TRAVEL JOURNAL: New York City, USA

"New York - concrete jungle where dreams are made of. There's nothing you can't do now you're in New York. These streets will make you feel brand new; the lights will inspire you."

Most New York tourists would quote this song since it's one of the most famous New York City songs. After having been to New York myself, I couldn't help but quote the song too. It was a surreal moment, really. We all know that the city that never sleeps have been used in a gazillion movies and I am so blessed to see and understand why. The lights have really inspired me.

Where to stay?

www.choicehotels.com/

Some people I know usually stay with their relatives, because hotels in the city are kind of expensive. If you are looking for a budget hotel, I would recommend the Comfort Inn. We stayed there for 4d/5n, and basically just to sleep or rest after touring around the city. It is located at the West side of Manhattan, New York City, and a few-minute walk to Central Park and to 2 subway stations. There are other branches of Comfort Inn in New York City, but each branch have different rates. The closer you are to the tourist spots, the more it will cost you.

Comfort Inn Central Park West
31 W 71st St
New York, NY, United States
+1 212-721-4770

Comfort Inn Times Square South Area
305 W 39th St
New York, NY, United States
+1 212-268-3040

Comfort Inn Lower East Side
136 Ludlow St
New York, NY, United States
+1 212-260-4141

How to start your tour?

1. Make yourself your own tour guide

www.roughguides.com

It is always fun to just be free, walk around the city at your own time, and taking lots of good pictures without the time pressure. The fact that you get to experience walking in New York City is awesome, simply because IT IS NEW YORK, BABY! Just by observing how fast the New Yorkers walk like everybody's in such a rush is basically food for the soul. Seeing them ride a bike or subway to their offices wearing  suit and tie will awe you. Yes, it came in a bit shocking to me because I never ever seen one here.

Don't worry about the city and subway map. They are free at the airport, and most likely than not, they also come in free at the hotel you are staying at.  It is fun to walk around unfamiliar places and discover new things. Don't worry about getting lost in the big city. Don't be scared to ask the locals for directions; they know better.

2. Avail a Walking Tour

www.getyourguide.com

There are a lot of tours New York has to offer. You just have to choose if you'd rather walk or ride a bus. If you choose to join a walking tour, it is for free. The Sandemans New Your tour offers a 2 1/2 free tour and starts every day at 11 am. You just have to meet the tour guide in front of THE MUSUEM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN.

This tour covers: Wall street, 9/11 Memorial, Broadway, New York Stock Exchange, Broadway, Battery Park, Trinity Church, Federal Hall, Bowling Green, Trump Building (40 Wall Street), Woodworth Building, St. Paul's Chapel, Musueam of the American Indian, and much more. Since the tour is for free, I guess they deserve a tip. Tipping is customary.

They also have MIDTOWN TOUR that starts also every day at 3 pm for $20. Meet your tour guide in front of the clock in GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL MAIN CONCOURSE. It is also a 2 1/2 walking tour that covers Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, Broadway, The Empire State Building, The Chrysler Building, The Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue, The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, St. Patrick's Cathedral, 42nd Street, Prohibition-era Speakeasies, Bryant Park, New York Public Library, Shubery Alley, and more.

For more information about this tour, kindly visit their website at www.sandemansnewyork.com

3. Ride a Hop-off Hop-on Sightseeing Bus

When we arrived in New York City we were actually clueless on how we are going to start to explore the city. The front desk at our hotel suggested to try the hop-off hop-on sightseeing bus to surely see everything. There are of course hop-off hop-on sightseeing bus companies in New York such as City Sightseeing New York, City Sights NY, and Big Bus New York.

We availed the 2 Day all loops package of BIG BUS B Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing for $59. It is way cheaper than the other tour buses. It is a 2 decker bus, and the upper level is open - meaning no roof. I must suggest that you sit on the upper level to see the beauty of the big city, and for you take good pictures. This tour includes the Downtown Loop, Uptown Loop, Brooklyn Tour, Night Tour. It also comes with a free sightseeing cruise to Statue of Liberty, and one hour Bike Rental around the city. I must say the tour was really worth it.

