First Sight of Laoag City

Hi people of the world!!! I am having the time of my life and let me share to you first what I visited on Day one.

The St. William's Cathedral is the largest Cathedral in South East Asia I believe.  This was built to support the Christians in Laoag.  Once you go to the entrance, you'll see short description about the Cathedral.

A full shot of St. William's Cathedral, perfect with clear blue sky at the background.

Hannah, Ada and myself took time to appreciate the architecture of the church.  Everything was so serene and I took a moment to pray to thank the Lord for the wonderful blessings this year.  Being part of this Road Trip is a Jackpot itself!

A couple of walk away from the Cathedral is the famous Sinking Bell Tower which I was told sinks 1/4 inch a year! 

What does a girl do if there's a bazaar close by? Check out the stuffs that were on sale!  Hannah, Ada and myself took time to checkout the hats, the accessories and trinkets.  We actually bought bracelets for souvenir!  I am proud to say, I bargained and got a good deal!  Growing up a cheapo pays! LOL 

We also saw the Tobacco Monopoly Monument, after talking to a local, we learned that it was built to serve as a thanksgiving to the Crown of Spain.

We ended the afternoon with a well known "Pancit Canton" at La Moda Panciteria.  They are awarded as one of the best restaurants in Laoag and after tasting their "Pancit Canton" (noodles) with Bagnet, I can't help but agree.

Did you know that?
Our beauty blogger Shen, gave me a call last night and I was told this famous restaurant is owned by her family!!!  I should have known and asked for bigger servings! *laughs*

I have to say bye for now!  I'd love to share more about my adventure but I'm outside and laptop battery is dying down!!!

Keep that big smile coming and join me as I go through my Road trip and local readers (girls), please do not forget to join the daily contest!

What's in store?  Vaseline gift packs worth Php1,000!!!

Thanks everyone for being excited!
Love ya all!
Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

Day 1: Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel + Day 1 Contest

Fort Ilocandia is the only 5-star deluxe resort hotel!  That's what I read on the website when I researched on the place I will spend 2 nights on.  And I agree when I arrived, we were welcomed by wonderful singers as I borrowed a tambourine and sing and dance like I was part of the team!

As you go inside the hotel, a nice chandelier greeted me!  The interior of the reception area is quite cozy.

A welcome drink!  Pineapple Orange juice! It was really hot so I sipped right through it!

I'm on Room 292 and see how huge this hotel room is!  And I am staying alone!  I can jump from one bed to another I swear!  :)

My huge bed!  I guess this room is a room for 3!  I feel so pampered!

Me and my girl friends inside my room applying Vaseline Healthy White SPF24 prior to leaving the room for a quick city tour.

Pool side plus the view of the rooms!

Golf course, a very nice shot from the lady in white!

A "Venetian-like" canal which reminded me of the recent Macau trip I had!

A lengthy pool!

Fort Ilocandia is quite huge!  I like it that they have "signs" on random areas!

No reason to get lost!

The wonderful beach that took my breathe away!  Waves aren't bad but it's super windy! I can literally taste sand!!!  It was really gorgeous and we took time to emote down here! :)

And what more could you ask for?  A nice photo-op with a local Carabao!  He's 12 years old by the way!  And he's super sweet!

Hannah

Ada

And of course, I don't want you to forget my face! lol

ME!  

The carabao's skin is quite warm!  Feels like summer! :)
It's a very nice place to stay and I'll enjoy it while it last!
I'll be off for another adventure tomorrow! 
Stay tuned!

CONTEST TIME!
To my local readers, our dear friends from Vaseline will give out exciting prizes daily for the duration of the Roadtrip!  I will be posting a question per day based on the adventure or post for the day!  The first question will be very easy!  

"Which part of Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel do you think is AMW's Favorite?"

1. Answer could be: "The room!  The pool!" etc...
2. Comment the answer together with your name and email address.
3. Only 1 comment per person.
4. The entry with the correct answer will be randomly chosen and winners will be announced on this blog!
5. All the winners will be announced on a separate post AFTER my Road Trip!  
6. Read the Full Terms and Conditions by smiling and clicking HERE

Goodluck!
Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

**Photo without watermark courtesy of Jeck Simbulan for Vaseline Philippines

AMW and the 2 Girls for Vaseline Road Trip of a Lifetime

Hi AMW Readers!

Finally! I have the internet access and the time to update! :) It was a wonderful trip I tell you!  Before I tell you about my wonderful first day on the beautiful city of Laoag!  Let me introduce to you the 2 lovelies I am sharing this adventure with.

Hannah of FlairCandy

She's one cool girl who loves the beach and loves the sun!  I have met her a couple of times on events but never had the chance to bond with her!  I guess this is the time!

Ada of Adaphobic

This gal is humorous and super fun to be with!  She loves photography and she loves "Jump Shots".  You'll understand if you visit her site! 

