When in Fukuoka: Enjoy Cherry Blossoms at Nishi Park

One of the things I look forward to when visiting Japan is to bask in the beauty of cherry blossoms. Unfortunately, the forecast schedule for the blooms was incorrect and we were there a bit too early. But thanks to Instagram's hashtags and geotags, I was able to discover Nishi Park. 

Hello, Nishi Park!

Nishi Park is just one bus ride away from my AirBnB so it was so convenient for me to visit this massive area. The ride though is a bit costly at 230 Yen per way. 

When in Japan: Fukuoka City Zoological Garden

Zoos always seem to become part of our trips. Planned or unplanned, it never fails to be a fun adventure for us. And when we were running out of places to visit in Fukuoka City, R and I decided that it's time to pay Fukuoka City Zoological Garden a visit. 

Hello, Fukuoka City Zoological Garden.

We skipped visiting the Fukuoka Zoo last time as we opted to go for Uminonakamichi Seaside Park instead which also has a small zoo and huge garden.

Beat the Heat: Malumpati Cold Spring

I'm used to traveling like a tourist. I would always find myself visiting tourist destinations (and traps) that I'd miss several hidden gems only locals know. But exploring the country with R gives me a refreshing view of the Philippines. He'd always bring me to places I hardly know or even consider to spend a day or two. And more often than not, I would have a blast! True enough, my trip to Malumpati Cold Spring was memorable!

Hello, Malumpati Cold Spring!

I've never heard of Malumpati Cold Spring till a friend recommended this place when she found out that we were visiting Antique for a few days (a day and a half to be exact). In fact, I wasn't even familiar with cold springs. I know that there are several hot springs in the country and I've even visited the one in Coron, Palawan. Needless to say, I got excited, especially since it was scorching hot when we were there. 

When in Thailand: Krabi Island (Day 4 and 5)

Time sure flies fast when you're on a vacation. It felt like days went by as quick as a blink of an eye. Before we even realized it, we were about to leave Krabi and we were just not ready yet. But we tried to maximize our last full day with another island tour and checking out one of the highly rated restaurants in the island. 

Day 4 and 5 at Krabi Island

We decided to spend our last full day at Krabi checking out 4 Islands which is the tour recommended for those who prefer snorkeling over relaxing by the shore. 

When in Bohol: Tarsier Conservation Center

Tarsiers are closely associated to Bohol so it would be lame to not visit the Tarsier Conservation Center when in Loboc. And I was so glad when R's dealer drove us to the place right after visiting Chocolate Hills. 

Hello, Tarsier Conservation Center. 

The Tarsier Conservation Center is just a few minutes away from the famous Chocolate Hills so you could definitely visit these two tourist spots in half a day or even in two hours. 

When in Bohol: Alona Beach

One of the things I love about Visayas is that it is filled with so many beautiful islands and beaches. And Panglao's Alona Beach does not disappoint with its white sand and clear water. 

Hello, Alona Beach. 

Alona Beach is one of the busiest areas in Panglao. The long strip is filled with resorts, restaurants and tourist, predominantly Koreans and Chinese. On our last day in Bohol, we decided to spend the morning in Alona Beach since we spent the first two days touring the city and the island hopping. 

When in Bohol: Chocolate Hills

I'm definitely no mountaineer but I can climb hills. Well, sort of. Okay, it was far from what could be called a hike but I did witness one of the most popular tourist spots in Bohol... the famous Chocolate Hills. 

Hello, Chocolate Hills.

I visited Bohol for the first time last December and one of the places I was dying to visit was Chocolate Hills. Though I've heard that it has lost its charm throughout time, I still wanted to take those few hundred steps up to see the famous local Kisses' inspiration. 

When In Coron: Maquinit Hot Springs

I am not a beach person. I even have a love < hate relationship with the sun. I remember that my nose used to bleed every time I get too exposed to the sun’s harsh rays. Yes, I was a sensitive kid back then. So when R invited me to go to Coron with him and his friends who I do not know then, I wasn’t really thrilled. But I changed my mind when I saw Coron’s beauty.