There is no particular meeting place. Just go to any bus stop that has a "BIG BUS" on it, or go to M&M's World Stop at 7th Ave & W 48th St. 

Downtown Loop (8 am start time to 5 pm last departure): M&M's World Stop, Times Square 42nd, Empire State Building, Korea Town, Flat Iron District, Union Square, Greenwich Village/NYU, Noho, Soho/Little Italy, Chinatown, World Trade Center/City Hall, Battery Park - State Street, Battery Park - Battery Place, High Line, and Madison Square Garden/Penn Station

Uptown Loop (8:50 am start time to 5:10 last departure): M&M's World stop, Times Square 42nd, Rockefeller Center, Central Park & Colombus Circle, Lincoln Center Plaza, Dakota/Strawberries Fields, American Musuem of Natural History, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Grant's Tomb/Riverside Church, Apollo Theatre/Harlem, Museum of the City of New York, The Guggenheim Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Frick Museum, Central Park Zoo, and Central Park South.

Brooklyn Tour (Departure times: 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 3:00 pm): Meeting place is at the bus stop near the New York City Hall. It is at the right side if you are facing the City Hall.

It is a non-stop ride when touring around in Brooklyn. It will only stop at two places: the World Trade Center/City Hall and Prospect Park & Zoo. And if you wish to go back to Times Square after this tour, take the Downtown Loop bus.

Night tour (Departure times is every 30 minutes from 6 pm to 8:30 pm): Meeting place is at the M&M's World Stop

Where/What to eat?

I am kind of disappointed myself because I wasn't able to go food tripping. But, I might as well share the food I ate, and supposed to eat.

1. PIZZA

CO's Pizza

cbsnewyork.files.wordpress.com

Well, who wouldn't think of Pizza if you are in New York. You must definitely eat one while you are in the big city! We actually had our pizza at Big Nicks, but when I searched it on google, it was closed already :(

Where to try:
Co.
230 Ninth Ave.
New York, NY 10001

Di Fara Pizza
1424 Ave. J
Brooklyn, NY 11230 

Don Antonio by Starita
309 W. 50th St.
New York, NY 10019

2. CHEESECAKE

Junior's

https://thenypost.files.wordpress.com/

I guarantee you that the best cheese cake is in New York. You can buy your yummy cheesecake at the Junior's Most Fabulous Cheesecake and Desserts at Brooklyn, NYC.  It is too delicious that even President Barack Obama bought 2 cheescakes by himself (but of course with bodyguards) - one plain and one strawberry

Where to try:
Junior's Most Fabulous Cheesecake and Desserts
BROOKLYN
386 Flatbush Avenue EXT
Brooklyn, NY 11201

GRAND CENTRAL
Restaurant, Lower Level, Dining Concourse

TIMES SQUARE
West 4th St. between Broadway and 8th Ave

3. BURGER

Burger Joint

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/

I love burger. This is one of my comfort foods. Everybody loves burger, who would not, right? Those juicy fat patty, melted cheese, just-right-toasted buns, fresh lettuce, and so much more! Does these make you hungry now?

Where to try:

Burger Joint
Le Parker Meridien
119 West 56th St

Greenwich Village

33 West 8th Street

Shake Shack

MADISON SQUARE
Southeast Cor of Madison Square Park 
near Madison Ave and E 23 St

GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL
49 Grand Central Terminal
Lower Level Dining Concourse

They have lots of branches not only in New York City. 

Check their website for more information. 

4. HOT DOGS

Shake Shack

www.michaelnassar.net

You can grab one along the streets of New York - The food trucks. They are cheap, and delicious. It will just cost you $1. 

Where to try:
Shake Shack
They have mulitple location in NYC. Check their website.

