Amazing Race in Cebu

We took off 10am at Tagbilaran's Pier. an hr and 45 mins after we reached Cebu. We took a taxi and head off to Castle's Peak. I was really drowsy since I felt I'm starving. There's only one room available, we have to wait for the sales till 1pm to confirm if there's still an extra room for us unfortunately, they are already fully book. The receptionist referred us to Crown Garden Hotel located along Salinas, tired and hungry we decide to take a taxi and settle at the hotel. We check out the rooms and they are clean and nice. Quickly we leave our things and look for the nearest restaurant. Beside our hotel is Jo's Chicken Inato, we had a very good lunch it was already past 2pm. We took a multi-cab (jeep) going to Ayala Center and bought some stuff. from there we walk to Lahug to check out Waterfront hotel, I wish I brought my privilege card for a 30% discount on rooms. Anyway, the hotel is nice but there are a lot of travelers mostly Koreans which makes the hotel crowded and noisy. We walk back to our hotel, tired! 3km walk from Ayala to Salinas. Anyway, It was already late afternoon so the sun starts to go down. Picture taking along the business district in Cebu and Waterfront was our accomplishments that day. We had a quick rest in our hotel before our dinner. We met Irene, she's a friend of a friend of Arnel, Mike and my brother, She's from Cebu. She suggested to have our dinner at Chickaan and the food is really great. After the dinner we went to Bo's Coffee for a cup of fracinno and freeze. Still early but we decide to call it a night since all of us are dead tired.
We continue our Amazing Race in Cebu, our first stop was Mactan Island to check out Mactan's beach, Paid 350 for Entrance at Cebu Beach Club. 300 is consumble by food. we add a hundred bucks for a buffet lunch. Food's ok. We stay for a couple of hours before we start our City Tour, we to Magellan's Maker and Lapu-Lapu Shrine in Mactan. We asked the taxi driver to drop us at Fort San Pedro we paid 15peso entrance fee each. We had an ice cream stop a store nearby before we continue the tour. It was already almost 4pm, sun's almost down, we walked to Magellan's Cross, then to Basilica Minore de Sto. Nino, light candles and pray, we also visit Cebu Cathedral Church. As we continue to walk we saw Shamrock's store, a highly recommended pasalubong shop according to some friends, we bought some pasalubongs, near Shamrock was Heritage Monument, few pictures and off we go to our last and final stop, the Taboan Market. The Market is famous for danggit and other dried seafoods. After we bought all the pasalubongs we needed we all smell like danggit already, so we quickly look for taxi and head back to hotel. Took a quick rest, it was already a little past 8pm when we decide to have dinner. Since Salinas Drive got a lot of restaurants to offer and since our hotel is located at the middle we decide to walk and check out different restaurant. Since Irene mention to Arnel that we might wanna try AA's BBQ we decide to have our last dinner together in Cebu at the said resto (I'm gonna write a seperate entry for all the restos we've tried). Near our hotel is Royal Spa, we decided to have a massage to pamper ourselves after the few days of tiring but fun tours. Garry, Emer and Mike had a body massage while I avail the foot massage service. It was already 1pm when we finish. We had an hour of kuwentuhan at chickahan before we finally sleep.
We woke up late. Irene invited us for a lunch at CnT lechon. We went to Taoist Temple to check out the biggest temple in the Philippines. Tired and Dehydrated, we all went to Ice Castle for a serving of special halo-halo each. It was around 4pm when we all decided for a last pamper me massage. I and Arnel avail their body massage while Emer, Garry and Mike ask for a foot massage service. It was already past 6 when we all finish our last pamper me in Cebu. Garry and Arnel's flight is 830 so they should be at the Airport around 730. Since our flight was still 1050. We went to SM City Cebu to kill time. Mike watched Harry Potter, while Emer and I window shopped. We had our dinner at Dessert Factory. Their malls are much like malls here in Manila. Items at the department store are same as we have here. Their appliances and electronic devices are cheaper. It was already 9pm when we decide to head off to the airport. We check in our things and waited for our flight back to Manila.
Our Cebu trip was really really tiring although I can still say it's worth it for first timers like us. If I will visit Cebu again, I won't spend much time in the city but to the near provinces where beaches are wonders. Next stop? who knows? but there's one thing we 5 are very sure at, this won't be our last adventure.
Also read: Food Tripping in Cebu
More Cebu Pictures