How I Ran My First Marathon While Pregnant

I’m writing a part of this entry one week before the race but the title says it’s already done and over with – that’s how convinced I am that I’m gonna finish the 42KM run at this point. I have always dreamed of running a full marathon. For me, it is a test of mental and physical toughness. And a little something extra… doing it while pregnant. Yes, you read it right, I am biting the bullet.

If you’re like me who found out the good news while training for a marathon or just contemplating to run one with a baby bump, here’s a few insights that you can consider:

1. KNOW YOUR “WHY”

The crazy idea of running a full marathon started when my twin sister and I thought of registering in TBR Dream Marathon 2020 on July 2019. It’s a race created for first and second time marathoners. The slot is lottery drawn so we didn’t know the odds of us being both chosen. All we know that time was a lot of people try their luck to get in to this event.

July 25, 2019 – the selected runners came out. We both got in! My initial reaction was not “WOW” or “YAY”. Instead, it’s a big “WHY” – why on earth did we do this. The farthest I ran was 21KM and my tongue fell out finishing that race. Not to mention that it took me one month to recover with 4 dead toenails. And now this?

We had two days to decide. It was a never ending discussion with my sister; so many times we asked if it’s a go or no-go. One day I just realized, why did we register in the first place? Why did we try to get in to this event? One clear, simple answer – because we wanted it! There was this desire that led us to take effort filling out the registration forms, researching, considering the expenses and what-not. We wanted to do something that not everybody can do. In other words, we wanted the challenge! So finally, we did not let the fear take over and decided to join.

All was going well and I had a 20-20 vision of my objective for the TBR Dream Marathon 2020. I was all set until December 9, 2019 – I found out I was pregnant. Just like my initial reaction on getting in the race, not “WOW” or “YAY”. Instead, it’s a big “WHY” – why now. Not that I didn’t want to have a second Elisse (who would not?), but why the timing, I asked. The overthinking went back. The fear again took over. I was so down – and this was the most selfish feeling that I’ve had in my life. Being down after knowing you’re pregnant? Unbelievable! I feel a horrible guilt up until today on why I felt it that time and I express my regret countless times.

It finally sank in that it’s just my own self who’s derailing everything. After days of anxiety, I finally decided to use the circumstance not to stop, but to be the reason to continue. I told myself, “I WILL RUN FOR TWO”. I will break the stigma – pregnant women can still run, more so, do a marathon. I respect and salute moms who put things off until giving birth but as for me, I decided to continue with a promise to listen to my body. I know what my body is capable of. The challenge is doing all of this while my body is going through the incredible changes… and I accepted it.

2. LISTEN TO YOUR DOCTOR

Not many doctors support constant running while pregnant, let alone doing a marathon. Once you know that your baby is in the right place and good condition, the key here is making your OB understand your running history. I started my conversation with my doctor with, “Doc, I have been running for years even before I get pregnant and I workout 3 to 5 times a week. I consider myself as a very physically active individual. I intend to run a marathon and I have been training for it. I would like to get your go signal as I really want to achieve my goal by doing all of this safely.”. She then agreed perhaps knowing what I wanted to hear considering my speech instead of simply asking a permission. LOL.

If you weren’t running regularly before getting pregnant, do not start now.

3. TRAIN PROPERLY

The 22-week marathon training formally started on September 2019. We joined the Agura Training Camp (ATC) led by Coach Janette Agura. It was the best decision we made in relation to the anticipated marathon. Coach Janette and the ATC runners really helped us improve and boost our runner-selves. The support of ATC from the training up to the race day was unbelievable.

4. EXPECT THE CHANGES AND ADJUST

I have been running for almost 3 years so I thought, maybe it wouldn’t make so much difference this time.

8 weeks (almost 2 months) pregnant I went on with the training. Week 9, 10, 11, 12 and so on – it’s not getting any easier. I felt extra sluggish, tired not even starting to run. Non-stop all-day sickness, acid reflux, nausea, vomiting, headache – goodness, I felt really pregnant. I didn’t know how to start running with all that’s happening to my body. The only comfort while running was the redirection of pain from my head and stomach to my legs. It felt somewhat better. Though, of course, I had my instinct to scale off and just rest during worst times. Good thing my coach was very considerate by tweaking my drills and run intensity.

