Belgium – Page 2 – The Wknd Travel

Going Solo In Europe: BRUGES – Cobbled Alleys, Gingerbread Houses & Pretty Canals in Belgium’s Picture-Perfect City

After spending 1.5 days around Belgium, I decided to take side trips to rather more beautiful cities in Belgium – Bruges & Ghent. Brussels is beautiful but I’ve head nicer things about these 2 cities, thus I gave them both a visit. Just like my visit in the Netherlands, I didn’t plan anything when I came to Belgium. I went on my usual free walking tour around Brussels, met interesting people in the hostel & asked for recommendations from the guides & my new friends. Everyone recommended to spend a day around Bruges. I still had 2 days in Belgium; I don’t have any reason not to go.

Join me in this exploring Bruges, Belgium today! It’s probably one of the most beautiful cities I’ve been to in this Going Solo in Europe trip.

Bruges

Bruges is an ancient city in the northwestern part of the country in the Flemish Region of Belgium. The city is commonly known as the ‘Venice of the North’ because of its beautiful canals, cobbled alleys & medieval houses.

It was once a trade-centered city during the 12^th to 15^th centuries but was overpowered by Antwerp in the 1500s. The city was revived as a prominent tourist destination in the 19^th century attracting visitors from all over Europe. The city was spared from 2 world war destructions thus maintaining its medieval character up to the present time. Various city center restoration & preservation projects were launched in the 1960s which led to it being a famous tourist destination in Belgium & in Europe in general.

In 2000, the historic center of Bruges was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Brussels to Brugges

Bruges is about 100 kilometers away from Brussels. Trains & buses connect these 2 cities. Hourly trains leave from Brussels North, Central & South stations & stop at Bruges Station. Tickets cost €14,30 per way on 2^nd class cabin & €26,80 return on the same cabin. The train trip takes about 1 hour & 30 minutes per way.

Booked my bus ticket a day before the trip. It cost me €1o,99 one way from Bruges back to Brussels.

FlixBus also connects both cities with 1.5-hour trips but on comfortable coaches. Tickets can cost as low as €5,99 per way or €11,98 return if you book early. FlixBus tickets guarantee a seat in the bus all equipped with free wi-fi & charging ports.

I took the train (€14,30) to Bruges & booked a return trip (€10,99) with FlixBus just because it was cheaper. Guess what? I missed my bus trip back to Brussels because of a freakin’ waffle. The next bus trip was not until 10:00 pm; I had no choice but to buy another €14,30 train ticket to Brussels. Don’t worry, it was worth missing the bus. You’ll know more later.

Legends Bruges Free Walking Tours

Just like what I did in Amsterdam & Brussels, I joined free walking tours in Bruges. A company called Legends Tours run 3 free (well, tip-based) walking tours in Bruges – a traditional walking tour, a food tour & a night walking tour. I was only in Bruges for the day so I took the first two with the nice & friendly tour guide named Lavigna.

Legends of Bruges Walking Tour

The Legends of Bruges Walking Tour talked about how Bruges started, how it became an important city in history & how it evolved in a tourist hub today. This 2.5-hour walking tour started in Market Square, passed by several sites such as the Belfry, St John’s Hospital, the Beguinage, the Lake of Love & ended in Burg Square.

Tour schedules: Every day at 9:45, 10:30, 11:30 & 14:00 | Starts at Market Square (look for the red umbrella)

A Taste of Bruges Walking Tour

A Taste of Bruges Walking Tour gave us information on how Belgian delicacies – fries, waffles, chocolates & beer started. Lavigna brought us to the fries museum, let us try Belgian fries with that special sauce, brought us to traditional chocolate shops to try pralines & handmade chocolates, walked us to the best waffle place in Bruges & gave us a small glass or Belgian Beer in one of the local breweries all for free. Yes, we only gave tips at the end of the tour. This food tasting tour is a must-do when visiting Bruges.

