Let's go everywhere.

If you can't be anything, be EVERTHING!

[ellaorencillo-ordonez]

Sunrise in Sagada

My bestfriend and I frequently visit Baguio whenever we can, when we were still in the University. My bestfriend fell in love with Baguio so much she decided to spend a portion of her life there. And then one day, we promise ourselves that someday, we will visit Sagada together. (Which my husband promised to me as well.)

And we eventually did, 15 years later.

How We Get There

From Buscalan, we travelled to Bontoc and had lunch there. (I forgot to take down the name of the carinderia where we had lunch.)

And from Bontoc, we took a bus going to Sagada which took about an hour and a half. Remember, RIDE ON TOP OF THE BUS! It was a one of a kind experience. The view during the trip was unbelievable. I was in awe the whole time.

Sunrise in Sagada

We arrived Sagada in the afternoon and look for a hostel to stay. We stayed at Tinagtago which is a few minutes walk away from the tourist information building. It costs PHP250 per night per person.

Since we do not have much time to spend there, we decided to go “Spelunking” after the bit of a rest. It is a caving activity where you enter in “Sumaguing Cave” and get out of “Lumiang Cave”. If you do not know any tour guide, you have to visit the “Tourist Information Area” where they will allocate a guide to take you to the cave. (You can also find an ATM in the tourist area, just in case you need to take some cash.)

I don’t remember how long the whole caving lasted and there are no photos either because it is too dark and you will be too busy to really take out your cameras or mobile phones. But here is a photo of the entrance of the cave.

After this, all I can ever hear is my bestfriend cursing as she climbs up the ladder on the way back to the main road.

Rio and DK had a massage in the evening. It cost PHP300 for the massage. I regret not having a massage, so I suggest you should get one. Otherwise, you will be jealous while the hilots pamper your friends.

Imagine your mother nagging at you in the morning to wake you up to go to school. Well that exactly, and even worse, how Rio was when she was waking us up the morning to catch the sunrise in what they call the “Malboro Mountain”. I believe you can camp there as well as I saw some pitched tents. It would have been an amazing experience waking up to this kind of sunrise.

It surely was worth waking up early.

Then we visited “Kiltepan” where the infamous scene where Angelica Panganiban was shouting in the movie “That Thing Called Tadhana” was shot. It was April when we visited and we didn’t get to experience the breathtakingly beautiful (basing on Google photos) sea of clouds which made Sagada famous.

Rio (my bestfriend) and DK (whom we met from Buscalan) left earlier. I decided to stay for another day with my brother in law.

The following day, we asked Kuya (the driver/tour guide that we met) to take us to see the “Sugong Hanging Coffins”. The tour should be guided as well as per the law. And do not be surprised if you see a 12 or 13 year old boy guiding some Western tourists conversing in English with fluency. Quite impressive, I must say.

There is a beautiful church right before you start the trek to where the hanging coffins are located. 

And a nearby cemetery.

There they are...

According to Kuya (our guide), one of the reasons why they hang the coffins instead of burying them was to save the land for farming and planting instead. 

And we just followed wherever Kuya takes us during the whole trekking. Here are some photos that I can share.

The photo below is a “Buwis Buhay” photo. 

Kuya eagerly took my phone (”Ang linaw ng kuha nito ah!”) and I happily obliged with his directions as well to display his excellent photography skills.

“Yan, upo ka dyan Ma’am tapos dun kita kunan sa kabila.”

“Picture kita dyan, yung papalabas ka palang.”

And that was the first time I went “mini” falls diving as well. I am not a very good swimmer, but I jumped twice (because it’s oh! so nice!).

Returning to Sagada is in order. Next time with John (my husband). I realised my travel will never be the same without him. Plus, there are still a lot of things to see and experience in Sagada.

[ellaorencillo-ordonez]

The Road To Apo Whang Od

Taking you back to my vacation back home in April 2016.

Before I traveled back home, I made sure to bug my bestfriend about going to Buscalan, Mountain Province to get tattooed by Apo Whang Od. She was kind enough to make all the necessary arrangements for our short trip a.k.a see you after a decade or so trip. We also included in our itinerary a quick visit to Sagada (I will tell you more about it in another post). 

How To Get There

From Victory Liner Legarda, Manila Terminal, we took a bus going to Tabuk, Kalinga. You can check the timings and prices here. I advised making a reservation or buying a ticket prior to your desired travel dates to secure a seat in the bus. We booked a first class trip because it was a 12 hour bus ride, and we wanted to be comfortable during the travel.

From Tabuk, we took a mini bus/jeepney bound to Tingalan, Kalinga. It took us about 2 hours to reach our destination where we met our guide, in a restaurant/hostel called “Sleeping Beauty”.

We had a quick lunch before taking the motorcycle that brought us to the foot of the mountain. The motorcycle ride was about 30 minutes (if I remember it correctly). From the jump-off it was an hour or two hike (depending on your preparation before the hike) to reach Buscalan.

Some photos to share on the way to our destination.

Reaching Buscalan

At a certain point during the climb, I thought I needed to call an ambulance (if there is one) for my asthmatic bestfriend. After a lot of rests, pit stops, take fives, we finally reached Buscalan and was welcomed by this heavenly view.

The climb was so worth it.

Meeting Apo

It was already late afternoon when we reached the tribe and Apo was tattoing a Filipino-Canadian guy at that time.

If you are someone like me who respects the art of tattooing, who loves art, who wants a tattoo from the legend, you will probably have an idea how I felt at that moment. I wanted to touch her. =)

Tribu But-But

I haven’t been to a lot of “Tribes” or rural places to have a definite comparison, apart from meeting people from my very little climbing experience in my early 20s. The people of But-But speaks their own dialect, that is somehow similar to Ilocano (I don’t speak or understand Ilocano but my bestfriend does). Some children speak basic English which they have probably picked-up from the foreign visitors.  The tour guides (Hello Jonathan!) speak Tagalog and English though, which makes life easier. 

