July 13, 2020

Michiscape is Now on Etsy

Last week, I planned to use my Cricut Maker and make some projects but after setting it up and trying it, I realized that I need more time to learn how to use it. I stopped my Cricut project and out of the blue, I decided to push my plan.

I’ve been meaning to have my online shop where I can place my printables and social media graphics but as usual, I always feel that it’s not the right time and I’m not yet ready. But I took my courage pill and start registering my shop on Etsy.

Since I’m not yet ready, it took me several days to figure it out. I won’t deny that last week I feel so stressed because I did not expect that there are so many things to do especially listing the products. So far, I only have few products, you can buy instant download digital cards, tags, and stickers. You can visit my shop here






I only have 1 sale after one week. I know that I still have a long way to go. But despite that there is only ONE SALE, I still feel happy because
Finally, I DID IT.
I started even I feel that I’m not ready
I started even I feel scared.

F.E. Marie said, “Even when you fall, even when nothing goes as you expected, even then, be proud of yourself. You tried, and there is nothing more courageous than trying.” 



If you are like me who are feeling scared, I’m sharing these motivational quotes so you too can conquer your fear

“I always did something, I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow - Marissa Mayer” 

“If you’re not embarrassed by the first version of your product, then you’ve launched it too late” - Reid Hoffman 

“Do the best you can until you know better, then when you know better do better” - Maya Angelou

“Stop letting your potential go to waste because you don’t feel confident or ready enough. People with half of your talents are making serious waves while you’re still waiting to feel ready” 

P.S. If you want to start an Etsy shop, I have a referral link so you can get FREE 40 listings. If you are an on Etsy too, care to share some advice. :)


July 02, 2020

Second Half of the Year

The first half of the year is gone and we’re now in the second half of the year 2020. Six months had passed, and those months are so challenging, overwhelming, and heartbreaking. Today is Day 110 since community quarantine has started and a lot of things happened even I’m just inside our home.

I was reading my Day 32 of Community Quarantine post and I shared that despite what happened in the past 3 months, I still try to be positive. In spite of the community quarantine and being stuck at home, I still feel okay. Then 4 days after I posted that, life hits me hard, my sister passed away and my world turned upside down. 


I wanted to scream “Noooo, this could not be happening to me”. At that moment, I don’t know what to feel anymore, my heart was really shattered into tiny pieces and I don’t know how to be whole again. There are days that I feel that I am just existing but not living. I kept on telling my heart to beat again. It is a long process to get back up and it took me a while to go back to my usual routine.

I am a planner so I always have a short-term or long-term plan but after what happened these past several months. I’ve learned to let go of my 2020 plans, I try not to worry about the future and I take one day at a time. I may not understand what is happening to my life right now, but I still have faith that someday, I will know the purpose and reason.

"Take one day at a time. Today, after all, is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday" - Billy Graham

I’m meditating on this song Blessing by Laura Story “Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops. What if Your healing comes through tears. What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near. What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise”


Though there are sad times, I cannot deny that God is still faithful and I am thankful for all the blessings.

1. When my sister passed away, I was helping her family in processing the death claims. It is hard to process because I can only call or email and I cannot travel. I’m really grateful to people who helped us and my sister’s family in getting some requirements and documents. We are just starting to process kasi kailan lang naman nag-open ang mga offices.I just hope na mawala na ang Covid19 and magkaroon na ng public transportation so it would be easy for us to process.

2. I’m grateful because my husband has still work, hindi siya nasama sa 2% na nalayoff sa company nila. I’m glad that he is still working from home, no need to go to the office, and no business trip.

3. I am thankful that after 109 days of being stuck at home, I was able to go out. Last week, I got my quarantine pass and my dentist messaged me that they are already open. I immediately booked an appointment because it’s been 3 months since my last brace adjustment. That was my quick visit to the outside world.

4. I'm happy because my son is “Gold Eagle Awardee” again. Ang sad part lang, wala kami Recognition Day kahit online so I’m praying na sana next year back to normal na. Nakakasad yung Online Graduation.

5. After 3 months of waiting, I finally received my Living Cash Benefits, naabutan kasi ng lockdown yung check. I’m happy because I am still alive and I can enjoy the benefits of the memorial plan that I purchased 15 years ago.

6. Lastly, even though I’m stuck at home, I’m still happy because I have freelance jobs from time to time. It keeps me productive during this pandemic time. I need to be busy para hindi ako malungkot.

I wanted to end this post with this quote “Be strong now because things will get better. It might be stormy now, but it can’t rain forever”



June 24, 2020

4 Days in Copenhagen Denmark with Kid

Do you miss traveling? I miss traveling but I guess there will be no travel trips this year. My only wish is that we can go out as a family. My son and I are still stuck at home because kids are not allowed to go out yet and I have an autoimmune disease so even I’m itching to go out, part of me is scared. I don’t want to put my health at risk.

Even I’m an introvert, I don’t like this “new normal” because, for more than 3 months, my world revolves inside our tiny house. To keep me sane, I kept myself busy and productive. I was working last weekend and my client is from Denmark. And because of that, I suddenly missed Denmark so I’m reminiscing about our trip last year.


