Where we are at now, while my family is watching The Avengers (we already watched the movie while still in Manila).
A year ago, I’ve converted Hubs into liking massage and facial. I wonder if he’ll be a feet care convert as well. 😀
Tag Archives: vacation
reminiscing Czech and Vienna
It’s the season for photo ops again hence its just but time to finally free up my SD cards and organize the photos we had during our trips ever since September. Was reminded again of how many blog-worthy photos I haven’t posted yet, especially during our trip  in Czech Republic and Vienna and during our New Year celebrations in Takamatsu. Of course we weren’t able to browse everything. Yet there were tons that I could easily identify as favorite photos. Among of which (all unedited and taken using our ever dependable Canon G12)….
Me, walking along Kärntner Strasse, Vienna. Pardon, I just love back shots. 😀 😀
Me, so color-coordinated, atop a castle tower in UNESCO World Heritage Český Krumlov. Kakulay ko ang mga bubong! (My attire is of the same color as the roof!)
Goodness, how thin was I six months ago!
This is one of my fave Atsushi photos (among so many!). Taken in front of the Statue of Maria Theresia in front of Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History).
I so hope I can post more blogs about that trip!
welcome to Vienna!
It is said that you’d be welcomed by the smell of the country you’re visiting the moment you got off the plane. I certainly loved Vienna’s welcoming smell when we got off the plane – it’s that of a good smelling soap. This smell lingered the whole time we stayed in Vienna making Vienna my favorite city among the cities we’ve been to in this trip.
Welcome, travelers!
The site of a fellow’s advertisement was a welcome for us indeed.
The luggage carts need euro coins though for them to be usable.
Vienna’s airport was better than Rome’s albeit it was just simple enough.
As is the case with most airports, Vienna’s airport is a bit far from the city center. There are a number of ways to get to the city center but we opted to take the City Air Terminal train as it’s the fastest and reasonably priced way; you’re in the city center already in just 16 minutes or so.
The sight we’ve passed by reminded us of work.
And like how it was in Italy, there were also quite a lot of graffiti welcoming us.
Once we got into the city center, we had to transfer to another train (the s-bahn) to get to the station that’s only walking distance from our hotel. as we were transferring to s-bahn, we saw this movie poster of Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood.
Atsushi purchasing train tickets. One thing amazing with Vienna’s public transportation. It runs on honesty system. There were no station gates checking if you’ve purchased a ticket with the right amount nor were there police waiting in the stations to catch dishonest passengers. No checks whatsoever at all in trains, trams and buses.
After the complexity of Tokyo’s train system, Vienna’s train system was no sweat at all.
This hotel’s backyard confronted us when we got off (the wrong side) of our station.
It looks pretty normal. But the backyard is actually full of nude people sunbathing.
Anyway, we didn’t go to Vienna for the nudists. We went to Vienna for this!
And you bet we’re excited!
flying Emirates
It’s our first time to fly Emirates and indeed it was a good experience.
Their good entertainment selection (with a hundred movies or so, alone) tested my EQ – I had to get as much sleep as I can so I can be ready for our hectic-scheduled sightseeing.
Thankfully though, they had their aircraft done in such a way that it’s very conducive for sleeping. Can’t identify a constellation at all though.
The long-haul flight I had before was with Cathay Pacific economy and our “amenities” were given in a cheap-looking pouch with toothbrush that has threads which can be stuck in between your teeth. No eye mask at all. Albeit Hubs’ long-haul flights with Cathay Pacific had him bringing home Agnes B. cosmetic pouch (sosyal! Business class kasi). For Emirates’ economy though, I’m fully satisfied with the quality of what they gave us.
The pouch came in very handy. We used it as our coin purse during our trip – one for euro and the other for czech crowns.
Our travel agent informed the airline they have honeymooners on board hence we were given a cake and a memorabilia with our onboard photo in it. Nice!
Sadly though, we weren’t able to eat our cake. We are truly thankful with this thoughtfulness especially the photo. But a word of advice to Emirates: maybe it’s best to give the honeymooners some travel sets or even the plush toys you give around to the kids on board (I sooo wanted one!) rather than cakes. Our cake was given to us around a couple of hours before touchdown, with a 14-hour flight, and after a full meal at that so naturally, we weren’t able to eat it on board. We carted it around with us but we were still due to fly to Vienna and right after arrival, we headed out for the Opera hence the cake was left untouched until we had to throw it away. Mottainai, sayang.
Speaking of meals though, meals on board The Emirates were among the most tasteful we’ve had among the flight meals we’ve had.
Atsushi, fully refreshed after a 14-hour flight and sleep.
The honeymooners, about to disembark.
Because we’re flying Emirates, of course we had to have a stopover in the airlines’ home country. Dubai’s Terminal 3 is one big looong hallway with futuristic design and palm trees that’s reminiscent of the desert. It was quite impressive albeit since the design is like that of a hallway and not circular as it is in Hongkong International Airport (which both Hubs and I consider as our favorite airport so far), it can be quite crowded in some areas, with some jostling besides.
We had coffee at Paul’s where almost all crew members were Filipinos.
We had to wait for 5 hours for our next flight to Vienna hence it was good chance for us to try as well the local delicacy. Had whole wheat squagel. It tasted really healthy and good albeit it would have had tasted better had it had a bit more salt.
Time to board the plane for Vienna! 🙂
Mawab Impromptu Roadtrip
Christmas Day. We had a party at our house, organized so that relatives from both my father’s and mother’s side could get to meet me and Atsushi. Around mid-afternoon, Uncle Rafael and Aunt Helen invited us for some road trip and go to their farm in Mawab. My dress wasn’t up for the location but it was an offer we couldn’t refuse and an opportunity we shouldn’t miss hence we made a go for it.
banana plantation
It was a sight for Hubbie to see how a coconut is taken down from its tree.
 
It was an impromptu visit hence we had to make do with resources at hand. Uncle Pael made a spoon out of the coconut’s husk to use in scooping the coconut’s fruit.
ain't Hubbie sweet? ^___^
Wearing a Kimono, the first time
When I went to Kyoto and then later to Osaka with my friends, we mulled on donning on kimonos and walk around the old town wearing our kimonos and of course take lots of pictures of us in kimonos. But what stopped us from renting is that these kimonos-for-rent comes with an exorbitant price, some at 50,000yen for a couple hours or so. Hence, in the last 9 years that I came and went in Japan, I never really had the chance to wear a kimono.
But it was a good thing I didn’t take on the chances I had previously. Because a chance presented itself to me when I visited Hubbie’s hometown, and this time, my “first time” was made even more special – i’d be wearing Okasan’s kimono, which she wore when she was almost about my age. Heirloom, ne? hehe.
me in curlers
me trying to fit my feet into the dainty Japanese slippers
"let's try it out shall we?"
tada!
 The dressing up is actually for our family portrait. Will post the official pictures once they’re out.
Anyways, I’m thankful to Otosan for having captured this tender moment that passed between me and Hubbie.
yiihii ^_^. Admit it again Hubbie, you were so in love with me that day, ne? =D
And of course, I am very thankful to Otosan, Okasan, Obachan, Ojichan and Mayumi for making my stay in Takamatsu a wonderful one. Of course, it goes to say I’m truly thankful to Hubbie as well. =)