Best Places to Vacation at Christmas Time

Best Places to Vacation at Christmas Time


Christmas in just around the corner and people often wonder about where to find the best places to vacation at Christmas time. There are basically two places that one can go to and have the most fun. They are --- in Sydney, Australia and in Dubrovnik, Southern Croatia.

Sydney, Australia


Some travelers often say that the best place to spend the holidays is in Australia, where people stay outdoors to enjoy the summer weather. Just a few weeks before Christmas, houses and public places are already decked with Christmas trees, Carols are sung by Candlelight to give solemnity to the season, and festivities are held in local churches and communities. Many Australians spend the holidays at the beach or in camping grounds to enjoy the special Christmas delicacies and to exchange gifts.


Sydney is Australia’s most famous city which inspires people to visit during the Christmas holidays. It is where you find the World Heritage site of the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Taronga Zoo and the Sea Life Aquarium with its unique animals and marine life, and the ever popular Bondi Beach with its turquoise waters, white sands, and gently flowing waves. These beautiful images never fail to attract tourists to this cosmopolitan city to experience its diverse culture, heritage, and its various sporting and cultural events. 


Sydney's Iconic Christmas Feast 


Spending Christmas in Australia is not typical as it comes at the beginning of the hot summer months, where hot roast dinners are not served and cold turkey, ham, seafood, green salads, cold custard pudding, and ice cream are standard fare. The popular Christmas dessert is a meringue-based cake with whipped cream and fresh fruits that are served during parties and gatherings.


There is so much to do in Sydney - you can catch a ferry cruise ride from Sydney Harbour to Manly, or enjoy spectacular events, like Mardi Gras, the Sydney Festival, and the fireworks display on New Year's Eve among many others. Shopping is a delight for many travelers or any local since international brands are available in many trendy malls and boutiques along the city.


Sydney’s streets are festive with bright lights and decors including the digital projections in the historic Martin's Place. To cap the Christmas holidays, visit the night markets for gifts and the Pitt Street Mall to hear angelic Christmas carols.

Dubrovnik, South Croatia


Another must-see place during the Christmas holidays is the enchanted city of Dubrovnik. It is the so-called paradise on earth as well as the Pearl of the Adriatic. It is a stunning city in Southern Croatia, a stone-throw away from the Adriatic Sea. A visit to Dubrovnik is a historic trip into the past. It is known for its Old Town that is encircled by humongous stone walls that were constructed in the 16th century. 


There are many historical buildings and museums in this UNESCO World Heritage site, and going there is like a trip into ancient history. Among the historic structures are the Church of St. Blaise, the Renaissance Sponza Palace, and the Gothic Rector's Palace. The streets are paved with limestone and the plaza is lined up with iconic restaurants and shops.


Where to Stay in Dubrovnik


There are many accommodations in Dubrovnik, from 1 star to 5-star hotels. Among the more famous ones are The Pucic Palace, Villa Dubrovnik, Royal Princess Hotel, Hotel Kazbek, Grand Villa Argentina, Hotel Bellevue Dubrovnik Hotel and many others. There are many other hotels in the Old Town and a few more around the town, but they are relatively more expensive. The mid-range hotels or those that are less expensive are found along the Lapad and Babin Kuk Peninsula, situated in the western city of the city. There are many hotels to choose from, depending on your needs and budget. Accommodation is never a hindrance to enjoying the Christmas season on this Old Town of Dubrovnik.



Photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org/


#australia
#dubrovnik
#christmasholiday
#travel
#vacation

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Copyright: csmiravite 2016

DAY TOUR AROUND THE CITY OF PALAWAN

Vietnamese mangoes in Palawan

The daughter planned it to the minute detail ---Firefly Tour, Museum Tour, Honda Bay, dolphin watching,  and a city tour by ourselves. But, the unexpected can happen. She had a bum stomach on the day of our Honda Bay tour. Kaya ayun, nawala yung splash-splashy waters ko.

I toured the city by myself and found some interesting things and places to go. Like mangoes with pointed ends. The vendor informed me that mangoes from Palawan cannot be taken out of the place since some farms are infected with pests. Hence, the local government banned all mangoes from going out of Palawan. We can only consume the fruits when we are in the city. Matamis siya at wala naman uod!

I bought a bottle of honey from the seller of a homegrown bee farm, and they taste delicious unlike the ones that we buy in Manila. It's fresh and I had a good time spiking my coffee with it. However,the airport team had me transfer the honey to a plastic bottle. They don't allow bottles in the plane, among other things. I got blimped too, when I entered the inspection unit, and had to remove my watch to get passed it. 

Cats in the dining area of Natua Cabin

My daughter is a cat person and they instinctively follow her wherever she is  --- UP Dorm, the house at Las Pinas, and in the Palawan Lodging house where we stayed. These two cats followed her around whenever we have breakfast. They purr contentedly whenever she feeds them. At home, she has cats and a big dog to play around with. Being an only child, she had pet animals for playmates. She was fondly called --- Mari-cat, when she was a toddler due to her fondness for felines.

 

Native bag for pasalubong

We bought pasalubong - t-shirts, knick-knacks, bags, and tsitsiria for everybody back home. So, we needed a big bag to carry all the stuff. We had to handcarry everything to get out of the airport fast. This nifty bag is great to stuff all things for only P200.

A stall  selling differents products

When we  arrived  around lunch time, June  15, there  was a parade  along  the main road. There was a singing contest and a rock session in the evening. Stalls were found in the area selling indigenous products. The festival was aptly named, "Baragatan sa Palawan" --- meaning, a meeting place of townfolks to celebrate a bountiful harvest.

