One of the things that I love as a freelance writer is the ability to keep on working while traveling. I can always accompany my husband wherever he goes and tag along my toddler to mix work and family time. And one of the cities we frequently visit is Bacolod City or the City of Smiles which is also the capital of Negros Occidental, noted for its sugar production.

Chalet's lobby

One of the finest and newest accommodations in the city is L’Fisher Chalet Tower II or simply Chalet.  It is like the extension of the already famous L’Fisher Hotel but newer and more modern. It was my first time staying in this posh hotel in Bacolod and indeed I was really satisfied and had a wonderful time. My requisite for a good hotel is to have an internet access in its rooms and a pool for my child to exert all his energy. And L’Fisher Chalet Tower II has more than that.

In terms of service, they did a good job. The staff were accommodating and friendly without being nosy or crossing our personal space as guests. And the hotel seemed too big for all guest that I didn’t feel stressed when all guests had their breakfasts or their pool was not crowded with swimmers. In short, it is really a place to unwind while in the city of Bacolod.

Roofdeck at night

Other amenities and facilities offered in the Chalet are its salon, spa, fitness room and of course their restaurant.  So the next time you are traveling to Bacolod or looking for a place to stay, book a room in L’Fisher Chalet Tower II.

Cocoon, the hotel's spa

My son loved their pizza!

For room rates, click here!

Related Article

Mambukal Resort

I always love traveling to Negros especially on a road trip for this island has plenty of wonderful scenerios from its wide sugarcane plantations to lush mountains. As a freelance writer, you can surely get many things to feature and write. And just this month, we traveled again for my brother’s wedding in Kabankalan City. The city has progressed a lot since I last visited it some 5 years ago and one of my discoveries was Zaycoland Resort and Hotel.

I love this vintage car..

If you are traveling to the city or planning to have a stop-over, this is a good place to stay. Strategically located in the middle of Bacolod City and Dumaguete, it is nice to stay in Zaycoland for a night’s rest before continuing your road trip. I also heard that many residents of Kabankalan are now living overseas, so if you prefer to spend your vacation in the city aside from holidays to Orlando perhaps, then check in to Zaycoland Resort and Hotel.

their pool....

The resort is quite simple, no extra frills in their amenities and facilities. They have facilities that is just right for a good stay like internet access, pool, restaurant just like any resort for holidays in Orlando. But what I like about this place which prompted me to feature it here is how warm they were to us. It was like staying in a home-stay rather than a plain resort.

The resort's restaurant

While sleeping, we woke up in a sauna-like temperature and it turned out that there was something wrong with their AC. We called them and it was amazing that their maintenance crew was awake ( fully!) and tried to fix it. We never waited for a long time since they let us transfer to another room—bigger and better! Yipee!

To sum it all, I wish to stay in Zaycoland Resort and Hotel in one of our future trips in Negros particularly when I’m on an assignment as a freelance writer. For more information and photos, visit their website. Click here!

This year, summer seemed to have come early with the occurrence of the El Niño that left many places in the country not just with a very hot temperature but shortage in water. And it was a relief when we decided to spend some family time in Mambukal Resort a day after my brother’s wedding in Negros.

Mambukal's relaxing Lagoon

This government-run resort in the town of Murcia was literally our oasis as it was filled with water with lush and virgin forest. Frankly speaking, this resort doesn’t seem like a government-run resort as it is well maintained and clean (sorry but I’m just being honest ). And as a freelance writer, this is a great place to feature in this blog. This place is something that we should be proud of even to international tourists who might be interested in spending some time in the country aside from taking New York City Breaks.

My boys having fun in the Dipping Pool

The resort has many pools like the children’s pool but my favorite was the dipping pool filled with its relaxing hot water from one of its hot springs. The water was hotter than the ones in Camiguin and it was sad that I can’t dip my whole body due to my pregnancy. I just have to settle dipping my legs and watching my boys having fun in the pool. I also saw some Americans having a good time in the pool obviously coming  from their New York City Breaks.

Pool Entrance fee- 50 for adults and 20 for kids...

The dipping pool reminds of the Japanese onsen or hot baths as it is placed in a natural setting of tall tress with bats flying above. Yes, Mambukal resort is home to some endangered species of Philippine bats also known as the flying foxes.

they are not fruits but bats hanging...