Wild pigs can be seen everywhere.

And some more pigs.

As you marvel your way around the village, you will come across these cemented rectangular shape with cross underneath their houses. That is where they bury family members who passed away, since they do not have a cemetery like what we have in the city.

You guessed it right, this is Apo’s house. =)

Getting Tattooed by Apo

The following morning, we woke up early to see this. The sunrise of Buscalan.

And then I prepared to get tattooed by Apo. I was first in the queue from yesterday’s list (will tell you more about it later on).

I patiently and anxiously waited for her to arrive at her usual tattooing spot. And then I can hear it “Nandyan na si Apo.” (”Apo is here.”)

I sat still whilst I feel her sketching my tattoo using the stem of a plant and charcoal as her ink.

And then this...

She will poke your skin gently at first. And then the poking gets harder and heavier.

Basing upon the recorder video from my phone, it lasted 17minutes.  And I courteously ask her if I can take a picture with her after tattooing me. Which she gladly agree.

That was me right after I got tattooed by Apo.

The design that I choose meant “Scorpio” which is my zodiac sign.

Did it hurt? Yes. But not as painful as I expected it to be. I was emotionally and physically prepared. I enjoyed every prick she did on my skin. I treated the sound of each tapping as though they were a chant and it gets exciting as the tapping gets faster. I savoured every minute I was being tattooed by Apo. 

My tattoo after a month.

Things to Remember

PHP2,000 - Is the guide fee for up to 4 persons, per day. There is a desk where you can ask for a guide to take you to But-But, or I can recommend you Jonathan =)

PHP250 - Transient fee per pax, per night. Apo accommodates transients as well. You can ask the guides for her house’s availability.

They have a sari-sari store where you can buy basic necessities such as water, rice and canned goods. They even have an ice cold beer and softdrinks if you fancy one. Prices are more expensive than usual though, imagine the mountains those items have to climb before reaching the tribe. 

You MUST! MUST try their rice coffee and rice wine. The coffee is so good we drink it as if it’s water. They sell them too. The coffee is PHP50 per packet and the wine is PHP250 per bottle. (At least when we visited that time)

Bring CANDIES, lots of CANDIES. You will find out why when you reach the tribe.

Lastly, don’t forget to make friends. I am glad to meet DK, Cristal and Bi during our stay in Buscalan.

Let’s go back to BUSCALAN, shall we?!

[ellaorencillo-ordonez]

Dubai Garden Glow

The weather is oh so fine and perfect to spend time outside. Put on your best walking shoes and bring something to keep yourself warm, in case the temperature drops during the evening.

It is also during this season that a lot of attractions and places to see in Dubai opens for public. Some of the places are close for public during the Summer season. If you haven’t been to Dubai or UAE, just imagine being under the scorching hot sun with a 50 degree Celsius temperature...wait there’s more! The humidity!

Last December 25th, I spent my Christmas evening at Dubai Garden Glow with my husband and old friends that I haven’t seen for a while. We sure did have some fun.

Please allow me to share with you some pictures and tips as well in case you have jotted this place down in your bucket list.

How to Get There

It’s located right in the heart of Dubai. If you are a commuter like me, it’s in between Jaffliya and Trade Center Metro Station. I suggest getting off Jaffliya Station and walk from there. It takes a couple of minutes to get in front of the gate. You can enter either at Gate 5 or 6.

Entrance Fee

Apart from the AED10.00 entrance fee to get inside Zaabeel Park, there is an additional AED60.00 to get an access to Dubai Garden Glow, which will also give you access to the Dinosaur Park. You can purchase your ticket online here.

Things to Remember

They don’t allow “outside” food to be brought inside the park. But there are a lot of food stands scattered around to keep your tummy happy. You can find anything from potato chips, pop corn, ice cream to grilled corn. There is also a coffee shop to keep you awake and warm in case you feel a bit sleepy to go around.

Don’t forget enjoy the playground. We sure did it enjoy it!

Lastly, take a lot of pictures. It’s like being in another world. 

Visit whenever you can, they are only open until April 2017. Find out more about Dubai Garden Glow here.

[ellaorencillo-ordonez]

Praha, Czech Republic

And so, after 3 lovely days in Berlin and 7 hour of bus ride, PRAGUE!!!

I was really excited to see the city since I hear a lot of people saying, "It's the most beautiful city in the world." Every corner is just beautiful.

*****

GETTING TO PRAGUE

It was a long 7 hour bus ride, but I never felt bored during the bus ride. The  bus has free wi-fi and the way from Berlin to Prague is breathtakingly beautiful. The ticket cost 23.00euros purchased through Czech Transport.

It was a very comfortable ride, with toilet inside the bus as well. I remember the bus driver giving a bottled water and a biscuit when we board the bus. Don't forget to have your passport ALWAYS ALWAYS with you because they are checking it at the border.

*****

It took about 45mins from the bus station to the hostel by metro and bus.  And fell asleep for a couple of hours. Haha! But, you got to waste no time, so went out to see the city in the evening.

If you are traveling to Prague, always make sure that you validate your train tickets, unlike Berlin, there are policemen in the stations who will approach you to check your ticket. Unvalidated tickets will cost you 800.00crowns.

By the way, they call their money "Crowns", 1.00 euro = 25.00 crowns.

*****

When in Praha, you must see...

The Old Town Square

Next to the Grand Square in Bruselles, this is my second favorite. That is of the places I have been.

Beautiful both during day time and night time. Some photos during night time.

Make sure you go inside that "castle looking" building. It is actually a church/cathedral with a breathtaking interior. Unfortunately no picture taking allowed inside. Go inside, appreciate the gothic architecture and download it on your mind.

You can also find the oldest working astronomical clock in the world there (thank you to our tour guide for the information).

