The Parish and National Shrine of St. Padre Pio is a catholic church administered by the Roman Catholic Church of Lipa. It is consecrated to St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, an Italian priest and a saint for exhibiting stigmata for most of his life. It is a pilgrimage site at Brgy San Pedro, in the Santo Tomas – Lipa Road in Santo Tomas, Batangas.
The Shrine became a famous tourist destination because of the different structures around like Mother of Mercy Belfry, St. John and Mary Vianney Chapel of Reconciliation, The Sanctuary of the True Cross of Christ
and Holy Water Sanctuary.
Other structures built within the National Shrine include the parish rectory, office and religious store, the Fountain of Hope, the Stations of the Cross, and recently the Divine Mercy Sanctuary for Pilgrims.
A first-class relic was entrusted to the proposed church in 2003. The Parish of St. Padre Pio was erected some months after the canonization of St. Padre Pio in 2002.
Bataan is a very famous historical place for the Philippines. Going to Bataan, you will a mark in the called the Bataan Death March Marker which is seen in the town of Orani.
The capital city of Bataan is Balanga. What are the famous places to see in the capital? In the center of the city are the following:
Diocesan Shrine and Cathedral – Parish of Saint Joseph
Balanga Cathedral, formally known as Diocesan Shrine and Cathedral Parish of St. Joseph was declared as a diocesan-shrine and is the seat of the Diocese of Balanga. The cathedral was formally declared as a Diocesan Shrine on March 19, 2015.
Plaza Mayor de Ciudad de Balanga
Across the street from the façade of the cathedral is The Plaza Mayor. The plaza mayor is a plaza of the famous Plaza Hotel Blanaga City with a statue of Jose Rizal. Plaza Mayor de Ciudad de Balanga is an old hotel in the middle of Balanga City. It is a 3.5 hotel with 34 guest rooms.
The hotel also has the mall in the adjacent building. On the right side of the hotel is the town hall.
Bataan World War II Museum
The museum houses inside the compound of the Balanga City Elementary School. It is near the surrender site and located at Jose Basa Street. The museum is dedicated to the Filipino and American war soldiers and war veterans. The World War II museum has different artifacts and dioramas about the events that took place during World War 2.
It consists of two floors where you can see some original memorabilia used during WWII even some parts of the plane that crashed in the Tarak Ridge.
Right across the museum is the Surrender Site. Other landmarks to see are Dona Francisca Park, Bataan Tourism Center and the Zero Kilometer Death March Marker.
Samal is a coastal town in Bataan. It was known for sea gypsies migrated in Luzon in the early 14th century and settled in Bataan. They introduced the pearl and capiz culture.
The Parish Church of Saint Catherine of Siena was founded in the municipality on April 20, 1641. Saint Catherine of Siena became the patron saint of the municipality and a feast on her name was celebrated every 30th of April.
Historically, the church and the convent were burned by the Katipuneros in 1896 and as rebuilt in 1903.
My flight was 9 in the morning, but I needed to arrive 2 hours in JFK prior to the scheduled flight. I took the train until Grand Central but decided to take a cab going to the airport as. I boarded the American Airline plane going to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Texas. A friend picked me up at the airport and I stayed in his house until the following morning before visiting another college friend in Fort Worth.
Fort Worth Water Gardens
Fort Worth is a city in Texas referred to as “Where the West Begins”.
The first place we went to was Fort Worth Water Gardens. The Water Garden was located downtown between Houston and Commerce Street adjacent to the Fort Worth Convention Center. It is a beautiful and refreshing oasis with a variety of water features in a cityscape.
Fort Worth Stockyards
The Fort Worth Stockyards is located in Rodeo Plaza. It is a historical district for the livestock industry during the late 19th century.
The Stockyards consists of entertainment and shopping venues that capitalize on the “Cowtown” image of Fort Worth. I also saw the parade of longhorns cattle with the cowboys of Stockyards.
During dinner, we ate at the Golden Corral Buffet and Grill with my friend’s whole family. We also shopped at the nearby Walmart Supercenter before going home. I saw the train of the Fort Worth & Western Railroad.
