The Pinay Wanderer

For the past two weeks, I've written posts about my road trips to Cavite last April 9 and June 10, the first one about the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit while the second post about one of the favorite summer coolers of Filipinos, halo-halo (Bacoor). Being one of the eight provinces who revolted against the Spaniards, Cavite has many interesting places worth exploring. Unfortunately, as I've mentioned in my previous post, some of the places we visited were closed during that time so we just took some photos of them. Here are some of the places we stopped by during the said road trips:

Baldomero Aguinaldo Shrine

Baldomero Aguinaldo Shrine - Kawit, Cavite

Gen. Baldomero Aguinaldo

Gen. Baldomero Aguinaldo, cousin of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, is also one of the leaders during the Filipino-American war in 1899. He is the son of Cipriano Aguinaldo and Silvestra Baloy, was born on February 28, 1869 and studied in Ateneo and University of Sto. Tomas. He served as the Director of Registry of Deeds; president of the Sangguniang Magdalo of the KKK (Kataas-taasang Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan), 1896; secretary of Finance, 1897; one of the signatories in the 1897 Biak-na-Bato Constitution; etc. He died on February, 1915.

The Gen. Baldomero Shrine was donated to the Philippine government by then Prime Minister Cesar E.A. Virata, grandson of Gen. Baldomero Aguinaldo. It was built in 1906 for Gen. Baldomero Aguinaldo's family; was originally made of Narra and Molave. In 1982, the house was restored by the Intramuros Administration.

Before the road trip, I searched for some interesting places in Cavite and this shrine was one of the many historical sites I found. I haven't heard nor read about it before so I was curious and I made sure we'll go to this place. Unfortunately, we were not able to take a look inside the shrine as it was closed during that time. Baldomero Aguinaldo Shrine is open Tuesday to Saturday, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM; 1:00 PM to 5:00PM.

Baldomero Aguinaldo Shrine. with the local kids who eagerly posed for us. :D

Imus Cathedral

Imus Cathedral - Imus, Cavite

This church was founded in 1795 by the Recolletos priests with Nuestra Senora Del Pilar and St. John the Baptist as the patron saints, under the leadership of Francisco de Santiago, ORSA, the first parish priest. From a mere chapel in Balangon, it was transferred in its current location in 1823. In this location, a new church made of stone and bricks was built. In 1897, the church was converted into Cathedral and has become the diocese of Imus.

More Photos from my Cavite Road Trips

Imus Town Hall - Imus, Cavite

Town Plaza - Imus, Cavite

Imus Plaza - Imus, Cavite

Parish of St. Michael the Archangel - Bacoor, Cavite

Sacred Heart of Jesus, in front of St. Michael the Archangel Parish Church

the Altar, St. Michael the Archangel Parish Church

Hall of Justice - Bacoor, Cavite

~oo00oo~

Date of Visit: April 9 & June 10, 2012

Can you guess where this photo was taken? I bet you'll guess it was taken here in the Philippines, on the side streets in one of the provinces up north, probably in one of the Ilocos provinces. But your guess is wrong! This photo was taken in Thailand last year, during my summer adventure there in Bangkok.

And those things wrapped in banana leaves, they are not tupig (a Filipino delicacy made of glutinous rice and grated young coconut meat). They are called Khao Tom Mud (I just google-d its Thai name because I already forgot how it's called, hopefully I got it right ^_^ ), a Thai street food made of sticky rice cakes filled with banana and black beans. We saw it just outside Wat Benchamabophit, one of the temples we visited during our adventure in Bangkok. Curious with how this tupig-like delicacy would taste like, we bought some from this manong vendor. And just as I thought, khao tom mud tastes just like our local suman here in the Philippines, only with a little difference, of course, because it has ripe bananas and black beans as its fillings which add flavors to it.

This is the only street food that we tried while we were in Bangkok. There are more exotic street foods there but I'm not yet ready to try them, maybe next time, if I found the courage to do so. :P

~ oo00oo ~

P.S.: Pardon TPW for not coming up with a new post about her more recent (but not so recent...hehe) wanderings, she's just not in the mood to write a new post and sort out her photos, she's too lazy these past few days. Hopefully next week, she could come up with a new one. For now, please bear with her old photos and a short story about them.☺

Summer time is adventure time...in another country! *wink* Last summer, I joined a friend (and her friends) in their summer adventure in Malaysia and Singapore. We bought a 5D/5N package tour, 3 days in Malaysia and 3 days in Singapore. *wink-wink* :D

We left Manila at around 2:10PM via Cebu Pacific Air and reached Kuala Lumpur at around 6:00PM. Since it was a package tour, airport-hotel transfer was provided so we have a ride to our hotel. During the trip to the hotel, I asked the driver what Malaysian food should we try but he discouraged us and said that Malaysian food is full of fats, we might not like it (our driver looks like an Indian, maybe that's why...hehe!). However, he was kind enough to show us the famous Jalan Alor, which is just walking distance from our hotel.

Jalan Alor - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Jalan Alor is a street in Bukit Bintang area lined up with hawker stalls and restaurants. There are also those food carts like what we have here in the Philippines that offer dimsum and barbecue products. But instead of "isaw" (chicken intestine), "tokneneng" (quail eggs), "adidas" (chicken feet), etc., they have prawns, meats, and different kinds of dimsum on the carts. Fruit stalls also lined up the street. There's so many restaurants, stalls and food choices here, it's so hard to choose where and what to eat. Anyway, we ended up trying Dragon View Restaurant, one of the Chinese restaurants in Jalan Alor.

Eager to try out a new dish, I ordered fried cockles koey teow. I didn't understand then the restaurant staff when she explained what koey teow is so I also ordered roaster mix chicken rice, a set meal of roasted chicken, pork and another meat (I forgot what it was) with rice and a can of sprite (RM3.50, around PhP46.00, expensive right?) for drinks. My friends, who are afraid of trying out dishes they don't know, also ordered roaster mixed chicken rice. When our orders arrived, I found out that koey teow is a stir-fried flat noodles with cockles, shrimps and bean sprouts (wow, carbo-loading itech...hehe!). It tasted good by the way, and one order could serve 2 - 3 persons (for RM6, around PhP80, it's fair enough).☺

Fried Cockles Koey Teow - RM6

Roaster Mix Chicken Rice - RM8.50

Restoran Dragon View - Jalan Alor, Kuala Lumpur

Street Dining - Jalan Alor, Kuala Lumpur

Street Foods - Jalan Alor, Kuala Lumpur

Street Foods - Jalan, Alor, Kuala Lumpur

Street Foods - Jalan Alor, Kuala Lumpur

Jalan Alor is a must-visit destination in Kuala Lumpur especially for food lovers looking for food varieties at a reasonable price, check it out when you visit Malaysia. More of our KL summer adventures next time. See you around... ☺

~ oo00oo ~

KL Summer Adventure Series:
* Street Dining at Jalan Alor (Day 1)
* Accommodations at Hotel Alpha Genesis
* The City Tour (Day 2)
* 272 Steps to Batu Caves Temple (Day 2)
* The Towering Towers of Kuala Lumpur (Day 2)
* Shopping in Jalan Petaling - KL Chinatown (Day 3)

~ oo00oo ~

Date of Visit: May 6, 2012
Total Expenses for this dinner: RM18.00 (around PhP238.00)

For our 3-days/2-nights adventure in Malaysia, we stayed at Hotel Alpha Genesis, a business boutique hotel located at No. 45, Tengkat Tong Shin, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. The hotel is just a few minutes walk (15-20 minutes, they say) to the two famous attractions in Kuala Lumpur; the tallest twin towers and the sixth tallest telecommunications tower of the world - the Petronas Twin Towers and the KL Tower, respectively. Also, the hotel is just 10-minutes walk to the KL Monorail - Bukit Bintang Station. It is also just 2-blocks away from the famous Jalan Alor where we had our first dining experience in KL. Also near the hotel is a 24-hour convenience store (just in front of the hotel) and several bars and restaurants.

