Sunday Roadtrip

Last Sunday, 16 July, I was woken up early to an unexpected road trip with my aunt and cousins. I happily got up from bed and prepared myself. I was not given enough details on where we are going so I considered it as a surprise.

Halfway to our destination, we stopped by at a servo to do something and I saw these beautiful cars parked near McDonalds. I've only seen these in movies before! I just had to take a quick photo and I ran back inside our car because it was freezing.

Finally arrived in our destination. This is the Sunday Market in Daylesford. Much like the markets in Thailand, there were a lot of things for sale here. Some are second hand things, fresh produce or winter essentials. There were also food stalls around. I chose to eat some hotdog in a bun and the wife of the stall owner was a Filipina who happily chatted with us. Sadly, I didn't really feel satisfied with the hotdog I bought. Anyway, we also went around to buy some apples, oranges and avocados which were way cheaper than those sold at the department stores.

We then went to another store called The Amazing Mill Markets. It was a huge and wide building full of vintage items ranging from clothes, home decoratives, glass, coins, jewelry and books to name a few. My aunt really loved it. It was fun going around the different stalls and looking at interesting items. I found this sign which amused me.

It was already way over lunch time when we went out of the market. We were not very hungry but can still take in food. Me and my cousins didn't know where we were heading next. With my aunt behind the wheel, we were all surprised to be taken in the Chocolate Mill. It was in an out of the way road and pretty hidden from the highway except for a sign. The parking lot had quite a number of cars and walking towards the little cottage restaurant, there are signs like this.

Coming inside, it did not surprise me that there were a lot of people in a line towards the counter. The scent of hot chocolate filled the place. The line was long but people were happy to wait. Who would be grumpy if you have these chocolate options to choose from?

Each of us chose our chocolate bars and they were placed in a cute carton box like this. No, they were not weighed. I actually am confused why this is a clock instead of a weighing scale. 

Aside from the chocolates, we went into the cafe to sit down and have hot chocolates and cakes. We were full and had to take some cakes home. To burn off those calories, we drove a few kilometers to the Hanging Rock Reserve to have a bit of a hike.

It was freezing cold and we were going to an elevated place so it was coldER. My aunt and cousin is used to hiking because they do it most of the weekends. I wasn't but I won't complain because it has been a while since I went out to hike. Its also my first time in the place and it made me curious. The walkway was paved so there wasn't so much difficulty walking. I can see rocks beyond those trees and wondered how it was called hanging rock.

Halfway up, there is an option for people to choose from. We chose the stairs to see what the hanging rock was about.

These were the rocks up close and before we walked into the stairs.

I forgot to count the number of steps but finally, we arrived! This is the Hanging Rock. It's basically being suspended on both sides by other rocks which made it appear as hanging. 

It was only a short walk to the summit wherein there were more rocks and this view. 

It's a nice feeling to be out and about especially on weekends. I am grateful for the chance to be with my relatives and explore places in countryside Victoria. I feel very cold from the weather but warm inside because of this experience. Thank you for reading and 'til next blog!

My Fremantle Doing Time Prison Tour

I really wanted to visit Fremantle Prison in Fremantle, Western Australia. Me and my friends decided to go together but there was just not a common time for us. Therefore, I braved to go by myself. It was easy to get to Fremantle. I just hopped on the train on the Fremantle line and sat for almost 30 minute travel. From the Fremantle Train station, one can either ride a bus or enjoy walking thru the streets of the city towards the prison which is situated at 1 The Terrace, Fremantle.

Even with GPS, I still managed to get lost in locating the establishment but thankfully there was a utility man who pointed to where the entrance was (bless his kind soul). 

According to www.visitfremantle.com. au, Fremantle Prison is the largest and most intact convict built prison in Australia and is Western Australia's only World Heritage Listed Building. For almost 140 years, the place was used for incarceration and was only decommisisoned as a maximum security gaol in 1991. 

