Finland, being one of the members of the Schengen states was easier for us (Dad, Mom, cutie sis, baby C and me) to travel from Czech Republic without needing a visa. Since it’s where my big sis is based with her family, going there from Prague was an idea we were toying about and we’re glad to have finally visited this part of Northern Europe.
27
June
2008
This Sunday morning while looking out the window, I noticed that the streets are deserted and there was just one guy walking his dog. It’s the usual scene here in Pori during weekends when most families spend it somewhere away from the city such as a vacation in a summer house. Weekends are great for relaxation and family get-together.
I’ve been browsing over some sunny French holidays in Western Loire and it would be nice to stay at the La Pergola, a four-bedroom barn conversion in Vendee, France which is just perfect for families and small groups with outdoor heated swimming pool, daily maid service, a garden and it’s just near the beach.
22
June
2008
Hiya all! Just sharing to you some photos from where we are staying here in Prague, at the 15th floor of my cutie sis’ flat, specifically in Praha 4.
22
June
2008
I’ve been browsing through a lot of travel blogs lately and I noticed that some of them are not yet hosted on their own domains. For those who would like to take their travel blogs to the next level, the usual move is to be hosted on your own dot com (in my case it’s a dot net :) ). I remember when my siblings and I were still deciding on which web hosting company to host our blogs. We browsed over a lot of hosting packages, reviews and checked out some lists of web hosting rating before deciding which is which.
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22
June
2008
After spending a week here in Prague, I’ll be off to Finland today to visit my big sis and her family. This time, I won’t be alone to travel since I’ll be with my parents, cutie sis and baby C. My trolley bag is packed already. And yes… I am excited to go on another trip and be in a different place again. Big sis will be meeting us at Helsinki, then we will travel by bus to Pori where they live. My blogging life has been put on hold a bit. I’ve just been busy especially with the travel preparations but I will be posting more updates and photos next time. I’m wishing everyone an exciting week ahead. :)
20
June
2008
Few more months to go before this blog turns a year older so I am on the lookout for some new WordPress themes. I prefer the three-column layout to maximize on a browser’s space and so that my readers wouldn’t have to scroll down many times over during their visit. I am also planning to change my header image and put in some of my travel photos but that would take time for now. Anyway, I still have few months for that, yeah? I hope I would come up with a totally different look and style for this blog’s first year anniversary. :)
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19
June
2008
After watching four movies and a TV show, trying to sleep snugly and browsing over KLM’s in-flight magazine, I decided to fight away boredom during the long flight from Manila to Amsterdam by taking some photos of the view outside the plane’s window.
19
June
2008
The upcoming championships for the Wimbledon tennis tournaments will be starting soon on June 23 next week with the top three seeds for the Gentlemen’s Singles being Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic and the Ladies’ Singles top seeds are Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic and Maria Sharapova. So who among them are your favorite tennis stars?
Tennis enthusiasts and fans of these top seeds would surely not want to miss this series of exciting events and travel all the way to England to see the action live on the courts. I bet they have already bought some Wimbledon tournament tickets months ahead before they would be sold out.
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17
June
2008
Over all, my trip from Manila to Prague was just ‘perfect’ and I am thankful for the little things that made it such a breeze.
The night before my flight, I was still busy trying to organize my luggage and bags while chatting with my cutie sis in Prague and finalizing things. With just few hours of sleep, I woke up drowsy and tired, feeling so tense and excited at the same time. After a quick breakfast, securing my techie bro’s condo (tidying up the place and turning off the main power switch) and getting everything ready, my companion and I waited at the lobby for a taxi to pick us up. I was a bit worried that I would be late for the 10:45am flight.
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14
June
2008
I still dream to be on cruise, leisurely enjoying the serenity of the sea, feeling the gentle breeze any time you go out into the deck. Speaking of cruise vacations, I’ve browsed from the net that in the later part of 2009 there is to be launched the largest and most innovative cruise ship, the Oasis of the Seas. This huge vessel from the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line boasts to have a gross weight of 220,000 tons and can carry as much as 5,400 cruise passengers.
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12
June
2008
Travel bugs usually look for souvenirs to take home with them. Some prefer souvenir t-shirts and baseball caps, while others look for those native food and delicacies or handcrafted jewelries and accessories. Keeping collectibles and memorabilia is one way of going back to those sweet memories of the places visited and people met. These then are added to their travel keepsakes compilation.
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9
June
2008
Hello folks!
No updates from me for few days since I’ve been busy preparing for my Europe trip. I’ll be going to Manila early tomorrow morning, then stay there until my trip to Prague on Saturday. Am I that excited? :) I am thankful to God for making this trip possible especially the granting of my Schengen visa and for providing the financial resources.
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4
June
2008
These days, the airplane is my usual mode of travel and though it brings me to my destination faster in just an hour, I miss having an overnight trip onboard a ship. Most travel bugs like me not only enjoy going on a walking tour and seeing breathtaking landscapes and views but are also enthralled with being at sea, onboard a boat or ship. Nothing beats the feeling of watching the waves down below with the wind on your face.