That Saturday morning, my friend and I took a bus going to Madison Square Garden. We alighted there and walked going to the bus stop where the bus was heading for Washington D.C. Since we were early we ate at Bagels and Schmear for breakfast.
New York to Washington D.C.
The bus arrived and we were traveling to the Capital of the United State of America. It was a long journey. I wasn’t sure about the roads but I saw some bridges and rivers along the way. In Philadelphia, the bus also changed drivers.
Somewhere in Baltimore, we were stuck in the road for almost an hour before the bus took a U-turn and found another road going to Washington D.C.
It was already 3 in the afternoon when we reached the bus stop which is Washington D.C. Union Station.
Union Station
The Union Station is the central station in Washington D.C. It is a terminal for buses and subways. We went outside and took a picture in Columbus Circle, the Union Stations’ plaza with a fountain.
United States Capitol
We walked going to the Lower Senate Park with different tres and trimmed grass and a beautiful walkway. We then went to the United States Capitol. The United States Capitol is an iconic domed shaped classical building of the US Senate and House of Representatives.
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is one of the remarkable National Library in Washington with beautiful interiors and architectural design.
We also went to tour the area of the United States Capitol and went to see Garfield’s statue. You can also see Union Square. From the left side, there’s a Botanical Garden which was already closing at that time.
We went back and tried the Hop-on-Hop-off Bus at the bus stop in the Garfield Memorial/Botanical Gardens.
Hop-on-Hop-off Tour Loop
It was the last tour of the Day Tour Bus. We decided to try the tour loop without going out of the bus to explore the landmarks and scenery of Washington D.C. Here are the landmarks for the tour loop: Air Space & Space Museum/ Bible Museum; Washington Monument/Bureau of Printing & Engraving/Holocaust Memorial Museum; Museum of American History; Museum of Natural History; Newmuseum; Chinatown/National Law Enforcement/Memorial & Museum/Capital One Arena/ Madame Tussauds/Grand Hyatt; Hotel Harrington/Ford’s Theatre; White House/The W Hotel; African American History & Culture Museum; Jefferson Memorial; M.L.K and F.D.R Memorials, Lincoln Memorial & Vietnam; Shuttle Bus to Arlington National Cemetery; WWII Memorial; White House Visitor Center; National Archives/U.S. Navy Memorial; DC Wharf. The Hop on Hop off One Day Pass is 42USD.
When the bus maneuvered going back to the trail, we decided to go down at the White House.
White House
The White House is the official residence of the president of the United States of America. We went to the famous view were people took a picture with the backdrop of the White House.
Washington Monument
Crossing the street in Constitution Avenue, we walked to the German-American Friendship Garden with the view of Washington Monument. The Obelisk was built to commemorate the first President of the United States, George Washington.
World War 2 Memorial
From the Obelisk, we went to World War II Memorial. The World War II Memorial is a memorial for the Americans who served in the armed forces as civilians during World War 2.
There are 56 granite pillars for the 48 states in the USA, the District of Columbia, and 7 other territories. A striking pillar dedicated to the Philippines which was under the USA during the war.
The memorial is also surrounded by a square and fountain. You can also see the view of the reflecting pool and the Lincoln Memorial.
Lincoln Memorial
We headed to the Lincoln Memorial via the long stretch of reflecting pool. The Lincoln Memorial is built in honor of the 16th USA President Abraham Lincoln.
The architecture of the building is a Greek Doric temple with a large seated sculpture of Lincoln. Inside the building is a museum.
From the Lincoln Memorial, we went to Constitution Ave near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and waited for another friend to go to Virginia. We ate first at Taco Bamba in Falls Church, Virginia. After eating we drove to check the Pentagon, before going to her house in Virginia where we will be spending a night.
The whole Thursday was spent in the GSA Summit in New York Academy of Sciences. On Friday, July 25th, I decided to explore the more of New York City, and this time I started early in the morning.
Central Park is a very famous landmark in New York City. It traversed from the Upper to Midtown Manhattan both in the East and West Side.
