Where to Stay in Amsterdam: Stayokay Vondelpark

Facade of the dining area. Behind is the main building

When looking for a hotel/hostel, my main consideration aside from price, is the location and its accessibility to the places and attractions I want to visit.

So after days of reading through other travellers' blogs and TripAdvisor reviews, we decided to stay at Stayokay Vondelpark in Amsterdam. The hostel is right beside Vondelpark and quite near Museumplein where you'll find the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh, and Stedelijk museums, as well as the famous 'I amsterdam' sign. The bus/tram stops, restaurants, and canal tours are very accessible from Stayokay.

Probably because of its price and accessibility, Stayokay's guests are predominantly students in their teens and early 20's, pretty much my crowd (ehem!), so there's lots of activities going on and there are several tours you can join.

Other things I liked about the hostel: the rooms and public areas are kept clean, they have a friendly staff, and the breakfast buffet (which reminded me of a high school cafeteria) was delicious. I also liked their hassle-free checkout because you only need to drop your keycard in a box by the door as you leave. Brilliant!

One minor downside though is that there's no wifi in the rooms, only in common areas like the lobby. For the hostel, this is to encourage guests to mingle and make new friends. That means you can only look at your phones and be anti-social in areas where you're supposed to socialize. :P

So considering its price, location, amenities, and our overall pleasant experience, I would say that our stay in Stayokay Vondelpark was definitely okay!

The view from my bed

How much:
We got beds in their 6 to 9 Mixed Dormitory Room, and it cost us Eur 40,50 per bed/night. Price already includes buffet breakfast, linen and sheets, and a locker.

Tip: If you're still to apply for a visa, book your rooms through Booking.com because it's absolutely free and you only pay with the hotel/hostel directly when you check-in. Take note of the modification/cancellation policy and deadlines though because it differs per establishment.

How to get there:
Upon arriving, we decided to follow the directions found in their instruction pack: 'From the airport, Connexxion Bus 197 from Schiphol to ‘Leidseplein’, bus runs every 15 minutes and takes you to the hostel in about 45 minutes. Buy a ticket at the driver for € 4.  From Leidseplein you walk towards the Marriott Hotel. In front of the Marriott you turn left. Take the second street right is Zandpad.'

But I think the route we took when we left is more straightforward: From Stayokay, walk towards the Rijksmuseum Station and take Tram 5 towards A'veen Binnenhof. Get off at Zuid Station or the Amsterdam Central Station, and take the train that stops at Schiphol Airport.

Take note: you can't use the GVB ticket in the Connexxion Bus or in the Amsterdam Central Station. Tickets for these have to be bought separately.

Visiting Prague: Mucha Museum

The Mucha Museum wasn't in my original itinerary. In fact, I have never heard of Alphonse Mucha until a friend suggested I go to the museum when I get to Prague.

So after visiting Kafka and hanging out and eating lunch at the Old Town Square, I decided to walk around and try to find the museum. After a couple of hours of getting lost (even for a map enthusiast like me, Prague's inner streets could be a bit confusing), I was ready to give up my search. But as I turned the corner, I found myself right outside its door. I guess I was meant to be there hehe.

Alphonse Mucha was an acclaimed Czech Art Nouveau painter and decorative artist, and was most famous for the theatre posters he created for French stage and early film actress Sarah Bernhardt.

 Some of Mucha's works. All images from Wikipedia

Mucha created paintings, posters, advertisements, and book illustrations, as well as designs for jewelry, carpets, wallpaper, and theatre sets. His works frequently featured beautiful women in flowing robes, surrounded by flowers. Although he gained fame for his commercial art, Mucha wanted to concentrate more on his artistic and nationalistic projects.

The Mucha Museum houses over 100 exhibits comprising his paintings, photographs, charcoal drawings, pastels, lithographs and personal memorabilia. It was beautifully curated that you're guided through his artistic evolution. Too bad I got to the museum about 45 minutes to closing, which was not enough time for me to study each piece closely, and I also didn't get to finish his video biography. :(


How much is the museum fee:
The ticket costs CZK240. And if you buy Mucha tickets at the Kafka Museum (and vice versa) you can get it at half the cost. I didn't buy ahead because I wasn't sure I was gonna be able to find it.

How to get there:
The museum is along Panska street, just a block away from Wenceslas Square, which I didn't realize until after I left the museum hehehe. You can take the metro (green line A) and get off Mustek station, walk towards Jindrisska street and then turn on Panska street.

So if you have time and money to spare, why not drop by the Mucha Museum and learn more about the man and his art.

Public Commute: Going Around Prague

Prague is such a quaint little city that you could easily get around just by walking. But to cover long distances, you still need to take public transportation. Good thing Prague has an integrated transport system.

Since we stayed for 3 days in the city, we got the 3-day pass which costs CZK310, and allowed us to ride the metro, trams and buses. We bought the tickets at the tourist center, and needs to be validated before use.

