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Family Playcations!

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Filed under: Asian Holidays, Travel, travels — 1 Comment

January 8, 2012

I love my family. We all live in a condominium building where space is gold and where we feel cramped as the kids grow taller and the adults grow wider 😦

Over time, we spilled over 2 more units in the same condo building but share THE SAME SQUARE dining table I bought when I was still living alone. How we fit or take turns at the dining table is a practiced skill!

And so family playcations is a tradition in this family. Summers and Christmas breaks are popular holiday dates for us, but we’re one family who also make good use of long weekends.

We took a vote and came up with this list of top playcations for us. Thought I’d share it with you as suggestions for your next family adventure.

#1 CRUISING TOPS THE LIST

To this day, our 3day, 2 night cruise sailing out of Singapore for Melaka (Malacca, Malaysia) holds truly fond memories for adults and elves. Royal Carribean’s Legend of the Seas had this $306 per pax, twin-sharing promo rate which we grabbed. All 5 meals and snacks included!

READY TO SAIL! Kids board Royal Carribean's Legend of the Seas

#2 HONGKONG DISNEYLAND AND MACAU

The FIRST family playcation out of the country is of course nothing less than memorable. When the elves were 5 and 2 visiting Disneyland (Los Angeles, USA) for the first time, they were too young to appreciate it. This time around, they knew exactly what they wanted, and how many “teacup spins” they needed!

From HK Disneyland to Macau. What a horrible ferry ride!

#3 NEW YEAR’S EVE FIREWORKS IN HONGKONG

We were back the year after. The fireworks at the Avenue of the Stars fronting the lovely HK Harbour is the highlight of the New Year’s Eve revelry, but the dinner prelude was just as exciting. No mercy was our mantra, as we stuffed ourselves with Peking Duck and other Chinese dishes at the Star Cafe. Just as memorable was walking with the thick Chinese crowd in the middle of the road at 2am to reach our hotel.

HONGKONG DISNEYLAND

#4 SSSSHHHH…..KIDS GO AWOL IN SHANGHAI

Shelly and I flying in to Shanghai from a month-long trip in Turkey and Greece. The rest of fam flying in from Manila. What a reunion!

The Bund. Shanghai, China

#5 WORLD EXPO IN SHANGHAI

Can’t resist this. It’s the closest we can get to a world tour. Very educational for the children. Very satisfying for the adult gluttons. 🙂

World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China

#6 BUTANDING ADVENTURE

It was a weeklong holiday. A road trip. We booked only for our first 2 nights in Donsol, Sorsogon where I brought the family to experience this awesome animal encounter. After that, we sort of felt our way through looking for places to stay in Legazpi City and Naga.

ONE BIG HURRAH AFTER THE FIRST BUTANDING ENCOUNTER! YEHEY!

#7 ALL 12 ABOARD FOR A JOURNEY THROUGH ILOCANDIA

Yes, 12. My family and my friend’s family. We flew to Laoag, then cramped ourselves into a van, and then a jeepney around Laoag and Vigan. Food Trip to the max. Gee, now I miss their Pinakbet Pizza!

Walking out of Malacanang of the North. And yes, we were 12 in the group!

#8 ROADTRIP TO BAGUIO

Not our “usual” Baguio trip. This time around, we explored the lesser-known destinations and relished the surprisingly enjoyable vegetarian joints in this city. Even the elves loved their “kamatis (tomato) pasta” in Oh My Gulay Resto!

Taken at Bencab Museum Garden.

#9 NEW YEAR IN BORACAY. WHY NOT?

Who’d dare argue against spending New Year’s in the lovely island of Boracay? We spent all of 5 days here. What a great relaxing way to welcome and start the new year!

SUN AND SAND TO WELCOME AND START THE NEW YEAR IN BORACAY

#10 A NEW DISCOVERY: CLUB BALAI ISABEL

Again, we were lured by the promo package offered by this lovely resort along the shores of Taal Lake in Talisay, Batangas. A weekend that’s really value-for-money. The rooms have 2 big-sized beds, the resort has 3 swimming pools, a fish spa, food is good, service is excellent, and THE VIEWS! C’est magnifique!

GOOD FOOD, GOOD SERVICE, MAGNIFICENT VIEWS!

