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The Style Mermaid by Kisty Mea • Manila Adventures by Kisty Mea & Maine Manalansan I’ve been living in the Philippines most of my life (22 years and 51 weeks to be exact). I grew up in Manila but when someone asks me what to see in my city, my usual answer is “I don’t know”. Heck, I can even give you an itinerary if you planning to visit Singapore, but never Manila. I’m so engrossed in visiting another country, immersing myself in their rich culture and history, that I’ve completely forgotten to appreciate my own land… Until now. When in Manila, you should…[[MORE]] Start your day with a morning exercise at the CCP Complex. There are tons of morning activities available there for free. If exercise is not your thing, you can skip and indulge yourself in your hotel’s buffet.  The monument of the country’s National Hero Afterwards, go straight to the Intramuros/Rizal Park area. Take a photo with the Kilometer Zero and the national hero’s monument, Jose Rizal, in the background. Manila’s Walled City To totally immerse yourself with Manila’s diverse history, sign up for the “Walk This Way” tour by Carlos Celdran. For rates and schedule, visit this website.  What I love about Manila’s tourist spots is their proximity to one another.  From Intramuros/Rizal Park, ride a jeepney (a must for tourists, you won’t see that kind of transportation anywhere else!) that will take you to Binodo. Binondo is most commonly known as Chinatown due to the ethnic Chinese people living in the area. Chinatown Manila is apparently established in 1594, making it the oldest in the world [source]. Visit the Binondo Church (you won’t miss it!) and pay homage to the Basilica’s patron saint, Lorenzo Ruiz. San Lorenzo Ruiz was the first Philippines’ saint and canonized in 1987. The Church was consecrated in the late 1500s to convert the Chinese to Christianity.  From here, you can either walk to the long stretch of Ongpin St. or ride a Kalesa (horse carriage) to roam around the area. You’ll see a lot of Kalesa parked outside the church.  Ongpin is this street with the red-green Friendship Arch between the Filipinos and Chinese.The street was originally called as Calle Sacristia and was renamed in 1915 after Roman Ongpin, the first Chinese-Filipino to wear the Barong Tagalog, an embroidered formal garment. Since Ongpin street the heart of Manila’s Chinatown, it is full of restaurants, apothecaries, jeweleries and other imported goods from China. Kalesa. Philippines’ version of a horse drawn carriage. Possible routes from Binondo Church to Sta. Cruz Church. The blue arrow is what Google Maps recommend you to do. But I recommend taking the whole stretch of Ongpin instead.  (view larger image) At the end of Ongpin, you’ll stumble upon the area of Sta. Cruz. You know you’re in the area once you see this big old-looking fountain with a Church nearby and an old building with Plaza Fair signage on it. :p You should take time and appreciate the architecture of this place. Aside from that, you can also do a little bit of shopping here. :)  From Sta. Cruz, you should make your way to Quiapo. If you’re a photographer lover, it is a must that you walk along by Hidalgo Street. Hidalgo St. is a photographer’s haven. You can buy new and old, digital or film cameras and accessories here, and have broken cameras repaired. To get there, just ask the locals where SM (a department store) is. Just enter SM and exit on the other side. ;) After shopping for your camera, just follow the path full of people selling vegetables and other stuff. That road will take you to Plaza Miranda and Quiapo Church.  Quiapo Church and a glimpse of Plaza Miranda Quiapo Church is the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene and is one of the main churches in Manila. They hold a procession every New Year, Good Friday and January 9th. If you happen to visit on those dates, it is better not to go to Quiapo due to the congestion of the crowds.  Plaza Miranda is a public square in front of Quiapo Church. The area is full of fortune-tellers and vendors of lucky charms and amulets. Some vendors also sell flowers, fruit and vegetables. My friend and I had our fortunes told a few years ago and true enough, we did end up living in a foreign country. Indulge yourself with their fortunes and who knows? It might come true. :) From here, you can either ride the LRT or Jeepney or cab that can take you back to the CCP Complex and visit SM Mall of Asia, the 3rd largest shopping mall in the continent. You can either shop to your heart’s content or have an early dinner by the bay side and watch the sunset.  Alternative Itinerary: Double Exposure of Manila  Now, I believe visiting Binondo-Sta. Cruz-Quiapo is a great way to know more about the Filipino culture but if you have kids or you’ve been there before, you can opt for visiting our museums and other tourist attractions such as the National Museum, Museo Pambata (a museum for the kids and kid-at-heart!) and Manila Ocean Park. All of them are located near Rizal Park. :) After a long day, you can choose to snooze the night off or go to Resorts World Manila to watch a movie, play at the casino or party in Republiq. :)  And that concludes my City of Manila itinerary and it’s good for a day or two trip in Manila. If you happen to say in the country for more than five days, don’t fret because there are 16 more cities and at least 2000 islands to explore. You’ll never run out of things to do in the Philippines. ;) I  hope you like this itinerary as much as I did making it. I might make a Part 2 but in the meantime, you can help me win a spot for the Big Blog Exchange contest. If chosen, I’ll be one of the few bloggers who gets to represent the Asia Pacific region! :) Just visit this page to vote. Thank you! <3  ——- In your opinion, what is a must-see place when in Manila? I would love to hear your recommendations! Drop your thoughts in the comment section below! Special thanks to Maine Manalansan for letting me use her film photos. Check out her blog and Flickr if you like everything about art. ;) 

