Tuesday 29 June 2010

Testing - Twitterfeed

I am the most "techy challeged" person I know.  I didn't understand when people are going crazy about the latest version of  ipod.  I still don't know how to download films online.  My sister left her ipod nano here last December but I didn't even touch it until 2 weeks ago when I was bored and got nothing to do.  Since then, I learnt how to in sync my i pod, download songs and was successfully able to in sync my blackberry and my laptop.  This is the most technology break throughs I have in years.  

I have been in twitter for more than a year now.  I was addicted to it at the beginning and like most of my short term addictions, I lost interest after few months of using the service.  Just recently opened my twitter, mostly to rant.  I've been seeing people twitting their blogs and I wanted to try it too so I googled and found this article very helpful.  :)

Let's try if my twitterfeed is working.  *fingers crossed*
Monday 28 June 2010

sigh

I want to be this thin again.  :(

Wednesday 23 June 2010

Budget Traveller's Guide: Tagaytay

Let's face it, not everyone can travel in luxury.  This section is for explorers like me(and my friends) on a tight budget.

How to go to Tagaytay:

Exit EDSA LRT Station.  Go to the bus station beside Mc Donald's.  Fare from EDSA LRT to Tagaytay Rotonda costs PHP 78.  Tagaytay Rotonda to EDSA LRT costs between PHP 78 - PHP 82(in our case) depends on the bus company.  

For people wanting to travel to Picnic Grove:

I suggest you take a tricycle.  There are abundance of tricycle in the city so finding one won't be a problem.

We paid PHP 60 split into 4 people and PHP 50 each for entrance.  So I assume that travelling from Tagaytay Rotonda to Picnic Grove won't cost more than that.

An extra PHP 200-300 is needed for people who wants to try the Zip line.  It wasn't thrilling as Go Ape but I think it is still worth the experience especially for people who are very scared of dying and heights.

For people wanting to travel to People's Park in the Sky:

We paid another PHP 60 split into 4 people from Picnic Grove to People's Park in the Sky and PHP 15 each for the entrance.  We took the tricycle.

For people who can't be bothered to walk up the park, there is a jeepney for rent for PHP 40 as I remember.  This isn't necessary unless you are terribly unfit.  The view on top is unbelievable.  

From People's Park in the Sky to Tagaytay Rotonda:

It just make sense that we have to pay PHP 120 for the trip via tricycle as we paid that much on our way there.  

FOOD:

There are a lot of restaurants in Tagaytay Rotonda.  If you are travelling on a budget, I suggest you buy food there.    BTW,  Cottages don't come free but if you sit under the tree(just like we did), noone will obliged you to pay.  I repeat, NOONE.  :-P  

TOTAL MONEY SPENT:

Bus Fare:  PHP 160
Food:       PHP 103 plus extra
Tricycle Fare:  PHP 60
Total Damage:  PHP 323 plus extra.  So for the day, I spent about PHP 400. :-)

NB:

It will cost you PHP 700 for the day if you ride the Zipline.  We didn't.  

My Brod Turns 24!

I am a 14 months older than my brother.  He was born on his 8th month.  I have 2 theories why but I can't remember which one is right - a.  My mum worked in construction site throughout her pregnancy and b.  I was able to swallow a softdrinks bottle full of gasoline(so that makes me somewhat responsible for his birth).  :-P

Thursday is my brother's laundry day and every Friday he goes back to Nueva Ecija to visit his girlfriend.  His actual bday falls this Friday so instead on celebrating on the actual date, we celebrated it today.  Unlike me, my brother don't normally go out so finding a restaurant that he will like is a bit of a struggle.  I initially suggested an Indian Restaurant in Trinoma but he is not up for diarrhea the next day so we ended up walking throughout the shopping centre looking for the "suitable" restaurant for us.  With my suggestion, we ended up in A Veneto.  I once went there with my friend Xavier and remembered their massive portion.  

He doesn't like Marinara Sauce so we ended up with a seafood pasta with asparagus and white sauce.  White sauce and seafood don't go well together.  I suggest you skip this dish next time you eat in this restaurant.  Worst pasta I had so far.  Sorry dear brother.  We only ate a quarter of it and gave the rest to charity.  In the Philippines, it is normal to ask for doggy bags.  We did but gave the left over to the guy begging alms under the MRT.  It is also normal to see people begging alms in the streets of Manila.
Very Meaty Pizza.  This was actually very nice but I was only able to eat half of it.

Serious photos of my brother.  I tried mum but his hair is not participating.  Hahaha!


HAPPY 24TH BIRTHDAY MY BROD!

Tagaytay Bonding

Ailema's almost a month's absence + Spontaneous Friends = Tagaytay Day Trip.  

Two things that I love the most about my friends - Spontaneity and Making things Happen.  Had a fantastic day with them at Tagaytay taking photos, catching up and taking the piss of people who can afford the Zip Line.  This isn't planned so we were strapped for cash.  We initially had a push-pull should we go or should we not go to Tagaytay but our urge to go is greater than going home.  

