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Europe tour day 7-8: Munich, Germany

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Fri, 01 Jul 2016 12:26:00 +0000

I don't know how to describe Munich, so let me put it this way. When you travel, there are places you find yourself wanting to come back to so you can explore more of it, or visit a certain place you weren't able to previously. That's not how I feel with this city.

Munich, instead, is the place where, if I had to relocate here for some reason, I know I'd be so happy living here.

From Innsbruck, this was the easiest city we wanted pass thru. I have previously not been interested in Germany, because I'm all about Paris, but Munich changed my mind.

I'm actually not sure what this building is, but it's so grand!

From the moment we arrived in the Munich Hbf, I felt that it was going to be different. On our way to our accommodations, the vibe was different. Despite the old architecture and various parks we passed by, there were also very modern buildings. I was highly fascinated by the tram right in the middle of the road, and the plants.

Coming from Italy and Austria, which felt like life was a bit slow-paced and all about art, which I also loved, in Munich I felt very much in the 21st century although it still had dashes of cultural appreciation -- one that I can only hope for now that we can achieve in the Philippines too.

Tip: If you're looking for rice or Asian food, there's a small kiosk right in the Munich Hbf which, to one who has been craving for a little taste of home, seemed like heaven.

One thing I immediately found out about Germans is that they are so nice and helpful! We were at the train station near the apartment, trying to figure out how to get to Marienplatz, when a German walked up to us and asked if he could help us. Apparently he couldn't speak English much, but he saw that we were very confused yet he still tried to help us. And when he couldn't communicate with us that well, another German on the platform walked up to us and helped us instead.

We reached Marienplatz, but the train station was right below a mall, and so up we went and found ourselves at the topmost floor, where we discovered a beautiful open plan restaurant called Dinea. I was so happy to see rice! and fish! and chicken! and beer on tap.

Their food court already looks like a buffet restaurant in Manila :/

I couldn't make up my mind and ended ordering a lot of food just to try several German food. It kinda blew my mind.

Nom nom from Dinea

Did I mention they have beer on tap? The delicious Paulaner beer, no less.

I couldn't help but also order a pretzel. And their potato gratin and a sausage (not in photo) and some of their rice, because I wasn't sure when I'd get the chance to eat rice again. Thank you, Germans, for eating rice. I can last on pasta and pizza and bread for seven days, but no longer than that. I needed a fix of the Philippines' staple food.

Afterwards, my parents attended a mass at the Frauenkirche, but my sister and I stayed outside taking photos and just generally getting lost amidst the shops and looking at Germans. Have I mentioned how good looking these Germans are? And how tall they are? At 5 feet and 1 inch, I felt my height.

Frauenkirche along Frauenplatz

My sister and I only went inside when the gong sounded. I didn't realize it before that it was the church with the so-called Devil's footprint, but when we went inside, the area with the step was too dark, and they were ushering us outside quickly so as not to disturb those who were still praying. I'm just glad I was able to tick off one thing off our Muenchen itinerary.

The next day, we were supposed to go to Wieskirche, which is a very beautiful church, but we were so exhausted, and my mom just wanted to stay in the apartment. So my father, sister and I went to the city instead. After watching the Rathaus-Glockenspiel, we started walking around and promptly got lost, walking in the English Garden. According to my research, it's one of the world's largest urban public park and is actually larger than Central Park in New York.

I promised them we can find one of those restaurants in the garden and dine al fresco, but after getting lost for a long time, my dad just wanted to get out and go somewhere else.

Temple of Diana in Munich

Along the way, we stumbled upon the Temple of Diana. While papa kept taking videos for my niece Aj, I started walking towards the temple. When I got there, I sat down in one of the benches, and an old man came in and set up his violin case and started playing.

At that time, I had no idea what he was playing. All I knew was that it was so heavenly. You could really see he loved music, and that he could feel the music flowing through him. He was selling his album for 10 euros each, but since I was on a tight budget, I couldn't afford it.

Violinist Vladimir Turchinsky playing in the Temple of Diana

His name is Vladimir Turchinsky, and how I wish I bought his album. People started drifting into the temple, lured by his music. He played so beautifully, I actually had tears in my eyes. I think we lost ourselves there for a good 15 minutes, just listening to him play with so much passion.

Eventually, we had to keep moving because papa was getting hungry. Thankfully, there were so many trees, it kind of felt like a forest in some parts because there were no concrete roads. It felt like an oasis. Then we stumbled upon one of the coolest things I have ever seen.

River surfing in English Garden, Munich

The river's current was so strong that people actually go there to surf. I've read about it online in forums during my research, but I didn't think I'd actually see it. It was so thrilling to watch, that we temporarily lost our dad because he got so close to the water's edge.

Excuse my outfit, but it was just so, so, so cold that day. And because we are such tourists, we actually asked one of the surfers for a photo when she emerged from the water. I was surprised she knew about the Philippines, and she was so friendly. The Germans were really nice.

Really, our second day in Munich was one of the things that taught me that being part of Team No Plan is also a good plan.

After that, we proceeded with our guest to find the restaurant somewhere in the Garden. My dad was about to give up. We took a couple of turns then dun dun dun, we finally reached it! It felt like an oasis.

Of course, what is Germany without beer? There were a lot of people, both Germans and tourists, milling and buying food. It was just such a nice day out.

St Peter's Church in Munich

After we had filled out on schnitzel, potatoes, and pretzels, we finally left to go back to the apartment to fetch our mom because we had to go to mass at Peterkirche, the oldest church in Munich. Outside, the Church looked so ordinary, but the inside took my breath away. It was light and airy, a stark contrast to the plain exterior.

The mass felt so solemn, and I actually felt shivers down my spine while attending mass. It just felt so surreal.

Afterwards, we had dinner and went home, ready for our early trip the next day to Zurich, Switzerland.

I hope you'll enjoy your trip! All photos are unedited. I don't know how to use Photoshop! Please don't use my images without permission.

Read about my Eurotrip!
Rome day 1
Rome day 2
Florence day 3-4
Pisa day 4
Venice day 5
Austria day 6

Other links you might find helpful:

Getting ready for Europe | Preparing your Schengen visa requirements | Booking your hotel and plane fare | Filling out the Schengen visa form | How to apply to the Italian embassy thru Via | Cross-country train travel in Europe

Europe tour day 6: Innsbruck, Austria

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 13:40:00 +0000

Surprising, beautiful, lovable Innsbruck

I'm so behind on my travel posts, so here I am playing catch-up!

Coming from Venice, we went straight to Innsbruck, Austria, using our Eurail train pass. It was quite a long train ride since we only used the regional trains, but we had so much fun seeing the influence of different cultures as we moved through Italy, closer to Austria.

Buildings from Italy to Austria reminded me of Russia

Innsbruck is the kind of place where gingerbread houses wouldn't seem out of place. It was just so utterly charming. We were only there for an overnight trip, and I think I should go back and stay for at least two days.

The buildings are less ornate than the ones from Italy, but no less artistic. It was definitely chillier up here than when we were in Italy, and we were all freezing to our bones. We visited Europe around the end of summer, just before autumn, but to our bodies used to the tropics, we felt like it was winter. So if you're going to Europe around end of summer and you're not used to the cold, wear thick jackets and leggings.

We took a bus ride to our hotel, and I think it was one of the more expensive bus tickets we have bought throughout our Euro trip since it was about 3 euros for one ride only. The hotel manager said it was cheaper to get a taxi from the train station to their hotel since there were four of us. Unfortunately, because of what we experienced in Rome, we decided to buy our tickets beforehand.

We stayed in the quaint Hotel Tautermann, which cost 130 euros for one night for four persons. It included a buffet breakfast; the food was so fresh and felt like a real European experience. We were the only Filipinos in the hotel, and during breakfast, it was so exciting to be surrounded by hotel guests from different continents.

Respite for the weary travellers

Breakfast spread :)

They have WiFi but only a limited number of devices are allowed to connect at any given time, so we took turns going online at night.

The place was very clean and comfortable. I am in love with those quilts because they were so warm. If we didn't have blaring alarms and an early train to Munich, we all would have been content to sleep longer.

After a quick change into warmer clothing, we were off to our number one itinerary in Innsbruck: Hungerburg Funicular!

One thing I've learned about Europeans is that when they say it's a five minutes' walk, it usually took us ten minutes longer to get there. But since the bus was expensive, and the manager said the Funicular was nearby, we decided to walk. Thank you, HERE Maps, for being so functional and useful, even offline.

We walked along the river, which made me feel like my blood was turning into ice. When we finally got to the Funicular, I handed our money to the teller to buy tickets to the topmost exit. She gave the money back and bluntly said, "no".

I blinked and stared then tried again. She returned my money again and said the Funicular was closed! We arrived at the exact closing time. Such a bummer. We were only allowed to go up to the Nordkette, which still provided a view of Innsbruck, but we really wanted to get to the topmost and experience the Austrian alps.

Aboard the cable car up to Nordkette

It was quite an experience riding the cable car by ourselves, with our backs to the mountains, and have Innsbruck slowly revealed to us as we went higher and higher.

From above, Innsbruck looked just like any other metropolis, albeit surrounded by green mountains and so chilly.

We wanted to explore the village but it started raining, and it was getting dark, so we went back to the town proper and after just walking around aimlessly, we found ourselves at the Old Town. Sometimes, when I look back to our Euro trip, I really marvel at how we were able to get to places by ourselves.

View of Innsbruck from the Nordkette

We just walked around trying to find the plaza we saw on our way to the hotel. We walked along alleys, saw a few trinkets we were so tempted to buy, but I soldiered on, taking pictures here and there.

Then we reached the Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof)! It was built in 1500 and is considered Innsbruck's most famous symbol. According to Innsbruck.info, the roof was decorated with over 2,000 fire-gilded copper tiles to mark Emperor Maximilian I's wedding to Bianca Maria Sforza.

Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof)

This is located in the Old Town, where there are numerous buildings still decorated in the old European architecture.

One thing I noticed about Innsbruck is that they usually have flowers hanging on their window sills. It makes the building so much prettier and just adds to the charm of the place.

I'm telling you, if you have the chance to pass through Innsbruck, take it.

View from our hotel's window

The sunrise in Innsbruck took my breath away. I love to sleep beside the window because I love looking out to the sky, and despite the cold, that night was no exception. And I was rewarded with such a beautiful view. Rolling clouds over hills and rooftops, while we were surrounded by mountains. It felt like a dream, so I had to take a lot of pictures. I just had to, because I might start to think that I just imagined the beautiful scene I witnessed!

After breakfast, we headed off to Innsbruck's Hbf, and off we went to Munich, Germany.

I hope you'll enjoy your trip! All photos are unedited. I don't know how to use Photoshop! Please don't use my images without permission.

Read about my Eurotrip!
Rome day 1
Rome day 2
Florence day 3-4
Pisa day 4
Venice day 5
Munich day 7-8

Other links you might find helpful:

Getting ready for Europe | Preparing your Schengen visa requirements | Booking your hotel and plane fare | Filling out the Schengen visa form | How to apply to the Italian embassy thru Via | Cross-country train travel in Europe

Blog design overhaul

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 07:58:00 +0000

Since I've been taking online classes, one of the things I learned was the importance of having a well-designed blog. I mean, yes, I knew that a long time ago, but this was the first time in over a year that I've taken a step back and looked at my blog critically.

How do you like this new look?

I think I've spent five hours tweaking all the codes and figuring out which part of the template I needed to edit to get what I wanted, such as the sub-menus and the icons and deleting fixed/locked widgets. Thank God for the internet!

And I just found out after five hours that HTML5 doesn't support bullet points (HTML <li>) tags anymore. Bummer. I now have to use the CSS code (which I have dutifully applied to this post).

But there are a few things I still don't know how to do, such as:

Turn my header name from black to a gold color

How to fix that search button

How to make all the labels of my post appear

How to make some of my images not blow up

How to make the clickable links stand out

How to make visited links turn into a different color

I love this new theme a lot, but tweaking this wasn't easy for someone who doesn't really have a background in coding/programming. Everything I was able to do, I learned from a basic HTML class I took in high school and a whole lot of GIYF moments.

I know I could have hired someone but (confession) I actually love to code my blog. I always learn something new, and I feel so accomplished. Programming has always been one of those things I'd taken way back in college, so I dabble in it whenever I can.

If anyone has problems with drop down menus and sub menus, the Java2s website was the most helpful tutorial I could find, and believe me, I looked through a lot of links. This was the only code that also worked for my blog, too.

If you have any suggestions on how to fix the problems I listed above, that would be so welcome.

Dreaming of the Kingdom of Bhutan

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 06:51:00 +0000

Taktshang (Tiger's Nest) Monastery
Image by: Douglas J. McLaughlin - Own work, CC BY 2.5

Since I fulfilled my Paris trip dreams (soon to be up on the blog!), I've been looking for a new major dream I'd like to fulfil.

This year, I have completed several domestic trips (which I should write about!), and I have several more lined up, but I feel hungry for more, something out of the ordinary.

Paro Valley, Bhutan
Image by: jmhullot / www.flickr.com
License: Creative Commons License (By SA 2.0)

My parents and I plan to visit Jerusalem in the near future – although that's dependent on my mom getting her pension when she turns 60 next year. And of course, I need to save up for that because I've been paying for my own travel expenses since I graduated from college, even when travelling with family.

But I wanted something more. So I planned to go to Machu Picchu, but that would depend on my being able to visit the US, too, which is within my five-year plan. That seems so far away.

Enter Bhutan.

I accidentally stumbled upon Daphne's blog post about her trip to Bhutan, and aided by Johnny's posts about Bhutan, and it instantly fuelled my wanderlust. Beautiful vistas, warm people, and just a chill trip all around? Sign me up.

I looked it up immediately and found it would cost me maybe about P100,000 to P150,000. I guess it will cost almost as much as my Euro trip, but this time I'd only get to stay in one country for a week. But there are some things worth paying for, and I think the relaxation and inner peace Bhutan could give me just might be worth it.

Listing down the major trips I have to save up for...

Jerusalem / Holy Land / Istanbul / Jordan

Cambodia/Vietnam

New York & Machu Picchu (have to do it in one go to save up on air fare)

Kingdom of Bhutan

Japan

Iceland -- I want to see those auroras!

Scandinavia

Gulp. Well. Time to save up and invest!

Haa Valley
By No machine-readable author provided. Greenmnm69 assumed (based on copyright claims).
- No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 2.5

*All images have been sourced and credited, as I haven't been to Bhutan. If you are the owner of any of these photos and want it/them removed, kindly let me know. No copyright infringement intended.

Europe tour day 5: Venice

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 04:00:00 +0000

Sunset in Venice -- one of my favorite photos from our trip

Day 5, fourth region, we arrive in Venice around 2pm, and after some confusion with the instructions, we took the expensive taxi ride to our hotel.

We did not stay in Venice Island, but in Mestre, where the Venice main train station was situated, because we had an early train ride to Innsbruck the next day. That, and because it was way cheaper to stay in Mestre than in Venice itself.

We took the bus to the island, and we arrived during sunset, which seemed like the most romantic time to be in Venice. This was both good and bad. Good, because the view was ridiculously picturesque; Bad because the streets were dark already, and we weren't able to go further inland.

We didn't ride the expensive gondolas nor the slightly cheaper little yachts. We walked around the island instead and had dinner al fresco, right beside the water. Since we were right beside the water, we definitely smelled the oil from the boats. It's not as bad as Pasig river, but it certainly didn't make for appetizing eating.

What surprised me about Venice, though, is that the Italian-made leather goods are cheaper than the ones in Rome. The quality even seemed better.

We were still walking around the winding streets of Venice when it got too dark, and we became afraid, so we just walked back to the pier. I think I kind of looked European when we were there because numerous tourists and locals would come up to me and ask for directions or simply have a chat with me in their native tongue. It was fascinating.

Venice at night

A friend of mine who visited Venice a few years ago told me I should have ridden the gondola. I hope I can come back someday, and maybe this time with my future partner, and we can ride the gondolas under the numerous bridges of Venice.

I hope you'll enjoy your trip! All photos are unedited. I don't know how to use Photoshop! Please don't use my images without permission.

Read about my Eurotrip!
Rome day 1
Rome day 2
Florence day 3-4
Pisa day 4
Innsbruck day 6
Munich day 7-8

Other links you might find helpful:

Getting ready for Europe | Preparing your Schengen visa requirements | Booking your hotel and plane fare | Filling out the Schengen visa form | How to apply to the Italian embassy thru Via | Cross-country train travel in Europe

Europe tour day 4: Pisa

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 04:30:00 +0000

Beautiful bridge in Pisa

Pisa is one of the most beautiful cities I've seen at from dusk to night. People always marvel about the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but no one ever mentioned how beautiful the place is at night.

Since our schedule was messed up during the morning, we had to move our trip to Pisa after the wine tasting in Chianti, Tuscany.

We had to visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa, as this was one of my parents' must-see places, and I think we were only in Pisa for two hours, and that already included the trains to and fro. We got to Pisa so late that we haven't been able to eat dinner until we got back to our apartment in Florence by 11pm. And we almost missed the trains, and only got to the Pisa train station in time for the last train back to Florence. Woooh!

