May 25, 2022

Walking Tour in Trondheim Norway

We’ve been to Trondheim several times already because this is the second nearest airport to my mom’s place. Unfortunately, we usually just passed by so we haven’t really explored the city. Though there are already a few times when we visited some tourist attractions in Trondheim. 

The first one is when I was still in High School, my mom’s cousin lives in Trondheim so she invited us to stay in their house and she toured us around Trondheim pero sa sobrang tagal, the only thing that I can remember is Royal Residence and Tyholttårnet. Tyholt Tower is a 126-meter tall radio tower and it is currently the tallest building in Norway that was built in 1985. It has an observation deck and a revolving restaurant at an altitude of 81 meters. A complete revolution is every hour. 

The second one is when my husband is flying back to the Philippines so before he rode the bus to the airport, we had a quick tour of Trondheim city. You can check my Day Trip in Trondheim blog post to see the different tourist attractions that we have visited even for a limited time. 

For the past several weeks, I’ve been contemplating revisiting Kristiansund, Oslo, or Trondheim but the weather is not cooperating because, since the last week of April, the weather is either cloudy with flurries or rainy so even we wanted to travel to different places we can’t go out. I was already losing hope so I gave up on planning but God is good because out of the blue, my mom received a message that she has a doctor’s appointment in Trondheim so we had reason to go to Trondheim. Yey!

Walking Tour in Trondheim Norway 


We left the house around 7AM to catch the 7:30AM Ferry Boat Trip from Brekstad Hurtigbåtterminal to Trondheim Hurtigbåtterminal (Ferry Boat Terminal). Travel time is more than an hour because of the two stopovers at Hasselvika and Lensvik. The ticket price is Adult NOK277 and Student 129NOK. 


We started our walking tour at Trondheim Ferry Boat Terminal and we went straight to Nidaros Cathedral. Five years ago, we visited this cathedral but we were not able to enter because it was already closed, check the opening hours below so you can plan your trip. 

Monday to Friday - 9:00 to 14:00 
Saturday - 9:00 to 13:00 
Sunday - 13:00 to 16:00 


Nidaros Cathedral 

You can purchase the ticket at the Visitor Center, which is also a gift shop and cafe. There are three attractions that you can visit within the area, Nidaros Cathedral, The Crown Regalia,  and The Archbishop’s Palace Museum. You can purchase a single ticket or a combined ticket. It was past 9AM so we only purchased the Nidaros Cathedral because the two attractions are still closed, and the opening time is 11:00AM. The staff informed us that if we go back and plan to visit the two other attractions, she will just upgrade our ticket to a combined ticket. 

Ticket Prices 

Single Ticket 
Adult 120NOK 
Child/Student 60NOK 
Family 300NOK 

Combined Ticket 
Adult 240NOK 
Child/Student 120NOK 
Family 600NOK 

Note: Family Ticket is good for 2 adults and 3 children under the age of 16. 

The staff gave us a map with tasks that we can solve to find the place where St. Olav was buried in 1030. Guided tours are available from June to August, you can choose from 4 languages; Norwegian, English, German or French. Since it was an impromptu visit, I have no idea that we need to book a guided tour in advance since our trip is outside the main season. Also, we were not able to climb the tower because it is not summer season yet. 


Anyway, we are still happy to be able to visit Nidaros Cathedral. It is the biggest church in Norway and the world’s northernmost gothic cathedral. This is an important pilgrimage site too. Do you know that this cathedral started as a wooden chapel that was built on the tomb of St. Olav, the Viking King who became the patron saint of Norway? 


Note: You can get a Trondheim City Map at the Visitor Center. 

NTNU Vitenskapmuseet or Trondheim Museum of Natural History 


Our next stop is NTNU Vitenskapmuseet or Trondheim Museum of Natural History, this museum exhibits archaeology, natural history, and cultural history. It is located in the Gunnerushuset building.

