Category Archives: Sightseeing

Graben Street (Vienna, Austria)

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Graben Street

The exclusive and pulsating Graben, one of the most famous streets in Vienna‘s first district (the heart of the inner city  centre), is one of the most important promenades and shopping streets in Vienna.

Isko, Cheska and Vicky at Graben

It begins at Stock-im-Eisen-Platz (next to the Palais Equitable) and ends at the junction of Kohlmarkt and Tuchlauben.

It is crossed by Wipplinger Straße by means of the Hohe Brücke, a bridge about 10 m. above street level. The origin of this street dates back to the old Roman encampment of Vindobona.

This shopping street and pedestrian area is surrounded by popular alleys, streets and places such as Stephansplatz, Kohlmarkt, Naglergasse, Tuchlauben and Petersplatz.

Vicky and Cheska

Most of the buildings here, where you can find finest traditional shops with a long tradition and already popular in the times when Austria was ruled by emperors, had origins from the 17th and 18th century.

The Palais Bartolotti-Partenfeld, palace of the Barons Bartolotti von Partenfeld, the only Baroque structure on the Graben that has survived to this day, was first erected between 1794 and 1795 by Peter Mollner and Ernest Koch and was rebuilt in 1831 by Josef Klee.

Formerly the site of Leopold Kozeluch‘s music shop, it was acquired in 1894 by Assicurazione Generali who renovated the facade and added a penthouse. The showroom of Knize (a prominent tailor), occupying the ground floor, was built by Adolf Loos. 

Graben-Hof Building

The Grabenhof (also known as the Thienemannhof), built between 1873 and 1874 by Otto Thienemann and Otto Wagner on the site of the old Arkadenhof, is today owned by Österreichische Beamtenversicherung.   Its roof was rebuilt in 1947 by Alfons Hetmanek and, since 1991, the building has been used as a site for cultural events.

Headquarters of Erste Osterreich Spar-Casse

The present headquarters of the Erste österreichische Sparkasse, designed by architect Alois Pichl, had its origins in 1825 when the bank moved into the house at Graben 21. The bank later purchased three neighboring houses, tore them down and, between 1835 and 1839, had their headquarters built.

H&M (E. Braun & Co. Building)

The E. Braun & Co. building, originally constructed in 1887 for an American insurance company (hence an eagle seen on the top of the building), was originally the flagship store of the clothing company E. Braun & Co. (whose name we can still see on the façade of the building).Today, H&M continues the building’s tradition as hosting a clothing business.

Plague Column (Petsaule). The column’s basic message is that the plague and the Ottomans’ Second Siege of Vienna (1683), both of them punishments for sin, were averted or defeated by the piety and intercession of the Emperor Leopold I.

The Plague Column (German: Pestsäule), or Trinity Column (German: Dreifaltigkeitssäule), a Baroque memorial, is one of the most well-known and prominent sculptural pieces of art in the city.This Holy Trinity column was erected by Emperor Leopold I following the Great Plague of Vienna in 1679.

The top of the column

Right next to Graben and just west of the Pestsäule is the Baroque-style Peterskirche (St. Peter’s Church) on Petersplatz, which is largely obscured by the surrounding buildings, and can only be seen clearly from directly in front.The street Jungferngasse cuts through the pedestrian zone and leads directly to the church.

Peterskirche (Peter’s Church)

Begun around 1701 under Gabriele Montani (replaced by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt in 1703), the church was the first domed structure in Baroque Vienna and its design was inspired by the St. Peter’s Basilica of the Vatican in Rome. Francesco Martinelli was the main architect. It was finished in 1733 and consecrated to the Holy Trinity.

Lowenbrunnen (Lion Fountain)

Two fountains are found on the Graben. Josefsbrunnen, the first fountain, in the southwest, has a statue of St. Joseph and was presumably built in 1561. The Löwenbrunnen (lion fountain), standing on the northwestern end of the Graben, has a statue of Leopold and is decorated with the four lion’s heads.

Statue of Emperor Leopold I

The two fountains were rebuilt, at the behest of Leopold I, with sculptures executed by the sculptor Johann Frühwirth and, later, replaced with lead figures by Johann Martin Fischer. Frühwirth’s statues have since been lost.

Segafredo Cafe

The side streets around Graben, including Dorotheergasse, Stallburggasse and Bräunerstrasse are brimming with boutiques selling Baroque armoires, renaissance chests, footwear, fine carpets, magnificent timepieces, paintings, court perfumery (Nägele & Strubell, etc.), porcelain (Augarten, etc.) and antique court jewelry (Heldwein, etc.).

Dior

Top international labels (Hermes, Mont Blanc, H&M, Escada, etc.) and high end retailers have also zeroed in on this exclusive shopping street.

Giorgio Armani

Unlike other similar streets, shoppers can also take, between shopping trips, a quick respite at quite a number of high-end cafes (Segafredo, Hawelka, etc.) and restaurants (Julius Meinl, etc.).

Burberry

Graben: Vienna, Austria. Shop opening hours: 10 AM – 7 PM, Mondays – Fridays;  10 AM – 6 PM, Saturdays. Some shops open already at 8 or 9 AM and start to close from 6 PM.

How to Get There:Metro U1 and U3 station Stephansplatz.