Hotel Alpha Genesis - Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Our room is located on the seventh-floor, with the view of the KL Tower from the window. It is a twin-bed spacious room with private bath/CR (with hot/cold shower, hair dryer and toiletries), central air-conditioning system, colored-TV with international channels, electronic in-room safe, and mini-refrigerator. The room also has coffee and tea-making facilities, of course with complimentary coffee and tea. Most of all, the hotel has free wifi *big smile here*. Though the staff told me that it is only available in the hotel's reception area, I was still able to connect to it from our room. ;)

The KL Tower - view from our hotel room

Our accommodation also includes buffet breakfast from the hotel's restaurant, Cafe & Bistro, located at the ground floor. From the Bistro, we tasted Malaysia's roti canai, an Indian-influenced bread served with a super spicy vegetable curry. The Bistro's roti canai does not taste and look like bread though, it tasted more like a pancake (but it doesn't look like a pancake too, haha...I don't know how to describe it, just check the photo below), with a super hot syrup, sauce rather...hehe!

Roti Canai (right), with the super spicy vegetable curry (left) :D

Fried rice and sausage dish (far upper-right)

On our first breakfast at the hotel, we have the above-photographed foods - roti canai with the super spicy curry veggie, fried rice and sausage with potato. On the next day, again we were served roti canai and a noodle dish (I don't know what it's called). That's it, that's what they call buffet breakfast, Malaysian-style! :> ;)

Our first- and second-day breakfast! :D

I was a bit disappointed with the hotel's free buffet breakfast, particularly the very limited food choices, but with the room's amenities/hotel's location and accommodating staff, I would still recommend Hotel Alpha Genesis for budget travelers who want comfortable accommodation; just look for promo rates so you'll get it at a cheaper price. :)

~ oo00oo ~

Date of Visit: May 6-8, 2012

Note: I don't know exactly how much is the rate of our room as we bought a package tour which include air fare, hotel accommodation and city tour; but recent inquiry from Agoda showed the hotel (promo) rates from US$44 - US$55 per night, superior twin bedroom, breakfast included.

Kuala Lumpur, or simply KL, is Malaysia's capital city, the country's hub for commerce and finance. It is the home to breathtaking modern mega structures; a home to about 1.6 million people of different races and cultures. (source: KL tourism flyers) When I set foot on KL last summer, it feels like I am still in Metro Manila, our country's capital region; except that it's more densely populated here and that they, of course, have that towering twin towers! :D

Anyway, I've mentioned in my previous posts that our KL-SG adventure last summer was on a package tour; and just like any other package tour, it includes a free half day tour to some of the city's interesting attractions. In KL, our city tour includes a visit to the Istana Negara (National Palace), Tugu Negara (National Monument), Masjid Negara (National Mosque), leather factory/store, batik (a cloth printed with various patterns) shop, and chocolate factory.

Istana Negara (National Palace)

Istana Negara or National Palace is the official residence of the Yang de-Pertuan Agong, the king or head of state of Malaysia. Located along Jalan Duta in Kuala Lumpur, this Istana Negara is the newly-built official residence of the King, replacing the old Istana Negara along Jalan Istana. It has an imposing gateway which is guarded by the Malay Regiment and palace guards. The palace is not open for tourists though, so people just flocked the main gate for photo-ops. ;)

Istana Negara (National Palace)

Istana Negara main entrance, where tourists usually gather for photo-ops

Daulat Tuanku! Long live the King! (left) Horse-mounted replacement guards in full uniform (right)

Tugu Negara (National Monument)

Tugu Negara or the National Monument is a sculpture erected to commemorate the soldiers who died fighting for Malaysia's freedom during World War II and the Malayan Emergency. The sculpture (the new one) is made of bronze resting on a granite base. It is located in the Lake Gardens, near the Malaysian Houses of Parliament.

Tugu Negara (National Monument) - the old (left) and the new (right) monuments

Tugu Negara entrance

Masjid Negara (National Mosque)

Masjid Negara or National Mosque is one of the most distinguished landmarks in Kuala Lumpur because of its star-shaped dome and 73-meters high minaret. (source: KL tourism flyers) It is situated near the Lake Gardens, along Jalan Perdana. Tourists, especially women who want to enter the mosque are required to wear robe and hijab or head scarf. Robes and hijabs are available at the entrance to the main prayer hall.

Negara Masjid (National Mosque)

Masjid Negara - Main Prayer Hall

Other Places Visited/Photographed

After the mosque, we passed by Dataran Merdeka (Merdeka Square), took some photos there and then we went straight to Roncato, a leather factory located along Jalan Imbi. Their products are quite expensive and the designs are not that attractive though so we left the factory just after a few minutes of looking around. The driver/tour guide then accompanied us to Daisy's, a batik shop near Roncatos. The shop sells not only batik products but also other souvenir items like shirts, scarfs, etc. My friends bought some shirts for souvenir.

Sultan Abdul Samad Building, one of the old buildings in Kuala Lumpur

Sultan Abdul Samad Building, near Merdaka Square

Roncato Leatherware

Daisy's Batik Shop/Store (thanks GB for some of the photos used in this collage)

The last stop in our city tour is the visit to a chocolate factory, Beryl's. We were all excited to visit the place then because we knew that we could taste test some of the chocolates there (choco-addicts lang...hehe!). Beryl's prided itself with their premium quality products; and true to their words, their chocolates are really good. They have variety of flavors but the ones I tried were almond, pure dark choco, chili and mint flavors. I especially liked their chili- and mint-flavored dark chocolates, so yummy! But their chocolates are pricey though, so I ended up buying just one flavor, the mint one. :(

Beryl's Chocolate Kingdom

Bottles and Chocolates!

TPW & friends' souvenir shots, during the city tour

It was raining that time, just a drizzle though, that's why most of my outdoor photos are gloomy. But despite the drizzle, despite the gloomy weather, we still enjoyed the tour; we visited a lot of places ~~though some are not that interesting :P~~ in just a span of three hours. Up next: our Batu Caves Adventure. Till then... ^_^

~ oo00oo ~

Date of Visit: May 7, 2012
Expenses: RM40.20 (for a pack of chocolates and a bottle of water)

140-ft Lord Muruga statue in Batu Caves

After our KL city tour, we asked our driver/guide to drop us off at our hotel so we could freshen up a bit before our next adventure - the Batu Caves. In this adventure, we're on our own, no driver/guide to help us and bring us there. So before we left the hotel, we check out some flyers and ask the receptionist for directions going to Batu Caves.

From our hotel, there are several ways to go to Batu Caves - we can take a taxi going there, take the KL Monorail and KTM Komuter, or simply avail ourselves of a Batu Caves tour from tour operators in the hotel, which of course is more expensive. In the end, we opted for a taxi ride since we thought we could save time by taking a taxi rather than spending time looking for and transferring from KL Monorail to KTM Komuter Train; anyway we are four in the group and the comfort of just sitting inside a taxi cab without worrying about directions could compensate for the higher fare. (in short: maarte lang...hehe!)

Batu Caves is a fascinating Hindu cave temple located in a limestone hill 13 kilometers north of Kuala Lumpur. It consists of 3 big caves, with the main cave as the location of the Hindu shrines. At the foot of the hill rises the 140-ft Lord Muruga statue, the tallest statue of Hindu deity in Malaysia. Batu Caves is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside of India and is being flocked by international crowds during Thaipusam, an annual festival that pays tribute to the Hindu deity Lord Muruga. (source: KL tourism flyers)

The main highlight of the visit to Batu Caves is the climbing of the 272 steps to the main cave where the Hindu shrines are located; such a feat to conquer for someone like me who's afraid of heights and who's not much into physical activities. But of course, I won't just give up without trying. I climbed and I succeeded, I reached the top; I was able to see the inside of the famous Batu Caves. ;)

Batu Caves entrance

inside the main cave of Batu Caves

Batu Caves' limestone ceiling

one of the Hindu temples inside Batu Caves

an opening that provides lighting inside the cave

Batu Caves grounds

KL view from the top of Batu Caves

another temple in Batu Caves

one of the many pigeons in Batu Caves posed for TPW, cool right? hehe...

TPW and GB playing with pigeons in Batu Caves :)

Add-on (found these photos so I decided to update this post).

There are several food stalls and restaurants in Batu Caves, however, my friends didn't see anything that looks appetizing so we ~~starved ourselves~~ didn't buy food, good thing one of my friends is a girl scout, she's got biscuits so we settle on it (kurips?!? hehe...). There are also several souvenir shops but I didn't buy any from them since I know we're going to Chinatown the next day.

food stall...

street foods...

more street foods... ;)

I haven't seen people doing religious activities inside though I've seen monks, don't know if Hindus, walking the grounds of Batu Caves. If you're into temples or you're curious about religious structures other than your own, Batu Caves is a place to visit in KL. Up next: The Towering Towers of Kuala Lumpur.

