Places around Lapu-Lapu City

I have been living in Lapu-Lapu City since moving here in early March 2015. This post will start with only a few of the photos that I have collected so far. However, I will be adding more images as I make them in the upcoming months.

My choice to live in Lapu-Lapu City on Mactan Island was a good decision. When I arrived in Cebu, I was overwhelmed with the mad pace of this city of 2-1/2 million people, traffic, noise and 24-hour chaos. I heard about a part of the city that was just across the bridge and near the international airport. When I visited my soon-to-be apartment, I realized that the city congestion of Cebu City was far less in Lapu-Lapu City. So I signed a short-term lease and moved in immediately.

Living in the ‘burbs, I get some peace and quiet, but am still very connected to the the big city Cebu because it is easy and cheap to catch a taxi to any one of favorite places in the city. Cab fares generally run between $3.00 and $5.00 USD – usually close to the lower fare. So taking a cab into Cebu once or twice a week is not a large expense. Getting around town in Lapu-Lapu City is usually done by catching a ride on one of the ubiquitous “tricycles”. I can get anywhere in my neighborhood – shopping centers, gym, restaurants – for about $1.00 fare. Transportation in the Philippines is one of the many bargains that tourists enjoy here.

Lapu-Lapu City is a bustling city in itself. It is known for its beautiful high-end resorts scattered along the beaches that surround the island. It is also home to the second largest airport in the Philippines as well as a military base for the Philippines Air Force (the entrance is less than 100 yards from where I live.) Surprisingly, I never here any air traffic other than the occasional helicopter flying over. I don’t think there is much flight activity from this airbase. The flight patterns for the international airport are pointing another direction and do not come near my apartment.

I joined a local gym, and have been working out three times each week. It is a few miles away, so I catch a tricycle each time I go. On the way there, I pass through a huge public market area, which I love walking through – looking at the stores and street stalls, wandering through the “wet market” (fresh vegetables, fresh fish, fresh butchered meats). Only recently have I started photographing these walk-abouts, so I’ll have more pictures to add here soon. Watch for my other posts about specific places and activities I enjoy in my new home turf.