Pico de Loro, Nasugbu, Batangas, Philippine

Pico de Loro

If you're seeking a paradise vacation the whole family can enjoy, then Pico de Loro is just the ticket! Situated around an amazing cove and loaded with activities for each and every member of the family, Pico de Loro is the best of both worlds. 

Accommodations
Spacious and beautiful minimalist-style guest rooms are available to suit any size family or group. Many have gorgeous views of the cove (called 'lagoon view'), and lofts are available for larger groups. 

Pico de Loro

A hugely popular resort, Pico de Loro can become a bit crowded. This is especially true during weekends on popular vacation times. If possible, book a stay during a slower season if possible, or stay during the week.

Things to Do 
The amount of activities in and surrounding Pico de Loro is truly amazing. In and on the hotel grounds, you'll find a wealth of family fun. Couples seeking a romantic getaway won't be disappointed either! 

At, through or near the hotel, you have your pick between indoor or outdoor activities. For the kids, Pico de Loro offers a huge play area to keep them entertained (and supervised) for hours while you explore or have a romantic dinner. Other recreation options include squash and tennis courts, motorized and non-motorized water sports, bowling and billiards. 

Guests of Pico de Loro can explore several different dining options, including 24-hour room service. You can indulge in a relaxing massage right on the beach, go shopping or take advantage of free Wi-Fi in common areas to keep track of things back home. The resort also features a designated, separate smoking area. 

One of the most eye-catching aspects of Pico de Loro is swimming. The cove is truly stunning, and the hotel is built up around it. Beach swimming is available until early evening and lifeguards are on duty. Keep in mind that the sands of Pico de Loro are golden, not white – if you absolutely must experience a white-sand beach, this may not be the resort for you. The swimming is excellent, as the bluffs protect the area from harsh winds and waves. A gorgeous pool is also available, with safety staff on guard. 
For those seeking a more adventurous vacation, the lush natural landscape surrounding Pico de Loro can't be missed. You can rent all-terrain vehicles or bicycles at the resort, or simply take a hike through the dense forests.

Convenience
Boasting all the luxury and the outdoor options of a tropical paradise, Pico de Loro is located just two hours from Manila for the ultimate convenience in travel options! 

Hoan Kiem Lake

Hoan Kiem Lake. Source: aesta1

In the weekend, all roads in Hanoi lead to Hoan Kiem Lake. Thus, on our first weekend after a two month and a half absence, we headed to our favourite park, Hoan Kiem Lake.

Just a short walk from where we stay, we often enjoy a stroll in this place. Small though this lake is, it gathers a crowd, both old and young, locals and internationals.

Picture Taking of Newly Married Couple in Hoan Kiem Lake
Copyright: aesta1

Interesting scenes meet us as we go around the lake. We enjoyed watching perched on tree branches in their wedding finery, newly married couples have their pictures taken hoping for that one of a kind picture to add to their wedding album. Old people doing tai chi, weight watchers doing their power walk, children playing badminton, not so young women in a group dance, and some older men with long beards playing the local board game all lend their presence.

Once in a while, you see one seriously hugging a tree and partaking of its energy. And another in a meditative pose right on the lakeside.

Residents of Hanoi love this lake so much. Their day is never complete without a peek of Hoan Kiem. Their lucky day would be to see the turtle come up which seldom happens.

Women Watching for the Turtle in Hoan Kiem Lake
Copyright: aesta1

More people come on the weekend. They come early and stay, just enjoying the commune with the trees and the water. Some families enjoy cups of coffee in the alfresco shop. Others just content themselves in sitting and contemplating the lake.

Portrait Drawing in Hoan Kiem Lake
Copyright: aesta1

Friends meet here as well and update each other. You see them huddled together showing pictures to each other on their smartphones.

Older People Relaxing in Hoan Kiem Lake
Copyright: aesta1

Photographers are all over the place, taking pictures of groups visiting from the countryside. The highlight for this group is the visit to the pagoda in the middle of the Lake. The Red Bridge connecting this pagoda to the street is often the site of choice for many group pictures.

Check out these other posts on Hanoi:


Duong Lam Village
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
Vietnam Military Museum
Where to Eat in Hanoi
Where to Shop in Hanoi

White Eye Bird Club Cafe: A Unique Musical Experience in Hanoi

If you're thinking of where to have coffee in Hanoi, go to the cafe which is home to the White-eye Bird Club. Locals know the place well, a street cafe near Thien Quang Lake, a very tranquil place to have your morning coffee. But as soon as the bird owners come with their birds in cages, the tranquility is replaced by a symphony of birds who had been trained by their owners to sing. Birds love to sing in a company so they tweet their hearts out as their owners share stories with their coffee.

We read about this place in the Vietnam Airlines Heritage Magazine and so we headed to this place. Many people in Hanoi love to raise birds. They have cages in their homes and in their stores. They take care of these birds, choose them very well and train them to sing. Their favourite is the white-eyed bird as they have strong voices, a competitive spirit and their songs seem to last longer. We saw this competitive spirit in one of the birds. The owner hanged the cage on a hanger on a tree close by and not on the string where all the other cages were. The bird was not happy. It was jumping up and down trying to tell its owner that it wants to be closer to the others.

You should see some of the bird cages for these birds. For serious collectors, they pay up to $10,000 for some of the old and well-designed ones made of ivory, tortoise shells, exotic wood, or other horns. The competition does not stay with cages. They go into the bird food holder they call the "coong" which must match the cages well. One "coong" made of elephant tusk can cost you over a thousand dollars.

Caring for these birds is not easy. Our friend's husband has to wake up very early to clean the cage, bath his birds and feed them. To bathe them they are transferred into a bathing cage so they can be bathed without holding in your hands.

Training them to sing requires time, patience and sensitivity. Those who are serious about their birds say they don't anymore travel for long holidays as their birds require full-time attention. To keep the birds on their singing, bird owners bring them to friend's house or to this cafe so they can compete with the bird having the most range, variations in tones and even the ability to change voices to mimic the other birds as the winner.

View Other Posts on Hanoi:
Hoan Kiem Lake
West Lake

Turkish Airlines Istanbul Lounge: The Best Airline Lounge

I am right now sitting in the Turkish Airlines Lounge at Istanbul airport and enjoying every minute of it. I had been here before and was really impressed at the space, the variety of food this lounge is offering.

The illusion of space with the self playing piano is just the right ambiance after a long flight. The orchids and other flowers in the washroom make it really a very pleasant place to be in. Look at this picture:

Having been to so many airport lounges, this is for me the top. What a change from the less generous offering of other lounges. Try is next time you travel.

Our travel destination this time is Hanoi but we like cutting our trip into shorter segments. It is more tolerable. The only drag is the long wait in-between flights but with this kind of lounge, one doesn't really mind the long wait.

Cottaging in Canada

Summer in Canada is often enjoyed in cottages. It has been a tradition with many Canadian families to go to their cottages in the summer. The cool mornings on the dock, the early morning fishing, the kayaking, the water skiing, the quiet read in the dock, the walks in the woods all complete the experience. The call of the loon and the visits of the families of ducks are charming memories of times spent in the cottage.

More special than all those is the bonding that takes place among families, often multi-generation, bringing with it memories treasured for years.

Here are some pictures of Summer Cottaging: