Thailand Chronicles: The Ancient City

For our first day at Bangkok , we decided to take the 

Ancient City Tour. 

It entails a half day guided tour of the world's largest living outdoor museum, where Thailand's past is re-created in its full splendor.

So even if we have just arrived at Bangkok at three in the morning, lacking sleep and only a late breakfast to fill our bellies, Mr. OSG, me and two of our friends were swished away to a 45 minute coach ride from The Montien Hotel (were we stayed) to the Ancient City.

Our tour guide, Chatchai Jitima, whom we fondly call "Chat" for the engrossing chit-chats he always engages us in. We were so entertained with his witty remarks and informative trivia about Thailand. I am also happy to note that despite his age, he was so full of energy in showing us around the 200-acre park. The Ancient city reminded me of a a more majestic Nayong-Pilipino park back home. 

The Ancient City, as we were told by Chat is maintained by a very rich Thai gentleman. Through his love for his country, decided to recreate outstanding replicas of Thai architecture, its history and way of life. So basically, this park is like seeing the whole of Thailand in one gigantic area. 

The temples featured here were imitations of the real thing down to the minute details like this 3D wood carving you will also see in the actual temple. It is stressed by Chat to be hand carved.

and this hand painted mural on the wall of the Grand Palace replica, which I must say is painstakingly done and an original piece even if our guide tells us everything is just a replica of the real thing. 

And the mother of pearl detailing in this royal daybed which can also be seen in the Grand Palace.

It was a good decision for us to visit the Ancient City first thing since our arrival in this exciting city. It was a rare treat for tourists like us to be able to take pictures inside the replica temples... 

...and the Grand Palace or the Dusit Maha Prasat Palace, the only remaining example of a traditional Thai palace left in Thailand...

...which we never could do in real temples and palaces scattered all throughout Bangkok. Since the Buddhist monks wouldn't allow us to violate their most sacred places of worship by taking photos.

This is another temple inside the Ancient City which as I recall  Chat saying is not in existence anymore in the city. 

The Ancient City Tour is a half day tour which you can book daily either in the morning or afternoon. It is being offered by the World Travel Service Ltd. for a fee of Baht 1,770 per person. Fees includes one hour travel by air conditioned couch to and from hotel pick up points to the Ancient City along with entrance fees and an English speaking guide. 


For inquiries, you can get in touch with the tour operator at tel (662) 2335900-9 or email them at: kusa@mozart.inet.co.th or visit their website here. 

Fans and Silk Scarves @ Chinatown (Singapura Series)

In our frequent visits to Chinatown in Singapore, there was this one shop there where they sell silk paper fans and authentic Chinese silk  and wool scarves which caught our fancy. This is the Hwa Yi Investments Co. Ltd store at 20 Trengganu Street. 

They have an assortment of paper and silk fans with hand-painted designs and an array of scarves even chopsticks and other fancy souvenirs made of wood such as cigar boxes and jewelry boxes. Their wide collection of chopsticks like below also caught my eye since I couldn't imagine using such beautiful work of art for eating! Most are made from the finest bamboo and hand painted with designs and some with Chinese characters. Too bad I was too caught up choosing designs for the S$1 fans I thought were good deals for a unique souvenir that I forgot to ask for the prices of the chopsticks. :) Sorry, I'll take a rain-check on these and blog about it next time. 

The store was manned by a fellow Pinay who was so nice that we couldn't help but buy a few items for pasalubong back home. She's the one in pink below. :) She was able to sales talk us into buying a few trinkets even if the  items were a bit pricey for me.  Some of the fans they sell like the pure silk fan displayed below go from S$50 to S$268 for big ones. But then if you look at the quality and craftsmanship of the items they sell, you wouldn't wonder why their so pricey.

My cousin bought a brown leopard print wool scarf for S$49 below. Which is actually a good deal considering that it is real wool and has a dual purpose of keeping you really warm and fashionable as well. If only I also have plans (well more of the means..hehe) of going to the US, maybe I would've bought one for myself as well. 

Besides wool scarves, they also have pure Chinese silk scarves with hand-painted designs and plain pashminas that  are sort of like real eye candy for me. 