I had to change my energy gels to non-caffeinated with flavors that I didn’t like and adjust my hydration because I couldn’t take the taste of water! I also noticed that my heart rate increased even in my slow runs. I was struggling with 5Ks. “Break the stigma”, huh? My conviction turned into hesitation. But then again, it brings me back to my “WHY”.

5. DON’T PUT PRESSURE ON YOURSELF

From a sub 5-hour target finish time, I instead changed my goal to simply finishing the race safe.  I remember when I did the most important long run before the race , the 32KM. It was the most crucial part, the trial run, and most importantly, the tipping point. That run was the deciding point whether I push through or back out the race.

My twin sister ran alongside me all the way. I ran slowly and safely. Super slow, touching my tummy once in a while trying to tell my little one that “we’re okay, buddy”. We finished the 32KM run. A bit painful, but I finished it. That’s the goal!

6. FIND SOMEONE WHO WILL RUN WITH YOU ALL THE WAY

I was lucky to have my family and ATC running team to support me. But the person who played an important role on this journey was my twin sister, Trina. Just like me, she had her goal. But when I told her I was pregnant, she aligned her goals with mine without any hesitations.

My twin and I promised to cross the finish line together. No one would leave the other behind.

7. EMBRACE THE RACE

With the gun’s signal, we took off with a prayer.

The first half was fine. Then came the 27th kilometer. My knees weakened. How would I finish the remaining 15 kilometers, I repeatedly doubted. My sister kept uttering, “we will stick to the plan. We will finish this race!”. Every kilometer felt farther and farther. The cheers of the support crew and fellow runners kept us going. Go Kambal! Let’s go twins! Almost there twins!

We reached the final 200-meter mark. We could see the finish line already. It felt surreal! My tears started to fall. We finally heard it – Trisha and Trina, the twins! Congratulations, you are now marathoners! I only heard that in my dreams. All the hard work definitely paid off. We finished with unofficial time of 5 hours and 34 minutes.

My finish time was not the one I initially planned for – it was slower. However, I did not make my pregnancy an excuse for having such finish time. Instead, I am very proud that the baby inside me became the reason why I went through and finished the race. My baby is a marathoner at 4 months in my tummy!

My marathon journey was a roller coaster ride. I cried so many times just thinking or dreaming of crossing the finish line. Guess what, I already have a photo of now an amazing reality. I could not have done this without the support of my family and running community.

PS: If you’re looking for a race to run your first marathon, The Bull Runner Dream Marathon is the best event to join in. You will never feel alone on your journey. The organizers handled the Ash Fall and NCOV hazards very well. They think of the runners’ welfare. There were changes in the venue, time and logistics but they didn’t settle for mediocrity. They provided a great Plan B!

 And if you’re pregnant, listen to your body and ask your doctor first. Remember that every pregnancy is different.

Your mommathoner,

Trisha B.

A Letter to Elisse

Dearest Elisse,

First off, you’re probably wondering where we got your beautiful name “Martha Elisse”. Well, we wanted to have a classic and modern touch in your name. Martha because it sounds “old” and it means “lady” in Aramaic. Plus your dad wants something derived from the bible and Martha happens to be a friend of Jesus’. Now Elisse because I watched this horror film “Insidious” while I was like 6 months pregnant with you. The name of the psychic - who’s by the way I thought was a bad*ss – is Elise. So there, your name basically means BAD*SS LADY! And you owe that to us! Btw, I’ll tell you what the * means when you’re twenty already.

It’s time to get serious... Elisse, you’re turning one in a few days. It seems like just yesterday when you were in my tummy and I would eat papaya and pineapple every night for you to have a nice skin. You know sayings. =) You’ll probably be able to read this like when, 2? 3, or 5 years from now? No one really knows. Just like no one knew when you’d have your first tooth, when you’d do your first step, what first real word you’d say, whose name you’re gonna first call. Those just all happened. But the most important thing that no one – not even I - knew or saw coming was how a little girl like you changed my life entirely. I want to show you how…

BEFORE & WHEN YOU CAME


Before you came, I was so bad at time management. I’d be late on some of my meetings, I’d forget doing my errands, I’d miss my dues, all because of doing other unimportant things and not knowing my priorities. When you came, I had everything listed down – my schedule, my daily tasks, my bills, your dad, and so on. And on top of them – YOU. 


