Do you need a visa to France?

Is Paris your dream destination?

All EU citizens do not need a visa to visit France.

Selected nationals from countries who do not need a Schengen visa to go to France as long as the stay does not exceed 3 months.

1.    Albania*                                    
2.    Andorra                      
3.    Antigua et Barbuda    
4.    Argentina                    
5.    Australia                       
6.    Bahamas                    
7.    Barbados                    
8.    Bermuda                    
9.    Bosnia
10.  Brazil                           
11.  Brunei                             
12.  Canada                      
13.  Chile  
14.  Costa Rica
15.  Croatia
16.  EEA National
17.  El Salvador
18.  Guatemala
19.  Herzegovina*
20.  Hong-Kong (blue passport only)
21.  Honduras
22.  Israel
23.  Macedonia (Fyrom)*
24.  Nicaragua
25.  Japan
26.  Liechtenstein
27.  Macao
28.  Malaysia
29.  Mauritius
30.  Mexico
31.  Monaco
32.  Montenegro
33.  New Zealand
34.  Panama
35.  Paraguay
36.  Taiwan (1)
37.  Saint Christopher and Nevis
38.  San Marino
39.  Serbia*
40.  Seychelles
41.  Singapore
42.  South Korea
43.  Switzerland
44.  United States of America
45.  Uruguay
46.  Vatican
47.  Velenzuela

Asterisk (*) Only for holders of a biometric passport

Since January 11, 2011 Taiwanese nationals will be exempted to travel to France may stay up to 90 days without visa provided with their passport ID.

Make sure you have the following to produce.

1. 
Proofs of financial means of support.
Hotel bookings or your return ticket to your country of residence.
Valid medical travel insurance that covers all.

 REMEMBER:

Only foreign citizens with valid residency permits in a Schengen country may travel freely in the Schengen space for up to 3 months as long as they hold valid recognised passports and valid residency status.

source: http://www.ambafrance-uk.org

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Blackpool Tower

If Paris, France has Eiffel Tower that represents as the iconic tower in Paris, well Blackpool in England has iconic tower too.  The Blackpool Tower is a tourist attraction in Blackpool, Lancashire in England which was opened to the public on 14 May 1894. Inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it rises to 158m (518 ft. 9 inches). The tower is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers.

Blackpool Tower offers 5 attractions

1.     

 1.         The Blackpool Tower Eye – Breath-taking and amazing views is waiting for all tourists who wish to visit the Tower Eye. Offers 4D cinema experience.

2.       The Blackpool Tower Dungeon – Scary experience for families with children age 8-year-old plus.
3.       The Blackpool Tower Circus – An annual circus festival in Blackpool brought to you by Bollywood.  The show is on the 11th - 19th February 2012.
4.       The Blackpool Tower Ballroom – Amidst the beautiful settings for dancing and musical to enjoy.
5.       Jungle Jim’s – Indoor play area with a jingly jungle theme.

Tips for your trip:

Book on-line to avoid disappointments. Also it’s cheaper to book on-line for Blackpool Tower.

If you wish to climb to the top of Blackpool Tower Eye you MUST check the weather because it’s subject to weather conditions.

For more information of opening times and on-line booking visit their website: http://www.theblackpooltower.com

Have a lovely holiday!

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Walking in Paris

Our Pearl

Everyone knows that Paris is one of the biggest and busiest cities in the world.

The best way to explore Paris is to walk in and around the city. It's good exercises and no euros wasted for travelling. If you're not in the mood of walking.

Well there are other options to explore the entire city. You can go for skating, bicycling and velotaxi for cheap and Eco-friendly experience, buses, métro, taxi, car and etc for long journey.

Paris is accessible city. Métro and bus stops are everywhere and you can hop anytime you want.

My Advice: When the weather is glorious walking is the best thing to do and it’s free. It’s more enjoyable to walk than going to Métro.

Travel Tips: BEWARE of Pickpockets operates every where. Make sure you keep eye on your belonging.

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École Militaire

École Militaire – Military School in English terminology. Founded by Louis XV in 1750 it’s a huge complex building for various military training facilities in Paris, France southeast of the Champ de Mars. The purpose of this military school is to create a college for cadet officers from poor families.

Image credit to britannica.com

How to get there?

Address: 21 place Joffre, 75007

Visit by written application only.

Metro: École Militaire

Bus: 28, 49, 80, 82, 87, 92

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Parc du Champ de Mars

Champ de Mars in French – Field of Mars in English term. It is a large public open space reserve in Paris between Eiffel tower and Ecolé Militaire.

It’s the best place for picnic with stunning views also it’s the perfect place for photo-shoots.

Open 24/7 – 365 days

It’s FREE!

How to get there?

