Our Taal Volcano Trekking Tour

Long overdue post but I’m sharing this anyway.

It’s day 2 of the Pinas visit of my cousin and her hubby. We stayed at Hyatt Hotel near Roxas Boulevard and on their first day, we went on a guided tour to Fort Santiago and Luneta Park.

Day 2: Oct. 27, 2012 (Saturday)- Taal Volcano Trekking Tour
My cousin got our reservations online via grayline and it was a guided tour. We we’re fetched by our tour guide around 9 am and went to other hotels to fetch other tourists that will come with us.
We stopped by Tagaytay City and our tour guide bought some pineapples that we’ll eat at lunch. We had snack at Café Maria and they tried their Civet Cat coffee and Kapeng Barako. Since I don’t drink coffee anymore, I just ate the buko pie instead.

beautiful view of Taal Volcano

We arrived Villa Amparo Resort in Talisay, Batangas at past 12 noon already and thankfully, it’s not raining that day. We rode this small banca and we got wet because of the big waves. That made the whole experience more fun and memorable. 

After a bumpy and funny banca ride that took around 30mins or so, we arrived at the foot of Taal Volcano. We rode the horse that took us at the mouth of Taal Volcano. My horse’s name is Dustin and I keep telling our guide not to hit him hard when he doesn’t want to walk up the hill.

I wasn't able to time how many minutes it took us to the top of the volcano but it was more than 30 mins. I guess. The view along the way was breathtaking and I even saw some smoke coming from the volcano, which means that Taal is really active.
Finally we’re at the mouth of Taal Volcano! Breathtaking view!

My cousin’s husband even had the chance to hit some golf balls.

After staying for couple of minutes at the crater, we went down again with our horses. Rode the banca once again and went back to the resort and had late lunch at around 3:30 pm already. They served us adobong chicken, chopsuey, fried tilapia and fresh pineapples.

Local Trips Soon

A recent trip to Manila, Laguna, Tagaytay City and Batangas last late October with my cousins affirmed to me that our country is indeed beautiful. I have not been traveling our country for a while now and that trip is refreshing and fun. Luneta Park is clean and historical and all Pinoys should really need to go there because apart from the Rizal monument where our National hero Dr. Jose Rizal's guarded statue was there, the park itself is nice with  lush plants, flowers, head statues of different heroes and cement garden bench are everywhere. The colorful fountain at night made the place even more appealing and attractive to tourists.

Laguna, Tagaytay City and Batangas also boast of greenery, landscape, fruit plantations and scenic beauty of Taal Volcano in Taal Batangas. I'll post about our trip there soon. Our trip has also made me think that I need to travel more to explore the beauty not just of our own place but that of the whole country.

How'd I wish I have so much money so I can tour many places in our country. I want to go to Cebu, Davao, Palawan, Batanes and more.

Aww.. Penalty

I was in disbelief the other day upon knowing that I forgot to pay my October monthly tax payment.That is just insane! November was almost done and I didn't remember the deadline was on Nov. 20th. Arghhh... I know that it will incur penalty. I asked my mom to pay at the bank but since it's already late, the bank didn't get it and informed my mom that I need to go to BIR because there is a penalty already. Since I was out yesterday with my SIL, I wasn't able to go to BIR office.

This morning, I went to the old office but forgot that they already transferred location.. Boo! I don't know what's in my head this morning that I forgot it again. Got in the office and I was served few minutes later after waiting A penalty is imposed since I'm already 9 days late. Yay! This will serve as a lesson for me not to forget my monthly tax payment. This is the very 1st time in many years of paying  that I paid late.

Lesson learned.. Now, I have my bill reminders attached to our ref already so I will not forget.

Video Games and Online Entertainment

I can still remember the days when video games using the Family computer game console were on its roll in the 80s. Most popular games back then were the Super Mario brothers, Donkey Kong and Adventure Island just to name a few. I have to say that I got hooked playing those games before.

Seeing the potential of those video games as a business, we even bought numerous family computer machines and put in our shop where our customers played by the hour. Later on, in the 90’s we leveled up when desktop computers and online games like Contra etc. marked its way to the top. Almost all got crazy over these games both kids and adult alike. I don’t see anything wrong about video games per se; players should always be the one responsible in controlling and disciplining themselves.

These days, the Internet has been widely used by many people already and anyone can get access to various free online games too. You can play using your desktop or personal computers, iPad, mobile phones and other gadgets already. Online entertainment has never been the same for most of us, even my 9 year-old niece found online games enjoyable but of course, we see to it that she’ll only play games that are right for her age.

