Mighty Tall Trees at Muir Woods

Let's take a break from San Francisco and move 19km north of the city to Muir Woods National Monument. Muir Woods is a good option for nature-loving tourists who want to wander outside San Francisco as it's only a 45 minute drive from the city.

From www.parksconservancy.org:

"People do not just visit Muir Woods. They come from around the globe to pay homage to nature in this cathedral of redwoods. The trees' ages range from 400 to 800 years, their height up to 250 feet. Flat easy trails loop through the groves. Muir Woods National Monument was established on January 9, 1908 when President Roosevelt signed legislation to protect an old-growth coast redwoomd forest from destruction. In the light gaps beneath the redwood trees are red alders, California big leaf maples, tanoaks, and Douglas fir. The forest floor is covered in redwood sorrel, ferns, fungi, duff, and debris. Several bridges cross Redwood Creek, which flows through the park year-round. Wildlife residents include the endangered coho salmon fingerlings, Pacific wren, woodpeckers, owls, deer, chipmunks, skunks, river otters, and squirrels to name a few."

Due to the very cold weather, we explored Muir Woods in record time but it's best to allocate 2 hours to explore the area. 

Lines don't lie and this piece of wood is VERY old.

When at Muir Woods one can't help but look up and admire the redwoods which are as tall as skyscrapers.

Just take a look at these two who were easily dwarfed by the trees:

Muir Woods National Monument is located at Highway 101, Mill Valley,Califonia, U.S.A.For more information, click here.

White Water Rafting in Davao

I'm closing my Davao series with the reason why we went to Davao: To Go White Water Rafting!!! The experience didn't disappoint and I had so much fun that I want to do it again.

Let's backtrack...

There are two rafting operators in Davao but we chose to have our adventure with the lesser known Base Camp for three reasons:

1. The early morning schedule of Base Camp brought us back to the city by 2 p.m.
2. Free pick up of  Base Camp to and fro the hotel.
3. Base Camp takes better pictures than the other rafting company in my opinion. 

We were picked up at 7 a.m. by Base Camp from Marco Polo Davao to their office where we first got our gear and signed waiver forms.

We then traveled more than an hour in an open air vehicle to Davao River. 

Say hello to our tour mates who posed in front of the vehicle.

When we arrived at the rafting point, the crew of Base Camp made sure that our life vests were securely fastened. We were also given tips on how to keep safe while rafting.

With safety as the number one priority, our personal guides also gave last minute instructions before we hit the waters.

The one thing we needed to learn was how to "rescue" a fellow rafter in case someone gets thrown out of the boat. This is a poor illustration of how it's done:

Our foreign tour mate shows the right way:

With this kayaker leading the group, we were ready for the rapids!

The water looked muddy because it rained the night before our rafting trip. Do note though that it's not dirty. I know since I gulped a mouthful when I went overboard. 

It was a wet and wild experience with all of us feeling pumped up braving and fighting the rapids.

Halfway in our adventure, we stopped at this falls to rest.

Group Picture

I applaud the photographer of Base Camp for being relentless in taking pictures. This group sure looked like they were having the time of their lives.

After the waterfall stop, it was time to face the most challenging leg of the trip. Conquering the Drop & Suck rapid.

The other groups managed the course without much difficulty except for US! We wiped out and got swallowed by the raging river.  While in the water, feeling the strength of the whirlpool, the key is to not panic because the life vest is there to help you eventually surface to the water. 

SUCCESS except for US

This bridge signified that the end was near.  We were tired but adrenalin was at an all time high.

I think this group perfectly captured how much fun we all had! 

I enjoyed the experience so much that I encourage everyone who visits Davao to book a white water rafting adventure.

NOTE: Rate per person is 1,500php. It includes a shirt, lunch, and CD of all the pictures. All photos taken by Base Camp.

Base Camp is located at Door 77 Madrazo Fruit Complex, C. Bangoy Street Davao City. For inquiries, call 09323500921, 0908 894 1468, (082) 305 7624 or click here.

Kimchi for Dummies

In-between shopping, eating, and sightseeing in South Korea, my friends and I dropped by the Seoul Global Culture and Tourism Center to get a feel of popular Korean traditions.

We kicked it off by having our photos taken wearing hanbok, Korea's traditional dress.

Costume Options

We then dabbled in arts and crafts, making a hand mirror with a Chinese character design. I didn't get the connection! 

The highlight of this excursion though was when we moved locations and learned how to make kimchi.

Our Friendly Instructor

It wasn't too hard because the two most important ingredients, cabbage and chili paste, were prepared ahead of time.

All we had to do was mix cut spring onions, radish, and white onions with chili paste.

Lay the cabbage down and cover back side of leaf with chili mixture 

Until the entire cabbage is covered.

Next is to pack the kimchi tightly in a large container. Leave it for two days at room temperature to enable fermentation. 

And voila! We had something to bring back home to our families in Manila. 

For more information on Seoul Global Culture and Tourism Center, pls. click here.

Details on Kimchi Academy House can be found here.

Nanta in Myeongdong

Back in the city from the Paju Premium Outlets, we were scheduled to watch Nanta in Myeongdong.

Nanta is the longest running show in Korean history and tells the story of three cooks attempting to finish preparation for a wedding banquet.

Nanta is mostly non-verbal with the cast using acrobatics, magic tricks, comedy, pantomime, and audience participation to entertain the crowd.

Taking live pictures was prohibited but I was able to sneak in a few shots: 

I have to admit that I fell asleep during Nanta, but to be fair, I was running on just a couple hours sleep that night. I would not discourage anyone from watching Nanta because it's truly a unique Korean experience.

Tickets for Nanta start at  40,000krw or 1,500php. For more information, click here.

Paju Premium Outlets

Travelling with 4 other girls, it's not surprising that our first agenda in South Korea was the Paju Premium Outlets.

Located just 50 minutes outside Seoul, we thought this was the perfect way to kick-off our trip.

Paju Premium Outlets houses a lot of brands....

but everything was just too darn expensive!

You know it's bad when this was the "loot" of all 5 girls:

I can only recommend an excursion to Paju when there's absolutely nothing else to do and one doesn't mind paying not so bargain prices for clothes from past seasons.

Paju Premium Outlets is located at 1790-8 Bupheung-ri, Tanhyun-myun, Paju. For more information, click here.