Destinations

Daytripping Taal Heritage Town in Batangas

December 31, 2012 by Bino 8 Comments

During the Christmas holidays, I took advantage of the relatively traffic-free streets to venture on a 2-hour or so drive out to Taal, Batangas after hearing a lot of positive feedback about this relatively unknown place. The word “Taal” by itself is quite well-known mainly because of its namesake volcano but it is also the name of a town nearby. There were two things at the top of my mind that I wanted to see, the first being the Basilica of St. Martin of Tours, said to be the largest church in Asia. The second was the Villavicencio House, one of Taal’s numerous ancestral mansions, and one which I discovered through an old issue of Cebu Pacific’s Smile Magazine.

welcome to taal!

The night before the trip, I scrambled to research more about the town, and to my surprise, there was actually a long list of sights to see there. There are no less than 8 historical-mansions-turned-museums in the quaint old town of Taal. There is of course the Basilica, and there are a couple of other religious sites which can easily take up a full day’s worth of sightseeing. I left my home in Metropolitan Manila at about 7 in the morning, and managed to arrive in Taal around two and a half hours later.

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What to See & Do In Lisbon

December 15, 2012 by Bino 2 Comments

view of castelo de sao jorge from one of the miradors

Located at the western edge of continental Europe, Lisbon is rarely top of mind as far as European capitals are concerned. The center of a once mighty and glorious empire, I came with few expectations but left brimming with praise for this underrated and often overlooked destination. Buildings painted in bright shades of yellow, pink and blue, floors decked in mosaic tiles and maze-like old quarters bursting with tales from days of yore. Lisbon has a lot of attractions and exudes character that is in no way inferior to more popular European destinations and certainly deserves a few days to discover its essence.

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The Underrated City of Malaga

December 9, 2012 by Bino 2 Comments

Malaga, despite being one of Spain’s largest cities (it is the 2nd largest city in Andalucia) and a transport hub for those heading to the historical sites in Seville, Granada and Cordoba, is one of the most underrated destinations in Spain and often relegated to the obligatory one-night transit. I came here expecting nothing but was pleasantly surprised by the chill vibe, pleasant coastal scenery as well as the preponderance of great eating places across the city.

the city’s seaside is a great place for a paseo (or a stroll)… it’s lined by lots of bars and chic restaurants serving spanish fare focusing on seafood

The city is located in the costa del sol, near the southern tip of Spain. Geographically, it is closer to Africa than it is to Madrid. As Malaga is situated on the coast, its weather is milder and more pleasant than Granada or Seville, where it can get unbearably hot. This city is also the transport hub of Andalucia so getting here is a breeze. Tons of budget airlines fly to Malaga from all over Europe. In that sense, lots of people do make it here but few ever get to see the city. Those who do often stay just to sleep before transiting to beach getaways like Marbella or to Granada. I made my way to Malaga after Granada, and like most visitors, did not expect much aside from the customary transit stop. But as I discovered, Malaga does have its charms and deserves at least a day of exploration.

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Review of Bangkok’s Grande Centre Point Ratchadamri

November 26, 2012 by Bino 7 Comments

Towering skyscrapers, maze-like weekend markets, temples with shimmering spires and infamous traffic jams. Add to that the friendly locals and you’ve got the most popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia – Bangkok. The city has a little bit of everything. One can witness extremes here, from grit and chaos to luxury and refinement without moving too far in this megacity. I always look forward to visiting this city.

This being said, Bangkok offers great value for tourists – something which it has always been known for. This is where aircon hotel rooms can be had for as little as US$20, and if you move up the chain, a well-appointed suite in a 4-star hotel with kitchen, dining area and sweeping views of Bangkok could be yours for as low as US$150; there’s definitely great value no matter what one’s budget is. Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of being invited in Grande Centre Point Ratchadamri, a property which is at the higher end of the chain, for a night’s stay in one of their rooms. A rundown of how it went after the jump.

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Around the World in Bangkok’s Terminal 21 and Grande Centre Point T21

November 11, 2012 by Bino 2 Comments

There now stands a new retail development in Bangkok that not only attests but further solidifies its reputation as a travel hub in Asia. Situated in the expat Sukhumvit area, Terminal 21 is a concept retail center that has an interesting proposition to differentiate itself against the many shopping malls that already dot the cityscape. Terminal 21 is not just another shopping mall – inside, one can find zones dedicated to various far-off destinations that include the likes of the Caribbean, San Francisco, Tokyo, London and Istanbul.

another floor, another city!

Many of the stores are actually quite similar to other malls in the city but there is a section dedicated to local Thai manufacturers. Interiors-wise it is hard to beat. Each floor has its own theme. For instance, the San Francisco zone includes a replica of a lighthouse and Fisherman’s Wharf. And of course, it won’t be San Francisco without Swensen’s, which has an outlet in the mall. The Tokyo floor has 2 large statues of sumo wrestlers while the upper floors play host to a gigantic Oscar award.

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What to See in the White Town of Ronda

November 6, 2012 by Bino 1 Comment

Ronda is a classic Spanish white town and is a must-see for those seeking a change of pace from bigger cities such as Seville, Malaga and Granada. Through the years, it has captured the interest of various rulers and like much of Andalucia, has changed between Christian, Muslim and Roman hands. More recently, it has charmed the likes of Ernest Hemingway and other writers and has served as the backdrop for many seminal novels. With a strong bullfighting heritage and an unbelievably scenic setting around a deep gorge, Ronda deserves at least a day or two to be appreciated.

Like Cordoba where we came from previously, Ronda is also a popular daytrip destination, and the tourists come here in hordes due to the town’s proximity with the beach resorts of the Costa del Sol . We stayed overnight, after arriving by train from Cordoba . Ronda definitely was not the sleepy town that I had imagined. Despite having only 35,000 residents, it did feel like a much bigger city with the crowds and well-known Spanish brands having opened shop there.

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Wandering About the Historic Old Town & Grand Mezquita of Cordoba

October 20, 2012 by Bino 5 Comments

Cordoba is not a city that’s easy to forget. From the winding cobblestone alleys of the Jewish Quarter to the whitewashed walls of the houses around the old town that seemingly paints a cooler picture to the sizzling summer heat, this is a town that takes the slow lane and is mighty proud of it.

the ceiling of the mezquita in cordoba

The city is a popular pit stop for those doing the Andalucia circuit. But it’s a shame that this is mostly relegated to just a few hours’ stop. Busloads of tourists come here for just one reason, and that is to see the magnificent Mezquita of Cordoba. Personally, this was also my primary reason not just for coming to Cordoba but for going on this 2-week trip across the Iberian peninsula.

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Spanish Stereotypes in Seville

October 3, 2012 by Bino 2 Comments

Despite coming from a country (or maybe because of it) with heavy Hispanic influence, Spain really fascinated me. This interest – no, obsession – stemmed from what I thought Spain was. Bullfighting. Flamenco. Tapas. Siesta. Fiestas. There are many countries where stereotypes are just that; stereotypes. Spain however, seemed like a stereotype come alive. But of course, one gets to dig deeper and finds that there are other facets to the things we think we know about this complex European nation.

plaza de espana

Going back to the stereotypes, perhaps there is no better place in Spain to witness these than in Andalucia, or to be even more specific, in the city of Seville. It was thus just right that we started our trip down the south of Spain in Seville, one of Spain’s most important cities and one which is jampacked with things to see and do. We arrived very early in the morning after a 7 hour bus ride from Lisbon the night before.

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