4 Days in Copenhagen, Denmark with Kid 

Denmark is part of Europe so if you are a Filipino like me, you need to apply for Schengen Visa. We applied for our visas at VFS Norway since we will be staying most of our summer vacation there. We took Qatar Airways from the Philippines to Norway and we stayed in Elverum for few days before we started our Scandinavian Trip.

Read: How to Apply for Schengen Visa for your Europe Trip 
Understanding your Visa: How to Read the Visa Sticker  
Philippines to Norway via Qatar Airways 

There are different ways to travel from Norway to Denmark, we can ride the plane, bus, train or ferry, we chose the latter because it is cheaper and we wanted to experience it. From Elverum, we took a bus to Oslo and we walked from the bus station to ferry port where DFDS Crown Seaways is located. We sailed from Oslo Norway to Copenhagen Denmark for less than 18 hours. We’ve been meaning to try cruise but no budget for that yet so we’re happy that we experienced cruising even for one night. 

Read: Cruise to Copenhagen Denmark from Oslo Norway 

After 18 hours in the sea, we landed in Denmark and our travel adventures begin. We bought a Copenhagen Pass at the convenience store but the 72-hours card is not available so we just purchased the train ticket so we can travel to Copenhagen Central Station where our accommodation is located.

We stayed at Urban House by Meineger which is only 200 meters away from the train station. The location is very strategic so we have no problem in exploring and commuting because it is near restaurants, tourist spots, bus stops, and train stations. Urban House offers different rooms, in our case we availed the family room which is perfect for 4 persons.

Read: Where to Stay in Copenhagen: Urban House by Meininger

Urban House by Meineger has a guest kitchen so it is a big saving in our pocket because we can eat breakfast and dinner at the hostel. For lunch and snacks, we were able to try a few restaurants, fastfoods, and kiosks. We missed the Danish hotdogs, Cocio, and waffles.

Read: Food Trip in Copenhagen Denmark 

I prepared an itinerary for our Copenhagen trip but everything changed when we reached Denmark, we tweaked it a bit. Despite the changes, we still enjoyed our trip. In fact, there are so many tourist spots that we wanted to visit but we don’t have time anymore. Anyway, let me share our four days itinerary in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Day 1 in Copenhagen

We arrived in at DFDS Terminal Seaport before 10 in the morning and we reached Urban House by 11AM, we were too early for the 3PM check-in time. We took a rest and decided to store our luggage in the locker area so we can start our tour. Due to limited time, we only visited City Hall Tower, Ripley’s Believe it or Not, and Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tale House.

Day 2 in Copenhagen

We visited a lot of tourists spot on our second day, a total of 9 tourist spots so we were all tired by the time we reached our hostel. We started our tour in Roskilde where we visited the Viking Ship Museum, Roskilde Town Hall, Roskilde Cathedral, and Roskilde Palace or Royal Mansion. After that, we traveled back to Copenhagen Central Station for our Canal Tours, it is a one-hour tour where you can see different tourist attractions. Then we walked to the longest shopping street in Europe which is called Strøget. We visited the Guinness World of Records Museum, Mystic Exploratorie, and lastly the Tivoli Gardens. Tivoli is the oldest theme park in the world.

Read: Viking Ship Museum
Roskilde Cathedral
Canal Tours in Denmark
Tivoli Gardens

Day 3 in Copenhagen

It snowed on our third day so we started our tour a little bit late because we don’t want to be frozen. We had a walking tour at The Round Tower, The King’s Garden, Rosenborg Castle, Amalienborg, and The Marble Church. My companions were all tired so we ended our tour early.

Read: Rosenborg Castle 

Day 4 in Copenhagen

Our fourth day in Copenhagen and my companions don’t want to go out anymore, they are afraid that we would miss our train ride. But I persuaded them to maximize our trip so we had our last tour at Christianborg Palace, The Ruins, and The Royal Kitchen. We’re glad that we did not miss this tour because we enjoyed our visit there. If time is not limited, there are more places that we could see within Christianborg Palace.

We rushed back to our hostel, picked up our luggage, ate quick lunch at the Food Market, and off we went to the boarding gate. This time we’re going to ride a train to Stockholm, Sweden, it was our first time traveling to another country via train.

Read: Traveling from Copenhagen Denmark to Stockholm Sweden via SJ Train


June 14, 2020

Travel the World by Watching These Korean Dramas

It’s been more than three months since I’ve been confined inside our home. To be honest, I did not imagine that this would be my life in the year 2020. In fact, I was excited to welcome this year because we had planned travel trips, got the plane ticket, booked accommodation, and even approved visas but life is full of uncertainties.

Summer has passed and I am still stuck at home, I miss traveling and I miss going out, kahit makapaggrocery lang ko ulit, malaking achievement na for me. I don’t know when that will happen so for now, let me see the world through these Korean Drama Series. If you miss traveling or if you are looking for some travel goals, then check my list of K-dramas that will take you to different places around the world.

For the last few years, I have watched 82 Korean Drama series and among my list, there are 16 series that will inspire you to travel. As of this writing, I am watching The Package and enjoyed this series because I feel that I already visited France. It was not on my travel bucket list but now I was thinking of visiting those places, especially the Mont Saint Michel.


1. The Heirs or Inheritors (USA) 

Lee Min Ho is a rich heir of Jeguk Group that was exiled to the USA where he meets Park Shin Hye who went to the USA to find her sister. They reunited in an exclusive High School that is attended by wealthy and privileged kids. This is the series where I started to like Lee Min Ho so I also watched some of his series like The Legend of the Blue Sea and Boys Over Flowers.