South GateHouse
I skipped the Vanderbilt Gate and the garden inside. I entered the Engineer’s Gate and walked towards the Jacquelyn Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. I walked to the Bridle Path going to the middle of the reservoir and went to South Gate House. The South Gate House is building with the equipment used for the reservoir. There were lots of people walking, jogging and cycling along Bridle Gate.
The Obelisk
From the South Gate House, I walked to the East Drive and saw the Alexander Hamilton Monument and the Obelisk. Alexander Hamilton is one of the founding fathers of the US. The Obelisk was erected in 1881 with Egyptian hieroglyphs which is one of Cleopatra’s Needle originating from Egypt.
Belvedere Castle
I looked at the street signs in Central Park when I passed thru the 79th St Transverse Road. There was an arrow going to Belvedere Castle. The castle is a folly with an exhibit room and observation deck. It is a mix of Gothic and Romanesque architecture built-in 1869. Belvedere means beautiful view.
It is set on a Vista Rock which is the highest point with the park views. The castle is free for everyone to explore. There’s a great view from the top of the castle. Be careful with the steep and small stairs but the view is really spectacular.
From the Belvedere Castle, there’s a view of the Turtle Pond.
The Ramble
After navigating the Belvedere Castle, I went inside the Ramble. The Ramble is a 38-acre woodland in Central Park with rustic trails that will lead you to the lake viewing area and to the Bow Bridge. There’s a falls with a rock formation in the Ramble.
The Lake and Bow Bridge
From the Ramble, you will see the lake viewing area, a nice place for photoshoot with the backdrop of the skyscrapers from the West Side of Manhattan. Tourists and locals can ride a boat with a fee and explore the lake.
There’s a nice spot called the Wood Chip Vantage Point to have a great view of the Bow Bridge. The Bow Bridge is a pedestrian bridge going to the other side of the lake.
Bethesda Terrace and Bethesda Fountain
I went to see the Cherry Fountain and headed to the Terrace Drive going to the famous Bethesda Terrace. The Bethesda Terrace is overlooking the Bethesda Fountain and the southern lake.
The Bethesda Fountain with the Angel of Waters bronze statue is one of the iconic landmarks in the middle of Central Park. From the fountain, you can walk to the underpass with a decorated ceiling. The whole terrace and the underpass has a very nice architectural design.
From the stairways, you can see the Mall, the Skate Circle and the Naumburg Bandshell.
Sheep Meadow
I took a left turn from the Mall and entered the Sheep Meadow. The Sheep Meadow used to be a place for the sheep. As of today, it is a wide-open space with a perfect backdrop of huge buildings.
Strawberry Field
Before I leave Central park, I made sure that I get to see the Strawberry Field. From the sheep meadow, I went back to the west side of Central Park to see the spot. Famous for the title of the song, Strawberry Field’s was a tribute in memory of late Beatle member, John Lennon.
From the memorial, I went outside Central Park and took a photo of the building called The Dakota where John Lennon was shot.
I went out from Terrace Drive at the Central Park West Street and crossed the street to ride the subway from 72nd Street station.
Museum of Natural History
From my Central Park tour I went to another famous museum in New York City. I alighted at the 81st Street Station and went to the Museum of Natural History. There were visitors at the front of the museum. It was already past 4 in the afternoon and I didn’t go inside because they were closing at 5PM. I just took a picture of the Franklin Theodore Roosevelt statue and the façade of the museum.
When I go back to New York again, I’ll spend a day in the museums I didn’t have the chance to explore and one of them is the Natural History and the nearby Science Museum.
I went to buy snacks along the road and ate the pretzels before going to the Brooklyn Bridge.
During the GSA Summit in The New York Academy of Sciences in Greenwich Village, we had a break because the STEM students went for a tour around New York City, together with one of the parents of the student we went to the World Trade Center Ground Zero.
World Trade Center Ground Zero
The Ground Zero was the commemorative memorial for the 911 tragic event in the history of the world. Near the Ground Zero is a museum called World Trade Center Museum.
We took a picture in the Ground Zero. We also took photos with the street art wall in front of the Occulus.
After that, I went to Broadway to watch a Broadway musical. I told my friend that I wanted to try watching any Broadway Show. He asked a friend for a ticket and we decided to watch King Kong Alive in Broadway.
