Help! Lost My Passport while vacationing!

Lost your Philippine passport while in the US of A? Don't panic. This does not mean that you will have to be stuck all your life in a strange country. Nor should you rejoice yet. This will not give you an excuse to stay indefinitely in the Land of Milk and Honey. ;)

If you cannot track it down. You will need to visit a Philippine embassy or consulate before your intended flight schedule. Follow these steps:

 

Step 1: File a police report. Having a police report handy will make it easier once you get to the embassy to report the loss or to request for a replacement passport and/or issuance of a travel document.

Step 2: Pay a visit to the Philippine embassy or consulate. You will need to fill-up a form. To certify the veracity of the loss, present a notarized affidavit of loss. To prove your identity, you may present any of the following forms of identification: copy of birth certificate, marriage contract or other documents such as Philippine driver's license, baptismal certificate, voter's affidavit or Professional Regulatory Commission Card. Expect a few days for processing.

Step 3: Allow extra time at the airport. Although airport security are assumed to be familiar with travel documents in lieu of passports, you will never know when you encounter an ignorant, ego-tripping official. Extra security measures could significantly derail your schedule, so cross the gates early. It is better to be safe than risk missing your flight.

Step 4: Report loss of visa to the US embassy. As a precautionary measure, send an email to the Fraud Prevention Unit of the US embassy in Manila (fpmmanila@state.gov) with the following relevant info (1. Full name, 2. Passport Number, 3. Date of Birth, 4. Place of Birth, 5. Address in the US, 6. Email address, 7. Circumstances of loss) and attach therein: 1. Travel Document issued by the Philippine embassy or consulate, 2. Affidavit of Loss issued by the Philippine embassy or consulate, and 3. Copy of Passport.

You can find the list of Philippine Embassies, here.

Bahá’í House of Worship

 

Called "The Dawning Place", this Bahá'í Temple, is now considered a tourist destination because of its intricate lace-like design and beautiful architecture.

The picture from the guide-book enticed me to see it personally. Located in Wilmette in Illinois, the visit turned out to be all worth it. I got to see a one-of-a kind structure and got to know an entirely new religion. Before the trip, I never even heard of Bahá'í. To think that a small community is alleged to exist in the Philippines.

 

 

Faith

Bahá'ís believe that everyone is part of one human race and every revealed religion is a gift to humankind from the one Eternal God. They believe that humanity is one family created by God and promote the unity of mankind and the establishment of peace in the world.

History

It all started in Persia (now Iran) by Mírza Husayn-'Alí in the 1800s during the Ottoman Empire. In the United States, the Bahá'í Faith was first mentioned in 1893 by a Presbyterian Missionary at the Word Parliament of Religions held during the Columbian Exposition in Chicago until it eventually spread across the country.

Temple

Planning started in 1903, but construction began only in 1920 and was not completed until 1953. The domed structure has nine sides. The lacy pattern of the temple is made out of special concrete consisting of quartz and white cement. The auditorium is open to the public for free. It seats 1,191 and stands 138 feet from the floor to the apex of the inside dome. Other Houses of Worship are located at Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany; Kampala, Uganda; Sidney, Australia; Panama City, Panama; New Delhi, India; and Apia, Western Samoa.

 

 

There are nine inscriptions carved above the entrance and nine more appearing in the alcoves. One inscription made an impression on me the most and that is: "The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens." Bottomline: World peace. They say travel is one great way to learn, well that was one great lesson. A lesson that we all should learn and live by.

 

 

The Bahá'í House of Worship
100 Linden Avenue
Wilmette, Illinois 60091
www.bahaiitemple.org

Visiting Hours:
10:00 am - 5:00 pm (between Oct. 1 and Apr. 30)
10:00 am - 8:00 pm (between May 1 and Sept 30)

 

 

** Out of respect, I did not take pictures inside the temple.

 

The Best of Chicago: Museums and more

Enjoy Chicago  without having to line up for tickets with City Pass. You can get it online or at the first attraction you visit. Ideal for weekend travelers who wish to see the best of Chicago in a short span of time. For those who has a week to spare, there is no need to rush getting from one attraction to another as the tickets are valid for nine days from the date bought. It includes general admission plus a few perks to five wonderful Chicago attractions.

 

Shedd Aquarium

Enjoy VIP treatment to all the exhibits plus a 4-D experience in Fantasea. Experience an Amazon flooded forest in Amazon Rising, a 360-degree tour of the reef in Carribean Reef, meet dapper-looking penguins and lots of fishes in the Ocenarium and do a face-off with sharks with the Philippine coral reef in the background in Wild Reef. All of this is possible in Shedd Aquarium.

 

 

 

The Field Museum

Meet Sue, the largest, most complete, and best preserved Tyrannosaurus rex ever found. Get access to an Underground Adventure, and get to know the secrets of mummies.

 

 

 

Adler Planetarium

Be a star and travel across space. Watch not one but two theater shows. Ad Astra Per Aspera.. reach for the stars!

 

 

Museum of Science & Industry

Learn science hands-on from this expansive 14-acre museum. Fly an airplane - try a flight stimulator inside a real plane inside the museum. Experience the unique Omnimax show. There is always something new to see and do at the Museum of Science and Industry. After covering the whole museum, go outside. There is a beautiful pond with a great view.

