Tips for First Time Travelers to Tokyo

yay! i finally had been to Japan! Tokyo in particular. and of course, before going there i did some research on where to go to, what to expect, etc. honestly, i got a little scared as readings said that the subway is confusing and there's not much english.

okay, subway is confusing at first but after 2 days, you'll be fine. and just have a map with you. hehe. and english? trust me! Japanese are like the kindest people. i guess i'll have another post dedicated to that. so no problem even if there's a language barrier.

since we received a lot of help from the Japanese, i am now writing this post to help those who are planning to go to Japan. well, these are the things that helped us in Tokyo.

1. Download Google map on your phone

Google map had been our bestfriend. we would rely on it too much. it tells us what train to ride and the time the train leaves and what platform. see! you won't be confused with the subway if you have this. hahaha.
but don't really trust the travel time for walking, i guess they timed those who walk really really fast. and i get lost with the walking directions. hehehe

2. Rent pocket wifi

first tip is to use google map. and if you are to use it, you would need an internet. you'll not always have an internet, so it'll be great if you rent one. another helpful thing in our travel. and it's not expensive.

i rented from this site: http://www.globaladvancedcomm.com/pocketwifi.html.and it was an easy process, i got mine from the post office in the airport and just mailed it there to return.


3. Get a PASMOcard

if you'll just be in Tokyo, this would save you time and also some Yen. yes, you get a little discount if you use PASMO than buy a ticket every single time you ride the subway. yes, you save time since you just tap and tap your card. and you can also use it on vendo machines!
and you can have it personalized!

4. Learn the word "Sumimasen"

it means Excuse Me. this is the first word you'll say to the Japanese if you'll ask for directions or call their attention to order, etc etc.

and it's like most of the foreigners i encountered during the trip who would pass by would say Sumimasen instead of excuse me.


5. Bring power bank

let me repeat it. you will be using google map on your phone, you will be using wifi. and i'm sure you will be using your phone's camera a lot.

so what does this mean?

low batt. solution: bring a power bank. what i have is a cheap power bank since i just use it rarely in the Philippines. but in Japan, i used it everyday. and it gave my phone a longer life even just a little


6. You can also learn the sentence: "____ doko desu-ka?" (pronounced as ____ doko des ka)

this means "Where is ____?"

this is just an option so you can also ask those who can't speak english. what i did sometimes was show a picture then say "doko desu-ka?". then the way was shown to me!

just a warning though. some gets excited that they would suddenly speak in straight fast japanese. so either you say, "sorry no Japanese" or if they show the way with hands i say "left then right?" also with hand gestures. then they'll know i don't speak in japanese. hehe.

if the direction is complicated and they can't speak english at all, just follow the first part of the directions then look for another person to ask. hehe

7. Wear comfortable shoes

i know it's good to be fashionable when traveling especially with all the OOTD posts that we see in sns. but trust me, if you're like us who would like to visit as many places as you can in your first trip to tokyo, you would walk a lot. as in a lot! so better to wear comfortable shoes. and guess what? sneakers and rubber shoes sell cheaper in japan! that's what i found out in our trip. you can buy a lot! :)

and a note to smokers, there are vending machines selling cigarettes but you cannot buy from those. to buy cigarettes from these, you would need a Japanese ID card.


well, that's it. i hope it would help you a lot in enjoying your trip to Tokyo. =)

Hongdae to Nami Island/Petite France

when you research on how to go to nami island/petite france, it's kinda complicated. and when i was doing our itinerary for last january, i was kinda scared if we'll be able to reach the place. good thing korea has a new subway line which makes it easier to go to nami island. 

to help you more during your trip itself, download the korea subway app. it would help you a lot in going places.

okay here's the direction to nami island from hongdae.

Of course we will start from Hongik University Station. When inside Hongik Station, go to the G-J Line, particularly for the train going to Sangbong (G-J line). Transfer to Gyeongchun Line and go down in Gapyeong.

let's summarize: Hongik Univerity -> G-J Line - Sangbong -> Gyeongchun Line -> Gapyeong

yes, you will just ride the train and not go out the train stations anymore.


And when you reach Gapyeong, you can take the shuttle bus for only 5,000won.It's a ride all you can bus for one day. So you ca use it going to both Nami Island and Petite France. And it passes by every hour. But before you ride the bus, ask first if it's the shuttle bus because there are also ordinary buses that pass by.

Let's go first to Petite France. yes, i suggest you go there first coz i'm sure you're going to spend more time in Nami Island. so just for you not to rush your stay in Nami.

