Review of Fantasia Cafe

Located only at Fairview Terraces in Quezon City, Fantasia Cafe offers a masquerade themed party through its music, gargantuan chandeliers, colorful paintings and the masks placed on the table as you enter the restaurant. This fascinating appearance has probably attracted food goers to have a taste and have a glimpse of the restaurant.

As we entered the cafe, we were immediately welcomed by the waiter. The ambience of it will make you feel the glamour of being a prince or princess.

What they serve?

They serve all kinds of dishes from viands to desserts. The platter is served glamorously and in a large plate. Sorry for the eaten rice.

Chicken with Stuffed Spinach and Cheese

For me, the best would be teriyaki chicken as compared to stuffed chicken as the stuffed chicken is not well marinated.

Teriyaki Chicken

For the dessert, their best seller would be the toasted bread with ice cream topped with blueberries and cream. Moreover, you can share it for three as it is served liberally.

Price Range: 180 to 200 and up

Veridict: 7/10. The place and food are both appealing but the taste of the food doesn't seem to be too interesting like you would want to visit the place all over again. In addition, waiting time is longer than expected as the cafe lacks manpower. On the other hand, the price is right for the serving and for the great place for people who would want meet-ups and group selfies.

Top 4 Affordable Unwinding Spots in Marinduque

Famous for its Moriones festival, Marinduque is one of tourist destinations that offers a little because it is not well advertised unlike the other provinces. Also, schedule by plane had ceased because of low percentage of tourists coming to this place. Little was it known that it has amazing things to offer. Two weeks ago, I came for a vacation and learned  two things: First, happiness does not mean spending too much and  second life is simple here.

How to go?

1. From Cubao terminal , ride a bus (JAM or JAC Liner) going to  Lucena or Dalahican port. 
2. Alight at Dalahican port and ride RORO ship or fast craft. If you are in a hurry, ride a fast craft since traveling time will last for 2 hours unlike RORO that is 3 hours of travel. The good thing with RORO is that the vessel is very steady and you will not feel the waves of the water. This is very beneficial to people who often experience motion sickness in the sea.
3. Alight at Balanacan port and there you will see public vans that offer rides to Marinduque. Drivers will meet you immediately upon arrival and will ask you where to go. Fare is 80 php whether it is air conditioned or not so better choose the vehicle where you are most comfortable since traveling time is 1 hour. From  Balanacan, you can ride vehicle to the destinations that I will mention below (e.g. Torrijos, Buenavista, etc).

I know you are pretty excited which place is the cheapest. The number 1 spot is the place I considered the cheapest and good for on-tight-budget backpackers.

Top 4 Affordable Spots:

1.  Kawa-Kawa falls

Kawa-kawa falls is located in Bangcuangan, Sta. Cruz, Marinduque. Kawa-kawa means basin because of its basin-like appearance. There are actually 2 basins, one from the top and the other at the lower part. Because there is a light rainfall before we went there, the water became a little dark but rest assured that it is clean since there are caretakers in the area and the water is flowing.

Entrance: 10 php
Cottage: 50 php

2. Poctoy Beach

Although the sand is not as pristine as Boracay, it is white and the mountain behind it attracts tourists and locals as well because of the wonderful view. Today, it is slowly becoming popular as it is one of affordable beach destinations in the Philippines. If you are lazy to bring cooked foods, don't worry as there are stores offering "paluto". They serve seafoods and pork stewas well.

Entrance: 30php, 25 for senior and 20 for child
Cottage: 200 php

3. Marinduque Hot Springs

If you are frequently suffering from muscle ache or tired muscles from work, then this is the best place to be. Although the entrance is more expensive than Kawa-kawa falls,we did not avail the cottage since we ate at Poctoy beach. It contains two pools where the water comes directly from the spring.

Entrance: 50 php

Cottage: 200 php but becomes 250 during peak season

4. Maniwaya Island

Entrance: Entrance to the island is free but since there are resorts you can also avail of there amenities.

Cottage: It will depend on the resort that you will be staying but if you are for a day tour then you can just bring things that you need and leave it to the seashore. Cottage in resorts ranges from 500 php to 1500 php.

Boat ride: 500 php  but if you will come in a large group boat ride is 3, 000 php.

    

A Review of Nong Nooch Botanical Garden

Are you a fan of the novel and cartoon series entitled Mary and the Secret Garden? If you are, then you will also relate to a garden in Thailand named Nong Nooch Botanical Garden.

Nong Nooch (pronounced as Nong Noot)  is a huge and beautifully landscaped garden located in Pattaya, Thailand. It's large and picturesque view would definitely attract tourists from all over the world.

What to Do:

1. Ride an elephant. We all want to experience riding or taking picture with the elephant as this played an important role in Thailand's history and culture.

   

   Elephant Ride with Picture for 100 Baht

2. Watch Elephant Show. With elephants as actors and actresses in the field, who would not want to be happy and be amazed with how they show intellect in painting, kicking a ball or hitting a balloon? I assure you that this part will make you want to bring them back home.
3. Watch Thai Cultural Show. The show will last for around 20 minutes depicting the diverse culture of Thailand. It's highlights are Thai dance and Thai boxing. Make sure to arrive on the scheduled time as you may not have a place to sit on. The place has electric fans around so its quite hot during the day.
4. Take pictures in the different sections of the garden. Sections include zoo, aviary, French garden, and other areas I cannot remember. However, you need to allot a day to visit the garden because of its extraordinary size (500 acre). They allow walk-in visit so better travel early morning as the garden opens at 9AM. 
   

How to Go There Plus Advice to Ponder:

If you are coming from Bangkok, traveling would be around 2 hours and 30 minutes.

