It's weekend and I still have a lot of incomplete tasks needed to be done at work but I'm still having a hangover from the holidays and I can hardly function. So before I totally ditch blogging about our year-end trip (like what I did to the other trips), I'll throw in a few snaps of our Siargao getaway.
Our first Christmas as married couple was spent in Siargao with family. Five days and two nights in paradise is definitely not enough, especially when were not able to cover everything the island has to offer. We spent a day or two tuck in bed when Typhoon Ursula came raging in. Still, it is one of the best islands I've been to.
Our first Christmas as married couple was spent in Siargao with family. Five days and two nights in paradise is definitely not enough, especially when were not able to cover everything the island has to offer. We spent a day or two tuck in bed when Typhoon Ursula came raging in. Still, it is one of the best islands I've been to.
Korea is going to be our next destination. And honestly, I was not that interested. Especially after having been told quite a lot of times that Korea might be underwhelming for someone who has already visited Japan.
Despite that, I have found myself binge-watching Korea travel vlogs of unknown vloggers. And it has surprisingly gotten me excited to fly there for three reasons: alpacas, raccoons, and meerkats. Okay, that is not nearly close to the things that come to mind when we speak of Korea. But whatever's on that list certainly made me excited to see the Land of the Morning Calm and that could only mean one thing.
Having something to be excited about guarantees a full blown anxiety on our visa application. And it does not end there. The Korean Embassy extended their processing time from 4-7 days to to 25-30 working days. That's 30 freakin days of enduring the agony of waiting.
BUT WAIT! THAT IS NOT EVEN THE WORST PART YET.
Despite that, I have found myself binge-watching Korea travel vlogs of unknown vloggers. And it has surprisingly gotten me excited to fly there for three reasons: alpacas, raccoons, and meerkats. Okay, that is not nearly close to the things that come to mind when we speak of Korea. But whatever's on that list certainly made me excited to see the Land of the Morning Calm and that could only mean one thing.
Having something to be excited about guarantees a full blown anxiety on our visa application. And it does not end there. The Korean Embassy extended their processing time from 4-7 days to to 25-30 working days. That's 30 freakin days of enduring the agony of waiting.
BUT WAIT! THAT IS NOT EVEN THE WORST PART YET.
Oh Deer!
If there's one thing I love about Japan, it is the people. They are the kindest, most disciplined, and most respectful people I have ever met. And quite surprisingly, the deer in Nara are just as polite as the locals. As a matter of fact, these critters are far more polite than half the people you meet.Kidding? Perhaps not.
The deer poses better than I do. |
Davao City — Ever thought of trading the hustle and bustle city life for a day or two of unplugging without having to go too far? There’s no bad time for a relaxing escape to the Tengoku Japanese House. Situated not too far away from Eden Nature Park, this charming two-bedroom Japanese-inspired house calls for guests to unplug, reconnect with nature, and rediscover peace and quiet.
The main house. |
When we booked our flight to Japan, it just happened that we took advantage of a seat sale, chanced upon a very cheap flight to Narita, and booked it right away. Plus, the timing couldn't be any more perfect for Jan’s birthday. It never occurred to us that it's going to be the most anticipated and most visited sakura season.
I got so excited when I learned about it and started reading about these famed cherry blossoms only to end up a little disappointed about the fact that these pink delicate flowers bloom for just a week. Early April is the best time to see the sakuras this year according to blooming predictions. And since we will be arriving two weeks earlier, the chances of seeing these in full bloom are slim.
On our first day, we have already seen a few budding sakuras on some streets. Even Hachiko's statue stood under the sakura trees. It wasn't that impressive, yet. But it's promising and we were hoping to see them bloom in a riot of pink hues.
So we visited two parks, Chidorigafuchi (ten-minute walk from our hotel) and Yoyogi Park, which are best known for hanami (flower viewing). Even though each park offers a charming scenery of spring, not one sakura tree has a single flower on sight yet.
Tokyo is currently my favorite city (next to Davao, of course). I'm not really huge on highly-urbanized cities. Skyscrapers and cityscapes don't fascinate me. But Tokyo offers more than the high tech toilets, electronics, Anime, and manga. It's where you get the best of modern and historical worlds at the same time.
We went to Japan for Jan's birthday which is just in time for spring. And since it was only the first official day of spring when we landed, the weather was still chilly and temperatures dropped to as low as 4°C. I actually thought that I was prepared for that. I had 3 layers of clothes (base thermal, thick sweater, winter coat/jacket) and it still wasn't enough. Tagos sa buto ang lamig.
Nonetheless, we had a great time! To be honest, I can still recall almost everything that happened, but I don't think I will be able to narrate the details of our adventure. Although it's not a surprise that this trip is not well-documented, I'll let the pictures speak for it (yes, yes, lame excuse for being lazy).
(Note to self: next time, Sarah, please take a lot of photos so that you won't have a hard time looking for decent photos for the blog)
Our first agenda the night we got in Tokyo was, of course, to eat authentic ramen. After checking in at Sakura Hotel in Jimbocho, we went straight to Shibuya and took some photos of Hachiko and Shibuya crossing.
There were a lot of people around Hachiko's statue. But surprisingly, there were more locals than tourists who were just hanging around. Even though there was a flock, it wasn't really that hard to take a photo with Hachiko.
Nonetheless, we had a great time! To be honest, I can still recall almost everything that happened, but I don't think I will be able to narrate the details of our adventure. Although it's not a surprise that this trip is not well-documented, I'll let the pictures speak for it (yes, yes, lame excuse for being lazy).
(Note to self: next time, Sarah, please take a lot of photos so that you won't have a hard time looking for decent photos for the blog)
Our first agenda the night we got in Tokyo was, of course, to eat authentic ramen. After checking in at Sakura Hotel in Jimbocho, we went straight to Shibuya and took some photos of Hachiko and Shibuya crossing.
There were a lot of people around Hachiko's statue. But surprisingly, there were more locals than tourists who were just hanging around. Even though there was a flock, it wasn't really that hard to take a photo with Hachiko.
Hachiko |
Where to Find Snow Resorts Near Osaka (Our First Snow Experience)
By Sarah Aterrado - July 23, 2019
When we went to Japan last March, it was transitioning from winter to spring. That means, we were able to experience both snow and sakura season at the same time.
You see, even though the season was leaning toward spring, a deep-rooted fascination for snow has definitely gotten my mind fixed to experience snow by any possible means. Well, you must understand that this utmost desire to see snow is coming from someone who has spent an entire life in a tropical country and has never seen one. This Japan trip—that happens once in a blue moon—was my chance.
You see, even though the season was leaning toward spring, a deep-rooted fascination for snow has definitely gotten my mind fixed to experience snow by any possible means. Well, you must understand that this utmost desire to see snow is coming from someone who has spent an entire life in a tropical country and has never seen one. This Japan trip—that happens once in a blue moon—was my chance.