Not far from the dipping pool is the sulfur spring which we failed to visit since we arrived a little bit late. But my sister who came early said it was really hot with some parts of the pool boiling and sulfur was a little bit pungent. Too bad, it could have been a chance to naturally treat some skin problems of mine.lol!

I still need to visit Mambukal Resort again to fully visit and experience this lovely natural attraction in Negros. I wish to fully dip in that hot dipping pool, check out the sulfur spring and climb all the way to the waterfalls. So for your summer destination, travel to Bacolod which is the gateway to Mambukal Resort.

Here are some photos from our Mambukal trip:

Ishiwata Bath House. Newly renovated but first built in 1920s

Don't know if there are really butterflies in there..

Massage, facial, pedicure and manicure...

so relaxing

No, you’re not in the Mountain Province but in Negros, the island rather known for its vast sugarcane plantations.  Codcod terraces is one of the attractions in San Carlos City, a first-class city in Negros Occidental.  For my family, this city is our gateway to Cebu and Iloilo during roadtrips as this city faces Tañon Strait that separates Cebu and Negros; you can take a ferry to cross the islands.

Way back in my college days, I saw the beginning of this terraces as local farmers gradually carved out the mountains and I was already impressed with it. And during our last trip to Cebu, it was breathtaking as it already carved out a whole mountain. I can’t imagine the beauty of those centuries-old rice terraces in Ifugao, Banaue and the rest of the Moutain Province which are larger than the ones in Codcod.

Aside from its beauty, this terraces in Codcod is like a landmark for me. Located 28 kilometers from the center of San Carlos City, it is my sign that we are almost or leaving San Carlos City. For the residents, it is a great help in their rice production making Codcod as the rice granary and vegetable garden of San Carlos.

You can’t miss this terraces if you are on a road trip via Don Salvador Benedicto and it is one of the snenic landscapes that the island of Negros can offer to you. We often consume so much time stopping as we take some pics and drink native coffee along the way. And Codcod terraces is one of them.

Hence, if you can stop and take some pics with Codcod terraces. Enjoy some moments as you breathe fresh air and feel the cool breeze.

Bacolod City is not only the “City of Smile” but the city of chicken inasal where there are many restaurants specializing in this local cuisine as well as those sold along the streets. Inasal means, “grilled” in Ilonggo and comes from the Spanish word “asar“.  If you happen to be in this city, never miss eating their own chicken inasal.

Like the usual Filipino way of grilling meat, chicken inasal is grilled marinated chicken cuts from thighs (“paa”), breasts (“pecho”) and even its tail or preening gland ( chicken butt?) that is known as “iwi”. The marinade used is made of condiments from soy sauce, vinegar along with herbs and spices; of course, they have their secret ingredients for their marinade. Chicken cuts are then skewered in bamboo sticks before grilling over charcoal.

The traditional way of eating inasal is by hand as it is served with hot rice wrapped in banana leaves. With the juicy chicken inasal and smell of the banana leaves – who needs an appetizer? You are also served with calamansi ( local Philippine lemon) along with their soy sauce and vinegar for you to dip the meat. But with its flavorful chicken inasal, you can simply dig in to this sumptous feast.

In Bacolod City, the famous places to eat chicken inasal are Chicken House and Manokan Country. They have many branches in the city and  you can definitely spot one while you are touring around the city. Better yet, you can ask the taxi driver to drop you off to the best place to east chicken inasal in Bacolod.

Photo by: Ace Francisco

Related Articles:

Ancestral Homes in Silay City

Don Mariano Ledesma Locsin’s Mansion

Taste an Angel with Diwal

]]> http://www.valcaulin.com/article/bacolods-chicken-inasal/640/feed/ 3 http://www.valcaulin.com/article/kapehan-sa-silay/505/ http://www.valcaulin.com/article/kapehan-sa-silay/505/#comments Thu, 23 Jul 2009 03:11:25 +0000 admin http://www.valcaulin.com/?p=505

With my site’s tagline “freelance writer and coffee addict”, it’s not unusual for me to write a post about coffee. My entries revolving around my Silay and Talisay trip may seem overrated or long overdue but my short trip to those cities gave me countless tales to share.

One of these was our coffee experience and for any real coffee lover, not just  for those who drink for the sake of looking “intellectual” or European; native coffee is the king of the brews..Our coffee experience in Silay City was nothing fancy like any coffee shop sprouting all over the country but purely good coffee–the aroma, the “body” and of course, the flavor.

