Food and travel treat IN SUBIC

Just going around the clean and green Subic Bay Freeport Zone makes one forget the dreary clutter of city life and experience some physical and mental finetuning as the environment is safe and people-friendly.

Travel is smooth sans crazed overspeeding and foul-mouthed drivers snaking in and out two lanes, smokebelching cars, mulish and annoying jaywalkers, bumper-to-bumper traffic – just plain quiet verve as you politely keep up with road and traffic rules.Talk about a breath of fresh air!

It is also fun watching families of monkeys come down from the forest especially in the afternoon to ogle at passing cars. And how they seem to pose for pictures when you pull over for a while and whip out your camera. All the more when they see you munching and holding food packs – it will surely yield that awfully begging give-me-please look!

But hold on to your defenses and don’t give in to their whims, you’ll be warned not to give any food to the monkeys, it will surely spoil them rotten. It gives them a wrong signal that it’s okay to stay on the streets and never go back to their natural habitat. So, they become streetsmart food beggars along the road, which is risky for them, especially to nursing mommies and their babies.

Of the three Legend properties, the Waterfront Legend Hotel is the most accessible to the gimmick area – restaurants and bars, entertainment and games’ venues, promenade and shopping areas like duty-free stores and brand outlets.

The well-furnished 254-room hotel has function rooms for small to big events, four food outlets, casino, shopping arcade, spa, fitness and business centers. Room rates vary from US$104.50 net or promo rate of US$82 for superior room, US$203.50 for junior suite and US$258.50 net for executive suite and US$495 net for the Seaview Suite.

The similarly upscale 155-room Grand Season Hotel has almost the same rates, two restaurants, a boardroom and secretarial services, and complete amenities.

Located in Cubi Point, which is about half an hour drive from the Waterfront, the 102 fully-serviced Legenda Suites has 51 one-bedroom suites and 51 two-bedroom suites to choose from. It has a 24-hour food outlet nearby – the Highland coffee shop, five various-sized function rooms and conference hall, business center, gameroom and playground, massage center, laundry and valet, among other facilities.

The money-saving units in this property are equipped with kitchen and electric stove, making it very ideal for big groups or families staying for long weekends.

Marketing and Communications Manager Cheryl Moore Singzon said the Legenda Suites’ summer promo is R4,800 for a two-bedroom suite instead of its R9,500 published rate. A one-bedroom suite is pegged at R3,800 instead of the R7,500 published rate per unit.

A round-the-clock shuttle service makes it convenient for guests to make the rounds of places to see and enjoy.

Subic enjoys a brisk influx of tourists from Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong and mainland China as chartered flights from Incheon, Taipei and Kaoshiung touch down twice weekly.

Capping our food and travel journey was The Museum’s superb lauriat of fatladen crabs, the flavorful beef and vegetables, appetizing steamed green snapper, the ultra-rich but so tempting Peking duck, the lip smacking ribs and scrumptious noodles, among others. Chefs Jun Villeza and Arnold Bordan shared with us some culinary tips that made us appreciate more the painstakingly prepared dishes.

After dinner, drinks and a videoke session followed at the Neptune Club. As if our heavy dinner could be easily washed down by belting out ditties, RJ gamely herded us to a cubicle to churn out retro and pop songs.

To make the most of the evening, we moved next to the adjacent bar and listened to a hip local band perform top hits and most requested songs. It was really a long day, and a perk-me-up walk along the windy Waterfront ended up at Earl Fu’s Xtreme Coffee Bar with a nightcap of flavored iced tea, cappuccino, latté, espresso and some pica-pica among us.