Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts

3 Places You Need to See When You Live in Pittsburgh


Pittsburgh is one of those storied cities of an older America. It’s where the formerly booming industries of steel and coal were located, smack in the middle of what is unfortunately known now as the Rust Belt.

That name indicates that Pittsburgh and all the other cities in the region are just former industrial centres in decline, but this is not so. Pittsburgh’s steel plants may not be what they once were, but the city itself has come back in a big way. It’s now a place people flock to, with plenty of Pittsburgh houses for sale and more than enough to do once you live there.

What are some of your options? Let’s name a few. Here are three places you need to see when you live in Pittsburgh.

Hacks in Planning Your Vacation and Rent

After a week and tiring work of the day, who doesn't want to go on vacation? Itchy feet are itching to go out with the family. How do you plan your vacation?

If you're planning on a vacation, make sure to do it in advance. Ask one of your family the place where you are going to spend your vacation. Find the best price for the airfare and a place to stay with your family. Better check for the activities in that place. Is it convenient? Is it safe?

Now, if you want to book a vacation rental, check the hacks below. It might help you save money.


Provided by Shore Summer Rentals

Super Creative Ideas That Will Stop Your Australian Vacation From Getting Bored

Sun, sea, and sand - they’re incredible and synonymous with Australia, but they never change. At least, they don’t if you go on the same vacation to the land down under year after year. Some people enjoy a few weeks in a country the size of a continent with zero responsibilities because it's freeing. Plus, it is about as far away from home as possible!

5 Simple Tips For Travelling Solo

When you are preparing to travel solo for the first time, you’ll likely be feeling both excited and apprehensive. You’re about to embark upon a real adventure, so both feelings are completely natural. Once you’ve planned your destinations, sorted your visas, and packed your bags, you’ll likely be glad of a few simple solo travelling tips.


How to Do Hong Kong All Over Again: 5 Tips for Pinoy Travelers Who've Done It All


Among Asian destinations, Hong Kong is a favorite of Pinoy travelers. It’s only a few hours away, it has plenty of attractions, and going there usually doesn’t require a huge budget at all. Airline companies and booking sites often conduct flight promos as well, enticing more bargain-loving Filipinos to book a Hong Kong tour package.

Saving Up For The Best Family Vacation

mother daughter vacation

One of the hallmarks of a financially secure family is the all-important family vacation. It's a way for you and the family to get away from your normal lives, throwing caution to the wind and spending a lot of money on things that you wouldn't normally! But, for so many of us, vacation is but a pipe dream. When it comes to saving up for it, you've got to spend years stretching your income and looking for tried and tested methods to find a way to curb your spending and also get a little bit extra on top. So, with this in mind, how can you save up for your family vacation, and also, how can you find a vacation within your budget that doesn't necessarily have to cost the earth?

4 Ways You Can Finance Your Family Holiday

family holiday
Family Holiday in Dumaguete City
The prospect of a family holiday is exciting – no matter what your age. Whether you are planning on vacationing in your home country or traveling further afield, there are certain things that you need to organize before you travel.

And one of these crucial steps is deciding how you will finance your family holiday – unless you’re a millionaire, unfortunately you need to bring this into the equation! The kids will get excited about the prospect of going away. So you want to know that you have the funds in place in order to enjoy the time away together.

The Ultimate Guide In Moving To A New Country

If you are looking for adventure, there’s no more thrilling experience than moving to a new country. Plenty of people dream about it, but very few turn this dream into a reality. Those that do can emigrate for a range of reasons like starting a new job, transferring offices within their current company or simply moving on a whim because they’ve heard great things about the lifestyle of a nation.

airport
Airport Airline Traffic by Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians

Luxuriate beneath the Magnificent Palawan Sun at The Avara Nature & Yacht Club

Experience serene, luxurious seaside living in Taytay, Palawan

A glimpse of a seaside living redefined through Avara. 
  Nov. 13, 2018 (MANILA) – Imagine this: The sound of waves crashing on the shore and the sunlight peeking through the window wake you up on a lazy Saturday morning. You slowly open your eyes, afraid that you’re just in the middle of a dream. But you’re not. You stand up as you feel the gentle sea breeze touch your face. You go out of the porch and look at the horizon. You take your time to enjoy the beauty of the blue skies and the deep sea.The yacht will be waiting for you whenever you’re ready, anyway. That’s the promise of Avara Nature & Yacht Club—the easy life of the seaside.

11 Travel Tips to Save Your Vacation

saving tips for your vacation

If you are an avid traveler or even the occasional one, you know that there will always be something that doesn’t go according to plan. We want to make sure that your vacation mishaps don’t escalate so you can have a memorable trip full of positive memories. In this guide, we will give you 11 travel hacks you can use to get the most out of your trip.

Things To Do Before You Travel

travel, beach
Whenever my husband and I decide for a family holiday, I make sure we plan ahead of time. There are important things to look into. Since we will close the shop, we have to ask permission from the owner. Likewise, if you work in the office, you have to file a leave of absence. Although, there are things to do and think about before going to travel.

