Friday, December 17, 2010

Glimpse of Vigo

The city of Vigo is found within Galicia, Spain. It has a magnificent port which looks out to the Atlantic. It also has a good communication network of motorways and railways, that  connects directly with Madrid at a distance of 667km. The Autopista del Atlantico heads into northern Galicia, passing through the cities of Santiago, Pontevedra  and Acoruna. 
The Central Station
Nothing beats the excitement of finally setting foot in a city full of vast attractions after days of rock and roll at sea. However, due to a very limited time in port, I only  had a few glimpses of what is nearby. Thanks to the local agent, who was kind enough to show me around. He said, Vigo has many parks and gardens, beautiful squares and historical buildings and nice beaches. 
Porta del Sol is  the centre of the city, and here we can see the tall sculpture named Sireno. The gilded figure  represents a figure that is half man and half sea creature.
The rail station that is located within the heart of the city and has daily links to most major cities in Spain.
The Port of Vigo, serves hundreds of passenger cruisers and container vessels each year and it is just 10km away from the city and the airport at Peinador that links to major cities in Spain.

The container cargo for loading.
The vessel docked ahead of us.

Being charmed by the view of the city, and spending time with the one you love, is an experience worth the pains of living it up with the monstrous waves at sea en route. The bucket full of fresh catch squid  by the crew is a sure feast to our palates, and now, I know why the statue in the port has the Octopus tails.

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Agents of Change

In a progressive nation, the only thing that  is constant is "Change".
The pain of change lies in the attitude and 
the type of people who can make it happen.
If we can not change the situation , 
we should at least change our attitude  towards the situation.

Sunday, December 05, 2010

Gastronomic Stopover

A trip to the North is not complete with-out a stopover lunch or dinner at Palaisdaan Floating Restaurant in Gerona, Tarlac. Based on the Barrio Fiesta  food concept and  their Singing cooks and waiters,  this food haven is themed on a Buddhist ambiance in Philippine settings. For those who have been to Cambodia and Thailand  the giant Buddha statue are very familiar sights.
How to get there:
From NLEX, SCTEX, exit at Tarlac, then turn left to Tarlac City proper and hacienda Luisita  then turn right at Mac Arthur Highway then to continue Gerona. The restaurant is found at the left.
 Activities at Palaisdaan Restaurant:
Ungoy-ungoyan....survive the adventure with large monkey statue spitting waters as you make a stroll around their giant statue.
The Famous Tacsiyapo wall---Release your anger by throwing anything at the wall with-out cursing...choose anything you throw at a certain price to pay.
The Wishing  Buddha----make a wish for your dreams to come true
San Kilo Bridge Cross Challenge---cross the narrow bridge of : 20cm wide, 3o mtrs long located at the center of the fish pond, laden with sea shells as obstacles, and get a kilo of fresh seafood free, if you make it with-out falling into the waters. Prepare yourself to get soaked just in case.
The food is delectable,  fresh catch and priced slightly lower than in Manila, just make sure to bring cash, to avoid hassles with using credit cards. It's a  good place to explore and satisfy your  gastronomic cravings during  your trips to the north. Grilled adobong liempo is a must try.

Am glad to see last August 2010 that, one  is under construction in Laguna,  for travelers going to the South in between Kamayan sa Plaisdaan sa Bay and Samaral Sea food.