COVID-19: DAY 41 SHELTER IN PLACE APR 26 2020

I have accepted that this is the new normal and I don't want to go back to how it used to be.  Today I feel resigned that this is life and we are facing a future so vastly different from the past.  

I have not been sleeping well.  I slept at 4 am today and woke up at 8.  I'm trying to stay awake and resisting the bed's call for me to take a nap so I distracted myself and made mango sticky rice from scratch.  If it was warm enough, I'd grow the mangoes myself.  I have plenty of time.

On our trip to Chiang Mai, Thailand last year, we took a full day cooking class at an organic farm where we learned to cook 5 different dishes, each person can choose the 5 dishes they would like to learn to cook.  On the top of my list was learning how to cook Pad Thai and Mango Sticky Rice. We were picked up by our local guide at our hotel and taken to the local market where the cooking instructor gave us an introduction to the most common ingredients used in Thai cooking.  Since I grew up in the Philippines, I was familiar with about half of the ingredients she showed, the other half, I was familiar with because I just like to cook.  She asked me, 'Are you a chef?'  My daughter answered for me and said, 'Yes! She is a chef'.  Ok, I'm a chef.  The kid sometimes has more faith in me than I do in myself.  I'll take that title, thank you very much.  

Zabb E Lee Cooking School Chiang Mai

Picking Butterfly Pea Flower Shoots

Learning to cook Pad Thai

The cooking class was a fun and memorable experience.  We learned about ingredients and made curry paste the traditional way, with mortar and pestle.  Even my husband, who really isn't much of a cook, enjoyed the experience and even used the skills he learned to whip up a Thai dish for us a few months ago.  

  

Today, I made Mango Sticky Rice for the first time since our trip. I should have used more butterfly pea flower to make the rice a richer blue/purple color.  I bought the pea flowers during that trip to the market because it was anew ingredient that I have never used before.  I also bought Kafir Lime Leaves but left it it Manila when I  checked customs and realized I cannot bring the leaves to the USA. 

Cooking this today really lifted my spirits.  I do not draw, I only play a little bit of piano and a sprinkle of guitar.  Cooking is my creative outlet, and gives me so much joy when the people I love get to enjoy the dishes I make.

  

all flights are BOOKED!!!

I cannot contain my excitement for our upcoming trip!  Each night, before bed, I look up the amenities of the flights we're going to be on.  For the first time, I am looking forward to some of the flights we're taking this summer.


We were blessed to have accumulated A LOT of points/miles over the last couple of years leading up to this trip which we have been planning for about 2 years.  We saved up every point we can and are using them for business class tickets for our long haul flights!  SFO to SYD on Delta First from SFO to LAX, and Business Class from LAX to SYD on Virgin Australia.  From SYD to SIN to MNL on Business Class (we are doing a 24 hour stop over in Singapore) and from Narita to San Jose, CA on Air Canada Business Class on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner! 


We wouldn't have been able to afford this trip if it were not for the miles!  What a blessing!  I have been reading blog after blog after blog to see how this miles thing works and have learned a lot from them.  My favorite is The Points Guy and read many other blogs on using points for travel.  We accumulated the points through our business and using credit cards for business expenses.


The cities we will be visiting are:  Sydney, Cairns (The Great Barrier Reef), Auckland, Queenstown, Singapore, Manila (for 3 weeks, yey!), Tokyo and a few hours in Vancouver to meet with a friend I have not seen in about 20 years!  We wanted to explore several cities in Japan but our budget wouldn't allow it any more.  =D 7 cities in 5 countries should be sufficient. 


I'll blog more about how we did it in future posts! 

