It’s so colourful at Florentina Homes 🙂 Many nice signs and artwork all around the place
Terracota by Carmen del Prado
The walls are painted by Tita Wing del Prado, the mother of the family and the artist 🙂 Previous entry: Miniatures and Textures December 3, 2013
If you stay on the third floor, you will see miniature hand painted chairs on the wall 🙂 LOVE:-) Also by Tita Wing
Outdoor garbage cans each hand painted in different designs
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We were so happy to arrive in our home in Dumaguete, Florentina Homes. It’s like we are in a fairytale castle 🙂 We used this as our base to go around Negros Oriental
It’s owned by the del Prado family 🙂 Mig mentioned this to me before when they first opened in 2010 and I am so happy we finally got here. We love it in Florentina Homes, it fits so well the adventurous and rustic province of Negros Oriental. We feel so at home and cozy here
Map of the place 🙂
There are three floors in the castle
I like the third floor 🙂 though we stayed in the second floor which is easier to get to since you have to climb stairs 🙂 haha
The beds are two twin beds. We got two rooms and we were so happy it was connecting 🙂
Each room has a balcony 🙂
There are two special rooms in this place – The Tower Room and the Garden Room
We visited the Tower Room which has two floors
As you enter
Turn left and you have an outdoor living room
Kitchenette
And the outdoor bathroom of the room 🙂
Then you go up the stairs to go to the bedroom which is air-conditioned
From the Tower room you can look down at the Garden room. It’s the only room in the place that has its own garden. We could not see it because it was booked. Someone had booked it long term. Tita Georgia told us this is the best room in the place
photo of the room from the garden
Aside from the castle area, there are 3 cottages which is good for families
Tudor – This is the cottage nearest to the pool ( The Oasis )
Swiss
Mediterranean
The Oasis
Function room
Click below to go to their website
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Going to Negros Oriental and Southern Cebu is an adventure. Though I expected it and thought I was so ready with all the things we needed, there were still a few things I missed. So here is my checklist of things to prepare. I am a city girl with kids so whatever it is I want to have a few simple things and pampering stuff which we might need. I will try to be as complete as possible. Then again, if you just want to be adventurous, you do not really need to bring anything and you will still survive 🙂
1.) Since we were a big group with 5 families, I pulled out our matching bags which we got from one of our family events. I was so happy I found a reason to use them. It’s easier for the porters to spot de Jesus family – all red bags! 🙂
2.) Aqua shoes – it’s safer to use these when walking around the islands and waterfalls. Many still used flip flops but this is the safer one since many of the island are still rustic and rough with plenty stones – slippery too
3.) If you are a city girl like me 🙂 you need to bring this!! I need to charge all my gadgets – camera, phone, laptop, external battery. Thats just mine, my hubby’s gadgets still 🙂 So you rely need a strip – whether in the Philippines or just anywhere you are travelling. Not many hotels provide these and not many provide plenty outlets to plug your gadgets
and an external battery charger that can charge my iPhone 4 times
Previous entry: External Battery Charger Feb 24, 2014
4.) Since we were roughing it out, I really made sure I had every medicine possible in case anything happened in the middle of the ocean 🙂 I took this from Florentina Homes, in case you forget, they have and you can buy easily too 🙂 But any special medicines or ointments, it’s best to bring. Anti itch ointments, allergy medicines, etc etc
5.) Towels – this is in Bluewater which is a resort so they provided lots of towels. But in the other areas where we went to, no one will provide you with any towel! 🙂 So make sure to bring lots. Especially during our trip, it was drizzling or raining at times, aside from getting wet from swimming
6.) Snacks – just in case you get hungry in between meals – it is always handy. Thanks to my friend Mish we had homemade brownies which we were able to eat for dessert in one of our meals 🙂 You can choose healthy snacks of course 🙂 It’s just always handy
7.) Bottled Water – in some of the vans we rent abroad, they provide bottled water but here they do not. So it is best to have your own – you can just buy this probably in a supermarket when you arrive to avoid being charge for overweight. They will also have this for sale in the places you go to. But it is a must to have water in the car or in the boat, you might get thirsty so you have to have this and also to rehydrate.
