Nationa Museum of the Philippines

I know I have been gone for more than a year. Everything was just sooo overwhelming. As I continued my profession onboard a floating hotel where I get to see places I have never imagined going, I was not able to document everything in this blog. I just thought it would have been great to share with you every experience I had. However, I got busier and too indulged with where I was.

I promise this year will be more than just that. I will try to be reliving this blog as much as I could. Hopefully.

And for the first entry this year, it would be from the Philippines! I stayed for a weekend in Manila and for the very first time, I visited the National Museum. It's just so ironic how I explored museums of various countries but my own.

This visit is totally free. You just have to sign their guest book. The visit was soooo educational. They have 4 levels and each level houses various galleries. Here's a glimpse of it.

If you have time and wonder what to do with it, make it more interesting by visiting our very own treasure. 

Norway - Bergen

This colorful and lively city is one of those I look forward to when we go North. Maybe it's because after seeing the life off the city in Norway, you just feel so immersed that seeing a place full of people, shops, traffic and food seems sooo surprising.

This was the only Norwegian city I've been to but I love it!

We went off early and were so happy of the weather! This is quite a good exercise from the terminal - around 1-km walk.


The flowers are in full bloom and walking farther, we met the Bryggen again!

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the must-see places in Bergen. It's historical, colorful and just amazingly preserved that everytime I go past it, I can't help but take pics for the nth time! Haha

I haven't told you that the reason we went out was to eat Bergen pizza which we always do when we visit. But then, the call to the city fell on a holiday sooo, change of plan as the pizza parlor was closed (we actually waited for 10 am then 11 am but still no).

Actually, before going back to check if it was open, we went to the food market just a few walks away. We were thinking of trying the mouth-watering seafood they serve but then, we ended going back to Bergen Pizza which we later on realized to be still closed.

I was kind of happy because opposite it, there was a sausage corner that I have been planning to try as I was eating my pizza on our last Bergen call. And viola! I just fulfilled it! I ate a Norwegian sausage. Mind you it's not your ordinary sausage - it's Reindeer sausage!!! And it was goood! Woaah!

We were eating along the way to a deli cafe we just saw when we went to the market earlier. We had an unexpected discovery - they actually sell noodles! And rice boxes! And they just have best-tasting coffee flavors from the vendo!!!

We were on our way back and saw Bryggen again. This time, we explored it inside! See, my first time to go up and really felt how old the structure was!

So, that's how we spent the few hours we had. It was not according to plan and that was the fun part!

Norway - Flam and the Fjords in Between

The next Norwegian town we were heading to was Flam! As I really decided to do more scenic cruising the time I come back here, well, I stayed onboard (though this was one of those rare times we docked alongside) and was just sooo happy when we departed. Yes happy! Or was I too harsh?

I didn't mean to say I would love to leave but I was just sooo excited for the next few hours after leaving the port. You would understand me. I would love to explain my point! Haha

Leaving Flam means seeing settlements in the middle of nowhere. I mean, just imagine seeing human life in between vast and ice-capped fjords! So unbelievable how they, in the first place, thought to settle there? Amazing!

Next up, it was a drizzling afternoon and I just love seeing the smoke as it covered some parts of the fjords..

And that thrilling moment as the ship glided through the narrow body of water - which makes me sooo thankful to be in a not-so-big ship..

It was sooo cold and the passengers seemed to be so concern as I was not wearing anything aside from my usual uniform. Honestly, I just forgot it was freakin freezing!

So, after a few more minutes, when the cold sank in, I made my way to the cabin and continued to appreciate the view outside. Oh God, Thank You!

Norway - Olden and the Fjords in Between

One of the best places on earth blessed with soooo much natural beauty is this country lying in the northern part of the world - Norway!

I know this has not been my first time to visit but in all honesty, coming back over and over does not make it less beautiful. It makes you wonder more and every single time you open your porthole to see what the heck is outside, you will either stop and stare with great awe or make yourself out the deck and see it in full glory.

So when we had our first ever stop in Olden, I did not go out to eat chicken. I preferred to stay onboard and luckily, as I had my break, we set sail. I don't know how to really describe what I saw but I'm going to give you a glimpse and I hope I would give justice to it. Enjoy!

Oh Norway, I hope we will never stop visiting you!

Scotland - Fort Williams

This was not my first time to visit this place as I was able to kind of explore this last year before I went home.  However, this year when we docked again, I opted to stay onboard. Maybe I had fever or what but I did not have the heart to go out. Haha

Comes another Scottish cruise and viola! I fould myself waiting in the gangway for several minutes and was ashore by 10 in the morning. Now, I have the heart. Hehe

So, what I did in my second visit? The same thing but not EXACTLY the same thing (whatever is happening to me).

We took pictures of the busy main street of Fort Williams. The shops were wide open, people busy doing their thing and mind you, the sun was up. There were no drizzles whatsoever, it was a very fine day, unlike last year.

in full bloom!

Entrance to the main shopping street

High Street!

Timber building!

too big and too sweet!

Just a refresher from wiki, Fort William ("The Garrison") is the second largest settlement in the Highlands of Scotland with around 10,000 inhabitants – and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger.

Along the way, there were bagpipe players entertaining the passersby.. So Scotland!

Walking past the cute shops, we arrived in this beautiful park. It's Alexandra hotel and Duncansburgh Church in the background. What a lovely day!

After taking pics (as what we usually do), we went farther - going through the undepass

 to Morrisons, a huge supermarket..

then to this particular spot that was something new to me!

Then we went farther to the left of Morrisons straight to Lidl to look for Kinder Chocolates but to no avail, we went back with choco wafers and very yummy pastries instead.

We ate along the way as the sky started to look gloomy and a few drizzles coming down. We visited Boots and Superdrug to find a conditioner but nothing of the scent I was looking for. Then, we looked for a place to eat. We were supposed to go to the place we tried before but I suggested to go somewhere new. Hence, we settled in this Fish and Chips corner in the main street. They served us 1/4lbs burgers for £3 each. It was a nice try actually and I was sooo full I wasn't able to finish it all.

If you are a philatropist at heart or a fan of second-hand shops, there are various hospice and charity shops where you can buy quality clothes for just a few pounds. Surely, sooo much of your time will be consumed as there are several of them. It feels good though knowing you have helped the community.

I had 30 minutes left so, we went back to the tender boat bidding Fort Williams goodbye as the tender slowly sailed to Boudicca. See you again this June! :)