Ticket Price 

Adult 120NOK 
Children 6-16/Students/Seniors (67+) 70NOK 
Family (a group with children and adults (max of 5 people) 325NOK 
Groups (10 people or more) when purchased together 110/60NOK 
Children under 6, students with teachers, individuals assisting people with disabilities, and ICOM, ECSITE, Norges Museumforbund - FREE 

Opening Hours 

Monday: Closed 
Tuesday to Friday: 10:00 to 16:00 
Saturday to Sunday - 11:00 to 16:00 

The staff gave us a paper to give us an idea of what we can see inside the museum. They have exhibits for Mid-Norway’s Prehistory, Science on the edge of the word, Nature and Environment, The Man in the Well, The Amazing Forest, Wolf, The Ark, and Comb Jellies. 



Middelalder i Trondheim or Trondheim Medieval Museum 

The staff also informed us that we can visit the Trondheim Medieval Museum located in Suhmhuset, a few minutes walk from the Trondheim Museum of Natural History. We just showed our receipt when we entered the building. 

This museum will give you an idea of how Norwegians lived in Trondheim way back 800 years ago. You can see their house, buildings, vessels, shopping street, archeological objects, and Viking age objects.

Trondheim Torg 

It was time for lunch so we went to Trondheim Torg, the largest shopping center in Trondheim. We are Asians so we had lunch at Thai Thai restaurant. It is an all-day buffet restaurant that offers Asian meals. They have different branches in Norway and so far we ate at Orkanger and Trondheim branches, I will blog about this in a separate post. 



Olav Tryggvason Statue 


After lunch, we continue our walking tour, and just outside the Trondheim Torg, at the center of the city square, you will see the 18meter statue of Olav Tryggvason, it was a sculpture to honor him as the king and founder of the city. It also serves as a gigantic sundial which is calibrated to UTC +1. It is so high that it is hard to take a picture. 

Stiftsgården or Royal Residence 


From the statue, you can already see the Stiftsgården or Royal Residence in Trondheim. It was built in 1774 and has 140 rooms that houses royalty and their guests since 1800. This is considered the largest wooden building in Scandinavia. 

Ranvnkloa 


From the Royal Residence, you can walk until you reach the end of Munkegata. It is where you can find Ravnkloa, this is Trondheim’s center for trading fish and shellfish. At the square, you can find an amphitheater, Nils Aas sculpture “The Last Viking” and a copy of the old Ravnklo clock. This is also the port if you want to visit Munkholmen. 

Munkholmen 


Munkholmen is a historic island in the Trondheimsfjord which is popular for excursions in summer. This has been used as a courthouse, fortress, defense facility, monastery, and prison. Unfortunately, it was still closed during our visit so hanggang tingin na lang ako. Hehehe! 

Bryggerekke 


This is a spot where you can see the Bakke Bridge, Gamle Bybro, and the colorful wharves, warehouses, and boathouses lined on both sides of the Nidelva River. The most photogenic area in Trondheim.

Vitensenteret or Trondheim Science Center 


Within the area, you can find Vitensenteret or Trondheim Science Center. It is the place for learning Science and Technology. You can experiment with many exciting models and visit Norway’s first and only 3D planetarium. We did not enter this museum anymore and just went to Byhaven Mall. 

Byhaven Mall 

Another shopping center in Trondheim, this is where we kill our time while waiting for our next boat trip. Actually, we can explore Trondheim City until evening because the last boat trip is at 21:00 but my son has online classes at midnight so we need to go home before 6PM. We need to rest and sleep. 

Despite the limited time again, we're thankful for blessing us with good weather during our trip. 

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May 19, 2022

17th of May Celebration in Norway During COVID19

It’s been more than two years of dealing with COVID19 but I’m glad that we are starting to go back to normal. We’re still in Norway so we were able to experience the 17th of May and I was so happy because we were part of it again. For the last two years, Norway was not able to celebrate or follow its old traditions because of corona restrictions. Fortunately, last May 17, 2022 they were back to their regular program, they have events from morning until evening. 



Since the last week of April, the weather is not good so we rarely go out of the house. Seeing Mr. Sun again makes me happy and I’m thankful for the good weather. And because of that, we were able to watch the children’s parade at the Sentrum, though the parade lasted only 10 minutes compared to our previous experiences. 




