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By: Harrold Lee

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A Memorable Taiwan Trip

By: Harrold Lee

Have you ever been to Taiwan? If not, then it is a must to go. Taiwan is an island located directly east of China and northeast of the Philippines. Although it is small country, it is known for its modern cities and culture. Based of from my experience when we went there last March 22-28, 2018 for a study tour, Taiwan is a very fun and exciting place to be in. There are so many places to go to such as Taipei 101, night markets and many more. Today, I am going to share my experience during the first two days in Taiwan.

When we arrived in Taiwan, I first realized how nice and beautiful their airport was. The people there were also very friendly and kind because luckily they understood English. Once we got pass all the immigration and got our luggages, we were separated into two different buses and went straight for lunch.

After lunch, we went to our first destination which is Chang Kai Shek Memorial. Chang Kai Shek Memorial was a very beautiful. When we got there, we went through these giant white gates which leaded us to a temple-like building. This building shows the history of Chang Kai Shek, who was the first president of Taiwan, and had, something like a show, the changing of guards every hour. These guards would stand still for almost an hour and they would almost look like statues.

The next stop was Taipei 101. If you are ever going to Taiwan this is a must see. Taipei 101 was once one of the tallest buildings in the world. You can go to the observation deck and overlook Taipei, but this is best during night so that you can see how colorful Taipei is. Sadly, we were not able to go to the observation deck due to the lack of time.

The next stop was a place called Ximending shopping area. It is had several stores such as Adidas, Uniqlo and many more. I recommend going to this place for those who like shopping. After this, we went to have dinner and soon after to our hotel. The hotel we stayed in was called First Hotel. Its not the best but it was a great place to stay in. This ends our first day.

On the second day, we had breakfast in the hotel. Our first stop of the day was Yeliu Geo Park. When we got there, they showed us a video telling us the histroy of Yeliu Geo Park and I was really amazed to find out that nature can make such boring old rocks to something beautiful. These rocks were named based from how it looks and it really looks like what it is called. One example was the “Queen’s Head Rock” and it really looked like the Queen’s head.

The next stop was Jiufen old village. When we arrived there, we walked up the side of the mountain, which was very tiring, for around 30 mins to have lunch in a au thentic Taiwanese restaurant. After lunch,  area. They transformed an entire street into a market where they sold food and several items related to different anime characters. After our shopping, we went back down the mountain and went to Shifen village.

At Shifen village, we first went to a waterfall. The waterfall was very nice and by it there were many food stalls. After this, we went to a certain place, which was by a railroad, where they flew sky lanterns. We went in a store where people come to choose their sky lantern. We also had to write on the side of the lantern our wishes. They believe that when they write their wishes on the lantern and let it fly, their wishes will come true. Once we finished writing our wishes, we went outside to fly our lanterns. We held our lanterns and the staff would light it up. We let go of our lanterns and warched it as it flew up into the air. After this, we left Shifen and went for dinner. Then, we went back to the hotel. This ends our second day.

Overall, I would recommend everyone to go to Taiwan. It is really a fun and interesting experience place to be in.

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This is one of the places that looks good even without my face in it.

By Timothy Uy

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Going to Japan for the first time

I believe that today was the start for a new exploration to a country I haven’t personally went to. That is going to Japan. I was feeling a bit excited as I always wanted to go to Japan and see what it is like there. So me, my mom, my brother, my four cousins, my two aunts, and my grandmother went to the airport, rode the plane which departs at about early morning, and arrived at Japan at around afternoon.

During the plane flight, I had a great time as there was a TV which can be used for gaming, watching, music and the like and there were even provided headphones. However, despite all of this, I fell asleep. When I woke up, we have already arrived at Japan. The first thing I noticed when I got of the plane was that it was cold even with the jacket I had put on somewhere during the last minutes of the flight. After immigration and check out of our luggage, we went to the place we were going to stay at which is a rented apartment. The door has been locked and the keys are in the locker attached to the door. The code for the locker is required to open it and we have it. The funny thing is that the code we were given is wrong. This means we were stuck outside of the room. This lasted for 15 minutes. My auntie asked the code giver, a.k.a the one who rented the apartment to us, for the correct code. Fortunately, she gave it to us and we were able to go in. The room was cool, at least for me, as I have not seen anything like it before unless you count the anime and books I have seen. So for the rest of the day me, my brother, my four cousins, and my grandma stayed in the room while my aunts and my mom went out to look for food which they will bring to the room for us to eat.

