Chill Sunday it is. Careerin muna natin ang day off and lets loosen up a bit. With that, I thought of sharing on my blog, some ganaps and personal faves and experiences from my travels so far. Nakaka tuwa ito, promise. Dami pictures.
First foreign city visited: Bangkok, Thailand(2010). Well, di un backpacking talaga. It was more of a touristic vacation. Sobrang takot pa ako nun mag travel. Dikit ng dikit lang ako sa kaklase ko. Tsaka first time ko mag immigration noon, sobrang praning lang baka mapag trippan. As expected, dami tanong ung immigration ng Manila. But in Bangkok, super swift. We stayed in Pratunam, near Platinum Mall, so alam na ang purpose. haha. We booked our room at Tango Vibrant Living Place, a boutique hotel costing around 1,100/pax/night with buffet breakfast. We also joined an arranged tour to Ayutthaya, which is very nice. And the best part of the trip for me is experiencing Chatuchak weekend market for the first time, and watching the SIAM NIRAMIT show/Cultural stage play. Though mahal ang ticket but it was really entertaining.
I feel na Bangkok is always a good option to go to for first timers. It is inexpensive. It is near, yet there is so much uniqueness in Thai food, culture and architecture, that is totally different from ours.
Most recent foreign city visited: If based on the most recent stamp I got, then it is Singapore for Transit. But for backpacking, it’s Oslo Norway(2016), just this month, actually; and I fell in love with the City’s Beautiful mix of Classic and Modern Contemporary Architecture. Sobrang instagram-worthy at every corner. Will post a separate entry on Oslo soon. 
Most Expensive city/town visited based on personal spending: Within the backpacking standards, definitely Reykjavik,Iceland(2016). It’s kinda expected actually. No secret naman na almost everything in Iceland are either imported, or grown from a greenhouse. Will post a separate entry on Reykjavik soon. But just an Idea, Iceland has the most expensive Airport transfer I experienced so far, at 1250 Pesos per way, for a 45 minute bus ride. Dine in and take away meals fall at an average of 600 to 800 pesos. Cheaper if you buy at the grocery and cook at the Hostel. In addition, visiting tourist spots around the island would be impossible with public transportation. Either you join the tour or rent a vehicle.
Cheapest City/town visited based on personal spending: Vang Vieng, Laos (2013), definitely!!! A guesthouse room (not shared) with a good view costs only around 450 Pesos. A whole day Kayaking, Caving and Tubing down the Mekong costs only around 500 Pesos with lunch. Food may not be the cheapest there but still, the average daily cost is super low. Kathmandu, Nepal(2014) came close din. My dorm bed there cost only 180 Pesos. I swear, and it is actually OK!
Most Beautiful City: Venice (2015) definitely, with its rustic Baroque-Renaissance Architecture and incomparable old world charm. Going around rustic, stone paved streets of Venice is like conquering a maze city; Definitely you’ll experience getting lost, which adds more to the enchantment. And given so much things to experience, Venice is actually not that expensive. Some Euro cities are far more demanding.
Most Beautiful Classical Building I’ve Visited: In terms of grandness, and proportion in relation to the setting, The Parliamentary Building, Budapest (2015) 
Most Beautiful Modern Building I’ve Visited : For the Exterior, Astrup Fernley Museum (2016) by Architect Renzo Piano. For the interior, the Oslo Opera House (2016) 
Most Beautiful Church I’ve visited: Florence Cathedral (2015) in Renaissance Style and Saint Mark’s Cathedral,Venice (2015) in ‘Baroque-Ottoman/Middle East influence’ Style. 
Most Romantic City Visited: None. I did not feel anything.
Favorite City na masarap balikan. Seoul (2012,2015) Pretty in Spring, pretty in Autumn. Relatively cheap. Relatively near. Amazing Food. Beautiful and highly fashionable people sitting beside you on the train. Streets are bursting with vibrant color. Fun and quirky cafe interiors. A lot of cute abubots and butingtings for sale that you might find useless, but are just to lovely not to buy. I rest my case.
Pinaka malayong napuntahan so far: Reyjavik, Iceland (2016) . 8 hours time difference from the Philippines.