Tour schedules: Every day except Mondays at 11:30 | Starts at Market Square (look for the red umbrella)

Going Around Bruges

Bruges city center is small & walkable. Bruges Train Station is outside the city center but is about 20 minutes by foot to the market square. The best way to go around the center is by foot, to slowly walk past the beautiful gingerbread houses, to feel the cobblestones in every alley & to enjoy the relaxing views from the canals. I walked around the city the time I was there & it was lovely even if it was tiring.

Places To See Around Bruges

Check out the picturesque & must-see places I visited in Bruges in that whole day visit.

Markt

Markt or Market Square is Bruges’ main city square. This was a market place during the trading days & is now the most vibrant part of the city. The square is bound by the belfry, notable buildings, restaurants & shops which were guild houses in the past.

Jan Breydel Monument

Jan Breydel is revolutionary leader that led the locals to war against King Phillip VI of France. His monument is in the center of the market square & is the meeting place for walking tours.

Belfry of Bruges

The Belfry of Bruges is the city’s bell tower built in the 1200s. It is one of the city’s landmarks which before housed the treasury & archives. It also served as a lookout for fires & dangers in the past. It is now an observation deck about 80 meters above the ground which tourists & visitors line up for. I didn’t have the time to go up the tower because of the long queues during my visit.

Church of Our Lady Bruges

View of the Church of the Lady Bruges from afar – somewhere near Old St John Hospital site.

This gothic-style catholic church is in the center of Bruges & has a history since the 13^th century. The church also has the Madonna & Child marble sculpture made by Michelangelo. This sculpture is known as “Madonna of Bruges.”

Burg Square

Burg Square is a former fortress & now a public square in Bruges. It is surrounded by the Bruges City Hall, the Basilica of the Holy Blood & other historical buildings.

Bruges City Hall

Bruges City Hall is one of the oldest buildings in the city. It is the seat of the Bruges government from 600 years ago up until present. This old gothic building is in Burg Square.

Rozenhoedkaai

Rozenhoedkaai, also known as the Quay of Rosary, is the most picture-perfect place in Bruges. It is the most photographed place in the city showing the beautiful views of the canal & the old houses. This place is near the fish market & is minutes away from the market square.

Lake of Love

The Lake of Love is a small but beautiful lake that welcomes you to the Bruges city center. It has various legends on why it was called such (like the love story of Mina & Stromberg) but I can’t fully remember the story. Peace out!

St. Bonifacius Bridge

St. Bonifacius Bridge is a small but romantic pedestrian bridge at the back of the Church of Our Lady Bruges. The bridge has a unique & charming view of a small canal with old brick houses on the side. It was a lovely place but also full of tourists.

Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaerde

Princely Beguinage Ten Wijngaerde is the only persevered beguinage in Bruges. A beguinage houses beguines – lay women who lived in a community without taking religious vows. Sad to say, this beguinage no longer functions as such – it’s now a convent managed by Benedictine nuns.

Basilica of the Holy Blood

The Basilica of the Holy Blood is a minor basilica found in Burg Square, right beside the city hall. It houses a venerated relic of the Holy Blood believed to be brought from Holy Land.

Old St. John’s Hospital

This is a medieval hospital located next to the Church of Our Lady Bruges. It is one of Europe’s oldest surviving hospitals that treated the sick, travelers & pilgrims during the Middle Ages. This building no longer functions as a hospital but is a museum, a function & exhibition center.

Provinciaal Hof

Commonly known as the Provincial Court, this building used to be the official meeting place of the provincial government of West Flanders. The building is in the market square & now functions as an exhibition center.

Sint-Salvatorskathedraal

Sint-Salvatorskathedraal or Saint Salvator’s Cathedral in English is Bruges’ oldest parish church. It is one of the city’s main church that survived wars, fires & occupations. It’s also in the city center but a bit outside the market square.

Bourgogne des Flandres Brewery

Bourgogne des Flandres Brewery was the last stop of our food tasting tour with Lavigna. The brewery gave us their red-brown Flemish beer to try. This brewery is in the middle of the Bruges city center, by one of the canals. It also has an in-house bar where people can order their beer. The brewery also has tours which will show how they make their own beer. I wish I had more time to go & tour their brewery.

