The Biggest #BlacklivesMatter protest outside the US
Last weekend, tens of thousands of anti-racism protesters took to the streets in cities across Germany, in what may be the largest demonstration turnout outside the US.
An estimated 15,000 protested with signs that read "Germany is not innocent" and "Black Lives Matter," German media outlet DW reported in Alexanderplatz, Berlin city centre. Demonstrators also held a silent moment that lasted eight minutes and 46 seconds, the amount of time that former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled over George Floyd 's neck.
June 15, 2020: Most restaurants, cafes, and fitness Studios started to open in Germany on May 15. Today, exactly a month after the easing of restrictions, almost everything are already adapting to the new normal.
Major streets are mostly filled with people shopping, walking around or dining outside. The parks are full of people, enjoying the sun and dining in park restaurants and beer gardens. Germany in general is not just slowly opening, but is in full blast in adapting to the new normal. *
Last May 25, open air swimming pools were also allowed to open with safety guidelines in place. Hotels started to accept guest, and Germany is expecting to receive a lot of tourist especially this summer.
In spite of warnings that a second wave of Corona virus could hit because of lifting of bans, and easing of restrictions, so far, nothing of this is more likely to happen. In fact, the numbers of active cases are quite low.
In the German capital- Berlin, Pubs and Beer gardens may now open. Gyms, dance schools, casinos, gaming halls and religious places of gatherings including churches have the right to reopen as well providing they adhere to the precautionary guidelines set by the government. Here, you can see how many people are just out in the river partying, and enjoying the weather as if there is no pandemic
Germany and other EU and Schengen countries open their borders to other citizens and residence permit holder with some exceptions.
Even though there are a lot of gatherings and large protest across Germany in the last few weeks, those events have not lead to more infections.
For now, the borders are open for tourist from European countries, but expect it to open to countries outside the EU in the next few weeks with some restrictions in place. For sure, people are going to fully adapt to this new normal and enjoy a nice summer this year.
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Kuala Lumpur on a Budget: My $100 Backpacking Trip
07.03.2012 -Kuala Lumpur is the capital and probably the most popular city in Malaysia. It is the cultural, financial and economic centre of Malaysia due to it's position being the capital and the city as well.
The architecture of Kuala Lumpur is a blend of old colonial influences, Asian traditions, Malay Islamic inspirations, modern, and postmodern architecture mix.
Traveling to Malaysia could be really easy, this is because it is a country that is open for tourists. There are also alot of cheap airline tickets available online. I booked mine from Cebu Pacific Air, priced at 2500+ PHP for one way on a regular fare. Expect their fares to get lower if you have the time to book for a promo ticket.
ITINERARY BELOW
July 3, 2012- It was around 8 pm when I departed at NAIA Terminal 3. I arrived at Kuala Lumpur Budget Terminal at around 11 pm, go straight to the forex to exchange some of my money that is just enough for my travel from the airport to the hotel. Its because, for all we know; exchange rates in the city centre(esp. the black market) are far way better than the airport.
11:00 pm - The only mode of transportation available going to KL Sentral is the taxi, which is a little pricey. I opted to take the bus that have trips as early as 2:30 am. Tickets are available at the arrival area in the budget terminal for 21 RM. The food establishments in the airport complex are pretty much open 24 hours. I ate at Mary Brown(fast food), spending 8 RM for a meal and waited for my bus trip.
DAY 1 -July 4, 2012
4:30 am - I took the bus going to KL Sentral.
5:30 am - Arrived at KL Sentral. This is one of the main terminals in Kuala Lumpur, there are also alot of establishments inside. There is also 3 money changers that have good rates.
6:00 am - I took the train going to Masjid Jamek, which cost around 2 RM.
5:00 am - I arrived at Masjid Jamek station, the hostel that I booked is just 10 mins walk from this station. The name of the hostel is: Chill In hotel, for just 25 RM/night. But I don't recommend you to go to that hotel..haha! I transferred to a different hostel the next day. Probably the best hostel I've been to in Kuala Lumpur, it's name is Reggae Mansions Hostel. Their cheapest was 40 RM per night, it maybe a little pricey than others, but I'm telling you, they have the best service, facilities and breakfast compared to other hostels in KL. :)
5:30 am- sleeping time.
