Tourism Vlog

This will be our final blog post, and is a collection of pictures we've taken whilst visiting the countries we have been writing about for the past few weeks.
It includes locations such as: The United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and The Philippines. 

Contributions

Each group member assisted in compiling footage for the video and supplied personal material from their travels to be included in the final product.

Brody - United States
Connie - New Zealand
Dai - Australia
Niko - The Philippines 
Ian - Japan

Hopefully this vlog is an inspiration for you to travel the world and experience the vast natural wonders the world has to offer! :)

Philippines - Shopping

SM Mall of Asia

To all those Shopaholics (term give to people addicted to shopping) I present to you the home of some of the largest malls in the world. One Mall in particular is the "SM MALL OF ASIA" or also known by locals, "MOA".  More than just a shopping mall, the SM Mall of Asia is a tourist destination that has raised the bar of shopping standards.The SM Mall of Asia is ranked 4th largest in the Philippines and 11th in the world which opened in 2006 attracting a daily average foot traffic of an estimate of 200, 000 people.

With over 600 retail stores including 217 being dining establishment, this is paradise for all shopping addicts. Based on my personal experience, SM Mall of Asia was so big, that I only got to circulate the first two floors. Additionally , they provide free internet within the mall  allowing people to "check in". You can start off you day  by coffee by Starbucks, shoe shopping followed by an exquisite Asian buffet and then finish it off with a nice relaxing movie in the cinemas all inside the Mega mall.

Image taken from (link)

Click here to watch a tour of SM Mall of Asia 

Makati Century City Mall

Although it may not be as big as SM Mall of Asia, Century City Mall in Makati city is home to some of the best retail stores including cotton on, Nike store, Adidas store, Lacoste factory, H&M and Uniqlo.
This mall is known to have Filipino celebrities roaming around allowing the public to personally meet their idolized celebrities.

Image taken from (link)

Japan - Osaka

Osaka is the second largest city in the Kansai region of Japan. It is the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and it is also the largest member of the Keihanshin Metropolitan Area, it has 19 million households. It located at the mouth of the Ydodo River on Osaka Bay, Osaka is  also a major economic hub. It's also a good shopping place, it has tall buildings, developed traffic and commercial, there are more than 100,000 different types of shops.

(Image taken from here)

A large scale downtown called Dotonbori. It has a large number of restaurants, shopping centers,  and entertainment facilities. It is often selected as a scene in movies as the symbol of Osaka.

(Image taken from here)

Sumiyoshi Taisha is one of  oldest Shinto shrine in Japan. It enshrines three gods that have long been worshipped for protecting the nation, sea voyages poetry.

(Image taken from here）

Shitennoji is the oldest officially temple in Japan, it was built by Prince Shotoku. The establishment of the Shitennoji temple is like a milestone in the Japanese Buddhist culture. It means the failure of old conservative of Japan

(Image taken from here)

People in Osaka talk in blunt ways. However, they are very warm, humorous and unconventional.

(Information sourced from here)

Philippines - Food

This may be arguably the most important thing whilst travelling. The Philippines offers a wide range of delicious, exotic foods that will surely tickle your taste buds.

1. Jollibee 

Jollibee is the McDonald's of the Philippines arguably the most popular fast food restaurant in the country. Jollibee is famous for "chicken joy", crispy golden chicken served with hot gravy and rice. It's also known for their spaghetti and "yum yum" burger. Jollibee is a popular food choice for little kids however, in saying this regardless of age, all enjoy the delicious food served. The mascot of Jollibee is ... that's right you guessed it, a giant Bee.

Based on personal experience, I couldn't get enough chicken. The price of the food is notoriously cheap.

Image taken from (link)

2. Greenwich

What can I say about Greenwich? Only that it makes the BEST LASAGNE in the WORLD! Greenwich specialises in Lasagne, Pizza and pasta. Think of it as the Pizza Hut of the Philippines. The most popular dish in Greenwich is the "Lasagne Supreme" served with extra cheese and pizza bread. In terms of other dishes, their pizza ranges from pepperoni, supreme, meat lovers,vegetarian just to name a few.

Image taken from (link)

Image taken from (link)

Japan - Kyoto

Kyoto located in the central part of the island of Honshu in Japan. It has around 1.5 million people. It was the imperial capital of Japan for more than one thousand years, it is now the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture which located in the Kansai region. Kyoto is also known as the thousand-year capital. The many years of history has made Kyoto possess rich historical heritages.

(Image taken from here)

Antique trails makes the city attractive. Many pedestrain streets with cherry, maple trees, shrines and temples are located in the attractive city.
The Gion district is geisha central, although they are not easy to spot. In the well preserved wooden structure buildings, there are high-grade tea houses and restaurants. This image shows us a white-faced geisha on a small bridge.

(Image taken from here)

The traditional tea ceremony and flower arranging, as well as the most revered craftsmen are representatives of Kyoto. However，Kyoto is not just about the past. It is also a modern city with modern buildings, a high level and quantity of universities and a thriving technology industry.

(Image taken from here)

Getting there

The recommended way to arrive is take Shinkansen  from Tokyo Station, taking around two hours and 20 minutes.

(Image taken from here)

(Information sourced from here)

Philippines - Travel Landmarks

The Philippines is home to some of the world's beautiful travel destinations. One in particular, Boracay Beach, 45 minutes away from Manila. lies a tropical island in the Philippines The place is famously known for its white sandy beaches and crystal clear blue water. Boracay has excellent night-life surrounded by nigh clubs, hotel plazas, great restaurants, night markets and leisure several leisure activities including para- sailing, wind surfing, diving, snorkeling, volleyball and so much more. But more importantly, a perfect place to just sit back and relax... yes... Boracay has it all.

Image taken from (link)

One event that I recommend everyone should do is go "bar hopping" where you receive free entry and a free glass of beer for every bar you enter, Did I also mention that the alcohol is notoriously cheap? $1 Australian dollar (AUD) is 35 pesos (Philippine currency). The price of well the well known beer in the Philippines "San Miguel" costs 17 pesos meaning for $1AUD, you can buy two in comparison to one beer here in Australia which is roughly $3.50.

Image taken from (link)

Japan - Otaru city

Otaru is a beautiful port city with its many historical buildings in shiribeshi Subprefecture in Hokkaido of Japan. The Ishikari Bay is near the city. Otaru is a popular tourist place. It is a 25-minute drive from Sapporo.

(Image taken from here)

Otaru is well known for its beer, just like Otaru Beer,it is a popular restaurant with medieval style. Otaru is also known for the freshness of its sushi. The town also has  shopping centers. Many of Edo period style buildings called Denuki Kouji is located across the street from the canal on the main road and offers a host of Japanese restaurants and bistros to cater to every taste. 

(Image taken from here)

Try the fried chicken at Naruto! Popular souvenir items include hand-blown glass and music boxes. A number of different types of shops are near the canal area. The best season for walking in Otaru’s  is Summer and early Autumn. You can enjoy the floating candle event which occurs just after the Sapporo Snow Festival in Winter.

(Image taken from here)

(Information sourced from here)