Hotel Review: Disney's Port Orleans Hotel Riverside

it's always rough when you get off a red eye flight from the West Coast.  We arrived at Orlando before sunrise without much sleep, so we slowly walked our way to the Disney Magical Express which took us to our hotel about 30 minutes away.  

when we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted by the staff wearing their big smiles and Mickey Mouse hands and handing out stickers.  I was not expecting such a warm greeting so early in the morning but it did cheer us up.  When we walked in to the hotel lobby, I was amazed at the elegance of it's tall white columns and beautiful chandeliers!  "Wow!", I said to my self.  It was more than I expected from a moderate resort.  Check in was a breeze.  I knew our room would not be ready so early in the morning so we were advised that we would receive a text message with the room number when it was ready.  They didn't have to give us keys because we already had our Magic Bands and we could go to our room as soon as we received the text message, no need to go back to the front desk to get keys.

Since we had time, we decided to eat breakfast at the Riverside Mill Food Court.  It was around 8:30 am so the dining room was abuzz with people getting ready to go visit the parks.  They had a pancake/waffle station and a omelette station. We were not expecting the quality of the food to be exceptional; WDW has a number of other restaurants that had outstanding food (our favorites during this trip were Chef Mickey's and Akershus).  After breakfast, we walked around the resort grounds that were very well kept.  the large trees provided a lot of shade and the river gave a Louisiana Bayou feel to the resort. There were 3 swimming pools, the largest of which had a slide.  I remember Michelle squealing with glee as she slid down the slide for the first time.

our room was ready around 9:30 am (check in time is really 3 pm, so thank you Disney!).  We had a room in the Alligator Bayou which was large enough to accommodate 5 guests (it had 2 double beds and a murphy bed for kids).  The bathroom was small but it did help that the vanity was separate from the toilet/bath area.  so one person can be in the shower while someone else brushed their teeth or got dressed. 

Disney's bus system to the parks were very efficient.  an added benefit of staying at Disney's Port Orleans resort is the water transportation from the resort to Downtown Disney.  we took advantage of this amenity after exploring Downtown Disney on our last night at Walt Disney World. 

Highlights:  to me, the best thing about staying at the Port Orleans Riverside Resort was the friendliness of the staff. there wasn't one person that stood out but everyone did an exceptional job.  I was in awe at the professionalism and the level of service the Disney Cast Members give to ALL the guests.  From the Disney Magical Express, to the Hotel, to the Theme Parks, everyone was helpful and attentive.  we have stayed at many hotels, some even at the highest level of luxury so you expect the service to excellent.  we experienced the same excellent service all through out our stay at Riverside and throughout Walt Disney World.  I highly recommend staying here for your next Disney World Vacation.  We have not experienced other WDW hotels so we don't have a basis of comparison, but Port Orleans Riverside will not disappoint. 

If you need help planning your Walt Disney world vacation, you may call Air Manila Travel and Tours at 650 757 5555 or email us at airmanila@hotmail.com.  we'll help you plan your next Magical vacation!

how to plan a Magical Disney World Vacation

we got back a couple of weeks ago from our Walt Disney World vacation.  As exhausting as it was, it was truly, truly, MAGICAL.  I cannot get over how much fun we had, how beautiful our resort was, how great the parks were and how helpful the Disney Cast Members were. 


planning this vacation started about 6 months prior to the trip.  I've never been to Disney World and wanted to take Michelle here for her 7th birthday but she decided on a birthday party instead so I shelved the WDW vacation idea.  after seeing one too many WDW ads on tv, I decided to look into it and see how much it would cost.   It wasn't expensive (it wasn't cheap either, it's just right) so we decided this was going to be our spring break destination. 


Before I share the rest of our experience at Walt Disney World, let me share with you my step by step guide to planning a WDW vacation:


1.  Pick your Disney World Hotel.  Don't even think about staying off property.  Trust me on this.  I did the math and you get more bang for your buck by staying at a WDW hotel.  There are 3 tiers to their properties:  Value Resort, Moderate, and De Luxe.  We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside which is a Moderate Resort.  I selected this property because based on reviews that I read.  This is not over run with kids and is a quiet resort.  The grounds were beautiful and were very well kept, there are multiple swimming pools (the main pool has a slide, all moderate resorts have this), there are restaurants on-site, and ferry service to Downtown Disney.  By staying at a WDW Resort Hotel, you don't have to worry about renting a car.  The Disney Magical Express takes you from the Orlando airport to your hotel and vice versa.  There are buses that take guests from their hotel to the parks, too.


