Queen City of the South--- CEBU CITY

“Be more you than you have ever been before.”

Ever since I was a child, I kept on making New Year's Resolution every time a year started, but it always got me disappointed when I checked my list by the end of the year, that only a few were done. So I changed my outlook in life, that instead of listing resolutions, I just think of the things that I want to achieve that year to be happy. So with that word in mind, "HAPPINESS", everything follows--how to be happy,  what will make me happy, where will i be happy, and who will make me happy.

For the year 2013, since I have already spoiled myself with great things for 23 years now, it's time to pass the crown of being a royalty, to my ever dearest mother. I have always been fond of travelling, so this year, I want to share my next travel experiences with her.

February of this year, before we conquered Bohol (click this link for our BOHOL ADVENTURE) last March for her 60th Birthday Celebration, we visited first the Queen City of the South, Cebu City for her DFA appearance and our yearly visit to Sto. Nino... This trip is another #FIRST for us, because this was our first flight together...

Cebu here we come... :) our first flight together.. #FIRST

at the Cebu-Mactan International Airport... while waiting for our baggage

We arrived at Cebu-Mactan International Airport quarter to eight  in the morning. We hailed an airport taxi going to the city proper to look for a hotel to stay. We had a hard time searching for a vacant hotel room since the Sinulog Festival just ended so hotels that time were still fully booked. After almost 30 minutes of roaming the area, we finally found a vacant room at The Hotel de Mercedes. The hotel is not new, but still a good place to stay, because it's in the downtown area, so there are many establishments to eat and shop around.

our hotel room...

We placed our things at our room and headed straight to Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. We only spent a few minuted here because we still need to go at the office of the Professional Regulation Commission to claim her renewed nurse license.

Basilica del Santo Niño Cebu

with my lovely mother at the Basilica del Santo Niño Cebu

We were in a hurry during the start of the day so we failed to eat our breakfast. Good thing we found a small restaurant just across the street of PRC, so we ate our lunch there. After eating we went back to the hotel and slept for a while then started our SM shopping at around three in the afternoon. 

Second day of our Cebu getaway, we woke up early for her eight o'clock Department of Foreign Affairs appointment at the Pacific Mall, Mactan Cebu, a 30-minute ride from the downtown area of Cebu. It only took us 20 minutes to finish her interview, so we still had enough time to explore the mall before heading back to the city. 

getting ready for DFA appointment

inside Pacific Mall, Mactan Cebu... a not so big mall, but you'll surely enjoy touring the place and find some great items

Back to the city, we visited again Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. There were many devotees lined up to see the image of Sto. Niño. The image is claimed to be the oldest religious figure in the Philippines. It took us almost an hour before we were able to reach the image but the time spent waiting was very worth it. You can really feel the solemnity of the place, and the presence of HIS undying love for the people. 

falling inline to visit the image of Sto. Niño inside

with my mother inside the picturesque view of Basilica del Sto. Niño

a magnificent work of art inside the Basilica... to see the image of Sto. Niño here is worth the wait.

After the visit, we went back again to SM City Mall to eat our lunch and buy some "pasalubongs" and for our dinner. 

buying our pasalubongs...

It’s already dark when we decided to go back to our hotel. We ate our dinner and packed our things for tomorrows flight back home. It's past 10 in the evening that we decided to call it a night.

We woke up at four in the morning to catch our six o'clock flight aboard Cebu Pacific to Dumaguete.

early morning flight going home

goodbye Cebu

a lovely morning view above the Negros island

finally back home