I was back in China again on a family holiday. This time in Xiamen City. We were previously in Shanghai and Beijing just before my big trip. My sister Candie has an account of our Great Wall adventure.

Xiamen is a major coastal city in Fujian Province. It’s also the ancestral home of many overseas Chinese scattered around Southeast Asia. If you haven’t already guessed where I’m going with this, my parents’ are from here (Fujian). My dad actually went to school in Xiamen City, so this is sort of a homecoming for him. He hasn’t been back there for over 30 years though, and with the mega urbanization that went on in mainland China in the recent years, he’s as much of a tourist as we  are.

To Tour or Not to Tour

NOT.

I have nothing against tour groups. Tour group is actually a good way to see many things in a short period of time, if this is what you want. It is also designed to be painless by having everything prearranged for you. Unless of course, you’re my family. We’re too erratic to fit into any group.

See? We can’t even take a proper family photo (with the tour guide)

So learning from past mistakes, I did the arranging myself. And why not me? I’m a “self-claimed” travel expert! But really, with all the information available online these days, it’s so easy to plan for a trip to anywhere, even if you don’t speak the language. And we all do, both Mandarin and Minnan yu (South Fukien Language).

Our Family Holiday Tradition

It’s been a tradition for some years now that we have family holidays (with our parents) once or twice a year. This happens either on Holy Week or New Year or sometimes both; usually once abroad and once locally.

Our family holidays are hardly holidays to tell you the truth. It involves a lot of stress because everyone is fiercely independent and opinionated, but we love each other to bits and live for all the bickers and banters. My family’s great and anyone who knows us collectively enjoys our comical dynamics. If you’ve ever watched the American sitcom Modern Family, we’re like the real life version of it, subtitle needed. Especially when we’re traveling.

family waiting to check in (with some random Chinaese lady)

Surviving the Holiday

Like the art of backpacking, it is best to not pack too much into our trip. We’ve purposely booked a longer trip so we will not be cramped with time. My dad is not as mobile as before and needs to be on a wheelchair for longer walks. This is the main reason why we cannot join a tour, because we get embarrassed holding people up. So instead, we rented a van for ourselves to go around, and a tour guide for special trip to Yong Ding. We also only schedule one touristy activity per day.

This trip is also about my dad visiting friends. It’s especially sweet when his old friend 长寿 from way back came to meet us. They haven’t seen each other in 31 years. My mum haven’t even met them before. It has been an afternoon of reminiscing and recollection. We were happy to take part in this happy reunion.

“waah, you’re so old!”

with 长寿  (a decorated retired PLA) and his wife

I thought this trip went rather well, except for the 2 stressful days when it rained incessantly the whole day. I like it that we are not bound by tour itineraries. We are able to experience the city intimately going around on our own, at our pace. We go to the restaurant next door where school kids take their lunches. We talk to the shop owners who were curious where we’re from. One of my favorite part of a trip is when you finally get your bearings of the city; when you almost feel local.

signature photo with my sisters when one is missing

Traveling with parents is not easy. But I think it is worth the trouble because once survived, the stories are always good. Do you travel with your parents?

Xiamen: A Family Holiday is a post from: Wanderlass

a view is a view

Once you head into the town of Sintra you get an overwhelming sense of tranquillity, which is of course boosted by the Sintra Mountains as a backdrop. This is perhaps one of the most popular tourist destinations around Lisbon, and there is plenty to see and do here. You can look through Villas 4 You and stay in one of these hilly locations with a gorgeous view.
 

Pena National Palace

One of the most popular tourist destinations in Sintra is the ‘Pena National Palace‘. You may have spotted this whilst staying in Lisbon. This gorgeous castle has existed in some form or another for many centuries, although the current incarnation is built in a Romanticist style like the town it towers over. It is a castle straight our of a fairy tale. It’s quite well preserved with many original and restored furnitures. With all the towers and passages, it will give you a nostalgic flashback of your favorite princesses.

