You have plenty of time to spare in Batanes? Here’s a list of what you can do around town, after all, as Coco Martin said in one of his movies, “Ang Batanes, hindi ginu-google, ine-experience.”:
1. Visit downtown Basco.
Immerse yourself with the llifestyle of the locals. You’ll be surprised to know that the Ivatans are cheerful and hospitable people. They would greet and bid you to have a good day and would ask if you are in need of any assistance, just because.
Market at Abad St. Cor. Ditas St.
On tight budget? Try Beehan!
2. Got extra cash? Do the art of doing nothing at Fundacion Pacita, particularly the Cafe de Tukon.
3. Take a hike at Rakuh-a-Idi Spring, otherwise known as the Fountain of Youth.
From Basco Town Proper, it will take about 30 minutes via trike for one to go to the place and another good 20-minute hike to go to the spring itself. Wearing comfortable shoes (or slippers) must be considered should you wish to go on with this adventure.
Here’s a quick peek on the road on the way to the spring. Motorized vehicles are not allowed to enter the premises, so there’s no other way to reach the spring but walk.
I swear, the tiresome hike will be worth it just to see this:
4. Got more time? Take a quick dip at the beach!
Just be extra careful as swimming at the beach is not encouraged because of the strong waves and current. There are no lifeguard in the area, so swim at your own risk. I spent quite a long time at this very spot just watching the washing of the waves to which I found kind of therapeutic, really.
5. Visit a local coffee shop.
Phil’s Brew- a must-visit coffee shop at downtown Basco. Have the Tres Leches and pair it with brewed coffee for the win.
6. Tired of walking? Rent a bike and tour around Basco Town Proper.
Here’s my sweet ride going around town, braving the strong winds and occasional rains. Rented this baby out for Php 300 for the whole day. I just couldn’t remember the name of the shop where I rented it.
7. Drop by the Sto. Domingo Cathedral in Basco.
8. Explore (more) local coffee shops!
Must-try cassava cake at Ned’s Gateau.
9. Visit old friends.
It’s really heartwarming to see familiar people in an unfamiliar place. I made sure to include my itinerary to pay a visit the parents of a very good friend of mine since grades school. Since Basco is really a small town, almost everybody knows everyone just by mentioning the family name! Boy, was I glad to see and have spent time with them!
10. Meet new friends.
During this trip, I made a few friends to which up to now, I have contact with. I even met a couple who are planning to have their wedding in Batanes sometime in April 2018. In fact, they were generous enough to include me in their “venue-hunting” and “cake supplier hunting” for their upcoming wedding. All the best, Arch. Sherwin and Ms. Rachel!
Batanes might already be off my travel bucketlist but will definitely be one of those places I would always go back to. It’s a place where one should go to if one is in search of simplicity, peace and healing.
In closing, I would like to quote the words of Toni G:
“Batanes does not just make you forget; it makes you remember what truly matters.”
Rakuh A Payaman- I can say that today is one of the highlights of my stay here in Batanes. We visited the Marlboro Country, locally known as the Rakuh a Payaman. This is actually a communal pastureland in Uyugan Batanes. The plain sight of this view got me a bit emotional. The place is just extraordinarily marvelous that words nor photos could never describe. I ran, I jumped, I skipped, I hopped, I rolled myself down the hills, and I danced just to be captured on camera. I channeled in the Maria Von Trapp in me. It was like I was re-enacting the Sound of Music there for awhile. And oh, yeah! The hills are freakin’ alive! I knew that the gusty winds was nature’s way of welcoming there. I swear, this vision would be kept forever in my heart. Truly, Batanes is where the land, sea and sky meet to make this breathtakingly beautiful view.
Tayid Lighthouse– Built on the early 2000’s, this is another must-visit spot in Batanes. It’s breathtakingly exquisite, simply captivating. Design wise, this lighthouse is unique in terms of shape as it possesses a hexagonal base. Most lighthouses in the province have circular bases.
