Cebu City Christmas 2015: A Photo Blog Part 1

It's been a while, the second long hiatus for the year. Lol.

I promised to update photos for this season because the country which celebrates a loooong Christmas deserves to be highlighted and I'm hoping to make up for it.

But the photos I was supposed to take did not materialize, because: 1) I'm pressed for time, 2) due to some circumstances beyond my control, and 3) it's rainy season and some streets got flooded. 

Cebu City has an annual celebration every third Sunday of January in honor of Snr. Sto. Niño, the Sinulog Festival. So, the Christmas decorations in the city, lights and all, remain where they are until the end of January. The coming 2016 is extra special. The Catholic Church will hold the International Eucharistic Congress in the city. It will be very crowded with the influx of delegates for the congress, domestic and international tourists who will join the revelry, participants of the Grand Sinulog Parade, and devotees of the Patron Saint.

Why was I telling all that? Well, if you have the desire to come to Cebu City for the festival, you will still spot the scenes I have captured in my camera. But, you can probably do more justice with your camera than I did with mine.

So, here are some photos. More that I had neglected to capture, I'll do so after the holidays. Better late than sorry. Lol.


The picture says it all!

It's near the Crown Regency. Check this entry.

Every year, the same sponsor (a family of French descent that owns a jewelry shop, pawnshop, furniture and food company, etc.) puts up the Christmas tree. The design varies, though. Something to look forward to every year. The tree is set up inside the Fuente Osmeña Circle.

There is a lot going on here that my lens was not able to capture. A fountain with the flowing water. A variety show on the stage inside the circle. Food stalls. Lots of peeps just chillaxing and taking in the view and enjoying the cold weather.  Christmas lights hanging on trees. More lights on the iron fence of the circle.

The stretch of Osmeña Boulevard/Jones Avenue ('tis the old name, but people still use it).

The Cebu Provincial Capitol.

The stretch of Osmeña Boulevard/Jones Avenue ('tis the old name, but people still use it).

The Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

And the church I frequently go to, the oldest in the city. It has a beautiful interior with antique religious relics and chandeliers. At the moment, masses are held in the pilgrimage center. Although people are allowed to go inside, it is still not safe with the church's ongoing renovation after it was damaged by the 2013 killer earthquake (the one that also hit Bohol).

Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño.

Pasko is Christmas in English.

And, lastly. Two huge malls recently opened, SM City Seaside (which said to be the 4th largest in the world and I have yet to visit) and Robinson's Galleria Cebu, which part of the interior is shown below.

It's Already Chrismassy In The Pearl Of The Orient!

Officially, Christmas in the Philippines starts on September 1st, the beginning of the BER months. Every FM and AM station plays Christmas songs daily from September 1 until the New Year. Department stores display Christmas decorations along side costumes and spooky decors for Halloween as early as October. At this time, the streets are already teeming with carolers. Some street children get in the public vehicles (jeepneys, please see the image) to appeal on passengers' good hearts with their voices. Their set list includes both Christmas songs and current English and Filipino hits. The older carolers, on the other hand, visit houses and business establishments with their instruments. 

The Philippines, I think, is the only country in the world that celebrates a looooong Christmas, which, every Filipino living abroad always misses. So, I'll be posting updates as the season progresses because I just love Christmas! Who doesn't?

The giant Christmas tree in SM City Cebu.

SM Christmas Village of Hope

For the background story of SM Christmas Village of Hope, please follow these links: 

http://kythe.org/site/blog/2013/11/27/clayton-joji-tugonons-cebu-christmas-village-of-hope/

http://specials.sunstar.com.ph/communitynews/2015/11/05/sm-city-cebu-unveils-christmas-village/

And for detailed photographs of some of the miniature scenes, you can check here.

Books + look/feel of Christmas = my kind of a happy place.  Double happiness.

Inside my sister's university.

STK Ta Bay! Paolito's Seafood House

My brother, two cousins and I, had dinner in another SuTuKil (Sugba-Tula-Kilaw) type of restaurant, STK ta Bay. It is in A. Climaco Street (former Orchid Street), Capitol Site, Cebu City. They have two buildings, one is next-door neighbor of Bucket Shrimp (read the blog entry here) and the other one is across the street.