And here is a photo of the clock during day time.

And The Old Town Square...

Charles Bridge

In case you are wondrin why the color of the sky is different, the first two photos was taken during the first night when it was gloomy and raining, and the last two was during the second night.

At the other end of the bridge take a look below and you will see this...

Locks of Love, just like the one in Paris. =)

*****

FREE WALKING TOUR

Because I travel on a very tight and limited budget, I always take the free walking tour because it gives me an insight and a brief story about the city. I took the SANDEMANs New Prague Tours.

I give them a high five for having witty and pretty good looking tour guides.

I truly regret not taking notes during the walking tour, been wanting to because I want to write as many useful information as possible. But, then again I didn't do it, so everything I write here are based on what I remember, and trying to remember them as accurate as possible. So, yeah! Here are some of the photos during the walking tour.

The guide said this is the very first cubist building in the world. Didn't get to see the inside though.

Look at that beautiful building!

There are gazillions of photos I want to put in here. Hays.

*****

The people in the city...

The city itself is a big work of art. It's like walking into a fairy tale, inhabited by people with different passion.

A puppet show in front of the cathedral in Old Town Square.

The "Golden Boys" of Praha. Be careful when taking a photo of them, if they catch you they will ask you for a money. So, be extra sneaky if you don't want to spare a coin.

This lady stayed there for quite some time feeding the birds. And I was there sitting and watching her and taking photos of her.

And then there is this guy. Who's starting his day early. A little reminder, our tour guide told us to be careful when buying food from the food stands near the Old Town Square. You pay them per pounds, so tendency is for them to keep adding up to you plate and you end up having a kilo of pork with you. Learn when to say STOP.

When you get to Charles Bridge, you will find a lot of artists doing caricatures in a blink of an eye. I think it cost about 10.00euro, not very sure about that.

And then stop by to hear this band play, in Charles Bridge as well, appropriately named "The Bridge Band". =)

And listen to this lovely lady playing her flute made out of sea shell.

This gentleman in the Old Town Square can be a stand up comedian in case he got tired of being a musician.

And imagine you are in a band, and the beautiful square is your stage.

While on the other side, Hari Krishnas are dancing and singing their chants.

This is quite a familiar scenario in the city, but I admire them for taking care of their animals despite of...

*****

There are some things that I didn't get to do in Praha; watch the Astronomical Clock, go on top of the clock, see the Lennon Wall and maybe a couple of things to experience while you are there. But I don't regret not doing those things.

I had one of the most amazing trip.

To say that Praha is PRETTY is an understatement, it is BEAUTIFUL.

[ellaorencillo-ordonez]

Berlin will never be Berlin

They say it's lovelier the second time around. I say second time in Europe proved that. 

Applied my visa through the Netherlands embassy again. I will tell more about the Amsterdam and Rotterdam story in a different post, including the new process for the visa application.

For now, let me tell you about the 3 lovely days in Berlin. 

*****

GETTING TO BERLIN

Arrived in Berlin from Amsterdam by bus. 10 long hours of ride through Eurolines from Amstel Station in Amsterdam to ZOB Bus Station in Berlin. The bus is comfortable with a toilet, so no worries of holding up your pee for 10 hours. Ticket is 39.00 euros (1 euro = 5 AED).

Reached the hostel too early to check in, rented a bicycle for 10.00 euros (for a day) and had a lovely morning bicycle ride. But, I must say the bikes are fit for Germans and not a 5foot Asian like me. Way tooooo big. =)

Photos from the cold, gloomy but lovely bicycle ride.

I knew these boots will come in handy one day. =)

They call this place the "Museum island".

Early start at work. Writing the menu for the day on the board.

After taking gazillion photos and getting tired from the bicycle ride, went back to the hostel to check in. 

*****

FREE WALKING TOUR

I booked for a free walking tour in SANDEMANs New Berlin Tours (you must MUST take their free walking tour, very informative). The tour covers most of the tourist spots in Berlin, and if in any case they didn't, you can always ask your tour guide. They work on a tip only basis, so you can give any amount you think it is worth for after the tour.

The meeting point is at the Starbucks near the  Bradenburg Gate. Below is the photo of the Bradenburg Gate.

When you are facing the gate on your left will be Hotel Adlon. They say the most expensive hotel in the city and famous for the scene where Michael Jackson was carrying a child.

The Holocaust Memorial.

The tour ends at this beautiful square.

I'm sorry I forgot the name of this beautiful square. I actually regret not taking notes of what happened during the trip. I am still trying to digest and absorb everything that happened now.

*****

PLACES TO SEE

Berlin Cathedral

Well of course, the breathtakinly beautiful Berlin Cathedral. You must see it at day time and night time. You can reach the cathedral by taking S5 or S7 metro and get off "Hackescher Markt".

Here are some photos during day time.

Very lucky to be there during their Festival of Lights. Some photos of the Cathedral at night during the festival.

Quick note, there is a museum with a restaurant across the cathedral where you can pee for free. =) Most of the toilets in Berlin, generally Europe (at least to the cities I have been) charge .50 euro cents to use.  There are also shops similar to the "green boxes" in Paris (except that they are in tents) where you can buy souvenirs and some hotdog stands for a quick bite.

Also very near the cathedral is the Humboldt Box, which has a rotating restaurant inside. Nope, I didn't dine. The tourist guide told us.

This is the Humboldt Box.

Bradenburg Gate

Located in the Pasizer Platz, you should also see the the gate during daytime and nighttime. There is a subway station near the gate called "Bradenburger Tor"  accessible through S1 and S25 of the S Bahn Metro Line.

The gate at night during the festival of lights.