After taking bajillion photos, we headed out for lunch at Paulvanna’s Canteen at Mahatao, near the San Carlos Borromeo Church.
San Lorenzo Ruiz Church- It is said to be the birthplace of Christianity in Batanes. It is where the first mass and baptism in the Island was commenced in 1682 AD. This was also the location where the Holy Cross was set up but the original materials were already damaged.
Our Lady of Miraculous Medal- Kuya Nelson narrated that whenever travellers come to this church, their wishes would come true. Well, there’s no harm in trying! LMAO
Song-Song Ruins- We just passed by the place but its history is really quite sad. During the 1950’s, this barangay was badly hit by a tsunami for two consecutive years. This was during the leadership of President Ramon Magsaysay. Records shows that most of the families have been relocated in Tawi-Tawi.
Imnajbu Point / Alapad Rock Formation- This has got to be one of my favorite spots in Batanes. The road cuts through two hills creating a massive sculpture-like rock formation. My anticipation heightens as we pass by every winding road for I cannot wait to see the next beautiful scenery that awaits to be unfolded. The sign “Blow UR Horn” is noticeably present in every curved road around the province. In the 1900’s, the locals already abbreviated the word “YOUR” into “UR”, hence, making the Ivatans the first ones to use the text speak.
Honesty Coffee Shop- I finally got to experience this ever famous Honesty Coffee Shop. The Ivatans are known for their utmost honesty. The store is unmanned, no standby seller. Get what you want, write it in the log sheet, leave the payment at the designated basket, and that’s it! Just pure HONESTY. Owned by a teacher, Ms. Elena Gabilo together with her husband Mr. Jose Gabilo, the store was put up to cater to the fishermen and passengers at the Port of Ivana going to Sabtang Island. I couldn’t help but feel happy and sad, both at the same time. Happy, because somehow, in this cruel and dishonest world, there’s this small town that carries the value of honesty. Sad, because for most, it has just become a tourist spot where they can just visit and just forget about it. Has honesty already become that rare?
San Jose el Obrero Church (Ivana Church)- This church is just a stone’s throw away from the Honesty Shop in Ivana. It was built by Dr. Jose Fausto de Cuevas in 1784. Different from the other churches in Batanes, this church is the only church with a separate belfry which was constructed 30 years later. In 1866 to 1969, the façade was constructed by Fr. Fabian Martin. It is said that this is where the Katipuneros commanded by Capt. Perea landed on September 18 to liberate the province from the Spaniards.
House of Dakay- Aside from being of the heritage treasures in Batanaes, this has got to be to most photographed Ivatan House. The House of Dakay is recognized as a world heritage building by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization or (UNESCO).It was originally owned by Luisa Estrella, later on passes it on to here favorite nephew, Jose “Dakay” Estrella. Major parts of the house are still intact and kept in good condition, as well as the shutters and the floors. It is said that the thatched cogon roof of the house is replaced every 30 years since 1917. Moonsoon frontiers, these designs are! We were able to meet the caretaker of the house who happens to be the grandson of the original owners.
Old Spanish Bridge- This was constructed as part of the main road of Ivana leading to the doorstep of the church. Luckily, the bridge is still utilized by pedestrian and small vehicles. The design kind of reminded me of those ancient Roman aqueducts.
San Carlos Borromeo Church– This church was initially built with lightweight materials in 1787 before it got renovated using stones in 1798 during the patronage of St. Charles Borromeo. Over time, the church was devastated by a strong typhoon. It was then renovated into a baroque style church as seen on its undulating façade design.
In 2001, it was awarded as a National Cultural Heritage Treasure by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). Standing outside the church are two stone lamp posts that were used as guide for the fisherman on the shore during the Spanish Colonial Period. This church is also known by its name as Mahatao Church.
Chawa View Deck– This is an exquisite view showcasing the beauty of the West Philippine Sea. It has roughly about 150 steps that one can descend to fish and take pictures or even just frolic in the water.
