Pie's Adventure Journal: 2021

Art using the colors of the earth

12:19 AM

Did you know that Bukidnon, a province in the southern region of the Philippines, is also the home of indigenous soil painters?

One of the most popular soil painters of the province is the tribal singer and artist Waway Saway. He is a member of the Talaandig tribe in Songco, Lantapan town. Another soil painter of the same tribe is Soliman Poonon who held several demonstrations on how to paint with soil in Canada. According to him, soil painting is not only an artistic expression for the Talaandig tribe but also speaks about their deep attachment to the earth.

The Jeepney joy ride is just one of the famous art pieces of Marjun Elarco, another Talaanding soil painter. Some of his artworks are displayed at the Provincial Capitol in Malaybalay City.

I was impressed with how his masterpieces show Bukidnon's true beauty. I was attracted not only by the details, colors, and texture but how the paintings feature the culture, environment, people, and way of life in Bukidnon. I was so dazzled that I cannot resist taking some snapshots.

Featured

3 surprising benefits of doing jigsaw puzzles

7:17 AM

Did you know that putting together the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle has surprising benefits to the brain?

1. Reduces stress and relieves anxiety

Researchers have found out that solving puzzles helps us relax. Through this, our brain will produce more dopamine or the "feel-good" hormone. Accordingly, Dopamine contributes to feelings of alertness, focus, motivation, and happiness.

2. Improve memory and attention to detail

Studies have shown that solving puzzles is also good for our brain as it can improve our cognition and visual-spatial reasoning. The act of putting the pieces of a puzzle together which requires concentration helps us to be focused and strengthens our attention to details

3. Promotes collaboration and teamwork

Aside from creating a personal connection with others, doing a jigsaw puzzle in a group teaches us to work on our collaboration skills and teamwork spirit.

So why not complete one jigsaw puzzle when you need a healthy distraction?

But you know what? There's a place in the Philippines where you can appreciate a mindboggling puzzle art collection. Located in Asisan village in Tagaytay City, the Puzzle Mansion houses more than 1000 different jigsaw puzzles of all sizes, shapes, and forms earning the Guinness World Records certificate for having the world’s largest jigsaw puzzle collection in the world.

The collection consists of 2D, 3D, and 4D puzzles including replications of world-renowned paintings, embossed puzzles, ventricular puzzles, posters, photos, and even cityscape puzzles.

The place is considered one of the famous tourist spots in Tagaytay.

A souvenir shop is also located on the second floor where visitors can shop for various kinds of puzzles sourced directly from international manufacturers.

Here are photos of some of the puzzle collections in the mansion. I also wrote below the contact information of the Puzzle Mansion should you want to visit the place.

Enjoy 💕

Puzzle Mansion Contact Information

Address: Cuadra Street, Brgy. Asasin, Tagaytay City

Contact: 02-8661-0019

Email: puzzlemansion@gmail.com

Facebook: facebook.com/PuzzleMansion

Featured

How to spend one day in Kuala Lumpur

2:02 AM

Kuala Lumpur is the capital city of Malaysia characterized by skyscrapers, shopping centers, and gastronomic variety.

One can do a lot of things in Kuala Lumpur. Here's a list of must-visit places that you should include in your itinerary if you want to experience the heart of true Asia.

Start your day early at Petronas Twin Towers to avoid the crowd. If you are lucky, you can have a picture-perfect with the towers as the background and with no photobomber at all.

The Petronas Twin Towers house the corporate headquarters of the Petronas Company. The towers were once the tallest buildings in the world, now the spot is taken over by Burj Khalifa in Dubai. But still, the design of the towers which features repetitive geometries and arabesques is breathtaking.

If you want to experience the colonial history of Kuala Lumpur then Merdeka Square should be your next stop. Also known as Dataran Merdeka, this iconic landmark is where Malaysia proclaimed its independence in 1957. This square is also surrounded by impressive heritage buildings.

Though the majority of its population is made up of Malays, you can also find descendants of Chinese, Indian, and other indigenous people in Kuala Lumpur. One of the most frequented tourist attractions in Kuala Lumpur is the Batu Caves of Hindus.

A limestone hill with three major caves featuring temples and Hindu shrines. Its main attraction is a large golden statue of the Hindu God at the entrance, besides colorful stairs leading you to a view of the stunning skyline of the city center.

