This is a semi-fiction and a semi-autobiographical narrative. The past few months have been very difficult for all of us due to the global health crisis brought about by COVID-19. But these months were even more difficult for me. I lost the love of my life, Alonzo. He was battling cancer (lymphoma) for almost six…
Almost 15, Happy Anniversary (Part 2)
This is a semi-fiction and a semi-autobiographical narrative. The past few months have been very difficult for all of us due to the global health crisis brought about by COVID-19. But these months were even more difficult for me. I lost the love of my life, Alonzo. He was battling cancer (lymphoma) for almost six…
Almost 15, Happy Anniversary! (Part 1)
This is a semi-fiction and a semi-autobiographical narrative. The past few months have been very difficult for all of us due to the global health crisis brought about by COVID-19. But these months were even more difficult for me. I lost the love of my life, Alonzo. He was battling cancer (lymphoma) for almost six…
Melbourne's Expo House and Royal Gardens
I am writing this post while the entire Luzon was on an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). It is the 7th day since the ECQ and right now, Barangay UP Campus (and the entire academic town of the University of the Philippines Diliman) is on lock down. This COVID-19 situation is really so scary and so…
Heritage appreciation tour, or adventures and misadventures in Vietnam and Myanmar (Concluding Part)
On our last day in Yangon, we hired a private charter with the agenda of seeing the spectacle that is Yangon city. On a personal note, I wanted to see only one thing: the Shwedagon Pagoda! Remember the bright golden monument I was describing on an earlier post when we finally entered the city center…
Come on and Ghent/Gent me, Gent me; Baby I’m Yours! (The Castle of the Counts/Gravensteen)
Belgium is my favorite European country. I have several reasons and Ghent/Gent is one of them. Why Ghent/Gent? I thought the city was really charming in a sense that its surroundings reminded me so much of the fairy tales I read in my elementary years and I watched on television and the big screen via…
Siquijor: A Hidden Paradizzze in the Philippines (Part 1)
“We are going to Siquijor,” informing one of my closest friends. She asked me to bring asin (salt) to shoo evil spirits. She also pleaded me not to take anything from the locals. More so, not to drink anything that the locals offer. Then, she asked me to remember Manilyn Reynes and Ana Roces, two…
From Shanghai to the Classical Gardens of Suzhou (Concluding Part)
An hour away from the Suzhou city center is the ancient city of Tongli! This ancient water city is one of the six famous ancient towns to the south of the Yangtze River along with the towns of Zhouzhuang, Yongzhi, Xitang, Wuzhen and Nanzun. When my Chinese colleague learned that I was traveling to Shanghai and was…
Heritage appreciation tour, or adventures and misadventures in Vietnam and Myanmar (Part 3)
After an amazing lunch at a local restaurant recommended by Mr. Tam (he used to work there and his wife still works there as a manager), we headed to the Hanoi International Airport for Yangoon. Incidentally, I no longer remember the name of the restaurant but it was really good! It was full house when…
From Shanghai to the Classical Gardens of Suzhou (Part 2)
“It’s the peak of tourist season” said our driver. He was pissed. He had a difficult time looking for a parking slot. “Summer time, also in China, meant travels for many” he added. Since early 2000, several Chinese, especially those from rural areas began exploring the world via travels. Some began visiting large urban centers…
