TravelStream™ news feed for member dreyes on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/dreyes en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:28:11 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dreyes/1/1231261200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dreyes/1/1231261200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dreyes/1/1231261200/tpod.html Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:28:11 -0500 Philippines, here I come!

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Manila, Luzon, Philippines

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Our stay here is winding down with today being our last day.  I wanted to relax and roam around the area but I went with the flow of the group and went back to 168 Marketplace and Tutuban for others last minute shopping.   From 168 Marketplace to Tutuban I rode my first Motorized Tricycle (see Video) - what a ride!

In the evening we went shopping for dinner at Seaside near the Manila Bay, a fish market selling the day's freshest catches.    
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Manila, Luzon, Philippines

Our vacation was winding down so we took it easy today and strolled along SM San Lazaro Mall and went to the grocery.

Afterwards we took a tour of the historical site of Intramuros and later shopped at Rustan's & Glorietta Mall.
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Manila, Luzon, Philippines

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Hong Kong, China

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As today was our last day in Hong Kong our agenda was to at least make it back into Hong Kong and see Man Mo Temple and the longest Escalator, then return back to the hotel in time to fly back to Manila.
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Hong Kong, China

A half-day tour of Hong Kong city was included with our travel package.  At lunch we asked to stay in Hong Kong instead of going back to the hotel.  We spent the afternoon walking westward, catching the sights and shops along the way until it was time to return to the hotel at 5pm to meet with family.

For dinner we met my Aunt who works nearby and lives in New Territory.  She is my Dad's cousin, who I've never heard of before but it was nice to meet her and great to know we have family in this part of the world! 
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Hong Kong, China

With only a couple hours of rest we headed off to Ninoy Aquino Airport for an early flight to Hong Kong, China.  We took Hong Kong Express which landed in Hong Kong Airport on Lantau Island.  Our travel package included to and from hotel transportation so we boarded a bus that took us across the Lantau Link Bridge into Tsim Sha Tsui to our hotel, Imperial Hotel, located on the popular and busy Nathan Road.  

We dropped are bags off and hit the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui.  We were very hungry so we searched for a recommended Dim Sum place but couldn't find it so defaulted to eat at a cafe nearby.  We ended up separating because Daniel and Tita (Aunt) Medy was in search for a tailor, so me, mom, aunt and cousin walked north up Nathan Road a little over a mile into the Temple Market just in time for some night market shopping.
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Manila, Luzon, Philippines

Today is the last day of 2008!!!  

I decided (with accompaniment of Nikka, Jocelle and Daniel) to walk out of house in search for a market.  I was told by one of the house workers the nearest market was the next block over.  We cautiously walked outside with lots of sights to see in a matter of a few yards.  Various street vendors selling "Lugow" (rice porridge), drinks or fruits to people hanging around or just walking down the street.  Luckily Nikka noticed and pointed out, the market we were sent to was like a Farmers Market!  What I should've asked for was a Sari Sari store!  We did eventually find one because literally on every block are tiny corner markets called Sari Sari stores that sell the basic necessities, food and snacks.  I was told that some stores also sell things like cup of soy sauce or 2 cloves of garlic, enough to fulfill the needs of the moment. 

Later after lunch we were driven to Greenhills, a popular indoor destination for bargaining shopping.  I would say that Greenhills is a notch upscale than 168 Marketplace.  Everything sold here is still imitation but at a slight better quality - I know that doesn't sound right but its true!  If the real deal is your thing, this is not a shopping spot for you.  

Were only had a few hours to spend until it was time to go to Santa Cruz to meet with other family for an afternoon snack.  But before the hour trip we were directed to McDonald's for a snack!  Let me explain:  we had just eaten lunch, so we had to eat a snack before meeting family for an afternoon snack in time for New Year's Eve BBQ then New Year's Eve dinner!

After spending time with family in San Mateo we headed back to Santa Cruz to beat the traffic.  Everyone was trying to get home in time to ring in the new year.  We stayed in Santa Cruz and BBQ out in front of the house.  We celebrated into the 2009 New Year together outside along with the ongoing booming noises of the fireworks and firecrackers throughout the neighborhood.  
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Banaue, Luzon, Philippines

While everyone was packing up to leave, a few of us learned a few more of the Ifugao culture from the hotel manager, Tess.  Apparently the Banaue View Inn was originally owned by Dr. Henry Otley Beyer, an American Anthropologist who spent most of his life in the Philippines studying the Ifugao culture.  With the acceptance of the Ifugao people, he helped bring the rice terraces to its popularity.  During his stay he met and then married an Ifugao woman, Lingayo Gambik.  Together they had the first American-Ifugao child, Bill.  

Our interest in the Ifugao culture led Tess to take us out back to the property's Ifugao's House and the rice terraces the Beyer Family still own that landscape the mountains behind the hotel.   Afterwards we quickly viewed the Banaue Museum, located on the Hotel premises.  

Since yesterdays trip to the View Point was foggy with zero visibility, we tried to go back up the hill in hopes to get a better view of the rice terraces.  Today there was less fog but it still was difficult to get a overview of the terraces.  We did a little more souvenir shopping that lined the View Point area and then headed back down the mountains back towards Manila.
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Banaue, Luzon, Philippines

We hired a Jeepney to take ~10 of us through Banaue to the mountain ridge overlooking Batad village.  We hiked as close as we could get to Batad and ate Lunch.  We learned about the Ifugao culture through a native I met, named Pedro.  We decided not to continue hiking into Batad since we knew we would have to hike back up to our starting point.  

The hike was a very wonderful experience and it's one of things you have to experience for yourself.  With the fog, mud, climbing we had to do it was all worth the experience.
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Banaue, Luzon, Philippines

We're getting an early start for our 6-8 hour drive north to the famous and oldest Rice Terraces up in the mountains of Banaue, Ifagao where we will stay they for 2 nights. 


We avoided traffic by not passing through Baguio City.  We drove north through the provinces of Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya into Ifugao.  Our drive took about 8-9 hours longer than a drive between Northern and Southern California.
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