The picture of Starbucks You Are Here Ornament – Qatar has been just revealed through Facebook. Not sure for how long it will be available in stores, but considering the remoteness of this country and the limited amount of coffee shops, I expect this one to be “a hard to get” ornament.… Read more
Arabian Peninsula scores again with Starbucks You Are Here Ornament – Bahrain. The Kingdom of Bahrain is an archipelago in the Persian Gulf which originally consisted of 33 islands, but due to land reclamation from the sea, this number is more than doubled now (although, islands that have been added are pretty small). There are not that many stores, around 30 actually, yet the ornament has been released and I am sure many collectors will be more than happy to add it to their stash.… Read more
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Starbucks Been There – Davao is the mug for the largest city in the Philippines in terms of land area.
From the mug:
– A huge crocodile on the front seems to be Pangil – a massive 18-foot saltwater crocodile, the largest in the Philippines. He lives in Davao Crocodile Park which is a popular touristic destination. There are many more crocodiles in the park as well as some other animals.
– The People’s Park hosts 1,101 species of plants and trees, both indigenous and non-indigenous.… Read more