Charlottenburg Palace (Schloss Charlottenburg)

The palace is a gift of Friedrich III to his wife Sophie Charlotte. Hence the name. More about the palace here. With metro and a little bit of walking you will get there. Take the U2 metro and get off "Sophie-Charlotte Platz" and approximately 800 meters of walking to get to the palace (at least that's what the guy told me when I asked). Don't worry the place is very scenic you will get there before you know it. =)

The Berlin Wall

The wall has two parts the West and the East. The West part will be covered by the free walking tour. Here are some photos of what remains in the West part of the wall.

I know, this is not what you often see when you Google "Berlin Wall"

Now, the East part is another story. Take S5 or S7 and get off "Ostbahnhof" and this is what you will see.

The "outer part" of the East part of Berlin Wall or what they call the "East Side Gallery". 

The one below is my personal favorite.

Behold, Art and Grafitti Lovers. This is what you see when you go inside.

Walk a little farther and you can take a sit or collapse in the grasses of the Spree River. Take some time to appreciate the things you see around you. =)

*****

Art in the City

Berlin is considered the art capital of Europe now. Based on what I saw in the streets of Berlin. There is truth to that.

Aside from the 1.3km stretch Grafitti in Berlin Wall, you can see a lot of sculptures, street artists and musicians around the city. 

Be careful and be extra sneaky when you take photos of the street artists/performers, the tendency is they will ask you for money. 

I passed by this lady in the afternoon while she was just starting her sketch with an empty canister somewhere near her.

And when I came back couple of hours later. Her artwork is almost finish, and her canister full of euros. =)

*****

Few and Random Things

.5liter of beer costs 3.50 to 5.00 euros depends on the location where you buy it. The closer to the tourists spots the more expensive it is. You can you bottled ones on groceries and pizza parlors/cafes for 2.00euros if you take it out, and 3.50euros if you drink it there.

My favorite building in the city.

It is also my first time to experience Autumn, so I have a lot of these Autumn leaves photos.

Yes! I was in awe riding my rented bicycle and looking at those trees with leaves in different hues slowly being blown by the wind. It felt like a movie scene. Haha!

There is a photo booth near Checkpoint Charlie where you get to have 5 photos in vintage effect. It costs 2.00 euros, if I remember it right. You will know you have reached Checkpoint Charlie when you see these guys.

If you are into vinyls and books, check out these stand in front of the Humboldt University.

And Look! Paul Frank car in real life. =)

There is a lot of Berlin that I didn't get to see and experience. Quoting what our tourist guide said "As they say; Paris will always be Paris, but Berlin will never be Berlin."

Who knows if I'd be given the chance to see Berlin again?

Danke Schon Berlin! =)

[ellaorencillo-ordonez]

Dubai Miracle Garden

About a week ago, I went to see the much talked about Dubai Miracle Garden. It was all over the news. Pretty impressive job I must say for a country like the UAE to grow gazillions of flowers (sorry, no exact figures here).

It was located somewhere between Al Barsha and Arabian Ranches, exactly in Dubailand where they had stopped the construction of the supposed theme park.

If you are a commuter like me this is the best that you can do, take the Metro and get off Mall of the Emirates Station. From there take a cab, it will cost you about 30.00aed.

There is around 3 or 4 or 5 stalls that sells food. Nachos cost 20.00aed and a bottle of water for 5.00aed. And you can collapse in the grass and enjoy your food. You can also bring your own food (I'm just guessing about this part).

The problem is going home, it's either you wait for who knows how many hours for a cab, phone a friend to pick you up =P or call a car lift.

***** Some photos from the visit.

That day, I think half the population of Dubai decided to go there. Must have been the beautiful weather. And yes, it was extremely, extremely crowded (of course I am quite exaggerating things).

Aren't the sky so pretty that day? The weather was perfect as well.

Was really looking forward to seeing this hanging umbrellas, because it reminds me a lot of a Tim Burton film. But, I know Dubai can do better that using umbrellas with Ben10 and Spiderman design.

Would have been much better if there is some sort of a viewing deck to see the area, since I assumed that they created a pattern out of the flowers that could be seen from above. Most of the area is flat, more sculpture would do probably? Just like in Edward Scissorhands' movie.

Was quite disappointed with the Disney-ish font they used as a signage. I mean, you know. But then again, maybe it's just me.

It was worth visiting though. Oh, by the way, entrance fee is 20.00aed.

Don't forget to bring your camera and take photos of all the lovely flowers there. You better be going now, because summer will be here in few minutes time and some of the flowers are already dried.

[ellaorencillo-ordonez]

Bruxelles, Belgium

It was short but sweet.

Lovely and perfect weather.

Amongst the three cities, this is the kind of city I will choose to live. They say it's kinda boring. But it's just perfect.

By the way, we took the train from Paris going to Bruxelles, travel time is about 2 hours.

I cannot say much about the things to do in the amusing city of Bruxelles, but let me just tell you little things about what we did and the few places we saw during the stay.

*****

The city is ornated with a lot of graffities.

We found this along the way near the hostel that we were staying, by the way the hostel is very nice. Very much IKEA. ;)

If you want to visit Bruxelles, it's a good place to stay. They have a very nice shabby chic kitchen and they offer free breakfast.

Visit their website here.

I loved the fact that right in front of the hostel is a flea market. They say it's there every morning until early in the afternoon. It's a haven for thrift shop junkies.

I am not quite sure if this is a church or what.

The "Grand Place" is the center of the city, and one of the most beautiful squares I have seen so far. I was in awe. It's WOW.

My photos, of course, don't do justice to how beautiful the place is. It's breathtakingly amazing.

Somewhere around this square is the "Tin Tin" shop. Yes! He is Belgian. =)

The caricaturist in the middle of the Grand Place.

I forgot the name is this mall. This is a couple of minutes walk from the Grand Place (notice how many times I have mentioned "Grand Place").

There's a lot of small souvenir shops as well in the area.

Chick alert!

This city is a haven for vinyl lovers and collectors. You can spend your whole day digging through piles and piles of vinyls with that old paper scent. Hhhhmmmm...

