Singapore-Malaysia: budget and itinerary

Hello!:)

For my first travel-related post this year, I’ll be sharing details about our latest trip. My mom, my husband, and I, had an eight-day vacation in Singapore, Melaka, and Kuala Lumpur, just last month. The details of our trip are still quite fresh, so I’ll try to share as much as I remember about our vacation.

This is the first out-of-the-country trip that the three of us had together, so I was really looking forward to it even months before our vacation. Although I was excited, planning for our trip stressed me out a bit because it was the first time that I had to draft an itinerary and prepare the budget for three persons. It was also a first that I went on a vacation that lasted for more than a week. My husband and I usually just allot five days for every trip that we take, so packing, this time around, was DEFINITELY a challenge.

We spent three days in Singapore, two days in Melaka, and three days in Kuala Lumpur. To sum it up, we had fun during our vacation. I was excited to bring my mom to new places, and to feed my husband all the food he wants.:P But one setback during our trip was the heat. It was HOT, HOT, HOT. It was so exhausting to walk around especially during the afternoon, so we spent most afternoons resting, and just went around from morning until lunch, and from 5 pm onwards.

The summary of our eight-day actual itinerary is listed below (I said actual because we had to change some plans, mostly due to the heat.). More details will be shared in the next blog posts.

Day 0: 

• Arrival (We arrived around midnight, so this does not count.:P)

Day 1:

• Explore Chinatown (Pagoda Street, Sri Mariamman Temple, Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum)
• Lunch at Maxwell Road Hawker Center
• Rest
• Dinner with friends at Vivo City

Day 2:

• Gardens by the Bay: Cloud Forest and Flower Dome
• Lunch at Tori Q at Ion Orchard
• Walk around malls along Orchard Road
• Explore Kampong Glam
• Attend mass at St. Joseph Church
• Dinner at Makansutra Bay
• Helix Bridge
• Marina Bay Sands
• Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay

Day3:

• Universal Studios Singapore
• Lunch at Food Republic, Vivo City
• Rest
• Dinner with friends at their home

Day 4:

• Bus to Melaka
• Check in at Holiday Inn
• Lunch at Kedai Kopi Chung Wah
• Walk around Melaka
• Dinner at hotel – Ramadhan Buffet

Day 5:

• Swim at the hotel
• Lunch at The Baboon House
• Jonker Street
• Buy pasalubong at San Shu Gong
• Melaka River Cruise
• Dinner at KFC

Day 6:

• Brunch at the hotel
• Bus to Kuala Lumpur
• Check in at Hotel Capitol
• Dinner at Wong Ah Wah, Jalan Alor
• Petronas Twin Towers

Day 7:

• Masjid Jamek (under construction)
• Sultan Abdul Samad Building
• Merdeka Square
• Kuala Lumpur City Gallery
• Shopping at Central Market
• Lunch at Central Market Food Court
• Coffee at Old Town White Coffee
• Dinner at Jalan Alor

Day 8

• Lunch at Lot 10 Hutong
• Aquaria
• Berjaya Times Square
• Dinner at KFC KLIA
• Buy chocolates at Beryl’s
• Departure

As for our expenses, we spent a total of P84,691.02 (Philippine pesos) for eight days. That’s equivalent to P3,528.79 per head, per day. 

Of the total amount that the three of us spent for this trip, P11,950.52 went to our airfare. That’s P3,983.51 for each person, return trip with baggage allowance and travel insurance. We booked Cebu Pacific promo fares going to Singapore, while our return flight was from Kuala Lumpur. 

We also shelled out P6,030 for taxi fares to and from NAIA 3, for dinner at the airport, and for travel tax, amounting to P1,620 each.

For our accommodation, we were able to save a lot money by staying at a friend’s house for four nights in Singapore. Aside from the free accommodation in Singapore, our gracious hosts also provided us breakfast during our entire stay. Hotel bookings are pretty expensive in Singapore, so it’s best if you can find a friend who would be kind enough to let you stay for a few nights.

As for our hotel in Melaka, we stayed at Holiday Inn Melaka. We booked the hotel for two nights, and spent P6,959.17, which includes an extra bed and buffet breakfast for three. We enjoyed our stay at the hotel since we had a lot of time to rest in Melaka. The hotel is a bit far from the center though, about a 20-minute walk from Jonker Street, which can be exhausting especially in the afternoon. The hotel however provides hourly shuttle services.

We also stayed for two nights in Kuala Lumpur, at the Hotel Capitol near Bukit Bintang. We paid P6,666 for our stay. This already includes an extra bed in our room. We opted not to avail of the breakfast at the hotel. The location is just perfect, a short walk to Berjaya Times Square, the famous food street Jalan Alor, Bukit Bintang monorail station, and the Pavilion Mall which has a walk way that leads to the Petronas Towers. There was a lot of construction work happening outside the hotel and in nearby areas during our stay though.

