I really don't know how to characterize The Tres Bistro, but I guess maybe a combination of Italian and Filipino food I would say. It's located not far from the Silliman University 5-10 min by motorcycle from Rizal Boulevard. The ambience here is nice and welcoming and the interior has a classy touch.

When I was there a couple of days ago I ordered a Chicken Cordon Bleu but since it was not available I finally ended up with a pasta instead. It was the Tres Putanesca, spaghetti with meat sauce, anchovies, olives, mushrooms and capers. The portion was not really big for me, I could have eaten more since the pasta was very delicious. The spaghetti was "al dente" and the meat sauce had a rich and tasty flavor and had not the sweet taste which is so common here in the Philippines. On the other hand the two slices of garlic bread served together with the pasta had a rubbery and hard texture. 

The food was great aside from the two slices of bread. Despite the two slices, my impression was that they use good and genuine ingredients for the food. The service was ​meticulous and they had more stuff on their menu that I would like to try. So I will definitely come back. I would have given a 5 for the food if it hadn't been for the two slices of bread accompanying the pasta.

Related links:​
Review of Chapters Café in Dumaguete​
The Christmas House in Dumaguete
Tarbush, a story of love​
The boulevard in Dumaguete​
Review of 2Story kitchen in Dumaguete, Negros
Review of Gabby's Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Fish 153 Korean Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Mooon Café Robinsons Place (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Café Mafioso (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Atong Kamalig Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of San Rival Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Sta Teresa Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Tierra Alta Residential Resort, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines

That's their motto according to the menu. In a way I agree because when you enter the place the ambience is very special. The walls are painted with motifs from foreign places like Venice in Italy, Taj Mahal in India, some place in France I think and Machu Picchu in Peru. The ceiling is like a starry sky ornate with books, playing cards, tea cups, cakes, dolls, chairs and a plane. There are sofas with different colors and chairs with different makes, well to make a long story short it's a mixture with a little bit of everything. But the redline is travel, books, coffee & tea and cakes in a cosy atmosphere created in a playful and creative way. So yes... a world of childlike dreams.

On their menu they had a variety of salads, pastas, burgers, soups and Filipino breakfasts. They had many beverages hot and cold. When I was here they unfortunately had ran out of beef patties for the burgers so I ended up order the Bill Chapters Cheese Sandwich and a Cafe Latte. 

I was disappointed that they couldn't offer any burgers and the cheese sandwich wasn't really what I had been looking forward to. However the sandwich turned out to be delicious and the cafe latte was also approved. They offered iced service water without the need to ask for it. The WiFi was free and it worked good. I could work without any interruptions. They didn't have many electrical outlets to connect the laptop but the staff was very helpful and let me connect to one of the few outlets which were available. At lunch time Chapters Café quickly filled up with guests so obviously it's a popular place which I can understand. Chapters Café is approved by me and I will be back.

I did this review when I actually was sitting here in Chapters Café. At the end of my session the WiFi finally gave up. So I had to connect thru my 3G connection on the phone to finish this review. This is really a common problem, not just at the Chapters Café. Why is the infrastructure for internet so bad in the Philippines? Grrr!!

Related links:​
The Christmas House in Dumaguete
Tarbush, a story of love​
The boulevard in Dumaguete​
Review of 2Story kitchen in Dumaguete, Negros
Review of Gabby's Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Fish 153 Korean Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Mooon Café Robinsons Place (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Café Mafioso (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Atong Kamalig Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of San Rival Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Sta Teresa Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Tierra Alta Residential Resort, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines

We are all used to Christmas decorations before Christmas, right? But at this house in Dumaguete, they take the Christmas decorations to the extreme. I have never seen anything like it, except maybe on movies. This house is just 5-10 minutes walk from the Silliman University and the entrance fee is 25 PHP / person.

​This is the Dr. Rico Absin’s house, a former anesthesiologist in his late 50s. He has created an institution out of a genuine passion for art and decoration. This is actually his private residence and it’s well known as the Christmas House in Dumaguete and Negros Oriental. ​​In December his house will be the brightest and merriest, illuminating the quaint old house which he has dwelled in most of his life and in which he now occupies alone after inheriting it from his parents.

