I am glad that I made time to get away from the stress of my job in Los Angeles and decided to go back to my mother country to at lest unwind for some quiet times with friends, families, and relatives.
At least the feeling of nostalgia was been quenched to some degree and not been provked more to cause me any emotional breakdown. It's really nice to have taken this long break to at least escape from the realities of the working life. Life is indeed short!
Now staying in Manila with my little sister perusing the busy streets of Manila was quite a joy because we need not worry about daily reality check. The thing we need to worry is where to go or what to do. Hahahaha.
So far, I did had a blast and my stay at the country's capital was very memorable and enjoyable at the same time. Our only rival is time. So many places to go and see and so many people to meet and acquaint with. It was mind boggling and nerve-wracking at the same time.
I just came back from a weekend spree and stroll from Singapore, famous for it's name as the Garden City of Asia. Singapore is a sprawling country rich in modern and contemporary architectural designs as well as arts. People from every nooks of the globe comprise the diversified richness of it's cultre and the marriage and mixture of each ethnicity had made Singapore a very unique country to reckon with.
I am so blessed to have made this unplanned yet as we say it an impulsive vacation because I had enjoyed every places I had went. It's supposed to be liked that. At least I had unwinded all my tensions and stresses that I had from the busy working life in the United States.
This coming weekend, me and my little sister will embark a four-day vacation to Hongkong. Hopefully this will promise me more experiences to explore and learn as well as more nice people to meet. It's cool to have done this at least I got to learn from it everyday. Life is always a canvass needed to be painted with pictures from the unconscious.
I realy believe in the tapestry of life. It is made of a ot of elements needed to be interwoven to convey it's meaning. My travels and vacations had given me some medium to paint it on the canvass of my mind. I am so blessed to have experienced this and I thanks the Lord for all His blessings given to me.
I know how difficult it is to have came to my current situation because I had had a lot of struggles in my life before which catapulted and helped me to where I am right now. Looking back through it at the back of my mind had brought me some heart-wrenching memories I couldn't forget. Aaaah.... those were the times.
Now, life is not even easy because as I raised the level of my life to some greater heights I still have to surpassed some challenging hurdles along the way. And these hurdles had taught me some good reasons to learn from my mistakes. Aah well, I am choked up right now reminiscing all those bitter experiences.
Well, so much for these nostalgia..... all I need right now is to enjoy my vacation and get rid of those bitter memories. I just don't want to spoil my precious vacation and I needed to unwind more because in due time I know I will come back again to reality.
Vacationing in my homeland is just a fantasy.... and I don't know later on it will culminate and had to end. Life is always moving.... and it's a cycle we can't even stop. That's life as we know it.....
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Singapore: The Garden City
I flew to Singapore on the weekend of Feb 19-21, just to escape the hurried and congested environment of Metro Manila after several days of embarking my one month vacation to the Philippines.
I did not expect that Singapore will touch my heart and gives me some oohs and aahs that will make my stay memorable and unforgetful. I was actually in love with the city and it's bustly architectural structures. There were diversified people from around the globe seen everywhere, yet unmindful of me, but I still managed to mingle.
I never regret deciding to come here and spend my very boring weekend yet made it more satisfying and enjoyable. I had a blast and I am happy I had decided to come here.
Leaving Manila on the wee hour of a Friday, February 19, was quite helpful to escape the nagging traffic during rush hours. Although I have to wait there for a lonely two hours my excitement to see Singapore had inspired me to keep awake, eager, and expectant.
Upon landing at Changi Airport my excitement grew more and more and I am mesmerized by the beauty of the city from the skies while on the plane, as well as the cleanliness of the airport, and the sporadic hussle-and-bustle of the people arriving and leaving the airport. I was in love at first sight of this sprawling city of Singapore.
My relative had picked me up at the airport and we hired a taxi to bring me to my hotel. On the way to the hotel I saw the streets with neatly trimmed hedges and lushed huge trees spread everywhere in the city. The marriage of nature and technology was very captivating. I am in much awe seeing the biosynthesis of both.
In my close observation the people are very disciplined and the government really protect the usefulness of ecology in this bustling city. Along the way to the hotel I can see some of the high rise housing buildings where the people lived. There were a lot of them all through out the place popping like mushrooms everywhere.
