And just like that, we only have a couple of weeks before the year 2026 sets in. This early, we’ve mapped out some travel plans already for the coming year. Siargao in January. Kerala, India in February. Back to Sydney in March for quite a time, till June. And for the 2nd half of the year 2026, a river cruise along the Rhine. God knows where else we’d find ourselves in in between those planned trips. There’s Hokkaido and Medan, Indonesia in the drawing boards. And of course, that forever plan to watch Messi play — either with Inter Miami or with his national team Argentina for the coveted back to back win in the World Cup. Busy 2026? Perhaps busier than this year 2025. I’ve skipped many trips with my travel mates this year — choosing to spend more time and holidays with the family. All good. 👍
Hiroshima
Started 2025 with a trip to Fukuoka although we stayed in Hiroshima for the most part. Despite the grim reminders of the horrors of war, the white and pink Sakura blooms cheered us up all throughout that spring holiday. For the 3rd time, I visited Miyajima Island to enjoy once more the iconic Torii gate and the succulent oysters and eels the island is famous for. Back in Manila for the necessary preps for a bigger trip to Spain and France. This European holiday is my first trip with a grandnephew based in Sydney, plus a niece whom I wanted to introduce to the camino as well as take to Lourdes, France for some “spiritual experience”. From the Gaudi-inspired city of Barcelona, we took the train to Pamplona and met up with cousins to Saint Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles to Lourdes to Paris. It was time very well spent. The sightseeing, the pilgrimage walk, time with family, the art and culture aspects of a trip and most importantly, the bonding time while experiencing all these lovely adventures and creating happy memories.
Walking out of Saint Jean Pied de Port in France to cross the Pyrenees into Spain.
Soon after this European trip, I only had a few days to pack for another holiday. This time, in Bali, Indonesia where more kin from Sydney flew in to join me for 5 days of sun and sand. We made sure the trip is “senior friendly” as my 81 year old sister and brother-in-law are joining. That is not to say this newly-arrived (from a hectic trip) septuagenarian didn’t need a break. Quite honestly, I actually rested so well in Bali. It was truly a relaxing holiday after a fast-paced holiday with a younger set. Just what I needed!
With family in Bali.
Fukuoka in spring. Fukuoka in end of summer. Yes, I returned to this lovely city in September, this time with my “Apos” to attend my nieta’s art exhibit. But I hardly did anything outside of just being present. The twenty-somethings did all the planning, flight and tour bookings. Including all dining and shopping itineraries. Not bad. I can get used to this. We ate well, even if I thought we had too much coffee and ramen. I sat out the shopping part, but I enjoyed the new spots which the younger sets prefer. Besides, we are actually here for the Art Fair Asia Fukuoka !
Before the year ended, I joined my friends for yet another trip — to Kaohsiung in Taiwan. This is my first time here as I’ve only been to Taipei and nowhere else in Taiwan. Just a quick trip. Aside from shopping and eating, I only managed to visit Pier 2 Art Center. On 2 consecutive days, I visited the area which is just a short walk from the hotel we booked. Just as well. The pier is a massive place dotted with brick warehouses cum shopping and dining areas, and parks with very interesting art installations. I’m sure my young family members would love it here. But next visit, I’d be sure to time it during cooler temps. It’s hard to endure the sun in the open-air art spots. The afternoons by the river are more pleasant though.
Pier 2 Art Center. Kaoshiung, Taiwan.
And so, here ends 2025. How has it been? We look back with gratitude and look forward with hope. In a few, the year 2026 beckons. A third of the coming year is all planned out this early but the remainder is still there, leaving room for exploration. For adventure. For surprises. Oh, don’t we all love surprises? I am ready for the coming year. Are you? 💕🎉🙏🍾🚘💃✈️🚂🛳️⛱️🏕️⛰️🏝️
That first visit was simply NOT enough. The stroll from the Kaohsiung Music Center to the Whale Promenade across the bridge gave us a sweat. Feeling a tad out of place with the younger crowd that late Sunday afternoon cheering on a band onstage amidst food kiosks and arts and crafts booths, we headed back to our hotel in time for dinner at a nearby izakaya. On our last full day in Kaohsiung, we leisurely spent the day food shopping in the morning, then checking out this institution of a beef noodle house which has been in business for 65 years. We beat the lunch crowd and promptly got a table without having to line up. Siesta after lunch, why not? It was only wise to wait till late afternoon when it’s not too sunny and humid before giving Pier 2 another stroll with plans to enjoy cocktails in one of the seafood restaurants by the riverbank. Another afternoon, another sunset.
The row of brick warehousesand some art installations happened to be right behind the Kaohsiung Music Center. A wide promenade good for joggers, sightseersas well as some avid shoppers and friends who just want to hang out, perhaps helped along by some alcoholic beverages. We watched as the sun set and thereafter indulged in sundown cocktails in this seafood resto and wine bar by the riverbank called Yonshin Fudopia. For the first time, I’ve tried whelks — a kind of marine snails used for food — which I absolutely enjoyed! Besides, vino by the waters by sundown is one pleasurable moment in my book. A slight breeze on an otherwise humid day with good company clinched the deal.
The art installations by the water’s edge continue beyond the bridge all the way to a parkand Art Center. It’s a good walk. I headed back the following morning and simply traced the route of the light rail which weaved thru brick warehouses and a mini park. A robot here, a peeing boy painted on a wall, a giant statue, some more art installations which included a mini train, something that looked like either a phonographor a megaphone, a suitcase, dragon, swing, etc. Tried to eavesdrop on this bunch of school kids with their teacher spilling details on the sculptures but no deal — can’t break through the Chinese spiel. For sure, those kids were awed by the lessons.
By and large, Kaohsiung is a more quiet, cleanerplace than Taipei. We’ve skipped the touristy stuff and simply enjoyed the shopping and strolls by the pier. We could have done better in the dining department though but trip’s short and sweet so that’s alright. I slept real good and I haven’t done that in a long time. Like 8 to 9 hours! Trips with absolutely no agenda do work.
We arrived on a Saturday evening and settled on an al fresco dinner around the corner from our Fullon Kaohsiung Hotel before calling it a night. Though it was just a 2-hour flight with no time difference from Manila time, airport departures and arrivals still shift one’s balance and leave you tired and restless. The dinner in this hole in the wall was both funny and satisfying. We had our fill of Taiwan beer and Kirin along with bowls of fish, gelatinous pork, spicy clams, Taiwanese sausages, anchovies, and whatever else our eyes fancied. We were famished and tired. And the restaurant ran out of rice but we were a bunch of uncomplaining, happy diners. A good start.
Touchdown, Kaohsiung!
Dinner in a hole-in-the-wall restaurant
The next morning, we walked 3 blocks towards the Holy Rosary Cathedral for our Sunday English Mass, followed by shopping at the SKM Mall. By late afternoon, we were ready to pay the Pier 2 Arts Center a visit. Just a walking distance from our hotel but we only managed to visit the Music Center and the Whale Promenade across. There was a very young crowd that Sunday evening, complete with a a stage for some entertainment hemmed in by rows and rows of food and crafts booths. Like a Mercato with a stage band! Worked up a sweat just walking around. Missed a good part of the Art Center (it can wait another day) as it swiftly turned dark after sunset.
Holy. Rosary CathedralA carousel outside the SKM Mall
Shopping was alright. Bagged a few items but I’m not much of a shopper anyway. Besides, Uniqlo prices here seem higher than what they fetch back in Manila. Better to enjoy my hotpot lunch instead of shuttling between the outlet stores. But then again, my hotpot meal left much to be desired that I vowed to search for a good hotpot or beef noodle house while I’m here. (We found one the following Monday)
Gang Yuan Noodle House. 65 years in business.
The. Kaohsiung Music Center at Sunset
Would anyone recognize this singer?