Despite my busy days at work, I still find time to pump your milk four times a day. I also use my pump time to read books. Believe it or not, it used to be so hard for me to finish (or start for that matter) a single book. But now, I’ve finished dozens since the day I started pumping. I’m just happy that I’m able to do worthy stuff that I was not able to do before, with you as my number 1. 

Before you came, I would go out with my friends almost every night and drink a lot of this yellow-looking thing called beers (it tastes really bad and not good for the health). When you came, I decided to cut it off. Not only because it’s bad for me, but also because it’s bad for you. As you know, you drink milk straight from my breast. When I drink beer, it goes all the way to my breast and mixes with the milk that you take. So that makes it a “bad milk” for you. To give you a healthier milk, I started to eat right and pursue running as my exercise. I would join races and imagine you waiting for me at the finish line. =) Geez, I have never felt healthier. 

I admit I still drink beers on some occasions but I make sure that I have stored enough “clean breastmilk” for you to enjoy.

Before you came, I would buy anything for myself - food, drinks, gadgets, shoes, clothes, everything. I would even travel out of the country every year. When you came, I don’t buy new stuff anymore unless necessary. I haven’t travelled since 2015. I envy your Ninang Trina whenever she makes a trip to the states. In fact, she’s asking me if I can go this time and I said I still can’t. But you know what? You now have a brand new home - our very own condo. And we’re moving in next week or so. =) That’s probably where you’re reading this letter right now. All the money that your dad and I didn’t spend for ourselves went there. We have no regrets at all. I know It’s gonna take time for us to “spend” again, but believe me you will understand when you grow older.

Before you came, I could not control my temper. I lose my patience so easily. Your dad can tell you more about it. I bet he can write 100 pages about his experience. =) My temper would turn me into a completely different person, a person who I usually hate. When you came, well I still have my temper and I think that won’t go away, but the good news is that I have time to close my eyes and shut my anger when I think of you. I admit that you sometimes get into my nerves then I shout, frown and get upset. My outburst is evident. Sometimes it takes a while for me to realize how awful my actions are but I feel remorse. Remorse – something I once never knew.

Before you came, I had my life – family, work, and friends. I was simply happy and all was right. When you came, I see wonderful colors around me! I see things far differently now. Whatever I do, it is always you that I think of first. It is not about my own life anymore. It’s about my life as your mother. All I know is that life turned out to be so much better when you came -- I love your dad even more, I love all the people I love even more, and most especially, I love myself, my life even more. It is all because of you. IT IS NOW ALL FOR YOU.

Happy 1st birthday [in advance], my love! Please remember that I will never get tired of loving you. 

PS: Sorry for writing to you this early.


XX,
Mommy

How to Get a Philippine Passport and U.S. Visa for Your Baby

If you have a baby and you’re planning to take her for a vacation outside the country, whether or not it’s soon, the perfect time to get a passport is now! The same goes for getting a visa, and in my case, a US tourist visa (B2).

We all know how long the lines can be when it comes to applying for these kinds of stuff. The main reason for doing it this soon is to avoid the inconvenience of going through a mile-long line and skip the usual long process with just one weapon… your BABY!

This post will help you with the simple process of getting a passport and applying for a US visa for your adorable little one. But before going any further, please take note that I am NEITHER an expert nor an employee of any involved organizations. The information is only based on my personal experience and references. So don’t blame me for unfortunate events! =)

I.              GETTING A PASSPORT

If your baby has a passport already, see part II.

My baby was 4 months old when I decided to get her a passport. I already have mine so it’s just for her that I was getting the passport for. I had to allot 1 weekday because Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is closed on weekends. 

Good thing about applying for a baby less than 1 year old is that you don’t have to set an appointment or confirm a schedule. You can just walk in and there are special lanes for infants.
 

So first thing to do is check the availability of all the required documents because some, like the infant’s birth certificate, are not readily available. Sometimes it even takes time to be uploaded at Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). 

You may check the complete list of requirements at the DFA website, www.dfa.gov.ph. Below are the applicable ones in my case.

•  Accomplished passport application form. Download it from the Department of Foreign Affairs website (http://www.dfa.gov.ph/download)
•  Personal appearance of either parent
• Valid passports of parents 
• Original Birth Certificate of minor in Security Paper issued by PSA. Order it online at www.nsohelpline.ph/order-now. Fee is PHP 350 per document inclusive of processing and delivery fees.

