Singapore Lah.

As I am busy preparing for my birthday trip this year let me share with you my pre-birthday trip to Singapore last year. Hell yeah, another long overdue post. Haha. Please bear with me as soon as I give you a more up to date travel story :)

And so what this birthday trip so special? I hugged my favorite Minion character at the happiest place in Singapore :)

09.14.2014

Before this trip came I have lost the most important man in my life and undecided whether I'll push through with this or not but decided to go. All through the flight to Singapore I was crying my heart out to a friend and told her how painful it is to lost a father without giving us any signal.

We've arrived to Singapore around 9:05 in the morning via Cebu Pacific. What I love about this country is their transportation services. You'll never get lost in Singapore. We tried to get an early check in to our hotel but the room was not available yet so we just left our things at their luggage area. We've met a Filipina traveller who was also staying in the hotel who has helped us with some of the directions that we need.

First thing first you need to get an easy link prepaid card. You can use it to pay for the bus or mrt transport fee. I reloaded the easy link from a friend who just came from Singapore a 50 bucks. The map that we got from 7-11 also has helped us to find our first stop which is Singapore Zoo.

From Bugis MRT station we alighted at Ang Mo Kio station then rode the bus 138 located at Berth B1 complex. It took us 90 mins before we reached the Singapore Zoo.

I didn't expect that Singapore has the most humid weather. I was like I need to breathe some fresh air. It is highly recommendable to buy your ticket online like we did so you won't experience the pain of falling in line in a very long queue.

Before we wander around the Zoo, we had our lunch first and I tried their local Nasi Lemak. Hmmm not bad though.

Here are some of the attractions that you can see inside the Zoo.

We've went back to the hotel around 3PM then checked in and to our surprised the room that we had was very small compared to what we expected. We booked a deluxe room and thought that we're only given a standard room. The receptionist told us that the only difference between standard and deluxe is not the size of the room but the window that comes with it. So much disappointment.



Good thing there was a free wifi so I was able to get in touch with my elementary buddies who were based in Singapore. I was not informed that we need to have a very long walk from Esplanade to the Merlion Park so I should have not wore my killer heels. Haha. I realized that good friends even though you did not see each other for years when you do it just picking up the days where you were left off. Meeting up with my childhood buddies was my favorite part of my Singapore trip.
I've really enjoyed hanging out with them. A lot of kwentos were made. A lot of future plans have been shared. A lot of keeping up stories have been laid down the table as we sipped the cold beers with Singapore satay to compliments the never ending kwentuhan.

09.15.2014

A jam-packed adventures awaits our 2nd day in Singapore. As early as 8 o'clock in the morning we were already at the Universal Studios. Given the limited time that we had, we have only chosen the best rides. First on our list was the Transformers Ride. Queueing as it may seem but that wouldn't stop us from wanting to experience this momentus opportunity to feel how would it be like if we were really on the scene and we are whom inside these autobots. It was really an amazing experience. I definitely do it next time around.

Singapore has one of highest cost of living in Asia. Our lunch which was just a burger and a fries cost us almost Php500 bucks.

After lunch we had our Return of Mummy Ride which also one hell of amazing experience. Through the entire ride I just closed my eyes and I realized that it was all over. Haha. That kabog sa dibdib and the never ending scream and the physically challenge ride has surpassed my expectation. Should I do it again? Definitely, Yes! And will promise that I am not gonna close my eyes next time around. Haha. We've strolled around USS before we left at 3:00 in the afternoon as we need to go back to our hotel for outfit change before we go to the Gardens by the Bay.



I really enjoyed looking at the beautiful flowers in Flower Dome and got scared when I tried the sky walk experience at the Cloud Forest. These two conservatories inside the Gardens by Bay are really one of the great attractions in  Singapore that you shouldn't missed.

My elementary couple friends invited me to have dinner at their place. Who am I to say no for such invitation. I was able to meet their two cute little children and had some wine two nights before my birthday. A toast for almost 3 decades of friendship and counting.

09.16.2014

We checked out as early as 5:00 in the morning as we need to catch the bus at 7:00 that will take us to Genting Highlands in Malaysia.

It may be a short trip to Singapore but a very memorable one.

Till my next stop, Minion :)

Baguio and Bagets

Because cold never bothered us anyway!

05.06.2014

Baguio is always be one of my favorite places. I would never get tired of coming back to this place again and again. And this time I'd say hello to Baguio and Bagets!

Travelling with my nephews is quite troublesome for me and one hella fun at the same time. Troublesome in a way that I always have my eyes on them and nag them like a mom because of a typical adventurous as they are. Oh well, kanino pa ba sila magmamana? Eh di sa Tita! Haha!

