Froodee

Living. Blogging.

Manila in a New Light

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Tourism-wise, the Philippines is known for its beaches. Hundreds of tourists, foreign and alike, fill airplane seats and hotel reservations as soon as vacation season sets in. However, there is certainly more to this archipelago than just white sands and palm trees. While Philippine beaches are truly nature’s wonder, this tropical country has more to offer. With its rich culture and history, one might be surprised just how much of the real Philippines is left out.

It was while channel surfing when the name Carlos Celdran was first introduced to me. He was shown on television, taking tourists to Quiapo of all places. The idea was certainly new to me. But while boxed in the frame of the camera, I soon realized the beauty and uniqueness of it. Here was Quiapo telling its story with the help of this man! I suppose it takes another person’s point of view to re-shape something so ordinary into something very colorful. Soon, his name began popping up out of nowhere and I applaud him for being such a wonderful guide. He is a modern day historian.

Recently, I chanced upon his blog while surfing the net. In it are some of his viewpoints on Manila, the capital of the Philippines, and of course, schedules of his one-of-a-kind tours. It helps that he has humor and an extensive knowledge of each and every important site in the area.

For those who are interested in experiencing Manila in a new light, Carlos Celdran has posted his August-October tour on his blog. Part of this itinerary includes a regular walking tour of the Walled City of Intramuros, San Agustin and Casa Manila. There is a note saying that the tour has slightly mature content. More information about this tour can be found here.

World’s Largest Casino in World’s Most Populated

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A Venetian style casino has just opened in Macau last August 27 courtesy of American billionaire Sheldon Adelson. The $2.4 billion resort hotel boasts of a size that is rumored to have put Las Vegas to shame. It is said to have a gaming space of 550,000 square feet, housing 3,400 slot machines — with room to expand to 6,000 — and more than 800 gambling tables. There are 3,000 rooms, a 15,000-seat sports arena, retail space for 350 stores, 1.2 million square feet of convention space, fine dining and a Cirque du Soleil-produced show.


Venetian-inspired casino in Macau
And although the casino is venetian-inspired, Chinese interiors have been incorporated. After all, the casino intends to target locals and other Chinese tourists. It seems that the Venetian is going to be quite a success as many companies have already scheduled business conventions at the casino. In fact, it is said that 44 major conventions have already been reserved at the Venetian for the next two years! Talk about getting ahead.

According to reports, it is Adelson’s dream to create a whole line of entertainment establishments in Asia for Asians. People involved in the project are saying that the sheer size of the casino just might shift the market away from Las Vegas and into Asia. While it may take some time before the Venetian fully transforms into something bigger than Las Vegas, it has certainly hit the jackpot by placing themselves in the world’s most populated country.

Cruising Along the Singapore River

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A lot of people don’t know that it was the Singapore River that built the now prosperous city of Singapore. While tourists flock from all sides of the world to marvel at the city’s attractions and stay at its lavish hotels, local residents and a few others know that a greater adventure is to be found along the ancient river. In fact, the merlion– the icon Singapore is most recognized for– originally stood guard at the river’s banks.

One of the river’s must-see checkpoints is the Boat Quay. Here lies a most interesting mix of restaurants, bars and pubs. Working professionals and expatriates always find time to drop by and enjoy themselves here. Since the 1860’s, this quay has never lost its charm for attracting people. According to the Chinese, Boat Quay is especially lucky because the south bank is in the shape of a carp belly which is believed to store weath and prosperity. I suppose someone did their Feng Shui right. ~:>

Another part of the river offers alternative entertainment for those willing to experience another side of Singapore. Although Clarke Quay contains the usual array of dining options, this is also where flea markets and antique shops parade themselves for tourists and locals alike. A more adrenaline-inducing attraction here is the G-max Reverse Bungy. It is Singapore’s first extreme ride and involves a capsule being catapulted with bungy cords. It just might prove to be the most memorable five minutes of your life. ~:>

Robertson Quay provides a more relaxed atmosphere than the two other settlements. Hotels stand close to each other along the water and there are many alfresco dining outlets, wine bars, art galleries and cafes. The environment here is a far cry from Clarke’s quirky sense of style and Boat’s pedestrian mall.

