Travel: Venice, Italy

I was in Kranj, Slovenia with a colleague and we had 1 weekend to spare. We had the option of strolling around Ljubljana - Slovenia's capital - or strutting our stuff in Venice. Easy choice, right?

Transport
The first thing was to figure out the most economic and convenient was to get from Kranj to Venice. I searched online for flights, but they were darn expensive. Next option, take the train. It was a little bit cheaper, but it would take too much time - and we only had 1 weekend. We don't want to spend most of our time on a lousy train cabin. Amazingly, Google led me to a site called GoOpti.com. GoOpti offers transfers to airports and other key points in Central and Western Europe. For our chosen dates, we only had to pay a little more than 40€ each, roundtrip. What a steal!

Accommodation
Next, a place to sleep in. It was too late to place requests in Couchsurfing and I was traveling with a colleague, so I reckoned a hotel would be a better option. I look around Tripadvisor, as I always do, for an inexpensive hotel with good reviews. I found a nice, strategically-located hotel called Hotel Santa Lucia. We booked a double room with shared bath. The bath was just across the corridor so we didn't mind. The bathroom is regularly cleaned - I found clean, fresh towels every time I used it.

With packed bags, a printed map and high spirits, we headed to the Ljubljana railway station where GoOpti was to pick us up. The van arrived right on-time and in about 2.5 hours we were in Piazzalle Roma! We went to the hotel - which was just walking distance from the plaza - to check-in, leave our bags, then we were off gallivanting on the streets of Venezia! We stopped at a restaurant to have our Italian dinner (pasta and pizza, baby!), have some beer, then walked some more to take in that Venetian vibe.

Venice Love
The following day was spent just strolling around. In Venice, it doesn't matter where you go, or which turn you take. Every little alley has a charm of its own. Most streets are marked with signs pointing to major attractions like Rialto or Piazza San Marco. And if yuo don't find you way the first time, it's fine. Venice is a beautiful city to get lost in.

Day 2. My love of glass beads took us to one of the islands - Murano. We did our glass gifts shopping and took more pictures!

Hands down, Venice is one of the best cities I've been to. It's unique, lovely, photo-perfect and romantic! I'd love to go back someday - and hopefully with a loved one! <3 p="">

Travel: Hong Kong/Macau 4-day Itinerary

Going to Hongkong but got no time to plan your itinerary? Why not follow ours?

I've included the estimated price that you'd spend on each attraction. We've paid a bit higher for our hostel because we booked the rooms last minute. You can get better hostel rates if you'd book way ahead of time. We stayed at the CityPlus Hostel in Mongkok, but you can also try Hello Inn and Yuifai Guesthouse - they have great reviews!

Some prices of food/shpping expenses were over-estimated to provide some leeway. Transport expenses are exact, though.

You can get a discounted attraction tickets in hostels/travel agencies/hotels. Discounted prices I'm aware of are as follows: Oceanpark 260HKD, Disneyland 370HKD, 3-in-1 Peak/Madame Tussauds 195HKD.

For other Hong Kong travel tips, click here.

I hope you enjoy your Hong Kong - Macau adventure as much as we've enjoyed ours! :)

