Josephine Restaurant Tagaytay: All for the Love of Bulalo!

Josephine Restaurant, Tagaytay

I've tasted Josephine's bulalo some years back and back then, it was the best bulalo that I have ever tasted. Because Tagaytay was quite far from where I live, I tried to search for a better alternative located somewhere nearer, but none matched the taste of Josephine's bulalo. It was quite heartbreaking because I am a huge beef fan and there are times when I suddenly feel a strong and uncontrollable craving for bulalo yet none in Metro Manila satisfies me.

And the Caleruega Dream Finally Happened

Caleruega Transfiguration Chapel

It has been my dream to go to Caleruega since a decade ago. I first knew about it from a flyer that my mom brought home with her, telling me that her friend's daughter regularly goes to Caleruega church with her boyfriend because they believe that they will end up together if they do. Well, recently she told me that the two married different people so I guess that myth was not true.

Hongkong: Twice is Never Enough...

I have been to Hongkong and Macau twice (in two consecutive years, 2009 and 2010) but if I will be given the chance, I'd go back without any hesitation! Hongkong is a very special place for me as it was the trip that ignited my passion to travel. My 2009 trip was my first ever plane ride and the first time ever that I had a trip without my family around. I am still thankful for the International Multiconference of Engineers and Computer Scientists for including our dynamic programming model in their list of finalists! (How geeky! Though it would have been better if they paid for our expenses, too. :D)

My 2010 travel was another story because I served as our tour guide and created a very optimal itinerary- covering Macau, Ngong Ping 360, Disneyland, The Peak, Ocean Park, Avenue of Stars and lots of shopping in a 3-day itinerary.

The Hongkong posts are now on the works, everyone. Please stay tuned. :)

Certificate of Freedom to Marry, What is This for?

Certificate of Freedom to Marry is an additional required document for church weddings in the Philippines wherein a party has stayed abroad for more than six months. This, they say, is to make sure that the party has not wed on any given time while staying in that country.

How to Get Certificate of Freedom to Marry?

Marriage Banns: Why the Need for Such?

Marriage banns are obtained from the parish where you will be having your wedding ceremony at most two months before the wedding. These will then have to be taken to the respective parishes of the two parties to be united in marriage, wherein an announcement of the forthcoming wedding will be done during mass in three consecutive weeks.

CENOMAR, What is it Really?

CENOMAR. You'd most probably come across the term when planning a wedding, as most churches and some local civil registrars have this in their list of required documents.

CENOMAR stands for "Certificate of No Marriage". Its main purpose is to certify that a person does not have a marriage certificate filed in National Statistics Office, hence, he or she is eligible to marry.

National Statistics Office is the issuing agency for CENOMAR. CENOMAR is a public document, hence unlike a birth certificate where there are limitations on who are eligible to make the request (say, it should be the person himself, an authorized person, or the closest relative), request for a CENOMAR could be done by anyone. All that he/she needs to provide are the following info:

How to Get a Marriage License in the Philippines the Easy Way?

Given the standardization and consistency that pretty much goes around in the Philippines (sarcasm intended), each municipality has its own set of requirements when you apply for a marriage license. Even if you spend days over the internet searching how this could be accomplished, your eyes would just hurt and you won't end up with a clear solution to your query. The only way to actually find what are the needed documents for a marriage license application in the Philippines is to go directly to your local civil registrar, or if you are lucky to be living in Quezon City, congratulations! Your city is the only city in the Philippines which offers a downloadable marriage application form in the internet!

There are only two standard things about marriage license in the Philippines:

Wedding Requirements for Caleruega

It's quite confusing how marriage requirements and deadlines vary from church to church. There isn't one standard set of requirements for Catholic churches, and you have to inquire church per church if you want to be sure. In this post, I will be talking specifically about the requirements for a wedding in Caleruega (Nasugbu, Batangas). Note that this might not be applicable to other Catholic churches, or might be applicable but with little variation.

Caleruega Wedding Requirements as of July 2012:

Pinay Thrillseeker's Versatile Blogger Award

Salamat kay Rogie ng The Ignored Genius sa pagsama ng blog ko sa listahan niya ng pagbibigyan ng Versatile Blogger Award. Nakakatuwa ang kanyang paliwanag kung bakit kailangang subaybayan ang aking blog, at nakakatuwa dahil isa siya sa mga unang taong sumuporta dito. Nagsimula akong walang kakilala sa pagba-blog kaya naging malaking tulong ang kanyang suporta, pati na rin ang suporta ng lahat ng aking mga kaibigang nakadaupang-palad ko lamang sa internet.