Train Ride from Salzburg to Vienna (Austria)

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OBB Railjet

After a 2 day/3 night stay in Salzburg, it was now time to make our way to Vienna, Austria’s capital, by train.  As our hotel (Hotel Garni Evido Salzburg City Center) was very near the Salzburg Hauptbahnhof (German for Salzburg main station; abbreviated as Salzburg Hbf and occasionally translated as Central Station), we left early in the morning and just walked going there, with luggage in tow.

Salzburg Hauptbannhof (Salzburg Train Station)

At the station, we boarded the 8:51 AM Railjet (RJ), a high-speed train of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and Czech Railways (ČD). OBB connects all of Austria with its major cities of neighboring countries (Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Italy), at regular intervals, and also takes passengers to Vienna Airport.

Interior of Economy Class coach

We had a choice of comfortable and individually excellent classes of comfort categories – Business Class (includes beverages and a wide choice of snacks, hot towels, a selection of newspapers and magazines, at-seat service and seat reservation), First Class (includes a welcome drink, cold towels and a large selection of newspapers and magazines) and Economy Class (has a railjet trolley service with coffee, cold beverages and snacks). We chose the latter.

The author

Railjet, the premier service of the ÖBB, consists of 7 individual coaches pulled by Taurus high-speed Siemens EuroSprinter electric locomotives and has a seating capacity of 408 persons.  Passengers here have the highest possible levels of comfort – free Wi-Fi, on-board entertainment, an on-board restaurant and children’s cinema.

The author’s grandson Kyle

ÖBB Railjet trains run twice an hour from Salzburg to Vienna, with two stops at St. Pölten (1 hour 41 mins. from Vienna) and Linz (55 mins. from Vienna).  The fast service (travelling at a maximum speed of up to 230 kms./hour or 143 mph), took only 2 hours and 49 minutes of travel.

Rural scenery seen during our journey

During our journey on the ÖBB Railjet, the Passenger Information System kept us up to date, with timetable information displayed on 80 monitors throughout the train and digital maps show you the actual route of our train.

Passenger Information System

The Passenger Information System also has an electronic reservation display so we can easily find our seat.

Wien Hauptbannhof (Vienna Central Train Station)

We arrived at Wien Hauptbanhof (German for Vienna Central Train Station, abbreviated as Wien Hbf) by noontime and were all welcomed by our cousin, Vienna resident Marivic “Vicky” Dionela.

The Original Sound of Music Tour (Salzburg, Austria)

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The Original Sound of Music Tour

The next day, after an early breakfast at our hotel, we again walked to Mirabell Gardens where we joined Panorama Tours “The Original Sound of Music Tour” with other tourists on board an airconditioned bus.  The Sound of Music is a movie based on a successful Rogers and Hammerstein Broadway musical that premiered in New York on March 2, 1965.

Our Panorama Tours bus

Panorama Tours started as Kleinbusse am Mirabellplatz which, for three months during the film’s shooting in 1964, provided six Volkswagen vans for director Bob Wise to transport his 250 stars and staff around.  In the 1970s, the company morphed into today’s Panorama Tours, doing two four-hour “Sound of Music” tours a day, every day, all year.

Check out “Mirabell Palace and Gardens”

During the 4-hour tour, we were to be shown the most important sights in and around Salzburg where the movie was filmed.  It was the biggest grossing musical of all time, if receipts are adjusted for inflation. Because of its core family values, hummable tunes and stunning scenery, the film turned into a worldwide success.

Our tour guide Peter Nussbaumer

Julie Andrews starred as Maria von Trapp, a real-life ex-nun who married Capt. Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), an Austrian naval officer, after she became governess to his children. Both musical and film are based on the “The Story of the Trapp Family Singers” written by Maria von Trapp in 1949.

Hohensalzburg Fortress

In Austria, the film ran only for a very short period and was subsequently dropped probably because of instances of Nazi complicity depicted in the film which were certainly too much to bear for the Austria of the 1960s, which was forging a new, democratic future for itself. In 1966, the first American tourists started arriving and were asking about the film settings from bemused locals.

Hohensalzburg Fortress as seen from the movie (www.pinterest.com)

Two dozen locations in Salzburg were featured in the film. At Mirabell Palace and Gardens, most of the “Do-Re-Mi” song was filmed. Throughout the trip, our Australian guide Peter Nussbaumer was very funny and made the tour entertaining.  Along the way, we passed by (but did not stop) at Nonnberg Abbey, Hohensalzburg Fortress and Mozart Bridge (Mozartsteg) where a number of movie scenes were shot.

Check out “Hohensalzburg Fortress”

Nonnberg Abbey

At Nonnberg Abbey, they include the opening part where nuns go to mass and Maria returns too late; performance for the song Maria” was staged in the courtyard and the children came to the Abbey’s gate to ask Maria to return to their home.

The Von Trapp children at the abbey gate to ask Maria to return to their home (www.pinterest.com)

The escape scene, with the Nazi cars parked outside the Abbey gate, was also shot in the original spot.

Mozart Bridge (Mozartsteg)

The Mozartsteg, a filigree Art Nouveau iron pedestrian foot bridge over the Salzach River, was built in 1903 by a private group called the Mozartstegverein to connect the Steingasse area to Mozartplatz. It was inaugurated by the Governor of the Duchy of Salzburg and the then Mayor of the city.

Georg Krimml, a wealthy owner of Café Corso, lobbied and donated the funds for its construction to increase customer traffic to his café.  Up until 1920, it was privately owned and you can still see the toll booth (now a tiny coffee shop) on the Mozartplatz side of the bridge. The bridge was used in the sequence, at the beginning of the My Favorite Things montage, where Maria takes the von Trapp children on the picnic in the mountains.  

