... dream

   It's been a while since I've written something here. Sorry, it's just that I've been busy about reassessing my life choices and now, I just want to blabber about it.  Oh well, we won't learn if we won't make poor choices in life, right?  We all have two or more choices that somehow we regret (but not linger on).  That's part of the game called life.

   Anyways, what have  I been thinking?  I want to do so much more.  I'm happy with my job but still, I want fulfillment.  The thing is, I don't know where my fulfillment lies.   I have a lot of options but I don't know how and when to start.  Should I give up what I have now and risk a lot?  What saddens me more is I'm really awaiting for someone to share this with... :-(

  I'm just being emotional tonight (10:30 pm).  [sniffs]

  Oh well, just dream a good dream.. :-)

Bangkok, Thailand

   I've decided!  Bangkok, Thailand it is--- that's my next destination.  A friend of mine from my first job asked me to go with him and without hesitation, I said, yes!  Good thing with him is he has an open-booked ticket so all he had to do is ask me to schedule it.  My dilemma now is, when???!!!

  Oh well, after our dinner I immediately pulled out my notebook and look for an available flight.  Too bad I didn't have luck with a discounted fare but it's okay--- it was an unexpected invite!  Do I say more??? :-)

   I'll keep you guys posted... so excited! :-)

Places in Singapore

Alright, so much for the other stuff!  Here's what you'll love in Singapore!!!

Orchard Road

     Orchard Road is the main shopping street of Singapore.  There's a lot of malls that you can go to and some of which that I saw were Tang's, ION Orchard, Plaza Singapura and Lucky Plaza.  Lucky Plaza is like mall for Pinoys in Singapore and all the cheap buys are there as well.

    < I was actually able to buy a pair of shoes for just S$9.90 (discounted price) and it comes with a S$5 voucher that is valid until May.  I hope I'll be able to use it then.>

Clarke Quay

   

      For those who love to party and chillout, Clarke Quay is the best place for you!  The best restaurants and pubs in town are here.  There's a lot of choices you can choose from and you may also want to try G-MAX (bungee-jumping for two) there.  (I wanted to try it but my friend didn't want to, too bad)e

      We went to a place called The Clinic in Clarke Quay.  That's where we met up with our other friends who just arrived from Manila and I thought that we were actually going to a clinic, thinking that one of our friends was ill.  I didn't know that it's actually a bar.  So, when I saw the sign "Clinic", I was like "Oh! It's a bar!"  The places was actually amusing since the seats are wheelchairs, the tables are operating tables and they actually have drinks like dextrose.

Sentosa Island

How to get there: a) MRT to Harbour Front, pass through Vivo City Mall and transfer to Sentosa Express:

                           b) ride the Jewel Box:

  - and of course, we tried both! :-)

What can you do in Sentosa?   A lot of things! For me, a day is not really enough to scour all the sites in Sentosa.  There are museums, beaches, activity centers, restaurants to try and parks to appreciate.

Rides we tried:

Luge and Skyride

     This was fun!  This is actually a package.  You'll ride first the luge, or whichever you prefer, and stop will be at the Skyride.  Riding the luge is similar to go kart, I assume.  You have control on the speed and what makes it more fun is the thrill when you are on the curves and you are riding downhill. :-)

    The Skyride was cool!  You'll be able to see some parts of Sentosa and the beach view as well.  I do not have fear in heights so looking below wasn't that scary for me.  As I remember we rode the Skyride at around 5 pm, so it was kinda breezy and relaxing.  

 Gogreen Segway EcoAdventure

     It was scary at first since that was just a manual ride, no hand brakes or the like.  The main control is just the handle and you'll use that to move forward, back, for turning or reverse!  Anyways, when I got used to it, the ride was good and you get to enjoy the speed and nature since the course is located in a huge garden, if I may say. :-)

Must try!

Sentosa CineBlast

     This was my first 4D Experience and what can I say?!  Extreme fun and laughter afterward! :-)   In Extreme Log Ride, as the picture shows, you'll be sitting on a 6-seater ride and  once the movie starts, the roller-coaster simulation follows.  That was awesome!  It felt so real! :-)

and the 4D Magix Pirates! :-) 

     What made this experience fun was you won't know what will be the next effect.  There's anticipation on the next move and it really hit me a lot of times when I didn't expect it like the water and the crab attack! :-)

Other Rides you may want to try:

Mega Zip Adventure

     It's just too bad I wasn't able to try this.  I completely forgot about this but hopefully when I visit SG again, I'll try it.

