March 3, 2012 (Saturday): NW Mindanao Adventure starts tonight!

After the usual pleasantries at work, I went straight downtown to buy a boat fare for Cebu to Cagayan de Oro. After comparing prices of shipping companies, I decided to buy an economy class ticket from Sulpicio Lines for P450.

very clean, even in the Economy Class section.

Why Sulpicio? Well, for one thing, they offered the cheapest rate (again, prices for me DO matter). Another factor was that I always have a pleasant experience everytime I board their vessels. The last one I was able to board was their flagship vessel MV Princess of the Stars from Manila to Cebu in 2007 (the vessel unfortunately sank along the coast near Iloilo in 2009 – if my memory serves me right). I really did enjoy my stay during that time and the accommodations were way more superior and classy than their competitors.

I was right. The gangplank going to the vessel lifted up at exactly 7:00pm. The vehicle ride from the terminal to the port was fast and efficient. And the crew was courteous and pleasant. Best of all, the accommodations were better than I expected. The mattresses even in the economy class were clean, the floors were mopped thoroughly and the toilets didn’t smell (very very important!). Luckily for me, It was not the passenger season yet so only a few of us were aboard the ship.

The ship had a sun deck so I was there watching the crew unharnessing the ropes from the dock and sailing away. The best part of the night was that I was able to observe Cebu’s skyline as well as the view of the South Road Properties from the sea as we sailed away. The iconic LUDO sign is really pretty at night (but ugly during the day). I also got to see the SOUTH ROAD PREPERTIES sign, the neo-classical building near city hall (I forgot who owns it), vehicles plying the south road, and even the boulevard near the Sugbo building. After an hour of watching the shorelines of Cebu, I decided to go back inside and to call it a night.