celebraTINg exisTENce: Mall

We mall hopped on our first night.

An activity you might like to forego because there are a lot of other attractions to go to in Davao City aside from visiting malls that look similar with the ones found in Luzon. Ehem. Abreeza. Hahaha. Meron night market somewhere, okay din dun. Ramdam na ramdam ang pagka-Davao.

One of the the reasons why we went to two malls was because we were looking for a Starbucks cafe and there wasn't one in Gaisano. Why? Sometime in January, we thought that it would be cool to collect Starbucks tumbler with the name of the places where it was bought.

This picture was taken at Gaisano Mall called, "The Peak" I saw pictures of this in Instagram and I was kind of disappointed because in the pictures I saw, there were more Christmas lights. Di ko inaalis though 'yung possibility na nagligpit na sila since tapos na Christmas season. Hehe. But anyway, there's an installation with the words "Hi Davao" here so worth visiting pa rin.

That was supposedly the main attraction of The Peak. Haha. In the pictures I saw, it looked like Singapore's Helix Bridge. Oh wells...

More art installations in Gaisano...

Abreeza looked a lot like Makati's Glorietta, Quezon City's Trinoma and Fairview Terraces. Haha. K. Since I often see Ayala Properties everywhere I go, I'm now considering buying their stocks. HAHAHAHAHA. Someday. Hopefully during the last quarter of this year. <3

Now it kinda looks like Greenbelt.

Here's what the Starbucks Coffee tumbler looks like. After buying this, I am having second thoughts on whether or not I'll make this into a collection. Collect nothing but pictures pa rin ako eh. Mas mura. Haha!

Day ended with a bubble bath.
I knew that our room has a bath tub so I made sure to bring some bath gel.

This is one of the perks of having a Sony Xperia Z3 as your phone. Di nakakatakot na mabasa but since the universe is generous to me, I will become an iPhone convert soon. Sana makuha ko na my new phone. Hihi.

So that was it.

Day one was packed but with the things and activities that don't need to be blogged about.

Wait for day two posts! :D

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Winter fun all-year-round.

Our country is blessed with only two seasons and that's probably the reason why a lot of Filipinos dream of experiencing snow, white Christmas etc. at least once. I, myself, dream of experiencing snow someday and what is snow without skiing, ice skating , snowman-making ganyan di ba? So in preparation for that, I am trying to learn ice skating prior to my trip. (Baka may plano, noh? hahaha) Opening ko lang 'yan, medyo wala talaga siyang connect sa mga susunod na mailalagay dito. :))

I went ice skating twice last May. One with my girl friends in Mall of Asia and the other in Megamall with my sister and my cousin's son.

The "planning" stage went like this: Since it was so hot then, we wanted to go to somewhere cold. Knowing us, it was very unlikely that we settle with just heading to the coldest mall we could think of and spend the entire day eating and watching movies. Since 2011, it became our tradition to do something unique everytime our BFF group goes out. Andyan na 'yung Pasig Ferry Cruise, Intramuros field trip, swimming and gym day, jogging kuno sa Venice Piazza (Of all places, diba? Sa Venice Piazza pa at tanghaling tapat. HAHAHA) etc.

As we were searching online for the things that we can do na hindi kailangan mainitan at gumastos ng bongga, I stumbled upon SM Ice Skating's post last May 1, 2014...

That's me and my other group of friends in the picture. They used this without my/our consent and even removed the watermark I placed at the bottom. Picture link: here. I wasn't mad or anything but I shared the post in my facebook page saying how "talikodgenic" we were that SM even used our picture without permission.

When my BFF girl friends saw the post, they got interested in trying out ice skating too so we did.

When we were still looking at the skaters, we were considering backing out.

"I think it would be best for us to just watch a movie or go bowling..." But our adventurous side insisted and said, "Whatever. Let's buy tickets now."

It was my second time but the kuya still had to redo my laces. Wow, prinsesa lang.

We looked like struggling skaters and the little girl whom I found really cute before we entered the rink approached us and our conversation kind of went this way:

Girl: Ate, you don't know how to skate? Why you don't know how to skate?
Me: 'Cause it's our first time. Can you teach us some techniques so we'd learn fast?

She taught us some moves and skated away as we stood there trying to apply what we've learned but still struggling. Hahaha.