For myself, I bought this silk fan with hand painted design on real high quality bamboo and wood for S$22. Considering that I saw fans like this at Rustan's for about Php 1,500. It was a really good buy for me. :) Love my new fan!

How to Get There
- MRT Station Outram Park or Chinatown. MRT is the fastest mode of public transport as compared to public buses. If you are taking buses, get off at Eu Tong Sen Street.

Singapura's Chinatown

Chinatown. It seems that wherever we go around the world, there is a town solely run and inhabited by Chinese migrants in a certain country. It may be due to the fact that the Chinese are clannish, they like to stick together and build communities among their own so they can preserve their culture and way of life. The Chinatown in Singapore comes not as an exception.

Singapura's Chinatown is one of the most visited cultural enclave in this vibrant city. It is a fusion of the old with the new. As you walk along its streets, you will notice pre-war shop houses and quaint boutique hotels that are teeming with the richness of the Chinese culture. 

If you are shopping for souvenirs, this is the place to get them. There are rows and rows of shops that sell the cheapest souvenirs in all of Singapore.

As we walked along Trengganu Street, I've noticed that the price started to go low from a 5pcs for S$10 to a 10 for S$10 trinket! So tip for you,  don't just go buying that keychain you find as you enter the street, exercise a little and you will find more cheap souvenirs as you wound around Chinatown.

If you feel hungry, never fret, since Smith St. offers the yummiest fares in Chinatown. The whole street is literally lined with hawker stalls and restaurants. Just take your pick.

Also check out: Temple Street and Pagoda Street  named after the Hindu temple, Sri Mariamman Temple, located on the South Bridge Road end of the street.

Taste and Feel of the New Gala

Gala Bakeshop is setting new heights in the local bakery business. With the intro of breads made from the “Gala Blend” a secret bread recipe developed exclusively for Gala Bakeshop. So loyal customers can be assured of consistency of quality and taste in all of their breads regardless whether you buy your bread from the Cannery, Polomolok branch or from the Mabuhay Rd, Gensan branch. The people at Gala Bakeshop continues to develop new tastes in breads and cakes inside their test kitchen at Cannery branch Polomolok which is still spearheaded by Gala’s matriarch and founder – Mrs. Marita G.

Among other things new in Gala is the intro of its new and improved logo… (shown on the lower right of their Cookies and Creme Cake).

Gala Enterprises’ main branch also had a major makeover this year to keep up with the modernity of the times. The facade had a major make-over featuring the grocery, bakery and the hardware sections of Gala Enterprises. Excuse the wires.. because although Gala has a new look, we can't do anything about the wires from the electric posts. :) 

People from Cannery, Polomolok would love the new look, along with a Refreshment area upstairs where customers can enjoy Gala’s delicious breads and other fares. 

Enjoy these yummy treats in the Refreshment area of Gala Enterprises: 


Gala's own Halo-Halo... to beat the summer heat, get a load of this cool treat.It has more "halo" than its other counterparts in the area trust me!

Short orders are also available, like the much ordered Batchoy and the yummylicious Spaghetti they serve with garlic bread. To find out what separates this pasta from the same fare served in other eateries... is for you to find out! 

And of course, who could forget Gala's delectable Meatbread (with choices of pork, chicken or tuna filling). It is clearly a bestseller! More and more people from the area are ordering this yummy bread not just for 'merienda' but for 'pasalubongs' when they go to Manila. 

 To sample these treats, head on over to a Gala Bakeshop near you.They have branches in the Polomolok-Gensan areas:

• Cannery Site, Polomolok - right across Dolefil Pedestrian Gate
• Zennia St., Polomolok
• Miranda St., Poblacion, Polomolok - right across the public market
• Block 8, Dadiangas Heights, General Santos City
• Pendatun and Santol Streets,General Santos City (near the oval plaza)
• Mabuhay Road, General Santos City (at the road going to ABS-CBN studio)

Sun Shines Down on Mindanao

I have been a satisfied Sun Cellular user for a number of years now. I use to own two post paid plans from two different service provider. But with the continuous improvement in the coverage of Sun Cellular, I decided to give up my other post paid plan  in favor of Sun for the following reasons:

