Lakwatsera Ako

Hello Kitty Themed Airport (Taipei)

2023-09-05T18:47:00.006+08:00

A few years ago I was able to experience the Hello Kitty flight from Taipei to Tokyo. It was a great experience and I posted about the experience on my main blog. On this post I wanted to show what I experienced pre-boarding. At that time my flights out of Taiwan took me to another section of the airport. The Hello Kitty flight operated by Eva Air was situated on the opposite side where I usually boarded my slight.

It was a huge surprise for me to see that the other section of the boarding gates was dedicated to Hello Kitty! For a weary traveler like me, that was a whole new experience. Usually hallways to boarding gates are normally just gray and boring. The Hello Kitty/Sanrio themed area was a delight to go through since it took my mind off boarding another plane to get to another country for more work.

Here are some photos from that experience -

Even my boarding pass had Hello Kitty all over it. I think aside from Taipei Airport, Narita airport also had sections of it dedicated to Hello Kitty and Sanrio. It's no surprise since the character originated from Japan. I think kids nowadays still know who Hello Kitty is because I have a Hello Kitty hand sanitizer dangling on my bag. It usually catches the attention of kids (haha). I didn't have that many Hello Kitty stuff growing up and going on the Hello Kitty flight was truly an amazing experience for me.

Read more about the flight experience on: An Apple a Day.

Our Chillax Vacation in Bohol

2022-08-25T22:09:00.001+08:00

We picked up where we left off in 2019 and chose Bohol for our first family vacation. We had no intention of doing the usual touristy stuff, so we selected a resort based on our needs. I wanted a resort that had a nice beach front. Sweetie dining places to be more accessible. And Miggy wanted a nice room with a comfortable bed. After doing a lot of research we decided to stay at Modala Beach Resort.

Modala Beach Resort just opened it's doors last year. From videos we saw it had a nice beach front and it had a mall adjacent to it. We got a beach front room and was pleasantly surprised that we were given a really nice room with two double beds. It was also spacious and perfect for the three of us (we prefer staying in the same room whenever we travel). The room had the perfect view of Doljo Beach from the balcony.

We always ate breakfast slowly. They had a lot of options for food (mostly Filipino) and the staff were all very friendly. Just a stone's throw away is the beach. We really enjoyed going for a swim. The resort also lent paddle boards and ginormous yoga mats for free (I think they also have kayaks). It really hit our need for some vitamin sea.

Here's a short travel diary of our fun time in Panglao -

Here's resources on how we organized our vacation:

Modala Beach Resort

Cebu Pacific Air

Happy Tummies in Bohol

2022-08-15T23:01:00.004+08:00

Our last family vacation in 2019 was in Bohol. We felt bitin, so we used Sweetie's travel fund to book a flight to Tagbilaran. Our main goal for the vacation was to chill, relax, eat good food and have some vitamin sea.

We chose a hotel with a nice beach front. It was a big plus that it had a mall adjacent to it. That meant we didn't need to head out just to eat. Here's where we ate --

Here's the list:

Mooon Cafe

Bohol Bee Farm

Rojo Grill & Bar Restaurant

La Vara

Gilligan's (we were so hungry we forgot to vlog!)

There are other restaurants in the area, but we chose those that had good reviews by Google Local Guides. You can find those reviews when you use Google Maps.

Lakwatsera Pa Rin Ako!

2022-07-22T15:24:00.001+08:00

I remember the day my friend, Sasha Manuel, took my photo against the beautiful beach front in Bohol. We were with blogger friends and hung out by the beach after our early morning attempt to see dolphins. I was trying to get a tan when Sasha told me she'll take my photo. I indulged since we were just relaxing anyway.

Photo by: JayDJ

I know I haven't been updating this blog. Got super busy with work and didn't really have the time to blog. I told myself though that I would eventually share about the places I've visited. When I started this blog I thought I'd just be blogging about places I go to locally, but my itchy feet brought me abroad too. Now that I'm retired I've been able to slowly go through my collection of photos and memories. I've started writing about those happy memories in An Apple a Day. I usually post about travel on Thursdays and Fridays.

My family recently visited Bohol again. It's a favorite family vacation place that's why we chose it as our first vacay venue. And since we were in Bohol, the nice beach front reminded me of the Lakwatsera Ako cover photo. I jokingly told Sweetie we should recreate the photo. Well, we did! The second attempt nailed it and this is me now 15 years after Sasha took the original photo.

Then (2007) and Now (2022)

I'm still the same person, just "well rounded" now and battle scarred from medical issues. But you know, life is meant to be enjoyed and as long as I can I'll continue to make happy memories with family and friends.

Coming up: Happy tummies in Bohol!

Gelato at Hundred Acre Creamery

2021-01-02T15:40:00.006+08:00

Hundred Acre Creamery is a new gelato/coffee shop in our area and we thought it would be a good idea to try it out for our anniversary. The shop is located in Clementi Street, quietly tucked away at the back of the compound.

It was our first time in the area and used Google Maps to find the shop. It was just a week old when we visited, obvious from the flower stand greetings outside of the shop. We had to wait awhile before we got a seat since it was full at 4 in the afternoon. It was okay since they had seats outside and there were a couple of Pokestops we got to spin while waiting.