It is nice to see their National Costumes; the clothes, shoes, and accessories are not cheap, para na ko bumili ng second-hand car sa Pilipinas sa sobrang mahal. You can check my old posts about Norway National Day, here and here.


We always celebrate the 17th of May at home but two days ago, my aunt invited us to have lunch at her home. We did not cook any meal and my mom just brought pavlova dessert. May 17th is not complete without Pavlova, this is one of my favorite desserts here in Norway. We enjoyed our food trip at my aunt’s place, though nabitin lang because we need to go home early kasi may pasok pa kami ng midnight, need to sleep early.





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May 09, 2022

Puerto Princesa: Paradise Regained

The Royal Treatment at Puerto Princesa 

With safety protocols firmly enforced, Puerto Princesa is poised to again welcome tourists with open arms. In recent years, the highly urbanized city and tourist haven has been paralyzed by the Covid-19 pandemic, then pummeled by Typhoon Odette. But it is now on the road to recovery---as spectacularly as its scenic, romantic and gastronomic attractions. 

“The tourism industry is the lifeblood of Puerto Princesa, along with agriculture. Almost 15,000 people directly or indirectly benefit from tourism. In varying degrees, most of the recent construction and development projects are related to tourism: hotel-building, parks, cruise-ship ports, street lights, roads, and many more. Unfortunately, some of these have been on hold since the onset of the pandemic,” discloses Demetrio “Toto” Alvior Jr., the city tourism officer. 

The Royal Connection 

Puerto Princesa, the capital of postcard-perfect Palawan, sprawls across 253,982 hectares of captivating coastlines stretched over 106 kilometers. Due to its strategic geographical location, it has sufficient depth to allow ships of all sizes to anchor, earning a reputation as a “Princess of Ports,” or in Spanish, “Puerto Princesa.” 

There’s no contention that Puerto Princesa is one of the country’s greatest pleasures. A holiday destination universally beloved by travelers, beach-combers, and trekkers; a bustling business center with a rural allure; a provincial vibe with modern amenities; and a clean and green city recognized for its lush forests, fresh air, and frontier character. 

Rising Above Covid-19 

The city of Puerto Princesa has been struggling to get to its feet since the outbreak of Covid-19 in early 2020. The lack of tourists, which is the main industry, has forced hundreds of tourism-related businesses to close, leaving thousands of tourism workers unemployed. 

“The public-health crisis forced them to find alternative sources of income, which was made more difficult because of the restrictions of movement due to several lockdowns,” Mr. Alvior reveals. “One factor of low tourist arrivals is the fluctuating number of Covid cases, which in turn affects the determination of quarantine requirements and national government intervention policies.” 

Today, Puerto Princesa is experiencing record lows in terms of economic losses, losing around P5 billion a year for the past two years from potential tourist receipts. 

“The City Tourism Department has been strengthening its social media campaigns to encourage local tourists to visit local attractions, in a bid to boost much-needed revenues to the ailing tourism sector,” a cautiously optimistic Mr. Alvior says. “We have one important wish in the City Tourism Department, and that is to prioritize the aids for the Typhoon Odette-affected tourism industry here.” 

The goal is to regain the city’s glory as an eco-tourism capital. “Our 2022 goals are full restoration of all the tourist attractions affected by Typhoon Odette such as the completion of the construction of the cruise-ship port and other man-made tourist attractions. There will be wide, extensive, and aggressive promotions of Puerto Princesa to the local and international market.” 

The Last Frontier 

Puerto Princesa has a plethora of tourist spots. But many tourists who visit the city put the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, one of the New7Wonders of Nature, on top of their list. As the jump-off point for exploring the world-famous Tubbataha Reef, the city also hosts a fair share of adventurers.

“Since the Covid-19 outbreak, we have never ceased to hope that the future will be better. This year 2022 is no different. And while what we want is a full recovery, we cannot afford to be careless when taking big steps. As we begin to truly understand the gravity of the situation, we also come to realize that our moves must be consistent with the bigger picture such as the national situation,” Mr. Alvior says. 

Since February 10, the city has been happily welcoming more visitors once again, hoping that the arrival numbers will soon be back to pre-pandemic levels. In this initiative, the tourism department shares the privilege with the private sector. 