By bus: 42, 69, 80, 82, 87

By Metro: RER line C, Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel

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Tour Eiffel

Around the Tour Eiffel

The region plays as the main character in the story of Paris tourism industry. Millions for tourist comes in Paris every year to see and climb up to the very top of the iconic tower and to visit the world’s largest architectural museum.

List of Tourist attractions in Tour Eiffel

1.     Eiffel Tower
2.    Parc du Champ de Mars
3.    École Militaire
4.    Les Invalides
5.    Musée Rodin
6.    Tour Montparnasse
7.    Musée d’Orsay
8.    Assemblée Nationale
9.    Point Alexander III
10.  Les Ésgouts
11.  Pont de l’Alma
12.  Musée du Quay Brandly
13.  Palais de Tokyo
14.  Musée d’Art Modern de la Ville de Paris
15.  Musée National des Arts Asiatiques-Guimet
16.  Place du Trocandéro et du II Novembré
17.  Pont de de Bir-Hakeim
18.  Mansion de Balzac
19.  Musée Marmottan Monet

Places to Stay

1.    Grand Hôtel Leveque
2.    Hôtel de la Tour Eiffel
3.    Best Western Eiffel Park Hotel
4.    Hotel de Londres Eiffel
5.    Relais Bosquet
6.    Hotel Plaza Tour Eiffel
7.    Adagio Aparthotel
8.    Holiday Inn Garden Court Paris - Tour Eiffel
9.    Grand Hôtel Leveque
10.  Hotel Ares Eiffel

Places to Eat

1.    L’aubergene du Mouton Blanc – French Restaurant
2.    Tse Yang – Chinese Restaurant
3.    Hiramatsu – Japanese Restaurant
4.    Fakhr el dine – Lebanese Restaurant
5.    L’affriolé – Classical French dishes and Mediterranean influence.
6.    Bistro D’Hubert – 21^st French Bistro

There are thousands of café, fast-food chain and restaurant in and around Tour Eiffel depends on your taste.

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Pregnancy and Flying

Thinking about flying during pregnancy? It needs extra mindful for your health as well as your baby.
If you're pregnant you're allowed to fly as long as you haven’t experienced any complications during your pregnancy. You can fly between 28^th weeks up to 36 weeks depends on the airline company.

credits to fotolia

What are the requirements?

Before you book your flights, you need to ask for Pregnancy Information Form. For single pregnancy you are allowed to travel between 28^th weeks up 36^th weeks.  If you’re expecting more than one baby you’re allowed to travel between 28^th weeks up to 32^nd weeks.

Take it to your doctor to fill out the Pregnancy Information Form. You can also ask other supporting documents from your doctor like pregnancy records, scan-results and etc.

Where I can get the Pregnancy Form?

You can download the form online or simply visit the airline company. It’s free of charge.

Don't forget if you don't want to miss your flights you should secure documents, because flying during pregnancy is more risky than being pregnant alone. 

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Sunset: Overlooking the entire City of Davao

When the school term is nearly end the tourism student of University of Mindanao will decide where to go, when to go and how many days we are going to spend our educational tour.

Half of our class decided to go to Camiguin for 3 nights and half of the class choose to go to Samal Island for Island hopping for 2 nights. The photographs were taken 6 years ago in Island Garden City of Samal, Philippines.

Image credits to Glory Manipol

After Island hopping and visiting local attractions we catch this lovely sunset over-looking the entire City of Davao on the way back to Punta del Sol we’re we stay over.

We all had fun and our tour was absolutely fantastic!

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The Chinese Buffet

An extra-ordinary all-you-can-eat Chinese restaurant is now in St. Helens, England. It was first opened in Bolton by 3 British-Chinese who aim to create a stylish and modern style of buffet with high quality food at low cost to customers.

Location:

THE CHINESE BUFFET

Bridge Street

St Helens

Market Walk

Wakefield

WF1 1QS

Opening times:

Ambience: Although the restaurant is located in the town centre of St. Helens, you could be in another country. The front of the restaurant is very oriental. The Chandeliers, lift, waterfalls and lightning is absolutely stunning. The dining is very spacious and fantastic.

Highlights: It’s not only a Chinese buffet all-you-can-eat, it also has Japanese, Thai, and more oriental cuisine to choose.

Our Dining Experience: Excellent! All day Sunday buffet for £9.95 per person around 100 dishes to choose I can’t argue with that price. It was nice to choose your ingredients’ and let the chef do the cooking and you can see it how they cook your food. We do enjoy the food it’s was lovely and the drinks isn’t expensive. Treat your family or celebrate occasions there.

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Louis Vuitton

French fashion house was founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton Malletier also known as Louis Vuitton or LV for short. When it comes to fashion LV is the most famous initials in fashion world with beige and brown chequered pattern interlaced the initials (LV Monogram)  most products ranging from leather goods, luxury trunks to clothing, shoes, accessories, watches, jewellery and sunglasses.

