Laguna: Save the historic Alberto House in Biñan, Laguna!

Now they are targeting the historic Alberto House in Biñan, Laguna, the house of Teodora Alonzo, mother of Jose Rizal! That foolishness in Bagac, Bataan has got to stop! Shame on you, you greedy developer! Stop poaching our history!

The historic Alberto House is significant among Biñan houses because of its association with Dr. Jose P. Rizal. This grand bahay na bato with its tile roof still intact, is a cultural treasure to the people of Biñan. And anyone who dares take it away for his personal use can only be called greedy!

The ancestors of Rizal, both Alonzo and Mercado, are from Biñan, Laguna. Rizal's grandfather was Don Lorenzo Alberto Alonzo (1790-1854), municipal captain of Biñan in 1844. The Alberto House was thus the ancestral house of Rizal's mother, Teodora Alonzo. Dona Teodora and Jose Rizal himself, at various periods, lived in the house.


Rizal connection aside, the architectural features and date of construction of the Alberto House (approximately constructed in 1765) make it very significant not just to Biñan, but the entire province of Laguna.

According to sources, about 20 percent of the interior was already dismantled as of this week. It's a good thing the City Government of Biñan, Laguna stepped in and has offered to purchase the house. Imagine the gall of this developer! They were demolishing the Alberto House without a demolition permit! And before we forget, R.A. 10066 - The National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 is already in effect. Therefore, demolition of structures at least fifty years old cannot proceed without the permission of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

Another good thing is that people in Biñan are up in arms! I laud communities who know the value of their heritage and the need to preserve it. The United Artists for Cultural Conservation and Development, City of Binan, Inc. is calling on everyone's support to help them save the Alberto House in Biñan, Laguna. They are staging WELGA: Isang Gabi ng Dula, Awitan, Sayawan, Atbp., a cultural protest condemning the demolition and transfer of the Alberto House on June 9, 2010, Wednesday, 7 p.m. at the town plaza of the Biñan.

Thank you to BJ Borja of the United Artists for Cultural Conservation and Development, City of Biñan Inc. for photos of the house by Neil Cholo Legaspi and information on the house. For more details, read Laguna town prevents demolition of Rizal mom’s home.

Update: The City Government of Binan, Laguna pledged its full support for the restoration of the Alberto House. It has allotted funds for its purchase or expropriation if need be. The United Artists for Cultural Conservation and Development, City of Biñan Inc. has begun fund-raising efforts for the eventual restoration of the house. All it takes is for the Albertos to say yes to the offer.

Macau: Grand Prix Museum honors Arsenio "Dodjie" Laurel (1962 & 1963 Macao Grand Prix champion)

Few Filipinos know that we once had a champion race car driver in the person of Arsenio "Dodjie" Laurel, a son of former president Jose P. Laurel. In fact, Dodjie Laurel was the first person two win the Macao Grand Prix consecutively in 1962 and 1963.


Could he have been the Philippines' first F1 driver? We'll never know because he died in a car crash while trying to win his third Macao Grand Prix in 1967. It is said that Philippine motorsports has not had a champion of his caliber and stature ever since.


One corner of the Grand Prix Museum, which documents the history of the Macao Grand Prix, is dedicated to Dodjie Laurel. The Lotus 22-Ford which won him the 1962 and 1962 races is on display at the museum.


Many popular F1 drivers were previous winners of the Macao Gran Prix while they were still racing F3 including Michael Schumacher (1990), David Coulthard (1991), and Ralf Schumacher (1995). Micheal Schumacher's F3 car is also in the museum.

The museum is open from from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Entrance to the Grand Prix Museum and the adjacent Wine Museum is free.

Macau: Activities for non-gamblers at Macau's casinos and entertainment resorts

As I previously mentioned, Macau is not all about casinos. In fact, casinos and entertainment resorts such as City of Dreams, The Venetian Macao, Ponte 16 and Wynn have a lot of activities you might want to try out. Dining and shopping are a staple at all casinos and entertainment resorts.


1. City of Dreams: Steaks at Horizons, Dragon's Treasure and Hard Rock Hotel
I personally like the interior design of City of Dreams. They even have a guide to the art that you can find around the complex.

Check out the steaks at Horizons. We had a really wonderful lunch there. For starters, we were served Champagne Glazed Cold Smoked Tasmanian Salmon (with cucumber and caper salsa, beetroot puree, Ikura roe) MOP98. Then came in the soup, "Kabucha" Veloute with Herb Crusted Hokkaido Scallop (Kumquat espuma, pata negra chips) MOP128. Of course, the main dish was the Filet Mignon 8oz USA Prime MOP98. To cap off our lunch, we had Tahitian Vanilla Creme Brulee (delicately set creme with thin caramel crust and fresh berries) MOP65.


Dragon's Treasure at The Bubble is a really spectacular lights and sounds show at City of Dreams. After the show, we then went around Hard Rock Hotel and checked out the memorabilia wall. You'll see some Michael Jackson items there too. City of Dreams also has some really affordable shopping options, unlike most resorts which cater to the high end market. So you might want to check the shops out.


2. The Venetian Macao: Cirque de Soleil and gondola rides at the Grand Canal
I've already mentioned this in a previous post. Cirque de Soleil's Zaia is really very entertaining. And if it fits your budget, it's something you might want to consider. Ticket prices range from HK$388 to HK$788 for adults and HK$194 to HK$394 for children. VIP tickets are HK$1288. Here's information for booking online.