I love the yellow theme of the shop. It's supposed to be inspired by Winnie the Pooh's home, the Hundred Acre Wood. They had quotes from Winnie the Pooh written in the wall and just one Pooh bear on the counter. I had hoped it would have more Winnie the Pooh in it since he's one of my favorite characters.

What I looked forward to was trying the gelato and I ordered two flavors. It was creamy, not too sweet and just perfect for my palate. They had Vietnamese coffee and I got the cold one. We had to request for additional condensed milk since it was quite intense.

Sweetie got the coffee gelato. I tried it and it was so intense. One teaspoon was like a shot of caffeine in my system haha. It would probably be good for hardcore coffee lovers. He also got some tea which he paired with the gelato. We wanted to try the waffle with the gelato, but they said their machine was broken. I hope they got it fixed already since the menu is quite limited. When I come back I hope to try the waffle.

We had a great experience nonetheless since the staff were all very nice and warm. The shop is good for some quick coffee and/or dessert. They said they were going to change the closing time so please check for updates if you plan to go. The Pokestops in the area was a good plus for us too.

Hundred Acre Creamery (map)

109 Clementi Street 11, #01-37,

Singapore 120109

LAVO | Italian Restaurant & Rooftop Bar in Singapore | Takeaway

2020-12-02T09:30:00.001+08:00

We wanted to try the pizza and pasta at Lavo in Marina Bay Sands during our staycation. It was hard to book seats though, but we found out you can order takeaway if you're a guest at the hotel. We ordered early and got our food in just an hour.

We just got pizza and pasta. Got the carne pizza and rigatoni melanzana. Sweetie liked both the pizza and pasta, but I found the pizza a bit too salty. I ended up just picking on the prosciutto hehe.

After our swim we passed by Lavo. By 9pm it's quite quiet and you can probably grab a seat already by that time. That's what their staff told us when we inquired about booking a seat. We're glad though we found out about the takeaway option when we were browsing through the hotel resto pages.

Maybe next time we'll try to reserve early and get a sit in the restaurant. What about you? Have you tried Lavo?

Lavo, Italian Restaurant & Rooftop Bar

10 Bayfront Ave, Tower 1,

Level 57, Singapore 018956

(map)

Lunch at Central Perk

2020-11-27T22:46:00.003+08:00

We had visited Central Perk a few times before, but it was always full. We thought going there for lunch on a weekday would be a good time. To be sure we booked a table via Google Maps which connected to my Chope account.

The place was empty save for one customer who was finishing his meal. He left by the time we ordered food so we had the place to ourselves for awhile. We accessed the menu through a QR code and ordered via the page we were directed to. There was a lot of selections! Even the cappuccino had several variations. The first thing I got was the Phoebe Buffay cappuccino, Sweetie ordered the Chandler Bing cappuccino. Mine was light roast and had a nutty flavor, I think Sweetie's coffee was medium roast.

For starters we ordered Phoebe's mushrooms and we were surprised that the serving was generous. We both really liked how they sauteed the mushrooms in oil and garlic. It was really flavorful (the same way they make it back home). We also ordered the Alessandro caesar salad which was pretty tasty too (bacon is key!).

Sweetie got the Ross Geller's Thanksgiving sandwich since we were not able to eat turkey for Thanksgiving. I tried it too and it was tasty and filling. I got Monica's lasagna which I think was a no meat pasta. The serving was huge! I was so full just eating a third of it (we brought the rest home).

We skipped dessert since we were both so full and we already had fruit juice for our beverage. We had to walk off the gastronomic delight we had and ended up having a light dinner. There's a nook at the entrance to leads to a replica of Monica and Rachel's kitchen and they had a number of memorablia too. If you're a big fan they also have tshirts, postcards and their coffee blend.

Of course, expect the food to be a bit pricey. It's after all a tourist spot. We'd probably come back for the coffee and more snacks if we're in the area. Nonetheless we enjoyed our visit and we're glad we came at a light hour. The staff were friendly and would gamely take your photos too.

Central Perk - Singapore

1 Magazine Rd, #01-01 Central Mall,

Singapore 059567 (map)

Brunch at Adrift by David Myers

2020-11-26T23:42:00.003+08:00

We chose to have brunch at Adrift during our staycation at Marina Bay Sands. We glad we did because it was an amazing experience. We were greeted by friendly staff when we arrived and we were ushered to our seat by the window. We decided to go for the "Chef's Way" to have a new brunch experience.

Our server explained to us that we'd get two dishes for every set. We'd get the next set when we finish our food. Here's what we got to try -

House made bagel wtih smoked salmon

Pork and potato hash

Sauce vierge eggs

Baked eggs

Broken ricotta pancake

Goats curd waffle

My reaction was, "What sorcery is this?" There were a lot of different unexpected flavors that burst in our mouth. Don't be deceived by the simple names they used for the dishes. It's more than what it seems. The bagel with smoked salmon gave us a surprise. It wasn't your usual salmon with sauce. I'm not sure how best to describe it, but it seemed something like that came from outerspace (haha). The pork and potato hash seems like a boring dish, but the gooey green spinach puree beneath it made it outworldly.

