Random Obsessions: March 2013

March 29, 2013

Buffets at La Luz Beach Resort

What’s nice about La Luz Beach Resort is you don’t have to think where or what to eat, prepare “baon” (food to bring), cook or grill during your stay/summer getaway because buffets (breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner) are included in the accommodation. Actually, guests are required to avail the food package per person for an overnight stay.

Imagine, all you have to do is wait for the meal time and more time will be spent on swimming, other activities in the resort, bonding with family and friends, relaxing and sleeping.

The only problem with this I guess is if you are a picky eater. I mean, there are only few main courses to choose from. You may like one or two kinds of dish but the good thing is, you can eat as much as you can since it’s a buffet but again, leftover is not allowed.

Without further ado, here was the lunch menu during our stay in La Luz.

This is one of their two buffet and dining areas. The other one is outside this pavilion or gazebo.

Next, photos during snacks or merienda..

I was quite unhappy with their lunch and snack buffet. But their dinner buffet made me happy and my tummy too hehe. Let me show you why.

But first, here were the buffet and dining area during nighttime.

And the dinner menu..

They had this on the spot cooking of fried rice. We first put the rice on the plate depends on how much we wanted to eat and then picked the desired ingredients.

And let their staff (chefs?) do the cooking. My choice of ingredients including the spices was perfect (loveeet!). My son loved it too.

To complete the food package, here was our breakfast. I had two cups of their Batangas coffee or “kapeng barako.”

Corn flakes with non-fat milk..

They again had on the spot cooking but omelet that time. I saw the secret ingredient. They put grated cheese together with the fillings.

They had breads, spreads and fruits.

About the taste, not all are delicious or perfect. The service, staff (chefs?) are friendly and courteous though they were not in time to refill the buffet food items. And the price, not too expensive. It is pricey for a small eater, btw hehe..

Till next time! Winking smile

P.s. To know more about the resort, please read my earlier post re: La Luz Beach Resort at Laiya, Batangas

Visita Iglesia in Manila

Visita Iglesia is a Spanish word of Visit Church. It is a Filipino Catholic tradition originating in Rome to visit 7 churches on Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday). I have my “panata” (vow, a solemn promise made to God or a repayment for a prayer or wish that was granted) to visit, pray and meditate at National Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus in Manila every year. I started this “panata” after I passed the board exam and this year is my 10th anniversary.

This year’s Holy Thursday, I had my first Visita Iglesia in which I together with hubby visited the ff. 7 churches in Manila with St. Jude as our last church in the list.

1. Manila Cathedral
2. San Agustin Church
3. Binondo Church
4. Sta. Cruz Church
5. Quiapo Church
6. San Sebastian Church
7. National Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus

We took a jeepney with route going to Sta. Cruz, Pier and dropped at Manila Cathedral, our first destination. The church was closed that time but the Stations of the Cross (a Filipino Catholic tradition or devotion) was done outside.

Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (Manila Cathedral)

The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is a Roman Catholic Minor Basilica in the capital of the Philippines, Manila. Having been destroyed several times by natural disasters and fires during its 400-year history, the current structure standing was completed in 1958, the cathedral's sixth incarnation. (source: WikiPilipinas)

a closer look of Manila Cathedral

Manila Cathedral

From Manila Cathedral, we walked going to San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila.

San Agustin Church

San Agustin Church is the oldest existing church in the Philippines. The San Agustin Church lies inside the walled city of Intramuros located in the capital city Manila. It is the first European stone church to be built in the Philippines designed in Spanish architectural structure. It also houses the legacies of the Spanish conquistadores, Miguel López de Legazpi, Juan de Salcedo and Martín de Goiti who are buried in a tomb underneath the church. (source: WikiPilipinas)

In 1993, San Agustin Church was one of four Philippine churches constructed during the Spanish colonial period to be designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, under the collective title Baroque Churches of the Philippines. (source: Wikipedia)

San Agustin Church

There’s a museum in San Agustin Church (with entrance fee). We didn’t go inside.

San Agustin Museum

San Agustin Museum

Intramuros (near San Agustin Church)

Intramuros (near San Agustin Church)

From Intramuros, we walked to Manila City Hall and then took a jeepney with route going to Divisoria for our third destination, Binondo Church.

Binondo Church

Also known as the Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz, Binondo Church was named after the sacristan, San Lorenzo Ruiz, who was born of a Chinese father and a Filipino mother. He was trained in this church then went to Japan as a missionary, where he was executed for refusing to renounce his religion. He was canonized in 1989. A large statue of the martyr stands in front of the church, being the first Filipino saint. (source: WikiPilipinas)

We went to our fourth up to seventh (last) destination by foot.

