Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

Welcome to Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

Jan 31 2015. The Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is located at the Tempozan Harbor Village and is one of the biggest public aquariums in the world. It's just a quick 15-minute ferry ride from Universal City Port via the Captain Line. The aquarium is very popular to two kinds of visitors: kids who are too young and too small for the rides in Universal Studios Japan (USJ) and the veterans who are too "senior" for the attractions in USJ. 

Joint ticket for the Ferry and Aquarium

We availed of the joint Kaiyukan and Captain Line (ferry boat) ticket from our hotel concierge. The ferry runs every 30 minutes and the terminal is a short 10-minute walk from our hotel in Universal CityWalk. Good thing the snow wasn't that strong that morning so it was a pleasant walk.

Universal City Port

On board the ferry

Like all transportations in Japan, the ferry was on time and we were well on our way to the Kaiyukan. 

Upon entry, you'll ride the escalator all the way up to the top and from there, you'll need to work your way down the Aquarium. 

On our way to to top

There are plenty of animals to see at the Aquarium -- from otters, to sea lions, to whale sharks, to manta rays to penguins. The kids had a fun time clicking away pictures of all the cute, creepy, massive and everything in between animals they see.

Adorable baby Rocker Penguin

Colorful ocean

Hello there Mr. Turtle

The last attraction is our favorite -- the touch pool! They have baby sharks and sting rays on a shallow pool and if you're up for it, you can dip your hand and touch them.

Touching the baby shark

Next on our itinerary is a ride at the Tempozan Ferris Wheel. This tourist attraction used to be the biggest and the tallest in the world, that is, until it was surpassed by the more massive London Eye. Just the same, it offers an amazing view of the city and it's an exhilarating 15-minute ride worth the price tag. At no additional cost, you may even opt for the all glass gondola. This we did not try, we were all scared enough as it is, having a glass floor would just probably cross  the line from fun and exhilarating to down-right freaky and scary. 

Each gondola is supervised by a sea-animal stuffed toy

View from the top

The Gray/Red/Blue Kaiyukan Building

Next on the list is the Tempozan Marketplace. It's just right beside the aquarium and there are plenty of stores and restaurants inside. Perfect way to cap our tiring and eventful day in Osaka.

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
1-1-10 Kaigandori, Minato Ward
Osaka, Osaka Prefecture 552-0022
Japan
Tel: +81 6 6576 5501
Fax: +81 6 6576 5510
Email: info2@kaiyukan.com
Website: http://www.kaiyukan.com/language/eng/index.html

South Korea - Trick Eye Museum

November 29, 2014. Welcome to the world of Trompe-l'oeil or Trick Eye! 

The Trick Eye Museum in the University-district of Hongdae is our first stop for this trip. We took the subway to Hongik University Station and asked our way around. Yes, we managed to find the place asking directions from people who hardly speak any English. Shows just how much helpful Koreans are (they'll literally go out of their way to help) and just how popular this attraction is.

The museum is located at the lower ground floor of the building, and on our way down, we saw The Love Museum. 

You've been warned!

It's strictly for 18 years old and above and given the poster at the entrance, I don't think it's an attraction you'd want to visit with your kids or your parents (check the info graphic!).

Now back to the family-friendly, General Patronage-rated Trick Eye Museum. It's basically a 3D art museum where using perspective, light and shadow tricks, you become part of the artwork. 

To maximize the illusion, it's better to shoot without a flash. Also, there are marked "Photo Lines" or "Photo Points" where you should take the pictures. Lastly, you have to work it like a pro! Acting skills are required to get the most out of the pictures.

Luckily, the kids are so game that we were able to take tons of photos, and we had so much fun doing our silly poses. 

This attraction is a definite must for families visiting Seoul. My kids had a blast and I love all the photos that we took. The fee though, is a little pricey but it covers entrance to both the Trick Eye Museum and the Ice Museum. Unfortunately, due to time constraint, we decided to skip the Ice Museum and head out to check the shops and restaurants in the area instead.

Don't forget to visit their website to get a discount voucher, or you can check tourist handbooks for discount coupons.

