BANDOLON FROST TOWN

by Shevie Ace Espinosa

                 Way back December 2020, my family planned a trip to visit the newly opened tourist spot in Don Salvador Benedicto, because we've seen it from a Facebook post and we thought it would be nice to go there since the pictures are attractive and some of the reviews are good too.  In the Village of Igmaya-An, the new tourist spot of Don Salvador Benedicto named Bandolon Frost Town was only 53 minutes away from San Carlos City via Eco Translink and Eco Tourism Highway.

 

 

                Experience the Frosty pools of Bandolon Frost Town this summer! The place is perfect for unwinding especially if you want a cool place to relax, it is very peaceful and the view is Instragramable as it is similar to the ones abroad. You can also do the boating in the pond with the theme of the Antartica (with sea lion statues, polar bears, and penguins). You can chill in the cottages and they also acommodate overnight stay with your family and friends. They serve good food and a band that plays music inside while you chill and dine in front of the fireplace. You can experience the comfort that feels like home and at the same time an unwinding vacation. 

    What are you waiting for? Pack your bags, get ready to travel in just 53 minutes and experience the chilling ambiance of Bandolon Frost Town, the only Frost Town in the Island of Negros.

LA GUADA Café

by Solamor Amorsolo 

Are you looking for a place to unwind? Then, La Guada Café is the place you can go. Within a half-hour trip from San Carlos City to Don Salvador Benedicto, you can reach the beautiful scenery of the café where it is located. Even though the travel time duration is quite long for a coffee moment, it is worth the effort because of its beautiful mountain view and the cafe's delicious menu. They serve hot and cold beverages and snacks. I am highly recommending you their hot choco drink that tastes great. Perfect for kids and kids at heart. La Guada café is a place for family, friends, and love ones. It is a place far away from polluted air and the crowded city. This café can guarantee your safety, especially against from covid-19 virus. They implement safety protocols and log-in policy upon entry. Even we are facing this pandemic, we can still have some fun and create unforgettable memories. But let us not forget to follow the implemented protocols so that we can say we are safe.

Alone? C'mon!

By Rachel Muele

Thinking which suitable places to unwind?

Or either a place where you've aspire to felt the tranquility at its finest while being alone?

Whispering palm bungalow resort brings you the places where you've able to feel alone but not lonely ...

A magical breeze of the wind and the smell of the salty island .This bungalow island resort is located at Sipaway San Carlos city ,Negros Occidental . The resort provides convenient foods which is most popular here in san Carlos city . The moment we've enter the entrance areas they provide such name tags so , we have the permission to roam around . From the man-made lovely cottages you can picture out the bridge full of trees truly magical . You can climb up the staircase on top! where you'll be to see the beautiful whole scenery of the island .

A budget friendly where you can already explore around the island resort . Don't worry about your things they have provided safety areas where you can leave out your stuffs . It is way better to visit here if it is high tide so you loved to get tanning your skin while swimming . Since, We have arrived at this place where we experience low tide . It is suitable to visit wherein high tide so you can enjoy playing under the sun ! Banana boating , surfing and snorkeling alot of things you can do more while having a fun .

This Place is perfect match for summer get aways , after a long hard and tiring days this place is perfect for unwinding the heart aches . As they said the calmness of this place makes you into bargaining , crying and the self acceptance . Those students whom overloaded of school works , people distressed in this time of pandemic are deserved to unwind for a bit .

At the end of the day , Vehicles is one of the risky things that we have encountered in this past travels . We need the assurance of the drivers to fetch us in that arrival of actual time . Good weather condition is also advisable since we travel in the midst of the island .It's serenity to enjoy the rest of the day.

"A Wedding Far from Home"

by Joanne Saludar

    Vacation isn't that necessary for our family, we barely travel for we are contented to spend time together at home and if we do, it isn't far. If we get the chance to be in a place several kilometers away from home, it will be such an amazing experience. But we really never know haw fate works. My mother and father were part of a wedding entourage since the groom is my mother's nephew. The wedding was set in December 16, 2017 and held at the church of Labason, Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte. My mother asked me if I want to go with them, and who am I to say no? The days got closer and so was the excitement, two days before the scheduled date of travel, Ive already packed my clothes and I even volunteered in packing my parents' clothes. Finally, December 14 came and we rode a bus to port of Dumaguete and sailed in a ship to port of Zamboanga del Norte, the waves were tough and the wind was chilling cold. I can't imagine that would have finally stepped on a land miles away from home. Our next stop was in the terminal of Zamboanga del Norte, and there I already felt the warm welcome of the people of Zamboanga del Norte. We stayed for a couple of hours there waiting for the tricycle that will send us to the pension house where we will meet all the invited guests from Negros and spend the night there. It was mid-afternoon when the van came, we were rushing to be on Labason where we will meet the family of the bride before the sun sets, while we were traveling, we passed by a bridge that astounded me, it was the Ingin bridge og Sindangan. It was so astounding that I fell in love with it; the orange Ingin bridge. On our way, I was mesmerized by the scenic views of Zamboanga del Norte, from the ocean's big waves on the side and beautiful rice fields with unbelievable heights of coconut trees and high peak mountains on the other. We stopped at Labason and had dinner with the family of the Bride, after, we proceeded to Bayangan Beach and Resort where we rested and enjoyed the rest of our staying there. In the morning, we roamed the place, soaked ourselves in the pool and walked along the beachside. We visited the church where the wedding is set and the part of the entourage practiced walking the aisle. We took a break and ate a lot of street food at their plaza, the lights amazed me when it was lighted since it was yuletide season. The wedding date came, we were so excited and we prepared ourselves and the church was also already ready. The bride walked on the aisle and everyone cried in happiness including the groom who cried a lot. I've witnessed two people binded in love many times but every time I get to witness, the feelings were still new to me that I can't described. The venue was still at the resort where we stayed, all of us enjoyed and the night was long and peaceful. It was 3:00 in that morning but we were still in the pool enjoying and on the following morning we headed home.