On our way to the deck, we passed by the Mahatao Port but we were not allowed to stop by due to safety concern. We had the chance to take a peek at the Spanish Blue Lagoon, however, it wasn’t blue enough at that time because of the strong waves.
This pretty sums up our 3- day tour in Batanes. What can I say? I’m really captivated by the charm of this Island that I would want to continue to explore more of what it has to offer in the succeeding days. Stand by for more updates of what you can do around the place when you have plenty of time to spare!
I must say, this day is certainly beyond my expectations! We left the lodge around 6:00 am. A van came and fetched us together with other tourists from other hotels. It took about 30 minutes to get to the port of Ivana to get to Sabtang Island.But to actually get to the island, one must ride a Faluwa, an Ivatan local boat. Some travellers mentioned “Sabtang is a heavenly place but the ride to it was hell.” Thank God the ride to the Island was smooth enough to doze me off to sleep. When we landed on the dock, another van took us to our first destination.
Chamantad Cove and Tinyan View Point– What can I say? This is one of the best scenic view I’ve ever seen all throughout my existence. The sun was up and the wind was chilly enough to easily trek down the viewpoint. I could stare at this exquisite view all day!
Panoramic view of the Chamantad and Tinyan Viewpoint
The trek uphill was kind of a challenge going back to the meeting place. Upon reaching the top, I had one of those fresh buko to which I finished devouring in less than a minute! Some of the locals also offered me to try their local sugarcane wine and it was surprisingly good!
Chavayan Village- Allow me quote the words of the late Architect and Heritage Advocate, Augusto “Toti” Villalon from his book “Lugar: “Chavayan Village is where our world ceases and pure magic takes over. The stone houses are placed closely to each other to protect them from strong typhoons. The houses are divided in small alleys. The remoteness of the village added to the authenticity of the place. No signal, no or limited modern technology.”
According to research, these houses are about three to five generations old. They are made of limestones and cogon grass as roofs. Kuya Rommel, our tour guide in Sabtang explained how limestones are made and it sounded pretty tedious! It had to be cooked in a kiln for 9 days and once it achieves a paste- like consistency, it will be stored underground for 7 to 9 months before it could be used as a building material. However, the Batanes government banned the use and quarrying of limestones, hence, retards the restoration of some of the houses.
Going around town, I noticed that there were two types of roofs used in the houses, the gable roof and the the hip roof. The former is locally known as the “Sinadumparan” and the latter is called the “Maytuab”. The roofing takes about 25 to 30 years before replacing it with a new one.
To fully feel the spirit of the place, we use their traditional head gear as protection from the intense heat and/or rain. This is made out of “Vuyavuy”, a palm tree endemic in Batanes. Had it brushed out and sun dried, woven out with strings to make out a “Vakul”.
The making of a vakul
“Vuyavuy”
Savidug Stone Houses- After roaming around the village, we headed to another cluster of stone houses, the Savidug Stone Houses. We just dropped by for some really quick photo ops before heading out for lunch at the Morong Beach to which the Mayahaw Arc can be seen.
We were just in time for the departure of the faluwa at 12:30 pm heading back to Basco. The waves going back were not as calm as when we sailed in the morning. Nevertheless, it wasn’t that scary as I’ve read nor seen in the net. We arrived at the lodge around 1:30 pm. Emar and I decided to take a quick rest and at 2:30 pm we hike up the Vayang Rolling Hills. Well yeah, good luck to me.
We ascended at 2:30 pm and we reached the top of the hill by 4:00. We took sometime enjoying our peace and quiet just by looking at the magnificent scenery. We began to descend at 4:30 pm just in time for dinner at Casa Napoli. Oh. My. God. The pizza was to die for as well as the Luñis Pasta- the best!
It’s was already 8:30 pm and t’was time to call it a night and I could no longer contain my sleepiness. Time to call it a day and I can’t wait for Day 3!
The photo above does not do Batanes any justice at all. Even the best of the best cameras out there could never capture how amazingly beautiful the island is. You can never truly appreciate its charm unless you see it for yourself- and that’s what I did. I am quite excited to share to everyone my 4- day itinerary in Batanes though I stayed there for almost 10 days, especially this is my first time travelling solo for that long!