Like in most European cities, navigating through their transport system is pretty easy with the help of easily available city maps.

 

I just love the design of their metro

Staromestska metro station

Their subways are pretty much like any other European city's but probably with escalators that are a whole lot steeper! I think they are as steep, if not steeper, than those in HK's Ocean Park. They're so scary that I always feel the need to lean back when going down, just to make sure I don't fall forward.

Scariest elevator ride. So steep!

I liked riding in their trams, because you still get a view of the city. I'm also always amazed at how well they navigate those tight corners and very narrow streets.

Some cars are newer and more modern than this

They also have taxi cabs, but like our own Manila taxi cab drivers, they have the notorious reputation of being scammers and ripping off tourists. We didn't have any need for a cab but we were warned to only use AAA Taxis.

Unfortunately this is not part of Prague's public transpo

But again, being a pedestrian-friendly city, you could cover a lot of ground just by walking. I promise you would be mesmerized by Prague's charm and history that you wouldn't mind wandering (and getting lost) in its streets for hours.

(P.S. Prague is a 4-1/2hr bus ride from Berlin. I booked our Eurolines tickets online, and a roundtrip fare costs 48 Euros. Nice surprise: you get free crackers and bottled water onboard.)

Where to Stay in Prague: Arpacay Backpackers Hostel

A friend who's been to Prague the previous year recommended Arpacay to us. He said that the place is clean and quite near to Charles Bridge. I'm so glad we followed his recommendation, except for the long uphill climb to get there, I quite enjoyed my stay there.

That's my bed! It had a quite cozy nook, too. (Photo from Arpacay website)

I booked us to their 6 Bed Mixed Dorm with private bathroom, and got us a 20% early bird discount for booking at least 3 months in advance.
So instead of paying CZK1000 each for 2 nights (around Php1740), we only paid CZK736 each saving us around Php400. (On a sidenote: when I made the booking, we didn't have our visas yet. I thought I could afford to lose the 5% deposit of around Php150 more than the early bird discount hehe.)

Breakfast area (Photo from Arpacay website)

The entire place was clean - common areas, our dorm and bathrooms. Our dorm was quite roomy, and since no else stayed in our room, we still had some kind of privacy. The bathroom was quite big and kept clean.

My bed was cozy, plus the sheets were soft and smelled fresh, too. There's free personal lockers (you can rent a lock if you didn't bring one), and free wi-fi in the room. Yay!

You can access the kitchen anytime, if you prefer to cook your own food. I enjoyed their buffet breakfast, though, which you could get for 3 euros, I think.

The TV area (Photo from Arpacay website)

Their staff were friendly and helpful, I even asked them to mail a postcard for me (for a fee). You can ask for a free city map and walk your way to the city's famous landmarks which are pretty accessible from the hostel - Prague Castle, St. Nicholas Church, Infant Jesus of Prague, Kafka Museum, Charles Bridge and Old Town Square.

All of these gave us such a huge relief since it was our first time staying in a hostel, and in a shared dorm at that!

The downhill trek from the hostel

How to get there:

Photo from Arpacay website

From the bus station, take the subway and get off Malostranska station. Go out of the station and walk a few feet (no need to cross the street!) to take tram No. 12, 20 or 22. Get off the next stop, Malostranske namesti. Walk up the hill along Nerudova street, and after about a 5min-walk you will find the hostel on the right side.

So if you're headed to Prague, I highly recommend you stay at Arpacay Backpackers Hostel. You can visit their site here for more information.

Visiting Prague: Of Kafka Museum

Prague is home to Franz Kafka, one of the literary world's most influential writers.

The term Kafkaesque has entered into the English language to describe situations that seem senseless and where one can't seem to get out of, which are common themes of his works. Throughout his life, he dealt with feelings of angst towards his relationship with his dominant father, his work at the insurance company (which he felt was taking too much of this time, leaving little for his writing), government bureaucracy, his identity as a German-speaking Jew in Prague and his relations with women.

I'm definitely no expert on Kafka, in fact, I don't think I have read even one of his writings entirely (I know, shame on me!). But I did enjoy learning about his life though his letters, diaries and photographs.

Tickets cost CZK200

How to get there:

Just before getting on Charles Bridge (with the Prague Castle behind you), turn left to Cihelná street. Franz Kafka's face will greet you right outside the gate.

Before entering the museum though, be entertained at the courtyard by the Peeing Statues by David Cerny. The base is formed in the shape of Cezch Republic and the two statues are pissing on the country. Didn't try it, but they said you could send an SMS and the statues will 'pee' your message into the water.

How much is the museum fee:

Entrance fee is at CZK200, roughly Php350 or USD8, which I think was worth it. In my opinion, the museum was well-curated (complete with AVPs and soundtrack), giving me that sense of anguish and helplessness which Kafka could've felt at that time.

After visiting the museum, you could then go around the building and enjoy the view of the Charles Bridge away from the crowd.