  

One of my faves in Sentosa is the Songs of the Sea, I'll just insert a clip.

     Songs of the Sea is a combination of water and fireworks display.  There's actually a play in the beginning and then Oscar and his friends will follow.  I'll update the video later, I think I was able to record some parts of the play.  I'll just post the one I have handy right now:

 

and then, more pics:

     Just an advice, when you plan to visit Sentosa, you can actually get good packages when you buy your tickets at Vivo City before you ride the Sentosa Express.  There are packages which includes 4 activities  for only S$32 and that's between 2pm and 7pm, not bad right? 

Check Sentosa's website for more info: http://www.sentosa.com.sg/en/

Universal Studios (S$72 on weekends, S$65 on weekdays, around that much)

     ..and  of course! The best ever experience in SG...the most-anticipated Universal Studios! We actually allotted one whole day for USS since I know that the place is huge and there's a lot of things to explore there.  Actually, I wasn't able to take pictures of some other rides we took especially on the latter part of the day since we were all tired and I didn't think of it much then.  Then again, here are some of my favorite pics:

Attractions:  The Mummy Returns- indoor roller coaster ride with 3D effects

                   Battlestar Galactica:  Humans vs. Cyclons-  we actually tried both rides and gosh! both were      thrilling! A must-try for all!

                   Lights, Camera Action-  the works of Steven Spielberg.  A quick experience to understand the greatness of sound and stage effects.  

                  Madagascar-  the characters actually danced for us! :-)

                  Hollywood Boulevard/ Walk of Fame-  I met with Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, Woodywood Pecker and Frankenstein... hehe!

  

                  New York-  Rockafellas (Streetboys in the Phils.) danced for us.  They haven't lost their touch!  They're still great! :-)

                  Far Far Away-  Shrek and the gang amazed us again with the 4D adventure inside the castle! :-)

    Food stalls and restaurants are available inside Universal Studios so you won't get hungry and thirsty during your tour in USS.  Have fun! :-)

Woodlands Waterfront 

  This is where I spent my last night in SG.  Grabbed some snacks from a convenience store, ate my favorite Loacker, Clover Chips, my coffee and spent time with a friend.  So much to catch up and stories to tell.  It was really nice and I felt like a teen again when I was there. I guess serenity comes from within... so much peace inside.

 

Spending time in Singapore was a pleasure to me.  

This is just a start and hopefully, many more trips to come and celebrations to make! :-)

Until then! Godbless everyone! :-)

Hello Singapura!

Singapura--- Singapore as we know it, is a place for all!

      February 26- March  2, 2011--- 5 days off from work and a holiday I vowed myself to take.  It was really a blast and I'm so excited to share how I spent my holiday in Singapura (so excited that I don't know where and how to start).  

Welcoming Party

      Mia and I arrived at Budget Terminal at 9:30 am, a 3-hour flight from Manila.  Mau was already waiting for our arrival and was really excited for the tour.  Upon arrival, Mia and I were both hungry and wants to eat something Singaporean.   Mau said we had to transfer from Budget Terminal to Changi International Airport (main, I guess) riding a free shuttle (which we lack in the Philippines) to look for choices... and so we did! ;-)

     I forgot the name of the resto but the food was great!  I was told that Singaporeans love hot food and  true enough, the menu comprises of hot food choices.

     I chose a chicken dish, not that hot but salty, which I like:

     Mia chose a noodle dish (I'll update the name later), which is a mix of sweet and chili taste.

      After filling our tummy, we decided to rest first at Mau's place in Sengkang since our hotel check-in time  was still at 3 pm.  

I'll start with the People of Singapore.

    Singapore has a fast-paced environment.  People are always in a hurry and really use fast lanes when walking.  Business is business and time is really gold for them.  That's admirable since the attitude they have attributes to their success.

    Honestly, I'm not really sure how to describe the locals.   I've encountered both niceties and rudeness from the people but I guess that really depends on the environment one is adapting to. 