~ oo00oo ~

Date of Visit: May 9, 2012
Entrance: FREE
Expenses: RM7.50 (taxi fare to Batu Caves, RM30/4), RM2 (KTM train fare), RM1.30 (LRT fare), RM4.20 (drinks)

Petronas Twin Towers and KL Tower, at night!

For those who have visited Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur specifically, I'll bet that the towering structures of KL were part of their itinerary. I guess, no visit to KL would be complete without seeing and taking photographs of at least the Petronas Twin Towers or the KL Tower, if not both. And of course, we are no different; KL Tower and Petronas Twin Towers are part of our KL Summer Adventure itinerary. ☺

After our tiring climb to the Batu Caves, we headed back to the city's central district, this time via KTM Komuter train (there is a KTM station in Batu Caves). We alighted at the KL Sentral Station, first lost but later found our way to LRT Kelana Jaya Line. According to the rail map we have, one can transfer from one rail line to another via the KL Sentral Station; sad to say, we didn't find our way to the LRT line. We asked for directions but maybe because of some misunderstanding, the locals inadvertently led us to the exit so we ended up leaving the KL Sentral station and walking our way to LRT Kelana Jaya Line - Pasar Seni station. One station away from KL Sentral, on foot, imagine that!

At the LRT Pasar Seni station, we bought tickets for Dang Wangi Station. At the Dang Wangi exit, we caught a glimpse of the KL Tower, our next destination. Again, we asked for directions going to the tower. The local whom we asked for directions said that KL Tower is just around 500 meters away so instead of taking a cab, AGAIN we walked our way to the tower~~; we don't get tired, we are superwomen...hahaha~~!

Menara Kuala Lumpur (KL Tower)

KL Tower - daytime!

Menara Kuala Lumpur, more popularly known as Kuala Lumpur Tower or KL Tower is a communications tower located in Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve. The tower stands at 421 meters (around 1,381 feet), it is the sixth tallest telecommunications tower in the world and the only tower situated in a forest reserve, a reserve located at the heart of the city. (source: KL tourism flyers)

KL Tower has an observation deck where one can have a 360-degree view of Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding regions. To get to the deck, one has to avail of one of several packages available. For us, we bought just the basic package worth RM45 (PhP612, as of posting date) which includes a visit to the observation deck and a choice between pony ride or KL animal zone (there are 3 choices actually but I forgot the other one); we chose KL animal zone.

We rode the elevator going to the observation deck; the elevator was so fast, we reached the observation deck in no time. I didn't time the ride though, but I remember focusing on the height-indicator of the elevator and I saw the number changing so fast, a few blinks and we're already on the deck. ;)

At the observation deck, we were welcomed by the staff and were given an audio player and a headset that we can listen to while watching and seeing the breathtaking view of Kuala Lumpur outside. The audio player talks about the view that you would see in every window of the viewing deck.

It's sunset time when we reached the deck. As the sunset creeps in, the golden color of the sky and flickering lights of the city below add to its charm, the view is simply breathtaking. Unfortunately, the reflecting light from inside the tower prevented me from taking more photos.

Kuala Lumpur, as seen from the KL Tower observation deck

Menara Kuala Lumpur, as seen from the Petronas grounds

KL Tower souvenir photos ;)

After the viewing deck, we went to KL animal zone, an enclosure area that serves as mini zoo where several types of animals can be seen. If you have kids, this zone is a perfect add-on to a KL Tower package.

We're all tired and hungry after our visit to KL Tower. On our way there, we saw KFC, so we traced our steps back and went there for our dinner. We're supposed to go straight to the hotel after dinner but as we left KFC, we saw from afar the amazing twin towers. I'd like to photograph the twin towers during the night so I asked my friends if we could go there. Though tired, they all agreed. And again, we asked a local for directions going to Petronas. As the local tells us the direction, a man appeared and overheard our conversation. Guess who the man is? A Filipino! Yes, we met a Pinoy in KL, an OFW, who gladly pointed us to the right direction. And since he's Pinoy, we spoke in Tagalog; thus, we didn't have a hard time understanding his instructions. And off we went to Petronas, on foot AGAIN, I should add (we're superwomen remember, we never get tired, hahaha!).

Menara Berkembar Petronas (Petronas Twin Towers)

Petronas Twin Towers - nighttime

Menara Berkembar Petronas or more popularly known as the Petronas Twin Towers symbolizes innovation and progress in Malaysia; it epitomizes that of luxury and grandiose. And though not the world's tallest building now, Petronas, standing at 1,483 feet, remains to be the world's tallest twin structures (source: KL tourism flyers).

Standing high and mighty from afar, I can't help but be captivated with its beauty. I'm tired, me and my friends were all tired, but the magnificent beauty of these towers seemed so inviting, we can't help but get close to it like moths to a light. However, unlike moths that could get burned whenever they get too close to a light, these towers, with its bright light, seemed to guard and keep us on its watch. Until 11PM, we sat there at the corner of Jalan Ramlee and Jalan Ampang, looking at them, constantly clicking our cameras, captivated and in awe of its majestic beauty. Only when we realized that it's already too late did we get up and started to leave for our hotel.

We're supposed to go up the Petronas observation deck the next morning but since we already had a view of Malaysia from the KL Tower, we opted to rest some more and just explore more of Petronas before our visit to Aquaria the day.

Anyway, here are some photos of Petronas Twin Towers, the building and its interior, taken during our next day visit.

Petronas Twin Towers

magnetic

Mercedes' Formula 1 racing car (prototype)

suspended Petronas Mercedes Formula 1 cars, real prototypes

~ oo00oo ~

KL Tower Observation Deck, Schedule and Fee
Schedule:9:00AM - 10:00PM daily
Fee (for non-Malaysians):all parks entrance - RM55 for adults, RM45 for kids; basic package - RM45 for adults, RM30 for kids; guided tour - RM70 for adults, RM60 for kids
Note: You can't get good enough photos at night, if you want to capture Malaysia from the KL Tower, visit during daytime.

Petronas Observation Deck, Schedule and Fee
Schedule:9:00AM - 7:00PM, everyday except Mondays
Fee (for non-Malaysians):RM50 for adults, RM25 for kids
Note:Need to be at the ticketing center on or before 5AM to secure tickets, only a limited number of tickets were sold per day, this according to our tour guide.

~ oo00oo ~

Date of Visit:May 7 - 8, 2012
Total Expenses: RM61.40 (around PhP835, as of posting date)

Chinatown - Jalan Petaling

I see traveling as almost synonymous to shopping! Why? Because whenever we travel (local or international), we also tend to shop, not necessarily for ourselves but for our love ones and friends back home. And by shopping, I don't just mean buying expensive items from malls or shopping centers; it also includes shopping on bazaars and/or street or night markets. That's why whenever we travel, we also look for bazaars and bargain shops where we can haggle and shop for less.

In Kuala Lumpur, you can find these bazaars and bargain shops in Chinatown - a street market located in Jalan Petaling. Here, you can buy items as simple as key chains, ref magnets, gadget accessories, souvenir shirts, etc. as well as designer goods (phony, that is) like LV bags, Nike shoes, etc. at such a low price; that is, if you know how to haggle. Prices of items in Chinatown are marked up higher than usual so you should know how to haggle. Here's a tip: strike a bargain with the vendor, haggle by at least 50% off the price, don't show too much interest and politely leave if the vendor doesn't want to bargain. If you have more time, check out as much number of stalls as possible and compare the prices. There is one souvenir store there near the end of the block who doesn't allow haggling but their prices are way lower, the same as (sometimes lower than) after you haggle for 50% off from other stores.

Sayangi Kuala Lumpur! :P

I have a tendency to be frugal whenever I'm abroad; so here, I only bought ref magnets (classic souvenir item, aside from key chains...hehe!), shirts, a phone case ~~I'm forced to buy because the vendor gave my asking price~~ and some display items for my family and friends (kurips eh...hehe).

How to get to Chinatown - Jalan Petaling?

KL Monorail

Going around Kuala Lumpur is somewhat easy; you can travel around by bus, by train, or by taxi. But their rail transport system is the most comprehensive of all; the system being interconnected with each other. It is being served by the KTM Komuter Train, RapidKL LRT and KL Monorail. KL Sentral station, being an interchange station, is the usual point of reference for anyone traveling around Kuala Lumpur. So how do we get to Chinatown?