2. Descendants of the Sun (Greece) 

This series is a major hit in South Korea, it earned a lot of awards and it so popular so some countries have their own local adaptation like Vietnam and the Philippines. The story is about the captain and doctor who met in the emergency room. But because of their job and differences, they had a hard time to continue their relationship. DOTS is one of my favorite Korean Dramas, so I was a little bit sad when Song-Song couple separated.

3. The Legend of the Blue Sea (Spain) 

I like Lee Min Ho so it is no brainer that I immediately watch The Legend of the Blue Sea. This story is all about the mermaid who explores the ocean to look for the con-artist. Little did they know that they have a connection way back to the Joseon period.

4. Love Story in Harvard (USA) 

I have watched a few episodes of Love Story in Harvard on the television but was not able to finish it so, after more than a decade, I decided to watch this again. Half of the drama was filmed at Harvard University where law student Kim Rae Won and medical student Kim Tae Hee met.

5. Goblin or Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (Canada) 

Goblin is the fifth highest-rated drama in South Korea, it won several awards and became a cultural phenomenon not only in South Korea but in other countries too like the Philippines. The story is about the 900 plus-year-old military general who was cursed to stay immortal, a grim reaper, and high school student who have a tragic past.

6. Boys Over Flowers (Macau and New Caledonia) 

A series that is based on Japanese Manga, a love story between a poor high school girl and a rich kid who met in Shinhwa High School. It has 25 episodes but if you want to feel young again then watch this.

7. K2 (Spain) 

A former mercenary soldier who was hired to be a bodyguard of the hidden daughter of a presidential candidate. The first Korean Drama series of Ji Chang Wook that I watched and since then, I’m a huge fan.

8. Doctor Stranger (Hungary) 

Lee Jong Suk and his father fleed to North Korea and were denied access to go back to South Korea. Lee Jong Sook became a top surgeon just like his father who is also a famous doctor. He vows to reunite with Jin Se Yeon.

9. Black Knight: The Man Who Guards Me (Slovenia) 

This drama is about a pure executive man and a travel agent who never traveled outside her country. The businessman accepted a dangerous fate by protecting the woman he loves. A love story that spans hundreds of years.

10. Are You Human Too (Czech Republic) 

A renowned brain scientist and artificial intelligence expert who was forced to part with her son so she created an android robot that is exactly like her son to cope with her loss over the years. She sent this android robot to protect her son’s position who was in a coma.

11. Memories of Alhambra (Spain) 

The love story of the CEO of Augmented Reality game and hostel owner. They met in Spain when the executive stays at the hostel of the woman who is also part of the mysterious and unexpected twists of the story both in real and AR world.

12. Encounter (Cuba) 

A divorced woman who has everything and an ordinary young man who was still starting his life met in Cuba. Both returned to South Korea only to find out that he will work in Donghwa hotel owned by the woman he met in Cuba.

13. Shopping King Louie or Shopaholic Louis (France) 

A romantic comedy about a young chaebol who loves shopping. He was suffering memory loss when he meets a country girl who agrees to help him until he regains his memory. I was hesitant to watch this because I’m not into shopping but I ended up liking this drama and it is one of my favorites too. If you want to laugh, then watch this kdrama.

14. Terius Behind Me or My Secret Terius (Poland) 

A detached secret service agent who helped a widowed woman. He takes care of the woman's kids and discovers the mystery behind the death of the husband.

15. Crash Landing on You (Switzerland) 

A South Korean heiress accidentally lands in North Korea due to paragliding mishaps. She met the captain who decided to hide and help her to go back to South Korea. Despite their differences, they fell in love. I love this kdrama too and after watching this, I wanted to go to Switzerland.

16. The Package (France) 

Lee Yeon Hee works as a tour guide who leads a group of tourists on a premium package tour in France. It is a story of travelers who have different personalities, stories and in the end, they become closer and involved in each other’s lives.

As I mentioned before, this Korean Drama will take you to different places in France. It is not the typical Eiffel Tower or Disneyland Paris tour. And because of this series, I discovered more fascinating and interesting places in France so it is now added to my bucket list.

17. Chocolate (Greece)

Chocolate is all about a boy who wants to be a chef but ended up to be a neurosurgeon. A girl who became a cook because of the boy. Most of the scenes were shot in South Korea but there are some scenes in Greece because Moon Cha-young went to Greece to escape. She works in a Cafe in the small town of Monemvasia Greece. 

2020 may not be a year of travel but I am hoping that soon we will be in the mood to travel again. Let us travel the world before we run out of time. Care to share other Korean Drama that was filmed in other countries.


Click here to download the Korean Drama Checklist

June 11, 2020

Happy Father’s Day

If May is for Mother’s Day, June is for Father’s Day. It was founded in 1910 by Sonora Smart Dodd. Since then, every third Sunday of June, Father’s Day is being celebrated in most parts of the world. This year, it is hard to celebrate any occasion because of the Covid-19 pandemic but it is not an excuse because we can still honor our father in so many ways.

My father just passed away last January 2020 so this event reminded me that I no longer have a father. So if you still have a father, don’t forget to greet them, give them a gift or send them a card. I know it is hard to go out to buy gifts so I made some printable cards that you can download and print.  The size of the card is 3.5 x 5inches.


