We (JOEMAR,MILA & KRISTOFFER) would like to share you some interesting places here (Philippines) and around the world.
First, we introduce you the known City of Character (Tagaytay).
If your looking for a colder
place near Metro Manila which is the capital of the Philippines Tagaytay is the
right place for you. Only 2-3 hrs. from the Manila you can reach the beautiful
place of Tagaytay. Tagaytay is known for their delicious foods like
"Bulalo" or bone marrow and if you want some dessert they have the
"Halayang Ube" or purple yam jam. The best place for eating those
foods is on the "picnic groove" because while you are eating you can
breath some fresh air and you can also see the famous "Taal Volcano"
one of the most popular and active volcano in the Philppines. If you want to go
near to the lake of the Taal Volcano just ask some tricycle driver outside the
picnic groove and they will tour you but of course you need to pay them. And
last if you are planning to have an overnight, there are many resorts or hotels
around the place that you can stay for the night.
Next, try to explore the city and welcome yourself in The Heart of Asia (Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro).
Puerto Galera is a mix of
water adventure and camping experience because even the island is surrounded by
the water the island itself is surrounded by lush mountains so if you are tired
and worn out with the water you should try to go to their mountains and forest
and maybe have some overnight camping. But if you really want some water
adventures Puerto galera will never run out with their different water activity
they have banana boat, jet ski, scuba diving, snorkeling, surfing and many
more. And when the night comes there are still life on it, you can bar hop and
meet some other people.
This place is the last
island in the Philippines that captured by the Japanese. This is very historic
and sentimental place not only for the Filipinos and Japaneses but also for the
Americans. Corregidor and the other fortified islands of Manila Bay fall under the jurisdiction of the City of Cavite, Cavite province.
Corregidor, also known as "The Rock" for its rocky landscape and the heavy fortifications, along with Caballo Island, about 1.7 km (1.1 mi) south, divide the entrance of Manila Bay into the North and South Channel.
Baguio city is one of the
coldest place in the Philippines because of this high altitude location they
consider the Baguio city as the Summer Capital of the Philippines, because the
best time to go there is obviously summer when the temperature in Metro Manila
reach "37 degree Celsius". Baguio city have many tourist spot they
have Botanical Garden, Mines View, Wright park where you can ride a horse,
Burnham Park where you can ride a boat and bike, "The Mansion" the
place where the President of the Philippines stay when they are in Baguio. You
can also try mountain climbing because Baguio is surrounded by Mountains and
don't forget to buy some souvenirs because Baguio city is also known for their
beautiful wooden craft and i almost forgot they cook the best "Halayang
Ube" or purple yam jam in the whole entire world. And guess who made it?
believe it or not the nuns in "good shepherd" a convent is the one
who made the best jam ever. They are also famous with the very delicious and
sweet strawberry's.
In November 1900, the Americans establish the first civil government in Benguet. Kafagway was designated as the capital and was later renamed to Baguio. The new name was apparently derived from the native ibaloi word "bigyiw" which is a moss-like green plant that grew around the area where Burnham Park is now located.
We're going to Ifugao Rice Terraces
The Ifugao Rice Terraces are the priceless contribution of Philippine ancestors to humanity. Built 2000 years ago and passed on from generation to generation, the Ifugao Rice Terraces represent an enduring illustration of an ancient civilization that surpassed various challenges and setbacks posed by modernization. Reaching a higher altitude and being built on steeper slopes than many other terraces, the Ifugao complex of stone or mud walls and the careful carving of the natural contours of hills and mountains to make terraced pond fields, coupled with the development of intricate irrigation systems, harvesting water from the forests of the mountain tops, and an elaborate farming system, reflect a mastery of engineering that is appreciated to the present and illustrate a persistence of cultural traditions and remarkable continuity and endurance, since archaeological evidence reveals that this technique has been in use in the region for 2000 years virtually unchanged.
The maintenance of the living rice terraces reflects a primarily cooperative approach of the whole community which is based on detailed knowledge of the rich diversity of biological resources existing in the Ifugao agro-ecosystem, a finely tuned annual system respecting lunar cycles, zoning and planning, extensive soil conservation, mastery of a most complex pest control regime based on the processing of a variety of herbs, accompanied by religious rituals.
