Archive for April, 2011


The Street Vendors of Manila

Filed under: Don't Skip Manila!, Food Trip, Philippine Travels, Travel, travels
April 22, 2011

We get this all the time.  Foreigners in the workplace telling us that Filipinos tend to eat every so often.  Lunch is no sandwich and a fruit.  Neither is it a half hour break.  Naaaah.  That one hour lunch break can easily stretch to a couple of hours, often blaming the traffic for not getting back soon enough. These days,  there are many joints a walking distance from the offices. But lunch is lunch, and every Filipino observes it not just as a break from work but also as a chance to chat away the blues and break the monotony of working behind a desk. As for snacks or mid-day “mini-meals”?   That’s when it is more likely to find Filipinos eating that sandwich or fruit.  But the hardcore ones would still crave for their carbo fix:  a noodle dish, rice porridge or rice cakes.  In between lunch and that midday mini-meal, don’t be surprised to find them munching peanuts, pork cracklings, chips, or splitting pumpkin seeds.

 

Taho. Best for breakfast!

Sago at Gulaman

 

Luckily for us,  there is no shortage of food to be found and bought.  Stuck in a traffic jam?  No worries.   The street vendors plying the main roads sell anything from peanuts to pork cracklings to boiled eggs to mint candies to fruits to bottled water to “fish balls, squid balls and shrimp balls”. Boiled bananas, boiled peanuts, even corn on the cob! Walking the streets of Manila is an adventure.  Every tourist should try this.  Buying street food is very much a part of every Filipino’s way of life.  And there’s more to be found in urban centers like Manila, where folks are supposed to be “busier” than their counterparts in the provinces who may have the time and energy to cook their own meals and snacks.


Halo Halo!

 

As it is summer, try going to San Andres Market, a stone’s throw from Malate Church.   You can get your freshest fruits here to eat, or to be made into a fruit shake.   You can’t go wrong with a 10 peso fruit shake (less than US $0.25) or the local “halo-halo” (literally means “mix-mix”) for 20 pesos (less than US$0.50). I strongly suggest you try the halo-halo which is a mixture of  sweetened fruits, ice shavings and milk, topped with a local sweetened ube yam. You can’t be more Filipino than that!

 


 

Or you may want to head all the way to Chinatown for your dimsum fix and other foodstuff.  The street vendors here range from those selling fruits, vegetables and cooked food to those selling almost anything you need to get from an honest-to-goodness hardware and supermarket.  Around Quiapo Church,  you can buy your religious icons,  candles,  fans (strongly suggested on hot, humid days) , flower garlands, brooms (yes, brooms),  fruits, vegetables , squash flowers, and fish (live, dead, smoked or dried!).  From Quiapo Church through Santa Cruz Church to Binondo Church,  you will find street stalls selling footwear, garments and again,  more foodstuff.  There is an alley near the Binondo Church called Carvajal where I wanted to buy almost everything I laid my eyes on!  Forget the diet.  There is so much to buy here to take home as TV dinners.  Sushi?  Taho? Meat loaf?  Rice cakes?  

 

Barbequed Pork and Innards. Guess what!

Puto Bumbong

You may also want to check out more photos from my TravelBlog site. 

 

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Me, Travel Solo?

Filed under: Travel, travels — 19 Comments
April 20, 2011

You must be joking.  I may have done it before, way before.  Till my knees ached. Till my shoulders drooped. Till my back screamed ouch.  Till my mind never stopped wondering where I put my stuff.  Oh, how I wish I still have the energy and fearless wanderlust of the young.  But I certainly try.  At my age, you just have to give me A for effort.

 

 

The lust for adventure began with my first solo trip to another Asian city.   I was 18, and had to meet up with my parents in Hongkong.  It was not a lovely experience.  My nerves got in the way and that little paper bag behind the seat was put to good use as my hour-old meals decided to exit unceremoniously. The next chance I got was when I took a short course in England at a time when the EDSA revolution was unraveling.  Talk about perfect timing. I would have loved to be home then.  But as luck would have it, I was thousands of miles away.  I didn’t just study then,  I scrimped like crazy.  I stashed away half of my allowances into a kitty for my weekend travels , as well as for a 3 month long solo travel around Europe after I completed the short course.   Talk about “fearless wanderlust”,  I was young and carefree then and couldn’t be bothered that I crossed oceans from London to Washington DC with my last US$20 in my pocket.  I tempted fate then,  all too confident that my friends in US of A were just a phone call away to bail me out of whatever trouble I got into.  As things turned out,  my friend had to ask another friend (whom I met then for the first time) to fetch me at the train station where I ended up with my bottom $20.  Mind you, I had no credit card, ATM card nor cell phones then   =)

 

 

Since then,  I knew that traveling with or without a group,  the whole way or part of the way,  is a little luxury I just need to indulge in.  To visit and revisit the same sites etched in memory, and draw the same intensity of cheer and joy.   So I worked hard.  And saved good.   Good enough for an early retirement. There are far more things I can do without, and that supported my idea to quit and have a life .   Rather, to celebrate life!