From our hotel (Bukit Bintang area), Chinatown - Jalan Petaling is just one monorail ride away. And our hotel is just walking distance away, 10 minutes, maybe less from KL Monorail - Bukit Bintang station. From this station, we bought tickets (RM1.6 per person) for Maharajalela station, the nearest monorail station to Chinatown.

When you exit Maharajalela station, facing the street, Jalan Petaling is to your right. From this station, around 100 meters or less is a green-walled Chinese temple, the Chan See Shu Yuen Temple, which is along Jalan Petaling, Chinatown is just a few meters away from this temple.

Chan See Shue Yuen Temple (photo courtesy of GB)

~ oo00oo ~

Date of Visit:May 8, 2012
Expenses: (monorail fare: RM3.2, round trip; souvenirs: RM65.35)

Aquaria KLCC

As I've mentioned in my Petronas Twin Towers post, we didn't avail ourselves of a tour to the twin towers' observation deck since we've done that in KL Tower. Instead, we visited Aquaria KLCC because my friends wanted to check out this oceanarium. I've already visited an oceanarium before (Manila Ocean Park) so I'm not that excited with Aquaria but since I have nothing else to do, I agreed to join them. So after more or less three hours of ~~window~~ shopping and roaming around Jalan Petaling, we went to KLCC (Kuala Lumpur Convention Center).

Everything in KLCC seems classy; this being the home to the stylish and high-end shopping center Suria KLCC and the high and mighty Petronas Twin Towers. But since we don't have money for luxurious shopping (purita us...hehe!), we didn't roam around Suria. Instead, we went straight to Aquaria.

But before we started our tour, we first had our lunch at the KLCC food center. Seeing an asian food stall, we chose to buy our foods there thinking that it would taste like our foods here in Manila. It turned out the food still has the Malaysian twist - spicy that is, super, to the max! One of my friends had to buy her foods twice because she can't stand the spicy food she got on her first order. She ordered the second time, and though the crew said it's a "little spicy", she still find her order to be too spicy.

set value meal - the beef tastes like our caldereta

This set meal was my order, a bit spicy but since I love spicy foods, I was able to enjoy it. For those who are not into spicy foods, please note that a "little spicy" (by Malaysian crew's standard) might be too spicy for you so better ask for a meal that is not spicy at all. Anyway, after this super hot lunch, we then proceeded to Aquaria.

Aquaria KLCC is a state-of-the-art oceanarium located in KLCC adjacent to Petronas Twin Towers. It showcases a variety of marine life forms and some land-based creatures occupying an area of around 60,000 square-foot. Like Manila Ocean Park, it features several aquariums of different sizes with various marine life species in it. It also has a transparent tunnel where you can view up close some wild marine creatures like sharks, stingrays, sea turtles and other marine life forms.

Now, let's start our Aquaria KLCC tour. :P Our first stop: touch pool section where everyone is allowed to touch marine life forms like horseshoe crab, starfish, sea cucumber, bamboo shark, etc.; I didn't dare touch them though. :P

Horseshoe Crab

starfish and sea cucumber

Next stop: electric zone where the exhibited creatures (electric eel, electric catfish, elephant-nose fish) discharged electricity to defend themselves; so if you happen to see them in the wild, stay away or you'll be toasted. :P

electric eel

electric catfish

Next stop: the stream, home to land and aquatic animals like otters and rodents.

Nutria(?) , semi-aquatic rodent

Next stop: jewels of the jungle, a section where various life forms that are usually found in the jungle can be seen including exhibits of butterflies and other insects.

green snake! checked the net to find out what type of snake this is but I got scared just by looking at the photos so never mind ;)

butterflies!!!

Next stop: flooded forest, the section where school of fishes in a lighted tube tanks can be found.

red-tailed fish

And last but not the least: the oceanarium, a 90-meter transparent tunnel with a walkalator where you can view up-close the various wild marine animals like sharks, giant stingrays, sea turtles, etc.

sea turtle and shark

the scary shark!

End of the tour, hope you enjoyed...hehe!

~ oo00oo ~

Aquaria Schedule and Fees:
Schedule: 11AM - 8PM (weekdays M-F); 1030AM - 8PM (weekends/holidays); 7PM (last admission)
Admission Fee (non-Malaysian):RM45 (adult); RM35 (children); RM25 (senior citizen)

Date of Visit: May 8, 2012

Mezza Norte - live acoustic band

Sometime last July, I saw a feature on TV about the newest night food market here in the Metro, the Mezza Norte. I haven't been to any food market yet because most of them are far from my place so when I heard that this one is in Quezon City, me and my friend scheduled a food trip there. It's been raining during the last weekend of July and early August so we're only able to visit the place mid of August.

Mezza Norte is a night food market in UP-Ayala Land Technohub along Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City. It offers various dishes from various food entrepreneurs accredited by the same organizers as that of Mercato Centrale in Bonifacio Global City. It is open from Thursday to Saturday, 6PM - 3AM and features live acoustic entertainment. It also has free wi-fi for those who love to always get connected (online).

Anyway, here are some of the dishes, drinks and desserts available in Mezza Norte:

Pinoy street foods!!! isaw - 35 pesos each...

It's been ages since I last tried this famous Pinoy street food isaw, a barbecued chicken intestine, there were many people buying it so I was tempted and bought one. In fairness, it tasted good especially with the vinegar dip poured over it, yum!!! :))

more street foods!!!

hungsilog!!

baked lasagna, etc...

yummy pork sisig here, bought one for take home, 110 pesos per order, if I remembered it right.

Vigan empanada and okoy!!

I bought two empanadas that night, one from here (Vigan empanada) and one from Ilocos empanada (Ilocos Sur I guess because of its orange-y color) and I would say, I love the latter (not in photo); this one (Vigan) is a bit salty for my taste.

juice drinks!!!

more drinks!!!

I thought then that these were alcoholic drinks, only today when I was adding watermark in this photo had I read that it's not...hehe!

cakes!!!

sweets and more!!!

Mio Gelati - Italian ice cream shop

I got curious with this ice cream shop, a lot of people are lining up to buy a scoop or two. When my turn came, I found out they offer unusual flavors like beer, barley's and tequila rose. I tried the latter. But don't ask me if it really tasted like tequila, I don't know the taste of real tequila eh; the ice cream is good by the way. :)

Tequila Rose Ice Cream

Mezza Norte food-trippers!! ;P

How to get to Mezza Norte:

From EDSA corner Quezon Avenue, take a jeepney or van going to Fairview, Philcoa or UP, ask the driver to drop you off at Ayala Technohub. You'll pass by Quezon City Hall and Quezon Memorial Circle and will turn right at Philcoa Commonwealth Avenue. Ayala Technohub is on your left side, just across the Philcoa Citimall.

Almarius Grill's Bulalo (PhP320.00/serving, good for 2-3 persons)

Bulalo is one of the famous dishes of Batangas, one of the reasons being the province as one of the major cattle producers in the country. And if you search the net for the famous bulalohan in Batangas, Almarius Grill would come up as one of them.

A few weeks back, me and my friend went on a road trip to Lucban, Quezon to visit Kamay ni Hesus Grotto. But instead of taking the shorter Laguna route, we opted for the much longer (I think) Batangas-Lipa route because of just one reason - to satisfy our craving for bulalo. We've tried bulalo from Rose and Grace's Restaurant in Sto. Tomas from our previous road trip and we liked it very much but we want to try other variety so we went to Almarius Grill in Lipa City.

