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Cebu City Private Day Tour

On the 2nd day of our Cebu trip, we had a private day tour of Cebu City by our friendly local guide – Long. But before we talk about the Cebu City Tour proper, here is a little background on how we got to meet Long

How to arrange a Cebu City Private Day Tour

Our taxi driver, Long, who drove us from the airport to Castle Peak Hotel seemed friendly and honest, so when he asked us if we wanted to book his car for a day tour, we agreed. His first quote for the day trip was 2000 peso, and when we wanted to add Tops into the itinerary, he increased it to 3000 peso. (The market rate for the taxi fare to and fro Tops from Cebu city is 1000 peso, according to our online research 😛 ) When we replied “too much”, he then asked us “how much?”. With our “experience from bargaining in vietnam/Indonesia”, we said “2000 peso”. Long then said “Ohhhh…cannot. Too little. Tops is very far. 2500 peso”. Kate and I decided that we do not really want to see the Mactan shrine and that would also take up some time due to the traffic to lapu-lapu city, we re-negotiated with Long and counter-offered “Okay, don’t want Mactan shrine. 2000 peso”. He turned around, smiled, and said “Okay. Tomorrow what time?” (After chatting with Long for the whole day, we knew more about his family, and decided to treat his family to a box of Dunkin Donuts. A great way to end the day.)

Attractions Cebu City Private Day Tour

Well, the great part of a Cebu City Private Day Tour is that you have the flexibility of where you want to go and how long you want to stay at one place. So these were some of the attractions that we visited in Cebu City…

Cebu Monument

Cebu Monument

The Cebu Monument is a structural representation that depicts all the major events that took place in Cebu beginning with the famous event of how a native chieftain by the name of Lapu Lapu killed the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.

University of Visayas (Oldest University) & Colon Street (Oldest Road in the Philippines)

University of Visayas Oldest University in Cebu – Owned by a politician

Colon Street – Oldest Road in the Philippines (Part 1)

Colon Street – Oldest Road in the Philippines (Part 2)

Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral and City Hall

Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral

City Hall – Right across from Magellan’s Cross

Magellan’s Cross

Magellan’s Cross Cebu

It was said that Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer, ordered the cross to be planted in Cebu. His quest was actually to prove that the earth was round and could be circum-navigated (i.e. sail round the world in one direction and return home). Eventually, his crew did prove that. However, he was killed by Lapu Lapu and he died in the Philippines.

Basilica del Santo Nino

Basilica del Santo Nino – Short walk from Magellan’s Cross

Fort San Pedro

Fort San Pedro – Entrance fee of 30 pesos

Fort San Pedro, built in 1738 is a small triangular (yes, unique shape for a fort) bastion fort built by the Spanish settlers in defence against Muslim invaders. Cost of entry is 30 pesos and you can also ask a guide to give you a tour of the compound. It takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes to cover the fort.

Miguel Lopez Monument at Independence Plaza (Opposite Fort San Pedro)

Miguel Lopez Monument

Around Independence Plaza

Museo Sugbo – Cebu’s largest Museum

Entrance of Museo Sugbo – Entrance fee of 75 pesos

Taoist Temple on Beverly Hills

Taoist Temple on Beverly Hills

Tops Cebu Lookout

Our driver for the day Long with his cab on Tops

Tops San Miguel and our driver Long

View of Cebu City from Tops in the Day and after Sunset

Video from Tops Observation Lookout – Day Time

Video from Tops Lookout – After Sunset

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For your convenience, we have arranged for the best hotel deals in Cebu right here!

The day’s tour was essentially a stop for lunch at CnT Lechon, followed by the attractions above. After Tops, Long actually waited for us when we went to the supermarket to replenish our stock of mineral water and snacks. The great thing about having Long bringing us around is that the timing was very flexible. We could spend however long or short period of time at each stop.

Thank you Long! 🙂

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Updated on February 7, 2021March 13, 2013American Food Bassetts Ice Cream Betsy Ross House City Hall Comcast Centre Dinic's Roast Pork and Beef Elvez Mexican Restaurant Independence Hall Liberty Bell Philadelphia Attractions Philadelphia Museum of Art Philadelphia Philly Philly Cheese Steak Rocky Steps Rocky Statue Things to do Things to do in Pennsylvania Things to do in Philadelphia Things to do in USA USA

Things to do and Attractions in Philadelphia, USA!

There are so many things to do and attractions in Philadelphia and it has got to be one of our most favourite city in the United States! You can find history, a modern city and best of all good food all right here in Philadelphia!

What to do in Philadelphia, USA?

Philadelphia is the bed rock of American History. Follow the heritage trails and you will be able to visit world renowned attractions such as the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. But if you prefer modern buildings, a few blocks down and you’d be in the Comcast Center. And if food is your thing, Reading Terminal Market boasts of some of the best foods in the city. So there is definitely no lack of things to do in Philadelphia!

