Carcar, Cebu: GIG Valley Villa

We transferred to this private villa after our stay at Sundaze Farm.

What attracted me to this place was their Glass House, as it had sweeping views of the mountains and the sea.

They actually have smaller rooms (the Native A Frame and Modern Bahay Kubo), and I initially thought of booking the Bahay Kubo, but I changed my mind after seeing photos of the Glass House and its private tub.

Beautiful, isn’t it?

Pet-Friendly
Of course, this is one major factor in my decision as I now travel around Cebu with Hobbes.

Here he is at the villa’s side entrance, looking oh so dapper in his suit.

The Glass House
Aside from the views of the mountains, the Glass House also has nice views of the villa’s pool.

Here’s Hobbes chilling on our bed while enjoying the view of the mountains.

Beside the bed was a reading nook, which was the perfect spot for chilling in the morning because of the views of the cottony white clouds floating above the lush mountains

Rate: P8,000 per night (Monday to Thursday) and P10,000 per night (Friday to Sunday).

This rate is good for 3 persons and comes with breakfast. (The maximum capacity of the Glass House is 6 persons, with P750 charge per additional person.)

The Glass House is fully air-conditioned with two toilets and a bath (one on the ground floor and one upstairs). It has a spacious living room, too, complete with a karaoke set.

The Kitchen is modern and comes with a refrigerator and microwave.

Everything is provided for, from the cooking ware to the plates and glasses and cutlery. (Though I stayed here for only a night and because I couldn’t be bothered to cook, I ordered a pizza for dinner.)

The Pool
I super love their pool and its views of the mountains.

Too bad it has no heater, so it was cold during the night and early in the morning.

At dusk, the views from the Native House are really nice, as shown in the first photo for this blog.

Here’s a wider shot of the same view.

Come nighttime, colorful lights added to its charm, though I personally did not like it when the pool was red or green, so I always timed my shots when the color was light blue, dark blue, or purple.

Sunrise
This was my favorite part of my stay. Initially, I thought the sunrise wouldn’t be pretty since the sky looked mostly orange-yellow at around 5 AM, but gradually, the sky became prettier.

I thought the above would be my best sunrise photo, but I was mistaken because while walking Hobbes, we chanced on this lovely – the loveliest from this set, I think – sunrise.

Isn’t it pretty, especially with the wisps of clouds crowning the mountains and Hobbes obviously enjoying his walk? (Though later he was too tired, I had to carry him home, hah!)

Breakfast
Our breakfast was ready when we finished our walk, so I quickly changed into my swimwear since I requested a floating breakfast.

The room rate includes breakfast for 2, so I ordered corned beef and bacon. These were served with a glass of (powdered) used tea.

This was where my Gig Valley Villa experience went downhill. The bacon was tough and tasteless – homemade? – and everything was presented without care. Instead of plating the fruits and each set meal separately so that the basket would not look empty, they just put the fruits together and the 2 set meals on just one plate!

I even heard the two staff talking among themselves in the vernacular.

Staff 1: Put flowers (in the floating breakfast).
Staff 2: This is okay. She’s alone, anyway.

Like wut?! I was alone, yes, but I paid for the entire villa for 6! So the least she could do was give me the bare minimum service-wise.

When the owner asked how my stay was, I reported the above and even showed her the difference between their floating breakfast and Sundaze’s. She apologized and even said there should be coffee in my breakfast. (I didn’t want to cause trouble to the staff, but I reported it so it wouldn’t happen to others.)

Good thing the views made up for my sad excuse of a floating breakfast.

Despite my dissatisfaction at my breakfast and the service, I still had a great time at Gig Valley Villa because I finally had a “me (bathrub) time” after a hectic month at work.

I had a great time swimming in the pool, too.

Gig Valley Villa is located in Upper Sangi, Guadalupe, Carcar, Cebu.

Contact them via GIGValleyVilla@gmail.com or +63947-329-0079, or visit their official Facebook page.

Today’s Sunset, April 11, 2023

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These past few days, I’ve been clocking off work late in the evening, so I missed seeing the sunset.

As I didn’t have a lot of pending tasks today, I managed to go home early, so I was delighted to see the above on my way to Plantation Bay’s Kilimanjaro Kafe.

My dining companion was late, so I took more photos while waiting.

I love the pink hues and how defined they looked against the blue-grey sky.

Before the sky turned dark completely, I rushed to where I could see the pink hues more prominently, and this was my view from the resort’s main freshwater pool.

All photos were taken using a Samsung S23 Ultra.

Carcar, Cebu: Sundaze Farm

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We stayed in Sundaze Farm to celebrate Hobbes’s 5th Gotcha Day last week.

I loved how spacious it was. Everything, from the rooms to the gardens, to every nook and cranny, was well-thought-of and well-maintained.