We also spent P4,205.33 for our bus fares from Singapore to Melaka, and from Melaka to Kuala Lumpur. Specifically, we shelled out P1,171.15 each for the bus from Singapore to Melaka, while we paid P230.63 per head for the trip from Melaka to Kuala Lumpur. I’ll write more about the buses we took in succeeding posts.

Lastly, our expenses for food, local buses, trains, taxis, attraction fees, and shopping ran up to a total of P48,880. I lumped these into one category since we used our cash-on-hand for these, while we paid for the airfare, hotel accommodations, and buses a few days before our trip, via credit card. In the next blog posts, I’ll share the details on how much we spent for every item.

That’s all for now! Watch out for the next blog posts!

-Mrs. Eaturista-

Mr. and Mrs. Eaturista

We’re baaaaack!:)

I wanted to be more creative with this post, which is like a “relaunch” of our blog. But that’s all I could think of right now.:p We’re back!:)

We put up this blog several years ago so that we could have some sort of an online diary for our food and travel adventures. We also wanted to share our experiences, both good and bad. Unfortunately, life, well work, got in the way. We became more busy with work, and since we already spent most of our time writing for our daily jobs, we didn’t have the energy to write for this blog.

Our last blog post was in 2011. So what happened since then?

We both still write for a living, although we now work for different broadsheets. Which is good, because it gave us the chance to go on more vacations, since we can file our vacation leaves at the same time.

Also, in December 2013, my boyfriend, then of six years, proposed that we spend the rest of our lives together.. and of course, I said yes.:)

We had one year and one month to prepare for our wedding, and it took up most of our free time since we were very hands on with the preps. We DIY-ed a lot of items used during our wedding, including the flowers used by the entire entourage.

So after more than seven years of being boyfriend and girlfriend, we decided to go on many adventures together, as husband and wife. We finally tied the knot on January 2015.

Since then, we’ve been enjoying our time together as a married couple, not just at home but also by taking trips here and abroad. We promised ourselves that we will spend the first few years of our marriage creating great memories to serve as a solid foundation of our relationship.

After we got married, we had our honeymoon in Kyoto and Osaka, Japan. A few months after, we went to Siem Reap, Cambodia, then Seoul, South Korea.

This year, we went to Bali, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and then our last trip was in Singapore and Melaka and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

I took charge of the itineraries, plane and hotel bookings, and budget planning for our trips.

Just a few days ago, I was trying to recall some details of our previous trips, and I realized that I may have forgotten some details, like which trains to take, or how much we spent for certain attractions.

It was then that I decided to revive this blog, since I did not want the itineraries I worked on to go to waste. This blog will once again serve as a diary of our trips, and I hope that readers will also find some useful tips from our experiences.

I’m not sure if I’ll be able to update this blog on a regular basis, but hopefully, I’ll be able to post more about our trips here, so that we have something to look back to years, or decades, from now.:)

‘Til the next blog post!:)

-Mrs. Eaturista-

Puerto Princesa, Palawan: KaLui Restaurant

Before heading to Palawan, a lot of my friends told me that I MUST have at least one of my meals in my three-day stay at Puerto Princesa, at KaLui Restaurant. They said that a visit to Puerto Princesa is never complete without the KaLui “experience.”

So the moment we arrived at our hotel, we asked one of the staff about KaLui. They quickly told us that if we wanted to have our dinner at the restaurant, we would need to call for reservation.

The staff at Raq Pensionne was kind enough to make the call and make sure that we would be able to experience the feast at 6pm that day.

We were the first to arrive that evening. Unlike your usual restaurants which are open from day to night, KaLui is only open from 11 am to 2 pm for lunch, and 6 pm to 11 pm for dinner. They are also ready to serve their patrons daily, except on Sundays. Since the restaurant only serves meals at limited hours each day, there is a NEED to make a reservation, as early as possible. When we were there the place was packed, so it would be impossible to dine without making a call.

What also makes KaLui exceptional is its “look” or ambiance, as the restaurant is actually a HUGE wooden house, divided into several areas. Despite the rainy weather when we arrived, there was something in the restaurant that reminded me of summer. Maybe its because of the colorful decors and the random fruits artistically placed all over the restaurant.

The tables and seats were also a feast for the eyes, as they were not all the same. The chairs and tables are of different heights, and different designs. Guests could also sit on the pillows and have their meal, Japanese style.

As for the cleanliness of the floor, there’s no need to worry. One of the restaurant’s staff is assigned in the receiving area to take the guests’ footwear and place them in tiny wooden shoeboxes. Yes, KaLui’s diners have to roam around, barefoot.

When we checked out the menu, we noticed that KaLui serves a wide array of seafood. We wanted to try a lot of KaLui’s dishes, but we didn’t want to over-order. So instead of ordering the main viands, we just had the “Choice Catch,” which is a set meal, allowing you to have a taste of KaLui’s seafood with some side dishes.

