Revenge Travel: Singapore 2022

July 10, 2022bryologue Leave a Comment

Prelude

(I think it is much better to do a one-time post, instead of the usual multiple posts in our previous trips. This way, I have everything in one go.)

Months before the pandemic began, we had travel plans that did not push through. We already booked tickets to Beijing and Phuket, but had to cancel these trips as I had to transition to a new role towards the end of 2019. We thought it would not be wise to go on leave when I barely started. So, au revoir tickets.

Then COVID-19 brought the world to a standstill.

A lot of travel plans were put on hold as we were all not sure what we were dealing with. Traveling surely was the last on everyone’s list. The young and old, healthcare workers and the common people were falling left and right like flies. It was a grim time.

Even as the world began to open up last year after the vaccines started rolling out, we were still apprehensive to travel again. Earlier this year, however, we already began having more confidence. More people were doing it. The tourism sector, which took a big blow in the past 2 years, was also going to great lengths to gain people’s confidence.

So, ready to fly? Yes? Yes!

Even back in 2021, we already knew that our first trip would have been to South Korea this July (i.e. inclusive dates from July 4 to July 11). We had to eventually reconsider this.

We have been to South Korea in September 2011, December 2012 and December 2016. Granted September was supposedly early autumn, it did not feel like it as it still felt like summer that time. The last two December stays were obviously winter. We thought that perhaps spring or autumn would have been better. Spring has already passed, but autumn this year sounded perfect to us.

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Aujourd’hui c’est son anniversaire

March 18, 2022bryologue Leave a Comment

Finally, a birthday celebration outside.

When the pandemic went full swing in 2020, the nationwide lockdown was about 3 days before Mon’s birthday. We had planned an eat-all-you-can dinner that time, but for obvious reasons. It was cancelled. Even the succeeding days before it, we were thinking how to get the refund for the pre-payment we made. When the prolonged lockdowns eventually reared its ugly head, it was obvious that it has ravaged more livelihood and employment. Our worries were severely paltry and negligible.

Since around mid-February 2022, things were looking up. Numbers-wise, since the end of the Omicron wave around January, there were less cases (and deaths, which frankly should be zero — a death is a death, even one). Vaccination rates are high. Or it might just be really the election period upon us that led to the relaxing of the restrictions.

The fire extinguisher — people will probably think it’s a Jeff Koons. (Yes. that’s an SATC reference)

So for today, we finally decided to have dinner at Greenbelt and (supposedly) watch a movie. Nothing out of ordinary.

It was a humid summer’s evening, but it did not prevent me from wearing my usual uniform: a black shirt. I decided to be dressier than usual and put on jeans instead of shorts. =) Nevertheless, my flip flops were intact. Imagine me walking around these around this new area where the LV store was transferred to, together with other designer stores. I did not care about it, to be honest, as I just really wanted to be inside an air-conditioned place. Continue Reading →

Once A Week: First Post for 2020

January 5, 2020bryologue Leave a Comment

Once a week. This is the number of times I should post per week. It could be more than one, but I am pegging it low. Sustainable? Perhaps not. Nevertheless, I’ll give it my best shot. Hey, if I manage to do it, I have 52 posts at the end of 2020, without resorting to a mega post on December 31.

Yesterday, I brought a new planner from National Bookstore for 2020. It was tabula rasa i.e. I had to write the days and months down. For those who know, I have been a regular planner user since 2007. I delved once into those Starbucks planner (in 2008 to be exact). However, I just felt it was not for me. I never even managed to use that.

Blogception: the first post of the year on the screen, and the last page of the planner with things I intend to do for the year.

Thus, year after year, I just buy one from the bookstore. I bought a vintage LV agenda cover from Ebay back in 2017, and fill it with a generic planner. I think this is a Japanese release since the cover flips from left to right. But, who cares?

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Before 2019 Ends

December 31, 2019bryologue Leave a Comment

Welp! My last post was exactly a year ago today! I almost forgot the password for BRYOLOGUE but here I am again with another mega post.

Funny how I keep on posting about religiously posting but haven’t got the chance for the past 364 days. To give a recap of my year, perhaps a mega post will make up for it?

So let’s have a look back at the year that was!

At the newly-cleaned Quiapo area

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Taipei Trip Mega Post – Day 3

September 22, 2018bryologue Leave a Comment

By the third day, we have been already getting on each others’ nerves. This was quite expected like clockwork during our trips. Mon wanted to just rest and wait out our trip to Shifen and Jiufen via Klook, which will start by 1:30 pm. I, on the other hand, thought that perhaps we could squeeze an attraction in the morning.