Tags: Asia, asian holidays, Family, Grandchildren, holiday, Philippines, playcation, Travel, travels

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The Female Monks of Zilukha Nunnery (Thimpu, Bhutan)

Filed under: Asian Holidays, Travel, travels — 3 Comments

January 5, 2012

Zilukha is the “biggest nunnery” in Bhutan, yet I would never consider it huge by any standards. But it may have the best location. It is perched on a promontory overlooking the Tashichhoedzong or Thimpu Dzong and its surrounding golf course. From the roadside, we walked up a wide dirt path to reach this nunnery with no gates, no doorbells, no guards. Just sleeping dogs.

The Path to Female Monkhood?

Female Monks? Yes, many women — some young girls, even toddlers — from poor families enter the nunnery. The ones I saw at Zilukha Nunnery in the Drubthob Goemba were likely as old as 70 and as young as 4. I was honestly surprised to find the young ones, and initially thought they were orphans under the care of the nuns.

Zilukha Nunnery

Our tour guide explained that some of these children were left behind by their poor parents. A refuge from extreme poverty. Yet I wasn’t exactly sure it is a refuge. The nuns we found here can certainly do with some comforts. Having seen the magnificence of the Dzongs in Paro, Thimpu and Punakha, the Zilukha Nunnery appears almost like a disheveled garage or storage room in one of these dzongs. The shrine is very small, and the nuns pray and chant their mantra in a narrow space where a giant prayer wheel occupies easily a tenth of the entire room. The nearby one-storey building serves as their sleeping quarters and I can imagine these nuns must sleep in cramped quarters there.

The Living/Sleeping Quarters of the Zilukha Nunnery

Entrance To The Prayer Room

Once we stepped inside the Prayer Room, we felt almost guilty barging in as the nuns were busy praying and chanting. The elder of the nuns allowed 2 photos of them doing their spiritual chores — chanting mantras and spinning prayer wheels. The area is a bit cramped. Two lines of nuns face each other while a giant prayer wheel is spun by one of the younger, stronger nuns. The 4 year old happily , yet quietly sat on the lap of the grey-haired nun. This nun with greying hair, looking so undecided between chanting and chewing her betel nut, while caring for the toddler-nun. I spotted red-stained teeth, and some chewed bits threatening to drip on the sides of the older nun’s mouth.

Just Two Photos Inside the Prayer Room.

Two Lines of Nuns Facing Each Other in This Narrow Corridor.

I wish I was able to take a better shot of the grey-haired nun and the toddler nun. I dared not appeal for a 3rd shot, guilty as we were to have arrived at a sacred hour. As young girls enter the nunnery to escape poverty as well as to gain education, I wonder if some of them feel “forced” to take this option. Sure, they are here to seek “enlightenment” but I am more inclined to think they are here or were sent here to escape from the harshness of a difficult, deprived life.

This Is The View From Zilukha Nunnery. Not Bad!

As with the monks, people seek spiritual guidance from these nuns. As such, they spend their time gaining spiritual knowledge to prepare them for this religious work. Some of them may have felt deprived in their early life, but they all look forward and appreciate the newfound social status to be gained from being a nun. In a country like Bhutan where Buddhism seamlessly blend with everyday life and the national character, monkhood has its place.

Please do check my other blogs and photos on Bhutan here in WordPress. Or try my blog series on Bhutan in TravelBlog. Here is the link : http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/liliram/Trips/17606

Tags: Bhutan, Buddhism, female monks, Thimpu, Zilukha Nunnery

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Chimi Lakhang: The Divine Madman’s Village and Shrine

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Filed under: Asian Holidays, Travel, travels — 8 Comments

January 1, 2012

Excuse me…… Did you just say THAT PHALLUS belonged to one of your saints?

Yes, THAT is the phallus of one of Bhutan's Favorite Saints. I kid u NOT!

Flanked by hundreds of prayer flags, Chimi Lakhang is a good half hour leisurely walk across fertile rice fields. We passed farmers harvesting their rice and traipsed paddy fields cutting across a village where houses are painted with…..errr, phalluses of one of Bhutan’s favorite saints. Either that, or you find hanging phalluses swinging by house corners, intended to drive away demons.

Do You See That Hanging Phallus? It's Meant To Drive Away The Demons.