Almarius Grill's bulalo is tasty, it's soup rich and flavorful. The distinct taste of raw onions and leeks add flavor and richness to its soup. However, its meat is not as tender compared to Rose and Grace's bulalo; but don't get me wrong, the meat is not really firm, it's just that Rose and Grace's is really tender, the meat falls off the bone literally. Another thing that somehow disappointed us is that the soup is not very hot. I love bulalo with steaming hot soup (actually, I love any dish with steaming hot soup) and very tender meat. I would have ignored the not so tender meat of their bulalo if the soup is steaming hot. Just the same, Almarius Grill's bulalo is worth a try, its price cheaper and the serving bigger than that of Rose and Grace's. However, if you'll ask me to choose, I would still go for Rose and Grace's ~~first love never dies eh...hehe~~. :P

How to get to Almarius Grill:

Via public transport: Take a bus bound for Batangas City via Calabarzon, ask the conductor to drop you off at Tambo exit, then board a jeepney going to Lipa City. You'll pass by La Salle Lipa and reach a fork with McDonalds at the center of it. On your left is Robinson's Mall, the right going to Lipa City proper; the jeepney would take the street to your right so alight at McDonalds as Almarius Grill is on the left side of the fork. If I am not mistaken, there are tricycles around that area so get into one and ask the driver to bring you to Almarius Grill. Ask the locals for directions so you wouldn't be lost. I don't know if there still are buses bound for Batangas City via Tanauan but if there are, board those buses instead of via Calabarzon as those buses will pass by Almarius Grill, across the street a few meters past SM Lipa.

Via private vehicle: Drive through SLEX, take Silangan Exit, drive straight ahead and take Star Tollway then exit at Tambo toll gate. At the Tambo exit, turn right and drive straight ahead until you reach a fork with McDonalds on the center of it, Robinson's Mall across it on the left side. The right side of the fork is heading to Lipa City Cathedral/public market; the left one going to SM Lipa. Take the left one and drive straight ahead until you see Almarius Grill; it's on you right side, a few meters before reaching SM Lipa.

~ oo00oo ~

Almarius Grill and Resort

Ayala Highway, Lipa City, Batangas

(across SM Lipa, on the left side going to Batangas City)

The Ascending Christ

It was a long weekend then but I didn't plan for a weekend getaway longer than a day's trip; my travel buddy can't get away beyond a day and I don't have enough courage yet to go solo so I settled on another road trip, this time in Lucban, Quezon to visit Kamay ni Hesus Shrine.

Kamay ni Hesus Shrine is a healing center built under the initiative of Father Joseph "Joey" Ayala Faller, a gifted and well-known healing priest. A healing mass was conducted at the Kamay ni Hesus Chapel every Wednesdays and Saturdays at 9:30AM.

This Shrine may be known for the healing masses but it has also become a popular tourist and field trip destination nowadays. Even on a Sunday, a long weekend at that, several groups of students were having their field trip there, also lots of families and groups of people were there to visit the shrine; saw some of my office friends too, small world eh...hehe!

One of the highlights of the visit to this grotto is the climbing of the several hundreds steps up to the top of the hill where a 50-foot statue of the Ascending Christ was erected. I tried to count the number of steps going up and got 301, but I counted the steps not from a single side alone but by following the Way of the Cross so I'm not sure how many steps there really are. We asked one of the caretakers there who told us that there are actually 321 steps on the right side and 301 steps on the left, the difference due to smaller steps on the right side; hence, the more steps on it. But I actually read varied counts online so I'm confused, I guess you just have to be there and count it yourself. ;P

Grotto entrance

Noah's Arc (far back)/park, serves as playground for children

colorful fishes at the wishing pond

The Last Supper, start of the Way of the Cross/uphill climb

The Women of Jerusalem

The Crowning of Thorns

view from the hill where the Ascending Christ is

The Chapel, where the healing mass is conducted

The Chapel - Altar

Opposite the hill of the Ascending Christ is a smaller hill where the statue of Mama Mary looking up to his son was also erected. If on the hill going to the Ascending Christ are the images/statues depicting the Way of the Cross, the hill where Mama Mary is are different images from the scenes in the mysteries of the Holy Rosary.

Finding of Jesus in the Temple

The Assumption

Mama Mary, looking up at the Ascending Christ

~ oo00oo ~

Mass Schedule:

Regular Mass:

Weekdays - 9:00AM

Saturdays - 5:00PM (anticipated mass)

Sundays - 7:30AM, 9:00AM, 10:30AM, 11:30AM, 4:00PM

Healing Mass:

Wednesdays & Saturdays - 9:30AM

How to get to Kamay ni Hesus:

Via Public Transport: From Cubao/Buendia-Taft/Pasay-EDSA, take a bus bound for Lucena. At the Lucena Central Terminal, take a jeepney bound for Lucban then ask the driver to drop you off at the Shrine.

Kamay ni Hesus Shrine

Brgy. Tinamnan, Lucban, Quezon

Kamayan sa Palaisdaan - Tayabas, Quezon

After climbing more or less 300 steps in Kamay ni Hesus Shrine, we heard our stomach rumble so we decided to have our early dinner at Kamayan sa Palaisdaan in Tayabas, Quezon, a floating restaurant along the highway going to Lucban, Quezon. We pass by this restaurant on our way to the Shrine from Lipa City. The restaurant, which is just a few minutes away from the Shrine, features a dining experience (with your bare hands, if you so desire) in a floating nipa hut.

the floating nipa hut for diners

Here, we ordered for grilled tuna belly, grilled eggplant with salted eggs, ginataang suso at pako (snails with ferns in coconut milk), garlic fried rice and a pitcher of iced tea. My friend, who is expecting ginataang kuhol as he ordered for it, had a hard time sucking the snail out of its shell. Out of frustrations, he joked about it and said that maybe, the cook had included the empty shells from the other diners..hehe!

ginataang suso at pako (snails with ferns, in coco milk) - PhP120

grilled tuna belly - PhP250

An order of this tuna belly is large enough to serve two people, could serve three if ordered with other dishes, and it's price of PhP250 is quite reasonable considering its size, cheaper actually if you compared it with other restaurant serving the same dish.

grilled eggplant with salted eggs - PhP60

buco halo-halo - PhP120

This buco halo-halo catches my attention when browsing through Kamayan's menu, I got curious so I ordered one for our desert. And I love it! I love all of its ingredients especially the leche flan and halaya as well as the young coconut meat. Others may find it very sweet, and actually it is, but I still love it, so creamy and tasty, tho a bit pricey! ;)

Kamayan sa Palaisdaan

Brgy. Dapdap, Tayabas, Quezon

Marina Bay Sands

Singapore is the smallest country in Asia, with only a total land area of about 704 square kilometers including the reclaimed lands (source: Wikipedia). Before its land reclamation, Singapore is actually smaller than Metro Manila. However, with an average income per capita of USD56,694 a year, it now ranked number 3 in the list of the world's richest countries, next to Luxembourg (2nd) and Qatar (1st) (source: urbanpeek.com). Singapore is part of our KL-SG summer adventure this 2012.

So where did we stay?

For the SG leg of our summer escapades, we stayed at Fragrance Hotel Selegie, a budget hotel located in Selegie Road, just a few minutes walk from MRT Little India Station. Unlike the very spacious room we had in Malaysia, this hotel has very small rooms, the double bed took up much of the room leaving a very small space for two people to move around. The CR/bathroom is also very small, less than two square meters if I guessed it right. Our accommodation here is included in our KL-SG package tour so I don't know the exact rate of this hotel but recent inquiry with Agoda showed a regular rate of USD200+ per night for a double room accommodation; promo rate on the other hand is less than USD100 (price checked as of posting date), a bit expensive considering the very small rooms they have.

the very small Hotel Selegie room, the edge of the bed is more or less just a meter from the door! :(

Food Trips

Before we left for SG, I asked friends of SG's signature dish and the common reply I got is hainanese chicken. I've tasted it here in the Philippines; for me, it's like our chicken tinola (at least the one I tried) with no soup but rather with garlic-mayo dip. It isn't particularly appealing for me so I never tried it in SG, what I had was fried rice and seafood IDK - typical chinese food...hehe! ;)

seafood fried rice and seafood IDK! ;)

hotel's free set breakfast with coffee and a slice of bread - no rice...yay!! :(

The City Tour

Aside from air fare, hotel accommodation and airport-hotel-airport transfers which was part of our KL-SG package tour, our package also includes a half day tour around Singapore. This city tour includes a short stop in front of Raffles Hotel (for photo-ops...hehe!), Singapore river port, a Chinese temple and Chinatown (if a small Chinese store is considered the Chinatown), Qualitas Jewellery Factory as well as the Merlion Park. The city/photo tour lasted for about three hours, a bit boring but since it's an opportunity to wander around the city with free rides, why should I complain.;) And so I contented myself with taking photographs of some of the famous landmarks of Singapore. Here are some of the photos I took during the said free tour:

Raffles Hotel

Singapore river port

The driver/guide brought us here thinking we would be interested in availing river cruise; actually, he's offering us to avail it but no one from any of the three groups (our group, a couple and a solo traveler) he was touring that day availed (Manong driver didn't earn extra from us, kurips?!? ...hehe!).