Returning to Jiantian Station, the stop for Shilin Night Market, I insisted in visiting the National Martyr’s Shrine. However, there were no buses servicing the area that time, and it will take another 2-hour roundtrip before reaching the place.

Searching on Google, I looked for the nearest attraction: the Confucius Temple.

At Taipei Confucius Temple

Vanishing point

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Taipei Trip Mega Post – Day 1

September 20, 2018bryologue Leave a Comment

First of all, it was a relief that Taiwan has extended the visa-free entry to Philippine passport holders until July 2019. However, they have shortened it to 15 days from the former 30.

We will be in Taipei for less than a week for our 10th year celebration! The weather was not too good in Manila, and I was hoping we’d have a stress-free night flight.

At NAIA Terminal 3

I wore Doc Martens, but NAIA’s airport security was just too much

We arrived around 9:00 PM at NAIA Terminal 3, even if our flight will not leave not until 11:00 PM. This is obviously a red-eye flight to Taipei.

It is worth noting that of all our trips together, this is my first time to religiously list all of our expenses. At the end of the series, I will be listing our expenses. For our pocket money, I have only used earnings from Google Adsense. The hotel booking (via Booking.com) was also paid for in advance using Google Adsense.

BRYOLOGUE does not earn much Adsense-wise. However, I maintain another website that pretty much takes care of its own. So let us see how far our pocket money will bring us. LOL

Both of us have been on keto diet since May, so we are unsure how we will survive in carb-rich Taiwan. We even had to bake a loaf of bread and a small batch of brownies because we did not want to be kicked out of ketosis! This was, as expected, a big challenge as a keto traveler.

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Dinner is ready!

July 10, 2018bryologue Leave a Comment

When was the last time I had planned an event? The good thing about my new role is that I get to do the same kind of organizing I did in my former humanitarian role. The better thing? I will not be doing it alone.

For this thanksgiving dinner to our sponsors, I had been planning in the last 3 weeks with our intern. She’s also taking up International Studies and she was (luckily) assigned to our department.

Table set-up

We had been in constant contact with the focal person from Makati Shangri-La. It was tedious, and that is all I am allowed to say. LOL

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Clean, condition, touch-up: bag-cleaning day

June 13, 2017bryologue 2 Comments

As today is a holiday (i.e. the 119th Independence Day), I took the whole day to sort my things and clean my bags. I had already run out of leather-cleaning stuff, and I’ve been wanting to drop by SM Megamall to buy some.

It was a quick and breezy ride going there, as there was no traffic. As expected, there were a lot of people inside the mall, though.

Getting the good stuff

I went straight downstairs to the Lower Ground area, where this leather-care Mecca is found. I have been hoping to go there again, but could not find the time as SM Megamall was out of the way.

After careful consideration of what I needed (not to mention foresight of not being able to go back again for months), I was able to buy a couple of products to help me on the day’s agenda.

A shelf of leather care products

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To infinity and beyond!

October 2, 2016bryologue Leave a Comment

Years ago, I told myself that I would make amends with people who I had severed ties with if I came out alive from my ordeal. Then years later, we find ourselves in the middle of a glorious day when they finally tie the knot. I haven’t seen them since 2014 and to see them as they take their vows could not have been the best timing.

It was Mama’s 60^th birthday yesterday and we arrived in Marikina to celebrate the day with her. But for the Saturday after, I know she understood that we had to attend a wedding.

We sometimes dress up

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La Vie Bohème

December 2, 2014bryologue 2 Comments

We saw Mockingjay Part 1 last Sunday and on our way home, I finally got up close the display window of Rustan’s Makati.

Christmas 2014 display window of Rustan’s Makati

They undoubtedly have the best windows and they periodically change them after a couple of months. However, they always reserve the best decoration for December. This year, it looked like an enchanted winter forest that is very Tim Walker (a.k.a. Mr. Fairy Tale Fantasy) meets Narnia. Of course, Tim Walker is well-known for photographing very whimsical spreads and campaigns. However, what I do not like about these was the fact that you can no longer see the clothes. The branches by the glass were too busy or had they reduced the sides for about a foot each, it would have been much better. I still get envious of all the Ayala Avenue people because they have better Christmas decorations, compared to the bleak and sparsely decorated area of McKinley Hill. Do they know it’s Christmas? LOL Yes, I’m really claiming the Holiday Season this year, and I’m as giddy as my niece Brianna seeing glittering decors and blinking Christmas lights.

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