The festive entryway to the Baragatan Festival in the Capitolyo.

The City Hall became a showcase for the products of the entire province ---- wood carvings, accessories/ pearls, dried fish, fruits, local delicacies, and many other things.

Stall from Cuyo. --- very filipino!

Cuyo stall - frontside

Wood carvings on display in one of the stalls

We didn't have a schedule for a day tour, as we planned to roam around the place by ourselves. But, the Honda Bay tour was cancelled (due to daughter's tummy ache), so we joined the day tour instead.What can I say?  It was fun!

More pics to follow...   :)

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Onli in da Pilipins: A Writer's Journal
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ICONIC SITES AND PLACES IN PILA, LAGUNA

Old house in the town with the Philippine flag, in observance of Independence Day 

Pila is a third class municipality in the province of Laguna. It was declared as a National Historic Landmark by the Philippine Historic Institute in May 17, 2000. The town was cited as the center of culture and trade during the pre-Hispanic era and considered as one of the country's oldest town.

The Municipal Government or the Munisipyo

The  local municipal goverrnment is situated near the town plaza.It was renovated a few years back and depics the olden structure look, which is typical of the place. Buntings surround the buiding in preparation for the June 12 Philippine Independence Day.

The town plaza

The town plaza is at the center of commerce, church and the local government.Rustic and olden houses surround the area. The place looks like a trip to the olden days, where time stood still.

The plaza is  infront of the school - Liceo de Pila. 

The secondary school --- Liceo de Pila is just across the town plaza.Iterant vendors selling street foods and fruits are found near the school. The court serves as a recreation area for kids to play basketball.

Historic houses  that are well-preserved still exist in this town

Going to this place is like a walk back to the turn of the century. Olden houses can be found along the main thoroughfare and in the secondary streets of the town.

Mode of transportation --- jeepneys and tricycles

Jeepneys ply the streets and tricycles go to the innermost barrios and sitios. However,new developments were introduced--- like having a 7-11 store and a Mercury Drugstore at the center of the town. Let us hope that no other modern structures are added to destroy the quaintness of the place.

The plaza as school playground

The plaza is used as recreation area by students of nearby schools. You can see them playing volleyball and badminton. Some use it as a study area --- doing their assignments and discussing school activites.

The small town of Pila, Laguna is pulsing with activities.It is full of life and grandiosity like any grand old dame of the pre-war era!

It i just a bus trip away Come and visit!

#Pila_Laguna

#travel

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Onli in da Pilipins: A Writer's Journal
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Trip to Palawan Underground River

Palawan Subterranean River underground Park
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

MOMMY AND DAUGHTER BONDING TIME
@ Palawan

A few months ago, my daughter and I decided to go to Palawan for a 3 days, 2 nights trip via the piso fare of Cebu Pacific.

The D-Day is fast approaching and we haven't decided yet on the iterinary. We have to  booked now, so we can still take advantage of the discounts given by booking agents.

Since we both work as freelance writers, finding the time to go on an out of town trip can be difficult and taxing. We always have work and deadlines to meet, with barely enough time for other things.

Firefly Watching
Photo credit: tripadvisor.com

I have a freer time as compared to my kid, since I don't rely much on online work for my upkeep. But, the kid has a pool of clients, and her deadlines are frenetic.

As it is, the iterinary has been pushed so many times, that we now only have a few more weeks before flight time.

I look forward to this trip and I hope to take great shots of the site. I like to see the fireflies and the underground caves, among other things. Let us see if I get lucky  to see bats flying around.

Ka Lui Restaurant, Puerto Prinsesa, Palawan
Photo credit: Kohphai.com

Reading about Palawan, made me salivate...

"Palawan has recently been named as the country’s top draw for Best Island for Travelers in 2013 by the Travel and Leisure magazine. It has outranked other places on the travel list --Maui in Hawaii and Santorini in Greece, among many others. The place grabbed the limelight as official “it place” after the Puerto Princesa Underground River was designated as one of the seven wonders of nature in the world."

Here's hoping for a wonderful summer vacation in Palawan!

#palawan_underground_river
#palawan_firefly_watching

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Onli in da Pilipins: A Writer's Journal
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The Historic Symbols of UP Diliman: UP Carillon

Going to UP Diliman is like taking a walk into its historic past. No other structure can symbolize UP more (other than the Oblation) than the towering 130 feet carillon.

The UP carillon consists of 36 newly installed stationary bells that are sounded off using a computerized mechanism. The sound, marks off each hour of the day and plays music every 5pm.

The initial bell carillon was inaugurated in 1952 by then President Elpidio Quirino. It was built under the supervision of renowned architect and National Artist (1973), Juan Napkil.

Forty six bells were initially installed, with the largest bell weighing five tons. This was recently replaced by thirty six new bells that can be played automatically at pre-set hours.

Recently, I had the chance to visit this historic symbol and noted the changes that were made over the years. It looks better now and the ringing of the bells at 3pm (the time I was there) was uplifting and glorious.

One of the donors, former Mayor Jejomar Binay

There is just one addition  that made us (daughter and I) aware of present realities. At the bottom part of the structure were the spiked adverts of its donors --- one of them was there in bold print, and cast in stone: Jejomar Binay, Mayor of Makati!

Political realities can sometimes be amusing!


Onli in da Pilipins: A Writer's Journal
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