Skip to day 4 of the trip, we went to Universal Studios. I was happy to go there as I heard that it was nice and fun and I also wanted to see what are the things available there. The rides we rode were Spiderman’s ride, Backdraft, Harry Potter’s ride which is personally one of my favourite things in the park, and the Minions’ ride. We tried the Jurassic park one, but it was full and and was actually hot enough, despite the temperature rating saying it is 18 degrees Celcius, to make someone pass out. At the end of the day, we were all exhausted but happy and satisfied with the rides we rode the souvenirs we bought in the park.

Skip again to day 7, the last day. This is the final day we had. So, we all went to buy what we wanted to buy in the last moment’s notice and we headed to the airport at around one pm. After check-in and immigration, we ate lunch at the airport. It was a bit sad as we would be leaving Japan, missing its cold, peaceful, and cool environment that we don’t have in the Philippines, and each other. So after lunch, we boarded the plane which was similar to the first plane we rode. We arrived at Manila at around six pm, saying our good byes and take cares to each other, and saying hello to my dad and Manila.

By Adrian Dionisio

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by Bernyce Dy

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My Father and I

By: Shawn Reaport

                While talking in the dinner table, a topic that I love came. Two months later I was riding my car going to the airport. My most recent trip is with my father. It wasn't a vacation trip but it was a business trip. The trip was to organize my grandmother's bank account to pass it down to my father and his siblings. This wasn’t the first time I went abroad with my father. 

                In the first day, I woke up in 4:30 in the morning realising I have to prepare early. My flight to HongKong is 8:30 so I have to get ready fast. We left 6:00 in the morning not eating breakfast anymore because our maids are still asleep. We arrived in the airport 6:30am. My dad and I ate at cafe France and we waited for the airport attendant to announce our plane's boarding. While waiting, I contacted my cousin, Bernyce. She was in Taiwan when I was leaving for HongKong. We talked about what’s happening there in the study tour. When I put down my phone, the airport attendant announced our plane's boarding. The flight took about two and a half hours and we arrived in HongKong. We rushed to our hotel because we have an appointment in a bank in a half an hour. As we arrived in our hotel, we rest for a while then we started walking to the bank. I met my grandmother and my two aunties there in the bank. I waited in the bank for about 15 minutes then my father went our of the room. He told me that we should eat lunch. We found a nearby Jolibee and ate there. The food is exactly the same at the Philippines but it was more expensive. After we went back to the bank and I waited for 45 minutes. After the meeting in the bank, we went to another bank and I waited for 2 hours. I was lucky that I brought my iPad with me. After we ate dinner near our hotel and then we rest for the whole night. I actually did not rest. I slept in 12:00pm because I was addicted to a game that I haven’t played for a long time. This was 8-Ball Pool. I got too much money then in the end I wasted it all. After that I felt that I wanted to shut down and yes I did.

                In day two, I woke up in around 7:30am then we quickly went down to the nearest restaurant for our hotel. After we quickly went to the other banks we had to go and we did our business. It took the whole day again then we ate dinner at Din Tai Fung in Causeway Bay. After we went straight back to the hotel and rested for the whole night.

                In day three, I woke up in around 8:30am and we ate breakfast in our hotel. Afterwards we went shopping for things my mother and my family needs. My father and I separated with my grandmother and my father's sisters and we went shopping on our own. Fist we went to Times Square which we bought some appliances for my father. I also bought some things for myself. Afterwards, we had lunch in a small restaurant we always go every trip to HongKong. Then we continued shopping then we went back to our hotel to drop off the things we bought because it was getting heavy. Afterwards, we went to my grandmother and my father's siblings and we have dinner and went back to our hotel. We slept afterwards. 

               In the last day, I woke up in around 9:30am and we had breakfast in our hotel. Afterwards, we went straight to the airport. We boarded our plane in around 5:30pm and arrived back to Manila in around 7:00pm. 