I remember waking up early at dawn and watching the sun rising from the ocean’s horizon and seeing birds stooping down the sea waters for a catch. Sigh… How nice it would be to go on one of those exotic Greek Island cruises, relaxing in a lounge chair out in the sundeck while sipping my favorite drink. Going on a cruise is a fun way of relieving stress, some therapists recognize the energy and healing radiated by the ocean.
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2
June
2008
A French holiday home for rental is known as a gîte, one of the popular types of accommodations in France. Originally, gîtes are cottages and barns owned by farm owners and used to provide shelter for guests. Nowadays, gîtes vary from budget apartments with basic facilities to luxurious holiday villas equipped with modern amenities. The owner usually lives within close proximity to provide welcome and assistance to the needs of their guests and make them feel at home.
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31
May
2008
In my previous post, I wrote about some of the usual reasons for travel. But how about going to another place for techie stuff’s sake? My sis’ geeky hubby traveled all the way from Prague to the UK driving his car with a friend just to get these items he purchased online - two Dell servers, minidisc car audio player, minidisc desk player and about 8 hard SCSI drives. LOL, these are yummy items for him! He had the purchased items shipped to his friend in the UK since the seller is also from UK, thus delivery was free. They had to bring a car since the servers were big and heavy.
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30
May
2008
These are some of the ‘whys’:
• Holiday, tour or vacation: This is the most common reason for travel bugs, yeah?
• Participate in a meeting, seminar or convention: I’ve recently chatted with an elderly lady while waiting for my turn at the Czech Embassy. She told me she regularly travels to Prague to attend their medical association’s convention which is always hosted in this city. My mom also traveled all the way to Goa in India for a business convention.
• Visit a relative or friend: This would be my reason in going to Prague (and of course to visit some tourist attractions too!).
• Attend reunion: We had a grand family reunion years ago which got us to Boracay! Sigh… I miss the white sand and cool blue waters.
• Attend burial: This is usually an urgent trip and a sad one too.
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28
May
2008
It’s been nine months already for happysteps.net and I am happy that this blog has been a venue for my ideas and musings about travel. Though I am not always going on a vacation or tour to some of the world’s famous travel destinations, I consider my trips away from home as something worth sharing in this blog.
Anyway, I am thankful for the nine months that has been and am looking forward to this blog’s first anniversary and the rest of the years to come. As I was musing about this, the idea of changing my blog’s template came up again. Actually it has been on my mind for a long time now. I really wish I could have more time to give my blog a new look or even do some tweaking on the sidebar and add some widgets.
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27
May
2008
Czech Republic recently became one of the members of the Schengen states, thus visa applicants once approved will now be issued a Schengen visa which allows them to enter any of the 31 states comprising the Schengen territory such as Germany, Finland or Austria. Thus, the Czech Embassy now issues, not anymore a Czech visa but a Schengen visa.
In the Philippines, the Czech Embassy is located at the 30th Floor of the Rufino Pacific Tower in Makati City, Manila. Office hours for the visa section are only during Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:00AM to 12:00 noon. Applicants are entertained on a first-come-first-serve basis so be sure to be there at 8:30AM or earlier if you want to be the first. By 9:00AM, the guard on duty hands you your number and lets you write your name on a list. Only visa applicants are allowed inside, so if you have a companion, they can wait elsewhere. The use of mobile phones is strictly prohibited inside.
Here are some of the basics in applying for the Schengen visa:
1. Download the pdf file of the visa application form (in English) from their website: http://www.mfa.cz/visaform
2. Print in color the 4 pages of the application form and fill it up properly according to this guide: Instructions on how to complete the Application for Schengen Visa
25
May
2008
Yesterday my cutie sis in Prague showed me some pics of my parents posing by the trees at the park nearby their flat. It’s spring time there and the photos look so refreshing especially this:
Spring flowers in Prague
It left me green with envy (kidding!) – they’re finally in Prague and I’m still here - but I just tried to cheer myself up with the fact that next month I will be going there too. I can just imagine those hotels in Prague filled up with tourists for the summer.
One of the must-visits in Prague for tourists especially Catholics is the Church of the Infant Jesus or the Church of Our Lady Victorious where you can visit the famous statue of the infant Jesus (Pražské Jezulátko). Another tourist attraction is the Charles Bridge which crosses the Vltava River and is a historical landmark of Prague.
Tourists at the Charles Bridge
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24
May
2008
What’s up in Canada next month? My cousin who’s based in this country famous for its Niagara Falls told me that it is gearing up for the Canadian Grand Prix 2008. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the event to be held at the legendary circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal on June 6-8, 2008. The open house will be on Thursday June 5th from 9 in the morning till 1 in the afternoon. Lots of grand prix fans from all over the country and even abroad are expected to watch the show. It would be great to watch this exciting show but I’ve already made my own travel plans to Europe.