Located up in the mountains, this is an absolutely fantastic day trip from Lisbon even if you aren’t interested in history at all due to the absolutely stunning views you are going to end up with over the region.

towers and passages reminding you of your favorite fairy tale princesses

our rendition of the peasant princesses

If you are heading to Pena National Palace then you absolutely need to visit Pena Park as well. This is a 200 hectares forested park which surrounds the castle. There is a lot charm to be discovered here, with a number of trees which you won’t find anywhere else in Portugal to gaze upon. Again, make sure you have your camera handy as there is a lot of things to see and do here!

find this throne while exploring and climbing some steep rocks at the park

and you will be rewarded with this view of the pena castle

Castle of the Moors

One of the other popular places to go outside of Lisbon is ‘The Castle of the Moors’. This slightly older castle was built in the 8th century and was captured by the Christians as the fought the Moors. Despite being nothing more than ‘slightly better than normal’ ruins, they still have a fantastic beauty about them, and of course, those views over the area are also stunning when you head here. You really will not find elegance and beauty anything like this anywhere else around Lisbon.

a bit of a hike around the castle

resembles the great wall of china

Combined Tickets

If you are lucky then you will be able to cover both of these buildings over the course of the day. One of the best ways to see both of these buildings, even if you are on a budget is to purchase a combined ticket, this ticket valid for thirty days will give you access to both of them. It can purchased from either of the ticket offices at the castles. It will cost you around 17 euros for an adult or 34 euros for a family.

Getting to the castles is simple. All you need to do is head into the beautiful town centre of Sintra and hop on a looping bus. There should be many a day trip from Lisbon which will take you here. You want to be on the lookout for the 434 bus route which is a circular route which runs between the two castles. It runs every forty minutes and tickets cost 7 euros per person. You can walk to the castles but it isn’t suggested, it is a very steep climb and even the fittest amongst you may struggle. After all, castles were never built for easy access!

Cabo da Roca

Another of the popular places to go outside of Lisbon is Cabo da Roca, located in Sintra municipality. This cape is the most westerly part of Portugal, and Europe and the views that you can look forward to are some of the best around Lisbon.

The area is absolutely gorgeous with sandy beaches and 100 foot high cliffs setting the scene. It is no surprise that this is the best day trip from Lisbon or those that love playing around with their cameras. Heading here is remarkably easy too. Of course, there a number of trips which operate from the city which can bring you here, but if you wish, you will also be able to head out here using your own devices. In my opinion, the best way is to hop on a train that will take you from Lisbon to Sintra, it shouldn’t take too long.

Once you are here, head to the town centre and you should be able to hop on a bus. Bear in mind that the buses in the town become frequently crowded however, so don’t expect to get on the first one you see! If you wish to take the day trip from Lisbon by yourself then you can drive to Cabo da Roca. It is around 40km, and there are plenty of places to park once you have arrived, and it really is an area which lends itself to getting out of your car and having a bit of an explore of the area.

Western Most Edge of the World

Praia Grande

If you are a surfer, or want to get into surfing, then one of the best places you can visit outside of Lisbon is Praia Grande, a gorgeous beach which boasts yellow sands, beautiful water and some pretty extreme surfing. You won’t be experiencing the best waves in Europe here, but the ones that do appear should satisfy even the most adventurous surfers, whether they are a beginner or slightly more experienced. There are plenty of other water sports to do here as well if surfing doesn’t quite float your boat. In fact, there is so much to do here, this has been crowned the capital of water sports in the country. Although of course, if you just want to laze about on the beach and catch the hot Portuguese sun then feel free to do so!

Surf’s UP at Praia Grande

There are plenty of other things to do around Praia Grande too if you find that the beach is a little too much, including some great places to dine. If you want to take a day trip from Lisbon then getting here isn’t too difficult either. All you need to do is head to Sintra. There are plenty of buses that run to and from the beach here. There are also a few buses which run directly from Lisbon.

This is just a brief highlight of what there is to see and do in Sintra. Honestly, it is one of the best places around Lisbon if you are looking to do something slightly different. It really is a ‘must visit’ in my books.

* This is a backblog – I was in Sintra, Portugal on October, 2011.

What is a BackBlog? Well, you just read one. June 6, 2011, I set off to travel around the world, and because I was having too much fun on the road, I couldn’t be updated with all my amazing stories. I didn’t wanna just post whatever so I decided that I’ll catch up when I come home. Yeah, yeah, whatever. I’ve been home since August 15, 2012. Read my Post RTW blog on my thoughts about coming home and also check out my random RTW stats.

