Short Visit at Monasterio de Tarlac

It was been a few years ago when I first saw about Monasterio de Tarlac from relatives residing in the city and since then it has become my goal to see it once I went home to Tarlac. When my relatives asked us where do we want to go I literally voice out where do I want to go, so when we had a lunch at my aunt house on November 4, we didn't waste much time and heads up there.

The travel time to Monasterio de Tarlac was about one hour, it was my first time seeing the outskirts of the city and I realized it feels like home (Tablas). The monastery is a popular tourist destination among locals where the relic of the True Cross can be found, it is situated in top of Mount Resurrection Eco Park in the barangay of Lubigan, San Jose, Tarlac.

Since it was Sunday, there are plenty of people visiting and waiting for the mass at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, there was no entrance fee to the monastery and you are free to walk around the park and take many pictures as you want. Getting a solo picture under the 30-foot colossal statue of Jesus Christ is pain in the ass because it looks like it was the main attraction at the monastery.

We really didn't take long because my aunt told my foreigner uncle that she will be home early, so after taking pictures we immediately left. Arriving back to my aunt's house we ate some snacks and then one of my uncles brought us home.

Visiting the Bamboo Farm in San Andres

One lazy afternoon, my mother told us to get ready and since I have thought we are just going to town, I replied, I am ready.  She asked if I am sure because I am just wearing a house dress, so I asked back if where we are going.  Well, it turns out, she is bored and she has something in her mind.

It was been a long time we are planning to visit the Bamboo Farm in San Andres, so that's where we went together with our cousins, it was a good thing we brought them because if we didn't we maybe lost our way. We made a right turn to the Sunflower Farm but it turns out it was a wrong turn, it should be next one.

We reached a point, where there are two roads and we don't know which one to take. Gladly, the people were helpful and they told us to go on the road going upward, my sister driving the big bike asked our cousin to interchange since it was too big for her and she can't reach the ground just in case something happened along the way.

Unexpected, but the road is concreted. It has been just a  challenge that is going upward, the view along the way is astonishing because you can see things below, the sea, houses and the streets.  We really don't know where to stop, but gladly we found a group of people ahead of us, they are taking photos in the bushes which looks like bamboo to us.

It was disappointing because the bamboo farm wasn't the way it looks to be in photos, it wasn't cared of.  I think we visited in a wrong time of the year, we should not visit in summer.

Nothing much to do, we left the farm and went to downtown San Andres to feel cool by eating Halo-halo for ₱25.00 only. It  is a popular Filipino dessert with a mixture of shaved ice and evaporated milk to which various ingredients are added, including boiled sweet beans, young corn, coconut, camote, banana plantain, ripe jackfruit, sago, gulaman, fruits, leche plan and yam ice cream. It is served in a tall bowl.

Road Tripping and Short Visit at Binucot Beach Resort

It was been a long time since we hit the road for road tripping, my father was always at work and  my sister was already working for a cooperative in town so to speak we have no driver because my mother and I doesn't know how to drive, my family have been telling me to learn how to drive a motorcycle but how can I when nobody is dare to teach me.

[Photo taken at a vacant shore overlooking Binucot Beach Resort]

Anyway, we headed to the nearest town and drove to a popular beach resort. It was popular in terms of hearing it from online friends, seeing beautiful photos online and etc. Partly, we are looking for a place to eat out as family during special occasions, outside Odiongan. I am anticipating to see a resort that could wow me but along the way I didn't find any special maybe because I have seen better or it just look the same with other beaches in Romblon. We just passed through the resort and have a short stop along the vacant shore and took photos, our mother has been requesting us to get a snacks at the resort but the weather isn't good and we are afraid to stay longer because we have to travel back to Odiongan and the road will be slippery if it rains.

My guess we went there on a wrong time and day (there was a low pressure brewing) so the sky and the beach wasn't that splendid like what I saw on many photos online. With this, we must return at Brgy. Bunsoran, Ferrol especially at Binucot Beach Resort on a splendid day to see its beauty especially during sunset and experience a mouth watering meal in their resort, isn't it?

We exited Ferrol going to Looc and have a short stopped at their municipal hall. We have been to Looc many times but never had a chance to take photo of their historic municipal hall.  Like what we are afraid of, we are caught by the rain, it rains a lot going back to Odiongan and we are all soak.