In the “Choice Catch,” you have to choose from four kinds of seafood, and this would serve as your main dish. And these are Tuna Steak, Fish Cordon Bleu, Shrimps, and Blue Marlin.

I had the Shrimps with rice, some veggies, and seaweeds. My mom on the other hand, had the Blue Marlin with mashed potato (I think the green toppings are avocado bits), veggies, and seaweeds.

For our drinks, my mom had the avocado shake while I ordered the mango shake.

To be honest, there was nothing spectacular about KaLui’s meals. It was delicious, and the seafood was fresh. But it wasn’t something that would stand out when compared to other seafood restaurants.

What makes KaLui worth visiting is the presentation of its VERY HEALTHY meals, and the restaurant’s interesting look. It was like a native art museum, with a few paintings and little knick-knacks which also serve as art decors. What fascinated me most was the arrangement of fruits in the restaurant, which also adds color and beauty to the place.

Don’t get me wrong, the food was really tasty, and it’s enough to make me visit KaLui again in my next trip to Puerto Princesa. It’s just that, the way the seafood was cooked is also similar to how our own mothers would cook our food. It’s not the best, but it would remind you of home.

Oh by the way, KaLui also serves some complimentary fruits after the meal, which is placed inside a coconut shell (and I think it’s sprinkled with cinnamon powder). Thumbs up for that!:)

Total bill: P583 (for two)

KaLui Restaurant

369 Rizal Avenue, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

(048) 433-2580/+63928-753-9621

—ms. eaturista—

The five MRT ‘must-moves’

Last month, we took a journey inside the jeepney, the Philippines’ cheapest and most popular mode of transportation. This month, mr. eaturista takes his quest on one of the country’s fastest means of travelling—the train.

Metro Manila is packed with great shopping centers, bustling malls, and various restaurants to choose from. The best and fastest way to get to some of these cool spots is by riding the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT 3), which runs from North Avenue station to Taft Avenue station.

SM North EDSA and Trinoma are just right outside North Avenue station, and so is the Gateway mall which is beside the Araneta Center – Cubao Station. The Ortigas and Ayala central business districts, on the other hand, are also a few walks away from the Ortigas and Ayala stations.

It’s fast, it’s cheap, and it doesn’t get you stuck in traffic. Now, doesn’t that sound cool? Well yes, but perhaps not when you happen to ride on those critical hours of the day more popularly known as the “rush hour.”

The rush hour occurs during weekday mornings, when people go to work or school, and at 5 pm onwards, when everyone is rushing out of their schools or offices just to get home. Riding the MRT during these peak hours is definitely not for the faint hearted as it will take a great amount of courage, persistence, patience, and muscle work just to get you past a flock of people. The MRT during rush hour becomes a battlefield for commuters where curses fill the air and elbows become weapons. So whether you are going to work, to school, or simply strolling around the metro through the MRT, here are five of the best possible moves for you to be able to get your way inside the train.

Search and scan

Upon getting on to the platform, get your senses working quickly. Observe your surroundings and spot for the best positions available. Search for the office boys and girls, students, foreigners, and lovers among the crowd and try to get as close to them as possible as they are most often the tamest when the enter-the-train brawl starts. However, stay away from the goons if you want to arrive at your destination in one piece and perfectly healthy. Goons (which I am sure you are familiar of how they look) will destroy and crush everything that stands along their path so it’s better not to block their way to the train doors.

 Worst thing that could happen: You have underestimated the power of a petite, sweet, decent-and-innocent-looking lady, thinking that you could push her aside and overtake her on a line. As it turns out, she is more vicious than the goons. Looks could really be deceiving inside the MRT.

Box out

 Box out is a term most commonly used in the sport of basketball which means to prevent an opponent from getting or rebounding the ball, after the ball has been shot, by putting your body between the basket and the opponent. Try applying this move when you’re in the MRT, except this time you’ll be preventing fellow passengers from getting inside the train first before you do.

 Worst thing that could happen: A whistle blows – the security guards in the area caught you red-handed. You are charged with a foul.

Go Hollywood

 Sometimes, lines get so long that it seems that it will take you forever to get inside the train. So what’s the best thing to do? Practice your acting skills and go Hollywood. Act as though you’re getting pushed when in fact, you’re actually the one pushing. Try glancing at those people behind you and shout “wala naman po’ng tulakan” (no pushing please) every once in a while for a more convincing performance.

 As for the girls, try saying “padaan po, buntis ako” (please let me pass, I’m pregnant) and see the crowd of people part like the Red Sea. Just make sure that those “bulges” are prominent enough for a believable act.

 Worst thing that could happen: When executed properly, you might actually receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actor/Actress in a lead role for this one. If not, a bruised face might be the one you’ll likely receive.

Squeeze and shout 

A bag or any package will be essential for the success of this maneuver. “Accidentally” slide or place your things between the train doors to prevent it from closing. Once it reopens, squeeze yourself inside the train. Repeat the steps until you have managed to secure a position inside.

