Walking the streets of Macau

Macau landscape

After our stay in Hong Kong, my friends and I took a one-hour ferry ride to reach the island of Macau. The island of Macau is known for its hotels and casinos that attract a lot of tourist. But aside from the hotels and casinos, Macau has a lot more to offer.

The Venetian Macau

Aside from going to the Venetian and Parisian Macao, what I enjoyed most in our trip is walking around its cobble street of Macau. Since our hotel is just a few meters away from The Ruins of St. Paul and Senado Square, we mostly walked our way going to these tourist destinations.

The Grand Canal inside The Venetian

a view of the Eiffel Tower at The Parisian

It was an uphill walk going to The Ruins of St. Paul. By the time we reach our destination, we were already tired. But instead of getting to The Ruins, we set foot on Monte Fort. Monte Forte is an old stone fort that gives a great view of the towering hotels and casinos. 

A Filipino security guard in the area gave us the direction to The Ruins and told us to come back by ten o’clock for the opening of the Museum of Macau. Following the directions of the security guard we reached The Ruins. The place was crowded by fellow tourists when we arrived. But most of them did not enter the museum located at the back of the stone façade. At the museum are religious artifacts and history of the once Cathedral of St. Paul.

The Ruin of St. Paul

Pictures showing the history of The Ruins of St. Paul

After The Ruins, we make our way to the Se Catedral and Saint Dominic’s Church. As a tradition, whenever I visit churches during my travel, I lighted up a candle at Saint Dominic Church and say a little prayer for my wish to come true.

Se Catedral

Few meters from the Macau Cathedral is the Senado Square or Lago de Senado. The Square is full of colors. The buildings are in pastel colors and the cobbled street is in brown color. There are lots of store in Senado square where you can buy signature clothes, pastries and souvenirs. Fortunately for us, most of the stores in Senado Square are on sale. Key chains, magnets, clothes and other items for souvenirs can be also bought at stores surrounding Senado Square.

Senado Square

directional signage at Senado Square showing the way to tourist spots

We returned to our hotel that day tired from all the walking, but we feel accomplished as we were able to finish our itinerary even just by walking. It was also nice to see the everyday lives of the people of Macau while we walk along their street.

 

The Ngong Ping Village in Lantau Island, Hong Kong

Ngong Ping Village Entrance

When my friends decided that we travel to Hong Kong, I am not too much excited as I am not a fan of shopping, in which Hong Kong is very popular. But after some research, I discovered the Island of Lantau and the wonderful adventure that it has to offer aside from Disneyland.

The Po Lin Monastery, the big Buddha and Wisdom Path are all located in Ngong Ping Village. You can ride a bus from the Shung Tung MTR Station to the Ngong Ping Village or you can also ride the Ngong Ping Cable Car which is much faster and a must-try experience in Hong Kong. The Ngong Ping Cable Car opens at ten in the morning, but I advised that you come early to avoid waiting on a long line.

While at the cable car you will enjoy seeing the landscape of Hong Kong. The 25-minute ride in the cable car will let you see the lush green mountains and plateau, the ferry crossing the Tung Chung Bay, and people trekking to the Ngong Ping Village.

View from the cable car

cable car on the move

When we arrived at Ngong Ping Village, our first destination is the Hong Kong Big Buddha. Be sure to pack up a lot of energy, as your stamina will be tested in climbing up the stairs of the Big Buddha. When you reached the top, take a deep breath and be awed by the beautiful scenery of the Ngong Ping Village.

Tian Tan - the Big Buddha

The view of Po Lin Monastery from the Big Buddha

After the Big Buddha, we walked for fifteen minutes to reach the Wisdom Path. Unlike the Big Buddha, only few tourists went to the Wisdom Path. I was afraid that we might get lost but there is enough signage to point the directions towards the Wisdom Path. The Wisdom Path is composed of thirty eight big wooden monuments, which forms the infinity sign, with Chinese calligraphy. The calligraphy written in the woods are verses of prayers. Again, be ready to get mesmerized with the beauty and tranquility of the place. It is actually a nice place to relax after the tiring climb to the Big Buddha.

the Wisdom Path

Our last stop at Ngong Ping village is the Po Lin Monastery. Many tourists come to this place to say their prayers and give offerings. Despite the crowd, you can still feel a sense of sanctity and serenity. Inside the temple are statues of deities, paintings, and intricate interior designs. There are also three Buddha statues inside the temple where you can say your prayer. After saying a prayer, me and my friends offered some incense.