Apart from just the ordinary games that we can play online, online gaming that can be played by multiple players even if you’re in different areas or even countries. I can see how these players enjoy themselves while playing because they can also interact with different gamers around the world.

Now, there’s more reason to just stay at home to play games with the family and for adults to enjoy online games with fellow gamers.

Our Guided Tour at Fort Santiago, Intramuros and Rizal / Luneta Park

This post is long overdue already but I’m still sharing it anyway.

 

My cousin and her husband arrived in Manila at 2 am on October 26th and stayed at their hotel. I then meet them to have lunch with my family at Max’s MOA.

Right after lunch we head to FORT SANTIAGO by taxi and unfortunately the driver didn’t know its exact location so we asked along the way. Upon boarding off the taxi, a woman and a man immediately approached us but I declined to talk to them so we just entered Fort Santiago and pay for our entrance fees which I remember is only Php 75 each, much cheaper for senior citizens and students.

 

FORT SANTIAGO is located in Manila and was built by a Spaniard named Miguel López de Legazpi. in 1571  This is part of Intramuros , which means “within the walls". This fortress served as a base for Spanish soldiers during that time. This is also the place where our National Hero Dr. José Rizal, was imprisoned before he was executed in December 30, 1896.

I asked the guard or the man inside about the KALESA TOUR and he recommended the guy and the women whom we met outside. They turned out to be the driver of the kalesa (horse carriage) and the woman is a certified tour guide.

Here is what the kalesa looked like and it was pretty but the rent for entire trip to Fort Santiago all the way to Luneta is kinda expensive, of course they saw my cousin’s foreigner husband so I’m pretty sure they jacked the price up. We didn’t haggle for the price anymore so we hopped in the kalesa and off we go.

A lot of other tourists are looking and taking pictures of us while we are passing by. Our tour guide was fluent in English and was really good in touring us all over.

We went inside RIZAL SHRINE where some of his memorabilia are displayed.

 

I had goosebumps while viewing the dark prison cell of Rizal.

We passed by San Agustin Church and there’s an on-going wedding ceremony and Manila Cathedral but it was closed for renovation that time.

The place where Rizal where executed in Luneta Park. Entrance fee is I think only P20 each and our tour guide said that there is lights and sound at night.

Of course is not complete without us posing at Rizal Monument. Thankfully, the place is now well-kept and there’s no more vendors roaming around inside. At night the fountains will be on along with colorful lights.

Our tour ended at the souvenir shop back at Fort Santiago where my cousin bought some souvenirs to take home and they also gave me a very nice South sea pearl earrings as a token.

Our trip was fun and full of historical trivia and we all enjoyed it. I hope all Filipinos will get the chance to go to FORT SANTIAGO and at RIZAL MONUMENT.

5 Amazing Cars Designed By Fashion Designers

Good designs translate to any medium. Well-respected clothing designers sometimes move outside the world of high fashion garments and bring their talents to the automobile industry. These five cars stand out as innovative examples of cars touched by the hand of the couture designer.

Aston Martin DB7 by Alfred Dunhill

This sleek Aston Martin is an automobile fit for 007 himself. The streamlined platinum exterior matches the smooth interior. The hand of Alfred Dunhill can be seen in the detailed design elements that are found throughout the car. The limited design went on sale in 1998. Purchasers could choose between a built in humidor or a grooming kit. The humidor version also came with a cigar cutter and a special cigar lighter. The famous Dunhill millennium clock replaced the traditional Aston Martin console clock. Only 78 of these classic cars were produced.

Citroen Lacoste Concept

This concept automobile deserves a place in the list of most unusual looking cars. Two well-known French companies collaborated on this design. The innovation associated with Citroen blends very well with the sporty designs of Lacoste. This small car has the appearance of an oversized roller skate. It is energy efficient and very technologically advanced. There are no doors and the roof can be inflated at will. All driving information appears on a display screen behind the removable steering wheel. Luxury upholstery and beautifully designed tires complete the look of this concept car.

Music and Magic: Rockstar Themed Party

My niece Reign, her mom and I attended Bela’s 7th birthday last Nov. 18th that was held at YCWA in UN Avenue Manila. In fact, Bela and I have the same exact birthday (Nov. 16) but her grand party was held on a weekend.

The party has a Rockstar theme therefore almost all the kids are wearing their rockstar attires. Upon entering the venue, there’ll be registration and kids will be given their ID with their names on it and some goodies already.