2.  How many days do you want to stay?  We were at WDW for 5 days, and spent 4 days at the parks (Hollywood studios, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Typhoon Lagoon).  This was our biggest mistake!  5 days is not enough time to visit 4 parks.  By the end of our vacation, we were EXHAUSTED! we should have spent a full week and visited 4 parks so we could squeeze in a day of rest in between parks. but if you only have 5 days, visit 2 parks or no more than 3.  there's just too much walking involved in hot and humid Orlando.  Taking a 'rest day' also allows you to enjoy your hotel a little more.  There is a catch and release fishing hole at our hotel but we never had a chance to go because our schedule was so tight.  We could have lounged by the pool more if we had extra days or do a few more things at Downtown Disney.  There's so much to do, not just at the parks so those rest days wont go to waste.


3.  Pick a Disney Dining Plan.  I was unsure whether this was a good value prior to our visit.   we paid approximately $140 per day for our dining plan (this is for 2 adults and 1 child).  we figured, we would spend at least $120 per day for our meals if we didn't do the dining plan.  $120 for meals where we pick the cheapest meals and no character dining experiences at all.  I don't like the idea of being stingy on vacation.  it's a vacation!  so we decided on the Magic Your Way Package Plus Dining.  The way our dining plan worked was we got 1 table service, 1 counter service, and 1 snack for each day of our stay.  On some days, we had 2 counter service meals at the parks (lunch and dinner), we used 2 of our table service credits for 2 Character Dining experiences (1 table service credit per person), 2 table service credits (per person) for the Spirit of Aloha Dinner show.  We had snacks thru out the day and we got to really enjoy the food at the parks and at our hotel.  The value for money was really good and we got to enjoy some of the best restaurants at WDW without breaking the bank. 


4.  Visit a Water Park.  Disney has two water parks:  Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach.  Typhoon lagoon is perfect for families with young children.  Blizzard beach has giant slides and are for the older, more daring kids.  since we were traveling with 8 year olds, we picked typhoon lagoon and enjoyed the wave pool, the shark reef (we swam with sharks!), and many different slides and the lazy river. 


5.  Get the photo pass/memory maker.  I know everyone has a good camera nowadays, whether it's your phone or your big, bulky, digital SLR.  While we have some good photos from our own camera, our favorite photos came from the photos from the memory maker.  We always asked for 'Magic Shots' where Disney characters were photo shopped later on.  Even the photos from the rides are included in the memory maker so you can keep your scared and shocked funniest photos from your vacations, too!


6.  Magic Bands.  Every day I used the Magic Bands, I was in awe at all the magical things it could do!  Our magic band was our room key, it was our park tickets, it held our fast pass information, it had our dining plans, it connected with our Photo Pass account, it can be used to make purchases all over WDW.  I didn't have to bring my wallet at the parks at all so I never worried about it being stolen or lost while on vacation.  I simply kept my wallet locked away at the safe in our hotel room and let the Magic Band do every thing it's supposed to do!  You can only get a magic band if you stay at a Disney hotel, if not, you'll have to purchase them online ($12.95 each). 


7.  Call Air Manila (650 757 5555 or email at airmanila@hotmail.com) to book your vacation!  If you don't think you can afford a WDW vacation, you are mistaken. By booking a WDW vacation package, you are only required to make a $200 deposit and your vacation doesn't need to be paid in full until 45 days before your vacation so if you book early enough, you can make monthly payments on your vacation or save up and pay in full before your deadline!