Chimi Lakhang. A Modest Shrine to Bhutan's Favorite Saint & Divine Madman

Chimi Lhakhang is dedicated to Lama Drukpa Kunley or Drukpa Kunleg (1455 – 1529) also known as ‘The Divine Madman’. He “distinguished” himself for his outrageous behavior and teaching style. Legend goes that the saint used to hit the evil forces with his penis (or cohabited with them) to distract, subdue, and eventually turn them into protective deities. Trust me, this is serious stuff in Bhutan. My own guide claims the Divine Madman “took away the shame” —- i interpret this to mean “malice”—– from them. In many Thangka paintings, the saint is shown holding a “wooden stick with penis head”.

The Power of the Phallus. He is also the Fertility Saint. Guess Why!

Gho-clad Boys Coming Home From School

In Bhutan, I Saw Many Men Caring For Their Babes. Nice.

The Lhakang is just a small pilgrimage site in a rather rural setting. We passed old, modest houses and children posing for photos, hopping, running around, and playing “kitchen” like many other children in the world. Makes you think children are the same all over UNTIL society/culture imposes itself on them. We were welcomed in a small kitchen where the women were frying rice grains much like our local “pinipig” or rice crisps. The young monks we met at the Lhakang were likewise playing — running and jumping around, swinging by the window sill, or up above munching an apple while seated on a branch of the Buddha tree.

Children Are The Same All Over the World.

I Was Right Underneath This Mini-Monk

Those Are Not Just Rice Crisps. They're MOUNTAIN Rice Crisps.

This is also a pilgrimage site for childless couples. Well, that “Thunderbolt of Flaming Wisdom” (as they call the saint’s phallus) ain’t called that for nothing. As fertility saint, he is perhaps the only saint in all religions of the world excused for his sexual exploits and inclinations, for which his phallus is identified with its creative power and ability to distract and subdue demons. Think about that!

Just A Half Hour Walk To Get Here, Past Paddy Fields

Walked past many of these houses with painted phalluses!

This Rural Village Gave Us A Glimpse of How Ordinary Bhutanese Live.

Please do check my other blogs and photos on Bhutan here in WordPress. Or try my blog series on Bhutan in TravelBlog. Here is the link : http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/liliram/Trips/17606

And by the way, with all we’ve seen and experienced in Bhutan, we missed something big time. Not sure if we could have mustered the nerve to watch, but here’s one interesting read for all of you. Tell me what you think 😉

http://bhutan-360.com/the-naked-dance-of-jampa-lhakhang-drub/

Tags: Bhutan, Buddhism, Chimi Lakhang, Divine Madman, Himalayas

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Punakha Dzong: Living In A Dream

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Filed under: Asian Holidays, Travel, travels — 4 Comments

From Druk Hotel in Thimpu, we drove a good 2 1/2 hours just to get here. On our way, we passed Dochula Pass with a grand view of the Himalayan mountain range at over 3,000 meters elevation. Then we weaved around the mountains going down, passing cherry blossoms, poinsettia and magnolia trees. We made a brief stop at Chimi Lakhang and took our lunch in a lovely cafe overlooking paddy fields animated by men and women harvesting rice and gho-clad school boys gingerly walking around the rice fields.

Punakha Dzong. Where Kings are crowned. Site of the recent wedding of the world’s youngest monarch.

Punakha Dzong Where 2 Rivers Merge

The fortress cum monastery is home to 600 monks, and sits at the confluence of two rivers with the lovely mountains as backdrop. You need a few minutes to savor this view, pinch yourself and get reminded this ain’t a dream, before crossing the bridge adorned with prayer flags.

Then the 2 rivers merge, bubble and froth as ONE RIVER.

As we crossed the bridge, we had our first glimpse of Punakha Dzong’s first courtyard. Climate here is milder, elevation not as steep as in Paro. The wooden staircase leading to the second courtyard is steep though. The same stairway can be pulled up in case of an invasion. Some security feature for this 17th century monolith.

The Approach Via the Lovely Bridge Crossing A "Lively" River

The Wooden Staircase Can Be "Pulled Up" In Case of An Invasion

As we climbed past cherry blossoms, we heard the faint chant and shuffling of hands and fingers from a small group of monks. Nearby, logs crackle from a bonfire set up in the middle of the vast courtyard. What a lovely, nearly surreal sight! This experience is so dreamlike it is deeply embedded in my memory.