Petite France is as the name says, Little France.

the entrance fee is 8,000won.

it's a nice place to take pictures and show to your friends and trick them that you're somewhere other than korea. hehe.

Okay, next stop. so what is Nami Island? It is a park but on a different island.

So yes you have to ride a ferry going there. The entrance fee which includes the ferry is 8,000won.

It's a popular site for korean dramas, especially Endless Love. it's a beautiful place actually.

We went there during winter, well, as you know there are not much plants during winter. i guess it'll be more beautiful if it's spring or fall.

 

sorry, i'm not good in describing things and in convincing. the main purpose of this post is to just actually show you the new way in going to Nami Island/Petite France. but i just posted some pics and stuff to tell you what these places are about. i assure you, you won't regret visiting those places. it's not a waste of time. happy sightseeing!

Catholic Churches in Seoul, South Korea

wherever i am, i really try to hear mass if it's a sunday. so when i'm in korea, i try to find out where the nearest catholic church is. and so far, i've been to four:

1. Myeongdong Cathedral (http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264138)

- the most popular among my list. this is a tourist spot in myeongdong. i guess because it's located in the shopping district. and since it's a cathedral, it's the biggest among my list. also, i think this is the church with the most english masses. but the only schedule for english mass that i know is 9am.


Directions (for the visitkorea site):
Myeong-dong Subway Station (Seoul Subway Line 4), Exit 8
Walk along Toegyero-gil st. for about 300m and turn right at the intersection.
Walk along Myeongdong-gil st. for 100m to the Catholic Center
Walk up along the center

2. (Church in) Itaewon

- since itaewon is a foreigner place, i assumed that there is a catholic church there. and yes, there is one. it's near the mosque. i have to mention this because you will see the mosque more, but they're not on the same street. when we went out of the subway station there's a tourist guide who gave us a map and told us the direction of the church.

since it's in a place with lots of foreigners, i'm sure there's an english mass. but i'm not sure what time. the mass that we attended was in korean. and i've noticed only 2 young people in there.

3. (Church in) Hongdae

- finally! after always staying in hongdae, i finally saw the Catholic Church there. it's in one of the streets. it's near the elementary school.

the schedule are 9am and 11am. but when i asked from the church's office what time is the english mass, they said none.

since going to the itaewon church and seeing only 2 young people there, i became observant on the youth going to church in korea. this is the church where i saw many young people. and i think they're all friends. i arrived before the mass started and whenever there's a youth coming, their friends will be excited. and they stayed at the left corner of the front of the church. i had been a member of the youth ministry before that is why it makes me happy to see youth going to church.

Directions(?):
If you're from exit 9, you have to turn left (instead of right where most of the stores/restaurants are). it is not that obvious so you really have to look for the cross to see if it's already the church. and it would be helpful if you will ask around while walking (that's what i did). the elementary school would be a helpful landmark coz it's in the next street.

4. (Church in) Hyehwa

- after learning that there's no english mass in hongdae, i went to hyehwa as i read that there's an english mass there and a lot of filipinos. when i went down the station and walked a little, i saw the lane with filipino food. and after speaking in broken english for days, it's really a relief to speak in your native tongue in a different place. since i heard them speaking in tagalog, i asked them in tagalog where the church is. i was told that the mass is at 1:30pm, and to visit myeongdong for english mass. i asked if the church is open to visit, and i was told yes. so i visited the church.

when i arrived (past 9am) at the church, there's an on-going mass. but it is in korean. still i stayed since i can't attend the 1:30pm mass anymore coz i'm leaving for manila already.

Directions:
Hyehwa Station (Line 4), exit 1. Just go straight ahead then you'll see the tents of the filipino market and just go a little straight more.

and here is the filipino market that you will pass by from the church to the subway

i'm sure there are still a lot of churches in seoul but these are all that i have visited and easy places to visit from hongdae. hehe.

Management Fulfillment

DO you ever wonder why companies, even big companies hire third party companies to manage some of their work, like warehouse?

Managing something is not an easy job. Managing a single event is already a lot of work, what more managing a warehouse? That is why it will be better to hire a third-party company for it. AMS Fulfillment will really fulfill your dreams in management. It will make your life easier. It will make your company more profitable. In other words, what more can you ask for?

2014: ???

???... coz i don't know how to describe my 2014. honestly, the first thought was shattered dreams. but then i kinda remembered that there had been some good things that happened in my life. i really am not sure if 2014 had been a remarkable year for me, like it's a year i remember for something. all i can think about is how heartbroken i was for having my dream shattered. maybe it's because it happened at the latter part of the year. okay, let's enumerate the highlights of the year:

1. shattered dream. this is number one since i've kept on mentioning it since earlier. what made it more heartbroken for me is that it was not really shattered by other people (yes, partly) but the decision of not pursuing it and losing confidence in myself (the reason i didn't pursue it) hurts even more.

