happy steps

Celebrating a blog’s birthday can be a similar experience to your own birthday. It brings the blogger to moments of pondering about where her blog is heading to, particularly with how to improve and make it better.

For instance, I have so many plans for happysteps.net and here are just few of them:

- Change my blog template. (This is an immediate need for me, especially as I look at my blog everyday and seeing a lot of space eaten up by the header image. But I am also here in Europe on a vacation so I had to make the most of my time here, right? I still want to visit some museums and galleries here in Prague. The new template will be given attention when I’ll be home next month.)
- Add an Entrecard top dropper list (this should have dofollow links) in the sidebar.
- Organize my categories (yeah, it’s a mess!).
- Add a favicon!
- Add a gallery page.
- Add an Entrecard list page (featuring my faves – organized according to fast loading sites, quality content, reciprocal droppers, EC widget above fold, blogs with top dropper lists, blogs featuring their advertisers, etc.)
- Register in more blog directories
…and so much more! :)

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Yup, this blog just turned a year older today. :) And as promised in my previous post, I will be giving away free 300 Entrecard credits for this day’s first ten droppers. Earlier this morning, I checked my inbox and already got 26 drops. Here’s the proof:

Congratulations to the following who were the first to drop on happysteps.net’s blog anniversary:
1. Manilenya
2. Pinoy Teens Online
3. Backcounter Buffet
4. Retired and Restless
5. Call Center Gal
6. Cookie Travels
7. Vibrant Healthy U
8. Roxiticus Desperate Housewives
9. Beyond Taiwan
10. Magic & Moments at Dragonfly Cottage

I will be sending your 300 Entrecard credits soon. And to all my EC droppers, thanks so much for dropping your cards on happysteps.net. I always make sure I reciprocate your drops since the inbox is where I prioritize my dropping session before going to my bookmarked EC sites.

Big thanks goes to HappyCaity.com for sponsoring 1000 EC credits for this giveaway.

Happy Caity, my 11-month old baby niece (who’s also a travel bug) will be celebrating her first birthday this coming Wednesday, August 27. Do visit her blog and make sure to greet her on her special day!

Here’s to more blogging years ahead of us!  :)

Happysteps.net will be celebrating its first anniversary in the blogosphere anytime next week!

I am not that creative when it comes to cooking up some blogging contest, so for this blog’s first ‘birthday’ I will simply be giving away 300  Entrecard credits EACH for free to the first 10 droppers on that day. That’s equal to a day’s worth of dropping session, yeah? Let’s see who will be the lucky droppers when I check my Entrecard drops inbox that day for the first 10 EC logos lining up!

What day is it then? Hmmm…I am not telling but here’s a hint: you can figure it out from the archives section.

Enjoy the weekend peeps! :)

As Spain’s second largest city, Barcelona (capital of Catalonia) is one of Europe’s top tourist destinations, being a previous host to the 1992 Summer Olympics and famous for its historical buildings with distinctive architecture as shown by the works of Antoni Gaudi. Noteworthy is the unfinished Sagrada Familia originally designed by Gaudi which has been attracting millions of tourists since 2004.

Barcelona is also rich in festivals and events such as the Festes de Gracia every August to celebrated the Feast of the Assumption, the Sant Jordi which is similar to Valentines Day, and its main annual festival Festes de la Merce which features live concerts and shows, fireworks displays and more.

Some places to visit in Barcelona are the Placa d’Espanya, La Rambla, churches and cathedrals such as the Cathedral of Santa Eulalia, Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, and Sant Pau del Camp, the Montjuic Castle and lots more.

When it comes to accommodation, there are many Barcelona hotels for tourists to choose from. For those who are traveling on a limited budget and looking for cheap hotels, Destinia.com is an online catalogue of hotels worldwide. The default search results are listed according to the lowest rate. You can then filter out the results according to price range, category (1-star to 5-stars), meal options, amenities and other preferences.

Photo credits: pragueconnection.net (Barcelona, December 2006)

Castles, churches and other historical buildings are usually on my top travel destinations. Aside from being interested with the architecture of the building and the exterior details, going inside can be even more breathtaking. For instance the interiors of the cathedrals such as the St. Vitus Cathedral and the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul at the Vysehrad Castle are elaborately done, with the detailed chapels at the sides decorated with statues or paintings and other interesting artifacts. Not to miss are the beautiful hanging lamps and chandeliers which provide a subdued mood.