Surigao Del Norte
Surigao
Del Norte is a province of the Philippines located in Caraga Region which is
found in the northeastern tip of Mindanao Island. Surigao Del Sur and Agusan
Del Norte are neighbors in the south region. Its territories include the
outlying islands such as Siargao, Middle Bucas, Nonoc, Hinatuan, Masapalid, and
many other smaller islands. The province is accessible by air and sea
transportation through the airport and seaport of Surigao City. Terrain is mostly
hilly and mountainous with small coastal plains. The province has no dry season
with very pronounced maximum rainfall from November to January.
Let’s
tour! We start to introduce you our Provincial Capitol Building,
If you want to pursue your tertiary level we have Northeastern Mindanao Colleges,
For
those who willing to stay in a couple of days we also have The Grande Suites of Surigao City
Hotel,
The
Grande Suites is the perfect place to experience Surigao City and its
surroundings. From here, guests can enjoy easy access to all that the lively
city has to offer. With its convenient location, the hotel offers easy access
to the city's must-see destinations, impeccable service and all the essential
amenities to invigorate travelers, array of services, including family room,
24hr room service, concierge, coffee shop, safety deposit boxes. All guest
accommodations feature thoughtful amenities to ensure an unparalleled sense of
comfort with an excellent variety of recreational facilities, including
massage. Discover an engaging blend of professional service and a wide array of
features at The Grande Suites.
Need
to relax? Cool down? Let’s getaway! to Hidden Island Resort,
Hidden
Island Resort is located at Dona Helen, Socorro, Surigao Del Norte. About 45
minutes pump boat ride from Hayanggabon claver to the resort. The resort feature is live aqua culture for
the tourist with its floating cottage along the deep blue sea. Amenities like,
cable tv, air conditioned rooms and pump boat servicing to the famous sohoton
cove. The resort has 3 function rooms suited for occasions like wedding, birthdays
and other special events.
About
15 minutes away from the resort is the CLUB TARA, a well renowned Beach Resort
with its best ambiance and amenities.
One
of the best places in the Philippines, Siargao Island is the premier surfing
destination of the country. Siargao Island of Surigao del Norte Philippines is
also known to be the Surfing Capital of
the Philippines. This tropical island paradise of the Philippines boasts it
untamed and unbelievable waves that attracts surfers around the globe. The
famous Cloud 9 of Siargao Island is so popular around the world that many
foreign surfers want to try and experience the waves.
Siargao
Island Philippines and the surrounding islands are some of the most beautiful
and untouched gems in the Pacific. There are many interesting places to go in
this beautiful tropical island. It is a paradise to many tourists around have
visited this island especially professional surfers. Siargao is a tear-drop
shaped tropical island that is a jewel of the Philippines. It is the home of
the beautiful white sandy beaches, surfing beaches, tropical landscapes and
magnificent dive sites. Siargao island is the watersport activities that
attracts many visitors that includes; surfing, diving, snorkeling, fishing,
swimming, caving, jungle trekking, cockfighting, wildlife watching and many
more.
San
Jose Dinagat Island
(Philippine
Benevolent Missionaries Association Incorporated.) The shrine was built for the
late Ruben Ecleo, Sr. founder of the PBMA in the 1960′s. Most of the people in
Dinagat (as I believe so) are members of the said organization. When Ruben
Ecleo, Sr. died, he was succeeded by his son, On our last day, we immediately
toured the town of San Jose starting from the PBMA Shrine Ruben Ecleo, Jr.
until present. We hired habal-habal or single motorcycle (the main and I think
the only mode of transportation so far) for 15php/destination, maximum two (2)
persons per habal2x excluding the driver. Fee for waiting time also depends on
your agreement with the driver. (Note: You may also want to drop off first at
the Local Tourism Office and look for Mr. Danilo Bulabos, the Provincial
Tourism Officer and he could help you with arranging trips and even fares. The
drivers knows where the Tourism office is so you don’t have to worry how to
locate it).
Puerto Princesa
The
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is one of the most
distinguished protected areas of the Philippines. It is located some 360 miles
southwest of Manila, the country’s political and economic capital. It was
established as a National Park in 1971primarily to protect and preserve the
intact old growth forest, interesting wildlife, pristine white sand beaches,
unspoiled natural beauty and one of the most impressive caves systems in the
world.
The
Park features a spectacular limestone or karst mountain landscape. It contains
an 8.2 km long underground river that flows directly to the sea. The lower half
of the river is brackish and subject to the oceans tide. A subterranean river
flowing directly into the sea and the associated tidal influence makes it the
most unique natural phenomenon of its type to exist. The presence of 11
minerals, scientifically and aesthetically unique speleothems, and a 20 million
year old Serenia fossil embedded in the walls of the cave justifies the
declaration of the Puerto Princesa Underground River as one of the New 7
Wonders of Nature.