This building was opened in 1913 at Champs Élysée, Paris

How to get there?

View Larger Map

Address: 101 Avenue de Champs Elysées 75088 Paris, France.

Metro: George V

Phone: 0810810 010

Open times: Mon-Sat 10am – 8pm Sun 11am – 1pm, 2pm-7pm

Website: www.vuitton.com

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Canal St-Martin Paris

Taken from the bridge

One of its best tourist attractions in Bastille, Paris is the Canal St-Martin. Strolling along the three-lined canal foot path or you can go for a boat trips along the Siene. An additional option to do in 

 Canal St-Martin is dining experience there are several restaurants and bars along it.

The Canal St-Martin is located in the eastern part of the city. According to the history the Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte (Emperor of the French) ordered the construction of the canal in 1802, in order to create a stilted waterway for supplying Paris with fresh water to support a growing population and to help avoid diseases such as cholera and dysentery.

The canal was open in 1825, with 4.5 long in Paris connects the Canal de l'Ourcq to the river Seine.

Today, the canal is most visited by locals and tourist especially students they like to hang-out with their mates and to keep a watchful eye on the barges navigate the series of locks and road bridges. 

Rose garden along the Canal St-Martin

How to get there?

Metro:

·        

République

·         Jaurés

·         Jacques

·         Bonsergent

·         Goncourt

Bus:

·          26, 46, 75

Here is the map:

View Larger Map

Tips for your trip:

Best time to visit on spring and summer.  Best time for stroll and cycling is morning whilst everyone is still in bed. For boat trips afternoon is the best time or during rush hours. It’s the best time to set-back and relax sipping nice wine whilst enjoying the views.

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Wedding photoshoot in Eiffel Tower Paris

Seriously speaking these Japanese couple took our attention when we leave the Eiffel tower. I took this photo at Parc du Champ de Mars. The photographer is facing the iconic tower which behind the couple to captured perfect angle.

 

The bride looks stunning and the groom looks very smart. The dress and the suit they wore look very expensive in my eyes. How much more the cost of the wedding in Paris? Must be dead expensive! They take travelling seriously, aren’t they?

That's us!

I’ve heard few love stories of couples going to Paris for engagement, honeymoon, climbing up the top of the tower and made promises to each other and etc. I confess to you my brothers and sisters that my husband and I climb up to the top and had champagne and made promises in front of our ever dear daughter Pearl.

When I look back on my wedding photos and and recieve positive comments I tell them “Everyone has the right to be bride and there are only few brides are destined to become a princess”. Is that you Kate Middleton? No, it's me Inday Jenny Jayon - O'Toole.

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Where to stay in Paris?

Paris is a favourite tourist destination in Europe, there is a wide range of accommodation options luxury hotels, chain hotels to low cost hostels. Every region has its good points and bad points choosing which place to stay depends on your priorities.

Paris is divided into five regions.

1.    Tour Eiffel
2.    Latin Quarter, St. Germain and Islands
3.    Marias and Bastille
4.    Lourve an Champs-Élyées
5.    Montmatre

For visit purposes decided which region do you want to stay.

To help you to decided jot down all tourist attraction you wish to visit. These will help you to choose which region you should stay, which closer to the attractions you wish to visit. 

Need Map?

Maps credit to Grand Hotel Lévéque

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Bonsior Paris

Parisian Christmas Party

Beinvenue the Parisian Spectacular! The Grand Pavilion of Knowsley Safari Park was turn into a café, clubs and stage where the Parisian Spectacular seduced all the viewers with their sparkling glittery sequin and feathery glamour. Inspired by the past - entertainment brought to life.

We are invited for Ste’s Birthday Special last18th December 2011 at the Grand Pavilion, Knowsley Safari Park, Knowsley, England. Formal attire is requirements. 

I’ve heard that there will be thousands of guests will be watching the show. When we get there it was very busy it’s like watching Rihanna’s concert standing in the front of the stage.

Each of us gets champagne as welcome drinks. It was not champagne, because the drink isn’t bubbly and strong. I believe it’s just white wine in champagnes glass, not only me noticed the welcome drinks.

We are not bothered to watch the first performance until we are not seated. Instead we enjoy having some nice cold white and chatting.

Few minutes later the first show is over people are waiting to find their table so they can seat down and relax their foot from standing with their killer heels. I can’t wait to seat down I am starving; I’ve been drinking since I left the house. I'll be drunk by 10pm which I don't want to happen. It's too early!

We finally seated party poppers in every seat hat and head band with stars on. Let's start the party! The host asked the entire guest to use their balloons to build an Eiffel Tower. We tried to make one, but it wasn’t perfect after that we had our meal. It was absolutely beautiful. I can’t imagine how busy is the kitchen preparing for 1600 people (starters, main course, dessert and coffee and tea).