DAY	TIME	ACTIVITY	PRICE HKD	PER PERSON HKD
Day 0	2255H	Departure MNL
Day 1	0055H	Arrival HK - night bus to hotel	23	23
	0130H	Check-in City Plus Hostel	2460	820
	0700H	Wake-up, Breakfast	30	30
	0900H	Transport to Ocean Park	22	22
	1000H	Ocean Park Adventure	280	280
	1300H	Lunch	100	100
	1900H	Transport to Victoria Harbor	16	16
	2000H	Symphony of Lights
	2045H	Ladies Market	5	5
	2100H	Shopping / Dinner / Food trip	250	250
	2300H	Walk to Hotel
Day 2	0600H	Wake-up, Breakfast	30	30
	0700H	Transport to Victoria Harbor Star Ferry	5	5
	0730H	Star Ferry to HK Central	3	3
	0800H	Walk to The Peak Tram
	0930H	Peak Tram/SkyTerrace/Madame Tussaud Wax Museum	223	223
	1330H	Late Lunch	50	50
	1500H	Hong Kong Museum of History	10	10
	1700H	Transport to Causeway Bay	11	11
	1830H	Stroll in Causeway Bay
	2000H	Transport to Happy Valley	3.5	3.5
	2030H	Happy Valley Racecourse/Dinner	100	100
	2300H	Transport to Hotel	8	8
Day 3	0600H	Wake-up, Breakfast	30	30
	0645H	Transport to Macau Ferry Terminal	11	11
	0715H	TurboJet Ferry to Macau	163	163
	0830H	Arrival Macau/Immigration/Brochures
	0900H	Take Venetian Macau free shuttle
	0930H	Shoppes Canal / Casino
	1130H	Transport to Senate Square	6	6
	1145H	St Paul / Fortress Hill / Camoes Garden / Lunch	80	80
	1630H	Transport to Fisherman's wharf	6	6
	1700H	Fisherman’s Wharf Sightseeing / Early Dinner	80	80
	2000H	Transport to Wynn Hotel free shuttle
	2030H	Fountain Show at Wynn Hotel
	2130H	Transport to Ferry Terminal free shuttle
	2145H	TurboJet to HK	174	174
	2330H	Transport to Hotel	11	11
Day 4	0600H	Wake-up, Breakfast, Check-out	30	30
	0830H	Transport to Ngong Ping 360	16	16
	1000H	Cable Car to Ngong Ping Village	125	125
	1040H	Ngong Ping Village Giant Buddha
		Walking with Buddha/ Monkey Theatre(optional)	36	36
	1140	Return Cable Car
	1230	Transport to Disneyland	13	13
	1300	Disneyland Adventure	399	399
		Lunch / Dinner / Snacks	150	150
	2100H	Transport to Airport - taxi	50	50
Day 5	0140H	Departure HK
	0340H	Arrival MNL
		TOTAL		3369.5

Travel tips: Hong Kong / Macau

It was a last-minute decision to book a flight for the holy week to Hong Kong. Oh such impulsiveness! But in the end, the money spent and the panic cramming were well worth it.

Two other friends and I spent a 4-day getaway to Hong Kong, with a 1-day visit to Macau. It was a fun, amazing, heel-torturing adventure.

For our 4-day itinerary, click here.

Here are some tips when going to/around Hong Kong and Macau:

Check the weather - Before going, check the weather. Hong Kong is way more beautiful on a clear day especially if you'd like to enjoy the scenery from Victoria Peak or Ngong Ping 360 cable car. Also, pack clothes accordingly. We weren't prepared for the cold so we had to spend more time and money looking for sweaters and wind-breakers.

Money exchange - don't bother exchanging your PHP to USD. You can change your PHP to HKD directly in Hong Kong with a very good exchange rate, especially somewhere near Central - where a lot of Filipinos gather.

Octopus card - Get one from the nearest MTR station. It's convenient, you can use it almost anywhere and it eliminates the need for small change. You can get it for 150HKD (100HKD will be available to you and 50HKD will be a refundable deposit. Any unspent amount will be refunded with your deposit when you return it. Oh, but there's a 9HKD handling fee if you return it in less than 90 days.)

Shopping - if you see something you really, really like, buy it immediately. You might not find something like it again.

Take the bus - If you're not in such great hurry, take the double-decker bus instead of the MTR, it's a great way to move around the city. It's cheaper and you get to do a lot of sight-seeing.

Tram ride - When you're in Hong Kong island, take the Tram to move around the city. It's super inexpensive for only 2.3HKD and the views are amazing. On your way to HK island from Kowloon, you might as well take the Star Ferry too.

Food - Although there are a lot of McDonalds and BurgerKings around, try looking for authentic hole-in-a-wall places where you can find unbelievably amazing food in a super cheap price. For example, we found this small noodle place near the Ladies Market where they offer different varieties of noodles for only 22HKD.

