The pandemic seriously restricted our social life and daily routines. Online shopping, dining in, Netflix-bingeing and virtual meet-ups have become the norm. But I’m happy to note that the art world is still very much vibrant and many artists — forced to stay home and finding more time to indulge in their art — have drawn inspiration from everyday life otherwise taken for granted.
While we stayed home much of the time, we haven’t given up on the stuff we enjoy doing. Thank God our neighbourhood is lined with deli shops, restos, bar joints, art galleries, furniture shops and not too far away, specialty home decor shops where one can spend entire afternoons. Our white walls are now adorned with newly-framed artworks which made trips to our favorite framer so very pleasurable. The art galleries are such a delight to visit and the adjacent coffee and snack bars provide interesting breaks. The alley we frequent even boast of resident cats who’ve since become attractions of the place. Now, here’s one area where feline and human creatures seem to live in true harmony amidst all the beautiful artworks. Swell.
Eating out is restricted to only a few establishments which we found to be safely observing health protocols. But eating in is no less satisfying. We even sourced some of our dinners from our favourite restos as food deliveries have become our new normal. One lovely discoveryis the joy of enjoying good meals without worrying about finding a parking slot nor of having to drive home. The convenience beats worries of prepping for meals and washing the dishes. Over time, we’ve grown accustomed to serving the food in their “delivered state” to do away with stuff filling our kitchen sink. No big deal, really.
While we have since started brewing our coffee and creating our cocktails at home,we didn’t miss out on sitting in outdoor cafesand bars if only to immerse ourselves in the ambiance of shooting the breeze, so to speak. Besides, it’s really nice to sit it out for some beverages after being on one’s feet in the many neighbouring art galleries. The pandemic may have reduced the visiting crowd but certainly not the interest and enthusiasm of the few who come. Online shopping for art may be the new norm but a serious collector would still want to view such creations up close and personal. There comes also this newfound respect for young artists as one observes how their art evolved through this rough period.
Life under quarantine. The new normal. Covid times. Social Distancing. These describe our present situation. No one was prepared for it. As the situation unfolded, acceptance of such reality took time. Unless and until lockdowns were put in place, flights may have gone on, dine-outs and parties pursued, get-togethers and meet-ups going non-stop. After 9 months, people have adapted to the more restrictive lifestyle. Zoom meetings replaced physical meet-ups. Online masses rather than actual trips to the church. Even weddings are via zoom. It’s a chore to go to the salon for haircuts and beauty treatments. Online shopping is doing brisk business. Same goes with food deliveries. So, how are we surviving?
We’re saving a lot of money making our own coffee. And it’s an adventure to try different beans and pods. Three coffee machines occupy space in my tiny studio and the first decision for the day is which machine to run. Our “Manang” regularly checks YouTube for baking lessons and her repertoire now includes bread, cakes and pies. More savings! The fragrant aroma wafting from the kitchen may have inspired the resident artist to paint for her 2 solo exhibits last April and October, and a couple more group exhibits she joined. Though few and far between, the light traffic encouraged me to drive again — just short trips to the tiny, boutique art galleries in the neighbourhood before or after meals in some outdoor cafe. At home, we have also grown experimental with our cocktails. And Netflix has become a way of life for us.
We’ve adapted reasonablywell, but I do miss meeting my friends for lunch or coffee. More than that, I miss my travels and trips to the beauty and massage parlours. I get by with drive-thru bloodworks and medical consultations via Zoom but I do miss my regular visits to my dentist! And because of the restrictions, day-outs are very infrequent but absolutely treasured. My smiles come really cheap whenever I step out of the house with either family or with friends. We’ve also rediscovered the joy in joyrides! Yet again, a new routine has emerged and my daily life is truly nothing to complain about. Our only anxieties are health-related but our paranoia has dwindled down without being reckless. A few more months, maybe. Or perhaps a year or so. We’d all manage. We can overcome this!