It’s nice to be back in Taiwan. My last visit was years ago, where I still remember the excellent meals we partook with delightful plum wines. Had a local then who took us to good dining outlets. With only 3 nights to spend here, there may not be enough chances 🥲 as we’ve only covered that al fresco dinner, beef noodle house and a Japanese izakaya. Let’s see how our luck turns out in the few meals remaining.
Woke up real early today for our 7:45 am flight for St. Petersburg. Good thing we got our suitcases in Lylah’s trunk the night before. Thank yous , hugs and kisses for our perfect hostess, Lylah Moonlight, and Emy and I were off to Russia via Paris.
From Paris, it was just another 3 hrs or so before we landed in St. Petersburg. Emy was held up in the airport immigration for a good half hour. By the time they released her and allowed entry to Russian soil, they have managed to tamper her passport presumably to check if her passport photo was not something surreptitiously slipped in!!! Gosh, you find a sea of unsmiling faces comprising your reception committee in this communist country and it’s enough to give you cold feet. Worse, there are no airport buses or shuttles to the city center. One has no choice but to negotiate with taxi drivers who seem to have all appointed a “Mafia Boss” for the taxi ride to town. For Emy and I, it was a whopping US $70 to get to Hotel Pribaltiskaja.
We were in the hotel way past 5 pm. Just enough time to get acquainted with the hotel facilities and enjoy a buffet dinner. From our Hotel window, we can look out to the Gulf of Finland. Over dinner, we met with a Filipino and Singaporean family who were on a tour which started in Helsinki, Finland. We all agreed dinner could be better. Actually, it was sloppy. These Russians have a lot to learn. And we are certainly not in a cheap hotel! Ours may not be in the city center but it’s one of the best they have in St. Petersburg. Good thing the 3rd world babes were too tired to complain.
St. Basil ‘s
September 8 Wednesday
Soon after our breakfast which we finished by almost 11 am, we were ready to take the hotel shuttle to town. From the drop off point near the grand colonnade of Kazan Cathedral, we entered the cathedral and witnessed a Russian wedding where the bridesgroom and bridesmaid each held a red crown over the heads of the bride and groom. I didn’t understand a word throughout the ceremony but I bet the groom is so very happy with his very beautiful bride. We then walked all along Nevskij Prospekt to the golden spire of Admiralty. Taking 360 degree turns, Emy and I took photos with the following in the background: Admiralty, Palace Square, and the Winter Palace which is home to the Hermitage Museum. For only 250 rubles equivalent to less than US$10, we joined a guided tour of the Museum with this English speaking museum guide. But let me explain the process: first you go to this office to say you want to join the tour, they give you a slip of paper to go to this window and pay, then you get back to the office for the tickets. Then you go through security and wait till your guide is ready with the touring party. I believe that is the communist way. Hmmmm.
The Museum is a must see. The extravaganza alone will bowl one over. You can imagine the tsars and tsarinas waltzing away the night in all those huge halls. The Jordan Staircase looks better on photo though, but what the heck, Emy and I took snapshots of each other on the staircase!!! Never mind that a Japanese group was ogling us as we tried to walk down the stairs like a Tsarina would. Hmmmp! Gosh, these Japanese are really all over town. And these Japanese tourists are getting younger and younger…….Back to the collections, these prove what a great shopper Catherine the Great was. From the Italian masters, to the Dutch painters, to the Spanish famed artists, and on and on. The whole collection spells W O W. I particularly liked the sculpture Crouching Boy by Michelangelo. We also didn’t miss da Vinci’s Madonna and Madonna Litta, Rubens’ Descent from the Cross (there are many other versions by other artists on the same theme, all equally good) and Rembrandt’s Abraham’s Sacrifice of Isaac and Portrait of an Old Man. There were also the contemporary works of Cezanne, Matisse, Monet, Degas, Gaugauin, Renoir, Pissaro and Picasso. The 1812 Gallery is as impressive as the military men’s portraits tried to convey machismo, along with the lavishly decorated Malachite Hall, Pavillion Hall and White Dining Room. Wow, these tsars and tsarinas really lived it up!
Church of the Spilled Blood
We were all but exhausted by the time we got back to the hotel. Kind of late since we passed by St. Isaac’s Cathedral too and by the time we got to the drop off in Kazan, the 6pm shuttle was already full and we had to wait another 20 minutes – in the rain – for the next shuttle. Oh, did I mention that on the way back to the shuttle pick up point, Emy had this “slip” ? It sounded more like she dropped her bag but gosh, she DROPPED along with the bag. No wonder it sounded like a real heavy thud! We really must be walking a lot…… When we got back to the hotel, we tried looking for the Placinos but the front desk said there was no one who checked in by that name!!!! After about an hour, we got a call from Robbie. They were in the hotel lobby and we asked them to come up to our room. What a reunion!!!! Maryann said she thought we would never have a chance to see each other again. Well, it was our luck to meet up again , and in Russia at this time at that! After some aperitif consisting of caviar sold by this Russian waiter for only $10 spread over some wafers I got from Czech Republic, we trooped down to the dining hall for dinner. Nothing exciting about Russian meals, I must say, but the company is superb! Naturally, we laughed to our hearts’ content on the Emy slipping episode. Poor Emy!
Before calling it a night, we agreed to meet the following morning at the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, also known as the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood.
September 9 Thursday
This one is a St. Basil’s Cathedral look alike, but I wouldn’t know that since I haven’t seen St. Basil’s in Moscow. Just the same, the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood with all its multi-colored onion domes and frescoed paintings is a great sight! The story goes that Alexander II was assassinated on the very spot and that the church served like a memorial for him. The Placinos joined us touring the interiors of this great church. One has to look up much of the time, craning one’s neck to appreciate the beauty all around……..truly marvelous. After this tour, we decided to do a bit of shopping in Gostinny Dvor and to check in on Alexandrinsky Theater, the oldest theater in Russia, to buy ballet tickets.
We managed to get tickets for the 7 pm ballet (Swan Lake with Kolegova as lead) before splitting up. The Placinos had to get their bags packed to board their boat for the cruise, while Emy and I decided to stay in the city center to explore. First we had lunch in a simple café in front of Alexandrinsky Theater where a lunch of Beef Stroganoff and Chicken Kiev was good for its moderate price. Not bad, until I ordered a cup of cappuccino which costs just as much as lunch! Really, I will never understand the Russian pricing system — from food to taxi fares to souvenir items. The good news though is that there was this sweet young waitress in the café who gave us tips on where to go and how .
And so, before the 7pm ballet performance, Emy and I managed to take the metro to go to the Peter and Paul Fortress, took photos of the Cathedral of Peter and Paul with its graceful spire, and a splendid panorama of the Admiralty and Winter Palace from across the River Neva. Taking the same metro back to Gostinny Dvor, we shopped again
until it was almost performance time. No chance to visit the Russian Museum right beside the Church of Resurrection nor Michail’s Palace and the Summer Garden. Swan Lake was in 4 acts; though there was some debate after the 3rd act if there is a subsequent act. We thoroughly enjoyed the ballet but gosh, how ignorant can we get!
Another experience awaited us before we split up. Emy and I negotiated with this taxi driver to take us back to Hotel Pribaltiskaja. First the driver quoted 30 euros which of course was simply exhorbitant! Down to 20 euros, until we managed to settle on 250 rubles or about US $10. All this haggling is taking a toll on my nerves. By the time we got back to the hotel, we were completely exhausted.