Worst thing that could happen: Fellow passengers might squeeze your lungs out for delaying the train from moving.

Charge! 

If all else fails, there’s always the last option, and that is to charge. Imagine yourself like you’re King Leonidas from the movie “300,” leading your Spartan army into glory. Lead your fellow passengers on the attack, charge and muscle your way inside the train without minding the people who are actually getting out.

Worst thing that could happen: Expect elbows, fists, nasty stares, and harsh words to hit you for blocking the way of those who are about to exit the train.

Warning: The moves mentioned above are not 100 percent effective. Results may vary depending on the situation and execution. 😀

—mr. eaturista—

Puerto Princesa, Palawan: Badjao Seafront Restaurant

The Badjao Seafront Restaurant in Puerto Princesa, Palawan is one of the most recommended restaurants in the city. It is placed above a mangrove habitat, and is also facing the sea. Despite the warm weather in Palawan during our visit, there was a sudden change in temperature once we entered the restaurant as the mangroves help to keep it cool.

The restaurant specializes in seafood, so I expected to have the freshest and the tastiest fishes, crabs, and squids.

We ordered a set meal for four, even though we were only three. This was probably one of the healthiest (and heaviest) meals I ever had.

Included in the set meal are the halaan or clam soup, ensaladang talong (eggplant) with onions and tomatoes, crabs, sizzling squid, and a fish with seaweeds on the side. Fresh fruits were served for dessert.

The clam soup tasted a lot like sea water.=P I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to taste that way, but I’m not a fan of clams so I gave my share to my companions.

The ensaladang talong tasted like your ordinary eggplant, except that it has a slightly sour taste.

We don’t know what the fish was. It was good, though not exceptional. It just tasted like your average fish. I liked the seaweeds though. It was fresh, and I had fun bursting the seaweeds in my mouth.:)

I liked the crabs (with oyster sauce?) and the sizzling squid best.

As you will see in the next photo, the crabs were FILLED with aligue, or crab fat, which would surely make your cholesterol level shoot up. The crab meat has a sweet, salty taste because of the sauce. Being the youngest in the group, I was OBLIGATED to eat this all by myself. (As if I would say no.:D)

The squid also tasted great, and it was cooked just right, making it easy to chew. I hate squids which are overcooked, they usually become rubbery, and I get choked just trying to swallow them.

For drinks, we had the fresh buko (coconut) juice, and for dessert, we had some fresh fruits which were really sweet that even though our tummies were about to burst, we managed to eat a few slices.

I also love the restaurant’s interiors, with the colorful cloths hanging from the ceiling. The restaurant itself looks like a giant bahay kubo, with large windows.

We spent P1,232 for the entire meal. That would be P308 per person, if four persons had the meal. Don’t worry, they have big servings so it would be enough to satisfy your tummy.:)

Note: Ask the staff in your hotel if they could bring you to the restaurant, or ask a tricycle to wait for you. It’s a bit far from the city proper and the main road.

Badjao Seafront Restaurant

Abueg Road, Puerto Princesa City

(048) 433-9912

—ms. eaturista—

 

Hong Kong Disneyland: A Dream Come True

“A dream is a wish your heart makes

When you’re fast asleep.

In dreams you lose your heartaches

Whatever you wish for, you keep.

Have faith in your dreams and someday

Your rainbow will come smiling thru.

No matter how your heart is grieving

If you keep on believing

The dream that you wish will come true.”

-Cinderella

When I was a little kid, I regularly watched Cinderella and Snow White, Lion King and Aladdin, and the Disney TV Series. Growing up, I continued to watch Disney movies, such as Dumbo, Mulan, Pocahontas, Toy Story, and Beauty and the Beast. I’m also a fan of Disney movies like Mary Poppins, The Parent Trap, The Love Bug, and the 101 Dalmatians, and even now that I’m in my early 20s, Toy Story 3, Up, and Enchanted still wakes up the kid in me. I could go on and on, But this might end up as a list of Disney movies.

I was not only a Disney baby. I was a Disney toddler, kid, pre-teen, teenager, and now, a “Disney adult.” My age has nothing to do with my love for Disney. There’s just a “switch” in my heart that goes on everytime I watch Disney movies.

So when I found out that I had to go to Hong Kong for work, I told myself that whatever happens and no matter how busy we could get, I HAVE to visit Disneyland. I just have to.

And so even though I had to go to Disneyland by myself since my companions have already visited the place a year ago, I decided to go on with my journey. I thought that I would be lonely, going around Disneyland by myself. On the contrary, I was able to fully enjoy the experience, and going on a trip alone, in a foreign place is an achievement that I am definitely proud of!