 

Then and Now

 

I love traveling because I always come back with less cobwebs in my mind. It is as if I empty my mind of all clutter upon departure, and fill it with many happy memories upon arrival. I also like the idea that life is so focused on the present, and my senses are all playing to listen, feel , see, smell and taste everything novel or not so new. The fact that I only have to choose from a limited wardrobe, or use the same pair of shoes throughout my holiday , or work and survive on a single budget make life so much simpler. Sure, you sometimes get a raw deal in a few trips, or feel hassled by flight delays and cancellations, but the joys and simplicity of the present far outweigh the negatives. Oh, btw, I always end up gaining more friends after each trip. Many I kept……

 

Manhattan Skyline (Before 9-11)

 

Solo travelling allows you to discover places, but more so to discover one’s self.  It puts you in touch with your inner self and allows you to trust yourself (and others too) more and more.  In a way,  it boosts your self-confidence as you discover new boundaries.   Once you unravel yourself in this fashion,  you then find out how much you can celebrate life in a way only you can understand.  Who cares if others don’t?  The capacity for joy is a gift.  To find joy in your heart, even in solitude,  is a blessing.

 

 

I envy the young bloggers for their youth, energy and enthusiasm.  I still share the same sense of adventure, but I am now constrained to make solo trips only around the city.   After an unnerving misadventure in Nanjing, China where I took a nasty slip, hit my head on the pavement, broke my eyeglasses and ended up with the stem (that part which rides the ears) stuck near my eyebrow,  this old hag is not allowed to go solo beyond city limits.  A pity.  But the restriction does not in any way dampen the joy I have wandering around.    After all, there are so many places to visit and revisit.  I may not be your typical DSLR-toting blogger (too heavy for my bones to carry) ,  but my P&S cam serves the purpose to document the sites I enjoyed.

 

Nanjing Misadventure

 

So, while you young ‘uns are spelunking , scaling mountains, camping, diving into unknown waters , sailing,  or whatever else, this grandma travels — solo most often—  around the city checking out new food finds or revisiting churches and museums,  or simply enjoying the breeze along the Bay.   You see, there are more history lessons to be learned visiting these areas and I simply love “going back in time” to reminisce the good ol’ days.  More importantly,  I always find myself thanking Him that I find myself in these situations that bring so much cheer.  Truly, gratitude is the memory of the heart!

 

This is my entry to Pinoy Travel Bloggers’ Blog Carnival on the theme “Solo Travel” hosted by Nina Fuentes aka Just Wandering. 

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Four Hours to “Waste” in Manila?

Filed under: Don't Skip Manila!, Philippine Travels — Leave a comment
April 13, 2011

Met up with my friend E and without much planning, decided we make good use of our time together while waiting for her son to get off summer school.  That’s from 10am till 2pm, if you wanna know.

 

Almost instantly, we agreed we should check out the Pasig River Ferry at the  Guadalupe Ferry Station where we can take the ferry ride to Escolta, or all the way to Plaza Mexico in Intramuros. But alas,  the station was closed as we unhappily learned the ferry company has ceased operations. Shoots!

 

Not easily discouraged,  we mapped out another plan.  Something in keeping with the Lenten Season.   From under the Guadalupe Bridge where the Ferry Station is located, we drove back up to EDSA southbound and took the right at the corner where you’d find Loyola Memorial .  This street goes a few hundred meters down to Nuestra Senora de Gracia or Guadalupe Church.  Foundations laid in 1601, construction completed by 1629.  I have once attended a wedding here, and was not disappointed with how beautiful the Church is just past midmorning.