Logs Crackle in A Bonfire Set Up in the Middle of the Courtyard

Monks Chanting " Oh Mani Peme Hummmmm"

Buddhism is NOT a religion, according to our guide. He claims it is a philosophy, a lifestyle, where Buddhists firmly believe that KARMA rules, among others. Where much of sufferings in life are rooted in wordly desires and material attachments. I certainly have no problems with these. The universe can definitely do with less hostility, and more compassion, more caring for each living creature.

Two Playful Monks Running Around the Courtyard

What A Lovely Sight!

Do check out my other blogs on Bhutan here in WordPress. Or my blog series in TravelBlog: Mystique of Bhutan. Here’s the link: http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/liliram/Trips/17606

Tags: Asia, Bhutan, Buddhism, Dzong, Himalayas

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Thimpu Dzong, Where Kings And Abbots Rule

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Filed under: Asian Holidays, Travel, travels — 5 Comments

December 22, 2011

It is the first Dzong we have visited in Bhutan.Trashichodzong or Thimpu Dzong literally translates to Fortress of Glorious Religion. Buddhism truly makes its mark on Bhutanese culture. But nowhere else have I witnessed Church and State work so in harmony. No quarrel between the Church and State in this tiny Kingdom in the Eastern Himalayas.

Trashichodzong or Fortress of the Glorious Religion in Thimpu, Bhutan

From the time the country’s capital was moved from Punakha to Thimpu, 3 kings have held office here. The present King was crowned at age 27, making Druk Gyalpo Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck the youngest monarch in the world. His father, the good if not better-looking Jigme Singye is still very much visible, and still young (and hot) at 55. The local folks simply love them and speak adoringly of the royal family.

The Hunk. I mean the 4th King: Daddy Oh of the Present (5th) King

The Fortress houses the State offices including the King’s office and Throne Room, as well as the monastery where the Chief Abbot shares the same rank and place as the King. In Bhutan, this does not seem to be a problem.

Bhutanese Art in The Beams, Ceilings, Walls, Windows, Eaves, Doors, etc.

I remember walking down a path of willow trees and rose gardens which must have had their last full bloom a month or so earlier. A pity this trip was pushed down towards yearend as hotels were fully booked for the King’s wedding last October 13, and the festivals in October-November made it impossible to book a trip earlier. Truth is my other friends gave up on Bhutan, leaving just me and another travel companion. Thank God I refused to give up on this chance to see Shangrila. Yes, no less. Even at minus one degree to 6 degree Celsius!

We passed some guards (few, actually, considering that they are guarding the King and Chief Abbot) as we climbed the stairs to get into the courtyard. What spilled before our eyes was nearly unreal. We “owned” the courtyard exclusively but for a couple of monks and a single photographer, who like us, seemed mesmerized by the beauty of the Dzong. Om Mani Peme Hum. That’s the oldest and most well-known Tibetan Buddhist mantra taught by our guide, Sonam Norbu. You hear the monks chant it, as I often heard Norbu recite it as he paid his respects to their Buddha of Compassion. It took awhile for me to remember the mantra, strange language that it is. Until I managed to link the mantra to “Oh, money, penge (meaning to ask) hmmmm”. My apologies. They sure sound so irreverent and so contrary to Buddhist teachings, but the “joke” made it easy for me to remember. (Forgive this old lady. Peace xoxoxo)

Resident Pigeons Rule the Courtyard!

Elizabeth In Ecstacy!

I forgot to ask Norbu, but all Dzongs here are painted like white monoliths adorned with intricate woodcarvings and handpaintings on beams, pillars, eaves and window frames. The colors — dominated by golden yellow, rusty orange (saffron, according to my friend Elizabeth) and black, tinged with red, blue, black and green — are almost standard. There also seems to be a standard Bhutanese architecture and layout, but for the size and number of dochey (courtyard) and lhakangs (temples). What makes it even more amazing is that these palace-like structures were built without written plans or blueprints. Everything is committed to memory. Say what? Amazing, indeed.

Bhutan: Where Nature and Culture Reign

Inside the temple, my friend Elizabeth was almost ecstatic to find the thousand mini buddhas she has been reading about. Those, and the thangkas (silk painting with embroidery) which left her drooling in its beauty. Have to admit I do not share the same appreciation, not knowing much about Buddhism nor the art of thangka-making.

Thangkas Found In A Store. For Sale. Not Cheap.

