What a great concept! While the bar gently floats only a few meters from the beach, it offers a totally unique experience! Enjoy your favorite cocktail or an icy cold San Miguel beer, be pampered by an attentive staff, listen to great music playing on two 50-inch TVs - while enjoying a delightful sea breeze and a beautiful view of the Bay.

It’s the perfect afternoon chill with friends and a place where you can forget the cares of the world.

Just before dusk make your way to the Blue Rock Floating Bar’s roof top deck and watch the sunset over the mountains, it’s truly spectacular!

The Blue Rock Floating Bar spends the stormy season in a secure inlet of the Bay but when the weather turns nice, out she comes! This year the re-opening was in mid-November and now the Blue Rock Floating Bar is in full swing. Life is good on the Blue Rock Floating Bar!

From Manila

Travel via Victory Liner. Buses leave every hour from Victory Liner stations in Manila, Pasay, Caloocan and Cubao. Take the Olongapo bus. Upon arriving at Olongapo take a blue jeep. Ask the driver to drop you off at Baloy Beach. Take a short trike ride to the Blue Rock.

Travel via a private car. Take the NLEX to the SCTX to the Subic Bay Freeport, Exit the Kal-akan gate and turn left on National Highway for 8 km and turn left to Baloy Long Beach Road. Blue Rock Resort is located on the left side of the street.

From Angeles City

Travel via Victory Liner . Take the Victory Liner from Dau to Olongapo. Upon arriving at Olon-gapo take a blue jeep. Ask the driver to drop you off at Baloy Beach. Take a short trike ride to the Blue Rock on the left (beach) side of the road.

Travel via a private car. Take the the SCTX to the Subic Bay Freeport, Exit the Kalakan gate and turn left on National Highway for 8 km and turn left to Baloy Long Beach Road. Blue Rock Resort is located on the left side of the street.

Call them at 0910-611-5142 if you need direc-tions or have questions.

How to get to the Blue Rock Floating BarThe Blue Rock Floating Bar is Back!

Sometimes a beach bar just isn’t close enough to the water. That’s where the Blue Rock Floating Bar comes in - it’s not on the beach!

Anchored just a few meters offshore in front of the Blue Rock Resort on Olongapo’s Baloy Beach, the Blue Rock Floating Bar is the largest and most exciting floating bar in the Philippines.

What a great concept! While the bar gently floats only a few meters from the beach, it offers a totally unique experience! Enjoy your favorite cocktail or an icy cold San Miguel beer, be pampered byan attentive staff, listen to great music playing on two 50-inch TVs - while enjoying a delightful sea breeze and a beautiful view of the Bay.

It’s the perfect afternoon chill with friends and a place where you can forget the cares of the world.

Just before dusk make your way to the Blue RockFloating Bar’s roof top deck and watch the sunsetover the mountains, it’s truly spectacular!

The Blue Rock Floating Bar spends the stormy season in a secure inlet of the Bay but when the weather turns nice, out she comes! This year the re-opening was in mid-November and now the Blue Rock Floating Bar is in full swing. Life is good onthe Blue Rock Floating Bar!

From Manila

Travel via Victory Liner. Buses leave every hour from Victory Liner stations in Manila, Pasay, Caloocan and Cubao. Take the Olongapo bus. Upon arriving at Olongapo take a blue jeep. Ask the driver to drop you off at Baloy Beach. Take a short trike ride to the Blue Rock.

Travel via a private car. Take the NLEX to the SCTX to the Subic Bay Freeport, Exit the Kal-akan gate and turn left on National Highway for 8 km and turn left to Baloy Long Beach Road. Blue Rock Resort is located on the left side of the street.

From Angeles City

Travel via Victory Liner . Take the Victory Liner from Dau to Olongapo. Upon arriving at Olon-gapo take a blue jeep. Ask the driver to drop you off at Baloy Beach. Take a short trike ride to the Blue Rock on the left (beach) side of the road.

Travel via a private car. Take the the SCTX to the Subic Bay Freeport, Exit the Kalakan gate and turn left on National Highway for 8 km and turn left to Baloy Long Beach Road. Blue Rock Resort is located on the left side of the street.

Call them at 0910-611-5142 if you need direc-tions or have questions.

How to get to the Blue Rock Floating BarThe Blue Rock Floating Bar is Back!

Sometimes a beach bar just isn’t close enough to the water. That’s where the Blue Rock Floating Bar comes in - it’s not on the beach!

Anchored just a few meters offshore in front of the Blue Rock Resort on Olongapo’s Baloy Beach, the Blue Rock Floating Bar is the largest and most exciting floating bar in the Philippines.

