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| The Ruins at night |
I
planned to leave Iloilo early in the morning but I ended up working in the
morning so it wasn’t realized. My friends already left Iloilo so the decision
what time to leave was all mine. I checked out the hotel past eleven in the morning
and took a cab to the port. I was planning of taking the Weesam express as they
have 12:15 trip to Bacolod but when I reached the port, I saw that Ocean Jet
has a "libre balik" (free return) promo. Since Ocean Jet terminal was
the closest from the gate, I decided to buy a ticket from them and did not
bother to walk further as they have a ferry leaving by 12:45.
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| Ocean Jet passenger terminal |
It
was an hour and 15 minute travel. I did not do my research extensively so I did
not have any idea how to go to Saltimbocca Inn. All I knew was the inn is
located at Lacson Street. So I asked some locals in the terminal and told me to
take a tricycle since it was just close from the port.
Right
then and there I asked a tricycle driver if he could bring me to Lacson Street.
He then talked to his colleague and talked in Hiligaynon (by the way I can
understand the language a little bit). The driver asked his colleague how much
would he charge and told him P30. Maybe he thought I did not understand it and
he charged me P80. I immediately get out of the tricycle and told the driver
how he overcharged me. Told him if that was the case I would just take a
metered taxi. Then another tricycle driver told me he'll bring me to my
destination for P50 but I refused. I was already pissed off so I just waited for
a taxi and took off. I was not surprised that I only paid P65 for a taxi ride.
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| The Masskara |
I checked in immediately and decided to just stay in a fan
room as I was already planning of leaving at 5:30 in the morning to catch up
the ferry back to Iloilo at 6:30AM. The room was just right for a few hours
stay. The inn and the room are pretty much clean. The rest room was just right
beside my room so it was good.
I freshened up a little bit and went to Manokan Country to
have my late lunch. I asked around how
to get there and a passer-by told me to take the Mandalangan jeepney which I
did. I asked the lady beside me if she could tell me when it’s time to alight
which she did. Manokan country is situated near SM City Bacolod. I was already
hungry so I immediately ordered food. I saw two guys eating oyster so I also
ordered one serving for appetizer. It was the first time I ate that huge
oysters. It was fresh and yummy but because it was too many, I wasn’t able to
finish it. Then I had the famous chicken inasal. Man that was yummy! It was the
right food for my hungry tummy!
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| The Manokan Country where you get to taste the authentic Chicken Inasal |
I did not waste time after lunch. I went straight to The
Ruins since it’s the only place I was planning to visit in Bacolod. I initially
planned of going to Mambukal Resort but due to time constraints, it was not
realized. I took a jeep to Mandalangan and alighted at Robinsons Mall. If only
I knew, I could have actually taken a jeep to Bata from Manokan Country. From
Robinsons, I took another jeepney ride going to the Pepsi plant (the jeep was
going to Bata). From Pepsi bottling plant, there were already tricycles going
to the Ruins directly (special trip) or you can instruct the driver to drop you
to the tricycle terminal going to the Ruins (cheaper way). I did the former since
I did not know that the latter actually existed.
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| The Ruins during the day |
I arrived at The Ruins when the sun was still up and when I
left, it was already dark. I read somewhere that The Ruins looks better during
night and it was true.
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| Inside and outside the Ruins |
Tips: if you are
traveling on a budget you can opt to ride a tricycle going to SM from the port. From SMyou can ride a jeepney going to Bata or Mandalangan and it will pass through
Lacson Street. Alight at Fischer hotel, Saltimobacca is located in the street
right across Fischer. Walk a little bit from the main road and you’ll find the
place.
Going to The Ruins
from Saltimbocca Inn is also easy. From the highway, take a jeepney to Bata
then alight at the Pepsi Bottling Plant.