destinations Traveling As A Passion

[tomward]

Back to answering some of the questions:

 

4. Which place reminded you of your hometown?

 

Honestly, It would have to be LA. everywhere you looked may Filipino. I stayed in San Fernando valley and dun para talagang pinas they even have a supermarket that has Filipino goods. Island Pacific ata name nung place. They have jollibee there and chowking. You have goldilocks there. And the architecture isn't so foreign unlike the ones seen in europe where building follow a code (you should follow a certain block's architecture and color scheme). There halo halo like sa pinas.

 

 

5. Where are the most beautiful girls?

 

I could say italians have the prettiest girls hands down. The french would have to be the most fashionable for me. They carry themselves with a certain grace and flair. Italians on the other hand have the prettiest faces and they are not afraid to flaunt their bodies. Wag mo lang amuyin they have body odor. Italian beauties are 2 types, the blonder ones from the north and the arabic looking ones from the south. I have a personal preference for the Calabrese/southern beauties of italy. They look so angelic. I once went into a disco na ang mga babae parang kamukha lahat ni catherine zeta jones... di rin ako nakatagal the disco smelled like a thousand horses were inside.

 

Croatians are also very pretty and they don't mind taking their clothes off. Nakasabay namin sila sa hostel and these girls were taking a bath with their doors open even the bathroom door. I was shocked to see them walking nude sa corridors.

 

6. Where are the wildest parties? (details pls)

 

I'm not much of a party goer when I am abroad. Im pretty sure the scene in amsterdam would be great because the guys there have no inhibition. I saw a guy there taking a crap in the middle of the street and no one seemed to mind. YOu can pretty much get stoned there legally (that's another story) One party of note that I went to was a party in czech republik. There were a lot of russians there, where there's russians there is vodka!! our russian friends actually invited us to this party. We havent even gotten to the party and these guys were nearly drunk already. When we got there they were serving absinthe.. that + vodka = wildness... I stayed sober because may bantay ako but my friends got themselves some action with the girls.

[kanski]

still can't answer #1.

 

i must admit, i don't make a conscious effort to look at girls when i'm abroad except when my travel is to a neighboring south east asian country. i tend to compare the women from our neighboring countries to our own female kababayans. and my humble observation? thailand is tops along with our very own pinays. i have a suspicion though that the vietnamese will give our local lasses and the thais a run for their money.

 

european chics (i hope i don't giveaway my age by using this term) didn't really give me a stiff neck. but if i had to pick one out of the limited number of european countries i've been to, i'd have to go with the germans. my pick has nothing to do with how pretty they are (and a good percentage of them are indeed beautiful), but it rather has to do with how immaculate their skin is. pair that flawless, taut white skin with blonde hair and whalaa...

 

back to europe, i suspect that, like what vietnamese girls are to s.e.a., spanish women are the most beautiful in the old continent. i just hope i get the opportunity to confirm or debunk this impression in the (near) future.

 

while rating women from a country as a whole is a tough recall (at least it is for me), i vividly remember the prettiest woman i have ever seen in my travels. and she is australian. getting ready for our flight back home from sydney, we chanced upon a photo shoot going on at one of the duty free shops at the airport. and the model for that photoshoot that has got to be the second most beautiful woman i've ever seen with my very own eyes (first siyempre si misis). right before i turned my head away from her (sumasakit na eh), she looked at my direction and our eyes locked. and until now, i cannot forget those bluish-greys. can you hear the sigh i'm making as i write this?

 

next time.

Edited October 9, 2009 by kanski

[johnrelova]

I'll answer another question...

 

10. Who has the nicest people?

 

I’ll skip #9 for now and go straight to this question. Geographically speaking, the nicest people are all over the world. And compared to downtown SF and LA in the states (where practically no one makes eye-contact with you), I’d say that nice people are everywhere. But if I have to pick out a certain group of really kind and wonderful people (based on their culture), I think I’ll have to choose between Hawaii and the city of Culiacan in Sinaloa. Hawaiians are a diverse group of laid-back people, and because of the island-life setting, people tend to be very relaxed, generous, kind and more willing to be helpful to strangers. I remember being at the big island for the first time and my friend and I decided to rent a car to get around, we stopped to ask one of the locals how to get to the cultural center, and this guy not only showed us how to get there – but jumped in our car, took us to the cultural center and VOLUNTEERED to be our photographer while we were there! That same night, we ended up staying at his family’s house to spend the night and had a little taste of Hawaiian hospitality. Just wonderful people!!!

 

The other city that I love because of its nice people is Culiacan, Sinaloa. People here are generally not very friendly to strangers. But I particularly had a different experience here. The people that I visited here have a unique and wonderful way of receiving visitors like myself. They went out of their way to make sure that they cooked the most delicious local foods for me. They threw parties every night and invited most of their relatives and friends so that they can properly introduce them to me and they would even offer to have their beautiful sisters or daughters take me out in the city to have fun. People here are the most warm-hearted people I ever met in my life. I never had a boring moment here. I was supposed to stay only for several days, but because of their kindness, I ENDED UP STAYING FOR MORE THAN 2 MONTHS. I had a culture shock when I returned home!!!