House of Waffles

Remember when I told you earlier that I missed my bus back to Brussels? Yes, it’s because of House of Waffles. We dropped by this place during the food tasting tour to try their waffles. They make really good waffles that I had to go back before leaving the city.

I had plain Brussels waffle & a cup of mint tea. It was so good – so good that I lost track of time & missed my Flixbus back to Brussels. No regrets, it was worth it! Please don’t miss this place when visiting Bruges.

De Garre

Did you know that all beers in Belgium have their respective special beer glasses? Cool stuff.

De Garre is a famous local pub in Bruges that brews their own beer – also named De Garre. I went to this place with Nathan, a Canadian guy I met in the food tasting tour. Nathan’s friends recommended this place to him to try. We ordered on beer each & it came with a small cheese plate. I am not a beer expert but I liked its distinct taste.

That’s it for Bruges. Thanks for joining me around Belgium’s picture-perfect city! I wish I had more time in this city but I guess I’ll just put it in places I need to visit again in the future. Have you been to Bruges in Belgium? How did you find the city? How is it compared to Brussels? Share your fun Bruges experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about the city? You may post them below or send it to be via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Watch out for my feature on Ghent -an underrated city in Belgium which some people skip!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Going Solo In Europe: BRUSSELS – Belgium’s Center, Europe’s Capital & Most Boring City?

After spending 4.5 days around The Netherlands, walking around the streets & canals of Amsterdam, visiting a friend in Utrecht, enjoying the beautiful & not-so-crowded North Holland countryside & staying in a nice hostel called Generator Amsterdam, I decided to move to a new country – BELGIUM. Yes, I crossed the borders by land & found myself in the land of fries, beer, chocolates & waffles! Belgium is a country in western Europe known for its beautiful old towns & Renaissance architecture.

Interestingly, the country is divided into 3 regions – Flanders, Wallonia & Brussels-Capital. Flanders is the Dutch-speaking Flemish region closer to the Netherlands. Wallonia is the French-speaking Walloon region which was highly influenced by France. Brussels-Capital Region is center of the country which encompasses 19 municipalities with 19 mayors around Brussels. Each region has its own government & takes care of its own social services. As one, the country has a federal form of government led by the Prime Minister.

Fun fact! Do you know that Belgium holds the record of the longest period which a developed country has no elected government? Yes, it’s true. I remember our tour guide Tom saying this happened in 2010-2011 when the country only had a caretaker government for 541 days. Actually, the country has no elected government for the 2^nd time! It started in December 2018 when the running coalition collapsed. The country is under a caretaker government again, led by Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès. Something unique, right?

*I finally made it to Brussels, Belgium. I enjoyed walking around the Grand Place / Grote Markt! 🇧🇪*

Today, I will take you around the capital of Europe – Brussels. This was my first city in Belgium. I decided to come here from Amsterdam because it’s the nearest new country & city. I stayed in Belgium for 4 full days & 4 nights with 2 of the 4 days outside the main city.

Most people only go to Brussels for a day from Amsterdam or just stay for a day in the city & leave. People often regard the city as the most boring city in Europe. Is that the case? Let’s find out below.

Planning to go to Europe soon? Visa application is just easy. I applied for my own visa with VFS Netherlands. Know more about the simple application process here.

Brussels

Brussels started as a rural community beside the Senne River. It then grew into an important city in Belgium & in Europe. After World War II, the country became the center of international politics – having the headquarters of The European Union & the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The city is now the capital of the Brussels-Capital Region & also the country, Belgium.

Amsterdam to Brussels

Brussels is a little over 200 kilometers away from Amsterdam. Trains & buses link these 2 important European cities. These trains & buses leave almost every hour from these 2 cities. Trip takes around 2 hours for both modes of transportation. Train tickets cost roughly €50 while bus tickets are about a fifth – €10.