Trick Eye Museum

20 Hongik-ro-3-gil

Mapo-gu, Seoul 121-838 Korea

Phone: +82 2 3144 7748

Email: trickeye@trickeye.com

Website: www. trickeye.com

Japanese Visa Application

Time for another visa application run -- this time to Japan! 

I soooo love long holidays, but the long holiday this December (Christmas and New Year) and this January (Papal Visit) is sending me into panic mode! I need to renew our passports and apply for our visas and the very short working days are not making it any easier.

After our trip to Korea, I knew I have to have our passports renewed so it'll still be valid for a least six months when we go to Japan. The thing is, I forgot to schedule an appointment! So I was only able to get a December 22 schedule. Perfect as there's no more school so the kids need not be absent, but not so perfect because due to the long holiday, I will be getting our passports second week of January (and this is after paying a rush processing fee) and our trip is scheduled end of January!

Good thing the procedure in getting a Japanese visa is pretty much simple: submit your documents to an accredited agency and wait for their notice on when to collect your passport.

Unlike way, way, way back, where you can submit directly to the Japanese Embassy and do away with the fees, effective July 30 2007, you now have to submit them to an accredited travel agency and pay a processing fee. The Japanese Embassy does not meddle with the fees charged by each agency. So processing fee varies and it's better to scout around for a good rate. The processing fee is non-refundable should you change your mind after submitting the application or in the event you were not given a visa.

Click here for a complete list of accredited travel agencies.

Good news is that effective July 1 2013, the Japanese Embassy started issuing multiple-entry visas to Philippine-passport holders. And as of Sept 30 2014, conditions for giving multiple-entry visas will be more relaxed! I know we're still far from being included in the "no-visa" list, but a "relaxed" procedure is way better than nothing. 

Submission of documents. I decided to go with Discovery Tour as they have the cheapest fee at Php800 per person. I called up their office and they promptly emailed me the list of requirements:

1. Application Form. Download here.

2. Passport (valid for at least six months)

3. 2pcs 4.5cmx4.5cm colored photo (one to be pasted on the application form, and one to be submitted to the agency)

4. Original NSO certificate (issued within the last 12 months)

5. Original NSO marriage certificate (issued within the last 12 months)

6. Tour Itinerary ( Sample format here).

7. Original Bank Certificate

8. Photocopy of ITR

Yes, you need to submit a Birth Certificate regardless of what age you are. And yes, you are required to submit a Marriage Certificate even if your spouse is already deceased. If you're not sure if you're NSO certificate was issued within the time allowed, check the last 11 digit under the barcode of your certificate. It represents the month (2 digits), day (2 digits) and year (4 digits) when the certificate was issued. The last remaining digits, I'm not so sure what's it about. Haha!

As for the tour itinerary, you are required to indicate the address and contact number of the hotel where you'll be staying. There's no need to include a copy of your hotel booking though.

You are allowed to add more if you think it'll help your chances. Like in our case, since we have new passports, I included a photocopy of our visas and a summary of our travels.

Collection of passports. Luckily, the Japanese Embassy processes applications really quickly. Four working days after we submitted our application, I received a call that our passports are ready for pick-up. 

The quick turn-around time actually cuts the agony of waiting for the results. We usually breeze through the preparation of documents but the waiting game is the most stress-inducing. Especially for applications without appearance/interview since you will not be there to explain your case should there be any problem.

Finally got our visas (with only less than a week till our travel date!).

Discovery Tour

301 G/F Sagittarius Bldg. HV Dela Costa St.

Salcedo Village, Makati City

Tel: +63 2 8922849

Mobile: +63915 3200780

Email: japanvisamnl1@discoverytour.ph
Website: http://discoverytour.ph/japanvisa/single-or-multiple-207.html 

Japanese Embassy Manila

2627 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City

Tel: +63 2 5515710

Website: http://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp

Korean Visa Application

It's been ages since we have to secure a visa for our travel and we have to go through the nerve-wracking ordeal again for our trip to Korea. We've been through a couple of visa applications already but it just never gets easy. 