Fave Street Food Session: New Delhi, India (2014). Bias because I love Indian Food. The taste and smell of curry and other spices excite me. When I went there, I tried my best to find the pagkain na featured ni Migrationology.com (one of my travel idols). There’s this Curry Lamb Stew in Baphe da Hotel, Delhi na hinanap ko tlga. Well, its a sit down type of street food, and it was amazing!!! Plus the Samosa, Biryani, the lamb kebabs, the masala omelette, the Gulab Jamun you find sa street… amazing!!!!
Fave Authentic Food worth Craving: Andami Syet! hmmm ok, after a bit of contemplation just now.. I’d say, Beef Rendang paired with Nasi Lemak. Malaysia (2013,2014,2015,2016) Syet, every year pala ako nakaka tungtong ng Malaysia, mostly for transit. Gustong gusto ko mga pagkain sa Malaysia kasi aside sa traditional Malay food which is either coconut based o spicy (Sambal), wide din ang choices dun ng Indian and Arab food, as well as Chinese food. Saya lang diba?
City where I splurged on food the most: Barcelona (2015) Cheap food! A lot of buffet options(lunch buffet for only 45o Pesos, sobrang dami na. free flowing pa beverages and beer also. And food scene is not super far from ours. They also have adobo and other ma-sarsa cuisines, super different from neighboring gourmet France o Germany. Also, it was my second to the last stop last year during my first Eurotrip… so maluwag na ako sa budget.
Best Pastries: Paris (2015) Pastries and breads there are of the highest quality. Pero di ako expert with pastries, actually madami din masarap sa Seoul, and are very pretty.
Best Beer: Tyskie of Poland (2015) 
Have I ever got sick during travel? Sickness from food, yes, in Siem Reap, Cambodia (2013). I went to a public market with a local whom I met there. He introduced me to a certain local cold noodle dish. His Treat! I was a bit hesitant because it is a cold dish but I was just too shy to refuse, kasi her was very accommodating. The food, I think it is called Khmer Noodles; Though it was good and peanut-ish, turned out,na I was right. My tummy wasn’t able to handle the rawness of the dish. I had recurring stomach pain that lasted for 3 days, pero tolerable naman. Moral lesson, never trust dishes that are not cooked on fire.
Worst Airport : Tinatanong pa ba yan?! Duh.. Broken walkalator, busted bulbs, no bidet spray, scammers, abusive custom officers, noisy, and worst of all, difficult terminal transfers. Madami fill up. may health card pa which I find useless. My custom declaration paper pa. ewan! samok. too much drama everywhere.
Best Airport: I lost track of my count but among them, Changi, Singapore is still the best. Yung pagpasok mo pa lang sa tube, amoy mo na ang linis at bangong kaakit akit. Seoul’s International Airport came close. Kasi may indoor pool, sauna and spa/lounge where you can stay overnight. Dubai International Airport is also OK for providing inclined chairs and functional shower rooms, not just toilets.
Minsan na ba akong na Scam? None so far. The worse na siguro is my tripod got stolen sa Agra, India. So far di pa din ako nawalan ng money o things sa dorm. Careful ako. Dito sa Philippines, yes minsan na ako na hold up ng badjao, and nawalan na din ng cellphone.
Minsan naba ako naiwan ng plane o train? Muntik na. sa flight to from Kota Kinabalu pauwi ng Manila. haha. Pero usually I prepare tlga some hours before departure. In cases na early morning flight, I sleep na sa airport. Ilang beses ko na yan nagawa sa Europe nung 2015. para maka tipid ng Hostel expense. Dinamay ko pa si Annilou Bravo nun sa Paris. haha.
Worst night in a Hostel: Yes Boss Hostel, Pajar Ganj,New Delhi (2014) There was tae in the bowl pa of my room. Owner didn’t like Filipino guests because sabi ng staff nya, his ex girlfriend was a Filipina and apparently, the girl took a lot of money daw from him. Cost of a night/250 Pesos.
Best Night in a Hostel: Buntang Guesthouse, Vangvieng, Laos (2013) I got a room all to myself with a balcony and an amazing view of the foggy valley. Cost of room, 450 Pesos.