7 Romantic Get-Away in the South of France

France

France boasts of gorgeous towns and quirky country retreats with exclusive beach resorts and rustic vineyards, where one can make any of their romantic dreams come true. South of France is like a bottle of the finest wine with complexity and depth and offers the perfect spots for romantic getaways. Do not miss the chance to escape to enchanting landscapes and magically secluded retreats with spectacular views all around you. Stay at any of the villas in the south of France and enjoy the romantic allure of the idyllic rural villages and rolling vineyards. Enter the charming part of the world dotted with picture-perfect villages and extraordinary restaurants. Bask in the finest flavors and scents of the countryside that are sure to invented romance.

Color, Culture, and Adventure: Give Your Family Memories to Last a Lifetime

travelling, family-memories

There are three great things you can do with your family: have an adventure, experience new cultures, and make memories. One of the best ways you can do this is by traveling. Getting out of your usual environment awakens curiosity in you, your spouse, and your children. Being in a new place helps you open up to new experiences that you would not otherwise consider. What are some places you can visit that would allow you to experience a new culture and make lasting memories with your loved ones?

Go on safari in South Africa

Visiting a wildlife reserve as part of a trip to Africa is an excellent way to experience a culture that is not your own. Not only are you getting out of your comfort zone, but you are getting out of the comfort zone of most people – and hanging with an entirely different life form. Taking some time to explore Kruger Park in South Africa or the reserves of KwaZulu-Natal province can provide great, memory-building experiences for an animal-loving family.

Hike the Viking Trail in Newfoundland

Take an entire week to hike the nearly 400-mile long Viking Trail in Newfoundland. Starting in Deer Lake and ending at St. Anthony’s near the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula, you'll march along rocky coastline through many picturesque, but sparsely-populated fishing villages. If you have the time, a side trip to the UNESCO site at L’Anse aux Meadows or Labrador would be a great addition to the trip. Staying at the Courtyard by Marriott in St. John's is also a great choice for a base camp.

Camp out in the American West

The southwestern United States is full of beautiful sand-and-stone vistas perfect for family camping and hiking trips. Some of the places you can visit together are Monument Valley, Yellowstone National Park, Bryce Canyon, the Grand Canyon, and the Valley of Fire. While most opportunities involve lots of hiking, water sports, horseback riding, and Native American attractions also abound. On top of that, if you want to take a break from the mountains and deserts, there's always Las Vegas with every conceivable entertainment choice available.

Experience the sports, nature, and culture of Argentina

You'll have to spend more than a few days in Argentina to get a full taste of what the South American country has to offer – starting with the vibrant and cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, where, according to Mike Unwin, “you can stroll the historic Plaza Mayo, tour Bombanero Stadium or saddle up on an out-of-town estancia for a polo lesson in the noble sport of polo.” If you prefer nature to a metropolis, you can take a hike down a jungle trail, go kayaking around the shoreline of Patagonia, take in the ice panorama of Los Glaciares National Park, or sail through the Iberian wetlands, home to caiman and capybara. There no end of things to do, places to go, or sights to see in Argentina, and you are guaranteed to make some great memories with your family.

Regardless of the trip you and your family take, the most important thing to remember is that you stick together, have fun together, and help each other enjoy our adventure. Because, in the end, it's not the place you go, but the people you go with that makes it worthwhile.

Visiting “Ilog Maria”

Last month, we had a chance to visit “Ilog Maria” while staying in Cavite. I heard them talking about “magpatusok”  or bee sting in English. I asked what’s the fuss is all about? My brother, Jun told me that he’s going to Ilog Maria for  BST. I asked what’s BST? He said, “BST means Bee Sting Therapy” wherein a bee will sting any part of your body that has an ailment. I’ve never heard of such thing but all I can imagine was the pain when a bee stings you. Also, he warned us not to shout or cry in pain. Instead, try to bite your lower lip to refrain from shouting. The man who gives you the therapy will get angry. 
brother, sibling
That’s my youngest brother on the wheels. The five of us including my son had accompanied my brother to Ilog Maria. It took us only 15 minutes drive away from my cousin’s place before we saw a signboard of Ilog Maria. Ilog Maria is in Silang, Cavite. From the highway, we drove to a one-way entrance. Most of the visitors of Ilog Maria were in a private car. There’s nothing to worry about the exit because there’s another one-way road especially for it.


When we arrived, my brother told us to go to a building where a lot of people gather. Geez, I’m glad my niece has a camera and loves to take pictures. My cell phone with camera wasn’t fixed, yet. We saw a lot of people, foreigners and Filipinos sit on the chairs in 3 lines while others were standing and sharing stories. Then, I saw a man seated on a chair near a pillar holding the bee’s wings on the right hand. In front of him is a client/patient (foreigner) who had a problem in the knee. The foreign woman just squirms and bite her lips when the bee stung. Then, the man told her to walk. I guess to savor the pain of the sting and exercise it. My brother had the bee stung on his left foot.