Broadway Theatre
There are so many Broadway musicals. The Broadway Theatre is in the 53rd Street corner 7th Avenue where they are playing King Kong. I arrived earlier in Broadway Theatre ahead of my friend and waited for him. When he arrived we lined up to get inside the theatre. The play started at and end at 8 in the evening.
The Kingkong storyline is the same as the movie, what amazed me was how they made King Kong come alive on the stage. The visual effects were great. The casts were top-billed by Christiani Pitts as Ann Darrow with Eric William Morris as Carl Denham and Erik Lochtefeld as Lumpy. It was really a great show to watch and another check on my bucket list.
The Halal Food
Since we were hungry after watching the play, we walked two blocks from the theatre and found a line of people in a food stall called The Halal Food. After we lined up and got our order 30 minutes later, the food was really great and delicious. Everybody was in the street eating the food from the Halal Food.
Rockefeller Building
After eating we walked to another famous landmark in New York. This time we went to the façade of the Rockefeller Building. We entered the alley and arrived at the restaurant in Rockefeller.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
We also went to check the famous Catholic church in New York which is the St. Patrick Cathedral.
We also took a picture in the Lotte New York Palace before we rode a bus and alighted at the bus stop at 104th Street.
On my second day in the United States of America and it was a Monday, my friend and his roommate went to work. I went out at 11am to enjoy my time alone in New York City. I didn’t have wifi but my phone was in roaming but I couldn’t use the data since it would be expensive. I relied on the free internet in New York City.
I saw most of the museums with my friend during our first tour, I started my Monday trip with the famous New York City Museum and explored the museums. Museum Mile is a beautiful stretch of museums and other fine arts institutions in the 5th Avenue.
Museum City of New York
The Museum centers on the history and culture of New York City.
Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Institution
Next to the Museum City of New York is the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution that is the only museum devoted to the historical and contemporary design.
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
I only saw the façade of the Museum as I opted to explore the MET since it was already past 1 in the afternoon after exploring the Museum City of New York and Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Institution.
The Metropolitan Museum Art
The MET or The Metropolitan Museum is one of the famous museums in New York City. It houses a diverse collection of objects from different eras and continents.
Other museums in Museum Miles that I haven’t explored are Museum of African Art, El Museo del Barrio, Neue Galerie and fine arts institutions like National Academy Museum and School and Goethe-Institut New York.
World Trade Center
The main reason I went to the USA was attending a conference, I decided to check the building where it would be held. And upon checking it was near the famous World Trade Center. After the tour in MET, where I actually spent my whole afternoon until the closing, I walked going to the 77th Street Station and went to Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall Subway Station to have a glimpse of the bridge and the New York City Hall.
From there I walked and crossed the street going towards St. Paul’s Church. From the Church, I turned right and saw the World Trade Center. I entered the Occulus and somehow found the place eerie.
It started to rain, I stayed in the Occulus for a while and explored the mall. There are other terminals and subways connected to the Occulus. Since it was getting dark, I went to eat in Eataly but because there were so many people, I decided to buy food and went home.
It was my first time going home and it rained. I alighted at the 103rd Street station. It was scary because it was already dark and walking home from there was also my first time. I was afraid of the neighborhood as I took a wrong turn. Luckily I asked a student walking and asked where the 105th station. She told me that I took a wrong turn and had to go back to where I came from and straight ahead. From there I found my way to the apartment.
It was summer when I went to the United States of America. There was a strong heatwave when I arrived in New York. It was 101 deg Fahrenheit and it would last until Sunday night, based on the forecast.
On the Sunday of July 22, EDT, we went outside and started my first ever tour in New York City.
Central Park and Museum Mile
We went to Central Park past 4 in the afternoon. The apartment is along Museum Mile. Museum Mile is the stretch of museums and fine arts institutions in the 5th Avenue. Because my friend lives in the Upper East Side of Manhattan and along Museum Mile and with the lush green sceneries of Central Park, I really loved and enjoyed my stay in New York. And because I loved museums, it was really a bonus of staying near the famous Museum Mile.