From Mirabell, a short 4.3 km. (10-min.) drive via Leopoldskronstraße brought us to our first destination – Leopoldskron Palace (Schloss Leopoldskron), a rococo palace and a national historic monument in Leopoldskron-Moos, a southern district of the city. The palace, and its surrounding 7-hectare park, is located on the lake Leopoldskroner Weiher. The grounds, adjacent to those of Schloss Leopoldskron, were one of the main exterior locations and ten outdoor scenes were filmed there portraying the von Trapp home.

Mountain view from the palace

However, the interior of the palace was never used as the Von Trapp villa. Terrace scenes, using a replica of Leopoldskron’s terrace and “horse-gates” that lead to the lake, such as the family drinking pink lemonade (“not too sweet, not too sour, just too… pink!”), Maria and the Captain arguing and the children and Maria falling off the boat into the lake in the famous boating scene, were actually filmed on an adjacent property (known as Bertelsmann, at the time).

Terrace scene at The Sound of Music (www.pinterest.com)

For The Sound of Music, the pathway from the villa to the lake was constructed but was later removed. The statues, as well as the gate, remain.

Liesl at the terrace (www.pinterest.com)

Shots of the building itself, as well as the scene where the Captain watches the children arrive in a boat with Maria, were filmed at Schloss Frohnburg. As the Leopoldskron’s Venetian Room was smaller and too narrow than the ballroom in the film, the decor of the room was meticulously copied and recreated in the 20th Century Fox studios in Los Angeles for the waltz scenes in the ballroom.

The Baroness (Eleanor Parker), Maria Von Trapp (Julie Andrews) and Capt. Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) at the ballroom

In 1987, the “Sound of Christmas,” a special production starring Julie Andrews, John Denver, and Plácido Domingo was also filmed at the Schloss Leopoldskron. In 2014, the palace, home to Salzburg Global Seminar since 1947, and the neighboring Meierhof building, were opened as a privately owned Hotel Schloss Leopoldskron.

Hellbrunn Palace

From Leopoldskron, a short 4.8 km. (8-min.) drive, via Morzger Str., brought us to Hellbrunn Palace (Schloss Hellbrunn), site of the Sound of Music Pavilion, the glass gazebo setting for the two main love scenes between Liesl (Charmian Carr) and Rolf (Daniel Truhitte), featuring the song Sixteen Going on Seventeen, and the kissing scene (Something Good) of Maria  and Capt. Von Trapp.

The author outside the Sound of Music Pavilion

The scenes were originally situated in the gardens of the Leopoldskron Palace. Only long shots of the Austrian gazebo are seen in the film as the gazebo interiors were shot on a Hollywood sound stage. At the end of the filming, the gazebo was presented as a gift to the city of Salzburg.

Rolf kisses Liesl inside the pavilion (www.pinterest.com)

After their numbers became too big for the business convention center housed there, constant trespassing resulted in it being moved and, in 1991, was reconstructed and shown publicly by the city council in the ornamental gardens of  Hellbrunn.

The tree-lined avenue where Capt. Von Trapp saw his children dangling from trees

Neaby is the tree-lined road leading to the castle where Capt. Von Trapp unknowingly noticed his own children dangling from the branches of the trees, to the horror of their father.

Lake Wolfgang and the town of St. Gilgen in the foreground

After our film-location tour within the Salzburg, we were driven out into the Salzburg Lake District Area (Salzkammergut) at St Gilgen, passing Lake Fuschl and Lake Wolfgang, where panoramic aerial shots and scenes of the picnic were filmed. The Salzkammergut extends over the entire area of lakes belonging to the Alps and Lower Alps and 3 Austrian provinces (Salzburg, Styria and Upper Austria) share this unique countryside. At our photo stop, we had a wonderful view down St. Gilgen and Lake Wolfgang.

L-R: Kyle, Cheska, Grace and Jandy

Nonnberg Abbey: Nonnberggasse 2, 5020 Salzburg, Austria. Tel: +43 662 841607

Hotel Schloss Leopoldskron: Leopoldskronstraße 56-58, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.

Schloss Hellbrunn: Furstenweg 37, 5020 Salzburg.

The Sound of Music Panorama Tour: Hubert-Sattler-Gasse 1, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.  Tel: +43 662 883 211-0 and +43 662 874 029

The Road to Versailles (France)

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Versailles

The whole morning of our last whole day was reserved for the famous Palace of Versailles (Château de Versailles or simply Versailles), a royal château in Versailles, a wealthy and chic suburb of Paris, some 17.1 kms. (10.6 mi.) southwest of the French capital, in the department of the Yvelines, Île-de-France region of France.

Check out “Versailles Palace“

From Hotel Ibis Gare de l’Este, our home for our 4-day stay in Paris, Grace, Manny, Jandy, Cheska, Kyle and I walked to its nearby namesake train station where took train (RER line C) for the one-hour trip to Versailles, which includes a 15-min. transfer at Saint Michel. Upon arrival at Versailles Château – Rive Gauche train station (the closest one of the Palace), we  just walked for 10 mins. to the Palace Gate.