As we made our way back to the courtyard, we basked once more in the peace and quiet within the courtyard. The tranquility was not disturbed but was instead enhanced by the now familiar dong dong chimes of the prayer wheels and the fluttering of wings by the resident pigeons. And I thought this only happened in the movies! Truly, today is one AWE-spicious day!

[Do check out my other blogs on Bhutan here in WordPress, as well as my series on TravelBlog : Mystique of Bhutan . Here’s the link……….. http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/liliram/Trips/17606 ]

A Bad Shot of An Illuminated Thimpu Dzong 😦

The Bhutanese Men Wear Gho. The Women Wear Longer Skirts Called Kira.

To contact my tour guide Sonam Norbu, send an email to ubron_11@yahoo. com

Tags: Bhutan, Dzong, Himalayas, Thimpu, Thimpu Dzong, Trashichodzong

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Bhutan: Flying Into The Land of the Thunder Dragon

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Filed under: Asian Holidays, Travel, travels — 16 Comments

December 14, 2011

Definitely ONE OFF MY BUCKET LIST. I am still feeling OLD and TIRED, having just arrived from this dream trip to Bhutan. Not up to writing up my adventures yet. But this I must say. The flight into Bhutan is one for the books. What introduction to the Land of the Thunder Dragon, home of the concept of Gross National Happiness. As they say, HAPPINESS IS A PLACE. And that place is called Bhutan.

How many times have I been on a plane? A helicopter? A train? A boat? I didn’t give much thought about flying into Bhutan. But I sure know that this little Kingdom lies in the Eastern Himalayas right there above India, near Tibet. Snow-capped mountains shining like a jewel filled my plane’s window as we made the approach on our Airbus A319.

I imagined a small airport, and it was. After all, it is a small country. That explains why I found the US$756 round trip fare from Bangkok too pricey. And I was even told Druk Airlines — the only airline allowed to fly in and out of Paro Airport — gave us a hefty discount! Well, discount my foot I thought! From Bangkok, it took 2 hours to land in Dhaka, Bangladesh for a brief stopover. A few passengers got off, with just as few joining us on the 1 hour trip to Paro.

From my window seat, I saw how rugged the landscape is. Those lines down below must be the roads zigzagging around mountains. From a distance, I saw mountains in different hues of blue, even near-green, capped by the white snow shining like a golden tiara under the glare of the sun.

Then the plane made its approach. I could almost feel the pine trees brushing the soles of my feet as one of the highly-trained 8 Druk airlines pilots maneuvered the plane between 2 mountains ………… then actually leaned, veered to the left, turning really, really left, and landing in this short airstrip with a Dzhong or Monastery right there at the end of the runway!

http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Paro/blog-670960.html

Phew! What a flight. Leaning and swerving around mountain peaks and into the valleys was just insane!! And I have just landed. How exciting can that be? Well, more excitement follows as I begin my series of blogs on Bhutan starting with this and this. And don’t forget to check out my most awesome hike ever. The hike to Taktshang or Tiger’s Nest Monastery is NOT for the faint-hearted, but I’m mighty proud to say I survived it!

Btw, did I tell you that Druk pilots land VISUALLY (no radar), and literally lands the plane on a wing and a prayer? Oh yes, AND I KID YOU NOT!!!

http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Bhutan/Paro/blog-670960.html

This piece was written in a record time of 10 minutes to join this year’s final month’s blog carnival “The Journey is the Destination” hosted by one of the bloggers whom I deeply admire, Kara Santos of TravelingUp.

Do check out subsequent blogs on this happy place. I have been on a roll. And for good reason!

Tags: Bhutan, Gross National Happiness, Land of the Thunder Dragon

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Eating Around Ho Chi Minh (Saigon)

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Filed under: Asian Holidays, Food Trip, Travel, travels — 14 Comments

November 17, 2011

Just have to write a separate blog about this. Food is most certainly part of the adventure and guided by Filipino expats living in Ho Chi Minh, we found a few dining places worth visiting.

Be W.A.R.N.E.D.

Nha Hang Ngon

Our first lunch in Ho Chi Minh was in Nha Hang Ngon. Coming in cold, we were initially struck by the prices quoted in thousands. You see, US$1 here is equivalent to at least 20,000 Dong. Our expat friends suggested we drop the 3 zeroes and multiply by 2 to get the peso equivalent. So that means 100,000 Dong is approximately 200 pesos. Hmmm, that’s pretty neat.