Fairytale Town of Sintra is a post from: Wanderlass

Secondly, DJ from Dream Eurotrip invited me to join this Euro Blog Carnival with the theme Beaches in Europe. Because DJ’s a friend; because I was in these beaches; because it’s about time for a new blog post.

Lastly, I thought it timely to post something of Europe for I’ve decided to travel to Europe again this summer! Yeeeaah! I’m traveling again. But before that, here you go beaches.

surprising what you find in those european beaches eh?

Brighton Beach

When the sun peeks out for 5 minutes in London, people hop on the train and head for the beach in Brighton. It takes 1.5 hours and costs around GBP10-15 return, depending on the day, time, or which train you get.  So one day when the thermometer hits 30, well, when in Britain…

The beach is not what you expect of a beach. From afar, it looks pretty normal, but up close, you get pebbles for a beach. I was actually very fascinated by it that for a minute, was more interested in it than my company, haha. The water is cold even if the sun was blazing hot. But still you can see brave bodies dipping in their swimming costumes. I am glad that water in the Philippines is only 1 degree colder than the air.

Brighton is a vibrant place with a happy vibe. The beach is clean and as you can see, people don’t mind the pebbles. I also laid there for a few getting tan. The boardwalk has a lot going on: street performers, vendors, and plenty of open air cafes where you sit to get a pint or two or…

Brighton is not a new town; it has history that goes way back and has remarkable landmarks such as the Royal Pavillon, the Brighton Pier, clock tower, and a couple of museums. It is great for a day trip but definitely worthy of a couple of days stay.

Brighton Beach looks pretty normal from afar.

But up close

pebbles!

Brighton Beach Boardwalk

Brighton Behind the Beach

Portobello Beach

You’ve been to the Castle Rock, walked the Royal Mile, into the Palace of Holyroodhouse, joined the Literary Pub Tour (not your ordinary pub crawl, mind you), library, cemetery, hill, pond, church, cafe, pubs, etcetera. My point is you’ve seen and been to all the glory of Edinburgh (read:EDIN-bur-ra). Then someone mentioned to me that there’s a beach 20 minutes away. Naturally, I’d hop on the bus (#15 or #26) and head for it.

Getting to Portobello beach is like walking into a faded old photograph. The dependable Scottish overcast certainly help paint the picture. The beach is so long and so wide that it made the place seems deserted. The wide space all over muffles the sound of the waves and occasional voices of children playing. I didn’t think it was sad, but it made me a little thoughtful. I was 2 months into my round the world and I was still in disbelief, happily.

Portobello Beach has certainly seen its hey days. Walking the promenade today, you’ll see families with little children, old people with dogs, occasional cyclists, joggers; you also see Tower Amusement and Fun City arcade which could be part of a lively boardwalk amusement park in the 60′s; and there’s me sitting on the outside table of one of the 2 food places jotting away my thoughtful thoughts before it rains.

If this were a movie, this is when some guy stops by to ask me to look after his belongings while he goes get tea. He would try to start a conversation by asking if I’m writing a best selling novel. He would be someone with an exciting job; a treasure hunter, a secret agent or such. He would be interesting and engaging; he would ask me to dinner at a fancy restaurant called Tigerlily, but after a few drinks at this tiny pub with live music. He would hand me an antique russian pill box he found while scavenging for treasure. If this were a movie, he would look like Matthew McConaughey! 

Portobello Beach

old buildings probably the police station or a church

Fun City Amusement Portobello Beach

the only 2 food places in this stretch (fish & chips or tea & cakes)

portobello beach boardwalk

I love the beach and have been to a few in Europe: Barcelona, St-Malo, Ibiza, Portugal, Nice, Cannes, Holland. It boggles people that I would still go to the beach in Europe when I’m from the island paradise that is the Philippines. Oh well.

Britain Got Beaches: Brighton & Portobello is a post from: Wanderlass

A veritable sea of people will follow the blocos in dance rituals to the beat of the drums. The motorized blocos with huge speakers and platform where local musicians perform atop it, leading the crowd with their rhythms in what termed as

the biggest street party in the world

I can still hear the drum beat, uncertain whether it was throbbing to my heart’s rhythm or the other way around.

