Merry Iggy Visits Germany

Merry Iggy accompanied Kayni on her Baltic trip. Merry Iggy and Kayni really enjoyed Germany and here are some postcards:

 Merry Iggy took a photo at the marker of the Berlin Wall. Actually, another girl got intrigued with Merry Iggy and she asked if she could take a photo of her as well.

 We strolled around the Brandenburg Gate.

We found the simple Cecilienhof Palace in Potsdam very picturesque.

The Sanssouci Palace was quiet and suitable for an afternoon relaxation.

 Posing at Sanssouci Palace grounds.

 Enjoyed the Baltic breeze at the resort town of Warnemunde.

And, marveled at the Berlin Wall's history and art.

miss iggy at the riverbank

miss iggy went to the riverside in pontevedra, capiz, panay island in the philippines to watch a fluvial parade of saints. upon reaching the riverbank she found only one saint ready to set sail. she thinks the other ones got scared of the rain.

she found this jeepney parked across the riverbank and the jeep's route reminded her of iggy sisterhood bloggers conniechiwa, who hails from pilar, and sreisaat, who hails from roxas city.

and beside saint isidore's boat, were these boats named after one of the iggy sisterhood bloggers.

metaphysical reunions are the best!

Chicago's Navy Pier

Jersey Iggy is in the Navy! Navy Pier, that is! She was at Chicago's downtown waterfront attraction in June last year.

She felt dwarfed by the Ferris Wheel which reminded her of Vienna's own Riesenrad that Vienna Vixen Iggy told her about. Right next to it is a musical carousel which delighted kids of all ages.

Navy Pier is right next to the mighty Lake Michigan which takes you to the neighboring state of Michigan on the other side. Tourists can ride the various lake ferries in high speed or cruise-friendly pace. Miss Iggy recommends the architectural boat tour which takes you down Chicago River nearby with informative trivia on the famous buildings of Chicago's skyline.

As she strolled along Lake Shore Drive, she was content looking at the many yachts docked by the shore, thinking, someday she'll be cruising the world in style!

Miss Iggy in Sopron, Hungary

Just 45 minutes away from Vienna by train lies the Hungarian city known for its affordable spa and dental services, Sopron. Though neither on a mission to get a massage, nor to get a dental check-up, Miss Iggy happily took a train from the Wien Meidling terminal for a day trip to Sopron. 

Welcome to Sopron!

Miss Iggy climbed a hill to see Lake Ferto

View of Lake Ferto, to the Austrians, also known as Neusiedler See, a popular summer vacation spot

Not only was Miss Iggy surprised to learn that Sopron is known for its wine,
she was also amazed to see what a vineyard looks like in winter!

Miss Iggy and the Sopron's Loyalty Memorial

Miss Iggy and a Marian column at the Main Square

After a day of hiking and sightseeing, Miss Iggy says goodbye to Sopron at the train terminal.
She hopes to be back for a massage next time

Miss Iggy and the islands

In January, Mr. Coco Jam Iggy and Ms. Euro Iggy (a.k.a. Vienna Vixen Iggy) hopped on an Air Philippines plane for an island getaway to Coron, Palawan. Both were really looking forward to the trip because Palawan has been named one of the 20 Best Trips of 2011 by National Geographic Traveler. Exciting!

Miss Iggy welcomes you to the Coron Loop island hopping tour.

Starting point: the docks by the Lualhati Park near the Coron Public Market.

If you don't have goggles, stop by the market where you can rent them for Php 100.

Ahoy there!

First stop: the Siete Pecados Marine Park.

Entrance fee is Php 100.

The clear water, colorful fish and amazing corals make it a great place for snorkeling.

Don't forget to bring bread to feed the fish! The Iggys forgot to bring some, but luckily their tour guide brought a pack of Fita crackers. The fish loved it.

Next stop: Kayangan Lake.

This tranquil and beautiful lake is said to be the cleanest in the Philippines.

Kayangan Lake was definitely an Iggy favorite.

Miss Iggy's tip: bring your lifevest and goggles! Also, prepare to climb some steps. It's tiring but oh-so worth it.