Sunset over Pisa

When we got to the Pisa train station, we were advised by the train station staff, and Filipino OFWs sitting outside the plaza after work, that we could just walk to the tower instead of taking the bus.

Using my Here maps app, we walked straight to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. We crossed a bridge and several lights. One thing I noticed is that there was barely any traffic and few people were out and about that weeknight, at around 7pm

When we finally emerged from the streets, we were met by a huge plaza with a huge Church, a separate domed tower, and finally, the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa was definitely leaning!

Since we arrived too late, we were not able to go up the tower of Pisa, but that was okay. We were just happy to look at it.

There were a lot of tourists and some Italians. One sweet Italian couple also asked me to take their picture, but I couldn't understand Italian and refused at first. They approached me again, and I replied in French this time, and we finally had a semblance of understanding.

Before we knew it, we had spent an hour just taking pictures and looking around the plaza. Even though it was a pretty stressful morning, I felt like we got to Pisa at just the right time. It was definitely mama's most memorable birthday ever!

I hope you'll enjoy your trip! All photos are unedited. I don't know how to use Photoshop! Please don't use my images without permission.

Read about my Eurotrip!
Rome day 1
Rome day 2
Florence day 3-4
Venice day 5
Innsbruck day 6
Munich day 7-8

Other links you might find helpful:

Getting ready for Europe | Preparing your Schengen visa requirements | Booking your hotel and plane fare | Filling out the Schengen visa form | How to apply to the Italian embassy thru Via | Cross-country train travel in Europe

Cross-country train travel in Europe

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 12:23:00 +0000

Train station in Zurich, Switzerland

I've had a lot of questions on how my family and I traveled across Europe during our trip. Two words: Eurail pass.

If you're doing the trip on your own and want to experience Europe's marvelous train system (it was pretty easy and efficient once you get the hang of it), there are numerous websites out there who can teach you. Some will also tell you not to get a Eurail pass, as buying point-to-point tickets are cheaper.

But here are the reasons why we chose to buy a Eurail pass:

Roomy and comfortable train travel across Europe

1. Flexibility

We were going to travel through seven regions and five countries, and since we didn't have any guide, we wanted the flexibility that a Eurail pass allows. A Eurail pass (for regional or trains that don't need reservations) gave us the option to get on and off any train stop we wanted, especially since we have a Global pass, which meant our train pass can be used in 28 EU member countries.

Since I knew our travel plans would keep adjusting, as self-planned tours do, I wanted the time flexibility that the pass allowed us. We weren't so stressed to miss a train because we can always take the next one, or take an earlier one if wanted to do so (which definitely happened a lot of times).

2. First Class Seats = more comfortable long train rides!

Our Eurail Global Pass automatically gave us first class seats on all trains with first class carriages. Based on all the websites I've read, first class seats are roomier and better, especially if you're going to be on the train for four-five hours. Since there trains that only had second class carriages, I was able to compare, and I can definitely attest to the comfort of traveling first class by train across Europe.

3. Discounts/benefits for Eurail Pass holders in several countries

We bought a Eurail Global Pass Saver (those travelling in groups consisting of 2 or more adults get 15% off, but only if you're travelling together at all times). When I bought our tickets, I chose Standard Shipping because I ordered our tickets over a month before our travel (right on the day our visa was approved), so we were able to afford waiting for it to arrive. Our Philippine post isn't the fastest, and I admit I was nervous, but the tickets actually arrived after three working days!

Eurail travel documents

I bought our pass from the Eurail website (although you can buy from local travel agencies) because the Euro-Peso conversion rate was on our side at that time, and paying in Euros (including the shipping fee + conversion rate + credit card fee) was cheaper by over P1500 per person.

The Eurail shipment included the following:

Eurail Global Pass coupon and Eurail Control Voucher
Eurail cover (don't lose this!)
Official Receipt
Eurail Pass Guide 2015 booklet

Roomy first class cabins c/o our Eurail Pass

We had no regrets with our Eurail pass even though it was pretty expensive compared to buying point-to-point tickets. You have to weigh the pros and cons. In our case, it definitely helped ease the stress from going one region/country to another.

I was so nervous because we only received one pass four our whole group. My heart pounded as I handed the Eurail booklet to the train inspector, but there were no problems.

Just don't forget to have your Eurail pass validated on the first time you're going to use it. For example, we were in Europe for 17 days, and we only used the Eurail pass on the third day, when we travelled from Rome to Florence. Therefore, I only had our pass validated at the train station in Rome on our way to Florence.

Validating your Eurail pass:

I contacted the Eurail company directly before our trip, and this is what they said:

Visit the ticket desk at an international train station, where a railway employee will write the first and last day of validity and your passport number on your pass, as well as stamp the pass so it becomes valid.

Please note that you do need to show original passport documentation when you activate your pass – a photocopy won’t be accepted.

Officially, it’s not possible to validate a Saver Pass with photocopies of each passport. So, either all passengers must be present, or one of you must have all original passports at hand, I’m afraid.

Before leaving the validation booth, check that the Eurail employee has stamped the start and date because you will be charged a very hefty fine if they forget to do so.

So when we went to the train station in Rome, I immediately looked for the ticket desk (meaning I asked around until I was sure I was waiting in the right line). I fell in line with all our passports and the complete Eurail packet. The waiting time was longer than the actual stamping time.

Using our Eurail Pass:
Since the Eurail pass was for travelling across regions/countries, we did not use it within Rome.

We used the Eurail pass from the following points:

Rome to Florence

Florence to Pisa just to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa

Florence to Venice

Venice (Italy) to Innsbruck (Austria)

Innsbruck to Munich (Germany)

Munich to Zurich (Switzerland)

Zurich to Schaffhausen

Schaffhausen to Schloss lauf to see the Rhine Falls

Zurich to Engelberg to go up the Swiss Alps

Zurich to Geneva

However, if you're entering Italy and Paris by train, you will need to reserve a seat. There are only limited seats available to Eurail pass holders, and you can only reserve at the train station. I contacted Mark Smith of Seat61, and he advised me to just buy a train ticket from Geneva to Paris, thru Capitainetrain.com, and the ticket will automatically include a reservation. Since we bought early, we were able to buy Geneva-Paris Gare de Lyon train tickets for only 31 euros/pax.

All in all, our cross-region/country train passes cost 525 euros (conversion at that time was around 1 euro = Php 50) so this cost us about P26,250/pax.

Filling in your Eurail pass:

The whole time we travelled across Europe, we were only asked to present our passport once, when we were on the train from Munich to Zurich. That actually got me a little nervous.

As soon as you get on the train, you have to fill up your Eurail pass. You have to write the day, month, departure time (to the minute) and the train station you're coming from and where you're going down, even if you're transferring trains.

Train travel record in our Eurail pass

For example, looking at the image above, on our way from Firenze (Florence) to Venice (Venezia), we had to change trains at Prato and Bologna, so even though Prato and Bologna were not our destinations, we still had to record those in the book.

Mother in Verona

For the Global Pass, you need to record for every train/bus/ferry ride you take, even if it's on the same day. For example, on the same day we arrived at Zurich from Munich, we travelled to Schloss Lauf to see the Rhein Falls. Even though the travel from Munich to Zurich to Schloss Laufen happened on the same day, we still needed to record them.

If you make a mistake, don't cross it out. Write the correct details on the next line instead. (If you're not using a global pass, I'm not sure if this will be counted against your allowed number of days.)

It's pretty nice to look back and see all the train stations we've been to, including Verona, which made me think of Shakespeare.

As I said, our Global Pass gave us some degree of flexibility, so we weren't in such a rush all the time, although we did hurry for some train schedules as we wanted to get the quickest regional routes available.

However, we had a few hours' stopover in Verona, and my parents visited the Church across the train station. This was one of those things I don't think we could have done if we didn't have our Eurail Pass.

European train experience

The first time we travelled from Rome to Florence, we were nervous wrecks, my mom especially. She insisted that we be there three hours early, a la airplane style, and stay put until the train arrived. I kept telling her we only needed to be there 30 minutes early as we will only know the assigned actual train platform at least 30 minutes prior, but she wouldn't listen to me (probably because we kept getting lost while in Rome hehehe!).

But staying there for some time helped me to get a bearings of how train changes work.

Waiting to board the train from Rome to Florence

In every train station, there is a display of the trains arriving and departing, the time it will depart/arrive, the platform number, the destination and the type of train and flight code.

If you're taking a connecting train, sometimes the display will show the connecting train and not your actual destination. Going back to my example of travel from Florence to Venice, since we were going to change trains at Prato, what we had to look for at the board was the train going to Prato, not to Venice. And when we arrived in Prato, we looked for the train bound for Bologna. When we arrived in Bologna, that's when we looked for the train bound for Venice.

This is important because you might panic and see the train code you're supposed to take but the destination displayed is different from your intended destination. The most helpful app I can suggest is the Eurail Rail Planner app, which will show, to the minute, the trains and times you're supposed to take. It can even show you which ones are the regional trains, if you want to avoid paying reservation fees.

(If you're making an itinerary beforehand, the Eurail website's online planner is very helpful, and was the one I used to plan our itinerary to the minute.)

Once you see on the display your train's assigned platform, go to the platform and wait until you're allowed to board. Don't panic if you don't see the train! Some trains can be late (and you will be notified on the platform displays (look at the picture above). If your train is just arriving, let all the passengers disembark before getting on the train.

My parents, enjoying first class carriage comforts in Switzerland.

If the trains have first class seats (some regional trains only have second class carriages -- this is also indicated in the Eurail Rail Planner app), then look for the carriages with the #1 painted outside. Second class carriages have #2 outside.

There are luggage bags overhead, or at the end of the carriages, or if your luggage fits, there's also a bit of space in between the seats.

Sometimes, you might see that you only have 5-10 minutes to change trains. Don't panic! Sometimes, transferring trains is just a matter of alighting from your train and going down the stairs/elevator and taking the train on the next platform.

By the fourth time we've taken regional trains, my mom has become a no-sweat train pro.

Benefits/Discounts using our Eurail pass

The Eurail website lists free passes on the S-Bahn in Austria and Germany, but we were not given free tickets. We still had to buy tickets as we went around Innsbruck and Munich.

With our Eurail pass, we were only able to avail of the 50% discount on the cable car ticket from Engelberg up the Swiss Alps, but that was a pretty good discount of over 40 euros!

We were also supposed to take the free boat rides on Lake Zurich and Lake Geneva, and on the Rhein Falls but we were too exhausted to take advantage, and we just enjoyed the cities.

Majestic Rhein Falls in Switzerland

In Europe, each train ride was an adventure unto itself. There were noisy trains and trains that were cleaner than the others. There were trains with tables, and one train with its own restaurant. There were seats for two, seats for four people. We've ridden train carriages where we were the only ones riding first class. We'd sleep for several hours, or read books, or enjoy the scenery. We passed by several castles on our way from Italy or on our way to Austria.

Yep, they have free charging outlets!

There were times our train would stop for ten minutes at certain stations, and we didn't have to go down, so while the train was stopped and with one hand on the rung, I'd put one foot on the station just to feel like I've been there!

When we travelled from Italy to Austria, there was a train station shared by the two countries and marked as Osterreich and Italia, so it felt like we were in two places/countries at the same time.

Lovers in Austria

And on our way from Austria to Germany, the backdrop at the train station were the Austrian alps. Definitely a memory to remember!

There are train stations that are so roomy and majestic it made me think of Hogwarts. There were some stations that are so cramped and filled with people. The Muenchen Hauptbahnof was the first station we've been to that had Asian food. After a week of missing Asian food, we immediately ordered several dishes and gobbled them up.

After almost a week in Italy, my sister and I will never forget the words prossima fermata. If you've taken the trains in Italy, you'll know what I mean!

Our train travel across Europe might have been a little expensive and slightly stressful at the start, but it was definitely one of our most treasured experiences. And if I ever get to visit Europe again in the future, I'd surely take the trains because that cross-country ride in Europe was one of a kind.

I hope you'll enjoy your trip! All photos are unedited. I don't know how to use Photoshop! Please don't use my images without permission.

Read about my Eurotrip!
Rome day 1
Rome day 2
Florence day 3-4
Pisa day 4
Venice day 5
Innsbruck day 6
Munich day 7-8

Other links you might find helpful:

Getting ready for Europe | Preparing your Schengen visa requirements | Booking your hotel and plane fare | Filling out the Schengen visa form | How to apply to the Italian embassy thru Via

Taking Chances

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 06:25:00 +0000

I have forgotten to pick a Word of the Year for 2015, but looking back, I would say that it was Courage.

Courage means doing whatever it is even though scares you, and 2015 offered me plenty of that.

The year 2015 was the first time I travelled out of town, somewhere new, with only my sister as my companion.
It was the time a huge work position = responsibility was offered to me.
It was the time I took on planning a two-week Eurotrip even though I've never been there, and all I had was my belief that we can do it on our own.
It was also the year I've finally fully let go of the past because I've hidden behind it for so long, using it as a reason for so many things in my life.
And by the fourth quarter of the year, 2015 became the year I finally opened myself up to the possibility of falling in love again.
And I finally sent that forgiveness letter because it felt time to fully let things go.

I've pondered for a while what my 2016 will be like, and this was before I've thought of a Word of the Year. The past two years have brought me immense experience and joy, and I have no regrets, but it also took me one step away from my life goals.

So I sat down and started planning. And when I thought about my Word of the Year, I realized it will be this: Taking Chances.

For 2016, I will both move backwards and forwards.

I will move back to the core of my goals and myself, while moving forward with my dreams. I will take chances with the things I want to do (such as fly a plane or go on an out of town trip with certain friends I've never been out with), and I will go back to editing. I will finish my editing class and reconnect with my old authors.

And I will move forward by the end of 2016. I will figure out what I want with my career, and whether I should take that next step I've been hesitating to try.

And finally, 2016 is the year I will take another chance on love. I didn't end up falling in love in 2015, and maybe it won't actually happen this year, but I refuse to let my fears and insecurities get the better of me.

2016, I'm ready for you.

Europe tour day 3-4: Florence

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 04:00:00 +0000

Sunset in Florence

We were so tired from the first two days that our third morning in Rome was just spent packing our things after breakfast. Then we went to the train station to go to Florence. Armed with our Eurail pass, we only took a regional train to avoid paying extra, so our travel time was twice as long. We still treasured our train travel since it was one of the things we wanted to experience in Europe.

We arrived in Florence by 5pm, and we were famished so we had a light snack. We were supposed to go to the Lantern festival in Ricoleta, but the bus took so long to arrive and we were all too tired, so we just went back to the apartment and slept. But not without buying gelato from the little gelateria around the corner!

Some might call sleeping in a waste of time, but we needed to conserve our energy for the rest of the trip. And we all badly needed sleep anyway. So that's our Euro tour day 3.

Early the next morning, we went to Santa Maria Novella, which is easily one of the most beautiful churches I've ever seen. Ate Mako turned to me and said, "Are you sure this isn't one of those Lego pop-ups?"

The beautiful, grand Santa Maria Novella Basilica

Since our second day in Rome, we've been touring with a 30-page itinerary pamphlet I've prepared. It was such a joy to see my family poring over the tidbits and notes of distinction I've researched for every location we visited.

And whenever I saw their smiles whenever we arrived at our destination, all the months of preparation were worth it.

We went to Santa Maria Novella for their morning mass because it was Mama Mary's birthday and my mama's birthday too.

Since the mass only started half past 8am, we walked around, looking for a cheap cafe for breakfast.

Florence is the only place where I ordered my first ever cappuccino, and found that Italians serve the perfect cup of coffee. My small cup was only 1.50 euros, and worth every sip. I only needed to add some sugar and milk, and I had the best cup of coffee I've ever in my life. Until I went back to Manila, the taste of Italian coffee still haunts me.

Afterwards, we went back to the plaza and sat on the marble chairs outside, enjoying the sunshine while waiting to be allowed to go in.

Santa Maria Novella is the first great basilica in Florence, and included stained glass windows by Filippo Lippi and other artists dating back to the 14th and 15th century; the Nativity scene above the door is by Botticelli.

Lastly, Santa Maria Novella's duomo is that duomo you see in postcards and whatnots of Florence.

Florence holds a special place in my heart because 1) I wouldn't have visited it if my sister didn't want to go wine tasting in Chianti, Tuscany, and 2) Because the choir that sung during the September 8 mass was so excellent, I felt like angels were singing to me.

I even came up to them after the mass, thinking they were an opera group, but nope, the guy said "just" the choir. I wish I could sing as beautifully as them. They were so amazing, I wondered why they don't join those singing competitions on TV.

Vasari's fresco of the Last Judgment

But as much as I enjoyed the choir and attending the mass in Italian, I was pretty sad to see such old priests. Where are our young priests? I wondered for how long they could still live, and I felt so sad for the Catholic Church.

Before we left, I took a quick snap of the Last Judgment fresco of Vasari, but sadly, my picture looks so washed out.

On our way to the train station, we passed by Caffe Scudieri (since 1939!) and ate some of the most delicious pastries I've had. Ugh, Italy, my mouth waters just thinking about your food!