We first went inside the newer building, but all the tables were taken, so we crossed the street to check if there were vacant tables in the other building. If there were none, we would have ended in Bucket Shrimp (which was originally the plan where to have dinner). Thank God, there was a vacant table for four! My concern was how long it would take the food to arrive, because I was so famished! We did not have to wait long. Good sigh.

I was sure my eyes popped out of their sockets when I noticed the decorations. All over the area, on shelves and walls, antiques were displayed neatly. I was like, “Oh my god, we had those and those and those…” mentally pointing at the objects I had seen in my childhood. Old transistor radios! Gas lamps! Manual sewing machine! Wooden wall clocks! Old telephones! I did some jumping jacks in my head and felt like a five year old taking them all in, like I was knowing them for the first time. Lol.

Rock, rock, 'round the clock!

My heart sang when I (finally) noticed that most of the furniture are made of wood. I hope I did not look like a fish with the mouth open. Lol. Boy, the old soul in me was so glad being in a room filled with woods and old articles.

Uh, she's doing what I was doing. Look, green telephone!

There were long rectangular tables that could seat 10-12 persons. From near us, was a circular table that seated six persons. Most of the tables are for four persons. They also have tables outside, if you want to dine al fresco.

1.) My shy cousin. 2.) One of the long tables. 3.) Window panels are made of wood and Capiz shells.

We had Grilled Tuna Panga (Grilled Tuna Jaw), Fish Tinola (Fish Soup), Kinilaw with Gata (Raw Fish Salad with Coconut Cream), Guso Salad (Eucheuma Seaweed Salad ) and 2 platters of plain rice (I learned later that their Bagoong Fried Rice was to die for…maybe next time).

Kinilaw with Gata

Grilled Tuna Panga

Guso Salad

Fish Soup. The one we had was loaded with alugbati leaves (Malabar spinach)

I have to say that the four-person table was a bit small for four persons. With 2 platters of rice, (understandable) huge plate of grilled fish, fish stew in a wider bowl (that took most of the space), two servings of fresh starters, 1.5 liter of Coke, glasses, saucers (for the sauce) and condiments, our table was packed! Another caution, you have to ask for table napkins because there was none on the table (maybe it was just our table... maybe an overlook [a slight one you can brush off] on their part... maybe it just happened at that time...).

We had a quick dinner because my brother was going to work and I was so hungry I kept on eating until I had my fill (don't judge me, lol), so I was not able to take pictures of our little feast. But it kinda looked like this:

Some plateful experience.

STK ta Bay has a wide selection in the menu list. It is open from 8 A.M.  to 10 P.M.

The interior decoration, I could not fully describe it with my words. You have to be there to appreciate it and it will be worth your time. I'm sure the diners, local and foreign (that had been there) would agree with me on this. If it happens you want to travel to Cebu City, this place should must be in your list. :)

SuTuKil In Parr't

WARNING: The crappy images might be disturbing. I just used my outdated phone camera.

Su-Tu-Kil, from the right in clockwise order.

I know, the title sounds like a grotesque thriller movie in French. Lol. I blame the contraction, clearly helped by the apostrophe. 

SuTuKil actually refers to a Visayan term for the fresh fish (and other seafood) being cooked/prepared in three ways. Su-Tu-Kil or Sugba, Tuwa, Kilaw simply translates in English as fish (and other seafood) being grilled, made into soup, or eaten raw (prepared like ceviche with little variation in the citrus used, either local lime [biasong] or local lemon [kalamansi], mix with other spices [ginger, onion, tomato] and vinegar). It does not mean though that you need to have the three dishes in one meal. They are just the more popular and easier way of preparing fresh fish and seafood. The operative word, by the way, is fresh.

Parr't is not French (I came across an article that also explains this). Like Bai/Bay (pronounced as by), Part/Parrt is another term that locals use to call each other, regardless of gender and whether you are friends or not. 