8.) Clothes change – This may be common sense but we were not ready. We thought we would just remove our clothes, swim, then put them back, but since we rode boats and it rained at times, everything was wet. So it’s just always good to have spare clothes to use to avoid getting soaked and risking getting sick. Some of you might like to bring rash guards so I am advertising Swordfish Philippines 🙂 the company of my friend’s sister – Jennie Bautista. Swordfish makes for many of the big brands
9.) snorkelling gear- They have many for rent in most of the places you will go to but you might want to bring your own. Though you have to consideration weight on the plane
10.) Lots of Sunblock- I like the ones that you can just spray
11.) Wet wipes and hand sanitiser – You will need lots of this – it’s an unnecessary luxury but if you can bring some, you will use a lot 🙂
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Heart2Heart loves this church! I wish our country would build more cultural buildings 
I did this tour with Carlos Celdran before but loved going back again and appreciating it more
Previous entry: Carlos Celdran Tour March 11, 2008
Private crypt for the Zobel de Ayala family
Going up to the second floor. The choir practices here because it has good architectural acoustics
Entering the museum area
Beautiful courtyard
Beautiful hallways
Relatable by Juan delos Santos made in the 17th century
Gigantic wooden cabinet
Beautiful collection
There is a room with all ivory santos – priceless!!
Library
Click below to go to their website
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Our first actual stop where we went down from the jeepney was Fort Santiago. It’s a beautiful place. I wish we could do more things to liven up this place. The only tour inside is the Museum of Jose Rizal. The other tour just shows remnants of World War II which is quite sad. I fear that if we tour Japanese and Americans here it would not be so nice to tell them – “This was where the Japanese imprisoned the Americans.” It feels bad enough that not many good memories were left in this place, so they should turn it into a happy place now in the future.
I wish they would just give a brief explanation as to what the place was and talk about more positive things. Or Just take them to the Museum and walk around the place. Maybe have a nice cafe where they can sit and enjoy the place since there are very few historical sites in our city. Maybe have some cultural shows and have nice quaint shops selling Philippine products and antiques
This is a happy sight for me 🙂 The guards look so elegant and reflects the past
The place would be beautiful without having to dwell too much on the war
There are some shops here which use to be prison cells – It would be nice to expand this and maybe upgrade the shops so more people will come and shop
I was with Americans while doing the tour and I felt so akward when they had to hear all the horror stories of American being imprisoned 🙁 But look it’s beautiful here
This description would have been enough. I will be sending my comments and suggestions to the tour operator 🙂
This was a beautiful part of the tour – when they showed us Binondo. Binondo is the oldest Chinatown in the world!!! You can see this from Fort Santiago
Pasig River
Leading towards Manila Bay
Love the carriages around the Fort – I am glad they have this
My favorite!! It’s More Fun in the Philippines 🙂 A Cinderella carriage
Good thing to have too
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I treated some foreign friends to a city tour of Manila and I contacted this company which I researched over the internet. I sent them without trying it out myself first, so I wanted to see how it was and this is how it went 🙂 They picked us up in Ascott hotel in Glorietta.
I love the JEEPNEY!! We should have more of these around the city!! This company owns three
It’s air-conditioned and is very decent but of course it runs like a jeep 🙂 with the shake, rattle and rolls 🙂
They have videoke for those who like to sing 🙂 not me 🙂
Signed by Jessica Sanchez who rode this Jeepney 🙂 Apparently you can rent this jeepney for private functions or tours. They have 3 of these going around the city. Private individuals and Government officials hire the jeepneys to entertain foreign guests.
I took the half day Intramuros Tour.
