Tag Archives: activities

MetroMania: Channeling Your Inner Kid Persona at Star City

One fine December day in 2010, we went to Star City and channeled our inner kid personas. Do you believe that there’s a kid in everyone, no matter how old we get? Well, I do! And apparently, my friends and family too!

MetroMania - Star City Indoor Roller Coaster
Indoor Roller Coaster (try this before the star flyer!)

I think that before this, the last time I went to Star City was with Jed and Lalai in May of 2010. Before this, my last Star City day was probably way back in grade school. You see, school field trips in the Philippines usually have a big chunk of the day reserved for amusement parks. For the fun of the young ones and maybe the same for their teachers who secretly want to take that roller coaster ride!

MetroMania - Star City Pirate Outside
Enter the caves!

And, even in Philippine festivals, there will almost always be a “carnival” aka “perya” area set-up a month or weeks before the actual fiesta.

MetroMania - Star City Pirate Inside 2
Treasure!

It’s like a small version of amusement parks or theme parks like Star City or Enchanted Kingdom in Laguna. The “perya” comes and goes once a year unlike the more permanent Star City and EK.

MetroMania - Star City Wide View
Wide View of outdoor rides and attractions from the indoor park

Of course, the rides are smaller and lesser and the shows and aesthetics are not as great in the “perya” but hey, Filipinos are known for being able to make the best out of any situation!

MetroMania - Star City Wall Climbing
Spiderman, is that you?!

Apart from the thrilling rides, there are also games and sports that people can play while in Star City. You can go for basketball, gun shooting games, throw-a-hoop games, and all other sorts of games for fun and enjoyment. There’s also the lazer blaster (I loved this one!) live action shooting game to keep your blood pumping!

MetroMania - Star City Shooting Game
Don’t do this at home, especially not when wearing a Minnie Mouse headband (peace, batch!)

The amusement park tries it’s best not just to cater to the kids but to all age groups. If you can’t take the adventure rides, you can always go for the “interactive” attractions at Star City like the Pirate boat ride adventure. Maybe you’ll find Jack Sparrow or Captain Hook somewhere. Or they might find you!

MetroMania - Star City Pirate Inside
Cruise along inside the Pirate Adventure boat ride

If you want to relive the time of dinosaurs, you can check out the Dino Island and Museum. There’s also an attraction for the horror house (not my favorite as I get scared easily!) if you are feeling Ghost Buster-ish.

MetroMania - Star City Dino Island Museum
EEK! Geek!

And for those who are looking forward to adrenalin rush, there’s always the Surf Dance (a major, major attraction at Star City) and the outdoor roller coaster ride (for baby steps, go for the smaller indoor version first!) which also commands a long lie of passengers!

MetroMania - Star City Surf Dance
This is quite a ride! To make the most of it, be at the last row!

If you’re into “driving”, you can try the famous (aka long line) bump car ride. And yes, I know you want to bump ‘em cars!

MetroMania - Star City Bump Cars
My cousin now drives an actual car. And no, she’s not bumping any!

If you are looking for a more subtle choice, you can go for the water bump car. Don’t worry, the water is not that deep! Smile

MetroMania - Star City Water Bump Cars

So yeah. Star City does offer each and every visitor a chance to be like Peter Pan for a day. Or, ok, to not be gender bias, Alice in Wonderland? I am not sure if comparisons are correct but what I’m trying to say is, if you are in Manila and you don’t have the time to go to Enchanted Kingdom or the money to go for Universal Studios in Singapore, why not visit Star City instead?! Let Star City give you a chance to channel the inner kid in you!

MetroMania - Star City Surf Dance 2
Kids at heart!

For more and updated information about Star City Rides, Attractions, Facilities and Rates, you can check here.

FotoFolio: Group of Monuments, Hampi, Karnataka

As part of my South India on a Run (aka final holiday in India), I explored and basked in the history and charm of Hampi in Karnataka, South India, the former seat of the Vijayanagara Empire.

Towering Virupaksha Temple - Hampi
Towering Virupaksha Temple (as seen) from the gates of Achyutarya Temple)

Hampi is getting more and more popular to tourists these days, especially attracting the foreign “hippie crowd” who are the mainstays of less-known and more secluded beaches of Goa and Gokarna.