[tomward]

i must admit, i don't make a conscious effort to look at girls when i'm abroad except when my travel is to a neighboring south east asian country. i tend to compare the women from our neighboring countries to our own female kababayans. and my humble observation? thailand is tops along with our very own pinays. i have a suspicion though that the vietnamese will give our local lasses and the thais a run for their money.

 

european chics (i hope i don't giveaway my age by using this term) didn't really give me a stiff neck. but if i had to pick one out of the limited number of european countries i've been to, i'd have to go with the germans. my pick has nothing to do with how pretty they are (and a good percentage of them are indeed beautiful), but it rather has to do with how immaculate their skin is. pair that flawless, taut white skin with blonde hair and whalaa...

 

back to europe, i suspect that, like what vietnamese girls are to s.e.a., spanish women are the most beautiful in the old continent. i just hope i get the opportunity to confirm or debunk this impression in the (near) future.

 

can you hear the sigh i'm making as i write this?

 

next time.

 

Hahaha I could hear you sighing from here Interesting about south east asian women. I've had a vietnamese teacher in elementary and she was a knock out!!! For me I find Burmese women the prettiest especially those from the Karin tribe I had burmese classmates and they were soooo yummy. Mas conservative nga lang sila sa atin kaya no go hahaha. Pero iba pa rin ang tama ng pinay sa akin Love your own

[kanski]

q: where did you have the best shopping experience?

 

a: anywhere there is an outlet mall. nothing beats getting something at 50% off.

 

and among the outlet malls, the one on the outskirts of paris (la vallee, i think) is pretty wicked.

[tomward]

7. What is the cleanest?

 

Cleanest city is a toss up between Bern, Switzerland and Vienna, Austria. Vienna has a city code that you cannot construct any building that looks different from the buildings in your block. Everything looks so uniform. What makes it clean is the attitude of the people, people here throw trash where it should go.. to the trash bin. There are tulips everywhere in the city but to get one is to risk the ire of the people. Their rationale is that the tulips are there for everyone to enjoy so why be selfish and take it.

 

Bern on the other hand reminds me of Baguio. It is a mountain town but very very clean. The roads look like you could lie there and not get dirty. The swiss are very clean too and probably the best smelling europeans I've ever encountered Even the rivers near the city are crystal clear. The swiss are very exact they even have seconds (5:31.45 ) in their arrival/departure in their train sched. Of course it doesn't work in the eurotrains because trains coming from italy are always late

[bitterxsweet]

Where did you have the best shopping experience?

Hong Kong

Fact: If you can't find something in Manila, chances are, they have in Hong Kong.

Yes, even the hippest viruses.

 

Which place was the most culturally fulfilling for you?

Japan.

Places that integrate the past with the present always impress me and I don't think anybody does it better than the Japanese. They adore what they have so much. They treat the land they walk on as an actual being of sorts and it's actually overwhelming. It's not even about tourism for them, it's just how they choose to live.

[Guest lustfortravel]

What is the most eye opening experience you had?

 

that I can travel alone abroad and enjoy every minute of my trip. I can go to places I want and do things I want to do, without having to be dictated with the wants of my travel companions.

 

What Lessons did you learn in your travels?

 

that if you greet complete strangers with a warm smile, they tend to respond in kind and befriend you. and that attractive men are only too willing to help a woman travelling alone.

 

Which item did you bring was the most helpful

 

my travel medicine kit. i never leave home without it. you never know when you might need it the most.

[tomward]

Which place was the most culturally fulfilling for you?

Japan.

Places that integrate the past with the present always impress me and I don't think anybody does it better than the Japanese. They adore what they have so much. They treat the land they walk on as an actual being of sorts and it's actually overwhelming. It's not even about tourism for them, it's just how they choose to live.

 

Great insight. I wish I could remember my Japan trip as I was only 8 years old when I went there. Im sure I would have gained better appreciation if I went there now. Its one of the places where I want to return to. what I could remember from japan was having a hard time with food and us getting lost because people hardly spoke english

 

What is the most eye opening experience you had?

 

that I can travel alone abroad and enjoy every minute of my trip. I can go to places I want and do things I want to do, without having to be dictated with the wants of my travel companions.

 

There are 2 sides to this I would say my best experiences have been traveling with a group. It adds soo much drama. sometimes we get jaded by too much information and research that by traveling with other people and seeing it from their perspective gives you a new appreciation for places you've been to many times. I was in boracay alone last year and I thought I'd have a blast:) I did initially but at the end of the day I wanted to be able to say to someone, "isn't this great!!?" But then again, whiny companions are the bane of travel...

[johnrelova]

14. Which city was the most dangerous?

 

Saudi Arabia takes the entire cake on this one!!!

