My Blogspheric World...is coming very soon!

My mother portal is getting a facelift...
an extreme makeover!

Watch out for this...it is getting better

and you will be part of it!

Ulster Museum... the window on our living world

This is a much-awaited reopening of the refurbished Ulster Museum after £17 million facelift. In a span of three years since it was closed in the late of 2005, Ulster Museum is officially opened to the public in November 2009 showcasing its extensive collections, including its modern spacious 23-metre high atrium area, and impressive airy walkways and galleries.

Five important things/objects to see inside the museum: (1) TAKABUTI - Over two thousand five hundred years ago, this lady was a mistress of an important house near Thebes in Egypt. Her mummy was first revealed to the public in 1835 and became one of the museum's popular treasures. (2) ST PATRICK REGALIA - The Order of St. Patrick was established in 1783 and membership was used to reward the Irish nobility for their loyalty to the Crown. The collar on dislay contains seven roses joined by fourteen knots to six harps, all gold and once worn by the Earl of Shaftesbury. (3) SALAMANDER - This winged lizard of gold inset with rubies is only one piece from the 16th century jewellery collection recovered from the Spanish Armada galleas, Girona; and which was believed that the salamander could put out and survive the fire - a powerful good luck charm on a wooden fiting ship. (4) ANCIENT SEA FLOOR - snapshots of the fossil ammonite shells and driftwoord dating back 200 million years. (5) BANN DISC - a beautifully decorated bronze disc dredged from the River Bann is considered to be one of the finest examples of Celtic design in the Iron age period.

Ulster Museum provides more excitement with its added interactive exhibits - discover history, discover nature and discover art which provide children and adults the opportunities to have a closer look of the collections and to extend everyone's knowledge through hands-on interaction.

Its opening hours: Tuesdays - Sundays: 10am to 5pm; Mondays - closed. Admission is FREE. Visit the website: http://www.nmni.com/ or call +44 028 90428 428.

Snorkeling in Coral Garden, Batangas (Philippines)

AT LAST I WAS ABLE TO USE MY NEW GADGET, OLYMPUS u850w camera which allows me to take both images and video 3 meters under water. During my recent visit to Puerto Galera (Batangas), Philippines - southwest of Metro Manila and 5 hours ( bus and ferry), I finally tested the waterproof feature of Olympus capturing the under water scenery of Coral Garden.

I was here in this beach town 9 years ago and I was stunned on how the community transformed it into a lively and localised tourist destination (alternative to the commercial atmosphere of Boracay) for short holidays. As usual, I stayed in White Beach (northeast of Sabang) and for the first time I explored Coral Garden for 3 hours (spent almost 18 sterling pounds, 33 US dollars).

One of the video clips taken from the camera as well.

Coral Garden is only a small area of coral reefs, few minutes away from White Beach. The corals are not really stunning but it is worth seeing it and watching different types of small fish waiting to be fed!

Giant's Causeway - Revisited

I AM NOT A GEOLOGIST BUT I have basic knowledge and understanding of land and rock formations. No need to browse a text book or an online source to have a full grasp of this stunning rock form located in Northern Ireland (UK) being maintained by the National Trust. This is commonly known as the Giant's Causeway which is declared in 1986 as one of UNESCO's heritage sites.

The Giant's Causeway is formed by a volcanic eruption, creating a pattern of more than 40,000 hexagonal shape rocks, uniformly-laden along the coast. There is also a legend about this formation which astonishes everyone and which builds up everyone's curiousity to find out more about it. While walking towards the main attraction, you could find interesting rock features such as: the camel, the granny, wishing chair, chimney tops, giant's boot and the organ (music). Well, can you find them from the pictures below?

My first visit to this heritage site was in 2006 during a chilly and windy day. After three years, I decided to see it again and the feeling was magical as if these rocks are inviting me to touch their smooth black surfaces under the heat of the sun!

Visiting the site during spring and summer time is something not to be missed while in Northern Ireland - the birthplace of Titanic!

Some of the images taken during the coastal trip, including the hanging rope bridge (some of the photos were taken by my Irish friend).

The best job in the world - the applicant

I AM ONE OF THE APPLICANTS for the job. The clip below is my passport for the job and hopefully be selected in the top 50 candidates. Watch the video and support my quest. If I will be selected, it entails travelling to Australia and around the Great Barrier Reef and my eTravelDiary will be the first to know my daily activities during the final selection process. Wish me luck!

Please CLICK here to watch again and vote. Thanks for your support!

Sibuyan Island: A glimpse of paradise in the Philippines

One of the islets in my home country. Crista de Gallo is located in the central part of the Philippines, in the Province of Romblon. Situated within the town of San Fernando, just 5-6 hours away (by motorboat) from the famous beach of Boracay, Aklan. The images were taken during my last visit in 2007.

The short clip is showing the white sand and crystal clear water ... a place that everyone is dreaming for a perfect holiday destination!

Welcome to the Philippine islands! See you soon...

Snapshots of my summer break in Rome and Florence

Some of the photos taken during my visit in Italy in June 2008. Highlights of the trip include the visit to Rome's finest tourist attractions: Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, Piazza Navona, The Colosseum, Roman Forum, St Peter's Square, Palatino, Piazza del Popolo, Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps) and many others.

In Florence, must-see places include: Piazza del Duomo, Campanile, The Baptistery, Piazza della Signoria, Santa Maria Novella, San Lorenzo, The Ponte Vecchio (busiest bridge market street), and Michelangelo's masterpiece, David (replica) in Piazza Signoria (fronting Bargello Museum), and the Galleria degli Uffizi. Unfortunately, I was not able to get inside the Leonardo da Vinci museum due to long queue of people! Well, there are always reasons why I have to go back to Florence and enjoy its art and culture.