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Contents

2 Blue Rock Floating Restaurant

10 The Best Steak Anywhere!

17 Christmas Giving with Feeling

21 Filipino Christmas Traditions

22 What to Do

24 What to See

26 American Classics . . with Style

QUEST is published monthly as a travel guide by the RJ Tour Management Services located at 89 National Highway, Barretto, Olongpao City, 2200, Zambales, Phils.© 2014 RJ Tour Management Services. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or whole without permission is prohibited. Subscription price: per year is Php 800. Send all remittances and correspondences about subscriptions, undelivered copies, and address changes to: RJ Tours, 89 National Highway, Barretto, Olongpao City, 2200, Zambales, Philippines.

Advertising

Welcome to our Christmas issue! To serve you better we have made an exciting change! You have already noticed the new name, QUEST. Why QUEST? A quest is all about seeking something important, and it often involves a journey. In olden days, you would travel the world in a quest for gold. Knights in the Middle Ages were forever taking on quests––most famously to find the Holy Grail.Today, you can prepare for your quest to find the best of everyting in Subic Bay and prepare for your travel and leisure before ever leaving home, thanks to QUEST magazine.In this, our Christmas issue we bring you lots of information to help make Christmas 2014 the best ever! Why not spend your Christmas enjoying all that Subic Bay has to offer?

Please call Ryan Laurino at 0947-891-5494 for information on advertisting in QUEST Magazine. Deadline for advertising is the 18h of each month.

QUEST

December 2014Volume 1 Number 9

Subic Bay’s Travel and Leisure Magazine

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“Best Steak . . . Anywhere!”Wednesday Steak Night at Wild Orchid Beach Resort

“One of the great things about trav-elling is the opportunity to pursue the quest for ‘The Perfect Steak’ and I found it at Wild Orchid Beach Resort!“ - Jeff, a restaurant consultant in the US.

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A good tenderloin steak, the gold standard of beef cuts, is one of the purest carnivorous pleasures avail-able. Sure, a hearty roast dinner has its charms as does a slow-cooked stew, but neither is so absolutely, almost primal, meaty as a simple steak.

Beef tenderloin is so popular because it’s so tender and rich. Beef prices have rocketed over the last few years, the result of increased demand, catastrophic droughts and the spiraling cost of feed. The good news for steak lovers is that at Wild Orchid Beach Resort’s Wednes-day Steak Night you can enjoy a perfectly cooked ten-derloin for just Php 495.

But it doesn’t stop there - you get a trip to an extensive gourmet salad bar with dressings all made in-house and homemade soup. Being a huge bread fan I enjoyed the piping hot rolls, made right on the premises by a pro-fessional baker who also turns out delightful cookies, cakes and other goodies.

After enjoying this culinary experience you can imag-ine what is in store for you at Wild Orchid Beach Re-sort’s Christmas and New Year’s buffets. Not to be missed! Call the Resort at (047) 223-1029 for more information.

Another treat coming up - on New Year’s Eve watch the grandest fireworks display in Subic Bay, right from Baloy beach at the Wild Orchid Beach Resort.

What’s the Secret?

Wild Orchid Resort uses only the finest Australian aged prime beef. Each cut is perfectly seasoned with their own special blend of seasonings. “We cook it over lava rocks, and we grill it very, very hot,” explains Wild Orchid’s Chef Larry. This intense, fire-searing locks in all the natural juices and keeps the steak tender and juicy.When they say that they offer “The Best Steak...Anywhere,” they mean it!

Written by Randy AndersonPhotos by Kevin Hamdorf

Wild Orchid Beach ResortBaloy Beach, Barretto, Olongapo

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FOR SALE2006 Boston Whaler

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Also For Sale: 4WD DEUTZ Tractor (German) Php350,000

Contact John at:

0928-817-8253

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Includes Trailer / All Paperwork is Clear!

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17December 2014

Christmas Gift Giving with Feeling

Christmas celebration is a time of family get-togethers, and also the giving and sharing of Christmas gifts. This tradition that began with the three wise men offering precious gifts to the infant Jesus still continues all over the world to this day.

For many people, some of life’s most cherished memories are often related to Christmas and the giving and sharing of Christmas presents with loved ones. How can anyone forget the night of eager anticipation on Christmas Eve for the family gathering and the opening of Christmas presents?

So Christmas gifts are an integral part of the joyful celebration of Christmas. The gifts received from our friends and loved ones

* Keep the recipient in mind when selecting and purchasing the gift; a gorgeous evening gown may enthrall your sweetheart, but for your aged mother, you have to think a bit more creatively. Why not search for a childhood family picture and frame it with an exquisite photo frame and present this to her as her Christmas gift! It will surely bring tears to your mother’s eyes, but rest assured they would be tears of happiness.

* Last of all nothing can beat the sweet feeling of reading a handmade Christmas card with heartfelt and personal good wishes to your friends and dear ones.

over the years make up some of the sweetest memories.