After my brother had the BST and “walking” exercise, we went to another building to see the products of Ilog Maria.
ilog-maria
These are the products that are hand-crafted by the staff of Ilog Maria

products-of-ilog-maria Here’s my cousin Sol, reading the benefits and ingredients of the product. The products she bought are: Healing Massage Oil, Propolis Ointment and Propolis.

taking-pictures

After Ilog Maria, we decided to go to People’s Park in Tagaytay. Sad to say, we didn’t have a chance to go up because of the thick fog. Kuya Rene noticed we’re the only one’s who have no jackets. We end up taking pictures and buying sweet pineapples.
   pineapple

Asik-Asik Spring Falls in Alamada, North Cotabato

Asik-Asik Falls
Miss Wise: Asik-Asik Falls, North Cotabato
I saw this photo from my Facebook Newsfeeds. This photo was shared by TV Patrol for their weekend segment "Choose Philippines".

I can't stop from sharing it to every Filipino. I admire the beauty of nature and it's spring falls. I admit, I don't watch TV because most of my time is on the net. Perhaps, I'm truly amazed when I saw it.

Since, I have little knowledge of the said spring falls. I searched the web and found out:
  • The place is Asik-asik falls located at Sitio Dulao, Upper Dado, Alamada, North Cotabato.
  • There is no river on top, instead the water spring comes from the rock.
  •  The falls were unvisited because of the "Balete" tree in which they said as haunted until it fall down.
I just hope and pray that it will stay as is, now, that it become as one of the main tourist attraction in North Cotabato. No to cut trees and plants on top.

References:
Pinoy Adventures: Asik-Asik Falls in Alamada North Cotabato
Miss Wise: Asik-Asik Falls, North Cotabato
Cotabato City: Asik-Asik Falls, Alamada-North Cotabato

Super Ferry

How many of us will ride SuperFerry from the provinces to Manila? Do you know which port you will fetch one of your family? I think no, not even those people from the province know. Unless, you are a frequent passenger on the ship.

This happened to us 5 days ago. We were informed to fetch MIL and SIL at the Manila Port Area. Which port/pier? That's the question that pop into my mind. There are a lot of piers in Manila. Good thing, my BIL is online and I asked him what vessel are they on board? He answered it's SuperFerry 1 and the TOA is 4:30pm. We did not asked further because we know he had no idea about the piers here in Manila.

So, we google SuperFerry and found their official website. As a newbie, I do not know what category to browse. I just read and click. In the menu bar (Orange color) I hover my mouse pointer on Schedule & Rates, then click Voyage Schedules. In voyage schedules, you will see the ship's origin, destination and sailing month. Choose from the drop-down menu of each and click search after.

The result is Pier 15. Since they came from Dumaguete City and destined in Manila for the month of July 2011. You will also read the name of the vessel as what my BIL had told us. My husband went and fetched them at Pier 15.

An overview of Voyage schedules


It's easy and user-friendly. Have a happy trip! :)

Lady of Lourdes Grotto in Tungko Bulacan

The Internet shop was still closed and I feel bored staying and walking around with the computers as if it was mine. Sadly, it wasn’t! So, I took a bath and left the key to the caretaker, and off to Tungko to visit Our Lady of Lourdes (Grotto).

It was my first time to visit the Grotto, known for its replica statue of the Lady of Lourdes in France. I arrived in Tungko for about 20 to 30 minutes ride in a jeepney. The fare is only P15pesos from Bigte.

How To Get There

If you are from EDSA, you may take a bus with a signage “Tungko” and SM Fairview.  The drop-off point is Tungko and probably the fare is between 80 to 90 pesos, my guess. Another way is if you are from Taft, take MRT going to GMA Kamuning, from there, you have to walk from the left side and cross the other road that you will see going to SM Fairview. There again, take a bus going to Tungko. Also, there are buses who will take you to Grotto, it has a “GROTTO” signage in the bus front window. So, from Tungko, you can see a lot of jeepneys, again signage is “Grotto”. Tell the driver to drop you off in the grotto church. The fare is only 7 pesos. I think its 5 to 10 minutes ride. Here are the photos while wandering around the groove.

walkway
The church, taken from the left wing walkway.



walkway
From the gate: This is the right wing going on top of the church. 
The left wing from the top.


walkway
From the gate: that's the left walkway, in going to the top of the church to see the clock. 


  Here are some photos I took inside the grotto.
2nd station of the cross
2nd Station:  Jesus carries his cross statues


sixth station of the cross
The sixth station: 
Veronica wipes the face of Jesus


12th station of the cross
  The Twelve Station of the Cross: Jesus dies on the cross.


13th station
The Thirteen Station: 
Jesus is taken down from the cross


grotto
That's the grotto (replica) Our Lady of Lourdes, taken from the top.

Grotto
And the last photo reflects the  not-so-good site. A lot of plastic bags near the third station. I was actually trying to take a shot, far view of the park where some people are resting and eating after visiting different stations. I saw some people sweeping the area.

Amid all these, I remember my mother visiting these areas. It is like I'm following her steps left behind.