And of course, the visit will not be complete without Belgian Chocolates. Nom nom nom. And oh! Belgian waffles too.

Would really love to come back and see more of this beautiful city.

[ellaorencillo-ordonez]

Paris, Il de France

After 3 days in the lovely Amsterdam, we headed to Paris by train. The trip took approximately 4 hours. The train is comfortable, actually the seat is more comfortable than the plane's. 

Random photos during the train ride.

*****

REACHING PARIS

It was a surprising 37degrees when we reached Paris. Honestly, I packed the wrong clothes, even bringing a pair of boots. Oh well. I should research better about the weather next time. I remember our Istanbul trip. It was 10degrees and all I could find in my luggage is tank tops and shirts and sweaters not enough to beat the cold. I end up buying beanies and scarf there.

This is just right outside the train station. Such a lovely blue sky. 

The taxi fare in Paris is cheaper than Amsterdam, but you have to pay extra 3.00euros for the 4th passenger.

*****

EXPLORING THE CITY

We wasted no time to go around, since we only have 2 days to explore the city. Taking the metro is the fastest way to go from one place to another. And getting a cab will take you ages. 

You can get a metro card valid for 2 days for 15.00euros. A good deal for unlimited ride.

This is the nearest subway station near our place, which is about 10 minutes walk. This trip involved a lot of walking. And that I have a dark skin, I feel like 2 shades darker after the trip.

I like the fact that they have vendo machines in every subway station. A  bottle of water is about 2.00euros, same as chocolates and sodas.

The first place we went to was Pere-Lachaise cemetery. Where a lot of famous people were buried. I only know a few of them though.

The designer of Louvre Museum.

Jim Morisson's resting place.

Fred Chopin's resting place.

Did not get to see Edith Piaf's grave. The cemetery is quite huge it will take an hour or so to go around.

Petit Palais along Champ Elysees.

Grand Palais

I guess going to Paris will not be complete without seeing eiffel Tower.

Space Invader spotted.

Locks of love, the government actually hates this because it adds weight to the bridge.

The Musee Du Louvre

The Tuilleries Garden is about 10 to 15 minutes walk from Louvre.

Girls getting some tan in Tuilleries Garden.

As always, it's a good idea to carry around a bottle with you to get water, there's a lot of drinking fountain around. It will save you 2.00euros for a bottle of water.

This has got to be my favorite part of Paris, there's a lot of good finds in here and cheaper than what you can find in other souvenir shops.

Paris is an interesting city. And do not forget to take the tax refund form when you shop. They have a 12percent tax refund for tourists. You can get it in the airport of the last European country that you will exit.

Merci Bien Paris.

[ellaorencillo-ordonez]

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Can you imagine my excitement when my Schengen Visa was approved?

It's not an easy one but not as hard as people tell it is. It was my first time in Europe and please allow me to share my experience to you. Just like my Istanbul visit, I find it easier to share it here so I know what to tell friends if ever they asks me questions.

Let me start first with the Visa application. We got our Schengen Visa from the Netherlands Consulate in Dubai, which is located in the Marina area. The first thing you need to do is to schedule an appointment, the earlier the better (here is the link for the appointment form). We applied for an schedule in May and we were scheduled for an interview on July 30th. You basically get the picture of how many months you need to get an appointment prior to your desired travel date. 

After getting the schedule of your appointment, its time to gather all the necessary requirements. You can always send them an e-mail if you get confused, they reply pretty fast.

*****

VISA REQUIREMENTS:

1. Original Passport with valid Residence Visa (if you are residing in the UAE like me) + photocopy

2. Filled up application form. (They will e-mail it to you once you get your visa appointment)

3. 2 nos - Passport size photo with white background (not more than 3 months)

4. Confirmed return ticket

5. Hotel Booking

6. NOC (Non Obligation certificate/Letter) from your employer

7. Salary Certificate

8. 6 months bank statement (the one that you receive every month from the bank or you can go to the bank and have it stamped by them) + photocopy

9. Travel Insurance. (I got my travel insurance here.)

It's easier to apply visa if you are traveling with a group. Less doubt that you might not have the intention to leave EU. Visa cost 50.00euro (the amount in Dirhams depends on the exchange rate) and processing for Philippine Passport holder is 7days.

If you intend to travel in any other Schengen countries, it's better not to mention it to the embassy to avoid a lot of questions. The usual questions are "Why do you want to visit Amsterdam?", "How long have you been in Dubai?", "How long have you been working with your company?", "What is your job?". As mentioned we applied as a group so it's easier. 

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TRANSPORTATION

We took Ukraine Airlines going to Amsterdam, with a stop over in Kiev on Boryspil Airport. Travel time is 5 hours from Dubai - Kiev and 2.4 hours from Kiev - Amsterdam landing in Schiphol Airport. I don't recommend the airline. I almost lost my baggage when we flew back to Dubai. I'll leave it at that.

  Boryspil Airport - Kiev, Ukraine

Schiphol Airport - Amsterdam, The Netherlands

We have planned for the trip a few months back, we pre-booked the train ticket to Paris and Brussels through Thalys. You can check the prices through their website.

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HOSTEL

There are a lot of cheap Hostels in Amsterdam, but I highly recommend Stayokay, where we stayed. It is next to Vondelpark, and about 5-10 minutes walk to the nearest Tram Station. They have free breakfast from 7:00 - 10:00 am with a lot of food to choose from. They also have a lounge with free wi-fi access, bicycles for rent at 11.00euros per day, bar to have a cold beer and located in a very nice area. So thumbs up for them. I just realised, I was not able to take a photo of the hostel.

Vondelpark, right beside Stayokay. It is nice to take a walk in the afternoon or just collapse in the grass with a bottle of beer.

Maybe, have a chit chat with your friend.