This just proves that the Singapore River is just as diverse as the pool of people that reside along it. From the Chinese, the Malays, the Indians, the expatriates, the business class, the artist-types and everything in between, there is something for each and every one of them…

Cheers! ~:>

The Beginning of the Road

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A pilgrimage need not be limited to religious devotees. While technically referring to a spiritual journey, anyone can set out on their own to find a place where they feel most at peace and fulfilled. In several books by international best-selling author Paulo Coelho, a journey called “Road to Santiago” is often mentioned. While this journey entails a romantic experience unique to every individual and at the same time real, where exactly is this road? And where exactly does it lead?

The road is actually known as El Camino de Santiago or The Way of St. James. It is a pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. This road has existed for thousands of years, paving the way for a lot of stories to be born (Legends say that the remains of St. James are buried on the site where the city Santiago de Compostela sits). During the middle ages, The Road to Santiago was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages. In fact, it was considered one of three pilgrimages on which all sins could be forgiven, ranking high alongside Jerusalem.

There are various routes to Santiago (The common ones are lined with yellow arrows to guide travelers). One of the most popular starting points is the French Way or Camino Francés. To gain entrance to hospices along the way, travelers must present proof that they are indeed bikers or hikers. This document is called the credencial and can be bought for a few euros through a Spanish tourist agency or their local church, depending on the starting location. It is also known as the Pilgrim’s Passport and can be very helpful throughout the whole journey.

Of course, the stops along the way are just as significant as the destination itself. Travelers are advised to take their time and let things fall into place naturally. Besides, rushing to get to Santiago itself will only drain enthusiasm for the actual adventure and make the whole pilgrimage pointless.

Bringing Home the Bologna

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There’s a reason why Bologna, Italy was named the European City of Culture in 2000. Through the years, it has gone through a number of nicknames that define the city’s most important aspects. Bologna has been called, “the learned one” because of its 11th century-old Bologna University, “the fat one” because of its gastronomically sensational cuisine, “the red one” because of its left-leaning politics and “the basket city” because of its overwhelming love for basketball.

While most tourists bypass this city for Florence, Milan and Venice, Bologna has much to boast of. Its very own Basilica di San Petronio is one of the largest churches in the whole world (It was originally meant to be bigger than St. Peter’s in Rome). The name of the church is named after the city’s patron saint. There is also a giant sun dial located inside. Pretty interesting for a church that possesses such a gothic and medieval architecture…

In fact, during the 12th and 13th century, Bologna had more than a hundred towers rooted on the ground. These towers were probably constructed by rich and influential families as a symbol of their power. However, there are only less than twenty remaining today. Among them are the famous Two Towers. The leaning towers themselves are considered to be symbols of Bologna. The taller one is called the Asinelli while the smaller but more leaning tower is called the Garisenda. While historical documents cannot pinpoint exactly which family had the towers built, certain pieces of literature have certainly done well to increase their mystery.

They could be sisters…!
The Two Towers have been mentioned several times by Dante in the Divine Comedy and the Rime. They have also been the subject of a poem by Giosuè Carducci as part of the Barbarian Odes.

The city has also been named a UNESCO City of Music in 2006. People from different stations of the world applaud the city’s honest drive to unite world differences through the power of music.

Thoughts Aside

The travel agencies offer cheap hotel reservations to their frequent customers. They provide reservations for many hotels for example chicago hotel reservations and also the reservations for hotels in las vegas. The travel agents also book flights to canada and flights to malaysia through malaysian airlines. The travel agents have access to airline routes to track flights for their customers. Due to the rise in tourism the travelling demands are ever increasing and more and more airlines are coming into business to cater the demands of the travelers.