The Puzzle Mansion in Tagaytay

Completing a puzzle is like fulfilling a dream. You must exert patience, determination and some sacrifices in order to make your dreams come true, just like the way you fit together  each and every pieces of the puzzle. 

Gina Gil Lacuna, a retired businesswoman, couldn’t be much happier when she bagged the Guinness Book of World Records for achieving the largest collection of jigsaw puzzles in the world in 2012. Her more than 1,000 amazing puzzle collection could be viewed in the Puzzle Mansion, a charming blue-themed bed and breakfast inn and museum gaining popularity in Tagaytay. 

Marilyn Monroe

Retablo de Santa Columba

The Heart’s Awakening

Mer Fairy

Love and the Maiden

Cherry Blossoms

The Beauty of Brocade

Universal Judgement

The Banker and His Wife

Birth of Venus

Vampire Diaries

Roman Feast

Mona Lisa

Famous architectural landmarks

with the Jigsaw Puzzle Queen

Our life is one big complicated puzzle. We shouldn’t waste our time and effort trying to fit people where they really don’t belong. 

Puzzle Mansion Bed and Breakfast 

Purok 4, Cuadra St. 

Brgy. Asisan, Tagaytay City 

Tel. No.: 661-0019, 0905-2250229 

Kota Kinabalu

Formerly known as Jesselton, Kota Kinabalu is the capital of Sabah, Malaysia and located along the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. For Filipinos, it is the nearest out-of-the-country destination from Southern Philippines.

KK is famous for Mt. Kinabalu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which gave the city its name. More than two hours away from the city proper, Kinabalu is derived from the name Aki Nabalu meaning the "revered place of the dead." That’s why the locals believe in displaying the utmost respect when climbing the mountain. Since it would usually take two days to reach the summit of the mountain, most tourists would only visit the Kinabalu Park, which is located at the foot of the mountain. 

 

About 30 minutes away from the Kinabalu Park is the more idyllic and pastoral Desa Farm in Kundasang, Ranau. It is one of the subsidiaries of Desa Group of Companies, owned by the state government of Sabah. This is home to the well-pampered, pompous and spoiled cows that produce the freshest milk in Sabah.

The stunning floating city mosque built on a man-made lagoon is a popular pilgrim site in KK. 

Another beautiful mosque could be found inside the hilly Universiti Malaysia Sabah, founded in 1994 and the largest university in Sabah. 

 

The Boardwalk and Filipino Night Market and Seafood Stalls at the KK Waterfront is a must visit during dinner time. Make sure to order buttered shrimps and teh tarik. 

 

The Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort is the perfect place for R&R.

There are five nearby islands - Gaya, Sapi, Manukan, Sulug, Mamutik - opposite the city that composed Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park. The park named in honour of Tunku Abdul Rahman (the first Prime Minister of Malaysia), is a popular weekend recreational spot for tourists, mainly for its white sand beaches and clear waters perfect for snorkeling and diving.

Though KK is naturally breathtaking, the last impression it left me was the thousands of Filipinos from Mindanao area who chose to live in Sabah to flee from the never-ending war in Southern Philippines. I hope they find peace in this land not too different from ours.

Ilustrado Restaurant, Intramuros

“How do such flaws become beautiful in the right person?”
- Miguel Syjuco, Ilustrado

Complimentary warm bread

Adobong bagnet with baby prawns

Beef spaghetti

Australian lamb

Sampaguita ice cream

Named after the Filipino educated class during the Spanish colonial period in the late 19th century, Ilustrado is a non-discriminating restaurant open even for Indios like me.