Sharing some famous father’s day messages.

1. Dad, a son’s first hero. A daughter’s first love.

2. Any man can be a father but it takes someone special to be a dad.

3. FATHERS - Faithful, Always there, Trustworthy, Honoring, Ever-loving, Righteous, Supportive

4. A father holds his daughter’s hand for a short while but he holds her heart forever.


5. World’s greatest farter, father.

6. A father is neither an anchor to hold us back, nor a sail to take us there, but a guiding light whose love shows us the way.

7. A daughter needs a dad to be the standard against which she will judge all men.

8. Thanks for sharing your DNA. Now we both are fabulous.

9. Thanks for being my Ironman

10. I have a HERO, I call him DAD

11. It’s not a dad bod, it’s a father figure

12. You’re an unBEElievable Daddy!

13. Dad, you’re one smart cookie!

14. You’re an eggcellent daddy!

15. You’re one in a minion dad!

16. It’s oFISHcial, you’re the greatest DAD


17. Dad you are as smart as Ironman, as strong as Hulk, as clever as spiderman, as brave as batman, you are my favorite superhero.

18. To the world, you are a father but to our family, you are the world.

19. They call me dad because partner in crime makes me sound like a bad influence.

20. Happy father’s day to a dad who can build anything and deal with any problem.

21. Dad, without me today is just another day. (You’re welcome)

22. You did a grape job in raisin me.

23. Dad, you have given me the best things in life; Your time, your care, and your love. I am truly grateful to have you in my life. Happy father’s day!

24. Dads are hard to buy gifts for, so just enjoy this carefully selected card and the joy of having me as a child.

25. I love you daddy from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.

26. Daddy, I have made prints of my little feet so you can remember when I was so small and sweet. I will grow as the years go past but my love for you will always last.

27. A father is someone you look up to no matter how tall you grow.

28. My father didn’t tell me how to live. He lived and let me watch him do it.

29. Dads are most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, adventurers, story-tellers, and singers of song.

30. I hope this father’s day is as fun as your life was before kids.

31. A family is blessed when a father gives of his time, teaches with his actions, and listens and loves with his whole heart.

32. The only thing better than having you for a husband is our children having you for a dad.

33. You are my best friend, the father of our children, and you are my hidden strength. Thank you for making life so beautiful.

34. A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.

35, Being a great father is like shaving. No matter how good you shaved today, you have to do it again tomorrow.

36. No one in this world can love a girl more than her father. - Michael Ratnadeepak

37. Daddies don't just love their children every now and then, it's a love without end.

38. The heart of a father is the masterpiece of nature.

39. A father is a man who expects his son to be as good a man as he meant to be. - Frank A. Clark

40. A father is someone who carries pictures where his money used to be.

41. A father is someone you look up to no matter how tall you grow.

42. A truly rich man is one whose children run in his arms evn when his hands are empty

43. Dads are most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, adventurers, story-tellers, and singers of song. - Pam Brown

44. My father gave me my dreams. Thanks to him I could see a future.

45. Being a daddy's girl is like having permanent armor for the rest of your life. - Marinela Reka

46. Every great achiever is inspired by a great mentor.

47. A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child.

48. Every girl may not be a queen to her husband, but she is always a princess to her father.

49. I would have got you a present but you didn't give me any money.

What is your favorite Father's Day message?

June 01, 2020

Hello June

Just like that, we’ve reached the half of the year 2020. Time flies so fast even I’m confined inside our home. It is Day 79 of community quarantine and first day of GCQ or General Community Quarantine. It is now more relaxed but I’m still scared to go out because we haven’t flattened the curve. The number of covid19 cases is still increasing and we don’t know how long this battle will be.

June is the month of opening of classes but it was moved to August because of the pandemic. Though I already enrolled my son last January, (early enrollment) I’m still contemplating whether to skip or not to skip this school year. If I will switch to homeschooling or stay with our present school. There are so many things to be considered but for now, we’ll wait for more information.

This year 2020 is a heartbreaking year for me but I pray that God will sustain me. I still hope that there is light after darkness, there is rainbow after the storm and there is joy after tears. So I will welcome June with open arms and hoping that this time it will be a good month.

Anyway, I’ve created 12 Instagram Graphics “Hello June” which is free to download. Click here to download it. It is available in white and pink background.


May 29, 2020

40 Days

“Time is deadly when you are sad. Time is endless when you are in pain.”  

It's been forty days since my sister passed away and no matter how busy I am, I still think of her. I don’t know when my grief will end because no matter what I do to move on from this heartache, deep down inside I know that pain never leaves. If my life is a puzzle, there is a missing piece that no one can refill.

It is hard to move forward but I need to move on, I need to heal and I have to accept the fact that I need to continue living without her. I have to get used to it, I can no longer see her, talk to her and our canceled trips can never be rebooked. Our future travels will never happen. RIP to my sister, Return If Possible 



Don’t judge one survivor’s healing by how fast another has to let go. Healing is not a competition. Everyone needs to heal at their own pace and at their own time. - Nikita Gill


Death is an inevitable part of our life's journey, we don't get to choose who, when, or how, but we can choose to pick up the pieces and LIVE AGAIN. - @iamclearascyrstal


Renew, release, and let go. Yesterday's gone. There's nothing you can do to bring it back. You can't "should've" done something. You can only do something. Renew yourself, release that attachment. Today is a new day! - Steve Maraboli

May 19, 2020

Starting our Own Fruits and Vegetables Garden at Home

Gone are the days when gardening is only for old people. Nowadays, a lot of people are getting interested in this hobby especially now that we have a pandemic concern. We are stuck at home and we need something to relieve our stress.