That chocolate puff is to die for

After lunch, we took the bus to Chianti. The bus to Chianti is in the building behind the Firenze train station. Not a lot of people know where it is, and there's no signage. It's along the street of the church behind the Firenze train station, and you will cross a tram.

Castello di Verrazzano wine shop

Again, Florentinians didn't speak English very well, and I had to speak French. I was so nervous to talk to the bus driver, and if I had been sleeping, we would have missed the Castello di Verrazzano stop. Instead of getting down at Greve like the winery instructed, we got down a few steps away from their wine shop, which is at the foot of the winery and very visible along the road.

It was a good thing I didn't pay any reservation beforehand because we had to move our wine tasting in the afternoon because we got delayed in the morning, trying to find the bus station. I just called them via the payphone (there's a payphone under the Firenze terminal station and a call costs about .80 to 1 euro for five minutes) and rescheduled.

I chose the Castello di Verrazzano because the other tours were too expensive for us and didn't fit our schedule. The reviews of Castello di Verrazzano's wine tasting tours were also pretty good. As we didn't have our own transportation, going to only one tasting was the best deal for us.

When we arrived at the wine shop, we asked the wine seller to have us picked up (for free) because it was too hot to walk up the mountain. The only tour available was their wine tasting with a few slices of salami and cheese, for 16 euros. We had a very good tour of the winery's history and saw huge barrels of wine, taller than me!

Fulfilling ate Mako's dream!

Overlooking Chianti's rolling hills

Then we got to the good part, which is the reason why everyone went there!

We were given three wines to taste: their Rosé di Verrazzano IGT, the Chianti Classico DOCG and the Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva. We were also given their own salami called Sbriciolona grevigiana, as well as a delicious slice of pecorino (cheese) with Balsamico Verrazzano.

Their rosé made a mark in my heart

Since I work with a wine magazine, I was really looking forward to the wine tasting. Our tour guide taught us how to appreciate wine and distinguish some ingredients, and by the end of the tour (which lasted about two hours), I was feeling very appreciative indeed!

Balsamic vinegar on cheese? Yes, please!

I know what you're thinking: vinegar on cheese?! If the balsamic vinegar is the authentic kind (which is sweet and not too sour), then yes, please. I don't like vinegar, and I vomit at the smell of it, but I gobbled up two slices of cheese with vinegar. It was just that good.

Paired with their rosé, of course.

1. Florence has one of the cheapest Italian-made leather shoes I've ever found, and there are a lot of beautiful shoes stores around Santa Maria Novella. The prices in these stores are about half of the pricing in other parts of Europe.

2. If you eat in cafes, food and drinks are cheaper and has no service charge if you eat "by the bar", which literally means you use the counter top as your table, instead of sitting down at one of the tables.

3. Travelling by bus? Don't forget to bring a copy of the times of the buses, and to buy your return ticket at the station.

I hope you'll enjoy your trip! All photos are unedited. I don't know how to use Photoshop! Please don't use my images without permission.

Read about my Eurotrip!
Rome day 1
Rome day 2
Pisa day 4
Venice day 5
Innsbruck day 6
Munich day 7-8

Other links you might find helpful:

Getting ready for Europe | Preparing your Schengen visa requirements | Booking your hotel and plane fare | Filling out the Schengen visa form | How to apply to the Italian embassy thru Via | Cross-country train travel in Europe

Europe tour day 2: Rome

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 08:01:00 +0000

Coliseum, Rome

We started out early on our second day because we had a whole day planned, but like our first day, we didn't accomplish everything we set out to do.

One of the reasons why I insisted on not getting a tour package (but this does not apply to everyone!) is because I wanted our family to enjoy Europe at our own pace. Of course the downside were the stressful moments when we didn't know how to get to our apartment when we first arrived, and which bus/train to take to get to our next destination.

But thankfully, my sister and I finally figured out Rome's public transportation system on our second day in Rome.

And also, shoutout to the super nice driver in Rome who didn't fine us and dropped us off at the Vatican even though we didn't have a bus ticket and we didn't know you can't pay the bus driver. So pro tip: Buy a bus ticket at the kiosk before riding one.

I received a very wonderful tip-off from a Kiwi I work with, which helped me rearrange our tours. She said (pro tip) the best time to go to mass at the Vatican was at 7am where several priests held masses at the little chapels inside the Basilica, in different languages. She was right.

St. Peter's Basilica in the morning light

We arrived late and the first mass we saw ongoing was in Spanish, but the guard wouldn't let us enter the chapel anymore. We rushed to the opposite side where an English mass was just starting.

Morning view from the entrance of the Basilica

Attending mass that early was such an incredible experience. No long lines and hardly any tourists so it wasn't as overwhelming. I just wish tourists would turn off the sound from their cameras/phones when inside churches because it gets terribly distracting during mass.

Plus, the St. Peter's Basilica looked incredible in the morning light.

This morning mass at the Vatican was also memorable for me because I got two usually-stoic Swiss guards to say hi back!

I was sprinting towards the Vatican when I passed a Swiss guard at his post, and I waved a cheery Buon giorno! He stared at me for a beat then smiled so quickly, I would have missed it if I wasn't looking.

Serenade on the train

The second one was at the Swiss guard who was guarding one of the doors where no one can enter, but since it was so quiet, I just smiled and waved at him. He looked around him before nodding at me. That was nice of them. I didn't expect them to say hi back, but I was just feeling so energetic and happy that morning because hello, I'm in Rome!

After the mass, we went to the Coliseum. I scheduled our trip there early in the morning because (pro tip) every first Sunday of the month, the entrance is free. The line was quite long, and there were a lot of other tourists on the train, but we quickly got in line outside the Coliseum, and after ten minutes, we were inside. Holy guacamole, I was at the Coliseum. This was the stuff of my dreams.

It felt so weird to be at the Coliseum. I felt sad because I felt the history of the place even though it hasn't been used for such purposes in thousands of years. I could just imagine the horror and blood and gore that happened so many times, and it made me shudder.

But at the same time, I was happy because I saw the Coliseum, which was something I only ever read about in books and not something I actually thought I'd get to see. Heck, my whole Eurotrip was like a dream.

Arcibasilica di San Giovanni in Laterano

Afterwards, we rode the wrong bus. A helpful Italian guy noticed my confusion and, in a halting mix of English and Italian, explained to me that we have to walk back where we came from and take the opposite bus. This was definitely one of those moments I saw the frustration in my parents' faces, wondering why in the world they let me navigate! But our destination was worth it: Arcibasilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, which is actually the papal seat of Christianity in Rome.

Amazing detailing

It is one of the grandest and most beautiful churches I've ever seen. The statues of the apostles on top were life-sized and carefully crafted. I felt so small.

Truly, the churches in Italy have the best artworks. Pro tip: Beautiful artwork from the best masters can be seen for free decorating the churches in Italy.

Afterwards, we crossed the street to the Scala Sancta. The Scala Sancta is a small chapel where the stairs from the palace of Pontius Pilate that Jesus walked on during His Passion, and St. Helena, Constantine's mother, brought them back with her when she went looking for the Holy Cross. Since Jesus walked on it during His Passion, these steps are considered holy/sanctified.

The only way to go up the Scala Sancta is on one's knees. Literally. You cannot stand up and just kneel on the second step. You have to push and propel yourself forward. It was one of the most painful things I've went through in Rome. Imagine going up 28 steps of stairs on your knees? It was a miracle none of us fell down. At first, I was so excited but when I was almost at the top I wanted to cry, because I knew none of the pain I was feeling could compare to the excruciating pain Jesus went through out of love for me. Thank you, Lord Jesus!

The Scala Sancta

Once I got to the top, the pain was gone. There was also the revered Image of the Most Holy Saviour just across the top of the stairs, which is believed to not have been painted by human hand.

Afterwards, we crossed the street to an authentic Italian trattoria, which, based on their food preparation, served us meals bought pre-packed from the grocery and heated via microwave. It was affordable but the taste left a lot to be desired. I immediately grabbed gelato from the next homemade gelateria we found a few steps away, which was one of my best foodie decisions.

Next, we walked all the way to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, a Papal major basilica and the largest Catholic Marian church in Rome. It is also considered a UNESCO world heritage. And when I saw the beautiful Church, it really is worthy to be considered a world heritage.

Santa Maria Maggiore

Bernini!!! Yes, I'm a fan of his.

One of the earliest depictions of Mary as Theotokos.

After touring the Maggiore, it was about 3pm and we were so exhausted, but we didn't give up. We took the train to our next destination, the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, which Constantine founded on the spot over the burial place of St. Paul. And we even saw the where St. Paul's tomb was found, as well as his chains when he was imprisoned in Rome.

St. Paul's tomb

After taking lots of pictures, papa said we didn't have to go to Via Appia anymore since we already went to St. Paul's Basilica, and I was so happy because I felt my feet were about to fall off. We took the train and got off at Piazza Bernini, which was the closest train station on our way to the Trevi Fountain.

Another of Rome's numerous beautiful fountains

But on our way to Trevi, we kept stopping because I led my parents right through a shopping street, and there were numerous affordable beautiful Italian-made leather bags. And of course, papa's trip wouldn't be complete if he didn't get a shirt from every city we went to. He actually bought the most number of memorabilia out of all of us! His pack light motto served him well.

Al fresco dinner in Rome

We decided to eat dinner before going to the Trevi Fountain because I was hungry, so I chose the nearest restaurant I could find. We dined al fresco, and the waitress kept bringing us bottles of water, which I later realized is a no-no because (pro tip) you can ask for free table water. But I was so thirsty and so tired that I just paid for them.

Everything was still so surreal at that point. I knew I was in Rome but a part of me felt like I was still dreaming.

After dinner, we then walked the short distance to the Trevi Fountain, which was quite a disappointment because there was a huge acrylic glass barrier as Rome's most fountain was being rehabilitated. But I managed to find a way to get a good, clear shot (meaning I asked a very tall and complete stranger to take a photo over the barrier -- dad was like, what you did was so dangerous!!!), and here it is!

Trevi Fountain

1. Ask for tap water when dining in Italian restaurants.

2. Buy your transportation tickets before going on trips. Rome has a transportation pass you can use on buses and the metro, with set number of days.

3. Try to attend the 7am Sunday mass at the St. Peter's Basilica. It's the best time to visit. :)

I hope you'll enjoy your trip! All photos are unedited. I don't know how to use Photoshop! Please don't use my images without permission.

Read about my Eurotrip!
Rome day 1
Florence day 3-4
Pisa day 4
Venice day 5
Innsbruck day 6
Munich day 7-8

Other links you might find helpful:

Getting ready for Europe | Preparing your Schengen visa requirements | Booking your hotel and plane fare | Filling out the Schengen visa form | How to apply to the Italian embassy thru Via | Cross-country train travel in Europe

Europe tour day 1: Rome

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 04:00:00 +0000

The beautiful and majestic St. Peter's Basilica, Rome

I had quite the day planned for our day in Rome, but as they say, everything that can go wrong will go wrong, and our timing was off when we landed in Rome...

We're the type of travellers who don't rest once we arrive at our destination. We love to maximize our vacation time, so we almost immediately leave the apartment once we check in. But when we landed in Rome, our luggage took too long to arrive. Then the airport was farther from our accommodation than we thought, so we only had about thirty minutes before our first appointment -- and it was an appointment we had to keep.

St. Peter's Basilica really is a work of art!

One of the things I quickly discovered in Europe is that the locals walk really fast. When they say it's about ten minutes, it usually takes us twice as long to get there. Our accommodation was literally behind the Vatican City, and we thought the entrance to our destination was just around the corner.

Our appointment was at 10:30am. We arrived at 10:45am. They almost didn't let us get thru the gates, but the Swiss guard must have seen the desperation in my eyes (and all the huffing and puffing) because he let us in.

When we got to the entrance of the office, we were told we cannot be accommodated anymore. My mom asked if they can accommodate us at a different time. After checking their schedule for a few minutes, we were told they can accommodate two people at 1:30pm and two people at 2pm, so we would need to separate. We immediately agreed. They rescheduled us with no extra charge, but we were oh so willing to pay up.

You see, getting to enter that museum was the major highlight of our trip to Rome. The museum I'm talking about is the Vatican Necropolis...and what we believe to be the tomb of St. Peter (I say believe because there are those who dispute this). And very few people are granted access because they only let 250 people per day, and by special permission from the Vatican office.

It was raining when we arrived -- mum said we were being blessed. It was a wonder we didn't get sick!

And I literally begged for this, because they initially turned down my application. In desperation, I gave them the date of our arrival, and they granted us a tour at 10:30am. Sometimes, I still cannot believe that I walked on the old roads of Rome and saw the very old Vatican, and was able to visit the tomb of St. Peter. It just felt so surreal.

Pictures are not allowed. Carrying big bags are also not allowed, so we just brought our ticket, phone, passports, and money.

After a wonderful and informative tour by our guide named Laura, we were all surprised because we were told we can enter the St. Peter's Basilica without having to line up outside! And let me tell you, the line was really long.

It felt like we spent all our time at the Vatican on our first day, but it was worth it.

Since we were there by 11am, we decided to have lunch in one of the numerous cafes in the Vatican.

My first gelato!

And of course, fulfill my plan of eating gelato every day we were in Italy.

Of course it was expensive! The panini was priced at 5 euros, but it was huge and can be shared for two. The gelato was also priced at 5 euros and the serving was substantial. I actually didn't get to finish my cone, which is a first.

This is also the first time I ever drank San Pellegrino, you know, that super expensive water sold in the Philippines, which I bought for only 50 euro cents (or about P25). And we found we don't like sparkling water at all.

It felt so surreal eating a chocolate gelato while looking at the Vatican.

When I took my first bite, I closed my eyes to savor the whole experience. Then I said, "This is a gelato." It wasn't too sweet, and definitely didn't have that cloying aftertaste. Sigh. Memories.

We were thinking of lining up with the people to get into the Basilica while waiting, but the rain soon stopped and it became too hot to wait in the sun. Also, it would take us hours to line up, so we just took a lot of pictures.

Fun fact: Rome has a lot of fountains where you can refill your water bottle for free!

Finally, 1pm came, and we went up to the guards to enter. But they didn't allow us. They said we can only enter at 1:20pm. So we waited, antsy, then asked to enter again at 1:20pm. The first guard allowed us. When we had to pass by the Swiss guard, he barred us, saying our appointment was at 2pm and we had to wait.

We were panicking, let me tell you, because it was a five-minute walk to the office. He was talking to another girl who kept asking a lot of questions. The girl turned to me and looked at my paper then dismissed me. I persisted in talking to the Swiss guard, and he finally realized he didn't see the 1:30pm appointment, and let us in.

Sigh. We were in!

After the tour, which lasted about an hour or so (we had a lot of questions!), we finally went inside the basilica, where we, of course, took a lot of pictures. By accident, we found our parents roaming inside the basilica as well, so that was another hour of taking pictures.

The obelisk in St. Peter's Square, which is said to be the sole witness to St. Peter's death.

The Jubilee doors!

St. Peter's chair by Bernini

Seeing La Pieta in the flesh made me realize why Michelangelo is a master of the arts

St. (Pope) John Paul II's tomb

We were at St. Peter's Basilica!

Afterwards, we all trudged home to make the thirty-minute long (which stretched to an hour's worth) walk back to the apartment because we didn't know how to get back via the bus.

And when we got to the apartment, my body finally gave in, and I slept a solid 12 hours, only to wake up at 5am the next day, fully clothed in yesterday's gear. I was exhausted from working for a solid 31 hours straight (we were finishing a major magazine!), travelled for 19 hours, and was on my feet for 8 hours. It was a wonder I didn't get sick! Thank you for blessing us, Lord! Surprisingly enough, I was the only one who didn't get sick (my sister while in Rome, my mother while in Munich, and my dad when we got home).

Our trip could have been better, sure, but the first one was rocky. Still, I believe that everything happens for a reason. And still being able to enter the Necropolis and the Basilica was enough for us that first day.

We experienced so much in Rome and my parents, who are used to having a tour group and guide, were overwhelmed by the trip and not having a guide. My sister and I, who have travelled on our own without tours, were more relaxed. But here are some tips that will hopefully prepare first-time Europe travellers like us.

1. If you're taking public transportation, buy a train pass at Termini station, or online. We were only able to buy tickets the next day. Read up online on how to use Rome's public transportation or ask your friends/relatives who have been to/work in Rome. We didn't know anyone at all.

2. If you're a Filipino (or even a foreigner, I suppose), don't be shy to ask for help from Filipinos, especially if they work there. I only met one snobbish Filipina (and that was in Austria). The Filipinos who work there are so friendly and helpful.

3. Bring a refillable water bottle or flask with you. It will save you a lot of money. Don't let yourself get dehydrated!

4. Bring euro coins with you in case you need to use the toilet. While there are free toilets, you may find yourself needing to use the bathroom, and most toilets have a fee, ranging from 50 cents (the cheapest we've encountered) to 3.50 euros (in Switzerland).

