Nature is Beautiful.

And we are stewards of God's creation... 

Went hiking and spending time on this hot sunny day with my cousins/family at Malagaslas Spring. Crazy story, my mother's grandma used to own this land back in the days and they sold it. Wow.

The beautiful chaos, that is Manila.

My 4 Day Trip to Bali

I have always seen travel channels feature this amazing island. A few months ago, my sister and I  finally decided to book a trip here. From the Philippines, I think i paid $400+ for the plane ticket and hotel stay through a travel website. The tours are separated, and i recommend looking at brochures/booklets from the airport for a suitable tour company for you.

 I picked a hotel in Kuta, Bali because it was the tourist destination of the island. If you prefer more quiet or more countryside, try looking at hotels in Ubud or Seminyak. Our hotel is located in the main street in Kuta named JL Legian where all the nightclubs, souvenir shops and restaurants are located. (wasn't able to take a photo because I didn't bring my phone whenever I walk in the streets)

On our first day, we visited the famous Uluwatu Temple.

During sunset every day, a group of dancers do what they call the Kecak Fire Dance here.  It's a Balinese dance where a group of half-naked guys chant "kecak" as actors portray a story of epic battle from the Ramayana (sanskrit poem).  My sister and I were very amused and really enjoyed the performance. I wasn't sure, but i think you have to pay to see this. Also, you have to wear sarong (fabric wrapped around the waist) when you enter the temples.

We ended our first day having a candlelight dinner at Jimbaran Beach where we had seafood which I wasn't a big fan of (sorry!), headed to the hotel and rested.

The next day, we wanted to see the real beauty of Bali so we visited Ubud, Bali which was regarded as the cultural center of the island. The drive to go here takes hours, and most tour companies provide you with a private driver that will drive you all around the island.

We did a waterfall hike to Tegenungan Falls. It was so beautiful. According to our driver, there are many waterfalls in this island to explore. Too bad, we were only able to go to one. After the hike, our driver drove us for lunch buffet at a restaurant overlooking Batur Volcano.

Then we went to the Monkey Forest in Ubud and played with  little monkeys. 

We then visited the temple that most Bali postcard feature: the Pura Tanah Lot. It is a temple that sits on a large offshore rock and has been shaped continuously over the years by the ocean tide. 

We didn't really get to have a closer photo because there were just too many tourists in the area. After that long day driving around the island, we had dinner in one of the restaurants at JL Legian in Kuta.

We spent the third day going to Nusa Dua Beach to try water sports. We  went rode a glass bottom boat, went snorkeling, and rode the famous FlyFish in Bali. It was a lot of fun. 

Our fourth and last day in Bali was spent relaxing in the hotel, buying souvenirs or pasalubongs for friends and family. There are a lot of souvenir shops in Bali, but the cheapest ones are usually found on the streets. :)

What to Try:

• Try their famous luwak coffee (very expensive to buy). It's a coffee fermented inside the stomach of the animal luwak (asian palm civet) and defecated and turned into coffee beans. 

• Try getting a spa treatment in Bali, it's very inexpensive and they really pamper you. Don't be surprised if you would have to be half naked during this experience. 

• Try holding a turtle in their Turtle Farm. It's illegal to do that here in America. (lol) 

SOME TIPS:

• AIRPORT: If you're a US Citizen or from any other countries that require visa to enter the country, prepare $35 for VISA ON ARRIVAL. Don't let anyone take your suitcase. There are trusted airport shuttle companies that can take you to your airport. OR call your hotel or book reservation beforehand for a pick-up at the airport.

• SHOPPING: Learn how to haggle when buying souvenirs, some guy tried to swindle us by selling us 3x more than the actual price. HECK NO! 

• SAFETY: Keep an eye on your belongings AT ALL TIMES. There are a lot of pick-pocket gangs especially in JL Legian/ tourist spots.  Never buy any drugs/ "mushrooms", unless you want to spend time in jail.

• FOOD: DONT DRINK BALI WATER. i repeat, don't ever drink tap water. Even brushing your teeth, use bottled water. 

• MONEY: When exchanging currencies, go to trusted banks instead of the ones in the streets, some of them are located in alleys and will try to trick you. We actually had our money exchanged at the airport. 

• TRAVEL: There's no easy way to travel around Bali except to get a private driver.  Most tour companies will provide you one. If you are to use public transportation, use blue cabs and make sure they turn on their meters. 

• WHEN TO VISIT: We went around May. May-September is the dry season and is the best time to  visit the country.

Overall, Bali is a very beautiful place to visit and learn about the Balinese culture. 

Moving incessantly.

Because the sun continues to rise every single day.

Blessed to have witnessed and captured this beauty after work today. <3

Fall again

There will always be a part of me wanting to walk forever under autumn leaves.
It's that time of the year again. My favorite season, when the wind breeze is not too cold, when the colors of the tree resonates warmth. Oh, fall.

Philippines: Tagaytay

Thailand: Land of Smiles

I must say that Thailand is one of my favorite Southeast Asian countries. 

Originally, we were going to cancel our trip to Thailand because the country is under coup d 'etat (the military has taken over). We heard there were curfews, and we were scared that it might be dangerous to visit at this time. Honestly, it reminded me of the "Martial Law" in the Philippines under Marcos regime.

However, a friend who lives in  the country informed us that  it's still safe for tourists to go here. We ended up buying our plane tickets and staying almost a week in the heart of Bangkok. 

We stayed at Arnoma Hotel. It was a perfect location because  it was in the middle of  the big shopping centers in Bangkok. 

Every morning, we would leave the hotel and walk around to get breakfast. I kid you not, you will get full with just $2 (60 Baht) here. 

Street foods galore!

Thai food, even from the beginning has been one of my favorites. I treated my palate to some authentic pad thai, curry, tom yum soups & other Thai delicacies when I visited the country! 

Then, as most tourists who haven't been to Thailand or doesn't know anyone who lives her, we wind up getting a discounted tour from the Airport when we arrived. Some highlights of our tour are: Buddha temples, city tour, elephant village and the infamous floating markets. 

After 5 days in Bangkok, i yearn to explore more of Thailand. It's just was not enough. I will definitely come back again and go to the old city of Ayutthaya.

Thailand is very rich in culture and I can't wait to learn more about it.

Golden Gate Park

I have been living up here in Norcal for 6 months now, and how come I didn't know such place exist? 

This world is such a beautiful place to live in. The flowers, the sky, the smell of fresh air- often times, we take small things like these for granted. 

You're not so bad after all.

Sunrise in my new city! :)

Dawn.

As the moon sets, I sleep. 

Train rides.

Hitting the slopes today.

Fresh pow, where art thou?

Cotton Candy.

Fall.

New beginnings.

It's not a bad city, after all. 

And it was all yellow.

Before my 12 hour shift.

Oh sunsets, I love you. 

Train stations.

There's something so magical about grand central. 

Lady Liberty!

Philippines