Gray's Papaya
2090 Broadway, New York

Papaya King

179 East 86th Street
New York, NY 10028

5. BAGELS

Black Seed Bagels

http://theepochtimes.com/

Fresh and healthy! Everybody's choice for breakfast, lunch, snack, or dinner!

Where to try:
Black Seed Bagels

170 Elizabeth St. New York, NY 10012

Absolute Bagels
2788 Broadway, New York, NY 10025, United States

Someday, I would go back to this Big City, and try all of these, and explore more. 5 days is not enough, I know. Thank You!

Top 6 things to do on a plane

You’ll hear all kinds of stories from people traveling long distances by air. Some enjoy the long haul, while others become grumpy and restless—unfortunately, I fall into the latter category. That's why I want to share some tips on how to survive a long flight, like the one we took to Toronto, Canada.

For this trip, I packed my "Carry-On Luggage," or as I like to call it, my "Survival Luggage." I included everything I could to keep myself entertained on the plane, since I typically have trouble sleeping. I really envy those who can just doze off to make the journey feel shorter.

So, here's what I did 30,000 feet in the air!

1. LISTEN TO MUSIC

Listening to music can really help you feel calm and relaxed during a long flight, so make sure to download plenty of songs—you’ll definitely need them! I recommend using Spotify, as they offer a fantastic selection of albums and playlists that you can download instantly. For offline listening, you just need to pay P129 a month. It’s a small price to pay for some great tunes while you’re in the air

2. WATCH MOVIES

One of my favorite activities on a plane is binge-watching movies. On this particular flight, I ended up watching 70% of the in-flight movie options, including some non-English films like Chinese and Korean titles. I also recommend loading your iPhone, iPad, or any other device you have with a variety of series and movies. Just remember to charge them beforehand—you definitely don’t want your shows to cut off because of a dead battery! A high-capacity power bank can be a lifesaver, too.

3. READ A BOOK

I’m not typically a big reader, but a 13-hour flight might just convert me! I didn’t manage to finish the book I brought along, but it definitely helped pass about 45 minutes of the flight. For all the bookworms reading this, I bet you could easily finish more than three books during such a long journey. Plus, reading on a plane is a great option because, unlike car rides, you don’t really feel the movement of the plane, so you can read without getting dizzy.

4. PLAY GAMES

Whether it’s on your phone, tablet, or laptop, entertainment options are essential during a long flight. After binge-watching a few movies, I also played some games on the in-flight TV monitor. I’m really grateful that airlines continue to innovate their planes to enhance passenger comfort and enjoyment during the journey.

5. EATING

Over the years of traveling by air, I’ve seen a significant improvement in plane food. I used to dislike it because it was often oily, bland, and seemingly prepared just for the sake of it. However, on this trip, I was impressed with how Korean Air selected a distributor that truly understands how to create delicious, interesting, and satisfying meals. Plus, since it was a long flight, the flight attendants regularly served snacks and drinks, which made the experience even better.

6. DO NOT CHECK YOUR WATCH

Even if you own a beautiful Rolex and love looking at it, it's best to avoid checking the time repeatedly during a long flight, especially one that's over ten hours. There’s nothing you can do to change the situation, so why remind yourself that you still have seven hours left? It only amplifies the discomfort of being seated for so long.

Those are the strategies I employed to pass the time, but I’d like to add that there are no perfect flights. Even with distractions, something or someone can always disrupt your experience. For instance, you might find yourself next to a kid who can't stop fiddling with their tray table, making it hard for you to relax. Or you could end up beside someone who skipped a shower and is unfortunately seated close to you. And let’s not forget the inevitable loud snorer!

To sum this entry up, a long, lousy flight will all be worth it especially when you know in your heart that your destination is a place where your heart will be satisfied with memories and experiences.

TRIPOMATIC : You can make your own itinerary stress-free!