Chandelier inside the St. Vitus Cathedral at the Prague Castle

Hanging lamps provide a quiet mood for contemplation at the church of Sts. Peter and Paul at the Vysehrad Castle

Chandeliers and other stylish lighting fixtures lend an artistic touch to a room, aside from providing mood lighting. They’re even considered as art centerpieces to hotels and some homes. Finding one for your home can’t be that easy though since they should complement the room’s look.
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The 2008 Summer Olympics would undoubtedly keep the swarms of tourists and visitors in Beijing busy. I doubt if they would take extra time to drop by some tourist attractions in this notable and historic city of China. For me, it would be just some virtual travel for now but who knows I would be there in my future trips. After all, my big bro is working in Guangdong Province so I guess I won’t have a problem when it comes to touring around China. That’s the travel bug in me dreaming again!  :)

Here are some of the tourist attractions in Beijing that I wish to visit someday:

1. Forbidden City - a UNESCO World Heritage site, which served as the Chinese imperial palace and home of the Emperor and his family during the Ming and Qing Dynasty. It would be nice to tour around its courts, walls, gates, gardens and other surroundings and drop by the Palace Museum where ancient artifacts and other collections are kept.

photo by ehnmark

2. Great Wall of China - one of China’s famous landmarks and another UNESCO World Heritage site. A section of the wall can be accessed at Badaling, northwest of Beijing.

photo by ehnmark

3. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception – referred to as Nantang or the South Cathedral, the oldest Catholic Church in Beijing.

photo of the Cathedral interior from wikipedia

4. Temple of Heaven - another must-see for me, since it is described as a “masterpiece of architecture and landscape design” being chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1998.

photo by ehnmark

5. Summer Palace - another UNESCO World Heritage site, with scenic parks, gardens and lakes.

photo by Asten

These are just few of the places to visit in Beijing, with its many historic buildings, temples, churches, parks, gardens, shopping and business districts.

Among the stuff in my bag which I always bring with me during trips is my trusty pair of sunglasses. Yup, aside from shielding my eyes from the bright and harmful UV rays of the sun, they also protect my eyes from dust especially during windy days. It’s simply one of my travel necessities. For some travel bugs, wearing attractive shades and fashionable eyewear add more style to whatever is the outfit.

I’ve been browsing over some stylish eyewear at Zenni Optical. They offer discounted deals on prescription eyeglasses and their products are even recommended by The Clark Howard Show, a consumer advocate radio program. To order from the website, be sure to have your prescription information on hand such as your eye grade, spherical correction, astigmatism and other important details.

Here’s one of their featured fashion eyeglasses:

Tailored Fashion Acetate Full-Rim Frame with Spring Hinge

There are two color options for this model, and the burgundy outside clear pink inside is a good choice for that girly look. When ordering for a specific pair, you have the option of using anti reflection coating for the lens which for me is a must. Adding tint to your pair is also possible with lens tint colors from gray, green, amber to blue, purple, pink and yellow and tint choices ranging from 10%, 50% to 80%.

I’m still here in Prague and enjoying my vacation a lot. But that doesn’t mean I am not missing the Philippines, especially the native dishes we have at home such as yummy fresh seafood!

Recently, I cooked Tom Yum which is a Thai spicy sour soup with shrimp (or any seafood), mushrooms, lemongrass and lime. Too bad the fish was not fresh (it was fish fillet bought straight from the frozen food section) and not as tasty as the fresh catch we usually buy from the wet market back home.

Seafood is quite pricey here in Europe so I’ll just content myself with the photos of some of the food we ordered during cutie sis’ birthday celebration at Enteng’s of Sagay in Lacson Street, Bacolod City few months ago:

Crispy Shrimps

Kinilaw (raw Tanguigue or Spanish mackerel in vinegar with chopped onions, ginger, tomato, and red chilies)

Grilled Squid

Learning from the history, culture and people of other places is what most of us enjoy about traveling. As St. Augustine said, “the world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page.” Yup, going on a tour is an educational endeavor indeed. In college, we had a subject about architecture history, and we we used to study about all types of buildings and shelters, from the ancient stone age to the detailed moldings of the renaissance era and Gothic buildings of the medieval ages until the modern glass and concrete buildings and skyscrapers of today. It would have been more enriching for us if we had visited some of these places while studying about them.