It was 15 minutes before the next tour started and the guard was kind to lead me to the gift shop where I can buy tour ticket and look at the merchandises. While waiting other guests can go to the Convict Cafe, the Prison Gallery and the Interactive Visitor Center. The gift shop sold key chains fashioned from old prison keys, shirts, prisoner dolls and other souvenirs.

There are 5 kinds of tours that can be availed. I chose the Doing Time tour and was glad that I was able to get the concession ticket since I was still a student. Normal fee for this tour is 20 AUD and it will run for 1 hour and minutes.

The bell rang and we all filed in 2 lines to have our tickets checked and be admitted into an old looking room. The guide introduced himself to us and we were told that this was the first room prisoners would enter, have their photos taken, be checked if they are hiding illegal things and given out uniforms before going into the jail itself.

Then we were led outside to see the vastness of the prison. It was first known as the Convict Establishment and was built by convicts between 1852 to 1859. 

We stood in the middle of this hall where we can see a metal net hanging above us. It was placed there to protect guards from things that may harm them which could be deliberately dropped by prisoners on the upper floors.

We were also able to see open spaces like these.

There was a huge space for the kitchen with big pots like these. There was a room where the knives were kept and if prisoner workers would borrow a knife, he will leave his identification hanged from where the knife was.

Walking along the corridors. It was not so creepy as it was around 4 in the afternoon when I went. 

They have their own chapel,too.

We were able to peek inside the prisoner's rooms and how it evolved from being a very tiny space to a bigger space like this that can accommodate at least 2 people.

Our fellow tourists were game to reenact, with instructions from our guide, on how the prisoners were flogged. Usually this was done in the presence of other prisoners so that they will know what they'd get should they break rules. There is a doctor on standby while this is being done to monitor the status of the inmate. We were also lead into the room wherein prisoners are hanged. 

We also saw isolation cells wherein no light could enter. It was also somehow sound proof that if prisoners shouted, they cannot be heard from the outside.

The one hour and fifteen minutes tour passed quickly. I was amazed at how the building was preserved and taken cared of for the next generation. It was very educational and I bet the other tours are exciting as well. If time permits, I wish to come back with friends and try another tour - possibly the Tunnels or Torchlight Tour.

Thank you for reading and 'til next blog!

3 Places not to miss near Bangkok

I love Bangkok but it is also worth it to discover what's outside of this big bustling city. I'm happy to have the opportunity to travel and would like to give suggestions to future travelers that there are also nice places outside of Bangkok. I know there are a lot but here are 3 of  which I went to: 

1. Ayutthaya

The full name of the place is Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. It is 85 km north of Bangkok. Accessible by minibus and trains, this is popular for daytrips from Bangkok. As an avid fan of UNESCO world heritage sites, I kept this on my bucketlist and fulfilled it. My story here.

2. Hua Hin

About 199km southwest of Bangkok is the lovely Hua Hin. It is a beach resort town popular for Bangkok residents to have a getaway to. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the name means "Stone Head" after the rocks at the north end of the powdery sand beach. Me and 4 of my friends went there for a 2 day getaway and I've detailed the story here.

3. Pattaya

Another resort city but this time located 100 kilometers south east of Bangkok is Pattaya. It is a major tourist destination in Thailand where there are a lot of entertainment and activities. Me and my friend went for a short trip and you can see it here.

I wanted to visit another place called Kanchanaburi but maybe during the next time I come to Thailand. I hope this inspires you to visit these places soon! Thank you for reading and 'til next blog :)

My Short Cebu Visit

Facebook has led me to be curious about a new attraction in Cebu, specifically located in the highlands of Busay. A lot of people took the time to be there to take photos with some colorful Celosia flowers. I want to see it for myself too so my sister took me there last 27 December during my short visit to Cebu.

First, we traversed through the moderate traffic and steep mountain road to Busay. There are many other flower farms but we sought to find the original Sirao Garden.

Entrance fee was 50 pesos. It must have been only a few days after they have harvested the flowers as the new ones were still short. My sister who has been there before said that when they came around November 2016, the flowers were as tall as people.

