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Manila What to Do

in Expat Life, Manila, Manila Food, Manila What to Do, Manila Where To Go

Column: Manila is Eager to be Loved

February 28, 2022

If you’ve been following me on my social media channels like Instagram, you prolly already know that I started a column with The Manila Bulletin. It’s one of the major broadsheets in the country and I’m so happy to have space in their Lifestyle Section every Saturday. So if I haven’t been writing here much, you know where to find me. 😉 Here’s an excerpt from one of my columns – some things that I have been learning to love (again) in and about Manila.

Manila is eager to be loved

How the return to Manila from seven years of living in Kuala Lumpur and Berlin is teaching this diplomat’s wife how to find happiness wherever she finds herself

Toward the end of our time abroad for my husband’s diplomatic posting, I was often asked how I felt about going home. Whenever I said I looked forward to it, it was always met with disbelief. Surely, I must be joking. Did I not enjoy my time abroad?

I often assure people that I’ve savored every moment I get to spend in each city we move to, getting to play local for a few years. First, it was Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, then Berlin in Germany. It’s an immersion like no other but the life we chose is that of an adventure of packing and moving every few years. I guess knowing that your time in a place is limited makes you immerse yourself deeper into a place in a shorter span of time. You learn how to appreciate and live in every moment. This, so that when it’s time to leave, you don’t feel too bad or have too many regrets.

Live in the present and compare less 

“You’re always where you’re meant to be. You’re always in the best possible place,” a senior diplomatic official once told me. It’s the best way to teach someone to be truly happy wherever they are in the world. One’s happiness does rely heavily on disposition and attitude toward life. You can be in Paris, living in a fancy apartment yet still be the most miserable person if you’re someone who feels like you should be in New York instead.

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in The Netherlands

Travel: Volendam and Marken, The Netherlands (Where to Buy Souvenirs!)

September 5, 2015

Just a stone’s throw away from Amsterdam are two fishing villages which have kept Dutch tradition and architecture alive. If you’re not into touristy places, then at first glance, Marken and Volendam might not be for you. However, there are still lots to see here once you veer away from the usual route.

Marken

There’s a saying that goes something like – If God created the world, then the Dutch created the Netherlands. Which is pretty much true since the Dutch have a long history of reclaiming land. Thus, most parts of the country is actually man-made. Ever wondered why Amsterdam looks so symmetrical when you’re looking down at it from your plane’s window?

Almost Diplomatic - carolific - Diplomat’s Wife - Travel - Amsterdam - Marken - Volendam

Islands, canals, dikes – for a country that’s actually below sea level, their relationship with water has evolved greatly in the past few centuries. To say that water is their friend is even an understatement – They are its masters as they can practically control it nowadays.

Almost Diplomatic - carolific - Diplomat’s Wife - Travel - Amsterdam - Marken - Volendam

They did come a long way from being flooded all the freakin’ time and being considered as a marsh land. Marken, meanwhile, is a village that was separated from the mainland due to a storm in the 13th century. From then on, the people living on the newly made island, set their sights on fishing as their main source of livelihood

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Travel, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Zaanse Schans, Amsterdam Centraal, Where to Go, How to Go to Zaanse Schans, What to See, Sightseeing, Old Dutch Town, Volendam, Marken, The Hague, Windmills, Dutch, Holland, Netherlands, Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh,
in Europe, Video

Travel + Video: Netherlands 2015

September 4, 2015

So as you guys might know by now, my new hobby has been making Youtube videos. I do enjoy making travel and beauty videos the most, to be honest. So before I post more travel entries on the places we’ve been to, I figured I’ll put together all the videos we took during our trip per country.

Here’s the video on The Netherlands which will serve as a sneak peek on what you’ll be seeing in this blog in the coming days.

I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did filming then editing it! And if you plan to go to the Netherlands in the summer, I hope this video somehow painted a picture of what you can expect there.

Do let me know what you think in the comments below! Questions, comments, and constructive criticism – always welcome. Will be making one for Paris, London, Scandinavia, and maybe Geneva too so do watch out for that and my next travel posts!

