A short trip to Cebu

Because of Buddha's Birthday, last weekend was a long one, so Gavin and I went for 3 days and 3 nights to Cebu in the Philippines. It was a lovely time: tasty chorizo skewers were eaten, colorful fish were ogled while snorkling, bodies were tanned.

We stayed at two resorts while we were there. The first one, Alegre Resort, we chose because it looked secluded and relaxing -- just the kind of vacation we were looking for. The second one, the Shangri-La Resort on Mactan Island, we stayed at for one night because we had a really late flight and wanted to be near the airport and the city on our last day. I heartily recommend the Alegre for anyone wanting pure relaxation. The location is remote and the service is was really friendly and attentive. The Shangri-la is a very nice 4-star resort, but its size made service feel a bit impersonal.

Maybe I won't stick to this conclusion because I'm easily seduced by the glossy photos in travel magazines, but I think that I'm not really a resort person. As much as an icy drink poolside is nice, I find myself more intrigued by wandering off the beaten path for a local snack. This trip was relaxing and fun, but I found myself frustrated at times, gazing out the window of the resort shuttle, speeding past the countryside barbeque stalls with hand painted signboards, yearning to say to the driver, "Hey, can you just drop me off here? I want to explore a bit..."



The photos and commentary are here, on Flickr.