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March 8, 2017 Travel

10 Beautiful Stages Of Traveling Solo For The First Time

Traveling solo evokes a roller coaster of emotions – it’s fun, and scary, and lonely, and self-fulfilling, all at the same time. Your mistakes, as well as your triumphs, are your own. You indulge and educate yourself. You live by your own rules, at your own pace and at your own time, and no one’s going to judge or pressure you.

If you’re traveling for the first time on your own, here are 10 beautiful stages you’d love to embrace.

LIBERATION

“I’m free, finally!”

You feast your eyes on the scenic, unfamiliar landscapes outside your small window. You have that liberating feeling as soon as you step off the plane – in a new country – completely alone. You actually feel good about being independent. You start envisioning your itineraries. You can’t wait to dump your bags inside your hotel room, see the amazing sights and dive into the foreign land’s diverse culture all by yourself. You’re excited to take pictures and write in your journal as if you’re the wordsmith of your own story.

AMAZEMENT AND DISCOVERY

“Just. Wow” *jaw drops*

You finally see the places you’ve only seen in travel catalogues. You say “wow” to everything, from the elaborate baroque ceilings of the cathedral to the cheap knick-knacks sold in souvenir shops. You try to document every single thing you see. You also find treasure in the smallest of things like restaurant napkins, bus tickets, and a pile of dust. You try to blend in with the locals, but everyone knows from the astounded look in your eyes (and your obvious love for selfies) that you’re a tourist.

GETTING LOST

“I lost track … but it’s okay.”

You have a map and a list of sights and activities in your hand but you may still get lost during your trip. It may be due to the town’s winding roads, or due to your own curiosity; to go on a mini-expedition to the hidden corners of the city and learn beyond what has been taught.

Getting a little bit lost can be a wonderful thing – you’ll discover lovely streets and parks, cool underground cafes and shops, interesting people, and basically experience more.

CULTURE SHOCK

“Okay, the fact that ‘I don’t belong here’ is sinking in.”
“Oh no, they can’t understand English.”
“So… gazpacho is a cold soup. Wait, cold soup exists?”
“Are you serious? The cubicles don’t have toilet papers! How would I…”

Apart from local language barriers, the country’s alien culture may leave you with an experience you can never forget. But look at the brighter side – you’re able to learn new things.

QUESTIONING YOUR SANITY

“I’m freaking ALONE … what was I thinking?”

Now here’s the terrifying part – when the feeling of independence and victory wears off and you start questioning your sanity. Like, why did you think traveling alone is a good idea in the first place?

You may encounter problems, like financial mishaps, horrific language barriers, or worse, violating the foreign land’s law. Some possible worst case scenarios like getting mugged and losing your valuables like your wallet, phone, passport, and visa, or getting harassed in the streets may also start to circle your mind.

LONELINESS

“I wish mom and dad were here.”

Or my best friend. Or my dog. Or even my ex. Whoever.

The idea that you’re in a different country and you have no one to rely on and talk to will leave you upset. You could be spending a great day exploring the city but you’ll just lay on your hotel bed, feeling down. No matter how beautiful the place is, boredom is inevitable. You may also feel guilty and selfish for not inviting your loved one to your trip. You comfort and cheer yourself up, and start finding small ways to make yourself smile.

RISK-TAKING

“I shall ditch the map today.”

Solo traveling will lead you to do the unexpected. You’ll be thrilled to go on spontaneous and impromptu trips somewhere, taste local, exotic dishes you haven’t had before, or dare yourself to do the things you find uncomfortable (but worth the try). The new sights and experiences will either be a hit or miss, but whatever that is, you’ll surely bring home unforgettable stories you’d cherish.

NURTURING HUMAN INTERACTION

“Socializing seems like a good idea.”

Over time, your love for introvertism will subside and the next thing you’d want to do is to interact with an actual human being – to swap stories over cold beverages with interesting strangers. It may be a group of like-minded backpackers you meet in the busy street, a local barista who made your morning coffee, an old lady who shares with you the city’s underground cafes, a friendly tourist next door, or even a charming stranger you share stories (and love affair) with.

EXISTENTIAL CRISIS

“What’s more to life?”

Solo traveling may leave you with a mild existential crisis and it’s normal. You’ll revel in asking yourself what you really want. You wander the city, sit by the river, roam around a museum, or simply let the time pass in a cafe, reflecting on what you’ve done in the past, what you’re currently doing with your life, and what you’re going to do to seize the best of life – something you cannot do when you’re too busy keeping up with work commitments.

ENLIGHTENMENT

“I’m wiser now.”

After discovering new sights, meeting good (and not so good) people from different walks of life, and learning a lot of things, your mind opens up. You gain a new perspective. You begin to appreciate different religions and traditions, and understand why people behave in such a way. Even world issues have become relevant to you.