Much love!

xx,

Carol

in Amsterdam, Europe, The Netherlands, Travel

Travel: Arrival in Amsterdam + Zaanse Schans (Windmills, Wooden Shoes, Secret Pathways)

September 1, 2015
9 Comments

Hello from KL! Once again, sorry for the absence! But also, a huge thank you for staying with the blog and coming back despite that short hiatus. It still feels weird getting views from all over the world even though I wasn’t posting much – only 1 post in 3 weeks!

I thought only the people who actually know me in person (Shout out to Philippines, Malaysia, and Europe!) take time to read my ramblings but apparently, some people in Mexico, Germany (where I don’t have any relatives, I think!), all the way down to New Zealand (and a lot more countries) find these entries interesting. And for that, a big, virtual hug for you guys! Thank you so much for supporting this blog. :-*

I guess the hardest part about having to write about your long vacation is not really knowing where to start. So let’s just back track all the way to day 1.

We left Kuala Lumpur on the 8th of August for a 3-week trip to Europe to visit family and friends while going sightseeing along the way. It was my husband’s first time in Europe so it was actually fun going back to some of the places I’ve already been to and acting like a tour guide while discovering new places with him.

We flew via Emirates and it was a pretty great experience with them. Is it better than my favourite KLM? You’ll have to wait for the separate post on that. Though I must say that Emirates really made the looong journey bearable for someone like me who has been flying a lot for years but absolutely hates it. (Dries out my skin and hair, stress, boredom, anxiety during take off/ landing – I can go on all day)

As soon as we arrived, tragedy struck. I got corneal abrasion from my persistence to put on my contact lenses despite my dry eyes. That doomed me into wearing my glasses for a week. Not that I’m entirely complaining. I love my glasses with its vintage vibe and all but I hate not being able to wear sunglasses unless I go for them and decide to be almost-blind for a day. Pfft.

My mom and her boyfriend (who’s a tour guide) picked us up in Schiphol. Since we only had a few days in Amsterdam before moving on to our next stop on this Europe trip, they decided to take us to Zaanse Schans right away so the husband can see the ever famous windmills. Off we go without freshening up! (I was totally dying to change into something more comfy but I didn’t want to be a wet blanket! And Alvin looked pretty game for it.)

Luggage lockers and getting to Zaanse Schans

We took a train from Schiphol to Amsterdam Centraal where we made use of the luggage lockers (bagagekluizen) there. Found in the station’s East Wing (near the Albert Heijn) you may rent them for a few euros per day and since we didn’t want to drag our (heavy) suitcases through the city then to the quaint neighbourhood we were going to, it was smarter to use this service. You can find the rates and a bit more info on this here.

From Amsterdam Centraal, there are two ways to get to Zaanse Schans. One is by taking the train to the Koog-Zaandijk station (takes less than 20 minutes) followed by a 10 to 15-minute walk. It’s a pretty fun way of seeing the area and you’ll be passing by a chocolate factory that makes sure the air smells of cocoa. Yum! Do take this route if you’re going in the summer. I tried it in 2013 during winter and I don’t recommend it on a windy, winter day. The part where you have to walk over a bridge to get to the actual area of Zaanse Schans can be quite chilly.

The other route going to Zaanse Schans is by taking the Connexxion bus 391 from Amsterdam Centraal. It comes every 15 minutes and the journey takes around 40. It’s kinda like sightseeing on a tour bus so this route is also fun. Though the main advantage of this is that you get dropped off right at Zaanse Schans and there would be no need for you to take a long walk to get there. For this trip, we took the bus going there then took the train back to Amsterdam Centraal. 😉

Zaanse Schans

It’s a “living and working” community that dates back to the 18th century and is one of Europe’s oldest industrial areas. For most people travelling to the Netherlands, it’s a must see as it’s like taking a step back in time.