Immediately, my niece got so excited when she saw all the booths, decorations and the kids. The party was so grand and it clearly shows all the hard work and the details that were put into it. The food and give-away are overflowing and we’re so thankful that we’ve been invited.

This is the stage where the kids dance, model, sing and play. They got great lights and sound system and with the high quality sound that they had during the party and other audio effects gadgets to give the superb sounds. The kids just had so much fun dancing to different songs esp. Psy’s Gangnam Style.


Reign loves her ribbon-like hairstyle with glitters and all.
With some of my friends that attended the party!

The party started at around 1 pm and ended at around 6pm. I’m sure my niece would like to come if there will be another party soon. Thankfully, my brother fetched us at the venue because if not, it’ll be hard for us to go home.

Excited

After our 24th College Alumni Homecoming in October, our batch has really became so active in many activities. There has been a lot of mini get-together that happened after that and they've been to despedida of one of our batchmate/organizer that will go back to Canada. It was held in one of the videoke bars in Manila but too bad the place is a bit far so I didn;t make it.Apart from that, the event was at night so it'll be hard for me to go home since no one will fetch me. 

I also read at our Facebook forum that we'll have our very 1st Christmas party on December 1 in Tagaytay. I'm not sure if I can go with them since I'm goin to a get together on Dec. 2 with my other college friends. The only thing that I'm sure is that this coming Sunday, my other college friends I are meeting over lunch in a resto somewhere in Ortigas area to meet my other batchmates that were not able to come last reunion.

I just hope that in our 25th Silver Reunion next year more will attend so that it will be more memorable for all of us. 

Moved for the __th Time

I'm not quite sure how many times that my sister moved to a new house. Sis in Riyadh with her husband have been moving from one apartment to another for many reasons. They moved because the place is not near their workplace and other times they feel that the apartment is not big enough to accommodate their children when they visit them on holidays.  Now, that all of their 3 children are living and studying in the same university here in Manila, they don't need to have a big house anymore so they moved once again.

Moving is very tiring and I could just imagine all the packing and the unpacking of the boxes. In fact, some of their stuff that they don't want to bring in their new apartment were sent already here in Phils. so we can use or sell them. I'm not sure how owning or renting a property works in their place but I hope that they are dealing with a  considerate landlord or  caretaker. It sure looks good to deal with people that really knows real estate and houses for rent like property management fayetteville nc as what I have seen online.

I wish that my sister will finally settle on their new place now, if not, then I guess she needs to find a new home for the __th time.

Early Christmas Gifts

My twitterafia family  had our very early Christmas party last November 4, 2012 at Prestige Tower in Ortigas. I will make another post about the said event.

Meanwhile, here are just some of the early Christmas gifts that I got friend friends and I have eaten and use most of the items I got. I also got another Christmas gifts last Sunday but failed to take picture of them together so I was not able to include them here.

 

I just love my Twitter / Bebots friends and looking forward to more years of friendship.

5 Types of Holidays you may have never thought of

Shangri-La's Boracay Resort and Spa Philippines

When planning your next holiday, be sure to consider something that is a little out of the ordinary, for an experience you’ll always remember. While it is easy to choose popular destinations or locations that you’ve heard about from friends, trying something new will see you uncovering a whole new world of travel possibilities.

Themed Cruise

Travelling aboard themed cruises is a great way to meet like-minded travellers. Whether your interests are music and the arts or rock and roll bands, you’ll find it on board a themed cruise. One of the best things about a themes cruise is that you can share your passion with similar people and also travel the world, while indulging your senses in something that you love.

Eco-Friendly Travel

When planning a holiday, it is easy to forget about carbon emissions or recycling – because all you want to do is get to your destination and start relaxing. There are a number of eco-friendly travel options available, however, which provide world class service and five star facilities, while still be mindful of the environment. Travel to snow-capped mountains, explore an African safari or laze on tropical beaches, all while appreciating the world that surrounds you.

Chasing Rock Bands

While we’ve all seen the movies where girls go chasing after rock bands, from state to state, this is actually a reality for many fans. What better way to plan your around the country (or world!) adventure, than by following in the footsteps of your favourite band. See your favourite singers and guitarists rock out in some of the world’s best stadiums and throw in some sightseeing along the way.

Foodies Holidays

Many people would have heard of (or maybe even be on) a wine tour through various vineyards. These days see travellers sipping on some of the finest drops in the world and discovering the history of how it all began. What many people aren’t aware of, however, is that a number of travellers embark on ‘foodies’ holidays’, which involved travelling between countries, in the hopes of dining on some of the finest cuisines in the world.