I am happy to have found this website on the internet while I am searching for destinations in New York. TRIPOMATIC helps you make your own itinerary. You just have to type the city you are going to, and all the main tourist spots and attractions will appear. It is really a great help in organizing your itinerary for your upcoming travels. 

First: Choose your destination.

For example, New York.  

Second: Select the date of your visit, or the date you wish to visit. 

Automatically, all the tourist spots and attractions will appear. By then, you will have an idea of the places that are closer to your hotel, and easier to go to.

Third: Select the places you wanted to go. 

TIP: Put them all on your DAY 1. So, you would know what are the tourist destinations that are near to each other.

Fourth: Regroup the places you have selected

Go to MENU, and click ITINERARY. 

This is why I suggested to put all your destinations on DAY 1. You can easily regroup the places depending on the number of days you are staying, and also to the places you are going to. You will know the places that are close to each other, and also to your hotel. At least, you will be less stressed, and end your confusion of "Malapit ba ito dito?", "Ano uunahin natin puntahan na malapit sa hotel?, "Hindi ba ito out of the way sa mga pupuntahan natin?". 

Here, I regrouped all the places that I've selected, and separated them from Day 1 to Day 5.  This will be our guide throughout our travel in New York.

Lastly: Generate your itinerary.

Click the TRIP MENU, and then choose whether you want to share or download it. You can download it and sync it to your phone or print it, or share it to your family and friends through social media. 

When you have downloaded the file, the address, contact numbers, admission fees, etc., are also included. In this case, you don't have to search on the internet all the details of your destinations. SO STRESS-FREE!

TRIPOMATIC is also available on your mobile phones. Get it on Google Play (Androids), Apple Store, and BlackBerry World for FREE! Enjoy!! 

Thank you!

Philippines : Taal Volcano

Tagaytay City is a well-known tourist destination in the Philippines, just a two-hour drive from Metro Manila, depending on traffic. I've visited Tagaytay many times, and surprisingly, I never get tired of it. It’s perfect for road trips, food adventures, sightseeing, or simply hanging out—a great getaway from the hustle and bustle of Metro Manila with family and friends.

The top three landmarks in Tagaytay are Taal Volcano, Picnic Grove, and The Palace in the Sky.

This time, my friends and I decided to visit Taal Volcano up close instead of just viewing it from afar. Since we've been there so many times, our curiosity got the better of us. We quickly arranged our booking online, and they offer day tours for just P600 and P900. The P900 package includes horseback riding, a boat ride, a tour guide, a face mask, and a sun hat. We opted for the P600 package because we wanted to hike and fully enjoy the experience. Sir Marvin was our contact and provided us with instructions on how to get to Talisay, Batangas.

When we arrived at the meeting place, Sir Marvin briefed us on safety precautions and important reminders for the hike. After that, we boarded the boat for a bumpy 30-minute ride across the lake, but we made it safely. Taal Volcano is still active, yet it's deemed safe for hiking.

First-timers are welcome to hike here, and you can go with or without a tour guide. There are plenty of fellow hikers to follow along the way. We hiked approximately 8 kilometers, which took us about an hour and a half to reach the crater of Taal Volcano. Just make sure to apply sunblock because it can get scorching hot!

It is really beautiful personally rather than seeing it from afar. Our tour guide said that we can actually go down, but we have to pay an additional cost for that.

We went to the other side of the crater, and paid 50 pesos for the entrance fee. No words to describe this picturesque view.

We ended our tour at Tagaytay City eating Bulalo and Sisig, and chilling at Starbucks before we headed back to Manila. 

Thank you Sir Marvin and Kuya tour guide for the great tour and service. We really had fun!

Salamat!

What's in my bag? : Travel Edition

In less than two weeks, my mother and I will be traveling to Canada and the USA. I can already anticipate the discomfort of the long flight, and I know it might not be the most enjoyable experience. To help ease the journey, I'm planning to pack a lot of my essentials from home.