Disclosure:  Above written post was my own personal experience and might be different from yours.

Family Outing at SATO Beach Resort

With the scorching heat of the sun, humidity,  limited supply of water and without rain for a longer period of time it is definitely summer time. Some of our relatives went home when my aunt dies and my older cousin's and her kids stays for short vacation and last Saturday it was agreed by many to have a dip to ease the warm weather.

The clan decided to do family outing at SATO Beach Resort which is just in a neighboring barangay, initially I am not attending since my family doesn't want to go because my father isn't in a good mood and he is at work, my mother thought if we tagged along he will not like it. My family offered to drop me at the beach resort but I declined since it feel awkward to be alone without them but when an older cousin came to our house and asked if we are not tagging along, my family pushed me to go and since I would like to visit the place that I have been only hearing from other people I went with them.

SATO Beach Resort was located in Brgy. Batiano, the resort was just a few meters away from Odiongan port it is overlooking the port and a beach shore but the main attraction was the large pool and slides. There are plenty of people on their family outing and there was also a wedding reception taking place at the main hall.  SATO Beach Resort has a pool for adult and a pool for kids to enjoy, the large pool was huge, the water is salty and the chlorine is very strong to the extent that it smells like Zonrox bleach for clothes,  the moment that my cousins dip in the pool they complaint that they felt itchy and keep scratching their skin same with the kids with us, I didn't feel itchiness so I have told them maybe skin is thick like carabao skin and wasn't so sensitive like theirs. I didn't dip longer in the pool and just dip when it is cloudy, I just dip three times in short period of time but turn very dark easily like everyone, wasn't sure if it was because of the salty water, the sun or is it a chemical burn from strong smelly water?

Browsing online here's what I found from ask.com - According to clorox.com, chlorine levels in the water should not exceed 3ppm (parts per million) as measured by a pool testing kit. To reach these levels, very little chlorine is needed. For example, if a circular pool has water 3 feet deep and is 15 feet in diameter, only 5 cups are needed to reach the appropriate chlorine levels. Although liquid bleach and chlorine tablets both contain the same chemical, it is extremely important to know what other chemicals are contained in both products. Do not ever put chemicals in the pool that are not recommended for use in pools, and do not substitute products such as cleaners with bleach for plain, liquid bleach. Know the type of filtration system in the pool, and be sure to avoid chemicals that can react with other cleaning chemicals and cleaning systems. Always test the pool water with a pool testing kit before entering, and do not enter the pool if chlorine levels are above 3ppm. Wait until the sunlight breaks the chlorine down, and test the water again.

My aunts rented two cottage but was given a free one for renting two, I have forgot to ask how much does it cost for each cottage but the entrance fee cost ₱50 per head (adult) and ₱30 per head (kids) and ₱40 for senior citizen. The cottage was good but since the resort doesn't have too many trees and it is overlooking the beach it was very open and not shady like it should be.

Anyway, I didn't take long and went home early with our grandmother leaving everyone to enjoy on their own. I have informed our distant cousin that everybody went to SATO beach resort and I have informed the salty and strong smelly water, he seconded about it and says it was the reason why they didn't went in the outing because they had a batch reunion less than a month ago in the said resort so they knew how the pool was like.

SATO beach resort is very spacious, good location since it is overlooking the beach, the downside not enough shade to enjoy and the water has a strong smell of bleach not sure if it is because the pool is using salty water unlike other pool around.

SATO BEACH RESORT Pier, Batiano, Odiongan, Romblon Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/satobeachresort/ Mobile No. - (042) 567-6279 / 09473421701 / 09353574631

Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. Above written post was my own personal experience and opinion and might be different from yours.

Out of Town: Spending A Day in San Agustin

San Agustin was the second town we visited, we have wanted to travel there for a long time but my father is stopping us, saying it was dangerous we might meet bad people along the way and etc., Well, nobody can stop me us isn’t it? So when my father and his workmates are scheduled to go home for Christmas (they are working in San Agustin) we travelled over there very early to avoid too much heat along the way, we planned to wander around at the town and then go home with them in the afternoon. We took our dog with us because there is no place to left her, there’s a celebration nearby and everyone is busy and nobody will feed Jinjoo.

