A Breakfast That Blew My Mind
Today is June 10th, and I'm currently exploring San Carlos. It was supposed to be a chill rest day, but I ended up moving around so much that it hardly felt like one.
Right after waking up, I headed straight to the hostel's cafe. When I found out breakfast was included in my stay, my expectations hit rock bottom. I figured I'd be met with a sad, dry bowl of cornflakes and nothing more.
Boy, was I wrong. The food they served was absolutely incredible! I got a proper cup of coffee alongside a mouthwatering hamburger. For budget backpackers, this place easily takes the crown as the number one hotel in town.
Wandering the Streets
With a full stomach, I hit the streets just to see what San Carlos had to offer. Somewhere along the way, I realized I had completely lost my towel. Luckily, I stumbled upon a local clothing shop with mountains of garments piled high, where I managed to snag a super-absorbent replacement.
Next, I wandered into a beautiful local church, which was completely free to enter.
To cool down, I bought a mixed fruit juice (locally called "Plot Mix") from a street vendor for 20 pesos (about $0.35 USD). It wasn't exactly a thirst-quenching drink; it felt much more like eating a sweet, refreshing snack. Spitting out the fruit seeds as I went, I found it surprisingly tasty.
Discovering People's Park
While exploring further, I dropped by a local barangay community space. Some friendly locals recommended I check out a spot called "People's Park".
The entrance fee was a mere 10 pesos (about $0.15 USD). It's a massive, sprawling park that takes a solid 10 to 15 minutes just to walk a single lap around. Inside, there's even a public pool! Access costs 100 pesos (about $1.70 USD), or you can grab an all-access pass for 150 pesos (about $2.60 USD). Honestly, I was blown away by how incredibly clean and well-maintained the entire city of San Carlos is.
After grabbing some lunch, the heat finally got to me, so I headed back to take a proper dip in the pool. Thanks to the constant Philippine summer sun, the water was incredibly warm and relaxing.
Between having such a great time and realizing I had a few more tasks to take care of, I've decided to extend my stay here for one more night. Let's see what tomorrow brings!