Summer is a wonderful time to relax and have fun, but it is also a great time for us to thank God for what he had given us. We can always choose how we spend our vacation anywhere we want, but spending time to visit somewhere holy wouldn't hurt.

      Filipinos are known to be very religious so a number of pilgrimage sites can be found almost everywhere in the Philippines. In Cebu, one of the most popular ones is the Monastery of the Holy Eucharist which is located in Lindogon, Simala , Sibonga, Cebu. I visited the place last year with my family to thank and to pray. I couldn't help but to take some photographs of its magnificent view. Of course,I did that after praying and when the mass has ended. lol

     The place looks like some sort of a castle/palace to me. A great place to offer to Mama Mary and to talk to God. Once you get inside, you will witness so  many things that will prove God's love. A series of cabinets containing thank you notes can be seen along with other offerings. A museum of the different images of the Virgin Mary is also free for everyone to visit.

      If you want to kiss the miraculous Mother Mary, you have to get in line. No need to worry though because it moves pretty fast. Some people said that if you smell sweet smelling flowers as you kiss her statue, that means Mother Mary is around. That is really interesting. My family and I went to kiss her but we weren't able to smell a different kind of sweetness. But I still believe she is with us every single time.

      Although it couldn't be denied that the place is good for picture taking, please bear in mind that it doesn't mainly serve as a tourist attraction. The whole place is built for worship, that means you have to be respectful at all times. Avoid unnecessary talks and wear something decent.

Here's a short guide I wrote based ONLY from my experience going to the place. We went there mainly via bus. If you will visit the place using other means, then our story would be different. hehe

How To Get To Simala
1. Ride a bus going south at the South Bus Terminal. Don't worry because you can easily find a bus going there once you get at the terminal. Going to Simala, we paid 75php each as of December 2014. *The price is the same both for kids and adults. It took us more than 2-3 hours to get there. (Travel time will of course vary under different circumstances.) Don't forget to inform the bus driver or the bus konduktor if you have zero idea where the monastery is.

2. I've been to the place thrice and I found out that there are times that the buses will stop a walking distance away from the monastery. Some other buses doesn't go all the way to the monastery and will only drop you in the main highway. In that case, you have to get a motorcycle ride for 20php per person. *The monastery is too far to walk from the highway so you really have to take a motorcycle ride going there. The motorcycle drivers will take you to the gate of the monastery (as seen on the photo above.)

More tips and information*
1. Short shorts and skirts are not allowed in the monastery. Same thing goes to strapless and daring tops. You have to wear something decent to get into the place.

2. If you are wearing something not-so-decent, you can rent a cloth big enough to cover you. Rental services are available in the front gate of the monastery. Souvenirs are also available outside.

3. An eating area is available for free inside the monastery. You can always eat somewhere outside, but it is better to bring your own foods because the ones sold outside are usually expensive. Of course, bring lots of water with you. The monastery is often crowded with visitors so prepare some heat protection stuffs like water, fan and medicine just in case your body needs it.

4. You have to take off your footwear if you want to kiss Mama Mary's statue. I would suggest wearing something comfortable and easy for you to take off.

5. Solicitation inside the monastery is not allowed. If you want to donate something, give it directly to the people in charge in the donation area. Devils are everywhere so be careful not to be fooled. lelz..

     I hope this post can help you if you are planning to visit the place. If it is your first time going to Cebu, I hope you'll have time to visit the place. I promise, it is worth it! have fun and be safe :)

 I'm not a big fan of mascaras and falsies. I rarely use mascara on my eyelashes and I only wear falsies if I think it's necessary for me to use them. I make my eyes look more awake by wearing liquid eyeliner and wing it on the corners of my eyes, but I have to admit that nothing beats a mascara in making one's look fresher and more awake.

My makeup box lacks mascara so I bought one recently. I got myself the Maybelline's Great Lash Mascara in very black. I heard that Maybelline stopped distributing it for a while but recently it's back on the market again so I decided to give it a try.







I took some shots that could show you a before and after photos with my eyes using the mascara.

Photo 1. What my bare eyes looked like. As you can see, I do not have thick and curly lashes.

Photo 2. My eyelashes are really hard to curl because they are short. I slightly curled my lashes in the second photo and applied one coat of mascara. There is a difference of course, but it isn't dramatic.

Photo 3. In the last photo I didn't curl my lashes again. I just add few more coats of mascara. It's actually more than three coats and it's just how it looks like after.


Generally, considering that it's only for 350php, I think it works okay. Again it's more lash lengthening, so if you are looking for a volumizing mascara, then maybe you should look for another one. I personally think this mascara is great for everyday use or if you want that fresh and natural look. The best thing about the mascara is its longevity. It stays fo 6-7 hours on my lashes without smudging. That makes it very hard to remove, lol you might need a good makeup remover to remove the whole thing from your lashes.

There goes my short review about Maybelline's Great Lash mascara. Thank you for reading! Good luck!

     The Met Gala is undeniably one of the most sought after fashion event in the United States. It is attended by big celebrities, fashion designers, and other important names in the industry.
      Met Gala what? If you are not familiar with the Met Gala, it is an annual fundraising event Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in New York City. Every year, a theme is chosen where attendees of the event match their fashion. This year's theme is- 'China: Through The Looking Glass'.

    Knowing the theme excites me as it is very interesting. It also made me feel so curious on what my favorite stars will wear to match it. Browsing at various photographs online, here are my favorite looks.

      It's hard to choose which looks should I include in this list because as expected, almost all of the looks in Met Gala are stunning. If I'll include everything this list would be endless. lol 

       Well how about you guys whose look is your favorite? You may browse all the looks from Met Gala 2015 here. I hope you enjoy this list!

I never dared crash a wedding,
never dared speak in public,
neither do I dream
to be somewhere big
like your heart.
But once in my life
I dared to explore
the New York City within you.
I dared to open the doors
you always wanted to stay close.
I dared to cross the subway
of your fast thoughts
unafraid to get hit
as I let
your bright lights
flood over me.
Once in my life
I dared to be limitless
and ruined.
I dared to
love, hope and give.
Loving you made me romantic
but never hopeless.
Loving you made me live.

-Cristine Despares