Lastly, traveling solo allows you to not only discover new places. It allows you to discover yourself.

Author:

Carmina Natividad is one of the writers for Holiday Inn Parramatta, a modern hotel in Western Sydney known for their exceptional accommodation, service, and location, which appeals to travellers in Australia. She has always been passionate about giving in to her wanderlust and collecting mementos from different places.

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March 6, 2017 Travel

Astana, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is a Central Asian country and a former Soviet republic. The borders of the country extend from the Caspian Sea in the west to the Altai Mountains at the east border with China and Russia.

The capital city is Astana along the Ishim River in the north of the country. The left bank is ultra modern with impressive architecture.

The city’s most extraordinary building is the Khan Shatyr, a 150m-high translucent structure that resembles a tent. It is made of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), a heat-absorbing material that produces summer temperatures inside even though outside it is -30 degrees C. This is a “lifestyle center with world-class shopping”. The interiors have multi-levels and a food court.

Attractions here include a drop tower, flume ride and a 500m-long monorail. On the top level, you’ll find the Sky Beach Club with a big swimming pool, sandy beach, palm trees and water slide. All of this was opened in 2010 and designed by celebrated British architect Norman Foster.

Presidential Cultural center, Astana, Kazakhstan

The Presidential Cultural Center is yurt-shaped and home to an excellent museum. The highlight here is on the second floor where you can find outstanding collections of Kazakh jewelry and gold-makings. Among them are gold jewelry and replicas from the Scythian burial mounds at Berel and the Issyk burial mound (where the Golden Man was found), replicas of the Golden Man and the “second Golden Man” from western Kazakhstan, a bejeweled replica of a horse from the Berel tomb and the innards of a real 4^th century BC horse preserved in formaldehyde.

The ground floor has models of Astana buildings and a room full of traditional Kazakh items. The third floor has displays of Kazakhstan from the 15^th to 20^th centuries.

Palace of peace and reconciliation, Astana. Kazakhstan

Palace of Peace & Accord is a lovely glass and steel pyramid opened in 2006. This is the home for the triennial Congress of World and Traditional Religions, hosted by Kazakhstan. There are half-hour tours also in English available where you can see the 1350-seat opera hall, the 3rd-floor atrium where the religions congress is held and the apex conference room with windows filled with stained-glass doves by British artist Brian Clarke. It is beautifully illuminated at night.

The centerpiece of Nurzhol Bulvar is the 97m-high Bayterek monument, a white latticed tower that is crowned by a large glass orb. According to a Kazakh legend, the mythical bird Samruk lays a golden egg that contains the secrets of human desires and happiness in a tall poplar tree, beyond human reach. Visitors glide by lift up inside the egg and enjoy impressive views of the city.

Palace of Independence, Astana, Kazakhstan

The Palace of Independence offers visitors a look at a huge scale model of how Astana plans to look in 2030. There is an interesting ethnographic hall with various exhibits. Tours in English are available.

In front of the palace, you’ll see the 91m-high Kazak Yeli Monument which symbolizes the historic destiny of the Kazakhstan people.

It is topped by a golden Samruk, statues of heroic martyrs or clan leaders stand behind and a 5m bronze relief of President Nazarbaev at the base.

The National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan is a huge blue-glass-and-white-marble museum. There are themed halls with interactive displays and exhibits of artifacts that range from a full-sized yurt in the Hall of Ethnography to a chronicle of the capital’s modern history in the Hall of Astana. The Golden Hall has Bronze Age ornaments from the famed “Golden Man” (now a national symbol of Kazakhstan) – a 3^rdor 4th-century warrior whose gold-clad remains were uncovered in 1969.

The museum opened in 2014. Visitors come into the grandiose entry hall and see a giant golden eagle whose wings flap serenely as an interactive screen describes Kazakhstan in all its glory. Audio guides are available in English. There is a small cafe.

It is worth visiting Duman Entertainment Center, a modern leisure center known for its oceanarium.

Duman, underwater, Astana, Kazakhstan — Oceanarium at entertainment center Duman. Watching sharks at the water tunnel.

There are more than 2000 creatures of the deep from the world’s oceans and a 70m shark tunnel.

The City Park is located on the south side of the Ishim River. Here you’ll find the Atameken, a 200m-long, walk around the country map with models of major buildings. The Duman is here also.

Ploshchad Poyushchykh Fontanov this plaza is in the eastern half of the Nurzhol Bulvar and offers music-and-water shows at 9 PM on summer evenings.

Toward the east, you can see the twin golden-green, conical business centers. To the left are the two wings of the House of Ministries

and straight ahead the white-pillared presidential palace, the Ak Orda.

2 towers of Parliament, Astana, Kazakhstan

The two towers of the Parliament, the Senate and Mazhilis rise behind the northern ministerial building.