Sta. Cruz Church

Quiapo Church

Quiapo Church is one of Manila's most famous churches. It is also known as the "Church of the Black Nazarene" and sometimes referred to as the "Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene." Located in Quiapo, Manila, the church houses a large black wooden statue of Christ bearing the cross (the "Black Nazarene"). This crucifix was carved in Mexico and was brought to the Philippines from Mexico by Spanish galleon in 1767. (source: WikiPilipinas)

San Sebastian Church

The Basilica Minore de San Sebastian is known for its beautiful and distinctive architecture.

National Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus

St. Jude Church is located near Malacañang Palace (the official residence, but not the actual residence, and principal workplace of the President of the Philippines) along J.P. Laurel Sr., Manila. St. Jude is the patron saint of the hopeless cases.

Btw, this post focuses more on travel, information, personal experience and not religion. Till next time! Smile

Hi I'm Ces

Yup I'm OC, randomly obsessed in anything and everything intermittently. Traveling and blogging are some of my obsessions. And if I'm not updating my blog, that means I'm obsessed with other things..

March 17, 2013

La Luz Beach Resort at Laiya, Batangas

Yes! It’s summertime na (yehey!). And, just a perfect time to think and dream beach. Why dream if there are beaches not too far from Manila and some of those are found in Batangas. So if you want to spend summer wisely or don’t have extra money to buy plane tickets going to Boracay with your friends and family of course, nearest beach resort is not a bad idea. I have been to different beach resorts in Batangas and this La Luz Beach Resort in Laiya, San Juan is worth the try.

Near the parking lot is the reception. We were given refreshing welcome drinks there.

One of their staff assisted us to our room. Even the other staff offered us to carry our bags. From the reception going to their rooms/accommodations and vice versa were such an effort cause you really need to go down/climb a number of steps.

Our room was Premier Loft since we were group of 10 including 3 kids. Premier Loft room is furnished with 6 beds: 1 double bed, 4 semi-double beds and 1 pull-out semi-double bed. The other 3 semi-double beds are found in the attic. Btw, room has its own veranda.

If you will notice, their rooms and furnishings are made of native materials even the entire resort.

Inside the room has aircon, open closet and 3 way comfort room with hot & cold shower. Shower room is separate from toilet and sink with vanity mirror.

Towels are provided. There are also hand wash, shampoo w/ conditioner and body wash placed in these containers made of bamboo which are more than enough for us for an overnight use. I like the body wash more for its mint flavor, really refreshing.

I also noticed that there are no TV and ref inside the room. The resort has answer/reason for that which I read from their website, “Management has opted not to place any TV sets or refrigerators in any of the rooms to maintain the natural ambiance.” But no need to be sad cause they have Wi-fi for your gadgets.

Anyway, we have TV and ref in our own home. The reason we travel for more than 2 or 3 hours is to relax; see, feel and enjoy the beach. So here it is..presenting the beach of La Luz!

You will find lots of beach chairs and cabanas with cushions there.

Use of any of the cabanas there are included in your accommodation. You may opt to relax or even sleep there. Each cabanas has its own curtains, cushion, pillow and mini center table for your snacks and drinks.

They even have playground for kids there, another made of native materials.

Activities there are snorkeling, kayaking, diving, volleyball, hiking, etc. You may ask one of the many staff there in La Luz about any of their activities.

La Luz beach is not as impressive as Boracay or any other popular beach in the country. The rooms are not luxurious as well. But when it comes to relaxation, I find their room and bed cozy and comfy. Another thing, what I like about La Luz is the resort is clean even their public comfort rooms. I noticed one of the staff raking the beachfront. You may see staff everywhere who are actually friendly and courteous. I want to share this thing, my son was playing with two other kids on the sand near the playground when my son lost one of his slippers. I approached two of the staff and then helped us finding that slipper with the other staff using a shovel. The end of the story was, the slipper was not found. There’s a saying that if you left something esp. a shoe or a slipper in a place where you’ve never been to before means you will eventually return. Let’s see.. hehe..

And there’s something in this resort that you will find interesting, the food. Guests are required to avail the P1,200 food package per person for an overnight stay, which includes a lunch upon arrival, afternoon snack, dinner and breakfast the following day before checkout. Take note, these are buffets. I will make a separate blog for this, hope to visit my site again :–).