cold spring in the middle of a rainforest. I’m talking about Durano Eco Farm Spring and Resort.

If you’re someone who is sick of chlorinated water and wants a natural one that flows from a cold spring, then this place is perfect for you. The…

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Travel Guide | Coal Mountain Resort

In the trees, in the breeze… seek nature’s peace and bliss. 

Hello, everyone! Here’s a travel guide for those who have been asking us how to get to Coal Mountain Resort in Argao, Cebu. You can click here if you want to hear our story about our wonderful experience in the resort.

Ace and Demi’s travel guide to Coal Mountain Resort

Where: The resort is hidden in Barangay Linut-od, Argao, Cebu — a one-hour bumpy motorcycle ride from the town proper.

How to get there: Argao is located in the southeastern part of the province, approximately 67 kilometers from Cebu City.

• You can reach the town by taking a bus bound to Dalaguete or Alcoy from the Cebu South Bus Terminal. Tell the driver to drop you off at the town proper of Argao. Travel time would take you around one to two hours, bus fare — Php70.
• From there, hail a habal-habal (motorcycle) to take you to Barangay Linut-od. Travel time is approximately one hour, fare is Php130 (one way) for daytrip. We suggest you book for a back and forth ride because motorcycle going back to the town is scarce in the resort.

What to expect: You can learn about what we did in the resort by clicking the highlighted word. :* Click me!!!

• The resort has three swimming pools — mango-shaped is 4ft, heart-shaped is 7ft, largest pool is 16ft and has 7ft general depth. In order to get to the third pool, one should walk through the hanging bridge.
• They also offer aerial adventures like zip-lining and cable car riding.
• The resort has a coal mining demo which allows guests to explore a sample of a coal mine tunnel that stretches up to 145 meters long and is 70 feet below the ground.
• There is also a mini zoo in the resort which showcase different bird species, snakes, ostriches, monkeys and more.

Accommodations and Such:

• They have deluxe rooms good for two to four people with airconditioner, private bathroom with hot and cold shower, and local television. (Php2500/night)
• The resort also has family rooms for group of 6 to 10 people. (Php1500/night)
• There are nipa huts for rent, too. It can house 4 to 6 people. (Php1000)
• One can opt to pitch tents in the camping area as well.
• The resort also has a function hall that could accommodate 40 to 50 people. (Php1000/day)
• They also have a multi-purpose covered court for team building activities. (Php1500)
• For food, they don’t have corkage fees except for softdrinks and beers. The resort also has a restaurant where you can order farm-to-table meal. We personally suggest you try their sinigang soup (it’s savory).

Who to contact:

• For motorcycle service we suggest our awesome driver Kuya Elias. Reach him through this number: 0908 778 8701. You can negotiate the fare with him if you wish to stay overnight in the resort.
•  For bookings and other resort information, you can contact them at 0918 965 6081.

Tips and Reminders:

• Book your rooms at least a week ahead. The resort is usually full on weekends.
• Always ask the locals if your traveling on a private car because the road to the resort is confusing as there were no signs. Ask, ask and ask.
• The road going there is bumpy and requires a skilled driver. We personally suggest our driver for you.
• We suggest you bring a jacket if you wish to star-gaze at night because the temperature drops real low when the evening comes.
• VERY IMPORTANT!!! The rates and fees above are based on our visit last February 17, 2017. It may change without prior notice. Feel free to notify us if there were any changes.

Ace and Demi full geared for the mining demo. 

 Love her, but leave her wild.

~~ Articus, To Kill A Mockingbird

 

Until our next adventure!

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi

Travel Guide | Catmon River Trekking

We’ve been told to keep this a secret but I just feel that ain’t right.

Whilst the blame that some people are throwing to us, bloggers, I’m still posting this travel guide for those who are interested to experience and discover Catmon. We expect everybody to practice responsible tourism and give others the chance to witness the beauty of the place, too. 🙂 

As promised, a travel guide for our Catmon river trekking adventure.

Tinubdan Falls in Catmon, Cebu

Where:  The trek started at Barangay Tabili Elementary School. You can choose to trek upstream or downstream depending on your capacity. 😀

How to get there: Ride a north-bound bus in the North Bus Terminal and tell the driver to drop you off in corner Katambisan, Barangay Corazon, Catmon. Travel time should not take more than two hours for moderate traffic. Bus fare from terminal to Catmon — Php78. From corner Katambisan, hail a motorcycle to take you to Barangay Tabili Elementary School. We suggest you meet your guides first before going there and they will make the negotations for you. Motorcycle fare — Php50.

Who to contact: Our awesome guide was Mr Kyno Lim Dumlao. He knows the place like the back of his hands so we suggest you contact him. He also conducts guideship to Mt Kapayas and other destinations that requires extreme adventures. You can reach him through this number: 0999 325 9621 😀 You can also negotiate the fee with him.

Tips and Reminders: **Wear proper clothing and footwear for this activity. **Bring enough water to keep yourself hydrated during the entire adventure. **Expect to plunge in the water so bring your dry bags with you to protect your personal belongings like phones and wallets. **The trek would last more than two hours, you can bring trail snacks with you but be mindful of your trash. **You will be chasing waterfalls, if the place is not what you expected, just enjoy the moment and stop comparing. This place is unique in its own way and that’s what makes it beautiful. **And lastly, LEAVE NO TRACE!!! 😀

Expenses: 

• Php176  — bus fare (back and forth)
• Php100 — motorcycle fare (back and forth)
• Php200 — guide fee

Total: Php456 (Note: This was our individual expense. Food expenses are not included for you may have different preferences.)