Of course, the main reason why I chose this place is that they’re pet-friendly.

The rooms
For Php 5,500 on weekdays and Php 6,500 on weekends (good for 4 persons), we got two villas (though I don’t consider them villas as I found them small).

One villa had a queen-sized bed.

I love its flooring, lighting, and accents. The bed was comfortable, but the pillows were too soft and thin. Also, as I have a sensitive nose, I didn’t like how their linens smelled strongly of fabric softener.

The other room has two small beds, ideal for guests with children.

As I traveled solo with Hobbes, we didn’t use this room.

Tip: Book direct through their official Facebook page instead of through Airbnb because it’s cheaper by at least P1,000.

The Pool

Sundaze Farm is known for its heart-shaped pool, which I found corny. Heh.

As we arrived at nearly 2 PM, it was too hot, so I decided to forego swimming and nap instead because I was tired from the almost 3-hour land trip.

Around Sundaze, Day 1
I woke up at nearly 4 PM, and by this time, Hobbes was raring to explore the place, so off we went.

It was nice to go around the farm because the gardens were well-kept, and there were so many picturesque nooks and crannies. We found another pool, too, as they were building a 3rd villa on the farm.

Of course, Hobbes was my model; again, he took his sweet time posing for photos, especially when he was on the swing!

Sunset at the Farm
Ever the sunset-lover, I kept going around the farm to determine the best spot to catch the sunset. This was taken at the view deck.

I thought this was the best that I could get, but when we went to the main hall – I actually don’t know the specific names of each area on the farm as they had no map and no one took us on a guided tour – I was struck by how beautiful the pastel skyline looked!

And from here to our room, we passed by this pretty arch, which looked even prettier because of the colorful stained glass lamps.

As it was no longer hot, I took a quick dip before I had our dinner. The water was perfect, not too cold or warm, and the muted lighting was perfect!

Dinner
I really couldn’t be bothered to bring my own food or cook whenever I travel, so I was pleasantly surprised when I found out they could cook for me.

I ordered Tapsilog (Tapa, Sinangag, Itlog), and it was good. The meat was tender and it wasn’t too salty or too sweet as most tapas tend to veer towards either taste.

The two cups of rice were too much, though; I consumed only half.

After my dinner, I fed Hobbes and intended to go night swimming, but I must be so tired because it was already 4 AM when I woke up.

Sunrise
I figured from yesterday’s position of the sunset that the sunrise would be on the other end, so I again went to the stairs view deck. This was the best shot I got.

Hobbes was again his usual model self, so I took snapshots of him, too.

They were still working on this during our stay, and this is the only spot on the farm bearing its name.

Floating Breakfast
This was such a nice arrangement from the farm. Note that this requires prior advice.

I had spam, eggs, fresh buko (young coconut), and fruits.

The buko was sweet and the mangoes were, too. And while I was so looking forward to eating the guyabano (soursop), I wasn’t able to as I was just too full!

Around Sundaze, Day 2
After my sumptuous breakfast, I again holed myself up in the room because it was just too hot outside. I read a book and listened to some music.

Despite the heat and remembering that we booked this only for one night, I explored the farm again before we checked out. So, again, Hobbes became my model.

The farm is a popular photo shoot venue in Carcar, so there are so many places and spaces that one could pose to his heart’s content.

This doorway was my favorite and if you noticed the change in Hobbes’s bandana, it’s because we brought 8 accessories on this trip!

I mentioned on this post that Hobbes loves swings and again, the swings became his favorite spots in Sundaze.

Overall, we had a short and enjoyable stay here. The place was lovely, and the staff was hospitable and accommodating.

It’s perfect for an intimate get-together, especially since you can bring or cook your own food without worrying about the necessary supplies, as Sundaze has spacious dining and kitchen areas.

They even had drying racks, which was very convenient.

The Catch
There were ongoing refurbishments during our stay so we heard some noise in the morning. While tolerable, it would have been nice to be told about this when we booked or before we arrived at the farm.

(For the curious, they were still building the third villa (pictured below) and some tents for camping, so in the future, this place may have more people.)

Another thing that I didn’t like was the fact that the shower and restrooms are outside the guest rooms, with only curtains for privacy. It was a hassle, especially when you get nature’s call at night.

My most unsatisfactory experience here was the presence of a smelly stray dog. Typically, stray dogs don’t bother me. I even feed them, but the one here took off with my swimsuit and later, my newly bought running shoes! Good thing we recovered them, though the shoes sustained chew marks. The owner and the caretaker were very apologetic, and there really wasn’t anything anyone could do, so I just let it be.

My tip? Don’t leave your things, especially your footwear, in the foyer. Also, secure your food, as the caretaker mentioned that other guests had complained about their food being taken by the same brown dog.

I’ll end this post with two of my favorite photos taken at Sundaze Farm.