September 10 Friday
We got to the airport by 9am only to be told that we should go up the stairs to check in our big suitcases. No lifts! Wow, these Russians talaga!!! We found 2 porters, promptly tipped US$2 which brought big smiles on their faces, and got our bags checked in . While waiting, one of the 2 porters never stopped smiling at us that Emy and I were almost tempted to hand him more tips. There was only one departure lounge so we had to wait outside until the lounge is “cleared” by the previous batch of departing passengers. The Aeroflot plane ride from St. Petersburg to Moscow only took an hour and a half. The stewards looked like air marshals, the stewardesses looked either like spies or prostitutes. By the time we got to the Shereme airport and picked up our bags, we were deluged by waiting taxi drivers ready to haggle over the taxi fare. One even got this English speaking woman who fits a hustler’s role to a T to convince Emy and I that taxi fare from the airport to city center is fixed at 2000 rubles, about US $70. I haggled, but not so successfully, down to 1500 rubles or about US$50. Another stressful episode.
Sheraton Palace Hotel in Moscow’s Tverskaya Road is a haven. Most of the staff speak good English and the doorman (Pappie) , a huge black man, looks like an adorable bear. We only took some time to drop our bags, put some order in the room, get some fruits (free) near the lifts, and Emy and I were ready to explore. Pappie said it is just a 15 minute walk to the Red Square. Pappie was off by a good half hour!!!! By the time we got to Red Square, we found just enough time to take photos of the Kremlin Wall and the famous St. Basil’s Cathedral. It looks almost the same as the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood in St. Petersburg except that St. Basil’s has a lot of free space around it. It is a perfect photo op. Lenin’s tomb was already closed so Emy and I decided to go back the next day without our cameras as they don’t allow it. We walked back the same way along Moscow’s Tverskaya Streetwhich is the main shopping area. Along the way, we passed a number of Mc Donald’s , Pizza Hut, Benetton, and the awesome Yeliseyevsky Store, an ornate and elegant food store complete with chandeliers!!!! We bought some croissants and salami for breakfast the following day.
September 11 Saturday
No cameras slung on our shoulders, but heavily wrapped in leather and wool jackets, we made our way back to Red Square. This time, we took the metro. We got off at the Teatralnaya, which literally means Theater Square. And so it was, since the Bolshoi Theater is just across the metro station. There was this stocky man who asked me “What do you want to watch?” in a tone that demands your full attention. A squeaky voice (mine) said “ballet”. Then on the ticket window while inquiring on the ticket prices at Bolshoi, this guard stands right behind you in a manner that you feel this imaginary cell which does not allow you to make any abrupt motions lest you get it in the head from this guard. The end of this episode is we finally bought our tickets for ballet for 850 rubles, about US $30 for the 7pm performance tonight. If they charged us US$100, I’d probably be too nervous to complain.
We went back to the Red Square and lined up for Lenin’s Tomb. We were too late. Instead, we lingered over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before finally deciding to buy tickets for a guided tour of the Kremlin’s Cathedral Square. This again is a must-see in Moscow. Too bad we didn’t have our cameras with us. Our local guide Luva (meaning love in Russian) felt so sorry for us. There was the Cathedral of Annunciation where the royals were baptized and married , the Cathedral of Assumption where the royal heirs were crowned, and the Cathedral of Archangel Michael where the tsars were buried. The Cathedral of Annunciation was also the private chapel of the tsars and tsarinas and the church has a private passageway linked to the palace. There was also Ivan the Great’s Bell Tower in the Square. Not far from the Cathedral Square is the Tsar’s Bell. The largest bell in the world, it cracked even before the bell was rung. A few steps away we found the Tsar’s Cannon. The guards across were ready to blow their whistles as soon as a tourist takes even a half step beyond the ropes. And some yards before the exit, we found the tsars’ entertainment center all dressed up in multicolored domes and bright yellow painted walls. Oh, so much to see and no cameras!!! I promised myself I’d go back the following day with my camera even if that means having to pay for another ticket to the Kremlin.
Food in Russia must be so bad I can’t even remember where we had our dinner before the ballet. I think it’s in this fastfood in a department store called GUM. Again, I was confused with the Russian pricing system. You eat buffet dinner in a hotel for under 400 rubles, yet you pay as much as 900 rubles for a fastfood meal! I’m completely out of my wits……guess the Russians just price as they wish without real regard to value. Like a metro ride is just 8 rubles yet a taxi ride can rip you off at 3000 rubles.
Anyway, Giselle was only in 2 acts, and while we claim not to be experts, we are sure that the Bolshoi theater performance (Inna Petrova as Giselle, Dmitriy Gudanov as Count Albert) is better than the Kirov performance in St. Petersburg. The little pamphlet I got says the theater has been in existence since 1776. Nothing in the pamphlet offered any information about the theater siege in 2002 where Russian troops lobbed nerve gas into the theater and resulted in deaths of over a 100 including theater guests and tourists. While delighting in the ballet performance, we couldn’t help stealing glances at the Russian guards posted almost at every corner of the theater. They sure look oh so ready to pounce on anyone who makes a drastic move. That explains why we deliberately slowed our motions and tried not to make any abrupt movements. Going back to the hotel, we took the metro and happened to check in on some famous Moscow underground stations which are so lavishly decorated. Emy counted off some 17 lamp posts spread at 3 meter intervals as we plunged down an escalator to take the subway. Designed as bomb shelters, we were even more amazed to see chandeliers, stained glass, mosaics, and ceiling paintings in some train stations. Only in Russia, indeed!
September 12 Sunday
We found this huge Catholic Church some 15 minutes walk away from the Sheraton Hotel. Perhaps because they are a minority, it was so refreshing to see such devout Catholics gathered in prayer. After mass, Emy and I took off again to try our luck at Lenin’s Mausoleum. We got in line, but because we brought our cameras with us, Emy was held up in the gate and not allowed entry. I got lucky and passed the gate without a hitch even while I had 2 cameras in my bag! Bading adieu to Emy with a promise to be back soon so I can get her bag while she makes a dash for the tomb, I followed the line to pay my respects to Lenin. All around his tomb , they posted guards and trust me, each one is a Lenin look-alike, without the beard of course. But these guards could even pass off as wax figures, especially so since they hardly move, or even breathe!!!! Panting for breath, I managed to sprint back with a few breaths left to Emy despite one guard insisting that I get back on the line making out for the exit. I pretended not to understand, and when you’re panting for breath it’s easy to play dumb……Well, all’s well that ends well.
After this episode, we went back to see Luva to get on another tour of the Kremlin. Emy changed her mind even before Luva formed a group. She opted to do her shopping. I stayed, and met 3 Texan buddies with rounded bellies. With 2 cameras, I got real good fotos of Cathedral Square, the Tsar’s Bell and Tsar’s Cannon. The 3 Texans had no cameras so I took their pictures too and promised to email them the fotos. On the way back to the hotel, I bought some icons for pasalubongs(gifts).
September 13 Monday
Another rip off at US $100 for a 30 minute taxi ride that took us from the hotel to the airport. Again, Emy got held up exiting Russia….. this time , because her passport seems “tampered”. Of course it was, the Russians in St. Petersburg tampered it when we entered Russia!!!! Frankly, the first time we were hassled in St. Petersburg, I felt like it was really an ordeal. Got real worried then. This time around, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel if we were not allowed out of the country. For one, there were still a number of sights Emy and I missed. hmmmm………you like how I’m thinking? Well, Lady Luck either smiled at us or smirked at the thought, and we were finally out of Russia. As we settled in our seats on the plane, we reminisced over our Russian ordeal. Funny……….it’s hard to review this ordeal in our heads without remembering the wondrous adventure of stepping into the palaces haunted by Catherine the Great and the last Tsar Nicholas of Russia, or our funny misadventures watching the ballet performances in St. Petersburg and Moscow, the awesome and mind-boggling beauty of the Red Square and the Kremlin. Never mind that we didn’t really enjoy a decent meal in Russia, that we were hassled getting in and out of the country, or that we were ripped off by those taxis and limousine service. This is one adventure we truly enjoyed!