Check out “Hotel and Inn Review: Ibis Paris Gare de l’Est 10th”

The de facto capital of the Kingdom of France for over a century (1682 to 1789) before becoming the cradle of the French Revolution,  the 26.18 sq. km. (10.11 sq. mi. or 6,469-acre) Versailles  became the préfecture (regional capital) of the Seine-et-Oise département in March 1790, then of Yvelines in January 1968. It is also the seat of a Roman Catholic diocese (created in 1790) and home to the Académie de Versailles, the largest (by its number of pupils and students) of France’s 30 nationwide académies (districts) of the Ministry of National Education.

Versailles-Château–Rive Gauche Station

By the standards of the 18th century, Versailles was a very modern European city. Born out of the will of King Louis XIII, the city has a rational and symmetrical grid of streets which was used as a model for the building of Washington, D.C. by Pierre Charles L’Enfant.

Though Versailles’ primary cultural attraction is the Palace, with its ornately decorated rooms and historic significance, plus its garden the town, also has other points of cultural notability.  Its position as an affluent suburb of Paris has meant that it forms a part of the Paris artistic scene.

On our way to the Palace of Versailles, from the RER station, we cannot help but notice the grand Hotel de Ville. Originally a gathering place for the Palace visitors, this is now the Town Hall of Versailles. The building, as it stands today, was built at the turn of 20th century. Its construction, decided in 1897 by order of the then mayor Édouard Lefebvre, was entrusted to the architect Henri Legrand who won the competition (the architect Jean Bréasson also took part in it) launched in 1897.

Jandy, Grace and Cheska (with Kyle) approaching the palace grounds

With a budget of 1.2 million francs, work began on March 1898 and the town hall was inaugurated on November 18 , 1900. On June 24, 1900, the building was fully electrified.

City Hall (Hotel de Ville)

The town hall is made up of two distinct parts. The first part (western wing), along the Rue du Général-de-Gaulle, across the palace, was the first town hall installed in 1790 in the old hotel de Conti.  Preserved but completely transformed, it is a low-rise building preceded by a wide staircase.  Its bell tower, deemed too high, was demolished in 1945 while the gates of the main courtyard disappeared. It features wood paneling and paintings dating from the 18th century.

ANECDOTE: During the time of King Louis XIV, the king did not want to see any building in Versailles higher than his bedroom.

After the French Revolution, to prove the supremacy of the republic over the monarchy, the Hotel de Ville was said to have been built so as to get the first floor above the level of the King’s bedroom in Chateau de Versailles.

The second, opening onto the Avenue de Paris around a main courtyard surrounded by gates, is the imposing, Neo-Louis XIII  building by Henri Legrand. Topped by a bell tower overlooking the city, the campanile supports, at its base, a 1.6 m. diameter floral clock.

Floral Clock

A memorial, sculpted by Albert Guilbert and Ernest Henri Dubois, commemorates the residents of Versailles who died in the First and Second World War and the wars in Indochina (1946-1954), Algeria (1954-1962) and Afghanistan.

War Memorial

Hotel de Ville: 4 4 Avenue de Paris , 78000 Versailles, France. Tel: +33 1 30 97 80 00

Seine River Cruise (Paris, France)

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Seine River Sightseeing Cruise via Bateaux Parisiens

After our morning tour of the Eiffel Tower, we made our way, by foot, to the boat docking station at Port de la Bourdonnais where we hopped aboard a popular and modern Bateaux Parisiens glass-topped trimaran  to embark on a quintessential, scenic and leisurely cruise along the Seine riverbanks.

Port de la Bourdonnai

Bateaux Parisiens trimaran

All aboard …..

Bateaux Parisiens has a fleet of four trimarans, three named after legendary French actresses (Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Adjani and Jeanne Moreau) and another after a French businessman (Pierre Bellon). They each hold up to 600 passengers.

The author

Our trimaran, with terrace and exterior passageways, was well equipped, clean and well maintained, with plenty of outdoor seating at the upper deck.

Jandy and Grace

The company also has nine smaller boats, some of which are used for dinner cruises and private events.  They offer high priced lunch and dinner, to the sound of the resident band, with a choice of four different a la carte menus, on separate restaurant boats.  All boats follow the same 12-km. long route.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Eiffel Tower

Louvre Museum

The Grand Palais, a large historic site, exhibition hall and museum complex located at the Champs-Élysées, was built in the style of Beaux-Arts architecture.

Check out “Louvre Museum,” “Notre Dame Cathedral” and “Eiffel Tower”

A fantastic introduction to the highlights and magic of Paris, we soaked up the passing sights of iconic, world-famous monuments and landmarks as we cruised up and down  the Seine River.

Musee d’Orsay

National Museum of the Legion of Honor and Orders of Chivalry, created in 1925, displays a history of France’s honors, medals, decorations, and chivalric orders from the time of King Louis XI to the present, including Napoleonic souvenirs and more than 300 portraits. A special section is dedicated to foreign orders. Its library and archives contain more than 3,000 works.. Located beside the Musee d’Orsay, it is housed within the Hôtel de Salm, built in 1782 by architect Pierre Rousseau for Frederick III, Prince of Salm-Kyrburg.

Registry of the Paris Commercial Court

Check out “Musee d’Orsay“

On the left bank are the Notre Dame Cathedral, the National Museum of the Legion of Honor and Orders of Chivalry, Conciergerie, National Assembly, Les Invalides, the Institut de France, and the Musée d’Orsay.

Paris City Hall, the headquarters of the municipality of Paris since 1357, serves multiple functions, housing the local administration, the Mayor of Paris (since 1977), and also serves as a venue for large receptions.