The flight for Laoag leaves at 9:30am via Philippine Airlines, flight was smooth and we arrived on time.  The Laoag Airport is quite impressive, it's very clean, modern and people are friendly!

Just a cute reminder that I want to share to you :) 

I've said it over Facebook but please click on the banner to go to the website to get a chance to win your own Road Trip of a Lifetime.  Starting tomorrow, there will be contest for local readers to get a chance to win some goodies!

Thank you so much for the support.  This is one chapter of my blogging life that I think is really worth experiencing and sharing!  I will talk to you about the hotel I stay later on!  I'm off for dinner!

P.S. To those who asks, regular programming will be back as soon as I go back to Manila.  This is a 1 week Road Trip I wouldn't dare to miss!  I will definitely report back so please come back soon!

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

AMW Ready for Vaseline's Road Trip of a Lifetime!

Dear AMW Readers:

I am very excited to share to you an invite I got from our dear friends from Vaseline!  I've just been talking to a dear friend of mine recently about a trip I've been wanting for myself, a trip that can make me relax and have fun!  A trip that I can just leave all my worries behind...nothing but pure bliss!  And who could have thought...wishes do come true?  And I swear, it was less than a month of wishing!!!

Here's a personal invite!  I was saying YES..YES...YES to all the questions below!

I am actually a Tourism graduate, sad to say I haven't been traveling much within the country!  And this invite is perfect timing for me to enjoy the beauty of our country and share it to everybody including our dear friends across the globe!  It'll be a peak on a life of a Road Tripper! 

And what could make a trip even better?  A bag of essentials!  It ain't hard to walk on sunshine with cute stuff right?

Here's a closer look on what I will take along with me on the trip!  Thanks Vaseline!

• On the Road with Vaseline Map
• Towel
• Water jugs
• Scarf
• Compass
• Smart Bro wifi
• Notebook
• Bag Tag
• Sunsilk Damage Repair
• Pond's Perfect Matte Oil Control Cleansing Foam
• Pepsodent toothpaste
• Dove anti-perspirant and deodorant
• Dove Go Fresh Fresh Moisture Beauty Bar
• Dove Beauty Cream Bar

And let's not forget, the 2 most important thing when I'm out in the sun

• Vaseline Healthy White SPF24 Triple Lightening Lotion

 Now you can whiten even under the sun.  It provides three layers of protection that help keep skin fair and even toned, in a light, non-sticky, daily moisturizer.

I was told that this can protect my skin from both UVA and UVB rays from the sun, however, it is still  recommended to re-apply this after every 4 hours to avoid short and long-term darkening!  Expect me to do that!

• Vaseline Healthy Sunblock SPF30

These 2 are must have for me as I am scared of skin cancer.  Protecting the skin from the harsh rays of the sun is a MUST for me especially when I travel.  

All I need to do is prepare my outfit, my laptop and camera!  I'm all set for a fun-filled vacation I've been longing for!  I will definitely update everyone on my whereabouts so please join me as I share to you my wonderful adventure in the lovely Northern Region of the Philippines!!!!  Stay tune for updates!  It'll be fun I swear! 

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

AMW is Excited to Try: By NATURE Handmade Soaps

When a dear friend Phoebe told me about a new organic goodies from By Nature Handmade Soaps, the name itself stuck my head as my dear old skin is in dire need of quality natural product!  My first thought was, is it expensive?  Thank goodness she sent me a price list and I breathe a sigh of relief.

Price for Regular bars:

For full bar: Php95.00 ($2.00)

For half sized bar: Php55.00 ($1.20)

Price for Special bars:

For full bar: Php125.00 ($2.70)

For half sized bar: Php75.00 ($1.63)

I got these 3 variants a couple of weeks ago but I don't want to waste my current soap, thank goodness for the hot weather I try to take a shower many times a day to finish up my current soap!   Call me crazy!  I agree! hahaha

Let's take a closer look on what I currently own

Cocoa Butter Melt

This soap is unscented

(100% natural)

Your skin will get all the pampering it needs from the cocoa butter in this soap, with soothing and emollient qualities that will leave your skin all soft and moisturized.

Tangy Orange

This soap is scented

(96.83% natural)

With the sweet scent of orange oil comes a wonderful bar that is zesty and invigorating.  Every bath will leave you feeling fresh and uplifted.

Sea Mud Pie

This soap is scented

(100% natural) 

Get more supple and hydrated skin with this soap. Dead Sea mud promotes natural skin regeneration and draws out impurities. Also contains lavender essential oil for healing and geranium essential oil to balance sebum production. Witch hazel extract is added to serve as a natural astringent and antibacterial.

If you're interested to check out other variants, go to Island Berry website and choose away!  Thanks Phoebs for introducing this to me!

As you all can see, I chose mostly soap bars that are moisturizing enough for my super dry skin!  I am excited to give this a try but I have a predicament...which variant should I use first?

Can you help me out?
Keep smilin'

Stay happy!