East Side Gallery, Berlin

 When you hear Berlin, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Yep, the Berlin Wall.

The East Side Gallery is a long section of  the Berlin Wall, which closed the border to East Berlin, and is right along the River Spree. It's said to be possibly the largest open air gallery in the world.

 The gallery consists of about hundred paintings and murals by artists all over the world on the east side of the Berlin Wall, thus the name.

Walking along the gallery definitely gives you a sense of history. The paintings create a picture (pun intended) of what the general feeling was during that time. Since these paintings were done after the wall was torn down, the common theme seems to be that of freedom and hope.

The iconic 'fraternal kiss'

The River Spree

How to get there:

You can take the S-Bahn, U-Bahn or the tram, and get off at S+U Warschauer Str. Walk along Warschauer street towards Mühlenstraße, this is just a few minutes walk from stop. When you reach the corner, you'll already see the gallery. Cross the street and you're there!

Practical Tip: Pack Light

My friends know that I pride myself for being a light packer. I've always hated lugging around heavy and bulky bags filled with unnecessary items. I've made this mistake once, and I promised myself never again!

So now I'm sharing with you some of the tricks I've learned to travel lightly:

1. Get bulky. When in transit, I wear my bulkiest clothes (jacket, jeans) and shoes (rubber shoes, boots).   This gives me more luggage space

2. Smaller is better. If possible, bring the travel size versions of your toiletries- shampoo, lotion, moisturizer, etc. or you can buy those small refillable travel containers. They're extra useful if you don't want to check-in your bags. Also, my shampoo and conditioner are always in sachet form because they're less bulky and I can easily dispose them making my bag lighter at the end of the trip.

Guess which bags are mine for the 3-week Europe trip?

3. Roll not fold. I find that rolling my clothes, instead of folding them, lets me maximize my luggage space because they become more compact thus occupying less space. Plus, rolled clothes come out less wrinkly than folded ones. (Bringing clothes that don't need ironing, also helps! Haha)

4. Plan your wardrobe. It goes without saying that you should always check your destination's weather forecast to prepare a weather-appropriate wardrobe. This way you avoid bringing too many clothes that you'd end up not wearing. In my head I already plan my daily wardrobe, but being a girl, I almost always change my mind according to how I feel that day. That's why I always bring pieces that I can mix and match which creates an illusion of a bigger wardrobe.

These are just a few things I do when packing my bags for a trip. Would love to hear other tips from you! :)

Sunday in Berlin

It's a lazy Sunday afternoon so we decided that the best way to enjoy it is to eat, do a bit of shopping and hang out in Mauerpark, one of the most popular parks in Berlin.

Every Sunday in summer, lots of people (locals and tourists alike) head out to Mauerpark. There's the flea market where you can buy lots of stuff from clothes, to vinyl records, to souvenirs, and even bicycles. Of course, there's plenty of food and drinks being sold too.

Flea market crowd

Inside the park you'll find families out having a picnic, friends drinking and having a barbecue, while others are simply resting or taking a nap on the grass catching lots of sun. I spent a good hour lying on the grass and enjoyed the first day of summer in the city.

"The sun is out and so are we!"

But the best part of going to Mauerpark is seeing all these artists - singers, jugglers, dancers, magicians - perform for free! One can always show appreciation by dropping some spare change or buying their CDs. I even read that at the Bear Pit, there's free karaoke for anyone who's brave enough to show off their singing prowess. Sayang we didn't see that (maybe it was still early?) because that's one of the reasons I wanted to go to Mauerpark. Here's one of my fave singers that day:

Oh how I wish we could have more parks like this here in the Philippines!

How to get there:

Take the M10 tram and get off the Wolliner Str. stop, just a few steps from the park and flee market.

My European Dream

So I'm back from our 3-week trip to Europe. Boo! :-( We visited mainly 3 cities: Berlin, Amsterdam and Prague. Almost everyone kept asking me why not Paris, Rome, London or Barcelona as they are the most common places to be visited by first time travelers to Europe? Well for one, the friend we're visiting lives in Berlin so we had to choose places that are geographically closer to the city. Secondly, I didn't want to go to these places (yet) because they are the most common choice by almost everyone I know. In short, para maiba hehe. Thirdly (and most importantly), these cities are considered to be romantic destinations, so being a single lady, these are the last places I want to be in right now. Will save those for another visit ;-)

I'll write more detailed posts on each city we visited, but for now, here are my highlights for this trip:

1. Famous landmarks
Of course, the trip wouldn't be complete without visiting these tourist sites.

East Side Gallery, Berlin

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin

Charles Bridge, Prague

Old Astronomical Clock, Prague

Amsterdam Canals

The 'I amsterdam' sign

2. Art
I love hanging out in museums so I was lucky I got to visit several. Here's just a few of them:

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Pergamon Museum, Berlin

Kafka Museum, Prague

3. Visit to a concentration camp
I have always been engrossed with holocaust-related history, so this was a must-do for me.