2:00 pm- I just woke-up! haha! At this moment, I did my own exploration again. haha! (Tip: Always remember Masjid Jamek station in the MRT so you won't get lost, Reggae Mansions in just 5 mins straight walk from the station exit) From M. Jamek station, I walked nonstop until I reached the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, this is one of the most prominent landmarks in KL, infront of this building is the Merdeka square and the KL City Gallery. This is a good spot to start your tour, you can already see some of Malaysia's mixed architecture. I got myself a bunch of guides inside the KL city gallery. The "KL WALKS & TOURS MAP" was one of the most helpful. This guide will show you how you can explore the all of the KL's tourist spot by walking.
7:00 pm- Dinner at the Central Market: 9 RM. This is another landmark/tourist spot in KL that is just 5-10 mins walk from the hostel.
At this point, I could say that you already had explored almost 25% of KL's tourist spot just by walking. :P
8:00 pm- back to the hostel. Lights off. Sleeping time.
DAY 2 -July 5, 2012
8:00 am - free breakfast at the hostel.
8:30 am- start of my walk tour using "KL WALKS & TOURS MAP" that I got. haha! Because of this guide, I was able to see almost all of the tourist in 1 day, this includes:
-Merdeka Square
-KL Citywalk
-National Visual Art Gallery
-Chinatown (Petalling Street)
-Little India
-Jamek Mosque
-SRI MAHA MARIAMMAN TEMPLE
-Sze Ya Temple
-Choo Sing tong temple
-The Heritage Center
-Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex
-Kuala Lumpur Convention Center(Aquaria)
- Petronas Twin towers
-Masjid Negara (National Mosque)
-Kuala Lumpur Tower
-National Museum
-KL Lake Gardens
-KL Bird Park
-Bukit Bintang
-Jade Museum
Tip: Some of these are just meant for sight seeing. If you feel that it is not really relevant to explore the whole area, you can just take a photo. :)
8:30 pm- I went back to Bukit Bintang (I read in the guide that this is where the night life is..hehe) I took the MRT going here, which cost around 2:50 RM. I went straight to PAVILION (shopping mall?)-here you can find lots of restaurants offering authentic and international menu. But if you want a cheaper option, go to FOOD REPUBLIC at level 1 - food court style, offering Malaysian, Thai, Japanese, Singaporean, Chinese food, etc. Meals from 7 RM-20 RM.
10:00 pm- went back to the hostel. sleeping time. (-_-)
DAY 3 - July 6, 2012 (My scheduled day to attend a conference)
8:00 am - Free breakfast at the hostel
9:00 am - went to Kuala Lumpur Convention Center. I checked out the Archidex Exhibition.
11:00 am- start of the conference lectures
3:00 pm - I left KLCC and decided to go to Batu Caves. This is a popular tourist spot in Malaysia that is near Kuala Lumpur. There is a train going straight to this place. Just refer to the KL Transit Map, you can also find it in train Stations.
4:00 pm- Arrival at Batu caves station. There is no entrance fee. You are free to roam around the area and explore the temples. (Note: In some temples, they require you to take off your shoes as a sign of respect. =)
7:30 pm- finished the Batu Caves tour, and went back to FOOD REPUBLIC in PAVILION to have dinner. (12 RM)
8:15 pm- Meet with Couchsurfing friends Soon Chern and Hannah.
10:00 pm- We had some beer at a nice bar near Petronas (I just forgot the name of the street! haha).
11:30 pm- Midnight snack at a local Indian canteen.
12:00 pm- went back to the hostel and sleep.. (-_-)
Day 4 -July 7, 2012
FREE DAY! I went shopping at the Central Market, Chinatown & had lunch at the Pavilion. By 7:00 pm, I went to Petalling Jaya to meet a friend. Then go back to KL and party at Bukit Bintang.
11:00 PM- went back to the hotel to prepare for Singapore trip next day. :)
BALITE FALLS - A Hidden Getaway in Cavite, Philippines
06.09.2012- Amadeo, Cavite is less than two hours drive from Alabang. If you are going to Tagaytay via Dasmariñas, there is a shortcut in Silang.
Right after the intersection from the town proper, a barangay named "Luksuhin" has a straight road going to Amadeo, there is a Jetti Gas Station on the right side of the road that serves as a mark before turning right (you can Google the location, I'm not good at this! haha).
The place is famous for being the "Coffee Capital of Cavite", so expect alot of coffee shops in the place, some of them also brew the famous "Alamid Coffee". We stayed at our friends house to take a rest from our trip and have our breakfast. It was already 9:30 a.m. when we decided to go to Balite Falls, THANKS to Ayn's Uncle who gave us a free ride and even arranged a free cottage and entrance fee in the resort.
