by word of mouth

M/S Ryndam

zeal4adventure — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:03:04 +0000

Our means of transport around the inner passages of Alaska and where we were billeted for 7 nights. It was smooth sailing all the way from Vancouver to Seward.

A moderately sized ship that feels cozy and homey. Far from the humongous cruise ships that looked more like a structure than a ship.

I however will not comment until I have been in one lest I eat my words. I never thought I’d be raving, never thought they were my thing but it seemed like the most economical way to get around Alaska. So I decided to keep an open mind and I’m happy I did. A wonderful surprise, I’ll say.

The Ryndam appealed to me because this 720feet vessel is designed to carry fewer guests and being so provided more space yet cozy enough to get to know some fellow traveller either at the bar or on shore excursions.

Yes… that’s sinful!

An experience I wouldn’t mind repeating. I vividly remember an overflow of food at any given time, impressive amenities, enjoyed especially the wet floor where they had a heated lounge chair which never fails to drift me off to dreamland.

My Mojoto!

Crow’s Nest bar was where we spent a lot of our time on board not only because of the booze and great bunch of people but also

because it is indoors and had an almost panoramic view… well, of mostly the ocean but when we approached each town,

we’d get great views of mountains,

waterfalls,

islands

and sometimes we’d catch a few dolphins and whales riding with the ship. I’d say it is the best place to hang out and get the best of both worlds.

Oh, the sunsets were spectacular too and the service – impeccable.

Allow me to show you around.

The bow

Crow’s Nest Bar

Walking around the deck at sunset

Float planes at the Vancouver Pier

Our Lifeboat Station (very important information)

Our Ocean View Stateroom

Rotterdam Dining Room features impeccable service. Five course menus includes continental cuisine, vegetarian and low carb option.

My starter of seafood cocktail at The Rotterdam

And more of the view!

And some fabulous sunsets!

M/S Ryndam is part of Holland America Lines.

Small Treats: Halo-halo!

zeal4adventure — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:33:03 +0000

Credits to LivE’s Sing for Spring Kit: Papers- PP3-PP7; Elements- Birdoodle, Twill2_delight and Twill2_enjoy.

A popular Filipino dessert that is a mixture of shaved ice and milk to which are added various cooked beans and fruits. My all-time favorite! Kabigting’s halo-halo is Arayat’s pride; its unassuming façade (which even looked closed) reveals nothing of this sweet delight. After breakfast at Abe’s Farm, we headed towards the town of Arayat, further away but we just had to have our halo-halo fix. Who says dessert has to come after meals? If I have my way, dessert comes first.

Pastillas. That’s what makes their halo-halo different from the rest. A different version from different towns and regions makes this Filipino dessert interesting. One can use anything under the sun (that’s edible, of course), from fancy ones with tons of ingredients to something as simple as pastillas, mashed beans and corn. The sweetness of the milk candy contrasts well with the saltiness of the corn. The mashed beans add the texture and the result? Delightfully refreshing.

Ice. Ice is important too. What always ruin my halo-halo experience are big chunks of ice. Their smooth-shaved ice blends perfectly with all the other ingredients.

So if you find yourself in Magalang, make the effort to drive further and enjoy a serving of their simple yet excellent halo-halo. It will make your day.

For more awesome worlds, go to That’s My World.

Chillin’ at Abe’s Farm

zeal4adventure — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:10:06 +0000

A spur of the moment road trip had me thanking my lucky stars for that long weekend initially unwelcomed. It was a hectic past few months with our planning season up in full steam and planning for any long weekend was not part of it. But at the last minute, my friends and I decided to make the most of the long weekend and a trip to Abe’s Farm ensued. Chillin’ at Abe’s was just what I needed to recharge for more slaving away to come.

A “no pressure-whatever” kinda weekend kicked off with a leisurely drive to Pampanga, stopping along the way for a relaxed breakfast,

followed by a delectable Cajun lunch at Cottage Kitchen before finally arriving at our destination where we had our dessert or shall we say mid-afternoon snack.

Clockwise: Turon with langka and ube (banana roll with jackfruit and yam); Sticky rice with mango and ice cream; Tsokolate Eh (native chocolate); pepper lights that added charm to the dining area.

Yes it was mid-afternoon when we got to Abe’s Farm… I told you, no pressure.

What used to be the private rest house of Larry J. Cruz is now a resort (of some sort) albeit with limited accommodation.

The house, built using a lot of indigenous materials, holds many of LJC’s personal belongings. In fact, the rooms in the house are off-limits. ”It is only for family when they come visit”, we were told.

We felt so at home, watching TV at the “sala” while waiting for dinner as if it were our own home. When it was ready, we were ushered to the dining room. Yes, pampered in the truest sense of the word.