She went back and told us, "Ate, kanina you don't know but now you know na?" The way that girl speaks reminds me of someone. Hehehehe. May chance ata ang future child/ren ko to talk that way. I also hope that my junakis will be as confident as her. 4 years old lang siguro 'yung batang 'yun. #assumera #bakamagingnanay hahahaha.

Kunyari ang galing galing ko mag skate picture.

My third was in the ice skating rink of SM Megamall's newest building.

I like Megamall's ice skating shoes better.

After an hour of circling the rink, we went out to eat at Kyochon Philippines link: here and rested a bit at Megamall's Prestige lounge link: here.

I still don't watch movies at an SM Cinema but I make it a point to enter a prestige lounge to ask for a glass of iced tea and also because restrooms inside the lounge are better than other SM restrooms.

Kami ng E-plus, patigasan lang kahit wala naman silang pakialam hahaha. Sobrang na-turn off lang ako sa SM Tickets at E-Plus kaya MEH pa rin kahit halos isang taon na ang nakalipas. Alam kong pino-promote nila ang tap to pay ngayon pero kung e-plus ang card na re-reloadan, okay na ko gumamit ng cash kahit sobrang mas convenient pa nun.

Someday, Mt. Pinatubo!! <3

Went back to the rink to skate some more before going home.
Compared to my first and second, I became more relaxed and more confident the third time. Hindi pa rin ako nadudulas pero mas magaling na 'ko. At sa mas magaling na ibig sabihin ko... kasi kaya ko na ngayon na hindi humawak lagi sa gilid. 'Yun lang. Bow.

Lockers in Megamall are pricier. For one time open lang kasi so everytime you need to get something inside/open the door, tapos na 'yung rent mo. You'd have to pay P 40.00 for another usage. Lockers nila ay parang mga lockers sa KL Sentral link: here. Sa MOA kasi, baggage counter lang kaya kahit lumabas ka pero may receipt ka, 'yung isang bayad lang e okay na. Pero whatevs, these lockers are safer in their own way.

RATES: MOA AND MEGAMALL

WEEKDAYS: P 300.00
WEEKEND/HOLIDAYS: P 390.00

All day ice skating and inclusive of shoe rental.

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Marina Bay MRT

Universal Studios Singapore

and finally, for the last part of my Day 3: Sightseeing at Marina Bay area.

From Harbour Front (NE 1) ride to Chinatown (NE4) transfer to its Downtown Line (DT19) and alight at Bayfront Station (DT16).

From the DT16 station, there's a passage to The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. Our trip wasn't luxurious enough for us to stay/check-in at the very famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel so we have to be satisfied with taking pictures inside The Shoppes and with the hotel for our background. Loljk. We don't have the means YET to stay there even for a night.

Upon exiting the MRT station, you'll be greeted by this man-made canal (Yes, inside the mall!) that has operating wooden boats called Sampan which you can ride for a fee. I don't have the budget to experience this nor do I want to; I was just looking forward to see the mall's rain oculus. I've seen a picture of that giant bowl where water passes through so I was hoping to have a picture taken with it but...

Do you see any water from it? :((

Imagine my disappointment when I saw that it wasn't operating when we went there. But let's look at the silver lining, this is another reason to come back to Singapore!

A picture of The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands' facade.
The fact that I kind of set foot in the world's most expensive building was an accomplishment in itself. Soon, infinity pool, soon. May kasamang pagbabanta 'yan saka papa-sexy muna ko. hahaha!

Across Marina Bay Sands is Merlion Park. Across! Across! Myghad, I am loving this walking tour so much.

That lotus flower-like/white structure is the ArtScience Museum.

A lot of people are in the area. Some just waiting for time to pass while spending time with friends and family, some were alone and some were exercising. This is actually one thing I liked about Singapore. Coming from a country where your business is mostly everyone's business too, sometimes you just want to feel that other people aren't minding whatever it is you're doing.

And our last SG walking tour started there. Wooo, kanya-kanyang paraan, kanya-kanya kaming technique sa paglalakad so we could reach the Merlion Park alive and not die of exhaustion halfway. :))) Kalurks. It took us around 20 minutes of brisk-walking to get to the other side.

There were a lot of joggers in the area so it was an okay place to brisk-walk. Hindi kami others. hahaha! We thought that it's too close to hire a cab yet a little bit far to walk but whatevs, we still walked.