It’s my 4th time in Fukuoka, and my 2nd visit this 2025. But it’s my 1st time visiting with young adults, all 3 of them, all under 30. I pulled up the average to mid 30’s and that changes the whole complexion of this holiday. For starters, they booked the flights, chose the hotel and area (Tenjin), drew up the travel itinerary including dining options. I’m not complaining but I had to skip some meals as I couldn’t keep up with their appetites and bar trips. Also, we’re here “officially” for an art event — the Art Fair Asia Fukuoka (AFAF). My nieta has 2 art works on exhibit along with other Filipino contemporary artists. We arrived a day early and left 4 days after the event. Enough time to explore Fukuoka as well as do a day trip to visit Dazaifu Shrine, Beppu Ropeway, Lake Kinrin and YUFUIN Floral Village.
Art by Anna Bautista. Art Fair Asia Fukuoka 2025. Dazaifu Shrine
Of the 3, the young adults were most excited over the YUFUIN Floral Village. I’ve earlier written about Dazaifu Shrine and Beppu, but hardly on this animé inspired village. My young travel mates said I should have watched the movies before coming, if only for better appreciation. In my Studio Ghibli-starved mind, I can only agree with the observation. But I did try to pay more attention to the tiny, colorful, cute-sy souvenir shops and snack booths. I do appreciate the Harry Potter-themed store, and I recognised Miffy, Miss Minchin until the smell of newly-cooked croquettes and kani sticks got my attention. The slight drizzle gave me a convenient excuse to stay in one of the shaded stalls serving peach sour and craft beers. 🙄
Mt Tsurumi Yufuin Floral Village
On Day 4, our “travel planner” cum artist took us to Fukuoka Art Museum. Oh, this we enjoyed so much. The museum has an impressive collection of works by contemporary artists to include Miro, Basquiat, Warhol and Kiefer whose exhibit we visited in Palazzo Strozzi in Florence last year. The collections also included many artworks by Japanese artists. The Museum itself is an interesting work of art. Just outside the museum building is that famous pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama. That familiar yellow polka-dotted pumpkin!
Yayoi Kusama in Fukuoka Art Museum Fukuoka Art Museum
From the museum, we traced the water edge to find “& Locals”, a cafe serving set meals which you eat overlooking the lake. They were simple meals like the mackerel I had with the finest-tasting tea. Interestingly, there were meal instructions to pour tea over the rice meal for better flavor! Plus we all enjoyed the dessert of matcha kakigori we shared. The lunch set us up for a good stroll across Ohori Park with all its tranquil beauty under an overcast sky. The temps are a tad lower compared to the summer heat that welcomed us on Day 1.
& Locals CafeOhori Park
The remaining days were spent mostly shoppingand eating. The dining and shopping spots are different though — the young adults are more keen on Pokémon Center, Tokyu Hands, GU, Uniqlo. As for dining, there is never enough ramen, tsukumen, ice cream, tonkatsu, gyukatsu, gyoza and yakitori. Trips to the Family Mart and 7-Eleven are normal and frequent. I had my egg sandwich fix while the boys made sure they have enough onigiri. For ice cream, we’d walk to the Daimyo Soft Creme and for coffee, Blue Bottle Cafe in Tenjin.
TsukumenGyukatsu
Weather forecast was rainfall throughout our Fukuoka holiday but we were blessed with cloudy skies with a few sunny spells. No rain except for a few slight drizzle episodes. The Art Fair was successfully launched and the after-event party a fun time. We enjoyed all our meals and all attractions. It was a breeze exploring Fukuoka, and would have wanted to stay longer. Seriously. But all’s well. We can always plan another visit 😉
Emy and I feel almost sad to leave our Frauenfeld home, a home that is never locked at night, where neighbors’ voices are hardly heard, where the only noises you’d hear would be the washing machine spinning or the coffee beans grinding. Or our loud Filipino voices and laughter! Our dear Lylah, her hubby and 2 sons, have become our family in Switzerland for a few days.
Since we paid good money to join this Trafalgar tour, Lylah helped us stuff our bags in her car trunk once more, and dropped us off at our Zurich hotel (Hotel Renaissance). On the way to Zurich, Lylah showed us the sights in Wintherthur…..where Fredy was born and raised , where his father continues to live, where they also used to live and run a boutique, and where Fredy still runs a printing press. That same afternoon, we joined our bus for an orientation tour of Zurich’s old town which included Fraumunster and its lovely stained glass windows designed by Marc Chagall. Just across we found Grossmunster in its Romanesque splendor, which literally
means big (gross) cathedral (munster). Considered the “mother church” of Reformation in German-speaking Switzerland, the stained glass windows by Giacometti are just as lovely. The magnificent display of colors aptly complemented Giacometti’s Christmas story. Of course , we didn’t miss Bahnhofstrasse, considered Zurich’s elegant shopping street. Back in the hotel, we met Miranda our Tour Guide along with our fellow travelers on Trafalgar which included 9 USA-based Filipinos, 3 USA-based Koreans, 4 Australians, 2 Canadians, 3 Carribeans who found home in Florida, and Americans from Texas, Las Vegas, California. Miranda promised us a cheese fondue during the orientation meeting, but the fondue never made an appearance. We had chips and nuts.
August 28 Saturday
Early wake up call (gosh, the ordeal begins…..) for our motorcoach ride to Venice . Our Tour Director Miranda decided that we break our journey to do what we can do in Lucerne today while the sun is out. So, we took our lake cruise today . Then, some from the group joined the cable car ride to the mountaintop of Stanserhorn. Emy and I took the chance to instead explore the town where we found a small church, a market where we
Stanserhorn
bought bread, and a small grocery. We then took the Gotthard Route via Bellinzona, with a stopover in Lugano. Some snapshots again here and there in Lugano though the boys in the tour group were quite distracted by topless sunbathers in a nearby swimming pool by the lake. I like my picture with the Carribeans who call Miami, Florida their home now.
No stopover in Milan , which marks my first disappointment with Trafalgar! And there waiting in Mira near Venice was our 2nd disappointment. Hotel Il Burchiello should be spelled ILL Burchiello. This small hotel is so far away from Venice, has hardly any nearby tourist landmark, serves very bad dinners (both of the porkloin or dehydrated roast beef variety ) and even has this old waiter (he maybe the owner of the small hotel) who had the nerve to show his disgusto when Emy and I showed up late for dinner. How on earth Trafalgar rated this hotel among the “first class hotels” is utterly unfathomable. Two dinners in a row, and no seafood. And I thought we were in Venice!
August 29 Sunday
I won’t talk about dinner tonite in ILL Burchiello. It’s a bad ending for what is to be a very good day for Emy and I in Venice. This , despite the Tour Director’s not so subtle proddings for the 2 of us to join the rest on the gondola ride and lunch cruise to the island of Burano.
Where do I begin? First, we started the day with mass at St. Mark’s Basilica. The 9am mass in Italian in this Byzantine church on this sunny Sunday sets the theme for the rest of our journey throughout Europe. Today, I asked our good Lord to send us angels to guide us all throughout our trip and bring us back home safe and sound with happy memories. Which is exactly what we got, plus more. Emy and I walked around the Piazza San Marco and nearby alleys and found another church (St. Pancratius?) . Then we got ourselves a ticket to ride the ferry to Burano ….all for just 10 euros!!!! Wow, isn’t this a better deal than the 50 euros Trafalgar charged our fellow travelers for the lunch cruise to Burano? Wait till Miranda hears this!!!