The town of San Agustin was 2 hours from Odiongan, it is 4th class municipality of Romblon which is formerly known as Guintigui-an during Spanish era because of the abundance of the fish called "tigue" but in 1868 the town was renamed Badajoz by a certain Spanish soldier Andres Lebarde after his native city Badajoz, Spain and then on June 1957 it was changed to San Agustin after the town's patron saint. - Wikipedia

It was not my first time in San Agustin, because way back in college we travelled over there to get the program we need for our thesis, and since the last trip was long gone I went with my friend classmate to their home in the island of Romblon, Romblon. It was the best thing to do than goes with our other two male group mates, I could tagged along with our other female member but she is just staying on her aunt and it was embarrassing to add burden to them. If not of me graduating my mother will never allow me sleep over, honestly it requires a lot of drama just to let me go with my group mates to another town far from where we resides.

Anyway, we dropped our belongings to my father’s workplace and went to the port to eat and use their toilet and then we loiter around the town and their public market to shop for food especially "kakanin" and then return to my father’s workplace, my younger sister helped them to cook the fish we bought. After lunch, we loiter some more, we drive where the road take us. We stumbled to a beautiful spot where we snap and snap some pictures, when suddenly a jeepney with foreigners riding in top passed by, my sister pointed it to me but it was only later I have thought of taking a snap of them. It is seldom to see foreigners in Romblon but lately I am seeing a lot of them especially in our hometown.

If I remember I was only a little kid when I first saw foreigners wandering around our public market with big bags on their bag, which my cousins and I joked around that they have pans, kettles and pots on them that’s why the bags are taller than them and then never see one again so often.

Anyway, it was a downer because we have no more other place to go my companions are not ready yet for adventure, they are dead tired already because of the heat and plus I didn’t do a research where to go in San Agustin. *sigh

Travelling to Paris and Visiting Eiffel Tower

We have been travelling for over 4 months already, currently we are in Paris, France.  It was not included in our original itinerary but flying from Instabul to Paris and then Paris to Morroco is hell lot cheaper than flying from Istanbul to Morroco. My husband plan is just to spend one day in Paris as it was very expensive city but I reasoned out that we are already going to Paris why not make the most of it because who knows when we can travel to Paris again, although he can fly anytime he desired, unlike me I need to endure dreadful visa application before I can fly to progressive city like Paris.

Visiting the famous Eiffel tower is in everyone's top list in Paris so that's the first place we visited when we arrived in the city, we just check-in our bags and left.  Seeing the tower for the first time is magical and seems unreal, you know you just see it in pictures, books and magazines. But seeing it in front of you is really a dream come true.  My husband wanted to climb the Eiffel tower first but I insisted to go to the nearby Park first before it is too late, as it was sun down already. I want a clear photo of the Eiffel tower during day light and not during the dark (haha choosy).

We choose to use the elevator for higher fee than climb the stairs to the summit of Eiffel tower because we are both tired and there's no energy left to be spend. As expected the Eiffel tower is jump packed of people, from young to old.  Visiting Eiffel tower will not be completed without buying souvenirs so I went to the souvenir shop at top and when I am paying my purchased, the  asked me if I am a Filipina I replied yes and guess what she was a Filipina too, I was happy seeing a  fellow countrymen.

Our first day didn't end in Eiffel tower, we hit the road to see Arch of Triumph and then walk to the famous street of Paris - Champs-Élysées. See the Obelisk of Luxor. It was already early in the morning when we return to our hotel room, we almost didn't make it to the last train.

Travelling, Procrastination and a Stolen Photo

I am not been active on blogging these past few weeks, most of my blogs was not updated in a month.  It is not because I am not interested in blogging anymore but because I am quite busy, it was been a month since we left Korea and it was been a month since we are travelling.  In one month, we have been to more than 5 countries already,  Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and now we are in Romania and I am looking forward to see Dracula. Haha!

I wake up this morning reading a message that my photo in this blog was stolen and used by someone in Facebook.  I felt a rushing feeling to my veins (thinking what photo) so I immediately went to my blog but I was welcomed by a note that my blog is suspended. Oh, I forgot the transfer process, I didn't renew my hosting few days ago and I forgot to transfer my blogs to my other hosting.  I immediately started the transfer (from an old back-up) but because I am running out of time as we are living to do sightseeing I just log-out and continue the process when we returned to our hotel.