Once you have these, proceed to the DFA office. In my case, it's DFA - SM Megamall.

 1. First window  - pre-screening: 2 minutes
2. Second window – submission of documents and payment: 5 minutes

         Fees (Manila):

         Express Processing (10 working days): PHP 1,200

         Normal Processing (30 working days): PHP 950 
3. Third window – photo capturing. This is so cute. My baby could not sit at the time so they had her photo taken while lying on a blue cloth. 6 minutes
4. Fourth and final window – instructions to the courier for passport delivery. 2 minutes

*A parent may bring one companion to assist him/ her with the baby.

Total processing time: 15 minutes! The passport was delivered after 3 days.

Yes, parents can take advantage of this if they’re applying together with their baby. =)

II.             GETTING A U.S. VISA

Again, I am writing these info based ONLY on my experience and applicable scenario at the time of application, that:
- baby is 5 months old
- my husband and I have valid US tourist visas
- my husband’s passport is expired
- my passport is valid

I actually read a lot of articles prior application so I would know what to expect. A lot of “what ifs” and horror stories flashed into my mind and got me worried for few days or so. What made me more worried was the fact that my husband and I hold visas that would probably make the consul think that we have an intention to bring the baby to the US to live there permanently. 

But common sense erased all my worries and negativity: if I had an intention to bring my daughter to the US and stay long, I would have given birth there. For one, that would make her an instant citizen, right? So what’s there to doubt? 

Then I went on with lighter baggage…

Here’s how the process goes (for complete details, please refer to http://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph):

1. Accomplish the DS-160 form. Answer all the questions truthfully! Refrain from fabricating info just to make it look impressive. Here’s the link - https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/.

2. Pay the visa application fee at any Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) branch or via BPI online. As of writing, B2 application fee is $160  = PHP 8,160. This is non-refundable. You will have to print a form that has a randomly generated receipt number that you will also be required to present at the embassy.

3. Schedule an appointment by doing an online registration at https://cgifederal.secure.force.com/?language=English&country=Philippines. When you’re logged in, the page will show the earliest available schedule. You may also call the hotline at (02)9768500-02. I suggest getting the earliest, like 7:00 AM.

4. Go to the US embassy for interview. This is the nerve-racking part. All I can think of that day was “Is that how fast my money would vanish if the application gets rejected?!” And so I though the baggage was lighter.

At the US Embassy:

You will be required to come at least 15 minutes before your appointment. Our schedule was 7:15 AM and we were there at 7:00 AM sharp. The line outside was already very long where you could see families, couples, young professionals, students and babies like my daughter, Elisse.

Only 1 parent is allowed to accompany the baby. I suggest that you have someone come along and wait for you outside because (1) mobile phones and other gadgets are not allowed (2) to help you with the baby when you’re done and (3) to carry things for you. Make sure also that you bring food and milk in case of a long wait. Luckily, I’m breastfeeding so no sweat at all.

As for the documents, I only brought what the website asked me to bring:

-       Printed copy of appointment letter

-       DS-160 confirmation page

-       2X2 photograph with White background

-       Official Receipt for the visa fee payment

-       Baby’s passport

-       My passport

-       SUPPORTING DOCUMENT: Certificate of Employment

So here it goes:

Step 1. Approach the staff at the gate and advise that application is for the baby alone. Don’t feel bad when you cut the line. This is your perk! They will give you a piece of paper where you will write your name as a visitor. Let them check the documents. You’ll also be given a card labelled “E” which means Express. You’ll show this to the marshals at every window.

Step 2. Pre-screening. The officer will check the completeness of documents so make sure that you have everything including the photo with correct specs.

Step 3. Fingerprint scanning. Though this is no longer applicable, you still have to go to the biometrics windows. The officer will just ask the baby’s name and date of birth.

Step 4. Interview! This was how the actual interview went:

Consul: So you’re going to America as a tourist.

Me: Yes.

Consul: Do you have your visa?

Me: Yeah.

Consul: Can I see your visa?

Me: (handed my passport)

Consul: OK. Her visa will arrive in a week. Have a safe trip.

I wanted to ask, “Really, is that it?”. It was like a crazy roller coaster ride that lasted for a few seconds but so damn unpredictable!

She got a 10-year multiple entry. Her passport was delivered after a week.
 

The entire process took less than 30 minutes. Mann, that’s like shorter than your noon break.