What nice about gardening is you don’t need a big space because you can do container gardening or vertical gardening. You don’t need to buy a lot of materials because you can recycle plastic bottles and cans. (an excuse to buy softdrinks so we can reuse the plastic) You don’t need to buy seedlings because you can start planting from the ingredients that you have in the fridge or pantry.

I can still remember when I was a kid, I wanted to have a home with a garden. I wanted to have my own space where I can grow flowering plants, herbs, and spices. When we moved to our home, my late grandmother used to give me plants and we bought some bluegrass, plants, and even trees in Victoria, Laguna so we can plant it in our small garden.

After a few years, I realized that gardening is not for me. I don’t have the patience to maintain it, I don’t have a green thumb and I feel sad whenever a plant dies. So I give up my dream of having my own herbs and spices that I can use in my kitchen. I stopped gardening and let my husband maintain our small garden.

For the last several years, my husband tried to plant some seeds like tomato but it never blooms, calamansi but it never bears fruits, sitaw that died after 2 or 3 harvests, and camote. Camote was successful because my husband used to harvest the camote tops. He steamed the camote tops and paired it with shrimp paste.

Last year, when my son and I were on our summer trip, my husband decided to chop our palm trees and pine trees. Wala na kami shade pero at least wala na rin nalalaglag na dahon lalo na pag may typhoon. He hired someone to do this. Slowly, he started his home gardening hobby. He removed old soil and rocks, cleaned, and prepared our garden. He started planting and making his own compost. 


After our The Farm at San Benito trip, he planted tarragon, peppermint, and another type of mint plant. Then last holiday, we went to Tagaytay to buy dragon fruit cuttings and poles. When Community Quarantine started he bought this Sinigang Veggie Seeds, the pack includes okra, sitaw, tomato, radish and kangkong. So far, we were able to harvest Kangkong na and use it for Sinigang na Buto-Buto.




I know this is just a small thing compared to other home gardens but I would like to celebrate small wins. At least, may naharvest na rin kahit papano. Gardening takes time but it can relieve stress, it is a good family bonding and you can save money too. My husband spent most of his free time in the garden and when he has a business trip (before lockdown), nireremind pa niya ko na diligan ko halaman niya. Minsan nagseselos na nga ko sa halaman. Hehehe!


"Watching something grow is good for morale. It helps us believe in life" Myron Kaufman

Update: July 2020

After two months, here is the look of our mini garden at home. We've drunk a lot of softdrinks in the past few months so my husband can use it for his plants. Instead of buying expensive pots in the market, we reuse or upcycle the plastic bottles or pots. We already have a metal trellis where we could hang the plants. Aside from the Chinese kangkong, we already harvested pechay, okra and basil.



May 11, 2020

Where to Stay in Norway: Scandic Kristiansund

Exactly a year ago, we had a Weekend Getaway at Kristiansund and my mom booked a one-night stay at Scandic Kristiansund. Scandic hotels are a hotel chain in Scandinavia, you can see their hotels in Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and a few hotels in Germany and Poland. It is one of my options when I was having a hard time looking for accommodation in Sweden.

Read: Where to Stay in Sweden: Hotel Generator Stockholm


Scandic Kristiansund has a good location, it is situated in the middle of the town center, near the harbor view, 15 minutes away from the airport, and walking distance to some tourist spots. It was built in 1987 so the hotel and rooms look old and probably need some improvement.


If you are traveling by car, there is parking space but it is not FREE. If you have big luggage with you, it is better to drop your luggage at the hotel entrance before going to the parking lot because the hotel doesn’t have a service elevator and you have to climb the stairs.






We arrived in the evening so checking-in was easy, we were offered a room with a view but since there is an additional fee, we declined. We can see this view when we go out so why pay for it. This was our view from our room.


What you see on the website is what you get, so this was our room. We have two single beds, an office table, television, couch, mini-fridge, and a cabinet. The following morning, I found out that my mom and aunt’s room have a coffee and tea set while our room doesn’t have one. We already arrived late but our room was not complete pala, I did not request it since we won’t stay long.




The bathroom looks old but it has a bathtub and hairdryer but no bidet. They offer complimentary FACE Stockholm toiletries


We left Ă˜rland at 2PM and it took us more or less 5 hours travel time to reach Kristiansund so after check-in we had dinner at Bella Napoli Restaurant. Since it was raining and we were already tired, we immediately went back to the hotel after dinner.

Read: Dinner at Bella Napoli Restaurant

Breakfast Buffet at Restaurant Sans 

The room includes a buffet breakfast at Restaurant Sans where they serve a traditional Norwegian buffet. Breakfast starts as early as 6:30AM on weekdays and 8AM every weekend. It was Sunday so I had no choice but to wait for 8AM breakfast time.