Heading towards the downtown, I can see the skylines from the cab at a distance which really proved the advancement of engineering and modern architecture. The one that captivated my eyes was the Marina Bay Hotel Towers wherein on top of the three adjacent towers was a surf-life like bridge connecting the three towers and it seems that a jungle was been put up in there. It was really nice to have witnessed the wonders of modern technology.
I checked-in at my hotel which was been known formerly as the tallest hotel in Singapore, The Swissotel, and now no more because of the Marina Bay Towers. My hotel was very nice and plush and I was reserved at the 25th floor which had gave me perks to view the whole downtown in Raffles City.
In the afternoon I went to attend the prayer service of the City Harvest Ministry at the Singapore Expo Center which was a huge place. The stadium was packed and the service was awesome. I was touched inside me.
After the service we went to eat with my relative and his friends at the outdoor eating center called Makansutra and the place was packed with a lot of people eating, talking, laughing, and enjoying the food they ordered, as well as taking pictures. The place looked like an outdoor food court but it was nice.
It was already late at night when we finished eating so I told the group that I needed to go back to the hotel and take a good rest because it was a very long day for me having to wake up at 2 am in Manila that day. It was a very hectic day for me that time but it's worth it.
We decided to just walk towards the hotel because it was near as well as my friends were showing me around the beautiful buildings and structures that Singaporeans were proud of. It was an honor to have seen the two domed theaters and concert halls shaped like a durian fruit, the buildings of Raffles City, the Illuminated building of the Suntec Convention Center with the huge TV screen at the front of the building, and the Big Spindled Singapore Eye (a big Ferris Wheel), and of course, the ultra-modern and new Marina Bay Towers.
The second day was even more exciting. In the morning I get to tour around Raffles City and had explored some of the nooks and subways of the city as well as took pictures of it for my massive Facebook album collections.
In the afternoon, my cousin and relative from my mother side had picked me up at the hotel and brought me to Sentosa Island for an afternoon stroll and picture taking. There I had a lot of adventures together with my new found friends.
I tried the luge ride and also ziplined like a maniac from the top of the hill. It was heart pumping yet exciting. We also explored the aquariums and saw some of the beautiful teeny-tiny creatures of the sea. We also watched the water show with laser beams which was very awesome and enjoyable to watch for.
The next day was my last day so I woke up early in the morning and ate at the hotels breakfast restaurant which has showcased a lot of global Asian cuisines and I never faltered trying and tasting everything in small bites. It was a free continental breakfast so I grabbed the opportunity to try everything. Hehehe. It was the real and best continental breakfast I had ever tasted and tried.
I then packed my things after the breakfast and deposited it at the front lobby while waiting for the time for me to get to the airport. My flight was at 5 pm so I still have time to shop around and buy some goodies for my loved ones in the Philippines.
I went to the Marketplace located at the bottom of the hotel. I forgot to mention that because of the small land mass, Singapore had created a way to use up the underground for them to put up some malls and subways wherein people can shop and travel.
Every hubs and arteries has a connection to some place and it's so inspiring to have witnessed and seen everything. I remember my time in Paris where I was hustling the flow of the traffic in the underground and borrows.
After I'm done with my shopping I went back to the hotel and picked up my luggage and then hired a taxi going to the airport. I waited for another hour at the airport before I checked-in my stuff then I realized that I have to leave Singapore which had etched another unforgettable memory to me.
Spending my wonderful weekend at Singapore productively with friends and relatives was a blast and I am glad I decided to come here. It was a very relaxing and nice weekend indeed!
I did not expect that Singapore will touch my heart and gives me some oohs and aahs that will make my stay memorable and unforgetful. I was actually in love with the city and it's bustly architectural structures. There were diversified people from around the globe seen everywhere, yet unmindful of me, but I still managed to mingle.
I never regret deciding to come here and spend my very boring weekend yet made it more satisfying and enjoyable. I had a blast and I am happy I had decided to come here.
Leaving Manila on the wee hour of a Friday, February 19, was quite helpful to escape the nagging traffic during rush hours. Although I have to wait there for a lonely two hours my excitement to see Singapore had inspired me to keep awake, eager, and expectant.