The eggs were like something else. I thought the brown sauce on the vierge eggs was barbecue sauce. I was completely wrong. Whatever it was it matched the eggs perfectly. I'll never look at brown sauce the same way again. The baked eggs were fabulous too.

We were so full halfway through the eggs set. We decided to go for the waffles and pancake as our last set. It served as our dessert. Sweetie super loved the pancake. It was great, but a bit too overwhelming for me. The waffles was served with bacon ice cream. BACON ICE CREAM! It never crossed my mind that bacon can be made into ice cream. It was a perfect match for the waffles.

Ahhh, would definitely come back for another round. What made our experience great was the crew. They patiently answered all our questions and they were very efficient. We had another favorite brunch place, but we were disappointed during our last visit. So Adrift is now our new favorite brunch place. Hmmm, I wonder when we could go back!

Adrift by David Myers

10 Bayfront Avenue L57,
Sands Sky Park, Hotel Tower 2, 018956
Singapore

Spago by Wolfgang Puck at Marina Bay Sands

2020-11-19T22:26:00.001+08:00

We started our gastronimic staycation at Marina Bay Sands by dining at Spago for dinner. Spago is a restaurant by multi-awarded chef Wolfgang Puck. I just read that Spago was awarded 2 Michelin stars.

If you're staying at Marina Bay Sands, it would be useful if you book the restaurants you plan to dine at ahead of time. We didn't, but luckily we managed to get an outdoor seat. We actually preferred to eat outdoors since it's safer.

We were greeted enthusiastically by the staff and we were ushered to our poolside view seats. It was sunset and there was a nice breeze. We settled in our seats and ordered our food.

For our starters we shared a plate of burrata with confit kumquats. It wasn't what we expected, but it tasted soooo good. We also super loved the parmesan crisp (? sorry forgot the exact name). It was unexpected.

We chose one meat and one fish dish for our mains. We just had to try the grilled USDA prime sirloin steak. It's been awhile since we had steak. The steak was perfect. It was juicy, had the perfect amount of fat, and nice lukewarm. My mouth is watering thinking about it again.

We ordered the honey miso broiled Japanese black cod to try fish. This is the dish I'm definitely going to order again. It's now one of my favorite dishes in the whole wide world. I could have gobbled up the whole plate by myself. There will always be a next time.

Overall we were super happy with our experience. We've dined at two other Wolfgang Puck restos, one in Tokyo and at Changi Airport. Spago though is the place to visit. I think we'll make it one of our celebration places from now own.

Spago
10 Bayfront Avenue L57,
Sands Sky Park, Hotel Tower 2, 018956
Singapore

Beautiful Butterflies

2018-04-05T17:07:00.000+08:00

I have always loved seeing butterflies. I remember some of my sewing projects when I was in primary school involved butterfly designs. From ugly wriggly things they eventually blossom into wonderful fluttering creatures. There's something very zen about butterflies that simply makes me happy.

Taking photos of butterflies is a challenging task. I still try to capture them on camera though coz they are nice to use as a device wallpaper. Here's a few decent photos I took of butterflies (some may be moths!).

From the Changi Airport Butterfly Garden

From Davao Butterfly House

Beautiful Churches Around the World (Part 1)

2018-04-03T19:02:00.000+08:00

Our family traveled a fair bit when I was a child. One of the places my parents loved going to were churches. The most memorable one I remember visiting when I was a child was the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. I just remember being happy and excited to see the huge church and that was also when I learned about catacombs. Since then I made it a point to visit churches whenever I travel. Here's a few of those I've visited in the last few years -

Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Singapore

This was the church where I first attended mass in Singapore. My brother had brought all of us to Singapore for a short vacation. This photo was taken last Christmas when we heard mass with Mom. The church underwent renovation for a few years and I heard won a heritage award.

St. Bede's Church, Sydney, Australia

I immediately fell in love with this church when I heard mass there last December. It's a quaint, small church near where I usually stay in Sydney. It's a great place to worship and be grateful for the blessings God provides.

Myeongdong Cathedral, Seoul, Korea

I did not have the chance to enter the church since the steps were too steep for me. The church was really beautiful from the outside and I now regret not going in since the inside looks amazing based on the photos I saw on Google Images.

St. Francis Church, Melbourne, Australia

Heard mass in this church with my boys last May 2017. The church has a beautiful nook for Mama Mary which is worth another visit. I hope to visit this church again when I'm back in Melbourne.

St. Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, Australia

One of the most beautiful church I've visited in my entire life. When you step in the church it's like going back in time. I am amazed how they had built a structure like this in 1788. We spent another hour after mass just exploring the church.

Church of St. Teresa, Singapore

This is now where I regularly hear mass when I'm in Singapore since it's near where I live. I love that the church is bright and spacious. I always remember St. Teresa because my Mom is her devotee and my sister is named after her. The community is also awesome.

St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Kalibo, Philippines

This church will be forever in my memory because this is where I became a godparent for a wedding for the very first time.

St. James the Great Parish, Alabang, Philippines

I always go to this church for weddings of friends. I think it's the perfect church for weddings.