orchids, from the river port

Chinese Temple

Merlion and Singapore's skyscrapers

Hotel Fullerton

The Esplanade, also known as durian structure

That's just about it with our first night, first half day in Singapore; nothing fancy, nothing extraordinary, boring you might say. And that's how I thought this trip would be too, boring all through out, but it's not! I cried here, not once...but twice! (~~iyakin much...hahaha!~~) Till my next post... ;)

~ oo00oo ~

SG Summer Escapades 2012:
* - Accommodation, City Tour, Etc.
* - Sentosa Night Experience

* - Universal Studios Singapore Tour

* - Singapore Flyer and the Glittering Cityscape

Siloso Beach, Sentosa Island

After the boring city tour and the quick lunch at a fastfood joint near the hotel, we headed to Vivo City for the Sentosa tour. To get there, we rode the MRT from Little India Station to Harbor Front Station where Vivo City is. There are several ways to get to Sentosa Island and one of them is through cable car ride which we want to experience. So after going around the mall and after buying some souvenir items, we went to the ticket booth to buy tickets for the cable car ride. In the ticketing area, we saw some flyers that showcase different package tours to Sentosa Island. One of these package tours is the Night Experience Package (SGD38) where we can save up to 43% off the ticket price. The catch? We have to wait for 5PM before we can purchase it. If I remember it right, it was just past 3PM then, a lot of waiting time yes but since we're looking for a package where we can save money, we waited for it. To pass the time, we went back to the mall and window shop. I also went back to the perfume store I checked out before to buy a friend's request (a friend gave me money to buy her a perfume).

And then came 5PM, we went to the ticket booth again and bought the Night Experience Package. The package includes round trip tickets for the cable car, a ticket to luge car, skyride, Songs of the Sea, and a choice between Desperados in 3D or Sentosa 4D Magix; we chose the latter. And then off we go to the cable car station, excited with the cable car ride! ☺

The Sentosa Cable Car

This cable car ride is one of my unforgettable experience in Singapore. I am afraid of heights and though I knew it before I hopped in, I never thought I would be so consumed by it. During the cable car ride, it feels like everything is in slow motion, I am so afraid I couldn't even move in my seat. I was so frozen with fear I started crying. Yes peeps, you read it right, I cried! And because of that, I never get to enjoy the magnificent view of Sentosa Island below. I was not able to take pictures too...tsk tsk!

Singapore Cable Car (photo courtesy of GB)

With this experience, you think I wouldn't ride this cable car again. But you're wrong! I am a masochist I rode with it again back to Vivo City. *wink* That, or I'll be looking for a bus ride on my own. Anyway, the second time around is not as fearful as the first one, I was able to somehow control my fear I didn't cry again. And I was able to take pictures too. Too bad, the pictures are blurry...pfft!

Sentosa 4D Magix

Sentosa 4D Magix is an interactive movie experience with 4D effects; that is, a 3D movie with special physical or natural effects. If I'm not mistaken, the movie they're playing that time is The Pirates (I don't know if it's the same as the movie played in the big screen or just an adaptation), so we experienced being sprayed with water as if we're in the same boat with the characters, our seats were shaken and moved as if we're part of the movie, and we were tickled too (there are leg ticklers underneath the seats). This movie experience is probably for kids, but we enjoyed it very much. It's fun! Try it when you visit Sentosa too! :)

The Luge Ride and the SkyRide

I had experienced luge ride before during our Paradise Ranch/Zoocobia Tour and it was fun, a bit scary at first but when you get the hang of it, it's exciting and thrilling. I am excited for this ride but am a little bit worried too because the track is longer, I'm worried that I might not be able to make it to the finish line without stalling, just like what had happened in Paradise Ranch. But maybe because this was the third time I had done this, I was able to fully control the cart, I made it to the finish line without a goof...yey! :D

Sentosa's Luge and Skyride

Skyride is a twin adventure of luge ride. It is a ride on a 4-seater chairlift (lower-right photo in the collage above) back to the hilltop where the luge ride begins. On board the skyride chairlift, one can have a panoramic view of the island and its coastline. But I never had the chance to enjoy it. If on the cable car I cried silently, here on skyride I'm crying and screaming and calling my mom's name and praying all throughout the ride; at that moment, I thought I'm gonna die. Skyride is like sitting on a bench floating 12 storeys high above the ground with only a safety bar protecting you from falling. And it's super slow, I thought the ride would never gonna end. Thank goodness it was nighttime then, had it been daytime, I might have fainted out of fear. Skyride is really really scary, super duper scary, I would never ever ride with it again, NEVER...EVER!! (PS: Skyride is not advisable for people with fear of heights!)

Songs of the Sea

Songs of the Sea is a multimedia show set in the sea (of course) and held in Siloso Beach in Sentosa Island. It is a fantastic show of fireworks, laser and flame burst display as well as live performance from the casts. The show revolves around Li, (the main character) and his discovery of Princess Ami, a sleeping princess, as well as his quest to awaken her through his songs.

Songs of the Sea - live casts performance

Songs of the Sea - kelong

Songs of the Sea - light show

Here's a short video of Songs of the Sea, enjoy watching! :)

~ oo00oo ~

SG Summer Escapades 2012:

* - Accommodation, City Tour, Etc.

* - Sentosa Night Experience

* - Universal Studios Singapore Tour

* - Singapore Flyer and the Glittering Cityscape

Universal Studios Singapore - the most-photographed revolving globe ☺

Universal Studios, a movie theme park located in Sentosa Island, is probably one of the most, if not the most visited attractions in Singapore. It features 7-themed zones - Madagascar, Far Far Away, Lost World, Ancient Egypt, Hollywood, New York and Sci-Fi City. It is a must-see attraction for kids and kids-at-heart, so of course it's included in our SG summer escapade. However, instead of having a DIY tour to Universal Studios, we availed of a package tour worth SGD71 (we were convinced by our city tour driver/guide to get a package tour, regular 1-day pass however costs SGD68). The package includes one way van/bus ride to Sentosa and a 1-day pass to USS (1-day pass includes ride-all-you-can to all USS rides).

Before the city tour driver/guide dropped us at our hotel, he reminded us several times to be at the hotel lobby at exactly 8AM the next day, our pick-up time for the USS tour. And we are glad we did as we were told, the driver (not the city tour driver) who picked us up for the USS tour is very particular with time, the other tourists who are not on time were scolded and embarrassed for being late. And you can't take the driver's words, they were so embarrassing even us got tongue-tied though we're not the ones who are late. Note: Singaporeans are very punctual, they will leave on time and will not wait for you. So if you are going to get a package tour which includes a transfer ride, make sure you are ready at pick-up time to avoid embarrassing situations with snappy drivers, like what we have witnessed.

Anyway, because of the very punctual driver, we make it to USS before its opening, we have so much time taking our photos with the most-photographed part of USS, the haunted revolving globe at the park's entrance (photo not published though). ;P

at the Madagascar zone - A Crate Adventure

Madagascar's A Crate Adventure was our first ride at USS. I am not fond of animation movies (am not a movie fan actually, animated or otherwise) so I'm not really familiar with the characters or animals in the Madagascar zone but the ride actually features a boat ride on a man-made river while listening to the story of the characters and watching some animations/experiencing real-life effects, as if you're a part of the movie. This ride is highly recommended for kids but of course, kids-at-heart are also welcome here. ;)

still at Madagascar Zone - King Julien's Beach Party-Go-Round

We also tried the carousel ride, a bit embarrassing for me because I find this ride really for kids but I don't want to be left alone so of course, I joined them. Enjoyed taking photos here, though... ;)

USS' Far Far Away

Far Far Away Castle

USS' Far Far Away Zone is inspired by the animation movie Shrek. The attractions here, like Shrek 4D Adventure (a 3D film showing with physical or natural effects as if viewers are part of the show) and Donkey Live (an interactive live show featuring Shrek's sidekick Donkey), are basically for kids but still we watched it, we're kids-at-heart remember...hehe!