1. Take MRT to Mo Chit or Ekamai Station. Both stations have the same price so I suggest to alight in the station where you are near. In our case, we alighted at Ekamai station since we are near Thailand Cultural Center. Fare is 119 Baht.
2. Under the station lies Ekamai terminal. Waiting period is not lengthy and as long as the bus is filled then the journey begins. Be aware that the bus number matches the number written in the bus ticket even if the conductor will check if you are on the right track.

   

   Bus ticket to Pattaya

3. After 2 hours of travel, you will alight at Pattaya station. Beware of motorcycle drivers who will ask about your destination. It is better not to entertain them since they will give a very unreasonable price for the ride. One driver gave a price of 500  Baht until he followed us to where we are going. We ended in a taxi with the same price. Meaning, the meter is not right since we feel that we are being deceived. BIG ADVICE: Better wait for taxi who is not parking or just passes the road since it is more reliable.
4. After around 30 minutes of travel, you will reach Nong Nooch Botanical Garden. If the driver insists that he will be the one to go to the cashier to pay for the entrance and that he will drive you inside the garden, just say NO. Remember that taxi meter is running. We paid a hefty amount of 482 Baht for a 30-minute ride. If he also insists in bringing you back home, just say NO.

Links:

1. Bus Lines in Bangkok. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bus_routes_in_Bangkok
2. Nong Nooch Garden website. www.nongnoochgardenpattaya.com

Verdict: 10/10

I think the price is right for a fascinating view and all the amenities they have. Since I am a fan of flora and fauna, I think this is the best place for families and friends who want to be away from the buzz of busy life even for a short time. If you want to savor and feel the garden for a long period of time, hotels are also available inside.

Great Finds in Thailand!

Who would not want to agree that we all desire to enjoy our lives in a place where we do not squander a large amount of money and be happy at the same time? After learning that Thailand is one of the cheapest out of the country destination for a 4-day vacation, I have decided to go with my friend and make my own itinerary.

Why Thailand?

1. No visa required. Because of this, I do not need to process papers which will require a long and tedious process.
2. Easy mode of transportation. Thailand has numerous railway stations and link to the airport that is very easy and accessible, so try it yourself.
3. Cheap products. From foods and clothes to souvenirs, all items are not costly. Since I am from the Philippines, I know if an item is cheap or not. Everytime I buy, I try to convert an item to peso to know if the price is right or not. If you will not buy products from Jim Thompson (since a hanky would cost 500 Baht=665 pesos), then your money can buy a lot of stuff.

Spots I Went:

1. The temples. Experience Thailand with its prominent temples that give Thailand a distinction. From our hotel, we traveled by taxi to reach Wat Pho. From Wat Pho, you can walk to the port to Wat Arun. Each entrance to both temples is worth a 100 so be sure to take every corner a picture. Beware: Do not believe on Thais  who would tell you that the temple is close and will ask you to go in some place. One tuktuk driver told us that to reach Wat Pho, you need to ride tuktuk but do need believe them since it is a walking distance. From there, ride a ferry to reach Wat Arun. The ferry ride is 3 Baht , which is 6 Baht all in all.

   

   Five-minute Ferry Ride to Wat Arun

2. Nong Nooch Botanical Garden. It is a huge garden that comprises a vast garden, elephant tours and show and Thai cultural show. This is located in Pattaya which is a long travel but I assure you that the entrance fee is worth it for only 500 Baht.  Here is my detailed site of the garden http://iamavrilette.blogspot.com/2015/08/a-review-of-nong-nooch-botanical-garden.html
3. Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. If your a fan of Johnny Depp, Beyonce, Mario Maurer and other prominent celebrities, then go here.
4. Pratunam Market. If you are an expert in haggling with a good taste for fashion,then this is the best place to be. This place is highly similar to Divisoria in the Philippines with almost same price especially with wholesale items but in comparison to  clothes in Divisoria, their items are more edgy and classy. Other than clothes, there are also Thai delicacies such as tamarind and dried mangoes.

Breakdown of Expenses: (All are converted to Peso for easy computation)

1. Fare from Philippines to Bangkok (Round Trip). This is a promo ticket so better book a few months before your scheduled trip. 7000 php
2. Hotel (Prom Ratchada Residence and Spa). This is for 2 for 5 nights - 6070.5 php. 3035.25 php each
3. Fare (MRT, BTS, Taxi and bus). Bus is the cheapest mode of transportation. However, you need to know the number codes for each destination. For example, bus with numbers 113 and 93 are going to Pratunam market from MBK Mall. Note that the fare is for the whole 4 days in all destinations we have been. 3250 php 
4. Temples. As I've said, entrance to each temples is 100 Bhat. Since Wat Arun is under construction, we did not enter the area but rather took a picture from afar. 130 php
   
5. Nong Nooch Botanical Garden. 650 php
6. Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. We made an early bird promo where you can book online and came at 10am. This is 510 Baht only as compared to 850 Baht. 663 php
7. Pratunam Market. The expenses would depend on your budget. I suggest to haggle and buy things in wholesale to make items cheaper. I was not able to go to Chatuchak because were struggling with the days that we have but people say that items here are cheaper than Chatuchak. 

TOTAL: 14, 728. 25

NOTE: Peso to Bhat during the time that I went to Thailand is 1.3 so all computations will depend on the currency. Bring at least 20, 000 php in case so you can buy stuff and foods that you want

Help ful links:

• Madame Tussaud's Bangkok. https://www.madametussauds.com/bangkok/en/
• Hotel. http://www.promratchada.com/index.php/home