Random OZ

     While trying to de-clutter my computer I came across photos of my Aussie trip last year. Wow! Seems so long ago already! 

     I always tell people that if I had seen Australia when I was younger, I would have really pushed to move my family there. It is so beautiful! Food is great and it is just so ideal. Since I have a ton of work to do, I am uploading and captioning just some random pics from that trip. I hope, you guys enjoy them anyway. Will share more soon. I know! I know! I haven't blogged in so long..... 

     These photos cannot even capture the sights, sounds and heart of OZ but... here goes...

      Have a great weekend!
    

The Famous Twelve Apostles. Breath taking!

Boy Meets Girl in Aussie

Too many cute finds in random shops!

Food is delicious and fresh! Love Aussie food!

More cute stuff,  rustic this time.

Clothes with very Boho feel. I lurve!

Weekend markets with the freshest fruits and everything

Fish and Chips to die for!

Meeting new friends and getting to know old ones a little more!

To my cousin, N, thanks for showing me OZ!

St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney

Delicious food of Stalactites, a restaurant/ institution in Melbourne

St. Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne

Suckers for the 40 watt Toblerone

Chinatown, Melbourne

My family in Melbourne for 9 days!

Best cousin, Ipa!

Day-off ko!

Turning Japanese-ah!

Hi, Bambs! (Meiji Shrine Tokyo)

     Japan for the longest time has been my country crush. It had never been an option for travel because of the impression that it is an expensive place. Lately troves and troves of my countrymen are going to Japan and H and I were actually planning a trip already when my cousins told us they were going. What did I say next? "SAMA KAMI!!!!" (We'll go with you. )

     It took hours and hours getting dazed in front of my computer to plan the trip. My cousins and I ended up doing our own itineraries and agreed to just meet in Tokyo. Like H, my two kids have no patience to plan. I read a thousand reviews and travel guides to come up with a good enough itinerary. Then we were ready! 

     Our first stop was Osaka then Kyoto then Tokyo!

Bamboo Forest, Kyoto

Umeda Sky Building, Osaka

 
     Thanks to our wonderful tour guides we got to visit a good number of places given the little time we had. My family and I learned there is so, so much more to explore and learn. Japan is mystical, rhythmic and poetic. There is no way a visitor will not fall for its charms. 

     A few things about Japan from a first timer like me:

1. It is not at all the expensive place it was know for before. In fact of all the Asian cities we have been to, this is not the most pricey city at all.

2. People are not nice. THEY ARE SUPER NICE! We lost a camera and a newly bought pair of Onitsukas, went back for them and they were still there.

3. You can't go wrong with food. Every place is heavenly to eat in. 


4. Japanese walk a lot so as a tourist be ready to do so as well.

5. Trains will drive you crazy. We spent eight days there and being the poor navigator that I am, I still could not get it. 

6. Yes, you can actually live on convenience stores if you want to or if you are on a tight budget. They serve real and delicious food.

7. It's cleeeeeaaaan!!!!

       Allow me to share some of the photos from our trip. It is my way of releasing the pressure in my heart as it yearns to go back so bad. (Inhaaale!) 

With our Japan travel buddies, my cousins in Tokyo

Golden Pavilion Kyoto

Kyoto Station

This delicious beef dish H had at a small restaurant near a train station.

Daddy and Daddy's girl in Arashiyama, Kyoto

Gion, Kyoto

Yummy Inari sushi near the Inari Shrine

Nara Deer Park

Spotting a sumo wrestler is like spotting a celebrity there. Tokyo

Found this couple super cute doing a temple ritual at Sensoji Temple, Tokyo

Our crazy, noisy gang! Too noisy for Japan.

Ginza, Tokyo

Add caption

Harajuku, Tokyo

Our favorite: Ichiran Ramen

     Mata atode aimashou! 

Amazing Zambales Part 2

    

     On our second day in Zambales we were all up early for a morning of mango picking at the Betagro Farm where the delicious and sweet Batungbacal mangoes are grown. Opposite the beautiful sunset the day before is a mountain landscape that is equally beautiful. 

     ...and we were off.....
 

     The farm is a good thirty minutes away from the beach house where we stayed. You know you are near when you enter a woodsy area. How exciting!

     This trellis path welcomes you to the Batungbacal's warm and cozy farm home.

     You cannot miss the beautiful stones used everywhere in the structures here and in the beach house. Mayet tells me these were all from the farm property. WOW! They are not called Batungbacal for nothing. Wink! Look how lovely!

Here are the happy mango pickers posed for the task even baby Rica!

      At the helm of Betagro is Mayet's husband Rico, a true farmer at heart. 

     After a short tutorial on mango picking we headed off to the orchard, Rico assigned us two trees to harvest and gave us nets especially designed for picking mangoes. 

     My friend Jill who is a chef though picked them with her bare hands. haha!

     After picking them we hand them over to Rico's staff for sorting.

 

  

     Here was our loot, all loaded. Each of us got to bring home 6 boxes each. Good work, everyone!
     
     Thank you to the Batungbacals for this fun and priceless experience. Here is to many more years of bountiful harvests!

      If you want to taste the sweet Batungbacal mangoes of Zambales. Check them out here.