Japan's Beautiful Cherry Blossoms

2018-03-25T19:41:00.001+08:00

Hanami is a term used in Japan to refer to flower viewing (cherry blossom viewing). The blooming of cherry blossoms is said to mark the beginning of spring. Once a year families come together to celebrate and have picnics under cherry blossom trees. I learned though from a documentary made by BBC that cherry blossoms was not the original national flower of Japan. It was plum blossoms. Plum blossoms though were only found in the homes of the elite. Cherry blossoms eventually became a very important national symbol.

Last year I caught the tail end of the sakura season in Tokyo. I was ecstatic to see them in full bloom outside of our hotel window. We had the opportunity to to see it in its all-pink glory. A few days later though they were gone. I read that cherry blossoms usually bloom during the unpredictable weather period towards the beginning of spring.

I arrived today and stayed at another hotel. Outside my window I could see a street full of cherry blossoms trees that have just started to bloom. They are not even pink yet. I hope to see them in their super pink glory in the next few days.

One thing I like about the sakura season is the presence of many kinds of desserts made with cherry blossoms. Here's a few mouth watering ones I've tried -

The first time though I saw cherry blossoms was in Washington DC when I was a kid. I don't remember it much, but my Mom said that they were originally gifts by Japan to the US. Maybe someday I'll catch the trees in full bloom when I'm able to visit DC again.

Visiting Japan for the Sakura season:
The dates vary per area. Best to check the forecast to get the best out of your trip.

Melbourne: Bad Boys Gourmet Burger Bar

2018-03-21T19:11:00.000+08:00

I love eating hamburger. I usually go for the fast food type since it's more convenient to get. I also make tasty Japanese hamburger every so often at home. My favorite restaurant burger though is Dayrit's since I've been eating there since I was four years old.

Last May I had the opportunity to visit Melbourne together with my boys. We were so hungry on our first morning since we were not able to eat a proper dinner. After a quick check of nearby restaurants on Google Maps we ended up at Bad Boys Gourmet Burger Bar.

The place is a bit hard to find since it's location is not on the street side. It's located in the middle of two streets behind a couple of shops. If you think about it the location makes it a bit more special. It's a hidden burger gem!

I ordered a cheeseburger with onion rings and a drink. I was a bit overwhelmed with the size, but I finished it! The burger was cooked perfectly. Moist, a bit juicy with some crunch. I love how the flavors mixed and as much as I thought it was too big for me. I finished the burger.

Hope to visit Melbourne again and go back to Bad Boys Gourmet Burger Bar!

The Guimaras Mango Festival and Mango Pizza

2018-03-20T22:33:00.003+08:00

A few years ago I finally managed to visit Guimaras Island. After arriving in Iloilo we checked in and immediately left for the port to take a short ferry ride to Guimaras Island. I didn't know that the island was so close to Iloilo it just took us about 20 minutes to get there via a boat ride. We were met by a friend at the port and he whisked us away to his university.

At the university I was amazed by the hospitality of their president and staff. It was supposed to be a short visit, but he insisted on serving lunch at his office. The food was great and they served different varieties of mango. He explained that their campus had trees of at least 12 varieties of mango. The Guimaras mangoes are indeed the sweetest in the whole world and when you try it you will never want anything else.

After lunch we had the opportunity to go to the Mango Festival. At the festival you can have eat-all-you-can mango for just 70 pesos. You can also buy mangoes from a wide variety of stalls. I never saw so much mango in my entire life! Other items available were honey (with live beehives!), cashews and other fruits, locally made items were also being sold. It was such a treat to be there at the festival.

After going around the festival we went to Pitstop to try out their famous mango pizza. I was hesitant at first since I found it weird that they would put mango on pizza. All my anxiety went away after I took the first bite. To this day I wish I could go back to Guimaras to have some mango pizza again.

This year's Guimaras Mango Festival is celebrating their 25th anniversary. It will be from May 11 to 22.

South Korea in 6 Days

2017-11-02T19:23:00.002+08:00

It's been awhile since I've visited a country for the first time. My friends convinced me to go visit Seoul with them and it was an awesome experience. The aptly coined our trip as #SeoulMuchMore.

We arrived late night in Seoul and made our way quickly to the AREX (train) to the city. Got off Seoul Station and promptly lined up for a taxi. It took awhile to get a taxi to the hanuk and on hindsight should have just taken a taxi from the airport. It would have spared us the hardship of dragging our luggage up several escalator flights.

Hanuk

The Hanuk Guesthouse 201 was a quaint place. They had 5 rooms and their floors were heated. Two bathrooms and toilets were shared among all guests. You may also use the kitchen to have coffee/tea/noodles. It was good to experience how Koreans lived in the past.

Changdeokgung Palace

Our first tourist stop was a Changdeokgung Palace. This is where the emperor/king lived. The place is gigantic so make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes. I would've loved to go to the Secret Garden, but we were running late for the change of guards at Gyeongbokgong.

Gyeongbokgong Palace

The palace is mainly the workplace of the emperor/king. The Korean Empire was abolished by the Japanese in 1910. The last Korean emperor, Sunjong, died in 1926 and became the catalyst to overthrow Japanese rule.

I noticed during our visit to the palaces that a lot of Koreans wore beautiful hanbok, their traditional national dress.

Gyeongbokgong Palace Change of Guards

We witnessed the change of guards at the palace. The full traditional routine is showcased at the palace grounds twice a day. The guards wore very colorful uniforms and marched to traditional drum beats.