I chose the bus over the train just because it’s way cheaper. I took FlixBus on this trip from Amsterdam to Brussels. I bought my bus ticket from FlixBus mobile app. The ticket cost €9,99; it included a comfortable seat, 20 kilograms baggage allowance & free access to the bus wi-fi connection. The bus also has an entertainment system accessible via the passenger’s mobile phone. The bus left Amsterdam Sloterdijk station at 12:00 noon & arrived at Brussels North station around 2:15 in the afternoon.

Going Around Brussels

Going around Brussels is very easy. Most of the attractions are found around the central square known as Grand Place or Grote Markt Brussel. The best way to explore the city is by foot. Some attractions, which I didn’t go to, can be reached by taking the local metro. All inter-city & inter-country trains arrive at either Brussels North, Brussels Central & Brussels South Stations. These 3 stations are about 1 kilometer away from each other.

Free Walking Tour

Just like what I did in Amsterdam, I also took SANDEMANs New Europe free walking tour in Brussels. This tip-based walking tour was held by Tom, who walked us through the history of Brussels & Belgium in general for 2.5 hours. He’s a funny & informative tour guide; he even gave us recommendations on where else to go, where to eat & what else to do. He started the tour at Grand Place & ended in the Royal Palace of Brussels.

Places To See Around Brussels

Allow me to share with you the places we visited during the walking tour & those I discovered myself while walking around the city center.

Grote Markt

The Grote Markt or Grand Place in English is Brussels’ central square. It is surrounded by several guild halls & 2 important buildings in the city’s history – the Brussels Town Hall & the King’s House. This square is the country’s most famous landmark & in my opinion, one of most beautiful central squares I’ve been to in all places I visited last year. This central square is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Maison du Roi / Broodhuis

Called by the French as Maison du Roi & by the Dutch as Broodhuis, this neo-gothic style building is the home of Brussels City Museum. The museum shows the history of Brussels from the old times to its contemporary situation. This building used to be the King’s House (thus Maison du Roi) in the 16^th century & was the bread market (thus called Broodhuis) setting from the 13^th century.

Brussels Town Hall

Right in front of the Brussels City Museum is the Town Hall of the City of Brussels. Built in the 15^th century, this building served as the town hall from the time it was built up until the present time. This building has a number of interesting asymmetrical elements which can only be noticed when pointed by the guides.

Everard t’Serclaes Sculpture

Everard t’Serclaes was a Brussels citizen who helped recover Brussels from the Flemings in the 1300s. His success was commemorated by a sculpture found in Charles Buls St, one street off the Grand Place. There’s a local myth which says rubbing Everard t’Serclaes’ statue brings good luck & grants the wishes of the person who rub it. This explains the shiny color of the statue’s arms & its other parts.

Mannekin Pis

Mannekin Pis, they say Brussels’ most disappointing landmark, is located a few meters from the Grand Place. This statue of a naked little boy pissing into the fountain’s basin is a replica of the real one found in the Brussels City Museum. There are several legends behind this famous status. One of which is the little boy named Julianske who urinated on the burning explosives while the attackers were preparing on bombing Brussels. He then saved the city from the attackers.

This status is dressed in costumes multiple times a year; depending on the celebrations they have. Unfortunately, it was all naked during my 4-day visit. For the locals, this Mannekin Pis statue embodies their sense of humor & independence.

La Bourse de Bruxelles

La Bourse de Bruxelles, or the Brussels Stock Exchange Building in English, is neo-Palladian designed building that houses the city’s stock exchange. This building is found right outside the Grand Place & is guarded by 2 lion status.

This is the Brussels Stock Exchange building from the back. Sorry I don’t have the lions in the photo.

Église Saint Nicolas

Surrounded by old houses, Église Saint Nicolas or the Church of Saint Nicholas is Brussel’s oldest catholic church. This church is named after the patron of merchants or traders. This church is located at the back of the stock exchange building.

La Monnaie De Munt

La Monnaie De Munt is Brussels’ opera house. This old building is used for multiple functions & shows such as operas, concerts, dances & other entertainment shows.

Place des Martyrs / Martelarenplein

Place des Martyrs is a square dedicated to the martyrs of the Belgian revolution in the 1830s. This square is located next to one of Brussel’s busiest shopping street – Rue Neuve or Nieuwstraat. Dutch people call this place Martelarenplein.

Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert

Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, in English the Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert, is a long & glazed shopping arcade designed by Jean-Pierre Cluysenaer in the mid-1800s. The gallery is home of the expensive Belgian truffle & chocolate shops.

Brussels Cathedral

The Cathedral of Saint Michael & Saint Gudula is an important landmark in the City of Brussels. It is the city’s main cathedral, dedicated to their patron saints – St. Michael & St. Gudula. This gothic-style cathedral took 300 years to build & has undergone several restoration & renovation works.

Mont Des Artes / Kunstberg

Mont Des Artes in French or Kunstberg in Dutch is an arts & historical complex that houses the Royal Library of Belgium, the National Archives of Belgium & the Square – Brussels Convention Centre. It also has a beautifully maintained public garden with the statue of King Albert in front.

Brussels Park

Brussels Park, Parc de Bruxelles in French & Warandepark in Dutch, is the city’s largest urban park. It is located in the center of the city, with the Palace of the Nation on one side & the Royal Palace of Brussels on the other side.

Royal Palace of Brussels

The Royal Palace of Brussels is the official palace of the Belgian monarchy. It is not the official residence of the Royal Family of Belgium, but is the official function place of the monarchy. It is located in front of the Brussels Park. This was the last stop of Tom’s walking tour.

Delirium Café

Delirium Café is my favorite place in Brussels. It is a bar in Brussels that’s know for its long beer list. They hold the Guinness Book of World Records’ bar that offers the most kinds of beer in one setting. They have 2,004 kinds of beer from all over the world, including those produced locally in Belgium. I came to this bar 3 out of the 4 nights I was in Brussels. It’s definitely a place I’ll go back to in the future.

Missed Places

I didn’t have enough time in Brussels – believe it or not I missed a few notable sights like the Atomium, Parc du Cinquantenaire, Mini Europe & Ossegempark. I was supposed to go to these places on the morning of my last day but the weather didn’t cooperate. It was raining & it was just hard to walk around.

That concludes my feature about Brussels. Is it a boring city? I don’t think so; I think there’s a lot to see. It also has a very interesting history. While it may be my least favorite in all the cities I visited in this trip, it still has its own charm. Brussels is very small but it has one of the most beautiful central squares in Europe. Please do not miss the Grand Place or Grote Markt & please make sure to go there in the morning, in the afternoon (during sunset) & in the evening. The place is just magical. This square is my 2^nd favorite place in Brussels – after Delirium Café, of course.

Have you been to Brussels in the past? How did you find the city? Which is your favorite attraction? Comment your thoughts & experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about the city? You may send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thanks for joining me in Brussels today. Wait for the next one, I’ll take you around the beautiful city of Bruges!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

2019 Rewind: Crossing Borders & Making Dreams Come True

Another year of travels is coming to an end. Those of you following me since 2016 know that I always post a year-end blog detailing what happened to me & where I went in that specific year. 2016 was all about travelling solo, exploring places by myself; 2017 was exploring relatively known & unknown places & 2018 was all about reuniting & travelling with friends. 2019 is a mix of all 3 years of recaps. I went & explored places by myself, I flew & took trains to both & unknown places & I had a few trips with my friends. I can say 2019 is my best year yet for travelling – I’ve crossed many borders & made my long-time dreams come true.

Allow me to share with you details of my 2019 in terms of trips taken. I will also give insights of the interesting content developments here in my website.

trips recap ✈️

SORSOGON 🇵🇭

I started off the year with a day trip to the beaches of Matnog, Sorsogon. I didn’t post about this day trip in this website but I believe it’s worth sharing here. My cousins from Australia welcomed the new year in our hometown. Days after the new year, we took them to the islands of Subic, Matnog in Sorsogon. We first went fish feeding in a sanctuary then continued to Subic Beach. It was a fun day spent with cousins in the beach.