Some schools include educational tours in their curriculum,  such as a study visit to industrial companies to learn about the production process, or visit museums and art galleries to know more about a place’s history and culture. Travel companies such as Hemisphere Educational Travel provide student travel service for educational tours worldwide which are really intended for the needs of students. These educational tours are a different learning experience for the students outside their classrooms. It’s even more fun since the students travel with their classmates, thus giving them not just an educational experience but a memorable trip as well.

Yesterday, we headed off to Kutná Hora, a town about few hours travel from Prague and with its historical town center listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site together with the Church of St. Barbara and the Cathedral of Our Lady at Sedlec.

We stopped first at the famous Cemetery Chapel with Ossuary (a place to keep the bones of the dead) which was built during the late 14th century. The unique interior of the cemetery chapel contrasts its simple exterior design. Inside the chapel, you can see bones intricately made into a massive chandelier, as wall moldings and other decorations. These bones were estimated to come from the 40,000 people who died during the epidemic in the 14th century and during the Hussite wars early in the 15th century.

Inside the Ossuary, tourists inspecting the details of the bone decorations

One of the Baroque candelabras (candle holders) at the middle of the chapel, decorated with skulls and with an angel sitting on top

The intricate arrangement of skulls and bones as ceiling decorations

The main altar

The Schwarzenberg coat-of-arms with the pyramid of bones behind

The simple chapel exterior

Stepping inside gave me a bit of a creepy feeling especially seeing the piles of bones, though I can’t help but admire the creativity of the artist, Czech wood carver František Rint, with the skeletal art work and arrangement particularly the elaborate Schwarzenberg coat-of-arms.

One of my dream destinations in southeastern Europe is Greece, a place which abounds in history and charm. How nice it would be to visit the Acropolis and climb until its summit where the ancient ruins of sacred buildings and especially the Parthenon is located. It would be such an experience to be walking over such historical site. The Greek Islands are interesting destinations as well. These top tourist destinations can be visited via Greek island cruises, where you get to be onboard a luxury vessel with all the amenities of a hotel while enjoying a nice view of the sea and islands from afar.

The Greek Islands are made up of over 6,000 islands and are grouped into the Saronic islands, the Northern Sporades, the Ionian islands, the Dodecanese islands, Aegean islands, the Cyclades, Crete and surrounding islands, Euboea and surrounding islands, and some islets near the mainland. For instance, Santorini which is part of the Cyclades group is famous for its beaches – the Perissa, Kamari black pebble beach, the white beach and red beach. This volcanic island boasts of natural and scenic beauty and has been the usual choice as TV and video location for Greek and Brazilian shows. Even some Hollywood movies such as Tomb Raider II were filmed in Santorini. Another island worth visiting is Crete, which is a unique mixture of modern and ancient buildings and architecture.

Going on a cruise is like staying on a floating resort. Cruise lovers can also check out other destinations (ports of call) such as the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Florida and more from Carnival Cruise Lines. Travel bugs who would like an Eastern Caribbean or South America cruise can have it via Celebrity Cruise Line which is a premium cruise line for couples, families and bigger groups.

Photo credits: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:192869736_c3090f211d_o-1-.jpg

Whether you’re into sunbathing, surfing, waterskiing and other water sports activities, San Diego is a good choice for the summer. The beach communities in San Diego also offer shopping, nightlife and tourist attractions. There are many accommodations available for travel bugs, such as a San Diego summer beach rental. This type of accommodation is a good choice for those who want a home-away-from-home experience to their holidays with complete amenities for kitchen, dining and entertainment.

It’s best to stay longer though and consider San Diego weekly rentals to make the most out of your vacation. There’s Mission Bay in San Diego for all sorts of water activities, and tourists can visit nearby reef breaks of La Jolla, Sunset Cliffs, Bird Rock and others. For those who would like to go on shopping spree, there are many shops and boutiques at Belmont Park, Garnet Avenue and more. Those who would like to consider living here can check out San Diego beach real estate and choose among the many properties available.

I’m here in Prague again! But before hitting the streets tomorrow… I’d like to thank my Top Entrecard droppers for the month of July:

Thailand Land of Smiles (26)
Toltec Insights with Dr. Susan Gregg (25)
My Trips (24)
rainydazeee (23)
Travel Guides ( 23)
Angels on Your Shoulder (22)
Pastel Corner (19)
Travel Asia (17)
Hollywood Star (17)

Thanks to my July advertisers as well… is there a way to track previous advertisers on Entrecard?