               Overall, I realized that going on a trip with my dad was very enjoyable. I usually go abroad with my whole family but I feel that going with my dad only is very fun. Other than business purposes, I had a very nice opportunity to bond with my dad and I took it. Even though sometimes I do not have anyone to talk to, I can bond with my dad instead than playing my gadgets.

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The Great Drive

By Timothy Uy

What is your idea of an enjoyable vacation? Do you prefer a quiet and uncrowded place to relax or a very crowded metropolis with worldwide brands and a lively nightlife? Different people have different preferences, but according to experience, natural landmarks and sceneries are something most people would agree on, including me. You could even say that it’s the most suitable place for a vacation. And judging from my experience, my roadtrip all the way to the Grand Canyon was my best vacation yet, not only because of the destination, but also because of the journey. Last July 2017, me, together with my family and my aunt’s family, went on a road trip to one of the seven wonders of the world. It was a round trip that started in Houston, Texas. I was very excited but at the same time not knowing what to expect since I’ve never been on a road trip. On the first day of the trip, we left at noon and before dawn reached the city of San Antonio. We toured the city for a while and spent the night there. The next day, we left San Antonio as I observed the changing landscape from urban to country. We then arrived at a ranch where we spent the day learning some cowboy tips and observing the animals there. After that we checked in into a nearby hotel. The next few days saw the same pattern: a brief visit to a place and changing hotels almost every night. We even drove along the famous Route 66. By this time the landscape has changed to a sandy place with rocky formations. After 4 full days, we finally arrived at the Grand Canyon. By this time, we have already been through 3 states.

The trip was enjoyable but it wasn’t easy and often was uncomfortable. But then as I stood there and saw the view, I had remembered why we did this. It was a breathtaking view with unique rock formations and clear skies with clean air. There we did many activities such as sightseeing and biking on top of the Grand Canyon. It felt like a breath of fresh air as I connected with nature even in a place with relatively many people.

After a few days, we prepared to go back. We used a similar route going back, but this time we stopped at some other places, like an emerald blue lake for a swim and the Antelope canyon, which is another beautiful rock formation. After 12 full days out in the road, we finally arrived home. The trip was truly unique and deeply meaningful to me. Although I would always want to buy nice hyped products for a cheap price whenever I’m abroad, this trip didn’t even need any souvenirs for remembrance. It wasn’t only the Grand Canyon that was memorable, but also the journeys and stop overs. I’ve learned about different cultures and have gotten a glimpse of people’s lifestyle from different places. Not to mention about the different food I have tasted too.

Really, it’s all about the journey. So whatever place you pick, the journey will help in building up the mood and aura of the trip. Travel guides or travel agencies are not really necessary anymore whenever traveling. Lastly, just let the beauty of nature and different cultures entertain you and bring you closer with your family in your road trips/vacations. (Disclaimer: This is not to expose or put travel businesses to shame

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By: Hannah Ong

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By Josiah Tomas

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Wonders of Luzon

by Josiah Tomas

Philippines is known for its beautiful beaches, adventurous road trips, and amazing food. Most of these beautiful places are in Visayas and Mindanao. But that doesn’t leave Luzon out, this island doesn’t just have wonderful places and best road trips but also bizarre food.

It was December 12, 2018 our family was packing up for Baguio to meet my relatives and celebrate Christmas. When I arrived Baguio, it felt like my second home because I felt very cozy there. I thought our family was going to just celebrate Christmas like every year but this year was special. At the first day of Baguio there was nothing special. We just met relatives that we didn’t see for almost a year. But on the second day, it was special because it was Christmas day. We celebrated Christmas every year, and every year I experience the same happiness I felt every year. It wasn’t the food but it was the fellowship we had every year.

On the third day, I thought we were going to Manila already but my mom said that we were going on a road trip, our first stop was Paoay. We went there to visit the infamous Sand Dunes. When we arrived, it was pretty interesting and straightforward, basically 4-5 people were suppose to ride on a 4x4 and venture in the sand. It wasn’t just plain sand but we went head on to a 15-feet sand slope. That wasn’t the only fun part, because we also tried sand boarding and its basically going on top of a sand mountain, using the board you stand on it and try to balance yourself as you go down the mountain. After a few tries, I got the hang of it and it became pretty fun. Overall it was a fun, tiring, and worthwhile moment. After that we went to the Paoay church so that we could go sight seeing. It was actually established on 1710 and it was still standing up to that day. After that we were hungry so we tried the famous “Pinakbet Pizza” which delicious because of the little flavor bombs it gave. After that we stayed the night in a hotel and continued our road trip going to La Union. When we felt the freezing weather, we didn’t bother swimming in the beaches. So what we did instead was to stay inside the hotel and reflect on the past few days. When it came to dinner time, the nostalgic memories came back to me because of the fellowship our family had.