Across the River - Hampi
Across the River

So much so that the “island” across the river from the main Hampi Bazaar area is locally known as the “Hippie Island”.

Bunder in the House - Hampi
Bunder (Monkey) in the House at the Virupaksha Temple

Apart from the monuments and old temples, Hampi also has a lot of Lord Hanuman’s relatives—monkeys! You would see them in almost every temple, running and jumping around. And yes, they are cute and all but what would amuse you more, actually for almost all monkeys I’ve seen not just in Hampi but everywhere in India, is their ability to eat all the processed and packed foods as if they were born to have it!

Stone Chariot - Hampi
The Stone Chariot at Vittala Temple is one of the most visited and photographed

Another amazing thing about Hampi is the fact that a lot of its monuments (at least the ones I saw) are still pretty much intact. Some has been reconstructed (it’s distracting when I saw the workers do this by the way) and luckily were made as if it was the real thing.

Pillars of Kalyana Mandapa - Hampi
The pillars of the Kalyana Mandapa (Wedding Hall) at Vittala Temple Complex

I only managed to see the temples in Hampi and not the palaces as I was really taking my time with each and I wasn’t much in the mood to overexert myself to go around. I t was hot when I went (February) and I guess I was tired from my Aurangabad trip just the previous weekend!

Achyutaraya Temple - Hampi
Achyutarya Temple from the top (you have to climb from the gate and then go down)

Also, I think, while Hampi is totally doable in a day, you would need more than that to imbibe all the history and culture it could offer. I mean, if you would like really want to see and feel Hampi, you just gotta take your time and stay longer!

All in all, Hampi is a great place to see if you want to do some Indiana Jones or Lara Croft-like activities. Trekking, stone-climbing, river crossings and maybe even treasure hunting.

Virupaksha Temple - Hampi
Virupaksha Temple from the Hill just before sunset

Another good thing you can do is devote a little of your time (and money) to help the cause of the Hampi Children Trust. Ran by a CouchSurfer (who hosted me despite him being in Kerala), Hampi Children Trust aims to educate 40 local children in different standards (grades). You can also buy second-hand donated books for sale too! I think it’s a good way of traveling and also giving back to Hampi!

FotoFolio: Killing Fields, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

When people say Cambodia, the first thing that probably comes to mind is the famed Angkor Wat Temple Complex in Siem Reap. What most people don’t know though, or not even bother to know, is that more than the magnificent temples and ruins that leave you awestricken, Cambodia holds a darker, sadder and, albeit the different context, an equally jaw-dropping history—the Khmer Rouge regime and the horror of the Killing Fields.

Cheong Ek Genocidal Center (Killing Fields) Memorial Stupa
Cheong Ek Genocidal Center (Killing Fields) Memorial Stupa (How can something so beautiful be so tragic?)

Continue reading FotoFolio: Killing Fields, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Backpacking South East Asia: Brunei – The Sultan’s Treasures at the Royal Regalia Museum

After visiting the Kampong Ayer (water villages) and having lunch at CBTL where Zaza met me, we then went to the Royal Regalia Museum, one of the must see places in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB).

Brunei-Royal-Regalia-Museum-Portrait.jpg
Royal Regalia Museum

The Royal Regalia Museum houses the “treasures” of the Sultan and the Sultanate of Brunei, ranging from personal collections of photos and memorabilias to gifts from various State leaders and governments. I guess you can say that just like in old times where the visiting envoys or monarchs or sultans/datus/rahas present exquisite gifts to the host, visiting State leaders or Ambassadors also present tokens from their countries as a gesture of “friendship” between countries. The collection included birthday gifts as well as anniversary gifts for the commemoration of the Sultan’s coronation.

Continue reading Backpacking South East Asia: Brunei – The Sultan’s Treasures at the Royal Regalia Museum

Backpacking South East Asia: Brunei – Walking around the streets of Bandar

After visiting the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien (SOAS) Mosque and before heading to the Kampong Ayer (water villages), I first went around to check out the streets of Bandar.

The Sultan's 60th Birthday Monument and buildings in downtown BSB
The Sultan’s 60th Birthday Monument and buildings in downtown BSB

From the massive open field to government offices, from clean streets golden posts and chic-looking shopping places, Bandar Seri Begawan, to me, screams of opulence. Continue reading Backpacking South East Asia: Brunei – Walking around the streets of Bandar