Day 1- North Batan Tour
I arrived at the airport around 5:00 am-ish was was quite surprised that there weren’t much of passengers at the terminal considering Christmas Day is just around the corner. I went to the usual check-in routine until the boarding gate, got myself some good coffee as I await to hop in the plane. Then they announced that it was time for boarding, all of us were already in queue, but then they had to hold entrance because of the unpredictable weather in Basco. We had to wait for not more than 30 minutes before we could actually board on the plane. The trip took about 2 hours and 10 minutes. All- in- all, the plane ride to Basco was smooth.
Upon arrival in their humble airport, a girl greeted me at the arrival area who happens to be a service crew from the hotel. I was very pleased to know that the lodge was only 5 minutes away from the airport. Walking distance! How cool is that! I was with a fellow solo traveller, Emar. We arrived at the lodge a few minutes before 10:00 am. We were asked to settle first before heading out for the tour. Our tour guide, Kuya Nelson, fetched us at the hotel around 12:30 pm. He took us at Jin Panda, a local restaurant, for a hearty lunch. We had spicy squid menudo, Binagoongan, Bulalo and the ever famous Dibang (Flying fish).
Reception Area
Eastern View
Main Gate
Ji Panda Restaurant
Dibang
Spicy Squid Menudo
Banana Fritters for dessert
After eating lunch, we proceeded to the tour. Our first stop was at the Tukon Church followed by the Fundacion Pacita. Afterwards, we proceeded to the Valugan Boulder Beach. It was said that the boulders were thrown out by the dormant volcano nearby, the Mount Irayat. I must say I enjoyed the place. It somehow had this “healing effect” by just just enjoying the views and the waves. I was quite surprised when our tour guide can take really good photos! I know for a fact that I rarely have my photo taken on trips, but Batanes my friend, is an exemption. I remember one documentary video I saw that said: “In Batanes, there’s this curse- that wherever you point your camera to, you’ll still get good photos.” I would like to believe so because here I am trying it for myself!
We then dropped by at the Dipnaysuypayan Japanese Tunnel. History tells that the tunnel was built by the locals for the Japanese as a hideout place from the American troops.
I was surprised to know that this Chapel was completed by the Architects Joven Ignacio and Tina Turralba!
Tukon Church
Church Interior devastated by a strong typhoon
Dipnaysuypayan Tunnel
Ireland feels?
Fundacion Pacita
Why hello there, rainbow!
A citadel locally known as “idjang”
Had my photo taken coz why not?
Valugan Boulder Beach
It was raining and was very windy when we reached the Vayang Rolling Hills. I was greatly captivated by the beauty of the scenery that I wanted to cry! It was surreal! Despite the blustery weather, we still managed to reach the farthest end of the rolling hills and took really great photos. Batanes, indeed, is the home of the winds. Last stop for this day’s tour was the Basco Light House. It is one of the two functioning lighthouse in the province that guides the ship at night.
Vayang Rolling Hills
I’m at the northern part of the country!
I could stare at this view all day
Sun beginning to set
First sunset in Batanes
Basco Lighthouse
Spiral Staircase
A view of the Basco town proper
Luñis
Vunis
Uved
We headed back to the Lodge around 5:00 pm to freshen up and have dinner at Pension Ivatan to try their famous Luñis, their version of adobo, Vunis and Uved. It did not disappoint us at all. The next day will be a long day. Call time as per Kuya Nelson is at 6:00 am and our itinerary will be exploring the island of Sabtang!
I knew that I’d get to like Hong Kong but I was absolutely clueless that I’d get to fall in love with the city in just a snap during our short stay there. As of this moment, it has been almost three weeks since we’ve traveled to Hong Kong. I must say, I’m having a bit of that “Hong Kong Hangover” that I’ve decided to write down some of my thoughts and lessons learned during our marvelous trip.