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, Germany

4. Justin Timberlake concert
Hello?! It's Justin! And we were very lucky to be standing really close to the stage!

5. Walking and commuting
I ate ice cream almost every day while in Europe. Seriously! But thankfully I didn't really gain weight because of all the walking I did. I love walking especially when you have a gorgeous view (both nature and people, hehe) so I enjoyed Europe immensely. And, their public transport is very reliable and convenient that I wish I could do it everyday hehe.

Walking around Berlin

Public Commute: Taxis on Demand

One of the things I hate about living in Manila is commuting. There's pollution, horrible traffic, fighting with other commuters and choosy cab drivers during rush hour. Not to mention the terrible news you hear about ladies being drugged, robbed and raped, worse killed. All these things make me anxious making commuting such an unpleasant experience for me).

Good thing I found 2 great new ways of moving around the metro: GrabTaxi and Uber!

GrabTaxi

GrabTaxi is a taxi booking app that has been in the country for at least a year. I've been able to ride their taxis several times and all have been pleasant. Downside is, during rush hour, it's hard to book one especially if you're coming from the CBD areas because you have lots of competition there.

How it works:

1. Download the GrabTaxi app via Google Play or the App Store. Then register and complete your user profile. This is part of the security measure because they can track which driver picked up which passenger, and the system can also track the entire trip.
2. To book a ride, you need to select your location or your pick up point and your destination or drop off point. You will see the number of taxis nearby and an estimated fare amount.
3. If a driver accepts your booking you'll see the driver details- name, his picture, mobile number and taxi plate number (these details you can send to your family/friend for their info). You'll also know how far he is from you and the estimated time he can pick you up.
4. Once you're picked up, you'll also see your real-time distance from your destination on the map.

How much:

On top of the usual taxi fare (Php40 flag-down rate plus Php3.50 for every), you just pay an extra Php70 or Php50 if you are a Globe mobile subscriber. For me, this is a reasonable premium to pay for security and convenience.

Uber

Unlike GrabTaxi, Uber utilizes private cars. Yes, when you book for a ride, a black private car picks you up right outside your door! The downside though, is that Uber has fewer units than GrabTaxi so it might be harder to get a ride. 

How it works:

1. Download the Uber app via Google Play or the App Store. Then register and complete your user profile. Same as GrabTaxi, this is a security measure. You will also need to provide your credit card number to complete the registration. Don't worry, you will not get charged unless you book for a ride.
2. To book a ride, the app will automatically detect your pick-up location and it will already show you if there are any black cars available in your vicinity.
3. Then you need to input your drop-off location and wait for a driver to accept your booking. Once accepted, you will see his details, just like GrabTaxi's. You will also get an estimated cost computation.
4. Same as GrabTaxi, once you're picked up, you will also see your real-time movement on the map via GPS.

How much?

Uber is a bit more expensive than GrabTaxi as it's basically like having a private driver. The base fare is Php90 plus a per minute fee of Php2.10 and per kilometer fee of Php12.92. They have a minimum fare of P120, and if you need to cancel you're charged a cancellation fee of Php100. What I liked about it though is that it's charged to your credit card so it's ok if you don't have enough cash, and you will also get a receipt sent to your email address. If you feel that the price is pretty steep, I read from their website that you can split a ride with someone, although I have yet to try this with them.

I really liked the private car feel of Uber, and it was especially convenient when you have lots of things to lug around. I was moving houses then when I rode with them and I felt very safe and comfortable with them.

So now there other commuting options here in the Metro, try them out and experience them for yourselves. They won't help with traffic but at least there are now safer alternatives to public transport.

How To Get a Schengen Visa via the German Embassy

One downside to being a citizen of our beloved country is having to apply for visa when travelling to non-Southeast Asian countries. I was able to apply for a US visa last 2007 and a Schengen visa just this March. Fortunately, I got approved for both. So now I am hoping to give you some tips on how to prepare and apply for a Schengen visa.

(First and foremost disclaimer, this post is purely based on my experience getting a Schengen visa through the German Embassy so you still HAVE to read through the embassy's website for the documentary requirements and procedures relevant to your circumstance.)

Know where to apply for a Schengen visa.
For this trip, we applied at the German embassy because we're staying here the longest. If you plan to go to multiple countries you need to determine where you're staying the longest, or if there's equal length of stay determine where your country of entry is.

Determine the type of visa.
This is very important because the requirements that you need to submit depend on the purpose of your travel. Examples are for the purpose of business, visiting a fair, visiting family and/or friends, and tourism. For us, we applied for a visa for the purpose of visiting a friend, who will be our host in Berlin. Go to the German embassy webpage and read the descriptions to make sure you're applying for the correct one.

Prepare your requirements.
Take note that the embassy does not accept incomplete documents, so check and double check (or even triple check) that you have everything you need.