Of all the many, many places I’ve visited and lived in, nothing and I mean “absolutely nothing” can ever compare to this country. This is the only country in the world where you are not “allowed” to BE a Christian!!! And it isn’t just Christianity that they do not allow; you are not even allowed to have freedom here. In this country, most of everything that you would normally think as normal in your day-to-day life – IS CONSIDERED ILLEGAL HERE!!! Your entire well-being is threatened in this country. You can’t even talk to women in public places, unless that woman is your wife or your relative. I will site one example of how dangerous it is to be in this country: I went to a flower shop to buy flowers for a friend. While the flowers are being prepared for me, I saw a pinoy waiting outside the flower shop. A minute later, this Filipina woman came up to him and the guy gave her 3 red roses and they started talking. Everything seemed normal. Immediately thereafter, a Saudi man with long beard together with a saudi police officer approached the two and without warning, the long-bearded man slapped the woman twice in the face. The police officer grabbed our kabayan and threw him into the police car and the lady was forced to go with the long bearded guy and he forcefully put her in his car and they all drove away. I have visited and lived in many cities all over the world & I have also visited several cities in the middle east – but for me, there is no question that the most dangerous country is the country that suppresses your freedom to do the things that you’ve always considered “legal and normal”!!!

[kanski]

^

 

kakatakot naman yan. it's a good thing that i've never wanted to this country. does anyone know if they treat visitors of different religions this way, too, in egypt and in jordan?

 

another country i wasn't interested in visiting before was austria. but after reading how enamored you guys were of it's culture and cleanliness, parang gusto ko na siyang puntahan.

[johnrelova]

yup... there's freedom of religion in all the other countries in the middle east. Egypt actually loves their tourists and treat them all with respect. it's a perfect place to go backpacking. it's definitely a nice & wonderful place to visit. Jordan on the other hand is not too friendly, especially the city of amman. but u know what they say: SMOOTH SEAS NEVER MADE A SKILLFUL SAILOR! what makes u a better traveler is actually the bad experiences, just as well as the goods ones.

 

and good luck in vienna.... make sure u visit Hooters in downtown, just around the corner from hotel intercon. the st. stephan's church and the big ferris wheel are certainly the two places u have to see when you're there. and never ever go there during winter.... hahahahaha.

[tomward]

You should visit Austria, its just so beautiful. Good place to start would be Vienna with its central square that is near stephansdom, and make your way to belvedere palace (king's residence), these places are located within the "O ring" or the tourist ring and are accessible from the "O-tram". you should visit Schonbrunn or the Summer Palace of the King. It is listed in one of the top ten gardens of the world. (you can always brag you've been to one of the top ten after).

 

The Big ferris wheel is a little far, the place is called Praterstern or as the locals call it, "pratter". For years it was the biggest ferris wheel until it was beaten by the millenium ferris wheel in paris and now in england. But it romantic. It takes you 20 mins once you get on to get off. It is near the Danube and if you go there by summer they convert this place into a "beach" (they import white sand)where you could play beach volleyball, have barbeques, and best of all... Ogle at the nude sunbathers.

 

Away from vienna the next best place to visit would be Bad Ischl, its the winter Capital of Austria. Ths town looks like a disney theme town. Its small but you could visit the natural spas and beautiful lakes around it. There is no airport here so you have to take the train but the ride will take you across the Austrian Alps that left me ooh and aaahing. ANother main attraction here is the Kaiser Villa which is the King's winter palace. They still have a monarchy in Austria and if you're lucky you just might get to meet their king. He occasionally stays here in Bad Ischl. If you are here try the Roast chicken... its the best in the world for me Try the restaurant near the train station.

 

One reason to go to Bad Ischl is its proximity to Halstatt, a Unesco world heritage site. This is a town near Bad Ischl. The main attraction here is the salt mines. Believe me, the 20 euros you'll fork out it so worth it. Its like a 2 hour ride inside the tunnels where you could slide down the miners shaft. walk in almost 0 degree cold. ride the miners train and learn about how salt is produced. Halstatt is famous for its salt. The highest graded salt comes from here. The salt is pinkish in color and tastes great. If you want proof just taste the food here... Then you'll understand why its the highest grade of salt. This is the reason why I think the roast chicken in this area is the best in world.

[johnrelova]

wow... i missed out going to these places. that's why i think it's better to do a lot of research first before going to any of these nice places in europe.

 

tom, will it be too much if you can tell us more about your experiences in rome?? i can't stop thinking about this place. i think i'd really like to go to this city on my next personal vacation. where should we go for our first visit to this city??? thanks...

[Guest lustfortravel]

There are 2 sides to this I would say my best experiences have been traveling with a group. It adds soo much drama. sometimes we get jaded by too much information and research that by traveling with other people and seeing it from their perspective gives you a new appreciation for places you've been to many times. I was in boracay alone last year and I thought I'd have a blast:) I did initially but at the end of the day I wanted to be able to say to someone, "isn't this great!!?" But then again, whiny companions are the bane of travel...

 

i'd probably say the same thing if i travelled with people i really like. however, i can't choose my relatives . that is why i always savor the experience of travelling alone abroad when i can.