The island of Negros is not just known for sugarcane  plantations and sugar but for coffee lovers too. Even before the neo-colonialism of Starbucks in the country and the pop culture of drinking coffee; Negrenses as the locals are known have been enjoying their coffee all throughout the day and households roast and brew their own coffee. And so when I started planning for our trip, I was listing down coffee as one of the “things to do”.

It may be on top of my list but we did it almost at the end of our trip. But as the common saying goes, “it’s worth the wait”!.

Kapehan Sang Silay, is like the official coffeehouse in the city with the affluent mixing with the “common” people. When we woke up a little bit late than we planned, we went straight to Kapehan Sang Silay. From afar, you can see some nice cars parking in front of a modest establishment and when we entered, there was really no fancy with the interiors. The cafe was so simple and the people though looking at us were so laid back puffing their cigarettes and as I assume discussing the day’s affairs of cockfighting and harvests..

When we got our coffee..it was a sight to behold. The color of the coffee and its distinct native aroma was heaven for me. Forgive me for I can’t find another word to describe my first sip..it was “orgasmic”.

The placewas very simple with the best coffee..people visit the cafe simply for their coffee as observed by my companion. It was also a time for me to let my “neophyte” coffee-lover friend to distinguish native from instant coffee; and it took him another cup to taste the difference ( he was busy taking his shots that his first cup was cold when he had the chance to drink it).

I guess, it was the best part of our trip and there was a reason why we had our coffee during our last day. What a perfect way to “end” our trip in the memorable cities of Silay and Talisay with a cup of native coffee..how I wish the rest of my coffee-lover friends were there to sip the peninsulares of the coffee world.

When I got home,  I never had another cup of coffee for that day( I usually have 3-4 cups in a day)..the coffee I had in Silay perked me up throughout the day. And I hesitated to make another cup of instant Nescafe, I felt like betraying the native coffee of Negros.

To end this somewhat boring travelogue with coffee addicts can only relate to…if you are in Silay, drop a visit to Kapehan sa Silay which is just across the Parish church of the city to have the best coffee break.

Photos by: Ace Francisco

Located in the main street of Silay City is the one of the most famous ancestral houses turned museum in the city- Bernardino Jalandoni Museum. The museum along with Balay Negrense are the only ones of the 31 ancestral houses that are open to the public showcasing many of the original and centuries old items of the family.

The Jalandoni Family

The house is very impressive in terms of how preserved and intact it is amidst time particularly with the Second World War. I can say that the residents of the house for hundreds of years really took good care of it as well as the interior pieces like their tables, pianos and cutlery. Some of the furniture pieces hailed from Austria and other parts of Europe where the master of the house frequently traveled.

The Curator showing us the Doll Collection located at the old warehouse of the house

It helps that they have a curator who is very knowledgable with all the properties of the Jalandoni family and relate it to how affluent they really are. It’s nice to learn something and a lot of things from people who have mastery of what they are into.

We learned that this type of chair is also for birthing purposes ( see the wide arm rest?)

Going back, the house is very spacious with as expected have timeless and priceless pieces from their sewing machine to their wooden ice box used as a fridge. Since it is a museum, they have many things mostly photos and books donated by the National Institute. The curator ( sorry, I forgot his name) was very nice and I highly suggest any history class to visit the Bernanrdino Jalandoni Museum.  Judging from the stories of the curator and from the house itself – I cannot quite imagine how wealthy and powerful the family was.

Photos by: Ace Francisco

When we speak of  ancestral homes in the Philippines, we always think of Vigan in Ilocos which is no doubt a place that will bring you back to the Spanish times. But with my own ignorance, I overlooked a neighboring city where I lived that is also famous and known for its ancestral homes – Silay City.

Every blog and article will always mention that this city lying very close to Bacolod City in Negros Occidental is the “Paris of Negros”. With more than 31 delcared heritage homes, this is an Eden for those who are interested of our local heritage.  With this, Silay has more declared ancestral heritage homes throughout the country. Of the 31 heritage homes, only you can visit at least two which are open to the public like the Balay Negrense and the Berdardino Jalandoni Museum.Even there local Tourism Office is literally housed in an ancestral home, fondly referred as the “Green House”.

We tried to see all 31 of them and we wish we had a “map” of all the ancestral homes. It is very easy to locate them, since it follows the traditional status quo during the Spanish times these homes are located very close to the town square or plaza and parish church.

