Boarding Gate 101

I had the chance to attend the preview for the  National Museum of Natural History today (on my birthday!). My friend Nyel and I trooped to Rizal Park early in the morning to be able to get in line for the preview, which is only limited to 200 visitors. The construction of the National Museum of Natural History started in 2015, in which the neo-classical Department of Tourism building, built in 1940, was repurposed to house the new museum. Only the courtyard and one floor of exhibit area was open. The courtyard is the one that I was most excited about, as it has as its centerpiece the architectural feature called The Tree of Life - a steel helix resembling DNA, housing a glass elevator. Above it is a glass mosaic dome that lets in natural light into the museum. We were guided through the exhibiy areas that showcase the endemic species of flora and fauna in the Philippines, a lot of which is, sadly, already extinct. Among these animals include Lolong, the...

Binge-watching on the pirate-themed Netfix series  Black Sails made me remember I haven't blog about my trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico last year. The series follows the exploits of the buccaneers Captain Flint, and Long John Silver, along with pirates such as Charles Vane and Edward Teach. Although it was set in New Providence (Nassau), the Caribbean setting made me remember the fort that I visited in San Juan - the  Castillo San Felipe del Morro .   Castillo San Felipe del Morro, also known as Fuerte San Felipe del Morro, was a citadel built by the Spaniards in the 16th century. It was named after King Philip II, the same king for which the Philippines is named after. Construction started in 1539, the aim of which is to build a fortress that will guard the old city of San Juan. Throughout its history the citadel, which was protected by fortifications such as high, thick walls, crenelations, and lookout stations,  was able to fend off attack from several p...