Hidden Gem in London

Desserts have always been a weakness of mine, something that I can rarely say No to. Despite being full from a meal, I have been a living proof that there is indeed always room for desserts. So when a friend of mine suggested that we go to a dessert place while we were in London, I did not hesitate to agree and join her.

Apparently, the dessert place has been recommended by her friend who has been living in London for quite some time. I found this to be actually a good strategy whenever exploring a new place. Don't just be contented with known tourist destinations since they would most likely be crowded or overpriced. Instead, talk with the locals and discover from them their own personal recommendations or where they would usually go to for food or to hang out.

Upon arriving at the place, there were plenty of seats to choose from. At first, it had me worried because the lack of people can sometimes allude to a not-so-good food or service. But then I decided to just have an open mind and be reminded that this not the usual tourist spot and the time that we were there was still within the normal working hours.

The place specializes in pancakes so even though I was more of a waffle type of girl, I decided to try their specialty. And boy they did not disappoint! As soon as the server was heading our way, my eyes got huge and could not help but exclaim that "Wow! Their pancakes are sooooo big!". It was my first time to see such a huge pancake served in an equally humongous plate, that I immediately thought that my friend and I should have shared instead. They also had not just one scoop of vanilla ice cream as a topping, but they had three mouthwatering scoops! And when I sliced and had a first taste of the pancake, I just have to close my eyes and savour its deliciousness. Any thoughts about calories or exercise have been temporarily thrown away.

Who can go wrong with apple, cinnamon and vanilla ice cream?

Australian Adventure (Day 5 of 21) - Surfing on the Australian Waves

On the road to Manly Beach

          Boxing Day or the day after Christmas is considered a holiday in Australia.  It would actually be my first time to "celebrate" it since such holiday is not observed in the Philippines.  As it was looking to be a hot day, Tita A and Tito Bru thought it may be a good idea for us to go to Manly Beach. As far as I can remember, I haven't been to any of the beaches in Australia since it was nearing winter when I first traveled to this country.  So I was more than happy to have the chance to finally visit one.
         
           Manly Beach was around a 30-40 minute drive from my aunt's place.  However, if you would be coming from the city, you could opt to take a ferry, which takes around 30 minutes as well, or you can also travel by bus.  It's actually pretty accessible and popular to both locals and tourists.  Its name was said to come from the "confidence and 'manly behavior' displayed by a group of local aborigines" sited by Captain Arthur Phillip way back in 1788.  There are plenty of cafes, restaurants, and shops in the area.    In case you would want to stay overnight, there are also hotels, guesthouses, and serviced apartments available. For sure, you wouldn't get bored staying in Manly Beach because there are a lot of activities to choose from.  You can go kayaking, biking, whale watching (only if in season which is from Mid-May to November), diving, sailing, and of course, surfing.

Australian Adventure (Day 4 of 21) - Christmas in Sydney

Can you spot what's different with our tree?

         Out of all the holidays in a year, my most favorite to celebrate is the Christmas season.  It's the time for parties, joyful reunions, gift-giving, and of course, celebrating the birth of Jesus.  As mentioned in one of my previous posts, as early as September, you can already hear Christmas carols being played over the radio and Christmas lanterns being sold along the streets in the Philippines.  We also have these dawn masses or more commonly known as "Misa de Gallo" or "Simbang Gabi" in Filipino. These masses are normally celebrated around 4-4:30 in the early morning, and start at the 16th of December and ends at the 24th.  Some say that if you complete the nine masses and make a wish, that wish would come true.  As for me, I still haven't been able to complete a "Simbang Gabi" as I have a tendency to sleep-in especially with the colder weather during December.  Filipino delicacies such as "puto-bungbong" and "bibingka" are also usually sold near the churches.  Christmas trees adorned with multi-colored Christmas lights could also be found not only in homes but also in office buildings, shopping malls, and city halls.  Calendars are also easily filled as Christmas parties and annual reunions are held once the month of December kicks in.  Fortunately for me, I was still able to attend the Christmas parties and reunions with officemates and friends before I had to leave for my trip to Australia.  However, one thing I did miss was celebrating "Noche Buena", which is a traditional Christmas feast held every Christmas Eve with one's family.