Attractions - Ask your hotel/hostel for discounted tickets. They normally have cheaper rates than the actual price.

Macau
Food - try the beef jerky and the egg tart. Delicious!

Free shuttles - almost all hotels and casinos offer a free shuttle to/from the Macau Ferry Terminal, avail of these shuttles to save some money on transportation.

Gambling - even though you're not a gambler, allocate some money for a little betting on Macau's many casinos. I'd recommend The Sands as they have tables with low minimum bets. It's a great experience! But of course, if you've lost the allocated money, know when to stop.

Hotel Review: Taj Guesthouse Boracay

In March 2012, I found myself with a booked flight to Boracay and no place to stay at. So I crossed my fingers and sent an email to Taj Guesthouse, hoping they'd have some vacant rooms. I immediately got a reply with the available rooms and rates. I reserved a room for two for a fair price of two thousand pesos per night.

Taj Guesthouse is located minutes from the D'Mall, in a small alley. The main building is just a few steps from the beach (it's almost beachfront). But since it's a guesthouse, don't expect a pool or a huge lobby. The staff, however, are very friendly, courteous and helpful.

I got a room in the annex building. It's a bit farther than the main building but I didn't mind the short walk. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the rooms Taj Guesthouse has to offer. They can be compared to a 3-4 star hotel with a flat screen cable TV, refrigerator and A/C. My room has a double bed that can comfortably accommodate 2 people. They also provide towels and bath soaps. The only thing I missed was a safety vault.

I have enjoyed my stay so much. Everything was clean and working. Even though it's not a hotel with security guards on duty, it still felt very safe.

Make sure to book in advance if you plan to stay here. It could be very busy especially during peak season. But if you're already in Boracay, there's no harm in checking if they still have available rooms. 

Taj Guesthouse Boracay

Boracay Island, 5608 Balabag, Philippines

tajboracay@gmail.com

T (36) 2884628  / (36) 2885695

M 09209196509

Restaurant Review: People's Palace (Greenbelt 3)

It was only my second time dining at People's Palace although I wish I had discovered this place a long time ago. It offers modern Thai cuisine and is located in Greenbelt 3 right beside Via Mare Oyster Bar. I used to just pass by and ignore it, and now it is one my greatest food-related regret. :P

So here are the "tested" menu items. I wanted to take some pictures but food pornography is too obscene when you're in front of great stuff. :P Photos are borrowed from other sites. Please refer to the links for the sources of these pictures.

The very first thing you should order is their superb Prawn Spring Rolls with chili sauce. One taste of this yummy shrimpy treat and you'll definitely know why People's Palace is usually fully-booked during dinner time. It's an appetizer item but it doubles as a main, so it's a great choice. ;)

For the mains, you'll have to try one of the curries. We had the Panaeng Curry of Beef. The curry sauce is rich, creamy and delicious while the beef is very tender. It captures the taste and smell of Thailand. During the previous visit, we also tried the Crispy Lapu-lapu fillets with red curry and basil. The Lapu-lapu was cooked very nicely - skin is crispy and the meat is soft and juicy.

There are several drinks and desserts to choose from. Of course we tried the Sticky Rice with mangoes. One of the mango halves served was a bit too sour but it's still a pretty good choice. :)

It seems like you can never go wrong with any dish in this place. Kudos to the Chef Colin Mackay!

Prices may be a bit steep but it well worth it! Be prepared to pay about 500pesos or more per person. :)

Budget guide: Cheap hotels and guesthouses in Boracay

For the 2015 updated list, go to http://www.traveldazzler.com/index.php/2015/07/05/boracay-hotels/

It's summer time again and I'm sure a lot of people will visit the most popular party beach in the country - Boracay! So while the budget airlines take care of the cheap flights, allow me to list down some of the cheap Boracay hotels and guesthouses I found:

Taj Guesthouse Boracay

Taj Guesthouse Boracay is located in Boat Station 2 near D'mall. It's just a very short walk to the white beach. Rooms are very nice, well-decorated and super clean. The standard room for 2 costs 2000php during peak season (1500php off-peak). They also have a room for up to 6 people for only 3500php during peak season (3000 off-peak). For availability and reservations, send an email to tajboracay@gmail.com or visit their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Taj-Guesthouse-Boracay/121290147933020?sk=info