So that was how I got Elisse’s passport and visa. The swift process actually quite changed my notion about Philippine government offices (at least for document processing). Well, I know it’s because of the baby but... it has definitely improved through the years. Like, I got my driver’s license renewed in less than an hour. That’s something.

I hope this would be of little help.

Have a safe trip!

Trisha

5 Simple Reasons to Breastfeed

Today marks my 5^th month of exclusive breastfeeding. Exclusive means no formula milk, no water, no solids, nothing else but breast milk. I decided to write something about breastfeeding because this will be the last month that my baby will be exclusively breastfed. We visited the doctor today and she gave a go signal to introduce semi solids next month. Meaning Elisse will be able to taste other healthy food aside from my milk. Yey!

Whether you’re a first time or seasoned mom, the popular advice that you get is to feed your baby with your own milk. It may sound easy and exciting but… let’s see.

So you’ve successfully delivered your baby… you feel her first latch and doesn’t hurt at all. Come the first week of your breastfeeding, you find yourself awake the whole night because of your baby’s constant whimpering.  You feel tired and frustrated when you feel that she’s not getting enough milk from you. Your back is in extreme pain because you can’t find the right position to nurse. Not to mention the cracked, sore and even bleeding nipples. All of these are happening while your body is still recovering from a 9-month hardship there was.

Thinking of quitting nursing too soon? Here’s why you shouldn’t:
  
1. Breastfeeding helps you lose weight. This is probably number one in your to-do list – to trim those lbs down to your pre-pregnancy weight. You used to be a 120-pounder with 25-inch waist line but now you see the hand of the weighing scale going way over the 120, 130 or even 150 mark! Plus the flabby & saggy tummy. Good news is breastfeeding lets you blow 500 calories out a day. Believe it or not, it’s like a 45-minute workout without bending your knees with those dumbbells. 
  
2. Breastfeeding is economical. According to the computing website thesimpledollar.com, it costs around a whopping $1,800 to formula feed an average baby for the first year of life. And the cost of breast milk - ZERO.

3. Breastfeeding is convenient. May it be at the mall, hospital, park, almost everywhere, you can nurse your baby when you are out and about. Just with your nursing cover, you’re always on the go. You don’t have to worry about bringing bottles and spilling out the milk while preparing it. 

4. Breastfeeding creates a bond between you and your baby. Your baby feels secure when her skin touches yours. The warmth of your body gives her the familiarity of you being around all the time.

 5. Breastfeeding makes your baby healthier. Pediatricians strongly recommend breast milk because of nutritional benefits it provides. It protects your baby against infections & other diseases and it boosts the immune system. I’m glad to say that Elisse has smoothly overcome the side effects of her vaccines. And I firmly believe that it is because of her strengthened immune system brought by breastfeeding.

These are only few pros of breastfeeding - the reasons why you have to endure the challenges during the early days of it. There may be “unreasonable cons” such as limited drinking and partying, limited time traveling alone, limited time with other people, limited workouts and the like. But guess what, you only have at least 2 years to nurse, and the rest of your life to drink and be merry.

Once you get the hang of it, you’ll find a hundred more reasons why you should keep going.

I know that breastfeeding moms will understand this more than anyone else will --- it makes a momma proud of herself when she reaches five months of exclusive breastfeeding. Just imagine how she’ll feel after 2 years of doing it. =)

Milky Mom,

Trisha

Now a Momma!

It has been almost 2 months since I gave birth to my first, beautiful baby, Martha Elisse. During my 9-month pregnancy, I have been in an incredible journey – one that I never thought would be more incredible until this tiny creature, who’s staring at me right now, came out of my body.

It was December 12 when I found out that I was pregnant. It’s something that my husband and I planned but still undeniably shocked both of us. We were not ready. Few weeks before that, I was into running, drinking and some other vices that I would not have done had I known about the pregnancy earlier. Well one, I did a 21KM run; two, I filled my tummy with liters of beer, not knowing I was already carrying Elisse. I was in fact hungover when I took the pregnancy test.

Fast forward to the day Elisse was born, August 7th. 21 hours of labor – it was so painful that I think I will now be able to tolerate any pain that has yet to come. It was so amazing to realize what my body just went through.