Hello, Coron!

We were in Coron for 3 days and 2 nights and R’s friend who is based in Coron did all the arrangements for us. We had a tour guide during our whole stay and all we had to do is ride the van, tricycle or boat and follow him.

 

On our first day, we kept it light and went to Maquinit Hot Springs.

I would have not thought of Coron having hot springs as the first few things that come to mind whenever I hear Coron are rock formations, corals, snorkeling, beaches and giraffes. (Okay, giraffes seem a bit out of place but there is a place in Coron where you could feed them!)

 

We got to the hot springs a bit past 4 p.m.. We were supposed to be there earlier after our supposed Mount Tapyas climb. But thanks to the ever reliable Cebu Pacific, we were behind schedule by a couple of hours. We opted to delay the hike till our last day in the island.

When in Japan: Visit Owl Family Hakata

My recent Japan trip was a dream come true. I have been dying to visit Japan for the longest time and it finally happened this year. And nothing would have been more perfect than being there during the time when cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Obviously, I went crazy over the cherry blossoms and dragged R towards every sakura tree I spotted. It was expected as I have always wanted to see those beautiful trees in real life. But I would have never known that I would also go crazy over… owls. 

Hello, Owl Family Hakata!

The Owl café was an accidental discovery and it happened when R and I were trying to find our way to visit this temple near Hakata Station in Fukuoka, Japan. 

After struggling to ask the locals for directions with my survival Nihonggo, we found ourselves walking along this sad looking shopping district. That was when we spotted a bunch of foreigners in front of this quaint café. Curious, we stopped and check the place out. And to our surprise, we saw several owls inside!

Owls of different sizes were all lounging around the small establishment. We were so fascinated by it that we thought of joining the group of tourists outside. But there is a limit with the number of customers who could go inside. Also, we wanted to wait for R’s friend to join us. 

We headed back to the place after a couple of hours and there were still a handful of people waiting outside for the next batch. We got scared that we might not be accommodated as the ones ahead of us made reservations. But we managed to get in. Yay!

We were first ushered to the second floor of the cafe where we were given instructions on how to handle the owls. It was a bit of a challenge as the server was speaking 95% Japanese and 5% English. We only understood the essentials through body language. 

Thankfully, they also have some reading materials in English for us which also explain the same things the staff was trying to convey. 

Before heading down, we placed our orders which were inclusive in our JPY1,000 per person café fee. R and I got hot chocolate while R’s friend, M, got coffee. 

Giddy to mingle with the owls, we didn’t drink our beverages right away. Also, the second floor was a bit too cramped to stay put.

We were given a quick rundown of the names of the owls but the one that got stuck to me is Sumomo, the adorable small owl with eyes that could melt the coldest heart. 

First Bite: Choco-late de Batirol

On my birth week, R and I decided to escape Manila and went to Baguio for some fresh cold wind. I've always wanted to visit Cafe by the Ruins and after several failed beautiful eyes, R finally agreed to bring me to the charming place. But the Panagbenga visitors seem to have flocked to this place the time we visited the city center. With one hour wait time, R and I decided to go somewhere else. I was already about to pout till my lips reach Manila until when we discovered... 

Choco-late de Batirol!

The place is so adorable and the hues of green and brown makes you feel in touch with nature. Sweet chocolate scent dominated the air during our visit and made me drool for its famous hot chocolate. 

But we had to wait for a bit as all tables were taken when we got there.

When we finally got served, we ordered the following: Bibingka (PHP105), Suman sa Lihia (PHP64), Traditional Blend (PHP95), and Baguio Classic Cold Batirol (PHP150). 

In less than 15 minutes, the Traditional Blend drink, bibingka and suman arrived.

The hot chocolate drink had a nice and rich smell of tablea. It had tones of dark chocolate which I liked but the texture was not as smooth as I wanted it to be. It had a lot of grains that made my throat itch.