Entrance fee: Php 200

The white sands ...

and turquoise waters of Banol Beach.

The Iggys loved this picturesque and quiet beach that looked like something out of a movie.

Entrance fee: Php 100

Not in the pictures but also explored by Mr. and Ms. Iggy was the Twin Lagoon (because most pictures there involved their chaperones in their lifevests either just floating or trying to spell out "Coron" or "wow" with their hands). The gang swam through an underwater tunnel to get from one twin lake to the other.

The entrance fee for the Twin Lagoon is Php 100.

Boracay Never Bores!

Jersey Iggy apologizes for posting her beach photos seven months late! But hey, beach fun is timeless fun! Here she is enjoying one of the many activities you can have while in Boracay, Philippines: island-hopping on a boat!

She was awestruck by this luxurious seaside resort in the paradise island of Boracay.

For the more adventurous, there's also snorkeling, parasailing, and deep sea-diving available around the island.

Back in the sandy shores, Miss Iggy saw a guy creating a sandcastle. They are made daily in front of certain business establishments with the date written on it. Tourists who wish to have a picture with these sand sculptures are expected to tip the sand artists.

Another thing Miss Iggy thoroughly enjoyed there was the Longsilog breakfast (Longganiza-Sinangag-Itlog), a combo meal of native sausage-fried rice-and fried egg goodness. This simple-looking dish was especially delish eaten right next to the sea with coconut breeze all around you. Miss Iggy savored every sausage slice with spoonfuls of rice!

Pontifically and Royally Yours, UST

Jersey Iggy was quite impressed by the official bus of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila when she visited this oldest educational institution in the Philippines last June. It had tiger stripes on the side and the campus color combination of yellow and white.

Established in 1611, UST is officially known as the Pontifical and Royal Catholic University of the Philippines. One of Fortuitous Faery's professors once joked to her class that UST is the "only university recognized in heaven." Of course, he was being sarcastic.

UST will be celebrating its 400th Birthday next year, in the merry month of March, to be exact. There's a yellow Swatch Countdown figure to remind people of the time remaining until the big celebration!

This is what the clock looks like at night! 

UST observes some unique traditions in the campus, such as the recent Grand Living Rosary. Teachers and students participated in forming the beads of the rosary with their own presence while praying it. This year, the religious event drew in an estimated 24,000 people!

Miss Iggy thought that was a cool feat...cooler than this campus ice cream vending cart!

As she neared the iconic Arch of the Centuries structure, she knew in her heart she will be back there.

It comforted her to know that she has a resident twin in these premises in the form of Schoolgirl Iggy!

Dreaming of a White Beach Christmas

The cold winter months make Jersey Iggy long for the white sand beaches of Boracay Island in the Philippines. Sand and sun on one's skin feels so much better than being in a Snuggie blanket!

But wait, she was really there! But that was way back in the month of May. Now it seems so far away.

Look, a cave with shell ornaments!



Even if it's December, keep a little summer in your pocket and stay warm during the holidays!

Fun & Fire Trucks At The Fall Festival

Autumn spells harvest time in the United States. It's a time when fields yield the fruits of a summer's worth of sowing. It's also the time for Fall Festivals such as this one that Miss Iggy attended for the first time in the Jersey town of Denville.

This annual event was recently revived to the delight of families in the area. It had been extinct for several years.

And there were fire trucks for kids and adults alike to climb and explore! 

 

There was a farmer's market selling fall favorites. It's hardly a "harvest festival" without these!

Painted pumpkins! A pirate one even!

Crafty vendors sold interesting things like these pinecone-shaped "firestarters," presumably to use at your fireplace, not to be pyromaniacs. Or maybe to be used as regular scented candles.

Wooden lawn decor for the "ber" holidays!

This porky sign is actually for the antiques section, not for meats as one might think. 

There was even a "Berry-Go-Round" which Miss Iggy thought was berry cute! Miss Iggy loves strawberries! She hopes next year's Fall Festival will be bigger and better!