Another must-visit place is the Masjid Negara or the National Mosque of Malaysian Muslims. Its grand hall is the most intricate part of the mosque with Qur'an verses decorating the walls. The structure also has a lot of geometric and abstract shapes.

You can also include in your itinerary a tour at the Visitor Centre of Royal Selangor to learn how this company became the leading name in pewter products and how it expanded into selling hallmarked sterling silver (Comyns) and 8k gold jewelry (Selberan).

Your Kuala Lumpur itinerary would not be complete without a food trip. The best place to visit for a superb food experience is Jalan Alor. You can immerse yourself in a truly authentic street food experience on this road. Don't forget to try Nasi Lemak, a fragrant rice dish paired with crunchy anchovies, boiled eggs, roasted peanuts, and sambal.

If you have sweet tooth, drop by the C'Apple Company for a heavenly chocolate treat. Their tiramisu and coffee-flavored chocolates are the best.

Are you ready to spend a day in Kuala Lumpur?💕

P.S. Don't forget to bring water and stay hydrated all the time to overcome the heat and humidity in the streets of Kuala Lumpur.

Wellness

Making the most of your quarantine time

5:20 AM

"10 Ways to Stay Active While Stuck at Home"

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to haunt the world, health experts have advised for mass gatherings to be suspended; schools, malls, leisure parks, and tourist spots to be temporarily shut down; and community quarantine (stay-at-home) imposed to curb the spread of the deadly virus.

That's right, staying at home is a good measure to protect yourself and others from the virus, but prolonged periods of time at home can pose significant challenges such as stress and boredom.

Here are 10 ways to help you get through that stress and boredom - and perhaps will make your quarantine time interesting and productive.

1. Do some de-cluttering

This is the perfect time to de-clutter, organize your things and clean your surroundings. You can start with your refrigerator or your closet or junk cabinet. A clean and organized home will help lighten your mood and give you a positive mindset. Try it and you will see it.

2. Catch up on your reading or read something new

Why not use this time to read that stack of books on your shelf? Or you can subscribe to an ebook about happiness, successes, or inspirational stories. You will realize that reading something positive is an effective antidote to all the gloomy news about COVID-19.

3. Pamper yourself

Quarantine means no more trips to the spa and salon. But it does not mean that you stop caring for yourself. In fact, this is the perfect time to treat yourself without spending much because you can do pampering right in the comfort of your home. You can take that long and soothing bath of your dreams. You can also relax with a beauty face mask or destress with a foot spa or home manicure. Why not also try nail art? A friend of mine actually grabbed this opportune time to practice henna tattoo. Her tattoo designs were actually kinda cute and sassy.

4. Find the perfect workout plan and exercise

Take time to move around a little. Your body will thank you for it in the future. Health experts have always recommended exercising as the best measure to boost your immune system. Moving around can also help you manage stress and anxiety. Plenty of free workouts or exercise videos that you can do right at your home are available online.

5. Get a good sleep

If your hectic work schedule before the quarantine doesn't give you enough time to sleep, why not take advantage of the quarantine period to catch up on sleep?

6. Start your own survival garden

Just because you have to stay at home doesn’t mean you can’t grow your own garden. In fact, local government units and non-government organizations are encouraging the public to grow a vegetable garden in their backyards and have a sustainable supply of vegetables while the quarantine is ongoing. Having some veggie plants in the backyard could help families in this trying time especially if there's a shortage of veggie produce. Aside from veggies, you can also grow herbs that you can use in your dishes. If you don't have a backyard, you can improvise a container garden instead.

7. Learn basic cooking skills or new recipes

Why not learn how to cook and eat some delicious food in the process? There are plenty of cooking videos that you can download for free online. If you are already a pro in cooking, why not conjure something tasty and healthy for your family? This is also an opportune time to perfect your culinary skill, and while you're at it, why not teach this skill to your family members?

8. Binge-watch

Everyone has their own way of coping with isolation and some of them include binge-watching. Now, you have all the time in your hands, with limited distractions, to watch reality series, movies, and even K-drama on streaming platforms. Have you tried watching Crash Landing On You?

9. Start a journal or blog

If you love to write and you have been wanting more time to focus on this craft, here is the best time to write.

10. Reconnect with family and friends

You are not the only one dealing with quarantine so it is important to stay connected with your family and friends and know how they are doing too. Connecting with them is not hard nowadays because of many apps and programs that allow you to be connected with someone without leaving your home. You can also call (via phone) a friend or relative that you have not spoken to in a while.