5. If you don't speak Italian (or French or German), install Google translate (or some equivalent app) on your device and prepare to translate your questions. The Italians didn't speak English very well, and some don't speak English at all. I had to speak French, and they responded to me in Italian. That was both challenging and a marvelous experience!

6. Even if you're going during summer, it's best to bring a hooded jacket you can tie around your waist when it's hot, and cover yourself up when needed (i.e. in Churches). If you're not planning on bringing or buying an umbrella, make sure you bring a cap. Even if it's not raining, the heat can be pretty intense!

7. Lather on some sunscreen!

8. Be prepared for cigarette smoke. The Italians, compared to the other European people we met, smoked a lot. We even saw people lighting up as soon as they stepped off the train.

9. Bring your most comfortable shoes that can withstand all the walking you'll be doing! And if you're buying new shoes, make sure you break them in thoroughly before your trip. I could barely use my P3000 pair of Hush Puppies because it kept bruising me. Thankfully I brought a pair of flats, which was supposed to only be a back-up, but which I ended up using 90% of the trip. And it only cost me P299. :)

10. Beware of pickpockets -- and this is something locals and your fellow Filipinos will keep warning you about.

11. Arm yourself with detailed maps of Rome as well as their transportation system. Find out which bus or train station is closest to your house, as well as all alternative buses or routes you can take.

Most importantly, relax and enjoy every minute. A lot of things can happen, so learn how to let go of what's not important. Rest when needed. Splurge a little. Communicate with your group if you have any concerns. Don't lose your cool.

You're in Europe. Relax. ;)

I hope you'll enjoy your trip!

All photos are unedited. I don't know how to use Photoshop! Please don't use my images without permission.

Read about my Eurotrip!
Rome day 2
Florence day 3-4
Pisa day 4
Venice day 5
Innsbruck day 6
Munich day 7-8

Other links you might find helpful:

Getting ready for Europe | Preparing your Schengen visa requirements | Booking your hotel and plane fare | Filling out the Schengen visa form | How to apply to the Italian embassy thru Via | Cross-country train travel in Europe

How to apply for the Schengen visa thru Via.ph

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 04:00:00 +0000

Resting at the Louvre in Paris

So you've decided to go to Europe, you've filled out the Schengen visa application form and finished prepping the requirements. The next step is to apply for the Schengen visa. This post is only about applying to the Italian embassy thru Via.ph.

If you have any questions, call them at their free hotline number 845 9200.

1. Book an appointment by calling any of the numbers below that suits you:

PLDT/SMART Line 1 - 909 - 101 - 2200
BAYANTEL Line 1 - 903 - 101 - 2200
Globe Line 1 - 900 - 101 - 2200

Make sure you have your passport ready when you call. In case you're booking for several people, make sure to get all their passports as well because the call costs Php 32.00/minute + VAT, and other charges if you're calling from outside Metro Manila.

I tried booking with the embassy directly, but their next available slot last July was on October already, and my trip was in September! With via.ph, I was immediately given a schedule.

I only called once we had all our documents ready.

In case the agent forgets, make sure to ask how much the total fee will be. Remember: Bring exact change.

2. Go to VIA office in Makati.

Bring all the documents including the original copies
Bring a stapler with staplewire, scissors, a black pen that works, whiteout and glue. This is in case you need to attach something you forgot to print out, fill out some lines in the application, erase some of the entries as instructed by the agent, or cut out some parts.
A book or anything that will keep you engrossed and happy while waiting!

3. Once you reach the VIA office, sign in and get your number from the security guard. Even if you have an appointed time, you will still need to get a number.

4. Wait for your turn. We waited for an hour or two!

5. Submit your application. Answer any questions the agent may have.

6. If your documents are complete, the agent will tell you if you will wait for your name to be called for the thumbprint.

7. After inputting your thumb prints, wait for the instruction to pay.

You're done! Now it's the waiting time for the status of your visa. You'll either get a call or a message if you need to submit more documents. The only way you'll know if you're granted a visa (or not) is when you receive your passport.

Some documents may not be returned. Our birth certificates were not returned, they returned papa's.

If you've been granted a visa, check any accompanying documents or attached papers to your visa.

My sister and I had attached letters from the embassy stating that we need to return to the embassy in Salcedo, Makati, to have our passports signed within 10 days after the expiration of our visa. Since our visa was given a one week extension, we only returned on the day of the visa expiration.

How to get your visa signed after your trip, if you are requested by the embassy

1. Go to the Italian embassy in Salcedo St, Makati.

2. Tell the guard you're going to the embassy. If there's a line outside, you'll need to line up.

3. Once they let you go up to the Italian embassy office, you'll need to turn off your cellphone (and other electronic devices) and hand it to the guards at the embassy lobby.

4. Hand over your passport and letter from the embassy.

5. Wait for your name to be called.

6. Once your name is called, go to the designated window.

We were simply given back our passports once we went to the window. Even though we weren't first in line, we were still processed first from all the batch in the 3pm group (we didn't make an appointment, we just dropped by).

Tip: You can take the e-jeepney outside Landmark (a ride costs P8) and you can go down in front of the embassy. If you don't know where the embassy is, it's along Salcedo St, with a Cafe France outside the building. Or ask the driver :)

I hope the past few posts have helped you with your Eurotrip planning! It has been very tiring preparing all these documents, but once we got to Europe, it was all worth it. :)

Other helpful blogs and links I've read while getting ready:

Tips from:

Wanderlass: http://www.wanderlass.com/others/visa-challenge/schengen-visa-philippine-passport.html

Tips and LOA and CoA templates:

Kristine Camins:

http://www.kristinecamins.com/schengen-visa-application/

http://www.kristinecamins.com/schengen-visa-flight-booking/

Tips from:

More Fun with Ems: https://morefunwithems.wordpress.com/2013/06/30/how-to-apply-for-a-schengen-tourist-visa-in-the-philippines-2013/

Tips from:

Lynne en-route: http://www.lynne-enroute.com/2014/03/19/how-to-get-the-schengen-tourist-visa-through-the-italian-embassy-philippines/

Good luck with your visa application!

Read about my Eurotrip!
Rome day 1
Rome day 2
Florence day 3-4
Pisa day 4
Venice day 5
Innsbruck day 6
Munich day 7-8

Other links you might find helpful:

Getting ready for Europe | Preparing your Schengen visa requirements | Booking your hotel and plane fare | Filling out the Schengen visa form | Cross-country train travel in Europe

Filling out the Schengen visa application form

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 04:00:00 +0000

Somewhere in Switzerland...

Filling out the Schengen Visa application form was a little tricky, but I had help from Kristine Camin's How to Apply for the Schengen Visa post and our own experience when we were applying. If your handwriting isn't that flash, I suggest using Adobe Acrobat Pro, or a PDF program that enables you to fill out the form legibly.

Hopefully this guide can help you :)

We filled out our application form in capital letters (except for our email address) and put an X in the boxes where applicable.

1. Surname (Family name): Your surname

2. Surname at birth

If married, write your maiden name.
Since I'm single, I left it blank, but the processing agent at Via asked me to write my father's surname, I'm not sure why.

3. First name: Your real name -- not your nickname. If you have two (or seven) first names, write all of it.

4. Date of birth: Day MONTH year e.g. 08 SEPTEMBER 1957

5. Place of birth: City (MANILA) or town, province e.g. KIBLAWAN, DAVAO DEL SUR

6. Country of birth: PHILIPPINES

7. Current Nationality: FILIPINO

Nationality at birth, if different: I left this blank since our nationality did not change

8. Sex: (No, this is not the frequency.) X for whichever box applies.

9. Marital status: X for whichever box applies.

10. I wrote N/A since I'm of legal age.

11. N/A since I don't have a National Identity number. I'm also not sure what that is

12. Type of travel document: X for whichever box applies. I put an X on Ordinary passport

13. Number of travel document: Passport number (found in the biographical page of your passport)

14. Date of issue: (found in the biographical page of your passport)

15. Valid until: (found in the biographical page of your passport)

16. Issued by: (found in the biographical page of your passport)

17. Applicant's home and e-mail address: my email address in small letters, my address in full caps, up to my city

Telephone number(s): Landline (if applicable) and cellphone

18. X for whichever box applies. I put an X on No

19. Current occupation: I put on mine BUSINESS WOMAN since I have a startup, but on my sister's: EMPLOYED - [her position/job title]

20. Employer's name and details: Again, written in caps
NAME - ADDRESS UP TO CITY - PHONE NUMBER

21. Main purpose: X for whichever box applies. I put an X on Tourism

22. Member State(s) of your destination: I put ITALY, AUSTRIA, GERMANY, SWITZERLAND, FRANCE (or whichever Schengen country applies to you)

Please note that you cannot use your Schengen Visa for the UK. If your trip involves going to the UK, you will need to get a UK Visa as well.

23. Member State of first entry: ITALY (or whichever Schengen country applies)

24. Number of entries requested: X for whichever box applies. I put an X on Single entry

Since we were not going out of the Schengen area, we only needed a Single entry. Based on my mapped out train itinerary, all our trains will pass only through Schengen Member States.

A single entry gets you into all Schengen Member State(s)

If you're flying from one Member State(s) to another, and your plane will go out of the Schengen Area (i.e. you'll be coming from Spain, but it will stop through the UK before landing at your final destination [e.g. Amsterdam]), you will need to put an X on Two entries or Multiple entries (if you'll keep coming in and out of Schengen within 90 days -- the minimum number of days for an ordinary Schengen tourist visa)

25. Duration of the intended stay or transit: Whatever # of days apply to you

26. X for whichever box applies. Mine was No.

27. X for whichever box applies. Mine was No.

28. I left this blank, but the agent at VIA said to write N/A (if that's applicable to you, fill it out. If you're not sure, ask them when you file)

29. Intended date of arrival: This is the date you're in the Schengen area, not the date of your departure from the Philippines. If you're departing on the 4th, and you'll arrive on the 5th, write 05 [MONTH] [YEAR]

Unless, of course, you're arriving on the same day -- is that possible?

Check your flight reservation/booking for the dates.

30. Intended date of departure: When you'll be leaving the Schengen area, not your arrival back in the Philippines.

31. The agent instructed me to write the name of the first hotel we'll be sleeping at in Italy. I'm not sure how this goes if all your accommodations are thru Airbnb, but she asked me to write the hotel, even though we weren't staying there until our 5th day in Italy.

However, I also prepared an attached table with the following details: Surname, First name/Hotel name, Address, Email address, Telephone and telefax.

We were very transparent in our application

32. N/A (or fill out as applicable)

33. Cost of travel: X where applicable

Since we were all paying for ourselves, I put an X on 'by the applicant himself/herself'

Means of support: X where applicable

I didn't put an X on Credit card because I didn't have one.
My sister and mother didn't put an X on Credit card because they only had supplementary/extension credit cards from my dad, and all billing statements only had my dad's name on it.
But we put an X on Prepaid accommodation and Prepaid transport since our accommodations, air fare, and several train fares were pre-purchased while in the Philippines.

34. N/A (or fill out as applicable)

35. N/A (or fill out as applicable)

36. Place and date: You put the city where you filled out the form, and then the date you filled out the application form

37. Your signature

Page 3:
Place and date: You put the city where you filled out the form, and then the date you filled out the application form

Your signature

One of the castles we saw while we were on the train. The little girl in me was so excited!

Good luck!

All notes are based on our experience. These are just guides and tips. If you are unsure about any of the questions in the form, I suggest you leave it blank and ask the agent at the Via counter for help when your name is called. If your visa is denied, please don't blame me. I don't decide the approval of your visa :-)

Read about my Eurotrip!
Rome day 1
Rome day 2
Florence day 3-4
Pisa day 4
Venice day 5
Innsbruck day 6
Munich day 7-8

Other links you might find helpful:

Getting ready for Europe | Preparing your Schengen visa requirements | Booking your hotel and plane fare | How to apply to the Italian embassy thru Via | Cross-country train travel in Europe

Booking your hotel/Airbnb apartments and plane tickets for the Schengen visa

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 04:00:00 +0000

Good morning, Firenze! (View from our apartment)

Airline ticket reservation
We didn't pay for our airline ticket when we booked it, but we were still able to fulfill the Schengen visa requirement. And the embassy encourages applicants to book, but not yet buy, the ticket as much as possible.

I was thinking that if travel agencies can book an airplane ticket without my having to pay for it immediately, maybe I can do that too. We actually went to a travel agency to book our ticket, but they said they can only reserve a ticket thru them if we were availing of their tour package, too.

After screening several websites and comparing prices, we narrowed down our choices to two airlines: Qatar and Emirates. Between the two, Qatar was cheaper.

I called up Qatar Airways but the agent I talked to said they don't hold long reservations.

I called up Emirates and they agreed to hold my reservation for over a week. I made sure that the flight I reserved is the same flight we'll be taking if our Schengen visa is approved.

When our Schengen visa was approved, our reservation had already lapsed, so we just bought our tickets from Emirates online. Note that you are encouraged to book the same flight/airplane company that you used for your booking, as stated in the letter accompanying our visa.

Simply reserving our tickets saved us from worrying about the huge cost of plane tickets if we bought them before our visa was approved.

Reserving our accommodation

Airbnb
One of my dad's requests was that each person should only spend around Php150,000 for the whole two weeks, and that was the budget I worked on. The budget also helped because I was the one who paid for all my expenses, except for our two hotels.

While I would have loved to have experienced European hostels, the total was still beyond the set budget so I finally opted for Airbnbs. Note: Make sure renting an apartment from your host is legal because there are issues that differ with every city.

My rules for choosing an Airbnb rental:

Must have at least three reviews already

Must have 4.5-5 star ratings

Must have beds for four adults

Proximity to the places we wanted to go to, or the center of the city

Must have a flexible or moderate policy

We were all excited for our apartments because we felt like we were going to live how the locals live. And I was right! Quite exciting to see our other "flatmates" and buy from the local grocery. However, buying food from the grocery was a bit of a challenge because the staff rarely spoke English.

Since I'm a newbie in Airbnb and had no ratings, I sent an introductory message to each host whose rental attracted me. Seven out of ten times, the response was positive. Most would even just reserve me for the dates I stated. It was amazing.

Here's the sample message I sent (italics for emphasis)

Buongiorno! [I changed this according to the language of the country]

My name is Haeja, from the Philippines. I'm [age] and [my job].

My family and I are visiting [city] on [date we'll be staying in that city]. We will be coming from [city], [country]. Is your place available for a [# of nights and days] stay? :)

[Then I ask my questions so we both know we fit what each other is looking for:]
Also, I would like to confirm that it will fit four adults?

Do we have to pay extra 2 euro/person tourist tax upon arrival, or pay anything else upon arrival? [yes, there is a tourist tax in some European countries i.e. Italy and Austria]

[Then I explain why I chose to rent from them]
I like your place because it looks cozy, it is within our budget, and it is near the places we want to go to.

[closing remarks]
Looking forward to your response.

Kind regards,

Haeja

Remember! Most Schengen Member states only accept Euro. Even if you have dollars, you have to exchange them to Euro. In Switzerland, you have to exchange your money for their local currency, the Swiss francs, because they are not part of the European Union, and therefore don't generally use the euro. Some stores in Switzerland do accept Euro, but will only accept bills (like in Starbucks and McDonalds, but sometimes with a minimum amount of purchase) and they will give you your change in Swiss francs.

Some images of our Airbnb rentals...

Pull-out bed our favorite apartment

Beautiful furniture here!

Super cheery apartment and chic decor

Great in photos, not so much in real life

Better than we expected!

If we our visas hadn't been approved, the only money we'd have lost are the ones we used to pay for documents, visa processing, travel insurance, and minimal Airbnb booking fees. The cost of applying for a visa you're not sure will be processed, eh?

Note that some flats don't have a microwave too, so check out the listed utilities available before booking a place.

Some of the apartments exceeded our expectations, and some were not as clean or as beautiful in real life. Thankfully, all of them provided towels.

Also, note that in Europe, when they say "second floor", that's actually the third floor because the first floor is like the 0 floor. So when reading the description, be wary of the "apartment on the second floor, without elevator" because if you're carrying a heavy bag and travelling from one country to another, it can be tiresome!

Unless your hosts are nice and they offer to carry your luggage up the stairs for you :)

Also, don't transact outside Airbnb, because if there is a problem, then Airbnb won't help you out if you paid the host directly.

If you don't have an Airbnb account yet, get a discount from me! Use my sign-up link to create your account. Claim your discount here!

Hotels

Of the eight cities we slept in, we booked two hotels because 1) No available Airbnb in the area that met our requirements and 2) They were cheaper for a group than if we stayed in a hostel. Plus, they offered breakfast.

We booked directly with the hotels, although I did email them first to make sure the still had vacancies, and that they indeed have rooms for four adults.

Luckily, our chosen hotels also sold public transportation tickets, so it was easy for us to get to and fro the location. This is actually one of the benefits when we booked the hotel. If you're booking a cheap hotel, do remember that they may not have someone to help you carry your luggage.

Their breakfast buffet usually consists of a selection of bread + jam/cheese/butter spreads and liquid beverages. Some may also offer pie.

