Photographic Memories

Bantayan Island, Cebu City is a perfect hideaway. It is a small island providing a key attraction of long stretch of powdery white sand and crystal clear water that surrounds the island. It has three municipalities but, Santa Fe is mostly visited where you can find most of the wonderful and scenic beaches in Bantayan Island . Cottages are available for tourist or visitors. Photo Credit: ericouano

Toto returns to have a major concert on April 2 at Cebu Waterfront Hotel and on April 3 at the Araneta Coliseum. The group was formed in 1978 at Los Angeles . All in all they have 13 Albums but the most popular albums are Toto IV, Toto Past to Present: 1977-1990 and Toto XX (1977-1997). Their top songs are: Africa , Hold the Line, Rosanna, I won’t Hold You Back. This group has made history in music. My relatives in the Philippines are hoping that they will visit Cagayan de Oro just like the group America .Memories Frozen in Time

The tribu sinanduloy of Tangub City did a repeat performance of its Sinulog Festival presentation last February 10, 2008 at the city plaza. The troupe had represented Tangub during the Sinulog Festival in Cebu City last January 20, 2008, grabbing the top prize in street dancing competition and bagging P500,00 in cash prize. They also won second place in the sinulog-based ritual competition and went home with P300,000.

Everyday scene as a vessel dock at ports. I first encountered this when we went to Cebu City via Cagayan de Oro. They call it Bajao people begging for passengers to toss coins into the water and part of the entertainment they will jump from their bangka/canoe, dive into the water to get the change. I pity those women who bring their infants with them. They just catch the coins by their makeshift open hamper.
Photo Credit: burokhuli

Mango is one of my favorite fruit. Have you tasted the mangoes from Cebu ? I suggest you try their non-fibrous mangoes. They are sweet and delicious. The mango fruit has made Cebu known worldwide. Of course there are different varieties of mango fruit in the whole Philippines but, I just can’t explain the sweetness of their mouthwatering and juicy mango. FACT: When my husband tasted the mangoes, he keeps asking for more. He will always say, LAMI!

A large statue of Lapu Lapu holding a shield and a sword. Lapu Lapu shrine is a 20 meter bronze memorial statue erected on Mactan Island in the Place of Punta Engaño, Cebu City, Philippines, in honor of Datu Lapu-Lapu who defeated the Spaniards and killed Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. To honor the first national hero Cebuano people have contructed a statue and church in Mactan Island. It is now known as Lapu Lapu Shrine, Cebu .

Photo Credit: lorensgibb

Aside from its beaches and Sinulog festival Cebu is also famous for Basilica Minor del Santo Niño Church that was built by Miguel Lopez de Lagaspi and Father Andres Urdanete on the site where the image of Santo Niño was found in 1565. On May 1965, the church was conferred the title of Basilica Minor del Santo Niño by Cardinal Antonuitte, Papal Legate. Today, the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño is an important historical and religious landmark in Cebu , with devotees forming long queues to pay their respects to the Holy Child.

Photo Credit: escanlar

The Sinulog festival is one of the grandest, most distinguished and most colorful festivals in the Philippines . The major festival is held each year on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City to honor the Santo Niño, or the child Jesus, who used to be the patron saint of the whole province of Cebu . The festival features some the country’s most colorful displays of ceremony and pageantry: participants clothe in bright-colored costumes dance to the rhythm of drums and native gongs. The streets are generally lined with vendors and pedestrians all wanting to witness the street-dancing.. It is fundamentally a dance ritual which remembers the Filipino people’s pagan past and their recognition of Christianity.

Photo Credit: unsheathedsword

Camotes Islands located off the coast of Danao City also known as “The Lost Horizon in the South” because of its unspoiled atmosphere. There was a tale that when the Spaniards first arrived in the Camotes Island , they met some natives digging potatoes. They were asked the name of the island. The natives were thinking that they are being asked what they are digging so they replied “Camotes”. Camotes Islands are a group of four islands that are part of Cebu . You can find variety of white sand beaches and tourist attractions that you will enjoy.

Photo Credit: 14887295@N06/1823808249/

Cebu Toaist Temple – Chinese Temple. This is located at Beverly Hills , Cebu City . If you want your fortune read and light joss sticks climb its 99 steps. You can see colorful and dragons, replica of the Great Wall of China . If you reach top you will see a perfect scenic view. There’s also souvenir shops. We stayed at the Waterfront Hotel. In the hotel you can play casino games in the lobby and they offer great foods.

Chinese Taoist Temple