Institut de France, a French learned society, groups five académies (including the Académie Française). It manages approximately 1,000 foundations, as well as museums and châteaux open for visit..

On the right bank, during the return trip, are the Louvre,  the Grand Palais, the Obelisk at the Place de la Concorde, Tuileries Garden, the Paris City Hall, and the Eiffel Tower.

The Conciergerie Paris, located on the west of the Île de la Cité, was formerly a prison but is presently used mostly for law courts. During the French Revolution, hundreds of prisoners were taken from the Conciergerie to be executed by guillotine at a number of locations around Paris.

We also glided beneath beautiful historic bridges (37 bridges span the river), including the famous Pont Neuf. Even the Seine riverbanks, collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991, are a sight to behold.

Check out “Bridges Along the Seine River“

Hotel Dieu, a hospital located on the Île de la Cité, on the parvise of Notre-Dame, is the oldest hospital in the city and the oldest worldwide still operating. Ravaged by fire several times, it was rebuilt for the last time at its present location between 1867 and 1878, as part of Haussmann’s renovation of Paris.

After half an hour, our boat turned around and cruised back up along the opposite bank. Our 1-hour cruise ends back at the original departure point near the Eiffel Tower.

The Palais Bourbon serves as a meeting place of the French National Assembly, the lower legislative chamber of the French government. It is located on the left bank of the Seine, across from the Place de la Concorde.

Bateaux Parisiens: Pontoon 3, Port de la Bourdonnais, 75007 Paris, France. Tel: +33 825 01 01 01 and +33 1 76 64 14 66.  Open 9:30 AM – 10 PM. Website: www.bateauxparisiens.com. Admission: adults (€15), children under 12 yrs. (€7), free for children under 3 years old. Ticket will be valid for one year at any given time. Departures: April to September (from 10:15 AM -10:30 PM, every 30 mins., no departures at 1:30 PM and 7:30 PM), October to March (from 11 AM -8:30 PM, at least every hour). Book online in advance to avoid queues. The boat also departs from Notre Dame Cathedral. Audio guide commentary with musical accompaniment, from a handset, available in 13 languages (English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, American, Russian, Dutch, Polish, Chinese, Japanese and Korean). Smoking is not allowed on the boat and animals are not permitted on board.

How to Get There: Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel (RER C) 5 . Nearest metro: Trocadero or Bir Hakeim

Mt. Tapyas (Coron, Palawan)

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Mt. Tapyas

Mt. Tapyas

On our third and last day in Coron, Aylin, Issa and I were awake by 5 AM, just in time for us to make it to the town proper, via van, were we hoped to catch the sunrise atop the 210 m. (689 ft.) high Mt. Tapyas, the second highest in Coron.

Mt. Tapyas and its lighted steel cross

Mt. Tapyas and its lighted steel cross

From Ligaya Pier, we could already view the mountain, prominent for its giant steel cross (lighted at night) on its peak. Tapyas, in English, literally means “shaved off” or “chipped” because, during the Liberation, one side of the mountain was literally chipped when American forces bombed the Japanese camp on top.

The concrete stairway

Aylin making her way up the concrete stairway

Mt. Tapyas is not what you might expect as a mountaineering destination. It’s already been developed by the local government to give easy and more convenient access to tourists. Instead of hiking through typical mountain trails, trekkers only need to go up flights of some 724 concrete steps, with metal handrails, to the spacious view deck with concrete benches, just the right amount for a little cardio workout.

Typhoon Yolanda damage

Typhoon Yolanda damage

A typhoon damaged refreshment stall

A typhoon damaged refreshment stall

Our van dropped us off at the base of the stairs, just beside a community basketball court. Going up the mountain on our last morning in Coron, we encountered some groups striding up and down the mountain with minimal effort. Surely, they must be locals.

A repaired resting shed

A recently repaired shaded rest stop

For city slickers like us not used to much walking, we had a hard time “conquering” the mountain. However, there were plenty of landings with shaded benches and picnic tables where we took a breather.  However, many of these  still showed damage from super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan)  which also devastated Coron on November 8, 2013.

Nearing the top

The huge CORON signage

Since it was still very early in the morning, it just took me around 15 to 20 mins. to reach the top.  Once there, the view was amazing. We were treated with a breathtaking panoramic 360-degree view of some of the offshore islands and the surrounding mountains, especially the mountain that they call the “Sleeping Giant.”

The Sleeping Giant

The Sleeping Giant

We also saw the whole of Coron town and appreciated its simplicity. There are two octagonal gazebos at the back but we didn’t go there anymore.  Instead, we made our way back down the mountain.  Our van just arrived, minutes after making it to the base of the mountain, and brought us back to Asia Grand View Hotel.

The steel cross

The steel cross

For first-time visitors to Coron town, it’s highly recommended that they go up Mt. Tapyas. It’s best to climb it early in the morning, to see the sunrise, or before night falls to see the sun setting on Coron Bay. 

Mt. Tapyas (32)

The gorgeous view

The gorgeous view

The spacious view deck

The climb may be grueling, but the gorgeous views atop the mountain make it a great experience truly worth the effort. There are refreshment stalls and vendors that sell bottled water, energy drinks and juice drinks. For those who get regular weekly exercise, this trek should be a breeze.