View outside our hotel in Venice

Super cosy accommodation in Innsbruck

One of the coziest dining places I've been to!

Good luck!

I hope you'll enjoy your trip! All photos are unedited. I don't know how to use Photoshop! Please don't use my images without permission.

Read about my Eurotrip!
Rome day 1
Rome day 2
Florence day 3-4
Pisa day 4
Venice day 5
Innsbruck day 6
Munich day 7-8

Other links you might find helpful:

Getting ready for Europe | Preparing your Schengen visa requirements | Filling out the Schengen visa form | How to apply to the Italian embassy thru Via | Cross-country train travel in Europe

Preparing your Schengen Visa requirements

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 04:00:00 +0000

Sunset in Pisa - one of the most beautiful skies I've ever seen

We tried to get a tour company to arrange our tour for the places we wanted to visit, but what they basically did was get my itinerary and place them in time slots, so we decided to do it on our own.

And if you're applying for the Schengen Visa in Italy (this is important -- more on this later!), you have to apply it yourself. Even the tour agency cannot be the one to apply for you because the PIASI, thru Via.ph (the contracted agency that files the visa applications for those who apply thru Italy), collects your biometric data (thumbprint and electronic signature). I hope you get a good agency because there were applicants there for the tourist visa who were asked to come back because their documents were inadequate, and they said that the tour agency didn't tell them to prepare those documents.

For this post, I will walk you through the requirements. We applied through Italy for two very important reasons:

1) It was our point of entry
2) It was the country of our longest stay

#2 is very important, because you MUST apply in the first country of longest stay, even if that country is not your point of entry.

Example: You will be going to Italy (3 days) then to Switzerland (5 days) then to France (5 days), which is the point where you'll go back to Manila.

You must apply through the embassy of Switzerland because that is where you'll be in the longest. Even if the number of days is equivalent to your stay in France, if you're passing through Switzerland first, then you must apply in Switzerland.

Note: If applying to the Italian embassy, they will only accept applications whose trips are within three months of your visa application.

If you're applying as a group/family, each person must have the following documents:

1. Valid passport with no less than 6 months' validity after the visa expiration

If your trip will be in September, your passport must be valid until March
Must include your current passport and all your expired passports
Photocopy the following: Biographical page and back page of each passport (current and expired), any visas you have (even if they're expired), and immigration stamps
Arrange the following photocopied pages by date: Current passport's biographical page and last page on top > Visa or immigration stamps within that current passport > Expired passport biographical page and back page > Visa or immigration stamps within that expired passport
If you have any passport covers, remove them as Via/PIASI will only get the actual passports. They will need this to stamp the Visa. But even if your application is denied, your passport will be returned.

2. Original copy of the COMPLETELY accomplished application form (guide to follow)

Schengen tourist visa application form thru the Italian embassy website
Schengen tourist visa list of requirements thru the Italian embassy website

Schengen tourist visa application form thru via.ph
Schengen tourist visa list of requirements thru via.ph.

Note: Do not paste your picture on the photo box

3. TWO passport-sized or two 2x2 pictures with the following requirements (Original copy):

Haven been taken within the past three months from the date of filing your application (if you file in July, the oldest date of the photo must be May)
Your ears must be showing. A neighbor who filed her application on the same day was asked to return because her photo didn't show her ears
You must be wearing a collared blouse/polo or a blazer. Photo studios usually have blazers you can wear for free.

4. Letter of introduction to the Embassy (Original copy)

Address it to the Italian Consul, must include the address of the embassy.
State your reason for applying. Introduce yourself, your job, hobbies, why you want to go to Italy, etc.
Your signature at the end must include your phone number and e-mail address
If you're applying as a group/family, each of your letter must include the name of your companion(s). For example, in my letter, I stated: I will be travelling with my mother [name], father [name], and sister [name]. My mother's letter stated: I will be travelling with my husband [name] and two daughters [name 1] and [name 2].

5. Employment/student record

a: If employed:

Original copy of your Certificate of Employment
Original copy of your Leave of absence letter from your HR department approving your leave. Ask your HR if they can include in the letter that it is for your vacation, and should state when you are expected back in the office.

b: If self-employed, photocopies of the following (but also bring the original copies):

Business license/permits, registration and financial statement
This includes your SEC registration, City permit, BIR registration, DTI (if applicable)

I state here to also bring the original copies because another applicant beside us was asked if he can procure the original copies as well.

c: If a student:

Certificate of enrolment
Approved leave of absence

Hello from Luzern, Switzerland!

6. Declaration of annual income

a. If self-employed:

Company's SEC certificate
City license
BIR registration
Business registration
ITR and proof of payment
Financial statement and proof of payment

In my case, since I was a self-employed freelancer until the end of May, and started a company in June, I submitted photocopies of my business registration and ITR (including proof of payment) as a freelancer and our company's SEC, city license, and BIR registration. I stated clearly in my introduction letter my employment history since I didn't have an ITR of the new business.

Since papa has a small business that has been operating for over ten years, he also had to photocopy his financial statement and proof of payment, aside from his ITR.

b. If employed:

Ask from your company a copy of your ITR
Photocopy of your payslips at least three months' worth.

My father and I did not present payslips. Only my mother and sister, who are both employees, presented their payslips for the past three months' prior to filing their application (i.e. April 30-July 15).

7. Proof of economic means:

Original copy of Bank certification for peso and/or dollar (and other currency) accounts

This is to be requested from your bank. This is usually processed from 1-3 days, depending on your bank. BPI processed mine in about one-two hours. Metrobank took three days.
There is a P100 fee for every certification. Even if your account is in dollar, the fee is still P100. The fee may vary per bank.
This must also show that you have the capacity to live in Europe for at least P3000 to P5000 per day, e.g. we were in Europe for 15 days, so P5000 x 15 days = P75,000. We submitted certifications of bank accounts showing an upwards of P100,000 just to make sure we'll get approved.
Don't suddenly put huge chunks of money into an account! They will wonder where the money suddenly came from and can be a basis for your visa to be rejected, like in the case of a friend of mine.

Original copy of your bank statement

Ask your bank for a statement of account for each account you had certified. If possible, have at least 6 months' to 1 year's worth. This is free, depending on which bank.

When my sister and I asked for a statement of account from our bank, we were only given 3 months' worth. We had to write on the spot, during our Visa application, individual letters to the Italian embassy explaining why this was so. We signed our respective letters with our names and cellphone numbers.

The account(s) in your statement's must show movement, i.e. money goes in and out

Photocopy: Passbook records (if available) from 6 months' up to 1 year's worth
Photocopies: Time Deposits - and statement of account (if available)
Photocopy: Your credit card and its statement of account (including proof of payment) at least 3 statements' worth. Make sure you have good credit! And also that your credit limit is displayed on the page.
Photocopy: Land/property/car titles (if available)

8. Original AND photocopy of your NSO-issued birth certificate and, if applicable, Marriage Contract.

We applied for this through SM four months prior to our trip. We got it within a week.
Your original and photocopied certificates must have the receipt attached.
This applies to both male and female spouses.

9. Travel plan

A one-sheet basic itinerary

Sample basic itinerary we submitted to the embassy

The itinerary I submitted clearly stated where we will be for particular city, and what we will do, e.g. September 5: Rome - Vatican City

Confirmed round trip flight booking. Booked, not bought, tickets.
I also included a computation of the number of days per country e.g.

Italy - 5
Austria - 1
Germany - 2
Switzerland - 3
France - 4
Total: 15 + 2 days in transit = 17 days

10. Accommodation plan

If in a hotel or Airbnb: Hotel vouchers or hotel booking under the name of the traveler(s)

We booked a lot of apartments thru Airbnb, and just to be safe in case our visas are not approved, we chose the ones that have Flexible or at least Moderate cancellation policies.

If staying with a friend or relative: A letter of invitation addressed to the Embassy, (format of this letter may be secured at the Italian Embassy or downloaded from www.ambmanila.esteri.it). The invitation may be made by an Italian national or a foreign resident legally staying in Italy. A document of identity or permit of stay should accompany the letter of invitation.

11. Travel insurance

Make three photocopies of your travel insurance: One to submit to the embassy, one to leave with your relative(s) at home and one to leave in your luggage especially if your insurance covers lost luggage. Carry the original copy of your insurance with you in case of emergencies.
Be sure of your dates because once you pay for a travel policy, it will not be refunded even if your visa is denied
Must have an additional 15 days after your last day in the Schengen area. Since we were going home on the 19th, our travel insurance was until October 4
We bought through Worldwide insurance. They were easy to talk to and their insurance was pretty comprehensive. They also accepted cash on delivery. Our policy only cost us P1,700+.
Make sure to only book with a Schengen-accredited insurance company in the Philippines! Even if a Philippine-based insurance company is pretty popular, it might not be Schengen accredited.

l2. Payment

You will be told the total amount you will need to bring once you book your VIA application appointment.

This includes the Visa fee and Delivery fee of your visa/passport once done
You must give the exact amount. Example, I was told that we need to pay P4,362 each, so I prepared 4 x P1000, 3 x P100, 1 x P50 (or 3 x 20) and 2 x P1.
Or via a Manager's check, payable to PIASI -- ask them for more details

Stopover in Verona. Oh Romeo!

NOTES:
1) For ALL minors: NSO birth certificate, affidavit of Support and Consent from BOTH parents. In addition, a DSWD clearance for minors not travelling with parents. This must be inserted between the hotel vouchers/letter of invitation and travel insurance. We did not travel with a minor so ask PIASI for more details.

2) If not a Filipino citizen, the applicant needs to show proof of permanent residency in the Philippines (ACR). This must be inserted after your travel insurance. We did not travel with a foreign resident so ask PIASI for more details.

3) The office of the Embassy Consul may send you a letter and ask you to submit more requirements or for a face-to-face interview.

4) Even if you're just required to submit photocopies, bring the original documents anyway, just in case!

5) Back up all your soft copies to your email or cloud storage, in case you forgot/left something and need to print it out. They have a printer, photocopy machine and internet access at the VIA center, and these are available for a fee.

All notes are based on our experience. These are just guides and tips. If you have any other questions, it would be best if you call VIA thru their FREE information hotline 845-9200. If your visa is denied, please don't blame me. I don't decide the approval of your visa :-)

Read about my Eurotrip!
Rome day 1
Rome day 2
Florence day 3-4
Pisa day 4
Venice day 5
Innsbruck day 6
Munich day 7-8

Other links you might find helpful:

Getting ready for Europe | Booking your hotel and plane fare | Filling out the Schengen visa form | How to apply to the Italian embassy thru Via | Cross-country train travel in Europe

Getting ready for Europe

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 04:00:00 +0000

From Innsbruck, Austria, to Munich, Germany

The next few blog posts will be a series of stories about our trip to Europe -- including the preparation for our visa application, our itinerary, and our actual trip.

It was a spur-of-the-moment decision for our family to go to Europe. What was initially supposed to be a trip for two (me and my sister) became a trip for four when my parents asked if they can go with us, too.

When we searched for a tour company and read their detailed itineraries, I realized that we won't get to do what we actually wanted to do. One tour company included Paris in their itinerary, which is my ultimate dream destination, but we weren't going to go up the Eiffel Tower (which was also at the top of my bucket list), and that we weren't even going to enter the Louvre. Basically, we were just going to take pictures. My sister wasn't going to get to do her wine tasting in Tuscany, and my parents weren't going to see the Pope.

So I convinced them to just let me do the itinerary, I said I'll plan everything, from the train rides to the accommodations to the activities. I'll also do an estimate costing, and research everything on how to get from Point A to Point B. Maybe it helped that they trusted me to get things done (i.e. I planned a trip to Singapore, Camiguin, and Iloilo even though I haven't been to any of these places).

I don't advise doing this unless you're ready for the stress, sleepless nights, and lots of research and paperwork for at least a month. And maybe make up to five train itineraries in case your companions change their mind about which countries they want to visit or what activity they want to do.

I had to change our itineraries several times because

First: Too much time constraint per activity since mama initially asked if we could go to 8 countries

Second: Papa kept saying he only wanted to go to Rome

Third: Mama asked if we can go to Lourdes in France

Fourth: Mama asked if we can incorporate Spain, to which papa said I should prepare two itineraries

Fifth: Ate Mako asked if we can include Hamburg

Sixth: Mama asked me three times if we can include Switzerland because she wanted to see the Swiss Alps

Seventh: I had to figure out the shortest train rides we can go to reach Paris, since we just wanted to take the regional trains to avoid reservation fees (more on this later).

So after all these requests, I had to make an itinerary with the following conditions:

Must spend at least 3 days in Rome
Must go to the Via Appia in Rome
Must have a wine tasting tour (hence, 2 days in Florence)
Must see the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Must go to Venice and see David
Must see the Swiss Alps
Must be within budget (papa said just P150,000/pax average although our trip was KKB)
Must be able to spend time in the Louvre
Must be able to ride the Eiffel Tower
Must see the Notredame
Must see the Sacre-cour
Must have free time or time we'll just spend walking around
Must maximize our 15-day vacation

The result:
1) A 17-day (including transit to and fro Europe) vacation

2) A trip to 10 destinations and 5 countries: Rome, Vatican, Florence, Pisa and Venice in Italy; Innsbruck in Austria; Munich in Germany; Zurich, the town of Engelberg, and Geneva in Switzerland; and Paris in France.

3) A 30-page flexible itinerary. This included the following:

A one-page detailed itinerary that includes the exact time of departure and arrival and station/airport for every train and plane ride.
A 25-page detailed daily itinerary, from the time we land in Rome, to the time we departed for Manila at the end of our stay.

Since you never know what could happen, I had the "must-see" activities memorized, so even if we couldn't go to every stop in our itinerary, at least we were able to visit or do all the activities that were top priority for each of us.

Draft of our walking tour in Munich

With the "walking time" requested by my sister, what I did was incorporate that with the sites that we can tour by walking. So I mapped out our walking tour in Google Maps so we can also see the estimated time of our tour, and the shortest possible route.

I also included facts and trivia about the sights we were going to visit. Since we weren't joining any tours or even joining free tours, I had to make notes about the places we were visiting so they know why we're actually going there. For example, since we were going to Rome and see the Trevi Fountain, I made sure to include what makes Trevi Fountain interesting. I also included the artist and details about the artwork we can see for a certain church we were visiting, especially the works of Bernini, Michaelangelo, etc.

I also added pertinent details such as the electricity output, notable scams in Europe and contact details of the Philippine embassy for each country we were visiting.

4) A detailed estimated costing per person
This included the cost for our plane ride, Visa application, museum passes, accommodation, Eurail, Paris Pass, and meals. I allotted 8 euros for every meal, just to be on the safe side. I also included a budget for snacks if the day was going to be particularly filled, or if we were going on a long train ride. What I forgot to allot were the bus/train passes in each city, as well as allotment for water and the toilets! Since we were each paying for our own trip, we needed to know how much exactly we would need to bring, and I also asked them to make an allowance for other emergencies. Thankfully, my parents and I brought more than enough.

I divided the costing per day, per location, per activity, in Euro, total in Euro, total in Peso, and Notes.

Sample of my costing for Europe

Since we pre-booked our accommodation by credit card, I made sure to include the conversion charges that will be incurred. I used BPI because they had the lowest conversion charge at 1.75%. But since we were paying in Euros, I computed the charge from Euro to USD, then from USD to PHP, then PHP x 1.75%. I computed this either with the base amount divided by 4 (since we were 4 in the group) or the total divided by 4.

All other charges that will only be paid in Euro (i.e. meals) are left in Euro. For the subtotal, I just converted the amount straight from Euro to PHP then added everything to get the total amount in Pesos.

Again, Google's currency converter was so handy.

5) STRESS. Lots of stress, so make sure you have the time, patience, and energy if you want to prepare this on your own, for the first time, like I did!

Good luck!

Next post will be about the Schengen Visa requirements.

All notes are based on our experience. These are just guides and tips. If your visa is denied, please don't blame me. I don't decide on the approval of your visa :-)

Read about my Eurotrip!
Rome day 1
Rome day 2
Florence day 3-4
Pisa day 4
Venice day 5
Innsbruck day 6
Munich day 7-8

Other links you might find helpful:

Preparing your Schengen visa requirements | Booking your hotel and plane fare | Filling out the Schengen visa form | How to apply to the Italian embassy thru Via | Cross-country train travel in Europe

Davao: Kadayawan Festival and other trippings

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Sun, 27 Sep 2015 15:14:00 +0000

Woke up to this view!

As part of my sister's wish to attend the various festivals in the Philippines, we also booked a trip to Davao to see the Kadayawan Festival. We were very excited because we've never been to that festival even though we've been to Davao thrice!

Thankfully, despite the rainy weather in Manila, the sun cooperated throughout our long weekend in Davao. In fact, it was so hot, it felt like my skin was burning! Weekend trip tip: Bring sunscreen.

We stayed for one night at our house in Davao, where my cousins stay for free. Thankfully, I've booked us a room in Marco Polo because there was no room for us at home. Despite the long weekend, none of my cousins went home to the province because we were there. That's also just an excuse, because I wanted to try the Marco Polo in Davao -- another one off my bucket list!