Abe’s Farm opened its doors to the public just before his passing a few years ago. I remember the first time I set foot on this beautiful rustic house nestled at the foothills of Mt. Arayat was during one of his birthday celebration – no I do not know him personally then but my friend G does. I tagged along. Last year, I unwittingly found myself there again, this time a less private affair. While in Magalang (looking for another restaurant), we noticed several “Abe’s Farm” road signs, we were curious – could it really be the same Abe’s Farm? We decided to follow the signs and yes, it is one and the same. We ended up having lunch there but couldn’t stay the night.

This time around, I made sure we spent the night – in an Ifugao hut, no less. A real hut transported from Banaue but with modern amenities such as airconditioning and lights. A nice compromise considering Pampanga is not exactly Banaue, temperature-wise.

We spent the rest of the afternoon at the poolside reading, chatting and chilling out, away from the hustle and bustle of the metro.

Clockwise: Sungka – a natve boardgame; where I spent the afternoon reading; my tamarind juice – yum!; what’s left of our wine after dinner.

And best of all, we booked ourselves a massage at Nurture Spa at the other end of the lot. After dinner we trekked to the other side for that blissful massage which sent us to dreamland in no time.

Nuture Spa in daytime

If only we didn’t have to trek back to our hut… it was nice to know that they do have rooms available as well. So does it merit a next time? How can I say no to that?

Please do check out more wonderful worlds here.

Abe’s Farm

Barangay Ayala, Magalang, Pampanga

+63(45)865-1930

+63(915)592-5501

Nuture Spa

+63(918)8888SPA

Getting there:

From Manila, take the Angeles Exit on the NLEX (45 minutes from Balintawak tollgate). Follow the Magalang Road leading to the town plaza (15 minutes). From there ask directions to Barangay Ayala (less than 10 minutes). In Ayala, go past a resort n the left, proceed to Livestock Village (2 minutes) and you will see the Abe’s Farm sign on the corner.

Granville Island

zeal4adventure — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:58:27 +0000

The first time I was in Vancouver I had already wanted to check out this cool place with a huge impressive public market but due to time and transportation constraints at the time, I gave up the idea and vowed to make it there next time. Next time has come and what was at the top of my agenda?

Fish and chips (and the yummiest and biggest fried oysters I’ve ever encountered) at the Granville Public Market!

Although also pressed for time this time around as we were really just passing through Vancouver on our way to Alaska (and that’s for more exciting posts to watch out for in the next few weeks). I made sure we make it there by hook or by crook! It was worth the (long) wait. Those who know me know that I love going to the market even though I am by no means considered a good cook.

I get a thrill each time I survey what’s in a market whether I am in my own neighborhood or out travelling.

This island is in the middle of the city and is physically connected to downtown Vancouver by the Granville Street Bridge. One can’t tell from there the gem that awaits them. Embodying the surrounding metro, Granville Island is matchless. Its humble origins are far from what it has become, a popular area boasting of impressive art galleries, shops, dining places and a fabulous public market that offer a wide array of fresh and cooked food (as seen above).

Let’s walk around, shall we?

I’d walk the dogs here too!

Ducks

And more ducks!

Feeding them

Pigeons

Sea Village houses

Shops

The neighborhood

And isn’t she a cutie?

Catching the Sunset: Mt. Manabu

zeal4adventure — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:42:30 +0000

Sounds like a plan? Yes, and a good one actually. On Ninoy Aquino Day (his death anniversary), we were to drive to Sto. Tomas, Batangas City, have Bulalo (Bone Marrow) for lunch at Rose Sister of Grace, hang out at O’s house till 3pm and start trek soon after. Get to the summit in 2 hours or so (that would be sometime before 6pm).

Catch the sunset, enjoy the view and do a night trek back. A good plan. Except for one small detail, we didn’t plan for an overnight.

The trek to the peak was pretty much a walk in the part except for a few steep trails nearing the summit.

Approaching the summit, we passed by the campsite and it had me wishing for our own tents so we could stay longer and enjoy the sunset, the view and it’s pretty surroundings and not have to rush back down…”next time”, I made a mental note.

A glimpse of Mt. Maculot

And after the sun set, we started our descent (as planned), stopping by Mang Pirying’s mid way through the trail for some BEST TASTING kapeng barako (local coffee) cooked the old fashioned way – boiled with a hint of sweetness.

Mang Pirying

Nanay Genia

Ahhh!!! A great energy booster it was.

Before 9pm, we were back at O’s with dinner waiting for us after we all showered. That’s what you call perfect hosts.

Some Jamon Serrano and Cheese before dinner, anyone?