1. Heritage Trail / Historic District in Philadelphia

The best thing we liked about Philadelphia is that its history is intertwined with its modernity. The heritage trail (and Historic District), located near to the modern buildings boasts of the most significant monuments in American history. The Independence Hall and Liberty Bell tells of the story of America’s road to freedom while the Betsy Ross House flew the first flag of the United States of America!

2. Philadelphia – A Modern City

Besides being rich in history, Philadelphia is also a modern city in its own rights. An excellent example is the Comcast Center which boasts of screens on its walls that look as though it is painted in the same colour as the rest of its wall…

Comcast Centre Screen as part of the wall.... — Comcast Centre Screen as part of the wall….

Animation at Comcast Center Philadelphia

What to eat in Philadelphia

If food is your thing, look no further than the Reading Terminal Market! It boasts of the best French-dipped sandwich and ice cream with a rich (in both sense of the word) history! While you’re in Philadelphia, dont miss out on the best nachos ever @ Elvez! Last but not least, what would a visit to Philadelphia be without trying its world famous Philly Cheesesteaks!

Dinic's Roast Pork and Beef @ Reading Terminal Market — Dinic’s Roast Pork and Beef @ Reading Terminal Market

Beef Sandwich topped with Roasted Pepper and Pork Sandwich with Spinach @ DiNic's — Beef Sandwich topped with Roasted Pepper and Pork Sandwich with Spinach @ DiNic’s

Bassetts Ice Cream - America's Oldest Ice Cream Company — Bassetts Ice Cream – America’s Oldest Ice Cream Company

Peanut Butter Swirl with Rum and Raisin @ Bassetts Ice Cream

Chocolates Galore at Reading Terminal Market Philadelphia

Other Attractions in Philadelphia

There are other attraction in Philadelphia such as the City Hall, Rocky Statue & Museum of Art (Rocky ran up and down the steps here at Museum of Art).

Another view of the City Hall Philadelphia

Hotel Deals in Philadelphia

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There are indeed so many things to do and attractions in Philadelphia! Do take your time to enjoy these attractions and unforgettable photo moments the next time you visit these attractions in Philadelphia!

Updated on January 3, 2021May 19, 2012attractions Europe holiday Maastricht Markt Places of Interest The Netherlands Travel Travel Blog Travel Tips vacation

Markt aka the market square in Maastricht

The Markt is one of the 2 squares in Maastricht. The other being Vrijthof square.

The Markt is of course where our hotel was – The Hotel De La Bourse. There are some interesting structures and buildings which we want to bring to your attention…

Statue of Johannes Petrus Minckelers in Maastricht- guy who invented gas light

The “Eternal Burning Flame” is a statue in the middle of Markt Square in Maastricht that remembers Johannes Petrus Minckelers (aka Jean-Pierre Minckelers) as the inventor of illuminating gas. It shows him holding a torch that is lighted with fire. You can actually feel the heat when you stand close to it.

The other noteworthy structure has got to be the City Hall aka Stadhuis. The bells of the city hall chimes on the hour and we managed to catch the last bit of it here…

Bell chimes from the City Hall in Maastricht

There’s another statue of an old lady here in the Markt. Anyone knows who she is and what she stands for? There are also trucks that park at the side of the Markt and sell sandwiches and fish, somewhat like a mini market. The sides of the square are also lined with shops ranging from restaurants to boutiques.

We will now leave you with a video that covers the entire Markt Square. Hope it brings you the feel and vibe of the Markt in Maastricht!

For your convenience, we have arranged for the best hotel deals in Maastricht right here!

In and around Markt Square Maastricht

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Franklin Institute, Philadelphia Museum of Art,Rocky Statue, City Hall, Elvez,Schuylkill River Trail,Independence Hall

Updated on February 6, 2021October 15, 2011American Food attractions City Hall Elvez Mexican Restaurant Elvez Mexican Restaurant Franklin Institute holiday Independence Hall Philadelphia Attractions Philadelphia Museum of Art Philadelphia Philly Places of Interest Rocky Steps Rocky Statue Schuylkill River Trail Things to do Things to do in Pennsylvania Things to do in Philadelphia Things to do in USA Travel Travel Blog Travel Tips USA vacation

Things to do and Attractions in Philadelphia USA Part 2 – Franklin Institute, Philadelphia Museum of Art,Rocky Statue, City Hall, Elvez,Schuylkill River Trail,Independence Hall

There are so many things to do and attractions in Philadelphia! Let’s find out what are the things to do right here in Philadelphia!

Venturing on, we passed by the Franklin Institute where we caught a glimpse of Benjamin Franklin seated near its entrance…

Statue of Benjamin Franklin Philadelphia

There were also tonnes of statues along the way, commemorating different people and events (Philadelphians, care to help us name them?)…

General Tadeusz Kosciuszko Statue Philadelphia

Close up of Eakins Oval statue philadelphia

We then saw an iconic structure…the Philadelphia Museum of Art

It was here where Rocky (in the movie) ran up these steps (known as “Rocky” steps) as he trained…which is why the Rocky statue is also situated nearby…

We had a refreshing view of the river along the Schuylkill River Trail…

Along Schuylkill River Trail Philadelphia

Near the waterworks was a familiar figure…

Although not nearly as large as its Washington counterpart, but just as iconic.