The resort is a little developed, there are already structures around the area, I noticed that the falls was even modified to make it safe for the visitors. There are two main water falls that are usable, but my friend says that there are other falls that is higher and better than those in the resort, but are not open for public use. We were not actually expecting much, but we were surprised that it is as beautiful as described by the edited photo we found in the internet. I was the first one to explore the area (excited?, haha!), I quickly jump in the first water falls I saw and found out that the water was just 3 feet (ouch! good thing it didn't caused me some injuries, lol). We had a little trekking to see the whole area, there are plenty of cottages around the river, a kiddie pool (designed like it was natural) and a man-made fresh water shower made out of bamboos. We got excited, and tried jumping into the other falls. It was really fun! The locals there said that the water is almost 18 feet and the rocks were slippery, so we should be careful. The water was not really cold that time, maybe because we were swimming for the longest time and got used to the temperature.
Overall, the place was really good; considering budget and location. It's fresh running water, so you don't need to worry if it is clean or not. The entrance and cottage fee was reasonable (refer to my list below). I would definitely go to this place again! :)Rates:Person above 3 ft P503ft and below FreeCavite Residents (w/ proof) P40Cavite Students (w/ proof) P20QC Senior Citizen (w/ ID) Free
06.21.2011- Shanghai - China's most dynamic city. It's not a small or cheap city, it has world class metro & one of the best Chinese cuisine.
Although it is the face of modern China, it has also retained many of its historical buildings & cultural areas.
This is probably my first "solo backpacking" trip. Yes! my first time going solo, and I'm really proud of myself after this trip. I've been wanting to go to Shanghai since last year (2011), that is why I always check Cebu Pacific's Piso Fare promo(1 peso fare) and grabbed the opportunity when they had a sale going to China.
I arrived at NAIA Terminal 3, 5 hours before my flight, so that I can have time to check the new airport. :) While waiting at the boarding gate, I met this 3 "cool" old ladies who has the same flight with me. Knowing how old they are (65-75 yrs old), I was really amazed with their stories on how they travel together.
I arrived at Pudong Shanghai airport at around 12 midnight(promo ticket's usually arrive/depart at this time). Following my original itinerary & suggestions I got from the internet, I went to Burger King (the only place that is 24 hours open in the Airport) so I can get some sleep. I ordered a meal which cost around 14 Yuan($2.+) and joined other people sleeping in BK. After a few minutes, I saw the the 3 old ladies I met in Manila. They look like they had a problem with their tour agency and there is no one to pick them up at the airport and they had not hotel bookings. I offered my help and talked to the customer service section at the airport and asked for directions on how we can get to the downtown. At this point, I decided not to sleep at Burger King and just go with my new friends so I can help them. We arrived at Holiday Inn hotel and found out that their agency didn't booked them. We stayed at the lobby and tried to contact their friend(Pastor Ricky) to ask for some help. Thanks to them bec. they let me stay at their place for a night and even offered me food and showed me around Shanghai. But then, I know I had to go on my own adventure. :)
MY TRAVEL DETAILS:
Day 1 - Sight seeing :
Peoples Park
Jade Buddha Temple (Note: If you're not a fan of temples, I suggest you don't go inside 'coz it has an entrance fee around 20-50 Yuan)
Jing'an Temple
Zhongshan Park
Renmin Park
SNACK TIME @ SUBWAY SANDWICH-12 Yuan
Walk trip around the parks that I don't know
7 p.m. - took the train going to Mingtown Hiker Youth hostel -4 Yuan (Instrcutions from their website :
DIRECTIONS FROM SHANGHAI HONGQIAO RAILWAY STATION.
1) Take subway line 2 from Hongqiao railway station to Nanjing Rd (E), (5RMB) take exit 3 and walk along the Nanjing Rd (E) to the east. After the second traffic lights turn left (walk along the Middle Jiangxi Rd to north), after the 4th block (East Beijing Rd) you will find Hiker YH.
You can also take subway line 10 to Nanjing Rd (E), (5RMB) out from the exit 6, walk east along the Ningbo Rd, you can see middle Jiangxi Rd, walk along middle Jiangxi Rd to north, and you can find the hostel when passed through the Beijing Rd (E).
9:00 am - woke up and prepare for the day, I ate some foods I packed from Manila.
10:00 am- go to The Bund (5 mins walk from the hostel)
11:00 am- French concession backstreets
12:00 nn- Shanghai old art street
1:00 pm- LUNCH TIME @ a mall in the train station. Food court meal -14 Yuan
1:30 pm - meet with Pastor Ricky & the 3 ladies I met.