When it comes to breakfast in Europe, my expectation is low because I know that the buffet spread is limited compared to buffet breakfast in Asia. So I was really surprised when I arrived at the restaurant, Scandic Kristiansund did not disappoint me because they even have more food spread compared to Radisson Blu in Trondheim and Oslo. We were happy with our buffet breakfast at Restaurant Sans.





Read: Radisson Blu Hotel Trondheim Norway 
Radisson Blu Hotel in Oslo Norway  

Restaurant Sans 

Breakfast: Mon-Fri 06:30-09:30, Sat-Sun 08:00-11:00
Dinner: Mon-Sat 17:00-22:00, Sun Closed
Bar: Mon-Sat 17:00-00:00, Sun Closed

After breakfast, we had a quick Walking Tour at Kristiansund before we went to Atlantic Ocean Road.


Trivia: “Hang up your towel and make mother nature smile”. Did you know that it was one of our team members who once came up with the idea of hanging up towels to reduce washing? A solution that’s become the standard for hotel rooms across the world - one that saves thousands of liters of water and four tons of detergent each year. Only at Scandic.

Scandic Kristiansund 
Storgata 41
6508 Kristiansund, Norway

Watch the video here

May 07, 2020

4 Easy Ways to Get PSA Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Death Certificate and CENOMAR

PSA certificate is one document that we always need, we use this for our own personal copy, employment, school, passport, travel, claims, loans, and any other purposes. Getting a PSA birth certificate, marriage certificate, death certificate, and CENOMAR is easy because there are different ways to get these documents. It depends on your preference, time, and budget.

I can still remember the days when I have to go to Quezon City just to get my NSO birth certificate. It will take me hours of falling in line just to submit my application and go back to get my copy. I was so thankful when I learned about NSOHelpline.com many years ago but it was only year 2006 when I first tried their service.

At that time, I live in Laguna so I don’t want to go to QC just to get my NSO marriage certificate. If I remember it right, I placed my order online, made my payment in Metrobank, and after a few days I received my marriage certificate. Yehey! I saved time and effort. I did not file a vacation leave for that.


Today, a lot has been changed and improved; I have tried getting our PSA certificate by visiting PSA Serbilis Centers, SM Business Center, and ordering online at the PSA Serbilis website. Whatever ways you will choose, make sure you know the required information before requesting for PSA certificate.

Birth Certificate 

* Number of copies you are requesting
* Name (maiden name if married female)
* Sex 
* Place of birth
* Date of birth
* Father’s name
* Mother’s maiden name
* Date of registration, if the birth certificate was late registered
* Purpose of your request
* Your relationship with the birth certificate owner
Birth certificate requests must be duly authorized as per The Child and Youth Welfare Code (P.D. 603)

Marriage Certificate 

* Number of copies you are requesting
* Name of husband
* Maiden name of the wife
* Place of marriage
* Date of marriage
* Date of registration, if the marriage certificate was late registered
* Purpose of your request

Death Certificate 

* Number of copies you are requesting
* Name of the deceased
* Sex
* Place of death
* Date of death
* Date of registration, if the death certificate was late registered
* Purpose of your request

CENOMAR 

* Number of copies you are requesting
* Name (maiden name if married female)
* Sex
* Place of birth
* Date of birth
* Mother’s maiden name
* Father’s name
* Purpose of your request

PSA Office Memorandum No. 2017-050 Marriage Certificate, Death Certificate, CENOMAR, and Advisory on Marriages can only be issued to: 

A.The owner himself or through a duly authorized representative.
B. His/her spouse, parent, direct descendants, guardian, or institution legally in charge of him/her, if minor.
C. The court or proper public official whenever absolutely necessary in administrative, judicial, or other official proceedings to determine the identity of a person.
D. In the case of the person's death, the nearest kin.

4 Easy Ways to Get PSA Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Death Certificate, and CENOMAR 

1. PSA Serbilis Centers 

As I mentioned before, a lot has been changed and improved, as of now, there are more PSA Serbilis Centers where you can visit to get your PSA Certificate. One advantage of visiting the office is you can get your certificate within the day. Four years ago, I checked the internet and the nearest Serbilis Outlet in our place is in Muntinlupa. You can check this link for the list of PSA Serbilis Outlets in the Philippines.

PSA Muntinlupa
2nd level East Parking,
StarMall, Alabang
Muntinlupa City 1772
Telephone: (02) 831 9882

My husband called the number and he was advised that we can get the documents within two hours. So after my husband's dental appointment, off we went to StarMall but I was so disappointed because there is a cut-off time, we were late by a few minutes. I just can’t remember if 1:30 or 2PM is the cut-off time. They should inform us about the cut-off time kasi sayang talaga ang time and effort sa pagpunta. If you choose this option, it is better to be early.

Bring the following when visiting a PSA Serbilis Center 

A.Your Valid ID
B. Authorization and ID of the birth certificate owner if you are requesting a birth certificate and you are not any of the following.

* the owner of the birth certificate
* his/her parent
* his/her spouse
* his/her direct descendant
* his/her legal guardian or institution-in-charge, if minor

2. SM Business Centers 

Most of the time, I order our PSA certificate at SM Business Center because it is much cheaper and more convenient for me. All you need to do is fill out the form (3 Copies), pay the fees, and wait for the release date. The only disadvantage is, that it takes time before you can claim your PSA certificate. I remember four years ago, they advised me that the release would be after one month so I decided to order online instead because I need our PSA certificate as soon as possible for our Japan Visa Application.