• Cost - efficient plans - imagine 3 phonelines for a Plan 999 compared to the same plan with a single line on other networks
• Unlimited texts and calls - of course at first, this is not a very attractive offer but as subscribers using Sun increase, this feature is very well appreciated. Almost everybody has a Sun line nowadays, so there is no problem calling or texting anyone on my phonebook.
• Improved signal - compared to a few years back when I have to climb a coconut tree so I could use my Sun cell, now I'm proud to say that my phone's signal is usually on full bars around the Polomolok and Gensan area.
• Affordable Group Plans - only Sun offers group plans with options for unlimited call and texts as well as Sun Anti-Bill Shock Plans that are friendly for SMEs like us. At present, our hardware stores including all the branches of Gala Bakeshop are all interconnected thanks to the affordable group plans of Sun Cellular. :)

Photo courtesy of Mr. Ariel Lalisan

In line with this, I am happy to let you know that Sun is finally shining down on us here at Mindanao. Take it from the official press release brought to us by visiting Sun Cellular Executives: Mr. James Arthur Lim and Ms. Jocel Adorable, Assistant VP for Marketing Services: 


Sun Cellular's Chief Operating Officer Charles Lim, said they will be strengthening their network coverage in areas of Mindanao to include Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Camiguin, Zamboanga, Tawi-Tawi, Dinagat Island, Compostela Valley, Sulu, parts of Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro and Davao del Sur among others . “The demand for our best-value products and services in Mindanao is immense, hence we prioritized this region in the initial phase of our network enhancement program for 2012,” he explained.

Lim added, “Sun is improving its signal strength in Mindanao to provide its subscribers wider network coverage and more reliable service especially in key areas in the region such as Davao, General Santos, and Cagayan de Oro. We want those in Mindanao to optimize their experience of our unlimited call and text service, as well as the value-for money bucket load and postpaid plans that Sun has been providing its subscribers nationwide.”

Sun Cellular has been known for its best value product offering such as the Text Unlimited 150 which allows customers to text other Sun subscribers unlimited for 30 days and the Text Unlimited 200 which also includes 500 texts to other networks aside from the 30-day unlimited Sun-to-Sun texts. “Mindanao is an important market for us. Local and national officials from the region have been sending us letters on behalf of their constituents and we’d just like to say we have heeded their call ,” Lim enthused.

Lim revealed that the Mindanao network improvement will just be the initial salvo of network enhancement programs that Sun has lined-up this year. “We will be augmenting our existing 6,000 plus cell sites and will further strengthen coverage which will also be felt in the areas of North Luzon and the Visayas region, wherever there is a demand for Sun’s affordable communication products and services,” he said.

 This will include improving indoor coverage through the use of in-building solutions and high gain antennae in strategic locations. The network improvement program also involves optimizing exisiting cellsites to boost both 2G and 3G signals.

Fagioli Coffee Club

Twice a week my little girl has scheduled Kumon class works, which gives mommy a reason to visit Gensan often. And during those times, I have the pleasure of having precious  time for myself - away from the headache of running the store... the piles of dishes to do and the amount of cooking that has to be done at home. In these valuable "me" times, I get to enjoy my time at one of my favorite coffee shops -  the Fagioli Coffee Club  (as often as you can say caffeine).

What can I say, caffeine gives me the relief and the boost i sometimes need to perk up my boring day. At Fagioli, they provide the ambiance that's cozy and welcoming and they play the most wonderful light jazz music that really gives me the enthusiasm to write and plan my week (i'm a plan-freak..i always plan my week including the menu at home, etc, etc). :)

One of my favorite fraps to order is their original blend of Mocha Java  with Mint (P110). The sweetness for me is just right with just the right amount of creaminess. They have a number of cold coffee concoctions to choose from such as the Irish Cream Ciocolatta (P90) or the Choco-Banana frappe that I order if I have my little girl along with me.

At times when I really want a stronger dose of caffeine, I go for their espresso coffee. A bit strong but just fine for my taste. The Cafe Mocha with Peppermint  is a must try for those who have the sweet tooth and crave for something minty. I dont know why but peppermint really goes well with either coffee or choco. It brings out the richness of the coffee or cocoa taste. And this particular type of concoction is one of my favorites.