    Since I'm from another country this time, staring was inevitable and for me I find it rude, but of course, I understood them.  One more thing I didn't like about my stay there was the customer service wasn't good.  If for example you're eating and one of your companions is done eating, the busboy will just take the used plate and clean up opposed to our setting wherein, the busboy will clean up once everyone's done eating.  Anyways, it's part of their culture and we just have to understand it.

    About the good side, people in Singapore are so disciplined!  You can even leave your things in one place and no one will attempt to take it.  They're afraid of committing any crime.  As I've seen in one of the transit ads and as I was constantly reminded by my friend, "Low Crime doesn't mean No Crime".  This has been a golden rule for the people and I guess, a good one.  People are aware of the consequences that each action they may take and who would want to be hurt just because of a low crime, right?  Might as well follow the rule.  I hope this applies to our country as well.

Transportation:

      What can I say about traveling in Singapore?  It's a breeze!  No traffic, no pollution and no jaywalkers! People are so disciplined that you'll be ashamed of doing something awry in their territory.

      There are three types of transportation (as I've observed) you may ride in exploring Singapore: bus, MRT, taxi cab--- and of course, I took all three rides.

     Once you get there, I suggest you buy an EZ-link card (S$15)because that's going to be your bestfriend in traveling there.  You can use the card for bus and MRT rides and just be sure there's a maintaining balance of S$5.  If in case there's a balance left in the card before you leave SG, you may actually use the balance for food purchase (in fast food restaurants, I believe).  I actually used mine in Burger King.

    By the way, here's a copy of the MRT and LRT System Map, that was very useful--- a proof you won't get lost in SG.

         It has four routes:  the red, yellow, green and purple lines.  The trains were all interconnected that makes traveling easy in SG.

     Just a reminder, MRT's last trip is at 11:30 pm, (based on our travel) be sure to check it and for the buses, they're actually using bus numbers for one's destination so better be sure of the bus you're riding.

     Taxi cabs are always available.  Of course it's costly compared to riding a bus/MRT but when you're in a hurry or it's already late, it's very convenient.  Just a bit of observation, if it's pretty late or it's a Sunday, there's a chance that one will have a hard time in looking for a cab (like what happened to Mia, she waited for an hour for a cab) but that's really how it is.  Singaporeans value their time and as some of the locals said, after-work hours are solely for their family.

     Of course, when traveling overseas, just make sure you have your maps ready.  Maps are available in the airport, hotel, tourist spots and in convenience stores.  You'll never get lost just by being ready.

     One more thing that you'll love about the cabs is the fact that those were not just ordinary cabs that you ride in the Philippines.  We actually rode a Mercedes Benz cab and mind you, not just once.  Other cabs are limousine and Chevrolet.  All praises for the cab! Haha! 'Twas fun! :-)

Now what about the FOOD?

    Authentic Chinese food it is!  I so love it!  I'm not that choosy with food but I tend to be careful with the food I'm ordering but this time, no apprehensions at all!  I wanted to try as much food as I could take and no hesitations at all.  I gave a few samples above and now let me give you more.

    One time we had breakfast at Junction Food Center near our hotel.  It's in Geylang and already considered a street food place.   I apologize for not naming the food since there's no name plate and we just asked if it's pork, fish or chicken.  Communicating with the locals was really hard so I can only share the pics and how it tastes. 

Fishy Dish by Mia:

Chicken Dish by Me:  It tastes like sweetened adobo and the veggies really tasted fresh..

     What's so amazing is that the food we bought was only for S$2.70, around P90 in our money.  With the serving size and it's quality, it's already cheap.

Next food stop, we had dinner at Nando's in Dhoby Ghaut.

     Mia has heard of Nando's already and was excited to try the food.  As for me, I was so hungry then after a long walk and just wanted to eat.  As I checked on the menu, I've noticed that the locals are chicken-lovers! Haha!  Most of the dishes are chicken-oriented, if I may call it that way.

     And so, it follows that we all ordered chicken dishes.  As I remember, I ordered Grilled Chicken with Mediterranean rice and Potato Salad.  Looking at our table, all of us ordered the same dish with different appetizers.

 Off to Chinatown!  This was our third day in SG and Mia wanted to go to Chinatown to look for great buys and of course, to have lunch.  We ate at Olde Cuban, and what else can I say?  I was able to experience the best Chicken Curry! 

