BUS 449 Post 20: Pangulasian Island, Philippines

             Writing about tropical islands and beautiful beaches is a something I truly enjoy. Today’s topic is Pangulasian Island in the Philippines. The island is located an hour’s flight from Manila and is a tiny private island and a home to the newest and most luxurious entry in the respected El Nido Resorts collection. Also known as the “Island of the Sun”, Pangulasian has breathtaking views of both the sunrise and sunset. Behind the gorgeous white-sand, beach scenery, you will discover a thrumming canopy of green. If you walk around, you will diverse flora and fauna thriving in its forest. The Bacuit Bay is a great place to sail a boat and if you got further out, you can snorkel and discover turtles and parrot fish above a pristine coral reef.

Source: elnidoresorts.com

            Another option for you, potential visitors, is to kayak to one of several nearby islands and hang out at your own sun-drenched shore. The resort offers 42 deluxe accommodations built with contemporary Filipino and cutting edge “green” design. There, you can watch staffers climb 30-foot trees to retrieve fresh coconuts and get a traditional hilot massages at the spa.

Source: http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/best-places-to-travel-in-2014/6

Source: Francisco Guerrero

Pangulasian View Deck; Source: elnidoresorts.com

BUS 449 Post 19: San Francisco, California

San Francisco – my favorite city by the Bay! I lived there for five years and spent another three summers there after that. In fact, I am planning on living there in the years ahead, because I truly love that city! 

            The city is about six miles square, so if you are visiting you can see most of the city in a day. Go to Fisherman's Wharf on Pier 39 to check out the sea lions that lounge on some wooden planks. Walk around North Beach, the formerly Bohemian part of the San Francisco. While you’re in the neighborhood, going to Mama’s for breakfast or lunch is surely a good idea. The Coit Tower gives good views of the city. Inside the tower, there are paintings that were completed in 1933 and are great fun to look at. If you have visited the tower, you should take the Telegraph Hill stairs down and observe some beautiful houses, gardens and brightly colored flora. Hop on a historic trolley car on the Embarcadero and hop off at First Street for lunch at Sam's Grill, a classic fish place. Haight-Ashbury, the neighborhood hippies used to live in, is filled with high-end boutiques, chic restaurants and hip cafés. Walk around Haight Street or continue on to discover Hippie Hill, a place where a lot of people hang out and enjoy the sun. Make sure to discvoer Golden Gate Park, because is huge and absolutely beautiful. The Conservatory of Flowers and the carousel on Kezar Drive are some cool places to stop by. The Exploratorium on Pier 15 is San Francisco's legendary science museum, which has some great things you can discover and appreciate. The Presidio is a really nice neighborhood with eucalyptus trees and yawning lawns and it takes us near San Francisco’s biggest attraction and one of the most beautiful walks in the country – the Golden Gate Bridge.
            There are many other spots I can suggest, because San Francisco is full of things to do and places to see, but I will leave it at that for now, because I can seriously go on and on about how amazing this city really is.

The famous sealions

A photo I took with a view of the city and GGB is far in the back

Hanging out on Lombard Street

BUS 449 Post 18: Rome, Italy

            On the streets of ancient Rome, you can smell the warm aroma of the bakeries, check out handmade leather of a local craftsman, stroll through the tucked-away piazza that seems stuck in the 16th century.

            Galleria Borghese is known to be the best museum in Rome. Its collections can be seen at a magnificent 17th-century villa. Another famous attraction in town is the San Luigi dei Francesi church. The place is basically a reminder that 400-year-old art was provocatively modern when it was first conceived.

            See the best-known Italian designers at the Via Condotti. You can have a great shopping experience on Via del Governo Vecchio or zig-zag from piazza to piazza to find some of the quainter (and more affordable) shops. When you get hungry, you can try some of the best stand-up pizzas EVER pretty much anywhere on the streets of this Italian city.  Furthermore, one of the best restaurants with the nicest terraces is Ristorante Al Presidente, flat in the center of town, under the shadow of the Quirinale presidential palace.

            The Gianicolo (or Janiculum) is the hill that affords the best view of Rome. It is located west of the Tiber and outside the ancient city. The Gianicolo can also give you a quick and slightly more modern history lesson on the Italian Risorgimento, the 19th-century movement (and wars) that unified modern Italy.

BUS 449 Post 17: Budapest, Hungary

Budapest – a city with so much to discover! Take a dip in one of the city's famous baths, try the local cuisine, shop at some of the local funky shops which offer homegrown designs, cross the Chain Bridge or just relax and hang out at one of the modern downtown cafés.

                Budapest is beautiful by day, but absolutely stunning by night. You can take a Danube River sightseeing cruise and watch how beautifully the twinkle and reflect on the dark waters. The Chain Bridge, which I already mentioned was the first bridge to permanently connect Buda and Pest and was completed in 1849. Strolling across the bridge is a must-do activity for every visitor.
                For all the wine-lovers, Faust Wine Cellar offers a relaxed and romantic atmosphere and is part of the vast labyrinth system winding beneath Buda Castle. Another great activity I would suggest is slinking around the Labyrinth of Buda Castle, because it sure is one of the 7 wonders of the underground world.