We reached Baguio around 4 o'clock in the afternoon and checked in at the hotel around 4:30. Our first stop was the Burnham Park which is just a few streets away from where we stay at. My nephews insisted to do the rowing and I was like when we were stuck at the middle of the man-made lake "I told you we should have asked Kuya to do it for us!" And they we're like "Chillax Tita! And see!" And I was like uh-oh I'm risking my life in the hands of these two Bagets! Haha.

After the heart pounding boating experience at the Burnham Park. We've walked along the Session Road to look for a place to have dinner. We've ended up at 50's Diner. It is one of the famous burger houses in Baguio. Maybe because of it's 50's era ambience  and I can say not so expensive menu thou. You can just walk to the place from session road.

After dinner we walked to SM Baguio and played some arcade games. It was around 9PM when we've decided to come back to the hotel. My older nephew wanted to stay outside and walked around the area and of course I didn't allow him to wander alone. My pamangkin can only love me for spoiling them or hate me for being the strict Tita. Haha. As we walked along, we've passed by at DQ store and they were like "Let's have some ice cream Tita" and of course I was like "My gosh ang lamig na nga, mag ice cream pa tayo?" but of course we've ended up inside the DQ ice cream parlor and eat ice creams to our hearts content. Haha!  And since we need to pass by Burnham Park again on our way to the hotel, we saw some street finds bonnet and shopped some for us and a pasalubong to our families back home. And so that's the end of our first day in Baguio.

05.07.14.

We had our breakfast at the hotel restaurant before our long lakwatsa day start. Our first stop for the day was Mines View Park. We took a cab to take us there. We managed some photo op.

This scenic view tho :)

Before we leave the park. We bought some souvenirs. Another shopping moments thou. Deep sigh!

Our next stop was at The Mansion. This is where our President stay whenever he is in Baguio.

Next stop was at the Wright Park as it is just across the Mansion. If you love horseback riding, this park is the right place to be.

My older nephew had his henna tattoo and don't be surprised if in all of the pictures we had after this done he was showing it off. Haha.

And then we had our lunch at Volante Restaurant across the Wright Park. Ambience is good and foods are great.

After lunch, we've went to the Botanical Garden. I had my souvenir photo with their locals in their tradional costumes. You have to pay them for Php20 for the photo tho :)

I also strike a pose for some DP photo :P

We've decided to go back to the hotel for a nap. We took jeepney to the town proper since it was much cheaper than cab :P

After regaining our energy, we went off to Camp John Hay. My pamangkins were a bit disappointed since we were not able to do ziplining as it was already closed by 4PM. We just walked around the area and ended up at the Manor.

We've went to Baguio Cathedral right after and was lucky to catch the sunset as it's finest.

We had some steaks for dinner then that ends our Day 2 in Baguio.

05.08.2015.

We planned to wake up as early as 5 o'clock in the morning but ended up at 9:00AM. No one wanted to take the bath first. Because no one wanted to get out of the bed first. We almost missed our complimentary breakfast because of this. Haha. Look how mad I was. :P

Our first stop was The Philippine Military Academy. While we were in the taxi, the driver told us that slipper is not allowed inside the PMA. So we've came back to the hotel to change. The driver also told us that we need at least one ID to enter. And my older nephew who will be starting his school at De La Salle University told us that we can use his ID. His younger cousin always teases him that he was proud being La Sallian and pretty sure that will not be ashamed wearing his ID walking around PMA. Haha.

As soon as we came to Baguio I've told my nephews we will not be eating on the usual restaurant that we usually go to. We will be dining into their local restaurants to check out what they had to offer. But my nephews missed their favorite foods so I ended up being swayed to eat at Jollibee. Haha. Just kidding I was already running out of budget and could no longer afford to eat to the local expensive restaurant :P Seriously it was already 1 o'clock in the afternoon and we do not have our lunch yet. And my grouchy hungry nephews have no longer patience to walk with me and look for a local restaurant.

After lunch, we went to Bell Church and enjoyed the mountain houses view at the top.

Afterwards we went to La Trinidad and enjoyed strawberry picking at the Strawberry farm and bought some goodies for pasalubong too.

It was around 4 o'clock in the afternoon and it was raining on our way back to the hotel. We were like dead tired and can't wait to get some sleep. We took a 3-hour sleep to regain our energy.

In our last night we've went to session road again to look for a place to have dinner. We've ended up at Yellow Cab because we missed pizza and all that.

We've watched the fountain show in Burnham Park on our way back to the Hotel. It was a bit colder that night and wished to have some coffee  and my nephews went down to surprise me by buying me one.  I have the sweetest nephews ever. I've got a 3-1 coffee treat. Haha.

And that's how our Day 3 ended.

05.09.2015.

We've spent the whole morning in bed until we checked out at 11 o'clock in the morning. And so there, I had fun but what make this Baguio trip special was how my nephews enjoyed it and so did I.

Thank you, Baguio! You never failed to amaze me :)