Tinubdan Falls, Catmon

We hope you’ll enjoy trekking the rivers of Catmon as much as we did. We’d love to hear your stories about your adventure, too. Update us! 😀 

’til our next adventure!

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi.

Coal Mountain Resort | Bringing You Back To Nature

Let’s wander where the WIFI is weak or where there’s no SIGNAL at all. 

While everybody’s planning for a beach getaway, we, on the otherhand, found ourselves in the middle of the woods, surounded  by mountains, hearing the music not everybody can hear. We’re going back to nature!

Ace and Demi Coal Mountain Resort Story

Who would have thought a place which was used as a grazing ground for carabaos could give us a total relaxation away from chaotic life in the city? In the outskirts of Argao, lies this wondrous haven called Coal Mountain Resort, a perfect place for those who wanted retreat from the bustling metropolis.

Find Demi.

The hubby and I had our post-Valentine celebration (we just need some reason to getaway, you know) in this haven. I was very excited that I booked a room more than a week ahead. Well, I think that was just right because when I called, most rooms were already booked and there were only two deluxe rooms left. The staff whom I talked to said the resort is usually full on weekends especially the family and group rooms. So yah, I suggest to book your rooms ahead.

Deluxe rooms.

Our one hour  butt-aching motorcycle ride was totally worth it. Admittedly though, when we arrived at the resort, I was kind of “disappointed” as there was no wonderful decoration that would make anybody curious and interested to see what’s inside. The look from the outside was very simple and straightforward.

But, see “never judge a resort by its gate”. 😀

The resort’s viewing deck.

Yet, when we went inside I felt euphoric as I ran towards their viewing deck. It offers a panoramic view of the lush greeneries of the mountains that surrounds the resorts, some of which are part of Dalaguete mountain range. Not to mention the invigorating mountain air, I felt like we were transported to a different world.

Imagine waking up to this view.

I was very excited to roam around to see what other wonders the resort has to offer. So, right after we threw our bags inside the room, I immediately went to explore the place. Look at this wonderful view from our room, don’t you want to wake up everyday for this?

Morning view from our room.

It’s wonderful how the resort mainted its homey environment. It so much felt like I was having a vacation in my grandparent’s house in the countryside. Oh, I could live like this forever.

Stairs to the deluxe rooms.

The resort has three swimming pools, all are fed by free-flowing spring water. But you have to go through the woods to reach the third pool which was the deepest, too.

The first pool is 4ft deep. It is mango-shaped, by the way. It also has a slide for kids or for those who are kids at heart.

Four-feet pool.

Just when you thought you lost your heart, then you realized it’s in the resort. “Buti pa sa Coal Mountain, may heart.” 😛 Behold, the pool with a heart, er, heart shape. The second pool is 7ft deep. There’s a jumping platform if you want to plunk.

The pool with a heart, seven-feet deep.

The third pool is the deepest. Imagine 16ft deep. I bet one couldn’t swim more than 15 minutes here because it’s just sooooooo cold. The hubby and I are into cold springs but this is the coldest one that we’d been to so far. I did not reach 5 minutes swimming here because my nerves were already freezing. There is also a diving platform on this pool that rises up to 30ft high. Perfect for “buwis-buhay” exhibition.

The deepest pool, 16ft.

You have to walk through this canopy walkway in the middle of the woods. It’s quite scary because it was slippery and the steps looked weak. But duh, get that fear out of your system and step carefully. I didn’t expect the hanging bridge to be that far, I honestly felt dizzy before we get to the end of it.

Canopy walk.

The resort also offered a mining demo which includes exploration of a mining tunnel. It was drizzling during our visit, the soil was wet and muddy, so the hubby decided that we go on full gear with the overall, boots and helmet. But you can opt to just have the helmet and boots if you are not comfortable with the overall. We suggest you try this one. Let’s get to work!

Ace and Demi, off to work!

Now, get ready to explore the tunnel that stretches up to 145 meters long and 70 feet below the ground. I swear I was anxious while we were still at the entrance of the tunnel. Seeing the dark and narrow hole, I felt like it’s going to swallow me anytime. But the hubby and the guide were so assuring that I was persuaded to continue.

I’m not scared. Really not scared. 😛

I can’t tell how happy I was when we were about to exit the tunnel. It was an achievement. Along with that fullfillment was a realization. A miners’ life is no easy. The danger while staying several feet below the ground is already something to be scared of, not to mention stooping for hours. But yeah, I did it!

Ahhh, I did it!

The one thing I loved during our stay in Coal Mountain Resort was the fact that we were so far from the civilization. Our smartphones were not getting any signals in the area. If not because of the camera, we wouldn’t be using our phones during our entire stay in the resort. It was another perfect moment for the hubby and me to talk about us, our life. At night, we stayed at the balcony and gazed at the stars in the sky while we contemplated about mundane affairs.

And oh, for the first time in a long time I saw fireflies coming near me. It’s rare to see them in the cities.

Chilling.

It was a healing moment — staying outside the room, breathing fresh air and only hearing the sound of the crickets and the night owls. I felt like I was brought back to nature, to the time when there were only trees, water and air.

Our lungs had their dose of cleansing and our eyes were pampered by the green healthy surrounding. We felt so healthy during our two days stay in the resort.

Ace and Demi are summer ready!!!

We hope you enjoyed our Coal Mountain Resort story. We’d love to hear yours, too. 😀

Stay tuned for our Coal Mountain Resort travel guide in a later post. 

‘Til our next adventure!

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi.