Coron 3D/2N Package

I have not been to Coron. That's why this promo seems so tempting.

Explore Coron, Palawan for only P13,500. This deal is inclusive of the following:

-Roundtrip airfare for 2 with Zest Air
-3D/2N stay in a Superior Room at Darayonan Lodge
-Daily breakfast
-Roundtrip airport transfer

Booking must be done within 30 days upon purchasing the coupon. For travel from June 15 to February 29, 2012.

Price is already inclusive of service charge and VAT.
For more details and great deals, visit eBay Kuponan.

When In Amsterdam...

take a canal cruise.

Straightest area of the canal. You can see right through to the 4th bridge.

walk along the Red Light District.

No photos of the girls can be taken unless you want trouble.

visit the Flower Market.

visit the Anne Frank House.

Really blurry shot of the AF door

The Anne Frank House from afar

kill time at the Sex Museum.

wander inside the Hemp Museum.

rent a bike...

Bikes everywhere!

...and go sightseeing.

Royal Palace on Dam Square

Madame Tussaud's

Munttoren Tower on Muntplein Square

An old castle-looking building turned into a restaurant

Church by the Flower Market

watch out for the train.

The train passes right in front of our hotel on Raadhuisstraat

admire the cute little canal houses and boathouses.

Canal house with nice pink windows

One of the many boathouses along the canal

hang out at a coffeeshop.

The Bulldog is a popular hotel and cafe among tourists

Abraxas is a popular coffee shop among locals

people watch while having an Amstel.

and do what the locals do.

See what the guy has in his left hand? :P

Thinking of Bali

I want to go back. It's been almost two years since I traveled there. Didn't do much but party for a week, take surfing lessons and attend the awesome wedding of a good friend.

Legian Beach
Photo courtesy of  Gab G.

We took a PAL flight to Jakarta and then an Air Asia flight to Denpasar since there's no direct flight to Bali from Manila. Do not make the mistake of arriving at the JAK International airport around midnight as it's not a very nice airport. When we arrived, everything was closed except for the McDonald's right at the airport's exit and some money changers. No lounge, no nothing. No tourist desk where you can inquire on how to go to the domestic airport for your flight to Denpasar (Bali). You will be at the mercy of the cab drivers, a lot of which, will give you a ridiculous price for a short ride to the domestic airport. There is a shuttle bus but it doesn't operate round the clock. A friend paid around 60,000-70,000 IDR which is still a bit too much considering that it's only a few minutes away.

View of the pool from our room

Finally arrived in Bali and proceeded to our hotel. For a couple of nights, we stayed at the All Seasons Legian which is a nice, modern hotel. After breakfast, our next order of business was to find a money changer. Money changers are a dime a dozen in Bali. You just have to be careful where you go to. Look for one that doesn't have hidden charges (tax?) and one that won't cheat you. I chose one that offered higher exchange rates than the one a couple of stalls down and I got ripped off. 50 SGD worth. Never make the mistake of putting your money on the table. Count it first in front of the person before you give it to him/her. Never look away. Apparently, a lot of people have been scammed this way.

Anyway, despite all things mentioned, I still had a rocking time in Bali. I took an introductory course at the Quiksilver surf school. It costs USD40, includes board and rash guard rental and lasts around 2 hours. Successfully stood on the dang board after a million wipe outs and gallons of water swallowed.

Wiped out right after this photo was taken

Good-sized waves

Also did a bar crawl with friends, who like me, arrived in Bali a few days before the wedding. Most of the bars we went to were located in Kuta which is the most happening area in Bali. This is also where you'll find the Bali Bombing Monument which was built to commemorate the 202 people who died in the 2002 bombing.

Bali Bombing Monument

Bintang Beer of Indonesia
Photo courtesy of Gab G.

Last but not the least, took part in the lovely wedding of a friend..

Friend's wedding in Seminyak

Good times. 

I "Heart" Barcelona

I have a friend who is going all the way to Spain for her Nadal-fix. She's gone to China two years ago to watch him play. And to Bangkok last year to drool over him court-side. She's a stalker. She's crazy. Anyway, I digress.

Spent 6 days in Barcelona in the Summer of 2009. Weather was around 30-34 degrees but then I come from a tropical country so it wasn't really that bad.

Decided to stay in a hotel in the La Rambla area called Hostal Opera Ramblas. It's a budget hotel located along an alley a few meters away from the Opera and the Liceu metro station. A night's stay cost us around 55-63 euros. The hotel is located right smack in La Rambla which is a 1.2km-long street in central Barcelona that's very popular with both tourists and locals.

Walking up La Rambla

Everything is walking distance from this area--the city beaches, the Boqueria, Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila (by Antoni Gaudi), countless bars, restaurants, hotels and even the shopping district.

Entrance to the Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria

La Boqueria bursting with colors

Sagrada Familia ceiling (taken while waiting for the lift)

View from one of the towers of Sagrada Familia

Casa Mila by Antoni Gaudi

Since my travel companion and I aren't the artsy-fartsy kind, we only spent 2 days doing the normal touristy stuff and decided to spend the rest of stay hanging out at the beach, both inside and outside the city. Beaches outside the city are a mere 10 to 15-minute train ride away with Castelldefels and Sitges being the two closest and most popular. If going to Sitges, the right beach is where gays mostly  hang out and the left beach, right behind the pink church, is where families and straight couples mostly go.