 

 

From this nearly 400 year-old Church in Guadalupe, we drove down to J. P. Rizal Street all the way to Sta. Ana, Manila.   We passed what used to be the Sta. Ana Race Track,  until we found the Church of the Abandoned.  I have passed this Church many times before,  always referring to it simply as Sta. Ana Church.  Never realized it ranks among the oldest churches around Manila.   At this hour,  there was hardly any crowd inside this  17th century-Church , more so in the adjoining halls of the church where they kept religious statues of a few saints.  We even ventured up the stairs, but was gently reminded that the convent is not open to the public.

 

 

Driving further west towards Paco, Manila, we visited the Paco Church and Cemetery only to find it closed.  Today is a Tuesday and Paco Park Complex is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.   From outside, it looks like your mini-Intramuros as the Park is closed in by this  ancient wall.   No wonder this Church is a favorite wedding  as well as concert venue.    Never mind that it is also a cemetery!  After all, it has a distinguished list of VIPs interred in its park grounds.  No less than the national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal was buried here until 1912 (errr, did you know that?) , and so with the martyred priests Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora, more commonly referred to as Gomburza.

 

 

 

From Paco Park,  we decided to have lunch at Aristocrat which is right beside the Malate Church.  But not without a quick visit to the San Andres Market where we found fruit stalls after fruit stalls of mangoes – yellow ripe, unripe green, smallish “supsupin” mangoes, Indian mangoes – along with racks of chicos, durian, dalandans, honeydew melons, watermelons , turnips, bananas, sweet potatoes, etc.  I even bought myself a glass of halo-halo (ice shavings with various sweetened fruits like bananas, sweet potatoes, garbanzos, beans, jackfruit, mixed in with ube yam, leche flan, gelatine,  sago and milk) for only 20 pesos.  What a refreshing drink, and all for just half a US dollar!  The same stall even offers hot chocolate and coffee for 5 pesos. Dirt cheap!  I shared the halo-halo (literally meaning “mix-mix”) with my friend E as I didn’t want to spoil my appetite for my bbq lunch at Aristocrat.

 

 

Aristocrat was doing brisk business by the time we got there.  Well, it’s noon time, but the waiter there says they get this crowd daily.  For me, Aristocrat (and another established chain restaurant Max’s) is a great “equalizer”.  Nothing fancy here, just plain good old barbecue and local dishes.  You’d be fine to allocate 200 pesos per head for a good meal. And it draws a big crowd from all sections of society.  From a table occupied by a group of students, another by working men and women out on a lunch break, to a group of nuns and yet another group of balikbayans (literally “back to country” Filipinos) having this comfort food.  It is always a yummy meal here in Aristocrat, and it won’t burn a hole in your pockets too.

 

 

And so, on full stomachs we crossed the street to visit the Malate Church.  Built in 1588 originally as an Augustinian Friar Building, it withstood a number of earthquakes and the February 3-17, 1945 Battle of Manila which left nearly the entire Malate area flattened, with thousands dead from the shelling from American forces and burning from Japanese occupiers.  This centuries-old church was left charred and roofless, and reconstruction began soon after the end of World War II.  At the time we visited, absolutely no one was inside the Church.  All quiet and peaceful . A fitting final stop for our attempt to “waste” four hours around Manila.  Call it the final part of our 7-church Visita Iglesia.  Having done Manila Cathedral and San Agustin Church last week and San Sebastian Church much earlier (hmmm, that last one  shouldn’t count, really), and 4 today (Guadalupe, Sta Ana, Paco and Malate),  I have completed the mandatory 7 Churches for the Visita Iglesia.  But there is this weekend when I plan to visit Binondo , Santa Cruz and Quiapo.  Now wait, that makes 10!  And I am still agonizing whether to include Tondo Church or not.  We’ll see………….no harm in visiting a dozen churches.  Especially churches loaded with history! So , next time you have an extra 4 hours to waste,  why not put it to good use and learn bits of history while doing your spiritual duty?

 

And if you do have more than 4 hours,  you can cross Roxas Boulevard  from Malate Church and stroll along the Baywalk and wait for the lovely Manila Bay sunset.  Who knows?  You may even work up an appetite again and head back to the Malate Church Square and this time, try the Max’s Fried Chicken just across Aristocrat.  Both are institutions in the Philippine dining scene, so don’t miss them.  Not to worry, you can enjoy budget meals in either one of these 2 eating places, and live to go back again and again.

 

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Summer Camp 2011

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April 11, 2011

Martin chose to take badminton lessons.  No way he’d play soccer again.  I’m a bit surprised he wasn’t interested in taekwando.  But badminton is fine.  As for Patricia,  I knew even before I asked that she’d want to do the pool once more.  She almost divorced herself from the school’s swimming team during the exam weeks and all those graduation rehearsals, and I can tell her muscles are aching to flex in the pool.