Before the Ak Orda is the turquoise-tiled Central Concert Hall whose design is meant to resemble the petals of a flower.

The Northern Lights are three light-green apartment towers with wavy sides and are a prominent feature of the western part of the boulevard.

Opposite them are the Emerald Towers, office blocks whose tops splay outward like pages of opening books.

Nur-Astana Mosque is a lovely four-minaret mosque that opened in 2005. The prayer hall is for men only, women use the upper gallery. There is a multi-domed space with inscriptions and geometrical patterning in blue, white, gold and red.

Hazrat Sultan Mosque opened in 2012 and has Kazakhstan’s largest dome and lovely marbled interiors.

Source

Lonely Planet

A Castle from a Fairy Tale

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March 3, 2017 Travel, Round the world

Almaty, Kazakhstan

In the earlier blog post, we covered must-see destinations in Southeast Asia. Here we shall explore a Central Asian destination.

Kazakhstan is a Central Asian country and a former Soviet republic. The borders of the country extend from the Caspian Sea in the west to the Altai Mountains at the east border with China and Russia.

Almaty is the country’s largest metropolis sitting at the foothills of the Trans-lli Alatau Mountains. It was the capital until 1997 and today is still Kazakhstan’s trading and cultural hub.

Central state Museum, Almaty, Kazakhstan

The Central State Museum is the city’s best museum. It offers visitors a look at the history of Kazakhstan from the Bronze Age to telecommunications to the transfer of the capital to Astana. There are many lovely artifacts.

In the entrance hall, you’ll find a large replica of the Golden Man.

central camel statue, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Camel statue in front of museum

Downstairs are archaeological finds and the early history up to Ghengis Khan. Next to it is the “Open Collection” exhibiting outstanding ancient gold adornments. Hall 2 has an ethnographic display. Upstairs visitors will see wonderful weaponry, horse and camel gear, musical instruments, and exotic costumes dating to the 18th century. Halls 3 and 4 have displays in the 20^th and 21^st centuries.

Kok Tobe is an 1100m hill on the southeast edge of the city.

Atop it, you shall find a 372m-high TV tower which is visible from all points in the city. You can get to the top by cable car.

At the top, you’ll find different cafes and restaurants, craft shops a roller-coaster, a mini zoo, and a children’s playground. These are all things that you could expect to find in such a place that attracts tourist.

What you might not expect to find is the life-size bronze statue of The Beatles Place, here on demand by fans in 2007. This is the impressive work of Armenian sculptor Eduard Kazaryan and is supposedly the only monument in the world with the Fab Four together.

Panfilov Park is a large and attractive park in the center of the city. It is popular for strolling and relaxing.

At the heart of the park is the candy-colored Zenkov Cathedral. The cathedral was designed by AP Zenkov in 1904 and was built entirely of wood.

The park was named for the Panfilov Heroes, 28 soldiers of an Almaty infantry unit who died fighting off Nazi tanks in a village outside Moscow in 1941.

They have been commemorated by a large war memorial, depicting soldiers from all 15 Soviet Republics. An eternal flame burns here.

Green Market is a fascinating large, two-level market that offers visitors the true flavor of Central Asia. You can see stalls piled high with nuts, fresh and dried fruit, smoked fish, spices, ready-made Korean salads, vegetables, medicinal herbs, cheeses, sausages and fresh meat, and fermented horse and camel milk. Freshly squeezed pomegranate juice. At the cafes, you can get bowls of noodles or fried rice with vegetables.

Kazakhstan Museum of Arts offers the best art collection in the country. Here you’ll find displays of Kazakh, Russian, and some Western European art. There is a room of top-class modern Kazakh handicrafts. There are explanations in English. Highlights include Russia’s Mir Iskusstva movement and the large collection of paintings by Kazakh Abylkhan Kasteev (1904 – 73).

Central (Gorky) Park is Almaty’s biggest recreation park.

There are lakes for boating, fun rides, pony rides, an Aquapark, a small zoo, a cinema, cafes, and shashlyk and beer stands. The park is most popular with families on Sundays and holidays.

Respublika Alany square, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Respublika Alany is a wide Soviet-created ceremonial square that provides a panoramic view of snow-capped mountains on a clear morning.

Independence monument, Almaty, Kazakhstan

The highlight of the square is the Independence Monument is a most interesting monument. This is a stone column that is surrounded by a replica Golden Man standing on a winged snow leopard. Around its base are statues of a Kazakh family. Behind the monument is a semicircular wall of low-relief bronze sculptures that depict scenes from Kazakhstan’s history from Golden Man times on the left to Nazarbaev to the right.

