Been There – Villahermosa

Starbucks Been There – Villahermosa is the mug for the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Tabasco. The name of the city literally translates as “Beautiful Village”, as you might have guessed or knew.
My attention was drawn to a giant head on the side of the mug. It is actually known as Monument 1, one of four Olmec colossal heads from La Venta, a pre-Columbian archaeological site. The height of these sculptures range from 5ft to 9ft and weight is 10-20 tonnes.… Read more

Been There – Chiapas

Starbucks Been There – Chiapas is a mug for the southernmost state of Mexico. It borders with Guatemala to the east and southeast and has a coastline along the Pacific Ocean to the south.
Chiapas is home to the ancient Mayan ruins of Palenque, which can be seen on the back of the mug. Also anciently known as Lakamha (literally: “Big Water”), it was a Maya city that flourished in the 7th century but experienced decline later and was absorbed by the jungle.… Read more

Been There – San Miguel de Allende

Starbucks Been There – San Miguel de Allende is a mug for the Mexican city located in the far eastern part of Guanajuato.
Two names of historical persons are incorporated in the city’s name:
– Friar Juan de San Miguel who arrived in Uruapan in 1533 and helped to evangelize the local villagers
– Ignacio Allende, a martyr of Mexican Independence, who was born in a house facing the city’s central plaza
La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel can be seen on the side of the mug.… Read more

Been There – México

Mexican BT mugs are finally making their appearance here. There are 26 in total and I would like to start with, Starbucks Been There – Mexico mug. It is designed using shades of green and yellow. Green, white and red are the colors of the National Flag. There is no official meaning of the colors, however, through the years they had the following symbolism:
– Green: independence (from Spain); Hope;
– White: religion (the Roman Catholic); Unity;
– Red: union (Europe and America); Blood of the national heroes;

Here are some symbols and points of interest from Mexico that can be seen on the mug:
– El Castillo (Temple of Kukulcan) a must-visit part of Chichen Itza, a pre-Columbian city built by the Maya people.… Read more

Been There – Manila

Here is the mug for the capital of the Philippines, Starbucks Been There – Manila. With around 120k people per square mile, Manila is the most densely populated city proper in the world. The initial settlement existed even before Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi founded the Spanish city of Manila on June 24, 1571, hence it is home to many historic sites.
– The Manila City Hall is the official seat of the government of the City of Manila.… Read more

Been There – Cebu

Starbucks Been There – Cebu is a mug for the province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas. It consists of the main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. Its capital, Cebu City, a.k.a. “the Queen City of the South”, is the oldest city and first capital of the Philippines. The origin of the province name is probably coming from the old Cebuano language, where “sibu” or “sibo” means “trade”. Metro Cebu is the second-largest metropolitan area in the Philippines (after Metro Manila) with Cebu City being one of the busiest seaports in the Philippines and the second-largest air hub.… Read more

Been There – Cavite

Starbucks Been There – Cavite is a mug for a province on the southern shores of Manila Bay, Philippines. It is considered “Historical Capital of the Philippines” and one of the most industrialized and fastest-growing provinces in the country.
These are some points of interest to visit:
– Fort San Felipe is a military fortress built by Spanish military in 1609 for the protection of the city. Less than half of the original historic structure survived through years
– Naval Station Sangley Point was a communication and hospital facility of the United States Navy
– The Emilio F.… Read more

Been There – Cagayan de Oro

Starbucks Cagayan de Oro – is a city mug from Philippines. The name of the city can literally be translated as “River of Gold”. The addition of “Oro” might be related to the gold mining in the 1500s that were present in the barrios around the settlement of Cagayan.
From the mug:
– White water rafting or kayaking activities are popular along Cagayan de Oro River and are being promoted as major adventures of the region.
– The MacArthur Memorial Marker is a landmark at Macabalan Wharf (the peaked cap on the front of the mug).… Read more

Been There – Bulacan

Starbucks Been There – Bulacan is a province mug from the Luzon island in the Philippines.
The hanging bridge and the mount covered with trees is a reference to Biak-na-Bato National Park that was declared as such in 1937. More than a hundred caves of varying sizes and crystalline mineral formations are spread across the park. Among the most explored caves are the Aguinaldo Cave and the Bahay Paniki or Bat Cave, said to be home of at least six species of winged mammals: kabag-kabag, ngusong kabayo, bungisngis, sibsib, bayakan and pakibu.… Read more

Been There – Batangas

I am not exactly sure, whether Starbucks Been There – Batangas is a mug for Batangas province or the city of Batangas. Either way, here are some points of interest worth visiting/knowing about:
– Snorkeling/diving (1), Tilapia Fish (3), Tawilis (6) – a popular activity in this region, thanks to the clear and calm waters that host colorful species of fish, wildlife and corals. That is pretty much all you need for an amazing snorkeling experience.
– Lambanóg (2) is a traditional Filipino distilled palm liquor made from coconut or nipa palm sap
– Taal Volcano (4) is located in the middle of the Taal Lake just 40 miles from Manila and poses a real danger since it’s the second most active volcano in the Philippines.… Read more

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