I rested 5 whole months for my recent trip to Egypt. Between October 2019 to February 2020, I dutifully and patiently heeded doctor’s and family’s “orders” to stay put and take it easy. If you’ve been following this site, you know that I enjoy being out, whether with friends or going solo for some adventures here or there. Like arriving in the morning from an international trip, and leaving in the afternoon for yet another. Or deciding to stay in one place, alone, while the rest of your traveling buddies fly home. Even while in Manila, I’d troop to Binondo just to walk aimlessly after spending a few hours in the museum. I’d enjoy a cup of coffee while digesting a book, or just simply walking around BGC. I could have made a career walking dogs and end up with truly happy canines. It has been 5 weeks now since we arrived from Egypt. We’ve booked ourselves for trips to South America this July and Europe this October. Plus I’ve booked our holiday cribs with family this August-September. Is it happening?
Karnak Temple inLuxor, EgyptHot-Air Balloon Over the Valley of the Kings
The year 2019 (and the years before that) was full of adventures until the last quarter. The “break” was a painful reminder that health matters and that TIME is precious. I learned the first lesson the hard way and the 2nd lesson in time to celebrate life and friendships as gifts. In these COVID-19 times, we are made even more aware of these 2 gifts. The quarantine makes us miss a lot of things, but it has also made us appreciate a lot more. People and stuff we were blessed with but took for granted. Life lessons? Perhaps.
I have lived in acondominium the last 30 years but hardly found time to chat up my neighbors. These days, I see them doing their morning walks around the pool while I take my coffee. Late afternoons,I see the kids and now get curious whose children they are and which units they live in. I take delight seeing them kids try crafting a thousand paper cranes, believing their wish will come true with the 1,000th origami crane. I’ve also been talking more to our dog as if he understands every word as I sip the cocktailsconcocted by my Nieta. I reminisced over my travel memories and wonder what the rest of the year holds. Bookings have been made for 3 trips but I’ve long stopped worrying if they’rehappening or not. I have also stopped worrying when this pandemic will be over. There are reasons why this is all happening now. There’s a new normal and all that matters now is how we spend our precious time and how we keep ourselves healthy to enjoy this time.
And so we’ve formed some kind of daily routine to deal with this quarantined way of life. I still long going out for coffee with friends but now realize my coffee machines (I switch between the 2 😊) give me good brews and I can enjoy my cuppa while chatting up my friends over cyberspace. I miss my happy hours with some buddies but realize that my Nieta can whip up a good cocktail for me. My late post-dinner evenings are spent with 2 young adults who now keep me company and liven up my otherwise quiet nocturnal nights. I sleep late with these young adults ( bad, bad) to the consternation of their parents and aunts. But happy hours have extended into happy nights and I think that’s what make it precious. That sofa bed? It’s more a bed and hardly folded back as a sofa now. The siblings bond long after their abuela hits the sack. After all, they never shared a room until now. Happy times amidst a crisis? Not really. The sad news still bother us but we’ve learned to live from day to day and try to worry less. We’re coping and dealing with this pandemic the best way we can. Much is beyond our control and we’veaccepted that. I do not know why this is happening but I’m sure we’d all come off it with a new appreciation of what’s truly important in this world. 🙏
There is much to celebrate and birthdays are perfect excuses. We celebrate the gift of life, and we remind ourselves that truly, gratitude resides in the heart. And so, we stop counting the candles on the cake and instead give thanks for the multitude of blessings. On my 60th birthday, I celebrated by gathering my family for a weeklong trip to South Korea. To this day, we tag it as our best-ever family trip. Everything went right on that trip. Everyone in good spirit. When we returned, I decided to throw an impromptu party with family and a few friends from college days. You bet we all felt like the teenagers we were when we first met and lived together in a dorm.
Seoul, South Korea. 2013.
Hotel Celeste. 60th Birthday
It has been a blur since. Having turned 60, I went full-ON with my travel adventures. I remember celebrating a birthday in India. Then another in Madridafter a nearly 2-week trip around Moroccowhich included spending a night in a bivouac in the Sahara. Back home, we didn’t miss getting together again for a birthday weekend in beautiful Balesin Island. At 64, I struck a dream destination off my bucket list. Macchu Picchu thrilled me no end, and no racing heartbeat could stop me from enjoying this heritage site.
India. 2014.
Casa Botin. Madrid. 2015.
Balesin Island. Quezon.