And I thought school’s over.  Not a single break.  From Friday graduation, to Summer Camp the following Monday.  No mercy.  Summer camp starts at 8 am sharp.  And my little ones hate being late for their sessions with Coach Akiko Thomson and Coaches Weena and EG.  While Martin sweats in the badminton court and Patricia slices the pool,  dear Mamu does her rounds at the oval. No, not jogging. That’s bad for my knees.  Just brisk walking, passing the badminton court, the swimming pool area, the tennis court, and the Taekwondo gym where I can’t help smiling watching them little ones flex their muscles, while their doting parents watch and take snapshots.


And so…….I do my share of exercise while chaperoning the kids to Summer Camp. Plus I do get a fair amount of amusement too.   I love watching these young ones ; and I so adore their coaches.   Coach Akiko Thomson and her husband Coach Chips are such a lovely couple and they are so wonderful with the kids.   One can tell they sooo love what they do.  I have seen them pick up kids, personally train them and more than that,  I am amazed how these kids give them 100% attention.  Now, I never got that!   😉


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Revisiting San Agustin Church and Monastery

Filed under: Don't Skip Manila!, Philippine Travels — 9 Comments
April 9, 2011

It is Lent. Time to go visiting the Churches. The norm for Catholics here is to visit 7 Churches, preferably on Maundy Thursday.  But I have decided to instead do the 7 during the entire Lenten Season, and to choose the 7 Churches with lots of history. First off: San Agustin Church in Intramuros, a 16th century church claimed to be the oldest stone church in the country.

 

 


 

Filipinos:  A Strange Race?

 

From Makati where I live,  we drove along Roxas Boulevard with a lovely view of Manila Bay towards the Pier.  We took the right towards Intramuros, where one finds Fort Santiago and the Manila Cathedral.  We skipped both, and drove directly to San Agustin Church and Monastery.

 

 

Standing right in front of the Church and looking around, I found how un-Asian this corner in Intramuros is.  No wonder some of my foreigner friends tell me that Filipinos are “strange” in that way. Strange in that most of us bear Spanish-sounding surnames.  Like Ramirez.  Like Chavez. Like Guerrero. Or Mendoza.  Sure, we were a Spanish colony for close to 400 years, but other countries had Dutch or Portuguese or British colonizers – yet, I don’t hear of them with Dutch or British or Portuguese family names.  Or am I wrong?   Strange in that our language is interspersed with a lot of Spanish words and that Filipinos very readily use Spanish expletives that I do not wish to repeat here.  Truth is we even coined a word for the elitist Filipinos …… “con** crowd” — which literally means a lady’s private part in Spanish.  Strange in that we are so used to counting in Spanish (uno, dos, tres………) or in telling the time in Spanish ( a las tres y media, a las dose, etc.).   But more than anything else, we are very “Spanish” in our faith.  The Philippines does not have the temples of Cambodia, Laos or Thailand,  nor the pagodas of China , Japan and Korea,  but we have many Catholic Churches dotting the countryside which are worth seeing. Churches always form a central and core part of every Filipino’s lifestyle.  Here in Manila,  a few old Churches remain standing despite this city being the second most -bombed city during World War II.

 

 

 

More Than Just An Old Church

 

San Agustin Church at the corner of General Luna Street and Real Street in Intramuros is hard to miss.  It is just a stone’s throw from the Manila Cathedral (when facing the Cathedral, take the right side and walk straight towards San Agustin Church) and an easy walk from the Fort Santiago, another tourist destination.

 

Inside the Church, one finds off some corner a confessional box.  The parish priest sits inside while parishioners take turns to have their confessions heard by the priest with only a small screen window separating them.  On your knees, you confess your sins!  In another corner,  there is the pulpit where the parish priest used to say his homily or sermons.   Times have changed since those days.   And the ornately designed pulpit is now simply a reminder of how grand our old Churches were or still are, if luckily preserved and bomb-spared as with this Church.  But Filipino Catholics still make their confessions to their priests in this box-like structures though modern-day Catholics are not discouraged from doing face-to-face confessions.