 

 

 

Skydeck Chicago or John Hancock Observatory

Indulge in the picturesque Chicago skyline tour and free coffee in the John Hancock Observatory. You may choose between Skydeck Chicago and the John Hancock Observatory.

 

 

Surely, there is more to Chicago than these five attractions. But then again, it provides a great list to add to ones itinerary. Plus, you can always sight-see in between. City Pass tickets are available at $69 for adults and $59 for children ages 3 to 11. Verdict: Good deal. Check out the Chicago Skyline from different vantage points, here.

 

 

 

Note: This is not a paid advertisement.

 

 

Photo Wednesday: Rush

I apologize for being remiss in posting any entry on this blog for the past month. Been busy with work and a bit of family r & r. Work will still be busy for the next few months, so I apologize in advance.

 

 

(Photo: Roxas Boulevard, Manila, 2009)

A Journey across the Pacific in Aquarium of the Pacific

  

Experience the Pacific Ocean without getting wet in one of the largest aquariums in the United States. Aquarium of the Pacific is located at Long Beach in sunny California. This is what will greet you as you approach the oceanarium. Viewed from above, the sea is already a beauty to behold. Brace yourself as it is more splendid underwater. 

  

 

Wear comfortable footwear as the aquarium is quite expansive in area. It is divided into three main galleries representing three regions of the Pacific Ocean: Southern California/Baja, Northern Pacific, and the Tropical Pacific. 

Southern California/Baja  

[caption id="attachment_3093" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Did you know that California Sea Lions swallow rocks to help them to dive underwater? It is said that the stones may also aid them in digestion or kill internal parasites."][/caption]

 

 Northern Pacific  

[caption id="attachment_3096" align="aligncenter" width="363" caption="Did you know that Sea Stars have tube feet that act as suction cups or that Sea anemones secrete sticky substance? All are strategies to keep them from floating away."][/caption]

 

Tropical Pacific  

[caption id="attachment_3097" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Did you know that most of the ocean is in total darkness?"][/caption]

 

   

[caption id="attachment_3098" align="aligncenter" width="491" caption="Did you know that beyond their beauty, corals remove and recycle carbon dioxide?"][/caption]

 

  

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Did you know that coral skeletons are used as bone substitutes in reconstructive surgery?"][/caption]

 

Open Ocean  

[caption id="attachment_3101" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Did you know that sea jellies have no eyes and no brain?"][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_3100" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Did you know that depending on the species, sea jellies may have up to 800 tentacles?"][/caption]

 

Kids remember things when they are having fun. Inside the outdoor Explorers Cove they will have a chance to interact with the animals and have fun at the same time. It will be an expeience of a lifetime when they get to touch the ocean's ultimate predator in Shark Lagoon and hand feed birds with a small cup of nectar inside the Lorikeet Forest. Age restrictions do not apply.   

  

 

  

[caption id="attachment_3104" align="aligncenter" width="363" caption="Did you know that not all sharks are scary and dangerous?"][/caption]

 

  

[caption id="attachment_3105" align="aligncenter" width="490" caption="Did you know that sharks are important links to the ocean food chain?"][/caption]

 

Journey across the pacific inside the Aquarium of the Pacific. Take a stroll amidst the coconut trees after being enchanted by the underwater world. 

  

 

I was in awe like a child when I visited the world-class oceanarium back in 2005.  I will be taking my 2 year old nephew and 4 year old niece at the Manila Ocean Park this coming weekend. I'm so excited! It would be a joy to see their happy faces again after one long year. 

  

  

Aquarium of the Pacific
100 Aquarium Way
Long Beach, CA 90802
www.aquariumofpacific.org 

  

Hours of Operation:
9:00am to 6:oopm daily  

  

Source: Aquarium of the Pacific Passport Book 

Photo Wednesday: Reach Out

 

 Let a joy keep you. Reach out your hands and take it when it runs by.
- Carl Sandburg

 

I bet both the boy and the seal felt the joy when the other reached out. The young man went home moulded by nature, and the seal moulded by man.  

Reach out to someone today.

 

 

(Photo: Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, 2005)

A sneek peak to Appalachian life at the Humpback Rock

 

Another sidetrip along the parkway is the Humpback Rock Mountain Farm. It is located at milepost 5.8 on the Blueridge Parkway. The farm serves as an outdoor museum, reminiscent of an 1800s Southern America mountain farm. Most if not all of the buildings in the farm were relocated from nearby locations.

 

 

 

 

 Inside the cabin you will see old knick-knacks on display, such as a small bed, a wooden crib, an old-fashioned mouse trap, a spinning wheel, a witch broom, and a home-made doll made from corn husks. The cabin is not fitted with indoor plumbing. You will learn that Appalachian life is a little backward as compared to the rest of 19th century America. Isolation is seen as one major reason, hence, the construction of the Blueridge Parkway.

 

 

 

 

Throw your cares away and be a hillbilly (but certainly not stupid) for a day. Take a pick of your spot and enjoy the breeze while listening to bluegrass music.

 

 

The best time to visit is during the summer months when the cabin and the outbuildings are open and when costumed rangers demonstrate early mountain life.

 

 

 

A visit to this mountain farm opened my eyes to how some of the early mountain settlers lived in America. I didn't know about Appalachian Culture apart from stories of the hillbillies from the movies and books. Indeed, it is a great place to learn about another culture that is totally different from the America we now know.