JAPAN 🇯🇵

Back in February, I flew to my favorite Japan for 9 days. My supposed-to-be trip to Nagano, Kanazawa & Toyama turned into a family trip around Tokyo & Kansai Region (Osaka, Nara & Kyoto). I flew with them to Tokyo then took a side trip to Nagano then met my sisters in Osaka afterwards. It was a delight seeing the snow monkeys in Nagano & spending some alone time in a very cold & snowy place in Japan. I then flew to Fukuoka to spend a day around the city before catching my flight back to Manila. I may not have been to Kanazawa & Toyama in this trip but I’ll make sure to go next time.

I didn’t post much about this but I went to Japan again a few months ago. My friend & I decided to surprise another friend in her flight to Fukuoka & to ruin her first ever solo trip. We spent 48 hours around Fukuoka, Japan, went to pretty interesting places, savored every Japanese meal & drowned ourselves with the Lipton milk tea drink.

Blog List:
Japan Highlights 2019: TOKYO – 36 Hours In The Land Of The Rising Sun’s Most Famous Metropolis
Japan Highlights 2019: NAGANO – 48 Hours In The Inland Prefecture Of The Snow Monkeys
Japan Highlights 2019: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN – A Theme Park That Brings You Back To Being A ‘Kid’ Just For A Day
Japan Highlights 2019: KYOTO – Japan’s Ancient Capital In One Day
Japan Highlights 2019: NARA – A Morning Visit To The Deer Park
Japan Highlights 2019: MATSUMOTO & FUKUOKA Stopovers

BACOLOD 🇵🇭

Office friends & I went on a spontaneous Bacolod weekend trip last February. We flew to the city & went to the famous Ruins then had chicken inasal for dinner in Manukan Country. We then went to the town of Don Salvador Benedicto to check out Negros’ Little Baguio. After a few hours around the mountains, we went back to the city & decided to just eat out until we flew back to Manila.

Blog: Spontaneous BACOLOD Weekend: 48 Hours In The City of Smiles

MELBOURNE 🇦🇺

I flew to Melbourne, Australia with Leng & Shane (from Sydney 2018 trip) during the Holy Week break last April. I spent 8 days around the city & the nearby suburbs. We also went to the Brighton Bathing Boxes, Great Ocean Road, Phillip Island & Yarra Valley Wine Country. My friend Lord, who I was with on It’s The Ship 2018, joined us on our first few days in Melbourne.

We didn’t make out Melbourne itinerary that busy compared to our Sydney one. We just enjoyed our time there, strolling around the beautiful city, trying out different cuisines & hoarding every single interesting item in the supermarkets.

Blog List:
N9 In Straya Series: Walking Around MELBOURNE Part 1 – Parks, Gardens & Heritage Sites
N9 In Straya Series: Walking Around MELBOURNE Part 2 – Hipster Laneways, Communal Spaces & Modern Areas
N9 In Straya Series: BRIGHTON BATHING BOXES – Iconic & Photogenic Bathing Boxes Found In A Coastal Melbourne Suburb
N9 in Straya Series: GREAT OCEAN ROAD – A Day Trip To The World’s Largest War Memorial
N9 In Straya Series: PHILLIP ISLAND – A Perfect Day Out With Nature & Australian Wildlife
N9 In Straya Series: PUFFING BILLY RAILWAY & YARRA VALLEY WINE TOUR – Victoria’s Heritage Steam Railway & Wine Region In A Day

TAIWAN 🇹🇼

It’s been years since our last family trip to Singapore. My parents decided to bring the family to Taiwan for the Fathers’ Day weekend. We went to the city of Taichung on our first day as per my sister’s request. She wanted to see the flower farms in Taichung plus take nice photos with the family. We then went around the city on Fathers’ Day – went to church, strolled around Daan Park, ate at Din Tai Fung, hiked the Elephant Hill & walked around Raohe Night Market.

On our third day, we took the Klook guided tour to Yehliu Geopark, Jiufen Old Street & Shifen then finished the day around Ximending. We spent our fourth day in Chiang Kai Shek Memorial, Liberty Square & in the airport for our flight back to Manila. I met with my good friend Richard, whom I knew in Komodo, Indonesia in 2018, for a few nights in Taipei. He was also in the city waiting for his flight back to Europe. It was fun catching up with this man over food & drinks!