Salvador Bahia : Biggest Street Party on Earth

Brazil Carnival

Carnival is celebrated in every corner of the world, however, the word “carnival” is almost a common term for Brazil Carnival. No? Okay, fine, it’s just me. It’s such a big deal for me that witnessing Brazil carnival is one of the only 2 items I have on my RTW list. The other one is diving the Galapagos.

Rio Carnival is still considered the mother of all carnivals. It is bigger, grander, and more famous world-wide. Rio’s world renown Sambadrome is after all the Greatest Show on Earth, and I tell you it-is-be-dazzlingly GRAND and AWESOME! Because I watched the winner’s parade LIVE! BUT Bahia Carnival is pretty special. In Rio, you watch the fabulous carnival.

In Bahia, YOU ARE the carnival

The Salvador Bahia carnival lasts 6 days and has the unique arrangement where the participants are identified through wearing abadas (a uniform shirt), whose purchase gives the wearer the privilege of accompanying a bloco (a float) during the carnival, or as a ticket to the vip lounges known as camarotes, where celebrities perform, food & drinks are served and more.

It sound a little bit complicated, but it is easy to understand once explained.

Bahia has made an effort to keep their carnival from becoming too commercialized and has succeeded, because it still maintains its original flavor, más o menos.

*This is a backblog. I was in the carnaval Feb 2012

What is a Back-Blog? Well, you are looking at one. Last year, I traveled around the world from June 2011 to August 2012, but because I was having too much fun on the road, I couldn’t be updated with all my amazing stories. I didn’t wanna just post whatever so I decided that I’ll catch up when I come home. Yeah, yeah, whatever. I’ve been home since August 15, 2012. Read my Post RTW blog on my thoughts about coming home and also check out my random RTW stats.

Salvador de Bahia Carnival is a post from: Wanderlass

If you’re looking for exciting and unusual things to do this summer, you have to know about La Tomatina, one of Spain’s most unique events that’s notorious for being absolutely crazy, utterly messy, and most importantly of all – ridiculously fun!

Sometimes referred to as the ‘Tomato Festival’, La Tomatina has taken place in the town of Bunol, near Valencia, every last Wednesday of August since the mid-1940s. This year is on August 28, 2013. Simply put, La Tomatina is an enormous food fight during which 100 tonnes of over-ripe tomatoes are driven into the Plaza de Pueblo, where thousands of revellers await, poised to throw the tomatoes at each other until Bunol’s streets resemble an explosion in a ketchup factory.

Yet as eccentric as La Tomatina may sound, it’s also an event that’s shrouded in tradition, and before the tomato-throwing commences an important ritual, the Palojabón, must take place. A wooden, grease-covered pole with a ham attached to the top is erected in the Plaza de Pueblo, and it’s the job of one brave soul to reach the top of the pole and claim the ham in order to signal the start of the food fight – although so few are actually successful that the tomatoes soon begin to fly anyway.

The Messier the Better

It doesn’t take long for proceedings to become hectic, and every reveller is covered from head to toe in mushed-up tomatoes. There are no winners of La Tomatina, though it’s generally the consensus that the filthier you are, the more fun you had, so if you intend on joining in don’t even think about wearing your best clothes!

Photo by www.erkinagsaran.com

In fact, dressing for success will give you a distinct advantage at La Tomatina. It’s a good idea to wear closed-toe shoes that you can dispose of after the fight, as well as goggles, because all that tomato juice can soon start to sting.

La Tomatina is certainly an event that you can’t miss after arriving on flights to Spain with airlines like Jet2.com. If you wish to see the quirky side of Spain, you will need to conduct a level of pre-planning if you want to get involved. Unlike all previous editions of La Tomatina you will have to pay an entrance fee of €10 to the 2013 event, and only 20,000 people will be allowed to participate in order to avoid the chaos of last year, when 50,000 people showed up for the tumultuous tomato fight.

Photo by www.erkinagsaran.com

If you’re one of the lucky people to snap up a place at La Tomatina you’re guaranteed to have a trip to remember, and one that you’ll want to do again and again. Just remember to pack a waterproof camera so you can share your memories with your less daring friends!

La Tomatina Fun is a post from: Wanderlass