Cool cafe at one of the city beaches

Sitges Beach

Lunch at a Restaurant by Sitges Beach

La Rambla is littered with restaurants so foodies need not fret. On our first day, we decided to eat at Pinotxo, a really tiny stall inside La Boqueria, which I've read so much about. The place doesn't have a printed/set menu so whatever they feel like cooking that day are the only ones available. Would do you good to know the Spanish words for chicken, pork, beef and seafood. Food was good, ingredients fresh and the caña cold.

Estofado and a Caña

While some of the restos along La Rambla are tourist traps, I strongly recommend having a bite at Cafe Viena which is just past La Boqueria. Order their Flauta d'Iberico d.o Jabugo. It only has 3 ingredients: jamon iberico, flauta (like baguette) and a juicy tomato that's rubbed on the bread to give it a bit of moisture and flavor (no tomato slices included in the sandwich!). So simple yet tastes so divine!
The.Best.Sandwich.Ever. Mark Bittman totally got it right on his article.

Flauta D'Iberico d.o. Jabugo
Photo from here

Another thing not to be missed in Barcelona is the Magic Fountain of Montjuic. It truly is a spectacular display of color, light, motion, music and water acrobatics. It's not open the whole year so better check out their site for opening schedules. Highly recommended.

Watched the Magic Fountain of Montjuic show...

one Summer night. AWESOME!!!

My feet are itching to go back!

Cafe Viena

C/ La Rambla, 115
08002 Barcelona, Spain
+34 933 171 492

Pinotxo

Mercat de la Boqueria, La Rambla
Barcelona, Spain 
+34 933 171 731

Hostal Opera Ramblas

C/ Sant Pau 20
08001 Barcelona, Spain
+34 933 188 201
www.operaramblas.com

Sagrada Familia

Plaça de la Sagrada Família, Mallorca, 401, 
08013 Barcelona
+34 932 073 031
For ticket info and opening hours, visit the Sacred Destinations page.

El Nido Resort - Lagen Island Getaway

Enjoy a 3D/2N getaway for 2 at the world-class El Nido Resort - Lagen Island.
Deal Grocer is offering this package for only P27,500 instead of the original rate of P55,000.

Package includes:

Forest Room accommodation
Roundtrip boat transfers to/from El Nido airport
Daily buffet breakfast for 2
Massage for 2
Use of snorkeling gear and kayaks

Grab this deal now as there are limited vouchers left.

Travel period from April 4 to June 30, 2011 (except Holy Week). Subject to availability.

SEAIR Boracay Getaway Package

eBay Kuponan offers a Boracay getaway for 2 for only P11,800. This deal is inclusive of the following:

-Roundtrip airfare for 2 with SEAIR (Manila-Caticlan-Manila)
-3 days and 2 nights accommodation based on twin sharing at La Carmela Boracay or
 Kikko's Boracay Resort
-Daily set breakfast for 2

Coupons must be booked by May 15, 2011 for travel from June 15 to August 31, 2011.
Price is already inclusive of service charge and VAT. Purchase your coupons now as the deal ends in 9 days.

Aside from a trip to Boracay, eBay is also offering packages to Hong Kong Disneyland.
For more details and great deals, visit eBay Kuponan.

El Nido Resorts Palawan Summer Package

I have always wanted to visit El Nido Resorts in Palawan as I have heard and read a lot of good reviews about how beautiful the place is. Unfortunately, the place is too darn pricey for a middle income person like me. Good news is, they have an incredible 3D/2N package for either Miniloc Island Resort or Lagen Island Resort until the end of the month.

For more info and reservations, visit the website of  El Nido Resorts.

Crown Regency Sky Experience Adventure

eBay Kuponan Crown Regency Deal

eBay PH's group buying project is currently offering  a deal that's perfect for summer. For only, P8,888, you and a friend can stay at Cebu City's Crown Regency Hotel and Towers for 3 days and 2 nights. The package also includes:

• Daily breakfast for two (2)
•  Two (2) Chinese lunch buffet at Wang Shan Lo for two (2) pax
• One (1) International dinner buffet at Sparkz for two (2) pax
• One (1) Sky Walk or Edge Coaster for two (2) pax
• One (1) 4D movie for two (2) pax
• One (1) 75-minute Indonesian Deep Tissue Massage for two (2) pax
• One (1) Sky Extreme Adventure Activity for (2) pax (located at 40th floor) at Paramount Vertigo Wall only
• Use of indoor and outdoor swimming pool
• Use of Power Gym

Coupons have a validity of 1 year from March 24, 2011 to March 23, 2012. Visit Kuponan.ph for more details about this deal. 

Bangkok Hangover Hat Part Deux

One of my favorite places to go to is Bangkok, particularly if there's a Hat tournament. Another one-day tourney lined up in October. I wasn't in the first one but knowing how the Soidawgz party, this one will be a blast. Boat races, delicious Thai buffet on the field, and of course, free-flowing Singha beer!

When: October 17, 2010

Where: Ror Neung Phan Neung Field (aka TorBor) Click for map

Registration: 8:30pm

Games: 9am to 5pm

Fee: 500 Baht for on time players, 600 Baht for late players

RSVP: svenvnhanoi@mac.com

Visit the Facebook page for more details.

Things I miss from my European Summer...(Part 1)

the BOOZE!

Amsterdam: Amstel at one of the pubs near the RLD

Italy: Birra Moretti at Lake Garda

Barcelona: Spanish San Miguel on the way to the beach

Germany: Bit Copa--tastes like shandy

At a Biergarten: Eichbaum

Stuttgart: Lösch-Zwerg Bier

(a bit of a tongue-twister so I call it "Dwarf Beer")

No schnapps and grappa on the list because I don't miss 'em at all =)