A day tour in Manila, Fort Santiago

After four days in the province, I went back to Manila to spend the rest of the remaining days of my vacation before I go back to Singapore. While in Manila aside from the usual malling and bar hopping, I continue my list of places to visit while on vacation. Tagaytay and the Manila Ocean Park concludes the list. Originally my plan was to visit Corregidor since I have never been there, but due to bar hopping the night before, I woke up late so I opted for Tagaytay instead. It's been my nth times to Tagaytay since back in college some of my dorm mates where from within the area, so every time they went home on weekends we tag along and spend hours in Tagaytay before heading to their house.

First day in Manila was spent on touring Fort Santiago in Intramuros. From the hotel, I took the LRT and alighted at Central station. From there I passed by at the Liwasang Bonifacio, and took some pictures of the leader of Katipunan with the imposing Manila Central Post Office building on the background.

Lounging in CamSur Watersports Complex

It was my first time to visit the place. Before, I did not pay much attention to the place since I am not into extreme sports. But the CWC become the in thing, and everybody was talking about, a must place to visit and experience so they say and I agree. I did not go there to try wakeboard nor stay longer, I don't need to as my house is just less than an hour away. But lounging there for few hours and watching the wakeboarders do their stuff was an entertainment. The place is picturesquely stunning.Though the wakeboarding is the main attraction, there are other watersports you can try at the complex.

Skywatch

Journey homeward

I took a week off from work and where else do I spend it, but to my Philippines specifically my hometown. Homeward is different from the usual holiday trip overseas. You just don't have to buy the plane ticket, you busied yourself days before your actual flight date buying things you bring with you to your trip. But going home specially if your away for months always bring excitement and goosebumps.

I made a list of to do things for the trip. On the list are a visit to Malacanang Palace Museum. I got a chance to visit the place way back months after the Marcoses fled the Palace and the new government turned part of the palace into a Museum and opened it to the public. I was young then so my only recollection was I got to see Imelda's thousands shoes and gowns. I thought now is my chance to really appreciates our own especially that I just recently been to two countries own, the Negara Istana of Singapore and the Reunification Palace of Vietnam. But alas the Malacanang is closed to public for the whole November for general cleaning because part of the Museum was used as the relief operation center during the Ondoy onslaught.

More on the list are the ones in my home province which where I'll be spending more of my vacation days. These two are the Caramoan Islands and the CamSur Watersports Complex. Caramoan Islands became famous because of the Survivor shows. The islands was the place where the tv show contestants outwit, outlast, and outplay each other for a million bucks. The two days since I arrived, the rain continuously to pour so the plan to go to Caramoan Islands has been crossed out on the list. Caramoan is just a two hour trip from our house, the one and half hours by sea so I was not allowed to the trip and reduced to just staying home.

These completes the places I have visited while i'm on vacation.

CWC

Fort Santiago

Manila Ocean Park

People's Park, Tagaytay

Picnic Groove, Tagaytay

Inside the Reunification Palace, Saigon

One of the places of interest in Ho Chi Minh City I have visited was the Reunification Palace. Formerly the presidential palace of South Vietnam which turned into a museum. The museum has been kept largely as it was. It was also here where the official handover of power during the fall of Saigon was held. The museum is open for a fee, I cant recall how much did I pay for the entry ticket.

Actually I had difficulty locating the place, because I was coming from behind the complex so I really can't pinpoint the building itself though I am within the vicinity. When I noticed a massive fence and assumed to be the one I was locating, I walk alongside and when I reached the corner of the frontage did I spot the building. Approaching the main gate a coconut vendor walk along with me and offer me one for free! I was astounded by his offering because by looking at him he cannot afford to sell his ware for free, though glad for the offer I refused his offer and said thank you with accompanying touristy smile. I sensed something fishy as he was very insistent so I double pace walking and only until I reached the gate that he stop pestering me.