What Makes For The Best Christmas Gift?

Perhaps the world famous short story of O Henry ‘The Gift of the Magi’ best explains what makes for the ideal Christmas gift. One has to surpass himself to reflect his true emotion through gifts.

Why is it that some Christmas presents remain so close to our hearts?

It is definitely not because of the material value of the gift, but because it is the giver’s sentiments and feelings behind the gift that makes it so meaningful and dear to our heart. And if you want to express your feelings through Christmas presents, it is a good idea to add some personalized touches to them.

Remember These Points When Choosing The Ideal Christmas Gift For A Special Person:

* Expense has nothing to do with the value of the gift; how much thought you have put into choosing and preparing the Christmas present makes it that much more special.

All of us are feeling the excitement build as we realize that December is finally here, and that it is almost time for the greatest celebration of the year . . .

The giving or sending of a gift at Christmas time has its origins going back even before the famous biblical birth! The Victorian era appeared to have epitomised the true spirit of Christmas and started many of the current seasonal traditions. A single simple gift was the order of the day.

CHRISTMAS!

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One of the most colorful Filipino Christmas traditions is the ‘parol’ which is a bamboo pole or frame with a lighted star lantern on it. It’s traditionally made from bamboo strips and colored Japanese paper or cellophane paper and represents the star that guided the Wise Men. It is the most popular Christmas decoration in the Philippines.

The Noche Buena is a big, open house, celebration with fam-ily, friends and neighbors dropping in to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! Most households would have several dish-es laid out and would normally include: lechon (roasted pig), ham, fruit salad, rice cakes (bibingka and puto bumbong are traditional Christmas foods) and other sweets, steamed rice, and many different types of drinks.

The Philippines has eight major languages, here’s how to say Merry Christmas in some of them! In Tagalog, Happy/Mer-ry Christmas is ‘Maligayang Pasko’; in Ilonggo it’s ‘Mali-payon nga Pascua’; in Sugbuhanon or Cebuano it’s ‘Maay-ong Pasko’; in Bicolano they say ‘Maugmang Pasko’ and in Pangalatok or Pangasinense they say ‘Maabig ya pasko’ or ‘Magayagan inkianac’.

Noche Buena

Maligayang Pasko

Filipino Christmas TraditionsChristmas is the most important holiday in the Philippines. Christmas customs in the Philip-pines are a mixture of western (USA and UK) and native Filipino traditions. So people in the Philippines have Santa Claus (or ‘Santa Klaus’), Christmas trees, Christmas cards and Christmas carols from western countries!

Caroling is a part of the Filipino Christmas tradition. Once the Dawn Mass known as “Misa de Gallo” or “Simbang Gabi “ starts, carolers will be on their feet singing Christmas car-ols from house to house spreading the spirit of the season through songs.Children like to form groups and enjoy hop-ping from one house to another every night singing.

Caroling

The Parol

There are several fine golf courses in the Philippines and certainly one of the finest, both in terms of scenic beauty and playability, is the Subic Bay Golf and Country Club. This is true whether you are a casual player or a pro. Not only does it have all the features of a professional course, but the surroundings also make it a very attractive place to relax. The greens are always well maintained and you can enjoy the view of the lush trees and mountains in the background.

Golf

What to Do

Subic Bay is a natural harbor and boasts of a magnificent array of wreck dives. Probably the best dive site in the Subic Bay is that of a Japanese patrol boat. This vessel sits upright in the Triboa Bay at 20 to 25 meters in depth. Visibility is from seven to thirteen meters. This dive site is also famous for a nearby coral reef where divers can enjoy a vast array of coral and tropical fish. Excellent for divers from amateur to professional and an awesome treat for the underwater photographer.

Scuba Diving

Are you up for an excitement-filled race with fellow Jet Ski aficio-nados? Speed through the waves and flaunt your jet ski maneuver-ing skills. What a thrill! It’s like surfing, without the risk of getting dumped off your board. It’s like flying, right over the water. And you are the one in control. What could be better or more exciting. No wonder everyone wants to do it. You will be able to fly out of the water and over the waves like a flying fish, and get a perspective that not all people can, while having a lot of fun.

Jet Ski

Take a horseback ride at El Kabayo Riding Stables and set off for an exhilarating ride in the midst of some of Subic Bay’s breathtaking spots. Choose to ride around the historic stables and along the river, (approx 45 mins) or ride to the El Kabayo waterfalls (approx 1 hour). Experienced staff to ensure your trip to El Kabayo Riding stables is both memorable and safe.

Horseback Riding

Only a couple hours from the hustle and bustle of Manila, Subic is a peaceful, safe and controlled environment. Visitors soon discover the Subic Freeport Zone is unlike other area of the Philip-pines. There are so many things to do at Subic Bay it is hard to make a list so here are just four things you can do that can answer the What to Do question.

