For years, I've been planning to try out surfing and be good at it. I've been eyeing at La Union but the opportunity I had was in Baler.
Photos are taken by Corics Kourke #
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The sun is up, and so are the waves. Summer is here, time for a sun-kissed skin and for the muscles to flaunt (sadly for me, I don't have my perfect abs for summer). For years, I've been planning to try out surfing and be good at it. I've been eyeing at La Union but the opportunity I had was in Baler. I am a big fan of sunsets but watching the sun rise isn't that bad. Mr. Sun just says that it has been a great day for the surfers. ;-) The waves, ooooh I love the waves. ♥ He's Cris, my surfing instructor. He was teaching me the basics of surfing. At first, they will teach you how to stay on the board. Everything is the same, except the feeling while the board is on the sand and on the water. Always remember: relax, ready, up. Relax: While on board, arms stretched and find your balance as you wait for the waves to come. Ready: I am a goofy surfer (lefty). The waves are coming, I have to be ready. Getting ready to stand and find my balance without getting off board. Up: Yes! I finally stood on my board. I have to maintain this position up to the shore. This photo looks funny but my knees were fully bent (which I should have done from the very beginning). Ooooops! I fell on my board. It's okay, I'm learning anyway. :)) But look at those waves. Yummy! That's what I love, that's what surfers love. This is the surfboard that I used. It is a 9-foot long board for beginners. I love surfing. I can actually say that even I had tried it for only once. I know that I will be back. I tried it with Freedom Surf School and they are very warm. They gave me a bottle of water after the lesson. It was fun. I swear. My muscles were sore the day after, but it was all worth it! Baler is not too crowded and it seemed like I owned the place while surfing. I will be back, absolutely.
Photos are taken by Corics Kourke #
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A first visit to the country and I told myself, "Why not visit a museum?" My sister found Singapore Art Museum and you can see different art works for only $ 10. Title: Terra Firma (2014) Artist: Frayn Yong Graphite Title: 1000 Rubber Seeds and One Mutant (2014) Artist: Isabelle Desjeux Mixed Media Title: Ouch! Artist: Ezzam Rahman Artist's Skin, Adhesive Title: Animal Trap Artist: Robert Zhao Renhui Collection of the Institute of Critical Zoologists Psychogeographical Game Title: Sound of the Earth (2013) Artist: Chen Sai Hua Kuan Mixed Media I was so ecstatic when I knew that we were allowed to take photos in the Museum. Thanks to the staff of SAM for being so warm. #
Touchdown Singapore. First stop: Mcdonald's. We were hungry after a 3-hour flight. Say hello to their Big Breakfast. The difference is that, they have turkey bacon, pancakes, and unlimited coffee. Yay! Don't forget to get some maps in the airport to guide you in your way. Next up: Singapore Art Museum. From Changi Airport, we rode MRT and from Changi Airport, we dropped off to Bras Basah to get to SAM. My favorite art piece is this dragonfly-shaped sculpture made from the artist's skin. This may sound yucky but I liked the concept. I can't imagine how the artist collected parts of his skin to come up with different sculptures. Brilliant! Rawr! :)) I didn't care what people have thought of me while doing this. Who cares? They don't know me anyway. :)) This is the famous Merlion. Nung nakita ko ung mga tao dun, halos lahat sila nakanganga! They were trying to get the turista shot in the park. I didn't get a picture of theirs. Nakakahiya! I just had mine though. :)) Wonderful architectures, wonderful Singapore. ♥ Marina Bay Sands has the breathtaking view of the place surrounded by buildings with wonderful architectures. Chinatown is where I bought almost all of my pasalubong. They are pretty much affordable so you could buy some before heading back home. Singapore Flyer is the world's largest observation wheel. Marina Bay Sands, a view from the Singapore Flyer -- at the exact time was the countdown to the Earth Hour. Look at the beauty of the lights and the flower-shaped ArtScience Museum. Cable Car at Sentosa Universal Studios SingaporeEveryone has become a child at heart when you have entered the gates of USS. Replica of the New York Public Library One of the extreme rides! The Transformers was intense and I felt like I was there to save the world with the Autobots! After the ride, I made my souvenir coin for only $ 2.. I had a Choco-mint Dippin' Dots from Star Dots after an extreme ride! I didn't know if this ride works but if did, I will definitely try it. The Mummy is a roller coaster ride. You are not allowed to bring anything hanging inside so you will be checking your things in a locker. When I got in, I thought that it was just a simple roller coaster ride with mummies and all. But I was wrong! There were areas that you really see nothing because of darkness, and we screamed our hearts out! That was intense! USS is a parent-friendly park. They have a parking space for strollers. Jurassic Park has its hanging roller coaster. I