The Vanderbilt Gate is a gateway for a beautiful garden called Conservatory Garden. Fountains, lush green sceneries and flowers are seen inside. The garden is also a gateway for lover’s having a date. There’s also a bus stop near the gate.
A block away, which is the 104th East Street is the Museum City of New York. It was the location of different American series and movies. While walking we also saw the other museums like Guggenheim and Cooper Hewitt.
We entered another gate in Central Park and had a view of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. Here, people were taking a walk, jogging and exercising. The walkway inside the park will also lead to the most famous museums in New York, The Metropolitan Museum.
There were lots of locals and tourists enjoying the street show at MET. It was already 5PM when we arrived at the museum and the people were already coming out because they were already closing. There was a gathering of people from the stairways of the museum and enjoying the street dance and exhibition.
From the museum, we went to Madison Avenue. Madison Avenue is parallel to the 5th Avenue, which is also known for the flagship stores of luxurious brands that were concentrated in the 57th to 88th streets. While walking we went inside La Maison de Chocolat Paris and bought chocolate truffles. The chocolate was really good.
We went to 77th Street Station on Lexington Avenue to try the subway train. I bought a one-week subway ticket which was good enough for my stay in New York City.
Famous Landmarks in Manhattan
From the station, we went to Grand Central Station on 42nd Street and Park Avenue. Grand Central Terminal is coterminous of different trains and buses. The iconic landmark is the transportation hub in Middle Manhattan.
We ate at Shake Shack in Grand Central Station. We tried the Whispering Gallery in which you can whisper and the sound travel from the other side of the acoustic arch.
From the Central Terminal, we walked to the corner of 42nd Ave and Vanderbilt Ave to have a view of the Grand Central Station, Grand Hyatt New York and the Chrysler Building.
We went to the New York Public Library in which I only saw during my Universal Studios Singapore Trip.
Then to the Bryant Park where we sat and rest for a while. Locals were enjoying the fresh air although it was humid because of the heatwave.
We walked to 5th avenue and went to the Museum of Sex. We went to 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar to drink and had a great view of the famous Empire State Building.
We walked to the Madison Square park to the Flat Iron Building.
We rode at 28th street station to the 8th street station. We went to New York University to the Washington Square Park.
There are so many tourists and students in the park. After exploring we went to where the university students hang out and ate pizza at Architoke Basille Pizza. Another famous for the students is the Bleecker Street area.
Staten Island and Statue of Liberty
From the Bleecker Street station, we went to the Bowling Green and walked going to the Staten Island Ferry. We waited for 10 minutes before the ferry arrived.
It was already dark while riding the ferry to Staten Island. We went outside to enjoy the cool breeze of the wind while on a ferry. The night view of New York City was also spectacular. The lights from the buildings brighten the sky. We could also see the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.
Halfway to the island, we were traversing the Governor’s island with the view of the famous Statue of Liberty until we reached Staten Island. We disembarked and then waited to go on board again, which was actually free.
Time Square
From Ferry Station, we went to Time Square Station in 42nd street. We took a picture of the famous drop in Time Square. It started to rain and we had to go to the station again to ride going home. We alighted at the 110 street and walked going back to the apartment. I will talk about Time Square more since I went here multiple times during my stay.
Paoay Church or Iglesia de San Agustin de Paoay is located at Paoay, Ilocos Norte. It is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines which was completed in 1710. The baroque architecture church is declared a National Cultural Treasure in 1973 by the Philippine Government and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 along with the other baroque churches in the Philippines.
The church is made up of coral stone and bricks. There are 24 massive buttresses on the side of the church and at the back making the structure an earthquake baroque design.
The bell tower on the right side of the church is a three-story coral stone tower. It was said the bell tower played a major part during the Katipuneros revolution serving as an observation post.
Paoay Lake National Park
Paoay Lake is the largest lake in the province of Ilocos Norte. It is a freshwater lake with different resorts around the area.
The lake was called Lago de Nanguyudan was supposed to be a barangay. The barangay was called San Juan de Sahagun that sank after an earthquake.
Another place to see in Paoay is the Malacanang of the North, a presidential museum and the residence of the family of President Ferdinand Marcos during his term. The museum is around Paoay Lake.