A view of the Charles Bridge from the museum yard.

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

Our visit to Germany wouldn't have been complete without a visit to a concentration camp.My friend and I booked a guided tour to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp in Oranienburg, which was about an hour's train ride from Berlin. Although I usually like going off on my own and DIY-ing it, I think it was a good decision to join this tour because I got to learn more about the place and how it figured in history.

Sachsenhausen was intended to set the standard for all concentration camps. It became a training center for SS officers. Can't begin to imagine the horrors that happened inside it's walls.

Oranienburg Train Station

The tour guide said that some of the SS guards lived in these neighborhoods right outside the camp. And it would've been hard for civilians living here not to know of the horrendous crime within the camp walls.

'Work Makes (You)  Free'. Concentration camps were supposedly 'work' camps.

The roll call grounds. The camp is shaped like an equilateral triangle. This makes the prisoners visible to guards wherever they are in the camp.

Our British guide had everyone engrossed from beginning to end.

The SS put barbed wires in front of the electric fence to stop the prisoners who run into it to commit suicide. Those who attempt to do so are shot. Why? To take away that last bit of 'freedom' to take away their own life.

It was said that lethal gas and drug experiments were done here in the camp.

The prisoners' sleeping quarters

Prisoners' wash up area

Prisoner's clothes

Most of the barracks and other structures in the camp were destroyed after the war.

Soviet Liberation Memorial

Public Commute: Going Around Berlin

Among all the cities I've been in, I must say that Berlin has the best transportation system. I was able to ride in their S-Bahn, U-Bahn (subway), tram, bus, train and taxi, and they were all commuter friendly: being very clean, orderly and convenient.

Of course clean and orderly is expected, we're in Germany after all! But what I liked most about Berlin transportation is that you can get a ticket and have access to the S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram, bus and ferries. We were able to move around the city in 5 days holding onto just 1 ticket! Easy peasy!

How much is the fare?

Fare depends on where you want to go (tariff zone) and the ticket's validity.

Berlin is divided into tariff zones- AB, BC and ABC. AB is basically the metro urban area, ABC includes Berlin's surrounding area and Potsdam. A single ticket for AB zone is 2.60, BC is 2.90, and ABC is 3.20.

We got the Berlin Welcome Card 5-day ticket and it cost us 32.50, which actually comes out cheaper considering we commute at least 5 times a day. The Berlin Welcome Card also comes with a city map and you can also get discounts from different several restaurants, museums and other establishments.


Where to buy tickets:

It's very easy to get the tickets. You can buy tickets as soon as you arrive, usually at the tourist shop at the airport. You can also look for the Berlin Welcome Card sign.

You can also buy the tickets at the stations.  Some stations have stores/stalls (for those who prefer to talk to a person), but most of them only have ticket vending machines. Problem with the machines though, is that some only have instructions in German.

There are also ticket vending machines on the tram, but they only accept coins and again some might not have English instructions.



How to use the ticket:

Once you've bought your ticket, you need to validate it in the validating machine before using it.

And here's why I love Germany even more: except for the bus where you need to show your ticket to the bus driver before getting in, nobody checks the tickets but people still pay for them. Of course they do random checks once in a while, (we had ours checked on the train from Oranienburg back to Berlin), still you have to commend them for following the rules. Honesty system at its best! Hope we can see this kind of discipline and honesty here.

Now that you know where to get the tickets, the only thing left to figure out is where to go! =)

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! :)

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. 

Bagasbas Beach

For the Holy Week, my parents, brother and I went home to my father's hometown in Talisay, Camarines Norte. Aside from catching up with family and relatives and following our usual religious tradition of going to Mass and participating in the Holy Week processions, going to the beach was at the top of our must-do list.

Bagasbas Beach is the main beach destination in the Camarines Norte province. The long stretch of fine grey sand faces the Pacific Ocean, so you can expect decent size waves here. Thus, it has gained a bit of popularity with local and international surfers. There are a few shops here now where you can get surfing lessons and also rent equipment for skim boarding and kite boarding.

Everyone else also thought of hitting the beach early in the morning!

Hmmm...

One of the best things about Bagasbas Beach is that it is very clean and waste-free despite its being a public beach. I even think it looks much cleaner and well-maintained than it did in the 80s/90s. Here, you see a number of people walking along the beach regularly picking up trash and cleaning. They have also provided a clean (of course) shower area now! Galing!

Very clean beach

We always bring packed lunch when going to Bagasbas and then just rent a cottage, since we usually come here in a very big group. Also, there are grills beside some cottages so you can cook your own food. But if preparing and cooking your food is not your thing, there are a lot of affordable food choices along their promenade. Some stores/eateries have been here since I was little but the strip has grown to have other restaurants as well.

Beach cottages for rent

Great day for kite flying

I will always have fond memories of Bagasbas Beach because it's part of my happy childhood. I'm glad that the people of Daet are very much active in keeping their beloved beach clean and safe for everyone!