Tahoe, back to back weekends

winter is here!

or is it?

after a really wet december, when we were feeling optimistic about putting a dent to this drought we're experiencing, it stopped raining/snowing this january.  =(  we had made plans to go to South Lake Tahoe using our timeshare with Marriott and then my cousins invited us to rent a cabin in North lake Tahoe for the weekend before our original plans.  Paul is really into snowboarding, so i am sure he'd want the chance to ride as much as possible, so off we went to Tahoe on back to back weekends.

we rented a cabin in Truckee for the weekend of January 9th.  There was a decent amount of snow on the ground and there was enough snow in front of our cabin so the kids could play.  we went to soda springs so the kids can play and also went to a snow park.  we really made the most of this snow trip and it was a great time spent with my cousins.  we plan on doing it every year.

the following weekend, Martin Luther King Jr weekend, we went to South Lake Tahoe where there was hardly any snow, it was truly depressing!  all the places that had snow (usually man made) was crowded and terribly expensive!  i also felt ill one day we were there and spent several hours curled up in bed with a hot water bottle.  despite the lack of snow, it was still great time spent with my loves.

the photo below is my absolute favorite moment in tahoe.  my heart does flips when i see these two together and feel how strong their bond is.  paul said, 'i want to hug michelle until she turns to pulp!' they were not posing for this photo.  they were hugging each other for a long time and i took the picture.  i pray that their bond will last forever. =D

I think Tahoe is one of my favorite places to visit whether it's winter or summer, but not during winters that feel like summer.  =(  tahoe is beautiful any time of the year and since it's a short 3.5 hour drive, it will continue to be on our list favorite weekend destinations.  now if only we can get half the snow that the northeast is getting!

french food

this post has been sitting in my drafts folder for a while now...but one word describes the food in france. 

DELICIOUS.

DELICIOUS!

the food is really, really good!  we enjoyed everything we ate in paris...from the breakfast at the hotel (continental only), to the lunch and dinner at various places, the food was good.  I had my foie gras fix while in paris because it is now banned in California (living here has its pros and cons and no foie gras is a con!!!!!).

even michelle who doesn't have the same appreciation as I do about food was really very pleased with everything she ate...that or maybe she just gets really really hungry when walking 10 miles every day.  it's weird because she would eat food that she wouldn't normally eat at home, e.g. escargot or mushroom sauce.  she didn't love the escargot but she tried it, which, if you're a mom of a 7 year old, is a big leap already!
we always went to the café just across the street from our hotel (café republique) because it was convenient, affordable, and delicious. 

 

 





just looking at the pics and thinking how good it was makes my mouth water and yearn to go back! (someday!)

bon jour!

Paris is a beautiful city.  on our first day, we went to see Notre Dame, the Pantheon, Arch de Triomphe, the Jardin du Luxembourg,  and the Eiffel Tower.  The last two were my favorites. 

Notre Dame

Pantheon

 

Arc de triomphe

 

Jardin du Luxembourg

Eiffel Tower

at night

with the pretty lights on

 on our second day we went to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa.  tip:  buy your tickets in advance (while in the US) to avoid the loooooooooooooooooooooong line to get tickets and get into the museum.  we went early (soon after it opened) and went to see the mona lisa immediately because we knew this is going to be very crowded.  my cousin was in paris the week before we were and she went in the late afternoon and she had the mona lisa mostly to herself.  when we went, the crowd wasn't too bad but we didn't get a chance to really appreciate the painting because we wanted to see it, take a photo and get out of there before the madness sets in. 

the louvre is huge!  we knew we wouldn't be able to see all of it so we chose to see the mona lisa, the Egyptian and greek exhibit.  we spent about half the day at the louvre and then we went to Champs Elysees to buy a purse from Louis Vuitton.  unfortunately, the purse isn't mine but for a friend.  paul gave me the greenlight to buy a purse for myself but I just couldn't bring myself to buy one.  I don't know what's wrong with me!  he also said I could purchase a prada bag when we were in Italy two years ago and again I declined. i told him, i haven't found THE ONE purse that will make me go against reason and buy it despite the price tag.   i feel like I'd rather spend the money on a vacation (Jackson hole, Wyoming has been on my mind constantly lately) than on a purse. 