21
May
2008
With the rainy and slightly stormy weather these days, most flights were delayed much to the disappointment of passengers wanting to go home immediately. Just this week, both my flights to and from Manila were delayed for an hour. This left me with no choice but to open my laptop and do something worthwhile during the wait. One of my concerns was the unavailability of WiFi access in both domestic airports (the new Bacolod-Silay airport and the old Manila domestic terminal). Good thing I brought my SmartBro prepaid WiFi kit with me so I was able to surf the Internet a bit.
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19
May
2008
Being Hawaii’s third largest island and home to its capital Honolulu, Oahu offers many tourist attractions and things to do.
Why visit Oahu? There are many reasons why it is an island worth visiting. For one thing, it offers an interesting culture and historical background as well as white sandy beaches and beautiful landscapes. It’s a surfer’s paradise where you can take lessons as a beginner or get on your board and ride the waves as an experienced surfer at beaches such as the Sunset Beach, Ehukai Beach Park or Waikiki Beach. Other attractions are the golf courses, shopping malls, villas and resorts.
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17
May
2008
Imagine yourself staying at a luxurious and exotic resort surrounded by the sea.
It’s just like living in paradise isn’t it? Most of the resorts in the French Polynesia especially the islands of Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora are designed and built using all-natural building materials (timber and woven pandanus roofing) which depict the beauty of the islands.
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16
May
2008
When unexpected events such as delays caused by technical faults or bad weather conditions come up during a trip, one could only accept these circumstances and make the most out of the journey. It pays to be prepared though. For those who usually travel by car during out-of-town trips or vacations, they can avail of an auto club membership which helps with automotive concerns and provides roadside assistance. Yup, joining exclusive travel clubs and availing of their many services is a good option.
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15
May
2008
Meet Pavi, my laptop. :)
It’s an HP Pavilion dv2518 notebook PC I bought at the Zeer IT Mall in Rangsit, Thailand. Buying it was a result of recommendations from techie bro and Cmoud (thanks guys!). According to Cmoud, HP is better than Acer. hehehe… I dunno if you agree with this. He actually based it on his work experience with Acers. Anyway, don’t worry if you have an Acer since techie bro uses an Acer Travelmate and it’s been doing well so far. I was with him when we toured Zeer looking for THE laptop for me with regards to processor speed, memory size, hard disk space and other features including its overall look and design.
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14
May
2008
With a major change in my Prague travel plans (my original flight date was changed to almost one month after), I am a bit sad but nevertheless I’m positive there will be better things coming up. Anyway, travel preparations are still on the way such as changing the insurance validity dates, verifying visa fee and other related matters.
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13
May
2008
A friend once told me how travel has been a big motivation for her to increase her savings. “I love to travel. I save (part of my earnings) to travel.” She also told me that one of her reasons for having studied on a scholarship grant in the UK is because of her love for travel. As a well-traveled person, I bet my friend would want to visit other countries if given the chance (plus of course the financial resources). Who wouldn’t?
With my trip to Prague scheduled next month, the more I realized that I needed to increase my savings and cut back on unnecessary spending these days. As my big sis told me, “It’s no fun going on a trip when you lack extra funds and have limited pocket money.” I couldn’t agree more. Travel entails a lot of expenses, and especially if there are unexpected hitches as what happened to me recently having to change my schedule and thus affecting all other requirements and their corresponding costs.
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12
May
2008
While most of us enjoy being out of our abodes, enjoying unfamiliar sights away from our usual homey surroundings, we also can’t help but be concerned about the safety of our houses. I know some people who are hesitant to go on vacations and even just for an overnight stay because they’re worried about leaving their homes. Good if you have a trusted house help or a friend who would look after things while you’re out.
Have you ever encountered home security issues whenever you’re going on a holiday? These are some important things to consider for those who will be leaving their houses:
Security: Doors and entry points should be heavily locked, windows have to be secure from external forced entries
Pet care: If you can’t bring them along for the trip, there are pet homes where you can leave them or let a friend babysit for them while you’re away
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9
May
2008
We all love to travel, but sometimes it’s just not fun packing up our stuff, isn’t it? The tedious task of arranging clothes and all those important things to bring can be a bit easier though if you have the right bag or luggage on hand.
Whether you will be going an overnight stay at Boracay or heading on a three-day business convention in Las Vegas or a month’s romantic vacation in Paris, it’s best to choose a travel bag that fits your style and need as long as you inspect carefully the luggage construction when buying one. Check out the inner seams, zippers (big is better), fabric, frame (should be lightweight), straps and those eensy weensy details that make up the whole bag. You might prefer luggages or bags with many interior and exterior compartments, they’re great for organizing different items.
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8
May
2008
In the south-west of Nicaragua lies San Juan del Sur, a city known for its beaches where many surfers and vacationers (especially families) go to. This coastal city is great for a Nicaraguan summer getaway. Whether you’re into sailing, fishing or surfing, the beaches at San Juan del Sur are for those looking for fun and adventure.
Doesn’t this photo make you dream of staying in a Nicaragua beach hotel and spending your days sunbathing, swimming or catching waves in the sea? Sigh. It just makes me wish I’m in the beach right now.
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