Lost World's Canopy Flyer

USS' Lost World is the area that features adventure rides, mostly for adults but kids measuring at least 3 feet in height are allowed to ride here as long they are accompanied by adults. This zone has two main themed attractions, the Jurassic Park (based on the Steven Spielberg movie/Michael Crichton novel) and the Waterworld (based on the Waterworld movie starring Kevin Costner). Jurassic Park has two rides, the Canopy Flyer and the Rapids Adventure but we only got to ride the Canopy Flyer; we don't have extra clothes so we didn't try the Rapids Adventure (this adventure will get you wet). And yes, even though I'm afraid of heights, I rode this roller coaster, 'tis a fast ride eh so I've no time getting scared...hehe!

For the Waterworld adventure, I just found out that I have no photos from there, but I have a video of the show. Unfortunately, the video file is too large, I can't upload it here. ;(

USS' Ancient Egypt Zone

Ancient Egypt Zone features Egypt during the ancient times, with statues and structures typically found during that era. The zone is also set up based on the movie The Mummy and features another roller coaster ride, Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride. It is a fast ride with sharp turns, steep ascend/descend and fast reverse in a dark enclosed area. With this ride, you can only feel and imagine the heights but you won't actually see it, a ride advisable to those with fear of heights. I rode this one too! :D

the midgets!! :D

Battlestar Galactica - Human and Cyclon

Battlestar Galactica Cyclon - upside down ;D

There are some other rides that we've tried here at USS; some were kiddie rides (Enchanted Airways, Treasure Hunters and Accelerators), others were also adventurous and thrilling like Transformers: The Ride. But the ultimate USS ride for me is the Sci-Fi City's Battlestar Galactica (Human and Cyclon), the world's tallest and intertwined high speed dueling roller coaster ride. Battlestar Galactica Human is a sit-down roller-coaster ride while Battlestar Galactica Cyclon is a suspended roller coaster ride that turns your world upside down. Battlestar Galactica is an exhilarating ride of twists and turns and drops at a zooming speed of up to 90 kilometers per hour, truly a thrilling ride, an adventure of a lifetime. Try it when you go to USS, you'll miss half of your life if you don't. Remember, I've fear of heights but I conquered these rides (Battlestar Galactica, Human and Cyclon); therefore, you should too! ;P

~ oo00oo ~

* Allot 1 day for USS tours and rides, you need 1 whole day to fully enjoy this park.
* Bring extra clothes, some rides will get you wet so you'll need extra clothing.
* Recommended for kids: Madagascar and Far Far Away zones.
* Kids height requirements (for most rides): at least 3 feet.
* Must try (adults): Canopy Flyer, Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride, Transformers: The Ride, Battlestar Galactica (human & cyclon)

~ oo00oo ~

SG Summer Escapades 2012:

* - Accommodation, City Tour, Etc.

* - Sentosa Night Experience

* - Universal Studios Singapore

* - Singapore Flyer and the Glittering Cityscape

The Singapore Flyer

For the benefit of those who have not read my previous post regarding my Sentosa night experience, I freaked out in the cable car and skyride. I've fear of heights and those rides, especially the skyride, really scared me out of my wits. So as we make our way to the Singapore Flyer, I'm asking myself "am I ready to face my fear of heights yet again thru another ride"? And my answer? Yes! Because I wouldn't let my fears dictate or limit my adventures in SG. I don't know if I could ever set foot again in this country so better to experience everything I could while I'm still here. And so, after one whole day of exhilarating and fun-filled adventures in Universal Studios, we hurried our way to Raffles Avenue for the Singapore Flyer experience.

Singapore Flyer, a giant ferris wheel located in Raffles Avenue is another one of the famous attractions of Singapore. Standing at the height of 165 meters (equivalent to 42 stories high building), Singapore Flyer is the world's highest observation wheel.

another shot of Singapore Flyer, from Merlion Park

It's already past 7PM when we reach the SG Flyer so we immediately bought our tickets (SGD29.50 per person) and hurried our way to the boarding platform (last boarding time is 7:30PM). Unlike my experience with cable car and skyride, a ride to SG Flyer is a very relaxing and enjoyable experience. Although at first I still felt a bit scared; the capsule's flooring is a transparent glass I can see thru it. And when I looked down, it felt like I'm floating in the air. Nevertheless, I was still able to enjoy this ride as I feel safer in it. The Flyer's capsule is very stable even when we walk around it; we didn't feel any movement whatsoever. If not for the changing views as the giant wheel turns around, we wouldn't know that we are moving or turning at all.

Anyway, at one point during the ride, one other tourist who is with us in the capsule mentioned that we could see Malaysia from the Flyer, at least that's how we understand his words. But when we asked him where it is, only then did we realized that he's asking us where Malaysia is rather than telling us where it is. Tsk, talking about language barrier here, hehe! But he was not lying actually, I've read from somewhere that on a clear sunny day, one could really see Malaysia from the Flyer. Too bad it's nighttime then plus the fact that we don't know where to look at so of course, we haven't seen it. ;(

Anyhow, the view from the Flyer is truly breathtaking. I was in awe at the glittering cityscape and the magnificent structures along Marina Bay. I enjoyed taking photos, too. Below are some of my shots; not very good I know, with visible reflections too, so just please bear with them. ;(

the glittering cityscape

Marina Bay Sands

the Marina Bay

Gardens by the Bay - Flower (right) and Cloud Forest (left) Domes

SG highway @ night

~ oo00oo ~

SG Summer Escapades 2012:

* - Accommodation, City Tour, Etc.

* - Sentosa Night Experience

* - Universal Studios Singapore

* - Singapore Flyer and the Glittering Cityscape

I've written here several posts about our 2012 summer adventures in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Singapore. It was such an awesome trip, a thrilling adventure; we rode (trains, buses, cabs), we walked, we climbed, we visited places; some are interesting, some are not. With this trip too, I smiled, I cried, I freaked out! But all these made this escapade a very memorable one; indeed, an unforgettable experience!

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

A trip to KL would never be complete without visiting their skyscrapers, the KL Tower and the Petronas Twin Towers. These towers, specifically the Petronas Twin Towers symbolize Malaysia's progress and development. And it draws tourists from all around the world, this twin towers being one of the world's tallest structures. There are other interesting landmarks here worth checking out too and these include among others, the Istana Negara, Masjid Negara and Tugu Negara.

If you're a food lover, street dining in Jalan Alor in the Bukit Bintang area is a must-try experience. Jalan Alor offers a dining experience of different cuisines from Malay, Thai and Chinese, a one-stop-dining experience actually.

If you're into temples and willing to climb 272 steps to get into it, you may want to visit the Batu Caves Temple, a Hindu temple at the far north of the city famous for its 140-feet Lord Muruga statue, the tallest statue of Hindu deity in Malaysia. However, if you're one of those travelers who like to shop till you drop, you may want to visit the Chinatown in Jalan Petaling, a street market where you can haggle and shop for less. These are some of the interesting places we've visited in KL; if you want to read more about our adventures in these places, you may click the link to read more about them.

Anyway, for a more detailed account of our adventures in KL, here's our itinerary and actual expenses. I'm not the type who prepares itinerary beforehand; all I do whenever I'm planning a trip is check out interesting places, list down these places and then decide on where to go and what to do when I'm already there. But I learned to take note of the actual places I visited and the actual expenses I incurred, so here it goes:

Singapore

Singapore is the smallest country in Asia but despite its size, it is the third richest country in the world, next to Qatar and Luxembourg. And being one of the richest countries in the world, living here is expensive, much more touring it. If in Malaysia, I spent less than four thousand pesos roaming around and visiting KL's famous attractions, here in Singapore I spent more than twice of what I spent in KL.

Anyway, Singapore is famous for its themed-parks and a visit to this city/country usually entails going to these themed-parks. For our SG escapade, we visited Sentosa Island where I experienced crying while riding the cable car. It is also where I freaked out for riding the skyride, a floating chairlift that gives panoramic view of the Sentosa Island. We've also availed of a one day tour to Universal Studios Singapore, enjoying out different rides from a kiddie-ride Madagascar Crate Adventure to a more thrilling adult ride Battlestar Gallactica. We also tried riding the Singapore Flyer, a giant ferris wheel that gives a panoramic view of the Marina Bay and the surrounding area. For a detailed account of our adventures in SG, you may click the links and read more about them. By the way, following are our itinerary and actual expenses:

~ oo00oo ~

These itineraries do not reflect our overall expenses for our KL and SG escapades but I hope this post somehow gives you an idea of how much a tour to these two countries would cost. I didn't include the cost of our package tour as I know it's a little bit expensive if compared to a DIY airline and hotel bookings, especially nowadays that a lot of seat sales are offered by airline companies.