“While the government is the administrator of the State, the private sector is the bloodline. The government and the private sector are two inseparable factors for Puerto Princesa to prosper, and more importantly, to recover,” Mr. Alvior says. “The key to recovery is to enable and support the private sector to keep or resume their business operations. When it comes to the city’s biggest partners, apart from government agencies, it is the collective impact of small-business operations.” 

Puerto Princesa maybe “The Last Frontier,” but the City Tourism Department is confident that it will always be the first choice of every traveler.

Read: 3 Days in Puerto Princesa with Kids

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May 02, 2022

Cricut Project: Angel Wings Memorial

It’s been two years already since my sister passed away and the pain is still there. As the quote says, “Normal is having tears waiting behind every smile when you realize someone important is missing from all the important events in your family’s life.” Sometimes it is hard celebrating family events because I know someone is missing and it is hard to accept that this is now the new reality. 


Anyway, before I left the Philippines, I made this Angel Wings Memorial project for my late sister’s second death anniversary. I know that I won’t be able to do this during my vacation so I try to finish it but because of my limited time, I was not able to finish the project. Despite that, I still packed my unfinished project so I can continue it here in Norway.



I purchased the 3D Angel Wings Memorial SVG File and this includes a tutorial video. You need 6 layers of cardstock and I just used whatever colors I have. I cut everything before I left and I assembled everything here in Norway and that is the only time I realized that I forgot to cut the words after “In Memory of My”. So my mom just printed the word daughter and paste it into the space. She also bought a frame for it. 


When I go back to the Philippines, I will redo this project so I will have my own Angel Wings Memorial for my late sister, father, and grandmother. Last year I’ve made a pillowcase for her which I also brought here, so at least she was able to travel to Norway. 

“If we love, we grieve, that’s the deal. That’s the pact. Grief is a terrible reminder of the depths of our love and like love, grief is non-negotiable. - Nick Cave

Update: November 2022

As promised, I will redo this Angel Wings Memorial project, this time I’ve made a new version of this for my father so he has a photo on his columbarium. I only used one color which is Rainbow White Smooth Coated Glitter Cardstock that I bought from The Happy Station. 



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April 27, 2022

Fishing Adventure in Norway’s Fjord

Norway is blessed with an extensive coastline of 101,388km and this country is rich in fishing waters like fjord, lake, ocean, and river. Norway is known for clean air and clean seawater so it is indeed a fishing paradise not only for fishermen, anglers, and locals but also for people who have a passion for fishing and tourists like us who wanted to experience fishing. 


If you are planning for a fishing holiday, you can consider Norway as one of your fishing destinations because you can catch fish all year round. You can experience ice fishing, freshwater fishing, deep-sea fishing, or fjord fishing. And because Norway has an impressive coastline, you can find thousands of fishing spots across the country but for tourists, you can start your search in Northern Norway, Eastern Norway, or Trøndelag. 


I’ve already visited some fishing spots in Garten, Opphaug, Uthaug, Vallersund, and Brekstad. Even if you have no plan to fish, it is nice to visit some of these places because you can see the traditional colorful rorbu or fishermen’s cabin. 

My mom lives in Trøndelag or Central Norway, this place is surrounded by different bodies of water so fishing is part of their local lifestyle. Trøndelag is also known as one of the amazing diving spots in Europe so diving for scallops is really popular. I have a cousin who dives to get some scallops and I was able to try these scallops when I arrived here in Norway. 


So every time we visit my mom, we always look forward to our fishing adventure in Norway’s fjord. I already blogged about our experiences before, you can read my old blog posts here and here. Several weeks ago, it feels like winter because it’s been snowing for the past few days so fishing activity was out of my mind. So I was really surprised when my mom told me na magfishing kami. It was not April Fool’s Day. 


Yehey! So even though it was freezing cold outside, it did not stop us from fishing. As long as it is not windy. I caught the first fish and the cod fish has eggs inside. Since we don’t need a lot of fish, we did not stay long. We were able to catch 5 fish; 2 cod fish and 3 pollock. 