While it is meaningful to stay connected with people far away, don't forget to bond with the people you are in quarantine with. Cooking, gardening, binge-watching, de-cluttering, and home spa are just some of the activities that you can do together with them.

Doing something can be a great stress reliever during this trying time. I hope these tips can help you beat boredom and make you productive. 💕

Photo credits: pixabay.com

Featured

Let loose at Universal Studios Singapore

6:35 AM

Who said that theme parks are just for kids? Well, they got it all wrong. Adults also have the right to ultimate fun and leisure. And, guess what? There's a gigantic theme park in Sentosa Island that will make every adult's childhood fantasies come true.

Yes, you are right... it's Universal Studios.

Universal Studios in Singapore is the only Universal Studios theme park in Southeast Asia. Various attractions are featured in its seven different zones that kick off in HOLLYWOOD. In this zone, you can watch Elmo and Sesame Street friends, visit the Minion store, participate in a turntable interactive show, and follow the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Next to the HOLLYWOOD is the NEW YORK zone where you will be blown away by the Steven Spielberg Lights, Camera, Action! attraction. You can also take a lot of instragrammable photos on the streets of New York.

The other zones - FAR FAR AWAY, MADAGASCAR, SCI-FIC CITY, ANCIENT EGYPT, and the LOST WORLD - offer family fun attractions and thrill rides.

The family fun attractions (which I and my friends enjoyed) include Madagascar Crate Ride Adventure, Shrek 4-D Adventure, and the Puss in Boots Roller Coaster.

If you are a thrill-seeker, you can bump and fight autobots in the Transformers 3D battle ride, plunge in a high-speed ride in total darkness as you escape in the Revenge of the Mummy, be wet in the white water raft ride in Jurassic Park, and hop on to the tummy-twirling human vs. cyclon Battlestar Galactica Ride.

And here's the bonus... you can meet and greet your favorite characters in each of the seven zones!

Indeed, Universal Studios is a happy place with multiple world-class rides. Just be sure to come early so you can enjoy all the attractions in the seven zones.

Have a great adventure! 💕

Featured

Six Safety Tips To Avoid Becoming Easy Prey To Criminals

1:45 AM

We are bombarded with headlines of crimes and violence every day. Oftentimes, we end our day with the evening news flashing stories about murder, car accidents, terrorism, narcotics abuses, and petty crimes. It’s really a sad reality of the world we live in. That is why we must be aware of our safety by taking precautionary measures.

Photo from pixabay.com

So I asked a police officer friend to share some tips on how to make us a less desirable target of crimes.

Be safety and security conscious by being aware of your surroundings. Be updated about the current crime trends in your area, such as where crimes usually occur and the usual perpetrators.
Get to know the police officers assigned in your area and make it a habit to visit the nearest police station once in a while. Know the station’s emergency hotline and the officers’ official number.
Always inform your families of your whereabouts so that they can easily locate you in case of emergency.
Avoid being out alone in the dark. Always walk in well-lighted and well-traveled walkways.
Conceal your valuables when traveling. Never flaunt your jewelry, wallets, and mobile phones, especially when in public places such as markets, bus stations, and the like.
Be vigilant and responsible. Contact the police when you saw suspicious activities in your community.

I also added here an infographic on ATM card safety for those who love cashless transactions.

No man is an island. Keeping your community safe and secure is not the sole responsibility of the police. After all, crime prevention is a shared responsibility between the law enforcers and the members of the community.

Places

From cocoon to fabulous Thai Silk

6:14 AM

They say that you have not been truly to Thailand if you did not visit one of their silk factories. So my friend and I went to Jolie Femme Thai Silk Factory to learn about Thai silk and sericulture.

Our tour guide explained the process of making Thai silk including raw silk and silk yarn. But I was not able to write it down step-by-step because I was mesmerized by all the colors. All I can remember was that the silk fabric at Jolie Femme is manually woven. Aside from the silk fabric, one can also purchase from them pre-made silk clothing and other types of goods that are made of Thai silk.

Let me just share some of the photos I captured during that tour.

The process begins by raising silkworms on mulberry leaves. When they are mature, the silkworms spin silk cocoons.

The cocoons are then degummed using special chemicals. The weavers will then boil the degummed silk, making sure that it is constantly stirred to get a uniform color.