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Showing posts from 2014

Sunny Days at Pico de Loro

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Not far from the former  US naval base of Subic Bay , is SM Development Corp's premium resort-themed condo-tel,  Pico De Loro . Thanks to the fiancee's family, I was able to join them in experiencing the relaxing and steady vibe of this place. Located on   Hamilo Coast , Pico De Loro prides itself in being an environment-friendly refuge for people living in Metro Manila; which is only fitting since this area around the complex is protected as a  wildlife sanctuary  for various species of land-based and sea animals. * The scene outside our condo-tel. I was hoping that there would be activities on this lagoon/lake such as fishing, kayaking, stone-throwing, ANYTHING!

Corregidor Island and the Bravery of the Filipino-American Forces During WWII

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When  Deal Grocer  announced an all-inclusive  tour of Corregidor  (including boat ride, island tour and lunch buffet) for just  $25  a person, I knew that this was too good a deal to miss! Not only had I never been to this famous key WWII battleground, but this was also to be an excitingly different weekend excursion with my fiancee, Monicca, and our friends, Aaron and Cole. * The tour is operated by  Sun Cruises Philippines , whose terminal is located near the   Cultural Center of the Philippines . To get to the island, we took an hour long, comfortable, catamaran ride.

San Agustin Church and the Beauty of Old Manila

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While Metro Manila may be world class when it comes to shopping malls, entertainment facilities, restaurants, bars, clubs and bargain shopping, its choices of  cultural attractions  is, unfortunately,  very limited . Partly its because of the national government's limited support for our historical sites or maybe its because our people themselves do not really value our cultural and historical heritage, preferring instead Western influences. Nonetheless, I am extremely proud that we more or less have the ancient  walled city of Intramuros  to get our nationalistic fix in, as well as to showcase to our balikbayans and foreign guests who want to catch a glimpse of our history. And at the center of this walled city is my favorite church in the country, the  San Agustin Church . * Built in  1571  by members of the  Order of St. Augustine , the San Agustin Church was the  first religious structure   built  by the Spaniards in the island of Luzon.

Fort Santiago and the Last Days of Jose Rizal

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Aside from San Agustin Church, no other place in the ancient walled city of Intramuros holds as much historical significance as  Fort Santiago . Due to its location at the  mouth of the Pasig River , Fort Santiago was the  chief fortress , barracks and dungeon of the   Spanish Government  during its rule of the Philippines. It also became a main fort for the spice trade between Asia-America-Europe via the  Galleon Trade to Acapulco . * Originally used by  Rajah Sulaiman , the most powerful chieftain of pre-Hispanic Manila, the Fort in its current form was ordered built by  Miguel Lopez de Legazpi   to protect the newly established city of Manila. And for the price of   $1.50 , this place can be toured by all!

The Pleasure of Getting Lost in London

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Here are some snapshots of  other places of interest in London . It was a pleasure to explore her streets; marveling at the fabulous mix of history, modernity and pop culture located at almost every corner. In fact more so than New York or Paris but equal to Chicago (still my favorite city outside of Manila and Cebu), I could actually see myself living here, maybe as a student, possibly as an expatriate. Time will tell. * It seems that almost every corner in the city has a story to tell, a tale of heroism, tragedy, travesty or oddity, what with the thousands of random things you can find; such as this  Memorial to the Royal Artillery  located randomly in the middle of a park.

Saying Hello To Will, Kate and George at Kensington Palace

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Continuing on my tour of British Royal Residences, I was able to spend a couple of hours in  Kensington Palace . While the Queen certainly favors Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace as her official residences, Kensington Palace was the l ong-time home of  Princess Diana  and currently serves as home to the  Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (William and Kate) and their son, George . * Some nice and quaint-looking buildings greeted us upon exiting the  High Street Kensington tube station . It soon became apparent that we were walking along a more affluent side of town!

The British Museum - Of Mummies and Rosetta Stones

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Pretty much every great city in the world has an equally  great museum . And in all my travels, I have been fortunate enough to have seen a few REALLY awesome ones;  Paris ,  New York ,  Chicago ,  Jerusalem  and  Rome  come to mind. So when I realized that I had a few hours to kill, I knew that I HAD to check out the  British Museum ,  one of the largest and most comprehensive museums in the world! I am happy to rank this as my  UNDISPUTED FAVORITE museum  ever ; with collections originating from practically every continent. Best of all,  admission is FREE ; with the rationale being that all objects found therein belong to all of humanity. God bless them Brits! * Accessed via the  Holborn or Tottenham Court Road Tube Station , the British Museum was established in  1753  and has a neo-classical exterior. Originally, the collections found therein were all originally owned and thereafter donated by the physician and scientist   Sir Hans Sloane .  