As soon as we landed, we went straight to McDonalds for breakfast. The taxi drivers are so much nicer compared to the ones here in Manila. They will give you back the change up to the last peso. And thanks to GrabTaxi, we were able to get discounted taxi fare, too.

After breakfast, we went straight to our house to drop off our bags and meet our cousins. Then off we went to Samal Island!

Samal Island

We were so unprepared for our trip. I thought Samal Island was like Boracay Island or Panglao beach where we can just pick any resort, and that the access was going to be easy. Nope. Our cousins made us look up resorts online. We had to pick a pretty cheap one because my sister and I had a budget, and we ended up paying for everything whenever we were with our cousins.

When we got off the roro at the port in Samal, we rode a tricycle at P40/head. That was pretty expensive! But the road to the resort we chose was pretty difficult, so we felt that it was worth it. If you could book a resort with a transfer, that would be so much better.

And when we got to the resort, that had a private gate and the guard wouldn't let us in without a reservation, we found out that they were already full and we can only stay for their daytime tour. Since the resorts in Samal are pretty far apart, we had no choice but to stay. Too bad the resort didn't have any snorkel or boat facilities so we were only able to enjoy the scenery, go swimming in the sea or in their infinity pools. But their pools also had salty water!

It was definitely not how I envisioned my trip to Samal Island! I forgot the name of the resort, but for the price we paid, it was good enough. You get what you pay for, I suppose.

It was definitely not how I envisioned Samal -- and ate Mako was so surprised why I kept saying we had to go. So despite the forgettable experience we had this year, I'm hoping I can come back, but visit a different part of the island, and book with a different resort!

We went back to the city and had a quick dinner with other cousins. My nephew invited us to the street foam party as part of Kadayawan Festival. So off we went, and along the way I couldn't help but notice the heavy military presence in the vicinity. But no one seemed to be bothered or afraid! They said it's common in their area, especially with the ongoing festival celebration.

I'm not much of a party girl, but it was so much fun! My cousins were so nervous because it was such a crush, and the roads were a bit slippery from all the foam, but it was nice to just dance in the dark and forget all my worries, especially after such a tiring week.

We had to get out soon after because they wanted to go home. I admit I was also afraid because the people started pushing. I think people pushing + slippery roads = disaster, so off we went. That was unforgettable, though!

The next day, we checked in at Marco Polo. We chose the Marco Polo because of its proximity to the dances (there's a stage right outside!) and when I contacted them they said its free for guests of Marco Polo but on a first come, first serve basis. So at eight in the morning, my sister and I checked in and I asked for two seats to the stage.

They said we can't, the seats are reserved for those in their membership program. I was so surprised and I complained that we were assured that seats were available to the guests, but to no avail. My sister and I just walked for thirty minutes under the sun because of the road blocks, we couldn't get seats to the stage, there was no room available yet, and we were thirsty and so sweaty. The receptionist finally told us we can avail of the pool area and facilities if we wanted to rest.

But we went to Davao for the festival, so we went to watch the dancing instead and ignored the sun, heat, and sweat.

Ahhh no regrets!

There are several stages set, and even though they didn't dance their full routine at the stage at Marco Polo, there was still a huge crowd! Their energy was certainly infectious, and the crowds endured the scorching heat just to watch the lively dances and colorful costumes.

Afterwards, I received a text from Marco Polo saying our room was ready. It turns out they upgraded us from their standard room to a deluxe room so that they can accommodate us early (at only 10am!).

For some reason, they also added an extra single bed and extra amenities even though there were only two of us. Ate Mako opted to sleep in the extra bed. Their extra bed actually felt more newer than the king-sized bed, but I'm not complaining.

After a quick lunch and shopping at Aldevinco, we were back at the hotel and enjoyed their pool. Their pool is actually pretty large, and there was plenty of space for everyone. There were two spaces that were roped off for those who wanted to do laps, and my sister and I had fun going back and forth. It was definitely a treat for us because we love to swim, but we rarely get the chance to do it unless we're on vacation.

Afterwards, my cousins and I met up again for dinner at Perch. They recommended it, and I've read it on other blogs too, so off we went. We tried the candied bacon, their steak rice, and a slab of steak. The servings are pretty generous for five people. Their cocktail drink wasn't as tasty as I wanted it to be, though, although the alcohol was pretty strong.

We left with full and happy bellies, that's for sure.

While my cousins went back to the festivities, ate Mako and I went back to the hotel for our spa appointment at Lazuli. Since their air conditioning wasn't working, we opted to have the full body massage at our room. I had my body scrub at the spa, and it was pretty good. The positioning of the in-room shower was awkward though, as anyone walking past your room outside will be able to see you if your room attendant opens the door.

My only complaint with Lazuli is that it took them 30 minutes past our massage appointment for them to go up to our room. We were already so sleepy and we just wanted to leave. Thankfully we already paid for the massages before we got started. Even though we were in Davao, we still locked up all our valuables in the in-room safe before we started the massage.

I think our Davao trip was a half and half success. In terms of enjoying the festival, I think we were able to do so, but aside from that, there were plenty of near misses! I hope our next trip will be so much better.

Thank you for the pleasant stay, Davao!

Overnight R&R at T-House Tagaytay

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 04:00:00 +0000

T-House Tagaytay

Last March, my family and I went to T-House in Tagaytay for an overnight R&R. It was our birthday treat to papa and ate Mariko. It was a beautiful place, without a doubt, but we had mixed feelings throughout the trip.

One of our favorite part about T-House is that it's right beside our favorite coffee shop in Tagaytay, Java Jazz. But coming from the road, the driveway was so steep, it was slightly heartpounding. And the guard stopped us right at the point where we were inclined by 45 degrees. My father was pissed because it felt so dangerous for him.

T-House Tagaytay

But he calmed down once we were inside because it really was soothing inside. In fact, he was really impressed by how T-House Tagaytay grew to his relaxing room cluster.

T-House Tagaytay is divided into three clusters. The voucher and room was only for four people, but I called ahead of time and paid extra to include ate Apple for an extra bed and the set breakfast.

They presented two rooms for us. I liked the first room because it had a bath tub, and I love bath tubs because we don't have one at home, and it always signifies relaxation for me. I spend at least forty minutes to an hour in bath tubs when my hotel room has one.

Bedroom at T-House Tagaytay

However, we had to choose the bigger room, the Serenity room, with only a shower so we can fit five adults and one adult. Our room had three single beds plus one queen mattress on the floor.

The beds were okay. The room was clean, and the pillows were soft enough. If you're looking to relax, this was definitely the place.

Our room also had easy access to the garden/patio outside. We were a little nervous that our room had two doors (see that door in the photo), but the room locked just fine, and we had a good night's sleep. The room also has a TV and a small living area, plus a huge wall and dresser with a water heater. If you're travelling with kids, they will let you refrigerate your children's milk in their kitchen -- just label it properly and ask the front desk.

T-House toilet

We were pretty relaxed until my father used the toilet and it clogged. We had to call for a plumber (well, the hotel's in-house plumber), but it was a bit of a hassle and discomfort for us. However, after fixing the toilet, we didn't have any more problems throughout our stay. Also note that they don't provide slippers and toothpaste, so you have to bring your own.

But one feature of the shower that made my sister and I laugh uncontrollably was when I was taking a bath, and she was using the toilet, and we realized the only partition separating the toilet and shower was a glazed glass wall. I think it took me ten minutes to finish showering because I just kept making funny faces through the glass. We also had fun imagining scenarios where friends would book this room and one uses the toilet while someone is taking a shower. I can just imagine the surprise, especially if they're two straight guys!

One detail that surprised us when we entered were the rose petals on the toilet and shower areas. It was a nice little touch, though.

Since guests at the T-House had a discount for their spa services, we were all quite excited to try out their massage. Ate Mariko was especially excited because she was looking for a massage as good as the one we had at Injap Tower Hotel in Iloilo.

However, their massage roster was full for the day until Sunday afternoon, at the time we were leaving Tagaytay. Apparently, they also accept clients who are not checked-in at T-House. So if you're planning to stay at T-House and want to book a massage, calling ahead is definitely a must. That was such a buzzkill.

My niece Aj had a lot of fun with all the space, though. We kept taking turns throwing around a soft ball. Afterwards, my sisters and I relaxed in the huge sofa with netting and watched a movie and read books. With all the trees and plants around us, it didn't feel so hot and while we stayed there.

Cool and breezy but had a lot of mosquitos!

Also, we were so excited to enjoy their infinity pool, but they had a party being held in their pool area, and hotel guests were not allowed to swim. We felt so bad, so we just went to Starbucks at Robinsons. But for dinner, we went to Java Jazz because it was a rainy and cold night, and we knew their tsokolate-eh was just the thing.

Family time at T-House Tagaytay

When we got back to T-House, it was already dark out. I played a quick game of sungka with ate Apple (they have two at the reception as well as some books guests can borrow for the duration of their stay). Afterwards, I ordered a cocktail for me as my parents brought out the wine they brought. T-House also gave us free tasty chocolate brownies. Relaxation was definitely the agenda of the day.

It was such a relief to have that netting. We were safe from the mosquitos. The bedding just felt a little damp, but that must be because of the slight drizzle. I ordered a cocktail from T-House's restaurant, but the bartender delivered it straight to where I was (I told him where I'll be, of course). The cocktail tasted weak, though, and not as delicious as others I've drank. But the food of the other diners looked and smelled good when I passed by. Our set breakfast the next day was okay; nothing to write home about but nothing to sniff at either.

The next day, my parents went to Sunday mass at 8am. We were right beside a Catholic church, so T-House's location was definitely convenient. My sisters and I went swimming instead, since we were going to mass when we went home to Manila.

When we got there, there was only a couple of guests enjoying the place. The pool is pretty small, and if you like to take laps, make sure you'll be alone in the pool. The other half of the pool is dedicated to a jacuzzi that was also small enough for kids. The other 1/4 was dedicated to three tiled beds where you can sunbathe, literally, because your back will be slightly soaked in the pool water as you take in the sun.

Infinity pool at T-House Tagaytay

If you're using eyeglasses while swimming, make sure they won't fall out of your head! My sister's eyeglasses fell off while we were leaning over the edge, and it fell down on to the slightly dirty run off from the pool.

Even though there's a patio and small kitchen in the pool area, there was no server. The bathroom was on the path towards the pool, but they were locked when we were there so we had to run to our bedroom.

We didn't use the changing area in the pool room, though, because it was a little dusty and we were the only ones there.

Our stay in T-House Tagaytay was a mixture of relaxation and slight exasperation, but we definitely enjoyed the vibe of the place. The rooms are a little pricey, but we were able to get a huge discount because of a Dealgrocer voucher.

T-House Tagaytay
3195 Calamba Road, Tagaytay City, Philippines
Tel: (02) 788 7354

Mobile: +63922-8846-875 / +63939-9039-587 / +63917-5413-584
T-House Tagaytay website
T-House Tagaytay Facebook page
T-House Tagaytay Twitter page

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post.

Afternoon fun at the National Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 13:46:00 +0000

Spoliarium by Juan Luna - oil on canvas, 1884

Last May 2015, National Museum declared that the admission was going to be free because it was the museum month. Despite my fever, I persuaded my family that a trip to the National Museum and see Vicente Manansala's paintings was a good reason to get out of my sick bed. That, and because my parents haven't been inside the National Museum yet! (Photos are unedited. Please do not grab my photos without permission or credit.)

Mother's Revenge by Jose Rizal - terra cotta, 1894

My sister has been to the museum for a school project, and I've been here with a friend a few years ago because I wanted to see the Spoliarium. It's one of my favorite paintings in the world, although standing before it a second time, I wondered if it was the original, or it was starting to fade. My parents, who have seen it when it was displayed in Malacanang Palace before, agreed. It looked a little washed out and faded compared to before.

It was fun going to National Museum with my family. My parents were clearly delighted, and looked like a young couple, with my dad frequently had his arm around mama. #relationshipgoals

I also remembered some tidbits from history in high school, like the fact that Jose Rizal also made some sculptures. Then I discovered some new-to-me artists and work I haven't seen before. I love art, and being in the National Museum filled with incredible paintings and info just made the geek in me thrilled to the bones.

Some of the artworks that stood out for me are:

National Artist Guillermo Tolentino's Diwata. This was the first time I've seen it, and I cannot help but take a picture. Look at the draping of the dress, at the fluidity of the folds at the bottom, contrasting the seeming rigidity of the wingspan. It speaks to me of both femininity and power, even as exhibits a slight vulnerability with her arms up.

Diwata by Guillermo Tolentino - reinforced concrete, ca. 1950s

Vista de un Barrio, Guagua by Francisco de Paula Rodoreda. It was done in watercolor, and the details were so precise, and the painting so soothing that I just had to take a picture.

Vista de un Barrio, Guagua by Rodoreda, watercolor, ca. 1890

Another painting is Antonio Luna's Portrait of a Lady. This was the first time I've seen this, and I love the soft rendering. She looks so soft, vulnerable, trapped, and just a little lost in her own thoughts. This also reminded me of Henry James' novel of the same name. A quick Google search implies that this painting was inspired by that book, although I'm not sure how true this is.

Portrait of a Lady by Antonio Luna, 1891

This particular painting fascinated me because this was done on board. I didn't know you can do paintings on board. I'm more used to canvasas. But I love the soft swirls and dreamy feeling given to such an ordinary, everyday scenario.

Carabaos in Pink by Romeo V. Tabuena - oil on board, 1957

Aside from the paintings, there is also an interesting art-related object displayed, such as this "Palette of Masters" on hardwood, which has been passed down by Filipino artists. This was originally the palette of National Artist Botong Francisco, which he gave to National Artist Fernando Amorsolo, who then passed it on to Emilio Aguilar, then Sofronio Ylanan Mendoza, then finally to Romulo Galicano, who painted this scene in 1997 to commemorate its special provenance, and as a gift to his wife Christy.

Botong Francisco's original palette

Then we reached Botong Francisco's painting, and I think my jaw dropped because 1) this was beautiful. My picture doesn't do it justice, and 2) because I only heard about it in grade 4 and saw it in black and white in our textbook. I tested my parents and asked them what this painting was and, without missing a beat, they said the name of the painting. Do you?

The First Mass in Limasawa by Botong Francisco, 1965

According to the National Museum, The First Mass in Limasawa is a "mural depicts Fr. Pedro Valderrama officiating the mass in an improvised altar in the presence of Ferdinand Magellan, Pigafetta (chronicler of Magellan), Spanish soldiers, and the natives in awe.

"The artwork, which was commissioned by the national government, was created to commemorate the 400 years of Philippine Christianization which was held in Cebu in 1965."

I believe that The First Mass in Limasawa is a painting that deserves to be seen in the flesh.

I also discovered this painting by Joya, who is an artist I have never heard of. However, this painting, of which I don't know the name, definitely made me stand up straighter and take notice. And I just had to have my picture taken with it. #artappreciation

Abstract by Joya

Parents dating like they were teenagers

The National Museum is pretty big, so we were pretty thankful that they had benches in select places. Some where inside galleries and some where along the corridors.

I remember something that happened while we were visiting that day. I didn't realize that a lot of Filipinos liked the National Museum, and it was pretty filled with families and quite a few young couples. I think a few eyebrows were raised when a slim, tall girl entered with short shorts, cropped sleeveless top, and sandals, with her hand on the arm of handsome and laidback-looking cute foreigner. I admit I was mildly surprised, not because of where we were, but because I hardly saw people wearing such a getup in Manila. Although I do silently cheered her on because May 2015 was undeniably and unbearably scorching hot.

But a woman in front of me, who said she was from UP, was outraged. She started complaining to a staff from the National Museum that the girl was being disrespectful of the art displayed. I couldn't see her point, but I didn't say anything. Everyone's entitled to their opinion.

But while walking through one of the galleries, I came across the couple, who were, at that time, seriously discussing the art technique used in that particular painting. Goes to show that we shouldn't judge people by what they wear!

After resting for a while, we went to the other galleries and saw this gem. I've read about it and it is one of the paintings I've been dying to see in real life, but I didn't know it was in the National Museum!

Parisian Life by Juan Luna, 1892

The Parisian Life by the controversial Juan Luna is one of the most fascinating pieces of artwork I've seen. I think it was in one of Ambeth Ocampo's books that I first read about this, but I'm not sure because that was a long time ago. The three men in the painting are actually Juan Luna, Rizal, and their friend Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin. I like this painting because it is serene with a hint of playfulness, and is the imagery of what I think Parisian life was like in the 1800s.

Finally, we came to the room where our~~/my~~ reason for visiting: Vicente Manansala's two mural-sized paintings. My reason for wanting to see these is because this is the first time they have been displayed to the public. They used to only grace the cafeteria and dining rooms of IRRI, Laguna -- perhaps because IRRI was the one who asked to have these paintings done.

Vicente Manansala is a cubist painter. I've never heard of a Filipino cubist artist before, but I took one look at the paintings and knew it was cubism. (Also, his profile in the National Museum confirmed his art style). If you don't know what cubism is, it's the art style created by Picasso and George Braque.