Lotte Sky Tower

I have a bucket list to visit all the tall buidings in the world. I'm happy that I finally got to check this off my list. Standing on the glass floor was an exhilirating experience since the glass didn't seem to be too thick. After reaching the sky we went around Lotte Department Store and Lotte Mart. My friends said that it was Korea's version of SM.

Shopping in Myeongdong

We were set to visit Namsan after Sky Tower, but a protest foiled our plans since we couldn't get a taxi. We switched our plans and decided to go to the Myeongdong night market. I ended up buying a lot of socks and my friends bought different skin care products.

N Seoul Tower/Namsan

We took the cable to the N Seoul Tower. We went really early and managed to get on the second cable car up the mountain. It was there that we got a first glimpse of the beautiful autumn colors set against the towering city buildings. A gazillion padlocks lined up the place - a promise of forever.

The Hanbok Experience

I think the best experience I had in Seoul was trying out the hanbok. I chose to dress up as a queen since it's not everyday you can be like royalty. We had a lot of fun taking photos and doing scenarios.

Nami Island

On our last full day in South Korea, we headed early towards Gapyeong. We were at Yongsan Station by 6:15am to catch our 7am train to Gapyeong. By 8am we were on the first ferry ride to Nami Island. It was freezing at 1'C, so I'm glad I bundled up for warmth (wear Uniqlo heattech to survive the cold!). We rented two double bikes to get around the island and had the time of our lives.

Petite France

The last tourist place we visited was Petite France. We took a taxi from the Nami Island ferry terminal. I liked that they highlighted the Little Prince and things that represent France. I will hopefully one day visit France.

Some costs related to the places we visited:

AREX to City - KRW4,750
Flat Rate Taxi from Airport to City - KRW65,000
Palace entrance fees - KRW3,000 (KRW8,000 including Secret Garden)
Cable car to N Seoul Tower - KRW6,000
Hanbok rental - KRW26,000 to 58,000; hairdo - KRW5,000-10,000
Train to Gapyeong - KRW5,200 (this is one way)
Ferry to Nami Island - trying to remember...
Double bike - KRW15,000 for 30 minutes
Taxi from Nami Island Ferry Terminal to Petit France - about KRW26,000
Petite France Entrance Fee - KRW8,000

Getting a Haircut in Japan

2017-04-21T14:03:00.001+08:00

It was an adventure like no other.

I've wanted to get a haircut in Japan since my cousin cut her beautiful long hair. It looked really good on her (my cousin though is a model). My aunt (her Mom) has also kept her hair short and has lived in Japan for two decades already so I figured it must be good to get a haircut in Japan. It's been two years since my cousin cut her hair short and I was just always too chicken to set time to get a haircut whenever I was in Tokyo.

The universe conspired early this week. I managed to get off work just before six and hubby was lost somewhere in Nakano. I took the chance and marched into Kakimoto Arms in Ropponggi to check if there was an available hairstylist. I've been eyeing the salon for more than a year now. It's probably the most expensive haircut I would have in my entire life, but I figured that the hairstylist would hopefully not butcher my hair. I was very nervous.

The salon was very interesting. They had lockers where you could keep your things. They offered a case to keep my eyeglasses in. And they gave me a tiny ziplock bag for my earrings. Never had any of these in my home country. They also had beverage available in case you got thirsty.

The hairstylist sat me down in front of a mirror to interview me first on what I wanted to do with my hair. I told him I just wanted it short. A new look I said since I've had my hair long for about 15 years now. He didn't want to cut it short at first, but he took heed when I said I'm bored with my look.

I then moved to get my hair shampooed. The staff was very nice and made sure I was comfortable.

When Kamohara-san started to cut my hair I whispered to him that I wanted to get bangs. He wasn't convinced I should have bangs and just said, "I'll think about it." As he finished cutting the back area he asked me if I was sure I wanted bangs. I said, "Yes I want to try". He probably thought I'd hate it so cut sample bangs first and then when I said it's fine and proceeded to finish it.

I've always been wary about going to the salon. My long-time hairstylist retired a few years ago and I have not found the "right one" since he left so my hair has been subjected to a wide array of heavy-handed hairstylists. I just go whenever my hair is already too long and need a haircut. I even do home hair spa just to spare me from going to the salon. Kamohara-san though has the gentlest, expert hands and I think I may have found the right hair sylist for me. So I have to think about how to make this manageable for me (and my pocket).

I honestly wasn't sure if I did the right thing since it took long to finalize and blow-dry my hair. Midway I snapped a photo and sent it to my friend Chelle to get an affirmation I was doing the right thing. She said it looked good and that I shouldn't worry. Eventually Kazuro-san finished and I went back to the hotel to wait for the hubby.

I did not tell hubby that I was getting a hair cut. I wanted to surprise him. He was really surprised to see my new look and has been very fond of my bangs (haha). It's been a few days since I had my haircut and I finally figured out how to properly blow-dry it (had a punk look the first time I blow dried it haha).

Getting a haircut in Japan was a big, risky adventure for me. I'm glad I took the risk since my family loves my new look and friends have been raving how my hair suits me.

