I asked my friend Michelle what is there to do in Ho Chi Minh – her answer was – Ben Thanh Market – I said, that’s it? haha!!
Apparently you can spend many days here and just look for things to buy!! There are 2 sections – the Government controlled section so it is fixed price. Look for the signs on top so you know it is the fixed price section
and there is the regular market section where you can haggle
Food
Fruits
We went around to several galleries to look at some Vietnamese art
We went to the beautiful Opera House
and watched AO Show which was a local production – very interesting 🙂 
Click below to go to the website
Art tour recommended by a friend – Click below to go to the website
A must to eat French food in Ho Chi Minh. There are several. We went to this restaurant recommended by Tita Tess
Run by a lovely couple 🙂 Chef Erwann and his wife
Petite Burrata
Bourride Setoise – Seafood Soup
Escalope de Foie Gras
Poelee de Saint Jacques
Magret de Canard
Cotolettes d’Agneau
Filet de Boeuf
Tarte Au Citron
Click below to go to their website
It has always been a desire of almost everyone especially “barkadas” to have a summer getaway and live in the comforts of a private house in Baguio City –the summer capital of the Philippines. And it only takes 4.5 hours with the new Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway (TIPLEX).
This relaxing highland refuge is located in the preferred part of town between Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay. It features 12 well-kept cottages that can house 1-10 persons each. UPPER HOUSE VILLAGE was designed to specifically cater to the needs of families and barkadas who want to avoid the hustle-and-bustle of the Summer Capital’s holiday crowd.
Each cottage boasts of 5 bedrooms with private bathroom, an Attic Family & Playroom, complete kitchen with cooktop & refrigerator, Dining room with fireplace, Cable TV, DVD player, three (3) LED TV sets, 24-hour free Wi-Fi Internet, spacious outdoor porches & balconies, Maids & Drivers quarters with separate bathroom, two-car garage, Village Shop offering snacks, coffee & refreshments, Full Emergency Generator back-up, and daily housekeeping services.
Book now online at www.upperhousebaguio.com up to April 15 and take advantage of the SUMMER GETAWAY IN BAGUIO package. Barkada Cottage 1-10 persons for Php12, 000.00 plus 12% VAT. SAVE Php 6, 720.00 compared to the published rate at Php18, 000.00 plus 12% VAT. Promo is valid until June 15, 2015. Limited Cottages only!
For inquiries, call Baguio (074) 442-0271; Manila Hotline: (02) 584-4835 or 552-5126. CP: Globe 09155410916; Smart 09205791120; Email reservations@upperhousebaguio.com or upperhousevillage@yahoo.com; or to book online visit their website at www.upperhousebaguio.com.
UPPER HOUSE VILLAGE is located at No. 88 Paterno St., South Drive, Baguio City, Philippines.
Part of a getaway is waking up at your own pace and catching the buffet breakfast that closes at 10am! 🙂 It’s even better because it becomes brunch and you eat once instead of twice 🙂 
Buffet breakfast stretches the whole Lamian restaurant 
They even have a little Bohol Bee Farm store where you can buy products from the Bee Farm at the same price! Of course it cannot be as complete but they have the best sellers
They pass the test because they have danggit and bacon 🙂 They not only have danger but they have fried dried squid which is also yummy and crispy 
Super loved these Filipino delicacies!! Freshly made by the kitchen. Ube Pastillas, Ube Macaron and Torta which is a delicacy in Bohol. ALL YUM!!! I asked the waiter if it will be in the buffet breakfast again the next day but he said it changes!! So I made baon since it was closing 🙂 I wrapped up a few 🙂
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Costa Pacifica recently took part in the World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry. Held last November 3 to 6, 2014 in London, the World Travel Market (WTM) 2014 was an amazing success with almost 52,000 delegates from around the globe attending the 4-day event.
Representatives of Costa Pacifica and Baler were in full force to entertain visitors of the Baler booth. In attendance at the World Travel Market 2014 were Senator Sonny Angara, CNN’s Richard Quest, Philippine Ambassador to the UK Enrique A. Manalo, Philippine Consul General to the UK Senen Mangalile, Gloria Angara, Ana Angara, and Cynthia Garcia Eidell among others.
Now on its 35th year, WTM is a vibrant must attend business-to-business event presenting a diverse range of destinations and industry sectors to the United Kingdom and International travel professionals. Senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international press, embark on ExCeL – London every November to network, negotiate and discover the latest industry opinion and trends at WTM.
Costa Pacifica is located at Buton Street, Sabang, Baler, Aurora. Sabang Beach is a few minutes away from the Baler town proper and about 230KM northeast of Manila. For details and inquiries, log on to inquiry@costapacificabaler.com
This was our first time to land and depart from Haneda airport. I love it because it is only 30 minutes aways compared to an hour or more from Narita airport
These are photos from the departure area already. Before you go inside the terminal – make sure you go around first. There is a whole world of Japanese products and experiences – shops, restaurants, entertainment –
The shopping is all local products from Japan! 
And many many restaurants to choose from!!!
If you like ice cream or green tea – a must is to try Saryo Itoen – Match, Brown Tea and Premium Fresh cream ice cream. Aside from the usual matcha- the Premium fresh ice cream ( the white one ) was particularly very creamy and very yummy!! Ask for a tasting if you are not sure -it’s worth a try 🙂
Spa
More areas to explore
Go up the 4th and 5th floor and there is much more and even for kids
Viewing deck where you can watch planes take off and arrive
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New Years Day is a very important holiday in Japan. “New Year (shogatsu or oshogatsu) is the most important holiday in Japan. Most businesses shut down from January 1 to January 3, and families typically gather to spend the days together.” ( Japanguide.com ) So it is hard to book a restaurant – either it is closed or full. But you can always rely on hotels to have something. At Andaz they had a New Year’s Day Countdown
Fantastic dinner. Blessed for 2014 and welcoming another fruitful and blessed year
What a dessert!!! It did not only look nice but it tasted good too
Jayde Bhattachraya, the restaurant manager
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We wanted yakitori so we are happy we found a place with the help of the concierge at Andaz and it is so near Andaz! Its called Teketeke haha!! 🙂 There’s no name outside 
Heart2Heart loves appetizers! 
Cold sliced tomato
Thick cut french fries ( not really thick 🙂 ) 
Fried Potatoes with Anchovy butter- now you know why I have acid reflux – everything is fried!! :-O
Karaage ( fried chicken)
Japanese chicken wings
Red- Red Chili Pepper
White – White Pepper with Teriyaki sauce – It’s like Bonchon 🙂
Chicken gyoza!! First time for me to try Chicken gyoza like this and it was really good!!!!
Double Smoked bacon – expected more but it was okay 🙂
Smoked rich cream cheese – same with this
This was the most popular page for our family
Tsukune
When this arrived we did not know what it was – we thought it was complimentary appetiser haha!! They don’t speak English so it was quite difficult. So we all ate cabbage and dipped it in the sauce!!
Apparently it is for display haha!!! When the yakitori came they rested it on the cabbage 🙂 LOVE! Negima was very popular!
Chicken skin
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