One more thing… special thanks to Beadalicious for the Arte Y Pico award… sorry I decided not to post my own list of blogs for this award since it would take lots of time for me to browse through all these inspiring blogs I’ve enjoyed reading via Entrecard.

Have a great Sunday ahead!  :)

My 40-day Finland vacation will soon be over and it’s time to say bye to the cold summer weather, the midnight suns, and so much more. I am grateful for having stayed here in Pori at my big sis’ flat which is located right at the heart of the city, near the Eetunaukio Square which has an open stage where shows and programs are regularly held. On Tuesday afternoons, we can even hear the music of the brass band playing.

My stay here has added more to my travel memories such as having a picnic at the Kirjurinluoto Park and walking by the Kokemäenjoki River, dropping by the Central Pori Church (Keski-Porin kirkko), checking out the Jazz Street during the recently concluded Pori Jazz 43rd Festival, learning about Pori’s history at the Satakunta Museum, enjoying a sunny Sunday afternoon at Yyteri Beach and shopping around some of the department stores and shops in the city center.

With niece Az and nephew Rj at the Satakunta Museum

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Being on vacation can be fun, but don’t expect your phone to be on holiday too, unless you turn it off. Chances are, it will be ringing or buzzing with SMS alerts particularly if you have left some unfinished business. Sometimes you miss your family and friends especially if you’re abroad, or you need to follow up on an important deal with an associate, and there you are, making a global long distance call.
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It was a sunny Sunday when we went to Yyteri beach, one of the well-known holiday resorts in Finland. Yyteri is a district in Pori and is just few minutes’ drive from my big sis’ flat in the city center. The place is not just famous for its long stretch of beach but is also a haven for campers, hikers and sports enthusiasts who would like to indulge in other outdoor activities such as surfing, cycling, horseback riding and beach volley.

Bringing with us picnic food and supplies, we went in two groups – mom, dad, cutie sis, baby C, and sis’ hubby in one car and big sis, the three kids, me and their family friend (who’s gracious enough to drive us there with his car) as the other group. Arriving at the parking area, I noticed the many vehicles lined up and most of them were campers. There’s a wide camping ground nearby where you can see many tents pitched.

On our way…who would have thought that there’s a beach waiting behind those thick trees?

Ahhh… I see it now… the blue waters are calling!

Still more walking… on foot on a long wooden plank through the dunes to reach the beach.

We’re finally here!  :)

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We went to Tampere yesterday and had a great time. I will be writing a separate post about it later. Anyway, I’m thankful that I wore my favorite footwear for walking around… my high-heeled flip flops! :)  Even though we had a car to tour us around, we still had to be on foot since some of the places we visited had no parking nearby. Too bad my little niece Az had a blister on her right foot since she wore her new pair of shoes. We were able to remedy it though by letting her wear socks.
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Who’s in Uganda now? It’s none other than cutie sis’ hubby for work purposes. He will be staying there until first week of August yet, so that means a different work environment for him and… the chance to tour around. :) Anyway he was there last time and was able to visit and see some of the wildlife… so I think it really is an interesting country, yeah? I do hope cutie sis (with baby C) would also be able to join him when he will be assigned to Uganda again.
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One reason for travel is attending trainings, seminars and conferences - from small private meetings to large conferences. For instance, my first travel to Europe was because of a company training. After our classes, my companions and I would tour around the city and shop a bit or visit some tourist attractions. My officemates who were left behind would wish to have their names included in trainings so they can visit other places too. My Mom and brother were also able to visit Goa in India to attend an international business conference.
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This didn’t happen to me but to my parents, cutie sis and her 10-month old baby C. They missed the airport shuttle and consequently their flight from Amsterdam to Prague. Anyway, it all happened because baby C needed to change her diapers (it leaked, ewww!) and as a result they were late. Thankfully there was another airport shuttle just in time and they were accommodated for the next flight. It was such a thrilling and memorable travel experience for them!
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One thing that makes travel fun is sampling out new cuisines and flavors whether they be exotic food (like fried silkworms, perhaps?) or some French gourmet dish.

As my Mom would always tell me, the more you can accommodate new food for your taste buds, the more adaptable you are as a person. So, am I that adventurous when it comes to trying out new food? Well, not that much I guess! Anyway, I do am open to trying out new dishes especially if they look yummy.
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It’s a cold summer here in Finland with the outside temperature dropping to as low as 12 degrees Celsius during evenings and rising up to around 23 degrees Celsius during afternoons. I checked the weather forecast for tomorrow though and it’s going to rain with the warmest temperature at only 18 degrees Celsius… Brrrr! This is why most Finns head off to warmer places during summer for their vacation. Now doesn’t this photo below make you dream of a beach escape this summer?