Kakimoto Arms - Roppongi Hills
Kazuro Kamohara, executive stylist
*off days: Tuesday and Saturday
Telephone: 03-5786-9810
Email: kamohara@kakimoto-arms.co.jp

How to Commute from Caticlan to Boracay

2017-03-10T18:03:00.000+08:00

Booking your transfer from Caticlan to Boracay through a hotel or airline can be very expensive. For my trips to the beautiful island I usually just commute. Here's how you can get from the Caticlan airport to your Boracay hotel.

Step 1. From the airport take a tricycle to the jettyport. Cost: PhP50

Step 2. When you arrive at the airport go to the windows on the left side of the door and pay for the following per person:

Pump boat fee - PhP25
Environmental fee - PhP60
Terminal fee - PhP100

Step 3. Fill out the manifest form (available at the window where you purchase the pump boat fee).

Step 4. Go inside the jettyport.

Step 5. After the security check you will be asked to fill out another form on the tourism desk.

Step 6. Head to the departure area. Make sure you have your tickets and manifest ready because security will check this.

Step 7. Hop on the next available pump boat.

Step 8. After about 15 minutes you will reach the Boracay jettyport. The tricycles inside the compound are more expensive. Just outside the gate is where other tricycles line up. Hop on one and they'll bring you to your hotel. Depending on the location the ride will cost between PhP100-120.

The process is the same heading back although there would be no need to pay the environmental fee anymore.

Batam Beach Getaway

2016-07-25T12:57:00.000+08:00

It's been awhile since we traveled and my itchy lakwatsera feet needed a quick getaway. We also had not gone to the beach yet this year so we decided to finally visit Batam.

Batam is an island just 35-minutes away from Singapore. I could actually see the island from my desk at work on clear days. After doing some research I found out that there are several areas in Batam you can go to. We chose to visit Nongsapura because it had more options for beach-front resorts and we really didn't want to go shopping.

Booked "Turi Beach Resort" based on ratings from Expedia and it was affordable (it was cheaper to book via Expedia rather than directly). I also booked our ferry ride through the Batam Fast website. We could have gone via Harbourfront Center though, but the trip would have been longer so we just went via the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal trip to Nongsapura.

As from our Bintan beach experience we decided to stay put in the resort and not go out. We plan to explore the rest of Batam when Kuya June is available for a day trip. Our trip theme was, "Chill and eat". Here's what we did --

Day 1 Late Afternoon: walk around the resort

Day 1 Evening: dinner and use the internet at the lobby

Day 2 Morning: breakfast, get stranded in a hut waiting for the rain to finish, swim at the beach and the pool

Day 2 Late Afternoon to Evening: movie marathon and dinner

Day 3 Morning: attempt to swim at the beach (low tide), move to green swimming pool; eat breakfast, chill then head home

A few things to know:

1. Internet - there's no roaming charges if you use a Singapore sim, BUT I ended up connecting to telcos in Malaysia since I couldn't connect to Indosat. No roaming charges too. Resort internet is very expensive at $20/day
2. Resort usually provides free shuttle service, they also offer free shuttle services to the mall.
3. Taxis are available.
4. You can bring food to the resort, but they don't allow cooking. Try to bring your own water if you are picky.
5. Seats aren't assigned in the ferry, if you don't want to sit in the open area make sure you get in the ferry early.
6. No need to get local currency if you don't plan to buy anything. We just ended up using our cash for tips, buying water and ice cream.

Costs:
Hotel - SG$50-SG$1,000 (our beach front room was $216/night and had to pay for extra person for his breakfast, extra bed and other services)
Ferry - for three it cost us $138 (already includes terminal fees)
Food - resort resto meal for three average of SG$80-100

Toy Shopping in Tokyo

2016-06-25T10:00:00.000+08:00

Tokyo is a haven for collectors of anime. If you love going to Greenhills, you would absolutely go gaga over Akihabara -- the mecca for collectors. I have been there a couple of times, mainly to buy stuff for my boys and friends who ask me to buy books for them. I've gotten lost a couple of times, but I think I managed to master the area a bit during my last trip to Tokyo.

How to Get to Akihabara

Take the train! The tricky part though is finding the right exit. Akihabara station is I think one major interchange so it houses several train lines. Unlike Singapore, Tokyo train lines do not interconnect so it gets really confusing when you have to transfer lines and to find the right line to get on. Akihabara station has a gazillion exits so I suggest you check Google Maps prior to going so you'd know which exit to take. The station has maps on the walls as well so that could help. Easiest way to find your way is to use Google Maps and set it to walking mode. Be ready to walk more than 10,000 steps when you go to Akihabara.

How to Find the Toys & Books You Want

My boys and friends want a wide array of things so I've had to learn where to get the items. Good thing my Japanese colleague was very helpful and after sending my list to him his friend gave me ideas on where to get the items. The area is big and there are a gazillion shops you can go to, so it's important to do some research before you go to Akihabara so to save time and making too many steps!

Popular Anime Toys and Books

Currently showing anime items are easy to find. You can start with the gachupons lined up everywhere in the area (and usually some are inside the train station!). There's a smattering of stores on Chuo Dori Street, but I usually frequent Animate. I get lost in there for at least an hour to an hour and a half because they have 6 floors (if I remember correctly). I usually take the lift to the top floor and work my way down. There are other shops near Animate which I also go to (particularly the one at the corner) and they usually have more souvenir type anime items like mugs, notebooks, clocks, ID holders, stuffed toys, pens etc.