Overall this was one of my favorite moments I had with my family. This trip gave my family a chance to be closer with one another. I realize that it’s not the place that’s special but it’s the people you go with.

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A trip in Manhattan

by: Hannah Ong

Before we left for our trip, I had many thoughts about the places that New York City, the largest city in the U.S., is famous for like the Statue of Liberty and the Rockefeller Center. It is said that this city has plenty of historic monuments, tall buildings, and countless dazzling skyscrapers. Besides the architectural delights, New York is also a home to numerous museums, parks, and shopping streets. I kept imagining myself being in those places. I even packed all my things a month before the trip. I’ve packed a lot of colorful clothes with a set of different accessories each. I’ve also thought about the shoes I will wear. A few days later, it was time to leave, and I was already prepared. When I got there, I couldn’t imagine that I was already walking on the streets of New York with the cold winds blowing through my clothes. I even wore 3 layers of clothing, yet it was still cold due to the Christmas season.

On our first day, we ate in Shake Shack, a famous local fast food restaurant in the city. We then explored Times Square, this place is known for its many Broadway theaters like Hamilton and Wicked. We also enjoyed a lot of tasty street food from different cultures along the day. On our second day, we visited the Statue of Liberty by riding a boat going to Liberty Island. We then visited Central Park wherein we rode a vehicle similar to a tricycle with someone touring us around the area. The tour guide said that Central Park was famous for appearing in a lot of movies such as Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, The Ghostbusters, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Avengers, Stuart Little, and many more. We also found out that New York City was Donald Trump’s hometown. We then skated in the Wollman Rink at night. For our third day, we walked passed by the Flatiron Building and Wall Street on our way going to the Brooklyn Bridge. We also ate in a ramen restaurant on the way wherein they are famous for their spicy ramen. On our fourth day, we visited the Rockefeller Center and Madison Square Garden wherein we watched a jaw-dropping NBA game because the two teams had a close score. It was a game between the New York Knicks against the Boston Celtics. Since we’ve spent our New Year there, we watched the event held in Times Square. There were star-studded New Year’s Eve concerts surrounded by a lot of LED screens. This event was even held live on television. After New Year, we had 4 days left in New York, so we walked around and went shopping in some outlets. I bought a lot of clothes in Zumiez, my favorite store in the U.S., e.g. hoodies, t-shirts, and bracelets. We also went to an Adidas outlet store and my whole family bought an Ultraboost. Finally, our last day came and we had to say goodbye. We woke up early to go to the airport. While I was in the plane I said to myself, “I will never forget this memorable trip.” I would definitely want to go back there and capture more memories!

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An Unfrogettable Trip

by Lorenzo Ang

Have you even went to Hong Kong? 7 years ago, my trip to Hong Kong was the first trip I had abroad. I was only 7 years old when I went to Hong Kong.

An early morning, my family and I went to the airport to catch our flight to Hong Kong. Our airline was Cathay Pacific. When we arrived at Hong Kong, it was relatively cold. When we got out of the airport, we first went to our hotel to leave our luggage in our rooms. We went outside to find a place to buy water since we did not have any water in the first place. We stayed at Hong Kong for five days. Every morning, we would only eat at McDonalds since there were no close restaurants that sold breakfast meals. The first three days, we only went to the malls and shops nearby. One night, we went to a small restaurant and were able to eat the Yang Chow fried rice which tasted really good. On the fourth day, we went to Disneyland. We went to almost all the rides in Disneyland. We were also able to see the fireworks from afar. On the fifth day, we only went to the nearby malls. Our vacation had finally come to an end. We got to the airport and got back to the Philippines at around one in the morning.

The experience of going to Hong Kong for the first time was very exciting. You get to taste the delicious food and enjoy the sights there. I would recommend that you would go to Hong Kong one day if you still haven't yet. The trip was fun and the experience would be something unforgettable.

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The Land of Smiles

    The sweet sound of “Sawadika!” will reverberate as you roam around the busy streets in Thailand.  To the locals,  Sawadika always goes in tandem with a gentle bow and a ready smile. The hospitality of the locals and the beauty of the country are the things that struck me the most during my own vacation to Thailand, the Land of Smiles.

    I was not able to remember everything that happened during my family’s short five day vacation, but one of the things that made an impression on me was the day we visited one of the many markets that dot the streets of busy Thailand. Many of these markets grow to become large and sprawling complexes filled to the brim with stalls selling clothing, handicrafts, ceramics, furniture, and food. One such example is the busy and famous Chatuchak weekend market, which is composed of over 8000 stalls, sprawling over 35 acres. My experience in the small, out of the way, open air market that we visited was a slightly different one, but it was just as fulfilling. My family and I visited the market to buy some food and to have some lunch. We ate a good variety of assorted seafood for lunch, and while my mother went to buy more food to bring home, I sat at the table, reading my book while breathing in all the delicious aromas of the food stalls surrounding the eating area. After several more hours of relaxing, we went home, refreshed from the unique dining experience.

    After a few more hectic days of shopping, and buying goods, my family and I decided to slow down and get to learn more about the history and culture of Thailand. On the last day of our vacation, we visited the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. This museum is just opposite the MBK shopping mall, and it is near the National Stadium station of Thailand’s BTS transit network. It includes cafes, bookshops, craft shops, and a surprisingly extensive art collection. Sculptures and statues stand, saluting and welcoming museum visitors on the first floor. Walking quickly to the second floor, we stopped to admire the extensive collection of photos on Thailand’s wildlife. The photos plastered all over the walls reminded me of the vast biodiversity Thailand wildlife, much like the wide collection of flora and fauna in the Philippines.

           There were many other sights and scenes to see around the museum, but none impressed my parents and I more than the information about the life and death of the late King Bhumibol. Captions and descriptions talked about him as a wise leader. The five day funeral ceremony that the Thais prepared for him was truly fit for a king. We gazed at wall to wall pictures of the funeral ceremony, and the king’s gold-adorned funeral pyre. The funeral was witnessed by 8,000 invited guests as well as millions of Thais around the nation. The main cremation tower was a whopping 165 feet tall, with a seven-tiered roof and spire, surrounded by eight smaller pavilions representing mountains that surround Mount Meru, a mountain believed to be the center of the Hindu Universe. Ponds at the pyre’s four corners represent the Cosmic Ocean that flows around it. It was even reported on the news that Thailand was running out of black clothes because the whole of the country was wearing black year round while mourning for the king.

           Aside from being surprised by King Bhumibol and the devotedness of the nation to him, I was also surprised by the outcome of our trip. It truly presented to me more than what I was expecting, and I walked away from it impressed by the the story of Thailand. All in all, it was one of the most memorable vacations that I have ever had, a vacation made only better by their rich culture, by the history behind their nation, and by the story of improvement and sacrifice made by many Thais that shaped the country to be what it is today.

