Archive for the ‘Lifestyle’ Category

First class hideaway haven in Sabang

by xarki, on Thu, Dec 1 2011 | 23 Comments

sheridan hotel palawanIt is good to know that we already have a means to further enjoy our travel to Puerto Prinsesa’s Underground River (PPUR) which has currently made it to the provisional list of the new 7 wonders of the world. And every Filipino hopes that it makes the final list.

 

A new resort can be found just a few kilometres from the underground river and claims to be the nearest AAA haven to PPUR. The underground river can be reached within 20 minutes thru a pump boat ride (which is more like a five-minute walk along the beach) from this distinct hideaway.

 

Sheridan, as titled, was built on a former 4.3 hectare coconut estate. Two hectares of the land is occupied by its hotel and resort facilities. The tourist center is located near the edge of the beach of a fishing village of Sabang – a great spot to experience the fresh smell of the sea and the magnificence of
untouched natural land scape making it a desired lodging area for the underground river’s sightseers.

 

The design of the resort has been considered to blend with its natural landscape. Something to be noted since the tourist facility is situated in a nationally-protected site.

 

“… no building higher than the tree line. Trees and vegetation surround the resort on three sides, with
the beach serving as the only opening.” (source: inquirer.net)

 

Aside from Sheridan’s environment-friendly ambiance, the resort boasts their “signature hilot” as suggested by their guests which is a part of other massages they offer in their Nature Spa.

 

All the food that will be served in this tourist trap are said to be shipped from Manila or Cebu particularly the seafood. Vegetables and other organics are locally grown in their very own farm. (That’s good news!) You also get to taste Puerto Prinsesa’s famous exotic delicacy – tamilok (wood worm) which according to some tastes like oysters but with a milkier texture.

 

Since it is the only tourist infrastructure in the area, its visitors are not limited to visiting the PPUR but can also enjoy a wide range of activities like ATV touring, water sports and a nature trail with their experienced local guide.

 

The Sheridan resort is definitely one thing to look forward to when we go to see one of nature’s finest places. I can’t wait to get there!

Wanted: a lady’s hand in marriage

by xarki, on Sun, Nov 6 2011 | 2 Comments

What a unique way of proposing to your girlfriend other than through a job posting in a newspaper. A witty step for the groom-to-be in gaining his bride’s hand in marriage.

 

The news was actually written in a more interesting way:  Woman accepts job as wife. Initially, you would think that someone has lost her mind that she’d accept such a ridiculous classified ad on the broad sheet. Who in the world would do something like that?

 

Of course, just to satisfy my curiosity, I went on reading the full report and eventually found out that it is one of those unique ways of asking your significant other’s hand in marriage.

 

Terence Mok Ming Keat decided to place his marriage proposal to Elaine Yap Lee Ling in a 10cm x 1-column space job advertisement (both from Malaysia). Being an HR executive, Elaine likes to read the job classified page. Knowing this, Mok successfully accomplished his plan after finally registering their marriage at the Shah Alam National Registration Department on November 1.

 

This is one of the few imaginative ways of marriage proposals compared to what I usually see on TV and movies. Not to mention, on advertisements.

 

Other innovative ways involved movie trailers, sports arena billboards, building tickers and road-side billboard ads. However, not all unconventional marriage proposals end in positive results. Nevertheless, there can never be a better way to show how much you love someone other than by formally asking for their hand in marriage sincerely.

Female Scientist swims au naturel for whales

by xarki, on Mon, Oct 10 2011 | 1 Comment

Getting bare-naked for a scientific research is one great feat for any individual to do for the sake of science. Moreover, if you are a female scientist and the research involves plunging to the icy depths in the Arctic.

 
Natalia Avseenko decided to strip naked to aide in their research on Beluga Whales. Experts believed that Beluga whales do not want to be touched with artificial materials that are commonly found in diving suits. Not having any clothes which acts as a barrier, could also help in striking up a rapport with these special mammals.

 
The 36 year old scientist braved the subzero degree sea temperature for 10 minutes and 40 seconds. With the proper training and yoga practice, Avseenko has been able to do this deed. An average human could die in freezing water after immersing within five minutes.

 
Beluga whales are famed for their human-like expressions due to their more flexible bone structure that are not found on other species of whales.

 
The ice cold water plus the au naturel swim indeed are two things that one would think about before engaging oneself to such a challenge. Avseenko’s determination and dedication to her career as a scientist for the sake of the sea creatures such as the whales is one thing to be admired.

As commented on one of the blog posts on this event, “One hot scientist in cold water.”

Apple’s CEOs death abused by scammers on FB

by xarki, on Fri, Oct 7 2011 | No Comments

Steve Jobs’ death gave way for scammers to exploit his sad departure by promising 50 iPads to Facebook users by participating in an online survey.

 
Facebook users were scammed through a post citing the release of free iPads in memory of Jobs. Over 15,000 users have taken the bait, unknowing that they were fooled by the said publicity.

 
Scammers gain more traffic through false advertisements such as this, which in turn provide higher profits for the increased site visits. Online surveys, raffle tickets and requesting donations are a few of the possible sources of online fraud.

 
We always say to ourselves, that our world is so materialistic that a free service or product is so scarce. Finding one in your doorstep would likely be a great hoax for you to immerse yourself in. As my folks say “It’s too good to be true.”

 
The online community is one big venue for crooks to deliver their evil schemes. We should always be vigilant and watchful before we commit to anything that we find online.

 
Sophos reiterated on their blog, “Please folks – always think carefully about the links that you click on. Time and time again scammers and cybercriminals have proven themselves to have no qualms about exploiting news stories – whether it be the personal tragedy of a teenage girl committing suicide, bizarre escapades, a natural disaster or the latest salacious celebrity gossip.”