 A meal will be incomplete without a dessert and my good friend Mau wanted us to try Singapore's version of halo-halo named kacang (ka-chang):

    Kacang is too sweet for me so Mia and Mau were actually the ones who finished it.  Though I don't have a sweet tooth like the others, I still rate this as A-ok since the red beans and gulaman added here was good, avoiding the syrup did all the trick for me.

    What else?  I also tried Ho Kien Mee, a friend's favorite dish and yes, it's yummy!  I wasn't able to take its picture but then again, I was able to improvise.   Comparing to the photo, what I tasted was more saucy than this and I bet what I had was more delicious and savory.

   Those were just some of the food I can share with you.  I know there's still a lot to try and taste in Singapore, so I'll save it for later! :-)

    

next stop... Singapore!

Alright! Now I can feel the excitement! My highschool friends and I were planning to visit Singapore for the longest time.  Without Mia and I knowing, Vanessa and her boyfriend  already bought plane tickets ahead of us.  In this case, might as well buy tickets! And, so we did... (that was December 4, 2010).....

... and we got a place to stay too!

Our departure date is February 26, 2011 and for the past months, I wasn't that excited.  I mean, I want to visit the place since it's new to me and I want to see my friends there however, not as exciting as going to the beach, which I really love!  Or, so I thought.....

Now, It's only 2 days before my flight and I'm getting the chills! :-)  I was doing our itinerary for 4 days and I've been all over the net just looking for the hot spots in SG and KL and I'm in awe! It's really hard to plan a tour since I'm not that familiar with the place.  I'm not sure which place is near the other.  Anyways, since I got friends there too, I'm sure they'll help us around.

I'll see you there Bok, Mau, Gelle and Joey... :-)

Until then...

another one in January

January 28-31, 2011---- Baguio City, Philippines

knowledge bank: The City of Baguio is a highly urbanized city in northern Luzon in the Philippines. Baguio City was established by Americans in 1900 at the site of an Ibaloi village known as Kafagway. Baguio City was designated by the Philippine Commission as the Summer Capital of the Philippines on June 1, 1903 and incorporated as a city by the Philippine Assembly on September 1, 1909. Baguio is the seat of government of the Cordillera Administrative Region. The name of the city is derived from the word bagiw in Ibaloi, the indigenous language of the Benguet Region, meaning 'moss'. The city is at an altitude of approximately 1500 meters (5100 ft) in the Luzon tropical pine forests ecoregion conducive to the growth of mossy plants and orchids. Baguio City has become the center of business and commerce as well as the center of education in the entire Northern Luzon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baguio_City)

This place is an overrated vacation spot! The last time I went there was on January 2-4, 2010.  I went there with my best friend just to pour out all our worries in life.  We just wanted to be as carefree as we could be then.  It doesn't matter, visiting once in a while is not bad.  I got friends from Baguio and it's nice to share the experience with new friends.  This time around I was invited by a new friend to join him in Baguio----- definitely a "YES!" for me.

Alright, day 1:

 Victory Liner: bus ticket: P440 from Pasay-Baguio

Our trip started at 10 am.  Chivas and I were both coming from work and Kim, on the other hand, was from his off.  Anyways, it was always the three of us who were together for the past months drinking, eating out and planning for trips.  Now, this is our first trip together.

We arrived in Baguio at 5pm and we were really exhausted.  I wasn't able to sleep in the bus since it's not that comfortable on the seat along the aisle.  With my long legs and consciousness, I really won't be able to get some sleep.  Since we did not have a place to stay yet (we really did not plan well on this), it was a blessing that there's a man who offered help (his job, I guess) in finding a great place for us to stay.  We stayed in Hotel Rosal, an affordable place good enough for us three.  We got a room with 3 beds, free breakfast and near the flea market.  Well, the place is great for an overnight spend of P2300.  Here are some of the pics of the place (haha! pics of us, in the room):