On our way home, my stepdad guided my son to steer the boat until we reach the port. Of course, yung pagdock ng boat hindi na niya kaya. But he was happy about this experience. I remembered five years ago, katabi lang siya ng daddy niya habang nagdrive ng boat, pero this time, naexperience na rin niya. 


After a few days, my mom cooked the cod fish that I caught #fromseatotable, she baked this fish in a creamy sauce. 


My stepdad made dried and salted cod, also known as bacalao or klippfisk. Do you know that klippfisk has been produced for over 500 years? It is common in Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Newfoundland, and Norway. The cod fish was traditionally dried outdoors by the wind and the sun but of course, now you can also use electric heaters. 


This reminds me of the Amazing Race Season 23 that I watched several years ago, the players traveled to Svolvær, Norway, and visit a fishing village. The tasks are related to fish, one is to collect 15 dried cod, pound them and make 1 kilo of jerky and the other one is to string 6 bundles of fish heads and put them on a drying rack. 


And yesterday, my mom fried some of the fillet pollock fish, and the rest, she marinated in vinegar, garlic, and salt. It is nice to taste and eat the fish that you have caught. #fruitofthelabor


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April 22, 2022

Hot for the Summer? No Thanks, Stay Chill With These Juice Recipes Instead

Oh sweet, sweet summer. We love it, but don’t we all love to hate it sometimes, too? While there is nothing quite like this season in the Philippines, we all have to admit that it can be pretty challenging sometimes, especially with the scorching heat! 

But why be against it in the first place? We say, start embracing it! There’s definitely no shortage of good things to appreciate during these sweltering months—case in point: fruit shakes and smoothies which seem to just have an extra dash of magic in them when enjoyed during this season. 

Whether you’re planning to stay in and cool down or take a trip to the beach, everything gets so much better when you have a delicious, healthy drink in hand. Need ideas for the best summer drinks that can quench your thirst? Get your juicers and blenders ready for the recipes below.

Coco Twist Smoothie Perfect for A Date in the Park 

Remember those tasty coconut juices peddled by sidewalk vendors every weekend at the park? You can easily recreate those and add an extra twist to them with this Coco Twist Smoothie Recipe infused with mint leaves and real coconut meat! Bananas and mangoes give this healthy shake natural sweetness while the refreshing coconut water ties everything together. 


Ingredients: 

1 cup coconut water 
1 cup coconut meat 
1 piece ripe mango 
2 pieces banana (saba) 
5 pieces pechay 
8 pieces mint leaves 
3 cups ice cubes

Preparation: 

1. Wash the pechay and mint leaves thoroughly. Cut the mango and remove the skin of the banana. 
2. Put all ingredients in the Breville blender jug and process through the smoothie function. 
3. Transfer the smoothie into the glass and serve. 

Tropical Detox Smoothie and Watermelon Lemonade Perfect for A Day at the Beach 

What’s a beach getaway without cradling a refreshing drink in your hand while sunbathing by the sand and waves? The Watermelon Lemonade is the perfect thirst-thirst quencher with its extra fizz while the Tropical Detox Smoothie is ideal for those who want something healthy but delicious still. 


Watermelon Lemonade Ingredients: 

0.5 piece Yellow Watermelon 
1 piece Lemon 
1 cup Soda Water 

Preparation: 

1. Peel the watermelon and lemon. 
2. Process the fruits using the Breville Juicer 

Tropical Detox Smoothie Ingredients: 

236 ml Almond Milk 
236 g Pineapple 
1 cup Camote Tops 
1 piece Banana 
15 g Chia Chaff 

Preparation: 

1. Freeze pineapple chunks and peeled bananas overnight. Chill the almond milk. 
2. Wash the camote tops thoroughly. 
3. Put all ingredients in the Breville blender jug and process through the smoothie function. 
4. Transfer the smoothie into the glass and serve. 

Dalanghita Mojito Mocktail Slush and Quick Quencher Juice Perfect for  Summer House Party 

Who says you need to go out to have fun? The Dalanghita Mojito Mocktail Slush and Quick Quencher Juice will bring the glam of summer to your home with their refreshing flavor profiles! 