Sucks that Cyrus is not around.  Let's do this again with him as a photographer next time. :-P

Photos are taken from my old Blackberry 8110.  I'm pleasantly surprised with the picture quality.  :)























Tuesday 22 June 2010

Balicasag Diving Experience

I can't swim, let alone dive.  To be honest, dear boyfriend and I struggled with "things to do" in Bohol.  When he asked me for the next day's plan, I told him to go diving the whole day.  He doesn't wanna leave me so he asked the other divers if he can take me with them.  I initially don't want to go cause I have occasional seasickness but I can't leave dear boyfriend on his own.  

Waiting for him to finish diving was a killer.  I was horribly seasick that day.  I was supposed to go snorkelling but I was dizzy the whole time so I ended up sleeping in the boat.  I saw one turtle and few flying fishes.  :)










Oh I have to add, according to dear boyfriend, it's the best diving experience he had so far and the only reason he's going back to Bohol is to dive.  At least one good thing came out from this trip.

Bohol City Tour

If there's one thing that I enjoyed about Bohol, I would say it's the city tour.  I was deeply disappointed with my first 2 days, I'm sure Mr.Banks will say the same but the city tour changed my opinion about place.  Bohol shouldn't be advertised as a beach destination.


Blood Compact.
Baclayon Church.  Baclay means walking in Cebuano.  According to the driver/tour guide, the church's fascade was made from coral.
The inside of the church reminds me of the churches in Lisbon and in Madrid.  It makes sense cause the Spaniards brought Christianity in my country and we were colonised by them for more than 100 years.  My language is a mixed of Spanish and Bahasa.  Back to the church, the mural is still in good condition despite non-maintenance.  I hope their government will do something about it.  
We also went to the "biggest python captivity" in Bohol.  Sucks that it was sleeping.  They fed the python 2 weeks back.  They allow people to go inside the cage and take photos when the python is newly fed, at your own risks of course!
Uhm, this is actually the python care taker.  I am so embarassed for him I couldn't even look at his dance number.  



The tarsier.  It is the smallest primate according to our driver.  It was very small and delicate.  We weren't really allowed to touch them but our guide was kind enough to let us. 

Boat Ride.  You get buffet and tour on the lake.  We were the first ones to go so we were stuffed when the boat tour started.  I think I drank like 6 glasses of Iced Tea and ate lots of Rice and Humba.

I love your stupid face babe.  :P

Boat tour view.  It was very nice I tell you.  This is why I said, they shouldn't advertise Bohol as a beach destination as their province have so much to offer. 

Boat Station.



After lunch, we went to see the chocolate hills.  It wasn't very chocolate-y as it  is the rainy season.

:D

From the Chocolate Hills, we went to the Butterfly farm.




Then to the man made forest.  It feels like Baguio.

Then to the hanging bridge.  Take note, 10 maximum person allowed.

This is clearly more than 10.  I wasn't able to capture everyone crossing the bridge in the picture.

For final stop, we went to a cave.  It was very hot there, like really hot.  We were both sweating profusely.

We were both very tired at the end of the trip but were happy about our experience.  Next blog, Luke's diving experience.  :)
Thursday 17 June 2010

Bikini Beach, Another Disappointment



Trip Advisor said Bikini Beach is a deserted beach with powdery white sand so gave it a shot.  Surprise, surprise, we were disappointed!  True there's a handful of people there but with powdery white sand, I beg to differ.  I've never seen a very horrible beach in my entire beach history.  It is 100 times worse than Panglao Island and I don't think anyone will attempt to swim there.  I've also seen lots of sea urchins.  Scary.  


I took a photo of Mr. Banks hoping that the DSLR will make the place prettier, it did not.
Powdery White Sand my a**.  God, I don't think I've been this mean before.
Dear boyfriend's first tricycle ride.  I had to take photo of it.  According to the driver, they call the tricycles as moving bible.  Each tricycle got it's own bible verse.  Also according to him, people from Bohol are very religious and they wanted to show it.

I have to say, transportation in Panglao Island is very difficult.  In this 3 hours journey(including the bee farm stop over), we had to pay PHP 500.  That is a lot of money.  Plus a normal tricycle ride(if the place have good transportation) costs at least PHP 8 but not more than PHP50.  

I was very pleased that the tricycle driver suggested the bee farm.  I have doubts about the place since we saw nothing but disappointment in Panglao Island.  We were both pleasantly surprised and the tour is cheap, PHP20 per person.  :)  If anyone's visiting Panglao Island, don't give this a miss.   


Spot the queen bee.  Clue: It's the largest on the bunch.
Ice Cream.  Dear boyfriend got his Spicy Ginger and Buko(Coconut) Ice Cream for free cause he won the guess which spice is this against me.  I had Avocado and Pandan by the way.  

Aside from the tour, you can also stay at the bee farm and buy different home, body and bath products.  They offer lotion, soap, cocoa tablets, pesto, spreads etc.  We got a coriander spread.  Although I am not a big fan of coriander, I gave it a try.  It was actually nice.  We had bread and coriander spread the next day.

Next blog.  Bohol City Tour.  :D

DISCLAIMER

ALL PHOTOS ARE OWNED BY ME UNLESS CREDITED. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE GONNA USE ANY OF MY PHOTOS. THANKS!

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