Collectors Items and Hard to Find Books

I learned about Mandarake from a friend. He insisted it is the place to go to for collectors. It's a hidden gem in Akihabara and a bit off center. It's worth the walk though because it is a place where you could buy collector's items like Transformers masterpieces, first generation toys, items for modeling, hard to find books. I think it has 6 or 7 floors and has a floor just for adult anime books (which I have ended up in because of "the list", I did get a lot of funny looks waving around "the list" but the folks there were very helpful). If you're buying a gift and need help just approach any of the staff and they will help you.

Electronics

Buying gadgets? Robots? Drones? Equipment to build a robot? Android stuff? There's a huge building just beside the station -- Yodobashi building. My uncle had to buy a cable and I was surprised to see that it was a gigantic building just selling all sorts of gadgets and appliances. I'm not sure though if it's cheap price-wise (I found gadgets to be cheaper in Singapore), but you can go check. In another area near the Gundam Cafe/Electric Town Exit there's an area that sells electronics (tiangge style). That's where I saw robots/drones/equipment to build stuff being sold. There are also a lot of electronics shops across Akihabara, but the most interesting time to be there is during New Year where they have special offers and sell lucky gifts (forgot the term for this but you can actually get lucky and get a Nintendo if you pick the right gift). Specialty shops (like Sega) abound as well in the area.

Food and Other Things to Experience

With all the walking you do you'd eventually get hungry and you'd need to rest your feet. I have gone to Gundam Cafe and it was an interesting experience. I like eating at Denny's though because they have a wide array of food choices and they have Philippine mangoes! For dessert I discovered a French cafe at Atre Akihabara 1 (3rd or 4th floor) and their strawberry cake is to die for! Of course there's a lot of sushi/ramen/gyoza places in the area and a Starbucks if you absolutely need to have coffee (the vending machines are much more fun though).

Pasalubong and Extra Bags

If you need to buy pasalubong, there's Don Quixote near Animate. Allot at least an hour as well for that place, but you'll definitely finish your pasalubong shopping there.

Shop too much and need a bag? There's a place near Animate where you can buy an extra foldable bag for just Y1000 (only PhP400 more or less). I already have a collection of this bags from over-shopping!

Need to find something? Just do some research on Google and use Google Maps to find the place.

Adventure Down Under: Sydney Fish Market

2016-06-23T09:00:00.000+08:00

I love seafood and I especially love eating grilled scallops!

We had the chance to try visit the Sydney Fish Market and found out that seafood was very affordable and fresh at the dining area. After taking a 20-minute walk from our hotel we were so famished we ended up ordering a lot of stuff.

We decided to order the family package so we could try out different types of seafood -

The big winner for me though was the scallops (which James bought from another store). The scallops were gigantic! It's the biggest scallop I've tried in my entire life. What was surprising though was the scallop had rice on it as well so it was a meal in one bite! What probably made the scallop really delicious was the cheese that they used.

After the sumptuous meal we walked around the Fish Market to check out what else they had to offer. They had a wide array of fresh seafood from fish, shellfish, giant lobsters and crabs, sea urchin, octopus and other things which I did not know could be eaten.

The market also had a few shops selling cooking related items, fruits/vegetables, bread, coffee etc. I had wanted to go back for dinner but the place was only open until 4pm on weekends and until 3pm on weekdays so we didn't have a chance to go back.

The hefty meal cost us around AUD100, so average of $25/head.

How to Pack Properly

2015-03-31T09:55:00.003+08:00

Over the years I have learned how to pack less heavily (I can't say lightly yet) and now I'm trying my best to learn how to pack 50% of what I would normally bring (no more options!!!). Here's an interesting way of packing that I'm going to try for my short vacay this week.

Winter Clothes List for Pinoys

2015-01-26T13:01:00.002+08:00

There are so many beautiful places to see and with the easing of visa applications to some winter wonderlands a lot of Pinoys are now visiting cold places. When my sister heard I was visiting Zurich a few years back she made sure that I would be properly dressed for the cold weather. During that time we didn't have Uniqlo yet in Manila so getting winter clothes was limited to Cartimar, some of the branded shops and UK UK of course. My sister ended up buying some of my things in the US and sent it through her husband.

One thing I realized was the weather in Europe can be colder compared to Asian countries that experience winter. Well even with that difference it's still better to bundle up. Here's the the top to toe list my sister sent me:

Head
- bonnet, preferably one that can cover your ears
- ear muffs, can do without if you have a good bonnet and coat that has a hood
- mask, useful if you have a hard time breathing in cold weather

Top Body
- sando, I still wear one under the Heattech undergarment for extra warmth
- Heattech undergarment (long-sleeves)
- Heattech sweater
- winter coat, better to get the parka jacket with faux fur hood (better to get a size bigger since you'll be piling up with clothes)
- gloves and scarf
- and maybe another sweater to put over your Heattech sweater when it's really cold

Bottoms
- Heattech leggings
- Heattech pants, some people can survive with jeans but I can't (I love the Uniqlo Heattech pants, it's like wearing a blanket haha)
- I usually put on a pair of stockings before wearing Heattech leggings

Feet
- Heattech socks and I usually add a pair of cold weather socks from Daiso
- it's also good to invest in a pair of winter shoes (the one with furry lining is the best) and snow shoes if you plan to walk around

Always keep your head, ears, hands and feet covered (and well the rest of your body), but these are the parts that easily get cold. And always wear a bonnet at night, mahirap nang mahamugan! If you're planning to have a vacation at a cold, cold place, make sure to earmark some budget for these clothes (around PhP10K should do).