Our visit was right smack in the middle of the summer holidays so it was no surprise that Zaanse Schans was packed. The sun shining (way too) bright that day was practically a call for all the tourists in Holland to flock to this area.

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Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Armenian Street, Love Lane, Little India, Church of the Assumption, Penang State Museum, St George's Church Anglican, Penang Town Hall, Penang City Hall, Fort Cornwallis, Church Street Pier, Chew Jetty, Yap Temple, Choo Chay Keong, Kapitan Keling Mosque,
in Asia, Malaysia, Penang, Travel

Travel + Photo Diary: Walking Tour of George Town in Penang (Must-see Stops!)

August 5, 2015

I love how travelling, in this day and age, has become a lot more affordable. Gone were the days when only the upper class can hop on a plane to see different places & soak in new cultures.

Travelling has also become a lot easier & convenient with all the options available. Before I give you a run through & show you my photo diary of my walking tour in George Town in Penang, let me just tell you guys of this new website where booking for your future adventures is made a lot easier.

Traveloka is the largest flight & hotel online booking service in Southeast Asia. You can book your flights & hotels on their site (and save a great deal of money & time in the process) for your next holiday which could be anywhere in the world! 😉 They also have round-the-clock customer service to make sure you don’t encounter any bumps in your booking. Do check them out. I’m actually booking with them for my next holiday after our Europe trip this August! 😉

A few months ago, I found myself in Penang with my husband who was there for a conference. I tagged along & decided to explore the UNESCO World Heritage City on my own while he attended his meetings. 😉 Today, I’ll be sharing with you guys the attractions I saw & visited while doing a walking tour around George Town.

Traveloka actually has over 200 Penang hotels in their listing so if you want to visit some of the sites I will be listing down below, do book your hotel with them!

(READ: Travel+ Food + Photos: Getting to Penang, Penang Hill, and some Food Worship)

Tokong Han Jiang (Han Jiang Ancestral Temple)

A Teochew-style temple right in the middle of George Town. I got off the bus (from Batu Ferringhi) right in front of this temple and since it was still quite early (10am on a weekday), I decided to just wander inside. Especially since there weren’t a lot of people yet. Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Tokong Han Jiang, Han Jiang Temple,

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Tokong Han Jiang, Han Jiang Temple,

Kapitan Keling Mosque

Just a short walk from Han Jiang Ancestral Temple in Lebuh Chulia is the Kapitan Keling Mosque. Built in the 1800s, it was built to cater to the growing Indian-Muslim community at the time in Penang. The architecture of the mosque is quite interesting, incorporating Islamic & Indian elements in the design.

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Kapitan Keling Mosque, Little India,

Choo Chay Keong (Yap) Temple

Penang has no shortage of Chinese temples. Choo Chay Keong is located at the junction of the well-known Armenian and Cannon Streets in George Town. This temple is quite small but it makes up for it with the beautiful and detailed decor not just at the facade but indoors as well.

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Yap Temple, Choo Chay Keong

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Yap Temple, Choo Chay Keong

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Yap Temple, Choo Chay Keong

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Yap Temple, Choo Chay Keong

Chew Jetty

A waterfront settlement built on stilts, the Chew jetty is built by one of the biggest Chinese migrant families in Penang. The Chews come from the Fujian province in China and migrated to Penang for work opportunities. This jetty started out with only 10 families and nowadays, it has 1,500 residents.

Here, you can have some refreshments and shop for trinkets and souvenirs. After a short walk into the complex, you will also be treated to a nice view of the sea.

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Chew Jetty,

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Chew Jetty,

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Chew Jetty,

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Chew Jetty,

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Chew Jetty,

Penang, Travel, Malaysia, Island, Georgetown, Georgetown Penang, What to do, What to see, Sightseeing, Food, Nyonya, Cheap Travel, Traveloka, Chew Jetty,

Church Street Pier

Built in 1897, this pier used to be the island’s main gateway when it comes to trade. But now, it’s more of a tourist area where people take photos. Though recently renovated, the pier still has that vintage appeal that reminds people of the golden years.

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