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Ocen Adventure is the first and only marine theme park in SouthEast Asia that showcases some of the world’s most amazing sea mammals such as dolphins, false killer whales, and sea lions in their inherant habitat. Dive with the false killer whales!! Frolic with the dolphins!! The magical buoyancy of these social and intelligent creatures allows them to glide and dance with such amazing grace!

Ocean Adventure

What to See

Zoobic Safari offers visitors of all ages an experience with differ-ent animals from insects and rodents to the top of the food chain with lions and tigers. It’s the tigers that Zoobic is best know for. At the Tiger Safari you get up close to their tigers. How close? Close enough to smell the chicken they just ate! A guided tour in the sa-fari takes you on a thrilling joy ride that includes a close encounter with Subic’s famous Siberian and Bengal Tigers.

Zoobic Safari

A place that is definitely no joke, stands for Jungle Environment Survival Training Camp. If you’re a big fan of Survivor, or if you simply want to learn skills that might come in handy in the fu-ture, then this is the place for you. Here, they will teach you how to live in the forest without essential supplies, such as food and water, with a friendly At the end of an overnight trip, you will al-ready know how to build fire from scratch, retrieve potable water from plants, cook rice using bamboo, and much more.

JEST Camp

This is one of the biggest and best stocked in the the country. It begins with an iThen it’s onto the Free Flight Zone where students can experience a colorful array of butterflies up close and personal. A truly enjoyable and educational experience for all.After a short talk on the difference between spiders and insects, students are free to explore the exhibits and graphics inside the bunker. Once they regroup, they learn about the difference between butterflies and moths and the fascinating life cycle of the butterfly.

Butterfly Garden

There is so much going on in this forested, bayside retreat offering panoramic views, restful-splen-dor, fun-filled adventure, ecological-enlightenment, and awesome-beauty, that you’ll find you need to plan your visit carefully to truly experience it all. To get you started, here are just four of the many things to see on the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

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What to See

10% Off With This Ad!

You can book your tour at Wild Orchid Beach Resort and other fine area hotels

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“America is a melting pot of flavors. We’ve bor-rowed all the best recipes from the various cultures that make up our people and have made them very much our own,” Ron Oliver, owner of Sit ‘n Bull Restaurant.

27December 2014

Sit ‘n Bull Restaurant, a block off the beach in Olongapo’s Barretto barangay, won Trip Ad-visor’s Number One Restaurant in Olongapo City for 2014. Once you eat there it’s easy to understand why. Owner Ron Oliver rustles up a variety of delicious dishes from American popular culture, from burgers and ribs to full sit-down dinners. When it comes to portions, Sit ‘n Bull follows the old adage “bigger is better”, dishing up huge servings but somehow keeping the prices reason-able.Ron is the driving force behind Sit ‘n Bull’s suc-cess. Ron spent 18 years cooking for hungry fisher-men and workers in Alas-ka. There he learned the important skill of organizing the back end of a restaurant as well as what people really want to eat. In 2009, he opened the Sit ‘n Bull Restaurant on Del Pilar Street in Barretto, across from the former Marmont Hotel. Business has boomed since then as word spread of his great food and good prices. It’s a favorite meeting place for the breakfast crowd (be sure to try the hash browns - golden color, crispy outside, soft in-side, just the way you love them.)

A year ago, Ron opened the Sit ‘n Bull An-nex conveniently located on the main drag of Barretto - National Highway - right next to the VFW. The Annex is cozier than the main restaurant and the same great food is sent over from the main kitchen, hot and fresh. The An-nex is a great place to relax, enjoy sports on TV and have a delicious meal.The childhood family dinner of baby boom-

ers, meat loaf, is a sentimen-tal American comfort foods. However your mom made it - I’m guessing ketchup on top? - she probably served that oh-so-reliable meatloaf with mashed potatoes and green beans. Ron does too - but you have to add ketchup yourself - and it’s sure to bring back some

pleasant memories.A guilty pleasure of mine is Chicken Fried Steak, born to go with mashed potatoes and blackeyed peas. Sit ‘n Bull’s version is a slab of tenderized steak breaded in seasoned flour and pan fried. While there are several claimants to the invention of the Chicken Fried Steak, I don’t really care, I just want to ladle on that peppery white gravy and dig in!No doubt about it, whether at the Sit ‘n Bull Restaurant or the Sit ‘n Bull Annex you’ll love the delicious food and good times.

From apple pie to chicken fried steak, get your fix of classic and American-inspired dishes right here in Subic Bay!

Written by Randy Anderson Photos by Kevin Hamdorf

American Classics - with Style!

Sit ‘n Bull Meatloaf

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10% Off With This Ad!

You can book your tour at Sun Plaza Subic and other fine area hotels

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