March6. Day4 of the Air Asia Philippines. Media Tour.
I woke up early to have some toast, sunny side up and hotdogs paired with coffee for breakfast. The coffee is pretty good. Its not the usual instant 3in1 coffee mix. It’s brewed. . Great way to start the day, I must say.
By 730AM we were picked up by the shuttle. And headed to Ipil Suites to pick up other members of the Media.
After bags were loaded in the shuttle. We travelled south back to Puerto Princesa. But before heading straight to our destination. We made a quick stop in the town of Taytay and viisted the Santa Isabel fort. A fortification. Built during the Spanihs era and named after the Spanish queen. Inside the fort is a small museum that houses i teresting facts about the fort. There also. A skeleton ofthe irawaddy dolphin caught of the shores of Taytay.
There’s also an old chapel on top of the hill. Perfect for intimate weddings. Overlooking the fort is a Hollywood-ish installation placed on top of the mountain.
It’s cute. NOT. . I wonder why the local government ever thought of this project. It’s ugly. It destroys the natural beauty of the verdant mountains. I would just hope that this would not set precedent to other LGUs in Setting up fugly signs like this.
Que Horror.
From Taytay we headed straight to Puerto Princesa for our lunch and city tour.
And my legs were aching like hell. Blame it on the ping pong game I did yesterday. Signs of aging. . Hay…
Anyway, just in time for lunch we finally arrived at the capital of the province of Palawan.
We had our lunch at the Emerald Beach where kite surfing competition was also held. But too bad the winds that time were not strong enough to see them soar above the seas.
After our lunch we started our quick city tour. I know i have done this before but just the same, i still feel excited when we arrived at our first destination.: Binuatan Creations.
Been here before but i am still amazed and impressed at what they’re doing. Who would have thought that from a seemingly useless grass like tikog and amumuting. Can be transformed into a more valuable items like handbags placemats table runners. Etc. Lovely! As a believer of the #BuyLocal advocacy. I immediately went inside the showroom to buy some locally made items.
From Binuatan. We then went to Plaza Cuartel. Probably one of the most significant sites in Palawan during the war time era. . This is where scores of American prisoners of war Were killed in a fire by the Japanese troops. Probably one of the saddest story I ever heard.
From plaza Cuartel we walked a few meters away going to the Princesa Eulalia Park. . Princesa Eulalia was the daughter of the Queen of Spain and the capital of Palawan. Was also named after her.
After we visited the park, we then headed to the War Museum. The museum houses an impressive collection of war artifacts and memorabilias. . It even has a section that showcases weapons used by the Mindanao people like the Maranao brass words and shields.
But I’m starting to feel tied and sleepy already. So i just skimmed through. The collections and did not listen to the guide.
Our tour continues. And this time we stopped at the Palawan Heritage center. The museum houses contemporary artworks made by local artists. It also showcases the various awards and recognitions. Received by Palawan For its topnotch eco tourism initiatives.
A section of the mueum is also devoted to highlighting the amazing flora and fauna of the province. . Preserved birds were displayed in glass cases. A reproduction of the famed Manunggul jar can also be seen here. The Manunggul jar can be found featured on the old P1000 Bill. It was believed to be a seco dary burial jar found in Southern Palawan. The original jar is now safely kept at the National Museum of the Filipino People.
Another interesting section of the museum is probably one of the most renowned in the pop culture generation: a large glass case fulll of memorabilia from the movie “Ploning”. . The movie, shot in th northern island of Cuyo placed the island into much prominence. There were photobooks, movie tickets movie posters. On display. Ploning’s simple yellow blouse and pencil cut skirt, which was worn by actress Judy Ann Santos is also on display. . .
After making rounds at the Heritage Center. We then headed to our final stop: at La Terrasse Café. The restaurant. Serves good Frrnch-inspired dishes. . For starters. We had duck confit. Wait. Oh Lord.. I totally forgot the names of the dishes served to us. . But Iswear to the heavens above. Everything’s good!
And to cap our dinner experience… . As the cliché goes “Save the Best for Last” we has the Palaweño Craft Beer.
After I got sick last year. I decided to ditch alcohol., for good. . But this one’s worth a try! .
I tried th honey Kolsch. Variety. The aroma is kinda sweet. The flavor is smooth and not a hint of bitterness (we all hate in beers!)
The Ayahay Honey Kolsch is brewed by Palaweño Brewery. The first and only craft beer Brewery in Palawan. And soon enough theyll be launching craft beer tours too! Part of the tour is beer pairing, beer tasting 101. Interesting indeed!
It was past 7PM when we finished our dinner and quick beer appreciation lessons. Afterwhich we then headed to Puerto Princesa airport to check in and fly back to Manila.
It was a fun-filled exciting 4-day trip to Palawan. Thanks to Air Asia Philippines for letting us experience the Qorld’s Best Island. This is just the start of my summer. Season. . I am hoping for more adventures in the coming days and weeks ahead.
Many thanks to Air Asia Philippines for inviting me to join the trip to Palawan. Follow. Air Asia Philippines on Twitter and Instagram at @airasiaph