Watching the sun rise

Watching the sun rise

How To Get There: From the town, entry to the steps to Mt. Tapyas is very accessible. From the main road, just look for the landmark Iglesia ni Cristo Church and San Agustin Street (which turns into the slightly sloping Malvar Street) which leads the way to an elevated basketball court at the base. Road signs point directions to Mount Tapyas view deck.

How to Get to Coron: Skyjet Airlines has 4 times weekly (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, 10:30 AM) flights from Manila (NAIA Terminal 4) to Coron (Francisco Reyes Airport).  Travel time is 30 mins.   

Asia Grand View Hotel: Governor’s Ave., Jolo, Brgy. 5, Coron, Palawan.  Tel:(+632) 788-3385. Mobile number: (0999) 881-7848. E-mail: gsd@asiagrandview.com. Manila sales office: Unit 504, Richmonde Plaza, 21 San Miguel Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City.  Tel: (+632) 695-3078 and 531-8380.  Mobile number: (0917) 550-7373 to 75 Fax: (+632) 695-3078.  E-mail: info@asiagrandview.com. Website: www.asiagrandview.com. 

Skyjet Airlines: Manila Domestic Airport, Parking A, Terminal 4, NAIA Complex, Brgy. 191, Pasay City, Metro Manila. Tel: (02) 863-1333. E-mail: sales@skyjetair.com. Website: www.skyjetair.com.

Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour (Puerto Princesa City, Palawan)

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The mangrove-lined Sabang River

The mangrove-lined Sabang River

Sheridan Beach Resort & Spa Media Tour

After our SabangX Zipline, we were next slated to do the Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour, another activity offered and sponsored by Sheridan Resort & Spa.  The mangrove paddleboat cruise offers an educational tour of the mangroves at PhP150 per person. From the zipline landing area, we walked towards the edge of the beach to the mouth of the 4 km. long Sabang River where it flowed out into the West Philippine Sea. At the end of the path, we arrived at Michi’s Cottages where we saw the office for the Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour where we registered our names.  We were the last group to avail of the tour.

Start of our tour

Start of our tour

At the river bank, we boarded a paddle boat made of fiberglass.  Joining PJ, Joy, Charmie, Lester and I were Mr. Nestor Elijan, our mangrove paddleboat tour guide, plus a paddler who would propel our boat with an old-style wooden pole that has one broad flat end. For safety purposes, we were each provided and requested to wear standard life vests.  As it was already late in the afternoon, we no longer brought along umbrellas to repel heat from the sun.  The tour lasts from 45 mins. to 1 hour.

Tangled roots of mangroves

Tangled roots of mangroves

Hanging roots

Hanging roots

As our boatman started paddling through the brackish but serene river water that reflects the tall mangrove trees and their beautifully intermingled protruding roots, Mang Nestor explained the importance of these century-old mangroves (locally called bakawan, from the Tagbanua tribal word bakhaw) in the marine and forest ecosystems. Palawan contains 43% of the total mangrove forests in the country and Puerto Princesa City is one place where the total area of mangrove forests is increasing and not decreasing.

Limestone rock formations along the riverbank

Limestone rock formations along the riverbank

Mangrove ecosystems like the one in Sabang, breeding grounds to pelagic fishes, also serve as habitats to a collection of mammals, reptiles and amphibians as well. The mangrove forest, a buffer zone between the land and the sea, breaks the waves before it reaches the land and also serves as a blocker for the strong winds during a storm, thus protecting the coast against erosion. Mangroves also filter bad elements of the land such as insecticide and other chemicals and trash. This protects the coral reefs and sea grass beds from being covered by the debris which block sunlight reaching them.

Tour guide Mr. Nestor Elijan

Tour guide Mr. Nestor Elijan

A former park ranger who watched over Sabang’s environs and went after illegal loggers and poachers, Mang Nestor is also a self-taught mangrove scientist who can identify the different kinds of mangroves, along with the scientific names, at a drop of the hat, and tell whether this or that bakawan is male or female through their leaves.  A number of mangrove species that can be found here are the Rhizopora apiculata (locally called bakhaw lalaki), Rhizophora mucronata (known as the loop-root mangrove or the red mangrove, it is found on coasts and river banks and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza. Mang Nestor talked about “true mangroves,” those that thrive only in mangrove environments, and “mangrove associates,”those that grow in the periphery of mangrove wetlands. There are also mangrove trees that are parasitic, “swallowing” another mangrove associate, depriving it of its share of sunlight and soil.

Mangrove Snake

Mangrove Snake

Along the way, we got a number of close encounters with sleeping Mangrove Cat Snakes (Boiga dendrophila), a 6 to 8 ft. long, elegant but mildly venomous colubrid snake with black and yellow bands, curled around branches of the overhanging mangrove trees.  Mang Nestor told us not to worry, as long as you don’t disturb them they won’t jump. Midway through the tour, our paddle boat passed a makeshift wooden platform with a charming bamboo boardwalk, built over sinuous mangrove roots that led to the bird watching area.

Bamboo boardwalk

Bamboo boardwalk

As we followed the river deeper into the forest, the river narrowed and became shallower and the mangroves stood very high above the ground, its natural canopy shielding us from the sun’s mighty reach.  Somehow, I felt I was in an Amazon forest. On shallower parts of the river, the water spans wider through the forest grounds where roots of the mangroves grow on.

