Bring a bunch of friends with a few drinks to a beach and it will inevitably result to loads of fun! (And maybe hungry kids after that head to the nearest Japanese buffet…)

Very grateful to Enzo for letting us stay at his family`s vacation house and Pep for bringing us to his family`s private beach!

More photos after the cut

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It`s Belle`s first time out of the country and first time to visit Disney Land, so forgive me for what most consider a photo spam, as we were all excited for her!

…And I guess we couldn`t help but indulge ourselves in our own childhood as well. :D

Our last full day in Beijing was spent shopping in Joy City along Xidan District. I was too engrossed with shopping, so the only photos I was able to take were the ones before and after our not-so-little buying spree. One of my favorites is of a Uniqlo ad with a model that looked like Jian from afar. Naturally, we forced Jian to pose the same way. I was about to take a picture of him beside the ad, but one of the store personnel shooed us away. We had to resort to shooting outside the store, which was kind of a killjoy though the result of the two photos placed beside each other is still funny.

We rushed to the airport the next day, leaving barely any time for picture taking except for squeezed in outfit shots. It was around 1:00 p.m. when we arrived at the airport, though due to a misunderstanding between the Dragon Air staff and Tita Jeanette, we wouldn`t leave until nearly 8:00 p.m. By the time we had reached Hong Kong, it was just a few minutes short of midnight. We hardly had enough hours to sleep and freshen up for the flight back to Manila the following morning. It was a good thing our tickets were upgraded to business class, giving us much needed relaxation before going home.

This concludes my Beijing diary! I`ll finally be able to resume my outfit posts, so keep visiting. :)

Our fifth day in Beijing was probably the most hectic, having visited four locations where the Summer Palace was first on our agenda. It was a bit of a shame that we visited it during the fall. The haze proved to be too thick for us to enjoy most of the view; albeit I still enjoyed staying by the bridge just because I thought it looked relatively elegant. Again, I seemed to have found the simplest of structures the most quaint.

We briefly visited one of Beijing`s silk factories, then proceeded to a tea house. I must admit I`m more of a coffee person, though I was genuinely amused by the whole ceremony involved in serving and drinking the tea, and the vast array of tea flavors. By the end of our tea ceremony, I figured the fruit tea was my favorite.

Before heading back to the hotel, we went to see the Bird`s Nest and the Water Cube, from afar of course. We tried to take jumping shots, except we never succeeded with a decent one. Still, all that jumping brought up our energy levels until it was time to conclude a good night. 

We started the day with a quick visit to the jade factory. It was amusing to see the different kinds and colors of jade. I didn`t even know there were other colors of jade aside from green until then. I was rather regretful because I didn`t bring much cash and I wanted to purchase a jade bangle for my mom. Fortunately, we left for the Great Wall before I could start sulking.

The Mutianyu region of the Great Wall wasn`t very crowded, which allowed us to wander at a more relaxed pace. Jian and I couldn`t help but notice how the simplicity of its structure highlighted the age and grandeur of the Great Wall. Then, a sweet kind of awe occurred to us, as if it were only then that we realized we were in China together.

The first two days of my trip with Jian`s family were spent walking around near the hotel, shopping at Silk Market, and exploring the Forbidden City. I didn`t take much photos at the Silk Market because I was too busy keeping my bag safe and avoiding the ridiculously aggressive vendors. One of female vendors literally dragged Tita Jeanette back to her stall after Tita Jeanette had refused to buy an item. It was rather scary, and we all took great care not to appear too interested from then onwards.

The next day, we visited the Forbidden City and found a very efficient English-speaking tour guide named Daisy. She patiently took us around the Forbidden City whilst narrating its history combined with a few anecdotes, as well as the purpose its design and architecture. I have to admit, though, I wasn`t very attentive because I was struggling between taking as much photos as I could and keeping up with the tour.

Before we left for Beijing, I stayed with Jian`s family in Hong Kong for a day. Tita Jeanette, Jian and Sean picked me up at the airport at around 3:30 in the afternoon. It took us around an hour and a half to settle at Tung Chung Crescent. Afterwards, Jian and his brothers took me out to the nearby streets, and in exchange I bought the kids their Chocolate Cream Frappuccino. We watched the sunset by the bay, and arrived back in their flat just before nightfall.

I enjoyed my week in Beijing, though truth be told I was grateful knowing I`d be home soon. I actually still had the night to spend in Hong Kong, though I arrived there from Beijing before midnight and was set to fly to Manila by seven in the morning.

All I really wanted to do was sleep during the three and a half hour flight to Hong Kong, so I opted for a sheer snakeskin print button down paired with black jeans to stay chic in the airport but completely comfortable in the plane.

I noticed I`d grown fond of snakeskin prints. I find that compared to the leopard print, it`s slightly more subtle but twice as sexy. Also, I`ve been purchasing the print in sheer or very light fabric, so the clothes somehow feel like second skin. Just quite bare.

Another day of shopping called for a hassle-free outfit—a nude, long sleeved turtleneck embellished with a glittering, bell sleeved dress. The pair also proved extremely convenient in the crowded subway to and from Xidan. For a few seconds it felt as if I could have been in the LRT of Manila, except I realized I was actually relieved from the temporary heat inside the train.

Zara turtleneck, Topshop dress and tights, Cole Vintage oxfords

Warm colors and a play on print-on-print brighten up a hazy afternoon at the Summer Palace. Autumn ensembles don`t always have to be so dreary, yes?

Topshop cardigan, shorts, and tights, Zara button down, Nava scarf, Janylyn oxfords

vintage beret, Nava scarf, Banana Republic coat, Topshop leggings, Preview boots

Marks & Spencer button down, thrifted polka dot shirt

I think I was a bit out of place at the Great Wall with my beret and my bag with an Eiffel Tower print, but I especially like this picture because I look so small and it makes me appreciate even more the grandeur of the Great Wall.