Visita Iglesia (2013) - Laguna

Laguna is one of my most favorite province in the country.  Aside from being very accessible from my hometown in Rizal, Laguna offers a lot to its visitors - lush green mountains, majestic waterfalls, delicious food, and beautiful old churches.  

This year, my family decided to go to Laguna for our annual Visita Iglesia.

Beijing Day 3: Summer Palace

We proceeded to the Summer Palace from Beijing Zoo.  The Summer Palace is the largest and most well-preserved royal park in China.  The construction of the Palace started in 1750.  It was constructed to serve as a summer getaway of the Chinese royal family.  It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.

Beijing Day 3: Beijing Zoo

We woke up at around 7 o’clock in the morning to prepare for our last day in Beijing. On our last day in Beijing, we only planned to visit two attractions: the Beijing Zoo and the Summer Palace.  We limited the places to visit since we have a flight to Shanghai at 8 o’clock in the evening.

Beijing Day 2: Shopping

I am really not a fan of SHOPPING.  Usually, shopping does not exist in my itinerary.  I would rather use my time exploring the place where I am in.  However, shopping was inevitable in this trip as we have two girls in the group.  Our second day in Beijing was divided into two parts: Great Wall during the day and shopping at night.

Beijing Day 2: Great Wall

Since I was a kid, I have been fascinated about history and geography. Majority of my books were atlases, maps, and travel guides. I dreamed of going to every picture of tourist destinations that I saw.  Among these is the Great Wall of China.

The Great Wall of China is one of the most famous landmarks on earth.  Surely, majority of us know that the Great Wall is a series of fortifications made of stone and bricks along the northern part of China.  Legend has it that it is the only man-made structure that can be seen on the moon.  The Great Wall is so iconic that it should not be missed by anyone planning to go to Beijing. 

Beijing Day 1: St. Joseph's Cathedral and Kung Fu Show

Since it was a Sunday, we proceeded to St. Joseph's Cathedral in Wangfujing Street to attend mass.  St. Joseph Cathedral was built in Romanesque Revival style.  It contains intricate European and Chinese designs.  As we entered the church, we were surprised to learn that there were lots of Catholic Chinese.  

Beijing Day 1: Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square

As we exited the MRT Station, we saw the National Center for Performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing.  The NCPA was designed by the famous French architect Paul Andreu.  The NCPA serves as an opera house.

Beijing Day 1: Temple of Heaven

Temple of Heaven

After alighting from Tiantan Station, we walked towards The Temple of Heaven.  Entrance fee for a combination ticket is CNY 30 (approximately Php 180) per person.

The Temple of Heaven is China's largest existing complex of ancient sacrificial buildings.  It was built during the Ming dynasty and this was were emperors prayed for excellent weather and ample harvest.  It was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1998. 

Beijing Day 1: Hotel-Breakfast-En Route to Temple of Heaven

We woke up around 6 o'clock in the morning to prepare ourselves for a looong day of walking.  

Our itinerary for the day was:

1. Temple of Heaven
2. Forbidden City
3. Tiananmen Square
4. St. Joseph's Church
5. Kung Fu Show

We left Happy Dragon Hostel at around 7 o'clock in the morning to look for a place to eat breakfast.  

Hello Beijing!

On February 23-28, 2013, I had a Do-it-Yourself (DIY) trip to Beijing with my friends Weng, Leah, Mark, and Hermes. A day before our trip, my passport got wet.  I almost lost hope and prepared myself not to join the trip.