January 2019 

Last year, we will be applying for our Schengen Visa and we need to submit a birth certificate and marriage certificate. We only have an NSO copy and we don't have a PSA copy of the birth certificate and marriage certificate so I went to SM Business Center to request it. I filled out the form and paid P180 per copy. I was advised that I can claim my documents after one week.

January 12, 2019 - request for PSA birth certificate and marriage certificate
January 19, 2019 - claim the PSA documents but it is not yet available, balik na lang daw ko ng January 22 para sure. 
January 23, 2019 - just to be sure Wednesday na ko nagpunta but I was really disappointed because our marriage certificate is still not available. Balik daw ko ng 6PM. Waah! We just went home na lang at ayaw ko maghintay ng 5 hours at hindi naman sure yun.
January 26, 2019 - I went back to SM Customer Service and at last, our PSA marriage certificate is already available. Actually, I was not alone, kasi mga kasabayan ko din mga nagrereklamo na at nakailang balik na daw sila, wala pa rin. It took me two weeks to get my complete documents. Paano pa kaya sila na naabutan ng PSA offline from January 13-16,2019.

* I was contemplating if I made the right decision, mas mura nga sa SM pero nakakastress naman pala kumuha. I asked them kung gaano katagal and when they said one week. I filled out the form pero hindi naman pala totoo. Sa dami ng balik ko, parang mas okay na nag-online na lang ko at ganun na rin yata gastos ko kakabalik at napagod pa ko. I guess, if you are not in a hurry, go to SM but if not, it is better to order online na lang.

January 2020 

We applied for a Japan Visa last January and this was our second application so I thought we don’t need to submit our birth certificate and marriage certificate but unfortunately, the travel agency required us to submit them again because it is a family application so I have no choice but to submit my only copy of PSA certificate. So after that, we went straight to SM Business Center to get a new PSA Birth Certificate and PSA Marriage Certificate, I paid P720 for 4 certificates, PHP180 for each copy and I was able to claim our copy after one week. This time no more delays.

3. PSA Serbilis Online 

Four years ago was the last time, I placed an order online for NSO Birth Certificate and Marriage Certificate. Three years ago they changed NSO to PSA Philippine Statistics Authority so a new website and new process of ordering.

And because of community quarantine, I have no choice but to order online so we can get the birth certificate and marriage certificate as soon as possible. Just like NSOhelpline.com, PSASerbilis.com.ph is user-friendly so ordering certificates are not a problem. You can click here to learn how to request online.

Read: How to Request for PSA Certificates Online via PSASerbilis.com.ph

You will be asked to enter the following information online: 

Your name
Your delivery address (with zip code)
Your telephone number
Your valid email address
Required information for the birth certificate, marriage certificate, death certificate, and CENOMAR.

Payment Options 

Credit card
BDO
UnionBank
Bayad Center

Effective November 29, 2019, PSA Serbilis online credit card facility will only support the following Internet browsers:

• Google Chrome version 30 and later
• Microsoft Edge • Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 and later running on Windows 8 and later
• Mozilla Firefox version 27 and later
• Apple Safari version 7 and later running on OS X 10.9 or later

June 2022

4. PSAHelpline.ph

NSOhelpline.com is now PSAHelpline.ph. I've tried ordering from their old websites and just this month, I was able to try the new website. Ordering is fast and easy too and you can do it using your computer or mobile device. 

All you need to do is choose the certificate that you want to order, fill out the information and pay your order. They have so many payment options so just choose what is convenient for you. 

Payment Options

Visa 
Gcash 
PayMaya 
7-Eleven 
Bayad 
Palawan Express 
BancNet 
Metrobank 
BPI 
BDO 
Dragonpay

For more information on how to order on PSAHelpline, you can read my blog post here

May 05, 2020

How to Request for PSA Certificates Online via PSA Serbilis

I don’t understand why frequently give an original copy of PSA Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, and CENOMAR. Hindi ba pwede show original copy and photocopy ang isasubmit? I’ve been checking my old blog posts and it seems almost every year na lang pala ko nagrerequest ng Birth Certificate and Marriage Certificate. These documents are not cheap and I used these for visa applications and passport renewal (minor).

There are few ways where you can get your PSA birth certificate, marriage certificate, death certificate, and CENOMAR. You can go to PSA Serbilis Outlet, SM Business Center, PSA Helpline, or order at PSA Serbilis website. Most of the time, I go to SM Business Center but if I am in a hurry, I go to the PSA online website.

Read: 3 Ways to Get your PSA Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Death Certificate and CENOMAR


My sister passed away, two weeks ago so I am helping and assisting her family to claim my sister’s burial assistance and death benefits. I’ve been checking all the documents needed and lahat na lang kailangan ng Original copy of the birth certificate, marriage certificate, and death certificate. Fortunately, pwedeng Certified True Copy ang Death certificate but unfortunately, we need PSA copy of the birth certificate and marriage certificate.

We are on Day 51 of Community Quarantine and government offices are still closed. I checked PSA Serbilis and they are temporarily closed effective March 17, 2020 until further notice. Since we need the documents, I placed an order online for my sister’s family and I hope it will be delivered after the Community Quarantine.