Or get a tan. =P

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EXPLORING THE CITY

Amsterdam is a lovely city, it is relatively small and everything is close to each other. You can either walk (if the weather is nice) or rent a bicycle. They have bike lanes everywhere you go. 

There is also a tram if you want to go from one place to another faster. A ticket that is valid for one hour cost 2.40euros (that is roughly 12.00dirhams) and a 7.50euros ticket that is valid for 24 hours, regardless of how many tram rides you take. You can buy the ticket inside the tram.

The Holland Casino right in front of Vondelpark.

Canal in front of the casino.

Everywhere you look, all the buildings seem to be a work of art. Built with passion.

Amsterdam is very tourists friendly, be sure to take a map of the city from your hostel lobby. Check out the brochures and flyers as well for discounts on museums entrance fees.

A friend informed me about the free walking tours in Europe, and I booked for a free tour in Amsterdam through New Amsterdam Tours it is a 3-hour free walking tour with guide. Yes, it is free but most of the tour guides are doing this for a living and it is very informative. It wouldn't hurt to give at least 5.00euros for a tour that is worth more than that. 

Our guide David is both funny and cocky. He discussed about the rumor, which is apparently true, that starting January 1, 2013 only locals are allowed to smoke weed. So, no more weed for the tourists. And surprisingly, there is a very low percentage of locals smoking weed. 

Just in case you wanna know, this is the price list.

Dam Square monument is the meeting place for the New Amsterdam Tours.

Our guide David in red, the bald one. Hehe!

Men's public urinal can be found anywhere which goes directly to the canals. The canals does not stink at all because every 3 days they flush it with clean water, very good engineering. And sad to say, no public urinals for women, you have to find a nearest restaurant and pay .50 cents to pee. Yeah. And if you are used to Dubai washrooms like me, it is quite uncomfortable that they only have tissue paper. Sigh.

The city have more than 1,300 bridges.

few houses are built straight because the whole city is below sea level, hence the flooding. Most of the houses are titled and they still use the "pulley system" to bring the stocks on the top of their houses. Very clever.

Those X's are the symbol/logo of Amsterdam.

The flower market which is just a few minutes walk from the "Torture Museum", entrance fee for the torture museum is 5.00euros with discount if you have one of the mini cards that you can find in your hostel lobby.

We visited the "Hemp Museum" as well. Entrance fee is 9.00euros for the 2 galleries, the second gallery is about 2-3minutes walk from the first one.

A dress made out of hemp fiber.

And even a Nike shoe made out of hemp fiber too.

The Heineken Distillery is a nice visit too for 14.50euros, that is discounted price as well. It good to buy tickets prior to visiting the place to avoid queues. And you get 2 beers for free.

Van Gogh Museum is 14.00euros to get in. No photos inside the museum. It will take you about an hour to go around inside the museum, they have audio guide for 10.00euros if you like.

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GRAFFITI in the CITY

There are graffities everywhere, just like bicycles. It made the city more interesting. It's like a fusion of the old and the new. 

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THE PEOPLE

Living in Dubai for more than 4 years, seeing people of different color and race is no longer unusual. But the people made me loved this city more. You cannot walk around in Dubai without your shirt off if you are a man, here it's not out of the ordinary. I suppose because they wanted to get a tan. 

The street musician. careful not to take photos closer, because they will ask for some money. Like what I have said, you have to pay for everything. There are a lot of street performers as well in Dam Square at around 6:00pm. Which still still bright, the sun goes down at about 9:30pm or so.

Cute girls in their fishnet stockings on bike.

Hot girls on bikes basically everywhere you look.

Couple hanging out in the dam.

Women in their comfy clothes and effortlessly beautiful.

Artist selling their artworks.

I got infatuated with this girl. 

A woman with her LV on a bike.

It's the bicycle capital of the world. =)

Thank you Amsterdam! We had a great time. I hope to visit you again. 

[ellaorencillo-ordonez]

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Last weekend, I finally fulfilled my dream of wearing an "Abaya".

Their offer a free tour inside the mosque that lasts for around 30-45 minutes. You should go, it is indeed very informative. Here are some of the facts that I remembered about the mosque.

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With the vision of His Highness Sheikh Zayed, they started building the mosque in 1996 and opened to public in 2007. The Sheilh was not able to see this because he passed away in 2004. It took 11 years for the mosque to be finished. But the whole area is still not completed. They are still working on the landscaping outside the mosque, which will make it even lovelier when completed.

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The mosque is composed of 1,000 columns.

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The mosque has 3 chandeliers inside, the photo below being the biggest. It used to be the biggest chandelier in the world made of Swarovski until 3 months ago a bigger one from Egypt broke the record.

It's colored Green, Red and Yellow. Some interprets it as the three colors of Dates (national fruit of the UAE), but it does not have any significant meaning.

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This carpet is a single piece carpet. It weighs 10 tons and has to be transported from Iran. It took 20 months to finish this.

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Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque at night. (Handheld Shot)

[ellaorencillo-ordonez]

Istanbul, Turkiye

I feel so blessed that I was able to visit such a wonderful city. Istanbul is just awesome, still can't believe it. Everything seems just like a dream. I wanna share with you my experience there with my friends and also some tips.

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Turkish Visa

If you are a Philippine Passport holder like yours truly and residing in the UAE here are the requirements:

Original Passport, Passport Copy with Visa Page, Filled up Turkish Visa Application Form with Passport Size Photo, 3 months Bank Statement, Salary Certificate, NOC (Non Obligation Certificate/Letter) from Company, Hotel Booking, Flight Details and AED215.00 to pay for your visa.

It takes two days for them to process the visa. Pretty much easy as long as your requirements are complete. And you will be granted a 15-day single entry visa valid for 3 months.

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Hostel

Tourism is a source of income to the locals so there are a lot of cheap hostels. We stayed in Three Apples near Taksim Square. It was a very good area because it is near the Metro Station and near the shopping and bar area.