My sister, who was suffering from a migraine at that time, couldn't help but walk up to and admire Manansala's work as well.

So happy to see the Manansala paintings in real life!

And good news! These two were just declared National Treasures. They definitely deserve the title.

Here are other examples of National Artist Manansala's work:

Planting of the First Cross by Vicente Silva Manansala - oil on canvas, 1965

A gallery of Manansala's paintings, showing Manansala's cubist style

The National Artist with his wife, Hilda Diaz

The National Museum was filled with romantic pieces. Some really took my breath away, and some I could look at for hours. Some portraits had interesting captions, but I think the best one was the caption for the photo on the right.

It says: "Manansala with his wife and muse Hilda Diaz."

And look how he still had his arms around her at that age. #relationshipgoals

Since we were there for a good three hours already, and we were all getting pretty tired, we decided on our last top--and what a view it was!

This is actually one of my favorite artworks. I love National Artist Guillermo Tolentino's classical depiction of Venus (which also brings to mind Botticelli's The Birth of Venus.)

Venus by Guillermo Tolentino - plaster of Paris, 1951

I love Tolentino's Venus, with her arms up, in her utter nakedness. I love how she is looking far away, confidence and thoughtfulness gleaming in her eyes. She definitely looks like a goddess surveying her kingdom with satisfaction, as the wind breezed through her hair.

Fun facts about Guillermo Tolentino, based on his profile in the National Museum:

He created the curriculum for sculpture at the School of Fine Arts of UP
In his spare time, he developed his expertise in baybayin and translated Philippine literature in Spanish into Tagalog and afterwards into the pre-colonial syllabary (including Rizal's Mi Ultimo Adios).
He played the guitar and piano with equal mastery.
He's the sculptor of the Oblation (or 'Oble' as it is fondly called) in UP Diliman.

Hats off to you, sir!

The National Museum is definitely worth a visit. It's open from Tuesdays to Sundays from 10am to 5pm. The entrance fees aren't so bad! And it's a worthy date place, especially if your partner is into the arts. But if you're low on funds, go on a Sunday, when admission is free!

Notes:

1) All guests are required to sign in. You have to fall in line. If you're a group, just one person is required to sign in everyone in the group.

2) Firearms, food, bottled water, and ballpens are not allowed. You have to leave your bag in the baggage counter, and can only bring your phone and wallet.

3) Picture taking is allowed for souvenir purposes only. DSLR cameras need special permit. The use of flash photography is strictly prohibited.

There is also a Museum of the Filipino People on the side of the National Museum, which is part of the fee, I think, but we didn't drop by this time because we were all tired. But I've been there before, and it's also a good museum to visit!

Follow the National Museum on Facebook or Twitter to be constantly updated. :)

National Museum of the Philippines
Padre Burgos Drive, City of Manila, Philippines

Tel: 527 0278
National Museum website
National Museum Facebook page
National Museum Twitter page
National Museum Instagram page

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post.

Enjoy! :)

Easy peasy at Injap Tower Hotel

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 04:30:00 +0000

Whenever I go on a trip, I always look up several inns/hotels and make a spreadsheet to compare the pricing, facilities, other notes about the place (i.e. room can fit four, whether or not breakfast is included, etc).

Such was the case when my sister and I went to Iloilo. Injap Tower Hotel was actually our primary choice after my sister ruled out staying at a small resort where the pool could only fit one person...standing.

The main selling point of Injap for us was the cost. At P1,750/night/2 people, with a plated breakfast - that was a steal, considering that we went there during the Dinagyang Festival. Note: Injap Tower Hotel is far from the route of the parade. You will have to take a jeepney/taxi to get to where the festival actually takes place.

Another reason we chose Injap Tower Hotel (and yes, I do have to keep repeating the name because there are apparently several Injap buildings in the city) is its proximity to SM City Mandurriao, which is where the shuttle vans from the airport drop off and pick up passengers. Plus, SM City Mandurriao has a traveler's lounge terminal, which was perfect for us because we had to check out at 12nn and wait for our flight at 8pm.

Our flight was delayed by 2 hours, so our 6am ETA was moved to 8am. When we arrived at Injap, they had no room available for us yet, but they stored our bags so we didn't carry our luggage as we traveled around Iloilo.

Each Happy Room can fit up to 3 people

We went back to the hotel around 4pm, at which time we decided not to leave anymore because we were just so tired. We decided to have an early dinner, bought some snacks from the 7-11 conveniently located on the ground floor of the hotel, and settled in our room.

Cable TV with small dresser for one

Each room, called a Happy Room, has a microwave, a mini refrigerator, and a kitchen sink. The bed was so comfortable and warm. There is also a closet with several hangers, but they only provided one bathrobe, which my sister and I took turns using. They also only gave two towels, which was sufficient for us, but I wonder if they provide an extra towel if three persons checked-in.

I'm happy to note that they had a bidet because it is such a pain to do one's business without a tabo or the handy-dandy bidet. They also provided toiletries in a cute pouch; it contained a toothbrush, a razor, ear buds, soap, lotion, shampoo, and conditioner. Sad to say, my sister's pouch did not contain soap or ear buds. Uniformity and equal benefits would have been nice.

Some more pictures of our Happy Room:

Sufficiently spacious corridor

Sufficiently clean bathroom

The throne

View outside our window

I don't have any complaints about the cleanliness of the bathroom, which is one of my sister's pet peeves. It is also one of the places I first check when I look up reviews/website and upon entering the room.

They also provided a flimsy in-room slippers. I was grateful for that because the room didn't have carpeting and the floor was cold, and I didn't bring slippers.

Injap Tower Hotel's pool on the 5th

We actually brought our bathing suits with us but the weather was too cold, and I was already coughing my lungs out, so we just went for a massage.

This is what my sister had to say for the spa: best. spa. ever. My sister, who doesn't like to get full body naked massages became so relaxed that she actually fell asleep. I also had a full body scrub (my birthday treat to myself) aside from the full body massage. The body scrub left me feeling so smooth afterwards. I actually don't know how good the massage was because I drifted off to sleep immediately. In fact, the masseuse had to shake my shoulder afterwards to tell me we were done. Hehehe! But judging from the laziness and sound sleep I had afterwards, I'm guessing it was pretty good. Oh, did I mention that the massage only cost P400, and I only paid P750 for my two treatments? That's pretty cheap, considering its location and service.

Guimaras yonder - so near yet so far

The keycard envelope also contained our breakfast coupon. The restaurant on the 21st floor served a mix of Asian cuisines. The food serving was good enough for one. They also had four different choices of coffee and tea, but some of those coffee/tea choices had additional cost.

And since Injap Tower Hotel is the highest tower in Iloilo, the view at the top was quite nice. The weather was just really gloomy when we were there so it felt so dreary.

There are two elevators and one service elevator. It was annoying that there wasn't any display that will tell you on which the floor the elevator was already, so we had to press all three buttons and rode the one that arrived first. Don't forget to bring your key card with you whenever you have to use the elevator because you will need to tap your key card against the elevator's security panel. Also, some doors in the fire exit don't have handles from inside the stairwell, so taking the stairs wasn't really an option. Ate Mako and I walked from the 14th to the 5th floor and had to go back up to the 11th floor just so we can take the elevator.

Also, when we tried to check-out, they tried to charge us P50 for consuming this sweet treat thing that we didn't even know we had in our refrigerator but we did not eat it. They kept insisting we did, but we swore we didn't, and I told them to check the trash. They finally voided the charge. To me, that was fishy. If it was the previous occupant who ate it, why were we being charged and not them? Since they didn't clean our room, all our trash was there. They said they had a unique code etc etc, but who cares about a unique code when we didn't consume any such product from the mini bar? Sheesh. That really soured my experience of Injap Tower Hotel. I was at the point of just paying the P50 just to get the heck out of there when they suddenly voided it. Well thank you, but that still miffed me.

Lesson learned: If I'm going to stay at Injap Tower Hotel, I'm going to keep stock of their minibar! I'll probably apply to this to other hotels, but then again I've never been through this before.

Injap Tower Hotel
West Diversion Road, Mandurriao District
Iloilo City, Iloilo
Email: stay-injaptowerhotel@hotel101.com.ph
Tel: +63333307111
Mob: +639223821635
Injap Tower Hotel website
Injap Tower Hotel Facebook page
Injap Tower Hotel Twitter page
Injap Tower Hotel Instagram page

Commuting galore: Hello Iloilo!

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 08:14:00 +0000

Iloilo!

Here is how ate Mako and I ended up going to the Dinagyang festival in Iloilo...

Ate Mako: Ja, I want to go to the Dinagyang festival. I hear they also have an ati-atihan festival, but the crowd isn't as big as the one in Cebu.

Me: Okay!

And then we booked.

We went the day after my 27th birthday, sort of a birthday celebration/gift for myself as well. We decided to limit our spending to P10,000, including the expensive air fare. We ended up booking when there was no sale because we were afraid the seats would run out.

Since we were only in Iloilo for the weekend, we had to narrow down the places we were going to visit. Ate Mako did not want to ride a boat after our trip to El Nido, so we were limited to land-based attractions. We ended up going to all four towns of Iloilo City, and to Miagao, in the southern part of Iloilo.

The trip to Miagao took us two hours, one-way.

Church of Sto. Tomas de Villanueva in Miagao, Iloilo

The Church of Sto. Tomas de Villanueva is one of only four churches in the Philippines granted a Unesco Heritage status. The other churches are the ones in Vigan, Paoay, and Intramuros.

Close-up view

Its design is Baroque, and definitely one of the most beautiful churches I've ever seen. It has been preserved throughout the years. They used to let people go up to the bell tower, but the admin has since closed it off for safety reasons.

How to commute to Miagao (from Mandurriao):

1) Ride a jeep to Super (you can also take a taxi but it's way cheaper to just take the jeepney).

2) Take the jeep bound for Miagao. Ask to be dropped off at the Sto. Tomas Cathedral (or we just said Miagao Church).

How to get back to Iloilo City:
1) Ride the jeepney that's parked right beside the Church. Ask if they are going to Iloilo City, or at least Arevalo.

2) From Arevalo, you can either ride a pedicab or jeep to go to the beach, where there are several restaurants like Beachside or Tatoy's, or take the jeep to Iloilo City.

*Tip: Ride beside or near the driver so he won't forget to drop you off your destination.

Since the jeep we rode from Miagao was only up to the terminal at Arevalo, and it was past lunch time by then, we decided to go to Tatoy's (in Arevalo), because we just kept hearing about it. We asked the locals and they directed us towards the next street to take a pedicab. It was marvelous that we managed to get around Iloilo just by asking the local drivers/policemen/guards.

We didn't realize Tatoy's was just across the beach, which was a happy coincidence since the beach was in one of my original itinerary. My sister and I ordered their roasted chicken, which was supposedly very popular, but was too dry for our taste. It cost us P320. Make sure that if you order rice, you specify if it's by cup or by platter, because they automatically serve you by platter.

Since we weren't planning to go to Guimaras, I had given up hope of tasting the famous Guimaras mangoes, but lo and behold, Tatoy's had them, both in green and ripe varieties. I was about to order a kilo, but I decided to taste it first. Luckily, they serve by piece too.

The beach in Arevalo, Iloilo

Unfortunately, it fell flat of my expectations. I was expecting the sweetest mangoes ever, but not every bite of it was sweet, and was slightly sour. The only exception is that it was ripened naturally. As an avid eater of mangoes, I can detect if it's naturally ripe or ripened by chemicals. It was the former, and that made me glad. I guess having tasted ripe mangoes plucked straight off a naturally-fertilized tree will make you have high standards when it comes to mango. Oh Kiblawan, how I miss your mangoes.

Before leaving, we decided to take a peek at the beach. It was ordinary, and we didn't see anyone swimming. I'm not sure if people actually swim there because it didn't look developed. But I've been told that the islands off the coast of Iloilo (i.e. Guimaras, Isla de Gigantes) are much better. They are actually part of the reason why I'm planning to go back to Iloilo.

We rode a jeepney that was passing through, since it was going to our next stop: St. Anne's Church in Molo.

We disembarked in front of this beautiful old house, but I don't know what landmark it is. I'm also not sure if you can go it, since it was gated and there were guards, but they were nice enough to let me slide my hands through the gates and take a picture. Iloilo City has a lot of beautiful heritage houses.

St. Anne's Church is known as the Feminist Church because of the 16 nearly life-sized images of female saints inside.

St. Anne's Church, Molo, Iloilo

Interestingly enough, right outside the Church is a grecian temple with life-sized statues of greek goddesses Hera, Demeter, Aphrodite, Athena, Artemis and another goddess I am unable to identify. I have no idea why they have it, but it's a stark contrast (from this angle, at least) the the dark and forbidding façade brought about by the fusion of Romanesque and Baroque design elements.

This was our last stop because we were so tired. Our flight was supposed to be at 4:30am but was moved to 6:20am because of some slight delay with PAL. Talk about getting no sleep. I'm just thankful that we didn't get migraines even with the lack of sleep, constant traveling, and delayed eating times.

The next day, we didn't have any tour planned anymore because we thought the Dinagyang parade was going to take all day. But I scheduled us to have mass at The Metropolitan Cathedral in Jaro because I wanted to see and pray with the Lady of Candles.

The Metropolitan Cathedral, Jaro, Iloilo City

Set against the azure sky that Sunday morning, the Cathedral just seemed so magnificent. The very high ceiling and the beautiful interior made me feel so small and left me in awe (and wondering if I can get married there someday).

Afterwards, we went straight to the parade and dances of Dinagyang. There was a lot of people and henna artists. Plenty of little trinkets were sold on the side, and there were booths giving away free wine and free Emperador light. I was amazed by the freebies. I think it's the first time I went to a place that offered free alcoholic drinks!

The carriage of the Miss Dinagyang (I think) also passed, which caused quite a stir. A lot of people wanted to take pictures with the escort, but I don't know who he is. All I know is that I wanted to ride the freaking Cinderella-inspired carriage. Lucky people.

Ate Mako and I were about to go back to the hotel because we had to check out of our room when one of the competitors passed us by. Since we were right on the street, we started taking photos with the dancers in the background. We didn't know they were actually posing behind us, which really delighted us. We were right in on the action, and it felt so fantastic. We thought we weren't going to actually see the parade since we didn't buy a ticket to the platform. But we found ourselves right there, so we took advantage of the moment and took pictures of them and with them. It was so spur-of-the-moment, it kinda took my breath away.

Some other photos I took during Dinagyang...

Hala bira, Dinagyang!

One of my favorite shots

If you're planning to get around Iloilo the adventurous way like we did, here are some tips:
1) Take lots of coins with you. It's easier and cheaper to take the jeepney instead of cabs.

2) There are two SM malls in Iloilo. One is SM City, which is in Mandurriao, the new CBD of Iloilo, and one in the actual city proper of Iloilo. Be clear where you're going because you might end up at the SM in the city, instead of at SM City.

3) Planning to take the shuttle van from the airport to the city? Just ask the guard outside the arrival where the vans are. It will only cost you P50, and will drop you off anywhere between the airport to SM City Mandurriao.

4) Vans from SM City Mandurriao to the Iloilo International airport are available for P70/pax.

5) If your flight isn't until late in the afternoon/evening, you can check in your luggage at SM City Mandurriao for P30/day until 9pm.

6) Slather on some suncreen, bring a bottle of water, and enjoy the journey.

Our trip to Iloilo is one of my favorite memories so far this 2015. Iloilo was surprisingly modern and the people were generally friendly. It was fairly easy for us to explore the town, considering that we didn't know how to actually go from one place to another, but we managed to get to our destinations anyway.

The food is one of the things I didn't enjoy, but maybe I just ate at the wrong places. I feel there's so much more to Iloilo that I can explore, so I'm hoping that one day, I'll get to visit again.

Thanks for the memories, you lovely city.

Survivor Series: El Nido, Palawan

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 13:31:00 +0000

Happy parentals @ El Nido

Last December, I had the chance to finally visit El Nido and Puerto Princesa. I've been to Coron back in 2007 and it quickly became my favorite destination. I was so excited because I kept hearing that El Nido was so beautiful, and I thought it comparable to Coron. I was wrong. (Note: Photos are unedited, and taken by my Samsung S5.)

When we entered Coron by ship via Super Ferry, we passed by limestone cliffs that just took my breath away. When we went to El Nido, we had to take a 6-7-hour van ride all the way from Puerto Prinsesa. One way. We could have taken the ITI plane from Manila to El Nido but my parents were afraid of plane crashes. We didn't know that ITI is actually owned by the Ayalas and reportedly very safe.

I booked Daytripper for my family to make sure that our long drive would be comfortable, especially for my parents. We had two stops, one for a quick bathroom break and one for lunch at Non La that took about two hours because the service was just really slow. Then we had a three-minute stretching break overlooking El Nido, which was my first glimpse of its beauty.

There are 45 islands in El Nido, and not all of them are open to the public. The tour guide during Tour C told us that some of the islands are being preserved until such time when they need to replace the old tour stops.