If you're also visiting family and/or friends in Germany, you need to prepare the following:
1. Passport and 2 current passport pictures
2. Fully completed and signed visa application form completed online or thru their Callcenter. (We completed this via the Callcenter and we got the printed copy on our appointment date and just signed off on the document. If there's any correction to the information, you can always edit the form and countersign.)
3. Visa declaration form which has been fully completed and signed by hand.
4. Documentary proof of the purpose of travel. Since ours was to visit a friend, we submitted a copy of the informal invitation by the host, containing information on our host's exact residence address, telephone number, her work information, our purpose of travel and the full duration of our travel and stay with her. We also submitted a copy of her passport and residence card. And as an additional proof of our relationship, we included photos of us together and her old employment certificate to show that we knew each other because of our previous employment.
5. Proof of reservation of a round-trip ticket. This will prove that you are returning to the country and not overstaying.
6. Proof of financial coverage of the cost of travel and stay. Since I am employed, I prepared copies of my bank account and credit card statements for the past six months. This is something you need to prepare for at least a year prior to your intended trip- you really need to save, save and save to provide proof that you have sufficient funds to cover the trip.
7. Original travel health insurance with a minimum coverage sum of 30,000 Euros.
8. Proof of employment such as most recent income tax return, certificate of employment and a signed letter of approved leave of absence signed by the employer.
9. Visa fee. On your appointment date, you will be made to pay the visa fee of 65 Euros in its peso equivalent so best to bring the exact amount.

I prepared 3 sets of documents: 1 original and 2 photocopies. Bahala na ang praning hehe. To make sure I got everything covered, I used the checklist from the embassy website as guide. Just to reiterate, it is best to always check the website to make sure that the information you have is updated.

Set an interview appointment
It is advised that you call for an appointment at least one month prior to your trip because of the standard two-week processing. But you can't also book for an appointment really early because it has to be at most 90 days from your intended date of trip.

Be at the embassy for your appointment.
The earlier you arrive for your appointment, the better. Make sure you have all your documents, and all forms are signed and completed as you need to submit all of these during the interview.
For the interview, just relax and answer all questions as complete and as concise as you can. Some basic questions are: how long are you travelling, where are you staying, what is your relationship with and how do you know the host, how are you paying for your trip. Since I was travelling with a friend and he was interviewed before me, I wasn't asked too many questions. I think it also helped that I've had some previous travel experience.
Towards the end of the interview, I was told to expect my passport within 5 days. I took this as a very good sign because from what I've read and heard from other people, you wait from 2 weeks to a month for your passport and that's the only time you know if you've been approved or denied. True enough, I received my visa on the fourth day! Yaaayyy!!!

In just 6 more days and we're Germany-bound. I can barely contain my excitement! I hope to post more helpful tips during the trip and of course, some pictures and details of our itinerary. 

On The Way To METAFitness

The whole time I was working in Manila, I never participated in any physical activity. No running, no yoga, and no dancing. Nothing. That's about 4 years' worth of stressful, toxic and sedentary life.

So now that I'm back in Cebu with lots of time in my hands, I have no more excuse not to work on being healthier and getting back in shape. That's why I decided to join the METAfit Fitness Boot Camp led by Coach Alan Choachuy. The 6-week/18-session camp boasts of being the only fitness boot camp in Cebu offering fitness, motivational and nutritional coaching to its participants. Coach A used to be a Biggest Loser Philippines contestant, so we're already expecting to undergo the same training that he went through while inside the Biggest Loser Camp.

Yesterday was the first session, which was spent on taking our body measurements, weight, blood pressure and BMI reading. This is to track our progress, I guess. Then they also had us do 7 activities to measure our fitness level, which they will later on use to divide us into different fitness groups. Here are some pictures from yesterday's activity: (Disclaimer: the pictures are not mine, all were taken from the METAfit Cebu Facebook Page)

The nurses taking our blood pressure reading

One of the stations we had to go to for our fitness assessment

That's us in the 2nd row doing jumping jacks with the group

The entire group doing core exercises

I will try to give you a regular update of the sessions, but here's a sneak peek of what we're expecting to happen in the next few weeks:

After the 6 weeks, I will post my Before and After pictures and measurements so you can see the difference. I'm hoping that the change is significant hehe. Anyway, I'm positive that partnered with the right diet, the camp will do wonders for me and my health!

Read more about the camp and Coach A's fitness journey here: http://www.alanchoachuy.com/

Amazeballs 2014!

Ok, this is just shameful. This is my first post for 2014 and I only wrote less than 20 posts last year! Shameful! I have major catching up to do this year!

Anyway, one major thing I am excited about for this year is my trip to Europe!!! It's one of my bucket list items so I am so psyched to be able to finally go there next month! Yipee! I will write in another post how we were able to get our visas approved, hopefully you will pick up some useful tips on that.

Aaaand another dream will also come true during this trip... that is to watch Justin Timberlake live in concert! In Berlin, no less! Pee-in-your-pants amazing, right?! :-D

So to say that my 2014 will be exciting is such an understatement! The fact that I've just turned 34, recently unemployed and moved back to my parents' house is only a small inconvenience. ;-)