- Travel Tales and Destinations

Here in the Philippines, we don’t normally celebrate Thanksgiving so after keeping away the halloween costumes, Christmas is what people anticipate and prepare for next.  As Christmas is synonymous to endless parties and pig out sessions, gift giving, reunions and travelling, December can’t be called the “shopping month” for nothing.

In Metro Manila, where else is the ultimate shopping haven for thrifty and penny-pinching Christmas shoppers?  Well, it’s DIVISORIA only.

So if you’re planning to shop in Divisoria these season, refer to this guide for the specific streets you should go to depending on the gift items you’re searching:

1. Santo Cristo – sari-sari store varieties of chips and candies. Street foods like fish balls and snack favorites kropek, yema balls, belekoy, etc.

2. Carmen Planas – fabrics for dresses, shirts, polos, pants, shorts, uniforms, beddings; clothes and sewing machines accessories; spices; vegetables and kitchen utensils.

3. Divisorial Mall – air-conditioned mall with clustered stalls selling clothes, bags, toys, accessories, shoes, story books, etc.

4. Divisoria Wet Market – variety of toys, kiddie party supplies, party loot bags, imported candies and canned goods.

5. Tutuban Center – streetwear, imported shoes and clothing from China, Korea and Thailand, toys for kids.

6. Tutuban Prime Block – shoes and clothes, bags, mannequins, wigs, sewing accessories.

7. Cluster Building – shoes, clothes, bridal and wedding ensembles, etc.

8. 168 Mall – bags, shoes, clothes, stationery, home knickknacks, corporate giveaways

9. Juan Luna – umbrellas, PVC tents, raincoats, cushions, fiberfill pillows, Christmas items

10. Tabora – wedding and baptismal giveaways, imported fabrics, etc

Image from spot.ph.

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The Philippine Eagle Center is one of the best tourist attractions in Davao City. It is located at the Davao City Water District’s (DCWD) Watershed Park in Malagos.  Thirty-six (36) Philippine Eagles are currently residing in the Philippine Eagle Center. Eighteen (18) of those eagles are captive-bred while other species of birds,mammals and reptiles are also taken care of in the center.

Visitors can either use private vehicles or commute in order to get there at the Philippine Eagle Center. Travelling from the main city will take an hour to reach the Philippine Eagle Center.

Entrance fees are required , but there’s nothing to worry because the entrance fee is very cheap and affordable.  Adults will have to pay 50 pesos per head, while kids below 18 years old will only be charged with 30 pesos each. Kiosks usage are free of charge, as well as the tour guiding service.

There are plenty of things to do in the Philippine Eagle Center. Aside from seeing the majestic eagles up-close and personal, visitors will also get a free lecture on how to take care of the eagles and the environment. The Philippine Eagle week takes place on June4-9 each year, where there are various activities that promotes the conservation of nature and the Philippine eagles.

For aspiring visitors who would like to see the eagles, it is best advised to visit the center during the Philippine Eagle week where the Save The Eagle awareness campaign is undertaken. Moreover, you will also get to witness various eagle displays and live pictorials.

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New York City, also known as The Big Apple, has its metropolitan area ranking among the largest urban areas in the world. The City thrusts great influence in commerce, finance, arts and entertainment. The city comprises five boroughs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. It has a number of attractions and renowned landmarks that lure travelers from all over the world. The most notable of which is the Statue of Liberty that stands on Liberty Island in NY Harbor. It has also cradled several tallest buildings and skyscrapers of the world including the Empire State Building and the former World Trade Center twin towers that crumbled down in a terrorist attack in 2001. Elegant brownstone row houses define its residential districts specifically in Brooklyn. It is also a home to the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street which is the largest stock exchange (by dollar volume) in the world and the Times Square which has been dubbed as “The Crossroads of the World”.

There’s absolutely a lot to see and experience in The Big Apple City.  Luxury shopping along Fifth and Madison Avenues is a popular activity for the affluent tourists.  The Halloween Parade, Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, the St. Patrick’s Day parade are the much celebrated events that tourists specifically await.  Luxurious five start hotels abound in the city but many boutique, low-starred ones and new york city vacation rentals also are a popular accommodation choice.

Bus rentals are by far the most efficient way to tour especially if you’re a first timer in the city and travelling with a group. Compared to car rentals, bus charters gives better and more energy-efficient experience. Why? Because its bigger and can therefore transport more people at one time, lesser gas consumption ratio per traveler, rides faster, less air pollution and the best reason above all is that it is much more affordable. So there just a tip if New York City is your next pit stop.

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A breathtaking paronamic breathtaking panoramic view of Benguet’s gold and copper mines and the surrounding mountains taken on one dusky December evening at Mines View Park. Tourists here can shop, explore and view the majesti scenery.

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The Lion’s Head located in Camp 6 Kennon Road is a tourist attraction in the cool mountains of Benguet en route to the summer capital region of the Philippines, Baguio City. This 40-foot head of a lion was carved in a limestone boulder by a local artist in 1972. Tourists passing by normally stop for a while to have a break and to take photographs as souvenir.

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