Singles Cruising

Whoever said that you need to have a partner or a group of friends to have fun? Singles cruises are becoming increasingly popular, as they provide a great way for solo travellers to make great new friends and meet a range of new people. Whether you are looking to dance the night away or dine on sumptuous cuisines in the on-board restaurants, singles cruises really are a great experience. The variety of on-board entertainment means that you’ll never be bored and, in many cases, it’s easy to forget that you’re travelling solo! Whether you decide to go chasing your favourite rock band around the countryside or indulge in the flavours of the world, the options for holiday ideas are virtually limitless. When travelling to do something you truly love, you’re bound to find like-minded people that also share your desires and values. Find your true passion and start planning the holiday experience of a lifetime.

Ahhh….She Wants to Play

After I wake up in the morning and before my breakfast, my dog Sophie and I usually play. Every time she hears my voice and the sound of my house slippers I know she’s already waiting for me in front of our door to greet me every morning. Ahhh.. it’s so sweet.

Then, I’d feed her dog food and play for a while then I’d take my breakfast and do some chores. If I’m working at home, she’s just there at the garage playing and guarding our house. She always barks every time she sees a stranger or other stray dogs in front of our gate. I can say she’s a great guard dog for she will not stop barking until the stranger or a passerby left already.

Lately, I’ve noticing that if she wants to play with me or if she wants to go out of our gates to have a leisurely walk she’ll make a sound or a cry. Every time I hear that, I will call her and I’ll go out.

This particular day, she cried and when I went out to see her, she immediately went to her toys signaling me that she wants to play or throw them so she can catch them. I find that very cute! If she wants to go out, she’ll go to where her leash is hanging and she’ll become excited.

Now, I know what her body language is. Ahhh look at her eyes here, she’s desperately asking me to play with her! Love yah my Sophie dear!

Music and Magic Party

Yesterday was a fun-filled day for me, my niece and SIL for we have attended a great 7th birthday party in Manila. Bela's birthday has a Music and Magic title and with a Rockstar theme party. Every kid is in their best rockstar attire where they enjoy dancing, playing games and watching magic tricks.

It sure is a grand party that Bela's parents have given to her. An afternoon to remember not only by the celebrant but also the kids who shared this nice event. Each kid has to come home with a nice guitar bag with loots inside. 

This is not a real guitar but all kids loved them for they can use it in school or anywhere they want. But who knows, they might give real guitars when she turned 18, that is if Bela still loves to have a Rocktar theme by then hehe.

Visited Dad

This is a long overdue post but I’m still sharing this anyway.

November 1 is and will always be the date when we visited dad’s tomb in the cemetery. Offering flowers, candles and prayers for him will not be forgotten. He is gone for 23 years already but he still remains in our hearts and mind forever no matter what.

My mom and I usually dreamed of dad every time his birthday (March 26) or when All Saint’s day is coming. I reckon that is his way of reminding us that he is still watching over us and wants to be remembered always.

That day, all of us gathered at the cemetery just to be with him. We usually come after lunch from 1pm till 5 or 6 pm. We got lots of food that we brought so that we can have something while on the cemetery. It can be boring for some but not for us because being with your departed love one is something we look forward each year.

To keep us occupied as well, we played a game called “Cops and Killers” and it was entertaining enough to keep us not bored.

Christmas in Summer: How Aussies Have Given Their Own Twist To The Traditional Christmas Recipe

Australians celebrate Christmas in the searing summer heat, often with the air conditioning on, so that the Christmas meal does spoil. It is also a wonderful opportunity to catch up with family and friends who you may not have seen for a while. With not a snowflake in sight and not rugged up against the zero temperatures, Aussies cater for Christmas in their own true blue style!

Christmas Day Venue

Camping, bbq, beach, in fact, anything outdoors is the way a lot of Aussies celebrate Christmas. Beach or backyard cricket often rules after Christmas lunch! If you prefer to escape the intense scorching heat, many gather family and friends around for a Christmas lunch or dinner in the comfort of their home decked out with all the Christmas trimmings and decorations.

The Christmas Banquet

The traditional Christmas feast of hot roast vegetables, plump roast and stuffed turkey and cranberry sauce often gives way to a meal to suit Australian conditions. Often a cold buffet is served with turkey, fresh Australian prawns, a mixture of salads and delicious desserts. Some people still like the traditional plum pudding with custard and brandy sauce, but many forego this and in its place have fresh seasonal fruit such as cherries, plums, watermelon and mangoes. Also, to tantalise tastebuds, white Christmas and rich pavlova piled high with whipped cream and fruit is added to Christmas banquet.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Another year is blessed to me and I’m so thankful for that. Just spent my birthday shopping for a birthday gift to myself and having a simple dinner with my family, friends and my bestfriend for life and her children.

