Casa Linda – Romantic Breakfast Spot in Puerto Princesa, Palawan
by Donna Amis Davis / @DonnaAmisDavis
Would you like to take a peek at a venue that inspired several significant scenes in my work-in-progress?
This romantic garden gazebo is the inspiration for a scene where my protagonist gets better acquainted with an interesting guy. Wouldn’t you love to have a cozy conversation in a place like this?
This is Casa Linda in Palawan. Bill and I love to eat breakfast here. My novel’s opening scene is the protagonist arriving and checking in at a Puerto Princesa pension modeled after Casa Linda.
However, because this is a work of fiction, I am allowed to, and do, take liberties with the location. Casa Linda is actually tucked away on a quiet dead-end street near the airport. But I need a busy location, so I’ve moved it to Valencia Street, about a block from Bruno’s Swiss Food, and just around the corner from the Underground River Booking Office. The town branch of Ka Inato restaurant is just down the street.
Another liberty I’ve taken is to change the ambiance of the venue to approximate the vibe of the now-defunct Backpacker Pension House. Casa Linda is actually calm and peaceful, but I need a place where young people congregate, meet, and mingle.
Here is a book shelf, with shells, at Casa Linda, holding paperback books in several languages. This is a common sight in Palawan hotels and pensions.
In my novel, tourists from many nationalities stay at my imaginary pension. Ironically, the day I was photographing at Casa Linda, the dining area was full of European tourists, so I didn’t take any pictures there, as I didn’t know if they would appreciate it.
If you visit Puerto Princesa, we recommend Casa Linda for a romantic breakfast. Bill and I always get the pancake and bacon. The pancake is as big as a dinner plate, and the service is friendly and efficient.
What a great spot! Let’s meet for breakfast tomorrow…I wish.
I know, Suzy. And if I would order some shrimp, there’s a cute little orange cat that would make himself very friendly. He doesn’t get so excited by pancakes, though.