The good news is, applying for a tourist Korean visa is absolutely free! Yes, no need to pay for any charges to schedule an appointment or pay any visa fee at the Embassy. I'm starting to love Korea already!

The procedure is fairly straightforward: prepare your documents, submit your documents at the Korean Embassy and collect your passport at the designated date.

Prepare your documents. Here's the list of documents you have to prepare (as of March 01, 2015): 

1. Passport (valid for at least 6 months from the date of application)

2. Application form. Download here.

3. 1 piece passport-size colored photo

4. Photocopy of passport's bio page

5. Original and photocopy of visa/s and arrival stamp/s to OECD countries for the past five years

6. For employed: 

• original Certificate of Employment (stating position, date hired, compensation, with landline contact number, address and email  of company) 
• original Bank Certificate (indicating account type, current balance, opening date and ADB for the past 6 months) 
• original Bank Statement or passbook for the past 6 months 
• photocopy of ITR

   For self-employed: 

• photocopy of DTI/SEC registration 
• photocopy of Mayor's Permit 
• original Bank Certificate (indicating account type, current balance, opening date and ADB for the past 6 months) 
• original Bank Statement or passbook for the past 6 months 
• photocopy of ITR

   For students: 

• original school certificate 
• photocopy of school ID 
• photocopy of NSO Birth Certificate 
• parent's financial documents

OECD countries include: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States of America.

Submission. Upon completion of the requirements, just submit them at the Embassy anytime from 9:00am to 11:00am Monday to Friday. No need to secure a schedule beforehand. Also, you do not have to personally submit the documents, you may ask a messenger to do it for you. But for first time travellers, it is strongly advised to submit it personally in case the Embassy has any questions regarding the documents.

In our case, I was the only one who went to the Embassy to submit our application. There will be someone who'll initially check your documents and then give you a number and assign you to which window/consul. As I understand, there's a separate window for first time travellers and for frequent travellers. 

You then wait for your number to be called. After handing your documents to the consul, you will be given a claim stub with a date on which you may claim your passport. Processing time is usually three working days and could extend to five working days or more. 

Collection of Passports. Releasing time is from 2:00pm to 4:00pm Monday to Friday. Again, you may just ask someone to claim them for you but it is strongly recommended that you claim them personally in case the consul has any questions. 

Please note that the parking in McKinley Hills is very far from the Embassy. Either bring a driver with you, or you can park at the Petron station right before the Embassy.

Please visit the Korean Embassy Manila's web page for updated guidelines and requirements in applying for a visa.

Korean Embassy Manila

122 Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Town Center, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City

Website: http://embassy_philippines.mofa.go.kr/english/as/embassy_philippines/main/index.jsp

Tel: +63 2 8569210

Email: philippines@mofa.go.kr

Disney's Princess Makeover

Sept 26, 2013. Every girl dreams to be a princess -- and for our daughter's 7th birthday, she got to be one, in the happiest place on earth, amidst other princesses and fairytale characters. It was a truly magical celebration fit for royalty.

Our day started early as we catch the 5:00am flight to Hong Kong. We have a jam-packed day ahead of us and we are running on a really tight schedule.  

Thanks to beloved fairy godmother -- we landed at exactly 7:40am at the Hong Kong International Airport. We rushed out and get a cab quickly to make it in time for our 9:00am appointment at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. 

Where the magic happens.

The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is located inside Disneyland Hotel. The salon is just mesmerizing, it feels like we're stepping in a beauty salon for royals.  As soon as we have confirmed our appointment, my daughter was ushered in one of the salon seats and the "fairies" started doing their magic.

The Princess Make-Over costs about HKD600 and includes make-up, hair styling, nail polish, a Princess sash and of course a tiara! They also have princess gowns for sale to complete the look. We bought our own gown for our daughter  so we just opted for the make-over. 

I first learned of the Princess Make-Over when we visited Disneyland Florida way back. "I" wanted to try it soooo badly then. The thing is, it's only for kids 12 years old and below. Maybe Disney should have something for the 'kids at heart' as well.

After about an hour our Princess is ready! 

After the make-over, there's a photo session that lasted for about half an hour. The photographer who worked with our daughter was really good. He knows how to  make her do the silly and adorable poses that was one for the books.