 

This Church is a favorite among brides such that “bookings” for weddings need to be arranged at least a year in advance.  I have attended one too many wedding ceremonies here, and wedding receptions were held in any one of the nearby colonial-inspired restaurants and bistros just across the Church, or in the garden within the church courtyard.  On weekdays,  you may find school groups doing their field trips, and on weekends you would likely witness wedding ceremonies.  That is how “busy” this Church is.

 

 

 

 

Yet………the adjoining Monastery which has since been converted into a Museum hardly gets a crowd. The day I visited,  I walked alone along many corridors.  Kind of eerie, if you ask me.  I honestly felt like some statues are staring down at me.  In one of the exhibit rooms ,  I got goosebumps finding a dark corner with 4 or 5 statues clad in black robes.  They were representations of the early Augustinian friars who built this Church and established a religious order in the country.  It “helped” that the room was dimly lit, such that you find the robed statues just when you are almost face to face with them.  Off another corridor,  I found huge paintings, some pitifully warped, and woodcarvings depicting hell.  You bet my hair stood on edge and felt my heart beating out of my chest.  I almost had regrets that I came when school’s over. I could have timed my visit with a school group’s field trip instead and spared myself of some palpitations.

 

 

 

Miguel Lopez de Legazpi Rests Here: A Short History Lesson


Filipinos all know that Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Philippines. But Spanish colonization and the subsequent Christianization of the Philippines didn’t start with the discovery of Magellan in 1521, who incidentally was slain by a local tribal chieftain named Lapu Lapu in the island of Mactan in Central Visayas. While Magellan captained the very first ship to sail completely around the world,  Magellan never lived to tell his tale of discovering the Philippines and to prove that the world is indeed round. However, his discovery led to Spanish Expeditions led by Ruy Lopez de Villalobos in 1541 (who was driven away by hostile locals)  and then by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1565. Legazpi befriended a native Bohol chieftain called Datu Sikatuna  in a ceremony called “Blood Compact” and from there, established Spanish colonies with the aid of  local allies starting with the island of Cebu. With the colonization, came Christianization of the natives who earlier practiced nature worship.  And as pagans converted to Christianity, they were baptized and given Christian names.  So.  Now you know why many Filipinos have Spanish family names. Right?

 

Legazpi was a diplomat more than he was an explorer.  In Manila, he befriended both Rajahs Lakandula and Sulaiman and with some help from Augustinian and Franciscan friars, established a governing city council in 1571. At the same time, he ordered the construction of Intramuros, proclaiming it the capital of Manila and seat of the Spanish Government in the East Indies. He died in 1572 and was laid to rest right here in the San Agustin Church.

 

Now, enough of history and back to topic.

 

 

 

Father Blanco’s Garden


After doing the rounds (actually the “squares”) in the Museum,  it is refreshing to go down and spend some time within the garden.   If you have a book with you,  you can take over one of the benches and while away the time while resting your legs and feet in Father Blanco’s garden.  The garden can do with more flora, but you can enjoy the afternoon breeze here before venturing out of the Museum grounds. In my case,  I found the time to check out the “Binondo Food Wok Map” while here in the courtyard garden.  This is the map I bought (for 100 pesos) in the Bahay Tsinoy (literally means House of Filipino-Chinese) one block away from San Agustin Church.  (Facing the Manila Cathedral, one can take the road on the left side till you hit the 2nd corner.  This is Cabildo Street corner Anda Street)  Of course, if it is too sunny, you may simply have a drink and some chips or biscuits in a corner stall (can’t even call it a cafe) within the Museum.  There are tables and chairs where you can sit, facing some huge paintings.  Not bad in terms of scenery, but the corner stall can certainly offer better drinks (like a good brew?) and better wafers or local rice cakes.

 

 

 

More Time to Spare?


If you have more time to kill,  you may head straight for the Walls by taking Real Street (the Church is right at the corner of Real and General Luna Streets) , passing by a good bistro called Ristorante delle Mistre and remembering to have a cozy dinner there on the way back.  There is an option to walk along the walls or ON the walls.   There are stairways to get on top from where one is afforded a view of the nearby Manila Hotel and the sprawling golf links which get all lighted up at night.  On this visit, I found many young couples on a date here.  Good choice.  It is quiet, breezy and has good views.