The
Park also contains a full mountain to sea ecosystems and protects forests that
are important for biodiversity conservation. It is a representative of Palawan
Moist Forests, which are among the most significant in Asia, and is noted for
high levels of regional and local endemism. The Site serves as habitat to
numerous endangered, rare and endemic wildlife species. In the coastal area,
mangroves, sea grass beds and coral reefs are found.
The
global significance of the Park is recognized by its designation as a World
Heritage Site, a Biosphere Reserve, a Ramsar Site, and an Important Bird Area.
Inclusion to these prestigious lists confirms the outstanding universal value
of the Park that deserves to be conserved for the benefit of the present and
future generations. The Park managed by the City Government of Puerto Princesa
thru a multi sector Protected Area Management Board (PAMB). It has the
distinction of being the first national park devolved and successfully managed
by a local government unit. Under the dynamic leadership of Mayor Edward S.
Hagedorn, the Site has become a model for effective protected area management
and sustainable tourism in the Philippines.
The
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is a source of pride and a key
element in the identity of the people of Puerto Princesa in particular and of
the Philippines as a whole. It is a symbol of commitment by the Filipino people
in the global efforts to conserve our natural heritage.
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By now on, we have to proceed to wonders of some foreign countries...
The Summer Palace
The Summer Palace is located on the western edge of Beijing, between the fourth and fifth ring roads, close to the western Fragrant Hills, 12km from central Beijing.
The simplest way to arrive is by subway. Station beigongmen (North Palace Gate, line 4) is right by the north gate entrance, close to the Four Great Regions temple and suzhou Street.
It is not expensive to get there by taxi and does not take long. Use a map to tell the driver you want to be taken to the north gate if you would like to follow our suggested route through the park, or ask your hotel receptionist to add 'north gate' to 'Summer Palace' written in Chinese script on a piece of paper to show the taxi driver.
As its name implies, the Summer Palace was used as a summer residence by China's imperial rulers - as a retreat from the main imperial palace now known as the Palace Museum (or 'Forbidden City') - a pleasure-ground in the countryside, yet near to the city.
The Summer Palace is virtually a museum of traditional Chinese garden arts that blends rocks, trees, pavilions, lakes, ponds, paths and other features to create a poetic effect between different scenes. As you meander around the Summer Palace, you will frequently find the vista changing.
This Summer Palace guide looks at its history, presents a clear map with a suggested route through the palace grounds, and looks at each place of interest in detail.
The guide contains 400 superb photographs that both illustrate each location, and hint at the beauty of the gardens as a whole.
Discover the Summer Palace now…
The Blue Grotto
Capri’s
Blue Grotto is known throughout the world for its intense blue tones. Visitors
arrive by boat and stop at the entrance, in order to enter the Grotta Azzurra
visitors climb aboard small rowing boats, with a capacity for two, maximum
three, passengers and, lying on the bottom of the boat, enter the low and
narrow mouth of the cave. Passengers are obliged to lie down in the boat whilst
passing in to the cave. The boatman sets down his rows and maneuvers the boat
inside with the aid of a chain attached to the vault of the entrance.
Entrance
to the cave is not possible in the presence of south westerly and mistral wind.
Meet
your guide and from pier side you will walk to the nearby marina to board a
boat for your scenic 40-minute cruise through the Bay of Naples to the Island
of Capri.
Arriving
at the colorful Marina Grande, - weather permitting - you will get the
opportunity to catch the boat for the visit of the Blue Grotto, then your tour
guide will organize the transfer along
the winding road to Anacapri.
In
Anacapri you may visit the beautiful Villa S. Michele of Axel Munthe (a Swedish
physician and author of the famous book, The Story of San Michele, in which he
wrote his life, his discovery of Capri, and his dream of establishing his home
on the island) or take the chance to go on the Mount Solaro chairlift with its
spectacular view.
You
will have time to explore Anacapri before the return drive to Capri Town.
The
route will offer magnificent views along the way.
Walk
with your tour guide through narrow streets and the central square, La
Piazzetta, which is surrounded by intriguing old buildings and filled with
sidewalk cafes. Popular with tourists and local alike, Capri is always crowded
and bustling with activity.