I came from Madam Tussauds during the earlier part of the day, and I left the place at around 2:30 pm. I was rushing since I wanted to reach Disneyland by 4pm, just in time for the parade. I rode the tram from The Peak Tower, a bus to the Pier, and walked to the MTR Hong Kong Station. I can’t remember the exact fare from the Hong Kong Station to the Disneyland Station, maybe because of excitement, but I’m sure that it’s more than HK$20. The ride is about 30 to 45 minutes long. From Hong Kong Station, we had to come down at Sunny Bay station, and transfer to the Disney train that was especially made for Disneyland. That’s sooo cool.:) *geekmode*

I reached Disneyland at exactly 4pm. It was HOT, HOT, HOT. I was sweating, but the sun was not strong enough to kill my excitement. I was smiling from ear-to-ear when I reached the Disney arch. I took a few pictures, then I rushed to the entrance since I could hear some music, and I knew the parade has already started.

When I entered Disneyland, I thought that I missed the “Flights of Fantasy Parade” but when I asked one of the staff, it was just about to end. So I waited near the entrance, exactly where the parade was going to end. And then, I saw it. It was coming in my direction, with Dumbo leading the Disney characters. I felt so much joy that I couldn’t help but SOB (yes, sob). It was my childhood dream, turning into reality. There they were, out of the movie and TV screens, and I was literally bursting with happiness. The festive mood made my heart swell, and I just couldn’t stop crying until the parade ended.

I didn’t know what to do next after the parade. So I walked along “Main Street, USA.” Disneyland is divided into four areas, with Main Street nearest the entrance, while the others are Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. I wanted to visit each shop along Main Street, but it was TOO HOT, so I decided to look for the “Theater in the Wild” and watch one of Hong Kong Disneyland’s stage shows, “The Festival of the Lion King.”

I found the theater in Adventureland. But I was too early since the show starts at 6 pm. So I headed back to Main Street to check out which Disney characters are there, so I could have my picture taken with them. Since I arrived late, I wasn’t expecting the best characters to be around. But to my surprise, both Mickey and Minnie were theeere! I was so happy that I patiently waited for 30 minutes in line just to have my picture taken with both of them.:)

It was already quarter to six when I had my picture taken, so I went back to the Theater in the Wild to watch The Festival of the Lion King. There were a lot of people there, so it’s best to be around the theater 20 minutes before the show.

The show is at the center of the theater, and it’s like a stadium, with the people seated around the stage. I didn’t know what to expect, but I decided to take my friends’ advice, since they said that this was the best stage show among those that are being presented in Hong Kong Disneyland. (The other shows are “The Golden Mickeys” and “Stitch Encounter.”)

In The Festival of The Lion King, the people remind Simba about he’s journey before he became King. It was a musical play, and the actors were really incredible. I expected it to be a simple stage play, but it was like a Broadway show, with the amazing props, lights, and stage. The stage actors sang and danced really well, and I really, really wanted to record the entire play on video, if I just wasn’t saving my battery for the castle illumination and the fireworks display.

The actors sang the original Lion King songs, and again, I was in teeeears.

After the show, I walked around Disneyland, and decided not to line up in any of the rides, since it will eat up a lot of my time. Maybe I’ll be able to take some of the rides in my next visit.:D

I ended up at the Fantasy Gardens in Fantasyland, where you could take more pictures with the Disney characters. Mickey was there and Minnie was also there, but since I was already satisfied with my picture with both of them, I decided to have my photo with Goofy (a very heavy goofy), and Winnie the Pooh. The lines were short, and I was able to have my pictures taken with both characters in 15 to 20 minutes.

I then walked towards Tomorrowland. But even before I reached the area, I saw something in Fantasyland that caught my attention. Lights. So I tried to find out what they were, and I saw this village filled with Christmas Lights. It was one of Disneyland’s famous attractions: “It’s A Small World.” One would ride a boat that would go through several areas, where there are hundreds of dolls dancing and singing, “It’s a small world,” in different languages. The areas are divided according to continents, with “underwater world” and “the islands: included.:D The last area is all white, but there wasn’t any label (unless I missed it), so I guess that would be heaven.

I was happy to see some Filipina dolls singing the song in Tagalog.:)

I then walked towards Tomorrowland and had my dinner at the Comet Cafe where they serve Chinese food, such as the soy chicken with rice that I had. It costs around HK$58, plus $HK22 for the bottled iced tea.

After dinner, I went in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle just in time for “Tinker Bell’s Castle Illumination.” The lights in Disneyland were turned off at exactly 8:30. And then, Tinker Bell showered her magical pixie dust on the castle, making it a magical evening for all of Mickey’s visitors.:)

But that’s not all. After the illumination, at around 9pm, everyone sat around the castle to watch the “Disney in the Stars” Fireworks. For the third time that day, the “Disney princess” cried.:) I tried to take in everything that’s happening, as the fireworks display lit the sky for about 20 minutes. What made my heart swell (again) were the Disney songs playing in the background, together with the fireworks, and the Disney castle seen in different colored lights.