I’ll post pictures soon! I just don’t want to end this day without a post so this will be short one. Wanna know how old I am now? Ahhh.. that’s a secret, just guess if you want hehe.

Safety whileTraveling

As much as possible, I would like to travel and visit all the wonderful scenery that we have here in the country. Sad to say, I have not gone to many places/key cities or provinces that I believe have great natural wonders but I am hoping that there will come a time that I’ll travel more often. If budget were not an issue, I would certainly love to travel to see beautiful Palawan, Bohol, Batanes, Davao, Boracay Island and more. There are just too many beautiful places that are just waiting for my arrival.

I’ve also been to three (3) other countries, that includes Australia, Hongkong and Singapore, and there’s no doubt that I enjoyed all my visits in those countries. I wanted to see more countries and places to explore. Traveling can open us to many different cultures, food, places and experiences that are worth remembering.

Traveling by an airplane, boat or a yacht can be an awesome and scary experience for many of us. Those that hate flying can experience jetlag or feeling of floating and pressure on the ears while those that have seasickness will find riding a boat or a yacht a challenge.

When traveling whether by air or sea, are you always paying attention to all the precautionary measures that flight stewards or personnel are talking about? I bet some of you didn’t even care but it’s always best to pay much interest on it for it can help you when accidents happen while you are on board.

Did you know that some life jackets that are available on board are also equipped with compressed gas cylinder? Aviation Gas Cylinders are filled with Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and they are used on inflatable adult, child and infant life jackets. These automatic life jackets will automatically be inflated when you’re in the water already. The carbon dioxide cylinder products can be used on inflatable devices for aviation, marine, military and sporting goods.

I hope the next time you go on board an aircraft or boat; you’ll find those warnings or safety precautions very helpful. In fact, inflatable devices will definitely save our lives in emergency situations.

Back Home after More than 38 years

My cousin who left the country in the 70’s when she was still a child never returned back home for a visit or vacation not until on Sept. 26th. Along with her husband they decided to have a quick visit here in Pinas since they are on an Asian business trip.

We’re just so glad to meet them and eventhough it was just a short stay, they had so much fun. We squeezed in a lunch with our family on their schedule and they requested that we eat at Max’s for my cousin would love to taste the crispy pata and the halo-halo for it’s very hard to find them in the place where they stayed in the US. Oh how’d I wish we have gone to a bigger Max’s resto instead because the MOA branch is just too small for us..lol

My cousin’s husband love all the food esp. the cripy pata and the leche flan! We all wish that they will come visit Pinas again in the near future as they need to see more beautiful places.

No Helmet, No Travel Policy

The "No Helmet, No Travel Policy" has been implemented for quite a while now not just in Metro Manila but all over the country. Those that are riding their motorcycles or even if you're a passenger without helmet on will be stopped by the MMDA personnel and will be given a ticket for the violation.

This is just one of the ways for motorcycle owners to be safe on the road. Not only that, those that have more than 1 passenger at the back is not allowed for it is not safe as well. With the policy being implemented, there's an increase of helmet sales. You can buy full face or open faced helmets of your choice.

Always be safe on the road whether you are driving a car, motorbike or any kind of vehicle. Don't just think of your own safety but safety of people on the road too.

Ethan “Byko’s” 1st Birthday at Oasis Manila

I was invited to attend the 1st birthday party of  my friend’s son last Oct. 21 at OASIS MANILA in Aurora Boulevard. The party was just awesome because it has lots of foods, give-away, entertainment and fun!

Just take a look at the beautiful and colorful decors by I think Jelly Bellies party organizer if I’m not mistaken.  

 
I went there all by myself because my niece doesn’t like to come with me if her mom will be left behind. It’s just fine with me at least I don’t have to take care of a whining niece..lol . I brought some give-away and candies/sweets for her and it definitely made her day.

There are  several booths for food and games that kids and also adults enjoyed. I personally loved the bead making booth where anyone can choose their beads and the lady will make it into bracelets. Haha.. I got home 3 bracelets that I used often now.

If you wish to have your party at a great venue you can inquire at
OASIS MANILA .- oasismanila.com
169 Aurora Boulevard
San Juan, Metro Manila