Macchu Picchu. 2017.
Turning 65, it would have been a good idea to hold a party but my Sydney-based sister and brother-in-law were celebrating their50th wedding anniversary so off I went Down Under for a birthday and golden wedding anniversary celebration. My friends based in California lost no time to join me and we had a blast. I’m not really into big parties anyway, and celebrating with family and friends “on a trip” is really my idea of a birthday celebration.
Sydney. 2018.
There are many ways to celebrate birthdays. You can plan all you want but sometimes the best plans come unhinged. Not because they were necessary spoilers, but more so because they couldn’t be postponed any longer. The last 5 years or so breezed by, packing many unique adventures. As I kept still the last so many weeks, I found time to pull apart many such recent memories threatening to get blurred with the passing of time. Some weight attaches to each — some light, others heavy with meaning. By no design, the ones that stick out are those that one cannot explain. Forever grateful for such unexplained, intuitive wisdom. Guided. And guarded. One tries not to overthink while slowing down to appreciate life and becoming more aware of one’s mortality. Not much else to say but “Thank You”. I need not understand every single thing. Thank You.
I came to Sydney for 2 major reasons. To attend my sister’s and brother-in-law’s 50th wedding anniversary on October 27 and to celebrate my birthday with my “OZ family”. My visits are rather regular, but this comes more special for those 2 reasons. Not every couple is blessed to celebrate a golden wedding anniversary. And another year tucked under one’s belt is always a good reason to celebrate. My birthdays were always spent in Manila except for 3 celebrated in India, Madrid and Peru in recent years. While travel adventures provided novelty and excitement, nothing beats being with family on such a special day.
I still have a long wish list and trust there is no limit to God’s mercy and generosity. Like a child, I unashamedly ask that God grants my heart’s desires. I’ve asked for much — for myself, as well as for others. Mostly “little things”. And just as much if not more, thank Him for answered prayers. I honour Him with much joy in my heart, and celebrate His gift of life.
To my family and friends, I have you all in my prayers. Praying for good health, safety wherever and with whomever we are, harmony and precious joy in our hearts. Most of all, we humbly thank You Lord for the time to celebrate with our loved ones as well as for the lessons learned from our poor decisions and ill-thought choices.
I just realized I didn’t do a blog summary on my 2017 trip to Peru. Specifically, on my adventures ticking Machu Picchu off my bucket list. Instead, I lumped my blog links on Peru, Miami, Utah and San Francisco, California all together. Not very neat. Especially for a trip where I honestly worried I could die. And so, this blog summary which I can now share with you.
I have drawn up my bucket list back in 2013 and has since struck off a few from the list. Problem is, for every country ticked off, there’s 2 more to add. So yes, it is a growing list. Wanderlust. Why fight it? Well, for one — my travel fund is fast depleting while the list keeps growing. I am also starting to feel my age 😢 though I strive to shake off any such anxiety. Keeping in mind to travel safely, comfortably but not necessarily luxuriously I need to plan my trips more wisely. And resist visiting the same favorite destinations —God help me! 🙏🏻
Like an old truck seeking new directions, I am very happy with the places I’ve visited and the experiences I’ve shared with family and friends. Finally, I managed to travel to Peru, India, Halong Bay (Vietnam), Myanmar & Finland since the list was drawn. I have also managed to do not one but 2 caminos — the last 100 kms from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela, as well as from Viterbo (Italy) to the Vatican City. Plus the challenging first 24kms of the Camino Frances from Saint Jean Pied de Port. Not bad for an old hag 😜
Yet the unchecked list remains. Galapagos. Northern Lights. The many lovely countries now comprising the former Yugoslavia. Hungary. Iguassu Falls. Canadian Rockies. New Zealand. Exotic Sri Lanka. Tibet. Other South American and African countries. Not to mention the list of domestic destinations waiting to be struck off! And perhaps another (longer) camino.