after purse shopping, we went to sacre couer and climb up it's many many steps.  we didn't take photos inside the church (probited)it was a beautiful church and it was over looking the city. 

on our last full day in paris we went to Versailles. this is the highlight of my trip to paris.  we bought tickets in advance for the Palace of Versailles but the line was still long to get in. it was so crowded inside the palace so we just skipped most of the rooms and made our way outside to one of the largest and most beautiful garden you'll ever see.  it was just breathtaking!  we walked around the garden for a little bit and decided that if we wanted to see most of it, we'll need to rent bicycles.  it was the loveliest bike ride and really one of the most memorable things I've experienced.  renting the bikes were a little bit expensive..i can't remember the exact price but it would be around 50 euro for 1 hour for 3 bikes.  one hour should be enough time if you don't plan on making many stops.  rent the bike the whole day if plan on riding for longer than an hour.  i wish we had stayed longer and rented a boat to ride on the canal.  there's a lot to see and do in Versailles so if you ever find yourself in paris, do not miss this!

 

were not able to go to the top of the Eiffel tower because they were already sold out weeks before our trip.  you can stand in line to buy tickets for the same day but as you have probably already surmised, i do not like standing in line when on vacation (except at Disneyland where you really have no choice!). 

here's a summary of my Paris tips:
buy your admission tickets in advance especially to the Eiffel tower and the Louvre
do not miss your chance to the Versailles.  absolutely beautiful!

notice i didn't mention anything about the food.  it's because it deserves an entry all its own!

crossing the English Channel

i was a little bit worried about traveling to france because i've never traveled to a non-english speaking country without a translator.  in my past trips to italy, my relatives were always there to translate for me.  on my trip to taiwan, we had a tour guide with us the whole time who translated everything for us.  so france without a translator and speaking no french at all other than "merci" and "au revoir" made me uneasy.  i downloaded the english-french translator on my phone so i can have it handy in case we needed it.

taking the train to paris was a great choice.  we were able to get our train tickets at 50% off because our friend's friend worked for Eurail (as they say, it's not what you know, but who you know!). plus taking the train was much more convenient and relaxing.  

waiting to board our train

we arrived at the St. Pancras station with enough time to eat some breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien.  the food was a little bit expensive but that's how it is at airports and train stations.  i enjoyed my croissant and paul and michelle each had their belgian waffles. going through security was a breeze and boarding the train was quick.  

i really enjoy riding the train.  you get a lot more leg room and you can get up and walk and stretch for a little bit.  it was just a little over 2 hours from london to paris so i just read from my kindle while michelle watched video on her tablet.  paul took a nap for most of the train ride.

we arrived at gar du nord and took the metro to our hotel which was only a few stops away.  when we got off the metro, we walked around and around the station for a little bit, trying to find the exit.  a older gentleman took pity on us and in his english spoken with a thick french accent, asked if we needed help and we asked for the exit.  he pointed at the huge sign that says, "sortie" and said, "sortie.  that means exit in english."  "merci!"  i exclaimed!  we climbed the stairs and to what was plaza republique and walked just a few feet to our hotel and we were "home".

we stayed at crowne plaza paris republique.  i picked this location because it was very close to the metro station (just a few steps away) about 15 minutes away from central paris, and 10 minutes away from the gar du nord eurostar train station.  there was also an abundance of restaurants around the hotel so it was not difficult to find a place to eat.

this is not my photo but our room had a view of the courtyard
this is what it looked like

kicking it in Paris

one of paul's best friends and his family was waiting for us at the hotel when we arrived. joel and his family now lives in austria and we had agreed to take a paris vacation at the same time.  we have not seen them in about 7 years and it was a real treat to spend some time with them. this was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to paris.  hopefully we can spend time with them again soon.  the 1 day we spent with them really wasn't enough to catch up.  

on my next post, i will write more about this lovely trip to paris!