A Bookworm in Cebu

I didn’t have any posts up last weekend because I had to fly to Cebu on Friday night on a business trip, to cover the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo Festival hosted by the provincial government at the Cebu International Convention Center.

I’ve been to Cebu at least once a year in the past four years (second time this year), but always for work, with a bit of leisure crammed in. Always hopeful for some reading time, I packed three books, although to no avail. For some reason, when I have several books with me I never find the time to read, and when I don’t have any books with me I end up with absolutely nothing to do!

I didn’t have much time to go around because our activities were packed (I wish I can go to Cebu for fun next time!), but I managed to squeeze in some bookish time– finished one book, went to a couple of Book Sale branches and got a bunch of books, scoped out some bookish items at the trade fair, and met up with a Flipper friend!

Here, my (bookish) weekend in photos:

I brought three paperbacks along, but I was only able to finish A Company of Swans (will post review within the next few weeks).  On Saturday night the group went out for a bit after dinner, and I sorely wanted to go straight to the hotel to get some rest and read some more but I didn’t want to be a killjoy Got back to the hotel around 10pm so still had some time to go online for the moochfest over at BookMoochers Pilipinas and read a few chapters.

in my suitcase: The Remedy by Michelle Lovric, A Hopeless Romantic by Harriet Evans, A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson

Speaking of moochfest, our favorite moocher Triccie had another one of her famous moochfests. The first night, I had just landed in Cebu and was having a very late dinner, when Czar texted that there was an ongoing moochfest. I sped back to the hotel and thanked my lucky stars that my suite (at the awesome Alpa City Suites) had unlimited LAN so I was able to go online. There was a second moochfest on the next night, and another one the day after, which I missed because I was on the flight home. There was another one last night too, haha.

My BM points took quite a beating, which is actually fine because I needed motivation to build up BM points again. It was getting boring out there for a while.

Moochfest! Aieee!

The  next day I went to the One Cebu Expo, a trade fair also organized by the provincial government at the Cebu International Convention Center.  I found a bookish chest of drawers, which went for P1,100 (around $20), although I didn’t buy it because it was heavy, and I didn’t like the crude lettering on the books. I would’ve repainted the spines if it was light enough to tote back on my flight home.

bookish chest of drawers

I did get a couple magazine racks (below, right, for P300 each – around $6), for my boss, though, because she’s been looking for some for her newly renovated house. I knew she’d love them so I took a photo with my phone and sent her an MMS. They originally cost P350 but I haggled for P300

rocking rattan craft!

From the CICC I crossed the road over to ParkMall, where my bookish friends in Cebu said I could find the biggest book sale branch in Cebu. It indeed had a great selection, but I had to stop myself because I might go over my baggage allowance.

I ended up buying three books: The Moon Jumpers by Janice May Urdry (ill. by Maurice Sendak) for P45 (less than $1) ; a hardcover first edition of The 21 Balloons by William Pene Du Bois, which is one of my favorite books of all time, for P20 (less than $0.50); and a copy of The Penguin Classics, the Complete Annotated Listing, also P45, which is great because it lists capsule information about each book.

my loot!

I then met with Flipper friend Mauie! Earlier this week I also met with another Flipper friend from Cebu — Maydayeve — back in Manila, when I had no idea I was going to be in Cebu for the weekend. I wasn’t able to met Maydayeve again in Cebu, so I’m glad we already met in Manila. Mauie and I met at Parkmall and she walked me back  over to CICC, where we had time for a quick photo before I had to get back to work.

It was great meeting you, Mauie! Let’s go book hunting next time!

Mauie and me!

I then had to get back to work — I interviewed Cebu governor Gwen Garcia, and then settled down to watch festival performances.

Bantayan's Palawod festival, which took home the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo Festival crown

I then returned to the hotel to pack my bags for the flight the next day. I discovered a book in our token kits — a guidebook to Cebu! I love that I have one now, because I’ve been meaning to go to Cebu just for fun the next time around.

finally, a guidebook!

That was my exhausting but fun (and bookish!) weekend in Cebu. My next stop (I think) is Singapore by end September, and I’ll have a bookish post for that trip too