Monitor lizard

Monitor lizard

We saw other mangrove creatures such as a long-tailed macaque, water monitor lizards (Varanus palawanensis, locally called bayawak), mudfish (locally called dalag) and mangrove and cattle egrets. Other mangrove denizens we didn’t see include mudskippers, crabs, oysters, hornbills, ruddy and stork-billed kingfishers, Palawan bearcats (locally called binturong), clawed and clawless otters, pangolin or scaly anteater, mayna, and skunks (locally called pantot).

Dead mangrove tree trunks pockmarked with tamilok holes

Dead mangrove tree trunks pockmarked with tamilok holes

On our way back, our paddler alighted among the mangroves to look for some driftwood bored by tamilok (shipworm), a marine bivalve mollusk that bores into submerged wood. Back at the receiving area, he hacked open the wood to reveal two small worms (according to Mang Nestor, they sometimes reach a length of 2 ft.).  While considered a pest in other countries, the tamilok is a delicacy in these parts and, when dipped fresh in coconut vinegar, are said to taste like oysters. Andrew Zimmern, in one of his episodes in Bizarre Foods, enjoyed eating one of these.  However, harvesting the tamilok for commercial purposes isn’t allowed, as this would affect the mangrove’s ecosystem.

Our paddler looking for tamilok

Our paddler looking for tamilok

Normally, at the end of the tour, visitors are given a chance to contribute to conservation by planting some mangrove saplings in a designated planting area, so that when it becomes a seedling they would move it deep within the forest. The Mangrove Paddleboat Tour, so peaceful and relaxing, was a totally worthwhile experience.  I hope that those who visit Sabang to see the Underground River would include the Mangrove Paddleboat Tour in their itinerary.

A pair of tamilok

A pair of tamilok

Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour: Sitio Sabang, Brgy. Cabayugan, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.  Mobile numbers (Mrs. Norma Ortega): (0912) 322-3665 and (0926) 829-3095.  E-mail: bingo032374@yahoo.com.

Office for the Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour

The Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour starts around 8AM to 10AM, depending on the sun’s visibility, as the tour needs light as little sunlight will make the mangrove really dark. The tour still operates during a storm but not during a very strong typhoon.  It is best to visit the Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour during low tides as you will see most of the animals, including those that live on the bottom of the water. To protect against annoying mosquitoes, use insect repellent before the tour. They stop touring guests around 4:30PM.  The Paddle Boat Tour can be combined with the Sabang X Zipline as both attractions are located very close to each other.

Docking area of fiberglass boats

Docking area of fiberglass boats

Sheridan Beach Resort & Spa: Sabang Beach, Sitio Sabang, Brgy. Cabayugan. Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. Palawan Sales Office: Jeco Bldg., Rizal Ave. Extn., Puerto Princesa City.  Tel (+63 48) 434 1448 to 49 and 723 7278. Mobile Numbers (+63 917) 308-3245 and (+ 63 917) 308-3245. Cebu Sales Office: Sheridan Bldg., Ouano Ave., NRA, Mandaue City.  Tel: (+63 32) 236-1001. Fax: (+63 32) 345-1000. Mobile number: (+63 917) 306-6984. Manila Sales Office: tel: (+63 2) 939-8888. Mobile number: (+63 917) 726-5224. E-mail: reservations@sheridanbeachresort.com.  Website: www.sheridanbeachresort.com.
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Buenavista View Deck (Puerto Princesa City, Palawan)

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Sheridan Beach Resort & Spa Media Tour

An invitation, from Mr. Pete Dacuycuy, to join a media team covering the 2-storey, 4-star and eco-friendly and nature-inspired Sheridan Beach Resort & Spa allowed me to reconnect with Palawan, my last visit there being in 1993 during a vacation to Club Paradise Resort in Coron.  It would also be my first visit to Puerto Princesa City.  Joining me and Pete were food blogger Ms. Joy Calipes-Felizardo (www.gastronomybyjoy.com), professional photographer P.J. Enriquez, free-lance travel writer Lester Gopela Hallig and Ms. Charmie Joy Pagulong of The Philippine Star.  We all took the very early 5:20 AM Philippine Airlines flight from NAIA Terminal III.

Buenavista View Deck

Buenavista View Deck

We arrived at Puerto Princesa Airport by 6:40 AM and were whisked, via the resort’s Toyota Grandia van, on a 75-km./2-hour drive through a winding, concrete zigzag road. Just 45 mins. from the resort, we made one stopover at Buenavista View Deck, along a high section of the road to Sabang.

Eatery and souvenir shop

Eatery and souvenir shop

Souvenir shop
It is part of the Community Based Sustainable Tourism program initiated by the Puerto Princesa City Government that aims to provide additional livelihood for locals residing in economically-marginalized communities.
Spectacular view of Ulugan Bay

Spectacular view of Ulugan Bay

A popular stop over for tourists going to Puerto Princesa Underground River and Sabang Beach, it has an elevated concrete observation deck. Climbing the view deck, we had spectacular and relaxing views of Ulugan Bay, a deep channel on the northwestern coast of Puerto Princesa, Rita Island, the rocky outcrops of Tres Marias and Oyster Bay.  Portions of the karst formations of St. Paul’s can be viewed over the intervening areas of dense forests in the north.

Bags

Bags

Hats and caps

Hats and caps

Bracelets

Bracelets

There’s also a small eatery which sells meals and light snacks and a souvenir shop which displays and sells locally made wood carvings (masks, walking canes, chaku, police batons, etc.), baskets, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, hats, T-shirts, ref magnets and key chains.