​For me it’s a little bit surreal to see all this and it raises some questions. Who is Dr. Absin? And why is he doing this year after year. Inside the big house which of course was full of Christmas decorations in every room and corner, there were also many personal things which like proved that someone actually was living there. For example there were lot’s of old photos from different episodes of his life, from his younger days until now.

​It has become an annual custom for this Doctor to share his blessings during the season to some 300 less fortunate children in the city which he throws a party for their benefit. He never forgets to wrap up gifts to be given away and makes sure that not one child leaves without getting any. Also a member of the City Tourism Council, Dr. Absin holds benefits and fund raisers for this particular cause.

Related links:​
Tarbush, a story of love​
The boulevard in Dumaguete​
Review of 2Story kitchen in Dumaguete, Negros
Review of Gabby's Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Fish 153 Korean Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Mooon Café Robinsons Place (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Café Mafioso (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Atong Kamalig Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of San Rival Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Sta Teresa Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Tierra Alta Residential Resort, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines

The Tarbush story is a story of love: a love between man and wife, the love between a mother and her children, love for country and love for good food. All this according to their menu and that sounds promising so far. But the question remains, is that true?

The Tarbush is not a big place, it reminded me of a smaller fast-food place. It was only one other guest so it was quiet and relaxing. They offer a variety of Shawarma and sandwich in different combinations. There are also options with hummus with meat or chicken, salads and a veggies sandwich. Unfortunately they had run out of chicken so we ordered beef shawarma. 

We ordered a Mucho Gusto with beef shawarma, garlic sauce, grilled tomato, potato fries, Mexican pepper, fried onions, pickles and chili sauce. Then a Spicy Beef, with beef shawarma, garlic sauce, fresh tomatoes, potato fries, white onions, parsley, pickles and chili sauce. Fries and Coke were included.

Honestly the appearance and the taste of the two dishes was almost identical. Basically the only difference we could make out was that the Mucho Gusto had a more red sauce with less spicy taste and the Spicy Beef had less red sauce but with more spicy taste. ​But the food was very fresh and the taste was good. The portions were enough for us and the service was good so we both felt satisfied when we walked from there.

Related links:​
The boulevard in Dumaguete​
Review of 2Story kitchen in Dumaguete, Negros
Review of Gabby's Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Fish 153 Korean Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Mooon Café Robinsons Place (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Café Mafioso (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Atong Kamalig Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of San Rival Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Sta Teresa Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Tierra Alta Residential Resort, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines

Rizal Boulevard or more commonly known as just the Boulevard is the heart of Dumaguete. ​It's here everything happens. I love to stroll here specially in the evenings when the air is cooler and you can feel the ocean breeze. Many they are doing their exercises here as well, jogging and walking back and forth the boulevard. Some days of the week they arrange Zumba open for everybody brave enough to participate. 

​The boulevard’s stretch is immediately visible when coming into the Dumaguete port via any sea vessel. From the white lamp posts lining up the stretch to the stately trees swaying with the sea breeze, Rizal Boulevard holds a big part in the city’s provincial charm and has become a very popular landmark.

A lazy afternoon at the boulevard. (60 s video clip) 

Rizal Boulevard in Dumaguete City was named after the great Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, marking it as one of the historical sites found in the city. It has been said that he had made a brief visit and took a stroll here before departing to the neighboring island of Dapitan, Dipolog City where he was exiled for four years.

​​Rizal Boulevard is definitely one of the city’s best loved places. It has become a landmark as well as a venue for leisure and recreation.

Related links:​
Tarbush, a story of love​​
Review of 2Story kitchen in Dumaguete, Negros
Review of Gabby's Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Fish 153 Korean Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Mooon Café Robinsons Place (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Café Mafioso (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Atong Kamalig Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of San Rival Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Review of Sta Teresa Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines)
Tierra Alta Residential Resort, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines

The Bibimbap was huge with lots of yummy stuff and it was spicy and delicious. Since the portion was good for two persons it was perfect for me alone. The restaurant has two storeys as the name of the place indicates. I did never sit on the upper floor coz it was crowded with people when I was there. I liked the decorations on the wall specially those French wall posters by the entrance. Usually their free WiFi was excellent but not always. My eyesight is good both on long distance and for reading, but the text in menu was unnecessary small. Regardless of what, I can highly recommend their Bibimbap and their All day brunch. 