Ancestral homes are not new to me and living in Iloilo City specifically in Jaro district where old houses thrived with modern buildings, I was still very much in awe with the ancestral houses in Silay City. Its main “feature” is that they are located close to each other making this city a great venue for walking tours. Until now, I’m longing to go back to Silay with its laidback, carefree and still has the elegant touch of living their everyday life.

Photos by: Ace Francisco

A “must-see attraction” in Talisay City, very close to Bacolod City in Negros Occidental is “The Ruins”. As what it’s name says, it a “ruin” of mansion of a sugar baron way back in the early 19th century, Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson.

This extravagant abode is lavishly decorated with intricate designs, from shell-inspired edges to their names’ initials,  Spanish tiles and a four-tiered water lily fountain. From a simple or even scary old remnant of a mansion to a popular attraction, people who are behind is “comeback” deserves a warm of applause.

A-grade mixture of concrete made this structure triumphed over time

When we first laid our eyes on her amidst the tall sugarcanes and under the heat of the sun..it was simply striking, like looking at a femme de monde. It stands so proud and elegant, never worn out and when we arrived after walking for more than 2.4 kilometers ( whew!), the mansion is really a marvelous sight.

We paid for 40 pesos for the entrance fee and you can freely walk on its well-manicured lawn, take some awesome shots and just reminisce how lavishly these elite people used to live. They have a semi haute cuisine restaurant serving pasta and some recipes of the Lacson family with impressive live jazz music.

I have told my companion that I dont agree with its name “The Ruins” and I have said it many times. The old mansion is more than just “the ruins” for me. I would just prefer to call it “the old mansion” for though it has its ill-fated story;burned for days by the local guerilla fighters during the Second World War, you cannot deny how grand and luxurious this home is.

Photos by: Ace Francisco

Days before our Silay and Talisay tour, I jotted down specific things that I want to do during our 2 day trip. When I came home last Monday, I checked what I wrote in my last entry, “What I Want to Do in Silay and Talisay City” and I did almost all of them.

Here they are:

this is real coffee for me...

1. Sip the hottest native coffee ( this way I can enjoy my conversation with someone).

Though, it was my number one  “thing to do”,  we did during our last day at past 8 am in the morning. But it was all worth it! The best coffee in town and really perked me up all throughout the day and made Ace differentiate native and instant coffee..

2. Eat breakfast outside of our pension house before the break of dawn..in the town square perhaps?

We were able to sleep in wee hours in the morning, thanks to the passing motorcycles and Ceres buses, so we woke up quite late already. But we ate in a small and arroz caldohan ( Rice Stew) close to the Silay Public Market. For two bowls of arroz caldo with hard boiled egg and two cold bottles of Mountain Dew for only 48 pesos, who would crave for Jollibee?

3. Walking cardio exercise along the sugarcane plantation going to The Ruins.

What can I say, it more than cardio exercise – walking more than 2.4 kilometers under the heat of the afternoon sun.

4. Gaze at The Ruins as the orange rays of the sun illuminate it.

I’m no expert when it comes to photography, I leave it to my buddy. But the reddish clouds that Ace was hoping for wasn’t able to “reach” the Ruins. But still, I gazed at the mansion at sunset and it was simply very picturesque!

5. Eat the famous Guapple Pie of El Ideal Bakery in Silay City.

We visited this bakery twice for an afternoon coffee break and for my pasalubongs for my friends. But there was no pie available when we got there, still I savored there traditionally baked cookies and they were scrumptious!

6. Give a boring on-the-spot History lesson to the photographer on “The Rise and Fall of the Sugar Industry in Negros” as we traverse the 2.4 kilometer rough road going to The Ruins.

I think I gave him more than this..instant lesson on the go..

7. Getting lost while commuting.

Thanks to my confidence in land navigation, we walked along the national highway of Talisay City looking for “Banga Lawson” that was supposed to bring us to The Ruins.

8. Feel or see some ghosts or any paranormal beings in the ancestral houses.

Creepy Balay Negrense, one of the two open-for-the-public ancentral houses was one creepy place!

9.  Roam around Silay City late at night until we can hear the cocks singing their morning songs.

We  walked around the city late at night with bystanders looking at us. With Ace’s sturdy tripod, we felt safe! haha…Ace took some amazing night shots of the ancestral houses though it was very creepy for us.

10. Take photos, have great conversations and write some interesting tales.

Did the first two and I’m just starting with the last one.

More tales to come!

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