Manila Adventures

FUN

We've been patronizing these deal sites more and more as we try to save up for next year's wedding. It's a great way to sample new restaurants or experience adventures on a budget. So on a whim, we decided to snap up a pair of tickets to a unique tour of Old Manila.

The White Knight hotel offers guided tours of Intramuros with a twist.

P: You can choose to zip around on bikes or 2-wheeled upright buggies. Of course, we had to pick the Segway-like experience for the novelty, coolness, and the fact that I don't know how to bike.

This was my "ready-for-anything," lazy day outfit. Not much on the fashion front. 

D: thrifted chambray shirt, H&M track shorts, Superga sneakers

This is my version of "active wear," I guess. In case you're interested, we're selling a matte tortoise shell version of my winged sunglasses here. Check it out! :)

Our helpful instructor and cameraman

After getting past the jitters and how initially unwieldy the vehicle was, it was easy to get the hang of it. If you're thinking of embarking on this adventure, you also need to look past the obnoxiously yellow "medieval" vests, aside from all the extra padding. They serve both safety and marketing purposes.

You just shift your weight forward and back and twist the handles to move. It was such a blast to get around. It's also a bit easier to pay attention to the guide when you're not tired from walking.

These things would have been amazing for trekking around European cities! They're awesome at handling the cobblestone streets. Anyone who's ever experienced walking more than a few kilometers, whether in Hong Kong, Paris or Divisoria, knows that aching legs and feet take away from the cultural/shopping experience. 

Getting a dose of history at the courtyard of the San Agustin Church, the oldest stone church in the country and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The good part is, you're not confined to your "chariot" for the whole tour, you can choose to explore further, like on top of these stone redoubts or "baluartes" along the Intramuros walls. Since you're accompanied by two guides, one stands guard over your stuff and the equipment.

Going off-road at the monument of former Philippine presidents

At the site of the original Ateneo campus, now an events place, of all things

The White Knight chariot tour was a great way to get some culture and history while also getting some excitement. Our verdict? Growing up in Manila, the sights included were quite familiar from field trips and family outings. What White Knight does is provide a novel way of revisiting the old city.The major selling points of the tour are the "chariots" coupled with the fantastic customer service. If only we could get our hands on one of these two-wheeled babies, running errands would be so much more enjoyable.

Unexpectedly, our adventure day didn't end there. Our wandering feet found their way back to the Manila Ocean Park to check out their newest exhibit, featuring these fascinating South American penguins.

Enjoy these photos of feathered friends chilling out. Aren't they too cute?!

The day continued to take a strange turn when we found ourselves inexplicably sliding down an icy slide that was surprisingly fast by the end. Random, we know, don't judge us. :)

Hopefully we entertained you with a post on our very spontaneous day. Do try to check out the White Knight Toursa in Intramuros or the penguin exhibit in MOP.

Bangkok Day 3: Platinum

FASHION

When we finally had a tour-free day, we put on our comfiest shoes and mentally prepared ourselves for the enormous shopping center that is Platinum Mall. Since we last visited (in 2010), new wholesale malls have popped up and it takes a lot of courage (especially for the males) to face the undertaking of exploring 6 floors++ of unadulterated fast fashion. All things trendy and cheap are right at your finger tips! 

Really couldn't be bothered to take proper photos but here's an example of how every nook and cranny is crammed with merchandise! Prepare your feet and your wallet for some major damage.

Admittedly, the stuff tends to overlap from store to store.

 Challenge Number 1: Find the one that sells the item at the lowest price. Remember that the more you buy, the cheaper each piece becomes!

Challenge Number 2: Look for the stores that sell unique pieces. This store sold tops customized with their own graphic prints!

We both loved the fresh designs (which we didn't see anywhere else) and the quality of the fabrics. The saleslady demonstrated how the print on their shirts don't "crack" or fade even when the fabric is stretched!

Here's a random booth. All the others are in various permutations but all following the same general equation. 

P: While Chatuchak is definitely an experience, Platinum is cool because you get the market prices and finds but combined with the comforts of airconditioning, benches and a food court. Not to say that I'm not completely wiped out after a trip but at least I'm not drenched in sweat.
D: I think we were at the third floor by this time. At this point, we were tired to the bone so we were off to the food court to meet up with my brother and mom for some lunch.

FOOD

Mini seafood omelettes

Yummy! A different sea animal on every omelette haha!

We got so addicted to these waffles! They come in several variants but our top picks were maple and Thai custard. One piece is only THB15 or PHP21! This makes for the best snack. They stay edible even after a few hours too.

Mushroom spring rolls

Even the food court Pad Thai is delicious! As with the other rice and noodles, you just need to mix in the right amount of fish sauce, sugar and other condiments for the perfect taste.

We were looking everywhere for the crispy catfish salad but they only had this mango salad available. Still, it was a pretty delicious substitute.