During the first night, we just ate out for dinner, that was around 8 pm already.  We took time to rest first before heading out.  We just ate in Andok's (oh well, a Manila-thing to do) since we did not much have time to wander.  Anyways, we all know hoe the food tastes so, no further story to tell.  After dinner, we decided to have a drink at Nevada Square.  Nevada Square is like a mini-Metrowalk with an entrance fee of P10.  We entered a bar, I think the name's Tangerine.  I just couldn't remember now.  Anyways, the place has good music, can make you dance and the P150 entrance fee was consumable so, not bad at all. Chivas and I just had beer and Kim had vodka ice,   It was a Friday night so the place wasn't as packed as I remember it.  Then I remember, Saturday night is actually the party night there.  Anyways, I'm not as wild party-goer as before, so it's all good that the place wasn't that packed.  We were just having fun by ourselves! :-)

Day 2:

It was a slow day.  We were waiting for Chivas' friends to arrive.  So, first in the morning we went to SM Baguio, we needed to buy some stuff and then had lunch there.  It wasn't exciting since we're like obliged to await for the others.  

When the gang arrived at 5pm, we went home first in Justice Village (we got a very affordable place with 6 rooms for just P5000 for 2 days).  We had dinner and decided to roam afterwards.

Anyways, since I have other friends in Baguio, I decided to meet them that night.  I met JV and the gang way back in 2009 when my bestfriend and I had our vacation there.  It was nice seeing them again and meet another face.  That's what I love about traveling ---you get to know a lot of peeps. 

And there you go---more booze for us! :-)

Last Day:

Almost time to go home.  I was already tired during the last day.  I think the weather got me---it was freezing cold and I was  feeling feverish already.  Though that was the case,  I wanted to spend my last day just walking in Baguio.

Whereto? Baguio Cathedral.  This is my favorite spot in Baguio.  Too many memories, I guess.  I even made a pact with the Lord this time.  After that, Kim and I walked towards Burnham Park, where we just took time to feel the breeze and eat whatever street food we liked.  Once full, we just sat at the bench along the lagoon and enjoyed each other's company.  Around 8pm, we met up with the other group and had dinner.  The most-anticipated Bulalo in burnham Park was served.  Oh well, thank you Lord for the blessings.  It was all pure fun and no worries...

January 2011- Where was I?

Since I decided to start writing about my travels, it's good to start it with the first month of the year.

January 10-14, 2011--- Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

My family visited my mom's heritage.  Before my dad passed away, we used to go there every year.  So after 14 long years, we were finally able to visit again.  It was fun and very heartfelt, especially for my mom.

Anyways, let me share some of my travel experience there.  First of, the airport changed sites.  This was such a hassle because before, when it was in Bacolod City, it was just a 15-minute ride from our house. Now that it's in Silay City, it became an hour and a half ride to our place.  Good thing that sight-seeing and catching up stories with my cousin kept me busy that I didn't notice much of the travel time.

When we got there, My grandma and aunt were already waiting at the veranda.  Of course, we hurriedly greet them and I was really excited to spend my 5-day vacation there.

I'll just keep this short. We actually went there to celebrate my Mom's and Grandma's birthdays.  Moreover, just to entirely spend our time with them-- visit the relatives and have a quick tour of the place.  Here are some pictures to show you:

Ever since I was a kid, I've been hearing about Mambukal Resort.   

Mambukal Mountain Resort -- Located in Barangay Minoyan. one of the most attractive and awesome resorts in Murcia. It is famous for its Sulfur Hot Spring and beautiful cascading falls. Located at the foot of a mountain, the resort is also known for its beautiful boating lagoon. The resort has a good hotel - the Lodge. (http://mambukalhaven.com/aboutmurcia.html)

It's a famous place in Murcia, Negros Occidental that I wouldn't miss, especially now that I can enjoy the challenge it may bring.  My mom told me that it's famous for its 7waterfalls.  Exciting right?  There was actually a tour guide who assisted us in trekking the place.  I thought at first that you would instantly see the infamous 7 falls. Uh-uh... you would have to trek your way up until the highest spot.  That was the challenge.  If I was really fit to do that kind of workout, I would have done so.  However, I could only trek up until the third waterfalls.  My brother and some of my cousins were able to trek up until the sixth waterfall.  It's just that it was way too dangerous to trek 'til the seventh that's why they turned back.  It was really tiring and scary because the mountain's so slippery since it was raining hard the night before we went there.  Even so, it was fun and worthy of all the sweat! :-)

Here are some of the pics:

....and this was me after the trek:

Pure joy! :-)

More pics in Mambukal Resort: