10 Things to Do While Cruisin' on Royal Carribean Voyager of the Sea

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Whew! I just had one of the most amazing 4-day vacations ever with my family on the Royal Carribean cruise: Voyager of the Sea. We sailed on its maiden voyage in Asia (route: Singapore-Malaysia-Singapore), quite similar to Titanic’s maiden voyage 100 years ago. And so, on my way inside the boat, I had to check for the number of lifeboats, their strength and capacity. What a sigh of relief to see huge, well-covered life-boats. And in Asia, I don’t think we’d die of hypothermia. So on I went.

For those who haven’t been on a cruise ship, let me share with you a little bit of info to shape up your expectations.

Royal Carribean’s Voyager of the Sea is not much different from what you’ve seen in the movie Titanic. Inside are hallways leading to stateroom cabins, cabins with balconies and suites.

People can walk on pathways, like balconies at the port (left) and starboard (right) sides of the ship, to gaze in the deep waters and check if there is any iceberg right ahead.

They also have fine-dining halls, similar to the one where Rose and the other first-class passengers went to and the less intimidating dining hall (set-up usually on the top floor).

Now, passengers of various classes, races, gender and religion are all welcome to eat together in the different halls of this floating melting pot.

I love the interiors of the ship! The main hallway is located on the 5th floor. Walking there reminds me of a street in an old English town.

There are a lot of other awesome spots.  There is a golf course and a golf bar on board, a roller skating corner, and swimming pools that have seemed to come from Ancient Rome. Royal Carribean’s theatre is not too far from the actual broadway theatres too. There’s even a room called Cleopatra’s Needle, where we had an art auction and some games, that looks very much like an Egyptian home. The Voyager of the Sea is really one small world in itself.

Here are Top Ten things to do in Royal Carribean: Voyager of the Sea:

10. Visit the Library
I was happy that my room was on the 8th floor where the nearest landmark is the library. Some people come to use the internet, but internet in the ship is VERY expensive. The books are not that plenty, but they have some nice books. If you’re into stories there are Joyce Carol Oates, J. Evanovich, Daniel Steele and Neil Gaiman books. There is a few business books. Surprisingly, there are also some Archie comic books.

The ship’s library is situated on two floors (7th & 8th)! It has comfy sofas scattered all around and coffee tables too. I love sitting here and facing this view of the ship.

9. Enjoy the live performances in La Scala Theatre.  (Now Showing: Music in Pictures)

This live musical is a run-through of songs from some of the most popular movies as early as in the 1940’s to as recent as, umm… Madagascar. Distinct stage set-up has been made for each movie which really does add quality to the whole cruising experience. Watching a good evening’s performance while seated on the cushioned purple La Scala Theatre is certainly very worthwhile.

Opening Number: Le Jazz Hot

Solo Performance: I Don't Want to Miss a Thing

 Closing Number: Jai Ho

8. Wear formal attire on Captain’s Night.

Be sure to bring a formal wear for the Captain’s Night. There will be photo stations set-up at various points of the ship. The food will be really exquisite too.

7. Drop by their spa and health seminars.

Try out the Voyager of the Sea’s big round warm bubbling Jacuzzi, sauna and steam rooms, extensive gym facilities all for FREE!

And, make sure to watch out for their seminars and classes. I attended their “How to Flatten Your Stomach” seminar, and it’s really, really, REALLY worth it. I even saw the guy coach from Pinoy’s Biggest Loser listening to the British speaker as well. The gist of the lesson: Our body is made for natural things (i.e. water, plants and animals), but what we place in and on our bodies are unnatural things that add acidity to our body and soon would be turned into toxins. Because of these, our memory is deteriorating, our brain processes slower, our energy is lower, our toilet habit is less and we gain weight. The number one item that makes us acidic according to the speaker is, guess what, STRESS.

6. Watch their special ice-skating performance titled "Ice Odyssey."

I absolutely love the magical, mystical, colourful and glittering Ice Odyssey show! The show features ten of the world’s greatest ice skaters gliding, tumbling, and spinning their way through one musical hour. There’s a jester who happily surprises the audiences with his sudden jumps. There’s the lovers who glides so passionately together. There’s also the jester and the enthralling queen. The seats are limited, so be sure to check which of the four shows cater to your side of the ship.

 
 

5. Watch a 3D Movie!

Guess what?! This ship even has a 3D movie theatre. My aunt and cousins got to watch Kung Fu Panda 2 and had a good laugh the whole night.



4. Rock Climbing

Located on the top floor, at the edge of the ship, you can climb up this manmade mountain built on top of the ship! Test your strength and ring the bell at the peak of the Voyager of the Sea mountain. For one who had never tried rock-climbing, I thought it was the perfect place to do it. The crew was there to willingly and happily assist me. It’s easier than it looks. I thought I could only reach like only one rock above my head, but woohoo, I got to reach up until the middle portion. Wear shorts or pants and socks. This is FREE.

3. Ice Skating

Who would have thought that this 138,000 ton ship has an actual ice-skating rink inside? Although it’s only a quarter of the normal size, it’s a great arena for inexperienced guests. (There’d be less chances that someone you know would see you fall.) I suggest you drop by the rink on deck 3 on the first day. You might not have a chance on the following days as it would be used for the “Ice Odyssey” shows. Wear pants. Don’t forget to bring your socks! This is FREE too!

2. 24-Hour Food!

                                   

You will never go hungry inside the Voyager of the Seas. (I think I’m sounding like an online promoter, but I really am not. I’m just a happy costumer.) You can have all the pizzas, cookies, juices, sandwiches you want in the snack bar on deck 5. Of course, this is apart from the eat-all-you-can breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner buffets on other levels. I love their sugar-free peanut butter cookie.

1. If you're as much of a Titanic fan as me, then by all means, try the "I’m Flying, Jack!" experience.

Last but not least, my ultimate “Titanic” experience was at the bow of the ship. My uncle knew how much I loved Titanic and so, he told me to close my eyes as he led me to the bow. As I closed my eyes and walked forward, the winds started to grow stronger. And when I opened them, viola, I indeed felt like I was flying! There was nothing below me except water. No other ship, I think, allows its passengers to go as far front as the Voyager of the Sea.



Kamote Balls from Pinoy Big Brother

You may call me "bakya" or corny if you wish.  I do watch Pinoy Big Brother.  I know each contestant by name. I know the faces behind the voices.  Just in case you want to know, I'm rooting for Pamu.  (And I'm disappointed that Kevin had to leave that soon.)

So anyway, just a few days ago, when the housemates were living the hell week in a bukid (farm), one of the housemates who used to live in a farm named Bigel excitedly prepared a simple dish for the housemates as midnight snack.

The ingredients and the process were so simple that I decided to make some today.  I don't know what it's called in the province, but I'm calling it Kamote Balls... and Potato Balls since my dad is allergic to Kamote.

Ingredients I used:
~ 3 pcs. sweet potatp
~ 2 pcs. potato
~ canned corn kernels
~ 1 cup vegetable oil
~ Brown Sugar
~ Flour

First off, I boiled the sweet and ordinary potatoes in a pot filled with water.  After 20 or so minutes, I peeled each of them, and mashed them until they were silky smooth.

I rolled them into bitable pieces and added the corn kernels as fillings at the center and coated them with flour.  It's very important to keep the corn covered with potatoes and flour to keep them from spilling out when fried.

In the frying pan, place oil and a couple of generous spoonfuls of brown sugar.  The sugar burned  easily so I had to strain the oil and redo the task for the next batch.  I decided to just add a brown sugar coating on the Kamote Balls.  (Although I must admit, the first batch still tasted better.)

Here is the finished product!  It tasted like Kamote Q.  My dad liked it.

Oh yes, I remember learning one other thing from Pinoy Big Brother.  It's playing the hula hoop.

Who says Pinoy Big Brother is boring? :P

Food, Parks & Celebrities: Post Christmas in Singapore

My family decided to spend the rest of the holidays in Singapore with my brother and sister in law.  So we woke up at 3am yesterday to catch a 6:30am flight. (Note to self: never take a 6:30am or an earlier flight again.) I was groggy the whole morning until my dad pointed out "John Lloyd" in the boarding area of MIAA. Not that I'm a fan or anything like that.  But I just remembered John Lloyd being my philosophy professor's celebrity crush.  She gushed in front of the class as to how good-looking he was. 

He wore a black jacket, shades and a cap.. the usual celebrity stealthy get-up..which ironically made him look even more like a celebrity.  He had a very fair complexion, smooth skin, and a little bit chubby structure.  Then I also saw Shaina who was pretty in her flowy pants and sleeveless printed top.  She had her make-up on which made me think, she probably didn't get much sleep the other night.  They were with a large group, probably J.L.'s family.  There were kids, teens, and middle aged people with them.

So as an evidence, here's our picture together.  (My mom mustered up the courage to ask for their photos.)

We arrived in Singapore at around 10:50am.  The Cebu Pacific plane was really full.  I felt quite sorry for John Lloyd and Shaina Magdayao because all eyes were on them.  I caught a great number of eyes following the couple (my parents included) as well as whispers and giggles from the plane to the baggage counter in Singapore.  There was no special VIP treatment when they arrived.  The last time I saw them was when they took off in a double deck bus.  Anyway, enough about them.  It's time for some food tripping!


Lunch, 12:00: Sushi Tei

My brother who has been a resident in Singapore for more than five years highly recommends Sushi Tei for Japanese food enthusiasts.  We tried the Sushi Tei branch along the beach in East Coast.

I ordered Nabeyaki Udon.  The tempura was normal for me.  I couldn't taste the difference.  But there were some chicken chunks, soft mushrooms and fish cakes that added texture to the dish. The thick udon was chewy which was, to my taste, good.  The soup was savory and not overpoweringly sweet.  Overall an okay-okay dish.

 I first tried a big piece of tempting futomaki.  One of my criteria for a good maki is an obedient seaweed covering that is soft and easy to bite on.  This maki passed with a high mark.  I could also taste the freshness of each ingredient wrapped in Japanese rice.  When I was ready to take my second piece, the makis were I guess very well appreciated, that there was only one other futomaki left.

Yummy Zaru Soba for my dad -- my dad's personal fave.  He orders this in almost every Japanese restaurant we go to.  An evidence of how much my dad liked it, he said, "I still can't forget the Japanese restaurant we went to yesterday."  

It's milk tea for dessert! I love the teh tahrik (SGD $2) being served in East Coast.  Edivita introduced it to me last January.  It was love at first sip.  I prefer it a lot over the pearl milk teas we have in the Philippines.  I guess probably because it's the real thing.

Dinner, 18:00: Akopo's (Grandfather's sister) residence

We ate in the balcony of their house where the wind was blowing freely through the wooden railings.  It was a lovely & refreshing ambience for a family gathering.  Felt like I was in a picnic.

Here's a classic Singaporean-Chinese dinner spread.  There's misua, spicy fish curry, fried tempura, fried chicken, sticky rice with Chinese longganisa and bittermelon soup among others.

Merry Christmas la from Singapore!

Cheers! Yes, this is their way of digesting after a heavy meal.  And this is also the Singaporeans' (as well as Chinese's) way of bonding and catching up.

One thing I love about Singapore is that playgrounds are abundant!  Children can freely go out of their house, ride on the swings, and then go home for dinner.  In our case, we walked around after a full meal.  This is a park 10 steps outside Akopo's house.

I was surprised when an auntie told me that these logs were for the biceps.

Seems to me that this can also be a playground for adults!  What a healthy & engaging place.

They also have a trail for joggers and a stadium probably for aerobics and other exercises.

The picture below shows the second playground near their place. 

It's such a blessing to be able to walk leisurely, look around and enjoy the clean surrounding in Singapore.  I won't have this much liberty when I get back home. But I read somewhere recently that if the surrounding is not as pleasing, look up.  The sky, glorious and magnificent, is the same everywhere.

So this is how we spent December 26, 2011.