“A whole new world

A new fantastic point of view

No one to tell us “no,” or where to

Or say we’re only dreaming.

A whole new world

A dazzling place I never knew

But when I’m way up here

It’s crystal clear

That now I’m in a whole new world with you.”

-Aladdin

It’s been a week since I visited Disneyland, and I still think and dream about it. I still sing random Disney songs, or have them stuck in my head. I was really bursting with happiness, and I couldn’t help but be excited and think about my next visit to Disneyland, whenever that may be.:)

“Up where they walk

Up where they run

Up where they stay all day in the sun

Wandering free

Wish I could be

Part of that world.”

-The Little Mermaid

Hong Disneyland one-day ticket: HK$400

Park hours: 10:00am to 9:00pm

Hong Kong Disneyland website

As of Aug. 12, 2011: HK$1 = P5.45 (source: BSP)

—ms. eaturista—

Hong Kong: Madam Tussauds

I’ve been wanting to visit Madam Tussauds ever since I found out that they’ve put up a branch in Hong Kong. I can’t remember the first time that I heard about the wax museum, but I always wanted to visit one of its branches, and I was hoping that I’ll be able to have the chance to visit the one in Hong Kong since it’s the nearest one to the Philippines.

So last weekend, when I had the opportunity to visit Hong Kong, thanks to my work, I made sure that I’d be able to go to Madam Tussauds.

Madam Tussauds is located at the Peak Tower, which means that we’ll also be able to ride the famous tram to get there!:)

At around 11:30 am last Saturday, a friend and I headed to the Star Ferry Pier in Kowloon. We were staying at the Marco Polo Hotel Hong Kong, and the pier was just behind the hotel. We had to pay HK$2.40 each for the ferry ride to the Central Pier which lasts for only about 10 minutes.

When we arrived at the Central Pier, we walked towards Pier 8. Right in front of Pier 8 is the bus stop for bus 15C, which goes to Garden Road at the Peak Tram Station. The fare per person is HK$4.20. Hong Kong Buses require the exact amount of fare, or else, you won’t get your change. The trip from the pier to the tram station takes about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on traffic.

We were surprised when we arrived at the tram station. There were a LOT of people. So I think it would be best to go on a weekday, or make sure that you’re going really early if you plan to be there on a weekend.

A two-way ride in the tram costs around HK$30. The regular entrance fee to Madam Tussauds is HK$160. But we availed of Madam Tussauds special offer, the “2-in-1 combo package”(two-way peak tram + admission ticket) which costs HK$185.

We waited for more than 30 minutes before we were able to ride the tram, which I thought was kind of fast since with the huge crowd, I expected that we would have to wait for about an hour.

“The Peak Tram, one of the world’s oldest and most famous funicular railways, rises to 396 metres (about 1,300 feet) above sea level. It is so steep that the buildings you pass look like they are leaning as you travel on a gradient of between 4 to 27 degrees.” – Peak Tram flier

The tram goes all the way up to the Victoria gap, where you can have a beautiful view of Hong Kong’s buildings. It is like riding on a roller coaster, although a bit slower. It takes about 10 minutes to get to the top. While a tram ride would certainly hurt your lower back, it is also a one-of-a-kind experience that tourists shouldn’t miss.

Upon reaching the Peak Tower, we headed straight to Madam Tussauds. The first figure that one would see is Jackie Chan. Personal cameras however are not allowed to be used when taking photos with Jackie Chan. A professional photographer would be there to take the picture, and a hard copy can be purchased near the exit of the wax museum. But for the rest of the wax figures, personal cameras can be used.:)

Madam Tussauds museum is divided into several areas. You can meet Kung Fu Stars, such as Bruce Lee, Jet Li, and of course, Jackie Chan.

You could also hug some Hollywood stars such as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Humphrey Bogart, Pierce Brosnan, Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Eddie Murphy, Johnny Depp, and Robert Pattinson.

There’s also no need to wish for time machines as you can have your pictures taken with historical figures such as Mozart, Pablo Picasso, William Shakespeare, and Madam Tussaud herself.

For sports enthusiasts, there’s Yao Ming, David Beckham, Muhammad Ali, and Tiger Woods.

Feel like a star with music icons like The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Tina Turner, Lady Gaga, Madonna, and the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

There’s also no need to have an appointment with royalties and world leaders such as Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth II, Mahatma Gandhi, Bill Clinton, and Barrack Obama. You can also find Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein there.;)

You can also have your pictures taken with cartoon characters such as Spiderman and Astroboy, and other Asian and Hong Kong stars. (We honestly don’t know who they are.:D)

You would be able to see all the wax figures in 45 minutes to one hour. Quite short, but since there are only a few wax museums in the world, this is really worth it!:)

For more information about Madam Tussauds and The Peak Tram, visit:

http://www.madametussauds.com/HongKong/en/Default.aspx

http://www.thepeak.com.hk/en/5_5_1.asp

As of Aug. 12, 2011: HK$1 = P5.45 (source: BSP)

—ms. eaturista—

The Five People You Wouldn’t Want to Meet Inside a Jeepney

The Philippines is well-known for its bizarre food, cool travel spots, and its unique culture. Every month, mr. eaturista will list down the craziest things that local cuisine and travel has to offer. This month he will take you on his adventure inside the country’s most popular mode of transportation — the jeepney.