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Aside from souvenir T-shirts, refrigerator magnets, shot glasses and handcrafted items, tourists also shop for clothes, shoes and bags when they travel. Fashion-minded travel bugs are fond of dropping by those high-fashion boutiques when on tour, stepping inside different shops and finding new styles and accessories to add to their wardrobe. Here in Finland, we were able to pass by some notable classy boutiques along downtown Helsinki.

With the ongoing Pori Jazz Festival, most shops are on sale with big discounts even up to 70%. There’s the ‘buy two take one’, the ‘buy three get one for free’ and other enticing promos. Luckily big sis and I were able to do some shopping as well. Recently, we found some ‘treasures’ of clothes at a nearby department store and we bought them at really reasonable price.
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“If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know.”
Louis Armstrong

One thing that Pori is famous for is its annual international jazz festival which started in the year 1966 and since then is known throughout Europe as a prestigious music festival. This year is the 43rd festival which kicked off last July 12 and will end until the 20th. Various concerts are held simultaneously in different locations within Pori, with the main stage and arena at Kirjurinluoto Park, and more concerts held daily at the JazzStreet along the Kokemäenjoki river, the Radio Nova stage, Klubi, Theatre, Otava Factory and other venues.

Being an international music festival, it has drawn many notable performers such as Miles Davis, Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Sting and lots more. This year’s event highlights performances by Santana, Bob Geldof, Shaggy and Mary J Blige and tickets are already sold out.
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This sunshiny summer month of July is a great time for vacation and entertainment. At Wildwood New Jersey, an exciting series of concerts will be held at Morey’s Piers amusement park. Aside from being New Jersey’s largest, with many rides, concessions and having two beachfront waterparks, Morey’s Piers is a good place for Wildwood events, beach parties, educational class trips, musical shows, school affairs and more.
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Visiting castles would always be on the travel itinerary of tourists when going to Europe. It’s like stepping into the days of kings and queens, or imagining you’re part of a fairy tale. Getting inside the medieval castle of Turku acquaints the visitor of Finland’s rich culture and history, each stair or doorway leading to more interesting rooms and displays.

The Renaissance castle exterior (or bailey) was constructed during the 15th to 16th centuries, while its main building (or keep) dates back to the early 14th century. The castle was subjected to some damage during World War II, but was gradually restored to its original grandeur through the years, afterwhich its ownership was entrusted to the Finnish state and presently managed by the City of Turku.
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My baby niece just turned ten months old and it’s quite impressive that she has traveled to a lot of countries (two continents at that) at such a young age. Of course, she has to tag along with her mommy from Czech Republic to the Philippines and back, and now they’re in Finland. You can say she’s a young travel bug, yeah?

Baby C at the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport

Anyway, touring around with a baby can be a challenge especially when we have to bring her stroller, assembling and disassembling it, carrying it up some steps or during times when she doesn’t want to sit on it and just want to be carried by us. There’s also the law of using baby car seats for safety reasons. it’s just nice though that the baby also enjoys the views as much as the grown-ups do and sometimes she just claps her hand at the birds or whatever sights that interest her.
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What do you do when you only have few hours to spend for sightseeing around a picturesque place such as Turku?

Along the Aura River

It was late in the afternoon when we arrived, so we lost no time in dropping by one of its famous landmarks, the Turku Castle. Being the oldest city of Finland and one of its former capital, Turku (Abo in Swedish) boasts of a rich history particularly in the Middle Ages as well as being designated as one of the future European Capitals of Culture (2011).
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Packing up for travel, sorting out my clothes, accessories, personal effects, toiletries, gifts and stuff can either be a breeze or a tough task depending on my destination and how many days the vacation or affair will be. Of course, my ever reliable HP laptop Pavi is always with me as my handcarry. Coming here in Finland though was a bit of a challenge since I had to bring with me some computer parts as requested by big sis - motherboard, RAM, video card, hard drive, wires, connectors and cables and yes those tiny screws. What I did was to wrap the motherboard, video card and RAM chips in paper and the hard drive in bubble wrap. Then I put them inside my laptop carrying bag with some clothes in between for some shock resistance. ;)
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