want more! I just started screaming then I came back to the stop position. Moooooooore! Oh, hi Fairy Godmother! Far Far Away - the usual Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey in 4D. Goodbye, Resorts World Sentosa! It was a fun-filled experience. I promised myself that when I will never leave Singapore without trying Laduree. It may not originate in SG but these macarons are to die for. The soft and gooey macaron with luscious filling, oh please. Every penny is worth it! Laduree is located at Takashimaya Mall in Ngee Ann City. This board still exists! I thought that departures are announced through screens. I don't know what is this called but I just see this in movies, then I saw it in Changi Airport, wow! In celebration of the Social Media Month (March 2014), Changi International Airport has this exhibit of fresh flowers formed into the logos of the social networking sites. Beautiful! In Changi Airport, you could do a lot of things while waiting. I would love to stay but the boarding time has come. Goodbye, Singapore. I went to Singapore on a weekend before finals week. That was intense! I promised myself that I will be posting my travel blog when I am sure that I surely passed my subjects. I would like to thank my sisters for bringing me to Singapore. It was a fun-filled experience. All walks from different train stations, to different food stops, and sights were all worth it. I will definitely come back to explore more of Singapore.
Thanks for reading my travel diary! # When I hear the word, "Ilocos", there are four things that pop in my mind: windmills, empanada, longganisa, and okoy. In Vigan, I saw how they did their empanada. I was expecting an orange-colored one, but here's what I have seen, the yellow one. When I went to Laoag, they have the orange empanada. When we were there, my cousin said that you have a choice whether you'll pair your empanada with either vinegar or ketchup. I like mine with ketchup. Try it! They were fast! Amazing. The famous Calle Crisologo have these wonderful kalesa that demonstrates the means of transportation way way back. Spanish-inspired houses along Calle Crisologo Pineapple-flavored dirty ice cream? Wow! For only twenty bucks, this is a big and chunky treat. Okoy is best paired with vinegar. Grab a bite! Sinanglaw is served in street side eateries which is made up of beef innards. It tastes a bit sour and bitter. This is best eaten when hot. Bagnet - fried crispy pork belly Paoay Church The famous chichacorn Along the road, I saw the Malacañang of the North Sand dunes Sinking bell tower Saud Beach Bangui Windmill Farm Souvenirs! Tickets to Kapurpurawan Rock Formation A view of the Cape Bojeador from the road. Refmad Dragon Farm is headed by Ms. Edith Dacuycuy. This is the first dragon fruit plantation in Ilocos region. They also have different products made from dragon fruit. This is how the farm looks like when they start to plant the dragonfruit. Look at those! Sadly, I didn't have the chance to see the fruit because December is not its season. Dragon fruit ice cream Dragon fruit vinegar Dragon fruit hopia (left) and otap (right) Dragon fruit wine Dragon fruit jam Dragon fruit pickles They also sell planting materials, but be sure that the climate in your place fits the life of the plant. This dragon fruit fountain is an eye-catcher. She is Ms. Hope. She is the daughter of the original makers of this famous delicacy, biscocho. When I was a kid, I love to soak the bread in cola or orange juice. Before leaving, don't forget to buy pasalubong. Bagnet or longganisa are some of the famous pasalubong. Around 12-hour ride from Manila is not a joke but when I got to see the beauty of Ilocos, I promised myself to be back. #
One happy Sunday morning, a joyride going to Tagaytay with the whole family is a day well-spent. Pink Sisters Church and Convent I was so privileged to hear a mass from Pink Sisters. I remembered one time when I sent a letter to the nuns, they sent a prayer for my mom. <3 The place is so lovely, quiet and peaceful. Sky Ranch Having fun with my cousins, we came to the Sky Ranch. Overlooking the sights in Tagaytay, we almost touched the sky when we rode the Ferris wheel. Each capsule has a capacity of at most four and enclosed with individual air-conditioning unit. When you are at its peak, you can barely touch the clouds. But never try to attempt to open the door. Safety first! Surreal! I can almost touch the sky. <3 Children at heart. We tried the Super Viking to test the thrill and excitement of floating in the air. All scream and shout! We never thought that on the highest throws, we were almost lifted on our seats! We really felt that we’re flying but luckily, we were secured by the metal bars. Panting and catching some air, our knees were shaking when we took off the ride. We have enjoyed the experience so much! We took only a half day but I love how it went. It is the thought that once in a while, we take a little bit joyride as we grow. We’ll never know when our family is still complete when the time comes. x