Central Mosque is a multi-towered, gold-domed central mosque of white marble. It was built in 1999 and is one of the largest in the country. The mosque has room for 3,000 worshippers and has a finely decorated main prayer hall. It is open to visitors daily except Fridays. Women must be covered from head to foot.

Dawn Of Freedom Monument for the victims of the 1986 December protests.

Take a stroll along the pedestrianized Zhibek Zholy. Here you’ll find inexpensive cafes, a few buskers, and kitsch art stands.

Big Almaty Lake is located just a thirty-minute drive south of Almaty. It is located in the beautiful Zailiysky Alteau Mountain Range. Here you can enjoy hiking and picnicking. It is a lovely spot and depending on the time of year the lake can be green, turquoise or even grayish. The surrounding forest is amazing.

Sources

Yamarella

Lonely Planet

goatsontheroad.com

Astana, Kazakhstan

March 1, 2017 Round the world, Travel

Exploring Manila: 7 Historical Spots You Must Visit

Manila is filled with so many beautiful attractions and picturesque structures. Manila is the capital of the tropical country of the Philippines. The Philippines is composed of 7,107 islands that is why it is considered as an archipelago. While there are beautiful and awesome places that can be found from all over the Philippines, Manila is still the best place to visit for you to at least have a glimpse of the history and the locals around this wonderful country.

Here are the 7 historical tourist spots in Manila that you can visit:

Fort Santiago

Fort Santiago historical spots in Manila

Within the grounds of Metro Manila lies a beautiful and historic citadel that is called Fort Santiago. According to Wikipedia, Fort Santiago was first built by the Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi for the newly established city of Manila in the Philippines. The defence fortress is part of the structures of the walled city of Manila referred to as Intramuros.

Fort Santiago is located near the famous Rizal Shrine. Inside the citadel are memorabilia’s of the Philippine heroes including Jose Rizal’s famous novel ‘Noli Me Tangere’. There is so much more to learn inside Fort Santiago and this place should be part of your bucket list.

Metered taxis, jeepneys, public buses and even kalesa can be used as a mode of transportation to get here.

2. Manila Bay

The most beautiful sunset in the Philippines can be found in Manila Bay. Manila Bay is a natural and wonderful harbour that serves as the main port in Manila, Philippines. The Battle of Manila Bay happened here in 1898 so this is really a historical place that you should visit. This is just a few kilometres away from Fort Santiago.

3. Quiapo Church

Quiapo Church, historical spot in Manila

Quiapo Church is famous for its tradition called Traslacion, an annual celebration of bringing out the Black Nazarene to a parade for its devotees. Every year, millions and millions of people are coming to witness the historical event. If you are coming to Manila in January, you better participate in this wonderful event!

You can get here by riding a metered taxi or public bus/jeepneys.

4. Luneta Park

Luneta Park is probably the most famous park in Manila, Philippines. Foreigners love to flock here especially during the afternoon as the mood and vibe will give you a feeling like you are one of the locals in Metro Manila. Luneta Park is also popular for its monument that presents the Philippine national hero named Dr Jose Rizal.

This huge park is located along Roxas Boulevard, Manila and can be reached by riding metered taxis, kalesas, and metro rail train.

5. Manila Ocean Park

Manila Ocean Park- historical spot in Manila

Manila Ocean Park is not like any other ocean parks in the world. What sets apart this oceanarium from the others is the fact that it is connected to a hotel called H2o so guests will be treated and pampered in the hotel if they want to before going to the actual ocean park.

Manila Ocean Park is a first-class oceanarium so you will really enjoy and experience what it’s like to be under the sea. This is located on the opposite side of Luneta Park

6. National Museum of The Philippines

National Museum of Phillipines, historical spot in Manila

National Museum of The Philippines is one of the oldest structures in Manila. Inside this enormous building lies more than a hundred paintings and sculptures made by some of the best artists not just from the Philippines but also from all over the world.

The good news about this museum is that it doesn’t accept payment for entrance anymore. Admission is FREE for all so better add this place to your itinerary

7. Cultural Center of The Philippines

cultural center of Phillipines, historical spot in Manila

Cultural Center of the Philippines is the top place where all kinds of art that are related to Philippine history are being shown. Movies, theatre shows, exhibits and the like can be seen inside this gigantic centre. Every year there are different festivals that will surely please you so this should also be part of your itinerary.

The city of Manila in the Philippines is really rich in culture and traditions and the best way to enjoy them is by visiting the places mentioned above. While those are considered the top spots in the metro, there are still unspoiled places that you can explore if you plan to have a long vacation in the beautiful sunny Manila.

Mark Aldrin Hipolito is a daytime writer for Holiday Inn Parramatta, one of Australia’s modern and luxurious hotels in the suburban district. Mark Aldrin gives hotel tips and hacks to help people make the most out of their vacation. He also gives out tips on how to enjoy the best spots in every country