~ oo00oo ~

Date of Visit: May 6 - 10, 2012

Note: Currency conversions are just estimates, only the expenses in MYR and SGD are actual.

Mt. Maculot summit - view from the rockies

Mt. Maculot is one of the famous day-hike destinations for hikers. It is located in Cuenca, Batangas and stands at the height of 930 MASL (meters above sea level) on the summit, 706 MASL on the rockies. It is considered a minor climb with difficulty level of 3/9 and trail classification of 1-3 (source: www.pinoymountaineer.com).

We planned our climb to Mt. Maculot end of September and scheduled it on the first weekend of October. A day before our climb, PAGASA issued a rain and thunderstorm warning in the vicinity of Batangas so I thought the plan would not push through, plus it's actually raining in Manila that time. However, a friend/mountaineer inquired from some of her friends if it's safe to climb Maculot when its raining and they said it's fairly safe, so off we go to Batangas the next day.

We were supposed to meet at Jollibee Buendia Station at around 5:30 - 6:00AM but one of my friends texted me at around 4:30AM telling me that they were still preparing their pack lunch (they'll be coming from San Mateo, Rizal) so I didn't rush out. I reached Buendia at around 6:30AM, super late but I still made it ahead of the couple who texted me...hehe!

From Buendia, we boarded the JAM Transit, left Buendia at around 7:00AM and reach Cuenca around 9:00AM. It could be earlier had the bus took the Star Tollway but unfortunately, it passed through the major thoroughfares of Batangas hence, the longer travel time. Anyway, we estimated our ascend to start at around 9:30AM so at least, we're still on schedule. And luckily, the weather was fine that day, it never rained though the sky's still gloomy. Thank God!

Mt. Maculot is an all-assault climb. I had more difficulty climbing this mountain than the Mt. Pico de Loro in Cavite, which has the same difficulty and trail classification level. But I was amazed seeing children hiking this mountain with ease. There were some who sell coconut juice, they set it up on almost every station along the trail going up. Some of these children are too young, as young as 5 years old (I think). Well, I guess they are used to climbing, some of them are the vendor's kids anyway, the owner of the so-called '7/11 store', dubbed as such because it sells almost everything, from coffee to softdrinks to hard drinks, with noodles and crackers and junk foods too. And during summer, they say he sells halo-halo too. 7/11 indeed! *hehe*

Anyway, it took us more than 2 hours to reach the campsite. And there were a number of campers there already, good thing we were just on a day-hike. We stayed here for a while, had our lunch in the kubo, rested more for around 30 minutes and then continued our way to the Rockies.

the "7/11" store :D

View of Taal Lake from Maculot campsite

I thought I would never make it to the Rockies. A friend apprised me beforehand that there is this bridge-like section less than a meter wide that we have to cross to go to the Rockies. Thankfully, the grass there is taller than me I didn't notice the cliff while crossing. But when I reached the other side and started my climb to the Rockies, I almost backed out. The rocks, or should I say the boulders are too big, I had difficulty climbing it. Thank God my friends never gave up on me, they ~~threatened to leave me here~~ encouraged me to continue and helped me all the way.

going to Maculot Rockies

See the boulders in the photo above? I had difficulty climbing those, they are so big my "long" legs couldn't make it over the boulder and climb it. So to get through it, I used my knees, almost crawling over it actually; thus, I got bruises on my knees. Anyway, I'm glad I was able to make it to the Rockies. The view from there is so breathtaking! I had a panoramic view of the Taal Lake and the Taal Volcano as well as the province of Batangas on the far end. I wasn't able to take a lot of photos as am afraid of going near the cliffs, so these are just some of my photos.

Taal lake

Taal Lake and Volcano

With us on the Rockies, Taal Lake on the background!

the daredevils!!

We stayed here at the Rockies for over an hour. My friends enjoyed taking their photos on the cliff, daredevils they are! Poor me, I don't have a photo just like them. But I know my limitations, so I'm not envious really. I'm just glad I was able to conquer and survive Mt. Maculot Rockies!

After more photo-ops, we started our descend and reached the foot of the mountain at around 4:00PM. Had some halo-halo from the vendor there, did some chit-chat with them too. And I asked them why the mountain is called Maculot but they weren't able to give me a straight answer, just that the mountaineers were the ones who called it Maculot. He also said that this mountain was used to be called Macatmon by the locals.

Anyway, after finishing our halo-halo, we went to one of the houses there that offers shower for a fee; 15 pesos for a pail of water (approximately 5 gallons), if I'm not mistaken. We alternately took our shower there; had some rambutan too. The owner has a rambutan tree in front of her house and she offered us some to taste it, for free this time. Thank you ma'am for the free rambutan, and thanks for the free use of off-lotion too. :)

the shower rooms!! (inset: the rambutan tree)

~ oo00oo ~

Date of Visit: October 6, 2012

Batangas Lomi - 50 pesos per order

After our day-hike at Mt. Maculot Rockies, the group agreed on going to Tagaytay for food tripping. So from Cuenca, we took a jeepney going to Lemery. From Lemery, we were supposed to take a bus or van going to Tagaytay but the driver and the conductor of the jeepney told us that there are no more buses or vans going to Tagaytay at that hour, it was almost 7PM then I think. So instead of alighting from the jeepney to look for a ride to Tagaytay, we decided to go back to Lipa City (the driver told us that they'll head back to Lipa instead of going to the jeepney terminal).

At around 8PM, we reached Lipa City. Tired and hungry from the hiking, we looked for a place to eat instead of immediately boarding the bus bound for Manila. While looking for the best place to eat, some locals heard our conversation and suggested that we try Renfel Food Center; they said Renfel is the best lomihan (food store that sells lomi) in the area. Renfel Food Center is located just at the back of the Lipa City Bus Terminal, along with several other eateries offering affordable alternatives for commuters.

And so we went to Renfel, after asking for directions. Being a Batangueña myself, I told my friends that lomi is one of the favorite meriendas of Batangeños. That Batangas lomi is way different from the lomi served in Manila; and that it is more flavorful and tastier than Chowking's lomi. *loveyourown wink* ~~Tired of my blabbering~~, Curious maybe of this Batangas dish, most of my friends ordered and tried lomi that night. *yes!, hehe*

Anyway, lomi is a noodle (miki noodles) dish cooked in caldo (a thick broth) with kikiam, liver slices, and meatballs garnished with crushed chicharon on top. In some areas of Batangas, lomi is garnished with slices of hard-boiled egg instead of chicharon. It is usually served with calamansi, soy sauce and chili pepper for a tangy taste.

If you happen to go to Lipa City or anywhere in the eastern portion Batangas, try Batangas lomi. Promise, you'll never regret it. Ay masarap ang aming lomi dine sa Batangas, inyong tikman at ng inyong malasahan! :D

~ oo00oo~

Renfel Food Center

at the back of Lipa City Bus Terminal

Lipa City, Batangas

Date of Visit: October 6, 2012

Cavite: Baldomero Shrine | Imus Cathedral | Etc.

Khao Tom Mud (Banana-filled Sticky Rice Cakes)

KL Summer Adventure: Street Dining at Jalan Alor

KL Summer Adventure: Accommodations at Hotel Alpha Genesis

KL Summer Adventure: The City Tour

KL Summer Adventure: 272 Steps to Batu Caves Temple

KL Summer Adventure: The Towering Towers of Kuala Lumpur

KL Summer Adventure: Shopping in Jalan Petaling - KL Chinatown

KL Summer Adventure: Aquaria KLCC Tour

UP-AyalaLand Technohub: Mezza Norte Food Trip

Batangas Bulalo: Alamarius Grill's Bulalo

Visiting Kamay Ni Hesus Shrine in Lucban, Quezon

Food Trip: Kamayan sa Palaisdaan in Tayabas, Quezon

SG Summer Escapade: Accommodation, City Tour, Etc.

SG Summer Escapade: Sentosa Night Experience

SG Summer Escapade: Universal Studios Singapore Tour

SG Summer Escapade: Singapore Flyer and the Glittering Cityscape

KL-SG Summer Adventure 2012: Summary, Itinerary, Expenses

Hiking: Surviving Mt. Maculot Rockies

Batangas FoodTrip: Lomi - Merienda ng Batangueño