Manila Adventures

by Kisty Mea & Maine Manalansan

I’ve been living in the Philippines most of my life (22 years and 51 weeks to be exact). I grew up in Manila but when someone asks me what to see in my city, my usual answer is “I don’t know”. Heck, I can even give you an itinerary if you planning to visit Singapore, but never Manila. I’m so engrossed in visiting another country, immersing myself in their rich culture and history, that I’ve completely forgotten to appreciate my own land…

Until now.

When in Manila, you should…

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The Style Mermaid by Kisty Mea • Visiting Boracay: Tips and Itinerary I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Boracay two weeks ago. My boyfriend’s friends, Greg and Jhanice, decided to tie the knot and appointed us to be their best man and maid of honor, respectively. :) Boracay is a small island in the Philippines that has received numerous awards from travel publications and agencies. The place is a favorite among tourists for its white sands and crystal clear waters. :) I’m so happy that in my 24 years of existence, I finally got to visit this world-renowned beach. <3[[MORE]] How To Get There? There are two ways to get to Boracay: by air and by sea. By Air: Boracay is served by two airports in the Aklan province: one in Kalibo and the other in Caticlan (Godofredo P. Ramos Airport). Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines are some of the domestic airlines that fly to both airports. By Sea: From Manila, it may take more or less 14 hours to reach the Caticlan Jetty Port. This option is cheaper and you get to visit different places along the way (Mindoro, Roxas, etc.). Whatever mode of transportation you choose, your second-to-the-last destination is the Caticlan Jetty Port. Since Boracay is separated by a narrow strait, both tourists and locals can only get to the island through the boats operated at the jetty port. Anyone arriving at the Boracay Airport in Caticlan will have to pay PHP50 for a tricycle (or do a 10-minute walk) which takes you to the Caticlan Jetty Port. At the port, you’ll be required to buy three different tickets: a boat ticket & boarding pass (PHP25), an environmental & admission fee ticket (PHP75) and terminal fee ticket (PHP100). The boat ride going to the Jetty Terminal takes about 15 minutes. Once you’re on the other side, you’ll still need shell out another PHP100 for a tricycle that can take you to your hotel. Cash only basis. What To Do? There are so many things to do in Boracay. Common activities include Parasailing, Scuba Diving, Banana Boat, and Helmet Dive. Other non-water activities include hair braiding, henna tattoo and massage. While walking along the beach, you’ll stumble upon a lot of people offering you these activities and services. Remember to haggle! At night, Boracay is vibrant with lights and music. You can listen to live bands, chill with your friends over an ice cold beer or dance until dawn. :) We, on the other hand, weren’t fortunate enough to do any of the water activities. We did drink after the wedding, along with Khat and the newly weds. I also got myself a blowjob (the cocktail shot, ok!) /sad What To Eat? I think it’s safe to say that you’ll never get hungry in Boracay. There’s a wide variety of places to eat, fit to satisfy all of your cravings. We had dinner at Epic and their steak was fantastic. Lemon Cafe is quite popular but we never had a chance to try their food. D’Talipapa is the place to go to for fresh seafood. Shakey’s, Army Navy, Starbucks and McDonald’s are also available on the island. When To Go? Boracay is awfully crowded and expensive during Holy Week, April and December. If you’re on a budget, it’s better to visit during off-peak seasons (June to November). The algae, that makes the sea greenish rather than crystal blue, is also seasonal. My friend said that they’re usually not that prominent during August and October. Although our trip was very brief, I’d like to thank my boyfriend for handling everything: our flight, airport transfers, hotel bookings, and so on. What I love the most was the way he gave his anniversary gift. He knows I love surprises. We were swimming in the beach and while I was busy complaining at algae that were surrounding us, he took my hand and put this wonderful ring (not an engagement ring, ok!) on my finger. He is the sweetest. <3 Anyway, I hope this guide of mine gave you an idea what to expect or do when you visit Boracay. If you’ve been to Boracay before, hope you can share your own insights in the comment box. For more photos, don’t forget to check out my Boracay Photo Diary here. :)

Visiting Boracay: Tips and Itinerary

I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Boracay two weeks ago. My boyfriend’s friends, Greg and Jhanice, decided to tie the knot and appointed us to be their best man and maid of honor, respectively. :)

Boracay is a small island in the Philippines that has received numerous awards from travel publications and agencies. The place is a favorite among tourists for its white sands and crystal clear waters. :) I’m so happy that in my 24 years of existence, I finally got to visit this world-renowned beach. <3

Read more