Lahore Lakwatsa

2013-03-27T21:16:00.001+08:00

I had a very funny experience at the Lahore airport. When we went out a group of reporters ran after our group. Our guide quickly blocked their way and told us to board the car immediately. We then rushed out of the airport premises to do some shopping. Later in the day our guide told us that the reports though I was a famous pop singer! LOL!

We went to a complex that had boutiques selling clothes. It was really hard to choose a dress and Badar's wife had to decide for me. I only brought sneakers with me so I had to buy a pair of sandals to match my new dress. I was amazed at the locally made selections. They could rival those made in Marikina! Again Badar's wife had to choose my sandals for me.

We checked in at a lovely hotel and antique Rolls Royce was on display at the lobby. It was owned by the highest ranking government official back in the 1920s. My guy friends checked out every nook and cranny of the car.

The next day we spent some time shopping and I couldn't help but admire the garments and cloth. It's amazing how much handiwork goes into each cloth and dress, very much unlike what we use back home.

The Karachi Experience

2013-03-16T00:30:00.000+08:00

I started writing this post back in September after my adventurous visit to Pakistan. Our first stop was Karachi. It was a short 2 night stay and we spent most of our time in the hotel for our events. I loved the fact that Karachi had a lot of big, tall trees and life seemed pretty relaxed even though we were told that the situation was a bit volatile.

We landed in Jinnah International Airport. It was there that I realized there isn't that much info about life in Pakistan from media. All we see are bad stuff, much like how Mindanao (in the Philippines) was depicted. My friend Badar said that it wasn't really the case and that life is normal and that Pakistan has a lot of beautiful places.

I had no idea what to expect (that's the problem when media paints an incomplete unfair picture about certain parts of the world), but I was surprised to see a McDonald's right outside the airport. There were a lot of other international brands active in the market.

The modes of transportation was quite interesting. Saw a lot of really old cars, huge tricycles and colorful buses that would give Philippines jeepneys a run for their money. A lot of locals also used motorcycles. Also saw donkeys on the road (they look like Eeyore!), but I pretty much fell in love with the buses but it was quite hard to get a decent photo since I was always just inside the car and the bodyguard kept hiding my view with a sunvisor.

In the evening Badar brought us to Port Grand. The place looked very posh and I felt like I was transported to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. My outdoor photos didn't turn out so good (as usual arggghhh). It was a bit hard to find a restaurant because we wanted to try so many different things, but we ended up at Ghaffar Kabab House to sample some local delicacies. One of the dishes Badar ordered was brain and I was the only one who was brave enough to try it. I tried it because Badar said it's supposed to make one more intelligent and only the elite would have it often. It's an acquired taste though, but I'm glad I tried it.

Aside from sampling local dishes we discovered this awesome chocolate cafe where I ended up eating so much. Butlers Chocolate Cafe also had a branch at the airport and we ended up buying loads of chocolate to much on for the rest of our trip.

I hope to visit Karachi once more someday and maybe see the rest of this hidden paradise.

Lahore: Cooco's Den and Cafe

2013-03-06T01:30:00.000+08:00

A few months back I had the chance to visit Pakistan for the very first time. We took a long plane ride from Singapore to Bangkok to Karachi. A lot of people are probably anxious about going to Pakistan, but I wasn't since my good friend, Badar, has been telling me about his lovely country for six years now. I didn't get to see much of Karachi since we spent most of our time cooped up in the hotel for events.

After Karachi we headed to Lahore on a short plane ride. We arrived just as the sun was setting. Seeing the sun made me feel homesick. Before heading to the hotel we visited Badar's home to say hello to his family and we did some shoe shopping (they have lots of awesome shoes!). In the evening we visited the Badshahi Mosque and then had dinner at Cooco's Den and Cafe.

It was quite a trek going up to the restaurant and everyone had to take rest stops because of me (haha). It was pretty dark at the rooftop though and my photos didn't turn out good (except for some long shot photos of the mosque). I had a grand time taking photos of the art collection on the first floor. It was really interesting to see that they had some stonecraft items displayed as well. They said they were also made in Pakistan.

Cooco's Den and Cafe's history is very interesting. According to the menu it's location used to be the red light district and the restaurant used to be a place only for adults (for adult fun). Badar mentioned that the food there was delicious so since he knew my allergies I left the task of ordering to him. He got quite a lot of different dishes and I tasted most of it even though it was spicy. Growing up in Manila I never really had the chance to try similar dishes although when I met Badar he introduced me to Middle Eastern/Persian food and I surprisingly like it. My tolerance for spicy food though is still pretty low, but I discovered that yogurt helps increase tolerance!

I hope I'd be able to visit Lahore again someday and try more yummy Pakistani dishes :)