2:00 pm - Short trip to Pudong Area with ate Mai(another friend)
3:00 pm - Yuyuan Gardens
4:00 pm - Yuyuan bazzar
5:00 pm - train going back to People's square
5:30 pm- walk trip @ Shanghai Museum & other nearby areas
7:00 pm - dinner @ Subway sandwich - 12 Yuan
10:00 pm - Lights off
Day 3
9:00 am - woke-up & prepare for the day
9:30 am - train going to Pudong Area, sight seeing - Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Jinmao tower, other modern buildings
11:00 am - Brunch @ Subway sandwich - 12 Yuan
11:15 am - walk trip Zhongshan park
1:00 pm- meet with a chinese friend from couchsurfing
2:00 pm- stroll around the apple store at Pudong
3:00 pm- train going back to the hostel - 4 yuan
3:30 pm- meet with another chinese friend from couchsurfing
4:00 pm- stroll around Nanjing Rd. (one of the world's busiest shopping street)
6:00 pm- coffee & dinner paid by my couchsurfing friend. :)
8:00 pm- explored the nightlife
1:00 am- went back to the hostel - 40 Yuan
Day 4
9:00 am- woke up
9:30 am - I washed some of my clothes, there is a washing machine available at the hostel for 5 yuan
10:15 am- train going to Shanghai Expo center, Pudong district
10:45 am- walk trip at Shanghai Expo area, Shanghai pavilion, Expo & convention center & other modern buildings
12:30 pm- Lunch time -14 Yuan
1:00 pm- train going to Shanghai Science & technology center (The best fake market in Shanghai. When asking for discounts, give your lowest or start from 10% of the given price. Some of the chinese sellers tend to overprice)
2:30 pm- train going back to hostel to drop the things I bought
3:00 pm- start of my free time in the city, I bought the train ticket which is good for 24 hours. There are more than 12 inter-connecting train lines in around the city, which makes it easier for someone to roam around, just remember the name of the station near your hostel so you won't get lost. There is an english translation on every station & a voice over that will tell you which station you are & what's next. The last trip of the train is around 8:30 & sometimes earlier.
10:00- packed my things & prepare for my trip going to Suzhuo province, the venice of east asia.
(Experience authentic Shanghainese cuisine for only 12-20 Yuan/meal with regular drinks :P)
(Yuyuan Gardens & Bazaar)
(China Pavilion - Pudong Expo Center)
WHAT TO AVOID:
-Be careful on public crowded areas like the metro station. My DSLR was almost snatched by a Chinese stranger, good thing I noticed that my bag got lighter and when I looked at my back a man behind me was holding my camera and I quickyly grabbed it back to me before the train door closes, I was really tensed after this incident. :( -When taking a taxi, be sure to ask for the reciept. We opted to take a cab going to the hotel from the airport since it is already past 12 midnight. The driver overcharged us and forced us to pay the amount more than what is on the screen, and didn't gave us the change and receipt. _________________________________________________________________________________
Food Budget/day - 12 to 20 Yuan/meal ~45 Yuan/day x 4 days= 180 Yuan
Transpo & Tours (including airport transfers, you can always take the airport train of the free Airport Bus)- 50-100 yuan/day x 4 days - 400 Yuan
*105+180+400 = 685 Yuan
1 Yuan = 6.62 php
685 Yuan = 4,541 php
_________________________________
DIY Shanghai travel - 4,541. 14 php
Roundtrip plane ticket via Cebu Pacific - 2116.46 php
Travel Tax - 1620 php
Terminal Fee - 550 php
_________________________________
TOTAL 8,827.6 php = 200 USD
*This is just a rough estimate. The budget may go up or down depending on your preference. Honestly, I spent more than the estimate written above, this is because of some luxuries I can't avoid. :P But I am sure by experience that you can survive and enjoy with that budget.
My friends would definitely laugh their asses out when they see me using tumblr.com, haha! But it all ends up to certain reasons, which is to fulfill my life long dream of being a traveller, and what's the connection? well of course, I need a site to brag out my thoughts and ideas... :)
Its 10:30 p.m. here in the Philippines, and this is my first post here in tumblr.com. I hope to enjoy this site and do whatever purpose I plan on using this...hehehe... :) (sorry for this,I'm still learning on the site features and I don't want to make a mistake on posting...lol..hahaha ;p )
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