Lunch at Nha Hang Ngon (Ngon means delicious)

Now going back to the menu in this place, we were pleasantly surprised to find that the prices are in fact very reasonable for a place oozing with local ambience, food so fresh and resto crew smiling 24/7. Nha Hang Ngon (“ngon” means delicious) has a quaint architecture and the periphery of the building is lined with foodstuff from appetizers to soups to mint-flavored dishes, to various barbecued meats and vietnamese rolls to desserts. It was a chore to choose from among the foods on display. Our version of “turo-turo” (point – point) where a diner does the mandatory circling of all food stalls and orders which ones should be served on their table.

Turo-Turo, Vietnamese Style. More Veggies, Less Meat.

The Refinery

Fine dining in Ho Chi Minh? Try The Refinery. It is the former headquarters of an opium factory which now houses a French Bistro, a Frenchy Bar and a Vietnamese outlet serving fusion cuisine. We tried the latter. Hoa Tuc is also a Saigon Cooking School much like we have CCA back in Manila. The red motif all over the place is very Frenchy, but the portions are not. No way we’d get small Frenchy portions with our Vietnamese dinner here.

Formerly an Opium Refinery in Saigon. Say what?

Want some cooking lessons? Then eat what you cook!

We left the ordering to my friend’s expat daughter and her friends. And what a selection! We enjoyed our sugarcane drink, our minty soup which tastes a bit like its Thai equivalent, the variety of barbecued meat, the fish in some savory sauce, the birthday noodles (3 of us were birthday celebrants), the crispy floured squid in tamarind sauce, the many vegetables, and the decadent , moist chocolate cake! If that dinner won’t energize you for a few rounds of walking, I don’t know what will.

Dinner at Hoa Tuc @The Refinery

Pho 2000

Naturally, we were also drawn to try this chain noodle house — rare in that it benefits from a Presidential endorsement. Ex-President Bill Clintonn once tried this Pho 2000 noodle house and raved about its Pho. No wonder his photos hang on all its walls. We tried the seafood pho, the beef pho, the chicken curry with baguette, their equivalent of the halo-halo (with fresh fruits rather than ours which are cooked in sugar syrup) , their coffee. The one we tried was at the corner of BenThanh Market.

Found one near Ben Thanh Market!

Ben Thanh Market

Yeah, right. This is a market where the shopper in you gets resurrected. While shopping for our Vietnamese coffee, cinnamon slippers and dried jackfruit slices, we found a few stalls serving desserts. Easy to grab one of those rice cakes, but we found the cold desserts most refreshing. Fresh fruits like cubed granada, papaya, watermelon were mixed in with gelatine and ice shavings — just right to make one forget all that heat and humidity inside this crowded shoppers’ paradise. We didn’t hesitate to claim a stool and partake of these sweet desserts to refresh ourselves. Besides, all that walking and shopping drained us of all energy.

Also, don’t forget to buy the fruits. Either have them as your dessert, or have them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I kid you not. Fresh custard apples (Atis) so solid you can just peel off the moon crater-y skin and eat the fruit like an apple. Or the macopas, and the mangoes. There were also big-sized chicos and tiny apples (manzanitas) which we enjoyed.

Grab a pack and go!

Food Courts At The Malls

Then there are the food courts to be found in the Malls. If you wish to have a quick fix in an airconditioned place, check out the food courts in the malls. I tried one of their hot pots, in an effort to stay “healthy”, but really, I soon discovered that it is easy to eat healthy here in Vietnam. Their food is more veggies than meat. And all that mint must explain why I didn’t meet any local with an unpleasant body aroma. Drenched in sweat in a hot, humid market, or exposed to the sun while scootering or biking around the city, I was expecting some body scent to alert me of sweaty bodies. Can’t explain it, and neither can I explain why I didn’t find too many flies in the wet market where I found seafood on display. Must be the hygiene or level of sanitation. Or all that mint. Tempts me to use my mint breath fresheners all over my body!

You may also want to check out my blog on Ho Chi Minh……..

And do try that beer too!

Vietnamese Coffee Rocks! (They have weasel and squirrel coffee beans too!)