The Untold Story at Mt. Apo

I travel to find my heart. - That's what I always nonchalantly told my friends, without having the faintest hint of how it could possibly happen.

It did happen. And in the most unimaginable way.

Pinay Thrillseeker's 7 Super Shots

I am taking part in HostelBookers 7 Super Shots, and I have to thank Francis of Pala-lagaw for letting me know about this and giving me the chance to participate. If only all chain letters were this good! :)

While most of the entries were done using high-quality cameras, my 7 Super Shots were from a point-and-shoot camera. The trusty, easy to deal with, and adventurous Olympus Tough camera is one of this thrill-seeker's favorite (and must-have) travel buddies. At times, he's even more adventurous than me. He could even swim (unlike me)!

Done with the disclaimer so here goes my 7 Super Shots...

1. Takes My Breath Away

Mt. Maculot Rockies, Batangas, Philippines | June 18, 2011

For me, this is nature at its best. How I love the combination of the vibrant green forest, the earthly color of the rock, and the faint blue emanating from Taal Lake some hundred meters below. This breath taking view on Mt. Maculot just makes me want to lie down on a rock with arms wide open, look up to the sky, and scream from my heart, "Freedom!".

Oh Yes, "Love Conquers All" is a Travel Blog!

the first day of my second life, Mt. Apo, Philippines' Highest Peak

I have been writing since I can remember and NOTHING CAN STOP ME.

- not even the flood that annually drowns my hometown; not even taking up an engineering course; not even sleeping on a plant floor as a territory manager during Ondoy time in a mountainous part of Luzon; not even heartbreaks that made me want to die.

The day I stop writing is the day I die.

And yet, I almost died and I have yet to start my travel blog?

As ironic as it may seem, I have been traveling for a while already before I had the idea to start this travel blog. If not for my nearest to death experience on the Philippines' highest peak, this blog will never see the light of day.

It's weird how I had to come face to face with death just to have the much needed push to begin this travel blog, and even weirder was that it took almost a year since I thought of it when I actually started it.

Inspirations for "Love Conquers All":

Caleruega Wedding Rates

Since I had a hard time finding complete details of Caleruega wedding rates online, I went there just to know. Now I'm going to share what I found out. I know most couples are also wandering throughout the internet to know these but to no avail. It could be a hassle to just drop by and inquire, specially if you are just initially scaling out the options for your wedding. But a wanderlust won't mind, actually.

If you aren't decided yet and is still on the scouting process for a possible wedding venue, you could check out more photos of the solemn and picturesque Caleruega here.

Rate for Use of the Chapel (150 seat capacity) - P 15,000

• inclusions: chapel sound system, cd player, organ and sacristan
• excludes floral arrangement, choir, and priest
• they could provide a priest but they do not have a fixed amount required for the priest's stipend (they say they'll leave it to the couple's generosity). You are also allowed to invite a priest of your choice, if that may be the case.
• wedding schedule:
• Mondays to Saturdays: 9:00-11:00 AM; 3:00-5:00 PM; 6:00-8:00 PM
• Sundays: 8:00 - 10:00 AM; 3:00-5:00 PM; 6:00-8:00 PM

inside Caleruega Transfiguration Chapel

Happy Pasig Foundation Day, Everyone!

Yes, it has been declared that tomorrow, July 2, 2012, will be a special non-working holiday in Pasig City in lieu of its foundation day. Take this opportunity to relax, unwind, and specially, to travel. It could have been a great opportunity for a 3-days, 2-nights trip because July 2 is a Monday, hence making it a long weekend. However, for those low on budget or have other things to attend to, one day itineraries are always possible. Sometimes, one day itineraries could even be more enjoyable than a more pricey out-of-town escapade. It's all a matter of perspective!

As for me, I will be going to Caleruega and Tagaytay! I have long wanted to go to Caleruega, and for some reasons, it has not pushed through despite its proximity to Metro Manila. Being on a "travel leave" for quite a while now, I could never define the excitement. I just hope the weather cooperates. :)

How about you, what's your idea of the best one-day itinerary? Care to share?