Souvenir things that I collect: Ceramic, porcelain or resin type 3D-Ref magnets of significant architectural masterpieces that I have personally visited. Items should be of the best quality that I can find, and should be personally bought by me.
Most Memorable Moments: Dami eh. Medyo mahilig ako sa History channel so basically, dream come true tlga sa akin makatungtong sa mga historic UNESCO protected places na minsan ko lang napapanood; Lalo na’t enjoy ako mag drawing noon ng ancient buildings for our history of architecture subject. Ask me now, first thing naisip ko was ung moment I set foot on the grounds of Angkor Wat (2013) and I was just in time for sunrise. Grabe. Surreal. Same feeling din nung nahawakan ko na ang marble walls and minarets ng Taj Majal (2014), at ung una ko nasilayan from afar ang Parthenon sa Athens (2015),oa, pero naging emotional ako nun ng light.
Memorable din sa akin nung free day ko sa Venice (2015), and I just walked around the city endlessly, hanggang sa naabutan ako ng ulan so nakisilong ako sa isang waterfront building na inaayos that time. 1 hour din ako nag antay. walang gawa. observe2x lang ng palibot, pero masaya ung feeling, kasi yung thought na minsan ko lang pinangarap mag Venice, and there I was, actually feeling the cool breeze and the rain in a historic city I once just dreamed of visiting.
Current Dream Destination: Istanbul, Cairo, Alexandria, Petra, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Colombo, Bhutan, Rio de Janeiro, Sau Paolo, Lima, Mexico City.
Luang Prabang, Yogyakarta, Tokyo and Osaka are nearby dream destinations that I purposely reserve, on the hopes na baka meron ako pwede kasama dun na someone special. Pero atik lang =)
#3 Hansy Beer of Vienna, Austria. Concocted by a local Viennese restaurant Gasthaus Hansy that brews their own beer, this lager beer is surely served fresh and crisp. Tripadvisor has good rating for this restaurant, and the beer as well.
#4 Mythos Beer of Greece. 4.7% to 5% Alcohol. As per some reviews, some find it too mild. But I find it good actually. Perfect to pair with meaty street food around Athens.
#5 Staropramen Beer of Prague Czech Republic. This is among Prague’s Decent Bohemian Pilsen, that is balanced to the milder side
G Menabrea Beer of Italy
Kronenbourg of France
Pilsner Urquell of Czech Republic
This list is really just a fraction of Beer names around Europe. Will I be updating the list on my next visit? We’ll see. =)
Although this Roman Catholic Church is relatively new (completed 1905), the church impressively stands at the middle of the a crossing that its tallest towers can splendidly be seen from blocks away. It effortlessly became one of my favourites. The church also has one of the most impressive altars I have seen, to which I shall be featuring on a separate post. Architectural Style : Neo Classical
Here is another cathedral named after St. Stephen, that is amazing it its own right. The original structure was completed 1160, and underwent a number of restorations due to fire and war. However, the structural and most of its facade and details remain original. The most amazing feature of the church is probably its tiled roof with geometric patterns, that is unlike any other. Architectural Style : Gothic
Original structure completed 1344, the church completely embodies the Goth-bohemian character of Prague with its impressive exterior embellishments. The facade still has burn marks on the walls from several fire accidents of the past, to which somewhat gave the church a story to tell. Architectural Style: Gothic
St Mary’s of Krakow is a unique Brick-Cladded church, originally built in the early 13th century. The very tall church proudly stands like two guardians. Krakow is among the most beautiful towns I have visited; And indeed, its church and square has one of the most beautiful setting. By tradition, a golden trumpet is blown every full hour from the window of the higher tower. This is still practiced until today. Architectural Style: Gothic
Barcelona Cathedral(Original Structure constructed 1298 to 1420) is another Gothic church with a beautiful set up, worthy of praises. The Spanish steps elevated the church to a more impressive view and an ethereal feel. Although the Sagrada Familia is the more famous, it is yet to be completed and there are cranes and lifts around its towers. Based on perfect setting, this church is the most beautiful in Barcelona. Architectural Style: Gothic
The Notre-Dame de Paris was among the first buildings to use the flying buttress, or the additional reversed L shaped support placed on the outer side walls for further stability, and later became part of the design pattern. The box type bell towers at the front also made the church distinct from others. And who doesn’t know Victor Hugo’s Hunchback of Notre Dame? Architectural Style: Gothic
I must admit that the 90’s movie ‘Madeline’ did have an impact for me to like this church so much. =) Architectural Style: Neo clasical
The Pisa Cathedral is probably the oldest in the list (construction started 1064). The baluster-like posts at the facade are each made of solid white marble, and most of the original posts were picked by the Romans from the ruins of Greece. Behind this church is the famous leaning tower. Architectural Style: Romanesque.