 

As I trace my steps back to the Church, I passed bronze representations of ex-Presidents in what is dubbed as Gallery of the Presidents.  I cannot help but feel amused to find those of ex-presidents Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Joseph Estrada side by side.  Even in bronze, it is kind of strange and quite amusing to find them together.  Can’t wait till 2016 when that of incumbent President Noynoy Aquino joins them.  Oh, I do not mean to be disrespectful.  Just that it is no secret in my country how these 3 ‘adore’ each other.   Enough said.  Go drop by Ristorante delle Mistre and have that mango cheesecake (less than US$2)  to go with your brew.  If you have the appetite for lunch or dinner, order their set menu. Come, visit and enjoy Manila!

 

Better still, enjoy the many islands of the Philippines.  I am a local living here and must admit I still have a long list of must-visit destinations around the country. Like Mount Pinatubo.  Or Puerto Galera in Mindoro.  Or Sagada.  Plus many more.  Now, that’s a confession!

 

For more photos, check out my TravelBlog site.  

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More Musings and Ramblings…………

Filed under: Travel, travels — 5 Comments
April 2, 2011

 

Yesterday, we celebrated Patricia’s graduation.  Personally,  I celebrated the  10th anniversary of my best-ever decision:  EARLY RETIREMENT.

 

You heard that , guys.  Here is one (cool) grandma.  And here is one (early, self-imposed) retiree.  Does that make me feel old and jaded?  Naaaah.  Judging by what and how I did things the past 10 years,  I know I made the wisest decision to call it quits and have a life.  Don’t get me wrong. Early retirement is a well-thought out decision.  And it was made with tons of preparation and serious planning!

 

Having grandchildren sort of “rushed” the decision.   You see, dear Patricia was 2 1/2 years old then and ready for Nursery School.  The idea of driving a grandchild to school and spending more time with her appealed to me.  It also helped that I was beginning to feel unhappy with my job.  Now that may sound like “news” to those who knew how I worked my a** off and how seriously I charted my career.  But for sure, I did not agonize over the decision to retire.  It was like “one morning, I woke up and decided it was best to quit.” Honestly.  And then of course, Martin came along.  And that completes my “lola duties”.

 

 

Now, Patricia has completed 10 years of pre- and grade school.  Ten years of fetching her (and dear Martin, her younger brother) from school with many unplanned happy afternoons to spend together.  Precious moments.  I even learned new skills.  Teaching kids how to paint.  Supervising kids’ cooking lessons.   Blogging.  Playing internet games.  I rediscovered the joys of traveling too.  In the last 10 years, I did 20 foreign trips across Europe, Middle East, USA, Australia and Asia. There were also a number of  domestic trips in between.  As a traveler, I also found time to moderate in TravelBlog where I found new friends. Back home and quite recently, I found myself belonging to a group of Pinoy Travel Bloggers whose parents must be my age! Well, we sure share many things in common:  the passion for traveling and the gift of joy and gratitude for all things new, old, familiar and strange.

 

 

From my first few trips in US of A visiting old friends to nostalgic trips to Europe where I never fail to have a marvelous time, to new discoveries in the ancient cities and towns around Asia , to must-tick-off-the-bucket-list trips around the country……………. I have yet to experience South America and Africa (outside of Egypt) and perhaps more of the Middle East (other than Doha, Qatar).    Oh, the list is long.  As they say,  yesterday is a memory, so better savor every minute, every second of today.   To make sure the “memory” of yesteryears does not fade,  I have started to chronicle all my travels via blogging.  My photography still sucks, but they serve the purpose of documenting what I have seen and enjoyed in my trips.   When I last reviewed my finances (while realizing I have lost a steady source of income from rentals and a directorship which sustained me in the past),  I realized  I may have to cut down on my foreign trips.  But then there is so much of the Philippines I have not seen. Sure, I have done the rounds before while visiting our provincial offices, but that was work.  No pleasure in that.  As I revisit these local destinations now,  I find how much I have missed.  Just the same,  I take comfort in the fact that I worked like a horse before so I can save enough for the trips I make now.  I do not feel compelled to go back to work these days,  but a short-term project and a part-time consultancy would always be welcome to shore up my travel funds.   Doing what I love doing,  traveling allows me to meet new friends, savor new cuisine, breathe fresh mountain air,  walk with sand between my toes in some faraway beach,  touch base with history and simply enjoying the motion, the journey, the experience.

 

La dolce vita.   Nothing luxurious.  Nothing fancy.  I am not your backpacking kid. Too old to go camping. Nor am I your luxury traveler. The heart is willing, but the pocket won’t cooperate.  This one’s simply a grandma whose passion for travel and new discoveries is nurtured through the years.   Loving it. Life is a celebration!

http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/liliram/

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