Related links:
Review of Fish 153 Korean Restaurant, Dumaguete
Review of Mooon Café Robinsons Place, Dumaguete
Review of Sta Teresa Restaurant, Dumaguete
​Review of San Rival Bistro, Dumaguete
​Review of Atong Kamalig Restaurant, Dumaguete
​​Review of Gabby's Bistro, Dumaguete
​Tierra Alta Residential Resort, Dumaguete​
Visit the Casaroro Falls, Valencia
​Visit the Marine Sanctuary in Dauin
​Tempura, takoyaki and balut​

The scenery inside the market is chaotic.  The selling and buying takes place under lively and loud forms. Specially the pigs were protesting wildly when they were transfered to their new owners or maybe to the slaughter house. Screaming like a pig got a new meaning here. By the way who wouldn't (?) if you were in their situation. 

This pig had no intention to volunteer The pigs got some water to cool off Tied up and waiting Not only livestock It's not only livestock for sale here, there are also ​assorted meats, vegetables and fruit stands and ukay-ukay stores which sell used clothing imported from foreign countries. You can also find dry goods, like handmade bolo machetes, clothes, shoes, toys, etc. Then last but not least, deliciously barbecued meat, like for example lechon baboy (pork meat). But remember, like all markets here in the Philippines, the Malatapay market opens very early already around 5 AM and if you are not there by 10 AM or so, you won’t be getting the good BBQ! ​There are some places along the seaside where you can get the fish or meat you have purchased cooked to a nice meal at the cool, breezy beach. A carabao and its handler patiently waiting A truckload of goats How to get there Malatapay Market is located in Zamboangita, Negros Oriental, around 30 kilometers south of Dumaguete. For those taking the public transport, you can find jeepneys to Zamboangita at the bell tower in Dumaguete City or near the Robinson's Mall. If you are going to Apo island you will pass Malatapay market on your way down to the shore. Yeah, the scenery is chaotic as this video clip will show Scream like a pig gets a whole new meaning here The atmosphere in the market is lively and noisy Related links:​ Red Rock Hot Spring, Valencia Dumaguete​ Going to La Verna with the girls​ Happy birthday Jas​ ​Sexy mama The Japanese Shrine​ Shopping spree​ Apo island the pearl of the Visayas​ Outing with the girls​ Baslay Hot Spring in Dauin Road trip to Sipalay​ A day of exercise The fine art of eating an ice cream​ Review of GK Coffee shop in Dumaguete​ Review of The Tres Bistro in Dumaguete Review of Chapters Café in Dumaguete​ The Christmas House in Dumaguete Tarbush, a story of love​ The boulevard in Dumaguete​ Review of 2Story kitchen in Dumaguete, Negros Review of Gabby's Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Fish 153 Korean Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Mooon Café Robinsons Place (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Café Mafioso (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Atong Kamalig Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of San Rival Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Sta Teresa Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Tierra Alta Residential Resort, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines

They have a well working WiFi also The menu It's like you are sitting on a plaza with those facades (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); ​Mango and Banana Crepe ​They have a wide selection of dishes, pork, beef, chicken, pasta, pizza, sandwiches and desserts. The prices are reasonably and the food is delicious. As a dessert I can really recommend their  Mango and Banana Crepe which is really super delicious! ​​Rating: 1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent 5 Food  4 Service 5 Value 4 Atmosphere I have been here a couple of times early 2017 Gabby's Bistro, Paseo Perdices Rizal Boulevard, 6200 Dumaguete, Philippines The incredible Mango and Banana Crepe Frito Calamari Seaside Tuna Grill Related links:​ Red Rock Hot Spring, Valencia Dumaguete​ Going to La Verna with the girls​ Happy birthday Jas​ ​Sexy mama The Japanese Shrine​ Shopping spree​ Apo island the pearl of the Visayas​ Outing with the girls​ Baslay Hot Spring in Dauin Road trip to Sipalay​ A day of exercise The fine art of eating an ice cream​ Review of GK Coffee shop in Dumaguete​ Review of The Tres Bistro in Dumaguete Review of Chapters Café in Dumaguete​ The Christmas House in Dumaguete Tarbush, a story of love​ The boulevard in Dumaguete​ Review of 2Story kitchen in Dumaguete, Negros Review of Gabby's Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Fish 153 Korean Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Mooon Café Robinsons Place (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Café Mafioso (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Atong Kamalig Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of San Rival Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Sta Teresa Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Tierra Alta Residential Resort, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines

When traveling around Philippines I have noticed that the Filipinos really love taking selfies more than anything. But on the other hand, who doesn't love taking selfies regardless of where you live, right?

​But the fact is, in Makati City, known as the financial center of the Philippines, can now boast another distinction: It is the Selfie Capital of the World. An examination of hundreds of thousands of selfies—the low-fi, self-shot photographs that are intensely popular among younger social media users—suggests that the city, part of metropolitan Manila and home to 500,000 people, produces more selfies per capita than any other city in the world. ( To be fair I should mention that this survey was made 2014)
Source: Time

Note! Click on images to see slideshow and captions!

A good tripod is very useful sometimes (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); A helping hand taking your selfie If you don't have a tripod then you need someone who can help you with your selfie-taking Related links:​ Red Rock Hot Spring, Valencia Dumaguete​ Going to La Verna with the girls​ Happy birthday Jas​ ​Sexy mama The Japanese Shrine​ Shopping spree​ Apo island the pearl of the Visayas​ Outing with the girls​ Baslay Hot Spring in Dauin Road trip to Sipalay​ A day of exercise The fine art of eating an ice cream​ Review of GK Coffee shop in Dumaguete​ Review of The Tres Bistro in Dumaguete Review of Chapters Café in Dumaguete​ The Christmas House in Dumaguete Tarbush, a story of love​ The boulevard in Dumaguete​ Review of 2Story kitchen in Dumaguete, Negros Review of Gabby's Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Fish 153 Korean Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Mooon Café Robinsons Place (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Café Mafioso (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Atong Kamalig Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of San Rival Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Sta Teresa Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Tierra Alta Residential Resort, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines

As far as I know there are not many Korean restaurants in Dumaguete and it took me some time to discover this pearl of restaurants. Fish 153 is not only a restaurant, it's also a shop where you can buy Korean specialities. The menu is extensive and it took some time for me to decide between all the dishes. But the menu shows a photo of each dish which was a good help for me. Fish 153 serves a variety of dishes that appeals to different kinds of tastes. They have fish, pork, beef, vegan and noodle-based dishes. I chose the classical Korean dish Bibimbap. The portion was big and delicious. I was the only dining guest at the time but there were few others coming in and bought things from the shop.

Note! Click on images to see slideshow and captions!

At my first time here I was the only dining guest in the restaurant. The two girls in the corner belonged to the staff. The menu was extensive with many dishes Lucky for me, there were photos in the menu which made it easier for me to decide This was my Bibimbap, spicy and delicious! I also dragged my friends there to let them try... She was very excited and loved the food so much! Related links:​ Red Rock Hot Spring, Valencia Dumaguete​ Going to La Verna with the girls​ Happy birthday Jas​ ​Sexy mama The Japanese Shrine​ Shopping spree​ Apo island the pearl of the Visayas​ Outing with the girls​ Baslay Hot Spring in Dauin Road trip to Sipalay​ A day of exercise The fine art of eating an ice cream​ Review of GK Coffee shop in Dumaguete​ Review of The Tres Bistro in Dumaguete Review of Chapters Café in Dumaguete​ The Christmas House in Dumaguete Tarbush, a story of love​ The boulevard in Dumaguete​ Review of 2Story kitchen in Dumaguete, Negros Review of Gabby's Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Fish 153 Korean Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Mooon Café Robinsons Place (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Café Mafioso (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Atong Kamalig Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of San Rival Bistro (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Review of Sta Teresa Restaurant (Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines) Tierra Alta Residential Resort, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Philippines