After just a few minutes, we were shown a huge stack of adorable, stunning, mesmerising photos -- in a photobook similar to those you get during weddings. The pictures are all gorgeous to say the least. I'd say Disneyland do know how to work their magic. You would want to buy ALL the photos and the photobook -- until you're shown the price that is.

A single print costs HKD130 and the photobook costs HKD1600! I know it's insanely expensive for photos, but I would have bought them all still :). Good thing hubby was there to remind me to be reasonable. So I asked the staff to hold on to the photos until the next morning so I can think it over on which ones to get.

It's a habit of mine that when deciding whether to get a big ticket item, I usually let it sit for a night. If I still think it's a good deal the next morning, then it's a good deal.

Ok, so after thinking about it long and hard -- I still wanted to buy all the photos! But since I don't want to start a fight with the hubby, I settled for 4 photos and we'll just have a photobook printed when we get home using the photos we got from hubby's camera. Problem solved!

After the make-over, we headed straight to Disneyland Park where our dear little Princess was indeed treated like royalty. Then, to cap off our little Princess's big day, we had dinner with the Disney characters at the Enchanted Garden Restaurant. More posts on this (hopefully) coming soon!

Some things that might help:

1. Set an appointment. I called months in advance to reserve a slot. You wouldn't want to spoil the fun by building up the excitement in your kid only to arrive at a fully-booked salon. You can also make dining reservations at the Enchanted Garden for a character meal and order a birthday cake in advance.

2. Bring your own dress. Your child will be wearing it the entire day, so best if it's something she already owns and you know that she'll be comfortable sashaying in it all day. It's a LOT cheaper this way too.

3. Prepare your budget. The experience is already memorable in itself, but you might want to plan ahead if you'll opt to get the photos. This way you won't  get caught off-guard and spoil your vacation budget.



Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel
Tel: +852 3510 6000/ +852 1830 830
Email: information@hongkongdisneyland.com

Surfing in San Juan

June 7, 2014. A few minutes drive away from Thunderbird Poro Point is San Juan beach. Famous for its soft-peeling waves and short rides -- the place is just perfect for surfing beginners like ourselves.

San Juan Surf School is arguably the most popular surf school in the area. With Filipino-Australian surfer Luke Landrigan at the helm, they boast of an internationally-accredited surf training program and the use of soft boards -- all true to their commitment of offering fun, friendly and safe surfing experience.

Each of us get our own instructor. Our lesson started with a briefing about safety and standing techniques. After which, it was time to pick up our boards, run to the shore and paddle into the ocean.

Waiting for the wave.

The first ones to go were my daughter and my husband and they were able to stand on their first ride! Okay, so it kinda made me more nervous and excited and it added more to the pressure. Haha. 

Next up is my son and I. We were told to get ready as our instructors pushed our boards in time with the wave. I carefully tried to find my balance, stood up and rode the wave as far as I can and hopped off my board before it hits the sand. I might also have screamed a little during the ride as the speed took me by surprise. It was exciting, it was exhilarating and I love it!   

Surfs Up!

And so the cycle begins, we wait for the wave, we try to ride the wave and we paddle back to our spot. There are moments when we immediately flop, moments when we get to stand a little on our board before we lose our balance, and sweet moments when we get to ride the wave to the shore. We got wiped out, we got pounded by the waves, we got hit by our surf boards, my son even fell face first on the sand. It was one of the craziest and most fun we had. 

The hour sped by really fast -- too fast actually especially for the kids who insisted on surfing until closing hours! We were lucky it wasn't that hot even though it was middle of the day when we had our lessons.

To cap off our fun and tiring activity, we had lunch at the resort. They serve really good food that's reasonably priced. 

Rates start at P400 for an hour of surfing lessons and includes use of a soft surfboard and rash guard. They also offer packages that include accommodation at the resort.

A few things you need to know if you want to try this activity:

1. You should know how to swim (I think this one's a given). Although the water's not really that deep (instructors need to be able to stand on water), this is still a must. 