A massage before bedtime had us sleeping like babies. We woke up still with our bodies sore but revitalized nevertheless. So do I still wish for that overnight at the summit? You. Bet.

From Breakfast, we headed on to lunch at Casa Rap for more good food and nice ambiance. Now that’s what you call a great weekend!

Crispy Pata (Deep Fried Pork Leg)

Ice cream with a little “lambanog” (coconut wine)

Vancouver VIA Rail

zeal4adventure — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:07:03 +0000

Credits- Template by Shabby Miss Jen’s Designs; Paper by Jessica Sprague Blue Solid paper from Cr8 Mini Kit; Elements: Stapler Pair and Heart Sticker both by KPertiet; Alpha by Jessica Sprague from Grand Intention Kit

Trains fascinate me because it evokes a feel of the olden days. It is the only means of public transportation to Vancouver from Jasper unless one drives to Edmonton and fly out from there. An opportunity I cannot pass up and so I booked us on the VIA Rail Canada and got ourselves to Vancouver via rail!

Not without some 7-hour delay. While VIA Rail owns 223 kilometers of tracks, most of the infrastructure used by the passenger service is owned and managed by the freight railways operators. In short, the train will be late and it is not their fault. So looking at the glass half full, we took the opportunity to see more of Jasper. How can one get tired of this quaint town anyway? So off we went to Maligne Canyon… and got back way before the train arrived. No complaints from us!

The 20-hour (thereabout) train ride offered beautiful sceneries. The high-level coaches and lounge cars have big windows for better viewing pleasure.

Money well-spent…

VIA Rail Canada

Jasper Station

601Connaught Dr.,

Jasper, AB

More Glorious Lakes

zeal4adventure — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 03:04:57 +0000

This marks the end of my series of lakes and other bodies of waters around Jasper. The many glorious lakes is clearly a major reason why Jasper has become a favorite.

Patricia Lake

Pyramid Lake

Cavell Lake

Unsure which lake this was but scuba diving in glacial fed waters? Are. You. Kidding!? Kudos to them!!!

For more scenic scenes, click here.

Maligne Valley

zeal4adventure — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 03:09:18 +0000

Pronounced “mah-leen”, is riddled by an extensive karsts system – a geological formation of caves above and below ground level. In the case of Maligne Valley, no one knows where the water for Maligne Lake goes. Located at the south end of Maligne Road, this gorgeous wildlife-filled, glacier fed lake is one of the largest in the Rockies. Watch for elk, sheep, moose along the road, we were told and bears are usually spotted around the lake.

Completing the Maligne Valley highlight is Maligne Canyon where the river has eaten away at the limestone of the valley eroding the softer rocks. The result is a smooth, steep walled canyon bringing forth one of the most spectacular gorge in the Canadian Rockies. Waterfalls, fossils, potholes are just some of the wonders of the canyon.

Remiss

zeal4adventure — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:27:08 +0000

I’ve been remiss in my posts because real world has taken over for now. It’s planning season. I am swamped. Not swamped enough though to give up a weekend trip to Macau. While in Macau, we received news that Manila was under water and many of our friends were stranded or flooded in. The extent of it did not sink in until I went to work on Tuesday. Some employees were rendered homeless and more than 60 of them were flooded in, some to the roof. The recent devastation that hit Manila chose no one and struck all social stratum. But for those nowhere to go, no roof on their heads, it is devastating. Red Cross is accepting donations to help those that were battered by Typhoon Ondoy. Click here to help.

Medicine Lake: The Lake that isn’t

zeal4adventure — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:19:51 +0000

There are lots of glorious lakes within Jasper National Park but there is one lake that lured us no end. Medicine Lake, just approximately 20km southeast of the townsite. A geological rarity. Why? you ask. We all assume that Medicine Lake is a normal mountain lake but it isn’t. It is perhaps best described as a sinking lake that has holes in the bottom like a bathtub without a plug. During intensified runoff of summer, too much water flows into the lake filling the drain. Before long, the lakebed begins to fill and by late spring, early summer (which was about the time we were there), Medicine Lake is in its full glory.

Medicine Lake is located along the road to Maligne Lake, a lake almost synonymous with Jasper. On our way to Malign Lake one evening, the still water perfectly reflecting the mountains and the sky caught our attention. And so we stopped and admired its glory.

A great road route to spot wildlife, we were told, was also probably the main reason why we ply that route more often than once during our stay in Jasper. It is Caribou land and we got word from a tourist we met earlier that there were caribous and bears (ok maybe he was exaggerating and there was only one) lurking around. More than enough reason to go back again and again even if we were out of luck as far as caribous and bears were concerned. It is, after all, a glorious lake, er, body of water(?) during the summer months.