Atis with Every Meal. Eat Them Like An Apple (Without The Skin)

Typical Banh Mi (as in Panini?) Vendor

Tags: Asia, ho chi minh, saigon, vietnam, vietnamese cuisine

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In Search of More Lunas (From Badoc, Ilocos Norte to Manila)

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Filed under: Don't Skip Manila!, Philippine Travels, Travel, travels — 5 Comments

November 5, 2011

Having visited the Juan Luna Shrine in Badoc, Ilocos Norte last July seems to have driven us to search for more Lunas. Or rather, to dig deeper into the mind of this great patriot and artist. More than his art, there is that most interesting if not tragic side to this hero’s life.

Juan Luna Shrine in Badoc , Ilocos Norte

The tour guide here should be commended. Not easy to hold the attention of my 2 elves, aged 10 and 13, the whole hour we were here. I particularly liked how he presented Luna to us as the artist while talking of the gold award he won in a Madrid art competition with the masterpiece, “Spoliarium”. A copy hangs in this Shrine while the original adorns the Masters Hall in the National Art Gallery. Or Luna as a romantic with a painting of “Una Bulaquena” where the original painting used to hang in Malacanang Palace till it was transferred to the National Art Gallery.

The Original

In one trip to the National Art Gallery, the Luna paintings showed how his art has evolved through the years spent in Madrid and Paris. But what caught my attention were some Luna paintings with no attribution. Was it Juan or Manuel who painted these? Jose Rizal once said Manuel , the brother of Juan and Antonio Luna, is the better painter but Manuel chose to study music instead.

That Little Girl Reminds Me of Someone Named Luna

My search brought me to a Lecture Series on Juan Luna at the GSIS where its museum proudly hangs the celebrated GSIS investment in a Luna painting entitled “A Parisian Life”. Michael “Xiao” Chua gave the lecture which allowed us listeners to understand another side of Juan Luna. For the most part of the lecture, Xiao dwelled on the life and tragedy of this great artist. It is up to us viewers to relate these trivia to how his art has evolved. I am no art connoisseur but it is not difficult to differentiate the masterful but intense strokes exhibited in the “Spolarium” versus the softer, milder, even playful art gleaned from “A Parisian Life” .

The Parisien Life at the GSIS Museum. But not for long. Who is buying?

The Wife Paz......Tragically Shot by Juan Luna

Xiao disclosed that the painting Parisian Life is up for sale. So, who is buying? It will be recalled that the sale and purchase of this artwork was so enmeshed in controversy in recent past. It has certainly gone a long way from the Bahay Nakpil-Bautista in Quiapo to the Hongkong auction house to GSIS Museum. In whose walls would it hang next? Xiao laments the possibility of having this painting stashed away in some foreign land. Much like the Battle of Lepanto, another masterpiece of Juan Luna, which has been hanging in the Senate walls in Madrid, Spain. So with the “Death of Cleopatra” which is on display at the prestigious Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain. Anyone care to shell out a hefty sum to keep this national treasure here at home where it belongs?

Battle of Lepanto @ Madrid, Spain.

Tags: Juan Luna, Luna, Manila, Museum, National Art Gallery, National Museum, Philippines

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Another, Not As Famous Heritage Town in Balayan, Batangas

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Filed under: Philippine Travels, Travel, travels — 16 Comments

October 26, 2011

One of the oldest towns in Batangas province, and around the Philippines, is BALAYAN. Coined from the Visayan word “Balay”, meaning house, it is one of the first settlements in the country with trade dating back to the mid-14th century. It was already known as Balayan since 1394 till it was “inherited” by a certain Datu Kumintang, after whom the town was called until 1578. The Augustinian missionaries arrived in this town in 1575 , then followed by Franciscan missionaries who built a small stone church in 1579.

We began our tour of Balayan with a visit to this national cultural treasure. Balayan Church was under the administration of “Indio Clergy” since the 19th century. This sets it apart from the other heritage churches found around the country. Considered as the first church in Batangas, and likely in the whole Tagalog Region, its claim to fame ironically involves a furor not so long ago over a proposed construction of a McDonald’s outlet in the historic church grounds.

From inside the Church, we exited behind the altar out into a back courtyard. In one corner of this courtyard is a small chapel at the end of a passageway where we found some interesting art works.

Courtyard At The Back of the Church

I did not find any inscription and didn’t have the chance to ask how old this piece of art is. The intricate woodcarving is lovely, just as the image of Our Lady holding an Infant Jesus.