With that in mind, Emy and I planned on a superb lunch in the island which we reached after some 45 minutes on the ferry and after 2 stops in Lido and Pta de Sabiano. Burano is truly a quaint little Italian island town…….with its small two storied buildings and shops in bright orange, sunny yellow, pastel pink , royal blue and even magenta shades! They even have the equivalent of the leaning tower of Pisa in the island. But the highlight of this side trip lies in the seafood lunch its well managed little bistros and osterias have to offer. Emy and I feasted on seafood pasta and fried fish so fresh, served by the very hospitable bistro owner cum waiter. Of course, my half liter of prosecco went well with the seafood lunch.
After a good lunch, Emy and I had good reasons to digest our superb lunch by shopping around. On full stomachs, we bought our venetian glass pendants, wristwatches in bright yellow, green and the more conservative choco brown leather straps. We also got some shawls, but not the lacy types Burano takes pride in . On our ferry back to San Marco, we decided to cancel plans to get off Lido and instead went straight back to join our group in San Marco. While sitting it out on the ferry , we saw our group’s private launch and thought we probably didn’t miss much fun. Nothing beats being with the locals, as we did on this ferry ride. The ride itself has many stories to tell….. from the patient father attending to his 2 little girls whose mother is in a real terrible mood she wouldn’t stop reprimanding the little ones, to the local teens who can do with some cologne, to the other tourists on board like us who wouldn’t stop spreading out and folding back their Venice maps.
At least, Emy and I didn’t feel so deprived when we faced off with our 2nd dinner at ILL Burchiello. We simply thought back of the superb lunch of fish and pasta we enjoyed in the island of Burano and the memory served us well. Besides, there’s all the watches and pendants we bought “to review” before calling it a night.
August 30 Monday
Another early wake up call. Breathing a sigh of relief that we are finally leaving ILL Burchiello and its stern looking hotel owner, we joined our motorcoach for the ride to Imperial Vienna, Austria. Our Tour Director really hyped about how grand our hotel lodgings are in Vienna, reminding all of us that the hotel used to be a Royal Guesthouse right beside Schonbrunn Palace. Having said that , I knew the hotel must be in the city suburbs rather than the desired city center. I still remember having made that metro ride from the city center just to visit Schonbrunn Schloss sometime in 2000. Well, the hotel is ok though the courtyard “described by Tour Director Miranda” is really simply that, a courtyard. Nothing fancy about it. But the breakfast area is really one for the books. Adorned with a stage intended for performances complete with heavy burgundy curtains, the breakfast room is the best part of the hotel. Our rooms are not air conditioned though, and we had to pray that it will get cooler at night so we need not sweat in our rooms.
A lucky break is our decision to go to Schloss Schonbrunn as soon as we got our bags in our rooms. Truly grand, the palace is a sight to behold. I got Emy to climb the stairs and do an “Evita” in one of the balconies. While our fellow travelers rested their limbs and soulfully unpacked their clothes or took their showers, Emy and I were in the Palace grounds happily snapping away! Good thing Emy finally got satisfied with her shots of this squirrel who just kept hopping away, we found time to visit the nearby St. Michael’s Church near our hotel. We heard mass in Austrian-German and repeated our prayers for a safe and fun journey.
On our way back to the hotel, we found this small café where we tried their “dumplings” to go with some pasta dinner, an experience that need not be repeated. Well, you can’t win them all. At least the café owner was very gracious.
August 31 Tuesday
Our first whole day in Vienna. Emy joined the optional tour of Schonbrunn Palace to see the interiors while I snored the morning away. By the time they were done, I was ready to join the ride to the city where a local guide showed us Hofburg Palace and nearby monuments and buildings. Snap , snap , snap for more photo shots. Too bad the Spanish Riding School is closed. That would have earned a visit from us.
I heard mass at St. Stephen’s Cathedral and texted Emy to find her way to the church where I am seated exactly on the left side of the nave, 13th pew. After mass, we shopped around before queuing up at the Hotel Sacher for the world famous sachertorte and sacherkoffee. What can I say? The coffee with the chocolate liquor is very very good. But I won’t miss the sachertorte. Never mind that the hotel keeps in its vault the “secret recipe” for the chocolate cake. Our local bakers can whip up a better chocolate cake. Besides, their staff are so unfriendly. I asked for water only to be told that I have been served 2 glasses already and that if I like, I should order mineral water instead. The nerve. The waitress even tried to seat Emy and I in the bar, which we flatly refused as we insisted on a table of our own. Ayayay……….these 3rd world babes won’t keep quiet.
Emy will be watching a concert tonight without me. I saw one the last time I was here. While waiting for the bus to pick us up to bring some to the concert hall and the non-joiners back to the hotel, we did a few more rounds in the city center. I wasn’t as lucky as the other time I was in Vienna in terms of shopping. I loitered around with fish and chips on hand, viewed the shop windows and found none interesting enough.
September 1 Wednesday
Today, we leave Vienna and cross over to capital of Bohemia…. Prague. Before reaching this Czech capital, we found time to stroll the gardens of Lednice Palace. The Italianate gardens are real pretty . I took the chance to have photos taken with my new friends from the tour group, the Korean couple Harry and Grace with Harry’s sister Jung. And also Roger who was traveling with his mom and stepfather.
In Prague, we stayed in this big but cold edifice called a hotel. The colossal hotel is very Communist in its coldness, but they have better meals and its buffet! Enough to warm our hearts and deprived stomachs. After a good dinner, we joined the optional illuminations tour with a local guide. Caspar is one exacting, but thoroughly efficient tour guide. He measures his words, never more , never less. And all in a “what you need to know” basis. If I were to write a novel about some Czech spy, Caspar with an almost subtle limp will be that character. He showed us Hradcanny Castle grounds, took us on this small train ride that brought us to the old town square (Stare Mestro) where the Tyn Church, very Bohemian Gothic in architecture, dominates the entire Old Town Square.
On our way back to the hotel in the fringes of the city (where Tram No. 8 ends) , we couldn’t help but notice how lively and vibrant nightlife is in Prague. The many students going to university in this capital probably explains it. But I will likely place my bets on the fact that this Bohemian capital boasts of many good jazz clubs and reasonably priced beers! The small alleys and bends are littered with tiny pubs and jazz joints. Wish Emy and I braved going out and trying out these pubs! Perhaps, another time.
Still in Prague, enjoying a hearty breakfast. Soon after, Caspar gave us a city tour starting with the Hradcanny Castle. In full daylight, we saw the palace grounds dominated by the towering St. Vitus Cathedral and St. George’s Basilica. Caspar explained that the uniforms of the Palace guards were designed by the same celebrity costume designer for the movie “Amadeus”. Hmmm, it pays to have an artistic and talented playwright as the president of the country. Such dramatic flair can only be President Vaclav Havel’s. Caspar didn’t fail to tell us also that much of the film was actually shot in Prague, rather than in Salzburg where Mozart was born or in Vienna, where he stayed . Oh, one last thing: Mozart conducted the premiere of his “Don Giovanni” in Prague no less in 1787!!! Richard Wagner also gave guest performances in this Bohemian capital.
Passing by the Toy Museum, we went through the old castle steps and found our way back in the Old Town Square to view the Stare Mestro in full daylight. This time while waiting for the Astronomical Clock of the Old Town Hall strike the hour and do its parade of the 12 apostles. This main attraction in the Old Town Square is worth the neck-breaking wait for the clock to strike the hour. After this, we were given time on our own for lunch and some shopping. Emy and I found ourselves buying corn on the cob which managed to drip on Emy’s jacket, blouse and shoes. Too tired to notice? Obviously not, as we still went shopping for Infant Jesus of Prague ceramics, old black and white Prague photos lovingly framed, and other souvenir items. Lunch was in a small Chinese restaurant we found near a supermarket . Rice, glorious rice!! After lunch , we tried looking for marionette theaters only to learn that most marionette plays are in the evenings. We stopped ourselves short of going to Wenceslaw Square and lost our chance to pass by the lovely Franciscan Gardens and the majestic National Museum. Our feet won’t carry us any further.
