My First Negros Experience!

Hi Negros! Hello Negros Occidental! :D

Last week after the BDJ 2012 Event we hopped to the airport for our trip to Bacolod! We landed past the hour of 6 at the New Bacolod Silay International Airport!

Bacolod City is busy for the upcoming Masskara festival Parade!

highways are filled with these advertisements

The first thing I noticed since we arrived were the vast fields of sugar cane! Tall green grasses that sometimes smells sweet like sugar and sometimes smells like an 'odd' vinegar! :D

sweet sugar cane

Bacolod is literally miles away from Silay... So we had an unexpected road trip! Speaking of road trips, I've never seen a taxi, not a single cab! The main transportation here were motorcycle also known as Habal-Habal, tricycles that can accomodate up to 20 pax, no kidding! Bus like jeeps and your bare feet! :D

the easy path during the day

We didn't warm up for the 'walkathon' and so we were shocked but we manage and adjust, I meant adopt the walking in the dusty-rocky dim (because you can only depend for the moon to shine and your trusty flashlight to see where your going at night) earth path which is a stretched 1.5km!

freshly picked Santol! Sweet not Sour! :)

the sweet Marang Fruit!

We took our bath at the small PRIVATE batis! (creek)

the butchers and the goat! hehe

At Bacolod City Hall

 A day after attending a wedding,

the cake was yummy!

 we go straight to Mambukal Hot Spring!

Our Pasalubongs includes Piaya in Original and Ube Flavour and Baye-Baye (Espasol Bacolod Style!)

perfect with hot coffee! (in my case, hot chocolate!)

The experience was superb! Imagine I wasn't able to go online for a week! Nevertheless, I enjoy my stay!

Mambukal Mountain Resort, Bacolod City

If Benguet is famous for its Asin Hot Springs and the new Itogon Hot Spring, Bacolod's pride is the Mambukal Mountain Hot Spring!

a creek that I believe is connected to Mambukal Hot Spring!

Overlooking Mt. Kanlaon

Inside the resort, there's the 

a creek

another creek

my mom and another creek across a bridge

Mambukal is also famous for its seven waterfalls and random rivers and streams!

The hike was slippery and rough which explains why there's no 4th to 7th... Safety first! :)

Those aren't fruits, those are bats!

The flying foxes catches our attention! Some are sleeping, others are flying, and the rest were squawking! IDK if that's the right term but they're sort of noisy... or maybe we are that's why they're pissed? IDK.. :3

one of the hanging bridges for the Canopy Walk

I missed the Slide for Life which is a zip-like ride for Php50.00 and the Wall Climbing. amp.

Inside the Ishiwata Hot Spring

the place was a haven!

The boys at the Boating Lagoon

This resort is located at Murcia, Bacolod City and is considered as the Summer Capital of Negros! The hot spring is very relaxing and is believed to 'cure' different skin diseases because of its natural sulfur content.

And if your preggy like me and don't want to risk it, there are regular pools in the area that cost Php50 for adults and Php30 for kids. We stayed at a Trellis Cottage that is Php350 with a wooden circular table and 6 chairs. The comfort rooms where clean and the parking area was wide and free of charge!

If you don't wanna pay for your entrance free, some, like the teeners we've saw just swam at the random rivers, just remember that you should 'swim at your own risk!' lol and if you don't wanna pay for cottages, you could just put your things on top of a dry rock. :P or you could just put your things in your car in the parking lot, no big deal. But remember, when you pay, you are also helping in preserving the area, plus its cheap! :D win-win, right?

Hikers are very welcome here to trek the famous seven falls! Just remember to add a 'tour guide' because a lot of tourist were 'lost' because of its winding uphill not to mention when you ask local kids around where to go, they menacingly point you to the wrong direction! But worry not, the 'tour guide' here only accepts donation for the reservation of the area.

If your planning to visit Bacolod, dont miss this resort and the famous Chicken Inasals at Bobs! :D

Take Flight: Launch of Belle de Jour Power Planner 2012

Note: Picture Heavy!

A week before the fair, everyone is hyped already! Including "yours truly"! I always check their tweet, FB posts and announcements! hehe! Talk about being addicted! I even joined their contest for a chance to win one of the 15 BDJ 2012 Planner! Here are my entries on my: Blog, Twitter and Facebook.

Well Im proud to say that my efforts payed off! and it payed off very well!
First, we, including my sister, cousin, aunt and mom have been included for the first 1000 pre-registers that'll have a free swag!
Secondly, we were able to play the Scavenger Hunt!
Thirdly, I just won myself a BDJ 2012! Yes! You read it right! I was one of the winners via twitter! Here's their tweet! Hoorah!

Quarter before two, we arrived at Eastwood Mall open park in Libis, Quezon city where the event will be held.

Here are some of the pictures before the event started:

back stage

bellas lining up for the event

After lining up to pay Php50.00 for the entrance fee, that'll 100% proceed to the Tondo Children and Romblon Scholars. :)

The main tent where the talks, fashion show, entertainment and raffle winner announcements where held:

Here are the booths inside:

We enjoy the Scavenger Hunt!

Team Paris!

photo courtesy of Ms. Sarte

Here are the swags that we took home with us!

from Etude House

Nivea

swag from GSK

samples from Smashbox ans So Elixir

samples from Garnier and Flax Clean Skin

2 tickets for Philippine Fashion Week

 Lastly, I claim my BDJ 2012 at the selling booth! and  snd since I tried spring bind last year, I decided to try the book bind type this time. :D

We won prizes from Ace Water Spa, Nivea and  Etude House. We took bite from treats offered by CBTL, Athena, Carbtrim, Selecta Gold Series, Bizu, Magnolia Drinks and quick dishes from Enderun! All in all, we had a great time!