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One’s travelling experience in the Philippines would not be complete without riding a jeep, especially for a typical Pinoy commuter who doesn’t have the luxury of having a car (like me). Jeepnies have long been an essential part of our everyday transportation as Filipinos. From its colorful and attractive designs (varying from religious to the not-so-religious), to its club-banging music (which also ranges from pop, rock, to hip-hop), jeepnies are already a cultural symbol for our country. As an everyday commuter myself, I ride the jeep for an average of about three hours a day. That’s a hefty amount of time to meet and observe various sorts of commuters. So over the years, here are the five types of people that I think most of us wouldn’t want to be sitting next to inside the jeep.

The “Rejoice Girls.”

This group is exclusive to the ladies who have long and silky smooth hair perfect for a TV shampoo commercial. But you would soon find out that their gorgeous locks are not too amiable after all, especially when you happen to sit beside them inside the jeepney. The long hair of a “Rejoice girl” has the ability to engulf your face in a matter of seconds once the jeepney driver starts stepping crazily on those pedals. Strands of hair will try to penetrate each and every available hole on your face. Tickle and most of the time annoy, that’s what the “Rejoice girls” do best.

Counter attack: Among the five in the list, this group is the easiest to deal with. The “Rejoice girls” are often pleasant enough to fix or hold their hair once you tell them nicely that you have actually been eating their hair for a couple of minutes now.

The “Mixed Martial Artists.”

Warning: This bunch is dangerous, as seating beside them might result to various muscle aches and injuries. The “mixed martial artists” will give you pain when you least expect it. They are mostly comprised of commuters who are too drunk or too tired from work to actually be aware that they have just given their seatmate an elbow drop or a head butt.

Counter attack: Try waking them up if you can… that is if you can. Most of the time when you wake them up, they will even look annoyed as if you have disturbed the most important sleep of their life, and then they will eventually fall back to their deep sleep. When this happens, just prepare the best you have in karate by blocking their attacks.

The “Sound Proofs.”

The “sound proofs” are those commuters who seem to have invisible earphones plugged into their ears. No matter how hard you flex your vocal cords by shouting “bayad po!” or how long you extend those arms waiting desperately for them to reach your fare, “sound proofs” would never ever hear and notice anything.

Counter attack: The “sound proofs” are so infuriating that all you can do is move closer to the driver and hand your fare yourself. Magic words like please or “paki-“ won’t work for them either so on your way back to your seat, try stepping on their toes just to check if they also can’t feel anything.

The “Kings and Queens.”

This particular kind refers to those who ride the jeepney thinking that they actually have special privileges inside the vehicle which we, the commoners, don’t have. They usually sit sideways, almost occupying seats for two persons and do not seem to mind if the one beside him/her is sitting half-assed. Another type of the “kings and queens” are those who use the one sitting beside them as their pillow, leaning on their backs or shoulders for a more comfortable nap.

Counter attack: Try and give these guys a tap on the leg or a slight elbow to lead them into a realization that they are no royalty at all, and you are no pillow either.

The “Bad Boys.”

The bad boys are definitely the nastiest in the group, and they are those that you would least want to encounter. They include snatchers, ‘hold uppers’, and criminals who are attracted to anything of value that you possess (bags, wallets, cell phones, etc.)

Counter attack: “Bad boys, bad boys, what you gonna do when they come for you?” Well, it’s better not to try anything stupid with these guys, not unless you are blessed with Steven Seagal’s aikido skills or you happen to possess Ramon Revilla Sr.’s “agimat.”

—mr. eaturista—

Bohol: Bohol Bee Farm

We had the Panglao Island tour on our second day in Bohol, and included in the itinerary list is a visit to the Bohol Bee Farm.

I’ve heard a lot of great things about the Bee Farm, that’s why even though we arrived there at 10 am, early for lunch, I insisted that we stay there for a while and have our afternoon meal.

The Bohol Bee Farm has restaurants, a bakeshop, a souvenir shop, and an ice cream store. They also have an area where they make their own crafts. Of course worth mentioning is the huge garden where they practice organic farming.

Our first stop: the bakeshop. The store was filled with different colors, food, and even crafts, that it was so hard to decide which area to check out first. The different kinds of spread caught our attention, and the shop has a free taste test for these products. We all think that the Pesto Spread was the best.

They also sell different kinds of honey, but we weren’t able to buy any since we were too busy looking at all the other stuff.