When my summer is about to end and the school year is fast approaching, nothing can stop me from enjoying the last days of my vacation. The sun-kissed skin and sand-filled flip flops made my vacation. Who can never be happy watching the sun rises while the waves splash onto your toes? As I walked through the fine white sands of the beach, I felt the breeze of fresh air that the city cannot offer. I painted my nails with the summer-y inspired ombre with the coconut tree. I have this dream of having my own photo of the beach with two coconut trees on the side, just like the ones we are used to see in post cards. Since Boracay is crowded by a number of establishments and tourists, I thought that it is impossible for me to fulfill this dream so I have made it possible with my nails. I have read in some of the articles that taking long walks on the beach exerts more effort than those of spending time on treadmills or running around the flat surface of the village thus, makes you burn more calories. Personally, I didn't care about burning calories, I thought of capturing more moments in the island since summer comes only once per year. Seeing signs of keeping the cleanliness of the island makes everyone become more disciplined. The proper segregation of waste materials are strictly followed by almost everyone and smoking near the beachfront is strictly prohibited or a punishment will be given to somebody who will disobey. Through these, everyone is obliged to follow all the rules implemented in the island. Looking for some Filipino food to fill our hungry tummies, we tried some of these restaurants which offer the freshest picks from sea to table. Mesa offers a wide variety of Filipino dishes. What I loved about them at first is their location. I haven't tried this in Manila but everything is worth a shot. To taste almost everything, we ordered the grilled platter with pork barbecue, chicken, shrimp, mussels, bangus, and liempo. Served with the freshest picks, we also had laing two ways. One with the coconut milk and the other that hasn't. They both tasted good but I liked the laing with coconut milk more than the other. The food is served within the estimated time they have given us. Happy customers we were, our tummies were filled with delicious food plus the great service they have offered. We chose the table outside and the waiters always check on our empty glasses to refill our bottomless drinks. Golden Cowrie serves the one of the best sago't gulaman in town. Having dinner over candle light adds up to the beach-y vibe. Along with the dinner comes with a three-piece band serenading the customers with cover songs. You can ask them to play your favorite song. I like their food but I don't like the crispy tuna fingers to be paired with rice. I love it when eaten alone and it is best consumed while hot. Overall, we ended up our first night with happy tummies. Gasthof's display of fresh seafood made me think that their specialty is seafood, not the baby back ribs. I was attracted by this restaurant through my seafood cravings and I was satisfied by the sweet chili prawns. Our freshest picks were cooked in the way we wanted them to be. Some would say that you cannot have the complete Boracay experience without tasting the "Chori Burger," a sandwich made with grilled chorizo. You can find them in stalls while walking through the beach. OneBar caught my attention. Serving cocktails and shakes in pouches with lanyards? This is one of a kind. Felt so depressed that Haagen Dazs is no longer be found in the island, my brother and I ended up having some ice-cold treats from Starbucks. I think that there is a ten to twenty-peso difference between the price of drinks compared to the Stabucks back in Manila. Saw McDonald's conquering the island of Boracay and Mr. Ronald McDonald's looks flawless. Look at his well-trimmed eyebrows and pearly white teeth. He looks young, I guess. I am a red velvet -lover, whether it is a cake, cupcake, smoothie, cookie, ice cream, or whatever. When I passed by Dulcinea, the head-turner red velvet cake went to the hotel with me. Omnomnomnivore Je came out. Out from a vacation, pasalubong always tops the list. While looking for some awesome giveaways, there were eye-catching stores that sell handmade items. Lampirong - retailer-exporter of capiz shells and handmade accessories and display items. During off-peak seasons, they reduce the cost of their items. Kirsten & Corinne Footwear - this store comes with the personalized slippers where you can shoose whatever design you may desire and they will cut it according to your feet size. This is one of my favorite shops in the island. They have different ladies' accessories made from synthetic materials that look exactly like the real ones. They may be a bit pricey, but you can get some cutie little flower crowns that are not scene stealers. I can wear them in school without distracting my professors. Flower crowns were too mainstream so I thought of making my own. Then, I saw an adjustable one in Apostrophe (Trinoma) and in one shop in Boracay. They make your outfit a bit edgy and dainty. My summer buddies were sunnies, flip flops, hat, and a flower crown. My short stay in the island plus the long walks on the beach capped off summer vacation. I will definitely be back to explore more of the island has to offer.
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