Weekend Market Hopping - Centris & Mercato

Last weekend, I got the chance to visit two weekend markets with the help of friends from CS Manila. Like everyone else, I was also interested to check out these new places and find out what stuff I can discover!

Centris is actually found very near the Quezon Ave MRT Station making it really accessible for commuters like me. It has a big selection of food and fresh produce from all over the Philippines. I really wish to go back. I can't list all the stuff I found there so my suggestion is just check it out for yourself on the weekend you are next available.

Centris Walk

Rizal Rediscovery Tour - Antipolo Leg

The following week after we did our Manila Leg, is another continuation of the Rizal Rediscovery Tour. Just like the rest of the legs, I traveled with a group of CS'ers headed by Archie. I'm so getting used to going with the group! :) There were probably about 20 CS'rs in this leg and it was such a bunch of fun!

I just met the group at the Antipolo Church, the first stop. Since I was the first one to get there, I got informed that the office would be closed by 12pm and resumes at 2pm. Good thing the rest of the group got there in time for the stamp almost 5 mins before the clock struck 12!

Antipolo stamp - Done!

Antipolo Church and my Rizal Passport

Rizal Rediscovery Tour - Manila Leg

It was a lazy and drizzling Sunday some two weeks ago, when I decided, together with three other CS'ers to head to Manila and do our  more private version of the Rizal Rediscovery Tour - Manila Leg. As I've written before, we've already been to Pampanga and Bulacan with a bunch of CS'rs.

We actually started off late. We initially planned to meet at 1pm at the UN Ave, Lrt Station. However, we ended up starting almost around 2-3pm. It was raining a bit but this didn't stop us. I went with Johanna, Jester and Charlie.

Our first stop was the Paco Park. We only stayed there to get the stamps. Because we are too pressed for time we can't afford to stay that long in each of the stamp sites. We plan to finish all the sites in a span of 2-3 hours! Imagine that.

Paco Cemetery marker

After Paco Park, we went walking heading to Rizal Park. There are three stamp site there, the Fountain and 2 of Rizals monument. As usual we took pictures and hurriedly decided to proceed on our next stamp site which is at Intramuros.

What is the experience of travel?

I just read an article from Lonely Planet - The Distance of Travel. It was such a nice article which prompted me to blog today. I believe I have a few more articles to write which are about the Rizal Rediscovery Leg I had some weekends ago but this article got me reminiscing that time in the past about my experience of travel I would like to share.

What is the experience of travel? It is the sense of movement through the environment or culture around me. It is getting lost. It is the parallax of trees, buildings, hills. It is wind and sea spray in my face. It is the personality of the horse pulling me. It is the sense of gravity while drifting down a river. It is the pain of hiking up a mountain. And the achievement in reaching the top.

 I re-read these few lines in my head. And I will have to emphasize on the words 'Getting Lost'. And here's my story...

Wherever Your Feet Takes You

...Just Think Positive!

That was the short but powerful line on my portrait or tile found on KLM's B777. It got me a spot on a plane traveling around the world in 6 months.

I finally gotten an email confirmation from KLM with a link to video showing my actual tile placed on the plane! It was so surreal...but definitely heart-warming!

I've asked KLM to let me know when B777 lands in Manila and I'll hope to catch it if time and schedule permits!

Here's the actual photo I've taken from the video. The video takes a while to load so I've just taken a screenshot for glimpse of my tile!

Rizal Rediscovery Tour - Bulacan & Pampanga Leg

I've been wanting to start the trail since I heard about it around June. But due to so many uncontrollable factors I had to keep on skipping but finally made my way to my first stamp this weekend.

I'm sure you have heard about the Lakbay Jose Rizal Project. If not then check out the link to learn more.

Rizal Passport - 27 stamps all around the Philippines

Stamped! - from Bulacan and Pampanga :)