Category: Reviews

My personal experiences with anything and everything, including those told to me by family and friends.

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Cebu Pacific’s Online Reservations and Ticketing System

Online booking and ticketing is making its way into Philippine homes. Convenient! Or so I thought….

Our 2 boys are headed for the province soon so the other night, I logged on to Cebu Pacific’s website and began booking their tickets. It was a cinch! The pop-up windows first showed me the available promo rates for the date I chose, then after my selection, it began asking me for passenger details. Processing my credit card did not pose any problems at all. Soon after processing, the e-tickets of the boys were emailed to me pronto! Wow, I thought to myself, what a comfort to do things from home rather than have to troop to a ticketing office.

I thought too soon. Our niece who came to Manila for a convention and who was traveling back home with our boys needed to have her e-ticket rebooked. I went through the website. Nope, there was NO ONLINE WAY TO REBOOK! Egads!

There was a 24/7 telephone number though so I promptly dialed it. A friendly customer rep assisted me with the rebooking. Okay, so far. But then, here came the bad news. The e-ticket had to be reissued and it could not be done online. I had to go to the nearest ticketing office to get it done. Huh? May record locator naman. If they could email me a newly-purchased ticket, why couldn’t reissuances be done online via email as well? Beats me… Continue reading “Cebu Pacific’s Online Reservations and Ticketing System”

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Vista Marina Subic

It is just a little over a year old, having begun operations around December 2005.

Vista Marina is located along Waterfront Road, almost at the end of it. What makes this a wonderful place to stay in is its magnificent bay view — the boardwalk connects several smaller hotels, and you have an expanse of white sand and calm bay waters interrupted only by people jet skiing and parasailing. The boardwalk is tastefully landscaped, with a circular alcove that can be a perfect hang-out (surrounded by plants around it and with half of the alcove bounded by a wall with cascading waters). Continue reading “Vista Marina Subic”

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Vinyasa Yoga Center

(UPDATE: This yoga center is now CLOSED)

I am taking hatha yoga at the Vinyasa Yoga Center under Pio Baquiran. Not only is Pio a great yoga teacher (he takes pains to check one’s posture and knows when to challenge you to do more advanced poses while also pulling back to easier poses when he senses you need to) but yoga itself has toned my body, given me a lot more stamina, and has made me healthier than I have been in years. Pio is a strict vegetarian, the sign of a real yogi. He is certified as a yoga instructor as well.

The Center, located at the 17th floor of Strata 100, Felix Ortigas Road (formerly Emerald Ave.)., Ortigas Complex, is managed by Minna Estrada (partnering with Pio). Classes are structured for different levels of students and even includes yoga for kids and monthly vegetarian cooking classes. The Center itself is well maintained, has a reception area, dressing area, restroom, large workout area with wooden floors and surrounded by mirrors and electric fans, and dimmer lights (great for meditation and the cooling down period at the end). About the only thing that the Center lacks right now is a shower area (for lack of space — but I hear that is in the expansion blueprint).

If you have been sedentary for a long time and not the fitness buff who spends hours in gyms and outdoor sports, consider yoga. It is a holistic, practical alternative way to health and stress detoxification..

I’ve been at it for about 10 months now and have no regrets whatsoever except that I should have started yoga years ago. It not only trains the body but more importantly, disciplines the mind.

The icing on the cake is that the regular group of yoginis like me who have committed to our yoga regimen are great companions, terrific motivators and just wonderful girl friends!

Vinyasa Yoga Center

17/F Strata 100 Bldg.

Felix Ortigas Road, Ortigas Complex

Pasig City

Tel. 637-9003; CP: (0920) 947-5915