Blog List:
TAIWAN All Over Again – Family Long Weekend In Taipei
TAICHUNG Photo Blog: Picturesque Places Outside Taipei
YEHLIU-JIUFEN-SHIFEN Klook Tour – Perfect & Hassle-Free Taiwan Northeast Coast Day Tour

YOGYAKARTA 🇮🇩

One spontaneous trip I took this year was that to Yogyakarta. I saw a piso-fare ticket to Jakarta last June for an August trip & decided to buy that ticket. I contacted Yudi, a friend I met on Its the Ship 2018 who is now based somewhere in Indonesia. We then agreed to meet in Yogyakarta & volunteered to take me around.

Lord of LordAroundTheWorld, who joined me in Melbourne last April, decided to join me a week before the trip. We then met with Yudi & his friend Dallin in Yogyakarta & we went around the city. We went to different temples (Borobudur, Prambanan, Taman Sari) & also took the lava trail tour in Mount Merapi. We ate in different local restaurants & tried several local dishes. We spent most of our time in Yogyakarta in the road, in restaurants & in our hotel. It was a relaxing trip; not the usual busy one. It’s nice to step back for a while & just enjoy chilling.

Blog: The Wonderful Indonesia Series: YOGYAKARTA – A Relaxing Weekend In Indonesia’s Special Monarchy Region

BORACAY 🇵🇭

My buddy Rick & I flew to Boracay last September to surprise our high school friends having their holiday in the island. They didn’t know that we were coming so we decided to show up on the afternoon of their 2^nd day, right after arriving in the island. We ate in nice restaurants, walked along the shore, swam on the beach & spent some quality time with the group.

Rick & I stayed for 2 more days in the island & just spent most of the time relaxing, eating, walking & drinking. I didn’t expect this September trip to have its 2^nd part after the Bohol weekend in 2018 but I hope there will be a 3^rd installment in 2020, 4^th installment in 2021 until this becomes a regular trip with them. By the way, I didn’t join my family in Hong Kong to join these people plus I also don’t have my passport during this time.

E-U-R-O-P-E!!! 🇳🇱 🇧🇪 🇨🇿 🇩🇰

Finally, A TRIP TO EUROPE! This is the highlight of my 2019. It was a dream come true. I haven’t posted anything about this trip in the website but I’m happy to share that this long-time plan of going to Europe happened last October to November 2019.

One of my Europe trip highlights – a trip to Český Krumlov. This town is picturesque & peaceful. 🇨🇿

It all started with an affordable ticket I got from the Singapore Airlines & BPI promotion last January 2019. I got tickets flying from Manila to Amsterdam, Netherlands & leaving from Copenhagen, Denmark, both via Singapore. I saved up the whole year, planned my itinerary, booked my hostels & booked the inter-country flights ahead of time. I applied for a tourist visa on my own – no help from any agency & got it after a week.

Nyhavn – my favorite place in Copenhagen… It’s where the Danish Christmas market is found! 🇩🇰

And the trip happened. Due to busy work schedule, I didn’t have time to do more research & make my final itinerary. I arrived in Amsterdam with no plans, not even a single idea how to go to my hostel. I got scared at first but I ended up having the best days of my life around Europe. I went to 4 countries (Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark), explored cities & small towns, reunited with friends I met from previous trips, met cool new friends along the way, took walking tours in every city / town, drank more beers than waters in a day, walked thousands of steps & tens of kilometers a day & ate all local food I can in every place. I did all of these alone! Yes, I FLEW TO EUROPE ALONE & I SURVIVED. It was probably the bravest thing I did this year.

Obligatory photo with the canals of Amsterdam in The Netherlands.. Can’t wait to go back here! 🇳🇱

I have so much to share about this trip but I am reserving that for the individual posts. I hope you’ll watch out for those write-ups.