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Discovering Taiwan

Fritz Co

     The plane touched down on the tarmac under an overcast sky. We were in Taiwan, or Formosa, a vibrant island filled with rich cultural heritage for our study tour. I immediately noticed their modernized airport - it had high, spacious ceilings the height of maybe five people, plenty of plants, and art on display. We filed into two separate buses and headed to the restaurant. Over the course of a week, we traveled across Northern Taiwan.       We visited such historical sites like the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall. Beyond the tall, white gate marking our arrival, there was a wide concrete walkway leading up to the main building. On both sides of the walkway, there were gardens and lakes where many locals were enjoying the clean, cool atmosphere and feeding the birds and the squirrels present. The main building was a tall white rectangular building with a grand dark-blue roof symbolizing the sun and sky prominently placed on the national flag. We walked the 89 steps of the staircase in front of the building representing the age of the famous leader. At the top of the building is the great hall. It’s four stories tall and contains a three story tall statue of the emperor. The ceiling is golden with the white sun and blue sky symbol in the center. Every hour, the royal guards are exchanged in a ceremony enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.      The Taipei 101 is another must see in Taiwan. Its imposing blue structure was the tallest in the world for six years since its opening in 2004 before it was dethroned by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. This building takes traditional architectural elements and combines it with more modern components giving it a postmodern effect. We spent thirty minutes going about the mall on the first level. There was a Starbucks and a popcorn brand called Garretts. This building is a national icon that symbolizes modernization and globalization and brings many tourists.       The most enjoyable portion of the trip had to be the shopping and night-market wandering. The first of these stops was the Ximending Shopping Area. This was an open shopping area the size of a few city blocks. It is filled with many modern brands such as H&M and Starbucks while also having stores with many novelties on sale such as fidget spinners, unique lamps, buckyballs, and figurines made from metal wiring. The food available includes fluffy egg cake, sausages, very tasty green tea ice cream, and Taiwan’s iconic drink, milk tea.       Next up is Jiufen. The best way I can describe Jiufen is one huge web of back alleys. This is a great place to go for those adventurers out there especially if you’re hungry. There’s good seafood, Taiwanese hotdogs, dimsum, snails, mochis, and some stuff I didn’t even recognize. There’s milk tea, fruit juice, ice cream, and shaved ice. We saw the house that inspired Howl’s Moving Castle. The pathways weren’t even, and I felt I was walking through a range of hills. There was all the stuff you’d expect to find like clothes and souvenirs, but there were some stores that were incredibly niche. There was a whole store dedicated to selling a rare instrument that I would later learn was the ocarina.       My personal favorite was the Shilin Night Market. It’s the biggest night market in Taiwan, and it’s the best place for a food trip (although it does have a strange obsession with phalluses).  I enjoyed delicious steak, baked potato, fried ice cream, sugar-coated strawberries, cotton candy, fried seafood, cakes, shakes, and more. As with the first two markets, there are plenty of clothes and shoes to find, and these are much more affordable. There’re plenty of stores selling phone cases and attachable joysticks, phone stands and plenty of other tech accessories.       One of the souvenirs on sale at Shilin were miniature lanterns like the ones at Shifen. Shifen is a railroad line and its stops are now charming railroad towns that have an antique feel to them. The Shifen Old Street is one such attraction along this line. Visitors can paint wishes on sky lanterns in calligraphy and let them go along the railroad line. I wished for the recovery of one of my teachers that was sick. The railway we were releasing the lanterns from is an active railroad and we once had to scramble aside for an oncoming train. Another popular site on the Shifen line is the Shifen waterfall. The main attraction is the waterfall that creates a rainbow as it splashes into a lake, but that’s not all that this spot has to offer. Leading up to the waterfall are stalls selling good seafood and ice cream, and souvenir shops that all sprang up to cater to the tourists coming here.       Those who are athletically inclined will enjoy the Elephant Mountain. Also known as Xiang Shan, the top of this trail has the best view of Taipei with the Taipei  101 taking center stage (this is where they get all the amazing tourism advertisements). The top of this mountain purportedly looks like an elephant, hence Elephant Mountain. I, myself, made the mistake of leaving my water, and I admittedly felt lightheaded coming down. Hiking up this mountain is a lot of         stairs. The entire path is a long staircase. At the top, I saw a famous spot on the mountain, Six Giant Rocks which were, unsurprisingly, six giant rocks.       The last thing we did before leaving was a visit to a pineapple cake factory. Apparently a lot of tour groups pass by here because they went all out on marketing pineapple cakes. The first floor was their store. It wasn’t just pineapple cakes on sale; they had several other flavors for their cakes and many other Asian snacks. We were led upstairs to a large room with long tables.           We all sat down at these tables and each of us had the dough, filling, and mold to make pineapple cakes. We spent about thirty minutes figuring out the technique, and we each made five pineapple cakes. There was the classic square, a heart, the shape of Taiwan, a yuan bao, and one that I can’t quite recall. They sent our cakes to bake and sent us into a large pineapple which hid an escalator that took us to another floor. We played an interactive game and watched a short commercial, both pineapple themed of course. We tried out freshly cooked pineapple cakes then proceeded to a room displaying the brand’s history and the awards it won. I specifically remember a large pineapple cake shaped like Taiwan that was very detailed, including the land’s altitude.