As Caspar instructed, we went through the only street shaded with plane trees, straight up to the hotel with many flags just before a bridge with a metronome (our 2nd meeting place) . Very precise. Very exact. We waited by a bronze statue of a woman with her right hand reaching out as if asking for alms. Naturally, we couldn’t resist posing exactly like the statue. There were other tourists there but only we posed that way. It must be a Pinoy thing.
Next we went to Karmelitska Street where we found the Infant Jesus of Prague, a Spanish Renaissance gift given to the Church of Our Lady Victorious. This was the first Baroque church in Prague. While intended for use by German Lutherans back in 1611, the Church fell to the Catholic Carmelite Order. It has since been a destination for pilgrims from all over the world. It also soon became a favorite hangout for pickpockets . Someone in our tour group had a bad experience of having her bag picked. Good thing she sensed it and the Filipina beside her pushed the thief who dropped her wallet. Gosh, they are everywhere in Paris, Rome, Madrid, and now in Prague.
Then , Caspar brought us to the Opera House where an old humorous man insecure with his limited English showed us around . The performance hall was impressive, but the highlight of the tour should really be the way this funny septuagenarian gave a history of the place accompanied by his piano “recitals” for us all. He was just too funny in his eagerness to please us with his own renditions of Mozart’s great classics.
Finally, we found ourselves in Mala Strana , the Little Town or Small Quarter which is a good anteroom to the magnificent Charles Bridge. Awesome. Just awesome. We could have enjoyed staying longer on the bridge but the fear of pickpockets along with many artists vying for tourists’ attention somehow stains our respect and awe for these marvelous monuments and historic bridges. It was difficult to digest the beauty of the place while holding dearly to one’s pockets.
After this, we were again on our own, strolling around and accidentally finding the Rudolfinum which houses the Dvorak concert hall along the Vlatva River . This neo-Renaissance building honors the 2nd Czech musical genius. Heading for the only bridge with the metronome, we found ourselves too early for the rendezvous. So we strolled along the banks of the Vlatva River, had a cold soda which Emy thinks is too expensive, and enjoyed the breeze.
Before calling it a night, there was also time to drink a few but heavy mugfuls of beer in this pubhouse where this Czech accordionist played music and entertained us. If you ask me, I would have appreciated instead a saxophonist jazzing up some music for us. Incidentally, Tour Director Miranda promised us a Folklore Dinner Show which never came. We overheard her asking the hotel staff if there is a group performing tonight and the hotel staff said no. When someone in the tour group reminded her about the promised folklore show, Miranda lied through her teeth and said it’s no good anyway. At this point, her credibility with Emy and myself plummeted down to zero.
September 3 Friday
A not so early morning wake up call. It’s not too far from Czech to Munich , I guess. We passed by Pilsen as if to remind us that we are moving from the Bohemian beer capital to the German beer capital.
While on the motorcoach, we saw some of Munich’s monuments as well as the Olympic area. We were dropped off in this square with another astronomical clock to wait for the appointed hour for some “parade of statues” much like what we found in Prague. Before then, I took the time to go to the St. Joseph’s Church and yet another church whose name I can’t recall. It’s a bigger church and I found an Adoration Chapel inside with some devout Catholics singing hymns . I felt like there were angels singing a sweet melody. Then it was time to head back for the square to watch the clock strike the hour and this time the “parade” included a joust ….. some medieval story to tell and it spanned some 8 minutes I think. No wonder, the Australian Noreen, lost her battery while trying to film the whole episode. She claims her camera’s battery went dead just seconds before the highlight of the parade. I craned my neck to the very last minute and worried I couldn’t put my head back in its normal place . After the clock spectacle, the tour group is supposed to assemble in the middle of the square for a walk down to the Hofbrauhaus. I took time to get inside the Town Hall and take some shots , only to find the whole group waiting for moi. Oops…….
We found Hofbrauhaus with the oom pah pah band as just another hall with people downing mugs and mugs of beer. What is so awfully wrong here is that we were in such a great place with what seems to be a good band with some really good beer to drink , but at the wrong time! We could have done better going to the Hofbrauhaus after , and not before our German dinner of beef with red cabbage or pork accompanied by that very German sauerkraut. And speaking of dinner, we had a real lousy and salty German dinner. It must be the place…..I mean, I am sure we could have found a better place serving better German food. Urghh….and we all looked forward and paid good dollars for this optional dinner!
September 4 Saturday
From Munich to Lucerne, we had a late start which is a welcome relief! On the way to Lucerne, we made a stopover at Liechstentein. Many from the group paid for stamps on their passports. Emy skipped that and instead explored the very small principality. Emy shopped for some items while I strolled around and found this Liechsteinstein National Museum. The principality didn’t have much to offer though.
This and only this time, Trafalgar billeted us in a hotel within the city center. Can’t go wrong with a hotel just a few meters away from the famous Chapel Bridge of Lucerne. Emy and I took the chance to have our snapshots with the bridge in the background as well as walk through the bridge to cross the river and hear mass in this Catholic Church in Lucerne. It was a lovely mass with lots of singing. The Swiss couple beside me were so nice they kept pointing out to me the pages so I can sing along with them. But everything was in Swiss German, so how? Well, I tried. They hardly noticed.
After the mass, we took the same route to get back to Hotel Flora. We were lucky to have a group comprising some Philharmonic orchestra billeted in the same hotel. It’s a small hotel and it’s pleasing to listen to some of these orchestra members “rehearse” in their rooms.
September 5 Sunday
Many in the group have left early morning for the bus ride to the Zurich airport. Only about 6 of us stayed behind to enjoy a late breakfast. The Canadian couple are excited over their holiday extension in Engelberg, while the Australians Noreen and Jacky had an early start for Interlaken. Emy and I eagerly waited for Moonlight Lylah to pick us up for our trip down south to Saas Fee to view the oldest glaciers.
And so it went that our breakfast served as an early lunch. Brunch , if you like. By the time Lylah fetched us, we were bursting at the seams. The vistas from Lucerne to Interlaken are fabulous. Very blue waters (even more blue than Austria’s Blue Danube) with sailboats dotting the lakes. Then some 3 hours of driving towards Goppenstein…. On land, across the mountain on the Kandersteg (auto on rails!), on land again. It was some experience to ride the Kandersteg, and it only cost SwF25 each way. But alas, we missed the ice grotto in Saas Fee by just 10 minutes. All because we made the mistake of circling the small town to get to the cable car terminal. We could have just taken the lift in the parking lot and headed straight for the cable cars, but no luck. Oh well, at least we saw the small Swiss chalets, the old wooden stilts, the bobsleigh rides, and this noveau ride where one hangs from a rope much like you’d pin your laundry on a clothesline and slide real fast from end to end. So much for adventure…….When I told Fredy we missed him on the ride down to Saas Fee, he said “Then I would have missed the ice grotto as well…” Ho hum, swiss humor.
On our way back to Frauenfeld, we stopped by this hotel-restaurant called Brunig-Kulm Gasthaus for our much coveted Cheese Fondue. Wow. White wine, a variety of cheeses mixed with wine and kirsch, bread lumps, and voila! Hmm, what joy! And we ate dinner with this whole vista of mountains ! Of course we left room for very Swiss dessert called Vermicelle Rahm or something made of chestnut paste looking like pasta strips topped with merengue! Oh wow……never mind that we missed the ice grotto. Gives us a good reason to be back in Switzerland.
September 6 Monday
After a late night, we slept through most of the morning. Then we did the laundry. Emy and I took turns hanging our clothes to dry. Good thing the sun’s out. We need clean clothes for our Russian tour!!!!