This was taken during sunrise. I just loved the blue and light yellow colors and the wispy clouds that covered the mountains.

Next is this photo of Hobbes. I just thought he looked so cute here.

Sundaze Farm is located in Valencia, Carcar, Cebu. To book, visit its official Facebook page or email sundazefarmph@gmail.com. You can also reach them via mobile: +63 929-859-4249.

Today’s Sunrise, March 24, 2023

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Just like the days, no two sunrises are the same.
– Jonathan P. Lamas

I always get sidetracked each time I see the sunrise, even when I have seen it in the same place thousands of times. There’s something magical about it, especially when it’s as dramatic as the sunrise pictured above.

I took that at Plantation Bay Resort and Spa’s Galapagos Beach while walking Hobbes. It looked so beautiful that we ended up staying at the beachfront for an entire hour, just watching the sun rise to meet the well-defined clouds.

Beautiful, isn’t it?

And like the quote, it’s even more beautiful because it’s fleeting, with no chance of being replicated. Yesterday’s sunrise from the same spot is different from today’s. And tomorrow’s sunrise will be different, too.

I’ll end this post with my favorite photo from today.

It’s of Hobbes with the green dot reflection from my camera landing on his nose. This wasn’t intentional, as I could barely see from the glare of the sun, so I just snapped photos one after the other and was pleasantly surprised with the outcome.

Photos taken with a Samsung S23 Ultra.

Hobbes Turns 4!

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In celebration of the 20^th anniversary of Harry Potter this year, we threw Hobbes a Harry Potter-themed birthday party last week.

This was actually a belated celebration since his birthday – okay, gotcha day – was on the 18^th, and on that day, we were on a week-long vacation to celebrate his actual gotcha day.

This was his 4th birthday invitation sans the venue and my contact number.

My friends are all used to Hobbes’s smiling face, so they again complimented him for his poses when they saw the invitation.

On the day of our lunch celebration, I had the cake delivered an hour early, so we had time to do our shoot. Here are my favorite cake photos of Hobbes.

The cake was from Chedz, one of Cebu’s most popular cake stores, and I got the inspiration for his cake from Pinterest.

In the past years, I used to order a specialty dog cake from Bubbabakes, but I noticed that Hobbes only took a bite that I ended up throwing the cake, so this time, I ordered a cake for his hooman invitees. We loved the cake as it was not too sweet, though it stained our teeth and lips because of its color.

The décor was simple and consisted merely of gifts and balloons as I didn’t have enough time to do the preparations.

Here’s Hobbes surveying the venue while patiently waiting for his guests.

And here’s a close-up shot of Hobbes against some of the gifts.

In case anyone is wondering, I chose the design for his bandana online and had it made by Life is Pawsome Shop.

As for the food, I also ordered everything online. We had Crispy Pata, Sisig, Lumpiang Shanghai, Buttered Shrimps, Flavored Chicken Wings, Mango Float, and Mini Cupcakes.

Except for the cupcakes that came with the cake, everything was from Cha’Tasty Kitchen. Our guests loved all the dishes, especially the Sisig, Buffalo Chicken Wings, and Mango Float. I really recommend this catering company as they are very accommodating. The food selection was varied, and the dishes were reasonably-priced and tasted good. To order, visit their official Facebook page.

When most guests had left by 5 PM, we opened Hobbes’s gifts, which consisted mostly of treats and pet essentials. (A friend was hesitant to open the gifts as she felt they were wrapped too nicely. Ha ha!)

Here’s Hobbes looking all tired that he chose to chill under the table.

Still looking swell despite your weariness, Hobbes!

This luncheon was actually the finale of Hobbes’s birthday celebration because, as mentioned, we were on vacation the week before.

Our first stop was to Oslob’s Down South 118 Beach Resort.

We were here 2 nights mostly to just chill and dine and watch sunrises and sunsets.

Next, we visited Paraiso Tropicale – Beach Cabin, still in Oslob; this was my favorite destination during this trip. Here, we had the whole beach and cabin to ourselves for 2 nights and 3 days.

Paraiso Tropicale is not just a beach as before reaching the main cabin, one had to navigate through about 80 wooden stairs. Here’s another photo of Hobbes in one of the stair’s landing areas.

Our last stop was to Alcoy, specifically to Mangrove Eco Resort and Restaurant.

We had another 2-night stay here; this served the best food among the 3 restaurants.

I’ll just write about each of these resorts in detail in my upcoming posts.

To end this blog, I’ll share snapshots from our Harry Potter-themed photo shoot prior to our week-long trip.

Most of his props, like the scarf, Hogwarts robe, and hat, were bought online, but the broom and wand were handmade. For the broom, I used a big stick and twigs, while the wand was an old chopstick that I traced with a glue gun and colored using a marking pen and glittered Modge Podge.

This is my favorite photo from our shoot.