2. monthly meeting friends who i have not seen for a very long time. well, it's not really super every month but i think i only missed 2-3 months. i'm glad last year that i was able to see some friends again. friends i have not seen for years.

3. out of town with the dilags. finally! i got to join the dilags in an out of town trip that needs overnight stay. i just followed them but still i got to be with them for more than a day.

4. visayas exploration with the spammers. we conquered visayas in september: dumaguete - siquijor - oslob - cebu city

5. cliff diving! i don't know how to swim and yet i jumped cliffs with deep waters. i'm so proud!

6. the birth of the facebook thank you posts. it all began when i was starting to lose self-confidence. i need to counter it with something positive. i need to be reminded why i should be thankful. thus the birth of the thank you post. i just post when i feel so down.

The Enchanting Siquijor

as soon as we arrived in the port/pier, we're already enchanted with the beauty of Siquijor. the water is so clear, and it has white sand.

we stayed in coco grove, and the resort is really really nice! with a very nice welcome for us in the pier. a little pricey, but it's really beautiful.

the signal is weak in siquijor, and there are only certain areas in the resort that has signal and also wifi. so, you can really relax and have vacation. just like what happened to me and my friends. when we were still in dumaguete, we were on our phones for work, and we can't work in siquijor anymore since there is no signal. time for us to rest.

siquijor is just a small island. you can tour the whole island in a day.

we took the coastal island tour.

first stop is a big balete tree. but its not only the balete tree that you can find there. you can have a fish foot spa.

and we visited a church made of wood. i think it's my first time to see church made of wood.

next stop is the cambugahay falls..

you have to climb 100+ steps, i forgot how many. we were warned by our kind driver/guide/photographer/videographer. when going down, we didn't mind it. going up, we counted aloud and we were out of breath.

that's the start of the adventure. when you reach the falls, you can do the tarzan jump.

even if you don't know how to swim, you can still do it. the water in that part is not deep. but there are full of rocks, so still be careful. and since we are adventurous, we jumped near the falls which is kind of high. this time, if you don't know how to swim this is not recommended coz the water is deep.

i also jumped! thanks to the encouragement of my friends and pol who assured me that he will save me after i jump. everyone just told me to relax and i will be fine. amazingly! i did not panic after jumping and i did float! a little fyi about me.. i don't know how to swim. hehe.

next stop: salagdoong beach. it's a public beach. for the first time in siquijor, we ate a lot since the food is cheaper. hehehe.  you can swim in the water, better to wear sandals because it's kind of stony.

but the real highlight: cliff diving! it's so high. much higher than the falls. and you should jump if it's high tide and the water's really deep because it's full of rocks. it's sad that we were not able to experience it since it is low tide. it is not safe to jump. so we just took pictures.

honestly, i'm not sure if i'll jump if ever. the waves are also strong. why did i never learn to swim?

and you now another good thing about siquijor? everyone is so nice! i really recommend that you visit siquijor. go! book now!

*thanks to the spammers for the other pictures

What is the Allure of the Vintage BMW Bike?

The BMW vintage motorcycle has long been a staple of motorcycle collectors, particularly models that were built right after World War II when the German company was back on its legs. Models like the beige R50 from the 1950s and the R5 1/3 with its classic hardtail seat are items chased after by collectors big and small. Fortunately, there's been enough production over the decades that some of these models can be found and are not completely lost to history or private collections. However, folks do need to take the time to hunt down the right bikes as these motorcycles do tend to go very quickly.

The period from 1955 to 1969 produced some of the most sought after BMW motorcycles with engines ranging from 250cc to 500cc, or essentially a bike for everyone's tastes. A good number of these models were sold both in Europe as well as the U.S., which would have likely convinced people that BMW was doing well. Ironically, the company was having serious financial problems at the time. This was also the period that the BMW motorcycle saw the last of its models equipped with a sidecar. After this time period, BMW riders wanted an “unencumbered” motorcycle for pure riding, so the accessory began to disappear.

There was plenty of groundswell to carry BMW forward. Many of the young riders from the 1960s had matured but still wanted a BMW motorcycle. This kept the vintage look and design in place for another decade, sticking to the famous black BMW bike look started years earlier.