The show was brilliant it was really good, very entertaining, quality performances, nice stage, music and lightning are fantastic.

When the show was over we smashed the dance floor. Dance as much as you can. Brilliant night absolutely!

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Notre Dame Paris

Our lady of Paris

One summer afternoon at Notre Dame de Paris with The O'Tooles

Notre Dame de Paris in French located at 6 Parvis Notre-Dame, Place Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris, France. 

Taken from the boat.

That's stunning except the 2 tourist standing.

Some nice architectural details of the cathedral.

A gothic, Roman Catholic Cathedral and one of the world’s famous, historic and most visited cathedrals. Its finest French gothic architecture attracts more tourists to visit the said cathedral.

I can’t imagine myself going there as I know Paris, France is one of the most expensive cities in the world to visit. I have no budget to go there.

Yet, when I married to Ian who was a devoted catholic, who been in that cathedral many times singing in the choirs, when he was in primary school with his brother and best mates.

He took us (my daughter and I) last summer (2011) he was our tour guide. He says to me every time he comes in the cathedral he will cry especially to see Mother Theresa. By the way he went St. Teresa primary school in England. It makes sense to me why he cried for Mother Theresa in Notre dame.  

My Ian and Pearl

And another Ian and Pearl outside plus 1 tourist who don't want to move out.

And agian yours truly with exusted Pearl on the boat with fantastic views.

I, myself is devoted catholic who wish to come and see some stunning cathedral like Notre dame. It was a dream comes true for me. We wish to attend at least one mass. But we couldn’t make it because we haven’t enough time to stay in Paris, 4 days isn’t enough to do things like going to the mass. As thousands of attractions and sceneries is waiting for us out-side. 

The dimly lit interior.

My camera don't work well in the dark.

If you wish to visit Paris don’t forget to visit the Notre dame its worth of visiting it’s absolutely free unless you wanted to purchase coin souvenir inside the church or drop few coins for your donations it would be helpful for the parishioner and their chosen charity. It was a great day for the three of us.

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Bucana

Morning view in Bucana

Umagang kay ganda;
Pagka-gising mo sa umaga,
kasabay sa pagsikat ng araw iyong makikita.
Saan ka pa makakita ng tanawing ibang-iba.
Kun'de sa Bucana lang pala.

Bayanihan ay nangyayari;
Kapag ang bagyo ay naghahari.
Kapit bisig kababayan;
Panalangin sa may kapal ating higpitan,
Ng atin malampasan ang sakunang nararanasan.

Pangingisda, pagpapadyak o pagtitinda man iyong kabuhayan;
Kayod kababayan,
Di bali ng hindi tayo yayaman,
Ang yaman ay materyal na bagay lamang,
Ang importante tayo ay kontento, maligay at nagmamahalan.
'yan ang taga-Bucana.

Poem by: Inday Jenny Jayon - O'Toole

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Bucana - Davao City

The place is situated in the heart of Davao City. It’s the largest barangay when it comes to land area with 467 hectares and 54,000 registered voters, known as one of the richest Barangay in the entire Mindanao.

Fishing vessel BORADOR

The name of the Barangay Bucana is derived from the Spanish word “Voca” it means mouth, the outlet of Kabakan creek and Davao River.

My grandparents moved in Bucana after 2nd world war. I was born and bred in Bucana. Many years ago I witness many typhoons, massive waves and the sea waters goes to the village, destroyed houses and livelihood. People lives in the village are evacuating and moving their house far away from the shore lines.

Morning view in Barangay Bucana

The houses in Bucana are made of bamboos, coconut wood and nipa palm as roof. It’s called (Bahay Kubo) a traditional house in the Philippines. When the typhoon comes, the people in the village are helping one another locally term as “bayanihan” means all the people who lives in the area are helping hands to carry the house and move it away from danger area. Just imagine flock of ants carrying breadcrumbs.

Time flies and everything has change. The government did a great job by building the first landmark “seawall” for the safety of the citizen.

The place is very close to down town area, market, San Pedro Church, municipal, hospitals and clinics and business establishment. Main transportation is trisicad or tricycle it cost 5.00php per passenger. Fishing, trisicad driving, sari-sari stores are the sources of livelihood. 

The numbers of trisicad operates is fast growing every year. It causes some problems, loads of them are operating without licence or permit from LTO (Land Transportation Office). And most of the taxi drivers are frightened to enter the place due to the numbers of undisciplined drivers.

The cost of living is very low. Renting single bedroom for per person is about 800.00 - 1200.00 php, 500.00 - 800.00 php for bed spacer. Include water and light.

Refereces: 

http://robertolanolan.blogspot.com/2010/02/barangay-76-bucana-akong-gipanday-alang.html

http://farm5.staticflickr.com
rem-fe.com

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