After
lunch, a guided tour to have the opportunity to explore the Gardens of
Augustus.
The
gardens are filled with many species of plants and you can take in the views of
the Faraglioni, a famed offshore rock outcropping, and the Bay of Marina
Piccola. Explore Capri's fabled plaza, La Piazzetta, with its many chic
boutiques and gift shops before taking the funicular back down to Marina
Grande, where you will board on a watercraft for the return trip to your
cruiseship.
Eye of Sahara
The
Richat Structure, also known as the Eye of the Sahara or blue eye of Africa, is
a prominent geological circular feature in the Sahara desert in West Central Mauritania
near Ouadane. It is nearly 50 kilometers across and very visible from space.
Initially interpreted as an asteroid impact structure because of its high
degree of circularity, and then as a structure formed by a volcanic eruption
that also seems improbable because of the lack of a dome of igneous or volcanic
rock, it is now argued to be a highly symmetrical and deeply eroded geologic
dome that collapsed. So it is now thought by many to have been caused by
uplifted rock sculpted by erosion. But the fact that the "rings", are
equidistant to the centre and that the Richat Structure is nearly circular
remains a mystery.
Grand Prismatic Spring
Yellowstone
Park, Wyoming, became the world’s first national park when President Ulysses S
Grant signed it into law in 1872. It’s not hard to see why the government
wanted to preserve this area of great natural beauty, especially with features
like this: the world’s third-largest hot spring.
The
Grand Prismatic Spring is Yellowstone’s largest at 90 metres (295 feet) wide
and 50 metres (164 feet) deep, and works like many of the park’s hydrothermal
features. Water deep beneath the ground is heated by magma and rises to the
surface unhindered by mineral deposits. As it bubbles to the top it cools and
then sinks, only to be replaced by hotter water coming from the depths in a
continuous cycle. The hot water also dissolves some of the silica in the
rhyolite rocks in the ground, creating a solution that’s deposited as a whitish
siliceous sinter onto the immediate land surrounding the spring.
So
what makes all the pretty colours? That’s not due to chemicals, anyway. The
iridescent pigments are caused by bands of microbes – cyanobacteria – that
thrive in these warm to hot waters. Moving from the coolest edge of the spring
along the temperature gradient, the calothrix cyanobacteria lives in
temperatures of no less than 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), can
live out of the water too and produces the brown pigment that frames the
spring. Phormidium, meanwhile, prefers a 45-60-degree-Celsius
(113-140-degree-Fahrenheit) range and creates the orange pigment, while
synechococcus enjoys temperatures of up to 72 degrees Celsius (162 degrees
Fahrenheit) and is yellow-green.
The
deep blue colour seen in the centre is the natural colour of the water and is
too hot for most bacteria, although it’s suspected that aquifex, a microbe that
thrives in near-boiling water, lives off the hydrogen gas dissolved in the
emerging Grand Prismatic Spring’s waters.
Grand
Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park,USA
Salar de Uyuni
The
world’s largest salt flats in Bolivia, is an other-worldly experience that has
to be seen to be believed. Join us on a trip to one of the strangest places our
third rock from the sun has to offer.
Have
you ever wanted to visit another planet but don’t quite have the wallet power or
for that matter the decades it may take for commercial space flight to Mars to
become available? If you want an out of this world experience you could try, as
an alternative, Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia. It is one of the few landscapes on
planet Earth where you may feel that you are somewhere else in the universe
entirely.
This
place is immense. It is over 12,000 square kilometers in area, which makes it
the largest salt flat in the world. To give you an idea, that is over twenty
five times larger than the more famous Bonneville Salt Flats in the United
States. It also has the distinction of being the highest salt flats in the
world at 3,700 meters above sea level. The mounds in these photographs are not,
as you may first suspect, a naturally occurring phenomena. The hand of man is
at work here.
The
salt is literally scraped away from the surface and piled up in the mounds that
you can see here by the locals. Salar de Uyuni is what remains of a prehistoric
lake. All around it there are mountains which means there are no drainage
outlets and the salt is left on the old bed of the lake. After it is scraped up
these mounds are then created. This allows the water to evaporate more quickly
and certainly makes the salt easier to transport away from the salt flats.
The
origins of the Uyuni goes back some 40,000 years. Then it made up part of the
huge prehistoric Lake Minchin. With time the lake dried up. Two lakes still
remain – the Uru Uru and (no sniggering at the back) the Poopó. Two salt flats
were left, the smaller Salar de Coipasa and the Uyuni. Twelve thousand square
kilometers is pretty large by anyone’s standards.
