I've always loved kitschy attractions. Carnivals, theme parks, arcades, museums...things that most people my age find cheesy or childish appeal to me almost as much as they did when I was a kid. People have often commented that I'm easily amused, and whether or not they mean that as a compliment, I'm grateful that I can find joy in the little things. I always make it a point to get souvenirs wherever I go because photos, trinkets, and toys that hold memories from happy times mean much more to me than expensive gifts and purchases ever could.

I'm all smiles as I prepare to enter Ocean Park Hong Kong.

Because there aren't that many themed entertainment options in Manila, my friends and I usually find ourselves at Enchanted Kingdom when we feel like having some family-friendly fun. But last year, I was lucky enough to be able to travel to different tourist destinations around Asia and experience the awe and wonder of childhood all over again. I got to cross so many things off my to-do list for the year, like "Tour Universal Studios in Singapore," "Feed elephants in Bangkok," and "Explore Ocean Park in Hong Kong."

I spent the last day of 2011 playing in a winter wonderland.

My favorite tourist-y moment of the year actually took place right here in Manila. On the last day of 2011, I finally got to visit Manila Ocean Park and experience the much-anticipated (for me, at least) "Trails To Antarctica" attraction. Penguins are my favorite animals ever, so when I heard earlier in the year that they would be brought here, I could hardly contain my excitement! The trip turned out even better than I expected because the tickets included entrance to the Snow Village, where I got to experience a winter wonderland for the first time since I was a kid.

I can only hope to retain my love for silly things like amusement parks, cute animals, and fake snow. I wish that all of you would get to tap into your inner child and find something to be happy about every single day this year. You don't have to go to a fancy tourist attraction to find it; just look around you and choose to see something precious in the mundane.

For ideas, launch the gallery to see the attractions, animals, and sights that figured in some of my favorite happy moments last year!

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