After 3 pushes, Martha Elisse finally came out... the baby that I carried for 9 long months and the baby who took away all the pain in just a single second. Her eyes, nose, lips, cheeks - I couldn't stop staring at her. She’s so beautiful.It is true what they say, once you see your baby, you will just forget all the aches.

The first month was the most difficult. Sleepless nights,cracked nipples (this one, ouch!), wet diapers, wild cryings. rashes... Oh my, I didn’t even know where to start. Every move that my baby makes, I would google. Say she poops, I’d grab my phone and type “baby poop color many times frequency”. She sleeps, I’d type “baby sleep how long?”. She burps, “how often baby burps”. Not to mention the random questions that I send to my mommy friends everyday. Yes, that level of ignorance. But thanks to everyone who helped me, really. Now that Elisse is turning 2 months old, let’s see what other funny keywords Google gets from me. :)

After going through all of these, I have so much more respect to all mothers especially to those who have twins, triplets, and so on. I have one baby and it hurts me to see her cry even for a few minutes. I can't imagine having two or three that all cries at once.

Apart from the body weight (from 120 lbs to don't-even-ask-how-big-i-am lbs), I gained a lot from this wonderful journey. I am not sure how difficult it will be, but for all I know, it has just started and it's not going to end... I.AM.READY.


It’s one thing to give birth to a child, but it’s another to raise her well. :)



New mommy,
Trisha



PS: My next entry will be "my journey to losing weight" LOL

New York: High City

New York City. That’s when I start to hear Alicia Keys’ “concrete jungle where dreams are made of…”. The song literally played in my head when I first stepped on NYC’s floor and yes, it was like seeing a movie star for the first time. I just couldn’t believe that I was in the same place where Godzilla, King Kong and other weird creatures once put their feet on.

Getting through the "jungle" was never easy. As what New Yorkers and Sinatra say, "If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere" - a quite intimidating statement not only for workers, but also for us first-time wanderers. That being said, I want to share with you the 4 important things we applied during our trip to the city:

PLAN. This actually does not need emphasis. Yes, spontaneity is very much exciting but for a place as swarmed as NYC, a prepared list of places would be a great help. (not unless you’re going to be there for at least half a year to explore). A full week in our case, really needed a lot of planning. So download the subway and bus maps before even getting there, preload your Google Map, make a list of places, talk to someone you know who’d been to NYC, and some other stuff that would save you lots of time.

SAVE. Not that you have to allot whole of your earnings for your trip but you can set a certain amount for your baon so as not to overspend during your stay. That’s right, an average wage (or below average hahaha) employee like me could afford to fly to NYC.  J When you try to find something over google, make sure to type along “CHEAP” lol.
Plane Ticket – Go to a travel fair. So much cheaper than the regular one.
Stay – Airbnb!! We got the whole apartment just for the 3 of us.
Also, it’s not bad to spend a lot on food because that is what’s so good in here so don’t deprive yourself; eat hotdogs, burgers, pizzas, pretzels, bagels  all you want as long as you limit other things like transportation. We bought a 7-day Metro Card for $31 which gives unlimited train and bus rides until midnight, saves me a lot. If places aren’t very far and you brought enough Red Bulls, then just walk. Believe me, with everything that you could possibly eat, you wouldn’t mind walking a mile or two just to shake it all off.
Info: small hotdog’s average cost is $3. That’s like what, one full meal here in the Philippines.

SELECT.  I was in NYC for just a little over a week – not enough to see everything. So I did the stuff that I thought were “must-dos” and crossed out those that I seldom heard about. Well, my sister and husband did a great job picking places so I pretty much did what I wanted to do/ see such as:

• Times Square
• Broadway show
• Yankees game
• Statue of Liberty
• Wall St.
• Ate lots of hotdogs, burgers and pizzas
• 9/11 memorial and the new One World Trade
• Brooklyn Bridge
• 4th of July Fireworks
• Local beers
• Empire State
• High Line
• Battery Park
• Central Park
• SO MUCH MORE

 LASTLY,

ADAPT. In NYC I saw the diversity - neighborhood, food, buildings, and most of all, people.  There were loud, quiet, polite, rude, helpful, snub and everything you could think of. Just one thing… Go with the flow! J I have been to quite a lot of places and I would say that being in NYC brought me to a whole new level.

I am very glad that I experienced the city’s chaos with Trina and Alvin.  Happy to say that we survived New York!

Just remember these -- dream place and great company. Soooo where’s next?