We stopped by some landmarks before getting to Intramuros. Our version of the London Eye 🙂 by MOA Manila Bay
It was raining that morning. Folk Arts Theater
We have flags!!!! In Roxas Boulevard!! How do they remove it all if it’s raining? But anyway, I love this!! We should be proud….. UNCONDITIONALLY
Cultural Center of the Philippines
More flags at Luneta Park
Manila Cathedral
Our tour guide 🙂 I have some of my personal comments about the tour but I ill share them directly with the operators. There are some points to improve on and I want foreigners to love our country and see the beauty we have to offer and there is many
Click below to go to their website
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Another high tea experience at the lovely Wallace Collection! I had more high tea than brunches while in London! But that is what they like doing – brunch and high tea 🙂
We were only able to go around the ground floor
There’s more in the basement and other floors but it was closed already after high tea
Just lovely!!
With two of my favourite people 🙂
And a very pretty young lady 🙂 Nikki Prieto Teodoro
This was made for Heart2Heart 🙂
Click below to go to their website
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Billions of many many beautiful and lovely things in London!!! EVERYTHING!!
The first item on the list is a Filipino item! 🙂 I noticed this food cover in almost all the stores I went to. Made in the Philippines and selling for 10 pounds or around P 750.00
Beautiful Filipinos visiting London 🙂 Mylene and Lawrence Cobangkiat, Nicole Whisenhunt and Drea Zulueta
Prada crocodile skin jacket -on sale 40,000 pounds! i am scared to ask what the original price is!
It’s cheaper to use Uber than a London cab 🙂
Beautiful NIKE flagship store in Regent Street!
Always on the lookout for unique snacks and candies
In Tesco, if you are a member, you can Scan as you shop!! LOVE!!! As you shop you can scan it already so when you get to the counter you just pay!!! This of course is honesty system because you scan and check out yourself. I wonder if this will work in our country
Hatchard’s in Picadilly Circus. The oldest bookstore in London
Visited a friend’s 6 storey Victorian home and inside it was a desk she bought at an auction and was formerly owned by Lady Diana
Nice quote in a picture frame in Peter Jones
Beautiful street in Nottinghill
Lobser Pad Thai in Patara, Knightsbridge -Just regular Thai food but found this dish unique 🙂
I saw a few of these around London – Peter Jones and Westfield Mall 🙂 You can charge your gadgets for free 🙂
My friend Rina bought this license plate around 20 years ago as an anniversary gift for her husband name Florencio E. Reyes ( FER ). Someone approached her to ask if she was selling it since he owns a Ferrari 🙂 She did not sell it of course for sentimental reasons 🙂
We googled licensed plates online and apparently these type of license plates are being sold online for big amounts!!! The most expensive one we saw was the license plate F1 which was being sold for 10 million British pounds!
Oh my! Purple matching cars in the garage 🙂 Take not of the license plates – bespoke again! 4LUV and 2LOV 🙂 I am so scared my husband will do something like this haha!!
Nearby Harrod’s – Gold Ferrari with F1 plates behind another Ferrari
Heart2Heart’s favourite cheese curls in London now replaced Wotsits – Wotsits is now # 2 🙂
OMG! Spotted at Harrod’s! I love window shopping in Harrod’s you will find the most unique things!!
THE UK has its own Amazon website – so since we don’t have a UK based credit card, you can buy these gift cards and use it to shop online 🙂 Only my smart husband can think of these things for us 🙂
Window eating so now regretting not trying this!
BESPOKE COKE! 🙂 I chose these ones and lined them up 🙂
Pink apple cellphone at Harrods with pink Swarovski crystals – not as expensive as the diamond one 🙂
Love this pink counter at the Frozen yogurt place in Harrod’s!!! The froyo is yummy too!!!
The British version of TJ Maxx 🙂 I told you they have to have their own 🙂
Many people stopping by this display by One Hyde Park
British flags lined towards Buckingham Palace!!!! LOVE!! Can we do this in the Philippines??
Even shoes have wipes 🙂
Heart2Heart trivia 🙂 Meet Alex, a pinoy here in London. About 8 years ago, his Mom’s family sold their property – around 300 hectares in Batangas to Henry Sy. It’s now called Pico del Oro!!!
Selfridges
Anthropologie 🙂 inside Selfridges
window eating in Selfridges
WOW! 🙂 Take your pick 🙂
Picnic 🙂
EVERYWHERE TEA!
Moustache Moustache 🙂
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