On the way back, we also saw a statue of Joan of Arc…

as well as the St. Paul and St. Peter Church…

St. Paul and St. Peter Church Philadelphia

We also caught another view of the City Hall as well as the Independence Hall which we intend to visit the next day…

A wonderful sunset drew the day to a close as we ended our dinner at Elvez, a mexican modern restaurant…

Elvez - Mexican Modern Restaurant Philadelphia — Elvez – Mexican Modern Restaurant Philadelphia

To our surprise, the restaurant was fully packed for dinner and we were advised to return an hour later. We didnt make a booking because we didnt know if our hunger would over come us. Still, we saved the space in our tummies and returned to Elvez at about 8:30pm. It was still very crowded but the friendly staff gave us a cosy table for 2…

There are several famous foods at Elvez and we tried the 2 Nachos, namely Macho Nachos as well as Nachos with Guacamole…

Macho Nachos El Vez Mexican Restaurant Philadelphia

Macho Nachos has got to be the best Nachos we’ve ever tasted. All the ingredients used were fresh and the flavours bursts in your mouth literally as you enter for the first bite. Hints of lime, mighty cheese, a little bit of spice,olives,fresh tomatoes and the meat all blended together to give that WOW taste…you’ve got to try it if you’re there!

Next, we also tried the famous original Elvez Guacamole Nachos…

Again, the ingredients were fresh and the portions were huge. The taste of the guacamole didnt disappoint and went interestingly well with the Nachos. Another favourite here…

We accompanied our dinner with a couple of drinks…

In our next post, we will give the details of the heritage trails (independence Hall, liberty bell, betsy ross house)

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Updated on February 6, 2021October 12, 2011attractions City Hall Comcast Centre holiday Philadelphia Attractions Philadelphia Philly Phillie Phanatic Places of Interest Radisson Hotel Philadelphia Things to do Things to do in Pennsylvania Things to do in Philadelphia Things to do in USA Travel Travel Blog Travel Tips USA vacation

Things to do and attractions in Philadelphia Philly Part 1

There are so many things to do and attractions in Philadelphia! Let’s find out what are the things to do right here in Philadelphia!

Philadelphia is one of our favourite city in the United States. It is really the amalgamation (combination) of all things great for a tourist.

The city is rich in history, with the liberty (declaration of independence), liberty bell and the american revolutionary war as its background. However, a few blocks down you will see modern buildings such as the Comcast Centre, One Liberty Place and Two Liberty Place. There is really a good intertwine between the modern facade and history of the city. Walking in the historic district makes one feels like you are walking back into colonial times as well. For more about colonial USA, click here.

But to a traveller and tourist , a complete coverage of a city comes with its food! (well at least that’s true @ 2bearbear.com) Philadelphia is famous for….drum rolls….Philly Cheesesteaks! We’ll also visit some of the other famous eateries in Reading Terminal Market and of course features from Man VS Food (MVF)!

We started our drive early this weekend once again. The drive was approximately 4 hours and we were able to stop by the Jefferson Memorial (something we missed when we visted Washington DC the last time).

The man himself - Thomas Jefferson — The man himself – Thomas Jefferson

Did you know that Thomas Jefferson was not only one of the founding fathers but also the main author of the Declaration of Independence?

As we approached our hotel (Radisson Hotel Philadelphia), we were greeted by this building and awed by the city hall on the horizon…

Starting to feel the colonial flavour in Philadelphia

We were somewhat misled by the GPS as we entered the central business district (CBD), the tall buildings must have clouded out the signals. However, we did eventually arrive at our destination – Radisson Hotel Philadelphia!

Elegant Lobby of Radisson Hotel Philadelphia

Intricate paintings on ceiling of Radisson Hotel Philadelphia

Chandelier in the Lobby of Radisson Hotel Philadelphia

We were also pleasantly surprised by the room which was spacious yet had the cosy feel to it…

Comfortable Bed of Radisson Hotel Philadelphia

Dressing table of Radisson Hotel Philadelphia

We quickly unloaded our stuff and headed out towards the city hall and we were greeted by him!

All over town we could see many many different versions of him wearing different costumes and designs. We then took several pictures around the city hall area…

Structures around the City Hall area in Philadelphia

Intertwining history with modern structures - Philadelphia — Intertwining history with modern structures – Philadelphia

Soon we entered the much talked about Comcast Centre. Not only because it is the tallest building in Philadelphia, but also because of these magical screens…

The screens displayed images so realistic that without looking closer, you would have thought the screens were part of the wall…(Note that the lines between the screens are also part of the screen) then it happened, it began displayed videos and animation. The smaller screens were integrated as part of a larger screen…

Black Screen on Comcast Center Philadelphia

Video with piano keys at Comcast Center Philadelphia

In our next post we will show you more of Philadelphia!

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