Just right beside the bakeshop is the souvenir store, which has products like mats, baskets, home decorations, accessories, key chains, and other kinds of souvenirs. Most of their products are made by their own staff in the livelihood area.

We still wanted to stay and look at the products, but we had a scheduled tour, inside the farm, at 11am. So we left the shop and joined our tour group.

Our guide first explained that they have organically-grown products in the farm, which they also use in their meals in the restaurants. She also said that some of the flowers grown in the farm are used in their salads. And yes, the flowers are edible.:)

The most exciting part of the tour was when our guide showed us their bee boxes. And they contain hundreds (or thousands) of bees. Well this is why it’s called the Bee Farm.=P They gather honey from these bees, which they sell at their bakeshop and use at their restaurant. I barely understood what our guide was talking about since I was too focused on not getting stung.

We also headed to the handicraft production area, where there were some staff busy making the products being sold in the Bee Farm’s shop.

After the tour, we headed to the farm’s Bamboo Restaurant to have our lunch. And it wasn’t just a meal, it was an EXPERIENCE.:)

We had a beautiful view of the sea from the open-space restaurant, and we really felt relaxed the moment we arrived. We had this sudden urge to extend our stay at the Bee Farm.=P

We ordered the famous organic garden salad with honey mustard dressing; honey glazed chicken served with organic red rice, boiled camote (sweet potato), and the garden salad; and fresh herb pasta.

The organic salad (P160-single order) has actual flowers mixed with it. I expected it to have a bitter taste, but surprisingly, it was really good! The flowers tasted like all the other vegetables, and the dressing has a sweet, tangy taste that went perfectly well with the salad. They also serve this with three slices of bread (I forgot to ask what kind of bread it was), with pesto and mango spread. It was gone in 15 minutes.:)

They had a generous serving of the honeyglazed chicken (P220), with three pieces for each order. It was juicy and had a similar taste to chicken barbeque since it also tasted sweet.

We were surprised with the fresh herb pasta (P190) since we expected it to taste like pesto pasta. Instead, it had a bitter taste, and we even asked the waitress if they mixed some flowers while cooking the pasta. I liked this least.

Finally, for desert, we had their homemade ice cream (P70), and we shared one cone with two scoops, in buko (coconut) and avocado flavors. It was served in a “Cabcab” cone, made from cassava.

The ice cream was HEAVENLY. HEAVENLY. HEAVENLY. (Yes, that’s it. HEAVENLY.) ❤

The lunch at the Bee Farm was the best meal we had during our three-day stay in Bohol. Make sure that this is included in your next visit to Bohol!

They also have room accommodations. Check out http://www.boholbeefarm.com for their room rates.

P.s. Also, check out their comfort room signs. ❤

<img class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-92″ title=”

Bohol Bee Farm, Dao, Dauis, Panglao Island, Bohol

—ms. eaturista—

Bohol: Prawn Farm Restaurant

On our first night in Bohol, right after our countryside tour, we decided to have our dinner at the Prawn Farm Restaurant, located at the second floor of Island City Mall. It is one of the most (if not the only) recommended restaurants in Tagbilaran City.

The Prawn Farm Restaurant is placed between your usual fastfood chains, and it really stood out because it looks like a fine dining restaurant. We were hesitant to enter thinking that the food might be too expensive. But, thanks to the menu which was placed outside the restaurant, we immediately saw that there were meals that ranged from P150 to P300 each.:)

Placed near the entrance of the restaurant are seafood tanks which contained fresh fish, prawns, crabs. etc. This assured us that the food that will be served are really fresh, and not frozen or preserved.

Although the Prawn Farm also serves chicken, pork, and beef, we decided to focus on seafoods since the restaurant seems to be really well known for it.

We ordered the seafood bouillabaisse (Why does it have to be spelled this way?), prawns in chili garlic sauce, and sizzling blue marlin. We also ordered their yang chow fried rice.

I’d say that the seafood bouillabaisse is the best. It was really tasty, and perfect for the then cold weather. It was drizzling the entire day, so the soup was perfect for the night.

Not only do they have a generous serving of the bouillabaisse (around P150+ for six servings), they also filled it with different kinds of seafoods, such as squids and crabs.

The prawns also tasted great, but one order is only equivalent to four pieces, and I expected more.

Three pieces of blue marlin were served to us in a sizzling plate. It was fresh and it was delicious. But it wasn’t really the best of its kind, since it just tasted like your usual blue marlin.

The yang chow fried rice, good for three people, also tasted great, but again, it’s nothing to rave about.

I wasn’t able to get the exact price for each, but we spent P704 for everything. Not bad, considering that three hungry tourists were able to feast on this meal.:)

The Prawn Farm also has some set meals, which includes rice, some seafood and veggies, soup, and drinks, for P250 each.

Overall, we enjoyed our Prawn Farm experience, and it’s definitely worth re-visiting. You should have your own Prawn Farm experience too!:)

—ms. eaturista—