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Transportation

I am proud to say that we never ride a taxi during our stay there. Well, it's because 3 days of our stay was with the tour bus. But, we mostly walk, we took the ferry as well and rode the metro from one end to another (which take 40 minutes) and only costs 2.00tl.

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Currency

Istanbul (as I am not aware of the other parts of Turkey) accepts two currencies, Euro and Turkish Lira (1.00euro = 2.00tl = AED4.00). Change your Dirham to Euro since money changers does not have Lira here in the UAE. You can spend your Euro there or have your Euros changed into Liras.

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Food and Drinks

The "wet" burger is a must try for 3.00tl. They also offer a bigger serving of Shawarma for 5.00tl. Try their Apple tea and the Pomegranate juice, freshly made. And I have tasted the best fish fillet in my entire life there.

***

TIPS

Always wear the most comfortable shoes. It was kinda cold in there during November so wearing flat booties wouldn't hurt. Bring out the jackets in your closets. They don't allow women to wear something that shows skin inside the Blue Mosque, but they can lend you a cloth to cover your legs. Always bring your scarf or pashminas, it is very useful.

(Of course, everything that I wrote in here is just based on my own experience and observation.)

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Good Morning, Istanbul! View from the hostel window.

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I finally get to see a real maple tree and  real maple leaves.

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There are loads of stray cats and dogs, but they all look healthy and well fed.

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Inside the Blue Mosque

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Overlooking the Blue Mosque

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Hello! Aya Sofya!

Inside Aya Sofya (Hagia Sofia)

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I fell in love with these lovely lamps in Grand Bazaar. But, I bought only one.

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At Top Copabellas. Right side is the European Continent. Left Side is the Asian Continent. Isn't it amazing. My photo does not give justice to it's real beauty.

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Birds...on our way to Prince's Island.

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Reaching the Prince's Island. My first ever ferry ride.

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View from the Bosphorus cruise.

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Thank you Istanbul! We had a great time!

[ellaorencillo-ordonez]

A Walk in the "Creek Park"

Can't remember when was the last time I was in Creek Park.

We were there this evening for a friends' farewell dinner. They are moving to Oman sometime soon.

I decided to bring a tripod and practice how to get those "stars" that Danabelle taught me.

Here are some shots from tonight's trip to the creek.

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Overlooking Garhoud bridge.

Goodnight! See you around!

[ellaorencillo-ordonez]

The "Ferrari World" Experience

Eid Mubarak!

Ramadan is officially over now, which means working hours is back to normal here in the Emirates.

Most of the employees were given a 2 days off, 4-5 days for some (Like Me!) and if you are sooo lucky a week off from work.

We just came back from Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. We spend our day in the "Ferrari World". It was a treat because we got our tickets for AED150.00 than the usual AED225.00.

So here is my experience and some tips and whatnots!

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Transporation

If you have a car and coming from Dubai, it's pretty much easy. You just have to find Yas Island and when you reach Yas there are signages directing you towards Ferrari World. If you are a commuter like me, you can take a public bus from Al Ghubaiba station in Bur Dubai going to Abu Dhabi bus terminal, it will cost you AED15.00. From the terminal we took a taxi going to Yas Island which cost us AED51.00. It's always an advantage if you have someone to share the taxi with so you can just split the bill into how many you are.

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Time Management

The park opens at 12:00 noon. Coming from Dubai, allow at least 2 hours travel time. The bus left Dubai pass 9:00am and we reached Yas around 30 minutes before 12:00noon. Good timing because there are no queues yet.

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Food and Beverages

People are not allowed to bring food inside. There are a handful of restaurants to choose from. The price ranges from AED20.00 and above, i.e. Cheeseburger cost AED25.00 excluding the drink. A bottle of water is AED7.00 and a big soda is AED12.00.

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Here are some of the photos from today's visit.

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About to enter the "Ferrari World", coming from the Parking Lot.

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Just when you are about to enter the "Ferrari World".

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The legendary horse. Probably the most expensive horse to date. Haha!

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I have more than 30 photos of this (I think). I am just in awe looking at the details. Very good architecture indeed.

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The "La Gara" Live Show.

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Is there anything hotter than a Red Ferrari?

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Thoughts:

Not bad for a discounted ticket and spending time with your family and friends. But, paying AED225.00 for what is in there I think is quite expensive. Make sure you wear your most comfortable shoes or slippers.

You can check their website for more info: www.ferrariworldabudhabi.com

By the way, they are selling a Ferrari VERTU mobile phone, the cheapest is AED32,000.00. =)

[ellaorencillo-ordonez]

Doha - Qatar

Okay, this is a super late post. I have posted these photos on my Facebook account but I thought of posting it here as well.

These was during a short trip to Doha, Qatar December of last year. I was invited to do something for an event and went there with two other friends. My first time to spend a night in a 5-star hotel and it was all expense paid. =)

You might wonder why "The Big Tree"? According to Wikipedia "DOHA" means "The Big Tree".

Few snaps from my two days and one night stay in Doha.

I cannot share a lot with the visa processing because everything was pre-arranged for us. The immigration process is not a problem as well.

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Leaving Dubai. Apart from my homeland and the UAE, this was the third country that I have visited. The stop over in Thailand when I first get to the UAE is not included of course. I don't know how many times I have told it here, but YES! I am afraid of flying. This I have to conquer my friend, because I dream of traveling.

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We took FlyDubai, it was a 45-minute plane ride from Dubai Airport Terminal 2 to Doha International Airport. Make sure to eat something because they don't serve free food. Though they sell food onboard, I remember buying a soda in can for AED5.00 and a small packet of nuts for AED10.00.

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We stayed in Oryx Rotana, few minutes away from the airport. A shuttle bus from the hotel pick us up at the airport.

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I shared the room with my good friend Kristy.