The last time I placed an order was 4 years ago, NSOhelpline.com pa and PHP350 each ang rate so I’m glad bumaba ng konti ang rate. Requesting for a PSA certificate is easy, I like this (new website) better because I can order different certificates at once. If I remember it right, before per certificate ang order and bayad so 2 transactions pa if I need a birth certificate and marriage certificate. Now I can order BC, MC, DC, or CENOMAR and pay in one transaction only. If it is your first time, check the steps below.

You will be asked to enter the following information online: 

Your name
Your delivery address (with zip code)
Your telephone number
Your valid email address
Required information for the birth certificate, marriage certificate, death certificate, and CENOMAR.

Birth Certificate

* Number of copies you are requesting
* Name (maiden name if married female)
* Sex
* Place of birth
* Date of birth
* Father’s name
* Mother’s maiden name
* Date of registration, if the birth certificate was late registered
* Purpose of your request
* Your relationship with the birth certificate owner
Birth certificate requests must be duly authorized as per The Child and Youth Welfare Code (P.D. 603)

Marriage Certificate

* Number of copies you are requesting
* Name of husband
* Maiden name of the wife
* Place of marriage
* Date of marriage
* Date of registration, if the marriage certificate was late registered
* Purpose of your request

Death Certificate 

* Number of copies you are requesting
* Name of the deceased
* Sex
* Place of death
* Date of death
* Date of registration, if the death certificate was late registered
* Purpose of your request

CENOMAR

* Number of copies you are requesting
* Name (maiden name if married female)
* Sex
* Place of birth
* Date of birth
* Mother’s maiden name
* Father’s name
* Purpose of your request

How to Request for PSA Certificate Online 

1. Go to https://www.psaserbilis.com.ph/#!
2. Click here to request now
3. Click I accept
4. Enter Contact and Delivery Information then click next
5. Confirm the details that you have entered
6. On Request Summary, you can CHOOSE BIRTH CERTIFICATE, MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE, DEATH CERTIFICATE OR CENOMAR.

After choosing, you need to answer 2 yes/no questions and click next
1. Was there any correction or amendment done to the certificate you are applying for?
2. Were you able to previously get a copy of the certificate from PSA?

7. Enter details and click save
8. Click confirm
9. After placing all your orders, click submit.
10. Choose payment options - You can pay via credit card, BDO, UnionBank, and Bayad Center.
11. I chose “Pay online via credit card now” and click accept.
12. Click proceed to payment
13. Enter credit card details and one-time pin
14. You will receive Payment Acknowledgment via email too.
15. Wait for delivery

Delivery of PSA Certificate 

Delivery with the Philippines - 3 to 13 working days after payment
Delivery to other countries - 6-8 weeks after payment

PSA Certificate Fees 

Philippines
P330 per copy of Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, and Death Certificate
P430 per copy of CENOMAR

Other Countries
$20.30 per copy of Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, and Death Certificate
$25.30 per copy of CENOMAR

PSA Birth Certificate and Marriage Certificate

I only ordered 1 PSA Marriage Certificate 3 PSA Birth Certificates and paid P1320. Mahal siya because I only paid P720 at SM Business center for 1 Marriage Certificate and 3 Birth Certificates for our Japan Visa application last January. So I hope mag back to normal na ang government offices so we can order sa Serbilis Outlet or Business Center for more copies.

May 4 - Ordered online
May 18 - I received an email that they processed my order and wait for the delivery in 1-3 days
May 20 - I checked the tracking status, I was surprised because they already delivered the documents last May 16. Status is BAD ADDRESS and CONTACT NUMBER is unreachable. So I messaged them through email and Facebook Page. I gave them the address, landmark and 3 contact numbers.
May 21 - I received a call and the rider asked for landmark and fortunately it was a successful delivery.

Natanggap na yung PSA documents bago pa sumagot sa FB page na ifoforward yung information na binigay ko para madeliver ulit. Sa email naman, sumagot at humihingi ng information. Waah!

Update: January 2021

PSA CENOMAR 

It's been almost one year since my father passed away but we haven't processed his death benefits at SSS. My late sister is supposed to be the one who will process the funeral claims, she already went to SSS, a few days after my father's funeral but there are so many documents needed. Tapos dumating ang pandemic, hindi na niya nakuha yung CENOMAR sa SM. Then my sister passed away too.

This month, I decided to claim the funeral benefits of my father so I checked all the documents needed and order CENOMAR online. 

January 3, 2021 - ordered PSA CENOMAR and paid P430.00
January 8, 2021 - received an email that they already shipped the package.
January 10, 2021 - received my order, the delivery guy requested a valid ID. 

PSA Death Certificate

I am not sure what is the requirements of SSS for funeral benefits after my sister passed away so I just ordered the PSA Death Certificate just to make sure I have a copy of it. It is already more than six months since she passed away already so I'm pretty sure there is already a PSA copy. 

I just followed the steps again but there is a pop-up box "Your request for the death certificate of (insert name) will require manual search and retrieval in the PSA microfilm and paper archives. An additional 10-15 working days will be needed to process your request. Proceed with this request?"

Fortunately, I received the PSA Death Certificate after several days. Akala ko matatagalan pa e. 

January 18, 2021 - ordered PSA Death Certificate and paid P330
January 22, 2021 - received my order, and the delivery guy requested a valid ID.
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