Traveling around Andalucia Part 1

I am one year now here in Spain and since i arrived here i haven't put any entry about my trave here.  It is because i was starting little by little to adopt the life here which is very difficult. Until now i am still struggling but good thing is not as the same when it was my first 6 months here.
Because of that it is hard for me to write something because my mind is still absent. :) But well here i am again i am going to start little by little.

When i arrived in Spain last year it was also the start of my tour, been to many beautiful places and those places really surprised me.  Since i live in the south of Spain i get a chance to visit those famous tourist spot in Andalucia. For one year of my stay here i would like to share with you all the places that i have visited. I will start it randomly.

Ecija!

Ecija Skyline

     Ecija is belong to the province of Seville.  Ecija is the place where the parents of my husband came from.  Its looks like Ilocos in Philippines it has lots of churches and the road is not a typical road pavement.  When i arrived there i thought it was just a simple place but the there was something behind those building and old houses.  I was amazed with all the churches that i've visited, the rustic color, the smell and even the structures are very old and unique.  It reminds me my home country because spanish people brought the catholicism in my country.

Sevilla

Giralda Tower

Sevilla is one of my favorite city, one of the very busy tourist spot in Andalucia, and Giralda tower is one of the famous spot in Seville. Aside from that there are Plaza de España where the movie Star Wars shot, the Plaza de Alcazaba where the famous Game of thrones series shot which is located in the center of Seville.  This city really caught my heart i don't know why but i fell in love in this place.

Ronda

Puente Nuevo

I never thought that i could visit this lovely place oneday. Ronda is a romantic city  and it is more enjoyable specially for the couple but i am not saying that this is only good for the couple. Actually everybody can visit this place it has a good pictursque that everybody will enjoy. 

Malaga

City of Malaga

   Malaga is the port city in Costa Del Sol, it is one of the modern city in Andalucia.  Like Madrid it has a modern style of buildings, high rise hotels and resort and other structures.

Tarifa

Tarifa beach

Tarifa is the smallest town in Cadiz, Spain, it is the most southern part of  continental Europe.  It is  most popular destination for wind sport.


For the mean time this is the first part of my travel around Andalucia but i will post soon the second part once i am done on it.  Hope you enjoy!

HOW SPAIN SLOWLY KILL ME

“Life is full of screwups. You're supposed to fail sometimes. It's a required part of the human existance.” 
― Sarah Dessen, Along for the Ride



Spain is one of my biggest dream country to visit i want to explore in their cities and experience life in Europe country only just for a short stay.  That's why when i gave a chance to visit this country i grabbed it immediately.

Everything happen was a truly blissful event.  Last October i gathered all the documents i needed to send it for my Schengen Visa Application.  Everything were in a hurry but i thank God i finally completed it all.
I enclosed in the envelope the copy of my Application Form,  round trip ticket, my Travel Insurance, the hotel were i would stay, Certificate of Employment, Bank Certificate, Invitation coming from my host sponsor, and Passport.

After my very short stay in Samar to visit my father i immediately scheduled my visit to the Spanish Consulate for my interview .  I have in hand all the original documents just in case they ask for it.  The interview last for 10 minutes i think.  After that i went out in their office with lots of questions in my mind.  But i know i did all the best that i can. I sent all the important documents they needed for them to study my application. After 2 days i received a notification stating that my application is ready for deliver by the next day but since i don't have an office work during Saturday i got it after two days because i addressed it in my office where i work.

I was really hesitant to open the plastic but i should.  I knew it already that i got a refused visa, why? because as i remember when i read one article she also got a refusal paper.  You will notice it if you feel something inside together with your passport. It was a bond paper stating that they refuse your visa application. The reason why they refused my visa are

       " Justification for the purpose and conditions of the intended stay was not provided."

" Your intention to leave the territory of the member states before the expiry of the Visa could not be ascertained".

 When i felt it my tears started to fell. I immediately called my sponsor to inform him about it.  We were both shocked and saddened.  Both depress and upset because we attached all the important documents inside the envelope.  I didn't want to wasted time because my flight schedule is on Dec. 25, 2013.  I wrote an appeal letter stating my purpose of travel and to convince them that i have no plan to stay long in there country and my sponsor also made an explanation why he invited me.

On the next day i went again in the Spanish Consulate and file my appeal. I attached another documents as a proof of my employment and some identifications of my sponsor.  I put my contact number in my letter and my passport number then after they received it i decided to go home.

I felt really disappointed, i really cried a lot when my application got refused knowing that i enclosed all the required documents but still they refused it.

My dream to step in Spain has been crash! They are killing me slowly, they killing my dreams and my rights to travel. Is it fair!?

Grabbed from Google

Viva Pit Senor!

VIVA STO. NINO!

Every third week of January different places celebrates one of the most spectacular events here in the Philippines, it is held in CEBU, KALIBO, Ilo-ilo and Manila as well, it is actually all over the Philippines. They celebrate the feast of Sto. Nino! Viva Pit Senor!

Sinulog Festival for the Cebuano's

Sinulog Festival! Viva Pit Senyor!

Ati -Atihan for the Aklanon,  

Ati-atihan Kalibo Aklan!

and Dinagyang Festival for the Ilonggo's.

Dinagyang Festival Ilo-ilo!

I am a huge fan of festivities as a Filipino i am proud that i get a chance to witness this kind of celebration.

Sto. Nino church Manila

Here in Tondo Manila, they also celebrate the Sto. Nino festival, mom and i went to Sto. Nino Church in Tondo to attend the mass and at the same time to be bless our little Sto. Nino as well.  There  were lots of people/devotees coming from different places carrying their images of Sto. Nino.  Drums kept rolling outside the church, vendors are busy inviting guest to buy their products and some raised their Ninos inside and outside the church to be blessed as well.  The celebration includes an hourly mass and grand parade of Holy Child Jesus/ Sto. Nino's.

It is really nice to see Filipino people how they value their culture and its good to see also foreign people enjoying events that they experience here.  Its really more fun in the Philippines!!! Viva Sto. Nino