My parents, when they come to the city for a visit or for some important engagements, like to go to Parr’t Ebelle Tinola to have seafood for lunch, usually on the day they arrive. They live in another island, surrounded by the sea and frequently have fresh seafood from local fishermen. But the fishes (or squid and the like) from there are of smaller sizes, while the ones served in Parr’t Ebelle Tinola are cuts from gigantic tunas.

The place is very accessible by public transportation (jeepneys and taxis) since it is near SM City Cebu. It also has parking area for private vehicles.

Grilling area.

Dining al fresco.

Dining in AC room.

SuTuKil kind of restaurants are abundant in Cebu (city and province). The dining experience calls for a plate or more of rice, by the way. It's a Filipino thing-y, the rice I meant...something we couldn't live without.

Christmas in July

YES, there is such a thing. In my city. In the oldest street in Cebu. In one of the older department stores, Gaisano Main. Because I love love love Christmas, I like going there, if I'm in the country at this time of the year, to have the feel.

They have Christmas trees and decors on some floors. They also display Christmas products.

I don't like to stamp the date and time on my photos, but just this one, as proof of evidence. Lol.

The songs! The songs! Ugh, they're playing them.

Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap, let's go...

I recorded them (again, as evidence, but I'm sorry they won't upload) while I was browsing through the racks of clothes. And I found some items that caught my fancy. Scarves!  The tag price got my attention. Teehee. Because I like cheapos, my heart went erratic (imagine that + bulging eyes) and sought the saleslady to confirm. LOL.

Let's do the math: Since, $ 1= Php 45, it's $.64 per scarf x 3 = $ 1.93. Original price was Php 129 for each. Saving Php 300 was a H-U-G-E deal. I was a happy girl. :) 

But since it's way too hot in my country right now (pretty much the temperature all year round, really), they won't adorn my neck. They'll be worn as belts, instead.

Next stop, kitchen wares. 

Oh, if you want to take me shopping and really want to make me VERY happy, lead me to this section of the department store. But if you want to avoid boring holes in your pockets, don't. LOL. 

Anyway, like I said, I went to the kitchen wares. I saw pretty tea sets AND red containers AND mason jars for the iced cauw-feeeee. *writing this part with feelings, like I'm saying it with crumpled face and eyes closed*

I kind of died. 

In multiple deaths. 

Because I want to have them all. 

But I can't.

I love and hate sales. Ha-ha.

Moving my lazy bones and presenting (drum rolls, please) Crown Regency Hotel and Towers.

Because I had more enthusiasm-some burst of energy which I did not even know where it came from and it's not even directed to anything-than my body can contain, I walked, under the mid-afternoon sun (yesterday, the 20th). I couldn't curb it sitting down, because it would just muddle my brain by thinking of possible things to do without doing anything. And THAT is more exhausting. Besides, resisting my enthusiasm is a disservice to my body and a disrespect to the moment, so I really have to let it go and set it free before it'll burn me from inside out.

So, here's my route, more than 30 minutes of walking the 2.5 km stretch. Should have been only 30 minutes if I did not make a stop in one of the department stores in Colon Street (the why will follow, in another post).

Courtesy: Google Map

Somewhere near Fuente Osmeña Circle (that green dot on the map) is located one of the posh hotels in Cebu City, the Crown Regency Hotel. From the street where I was yesterday, this is how it looked:

Crown Regency Hotel and Tower's the one on the right.

Yes, damn the ugly wires! I can play tic-tac-toe with the grid!

So, if I'm going to be the mayor (just hypothetically, because 1) i hate politics, 2) i hate politics and 3)i hate politics), I'll redefine my city by:

1.) burying all the live wires underground

2.) the city will have a day off - a day free of the vehicles' noise and carbon monoxide - and let the people walk, because hey, it's good for the health and we'll be helping save mother earth. (But this one's more on missing the past and once experiencing a cleaner city with less vehicles. Maybe, I'm stuck in the past. Or maybe, I'm transcending to want something purer and cleaner than what we have now. Loosely translated [since that becomes a wishful thinking with the rapid way we're destroying the earth]) I still want the bygone era. Lol)

Sometimes I wonder why the smarter people are not in the public offices and making the nation better. Hahaha. The #confidence.