Po Lin Monastery

Monastery visitors offering incense

Our visit to the Ngong Ping village maybe the most tiring part of our trip in Hong Kong, but for me this is my most enjoyable and most beautiful place that I have visited in Hong Kong.

Exploring Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

A friend of mine, who have visited Hong Kong several times, suggested that if we would be looking for an accommodation in Hong Kong it should be within Tsim Sha Tsui. Her reason is because there are lots of tourist destinations within the area that can easily be visited on foot. I checked the internet and I found myself already enumerating the go to places in Tsim Sha Tsui.


For our Hong Kong Trip, here are the list of places in Tsim Sha Tsui that we visited: St. Andrew Church, Kowloon Park, Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower, Garden of Stars (previously Avenue of Stars), and the Victoria Harbour. Aside from these tourist destinations, Tsim Sha Tsui is also a go to place if you love to shop. Designer stores lined the whole street of Nathan Road and if you’re lucky, you may catch them on sale.


Our first stop is St. Andrew Church, since it was a Sunday and we always see to it that we stop by a church on our every travel. There were no mass when we went there and only three or four people are inside. After praying, me and my friends left the church and went to our next destination.

Our next stop is Kowloon Park. It is not very hard to locate this park; once you see a colorful stairs lined up with statues of comic characters, you are in the right place. Once you entered the park, you will still see more statues of comic book characters. Aside from these statues, another attraction of the park is that it become a home to different kinds of birds, it has a pond with koi fishes and turtles.

After Kowloon Park, we then walk along Nathan Road to go to the Clock Tower at the Victoria Harbour. It was a long walk going to the Harbour, and you don’t need to worry if you are not familiar with Tsim Sha Tsui as there are many directional signage. The Clock Tower is located near the Cultural Center and the Star Ferry and from there you can have a good view of the Hong Kong Island.

We walk along the Victoria Harbour looking for the Avenue of the Stars. Unfortunately because of the ongoing construction in the harbour area, the Avenue of the stars was relocated and is now called the Garden of Stars. Walking along the harbor, we again followed the directional signage until we reach our destination. From the Garden of Stars, you can again see Hong Kong island.

We went back to Victoria Harbour at night to hang out with an old friend. With some beer, chips, and music from local street performers we look at the night lights from the skyscrapers of Hong Kong Island.

My Summer Vacation in Alibijaban Island

It took us roughly ten hours to reach the island of Alibijaban. Upon arrival at the island we were welcomed by the white sands and kids playing by the beach. We opted to rent a room instead of pitching up tents, since one of our friends wanted to have a room. The rooms cost us Php 1,500.00 for an overnight stay. This already includes lights and electric fans.

Alibijaban Island from afar

The house owner is very nice and accommodating. She helped us settle down, making sure that she could provide everything we need for our stay. She lent us their cooking utensils, like a pot for cooking our rice, a grill for our inihaw, a pitcher for our water, some tupperwares to store our food and plates. 

We finished cooking just before eleven in the morning. It was too early to eat lunch so we decided to take a quick dip into the beach. The beach was refreshing after being soaked up in the heat of the sun. Honestly speaking, the beach at this side of Alibijaban is not that beautiful. It is full of stones and weeds are all over drifted by the waves. 

the Alibijaban shore

Before 12 noon, we got out of the water and decided to have our lunch. Our lunch is inihaw na tulingan and salted eggs with tomatoes and onions. We also have green mangoes sliced as our dessert.