Another attraction here are the gondola rides at the Grand Canal. Of course, the shops at the Grand Canal are very much visited. But they're more on the higher end when compared to those at City of Dreams. The Venetian also has a lot of dining options. I heard Old Neptune serves really great Macanese food.


3. Ponte 16: MJ Gallery
We stayed at the Sofitel Macau At Ponte 16 which is a really nice hotel with a view of Mainland China. Ponte 16 is actually a redevelopment of Macau's Pier 16. In fact, the old Ponte 16 building at the end of San Ma Lo still stands as part of the development.


One of the attractions at Ponte 16 in the MJ Gallery which is home to some significant memorabilia of Michael Jackson.

Ponte 16 has several renowned restaurants that offer top-notch Cantonese cuisine, excellent Northern Chinese home-made noodles and dumplings, plus French and Mediterranean dining experiences among many others. Check out Mistral (6/F, Sofitel Macau At Ponte 16) where we had a really filling breakfast everyday.


4. Wynn Hotel: Performance Lake, Tree of Prosperity and Dragon of Fortune
Performance Lake is an outdoor dancing fountain in between Wynn and Casino Lisboa. Shows are every 15 minutes. The Tree of Prosperity and Dragon of Fortune are lights and sound shows inside Wynn Hotel.

Of course, you can enjoy the casino lights by taking a stroll around the Casino Lisboa area. The various casinos offer free shuttle services to major points around Macau and Cotai so just ask the information desk where to hop on them.

There are more activities to talk about and I'll keep on updating this post as more information comes in. Did I miss anything? Check out the MGTO website for even more activities from greyhound racing to tours on a 9-seat, chauffeur-driven replica of a 1920s English bus!

Macau: Restaurante Litoral serves the best Macanese cuisine

Have you ever tried Macanese cuisine? We all know Macau is very much Chinese. But with hundreds of years under Portuguese rule, Macau has developed a distinct cuisine that it can call its own. And the best place to savor genuine Macanese cuisine is at Restaurante Litoral.



It's a really cozy restaurant very close to the A-Ma Temple. We were served a bevy of Macanese dishes from such as Chamussa (curry beef cakes) MOP60 which is quite similar to the samosa from India where Portugal also had territories, Vinagrete de Lulas (squid with vinegar) MOP80 which is like kilawin, Croquetes de Carne (meat rolls) MOP60, Pipis a Litoral (chicken giblets a Litoral) MOP68 which is best eaten with bread dipped in its flavorful sauce, Peixe no Forno a Litoral (baked fresh fish) MOP148, and Caril de Camarao e Carne de Caranguejo (curry shrimp with crab meat) MOP158.

The highlight of the lunch was the Galinha Africana (African chicken) MOP180 which was really good. I just kept on nibbling on the juicy and spicy pieces of chicken.

We had a dessert overload after lunch. They let us try the Mousse de Chocolate (chocolate mousse), Bebinca de Leite (coconut milk custard) which was my favorite, Pudim de Ovos (egg pudding), Gelatina de Coco (coconut gelatine), Pudim de Manga (manggo pudding), Serradura Biscuit Mousse Molotov (egg yolk souffle), and Pudim de Cafe (coffee pudding).

If you care for more, there are other highly-recommended Macanese restaurants. Here's the list:

Restaurante Litoral
Rua do Almirante Sergio, 261-A, Macau
Tel. +853 28967878

A Lorcha
Rua Almirante Sergio No. 289, Macau
Tel. +853 28313193

Restaurante Escada
Rua de Se Nº 8, Macau (Leal Senado Square)
Tel. +853 28966900 / 28389229

Macau: 360 Cafe, world's highest bungee jump by AJ Hackett and more from Macau Tower

Ever wonder where the best view of Macau can be found. It's at the Macau Tower of course, 338-meter high communications that hosts restaurants with breathtaking views of Macau and Taipa, as well as AJ Hacket's Bungy Jump, the highest commercial bungee jump in the world.



First order of the day was a trip to the up to the observation deck for a grand view of Macau. Tickets cost MOP/HK$100 for adults and MOP/HK$50 for kids aged to 11. Kids below 3 years old are free of charge.


The observation deck gives you a 360 degree view of Macau. And to make things a bit more exciting, some parts have glass floors which you can walk on and look all the way down to the street!

A few floors up is AJ Hacket Macau Tower, a must-try for thrill seekers. As I mentioned, the Bungy Jump is the highest commercial bungee jump in the world!


The Bungy Jump, which includes an exclusive t-shirt, certificate and membership card, costs MOP1,688 or US$218. The Skywalk X, which is walking around the top of the tower with a safety harness, costs MOP588 or US$76. The SkyJump, which is a controlled descent ride, costs MOP988 or US$127. Also check out the Mast Climb which is not for the faint-hearted. It costs MOP1,688 or US$218 to climb the mast of Macau Tower.

If you want to purchase the additional CD + DVD + 2 Photos bundle, the full Bungy package costs MOP2,288 or US$295. It looked really tempting but since I still couldn't smile for the photos and video, I decided to wait until a future trip when I was better. Make sure you book since you need prior reservation owing to its popularity among toursits.


If you want to have a meal with a view, check out the buffet lunch or dinner at Cafe 360. The cost of the buffet includes entrance to the tower. Lunch buffet is HK$/MOP198 for adults and HK$MOP148 for children. Dinner buffet is HK$/MOP288 and HK$/MOP188 respectively. For reservations, call (+853) 8988 8622.

The international dinner buffet had a selection so wide (Chinese, Macanese, Japanese, Indian and Western cuisine among others), we didn't know where to start! I don't even remember how many times I returned to the buffet.