Marble Cave
General
Carrera Lake (Chilean side) or Lake Buenos Aires (Argentine side) is a lake
located in Patagonia and shared by Argentina and Chile. Both names are
internationally accepted.
The
lake has a surface of 1,850 km² of which 970 km² are in the Chilean Aysén del
General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Region, and 880 km² in the Argentine Santa Cruz
Province, making it the biggest lake in Chile, and the fourth largest in
Argentina. In its western basin, Lake Gen. Carrera has 586 m maximum depth.
The
lake is of glacial origin and is surrounded by the Andes mountain range. Lake
drains to the Pacific Ocean on the west through the Baker River.
The
weather in this area of Chile and Argentina is generally cold and humid. But
the lake itself has a sunny microclimate, a weather pattern enjoyed by the few
settlements along the lake, such as Puerto Guadal, Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez and
Chile Chico in Chile, and Los Antiguos and Perito Moreno in Argentina.
The
area near the coast of the lake was first inhabited by criollos and European
immigrants between 1900 and 1925. In 1971 and 1991, eruptions of the Hudson
Volcano severely affected the local economy, especially that of sheep farming.
The
Argentine side of the lake is relatively easy to access, through strip of
plains that was first used by the Tehuelches, and then by explorer Francisco
Moreno. The National Route 40, created in the 1920s, also makes uses of it. The
Chilean side of the lake has been mostly isolated, and was for years accessed
through Argentina, until the creation in the 1990s of the Carretera Austral,
which connected it to the rest of Chile, and permitted the expansion of tourism
in the area.
A
car ferry operates between Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez and Chile Chico in the
Chilean sector of the lake.
The
lake is known as a trout and salmonidae fishing destination.
Unusual
geological formation is Marble Caves with Marble Chapel and Marble Cathedral
located at the centre of the lake and representing a group of caverns, columns
and tunnels formed in monoliths of marble. Marble Caves have been formed by
wave action over the last 6,200 years.
Christ Redeemer Statue
This
statue of Jesus stands some 38 meters tall, atop the Corcovado mountain overlooking
Rio de Janeiro. Designed by Brazilian Heitor da Silva Costa and created by
French sculptor Paul Landowski, it is one of the world’s best-known monuments.
The statue took five years to construct and was inaugurated on October 12,
1931. It has become a symbol of the city and of the warmth of the Brazilian
people, who receive visitors with open arms.
The Great Blue Hole
The
Great Blue Hole is a large submarine sinkhole off the coast of Belize. It lies near
the center of Lighthouse Reef, a small atoll 70 km (43 mi) from the mainland
and Belize City. The hole is circular in shape, over 300 m (984 ft) across and
124 m (407 ft) deep.
It
was formed during several episodes of quaternary glaciation when sea levels
were much lower - the analysis of stalactites found in Great Blue Hole shows
that formation took place 153,000, 66,000, 60,000, and 15,000 years ago. As the
ocean began to rise again, the caves were flooded. The Great Blue Hole is a
part of the larger Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a World Heritage Site of
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Ha Long Bay
Ha Long Bay is located in Quáng Ninh province, Vietnam. The bay features
thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various sizes and shapes. The bay
has a 120 kilometre long coastline and is approximately 1,553 square kilometres
in size with 1969 islets. Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous
caves, other support floating villages of fishermen, who ply the shallow waters
for 200 species of fish and 450 different kinds of mollusks. Another specific
feature of Halong Bay is the abundance of lakes inside the limestone islands,
for example, Dau Be island has six enclosed lakes. All these island lakes
occupy drowned dolines within fengcong karst.
Taj Mahal
A
white marble tomb built in 1631 - 48 in Agra, seat of the Mughal Empire, by
Shah Jehan for his wife, Arjuman Banu Begum, the monument sums up many of the
formal themes that have played through Islamic architecture. Its refined
elegance is a conspicuous contrast both to the Hindu architecture of
pre-Islamic India, with its thick walls, corbelled arches and heavy lintels,
and to the Indo-Islamic styles, in which Hindu elements are combined with an
eclectic assortment of motifs from Persian and Turkish sources. Marvin
Trachtenberg and Isabelle Hyman Architecture. The Taj Mahal is considered the
finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from
Persian, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. In 1983, the Taj Mahal
became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim
art in India" and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's
heritage.
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