This is about a month overdue already since these photos we’re taken the weekend after my birthday. I originally planned to post this a week after the shoot, but I had to finish all my requirements to graduate high school. 

Going back to my birthday, I can’t believe I’m a year older… again! Time flies so fast! Though I’m seventeen already, I as well still feel I’m sixteen… Well, sometimes! Hahaha (feelingera ako, tanda tanda ko na pala) But so far, so good at being seventeen and I wish nothing more for myself but a wiser and braver girl than the year before.

Mango Top | Skirt and Necklaces from Bangkok | Forever21 Heels

I’d like to thank my friends: Arie, who took all these lovely photographs with his assitant, Justin. Andrea, for assisting me and taking behind-the-scenes videos which you can watch here and here.

Photography by Ayie Hernandez. Dress Designed by Camille Co. Make-up by Otoi Mercado.

To get a head start on the year 2013, I’d like to share with you some Instagram photos from the amazing year I had last 2012. 

I must say that 2012 is one of my happiest years, seeing that many doors of opportunities have opened for me and experience have led me to meeting awesome new people. Even though I had to say “goodbye” to some along the way and some opportunities may never be opened again, it still was an awesome year. After all, I never regretted the choices I made last year. Those trials and hardships made me stronger and even wiser, ready for 2013!

Cheers for the succesful and blessed 2012! 

Forever21 Top | Headband and Shorts from Bangkok | ASOS Shoes

Photographed by Arie Liston

If you’ve been following my tweets on twitter then you probably know that I went to Thailand for the semestral break. I’ve always been interested with Thailand particularly, Bangkok, it’s capital city. I think it’s because of it’s vibrant street life, cultural landmarks, high-class shopping malls and cheap night markets, as well as its notorious red light district! 

Bangkok’s been named “World’s Best City” for three consecutive years by Travel + Leisure magazine and has been ranked third after London and Paris in Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index. 

Our itinerary for our first day in BKK was to visit temples. 

First Stop: Wat Traimit: “The Temple of The Golden Buddha”

The temple is located at the end of Chinatown’s Yaowarat Road.

Phra Phuttha Maha Suwan Patimakon or simply “The Golden Buddha” is the world’s largest solid gold statue. It weighs 5.4 tons! The gold in the statue (18 karat) is estimated to be worth $250 million dollars

Huge windows in the temple! 

Second Stop: Wat Pho or Wat Phra Chettuphon Wimon Mangkhlaram Ratchaworamahawihan. You could say either of the two but let’s make it easy and just call it, ”The Temple of The Reclining Buddha”.

Wat Pho is named after a monastery in India where Buddha is believed to have lived. The site was a centre of education for traditional Thai medicine and also home to one of the earliest Thai massage schools.

The Reclining Buddha is said to be 15m high and 46m long while it’s feet is 3m high and 4.5m long in laid with mother of pearl. I tell you, those numbers may seem small but this Buddha is HUMONGOUS and GOLD PLATED. I repeat. GOLD PLATED.

Temples are sacred sites for Thai people. So if you want to visit a temple please be reminded to wear proper clothes and shoes. Most temples are strict on dress codes though some temples let you borrow a sarong for free, some impliy a fee, and be ready to take off your shoes when going inside a temple.

Going back to the hotel, we passed by Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, it’s Bangkok’s own version of London’s Buckingham Palace and Paris’ Champs Elysees. It’s open to the public as a museum with exhibitions on the country’s national artists and showcases of arts and crafts by the students at the Chitralada Vocational Centre.

The famous TUK-TUK! 

Too much pink at Thanon Phetchaburi road because of Shibuya 19.

We had a dinner cruise at Chao Phraya River!

Rama VIII Bridge

Wat Arun or “The Temple of Dawn” at night. It’s named after the Indian God of Dawn, Aruna.  

While walking to the train station, I saw a cute pup all dressed up *u*

We decided to buy a BTS day-pass ticket because we wanted to go from end to end.

Do you want to travel the world too? What if a mall brought you the world? Yes, you heard me right. Terminal 21 resembles a 21st-century airport! From escalators that signal your arrival in a particular city, to electronic display boards and to information desk receptionists donning air hostesses’ uniforms! 

Terminal 21 places several world-famous cities under one roof. You can find yourself wandering around Tokyo City, London’s Carnaby St., Istanbul,  Caribbean, San Fransisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf and even Paris! 

They have a mini Golden Gate Bridge!

Car park perhaps?

Oh Bangkok, I miss you already! Someday, I’ll come back. Someday. 

Mango Pants | Zara Shoes

Louis Vuitton Bag

The Mind Museum at Taguig is a first world-class Science Museum with over 250 interactive exhibits in a 5,000 sqm area making it the biggest Science Museum in the Philippines.

The exhibit is divided into different subgroups: Atom, Earth, Life, Universe and Technology. Almost all the exhibits are originally designed by Filipino artists and Fabricators who work closely with scientists.

Life size Periodic Table of Elements

Regions of the Human Brain

Whale Sharks are filter feeders with mouths that have at least have 300 to 350 rows of teeth. It is also the largest living non-mammalian vertebrate.  

Charles Darwin was a travel companion of Captain Fitzroy of the voyage, HMS Beagle. He visited and revisited continents and countries until he reached Galapagos Islands where he was amazed about the creatures that fly, swim and roam around these islands were so unique from elsewhere. Having collected a great deal of wild life and notes, he consolidated all this in his book, “The Origin of Species”. (Oh how I miss my World History class in junior year)

The Evolution of Man (Ape to Man)

Dinosaurs! 

TheTyranno (“Tyrant”) saurus (“Lizard”) rex (“King”) or commonly known as T-REX.

Planets, The Moon, Astronaut & STARS!

then there’s food (please don’t be fooled, that’s part of the exhibit.)

and um… Toilets? I told you this museum has EVERTHING! haha.