We stayed at the Rainforest Beach Hotel for P3,000/room/night for 4 pax, but it didn't include breakfast. However, my parents requested that we stay at a hotel that was beachfront, and Rainforest was definitely that. We just had to exit at the back and we can swim right outside the hotel if we wanted to.

The room was very basic, and the walls were thin but we were so exhausted each night that we dropped off to sleep right after. The telco signal was very weak/almost non-existent inside the rooms. They have free WIFI it is only strong in the lobby. They provide free drinking water, coffee, and tea, and also sell some soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, and chips. My sister and I had a bottle each of Tanduay Ice our first night as we enjoyed the fresh breeze and sound of the waves slapping against the shore. It felt so perfect and relaxing.

One of my favorite parts of my vacation was that there were hardly any sellers at the beach (like in Boracay!). Very few people tried to sell as pearls, although some were persistent. Also, if anyone tries to sell you that necklace where you will open the oyster to get the pearl at around P200+, you're being fooled. It only costs about P100-P150 in the pasalubong center in Puerto Princesa.

Tip #1: Book your flight and hotel room at least four months in advance, especially if you're going during the peak season (April-May and December). Most hotels post the peak season rate in their website, which is considerably higher than the low season rate. Check them out months in advance so you'll have time to save up.

Tip #2: El Nido has a lot of tourists year-round, so even if there are a lot of tour companies, book in advance as well.

Tip #3: There are several vans that can take you from the Puerto Princesa airport to El Nido. Some vans leave every 30 minutes, while Daytripper only had one trip when we went there. But I wanted to ensure we were not going to have any problems with our ride so I booked four seats back and forth in Daytripper's executive coach (which was super roomy and they provided a bottle of water per person).

Tip #4: There are no ATMs in El Nido, so make sure you have plenty of cash for your hotel and tour (if you haven't pre-paid), food, pasalubong, and emergencies.

El Nido @ daybreak (right outside our hotel)

Limestone cliffs at the back of our resort

Compared to other tourist places we've been to, there were very few places to eat at than we expected. However, we managed to wait and get a table at Trattoria Altrove, and the food was delicious. The pizza was oven baked and best eaten fresh. The crust could get rubbery when cold. We ordered a seafood pasta, which was surprisingly delightful, especially since I'm not the sort who likes seafood pasta. If you're planning to eat here, keep in mind that there's about a 20-minute wait to get a table and about 10-15 minutes' waiting time for your food to be served.

Really delicious pizza!

Tasty seafood pasta

We also ate at the bagel place, but the pesto was disappointing and left a bad taste in our mouths. Their chicken sandwich was delicious though. We also had to find a breakfast place and one of the two places we found that was open at 7am was Seaslugs, which was about a minute's walk from our hotel. It's also beachfront so you can definitely enjoy the morning breeze and view. This easily became our favorite go-to place because the food was tasty and the price was just right. At first serving, I thought I'd still be hungry but the portion was just right for me.

Since we only had two days to tour El Nido, because days 1 and 4 were allotted for traveling to and fro PP, I decided to book tours A and C, based on several online research from other bloggers. Tour A disappointed me very much, that I slightly wished we went to Tour B or D instead.

I booked our tours with Northern Hope Tours. Our online correspondence went off without a hitch, but on the actual day of the tour, they felt disorganized. They were late in picking us up, and we waited for an hour for the rest of our tour mates, even though our tour mates were early getting ready because they were also told 8:30am. The tour guide also didn't give us a lot of information about the islands, even though it was part of his welcoming spiel. The second day tour guide was better and he seemed more sure of what he was doing. The best part of the tour, however, was that their food was delicious and bountiful, and they provided free water.

On our very first stop at the Secret Lagoon, several of us in the tour crashed against the rocks and went back to the boat bloody. It made me very wary of the rest of the stops and lessened my enjoyment of the trip, because every time I submerged in the water, my wounds opened up anew.

In the small lagoon, I was disappointed to see that a lot of corals were almost dead. The fish were also quite few. But I did get the shock of my life when I was snorkeling and a green water snake swam from the rock right underneath me. I knew it wasn't going to hurt me but it still scared and surprised me.

Since I only had my S5 with me, and I wanted to enjoy my trip outside the camera, I rarely took photos while in the water. Here are some of the shots I did manage to get...

Pops enjoying the Big Lagoon scenery

Yes, the water is THAT clear in some islands

View from Matinloc Shrine - one of my favorite photos

"Mahangin ba sa labas?" look past Hidden Beach

Our very nice 2-day tourmates

Glimpse of the sunset kinda made up for the bloody wounds

Tip #5: If you don't have a rash guard, put on sunscreen every three hours, especially if your boat doesn't have a roof.

Tip #6: If your tour guide does not provide drinking water, make sure you bring some on the boat with you. You will get thirsty from all that swimming, and parched from the heat.

Tip #7: I recommend fins or swimming shoes because you might step on corals or sharp rocks (like I did) or get stung by water animals.

Tip #8: Tourist shirts for pasalubong are a little expensive, but there's a little store owned by a Muslim couple in one of the streets after the Church, where they sell t-shirts at around P120-P150, no matter the color.

Tip #9: Print and bring your tour vouchers (if any) and e-mail correspondence with the hotel/tour company, confirming that they received your payment, especially if you paid online. If you don't have a physical over-the-counter bank deposit slip, make a screenshot of your payment when paying online.

6-day trip with only my My Drawing Room backpack

I agree that El Nido is a very beautiful place, but I think it's not for everyone. It's not for those who are looking for the nightlife and crazy parties and just having an easy-peasy vacation. It's very quiet and still quaint, and I think the tour spots takes a certain kind of courage because the water can get rough, you'll have to slide over rocks to get to certain places, or trust your tour guide that you won't smash against the rocks as you try to enter a certain secret beach. (By the way, we experienced 24/7 electricity in El Nido because, according to our Daytripper driver, the Ayalas donated generators to the El Nido town.)

The trip certainly showed me that I do take risks no matter how scared I get, and how much I get bruised from the first try. It was a good self-exploration experience, too.

And as trying as my first tour in El Nido was, I'm very curious to try tours B and D. Till next time, El Nido. I'll be back. :)

Daytripper
Suite 2-01, Yellow Building, SJD Center, National Highway,
Puerto Princesa, 5300 Palawan, Philippines
Email: hello@daytripperpalawan.com
Tel: +63487230533
Mob: +639178488755 / +639217230533
Daytripper website
Daytripper Facebook page

Rainforest Beach Hotel & Resort (also known as El Nido Waterfront)
El Nido, Palawan
Email: elnidowaterfront@yahoo.com
Rainforest Beach Hotel & Resort website
Rainforest Beach Hotel & Resort Facebook page

Northern Hope Tours
Calle Real, Barangay Buena Suerte,
El Nido, Palawan, Philippines
Email: northernhopetours@gmail.com
Tel: +639277353221 / +639399022216 / +639423752441
Northern Hope Tours website
Northern Hope Tours Facebook page

My Drawing Room
Las Pinas, NCR, Philippines
Tel: +639183423997
My Drawing Room website
My Drawing Room Facebook page
My Drawing Room Instagram page

Ciao!

I have a plan for you. Do you believe me? - God

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Sun, 27 Jul 2014 01:42:00 +0000

Last year, I was getting ready to settle down with the plus one. I was saving up for bills, emergencies, feeding someone other than myself, etc. But he and He had other plans for me, and in a snap, I was less-one.

Okay, I told myself, I have to explore life again (hence the blog). So I started going out and exploring, and eventually I was feeling content again. I was having fun being a freelancer and working from home - something that my dad lamented over because I was not meeting new guys (which is a complete 360-degree turn for him!). I think God answered his prayers because I started getting job offers from reputable, big companies...which I refused.

I told God I'm happy now, and what those companies offered me are for my previous dreams of being corporate, but not now. Not anymore. But I guess my parents' prayers were stronger than mine because I found myself working with other freelancers. No matter how tired I was in seeking out other freelancers, I was glad because I got to work with my friends, and my horizon on life was expanded. That, and I got to practice my newfound virtue of patience and control.

And when I was feeling again that "this is it!", God dropped another huge ball on my plate, one that I would have eagerly lapped up in my younger years, but one that makes me wary now. Of course I accepted it, but the responsibility makes me nervous. I want to do a great job, and I'm nervous that I might fail. My sister keeps telling me, "You're still learning, of course you'll make mistakes." (That does not comfort me at all.)

But what I realized is this: God has bigger plans for me than I do for myself.

Which is funny, because that was the thought that got me through 2013. During one of my lowest days, my friend Mia shared this with me: I have a plan for you. Do you believe me? - God

And after hearing it, I kept repeating that line to myself, and eventually sharing that with others who were also down in the dumps. I can see now that God indeed had, and has, plans for me. I actually feel plan-less because I haven't been planning the direction of my life since D-Day. After planning my life for the past five years, and have it disappear in one day, made me realize that things will always change, and no matter how much careful planning I do, things will not go the way I planned it to, especially when there's someone else in the equation.

So God has a plan for me, and it's playing out slowly. I feel a little lost and a little rudderless, but not really. I have come to realize that by letting go and letting God, I get to wonderful heights in my life I would never have thought possible. And human frailty makes me scared, but I know now that God is with me with every step.

Busog chibog at The Plantation

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Thu, 01 May 2014 04:30:00 +0000

Chillin'

My college best friend and I have been trying to see each other more often, especially this year. Since I'm back in the city, I met up with her on my very second day. I consider it very special because I was actually done with work two hours before we were supposed to meet up. On any other day, I would have just gone home, but since I missed her too, I decided to wait for her.

One side of their coffee menu

The Plantation has a free socket that you can use if you're lucky enough to sit by the socket, and they also have free WiFi. Since I had to charge my phone, I wasn't able to play or surf as much as I liked.

I think the people at The Plantation thought I was a journalist or 'mystery shopper' because of my notebooks. The service was pretty efficient (to be fair, there were only about five groups of diners, me included) at that time. But they were a little noisy and kept shouting around. The music was good, though, and definitely kept me company as I worked.

The night before, I saw Click the City's very helpful The Hungry Guide: Legaspi Village Food and Restaurant Map (they also have one for Salcedo Village) and after consulting with food-buff Dastine, I suggested The Plantation to Mi. Since she's pretty much game, as long as it's somewhere nearby, she agreed. To aid my pitch, I also sent her a map. (Being geographically-challenged, of course she got lost, hehe!)

The Plantation is right beside the street, but being vertically-challenged, I did not notice it immediately. I had to backtrack and by accidentally glancing up, I found it. I wasn't aware much of what they had offered, only that it fit our P250 meal requirement and that it was midway between our offices.

Chicken fingers & potato wedges (P165)

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that they also served coffee and cakes, as well as the usual Pinoy and American favorites, and other The Plantation creations, too. Oh, and did I mention the 3pm-9pm happy hour everyday? Yep.

The Plantation is chillax, and the perfect spot to hang out with friends, or even just eat by yourself. There were officemates hanging out, a businessman eating by himself, other official-looking men, just buddies enjoying the booze, and some other girls enjoying the good food. I think it's perfect for groups because the serving for some dishes is good for sharing, and their menu is extensive and can cater to the health conscious to the meat-lovers like me. Also, they have tables for two up to six people.

I only read one online review to find out their notable dishes, and I was expecting good things.

I ordered chicken fingers with potato wedges and ate it while I was writing my notes for work, because I forgot my tablet and didn't have anything to read. The chicken fingers was...sad. It looked so pale, and definitely tasted a little bland for me. The honey mustard sauce was its saving grace, but I enjoy my food more if I could enjoy it without having to resort to the sauce. I was expecting the food to be a little more brown. But then again, I was so hungry so I almost polished it off before my bff arrived.

Chicken cordon bleu on pesto rice (P230)

The bff ordered chicken cordon bleu on pesto rice. To be fair, The Plantation had a lot of delicious-sounding food so we had quite a time choosing which dish to really order. Mi enjoyed her dish, and it fit her P250 budget.

Dory Thermidor on pesto rice (P230)

Me, on the other hand, was salivating for The Plantation-original dish Dory Thermidor on pesto rice. It's described as having hollandaise sauce, and the review I read was raving about it, even though it admittedly does not look that appetizing. Ugh. Kind of a letdown. The fish was creamy only in some places, the hollandaise sauce was almost non-existent. The pesto rice tasted bland. I had to slather on honey mustard to enjoy the dish.

I actually don't order fish often because I find that they don't meet my expectations, and this one just added belief that my mom's fish is the best.

Tiger (P150/bottle), 2 + 1 free (P300)
San Mig Light 1 + 1 (P80)

We could have totally fit into our budget (although I did have that extra chicken fingers dish) if only we hadn't decided to throw our waistlines out of the window. We decided to enjoy their happy hour. Mia ordered San Mig Light while I went for the Tiger beer, which I enjoyed the last time I was in Singapore. By this time, the place was noisy and the trio of men beside our table were so irritatingly loud! They were louder than the band who started playing around 8PM.

One beef I have with The Plantation was that the waiter explained to me that the 2 bottles + 1 free bottle of Tiger beer was only P150. But when we asked for the bill, I was charged P150/bottle so I ended up paying P300. I was so full from the food that I just brought home the unopened 'free' Tiger beer and gave it to my father as a pasalubong. I paid P5 deposit for that.

Mia, on the other hand, only paid P80 for two San Miguel bottles. That's actually already a rip-off because I know beer is super cheap when you buy it in supermarkets. Ah, the price of chilling out in restaurants.

Aside from the beer, we also ordered nachos with melted cheese. The melted cheese was so delicious, and we could probably have polished it off if we weren't super full. We decided that the next time we can just eat their nachos if we wanted to drink beer.

I'm always on the hunt for good cafe mocha or ice-blended mocha drinks, so maybe I'll try their espresso-based drinks next time. It's also a good thing I arrived there early because the place was packed by 7pm.

They also have a single-toilet bathroom that's a little cramped. At night, it's better to bring your own supply of tissue to make sure you'll have some to use.

Midweek fun with one of my best, Mi. Love you :*

The Plantation has affordable food and has that just right chillout vibe, but I was disappointed with the taste of most of the dishes I ordered. I'm not sure if and when I'll be back, but I just might be back to try out their coffee and other dishes instead.

The Plantation Bar & Bistro
106 C. Palanca Street,
Legaspi Village, Makati City
(02) 501 5727
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Good grilling at Nanbantei of Tokyo

noreply@blogger.com (Lost in Translation) — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 04:30:00 +0000

Photo by my friend Anne Villegas

Since I was coming back to my first beloved city - Makati - my girl Anne and I met up in Greenbelt 3 last week. After some consideration, we had dinner at Nanbantei of Tokyo because we wanted...tonkatsu. Haha if you've been there, then you know it failed to meet that craving. (Photos are unedited. Also, I'm not very good with food photography)

We didn't read a lot of reviews or their menu thoroughly, but apparently their food is like grilled street food, and served on sticks. It's a little pricey as well, especially if you're hungry.

It's a good thing she reserved a table for us because the place was packed that night (this was on a Tuesday night before Holy Week). We sat beside the grilling area, but we didn't smell the smoke and we didn't exit the place smelling like good. That was a definite plus.

Nanbantei's grilling masters

When we sat down, they immediately set out this sauce, which tasted like bagoong, and wash cloth for us while we read the menu. It was then that we found out they don't serve katsu. I wanted to leave, but we decided to stay because we were shy. They already set out the table for us, and we decided to at least just try something new.

It was a good thing we stayed because even though it was a little pricey, the food was good. Our bill reached P600+, and we each paid P300+ only, because we shared everything we ordered, except for the rice. (Admittedly, I was still hungry afterwards but my dessert at Cafe Breton fixed that)

We ordered several dishes:

The Poteto Maki was okay but pretty ordinary. If not for the bacon, I wouldn't have ordered it.

Poteto Maki - Potato wrapped with bacon

Tori Karaage - Breaded chicken w/ ponzu sauce

The Tori Karaage was served last, and it was tasty; that was bang for the buck. It was the only dish we ordered that we could really share. The sauce was a little spicy though, but thankfully the karaage can be enjoyed without the sauce.

The Yaki Oginiri was a disappointment for me. The rice was too dry, and even felt a little burned on the side. Since it was my first time to eat at Nanbantei, and my first time to try the Yaki Oginiri, I wasn't sure if it was supposed to taste like that, although it looked different on the menu.

Yaki Onigiri - Grilled riceballs

Beef Yakiniku - Grilled thin slices of beef

By far, my favorite dish from Nanbantei is their Yakiniku. It's tasty, cooked just right, and plentiful. It doesn't look like much on the photo but there was a lot on that stick.

Happy Girls. Photo by Anne Villegas, with IG filter.

Anne and I love to eat, and we have several restaurants we want to try that the other has already visited. I plan to bring her to Mamou, and she plans to bring me to Apartment 1B. And we both plan on ordering their Eggs Benedict!

Thanks for blocking off Tuesday for me, Anne! To more lunch dates and dinners <3 and maybe get that Tonkatsu craving fixed ;)

Nanbantei of Tokyo
3/F Greenbelt 3,
Esperanza St, Ayala Center, Makati
(02) 757-4130 to 31
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