Eriko's House

Eriko's House can be found in an alley near D'mall, in Station 2. Rooms are clean and the guesthouse is near the party places. Standard room cost range from 1500-2500php depending on the tourist season. For servations, contact Susan Aoki, mobile# 09284854100 / 09232720421. http://www.erikoshouseboracay.com/

Villa Romero Boracay

Situated in Boat Station 3, Villa Romero Boracay hotel is just a few steps away from the white beach. If you take a tricycle and ask the driver to take you to Station 3, you will yourself in front of the hotel. The rooms are clean and well-maintained. Standard rooms range from 1500-1800php during peak season. Contact villaromerodeboracay@yahoo.com for availability and reservation. You can also visit the website http://www.villaromeroboracay.com/ to reserve and get instant confirmation with a credit card.

Dave's Straw Hat Inn

Dave's Straw Hat Inn is located in an alley in Boat Station 3. It's just a few minutes walk to the white beach. This guesthouse has so many rave reviews it is ranked number 1 in the Tripadvisor Popularity Index. Standard cottages are from 1700php to 3100php depending on the season. They also have some fan rooms for a much lower rate. Contact info@davesstrawhatinn.com for reservations. http://www.davesstrawhatinn.com/

Ocean Breeze Inn Guesthouse and Cottages

Ocean Breeze Inn can be found in Boat Station 3, in the same alley as Dave's Straw Hat. They offer some standard rooms in the main building, and also some cottages. Standard room prices range from 1600-2500php. Contact contact@oceanbreezeinn.biz for reservations or visit 

http://www.oceanbreezeinn.info/pageID_5051572.html

Enjoy your Boracay trip on budget!

PS. If you're looking for good rates on the activities (helmet diving, ATV, parasailaing, etc), try to contact Biboy 0907-3987845. His rates are much lower than most and he's very friendly. :)

Restaurant Review: Felix (Greenbelt 5)

On this day we weren't feeling particularly adventurous, but on our way to Kai we passed by Felix and decided to look at the menu. The waitress immediately attended to us and "sold" us the best-selling items of the restaurant. We were easily swayed, got a seat for two and were given the menu.

Upon looking at the menu, I immediately thought that it was a bit pricey. We picked some items and waited a bit for someone to notice that we were ready to order. Not attentive, tsk tsk. But after taking our orders, they gave us some bread with butter and a nice dip which I liked.

Here the items we ordered and some comments:

Appetizer: Hanoi - Shrimp and vermicelli wrapped in rice paper with peanut sauce dip
Uhm, it was plain. I can't say it was bad, but I didn't like it too much. Maybe I was expecting something more special than rice paper, sotanghon noodles, lettuce and some little shrimps.

Soup: Clare - Five mushroom with oyster chip; Tomy - Puree of tomatoes with ricotta cheese and baby arugula
The mushroom soup is bland and muddy. Tomato soup was nothing special. You can get it from another restaurant for a better price.

Entrée:
Tango - Duo of seabass with foie gras
This was supposed to be their best-selling entrée but it's hard to imagine why. The seabass is good, but not too good for the price. And duck liver is just not my thing.


Folger - US Angus Rib-eye
Normal US angus steak. It was grilled medium well as we like it. No complaints here.

The mashed potato that came with both entrées is very nice. :)
But unfortunately, they never served the Mango Shake we ordered. :(

The overall experience was disappointing. The food did not compensate for the price and the (lack of) service. We're probably never coming back to this place.

Quiz Night: Murphy's Makati

Tuesday night is quiz night!