Upon landing at Changi Airport my excitement grew more and more and I am mesmerized by the beauty of the city from the skies while on the plane, as well as the cleanliness of the airport, and the sporadic hussle-and-bustle of the people arriving and leaving the airport. I was in love at first sight of this sprawling city of Singapore.
My relative had picked me up at the airport and we hired a taxi to bring me to my hotel. On the way to the hotel I saw the streets with neatly trimmed hedges and lushed huge trees spread everywhere in the city. The marriage of nature and technology was very captivating. I am in much awe seeing the biosynthesis of both.
In my close observation the people are very disciplined and the government really protect the usefulness of ecology in this bustling city. Along the way to the hotel I can see some of the high rise housing buildings where the people lived. There were a lot of them all through out the place popping like mushrooms everywhere.
Heading towards the downtown, I can see the skylines from the cab at a distance which really proved the advancement of engineering and modern architecture. The one that captivated my eyes was the Marina Bay Hotel Towers wherein on top of the three adjacent towers was a surf-life like bridge connecting the three towers and it seems that a jungle was been put up in there. It was really nice to have witnessed the wonders of modern technology.
I checked-in at my hotel which was been known formerly as the tallest hotel in Singapore, The Swissotel, and now no more because of the Marina Bay Towers. My hotel was very nice and plush and I was reserved at the 25th floor which had gave me perks to view the whole downtown in Raffles City.
In the afternoon I went to attend the prayer service of the City Harvest Ministry at the Singapore Expo Center which was a huge place. The stadium was packed and the service was awesome. I was touched inside me.
After the service we went to eat with my relative and his friends at the outdoor eating center called Makansutra and the place was packed with a lot of people eating, talking, laughing, and enjoying the food they ordered, as well as taking pictures. The place looked like an outdoor food court but it was nice.
It was already late at night when we finished eating so I told the group that I needed to go back to the hotel and take a good rest because it was a very long day for me having to wake up at 2 am in Manila that day. It was a very hectic day for me that time but it's worth it.
We decided to just walk towards the hotel because it was near as well as my friends were showing me around the beautiful buildings and structures that Singaporeans were proud of. It was an honor to have seen the two domed theaters and concert halls shaped like a durian fruit, the buildings of Raffles City, the Illuminated building of the Suntec Convention Center with the huge TV screen at the front of the building, and the Big Spindled Singapore Eye (a big Ferris Wheel), and of course, the ultra-modern and new Marina Bay Towers.
The second day was even more exciting. In the morning I get to tour around Raffles City and had explored some of the nooks and subways of the city as well as took pictures of it for my massive Facebook album collections.
In the afternoon, my cousin and relative from my mother side had picked me up at the hotel and brought me to Sentosa Island for an afternoon stroll and picture taking. There I had a lot of adventures together with my new found friends.
I tried the luge ride and also ziplined like a maniac from the top of the hill. It was heart pumping yet exciting. We also explored the aquariums and saw some of the beautiful teeny-tiny creatures of the sea. We also watched the water show with laser beams which was very awesome and enjoyable to watch for.
The next day was my last day so I woke up early in the morning and ate at the hotels breakfast restaurant which has showcased a lot of global Asian cuisines and I never faltered trying and tasting everything in small bites. It was a free continental breakfast so I grabbed the opportunity to try everything. Hehehe. It was the real and best continental breakfast I had ever tasted and tried.
I then packed my things after the breakfast and deposited it at the front lobby while waiting for the time for me to get to the airport. My flight was at 5 pm so I still have time to shop around and buy some goodies for my loved ones in the Philippines.
I went to the Marketplace located at the bottom of the hotel. I forgot to mention that because of the small land mass, Singapore had created a way to use up the underground for them to put up some malls and subways wherein people can shop and travel.
Every hubs and arteries has a connection to some place and it's so inspiring to have witnessed and seen everything. I remember my time in Paris where I was hustling the flow of the traffic in the underground and borrows.
After I'm done with my shopping I went back to the hotel and picked up my luggage and then hired a taxi going to the airport. I waited for another hour at the airport before I checked-in my stuff then I realized that I have to leave Singapore which had etched another unforgettable memory to me.
Spending my wonderful weekend at Singapore productively with friends and relatives was a blast and I am glad I decided to come here. It was a very relaxing and nice weekend indeed!
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