Hong Kong has some of the most stunning and amazing architecture I’ve ever seen. As an architect by profession, I can say that the place has that sense of contrast and mixture of the old and the new. It is where the senescent structures complements with the modern and contemporary skyscrapers.
Hong Kong Skyscraper as seen from Victoria Harbor
Water is relatively pricey in Hong Kong! You don’t want to get dehydrated during the trip, so it’s never too wrong to set aside aside some amount from your budget for it. Always, always, always stay hydrated at all times!
Stay hydrated!
Hong Kong is immensely an alluring and captivating city! It would be unimaginable for someone to get to dullsville there because the city has seemingly has a ceaseless list of things to do there.
The city is relatively easy to navigate. Oh! The Hong Kong MTR is a top notch mode of transportation going around the city. What I love about their MTR is that they are clean, fast, efficient and cheap! If you need to go anywhere in Hong Kong, the MTR will get you close to your destination.
Pedestrian walkways makes it easier for the people to go around the city. They have air-conditioned, clean and well-lit subways and skybridges. You’ll never get lost, the signs says it all! The sense of safety in Hong Kong is remarkably high. One can roam around the city at any time of the day, either alone or in groups, without the fear of compromising their security.
Hong Kong is a city of vitality, vigor, color and order! Indeed a city for everyone, it has a great mix of culture. It is where East meets West and became into a one great and crazy mixed-up city.
Undoubtedly, the city is downright a shopper’s haven, an artist’s canvass and a foodie’s paradise!
Because of the typhoon Nina back in the Philippines, our flight was delayed for almost 5 hours. However, we didn’t mind the long wait at the Hong Kong International Airport. Hello, airport lounging! There were hundreds of shops to go to and a lot of interesting cafes and restaurants to try! The airport lounge were cozy and spacious too. I really find it interesting that the HKIA were interconnected with their very efficient and user-friendly subway system, which is used to transfer from one Terminal to the other.
This trip has taught me that when traveling, it is best to give your destination a window of opportunity to astonish and impress you first. Set off any of your expectations and just simply enjoy, savor the moment and merely find something new to learn.
I really am thankful for the people who made this trip possible. You know who you all are. Thank you! Hong Kong is just 2 1/2 hours away from home, but this trip is indeed an eye-opener for me. This little city did somehow changed my view of the world. It may be safe to say that any trip has the capacity to change lives, it changed mine. Just let it. Let life take you by surprise. If not, let it change your day, your week, your month or your year. How? Go to Hong Kong! Enjoy! 🙂
Tired from the Disneyland Trip yesterday, but still, we were all enthused to wake up early becaaauuusseeee… It’s Christmas Day! The kids were still asleep as Anthony and I went out to buy breakfast for everyone at Mc Donald’s at Sun Kung Kai Center along Harbour Drive, just a few walk away from the hotel.
After bringing breakfast back at the hotel, we decided to go to Causeway Bay, one of the busiest Districts in Hong Kong Island as it caters large-scale activities such as shopping, dining, entertainment, parks and recreation. We had to walk about 5 to 6 looooong blocks to get there, specifically in Times Square. It is known to be as the biggest emporium in the district for its luxury brands- but lucky us, majority of the items were on SALE!
Me getting lost in the massive crowd
Sea of peole
Busy streets
More shops!
Captured in B&W
Side street musicians livens up the area
This was taken around 4 pm
Just a typical street sign in Hong Kong
Where the old meets the new
I could still hear the beeping sound of the stop light until now!
Street food!
Fruit vendor in some alley near Times Square
OMG Sale!
and more Sale!
Colorful billboards makes the area enticing to shop around!
The double decker tram
Side street at Times Square
Multi-story mega-mall
The Times Square
The Times Square Ceilng
Swarm of people going to and from Times Square
Snugged this baby at Uniqlo at 50% off and waaay much cheaper than in Manila! Plus, it’s already out of stock back at home.
We went back at the hotel half an hour past 4. We were all dead tired, and then decided to have hot pot for dinner! Yum!!
