How far can Bubbles go?

     Riding a bus on our way to Ifugao once again is not to see the famous Banaue Rice Terraces, but this time to see the Batad and Nagacadan Rice Terraces, both listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Batad Rice Terraces      Not knowing the difficulty of the hike can be of advantage somehow, because it gives you the courage to go on.  Well, the guide told us that it was 2.5 hours going down and another 2 hours to the falls.  And he said in a humorous way that after this trip we will curse Batad for the experience it gave us.  Oh yes, at first it was easy to go down which I can manage to walk for hours until we reached the restaurant with the magnificent view of Batad Rice Terraces.       After feeding ourselves with nutrition, we started our hike again, this time to the Tappiya Falls .  We traversed through the rice paddies of Batad and once we got to the middle, we were amazed with the stunnin...

Jongjeon houses the spirit tablets of the kings and queens with many accomplishments.      The Koreans have always placed importance in preserving their cultures and traditions.  They preserved and restored well their cultural sites.  One of the most beautiful shrines I’ve seen so far is the Chongmyo Shrine or Jongmyo Shrine.      I loved it and enjoyed every minute and every part of this shrine.  Even the ambiance is so peaceful and cold.  I’m glad my friends granted my wish to visit Jongmyo Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage site listed in 1995.  It was built by King Taejo of Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and embodies Confucian ideals.      Jongmyo Shrine houses the spirit tablets of the kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty.  In addition to the tablet, there is a panel listing of king's accomplishment.      From the entrance, the slightly raised path called samdo path will lead y...

Geunjeongjeon Hall contains the royal court      I love palaces!  Whenever I travel to another country with palaces, I want to make sure that it is added in my itinerary.  With so little time in Seoul, and so many palaces to visit, we prioritized the Gyeongbokgung Palace, which is the largest and grandest among five.      Gyeongbokgung Palace was built in 1395 by the Joseon Dynasty, but it was destroyed during the Imjinwaeren War (Japanese Invasion, 1592-1598).  Later on, during the reign of King Gojong (1852-1919), all the 7,700 rooms were restored.      Remarkably, the most important edifices of the Joseon Dynasty, Gyeonghoeru Pavilion, and Hyangwonjeong Pond are still intact.  Woldae and the sculptures of Geunjeongjeon (The Royal Audience Chamber) shows past sculpture of contemporary art. Admission Fees:   Adult (19-64 years old) - 3,000 won   Children (7-18 years old) - 1,500 won   *Clos...

February 24, 2013      Ryan and I both love history, so we made a side trip to Capas National Shrine after our trip to Mt. Pinatubo.  We even convinced my friends to follow us there.  As what they said “Humi-history na naman kami.” :D      The Capas National Shrine is located in Brgy. O’ Donnell, Capas, Tarlac.  This is the area where the Bataan Death March ended.  An obelisk was built here as a reminder of the Filipino and American soldiers who perished in Death March during the World War II.  A black wall surrounding the obelisk shows the engraved names of the Filipinos and Americans who died in this location, the statistics of the total number of prisoners and deaths, and the poems for peace.       You can also see the box car that used to transport Filipino and American prisoners.  About fifty to sixty men were forced into this car by Japanese soldiers during the intense summer heat of ...

February 24, 2013      On our way to Mt. Pinatubo, we dropped by at the Capas Death March Monument which marks the World War II concentration camp.  The monument depicts the heroism of the Filipino and American soldiers, while the other part shows the cruelty of the Japanese.       The park can be a nice and quiet place for recreational area, but is not well maintained by the government.  I wish they do something to revive the park.              

Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City      After we visited the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, we drove all the way to Cemetery of the Heroes or Libingan ng mga Bayani.  It was just 5 minutes away.  As I remember, if I’m not wrong, there is no fee entering this cemetery.  You can even drive inside the cemetery because the area is so big and you will get tired from walking around.       This cemetery was first established on May 1947 as Republic Memorial Cemetery and was later changed to its current name on October 27, 1954 by President Magsaysay.  It is the final resting place for Filipino military personnel, heroes, martyrs, Philippine presidents, defenders of Bataan and Corregidor, and the battlefields of the Allied Liberation of the Philippines during World War II.  There is also the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.      However, those who were dishonored, discharged from service, and convicted of an...

     One of my favorite historic districts in Manila!  I will never get tired of it no matter how many times I walk the walled city of Intramuros.  My love for ruins, fortresses, and anything that have to do with history made me visit this place a number of times.  It was built by the Spaniards on the late 16 th century to protect the city from foreign invasion.  But some of the walls were heavily damaged during the World War II and reconstructed in 1951 when Intramuros was declared a National Historical Monument.      Inside the walls, I highly recommend to visit Manila Cathedral, San Agustin Church, Baluarte de San Diego, Casa Manila which is an example of Bahay na Bato architecture, and Fort Santiago.  Also, don't forget to photo the Palacio del Gobernador and the Ayuntamiento.  You can also walk on top of the walls. On top of the Baluarte de San Lorenzo Reducto de San Pedro Cobblestone Road ...

     Me and my boyfriend visited this old cemetery for the well-off and aristocrat during the Spanish colonial era which is now called Paco Park.  It was built in the late 18 th century and was used as a burial site for the victims of cholera epidemic.      I love how the cemetery was constructed in fortress like walls and circular shape.  The walls are thick to house niches and wide enough so you can walk on top of it.       St. Pancratius Chapel was also built inside the park.  Until today, it is a favorite for weddings because of its garden, fortress and big fountain.      It was during this visit I learned that Dr. Jose Rizal was buried here after his execution at Bagumbayan.  Even the three Filipino priests Mario Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora, who were executed by Spaniards in 1872 for the Cavite Mutiny were buried on this ground.      It is interesting to...

     Angkor Wat is one of my dream destinations.  Though, I can’t remember when I start liking it.  Until one day, I find myself heading to Siem Reap, Cambodia with friends.      It was a long travel and you’ll be spending the whole day sitting at the bus, watching the scenery, and eating at the bus station for every stop-over.  From Ho Chi Minh City, we traveled 4 hours to reach the border of Cambodia.  It was my first time to cross a border.  So far, everything went smooth with the help of our bus guide.  As we reached Phnom Penh at 2 PM, we transferred to another Capitol bus bound for Siem Reap.  Due to rain in some parts of Cambodia, we arrived in Siem Reap at 10PM and good thing we have a free tuk-tuk ride arranged by our hotel.      We stayed at Mandalay Inn for 2 nights.  The air-conditioned rooms are clean, bath towels are provided, with cold and hot shower, and with cable TV.  A...