Love,

Trisha

Taipei 2014

So we thought of having our last trip for 2014 outside PH. We only had a really short prep and we made sure that all activities were squeezed in to make our stay worthwhile.

Since we’re only having this on one weekend, we thought of a closer city, which of course has lots of things to do and beers to drink. The first place that we pictured….. Taipei! So for all of you who no longer have leave credits in the office and plan to spend a weekend here, hope this writing helps. :)

First thing to do is get your Taiwan visa. For more info, visit the embassy’s official website at http://www.roc-taiwan.org/PH/mp.asp?mp=272. If you have a valid US entry visa, you may skip this part. It helped us do away with the paperworks with our so little time. You just have to go to this link - https://niaspeedy.immigration.gov.tw/nia_southeast , enter your personal info and poof, get the travel authorization approval.

Next is find a flight and hotel. Us cheapskates chose Cebu Pacific and Agoda. I just have to rant however, how the airline changed the return flight schedule on such short notice – just when you thought you’d have enough rest. Anyway, thanks still, they’re able to bring us there and back safely.

Once all is set, prepare yourself for a leg-breaking and literally breathtaking journey. I had like three (3) Red Bulls to keep me going and going and going. Plus make sure that you preload your Google Map as it is big big help in getting directions.

Before we go to the spots, let me say that this place is close/ comparable to S. Korea. At least as to people, building structures, lights (yeaa a lot of LEDs), and transportation. Just from what I’ve seen.

Food and Drinks. Street food here goes so well with the Taiwan Beer. Became my favorite! As for the stinky tofu…. Uhm, by the time you smell it, you won’t continue imagining yourself eating it. It smells exactly like p*op. I heard it’s good though – that’s all I need to know.  Also, Milk Tea is everywhere!

People. Very nice and accommodating. Ask them a direction to somewhere, they’ll walk you there with a smile. When you talk to a person who does not understand English and someone who does hears you, he’ll answer right away. They are also calm and disciplined. Yes, MRTs have long lines, but they do not rush going into carts because they know that another train is arriving just few minutes after one leaves -- they do not have habits of cutting queue on platform.

Transportation. One of the most convenient ones I’ve experienced. We bought this 1 day pass for TWD150 (abt PhP255) which gives unlimited rides to all trains and buses within the city. We took advantage of this to get around Taipei. It is recommended for tourists who won’t be staying that long.

Taipei Metro One-Day Pass

Hate to tell this but, if only Philippines has the same system and discipline, NO ONE WILL EVER BE LATE FOR WORK! When??? When??? When??? Are they really that ahead of us??

Haaanyway, now you know what to expect, let’s start this weekend itinerary:

Late Friday
We arrived past midnight at Fu Chang Hotel. Its cost, room and location… Surprisingly GREAT! I wasn’t looking for a very spacious room but this hotel provided a comfy stay for the three of us. The best part of it was it’s within Ximending, a famous night place in Taipei.


Saturday

Longshan Temple

Chiang Kai Shek Memoral

Yongkang Street

Taipei 101

 

Pingxi

 

Shihlin Night Market

Ximending

Sunday

Peace Park

Xinyi Shopping District

Miramar Entertainment Park
 

We went back to Ximending to go around and have some beer while waiting for our trip back home.

Sadly, airport and then back. BTW, always be cautious of people around the airport. Yes, you may be sleepless, tired or disoriented, but don't just agree on someone's favor. This guy wanted us to carry one of his bags because he did not have check-in baggage. He said his bags are too many that attendant would for sure call his attention. Of course we disagreed so he looked for someone else who's "kind" enough to take it.I’m not saying that ALL guys who do that have bad intentions. Sometimes it’s just obvious that something’s not right – not to judge but mann, why would you bring too much stuff when you already knew that you’d be apprehended by doing such. Hmm, wonder what’s inside that bag.:)


Just like Vietnam, I never expected Taiwan to be that exciting. I wish I could spend as many weekends there. I don't know if my pictures justified how beautiful the city was, but one thing's for sure, it is not a lot like Philippines. :) Well there are some things that are "fun" to do in Taiwan, but "more fun" to do in the Philippines --- yes, some. :)

So if you guys go there, tell me what you think. :)

Here's my sister's - www.moonstarer.webs.com

Love,
Trisha (now saving for Vegas! LOL)