After lunch, most of my friends decided to take a nap. I on other hand was not feeling any sleepy. I urged two of my friends to take a walk on the beach. It was a good decision for us to take the walk as the beach area is very windy unlike in the house where we are staying that was hot. After spotting a bench and table under a tree, my friends then decided to take a nap.

At around two in the afternoon, after I took some pictures and my friends awaken from their afternoon nap, we then decided to explore the island. We wanted especially to see the sand bar and mangrove trees in the area which is very popular among tourist.

river full of Mangroves

the shore filled with Mangroves

They say that the sand bar is just walking distance from where we stay. So instead of hiring a banca, we decided to search for the sand bar on foot and by the help of our guide – a black dog. We were walking along the shore when the black dog decided to tag along with us. He even went ahead of us trying to show the way. We also met some town’s people on our way and they also gave out some directions. And most of them are surprised that we are following a dog to lead us to the sand bar. 

After almost an hour of walking, we saw one of the most beautiful part of the island. It has a shore line with mangrove trees. Unlike the pert where we stayed, this place has no weeds and there are only few stones. There was even a floating-like cottage that is invitingly relaxing. We did not wait for long to get a dip into the water. After the long walk, we all wanted to freshen up.

We were also able to get a chat to the caretaker and told us about the sand bar. He said that the sand bar would show up at low tide which is around five in the afternoon. We can wait for the low tide and stay at the cottage but we need to pay for the use of the cottage as it is being rented out. I think we pay for Php 20.00 each to use the floating cottage.

the floating cottage

Unfortunately, we were to able to see sand bar. It was already getting dark, but the low tide has not yet revealed to us the sand bar. The caretaker serves as our bangkero to bring us back to the other side of the island – where our accommodation was located. On our way back, the bangkero stopped and showed us to where the sandbar was supposed to appear. 

We spend our night by the seashore drinking a mixture of beer, gin and powdered juice with chips and boiled sea shells. We enjoyed our day of adventure and getting to know the whole island with its people and their way of living.

the morning at Alibijaban Island 

Tips and Guide for Alibijaban Island

sunrise from the bus window

Our trip to Alibijaban started on a Friday night. We were at Starmall Alabang bus terminal aboard a non-air conditioned Barney bus bound to San Andres, Quezon. It was half-past nine and there are still lots of empty seats. The bus will leave the terminal at exactly ten o’clock even with the empty seats. With a travel time of ten hours, I assumed that we will reach San Andres at six in the morning.

Don’t expect a pleasant bus ride going to San Andres. We let our windows open due to the heat, but it was a bad decision as we experienced drowning in the night’s air that it made it impossible to get some sleep. Passengers also came in and out of the bus regularly that you would always hear the conductor walking back and forth asking for fare and shouting at every destination. The light was also left out open almost the entire night.

Before five in the morning I can already see the clouds turning from dark blue to a dark pink color signaling the start of sunrise. My friends are still sleeping as I watched the changing color of the sky. At around five thirty, I can already see the sun just behind the tall coconut trees. We reached the San Andres terminal at six in the morning. We took a trike going to the market to buy food that we can cook at the island and to get some breakfast.

If you want to cook some fish, it is much cheaper to buy at Alibijaban Island than at the market in San Andres. You can ask your contact person in Alibijaban to help you buy fish from the fishermen at the island. Aside from fish, you can buy pork and chicken meat and vegetables at the market. From the market you can already take a walk going to the port to meet your bangkero. The people here are friendly and accommodating so don’t be afraid to ask for directions.

market scene at San Andres

the port of San Andres

For accommodations, you can choose to pitch a tent or rent a room from the locals. Tents can be pitched along the shoreline and enjoy the breeze. And if you’re not comfortable in sleeping under the sky, you can rent a room from the local and sleep in comfy beds. 

our accommodation

Electricity and water are the expensive commodities in Alibijaban. Electricity came from generators and can only be used during the night; once the sun is up, electricity is shut down. Water that is used for cooking, cleaning, washing and baths are also being sold. A pail of water can cost to Php 30.00. Water came from a dam that is being filtered and sold to the locals. Cellphones, tablets and other gadgets can be charged for a fee at a store. 