For the non-coffee drinker, they also offer a variety of choices from different flavored iced and hot teas to chocolate drinks. They also have a selection of yummy desserts and cakes to pair with your favorite coffee or tea drink.

The Fagioli Coffee Club is located at the Ground level of KCC Mall of Gensan and another at Kare Petron Service Station along Jose Catolico Avenue, General Santos city. 

Paraiso Verde Resort and Water Park - RELOADED

The Wiggles Kiddie Pool

I just came back from one of the prime water parks in this side of South Cotabato. I don’t usually blog about a certain place more than twice but this place calls for another round of commendations. Excuse my title “reloaded” for lack of a better word. J But since my last visit at the resort, me and my family had the pleasure of being treated yet again to a wonderful experience at Paraiso Verde Resort. Oh and if you’ve missed my first post about this water park… you can check it out here.

After attending the christening of Mr. OSG’s newest godson, we decided to bring swimming gears and bathing suits since the reception was held at the Maya Pavilion of Paraiso Verde Resort. And it was a really good decision since as soon as we arrived at the resort’s parking lot, someone was eager enough to dive off the pool. You guessed wrong, it wasn’t my little girl but it was me. Hehe. 

The Maya Pavilion is an open marquee which can accommodate up to 200 guests inside an area of about 300 square meters. The perfect venue for your swimming parties or company outings. If you would like to have your wedding reception here, my suggestion is to do it around dinner time since the sun can be scorching hot at midday. But don’t fret since the owners are thinking about enclosing the entire gazebo in glass so that they can have it air-conditioned! Now that’s something we would surely look forward to in the near future! J

Photo courtesy of  their website 

The resort hasn’t changed much since our last visit. Its facilities are well maintained. The numerous pools still gets the “oohs” and “aaahs” from its guests especially in the 2-16 year old category! – correction even the lolos and lolas are having fun in the resort.

Operating Hours:  The resort is open between 9AM till 5:30PM during weekdays and 9AM to 7PM during weekends and holidays.  They open daily except Tuesdays or Wednesdays (depending on whether Tuesday falls on a holiday). They reserve these day  for their  weekly maintenance. 

Entrance Fees. For guests 4ft tall and above be prepared to shell out P250. Kids 2ft -4ft tall can come inside the resort for FREE (but don’t tell this to the kids since they might sneek in at the resort after school.. hehe – kiddin!)

Rates. Common tent P200 – P400; Open air Cabanas – P600; Airconditioned Cabanas P1,200 (with own comfort rooms)

Lemlunay Fever

For the snorkeling and diving enthusiasts, Lemlunay Resort never fails to impress...

It was my first time at this picturesque resort I have heard so much about. And clearly, it doesn't disappoint as the magnificent view of the Sarangani Bay and the neighboring towns of Glan even Balut Island can be seen from the Tinoto Wall or the cliff that is Lemlunay.

You will never have an idle time at this resort since they have a myriad of activities available for their guests. If you don't  feel like snorkeling or diving, you can rent their Hobie Cat for a measly P1500 for a maximum of 6 passengers for 30 mins. Just make sure though that the wind is strong so you don't accidentally just float in the water with no direction :)

For those who just want to chillax and wade in the water with the kids, you can enjoy their infinity pool. It has a magnificent view of the bay and a wonderful spot for day dreaming (well, at least for me). 

Their Poolside Cabins are perfect for families of four which you can rent for P3,000. What's good about it is, the rate includes breakfast for two. 

The rooms inside the Poolside Cabins have two double bed, so if you are there with friends or with the kids, four people can sleep comfortably. Or for the fifth wheel in the group, you can opt to rent additional mattress at P200/each. :)

The Garden View Cabins (picture below) which is good for two persons will set you back for P1,200 and the Ocean View Cabins (sorry.. didnt get a chance to take photos) costs P2,500 per night. all includes breakfast for two. 

moi.. :)

Lemlunay Diving Resort is a paradise located at the edge of Tinoto Reef at Barangay Kamanga, Maasim, Sarangani Province. For more info, you can visit their website at www.lemlunayresort.com or call them at 083 228 1704 or text them at 0928 5244528.