I'm Feeling 22

Last week, I turned 22. 

Well past the “-teen”, but still a long way to go into the twenties.

  

Just when can you say you’ve grown up? Is there a point where your thinking and behavior changes? It’s different for everyone, but mine came after a series of events (that are not necessarily bad) during my last year of college. It paved the way for the shift from idealistic to realistic.

My Big Bad Wolf Midnight Raid

I had just committed myself to decluttering my living space according to Marie Kondo's principle of keeping only the things that spark joy for you. Just as I had either discarded or sold more than half of all my belongings, Big Bad Wolf, the biggest international book sale, had come to the Philippines. And being the bookworm/book-hoarder that I am, that only means one thing: new books are coming into my living space once again.  

Tokyo, Japan 2015: Shinjuku (Part 13)

Day 5 (2nd stop): 

Shinjuku. May 15, 2015. 

It's shopping time! We're off to Shinjuku-Harajuku-Shibuya for our last hurrah in Tokyo. This post features some of the stores and products we encountered in Shinjuku. 

Punta Fuego 2016

Punta Fuego, Nasugbu, Batangas. October 30 to 31, 2016. 

The view from one of the houses we rented. 

This vacation was really exciting for me and for my family. It's the first time we're going out of town with all of my relatives on my mother's side (except for one family who was based in Iloilo). And where did we decide it to be? At Punta Fuego, Nasugbu, Batangas, for its beaches, pools, and yacht club.

To get everyone there (we're a big extended family), we rented a coaster and left early in the morning, stopping only at a commercial area for lunch before resuming with our journey. The coaster drove us through the winding paths until we finally reached our destination by early afternoon. We unloaded all our luggage into the houses we rented and enjoyed the view and the fresh air: 

Tokyo, Japan 2015: Ueno (Part 12)

Day 5 (1st stop): 

Ueno. May 15, 2015. 

It's the fifth day of our jam-packed Tokyo tour! We're getting accustomed to the area and what better way to spend the morning than to explore Ueno to the max for its affordable markets? I swear, this place has a traditional touch with temples and traditional shops along the street. 

It houses four main temples and shrines, namely, Kaneiji Temple, Kiyomizu Kannon Temple, Toshogu Shrine, and Bentendo and five museums, namely, the Tokyo National Museum, the National Science Museum, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, and the Shitamachi Museum, making it a must-go if you're into culture. Not to mention Ueno Park and Zoo.

Aside from the cultural aspect, Ueno is also a top commercial area which showcases a slightly less modern shopping district than central Tokyo called Okachimachi and Ameyayokocho.