The motorcycle models made from 1970 to 1982 carried a lot of the same pin-striping and black BMW motorcycle look of the earlier years. They also had thicker seats for longer riding, and many BMW models became the first touring bikes for long-distance riders. However, the later models had quite a bit more work added to them with bigger engines. Eventually, the old-style kickstart pedal was eliminated in trade for a key ignition. By 1977 a 1,000cc engine model became available in the R100/7.

Starting with the 1983 models going forward, the era of the vintage BMW motorcycle ended. Models produced afterwards had modern looks, far more plastic fairings for wind resistance and a different look. The bare metal body look didn't reappear again until the souped up R1200C model showed up in a James Bond film in 1997.

Finding a vintage BMW motorcycle can be done either through a BMW dealer or through private sales. The best way to get started if looking for a first bike is to go through a dealer, however. This is because there's a lot to learn when taking on a BMW motorcycle. These bikes take some time to understand, learn, maintain and keep running. And the older the model chosen, the more learning there is involved with keeping it running right. So a new buyer looking to get into the world of BMW motorcycles should do some homework first and research how these machines work.

SHOOT! ...Not...

my friends and i did the beer pong challenge last night. beer pong is there are glasses of beer on the table, and you have to shoot the ball in the glass. if you shoot it, the other person will drink that glass.

and of course, i didn't get to shoot any. as expected. hehe. and it brought me memories of my basketball class for college p.e.

i can say that my basketball teacher came to know my name. why? because she waited for me with two of my classmate-friends for almost 2 hours i think.

the exercise for that day is really simple (if you're good in basketball). just shoot two consecutive free throws then you can go home. that's just the activity for the day. and you guessed it.. i was not able to get in the free throws consecutively. i think 15 minutes before the class ended there were still a few of us left. so our teacher decided that we  just have to have two throws in, even if it's not consecutive as long as it's two. all of my classmates were able to finish it. so they all left. i was left alone shooting. our teacher of course was still there, and two classmates (who were my friends) stayed. i can't shoot two. after a long long long time, finally! it's in! and then we went home.

do you know the anime Free!? i think i have some similarities with rei.. he knows all the theories and technicalities, but not the application. well, our difference is at the end, he became good.
i suck at sports (except being a goalkeeper for soccer, naks!) but for basketball, i know a lot on its technicalities since i had been watching basketball since i was a kid.

this is a nonsense post but i just want to post something here in my blog again. and well, just sharing something about me :)

Reunions

it's april and one of the good things that happened to me this year is meeting and seeing people i haven't seen for the longest time. every month, there are sets of people i have not seen. and it's like i have rekindled my friendship with them

january - angel/friends of race (last time i saw them is i think for more than a year already)
february - se34
march - highschool friends
april - racho family

but the sad part is in every month also (except january) i've been going to wakes. this has been the reason i saw these friends again.

i'm looking for ward to seeing more friends as the months go by but i pray i won't meet them in wakes this time.

2013: Blessed Year

if i can describe 2013 in one word, it will be blessed. i can't really particularly pinpoint major blessings but i really blessed for 2013.

the first month is already a blessing. i went back to korea, this time with friends. and experienced skiing, met g-dragon's dad.. and the highlight of all, watched bigbang's concert in seoul. the concert is a highlight coz it had been our dream for years already to watch their concert in korea.

and the second month for me brought a big change in (career) life. i resigned and went back to my former company. yes, it was still stressful most of the time, but something's different now. and it's for the better. some said that i've matured. i'm not sure, but the change in career is one blessing for me also.


and then of course, my winning of an instant camera! yes, it's a big deal for me.as i have mentioned in my previous post, it had been a childhood dream to own a polaroid, that's why it's a big deal for me to win this. i was thinking of buying already, so the winning is perfect timing. thanks buzz korea!

but what makes the year a very blessed year is meeting friends again after not seeing them for a long time.

i'm looking forward to 2014 because i know it will be a year that i would always cherish. i know the lots of good things will happen to me this year :)

Thank You Buzz Korea

i can't believe i won in a contest. and not only just won but the second place! and i love the prizes!

 yes, they are psy products. i'm not a big fan of psy but i have to admit that the items are cute.

but what made me like, i mean love my prizes more is the instant camera! it had been a dream of mine since i was a kid to own a polaroid camera. yup, that's the reason why my first digicam's brand is polaroid. hehe. that's why i'm very thankful to buzz Korea.

 and look! the instax pictures have designs.

i really appreciate my gifts. the pictures i have taken, i post them in the psy notebook that i received.

yes, i super love these gifts. again, thank you buzz korea. i also suggest you visit that website, coz besides of the cool events that they have, you would learn a lot about korea and get inside tips from people who visited the country already :)