From the Church, we visited the ancestral house of Leo Martinez. I knew the name sounds familiar. He is now a local politician here, but I remember him as an actor from a now defunct TV comedy show of long ago.

Ancestral House of Leo Martinez

How about this for a door knob?

It is unfortunate that there was no tour guide to tell us more about the ancestral houses in this area. The house of Leo Martinez has a marker that says 1935, which renders it “new” compared to the ancestral house of Don Sixto Lopez just right across the street. You can view this older house from one of the wide windows of the Martinez house.

Ancestral House of Sixto Lopez in Balayan, Batangas

The oldest house in Balayan is that of Don Sixto Lopez, the Grand Old Man of Balayan. His house has wide windows framed by capiz shells, like many of the other ancestral houses to be found in the area. Lopes belongs to a rich illustrious family who owned vast tracts of sugarcane fields in Batangas. The house sits right across the ancestral house of Leo Martinez.

Not too many Filipinos are familiar with Sixto Lopez who belonged to the same generation as the great national hero, Jose Rizal. But some would be familiar with his high society granddaughter Diana Jean Lopez, and the equally famous if not more famous great grandchildren such as Claudia Bermudez (daughter of Diana Jean) and Nikki Prieto Teodoro(wife of Presidential candidate Gibo Teodoro, who is from another rich haciendero family, the Cojuangcos of Tarlac). Oh yes, you can say all these socialites certainly come with a lot of class, unquestionable pedigree and beauty genes!

House Across Leo Martinez' Ancestral House in Balayan

We could have visited this house too across the street lining the Martinez and Lopez ancestral houses. But it was closed as someone allegedly committed suicide just a few days before our visit. Yay! 😦

Shot of Sixto Lopez House, Taken From Leo Martinez' Ancestral House.

Just like Vigan and Taal, Batangas , Balayan is yet another colonial town reminiscent of our Spanish heritage. Many heroes hail from this town too, and as the oldest town in Batangas if not of the Tagalog Region, it has a lot of history begging to be told and retold. My fingers and toes are crossed that the the local authorities do their job to promote this town as another tourist destination.

Tags: balayan, Batangas, Heritage Houses, Philippines, philippines travels

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How One Nasty Blog On Manila Went Viral

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Filed under: Travel, travels — 2 Comments

October 21, 2011

One Brit. One Blog. One Airport. One “Hotel”. One Bad Coffee.

What’s wrong with Manila? Many things, obviously. What’s wrong with our NAIA Airport or Terminal One? Too many things, admittedly. But certainly not enough to trash Manila.

This blog by this Brit may have pointed out the sad state of our airport and the city such that it provoked serious discussion among Filipinos who:

1. Accepted the painful truth but took exception to the sweeping generalization.

2. Accepted the painful truth and added insult to injury by confirming how hopeless we are.

3. Are in denial of things wrong around us and attacked the blogger with abusive language.

You may want to read the blog written by this Brit who admits being a grumpy old man, but certainly a well-traveled one. Without going to his blogsite (and adding to his stats), you can view the pages here. Read on, and tell me what you think.

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And there’s more. In a discussion forum in same blogsite, the comments revealed how Brits can argue among themselves just as much as some Pinoys claim to be the smart ones who readily accepted how this Brit branded Filipinos as “smarmy”. (He later apologized for this, admitting it was harsh and said in irritation.) Very likely, those smart ones didn’t even know what the word meant, and simply focused on one grumpy old man’s rants vs the filth in Manila. Nothing worth photographing, in his own words. But there were also other non-Pinoys who found the blog nasty and offensive, even as they agreed about the poor state of NAIA Terminal 1.

At the end of the day, this whole exercise proved that controversy sells. The Brit blogger got it right about the airport and the dirt in many places. But should we accept that Manila is hopeless and where the Filipino character is concerned? Some Pinoys do, judging by the comments.

The grumpy blogger reactivated his twitter account and invoked his “readers” to add to his 8 followers. I suspect he would write more controversial blogs, egged on by the phenomenal hit record of this mediocre blog. He is even more active in the travel forum, behaving like a true troll. Best not to engage him. He gets all fired up when he finds someone to argue with. In other words, don’t feed this troll. If you’re curious, allow me to just post additional screenshots of his Royal Troll-ness. 🙂

Tags: Manila, Philippines

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