This March, Sri Lanka is it. Come April-May, my childhood friend and grandnephew should be free to travel with me. Destination yet unknown. Before my Schengen visa expires this year, I may as well do another trip to Europe. And in October-November, another trip to Sydney to visit family and meet up with friends who’d hop from Sydney to Kiwi land. I am very, very tempted to join them for the New Zealand leg too but we’ll see. This wanderlust is making me rethink my retirement. Not in the sense that I want to go back to work but more in terms of seeking other funding sources. (How????) In the same vein, I seriously need to plot my travel calendar within my travel fund in the next 5 years. Age is creeping in, and the “bolder, more adventurous, more energy-demanding trips” seek precedence over the more leisurely, relaxing, boketto-mode travels which can be dealt with once I (sadly) turn septuagenarian! 😫 — by which time, I plan to run a blog series on “Easy Travels for Seniors”. Wish me luck, I need it. 😘🙄🤪
My self-imposed retirement began in early 2001. I quit to have a life. And it’s been a life of adventures and nurtured relationships since.
I love to travel. And I travel with different sets and circles of friends. No better way to bond than enjoying their company 24/7. I’m one who easily gets along with most anyone on a trip. Perhaps because I’m in my elements when traveling. But I do realize it’s better to travel solo than putting up with bad company. I’m also hell-bent when I wish to be someplace and no one’s going with me. Guess it all started when I was a child standing in line to enjoy rollercoaster rides. I don’t do that now. Not because I’m afraid but more because I’m cautious not to break a brittle bone. I go visit family and friends whenever I can. I have always maintained that life is too short to waste it. As years pass, I appreciate more and more the value of relationship. I am happy I nurtured many since childhood.
2001:
USA Roadtrip
Beijing + HK
2002:
Spain + Portugal
Lourdes, Paris
2003:
USA East/West Coast
London
Roadtrip from Paris thru Tours,
Bordeaux, Lourdes, Provence,
Barcelona, back to Paris
2004:
St. Petersburg+Moscow, Russia
Switzerland
Provence+Paris
2005:
USA
2006:
Singapore
Europe
2007:
Alaskan Cruise
Vancouver+Victoria, Canada
Seattle+San Francisco+LA
2008:
HK/Macau
Taipei
2009:
Turkey & Greece
Indonesia
HK New Year
Shanghai
2010:
Siem Reap
Shanghai
2011:
Bhutan
Shanghai
2012:
South Africa+Zambia
Spain
2013:
Australia
Spain
Mongolia
Korea
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
2014:
Australia
Hanoi/Halong Bay, Vietnam
India
2015:
Myanmar
Spain
Berlin, Germany
Scandinavian Cruise
Bangkok, Thailand
Morocco+Spain
2016:
Italy
Tokyo
Sydney+Gold Coast, Australia
Japan
Bangkok, Thailand
2017:
Spain
Sydney
Tasmania
Miami/SFO/Vegas/Utah
Peru
Fukoaka
Spain
Paris, France
2018:
Sri Lanka
Central Vietnam
Vienna, Budapest & Bratislava
Kenya & Tanzania
Sydney
Bologna, Modena, Parma, San Marino
Vienna
Plitvice Lake
2019:
Brunei
Hokkaido
London, Bath & Cotswolds
Amsterdam & Brussels
Ljubljana, Trieste, Graz
Istrian Peninsula+Zagreb
Bali
2020:
Egypt
Easily, nearly 70 international trips since I retired in 2001. Way more than my combined trips before my self-imposed retirement. And a few times, I did back-to-back trips as well as “slow trips” counting up to 3 months home-based somewhere. I’ve also covered much ground back home. I’ve been quite busy. And very happy! Traveled with family and also with different sets of friends. Oh yes, I have no shortage of travel buddies. Outside of family, there are my camino buddies, a foodie group, college buddies, travel blogger-friends, former work colleagues, dormmates, childhood friends, etc. My friends would always ask which trips rank among my Top 10. And I’m always stumped for choice. How do you choose from among so many trips you’ve enjoyed and wish to repeat? But this I say, the more memorable ones are those where I learned the most, interacted with locals the most, or simply where “something clicked” to change my outlook in life. Not exactly an epiphany; just a simple discovery or realization from a meaningful experience.
PS. Times have changed since early 2020. We were lucky to do that Nile Cruise in Egypt. COVID-19 took over and our traveling life was put on hold. All 3 pre-booked trips this 2020 cancelled.