Buffet Hot Pot!
Veggies all you want!
That dinner was the perfect way to end the day, and of course, celebrate Christmas with the special people in your life and I couldn’t thank them enough for having me in theirs. How I wish I could also spend this special occasion with my family as well.
The Hong Kong Adventure Day 2 begins with this scenery at 7:00 in the morning:
Hong Kong Adventure Day 2
Hong Kong Adventure Day 2
With the 15° Celsius temperature, it’s really a good idea to just stay in bed and curl up around a warm blanket all day. But then, we were all jolted up by just hearing this coming from the other side of the door:
“Change of plans for Day 2. Let’s go to Disneyland!”
The kids shrieked and jumped with joy and joining them, we couldn’t contain the giddiness and excitement that we all felt that we skipped breakfast for this activity. Ready for this long post? Well then, read on!
Going from Hong Kong Island to Lantau Island (Disneyland) went like this: From the hotel, we rode the airport shuttle to the MTR Hong Kong Station (Tsuen Wan Line) going to Lai King Station. From there, we alit at Sunny Bay station going to the Disneyland Resort Sounds about complicated but it’s actually not but it could take a while to get used to the MTR System in Hong Kong though. It took us almost about an hour for this trip including all the walking and transfers itself.
The Octopus Card- Your best friend going around the city
MTR Red Line- So spacious! I love it!
The magic begins as the Mickey Mouse train arrives!
That Mouse handle bars!
Hang in there, Mickey! We’re coming for you!
*Gasp!* The Disneyland Resort Line was all ours for this trip!
The giddiness continues!
Gab and Lia all thrilled as me to go to Disneyland!
Finally! The Disney Magic is here!
That smile though. I feel like I’m 6 again!
Ballet arabesque to express ultimate joy!
Okay… So this is not so easy as it seems! LOL
*Double Gasp!* Star Wars Tickets!!!!
Me on Mainstreet!
They have a holiday-themed guide map!
They have a list of the must-see attractions and schedules of the shows inside the park.
… and also it has a map, and inside it…
…this got me! Must. Get. In!
The park is divided into seven attractions: Toy Story Land, Mystic Point, Grizzly Gulch, Adventureland, Mainstreet, USA, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. An overview of the Theme Park using the Disneyland Mobile App:
✱ Toy Story Land– Of course, who else would you want to see in this area? Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie, Rex, Mr. Potato Head, the Aliens, Hamm, Toy Soldiers, Zurg! Name it, they’re all there!
Toy Story Land 30-50 minutes of waiting time!
✱ Mystic Point-We weren’t able to explore this part of the park but according to the provided map, it is where Lord Henry Mystic manor is located along with his collection of arts and antiquities acquired from around the globe.
Mystic Point
✱ Grizzly Gulch- Just like the Mystic Point, we were not able to explore this part as well. But I think that’s just fine, nothing to miss out on this though.
The Grizzly Gulch Attraction
✱ Adventureland-This area has so manny attractions to see such as the Festival of the Lion King, Rafts to Tarzan’s Tree House, Tarzan’s Treehouse, Jungle River Cruise and Liki Tikis.
Adventureland
✱ Main Street, U.S.A– Travel back in time as it takes you to experience and enjoy the colorful architecture of the 20th Century set in a small town in the USA.
Mainstreet, USA
✱ Fantasyland- Oh boy! Where do I even start? Fantasyland is the heart of the Disney World after all. There is so much to see in this section and I have to say, the Disney Imagineers really did a great job on this one. It’s the perfect go-to for kids and kids-at-heart.
Fantasyland
✱ Tomorrowland- This area is for the techie ones housing the Hyperspace Mountain, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, The Orbitron, THE Star Wars Command Post, Jedi Temple and soon to open- The Iron Man Experience.
Tomorrowland
So there you go, a glimpse of the huge Disneyland Theme Park!
