Monthly Archives: July 2013

Got another surprise in the mail

I have been busy swapping with my fellow local postcrossers and I have just recently received another surprise in the mail. It comes in the form of these lovely mint Nat Geo ad cards {which I shall be swapping off to other postcrossers, too} and this new issue of our favorite magazine, Cars. It was timely that Roselyn offered to include this in our swap as I have not gotten around to buying the little man his own copy. Now I was able to save some moolah, thanks to this swap! 😀

I sent a bunch of big cards in exchange for this goodies and I really love my loot! I am working on a few more swaps and I am hoping I will also get loads of lovely things out of them.

Thanks Roselyn for swapping and until our next swap! ^_^

With Online Concierge Service, the World Is at Your Fingertips

travel, travel tips

Computers have changed everything. From the way we do business to the way that we play, there is no part of our lives that has been left untouched by computers. That has been good in some ways and terrible in others, but for many, it has been a boon because it has reduced the cost of services that otherwise they could not afford. Online concierge service is just the latest innovation that brings the benefits of concierge service to the masses.

The Concierge

For anyone who has never stayed in an expensive hotel, the concierge is the department in a hotel that is dedicated to providing services for the guests of that hotel. These services may include getting tickets to sold out shows or reservations for tomorrow to the restaurant that has to be booked months in advance. Not every concierge is good enough to offer these types of superior service because as with anything in life, it is all about relationships. However, it doesn’t mean that the concierge cannot offer a suitable alternative.

The point is that the concierge has the local knowledge and connections that a guest of a hotel lacks. He or she puts this knowledge and these connections to work for the guest in the spirit of hospitality and in the hopes of getting a huge tip – or at least a tip commensurate with the effort put forth in acquiring the requested product or service.

The Revolution

The revolution will not be televised, but it may be tweeted or Facebooked and possibly emailed – though email is so 2005. Online concierge service is revolutionary. Think about all of the things that you as a tourist can do now that may not have been available before. There have been guide books that are invaluable to the traveler, but a guide book can’t get you reservations. It may or may not have information on the latest hotspot because of the delay in publishing but also because of the lack of space inherent in a book. A concierge service will have the latest and greatest in local knowledge, and now, that knowledge is available to anyone with an Internet connection.

A Quick Get-Away To Zambales

travel, destination, travel musings, Zambales

While everyone else is busy celebrating the commemoration of our Independence Day, we are getting hit by these rather big waves down at a shoreline in Iba, Zambales. My sister, Isabel, tagged me + the little man along to her quick get-away with friends + colleagues from work. We have not hit the beach this year yet + I thought it will be a great opportunity to get some tan and have some fun with the sand, so I readily agreed to come.

We left Bulacan a day before Independence Day and rode the bus bound to Zambales at the SM Pampanga terminal. A late afternoon trip, I thought, is most convenient to take, especially when travelling with little children, since they can simply dose off and sleep the rest of the trip. Which is what exactly my little man did. The rainy, cold weather even made him sleep better during our bus travel.

travel, destination, travel musings, Zambales

We arrived to the Iba bus terminal a little over 1am, and since the little man had a good sleep in the bus, he was still up and bouncing about and was ready to explore the place even in the wee hours of the morning. Our very late dinner of sinigang na hipon and fried fish is really perfect for the cold, rainy night.

We loved our nipa hut-inspired accommodation and now that I think about it, I regret that we were not able to take photos of it. The air-conditioned room is big enough to fit all 6 adults and my little rowdy boy. And since the weather is rather chilly, we skipped the air-con and turned on the fan overnight, instead.

travel, destination, travel musings, Zambales

Our plans to get up very early the next day was thwarted by our lack of sleep the previous night. It was almost 9am by the time we made it to the beach. The little man was put off by the black sand and was to squeamish about the litter in the beach, which the big waves washed to the shore through the night. He played in the water for a little while and decided to just settle in a spot in the shore to play with his toys in the sand.

travel, destination, travel musings, Zambales

The waves were really big that day and we had a wonderful time getting washed and hit by them as we stood our ground a few feet near the shoreline. There were folks surfing that day, probably taking advantage of the big waves, too.

The sun was up and glaring after an hour or two and after getting soaked and seeing my little man retreated to as far back as he can so the tides won’t reach him, we decided to go back to the resort to get ready to go home.

This is probably the quickest get-away we’ve ever had and I really would’ve enjoyed soaking and swimming in the beach for a couple hours more. I just wished we had enough time to shop for souvenir items like keychains or kitchen anti fatigue mats, perhaps! Nevertheless, we all enjoyed the experience and I cannot wait to hit the beach again soon. Hopefully, we’ll be able to have another beach getaway with my little man and his dad soon.  😀

Travel Bucketlist #8: New York

a night view of the famous Brooklyn Bridge in New York

One of the places that I would love to see in this lifetime is New York, also known as New York State {to distinguish it from New York City}. There are lots of interesting places to visit there and who would pass the chance to ride one of those iconic yellow taxis and visit the world-famous Statue of Liberty? Oh and who wouldn’t want to sample the famous New York food at the equally famous Seredipity 3 restaurant? If I can afford it, I’d probably book one of those NYC travel packages from NYCtrip.com so that I can spend my birthday in Manhattan!

Oh well, this might be just a very long shot but if I ever find myself boarding a plane one day and heading to New York State here are what’s going to be on my itinerary:

  • Times Square ~ Remember the jumbotron Gru and his minions stole in the first Despicable Me film? It is located on Times Square, along with a gazillion of other eye candies that are sure to leave anyone seeing it for the first time in awe. It is also one of the most visited intersections in the world, so best prepare yourself for the throngs of people milling about by the time you visit. Apart from the numerous shops to check out, I would like to visit Broadway since this is where my favorite band of all time, The Goo Goo Dolls, come from.
  • Central Park ~ You have seen this park featured a number of times on famous American flicks and I sure would like to experience visiting it for real!Located right in the middle of the island of Manhattan, the world’s most famous park offers its visitor a break from the buzzing city activities by giving them the chance to explore its grounds, the fountains and bridges, as well as its huge reservoir.
  • The Empire State Building ~ the state’s tallest building, located in Midtown Manhattan is one of the must-see attractions in this side of the United States. I would like to see the rest of the city from its 102nd-floor viewing deck.
  • The Statue of Liberty ~ a ferry ride to the most celebrated statue will be such an amazing experience. This well-loved symbol of the American freedom has been doing welcoming duties to seafarers around the area since 1886 and a group shot with her in your photo sure is a perfect memento of one great travel adventure.

    my Niagara Falls shaped postcard

  • Niagara Falls ~ another world-famous attraction found in New York. A trip to this state is hardly ever complete if you will fail to visit this great work of nature. If I ever come by, I will also make sure to buy a stash of Niagara Falls postcard to send to my postcrossing friends!  :laugh: