MANILA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: Bag Wrapping by Protectabag at NAIA Terminal 3

December 16, 2015


MANILA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT:
Bag Wrapping by Protectabag at NAIA Terminal 3



Bag wrapping services at Manila International Airport are offered to give check-in luggage additional protection from damage or theft. But recently, because of the discovery of the 'tanim bala' or 'laglag bala' scheme, it became popular as one of the the methods to "avoid falling prey to 'tanim bala' scheme" (click the previous link for more details).

If you don't own a hard shell luggage with padlock, instead of zippers, this will protect you against anyone attempting to insert illegal items in your luggage. I own a canvas luggage with plenty of pockets and zippers. Instead of buying new luggage, I decided to avail of this service.

If you wish to avail of this service, here are the important information you will need:


LOCATION:

It's easy to find. 


It's located near Gate 4,  departure level of NAIA Terminal 3.
Shown at the right side of the photo is Gate 4.
The white machine is the xray scanner at the entrance of Gate 4



It's also near the Travel Tax payment counter and the OWWA counter so you won't miss it or need to look far to find it.


PRICE:

160 pesos




HOURS OPEN:

3:00 AM - 10:00 PM


HOW LONG THE WRAPPING TAKES:


Actual wrapping only takes 1 1/2 minutes as shown in the video below.




The front is sealed with a sticker

The back view

NOTE: THE PLASTIC WRAP IS SO THICK, YOU CAN'T REMOVE IT WITHOUT USING SCISSORS OR CUTTER.


When I arrived at my destination, I had no scissors or cutter and couldn't remove it by tearing it up with my hands so I slid it off in the same manner as removing socks. 

WEBSITE

http://www.protectabag.com.ph/

BAGUIO: Updated Price List of Good Shepherd Products

November 19, 2015

BAGUIO: Updated Price List of Good Shepherd Products

November 2015 Price List: 
To view the enlarged image of the photos below, click the image, then right click the image again and, click "open image in new tab". When the new tab is opened, you can zoom in on the image to see the price of each item by clicking on the image on the new tab.







BAGUIO: The Gym @ Le Monet Hotel

November 16, 2015


BAGUIO: The Gym @ Le Monet Hotel


THE SIZE OF THE GYM

The gym is small but the equipment is complete.


THE EQUIPMENT

They have 2 treadmills and 1 elliptical.

They have a Rox Gym and weights.

The Rox Gym instruction manual posted on the wall.
(I found it hard to follow.)


THE VIEW

My favorite part is having a view of the Le Monet garden while running on the treadmill.


AMENITIES PROVIDED:

Towels

Drinking Water

Toilet inside the gym


HOURS OPEN:
24 hours

LOCATION:
B1 level 

Check out best rates of Le Monet hotel HERE

BAGUIO: Where to Find the Latest Baguio Road Advisory

November 9, 2015

BAGUIO: Where to Find the Latest Baguio Road Advisory

Before going to Baguio, the first thing we want to find out is whether Kennon Road is passable or not, or should we use Marcos highway from Rosario, La Union instead of Kennon Road.

I browsed several site in the world wide web, government and private sites, and found only one site: www.gobaguio.com, which posted the latest information on roads leading to Baguio. As you can see in the sample page below, the update is current and accurate. I checked this site before leaving for Baguio on the same day and verified that the information posted on this site is correct.


SINGAPORE: How to get FREE WIFI at Changi Airport (updated February 2023)

November 5, 2015


SINGAPORE: How to get FREE WiFi at Changi Airport 
(updated February 2023)


UPDATED FEBRUARY 2023!!

Connecting to free Wifi at Changi airport is now very easy. You don't need a local smartphone or have roaming on your phone. All you have to do is:

1. Open Wifi in your phone.

2. Click #WiFi@Changi

3. A screen will appear after clicking #WiFi@Changi. Click "Sign in". And you'll be connected. 



IF YOU HAVE A LOCAL SMARTPHONE OR A SMARTPHONE WITH ROAMING SERVICE

1. Open Wifi in your phone.


2. Connect to #WiFi@Changi


3. Launch the internet browser and key in a valid website address to access the login page.

4. Enter your mobile number to receive a One-Time-Password via SMS.

5. Enter the One-Time-Password at the log in page

(Source: http://www.changiairport.com/en/airport-experience/attractions-and-services/internet-connection.html)


IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LOCAL SMARTPHONE OR DON'T HAVE A SMARTPHONE WITH ROAMING SERVICE

If you don't have a local phone or you don't have a phone with roaming service, you can receive the password you need to log in by doing the following:


Look for the free internet station


Find the computer with this sign
"Wifi Password Portal"

The computer also has a box at the right side, beside the mouse.
Remove your passport cover and turn the pace with particulars and photo.
Insert the page into the scanner (the box I mentioned above).
Hold for verification.

Upon, verification, the screen will show the password you need to log in.
(Sorry, I was not able to show the photo.)

Take note of the password generated and shown onscreen.

1. Open wifi in your phone/tablet/netbook.

2. Connect to #WiFi@Changi


3. Launch the internet browser and key in a valid website address to access the login page.


4. Enter the One-Time-Password you got from the wifi password portal at the log in page.

CEBU: Why Visit the Yap-San Diego Ancestral House

November 3, 2015



CEBU: Why Visit the Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House



These are the reasons you shouldn't miss visiting the Yap-Sandiego House when you're in Cebu:

1. It is said to be one of the oldest existing residence in the Philippines.

"Current house owner Val Sandiego, famous choreographer and antique collector estimates it's construction to be between 1675 to 1700."

Facade of the ancestral house



The photo shows the narration of background facts about the 
house:


1. The house is a Bahay na Bato ug Kahoy (House of Wood and Coral Stones).

2. It is located at the corner of Mabini and Lopez Jaena Streets in the Parian district of Cebu City. (note: the Parian district is the area where Chinese traders were required to live during the Spanish period)
3. It was built during the late 17th century by Chinese merchants and is considered to be one of the oldest existing residential structures in the Philippines.
4. The earliest known occupants were Don Juan Yap and Maria Florido.
5. They passed on their house to their SIBLINGS: Maria, Eleuterio and Consolacion.
6. The eldest daughter, Maria Florido Yap, married Don Mariano Avendano Sandiego, a cabeza de barangay of the Parian during the 1880s 
 9. At present, this ancestral house was handed down to noted heritage advocate and dance maestro, Val Mancao Sandiego and his wife Ofelia Zozobrado Sandiego.


Address: 155 Mabini cor. Lopez Jaena Street
This photo shows the house is a corner lot as indicated by the address.




2. It's a well-preserved 17th century house built in a prime location.


It is well preserved therefore you can accurately see how wealthy Filipino-Chinese merchants lived during the 17th century, 100 years after the Spaniards occupied the Philippines. 

Since the house is only about 1 km from the Basilica and Magellan's Cross, this means that the family who lived in this house is wealthy, having been able to build it in a prime location.

You can see from the map below the proximity of the house from the major institutions like the Basilica Minore and the Cebu City Hall and major landmarks like Magellan's Cross and the oldest street in Cebu, which is the Colon Street.




3. The structure is 95% made of its original materials.

According to the guide, the structure is 95% made of its original materials. The walls are made of corals, while the roof is made of tiza.


The original 17th century ceiling.


4. The owners allow you to touch the objects and sit on the chairs.

Unlike other museums, the owners decided to allow visitors to touch the objects and sit on the chairs to give them a multi-sensory experience of a past era.



5. It's still being used by the owners during weekends.

You see a house that has been continuously used from the 17th century to the present.


The room in the 2nd floor being used by the owners during weekends.


We were wondering how the owners can stand the heat sleeping in this room.

We found an aircon at the back of the bed (shown in the photo above).



MORE PHOTOS


FIRST FLOOR:















SECOND FLOOR:

The antique stairs

The first thing you see when you reach the top of the stairs





One of the chairs you can sit on

My son sitting on the day bed.






Street view from the second floor











Cooking utensils inside the house.

You will see later that cooking is also done outside the house.




INSIDE THE BEDROOM WHERE THE OWNERS SLEEP








IT SEEMS THE GAME SUNGKA IS A POPULAR FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT.
I SAW SEVERAL OF IT INSIDE THE HOUSE.




THE GROUND FLOOR
AT THE BACK OF THE HOUSE

They also have a "dirty kitchen" during the old times.


Contact Information:

ADDRESS:

155 corner Mabini St. and Lopez Jaena St.

OPEN HOURS

9:00 AM - 7:00 PM daily

FEE:

50 pesos per person

HOW TO GET THERE:

By public transportation from SM City Cebu Terminal to Yap Sandiego house: 

Ride the jeep at SM City Cebu going to Labangon Street, and get off at Sikatuna Street

This is the SM City Cebu jeep terminal


By public transportation from Yap Sandiego house to SM City Cebu Terminal:


Ride the 10M jeep: Pardo-Colon-SM ....
...at Zulueta Street, where the Jesuit House is located.