My mom bought this bag for me, and I'm totally okay with it! I'm not really focused on style; what matters to me is its durability and ability to securely hold all my belongings. This Swiss Gear bag features a padded compartment for laptops up to 15 inches, a padded pocket for tablets, an organizer pocket, and additional spaces for a water bottle and sunglasses.

The best part? It comes with an unlimited warranty! If the zipper breaks, they will replace the entire bag.

I need to pack all my gadgets since we'll be away for nearly a month. I usually only bring my laptop for trips longer than a week, but I worry about running out of things to do at the airport and on the plane. We have a 6-hour flight to Korea followed by another 13 hours to Toronto, Canada.

I’ll also be bringing my DSLR and GoPro for capturing photos and videos!

I have these four fantastic pouches that I absolutely love. They help me keep my things organized, so whenever I need something, I know exactly which pouch to grab from my bag. It makes everything easy and stress-free!

1. Electronic Pouch

2. Makeup Kit

3. Instax and GoPro accessories

4. Toiletries

My Electronic Pouch contains all my chargers and usb cords. I was surprised that everything fits perfectly. With this pouch, you don't have to worry all the tangled cords inside your bag. 

What's inside? 

1. Phone's Charger

2. GoPro Dual Battery Charger (Ziplock)

3. GoPro USB Cord (Camera)

4. GoPro Remote USB Cord

5. Laptop's Charger

6. DSLR's Charger

7. Power bank's USB Cord

8. Earphones

I absolutely love taking my Instax with me on my travels! Just pose, click, flash... and voilà—instant memories captured!

I also make sure to bring an extra battery for my GoPro. From my experience, the GoPro tends to have a short battery life, even when I hardly use the remote or its WiFi. Still, I'm really happy with it!

Having a connecting flight from Manila to Canada (Manila-Korea-Canada) is definitely a relief! I can't imagine being on a plane for such a long stretch straight to the other side of the world. Freshening up in the plane's lavatory can be quite a challenge.

When packing your toiletries, especially liquids like facial wash, contact lens solution, lotion, and toothpaste, make sure they are in containers of no more than 100 ml. It's also a good idea to keep them in a pouch or a securely sealed plastic bag for convenience.

Let me know what's in your bag when you travel! 

Thank you!

Philippines : PANGASINAN

After spending Christmas at home, we had the opportunity to celebrate the last days of 2014 with our relatives on my mother's side in Pangasinan. It was also my Ate Carla's wedding, so we had plenty of reasons to be there. We stayed for five days, and it was really... f u n.

Weddings can get quite hectic! The preparations were exhausting. They set up a tent made of bamboo and covered it with tarpaulin in front of the house since the reception was to be held there. The food was prepared by the best cooks in town—the elders in the family—who were joined by some of our relatives in the kitchen. There was hardly any sleep during the preparations, and to keep the energy up, music played all night long!

THE WEDDING

DECEMBER 28, 2014

DECEMBER 29, 2014

THE BEACH

Not every trip goes as planned, and ours was no exception. We were supposed to visit Hundred Islands, just a 20-minute drive from our house in Mabini, Pangasinan. Everything was in order—we had rented a boat the day before and prepared all our essentials. However, one thing remained uncertain: the weather. The waves were massive, making it impossible for any boat to venture out, even the larger ones. We waited, hoping for a miracle, but eventually, the coast guard canceled all pending trips to the islands.

HUNDRED ISLANDS

So we decided to head to another beach, traveling from Alaminos to Dasol, which took us about an hour and a half. I've been visiting Dasol since I was a kid, but it's only now that I've come to truly appreciate its beauty. As a child, I was mainly focused on the sea, but I've realized that while it may not have fine, white sand or crystal-clear waters, it still holds its charm. I love the view of the palm trees against the sea and the swirling clouds above.

There's no entrance fee, but you do need to rent a cottage, which costs only 300 PHP. This cottage can accommodate 6 to 8 people. You can also grill fish, liempo, eggplants, or whatever you like for free—just remember to bring your own charcoal and utensils!