Hanging Out at Trafalgar Square and Chinese Food at Chinatown

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* Originally built to commemorate the  British naval victory  at the  Battle of Trafalgar  over the forces of Napoleon during the  Napoleonic Wars ,  Trafalgar Square  is today a bustling public space full of tourists, relaxed Londoners and the occasional protesters. It is also London's  main venue for rallies and public celebrations  such as the countdown to New Year's Eve. * At the head of the Square stands the neo-classical  National Gallery , the  fifth most visited art museum in the world,  showcasing a collection of paintings dating back to the  13th Century . Among the  two thousand paintings  featured here, are among those done by the masters:  Leonardo da Vinci, Monet, and Van Gogh .

Windsor Castle - A Lovely, Livable, Fortress

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While  Buckingham Palace  is designated as the  Monarch's official residence , the current Queen,  Elizabeth II , usually  spends her weekends in Windsor Castle . Built by  William the Conqueror   (the same guy who built the Tower of London)  in  1080 , the Castle is the  longest-occupied palace in all of Europe   whose purpose was to guard the Western approach to London with its strategically important location along the River Thames. * To get to Windsor, one has to take a  30-minute train  ride to the  county of Berkshire  via the  London Paddington Station . Thanks to the  London Pass , we didn't have to worry about any lines or payment! Paddington is also the line servicing the cities of  Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea, Oxford and Worcester , thus making this a very busy place for travelers. 

The Resolute St. Paul's Cathedral

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If  Rome  has the grandeur of  St. Peter's Basilica ,  London  has the magnificence of  St. Paul's Cathedral . Located in the ancient square mile known as the  City of London   (which is the ancient, historic city located inside the current city of Greater London) , the Cathedral stands tall as a proud icon of the English people. And nowhere was this more apparent than during  World War II , when images of the Cathedral  standing resilient amidst a city devastated  by Nazi bombing became effective propaganda symbols of English resiliency. * Built after the  Great Fire of 1666 , the Cathedral was the masterpiece of   Sir Christopher Wren , one of the most esteemed English architects in history. Having overseen the  reconstruction of at least 52 churches  after the fire, Wren was also popular within the scientific-intellectual community with his contributions to science being highly praised by contemporaries such as  Isaac Newton  and  Blaise Pascal .

Laying Siege to the Tower of London

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Of all the sights in London, only one place can claim to be as  historically significant as it is significantly haunted . Built in  1078  by the Norman King,  William the Conqueror , the  Tower of London  has served as a  royal palace, armory, treasury, zoo  and most famously, a  prison  where some of the most famous characters in English history have been imprisoned, tortured and executed. Today, the fortress is one of London's most famous tourists spots, as it also  houses the Crown Jewels  of the UK. * After getting of the  Tower Hill Tube Station , expect to take a 15 minute pleasant stroll towards the main entrance of the Tower.

Haunted London Walk!!!

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For first timers to both London and Paris, I would highly recommend getting this nifty travelling tool known as the  London Pass (or conversely the Paris Pass) . For the price of  £77 , one gets  access to all the major tourist spots  with special  cut-the-queue lines , discounts on various restaurants and services and more importantly,  FREE access to the London Tube  for three full days! A VERY good deal indeed for those planning on maximizing their visits on limited tour dates. Upon looking at the London Pass booklet, my cousins and I were stoked to find a special offer for the  Blood and Tears Haunted London Walk . For the price of  £7.00 , we got to go on this highly-rated and recommended walking tour, focusing on the bizarre, creepy and occult-ish elements of this medieval city. * Having met our guide,  Declan McHugh , on the  Barbican tube station , we started our  one hour and 45 minute walking tour  of London's gruesome and freaky history, including areas w

Westminster Abbey - Burial Place of Legends

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One cannot go to London and NOT SEE Westminster Abbey !  To do so would be a grand disservice to your trip. I mean how can you not experience the  most important (and heck, oldest) church in London :  site of coronations, burials, memorials, and lookalike to every Citadel in our dreams?! Yeah, I'm a big fan of this place. So big that I purposely and happily went here thrice in the two times that I've visited London! *  Taking the tube  to Westminster and  getting off Westminster Station , short and sweet!! While I greatly appreciated the presence of English all around (compared to everywhere else in Europe), I must say that  I found the Paris Metro to be more navigable compared to the London Tube . Must be because the Metro uses a numbering system (Get off the 6, Hop on the 9) compared to the system of the Tube which uses named lines (Jubilee Line... Jubilee Line.. Wait, what I am doing on the Metropolitan Line?!)

Big Boy at Big Ben, Parliament and Whitehall

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Across the river from the London Eye stands  Westminster , England's  political and religious center . Since the  11th Century , Westminster has proudly been the center of power for the English people from the moment  King Canute built his palace  here and his successor,  Edward the Confessor , founded Westminster Abbey right beside it . On a regular day, expect to see crowds of civil servants and tourists coexisting in this tiny yet hallowed area. * Taken from Parliament Square is this shot of  Parliament on the right  and the  Norman Shaw Buildings , the original site of the famous  Scotland Yard  synonymous with Sherlock Holmes and detective work,  on the left .