Chaku and walking canes

Chaku and walking canes

Police batons

Police batons

Corn coffee and honey

Corn coffee and honey

They also sell local food products such as bottled honey, cashew nuts and corn coffee.

Wooden masks

Wooden masks

Baskets

Baskets

Rainmakers

Rainmakers

Buenavista View Deck: Brgy. Buenavista, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

Sighnaghi: City of Love (Georgia)

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After our short stopover at the venerated Bodbe Monastery, we continued on our GNTA-sponsored tour, proceeding on a short 2-km. drive to the town center of Sighnaghi.  We arrived at the town by 11:30 AM and alighted at a park with a monument to Georgian philosopher, journalist, historian and native son Solomon Dodashvili (May 17, 1805 – August 20, 1836).

Postcard-pretty Sighnaghi

Postcard-pretty Sighnaghi (photo: Ms. Riva Galveztan)

Other famous sons of the town include composer Vano Sarajishvili, political figure Sandro Mirianashvili and world-renowned primitivist painter Niko Pirosmani. We were to have lunch at Pheasant’s Tears but, as we still had some time to spare, our Georgian guide  Sopho Makashvili took us on a walking tour around the town.

Monument to native son Solomon Dogashvili

Monument to native son Solomon Dogashvili (photo: Ms. Riva Galveztan)

Sighnaghi, located in Georgia’s easternmost region of Kakheti, is the administrative center of the Sighnaghi district and one of the country’s smallest (2.978 km²) towns (2002 population: 2,146).  One of Georgia’s leading trading centers in the 19th century,  Sighnaghi’s economy is dominated by the production of wine, leather, gobelin tapestry, woodcarving, metal craft, ceramics, traditional carpets and traditional food.

Uniquely designed terrace architecture of the town

Uniquely designed terrace architecture of the town

The town and its environs, also known for their landscapes and historical monuments, has recently undergone a fundamental reconstruction and has become an important part of the Georgian tourism industry (it is now known as the “City of Love”).  The town is also the jump-off point for exploring the lush vineyards of Kakheti, the cradle of wine (Georgia boasts of 500 varieties of grapes, more than anywhere else in the world).

The author exploring part of Sighnaghi's defensive wall and towers

Exploring part of Sighnaghi’s defensive wall and towers (photo: Ms. Riva Galveztan)

The town was developed in the early 18th century by the king Erekle II (Heraclius II) as a refuge for the population against Lezgin and Persian attack, hence the name sighnaghi which comes from the Azeri word signak meaning “shelter.” In 1762, he sponsored the construction of the town and erected a fortress to defend the area from marauding attacks by Dagestan tribesmen.  The 4.5 m. high, 1.5 m. wide and 4.5 km. long city wall, one of the biggest in Georgia, has 23 towers, each named after local villages the town is surrounded by, and 6 entrances.

Our guide Sopho Makashvili, Riva Galvezltan, the author and Consul Buddy Cunanan

Our guide Sopho Makashvili, Riva Galvezltan, the author and Consul Buddy Cunanan (photo: Ms. Riva Galveztan)

Sopho showed us, from afar, the section of the city’s defensive wall that has been restored for tourism and we climbed one of the towers for a panoramic view of the town.  Walking along the town’s narrow cobblestone streets, I was also enthralled by the uniquely designed terrace architecture of the 2 to 3-storey tiled-roof houses of Sighnaghi, the majority of which still date back from 17th, 18th and 19th century.  Built with fine Georgian brick, they were built to accommodate a variety of stores and workshops, above which are wooden, lacy balconies and bow-backed windows.  The town also has a beautiful fountain.

A beautiful fountain

A beautiful fountain

Consul Buddy Cunanan and I also observed a number of Georgian men playing nardi (backgammon). Popular in Georgia, men, women, children and the elderly all know how to play it, and just about every family owns a backgammon set. They say that life in Georgia is like a game of backgammon – people tend to approach life like a game of chance.

Georgian men playing backgammon in the open

Georgian men playing nardi (backgammon) in the open (photo: Ms. Riva Galveztan)

We also visited the town’s market, near the town hall, where fresh fruits and vegetables, locally made Georgian red (saperavi) and white wine and the clear and strong chacha (Georgian pomace brandy); natural honey; churchkhela (the traditional type of Georgian candy from the Caucasus region also referred to as the Georgian “Snickers”) and cheeses.  Buddy and I each tried out a glass of Georgian wine.

An array of products sold at the market

An array of products sold at the market (photo: Ms. Riva Galveztan)

There are also Georgian spice and spice mixes such as khmeli suneli (a powdered herb/spice mixture), adjika (a spicy paste or sauce seasoned with hot chili peppers) and pilpili (pepper) plus a picturesque array of knitted goods (Georgian socks with traditional patterns, local wool, hats, scarves, slippers, baby booties, etc.) for sale at cheap prices.

The town hall with its distinctive clock tower

The town hall with its distinctive clock tower

Georgia National Tourism Administration: 4, Sanapiro St, 0105, Tbilisi, Georgia. Tel: +995 32 43 69 99. E-mail: info@gnta.ge. Website: www.georgia.travel; www.gnta.ge.

Qatar Airways has daily flights from Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (Clark, Pampanga) to Tbilisi (Republic of Georgia) with stopovers at Hamad International Airport (Doha, Qatar, 15 hrs.) and Heydar Aliyev International Airport (Baku, Azerbaijan, 1 hr.). Website: www.qatarairways.com.