I was talking to my mom last night about their travel plans this year. It seems my dad’s doctors have been following up on him and that they need to go back (my Dad has been negligent of his health again - and well, it has been that way all the time unfortunately). My Dad though, really isnt keen on going there as he’d rather go to Rome (as Ive already mentioned). It still is all up in the air as everything is highly dependent on money which isnt of abundance right now.

We talked about the yearly travel they always do to the US. They have travelled all over the States from the East to the West Coast. I think the only state they havent been to is Hawaii and Alaska! My mom loves San Francisco - not too hot like Vegas but not too cold like Chicago. My mom cannot stand the cold. However, she said, nothing will compare to the grandiosity of Las Vegas Hotels to that of San Francisco Hotels. She has been to a few hotels in downtown Frisco. Ive been to a few Vegas hotels but Ive only been booked at MGM. Id love to see Bellagio though.

My sister, if given the choice, would love to settle down in Chicago. Her primary concern and criteria is how public transportation works so she easily scratched Los Angeles off her list. She loves the culture of Chicago and talks about the modern streamlined and yet so full of history Chicago Hotels too.

I wonder when I will see the US again…

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My parents have been toying with the idea of going to Rome by August provided they would have money for their Schengen visa. There would be a conference there and they are invited to join. Rome is like a dream come true for my Dad. He has always wanted to see the Vatican. Next on his wish list is a trip to Jerusalem, he was already scheduled to join a pilgrimage before but because of his failing health, he wasnt able to.

My mom, however, has always dreamed of England. For me, there is just always something so magical about the place. Whenever I think of England, I imagine quaint countryside with lovely rolling hills sprinkled with flowers. My mom loves that. Take a look at this place called Devon:

It is exactly what you would see in fairy tale and fantasy movies correct? This is Dartmoor in Devon where a national park is located. Holidays in Devon, England are always lovely amidst this scenery, especially if you get to experience the Holiday cottages in Devon! This would be perfect for some peace and quiet that I am so longing to have soon. There are Devon cottages & guesthouses that you can look for. Devon accommodation is something you would really like to research on so you can have the best deals around!

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Im going to celebrate three years of marriage with my husband next Tuesday. It seems only yesterday when we got married and now three years later, we are still very much together. I would never forget my wedding - it really was a dream wedding come true. Nowadays, destination weddings are all the rage. If we can celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary and decide to renew our vows, Id love to get married near the beach - I just hope my body is still fit for a wedding gown! Who knows we can just travel to the Riviera and renew our vows there!

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I have mentioned the house we stayed in Tagaytay already, right? And I have some pictures to share - Im not really good at taking pictures so let us see if I can make your imagination work with my words. LOL.

The house is off the highway onto Nasugbu and while the house might just look big and ordinary on the outside, its main selling point is its outdoor area (The house has five bedrooms, three bathrooms, a very huge dining and family area, an office, a lounging area before you step out the patio and lounge on the patio furniture decks.

Here is a view from the room we stayed in:

There is a deck (Im not good with terms) that lets you see the mountains, before you go down the jacuzzi (yes they have one!), then you go down the kiddie pool, then down down there is the swimming pool - can you tell I was panting on the way up??? The kids enjoyed it though.

View from uphill:

View from downhill:

Here is the jacuzzi Ive been telling you about:

More notes on the pictures - just click on it to go to my Flickr

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I know a scrapbooker whose favorite getaway is Branson“>Branson, Missouri. Her family goes there to unwind every vacation, twice or thrice a year. That’s how I got to know the Silver Dollar City and the Haygoods. I admit I am very intrigued with them and would want to watch them perform if given the chance.

What exactly do you at Branson, you ask? Well Branson, Missouri is considered to be the Live Entertainment Capital of the World so their shows is a must-see. I got a schedule here for the rest of the month:

MAY 10 - JUNE 1, 2008
Bluegrass & BBQ
Location: Silver Dollar City

MAY 16 - MAY 18, 2008
Plumb Nellie Days … 35th Annual Hillbilly Festival & Craft Show
Location: Downtown Branson

MAY 31 - JUNE 1, 2008
Annual Hydroplane Races
Location: Rockaway Beach

You can check out Museums (The Titanic, Hollywood Was Museum, Ripley’s etc.), outdoor rides such as water rides and go karts and of course, movies and shopping. I have gotten good feedback about the condos at the Thousand Hills Golf Resort and would like to stay there if I go to Branson!

