Big Changes

Hello There!

I'm making some big changes on my blog. Although I'm still very new to blogging, 1.5 months, I've decided to buy postcardsfromstella.com. It's in the process of being updated and transferred to Wordpress. There are many reasons for this change; it's more professional to use your own domain than a sub-domain, Wordpress is considered more professional than Blogger, are a few.

I really enjoy writing about my travel and cultural experiences and I have tons more to write about so please bear with me for making this change. Also, any suggestions on what you'd like to read more about whether here in the Philippines or in any of the other places I've been to are more than welcome.

Ciao!

Stella

What Is Tawas Powder?

Tawas powder is a popular deodorant used in the Philippines. I've always been curious about it but I just didn't understand the differences between that and regular antiperspirant deodorant. 

From what I've learned;

• alum is another name for tawas
• it has cosmetic, medicinal, and industrial uses
• it is natural
• it has antibacterial and whitening properties
• tawas also comes in solid crystal form

If you're looking for an alternative and trying to steer away from antiperspirants, tawas powder (or crystal) is right for you. It's easy to apply; pinch a small amount and rub it into your armpits. So many people swear by it so I've decided to give it a try. It is a hot day; 31 degrees Celcius in my room and I've applied some about an hour ago. So far so good, my kili kili (Tagalog word for armpits) are odourless and feel dry. We'll see how I do for the rest of the day.

This 50 gram container only cost 6.50 PHP (0.15 CAD). 

But I was just wondering; which one is most effective? Tawas powder? Or tawas crystal? Let me know what you think!

Wish you were here!

The Last Paper Postage Stamps?

Naga City has one post office which is located near City Hall. Is it like that all over the Philippines? Is there only one post office in each city.

A few weeks ago I went to the post office to mail some postcards and I was disappointed to discover that they don't use postage stamps! They just use an ink stamp to mark it as paid. In my opinion, the stamp you send your postcard with is just as visually important as the postcard itself. I guess this has become the standard because the ink is cheaper than the paper. When I asked about buying postage stamps they only had one design so I bought a sheet of those. It costs 13 PHP (0.30 CAD) to send one postcard internationally but these ones are worth 7 PHP each. I was hoping that they would have stamps worth 1 or 2 PHP each. It makes mail so much more colourful. The one on the right is dated from 2009! I wonder if these are the last paper stamps in circulation. Hey stamp collectors out there, do you think this is worth saving or should I use them?

Wish you were here!

UPDATE: 20 April 2011


I went to the post office yesterday to mail a letter and I asked again about stamps. They had more! My bad, they didn't stop making them after all! They must just be scarce sometimes.

My 31st Country - Thailand!

Yesterday, I booked my and my cousin's flight to Thailand! I'm so excited! This will be my 31st country.

Since I'm in the Philippines and it's so close to numerous exotic and interesting countries, I knew that I wanted to visit one of them. Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and China were the top contenders but in the end, Thailand came out on top.

Yesterday, Cebu Pacific was having a sale on flights to Bangkok (BKK). How could I pass up a discount of over 50% off? I bought two tickets departing Clark (CRK) to Bangkok. I chose to depart from Clark, two hours north of Manila, instead of Manila because the price difference was really significant. The roundtrip flight with all taxes included cost 7675 PHP (181 CAD) per person. Not bad, eh? (That's right, I said "eh"!)

The next plan of action will be to figure out how to get to Clark Airport from Manila and deciding what we want to do once we get to Bangkok. We'll be there for one week in early June.

Cebu Pacific has a newsletter that everyone in the Philippines should subscribe to. Often times, their sales last for just the day and then it's over! So if you're interested in travel within the Philippines and/or Asia, subscribe to their Seat Sale Alert!

Bangkok has a lot to offer so I think we should stay in the area for the full week to experience as much of it as possible. But if you think there's somewhere else I need to check out, then let me know!  Tell me all about your favourite places and activities. Tell me about your least favourites too!

Wish you were here!

Lola's Words #1: In life, you must be a winner!

My dear grandmother is 76 years old but acts and moves like she's a lot younger. My cousins and I would describe her as a "party girl" for her numerous nights out ballroom dancing. We would also describe her as maingay, which means noisy, because her presence is always known when she's at home with her constant chatter.

At the dining table, she's always dishing out advice on health, finance, relationships, and life in general. She has a way of speaking that is as if she is addressing the country.

A little while back, Lola, Tita Dayday, Tito Rey, and I were in the car just leaving after hearing mass on Sunday when Lola randomly declared that "in life, you must be a winner". Now I must admit, I am occasionally guilty of poking fun at some of the things that my dear Lola says. But it's all said in jest; not to hurt anyone's feelings. This was one of those times. I really couldn't help it but my mouth began speaking before I could stop myself and I said, "Yeah! Because God hates losers."

The way I interpreted it was that second best is never okay. But the way I see it, sometimes second best is the best you can do and you have to accept it rather than tear yourself up over it. But Lola explained what she meant:

In life, you must be a winner considering that you were created from the best egg and the fastest sperm. You've been a winner since birth! So congratulations to all you winners for making it this far!

High five!

Wish you were here!

Sunrise in CamSur!

When I was in the Philippines last year (2010), we took a family trip to Caramoan for the weekend. Caramoan is an hour drive and a two hour boat ride away from Naga City. We woke up very early and made the trip to the port in Sagñay. The sun began to rise as we were embarking and that's when I took this picture.

It was a beautiful morning and a great start to our trip. 

Wish you were here!

Attention Canadians!

Monday 2 May 2011 is Voting Day!

If you are eligible to vote in Canada then please do so! It is your civic duty to cast an educated vote. Take the time to familiarize yourself with each party and their platform. The Globe and Mail has made this easy by organizing the key issues (ex. health, the economy, education, etc..) and each party's stance. Compare The Party Platforms

If you don't receive your Voter Information Card by Friday 15 April 2011, then you should contact your local returning officer or Elections Canada at 1-800-INFO-VOTE (1-800-463-6868).

For more information, visit Elections Canada.

Even if you disagree with every single candidate running, there is still something you can do about it. It's called spoiling your vote/ballot. You can do this a number of ways.

1. Choosing all candidates.
2. Choosing none of the candidates.
3. Signing your name on it.
4. Writing "this ballot is spoiled" across it. (My dad's favourite.)
5. Or all of the above. 

Since I'm here in the Philippines I'm going to have to vote by special ballot. I myself am still undecided on who deserves my vote but I'm weighing my options. 

Every vote counts so make sure to register and mark it in your calendar! 

2 May 2011

Wish you were here!