Even though I haven't taken a lot of pictures, the memories are still fresh and will be kept forever in my heart. Zamboanga del Norte has a lot to offer and I'm lucky to be there once upon a time. This time, we can't easily travel due to some restrictions and we should observe health protocols to prevent the spreading of the virus. All I can say is that, the journey was tough but the destination was beautiful and we should love all the in between.

"On My Way to You, Don Salvador Benedicto!"

by Marilou Rasonable

In my brief existence in this temporary world, travelling was not an ideal thing to me since I have my own priorities. Yet, however,since I started to heard this 3 letters"DSB, it changes my perspectives ironically about travelling. At first, I don't have concrete idea to describe the hidden treasures of beauty of Don Salvador Benedicto, since it becomes one of the most well-known tourist destination here in Negros Occidental. While seeing other's post on social media, it causes my heart to melt with gladness while seeing how the beauty of nature was preserve and I can't barely hide my excitement until one day, I finally say "On my way to you, Don Salvador Benedicto!"

How to get to Don Salvador Benedicto? Getting to this municipality in the mountains is an hour drive from the nearby Bacolod City by riding a public utility vehicle and gets significantly faster if riding a private transportation. Although not many people consider the high elevation of the mountains as an ideal place to live in, but as for me, "DSB" is an epitome of gold and beauty. There, I can breathe a fresh air, where tress in the mountains are well-protected, well-preserved and well-conserved for the future generation.

We might have fears and worries brought by this COVID-19 pandemic, but let us all stand firm knowing that we are not fighting all alone. Let our faith be bigger than our fears thus our worship be stronger than our worries. Don't let this pandemic blinded us to see the beauty within the nature, but following safety protocols is also a must. Travelling in the midst of this trying times may seems so risky, yet self-discipline and obedience is the key to live a happy life nevertheless of the difficulties and challenges that may come in our way. Life is dynamic and ever-changing, challenges and crisis are inevitable. We can't stop them from coming but obedience to the law and faith in God matters most. Stay safe,stay obedient and stay faithful knowing that God is in control. God bless everyone! Shalom:-)

BREATHE

by Zenda Cabael

You might be wondering where to go when things don't go the way you want it to happen. We often forget to relax despite the stressful whole week. We were mostly chained individually in our rooms absorbing things that may stress us out even if it shouldn't and that must not happen. Various places for leisure are always ready to be visited and your job is to only decide. A stressed mind needs a break as well as an inactive physical body needs to regenerate. Do some hike instead! Locally, a perfect place that I can recommend for you is the "Carthel's Mountain View" located in Calatrava, Negros Occidental Philippines, where it is a best place to be relaxed and think. A good place to reminisce and be grateful for the gift of life and nature. Aside from its cozy environment feeling, it is an affordable budget place to visit in. It also has scenic views wherein you can pose aura for picture taking. I remember when me and my friends wanted a break after the school examination, we went to this place and while enjoying, we forgot that we need to go back home. We were there in the morning. We used motor cycle traveling in highway and make it a hike on our way inside because it is not directly there in the corner. Not bad for an exercise. When in place, you will be delighted because of its peaceful surroundings, away from city where you can hear birds chirping and flying everywhere. You will be welcomed by its mini hut used for visitors to rest for a while after a long walk. You can grab a coffee there or eat breakfast if you want which I like because they also serve "batchoy" that time. Proceeding to its peak, you can see a colorful cement stairs going up choosing whether to take left or right direction. There are various sets to take a picture with; a small nest or pit, a big star, a hut afterwards, a spider web made with rope, a coffee table set up and more! It is now your job to discover the others. You can decide now or just let yourself miss the opportunity to relax your mind and heart. Take a deep breath. Think? or be in a stressful situation again? You choose! As expected, we enjoyed being there but that's not an easy experience though. This pandemic set limitations for us to do things and meet in a crowded places. As obedient citizens, we followed the safety protocols and it's worth it. Might as well you will!

It's been an exciting trip for us but we're challenged also all the way. What I learned in that adventure is to continue life though we were attacked by an unpleasant challenges and for that, I remember one quote that says, "Optimism is a virtue on these dark days" and I felt that.

Sneak Peak

by Novie Mae Jumag

        Want to challenge your core? Here's to what nature can offer you for free. KLN Peak is the perfect spot for you. Located only here in San Carlos along City Hospital and voila, you can already experience a hiking you haven't tried before.

        As an adventurous person that I am, I want to try a new terrain in which there's no need for me to ride a transportation but still can go on an adventure just by using physical strength at the same time enjoying the beauty of nature. While hiking, the villagers of Boyles are very courteous, they will greet you every time you pass by their homes and are very kind too. You'll not gonna get too exhausted as well for there are a lot of trees to take shade to and if you ran out of drinking water, there's a sari-sari store in the middle of the hike where you can refill your water and where you can buy food to eat when you arrive at the peak. There will be rocky and stiff roads on the journey and sometimes you'll get out of breath while hiking but I assure you, once you reach the destination, all your hard work will all be worth it. You can see the city view in the east side while the mountain view in the west side which are both breathtaking to watch. Relax with all your heart's content and ready yourself on your hike going down. KLN Peak is perfect for outgoing and physically active people like me and my friends. Challenge your physical strength here too.