We skipped going to Gardens By The Bay even if that was closer to The Shoppes thinking we could just go back there after Merlion Park. But while walking along this part, we saw that Marina Bay Station (NS27) was closer. So naturally, Gardens By The Bay? Next visit na. Two days spent in Singapore and our PHP 3,000.00 budget weren't enough to go to and explore all tourist spots. Wala kang papatulan muna na kahit ano. Hanggang tingin na lang most of the times. But, I shall return!! Kanina pa ko paulit-ulit na babalik ako. Gets, life, gets? I shall return! Wiser. Braver. Stronger. Bolder. Fiercer. Sexier. Richer! Hahaha! :))

And we were already halfway!!!!!

Marina Bay Sands Hotel (the one with boat-like structure on top), ArtScience Museum, The Shoppes and Singapore Flyer.

We were rushing things that time since our bus back to Malaysia was scheduled at 10 PM; hence, the brisk-walking. But now that I think of it, we should have walked counter clockwise and passed through the Helix bridge and Singapore flyer. That way, we would've seen more of SG. Pero, aarte pa ba kung pwede naman kami bumalik? HAHA.

We arrived!

A lot of Fullerton something in the area. Not that it's a bad thing though.

Singapore Flyer, Helix Bridge and ArtScience Musem Panoramic Shot

Helix bridge, for pedestrians, is really beautiful at night. I guess this first visit just showed me the places that I'm going to look forward to next time... saka pag may maganda na kong camera. :)))

That structure that looks like Durian is The Esplanade or the Theater by the Bay.

A part of Singapore Central Business District skyline taken from below nga lang. hahaha.

They say that a trip to Singapore isn't complete if you don't have a picture with the Merlion. Dami kong kuha rito eh, wala nga lang matino. :))

Merlion is a mythical creature with a head of a lion and a body of a fish. According to Wikipedia, it is a combination of MER "sea" and LION representing Singapore's origin as a fishing village and Singapore's original name Singapura which means lion's city.

The MRT Station closest to Merlion Park is Raffles Place (EW14) and (NS26).

Marina Bay Sands Hotel, The Merlion, the Boat of the River Tour and of couse, moi. :)

Should you have s$22.00, you might want to try Singapore River Ferry Cruise. A forty-minute cruise that would take you to Marina South, Marina Bay, Boat Quay, Clark Quay and Robertson Quay. FYI (Hindi ko kasi alam kung ano 'yun kaya ako na ang naghanap ng sagot), quays are structures built on the land next to a river.

Patikim lang lahat lahat!! It's expensive in Singapore so if you're also in a tight budget, hanggang tingin na lang tayo talaga. hahaha! Pero ano naman, diba? Wala naman yan sa dami ng attraction na nabayaran, basta nasa SG ka at nakapasyal ka. hehe

Time to go back to Ang Mo Kio since our bus that would take us back to Malaysia is leaving at 10 PM and we have to be at Golden Mile Complex by 9:30. Uhm, past 7:30 PM na ata to. Intense two hours.

We hailed a cab from Ang Mo Kio to Golden Mile to lessen the travel time. I really hope that there comes a time when Filipino taxi drivers copy Singaporean drivers when it comes to giving of change. We had a change of s$.05 and instead of just pocketing that small amount (which is normally the situation in the Philippines kahit paminsan P 20.00 pa nga), our driver took his container of coins and gave us our change - he got no more and no less of what's indicated in his meter. Also, even if Golden Mile was a little bit far from Ang Mo Kio, he didn't ask for additional payment nor did he take advantage of us being a tourist. Ang sarap pala ng feeling na mag-taxi na alam mong babayaran mo lang 'yung presyong nandun sa metro. Tipong hindi ka na maiinis sa nagpapadagdag na driver kesyo traffic, kesyo masyadong malapit, kesyo masyadong malayo. At mas masarap pala ang feeling na mag-taxi na hindi ka papababain o hindi ka papasakayin pag hindi gusto maghatid ng driver sa lugar na pupuntahan mo. Also, thanks to our driver for being our tour guide (somehow) on the way to Golden Mile.

Haaay, time to say Goodbye, Singapore. It was sooooo fun while it lasted even if we got lost for a lot of times because of your complexity. :)))

THE REST OF OUR MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE (MIS)ADVENTURES LINK: HERE.

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