4 Resorts to Visit or to Stay in Sipalay

During our homecoming last February, Ed and I had an opportunity to travel to one of the best kept destinations of my home province; Sipalay. The laid back coastal town in Negros Occidental is slowly making a name in the tourism scene. It is now fondly called as the "Jewel of the Sugar Island" because of its unspoiled white sand beaches and islets. 

Together with our family, we spent three days and two nights in Sipalay. Since the town boasts a scenic landscape, we decided to spend one night in an island resort, one night in a beachfront resort, and visited two other resorts which are known for stunning views.  

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iPilot: Flying a Boeing 737 at The Dubai Mall

I love to travel and I love airplane rides! So, when I received an invitation from iPilot Flight Simulator Center to experience what is it like to be in the Pilot's seat and not in our usual Economy Class, I eagerly replied "yes" without any reservations. :) 

My excitement caught Ed by surprise. He never thought I'd like it as the activity is not fit for a girly girl like me and I can easily get confused with all the techie buttons and switches. But, I'm pretty sure he was happy that I decided to go for it. It's something new for both us. And just like me, he's curious on what's going on in the cockpit.

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11 Things To Look Forward To In Danat Jebel Dhanna Resort

With the temperature quickly rising, I often find myself thinking about new summer destinations. It has been only a month since we had a beach getaway in Thailand, but discovering what UAE has to offer other than the popular choices like Jumeirah Beach and Jebel Hafeet excites me. And last weekend, we found a perfect summer hideaway. 

Ed and I had a sweet escape in Danat Jebel Dhanna Resort. Where? Jebel Dhanna in Al Ruwais. Huh? Well, that's actually me when I first heard about the 5-star resort in the Western Region. I immediately googled and check its location on the map. Gosh! It's 4 hours away from Dubai by car. Since we don't drive, we should take the inter-Emirate bus and that would take us around 5 hours to get there. 

But that's the beauty of it. It is nestled in a land far far away... far from the city, far from the noise, far from my workplace, far from anything else that matters in my daily grind. Sounds like a superb escape plan, right?

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Highlights of Turkey: A 12-Day DIY Travel Itinerary and Expenses

Because YOU asked for it, here is a summary of our #SweetEscapesInTurkey series along with our complete travel itinerary and expenses. :) 

We are very happy to share this article as a guide, but please remember that we are not the best DIY travel planners, not experts in budget trips either. Our itinerary had loopholes and we had misadventures. So I would suggest that you take all the tips you can get from here and build an itinerary based on your own interests. 

Grab your pen and travel journal. Ready? Here we go. :)    

#SweetEscapesInTurkey Travel Itinerary and Expenses

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A Day in Old City Sultanahmet

The Old City known as Sultanahmet is the heart of Istanbul. It is where major historical attractions are located, hence the archaeological park was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list. It is touristy, yet filled with so much history and culture. That's why we chose to stay in a boutique hotel in the area.

We spent four days in Sultanahmet. And each day we would stay for an hour or two relaxing, people-watching, and eating Turkish ice cream in Sultanahmet Square. Except for Day 1 when we devoted the whole day exploring its attractions above and under the ground. 

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Atisuto: Funky Japanese Restaurant in Al Ghurair Centre

The food strip in Al Ghurair Centre, right in between the shopping mall and Spinneys, is currently our favorite food spot. There are just so many interesting restaurants along that lane. Our new discovery is Atisuto, a well-commended Japanese eatery that already has an outlet in Galleria Mall Dubai. Shame that we only knew about this restaurant recently.

Atisuto Japanese restaurant in Al Ghurair Centre, Dubai

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Breakfast at Serendipity 3 in Dubai Festival City

For someone who is obsessed with all things pink and pretty, the opening of Serendipity 3 in Dubai is a dream come true! The whimsical restaurant has been featured in movie scenes and TV series episodes - the most famous is probably the scene of John Cusack and Kate Bekinsale having frozen hot chocolate in the romantic comedy film Serendipity. Have you seen that movie? No? Oh, watch it NOW pretty please. :)  

Serendipity 3 of NYC currently has two fresh outlets in Dubai. With its popularity, I guess there will be more in the future, but as of now, the fans and the curious ones can have their frrrozen hot chocolate fix in Dubai Festival City and City Walk. 

Serendipity 3 in Dubai Festival City

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10 Reasons Why I Fell in Love with Istanbul

I have this huge crush on Istanbul for years. Needless to say, it turned into a love affair when I finally got to visit a couple of months ago. And when it was time to say goodbye, just like a girl truly madly in love, I suffered from separation anxiety.

How can somebody be so crazy about a city? Before you judge, please allow me to explain. Here are 10 reasons why I fell in love with Istanbul, probably the same reasons that will finally make YOU book an Istanbul-bound flight as well.   

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