The people maintaining the garden has accessorized the place with bikes

benches, and a cute pathway

perfect for added attraction as people nowadays (like me) love to take nice photos.

There was not much flowers but I'm still happy to have seen the place with my own eyes. There were less people and no queues which  made the visit short.

Lining up outside the gardens are stores that sell boiled corn, fried bananas, coconut juice and other kinds of snacks. Hungry visitors can just take their pick. I've missed fried bananas so much!

Our next stop was Temple of Leah. This was constructed by Teodorico Adarna as a symbol of his great love for his late wife - Leah Adarna.  There was a short walk from the entrance to the temple itself but while you are going towards it, you walk in an increasing elevation leading to this enormous edifice. Entrance fee, by the way, is 50 pesos per person.

A lovely fountain in the middle of the enormous court.

Lovely statues and the city lights in the far distance.

Most of the people I knew came in during daylight. But during the evening, a lot of people are still coming in to visit the place. The bright lights of the big city below is mesmerizing.

I know visit during the morning or afternoon would be wonderful for photos as there is natural light but from where I stand, I can still clearly see its beauty. It's like I am not in the Philippines but somewhere in a Greek island. The temple is likened to Taj Mahal because of the story of why it is built.

The insides of this majestic place. I remembered my cousin had their pre-nuptial photos taken here as well as a lot of other couples. In the middle of 2 staircases was an inscription and an effigy of the woman who was loved by her dear husband and inspired for all this to be built.

We stayed for a bit to read the inscriptions as the rooms where the collections of the wife were now closed.

The place is yet to be finished but it already boasts of being grand. Again, maybe I will visit soon during day time and take more photos.

Thank you for reading and 'til next time!

7 Interesting Things during our Yangon Adventure

I've always always wanted to visit Myanmar (Burma). I've been bugging my friend, ever since we started to travel, to have time to visit this country. I even made an itinerary and budget proposal just to convince her. However, due to schedule constraints, we were destined to visit the country at different times. No biggie. It was an opportunity for her to start solo travelling and for me to do as well. However, with a stroke of luck, I found a friend to share the adventure which was not bad at all. 

During our trip, I found these interesting things in Yangon:

1. Largest City: Yangon

This is the former capital and is the largest city of the country. It has a population of nearly six million which makes it the most important commercial center. It was November when we visited the city, which is already considered winter season but the temperature is almost 33 degrees. 

At the airport, we caught a taxi towards our hotel. We paid around 12,000 MMK for the ride and enjoyed the views on the way. Its a busy and exciting city. 

Before our trip started, I knew that Yangon was known for its traffic. We decided that it would be best to stay in a central place so that some of the places can be reached by foot. Another friend shared this very helpful map of Yangon Downtown.

2. Men wearing longyi

One of the first interesting things I noticed when I arrived in Myanmar is of men wearing longyi. A longyi is a sheet of cloth about 2 meters long and wrapped around the waist. Growing up and living in countries where men wore jeans or shorts, this was a very new thing. The longyi certainly suits the climate as it allows air to circulate and can keep women (and men) cool in the humid weather. 

2. Gold almost everywhere

The country stands by its recognition of being the Golden Land. Gold as the most precious metal can be seen in pagodas and accessories. Most pagodas are covered in gold leaves. The following places were where we saw the glistening gold.

a. Shwedagon Pagoda

Entrance Fee: 8,000 MMK (9 USD)

(Optional) Longyi Rental: 3,000 MMK

(Optional) Tour Guide: 10,000MMK

The visit would be incomplete if we did not set foot at this place. It is said to be 2,500 years old and enshrines strands of Buddha's hair and other sacred relics. From 8.2 meters, it now stands to about 100 meters and is covered with hundreds of goldplates. At the top of the stupa is where diamonds are located.

It also consists of other temples, statues and stupas and there were a lot of people praying and walking around. I would've sat around the grounds and stare in awe longer if I was just wasn't very hungry :)

One thing to remember is to leave your shoes at either of the entrances of this pagoda. I saw some visitors were allowed to bring their shoes in a plastic bag. Since we didn't know, we were allowed to leave our footwear with a local watching over it. Afterwards, she gave us some wet tissues to wipe our soles and in return of her labor, we gave her a donation.

b. Sule Pagoda

Entrance Fee: 3,000 MMK (2 USD)

This pagoda was very near to our hotel and we opted to just stare at it from a distance. It is 48 meters high and was decided as the center piece of Yangon  because of its strategic location, religious significance and artistic beauty.

c. Botataung Pagoda

Entrance Fee; 6,000 MMK

The name of this pagoda means 1,000 military leaders. When eight hair relics of Buddha arrived to Yangon from India, a guard of honour of 1,0000 military leaders was formed to pay respect to the relics.

I was particularly amazed with the golden walls of the main stupa. The stupa was hollow and visitors can walk through it while seeing several chambers that contain ancient artifacts protected by glass containers.

The main stupa from the outside. We were able to walk around and saw a pond filled with turtles.

3. Currency: Kyat (pronounced as chat)

I've read ahead that crisp USDs are the only notes accepted by money exchange stalls in Yangon. I have not tried this as I came from Thailand. I had no problem changing Baht to Kyat in the airport. Although, I have seen a number of money exchange down town as well.

As per google, 1 USD is around 1,200 MMK.

I'm thankful that my friend is good in Math and money. I was confused at the first sight of currency. Though Vietnam and Indonesian currency is also with a lot of zeroes in them, I'm still not used to it but later on got the hang of it :)

4. Heritage Walk

Our hotel was down town and with the use of the map (photo above), we tried to discover the places that we can reach by foot. This is the Mahabandoola Garden which is just a stones throw from the Sule Pagoda. I guess it is nice to hang out here and do people watching. There were also a number of stalls that sell food and drinks outside this park which means that one can never go hungry.

We wanted to do some heritage walk as the map suggested but the heat was so intense. There were nice old buildings in this part of town. I particularly liked this clock tower at the background. 

I almost forgot to write down that before we entered the park, 1 young boy in monk clothes came to us for donation. When we gave him some, another came to ask for the same thing. Although amused, we politely refused to give again. Later down the street, we found them. This time they were eagerly watching a man counting down the money they amassed. 

5. Food

I'm lucky to have an office acquaintance/ Facebook friend who lives in the city. Dr Chaw Su saw my Facebook post notifying that I was in Yangon. I truly appreciate her time to see me amidst her busy schedule. We were brought to a popular Myanmar Restaurant called Feel Myanmar Food. 

I've read blogs recommending this place and I could not have found it without Dr. Chaw inviting us. This long running place is where a big choice of freshly made dishes on display and all we had to do was point what we'd like to try. It was lunch time and the place was so full and busy. 

We were so full by the time I was done with my meal. The Myanmar food we ordered were so delicious though a bit oily. Then dessert was served. This was plate was delicious as well as the one after it. I was really very full I did not finish all. 

6. Friendly people

Aside from Dr Chaw, I observed that Myanmar people are very friendly. The staff in our hotel was very helpful and happy to answer our questions. While walking in the park, these men approached us. They were students and they came to us to practice their English through a conversation with us. They also tried to invite us to come to another island just near the city and reachable by ferry. However, we had a bus to Bagan to catch so we refused.

7.Bookshops

I love reading and I love books. While studying the city map, I found that there were a lot of book shops. True enough, during our short walk, I saw book shops along the street. Some were books in their language and some were in English. It's great to see them everywhere though I was not able to find one book that I liked, I enjoyed browsing through some interesting titles.

It was such a short and sweet stay in Yangon. We barely had enough time to see other interesting places such as the Reclining Buddha, Karaweik Palace and others. In the future, I may come back and see more. Thank you for reading and 'til next blog! :)