NAIA Terminal 3

Finally had a chance to take a flight using NAIA Terminal 3 (Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3). Cebu Pacific started using NAIA Terminal 3 a week after we flew to Davao last July 26 so we missed the chance to see it early on its opening but lucky enough since most of the flights when NAIA Terminal 3 opened experienced the pains of awakening an airport that was asleep for a very long time (let me call it the "bagong gising syndrome"). But now after months of operations, it is becoming a well oiled and fully awake airport.

In the old Domestic Airport, overnight parking is available for 50 pesos per night. It is good to know that there is also overnight parking available in NAIA Terminal 3. The price is also 50 pesos per night. And when the mutli-level parking opens next year, I hope there will be overnight parking slots there so cars can be protected from the sun, rain and ipot (bird droppings).

Just follow the signs.

Get your parking slip. Log in the overnight parking log book.

In the old Deomestic Airport they give these overnight parking coupons. But in Terminal 3 you will only be given the parking slip above.

Park your car.

Cross the street between the parking area and the airport building.

Take the escalator to the second floor departure area.

Check-in your baggage and pay the 200 pesos terminal fee.

The airport looks modern.

Has walkalators to make walking quicker.

Plenty of seats to wait for boarding.

Grab some food in Delifrance, Chaikofi, Jamaican Pattie Shop, Go Nuts Donuts, Cinnabon, Hen Lin and Art's Cream Gallery.

There are still a lot of vacant space for more shops in the future.

Easy Parking in Mall of Asia

How do you easily find a vacant parking slot in Mall of Asia?

When we visited MOA last week, this question was answered with flying colors - red and green.

Each parking slot has a LED indicator that is green if it is empty and turns red as soon as a vehicle parks in it.

So how do you find an empty parking lot in Mall of Asia? Just look up, look for a green light in the pool of reds, then drive right in. Presto!
See how many empty parking slot you can find in the photo below.

San Francisco and a Bag of Nuts

Last month my wife and I went on a business trip to the US. But we never saw each other there. Why? Because I went there two weeks earlier than her. One week after I returned to the Philippines, it was her turn.

This is me in San Francisco, California.

This is my wife in exactly the same veiw deck overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge - two weeks after I was there.

From this point you can fit the Golden Gate Bridge on your hand.

But come closer and you'll see just how big it is. This is a sample of the main cable that is almost a meter in diameter and contains 27,572 wires. This is Lilia with her cousin Riza who lives in SF.

I love nuts and on a neighborhood walk in Silicon Valley I found this bag of nuts.

The popular Ding Dong mixed nuts that me and my Mapua dorm mates used as "pulutan" back in college contained peanuts, green peas and cornik. But the mixed bag I saw there have almonds, walnuts, pepitas, pecans, pistachios plus cranberries. The combination is great and you'll munch away until there's none left. It's also a healthy mix. On a quick internet research you'll discover that you'll get antioxidants, vitamin E, omega 3, reduced cholesterol, kidney/gallbladder stone prevention, lower risk of heart disease, etc. Research on each of the ingredients and you'll see what I mean.

Everytime you pour some in you hand, the certainty of getting a different mix each time and the fact that different combinations result to subtle variations on how your next mouthfull will taste is kinda fun and exciting.

Here's another fun thing to do with this mix - exploring your EQ ability by forcing yourself to pause eating and let your artistic talent flow then create a work of art before you continue eating. Well, my wife did the following art works while I was on the side munching away her art supplies. She only managed to make two before I ate everything hehe.

I hope this kind of mixed nuts reach Manila. Maybe some of you guys out there know where I can buy this locally.

Davao Crocodile Park, Paradise Island

Here's more of Davao.

Davao Crocodile Park is located inside Riverfront Corporate City. It opens from 8:00am daily. Nice time to be there is in the afternoon when they feed the crocs.

Justin with mom Helen. A baby croc in his hands and Crocs on his feet. I thought crocodile skin is hard and rough but actually it's not. Croc skin feels like expensive leather bag, belt or wallet - soft and smooth.

This snake's skin is not as good for wallets or belts.

The largest resident crocodile in Davao Crocodile Park is Pangil. I wonder if adult crocodile skin is just as good for wallets and belts. Hmmm.

This is what's left of Boktot, a 14-foot male crocodile that died in 2005 at the age of 45.

Ahoy there!

Close encounters. Booo!

Paradise Island Park and Beach Resort is located in Samal Island's closest point to Davao City where the Gulf of Davao spans less than 2 kilometers shore to shore. Samal Island is also where Pearl Farm is (further south of where Paradise Island is located).

A quick ten munite boat ride from Davao City and you are already in Paradise Island Beach Resort.

There are many small single-clawed crabs near the port going to Samal Island. Locally called "kalamangi". Puro kaliwete sila hehe.

The beaches in Samal Island have fine white sands.

Hannah as Big Foot.

Hannah as the little mermaid Dyesebel.

Even in Davao International Airport you can get a glimpse of Kublai Millan's work of art - The Durian.

Going back to Manila. Bye!

Visit Davao next week for the Kadayawan Festival!

Davao People's Park

Davao People's Park opened last December 2007. Setting aside the controversy, it really is a good park that the people of Davao and its visitors can enjoy. It's free for all, big, clean and green.

The facade is adorned with decors of Waling-Waling - the big and beautiful orchid that was once indigenous to the Philippines.

If the Land of Oz has the yellow brick road, the city of Davao has the rainbow brick road. Count the colors, they are all there. The Royal Mandaya Hotel is in the background.

If Singapore has a Durian dome (the Esplanade), so does Davao - a smaller, wire-mesh version inside the park.

Some works of Kublai Millan in Davao People's Park. He also has works displayed in Over View Nature and Culture Park and Davao International Airport.

This giant Eagle reminds me of the statue of a monkey-eating eagle that I used to see when I was a kid when we were along EDSA or South Superhighway going into Makati (let me call it Makati Eagle Rotonda).

Vendor's are not allowed in the park and littering is strictly prohibited so all you see are groups of friends, families, students and happy kids running around.

The park's 10 meter tall man made water falls was under maintenance so let me just share my pic of the park's stretch of wall with water gently running down to a self-contained pond. I love taking portrait shots of running water at twilight.

I hope they keep the park well maintained for generations to enjoy.