When I checked my FB page I have found out what photo was copied, I am thankful to the sender for letting me know and alerting me that I have to tighten the security (I mean to add more secure watermarked). I also found another message dated almost 2 months ago about the card recharge thingy (sorry was not around my FB pages that's why late reply).

With this, the procrastinated me thought of updating this blog today! Thank you again for the helpful note (you know who you are)! :)

Goodbye Korea and Hello Europe!

We left Korea on March 2nd, like expected we have to surrender our Alien Registration Card if we have no plans of coming back.  I felt sad thinking it is going to be my last time to come in and out of the airport, and seeing Korea.  With my almost 5 years of living in Korea I didn't gained a lot of friends, if Cathlaine didn't email me or show an interest to meet me after my blog help her on the visa requirements I probably didn't have a friend at all in Korea,  she left ahead of me to US after her spousal visa was granted so I am left alone by myself although nothing has changed because we seldom met, we probably met 4 times in four years. Lol

Anyway, our flight to Moscow leaves at 12 something in the afternoon, we arrived at the airport around 10:45 in the morning but still we didn't have a chance to roam around because there's a long line in the check-in counter which took most of our time, so after we check-in we went directly went to the immigration, took the train to our gate and in few minutes boarding time.

From Moscow, we have connecting flight to Budapest, Hungary as expected we have to sit in the airport to wait for boarding time.  It was a tiring day, 2 long flights in one day!

We arrived in the evening in Budapest, we just slept for few hours and we started our first day of sight seeing early in the morning.

To Travel to East Africa and Eastern Europe for Six Months

We still have five months left before our visa expired in South Korea but we are already boxed the things we don't use anymore, they are going home ahead of us. I am boxing the things as much as I can so I can travel light,  we are planning to travel for six months when we left South Korea our main destination is East Africa and Eastern Europe. We have first planned to travel to Central America and East Africa but we have thought there are more things to see in Eastern Europe and there's no mugging incident unlike in Central America.

My husband told me that I am going to start applying for my visas on December and I am praying that all of my visas will be approved or else I can't travel with my husband in six months.

Blogging here in Bangladesh

Hi folks, how's life? How's your Christmas? Blogging here from Bangladesh, currently we are here in Khulna in one of their top ends hotel. We are going to take a six hour bus later to Dhaka, so while killing our time just messing around inside the business center. It's a long bus trip but we have no choice every hour counts, we can't wait for another day just to take the local plane to Dhaka. So approximately we are going to arrive Dhaka early in the morning and then fly to Chittagong.

Just finished our advance dinner too, darn I am bloated and had a take out of my food too, maybe it will served as packed dinner tonight at the bus (lol). Wish me luck that I don't pee on my pants, hahaha. I have a lot of stories to tell when we got home. Well more pictures too but of course it will be on my travel blog, right?

So as for now I am wishing you a Happy New Year!

Spending Christmas in Bangladesh

Hello everyone, hope you all got  a lovely day today. I had a pretty busy day today cleaning some mess here and doing laundry actually it is not finish yet, have to clean more stuff and do another load tomorrow. I'll be out for blogging for nine(9) days, we had our flight to Malaysia tomorrow evening but we need to leave our place in the afternoon and had a last bus going to the airport. After our flight we need to fly again to Bangladesh and finally visit some historical mosque's and temples. Oh well I need to pack my things tonight and it is so stressful so leaving all of you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

See you guys next year!

Applying a Tourist Visa in Bangladesh Embassy, Seoul

I am tired that's all I can whine today. I only sleep five(5) hours, I wake up very early in the morning waiting for the alarm clock to ring but it does not happened after few minutes. Darn there's no used setting an alarm clock if I wake up before  the clock do its job.  Around 6:15 in the morning we are already outside walking on snowy street I almost slide two times, the sky is still dark and I guess everybody is still sleeping because there's only two or three people in the street and it is all empty, we saw one videoke bar which is still open and there are people and we heard someone singing. We arrived the bus station around 6:30, Pookie bear was a little pissed off tickets are all sold for the early trip, the available bus will be at 8:00 in the morning. We need to be at the Bangladesh Embassy as early as we can because the embassy office hours is between 9:30 and 11:30 in the morning.