2. There's no minimum age. As long as the kid knows how to swim, is not afraid of the water, and can handle himself if he gets wiped out and gets pounded under water. This happened to us a couple of times. My son even hit the shore and ate sand on one of his rides (he said he enjoyed the ride so much he didn't want to jump when he reached the shore).

3. The surf school is open all year round. Surfing is possible any time of the year but the best season is in October to April.

4. You can wear a two-piece suit under your rash guard and board shorts. But I  suggest you wear a one piece to avoid any wardrobe malfunction especially if you get wiped out. 

Surfing is definitely one awesome experience. It's an activity that is fun, exciting and anyone up for it can try it! 

San Juan Surf School

Urbiztondo, San Juan

La Union

Website: http://www.sanjuansurfschool.ph

Tel: +6372 687 9990

Mobile: +63 917 800 8004 / +63 917 744 2229

Email: sanjuansurfschoolandshop@gmail.com

Surfing in Catanduanes

July 06 2014. From Tugawe Cove Resort in Caramoan, we arrive at Codon Port in Virac, Catanduanes. We headed straight to Catanduanes Midtown Inn to check in for the night. 

The small hotel is near the airport and very close to a mall and a few fastfood restos. Our room was clean, comfortable and the bathroom looks newly renovated. For as low as Php985 a night, you get complimentary transfers to the airport. Plus, they have a genset, which proves to be really important as blackouts are very normal in the city.

Catanduanes is notorious for being frequented by super typhoons. Virac, it's capital town can be reached in less than an hour via plane from Manila. The province's claim to fame is the "majestic" surfing waves in Puraran Beach. The long, magnificent and barrelling swells draw surfers -- beginners and advance all the same, from all over the world.

Ok, so it wasn't actually a planned activity. But on our way up to our room, hubby saw a photo of someone surfing. When we asked the receptionist, she said that it was taken in Puraran Beach and it can be reached in an hour via tricycle. 

So not to waste any time, we dropped off our bags and packed our swimming stuff. We took a tricycle from the hotel to Puraran Beach and to be honest, an hour is too long to be in a tricycle especially when there's four of us cramped inside. We should have probably taken a cab or hired a van.

When we got there, we saw a lot of surfers (mostly, if not all, Pros). They were far out in the ocean and clearly enjoying the HUGE waves. We actually felt a little bad for the four of them who'll be called back to shore to give us lessons.

We immediately noticed the difference in the size of the waves compared to San Juan, La Union. The waves here are way bigger! Also, unlike in San Juan where you just paddle a little farther from the shore, we have to go all the way out because there are sharp corals near the shoreline. For us beginners, there's a separate area where the waves are not as intimidating (and dangerous!). But the good thing is it's not crowded. Actually, we are the only beginners who'll be surfing that time.

We were asked if we've tried surfing before and we said yes. Then we did away with the orientation and headed straight to the water. It was already late afternoon and the low tide is coming.

Surfing into the sunset.

We all had a hard time adjusting at first. It's harder to get your balance with the bigger and faster waves. But after a few tries, we were able to stand on our boards! Too bad we were not able to take pictures using our DSLR because we are too far from the shore. We just have to rely on what we can capture on our GoPro. 

I noticed a chipped off part at the front of my surfboard and I was told that, it was from a GoPro mount. Unfortunately, the waves washed out the mount (yes, including the GoPro). Apparently, a few GoPros have already been lost due to the waves. Too bad, we didn't find any floating around. Haha!

Best time to go if you're a beginner is from March to August. September to October is for the advance surfers. Rate is at Php400 per person inclusive of 1-hr lesson, use of surfboard and use of rashguard.

Time does fly super fast when your having fun. Before we know it, it was time to head back to shore (the water's becoming dangerously low). It was another surfing experience for the books!

Puraran Surf Camp

Puraran, Baras, Catanduanes

Mobile: +63 977 1827537

Email: info@puraransurf.com

Website: www.puraran.com

Catanduanes Midtown Inn

San Jose, Virac, Catanduanes

Website: www.catmidinn.com

Mobile: +63 947 5638165 / +63 915 7218262

Email: info@catmidinn.com