Blogs: TO FOLLOW.

blog highlights ✨

Aside from the usual blog contents I post, there were 2 significant developments in this blog. First is the continued posts for the Tuesday Tips & Hostel of the Day features. I had 3 Tuesday Tip posts & 7 hostel of the day features published in my website solely for 2019. I still have a long list of Tuesday tips to share & hostels (especially the ones from Europe) to publish so watch out for those. My main goal of posting these Tuesday tips & hostel features is to show the world that there are nice things out there that don’t need hefty amounts of money. You can have the same fun & memorable experiences by paying small amounts.

Blog List:
Hostel of the Day: DOT HOSTEL NAGANO – Wooden House Turned High-Rated Affordable Hostel
Hostel Of The Day: KHAOSAN WORLD ASAKUSA RYOKAN & HOSTEL – Clean & Affordable Traditional Japanese Accommodation In The Heart Of Tokyo
Hostel Of The Day: NEW WORLD INN OSAKA – Simple, Affordable & Modern Property Near Tennoji
Hostel Of The Day: FUKUOKA HANA HOSTEL – Fukuoka’s In-Demand & Best Valued Tourist Accommodation
Hostel Of The Day: FLINDERS BACKPACKERS MELBOURNE – Budget-Friendly & Extremely Popular Hostel In The Heart Of The City
Hostel Of The Day: UINN TRAVEL HOSTEL – Modern, Space-Themed & Excellent Taipei Hostel
Hostel Of The Day: MAD MONKEY HOSTEL BORACAY – Paradise Island’s Hidden Party Hostel Gem
Tuesday Tip: 4 TRUSTED HOSTEL GROUPS To Check When Looking For AFFORDABLE ACCOMMODATION in JAPAN
Tuesday Tip: 6 WAYS To SAVE MONEY In MELBOURNE
Tuesday Tip: Do-It-Yourself SCHENGEN TOURIST VISA Application With VFS NETHERLANDS

This year, I introduced a section in my website called Flight Reports. You guys know I love flying & my interest in aviation is something else. I thought of sharing my flight experiences with different airlines – how the service is from check in to boarding to in-flight services & cabin crew service. Since I started the section in June, I already published 8 flight reports about 5 local & international airlines. I didn’t expect this section to get hits but I’m happy that I get regular website visits for these specific posts. I still have about 5 or 6 flight reports to share with you, most of them from my European trip. I hope you’re excited for these flight reports as I am!

Blog List:
Flight Report: EVA AIR BR 277 – Taipei to Manila – Taiwan’s 5-Star Airline For An Affordable Fare
Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 328 – Legazpi to Manila – ₱600 ($11.50) Flight Back To Manila
Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 759 – Manila to Jakarta – ₱1,236 ($24) International Flight To Indonesia
Flight Report: INDONESIA AIR ASIA QZ 7550 – Jakarta to Yogyakarta – Low-Cost Domestic Flight To Indonesia’s Royal City
Flight Report: INDONESIA AIR ASIA QZ 7551 – Yogyakarta to Jakarta – Redemption Flight Back To Indonesia’s Capital
Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 905 – Manila to Caticlan (Boracay) – Short & Relatively Empty Flight To Paradise Island
Flight Report: CEBGO DG 6244 – Caticlan (Boracay) to Manila – Quick Turboprop Flight Back To The Metro
Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 915 – Manila to Singapore – 5-Star Economy Class Experience In A New Generation Boeing Dreamliner

By the way, this just came in. This website has finally hit 90,000 site views! This is another milestone hit before the end of the 2019. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the endless support – from sharing my articles & posts, to commenting & liking the posts that appear on your timelines to your comments & questions. I appreciate all of these.

Thank you for giving me the reason to continue sharing more content in this website. I can tell you this is not the end, it is just the start of more tips, flight reports, itineraries & blog posts. I have a long list of topics to share & upcoming trips & flights to take. You’ll definitely see more in this website next year.

Here’s to an adventure-filled 2020. Happy New Year, dear readers!

PS. Some photos were taken using my HTC U11. Shout out to my friends Junelle, Mark & Richard for allowing me to use your photos in this post.