By this time, our minds are set on the trip to St. Petersburg and Moscow. After the ordeal of getting our Russian visa, we thought we just go ahead as planned despite the disturbing news on Russia. It wasn’t enough that 2 Russian domestic planes crashed minutes apart, there was the more unsettling Beslan school siege where more than a thousand , mostly children, were held hostage by Chechen rebels. We can only pray again that God will keep us safe and healthy, and surround us with His angels to protect us from harm.
Tonight’s farewell dinner with our Swiss family consisted of baked veal smothered with herbs and that famous Rosti which is really the Swiss equivalent of hash brown. Except that it tastes much better. We also had more cheese varieties to complement our meal: Emmi Apero Brinz (very expensive), appenzeller extra, Thurgauer Rohmkose, and Bonaparte. Impressed? I got all these cheese titles from Lylah’s grocery receipt!!!! And then there’s the Sprungli chocolates for dessert. More wows for our gracious hosts. She really made sure we got our Swiss holiday.
Look at these pictures. It’s not some Ku Klux clan rally or some costume party or some parade. This is a Good Friday procession in the heart of Seville, Spain. We stayed in Hotel Don Paco, and right in front of our hotel, some 4 to 5 processions must have passed. Carried on the shoulders of locals called “costaleros” , the pasos(religious statues) weaved through the narrow streets from almost all corners! Behind and in front of the pasos walked locals called “nazarenos” wearing capes as you’d see in these photos. Some are in white capes, others in purple, some in blue, and many others in black and green . From our hotel , we watched as all these processions emerged from all streets………..and seemed to merge in the plaza near the shopping center (Serpies). Not too far away, we found a St. Joseph’s chapel where we heard Good Friday mass . It was ironic that the streets outside were fully packed with crowds of all ages, and then find many vacant seats inside the church. Among the churchgoers were senior folks, young children obviously towed by their grandparents, and us. The other adults and young teens were all out in the streets watching the religious processions and then disappeared into the many tapas bars all around Sevilla. A bit sad about this, but then times have changed. Walking back to our hotel, we got stuck with more processions.
City Tour of Seville
The following morning, our local guide Carmen toured us around Seville, starting with Casa Pilatos which sadly pales in comparison with Alhambra. But of course. Yet it is not bad at all. Then there is the cathedral with the Giralda Tower which only happens to be the 3rd largest Gothic Cathedral and the biggest altar in the world after St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican , and St. Paul’s in London. The Cathedral also happens to be the resting place of Christopher Columbus. And then there is the Alcazar, the royal palace where Muslim taifa rulers and Christian monarchs including Pedro I (Peter the Cruel) lived. Before calling it a night, we went to watch a Flamenco Show in this place crowded by tourists of almost all nationalities. The ticket to the Patio Sevillano show already included a glass of diluted wine or some diluted juice. The show started with 4 female flamenco dancers, each one good. It was wonderful to watch the dancers’ agility with the fans, castanets or even their shawls! But the best was the solo performance of this male flamenco dancer who sweated through his routine. He stomped the floor like there was no tomorrow, he flipped his hands better than the women dancers, his back arched more than any other. That performance alone, makes it worth it. Such intensity!
A famous landmark in Seville is the Plaza Espana in Maria Luisa Park where they had the 1929 American – Iberian Exhibition marking 500 years since the time Christopher Columbus discovered America. Truly a panorama of tiled ballustrades, fountains, towers, etc. Most of the lovely buildings were converted into embassies. We took many of the photos on this spread in this park.
Lunch meant more tapas and a good paella. But we were finding it difficult to appreciate the paella here as we were not used to a very wet paella. Perhaps that is really how the Spaniards cook their paellas? Mind you, we have tried many while touring around Spain.
Here in Sevilla, it was not different. It was just as wet as the other paellas we have tried. But then, there were the many tapas to try. Jamon Iberico, quezo manchego, and those baby eels. Hmmm. Yummy.
Remember the opera “Carmen”? Our guide reminded us of this young maiden working in a tobacco factory where 6,000 other women worked, and which magnificent building now houses a college in Seville. This is very near the Sevilla Pavillion which by the way, now houses a casino. And here’s some trivia from our local guide: Lope de Vega, Cervantes and Shakespeare all died in the same year. Hmmm. Okay.
The next day, we left Sevilla soon after breakfast on our way to Lisbon, Portugal. Two hours into the ride, we reached the border. Before crossing, we stopped by this village where they make my favorite ham : Jamon Iberico de Jabugo. What makes it so special? Hogs used to make this ham are fed acorns! After this, you can forget Jamon Serrano.
Spain is one country certainly worth visiting. But if there is one area where we would choose to stay longer, that would be Sevilla. Tapas, flamenco, jamon jabugo. If you get lucky, you may even watch a bullfight.
Who wants to go through all the trouble of securing a UK visa for a day trip to the Rock of Gibraltar? In my home country, a UK visa is as rare as a visa for the US, and costs quite a lot. A day in the Rock of Gibraltar does not do justice to the nearly US$100 we paid for the visa to enter this UK colony.
The Rock
The Rock is a crown property of United Kingdom in the southern coast of Spain. This limestone promontory juts out into the Strait of Gibraltar and on a clear day, one can enjoy a glimpse of Northern Africa across the Strait . History claims that the area was named after a former slave Tariq who led an army guarding the Rock. Natives thus called the rock Jabal Tariq, which meant Tariq’s mount. Through the years, Jabal Tariq assumed the name Gibraltar. It is interesting to mention that before Columbus discovered America, Gibraltar was thought to be the end of the earth. In fact, the Spanish town Tarifa actually means end of something in Arabic. It was thought then that if one were to go beyond Tarifa, one would fall over the edge of the earth!
With its extended tunnel system or underground passages, the site proved to be a keystone in defending the area against the Germans during World War II. Such military significance inspired the saying “solid as the rock of Gibraltar” . In fact, Prudential Financial uses the Rock as its logo to signify how solid the company is!
Hell Lady Driver from Gibraltar
With 40%!o(MISSING)f the land area classified as nature preserve, there was very little area and very little to do within the Rock. We took a taxi driven by a 67 year old hell of a driver grandmother cum tourist guide. Cost us 20 euros to zigzag our way up to the highest point . Right on this site, we found the “Two Pillars of Hercules” . The myth went that one of the pillars rests on the Rock , while the second pillar rests on the African side.
We visited one of the hundred caves that can be found in this peninsula . The most famous are St. Michael’s Cave and Gorham’s cave. The stalactites are really no different from the usual, and we found ourselves out of the cave soon enough , only to find that the place at the mouth of the cave is littered with monkeys. My apologies, but I was never a big fan of monkeys. Especially the unruly kind. One even got comfortable sitting on the head of one of the elderly ladies. There were so many we felt crowded out. So we decided to take the cab down and simply check out the shops. Just an hour and a half strolling around, and that was it for our adventure on this rock fortress. If we had a chance to stay a couple more days here, I am almost sure we’d run out of things to do. So there. Been there, done that.
The weekend seemed promising as we planned to spend it in a beachfront hotel in Fuengirola in the Costa del Sol area. There was time enough too to visit Mijas, a quaint little town with whitewashed houses, cobble-stoned paths, and donkey or buro carts. Looking at pictures from Mijas, I swear one can easily mistake them for shots of Santorini with its whitewashed stone houses and blue-painted doors. Plus, from what we hear, the shopping is good too!
But I am really getting ahead of my story…………
It was an ordeal having to wake up early today to visit Alhambra Palace before driving out of Granada towards Costa del Sol. If you care to have a good 8hour sleep, make sure you don’t spend Semana Santa in dear Espana. I have no problems with our accommodations in Granada. It was a big mistake though to open the windows and enjoy the breeze last night, when all seemed quiet and tranquil. The commotion outside in the streets below our open windows drew me out of a deep slumber. When I woke up, I couldn’t even think if I were home in Manila, or in Madrid, Toledo or Granada. Granada it was, and it was only 2:30 in the morning. As the shuffle of passing feet and lighted candles finally dawned on me, I simply said my prayers as this religious procession passed and turned the corner from our hotel. The mild shock was hard to shake off, so I struggled to catch a few more winks before our tour of Alhambra Palace early this morning.