If we will take the eight o'clock bus will going to arrived Seoul after one hour or it depends because the road has ice. Then it will take us another one hour to take the subway and walk up to the embassy it is okay if Pookie has no class this afternoon but he has, he just told her co-teacher that he might be late and not absent. So as we walking on the bus terminal, Pookie bear found a bus with a tag EAST SEOUL, so he thought taking a chance to take that route, so we went back to the ticketing office to ask. Anyway its on the other ticketing office so we need to walk back and fourth to buy and return the old ticket after wards. Well still a lucky day, the new bus left anytime so as we are standing a new bus arrived.  Just in nick of time its full, we left the terminal at 7 o' clock in the morning and arrived in East Seoul around 8:15 AM. We transfer to another building and took the subway. We arrived at the Bangladesh Embassy 30 minutes earlier with their office hours, the officer entertained us even they are still close he look on our documents if it is complete or not. After it he instructed us to pay for the processing fee at KEB bank while waiting for the embassy to open its window for visa or passport applicants.

Thanks to the officer instruction and we found the bank, anyway we I also asked one of the sweeper in the area where is KEB bank I just show him the deposit slip. So done paying the processing fee, what we need now to have a photocopy of our ARC and Travel Itinerary. We've went inside the Capital Hotel and luckily they offered that serviced, so we found ourselves inside the Bangladesh embassy again waiting for our time to submit our documents, the window is busy serving another applicant. Then done documents are submitted we I need to return on Tuesday to pick-up our passport.

After it I am running like in marathon just to walk with Pookie bear, he walked so fast. We took the subway again and went to the Express Bus Terminal, the terminal for the 8 o'clock bus. The terminal is so big that we get lost even we always ride a bus there, anyway I am the one to blame because I am the guide. instead of going out I took him on the 4th or 5th floor by escalator. Hehehe, I just told Pookie bear I am sleepy and hungry lol. We had an eleven o'clock bus, while waiting for the bus to arrived I bought some gimbap rolls and water, when I have to pay for my water darn it is so expensive W1,800 for one normal bottle so I have to ask for another one thousand won from Pookie bear. I am busy munching my gimbap rolls when the bus arrive and open its door, as we sat  I open my water.."What kind of water is this, why is it sweet?" Lol, Pookie bear told me if I did  not noticed it is not water, so I look on the bottle and read POCARI SWEET. Pookie bear seconded that's why it is expensive because it is not water. He told me to get water and I grab this on the fridge because it is the only white drink among the assorted drinks but its not water eh. After one hour and ten minutes we finally arrived at the bus terminal here in our place. Have to walk 15-20 minutes though to get home, on the way home we went inside the super market to buy an olive oil, toothpaste and small package of meat for my food. Done for the day I tried to sleep when we got home but my eyes are wide open, so I just lay and stretch my achy back and now back to blogging after the bear left for school.

Meeting Emelyn in Seoul

After a short visit with the Bangladesh Embassy we return to subway by walking 20-30 minutes. We went to National Museum of Korea and spend few hours wandering around the artifacts, learning about Korean ancient history and non-stop photo session. After our visit we went to souvenir shop just inside the building, I've bough a notebook souvenir items from G20 Seoul Summit, Emelyn bought 4 small boxes of Tangerine Chocolate which she hand  the two boxes to me. We had a lot fun walking around, then we took the subway and had a shirt shopping on the  subway stores, I bought one long sleeve turtle neck shirt and she bought two.

Then we went to Itaewon to eat late lunch, we ate at a Mexican Restaurant its a treat from her. After eating we went to their apartment and Guro and had photo session too. After staying for few minutes I have to go home I will have a long travel by subway and bus. She gave me a bag of goodies and walk with me up to the subway which is around 20 minutes from their apartment I guess. Then we bid goodbye till next meeting, I reach the the bus terminal  around 6:35 PM, and I got a seven o'clock bus. There's a little traffic so we reached our place around 8:10 in the evening, then I walk home so fast that took me ten minutes only instead of 20 minutes. When I arrived home Pookie bear is making his meal, his first word when I enter the apartment "Will you explain why it took you 12 hours in Seoul". I just told him I did not catch the six o'clock bus and we went to Emelyn's apartment anyway he did not ask anymore when he noticed that I left late in the bus station here and arrived the embassy in the mid-afternoon. That means I only have short time with my friend, it was the travel that makes me longer in Seoul. The moment I arrived I just took off my jacket and finished cooking his meal and wash the bunch of dishes in the sink which is empty when I left.