We liked that the crab in curry sauce wasn't made up of kani sticks. The heaping pile of crab meat did not make it seem like regular food court fare.

This rice was actually really good; nice and fluffy, just the way I like it. Though I have to admit, that little tentacle sticking out is making my stomach turn a bit.

Here's us at the Suvarnabhumi Airport en route to Manila.
So that's pretty much the bulk of our trip to Thailand! It's so frustrating to come home to Manila's massive end-of-season sale since we're both still recovering from the dent Bangkok left in our accounts. It's probably a good idea to stay away from the malls but let's see if that will actually happen.

Snippets of some of our haul from this trip

We brought home some things to share with you guys so stay tuned for a mini sale that we'll be posting very soon. Hope you enjoyed this post! :)

Bangkok Day 2: En Route to Ayutthaya

TRAVEL

For our second day of touring, we were taken on a bus to Ayutthaya, the former capital of Siam. Our first stop was the Bang Pa-In Palace, the Summer Palace of Thai kings.

The complex is populated by a surprising mix of European, Thai and Chinese-style buildings. It was an interesting break from the temple-hopping.

It was a little strange to see clashing architectural styles but hey, what do we know?

A brightly-painted watchtower

A veritable army of gardeners keep the grounds immaculately landscaped. You can even explore it with golf carts if you want to spring for the rental fee. 

And now, a random herd of grass elephants.

The ruins of the old city

Check out the cool Buddha head enveloped by the tree.

At this point, I was more than ready to head back to Bangkok.

A few requisite tourist photos

Even the Buddhas get a costume change. Their gold (or yellow) garments change according to the season.

We leave you with a photo that got us some slightly angry stares from the guards. Our friends have been striking this pose whenever they travel to new locales and it's gotten to be a "thing" among us so here's our first lame attempt. :) We're sorry if this is offensive to Buddha!

Bangkok Day 1: Shopping

FASHION

P: David and Goliath shirt, JayJays shorts, Zara chukkas

Wearing appropriate clothes for the heat and the miles of walking (mostly inside the malls).

D:  vintage polka dot button down, striped shorts from the dept store, Holster jelly flats 

Nothing shmancy, just a chill outfit suitable for Bangkok's warm weather.

FOOD

We were looking for a Thai restaurant while waiting to be checked in. Good thing Feuang Nara was right across our hotel.

Thai milk tea, ubiquitous but always good, refreshing and perfect to tame spicy dishes.
D: I need this in my life everyday!! 

Fresh coconut shake, not unlike what's found in the Philippines.

The Pad Thai was sticky and flavorful and we really liked the texture of the fat rice noodles.

The crab fried rice could be a meal by itself with the generous amount of seafood found inside. It just needs a bit of chili and fish sauce.

We decided to order the rice crumb pork because we don't usually see it in the menus back home. The meat was super tender and the plum/tamarind sauce gave it a tangy kick. 

Chicken with cashew nuts, a staple of every menu. 

SHOPPING 

Our first stop was Siam Paragon, just to dip our toes in Bangkok's shopping waters before heading off the deep end in Platinum.

At the Gourmet Market for Thai delicacies, dried fruit, rice crackers and other snackables. The dried strawberries are a must-try!

We were immediately drawn to this display of awesome gelato-filled mochi balls.

East meets west in the combination of mochi and gelato, with flavors like red bean, green tea, and after eight mint. This mochi was different from the ones back home! We didn't have to warm them in our hands or wait a few minutes before digging in. The texture was smooth and perfect from the get-go.

D: After walking around the mall for a bit, we somehow ended up in the shoe section of Paragon's department store and I was greeted by the sight of this: Jeffrey Campbell overload!!

I was freaking out in a major way because they had so many styles in stock! I was so happy to be surrounded by non-vanilla styles! I wish Fashion Forum would bring in some of the "wilder" designs of Jeffrey Campbell!

My brother and P were laughing while I had a mini-meltdown. I think even the SAs were amused as I stroked my favorite pairs.

<3 Now I have yet another shopping-related reason to visit Bangkok again.

After Paragon, we hopped on over to Siam Discovery for a look-see.

Love all the window displays! Check out the paper bags taking the form of some of the most iconic arm candies! I spy a paper Chanel, Balenciaga, and Hermes!

There were quire a few boutiques for guys as well, all very edgy and on the adventurous side.

(FOOD AGAIN)

We decided to eat inexpensively at the food court and take a break from Thai food for a bit so dinner was in the Japanese hamburger chain, MOS Burger.

MOS burger with cheese - that's a fat slice of tomato, special MOS sauce, cheese and a beef burger

Yakiniku rice burger - the beef is marinated in a salty, sweet sauce and goes perfectly with the rice for a savory treat

Half and half - the fries were thick-cut and the batter on the rings was light, crisp and tasty

At Siam square, ready to head home before another long day of touring.