                You can enjoy a segway tour of Budepest and discover the endless activities on two-wheels. There will be plenty of photo opportunities along the way. For some panoramic views of the city, go to the neo-Gothic terrace of the Fisherman’s Bastion, located on the Castle Hill. 

Source: http://jdombstravels.com/things-to-do-in-budapest/

BUS 449 Post 16: Cape Town, South Africa

With the perfect mix of edgy boutiques, independent galleries, and forward-thinking restaurants, Cape Town is a destination on many travelers’ lists. The city has been named the World Design Capital for 2014, featuring more than 450 events in the works.

            You can take a cable car up Table Mountain and abseil down the 112 metres rope. You can choose to dive into the Cape Town waters, but beware that quarter of the world’s shark species dwell in South Africa and nearly half of those call Cape Town home. Locals recommend Test Kitchen by Neighborgoods Market, where you can try biltong (cured meat) topped with plum-cured foie gras. Visit Robben Island and see the late Nelson Mandela; he spent 18 of his 27 years in prison there. Robben Island and the District Six Museum are must-visits for those of you interested in South Africa's period of apartheid.

Source: www.sharkbookings.com

            Some other interesting sights include the Company’s Gardens (which is the oak-lined pedestrian strip of Government Avenue),  the National Gallery, Houses of Parliament, the Iziko Museum (home to the animal kingdom in taxidermy form), the  Iziko Planetarium (which covers all things celestial), and the Iziko Slave Lodge. Furthermore, there are plenty of places you can go wine-tasting, eat something good and fishy and spots where you can relax and unwind.

Source: http://www.timeout.com/cape-town/features/407/20-great-things-to-do-in-cape-town

Source: www.photographyblogger.net

BUS 449 Post 15: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Here is your list of things that you must do in Buenos Aires:

Cementerio de la Recoleta is Buenos Aires' number-one attraction, and a must on every tourist's list. Impressive statues and marble sarcophagi will grab your attention and inspire you. The city of the dead deciphers the history of past presidents, military heroes, influential politicians and the just plain rich and famous.

Photo: es.wikipedia.org

            The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes is Argentina’s most important national arts museum. With its many impressive international works by European masters and many key works by Argentinians such as Benito Quinquela Martín, Xul Solar, and Edwardo Sívori, the museum stays at the top of the to-do list.

Buenos Aires is internationally famous for it’s tango. Go see a professional tango show at one of many venues, which would be showcase professional dancers, live musicians, singers and quality acoustics.

Go to El Patio Del Liceo, Santa Fe 2729, and admire local artists’ works; everything from hats made of ribbon, to photography and vintage clothing. The Circulo de Aragon de Buenos Aires is a community venue in Palermo that holds a huge array of events so you might want to check it out.

            You probably already know that it is debatable who holds the title as #1 in ice cream worldwide, Italy or Argentina. Try some of the mom and pop ice cream shops in the neighborhood, because eating ice cream most overlooked thing to do in Buenos Aires. For all of you the meat-eaters, try the local beef delicacies: Morcilla (blood sausage), chinchulines (small intestines), rinones (kidneys), molleja (sweet breads).

Photo: www.fanpop.com

Photo: www.bpvillas.com

BUS 449 Post 14: Las Vegas, NV

Sin City, Lost Wages, Glitter Gulch, and Vegas baby! are only some of the catchy names for Las Vegas. With so many shows, attractions, clubs, tours, casinos and hotels, one would not have a minute of boredom when visiting this city!

            Many hotels in Vegas pay homage to other world cities. Paris Las Vegas has the Eiffel Tower. There are gondolas and a St Mark’s Square at the Venetian. The Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and Central Park can be discovered at New York New York.

Nearly 40,000,000 people visit Las Vegas every year and the Las Vegas Strip is one of the most popular tourist attraction in the world. The 24/7 action atmosphere brings people from all over the world, offering so many things to do like no place else. Some of the highlights are the dancing fountain show at Bellagio, the erupting volcano at the Mirage, or the animated statues at Caesars Palace. Furthermore, the faux mountain in the Wynn resort fuses light, water, horticulture and architecture into a diverting multimedia experience. Get to the top of the Stratosphere, the tallest building in Nevada. It offers three thrill rides: Big Shot, X Scream & Insanity.

The Bellagio resort in the background.

            One of the best casinos and gamblers’ favorite is Caesars Palace’s. For cheaper fun, visitors go to Casino Royale. Don’t miss Cirque du Soleil's most sophisticated show, O, which comprises more than 70 swimmers, divers, aerialists, contortionists and clowns performing acrobatic feats around a pool/stage containing 1.5 million gallons of water. Ride on one of the pimped-out double-decker buses that troll the Strip, all the way Downtown. Don’t forget to pick out gifts for your friends and relatives from Bonanza Gifts, which claims to be the 'world's largest gift store.'

Source: http://www.timeout.com/las-vegas/features/78/20-great-things-to-do-in-las-vegas

Treasure Island resort

The view from our hotel room

Mandalay Bay Las Vegas