My visit to Taiwan taught me more about Taiwanese culture, which is close to my own heritage. I experienced God’s presence in a new environment and with new people. I met new people and made what I hope will be lasting friendships.

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Local’s best

A year ago , I had the chance to spend several days at Discovery Shores Boracay with my family. We have decided to go there because we’re all tired and had finally founded a good place for a rest in summer vacation. I’d heard some pretty good things about where we would be staying.

Boracay-bound, we took a 45-minute flight out of Manila and landed at Kalibo Aklan, then we took a 2-3 hours bus ride to get to Caticlan, for a 10 minute boat ride to the island itself. Upon landing at the beach, we were greeted at the port by clear waters, white sand, bunch of friendly locals, and as one might expect from an island paradise . There can be spotted large billboards for advertising and concrete parking lot similarly at Manila. From there, we took one last tricycle ride to arrive at our destination, which took us 30 minutes.

Like other resorts on the island, Discovery Shores Boracay faces the sea, with its accommodations set towards the main attraction, naturally encouraging guests to go visit their beachfront facilities. We turned in from the roads to the inside of the island towards the beach; we were greeted at a pickup-point by friendly staff and cold iced tea, I was amazed on how well they’ve guided us around the hall. Shortly after bringing us to the front desk to get checked in.

A man-made waterfall, 4 indoor pools, and even a bubble-blowing machine all add to the already wonderful environment. It struck me the hardest is that, to get from the main entrance of the resort to the front desk, you had to go through series of pathways coated with sand and plenty of staircases before you could get to the front desk to get to your rooms. This is an accessibility issue because it shows disregard for more elderly guests, having to walk that far and go through multiple sets of stairs. There were elevators, but they were not working, and it didn’t appear to me that there were maintenance made on them, having around 6 floors it would be a little bit troublesome for elderly guests to walk the stairs. Discovery Shores Boracay is modern and beautiful, but it’s not exactly the most senior-friendly or PWD-friendly resort

That being said and putting the issues aside, Discovery Shores Boracay is a really good-looking: it’s modern, it’s beautiful, and it puts you to your comfort zone the moment you step inside, feeling the cold ocean breeze against your skin, and see the friendly & well-trained staff smiling at you.

The dining area is open like having a picnic set area near the white sand of the beach facing the sea, opposite to it is a bar (another bar is located near the pool, so you can drink and swim). All activities start in and around this area, which you can consider as the heart of Discovery Shores Boracay: this is where you head out to to get your complimentary breakfast to start your day; it’s where you go to get ideas for what to do around the island; it’s where you go to if you want to go kayaking, island-hopping, dip in the indoor pool, or do an in-resort karaoke.

For me the rooms are well made in terms of design, they’re quiet, comfortable, and good smelling. Everyday you get a selection of complementary teas, three coffee pack that you can pop into the provided Nespresso machine, along with two bottles of water. The biggest thing for me, though, was the surprisingly fast free WiFi.

The “Shores Burger” the main food distributor of the resort, there you can find a lot of your standard Filipino cuisine, plated and presented in some cool ways, along with a selection of international dishes. Everything we had tasted really good, except for some of a few dishes that were a bit too salty for our tastes probably it’s made for rice toppings. The flavorless fried chicken I think you need to put some ketchup or any sauce to make it taste good. I’m personally a fan of their burgers and sandwiches, these are very good stuff.

All in all, I had a good time. Sure, half of my days were spent tapping my phone to play my games, but the rest spent eating good food, spending time with my family, and just plain relaxing. I wasn’t able to do everything I wanted or go to all the places I wanted to go to like kayaking and island hopping . Hey, if you get the chance to relax  even if it was just for a few days   it wouldn’t be too bad of an idea to take it. To me, Discovery Shores Boracay is a very different to the island of Boracay itself. It’s a bit ironic: the only time Boracay feels like an island paradise is how it’s advertised, also when you’re brought into a resort specifically designed to hide what the island is as a whole and present you with a beautiful  and honestly artificial. Is that a bad thing? It depends on what your expectations are and what you want to get out of your vacation coming to Boracay. Personally, I really enjoyed my time at Discovery Shores Boracay. Relaxing or otherwise, it’s a great place to be, and I’d love to visit it again.