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We were given a AED300.00 allowance for our stay to buy food and other fares. The hotel only provide a breakfast buffet. Kristy and I decided to get something when we arrived, the Eggplant Lasagna was the cheapest in the menu, I can't remember the exact price. But it was goooddd!

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This is the view from our hotel room. That area on the left hand of the photo is the airport.

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Don't you just love those identical buildings? They look like a Barbie house, Arabic style. I saw this on the other side of the hotel while walking around with Kristy.

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After the night of working, the next morning we grab our chance to go around Doha before going back to Dubai in the afternoon. We rented a taxi to take us on a mini trip. We paid 60.00riyal for a 2-hour tour in Doha, not bad! Not bad at all! This is a photo of Doha Corniche

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Doha is still a work in progress. Most of the buildings are still under construction. This is the financial area, if I remember it right.

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I forgot the name of this museum. We were not able to go inside because we don't have enough time.

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The ZigZag building.

And again it was a short but exciting trip. And again it was all expense paid, could not ask for more.

[ellaorencillo-ordonez]

One Day in Hong Kong

I had a short but sweet vacation last month. But before I head home I had the privilege to pass by Hong Kong for one day and one night.

Going around the busy streets of Hong Kong alone is quite an experience. Oh! The fun of traveling. Here are some of the pictures from my short stay. I wanted to make a sort of "travel guide" post but I don't know where to start so let me just share my experience with you.

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Immigration

Arriving at HKG Airport, you need to go through the immigration of course to get the visa stamp. For a Filipino like me they just require you to show your return ticket and they will give you a 14-day visa to stay in HKG. You just have to go through the queue but the process is pretty much easy.

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Hong Kong Dollar

You can easily find a money changer after going through the immigration. They also sell MTR ticket for you to go to the city. You can always ask the person in the counter for help.

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The OCTOPUS Card

This pre-loaded card is very useful. You can use it for bus rides, MTR rides (Metro/Train) and even when purchasing something from 7-11 and loads of other stores. The initial amount to be paid is HKD150.00, the card will be loaded for HKD100.00, you have to pay for HKD50.00 for the card.

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MTR Map

Very useful indeed to have the MTR map with you. I got mine from the counter of the MTR station. This will help you guide which station to go down if you want to go somewhere, since MTR is their major mean of transportation.

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Hostel Accomodation

I booked my hostel one week prior to my arrival in Hong Kong. It costs me 120.00AED for a 24-hour stay in the hostel. It's quite cheap, but don't expect it to be all fancy with a jacuzzi. It is a nice clean room with a bed and a television set with toilet. Pretty good for a cheap traveler like me, since I only need a place to sleep and put my things. I also purchased a ticket for Madam Tussauds, Victoria Tram and Victoria Peak entrance for HKD190.00. A good deal I must say.

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After going through the immigration and purchasing an MTR ticket I get off at Kowloon train station. Only to find out that I got off the wrong station because it is far from the hostel that I made a booking. Haha!

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So, I just took a cab going to the hostel instead of taking another MTR ride and get lost again. Taxi rate starts at HKD4.00. Don't you just love their cabs? I do...

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On the way to my hostel, this area remind me of Chinatown in Manila.

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This is a store below the hostel I was staying. I tried their eggplant coated with flour at HKD10.00. It was good. And you can find loads of street foods around this area.

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I rode the cable car alone, the cable ride cost HKD250.00. Sadly, I was not able to see the Buddha upclose because the gate closes at 5:30pm. This shot was while I was inside the cable car on the way to Ngong Ping Village.

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Inside the Ngong Ping Village after the cable ride.

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After going to the Nghong Ping Village, riding the cable car on the way back to Tu Chung MTR Station, I went to see the Victoria Peak. I went down to the Central Station and ride the bus going to the peak of Victoria. Visited Madam Tussauds wax museum and rode the tram going down.

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After riding the tram (my first time) going to the Central Station. I enjoyed taking a look around Central's architectural beauty.

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I finally reached the hostel at almost 12midnight after walking how many blocks.

One more thing: language barrier. =)

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Thoughts:

I would love to go back there with my family and visit Disneyland. It's worth going back there. Would be nice to drop by Macau as well. If time and money permits, why not?

[ellaorencillo-ordonez]

Fujeirah and The Old Town

Last week UAE had a 3 day holiday. It was very hot and humid but I wanna go out of Dubai so I entice my housemates to go to Fujeirah. I have been to Fujeirah in 2009, almost two years now.

We rented a shuttle bus (with driver) for 24 hours for AED750.00. It was a 12-seater bus, good enough for a 2-3 hour ride.

We left Dubai around pass 10:00pm and arrived around pass 12:00am. It was a different route from the one we took last 2009, this one was faster. We had some barbecue, drunk some beer and waited for the sunrise.

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Trying to remember what I have learned when taking pictures at night. I got some stars in here.

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"Snoopy Island" at the break of dawn.

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Going back to the Old Town.

Wanna plan out something for the next holiday to come.

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On another note, I am going home this month. I am so excited. The Kuala Lumpur plan failed but I am going to Hong Kong. Yey! Macau sounds delicious too. Hhhhmmm...Tempting. Will post photos when I can.

[ellaorencillo-ordonez]

City of Pines

These photos were taken during my vacation September of last year. I have been to Baguio a couple of times but my Nanay (mother) have never been. So I decided to go with my family for a couple of days.

Baguio has changed a lot since the last time I was there. Nevertheless, I had a great time with my family.

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It was my first time to see Tam-Awan Village, and we climbed up to the top. It was so much fun.

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And this is what you will see when you are half way going up. Ain't it a paradise?

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I noticed this stone sculpture of a woman.

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This is the view from the top after climbing the stairs going to the Grotto.

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And on our way to La Trinidad.

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It was not strawberry season, no strawberry picking for us. =(

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The good old Burnham Park.

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Hoping to see Sagada on my next vacation. *fingers crosed*