Dalanghita Mojito Mocktail Slush Ingredients: 

1 kg Dalanghita 
1 piece Cucumber 
1 pack Mint Leaves 
1 can Soda Water (Schweppes) 
1.5 cup Honey 
1.5 cup Ice Cubes 

Preparation: 

1. Cut dalanghita into half, squeeze in dalanghita directly into the Breville blender through the citrus cone
2. Add the cucumber, mint leaves, honey, ice cubes and sparkling water and process through the smoothie function. 
3. Transfer the drink into a margarita or mojito glass. Garnish with sliced dalanghita and mint leaves. 


Quick Quencher Juice Ingredients: 

0.5 piece Pineapple 
35 g Squash, Local 
1 piece Cucumber 
1 piece Chayote 

Preparation: 

1. Wash all of the ingredients thoroughly. Juice everything and enjoy! 

One Pine Day Juice and Lemony Sweet Juice Perfect for A Casual Hangout with Friends 

Chill and lay back with your friends while sipping on these juices that will chase your thirst away. 


One Pine Day Ingredients: 

2 piece Apple 
3 piece Celery Stalk 
1 piece Lemon 
15 g Herb, Parsley 

Preparation: 

1. Wash all of the ingredients thoroughly and peel the lemon. 
2. Process all of the produce using the Breville Juicer. 
3. Pour it into a glass and serve. 


Lemony Sweet Juice Ingredients: 

2 piece Pear 
1 piece Cucumber 
1 piece Lemon 
3 piece Celery Stalk 

Preparation: 

1. Wash all of the produce thoroughly. Peel the lemon. 
2. Process all of the produce using the Breville Juicer. 
3. Pour it into a glass and serve! 

Of course, it’s always a good idea to enjoy drinks that you make on your own because you can easily customize the ingredients to suit your taste and health goals, too! Fortunately, you can now easily craft your own high-quality drinks with the help of equally top-tier kitchen partners like Breville’s Juicers and Blenders. Breville Philippines’ Kinetix Twist, for example, is a superstar of a blender that can be used to create velvety cocktails and smoother smoothies thanks to its innovative central blades that blend from top to bottom. The Juice Fountain Max, on the other hand, makes whole fruit juicing as easy as 1, 2, 3 with its unique juicing disk. It can even juice whole fruits and can extract up to 30 percent more juice and 70 percent more nutrients according to the National Measurement Institute (2003, 2011). 

Jazz up your summer and beat the heat with these tasty and healthy juices that you can make in a cinch. Looking for more recipe ideas? Visit FoodThinkers by Breville for some fresh inspiration! You can also check out their website to find more about their products or follow their official Facebook and Instagram channels.
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April 21, 2022

Short Korean Drama Series List

I have a lot of unfinished Korean drama series right now and I don’t know if I will continue watching them. Sometimes I feel that I only wasted my time watching several episodes and then suddenly stop because I no longer want the flow of the story. When this happens, I switch to Korean movies, Korean travel variety shows, or Japanese drama series. 


“I can’t recycle wasted time” so before starting a new series, I always check how many episodes or how long per episode. I am having second thoughts if I see that there are so many episodes. So recently, I started searching for short Korean drama series that I can watch in one sitting or I can finish during the weekend (max. 8 hours). I’ve only watched a few series so far because it is a challenge to find short drama series on Netflix so sometimes I have to search on other websites. 

1. My First First Love 1
2. My First First Love 2
3. You Drive Me Crazy 
4. Love Alarm 1
5. D.P. 
6. The Silent Sea
7. Soundtrack #1 
8. One More Time 
9. A Hymn of Death 

Among these series, I like "You Drive Me Crazy" and "Soundtrack #1", both stories are about friends turning into lovers.

10. Pachinko
11. The Sound of Magic
12. Seven First Kisses
13. The Boy Next Door
14. We Broke Up
15. One Sunny Day


16. Queen of the Ring
17. Secret Queen Makers
18. Last-Minute Romance
19. Welcome to Wedding Hell
20. Once Upon a Small Town
21. The Island
22. Birthcare Center
23. The Fabulous
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