Romanesque (pre-gothic time)was prevalent especially in the 11th and 12th centuries and characterized by massive walls, round arches, and relatively simple ornamentation and less window openings since structural design are yet to be further developed during that time.
Milan Cathedral, Italy (Construction started 1836). With the capacity of 40,000 pax, Milan Cathedral is the 2nd biggest, next to St. Peter’s in Vatican. And with 3,400 statues, 135 gargoyles and 700 figures in all, Milan Cathedral has the most impressive number of decorative statues. Impressive in every angle, this church easily because one of my favourites. Architectural Style: Gothic
St Mark’s Cathedral (Construction started 1084). Located in the East Isles of Italy, Venice shared a lot of its history with the Turks, as such, the Byzantine Architecture is very evident on the city’s most celebrated church. The Gold facade embellishments, pointy arches and mosaic art frescos and colored glass chandeliers are among the adopted characters from the Turks, and have clearly made this catholic church a ‘one of a kind’. Architectural Style: Byzantine
The Stripe Church of Monterosso (Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista – Church of St John Baptist, Monterosso al Mare, 14th Century). Standing at the Seaside town of Monterosso, Ligurian Region of Italy, the church is really a stand out on this list for its Stripe black and white walls and impressive rose window. Though the relatively unknown of the group, the seaside church (and the whole Cinque terre, infact) is worth a visit. Architectural styles: Renaissance architecture
With such intricately detailed exterior, Florence Cathedral honestly got my spot for most beautiful facade on this list. The Photo does not give enough justice, as this church is truly ethereal and stunning in actual (nakaka-lula in tagalog). Living up to the principles of Renaissance art, the cathedral itself is an a masterpiece of when Italian art and knowledge was at its most glorious days. Architectural styles: Renaissance architecture
St. Vitus Cathedral
A commemorative medallion installed outside the house of a victim during Prague’s Nazi regime. This memoir can be found Though out east and central Europe.
Prague’s Old Town Square. See the impressive St Nicholas Church, Tyn Cathedral and Old Town Hall and pause to admire the world-famous Astronomical Clock, with its mechanical procession of 12 apostle figurines.
Wenceslas Square is one of the business centre of old Prague. 
The Dancing House building by Ar. Frank Gehry has a very non-traditional design, and was controversial at its time because the house stands out among the Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings for which Prague is famous.
KOLENO is roast pork knee (or knuckle) in big portion, a dish that’s also common in Czech cuisine. 
VEPŘO-KNEDLO-ZELO – roast pork (vepřová) with bread dumplings (knedlíky) and stewed cabbage, or sauerkraut (zelí), a classic Czech dish
Fish dish in vegetable-laden gravy, typically made with herbs and root veggies like carrots, celeriac, parsley root.
Other fun stuff in Prague =)
A Walking along the Danube River as well offers the best view of Hungarian Architecture.
The Chain Bridge is one of the rustic links between the west bank of Buda and and the east bank of Pest.
St. Stephen (Budapest Cathedral)
Walk around the artsy – bohemian neighborhood
A Bathhouse that has been standing even before WW2 and is still perfectly beautiful ’til today. 
Goulash is a staple food for Hungarians. It is basically beef (or chicken) in paprika and other seasonings.
Pörkölt and Paprikás -The word pörkölt literally means ‘roasted’ and the dish is made of beef, pork, lamb, chicken, pork or liver (varieties depend on the region) cooked with onion, paprika and other spices, resulting in a juicy dish served with another Hungarian gastro-curiosity, the nokedli (egg noodle dumpling). (Wiki)
Never leave a country without tasting a local bee. Here are Soproni and Arany of Budapest.
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