Saturday, April 16, 2011

Afternoon at the Manila Ocean Park

Our company has organized a family day at Manila Ocean Park where they paid for entrances as well as food (via stubs) to its local employees and their dependents. The whole thing started this afternoon right after lunch.
 
Manila Ocean Park is an aquarium (they refer to it as oceanarium) in Manila, supposedly 2nd aqua theme park in the Philippines (after Ocean Adventure in Subic) and is right now the bigger among the two.
 
ceiling at the entrance

getting inside the park

Here are some photos taken inside the park:

rainforest themed area with tanks for freshwater species

going up

Ethan and Roshie

Ethan looking at the alligator
 

 

Ethan looking shocked and Roshie
 
 
 
 
 

at the tunnel
 
 
 shark

There was also a Sea Lion held at Marine Life Habitat

jellyfishes!

Ethan, looking happy
 

Then we also had a try at Fish Spa, where small fishes the dead skin of the guest. A relaxing way to soothe hurting feet after all the walking inside the park.

guests having fun at the experience

the fishes, ready to attack!

Last fare for the night is at the Acquatica Musical Fountain for the Musical Fountain Show.

the family

Ethan

Here are some photos taken during the musical fountain show, a lights and sound show similar to Songs of the Sea in Sentosa Island in Singapore, but of course not that level. Nevertheless, laser lights and videos projected over fountain screen was sure hit tonight to adults and kids alike.

As I've been to a number of aquariums (or oceanariums before), the Manila Ocean Park may not have been very impressive to me. But still, it is a worthy trip to take the kids (and those who haven't been into one before) as it is very near Manila and is not very expensive (estimated around PHP500 >). There are a slew of other activities in the park like animal encounters, swimming and there's even an in-house hotel for you to stay in an aquarium-themed room. Not to mention shopping places and good eating establishments around, it should still be worth to be visited next time.

Back in Manila and catching up

I've been back home for quite a few days now and still finding time to catch up amidst a number of blog articles to be posted, pictures to be sorted, work and personal stuff to do. Nevertheless, I'm still longing and looking forward for my next possible trip, a longer one without work this time. I remember the time 4 years back when my mom and my brother came to the US and did the following:
  • saw New York and visited the Statue of Liberty among others in the city,
  • headed into Toronto to visit a relative in the middle of their worst snowstorm of that year then seeing the spectacular view for the first time of Niagara Falls
  • visited a number of museums and government establishments in the capital city of Washington, DC
  • loved the laid-back charm and comfort of Boston, MA
  • surmised in the bustling sin city of Las Vegas then watching a live boxing title fight between Marquez and Pacquiao as we side trip to Arizona for the Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon.

Wondering off on some downtime, I am trying to relive those precious moments and in a whim began searching for flights to east coast US again and specifically stumbled on a site offering flights to New York that has tempting offers. *think think and control* :)

Things are different now than those time. I'm now married, recently had a wonderful blessing of a healthy baby boy so priorities changed. However, I'm still looking forward to that next wonderful and longer personal trip with my new family.

I will be posting articles and pictures of my last trip as I squeeze time for it this coming lenten holiday season in between meditation on belief and life.