Do not worry if you are unable to buy food at San Andres because there are sari-sari stores in Alibijaban where you can buy the basic commodities. The town’s people are all nice as they will also let you borrow their cooking utensils. If you don’t have any cooking skills, you can ask them to cook for you; just remember to return the favor.

the beach scene at Alibijaban Island

The people in the island are all kind and accommodating to their guest. You can roam the whole island by yourself, and the villagers are very kind enough to give out directions. Remember not to take it for granted and always return the favor.

 

one of our guide while in Alibijaban Island

The Nike We Run Manila Half Marathon 2016

May 15, 2016 is one of the most awaited events of runners like me. It is the date of the Nike We Run Manila Half Marathon 2016. This year marathon just like last year is a buddy system wherein participants need to have a partner to register. Also same as last year this is a women’s event.

As early as January 29, 2016 registration had started and as announced last Sunday participants for this year run reached up to 4,000. For the runners to be ready for the said event Nike conducted several running clinics and training program that participants can attend for free.

Gun start was at 4:30 in the morning. Runners will have to run from Blue Baywalk in Pasay City until Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park in Kawit, Cavite; runners running through Cavitex. The whole run amply supplemented of rehydration station with water, Gatorade and even bananas. Medical team and police are also scattered on the 21km stretch of the run ensuring the safety of the runners.

At the end of the event, runners will be given a bottle of water and Gatorade. Unlike from the previous years, runners who finishes the race would be given a necklace with a pendant engraved the logo of the NRC and the Manila logo instead of a shirt.

Runners are free to use the showers of Island Cove to freshen up and also have access to the pool area. There is also free shuttle service from Island Cove back to Blue Baywalk in Pasay City.

Birthday Vacation at Lilom Resort and Gallery Cafe

the resort

It is always hard to find a resort where there is a beautiful view, nice ambiance, good facilities, accommodating staff, delicious food and affordable. I thought that these amenities are hard to find combined in one resort but Lilom Resort and Café proved me wrong.

Hidden at San Teodoro in Mabini, Batangas, Lilom Resort and Café offers a relaxing experience for its visitors. At first look of the place, I know that I have found a temporary home for an overnight stay.

Upon arriving, the staff will courteously offer a refreshing calamansi juice. We arrived a little too early that our room is not yet ready, but it is not a big problem especially if you are sitting idly with the cool winds taking off the summer heat. When the room was ready, the staff showed us our way and they even insist helping us carry our things.

the rooms

One of the reasons we chose Lilom is because of its buffet meals of lunch, dinner and breakfast and an afternoon cocktail. Plus, they also have unlimited tea and coffee. This means we do not have to worry about what to eat and how to prepare our meals. It was a really worry-free vacation for us.

our lunch

our dinner

dessert

The view of the beach is so tempting that we decided to take a look at the shoreline after having our lunch. The shore is full of pebbles, small stones and dead corals that you will barely see any sand. There are lots of rocks lining up the shore. But the great thing about the rocks is that it creates a nice landscape at the sea. The water is clear and very refreshing once you dipped your feet into it.

The beach at Lilom is highly recommended for snorkeling as there are lots of marine animals in the area. Our fellow visitors are coming back and forth at the sea snorkeling and they are always awed by the different animals they see.

the rocky beach

During sunset you will be captivated by the bright red orange color of the sky and its reflection at the water. At this time, the tide is low that you could see a huge portion of the sea covered by giant rocks. Aside from the sunset we also watched as fishermen ride their boats to the sea.

sunset and fishermen

Most of the time that I spent at Lilom is reading a book. I don’t mind not getting soak into the water as the cool air from the sea is enough to refresh me from the summer heat. When we were at the mini pool at Lilom, my sister and I just idly sat there watching the sea. It was so relaxing watching the fluffy clouds rolls by the sky and observes the boats passing by the sea.

the grass, the sea and the clouds

Lilom's mini pools

All in all it was a relaxing, refreshing and hassle-free vacation. I don’t mind paying Php 2,800.00 overnight stay because I was able to get what I paid for.