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The Mexican Riviera Maya has been getting more tourists because of the launch of Karisma Hotel. Karisma Hotels is a collection of divinely favored properties on secluded white-sand beaches on the Mexican Riviera Maya. The Resort collection offers Karisma’s new Gourmet-Inclusive concept, designed especially for foodies. Each resort presents its own surprising indulgences and the elite level of service that makes a vacation truly relaxing. Add luxurious accommodations invigorating entertainment and the classy snap-to service that responds to discerning travelers’ requests (whether indulgent or diet conscious), and Karisma Resorts become the first all-inclusive properties to focus on individual experiences for the affluent. I am especially intrigued with the Azul Beach Hotel Resort, because based from reviews, it is the most family friendly site

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They say Vegas is the city that never sleeps. I have been there when I was 15, and since I was underage, I didnt enjoy it so much since Im not even allowed to sit in casinos and watch! I love the shows that most Las Vegas Hotels offer though. I also love how most hotels are themed like MGM, Rio de Grande and Ceasar’s. Too bad I wasnt able to go there when Bellagio was done. Ill go back if I could. If you want the best shows and best hotel deals, go to BestofVegas.com. They are one of the largest travel providers in the country with a website specializing in Las Vegas.

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It’s Spring Break for most students in the US and Im sure families are planning vacations. Winter season has been long and hard on most states so most families are really celebrating Spring with great joy. Im sure DisneyWorld will be packed!! Discount Walt Disney World Tickets can be found at Orlandofuntickets.com. It is the ultimate source for discount tickets for Disney World and all Orlando theme parks, dinner shows and attractions. OrlandoFunTickets.com has discounted tickets to everything Disney has to offer including Disneyquest, Downtown Disney Pleasure Island, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach Water Parks, as well as every Disney theme park ticket that is available. Also- when traveling to Orlando, most people also visit Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. For Night-time fun, dinner shows in Orlando are very popular. OrlandoFunTickets.com has the lowest discount prices for all Orlando dinner shows including Arabian Nights discount tickets, Medieval Times discount tickets, Pirates Dinner Adventure discount tickets, as well as all of the other major theme parks including Sea World tickets, Kennedy Space Center tickets, Universal Studios tickets, and more. For the lowest prices and always best personal service, visit Orlandofuntickets.com.

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Edil and I have never been on a honeymoon or a trip together that is just the two of us. I know we seriously need it so we can reconnect and just have time for each other ALONE. That would be one of my plans after we move and settle a business. Maybe we can afford to go to a romantic vacation riviera maya! Who knows right? I have read of the Karisma Resorts in the region. The word itself is so attractive already, dont you think?!There is a Gourmet Cafe and the Azul Blue Hotel+Spa. Talk about an all-in-one vacation! I will definitely be keeping this on my wish list!

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I have been looking for places we can take the kids to this Christmas, aside from the usual mall and carnivals.

We might go to the Avilon mini petting zoo in Tiendesitas on Matthew’s birthday. That is if I wont be tamad with all the Christmas traffic! (I dont even want to go out na). But Matthew wants to see animals and that’s the only zoo we havent been to yet. We would have gone to the Oceanarium but the launch was moved to February. The Science Discovery Center is an option since it’s nearer but Martha might not like it eh. I want to go check out the Gingerbread House in Gateway though. Anybody been there? Matthew has been wanting to make a gingerbread house and Goldilocks no longer sells them by kit eh. Sayang.

*sigh*
I hate traffic during the holidays. I turn into a Grinch everytime.

Here are other places worth looking into: (Thanks to Anton’s blog for that!)
Boni HighStreet
Snow World
Manila Bay Cruise

Any other suggestions? I want family-friendly, economical places to take the kids to.

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Since the holiday season is now upon us, most families are up to their necks planning where to spend the holidays. Most countries who have snow this season go to places where there is sun. I actually have this mantra of “Sun, Sand and Mango Shake” for a perfect time. And what better way then to get to stay in Amelia Island! Not only will you bask in the warmth of the sun and stay on a premiere location, you get to be able to get a third night free! Yes! Amelia Island has a Lodging Special that allows you to stay two nights, and get the third night for free, hotel and Bed and Breakfast included.

