The Island Explorer

Probably one of the most compelling reasons to go to Rome is the other country situated within its boundaries: the Vatican. Our second day in Rome was to be spent in the holy seat of Catholicism. We got up to a pleasant breakfast facing the Pantheon in our hotel.

So we made it to Italy. We took an Easyjet flight from Orly in Paris to Ciampino in Rome. Ciampino is somewhat like the budget terminal of Rome, and is nearer the city center. We had a difficult time getting a cab in the airport, as the cab driver imposed a high fixed rate to go into the city.

We were already getting bored with Paris, so we opened our guidebook and read through the walking tour options. Our choice was the quaint town of Montmarte, popularly known as the bohemian capital of Paris.

So it was Christmas, and the sun shone for the first time since I arrived. The pleasant weather was perfect for Day 3 of our European escape. We wanted to see more of Paris, hence we decided to go to the Eiffel Tower. 

I woke up at 5AM to meet Lizzy and Kats in the Latin Quarter area, where our next hotel was situated. I was supposed to stay for two nights at Cuadron, but since I arrived in Paris a day late, I had to spend just one night. We checked in Albe Hotel, which had a very good location in the Latin Quarter, just off Saint Michel station.

This begins my account of my first trip to Europe last Christmas 2010. I took a KLM flight to Amsterdam from Manila. However, the flight from Manila was delayed, so we missed our connecting flight to Paris. We were billeted overnight in Ibis Hotel at the Schipol airport, and boarded a morning flight to Paris the next day. So, I arrived in cold Paris after lunch, still dazed by the fact that my schedule got messed up, and I had one night in my hotel foregone. I was also in limbo because I couldn't believe I was in Europe. I had a very busy year, and just before my flight, I had to attend several Christmas parties.

I was already satisfied with my Kawayan Cove rental. But that got me going. I wanted to find more vacation houses for rent in Batangas. I also wanted to share the experience with my close friends, so I decided to take them to a new house that I spotted online. It was named Villa Angelina.

I woke up one Saturday morning without anything to do, so the most logical move was to head out of town for a beach. I was kind of getting bored with the North already, so I decided to explore more of the South. I really didn't want to go to Nasugbu, so I thought of heading to San Juan. This is how I ended up in Palm Beach Resort (La Frondosa) in Brgy. Hugom, in San Juan, Batangas.

I'm quite shocked that Dean & Deluca, a stellar New York based cafe, chose Bangkok as their first Asian location. I mean, Manila would be perfect, given how much coffee and cafe addicts we are. I would imagine D&D in the Fort, with an all white modern facade, laying their commitment to be purveyors of fine food. 

UPDATE: This beach house is no longer for rent. Vacation rentals is a relatively new term in the tourism industry. It is a growing worldwide trend and Asia is leading in this new type of accommodation. Given the number of villas for rent in Bali, Phuket and other popular island destinations in Asia, I don't see why our country hasn't exploited this trend. In the Philippines, vacation rentals come in the form of beach houses, or seaside mansions even. Recently, I have been searching for the best beach house for rent in the country. Of course, I started where there is a number of these accommodations: Batangas.