How are you spending the Christmas holidays? :)

SEMPER FIDELIS: Jubilee Evangelical Church Powercamp 2011

For the first time in Jubilee Evangelical Church's history, Powercamp - a camp once for yuppies, but now for all ages - was scheduled in the third quarter of the year. The big jump from the hot summer days to a rainy, potentially typhoon-filled August was considered a big risk, yet I think it was a risk worth taking.

Even though the powercampers had met (typhoon) Mina in Hotel Kimberly, Tagaytay, the camp was as my cousin says, "rebuking, refreshing and renewing." It was fully-packed with faith-invigorating messages and fun bonding activities. And in between those two were three buffet meals, two snacks and loads of laughter and heart-felt kwentuhan.

The first night was all about make-up and make-believe. We all got dressed up in classic storybook outfits. I was Nancy Drew for a night.

L-R: Wendy, Alice, Snow White, Nancy Drew, Maid Marian, Another Detective

I was invited to solve a mystery in an old English library. Believe it or not, someone had the guts to kill/kidnap King Henry VIII! I quickly dressed up in my black trench coat, cowboy cap, tights and long socks and brought with me my handy-dandy magnifying glass. There in the crime scene, I met Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and her three bear friends, Dorothy from Wizard of Oz and many more!

L-R: Evil Queen, Goldilocks, Dorothy, Juliet

I was surprised to find Mad Hatter and Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland and also Crocodile from Peter Pan too. Oddly, they were not included in the prime list of suspects.

The Alice in Wonderland Cast

The next day, we started the morning with a devotion. I loved my counseling group of three ladies. Not only did they come prepared, they were also very open and honest about everything. The make-up and make-believe ended the same night when the mystery was solved (Cinderella burned the king by the way. Gasp!). They also understood my indecisiveness and my inability to expound on the word, "generative." There was a time I had felt that I was not worthy to be their counselors. I was not mature enough, knowledgeable enough, nor experienced enough. But praise God for making me realize that this drowning thought came from Satan. As a counselor, I can't change lives, nor can I make them grow in their faith. I could only listen and encourage them through God's word. The time and ability to listen as well as the words and ability to speak all come from God.

The praise and worship made jumping to the beat very tempting. I could see our praise and worship leader's and the band's passion in leading the campers to sing praises to the Lord. The success was apparent 12 hours later, when I caught myself still singing, "Home is heaven, one day Lord I will live in your courts.." I hope in the next Powercamp, there would be more slower, reflective songs in the though.

The messages in one word was, POWERFUL. Perfect for POWERcamp. We toured the ancient days when Noah and his family were the only people in the world. Followed by Abraham's willingness to go out of his homeland.. travel to wherever God leads him.. and give up his "one and only, beloved" Isaac. Then came Joseph who had undergone severe trials in His life, being sold by his brothers, being accused for something he did not do and yet remaining faithful to the Lord. These biblical characters were not perfect like you and me, but they were faithful. It was their faith in the Lord that had counted them as righteous. (I haven't actually touched the gist of the messages yet. This is simply a minute tip of the iceberg that killed Titanic.)

"Are you willing to commit to be semper fidelis?" That was asked of us. Many of us said yes, yet we knew at the back of our minds that it's not possible, especially to do it 100%. This made me appreciate God even more, that no matter how unable we are, God is and will forever be faithful. Although Noah got drunk and lay naked and Abraham knowing full well God's promise still agreed to sleep with Sarah's servant, Hagar, God was faithful to them. He did not forsake them. Instead, He still fulfilled His promises.

The highlights of the camp for me were the heartfelt sharings and teary prayers. Those were the times of sincerely lifting "Isaacs" up to God. Another were the sudden commitments to do something for the Lord (which I hope and pray will not die down). There were also springing up of accountability partners and prayer partners. There was the sudden surge of love for the brothers and sisters in Christ. There were biblically-guided decisions made, i.e. to forgive and to accept, to be still and wait for the Lord. There were those who acknowledged and appreciated God leading them through a painful, yet wisdom-filled, journey.

All these only God can do. All the praises and glory be to God indeed.

Semper fidelis, because God is Faithful!