The promo is ongoing until the 29th of February, 2008, so don’t miss out on this special deal. Amelia Island has been voted one of the top 10 islands in America by Condé Nast readers. They have outdoor activities, historical tours, golf courses, shopping centers — everything you need to be guaranteed a great vacation! Amelia has been called Florida’s Legendary Island, with its vacation guide known as Tales of Amelia Island. With the Fernandina Beach being named as one of the top 12 vacation destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Amelia Island is a place for preservation of historical locations too. It is also home to the flourishing modern shrimping industry.

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Have you seen the movie of Aga Muhlach and Claudine Barretto before? It is a move entitled Dubai and explores the life of brothers living in the country as OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers). I actually havent seen the whole movie. I saw the full-length trailer though and was actually amazed that a country like that exists in the Middle East. No wonder it is dubbed as the “shopping capital of the Middle East”. With so many shopping malls and souks, there’s no better place to find products at unbeatable prices. It is truly a duty free shopper’s paradise that gives you more for your money.

It is also noticeable how the country is the popular option to most Filipinos these days, in addition to the US, Canada and Australia. Within my circle of friends, I know of more than 10 people who have gone there already to work. Most of them are licensed engineers, CPAs, accountants and architects. The businesses in Dubai are flourishing and there is a need for skilled workers. No wonder brain drain is happening to our country.

Most investors in Dubai are foreign ones. So the hotels and apartments in Dubai are stepping up as well. The
dubai apartments are now classified into types. There are luxury villas, dubai hotel apartments and dubai furnished apartments. Most prefer staying in these types of accomodations that in dubai hotels as they feel more at home. The apartments are also available for short-term leasing with more affordable options. This is the preferred option for foreign investors as they stay in the country for months at a time.

What are the things you can do in Dubai? You need to check out their art galleries. Of course, a trip in Dubai wouldnt be complete without seeing camel racing and experiencing driving in the desert! You can choose what type of driving you can do, but it should be a one-of-a-kind experience! You need to take a tour at the creeks too!

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Random Trivia of the day:

Did you know that London is one of the most expensive cities in the world, along with Moscow and Seoul. The city is actually ranked second among the three, where you can rent an apartment for two thousands pounds a month. Did you know that a cup of coffee there will take you city of Kuala Lumpur for four miles already and that is on a cab! However, the city is full of beautiful sights and thankfully, it is free. However, it would still cost you to get inside and roam around. The city is set to be the 2012 Olympics host though, and that has given the living costs a huge boost while shooting the roof off of any imaginary price caps that may have existed earlier, so accommodation news are buzzing around for the expected deluge of tourists.

I actually love London. Ever since I watched the movie Sabrina, I have drawn to the city already. I love their cobbled stoned walks and how you can reach places so easily. Of course, the whole city just spells romance, right? These are just one of the many travel spots I want to see - Tower of London, London Zoo, Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle, London Aquarium, Shakespeare’s Globe, St Paul’s Cathedral, Chelsea FC Stadium Tour and the Tower Bridge Exhibition and many more. Have you heard of the London Pass though? It is basically a plastic card offered to customers that you can use to enter tourist attractions - no paying every time you need to enter. You just pay a one-time fee and choose how many days you want to have the pass, and you are good to go! As simple as that. Plus, and I personally think this is the most important, it has queue jumping privileges!

Can you tell I’ve read so much about the city and how to roam around as a tourist?

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I just finished watching the movie, Sabrina, and I wanted to go experience Paris! It seems like a great city where you can really discover yourself, isn’t it? France travel is one of my most dream travel vacations. France has a very deep historical culture and I would love to experience and see it firsthand. I also love to check out hotel
france accommodations and go out and check coffee shops.

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I’ve been hearing about Riviera Maya a lot as place to go to when planning Mexico Vacations. There have been a lot of positive feedback regarding El Dorado Seaside Suites. The most popular feedback is the new Gourmet Inclusive which is touted to be a radically new concept in travel and cuisine. What I actually am so intrigued about is the natural bliss of “Aquas del Amor” – the outdoor, ceiling-free showers that adorn the decadent casita suites at El Dorado Royale Resort in Riviera Maya. Wouldn’t that be so romantic? The Gourmet Inclusive concept has three restaurants at the resort -Arrecifes, La Carreta and Klay Taray. They offer a la carte menus of international, authentic Mexican and Pan Asian cuisine.

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