If you and your friends are looking for a brain-racking challenge while enjoying nice food and cold beer, this might just be the place you are looking for. It's a perfect team building activity and a refreshing change from the normal karaoke nights. Murphy's Makati is an Irish pub located in VA Rufino St (formerly Herrara). They have a wide selection of menu items from breakfast plates, bar snacks, mains, sandwiches and a lot more. :)

Quiz match begins at 2030H! Categories normally include music, movies, history, sports, literature, geography, science and current events, with 10 questions each. We came here on a good night - there were 6 teams competing for the top 3 positions. Each will have the chance to win 3000, 2000 and 1000 pesos respectively worth of Murphy's consumables. After sucking at history and sports, we managed to get a perfect score in music and literature. In the end, we finished 3rd - hooray!

We need to brush up on sports, geography and history - but we'll definitely go back next week and get that top spot. :P

Beach bumming: Coron, Palawan - Day 3

I crossed my fingers all night in hope for good weather and calm seas. It had rained continuously the previous night and I know that our next destinations are a bit far from the town proper. The morning sunshine and the sight of soft waves made me sigh in relief and gave a promise that it was going to be a smooth ride.

After a little less than 2 hours by boat, we reached the long white beach of Malcapuya. A lot of reviews compared it to the shores of Boracay and it's not hard to imagine why. The clear water and powdery sand complimented by rocky cliffs and blue sky will make anyone's pupil dilate in awe.

For some hours we basked in the sun and strolled along the beach, then it was time to move on to the next amazing beach Coron has to offer - Banana Island. Here, us girls let our bodies bake under the sun and take in the island's surroundings while the boys played in the sand.

  
 We also checked out the rocky Bulog Dos before the chilly ride back. The wind was so cold that we decided to go back to Maquinit Hot Spring for another warm soak. :)

Back to Day 1
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Beach bumming: Coron, Palawan - Day 2

Today is what Coron is all about. We woke up early to a nice Filipino breakfast of tocilog and a cup of 3-in-1 coffee, then headed to the port to start the Coron loop tour.

My Hungarian guests had their first taste of Coron marine life at the Siete Pecados Marine Park. It's a snorkling destination with seven picturesque islands surrounded by lovely and rich coral reefs. It was a bit windy so we had to be careful not to stray too far from the boat. Nonetheless, we had seen and fed countless fishes of all types. Forget about school of fishes, it's a whole university down there!

After some minutes of swimming with the fishes, we headed to the most famous place in Coron, the beautiful Cayangan lake.  We had to take 100 steep steps, but it was worth it. The lake is a combination of fresh and salt water, perfect for a refreshing dip. Nothing to do but swim, relax and enjoy nature. And of course, we took a picture of the most photographed rock island in Palawan. :)

Another snorkling session at the rich reefs and colorful fishes of Twin Peak concluded the morning run. We then headed to the other side of the island to one of the small white beaches of Coron. Unfortunately, all of the islands were crowded with boats and tourists. So instead of docking and having lunch by the beach, I just asked our tour guide to hover above the Skeleton shipwreck and eat lunch on the boat. It turned out to be a brilliant idea. Right after eating, we jumped in the water to admire the wreck and the marine life that blossomed around it. For me. it was the best site we've visited.

We docked at a small beach in the afternoon to take some pictures and then finish the tour with a visit to CYC beach.

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Beach bumming: Coron, Palawan - Day 1

After unpacking the clothes from our Boracay adventure, we immediately started packing a new set of clothes and swimsuit for our next destination - Coron, Palawan!

We boarded the plane to Busuanga on a beautiful Sunday morning and arrived there by noon. I booked an all-in, 4-day package with Jendi Seafront Resort and their van was already waiting for us when we stepped out of the airport. Upon arrival, we were shown to our huge 2-bedroom cottage, which can accommodate up to 8 people comfortably. There's just 4 of us, so it's like a huge suite. :)

After eating our afternoon snack, we geared up for a trek to Mt. Tapyas. I have climbed this last year, but this time I had to keep up with physically fit Hungarians with strong legs. :-S After an exhausting 700+ steps, we reached the top!

Our next destination was the Maquinit Hot Spring, a heaven for the aching leg muscles! We took some pictures from the beach then took a dip in the nice, hot spring water. It's a perfect way to end the day. :)

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