Anyway, Crown Regency Hotel transforms at night. It becomes a Building of Colors! that can't be missed.

Photo: Flickr

The view from my apartment building at twilight.

So, I hope you're charmed by my city? I plan to, one photo at a time. Lol.

Bucket Shrimps... In Orchid Street

          That's the name of the restaurant I mentioned in my previous entry( Two Gentlemen And A Brother ) where our sweet brother treated us to dinner. The other family members, e.g. mother and other siblings, apparently had been there and I, was the first timer. Translate that into Bisaya, I'm the tagaw and translating that back into English, I'm... the... ignorant. So, there. Lol.

          Like another first timer, I took it all(ambiance, service, crowd) in without being too obvious(because my siblings, whom I put on the brave act for, have the tendency to do some merciless teasing whenever they have the chance-karma goes around, yes). The venue's jam-packed, suffice to say it's well known and frequented by locals(but I saw few Koreans last night as well). I can think of one reason why. Sea foods! But trust me, it's not the only thing that drew the crowd to the restaurant. It's unique in more ways than one. Someone really thought out of the box when he put up the restaurant!

          First off, when we were seated, someone came and spread manila paper on the table-that as a substitute for table cloth. Then he placed a sheet of parchment/wax paper in front of us. It served as the plate. Oh by the way, there was a pack of Hand Guard disposable gloves on the empty table we're about to occupy. With all those, you can guess the food was meant to be eaten with the hands. (FYI for non-Bisayan speakers who graciously read my blog, eating with the hands is termed kinamot or kamayan in Tagalog... kinamot has another meaning in Tagalog.)

          (Since I did not bring my camera and my phone is not the fancy one, you guys have to excuse me for the photographs. But I promise to go back there, one of these days, to update them.)

          You can eat the food with bare hands in case you're not comfortable using the disposable gloves since Bucket Shrimps has hand washing area. Anyway, this is what greeted us as we sat on our table:

          As soon as we were seated, another personnel came over(this time a really pretty lady) to take our order and she's wearing a black shirt as a uniform with this print on the front:

          What set Bucket Shrimps apart from other restaurants when it comes to menu list is this.

          Cool, right? Also, the metal bucket doubles as tissue holder.

          So we had Boiled Shrimps with Cajun sauce;

Photo by Google Image

          And Saucy Crab Eva;

Photo by Google Image

          And Wingz.

Photo by Google Image

          Among the three, the Wingz was to die for. But both the Boiled Shrimps in Cajun sauce and Wingz suited my palate that loves spicy food. They're garlicky and sweet and spicy, and the spiciness bit the tongue-which by the way, made my youngest brother sipped his soda after every bite. Lol. Crabs have distinct taste and the Saucy Crab Eva honestly, I was not much into. But you still have to try though to feel the bite.

          Another thing that made the meal not boring was this cutesy serving of rice.

Photo by Google Image

          So the table setting looked like this.

          If you're worried about getting your clothes dirty from the mess you might be making, you can ask for the paper bib.

Photo by Google Image

          It's an open air restaurant.

Photo by Google Image

Photo by Google Image

          It's filled with writings on the wall by satisfied customers.

          If you have a car, someone will valet for you for P50.

          The Bucket Shrimps we went to is located in Orchid Street Capitol Site. They also have a branch in Lahug and newly opened another one in Mactan across the Cebu Yacht Club. For more info about Bucket Shrimps, you can check their website  and Facebook page. 

          Orchid Street by the way is lined with other restaurants besides Bucket Shrimps. There you will find STK ta Bai!, Yayoy's Grill and Resto Bar, and Choobi Choobi Junior. In the next corner are more restaurants for you to choose from. When you're in Cebu, you will never go hungry. Just uhm... don't forget the monies.

Orchid Street

          So, after a sumptuous and fancy dinner, I'm down to Pancit Canton for lunch. Thanks heavens for instant food on a lazy weekend! Lol.