But before anything else, we needed something to fuel us up for the day: Lunch at Tomorrowland at the Starliner Diner:
Tastiest (and most expensive at HK$99!) Fried Chicken I’ve ever tasted by far! Or am I just hungry?
Now that we’ve been prepped up by that sumptuous meal, we immediately lined up to the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster! It was such a treat because I have Lia with me, my travel buddy for the whole trip, to tour me around the area. So before going inside the room, she already gave me some pointers on how to beat the evil Emperor Zurg and how to save the Universe!
Buzz versus Zurg!
To infinity and beyond!
Our cutie tour guide and travel buddy!
Patiently waiting for the Mickey’s PhilharMagic 3D Show!
Yep. I felt the magic!
I must say, I got a bit emotional during the show as all of the songs that were played reminds me so much of my childhood. I knew all the songs WORD. PER. WORD. We were welcomed by Beauty and the Beast’s Lumiere as he sang “Be Our Guest”, Snippets from The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Ariel from Little Mermaid (I find myself waving my hands in the air whispering “Bubbles, Flounder, Bubbles!” as Ariel sang Part of Your World and oh yes, I want more!), Peter Pan, the Lion King and Aladdin and Jasmine! I’d love to watch it again! I also felt so happy to see Lia enjoy the show as well!
After the show, Anthony and I decided to go aboard the Jungle River Cruise as the kids went to their kiddie realm. So here’s what we got to see but only took a few shots cause we really took time to enjoy each and every moment of the cruise!
Tarzan’s Tree House
Pirates of the Carribean
This really threw out some bad-ass fire, smoke and steam- all at the same time!
After the River Cruise, we immediately went in queue at the Starwars Command Post where we got to meet and greet R2D2! Was kinda hoping we could meet Chewbacca as well but he was scheduled at a later time.
Star Wars Command Post
The Command Post
R2D2 at the Rebel Base
The Millennium Falcon
An X-Wing Fighter!
Darth Vader Popcorn Tumblers! Neat!
What’s this? Start ’em early, right, Master?
Jedi Younglings on training on how to defeat Darth Vader
It’s the Dark Lord!
While the younglings held on to their lightsabers to defeat the Dark Lord, we had a Churros Lightsaber that surely filled our tummies with extra energy!
Oh, nothing special, just Captain Phasma roaming around together with some Storm Troopers.
Captain Phasma pointing at me to take a selfie with her. “Hey! You there! Come forward!”
“Stand back!”
At 3:30 came one of the highlights of the trip: The Flights of Fantasy Parade where we saw our favorite Disney Characters come to life and our dreams take flight!
A panoramic view of the excited crowd for the Flights of Fantasy Parade!
After the show, everyone lined up for the 28-minute Mickey and the Wondrous Book show that featured Mickey as he travels through the pages of a Wondrous Book where Disney stories and characters come to life in a spectacular musical. There was Ariel from The Little Mermaid, Tiana from Princess and the Frog, King Louie from the Jungle Book, Genie from Aladdin, Rapunzel from Tangled, and Anna from from Frozen!.. and yes, I, once again, sang along with them! It’s like watching a Broadway show, only, Disney character are on it!
And now on to our last performance for the day before the Disney Paint the Night Parade start: The Festival of the Lion King! Such an amazing, amazing, amazing show!
And for the Finale for the Day? The Disney Paint the Night Parade!
Like a fairy tale, the night must come to an end. This was such a memorable day for me for my childhood dream has come to reality. The kids and the young at heart who were with me today did surely had a blast and made their dreams come true too- on Christmas Eve! Thank you for making this day a reality! Until next time!
2. Got extra cash? Do the art of doing nothing at Fundacion Pacita, particularly the Cafe de Tukon.
The photo above does not do Batanes any justice at all. Even the best of the best cameras out there could never capture how amazingly beautiful the island is. You can never truly appreciate its charm unless you see it for yourself- and that’s what I did. I am quite excited to share to everyone my 4- day itinerary in Batanes though I stayed there for almost 10 days, especially this is my first time travelling solo for that long!