Alhambra and the Cathedral of Malaga
Our local guide, Antonio, looked like your average retired professor of history in university. He rattled off dates and other details relating to Alhambra Palace , a former Moorish royal residence . Alhambra dominates the skyline and has 2 parts : the Alcazaba (fortress) and the Palacio de Nazaries. Nasrid Granada, being one of the richest cities in Medieval Europe, certainly showed off their wealth in this magnificent palace. History dates Muslim conquest as early as 711 A.D., until they were expelled after ruling for well over 700 years. As Antonio explained, Granada was the last Muslim stronghold which was finally recaptured during the reign of Fernando and Isabella, the royal Catholic monarchs of Castilla and Aragon, two of the four major provinces of Spain. Antonio did not fail to point out to us the original concept of airconditioning where antique plumbing drew water to flow around and through the Palace to “cool” it , how tiled walls and intricate wood carvings obviously bear Moorish elements, and how the Moorish monarchs may have enjoyed the Generalife Gardens right beside the palace.
In the afternoon, we passed by the famous Cathedral of Malaga where “pasos” bearing the statues of Christ and Mother Mary were being readied for the procession. (Let’s hope this time, it won’t pass our hotel at 2:30am). We did not stay very long here and just had enough time to check out the Cathedral and view the Palace atop a hill . Which was fine, as we longed to reach our hotel in Fuengirola. Our room in Hotel Pyramides offered a beachfront view in this golf club resort town. Many of the guests were tanned to the bones either from sunbathing or from playing too much golf. The hotel served good food and our spacious room even had an anteroom! My friend Emy promptly checked out the nearby supermercado and bought a few hundred grams of Jamon Iberico de Jabugo (to die for, take my word for it) and Quezo Manchego (from sheep, love it!). Not bad. And all that ham and cheese went with Sangria too. Oh, such a lovely day! But not for long………our very big room looks out to the bars and nightclubs by the beach, with all that disco music blaring without let up till 5 a.m. My, these Spanish teens and yuppies surely know how to live it up. And it was a Thursday night!
Day Trip to Mijas
We woke up late the following morning. After all that disco music, who cared to wake up early? Not wasting time, we checked the maps and bus routes and slipped out of the hotel to take the bus from Fuengirola to Mijas. This quaint little town did not disappoint. We had our very own little Santorini minus the beach and the caldera. Touts for donkey rides were hard to shake off, but we managed to stroll around the little town on our own and enjoyed it immensely. I bought an ottoman footstool, a leather backpack, Spanish fans, even a flamenco dress for my grandniece! Oh, I can’t wait to see her in this red and white polka-dotted dress with its tiered skirt. The flamenco dress for the 4 year old went with a pair of castanets too! Now, tell me which doting grandmom could resist that?
By the time we were done with our shopping , we were really ready for our lunch. We feasted on frituras (flour coated and fried seafood such as squid, fish, shrimps) , paella, grilled swordfish and that cold very Spanish soup called Gazpacho. I liked everything else, but I wasn’t a big fan of cold soups. So there……..
On our way back to our hotel, we thought there was time enough for a stroll at the beach. So, soon after we dumped our stuff, we headed for the beach. There were not too many people around. We wondered why. We were almost back at the hotel when we finally discovered why. It’s siesta time!
Just a short, comfortable one hour drive from Madrid to reach this impressive city of 3 cultures. I have to admit that I had my expectations of Toledo, having seen too many paintings of the Spanish city. Yet, I was still awed by its sheer beauty. This place shouldn’t be missed, and should be in everybody’s list to visit after Madrid. Through many narrow alleyways, we passed many houses with Moorish balconies. These ‘extensions’ served as ‘peek out’ places for Muslim women staying indoors and preferring not to be seen. I can just imagine them sneaking a look into the vibrant street scene in Toledo’s narrow alleyways while fiddling with their worry beads.
The mixture of artistic styles speaks volumes on how Arabs, Christians and Jews once lived together in this former imperial capital. Much like the mixed settlements found in the walled city of Old Jerusalem ( check out my earlier blog: When Every Prayer Bead Counts in Israel). The maze of streets make up this city bound by walls and accessed through various gates. We entered through the main gate, the Bisagra Gate, and passed a number of synagogues, mosques and churches. The highlight of my trip to Toledo is easily the Church of Santo Tome , made famous by El Greco’s painting “El Entierro del Conde Orgaz” which translates to “The Burial of Count Orgaz”. By itself, this painting makes the trip to Toledo truly worthwhile. To this day, I can still imagine the many shades of black in this painting. El Greco is truly a genius. The sheer white organza over the black garment showed his genius to the fore. One can almost feel how thin and gossamer the organza fabric was. So with the lacy cloth adorning the necks of those depicted in the scene. El Greco lived out his sunset years in Toledo and truly paid homage to his second home as he immortalized the now famous vista of the entire township, the skyline dominated by the Alcazar and the Toledo Cathedral, and the many winding alleys and cobble-stoned pathways of this place so rich in history and steeped in culture.
Mudejar Style In Art and Architecture
All around the historic city, there is the mozarab (Christians who lived under the Muslim rule) and mudejar styles expressed in the art and architecture.
The arches, ornately designed windows , and other architectural elements envelop you as you walk their streets. While viewing Toledo’s famous cathedral, we saw many tourists shunted to the sides as cars weaved through the very narrow streets of this former capital of La Mancha, now declared a heritage site. (That is the 3rd time I used the word narrow). While waiting for the cars to pass, it was easy to get tempted to get inside some of the quaint looking stores selling mazapan and turrones. And so we allowed ourselves to be tempted and then and there, decided to leave space in our bags before flying home to load up on these goodies. While munching our new finds back into the square, we paused to take in the cathedral with its very flamboyant Gothic architecture. The doorway, with its 3 doors, depicted features of hell, forgiveness and judgment. It was reported that there was a time when indulgences were granted to penitents passing through the door of forgiveness or pardon. These days, it is almost always closed except for very special occasions.
A Hero’s Sorrow
On a hill to the right of the Cathedral isthe Alcazar, the military citadel. A most interesting story has been attached to this monument of art and heroism. The Siege of Alcazar recounts the heroism and supreme sacrifice in the name of patriotic duty of General Jose Moscardo Ituarte back in 1936. For 70 days, Moscardo held out for General Franco’s Nationalist forces and defended the citadel. The Republicans then captured Moscardo’s 16 year old son, Luis, and threatened to shoot him unless Moscardo cedes the citadel. Asking to speak to his son, Moscardo said “Commend yourself to God and die like a patriot” to which his teenage son replied “That, I can do”. Truly, Luis is his father’s son. Moscardo lost his son and up to his final days, wore a black cloak of mourning over his army uniform. The drama and the tragedy are now integral to any story relating to the cathedral.
Long after we left Toledo, we can’t help wondering if the religious tolerance accounted for the very diverse character of this heritage site. Imagine the very Gothic Toledo Cathedral with Mudejar characteristics (claimed to be the 3rd largest in the world), or houses lining the alleys with their Moorish balcony extensions over your heads as you pass, as well as imagining the interfaith harmony as Arabs, Jews and Christians all established their settlements here in this place where their respective arts and culture were allowed to flourish and blossom. The peace and harmony fostered by this religious tolerance may have encouraged many Arab, Jewish and Christian scholars to settle in Toledo and hone their crafts. Just like the Pax Romana where art and culture flourished, here is another example that indeed, “Peace Pays” .
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